So long 2013

In 2013 I planned to be more OBEDIENT, to SERVE MORE and to be the child God is pleased with… 

and I said I just wanted to be MORE in 2013 than I was in 2012.

I did have some instances of obedience. I obviously mean that in the spiritual sense. I definitely stretched myself a time or two in this area. But I could have done more. There was one situation where I felt God was telling me to do something so I did it. And the folks involved seemed blessed by it. It was kinda a small thing, but we all know God takes the small things and makes em big. So I feel good about that. And I also tried to be more of an encourager this year. People hear enough too much negativity. It’s time we stop for a second and tell the people we care about how much they mean to us, point out the positive things, ya know?

I definitely served more this year than I did in 2012. I went to my church’s summer camp for middle schoolers as a counselor. 

I had never been away from Anthony for that long (it was 5 nights) and I was headin off to this camp without knowing anyone. But I felt like I was SUPPOSED TO GO, ya know? And it turned out to be a great experience AND I met some awesome folks that week that I’m still friends with. And I was blessed spiritually in a B I G way.

I also started teaching a small group with my friend Pennie. 

It means me and the hub have to drive separately to church on Sundays now, but I love investing in those 6^th grade girls. When the school year is over, I’m gonna miss em.

The other serving thing I did was our church’s girl’s retreat. It was also a great experience and like camp, here I met some great folks that I’ve become friends with. And it's cool when the girls see me around campus and run over and hug me. 

*Side bar: I will never forget the Friday night "dance party" where our worship leader Brooke grabbed me to dance with her. And then she put her friend Cara on her shoulders. And they fell.  

Anyway, so I didn’t get it all right in 2013, but at least I was trying. There were ups and downs of course, but 2013 will go down in my memory as a good good year.

On to the less mushy stuff. Whew.

This is a recap yall. 
And don’t expect it to be brief. I mean come on. You know me.

{movies we watched}

Sherlock Holmes

Spiderman 3

Footloose (the new one)

Iron Man

Iron Man 2

Iron Man 3

Lone Ranger

Getaway

Heart of Country

Olympus Has Fallen

Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

{music we did}

> Boyd Tinsley of Dave Matthews Band

> Maroon 5 me & a couple girlfriends from work

> Brandon Holder our friend that plays regularly downtown

> Dave Matthews Band the hub & I went to the show in April, then the hub & his buddy went in June

> Zamily Reunion Zac Brown Band fan club event during CMA Fest

This was the first time they let fan club members have a pic 

> Zac Brown Southern Ground Food & Music Festival two nights of music mayhem WOOT WOOT - it was mostly ZBB but also included Eli Young Band, Grace Potter, Kenny Chesney, Kenny Rogers & several more... I was all about the ZBB though #awesome
> John Mayer F R E E courtesy of my sweet friend Kelly the hugger xxoo

{my photography gigs}

a slow year for me…

> 1 wedding

> 2 Senior portrait sesh’s

> Maternity sesh with my niece my first maternity shoot & it was sooo fun #thankyouPinterest

> a baby shower for a friend

> Portraits of our friends' 2 year old & some family shots

> Fall family portraits

and the best paying gig…not that it's about the money but this gig was sweet...

>> the Girl Scout daddy daughter event :- ) -> $$$ all I had to do was show up & shoot the pics

> This wasn't a "gig" but I'm throwin' it in the photog section... proof that an iPhone pic can be great - - 

> And then there's this... just because

me being me

{our trips}

Smokies in Feb
Alabama in Apr for DMB concert

Fort Walton in Sept

Smokies again after Christmas 
oh and I went to summer camp in east TN & girls retreat in KY sans the hub

{the family stuff}

> Watched boys in the fam play basketball, soccer & football we need more GIRLS in the family lol

> My niece had her TWIN BOYS… which means I’m now a G R E A T   A U N T …not even mad about it either

recent Instagram pic posted by my niece.  .  . 

try JUST TRY and handle all this cuteness

> My best friend happens to also be my sister-in-law and she turned the big FOUR OH this year

> Went to the good ole Wilson County Fair with some of the fam
> My grandmother passed away :- ( 

She's in Heaven now... so it's okay. 

We'll miss her though!

{the totally random stuff}

> lots of dinners and laughs with friends… how I love those!

> birthday celebrations

> some Girls Nights … food, laughs and love

> celebrated my 9^th anniversary at my job AND the hub & I celebrated #14 on the ole ring finger #timeflies

> ran a 5K with Rhonda & Delaney and another one with my pal Angela

> we sold our Honda Civic… um yeah, so we may have owned 4 vehicles for a few months there #ohme

> considered Lasik eye correction for a minute

> I changed dentists… and my new dentist is a fella I've literally watched grow up so it’s kinda weird/cool

> planted some trees at the homestead

> lost a tree – poor little weak Dogwood RIP buddy, RIP

> we bought a new tv… we’re finally in the flat panel thin club lol

> The Office ended. I.can’t.even. >-( 

> I exercised for the first time ever on a vacation – had to throw this in

> we brought back some Whataburgers to Anth’s step brother when we came back from Alabama. #stinkycar

> Anthony played guitar at church

> my friend Bridgett is finally finished with school & doing her student teaching – that called for a celebration so I treated her to Cheesecake Factory!

> the hub & I tried a couple new restaurants in the ville – Loveless Café & Pucketts – both were delish

Thank you for reading my little blog during 2013. 
I hope 2014 is AWESOME SAUCE with a TERRIFIC CHERRY ON TOP!

xxoo
Lyndy