35

I smiled all day today.

• Steve rubbed my back and made me delicious coffee. 
• I woke up wondering if my mom thought it was neat having me as a Christmas gift, then she texted me "Happy Birthday to my best Christmas present ever"
• The best music came on the radio on the drive to work. 
• The leaves on the trees looked extra bright yellow. 
• It RAINED!! 
• I only worked half day. 
• I got sweet birthday messages from my best friends and relatives.
• I got pampered getting a haircut by my friend, sipping on a cappuccino. 
• I bought myself earrings at the cutest local maker shop. 
• I talked to my mom and my dad and got the CUTEST voicemail from my grandpa that I will save forever. 
• Did I say it rained!!?!?!
• I got a free Starbucks birthday coffee. 
• I went grocery shopping at my favorite store. 
• I made dinner while Steve played guitar. 
• And now chocolate, tea, and a Fred Astaire movie. 
• And tomorrow we leave for a peaceful, relaxing, calm holiday getaway to Big Sur! WOOT!

35 is off to a great start!!!!

2016 was pretty...pretty...pretty good.

2016 was a tough year and I was tempted to skip my yearly video. But then, as I thought more about what made it a bad year, I adjusted my perspective and found beauty and happiness instead. My memories of Steve's ER visit turned into a thought about miracles and what it means to be a loving partner. Let's celebrate, honor, and protect our amazing opposable thumbs shall we?! 

There's little happiness to be found in the memory of Steve's mom passing, but look what she left behind for us to enjoy...beautiful quilts, delicious recipes, my amazing sewing skills, to name a few. But, mostly she will always be here in her incredible son whose affection, patience, teamwork, resourcefulness, curiosity, and kindness are genetic gems, passed down from sweet Linda.

Last week, Steve and I watched all of my yearly videos to date and I realized how grateful I am to myself for having captured and recorded where we have been. What a fun thing to be able to re-live those moments long forgotten in my memory. Looking back through my 2016 photos and videos reminded me of the many great travels, friends, family, and adventures that I was lucky enough to experience. 

This year I dressed up every Tuesday night in leg warmers and splatter paint spandex for 80's jazz class. I stayed in a pink house on a tree-lined street in the quaintest Illinois town. I ate to-die-for donuts in Seattle. I held my best friend's new baby. I jumped for joy to live music and smiled so much my face hurt. I saw So You Think You Can Dance LIVE and Jason Derulo blew me a kiss. I wore a ton of my favorite color, pink. I planted seedlings in my garden with my dad.  I slid down a rock slide inside a cave in Montana. I found a new talent in fancy pie crusts. I drank beer on sunny patios with my mom. Steve and I explored a palm oasis in the middle of nowhere. I ate giant s'mores over a fire pit next to my best friends.

In the end, 2016 was actually pretty great, and how can I deny myself (and you!) the forever memory of seeing the best band of all time, The Monkees, LIVE! 

Enjoy!


2016 Year in Review from Jaime Dwight on Vimeo.