the last of 2013

2013 has been a very joyous year!  (Hence, this little one growing so rapidly inside of me!)  Here are some of my favorite photos that didn't quite make it to our blog towards the end of 2013 :

My mom came to visit in August.  I really liked these photos Tim had taken one Sunday evening:

I surprised Tim with the sweet news of our little one with this poster taped on our window:

This photo was taken just a few days after finding out the news of our babe growing inside of me:

Tim and I had fun doing our own photo session in the Park one day in November.  I was 15 weeks pregnant in these photos:

Christopher came to visit for a weekend in December.  Tim and I were not in Texas for Christmas this year, and well, Christopher was.  So we had a mini-Christmas, as well as a mini-birthday celebration for Tim and Christopher here in Brooklyn.

Christmas 2013 was spent in Louisville.  It was a very quick trip, but we tried to soak up as much love and squeezes from family and friends in just the few days we were there:

(I was 21 weeks pregnant in these photos)

Tim and I look forward to sharing more photos and news come 2014.  Happy New Year!

11.23.13

We had some fun last weekend at the Brooklyn Renegade Craft Fair.  Tim's cousin Hannah, who also resides in NYC now, joined in.  Good food, a few good gift finds, and the infamous Magbooth.

Bucha!

For my birthday my mom gave me a Kombucha kit.  Both Tim and I were very excited!  It has been at least a good 6 years since I've brewed kombucha, and at least 4 years for Tim.  It was so nice having all the gear: an automatic siphon, some really great bottles, an attractive crock.  It made the process of bottling the bucha so much easier and accessible.  We're so happy to have a living thing just growing in our space.  (And a large supply of tasty beverages to enjoy.)

Some leftovers

Tim and I came across some forgotten pics taken back in September

Tim got his new camera around this time and was having a lot of fun snapping candid photos.  Those apple cider doughnuts are sold year round.  Sometimes it's the only item we purchase at the Farmer's Market...

The last picture is a good picture of how I feel a lot of the time these days.  It was taken while waiting for the Q train at the Union Square Station.  It was Friday, right before midnight, at the end of a very long day.

Full Circle

So we've now been in NYC for one whole year.  We're enjoying our second autumn in the city.  Beautiful, isn't it? (We get to look our our window every morning and see this!)

We've added a few touches to our apartment to celebrate autumn:

This past week I celebrated my 27th birthday.  26 was a very full year.  27 holds so much more.

Over this year living in Brooklyn, I had been keeping an ongoing 'Only in NYC list'.  I'll share some of my favorites:

Only in New York City...

-Tim can join in a volleyball game with nuns and priests in training. (Prospect Park, 6/15/13)

-Tim and I bike home with two gallons of paint and paint supplies in our bags on our back. (6/15/13)

-People get their dogs confused as their own human children.  Dogs get their own strollers too. (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings, walking to work thru Fort Greene Park, and all throughout NYC.)

-The Farmer's Market is more expensive than the grocery.  It's more for bragging rights.

-I look out my window and see a Chinese Lantern floating in the night sky...at least once a week!

-You become extremely efficient.  Who needs a work out at a gym when you walk up 15 flights of stairs in just one day's commute?

new memories. loved traditions.

...And we're back!  It's been busy.  Like really busy.  Being the amazing husband that Tim is, he knew we needed a break from the busyness, even if it was just for a day.  We rented a car and headed an hour south in Jersey.  He had set up the day to go apple picking!  Apple picking has become something we both look forward to each fall.  It has been a while since we last got to go, due to 'ehem', a big move we were preparing for last fall (and I'm not quite sure what happened Fall 2011...).  This past weekend, we ended up picking nine pounds of apples!

 and there was a corn maze!

It felt so great to get away together for a day.  With no car here, one can really start feeling trapped in this city.  Autumn is beautiful here in Brooklyn, but I have so many fall memories that deal with being outside among a lot of trees, bonfires and farms.  So this year is a bit different.  But we're definitely making new memories while implementing loved traditions.

holding tight to summer

Tim and I have been making the most of our summer.  This leaves little room for internet time!  Here are some noteworthy memories to share:

A visit home to my dear Kentucky:

4th of July: Hot Dog eating contest at Coney Island.  Yes, it was epic.  And our friend Dyck, who came with us to the contest has sadly moved away from the city.  Best of luck, and I'm sure we'll be seeing you sooner than later!

Tim and I spent the first weekend in August in Twinsburg, Ohio with his brother Christopher and his wife Nicole.  We were there for the annual Twins Days Festival.  Need I say more?

My mom came and stayed with Tim and I for a week!  It was a great visit.  Although I took her around to see all then note worthy sights, we also enjoyed some of mine and Tim's lesser known spots.

We made sure to feed Mama good!  Mexican meets Italian...delicious!

Our absolute favorite spot: Prospect Park.  (our backyard)

Date night!  Free Bluegrass show in Manhattan?  Yes, please!  Tim and I spent this past Friday night enjoying the sounds of Sam Barnes and Friends, followed by a stroll back over to Brooklyn, via Brooklyn Bridge.

There's just a handful of summer left...so go and enjoy!