One could say that this was our Best Year Yet… and I’d have to agree! 2017 has been a roller coaster of a ride but we’re grateful for each and every memory and adventure this year has brought!

JANUARY

We did this little thing and got married! We drove from Florida to Vermont and back to share this special day with all of our family and friends. We’re blessed to have had the day and entire weekend come together flawlessly- it truly was the best day of our lives and our highlight of this year!

 

FEBRUARY

This month was spent adjusting to newlywed life- though it really wasn’t much different than our life previously! I simply just spent this entire month (and months to come) remembering to refer to Conor has my Husband instead of my Boyfriend (yes, I had a REALLY hard time with the “fiance” term as well…. this is what happens when you date for 7 years before getting engaged).

February also brought us some great quality time spent in the warming temperatures with friends! We took a great weekend bike trip to Seaside with our friends Aaron and Hannah! None of us had ever been there before so it was a really fun (and beautiful $$$) experience!

 

MARCH

This was a difficult month for us, as March alone was a roller coaster of emotions in our little u28 community. But, it’s times like these that we’re grateful for the wonderful Air Force community we are surrounded by and all of the friends that have become family.

Later on in the month though, we were able to celebrate a little by enjoying  a great St. Patricks Day/ Birthday Party for Conor’s 25th birthday- cake and all!

At the end of the month we welcomed the newest member of our family and brought our little Boston Whaler home- “The Bullet.” While the name came with the boat, and Conor had all intentions of changing it, people just referred to it as that right of the bat so we stuck with it!

The last few days of this month were spent with my Mom, as she escaped the LONG winter back up in Vermont and came down to sunny Florida to enjoy some cocktails by the ocean 🙂

 

APRIL

We celebrated Easter with what seems to have become a tradition now- a shrimp boil! This year we enjoyed it at our friends house on the dock with a large group of Air Force family!

We also finally got the chance to take the boat out on a first family ride this month!

 

MAY

I made a big decision this month and decided to join with Beautycounter. I fell in love with the products, this company’s mission, and it coincided so wonderfully with my job as an RN that I felt compelled. Im so glad I made this decision and am loving it!

We celebrated my 24th birthday this month. Just the hubby and I had the chance to enjoy a nice causal birthday dinner at our favorite restaurant.

At the end of the month we traveled home to Vermont for my oldest brothers graduation from the University of Vermont. In the beginning of our trip we spent a few days up in Maine at our cabin there with Conor’s family. The second half of the trip was spent in Vermont with my family. It was a wonderful, refreshing, and much needed trip home!

 

JUNE

This month I hosted a small baby shower for our friend Paige! She and her husband were here in Florida for training and then were moving to New Mexico where they are stationed. Though she wasn’t due until October, they were moving soon and we wanted to throw her a little party before she left!

Conor’s entire family came to visit and stay with us- and while to some that may sound like a bit of craziness after a few days, for us.. we absolutely loved it! It was so much fun to have them all staying here in our home and to have some much welcomed company! There were plenty of beach and boat days as well as extra love and snuggles for Jaggs.

 

JULY

My parents came to town this month. It was so nice to have them here and to finally show my Dad our home! He hasn’t been able to come visit since we lived in our tiny little apartment in Fort Walton Beach so I was thrilled to show him our upgrade. With them there were plenty of beach days and yummy food (which is always the case when they’re around)

 

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AUGUST

Jaggs turned 2 this month! Of course we celebrated- pupcakes and all!

This month we also went to the Blue Wahoos game in pensacola (local baseball team) which is something that’s become a bit of a summer tradition around here.

In August there were plenty of days spent on the boat watching dolphins and beach hopping with the hound.

SEPTEMBER

Over Labor Day weekend, our friend Kevin came to town so we were able to spend time with him and the Henrichs that weekend. It’s also so great to have this group of guys together. We also found out that weekend that Conor and I will become an “aunty and uncle”!! Our very good friends face timed us all and told us they were having their first baby in March!! Congratulations Aaron and Maggie!!

This is also the month that Irma hit. This was our first time dealing with a true hurricane. Being from New England, we worried about Nor’easters… not quite hurricanes. I explained to my Mom during a conversation one day that the weeks worth of notice and updates was both a blessing and a curse- wonderful for those who needed to evacuate, but for the anxious person like me… it was a week of stress and anxiety. Conor was also on the Hurricane Evacuation team this fall, so that meant I’d be dealing with this hurricane alone. Luckily he helped me get everything prepared and ready before he left. But, we were incredibly blessed as we were far enough west on the Panhandle that we were probably the only place in Florida who wasn’t affected by Irma. Our thoughts go to all of those who were and who are still dealing with the aftermath of that horrible storm!

OCTOBER

This was a slow month for us. Lots of work and little play!

Another hurricane headed our way this month, which meant that yet again it’d be just Jaggs man and I here alone facing the storm. This one hit us a little bit harder than Irma, though in the end it still turned out to be much more mild than predicted. I’ll be a pro at this hurricane deal by the time we leave Florida!

We celebrated 8 years of being together this month! It’s so fun to look back on where we started, our memories from then, and where we are now!

We ended the month celebrating Halloween with Conor’s squadron. We were Squints and Wendy Peffercorn from The Sandlot!

NOVEMBER

In the beginning of the month we traveled to Colorado! For the first time since Conor graduated, we finally stepped foot back onto the Air Force Academy grounds… all to watch brother Tipper play hockey! It was the big Army vs. Air Force weekend so it ended up being a blast! All of Conor’s family was there, we spent time with his academy Sponsor Family, and I also got to spend time with one of my wonderful best friends and her boyfriend. It was a blessing to spend this time with dear family and friends before Conor was to deploy just a couple of weeks later

We spent Thanksgiving with some of Conor’s extended family here in Niceville. We’re so lucky they graciously took us in. We unfortunately weren’t able to go home because it was so close to deployment, but we are beyond lucky to have wonderful family right close by!!

At the end of the month, I dropped Conor off on base at 11:30pm, we said our goodbyes- and off he went, ‘into the wild blue yonder.’ And so began our very first deployment.

DECEMBER

This was my first full month alone in our home. And let me tell you… Murphy’s Law was in FULL effect. What can go wrong, WILL go wrong (but more to come on that at another time).  This has been an emotional month, and it has taken a while to adjust, however I’m slowly but surely getting there!  I’m beyond grateful for the wonderful friends and coworkers who I have here to keep me sane, because man this is not easy!!

I traveled home for Christmas at the end of the month. I’m so glad I was able to get the time off from work to go home, see family, spend time in the snow, and to just be away from an empty house for a little while.

 

2017 had its ups and downs for sure. But it truly was our best year yet. I’m eager to see what new adventures will come our way in 2018- here’s to hoping something a little wonderful comes along among all the craziness of this Air Force life!

Now, while I wish I could say I’m signing this blog off with champagne in hand, dressed up, and ready to ring in the New Year- I can’t…. as for this gal, it’s Bagel Bites for dinner and bed by 9 (nurses don’t get holidays off, don’t you know!???)

But, I hope all of YOU have a wonderful New Years Eve and wishing you all a year of blessings in 2018! CHEERS!!