Tag: annual recap

January 1, 2025 Article, Lifestyle

2024 Recap

Another year has come and gone. It seems like each year passes faster than the one before. 2024 brought lots of travel (3 new countries!) and a move, albeit brief, to a new state. It brought laughter and tears. Lots of running, lots of Pure Barre. Lots of card games, lots of brewery trips. 

Here’s my little recap of 2024. These annual recaps are such a fun way for me to look back at years past and reflect on the year’s events. I hope they inspire you to do some reflecting of your own. Be proud of all you’ve accomplished this year and, most importantly, of the time you’ve spent with your loved ones and for yourself. Then dream those big dreams for 2025 with me! 

JANUARY

  • I ran the 2024 Chevron Houston Marathon. It kicked off my year with big emotions. Pride from hitting a 23 minute marathon PR (3:31:45), and devastation from falling just shy of my big goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon.
  • While in Houston, Billy and I also ran the Houston 5K! 
  • We almost got stuck in Houston due to so. much. SNOW! We had the most snow Knoxville has seen since 1998! It began falling during our flights back to Knoxville and the city was covered in a wintery white blanket for a week. Waffles LOVED her first snow!
  • I created many a HxH recipe and loved sharing them with you on Instagram!

FEBRUARY

  • To fill my marathon training void, and for no other reason, the US hosted the Olympic Marathon Trials. While I wasn’t there in person, you better believe it was like a holiday for me watching on TV. 
  • I took a work trip to Columbia, SC for an event & got to see great friends while I was in town. 
  • I visited Iceland for the first time as part of a work trip. Probably the most stunning natural landscape I’ve ever laid eyes on. The snow, the waterfalls, the volcanoes, the Northern Lights – it was breathtaking. 
  • I partnered with another small, female-owned business, Seams x Seemly, to create my first ever HxH merchandise! It was so much fun working with Audrey and so surreal seeing my message and branding come to life!  

MARCH

  • I took a quick work trip to South Carolina to host my favorite event, the Spurs Up Sprint 5K. Yay running! 
  • Lotttssss of walks & brewery trips with Waffles & Billy.
  • Billy & I visited one of our favorites, Asheville, NC, for a weekend trip. We love touring all the breweries and staying at a cute little airbnb in the mountains! 

APRIL

  • I met olympic running legend, Des Linden!! I went on a shakeout run with her and some members of the Knoxville Track Club and kept pinching myself to see if I was dreaming! 
  • I ran the Knoxville Marathon for the second time in person, third time if you include the virtual covid year. I did not PR, but I finished the race and I celebrated over beers with my family – a race day tradition. I also learned that two back to back marathon training cycles is not the best thing for your body or your love of the sport. 
  • Billy and I flew to NYC at the end of the month for me to race the NYRR Real Simple Women’s Half Marathon. It was my first NYRR race and my half PR (1:42:17)!!

MAY

  • Started off the month with a trip to SC for work, and got to meet my sweet friend, Hannah’s, little baby in the hospital! 
  • My bestiessss Savannah & Georgie came to Knoxville for our friend Robby’s wedding! It was SO FUN to have everyone there celebrating, and we got a bonus girls day of wedding dress shopping for Savannah. 
  • Two days after Robby’s wedding, Billy, Waffles & I moved to NYC!!!! A lifelong dream! We packed it with so much fun including: 
    • My brother, Jake, visited
    • We did sooo much exploring and ate sooo much incredible food
    • I went to live podcast recordings of two of my favorite running podcast – Believe in the Run’s The Drop and the Ali on the Run Show 
    • I ran countless miles on group runs with various run crews in NYC
    • I ran the NYRR Brooklyn Half Marathon (1:46:42) and finished in Coney Island, where Jake and Billy were waiting on me 
    • I cheered Billy on in a race in Central Park for his law firm 
    • Billy and I saw The Heart of Rock and Roll on Broadway 
    • Among it all, I flew from NYC to Columbia, SC for another work trip

JUNE

  • Summer in the city! 
  • I ran on Global Running Day among hundreds of fellow runners with the Endorphins run club. It was so much fun to be in the company of so many people who love running as much as I do. 
  • I raced the NYRR Women’s Mini 10K, which has been a dream of mine. So many professional runners I admire run this race each year, and while I was farrr behind them, it was so cool to be a part of that race. 
  • We played lots of mini golf, ate lots more good food (bagels & pizza & pasta, oh my!), and enjoyed many a happy hour cocktail.
  • We went on many, many west side highway runs and walks with Waffles.
  • I attended my first ever Peloton Studios NYC run with my favorite coach, Becs Gentry. Was such a pinch me moment to meet her! 60 min class and yours truly finished top of the leader board of the studio runners.
  • We explored more exhibits at the MET.
  • I took an in-person Melissa Wood Health workout class which was so much fun and another “how am I meeting this person in real life” moments! 
  • I taught Pure Barre in NYC!!! I mean, what?!?! 
  • Billy and I ran the NYRR Queens 10K.
  • Billy and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary! We kicked off the day with a morning group run with Dirty Bird run club and a coffee date before he went to the office. After work, we headed to a Yankees game and enjoyed the Audi Club. 
  • I launched the HxH Podcast!!!! One of my proudest accomplishments of 2024 and something that has brought me so much joy. I truly hope it has brought you entertainment and encouragement. 
  • I volunteered at the NYRR Achilles Hope 4 mi race and got to cheer Billy on at the water stop. 
  • Billy and I ran the NYRR Pride 4mi Race through Central Park. 
  • Billy and I saw the Book of Mormon on Broadway. 

JULY

  • NYC summer in the city REALLY started getting HOT.
  • Billy and I went to another Yankees Game, this time with Pepsi club tickets that did not disappoint. 
  • Our dear friends, Hope & Timothy, visited us in NYC for 4th of July weekend and we had a blast taking them around the city (L’Industrie & Talea, anyone?!).
  • The four of us saw the Great Gatsby on Broadway. 
  • I taught more Pure Barre at several studios in the city and enjoyed trying new workout. classes. SLT & New York Pilates were my faves. 
  • I celebrated my 29th birthday all weekend long with: 
    • A spa day
    • A 45 min Peloton Studios NYC cycle class with Camilla Ramón
    • Harry Potter & the Cursed Child on Broadway
    • NYRR Retro 4 miler race in the pouring rain
    • Dinner at Palma, my FAVE
    • Romeo & Juliet performed by the American Ballet Theater
  • I flew to DC for a work trip. 
  • My brother, Milo, visited us in the city! We did all the city things, including: 
    • The Museum of Ice Cream
    • Aladdin on Broadway
    • Saw the Friends building
    • Walked the west side highway
    • Rode the Staten Island ferry & saw the Statue of Liberty 
  • The Olympics began!

AUGUST

  • Billy, Waffles & I made the long drive from NYC back to Knox. I was kicking and screaming to leave the city, but excited to see our families and my Pure Barre Knoxville friends! 
  • I became Lead Teacher of Pure Barre Knoxville and Pure Barre Farragut. Seriously such a dream come true! I love that place and those people with my whole heart! 
  • Jake’s girlfriend Liz visited the US from Germany and it was SO amazing to finally get to meet her in person and show her around Knoxville. They make each other so happy which makes me happy. 
  • Billy and I made a visit to his family in Johnson City and I went on yet another work trip to SC.

SEPTEMBER

  • Billy and I traveled to Kentucky for a work trip for me, which had the perks of being a part of a small Gamecock 1801 Bourbon selection group and attending the USC/UK football game. 
  • I taught a super fun Pure Barre pop up class and spent all my free time in the studios. 
  • Billy and I went back to Johnson City to run the Bluegrass Half Marathon. The race was canceled from the hurricane devastation, so he and I ran the 13.1 together – his first half marathon!

OCTOBER

  • I completed the fall fit challenge at Pure Barre – 30 classes in 60 days. It had been several years since I prioritized this challenge, and I’m so glad I did! 
  • Billy turned 30!!! We celebrated with a nice dinner in Knoxville on his actual birthday. The weekend prior we also celebrated at a surprise tailgate before the ETSU football game. 
  • We finished off the year 30 celebrations in Greece and Turkey!!!! The cruise was incredible and we saw so much history, culture, and beauty on the many islands we visited. Unreal! 

NOVEMBER

  • Another work trip to Columbia, SC for Homecoming weekend to kick off the month. 
  • The following weekend my family ran the Cades Cove Loop Lope. It was so fun to run together and for the cherry on the cake I placed 1st in my age group and 4th female overall.
  • Billy and I traveled back to Johnson City to race the Bluegrass Half Marathon take 2. We ran together and finished in 1:52:31. I’m so proud of Billy and only slightly bitter at how seemingly effortlessly his speed in running has developed. 
  • We celebrated another great year of Pure Barre at our annual holiday party! 
  • I took another work trip to SC and then Billy and I took another trip to Johnson City for Thanksgiving. It was great to also get to see his aunt & uncle from Florida and run the JC Turkey Trot in the morning! 
  • The month concluded with a delayed Spanyer Thanksgiving when we returned from Johnson City. 

DECEMBER

  • A month of Pure Barre, including my first experience at the Xponential Fitness Convention in Las Vegas with my great friend, Rachel! 
  • Then it was allll Christmas, including both families, a book club girls night, and a family friends’ annual party. 
  • Lots of reading, puppy snuggling, and coffee to conclude a cozy Christmas and a busy year! 

Overall, it was a very eventful and rewarding 2024. Looking forward for so many more exciting things to come for Health by Haven in 2025! The happiest, healthiest new year to you and yours!

January 1, 2024 Article, Lifestyle

2023 Recap

My 2023 recap! I mostly write these selfishly each year – it’s so fun to look back on the year and have it documented in time. If you’re interested in what I was up to, keep reading. Let me know in the comments your favorite parts of 2023 and what you’re looking forward to in 2024! Happy New Year!

JANUARY

  • 2023 kicked off with a lotta running and a lotta cooking and recipe development, just how I like it!
  • I set a PR of 1:50:30 in the half marathon at the Strawberry Plains Half Marathon. Super proud of this effort considering how hilly the course is.

FEBRUARY

  • I traveled to Reno, NV for a work conference. I have to say – it’s a city I never need to visit again, though the mountains are stunning.
  • Took a quick work trip to Columbia, taught a lot of Pure Barre & cooked a lot of yummy, green foods.

MARCH

  • Hosted the third annual Spurs Up Sprint 5K with my job at the USC Alumni Association – my favorite event of the year. I love seeing the Gamecock community of all ages and abilities come together to better themselves and raise scholarship money.
  • A lottttaaa running building up to my next marathon.

APRIL

  • I raced the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon for the first time (in person) and set a PR of 3:52:23. It was awesome getting to walk to the start line (yay less race day logistics to pair with my race day nerves!) and spent the afternoon celebrating over beers with my dad, my brother Jake, and Billy.
  • My youngest brother, Milo, graduated college!! Smartie pants grad from Eastern Michigan University – it was a quick trip and the fam is so proud of him.

MAY

  • After a quick work trip, I flew to Cincinnati to run the Flying Pig Half Marathon with my dad. It was a total monsoon, which made it all the more fun. I will definitely be back at some point and hope to race the full course one year too!
  • Traveled to Savannah, GA to watch some of our best friends get married. It was the sweetest weekend and bonus fun with time on Tybee Island! 

JUNE

  • Spent a week in Columbia for work events and new employee onboarding. While work travel can be tiring, I love that I get to spend time with my Columbia friends & workout with the amazing ladies of Pure Barre Columbia.
  • Billy and I celebrated our second anniversary back in the city he proposed – Asheville, NC! Lots of good beer and good food with the best company. 

JULY

  • Spent my 28th birthday in Boulder, CO at a work conference. Luckily I was able to start the day with a birthday run (my fave!), a local coffee shop, and a beautiful hike before sessions began.
  • My former college roommate, Kara, and I got to throw one of our other roommates, Taylor, a baby shower! It was such a sweet morning – hard to believe we were preparing to welcome the first little one to our Buc Ridge crew!
  • After 8+ years together, Billy and I finally took a trip to his hometown of Manasquan, NJ. It was so wonderful seeing where he grew up and spending time enjoying the cuisines of his childhood on the beach he used to play on. We also got to spend a few days in NYC, which is always such an amazing time! 
  • After our trip up north, Billy and I spent a quick weekend in Nashville, TN. We went on a (very hot) group run hosted by some of my fave running podcast hosts (shout out to Fuel for the Sole!) and had brunch with college friends!
  • Then we ended July by picking up our sweet little puppy, Waffles! Our very own golden retriever pup – something I’ve dreamed of my entire life! July was a big month!

AUGUST

  • Billy and I took a quick trip back to NYC and got to explore Brooklyn. I’ll never turn down a chance to travel to the best city in America!
  • August also meant the start of Billy’s 2L year of law school and lots of brewery trips with the pup.

SEPTEMBER

  • Billy and I traveled to Johnson City to cheer on the Bucs at a football game – something we love to do at least once a season! We enjoyed a lively tailgate and spent a few hours enjoying the suite (thanks, Timothy!) while we waited on rain delay after rain delay. Maybe next time we’ll actually get to watch some football, but it was a fun time with friends regardless. 
  • We traveled back to JC and I set another PR in the half marathon, coming in at 1:46:13 at the Bluegrass Half Marathon in Johnson City, TN. This race is so special to me, as it was my intro into distance racing. Billy and Waffles were there to cheer me on, which definitely kept me going! Now my goal is to break 1hr 45 min at this distance. 
  • I also hit my 100 classes taken (& 265 classes taught) at Pure Barre Knoxville/Pure Barre Farragut. I’m so lucky that I’ve found community in this fierce group of women!

OCTOBER

  • Kicked off October with work coming to me in Knox this time – hosted Gamecocks on the Road events for the South Carolina @ Tennessee football game. 
  • The next day, I hopped on a plane to Barcelona, Spain! It was the most incredible week exploring Spain. I visited Barcelona, Alicante, Almería, Melilla, Málaga and was wined and dined on a stunning cruise ship in the Mediterranean Sea. Truly a pinch me trip that I will never forget.
  • I got one day at home before I drove to Columbia for my busiest work week of the year, homecoming. I got to spend the first night in town with friends at the Jonas Brothers concert (I first saw them in concert opening for the Hannah Montana/Meet Miley Cyrus tour in 2007!!!) before the events began. Tired is an understatement, but it was all so worth it.
  • I ended October with one more work trip. This time Billy joined and this time it was to College Station, TX for the South Carolina @ Texas A&M football game.

NOVEMBER

  • Took a quick trip to Asheville, NC the first weekend of November to surprise one of my childhood besties, Savannah, for a celebration lunch after her engagement! EEEPPPPP! Then my mom and I toured the Biltmore house decked out in Christmas decorations!
  • The next weekend Billy and I ran the Cades Cove Loop Lope 10-Miler, his longest race to date! I am so stinking proud of him. My dad and Jake were there with Waffles to cheer us to the finish line!
  • Then after a work trip I got COVID – just in time for Thanksgiving. So it was just me and Waffles for Thanksgiving – no Turkey Trot or family travels. I felt truly terrible, but I’m so lucky that it wasn’t worse and that I was able to recover in about a week. 
  • November ended with Health by Haven finallyyyyy getting its own Instagram page. It only took me 3.5 years! But if you’re wanting more recipes and fitness inspo, be sure to follow it @healthbyhaven! 

DECEMBER 

  • Spent the first weekend of December on a combo work & pleasure trip to Columbia, where I helped throw a 30th birthday party for my Cola BFF, Hannah! We danced the night away while celebrating one of the most kind, thoughtful, and selfless people I know. It was an absolute blast. 
  • Then when Billy’s finals were over, we visited my favorite – NYC – for a third time this year. Nothing compares to the City at Christmas. We enjoyed a Rangers game, the NYC Ballet’s Nutcracker, running and ice skating in Central Park, drinks with my cousin, and LOTS of incredible food!
  • I took one last quick work trip to Columbia before calling it a wrap on the 2023 work year.
  • We had wonderful Christmas celebrations with my family, Billy’s family, and then my extended family in Kentucky. What more could we ask for!

I hope you had a wonderful 2023! Wishing you the happiest, healthiest 2024!

January 1, 2023 Article, Lifestyle

My 2022 Recap

2022. A year of change and exploration.

Lots happened this year – the good, bad & ugly. But overall, I’m feeling very thankful for a lot that this year brought.

Most notably, Billy and I moved to Knoxville, Tennessee after five years in Columbia, South Carolina. For me it was moving home, for him a new chapter. I’m honestly so happy to be back here close to my family and watch him thrive in law school. 

Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of tough times this year. None that I really want to talk about. Just a reminder that everyone is fighting battles we know nothing about and to always treat people with kindness.

Below is a little recap of the year. All of my favorite parts included travel, my loved ones or both:

JANUARY

We rang in the new year with some of our best friends in Columbia. I miss them dearly. Billy and I took a day trip to Isle of Palms – another thing I miss about living in South Carolina. Day trips on the off season were the best. Not too busy or too hot. We also got our first snow in Columbia in the five years we were there, which was so fun! I ended January with a weekend trip to see one of my childhood besties, Savannah, in Charlotte, North Carolina. We had the sweetest weekend and I loved seeing where she calls home.

FEBRUARY

In February we lost my Gram. It was really hard, but it was so special to get the family back together after COVID kept us apart for so long and to share fond memories of her. Also in February, Billy and I spent a long weekend in New York. I love the City so much it’s hard to explain, and we had a wonderful time eating glorious food and exploring all the City has to offer. We even had a snowy last day, complete with a picturesque, wintery walk through Central Park!

MARCH

If you know me at all you know how much I love running, and in March I was able to host an in-person 5K for my job. It was an absolute blast made even better with Billy and my parents participating in the race. The spectating was so much fun it made me want to cheer at races every weekend (although I was jealous I was working and unable to run)! I did have a few 20-milers in March in preparation for my April marathon that surprisingly felt great. Convinced myself I could be an olympic marathoner before having a totally terrible 5-miler a few days later. Such is running!

APRIL

March into April I was lucky enough to travel to Minneapolis, Minnesoda for the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four/ National Championship games for work. While I had great company and it was incredible watching the confetti fall for our team, I think I have had my fill of that city and don’t really need to visit again – particularly in the winter! 

In April I taught another Pure Barre pop-up class at Tasty As Fit, a local healthy grab-and-go in Columbia. Two of my favorite things, despite the rainy morning!

I rounded out April with my proudest accomplishment of the year. I completed my second full marathon, the Derby Marathon, in Louisville, Kentucky! My first full marathon was turned virtual in 2020, so this was just such an incredible experience. The fanfare was electric and my dad and uncle ran the half, making it a family affair! 

MAY

In May my dream of traveling to Europe finally came true! After several years of talking about going and finding reasons why it wasn’t the right time, I finally bit the bullet and booked a flight to visit another childhood best friend, Georgie, in London. We also spent a weekend in Paris, my favorite city on earth. It was so indescribably magical – the architecture of the city was breathtaking. Honestly the whole trip was such a dream – from seeing the cities, eating amazing food (a pastry a day!), seeing the Cursed Child on West End, and spending 10 days with Georgie, it was really a dream.

Lesson of the year – stop making excuses and just do the thing, book the trip, etc.! There’s always a reason not to, but life is too short.

JUNE

In June, Billy and I took another day trip to IOP (yay)! Beach days are the best. I also spent a weekend in Asheville for my dear friend Anna Belle’s bachelorette and had a blast getting to know her other bridesmaids. It’s so fun celebrating someone so selfless, getting to make something all about them, and it was just that 🙂

June was just the month for weekend trips, I guess! Billy and I spent the weekend in Charleston/Isle of Palms to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary. We had the best time at the beach and our favorite brewery – Edmund’s Oast. 

The last weekend of June I spent with some of my Pure Barre Columbia teacher best friends – Megan, Meriwether, and Micah – on Hilton Head Island. It was so refreshing to relax with these amazing ladies on the beach with no plans, just fun and relaxation! I’m so thankful for that time we spent together.

JULY

My birthday month! The last few years when Billy asked me what I want for my birthday I said a day trip to the beach, but this year we combined it with a full summer beach trip. We spent a week at Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island. Nothing like starting the day with a beach run and ending it with dinner with an ocean view, a delicious salad and slice of cake, an espresso martini and the world’s most wonderful husband. I have to say – I could get used to a vacation on my birthday haha! I also had the chance to celebrate at happy hour with friends in Columbia. At this point we knew we were moving, so it was extra special to have that time together.

AUGUST

The first week of August we packed up our first house and moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. It was bitter-sweet leaving that home, I really did love it, but it was time for a change and we were so excited to start our new chapter in Knoxville. Thank goodness for my dad and brother for helping us pack up our house and drive a 20 foot Uhaul through the mountains. We literally could not have done it without them!

Less than a week later we were back in Columbia, as I was a bridesmaid in my friend Anna Belle’s wedding. It was the sweetest reunion of the Pure Barre Cola family to celebrate her love! 

Billy and I also got to spend a quick weekend in Johnson City, Tennessee for a reunion of former orientation leaders, made even more fun with the celebration of our friend Graham’s surprise 30th birthday party and the time we spent with a Columbia grad school bestie turned ETSU employee, Timothy. 

Finally, at the end of August Billy began law school at the University of Tennessee and I began teaching barre classes at Pure Barre Knoxville and Pure Barre Farragut! 

SEPTEMBER

Billy and I were lucky enough to spend time exploring our new city in September before school got too busy. We tried lots of local restaurants and breweries in addition to making our downtown loft into our home. We also enjoyed dinners and game nights with my family and morning runs with my dad, really taking advantage of the close proximity after so long apart!

I also took a quick weekend work trip to Fayetteville, Arkansas, where I spent a summer working during graduate school. It was fun to be back in that cute little town and reconnect with some former colleagues. 

At the end of September I traveled back to Johnson City to run the Bluegrass Half Marathon with Timothy. He was faster than me, of course, but I was so proud to finally break two hours in the half marathon after eight years of running half marathons. It was a full circle moment, as the Bluegrass Half was the first half I ever raced!

OCTOBER

The first weekend of October we went back, yet again, to Johnson City for the weekend. This time, for an ETSU football game. It was freezing and rainy, but boy did we have a great time cheering on the Bucs with college friends and Timothy!

A few days later, Billy and I traveled to Lexington Kentucky for one of my work trips. The preparation was hard work, but we luckily got to reap the rewards! We took a group of Gamecock alumni to four bourbon distilleries, lots of meals and, of course, a tailgate and football game. So much fun made so much better with Billy on the trip with me!

During my only weekend in Knoxville in October (seriously, I was out of town more nights than I was in my own apartment this month), we got to celebrate two sweet college friends, Pierce and Claire, at their wedding, alongside lots more college friends. So fun!

Then, I spent the last 11 days of October back in Columbia for work events, including Homecoming Weekend. It’s always the most exhausting but most rewarding week. I was so glad I was able to catch up with friends there and am so thankful to Hannah & Scott and Molly & Ben for housing me during that time. I was even able to teach a few classes at Pure Barre Columbia, which made my heart so happy!

NOVEMBER

The first weekend of November Billy’s parents traveled to Knoxville to visit us and we had a blast showing them around town. I also hosted the Pure Barre Knoxville Friendsgiving party and ran the Cade’s Cove 10-miler with my mom. It was so fun to run with her (despite the temps being in the 20s!) since I usually run with Billy and my Dad.

After one more work trip to Columbia for the year, Billy and I decorated the apartment for Christmas! I love decorating a new space for the holidays, and our tree just looked so cozy in our loft. We traveled to Johnson City for Thanksgiving to visit Billy’s family, and after 8 Thanksgivings together I finally convinced him to run the Turkey Trot! I rounded out November by visiting the Fantasy of Trees with my mom (we used to go every year when I was a kid!) and having a delayed Thanksgiving with my Family.

DECEMBER

December kicked off with one last work trip for me, but my first international work trip! Part of my job with the USC Alumni Association is overseeing our travel programs and I was finally able to attend one. I went to Montreal and Quebec City and my mom came too! I was so much more magical to explore the cities and the Christmas Markets with the biggest Hallmark Christmas movie lover I know!

I was back in Knoxville for a week, including our Pure Barre Knoxville Christmas party, and then Billy and I took one more trip of 2022 to NYC! As I mentioned, I love the City so much, and it was even more magical at Christmas. We went to a Rangers game, saw the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular, toured Yankee Stadium, ran and ice skated in Central Park and, of course, enjoyed lots of amazing food and drinks.  When our trip was over, we split Christmas between our two families and spent the past week relaxing at home. 

 

2022 was really full of so many wonderful experiences. I love writing these re-cap posts each year, because it’s the perfect chance to reflect on all I got to experience and on how far I’ve come in the last year. Here’s to a healthy, happy 2023 from me and mine to you and yours. Happy New Year! 

January 3, 2022 Article, Lifestyle

2021 Recap & 2022 New Year’s Intentions

2021. What a blur of a year. After COVID-19 brought 2020 to a grinding halt the year felt more like 10 years in one. In comparison, 2021 felt like it was over in the blink of an eye. Anyone else??

This year brought about big life changes for me. We moved into our new house in November 2020, so much of 2021 included settling into our new space and making our house a home. 2021 was also the year Billy and I FINALLY got married after a COVID wedding postponement. 

While 2021 brought many, many happy days, I can’t lie that I started the year feeling a bit lost and hopeless. I knew just because 2020 came to a close didn’t mean that life would immediately go back to normal, but still dealing with the effects of the pandemic in a second calendar year really started to take a toll on me. Before the vaccines became available to the general public, I was still working from home and not seeing much of my friends or family. It was definitely a lonely season, especially because Billy was back to working from the office.

Luckily I had the privilege of getting my vaccines in March and I returned to working in my downtown office in April. I closed out the last of my virtual work events in May and it seems like after a summer of my wedding and honeymoon I hit the ground running at work with in-person events (including tons of travel) and didn’t come up for air until December. 

I love taking time to reflect on the past year and plan for the year ahead. Reliving the year through my phone camera roll is one of my favorites. I love the sense of a fresh start- a new day, week, month, year. While I’m not into setting “resolutions”, per say, I do think it’s important to write out what I want out of the year ahead. Manifestation is powerful.

So here’s a recap of my 2021:

JANUARY

  • The first photo on my camera in 2021 was of my New Year’s Run. Seems fitting. It’s one of my absolute favorite holiday traditions.
  • I attended (virtually) and passed my training to teach Pure Barre Empower classes. 
  • I got to stand by my ADPi Little/college roommate, as she got married. 

FEBRUARY

  • Not a ton to show for on my camera roll besides new recipes. This was probably the month I struggled the most with just longing for some sense of normalcy and missing my friends and family.
  • Simultaneously, I completed my certificate from Cornell in Nutrition and Healthy Living. I learned a lot and it’s something I’m really proud of.

MARCH

  • I hosted a virtual race through my job throughout the month of March to raise money for student scholarships. Crazy rewarding and I felt my passions aligning with my work. Love that.
  • I taught a pop-up class for Pure Barre Columbia at Tasty As Fit, a local vegan restaurant. So. Much. Fun.
  • I ran a virtual half marathon (Hops Trot) with the goal of PRing and hitting a sub-2 hour time. I ran it in 2 hours, 6 minutes, and 3 seconds. Still a 10 minute PR for me, but I was definitely disappointed I didn’t hit that sub-2.

APRIL

  • I went back to work in the office after 13 months remote. 
  • Billy and I took a spontaneous weekend trip to Savannah, GA. Highly recommend not overthinking it and just doing it if you’re able. Seriously- prioritize memories over stuff. 
  • I had my bridal portraits taken and had the most wonderful bridal shower with family friends. 

MAY

  • Billy and I hosted a Kentucky Derby party at our house, marking the first time our friend group had been together in over a year (can we all just agree COVID is the worst?!).
  • We flew to Texas to see my cousin get married (the fam had a BLAST) and Billy and I made a pit stop in Waco. When in Texas, am I right?!
  • I stood by another college roommate/sorority sister as she married her college sweetheart. 

JUNE

  • I had the sweetest bridal shower with my Pure Barre family AND had the most wonderful friends throw me a surprise bachelorette.
  • Also the month we finally got MARRIED!!!
  • Flew to Punta Cana and spent a week in paradise with my husband.

JULY

  • I turned 26 and celebrated with a morning run with Billy and a rooftop bar with friends at night. Two of the best ways to celebrate, in my opinion. 
  • My family was finally able to visit Columbia and see our house!

AUGUST

  • Another spontaneous weekend trip with Billy. This time to Isle of Palms. 

SEPTEMBER

  • September kicked off college football season, and I traveled to East Carolina University and the University of Georgia for work.
  • The annual Quinlan beach trip to Hilton Head Island. 
  • Hit my sub-2 hour half marathon goal!! Too bad it wasn’t at a timed race haha!

OCTOBER

  • My dad and I finally got to run a half marathon together in Knoxville, TN!
  • Quite possibly the craziest work month of my life. I hosted the University of South Carolina’s Homecoming Weekend and traveled to the University of Tennessee and Texas A&M University for work/football.

NOVEMBER

  • Billy and I traveled back to Tennessee to watch the Bucs defeat Mercer and become the SoCon football champions! We also celebrated two lovely Thanksgivings with our families. 

DECEMBER

  • Enjoyed a month packed with holiday festivities, from work parties, to friend parties to family time.
  • Billy & I had a mini vacay in Asheville, NC.
  • I attended and passed my training to teach Pure Barre Reform classes!

Additionally, here are my 2022 New Year’s intentions: 

  • Run my second marathon (eeppp!)
  • Deliver my best possible class at Pure Barre every. dang. time. I walk through those doors.
  • Continue to nourish my body with delicious foods that make me feel good. 
  • Celebrate my 1 year wedding anniversary with Billy on a fun vacation.
  • More quality time, less screen time.
  • More experiences, less stuff.
  • Be fully open to new experiences and let go of how I think things “should” be.

What about you guys? What do you want to see in 2022? Write it down! Make it happen! You only get one life and time is your most precious asset. Don’t waste it. Go get what you want.

January 18, 2021 Article, Lifestyle

Lessons Learned from 2020

2020. One hell of a year, am I right?! I kicked off the year with a quick beach trip, my first time at Harry Potter world, and putting the finishing touches on my dream wedding plans.

When COVID shook up everyone’s plans, I had days I HATED being confined to my apartment and days I was extremely grateful I got to spend more time with Billy and more time FaceTiming my best friends and family than any other year.

This past year I rescheduled my wedding for 2021 (fingers crossed 🤞🏻), started Health by Haven, watched a dear friend’s world be flipped upside down by a tremendous loss, experienced half my coworkers (who were more like family) get laid off, taught countless virtual Pure Barre classes, missed my family like crazy, went back to school to study nutrition, ran my first 30K (virtually), ran my first marathon (also virtually) and bought my first home.

Clearly it was a rollercoaster of a year. One of the most emotional in both bad and good ways. But the thing I learned over and over this year is that no matter how hard I try, I’m not always in control and that’s okay. Friends and family matter most and we have to keep trying our best to make the most out of every situation. We can’t let COVID-19, or anything else for that matter, beat us down or dictate what we get to accomplish.

I have a feeling we’re heading into another confusing year. There will certainly be more challenges we must face, but if we can get through 2020 we can get through anything. We’re stronger than we think.

 

Here is an abbreviated list of the lessons I learned in 2020. I went through many iterations of this list, trust me, there were a lotttt of lessons learned. I thought about putting examples or explanations to each statement, but I figured they stand alone and may speak to you in a different way than they did to me. 

 

What lessons did you learn in 2020? Let me know in the comments below!

 

  1. You can’t plan or predict everything. You aren’t always in control.
  2. Adaptability is an essential life skill.
  3. It’s okay to feel a multitude of emotions at once.
  4. Family and friends are everything. 
  5. Putting your health first is crucial. 
  6. Taking time for yourself matters.
  7. Make time to pursue your passion. There will always be an excuse not to.
  8. You can do hard things.