A Look Back at 28

What a year it’s been! As my birthday approaches, I enjoy reflecting on the year prior and remembering some of the best moments. My 28th year brought adventures, a new family member, and oh yeah, our wedding! The past 12 months have been full of some absolutely amazing memories and I like for my annual birthday blog to highlight them.

So here it is! Before I turn 29, a look back at 28!

Trip to New York and DC

With both of our birthdays in April, Andrew and I kicked off our 28th years with a trip to New York and Washington DC. I love traveling and I love my birthday, so it just made sense to combine both and take a big trip! Some of my favorite moments from our vacay - wandering around Central Park on my birthday and taking in both a Mets and Nationals game.

Camping Trip in Zion

In the summer, we drove to Zion National Park to meet up with some friends for a weekend of camping. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there during our 2020 national parks road trip, and were excited to go back. Of course, it was a scorcher of a weekend. We took advantage of what Zion has to offer, from hiking to Scout’s Landing (I’m too spooked to go up to Angel’s Landing) and trekking through The Narrows.

Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party

My 28th year brought lots of bridal events. My mom and maid of honor hosted my bridal shower at my parents’ house, and I was so appreciative of that wonderful day. Friends and family joined in the festivities, and we played bridal shower games and enjoyed a wonderful spread.

In August, my friends and I celebrated my bachelorette party in sunny San Diego. On our first night, we dressed up as 90’s stars for a visit to a drag show and bars downtown. Our second day, we spent time at the beach, enjoyed a wonderful dinner, and spent the evening playing games. On Sunday morning, we grabbed brunch and went to the San Diego Zoo. Overall, I’m so grateful for my friends and a fabulous bachelorette weekend.

Our Wedding

Hands down, my favorite thing that happened in my 28th year. Our wedding day was pure fun and magic, and I can’t help but smile when I think back on it. We spent a lot of our time and energy planning our wedding, and I’m grateful we had such a beautiful day.

Some of my wedding day favorites:

Our first look
Our guest book
How fun the dance floor was
Everybody enjoying the photo booth
Making our own wedding cake

Honeymoon in Hawaii

A week after our wedding, we jetted off to Hawaii to celebrate our honeymoon! We had the absolute best time when we were there. During our week on the Big Island, we enjoyed a luau, zip lining, a visit to the National Park, and many mornings lounging by the pool.

Day Trip to Disneyland

Something I was really looking forward to post-wedding was making a day trip to Disneyland and getting these “Happily Ever After” buttons. Did I plan this trip mainly around the buttons? Absolutely, and I wouldn’t change a thing!

On a Thursday in December, we drove up to Disneyland for a day at the Happiest Place on Earth. We managed to cram a lot into our day at the park, and I’m forever thankful for our proximity to Disneyland.

Visitors in San Diego

We were very lucky to have friends and family come visit us in this last year. It’s always nice when people take the time to come see us and it gives us the chance to share our favorite San Diego spots with those that mean the most to us.

Adopting Buster

We kicked 2023 off with an exciting new addition to our family! At the start of the year, we heard a local news story about a huge dog rescue operation that included many, many doodles. Andrew and I had been talking about wanting to adopt a dog and this seemed like a sign. We met Buster (formerly named Robert) and committed to a week of fostering him. After that, we decided to move forward with adoption and it’s been fun incorporating him into our lives.