Refresh

A new year means new resolutions. I accomplished all of my 2015 goals with the exception of visiting Louisiana. Lucky for me, Sairy and her husband, Julius, moved back to Charlotte in July eliminating the need to visit them in cajun country.

Now it's time to look to 2016 and I must say, I'm feeling good with the start of a new year. I've had a great start to my new job and things finally feel like they are in the right place. Do I dare say that this is the year we start a family? We shall see.

Let's get to those goals, shall we? Again, I'm keeping it short and sweet in hopes of actually completing them, so, here we go.

RUN
I've been so bad at exercising lately. The last time I ran was in May and it's time to change that. I actually signed up for a short course running pack, registering for six different races placed strategically throughout the year. There's no backing down now!

PAY OFF COLLEGE LOAN
I'm so close to paying off my college debt. If it goes according to plan, I'm supposed to pay it off by 2017 but I would LOVE to be done with it by the end of this year. I can do it.

SUPPORT GROUP
With my mom's advance in early onset Alzheimer's disease, I would like to join a support group of people going through the same situation. I did a little research and there is a group that meets once a month nearby. My sister and I plan to join and I'm interested to hear and learn about the struggles and similarities that other people experience. I think it will definitely be a benefit in the long-run.

NC BBQ MAP
This one is for both Jeremy and I. I would love for us to try and visit at least five places on his new NC BBQ map. It will be a fun adventure, I'm sure. Plus food is involved. Nothing can go wrong with that.

T-SHIRT QUILT
Jeremy and I are hoarders when it comes to t-shirts. There are some that are near and dear to our hearts that we just can't let go. We've had 30+ tees ready to ship to let someone else complete but I figure why not give it a shot? I should probably add that I do not know how to sew, let alone work a sewing machine. This will most likely be very hard for me to complete but I kind of want the challenge. We'll see if this actually gets checked off the goal list. A girl can dream!

Alright, 2016. Let's do thissssss!!!

Party like it's 2015

Another year is in the books and 2015 was a good one. As we reflect, we're able to reminisce on many great, heartwarming, and fun moments we'll always remember. So, in no particular order, let's get this countdown started!

Millard Vandell Singleton: May 3, 1949-August 4, 2015
The passing of your parents usually isn't something you think about until it happens. Understandably so, it's just not a situation you really plan for. My father passed this summer and it still hurts, but I have lots of comfort in the lessons learned and cherished memories he's given me. He's missed tremendously, but I know he's in a much better place.

#GoPanthers #KeepPounding
How bout them Panthers?! Jumping out to a 14-0 record in the 2015 season. Almost the end of the season and we have a chance to get the #1 overall seed and have every playoff game in Charlotte! You remember all those times when people were ready to get rid of both Cam and Riverboat Ron? Some even wanted the Panthers to draft Blaine Gabbert over Cam Newton. (No, really!) Thank goodness Jerry Richardson and company had patience because now Rivera is all up in some commercials and Cam, the rightful NFL MVP, has the entire country "dabbin' on them folk." It's been an incredibly fun year being a Panthers fan and I welcome any and every bandwagoner that wants to ride along.

"I left my heart in San Francisco" - Tony Bennett
This crazy country of ours has a long list of amazing sites and places to visit and San Francisco, California is definitely on that list. If you've never been, we highly recommend going. It's a very eclectic city, rich with history and influences from different parts of the world. From the Golden Gate bridge to the trolleys to Alcatraz - there's plenty to see and experience in that tiny section of California. And if you visit, please be prepared to essentially climb mountains. The hills in that city are no joke. 

“Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space.”  - Ansel Adams
Nature has a way of giving you so much to talk about and leave you speechless at the same time. I've never quite been in awe at the beauty of God's work as I was when we hiked through Yosemite National Park. We all find beauty in the buildings and monuments man builds, but it's truly amazing how beautiful untouched portions of the world can be. The natural waterfalls, the insane rock climbing areas, the Giant Sequoias, tubing down the river, hiking through the trees (literally), and the views - so much to take in. It's truly one of the best places to just be outside. 

"The Redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision that stays with you always." - John Steinbeck
That's a very true statement. First and foremost, those are some tall trees. Like... for real. They almost look abnormal or fake. We were completely amazed at God's design for these trees. Their outer bark is essentially fire proof to help protect them from the frequent natural fires in the area. When they finally topple over and lay horizontal, they begin to sprout vertically from their now fallen trunk. It's amazing. 

"Workin' 9 to 5, what a way to make a livin..." - Dolly Parton
2015 also presented us with new jobs! For Asha, she moved over to MetLife as a contracted designer. As her contract came to an end, she was hired at Raftelis Financial Consultants. After a brief stint there, opportunity opened some new doors for her and brought her back to MetLife and she's lovin' it! As for Jeremy, he ended a 10 year career with the YMCA of Greater Charlotte and moved into the world of teaching. He's the Upper School Computers teacher and is now referred to as "Mr. Singleton."

#DirtyThirty
I was blessed to see another birthday come and go, but this was a big one. I remember playing my recorder in class back in 3rd grade like it was yesterday and suddenly I'm 30 years old and paying bills. Adulting can kinda suck, but it's not all bad. No complaints here, 30 has been fun so far. Can't wait to see what 31 brings!

#BowlMania
2015 saw our Alma mater Appalachian State University reach it's first ever post season bowl game with an invite to the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl! (in it's first bowl eligible season) Of course, I had to be there. It was a fun atmosphere which saw maybe a a 90-10% split of App fans vs Ohio fans. Ohio played a great game (their band played even better though). After an early App State lead, Ohio scored 24 unanswered points to take a 24-7 lead into the 4th quarter. Then some of that Boone magic happened and we score 24 points in the 4th quarter and, in dramatic fashion, kick a last second field goal to win 31-29! My heart raced, my blood boiled, I was sweating, I lost my voice, I was extremely disappointed then insanely happy... after that game I was exhausted...but not too tired to stuff my face with some DELICIOUS food from Dreamland BBQ! My emotions went through everything a college bowl game could possibly do to you. And I loved every bit of it. Go App! Fight App! Kick Ass!

#Homegrown
This year we decided to get our hands in the dirt and grow some of our own vegetables. We put together a garden box and crossed our fingers that we would experience a green thumb that spring and summer. We watered each day and enjoyed watching our garden grow. We had our hands full (literally) with countless tomatoes, green and red peppers, cucumbers, and zucchini. It was great having fresh vegetables at our fingertips!

#HonkeyTonk
We finally got to visit the famous big, little, city of Nashville, Tennessee. We enjoyed an amazing show at the historical Ryman Auditorium, walked the streets of Broadway, and ate at some epic, local spots. We were lucky to spend some quality time with our cousin, Mitch, and visit friends from college who we miss seeing on the regular.

If we could give one word to describe 2015, it would be active. New jobs, life changes, and traveling across the country brought us joy, frustration, sadness, and most of all, growth. It also kept us on-the-go which was challenging at times but needed at this time in our lives. We're excited for 2016 and more than ready to conquer what this new year will bring!