Farewell 2015

That is technically a photo from the last hours of 2014, but whatever.

This year, y'all! What a ride. Easily the craziest year of our life. SO many changes. But still, I think it's been the best. There were some rough moments, but overall as usual life just gets better and better. Even if it is full of chaos.

This was obviously the year of being pregnant. I spent the majority of it pregnant and when I put this together I expected to find kind of a dull year, but we still did SO MUCH. We had so much fun this year, preggo or not. Plus, we managed to cram a lot of action into the not preggo months.

So here's the run down. We worked a lot, played a lot, explored a lot, ran a lot, and I sewed a lot (the year of Disney Princess dresses!). After half a year of trying I got pregnant (!), BRENDON GRADUATED PHARMACY SCHOOL, I quit my coffee queen job, we said farewell to Austin and moved to Temple, Brendon started his residency, and then decided to do another year of residency. On New Years Day we (Brendon) drove through a winter storm at night to get us home from skiing in New Mexico, we flew three times (big deal for us, since we hadn't been on a plane since our honeymoon), went on one giant road trip, lots of little road trips, and most of this was while preggo. We ran five races that I can remember, one of which was the Austin Half Marathon we'd trained over a year for, and two of which I was pregnant. Plus lots of other little adventures wherever we could squeeze them in. We have had a hell of a year. It's been a reeeeeally good one.

So lets get on with the photos! Lets watch me gain a million pounds over a year. Going from the best shape in your life to extra pregnant, and seeing it documented, is a blow for the ego let me tell you.

Had to sneak one of baby girl in there somewhere.

Such a good year! Thanking my lucky stars for this wonderful life we've got and all the good folks in it. Obviously 2016 will be one for the books as well, our first year as parents (AHHHH). I'm looking forward to this next year, more than I've ever looked forward to a new year. Not surprisingly. Not only do we get to finally meet the Seahorse, but life will just be all new! Nothing will be the same! And I will be able to wear regular clothes again! Haha. But seriously, I am so excited for 2016. I know it wont be an easy year, but I think it will be a great one.

And I leave you with mushyness, because always and forever, this boy is the reason I spend most of my life over the moon in happiness.

Thank you for a wonderful year, Brendon. Thank you for everything you do for our little family and for being the weirdest and most fun person I've ever known. Can't wait to kill 2016 with you and our offspring.

See ya soon, 2016! And if you want to see younger Hogans, here is Farewell 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011.

Taos 2014 version 2.0

So we started the year off in Taos, and we ended it in Taos. In January of last year (ha!) we went on a last minute adventure to Taos, and then we both took the last week of the year off and I coerced Brendon into going skiing again. I think he's conceded at this point that it might need to be an annual winter thing. IT'S JUST SO FUN. And going to Taos feels like coming home. I love those mountains, so much.

Altitude sickness struck again, worse than last year. I lost the whole first half of our first day skiing. How stupid is that? But thanks to carbs, water, and time, I skiied all afternoon. This was Brendon's second time skiing and this go 'round he felt more comfortable! I started dragging him down blues on our first day and I may have forced him down (half) a black with me the last day. We got some good skiing in! The snow was exponentially better than it was last year. Not powder by any means, but still so much better. It was also, WAY COLDER. Like in the teens! The last day was the best day, the weather was great and we skiied the heck out of the mountain. Plus, it was New Year's Eve! Best way to wrap up the year!

Skiing means lots of warm layers. And lots of warm layers mean real terrible fashion. I had on another pair of pants under those long johns. It was cold.

Throwback. My name in my gloves from when I was a youngster. Because that's what happens when you're a kid. Your name gets written in stuff to keep it straight from the other kids.

By the end of the last day, we were pooped. We skiied real hard, plus skiing three days in a row is intense! I think next time we'll have to take a day off in the middle to rest.

Best tortilla soup in the world!

On New Year's Eve they do fireworks on the mountain, and they have skiiers ski down with flares in their hands. It is actually way cooler than it sounds. It was really really neat. Also, these folks were talented! They skiied moguls, in the dark, with flares instead of poles. Impressive. Also visually very cool. The fireworks show after was crazy. The longest fireworks show I've ever seen. Or maybe that's because it was like nine degrees and we were standing outside. Also, fireworks in the mountains are pretty epic. The echos were nuts and the light reflecting off the snow was really pretty.

What an awesome night. For dinner that evening we ate at this place called the Love Apple, which was seriously straight out of pinterest. We're talking mismatched vintage plates, burlap curtains, garlands, and rustic wreaths. Even the waitresses' hair was braided in these insane updo's that screamed pinterest. Cutest place ever, and the food was on point. They have this vegetarian pate... wooo! Taos (and New Mexico in general) is so veggie friendly! We ate really good this year. Old Martina's Hall was also a highlight! Anyway, after dinner we hung out at the hotel, and surprise, I didn't make it to midnight. I passed out around 11, and Brendon woke me up at midnight to do our little poppers we got... then I passed out again. When you're used to waking up at 5am, midnight just doesn't happen! And that's okay. We woke up the next day, had some breakfast, and then skedaddled out of town!

And oh my gosh the drive back. So Taos was so cold because this "artic blast" came through that week. It also came through Texas! We saw a little snow in Texas when we went up, but coming down, it was crazy. Snow and ice covered everything (including the roads) from far west Texas to the west side of the Hill Country. Everything was white. Like far more snow and ice than New Mexico! We saw car accident after car accident and even got stuck for half an hour while they shut down the interstate. It was slow going, especially since we took a lot of back roads. Cars upside down, 18-wheelers in fields, it was nuts. But we made it safely home, slowly but surely, thanks to Brendon's excellent driving and the Bruce Wayne's almost new tires. It was a learning experience for sure.

But anyway, Taos, we love you we love you we love you. You are such a magical place full of the friendliest people. We cannot wait to see you again. You are more than worth braving the snow and ice!