2014- Year in Review

January
I went into January sad to see 2013 go. I mean, a lot of major life events happened that year. It even ended on a high note, with a second pregnancy. But a few days into January I miscarried again and began the process of figuring out the 'why'. Bloodwork and appointments, plus, we went through the Polar Vortex. Which sounds much more horrible than it was (for me). I worked from home and drank hot chocolate.

The Cross and Miscarriage
A New York City Polar Vortex

February
I decided I wanted to have a garden this summer, so I planted a bunch of vegetable seeds and put them in window boxes to start growing. I took Tom's entire family snow-tubing for the first time, and they had a great time. We got our blood results back, which confirmed that the recurrent miscarriages were auto-immune related. Finally knowing what was going on with me was good, but the hospital insisting we wait 3 months to retest and 'confirm' it all ended up being a big waste of time and source of frustration.

Cabin fever started to sink in, and with a doctor-mandated break from baby mode, we decided to plan a trip to the Pacific Coast. We had a low-key Valentine's Day, and the plants I started from seed in my window started to sprout. Tried out my hand at Intermittent Fasting, and it helped me remember what hungry felt like, and how to stop overeating/eating poorly. 

Why Did I Miscarry? Blood Results 
Snowtubing with the Family

March

Dealt with some lingering effects from the miscarriage, mainly hormonal acne and becoming very emotional at the drop of a hat. After being asked 'what are you giving up for Lent?" too many times, I wrote about why I don't 'do' Lent. And I continued dreaming about our upcoming vacation.

Pathetic Woman That I Am 

I Don't do Lent.

Pacific Coast Dreaming

April

Participated in (and completed!) the A-Z Challenge this month. Created some fun posts like April Fools and Farina. I bragged about my husband's renewed love of biking in Tour de Tom, and reminisced about when I moved to NYC for a boy I barely knew. Posted all my Candid Camera- NYC Subway photos in a post and I wrote about some serious topics as well, including National Infertility Awareness Week and Easter. I loved writing for this challenge, and it really helped me fall in love with blogging and discover why I do love to write online like this.

April Fools

Candid Camera- NYC Subway

Farina

Goals in Blogging

Moving to NYC... for a boy

Preparing Your Heart for Easter

Tour de Tom

Unable. National Infertility Awareness Week

May

The first week of May, we were gone! Flew to Los Angeles, where we enjoyed the great weather, good food and beautiful areas of the city. We hiked to the Hollywood sign, drove to the Santa Monica pier went to a Angels baseball game. We then boarded our cruise ship, which made stops in San Francisco (Muir Woods, Cablecars and the sourdough factory), Victoria (beautiful weather and scenery) and dropped us off in Vancouver. Tom and I rented bikes and we rode around Stanley Park. The next day we took Amtrak to Seattle, where 3 days turned into 5 because all of the flights into the northeast were cancelled. We spent those days using up our City Pass, drinking coffee and visiting the cool neighborhoods in Seattle.

After nearly 2 weeks, returning to our little apartment felt amazing (and like we lived in a mansion). We were home for about 2 weeks before we packed up Tom's entire family and took them to Niagara Falls and then to visit my parents in Pennsylvania. Since it was officially our first anniversary, and we were at the place where we got married, we took some "one year later" photos. I recapped our wedding (since I wasn't blogging back then) and finished up the series with a bunch of things Took and I have learned in our first year married.

Pacific Coastal Vacation

Merging Two Families
Anniversary Week. First Look, and a narration of events.
Anniversary Week. Ceremony, Vows and a face-full of Lavender
Anniversary Week. Our Receiving Mob, and an Ode to our Guests.
Anniversary Week. Sunset Photos and Family Portraits
Anniversary Week. Toasts, Cake and a Dance-off
12 Things Learned Our First Year of Marriage

June

This month, as I sat in a room with my fellow jurors for a week (without internet access- what a welcome home party that was) I got a little 'vacation-sick'. This was the month I delved further into some of the things we did, and I brag about my husband some more in the San Francisco post. I married a shoulda-been tour guide, lucky me :)

I planted my garden. I was a complete flop, and I never mentioned it on here after some initial photos, but my dreams were dashed. (dashed?) But I finally (after years of obsessing) made homemade bread! And, in what I will call my 'jury duty' series, I got introspective and wrote the selfie paradox, about my need to relinquish control and learning how to be more outgoing.

Visiting the Redwoods at Muir Woods, California
San Francisco- Fisherman's Wharf and Cablecar Tour
Oh Canada! Bicycling in Vancouver
Seattle & Seattle CityPass Review… Was It Worth It?

How to Make Homemade Bread

Before and After the Selfie

Not my Will, But Yours

Cultivating Hospitality in Myself

July

Over the July 4th weekend, we took a roadtrip to the Creation Museum (crossing 5 states and back) in just 3 days. Let me just say that Google's 10 hour driving estimate was really 15 hours when you factor in holiday traffic and the needs of 7 different bladders. I told Tom we are never to do that again. But, it was a great trip :)

Also, 1 year after finding out that we were pregnant, 2 miscarriages and jumping through lots of medical hoops.... we find out we can get pregnant at any time! New doctor, less messing around. We booked a beach vacation for November, and I hit my 1 Year Anniversary blogging :)

Roadtrip to Creation Museum

And one year later..... I'm Hitting Reset
We can get pregnant! (well, duh)

1 Year Blogiversary

August

I worked on my domesticity a bit this month, and improved upon my homemade bread recipe. I thought back 4 years to the time Tom and I thought a good date would be to visit a 'ghost' town. I talked about how much we spent on medical expenses this year, just trying to maintain a baby (and we keep in mind that we got off so easy, compared to others). And, since I have complained about the NYC subway enough times this past year, I made a nice post highlighting some things I would love to encounter when commuting.

Easy Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Pillsbury Ham and Cheese Breakfast Rolls

That Time When... We Went to Centralia (Silent Hill)

The Unexpected Costs

5 NYC Subway Experiences That Don't Suck.

September

Finally, our first "2nd Annual" arrived, and we returned to Fishkill farms with the entire NYC family for some apple picking and fall festivities. Tom grew up going to Puerto Rico every year, so this isn't that 'new' of an idea to him. But I never grew up having family vacations, so I love the idea of having some family trips that become an annual thing (we are planning on February being our 2nd annual snow-tubing trip for that same reason).

Tom participated in the NYC Century bike tour, which is a 100 mile bike ride that led him all around the 5 boroughs. And, I brag. You know I can't get past how awesome his biking story has been this year. I go a little crazy with welcoming autumn into our house, and not only vow to make all sorts of fall dishes, but I decorate with leaves and candles the first chance I get. Making a home feel like home, not much else tops that for me.

I wrote the required (right?) Where Were You post, about September 11th. And, I write about what Tom's family saw that day, being that they lived here for it.Oh and I aged another year, and decided I should quit counting birthdays at 28.

2nd Annual Apple-Picking Weekend

Tom and the NYC Century Bike Tour

Summer is so last season
10 Ways to Get Your Autumn Gourd On

Easy $12 Fall Wreath

Where Were You?
28 (is the new 29)

October

This month I attempted to participate in 'Blogtober', where you write on set prompts, every day. I failed on the first weekend, because I simply do not write on the weekends. I spend all my time relaxing, and avoiding the computer if possible. But, the posts that I did get out were interesting, and like the A-Z Challenge in April, I am glad I did it. It allowed me to write some of my favorite posts, including...

Release the Kraken!
When I grow up, I want to be a...
The Most Dysfunctional Vacation. Ever.
Baby Loss Awareness Week
Why We Don't Share Chores

November

Started 'trying' to conceive this month, after a self-appointed hiatus to let my body return to normal after a tumultuous beginning of 2014. Finally, our trip to Treasure Island/ St. Petersburg arrived, but it came during a cold spell so 2014 will be our first beach-less year (although we did try, but only could manage up to our knees. Cold!). The temperature was about 15 degrees cooler than we would've liked but we filled the days with alligators, manatees and a freezing trip to a Disney water park (which was great because there weren't any lines). Evenings we spent going on dates and not asking ' how was work', visiting different restaurants and the movies. The last day was beautiful, but the water was still freezing. We hung out by the pool, fell asleep in the warm sun and managed to get a tan. Good vacation.

This month I also wrote about how life takes you places you never expected to go, and revealed that I have yet to change my last name, and that this blog is a fraud (Gasp!). I had a suspicion that I was pregnant towards the end of the month, and when we were visiting my mother for Thanksgiving, I had a rough period that made me cry 'early miscarriage'....

Escape to Treasure Island
More Clearly Myself
I'm a fraud. This blog is a fraud.

December
... so I went to the doctor to determine if I did miscarry, or if I overreacted. Bloodwork confirmed that I overreacted. I was embarrassed, but relieved that we didn't have to wait another few months to try again. Picked up our first Christmas tree, named it George, and spent many nights telling Dora to leave him alone. She's going to be heartbroken when he's gone, I think it brings out her primal inner cat, living in the wilds of our living room. 

In typical Hispanic style, Christmas Eve was the big dinner with family and gifts, and reflecting on why Christ came that day (and why we celebrate). Christmas Day wasn't much more than leftovers and maybe a movie. New Years Eve will be with family as well, ringing in 2015 with the people who've been with us through the past year's trails and triumphs. 

Prepare Yourself for Christmas 
What do you adore? 
Christmas- The Who, What, Where and Why

And tomorrow, on New Years Eve, we are going to do exactly what we did last year (play more dominoes, watch the ball drop and enjoy time with family).

Years Past: 

2013

2013 held a lot of life changes, and 2014 felt like it was all about growth. I can't wait to see you next year and continue figuring out life, marriage, NYC and (hopefully) motherhood brings in 2015! Happy New Years!