A Look Back at 2013

The past year was full of fun, friends, laughter, and of course fur.  Blogging (and social media in general) is a great way to keep track of life and as I re-read the posts of 2013 I'm satisfied with both mine and Harry's "year in review".  

Also in 2013, I donated my hair...and then cried about it.

First off, we rang in the 2013 in style last year attending a friend's bow ties and glitter New Year's Eve party.  Harry got much better at running, and during a winter jog we were given some insight on his potential breed which ended up being pretty right on.  We experienced Harry's first full on snow-in and he took his first trip up north to my family's country bungalow.  Since Harry is still in his early years, we experienced some behavior problems resulting in some reupholstery projects and a new bed.  Harry celebrated his very first birthday with us, had a super fun birthday party with pup-cakes to boot.

Springtime led to Harry's first starring role in a puppy parade, his first Easter Egg Hunt, trips to the flea market, and one of our biggest projects this year - prepping our deck for gardening.  And as we found ourselves in summer Harry spent extra special time with his extended family of fur cousins.  Summertime was also the start of Harry's medical issues, starting with his paw and extending to an array of allergic reactions.  It was tough luck that we didn't have more outdoor adventures with Harry in the summer of 2013, but now that we've got a handle on treating his breakouts I think we will be better prepared for 2014.  

One of my favorite things to look back on are all the DIY projects I took on with Harry.  From items as simple as a crate tag to projects as huge as a furniture makeover (and another furniture makeover) we certainly tackled our fair share of work.  We made treat platters, three versions of dog beds, recycled t-shirts, baked cookies, picked the fruits of our labor, and commemorated holidays.  Un-documented projects included an insane amount of throw pillow covers (once I figured it out I couldn't stop...throw pillows for everyone!), a DIY juice cleans (horrible mistake), a home makeover with a few weekends full of painting, going cross stitch crazy, a bit of a failure involving a mirror and gold leaf, a painting or two, and a perfected limoncello recipe.  And no year would be complete without Harry's handmade Halloween costume.  

Although Harry couldn't make the trip with us (not enough dog money), his Daddy and I immersed ourselves in European culture for two weeks resulting in an engagement and a ton of personal memories.  We also explored the continental USofA venturing to both Boston and Chicago, two major cities I hadn't experienced as an adult.  I get a rush of excitement (and a tinge of nerves) planning our travel adventures for the following year...we've already got a trip to Napa Valley in the works!

All in all, 2013 was a slam dunk.  We lived and loved to the fullest, and as a result we got the most out of life.  Looking onward to 2014 we hope to do more of the same and as I did last year (and I achieved I must say) I plan on accomplishing the following in 2014:

-Figure out what exactly Harry is allergic to
-Furthering my sewing skills to a DIY Dog Coat (sooner rather than later)
-Same as above except with a skirt...for me of course
-Get organized - see all those projects up there?  They resulted in a ton of leftover craft scrap
-Try a completely new hobby (this is already in the works)
-Take a vacation that includes Harry

Thank you for following along in the blogosphere!  We're grateful to have such loving family and friends and even strangers who appreciate our day to day.  Here's to 2014!