Reflecting on 2018

I guess it's that time of year again. Time to look back on the year 2018. Time to wonder how on earth another year is coming to an end, how it went by so darn fast.

And time to be sentimental, because I kinda am about these things. *laughs*

But it is special. A new year is so fresh and hopeful! Looking back on the good memories of this past year is so warming to the heart. Time is precious, and we should treat is so.

And so without further ado, this is a reflection on how my year went, the year two-thousand-and-eighteen.

I recently looked back on my yearly reflections post of 2017, and found that I actually really liked how I did it {must've done something right if I still like it :P). So I'm going to start this post out with some snippets from my diaries throughout this year.

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I knew crazy things were going to happen this year... 

01/6/18

I'm zooming along above the clouds right now. 

Me and Shantelle brought so many shoes, amongst ourselves! But we could bring more suitcases than one each, so... ;P I probably over-packed.

01/11/18

It was quite a fun time! We stopped here and there, and I took pictures. 

I got some nice clear ones of Mt. St. Helens.

01/13/18

It went pretty well, thankfully! My first wedding!

01/22/18

Maybe I should go back to being 16. ;P That's almost the perfect age... Maybe.

02/12/18

Well tonight I just watched the saddest movie I've ever watched (pretty sure). 

But this- the last episode of When Calls the Heart season 5- I could not help crying.

04/23/18

I'm going to be stepping into a new phase in life- adulthood. And I don't know what I'm doing. xP

05/09/18

Yeah, that was that. We graduated!

05/18/18

It's been a wonderful trip so far! 

So we had supper and swam!

We all stood on the logs as they tipped from side to side, getting our sea legs on. xP

It was SO BEAUTIFUL up there! There were lovely views and fat wild blackberries. I love the mountains.

Then it was back to her (Daminika's) house, where we just sat out back in camping chairs and talked. And talked. It was awesome! :)

08/03/18

The wedding went well, though it was hot!

Awesome uncle, brand-new aunt. ;)

08/27/18

So yeah. I think I was winning at first, even tho I don't even "throw" the bowling ball right. xP

11/01/18

We picked T (older brother) up from the airport last night! Yes, he's here for Christmas! :)

12/25/18

|| noteworthy events ||

January ||

Went to the West Coast with my older sister and photographed my very first wedding!!

See my posts on that trip HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.

February ||

Got home from vacation, lived life.

March ||

Went to an overnight discipleship thing with some friends. 

April ||

Getting my senior pictures done, going to my last Highschool Banquet.

May ||

I graduated from high school! You can see my post on that here.

June ||

Strawberry picking, helping with VBS, just life.

July ||

First swim of  the year at the water park, where I got sunburned. Independence day, and my nose wouldn't stop running. :P

Flew out to the West for a vacation!!

August ||

Wonderful vacation visiting family and friends, and I photographed my second wedding! It was my uncle and now aunt's, and it was beautiful! I still haven't asked them if I could post the pictures anywhere, so... y'all will have to wait to see them. :P 

Got to have some lovely times with Daminika! <33

See some of my picturesque adventures on that trip HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.

September ||

I turned eighteen! I have a post here.

Had some fun adventures at the lake with the cousins. *smiles*

October ||

Started my job at the YMCA! I've now been working there for three months, and it's such a blessing to have a steady income. 

Bowling, harvest events, etc.

November ||

Hog roast, voting, THANKSGIVING!!

December ||

Celebrating CHRISTMAS, brother coming to visit, bringing the year to an end. ;)

|| the firsts ||


first wedding (as a photographer)

first smartphone

graduated high school

first time playing laser tag

first time kayaking

became an adult

first job

first time voting

|| those "moments" ||

Drinking two watermelon Italian soda's while hanging out at a friend's house. ;)

Me and my sisters belting out songs, in a jolly mood, out in the dark on Valentines Day.

Little bro saying b-grilla instead of  gorilla *laughs*

NEVER DUMP COLD\ROOM TEMP WATER INTO A PAN THAT'S BEEN IN A HOT OVEN FOR 20 MINUTES. It'll explode. #mydumbmoments

Fifteen and thirteen year old siblings having a fun time trying on my graduation stuff. ;P

 Cleaning at my aunt and uncle's, and we realize there's a camera set up on the porch. Oh... wonder what awkward poses that caught me doing? *laughs*

My first time helping out in a "public" skit... at VBS... where I had to throw a banana over a fake waterfall, while hidden. That was my only act. xP haha.

Allll those interesting adventures with the cousins... like when you run out of gas... and it's night. *facepalm*

|| photography ||

This year I was the photographer for two weddings and some family reunion pictures. ^__^ 

The fact that I had the privilege of being the photographer for TWO weddings this year is amazing. I'm very thankful for the experience, as well as the beautiful photos I got  to take. <33 They both took place in the same state, but one was during the winter on a wet day, the other during the summer on a hot sunny day! *laughs* That's great for experience!

Just looking forward to another year of taking pictures! Idk what I'll be doing, but I guess that's to find out. :)

|| books read ||

I'm a little ashamed to admit that I only read\finished... four books this year (besides book of the Bible). This is awful. I'll try to do better in 2019. *hides face* I really want to get back into reading.

I was almost done Until Tomorrow, I'm pretty sure, but then we went on vacation. I need to get it from the library again and finish it! 

And I'm currently reading The Negotiator!

|| best movies watched ||

Some of the top movies\shows I watched during the year 2018!

All six season of the Father Knows Best TV show. It was really good! If only they hadn't cancelled it before "everything" happened. <33

Belle

The Greatest Showman

I Can Only Imagine

Roman Holiday

And all four of the Hunger Games movies. I had watched Catching Fire already, but I just recently watched the other three! They were good.

|| blog stats as of 2018 ||

followers: 29

posts of 2018: 67

approximate total pageviews: 106,853

|| 2019? ||

I really don't know what 2019 is going to be like. I don't have as many plans yet as I did for 2018. I guess, like a lot of life, it'll just be a surprise! First year completely free of school, working... idk, idk, idk. We'll see. ^__^

I do have one super, SUPER exciting thing to tell you guys about, something coming this new year. We are going to have a new baby in the house sometimes spring 2019!!!! SO EXCITED!! This will be sibling number eight for me, and I'm so very excited for a baby in the house again! <333333 Goodness. It'll be wonderful. ^__^

Other than that, we'll see what yet another year brings!

Well that's that! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

ANY PLANS FOR 2019?

ONE BLESSING FROM 2018?