2014 // year in review

2014 // year in review

the end of the year is all about making lists, which is something i can totally get on board with. this past year was definitely a game changing year. so many incredible things happened. here are my “tops” of 2014. cannot wait to see what 2015 has in store…

top four in 2014

worth mentioning

2014 // year in reviewblog milestones

  • over 8,000 views in 2014
  • over 1,000 views in one day
  • 100 blog followers
  • attending Go Blog Social in april [game changer for my blog]

2014 // year in review

social media diva highlights

  • presented my half day workshop on social media for the 2nd time at EXHIBITOR2014 in Las Vegas, NV
  • and again at EXHIBITOR FastTrak in Boston, MA
  • spoke on a panel on event planner at the 2014 Cvent Corportate Meeting Summit
  • was featured in an article on mashable (!!!) on top stressful jobs
  • had my first [paid] speaking gig on social media for the Upper Midwest EDPA
  • spoke on a Power of Live webinar on Amplifying the Social Experience at Every Touchpoint hosted by Cvent and BrandRepublic

2014 // year in review

life + family + travels

  • got ENGAGED to my best friend and love of my life [b] on the beaches of st. eustatius in march
  • traveled to: florida (x5), the carribean, las vegas (x2), texas, kansas city, cincinnati, niagara-on-the-lake, on (canada), nashville, phoenix, san diego
  • celebrated 2 years with [b]
  • met my social media soulmate, dick vitale. and he said i was Awesome with a capital A
  • went to my first, second and third concerts of my life. (imagine dragons, iggy azelea, garth brooks)
  • sold the townhome & bought a first home together in st. louis park (sidenote: moving is the absolute worst)
  • my big brother bought a house + got a job! my baby brother graduated from high school + started college! my momma & daddy celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary!

2014 // year in review


you may also like:

2013 in review | a year of changes and blessings galore

2012 roundup ((WOW… that was a busy year))

[2011 roundup] a year of changes and growth

a toast to 10,000

happy monday, friends. i hope you had a lovely weekend. mine was extra spectacular; spent at home with my family celebrating my baby brothers high school graduation! stay tuned for the recap tomorrow!

last week i hit a BIG blogger milestone here at the story of my recent life; i hit 10,000 total view posts! blogging is something i started doing back in january of 2010 with my blog; tales of a girl (emma) on tumblr. i moved over to wordpress in may of 2011 and started this blog under the name of; faith, hope & sass from an uptown girl. in september of 2013 i got a new look and a new name, since i didn’t live in uptown anymore; the story of my recent life. i learned at Go Blog Social in April that a lot of bloggers get well over 10,000 views a month (hot damn); and i initially felt a little down on myself. i’ve been blogging here for 3 years and just now hitting this milestone. i’ve come to learn blog envy is a real thing. but just like anything, i can’t compare myself or my blog to others. i love my blog. it’s my release; my story; my voice.

thank you to everyone who has ever read my blog. whether just one time or a hundred times. i appreciate it so much. nothing makes my day more than someone telling me that they enjoyed my blog today. as a tribute to the past 10,000 views i am sharing my “top 10” top viewed and my personal favorite blog posts of the past 3 years. i hope you enjoy these throwbacks; and here’s to the next 10,000!

there's no place like home // toast to 10,000

this is only the beginning // toast to 10,000

why iRun // toast to 10,000

the story of our wedding // toast to 10,000

give a dog your heart & you'll get one in return // toast to 10,000

take me back to NYC // toast to 10,000

it all started with french toast // toast to 10,000

peace i give to you, my peace i leave with you // toast to 10,000

congratulations, class of 2007 // toast to 10,000

apples & brie appetizer // toast to 10,000

2013 in review|a year of changes and blessings galore

2013 in review

just like sand through an hour glass, these are the days of our lives. 2013, you were full of surprises. both pleasant and well, rather unpleasant. through the tears, the laughter, the smiles, the hugs; the tests of my strength (mentally, physically, emotionally); the time spent with family; the celebration of accomplishments; and anxiety of life. throughout it all, i grew. and i am loving the person i have become, because i have worked so hard to become her. i feel so blessed and thankful for all i have, and am over the moon excited to see what this year brings.

Almost crumbling to the ground, she stopped. Looking at how far she had traveled and all it had taken to get there, she recognized her strength. The strengths she had inside of her, the strength she had gained along the way ~ her inner power. And so, she stood up. standing tall, she faced forward and continued on.

places traveled:

  • san antonio, tx (x2)
  • miami, fl (x2)
  • ochos rios, jamaica
  • grand cayman, cayman islands
  • las vegas, nv (x2)
  • ft myers, fl
  • birmingham, al
  • orlando, fl (x4)
  • manchester, nh
  • marco island, fl
  • okoboji, ia
  • indianapolis, in
  • anaheim, ca
  • albuquerue, nm
  • new york, ny

airmiles flown: 37,643

miles ran: 205

january

  • officially moved in with [b] & #starksthepup and went from being and uptown girl to a burbs girl
  • traveled to san antonio and rode a legit texas longhorn
  • spent priceless bonding time with family in miami
  • went on my first cruise to ochos rios & grand cayman and watched friends get married 

January | 2013 Recap

february

  • [b] and i survived gluten-free february 
  • went to the tpups vs. knicks game
  • ran the Valentines Day 5K and didn’t die
  • an amazing Valentines dinner at la grolla

February | 2013 Recap

march

  • march madness of travels: Vegas, Florida, Vegas
  • mini vacay to Ft. Myers Beach with friends and celebrated [b]’s birthday with fish bowl(s)
  • made my EXHIBITOR2013 presenter debut and hosted my own half day workshop
  • went to Bemidji to visit Panda

March | 2013 recap

april

  • celebrated 3 years at PeopleNet
  • accepted an invitation to be on the conference advisory board for EXHIBITOR2014
  • ran the Get in Gear 10K with a respectable finish time
  • said goodbye to my apartment

April | 2013 recap

may

  • Haley would have celebrated her 20th birthday on May 2nd
  • watched my momma’s Dancing with the Star’s debut
  • oodles of fun celebrating my 24th birthday
  • 2 year blogiversary <3

May | 2013 recap

june

  • daycation to stillwater and visited the liftbridge brewery
  • travels to: Florida (x3) and new hampshire
  • drove a jet ski for the first time and it was awful
  • weekend in Duluth for [b]’s half marathon

June | 2013 Recap

july

  • was selected to host my half day workshop at once again at EXHIBITOR2014
  • ran my second half marathon (in pouring rain, wind, thunder & lightening)
  • had a blast relaxing in okoboji on our family vacay
  • accepted into grad school (decided in sept to take a break from the program. more on that later)

July | 2013 Recap

august

  • went to see les miserables at the orpheum
  • traveled to san antonio for one of the most sleep deprived, rewarding, crazy, hysterical, fantastic weeks of my life for UC 2013
  • ate lots of goodies and epic people watching at the mn state fair with brandon and young pup

August | 2013 Recap

september

  • brandon and i celebrated our one year anniversary
  • had a blast at rich and angies wedding
  • went home for the weekend for a little durby side family reunion
  • got crazy and ditched my platinum blonde roots for some darker tones

September | 2013 Recap

october

  • enjoyed my first juicy lucy at matts bar
  • went apple picking and pumpkin selecting at emma krumbees
  • traveled to orlando. twice. 3 days apart. same hotel.
  • carved pumpkins or at least tried to.

October | 2013 Recap

november

  • held down the fort while [b] was in china for 2 weeks
  • mom came up for semi annual girls weekend (fall edition)
  • mom and dad’s 29th anniversary
  • traveled to new mexico to spend thanksgiving

November | 2013 Recap

december 

December | 2013 Recap