Birthday Adventures: A year in review...

So today is my birthday.  I am officially 32 years old.

This has been such a crazy whirlwind year with so many changes that it's hard to take stock.

My 31st birthday

31. Last year, I turned 31.
On my birthday, I was still working as a teacher and my students celebrated my birthday with me.  I celebrated my birthday 5 or 6 times. One for each class and then with Baros and friends too.

Birthday Flowers from Gracie

I'm so lucky I have so many amazing people in my life and that I was able to have so many amazing celebrations.

My birthday fruit plate

Birthday dinner!

In October, less than a month after turning 31, I changed jobs.  I found a new team to be a part of. I've made some amazing new friends.
Later that month, we celebrated our first Halloween together. I dressed up at work and took entertaining pictures with my coworkers and then came home to zombify Baros and we went to a beer garden in Hoboken for food and some laughter.

My whole amazing team 

Celebrating in Hoboken

Last August, we got engaged and at 31, we got married.  Not only was I lucky enough to have one wedding, but we had two.

Our wedding photo shoot

Last November, we got married in a small court wedding, surrounded by some family and friends.  We had a mini photo shoot as engagement/wedding pictures on Boulevard East overlooking the Hudson River and New York City.  We had amazing Turkish food in one our favorite Turkish Restaurants.  We laughed and our friend read our futures in the grounds of Turkish coffee.

And afterwards, we went to NYC for more drinks and love.  We went to Fat Cat in lower Manhattan for shuffle board and lovely music.

At Fat Cat

We came home and crashed together for the first time as a married couple.
We celebrated our first Thanksgiving together at my mother's place with friends.

Me and my girls right before Christmas

We celebrated our first Christmas together with stockings filled with gifts and presents opened first thing in the morning while still in pjs (and yes... I may have wrapped some presents that morning).  We laughed and enjoyed the low key vibes of the day.

Christmas Day with the Mamma 

Our first Christmas Tree!

Beautiful Bryant Park 

We celebrated our anniversary at the restaurant where we had our first date.
We celebrated our first New Years together in Brooklyn with friends and friends of friends.  We celebrated in joy and hope for the new year.

New Year's Eve Antics

Goofing around with my baby

We low key celebrated Valentine's day.  Roses and dinner. It's all we needed.
We had the lowest key celebration of his birthday ever a week before our wedding.  Next year will be more epic.
We planned a big wedding and spent more money than we intended (thank you wedding industry).  I made bouquets and centerpieces and hair pieces and various other decorations for our day.  I stressed. We stressed together. And it was all worth it.

We had a fairy tale day in the woods surrounded by friends and family: some of our favorite people in the world.

The bouquet I made

We said our vows and tears filled our eyes.
I tried to speak Turkish without stuttering. I failed but the meaning was there.

A beautiful moment

We sang, we danced. We had a beautiful day and evening.

Our Beautiful friends

The perfect cake

The centerpieces I made

It was perfect and I wouldn't change a thing.









A week later, one of my best friends had her first child, making me a very happy auntie!

Then, I started this blog and we went on our mini moon!

Miami mini moon!

We have celebrated both of our brothers' birthdays and tried to relax.

brother birthday celebration!

I've participated in bachelorette parties and bridal showers and been a bridesmaid in my friends wedding.















The adventures in life have abounded.
So much has changed and I wouldn't have it any other way.
And now, I'm one year older.
I'm 32 and I can't wait to see what adventures this new year will bring us.