2011 in Review

To prepare for the start of 2012 this weekend, I thought I’d do a little recap of all the fun things that happened in 2011.

January
Corey and I rang in the New Year in Atlantic City with some friends. It was so much fun! Unfortunately, my camera had a little mishap and the only pictures I got were a Blackberry photo of Corey and I right before midnight and a rather drunken photo of our friend blowing a party horn.

Corey visited me in Greenville, for what would be the last time while I was living there (even though we didn’t know it yet.) We visited with old friends, ate at our favorite restaurants, and then he surprised me when he told me he’d made an appointment at my favorite jewelry store in Charlotte to browse at engagement settings.

February
I said goodbye to my gorgeous Greenville, SC townhouse, including garden tub and massive walk in closet.

After this unfortunate incident (when a utility van’s emergency brake failed and it literally flew into the back of my townhouse) and then moved in with my parents for several months.

March
I started my blog, even though I thought no one would want to read it, and connected with so many fabulous ladies.

First Life with Elizabeth header.

Riley celebrated his first birthday with a gourmet doggie birthday cookie and lots of presents. 

I started the forever long process of job interviewing in New Jersey. And had my first flight cancellation, during a New Jersey snowstorm.

April
I went to visit Corey for a weekend and he planned a romantic getaway for us at Crystal Springs Golf Resort. He proposed and made me the happiest girl in the world!

I traveled to Knoxville to spend some time with my fabulous big and grandbig from my sorority and have some much needed girl time. 

May
I finished up the school year with my sweet first graders. I said goodbye to them as they became second graders and as I packed up my classroom to become a New Jersey resident.

I traveled to New Jersey to spend the weekend with Corey and we scored awesome seats to a Yankees game.

June
I started my daily commute from Charlotte to Greenville and spent most of the month in a blur dominated by interstate mile markers.

July
I spent 4th of July weekend in New Jersey with Corey and his family and relaxed at the lake, enjoying the four days between Summer I and Summer II, when I had no homework or assignments due.

Corey took me on a romantic picnic in Central Park.

I packed my belongings into a moving truck and shipped them to New Jersey. Corey moved into our apartment and I headed back south to finish my master’s.

I flew to New York with my Maid of Honor and found the most perfect wedding dress ever at Kleinfeld.

I spent 20 hours a week in my car commuting from Charlotte to Greenville and home from Greenville to Charlotte finishing up my last semester of my master’s degree and flew to New Jersey every weekend.

We celebrated our engagement with fifty close friends and family at an engagement party hosted by my parents.

August 
Corey and I spent a week in the North Carolina Outer Banks with some friends then drove north to my new home in Hoboken.

I received my diploma in the mail, since I chose not to walk at graduation because I missed Corey and was ready to move! I earned a Masters of Arts in Education with a concentration in Early Childhood.

Hoboken was evacuated when Hurricane Irene headed towards New York. Riley, Corey, and I took refuge with Corey’s parents and had some quality family time, while we hid inside as the high speed winds set off tornado sirens.

I was finally offered a job, which I accepted, and absolutely hated. I came home crying with banana in my hair almost every day.

September
Corey and I flew home for the weekend, met some friends for a Clemson tailgate and game.

Corey’s raise went into effect so I sent in my resignation while we were out of town. It was a huge relief.

We took our engagement pictures and the weather was perfect!

We returned to New Jersey and I applied for some recent teaching openings. Within a week, I was hired as a Kindergarten teacher and was back in the classroom where I belong!

October
We celebrated Corey’s 27th birthday. I baked him a butterfinger cake and surprised him by giving him the Tag Heuer watch he’d been dreaming over.

It snowed five inches on Halloween weekend! This doesn’t happen in South Carolina so it was a complete shock to me. We headed out to enjoy the Halloween festivities anyway, but my cute costume stayed home.

November 
We celebrated my 24th birthday! It was lots of fun and I’m so glad I could share it with Corey. He spoiled me rotten and surprised me with the Michael Kors bag I’d been coveting.

I spent my first Thanksgiving away from my family but was happy to share it with Corey’s family in New Jersey.

I came home from Thanksgiving dinner and decorated our apartment for Christmas the very next day.

December 
My mom came to visit and experienced Manhattan for the first time. She even got to see the Rockefeller tree!

Corey and I traveled south to spend Christmas with my family. It was the first Christmas we spent together!

I got to see my two Maids of Honor at the same time, shop for bridesmaids dresses, and catch up with both of them.

What a fabulous year its been. 2012…you have big shoes to fill!