My favorite annual post! :) 2015 proved to be a year of adventure, success, and moving forward.
John and I ate bad nachos with cheap beer at a hockey game.
Scarlet was an excellent guard dog while I read Wild.
Our third annual Chicken Day was a great success.
John took me to see Mama Mia. :)
I got serious about this book thing.
I spent the first few months of 2015 pretty sick with what ended up
being a parasite we think from spinach...
...Nothing that $350 worth of pills couldn't fix.
John and I resodded the yard over spring break.
I learned to make macaroons (rose water and lemon curd specifically).
Allen Vizzutti came to Stiles and played for our brass kids
(and then told me I couldn't take pictures).
We "researched" cava in prep for our summer trip to Barcelona!
My band was chosen to perform at the Midwest Clinic!!!
I visited the Art Institute of Chicago while attending a directors meeting for Midwest...
...and a very angry employee yelled at me for trying to document the pointillism.
The Bean at Millenium Park
Dog selfies!
In June we went to Barcelona!!!
Sagrada Familia was probably the highlight of the trip for me.
"Here John, take my picture."
Park Guell
Xurros con Xocolate at Granja la Pallaresa
Sangria Selfie!
at the Block of Discord - all designed by Gaudí
Boqueria Market
the BEST chips in the whole wide world
(not available in the US)
paella delicioso
dinner at the oldest restaurant in the world - El Botín
"Surprise flowers are more surprising in the WC."
streaming Celebrity Family Feud while grilling
Voted Best Photo of 2015! Well, it should have been...
We placed 3rd in Honor Band. :) :) :)
The Stiles Band staff geared up for a semester of stress with some preliminary golfing fun.
Headshot Day for our Midwest programs, complete with jeans under our dresses.
babies
We took my band to Graffiti Park to take program pictures.
Band kids are just awesome.
And dorky.
We saw Mary Karr speak at Book People.
Our first annual Chicken Run 5K was a huge success!
The semester went incredibly quickly, and it was December before we knew it.
Grandmamà and her favorite granddog
I made stockings for the furry children.
John took me to see Book of Mormon. SO good...
And suddenly it was time to go to the Midwest Clinic in Chicago!
Museum of Science and Industry...
...outside of the Shedd Aquarium...
...the coolest poster I've ever seen!...
...warm up selfie...
...crazy chicken statue at the Adler Planetarium...
...prepping for the Bulls game...
...freezing atop the our dinner cruise ship...
...posing with Sue...
...and man-eating lions of the Tsavo...
...um...
...losing in QUADRUPLE overtime...
...exploring the city...
...LION KING!!!...
...and finally returning back to Texas to celebrate Christmas with my family.
2015 was a great year. I had a lot of success with my band kids. My dog babies are healthy and happily snuggling in my lap. John cooks really good spaghetti. :) 2015 saw a lot of progress on my book. My family is awesome and continues to grow (with the addition of Fifi). It would be difficult not to recognize so many things for which I am grateful, and admittedly I am #blessed in all aspects of my life. I look forward to seeing what 2016 has in store!
