A Recap of 2021
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Nerd Alert.
One of my favorite “Christmas gifts” every year is my planner. I LOVE getting my new planner for the next year and filling it up with dates and appointments and...dare I say it? TRAVELING!
I’m so excited to travel again. We’ve got some KILLER trips planned this year and ya girl is HYPE.
Anyway, the best part of my new planner is that I take a moment to go back through the previous year. Here are some of my favorite moments from 2021.
travels
This year, we took a weekend trip to the Outer Banks in February, in hopes of catching a little sunshine and warm-er weather (which actually did not go swimmingly, as a winter storm followed us down. It was freezing and rained the entire time), but we had a few good meals and enjoyed our time together.
Also, the one time we got out and took a walk on the beach, it started pelting freezing rain as soon as we got there and Ellie pooped IN the ocean, which was very on-brand for the weekend.
We celebrated our second wedding anniversary with a hiking trip to Shenandoah National Park. We took the girls and had a wonderful time exploring the mountains - and some wonderful restaurants. You can read about it here. Not only was the weather absolutely perfect this time around, but also everyone pooped precisely where they were supposed to. Hooray for little wins!
In July, we traveled to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico to celebrate my dad’s 60th birthday! It was a glorious week of sun and relaxation and just what we needed.
projects
This spring, I FINALLY finished my loft makeover. I redid my loft (on a budget) and made a cozy space to work, write, and whatever else I do in my spare time.
We built raised garden beds!! It was our first year doing a garden, and it was a success. We grew tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and mixed greens. I attempted Brussels sprouts, but they were a bust, and it was epically disappointing, as they were the slowest-growing veggie, and my favorite. Boo.
Elliot and I celebrated our second anniversary - and totally forgot that it was the “cotton” anniversary….oh well.
I rebranded the blog - went from Hope for the Hot Mess to Always, Bekah
I learned to upcycle furniture with chalk paint, starting with new nightstands!
I played several shows with The Great Awakening Band, and truly feel like I’ve grown a lot as a musician this year. I’m proud of that.
Discovered hygge. Changed my life. I am loving the intentionality of creating a warm and cozy atmosphere for the sole purpose of relaxation.
Books
2021 was the first year I set a goal for how many books I wanted to read. The goal was 50 books, and I read 34. I’m looking forward to hitting that goal in 2022! Here are my top faves from this year.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” - 2 Corinthians 5:17
“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 3:13-14