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A Year in Pictures | 2016

January 1, 2018

JANUARY

After spending Christmas in Cartagena, we headed home to ring in the new year. We spent most of the month planning for Ben’s deployment and my move to Nashville!

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FEBRUARY

Ben had a lot of long days, especially since he was driving to Camp Lejeune each day, but we were able to sneak away to celebrate my birthday in Savannah. It was extra special to celebrate my birthday in a place we have so many sweet memories in.

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APRIL

April was quite the month! Ben and I drove out to Nashville and moved me into my new home. There were a lot of tears, but it was also paired with one of the greatest days exploring my new city with my best friend.

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MAY

Ben and I celebrated three years from afar, but he surprised me with the most beautiful flowers accompanied by a Facetime call.

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We had the best White House reunion at Steph and Ben’s wedding!

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AUGUST

Finally time to reunite with Ben! But first, a stop in Paris, a picnic with Kat and JD under the Eiffel Tower, and a sunrise styled shoot.

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Then it was off to Spain for the best long weekend of my life. The sweetest reunion in the most perfect setting.

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OCTOBER

Ben came home and all was well again! We spent a weekend in Wilmington for Ben’s Ironman race and hit the road for a few weddings in Virginia!

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NOVEMBER

Another Thanksgiving in the books with all our favorite Roanoke activities.

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DECEMBER

We hopped on a flight for a snowy weekend in Boston. I think we were both surprised how quickly we fell in love with the city!

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2017 was a year of milestones. We got through our first deployment, celebrated three years of marriage, I kicked off my wedding photography, and even got a new job! We spent the majority of the year apart but can both confidently say we truly made lemonade out of the lemons life threw at us. I fell in love with Nashville and Ben thrived in his deployment. We both pursued our own dreams, but always remained one another’s biggest fans.

At the end of 2016 I had no idea that a lot of the above was about to happen. It wasn’t even on my radar.  Here we are at the end of 2017 and I’m not too sure what 2018 has to bring. But I do know that I am beyond excited and ready. So, bring it on, 2018. Bring every little thing that isn’t on my radar right now on.

In case you want to see what we were up to in 2016, 2015 and 2014, you can do that too!

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A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

December 31, 2017

Christmastime this year was so sweet. We aren’t used to spending Christmas in the same place two years in a row so it was a treat to have little New Bern traditions. This year we really decked the halls with our slightly larger tree. I was dead set on going to this Christmas Tree farm about an hour away. We hopped in the car (sporting our red and green Christmas attire), grabbed lunch in downtown Kinston, and just before arriving at the farm it started pouring rain. As the rainfall crushed all my Christmas hopes and dreams we drove right on back to New Bern. Thankfully we arrived just in time for the Christmas parade and floatopia along the river.

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We drove right on back to the trusty Christmas tree lot on the side of the road (we’ll chock it up to wanting to keep tradition?) to pick out our perfect little tree. today-3 today-2

It was perfect. home-1 We set our Christmas day for a week before Christmas and it was perfect. We started our morning with coffee and french toast and then exchanged gifts. This year we were actually able to surprise one another. I’d say it was a roaring success. I’m so thankful for the little traditions Ben and I have created over the years. We’ve spent Christmas in London, D.C, Cartagena, and now New Bern and I’m just so thankful. No matter where we live or where we travel to, it is so sweet to share the holidays with him. Also, let it be known that Ben is seriously stepping up his Christmas spirit game. I am one proud wife. home-2 This year we traveled back to Roanoke for Christmas and I sadly did not pull my camera out once. But, I did snap a few pictures on my polaroid and goodness I cherish these snapshots of time. Christmas was filled with so much family time, a lot of “unwrap the saran wrap ball dice game”, and even more food. Having both families in one place has been so sweet and I love that we get to spend so much time with each. Here are just a few little glimpses of our time at home.christmas polaroid-1Honestly, I’m obsessed with this child ^christmas polaroid-2

The best brothers. christmas polaroid-3We had a cajun Christmas and dad finally taught Ben all the steps.
christmas polaroid-4He makes Christmas all the merrier^christmas polaroid-5Mom nailed Garrett’s ornaments this year^christmas polaroid-6She’s the best!
christmas polaroid-8It’s been nine years with this guy. Thankful that high school Ben decided to say hello to high school Carrie.

To celebrate New Year’s we took a day trip to Raleigh. It was spent shopping around, reading at a favorite coffee shop and then most divine dinner at Brewery Bhavana (who new a brewery/dim sum/bookshop/plant shop fusion would be such a perfect combination?!). Raliegh-1 Raliegh-2

New Year’s is such a sweet time to talk about the past year and chat about our goals for the next year. I just adore getting to walk through life with Ben. I’ve got a good feeling about 2018 and can’t wait to see where it takes us.

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Boston

December 19, 2017

What a weekend to be in Boston! We got to experience the city’s first snow of the season, marvel at the Christmas decorations, and even visit Cambridge.

To be honest, Boston was never really on my top travel bucket list, but I never had a reason why. I now owe the entire city of Boston an apology. This city won me over. Ben thinks my view was slightly altered by all the Christmas lights and decorations (he knows how pathetic I am in the cold), but hey, either way, it was a wonderful weekend.

We drove to Raleigh early Saturday morning and hopped on a flight. I thought we were going to get delayed in D.C. due to the snow but thank goodness everything was on time. We landed in a winter wonderland and made our way straight to Faneuil Hall for some lunch. I loved the 5 million choices of food and especially loved the Christmas tree out front.  Boston-1 Boston-2 Boston-4

After lunch, we stumbled upon a Christmas market on our way to the Boston Common. Boston-6 Boston-7

At this point, the snow was really coming down. The faster it came down, the faster snowmen started popping up all over the park. It literally looked like every kid’s (and grown-ups) dream! I shed a frozen tear or two because it was just so magical.Boston-10 Boston-11 Boston-13 Boston-16
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Really soaking it all in ^^Boston-28 What a cutie ^Boston-35 Boston-40 Boston-43

Walking through the park was straight out of a movie. Everywhere you looked there were kids running through the snow, people ice skating, lights shining through the snow, and snowmen. It was stunning.Boston-44That evening we watched the Army Navy game (with an unfortunate outcome) before making our way back to the hotel.

Sunday morning we went back to a coffee shop we spotted the day before called the Thinking Cup. It was cozy and warm. We even landed perfect window seats to watch the passers by as we sipped our morning coffee. I realized, while chatting with Ben, that that exact feeling is one of my most favorite. You know, that feeling of waking up with a city. The one of walking down a street early in the morning as neighbors leave their house or the one where you pass the man walking his dogs with coffee cup in hand. I love knowing that everyone is collectively “rising and shining” and the entire city is waking up. Don’t get me wrong, I love the feeling of waking up to the crisp air in the mountains, or the stillness of a lake house. But there is something to be said with waking up in a city, sipping your coffee in a cozy coffee shop, and watching the passers by.
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Onward we walked through the park again and up towards Beacon Hill. As wonderful as the snow falling the day before was, it was equally grand to have the sun shining on our faces all morning. Boston-50 Boston-51
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We spent the afternoon wandering the streets of the north end, splitting a pizza, and grabbing a cannoli at Mike’s Pastry. I loved the character of the buildings and the history woven throughout each street.

We then caught the T down to the South End to pay a visit to the Isabel Stuart Gardner Museum and it was stunning. Essentially the most unique and beautiful collections of art I have ever seen. Seriously, go if you can!

Boston-79 Boston-80 Boston-83 Boston-84 Boston-85 Boston-88 Boston-93 Boston-94Since we were so close, we popped over the Museum of Fine Arts! Just like every other art museum we go into we got lost in the maze of galleries but loved every minute of it. Boston-97We spent the evening popping in and out of shops and bookstores and finally decided we wanted something warm for dinner, so Thai food it was ;)

After dinner, we decided to give Wally’s Cafe, a cozy jazz club tucked away in the city, a try. A little unknown fact about the Radfords– we love a good jazz club. It was such a treat and the jazz band was so incredibly talented! A perfect ending to a perfect day. Boston-103Monday morning we hit up South End Buttery for coffee and breakfast while I got some work done. Just like the day before, we hit up the window seats.
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Then it was off to Cambridge on the T! As soon as we stepped off the train my little England loving heart skipped a beat. It truly felt like we stepped right into an English town similar to so many we had visited. Something about the old buildings and similar charm. It was lovely. We spent the day around the campus and checking out a few bookstores and shops along the way. Boston-115

Then it was back to Boston to pick up our bags and head to the airport.

The weekend was just what we needed. This fall and winter our calendars and weekends were filled with events, weddings, and holidays. Although all wonderful things, we were always on the move for a specific purpose. This weekend was different. There was no purpose in mind, no agenda to fill. We simply spent the weekend exploring a new city together, playing in the snow, and sipping several cups of coffee. I think we will spend the rest of our lives perfecting the art of weekend getaways, and that is quite all right by me.

I’ll also take any excuse to spend time with this guy before our lives change, once again, in January. Boston, you were grand and just what we needed. (And I’m sorry for ever doubting your greatness.)

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