party everyday

i haven't blogged in a really long time. this past year has been one of the busiest in recent memory. i started a new job exactly a year ago and my time/energy for leisurely blogging just kind of disappeared.

sadsies.

since i blog and manage social media for my job now, keeping up with both as a hobby just hasn't been that easy, but i am attending a blogging and social media conference tomorrow and i thought at the very least i should do a catch up post.

so what's been going on lately?  i celebrated a birthday a few weeks ago and it was one of my very favorite ones, not as far as the number is concerned (that is just getting depressing), but the people i surrounded myself with, really made it pretty freakin' fab.

evan and i had dinner at gram & dun, on my favorite patio in the city. yes, we are wearing this place out and hitting it up on super repeat, but when it's your b-day, you don't wanna take chances on the food. i got the same thing i always get (the jackson) and we sipped on cocktails while enjoying one of the first warm-enough nights of the season.

the following day, my actual birthday, we planned a small get-together at one of our other favorite local spots, bier station.  we had intended to just meet a couple of friends, but thankfully it snowballed and soon enough the room was full of some of my most favorite people in town and in the world if i'm being honest.

i want to say that i laughed hysterically for 2 solid hours.  it was the best. 

alex was on spring break and away for her first ski trip during this time, and although we missed her terribly, she had an absolute blast.  i'd share some of pics of her being a rockstar on the slopes, but i don't have any. womp womp. so instead, here is a pic of her at a recent birthday party for one of her friends.

and this is a chinchilla, because she asked me to blog about one.

annnnnyway......

we spent last weekend at our favorite old-people-prom style event, evening in paris. if you follow me on the socials, then you already know i got super geeked out about it being a mad men theme this year.  you probably also already know that i found an exact dress from the show and proceeded to further freak out.  if you missed out on all that however, here is the dress from the show:

and here is me in all my vintage megan draper glory:

totally. freaked. out.

so the spring has basically been a nonstop party so far, you know how we do.  and basically, you're all caught up. :)

2012: the year in review

a little late is still better than never, right?  we're going to go with that thought.
2012 was a pretty cool year at 26 east and we like taking a look back at everything that happened....maybe you do too?  no?  well, for those of you who do, here is a little rundown of our year.

(click on the green text for additional info on any of these highlights...) 

JANUARY
we kicked off the year with alex's 7th birthday and a party fit for a bird-lovin' seven-year-old...

and then we threw a surprise birthday party for my mom...

FEBRUARY
was definitely one of the slower months of 2012.  we made some valentines...

re-engineered some duct work around the house...

and had no idea just how busy the rest of the year was about to get...

MARCH
i celebrated my 31st birthday  - or as we like to call it, the first anniversary of my 30th birthday, complete with DIY party hats, a new DIY light fixture and a small celebration with some of our closest friends.

we also hit the brookside st. patrick's day warm up parade as it has become a tradition for us:

APRIL 

in april we marveled at how quickly these little ones got big with some of my favorite photos taken of alex and my nephews after my godson's first communion. 

we also joined forces with neighbors to help plant 100 trees in our neighborhood:

and we headed to st. louis for a little spring break adventure: 

finally in april, we attended one of our favorite events while getting our 1920s on: the annual evening in paris at alex's school...

more on this here & here.  

MAY

in may we celebrated mother's day at the nelson: 

the cats' birthdays at home...

and my baby brother's college graduation in nebraska...

JUNE
in june, we kicked it into overdrive with several DIY projects around the house including these succulent plants...

a secret room renovation... 

a newly painted black ceiling... 

some new DIY shelving (we still need to post this)... 

a commercial shoot...

and our most incredible furniture makeover to date... 

JULY
this was quite possibly the busiest and most exciting month of the year as we celebrated our first wedding anniversary by renewing our vows (something we plan to do every year), having an amazing dinner and staying in our same hotel room from our wedding night...

and then....our home was featured in ink magazine...

and the kansas city star! 

we hit the road for a weekend trip in wichita, ks to see evan's family... 

then i finally convinced my sister to take a break and let my nephews come visit for 4 days... 

and finally, we hosted our first ever private chef's dinner to celebrate my father-in-law turning the big 6-0. 

AUGUST
in august i left my job of the past 6 years to pursue a career as a freelance copywriter and branding strategist and we hit the road again for our first ever multi-family vacation at lake of the ozarks...

see how thrilled they all looked on the last day?  

and shortly thereafter, alex started second grade...  

SEPTEMBER
this was another busy month as alex became a soccer player...

i began writing for middle of the map weddings...  

then we began doing monthly features of our favorite local spots around town...

i got to fulfill a dream i didn't even know i had:  being a stylist at halls...

and my amazingly talented husband (with the biggest heart of gold) received a special and well-deserved award for putting in countless hours over the summer, leading a group of volunteers, in renovating alex's new school building... 

and we were on the road again to celebrate evan's 30th birthday in boston...surprise-style...

OCTOBER
as always,  this was our favorite time of year as we ate some nachos...

visited a couple of pumpkin patches...

attended the weddings of four very good friends...

made a snowy owl costume ....

 and held our 6th annual ice scream spooktacular...

NOVEMBER
this month we gave horseback riding a try...

and gave a whole lotta thanks...

DECEMBER

rounded out the year with a lot of friends and family to celebrate the holidays and look ahead to 2013.

and that pretty much covers our 2012.  i know -  longest post ever - but we had a lot of goodness to reflect on.  and as 2013 is already in full swing, we are hopeful that we'll have just as much fun in the new year.  we didn't officially make any resolutions this year other than the norms - to eat healthier, exercise more, spend more quality time together and overall, just to be thankful for each day we have on earth. 

how did your 2012 shape up and what are you looking forward to most in 13?  

see more:  our 2011 recap.