2014 In Review

This is a pictorial review of our 2014. It’s a time to step back from our life to reconsider where we've been and where we want to go.

 It highlights some of great things that happened. Of course there were ups and downs on the personal and family side but that is life.

We lost an aunt and a friend. But at my aunt's funeral we reconnected with cousins and old family friends that we hadn't seen in a long time. I saw my maternal uncle who hasn't been in contact with any of us for over 20 years.

Our friend died too early from cancer. 

We attended the funeral of a colleague of mine (also cancer) and reminisced with others who gathered to honour him.

We gained some new extended family members, 1 baby, 1 adoption and 1 engagement! 

We spent many evenings with friends that are not mentioned below, lots of laughs and fun.

We spent some time with friends I met through blogging. And met up with a blogger friend that I've known online for several years.

I reconnected with some old work friends from Montreal, great fun to catch up and see where everyone is.
Also found my second cousin on Facebook and her daughter.

Pause to celebrate. Pause to reflect. Pause to take inventory. And pause to see what you can learn from this past year.

I am grateful for my husband, family and friends and the opportunity to travel as much as we do and are lucky to be able to do!!

Click here to see what books I read in 2014.

This blog had some honourable mentions by bloggers I follow.
Orange You Glad It's Friday
As The Crackerhead Crumbles
Joy's Book Blog
Joy's Book Blog
Joy's Book Blog
Travel With Intent - Disney World
Travel With Intent - Honolulu
Paulita's Ponderings - can't find the link
Anne in Oxfordshire - postcards
Anne in Oxfordshire
Anne in Oxfordshire

I will cover food of 2014 in a separate post! That is a whole other topic!!

JANUARY

We started 2014 in Mazatlan Mexico with friends. 

 SHRIMPS!

FEBRUARY

We were lucky to stay there until the end of February.

So we enjoyed Super Bowl - Mexican style.

Valentine's Day

Art Walks - January and February

Sightseeing with blogger friends.

Hobnobbing with local politician.

Helping the local bricklayers in El Quelite.

Festival in Concordia

Mazatlan

Durango

Carnevale

And it wouldn't be Mazatlan without its wonderful sunsets!

MARCH

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 2

Back in the States for a couple of weeks.

San Diego

Frida Kuhlo exhibit.

Capistrano

March 2-9 Carlsbad CA

Carlsbad Flower Fields!

Spring break in Cabo San Lucas Baja California Mexico

Back to the States (again) and time to head north home.

St. Patrick's Day in Las Vegas with friends (see above) for a few days.

Drive from Las Vegas to Myrtle Beach March 18 -25

A couple of days in Tucson AZ

Lafayette LA

Mobile AL

APRIL

Myrtle Beach SC March 25 - April 5

Friends joined us for a very rainy week. We extended our stay and finally had a week of sunshine.
We stayed in two Wyndham resorts

We started our drive home taking our time.



We made some interesting stops on the way home, we weren't in a hurry. Spring was arriving.

Charlotte NC

Charleston WV

Grove City PA

HOME!

And awoke to this a few days  later, but it didn't stick around!

Spring arrives!

We had family in for Easter dinner. We have that light removed during the summer!

                                                                                      MAY

Cherry blossom time in High Park with friends.

Brunch with an old friend. Sadly she will lose her beloved husband, Joe this year.

This little one arrived in February so we were delighted to finally meet her.

We drive to Montreal for a family confirmation.

We attend Doors Open - Toronto

A day out with a friend and our cameras around the University of Toronto campus and a stop at the Gardiner Ceramics Museum.

We drive back to Montreal for my aunt's funeral.

We have lunch in Ste. Anne de Bellevue with my cousin.

We visit with family.

JUNE

New carpet for the living room.

A walk along the lake.

An evening out with friends at the Hamilton Tattoo.

Some new purchases.

Loblaw's at Maple Leaf Gardens

World Pride

Fort York

Waterdown Rib Festical

Being entertained at a BBQ at my cousin's.

JULY

Canada Day with friends. Our friends welcome a new grandson into their family.

Toronto Arts Festival

International Lions' Club Convention held in Toronto.

Went to the theatre.

John went to Montreal to see the Canadian Open with a friend. I went to the Taste of Toronto held at Fort York.

Watched family perform in Assassins.

Day out with BFF along Queen St W and a visit to the Canadian Contemporary Museum.

John and I explored around the Gladstone.

WOO HOO front entrance of our building is finally finished.

My birthday!

Endless knot

AUGUST

A day out with friends in Port Dover.

Family visitors from Montreal.

We continued decorating our condo.

We drove to PEI with stops in New Brunswick.

New Brunswick

Prince Edward Island

Charlottetown PEI

 Magog QC

Toronto Buskers' Festival

We then fly to Washington DC for a few days and boy, was it hot!

Photo of the year goes to John!

SEPTEMBER

Around Toronto

Taste of the Kingsway.

TIFF

New statue unveiled at ACC.

Polish and Ukrainian festivals.

Toronto waterfront

Word On The Street

Family house-warming.

A visit to Montreal and we took an opportunity to play tourist.

Toronto Kensington Market

Chinatown

 

OCTOBER

October started with the renovation of both our bathrooms. The main idea was to install two new cabinets. Of course that led to some re-working of the plumbing. We also got the slow leak fixed on the washing machine.

A couple of displays from Nuit Blanche

The first of two family Thanksgiving dinners.

National Geographic Travel seminar

Second family Thanksgiving dinner

A visit to the Aquarium with friends.

Splendid Fall!

A solar eclipse!

NOVEMBER

A family memorial dinner

Kubrick Exhibit - The Shining

Royal Ontario Agricultural Fair

A night at the theatre with family performing. 

Meg and Russ got engaged at Christmas 2014!!

Time to get out of here!

When hockey season starts!!

DECEMBER

A quick visit to Montreal.




December 4 - 13



Nashville TN

Kentucky

Little Rock AR

Texas

Abilene TX

Las Cruces NM

We stayed two nights in Tucson so we could meet up with a blogger friend and her Ole Sweetie-Pi who recently moved from NH to Tucson. We had lunch at Olive Garden with Kathi and Earl and it was like we were old friends!
Las Vegas is our home for the remainder of 2014.

We spent a week at Wyndham Grand Desert. A night at New York New York. A week at Grand View and then ended the year at South Point Hotel and Casino into the New Year.

Friends joined us December 20 into January.

Click here to see the last three weeks of 2014 in Las Vegas.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3