The dreaded end of year post.

2013 was just not a costume productive year for me. I do not have oddles and oddles of costume projects to repost and share, thats been bothering me for a couple days. "I don't have a wrap up to blog about..." (insert possible feeling sorry for myself whine) 

But then I took a look at my 2013, I reeeeealy looked at it. Because while I do not have much sewing to crow about. Ladies and Gentelmen, friends and neighbors 2013 was a life- changing- amazing year. 

January - After 21 years of honerable and courageous service in both the Navy and the Air Force my Hubbie Matthew retired as a Master Sargent. I was so proud I could burst. We have had an amazing and interesting and neat and fun and challanging time of it and I would not change a thing. We met in the Navy many many moons ago so the military has mostly been our life and now its not. If nothing else happened, this one thing would have made this year special. 

Here we are many moons ago just starting our life together. 

And here we are at retirement...a wonderful moment. 

Then before we knew it he was off to a new job in Texas and we were working hard to wrap up a school year and while visiting Matthew for a week there was a tornado in our home town and the world stopped and stared. 

It was three days before we knew if we had a home. We spent those days trying to contact friends and neighbors and praying. We prayed for all of our friends and everyone touched by this storm. We finally got word that out block was still intact and made our way home. 

We started getting back to normal when Matthew found a car...no Matthew found THE car. So for his birthday in June we headed to PA to get it. We stopped along the way at a McDonalds to take a break only to catch live on the Weather Channel another tornado cutting accross Oklahoma City. This one was even closer to home. My mom and our children stayed with neighbors in a large underground shelter. We all waited out the storm via phone. Again our home missed the path of damage and we decided to continue on our trip. 

Here is Matthew in THE car getting ready to take to the Texas World Speedway track with his professional driving coach Wade for his Christmas present recently. The trip to PA ended up being romantic, lovely and just the together time Matthew and I rarely rarely get. 

While we were gone...we prayerfully decided to change our plan to move to Texas in the summer of 2014 and put our house on the market. With so many people in need of homes, it sold to the first family who came to look at it. They needed that home more than we needed to be in Oklahoma. So to Texas we came. 

But I didnt stay there long, it was summer vacation and I had the opportunity to travel East and visit some old dear friends I have not seen in a few years! 

What a joy to hug them all and catch up! In 2014 if all goes well we will be hosting our friends from Northern Ireland here in Texas. 

Oh lets not forget...I also took a little trip out to Henderson NV to help a friend who was recovering from a surgery move after her home sold. Four of us ladies took wing man in turn and we managed to get her through it with flying colors. Girlfriends are a precious precious treasure. 

Here were are "leaving Las Vegas!" Good-bye Hades like heat! It was not all bad however.

    

Then as life often does things sped up, got smooshed together and slipped by very quickly. 

I went to Costume College for the very first time!! Woot!! My dear friend Gina had a back injury and could not come with me (BOO- HISS) 

I bumped into lovely new costumers I have just met in 2012. Jen from Festive Attyre. 

I got to make this ball gown into a Pirate dress for the ball, I love the way Victorians took an old gown and re-made it to suit a new season or in this case a fancy ball. Also my tri-corn hat was super fun if I do say so myself. 

I finished a long overdue fantastic girlfriend dress project...The save me (from myself) sailor dress.

This for the reccord is the last time I can remember having my bustle...sigh. But that is for another post. 

We did it! We all have stunnng sailor dresses! My dear friends Gina, Beth and I. 

We moved...lets just take moment and say that again. We moved! 

Again, if nothing else happened in 2013 this would have been enough! I squeezed in a Charity SASS match at Fort Parker. 

and wore the Absinth tasting dress intended for the SPWF that never happened. UFO no longer undone! 

Then life sped up again and there were chickens 

and goats...

and the chickens have grown 

and I now have a huge space all my own to sew in that will soon be a dream space, now its just telling me it needs to be organized. 

and the Christmas SASS convention was here- just like that. 

I wore this dress 

hosted a tea with some lovely friends 

and yes I put documenting and photo taking back on my goal list for 2014 (again...) 

I also made my first Edwardian skirt. 

started a blue black and white dress which will also go on the UFO 2014 list 

 

I wore what is becoming my "this old thing" suit...but I love it. In 2014 this suit is getting a bigger better pop of red. 

So this year I learned that even when it seems like nothing is getting done and all your dresses are hanging forlornly in the closet. Life is good, it is short and it is very very sweet. May all of our costuming goals go by the wayside in 2014 with joy, if life comes calling for you to dance and may we take them up again with pleasure in Gods perfect time. Happy New Year!