Memories, Dreams, and Reflections 2015

Happy 2016! It's time for the annual Memories, Dreams, and Reflections Post. I love looking back at my year of photos and reliving our amazing adventures here in South Africa and elsewhere! 

Here is my collection of photos from 2015! Thanks to Ashley Sisk for the prompts.  

1. Me!

Here I am, underwater with my friends! Loving It!

2. I Love You

My two favorite people!

3. Still Laughing

This girl is always laughing! She has so much fun in life! 

4. Winter Wonderland

We don't really get the standard winter in South Africa, it's beautiful year round, and I love it!

5. Birthday

On Piper's third birthday we surprised her with a trip to the ballet to see the Nutcracker. She loved it! 

6. Friends

Our good friends, Nikki and Kent, came to Thonga Beach for a kids-free weekend celebration for my birthday! It was so much fun!

7. I Was Inspired

I was inspired to take on online photo workshop this year with a friend. Here are a couple shots from the workshop. I hope to do more this year!

8. Spring Fever

Technically it was fall in South Africa, but in April, Piper colored eggs and hunted for them at Madikwe Game Reserve over Easter. 

9. Travel/Vacation

We took home leave this year and visited the Pleva family in Wisconsin and the Greensides family in Seattle. It was a great trip!

10. Summer Days

Summer in South Africa, it doesn't get better than this!

11. A Day In My Life

Weekends in our house, if we are not traveling, are usually pretty mellow. We spend a lot of time playing with Piper and her toys!

12. All Smiles

Naledi and Piper have matching dresses. Piper LOVES her dress, and loves it even more when Naledi wears hers as well. 

13. Autumn Harvest

Not necessarily autumn, but we were in Durban this past Fall (March in South Africa). Piper was harvesting shells!

14. Family/Home

Grace and Naledi are our South African family! We love them!

15. Celebrate

I celebrated turning 40 this year! I still feel 23 though ;) 

16. Let's Do It Again

One of my favorite experiences from this year was the shark dive in Aliwal Shoal. It was amazing being in the water with all of those black tip reef sharks. I would do it again in a heartbeat!

17. Beautiful

The most beautiful!

18. Dress Up

We dressed up as the Jedi family this year for Halloween! Piper is the cutest Yoda!

19. Macro

I don't have a macro lens, so this is as macro as it gets!

20. Holidays

We had another wonderful Christmas here in Pretoria. Santa found our house and left a lot of goodies for Piper! 

21. My Favorite

My favorite girl in her favorite dress!

22. Don't Ever Change

I love this face! Always be the energetic, stubborn, loving, partly wild, little girl that you are, don't ever change!

23. Looking Forward

My brother, Scott, and sister-in-law, Rachael, are expecting their first baby this month! Piper and I are going to the US to visit in February to meet the new little cousin. Can't wait!

24. Just Because

Just because...everyone knows I love my birds!

25. Hopes and Dreams

I continue to be so grateful for our charmed life. I have a wonderful, perfect little family. We live in a beautiful country, full of amazing people, sights, and adventures. Piper is growing up to be a strong, smart, adventurous, and loving little girl. My hopes and dreams are that we never take any of this for granted, and we continue to enjoy and marvel at our amazing everyday lives!