{"id":288,"date":"2014-01-01T15:03:09","date_gmt":"2014-01-01T06:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/penniestoyennies.com\/?p=288"},"modified":"2014-01-01T15:08:15","modified_gmt":"2014-01-01T06:08:15","slug":"happy-2014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/penniestoyennies.com\/?p=288","title":{"rendered":"Happy 2014!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It&#8217;s officially 2014 here in Japan! Dan and I weren&#8217;t sure how to ring in the new year- a quiet night together at home, or out with friends? We decided to do both! We went to the Samurai New Year&#8217;s Eve hash, toasted and kissed at midnight, spent a little more time socializing, then headed home. It was a great night! But SO cold out!<br \/>\nThis isn&#8217;t a great picture, but Dan and I all bundled up waiting for midnight!<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/s2.photobucket.com\/user\/hardcandy627\/media\/1507043_342479185895241_569504091_n.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"90%\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.photobucket.com\/albums\/y35\/hardcandy627\/1507043_342479185895241_569504091_n.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\" photo 1507043_342479185895241_569504091_n.jpg\"\/><\/a><br \/>\nPhoto by Kyle Fagan<\/p>\n<p>2013 was quite a year. It wasn&#8217;t my favorite or least favorite. I accomplished so much in 2012 that it&#8217;s possible 2013 just paled a little in comparison. I think another big part of 2013 for me was that I knew I had accomplished everything I wanted to in Japan. I worked, volunteered, ran a club, made friends, hosted parties, dance classes, traveled, tried new things. I felt very fulfilled by my time here, but I wasn&#8217;t sure how to go about moving on.<\/p>\n<p>So without further ado, here are some of my memorable moments of 2013!<\/p>\n<p>This was the best moment of the year, and the best moment of my life. Dan told me he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/s2.photobucket.com\/user\/hardcandy627\/media\/431431_10100536775514558_38104642_n.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"90%\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.photobucket.com\/albums\/y35\/hardcandy627\/431431_10100536775514558_38104642_n.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\" photo 431431_10100536775514558_38104642_n.jpg\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/penniestoyennies.com\/?p=243\">Getting swept at Goofy<\/a> (hey, I said memorable, not best moments!), and earning my coast to coast medal. Getting swept at Goofy was a hard lesson- I can&#8217;t just skate by and get what I want. To get what you want in life, you gotta work for it! With my failure at Goofy, I often overlook one accomplishment- I ran a half marathon at Disney World, and one at Disneyland, earning my coast to coast medal!<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/s2.photobucket.com\/user\/hardcandy627\/media\/408293_10100542285173158_2016464394_n.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"70%\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.photobucket.com\/albums\/y35\/hardcandy627\/408293_10100542285173158_2016464394_n.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\" photo 408293_10100542285173158_2016464394_n.jpg\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I got to enjoy a meal at Club 33! One of Disneyland&#8217;s most exclusive restaurants, it is now under renovation, and I&#8217;m so happy I got to see it as Walt designed it!<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/s2.photobucket.com\/user\/hardcandy627\/media\/549971_10100542285472558_1789020321_n.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"70%\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.photobucket.com\/albums\/y35\/hardcandy627\/549971_10100542285472558_1789020321_n.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\" photo 549971_10100542285472558_1789020321_n.jpg\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I learned to ski in Niigata!<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/s2.photobucket.com\/user\/hardcandy627\/media\/1805_10100616597825008_449577497_n.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"70%\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.photobucket.com\/albums\/y35\/hardcandy627\/1805_10100616597825008_449577497_n.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\" photo 1805_10100616597825008_449577497_n.jpg\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Brittany and Amanda&#8217;s trip to visit me. We went nonstop for 2 weeks! Here&#8217;s us as geishas in Kyoto<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/s2.photobucket.com\/user\/hardcandy627\/media\/11699_10100646457256468_189765262_n-1.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"70%\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.photobucket.com\/albums\/y35\/hardcandy627\/11699_10100646457256468_189765262_n-1.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\" photo 11699_10100646457256468_189765262_n-1.jpg\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Celebrating my birthday with F3H3! Over 50 people, 25 pizzas, cake, games, presents, and a visit from the cops! It was a wonderful night!<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/s2.photobucket.com\/user\/hardcandy627\/media\/1059461_266963303446830_1951853903_n.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"90%\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.photobucket.com\/albums\/y35\/hardcandy627\/1059461_266963303446830_1951853903_n.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\" photo 1059461_266963303446830_1951853903_n.jpg\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Hashing, hashing, hashing. I hashed all year and had a blast running and making friends. Here&#8217;s a group shot of a Samurai run in July<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/s2.photobucket.com\/user\/hardcandy627\/media\/1016779_10201387580508946_1124211763_n-1.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"90%\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.photobucket.com\/albums\/y35\/hardcandy627\/1016779_10201387580508946_1124211763_n-1.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\" photo 1016779_10201387580508946_1124211763_n-1.jpg\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Performing at festivals with my tanabata team!<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/s2.photobucket.com\/user\/hardcandy627\/media\/1000741_10100755434604988_1472441998_n.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"90%\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.photobucket.com\/albums\/y35\/hardcandy627\/1000741_10100755434604988_1472441998_n.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\" photo 1000741_10100755434604988_1472441998_n.jpg\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Family trip to Hawaii! We went to Waikiki with my mom, sister, brother in law, 2 nieces, and nephew!<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/s2.photobucket.com\/user\/hardcandy627\/media\/1209337_10100782954869158_638132948_n.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"90%\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.photobucket.com\/albums\/y35\/hardcandy627\/1209337_10100782954869158_638132948_n.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\" photo 1209337_10100782954869158_638132948_n.jpg\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>My first trip to Vancouver BC w my wonderful ladies!<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/s2.photobucket.com\/user\/hardcandy627\/media\/560013_755490081810_652493592_n.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"70%\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.photobucket.com\/albums\/y35\/hardcandy627\/560013_755490081810_652493592_n.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\" photo 560013_755490081810_652493592_n.jpg\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Running the Color Run. I used to avoid these runs because I thought they were silly and kind of dumb, but I went and had an amazing time! It got me interested in a lot more novelty runs.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/s2.photobucket.com\/user\/hardcandy627\/media\/1234944_10100812322980228_888710191_n-1.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"70%\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.photobucket.com\/albums\/y35\/hardcandy627\/1234944_10100812322980228_888710191_n-1.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\" photo 1234944_10100812322980228_888710191_n-1.jpg\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Meeting Dan&#8217;s brother. We&#8217;ve been together nearly 5 years and I still hadn&#8217;t met Matt! I&#8217;m so glad he&#8217;s in our lives now<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/s2.photobucket.com\/user\/hardcandy627\/media\/1233523_10151665700958111_1254916526_n.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"70%\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.photobucket.com\/albums\/y35\/hardcandy627\/1233523_10151665700958111_1254916526_n.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\" photo 1233523_10151665700958111_1254916526_n.jpg\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We said good bye to Dan&#8217;s cousin Josh. It was heart breaking and I think we&#8217;re all still healing a little bit. He is with us always <3\n<a href=\"http:\/\/s2.photobucket.com\/user\/hardcandy627\/media\/IMAG2114-1.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"70%\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.photobucket.com\/albums\/y35\/hardcandy627\/IMAG2114-1.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\" photo IMAG2114-1.jpg\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Finishing Samurai hash-a-thon. A lot of people didn&#8217;t think I could do it, but I did!<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/s2.photobucket.com\/user\/hardcandy627\/media\/1468724_10202386277607165_2016243063_n-1.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"90%\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.photobucket.com\/albums\/y35\/hardcandy627\/1468724_10202386277607165_2016243063_n-1.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\" photo 1468724_10202386277607165_2016243063_n-1.jpg\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Japan got Cherry Coke. It&#8217;s a pretty big deal.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/s2.photobucket.com\/user\/hardcandy627\/media\/1479178_10100947256178018_269589756_n.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"70%\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.photobucket.com\/albums\/y35\/hardcandy627\/1479178_10100947256178018_269589756_n.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\" photo 1479178_10100947256178018_269589756_n.jpg\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Taking Dan&#8217;s last name. I don&#8217;t have a photo of anything with my new name on it, but it was exciting and special to us. Once his whole family knew we got married for my Japan visa, it seemed like the logical next step!<\/p>\n<p>My most traumatic moment- getting stitches in my finger. I&#8217;ll spare you the photo, but if you&#8217;d like to see them, check the last entry \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n<p>January will be a crazy month on its own- leaving Japan, moving to Seattle, and running Goofy&#8217;s Race &#038; a Half Challenge and Tinkerbell half marathon! I have pretty typical resolutions. Get in better shape. Run more. Cross train more. Be a better friend and family member. So here&#8217;s to 2014!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It&#8217;s officially 2014 here in Japan! Dan and I weren&#8217;t sure how to ring in the new year- a quiet night together at home, or out with friends? We decided to do both! We went to the Samurai New Year&#8217;s Eve hash, toasted and kissed at midnight, spent a little more time socializing, then headed [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[272,427,11,263,127,370,438],"class_list":["post-288","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-hash-house-harriers","tag-holiday","tag-japan","tag-new-years","tag-resolutions","tag-samurai-hash","tag-year-in-review"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/penniestoyennies.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/penniestoyennies.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/penniestoyennies.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/penniestoyennies.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/penniestoyennies.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=288"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/penniestoyennies.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/288\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/penniestoyennies.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/penniestoyennies.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/penniestoyennies.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}