2021 in Review

Happy Friday!! We are waking up in another Winter Wonderland here in Nashville. The snow is beautiful and the days off school just as fun. So as we curl up today with some hot tea and the fire on, I thought it could be fun to recap our year on here. I hope to keep the tradition every year as a scrapbook for us, and just a fun way to show the many blessings throughout the year.  

This past year was filled with fun and memories, with most of my favorites honestly just being the simple days of routine and being together before our family/life changes in just a few months... So, I hope you grab a cup of tea on this cozy Friday morning and enjoy a look back on the Riddick's 2021. 

JANUARY 

The year started off in Jackson, WY as we were finishing up our New Years trip with Pierce's family. We can't wait to get back to these snow covered mountains at some point soon! 

We loved hanging with two of our favorites on the slopes....

Snowmobiling might have taken the cake for the highlight of the trip though! 

We also took our annual trip to Frothy Monkey on January 2nd to reflect on the past year and set our goals for the year to come...it's always a highlight for us! 

We also just spent a lot of mornings right here reading, reflecting, starting to memorize Philippians and enjoying the fresh start January always brings. 

FEBRUARY

February started with the most fun trip to Louisville to watch the Bucs play in the Superbowl!

We loved spending the weekend with my cousins and their three little ones...it was a trip for the books! 

Especially celebrating the big win of Dad's Buccaneers!!! So fun!!! 

February also marked our trip back to Dallas to say goodbye to Pierce's childhood home and then simultaneously getting stuck in Texas for four extra days because of the 2021 snow storm! 

We enjoyed a few days exploring the snow-covered city and an unexpected Valentine's Day in Dallas... 

Then we rented a Jeep and drove 12 hours home on semi still-slick roads...

We were so thankful to be home and for a week off school to play in the record-breaking snow and enjoy the slower pace for a few days. 

The end of February held a weekend in the studio where Pierce recorded our friend Ben's album...

While I packed up my little pink macbook and started in on a long-time dream of...

Starting our Riddick Family Blog! What a fun adventure it has already been, and I look forward to many more years of keeping you updated via this small page. Thanks for following along in this journey! It's been a blessing to me!!

MARCH

March started off with a trip to Houston for our friend Anne's wedding. 

We loved getting to be there to celebrate her and Colin and their marriage!!!

March was also simply full of fun and normal days...with us working out in the morning...

Getting ready for the day at school...

And our days filled with teaching, working, and tutoring...

Fun breakfasts out when I had days off school...

And simple little date nights with our favorite show and tea. 

We also managed to squeeze in a small trip to Louisville to see my family...

March was a favorite for sure! 

APRIL

The beginning of April was marked with a big decision to turn down a job Pierce had been interviewing for...we describe that sweet season as our relationship with God feeling like a well-walked field because of how much we prayed for wisdom, discernment and guidance those first three months of 2021. 

We spent a few days recovering over Easter weekend with a fun trip to our local Cheekwood to see the tulips...

And a night spent at the drive-in as well. 

Some of our best friends from Birmingham came in town in April too!

It was so sweet getting to celebrate their little guy turning one and spending a weekend with them in Nashville. 

The month finished up with Superhero Day at school with my two favorite people to work with. 

MAY

We started out the month with a fun date night with Painting with a Twist! We love having these little paintings in a closet off our room. 

We squeezed in a few more fun Nashville date nights... 

And then celebrated both of our birthdays in the middle of May! Pierce helped make the day at school so special!! 

We planted our garden! 

And enjoyed a May weekend in Louisville too!

Then we celebrated the end of my fourth year teaching with these eight little cuties. I blogged all about the Gift of Teaching here and what a special year it was! 

The end of May was marked with a trip to Texas for Pierce's sister's wedding. They got married on their family's Ranch outside of San Antonio. 

It was a beautiful day and such a fun way to end the month of May! 

JUNE

June was full of summer fun!

Lots of shopping and sweet summer days... 

But mainly our trip to Cancún that we loved so much! 

I blogged Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 where you can read more about our week of fun! 

JULY

July was full of time by the pool at my parent's house!

And a 4th of July that was one of our favorites! 

My days were filled with lots of summer tutoring! 

And lots of blogging for my goal of blogging every day in July! 

But maybe the most fun part of July was finding out the BEST NEWS about BABY RIDDICK and traveling to tell our families. ❤️

We loved getting to share our news in Kentucky and Wyoming, and they are trips we will always treasure!

AUGUST 

August always starts with the beginning of school, and we were so thankful for such a great start to a 5th year teaching! 

We also got to visit Birmingham for a weekend and celebrate two of our favorites and their little BOY that came in late November. 

SEPTEMBER

September was full of a lot of the same routine of our days, but we had our 12-week ultrasound and got to hear our little one's heartbeat for the first time, which was so sweet! 

We love you already, little one! 

OCTOBER

October started off with a wedding in East Tennessee for a dear friend of Pierce's and my first maternity dress purchase. 😂

We spent most of our fall break in Chattanooga, where we just enjoyed a few days of rest and fun with lots of good weather and food. 

At the end of the month, we celebrated our THIRD anniversary, and Pierce came in the door after work with a piece of cake and a sparkler to start the night off. We loved spending the day reflecting on all the fun and many blessings of the past three years! 

NOVEMBER

We started the month off with our 20-week ultrasound and then had a morning together at Starbucks, reflecting on the Lord's goodness and all that is to come! 

We spent most of Thanksgiving break on Pierce's family ranch in Texas.

We loved getting to spend a few days with all eight of the Riddick crew! We had a second Thanksgiving in Kentucky and just love that week of family and rest so much! 

DECEMBER

December was such a fun month to finish off 2021. We went to a few Christmas parties and this little bump definitely started getting bigger... 

At the beginning of our break, we spent a few days working on the nursery. Pierce helped my dream of having a Board and Batten wall come to life, and we can't wait to share a nursery picture sometime soon when we get everything finished! 

We celebrated Christmas in KY, and Christmas Day marked the start of the 3rd trimester! 

It was the perfect season to end a year that has been one of our favorites for sure. We are ready for you though, 2022, and excited for all that the Lord has in store! 

We pray that you had a wonderful year as well and that you experience the Lord's many blessings as you reflect back on 2021. Thanks for following along in our little journey as a family - we can't wait to continue to update you in this new year as well. 

Sending lots of love! 

Tabitha and Pierce