2013 in Best Memories.

Looking back on a year is always bittersweet. You realize what moments defined your year, good or bad, and you see how much you've changed. It's interesting how these moments in time make up the years, and all the years make up a lifetime of memories. That's why I like looking back on the best moments of this small moment in time. I'm building my lifetime of memories with each passing year. So without further ado, here are my top 10 best moments from 2013 that I'm saving into my memory vault and taking with me forever.

10. Jack White

My roommate Leah was dying to get a cat when we moved in together. It had only been like, 2 months so I was a little reluctant for fear that if being roommates somehow didn't work out this might complicate things. But as soon as we went to meet the little guy I knew he was ours (technically he's Leah's but not-so-technically he's ours). He's been a complete joy in our lives - so well behaved and the cuddliest thing you've ever met. He's also huge, but that just kinda makes me love him more. Wanna know why we named him Jack White? He's got a little random white stripe on his back. Get it? My idea.

9. Anderson Silva get's KO'd

Yes, this was absolutely one of my favorite moments from 2013 because I got to see it live. It was totally historical. Anderson Silva, the Middleweight champion of the UFC with the longest title defense streak in history, gets knocked out by Chris Weidman. But not only that, he was acting cocky and taunting Weidman throughout the whole fight until it came back to bite him in the ass. It was historic. So much adrenaline was pumping through my veins that night. And although their recent rematch sadly ended in Silva breaking his leg in a serious injury and not at all in the way anyone would have liked to see it go, I'll always remember their first fight and how exciting it was to be there in person.

8. iHeart Radio

My mom passed up the opportunity to go with my dad to the iHeart Radio Music Festival (who does that?!) so he took me as his date for the first night, and it was incredible. I got to see so many big names and some of my favorite artists of all time in one sitting. Fun, Muse (for the second time this year), Keith Urban, Elton John (for the second time), Katy Perry, Queen featuring Adam Lambert.. just to name a few. It was epic. One of the greatest and most fun nights of the entire year. So hoping I get to go again next year.

7. Seattle

This year, my annual trip to Seattle was for Connor's big 21st birthday which I had been looking forward to for many moons. But it was made extra special because one of my lifelong best friends, Katie was spending the summer in Washington and was able to join us for the festivities. I haven't seen her in way too long, so it was just the perfect storm to catch up with her and partake in our usual shenanigans. Oh, Katie. You were most definitely a highlight of my year.

6. Surprise 24th birthday party

For my 24th birthday, Leah threw me my first-ever surprise shindig at our place with our good friend (and AMAZING chef) Justin who made gourmet burritos for everyone (my favorite food) before we headed downtown for a golf-style pub crawl. I even got up and sang at a piano bar. It was just one of the most thoughtful things anyone has ever done for me, and I'm still sentimental about it 6 months later.

5. Moving in with Leah

The stars really aligned for me and Leah this year. We found the perfect apartment in the perfect location, and the timing could not have been better. So far it's been the best roommate experience either of us have ever had, and I feel so lucky. I love our place, our cat, our first Christmas tree, our balcony overlooking Downtown Las Vegas, and especially our friendship. Moving in together was definitely the best decision we could have made for our budding lives out here in Sin City.

4. Meeting Annie

My cousin Sara and her husband Drew had a baby in August! It's the first baby to come into our family since Sara's brother Chad, 14 years ago, so it was a pretty big deal. Unfortunately they live in New York City, so we didn't get to meet the little nugget right away, which we were all aching for. Lucky for me, I had the opportunity to fly to NYC for a weekend on my way to DC for a business trip. It worked out perfectly and I got to spend some quality time with my niece-cousin in her second month of life. It was so special. I can't wait to watch this beautiful baby grow up.

3. Mumford & Sons

This show was a MUST for me in 2013. Unfortunately/not-so-unfortunately their closest tour stop to me was in San Bernardino, CA so as a double whammy, I got to drive to LA and stay with Cory for a couple days before she joined me at the show. When they first announced their tour, I had to sign up to even be invited to purchase tickets. So when I got the email that I was invited, I think I probably peed myself? It was one of those shows that tops the list of the most life-changing shows I've ever seen, made even better with my best friend by my side.

2. Life is Beautiful

Speaking of best shows ever...I went to my first music festival in 2013, Life Is Beautiful. Can you imagine seeing Janelle Monae, Childish Gambino, Capital Cities, Pretty Lights, Dawes, Imagine Dragons, The Killers, and Empire of the Sun right in your back yard? Because I did, and it was literally one of the best weekends of my entire life. I'm still struggling to put into words just how epic this festival was, and I'm counting down the seconds until LIB 2014. It's me and Cory's new annual tradition.

1. Ireland

In 2013, I went to Ireland. I finally made it out of the US and took a trip overseas. It was an enormous milestone for me both personally and professionally. Not only did I get to take my first trip abroad, I got to represent my company internationally which is a pretty big deal. This trip really sparked my budding passion for travel, and gave me the itch to see more of the world. I loved every moment spent on the Emerald Isle, and I'm making it my mission to get back to Dublin one day.

Overall, 2013 was a solid year. Music, travel, new family members, and friendship. That's what life is all about my friends, and life is beautiful.

Life Is Beautiful: The Prequel

I've been putting off these posts for nearly a week now because I just felt like I didn't have the emotional capacity to sit down and pour my heart out about last weekend's Life Is Beautiful Festival. Not that I haven't WANTED to, I just haven't been able to face the fact that it's really over. It came and went in the blink of an eye, leaving me with just a beautiful bubble in my brain filled with incredible music, food, art, learning, and most of all, love.

The past year of my life has been leading up to this moment. When I first heard about the festival at the Downtown low-down last year, I wasn't sure how excited to let myself get because so often in this start-up land I'm living in, dreams don't always come to fruition. Sometimes you work so hard at something and it just doesn't pan out. It's a sad truth we see on a daily basis as companies come and go, striving with their whole being to make their million dollar idea work. I thought Life Is Beautiful sounded like a brilliant idea with so much heart and passion behind it, but I was skeptical - mostly for my own heart because the thought of this festival seemed too good to possibly be true. But one day, things started happening. Digital Royalty started working with them. It started creeping closer. I got more and more excited on a daily basis hearing rumors of what was possibly to come. Then they threw a party and announced their music line-up and I was at the absolute peak of my 20-something happiness because some of my favorite artists in all the land were set to appear in my own back yard at this first-year festival.

My favorite moment from the line-up reveal party was that my roommate, Leah already knew one of my favorite bands, Empire of the Sun, was going to be at the festival weeks before it was announced. She somehow kept it a complete secret from me, and watched my face as they were announced during the line-up reveal. We were both so god damn happy. I don't know if anyone in the world was happier than we were at that moment in time. I knew right then and there that LIB was going to change my life forever, and the countdown to festival-time began.

So I begged my best friend, Cory, to come out for the festival, knowing that because our hearts have beat to the same rhythm for nearly 20 years, this was something that would definitely change her life, too. I couldn't let her miss it. So I begged and brought it up in conversation every chance I got until one day the stars lined up so perfectly in our favor and we got the green light. She bought a plane ticket and I bought her a festival ticket and we screamed like the little 6 year olds we were when we met. This vision of the festival was becoming a real-life, breathing entity in our worlds. Not to sound too overly cheesy, but it was a lot like the feeling you get when you start falling in love - something I haven't felt in a long time.

As it crept closer, all I could think about was the fact that I knew something big was about to rock my world. And I was ready for it. Cory arrived late Thursday night and we anxiously spent her first night in Vegas catching up on all our "emergency updates" - the good things and the not-so-good things. Regardless, it felt like Christmas Eve as we went to sleep. I was so anxious to wake up the next morning and show her around my town that was in the process of its incredible transformation into LIB-Land. The miraculous murals being painted on the sides of buildings, tents, lights, and stages going up around every corner. The city I live in was like I've never seen it before. We walked around taking pictures and making ourselves crazy with excitement for the following day when the festivities would finally commence, and to top it off, our excited pre-mature strolling of the festival footprint landed us on the front page of the Las Vegas Review Journal. Beat that.

We opted to spend Friday night in, knowing that Saturday and Sunday were slated to be jam-packed with as much food, booze, and running around that our bodies could muster. So we had a real slumber party, including cookie baking, Footloose-viewing, and dancing around the kitchen to all the songs we were going to hear the following day. We attempted to do "handstand twerking" (not recommended) and ended up sprawled out on the floor laughing, like we do. Guys, you'll never understand how much I love my best friend.

As emotions start to fill my brain, realizing that I'm about to take a deep dive into the greatest weekend of my young adult life, I know it's time to break for the night. I'll have to relive this in waves, so I can do it the proper justice it deserves. Stay tuned!