Southern Belle in Training

Fashion, Travel & Lifestyle Blog || Est. 2012 || Virginia Beach, VA

December 30, 2019

2019 in Review: Highlights From My Year.

     Time for one of my very favorite posts of the year on Southern Belle in Training!! I do two year-end recaps: one focused on my personal life (that's what you're reading today!), and one focused on the year in blogging (that will be live tomorrow). The blogging one is more for y'all, whereas this post is more for me. 😊 My life has had a lot of big changes since I started writing these yearly recaps a few years ago, and these are the blog posts that I come back to the most to look at- kind of a unique blessing that so many of the big (and small!) moments of my life each year are easy to be referenced when I'm feeling nostalgic.

     Anyways- let's get into it: 2019 in my life!!


2019 Summary:
     The past three years have held some big life accomplishments: 2016 = graduating college, 2017 = graduating broadcasting school and moving to Vermont, 2018 = new job/move to Virginia and becoming a morning show host. As the end of 2018 approached at this time last year, I found myself being nervous for 2019. It had been such a whirlwind past few years in my life, and I knew that 2019 wouldn't bring as many big changes (i.e. no new job and no out of state moves!). I wondered how it could live up to the excitement of 2019.
    Now that 2019 has reached its end, I'm so delighted to share that it was an absolutely wonderful year in so many ways! Yes, it might not have been as life changing or full of big events as the past few years, but it was still a fantastic year. 2019 was also the first year that I ever hopped on the word of the year train, I picked the word "rooted." I'd moved homes and jobs so much over the past few years that I wanted 2019 to really be a year where I bloomed where I was planted in Charlottesville, and grew my new home city into something that felt a bit more longterm. I think the word rooted was a perfect selection for my 2019.
     Despite my "rooted" theme of the year and also not switching jobs or moving to a new city/state, 2019 still did bring some new surprises! Lots of new friends, new places visited all around Virginia, a new apartment in a different part of Charlottesville, finding a new church, and joining a new gym.


2019 Accomplishments:
     Going into the year I thought my biggest accomplishment of the year would be succeeding in my goal of paying off my student loans, but I think pulling off moving apartments mostly on my own and with minimal help actually takes the cake! Historically, I have sucked at moving, and I've always had help from my dad or both of my parents. This was my first time ever coordinating a move completely on my own, and some days looking back I'm still amazed I pulled it off! August was a really stressful month of packing and making tons of trips across town from one apartment to the other, but it's behind me!
     Other accomplishments are of course paying off my student loans (still a big one!), re-adjusting to life with a roommate again (and loving it!), prioritizing tithing, and finding two new volunteer opportunities to commit to and help out with. And last but not least- as of today I'm on track to finish my reading resolution for the year: 52 books in 2019, a book a week! Finishing book 52 this afternoon!!




2019 Travels:
     This year was supposed to bring an international trip to Spain with my mom, but as most of y'all know that sadly had to get postponed to 2020! Despite that happening, this was still a really fun year of domestic travel. I visited many new-to-me places around Virginia, one new large city out-of-state, and return trips to many of my favorite East Coast places!
    I'll share more about which trips were blog-specific in tomorrow's post, but for now here's a general list of everywhere overnight that I went!

New York City - February

Charlotte, NC - March

Nashville, TN - March

Alleghany Highlands, VA - May

Norfolk, VA - May

Richmond, VA - June

Maine - July

Charlotte, NC - September

Charleston, SC - September

Washington DC - October

North Carolina (Locust, Winston-Salem, Charlotte- a lot in one weekend!) - November

Maine - November 

Williamsburg, VA - December

2019 Visitors: 
     I was blessed to have so many sweet friends from out-of-state come and visit me this past year! For friends I had two were repeat visitors to Charlottesville, and the rest hadn't been up yet. Most of them came while I still lived in my former apartment, which is an excuse to have them all come again this year to see my new place. Having visitors is always a fun excuse to hit up local wineries... although not that I need an excuse to do that haha!
    My mom visited in April, and my dad came in May and also for Christmas this year.

Perrin - January

Mom - April

Liane - April

Dad - May

Cara - June

Mercedes - July

Priyanka - October

Dad - December

2019 Winter Memories:
     Winter is my least favorite season of the year, but last winter was just wonderful! It went by quite quickly as I was still adjusting to my new morning show work schedule, and also getting to know Marc better and bond with him as my co-host.
     I spent just about every weekend having all kinds of fun with my Charlottesville girlfriends, which also helped to pass the winter months away. I spent last NYE at a Black Tie Silent Disco downtown, which was so much fun! I'm actually going to another similar event (just not Black Tie this time) to ring in 2020 tomorrow evening. Winter also brought some other fun nights out on the town with friends, and many great nights in as well, and of course celebrating Galentine's in February! I also hosted a clothing swap for my girlfriends which was a big hit, and the dinner club I started with some friends also really got going last winter.







2019 Spring Memories:
    Winter might be my least favorite season, but it's followed by spring which is my very favorite! It was a beautiful spring season in Charlottesville. I celebrated one year of moving to Virginia and also my one year anniversary at my company in March! My mom visited over Easter weekend, and together we hosted a brunch for my friend group from my former church. It was my first time hosting that many people in my home for a holiday, and it was a blast! I might do something similar this year.
    Spring is also the time when I realized I didn't want to attend my former church any longer and started visiting others around Charlottesville. The church hunting process took longer than I expected it to, but it was eye-opening and worth it.
    Other springtime happenings: my favorite weekend of the entire year which was the girls' trip I planned to Charlotte, signing my new apartment lease with Abigail, getting back into the swing of frequenting wineries after the wintertime, a charity Black Tie event with Alicia, and lots of weekend trips across Virginia!







2019 Summer Memories:
     Weather-wise, Summer 2019 was much better than my first one here! 2018 was one of the rainiest summers on record, but the sunshine and heat came in full force this year. I got to repeat many fun activities that I'd first done the year prior: an annual Rivanna River tubing trip with friends, Sundays at Polo at King Family Vineyards, and hiking to Sugar Hollow swimming hole. I also spent my second 4th of July in Charlottesville, took my first nine day vacation (in 2.5 years!), and the main thing I did this summer: moved apartments! Moving prep did take a lot of my free time this summer, so overall it was a little more mellow than I hope next summer is.







2019 Fall/Holiday Memories:
     Fall technically begins at the end of September, but I always think it starts my birthday weekend, which this year was the weekend after Labor Day. I was all moved into my new apartment and ready to have more free time again!
     My 25th birthday was wonderful: my sweet friends through me a surprise party, I had a Kendra Scott Color Bar party (that I had planned before the surprise!), and the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale was also my birthday weekend. I enjoyed some really fun weekend trips this fall, went to several new wineries, and got to enjoy peak foliage weekend on the Blue Ridge Parkway- something I hope to make an annual tradition. Abigail and I also hosted our first party in the new apartment: a Halloween housewearming party! I also got to cross a few Charlottesville items off from my 101 in 1001 list: attending a UVA sporting event and going to Fall Foxfield (a twice a year horse race). I also left the gym I'd been attending since my first year here and became a member at Jazzercise Charlottesville which has been SO fun- I look forward to sharing more about that in 2020.
     The holiday season in Cville has been busy but fun. I've had a couple holiday parties to attend, and my girlfriends and I did a Secret Santa swap and celebrated our first full year of doing our dinner club!










Other 2019 Happenings: 

*Weddings: Emily & Marc in July

Eddrinia & Adonis in September


*Concerts: 
Grand Ole Opry variety show in March

Carrie Underwood in October

*Five Favorite Memories from 2019:
  1. A perfect day and night in Charlotte during the girls' trip that I planned for my Charlottesville friends.
  2. My surprise birthday party.
  3. A really fun Sunday afternoon at Polo at King Family vineyards.
  4. Getting to see peak foliage on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
  5. Too many little moments to count from my first year of being a morning show co-host with Marc!

     WOW- well this is definitely my longest blog post of the year, but always one of my very favorites. Props to you if you've made it through. Part two, which features the year recap in blogging, will be live tomorrow! 


     God Bless,


     xoxo Annaliese 









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5 comments

  1. What an amazing year you've had!! So happy I got to follow along. Hope 2020 is even better.

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  2. I cannot believe 2019 is coming to an end! That is so huge you paid your student debt off in 2019. I loved keeping up with you this year and seeing your travels. Cheers to 2020! I am doing a similar post Thursday 

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  3. What a great year full of so many fun memories and accomplishment! I cna't wait to see what 2020 has in store for you!

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  4. Looks like it was a wonderful year! Cheers to 2020!

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