Thursday, December 7, 2017

Year in review - 2017

What a beautiful mess of a year it has has been! We’ve seen a lot of ups and downs in our own little corner of the world. McLain and I were married on April 8, 2017 in Anderson, South Carolina. It was such an amazing day with our family and friends, and we cherished the love and support from our nearest and dearest. We are so lucky to have so many friends and family who travelled to be with us on our wedding day!



Photo Credit to Josh Wilson Photography
For more mushy goodness, click HERE

Immediately after the wedding we took a mini-moon in Asheville for a few days - which is our favorite local area for a weekend or few weekdays away. Over the summer, we took a ‘proper’ honeymoon trip to Napa. We enjoyed the Wine Train, the Cabernet House, and being able to kayak in the Napa River. It was great to just unplug and be newlyweds for a while. We cannot recommend Napa enough as a vacation destination - and after the fires this year, your travel spending is vital to restoring the area. We can’t wait to go back, but our wine club in Pendleton helps with the longing to return.



Our winter season is a little bittersweet, as both of our families have experienced loss this year. As we remember the legacies they left and celebrate the lives they lived, we are reminded of the importance of impact, community, family, and relationships in this bustling world we inhabit.


McLain’s family welcomed another new family member! We were able to go visit McLain’s sister in Rhode Island for his niece’s christening. It was sweet to have time with McLain’s extended family twice this year, for our wedding and her christening.

Our family grew by four paws this year - we added another rescue Dane to the pack! Rocinante Luna Crouse-Hubbard (Rosci for short) was rescued from a puppy mill in Alabama through Water’s Edge Great Dane Rescue. She has made so many improvements and fits right into our quirky household. She’s an obedience school grad, but still prefers to listen to me instead of McLain. Yankee Doodle Hubbard is happy to have a playmate, although he is beginning to show his age. He loves cuddles, walks, and sleeping in the sunshine while his ‘little’ sister plays.




McLain remains employed as a professional engineer at Duke Energy. For his sixth year work anniversary he chose the shop vac as a reward, which has come in handy with all the DIY projects he undertakes on the weekends. McLain also got a new track car and continues to make mead and cider as a hobby.

I finished my M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from the University of South Carolina. For those keeping track, that brings the degree count to two from U of SC and one from Clemson. I still wear orange on rivalry game day - GO TIGERS!

I also began a new job at a charter school in Salem, SC. This is a very small public charter that has a very ‘all hands on deck’ approach. I’m definitely challenged every day and use all the skills and training I’ve received to this point! It is fun (and exhausting) and absolutely worth every minute to give back to a local community. For more information about NSER click HERE. As for hobbies, my brief attempt as a amateur beekeeper was foiled by a stray bear.

In a season of light, hope, and anticipation we are looking forward with all of you to another year filled with the promise of adventure. We hope your year was full of beautiful and memorable moments. Look us up if you’re in the neighborhood - we’re always up for a guest or two.


With Love,

Liz, McLain, Yankee, and Rosci

P.S. Surprise! Many of you have been asking when we would be adding a little one to our family, and we are pleased to announce we were able to do so this week. We are overjoyed to welcome Mina Olenna Crouse-Hubbard to our family. While she is diminutive in size, she is proving to have some of the acumen and sass of her namesakes. She certainly doesn't take any nonsense from her siblings!