Happy New Year to you! I hope that the holidays have left you with a full love tank and that your 2019 is off to an incredible start!
Oh, how I have missed you all so very much!
It always feels a little awkward coming back from an extended break, especially when they are unplanned and much longer than ever anticipated.
Truth be told I have always had huge goals and amazing intentions for this small slice of the internet, but 2018 just wasn't meant to be my year (again, womp womp). For someone who is generally an energetic go-getter, learning to navigate the past few years has been a true personal challenge and journey. And having to do it online has been flat out tough, especially when I am trying to walk the line of personal and professional in front of an audience. If I have learned anything, it's that no matter how much you plan, life can change those plans in an instant. And as a self-proclaimed planning obsessed girl, that has been a hard pill to swallow.
I am not 100% ready to dive into my absence, although I hope to someday down the road. Just know that your support is deeply cherished and I appreciate those of you who continue to check-in. The outpouring of love, comments, emails, DM's, etc, has been so overwhelming over the past couple of months, and for that, I am eternally grateful. They continue to uplift and encourage and I truly hope that THIS IS THE YEAR that I can give that back to you.
Well hello everyone! It sure has been awhile! I hope that your 2018 is off to an amazing start and that you had a very warm and fulfilling holiday season. I have missed you all so very much!
My sweet boys returned to school this week and the house is so quiet now, maybe even too quiet. I am definitely ready for our "normal" routine to set back in but I am also really missing their sounds and spats and smiles and having them home with me during the day.
Although I haven't been online much, I have been writing this post in my head for days, weeks, even months. I honestly don't know where it will go, I just plan to let my feelings flow through my fingertips, so hang on for a little ride on my roller coaster of thoughts.
I didn't really plan to take such a long break. But it happened for a culmination of reasons; including some unexpected health concerns and out of town doctor visits with one of our boys, three months of lost planner work (and then re-creating all of that work in a few weeks time), and then the general craziness that comes with the holidays. I blinked and December was gone and so was 2017. Which I am more than OK with. I couldn't be more ready to start this new year with fresh perspective and motivation. 2017 wasn't my best or my favorite. Our son is OK, but watching him go through days of testing leading into the holidays weighed on me quite a bit and ultimately led me to crave a bit of an online break and some extra time with my family.
With that, I have been so grateful and overwhelmed by the number of you who have reached out to me personally through email, DM's and comments to check in on us. Living a life online can be such a tricky thing, it can get to me after awhile but I also miss you all whenever I step away to breathe. So thank you to each of you who have messaged me, your support and kindness have been so appreciated and have completely blown me away. I am still working my way through the notes and replying directly to everyone. ♥
So, with everything going on behind the scenes, this year I decided to pass on the gift guides and putting together a Christmas home tour. In fact, my Christmas decorating was almost identical to last year, which you can check out here. Keeping it simple and the same allowed for me to really soak in what Christmas is all about. December is also my busiest month in my Etsy shop, which can really clash with projecting and decorating and trying to do it all and be it all. So this year was the year of less stuff and less decorating and less sharing online. Taking some extra time off also allowed me to begin designing new items for my Etsy shop and consulting with some clients, both of which were very refreshing and so good for my soul.
I also did a little reflecting and really tried to figure out how to re-light that fire and get my blogging mojo back. Blogging was once my personal therapy and now there are moments that I think it will be what actually puts me into therapy. Ha! OK, so that is a bit dramatic, but I did have some mixed feelings about it all this past year. Blogging has evolved and changed in some really great and amazing ways, but also in ways that I haven't been able to quickly and openly adjust to. I am sure many of you could guess that my long-time loves of cleaning, planning, and organizing are my personal ways of working through deeper rooted messy life issues. And when I found blogs and started writing, it was a whole new world for me. And really, I was the happiest I had been in years. Not only was it friendly and imperfect and raw and real, there was this amazing community that was all about conversation and relationship building and I connected with folks that were just like me. And I felt like I was using my passion for good and readers were feeling excited and inspired and motivated. That was everything. I felt like I was making new friends with similar passions and relating with folks all over the world. It was normal for posts to have 100+ comments, multiple times per week and I loved the feeling of hitting the publish button.
But with the evolution of blogging and social media came growth, sponsorships, a bazillion new blogs, Pinterest and Instagram and swiping and the need to be on every platform. Suddenly it felt like our stories were lost and everything was shifting to pretty editorial pictures and pageviews and highlight reels. Comments turned into Pins and Likes and Hearts and conversation shifted and in some ways dissipated completely. The lines of real life and online life were suddenly blurred. I lost that personal connection with many of my longtime readers and at the same time felt the pressure to push frequent content and keep up. Checking blogs, Instagram and Pinterest only left me feeling visually and mentally overstimulated and inadequate. I rushed rooms and projects to provide consistent and frequent content but didn't always love the outcome of those updates and had to live with those repercussions. I am not a designer or decorator and just like working on our home as a hobby so I make mistakes and have to try things and play with things before getting them just right. That is just my process, but being in a pool of really amazing and talented peers that seem to have a knack for getting it right all of the time, has made me feel a little inferior even. So true what they say about comparison being the thief of joy, right?
Instead of being my own worst critic, I really want to be better about sharing more of those thoughts and the process of getting something from point A to B, what we tried that didn't work and what it took to get it to a point of working. I think that can be glossed over too often online for fear of looking unprofessional or unqualified (I know I am guilty of this too), and I want to share more of those mistakes and lessons learned. If anything, I am reminding myself that my mistakes can prevent others from doing the same thing!
At the same time, as much as I truly enjoy being creative and working on our home, that creativity doesn't come in constant waves. It ebbs and flows and some days I am totally inspired and having lightbulb moments and other days I sit with my head in my hands hitting roadblocks and walls. Sometimes I just want to take a break from DIY'ing and working on our home and constantly changing things, and sometimes I want to attack all of our spaces with gusto and vigor. That's my reality. But that can also cause some challenges for me as a blogger trying to create consistent content.
So before this post turns into any more of a sulk snowball, I am going to acknowledge that these feelings have been weighing heavy on my heart for too long now and that I have to find a way off of the emotional hamster wheel. Here are a few of my thoughts going into 2018, and a few questions for you all as well:
Conversation and Connecting: Conversation is what I seem to miss the most when I think back to the way things used to be. Most of the time I feel like I am talking to myself and that can be discouraging when I spend hours/days on a single post. How can I connect with you all more? I often throw a question or two at the end of my posts to try and keep the conversation going, but maybe they don't feel authentic (even though they are!). Do you have interest in chatting with bloggers or do you like to read and move on? What types of posts compel you to comment? Do you have any interest in some sort of live online Q&A or Twitter Chat? Do you prefer to communicate and comment more on other social channels vs. directly on a blog post?
Content: I organize and we DIY but what type of posts and content would you like in-between? I am generally not a fluffy content creator, I like to create meaty content inspired by real-life happenings and thoughts. Bryan works full time (and coaches and has a small side business) which means that he isn't able to project around the clock with me like some other DIY duos. It's just a personal choice not to put all of our eggs into a single basket. That said, our favorite way to spend time together is tackling home projects (sipping margaritas on a tropical beach is a close second), but we do have some schedule limitations (and sleep) to consider. I also run an online shop and work with friends, family, and clients, so, there are times when I just don't have new home content to share. What types of in-between posts do you enjoy reading?
Organization: What are your biggest dilemmas and problem areas? I could seriously talk organizing all day every day. What is on your list to tackle this year?
Home Updates: I have found that I like slow. I didn't make a lot of changes last year and living with things really allowed me to have some clarity. No office update? That's because it is pretty much exactly the same as the last time I talked about it. The boy's den? Basic, undesigned, but usable and also unchanged. The laundry room? Loving everything about it but putting the finishing touches around the beautiful floral wallpaper has been an utter nightmare and I am completely stuck. The thing is, I finally had an a-ha moment in terms of what I want to do with my office after using it for almost two years now. I am so glad I didn't spend much time or money on it initially and that I waited and used it and really narrowed down what I want and need this time around. Making over room after room just isn't for me. So if you are looking for that and quick room reveals, I am sorry. It causes me too much stress, money, and even embarrassment. I do want to keep sharing our updates big and small, and really want to resolve to be better about finishing what I start this next year (including finally updating our home tour page). I am really enjoying the process of building our home and spaces over time, one small change at a time!
Cleaning: I am planning to revisit the survey from last spring and touch on a few more of the hot topics that were discussed then. And I really want to try to offer easy and quick tips that don't overwhelm or discourage. Cleaning, in general, is dreadful to most, but is there one thing in particular that you just want more help with? Or a cleaning conundrum that you just can't figure out?
Challenges: Sometimes a good challenge really lights a necessary fire. I want to do a large decluttering/simplifying challenge this year that focusses solely on living with less and create tools to help you all feel excited to declutter your dwelling, and just as importantly, talk about where those things should go when they leave your home. This is the biggest and most important step in any organizing project, and really deserves a lot of focus and discussion. Are there any other topics that would help give you a push to accomplish something? Maybe try a new power tool? Or a new technique?
Celebrating this Community: I am so proud of what I see others accomplishing and tackling, and sincerely appreciate the spaces that you all share with me via email and on Instagram. Truly. This year I hope to build new relationships and uplift and celebrate all of the good happening in all of our homes and lives. We all have so much to learn from one another and you readers and fellow bloggers have taught me so many life-altering things! It would be great to highlight those spaces, projects, and tips more frequently.
Splitting Time: My business has a lot of moving parts and opportunities which is one of the things I love most about it! I really appreciate the diversity and that I always have things to keep me busy, but it can be a challenge at times to juggle it all and do all the different things well. If I am all in and blogging a few days per week, then I can't give my all to my shop or to helping others. Working on my shop is a really nice creative break from social media while providing me with a good portion of my income, and quite frankly, there is nothing I enjoy more than helping others organize their homes. So just know that if I am quiet for bits of time here and there, that is because I am focussing on the other arms of my business during my set business hours. Sometimes those things pull me unexpectedly in different directions, but I will always come back to this hub that I call home.
It's Time to Take a Risk: These past few years my insecurities and fears have gotten the best of me, and I have been too scared to do anything risky or exciting. It is actually a little sad and frustrating to reflect back on all of the things I didn't do out of self-doubt. This year I want to push through that and do something out of my comfort zone. Even if it is just one freaking thing.
And some final housekeeping notes:
The only change that I did make to last year's Christmas decorating is I decided to try my hand at tree flocking and I was so pleased the outcome. I was able to use one of our artificial trees and give it a fresh new look without having to purchase a new expensive flocked tree. The flock made the tree appear a little fuller and much more magical. Even though Christmas is over, would you be interested in a quick post about the process?
I know many of you have been waiting and checking in for my 2018 Planner release and it hit my shop mid-December. There are three sizes and three different dated layouts for each size available, making it a little challenging to select a favorite to use this year! As with previous years, they are designed to be printed at home or through a local printing company. My office printer is on the fritz so I ordered my bound pages from Best Value Copy and the price and quality were really great (but their shipping rates, ouch!). I will be photographing it all soon so I can get my FAQ page updated with all of my favorite ways to use the color filled pages along with my current favorite planning tools.
A few years ago I shared our Christmas storage solutions and they are still working like a dream today. You can find all of those details in this post here.
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And one more from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU to all of you who have stuck with me through it all. I know that there is so much good here in this community and I can't wait to hear your plans and goals for this year and what you would like to see more of here. We already have a few exciting projects at the top of our list just as soon as I pack up the last of the Christmas decor this weekend. Cheers to 2018!
I just completed my first of four organizing projects for this month, and I can't wait to photograph it and share it with you! As I initially sat down to plan each problem area and went through all of the whys and hows and thoughts, I found myself reaching for my organizational library. Before I started blogging, there was no such thing as Pinterest. The majority of the ideas I found and utilized were from the pages of (gasp) books and magazines! And no matter what technology continues to throw my way, I will never stop loving a beautiful book or a glossy magazine. I find endless amounts of pleasure just flipping through tangible pages and taking in all of the advice and visual inspiration. In fact, I am an extremely visual person. I am sure there are a lot of really wonderful books that teach organizational principles, however, I find I am much more likely to hop off of the couch and tackle a drawer or closet immediately upon seeing a beautiful photo of one.
So, as I grabbed for my big stack of books, I thought that I would take a moment to share my favorites with you. The common thread between each of the books/magazines I am featuring today is that they are all filled to the brim with gorgeous imagery that correlates to a plethora of tips, tricks, advice, strategies and solutions for organizing every last nook and cranny of your home.
Unfortunately, some of the books and magazines on my list may no longer be available to purchase online or on newsstands. I didn't want to leave them out of the running though because I have noticed that on occasion publishers will release updated printings, and older versions and copies may be found at second-hand bookstores or are still available through sellers online.
Isn't it fun to find out what makes friends, family, and fellow bloggers tick? Well, these books are my vice and love language and receive my attention all year long (but even more so in January). Above and beyond the helpful tips and mighty imagery, here are a few more reasons these books and magazines stay within my reach at all times.
REAL SIMPLE THE ORGANIZED HOME
Real Simple, The Organized Home was one of my very first organizing books. The cover is damaged and the pages are falling out, but it remains one of my all-time favorites. Last year an updated version hit newsstands in the form of a bookzine, and it is equally as wonderful.
Real Simple's photographs are right in line with their name; simple. And that is what I love about them. They are clean, and therefore inspire me to clean!
Both versions of the book will take you room-by-room and not only share ideas and tips for each space, but also identify the basic building blocks to put together a highly functional and easy-to-maintain home.
Bonus: Flip to the back pages to find common items that are challenging to let go of, and some guiding principles to aid you in your quest to living with less.
MARTHA STEWART
Although Real Simple was my first organizing book, Martha Stewart was my first organizing idol. She was the queen of making organization look beautiful (not sterile or boring). Oh, the details! Painted pantries, decorative label holders, collected canisters... Who would want to mess up any of those lovely systems? I grew up watching Martha on television, and I am still in awe of her tips and craft products and kitchen gadgets. Good Things for Organizing is another room-by-room format, sharing storage solutions for just about anything a space can hold. And the rooms featured are relatable and look lived in, not just staged in a studio.
The Martha Stewart Organizing bookzine also includes storage solutions, in addition, it offers quick life hacks like adding grommets to your kitchen towels and rubber gloves so they easily hang on hooks under your kitchen sink. You name it, there is a solution for it!
GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
I know not everyone feels the same, but I truly find pleasure in housekeeping. That said, I also want to learn how to do it more efficiently and effectively. I received the Good Housekeeping Simple Household Wisdom book for Christmas, and it has been a wonderfully quick read complete with tested tricks that are sure to save time and sanity. Did you know dishtowels were deemed the most contaminated spot in the kitchen? Swap those out daily friends! And that you should never use clothing stain remover on the carpet? #guiltyascharged Are you loading your dishwasher with all of your dishes facing inward? That is where the spray is the strongest. Page after page of endlessly helpful tidbits of information.
This year I also picked up Good Housekeeping's bookzine titled Get Organized! I figured if they had such good household tips, I had to know what their thoughts were on organization.
I absolutely love that these pages are filled with EASY solutions, some that can be done in 8 minutes or less! And with that, they don't offer any more than 8-10 simple tips for any given area. This ensures I don't feel overwhelmed or discouraged to tackle my bedroom closet or my overflowing desk drawers. So approachable and motivating!
STYLE AT HOME
I think that I am meant to be a resident of Canada (heck, a few hour drive and I suppose I could be!). Their designers and editorials for interiors are the ones I find myself seeking out more than any others. Hello! Sarah Richardson! Come and decorate my house, please! Style at Home Magazine, thank you for sending me a digital copy of your pages every month! You do color SO right!
I am truly madly deeply in love with how Style at Home does white, I love how they do color, I love the finishes they showcase and the fresh and clean feeling their spaces emote. So when I found out they released an occasional special edition issue solely focussed on organization... Wowza! My heart burst into a million little fluttery hearts.
And these magazines are everything I hoped they would be and more. Colorful organization paired with real life tips that blend seamlessly with the decor (always my personal goal). Everything from setting up an effective workspace to maximizing your kitchen cabinet space, they have it covered. It also looks like they have a newer issue I haven't personally flipped through yet, but it was just added to my shopping cart! I am grateful that you can purchase all of their past special edition issues here, I wish more magazine publishers offered that option to their readers.
STORAGE MAGAZINE
I don't think I have missed an issue of Storage magazine in the last 8+ years! And of course, the magazine has a special place in my heart since they gave us a huge multi-page feature a couple of years back. I had the personal pleasure of working with Better Homes and Gardens for quite a few years, and they really have an impeccable eye for amazing interiors and the specific details that make a house a home. I especially appreciate when they focus on the organizational details that help a home run smoother.
I have personally learned quite a bit from this magazine; the clear shoebox drawers under our kitchen sink have been working hard for us for many years now, and switching all of our towel rods to hooks has been life changing for our kids (and ultimately for us as well). This quarterly publication packs a lot of punch with solutions for every room in the home, garage included, as well as hot new storage and organizational supplies that are designed to simplify daily life. These types of magazines always feel like a splurge, but they are generally ad free and I learn from them so I try to justify it every couple of months.
BETTER HOMES & GARDEN'S ORGANIZE YOUR HOME
I will never forget the day this book showed up at my front door back in 2013. I locked myself in the bathroom for hours, shriveling up like a prune in the bathtub while I scoured every last page. Although I have read this book cover to cover multiple times, it is still one I reach for quite frequently. I especially appreciate that they call out some of the trickier items that need to be purged, with advice on how to dispose of them, and/or the best locations to donate things like books, old cell phones, prom dresses, etc...
The pages are filled with motivational quotes and quick hits, and this book taught me that labels don't solely have to be made from white and black labeling tape, that beautifully lined drawers make an impact and why clear acrylic organizers will always be my favorite. I also find it helpful that they will show a full room view, and then break it down into smaller details and strategies.
CLEANING BOOKS
Cleaning and organizing go hand-in-hand, and often times folks will resolute to organize spaces around their home, and also to make some changes in the cleaning department. Whether it be to make homemade cleaners, to implement 15 minute daily pick-ups, or to deep clean one room per month, there are a few books that can offer you some guidance.
The Organically Clean Home and The Naturally Clean Home are my homemade cleaner bibles. I have quite enjoyed making my own cleaners over the years as there is something so wonderful about knowing all of the included ingredients while saving money and packaging. And with the help of these two books, no matter what the mess, I can find a remedy using items I already have on hand. One of my dear friends, Becky, is about to release her next book, and I am counting the minutes! The girl is a cleaning genius!
Not only do visuals of organized desks and closets inspire me to get off my tush and work some magic, sparkly counters and sink fixtures and bright white baseboards motivate me to go clean something!
Real Simple Cleaning certainly shares how to make your counters glisten and keep those baseboards white, as well as tips for maintaining household appliances. The photography is stunning and "clean" while the tips are easy and straight forward. Want to put together a solid cleaning kit? This book will help you out with that as well. Now when you go room-by-room to organize, you can add a little extra sparkle to your projects!
REDBOOK!
Shameless plug starts in 3...2...1...
I have learned so much over the years, whether it be through reading and research or trial and error, and I now get to share my favorite tips and tricks monthly as part of an amazing collaboration with Redbook magazine! You can find me on the front pages of each issue, tossing around extremely simple and doable ideas. I have chatted about tips for organizing under the bathroom sink, putting together helpful caddies for around the house, solutions to create the ultimate command station and tips for DIY'ing darling storage boxes. This month we re-created solutions from our boy's playroom while adding in a couple of new elements and ideas! This opportunity has been so much fun and a whole new way to share my love for organizing with the world!
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Some people collect mugs, others collect baseball cards and vintage tea sets, and I collect organizing books and magazines. When things in my life start to feel a little overwhelming, opening these pages brings me a great sense of calm. And generally all of our organizing projects stem from one of two places; I either grew really frustrated with a particular system and decided to deal with it on the spot, or I saw an amazing picture that sparked a new idea.
What inspires you to take on a new organizing project? Are you a need to read about it or need to see it type of person? What organizational or cleaning books should I add to my list?
Hello! And Happy 2017! It's a whole new year and I find that to be extremely exciting and motivating for quite a few reasons. I am loosely setting some goals, and can't help but also reflect on the past year. In the same breath, I am taking my time with my goals and have decided not to jump in with two feet just because the calendar year turned over. "Good things come slow - especially in distance running." -Bill Dellinger, Oregon coach. I have learned lately that those words couldn't be truer!
In fact, I learned that the hard way. A little over a year ago, I was so close to throwing in the blogging towel. I struggled with finding the balance between projects, blogging, website updates, running and growing my Etsy shop, and pairing all of those work tasks with being a wife, mom, and friend. Rushing content to stay relevant caused a few negative downstream impacts as well. And although I didn't completely quit (because I just can't quite you), I did take a few steps back and slow down. I gave myself some grace and allowed myself to get a little more sleep, spend a little more time with the people I love, and be OK with not keeping up 100% with the wild world of blogging and social media. I let myself go to bed with project piles, unfinished rooms, dirty windows and a full heart. Is it scary to take a step back? Absolutely! Is it risky? You bet! Did I learn something last year? I did. I learned that I still have a passion for all things home and organizing and printable creating and photography and most importantly, connecting with all of you. And that I am happy I stuck with it, even if it meant I couldn't post every day. And that a little step back actually will help me leap forward with new vigor and excitement.
So first and foremost, THANK YOU! I appreciate you sticking with me even when I would go silent for a few days or when things slowed down around the house. I am an avid blog reader, so I know first hand how invested you can become in one's story. 2016 was a big year for me and re-finding myself and my style and learning from the past. In 2015 I made too many rush decisions that were costly and quite frankly, a bit embarrassing. And we also dealt with some unforeseen renovation setbacks that left us feeling frustrated, discouraged and defeated. I have always been one to keep it real and I shared those feelings with you all a couple of different times. Instead of giving up and moving to a new home completely (believe me, it crossed my mind a few times), we decided to live with things, learn, discover, and plan even more. It was really good for me. Like refreshingly good. And going into the end of the year, I felt like the old me again. But a better version of the old me.
But that approach did impact the blog. We didn't pump out as many projects, we only revealed one room and slowly began transitioning a few other spaces based on how our lives were changing. Speaking of, funny how one thing leads to another right? As we waited on some new cabinets for our kitchen, we decided to start on a few other spaces as well. I swapped my office with the boy's playroom, and the playroom update was going to happen in conjunction with a laundry room update. Just before school, we also decided to move our youngest into his own room so all boys would have their own personal spaces. Suddenly there were five different spaces demanding our attention! 2017 is looking like it will be a good and busy year!
So what did we do last year? Let's take a look at the top Organizing Projects, DIY Projects, Labeling Tips, General Organizing Tips and Room Updates from 2016!
Reflecting on our home updates, projects and ideas is a huge part of my goal setting progress. But our home wasn't the only thing that made 2016 great! I also had some really amazing iHeart opportunities and experiences!
2016 started with a bang when we were nominated and voted into the Top 10 for the Better Homes & Gardens top DIY/Decorating blog! THANK YOU SO MUCH! It was an incredible honor and I was in such good company. What an amazing way to begin the new year!
We were also featured in the 2016 BHG Secrets of Getting Organized Magazine.
I was invited to speak at another Bloom Bash workshop, which is always a highlight of my year. I have now walked away from two workshops feeling invigorated, equipped to grow and tackle new things, and have made valuable, long-lasting friendships and connections.
I also attended the 2016 Better Homes & Gardens Stylemaker event in NYC. The one day workshop is a mix of business and pleasure, and I love meeting up with many of my favorite bloggers. We learn so much about what is happening in the land of print, while also finding new ways to tap into our own personal style. My dear friend Grace and I have made it an annual tradition to tack on a couple of extra days to catch a show, eat amazing food and stroll the streets of the city while chatting and window shopping. I look forward to this event (and seeing her) all year long.
Speaking of print and magazines, I received the opportunity of a lifetime in 2016 when I joined Redbook Magazine's Team Red as their home contributor. I still pinch myself each month when I flip to the front of the magazine to see a full page sprinkled with my tips and ideas. They have been a dream team to collaborate and work with, and I hope you are enjoying the organizing filled page as much as I am.
Jet setting off to Georgia for an action packed two days was a great way to cap off this amazing year. As a long time HGTV Dream Home viewer and fan, it was one of those bucket list trips that I will always cherish and appreciate. In the end, the home wasn't for me, but just having the experience to see the home first hand and learn all about the transformation process was incredibly fascinating.
And because it is fun to get a little personal from time to time, 2016 was such a fulfilling and fun year for our family. My husband coached his first year of High School baseball, which was a really rewarding experience for both him and our son. We celebrated our 15 year wedding anniversary in July, I don't even know where the time has gone and I can't wait to see where we end up. That also means we celebrated our 15-year housiversary this year too! Our boys are now in three different schools which keeps us running wild with activities and sports, and our oldest is only days away from getting his driving permit (someone hold me and tell me everything will be OK). I became an auntie again and spent so many fun days and weekends with my darling little nieces. The boys think having baby "sisters" around is fun as long as they can be sent back home after a couple of days of playing. We did a little traveling in 2016; a family vacation to Florida to my in-law's place and to hang with our dear friends, and I also explored Chicago with my very best gal pal. Of course we had our share of struggles and heartache throughout the year as well. I said goodbye to my last two living grandparents, which was ridiculously challenging, although they both lived incredibly long and inspirational lives and they both will live on forever in my heart.
A supersized cheers to 2017 everyone! It has been so much fun looking back on 2016 today, but I am majorly ready for the new year and all that comes with it! I plan to spend some more time this week nailing down my personal, work and family specific goals, and then tracking down a few closets and drawers to declutter. And one more THANK YOU for good measure, as I really feel so lucky that you all stop by and stay in touch throughout the year. I can't wait to continue on this fun journey with all of you, I have a such a great feeling about this year!
Oh! And if there are any organizational topics or projects you are wanting to see in 2017, feel free to let me know below! xo!
