Top Nine

I'm loving the Top Nine trend on Instagram as a way to capture the highlights of the closing year.  Although, I do mine a little bit differently.  Instead of featuring the nine pictures with the most likes, I select my nine favorite pictures that best reflect the year I've had.

If you follow me on Instagram, you've seen these pictures already.  But I thought it would be fun to share them here with little descriptions of the top nine events of my 2018.  Here we go, in chronological order:

New Year's weekend I learned how to ski.  A hobby that I look forward to sharing for years to come with my future husband who loves to snowboard.

In February, Justin and I took a trip to Orlando, a place that we've both loved individually and can now visit together.

The Friday of Memorial Day Weekend, JUSTIN PROPOSED!  This is obviously the biggest highlight of my year.  I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with this man!

The morning after Justin proposed, I ran my longest race yet- the Bayshore 10k (a little over 6 miles).  I fulfilled my goal of no walking, only running and finished in under one hour and 15 minutes.

I took a gigantic leap of faith in June when I left teaching, my job of ten years, to start a new career.  I now work in logistics (not necessarily the direction I saw myself going) but I really enjoy it and am excited to see where my job takes me.

These furballs continue to be the little lights of my life.  2018 brought a closer bond between the two of them as they grow more and more used to being brothers and living together.

Sometimes it's the simple things in life that mean the most!  This fall, Justin and I discovered the Rockford, MI Farmer's Market, and from now on, you'll find us there most Saturdays from May to October.

Earlier this month, my parents, Justin and I took a holiday trip to Chicago.  While the boys explored Michigan Avenue, my mom and I went to BHLDN where I tried-on wedding dresses for the first time.  Friends, I might have found the one!

Also in December, Justin and I took engagement photos.  I'm so happy to have some professional photographs that represent how much I love this man and how excited I am for what 2019 has in store for us.

Cheers to a Happy New Year!

Best of 2016

For my last post of the year, I've scrolled through each post of 2016 and have chosen my favorite outfit from each month.  Not only is it fun to revisit what I've worn all year, but each outfit reminds me of something fun that I did or someone with whom I spent time.  It's funny how a style blog can turn into a bit of a diary, a place to store my memories.  For each outfit I've chosen, you can find the link to the original post right above the picture.

And after reading my friend Carrie's review of 2016, I'm adding my thoughts on each month so that I can always look back and find memories of this year.

January: Winter Parties

The year began calmly and quietly for me.  I honestly don't remember too much that happened in January...but considering how the rest of the year would turn-out, that is fine by me!  I do know that I celebrated the baby shower of my dear friend since second grade, Lisa, because that was the occasion for this outfit.

February: Create28: Faire Isle Sweater

In February I co-hosted the Create28 Challenge with my friend Carrie.  We invited other blogging friends to join us this time and had a blast!  Personally, February proved to be a really difficult month.  My vibrant, generous and loving Aunt Ninie suffered a ruptured aneurysm.  My family and I spent many hours with her at the hospital only to find that she wouldn't really recover.  She is still alive but now spends her days laying in a bed at a nursing home.  We still visit and pray that there is some sort of recovery in her future.

March: Little Changes

With March came the end of (cheer) coaching season and a little bit more free time!  I took advantage and flew to North Carolina for a weekend with my above-mentioned friend Lisa, her husband Ryan and their brand new baby girl, Charlotte!  I expected a weekend in snuggling with the little one, but my travel-loving friends took me to Asheville to visit the Biltmore and to eat delicious southern food.  A little perk of heading south was that I got to meet my long-time blogging buddy, Selah, and her adorable kiddos!

April: Style Perspectives: Plaid

In April, I was invited to join an amazing group of women as a contributor for The Blended Blog.  Joining these ladies has been the biggest blogging blessing (say that three times fast).  They are so very loving and supportive during all of life's ups and downs.  They each have a unique blogging voice so I definitely recommend getting to know them!

May: Style Perspectives: A Graduation Style for Teachers

Oh man was May a great month!  I celebrated my 30th birthday in the company of some of my closest friends and family in Orlando!   We spent my actual birthday at the Magic Kingdom but also got to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and drink around the world at Epcot.  I'm still blown away by how many of my loved ones made the effort to be there with me.  I am a lucky lucky girl!  On a sad note, we lost my beloved Grandpa Emery in May after a long and happy life.  I have one heck of a guardian angel up there!

June: Take Me Out to the Ballgame

June was a month of healing for me.  I said goodbye to a man that I cared for deeply and began to rebuild myself.  Lots of yoga and iced coffee had me feeling a bit better by the end of the month.

July: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Red, White and Blue

In July my family and I traveled to the Pittsburgh area to celebrate the wedding of my cousin Eric to the hilarious and amazing Mandy!  They were married during Fourth of July weekend so I got to wear this fun red, white and blue outfit to the event.  After Pennsylvania, my mom and I headed to Nashville to spend time with my niece!  I got lots of Eloise snuggles and my mom and I had a fun night out in the city.  At the end of the month, I got to spend more time with my favorite people.  I took a trip to the Washington D.C. area (where I used to live) to be with my friends and eat at my favorite restaurants.

August:  Styled by Someone Else

In August I had one last summer hurrah at the beach with some lovely friends before heading back to my classroom to prepare for the school year.  I also started another season coaching cheerleading with some wonderful girls!

September: Should I Splurge on Pink Converse?

With school and cheerleading in full swing, I don't think much else happened during the month of September.  Oh yeah, there was Michigan State Football.  But let's not talk about the Spartans this year.  At least the tailgating was fun!

October: Fall Chic

October was full of fun!  At the beginning of the month I traveled to San Antonio to be in the wedding of my friend since middle school, Michelle!  I loved spending time with her and her family and enjoyed the warm Texas weather.  I also got to meet Carrie!  Talk about hitting it off!  I feel like I've known her my whole life and I'm so blessed to be her friend.  At the end of the month, two of my closest friends from D.C. came to visit!  We had tons of fun going to the MSU vs. UofM game (even though we lost) and celebrating Halloween together.  Wow, I'm just so lucky to have such wonderful people in my life!

November: Velvet Glamour

Along with getting into the holiday season, in November I went to CHINA!  It still seems so surreal!  I mean, I got to walk along the Great Wall of China, reflect at the Summer Palace and eat a scorpion.  Truly a once in a lifetime experience!  I realize that I still haven't written a post about my trip.  You can expect that in the next couple of weeks.

December: That Holiday Sparkle

And December has been filled with holiday sparkle, friends and family!  I've loved spending time in my cozy little apartment, all decked out for Christmas!  For the actual holiday, I traveled to Missouri to spend time with my loved ones.  And when I got back, I finally did something that I've been planning for years!  I got my first tattoo and I absolutely love it!

And with that, I'm off to figure-out what to wear for NYE tonight!  What have your highlights of the year been?

Also I would love to know, which of these looks is your favorite?  And what were some things that you loved to wear this year?

And friends, thank you for being a part of my 2016 and happy new year!

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave