Currently {Hello 2019}

Sharing a look back at the year behind us + quick little update on all things {currently}…

Well hello 2019! I am so very happy to see you!

Well here it is my friends, the first blog post of 2019! 2018 was a year of so many ups and downs for me, both professionally and personally. It felt like an unpredictable roller coaster ride right from beginning to end. Though it was filled with some truly wonderful moments + memories, 2018 also brought some very difficult times our way as well.

The loss of both of my Grandpas through the tail end of 2018 still has me reeling. They were both such incredible men, playing such powerful roles in my life – saying good-bye to them was definitely one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do. With these deep losses, I’ve found myself looking for comfort in feelings of nostalgia more than ever – a need to both hold tighter to old memories, looking through old photos and sharing old stories, while also creating as many new ones with my family as I can.

2018 brought so much happiness with it as well – tons of adventures and travel for our family, Carson’s first year of full-time school (a very bitter-sweet experience for us all) and of course, finally finishing up our year long, main floor renovation, which was such a huge milestone for us and has completely changed the way we live in and love our home.

I also (quite unexpectedly) found myself back teaching full time last September and, though the full time hours (and the many, many extra hours that come with that) were difficult to fit into our already very full schedules, I really enjoyed the chance to be back in “my own” (albeit borrowed) classroom once again.

All the change + upheaval we saw through 2018 forced a major priority shift, pushing all things blog related to the back burner for much of the year. Sharing on the blog or social media became sporadic at best as I struggled to keep up with our lives behind the scenes. But, here’s the thing – though it wasn’t planned, I found myself more than okay with the chance to take a step back from it all. Blogging is one of those jobs with no defined hours and even more, because I blog about our home, from our home, I find it so difficult to ever really turn that part of my brain off. Though I absolutely love what I do and feel so very grateful that I’ve got the opportunity to work from home doing something that I enjoy so much, often it can feel like I’m working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Being forced to put my blog on the back burner for a while also allowed me to focus more on living in the moment rather than through the online presence I’ve become so used to, which is exactly what I needed as we journeyed through what turned out to be a very unpredictable year.

All this to say that though I am still not clear on what exactly we’re looking for or working towards in 2019 just yet, I’m sensing some big changes in our future and I am so, so excited to see what this year has in store for our family!

For now, here’s a quick update about where I am {currently}…

Reading: Thanks to our crazy schedules through the tail end of 2018, I hadn’t picked up a book in months! Though, I made up for it over the Christmas break, finally finishing up Little Fires Everywhere and then plowing through When Life Gives you Lululemons and Girl Wash your Face. Though they’re all very different reads, I really enjoyed all three of them. On my nightstand currently: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn.
 

Writing: A kitchen tour, including a look at how we’ve organized everything inside the drawers and cupboards (because who doesn’t love a peek behind closed doors!).
 

Watching: I haven’t started it yet, but I cannot wait to dig into the Tidying Up series on Netflix! I worked my way through our home after reading Marie Kondo’s brilliant book a few years ago and it still very much impacts the way we live in our home today!
 

Needing: To make some goals for the year ahead! We’ve got nothing but ideas about projects we’d like to tackle around the house, but we definitely need to sit down and hash out a plan about what we’d actually like to see happen this year, and when.

Creating: Not much of anything if I’m being honest. The busyness over the last few months has really clouded my creative side and any motivation I have to create. I will say, I have been working through a ton of de-cluttering and organizing around the house, which always helps me clear my head and find some space to be creative again.
 

Learning: How to use my instapot (finally!)! Any favourite books or recipes I should check out?
 

Planning: All the things for 2019! I can’t wait to share all of our ideas!

Loving: I could spend all day flipping through this beautiful book!
 

Wearing: I’ve been living in this soft + cozy cardigan.
 

Coveting: I’ve been looking into espresso machines lately and this beauty is sitting at the top of my wish list right now!
 

Working for me right now: Decluttering and organizing all the things!
 

What’s not: Finding my way out of our laid back, holiday break.
 

Anticipating: Some slower routines as we head into a new year.

I’d LOVE to hear where are you currently? What are you most looking forward to through the year ahead?
 

Wishing you SUCH a lovely weekend!
 

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