Featured Piece: Red Lantern Bell Sleeve Top from SheIn found here (also comes in pink, black, navy and white)! I am thinking of ordering this top in the pink color for Valentines day! Isn't it cute? I love the bell shaped sleeves and this red color is perfect for the holidays and any occasion!
Happy New Year! The beginning of the new year is a great time to reflect back on all the memories created and the accomplishments you made, big or small!! 2016 was a memorable year with a lot of great moments, some happy and sad memories, and a good amount of change!
I lost my job in March which was a very scary time time for me personally. I had only been employed there for a year and a half. However, I believe everything happens for a reason. I disliked my Manager, didn't feel like I had any work life flexibility, and just felt underappreciated and under valued. It's really frustrating when you're in a job with high hopes for a long lasting and fulfilling experience. I tried to focus on the positive aspects this change could bring. I had a few months off with pay due to my severance package which gave me time to look for a new job and focus on myself for a little while...something I need to get better at doing. During this time off, I was able to spend more time with friends and family, travel to local places I had never seen or experienced, exercise more, and get a bit more organized!
I started my new job in May and couldn't be happier! I work for a fantastic, creative, and family friendly company! I adore my Manager who is one of the best executive leaders I've had the opportunity to work with. She is extremely organized, intelligent, and really recognizes and appreciates the value I bring to the table! I love the team I work with as well. They are collaborative, friendly, and supportive which is really all you can ask for from your co-workers. I am a firm believer that "progress is always the result of change". Although this change was scary and a bit stressful, it turned out to be one of the best things I've experienced this past year.
2016 brought a lot of fun and new travel adventures! I received a Sonoma/Napa wine passport for my birthday last January and took full advantage of using it as often as we could! We explored many different wineries with family and friends, experienced new places to dine, and enjoyed all the benefits of this membership! I posted a few of our wine adventures here, here and here!
We also took a few mini family vacations. Although I am a native California girl, I've never been to San Diego! I thought it would be a lot of fun for our kids with so many family activities to see and do! We visited Sea World, Coronado, La Jolla, and Old Town and really enjoyed the resort we stayed at - Kona Kai Yacht Club. I posted a few highlights from our trip to San Diego here and here! We really enjoyed it and look forward to going back in the near future!
We also just took our first trip to Yosemite as a family over the Christmas holiday! I didn't get a chance to blog about it but I posted some of our memories on Instagram! We stayed at Tenaya Lodge in Fish Camp which is in the Wawona area of Yosemite National Park. We did a full day of exploration in Yosemite Valley seeing some of the most majestic and beautiful sites Yosemite has to offer such as Tunnel View, Half Dome, Bridal Veil Falls, El Capitan, and Yosemite Falls. We also dined at the Majestic Ahwahnee Hotel which was beautifully decked out for the holidays! Winter time is such a beautiful season to visit Yosemite. The snow capped mountains and meadows, gushing waterfalls, and starry winter nights are amazingly beautiful!
2016 was a year to focus on getting some of those home improvement projects checked off our list! It feels so good to refresh and/or redecorate your house...even it's a small space like painting and reorganizing your closet...it makes such a big difference! This past year, we finally installed our new wrought iron and glass front doors which provides so much curb appeal, we installed new french doors in our dining room which brought in a ton of natural light, we opened up a wall between our living and dining room to make the space feel more open and flowing, and we installed new can lighting throughout our first floor living space. We are not completely done yet...we need to finish painting, installing new bamboo flooring, base boards, and crown molding, and install a custom built in entertainment cabinet in our living room. Once we finish those projects in 2017, we can move on to the upstairs projects! One day at a time right? I guess home projects are never completely done!
I'm looking forward to what 2017 has in store for us! Reflecting back, I want to thank each and every one of you for all your support and encouragement of this little blog project. I really enjoy creating content, sharing my experiences, and hearing from all of you! It truly means a lot to me! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and I wish you health, happiness, and lots of love for 2017!
By the way, I started a blog newsletter recently and would love for you to subscribe! It's a great way to connect with all of you about new posts, great sales you don't want to miss, Q&A on various fashion, beauty, home decor, and travel topics, and so much more! You can subscribe here...don't worry, I won't overcrowd your inbox! Also, don't forget you can shop all of the looks from my blog on my shop page!
Best wishes for a Fabulous 2017! Thank you to SheIn for sponsoring this post! For more fabulous fashion, shoes, and accessories, visit their website! The red lantern bell sleeve top I'm wearing in this post can be found here!
xoxoxo,
Hayley
