ONE LITTLE WORD: 2016

My word for 2015 served me well: SIMPLIFY (see last year's post here). I read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, got rid of lots of things, organized everything I owned, moved, capsule wardrobed, streamlined my business and office, got down to the only the essentials of my days during a very sick first trimester of pregnancy, and said no to a lot of good things so I could say yes to great things. I now feel very invested in simplifying, not just as a one time event, but as a lifestyle. I needed that word and it was good to me.

2016 is a big year for us. Daniel and I will both turn 30 and we'll welcome our first baby this spring. My word for the year is GROW, in so many ways: grow physically and emotionally over the next 5 months of my pregnancy, grow into my role as a new mom, watch our new baby grow from 0-6 months, grow into a family of three, grow my business, and grow into a new decade of my 30s. I'm more excited for this year than any other year in the past, and I'm expecting growth in lots of areas for a good, challenging, rewarding, joy-filled year. So much to look forward to. Cheers to 2016!

2015: OUR YEAR IN REVIEW

I love this simple little exercise to think back on the year and record the highlights. Each year I remember to do it just after I've sent our Christmas cards, but I always think about what a great "highlight reel" it would be to include on the back of a card. You can see 2014's Year in Review here, and other people that have joined in on Instagram last year under #ouryearinreview2014 and this year's at #ouryearinreview2015.

It was a great year for us, I'd even go so far as to say my best year yet. We traveled like crazy, totaling 34 flights between the two of us, and I attended more baby showers than weddings for the first time in my life, both things that I think are fitting to do the year before you have your own baby. The baby news in September was by far both of our highlights for the year, followed closely by some really sweet trips in February and April. I had a rough fall season with my first trimester pregnant but have turned a major corner and am really looking forward to 2016, the year we'll meet our baby! Feeling hopeful and thankful.

BLACK FRIDAY DEALS

I've seen some good Black Friday deals around the web and wanted to share some here. Happy shopping!

25% off everything at Madewell with the code CALMDOWN. Seems fitting for Black Friday :) I've had my eye on this tote forever.

Last year, Anthropologie hosted a 25% off everything in the store sale. This year's sale details haven't been posted yet, but I'm hopeful for something good. Love their Volcano candles so much.

For all my mom-to-be friends, Nuna is hosting a Black Friday deal on this stroller, when you purchase the IVVI stroller you get the bassinet ($200 value) for free. I've seen it in person and it feels sturdy, well designed, and the extra large storage basket seems like a lifesaver. A few other cool features, like the toddler stroller can face frontwards or backwards, both the bassinet and toddler seat are easy to click in and out, and it's compatible with a variety of car seats. Seems like a big win in the stroller category.

30% off everything at J.Crew. Good time to stock up on your preppy favorites.

I'm a big fan of Julep's polishes, that are free of lots of harmful chemicals (the company declares this list among the things they avoid: formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, DBP, camphor, and animal ingredients or byproducts) and the polishes come in great shades. Get 50% off site-wide on cyber Monday (11/30 to 12/1) with this link here.

Enjoy these deals! Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a relaxing holiday weekend.