Favorite Memories of 2017

I found myself browsing through a year's worth of photos the other day thinking how on earth did another one fly by. I can get lost in the memories of looking at our pictures from over the months and smiling at all that happened through them. I decided to document some of my favorite moments of the year here that I may have not shared on this space along the way. Though these are just a teensy snippet of memories that happened, there's so much more behind the photos that make my heart so grateful, even through the hard messy stuff that we all know happens behind the pretty pictures. 

OUR HOUSE RENOVATION: 

We started the year continuing our house renovation/addition that we began the fall prior. We added on about 400 square feet to our house, extending our living room into our old carport, enclosing the rest of the house to have an indoor laundry room (HEAVEN!!) and adding on a small office space to the back of the house, which is where I work from now. Living through your house being turned upside down and 4 toddlers running around is no easy task. But during our Thanksgiving when we shared what we were thankful for, I just kept thinking of how grateful I was for this little house of ours. For all the hard work my husband put into making it happen for us. For him letting me dream and design things that were fun for me. For the gift that we were given to be able to do this project. Of course it wasn't that fun in the midst of it, but I'm so thankful this is where we are getting to raise our kids and make sweet memories. (And yes, I plan on doing a house tour of before and after shots soon!)

TURNING 30:

Shane and I both turned the big three-oh in 2017 (which still feels so weird for me to say out loud)! One of my favorite memories of the year was pulling off a huge surprise party for him that I had started planning in my head a whole year before. For months I was scheming and planning and I had never been so nervous for that long in my life! ha! I told him afterward that I actually didn't enjoy the planning of it as much because of all the hiding I was doing from him to keep it a secret. But in the end, the finale was worth it and he was totally surprised. A month after his big day I said goodbye to my twenties too, spending it with our little family doing all the toddler things with my girls. Funny how your desires and interests change so much when you have kids--anything they wanted to do sounded more fun to me than doing something by myself or away from them. It was the best way to enter into new decade!

LOCAL MARKETS:

It was my second year into doing local handmade markets around the Phoenix area and every bit of it was SO FUN...exhausting always, but SO FUN! We even got to travel twice this year to California to set up shop in LA and San Diego with Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market. It was a year of growing in business, talent, and community. Through these events I've gotten to meet so many fun people and work on so many fun things! It even lead me to start selling my work outside of just my Etsy and these markets and into local brick and mortar stores. My hope for 2018 is that this will be an even bigger year in these areas for me. Lots of dreams and hopes as I try to keep my hands held open, enjoying every opportunity I get to call this my work! 

ARTWORK:

Of course, a huge highlight of the year was looking back on all the projects I had the chance to do. From collaborating with other small businesses I love, to working with brides to create art for their special day, to making giant murals all around town--each one was a blast to work on. Something I learned a lot this year was how to say no to the things that I don't get joy or excitement from so I could say yes to things that were more worth the time spent for me. I have struggled with this so much in the past, wanting to say yes to every project that comes my way. Sometimes because I wanted to just make the extra buck, and other times because I didn't want to let the person down. But I've learned (in hard ways) how to not spread myself so thin so I can give the best of myself to my work and the things that excite me the most. I know I still struggle with this a bit, but hopefully 2018 will be another year of growth in this area for me and I'll be looking back at the end of it feeling proud of where its lead me. 

CELEBRATING 6 YEARS:

This miiiiight be my TOP highlight of the year and probably the best surprise I've gotten to date (aside from when Shane proposed, but its reeeeally close). Anyone that knows me well, or even not so well, knows my love for music and especially John Mayer. A week before our 6th anniversary Shane took me on a date downtown for dinner, then nonchalantly lead me to the concert of my dreams. My first time ever seeing him perform live and I got to do it with my best friend! What makes it even sweeter is that spending an evening at a concert is one of the last things Shane would choose for himself, yet he planned this surprise months in advance knowing how much it would mean to me. He chose to love me. He chose to do what I love for a night because of his love for me. I might not ever be able to explain it fully and it might sound a bit silly, but this moment right here, with tears filling my eyes, was one of the top moments I knew and felt his love for me. I can't believe we've its been 6 years already. The BEST, most fun, adventurous, growing, challenging, and sweetest years of my life. Being married to this man is everything I dreamed of and MORE. There's not a day that goes by that I'm not deeply thankful that I'm the one he chose and get to be the one standing next to him in all of life's craziness. I love this man more than words can say. 

FAMILY TIME:

One thing we knew when we started having kids is that we would be intentional about carving out time for family trips. We took lots of little trips here and there throughout the year that were sweet and memorable. From our first little family trip to Vegas, to traveling to Southern California beaches a few times, DISNEYLAND, and spending time together just the 6 of us in northern Arizona. There's something so refreshing for me when we get to travel. And, yes, it's not always smooth sailing when we have 4 littles in tow, but there's something in the chaos of it all that brings out the beauty and crazy fun. New inspiration comes, deeper bonds are created through laughter and play, and most of all the best memories are made. A big reason traveling is so important to us is because we want to give our kids experiences that open their eyes to the world around them. Experiences that allow them to grow up seeing things outside of their own perspective and little bubble. I hope that these little experiences we're giving them now are allowing for those things to happen in them already. 

BABY NUMBER FIVE:

Probably our most exciting memory of the year is finding out about baby five! I found out on Father's day that I was pregnant so it was the sweetest gift to "give" Shane that day. The girls have been talking non stop about the baby in my tummy and how its a boy or girl and what they will call it (it changes every day!). It's crazy to think its been 2 years since we last experienced baby stage so getting back into the swing of it will be interesting. I'm about a month away from my due date and I mostly can't wait to see how the girls will be loving on their new sibling!

CHRISTMAS TIME: 

Our Christmas season felt like it flew by so fast! I remember last season feeling a little more "in the moment" with it all, so I'm not quite sure what the difference was for this past one. It's a hard balance when the holidays roll around and I feel the need to rest and relax, yet its usually my busiest season for business and projects. Hopefully this year I'll get more of balance and grip on things to not make it feel so rushed and busy when this year's season comes. With the girls getting older each year is more and more fun with them, listening to the things they take in and can remember. Since Raleigh was a newborn, each year we've taken a trip to the local tree farm to walk around together picking our our tree, drinking hot chocolate and listening to Christmas tunes. I've loved that we've taken this picture in front of the trees every time we've done it to document each season. It's a reminder for me to see how far we've come and see how much our little family has grown. Forming new traditions each year is my favorite part of it all, especially when they just happen without planning it. I love the memory traditions bring reminding us of the sweetness we experience each time we do it.

There are a handful of more memories throughout 2017 that I could post here, but these really are the ones that stick out the most. Looking back on another year gone by only excites me for the next year ahead. Lots of goals and dreams and plans ahead that we are hoping and praying for and I can't wait to see what the year will bring. 

Thanks so much for following along on this little space and supporting my art and being so encouraging through it all. I love that I've been able to share little parts of how we do life and seeing more and more faces join. I pray your year ahead is full of newness and growth and exciting adventures too!