2023 FAVORITES

TWO // COPENHAGEN

Mike and I kind of spontaneously planned a trip to Copenhagen at the beginning of 2023 and it was one of the best things we ever did. Saying I was obsessed would be an understatement. We had SUCH a great time. It was the perfect getaway for us– we relaxed, we explored, we drank and ate. This was truly a highlight of my year, even though we were only there for a few days. Here’s my full post on our Copenhagen trip if you want more specific details on what we did and where we went.

THREE // OUTDOOR CHALLENGE

After seeing the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge on social media at the end of 2022, we committed to the challenge for 2023. While we didn’t quite get to 1000 hours, we learned a lot from the challenge and it changed my whole perspective on parenting, honestly. If you’re interested, I could do a longer post about this. The gist though is that it’s a totally different lifestyle. It’s not easy, which is what makes it a great challenge and I would highly recommend it to any parent who wants to shake up their family’s routine in a positive way. I only counted hours where Jack was with us (aka I wasn’t tracking hours from daycare, preschool, etc.) and we were over 700 hours which doesn’t feel like a lot and also does feel like a lot when you really sit down and think about it. We spend a lot of time inside and this got us up and out of our house. We were happier, our house was cleaner. We slept better, we had more fun.

FOUR // CELINE SUNGLASSES

A bit of a frivolous favorite…. the Celine sunglasses! I hemmed and hawed over this purchase forever and then I just went for it! These sunglasses sparked so much joy for me. I originally purchased the tortoiseshell and then my mom and sister got me a black pair for my birthday, too. Love, love, love. It feels kind of dumb to splurge on an accessory, but also I love that I can wear these every day. It’s not like a dress I’m going to wear every once in a while.

FIVE // NEW OFFICE SPACE

After years of searching for the right location, I finally found the perfect office space. I had actually toured this particular space a year before and waited too long to commit– someone else scooped it up. When they were ending their lease, the property reached out to see if I was still interested and YES I WAS. I have zero regrets, besides not starting the lease earlier, but everything happens for a reason. I was able to work with Clare who helped transform the space into the perfect office for me. In my dream world, I would have the time to work out of there every day, but right now it’s serving me well when I have childcare lined up. Having a separate space to work out of is incredible, especially since I’ve worked from home for a decade. I love the mental separation so much. (I’m going to do a full post sharing all the details of the space in the next few weeks!)

SIX // AMAZON TANK TOPS

A random small purchase, but these Amazon tank tops have been a go-to for me throughout this pregnancy. I wear one every day. With leggings under sweatshirts, with jeans under sweaters, or even just paired with pajama bottoms when I’m home. They come down long enough to cover my bump and I really just like having the extra layer. It reminds me a bit of the camisoles we wore in middle school in the early 2000s and I’m kind of wondering why I ever stopped.

SEVEN // TODDLERHOOD

In 2023, Jack fully transformed into a toddler. We got a peak of it towards the end of 2022, but he bloomed into a toddler this past year and it was…. nothing short of incredible. I do find toddlerhood to be extremely challenging, but, honestly? I think I like it even better than babyhood! It’s actual magic watching your child turn into their own person. The personality. The humor. The communication. The things that make him him. It’s the best! I could gush on and on forever about this. But I’ll just share one of my favorite parts. He is thriving at daycare and his preschool– it’s wild to me that he has this little world that I’m not privy to. But we are always running into his buddies throughout town and he’ll call out their name in the grocery store with “that’s my friend!”

EIGHT // COOKING 1x/WEEK

My lack of desire to cook is probably the one area of my personal life where I wish I was better. If I was giving myself a report card as a mother/wife, this is the area where I’d write “needs improvement.” Don’t get me wrong, I feel very lucky to have a partner that LOVES to cook, but I do like to contribute at least a little bit in this department. Cooking dinner once a week felt like a good place to start. While I’m not perfect, I have been making the effort and, dare I say it, I even enjoy it a little? Some weeks are a fail– from either not getting around to it or picking a recipe that just doesn’t work, but I keep going for it and I’m not giving up! Here are some of the meals that have been big hits.

NINE // SUBURBAN FRIENDSHIPS