my all-time favorite love stories

Happy Valentine's Day, friends! I hope you spend today with whatever or whomever makes you feel the very fuzziest on the inside.

Do you set reading goals for the year? I was so close to mine last year, but I spent a bit too much time begrudgingly reading books that I just wasn't into (looking at you, Beartown) and fell behind by about six books. Yiiiiikes. I set my Goodreads challenge to 25 books (again) for this year, which means I need to spend less time scrolling and more time picking up my Kindle.

I've been wanting to do a 2018 book review post, but since it's Valentine's Day, aka the day of luuurrrve, I thought I'd share some of my all-time favorite love stories.

I feel like I go through "stages" with book genres. From 2015-2016, I was an avid thriller-seeker. Gone Girl, Girl on the Train, The Woman in Cabin 10...any book pertaining to a female and a place she has or hasn't been, I was reading it. But over the last year, I've been veering more toward frivolous, light reads. Perhaps it's the current political climate, or all the horrific things happening in the world, but I've been partial to happier (or happy-ish) romantic books.

And don't worry - you won't catch 50 Shades of Gray on this list. Hop on out of here with that, y'all.

(JK, you can stay).

Note: Some affiliate links may be used. This means that, if you make a purchase through one of these links, I make a few pennies at no additional cost to you. I appreciate you! Also, I'm an avid library book reader, so I say try to get these babies for free first.

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

Forever Is The Worst Long Time by Camille Pagan - favorite book of 2018, and quite possibly one of my favorite books ever. I recommend this book all the time.

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin - I absolutely devoured this book years ago, and I always think about going back to re-read it. It isn't earth shattering or anything, but definitely a page turner.

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen - written by my all time favorite YA author. Anyone else used to read/still reads her stuff?

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks - an oldie but a goodie. The movie is great, but the book is just fantastic.

One Day in December by Josie Silver - like many, I read this book during the month of December, and I finished it in maybe two days. I loved the writing style, and I felt like the storyline was unique. 10/10 recommend.

Me Before You (the trilogy) by Jojo Moyes - clearly this was going to be on the list. I'm actually reading the third and final book in the series called Still Me. I really liked After You, so I'm excited to see where Lou ends up.

My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan - this book was written so well, and I felt like I developed my vocabulary while reading it, which isn't always the case with romantic novels. Also, for whatever reason, I pictured Lucy Hale as Ella, which I think made the story that much more enjoyable. Ha!

What are some of your favorite romantic novels? I want to add them to my list!

reflecting on January 2019

Hi hi hi and goodbyeeee to January. How did that happen?

Guys, 2019 has already been life-changing for me, and we're only 31 days into the year. Within the first week of January, I took a leap of faith, put myself out there, and set something into motion that terrified me. In a nutshell, I've been a giant bag of emotions and stress for most of the month. I can't wait to officially share what's been happening, but I'm waiting to get a few more of my ducks in a row before I say it in my out loud voice (and nope, not pregnant, so let's get that out of the way!).

Isn't it crazy, though? How life can change so instantly. I know that's a cliché of sorts, and usually we address abrupt life changes in a negative light, but sometimes abrupt changes can be the greatest changes. Like waking up one morning, taking a pregnancy test, and finding out you're pregnant (again...not me, yet!). Or opening your email to find out you've landed a brand sponsorship that could really launch your blogging career. Or getting your dream job, or meeting the love of your life at a bar when you were thiiiis close not to going out with your friends that night.

I think the best part of exciting, abrupt life changes is when you can look back and actually pinpoint exactly when everything started changing and you didn't even realize it. Or even better, when you figure out that it was you who set you up for success, one small step at a time.

How has 2019 treated you so far? Or better yet, what have you set into motion for yourself in 2019?

our engagement photos!

A couple months ago, we got to meet our wedding photographer, Emily Mathewson, and take our engagement photos! Despite having been a blogger for years on end, I've never actually had a professional photo shoot, so I had no idea what to expect. Thankfully, Emily put us right at ease. She was super laid back, and even rolled with the punches when there was a giant event happening at our original shoot location and we couldn't find a single parking spot. Daylight burning, I was getting frantic, but she was cool as a cucumber. Within 10 minutes, we were parked and ready to roll.

(outfit details: some affiliate links used, which means i make a few cents if you purchase an item, at no additional cost to you). 

Outfit wise, I had a general idea of what I wanted to wear, which was both a blessing and a curse. Since I had something specific in mind, nothing I came across in stores and online quite measured up to the make-believe photo shoot outfits I had drafted up in my head. I was hoping for a floral wrap dress, which I thought would be pretty easy to find, but I couldn't find the "right" one. Sigh...first world problems. I ended up ordering this super popular dress from Lulu's in wine red for my "fancier" outfit, and scooped up this crop on sale. My jeans weren't on sale, but they are hands down the best high-waisted pair I've ever tried on. I'm generally a size 4-6, depending on the brand and fit, with a curvier booty and tummy, and these fit right over my hips perfectly.

I considered a whole bunch of photo shoot locations, but we ultimately decided that where we had our first kiss/where we got engaged felt the most sentimental and like "us." We had lunch for our first date at an Italian restaurant in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida called Bella Brava, and had our first kiss just a few steps down the street. Thus, we chose Bayshore Drive and North Straub Park for our photos. Despite the rapidly setting sun, our photographer, Emily Mathewson, was able to get some incredible shots, and we are so happy with the results!

Note: lots and lots of photos to follow! Nowhere near all of them, but just some of our favorites.

All photos taken by Emily Mathewson - Website | Instagram

Can't wait to marry this guy in just 264 days!

2018 | in review

We just finished packing up all of our Christmas goodies and decor, and it feels so good to have our apartment looking semi-sleek and clean again. I remember hearing that Christmas is like an old friend coming to visit - you count down the minutes until her arrival, make plans, try and soak up every waking moment of warm and fuzzy goodness, wish that your time together will never end. Then suddenly, she's been there the entire month and you're itching to get back to your real life where you don't throwback brie and crackers every night like a multivitamin.

We kept our Christmas small this year in anticipation of 2019 being a big year for us financially (having a wedding, going on a honeymoon, buying a house, OH MY!), but we got to spend time with both of our families. Like I said in my last post, there are certainly pros and cons to working in a school, but having two weeks off during the holidays has been the absolute best.

I haven't set my goals or intentions for the year, or selected a word, or whatever it is the kids are doing these days (LOL ok that's the only old-person joke coming from a young-person you'll hear out of me in this post...maybe). I'm working on delving into what it is I want from 2019, aside from the big stuff like getting married.

I'd like to keep blogging, and maybe do it a little more consistently than I did in 2018. You know, turn in back into a creative outlet. Maybe I'll figure out how to use Lightroom presets from a mobile app so I can have a consistent Instagram feed (wow! talk about *~gOaLs~*). Maybe, after five years of blogging, I'll finally create an editorial calendar and plan out posts in advance.

Maybe maybe maybe. See? Nothing set just yet, but that's the framework, at least for this little corner of the internet. And if you're still around, lemme just tell you - THANK YOU.

Until I figure those out for certain, I'll give a little mini version of "2018 in review," the kind you won't see on my Instagram. The good and the bad.

• You already know what's number one...after 4.5 years of dating, Ryan and I got engaged!

• We traveled to North Carolina and Washington D.C.
• I finished my master's program with a 3.8 GPA (my new year's resolution from last year!) after 3.5 years of post-bacc and graduate school.
• I started my first job as a speech-language pathologist in a public school setting. I'm not sure it's where I want to be forever, but it's where I am for now, and I'm learning so much every day.

• After battling cancer on and off for years, my grandad passed away in August. We miss him all the time, but I'm so thankful that my mom and I got to go up to St. Augustine for a few weekends this year to spend time with him earlier this year. 
• I went to more blogging and community events than I ever have in the past, got closer with local Tampa Bay blogger Kahla (heyyyy girl!), and met one of my favorite blogger friends in real life, Chelsea!

• Looked for a wedding dress alongside the leading ladies in my life, and said yes to the dress a week later.
• Read 19 books! Short of my goal of 25, but it took me forever to finish The Nightingale (so good, though), and I spent too much time trying to get into books that just didn't snag my interest (like Beartown...). Keep an eye out for a major book review in January!
• While we were house sitting for my parents during their trip to Europe, my dad sliced off a good chunk of the tip of his left index finger and they had to come home early (the day before they were supposed to visit Greece for the first time). Talk about YIKES.
• Saw some of my favorite artists in concert - Lorde, Justin Timberlake, Andrew MacMahon, and my queen, Taylor Swift.
• Quit my serving job at Ciccio's after 3.5 years.

Like most years, 2018 was another year of growth. In some ways, it was the most exciting year of my life. In others, it was gut-wrenching. In any event, tomorrow begins a clean slate, and I'm looking forward to making memories in 2019. I hope you have a kick-ass start to the new year!

What kind of year was 2018 for you? Any new years resolutions?

adjusting to this new life.

I've been pretty quiet around here, but not because I'm "done" with blogging, or because I don't know what to write about. I actually really miss blogging, and I miss the community that comes along with it. Lately, I've only been active on Instagram which gets a little...eh. We all know how Instagram gets. I actually have a pretty lengthy post drafted regarding actual blogs vs. Instagram blogs, but it's not "there" just yet. Ya know?

Moving right along.

Saying I've been busy doesn't really feel accurate. I mean, it's the truth. But aren't we all busy? Nothing to write home about (or on the blog about, clearly). Given this time of year, we're lucky if we're productive at all, between the parties and shopping and attempting to be mentally present throughout the festivities.

So yes, I have been busy. But in reality, I've been readjusting to the working world; a working world that I wasn't even familiar with while I was working in the life of luxury and flexibility that is an outside sales position. Long gone are my days of hour lunches and a mid-morning Starbucks break to power through the day.

Now, I wake up at 5:35 a.m. every morning (unless I'm really on the edge and hit snooze until 5:45) and I function on one cup of coffee. I drive 30-40 minutes to work in the morning with a 45 minute commute back home. While I have to be on campus (I work at a school) from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., I almost never leave at 3. I come home, take out the dogs, go to the gym, make dinner, do laundry, hang out with Ryan. Most nights, the clock catches me off guard.

"It's only 8:30," Ryan tells me.

But in a perfect world, I'd be winding down and getting ready for bed at 9 p.m., with a strict 9:45 p.m. bedtime for eight hours of delicious snoozing. In a perfect world. 

On the surface, if you painted this post as a picture, you might reach for dark hues and stroke with a heavy hand, weighted by a litany of woes. That, however, is 100% not my intention. Because while I'm adjusting, I am also growing to love this job.

Even though I'd love to sleep in longer, I don't mind sipping my hot coffee in a cute travel mug while listening to 90's pop or high school punk on my half hour commute.
I live for the days when my 5th grade language students tell me they're excited to learn more about prefixes because they think it will really help them succeed in the classroom.
It warms my heart every time one of my students calls out my name in the middle of a hallway, or runs up to hug me when I pick them up for speech.
I love making sure my kids know that it's a big, exciting, giant, humungo deal when they reach their goals, because I'm figuring out that a lot of these kids don't have that support system at home.

So, you know, things are going pretty well around here. In the new year, I'd like to refocus and start redirecting my energy back into hobbies, such as writing this blog. At the very least, I'd like to figure out its purpose. If you've stuck around during these quiet months, I want to say thank you, and I hope you'll continue to do so.