2019 was one of the biggest years for our little family {you can probably guess why, but I’ll elaborate below!}. I wanted to round up not only the most memorable moments from last year, but our top buys from 2019 as well. Shopping gets a bad wrap, but let’s be realistic. “Stuff” can make your life a whole lot easier! Which is why I rounded up some of the purchases that made my life in 2019 so much simpler.
My Favorite Moments & Top Buys of 2019
Corinna Joined Our Family
Of course the top highlight of the year was growing our family! We eagerly awaited Corinna’s arrival and now that she has been here for almost an entire year {time sure does fly!}, we can’t imagine life with out her. She has the sweetest disposition and is so calm and content. She’s such an easy and happy baby and she brings so much joy to our lives with her laughs and smiles. You can check out her latest updates here!
Augustine Mastered Potty Training
I will be the first to admit, that I was not looking forward to potty training Augustine. The time came a few months after Corinna was born, so we had no choice but to potty train him while taking care of a newborn. But I have to say, he was a total rockstar when it came to potty training! He did so well and it’s been nice for me and Matthew to cut down on diaper changes lol. Here are some of our best tips for potty training!
We Took Our First Family of 4 Trip to Colorado
After staying inside with a newborn for months, I was starting to get cabin fever! So the four of us headed out on our first family of four vacation for a quick weekend getaway in Colorado. It was still super hot in Southern California at the time, so it was nice to be able to enjoy some real fall weather and explore some cute neighborhoods and parks. Here is a recap of our trip {including food recommendations!}. P.S. Everyone asks me where I got this jacket and you’ll never guess how affordable it was!
Took a Pause on Home Renovations
We finished up our two bathroom renovations (the guest/powder room bathroom and the kids’ bathroom) at the tail end of 2018. We considered trying to renovate our bathroom too in 2019 before Corinna arrived, but decided to give ourselves a break from all of the chaos of construction and just enjoy all of our renovations from 2018. This may not seem like a memorable moment, but after waiting three months for our fireplace renovation to be completed in 2018 {worst experience ever!}, I’ll remember the year that my home wasn’t full of dust, noise, and tools.
Decorated the Kids’ Rooms
Because we weren’t bogged down with renovations this year, we were able to focus on moving Augustine into his big boy room and setting up Corinna’s nursery. I’m so in love with how both rooms turned out and Augustine is obsessed with his room!
All The Special Small Moments with My Family
There have been so many special, but small moments with my family that I don’t want to forget. I try to write them down throughout the year, but I also love that my blog has served as a sort of scrapbook over the years! Our family really worked as a team this year, which makes me so appreciative for all the little moments we spent together. Like how Matthew makes me fried eggs with paprika every morning. Or how Augustine asks to cuddle with Corinna as he falls asleep for his naps. I’ll never forget how my mom came to stay with us and help us when Corinna came home. I am so grateful for my family and I can’t wait to spend even more time with them in 2020!
I Embraced Mom Style
As much as I LOVE dressing up and wearing heals, most days I’ve had no choice but to lean into mom style. And to be honest, I’m loving it! Once Corinna joined our family, I had no choice but to embrace breast feeding friendly tops and dresses, find cute hair clips to keep my hair out of her grip, and of course I wore plenty of sneakers {my fave white pair} for trips to the park with Augustine.
For fancier days, I chose these espadrilles over stilettos and wearing delicate jewelry like my sweet Katie Dean initial rings {I have one for Corinna and Augustine!}. I rounded up some of my other personalized jewelry pieces here.
These Ray-Ban sunglasses also became a go-to for our outdoor adventures. And this fuzzy jacket served me well on our Colorado trip, as well as early morning outings at home.
Of course, we spent a lot of time in doors, so I treated myself to some nice pajamas so I felt a bit more pulled together when Corinna first came home {can’t recommend this to new moms enough!}. This is my favorite pair and it comes in some great colors! I have red, but am loving the light pink with black piping.
Top Buys of 2019
I outlined my favorite fashion finds of the year above, but these are the home, health, and family buys that made all the difference this year!
- All-Clad Stainless Steel Odd-Size Cups & Spoons: For better baking
- Yeti Rambler Stainless Steel Tumbler: For hydration
- Oh She Glows Everyday Cookbook: For healthy delicious recipes
- Erin Condren LifePlanner: For staying organized
- A Long Bread Knife: For cutting larger loafs
- Baby Bjorn Mini Carrier: For busy mom days
- Cloth Advent Calendar: For holiday memories
SHOP TOP BUYS OF 2019
What were your top buys of 2019?? Let me know what made your life easier/better/prettier!
On Instagram, some of you shared your fave products with me, I’m so curious to check these ones out which tons of people recommended!
Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens
Ice Roller, Jade Rollers, & Gua Sha Tools
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Resurfacing Night Serum
The Home Edit: A Guide to Organizing and Realizing Your House Goals by Clea Shearer
Free audiobooks through the public library {love that!}
xox
