- Lauren Conrad bird dress (Kohl’s clearance, $12) | INC denim jacket | Apt. 9 boots (Kohl’s, on sale for less than $50!)
Today is my 27th birthday. It seems like just yesterday I turned 26.
26 may have been my best year yet. Not the easiest, or the most carefree, but definitely monumental.
My marriage is stronger than ever. After jumping into a business we knew nothing about, running it together 24/7, handling challenges we never thought we’d face, and conquering some pretty daunting obstacles, I’m pretty convinced that with this man by my side, I can do just about anything.
We re-prioritized, and learned some valuable lessons about what’s really important. After leaving the security of two salaried positions, we had to downsize a lot. We sold both of our cars and bought a used SUV, made a budget, and got serious about our spending. And we realized that we don’t need much to have a full and blessed life. We have a beautiful home, all our needs (and many of our wants) are met, and we know that one day the small sacrifices we’re making now are going to pay off in a big way.
We started {another} new business. The brick-and-mortar version of A Pretty Penny is still in its early stages, but it’s already taking on a life of its own, and I’m so excited to see where it takes us!
I’ve built amazing new friendships with some of the most talented, dynamic, and genuine women I’ve ever known. Lauren, Lisa, Perry, Iris, and Meghan, you ladies rock my socks off, and I just know all our girl’s nights have added up to substantial savings in professional therapy over this last crazy year of my life.
This blog has grown in ways I never imagined, and I’ve had the privilege to work with some incredible retailers, brands, and other small business owners through the last 12 months. It humbles {and bewilders} me that so many of you come back here every day to see what I have to say. To say “thank you” just doesn’t seem adequate.
Perhaps most important, I’ve learned a lot about myself this year. I spent 24 and 25 in what I refer to as “the quarter-life-crisis”; floundering around and trying to figure out what I was supposed to be doing with my life, people-pleasing to a fault, questioning every move I made and winding myself up into a ball of stress and anxiety. This year, I was able to let a lot of that go, and just trust that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
Here’s to a happy and healthy 27. Now, time for cake.
- {Birthdays seem like appropriate occasions to bring your best Glamour Shot pose}
What do you think?