Looking Back on 2016

This year has certainly been rough in many ways, but at the same time, it will hold some of my biggest highlights, and that's what I'll choose to remember.

Hands down, my favorite memory is our wedding. The year and a half of planning built up to a night even better than I dreamed of. The perfect venue, miraculous fall weather, a dress I love, our closest family and friends, a wonderful wedding party, delicious food, a really fun reception, and of course, my groom. My other half. My partner in everything.

People ask us how married life is treating us, and we honestly answer that it feels the same so far. And we love it that way. Not every day is going to be awesome, but we laugh together, relax together, love and support each other, and look forward to our journey together. And I'm very much enjoying my new last name. :)

Behind the scenes, and when not planning a wedding, I've been working on building up the blog and the brand, and I'm so excited to have been picked as a contributing writer for the local weekly paper Times of Acadiana. Although I've only had two columns run so far, I'm excited to be able to share my eco-obsessions with a new audience.

In addition, I've loved seeing my own transformation through my yoga practice this year. It's something I share about ad nauseum, but it really is one of my favorite aspects of my life right now. It's more than a workout, than toning, than making new friends in class, than achieving Instagrammable asanas. I find now that I can sleep better, and I haven't been sick in over a year. And best of all, I think it's truly helping me find myself and change my perspectives on myself and the world around me.

The year started off tough when our cat, Dax, took a turn for the worse healthwise. (More in this blog post.) It was a long, expensive road to recovery, but we are so happy to still have him around, and he's more energetic than even before he got sick.

This Christmas, I feel like we've definitely taken a less materialistic approach, and while I almost feel lost without my usual traditions, I also like the simplicity. Having a chance to just enjoy the season. We downsized our Christmas tree to a mini three-footer that fits on a side table, and I almost love it more than our usual six-footers. My husband and I decided not to do gifts for each other this year, especially since we're just two months out from the wedding. And maybe it's the grown-up in me finally coming out, but it's refreshing to not be frantically running around shopping for gifts.

Last year, I made a Spotify Holiday mix, so if you need a little extra cheer while finishing up your wrapping and cooking, go ahead and hit play!