25 – A YEAR IN REVIEW

DRESS  //  SHOES  //  SUNNIES  //  EARRINGS

It’s official y’all – I’m another year older. Today is my 26th birthday and to celebrate, I’m reviewing the highlights of my quarter life year (it was a good one!). Since I was just a tiny bit occupied over New Year’s Eve (it was our wedding night), I didn’t get a chance to do a 2015 in review post (I did do one in 2014 though which you can see here!), so instead, and since I’m born almost exactly at the half-year point, I’m reviewing my 25th year.

Side note – when I started writing this post, I went into a mini depression because I found it so hard to come up with more than just a few highlights, but then I remembered that there’s one highlight that sort of took up half of my 25th year – I spent exactly half of the year consumed in wedding planning, so I felt a little better, and jotted down my highlight reel.

1. I married the love of my life.

Because my mind doesn’t work in and ordered, chronological way, this list isn’t in any particular order, but this one simply had to be first. The most important thing that occurred in my 25th year (and in my entire life thus far) was becoming Mrs. Lauren Vandiver Green. Six months into marriage, God has shown me what a blessing marriage is, and that it’s a blessing worth fighting for, each and every day. I absolutely love being Cole’s wife and our wedding day was more perfect than I could have ever imagined. You can check out the video from our wedding + a giant round up of photos here.

2. Cole and I celebrated our 8 year dating anniversary (minus one).

I promise I won’t nauseate you with a bunch of lovey dovey dating/marriage stuff about me and Cole (don’t worry – I have a blog post slotted for that!), but celebrating 8 years since we officially began dating on August 13th (for those of you who may not know, we went on a necessary 1-year soul-searching hiatus after 5 years of dating). I was just 18 when we began dating, so he and I have experienced the very best and worst times of our lives together and I wouldn’t trade any of it.

MUG  //  TRAY

3. SO many of my very best friends got engaged (like 5 of them!) 

It’s so cool to see your besties find their Prince Charming and go through the engagement/wedding planning experience. My 26th year promises to be one full of bachelorette trips, showers and weddings and I CANNOT WAIT for it!!

4. I went full-time with this bloggy blog of mine. 

Making the decision to leave my job as a copywriter and PR coordinator at Fossil was a tough one and truly a leap of faith. I loved my team at Fossil and my job there, but I realize din October of last year that I was drowning in responsibilities with my blog and wedding planning, With the support and encouragement of Cole and my family, I took the jump, said a lot of prayers and crossed my fingers. It was one of the best decisions I ever made! PS  if you like my office, you can take a full tour + shop it here.

SATIN ROBE

5. I wedding planned and planned and planned.

I learned so much about wedding planning in my year of being engaged that I have a full blog post scheduled on it next month, but in the meantime, you can read this little post I did about things no one tells you about getting engaged here.

6. Cole and I honeymooned in beautiful Los Cabos.

Our honeymoon was so cool because it was truly our first trip we’d ever taken for just the two of us. As travel newbies, we learned some lessons along the way

6. I had the most magical Disney bachelorette celebration.

I’ll spare you the details on this one because I did a giant blog post on it, which you can read here. It was MAGIC y’all!

7. Cole and I moved into our first home together.

Moving in together was the BEST.THING.EVER. No longer did we have to fight to see each other or pack bags. Cole and I are opposites in a lot of ways, which makes us really good roommates. We’re looking to buy our very first home here soon and I am so excited – stay tuned for that!

8. I went to the RewardStyle conference.

Fun fact – this was actually my third time at the RewardStyle Conference, but my first as a blogger. In my days working for Kendra Scott, I went to the inaugural conference and the one after that to represent the brand, and it was SO cool to get to go as a blogger. I pinched myself when I got my invitation!

TEE //  JEANS  //  FLATS

9. Officially became a family with Cole (and Lucky’s mom!)

So many people ask me now “how’s married life” and I I first say that it’s wonderful and then say that it’s honestly not all that different because Cole and I dated for so long before, but when I truly think about it, it is so much different. We are a truly a family now, and I feel that in everything from the way we kiss now to the way we fight.

TOP  //  SKIRT  //  SANDALS  //  CUFF  //  SUNNIES

10. Celebrated Two Years of Blogging.

I recently celebrated my two year blogiversary with a post explaining 24 things you may not know about me, which you can read here. It still baffles me to think of how far this little blog has come since then and I cannot wait to see what the next two years have in store.

11. Ran the Disney Princess Half Marathon for the second time.

Okay so this actually happened at the beginning of 2015 when I was still 24, but I had to include it in here because it was simply epic. My little brother, sister, Cole and I all dressed as Frozen characters and ran 13.1 miles through Walt Disney World. My brother and I ended up running it together while Tiffany and Cole stayed together, and it was truly an incredible experience and a memory we’ll never forget. We loved it so much, in fact, that my entire family will be returning this November for the Wine and Dine Half. Stay tuned for lots of photos from that.

EARRINGS  //  DRESS

12. Went on my first blogging trip.

In December, I was asked to spend a weekend in Vegas to experience The Cromwell Hotel with some other fellow bloggers and I had the most amazing time. It was so cool to meet bloggers from different parts of the US like Chris and Brock from Yummertime (the most adorable duo ever y’all!), Kendi from Kendi Everyday, Krystal from This Time Tomorrow, follow, Steven Onoja and Eddie and Angeline from His + Hers. You can read all about my experience here.

13. Cole and I went on our first family ski trip together.

My family has been skiing every spring break since before I was born, and this year Cole finally got to go on the annual trip (he’s played baseball his whole life so spring break was non-existent). And now he’s officially hooked. He was the first on the slopes and the last to come in every day, so I think it’s safe to say it will officially be an annual thing for the two of us.

14. Celebrated one of my besties and fellow blogger babes in beautiful Costa Rica.

This just happened a few weeks ago, and you can see the full round up here, but it was definitely a highlight of my 25th year and makes me soooo excited for all of the bachelorette festivities to come in my 26th year for my other besties who are engaged.

TOP  //  SHORTS  //  WEDGES  //  SUNNIES  //  EARRINGS //  BAG

15. Fully immersed myself as a Dallas blogger.

When I began blogging, I was Austin-based and planned to be living there for the foreseeable future. When I moved to Dallas for Cole’s job, I was thrown into wedding planning mode, so I wasn’t able to fully immerse myself in the Dallas blogging scene. The last several months, I’ve made it a priority to attend as many Dallas blogger events as I can and get to know some of the Dallas bloggers and I’m absolutely loving it.

 

So go ahead and bring it on 26, I’m ready for ya!

Fair-well xx,