Year in review 2018

black white scarf dress

The end of 2018 is almost near! Last year, I made separate posts for my favorite moments, nail polish, and outfits. I thought this year it might be more efficient to condense everything into one post. It was a fun, and crazy year! There were a lot of fun moments, trends, and styles. This post will reflect on my favorite post from each month. Why remember the tough times from the 2018? Let’s focus on the fluffy and fun!

Without further ado, here were my favorite moments from each month during 2018.

January

san jose style bloggers

Twinning with Dawn! This was such a fun post. We had a blast running around Santana Row taking photos. My daughter played photographer and she had so much snapping our pictures. She even told us where to stand, and what to do! You can see the original post here.

February

Braving the cold weather in February at New York Fashion Week with my friends! This photo was taken on National Pizza Day, I mean, why in the world would fashion week get in the way of pizza? I hope we can celebrate this delicious day again in 2019; at the same place! You can see my NYFW antics here.

February was more than just fashion and work, it was family fun time! OK, so that means I have TWO favorite moments from February, can you blame me? This snow-filled family vacation in Tahoe was a blast! You can read about it here.

March

round bag trend spring 2018

I went a little crazy in March, and accumulated a few new bags. My favorite was this cute little round one from Brahmin. I wore it all spring and summer; I still reach for it despite the warm weather color! I can’t wait to rock it again this spring. You can read about it here.

April

In April, Dawn and I hosted a fun-filled event at the Chico’s store at Santana Row. It was so much fun! You can read about it here.

May

May was a fun, fashionable month. That being said, attending the Go Red fundraiser with my friend Laura was definitely the highlight. It was fabulous to learn more about heart health, while giving to a great cause. Plus, I won 49er tickets in the silent auction! Love! You can read about the event here.

June

soma cool nights summer pajamas

This family vacation was so much fun! When school was over, my family went up to Tahoe for a few days to unwind. While in Tahoe, I worked on a blog post which included my daughters. We had so much fun working together; it felt like a game instead of work! My girls were so happy to be part of the blog, plus, they fell in love with SOMA pajamas and keep asking me to get them more pairs. SOMA gained two new fans through this collaboration, and I gained a valuable bonding experience with my daughters which helped teach them about work ethics. Thank you SOMA! You can read the post here.

July

ten sushi seattle things to do in seattle with kid

July was a crazy month! While a lot of sadness clouded July due to a death in the family, I am forever grateful for this family trip to Seattle which took my mind off things, and gave our family a much-needed form of relaxation. You can read about our favorite places to eat here, and fun places to go here.

August

August was so much fun! While there were many personal and professional moments to reflect on, the Chico’s trip to Florida was definitely the highlight of the month, if not the year. I met so many fabulous women on this trip, and I learned so much about the design process at Chicos’s headquarters. This was such an amazing trip, please take a moment to read about day one, and day two, here.

September

fall outfits ideas

These photos were taken a couple weeks after my surgery. I love all of the colors, and remembering how I powered through the day to visit with my friend Dawn, and snap a few photos. You can see the original post here.

October

personalized gift ideas special gifts

My favorite post in October had to be this beautiful pendant. I love how it is personalized to reflect my children. You can read the original article here.

November

One of my favorite things to do with my children, is teach them the importance of giving back to the community. It was so much fun working with my daughters and adidas to bring my love of volunteerism to you. You can read about it here.

December

grey faux fur coat san jose street style

It’s a little hard to pick something from December considering the month is not over yet, but I decided to go with this soft and cozy faux fur coat. I wear it all the time, and my daughter took these photos; which turned out amazing! You can read about it here.

That was it! What were your favorite moment in 2018?

Thank you for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

Sparkle and shine in the daytime

daytime holiday outfits new years daytime outfits nye casual outfit ideas

wearing: ivory and silver sparkle earrings / lipstick / sunglasses / sequin sparkle sweater / pink nail polish / green and silver ring / classic black satchel / charcoal bootcut jeans / western style boots /

Let’s face it, I’m a sucker for anything with sparkles. When I spotted this sequin sweater, I knew I needed it for the holiday season! The sequins are festive, and the sweater is soft. Together, they create a festive yet comfy sweater to wear during the day, or evening, throughout the holiday season!

It’s cold outside, don’t try to play like it isn’t. I will never understand how some women can think nothing of wearing a sleeveless dress and strappy shoes with their bare toes exposed to the thirty degree weather. Not even in my college days did I wear clothing for looks rather than function. I don’t like being cold. So, if you don’t mind bearing it all when temperatures fall below freezing; power to you. I, on the other hand, will be cozy and warm and in my sequin sweater.

This sweater is perfect for Christmas day, New Year’s day, New Year’s eve, and any cold wintery day! Nothing brightens up a cold day like sequins. They catch the light and sparkle; making any dark day shine. Love that! It can be paired with jeans for a casual look, like I am wearing, or paired with a skirt for a dressier, evening look. This sweater can do it all!

Shop my casual sequin holiday sweater outfit:

How do you handle cold weather during the holidays? Do you care it all, regardless of the temperature outside? Or are you like me, seeking cozy yet festive attire?

Thank you for stopping by, and have a fabulous holiday season!

XOXO
Cathy

casual holiday outfit nyenew years outfit ideas

2018 goal results

photo courtesy of “Her Creative Studio” via Style Collective

Can you believe 2018 is almost over? I’m looking at the calendar in disbelief! It still fells like it should be early fall; despite the wintery weather we have been enjoying!

At the beginning of the year, I shared with you my goals for 2018. Instead of making traditional resolutions, I set personal and professional goals for myself. I worked hard at these goals; but alas, there were some goals which were not achieved. Three cheers for the goals I did achieve! Hip-hip-hooray!

So, I thought I would share with you what worked, and what didn’t, in my list of 2018 goals.

2018 goals and results

Get outside more: I was really good at this until the fall 2018 semester hit. With my unexpected surgery over Labor Day weekend, I got way off track. My activity was restricted, and I stopped scheduling outdoor activities. For 2019, I need to ensure I don’t get off track, and continue to get outside more!

Give my husband more attention: I am sad to say, I may have failed at this one. We scheduled a date night in January, and then only had two more during the course of the year. In 2019, I need to really step up to the plate, and schedule a date night; one night every month!

Make more educational family time: We tried to tie education into our vacations, and our family outings. We took a hike in the Marin Headlands where we taught our kids about our local military history. We also took our kids on a hike in Saratoga where they learned about our local historical quarry. Our vacations included historical attractions too! This has been quite enjoyable for both us, and our children. I definitely want to continue this goal in 2019!

Get my fitness on track: What is with me getting sick and getting off track? It happened in 2017, and again in 2018. For 2019, I need to stay healthy and not let occasional bumps get in my way.

Diversify my blog income: This has been incredible! In the past, I have relied on brands coming to me for sponsored content and collaborations. I have also relied on passive income from affiliate links and Google ads. In 2018, I actively pitched brands I already shop at, and work well with my blog. This worked like a charm, and I was able to partner with brands such as adidas, Chico’s, SOMA, and more! All of which I was already a customer, and felt like they enhanced my blog. I hope to continue pitching and working with brands I love, and hope you love, again in 2019!

Stay away from “fast fashion:” So, I think I did well with this! I stopped shopping from brands which appeared to be fast fashion and focused on affordable brands with more ethical manufacturing standards. If I failed, please let me know! I worked hard on this one, and hope to continue it for life.

That’s it! These are the goals I worked hard at in 2018, and some worked, while others need more work. Stay tuned for my 2019 goals in early January!

What were some of your goals this past year, and how did you fare working towards them?

Thank you for stopping by and sharing your goals!

XOXO

Cathy