2016 Year in Review

I love the end of each year as it’s a time to reflect on the memories, triumphs and challenges of the past year, and to goal-set for the new year. And I love the feeling of a fresh start and new beginnings that January 1st brings.

2016 has been one of the best years yet for our family, as well as for my blog/business, Edit by Lauren. It’s certainly not been without challenges, but it has been a great year in my marriage, an enjoyable year of parenting my twins {I have LOVED age 5!} and a busy year of growth for the Edit by Lauren blog and brand.

I didn’t realize how much I traveled during 2016 until I started writing this post! Traveling with my family and with blogger friends on several amazing trips was a huge highlight of the year. Lots of fond memories were made and new favorite vacation destinations were discovered.

Here are a few of my favorite outfits and highlights 2016 ::

In February, I was featured in Southern Living Magazine, which is a southern blogger’s dream come true! Read the post here.

In March, I traveled to Austin, Texas for SXSW, and shot some fun early-Spring collaborations with Lilly Pulitzer and Draper James, as well as some and swim shoots. Ironically I traveled to Austin in hopes of sunny skies and warm weather, and the first two days of shooting had cold temps and monsoon rain storms! {The first and third pics below were taken in the pouring rain. Thankfully I had the talented Amanda Pulley to make a gloomy day work behind the lens and a sweet assistant holding an umbrella for me right off camera!}

In March I was also named the “Best Fashion Blogger in Atlanta” by Jezebel Magazine, which was a tremendous honor! Here’s my hubby and I at the Jezebel “Best of 2016” winner’s party!

In April, I traveled to Dallas for the annual Reward Style blogger conference.

Later in April, my family and I met two of our best family friends {one happens to be my Austin-based photographer Amanda Pulley of Vagabond Photography and the other my beauty blogger bestie, Jennifer Duvall of JennySue Makeup} for a fun beach vacation along 30A. Read all about our trip and our amazing experience with LiveWell 30A here.

In May, I traveled to Hilton Head Island with two of blogger friends, Tara and Jessica. Read about our time at the gorgeous Sonesta Hilton Head Island here. 

In June, my family and I spent Father’s Day weekend at the amazing Ritz Carlton Lake Oconee. Read about our experience here.

In July, I attended my first Miami Swim Week with several of my blogger friends. It was such a fun adventure experiencing Miami culture and fashion and certainly hot! Read all about the trip here.

In early August, my family and I took an end-of-summer beach trip to the gorgeous Ritz Carlton Amelia Island. It was one of our favorite family vacations ever and we are already planning our next trip back! Read about it here.

Later in August, my twins started Kindergarten at a private Christian school, Perimeter School, which has been a tremendous blessing to our family. It’s still hard to believe my “babies” are halfway through kindergarden!

In September, I attended my second New York Fashion Week, where I hosted a rooftop blogger-brunch for 20 blogger friends from around the country. I absolutley love being in NYC in the Fall! Read about the brunch here.

In October, my hubby planned a surprise birthday trip for me to Chicago. It’s a hard feat to surprise this girl, and he actually pulled it off!

In early November, I visited the Cloister Sea Island for the first time with seven other bloggers. It was one of the most beautiful, luxurious resorts I have ever been to, and such a fun group of ladies to travel with! While there, we all did a holiday shoot with Draper James, pictured below.

I celebrated Thankgiving with my parents and my brother and his sweet family who live in Nashville. We found out my dad has advanced cancer right before Thanksgiving {the hardest part of the year} so it was an extra special time to all be together.

December has been a wild and crazy month working on a dual-bedroom makeover for the twin’s new bedrooms with Joss and Main and my designer-blogger friend, Lay Baby Lay. I cannot wait to reveal the gorgeous new rooms in mid-January! Here’s a sneak peek… {the details pictured linked here}

We also celebrated the twin’s 6th birthday this month, planned a last minute trip to Disney World, walked through a cancer treatment plan with my dad and celebrated Christmas somewhere in between. Needless to say, I ended the year exhausted in every way.

I am writing this post from Florida, where we are visiting family before heading to Disney in a few days. As I reflect on this year, I am more than ever thankful for the incredibly supportive community of family and friends in my life and for all of you who make doing what I love possible!

A few of my personal goals for 2017 ::

1. To be more scheduled, intentional and structured with my days so that I can be more present with family and friends. {ie. not let work bleed into my personal life as much!} I want to be a more present friend, parent, wife and daughter. I want to say “no” to more so that I can say YES to the best things! Also, as my dad starts radiation for his cancer in January, I am committed to being available to serve and love on him and my mom in any way I can. This will be a difficult season for our family, and being present and available to love them well has never been so important.

2. To get back into great shape by eating clean and regularly working out. The busyness and stress of the past few months have derailed both my eating and exercise habits and I am ready to get back into it! I am starting this online bootcamp with a few friends on January 9th and will be sharing my journey on Instagram, Snapchat and here on the blog. I cannot wait!

3. To be more intentional with this blog, write more in depth posts and start to incorporate interior design and more lifestyle topics this year. I am excited to start a home remodel this winter and document it all here. I would LOVE to hear from you all about what kind of fashion and lifestyle posts you would like to see. Feel free to email me anytime with ideas at lauren@editbylauren.com.

With the goal of being more present with my family and being in Florida and at Disney with my family this week, I am going to take a week-long blog break this next week. Hop over to Instagram @laurenlefevre and/or Snapchat @laurenlefevre to follow along on some of our adventures. Please come back here to the blog Monday, January 9th when I’ll be back to kick off a great New Year!

I hope you all have an amazing time ringing in the New Year and that 2017 brings you joy, love and many blessings. Thank you for following along on my journey and being such amazing friends and supporters!

With love and appreciation,