This is one of my favorite posts to write because I get to look back on the month and share some of my favorite moments and favorite things with you all!
Ringing in the New Year with my best friends! Dave and I had to come back to Springfield early after Christmas since Dave had to work and I was honestly kind of sad that we weren’t able to visit his family for our annual New Year’s fun. We haven’t seen Dave’s side of the family for a year now. We usually go to St. Charles to visit my family for my birthday and Christmas and then we head to Ohio to hang out with Dave’s family through the New Year. Knowing that all of my best friends were gone during the holidays, I wasn’t sure what Dave and I would be doing for New Years. I kept looking up fun things to do in Springfield and while there were lots of activities, many of them cost quite a bit and none of them were anything Dave was interested in. I had resolved to ringing in the new year with Dave at our home, playing games and enjoying a meal together, when I found out that a couple of my friends would be home before New Years. Myself and my friend, Emily started the preparations for a New Year’s Eve party at our friend, Sara’s house. It was such a fun night and it definitely made the beginning of 2019 a joyous time!
Berets! I have always loved the look of a beret, but I was never quite sure if I could pull off the look. I ended up buying a couple berets to give it a shot and they have been some of my favorite hats to wear recently. I even wrote a post sharing a couple ways I’ve been styling my hair and the berets the last month in hopes to inspire you, my readers, to give it a shot.
The Music Educators Conference at Tan-Tar-a Resorts
This is one of my favorite times of the year to get a chance to take off from school and meet with other educators around the area. It is a time of learning, growth and socializing. The last couple years I’ve stayed at a condo on the lake and it has been such a wonderful time. It was so nice to be able to see the beautiful peaceful lake every morning and evening. Last year I wrote a post all about the lake and I reflected on life and busyness. We often allow ourselves to get so busy with life and many times we think that by being busy, it makes us look more important and it can many times boost our own self-esteem. But sometimes busyness is just that, being busy. Have you allowed yourself to take time away from your busy schedule and relax at the “Lake”?
New Friends
Dave and I have recently gotten to know a couple from church a little better and had the opportunity to have two hang outs with them. Lizzie and I dined at Queen City Wine Dives, and the hubbies had a fun night together as well. Queen City Wine Dives was a really cool restaurant and one that I had been wanting to eat at for some time. They have a lot of different wines on tap, lovely food choices and a great atmosphere.. I definitely recommend it for a night out with your love or a friend! It was an enjoyable evening trying out a new place and getting to know my friend, Lizzie, better.
A New Area Rug from Wayfair
I have been wanting to buy a beautiful area rug for the living room for some time, but rugs can be quite expensive. I saw that Wayfair was having a huge rug sale, so I began looking around for a rug to fit our living room. I had a couple choices that I kept going back to, but there was 1 overall that I really liked. I waited for about a week and finally pulled the trigger and bought the rug! I was so excited about my pick, but I was a little nervous that the size I chose might be too big in the living room space. I really should have measured the living room before I got started the search, but I just couldn’t wait. Luckily the rug was the perfect size for the space and it looks fantastic in our living room. This was my first time ordering anything from Wayfair and I would definitely recommend using them. They are always having really great sales, and another bonus is that there’s no shipping cost. 
Thanks for stopping by and reading about some of my favorite things of January! I would love to hear what some of your favorite things have been from this month. I look forward to hearing from you!
With love,
Sounds like you had a great month, Erin! I remember your post at the lake from last year—how cool that you are able to make this an annual event! It’s so fun to get away from the classroom for a few days and learn with like-minded people! Your pictures are beautiful! I also LOVE your new rug!! I always have fear when buying rugs because I’m worried about their size or if they will look okay. This one really pulls your room together, and I LOVE the design! I’m sure it’s making your home feel even more cozy =) Thanks for the beautiful post my friend! See you on text! 😉
It was a pretty good January! It was pretty chill, overall! It is always a fun time getting away every January to see old and new friends and learn more. I also enjoy the many performances from middle school and high school students around the area! And the rug!!!! I’m in love!!! Thanks so much for reading!
Thank you so much, friend! It was a pretty fun month! I love love the rug and am so incredibly glad that I bought it! I was a little nervous about sizing and the look, but it really does work well in our space. I may have already responded to this, but i’m not sure… Hope you’re having a fab day, friend!