Friday Five!

{stay humble… stay hopeful… my lokai}

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Gross. This week was not fun. Work troubles, battling crappy driving conditions, debit card getting hacked, feeling under the weather again… just gross! I never like to be negative but ya know, once in a while it’s just not your week. This was not my week.

BUT… when has that stopped me?! Even so I tried keeping a positive attitude and decided it was even more important to cheer myself up! Max and I had a date night, I tried new styles with my new do and spent one night on the couch coloring to unwind… there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes you just have to wait out the storm…

Friday Forte:

{chop chop… still processing as this is the shortest my hair has been in 5^th grade… but I’m getting used to it! Such a fun change!!}

{takeout sushi!!}

{adult coloring book! Now that the 52 Hand Lettered project is over I have to challenge my artistic side in other ways}

{felt pretty blah this week… new pants were the only thing that motivated me to get my sweat on!}

Good Mooed Saturday

About a month ago, Max and I attended a 1-year anniversary party for a local brewery, Railtown. This brewery has become one of our favorites as we often frequent it after a long day to talk about the highs and lows of the week. We’re also becoming quite chummy with the wait staff and look forward to friendly conversation on that side of the bar as well! It’s only 5 minutes from our house and is on Max’s way home from work. Pretty convenient location… 

There was live entertainment, a BBQ food truck, new awesome brews, and a cow mascot to boot! It was the coldest day we had experienced in Grand Rapids (up until that day… definitely not the case anymore!) but we still made the most of it with fun food, beer and conversation. I love that place and can’t wait to see what they come up with next. 

52 Hand Lettered – December Edition

WRAPPING IT UP!

49/52

“One thing to do next year” = think BIGGER

My New Year’s resolutions kind of explain what I mean by think bigger, but in a nutshell… just go for everything! Career… love… life… go for it all J

50/52

“The highlight of 2015” = the European adventure

Europe was hands down highlight of my year. I don’t know how it won’t be one of the highlights of my life…

51/52

“2015 in a nutshell” = live, love, learn

I know this word has come up in my #52handlettered this year a couple of times before, but that’s exactly why I am using it to sum up 2016. It was a year of travel for me. I traveled the world. I traveled with family and friends. And loved every second of it. I want this year to set the tone for the rest of my life. 

52/52

“Hopes/values/intentions for 2016” = grow

Similar thing to think BIGGER. Just grow. Grow in life. Grow in love. Continue to grow into the person I was put on this earth to be. 

Friday Five!

{circle place mats to spice up the kitchen}

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Well it’s over... The first week of 2016, and to my pleasant surprise it went by faster than I expected (that work from home Wednesday is a real life saver!). New Year’s resolutions have been set and everyone is back in the groove of life. I was bumming hard on Monday and Tuesday but by Wednesday felt my spirits pick up and life slowly return to normal. 

This weekend I look forward to some sushi and some quality time. 

Friday Forte:

{pretty local art at Kitten Flower Boutique}

{slowly building a throw blanket collection that I’m obsessed with}

{prettiest of winter sunrises (from inside the offices)}



{love presents.... especially when they are for a job well done!}

2015 New Year’s Resolutions

Here’s to another year of working towards becoming the best version of myself!

See 2013 and 2014.

1. Drink my greens:
• Get into the smoothie life! I see them all the time, all over, everything, everywhere! I want in people!!
2. Just go for it in the career arena:
• 2015 was pretty big in my work world. I was told I was selected to join WFF and attend the conference in March, I went after Emerging Leaders (still waiting to see if I was selected), but most importantly I’m back in a job that I truly love and see myself growing from. This year it’s time to GO FOR IT! Embrace projects outside of my goals, present game-changing ideas to my directors, lead even more processes across departments…. Just go for it all!
3. Work on getting back to embracing the How Full Is Your Bucket? attitude:
• Towards the end of my last job I was becoming a bitter bunny. I was not happy with my work, I was not driven, I was not inspired… the lack of my professional happiness meant that I no longer actively worked on making others feel inspired, empowered and smart in their jobs and lives. I know that sounds selfish (and I agree!), but it happens to all of us from time to time. I’m finally getting back to a place where I have bucket overage to share!
4. Read the entire Harry Potter series and watch all the movies:
• This has been on my list for YEARS. I know it’s something I’ll love but somehow just never ever got into it. I was that weird age where when Harry Potter became a big thing, I was not their prime demographic and maybe thought it was “kiddish”. Either way, this year that’s gonna change! Can’t wait to talk about them at Wine Club!! 

Instagram Life – December 2015

{follow along @__stitesme__}

Well that’s a wrap on 2015. You guys… December was great! Seriously, an amazing few weeks full of love and celebration! Each weekend bringing more to the table than the week before!

** Shot our Christmas card

** Threw a really fun shower for the parents-to-be!

** GFS Annual Meeting 2015!

** Indulged A LOT this month! Worth every calorie…

** Holiday Wine Club is just the best…

** Froze our behinds off at Railtown Brewing’s Good Mooed Saturday 1-year anniversary celebration!

** A look inside our Christmas Photo Shoot to wish the Insta World Happy Holidays!

** Christmas Socks J

** Checked a few more breweries off our list… Final Gravity and Harmony Hall

Even though 2015 had SOOOOO many high’s, it also had its lows, and I could not be happier to have a fresh start in 2016! January, as per usual, is relatively low in plans as of right now, but it’s an extremely welcome change from the past few months! We’ve been going going GOING since July and I feel like we can finally breathe and live on our own terms, and not have so many obligations or plans. The month will still have its fun though! So far, we’re planning a quick weekend get-away to a ski resort and towards the end of the month I get to see City and Colour again!! Ahhhhh can’t wait! 

Bring on 2016.  

Friday Five!

{New Year’s Eve! Spartans did not impress but we still rep...}

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This week was all about organizing, reflecting and preparing for the New Year… a year that I look forward to being all about growth, love and fulfillment.

Cheers to looking forward!

HAPPY 2016! 

Friday Forte: 

{new year means new desk… has for the past 3 years! This is the start of my slowly evolving corner of the GFS Home Office!}

{salted caramel chocolate bark... unbelievable!}

{MY CRACK... taco dip is my ultimate indulgence!}

{new iPad cover from Mom makes me smile everyday (get yours here and support a local Grand Rapids artist)}