Love Lists have been a popular series on Something Pretty since the early days (circa 2011!). I always enjoy chatting about a few random things I’m loving, and have so much fun reading about what’s on your radar, too. For my last post of 2017, I thought it would be fun to create a master Love List for the year featuring some overall “winners” from the last twelve months. Here you have it: a few things I’ve loved most in 2017!

Clothing purchase: I’ve finally figured out exactly the type of clothing I need in this season of life that is practical for being home with a toddler but is still feminine and fun to wear. My Abercrombie Ruffle Sweater is the perfect example–I find myself reaching for it every time I pull it out of the laundry! It’s so easy to style (see two examples here and here) and always looks polished, cute, and comfortable. I’m tempted to pick up another color but can’t decide which…stay tuned to see if it ends up in my Love List 2018 as well :)

Beauty purchase: This was a hard category to choose just one thing for because as you know, I switched almost everything over to Beautycounter this year and have been thrilled with the performance and results. If I have to choose just one though, I think I have to go with the Balancing + Charcoal Mask. Most masks I’ve tried over the years have made me break out, but using this one once a week has undeniably improved my skin (ahem, postpartum hormonal acne).

Home purchase: We upgraded from the small, budget-friendly couch I had picked up for my first apartment in North Carolina to an extra-large and decadently comfortable Pottery Barn couch early this year. It is such a better fit for our house and has helped make the living room our favorite spot. Nothing feels better than snuggling up there after a long day.

Home upgrade: File this under wildly unglamorous, but incredibly functional. Dave replaced the closer on our storm door for one that I can lock with my foot and unlock by pushing on the door. No more fiddling with the lock or scraping up the back of my leg whenever I try to walk inside while holding Charlie and armfuls of grocery bags! I am literally thankful for this $25 upgrade every time I walk in the front door :)

Local spot: This is the year we fell head over heels in love with Raleigh, so there are lots of places I could mention here! One that’s especially near and dear to my heart, though, is the North Raleigh location of Jubala Coffee. It’s down the road from my house, the coffee and food are fantastic, and there’s a great grassy space right outside that’s perfect for spreading out a picnic blanket and playing with Charlie. It’s definitely the place where I feel most like a “regular!”

Blog post I wrote: I wrote One Year with Charlie, a post reflecting on my first year of motherhood, in one fell swoop with tears streaming down my face a few days before Charlie’s first birthday. It’s one of the most personal posts I’ve ever written, and I don’t think any other post I’ve shared over the last seven years has garnered so much response, both in blog comments and personal comments from people in my life. It meant a lot to me, so I was deeply touched that it seemed to resonate with many of you.

Book I read: I set a goal to get back into reading this year and am happy to share that it was a great success! Dave and I have both started reading before bed and it has been wonderful for both relaxing screen-free at the end of the day and for checking things off of our reading lists. I especially enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society (fiction) and Grace, Not Perfection (nonfiction).

Vacation: We went on some wonderful, memorable trips this year, but I think our long weekend in Wisconsin has to top my list. It was so special to see my grandma and Charlie together and to spend quality time with my parents in my dad’s hometown.

Memory with Dave: There are a million and one things I could write here. Pardon the end-of-the-year sappiness, but Dave is my best friend in the world and everything is better when he’s there. One in particular that comes to mind is a walk we took while on our anniversary trip to Charleston. Charlie had fallen asleep in his stroller, so we took our time wandering through some of the prettiest streets with iced coffees in hand. It was one of the first reminders we had had since Charlie was born that we were a couple first, and that even though the moments of focusing on just the two of us were fewer, they could still happen.

Memory with Charlie: There is not a single day I haven’t spent with my sweet boy since the day he was born, so there are lots to choose from here too :) Any time we’ve gotten to experience his precious, unbridled childhood joy fills my heart to the brim. One of the best examples is when we held his little hands and let him wade into the ocean in Kiawah Island–I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so excited!

It was so much fun scrolling back through Instagram and blog posts to choose favorites for this post–it has been a challenging year, but an incredibly grace-filled, fruitful, and joyful one. Excited to see what 2018 holds!

P.S. Pop by on Tuesday for my second annual Something Pretty survey…I’d be so grateful for your feedback as I plan for the year ahead! Plus, there are a few fabulous prizes involved :)