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Happy New Year! Coffee Talk 01.01.17

Good morning and Happy New Year! It’s time to start getting used to writing 2017!

You know a girl who loves Mondays HAS to love a new year… fresh start, blank slate, and all that. I am so excited to see what 2017 has in store.

Plus, the past few weeks have been a whirlwind, and I’m happy to be home for a while and get back into my routine.

We had a great time in Maine, and I’m so grateful that our travel dates worked out perfectly with the weather. My brother, unfortunately, did not have such good providence. (I’m Presbyterian; we don’t believe in luck. Ha!) He was supposed to fly to Maine the day we got the snowstorm, so his flight was canceled. I was bummed because I was looking forward to spending time with him. I haven’t seen him in a year, and we always have a good time together. He’s a fun guy.

We, on the other hand, managed to schedule our flights on two clear days, and everything was gloriously on time and smooth sailing for us. We had a few days buffer on each end just in case of delays and cancellations, but all went as planned, and we arrived home yesterday around lunchtime. That allowed us plenty of time to get home, unpack, rest, grocery shop, and host a New Year’s Eve party last night.

It sounded like a good plan until I was using toothpicks to prop my eyes open at 9PM last night. It was about that time that I decided we are indeed certifiable, but it was too late to call the party, so we pressed on.

I wasn’t the only one struggling. In fact, by 10PM, most of the adults were threatening to pretend it was midnight and usher in the New Year a few hours early, but our teenage kids were having none of that. When they were little, we could pull it off, but not anymore.

We managed to make it to midnight with only one family defecting, and we all rung in the new year and then promptly said our good-byes. I think everyone was out the door by 12:15. Ha!

After church today, we will start taking down Christmas and putting our house back in order. Happily, everyone is off from school and work tomorrow, so we have plenty of time to get everything in tip top shape before getting back to our normal routines on Tuesday.

I love Christmas, but I also love getting it all taken down and having the house feel more spacious and uncluttered.

I mentioned in a recent post that we don’t have a lot of hard set plans for 2017, so on the way home from the airport yesterday, we were talking about what trips we want to take this year. The kids really want to plan a beach trip this summer, so we’re going to start looking into that. We only live 2 hours from the Jersey Shore (which is far more lovely than the TV shows may lead you to believe) but we’ve also heard great things about the outer banks, and we might compare prices and consider a change of scenery this year.

I also made the decision while we were in Maine to sell my Mom 2.0 blog conference ticket for May so Paul and I can take a trip somewhere warm at the end of March instead. My mom agreed to watch the kids, so now we just have to decide where to go. We’re considering Savannah, GA, because it’s a direct flight from Philly, it’s not terribly far, and neither of us have ever been there. I’ve flown through Savannah to get to Hilton Head a few times, and last fall to go to Montage Palmetto Bluff, but I’ve never explored Savannah, and I’ve always wanted to.

I’m excited because it’s been a while since we’ve gone somewhere alone together, and of course I’m hoping to get some good outfit photos wherever we go! It’s so ugly here in March, so I figured that’s a good time to go somewhere. I’m looking forward to planning that trip because we don’t usually go places where we get to plan our itinerary. It seems like we usually go where we are invited for my job, and I’m certainly not complaining because those trips are great, but I’m really excited to research and make our own plans and be on our own schedule.

In addition to that, I’m eager to get to work on blog posts for 2017. You guys have given me a lot of great suggestions already, and I’ve been writing them down, but I’m always open for more! So far, I’m planning a hair tutorial, a smokey eye tutorial, some posts on how to wear one wardrobe piece multiple ways, and a few easy outfit formulas. Oh, and completely non-fashion/beauty related, I want to put together a roundup of my favorite easy paleo-friendly meals as I promised in my Q&A.

If you have other ideas or requests, feel free to leave them in the comments!

I’m also planning to update my site in a few months. I’m on a lengthy wait list, which is fine, because I’m in no great rush for that, but I’ve been piecemealing my design from the back-end for several years, and it’s kind of a mess. I’m excited to have someone start from scratch and build it the way I want it for what I’m doing now.

ANYWAY! That’s probably way more than you wanted to know about my plans for 2017! Ha! But I’m excited. (Could you tell?)

I need to get ready for church, so I’m off!

I hope you have a blessed Sunday and a productive and restful New Year’s Day!

Join The Conversation

35 Responses

  1. Happy New year! Savannah is a beautiful place to visit! Would be great for pictures and so much history and good food! We live about 4 1/2 hours away and find something new to do there eac h time we visit

  2. Happy New Year Jolynne! I love how you share your life, plans and thoughts with us.
    Want to know a funny thing about me. I’ve been sitting in my den WAITING for your Email this morning.
    Now- I am ready to begin my day… and the new year. I too am taking down our Christmas tree today. The task will be easier knowing others are doing the same. Blessings in the new year.

  3. One more thing. Love your picture. Now I want that top and those earrings. Dang. I told myself I wasn’t buying anything in January.

  4. Well you made my head spin this morning. You were sure busy yesterday after travel. I vote for Savannah???? Just in case I don’t make it, I will see it through your eyes and outfits! Looking forward to the new website format … whenever.

  5. Happy New Year Jolynne! If you are considering a summer vacation down my way, please look at South Carolina! Especially the Pawleys Island and DeBordieu area. You will find there is something for everyone in your family in this area.

    https://www.debordieurentals.com/
    https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g54384-Pawleys_Island_South_Carolina-Vacations.html

    Also, definitely Charleston over Savannah! One of my daughters goes to Savannah College of Art & Design and we have found that it is a downright dangerous place to live or visit. So unfortunate because It is one of the most beautiful cities in the country.

    I wish you all the best in 2017!

    1. We’ve been to Pawley’s! My brother got married down there. 🙂 I’ve been to Charleston twice, really wanted to see somewhere different. Savannah is dangerous? REALLY? If we stay in the touristy areas? I never heard that.

      1. Especially the touristy areas! We never heard how dangerous Savannah was either until we became “semi” locals. My daughter and 4 of her friends were held up at gunpoint on East Broughton Street (the center of the city) at 9:30 in the evening! Fortunately only minor injuries! In October a mother and her baby were gunned down outside her dorm! The murder of a local art gallery owner made national news in September.

        https://savannahnow.com/crime-courts-news/2016-09-22/art-gallery-owner-walk-wife-savannahs-42nd-murder-victim-2016

        https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/19/health/savannah-georgia-high-murder-rate/

  6. I’m glad you said you were exhausted by nine , I was feeling pretty old to think you were doing all that after being in Maine.
    ????. Hope you have a great day !!!!!

  7. Oh my goodness, yes to Savannah for a couples trip! You will love it. Lots of great places to stay but I love The Marshall House. River Street has lots of hotel options and is very popular but busy and touristy. Make sure you eat at Elizabeth on 37th and The Olde Pink House (check out the bar in the basement), The Telfair Museums and Bonaventure Cemetery are wonderful. If you haven’t, read the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil before you go. My husband and I did the tour of all the spots mentioned in the book, and it was great. DON”T come during St. Patrick’s Day unless you are into loud and boisterous —they turn the Savannah River green and it is a huge party destination! Have fun wherever you decide to go!

  8. Happy New year !
    You guys should consider Delaware beach!
    We have some lovely beach, hotels, shops wirh all the crowds of the jersey shore. Plus tax free Shopping ???? ???? I have heard that savanah is beautiful anytime year. Im planning to go visit this fall can you say Road trip!

  9. Savannah is gorgeous! It will be a great trip for you and your husband. May I suggest staying in a bed and breakfast when you go. That’s what we did and really enjoyed it. Also take some comfortable shoes for sightseeing. Love reading your blog every day.

  10. Your 2017 plans sound wonderful and I for one, cannot wait to read the blogs you will post on hair, makeup, food, and of course lovely, lovely clothes! Happy 2017!!!
    PS You and your husband must be Wonder Woman and Wonder Man to host a New Year’s Eve party after traveling most of the day :))

  11. Happy New Year!! I highly recommend Savannah! Hubby and I went there a few years ago on a trip Sans kids and its was so lovely! I’m dying to go back. Read the comment about it being dangerous but we never felt that. We stayed in the tourist areas. There were panhandlers but we’ve seen them in most large tourist cities we visited. We did a walking food tour and that was lots of fun!

  12. Happy New Year! I started following you last summer and love the realness you exude. I’ve “dropped in” on a few other fashion bloggers in the past few months and none are as relatable as you. 🙂
    Vacation suggestion: Southern California in March is beautiful. The Montage resort in Laguna Beach is fabulous & just a hop, skip and a jump from Newport Beach with more great dining, shops, and beach life. (It’s my hometown.) You and your husband would have a wonderful, romantic getaway!
    Looking forward to more fashion, fun, and good health in 2017!

  13. Could you do a post on different type of facials? Like the pros and cons of things like microdermabrasion and the new LED facials? I love getting them and I’m 50 with hormone surges and drops which change the skin.

    Thank you!

    PS we go to Fort Morgan beach in Gulf Shores Alabama and rent a house every summer for a week. The sugar sand is beautiful!

  14. Happy New Year! As to ideas for future blog posts, perhaps you could consider sharing brands of clothing that you have found to be superb for one reason or the other. It was helpful to me to learn about the NYDJ brand jeans and how they have a higher rise than many brands. I’m almost too tall for them at 5’10”, but I can wear them with booties and not feel they’re too short. I love the fit and have bought two pairs, both at sales times, since I learned about them from you. The Scuba black dress pants you shared are another favorite I was glad to learn about, and they come in talls! Maybe you could recommend brands for different types of clothing and tell us what makes them outstanding. Any brands that come in tall sizes would be nice to know about, and I’m sure other ladies would appreciate this information. Thank you!

  15. Happy New Year! I wanted to comment earlier that I loved the pink beanie and scarf picture. You look happy, healthy and young in everything!
    For future ideas would you consider a few outfits with keds, converse or any shoe that is great for walking all day? I gravitate to these because they seem more comfortable than boots or flats.

  16. Happy New Year!!! First I have to ask if you’re using Lash Boost? (I’m a consultant too) Your lashes look great!! I am LOVING that stuff!!! Sorry your brother didn’t make it. I love getting to spend time with my brother too…he’s a HOOT and always fun. I hear ya’ on the toothpicks and eyeballs. That pretty much sums up how I was feeling about 10:30 last night. Here’s to a wonderful, prosperous 2017!!!

  17. I have these great cognac riding boots, and have one or two outfits I’m comfortable wearing them with, but would like some more ideas. I guess this follows along with the idea of wearing a piece multiple ways. So, may I suggest the boots? ????
    I love, love your blog. I follow both you and Cyndi. Never think that you’re too chatty or newsy; it’s what makes me feel like we’re friends.

  18. As a former resident of many years, and married to a Savannah native, I do believe that you would thoroughly enjoy this beautiful city. Late March is a wonderful time to visit, as the azaleas are usually in bloom, the St. Patrick’s Day festivities are over and the weather is mild. There are many places for awesome photos so if you go, take lots of spring and summer outfits.

  19. Happy New Year you will love Savanah my husband and I was stationed at Robins AFB Ga a couple of hours from Savanah and we would go and take the steam boat meal tour and then tour downtown. If you like Ghost hunting do one of the tours. Can’t wait for the new blogs .

  20. Happy New Year!!! The upcoming posts sound amazing… you are my new FAVORITE blogger — I LOVE the outfits and am really excited to hear your comments about products for skincare, haircare , etc…. one more thing… I would love to hear about a “typical” day in your life… sometimes I feel like I get nothing done… wondering what a daily schedule looks like for you 🙂 how do you squeeze in exercise, meal planning ,and still look so stinkin’ cute 🙂 do you ever just through on a baseball cap, not do your hair or make up??? 🙂

  21. Hi Jo Lynnshane! I don´t write to you very often but now I want to wish you a very beautifull 2017 year and saying thank you for all your greetings for all of us that are your followers. I share to you, that I take off my christmats tree until January 6th, because our tradition here in México is to wait for the ( Reyes magos) sorry I don´t know how to translate it, in english. It is mostly an spanish tradition that you may know. Those Kings, bring presents to children (like Santa)in the night of january 5th and they find under the Chritsmas tree on the morning 6th, then we eat (rosca de reyes) sorry again,It is like a cake with cristalice fruts and it has inside a litle baby made by plastic that represents the baby Jesus, the one who gets it, have to make some (Tamales)ups!! for the February 2th for all the participants on that reunion.” Tamales” are made of corn paste and chiken or pork. WOW! I really made an effort to explain these I hope you can understand it if not I promise to Try again. Hugs and blessings for all your family!

    1. Hey Marcela, that is so interesting! I love hearing about other traditions. I’ve heard of Christians here leaving their tree up till the 6th for The Epiphany – I’m thinking it is the same as your Reyes magos. There is also a feast involved. I think it’s more of a Catholic tradition? Growing up, we always took our tree down on New Year’s Day. 🙂

  22. Happy New Year! Savannah is one of my favorite places in the world. We go every few years. It’s gorgeous, filled with history, easily walkable, and has lots of great restaurants and sites to see. Just make sure you don’t go near St Patrick’s Day. Savannah has a huge, week-long celebration leading up to SPD and maybe for a few days afterward. It’s total chaos from what we’ve heard and not at all romantic!

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