My 10 Favorite Things about 2015

This was one of my favorite experiences in 2015 -- my first professional photo shoot for HerStory! Get the deets on this outfit here.

I'm positive I say this at the end of every year, but 2015 felt like the fastest year of my life. From raising a puppy, to teaching, to moving to California, to launching this blog, it feels as though 2015 brought a whirlwind of change, opportunity, challenges and excitement. While there may have been hard times for all of us, I hope we can all look back at 2015 and think of the good times, the times that brought our personal and professional lives to new levels, the times that brought us tears of joy, the times that tested us beyond what we thought was possible.

I decided to take a trip down 2015's memory lane and share some of my favorite moments and experiences from this year. My husband and I have some incredibly exciting things planned, both as a couple and individually, for the coming year, but I firmly believe it's important to reflect on what got us to where we are today.

1. I visited my alma mater through the eyes of a prospective student.

In February, I had the opportunity to take one of my Young Life friends to Lubbock for her official Texas Tech visit. I transferred to Tech after my sophomore year of college, and I didn't visit as an incoming freshman when I was originally weighing my options. It was extra special for me to get to witness the greatness that is Tech from the standpoint of a soon-to-be college freshman. I may have been the most excited person on the campus tour...

2. I read 11/22/63 by Stephen King.

This may not seem like a huge deal, but 11/22/63 by Stephen King is now my all-time favorite book. I read it during STAAR prep season (teachers, you know what this time of the year is like) and I finished it in five days (it's about 850 pages). That's how obsessed I was. If you're looking for a good book, I highly recommend this work. Every single person I know who has read 11/22/63 has had nothing but wonderful things to say about it. My former English I Pre-AP teacher read it per my suggestion and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I consider that a success.

3. I got a new car.

It was a bittersweet moment handing over the keys to my first "adult" purchase (my 2013 Chevy Equinox I bought nine months after I graduated from college), but I felt better as soon as I got behind the wheel of my 2015 Cadillac SRX. Pearl may be in Dallas right now, but we'll be reunited soon when I visit Dallas for Create + Cultivate Dallas!

4. I received my teaching certificate.

After approximately 15 months of training, observation hours, tests and classroom experience, I finally obtained my standard teaching certificate at the end of my first year of teaching. Even though I'm not teaching anymore, that certificate means so much to me because it's a reminder of the incredible year I had at Hillcrest, the wonderful people I worked with, and most importantly, my sweet students I had the pleasure of teaching.

5. My grandparents turned 90.

My grandparents have been married for 60+ years, and they both turned 90 within a few months of one another. So, what did the Jacoby family do? We had two separate parties, of course, one of which was at a lake in Oklahoma. If you know my family, you know there are quite a few of us. Almost everyone made it, and it was so much fun to spend time with my crazy fun extended family to celebrate the two who started it all. (In case anyone is counting, they have eight children, 24 grandchildren, and currently have 14 great grandchildren.)

6. I visited my sister in New York.

After the school year wrapped up, I visited my sister in New York City. We had so much fun eating cronuts (I loved them more than she did), drinking coffee, exploring the city and much more. She treated me to Wicked, my favorite musical, on Broadway for my birthday. I think NYC summer trips need to be an annual thing...

7. I launched HerStory.

I have launched three blogs prior to HerStory. None of them lasted longer than two months, and the posts weren't quality and I was extremely inconsistent. However, this time I had a vision, and I was committed. HerStory has been such a wonderful experience, and I am thrilled to see what 2016 has in store for me and this blog, starting with an exciting blogger conference in Dallas in January: Create + Cultivate Dallas! (Any bloggers out there attending? I'd love to meet up!)

8. We visisted the sand dunes in New Mexico.

Our goal on our three-day road trip from Dallas to San Francisco was to get to our stopping points as quickly as possible. We were in a Uhaul, and we wanted to get settled for the night for our own sake and our dog's. But when we figured out that we were going to drive right past the White Sands National Monument in New Mexico, we decided the hour-long stop was worth it. Pippa loved stretching her legs and frolicking through the sand, and it was incredibly beautiful (albeit scorching hot. Deserts...). I doubt we will ever visit again, so I feel content knowing we took advantage of the opportunity when we could.

9. We moved to San Francisco.

Here's an obvious one. As difficult as it was to leave our friends and family in Texas, I am so glad we made the decision to move out to San Francisco and embark on a new experience we may not have taken at a different moment in our lives. There's definitely never a dull moment in SF, and we've had so much fun exploring the city together and learning more about one another through this entire adventure.

10. We celebrated our first wedding anniversary.

We're no longer considered newlyweds! (Right?) On Nov. 22, we celebrated our one-year wedding anniversary with a brunch cruise around the Bay and oysters and wine by the water. I feel so lucky to be loved by a man who knows the best and worst parts of me, but loves me just the same. I can't wait to see what's in store for us this year...

Those are my 10 favorite moments from 2015! I hope this post has inspired you to reflect on your year and celebrate the excitement and milestones. I plan on making a few improvements in a number of areas of my life this year, but I don't regret a thing that has happened in the past. Cheers to a prosperous and happy new year!

What was your favorite memory or moment from 2015?