I absolutely love winter! I don't know if it goes back to my Canadian roots or not, but chilly weather and snow make me so happy. Some of my best memories are from this time of year, including trips to Lake Tahoe, playing with my cousins in Toronto, ice skating in Chicago, and so many more. These memories are filled with laughter, new experiences, and child-like wonder. In honor of today's gift guide, I'm sharing three of my favorite snowy memories...

One of the traditions that I've carried with me as an adult revolves around ornaments. Whenever we traveled as a family, we would purchase an ornament to commemorate the trip. Now, whenever I go somewhere new, I buy an ornament for my tree (check some of them out here). This love of ornaments has cascaded into other areas of my life, as well. Each year, I gift my family and friends ornaments that either represent something important in their lives or big that happened in the past year. It's one of my most-loved things to gift, as they're so personal, as well as represent core memories. To help you find the cutest ornaments for your loved ones (or yourself), I've rounded up some of my favorites, all divided into different categories to help you shop!

Merry Swiftmess! I've recently become quite the fan of Taylor Swift (I know...it took me a while), so I thought it'd be fun to put together a gift guide inspired by the pop queen herself. Enjoy the subtle nods to some of her most popular songs below, perfect to gift the Swifties in your life.

It's officially time to kick-off gift guide season on the blog! I absolutely love choosing gifts for my loved ones, so always look forward this time of year. If you're new to Lavender Elizabeth, rather than do gift guides "for her" or "for in-laws," etc., I put together themed, curated lists for you. This year, I've chosen to share ideas for both things I love, as well as what my family and friends love.

First up - gifts for campers and hikers. My family grew up camping every summer and those trips are some of my most cherished memories. Thankfully I have friends that love camping as much as I do, so I've been able to enjoy it as an adult, too. Below are some tried and true items, as well as some fun additions to enjoy around the campfire. 

What an incredible month! April was filled with quality time with both friends and family, celebrations, and spontaneous evenings out. As luck would have it, my sister came to Chicago for work, so I was able to spend time with her, eating our way through Chicago Restaurant Week, staying up too late chatting and laughing at TikTok videos, and working out. I also saw my family during a trip to New York City, complete with a Yankees game and half-marathon, and traveled to Nashville to celebrate a wedding. Read on for a glimpse into my month of April.

With Easter weekend on the horizon and small glimpses of warmer weather, spring is in the air! After a long winter in Chicago, I'm ready for some sunshine and 70 degree weather. One of the best things about this season is the easy/breezy fashion. Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing some of my favorite finds, starting with the cutest spring dresses. Happy shopping!

It's hard to believe we're already halfway through the month of April; time seems to just be flying by! Last month turned out to be incredibly busy, both with travel and work, which is, honestly, just how I like it. I'm someone who thrives on being busy and having my calendar full. I did, however, take some down time when I could to ensure my thyroid behaved itself. ;) As luck would have it, my company gave us a day off for mental health at the end of the month, which is exactly what I needed. I had a massage, did some crafting, and spent time purely relaxing. For a glimpse into both my down time and busy time, read below.

I had the best February! This past month, I turned 30, which meant all the birthday celebrations. Chicago also received a bunch of snow, which you know makes me super happy. I spent quality time with my friends, saw my sister and brother-in-law, played outside, tried new foods, and celebrated a brand new decade. Continue reading to catch up on Lavender Elizabeth's first month back and how I spent my February.

Happy March, all! One of my favorites on Lavender Elizabeth is my Month in Photos series and today,  I'm bringing in back! For those of you that are new around here, at the end of each month, I share what my days looked like from behind my camera, as well as my favorite moments from the prior month. Since I relaunched the blog in February, I never had a chance to share all about my first month of 2022. I started the year recovering from a terrible case of COVID, but ended it skiing in Colorado. Read below for the first Month in Photos installment of the year!

I am so excited about today's post! Two years ago, I had the honor of planing my sister's bachelorette party. We did it over the long weekend in January, which meant is was a cozy winter getaway. We picked Gatlinburg, Tennessee, as the location, where we stayed at the cutest cabin, surrounded by the Smoky Mountains. To fit the cabin-vibe, I chose a Flannel Fling theme, which ended up being so cute! For all the details, including decor, food, and activities, read below.

Last month, I went on one of the best trips of my life. I finally had the opportunity to visit Colorado and it did not disappoint. It truly is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Throughout the week, I kept telling my friends that it felt like I was in another world. As someone who absolutely loves winter, Colorado in January was paradise.

Now that Lavender Elizabeth is officially back, it's time to catch you up. I don't know about you, but I feel like 2021 went so quickly. My year was filled with friendships, travels, promotions, parties, and new experiences.  It was a whirlwind, but so incredibly memorable. Keep reading to learn all about how I spent my year away from LE, experiencing as much joy as I could throughout 2021.