My 2016 in a nutshell - Parts 3 and 4

I already covered parts 1 and 2 on the blog. Parts 3 and 4 feel so recent. The second half of 2016 flew! I started my 2nd year of teaching (score)! And boy, everything feels so much easier this time around. I enjoyed the best teacher summer anyone could ask for by taking a road trip across the country and spending tons of time at the lake (score)! Finally, Chris and I spent our first Christmas together with our own tree and everything (score)!

Below is a month by month break down, illustrated by Instagram.

JULY

July was my first full month off of school, but it didn't slow down any. We moved from Hyde Park to Streeterville and took a massive road trip across the country.

We started July at our buddy's lake house. What a perfect place to spend 4th of July!

Weekending

A photo posted by Heather Otto (@xoheatherotto) on Jul 9, 2016 at 3:10pm PDT

Long story short, we embarked on an impromptu road trip after 4th of July weekend. That road trip took us from Chicago to Posey Lake to Ohio to DC to Philadelphia to Hershey to Pittsburg to Ann Arbor back to Chicago. To top it off, we had just moved into our apartment before we left and came home to an unpacked apartment. Phew!

We drove drove all the way here so that he could order a Philly cheese steak IN Philadelphia {note - unironically}

A photo posted by Heather Otto (@xoheatherotto) on Jul 13, 2016 at 8:25pm PDT

Happiness is many things. In this case, a selfie on a street corner in a new city

A photo posted by Heather Otto (@xoheatherotto) on Jul 16, 2016 at 11:16am PDT

Gorgeous "American" architecture obviously not free of European influence

A photo posted by Heather Otto (@xoheatherotto) on Jul 14, 2016 at 10:22am PDT

My 2016 in a nutshell - Parts 1 and 2

What a year! 2016 has been a whirlwind to say the least. Though 2016 wasn't so kind to us politically and culturally, it is still important to reflect on your own personal accomplishments, landmarks, and growth throughout the year. So what happened in the winter and spring of 2016? Well, I finished my first year of teaching (score)! Chris moved to Chicago, and we moved in together (score)! My friendships here blossomed (score)!

Below is a month by month breakdown for the first 6 months of 2016.

JANUARY

I started off the year in the best way possible - with a trip to Disney World! I had never been, and Chris surprised me with a trip for Christmas. Disney World was just as magical (if not more magical) than everyone said it would be. Now, I can't stop thinking about when I can return!

When you and your signature princess totally hit it off. 💁🏼🎀

A photo posted by Heather Otto (@xoheatherotto) on Jan 8, 2016 at 11:35am PST

"You found your dream!" - Rapunzel, referencing Chris. Yes, yes I did. ✨💖

A photo posted by Heather Otto (@xoheatherotto) on Jan 8, 2016 at 8:06pm PST

I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream #backtoreality

A photo posted by Heather Otto (@xoheatherotto) on Jan 11, 2016 at 8:07pm PST

The 5 brands that you should be supporting RIGHT NOW

As I grow older, I find it more important to truly put my money where my mouth (or heart) is and support brands that align with my values. Let's be honest, I love "supporting brands" AKA "shopping," so having the opportunity to purchase something that I truly want and engage with a brand that I support is one of my favorite things. Just the other day, I literally said to Chris - "I love them. I'll give them money any day!" By carefully selecting the brands that we support, we truly can have a measurable impact on the world around us.

So what are the brands that I support? Below are my top 5.

Favorite lines from Walt Disney World Park Attractions

Walt Disney World is truly something else. The way that attractions, people, and environment can actually bring you into a fairy tale is awe inspiring. I've only been the parks once, but after visiting, I've done research into the backstories of the rides and other "Disneyisms" that exist in the park world. Part of what makes the attractions so magical is the immersive nature of the experience - from the story, the music, to the dialogue or script. Something that has stood out to me as of late is the script. What a job it must be to craft the words that hundreds of thousands of people will hear over time at the parks!

Here are some of my favorite lines from the attractions:

Monday updates + a cute new jacket

Happy Monday, everyone! 

I have to be honest, today was a rough day. I went to bed WAY too late and hardly got any sleep. Plus, there were several stressful incidents at our school today. The good news? I made it. Life is sort of uninteresting in that way. No matter how your day goes - the ending is the same. It ends. To me, that is so comforting. Your bad day won't go on forever. Just keep your chin up and some light will come. 

Now that I have that off my chest, I can focus on the good stuff. I booked it out of school early and made it home before traffic! AND I got to put on this new, adorable coat as I left the building. I stopped by Nordstrom Rack over the weekend and found this lone coat sitting on a hanger. I searched the store to compare sizes, but only found this one. I decided it was meant to be! Chris is a reluctant photographer, but he almost always obliges. We were grilling vegetables on our apartment sundeck which is my favorite spot to grab a few quick pics. 

Top 5 places to visit for a long weekend + some tips

I'm a huge lover of long weekends. I've found that they're just the antidote for that extra boost of energy we need to keep us going. One of the main reasons that I love long, holiday weekends is that they're the perfect excuse for a mini getaway. Planning a full on vacation is a lot of work, and even more so - a lot of money. Taking a trip over a long weekend is a more affordable way to get out of town and see somewhere new.

Read on for tips + my top 5 recommendations for a long weekend trip.

The top 5 podcasts you need in your life

Podcasts are the best, ya'll. I'm not sure where the ya'll just came from considering I was born and raised in the Midwest, but it felt right. Roll with it.

Podcasts are my favorite for when I get ready in the morning, drive to work, organize my desk in the morning, drive home from work, take a shower, wind down with a glass of wine... you get the gist. It is nice to take what could have been silence and turn it into productive time. If you listen to the right stuff, you could actually be getting smarter by the second! Or at least gaining a new perspective. Or having a good laugh. All time well spent to me.

Read on to find out what I'm listening to + some tips for a better experience: