Three Years!

Yesterday marked the 3rd anniversary of Young Yankee Lady!

Most of my blog-iversaries lead to me re-evaluating my entire blog, and making some pretty lofty commitments. For the first time, though, at this point I'm really happy with my blog. I'm proud of myself for sticking (mostly) to my blog-once-a-week plan this year, and now that school's pretty much done I'm excited to bump that up!

I'm also pretty proud of the actual content I've put out this past year. I feel like I've finally gotten my voice, and I like the topics I'm covering. I feel a lot more genuine and connected to what I eventually publish, and the fact that I've been able to interact more with your guys makes it that much better!

To celebrate blogging for three years, I wanted to share the love by listing some of my personal favorite blogs. Honestly, these are the people that have led me to getting my blog where I want it! They are always full of real-life, inspiration, and just good energy. :)

My favorite blogs (in no particular order).

01: The College Prepster

I've religiously followed Carly for probably about two years now! I seldom miss a post, and have really fallen in love with her kind, put-together, quirky style. She always has something valuable to share, and I really trust her opinions. Some favorites: Time Management, How I Get It All Done; Stay In Touch; 5 Ways To Enjoy Spending Time Alone.

02: The Nectar Collective

I just discovered TNC this year, and now it's a regular read! Melyssa is bright and peppy, and her team of writers is always spot on, too. She has great advice about blogging and branding, and I like hear goal-focused mindset. Some favorites: 15 Tips for a Happier Year, How To Get Sh!t Done Even When You're Totally Unmotivated.

03: The Lady Geek

Dia, my in-real-life best friend, writes this blog and always has a fun new project to share! I'm not a super crafty person, but I love getting the scoop on all her projects! We also have too much interacting on tumblr (me, her) together. Some favorites: Harley Hammer Part 2, The Jayne Cobb Hat.

04: The Random Writings

I. Love. Rachel. She's a fellow homeschool graduate who grew up primarily in Malaysia, went to college in Michigan, worked as a teacher with her husband in China, and has now just moved to Malaysia. She writes about anything and everything, and you can always count on her for honest conservatism. Some favorites: Grandpa's Marriage Advice, Leaving Well, Fearless Woman.

05: Michmash

Michelle is definitely my favorite 'story teller' blogger. She is one of the few bloggers that has (seriously!) made me roll on the floor laughing. She is hilarious, and I can't get enough. Especially now that she's had the baby, I love keeping up with her life! Some favorites: blogging year 2: lessons and rants, and you CANNOT miss her wedding series. It's amazing. Here's the first one.

06: Victoria Elizabeth Barnes

This is a blog about restoring an 1890 Victorial house. But when you're reading it, it doesn't feel like that. Victoria is hilarious. Smart. And an awesome storyteller. Her husband, Paul, makes frequent appearances and GAH! They are the cutest couple. Some favorites: The Kingdom Mirror--Proving That You Never Know What Is On The Other Side of A Craigslist Ad, The Glitter Troll is Disappointed.

07: Flashback Summer

This is really the only vintage blog I read anymore, and probably who I feel most personally in-line with style wise. I love Emileigh's unique approach to vintage, and her writing style! Some favorites: 90's Mumu to Floral Playsuit, In A Fashion Identity Crisis, Q & A Video.

 08: Girl Meets Life

This is my most-recent blog find, and the closest to what I'm trying to do here. Gracie has great perspective, and I love how well she integrates her whole life into the blog. Some favorites: How Social Media Is Making Us Terrible Daters, How To Stay On Course, How To Make A Personal Mission Statement.

Finally, I wanted to make a quick list of my top favorites posts I've written over the past year. Like I said before, I'm really happy with what I've been writing lately. Here's to a great Blog Year 4!

If I've Learned Anything
25 Ways To Be A Little More Fabulous
Things Cousins Say
new year's eve
Heroine's Aren't Guaranteed A Hero
5 Attitudes For A Happier Spring
Freshman Year
Permission To Shine
Don't Call Me A Good Little Church Girl

Happy Tuesday! xoxo