my pledge for 2014.

 {Notting Hill}

A very happy 2014 to you! This is my first post in nearly two weeks, marking my longest blogging hiatus since I started blogging in November 2010. It came at the perfect time. The last few months of 2013 proved to be rather crazy, both personally and professionally, so the time away was just what the doctor ordered.

 {The Ritz London}

I wish I could give you a grand plan for what I'll be doing differently in 2014, but I was a little busy during that time away. Our European vacation {best documented on Instagram} will give plenty of inspiration for posts in the coming weeks and months. {After taking nearly 1000 photos, the iPhone photos in today's post will have to do until I sort through all of them.}

Here's what I can promise you in 2014: I pledge to bring you my best. I pledge to blog when I have content of value to share, rather than simply pushing content for content's sake. I pledge my honesty and sincerity in the posts I publish. Most of all, I pledge to be me. I won't apologize for the less than glamorous daily life I lead. In my opinion, this blogging world has become a bit idyllic and {dare I say} fake. While this can be a pretty world to live in, I didn't start blogging to live in a dream world. I started blogging make the world I do live in better--in my own little way. I only hope you'll stick along for the ride... xoxo {av}