“33 was a crazy year to say the least,” the Uncommon James founder wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, January 5, alongside a black-and-white photo of her getting ready to blow out a candle. “The ups and downs, highs and lows. But I can honestly say it was one the best years of my life.”

The Laguna Beach alum, who celebrated her birthday with her kids, added: “Lots of growth and opportunity. I feel like I’m back to my old self and it feels really damn good. This is 34.”

The True Roots author’s comments came nine months after she and the former NFL star announced their split in April 2020.

The estranged couple separated after seven years of marriage following a trip to the Bahamas where they were quarantined with their three kids, Camden, 8, Jaxon, 6, and Saylor, 5, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Following their split, the pair had a rocky few months but came to an agreement in May 2020 regarding custody of their kids but have yet to finalize their separation.

“This is the first time in a very long time that I feel like I can take a breath. I’m enjoying things slowed down and having more time to focus on what really matters in life,” the designer exclusively told Us Weekly in August. “I want to take this extra time I have right now to better myself and be the best mom I can be and continue to grow Uncommon James.”

The former quarterback showed his ex support in October when her new cookbook, True Comfort, dropped. The same month, the estranged couple reunited to celebrate Halloween as a family.

Cavallari has since moved on from the former football player with comedian Jeff Dye. The pair were spotted kissing in Chicago in October and later seen out at dinner in Nashville and showing PDA when they vacationed together in Mexico in December. She was briefly linked to Southern Charm’s Austen Kroll after partying together in December, but both later said they were just friends.

Cutler, for his part, spent time with former Very Cavallari star and Uncommon James employee Shannon Ford, who was fired by Cavallari in season 2 of the show, in November. The two enjoyed a meal together in Charleston, South Carolina, getting backlash for their outing after Ford’s dramatic past with Cavallari.

The influencer, 27, later commented on Cutler and Cavallari’s split during an appearance on the Dear Media’s “Not Skinny But Not Fat” podcast on Tuesday.

“I was very close to Jay and Kristin outside of working. I don’t know anything about, like, them together, but I only just viewed them as parents,” she said. “There are three small children who have parents that are divorcing and that’s sad. I just genuinely mean that. That was, like, actually my thoughts on it. I’m sad.”

This story originally appeared on: US Magazine - Author:Johnni Macke