It’s been a place full of growth and discovery. A home filled with peace and love. I believe we are products of our environment and I sought to create a place for Skyler and myself to flourish in! From Covid to working from home to homeschool This is where all the magic happened that created the life we have now I will be forever grateful for these memories and the life we created one day at a time. The apartment is three beds and two full baths with high ceilings and beautiful granite and stone textiles. I love how much light is throughout the day! Although the space evolved over this past year, I tried to carry the same look and feel throughout the space - whimsical, chic, and feminine.
Read MoreI believe there are seasons for everything in life. I mentioned in my post last week on listening to your inner voice how I needed to take time to enjoy the things I’ve worked hard for over this past year. After a season of grinding every day from early morning until my head hit the pillow my body was telling me to get more rest. I started incorporating more quiet time, regular massages to work out stress knots in my body, and sleep to help combat the pressure. As the days began to get longer I noticed I also shifted in my sleep schedule. I awoke a little later and went to bed later. Instead of fighting this, I decided it was time to breathe it all in and just go with it. You see, as much as goals are incredibly important so is joy. Without joy, we cannot experience the fruit of our rewards. Savoring the sweetness of summer has never been so vital for me in the past. But here we are and I’m embracing this season. Time is precious and you cannot relive moments.
Read MoreToday marks day four of my latest solo trip. As I was heading across the South this week I stumbled across a retired couple at the Anchuca Bed and Breakfast in Vicksburg, Mississippi who commented how they thought it was incredible that I travel alone. I’ve actually been doing this most of my adulthood.I am now a single mom who needs downtime. I love having my daughter and would give her anything but I also have an immense amount of pressure to be and do all. I work a pretty high-stress job and could feel myself in need of time away a few weeks ago. I am writing this to tell you there is a way for you to be a good parent, spouse, family member and have time to yourself. Maybe it’s a far-fetched idea right now. Maybe you think you have no one to watch your kid. Maybe you’ve never left your hometown alone. Maybe you can’t imagine leaving your spouse alone for the weekend. Well, sister or brother - YES YOU CAN. When there is a will, there is always a way. Everything is figureoutable and I’m here to tell you if you need a vacation - you have permission to take one.
Read MoreMemorial Day Weekend is forever the milestone to kick off summer. Yes, it’s day of honor and rememberance for those who have fought and fallen for our country. It’s also the end of the school year and the start to summer vacation. Iced coffee, sorbet, and gelato, days on the lake, and a long list of summer bucket activities are now the agenda. So much ahead this summer compared to last year’s lockdown. I’m excited about the upcoming months and changes life will offer as I shed things that no longer serve my life and make room for more creativity, joy, and freedom.
Read MoreAs a work from home momma who also does distance learning with her kiddo, I have to tell you getting an afternoon to refill my cup is always appreciated! I love taking time to have a slower day on the weekends when my daughter visits other family. Lounging outdoors on a blanket with a picnic is seriously the best reward for a long week of hard work. Texas is just incredible during the Spring with perfect temperatures and wildflowers blooming all over the place. I couldn’t help but take advantage of the day by going to the park and reading a little Emerson for the afternoon.
Read MoreThis week marks another milestone in my life. Two years ago I gave up alcohol. After a series of panic attacks, feeling a lack of purpose, and ultimately needing peace in my life I made the decision to give up alcohol completely. Today I’m sharing the why, what I had to do to fulfill this decision and how it improved every other area of my life. It was also the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Harder than birth, harder that failure, harder than any job I’ve taken. Yet day by day I made it. Two years is 730 days, 1 million minutes and over 67 million seconds. Essentially I made the same decision over an over each day that went by to get to where I am today. Life still throws me curve balls, but it’s manageable now. Before it was not manageable. It was not enjoyable or peaceful - I was miserable. I want to preface sharing my story that I am not suggesting whether someone should drink or shouldn’t - that is a decision that has to be made on your own. I am suggesting though if you are struggling to find joy and purpose to take a long hard look at what you are doing daily and decide if you want to keep doing it.
Read MoreIf you are currently feeling constant pressure, it’s time to put a boundary in your life for you. You have to refill your cup before you can fill others. You have to slow down, get rest, read books for fun, put your thoughts on paper, practice good skincare and treat yourself to a day for you. You may be sitting here reading this and think, I wouldn’t even know what to do with myself if I had a day. Start small, carve out time for you to take a bath each night after kids go to bed. Get up a little bit earlier so you can read a book that puts you in a good mental place. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy… so give yourself a little play time. You’ll be able to take care of your responsibilities with a renewed sense of energy and focus. You’ll be able to love on your family better and you’ll be able to recognize when something isn’t a healthy choice in your life. Go ahead and treat yo’self!
Read MoreSince I was a little girl books provided me an escape. We moved a lot growing up because my dad was in the military and spent tons of time in transit. I remember being six years old and when we arrived in Germany we had three tv channels that spoke English. Similarly when I was in High School we moved to Asia and there was limited tv. My sister and I grew up playing countless hours of board games and dolls together but when we were exhausted from that I would sneak of to my room and pull out a good book. Hard back binding and crisp pages with printed lettering took me away from the concrete walls of military housing and provided an outlet for my imagination. To this day, whenever I feel lost or down I pull out my favorite books and am instantly transported out of my current environment.
Read MoreAfter having several conversations this past week with various friends I realized there is a common theme in our speech these days - when Covid is over, when the weather gets better, when it’s back to normal… I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said this myself. The truth of the matter is that we don’t know when or if the world is going to go back to normal. In fact, we may need to accept the fact that it may never go back to normal. The world may forever be impacted by these changes and we have to be willing to pivot to the new life. Mental health issues are on the rise and I believe the longer we allow this impact to affect us, the harder its going to get. I believe we can live our best life now, not tomorrow, not next week, not next year - the power is in NOW.
Read MoreI don’t know about you but I’ve had to get a little creative on how I manage dressing for working from home while maintaining a professional appearance on ZOOM calls. I’ve been in the corporate space for over a decade and required to wear business professional for meetings. Fast forward to today and jumping on ZOOM calls in a full suit isn’t exactly comfortable when you will immediately get off a call and go walk your dog. Welp, time for a new dress code - essentially business on the top and comfy on the bottom. With a little creativity and a lot of stretchy pants you can achieve a comfy but professional at home look sure to fool any client or boss on a web conference meeting.
Read MoreI have to tell you - I absolutely LOVE being a girl mom! It’s been so much fun over the years being able to give my kiddo special items. One of my love languages is gift giving and I rarely cease the opportunity to come up with something special for her on holidays. This year is not different, especially since she’s doing distance learning and there won’t be a class holiday party. I thought it would be fun to do a quick round up of some of the items I was thinking about getting her and a few things that were on her wish list to share with you guys. All of the beauty products are non-toxic and cruelty free so safe for all ages to use! You’ll also find a bunch of clothing and accessory pics below for under $100. I’m curious - how many of you are also girl moms?
Read MoreA few years ago I decided to stop letting fear get in the way of living. It takes a moment to moment approach but when you are doing something that requires bravery you don’t feel brave. You feel nervous, your heart races, and your chest may tighten. But as you move through each moment it begins to be bearable. Maybe your fear is public speaking. Maybe your fear is putting yourself out there on social media. Maybe your fear is standing up to someone in your family or at your job. Whatever the fear is, you can get through it. It won’t be easy, but the easy things don’t bring fulfillment. It’s through the hard lessons our character develops and our faith is strengthened.
Read MoreWe are few weeks away from Valentine’s Day which is the PERFECT time to start browsing gift ideas! With so many businesses online now, it’s a deal to get things knocked out sooner than later. Giving the gift of clean beauty is the perfect way to show someone you love how much you care! Pretty much anyone (no matter what the age) can benefit from skincare that is proven to help produce a healthier face! I’m rounding up a few of my favorite products like our masks, new cleansing balm and lipsticks that are perfect to give the special someone in your life.
Read MoreWe are already two weeks into 2021 and I don’t know about you, but I’ve found time outdoors is time well spent. Last weekend College Station and a large portion of Central and South East Texas experienced a snow storm. It was odd, but welcomed following a bleak week of political events earlier that week. Social media was soon flooded with pictures of snowmen, snow angels, families getting outdoors and kids having snowball fights. It was one of the most refreshing experiences and I have to tell you it was much needed for all of us.
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In dark times, we have to collectively choose to be the light. We have to spread good things in negative circumstances. We have to hold true to our core beliefs of love and compassion. Yes, it’s okay to be angry at what you witnessed, but we can move mountains with kindness. We have to find a way to do as many little things as possible right now to make things better. Better for everyone.
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My 2021 word of the year is ABUNDANCE! The word “Abundance” is stated in the dictionary “a very large quantity of something.” For some abundance means prosperity or having more things. I seek an abundance of faith. For years I struggled with doubt and limiting beliefs. To obtain the next level in my life, I seek abundant faith. If you break the concept of faith down it’s knowing something is available and attainable without having already seen it. It’s the dream behind the magic of life. It’s the creative thought process and hope to aspire to higher ideas. I seek abundance with the foundation that my faith is bigger than my fears.
Read MoreWith only one more day until the end of the year I thought it would be nice to do a quick recap of 2020. This year was full of challenges, setbacks and growth. We saw our entire world shut down, our country go into a state of division, and home life entirely shift. With all of those events I challenge you to reflect upon both the positive and the negative. All circumstances have pros and cons. As I began reflecting through this year I noticed there was an increase in my own life in my focus on self-care, personal development, and mindset. Many of the blog posts I shared with you guys over this past year showed progression of my personal transformation. I hope they serve as inspiration for you to gain perspective on your own life purpose and mission.
Read More“‘Tis the Damn Season…” says Taylor Swift. If there were ever a song line to relate to that would be the one for Holiday Season 2020. That’s exactly what I thought when Christmas started getting closer. It would be the first in four years that I wouldn’t have my kiddo with me. My heart hurt. However, I have a responsibility to myself and those around me to not sit in pain but instead find joy. Joy in all moments. I figured out this year that joy can come in so many forms if you are willing to seek it out. So I went searching for it instead of sitting home on my couch moping. (I’ve done my fair share of moping for one lifetime and don’t want to go back to being that way.) I wrote about what happens when you let go in your life earlier this week and I’m letting go of all of the fear, sadness and past pain so I have tons of room for peace and joy. If you are also at this crossroad where you are just tired of being sick and tired… then read on.
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I did something big this weekend - I drove 600 miles along from Texas to Florida. Let’s back up for a minute. Two years ago I was struggling driving to work or an hour away to go to my parents house due to panic attacks. It was debilitating. I felt helpless often because I’d turn things down for fear of panic in the car. Enough was just enough. I couldn’t live my life like that anymore. I realized I just had to find a way and where there is a will… there is a way. I began to do something called exposure therapy. It’s where you expose yourself to a situation in small doses to build up a tolerance. Basically, you are rewiring the brain. I started taking day trips on the weekends when I was alone. First it was an hour or two away, then I traveled with my daughter for a whole weekend in November to Austin. I figured at that point if I could make it through a weekend with the kid chatting my head off while driving, I could do something bigger. And I did just that - I booked a hotel, packed the car up and grabbed my dog for a 600 mile journey!
Read MoreOver the past few weeks I’ve made a major shift in what I eat to include going grain-free. As I’ve mentioned her on the blog I am anxiety prone. Not just a little anxiety, I’ve been diagnosed with full blown panic disorder. These days I rarely get a panic attack, however that is only due to a consistent self-care regimen, therapy and lots of rest. I also practice mindfulness which has made a huge impact on how I process information and worry less. Practicing joy is another intentional element in my life and as we’ve had shorter days I find myself inside more than ever and with that came baking! Baking has been a pastime of mine over the years beginning with vacations at my grandma’s house when I was little. I loved spending hours with her making our family banana bread, cookies and cream puffs. While some of the other kiddos in the family were impatient at a young age, I found I got more attention from her if I baked and therefore spent tons of time doing so. Before you knew it I picked up a lot of information and realized just how much I absolutely love baking!
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