Browsing Category:

Real Life Ramblings

  • Everyday Fashion, Real Life Ramblings

    Birthday’s + Green Floral Maxi Dress

    Floral Maxi Dress

    Well if the photos were not enough to give it away- It is my birthday!

    I am shocked that I am 35 (image how my mother feels).  It is crazy to look back at photos and think about all the birthday’s past and all the celebrations I have had.  I used to really really love my birthday and celebrating it was my very favorite thing but as the years keep adding up I have started to shy away from the huge celebrations.  Not really sure why but it seems the progression has been natural and I am okay about that.

    To celebrate I wanted to share a few random facts you may not know about me….

    • I am obsessed with Justin Beiber.  There are very few people who know this but it feels good to finally share it!  My son has started to request his songs on Spotify and it truly is a shining moment for me.
    • I have an odd and unjustified fear of shingles stacked on roofs. Again unjustified.
    • Chips and salsa, blueberry donuts, meatballs and my mothers french toast are my absolute favorite foods.
    • My father took me to school on the first day of class from kindergarten to freshman in college.  Despite his travel when I was growing up he never missed a single first day of school.
    • I close all the doors in the house before I go to bed; bathrooms, bedrooms, closets.
    • I drink coffee from a straw.
    • My sense of direction is spot on- and I am rarely every wrong.
    • Getting into a freshly made bed with clean sheets is something I live for (right after I close all the doors)!
    • Despite being completely in love with Brendan I had to be bribed to go out on our first date. However I knew by the end of dinner I knew I would marry him.
    • i have a gnarly 3 inch scar on my left elbow from falling off a horse when i was 16 years old.
    • The back deck at my parents house in the mountains, my childhood home, is my favorite place on earth.
    • My family- Brendan, Declan and Rubble, are the most important people (and dog) in the world to me.  Without them my days would be heavier, my heart would be clouded and my birthday would not be nearly as special.
    • vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting are my weakness

    This dress was the perfect look to ring in my birthday and I want to thank Farbik Denver for helping me style it and letting me wear it! I feel in love with it at their store and was confident it would be the best outfit for this post.  The colors, the backless nature and long flowy are simply amazing.  If you are headed to a beach, a formal affair or want to make a statement with a show stopping dress you need to scoop this up from Fabrik.  I have linked several similar dresses below and I tried to find varying price ranges.

    another year around the sun

    As I reflect on the last 365 I am in amazement at what life has offered me, what challenges I have overcome, what adventures lie ahead and how much has changed since last year on this day.  I have moved countries, I have started this blogging adventure, I have learned even more about motherhood, I have traveled to amazing countries and continents, I have met and nurtured some amazing friendships, I have fallen down and landed back  on my feet- I hate to be cliche but I believe the best is yet to come… 35 years and I am just getting started.

    With Love,

     

  • Everyday Fashion, Real Life Ramblings

    Collaboration vs. Competition

    Welcome to a, potential, new series!!!

    Over the last several months, since moving back to Denver, I have been so lucky to meet some amazing and supportive woman.  Upon moving back I was nervous that I would not fit in anywhere in this blogging world, or that the ladies I met would be far more established than me or that I would just not mesh with anyone.  Well, none of that is true and in fact I have found the exact opposite.

    This new series will feature and introduce you to many of the new ladies i have met, some of the amazing stores/brands I get to work with and additional supports I have found.  Most of them are focused in Denver but not all.  I hope through this new, monthly, post you may find a new blooger to follow or be inspired to check out a new store, find a new eyebrow consultant or just enjoy a new type of post.

    I think it is important to address and chat about the idea of collaboration over competition.  In this field (of blogging or fashion) I truly believe that we can only learn from each other.  As there is no paved way to become a blogger it has been through the collaboration, support and advice of others that I have been able to find my niche.  Are these other bloggers my competition??? I guess technically yes…but my goal is to inspire you to feel confident, get a break from reality and give a little piece of my world.  ALL of the ladies, brands, boutiques and providers in this series do that (and much much more) for me!!!  I truly believe that by working together, chatting about successes and failures, providing resources to one another and enjoying some wine is by far the better way to go about this mission.

    Do I hope you continue to read my blog, peep me on Instagram and follow my adventure… ABSOLUTELY.  But why stop there…. there are so many amazing blogs, feeds and adventures out there… don’t stop with just me.

    To start this I want to introduce to not only some fabulous bloggers (who you should go follow) but an entire network and one of the cutest little boutiques around!

    Let me introduce you to Style Collective and my Denver Style Collective friends!! I have linked all their blogs and Instagram pages so all you have to do is click!! Make sure to follow them and see what they are up to- they deliver amazing content.

    Style COllective

    Style Collective is a network of bloggers who support, encourage, guide and inspire each other.  I joined Style Collective back in October and it has been one of the best decisions I have made since launching my blog. I know there are a ton of networks out there for bloggers but the SC “sisterhood” really provides the most amazing support.  Recently, the founder Annie, started a new podcast series focusing on being a GIRL BOSS and breaking free from the fear.  I have linked it <here>

    meet some style collective bloggers

    Nicole (@lifeinstyles_ns): Her blog Life in Styles focuses mainly on fashion.  She styles and wears everyday clothes that are suitable for active working mom’s (as she is one) and she is one of the sweetest ladies I have met since moving back to Denver.

    Delayna (@delaynadenaye): Her blog Delayna Denaye is a lifestyle fashion blog focusing on all things beauty, fashion and lifestyle related.  She is one of the most organic down to earth ladies around!

    Alyssa (@teddybearsandlipsticks): She writes and styles the blog Teddy Bears and Lipstick.  She is a fellow mom and does an incredible job incorporate everyday  stylish looks into her life and she does it seamlessly.

    Raeann (@raeannlangas): This fabulous lady has the best personality and her blog Rae Everyday showcases her passion for life and positivity.  She fills the room with such a large personality that you are immediate drawn to her.

    Char (@livelybone): She write Lively Bone and focuses a lot of travel, amazing destinations and captures the beauty of life as only a genuine lady can.  Her feed is filled with amazing photos of some fabulous places.

    party time

    As you can tell from the photos we  had the best time and were pampered and treated so well by the amazing ladies at Fabrik Boutique.  This little shop is located in Aspen Grove (for those in Denver) and has some of the cutest clothes in town.  They keep everything under $100 (with the exception of  their Hudson Jeans) and they get shipments in daily.  They have everything from casual tanks and tops to more formal maxi dresses to shoes, shorts, skirts, denim, bags, hats and some local jewelry lines.  The team at Fabrik are amazing at helping you curate and create a look… in fact they helped me create the perfect 35th birthday look which is coming to the blog on Monday.

    collaboration is key

    In this field I could consider everyone I meet, everyone I follow on Instagram or any other blogger my competition as we are all fighting for a little recognition, love and followers in this space.  BUT I would be missing out on opportunities to discuss strategies, to learn from others triumphs and challenges, to share success and failures of my own, to learn a thing or two and to develop some amazingly supportive relationships.  In life, competition has its place and at times it is important to foster that competitive feeling but I would say collaboration, support and partnership win out more often than not.

    I hope you find inspiration from these ladies, stop by Fabrik and consider the idea that working together helps everyone involved!!!

    With Love,

     

  • Everyday Fashion, Real Life Ramblings

    Moments in Time with Jord Watches

    Unique Watch

    Those moments… the ones you want to capture and cherish forever.  The times you never want to forget.  The moments in your life that make it worth living.  Let’s talk about time.  And how I try to keep it.

    As a mother I wear many different hats; most mothers do.  And each day I am given 24 hours to make the most of my time.  The challenge of ensuring I get everything done I need to is daunting, to say the least.  Plus I do not want all of my moments in time to be spent on chores, errands and to-do lists….

    Read more