Seatbelt?

Today I was sitting at my desk at work and thought to myself, "hmmm....I should buckle up." Not because I felt so busy that I needed grounding. But because my mind is so overwhelmed that I actually thought since I was sitting still I must be in my car.

Surroudings

I am a person strongly affected by surroundings. Surroundings are as much emotional as they are physical. I am suffocating myself by not completing my own residence. I need order, I need structure, I need a place for every little thing (including my sanity).

I am working hard at utilizing my creative brain, but find it challenging while at home. We have exposed window frames. We have no trim or moulding. We have no flooring in the upper level. We have exposed duct work in the basement. I feel incomplete and can't taste the creative juice while in my own sanctuary.

For now, I will use my imagination and pretend I am here:




Or here:



Or my absolute favorite:

Inspiration for the day.

I love how colorful the accessories are, executed with a balance of whites and neutrals.

Happy place.

Today I had an epiphany as my boys were playing in our in-home playground (supervised of course). I have been under a lot of stress for the last 13 months (wow that's a long time now that I add it up). And, I brought it on myself like every other over-stressed being.

We decided to add on 1200+ sq. ft. to our home and Chad is doing it all himself. I found out I was pregnant. We had many weddings to attend last year (two of which I was in....can you say dress alterations?). The twins turned 1. We ran a business, which includes payroll for our nanny, so lots of book-keeping. We have two large dogs that are very energetic and high maintenance. Chad lost his job. We had to lay Anya off (our nanny, so much a part of the family). My wagon was totalled. Our refrigerator broke down. Never-ending piles of laundry. Dust bunnies in every corner of EVERY room, oh and the sheet rock dust.

It doesn't matter what situation you find yourself in. It's how you handle it and if you are a capable problem-solver. Honestly, I was not that great of a problem solver. Luckily my best friend is a strong left-brainer (also w/ a strong right brain....so intelligent!) and she's taught me logical thinking.

What is it that really matters? Is it the messy house? Is it the unpaid bills? Well, cleaning the house has definitely fallen off my list. As far as the unpaid bills.....they all got paid, it was just a matter of shuffling things around.

So, in the last couple of months I have become a capable problem solver and have learned to simplify. We've narrowed everything down, we've prioritized and we have definitely cut the spending! It hit me like a ton of bricks today, and I'm not sure where how I forgot this favorite statement, "what good is life is you can't enjoy it?" I know I will look back and smile when I think of these years. I will probably want to re-live the simplicity of not having any money, but having an entire heart full of love and happiness, and a clear head.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
-Dr. Seuss

I know he's quirky, but he has a valid point!

Wintours + Coddington

The other night I lost myself in "The September Issue." I was inspired by the two middle-aged women who were found at the peak of their careers. Anna Wintours, the editor-in-chief, and Grace Coddington, the creative director, are in head-over-heels fashion. They power Vogue. They are amazing and in my eyes, equally powerful. The two have climbed together for 20+ years. They are married to each other and to their tremendous jobs.

I couldn't help thinking about my dearest friend Andi. The two of us are so similar to Wintours and Coddington, except one of us is a little more career driven and could easily be the editor of such a high profile magazine.. I am as inspired by Andi as I am by The Editor. Andi is the most amazing woman that I know. She can juggle it all, and with immense grace. I aspire to be like her: intelligent, smart, fashionable, caring and genuine!

We have always had the dream of working together. In fact, we did work together when we were just teens. That is how we met. She was a bar-tender (she ran the show) and I was the waitress. Some day, we'll have the opportunity of having fun together at work. It'll happen...we've shared this dream for 12 years. The timing hasn't ever been right, but when it's right there will be a documentary on us and how we compare to Wintours + Coddington.

If it were the two of us sitting there at Fashion Week you might see another resemblance to the dynamic duo. Andi is polished, accesorized and always has great hair. Then there's me....the red head.

My heart melts when I think of Myles.