You can imagine our reaction when 4 giant boxes of Christmas decorations arrived at our front door.
Gabe was especially pleased.
Had so much fun getting creative with what was sent and transforming our Dining Room into a Christmas experience.
Head on over to the Home Depot Blog and check out the finished result.
You should also check out the other rooms that were decorated by the Style Challenge participants! So impressed!
I get asked quite frequently, “How do you manage everything?” As I have mentioned before, balance is a mythical word to me. If I am ahead on work it usually means my house is a mess and dinner is not made. If my house is perfectly together, it usually means I am behind on work. Working from home is always a give and take, a push and a pull, and usually there is no such thing as balance. HOWEVER, it might help some of you to shed some light on how I have found a way to make it work for our family. It is different for everyone, but for now in this phase of our life, this is what works.
6:30 AM – Feed Max and snuggle closely (he falls back asleep), get up, get myself dressed. If I am dressed, I can face the day with more energy. Its a necessary mental trick. Then I give myself a pep talk in the mirror… Jk. Gabe is already up and he wakes up little Gabriel for school and gets him going. He gets himself ready and packs himself a snack (such an independent 4 year old thanks to some consistent practice!)
7:00 AM – The boys leave for school/work. Veronica wakes up and we have breakfast together.
7:15 AM- Pull out the Melissa & Doug toys, puzzles, and books for Veronica. She loves to read and cuddle on the couch so this is usually when I catch up and answer emails.
8:00 – Max wakes up and Veronica dotes on him for a long while and I let them have time together.
8:30 – Feed Max and do my ten minute morning prayer at the same time. (Another game changer for the day)
8:45 – Go over blog post written the night before, publish, and post to social media. Schedule social media posts, answer more emails. Veronica watches one of her favorite shows during this time. Max is chilling next to me. Sometimes he will fall asleep for a nap.
9:30 – I use the chunk of the morning to either run errands (Store, post office, etc. ), OR playdates with other friends. Veronica does so much better behavior wise if I give her that uninterrupted time.
11:00 – Picking up around the house, clean, and address any other messy situation. Change diapers, etc. V attempts to help and creates bigger messes. Max will chill or nap in his Mamaroo.
11:45 – Leave to pick up Gabriel from school.
12:15 – Feed the kids lunch, talk about Gabriel’s day, take them outside, or encourage them to play inside. I am usually feeding Max again as well.
1:00 pm – Put all three kids down for a nap (this is the miracle of the current situation).
During this time is my main chunk of work time. I am at my desk planning out ideas, sending emails, photo editing, writing, photo shooting, etc. This is when the majority of my productivity happens and I am most creative. I used to be a morning person but since I would rather be focused on the kids when they are awake, this is second best.
4 pm – Kids wake up, and eat snack, construct buildings, build forts, draw endless amounts of faces… That sort of thing. I pick up around the house because if you have little ones you know how by mid-day it can look like someone shook it upside down. More diaper changes.
5:00 – I start to make dinner if it is not a crockpot dinner. This is the low point of the day when kids are not their best and everyone is hungry. This is when all my creativity as a mother has to come out to distract them until daddy comes home. I have done desperate things at this time;)…
5:30 – Gabe comes home and its everyone’s favorite moment. We all compete for his attention as he tries to catch his breath from a long day at work. He usually takes a minute to unwind. I shoot him some food. He then takes over parenting duty. (Its a team sport over here;)) He usually takes them for a walk or to the park while I finish dinner and get it on the table.
6:00 – We all sit down and eat and it is never short of an entertaining experience.
6:45- Gabe and I tag team the kitchen and the kids.
7:00 – Everyone chills. Kids play, Gabe catches up on the news, Max eats (again), and maybe a family stroll. I also will head out to work at a cafe if there are projects due and Gabe manages bed time. (I couldn’t accomplish much without him!)
8:00 – Bedtime routine tackled by both Gabe and I. (Feed Max again during this time.) Books, prayers, and hugs.
8:30 – I go to work again. I prepare the post for the next day, prepare any projects due, and do another round of social media. I have been using this time to develop content for The Brand Market as well.
9:30 – I try to cut off by this point so Gabe and I can have some time together to unwind. So important and we both look forward to it. Its necessary and valued!
11 – Crash hard.
This is the rough breakdown of our day with variations of course. Our schedule changes almost every few months based on the phases my children are in. Even right now, I am posting in the afternoon due to a difficult morning with my feisty 2 yr. old;) If there is a heavy work load, I call for re-inforcements! I have no problem hiring a babysitter when I need a catch up morning. This happens about every other week, and I have a wonderful gal who comes to stay with Veronica and Max if I have a photoshoot or a meeting. Looking forward, due to the new business and managing IHOD, I will most likely hire help to manage emails since this is the thing that takes the majority of my time to keep up with.
I often reach burn out and have days where Veronica watches too much tv or we eat out one too many times in a week, but I have learned not to feel guilty and just remind myself that supermom is not a person I am willing to chase. The only mother I compare myself to is my own mother, because I would love to be half the woman she is.
At the end of the day, I just want my husband and children to be most loved and tended to…over my emails and laundry. I fail at this over and over but it will always be my main goal and motivation. If they can associate home with happiness and love, than I have succeeded in balancing many hats. I am not looking to be the most successful blogger, designer, entrepreneur, etc. I measure success by the tone of our household, and how we are all treating each other. If I am on edge, the kids pick up on it and respond the same. If I am offering a warm voice and warm meals, everyone is happy. So if this means giving up some big opportunities so as not to stretch myself too thin or take too much time away, I am okay with that. At the end of my life, I am not going to be asked if I was on Martha Stewart or not (wink wink), but I know I will be accountable for the well being of my family and how much love I put into my role as a mother and a wife.
So there you have it! How do you try to manage your day? Tips? I will always take them!
*Photography by Chelsey Heidorn, Art prints by Honey and Bloom and ByLuciana, Desk re-furbished, Mouse pad – DIY
^^All stickers courtesy of Veronica^^
Max was helping me fold laundry (by smiling, talking, and distracting me) yesterday and it had me wish he could be 4 months old for an entire year. Many people don’t like the dependent phase of children, and I admit, having a very independent 4 year old right now is pretty nice, but I look at little Max and feel honored that I have been given this responsibility. He relies on me for life. I am his only food source and arguably the only one who can get him to sleep in a few minutes flat. He smiles every time he sees his mama. I want to die a happy death every time….
Here are a few things I want to remember about Maximilian at this age:
– He is a dimpley dinner roll. I have never had such a chub on my hands. Dream come true.
– He smiles when anyone talks to him directly.
– He likes to babble and experiment with his vocal chords.
– He can hold his head high but he hates to be on his tummy.
– He also hates to be left alone and will yell until brother or sister comes to save him from his sorrows.
– He stops to thank me every time he eats with a big gummey grin.
– Whenever he hears his daddy’s voice he has to stop and track where it came from until he finds him.
– He is kind of scared of Veronica (who likes to feed him her pretend play food and lay on top of him from time to time).
– He loves his big brother Gabriel who is very careful to be gentle and attentive to him.
– He has a hair line that resembles a toupee.
– He snuggles in tight whenever I pick him up.
He really is my dream baby. The cuddley, chubby, smiley kind and I wish it could last much longer than it actually does. I realize more with each child how fast it goes which is why he has been held the most:) Max Francis I admit it… you have your mama wrapped around your finger…
Look One: Dress: c/o Ming Wang, Shoes: c/o Shop Sosie, Jacket: c/o Sheinside, Bracelets: c/o The Shine Project, AWAccessory
Look Two: White: Dress: c/o Shop Sosie, Boots: Jeffrey Campbell (c/o Shopbop – sold out but similar), Necklace: c/o Blue Skies Shop, Sunnies: Windsor
Black and White….my current obsession both in design and in wear. What do you think of wearing White in November? I said to hey with it and wore the dress to the workshop over the weekend:) Being unconventional is sometimes the best way to make your day a purposeful one.
Also, have you heard of the line Ming Wang? Fell in love with this contrast dress and know it will be put to use often. A little modern art on a dress is right up my alley. There are even little silver beaded details along the side. The sweater material allows you to forget you are even in a dress!
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So…What. a. week…..or month really!
Saturday, I got to see a big dream come to fruition in The Brand Market workshop, and it was an exhilerating experience. You can catch some behind the scenes moments on instagram. I can’t wait to share more about it!
While the most exciting work collaborations and opportunities unfold, the fuel for my steam engine is coming to a halt. Sooo, the next few weeks I am resting, cleaning, hanging with my little ones, and all of the other things that had to be put on hold for days on end. I will keep blogging through the holidays but this year I won’t be doing a gift guide, any major projects, or running any other events. I am hoping to use this time to fuel up for 2014:) My favorite holidays are ahead and I don’t want to miss any of it.
I feel like I am always saying it but REALLY! THANK YOU all for all your love and support. YOU keep me going.
xx
Beautiful set of Audrey Pearls c/o Love Obsessed
I am sure you saw across social media already … I was a little excited.
Getting to play Audrey Heburn for a day was a tad fun. MarthaStewart.com asked me to come up with some costume ideas you can pull together last minute for Halloween, and of course I chose 5 looks as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It was really fun to pull out the rusty guitar too;) A little jam sesh for you.
These are a few outtakes and images from the feature. You can see the full details on Martha Stewart.
Which of the 5 looks is your fave? Would love to hear!
Major thanks goes to Chelsey Heidorn for helping me make this vision a reality. She is a talented one!
Pluma Cape: c/o Leslie Tessler
Top: c/o Kiki LaRue
Pants: F21 (similar)
Shoes: J.Crew
Clutch: c/o Red Envelope
Ring: c/o Deloom
Bracelet: c/o Stella and Dot – Elizabeth Greever
I gave some behind the scenes peaks into the Leslie Tessler Trunk show on instagram, but if you haven’t yet heard of her line, here is a little re-cap!
The Leslie Tessler collection came all the way from Buenos Aires to Atlanta for a really fun and intimate trunk show. Leslie even came 8 months pregnant! She was so lovely to meet in person and you can tell she puts so much heart into her work.
We had our color studies done by White Professional Color Lab beforehand. I discovered I was meant to wear cool colors and received a personal palate guide to stick in my purse when I shop! The capes are so beautifully made. Every cape is handmade in Argentina and every detail is the highest quality. Her selection appeals both to the modern and classic woman. Optional fur collars add endless possibilities for styling. Every color is carefully selected to flatter varying skin tones, and each style built for functionality as well as fashionability.
I chose the pluma cape in herringbone due to the lighter winters here in Atlanta. It is silk lined and has two side holes for easy mobility. It is going to be fun to layer throughout the fall. If you are from the north, the wool designs will keep you warmest!
My stunning friend Mandy Rye decided it would be fun to show you the different ways we styled our Capes. You will die over her ensemble. Head over to Waiting on Martha to see her gorgeous outfit and details!
A huge thank you to Leslie Tessler for allowing us to be a part of this event! It was such a nice time! And thank you to my sweet friend Amarena for snapping these pics!
I remember when I started dating Gabe I would mumble a good deal and look away when I was talking to him. It was a bad habit I didn’t even realize I was doing. He started to challenge me to look at him straight in the eyes when I was talking to him. Something simple but so challenging to me. Why? Well for one he was so darn cute he made me revert to a third grade level of communication! The other reason being I just wasn’t that confident in some areas of my life. I was always strong in my convictions and was very focused, but when it came to how I felt in general, it would show in my actions. I didn’t really feel that beautiful. Gabe single handedly wrecked down those walls of insecurity (dare I reference him as a wrecking ball??) and re-built them brick by brick…one compliment, one good deed, one authentic act of service at a time. I began to realize his genuine love was giving me a new shield of confidence and an armor of strength I still carry to this day. I thank God for that.
So there’s a point to this story. Give your words thought, and give them away carefully. Love often. Love strong. Love big and small. We all are in need of it, and we all could use a good dose every day. I am so happy to be teaming up with Hilary Rushford again to bring back #EncourageBeauty for the month of November. Its our small way of paying gratitude for those around us, for what we have received, and what we hope to give. Will you join us??
There are many ways you can join in. The above graphic is just a guide with daily prompts/ideas to encourage beauty this upcoming month. You can post it on instagram or print it and tape it to your bathroom mirror. Link up across social media, and check out how everyone is joining in. Participate one, three, or all days! We can’t wait to read your stories. There is an endless amount of possibilities and each and every small act makes some level of change in the world around us. It may feel a tad awkward the first few days, but I bet by the end of the month you will be __________, the girl on fire!
Head over to Dean Street Society to see Hilary’s art quote – its a good one! And just get hooked on her blog while you are at it. She is one of my very favorites.
