(photo by Mark Shaw)
How in the world are you supposed to take ten minutes for yourself during the days you hit the ground running the moment the alarm goes off? I have had to learn how the hard way. After one too many pent up emotional outbursts and tired tears, I decided it was worth fighting for the ten minutes a day for myself, rather than apologizing for all the harm a hurricane of emotions would do if I didn’t…
We got a last minute opportunity for Veronica and I to do a little film project together in New York (I look forward to sharing with you soon!). It takes a lot of shuffling to make trips like this happen these days, but we decided to go for it. Gabe was able to come with me to help with Rocco since I am still breastfeeding him, and Max and Gabriel stayed with my sister. I was thankful for the chance to make this into an adventure for Veronica, and I will never forget the way she skipped and chatted her way through this trip. She was so excited to be on an airplane, see the “statue of liberly” and stay in a “show n tell” (hotel).
We started bright and early with a 6:15am out of Atlanta, and would land with just enough time to drop bags at the hotel and for me to get to the film studio. Veronica made sure I didn’t catch a wink because she had so much to talk about and didn’t want to be awake by herself! Once we landed we headed to ground transportation. We hopped on an elevator with three suitcases, three backpacks, a stroller, a baby, a four year old, and two parents with minds already on check-in, naps, and getting to the studio on time. The elevator was small with only a few buttons. As we arrived on the bottom floor, I was checking to make sure we had everything to exit when Veronica started screaming at the top of her lungs. Considering she was as happy as a lark one minute before, I knew something terrible was happening. Gabe and I saw that her hand was stuck inside the elevator door as it had retracted to open. All four of her fingers were stuck, and as much as we we tried to tug them out, they weren’t budging. It became the longest three minutes of my life to date, and easily the most terrifying. My heart felt it would race right out of my chest. I began to pray, Gabe began to curse, and Veronica looked as if she was about to faint. There was a poor woman who got stuck on the elevator with us who was about to dial 911 before Gabe found a janitor and an employee to help us somehow pry the door just enough to slide her fingers out. Gabe and I admitted later to each other that the worst case scenario immediately rushed into our heads in those moments that we thought she was going to lose her fingers. By nothing short of a small miracle, they weren’t even broken. They immediately were swelling and she was in some shock, but she is a tough cookie. It took a buckets of tears (from both of us!), an ice pack, and a big sucker to calm her down, but she was moving them again that night. This incident shook us all up pretty bad and took us a while to snap out of it. Veronica now runs to the back of an elevator when she enters, and may be doing so for the rest of her life in which I wouldn’t blame her one bit. Gabe probably would have burned the elevator all together if he could have. 😉 Now we have had many scares in our life in birth stories, seeing our kids take a bad tumble, car accidents, etc. However, being in a situation where you are completely helpless as you watch your child go through a terrifying experience, the minutes drag into years and it seems you will go mad having to watch. I can’t begin to fathom what it feels like for parents who have had to witness worse. Ahhh. Moving along…
Thankfully the rest of the trip was a good experience! I will end on those positive notes. I have been to NYC several times, but never over the bridge to Brooklyn. We didn’t get much time to do or see much, but Gabe and I both got to catch up with some of our old and dear friends from college. We had a little time Saturday morning to explore so we decided to take Veronica to Jane’s Carousel which is as magical as Mary Poppins. We grabbed some bagels on the way, and were happy to have a little New York moment right under the Manhattan Bridge. Gabe and I were both really grateful for this memory with our girl. One on one time has to be fought for with three brothers, so you can imagine how much she loved the individual attention;)
Have you ever had a scary travel experience? I think I might stay put for a while after that one!
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*Gabe and I both used this Ergo for walking around the airport and the city with Rocco. (A welcome relief of hands.)
Veronica’s coat: consigned, dress: old navy, boots: old navy, luggage: Skip Hop // My travel picks: Boots: Dolce Vita (on sale!), Denim: Rag & Bone c/o, wool coat: ASOS, hat: GigiPip luggage from Steamline (code IHOD for 10% off!).
In a home of small quarters and high energy little humans, finding a quiet space to hide relax away is sometimes not in the cards. However, when I saw this emerald beauty for $15 at a flea market, it was demanding a place in our home. We moved the hanging chair out back to the yard for spring and summer use, and moved this guy in. It set the tone for a corner to curl up in, and has been used for multiple hours already.
Here’s the breakdown of the 5 square feet we manage to keep clean;)
Emerald Chair (Flea Market)
Initial Hooks
Tassel Pillows c/o
Blanket Throws c/o
Hex End Table
Big Sur Print
Picture clasps
Floor lamp c/0
I usually start and end my day here with a little reading, maybe a good mag, and maybe a good marg. (wink) It makes such a big difference to have a small space that you immediately relax in, even if the rest of the house is a mess!
It only took me ten years of closet angst to finally be happy with what I have going in and out of it. I can now recognize in a moment if it is a piece that fits my style and that I know I will wear today and five years from now. One of the ways I have worked on creating a buildable wardrobe over the last year is getting rid of the things I have only worn once, and purchasing only well made clothes I know I’ll never tire of. I am avoiding trendy pieces and choosing colors that have always been favorites in cuts that are flattering to my body type (I am looking at you trendy bell crops that only look good on tall lanky bodies!).
I also have always purchased some items secondhand. I buy almost all of my children’s clothes consigned, and pretty much every pair of jeans in my closet were purchased second hand. I stalked thredUP to find a few pieces to add to my spring line up, and had a hard time limiting it to a few. It is such a good way to avoid the fast fashion industry and find high quality items at more attainable prices. They have an endless selection of my favorite brands, with a much easier search engine than most sites I shop on. I avoid the mall at all costs these days, so it makes my shopping experience a lot less stressful;) I ended up choosing a few neutral pieces that I knew would be interchangeable with just about everything I wear, as well as a few bold color items that always have and always will be favorite colors of mine….coral and yellow.
The items come hand packaged and folded right to your front door, and even though the items were pre-loved, everything is in mint condition. I couldn’t believe what a steal I scored this DVF dress for. There is everything from shoes to accessories to dresses and pants, so thredUP has become a regular stop for me.
Here’s the break down of my Spring Must Have Cheat Sheet:
What is the color that you always feel most comfortable in? Any pieces you are adding to your spring lineup? We are so close to warmer times friends. The groundhog did see his shadow!
*Photos by Chelsey Heidorn. Thank you to thredUP for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.
I was a little anxious heading on a 4.5 hour flight with a 6 month old on my own, but thankfully Rocco was such a peach. He slept and ate his way across the country and barely made a peep. As you will see in the video below, he loved the view. I am so happy to have had the opportunity to visit beautiful California and have some one on one time with my baby. We had a little too much fun eating our way through the city and catching up with old friends.
As mentioned in yesterday’s post, we were there for a photoshoot and got to work with such a kind team of people for Solly Baby. Rocco is so easy going in nature so I either wore him in the wrap at the beach or pushed him around in the stroller.
I thought I’d share a few favorite spots in case you are planning a trip to the area…
Abbot Kinney in Venice is lined with good shops and restaurants and we tried out The Butcher’s Daughter which was newly opened. It seems every menu there currently involves avocado on toast and almond milk. California: the health awareness state. I really loved the atmosphere and design details of this spot, and the food was very fresh.
Verve Coffee is a perfect early morning pick me up. It was only a couple minutes from the Airbnb we stayed in, and had a full menu of coffee, breakfast shakes, and juices. The greenery and sitting area is a little oasis from the busy street it is located on.
The Ace Hotel – We may have eaten here twice in one day. Made a stop for a hot coffee and hot breakfast to die for. I grabbed a corner booth to do a little people watching. I love the buzz of this city in the morning. That night the atmosphere was candlelit for a dinner with two dear friends. You might just want to lick your plate….it is food I am still dreaming about.
Bottega Louie – Before catching our flight back to Atlanta, I got to grab a coffee with my friend Kelly and pick up some macarons for the kids. This is such a large space with both the bakery and restaurant areas to enjoy. I was able to bring the stroller in and there was plenty of space to do so.
We had a brief time to walk along the Venice Beach boardwalk before heading to the airport. I wished so much to have my little ones with me. They would have loved it.
I tried to remember to video some of the trip, but with a crazy schedule and a baby in tow, not much happened. However, enjoy the short clip of our trip and pardon the shaky hand;) (Anyone know how to turn off ads on YouTube?)
I always appreciate a chance to see new places and meet new people…expecially with my children despite being a homebody. We are heading on a work trip tomorrow so I will be sharing a little of our trip on instagram if you want to keep up there!
A few weeks ago Rocco and I flew out to Los Angeles. It was a quick trip, but a really nice break from winter! We were there to shoot with Solly Baby Wrap for their spring line release. I’ll be sure to share some of the images when they come out. In the meantime, these dreamy yellow couches deserved their own post. I booked this Airbnb loft last minute for the convenience of the location and the affordable price. It is located in the fashion district where there aren’t many hotels since it’s a residence and business heavy district, but its a hop, skip, and a jump away from some really good coffee joints and restaurants (which I will be sharing tomorrow!).
The two hosts Marcella and Brittany are the ones who rent out a few loft space rooms, and they were so gracious. Very helpful for any questions you have. Rocco and I stayed in the upstairs balcony loft which I wish I would have remembered to get a picture of! It was so charming and super comfortable. Rocco just slept with me in the double bed. You can tell he was totally digging the space too. Since a few other people can book the other two rooms, I would say it’s best to rent if you are traveling with gal pals or just going to L.A. on your own.
Had to share the recommendation for any of you heading there this year! You can head to Airbnb to browse more photos of this space. If you want to stay near the coast, Venice, Manhattan Beach, and Santa Monica are all cool experiences you can find listings nearby.
This Valentine’s Day I wanted to dive deeper than the usual box of chocolates, so I asked some of my favorite couples, who have been married from a range of less than a year to 30+ years a few questions about marriage. Read these when you have a chance to soak them in…some really good words I will be trying to bring to fruition in my own life!
What is one way you work on keeping your marriage strong?
“Marriage is about choosing love whether or not you feel it. Feelings are temperamental, but the decision to choose love every day is ours. Own it. Choose your love and love your choice.” – Bridget Hunt
“One way I focus on keeping my marriage strong is by lending unconditional service. Doing something sweet without expecting anything in return! It helps me forget about myself, and Brad always has the best reactions to these little acts of service. It is so fun, and always strengthens our love for each other.” – Hailey Devine
“When life is especially crazy & things are quite a bit different than they were when we first started dating, we try to make sure to do two things to make our marriage a priority. We spend time together doing things we loved doing before we have kids, even if staying up late playing cards & having a drink is going to make us a little more tired in the morning, we will always be happier. And we go out of our way to do little things that make each other smile, like making sure his favorite shirt is dry cleaned or picking up my favorite snack on his way home from work. A little extra effort goes a long way!” – Jessica Garvin
“By exercising the principle of goodwill, we try to continually give each other the benefit of the doubt. We look at all decisions through the lens of ‘we only want what is best for God and each other, our marriage and our family.’ When we make mistakes, we gently encourage one another to see each other’s position and work to not repeat the offense.” – Marybel Carlisle
Simon says, “put your spouse before yourself, always.” and I say, “laugh! a lot!” – Simon and Grace Patton
What are ways you focus on respect and gratitude in marriage?
“We like to leave spontaneous notes for each other in the car, mirror, or lunch, encouraging and reminding each other how we are thankful. Also, Refraining from preconceived judgements or being quick to forgive is something so difficult, but this could be what hardens the heart or puts a wall up. Giving the benefit of the doubt promotes a more loving marriage.” – Tricia Simpson
“We do not criticize each other in our thoughts. We understand the power of thoughts and how thoughts determine our verbal and non verbal actions. Sarcasm is never allowed in our relationship and we keep that firm boundary! As a woman I have to be mindful of cultivating and protecting a positive safe for our friendship, and I work on the habit of positive thoughts of my husband. This habit naturally creates a gratitude space that makes our relationship fun, satisfying, and so full of life. Married life gets better with each day, and we are truly more in love now than we were on the day we got married!” – January Donovan
“It has taken me a while to learn that the way I say things and my tone of voice can greatly affect the way my words are perceived. It’s a way I try (often fail!), to show him greater respect and love because I know it is important for our marriage. We remind each other often that to really love a person is to will the good of the other.” – Maria Niewald
“‘Thank you for choosing me.’ We often spontaneously use this line, communicating how grateful we feel to be given such a genuine love. We’ve quickly learned that it is a choice that comes with each new sunrise in marriage, and it’s the deep confidence found in the other’s daily commitment that has moved mountains internally in our first year as newlyweds. ‘Thank you for choosing me…’ They are words we’ll whisper in each other’s ear well into old age, I’m certain of it.” – Angela Hoyer
“I choose to look for the way my husband shows his love for me or our children. At some point in the day I thank him for those specific acts of love either by talking to him, writing a note, or sending an email. I think it is important to frequently remind him he is a good husband or father.” – Jessica Zuniga
Quite a few gems! What about you friends? Happy Valentines Day Weekend!
