Days Off

Hat: Brooklyn Laurent via Tenth Street / Bodysuit: Forever 21 (similar) / Pants: Anthropologie (similar, and here) / Jacket: Abercrombie / Bag: Sancia / Earrings: Forever 21 / Nanogram cuff: Louis Vuitton / White booties: Similar

i loves, did you have a nice 3-day weekend? It was the first time I was home this weekend in a month. You won’t believe it when I tell you that the weather here in Phoenix has been amazing. Like, is this for real, if Phoenix was like this during the summer everyone would want to live here. But I’m sure the furnace will heat up soon.

I figured I should post these images before it’s 100+ degrees here and posting this outfit in July will stand out like a sore thumb. These images were from March when my in-laws were in town and we headed to the Desert Botanical Gardens for a light show.

This weekend we did some gardening. I accidentally spray painted our outdoor blue bench black – I thought the can was clear and I was trying to add a protective coat on it and out came BLACK! I screamed because I often go from 0 to 100 when things go wrong while Benjamin stays an even chill. This is one of the big reasons we get along so well. He’s the water who puts out the flame (me). After I was done furiously squealing out loud I said, “I just sprayed the bench black! That was black spray paint!!!!!!!” and I just stared at the two squirted sprays of black right on the powder blue bench. I was mortified, upset and in disbelief and frankly in a total panic on what to do as it dried. Benjamin was just calmly cutting back the citrus trees and responded with, “No big deal, just spray paint it back,” as I went on about how I didn’t have that blue color and I quickly grabbed the correct clear spray paint and sprayed right over it and rubbed it out with a sponge.

So if you ever have a paint whoops – this is what you do, immediately put a different paint color, clear preferably or whatever color you were supposed to use and wipe it off with a material with no fibers that will stick to it. PHEW! It’s like the contents of that paint make it wet again to rub off.

I continued to rewatch Downton Abbey all weekend and I have laughed out loud so many times, cried, and really enjoyed watching the series again. I am so obsessed with the decor, era, witty one-liners, and did I say decor? I could live in the cottage in the village or even downstairs (ok maybe not but it’s still charming).

I mentioned to Benjamin a few days ago as I looked around our home plotting what to do next and I said that the way I dress doesn’t reflect my home decor. It’s kind of funny if you know what I mean. Is that strange? Once people see my home I wonder if they think it doesn’t match up. *shrug*

I’ve also been sorting through many thoughts about blogging. I put so much pressure on myself. I am a people pleaser and I decided to focus on my strengths or rather, differences and just keep pushing into it. I can’t be like everyone else. I can’t curate my IG like everyone does beautifully. I use it for business but my goodness I sure love sharing it for personal reasons too. So, taking into account that I just want to be and feel free, I added a few watercolor images for categories on the blog. I want it to be cheerful and enjoyable when you come here. I want to say thank you for continuing to visit me on this little spot I have and I want to make it fun for you.

I’ve seen a few popular bloggers let their blogs die and focus on Instagram. I understand how discouraging it can be when there are more eyeballs on an IG post than a blog post but that’s just not where I want to focus. There are so many more thoughts, images and words to share on a blog post that I can’t ever say in one IG post or IG story. While not everyone has time to read blogs or have interests in it, that’s OK, because all I need are a few good eyeballs here to keep me company. I sure am thankful for yours, here.

^^ We caught the Electric Desert at the Desert Botanical Gardens that ended May 12.

I watched Wine Country on Netflix, my friend Sommer recommended it after our Vegas trip saying there’s a character in there that represents each of us. I was definitely the planner, no joke I have times when flights come in when dinner reservations are, there’s an itinerary LOL!! There is this one scene where Amy Poehler’s character says there’s a shared online photo album and I just died because we do that in Vegas!!

Anyway, phew. Thanks for letting me share life with you like I did in the old school blogging days, can you believe it’s been almost 10 years of blogging?

There is always so much to do or we could do, and then I have to think, when is what I have enough? Lately, it seems like contentment has taken over my soul which is wonderful. It’s hard as a workaholic and social media is what I do but boy can I tell you relaxing, sleeping and being still certainly is satisfying – especially when it means more of Downton Abbey.

If you have time, check out a Q&A I did with my friend Molly who asks me about blogging full-time on her gorgeous blog here. Thank you so much Molly!