a better me

It's probably been at least 10 years since "getting out there".

No, not in the sense of dating but meeting new people, friends, other women.

I mention women specifically only because while I worked at MM I met a lot of new people but 99% of them were men, older men. Not the good looking, rich kind either...

I digress.

I was comfortably stuck in my rut of being around and socializing with men. And boy are they entertaining, anti social and often very dramatic. They are just like women just not as critical of each other. Ha.

I promise, this is not a post about men.

Again, I digress.

As you all know, since leaving MM I have had the opportunity to meet other moms and become involved with the PTSA and they are 99% women and my age. You'd think that would be a nice change and in a lot of ways it is but yet so much the same. Happily the topics of conversations have changed and there is a lot less cursing. In turn I have met a few really great women, moms. Theres a couple that stand out, they are amazing people.

Without sounding creepy and stalkerish, even though it will, I want to be around them. I want Antonio to be around their kids; I want to be in their lives and vice versa. Being around them makes me want to be a better women, mom, wife and friend.

Ok, yup. That sounded weird. But these women are amazingly strong women who appear to have it all. Even when they claim to be going crazy they still appear to have it all together.

It's almost like working at MM made me care less about myself in the sense, I only half cared about how I looked and what people thought of me. With the lack of appreciation, especially at the end, made me only want to put in half the effort. The people around me were either mostly twice my age, drunk (yes, a lot of guys came in clearly intoxicated all while trying to act normal), high or weren't worth my energy. Sounds depressing, yes but for the most part I loved these guys. It made that part of the job less stressful. I had zero "competition". :)

Now being around other women, I care more about my appearance and how I present myself.  These couple women, without knowing it, have influenced me to want to be a better version of myself.

Birthdays

Some call us December birthdays.

Others call us Christmas birthdays. Either way sucks.

When I was younger having a birthday two days after Christmas, yes, TWO DAYS, sucked because most people would casually "forget" my birthday and lump them together to just give me one gift. As a kid that really sucked. Some people would be great about it and gave me gifts for both, thank you and my younger self really thanks you for that! :)

When I was in Jr. High and High School, maybe even earlier, I asked my mom if we could celebrate my birthday in June for my half birthday. Surprisingly she was ok with that. Then she told me I'd have to skip a birthday and wait until June came around to celebrate. I knew there would be a catch. So of course when it came time to "skip" my birthday, I wanted no part of it. It was fun to celebrate with friends with all the festivities still going and everything still on and decorated for Christmas. I remember going to Seattle and going ice skating at Seattle Center a few different years. It was always the same core group of friends and they knew my birthday was right after Christmas so it was already planned that they would be around. It also helped none of us ever went away for the holidays.

Then I got a little older and didn't need all the gifts but appreciated the option of one big gift.  Now, as I am older I dread it for a few reasons.

One. I am getting older...

Two. When people ask what I'd like for my birthday, I just don't know. It's hard enough to come up with ideas for Christmas but then to be asked for my birthday right away, I just don't know.

And three. What would I like to do for my birthday? I'm tired, I don't necessarily want to do anything. Maybe just stay in my pjs and get takeout. Ha! As an introvert who also struggles with anxiety I don't want to have to be "on" any more. Two straight days of going and being "on" is hard enough. Come to me and bring the love, and takeout (and wine). But know I may be in my pjs or cozy clothes and not ready or wanting to go anywhere.

With my Mom being over here (Mill Creek) now she asked if we'd like to go to their house for my birthday. It is nice to not have to clean up for them to come here but having to go there, or anywhere isn't on top of my list. And with the Seahawks playing, let me just lay on the couch and stare at the TV. Or something similar. Happily, my mom said we could come before the game started and said it was ok to come in our pjs. Yay! And I did just that, well my fat pants and cozy top. :) A plus of not staying home was that my mess of a house wasn't staring at me all day! Too bad the Seahawks lost, but happily it started to snow late afternoon through when we left tonight! No, nothing sticking really but fun to see.

Happy birthday to all of you December/Christmas birthday babies! The struggle is real, isn't it?! Ha. Thank you to all of you who took the time to send birthday wishes, I so appreciate them and you.

Thankful

I am thankful for so much.

I am thankful for my health, I know, I know, everybody says that; but it is true. I battle anxiety pretty badly and it tends to hold me back from a lot but over all, I am healthy and so are my boys. As many of you know I am about to turn 38 and that is about the age when my Dad was really getting sick. Thats been weighing heavily on me lately and again, another reason to be thankful for my health. I have it and get to continue to watch Antonio grow up and live my life with Albert. So thankful. Which leads to being so thankful, well grateful is a better word, to having my Mom healthy and living closer. (Thankful for no ferry lines this year too. :))

I am also thankful to be able to able to stay home with Antonio. It is something I have wanted to do from day one and I wasn't sure I would ever get to, but thanks to Albert working so incredibly hard for us, I can. It has been so rewarding. I get to have breakfast with Antonio and walk to the bus stop with him every morning and then be there when he gets off the bus and comes running to me. Now that I am working so much, maybe to much, with the PTSA at school,  I get to see him periodically through the day and that makes us both so happy! I am one lucky Mama!

That leads to my next thing; the PTSA. Yes, I am actually thankful for finding it and joining it. It has consumed my life right now and I have done none the things I was looking forward to doing once becoming a stay at home mom but I enjoy it. It gets me dressed and out of the house pretty much every day! :) I have also met an amazing group of ladies that I know I would have never met otherwise.

Last but not least, I am so thankful for Albert. He works so hard for Antonio and I and has been so patient with me while I try to find balance between the PTSA and trying get all the things done at home. We are so lucky to have him in our lives.

Balance

Balance is so hard to find. I thought staying home with Antonio would give me so much time to do so much I have been wanting (and needing) to do. Before leaving MM, all the guys kept asking, "What are you going to do with all your time" and my reply always was, "I plan on getting involved with Antonio's school and getting my honey-do list done". I had no idea, really. I knew I'd volunteer in his class and school but I was looking forward to having no real obligation to anyone.

Then I joined the PTSA. 

Now I am finding myself always at school between volunteering in his class and helping with the PTSA. I've had a good time so far with the PTSA and have met some awesome ladies who I hope become actual friends with. It's been a long time since I've had a some real girlfriends to "hang out" with. Lame, I know. I have my girlfriends but in reality, they all live just far enough away that we rarely see each other, especially after having kids. Between the distance and my anxiety; it plain sucks and I miss them! 

I am, as well as my house and husband,  in need of finding balance with the PTSA and everything else. I find I spend 4-5 days at school and for most of the day. Many days, I am quickly leaving school just to make it home in time to meet Antonio's bus. My house is a mess, laundry is getting done at random times and never done all at once. Oye. What happened to all that time I thought I was going to have? I have to try cut back on my PTSA time to be able to find time for everything else. Happily, events and other PTSA work slows down after the new year but in the mean time I have to try to cut back, and not feel guilty about it. Thankfully, we are getting more volunteers show up as the year progresses and hopefully that continues to be the case so I don't feel like I do have to be there as much. Like the say, "many hands make light work". So true. 

For the past year or so there has just been 2 core PTSA ladies doing all the work and I'm not sure how they did it an still get it all done. However, now that there are a few more of us we are trying to find easy ways to earn money for the PTSA. We have found a couple ways and are in process of one other. We currently have enrolled in Amazon Associates and Targets REDcard "Take charge of Education".  The Amazon Associates lets you use your Smile Amazon's charity you may already use and adds that to the link. You can use this link to make your purchases. It should take you to Amazon and using your charity you have chosen already. If you don't already have a charity, may I suggest Childrens Law Center of Washington Ps. Its a nonprofit founded by my stepbrother to provide low cost attorney services for help find permanence for foster children. Or Liberty Adoption Advocates. This is also a nonprofit that my stepsister is the founder of that provides financial assistance for families to adopt. Both are amazing charities to contribute to. If you have any issues using this link, please let me know. I have specific instructions that I can give you on how to add your "smile" charity to our link, basically go here, once there change the first part of the address to smile.amazon.com, from just amazon.com and leave the rest. Just please make sure "Code=sl2&tag=sunnyselemen-20" is still in the long web address; that how we get credit! If you for whatever reason don't want to use the smile amazon version, you can use this link which is just for the regular Amazon. 

Please bookmark this Amazon link or the other and use it for all of your Amazon shopping. We, the PTSA, can earn 4 - 8% back on all purchases and there is nothing you need to do but your normal shopping on Amazon through that link. The link is also on the right of this blog in case you need to come back to use it. The more money can earn for Antonio's school, the more fun events we can host and the more money we can give back to the teachers and school! 

Target REDcard's Take Charge for Education is just as easy. Just go here to link up your REDcard debit or credit card version to our school, Sunnyside Elementary, our school ID is 105887. Target gives up to 1% back to us. Again, all you have to do is link up your REDcard to our school and continue shopping at Target. Both in store and online works.

So there are two very easy ways to help support Antonio's school! It just takes a few minutes to link each up. I'd really, really appreciate it if you did; so much money that can be earned without you spending an extra penny! Do it now before you forget to and start your holiday shopping too! :) If you have any questions or trouble doing this, let me know! Thank you to those of you who link up!

I am still loving being at home with Antonio and all the extra time we've had. Hevloves it when he sees me at school throughout the day and is loving it even more when he gets to help out with events we host at school. I have no intentions to stop helping at school because we both, Antonio and I, love it! I just need to be/feel more balanced. So please, in the meantime, send me "balancing" thoughts. 

Chapter three.

*I've had a few people ask how my first week as a stay-at-home Mom is going. And in short its awesome!!

Chapter 3.

At least thats what it seems.

To recap, chapter 1 was having Antonio and being able to stay home with him for 9 months before returning to work. I am incredibly grateful for that. Sure, all he mostly did was eat, poop/pee, sleep and cry but that infant time is/was so precious and you never get that back.

Chapter 2 was going back to work and putting him in daycare. We were lucky enough to find good daycares, yes we had to change daycares 3 times for different reasons for him. Each one, except maybe the last, (it was good but was glad to not have him there long) was a good fit for where he was in age. The first one, he was at from 9 months to about 18 months so he was mainly just crawling around and exploring; it was a good fit and the other kids there were similar in age. The second one, he was about 18 months to just this summer and was much more structured and school like. Lots of learning play with circle time where they did calendar, the weather and reading. It was perfect for him getting him prepped for school. I couldn't have imagined a better place for him to be at for that part of his life. The 3rd and most recent place, wasn't bad just not as good as the other two places. There was a LOT of tv time. Antonio came home talking about things he wanted that he'd seen on tv there. We think there was more attention to the smaller kids, which is good and needed but, then the older kids were free to do whatever, whenever including tv watching, all the time.

Then onto chapter 3, the present.

As you all know, as of August 28th I became a SAHM. After the week with Antonio I am really wishing we could have done this earlier but home refinancing and other things kept us from doing that. I am just grateful for the week and a half with him before school starts. I feel like I am already more "present" in his life. There's also been a couple times where he's told me to, "slow down, don't be in a hurry" because, "the faster we go the less time I get to spend with you and I like spending time with you". I'm not sure how accurate that is or where he got that but I got the hint both times.  I'm trying to learn to take my time, slow down and "smell the flowers". I don't have "go to work" so theres minimal rush to get things done. :) That part is great.

Going forward, I will be first and foremost Antonio's Mama. I can't wait to be there at the bus stop after school to hear about his day. I'm also looking forward to being a volunteer in Antonio's class this year, hoping to on a regular basis. We'll have to find a good routine for after school as far as homework, downtime and playtime. I am sure we'll have to try a few different things before we find the right one for both us.

While he is at school there are so many things I have put on my own "honey-do" list. Everything from cleaning, to organizing, to throwing clutter out, to just basics like getting new pictures in our frames on the walls. I also hope to find time to refocus on me. Finding time to get back into an exercise routine, finding something(s) to do in my community that I like and makes me feel good. Albert's schedule will change (weekends off again) starting the end of this month which will also mean we will get more time as a family and that he and I will get more time together too!

There will be some adjustments in the coming weeks as far as routine, expectations, money spending and just plain old spending time together, because let's be honest, we were rarely spending time as a whole family and now suddenly having a lot more time together may take an adjustment! :) I'm already seeing my anxiety levels stay lower too. I'm sure I will see them rise again next week leading up to the start of school but thats expected. :)

I am looking forward to finding our groove together and spending more time together!

Change can be good.

We are about to have a big (good) change in our family.

No I am not pregnant.

August 28th, I will be a stay at home Mom!

Eek!

We have refinanced our home and will be saving some money with that, enough that, without paying for daycare and not working it will be similar to when I worked part time. This is a big change for us and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous about it but it will be for the best; for all of us. I do realize that starting in September Antonio will be going to school all day, so you may wonder what the point is. Well, I really enjoyed volunteering in his class the few times I did last year and hope to become a regular volunteer this coming year in his class. I really liked knowing what he was learning, what he was expected to do (and really could do) and who his friends were. I look forward to that again. I am also looking forward to being more involved in his life. Now, I feel like I drop him at daycare, go to work, come home, eat dinner then put him to bed. It's not quite to that bad but practically and I feel badly for it. I look forward to having more quality time as a family too. Right now, Albert and I have different days off and that sucks. I also hope to look into finding something/somewhere I can volunteer while Antonio is at school, get more involved in my community. As my outside salesman, who also hired me, told me, "you have so many skills that are wasted working here (MMCO). Find something your heart likes to do and do it now that you have the chance.". His compliments are rare, but when they happen, they are good ones. :) So thats what I hope to do. Also, I'll have no excuse for not running!

Over the past year I have become more and more unhappy at my job. Anywhere from feeling very unappreciated from my boss to lack of a pay raise (in 6+ years!) and benefits to just completely being frustrated with the way things work. I love working with the group of guys (and 2 gals in our other building) at my location; they are like family to me. A very dysfunctional family but I'll miss them so much, even the two newer guys. :) As most of you know, I tend to be pretty emotional. While telling one paticular co-worker Wednesday about my resignation I found myself fighting back the tears. I was so nervous to tell him and it makes me incredibly sad to know that I will not be seeing him on a regular basis. He and I have worked together for about 8 years. This group of guys mean so much to me, they make me laugh so hard while also making me so frustrated. :) I know for a fact I would have never met any of these guys if it weren't for Mutual and for that I am grateful. I have worked there for 12 years as of September, so it will be very bittersweet on that last day. The daily sh!t throwing has already started; it will be a long 4 weeks. Ha.

On the flip side, I have already felt the "release of stress" from knowing I won't have to be there everyday. Since I respect and care so much for these guys, I constantly stress and have anxiety over missing work due to illness, whether it be myself or Antonio, or wanting to take a day off. It was a constant tug of war with my heart. Now I know if Antonio is sick or something comes up that I want to be at, I can be. That alone is such a great feeling.

This will be an adjustment for us but I know we will make it work and soon find our groove. Albert has already said he's excited to not have to stress over what to make for dinner. Haha. I have such a good guy! We won't get to splurge as much as we do now and the essential oil monthly shipments will be stopped and stitch fix boxes will be not as often as well as some other things but it's all worth it.

So please send us good vibes over the next couple months that I am able to finish out my time at work without to much grief from the guys (yeah right!) and that we find our groove sooner than later. I am looking forward to our next chapter and being a Mama and wife first!

Stitch Fix #3

They say, 3rd times a charm.

They also say, the more specific feedback and requests you give, the better the "fix".

Both are true in my most recent fix and is the best one yet! In fact, I am tempted to keep it all for a couple reasons. For one, I love all the items, they are all very comfy and casual enough, yet nice enough that I could wear them no matter what I am doing or where I am going. The other reason being if I keep them all I get a 25% discount off the total. To give you an idea that would be, in this particular fix, the discounted dollar amount $74, plus my $20 styling fee that goes towards what I buy. So almost $100 or getting 2 (and a half) items for free, FREE! Or it balances every item out to be about $40 which because I have 2 items that are on the expensive side makes it even more tempting.

I really do like/love all the items except for 1 and another could maybe go up a size, maybe. So I just don't know what to do. If I only keep the items I really like, 2 for sure and maybe 3, I am spending almost half of the total I would spend if I kept all of them. Oye. Do you see my dilemma?! I'd appreciate any feedback you have!

So moving on to what I got. I just had a good feeling when I opened the box and saw the snippets of what was inside.

First up is Fun2Fun Baker Split Neck Blouse. 

Its a good fit and I really like the colors but I am not 100% on the pattern. However, while trying on and showing each item to Albert he said he really liked this one which means it couldn't have been so bad. 

Verdict. I'm not sure yet. I'd love to keep it but if some items have to go this could be one of them.

Next. Mavi Sonja Boyfriend Jean. 

Man, these jeans are amazing, so comfortable and soft, yes, soft. I made Albert feel them and he even said, "wow, nice". They are are perfect length and fit through my legs great, (do you hear the but coming...) but they are a lower waistline and a tiny bit snug which in turn gives me a slight muffin top. (ahhh, nooooooooo!) They do have spandex in them so I think they might stretch and be fine but its been so friggin' hot here yesterday and today that I can't bear to wear them around the house to see if they do. They are also my most expensive item, by far. Insert my dilemma, keep everything they drop to about $40 and then its an even better pair of jeans. :)  Also, its June and if the summer stays like the past two days have been weather wise I do not need another pair of jeans. BUT...they are so soft and with wearing jeans to work everyday it would be nice to have a pair that weren't for work. Hmmmm.....

Verdict. Undecided. Honestly, if I don't keep it all, I think they will go back. Between the snug waistline, price and its summer, I can't justify keeping them if I don't keep everything else. 

Next up. Out From The Kloth Callie Denim Jacket. 

I can't say enough about this one. I love it, plain and simple. I pretty much knew as soon as I put it on it was staring here with me! It fits like a glove, no joke, almost as if it was made for me. It too, is so soft and cozy. Like the jeans it has a bit of spandex in it to keep it soft and moveable versus stiff like most denim is. I can see myself wearing this all the time. In fact when Antonio and went to Target this morning I wore it there. Love, love, love it! I didn't know I needed it until today! 

Verdict. Who cares if it is Summer, I'll be wearing this thing all the time! Keep!!!!

Next up is THML Kahlo Short Sleeve Knit Top.  

I also really liked this one as soon as I put it on. It's cotton so very comfortable and thin, but not cheap thin. It has that cut where it is shorter in the frot and longer in the back but I like it a lot! Its a different style for me, one that I most likely would not try on at a store but turns out I really like it. 

 (see the front versus back length)

(sorry all my pictures seem so dark. :( )

Verdict. Keep. I can see myself wearing this through Fall and Winter too. 

Last but no least. Market & Spruce Amberley Cut Out Detail Knit Top.  

I wasn't sure about this one because of the horizontal stripes but the back is so cute. When I put it on, I thought my eyes were tripping out. I walked out to show Albert and he said he didn't like it because it was hard to look at. Ha. I was glad it wasn't just me. Its almost like it is to busy or something. It is also more on the very fitted side than I am comfortable with, please ignore the middle extra tire section. :/ Right there is motivation to get out and run/walk again...

(so unflattering. ugh.)

Verdict. Sending back. The main reason anything goes back... So sad because I really, really like everything else. Part of me is trying to figure a reason to keep it, which is also why I shouldn't. Keeping it would bring the average cost way down. Assuming I send it back, means I really can't keep everything else; its way more than I should spend. Sigh.

So all in all, I loved this fix. The first couple were great but I'm learning what I like and want and what I don't like. Each fix that gets scheduled I am getting more and more specific. I also really like my stylist this time; Jordan. I may even request her again. They say you can do that so I may have to try. I am still loving Stitch Fix and would highly recommend it. Shopping with a 5 year old is a pain and so hard. Heck, I don't even know what is in fashion anymore, so having Stitch Fix send me clothes that I know are in fashion and fit is amazing! I love it. Did you know Birkenstocks are back?! At least Target is selling them like they are... who knew?! 

If you decide you want to try it out, you so should, let me know I will send you a friend referral code to use or just use this one HERE. If you use my code it gives me credit! :) 

Stitch Fix #2

I received my second "fix" Friday and it was a great way to end a long day! When I opened my box I was somewhat expecting a couple things I had pretty specifically requested. However, both items were not there and as I pulled out the pieces I wondered what I had done to give the stylist the impression I would like the items. Two of them I really like right out of the box but the others, not so much. My parents had come by for a bit and were here when I opened the box and as my Mom said, just try them on, you never know. Well she was right. After they left, I went upstairs and tried them on. The two pieces I liked out of the box I still really liked when I put them on. The others I was surprised to actually like, one more than the others. If it were up to me, I'd consider keeping all but one of the items but Albert said one of them did flatter me well and was just kinda of blah and realistically, he was right. So now I am wanting to keep 3 of them but finacially should only keep 2.

As far as the items I was somewhat expecting, there was a note, as usual, in the box stating that she, the stylist, couldn't find the piece's and right size of one of them and the other not the right colors. Both are somewhat non Summer items and they are starting to bulk up on Summer items and deplete their stock of Winter/Spring items; which is understandable. However, if I kept my request current they would keep attempting to get them for me. Yay. I attempted and pictures again. These are better but still not good; hopefully next time will be better.

So my first item was 41Hawthorn Flynn Colorblock Sleeveless blouse. It's a dark blue/navy with a true green border. I wasn't sure about this when I pulled it out of the box but once I put it on I really liked it. It's a fitted, yet comfortable and airy top and I love the length. I can see it being dressed up or worn with a cute pair of shorts or jeans. I'm pretty sure I will be keeping this one.

My second item was also a 41Hawthorn beaded Neckline Blouse. I liked the detailed neckline and thought it had good potential. However, once I put it on I wasn't sure. It was awfully flow-y and didn't have much shape. If I had a smaller frame, I'd love it but I don't and it just wasn't very flattering. Albert also wasn't a fan; he said it was to plain. That was true too so I'll be sending this one back.

My third item was a Daniel Rann Tolley Crochet Panel Top. For some reason as soon as I pulled this out I thought it was cute. I wasn't sold on the lace part yet but liked it. It has a camisole attached underneath with was nice since it is fairly sheer. The cami is fitted where the outer layer is airy yet had shape. I really liked it on and so did Albert. It pairs well with my jeans and I am sure it will go with shorts or capris too. I plan on keeping this one for sure.

For my fourth item was a Renee C Melisa Printed Pencil skirt. As soon as I pulled it out I knew I wouldn't keep it but my Mom insisted I try it on so I did and still didn't like it. Sure, it was cute but I had no idea when I'd wear it. Heck, as you can see I don't even have a hanger for it. It was very form fitting which would be fine if I had something to wear it with or wear it to. Regardless, I am not a skirt person. Maybe someday I will be but right now I am not so I will be sending this back too.

My fifth and final item was a Loveappella Evie Draw String Funnel neck Sweatshirt. As soon as I pulled this out I liked it. It's a deep lavender color, so of course Antonio loves it too! It's pretty lightweight and I'd have to wear something underneath it' like a cami now or long-sleeved short in cooler months. I tried it on and still liked it, a lot. However, as I wore it I started to get warm with it on, even with a cami underneath. I'm leaning towards sending it back, mainly because the weather will only be getting warmer and it will help my bank account. Ha! If I do send it back, I will definitely request it again in the Fall. 

All in all I was pretty happy with this fix. I would've liked more spring colors so I'll add that to my request for my next one. One of my favorite things about Stitch Fix is that all the items are things I most likely would not try on in a store but I received them in my box so I tried them on and ended up glad I did. I'm already looking forward to my next Fix! :) 

If you're thinking about trying it, you should. The absolute worst thing is that you lose $20, but I'm betting you won't because you'll want to keep at least one item! Its so convenient and the shipping is free both ways, they even send you a prepaid bag to mail any items you don't want (if there is anything) back to them. Besides, who doesn't want a box of clothes mailed to them to try on at home?!?! When you are ready..... https://www.stitchfix.com :)

Stitch Fix

I received my very first Stitch Fix "fix" Friday in the mail and I was so excited! For those of you who aren't familiar with it, Stitch Fix is an online fashion retailor; but is so much better than just that! You fill out their style profile and their personal stylists will handpick 5 clothing items and accessories that are unique to your style and budget. They send you out those 5 items (with no shipping fees) and you get 3 days to try them on in the comfort of your home with your other clothes to see if you like them. You know how you try something on in a store only to get home and look in your own mirror and see a different thing?! Ugh, I hate that.  Or you thought it would work with other clothes in your closet only to find it won't? Well, with Stitch Fix you don't have to worry about all that. You can then buy any or all of the items. The items that you don't like or don't fit right, you can send back in the mail bag they supply with free shipping! So easy! If you decide to keep all of it they give you a 25% discount on your whole order! Which is great! All the items range in price. They say the mid range amount is $55 per item but I am guessing that should be a little higher.

You can also add a link for them to your Pinterest board that you can make specifically for them with clothing/styles you like and add comments to each pin as to what you like about it. That way they get a visual of what you like. Once they start putting together your "fix" (thats what they call each order) they charge you $20 for what they call a "styling fee". However, if you decide to keep at least 1 item from your fix, that $20 goes towards it. If you choose to return everything then you are out the $20, which isn't to bad. Also, if you send back items they ask you to let them know why you didn't keep them. As in, the dolman top fit really well, was comfortable and I liked the colors but I really didn't like the dolman style sleeves. That way they know what you did like so they can find similar items and then know what you didn't like so they don't send you the same thing. the more specific the better!

When I opened up my box I found the clothes wrapped in tissue paper which made it seem fancy. :) Also inclosed, was the return mail bag and a style card to give you ideas on how to wear each item.

Ok, so on to what I actually got. I will say, each piece was incredibly soft and comfortable. To my surprise the fit was really good too. I could easily tell the quality of each item was far better that I am used to from Target, Old Navy and even JC Penny's; my regular clothing retailers. Albert actually took pictures of me in all the clothes but surprisingly turned out terrible. I promise to be better next time, yes, there will be a next time!

The first item was an extremely comfortable pair of navy blue Mavi Freida skinny jeans. I am not kidding, these were so comfortable! I actually really like these and to my surprise, the fit was just about perfect! The only thing I am hesitant with is the navy blue color. I may just send these back and ask for a springy/brighter color; it seems to be trendy right now. I haven't decided yet. 

The next item was a sleeveless Fun2Fun bicycle print blouse top. Antonio loved the bicycle print and has asked for one for himself! Ha. The fit was good but both Albert and I were kinda "meh" about it. There was nothing wrong with it, I just didn't love it, so I plan on sending it back. (No, that is not a weird blue streak at the bottom, sadly, I am terrible at taking pictures and that is my shadow...)

The next item was a Market & Spruce stripped Dolman top. It was so comfortable and fit really well until I lifted my arms. In classic dolman style it had that "webbed" look from my shoulder down to the middle of my upper arm. I was so bummed. I now know for sure I am not a fan of the dolman style; I will be sending this back too. If you don't know what dolman style tops are, look it up. Apparently it's very trendy right now but so not for me.

The next item was a 41Hawthorn 3/4 sleeve navy blue blazer. I actually loved this but it was a bit snug. If it were one size up it would be either perfect or a bit big. It actually fit really good except for when I buttoned it and then it was just unflattering. It was so cozy and had great stripes on the inside. I am pretty sad I have to send it back...

(here is the side view of the buttoned up blazer with the skinny jeans on, see how the blazer gives me a very unflattering pooch?!)

And last but not least, an Octavia fuchsia-y/coral-y colored infinity scarf. Man is this thing soft! I love it. I am not much of a scarf person, except for during the winter, however, I really loved this. The one drawback is, it is in a color I have a lot of already in my closet so there isn't to much I could wear it with. But knowing I had it, may help me lean towards other colors for tops... 

(Please ignore the bathroom, poorly lit, shot. :(  )

So I am in debate over the navy blue skinnies or this scarf. Albert also liked these two the best. I am tempted to send back the skinnies and ask for another color and keep the scarf. Or should I keep the skinnies and send back the scarf since I don't have a whole lot right now to wear with it? Or keep both? Oye. I was so happy with the items I received and the process so far. I would very much recommend this to any of you. I found it very busy mom friendly. Someone picks out clothes you would like and send them to you. You try them on at your convenience and the send back what you don't want for free. So easy. No more lugging around a kid(s) to pick out clothes only to drag them  into the dressing room. You can request scheduled auto shipments of fix's to be delivered to you every so often or you can log in and schedule just one at a time when you want it. You don't have to order a certain number of them either. You could order one and then never again; its completely up to you!  If you decide to try it out or just check out their website here is a link: https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/5032174 Please use that link, if you decide to order a "fix" I get credit towards future fix's once you order. :) 

My love for EO's.

FYI. This will be my one (and only intential) "plug" for the oils. Sure, I will (and have) mention them from time to time on FB but this will be my actual "plug" for them.

I chose to purchase Young Living essential oils back in October last year and am so glad I did. It was a huge leap of faith into something I wasn't sure would even help me, never mind the chunk of change I was putting down for them. Albert wasn't as sure as I was about jumping in but he was ok with it. I chose Young Living vs the other companies out there because they are the only "seed to seal" company. Meaning they doing everything from planting the seeds to filing and sealing the bottles. All the other essential oil companies have to buy their oils from someone when YL has their own farms all over the world and has full control over the process. They are a very transparent company; you could even go to their farms and what the process if you wanted.

As some of you know I had originally bought them to help battle my anxiety and panic attacks. They have helped quite a bit. It hasn't stopped either from happening but stop both from getting worse. There are a couple oils I apply every morning and every time I go anywhere. Then when I can feel myself starting a panic attack I have my "cherry on top" that helps calm me. I still feel anxious and panic attacks still show their ugly heads, but, the oils help me battle through without either getting worse.

I have absolutely fallen in love with my oils. Not only have they helped with my anxiety and panic attacks but have found much relief in fighting illness, allergies and tummy ache's. They have helped get rid of acne, helped us sleep and have even helped Alberts very tired legs after long runs. They even broke a fever Antonio had and brought it way down in just a couple hours without tylenol; I was amazed! And these are just a few things I have found to use them for. They are amazing and I am not sure what I'd do without them now. :) I have made soap, and lotion with them too. The lotion is a tad bit greasier than I like but once rubbed in, it's amazing. The soap is great too. No more Bath and Body Works soap for us. (That alone will help the oils pay for themselves! :))

There are so many oils for so many different things. When you sign up to become a member you can get what they call a premium started kit which it includes all the oils in the everyday oils picture below and a diffuser. I had no idea at the time what an amazing deal this was! I use my diffuser every single day and quickly found ways to use all the oils.

There are so many oils for so many different things. When you sign up to become a member you can get what they call a premium started kit and it includes all the oils in the everyday oils picture above and a diffuser. I had no idea at the time what an amazing deal this was! I use my diffuser every single day and quickly found ways to use all the oils. I apply stress away frequently throughout my day. It does exactly that, it helps me relax. It is one of my anxiety staples and apply it when I start to get stressed at work or even when I help Antonio with his homework. Because all of us who have helped a kid with homework know that can get stressful. ;) After I apply it I actually find myself more patient and less frustrated/stressed. Its amazing.

I use peppermint for tummy aches on both Antonio and I and it works wonders. Pan away is Albert's friend after long runs. It tends to smell like BenGay but without all the nasty chemicals! I use purification on any acne I get and it seems to get rid of it within a day! Thieves is our friend too. I apply it on the bottoms of our feet whenever we start to feel sick, while we are sick or if someone around is sick. It helps boost our immune systems. Thieves was actually created based on research about four thieves in France who covered themselves with clove, rosemary and other aromatics while robbing plague victims! Crazy! Lavender is amazing to help relax you and sleep good. It's also become a proven owie reliever for Antonio. Peppermint and lemon are my favorites to diffuse in the morning to help us get going in the mornings on the weekends. Lemon, peppermint and lavender are the allergy trio that help cope with allergies and help breakup congestion and sinus pressure.

I received a travel size oil bag for Christmas from my cousin and it has been awesome. I use it every day to carry a handful of oils I wouldn't dare leave hime without. Those being: Stress Away, Peppermint (for tummy aches and headaches), Lemon and Lavender for allergies, and my Xanax blend I made from about 5 or 6 different oils.

Yes, essential oils are a huge trend right now but I think this is one of those treads that will stick around for years, you just may start to hear less about them because people will be using them in everyday life as a norm. If any of you are interested in learning more, please shoot me an email or DM on Facebook. I would love to answer any questions you may have. I know you would love them as much as I do and find as much benefit in using them as I have and maybe even more. I know its seems "trendy" of hippie - like but these oils are amazing. They are not cheap, but in the long run can save you money and you aren't putting harmful chemicals in your body! A win-win! :) You don't have to become a member to try them. I submit a monthly order and would be more than happy to order an oil or two for you if you are interested! :)

But wait, theres more....

No, just kidding, there is no more. :)

Reverting

I can feel it in my pants specifically. I am starting to revert back to my old ways down that rabbit hole.

Since returning to work full-time after only being part time for about 2 years I rarely have a chance to run, mainly because it is dark out after work (and dinner) or raining. On the weekends its been raining so much its hard to fit in a run and well, I don't run in the rain, rarely did I before too. When I do run it is hard, like when I was starting out. I still try to get in 3 miles but it is so hard. I figure any run, short or long, fast or incredibly slow is better than no run at all. Since the runs I have gone on, I'm lucky if its once a week, have been so hard, it does not give me any motivation to go run. I know all I need is to get back in a routine and run more frequently so when I do run it isn't so hard. I miss craving the runs. I'm looking forward to summer so I can run in the evenings. However, in the meantime, I am thinking of joining a gym again so I can get back to running. A Planet Fitness just opened up down the road from me and they are pretty cheap so I may try them out. I just need a climate controlled place to run, for now to try to get back on track.

I've fallen slightly down that eating rabbit hole. The one where my pants are more snug, I feel more bloated, lethargic and over all crappy about myself so I eat and be lazy (need less to say I don't sleep nearly as well at night as I did before). You know, that busted can of biscuits feeling, all the time. And by eat, I mean more crappy food. Thankfully since we've become healthier eaters even the crap isn't so bad, but still. I find myself eating more "easy" foods instead of fruit and veggies. And dinners this past winter have lacked the roasted veggies, almost completely. It doesn't even sound good like it did last year, and all that chopping... I have no motivation. :/ So that rabbit hole where I know what I should be eating and doing but I don't which makes me feel worse so I eat worse and exercise less because I am not doing what I should, so I don't have the motivation to do what I should and so on...

Happily this time around, I have experienced the feeling good, so I know I can get there again, I just need to try to get back on track. I can only blame working full-time so much. Sure, it gives me a lot less time to exercise/plan dinners and cook them but I need to try to get back at that. I am hoping that once I get back in routine and start to feel more energy, some of it might fall back in place. I hope.