A little hello (again)...

This year has been full of chaos, as we all know... and I'll be completely real with you all, I haven't handled it well. 

I've had breakdowns, I've cried til I couldn't shed another tear, I've worried myself sick, and I've focused my energy differently than I ever have before and manifested all kinds of crazy events.. and I'm sure I'm not alone in any of this. 2020 has been a "helluva" year. I'd like to think December will be perfect, but as we all know - that's unlikely this year.

One thing I didn't do in 2020, that I was really aiming to do before the pandemic came ashore, was stay consistent and involved with my blog. I partially stopped updating as much because I felt paralyzed trying to write, I had the ultimate case of writer's block and well, I think it shows. It was hard to come up with anything to say with so much facing us. I shared my opinions and stance on major events on social media, but I honestly didn't feel I had a voice in anything happening in 2020. From the virus to race riots, that's not my expertise. I listened, I learned, and I occasionally reposted on social...but felt I had no right to share too much information here.

Beyond not knowing what to write, I also devoted ALL of my creative energy into my bow business - kind of by accident. Each week I've started having a ready-to-ship release and that's been a total time suck. Amazing, so much fun, and helpful financially, but writing is my passion - hence, why I started a blog and why I'm here writing for you now.

As I sat terrified over the last few months, not knowing what to write, it was easy for me to take a pair of scissors to my materials and create whatever felt right. It was therapeutic in some ways to step away from sharing so much here and just create "art", but then again, boxing everything in and not sharing was hard and obviously didn't do me much good. So, here I am, sharing the most honest post I've shared in 2020.

It's been a hard year. I've had my heart shattered, I've been let down, I've felt a complete lack of control - but I'm still here and I'm actually feeling more ready to share with you guys than ever. This year hasn't shut me up, it just taught me to choose the life I want, to create the life I want, and that's why I'm back - I want to encourage you to create your dream life while I create mine alongside you.

So, to summarize, I'm back and feeling better than ever about sharing here on the blog. Now is the time to create the life you want and I can't wait to help you do just that, by creating the life I want and sharing it here!

Let me just go ahead and say "hello" (again)!

How I'm Taking Care of Me with a Little Self Care #FallForSelfCareBBxx

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.

Lately, I'm learning that taking care of myself is just as important as taking care of those around me. From making sure I feel beautiful, to renewing my soul, I'm really working on ME lately and reminding myself who I am, knowing that this makes me a better mom, wife, and friend to all. It's funny because I was so invested in my family for so long, I almost forgot what a good day of self-care looked like... then Babbleboxx sent over this box of goodies for me to test out and it changed the way I take care of myself for the better.

The first big change for me was subtle BUT so revitalizing, I changed my hair color for the better and I'm so thankful to eSalon for making the best color I've possibly ever had. It came in a kit, with instructions prepared just for me so it was easy as pie to use and I think the results were incredible.

Before using their dye, I was starting to notice grey hair (thanks to parenting during covid, I'm sure LOL)... Luckily, they know that no two people are the same, our hair is ALL different and eSalon matches your hair with a formula made specifically for you. I asked for a shade with red violet in it and they sent over a BEAUTIFUL mahogany shade that matches my complexion so well, it looks like my natural color.

As you can see, it was a small change but the greys being gone and a luxurious, natural looking color literally have changed the way I view myself and my appearance. I'm proud to wear my hair down, I've been styling it more and loving the way I look!

Another thing I've been loving while I have a minute of alone time, is the book they sent over... A Fool's Paradise by Author Robyn Williams is a great read and a good escape. Before I had my daughter I loved to read, but I've done less of it the older she gets - not using her as an excuse, but my brain is tired after being her playmate all day long. Ha. I'm sure other mamas can relate... but this book is perfect to pick up and read during nap time and good way to renew my mind with a little escape. If you're looking for something you don't want to put down, then I suggest grabbing a copy of A Fool's Paradise.

Another thing I'm highly recommending from the Babbleboxx was the Lip Plumping Gloss from Grande Cosmetics. GrandeLIP is a high gloss, volumizing plumper and it makes me feel BEAUTIFUL. My poor lips have always been super dry and this gloss changed that right up and made them look fuller and more hydrated. In just 3-5 minutes, I feel like a new woman with fuller, more beautiful and glossy lips! Want to give GrandeLIP a try? Use the code SELFCARE10 to save!

We all know hand sanitizer is a commodity these days, so when they sent over a couple of different bottles, I was so excited to be provided a little bit of peace of mind. The Born Basic sanitizer is straight shooting and to the point, no gimmicks in their branding - simple and to the point, they are a necessity and they don't fluff up their packaging which is nice. I love that I can stick a bottle in my purse and head out to run some errands without worrying about germs as much, knowing I have this non-sticky, soothing formula of sanitizer in my bag!

The last thing in my Babbleboxx was the Nail and Foot Repair products from Kerasal. It's like they knew I was dying for a pedicure and supplied me with some goodies to give myself an ultimate healing one, AT HOME!  

The Kerasal Intensive foot repair was the perfect way to soothe my feet and deeply moisturize them. I noticed a change in my heels overnight... and couldn't even believe it! I just lather it on, stick on some socks and let it soak in. Interested in getting your feet in tip-top shape? Check out Kerasal Intensive Foot Repair for yourself.

The multi-purpose intensive nail repair was just what my toes were begging me for. After years of getting my toes done, I've noticed some serious signs of "aging" and was freaking out about the way they looked. It was something only I knew about, but something I was embarassed about nonetheless. Then I tried this stuff and realized it was just what I needed! Kerasal's patented formula helps improve nail appearance by reducing discoloration, smoothes the surface hydrates and normalizes your nails - making them look beyond healthy again!

Speaking of feeling healthy again, I bet you can see why I'm feeling all the good self-care vibes after receiving this Babbleboxx. So tell me, how do you practice self-care? What's your favorite way to "treat yourself" while you are still dealing with your day-to-day routine? 

 

 

You Have to Try These Fancy Dates: Bacon Wrapped Goat Cheese Dates Drizzled with Delicious Maple Balsamic Reduction

We've been getting creative in the kitchen lately and this delicious dish is an even-better-than-the-original recreation of one of our favorite appetizers at a local cafe. If you love flavorful and delicious foods, this goat cheese stuffed date recipe is gonna knock your socks off... top it off by wrapping each stuffed date with bacon and add a drizzle of a homemade balsamic reduction for the most perfect flavor combination you've ever experienced. They may not look fancy, but I promise you they'll soon become a new favorite snack or side dish!

Now that we've established you NEED to try this dish, here's how it's made:

- Ingredients -
8 oz of goat cheese (log works nicely)

5 slices of applewood smoked bacon

1 package of dried pitted dates

3 tbs balsamic vinegar

2 tbs maple syrup

1/2 tbs cane sugar

1-2 tsp corn starch (Mix with a splash of cold water prior to using, making a thin paste)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Do your best to stuff dates with goat cheese. I used a chop stick to get in as much cheese as I could.

Then lay out bacon slices on a plate and roll a date in a slice until it is wrapped completely. Slice the bacon and repeat until all of the dates are wrapped.

Put on parchment paper covered sheet pan in oven for approximately 12 minutes or until bacon looks done to your preference.

While these are baking, add the balsamic, maple, and sugar into a sauce pan and turn burner to medium high. Let the mixture boil for a couple of minutes, then add in the corn starch paste and stir thoroughly. Turn heat down to simmer. Continue to stir until the sauce starts to thicken. Drizzle on top of dates.

ENJOY!