yes, friends. I'm back!
back to blogging.
back to LIFE.
It sounds silly, but what a year (or more) it has been now.
Mentally and emotionally draining. Truly draining of my time (hence why I never had time to post here) and yet now we're in a season where Spring is in bloom, we've had our covid vaccines and we are the most hopeful / optimistic we've been in a long time. I say "we" as in me and Chad , but also as a family in whole.
I've had friends message me about this little ol' blog saying they've missed keeping up with us and trust me, I've MISSED IT TOO!!!!!! In the early years, when I blogged regularly it was crazy how many awesome women I'd meet over the internet. It's really like it's own little community. If you're new here, you know I started this blog in 2009 as an "online scrapbook" and that's what it's been ever since.
While I know blogging has fallen by the wayside since Instagram came along, I still love the idea of an "online scrapbook" that I can look back on + as a journalism major, this is truly one of the best creative outlets for me. I really enjoy it or obviously I wouldn't be doing it! So, all that being said... WHAT have we been up to since my last post on Sept 12th? (well, besides my recent attempts to catch up on our Disney trips from last year...)
Our boys are growing faster than ever and start baseball season this Saturday! Both so very excited since they didn't get to play any sports last year due to covid. That's the main reason I wanted to try to hop back on here and get back to blogging as my online scrapbook. I looked back on old posts the other night and could have just cried and cried. Not tears of sadness, but so much JOY at all of the fun memories we've had that have been documented here on the blog. Well, and maybe a few sad tears here and there at how much they've grown of course. Time flies!
Charlie will be six in July and Cade just turned nine last month..
Next up, God has truly blessed my business, Sugar, even during a pandemic and weeks of shut down. I think Covid required so many small businesses to "pivot" and form new ways of marketing and selling, which helped us all grow in ways we could have never imagined.
Whether it was growing an audience from a simple viral TikTok video, to putting in 110% and working our tails off like never before... everything continues to pay off as we continue to grow and grow. I couldn't be more thankful, because there were certainly times last year I wasn't sure we would make it. I give all the praise to HIM and my supportive family + seriously amazing customers. We are truly blessed with the best! Chad continues to work, work, work more than ever as well at the post office since as you can imagine, online shopping has skyrocketed since the pandemic began and he's been working more hours lately than ever.
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| new Golden Chrysanthemum Dress // new for Spring 2021 |
Around the home, I love this photo so much. Chad surprised me with tulips for (our very low key) Valentine's Day and I thought this pic was a perfect reminder that there's always rainbows after the storm. Love these tulips so much and my super supportive husband who didn't divorce me when I had 897,234 meltdowns in 2020. HAAAAA!
We've definitely learned to love our home more, since we've been in it more the past year than ever. Chad actually had covid in January, right smack during the week of my 37th birthday. We were quarantined for weeks, so I organized every nook and cranny of the house (and am still doing so!) and then once V-Day was over, I quickly transitioned to Easter.
Easter is one of my favorite holidays to decorate and I just love Spring so much!
This Easter bunny pic of the boys from years past makes me smile (and laugh) ...
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| this new Alese lamp from Lamps Plus was a 2020 lockdown addition and I LOVE it. |
I've also grown to very much love Publix fresh flowers...
My "happy everything" vase from Fig here in Greenwood is one of my absolute favorite things. Gifted to me from some of the sweetest, dearest friends, I love adding new attachments (the bunny is velcro'd on there and you can get new attachments for all seasons/occasions) to switch it up. I think they're running a sale this week too.
Always love snagging fresh flowers when in Publix too. I swear if I weren't selling clothes, I would be selling flowers like my Grandma Hall who worked at Deason's Flower Shop in Abbeville for years and years, then eventually ran her own flower shop out of a small building in her front yard. So cool, right? I can still smell her cutting the styrofoam for funeral arrangements. Trust me, a smell you never forget.
and I'm still loving my new breakfast dining set I spent all last year collecting. No really, I saved up until I bought the new rug.... then later the table... then later two chairs... then later two more chairs... until it was finally complete. I do plan to recover the chairs in this fabulous fabric from Post House Designs I've already purchased (new year sale!). Will have to post pics when I do and do a full link up of sources.
more Easter decor, this little shelf in our kitchen makes me happy.
The black/white dot dishes were a birthday present to myself (as if I need ANYMORE dishes. Chad swears I'm a hoarder, but I just knew I had to have these too). OB-SESSED.
and my favorite Anthropologie Tiled Margot Mugs were on sale this past weekend! I think the Rise & Shine canister is sold out, but they have other similar fun products in this tiled collection.
The pink Waterfall Coupe Glass with gorgeous gold rim is also from Anthropologie. They no longer have the pink, but they have this gorgeous lilac and also a honey color too. So pretty! I call this my "fancy-mama-in-a-house-full-of-boys" glass. It's fun for special occasions or hey, just a random Wednesday that deserves to be special too.
Macy's also has a similar gorgeous pink / gold rimmed set!
I think some of the other juice glasses, gold bowls, bunny server and more are from HomeGoods, TJ Maxx and places like that.
Peep that Venison Cookbook up there too.
Tell me you're married to an avid outdoorsman without telling me you're married to an avid outdoorsman....
cute small boxwood wreaths are from Zulilly years ago... They still have some on there too!
and you've probably notice some of these links look a little different, that's because they're affiliate links now that yes, I'm on LiketoKnow.It. How in the world I ended up there, I still don't know. In attempts to prove a point to my sweet co-worker, Emma, who is indeed trying to be a legit fashion influencer (and has great taste & style!) I applied and was approved myself. She was overthinking it and I told her "look Emma just apply, the worst they could tell you is no but I really don't think you have to wait that long or have that many credentials. Your content is awesome!"
Then what do you know, we both were approved and so here I am.
Am I trying to be an influencer? Absolutely not. Am I trying to make a few cents from sharing my favorite home/kid finds with the world? Yep. I mean, why not?
I have gained sooo much valuable knowledge, whether it's trip/vacation advice or recipes for my family, gift guides to buy for the kids/etc... from bloggers who devote hours after hours to dish out this content for us to absorb. I hope to really make this blog more of a space for not only our online scrapbook, but valuable content as well. Oh and let's face it, it really is just cents to the dollar - I will be pleased if it merely buys me a Starbucks coffee to sip on while I continue to blog :)
All that being said, up next (for instance) I have a Disney tips blog post coming up since I have so many friends/customers heading there next week (most for the very first time) that have asked for any tips/tricks/recs.
While I am by NO means a Disney expert, if I can help anyone in the least little bit well then by gosh I'm going to try. I thought having a blog post to dump/organize all of that info my be the most beneficial for everyone!
Thanks to everyone who follows along and if there's ever something I can help with - whether it's upcoming vacays or small business tips/tricks/advice (I've also loved helping a few friends kick off new businesses so far this year), I'm always up to chat and love helping friends + future entrepreneurs!!!!!!!
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