Thirty/Thirty

No, this is not an announcement about me limiting myself 

to thirty items of my closet in thirty days.

It may be a good idea though after my capsule wardrobe ponderings.

Nor is it about completing a list of thirty goals before the big three-zero birthday.

This also might be a good idea since it is right around the corner.

 This is to make it public 

(and therefore make it actually happen)

that this November I am going to do a thirty posts in thirty days challenge.

My friend Lindsay, from Lindsay Loves, invited me to join her in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) and posting every day in November.

Well, life happens.

So we have adjusted it for our already-behind-selves to one post for every day of November within November a.k.a. thirty in thirty.

Have you fallen behind before you have even begun too?

There will be some double duty days ahead,

but a climb is always so much more fun with friends.

Please join us! 

Two down, twenty-eight to go. :)

Hugs, 

Christina

New Eyes

I spent today with over 700 eighth graders at a youth rally.

It was a long, but very rewarding day.

One of the highlights was a session just for the girls on being a young woman of faith. The speaker shared her faith journey and challenged the girls to stop tearing each other down and to highlight the good in each other. The choice to focus on the inner beauty of others was something she had her eyes opened to when she lost not only her vision but her eyes to cancer. 

Yes, this amazing woman was blind.

And despite her lack of vision, she saw, understood, and touched these young women deeply. 

She couldn't see the awe on their young faces as they listened, the growing line of girls waiting to ask her a question, the dozen turned away when time ran out, the stack of her business cards gone within seconds, or any of the signs of the reach of her words.

I could.

I am seeing the world with new eyes tonight.

Eyes opened by someone who can see better than me.

Ninety-four million, six hundred ninety-four thousand, four hundred

Today is special.
 

Yet it does not feel the same as in years past.

It is much like memories of high school and college.
At the time you cannot imagine a future in which it is not the center of your world,
the most exciting thing,
the most important moment.

Years later there are other markers,
other monuments in time that take focus.
It is now one of the sentimental memories like childhood long gone.
It is where you came from,
it warms your heart,
 but the future beckons.

Such is the plight of first dates.
They either become a memory of inconsequential meetings
or the zero marker on a joint journey.

This date will always be special,
but I am so excited to let it fade and become the backdrop
while the focus will shift to celebrating an even more special day.

3

36

156

1,096

26,304

1,578,240

94,694,400

years
months
weeks
days
hours
minutes
seconds

 

No matter how you write it,
it feels like forever

and yet a day all at once.

Happy anniversary.



First photo of us...
before we were "us."


Hugs,
Christina


 



I am...

Thinking about...

 

my to do list, in particular, the wedding one.
 

Word from the wise,

Wedding Wire's check list is much less stressful to look at than the Knot's.

According to Wedding Wire, I am only three steps behind and have four left for the month;

according to the Knot, I need to catch up on eight and I lost count of the rest;

and according to me, those lists put too much into one bullet point.

 

Thankful for...

 

the people in my life that call me to be the best version of myself.

Craving...

 

Apples.
 

Johnny Appleseed is buried here which is something I forget until September.

The Johnny Appleseed festival is a highlight of my Fall.
 

My apple allergy, however, tends to put a damper on things,

but I do not let it rain on my parade.
 

I am sorry if you now have Streisand singing in your head.

Well, maybe  only just a little bit sorry.

 

Enjoying...

 

reading more.

In the past few weeks I have read two whole books!

Watching...

Notre Dame football.

Celebrating...

 

my Fall wardrobe.
Boxing up a season's clothes and pulling out the next is always exciting.
There is something so satisfying about having that "new" wardrobe feeling and knowing it did not cost you a dime (at least this year).

Loving...

October.



Have a wonderful weekend!

Hugs,
Christina 

Linking up with Jenna and  Jenna and since there just so happens to be seven, Jen.

 

Capsule Wardrobe

Have you heard about the latest and greatest minimalist trend, the capsule wardrobe?

I first heard of it from Kate, who is utilizing the concept for her maternity wardrobe.

Then Natalie, announced she was trying it out.

And then, I finally found my way to their source, Caroline.

 

Much like the 30 for 30 experiment many tried a few years back,

the capsule wardrobe begins with the concept of narrowing your wardrobe to versatile pieces that you love and teaching yourself to stretch your styling muscles.

With a capsule, however, it is a bit longer than 30 days,

it is a season or three months.

 

The idea of narrowing down your wardrobe to a minimal amount and discovering what you truly miss and need and what you never wear and do not even remember owning

is intriguing to me.

 

I love the idea,

but I also really love clothes

and variety

and shopping

and shoes

and being able to put off my laundry

and clothes...

so I am hesitant.

 

The knowledge that my life is at a transition point,

where I will be packing and moving onto a new stage

that includes sharing a closet for the first time in my life

and with boy,

however,

is tugging at me.

 

Maybe I need to learn to let go a bit more.

Maybe I need to learn what I really need and what is excess.

Maybe I need to downsize before he finds out how much comes with me ;)

Honestly though, it has gone through my head.

 

If I do move forward, I will have to make some adaptations, because I do have a full time job which requires business attire that I do not wear any other day,

and the weather is a bit colder here than Texas

which means snow boots and winter coats of varying warmth

may make an appearance even mid-Fall.

 

What are your thoughts?

 

Have you ever considered doing something like this?

 

What would you do?

 

Hugs,

Christina



Seven Quick Takes or Failures Sevenfold

#FAIL

That was the name of the game this week.

The fact that this week of insignificant trivial failures followed a month of living and spreading joy is slightly ironic. I wish I could say that Joy-gust completely reformed me and I took each of these insignificant, trivial moments in stride and as cool as a cucumber.

The humor of them, however, did not escape me and the frustration did not stay long.

And because the least embarrassing thing to do 

with embarrassing moments is to share them on the www, 

I give you my week.

---1---

While getting ready one morning I decided to make hardboiled eggs. I filled up the pot, turned on the stove and set a timer to remind myself to check on the progress. Awhile later I realized the timer had not gone off. A quick check of the phone verified that I had started and stopped the timer after mere seconds.

---2---

I ran to view the progress of the eggs and found a happy pot sitting upon the stove at room temperature.

The burner was out.

And the pot, water and all went into the fridge for another day.

---3---

My dad asked me to pick him up some coffee on my way to meet up with the family.

I arrived to an empty house.

I called and discovered everyone was at my sisters.

For some reason I assumed "here" meant "home."

For another unknown reason I assumed "we're at your sister's" meant "we're at our house."

Fortunately, his coffee was just as good reheated. 

Or just as bad, depending on how you taste it.

---4---

I had every intention of going to the gym for the second time this week.

I scheduled time, 

packed my gym bag,

put it in my car,

remembered a water bottle...

what I did not remember was a bit more important.

One can workout without the socks I forgot to grab from the dryer.

It is much more difficult to workout without a shirt.

---5---

During a staff meeting it was brought to my attention that a question about the choice of agenda template used at our recent Fall luncheon had been used.

Apparently nothing says fall themed better than a marijuana shaped leaf.

Excuse me while I go fix my skirt, 

my naivety is showing.

---6---

This morning I could not find my phone, so I assumed I had left it at my parents' house. 

I did not have time to go over to pick it up, 

so I decided I would call to see if it was there once I arrived at work.

I got to the phone, put the receiver to my ear, and...

blanked on my parents' new number.

No big deal, I thought, I'll look it up in my contacts...

oh wait.

---7---

Wondering how take two of the eggs turned out?

Thank goodness for the microwave.

#TGIF

Hugs, 

Christina

Linking up with Jen.

#EncourageBeauty

Have you heard of the #EncourageBeauty campaign?

Anna of In Honor of Design and Hilary of Dean Street Society

initiated it a little over a year and a half ago.

It inspired my Questions of the Heart Guest Post Series

and more for many women.

Well, they brought it back in an Instagram challenge for this week

and brought more hostesses on board!

 

via

 

I love everything about this challenge.

Helping others know their worth and their beauty inside and out,

this makes my heart sing.

 

Thank you, Anna and Hilary!

 

So if you are not already,

will you join me

in recognizing the beautiful gift of you

and showcasing those you love?

 

Do not worry about coming in half way through the week!

I will be right alongside you!

Consider this a state of my brain address,

I thought the challenge started next week.

Sigh.

 

Consider this your Joy-gust inspiration for the day.

See you over on Instagram!

 

 

Hugs,

Christina

 

P.S. You can follow me on Instagram: @waltzinginbeauty