2018 Planner

Raise your hand if you purchase a new planner every year, start out strong and are done using it before February 1st?  I’m guessing I’m not alone in this guilted truth?!  I’ve decided I’m going to make 2018 my year…I mean after all, I am 30, I should have my life fully together, right?!

Planners are used for a variety of organization and scheduling. Work, school, kids, family activities, church meetings, you name it and someone is using their planner for it. I honestly prefer to use my phone to keep track of appointments and traveling but I always feel like typing an engagement has less meaning and emotion behind it.  Anyone else feel this way?  There is something to be said about physically writing things down.  I find more pleasure and satisfaction when the event arrives or I get to cross something off the list when written in a planner.

I have decided a written planner, in conjunction with my phone, will allow me the opportunity to be more intimate with goals, but yet organized and on time.  My planner for 2018 will be used to track blogging ideas and posting dates, meditation and spiritual progress and God willing, pregnancy milestones.

What is your 2018 planner goal?

My planner is from here, purchased at my local T.J. Maxx/Home Goods.

quick modern fix

IMG_1853I’m always looking for ways to change up decorations in our home without making new purchases on our 1 income while we’re both in graduate school.  This past Spring, I decided I wanted to start transitioning all our brown/tan decor into silver/black for a more modern twist.

I LOVE to spray paint metal to make it “new” to me!  In the picture to the right, I spray painted the metal ball and switched out the fleur-de-lis with a metal one I painted silver.  I then removed the picture frame and hat box and added an antique leather hat box I had sitting in our garage collecting dust.  Sometimes if I look hard enough, my home and garage can turn into a FREE HomeGoods shopping spree!

thumb_DSC00276_1024What is your next project?  Do you have anything lying around you can paint to make new or move into another room to make your decorating more affordable?  Grab a cup of coffee and take a walk around your house as if your in HomeGoods…I bet you’ll find some hidden treasures lying around.  It can also be helpful to scroll through Pinterest for inspiration.  It never fails that after an hour on Pinterest, I’m roaming the house looking for my next diy or decorating switch up.

Where do you draw decorating inspiration from?  Do you have hidden treasures in your house?

running shoes

thumb_DSC00264_1024My husband and I became “runners” a couple of years ago.  It has been quite the journey, but has brought us closer and helped us to become more fit and healthier than ever before.  During this new journey, I found another thing to collect in my closet…running/workout shoes!  If I would have known running involved new shoes on a pretty regular basis, I would have taken this up years ago!  ANY excuse to buy more shoes! 🙂

The most important thing we have leaned about running shoes, are there are specific shoes for every type of runner.  Just picking up a pair of tennis shoes at your local sports/department store and thinking they are the right fit and make of shoe for your gait can cause issues rather quickly.  After taking a Learn to Run class at our local running store, we learned that running shoes come in 3 different levels of support: neutral, guidance and stability.

We also learned that a runner’s gait can change as they become stronger, meaning they may require a different shoe.  Our local running store offers a gait analysis where they put you on a treadmill and record you running, playing it back in slow-motion to get an accurate read of the true running gait.  This informs the foot specialists as to what level of support the runner requires.  Each brand of shoe makes all 3 stabilities, often times numerous options in each category.

I can honestly say that having the correct shoes and different pairs to swap between is what I believe has made this running journey and experience successful.  I have tried many times in the past to take up running but quite a few days or weeks in, due to pain in my feet or legs.  To anyone interested in learning about running, or having issues with their feet or legs, I highly recommend visiting your local running store and visiting with the foot specialists shoes, specifically what level of support you require.  The research, time and investment is well worth it!

Happy Trails!

decoration inspiration

Do you ever find a dream piece of decoration inspiration?  I found one in Restoration Hardware the other day that just won’t leave my mind!  The chandelier  below is something I would love to have in our future forever home.IMG_3615

My husband often gives me a hard time for dreaming big, but my feelings are, if you don’t have dreams, then you don’t have goals you’re working towards.  It has always been a dream of mine to have a home entrance where I could hang a chandelier.  Now, I know I may never have the beauty to the right, but I am determined to have something sparkly, dainty and eye catching, greeting my guests!

I enjoy following interior design IG accounts for ongoing inspiration, as I am one to rearrange and revamp my home on a continuous basis.  For me, it keeps things fresh, homey and makes me proud of my home and domestic skills (or lack of).  I was raised in a home where my mom decorated for every season and holiday which is probably why I am who I am today.  I believe in repainting old things to make them new and moving items into different rooms (because then they are still “new”) to keep things affordable and my hubby happy.

HomeGoods, TJMaxx, Marshalls, Nordstrom Rack and Hobby Lobby are my go to places for affordable home decor.

elephant strength

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So, where did the blog name come from?

Elephants have always intrigued me.  From the graceful way they sway their bodies while in motion, to their kind eye that carries so much emotion.  Elephants are said to have advanced sensitivity and social connection, determination and loyalty.  Symbolically, the elephant represents stability, honor, strength, luck, patience, pride, longevity, pride, happiness. Continue reading