Winter Editorial Shoot at Snow Moon Ranch

Couldn't be more excited to announce that the winter editorial shoot I styled is being featured on Style My Pretty! Cory and I had so much fun with our team out at Snow Moon Ranch in December. It was snowy and cold, but we made the best of the conditions. All of these images were shot on film, which I completely adore. I'll let the images speak for themselves. Enjoy! 

Such a huge thank you to all of the vendors who contributed to this shoot! Especially to Kenna and Juliet. When I arrived onsite I promptly got my car stuck in the snow on the way up the driveway... everyone was so sweet helping me out. Goodness gracious. :) Now, don't forget to check out the whole post, along with a full description over on Style Me Pretty! 

Creative Direction, Styling & Floral Design: Sincerely, Ginger Weddings

Photography: Weber Photography

Venue: Snow Moon Ranch 

Dessert Bar: Everything Gal

Rentals: Gatherings Vintage Rentals

Paper: Mo Diggity

Bridal Attire: Bay Bridal Boutique

Film Processing: Richard Photo Lab

But What Will I Wear?

As we are approaching wedding season, there has been a lot of talk about attire. Silk chiffon for the bridesmaids, bowties for the gents, fancy robes, you name it. I love it. I have always loved clothes that are made well and fit well. Who doesn't? Lately I've been so intrigued by the idea of simplifying my closet down to a certain number of items that I would want to wear every day. I've actually given away over 100 articles of clothing since January. You know what? I don't miss them at all. What happens next is that I start to see the big gaps in my wardrobe. My "go-to" black pants that I haven't worn since I was 6 weeks pregnant because they are still too tight, flats worn too thin, zero bras that aren't designed for nursing... you catch my drift. Between now and my first 2014 wedding on June 7th, my goal is to curate a small wardrobe of go-to items to wear on wedding days. 

Dress/ Stripe Top/ Leather Tote/ Pants/ Bracelet/ Flats/ Blouse/ White Top/ Bodysuit

Clothes must be comfortable, professional, lightweight, modest, and fit the essence and style of my brand. I've been having some fun on Pinterest pulling styles that catch my eye. I've noticed in my own closet, the items that get worn the most are fitted black ankle pants (these are my favorite, in petite), tight tank-tops for wearing under everything, black flats, sleeveless blouses with a long lightweight sweater, and long sleeve tops with tight arms and a loose body. I also tend to wear black leggings and tunic length tops. For wedding season, I don't want my team to blend in with guests but I'd like us to still appear pulled together and formal. 

I can't wait to invest in some D'orsay flats, a new pair of Sloans, and a few lightweight blouses! While I was pinning I realized that I gravitate towards similar boutiques and brands. Some of my favorites to window shop are Steven Alan, Sosie & Cuyana. Have you been thinking about spring and summer wear? When I'm not designing floral arrangements or coordinating a wedding, you can usually find me in leggings, a swimsuit, or pajamas. :) 

Coffee Talk: Health & Wellness

So, you all know my work for the year... cultivate. If it matters to you, cultivate it. Great. Yep. Tilling away over here, but also doing a lot of nothing. This morning I was exhausted, couldn't get out of bed until 8:30, and Isaiah kindly woke up with Rowan and gave him his early morning bottle before he went back down. I said to Isaiah, "I am dead", to which he replied, "no you're not", and I responded, "I don't feel alive". Partly I was joking, but exhaustion is no joke.

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Last week I went to the doctor, as I mentioned in this post, to help figure out my exhaustion issue. I was convinced it wasn't just "Oh you have a baby, you work so hard, no wonder you're tired!". It felt like something that could be fixed- since I wasn't feeling rested unless I had 10+ hours of sleep. With a 8 month old and a growing business, I can't afford to be needing that much sleep or being tired all the time. So I had some blood work done. Turns out my vitamin D levels are dangerously low (hello polar vortex), low iron, low iodine, sluggish thyroid... you get the deal here. As someone who really tries to take care of my body by eating well and exercising, this was frustrating and comforting at the same time. Food is medicine. Sleep matters. Yoga helps. Real food, people. Eat it. If you're reading this post and you also feel exhausted, or like you're living in a constant state of stress, or you're overweight and uncomfortable, or anxious without knowing why... there is a better way to live. I can do better, I can be more consistent, I am choosing to cultivate what matters, and my health shouldn't come last. 

This goes without saying, but I am NOT a nutritionist or professional in any area of health. I am a wedding planner. ;) But I am passionate about health and wellness, and I want you to be too! Feel like you need some more inspiration? Recipes? Workouts? Stress Relievers?

The Lively Show: the second podcast from Jess Lively's new venture talking about plant based eating with One Part Plant. So interesting and inspiring! 

Laken's Blog. Both her personal coaching and real food 101 series are so amazing and important. 

For the Glow: Jenn is my guru for workouts and fitness. I have never felt strong like I do when I follow her program. 

Honest: Need a company that provides natural products for your family? Completely love getting our diapers and cleaning products from this company. 

Zen Habits: Another favorite blog that actively helps me process stress and focus on what matters. Hint: do less. 

Other ideas... Take a bath with epsom salt, nap, express gratitude, make a green smoothie, skip the drive through, read a book for 10 minutes. Above all, if you feel like you have a medical issue, please see your doctor. Seeing mine and starting to take supplements in addition to healthy food and exercise has helped my fatigue immensely in just one week. How are you working to be a healthier you? 

Tangible Love

My sweet friend Laken, who just happens to be my soul sister, runs an amazing blog. You've probably heard me sing her praises before. She is kind, smart, and one of the biggest dreamers & doers I've ever met. She has been working on a series on Tangible Love- which I adore, and asked me to be a part of it! Since habit has been on my mind lately, I wrote a little bit more about how Isaiah and I love each other, tangibly, every day. Here's a little excerpt... 

Oh, if I could only count the ways my husband shows me love. I like to say that Isaiah and I were love at first kiss. As crazy as that sounds, I knew the moment he kissed me on our first “date” that we would be husband and wife. Almost five years later, two cross-country moves, career changes, a wedding and a baby, I still think about our first kiss and it gives me butterflies... For the rest of the post, hop on over to Laken's blog! 

The Power of Habit, Part 3: Defining Habits for Entrepreneurial Success

Last week was so much fun for me, I've been discovering more and more how passionate I am about personal and business development. On Monday, I talked about defining your personal philosophy, Tuesday I jumped the gun and wrote a lengthy post on my daily habits and how I track those. Today I wanted to go a little deeper into the reasons behind those habits, and what you can do as a creative entrepreneur to push yourself out of "survival mode" and into success. I'm going to approach this topic from my own perspective: a 25 year old wife, mom, wedding planner, coffee drinker. 

Be consistent. The most basic contribution you can make to your life, and business, is consistency. Show up everyday and DO the hard work, plain and simple. I'm definitely not saying that I am 100% on target with this goal (far from it, actually), but I strive to stick to the schedule I've created for myself and my family. While I was pregnant, I was really concerned about how to do this, and for a long time, just didn't. But even over the past month and a half of working towards a streamlined family schedule has transformed my business. 

Practice integrity. One chapter of The Slight Edge that really rocked me was the part about Slight Edge Integrity. It's doing the small habits, that nobody would care if you skipped just this once, when you are the only one in the room. "Serving as your own boss, day in and day out, takes an uncommon degree of Slight Edge Integrity, and frankly, many business owners just don't have it. They become intoxicated by the freedom of being their own boss and fail to maintain the structure it takes to become successful". Yes. Consistency & integrity go hand in hand. I've found this to be 100% spot on. You have to show and and do the work, day after day. 

Write out a to do list every morning. For me, I practice this habit under my "simplified" habit on Lift, I write out my little to-do list in my Simplified Planner. This has everything to do with what Olson calls The Power of Completion. "Each and every incomplete thing in your life or work exerts a draining force on you, sucking the energy of accomplishment and success out of you as surely as a vampire stealing your blood. Every incomplete promise, commitment, or agreement saps your strength because it blocks your momentum and chokes off your ability to move forward, progress, or improve. Incomplete things keep calling you hack to the past to take care of them." Who else feels like this? For me, the only way to zap this feeling is to just take ACTION. I start with writing a to-do list in my planner every morning. The next day, I "migrate" things not yet done to my current list. 

Use social media with a positive attitude and tone. Olson cited a study in The Slight Edge that displayed the correlation of positive language, higher happiness, and reduced risk of heart attacks. The words that were most charted as positive? "morning, fabulous, helpful, share, running, forward, great, interesting, lunch, discussion, seems". Isn't that interested? Example tweet: (What a fabulous morning reading TSE- so helpful and shared such interesting, forward thinking content. Discussion over lunch, anyone? #running) Okay so that's kind of a joke, but you can see the point. Positive language increases your happiness. People gravitate towards happy people. And happy people just don't shoot their husbands. One spot that it's so easy to be positive is online, especially through social media. I aim to use Instagram, Facebook and this blog as a platform to share uplifting and interesting content, express gratitude, document life & work, and support others. What's your social media philosophy? As business owners, social media is a part of the gig. Why not infuse every area of your life with goodness?

Take care of your basic needs. As a new mom and business owner, if I don't eat well, sleep enough, and exercise, I am a mess. Don't know where to start? I suggest talking to Laken for a personalized approach, or here, for a life changing program. Honestly, just do it. When your energy is higher, you are more productive and positive. It's as simple as that. As habits, these can range from exercising for 30 minutes to cooking everyday, to just 10 pushups. Make small steps for your health, you are worth it. 

Find an accountability partner. This can be another small business owner, friend, family member, I don't care (just not a pet). Connect with someone who sees the best parts of you and wants to make those even better. You'll need someone to check in with, to text and say "I'm sooo tired I don't want to go to the gym! :(" and they will say, "I'll come with you!" or... "But you LOVE the gym!! :)" Support is key, in life, and in business. If nothing else, join Lift and you'll be joined by a fun group of like-minded humans who enjoy habit forming and personal development. Check in daily. 

Alright, how are you feeling? What steps are you going to take today to be in charge of your business and life? Show up, everyday and take action. Think positive, take care of your physical self. Do the things that are hard when nobody is watching, and when it's hard (and it will be), call a friend that will get you back on track. 

February Goals

What a wonderful month January was, the perfect 31 days to welcome the new year. Like I do every year, I cannot believe how fast time goes. Only 4.5 months until Rowan's first birthday, less than that to my first wedding of the season, and even less until our east coast trip this spring. January was so lovely. The first half of the month was spent in Mexico with Rowan and my in-laws. It was relaxing and so needed. When we got back from Mexico I jumped head first into planning and designing our upcoming 2014 weddings. 12 weddings in 4 months. We went to tastings, visits with floral designers, plenty of coffee dates, design proposals and so much more. The last day of the month was spent prepping flowers with my girl Shelby for our Fishtown editorial shoot (can't wait to tell you more about this!). For a few sneak peaks, follow the hashtag #fellinloveinfishtown on Instagram. (!!)

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On Saturday the 1st, Shelby and I joined forces with the girls from ElizaJean Photography, Thistle & Bur, Gatherings Vintage Rentals, Floral & Frayed, BHLDN, and Traverse City Wedding Cakes to make beautiful things happen at the Leland Lodge. My oh my was it fun (and cold!). I hope the rest of February is just as sweet as Saturday. :) 

I was catching up on blog reading this afternoon after church, and I just had to share what Nancy posted about February Goals... "If January is the month of change, February is the month of lasting change. January is for dreamers... February is for doers -" - [Marc Parent / Runner's World Mag] Isn't that amazing? So true, and just what I had on my mind, after all, habit has been on the brain, and habits aren't just for January. 

February Goals

• Figure out my tiredness issue by having blood work done, to at least rule out thyroid and vitamin deficiencies. 
• Celebrate Valentine's Day with flowers and a baby-free date
• Take Rowan to the library for baby time. 
• Post on the blog about my breastfeeding journey 
• Take 8 month photos of Rowan with my "real" camera 
• Continue tracking habits daily on Lift
• Send long overdue thank you notes (so embarrassing)

Do you set monthly goals? I would love to hear! 

The Power of Habit, Part 2: Defining & Tracking Habits for Success

On Monday, I started talking about the powerful transformation that can happen when you commit to a particular habit. The first step is defining your personal philosophy or mantra- the feeling and motivation behind your small daily actions. Personally, I've always craved routine and habit. Growing up, I was committed to my dance schedule and practiced several times a week. Although we had tons of fun, I didn't always want to go to class. At the end of the season, we started winning. A lot. It was a direct result of the hours we had committed to our art. You might have experienced this with saving money, practicing an instrument, or committing to your career. The beauty of the slight edge is that time is on your side if you use it wisely. 

Nothing to do with this post, but isn't is beautiful? From Here. 

The next logical step after you create your personal philosophy is to actually cultivate the habits that matter. Olson recommends starting to implement positive habits in seven areas: health, happiness, relationships, personal development, finances, career, and your positive impact on the world. Since I had already been using Lift, I had some habits in place already but decided to build on them after finishing The Slight Edge. I also went through my Year Designer to identify any goals that could benefit from daily action and added those. 

I use the Lift App to track my daily habits. It's a brilliantly designed app that is simple, clean, and effective. You could also just write your habits as a checklist, journal daily, or have an accountability partner. With Lift, you can have "friends" to support and encourage your goals. Isaiah and I both use it and daily ask each other how we're doing. 

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Currently, I have 16 habits that serve me and my family. They are all extremely simple. Easy to do, and easy not to do. I know that doing these small daily disciplines is what will help push me out of survival mode and into success. My habits below are listed in order of my day, how I would typically structure my day. 

• WAKE: rise at 7am, before Rowan and Isaiah. 
• SIP: drink a glass of h20 first thing upon rising, bonus points for adding lemon & sea salt
• BRUSH: brush and floss, morning and night 
• SIMPLIFY: start my work day by sitting down at my office desk, opening my Simplified Planner to look over my schedule for the day and write a to-do list. 
• BREATHE For me, this can mean either a guided meditation, a pause for a few deep breaths or anything in between. The focus is on centering myself and focusing on the present moment. 
• CLEAR: Getting my inbox to zero by offering responses that are quick, marking longer replies as to-do, and categorizing e-mails from clients that don't need a response. 
• THANK: At this point in my day (around 10 or 11), I like to send an e-mail with a thanks, make a phone call, or just express gratitude.
• COOK: one of my goals this year is to cook something every day. Doesn't matter which meal, but I've been cooking around dinner. 
• MINT: we use mint for our budgeting and personal finance. I've found that it's easiest to keep up with categorizing spending if I login to the account everyday on my phone or iPad. 
• PLAY: Now before all of you who aren't parents jump on my case, read this article. It's a goal of mine to spend an hour a day playing and reading with Rowan. No phone, TV, or secondary activities. I'll talk more about this when I go over my daily schedule next month. 
• TIDY: if our kitchen is 100% clean at least once a day, it's always manageable. I also like to do a quick clean of my office and living room daily. 
• SWEAT: this habit is strictly for vigorous exercise like running, a For the Glow workout at home, or Pilates. 
• TRACK: I've been tracking my daily intake and exercise with My Fitness Pal since before Christmas. It's so easy for me to justify just one more glass of wine, so this app helps keep my portions in check. At the end of the day I check this habit if I've accurately logged my intake.
• KISS This habit helps me to remember to pay attention to my marriage, think about what Isaiah needs, and how to nurture our relationship. Kissing always helps. :) 
• STRETCH: we have been doing a 15 minute relaxation yoga and found that our sleep is more restful and muscles more loose (surprise, surprise!)
• READ: any book, at least 5 minutes. It's not much but I've already finished three books this year. Blogs and magazines don't count. 

Easy to do, easier not to do. You don't need 16 habits to start, or any magic number. Identify your goals and the habits will almost jump out at you! Habit creates momentum, remember that time is on your side even when your habits feel draining or mundane. Since I've been tracking my habits, I've quickly noticed the ones that are the hardest for me (waking up at 7? seems impossible). Plus, I try to remember this and that helps. ;) 

I hope this mini series is helping you think about the seemingly insignificant actions that make up your day to day life. On Friday I will be posting the final segment on this series on the power of habit, this time from the perspective of an entrepreneur and work at home mama. Make your day count! 

The Power of Habit, Part 1: Creating your Personal Philosophy

Over the past year my husband and I have both been interested in the power of habits. For health, taking care of our home, making it through the day to day monotony of a "day job", eating well, you name it. We both have read the blog Zen Habits for a while now. I find Leo's posts so inspiring and motivating. Last year I started using the Lift App and went back and forth determining which habits I wanted to track and stick with. One of my strengths is being a "strategist". I love tracking, seeing progress, and being efficient with my time and energy. Sometimes I think I could create my whole day out of small habits. 

Last week I read The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson, which I can't recommend highly enough. Goal setting, dreaming big, and personal development are some of my biggest passions (hence this blog), so I've been working my way through some of Jess Lively's book suggestions for the top 10 resolutions. The Slight Edge focuses on daily practices that, compounded over time, will drive you directly to your own definition of success. Olson says that "People who live with huge, vivid, clearly articulated dreams are pulled along toward those dreams with such force they come practically unstoppable". The author brings up the incredible point that you don't have to be a genius to be happy, successful, healthy, or anything. All you have to do is be consistent about the things you already know how to do. 

The first step, according to Olson, is to create your personal philosophy. I had been thinking about this for a while now, even before I read the slight edge. Thanks to my inspiring words board, I had a good place to start. Have you ever thought about your personal philosophy or mantra? Olson says, "by your philosophy, all I mean is changing the way you think about simple everyday things. Once you do, then you will take the steps you need to take, to lead you to the how-to's you need". He says it's the attitude behind your habits that have the power to create lasting change. Sounds easy enough! 

Some quotes, philosophies, if you will, I've been thinking about are... "She designed a life she loved", "Do what matters, forget the rest", and, "How you spend your days is, of course, how you spend your life", among others. As I continued reading through the philosophy chapter, a few sentences jumped out at me immediately. "Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal. Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. There is a natural progression to everything in life: plant, cultivate, harvest."  Once I read those few lines, my personal philosophy was self evident. 

"If it matters to you, cultivate it"

Cultivate has many definitions, one that says, "to foster the growth of, to raise or grow something under conditions you can control". This is a philosophy that can stay in the back of my mind when laziness or fatigue set in. When I don't feel like waking up at 7, even though I know it''ll start my day off right. I can think of this philosophy when I'm watching TV instead of playing with Rowan, even know I know I value quality time with him. When I'm tempted to order a pizza instead of cook, start my workday late, let too many days slide without flossing. These things are important to me! They are so easy do do, but just as easy not to do. On Wednesday I'll be back with a post on my 16 daily habits for success & how I track them. On Friday I plan to post about how you can incorporate simple daily disciplines to drive your success as a creative entrepreneur. Have you read The Slight Edge? Are you intrigued? 

Coffee Talk... How to Relieve Anxiety on Vacation.

Hi everyone! I hope you've had the best start to 2014. Rowan and I jetted off to Mexico for a few weeks to soak up the sun and spend some time with my in-laws. It was definitely a refreshing start to the new year! However, I sometimes felt this sense of urgency to get home, and start working on my goals for the year. My anxiety sky-rocketed around day 3. For a couple days I couldn't shake the feeling that I had things to do! Workouts, bills to be paid, e-mails to be written, calls to be returned, dishes to do, laundry to fold, you name it. After that I realized how lame that was and started to just enjoy myself. 

Blurry iPhone pic, real vaca recap soon! 

I've seen other bloggers have a coffee talk section of their blog, and truthfully I just love the idea of coming to this place and writing about whatever is on my mind. Besides, anyone who knows me knows that the instant someone suggests a coffee date at Morsels I am already there. After I was stressed and anxious on vacation, trying to "just relax" doesn't quite work for me. I like scheduled relaxation, things to do. Naturally, I set some goals for myself.

What could I do  our of my normal sphere to continue working on my goals and also just enjoy my time away?

1. I stopped working, completely. I was scared this would backlash but honestly not one of my amazing clients wrote to me while I was away. They knew I was on vacation and wanted me to enjoy it. How lucky am I? Best clients ever.

2. I continued cooking, eating clean, and logging what I ate into My Fitness Pal. This didn't feel like work to me, I love numbers, tracking, and seeing progress over time.

3. I went on four runs to the beach! This was lovely. It was cloudy and rainy a few days but there is nothing like running outside. I felt strong and my head clear. 

4. I read two books. Keep in mind, my goal for the year was to read one single book. I'm on a roll now! While in Mexico I read 7 and Women, Food & God. Highly recommend both! Even with internet access I chose to read instead. 

5. I stayed off of social media. Of course I had to post some cute #rowaninmexico photos on Instagram, but I didn't spend time scrolling through the endless pit of social media. 

This might seem like simple stuff to some of you who are good at relaxing, but I'm so glad we stayed for a few weeks! It took me a few days to get the hang of it. Now that I'm home and rediscovering my rhythm, I'm starting to incorporate more of these relaxing and anxiety lifting techniques into my life at home. Even though I'm working, I am sticking to my schedule (which includes adequate rest), eating well, exercising, reading, and laying low on social media. 

Do you ever suffer from anxiety or nervousness? Even on vacation? I would love to hear from you in the comments below! 

xo 

2013 Letter Review.

Happy 2014! How did you spend New Year's Eve? We had fun with some friends eating Thai Food, drinking wine and playing with our babies. Last year, one of my biggest goals was to make make new friends- primarily close girl friends here in Traverse City. I am so thankful for my new friends! 

Today I wanted to spend just a minute reviewing last year's letter. 

Dear Rachel,

It is January 1st, 2014. Life is more wonderful than I could have imagined. I thought that 2012 was a blessed year, with a new husband, financial freedom and the conception of a perfect baby boy, but 2013 exceeded my expectations. Absolutely astounding. I was able to focus on what matters, and forget the rest. YES. Everything was better than I expected. I refocused after Rowan's birth and am getting better everyday at forgetting the rest. 

easily the highlight of our year. :)

We brought our beautiful son into the world in June who Isaiah and I cherish and love above almost all else. We make bonding and family time a top priority. We were able to visit my parents and grandfather, and took time in the summer to visit family in Connecticut. We spend time together everyday, even if just a few minutes. We visited Minnesota twice, and Isaiah's grandparents came to Michigan! We have a trip planned to CT for May. 

After I gave the natural, med-free birth that I trained and prepared for, I never returned to the bank full time. We are wise with our money and as a team developed a budget and found a way to support our family the most efficiently. Birth was not med-free, but it was just how it was supposed to go. You can read the birth story here, if you wish.

Each month we review out budget and statements. We do not use our credit cards and are working on diminishing our debt. I feel comfortable and secure financially and Isaiah and I are constantly on the same page.  We have been working on our budget- empowerment and transparency. We have started using Mint and continue to reduce our debt. 

We established a workspace for Occasion that is the perfect place to build my business. It is clean and allows me to think and create freely, without clutter (mental or physical). I feel peaceful in my office. Yay! I love my studio so much. I will post photos this year, but you can see some previews over on Instagram! 

My blog is picking up with regular posting and gaining meaningful readership each month. I write about my business, family, inspirations and intentions as I approach and experience motherhood. Yea! I still love blogging so much, and am grateful for the friends and connections I've made through writing. Ultimately, this is a perfect space to express myself and share more about my little life. 

I have found a way to generate income while working from home in some capacity. This could be through calligraphy, floral design, or another extension of Occasions. Working creatively with my hands has been rewarding and helped me define where I want my business to go in the future. I've developed a business plan and am so satisfied with where I'm at. I went above and beyond the expectations of my clients and this only deepened my sense of gratitude for amazing clients. This was an intentionally "slow" year for me, but I was still able to produce a photo shoot that I'm proud of and grow Occasions behind the scenes. I am ready for 2014! My oh my! 2013 was incredible. I changed my business name to Sincerely, Ginger Weddings & Events to truly reflect the core of my heart & business. I knocked out 2 amazing weddings and 2 editorial shoots that I'm very proud of, and have 10 weddings booked for 2014. I've generated enough income for the year and can be at home with Rowan. (I want to stress how much I did not think this was going to happen. Put your biggest dreams out there, you will be blown away.)

During pregnancy, I made the best use of my time. I gained a "normal" amount of weight and ate healthily and exercised throughout. We eat a balanced diet and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. After I gave birth I continued to focus on my health and wellness as I easily achieved my pre-pregnancy weight. Yes! I gained a little more than ideal, but after Rowan was born I started slowly exercising and eating well. I joined the Postnatal Project and have been cooking at home much more. Not to my pre-pregnancy weight yet, but I'm trying to be patient. 

I designed baby's nursery on a budget and we love the way it looks! It is organized and simple, perfect for nursing, changing, and letting baby sleep. We took tons of photos this year! We printed them out and even framed some! I love Rowan's room! It's organized, easy to clean, and perfectly neutral. I printed about 400 photos this year, and indeed, put a few in frames. Hoping to continue this next year! 

During my maternity leave, I learned to maintain the house and clean regularly. We have "systems" and organization in each area of our home. It makes cleaning and finding things a breeze! Isaiah and I feel like our responsibilities are divided equitably and fairly. As I write this, Isaiah is folding laundry (good sign, right?). I did pretty well this summer, we are sharing responsibilities. This year we are focusing even more on streamlining our home so this is natural. 

I strengthened my relationships with Brittany, Callie, Natalie and Bk this year. I made an effort to remember birthdays and call more often. Friendship took a new role in my life. I was able to balance relationships with my oldest, greatest friends with some new ones too. I'm working on building up "my team" of supporters, and in turn I am more fully present with others. Some relationships didn't grow the way I imagined they would, but that only left room for lots of new friends. I am so grateful for my new girlfriends and industry friends. I honestly have like 4 coffee dates a week. I love that! 

This year I read more and watched less television. It was a good example for baby and great for my brain. I read a mixture of fiction and non-fiction that included baby books, business development and cookbooks- some fiction too. We also read to our little babe almost every night. Could've been better about this. I know part of it is our new TV, and nursing. It's so easy to watch TV a lot when you have a newborn who just wants to sleep in your arms. We did read a lot, but we watched more TV. I do read to Rowan daily! 

I felt beautiful this year. Pregnancy was healthy and I took care of myself. During pregnancy I practiced yoga and walked outside regularly. Afterwards I hit the gym harder and got back into running at a comfortable pace. Even through early motherhood, I made myself feel great by taking relaxing baths, and made "getting ready" in the morning a priority. I am grateful for an uneventful and healthy pregnancy. We walked a lot this summer, and now I'm just starting to get back into vigorous exercise. 

We were very picky about how we spent our time. When given the chance to travel, we focused on visiting family and friends. During that time it was relaxing and stress-free. Lots of time outdoors, at the beach, eating together. It was lovely. I was so happy to make more trips downstate this year, to see Isaiah's parents and grandparents. We also went to Minnesota as a family, and Rowan and I took a separate trip to see my parents. It truly was lovely, and something I hope to do each year! 

Above all, I showed Isaiah how much I love him, and I put family first. Together we lead a household with a foundation of love. Our marriage serves to show our son what's really important, because we focus on living out those intentions daily. We supported each others goals wholeheartedly and went after what we wanted fiercely. We are learning to dream bigger. If you read my 2015 letter yesterday, you might recognize this little passage. I didn't add it to my 2015 letter because we didn't do this last year, but because we DID and it was AMAZING. I love this mission. I love our marriage. I want to continue focusing on our intentions, supporting each other, and showing love. 

Letter to my Future Self: 2014 Inspiration & Goals

Dear Rachel, 

Welcome! It's January 1st, 2015. Can you believe what a crazy beautiful year it was? Rowan is a year and a half old now, he's running all over the place, keeping you so busy. He is so smart, curious and playful. You were able to balance working from home with caring for Rowan, and felt balanced by using your time wisely and sticking to your family schedule. Aren't you glad you created that last year? 

2014 Inspiration. Sources on Pinterest (click through).

Balance and streamlining home & work was extremely important this year. I used my Simplified Planner daily to prioritize for the day and plan for the future. I am using tools that are at my disposal to track, record, and form habits for the things that are important- of note: I use Lift, My Fitness Pal & Runkeeper daily. As a result, I have stayed on track with my habits and goals. On Sundays, I prepped smartly for the week by cleaning the house, grocery shopping & meal planning. We went to church as a family most weeks and feel even more deeply connected to our community at Watershed. 

We took two amazing trips this year! In January, Rowan and I visited Grammy Di Di & Grandpa G in Mexico and had the sweetest time! I recharged, spent time in the son, and relaxed for a whole 12 days. When I returned from the trip I was rejuvenated and excited to work smartly for my brides. I jumped right into our family schedule and felt productive and energized as a result. That feeling stayed throughout the year. In May we visited our family in Connecticut for 10 days! It was wonderful to spend time with family, and Isaiah and I even got away for a night or two to celebrate our wedding anniversary early. 

Every morning, Isaiah and I wake up at 7 am. He cleans the kitchen & preps breakfast while I go to the gym on weekdays. The first half of the year was spent training for the half marathon I completed in June and finishing the Postnatal Project. I love going to the gym in the morning! When the YMCA opened and Isaiah switched to the day shift, I got a new membership. We all leave the house at the same time- Ro & I drop Isaiah at work and go to the Y where he has childcare provided.

We eat at least 1 meal together, as a family, at home, every day. I usually cook dinner for us while Isaiah plays with Rowan. I am very focused on clean eating and feeding our family nutritious and yummy food. For other meals, I try to follow Jen's Superfood Diet because it leaves me feeling energized and fueled. For breakfast we usually have a smoothie or eggs & veggies. Lunch is leftovers, salad, or a wrap, and dinner is our time to experiment or eat lean and green. I was so happy in November when I reached my "happy weight"! Consistency with healthy food, exercise (especially running), and daily tracking was beneficial and left me feeling empowered. I never felt like slave to food, overly hungry, or like I had to exercise. 

Sincerely, Ginger is growing and changing to even more strongly align with my core. I feel like I am serving the clients who I can help the most, my brides are my friends! I love the work I do daily, feel appreciated, respected, and paid appropriately. I executed 10 amazing celebrations of love, and am currently working on 8-10 more for 2015! I put together 4 editorial shoots with different wedding professionals, resulting in quality relationships, elevation in each of our craft, and recognition within the industry. I also wrote my business plan with the hard numbers and had a meeting with my mentors to review it. I hired a bookkeeper who is the best. I am endlessly grateful for the opportunity to run a successful, purpose driven business from home. Entirely blessed. 

When the wedding season was really busy, I felt calm and peaceful. Thanks to a supportive husband, my in-laws, two fabulous interns, and a full time nanny for Rowan, I was ahead of the game all season! Our house stayed manageably clean, I continued to eat real food, exercise, and had plenty of quality time with Rowan. Isaiah and I maintained our monthly dates, and I surprised him with something awesome for his 30th birthday! We celebrated birthdays in style this year. :)   I also was better about sending Thank You notes... embarrassingly, I finally got the hang of this. 

I worked smarter at managing our household. We have peace of mind and transparency with our finances, with a huge thanks to Mint! We worked at eliminating the remaining portion of our debt, and also started to save more money. We purchased a second car when the time was right, and are so glad we waited for the right opportunity. I streamlined as much as I could and continually cleared the clutter. We simplified majorly at home. I cut distractions like crazy. I use social media more purposefully and blog often. I have fresh flowers in the house every day. Yep, every single day. 

Above all, I showed Isaiah how much I love him, and I put family first. Together we lead a household with a foundation of love. Our marriage serves to show our son what's really important, because we focus on living out those intentions daily. We supported each others goals wholeheartedly and went after what we wanted fiercely. We are learning to dream even bigger.

---

Happy New Year's Eve, friends! Can you believe another year has passed (well, almost)? Tomorrow I will be posting my January goals, and the review of last year's letter. xo

2013 in Review

Oh, my! If I had to describe 2013 in words, in a blog post, I just couldn't. Thankfully, there are photos! Probably too many of them, but I am so grateful for each and every one. 

Made with Over

In January, my main focus was work and pregnancy. Actually, that was the theme of the first few months of the year! Isaiah was working late evenings (usually until 11pm or later) and we only had one car. This meant that I spent a lot of time at home alone after work, or dropping him off and picking him up! I started going to pre-natal yoga on Monday nights which was relaxing. I took plenty of naps. We had just found out the gender of our babe, so I also spent lots of  time day dreaming about our little man! I started blogging more regularly, and worked hard at building my business and preparing for Amy & Jon's wedding day. 

February was a lot of the same! Continued to drink too much coffee for a pregnant lady, dredging through the snow to a job I didn't love (at all), but saw the value in. My in-laws were in Mexico, so we were missing them. Overall it was a lonely month to be honest! I slept a lot. But we did work on my office, go out for Valentine's Day, and I spent time working on my floral design. 

In March and April, I was SO pregnant! At least it felt that way. :) I took a childbirth education class and devoted a lot of time to preparing for motherhood. I enjoyed a few baby showers and visits from family! It was quiet... I knew that the next few months would be bringing radical change so I did my best to slow down and live in the moment. Nesting kicked in majorly- I was an organizing and list making machine! I loved feeling Rowan kick and move. We took baths a lot. 

May was a month devoted to Amy & Jon's Wedding, my last month of work at the bank (!!!), and just living with that huge belly! I remember being so stressed about my pregnancy during this month. I tend to focus my energy on things I can't control (working on it) so this doesn't even surprise me. Rowan was always happy and healthy throughout my whole pregnancy and for that I am so grateful! This month, my in-laws visited and we finished my office and had a huge cooking weekend to freeze meals for after baby. It was the best. 

After Amy's incredibly fun and beautiful wedding, I found out that my dear friend Nicole was getting married... in JULY, and she wanted my help. Well, being the way I am- I said why not! Her and Tyler came up north over Memorial day to essentially plan their whole wedding. We walked, I prayed that  labor would start early, and was counting down my last minutes of work at the bank.

Sweet Pea Photography

Eventually, I was done with work! It was two weeks of impatiently waiting, but when Rowan arrived a week late, it was worth every single second. His birth was incredible and without a doubt the most amazing moment of my life. You can read more about Rowan's birth here. 

Isaiah and I celebrated our wedding anniversary! It was our first time leaving Rowan and I was anxious, but entirely glad that my in-laws were the ones to babysit. We tried to ground ourselves a bit, it was hard to believe everything that was actually happening! We ate, drank, and even went on the ferris wheel. :) 

In July, Rowan's newborn photos came back and I was obsessed! I think they are everywhere on the internet now. I don't care. We went on lots of walks downtown, met up with friends, and enjoyed summer in Northern Michigan! We worked at our community farm, too. It was fun to take Rowan to the beach for the first time at Good Harbor Bay! 

Before I knew it, It was the end of the month and time for Nicole's wedding. Rowan and I packed up and headed down to Flushing, Michigan where we spent days arranging flowers and coordinating the whole weekend. 

and it was perfect. 

Nic Gatlin Photography

After the wedding, we spent lots of time enjoying summer. We started hiking, I got some alone time (aka drinking coffee and browsing Pinterest at Oryana), and took too many (but still not enough) photos of Rowan. We met up with Krista and Elizabeth a lot and walked downtown. It was the best ever to have friends with babies! We went to our local Breastfeeding group on Mondays, too. It was so much fun when Madison and Gwendolyn were born! 

In August, Isaiah turned 29 and the next day we took off for a week long trip to Minnesota. We spent precious time with my family, especially visiting with my Grandpa at the lake. Ro got to meet some new faces and it was the perfect week for us all to just relax. We ate burritos, shopped, swam in the lake and looked at old photos.

We took Rowan to his first baseball game with my parents! I nursed at Target field and ate too much ice cream. :) 

After that trip, I got very tired and anxious. I was worried about finding a part time job, probably not sleeping enough, and missing Isaiah since he worked so much. As you can see- I was very tired. But I still made time for this photoshoot, played with flowers, went to church, and ate brunch with my family on Sundays. It was a trying few weeks but when answers came and prayers were answered... even more amazing things started to happen. 

My Northern Michigan Styled shoot was featured over here, and I officially launched my website! I got back into blogging and started working harder for my brides. In one month, I booked six incredible weddings and feel so blessed to be a "Work at home mom". It's been challenging to find a balance, but is something I'm working on every day. 

Through the fall we continued to get produce from our magic CSA box that we pick up every Monday. We had fun cooking and trying our best to eat all the tomatoes! We transitioned Rowan into his crib and I started exercising more regularly. 

Rowan loves the Moby wrap and his stroller. His favorite thing was meeting up with Madi & Gwen to go for walks and coffee! I started the Postnatal Project with For the Glow and worked out daily and started up my green smoothies. Rowan was still nursing strong and learning new things every day!

In November, I turned 25, visited my family in Minnesota again and hosted Thanksgiving. It was a really busy month but full of love and the things that matter. Rowan and I flew solo (he was great), we shopped at Trader Joes, visited with my extended family, ate at Panera with my mom and sis, and just hung out. It was nice to have a week with my parents! 

When we got home, Isaiah and I hosted Thanksgiving at our house. Rowan started eating simple puree and enjoyed an apple, parsnip and pumpkin smoothie for Thanksgiving! My mother in law and I had fun decorating for Thanksgiving and setting the table. 

And before we knew it, it was Christmas. Last night and this morning have made my heart so full. Just the three of us this year, cooking coq au vin, watching Home Alone and playing with Rowan's new toys. If I could sum up the year in just one word- it has been a year of faith. Faith in God, in the future, each other, and ourselves. We have gone through seasons of life that we just didn't know how in the world it would be okay, or work out. Somehow, under God's overflowing grace, we are happy and blessed beyond measure. I can't wait to see what 2014 holds! On new year's eve, I will be posting the next letter to my future self. I get goosebumps just thinking about it! Merry Christmas, all! Hugs from us! 

Romantic Northern Michigan Wedding Inspiration

Hooray! I am so excited to finally share the full roster of amazing images shot by my friend Bevin of Eliza Jean Photography. This editorial shoot is such a big piece of my heart and my story, a visual representation of what I love and what my business stands for. In my October goals, I mentioned that I was going to submit this shoot for publication to my favorite wedding blog. What did I have to loose? When Jocey from Wedding Chicks wrote me back and said the shoot was "amazingly pretty", I just about fell off my chair. How amazing to create something beautiful, and be able to share that with even more people? See the full feature right over here. 

We decided to shoot in an amazing wildflower garden on Old Mission Peninsula, Hooper Farms! The owner, Terry, is just the sweetest and her location was perfect for what we had in mind. She graciously donated all of the blooms for the shoot, so I tried not to overthink the flowers too much before I got there. My goal was to bring to life a beautiful garden party, with gold details, yummy dessert, and colorful floral arrangements. 

If you've had a chance to read my philosophy, and how my business name was inspired, then you already have a good idea of why I choose to incorporate a love letter. I was so excited that the Wedding Chicks decided to run with this idea! At each place setting we enclosed an inspiring quote or sentiment and addressed it personally to each guest, which also served as a place card. I love this idea for a small wedding, luxury truly is in the details. Holly did an amazing job designing the whole roster of stationery, I am in love with her watercolor invitations! 

We strung bistro lights, ate dessert, and soaked in all the sweetness of summer in Northern Michigan. The photos turned out so beautifully! Later this week, I'm planning to do a post about what you don't see, what went wrong, and things I learned from my first shoot. I am so grateful to these amazing vendors who had faith in me and decided to jump in to make this little dream happen. I know Ginger would've approved. :) 

Concept, Design, Styling & Florals: Sincerely, Ginger Weddings Photography: Bevin Deak of Eliza Jean Photography Cake: Penny Christians Stationery: Holly Thomas Design Venue: Hooper's Farm Garden "Kiss Slowly" Print: Sarah & Bendrix Gold Chiavari Chairs: Sweet Seats Bridal Gown: To Have & To Hold Ribbon: Frou Frou Chic 

On Rest & Balance

This morning I was drinking my coffee, sitting in my office, surrounded by papers, binders, boxes and bins. Everything from my photoshoot this week was not unpacked (there were literally dead flowers everywhere). I was so overwhelmed looking around me and seeing this huge MESS. What's more important though, is the mess that's dwelling in me lately. In the busyness of this season, I need to give myself more time and space to simply rest. 

Thanks to the Return to Rest Retreat for the photo! 

In the wedding industry, it's easy to work overtime without realizing it, to work straight through meals, to text your clients while watching movies with your spouse, to let work spill over into your life. I love what I do. It's true! When I get a call from one of my brides at 8pm, I always pick up! My brides quickly turn into friends, and it's important to me to be there for them. But I know how important it is for me to have some balance in my life. I need to recharge, pray, reflect, set goals. That's a big reason why I love blogging so much! 

But somewhere between my calling as a wedding planner, a wife, a mom, and whatever else my role might be for the day- I loose a deeper connection with myself and with God. I love the mission behind the Return to Rest Retreat, have you heard of it? My goodness, if I could even begin to tell you all the ways my heart needs rest. How amazing that they are offering this retreat to wedding professionals? 

My purpose in sharing this today is to make a commitment to resting more often. To working hard to achieve balance between work, play, and rest. Even without this awesome retreat weekend, I'm planning to do just that this week. As I mentioned before, I'm currently working with Laken, doing one on one work with her. One piece of homework she gave me was to take a nap. Can I get an AMEN? :) 

December... goals and other happenings.

You may have seen this post on Instagram the other night. How is is even possible that it's already December 8th? Complete madness I tell you. Rowan's 6 month birthday is on the 14th, Christmas is coming, vacations, birthdays... so much to celebrate. Before I know it it will be wedding season again. I've been challenging myself this month to think strategically about how I spend my time. What are my goals, what do I need to do (or not do) in order to knock 'em outta the park? 

November was a fabulously FULL month. I celebrated my 25th birthday, visited family and friends in Minnesota, hosted Thanksgiving, and continued working hard for my 2014 brides. In fact, I've only blogged once since I posted my goals for November... woops! I'm not going to go through the rundown and check the things I did and pout about the things I didn't do. I decided a few days into the month that I was not going to post a public "31 days of gratitude", for a number of reasons. I'm planning to blog a little bit more about that later this month, actually I'm pretty excited about it. 

In December, all I want is to see the big picture more clearly, and work harder to translate that vision into my day to day life. My priorities this month are to spend more time with Isaiah and Rowan, recharge and set goals for 2014, streamline my client binders and workflow, not overbook myself, and take a nap (just one...). I'm also working with my girl Laken on taking steps to love my postpartum body more. Can I just say for a minute how amazing that girl is? Spend .2 seconds on her blog and you will also have a mega girl crush. 

Just because it isn't "wedding season" doesn't mean that we haven't been busting out amazingly beautiful work! Just this week, my styled shoot from August (which I will be doing a full blog post about this week), was posted on Wedding Chicks! My first styled shoot ever was published on a major wedding blog. All I can say is that I am so proud of my sweet friends Bevin, Holly, Terry, Allida, and so many other amazing friends who helped me put together this little labor of love. Check it out, will you? :) 

On Wednesday I spent the whole day marching through the snow and making beautiful things happen with Cory at Snow Moon Ranch. You guys, I cannot wait for the scans to come back from this shoot! Definitely my most involved editorial ever. So many amazing Northern Michigan vendors came together and made it happen (and by make it happen... I mean pulling my car out of the snow). More to come on this in January! 

Bevin Deak of Eliza Jean Photography

And as if that weren't enough, my amazing friend Shelby and her sweet little girl came up north to spend a couple days with me and Rowan, and dream up some details for our collaborative shoot this winter. See what I mean about winter not being a slow time? :) 

I am entirely aware of what a word dump this post was, but I just have to much more to share! Check back this month for lots of posts about 2013. (Realizing just now how many posts I promised within the last 10 minutes). 

xoxo

Let's Celebrate!

Twenty-five years ago, my mom and dad went out for spicy Mexican food, and only hours later she went into labor (which I now have a true understanding of), and I was born. Today, November 20th, on my birthday, I feel different than I have other years. I'm a mom myself now, and as most new mama's will tell you, I have so much more appreciation for my own parents. I'm so grateful for this gift of life, motherhood, love. I'm endlessly thankful for my family (both old and new), and I have such a clear sense of purpose and excitement moving into the next twenty-five years.

Thanks for the photo, SMP! Just add candles, perfect birthday cake? :)

Today I'm celebrating another year of working towards a better me. It was yet another beautiful year of ups and downs and countless moments of self-discovery. Last year on my birthday, I was around 8 weeks pregnant, and I spent the majority of last year enjoying that journey. For the past 5 months, motherhood has enveloped my life the the most joyful and overwhelming way. Last year I was able to serve brides and their families and share my gifts. I learned more about my family history. I designed more flowers and took better care of my body. My husband and I dreamed bigger than we ever have in our relationship, and are learning how to love each other more purposefully every day. I've learned more about how I want to structure my time, and therefore, my life. We traveled and visited with our families more. The message that love does has been sinking further into my heart. (Thanks, Bob!) I know now that love does things, that action is important, that I don't want to be a person that just says this or that, I want to show people how deeply they are loved with my actions. 

I'm declaring my 25th year to be the most intentional, action filled, love driven year yet. More celebrating, more making what matters happen. More time with Rowan, less time in front of the TV. More traveling and hugging my family. More yoga and green smoothies. More coffee with friends, stronger relationships. More kissing. More books, more restful Sundays. I want to squeeze more life into my 168 hours. (Have you read this book? Do it.) So today I'm celebrating that. Next month, I'll be sharing the my next letter to my future self, and I can't wait. When I read last year's letter, I just about burst into happy tears. God is GOOD. Isn't is amazing what love can do? Celebrate with me, will you? 

November Goals

November is here! Not only is November my birthday month, but it's also the start of the Holiday season (Christmas starts November 1 in my opinion), and hosts one of my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving! I try to cultivate a habit of gratefulness on a daily basis, but this month I'm going to intentionally focus on naming the things I'm thankful for. My primary goal is to relax with my family, work hard for my brides, and prioritize my health. 

 October was a great month, filled to the brim with visits with family and lots of fun projects. Here's a rundown.

1. Blog more! Like I just said, I love writing (and it takes time) but I have a strong desire to blog this month. My goal is 3x per week. Check! Okay, so I didn't blog 3x per week, but I did blog more, that has to count, right? 

2. Organize and have a meeting with my husband about personal finance. I won't lie, this has been a tough period regarding money. After my part time job offer "fell through" I have been left without a job (aka steady income). I have been so fearful of looking at the hard numbers but it's time to step up and make a plan. It's never as bad as I imagine. (Deep breath) Check! I feel like we are at such a peaceful place with finances, I still would like to sit down and print statements, categorize spending, etc, but I don't feel a sense or urgency and fear like I did last month. 

3. Find a job! Related to goal #3, it's really really time for me to find a way to make money. The catch is, I don't want to let my education, experience and skills go to waste at a minimum wage job. Please pray that the right PT opportunity comes along and that we are a good fit!  Praise God! This goal was not met, but for the best reasons. I booked 6 fabulous weddings this month (a record!), and my yearly goal for bookings is intentionally small at 8-12. Each one of these brides are so special and I already feel a connection to each. I can't wait for this summer. So thrilled. And, I will not be finding a part-time job at this time. 

4. Submit my brand inspiration shoot to a wedding blog for publication! Quite honestly, I have no idea if anyone will pick it up. But I am willing to take a risk and ask, what's the worst that will happen?  Check! It was submitted, and accepted! I won't share with who quite yet, but I will say that it is one of my favorite wedding inspiration blogs, and was my top choice. Couldn't even believe. 

5. Stick to my goals of achieving a healthier me: mind, body & soul. I want to continue attending the church we've started planting ourselves in, eat to fuel my body, and exercise because it feels good! If you're interested in following my journey on Instagram... (@rachel_fortheglow).  Check! We've been attending church and loving it, and I've been very dedicated to my physical fitness this month. Planning to continue with the Postnatal Project through the new year. Feeling stronger every day. 

via Glitter Guide

November is going to be busy, no doubt. I have two weekends of venue scouting with new SGW brides, a week long trip to Minnesota to visit my family, and Thanksgiving to celebrate! Amidst the chaos, my over arching goal is to cultivate joy and gratitude, and be present in the moment.  

 1. 31 Days of Gratitude. To keep myself on track, every day I will be posting something I'm thankful for on Instagram, tagged with #sincerelythankful. I think this will be a fun way to speak the words that run through my mind each day.  

2. Celebrate my birthday! Okay, admittedly this is a strange goal, but when you're a new mama (or a veteran), it's hard to find time to yourself. I'm hoping to sneak away for a birthday coffee, mani-pedi, and shoe shopping mission.  

3. Date my husband. Sometime this month I'm going to take up all those babysitting offers and ask Isaiah to plan us a real date. Maybe a movie, dinner, walk? Doesn't have to be too complex. Just time to be together.  

4. Take 5 month photos of Rowan. Okay, I'm so not that mom who can be disciplined enough to pose my baby with a cute little number showcasing how many months old he is and all that. I'm just not "pinteresting" enough. I love puns. But, I do want to take some nice photos on my camera and not just my phone.  

5. Host Thanksgiving! We are having a fairly large family gathering here at my house. I'm responsible for flowers (obviously), and pie (also... obviously). I can't wait to cook and spend time with Isaiah's side of the family.  

What are your goals this month? Leave the link below so I can check them out! Wishing you all the loveliest November.  

Life is too short!

It's been a year since Making Things Happen Chicago, and I've been revisiting some of my notes from the day. At that point, I was 6 weeks pregnant, scared out of my mind, discouraged about my business, wanting to badly to leave my job at the bank, and still in the very early stages of figuring out how to be a good wife. I'm not saying I've figured everything out, but I wanted to share this list with you.  

LIFE is too short not to... 

Tell my family & friends that I love them, visit my family on a whim, hug and kiss my husband just because, take care of my body, be an amazing wedding planner, do what matters with my time, take risks, eat well, smile and laugh everyday. 

 I absolutely love where my head was that day. I love where my heart was! This year, I'm keeping the same goals. Life is too short! But I'm going to add a big one... spend as much time with my sweet little Rowan as possible. To give him love and grace in every moment.  

Photo by Bevin Deak of Eliza Jean Photography

 Life is TOO SHORT to.... 

Be afraid, spend money recklessly, play small, hate my body, compare myself to others, sleep all day (had to laugh at that one...), lie to myself .

 Can I get a heck yea? I ended the session with... "My life is too short not to live the exact life I want for me and my family. It's too short not to do all the things we want to do." 2014 is going to be a great year. 

Sweet Sunday

I think I'm going to make Sunday night blogging a tradition. Last night my little family had the whole day off together (a Saturday!!) and it was so lovely. We didn't do much, took a family nap, watched movies, ordered in Chinese, just plain hung out. I didn't check my e-mail, fold any laundry or even get dressed. Well I changed from jammies into glorified yoga pants (thanks Lululemon for making me feel like a real human even though I have no clothes). The point is, it's was so relaxing. These are my people. My husband and my little Rowan, my club. 

My hubs is really learning my love language! :) 

This morning at church our pastor spoke about acceptance, and being a part of the "group". I don't want to completely butcher the beauty of his message, but it boils down to this. God wants us to succeed. He is on our team, rooting for us and encouraging us. You cannot be "weeded out" or left behind, you will always be a member of Jesus' club. 

I wish I would've taken notes this morning, because it resonated so deeply for me. It was such a simple message but one I really needed to hear. I struggle with always feeling like an outsider even when I'm doing everything I need to do to be an insider. But the truth is, I am on the inside. When I'm making what matters most happen, when I'm dreaming my biggest dreams, when I am focused and intentional about fulfilling my calling, I am in the "club" in the most perfect sense of the word. God wants to see my success and he will bring the right community into my life and fill that missing piece. 

Tonight I am pursuing that mission with my whole heart. I Face-timed with my grandpa, I bought a plane ticket home to Minnesota to visit my family, I arranged some gorgeous farm fresh blooms, I took Rowan on a drive around Old Mission Peninsula, I prayed for God to pierce my heart and help me realize what matters most. I hoped and prayed that He would be on my team this week. What did you do today to make your Sunday sweet? I would love to pray for you this week. 

Dreaming of.... Sophisticated European Travel in Shades of Pink

Happy Monday, girls and boys! Today I'm starting something new on the blog, inspired by the way Pinterest makes me feel. You know, the feeling you get when you browse pins late into the night? Your heart fluttering with each beautiful bouquet and cuddly puppy? Okay, maybe that's just me. Nevertheless I'm excited to announce my new favorite hobby... Dream boards. Similar to an inspiration board, my plan is to simply pick a few photos that make my heart go pitter patter, photos that make me slip into daydreams. 

Clockwise: 1, 2, 3, 4

Come connect with me over on Pinterest to keep up with my daily inspirations. Looking forward to this fun series! I plan to post... whenever I feel like it. :) 

xoxo

Rachel