Who AND Where are YOU?!?!?!?!?!

     I don't know if it is the WORLD TRAVELER in me, but Every. Single. Time. I post something on my blog, I want to see the Stats...not the Pageviews, but the Audience.  I want to see WHO is reading my blog and WHERE you live.  

     I sound like a sTaLkEr right now, but seriously.  I want to see where you are in the world because I am secretly thinking that we are going to be BEST FRIENDS and when Nick and I take our World Trip, we will stay at your house.  I'm serious.  Don't laugh.

     When I look at my blog audience, these are the countries that show up:

United States

Canada

United Kingdom

Bolivia

Germany

Australia

Russia 

France

Singapore

Malaysia

Ireland

Egypt

Portugal

South Korea

Japan

Bangladesh

Brazil

Guatemala

Paraguay

     Isn't this AMAZING!!!

     I cannot believe how many people all over the world are taking the time to read what I write!  I absolutely LOVE when I get to meet my readers...I have even become close friends with some of you!!!!!!!  Isn't that CRAZY?!?!?!?!?!?

     I would LOVE to continue to get to know more and more of you!  Please introduce yourself!!!!!!!!

Let's be Friends:

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2015 FALL/WINTER CAPSULE WARDROBE

     If you know me, you KNOW that I am a sucker for Simple Living.  I LOVE minimalism to the point that I freak out my family sometimes...

     Last summer, I started following blogs and Pinterest boards related to minimalist closets and was hooked.  My friend Jamie, at the same time, found the Unfancy Blog and learned about the Capsule Wardrobe.  So, she and I went to Orange Leaf, filled out our Style Profiles and began to create our Capsule Wardrobes!

     For my Fall/Winter Capsule Wardrobe, I followed the Unfancy Blog idea of 37 items.  Click HERE to see my clothing choices!

     But, the more I read about Capsule Wardrobes, the more I enjoyed The Daily Connoisseur (watch her TED TALK HERE), so my Spring/Summer Capsule Wardrobe was a little less than 20 items.  Click HERE to see my clothing choices!

     Most people have way more clothes than they need AND most people have closets full of clothes that they don't even like to wear...the Capsule Wardrobe can help fix that!!!

     I have done the Capsule Wardrobe for a year now and really enjoyed it!

Check out my Fall/Winter Capsule Wardrobe for THIS year:

Coat #1 - Peacoat from SAMS Club!!!  My mom bought me this coat about 7 years ago and it is still going strong!  It has a hole in a pocket, a button needs to be tightened up and it probably needs a visit to the dry cleaners, but it is still a great coat and I love wearing it every year!!!

Coat #2 - Lightweight Trenchcoat!!!  Hand-Me-Down from my mom...it has a little lipstick stain, but it is in an area that isn't noticeable and its a great coat for Fall!!!

Top #1 - Got this at Target last year and used it in my Fall/Winter Capsule...I love it and wear it on top of long-sleeved cotton shirts during the colder months!!!

Top #2 - Bought this Cardigan at TJMaxx YEARS ago...it is a little shrunken in some areas and stretched out in other areas, but I am going to make it work a little while longer because I LOVE wearing it with my skinny jeans and a pretty scarf!!!

Top #3 - Same story as the gray Cardigan above^^^

Top #4 - Navy Blue Cardigan that I just got from my 8th Fix!!!

     Wondering what "Fix" I'm talking about?!?!?!?!  Click HERE to learn about Stitch Fix...it is basically where you fill out a Style Profile and a Stylist will choose 5 items for YOU and ship them to you.  You try them on, keep what you want and send back what you don't want!

Top #5 - Beige Cardigan that I stole from my sister's closet :)

Top #6 - This was in my Fall/Winter Capsule last year and its coming back...I love the bronze studs on the shoulders!

Top #7 - I bought this from LOFT for my Spring/Summer Wardrobe and it shrunk a little, even though I followed the washing instructions!  I like the color so I am going to continue to
 wear it a little longer!

Top #8 - Target!  This was in my Fall/Winter Capsule last year and it's back...the material is really soft and I love the colors.

Top #9 - Another TJMaxx find...it is soft, held it shape well and I love the color!

Top #10 - Another great Stitch Fix find!!!

Top #11 - Stitch Fix strikes again!!!

Top #12 - TJMaxx...my sister just got this for me over my birthday!

***The weather in South Carolina changes a lot during this time of year, so I will need sweaters and scarves AND tank tops!!!

Bottoms #1 - TJMaxx find YEARS ago...black skinnies are great for Fall/Winter!!!

Bottoms #2 - This jeans skirt is a Hand-Me-Down from my sister and a great staple!

Scarf Season has finally arrived...I have 4 in colors that I love!!!

Shoes #1 - Everyone needs a pair of CowGirl Boots!!!

Shoes #2 - My sister just got these from Marshall's for my birthday...this is my first pair of ankle boots and I am excited to wear them!

Shoes #3 - Leopard flats are a must!

Top #13 and Bottoms #3 - The skinny jeans are from my mom's closet and
the top is from Stitch Fix!!!

     So what do YOU think about the Capsule Wardrobe idea?!?!?!?!  Have you tried it?!?!?!  Do you want to try it now?!?!?!?!  It is always a work in progress and there are no "rules", so you can do what you think is right for you!!!  The point is to just keep and wear the things that you truly love!!!


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My Fall Fix

     I just got my 8th Stitch Fix!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Don't know what Stitch Fix is?!?!?!?!?!?!?! 

CLICK HERE

Too scared to click before you know what you are getting yourself into?!?!?!?!

Look and Learn:

Here is my package...all pretty and begging to be opened!!!!!!!

And here is what they packed for me!!!!!!

1st piece - cute green top...KEEPING IT!!!

It is SUPER comfortable and Nick loved it!!!!!!!

2nd Piece - Navy Blue Heart Blouse...NOT keeping it!

The material didn't have any stretch so it felt tight in my armpits...also it was high on my neck and made me feel a little claustrophobic!

3rd Piece - Tank Top...NOT keeping it!

It is Fall and the weather is turning cold so I don't want more tanks right now.

4th Piece - Navy Blue Cardigan...KEEPING IT!!!!!!

This was SUPER soft and comfy and I know I'll get a lot of use out of it!!!!!!

5th Piece - Skinny Jeans...NOT keeping, unfortunately...

I really really really liked these pants and they fit PERFECTLY, but they were a little pricey for my purse right now!

Totally curious now, aren't you?!?!!?!?  

YOU want a fix now too, don't you?!?!!?!?

Don't worry...I'm going to hook you up:

1.  Go to STITCH FIX.

2.  Fill out your Style Profile.

3.  Select a Ship Date to receive your FIRST FIX.

4.  Stitch Fix will send you 5 items.

5.  Keep what you want and pay for it.

6.  Send back what you don't want.

7.  Enjoy having your own personal stylist!

GOT IT?!?!?!?!?!!??!?!

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

The end of the world as we know it.

     This is a very popular topic lately...news...tv shows...movies...it's everywhere!  It's a terrifying thing to imagine, but it seems that the world can't stop focusing on it.  I've heard people talk about stocking up on guns and ammunition, rice and bottled water, building bunkers underground, growing their own food and more.  Guys get all excited because they imagine themselves protecting their women and being all super hero, while the girls imagine being all cute and enjoying the damsel in distress life.  On TV, everyone has clean hair, clear skin, cool clothes, unlimited bullets, enough food and usually only the bad guys die.

Media is KILLING us.

     There is no glamour in what we are imagining.  I don't believe in Zombie's, but I DO believe that we will get to the End Times.  And it will NOT be anything that we have imagined.  

     NO ONE will be clean, clothes will be filthy, people will smell terrible, run out of supplies and family and friends will go missing with no way to contact them or know if they are even alive.  People who have gardens, bunkers and supplies will be targeted and murdered for their possessions.  Those who didn't prepare will become hungry and desperate and do things that they never thought they would do.  No one will be safe.  There will be mass chaos.

     Think about it:  You have been preparing for YEARS and storing up what you and your family will need to survive.  The end of the world finally approaches and you see people starving and killing all around you.  Will you be content to hide away and "survive"?

     There is only so much you can do to prepare for something this devastating.  

     I DO believe that it is wise to prepare, but it is NOT wise to worry.  Only The LORD knows when the END is and what will happen.  So, as you are considering the future, remember that you can't control what happens to you anyway.  

     For years, I watched many people worry and prepare and ended up wondering what my own family would do.  I asked my dad and he said that they have not stored up anything or made plans and if it does come down to it, they will take in anyone who needs help and share whatever they have to give and trust God to take care of the rest...I like that approach, so in the case of a Zombie Apocalypse, you can find Nick me at The Jackson Plantation!

     And if you want a good laugh...please watch this video as two brothers convince their little sister of a zombie apocalypse!

The desires of Nick's heart...

Ever since Nick and I began talking about buying a house, he has wanted a house that had a BIG garage...he wanted space to work, to have a worktop area, a radio, to have his tools and to have the freedom to work out here and enjoy time to himself.

Honestly, I was NOT interested in this house that we bought at all...it was very dated on the inside and would need lots of work...there were no trees in the yard...I had my reasons.  So, for MONTHS I didn't come to look at this house.

One day, though, as we were talking about having a new home built in a promising new neighborhood in Florence, I realized that (if we built there) Nick would NOT have a garage to do his "man things".

So, I decided to come look at this house and within an hour (and without Nick seeing the house yet), we made an offer.

It's so neat to have yet another reminder that The LORD cares about our desires, even the very simple ones that we think don't matter!  Because God LOVES us, our wants and needs matter to HIM!

So, here Nick is...working in his garage, with all his materials and tools, doors open, cool breeze blowing through and listening to music that he loves...God sure does love Nick Stewart (me too).

The Chop

For YEARS and YEARS I have wanted to chop off and donate my hair.  I watched my sister Mary Ashley do it a few times and was totally inspired!  But, then I would always chicken out and talk myself out of it. 

August 31st was my 30th Birthday.  I decided that I wanted to make my 30th year, the year of doing scary things.  Chopping my hair was going to be the kick off!

So my friend Brittany came over and did the honors!!!  She chopped 12 INCHES..."one foot" sounds even better!!!  Here are the BEFORE and AFTER photos:

One scary thing down and many more to go!!!  Oh...and I can check it off my Bucket List!

It all began with a summer in Disney World...

This one is dedicated to my baby sister Lizzie!

If you've been reading my blog, you know that Nick and I met 10 years ago in an interview to work in Disney World!!!!!!!!!  

We worked in the Magic Kingdom, mainly the Splash Mountain area...I dressed like Laura Ingles Wilder and Nick like a cowboy.  My outfit required PANTY HOSE and Nick was in a full polyester costume...seriously Disney?!?!!!?!  It was probably an excellent detox program because you can only imagine the sweat...

I had a HUGE crush on Nick all summer, but couldn't figure out if he really liked me or not.  He was nice to everyone, so it was hard to know for sure.  And all the girls liked him, so I didn't think he would choose me.

Turns out he DID like me and we started dating...and it turns out Lizzie REALLY liked Nick (well, my whole family did, but especially Lizzie).

One day, after we were dating, Nick went to pick Lizzie up from school.  He got out of his car, found her and carried her backpack.  She STILLS tells that story.  All her friends saw and were totally impressed and jealous.  She was about 9 years old and in love.  Lizzie casually mentioned to me that if I die, not to worry because SHE will take care of Nick.  She was serious.

So Nick became Lizzie's version of her knight in shining armor/brother she never had.  She LOVED to tell our love story to anyone who would listen to her...it always began like this, "It all began with a summer in Disney World"...her eyes were dreamy and she would sigh before continuing on...she really knew how to work her audience.

For our one year dating anniversary, Lizzie dressed up in a yellow dress with black polka dots, jewelry, makeup and heels.  She was 10 years old and she decorated the whole table and cooked our entire meal and served us dinner!  She cooked meat, mashed potatoes and asparagus and served with a napkin over her arm like a fancy waitress.  And until she was too old, Nick and I took her trick or treating every year after that!  She realized the other day that Nick has been around for over half of her life!  Some of her earliest memories are with Nick already being around!

It's crazy how right Lizzie was...it DID all begin here, ten years ago...even before we knew "it" was beginning.  Who knew that ten years later we would be married and be back in Orlando for a work event with a bunch of oil freaks?!?!?!?!!   Who knew that Nick would be family?!?!?!  Who knew that we would have had a decade of adventures and hardships?!?!?!  Who knew?!!?!?!!! The LORD did!!!!!!!  

So in honor of ten years, we went back to Celebration (America's most "perfect" town) and had dinner at the soda shop.  Ten years ago, on our last day of work, Nick brought us here and treated Mark, Quasia and me to dessert to celebrate.  I remember being so impressed with his generosity and have watched him become more and more generous over the past decade!  Except for cookies...if he gets cookies, he's a stingy hoarder (I guess it's only fair that he has one flaw...right?!?!?!).

So here we are...same place...ten years later...can't wait to see where The LORD takes us over the NEXT ten!!!!!!!  

PS we don't have a photo to show from 2005 because we were still in that "awkward friends" stage...

Simply WHOLE

I am SO proud of Nick!!!

When I met Nick in 2005, he was cRaZy about health. He was on something called The Hallelujah (gosh, I can't even spell that without spell check) Diet where he was basically a vegan and drank juiced carrots all of the time. He was a baseball player too. So, he was pretty much the epitome (couldn't spell that one either...sad) of health! I pretty much lived on vending machine Frosted Brown Sugar Pop-Tarts.  True story. Not proud.

Fast forward 10 years and he is still the same. LOVES health and wellness. Reads about it in his spare time. Watches documentaries on it. Eats based on what is good FOR him (while I enjoy eating just what TASTES good, if you know what I mean). He hasn't gained weight or aged much, except for losing some hair, so there must be something to this "health thing" right?!?!!?

EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. He somehow ends up talking to people about health stuff, food, exercise, supplements, protein powder, what foods cause acidity in your body, other crazy things that no one knows, you name it. People naturally come to him for advice. Even last night, he met a new person at our small group and (of course) ended up talking about what he juiced (and made me drink) earlier yesterday afternoon.

All this to say, Nick and I have a FaceBook Like page and Instagram Account. He is going to be sharing about all things health related that he enjoys...nutrition, exercise, juicing, supplements, getting outdoors and who knows what else?!??!!?!?

CLICK HERE to head on over and give our FaceBook page a LIKE!  And don't forget to follow us on Instagram!!!