Cabin Life = Cozy Life

If you've been around for a while,  you know that I believe  that being at the cabin brings out the very best in me.  If you are new, WELCOME!  Although I seem to thrive being a busy, extrovert,  I've found over the past five years that I also like slowing down, being surrounded by nature, and keeping to myself for periods of time.  Lucky for me, I get the opportunity to live the best of both worlds.  Being a mom to two teen girls, full-time teacher and Vice Principal, exercise enthusiast and keeping up with my hobbies, it's busy but manageable.  That being said, I also burn out more often now that I am in my late 30's.   I get tired more easily and need downtime to recharge.  Enter our cabin in the woods.  Well it's not exactly in the woods, but there are plenty of woods and nature trails around.  We go up there all year long, but spend a solid 5 -6 weeks there each summer.  During the school year we get away from the city lights, the fast paced rat race, the busy shops, and the endless "to- do" once a month or so.  We go up Friday night and in 30 hours or less, we feel refreshed, re-connected to each other, to nature, and to our values.  We feel grounded, cozy, loved and refreshed.  

What do we do?  We walk in the woods.  We play card games or board games.  We craft.  We read.  We sit by the fire.  We talk.  We have endless cups of coffee, sometimes with Baileys.    We laugh.  We sleep.  We watch a family movie.  We just be.  

This little lounging outfit is basically made for this type of winter weekend getaway.  I work in a school and dress professionally, although not like I used to when I was a consultant in the office, but I certainly don't ware jeans (except of casual Friday) or a sweat suit (unless its P.J. day).  I like dressing up, but I also like to relax and have a very casual and easy going style on weekends.  I absolutely fell in love with this 2 piece suite, when I was shopping for my daughters prior to Christmas.  I tired it on just to see.  I certainly wasn't sold on the crop top look for myself, but as soon as I put it on it was so soft and comfortable that I instantly felt at ease.  I sent a photo of it to my husband and it was under the tree for me!  And it was also one of the gifts my daughter received from my sister.  So twins we became.  She was totally a good sport about it and even joined me for a few photos for this blog post.  There are many 2 piece tie-dye suits out there to choose from, at various price points, but we are both thrilled with how comfortable and soft this material is from Garage clothing, similar linked below, and also how well it seems to wash in the washer and drier.  Regardless where you purchase it from, I highly recommend having a cozy lounge wear set to wear around this winter season.

What's your favorite weekend outfit?

Shop This Post:

Garage Clothing Tie-Dye Top & Joggers

Taking Winter on in Plaid Pants

Here in Saskatchewan we are now really in the winter phase of the year.  Our winters are long, lasting usually into April and sometimes even May.  Although I love all the sweaters and cozy feels that come with late fall/early winter, it wears off rather quickly but yet the weather holds on to us.  There is much mental health that declines with the short days and numbing cold that prevents many from getting outdoors.  Each year I am reminded to be thankful for the warmth of my home, the stability of my job, the love of my family and the ability to buy all the winter things that get and keep us outdoors in the winter months.

These pants are SO warm and perfect for the season.  They were a bit of an investment when I purchased them at the beginning of winter but are currently on sale, linked up below.  They are made up of 15 % wool and the heavy material keeps the legs nice and warm on a mild winter day.  I love the wide leg and this year I am trying to branch out from my regular fitted outfits, see the oversized blazer look here.  At first I wasn't sure that I could pull these off but when your teen gushes over the pants at the store and asks if she can borrow them, well that's a mom win!  I often bring items home that I am unsure of and style them with a bunch of different items from my closet to make sure that I will get enough wear out of them.  I am very careful and selective what I bring into my closet, as I am really trying to keep my options limited for each season.  Usually I do spring/summer and fall/winter rotation and at the beginning and end of each, I look through to donate or consign any items that haven't been worn.  I don't want too many choices that I never reach for and I don't like the idea of putting so much stuff into the landfill, although I am NOT AT ALL PEREFECT when it comes to this!  The cropped sweater I paired up the pants for this outfit is several years old, I'll link up similar options below, but I love all the embroidery details on it and I'll probably wear it until it has holes in it.  I love the rich colors used in the embroidery detail and how they pop against the black background.  I paired it up with the simple gold chain that was a gift for Christmas and is currently in heavy rotation. It's a statement on it own but looks great layered with a long necklace as well.  

Happy Friday!!!!!  What's on the agenda?

Shop This Look:

Plaid Cropped Pants 

Embroidery Sweater (old): similar Romwe; similar Zara

Hillberg & Berk Gold Chocker

Year Long Goals for 2021

Hello 2021.  So far I am a big fan so don't screw it up.  Hahaha.  The past two years upon entering the New Year my word had already chosen me.  The first year the words came to me while I was outdoors.  I paused and took in my surroundings and just like that my word became PAUSE.  Last year I knew I was going to practice GRATITUDE and I even hoped to get my children on board.  I didn't succeed with that, but I continued to work on it myself and it was honestly the exercise I needed in my life to get through 2020.  As of last night, Jan. 2nd, no word had come to me.  I was going to go without a word and then a friend said hers hadn't appeared yet either and she was going to just give it time.  I decided that I didn't have to have it all figured out at the beginning of the year, but type A me really likes solid plans, and that I had let it come to me and practice a little patients.  Well, guess what?!?  This morning while I was on the toilet (maybe too much info) but it came to me!  CONNECTION.  That's my word for 2021.  Connection, or re-connection, with family and friends is going to be huge for me this year.  I mentioned this in another post, but I miss getting a solid hug from the people that I love and love me back.  Here are a few year long goals for 2021 and how this idea of CONNECTION will hopefully serve me.

Photo by Pexels

1. Relationships.  Over the last few weeks of 2020 I have really been thinking about the friendships that I have and which ones I want to nourish for the future.  With social media it's easy to get caught up and want it all but, what I really crave is authentic relationships.  So as, fingers crossed, restrictions lift over the year,  I want to host friends over consistently, schedule a walking date or a zoom date with a friend on a weekly basis.  I've been jotting down a list of people that I really want to invest more time into.  In the same breath thanks to 2020 my relationship with my family is stronger than ever.  We have been doing a lot more outdoor activities as a family, even as simple as taking the dogs for a walk, or choosing a show to watch all together.  I want to continue that in 2021, especially as my girls are getting older being intentional to create opportunities to spend time together is critical.

 

2.  Run 1000km in a year.  This is going to be an interesting goal because I don't want to get hung up on the number especially if at some point that isn't serving my body.  This is where "CONNECTION" is going to be helpful.  I need to be able to connect to my body, it's needs, and what it's telling me, in order to keep it healthy and strong, and not bulldoze to that goal at any  cost.  

3.  Read 12 books.  I love reading and this is a great goal to ensure that I create time to do an activity I love.  Connecting with my brain and learning new things.  

4.  Blogging.  This year there are a couple of mini-goals that I want to work towards.  First one that I need to figure out  a routine and schedule for taking photos, creating content, writing posts and reading other blogs.  At the same time, I need to create a balanced schedule between IG and blogging, because doing both on the same days just ends up with me spending a LOT of my time in the virtual world and not my real world and I don't wan that.  The other goal for myself is that I would like to collaborate with other bloggers more this year.  Growing my relationships with others virtually and also growing my connection to others.   If you have any advice please share away.

5.  Finances.  We were very lucky in 2020 that our jobs were secured but it really got me thinking about our finances. We have great money management skills and have made huge gains in working towards paying  off our home before our children enter college, and we have decent  retirement plans through our jobs and we never have credit cards debt, rather always pay for our "wants" in cash or save up over time.  But   what we didn't have is 3 months worth of savings in our bank account in case one of us lost our jobs.  Because our trips were cancelled in 2020 we were able to put that money into a savings and also do some projects around the house.  Now that we are building that cushion, one of my goals is to work towards adding a significant amount to that pile each month.  I am not sure to be honest what that number is yet but we would like to go through out finances thoroughly and decide what's reasonable, while also allowing ourselves to save and dream of taking a family trip.  Balance is key.

Photo by Pexels

6.  Photography.  Okay, so I took my learning that I've done over the past few years and finally started doing some family photography sessions this past summer.  Nothing major, just for learning opportunity and to CONNECT with my creative side.  It's been going really well and I am finally taking the risk to say it out loud to people without feeling embarrassed or insecure of what people will think.  You can find my work at A & H Snapshots on Facebook.  I wan to continue to learn and grow this small venture in 2021 and not be so shy about it.  

7.  Continue to reflect and work on my attitude of gratitude.  There is no better way to connect to yourself than to reflect.

These are my long term goals that I will need to come back to over and over and over again.  Usually I like very quick, easy to check off goals, but this year I am going with a balance of specific and more board goals that I want to consider.  

What is your practice at the start of the year?

Do you set goals?  

Do you make resolutions?

Do you choose a word?

Do you take the year as in comes?

NYE 2020: Casual Looks with Ada & Link-Up

Moving into 2021 is exciting.  Although I know we are clearly not finished with this way of life, I am excited by the prospect that at some point in 2021 we will be vaccinated (thank you scientists and medical specialists for working around the clock on this for the almost a year), and hopefully get to see family that don't live nearby.  Also, I want real hugs from friends and family.  Hahaha.   I want to visit my grandmothers without a mask and I want to smile at strangers at a grocery store.  Its the small things I've learned to appreciate to be honest.  BLOGGER friends the other thing I would like to do is collaborate and connect with you more with other in 2021, so if you are interested in a coloration  or have a fun idea shoot me a message here or through IG.  

Speaking of collaborations todays post is brought to you by Ada from Elegance and Mommyhood, make sure to check out her bio and outfit  link below.  We decided to feature a fairly casual NYE look because likely most of us are staying at home, it's still fun to make it a special evening.  In Bosnia, where I grew up until I was 10, NY is a big celebration and actually when we received our gifts as children.  For me it represents a fresh start and also a time to reflect on the previous year.  I love both of these things so I love celebrating on New Years Eve is important to me.  It will be just our little family and our plan is to make appetizers, play games as a family, maybe have a dance party, take out special treats and enjoy some specialty drinks for adults and children alike.  I have been saving this bottle from a trip Mr. and I took a couple of years ago, and we plan on cracking it open this year.  It seems like the perfect time to reflect and acknowledge that we live a really good life, as well as how excited we are at the prospect of 2021.  I also, always keep my tree up until after the New Year as I find it more festive and I equally love Christmas and NY for  their own perspective reasons.  

What about you, tree up or cleaned up before New Years?

My outfit today is a cozy sweater dress from my closet, you can see it styled here with some OTKB and a faux fur coat.  You can never go wrong with a sweater dress in winter and I'll be featuring another one in an upcoming post.  I love this one because in it's threads it has sparkle woven  into it somehow.  It's casual but also put together and most importantly its cozy.  I added a simple initial rose gold necklace and a pair of matching sparkle balls that I received from Santa this year, and it wouldn't be NYE without tacky dollar store party hats.  

Whatever you are doing, or not, I am wishing you a healthy, prosperous and joyful 2021. 

 

        Now make sure you check out my friend Ada's look  here  and join our link-up below!

Hi, I am Ada - a Midwest blogger from the Metropolitan Detroit area - and I have been blogging at Elegance and Mommyhood for 8 and a half years since I was pregnant with my beautiful daughter Vivian. She has grown with this blog and through all the changes I have had between different jobs, living in two continents (first in Europe and now back in USA), marriage, divorce and with my evolving and sometimes-changing style, too. That's why I named my blog "Elegance and Mommyhood because it's about good style that is affordable and looking put-together on a budget, as I raise a strong daughter as a single mother and dabble with everything that is involved with being a mom. In the last couple of years I started posting poetry on the blog too - since I have been writing poems from my tween years - and it is something I love and enjoy. So you will find some of my poetry and a dose of prose in the blog, as well. You can also follow me on Instagram and you can find me on Facebok. I would love for you to follow me and to connect together.  Thank you Bojana and Bojana's readers for having me today. Wishing you all a beautiful, blessed, healthy and happy New Year 2021! Let's leave behind a year that was tough and sad on so many levels, as we cheer and pray with hope for a new year of new beginnings and lots of joy! Welcome by. 

Shop This Post:
Sweater Dress old:  Old Navy  or R. W. & Co (only $20 right now!!!)
H & B Rose Gold Sparkle Ball Earnings 
H & B Rose Gold Initial Necklace & Charms

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Christmas Dinner: Why We are Dressing Up

It's been a hot minute since I've been here.  I know, I know, I let it slip again but I am okay with that.  The holiday season is super busy both professionally and personally, add my daughters birthday into the mix, a running challenge, doing winter photo shoots on the weekends,  and I just can't do it all.  As I've gotten older, not sure if I am wiser, but the truth is I know and can deal with NOT DOING IT ALL.  I feel significantly less  pressure to do it all, mostly because I am working so hard to remove the pressure I put on myself.  So here we are, two weeks without a post and I am here happy and with a full heart.  

The holiday season is upon us and I've been thinking a lot about being casual and embarrassing slowing down, but also having a need to feel dressed up and festive even though there is nowhere to go.  I think it's going to be a balance of those things but I've decided that for Christmas dinner, regardless that it's so small this, we are gong to dress up.  Here is the thing, Mr. and I went on a date at the beginning of December.  We hadn't gone out since August and although we are happy and content our routine was becoming this, get up, run for me, go to work, come home, change into sweat pants and a hoodie, do supper, run kids to activities/go for a walk, tidy up and get everyone ready for the next day, lay down and watch a Modern Family, sleep, REPEAT.  On weekends I just through on the sweat pants and hoodie right from the start.  You get into the rhythm and it seems fine.  BUT a rhythm and rut are so closely connected.  I finally had enough.  With no events, celebrations, gatherings, I looked down at my unshaven legs and was just OVER IT!  We decided we were going for a date night.  We got dressed up.  I shaved my legs too... and we had SO MUCH FUN!  We enjoyed a lovely meal. Great conversation.  We broke out of our daily routine and reminded ourselves of a different time, a different routine, a different version of ourselves.  It was exactly what we needed.  So, I've decided that I am going to still make a meal, I am going to take out the "fancy" dishes, and we are all still going to get dressed up for Christmas dinner.  The rest of the time we can be low key and continue to enjoy our lounge wear but for one evening we are going to do what we always do at the holiday season.  

As for the outfit, EVERYTHING is from my closet.  I am really not shopping a lot these days and my bank account is thanking me for it.  Although I have something special coming in the mail for me that I really hope is as wonderful and flattering as I've built it up in my head.  Hahaha.  I really love having some good quality pieces that I splurged on such as my H & B jewelry and this long cardigan that shimmers and glistens in the light (purchased a few years ago at Nordstrom, sorry).

What are your thoughts?  Remember there is no right way to do anything, just the right way for you and your family.  

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a beautiful and restful holiday season!

Christmas Shopping in an Oversized Blazer

 

This past weekend I ventured out with the family to the mall for the first time in a LONG time.  It was surprisingly not busy and as I chatted with the lady at the MAC store, she said that it was the slowest Black Friday she has ever worked.  I guess people in our little province are truly trying to stay at home and do their part as we battle the increase in COVID cases.  All that being said sometimes you have to go into a store to find what you need and that's just what we did.  The whole family came, and Mr. and I divided up to tackle a few odds and ends and also take our youngest from store to store so she could finish off her little shopping list.  The teenager is all done her Christmas shopping but she did join me in a couple of stores to help me out.  I think I am approximately 95% done Christmas shopping!!!!  There are now a few odds and ends such as going to a few local food stores to buy a few treats as gifts and the secret Santa at work,  but other than that I feel ready.  

Now the outfit I choose to wore was simple and casual, which is 100% why I love it.  This oversized blazer was a thrift find and I am so glad I bought it.  I am not used to wearing oversized clothing so it took a bit to get used to the look on me, but I like the change.  I've paired it up with jeans, such as these, black pants for work and heels, and next I'd like to pair it up with a simple dress or maybe a pencil skirt.  I kept the whole look simple, tucked in black top, simple silver jewelry, flat booties so I could tackle the mall, and a pop of RED lipstick because I was taking pictures without a mask and lets face it these days I rarely wear lipstick anymore because I am masked most of the day.  LOL!  Who else misses wearing lipstick?  Hahaha.

What's the next combination I should try with the oversized blazer?

Thanks for coming by to read and have a great weekend ahead!

Shop This Post:
Zara Blazer (thrifted): Old Navy (similar) 
Silver Necklace:  Etzy
Madden Girl Black Booties