PIKO Days

This past week I have been styling my new PIKO top from Hazel and Chic a couple of different ways, just to see how many places I can wear this top. First off, it is SO comfortable! I could just sleep in this top. I like that it's oversized, which makes it that much easier to style. Below are two of my favorite looks for this top so far. There are many other ways I am looking forward to wearing it as well. I hope you all have a piece that you love just as much as I do this PIKO!

Top: Hazel and Chic Boutique; Scarf: Express; Necklace: Michael Kors

I love that you can pair any scarf with this top since it is an off white color. Perfect with jeans, shorts or dress pants!

(Excuse the quality of the pics--I will have to find a better room for taking these ;) ) 

Top: Hazel and Chic Boutique; Necklace: Francesca's

Just throw on a necklace with this top and you are ready to roll to work! :)

…and Max just HAD to be in a shot!

New Journeys

It's been over a year since I blogged, which absolutely blows my mind! In that past year, I have begun my own business. I have always dreamed of starting my own boutique, and I finally took the leap of faith to begin the journey. With the support of my husband, the last 9 months haven't been easy, but he has always been able to put my focus back on my successes thus far.

My business is Hazel and Chic Boutique, an online boutique that sells women's clothing. I have always loved clothes and fashion, but I really have enjoyed getting to see the excitement on women's faces or comments about how much they love a piece that I picked out, yes me. Who would have thought that tall, awkward, couldn't-find-any-clothes-that-fit-her middle school girl would eventually be able to hep other women find clothes that made them feel beautiful and confident, no matter the shape, size or height! That really brings a joy to my life that makes the hard work of being self-employed and trying to grow a business worth it.

That brings me to another topic....Confidence. Self confidence is an extremely hard thing for women to come by these days. There are airbrushed models, magazines and tv shows that make women think they aren't good enough or they need to be thinner, get plastic surgery and what not. YOU are beautiful. Please tell yourself that everyday. YOU are worth it. YOU are special. We must tell ourselves that, and even more importantly tell each other that. We, as women, need to be lifting each other up and not tearing each other down. Life is hard enough without having a negative attitude of yourself and of other women.  Let's encourage each other to be healthy and be strong, and not focus on the way we look or how skinny we are, but but the focus on how we feel. Don't focus on wearing clothing that's "trendy," but clothing that makes you feel beautiful and confident in your own skin. Your style and the way YOU feel is what's most important.

 Dress: Hazel and Chic; Necklace: Ily Couture; Shoes: Nine West 

Skirt and Top: Hazel and Chic; Shoes: Nine West

A Conscious Effort

Wow! It sure has been a while since I sat myself down to think and write. It has been a crazy past few months. With all of the holidays, birthdays, anniversary celebrations and work, I feel like we haven't had a chance to slow down around here. In November we celebrated my birthday AND Thanksgiving, in December we celebrated our wedding anniversary AND Christmas, in January we celebrated the New Year AND Charlie's birthday. It's almost as if there isn't much to do the rest of the year, but we should always find cause to celebrate.

There is always a new day to thankful about something, the fact that we are alive, have a roof over our heads, have food to eat, and all of the supportive friends and family we have around every turn. I seem to get caught up in "life" and miss these opportunities to celebrate if I don't take the time to slow down and appreciate them.

There are always going to be reasons for me to be negative, I can find an excuse every day to be upset that something didn't go my way, or someone didn't treat me the way I would treat them, but is it worth it to waste my time feeling sorry for myself? Not really. All I am doing by feeling those negative feeling is letting the other person win. Easier said that done? YES! I can sit here all day long and post about how it's not worth my time to feel that way, but sometimes its tough. It makes me angry, it makes me upset that God would let someone act like that to a person that doesn't deserve it. But, we have to be conscious about our attitudes to make sure we don't let that person win. Sometimes it seems best to remove yourself from the situation when you know the outcome isn't going to change, instead of continuing to live in a negative state.

Over the past few months, Charlie has gotten me into CrossFit. At first, I was hesitant because I have never really "pushed" myself when working out (besides training for the half marathon YEARS ago). The more I have gotten into the sport though, the more I cannot get enough of it. CrossFit is the one thing I do all week that gets my mind off of all of the stress and negativity. There is always someone encouraging you at CrossFit and telling you that you CAN make it through the hellacious workout. It truly is a community of people that care about more than just themselves, they care about everyone else there too. CrossFit helps you learn to push your body and mind to the "next" level in all areas of your life, not just fitness. So I would recommend everyone find that one thing you do every day that can help you "relax" and release your stress and the pressure of everyday life. I am glad that my husband persuaded me to give CrossFit a chance so I could find that "thing" for me.