NO CHECKED BAGGAGE

Hi beautiful people! I'm feeling grateful this morning as I write this entry. My lovely brother planned a surprise weekend get away for a few friends, including one of my sisters and one of my nieces. He took care of everything and it was just magical.  

As soon as I found out, I decided that I wanted to pack light. FOR REAL this time. I jumped onto Pinterest and started updating a  curated collection of 'travel looks' and 'how to pack' articles. After I felt a little more confident, I started to pull some basics.

A warm sweater/sweatshirt, because no matter where you travel, you end up cold at one point.

A scarf for the plane that will keep you warm, act as a protective mask when 15 out of 45 passengers start coughing, and also become a cute head wrap when your hair becomes unmanageable.

Comfortable sweats and tights that will keep you cozy on the plane and, let's face it, double as pjs. 

A pair of your favorite jeans, because, jeans.

A satin bomber that can go from day to night.

Then I started to layer in some tops that are lightweight and could be worn with everything. A tank, a mesh blouse, a lightweight sweatshirt and a lightweight message T.

Finally, the accessories. 

A pair of pumps, sneakers and boots. 

A cozy pair of socks.

A cute medium size purse that can go from day to evening. 

I went through my makeup bag, pulled only the items I use and transferred them into a smaller zipped pouch along with a few pins, elastics, and any medication I may need.

All of it fit into a small Herschel backpack!! I will never go back to packing the old way. There were so many options and I was comfortable all weekend. 

Check out a few looks below, I hope this helps you if you struggle with over/under packing.

 THE PLANE

 THE BEACH

 DINNER

BRUNCH

 SHOPPING

 HAPPY HOUR

 MOVIE NIGHT

 GUILT FREE TIP FOR SAVING SPACE. ROLL ITEMS AND PLACE IN BOOTS AND SHOES!

Thanks for stopping by,

Nikki

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TIME WELL SPENT

I've been tired a lot lately. I get up, I go to work, I come home, I make dinner, I watch tv or stare at my phone, I go to bed. I absolutely cherish my days off and try not to fill them completely with cleaning, laundry,  blogging, exercise, me time, and more tv, BUT I'm failing...miserably.  You know who's getting left out? My family. It happens so easily, because we spend our down time in the same space, I tricked myself into thinking that was enough.

IT'S NOT.

I missed my son and husband while they were often right beside me. A couple of days ago, I started to feel weighed down with life stuff and called my son from work. 

Me: "Would you like to make dinner together tonight after work"?
My son: "YES"!!

It was that simple. The excitement in his voice told me it was time to do more of these things. Also, that meal was amazing and all three of us ate together and talked. 

The following day, I shared what I was feeling with my husband, as I often do during our time in the car before work. He listened and reassured me that I'm a good mom blah blah blah blah blah. Even I was bored of this conversation. Raise your hand if you hear me? Anyone? 

Well, this is what I decided to do. Instead of raising my expectations to some unreasonable level (as many working moms do) I asked my boss if I could use a paid day off, at the last minute, when I know she could have really used my help at work today. I told her why, and she said yes. My son took the day off of school,  and I literally just looked up from the laptop
at him as he finished up some school work on the couch and said "I love you" to which he responded "I love you too". Now we are going to go for a walk, play a board game, take some photos, plan dinner, laugh and probably stare at our phones.  

If you have a life that allows you to take a day for whatever you need to make you sleep better at night, do it.  It's time well spent.

Thanks for reading,

Nikki


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CHILD'S PLAY

DO YOU REMEMBER? Do you remember a time when your top priority was playtime? Do remember what you wore when you were lost in your imagination? Well, tomorrow when you're deciding what to put on after work, I want you to channel that little boy or girl. My favorite go to outfit from my childhood is simple. A dress, and some jeans. The only rule is that the dress has to fall away from your lower body otherwise you look like you got dressed in the dark. 

*GUILTFREE TIP* If you cut a pair of flared jeans 1/2 way between your knee and ankle, you will get a cropped look with a slight flare pictured here.

Navy blue dress
shein.com

Dollhouse denim jeans
zulily.com

Steve Madden ankle strap sandals
$60 - selfridges.com

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WHAT I DO IN MY DOWNTIME

If you follow me on instagram, you will see that I have discovered the art of Hygge. Honestly, in my heart, I feel as though I have been living this lifestyle for the past 2 years. When the political climate changed, I felt this need of urgency to make our home even more comfortable than it already was. I wanted us all to eat foods that made us feel good, and I wanted to stop forcing my son to wear denim instead of his MUCH preferred sweats.

 The Danish art of Hygge (hoo-gah)-"a simple moment that feels so special, cosy, relaxing, loving or happy that you just need to call it out. It’s not about being fancy, or styled, or being in the best circumstances, or having the right things. It’s literally about being present enough to see how great a moment is, and give that moment a name." (Taken from Hyggehouse.com  click for more info.)

When I told my son I was blogging about this topic, he was eager to take some shots of chilling right then and there. As he grabbed his camera and focused in on a group shot, I literally said "NOPE. Have we met? I at least have to put a bra on!" I was so close to doing a full blown photo shoot showing how we spend our quality down time, BUT, after some research and not a whole lot of thought, that seemed ridiculous. My son Max had indeed had the right idea. The whole concept is that it is NOT stylized, but appreciated and enjoyed. 

So, here are a few memories of some pretty hygge moments we've shared with our valued community of friends and co-workers. With a couple of equally important solo moments too.

Cheers,
Nikki

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GUILT FREE OPTIONS: DAY TO NIGHT

Forever 21 kohl shoes
forever21.com

Forever 21 high heel stiletto
forever21.com

Steve Madden short black boots
nordstrom.com

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I STOPPED EATING MEAT, AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED

SO, everyone has their reasons for their food choices. I don't know a lot about vegetarianism and I would probably politely excuse myself if the conversation came up at a party. All I know is my experience, so this is what I'm sharing.

About 6 months ago, my son and I watched a movie called Okja. You can check it out, it's on Netflix. Just be prepared! I wasn't, and neither was my son. As a viewer, I like to know as little about a movie as possible before I see it. The experience just feels more organic to me and often more enjoyable. In this case, I did not expect to fall in love with a genetically modified super pig. I don't want to ruin the movie in case you watch, but they captured what I had successfully avoided my whole adult life. The truth about how animals are treated before they hit our plates.

Long story short, I stopped eating meat that day. I still eat cheese, but I see that coming to a stop soon.

This is what happened.

1. My skin is looking amazing.

2. I binged on carbs for the first 3 months and put on a few lbs. I've gotten that under control (somewhat). I LOVE BREAD!! (Oprah voice).

3. My digestive system is like clockwork now, hasn't been for years.

4. We save money as a family because I am the main chef in the house so my son and husband rarely eat meat now.

5. I still eat fish, so I am mastering the art of making sushi.

6. I eat more beans and broccoli soooo...I digress.

7. And finally, I'm learning about vegetables that I would never have before. I love cooking and it's interesting plating food and making it pretty without meat involved.

Anyway, that's what it's been like so far. I can still prepare meat, but the rule is we have to know where it came from and that's not always affordable or available.

I hope this helps you if you are on the fence or if you thought I stopped because of some highly advanced reason.  Nope! Purely an emotional reaction to a great movie.

Cheers beauties,
Nikki

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