Welcoming Change

Change has always been one of the hardest things for me to accept or adjust to. Typically, and when I say typically I mean all of the time, I am a creature of habit, a scheduling aficionado and change only makes ripples in the well thoughtout plans I have set forth (Who am I kidding? Ripples? More like waves.). 

Over the past couple of weeks change has been constant, which I’m sure you can imagine might be my worst fear. Schedules have been rearranged, career goals redirected, future plans put on hold and while at first this change came with drowning waves, I have decided to embrace it. As one door closes another one opens, “not now” doesn’t mean “never” and sometimes having faith in the process is the best thing you can do. 

At this point I’m sure you’re thinking, especially if you have the same fear of change as I do, how I arrived at this surprising revelation. Good question, one I am still asking myself now as I write this, but what I can tell you is that the feeling of anxiety over something I can’t control was leaving me uncentered and distracted and it was no longer worth it. Focused solely on the plan I had made before left me with no room to see the possibilities of the future. Even with a new path, although not the one I had personally crafted, there was so much potential before me and I could have missed it if I remained stuck in the past. Determined to think only positive thoughts, there were a few helpful steps I followed as change continued to come my way that might help you work through the changes that you are facing in your life too. 

1. Allow yourself time to process what is changing and what it affects. 
2. Look for the positives. 
3. Handle changes on a day-to-day basis. 

Embracing the uncertainty of change is by no means an easy task and there are moments where I stop myself in a thought and simply tell myself to “shelf the negative thoughts or doubt”, but by allowing yourself to take some time to process everything you’ll be able enter into the thought of change with a healthy mindset. Once you have an open mind, it is easier to see the positives and being able to see the beneficial outcomes can help with welcoming change. Of course, handling change on a day-to-day basis is important. Taking on the whole world in a day can get overwhelming quickly so its best to focus and execute on one thing before letting your mind wander to others. 

Remaining positive has helped me immensely and I hope these tips help you too because I have found that how you handle change can have a direct impact on what you get out of it. 

xoxo

Happy Fourth of July, everyone! Summer has officially arrived and Chris and I couldn’t be more excited. The next two months our agenda is filled with BBQs, beach days and hanging poolside! 

I hope that each and every one of you had the best festive and fun Fourth of July yesterday! Connecticut is currently in the midst of a heat wave so Chris and I spent our day at the pool with family and played some lawn games! Corn Hole is a staple to our families fourth of July celebration and can get pretty intense (Chris always wins so if you ever need a partner, he’s in!). Once the heat had died down a bit (when I say died down, I mean no longer 100 degrees) we went out for the perfect festive dinner at Breakwater in the Stonington Borough (dock dinners are the best dinners!), grabbed some ice cream at Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream and lit off some pretty exciting fireworks back at the house. The day was simply perfect and the best day to kick off summer!

This stunning red dress is a piece from the Rachel Parcell Collection and I could not be happier adding this lovely statement to my wardrobe. The fabric is light weight and perfect for a warm summer night (especially last night, it was 87 out when we went to dinner!). Aside from the flattering fit and flare silhouette, I absolutely adored the statement sleeves with the additional detailing. The extra touch and attention to make this dress a wardrobe summer staple made it perfect for a festive July 4th dinner.  

The Liberty Fit and Flare was paired with a classic eyelet wedge and classic silver jewelry. My wedges are another summertime staple and unfortunately sold out. I will definitely be on the look out for when they are back in stock so I can share them with you all because they are so comfortable (they are the best fashionable and COMFY wedge ever!), but until then I have linked some similar wedges here, here and here (its a super cute flat!).  

As I am sure you are just as bummed as I am that the 4th has passed us by so quickly, I wanted to share with you some ways to keep the party going throughout the weekend (because who doesn’t love a long weekend filled with fireworks and delicious food!). Below are great beach spots, upcoming firework displays and links to a few of my favorite festive dessert recipes. 

Beach Days

Beach days are simply the best and there is no better way to spend that day off than with your toes in the sand and waves by your feet. If you find yourself in Watch Hill, RI this weekend be sure to make your way down to East Beach, the entrance is right next to Taylor Swifts seaside home or if you are out on Block Island find a place at Clayhead Preserve. 

Fireworks, Fireworks, and more Fireworks! 

Check out the list before for all the upcoming firework displays in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts! Chris and I love going to see fireworks but if you are interested in headed home after a long beach day, then you should definitely pick up some backyard fireworks on your way, they will be 50% off now!!!! 

Guildford, CT will hold their fireworks on July 7th at the Guilford Fairgrounds at dusk. 

Greenwich, CT will hold their fireworks on July 7th at Greenwich Park and Binney Park at 9PM. 

Misquamicut State Beach in Rhode Island will hold their annual firework display on July 5th at 9PM. 

Woonsocket, RI will hold their fireworks on July 5th at Barry Memorial Field starting at 9PM. 

Seekonk, MA will hold their fireworks on July 7th at Seeking Speedway beginning at 9PM. 

Delicious Festive Desserts

Bringing a festive dessert or side dish to a picnic can be very welcomed and who doesn’t love the person that shows up with a few extra goodies! Here are a few of my favorite recipes that I have fallen in love with (as well as our guests) this summer! 

Cherry & Blueberry Star Hand Pies by the lovely Lauren of Going for Grace. 

Strawberry Mascarpone Ice Cream with Lime Sugar by Linda of Call Me Cupcake.

xoxo

Victoria

Berry Baskets that Declutter Your Fridge

One of my least favorite house chores is cleaning and organizing the fridge. The task is just so monotonous and being someone who loves organization it feels like it takes me forever! As soon as I get home from the store on Sunday I work on the fridge and one of the first items I wash and put away is our fruit.

During the summer months when fresh berries, melon and pineapple are in season we stock our fridge full. There is no doubt they are our favorite snacks. Over the years, Chris and I have both found that if we leave fruit in the containers we purchase them in and wash them once we are going to eat them that we rarely ever finish them all. Since then, we always make it a point to wash our fruit as soon as we get home and place them in bowls to put away in the fridge. 

Good idea, you say? It seemed to work for awhile but eventually we would run out of bowls or they would clutter up the fridge being just not quite the right size. Then, on a shopping day Crate & Barrel we found the cutest porcelain berry boxes I have ever seen! We purchased four, added another two to our wedding registry at the time and immediately implemented them into use that Sunday. 

We both have never been so pleased with how organized and CUTE our fridge looks during the spring and summer months! Make sure to check out the link here purchase, they are $4.95 and if you aren’t already signed up for Crate and Barrel emails you can get an additional 10% off your purchase.

The Best Flower Nursery in Rhode Island

Flowers are my favorite, if it wasn’t already obvious! There is so much to love about them (the fragrances, the colors!) that it’s hard to not fill our home with fresh bouquets and our yard with beautiful bushes. My love for flowers has always stemmed from my grandmother and mom, who both placed so much effort and passion into covering the yard and our home with fresh stunning blooms. At a very young age, watching my mom and grandmother out in the garden (and, of course, after watching The Secret Garden) I knew that I would one day want a floral oasis of my own. Many hours have been spent daydreaming of ways to incorporate flowers into every aspect of our yard and until we purchased our first home last year these daydreams remained just that, dreams.

Just my favorite flowers ever! Aren't they just stunning?

Built in 1840, our charming historic home’s landscape had been neglected for some time. When we purchased our dream home, just a little less than a year ago, the amount of yard work that had to be done before we could even begin to think about flowers was immense. Chris has spent countless hours clearing bushes, cutting down over grown vines, trimming trees, removing old flower boxes or stumps that were forgotten by the previous owner and replanting grass (THANK YOU BABE!). The process has been long, but after a full summer of prepping we were ready to begin to incorporate all of our favorite flowers into our yard.

The Farmer’s Daughter was a no-brainer when we were deciding where we should go to find the best quality flowers, bushes and herbs. When Chris and I first moved in together in Providence we went to The Farmer’s Daughter looking for herbs and were blown away. We knew instantly that when we were to purchase our dream home and create the most lovely landscape we would have to come back. Almost four years to the day, we found ourselves this past weekend awing at their selection and adding countless items to our “wish list”.  Lemon trees (I desperately want one!), varieties of fresh herbs and vegetables, rose bushes, hydrangeas, if I were to go on I’m afraid this post could turn into a novel. The variety is incredible and the staff invaluably knowledgeable.

 This adorable little house! 

 More of these beauties! 

 Look at these planters! I want them all! 

For years (and many many trips to Nantucket) Chris and I have been swooning over hydrangeas, but so unsure about how they would weather in our own yard. The staff at The Farmer’s Daughter put our minds at ease and went through every step necessary to care and maintain these gorgeous flowers (my favorite flowers ever!) and so in just one trip, we left with four hydrangea bushes, three tomato plants, jalapeno peppers, bell peppers, basil, rosemary and lemon thyme. Finally, I had come home with hydrangeas and not only are they a constant reminder of our getaways to Nantucket with my husband and best friend, but of my grandmother who also found these blue budding flowers to be her favorite.

 Backyard goals?

 These shoes are old! :( But if you scroll to the bottom I have some details on them!

Thank you Farmer’s Daughter for helping us adding a piece of us to our home! We can't wait to visit you again this summer!

Outfit Details: White Denim, Off-White T-Shirt - Similar (Here and Here), Cashmere Sweater available at A Summer Place in Watch Hill, RI....I work on Saturdays so make sure to stop in and we can order you a sweater in a variety of colors!, Shoes (Old) these shoes are Kelsi Dagger and you can't go wrong with any pair! Bag - Similar (Here and Here)

Fresh Blooms for your Home

Filling our home with fresh flowers is simply my favorite. There is something so beautiful about bringing the outdoors inside and I find any excuse I can to come home with new blooms. Hydrangeas, Tulips or Roses you name it and I will gladly take them all! While we have always found a way to incorporate a tiny piece of the outdoors into our home throughout the year, it is truly during the spring and summer months where not only our flowers are blooming but our house as well. During this time especially, I seek out cute local spots to find flower arrangements for our mantle and table tops to bring our hibernating home back to life. There are so many quaint shops and small farms that we hardly find time to go to them all. This year, after years of the spring months passing us by and us continue to say, “next year” we purchased tickets to visit Wicked Tulips.

Wicked Tulips Flower Farm is and was simply stunning with five acres of picturesque land covered in freshly blooming tulips! The u-pick farm in Rhode Island is the perfect day trip destination to find flowers to fill your home with. Rows upon rows of brightly colored tulips wait to be hand picked to make the most delightful bouquets. Bulbs are also available to take these beauties home with you to grow in your own personal garden. Each type of tulip that is available by bulb can be seen in the Wicked Tulips show garden. We spent a good portion of our day in a wonderful tulip daze as we walked the show garden to get some ideas for our own gardens at home and picked dozens of tulips to bring back with us. The entire day was spectacular and there is no doubt that this will be a spring tradition. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind when planning your visit!

• Tickets sell out incredibly fast (understandably so), but tickets are required and must be purchased in advance. To ensure that you receive the first updates on ticket availability make sure to sign up for their newsletter, you can do so here.
• Sunscreen is a must! I don’t know about you, but at this point in the year I am craving time in the sun despite the heat and I easily forget to protect my skin. Even the few short hours we were out picking tulips left my skin slightly burnt. Here are a few of my favorite sunscreens.

•  Day travelers should bring a small vase of water depending on how many flowers you intend to pick. This was a thought that never crossed my mind, which is so silly because I’m not sure what I was expecting to happen to the flowers once they were picked and put into a toasty car (lol). Although Wicked Tulips does provide a bucket of water for you to dip your tulips in before you leave on our way home (an hour drive) some of our tulips would have benefitted from a little extra water to keep them hydrated.
• There are picnic tables! This was our very first time at Wicked Tulips and even though I read the FAQ only a thousand times I wasn’t sure what to expect as far as bringing food, but once we arrived and saw all of the perfect picnic spots next year we will definitely be bringing a blanket and some lunch. If you are traveling from southeastern Connecticut make sure to check out a few of our favorite local sandwich shops that are along the way! Here and Here. 

Tickets to the farm are sold out through Mother’s Day, but make sure you head over to their website to see if they will be open for a third week this season. I hope you all have a chance to visit and if you aren’t able to this year that you can in the years to follow! All outfit details are below!

Outfit Details: Denim Jacket, Scallop Dress (Sold out in White, but available in pink!) similar in white here, Sandals

What are some of your favorite flowers to fill your homes with?

Healthy Hair Care

Hair care is essential in keeping your hair long, shiny and most importantly healthy. As someone who frequently styles their hair, I have found that using the wrong products can leave my hair feeling heavy, dry and sometimes even oily.  Replacing styling products can help to reduce this, but I have found that the key to truly healthy hair starts at the foundation, shampoo and conditioner.

Healthy hair has always been a priority for me, but I have found it incredibly difficult to find products that won’t irritate my sensitive skin. Trial and error have been the only way to test out new products that more often than not leave me head to toe in hives. Obviously, a very frustrating process, has made it a challenge to find products that are equally as healthy for my hair as my skin. Over the last couple of years I have gone back and forth between products that just left me disappointed. Seeking advice, I went to my mom (moms just have all the answers!). She recommended that I try doTERRA and I was so happy that she pointed me in their direction!

doTERRA is a therapeutic-grade essential oils company offering single oils and oil blends as well as nutritional, spa and healthy living products that have been curated through essential oil technologies and a comprehensive wellness philosophy (so, in short, they have hair care products!).  

When I first researched their mission I was skeptical about the world “oil”. My hair and skin already have a higher amount of natural oils and was concerned that adding any additional oils might lead to both becoming greasy. Because doTERRA uses natural ingredients in both their shampoo and conditioner that are not only healthy for your hair and skin, but smell amazing I immediately noticed that my hair was silky and smooth (no grease at all!). Once I dried my hair and styled it, it once again felt light and full of beautiful volume! Of course, it also smelled amazing with scent combinations of citrus and peppermint, it was truly a hair defining moment! 

Everyone’s hair (and skin!) is different and while this may be my saving grace I know that it might leave your hair feeling different, but I do highly recommend giving doTERRA Salon Essentials Protecting Shampoo and Smoothing Conditioner a try, I absolutely love it!

The In-Between

Immediately when I say, “The In-between” my mind visualizes the “Upside Down” from Stranger Things. Of course this comparison is slightly dramatic as I am obviously not stuck in a different dimension fighting a Demagorgon, but when I think of a way to explain the place I’m in the “Upside Down” was the first thing that came to mind, let me explain.

Chris and I met when I was twenty and he was twenty-nine. I’m sure you can all do math but for those of you who are numbers challenged, like myself, that’s a nine year age gap. The gap between us in age has never truly affected our relationship and for the most part I honestly forget that he is that much older, we’ve just found a rhythm. Although, this gap provides no noticeable differences in our relationship it does showcase the age difference between our friends. The majority of my friends are younger, which has them in a different place in their lives. They are exploring their career landscape, having thoughts about master degrees and starting serious relationships. Chris’ friends are buying homes and building families. Don’t get me wrong, I love each and every one of our friends. They are amazing beautiful people and I couldn’t be happier for each and every one of them for the places they are in and the steps they are starting to take. The only reason the places they are in are valid is because it has caused me to question mine.

Over the past couple of months, since Chris and I were married, I have felt stuck with what was next as though I was in between life steps with my younger friends and behind with my older friends. No matter the direction, I was alone in this space because now I was married so moving ahead of my friends who were still trying to form long lasting relationships with partners and behind my friends who were starting to have children, which is a different language altogether.  That’s really where Stranger Things comes into play, sometimes I feel like I’m communicating through string lights stuck in another world (drama queen, I know, but still..).

These feelings followed me around for months. Thoughts of  whether I was too far behind or too far ahead floated around in my head every time we went out with friends. I felt lost on how to connect or find common ground. Baby talk was a language I knew nothing about and I felt like with other friends my advice on relationships was overpowering as if I knew best or had all the answers, which is totally not the case, it’s definitely a learn as you go type of thing.   Obviously, having had this on my mind for so long it became a constant daily thought for me and after a while I noticed that I wasn’t enjoying the space I was in because I was so worried about everyone else. Over the next few weeks, I wrote down all of the amazing things that were going on during this chapter of my life. I took the time to see how amazing it was that Chris and I were able to spend two weeks in California to get married followed by an epic vacation to the Bahamas and a killer road trip to Key West. We were renovating our first home and building our careers. There was so much to be thankful for and to appreciate and through coming to a good place about the space I was in I found it so much easier to bring a piece of myself to the table with friends.

My biggest advice if you are stuck in the “In-between” or the “Upside Down”(haha) is to love every minute of the good and the bad. There will be so many chapters of your life. There will be a time for exploration, marriage or children, but you’ll never get right now back. Everyone has something to offer even if it’s different and the best part about being in a different spot than someone else is the support you get when the time is right for you. Relish in the moment, it is so darn special! 

I would love to hear if you guys have had any similar feelings or are stuck in this place now?

Outfit Details: Gingham Top, Jeans, Slides (Similar)

New England Snow Days

Outfit Details: Dress, Boots (Similar), Sunglasses

Snow days are winter essentials and this weekend did not disappoint! Saturday night into Sunday morning we had about 8 inches of snow fall and were able to wake up to a winter wonderland. At our house, snow days are treasured, even if they fall on the weekend because they allow us the opportunity to tackle different projects or just have a day of relaxation (AND...we didn't have to shovel!). Sunday, Chris and I were able to get our kitchen finished up (we had a lot of remodeling that needed to be done and still have some more to do, but this was a serious win), organize the office and watch Django Unchained before we went to bed. All in all it was a very productive day and taking a different approach to it let us get some projects completed that we had been holding off on. The day even offered enough time to be outside and explore a bit with my mom while we shot some new outfits. Every snow day deserves a comfortable outfit and what better than a flannel dress from Kiel James Patrick!

Our approach to snow days has always been to take on the day differently than a typical week day or weekend. The point of a snow day, to us anyway, is to slow down and relax. I wanted to share with you some of my favorite snow day rituals that help Chris and I stay productive and allow us to rest!

1.  Read! Picking up a good book during a snow storm can be one of the dest decisions. Reading is one of my favorite hobbies and as I get older I find less and less time to pick up a good book. Snow days give me a chance to catch up on my reading and if Im cozy enough I can make it through a whole book. 
2. Organize: Organization is the key to functionality throughout the busy week and I often find that on the weekend I struggle to organize the little things in my life, such as my makeup or photos. Snow days offers the time to get these smaller organizational tasks done without taking away from my day to day obligations. Oddly enough, I find that I always have a little extra motivation for projects like these on a snow day!
3. Movie Marathon: Harry Potter, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, James Bond, or any Disney movie are my go to choices. A stormy day is the perfect opportunity to cuddle up in bed in your favorite pajamas with a cup of hot chocolate and a bowl of popcorn. There are days where it is necessary to relax and recharge and this can act as the perfect excuse.
4. Start a Project (or finish one...): Projects are endless at our house! Having just purchased our first home our list of projects has grown immensely. There is always something that can be updated, painted, sanded or refinished. The list goes on and on, but we have found it to be difficult to find the necessary time to start and even complete these projects. There is nothing worse than living in a construction zone, so a snow day offers the perfect opportunity to start a smaller project to cross it off your list. Chris was able to put on our newly painted kitchen cabinet doors (thank goodness that our dishes once again have privacy and a home)!

No matter what the day brings, I always find that a snow day allows us to step away from the monotonous day-to-day routines to enjoy the things we often put to the side. I hope you all had a great weekend and a fun snow day! What are some of your favorite snow day rituals?

Thanks for stopping by!