WORK:

I know I always say it's insanely busy at work, but to be honest I feel like it never really slows down. Covid has really intensified our workload as the importance of digital and social has increased since face to face events and in-person sales have been postponed. Just a month ago I moved to a new business unit (Cloud Automation) as a social strategist, so I'm busy working on new projects and developing relationships with my new stakeholders and teammates while training my replacement on the AI Apps/Blockchain team. On my new team I've worked on a large acquisition, supported our biggest event of the year #Think2021, and am running the social strategy for a really cool project around the world's first autonomous ship. Outside of my work, I'm also part of a campaign for the recruiting/marketing team at IBM and will be featured in their newest advertisements for recruitment. 

I likely won't be heading back to the office until 2022, and I'm still not sure what that will look like but I'm thinking 3 days in office, 2 days at home. As much as I miss the in person collaboration, I know I'm going to miss working from home more. I won't miss Alex working from our dining room table when he goes back in, but I will miss our lunches and slower mornings. I'm dreading the commute to and from work which can take an hour each way depending on the day even though I'm driving less than 20 miles. I'll miss the flexibility to go to a work out class right after I get off or throw in a load of laundry during the day. 

SHOPPING:

My love for Loft is strong. So strong that I signed up for their rewards card, and have bought quite a few summer staples including the linen top and shorts in these photos! I love mixing and matching the linen pieces and lightweight sweaters. I also finally splurged and bought some new workout gear. I've basically worn the same 3 pairs of leggings and 3 tops the past 5 years, and I was ready for a change. My go-to is Athleta and second is Lululemon. I feel like Athleta pieces are built for real women's bodies and the fabric and quality are exceptional. Linking my outfits here!

I rarely buy my kids clothes, but recently bought them some new outfits from Target and Old Navy as we prepare for summer trips and camp. Turner is my little fashionista and loves color, wild prints and shoes!

KIDS:

Turner started dyslexia tutoring once a week a couple of months ago, and it's been extremely helpful in his reading journey. I've seen him start to gain more confidence in himself and he actually wants to to read books at night on his own. We decided not to hold him back, but I am very worried about 3rd grade. I know it's going to much more challenging for him, but I'm confident we will figure it out as we go. He will continue tutoring over the summer, and he will be going to summer school for 3 weeks. He is going to have a jam packed summer including a trip to Colorado with Alex, Pine Cove, golf camp, flag football camp, gymnastics camp and more! I told him I'm jealous of his summer! We pulled him out of club baseball back in the winter for a few reasons, but mainly because it was consuming 3 of our weeknights and almost every weekend in the spring. It just wasn't worth it to us at this time in our lives, and Turner was indifferent about it. I asked him what he was interested in playing and he said he wanted to do tumbling. Best decision we've ever made because he's in heaven. It's an absolute joy to watch him excel and I've heard it's one of the best sports for children with dyslexia. 

Because we free'd up more weeknights by quitting baseball, Walt and Whitney were able to start their first extracurricular activity which is also gymnastics! Even better they are in the same class so I can kill two birds with one stone. They graduated pre-K and it was such a sweet sight. As I watched them sit at the front of the room in their cap and gowns, I couldn't help but envision them graduating high school. We celebrated with cake, balloons and dinner at Dos Salsas. I was happy my mom could be there to celebrate with us as well. They will continue in their pre-school the rest of the summer and start kinder mid-August. They will be bus riders with Turner, and when I go back to the office they will participate in the Y after school program. 

BLOGGING:

I've taken blogging very slow this year. My day job has required so much of my time and mental effort by the end of the day I don't have much energy to work (write, edit, pitch, etc). While I do miss the extra side hustle money, not having a ton of deadlines and having to shoot on the weekend has been nice. I've done a few collaborations, but I love the travel ones the most (RVshare, Fairmont Austin, Gruene). I'm at the point with social where I really just don't care about trying new ways to grow, and I feel that's a sign to me I'm OK with taking a step back. I still love to write, be creative, and share things I love, but overall my focus is shifting. I know so many bloggers who are grinding and kicking a#$ because blogging is their full-time job or they want to quit their job and blog. This is my hobby and yes I make money from it here and there, but ultimately it's a creative passion project that brings me joy. I read this quote and it rang true for me "It's OK to have a hobby for the sake of having a hobby. Not everything needs to be monetized. Enjoyment is a goal too." - Roo

TRAVEL:

Alex and I took our first plane trip since Covid and went on a fun couples trip to New Orleans for his birthday. We had an absolute blast and soaked up the kid-free time. Here are some upcoming family trips we're looking forward to!

- Port Aransas 

- Pensacola, Florida (hoping the beach is worth the 10+ hour drive)

- Fredericksburg

- Mo-Ranch

- Breckenridge, CO (skiing during Christmas)

These are our planned out trips, but I'm sure there will be a few staycations mixed in. I'm turning 35 this year, so I'm thinking of taking a long weekend and heading somewhere new. I'll take any excuse to travel! 

HEALTH

Thought I would add a spot for my mental and physical health here. I was struggling quite a bit this year with feelings of anxiety particularly in motherhood. Alex and I started going to a family therapist who specialized in helping parents. I learned some really great lessons that I've been trying to put in to practice. There are still days when I get worked up but I feel I'm in a better place. Travel, going out with friends and exercise has helped tremendously! 

Alex has participated in the Keto Diet a few times in the past, but I've refused to join him until recently. I've been doing it now for a little over two weeks and I've learned a lot. I've learned 1.) I eat A LOT of carbs and sugar 2.) I don't like diets 

I think it was a challenging way to jumpstart eating better/losing weight, but overall it's not something I want to sustain. It's not good for my mental health being so restrictive and constantly thinking about what I can eat for my next meal. I did notice a difference in my body about 3 days in, which was kind of insane. I now realize that if I want to be more toned, I can't eat like I used to when I was 20. It's all about balance, and I've definitely learned what reaching for the healthier option feels like...it sucks haha, but I like the results. 

I recently partnered with Truecore Fitness in Georgetown and I'm absolutely loving their classes! They offer pilates, spin, kickboxing, barre and yoga classes. I personally love to take the pilates and barre classes as I'm working on building my core and flexibility. It doesn't hurt it's in the cutest location on the square and has a great community of women who cheer each other on!