The end of summer is approaching and normally I would be very sad to say goodbye to this season but not this year. The heat and juggling kid's camps has been tough. I know the fall is always extremely busy, but I'm looking forward to cooler temps and the kids having a consistent schedule so I work more efficiently during the day. One of the big changes this year is that Alex has gone back to the office 3 days a week, and I was an idiot and signed Turner up for a bazillion half day camps (9-12). Walt & Whitney go to an all day camp, but Turner is all over the place. He's old enough to hang out at home during the day and not bother me non-stop, but I still like him to get his energy out in the mornings. Camp is so dang expensive, but having the twins occupied during the day is worth it.
WORK
I will celebrate one year at Dell at the end of August. I feel like it's flown by and I still have so much to learn! I've truly enjoyed my time there and am a part of an amazing team and business unit. I run our B2B influencer work and get to work with traditional tech influencers but also independent analysts. The industry analyst world is something I never knew existed but it is extremely impactful for businesses. I work daily alongside public relations, social, analyst relations, content, and product marketing teams. I'm fortunate to be located less than 15 minutes from Dell headquarters and occasionally go in to the office to see my teammates, but it's not required.
I was able to attend Dell's largest annual event, Dell Technologies World, in Vegas this year as I managed the B2B influencers on site. I volunteered to be a host on the Dell Broadcast TV for a few hours one day, and it pushed me outside of my comfort zone like NEVER before! It was a livestream on to Dell.com during the event and I interviewed various Dell execs, partners and analysts. To say I was nervous is an understatement, but I'm thankful for the opportunity.
TRAVEL
With plane tickets and hotel prices soaring we decided to save money and travel local this summer. I do love long weekend trips because I'm able to break up travel and have something to look forward to! So far we've visited:
- Austin Staycation at the Fairmont (my code "PJESSE" is still available)
- Fredericksburg Couples Trip
Our last family trip of the summer will be to my favorite place, Mo-Ranch! And then me and some girlfriends are doing a weekend celebration at Horseshoe Bay Resort to celebrate the end of the summer. I would love to plan a fall trip, but we just have too much going on with kids' sports so hoping to book something for Christmas since we'll all have two weeks off. Originally I wanted to take the kids to either Costa Rica or Mexico, but prices are too expensive.
BLOGGING
If you've seen my Instagram stories lately you've seen how frustrated I am with Instagram's prioritization of video over static photos. It's hard keeping up with all the latest trends on social media, especially if you are a content creator or work in this industry full-time. I struggle with the pull to make content on every social platform, but it is not possible. There's Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter and more, and there are simply not enough hours in the day to create content for all these platforms. And to be honest I don't want to.
To keep up with trends, creators have to learn and evolve. I am thankful I was making YouTube videos a few years back because it has prepared me for what's going on today. I still enjoy working with brands and taking you along our vacations, trying on outfits and sharing random stuff. I'm all over the place in my stories and that's just the way I like it 😉. I continue to batch work on Sunday evenings because I rarely have enough energy to write on weeknights.
I've also missed hosting blogger events so I've organized my first one in a few years! I renamed it the "Creator Mixer" because I realize most people don't actually blog these days (RIP ATX Blogger Mixer). Its a free event and will be in Georgetown on Sept 22, RSVP here!
KIDS
We recently watched the new movie, Rise of Gru, and for the first time Walt likes his middle name....OTTO! The newest minion's name is Otto which Walt finds cool : ). This summer he's discovered his love for hot fudge sundaes and playing the switch. For all three of my kids I've really had to limit how much time they spend on an iPad, Switch or Kids YouTube....30 minutes max or else they turn in to monsters. Walt will be playing soccer again this fall, and will be starting 1st grade with Whitney.
Whitney is really coming in to her style, and it's been a joy to watch. She is obsessed with dressing and doing her hair just like me, so any time we find matching outfits she's in heaven. She's also an empath and nurturer. If anyone in our home gets sick she's right there trying to take care of them. She's decided to do gymastics this fall, which thankfully is only one night a week!
Turner is having an amazing summer going to athletic camps and Pine Cove overnight camp twice! He tried out for a select soccer team in May and has been counting down the days until the season starts which was August 1. If you need me this fall I'll be at the soccer fields. He begs for a phone daily, but I'm holding the line. HOLD THE LINE parents! He'll be turning 10 this October and starting 4th grade.
SHOPPING
I've realized there is no point for me to majorly shop anymore because I never go in to the office. I really need to get a work from home uniform and invest in some comfy loungewear. You might be surprised but for a fashion blogger I have a very minimal closet. Watch the documentary "Minimalism"...it will change your life! Summer is my favorite time for outfits because I love flowy cotton dresses & easy sandals to throw on. When fall & winter hit I have no idea how to dress anymore and don't like feeling bulky with layers. I did buy this hat and I can't wait to wear it come fall! A few items on my want list include:
- Wide leg sweatpants + athleisure tops
- Pottery Barn Dressers, curtains, rug & bench for my primary bedroom
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