How are we already weeks into the new year?! I'm not one for resolutions but I am one for fixing whatever needs fixed in your life, as soon as you can! Last year I adopted a new diet, upped my Pilates fix to 3x/week, and welcomed my husband to the wonderful world of working full time! 

I really do love reflecting on what the past year has brought (good, bad, and ugly) and I am all for finding areas that could use some improvement.

So while I am NOT calling these resolutions, I did want to share what I've been
focusing on so far this year.

1. I've been trying to pray myself to sleep rather than waiting until my phone slips out of my hands and smacks me on the forehead.
2. Praying myself awake rather than grabbing for my phone first thing (are you sensing a pattern yet?).
3. Spending the beginning of my morning in the word (and not the kind on Twitter). I was given the New Morning Mercies devotional by my sweet Tay last year on my birthday and I am LOVING it so far! I then take these concepts to my prayer journal so I can ruminate further and make sure it sticks if you know what I mean. 
4. Spending more time and money on experiences and less on things. (The opposite of wearing less and going out more? Felt like this needed a Drake reference).
5. Using my phone as a tool instead of like a lifeline. I spend far too much time on it accomplishing absolutely nothing (as do a lot of people I spend time with).
6. Treating others with the same grace God treats me. I am one with zero patience and a sass mouth, but I want to exercise a kinder heart and a happier attitude. "Start each day with a grateful heart" if you will, but carry that gratitude all day long.
7. Do the thing I love on this beautiful nightmare we call the internet! I am my own worst enemy when it comes to generating useful content in that I ditch it if it's not perfect. I want to do a better job of doing rather than perfecting!

What have you been up to so far this year? Also...thanks for reading this. You are my people :)

Happy 2018!

Love,
​Ashley

Tay and I have a Christmas tradition where we do something extravagant, fun, and spend more than our usual 20 mins together! This year we were lucky enough to spend this special date at Ironworks Hotel in Indy! 

​We had dinner and drinks with our boys Friday night, and were in bed (Tay snoring like a buzzsaw) by 9:30...and immediately admitted how bizarrely old that made us feel. By 6 am we were bright eyed, bushy tailed, and ready for more bonding spent in our favorite way--eating. We had breakfast at Rize which is their conjoined breakfast spot. On top of the aesthetics of the place being too good for words, the food and service were also phenomenal. I shall be dragging Evan there as soon as I can for a repeat!

We would have gladly spent our entire Saturday chatting in the lobby but alas our carriages became pumpkins again and our staycation had to end. We will be back as soon as humanly possible to enjoy the friendly staff and beautiful rooms. Oh and also--the entire hotel smelled of the most pleasant man (you know, the real handsome kind who also have manners and believe in chivalry). I have no idea how they rigged the place to do that but I'm very interested in busting through their air vents on my next visit to steal whatever it is.

If you need a staycation soon (or if you're out of town and need a rec!) I can't recommend Ironworks enough. And also, if you get there before I do, bonus points if you figure out how they get the hotel to smell so good.

Love,
Ashley

Heyooooo it's almost Thanksgiving folks!
​Just in case you need some last minute outfit inspo, I threw a few together in my very favorite color combo this season--camel, black, and white.

Let's be honest- priority one on Thanksgiving is food. This means stretchy pants are a must (IF you wear pants that is. Loose dress may be your best option...). 

​

I love a good gingham print, but one this large can be overwhelming on my shorter frame so I broke up the pattern by layering a short sleeve cropped sweater over top. My black skinnies are mid rise and SUPES stretchy so they're Thanksgiving approved. My black wool coat is one of my ultimate Goodwill finds...it fits perfectly and is very versatile! The boots here are Sandgren's clogs in the Dexter Tan colorway...and I don't think I'll be wearing anything else unless forced. They're having a Black Friday sale so if you've been eyeing them GO NOW!
​

For outfit #2, I picked the always-favorite legging (insert trophy emoji here). I paired this striped tunic over it (another Goodwill find) because I like the classic print with the more trendy bottoms. My black riding boots are also a Goodwill find! This Daniel Wellington watch is from their petite collection and is what my dink wrist dreams are made of. My sunnies are from Diff eyewear, it's their new Daisy pair!

What are you wearing tomorrow?! I hope this gave you an idea or two if you've been more focused on the eats than the threads (and who could blame you?).

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I am so happy and thankful to have you <3.

Love,
Ashley

If you're anything like my dad (and I really hope you are), you might be ever so slightly hesitant to bite the bullet and do glasses shopping online. BUT! I promise it's way easier and so much cheaper than you may think.

I've worked with Coastal Eyewear for a while now, and have always had a positive experience with their staff and overall quality. Coastal also has a great feature called "MyFit", a tool which filters their frames and leaves only the ones which best suit the measurements you entered! If you'd like to look at ALL options, you can simply turn this feature off.

​The frames pictured here are the Joseph Marc Procedure in silver, and I got transition lenses in them so I can wear them as regular glasses OR sunnies! PS-- their lenses are currently 50% off!

I also love these "frameless" frames, they are so minimal but make a statement at the same time! I chose the rose gold option and I am in love with how they turned out. They are also SO light on your face so if heavy frames bother you, these are for you!

See what I mean? A subtle statement. 
{These are the Perspective Astro frames.}

Coastal has so many options and definitely at the best prices I've seen online. Have you done online shopping for glasses before? I want to know how your experience was if so!

Love,
Ashley

When one of my favorite companies reached out to me to help spread the word about their Black Friday sale coming up...it was a no brainer. If you'll remember last spring my lovely ivory clogs I've gotten no end of compliments on, this is the same company! But this time...they've got boots.
​ Mic drop.

Sandgren's Berkeley Captoe boot (HERE in olive like mine!) is a unique boot that is steadfast in quality and structure, which sticks to the standard Sandgrens upholds. I love the lace up, the vibrant and neutral color options, and the sturdy but fashionable wooden heel. I fell in love with these babies as soon as I saw them on their site, but I fell hard when I opened them in person.

See what I mean? 

Lucky for us (I've gotta order these in Dexter Tan, one color just wont' suffice!), Sandgrens is planning to begin their Black Friday promos a little bit early..so we can beat the mad dash! I'll be posting again on my page once their sale is live so you'll be the first to know!

If the Berkeley Captoe isn't your cup of tea (get the hell off my blog) JUST KIDDING, they've got tons of other styles! Their full site can be found HERE. 

Have you been favoring the boots-with-dresses vibes that I have this fall? These babes also pair great with denim and black skinnies, and I know they'll get me through the cool months no problem! 

Happy Sunday y'all, and have a merryyyyy Black Friday week (only one week away!)

Love,
Ashley