Good Morning Friends! I hope and pray that you are all happy and safe and healthy and well. In all the ways. My goodness life got crazy fast. I saw a quote yesterday that basically said who knew that turning our clocks back several weeks ago would send us straight into the Twilight Zone. Like for real?!? I think I literally said an hour long prayer last night. I feel like faith is what gets me through difficult times more than anything. That and squeezing my girls really really tight and soaking up extra time with them. Those are hands down the two things that got me through my crazy 2019. And who knew that 2020 would be even crazier?!? Ugh!!! I saw God answer so many prayers and answer so many questions for me in 2019 in the strangest little ways that I just knew He had me covered. And then my Summer trip with six solid weeks spent with my girls on the heels of my divorce was all that I needed to feel alive and refreshed and renewed.
These days things are a bit different but kind of all the same. Leaning on Him and my family are always at the top of my list. Yet these days it’s also the silly little things that I can soak my worries into during what seems like such long days and nights that are getting me through the unknown. I know we all just wish for answers and an “end date” and all of the things that we will never get so in these uncertain moments, I have found a lot of “silly little things” that are keeping me sane and happy and relaxed-ish. I have been sharing lots of tidbits in my IG stories but I wanted to gather all of my thoughts right here on the blog to share with you. So here we go!
XOXO, Brittany
Fresh Flowers & Greenery…
I have always loved having fresh flowers around the house but these last two weeks, my love for them has been in overdrive! I even had my boyfriend hang a little hanging vine in my breakfast room over the weekend and I LOVE IT! I sit in that end chair in my breakfast room to work most days so I just love the new little touch of “life” in that corner. Addie and I named “him” Mr. Squiggles. I am already planning spots for several more around the house too! So if you are out at the grocery store one day soon or if you are lucky enough to have flowers blooming in your yard, go grab some and spread a little color around your home. It really makes for such a happy little home.
My Favorite Hanging Pots:
Candles & Lamp Light…
Lighting has and always will be one of my very favorite parts of interior design. From the actual fixtures to the ambiance it creates, I freaking LOVE lighting. It can be such a “mood setter” and these days I have also been using it for a feeling of peace and comfort. From turning on all of the lamps around the house to lighting lots of candles, it has become part of my morning routine each day and something that I will probably continue once all of this is over!
My Favorite Candles & Lamps:
Making My Bed Every Morning…
Yep, as silly as it sounds, that one little five minute chore gives me a huge dose of peace and sanity each morning. It makes me feel like my house is exponentially cleaner and helps me feel more accomplished. As someone who works from home often, it is something that I have gotten into the habit of doing over the last year and I am hooked! I literally feel like it helps me feel more relaxed and get more done! And yes, call me crazy but at least go try it first ;-).
My Favorite Quilt & Duvets:
MUSIC!!!
I am a self described MUSIC FREAK!!! Music has literally been one of the top three things that has gotten me through the last year. I cannot even tell you how many nights in Europe last Summer Abigail and I sat on our balcony in Italy and sipped wine and listened to music for hours and hours and hours. It has been soooooo healing for me. I have house speakers throughout most of my home which I LOVE and I literally probably play my playlist on shuffle about 60% of the day and evening throughout the house. The girls even ask me to turn it on when it’s not playing that other 40% of the time. Oh and Winnie cannot even handle taking a shower anymore without some tunes! LOL. I personally love really moody, emotional and mellow songs. I have been asked soooooo many times for my playlist on IG stories that I finally created a SPOTIFY PLAYLIST!
Download My Playlist HERE!
Cooking…
And officially every single person who has known me for any length of time now has their jaw on the floor and is confident they’ve entered the Twilight Zone FOR REAL. Y’all… I have HATED cooking my entire life. Hated it. Yet over the last six months or so with a random combination of Home Chef and my boyfriend, I now LOVE to cook. Yes, quite a strange duo LOL. No literally though, between having yummy and different things to cook along with having someone to sip wine and cook with, I absolutely love it now. I think it’s also taken me taking a step back in life in general and slowing down my pace to enjoy it as well. Turn on some tunes, light a candle, pour a little wine and the mood is set to cook!
Save $100 on Your First Four HomeChef Orders HERE! (Code: ADDISON100)
Long, “Fancy” Meals…
Over the last couple of years as I have spent more and more time in Europe, I have become more and more in love with their way of life. Fresh foods and lots of walking and of course my very favorite… really long meals. As y’all know I love making things “look cute” so I have kind of fallen in love with making mealtime an event. Every single evening the girls and I set the table with table runners or tablecloths, “real” dishes and “real” napkins and Winnie even does little place holders. We light candles and play music and really take the time to just relax and enjoy our time together. Sometimes with school and extra curricular activities and such that becomes a little challenging but now that we have all the time in the world at home, it’s our new nightly routine and I LOVE IT. Oh and big weekend and even now weekday breakfasts have become a thing for us too!
My Favorite Table Decor…
Family Game Nights…
Family game nights are now every night around here! After our long dinner each night, I let the girls switch off selecting a board or card game and it has become such a fun tradition for us. I feel like it has been such a great learning opportunity for Winnie too! She has really gotten the hang of games like Rummikub and Ticket to Ride that are a wee but challenging for little ones. She is always so proud of herself for being able to “hang with” Addie and I. Here are some of our personal faves…
Our Favorite Games:
Creating Photo Books…
Alright, who has 34,785 pictures on their phone right now??? Okay, that would be me. Literally. And until I discovered ChatBooks, I have honestly been the WORST at printing any of them! Poor Winnie has like one photo album of her entire seven years of life while Addie has decked out scrapbooks for days. Oops! So with all of this free time, I have been going through and creating more books from past trips and such and it has been so relaxing and fulfilling. Looking back on all of those fun times when it was safe to leave the house. You remember those days??? LOL. Kidding Kidding. But really though. Using this time to do things that have been on my forever long to-do list for years and looking back through the years has been a fun way to spend the days…
Create Your Own ChatBook HERE!
XOXO, Brittany Hayes
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