Oversized Sweaters and Crisp Fall Evenings

The Fashion Train is Heading Yor Way

It was FREEZING cold this morning. Oh my goodness. My teeth would not stop chattering while I was taking photos. Every few minutes I would take a break and stand in the sun to try and thaw out. I'm sure I've mentioned it before but I am seriously dreading winter. 

Wanna know something exciting? You can buy all of this! Usually I have to find similar items, but today it is all available. You can even get 21% off the dress using the code FRIENDS21. 

I took my car to get inspected today. I think I found a really great shop. The owner (I'm assuming) was really nice and he didn't try to take advantage of the fact that I'm a girl. That's what I call a winner. I mentioned that my oil was leaking and they switched out plugs, which was the cheapest and easiest solution, to see if that will stop the leak. Fingers crossed it does... We cannot afford any expensive part replacements right now. 

dress here - shirt here - Keds here

After work, and car shop adventures I had an essential oils class. I got to co-teach with one of my friends. It was amazing how much I learned from everyone there! I realized that I use my oils for almost entirely physical problems. I'm allergic to basically every thing so I use oils to treat illnesses and to take care of my skin, hair and body. As I was sitting in class I realized that a lot of people rely on oils for emotional healing. Obviously I already knew that, but I was really struck with how amazing these oils are, and how much they can do. Yes, they can take care of my acne problems, or help my sore throat heal quickly. But they can also help with feelings of depression, anxiety and even self confidence. How great is that?! 

October Book Review

My husband got this book for me for my birthday. He gets props because I only mentioned it to him once or twice, months before. I was pretty excited when I opened it up, despite it coming a little banged up. It is a really cute book! It is very readable--with larger fonts, big pictures and adorable graphics. You can buy it here. 

I thought this book was going to be all about modesty. But it's not! It's a how-to-navigate-life guide with a twist. The authors, Jessica Rey and Leah Darrow, talk about important things like confidence, and how our sense of beauty and self worth is being destroyed through media and products and companies, how to navigate the dating world correctly, how we should treat others, and not only how to dress a little more modestly, but also why we should dress more modestly. They call it like it is, but do a really good job avoiding being offensive. 

As I was reading, there were so many times I wanted to shout out, "YES!" and "I agree!!" My husband probably heard most of the book, as I read the parts I liked (and there were a lot of those) out loud to him. I can't decide what I want to share with you, there is just so much goodness in this, not so little, book. Hmm... 

Ok, favorite tidbit #1: Perfection and beauty are not the same. And perfection, is impossible to obtain. If we are comparing ourselves to models, ads and commercials we will always lose. We don't have a real life photo shop option in our makeup bag! They talk about this video in there book. Take a look.

Favorite tidbit #2: Girls and boys are different. But, we are valued as people, equally. I am a strong believer that girls and women don't need to be identical or be treated identically or do the exact same things as men and boys. Yes, treat us equally. But do not take away my right to be a woman, or to be feminine. Do not consider me small minded because I enjoy being a woman in the name of equality. We were created beautifully and with purpose- two things the world likes us to forget but things this book reminds us of. 

Favorite tidbit #3: "sexy = objects = things"

This was a lesson I learned the hard way. When I was younger I wanted to be like the girls I saw on TV. They had lots of friends, everything always went their way and they weren't just pretty, they were sexy. Sadly, I had to learn the hard way that sexy is not always a good thing. I realized, as I dressed in a way that I thought was sexy, I not only felt uncomfortable in what I was wearing or in the way I was behaving, but I also was very uncomfortable with the attention I was receiving. At first, getting attention was great. Finally, people and especially guys were noticing me. Then, I realized they weren't noticing me, they were noticing my barely covered butt or boobs. Great. I had literally become an object of attention.

So, needless to say I'm a fan. It's a feel good kind of book. And, it is actually on sale right now! But, if you don't want the book, and still want a few feel good feelings, here are a few quotes you can download for free, print out, and hang up on your wall to remind you how wonderful you really are. 

    

When you click the image you want to download, it will bring you to a Google Drive page where you can download the image. It's completely safe, allows for the best quality download, and you don't need to have a Google account to access it.  I figured this was better than the good ol' right-click-save option.

I would suggest printing them through Shutterfly. They have a 4x4 print option, which is what these are graphics were designed for.  Then, go to Michael and get yourself some baker's twine and cute mini clothes pins and you've got yourself a new, and fairly inexpensive, decoration for your room. Enjoy!

I Don't Wear Ripped Jeans, But When I do...

One day, while I was driving, I found this really cool looking abandoned (pizza?) place. The brick walls are covered it chalk graffiti. I guess that's how they do it here in Utah. You wouldn't want anything too permanent... Anyway, I really wanted to come back. And so I did.

shirt here - similar jeans here - Keds here

Today I am totally and completely repping Old Navy. I think they are a hidden gem for modest clothing. They often have skirts and dresses that are long enough and most of their shirts are pretty modestly cut, and only some are sheer. Also, if you know how to shop the store right, you can get some pretty good deals too!

This shirt is a little sheer. But, I popped a nude tank top on underneath and you can barely tell. It's really comfy and I love the length. It's actually pretty long. Long enough to wear over leggings, but still short enough that it doesn't have awkward bunching when you tuck it in. My only complaint; it wrinkles pretty easily. 

Ok, time for the jeans. I've never been the biggest fan of ripped jeans. There, I said it. I just don't find gaping holes in my clothing appealing. But that is just my style.

 Sadly, Old Navy no longer carries these jeans. I'm super bummed! Behind each hole and rip there are floral or patterned jean patches. It's such a feminine detail. I love it! And, even though there are rips in my jeans, my pasty white skin isn't exposed. They're pretty great. 

I linked a similar pair from old navy that, if you were willing to be crafty, could totally be turned into this pair. Joan Fabrics has a pretty large selection of patterned jean fabric. You would only need a few inched of each pattern and you could sew the pieces behind each hole. I've seen it done with floral cotton fabric too. It was super cute. You know what else would be cute? Seqiun patches. 

Buffalo Gal

Go do yourself a favor and buy this dress. I eyed this dress for MONTHS. I didn't want to spend so much money on a single dress. Finally, a sale happened and I snatched it up. I'm really glad I did. Here is why:

It is perfectly modest.

The dress is a compliment magnet.

It can pass as a spring, summer, or fall dress.

It is the prettiest blue AND it's buffalo plaid.

And, it has pockets!

Wasn't General Conference Great?!

I absolutely LOVED Sister Oscarson's talk she gave in this past General Women's Conference (2016). All of the talks were really good. And there were so many wonderful points made. But, two of my most favorite comments were from Sister Oscarson and, through her, Sheri Dew. I was so excited when I heard Sheri Dew's quote. I need to read her book so I know what exactly she was talking about, but, this has been something that has been gnawing away in the back of my head. As women, I think we are living under our potential. I think there is more we can do and we just don't know what that is yet. But, that being said, I don't think anyone is going to come out and tell us. We will, however, be given the tools we need to find out.

 Look at how hard Satan works to tear us apart as individuals and as women of a whole. We are trained from a young age through social media, television, billboards and magazines that we aren't pretty enough, skinny enough, talented enough or good enough. BAM! Your self confidnce just got shot dead.  When we see someone who we perceive as possibly being a little more happy or a little more something than us, our first instinct is not to celebrate with them but to be jealous OR further criticize ourselves. There is something we are suppose to do, and Satan and the world are doing a very good job keeping us from it. 

We haven't yet realized our full potential. I don't think we truly understand how powerful each of us are. And, together, with God we would, could, and should be unstoppable. Each of us has an important role to play. It isn't somebody else's job to tell us what that is. It is our job to ask, and to find out. 

The Perfect Lazy Day Dress

dress here - similar vest here - keds here - necklace here

I ordered this dress a few months ago off of Jane.com. I don't remember why, but I was a little apprehensive in ordering it. But, after a week or so it was delivered, and as I slipped this darling dress on, all my fears vanished, and were replaced with plans to order more of these dresses (something I still haven't gotten around too yet). This dress is one of those closet-go-to's. It is thick enough that you don't have to worry about what your'e wearing underneath, and just loose enough that it is super comfy. It's basically the dress version of sweatpants.

You can wear it anywhere! And, that is just what I did.

A Little Touch of Gold

Look at these! I got them a few months ago, but haven't worn them until now. But, now that I've finally worn them, I think I'll be wearing these beauties more often. They're unique, but not too flashy. Just my style.

The sweatshirt, which you can't see, says PRO-KEDS. I found it in Japan, while I was on my mission, at a thrift store. Want to know how much I paid for it? Ten cents. Yes, you read that right. And yes, I typed that correctly. I bought my first pair of Keds almost six years ago, and I've been in love ever since (you don't even want to know how many pairs of white Keds I have gone through). How could I not buy a vintage Keds sweatshirt, especially at that price. 

At the time of my first Keds purchase, years and years ago, I was NOT the biggest fan of modest dressing. I loved my little skirts and tiny dresses. But now look at me! My skirt goes to my knees and I felt like a million bucks all day. I was SO proud of my outfit and I felt so pretty and confident in it. I wan't even sure it would turn out. I mean, a sweatshirt with a fancy tulle skirt AND metallic Keds... It was a risk. But, I'm so glad I took it. 

jean jacket here - similar skirt here - Keds here

Pretty cute, right?

An Outfit with a Side of Inspiration

This vest is amazing. I realize I say that about a lot of my clothing. I just get excited about clothes. And, if I didn't think every piece in my closet was amazing then, I probably shouldn't have bought it right? But, back to the vest. Does it remind you of a very popular and very expensive vest? That's 'cus it's a knock off from Wish. Wish is a pretty cool site. You can buy cheap stuff, for ridiculously low prices that, generally, are pretty good quality. I've only had one item come that was junk and the company refunded me immediately. I highly suggest them. Maybe I will do a post about all my great finds from Wish.

Are you ready for a story? Once upon a time there was a girl (me) who fell in love with a herringbone vest she found on Pinterest. She searched far and wide for the vest and eventually discovered that it was from J. Crew. But, alas, by the time she found this out, she could no longer order the vest from said store. So, she looked else where and found what she thought was the same vest from J. Crew Factory. It turned out that it was completely different. Reports of it being cheaply made circulated, and upon further investigation the girl realized that the herringbone pattern was printed on a nylon fabric.  That wasn't ok. So, with a heavy heart the girl continued her search, checking on e-bay and other places where jackets could be sold second hand. There was a lot of dishonesty going on with second hand sellers ( a lot of people try to pass of factory clothing as the real thing) and with a bit of skepticism the girl finally ordered a vest from e-bay. She waited and waited for it's arrival, and upon reviving it was disappointed to find that she had ordered a piece of junk. Months passed, and after many pleasant experiences with Wish, decided to order one from the site. It finally came the other day, and the girl could not be happier with it. the herringbone is stitched and textured, the zipper works and does not pucker, it doesn't smell, and it is really well stuffed. 

And so, the vest and the girl lived happily ever after. Just in time for Fall. 

The End. 

similar shirt here - vest here - jeans here - shoes here

I'm not perfect. Here's proof. 

It was windy. Really, really windy. 

And now for some promised inspiration. I wish there was a magic potion we could all take that would help us each realize our true potential. But, I guess for now, you are just stuck with my little reminders. Don't ever forget how much worth you have! You have unlimited potential to be greater than you could ever imagine.

Karma- It Really Does Work

On Monday I had great plans to take outfit pictures. Needless to say, it didn't happen. On my way to take pictures, I found a husky wandering around in the streets. I'm pretty sure I'd stop for any animal, but huskies have been my favorite kind of dog since...well, forever. When I was little, I had great plans to move to Alaska, with my 13 huskies, and run the Iditarod. But then I got a little older and realized I hated the cold. A lot.

Anyway, I spent way too much time following the dog around, knocking on doors, and eventually just leaving the dog in the yard I was pretty sure he belonged to. All the time I had allotted for taking photos was now used up. Oops. 

Later I went to DI and found two chairs for our living room! One of the chairs fit perfectly into our car. But, there was no way we could fit another chair into our back seat, so we had to come back for the second chair. That evening, Blake went back to get the chair. Butttttt, it didn't fit in our car. Luckily, there was a nice man, who looked like Santa Clause (I'm pretty sure he could be Santa) who was willing to take the chair to our house! He went way out of his way to drop it off. What a Saint.

As he was leaving he told me "you know, I believe in karma." I told him I did too, and as I was struggling to carry our new-to-us over sized chair, thinking of ways I could pay it forward, and sending good thoughts to the Karma gods for Santa's twin, I realized maybe he was my good karma. Chasing that dog around ended up being totally worth it! 

Now, without further ado, my outfit of today! It was cold. Fall is officially here. Ahhh! Before we know it, it's gonna be winter. I love this dress! It is super versatile, and comfy. I have all sorts of plans for outfits with it. And don't worry, I'll be sure to share them with all of you.

Similar dress here - Sweater here - shoes here

And We're Back!

My laptop has been at the computer doctor for a while. Diagnosis; it's old and dying. I knew that, I'm just in denial. I have a six year old hp laptop and I absolutely adore the thing. It's great! I can't find another one like it and so, I refuse to give mine up. I just can't. They don't make computers like they used too.

I know, I know, laptops are supposedly better now. They don't make them like they used to for a reason... I understand that, but it just doesn't change how I feel about my dear computer.

In other news, I have a job. It's retail. But, despite it not really being the job I was hoping for, I work the nicest people ever! I've never worked somewhere where everyone is nice. I can't believe it.

Because I'm the new kid on the block, I've been introducing myself an awful lot. I haven't had to do that in over a year. And as I've been introducing myself and talking about my life, I realized I sound like a big FAT liar!! I've been really blessed to have done, what I think are, some pretty cool things in my twenty four years of life. I got to work at Disney World...I met my husband there...I was able to serve an LDS mission in Japan...I've worked a billion random and different jobs (so there's lots of "oh, when I was a bridal consultant..", or "oh, when I was a vacation planner..." and so forth). I haven't even shared about my dog sledding adventures yet! And I'll probably wait on that. #kirstinproblems

Now for today's outfit:

I cannot even begin to describe how happy I am that it has warmed up here in Utah. I wasn't ready to trade in my keds and dresses for boots and pants. I did add a bit of layering though. It dressed up the dress, and gave a nod to fall. Which, at this point, all fall is getting from me is a nod. 

similar dress here or here - keds here- this years version of the flannel here

Flora, no Fauna

This is probably one of my new favorite dresses. I have WAY to many swing dresses, but not very many of them have patterns. And none of them mix flowers and foliage together. It's just so pretty! And that green color- let's talk about that. It's beautiful!

Not only is it perfectly modest, but it can also be dressed up or down. Chances are I'll be wearing this beauty to church in the next few weeks. Just, without the chambray tied around my waist. 

Similar dress here (I searched far and wide for this dress and just couldn't find it)  - Similar Chambray here

Sadly, the store where I bought the dress from doesn't have a website yet (hopefully). But, if you live in Utah then, lucky you, you can go check them out! Here is their information. And you can follow them on Instagram here.  Cozy fashions is super close to campus, and, if you ask me, totally worth taking a trip to check out. 

- - -

Also, I did my hair. I've tried braid crowns a hundred and one times and I can never seem to get it right. The braids either don't stay in, or don't stay up, or I run out of bobby pins before I can get my braid in it's proper crown formation. Well, I used this tutorial, and it actually worked!

[ I tried to link the tutorial from it's original blog, but, it wasn't working, so I connected it to the Pin on Pinterest I used. Sorry! ]

But...look how cute it turned out!!

Boho Beauty (and no I'm not talking about me)

Guys, guess what?! There is color in Utah!! Coming from the beautiful, lush, green East Coast, Utah desert life has been quite the adjustment for me. But, I found my own little green oasis today- just north-east of Orem. It was beautiful! The trees on the mountains were changing colors for fall, there were waterfalls and a creek, the sky was oh so blue, and there was a beautiful golden field. I'm for sure going back tomorrow. 

Blouse in white or blue here

Also, do yourself a favor and go buy this shirt. I LOVE it. It's super soft, and flowy. But, the material is just a little bit on the thicker side, so it is perfect for the cooler end of summer/ hey, fall is here kind of  weather. Plus, I'm a sucker for embroidery. And this top is actually stitched. Do you know how many tops I've found that have printed on embroidery?? I mean, come on, what is that?

So the blouse is on sale on-line and in store. There's a link under the photo. But, it's totally worth it to take the trip into an Old Navy store and get it for about eight dollars cheaper. They have a lot of mark downs/ clearance for cheap! I got some pretty sweet deals (that I'm sure you'll see later) and I bet you could find something good too. So...come back to my page later (pretty please) and go shop!

Woman- of Infinite Worth

Can you believe General Conference season is about to start?! I was talking to my mother this evening, and as she was listing all the activities of her busy week, she mentioned that the women’s session of conference is on Saturday. What?! Where did September go?

Well, aside from the shock that October is just about here, I couldn’t be more excited for General Conference. For those of you who don’t know what General conference is (or conference as we tend to call it), we have the opportunity to listen and learn from the Prophet and Apostles twice a year. We gather together, either in Salt Lake City (where conference is held) or around the world in our homes and Church buildings. We believe that God has not stopped speaking to and guiding his children, and because He loves us so much, He still gives us direction through those He has called.

As a child I absolutely dreaded conference. We had to sit at home, in church clothes and sit still for what felt like a hundred hours. Let’s be honest, that is just about every child’s worst nightmare. Now, I absolutely love it. And, don’t worry; it isn’t actually a hundred hours long. If this sounds like something you’re interested in, click here for the schedule. Not only is there a message for everyone, but if you listen with your heart, and with real intent, you’ll find the message Heavenly Father has just for you.

And that leads me to this week’s talk! Russell M. Nelson always gives amazing talks for and about women.  I had the opportunity to see him speak while I was in Japan, and let me tell you, that man truly is called of God. We, as missionaries were able to go up and shake his hand, and there was a very tangible energy around him. He had a spiritual power and confidence that I hadn’t experienced while meeting anyone before. It was amazing.

  

He talked about how each of us has a divine mission and about the different roles, as women, that we fill. And, surprise! Our only role is not that of a mother. One of the criticisms of the Church, that bothers me most, is how women are believed to be viewed, and how even some members feel they are viewed as a woman.

He describes us as nurturers, teachers, mothers, and those who are capable of service and offering care. Now, I don’t know about you, but until recently, I had the tendency to lump all of these qualities under the giant umbrella that is "mother." BUT, you don’t need to be a mother to do or be any of these.  If the summation of our worth boiled down to only that of being a woman with children, then there wouldn’t be women who don’t get married or can’t have children. It just wouldn’t be fair. And, since Heavenly Father is a just god, I’m thinking He’s got bigger plans for us and how we fill our very special role as women. Oh, just a side note, please do not think I am discrediting how important motherhood is. I just think we have a bad habit of always looking at it from the same angle.

Have you ever looked up the definition of nurture? It is the “process of caring for and encouraging the growth or development of someone OR something.” You can nurture a thought or an idea, a child or a business, a group or a movement. You can nurture or cultivate skills and talents. And then, as a teacher, you can share those talents, skills or ideas with children or those who you come into contact with on a daily basis. As women we have a gift to be compassionate. We have the opportunity to show kindness and offer service to those around us. And service, I believe, can be as simple as smiling at someone, listening to someone talk, or letting the lady with the screaming child cut in front of you in the grocery store check-out. Doing those little things, in a world where we are more inclined to frown or glare at someone than smile (something I’m guilty of) can make a big difference!

Are you convinced yet? Here’s some food for thought; Eve was called "the mother of all living" before she ever had a child of her own. So, maybe being a mother isn’t  about having your own children. Or, better yet, being a mother is more than just about having children. It is an all-encompassing position.

  

Each of us is important. And each of us has a divine mission. The Prophet and Apostles know that, and when they talk about motherhood, I don’t think they do so to diminish our worth, or to put us in a box. Motherhood is part of our divine mission during this life. But, if we ask with the intent to act, during conference, or at any time really, we can learn, through personal revelation, what else our divine missions include.  Like President Nelson said, "[We] are essential in God’s plan." Don’t let the world or Satan tell you otherwise, and keep you from making the difference only you can make.

Daughters in My Kingdom

So from here on out, Sunday will be my day to share a talk I love and some thoughts about it. There are SO many hidden gems out there that we somehow forget or they just get lost in the mix of all the other amazing talks that are given. On my mission, I would set aside time to study for our friends and those we met with, who were interested in learning about the gospel, and a time for me to study for myself and fill my spiritual reservoir. A quick note to future missionaries: studying for yourself is NOT selfish. Regardless of what the culture of your future mission may be, studying for yourself, whether it is reading something you are interested in, or studying a principle or topic you want to understand more deeply, is essential to your spiritual survival while on a mission. 

Ok, back to the talk... I discovered this little gold nugget a week or two ago. "Daughters in my Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society," from General Conference back in October of 2010, was given by Julie B. Beck. You can read it here. It's really good, even though the title is a little daunting. You won't regret reading it. I promise. 

Sister Beck throws down in this talk! She warns us against becoming "silly women," as they are spoken of in the scriptures, and to beware of new forms of idolatry. When we stop doing the essentials, that is, when we get caught up in the world and mistake myths and the world's lies for truth. She reminds us that we are loved, that Heavenly Father knows each of us, and that He has a specific mission for every one of His daughters here on Earth. It's funny, this talk was given 6 years ago, but it is still ever so relevant now. And, I feel as though Sister Beck is calling us to action. Satan wants us to get caught up in the world and its lies. When we start believing that we are not important, or that the Church is placing us as unequal to our male counterparts, we have not become wise, nor have we become "forward thinkers." Chances are, we have lost sight of what is most important, and have either stopped praying, or studying the gospel, or have become lackadaisical in the practice of those essentials.

 I get so excited when ever I think or talk about how each of us has something that God sent us here to do. How special is that?! We are each so important, and have roles to fill, lives to touch, and waves to make.  When I get lazy, and stop studying everyday or my prays get a little insincere ( 'cus let's be honest, it happens to us all) I usually scare myself back into good habits by the thought of missing out on fulfilling my own personal mission. 

Imagine, if we all stopped focusing on the garbage the world had to offer and instead worked on the good, each in our own little spheres of influence, how much good we could really do. Each of us has been blessed with the ability to do that, so we can not fail. How exciting is that??

Jersey Skirts...Who Knew??

similar shirt here - skirt here but wrong colors - similar skirt, correct color here

Greetings from the sick house! My poor husband caught some mysterious illness so we've been home watching Friends, rubbing oils all over feet and bellies and experimenting with the effects of different medicines. Fun, right? Well, I decided to take of break from all the fun (you know, cus too much fun is bad for you) got dressed up, spent way too long in target (something I think everyone can relate too) and then decided to document my outfit, for your viewing pleasure. 

So, I absolutely love jersey skirts. They are super comfy, go with everything, and can be dressed up or down. AND, best of all, they make them in modest lengths!!! I'll post about where my favorite places to get them are later. This one is from Forever21. And my shirt is from Japan. I actually found it here butttt unless you can read Japanese you are probably out of luck. Oh how I wish I could order just about everything from that store. But, I'm just as out of luck as everyone else. 

Ladies and Gentlemen...Cousin It

Sorry guys, I just think I'm so funny. Actually, when I was in either middle or elementary school my Aunt called me Cousin It once. Just once. It stuck with me. And now that I have locks to rival those of Cousin It's, I just had to take this photo. And then, I had to play with the colors for dramatic effect. 

All Cousin It jokes aside, you've gotta admit this is a pretty cute outfit. Am I right?? I got the dress on clearance at F21 a while ago, and it has become a staple.It's light, casual and just loose enough that it's super comfy, yet ultra flattering. They have a similar one on sale on-line right now! The shirt, I'll admit, is a children's size boy shirt. The links to everything are below.

While getting dressed this morning I was thinking about modesty (something I think about A LOT) and the nature of the beast. I really wish that the modesty culture wasn't so much about covering up or finding clothes that are cut just enough to be considered modest. Been there, done that. Shopping is no fun when you have that attitude. And getting dressed is even less fun! I want to change that. We NEED to change that. What if getting dressed stopped being about just following the rules of modesty? What if we dressed in a very deliberate and stylized way, that just happened to be modest? 

What if we created a style of our own.

similar dress here - chambray shirt here - classic keds here

A Little Hump Day Motivation to get us Through the Rest of the Week

Jobless and Dreaming

So, I’ve reached that awkward stage in life where I am over qualified for all the positions I am applying for, and too under qualified, in the eye of the employer, to apply for the jobs I really should be seeking after. Funny how that works. I never dreamed of the day I would walk out of a job interview and not have been offered the job on the spot. Well, since I’ve come to Utah, it has happened. MULTIPLE TIMES. What the heck Utah?! You know, you’re really not helping your cause. At all.

Because I have been having so much bad luck interviewing, I’ve decided to read it as sign. Time to get my dream business up and running! I requested a meeting/ counseling session with someone from the SBDC. I should be hearing back from them in three or less business days. Fingers crossed this works out guys!! Hopefully, before I know it I’ll have my own little modest clothing business up and running. And don’t worry, it won’t be like allllll the other ones out there. This one will be different, and less expensive, I promise.

And maybe, I’ll get my act together and start blogging for real. I keep saying I will. And then I don’t. I keep blaming it on a lack of content, or lack of good photos, and such things like that. But, if I had all of that then I would be just like every other blogger out there. So, I will start with this (and by this I mean nothing) and hopefully create something new, that is uniquely and unapologetically true to me. 

Well...I'm in Utah

We made it to Utah. Yippee...I guess. The drive was ridiculous. We went from New York, to Illinois and then to Utah. I don't even know how long it ended up being. Somehow, when you drive a U-haul the estimated time of arrival gets pushed back farther, and farther, and farther, until suddenly the eight and a half hour leg of your trip becomes thirteen hours!

I don't know if I can say the trip was worth it (I ended up in Utah) but, there were a few parts of the journey I did enjoy. We made a few pit- stops in Illinois that I was oh so grateful for. We spent the first night of our trip, and the following day, at my childhood best friend's new home. That day, we went out onto the lake, that is basically in her back yard, and spent hours floating along, and getting ridiculous tan lines I had, up until that point, successfully avoided getting this summer.

Then, the next day we were off, like a herd of racing turtles, leaving way later than anticipated, and took a detour to Carthage and Nauvoo. I had high expectations for Carthage, and honestly, they weren't met. For those of you who don't know, Carthage, Illinois was where the prophet Joseph Smith was imprisoned, and then murdered. The LDS church owns the property where the jail, in which Joseph died, is located. Anyone is welcome to come visit the site, and see where the prophet was martyred. Because of the sacred nature of the site, I expected to have an extremely spiritual experience. You know, one those of those moments where you just feel the spirit so strongly, and the truth of what you are hearing or seeing or feeling is manifested and confirmed. It didn't happen. And I left feeling slightly disappointed.

Nauvoo was completely different. It was so peaceful and beautiful. The spirit of the place was almost tangible. Walking around the temple and looking out onto the Mississippi River filled me with so much happiness. I found myself hoping we could stay the night there. I just didn't want to leave. I can't imagine how the early members of the church must have felt, when, once again, they were being asked to leave their homes and move. I, after only having been there a small while, didn't want to go. They, after building a beautiful temple, and creating homes and memories, and building the kingdom of God along side their beloved prophet for the last time, must have been heart broken.
It's in simple moments like that one, walking around the temple grounds, where I'm reminded how much I love the gospel and am able to feel the truth of it all being testified in the quite, stillness of the place.

That night the trek continued, and we slowly made our way out West. Finally, late Friday night we made it to Utah, and the next morning we moved into our new apartment. It needs a lot of work. But, I'm so grateful we found a place and that Blake and I are finally reunited, with no prospects of being separated again in the near or distant future.

So, I really don't want all my postings to be about my life. I can't imagine it is going to be a very exciting one for now. Blake has work and school, we can now categorize ourselves as poor married college students, and I...well, I still haven't found a job, and as long as I don't have a job, I can't exactly afford to have hobbies. So...I've got nothing. But, I've been feeling that me not having found a job yet is not the most terrible thing in the world. It may, in fact, be a blessing in disguise. And that, my friends, is why I am writing this blog post. I actually have time to write!! And for whatever reason, I feel that I need to have an intro post to the rest of my future blogging. I think I need to be writing. Not about my life, or the sad inconsequential happenings of my day, but about things that matter. We have a work to do, a world to change, confident lives to create, build and empower, and, of course, cute clothing to be worn while doing it.

Stay tuned for more, I've (finally) got the time to dig into what I believe beauty really is. And hopefully together, we can become more confident in ourselves, realize our potential, and a lift a few (or maybe a couple hundred) others up while we are at it.