Winter 2019/2020 Capsule

My Winter 2019/2020 Capsule Wardrobe consists of 35 pieces.  I am planning to add another piece or two to my capsule.  My beloved skinny jeans don't fit well at the moment and instead of painfully squeezing into them, I am going to visit a second hand store and see if I can find a new pair that does fit me well.

This summer was a difficult one, especially emotionally.  When fall started, my family and I embarked on a few new adventures and life has felt full.  Not overwhelming or crazy, but definitely full.  I have started school again, my daughter started Kindergarten, I am in our local drama group (which I love!), I started a local Harry Potter group, and I am sitting on several boards that I feel passionate about.  Exercising/working out has not been a priority.  I am fine with this.  I am happy living the life that I am and if that means that I have gained a few pounds, so be it.  I do think that my physical strength has been lacking so I am hoping to start up strength training again after I have written my final exams.  It would be nice to be able to move my x-ray equipment at work with ease, which hasn't been the case lately.

2019 Fall Outfits- 27.11.19

This will be my last fall outfit post.  This capsule was supposed to last until the end of December, but I am becoming bored with it and I need to make a few changes to accommodate my upcoming schedule.  When planning my capsule wardrobes, I think that I need to plan around our 'weather' seasons rather than calendar seasons.  I will be planning my Winter wardrobe and show it to you soon!  These are the last few of my Fall outfits.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

Dealing With the Winter Blues

Every year around this time, I seem to get hit with the winter blues.  It drags down my emotions, my energy and makes it hard for me to want to get off of my couch.  I feel exhausted, sad, and drained.  I think that my feelings are due to the change in season and due to the fact that we don't seem to get much sunshine in our transition to winter.  I thought I would write about a few things that help pull me out of my melancholic state.

1.)  Go for a walk.  This one is not my favourite because it requires a lot of effort on my part.  When I am suffering from the winter blues, the last thing I want to do is leave my home.  Here's the thing: it really does help.  The combination of exercise, fresh air and seeing nature (like trees, sky and birds) really lifts my spirits.

2.)  Up my Vitamin D intake.  We simply do not get enough Vitamin D where I live.  It really can make a person feel lethargic.  My doctor recommended that I take a higher dose than the Health Canada recommended amount and it has made a huge difference in how I feel.  Talk to your doctor if you have questions about your Vitamin D intake.

3.)  Make time to see friends and family.  When I am feeling down, I try to seek out my friends so that we can spend some face-to-face time together.  Spending time with people you love and enjoy goes a long way to buoy your spirits.

This time of year can be really difficult for a lot of us.  If you are unable to lift your spirits through these techniques or any of your own, please seek help.  Depression isn't something you need to shoulder alone. 

Shop Local for Christmas

This year I have made the decision to shop locally for the majority of my Christmas shopping.  I live in a small town (about 1200 people), so there will still be some things that I am not able to purchase in town.  Shopping locally benefits your friends and neighbours, is better for the environment (I won't be driving the hour plus to the city to go purchase gifts), and helps you to discover the treasures in your own town.  I encourage you to do the same.  I will be sharing some of my Christmas shopping on Instagram, so I encourage you to come join me there!

Have a fabulous weekend!

2019 Fall Outfits- 13.11.19

It has fully turned to winter weather around here.  As I write this, there is a beautiful blanket of snow outside.  I don't mind winter, but I could live without the icy roads.  I have found that it is best to embrace the cold since we spend so much time in it!

Happy Wednesday, friends!

Lest We Forget

Today is Remembrance Day in Canada.  On this day we honour the men and women who have served and who are currently serving our country.  We remember the people who sacrificed their time, safety and their lives. 

I offer a thank you from the bottom of my heart.  We enjoy safety and freedom because of the sacrifices of others.  Thank you.  We are forever indebted to you.

I will leave you with this beautiful song.

2019 Fall Outfits-16.10.19

It has been a minute since I have posted.  My "real life" has taken over my time and I haven't had time left over to post on the blog.  I love this space, but I have not taken measures to ensure that my work here isn't pushed to the back burner when my real life becomes full or has something urgent to attend to.  I am working on that.

Here are some outfits that I have been wearing out of my fall capsule wardrobe.

 

Happy Wednesday, friends!

Quick Swap

I have made a quick swap in my fall capsule wardrobe.  I have decided that the black "romperall" is best worn at home as lounge wear.  I don't think that it is flattering, although it is extremely comfortable.

I have switched out my romperall for these leopard overalls.  I am enamored with these!  I love all things leopard and I can't wait to wear them.

I will back next week with an outfit post.  Happy Wednesday, friends!

2019 Fall Capsule Wardrobe

Fall is my favourite season.  It is warm, but not hot.  The leaves turn beautiful colours.  Pumpkin spice lattes are available.  What's not to like?  I especially love dressing in the fall.  I love the colours and the sweaters.  It doesn't really surprise me that my fall capsule wardrobe is quite a bit bigger than my last few capsule wardrobes.  

Before spring, I had created a core capsule wardrobe.  The idea is that I would simply change out seasonal pieces and always work from the same core wardrobe.  I still like this idea in theory, but some of the clothes don't fit well anymore.  I chose to do away with this core capsule idea until I am out of this stage of my life.

My 2019 Fall Capsule Wardrobe consists of 35 pieces.  I will bump that number to 36 if I can get the stain out of one of my sweatshirts.  In my wardrobe I have: 22 tops, 2 dresses, 4 pants, 2 rompers, 2 vests, 1 shawl, and 2 jackets.  I plan to use this wardrobe until the end of December.

I have linked my previous fall capsule wardrobes if you want to check them out:

• 2018
• 2016
• 2015

Happy Wednesday, friends!

Updating Routines

If there is one constant in life, it is change.  Life is always evolving and we need to adapt as change happens.  When changes in our lives happen, I find that my old routines often don't work anymore.  We have experienced some changes in the past month so I thought I would talk about how I have updated our routines.

The biggest change that has happened is that my oldest daughter has started kindergarten.  She goes to school for full days.  Kindergarten school days start an hour earlier than her playschool days.  Another change that is that I have started taking online courses, as I am working towards a different career path.  I have to be intentional about designating time to work on my schooling.

With these changes our morning routine and my evening routine has changed.  We have also developed an after school routine.  When working on new routines it is important to establish what you need to accomplish and the time that you need to do that.  I try to always allow for extra time.  With kids, I find that I need it!

For example, I need to have my daughter at school for 8:30.  I know that before school I need to do my morning routine, both kids need to get ready, we need to eat breakfast and walk to school.  It takes me about an hour to get my routine done and hour to get my kids out of the door.  I add a 15 minute buffer to my kids' morning.  It can take up to 15 minutes to walk to school.  With all this in mind, I start my mornings at 6:00 a.m.  My kids get up at 7:00.  I get my daughters ready and then we head to the breakfast table.  I make my oldest daughter's lunch while the kids eat.  Depending on how much time this all has taken, we either get our shoes on and head out the door or my kids can play for a few minutes.

Routines can't be rigid as life changes constantly.  With little tweaks and adjustments, everyone can feel comfortable and know what they are expected to do.  I will continue adjusting our routines this week as we get used to the changes in our schedule.

Wardrobe Wednesday- Summer 2019 Capsule Wardrobe

I have to be honest with you.  It really feels like summer is long gone.  Our August has been cool with chilly winds.  My wardrobe hasn't been completely appropriate for the weather, as I had been banking on summer sticking around a little longer.  I have been enjoying this capsule wardrobe and the outfits I have been wearing, even if I have been a tiny bit chilly!

Happy Wednesday, friends!

Transitioning Back to School

It's that time of year again.  Summer is over and kids are heading back to school.  Although I love the freedom of summer, I am ready to settle into a routine again.  The transition back to school is made easier if you ease your family back into the routine before you actually head back. 

1.)  Get back to bedtimes.  I honestly stay consistent with bedtimes with my kids all summer long.  We let them stay up late for the odd special event, but everyone in our house is happier when we stick to bedtimes.  If your kids have been staying up later start rolling back their bedtime 15-20 minutes a night until you arrive at their ideal bedtime.

2.)  Wake up on time.  This one will be starting in our house this week.  While we stick to bedtimes, I have been letting my kids get up at whatever time they want.  We will be back to our regular wake up time this week.  After waking up we will also get back to our morning routine so that we will be used to getting ready to leave the house on time.

3.)  Stick to mealtimes.  In our house meal times and snack times get blurry in the summer.  It feels like my kids eat all day long.  My child will not get to eat all day at school.  This week we will start eating at designated times.  I will have to keep my girls busy in between because both of my kids love to snack.

Goals Update

I usually review my goals monthly, but I really haven't done that this year.  Boy, does it show!  I had forgotten several of my goals (eep!) and even the ones I remember have fallen by the wayside.  I have recently gone over my goals and I know that I need to put some work in if I want to end the year successfully.

1.)  Establish a morning routine.  This one wasn't going too bad until summer hit.  I will get back at it with my routine, especially with school starting soon.

2.)  Treat the Earth better.  This is going fairly well.  I bath much less often (I do quick daily showers instead) and I have been aware of packaging when making purchases.  I need to work on walking or biking more, as my vehicle is still being driven regularly.  

3..)  Save.  This goal is going well.  It is probably because we review our finances quite often.  We are still plugging away, but our savings is definitely coming along.

4.)  Walk five or more times a week.  This goal has been neglected.  I definitely need to work on it!

My word of the year is embrace.  I feel like I am doing a good job embracing life and those around me.  It takes effort, especially on days when things are difficult.    I am happy that I looked over my year's goals.  I will be putting in more effort in the coming months.

Happy Friday, friends!

This Week's Wardrobe

I designed my Summer Capsule with warm days and sunshine in mind.  It has been quite cool and it feels a bit like fall.  I don't have many outfits to show, as I worked all last week and just came home to change into sweats.  I wasn't feeling great so my sweats worked for just being at home.  I am hoping to throw together a few more outfits this week.  Maybe it will be warm enough for all those shorts I included in my wardrobe!

Happy Wednesday, friends!