My thoughts this month have been difficult at times to comprehend. October started out tough. I don’t think there is any other way to put it. Waking up on October 1stto the devastating news of the mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada, and a week later I was getting the warning to evacuate my home. It seemed like the whole of California was burning with Canyon Fire 2 and the fires in the Wine County. Then there were the hurricane victims. It took me some time to process all that happened and although I didn’t write about it on the blog, wanting to maintain my blog as a creative retreat for my readers and insulate myself from reality, I did blog about it in a post no one will ever read, filled with my reactions to the fire and Las Vegas shooting.
And even though no one but myself will ever read it, it did help me seek clarity in my own thoughts. I’m a call to action sort of lady—that is how I was raised; you stand up for what you believe in, and when you see someone in need you help them out any way you can. And that is just what I did this month. In the midst of confusion and chaos I thought of ways I could help others. Honestly, I wasn’t financially able to help, so I thought of ways I could help that would make a difference. This led to some pretty exciting experiences. The day the fires were in my neighborhood, I made sure my family was safe and we could leave at a moment’s notice, then I packed up all my snacks and bottles of water and headed over to the shopping center behind my house to provide snacks and drinks for the owners and horses that had been evacuated from the nearby stables. I got to meet a few lovely horses like Allegra the 24-year-old mare and her 12-year-old daughter Stacy. Throughout all the month’s events I continue to be inspired by acts of heroism and the happy endings, like this one about Izzy the Burmese mountain dog. I like to do more than just give words on thought and encouragement. I want to do positive acts; after all, I’m a proud California girl, proud to be an American, and don’t we all want kindness to fill the world.
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| Allegra |
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| Stacy |
Life Updates
In my own personal life, we had some birthday celebrations. We started off the month with a birthday party for my dad, who turned the big-7-0 on February 11. Due to my wedding he graciously let us postpone his celebration ‘till October, so in a way you could say we celebrated his 70 and 2/3 birthday. To culminate the evening, we had a delightful dinner in downtown Fullerton and a birthday cake, made by yours truly at home. It is only the second birthday cake I have ever made. What it lacks in looks it made up for in taste! Plus, my Dad, the history professor, loved the dinosaur-themed cake.
I have been in a whirlwind of play production preparations. This past month I feel like every moment I have has been used to prepare for our show. My theatre students are performing the dramatic comedy Almost, Maine, and it opens next weekend. I am so proud of all their hard work. #proudteacher
October is also Jeff’s birthday month! On October 23, we celebrated his birthday in Las Vegas with our best friends and their son who had turned 21 a few weeks earlier. We had a wonderful time, exploring the hotels, shopping, enjoying delicious meals, and most importantly relaxing. It was a short weekend trip, but nonetheless much enjoyed. I look forward to sharing more pictures from our trip next month.
Love ItIt is hard to think about Christmas when it’s the middle of October and over 100 degrees at home. But then this little announcement from Crate & Barrel came into my inbox my excitement peaked. Reese Witherspoon and Crate and Barrel! Yes, please! Plus, her Draper James pieces she is selling exclusively for Crate and Barrel are absolutely charming . . . and include a Scottie dog trinket tray.
Link It
Just like all of you, I have my list of favorite blogs to read through daily. Here are a few links to blog posts and articles I think are interesting and noteworthy to share. Hope you all enjoy!
- I hope we have some cooler weather soon so I can try this recipe for a homemade Earl Grey tea latte.
- I couldn’t believe how gorgeous this apartment tour is and that it is only 500 square feet. #DesignGoals
- I love this fall to-do list, so many unique ideas!
- This article was like a life pick me up.
- I relate so well to this post. Let’s be honest, dogs run their people’s homes.
- Do these count as a healthy choice since they are whole wheat? Either way I can’t wait to make these for breakfast.
- Have you ever felt unproductive? This article highlights ways you can overcome your unproductiveness. I’m so guilty of many of these roadblocks.
- I thoroughly enjoyed this article, and this one. Both women talked about a need to stop “sending thought and saying prayers” and take action. I don’t think I could have said it better myself.
On the Blog
- I started the month of with a list of my favorite products from Target’s fall collection.
- On October 11th, our eight-month anniversary I shared a glimpse into our wedding day. It was a truly wonderful affair.
- I teamed up with my friends at Basic Invite to design our 2017 Christmas card.
- introduced all of you to Becks, my wheaten-colored Scottish terrier, and shared his antics that make him so loveable.
