Hair Makeover!

Confession time: In the 2.5 years I've lived here I had yet to get a haircut until yesterday. That means my hair, though long, was a mess of frizz and split ends. I NEEDED a trip to the salon BADLY. 

While my sister was here she convinced me that I needed to treat myself and my hubby agreed...who am I to argue with family? ;-)

Here is the before...

I.Need.Layers.

And the after:

It is amazing what a fresh cut can do! The layers plus the dead ends being cut off really gave my hair new life. I am happy I went in and treated myself...I do so solemnly swear that I will never go so long without a cut again. 

Visit From My Sister!

When you live so far away from family it is extra special when they come to visit. For a week I had my younger sister stay with us here in Houston...it was so much fun! We enjoyed pumpkin spice fraps, took boat cruises, baked lasagna, shopped, and just had a blast being together.

This trip has been incredibly memorable, I can say without a doubt our bond has strengthened. It was super hard to say goodbye and I have an ache in my heart as I type. Have you ever missed someone so bad that it hurts? That is my current feeling.

I know that we will see each other again and when we do it will be as if no time has passed. But it is still tough being so far away.

Throwback Thursday

Yesterday I chatted on the phone with my former boss. It was so good to hear her voice! 

I can't even believe how much I miss the boutique and my work there. It truly changed me for the better. It was at the boutique that I had the opportunity to discover where my strengths truly lie. A passion was ignited in me and a confidence I had never experienced before blossomed. 

 

Do you have a job that has changed your life for the better or that taught you something new about yourself? If so tell me about it! 

Missing My BFF

Tomorrow will be mixed with joy and pain. My dearest friend is pregnant, which is wonderful! She will be celebrating at her baby shower, which is also a great thing. However, I could not make the 1200 mile trip to attend. I didn't expect the pain of missing important life events to be so strong.

This friend is extremely special to me, we graduated high school together and we attended the same college. We were in each others weddings and she is the God Mother to Jason. Needless to say, our bond is strong...but distance has obviously affected it. We keep in touch as best we can and we see each other about once a year. But as an introvert who doesn't have a ton of friends it is very difficult to be so far away from my best friend.

I don't think I will actually cry about missing the baby shower, that's not really my style...but I did feel overcome with emotions as I picked out gifts for a package that I sent to her. I wished I could be at her baby shower, just as she was at both of mine. I pray that I will be closer and able to attend future events of my loved ones. Moving far away is tough stuff...especially for a highly sensitive introvert.

Humidity Humidity Go Away!

It has been so humid here in Houston! I am ready for the weather to cool down and for the humidity to vanish. I tried wearing my hair down yesterday...big mistake! I had one giant frizz explosion going on. The name of the game for me is still buns. I feel like my face and neck are sweating off if I have hair hanging down...so even pony tails are out. BUT I refuse to cut my hair just due to the weather.

My current go-to hair style

Me accepting the fact I will have to continue wearing buns if I want to keep my hair long.

Stay At Home Mom & Working Mom

I must admit, I never envisioned my life like this, but who has a journey that goes exactly as planned anyway? At the start of us TTC we discussed what would be best for me as a new mommy and we agreed that working part time would be essential to my happiness. Getting out and contributing to the world of fashion was important to my creativity and little did I know at the time, my mental health.

But things changed dramatically with our move. 1200 miles away from our support system and childcare that was trustworthy and affordable, I found myself a stay at home mom. WOW, what a shift! I loved my extra time with the boys but I'll admit, I struggled with feeling isolated. Not only did I not have any friends or family in my new city, but my outlet was gone. I found myself missing the boutique more than what I expected. The pain was really intense, I can only describe it as a true loss. At first it was embarrassing to admit, but it felt as though I had said goodbye to part of myself. My heart literally ached thinking about it. So I didn't.

Eventually though the sadness bubbled to the surface and it was something I had to address. Soul searching and self discovery were the things I experienced over the next couple years. I learned how to be content as a mom and nothing more. I taught myself to find joy in the little things and get creative even when I felt down. I got to know my sons and to take in their personalities. We developed a very strong bond, one I am proud of. Being a stay at home mom was not better or worse than being a working mom...it was just different. 

I feel the struggle of all moms. If you work I get the difficulty of finding balance. If you stay at home I get the isolation and the longing for adult interaction. Whatever you do, it is not easy. But nothing can replace the joy of providing for your little one...whether it is through going to work or by staying with them.

For now I am still a stay at home mom and I'm finding contentment in that. Are there days I long to work a shift at the boutique? Of course! But I know it is not forever and eventually I'll have the opportunity to re-enter the work force. Right now I am enjoying the moment. And these boys make the moment pretty sweet.

Strawberry Fluff!

It has been horribly hot and humid here! So we are having fun trying recipes that are cool and refreshing. Today the boys and I made Strawberry Fluff.

Jason scooping out the whip cream.

Jonah adding the jello powder.

I mixed it. ;-)

Adding the marshmallows.

Licking the beaters! :-)

Adding the strawberries on top. 

Getting ready to pop it in the freezer

After 20 minutes in the freezer it is ready to enjoy! 

Jason digging in. :-)

The whole family really had fun and enjoyed this! What are some of your favorite summer recipes? Do you find yourself wanting cool and refreshing options during these hot months?

The Past 2 Years

Now that you are re-antiquated with my family, let me update you on other aspects of life.

Two years ago we took a huge leap of faith and moved 1200 miles away from home. What a life changing experience that has been! Going from a small town in Wisconsin to the huge urban city of Houston was a total shock. I don't think I realized how different things would be down here. I also had never realized that I truly am a small town girl at heart. To me, having moved to the largest city in little Wisconsin a young adult meant I would be able to thrive in a big city. I've truly learned so much about myself through this experience.

For example, the house that was set to be our rental once we came down here was not what we expected. There were no side walks around it and it was not at all a neighborhood setting. How different that was for the boys and I who were accustomed to enjoying long walks! It sounds crazy but we have moved THREE times in the past 2 years of coming down here. Now we are finally in a nice and safe area, but boy did it take some trial and error to get here. Now I feel as though we know exactly what we want for our family having struggled to find the perfect fit for the past couple years.

The other thing we learned quickly is that crime is much more of a concern in a big city. Once while at a family park my SUV's windows were shattered and everything stolen out of it. I really thought I was in a "safe" area but I guess I was wrong. Crime is never far away, even if you live in a gated community.

Despite the challenges we've had the boys are thriving. They are growing so quickly and I can hardly believe the wonderful personalities that they've developed. The nice thing about living in a big area is that there are countless things to do. We have so much fun exploring and I enjoy seeing them learn new things. Becoming a stay-at-home mom has been a learning experience for me as well! I think I will leave that topic for another post...it needs one of it's own!

I am going to leave you with some photo's of us exploring our surroundings. What an adventure we are on!

We enjoy going on walks at one of the local parks. 

Exploring downtown Houston!

The boys aren't the only ones who enjoy the playgrounds here. ;-)

We spend LOTS of time in the pool...it gets so HOT! 

We practically live at our local splash pad. 

Another great park! 

My little dare devil at one of his favorite parks.

The firefighters in our community are super friendly and let the boys "drive" their trucks.

Franks pizza downtown Houston! The supreme slice got a big thumbs up from me. 

Update On My Boys

Sometimes I have to pinch myself that I am so blessed to have these fun-loving boys as my sons! To think there was a time I didn't know if I'd be able to have children. But God had a plan and he gave me these two wonderful babes. My heart is full beyond what I thought possible! 

Jason and Jonah are now both 3 years old. Jason will be 4 in October. They are best friends which makes me so happy! I honestly couldn't have asked for two sons that get along better. 

Jason always has his little brothers back. :-)

They have so much fun together.

Jason is my fun loving boy who gets along with everyone. 

Jonah is my strong willed and super intelligent little guy.

Things have been hard for me the past couple years with moving so far from family and friends. But one thing is for sure and that is I have the two most precious treasures with me. I can't go wrong with that! Plus, to top it off I have this guy...

Me and my hubby. 

 Oh, and this guy too! He was my baby when I thought I wouldn't have babies. He is such a big part of our family! He is so good with the boys...even when they pester him.

Puppy Sundae! 

That is a little update on my family. I've been browsing your blogs and getting caught up on what has been happening here in the blogging world while I was gone. It feels good to be back. :-)

It's Been Awhile...

To say "it's been awhile" is probably an understatement at this point. Lets get real, it's been ages!

Recently I've come to long for the blogging life again and so I thought I'd start writing in something rather than my journal. Initially I was going to start a new blog, but when logging into blogger I found my old blog here. I spent a couple hours last night reading it over, it was so neat, like reading a diary. I didn't regret one bit having documented those precious years.

I want to continue to record my life like I once did so that I can look back at it years from now. Expect some update posts and me popping in on your blogs to see how you have been!

It feels good to be back!

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Trendy Travel for Jazz-It-Up Moms

As you all know I recently took a 1200 mile road trip which landed me in my new home of Houston. I documented much of it on Instagram. After my journey the lovely Kendra Thorton contacted me about doing a guest post on traveling in style. She is super well qualified to write on the subject so I agreed! 

A little about Kendra Thornton: Travel advocate, TV spokesperson, PR businesswoman, proud wife and mama of 3. She is a long time travel expert who has been packing her bags and traveling the world since she was 3 months old! She's found her utmost desire in life is right in her own home. She's taken her excitement for travel and brought it to you with some of her favorite travel tips and tricks. Enjoy!

Photo Credit: Amy Dianna via Compfight cc

Does the thought of planning a family vacation stress you out? If you want to travel in style with your kids this summer, make sure to plan ahead. With a few helpful tips, you can make your next family trip stylish and hassle free!

Travel Tip #1: Create Your “To Pack” List Early

For a truly great vacation, preparation is key. Make yourself write that list. In addition to things like clothes, diapers, medication, hygiene supplies and snacks, you’re going to want a list of “must dos” as well.  Having your mail held and arranging for a pet sitter are not things to be left to the last minute.  Part of traveling in style is making sure you feel great as well, which won’t happen if you’re stressed or anxious. Putting the work in early will ensure a relaxing and memorable vacation.

Travel Tip #2: Select a Family-Friendly Hotel

Don’t just book, research your options when it comes to hotels in your destination city. Savvy moms know the secret to a hassle free vacation is allowing the hotel to do some of the work for you.  Look into family friendly resorts and hotels that have pre-scheduled entertainment and fun planned for your whole troop.  Kids camps and family snorkeling or ski lessons are great activities offered by many resorts that won’t leave you having to locate a reputable third company.  At Walt Disney World they have a variety of family friendly resorts and hotels that offer many different amenities.  Try using a social site like Gogobot to find the best recommendations for your Orlando hotel from your personal network of friends and family.  

Travel Tip #3: The Perfect Footwear Adds Style to Your Vacation

To look great while on vacation, treat yourself to a pair of cute new sandals.  Since new shoes can hurt your feet, buy your new sandals a few weeks before your trip so you can break them in before you leave.  Check out Travel Fashion Girl for some cute new styles that are comfortable to wear when you’re on the go.

Travel Tip #4: Research Flights

Research flights to find the most inexpensive tickets…but always read the fine print. Some discount airline sites include hidden fees so always read before booking. Then, select the best rates that correspond with the best flight schedule. Sometimes that will mean purchasing a non-stop flight for a bit of higher price to keep everyone happy and to allow for more naptime on the plane. Although traveling in the morning is typically the cheapest, weigh the pros and cons for your family.  If a 5am wake up will result in tantrums for the duration of your flight, it’s probably not worth the money you’d save. 

Travel Tip #5: The Backpack Essential

All moms know that two hands are simply not enough – so why limit yourself when traveling by tying them up with bulky hand bags?  For your carry-on look into a trendy backpack to carry all of your essentials.  Most backpacks have a lot of pockets for easy compartmentalizing and will leave your hands free for hand holding or carrying little ones. Check out Polyvore for an assortment of women's backpacks in a variety of styles and sizes.

With a little planning, you can get rid of summer traveling woes and really experience a fun time wherever you land. Just because you are traveling with your children does not mean you can’t look great as well. Plan ahead, take a deep breath, prepare for the unexpected, and most of all, enjoy your time together. This is a family vacation, after all.

I'm 29!

It's my 29th birthday today ladies and gentlemen! In some ways I feel younger and in some ways I feel older. Never the less I am hopeful as I embark on my last year of being in my 20's.

Picture obtained from cafefashionista.com 

To honor my 20's I thought I'd make a list of some of the bigger moments I've experienced.

• Graduating from college
• Getting my first apartment 
• Having my last surgery for a car accented that happened in my teens
• Recovery, relapse, and more recovery
• Marrying my love
• The birth of my first son Jason
• The birth of my second son Jonah
• Snagging the most amazing job I have ever had at a fashion boutique
• Starting my own business
• Standing up in both of my sisters weddings
• Chopping off all my hair and donating it
• Getting my fur baby Olly from a rescue center
• Buying our first house
• Owning my first "mom car"...an SUV! ;)
• Becoming landlords
• Moving 1200 miles away from my home to start a new life down south

What an adventure I've had thus far! I am truly blessed and I am looking forward to what is in store. 

Peace and blessings, 

Rachel 

As you all know my family and I are embarking on a 1200 move from northern WI to southern Texas. This involves an extensive road trip and lots of tropical sun in our new location. One of me and my husbands must have for our journey ahead is sunglasses! I just wanted to share with you Warby Parker's Meridian Collection which just launched. I am a sucker for fashionable sunnies so when they emailed me to explain the collection in detail I was super excited! Here are some of my favorite designs from the collection-

As you can see I am digging the aviator style lately. I finally got my husband into this style as well and he looks totally hot! What are your favorite styles when it comes to sunglasses? Do you like something cutting edge and funky or are you more traditional? Are you a fan of any of the ones I posted?

As always I love hearing from you! Hope all is well on your end of the screen...I am loving my life on the road but I am ready to get settled in Houston. I'll do an update post soon! Have a fabulous day. :)

Long Time No Post!

Between moving 1200 miles and some health issues I haven't been regularly posting here as I would like. If you are interested in keeping in touch drop me a line at jazz-it-up-accessories@live.com 

If you are not interested in keeping in touch that way, no worries! I should be back to this page at some point.

Thanks for sticking with me. Have a fabulous day!

A Year Ago Today...

I can't believe that a year ago today we welcomed our precious Jonah into the world. Jason became a big brother and our family was complete. My body still feels the aches and pains but my heart is so overwhelmed with joy and contentment. Happy first birthday my little miracle!

Becoming Vegetarian -- Part 1

Have you ever considered becoming vegetarian? It was a lifestyle that I had contemplated many times but never took the leap due to not wanting to rock the boat in social situations. But 6 months ago I decided that I was going to eat what I liked and what felt right for me, and that involved eliminating meat. My reasoning was simple, I didn't feel comfortable eating animals. Seeing their body parts on my plate always grossed me out. I didn't particularly love the taste either so the transition was easy...I don't feel that I am missing anything that I formerly enjoyed.

With that I felt that doing a blog series called "Becoming Vegetarian" would be interesting for those who may be considering going veggie or for those who have a vegetarian in their life. There is so much that I'd like to cover that I decided to split it up into parts. Here are the topics I hope to cover-

• Getting the appropriate nutrients in your vegetarian diet. 
• Cooking for your family when they are not vegetarian. 
• The benefits to vegetarianism. 
• How to deal in social situations. 
• My story in going vegetarian...how I started and how I've sustained this lifestyle. 

I don't necessarily have to go in any specific order with these topics so if there is one or a few that you'd prefer to read first let me know! 

My deliciously fresh vegetarian sandwich...yum! 

I would just like to add a little disclaimer to this post and the future posts in this series...I do not think that eating meat is morally wrong. I am just not comfortable doing it myself. I do not look down upon meat eaters or their choice to consume animal products. Being vegetarian is a personal decision that everyone has to make for him/her self. Also, I am not a dietitian or a doctor, these experiences are my own and what I have discovered and researched over the years. 

Writers Block!

Have you ever had the experience of being overwhelmed with so many thoughts and idea's you don't know where to start? That is where I am right now with my blog. I have countless idea's for posting topics but I'm not even sure where to begin! I thought I'd share with you a list of future post possibilities and if any of these speak to you let me know and that is where I will focus first.

• Baby update
• Being a mother (update, tips, tricks, etc...)
• Fashion/career update
• Moving update
• Saying goodbye and/or starting over
• Decor idea's for our new home
• Outfits for spring/summer (OOTD's)
• Anything fashion or style related...maybe a part two of my boutique experience
• Banishing negativity from your life
• Being happy or striving to become more optimistic 
• Training for a half marathon (or running in general) 
• Benefits of yoga
• My experience with become a vegetarian 

Blogger/Google Changes...I'm Confused!

There have been changes to google with regards to how we are able to follow blogs...and I will admit, I am confused! I don't know how is best to direct you to follow my blog and I also find it frustrating when I'm trying to follow your blogs. I have always followed blogs and had people follow my blog through google friend connect. Is that basically a thing of the past? Does anyone still get their updates from the blogger news feed or am I just kicking it old school? Is it wise for me to have you subscribe via email and start following blogs that way as well? It just seems to me that there is no longer a universal way to follow a blogger blog. HELP! 

Image from favim.com

Embracing the Stages of Friendship

I am a very loyal friend. I am also not the type of person to have a lot of casual friends...I tend to be more of the type who enjoys a few closer bonds. That being said, even within these tight friendships there are different stages and a definite ebb and flow. Being a sensitive person I used to view the way some friendship naturally change over time as a flaw or a negative. Now, as I grow older (or grow up) I have found that embracing the ever changing process of the human personality is much easier and constructive than being sad over a friendship that has lost its zing.

I think it is only natural for most of us to view the changing of a relationship as a possibly bad thing. But does it have to be? Of course not! Here is an example...

I have a friend that I made in college. I call her a kindred spirit because we just clicked. She is an individual I will always treasure because our friendship was a genuine and supportive one. However our relationship has changed tremendously over the years. We  rarely see one another anymore as we live in different cities, and we keep in touch but we don't share as deep of a bond as we once did. Does that mean we love one another any less? No! It just means that our families and careers have taken us in opposite directions. We will always cherish and remember the time when our friendship was in it's prime, God had our paths cross during those years for a reason. She was a true blessing in my life and I am thankful to know such a wonderful person! Our relationship had it's season and rather than being sad that its growth period is over, I am thankful that we experienced it.

This more positive outlook has taken me awhile to grasp. I spent a lot of time trying my best to revive the friendship to the level that it used to be, and I know she did too! But the reality is that despite our best efforts we were forcing a season of tight knit friendship to continue that had simply passed. There is no need to fight the direction God has for your life and your relationships. Go with the flow and embrace the change! Learn from the experiences and be thankful. I realize that it is much easier said than done, but over time I have been able to adapt this outlook and it has helped my attitude greatly.

Do you have a relationship that has transformed over the years? Was it hard for you to embrace this change?

Monday Musings

I don't have a post centered around one particular theme rather a bunch of random thoughts I figured I'd share in a Monday Musings.

Baby butts are soooooooo cute! ;)

• Selling a home has proven to be more stressful than I anticipated. We are moving mid-June regardless of whether or not it sells so I am praying hard that the perfect candidate walks through the doors and makes an offer! 
• That being said my perfectionism has kicked in hard core and I scrub and clean the heck out of the house before anyone comes in for a showing. I'm exhausted! 
• Home is truly where your family is. I feel that although we are moving 1200 miles away, because we will be together, we will be ok. 
• I am going to miss my work at the boutique! I went in for a few hours on Saturday and was reminded of what a joy styling women for their special events has been. I will truly miss my job when we leave for Texas. It is, I will admit, a little scary leaving the comfort of a job I love and totally starting over. 

My babies are growing SO fast! Look at my oldest! He looks like a little man! 

• Life moves quickly, I have to be proactive in cherishing the little moments and not rushing to fast through all these precious times.  

My Hair Cut Results!

The results are in and I love it! I adore the uber short back and the stacked layers. I feel like it is very "me". I think that my personality and my face type suites a bob. I will keep you updated on how it works for me long-term!