roller coaster.

via pinterest.

I haven’t posted that much this week, sorry about that. Things have been a little hectic here at work, and with Trevor embarking on Finals. Every once in awhile I get into what I like to call a "blogging funk." A blogging funk is where I step back and realize there is something not aligning up the way I want it to when it comes to my blog and blogging.

I remember earlier this year I was so swamped with school before graduating that I had NO spare time. Keeping up with my blog became too much, and doing it because I "had" to took the fun out of it. So I stopped blogging for two whole months. I re-charged and came back after the stress of the end of my Bachelors Degree. I just needed that break.

This time around it isn't a break that I need, but more of a direction. This blog started out as a place for me to document about my life, the everyday even mundane things that Trevor and I do together. It was intended to be about my family and for my family. Along the way, I got sucked into the creative world that blogging can bring. Fashion, Crafts, Design, and must say, I love all of it. However... I think I have lost a bit of the true intent of this blog. I still will and want to post about fashion, and the creative things I am apart of... but I want to blog more about me and Trevor again. I really feel like that aspect of the blog has been missing for awhile, and I want to change that.

I guess you could say I feel like I am in blog limbo land right now.

Blogging can be like that, well life can be like that. You think you have a direction and you hit a high, or a low and it can leave you confused. I wouldn’t say I am confused, I know what I want to do, and I just need to implement the changes.

I have been trying to simplify my life, and I want to bring that goal into to my blog as well. So expect some changes around these parts in the near future. Nothing major, just trying to stream line all of ideas. I am excited to have some more simple organization to my blog, where I can have a better balance of all the things I love about blogging and my blog in particular.

I want to “do it all,” without losing the balance of all the things I love, without losing myself in it. So please be a little patient with me in the next week or so :) Cheers!

 
30 Notes Topics: + + +

Macarons at the Bijou Market!

Normally I do my Pinterest "Pining" posts on Friday, but I decided to feature something just as sweet today, literally. Mercedes (a fellow Canadian herself, love that) has a great blog called
Merceds White French Macarons. 
Mercedes has mastered the one thing most people are scared to ever make on their own, Macarons! She says it better then I do, "I began making Macarons as a sort of culinary challenge while waiting for my US immigration papers to be processed. I decided that while I wasn't working I wanted to learn how to do something "hard."  I love Macarons and had always heard that they are a pretty tricky cookie to make--so decided to go for it. It took over a year for me to figure out what I was doing (they really are THAT hard to make). Making Macarons, however, turned out to be so rewarding that when my green card finally arrived, I decided to bag Islamic Studies and open my own business.  The rest is history!"

Remember this post and giveaway where I mentioned Bijou Market? Well Mercedes will be there selling her Macaron mixes and even classes! You heard that right, classes. How cool is that? To see what fun the cooking classes can be, check out this video of a class she taught with a bunch of local bloggers here in Utah!



So who will be there November 18-19, in Provo, Utah at the Historic Southworth Hall
116 West Center Street Provo, UT 84606?
I will be there Saturday morning into the afternoon, so I hope I see you guys there, and I hope you check out Merceds sure to be, enjoyable spread!

UPDATE:
 Merceds is being SUPER generous and will be holding a Macaron Cooking Class with me and I get to bring along a reader! So this will be a giveaway to come learn how to make these cookies with the help of a Pro, along with me :) Who is in? If you live in the area, or will be able to get here, ENTER NOW!

How to Enter:
Be a Follower of the Blog & Let me know why you would want to learn how to make a Macaron!

27 Notes Topics: +

little notes for today...

 
Dress: BCBG Blazer: JCrew Shoes: Target

This lace dress is something I use to only wear to church or for really nice events. Since trying the 30 for 30 I have found SO many uses for it. I am shocked at how it is my most used piece of clothing in my 30 for 30! Although I am tired of this 30 for 30 challenge that has taken me forever to do haha, I am happy to have found a way to use some of my not used clothing items!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Hand,
Please stop flaking all over. You are scaring people.

Dear Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels,
You will be the death of me.

Dear Christmas,
You can not come soon enough!

Dear 11.11.11 @ 11:00 a.m & p.m. (yes, I made two wishes that day!),
Please come true.

Dear Self,
Get up at early before work and go for a run, JUST DO IT.

Dear BYU Law School,
Please let my husband come back home :( baah. I really understand why they call Law School Spouses, Law School Widows.

Dear Dishwasher,
After not having your in our lives for several years, we are so grateful for you!

Dear Brandon,
Wish I could be there for your swearing in today! GREAT JOB! :)


39 Notes Topics: + + +

"pining" for random fun stuff

I have a board on my pinterest account called "random fun stuff" and that is where I put all the random hilarious things you can come across on pinterest. I thought I would make a board of some of the crazy things I have found on it :) haha Enjoy.

&just because today is 11.11.11
Anything you are "pining" on pinterest? Link up your inspirations!
29 Notes Topics:

staying connected.

I often feel bad that I don't have the time to reply to each and every single one of your comments. I use to try to, but the task would soon get very daunting! I hope you know that I DO READ THEM,  every single one, and I appreciate the time you take to even say something to me on my blog.
I have long avoided getting a Facebook Page for my blog like so many people do, but I have come to realize that this might be the best place for us to interact on a more personal level. I figure more people have a Facebook, then they do twitter, so why not get a Facebook Page and we can chat on there?!
So now, along with my twitter account, I will be posting blog related stuff on my Facebook page, questions and conversations. I would love for it to become like a forum, just stuff that isn't as easily doable in the blogging format. What do you think?

I am excited to get to know you all better :)
15 Notes Topics: +

Bijou Market :)

I will never forget when I first moved to Utah and heard about the Bijou Market. Of course I headed down from Salt Lake all the way to Provo just so I could go! They always have such great stuff, and my favorite part about it, is buying stuff that you don't have to pay shipping for! Hurrah!

This year they are taking it up a notch, and they will be having a Bijou Market not only in Provo, but also in Salt Lake City! Read all about the details here. I hope to see you all there! We should probably just make this into a blogger meet up event, who is down?

Emily, one of the amazing women behind this event (who's blog I have been reading since Day 1 of my blogging) is offering you guys such a sweet giveaway today. To spread the love, we will have multiple winners for this giveaway!

Are you ready for this goodness? Here we go.

$100 credit towards a custom wedding invitation design with The Spark Collective
$15 8x10 "You and Me" die cut by AnnMarie Loves Paper
$25 Plush Studio decorative pillow

$6 Bow Trio by Shay Jay

(These vendors agree to ship within the continental US)

 
How to Enter:
1.
Mandatory
Be a follower of the Blog
 (I do this because people who win should be people who actually read the blog! der)
One Entry

Optional Ways to Enter (Up your chances!)

2.
Tweet about this Giveaway!
mention @alyciagrayce, and @BijouMarket
Second Entry

3.
Blog about this giveaway
(leave a link)
Third Entry

4.
and tell me what items/vendors you are looking forward to seeing!
(fourth entry)

Good Luck!
&if you guys want to get a group together to the Provo one, let me know! I would love to meet some of you guys!

&Speaking of luck... did you win one of the giveaways from last month?

*wipes brow* that was a lot of giveaway winners!

54 Notes Topics: + +

Mixing Patterns

 Top: Billabong Skirt: DownEast Boots: Steve Madden

As cool as this 30 for 30 has been in terms of me seeing my closet in a whole new light, I am not going to lie and tell you I am getting tired of it and want to post some other items I have in my wardrobe! haha Soon, soon I tell you!
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Monday,
You are here again? I swear you come around way too soon for me.

Dear Hand,
YAY you can wash help wash the left hand wash hair now! You can open jars, and food packages without too much pain. You do look like gross snake shedding his skin, but we are getting there :)

Dear Life,
You never cease to amaze me with your curve-balls. Life decisions can be tough, but I am feeling at peace.

Dear Utah,
We were doing so good there for awhile, why did you have to go and start winter on me. Lame.

Dear Kyna,
Thanks for having me guest post today!
Dear Self,
Be patient with the changes you want to make. Things will happen.

Dear Bathtub,
I have missed you all these years.

Dear Readers,
I feel the need to simplify my life, I think this blog as well. More on that later.

30 Notes Topics: + + +

"pining" for home :)

I was feeling homey today :) P.S. do you see those adorable pig book ends?! Did you know pigs are my favorite animal? I collect pig things... so I think I need these!


Anything you are "pining" on pinterest? Link up your inspirations!
23 Notes Topics:

perfect timing.

Last night couldn't have come at a better time. I am apart of a group called Law Partners. It is a group of people (mostly women) who have spouses in law school. We meet up for dinners, and different fun activities. They hold forums where they bring in different people to talk to us. Last night they brought in a Professional Organizer. I almost didn't go, but BOY am I happy I did.
It is exactly what I needed.
As you can see from my previous post, I have been having a hard time keeping up with all my commitments and different things I have to do during the day, as well as things I would like to do. Marie C. Ricks has written several books on organization, and she has a lot of experience going into people's homes and helping them organize their lives.
At first I thought, I know how to organize it is just a matter of doing it. Right? Just DO IT. However there is so much more to it then that! I also learned that you can organize so much more then your home, did you know you can organize your relationships?! I wish I could put in one post everything I learned last night.
All I know is, it was just the boost I needed. I feel ready to get more organized in my life, I feel that need to SIMPLIFY. I need to make my life more simple then it is currently. I have a lot to think about.
15 Notes Topics: + + +

so many excuses.

Since moving to Provo I have been trying to get used to a new routine. I feel like Trevor's mother because we share one car and I have to drop him off and pick him up from school :) haha I don't mind, but I am trying to get comfortable in our new little life here. As I reflect on my routine I can't help but think about all the things I wish I got done in a day.
We all like to make a lot of excuses.... here have been some of mine lately "Oh I don't have time to run or work out today" or "I am so tired, I don't think I will read my scriptures tonight," because I know as well as anyone else (unless you are lying to yourself) that you have the time for whatever it is you want to do in your day. If it is important to you, you WILL make it happen. If I really wanted to get my run in before my energy is drained by the end of my work day, I would wake up at 5 a.m. and get it done. Which means I would have to commit to getting to bed earlier. If I really wanted to read my scriptures every night, I would spend 15 or 20 minutes less online (reading all of your blogs! ha!) and just go do it. Why is it so hard to just DO the things we really want to do sometimes? I know what I want, I know I am capable of doing it, so why do I feel like I am so full of excuses, so lazy? Sometimes I use the excuse that I deserve the "break" the down time. But I know as much as I love that break, I would enjoy the feeling of doing everything I want and need to do so much more.
I know for a fact I could get all the things I need to get done if I didn't let my body control me, and instead let my mind control me. Does this even make sense? It is simply will power. What do you guys do to help you stay motivated? Any tips? I have tried a lot of different things, and I know at the end of the day it has to be pure will. I seriously want to wake up at 5 a.m. and do my work outs, and be ready and awake for my day with a healthy start. I want to be better about morning and nightly prayers and reading my scriptures, so I just need to DO it. I know life is all about the progression. Trying to be better each and every day. But sometimes I just get disappointed in myself because I know.... I KNOW that I CAN do better. So why aren't I?

39 Notes Topics: + + +
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
Copyright @ Crowley Party. Design by MangoBlogs.