Grateful, Thankful, Blessed

via @dragonflies_and_dahlias on Instagram

With this beautiful month of thanksgiving upon us, I've been seeing these three words a lot: grateful, thankful, blessed.  Numerous people much more creative than I have designed prints, signs, lettering, etc. centered around these words.  These constant reminders have had me pondering a question that has been in the back of my mind for almost as long as I can remember--what is the difference between grateful and thankful?

Most of the time when this question has popped into my consciousness, I would shrug it off as petty semantics.  There's not a big enough difference in meaning to really necessitate different uses.  However, seeing all of these inspiring designs with the two words placed right next to each other, I felt that there had to be something that I was missing in the meaning, something more that these artists got out of the words, that both needed to be included to give the full desired effect.

via @lightandsaltdesigns on Instagram

So, of course, I consulted the internet.  I am certainly not the first person to wonder about this, and there are numerous resources immediately available to answer the question.  Here is what I gathered:

"Grateful" is almost like a state of being; an attitude.  Suddenly, the phrase "attitude of gratitude" has more meaning.  To be grateful is to be cognizant of those things around you that are good and praiseworthy and wonderful.

"Thankful" is to actually act upon that gratitude, to express the appreciation that is felt.  As we celebrate Thanksgiving, we are literally giving thanks, we are thankful for specific things in our lives.

Grateful and thankful go hand in hand.  One is not complete without the other.  If a person is really, truly grateful, it will overflow from within, and the thankful expressions of gratitude will come naturally.  Conversely, a person can hardly be thankful without first recognizing and being aware of the thing to be appreciated.  This expression of thanks would be hollow and meaningless.

via @ruralsigns on Instagram

Discerning these small but meaningful differences helps me to better understand and be more sincerely grateful and thankful in my life.  I want to strive to have a more grateful heart--to be aware of the big and little things each day that warrant appreciation.  This is not enough, though.  I also need to be more thankful, to actually give thanks for those big and little things.  It is only the beginning to mentally recognize those daily sacrifices my husband makes for me, for our family, for our home; I also need to express that appreciation for him and to him.  It is wonderful to see the hand of God in my life and know that I am blessed, but I must also show and express that gratitude explicitly.

There is much to be grateful for in this life.  I could fill notebooks writing all the things for which I am grateful.  When I first thought about this blog post, I imagined I might share a list of some of the things I am most grateful for.  Instead, I think I will go out and express my real thankfulness.

May you and yours have a wonderful holiday season,
Becky

Sunday Best

What do we actually mean when we say "Sunday best"?  Are we just referring to nice clothes that we wear to church?  Is any skirt or dress enough to count in that category?

As a teacher, one of the strategies I use is to answer one question with another (often one that starts with "why"); this helps to get students thinking for themselves.  When I can ask guiding questions and let students figure it out on their own, the concept sinks deeper and sticks longer for them.  I've found myself using this same strategy in my own cognition on multiple occasions.  In this case, the question I ask myself is, "Why do we wear Sunday best?"

Sunday is a day of worship. The activities that we participate in reflect that, since we go to church, we put an emphasis on family, and we avoid certain other activities. Our attitude reflects that. We try harder on Sundays, because of the reminder we've had in church that day to be a little more Christ-like. Our clothing, therefore, should also reflect that. The reverence that we have in our souls can be reflected on our bodies, which is just another way to show our devotion.

With reverence and devotion as our motivations, would any skirt or dress fit the bill? To me, the answer is "no." The dress that I use as a swimsuit cover up just doesn't bring to mind a sacred feeling. The shoes that I use to ride my bike, that are scuffed and dirty, don't make me feel holy and clean. Now, these comments are made based on MY wardrobe, where I am blessed to have better than tennis shoes and swimsuit cover ups. Not everyone is so blessed, and to someone else, those tennis shoes might be the only shoes they have, and that is ABSOLUTELY their Sunday best. The attitude behind the clothes means much more than the clothes themselves.

Our Sunday best is comparable to the widow's mite. If we are doing all we can, the very best we can, to be as clean and holy--inside and out--then that is definitely enough in the eyes of God.

So what does "Sunday best" mean? It's an attitude, first and foremost. We are putting our best foot forward, spiritually and physically, to show our devotion to God.

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August Round Up

This was my favorite outfit for August.

That week the morning air had just a touch of chill in it and I was craving fall. Fall is probably my favorite season, all of the best things happen in fall---my birthday, all 4 of my kids' birthdays,  Halloween, Thanksgiving---how could I not love it??

So, this outfit is my version of a rain dance, but instead of beckoning rain, I'm begging fall to come.

I don't wear a lot of bright colors,  so the rich neutrals that accompany fall are in my go-to color palette.

This was one of my favorite looks in August! I don't usually gravitate toward printed fabrics--I stick to the stripes or colorblocking--but this shirt was love at first sight. It feels very professional while still being fun, and the colors are somehow bright and understated at the same time. Does that even make sense??

I paired the shirt with some trusty slacks and another super comfortable pair of shoes from Famous Footwear. Those shoes save me; they are the only heels that I can actually wear for work and last the whole day!

This outfit is one that I can always put on and feel comfortable and confident.

It was hard to choose a favorite outfit from the past month, because honestly, I don't think I've ever put so much concentrated effort into my outfits for a whole month straight. I feel really good about every single look, and I'm proud of myself (and my sisters!) for our diligence.

Even though it was hard, I did manage to choose a favorite. Obviously it's the above outfit. I love this look because it's such a wonderful combination of what I'm comfortable with, and challenging myself to try something new. Tying shirts has become a thing, and I've loved the way it completes an outfit on others, but I had never tried it for myself before this day. And I loved it! This outfit, though overwhelmingly blue, made me feel anything but! And it continued to inspire with my makeup as well. I've been perfecting my cut crease, and I've got to say that blue eye shadow DOES NOT have to look like you're an eighth grader learning how to do makeup.

I have absolutely loved August and I can't wait to see what September has in store!

Triplets

You know those outfits that you see in magazines or on models and you think "I could never pull that off”...well, that was these pants. After 4 kids in 3 years even the word "waist" makes me shudder. However, these pants fit all three of us perfectly and were also the perfect price! ($15?) I decided to pair them with a tight fitting tank and a modern asymmetrical blazer with pointy pumps. I wanted to go with something that was a little bit 80s-meets-modern and I think it worked out. 

I definitely wasn't so sure about these pants at first, but peer pressure from the sisters tricked me into buying them. Now I'm glad I did!
These pants are different from any I've worn before: high waisted, with a length that I couldn't quite wrap my mind around, and an interesting shape around the hips (as a result of the high waist, I believe). I originally planned to style them with a new shirt I bought at the same time, but when I tried it on Wednesday night I just wasn't feeling it. The two new pieces together just didn't feel genuine, and I didn't feel like myself. Enter: trusty shirt in a color I love. I got this shirt from Kohl's in two colors because I love it so much! The pocket flaps, the pleats in the front, and especially the sparkles on the collar all come together for a cute, classy look that always makes me feel feminine and put together. That's why it was the perfect shirt to help me feel comfortable with these new pants--at least if they looked ridiculous on me, I'd still look ok from the waist up! From there, the rest of my choices were pretty easy. I put my hair up to show off the shirt collar. My shoes were based on style and comfort. The length of the pants called for heels, but after the first couple days of school my feet were killing me. Thank goodness for these Famous Footwear shoes that give just the right amount of height while also having the most comfortable sole I've experienced! Overall, the combination of new with tried and true made this a huge success for me! I felt confident and fierce all day.






I have always wanted to be triplets with my two wonderful, gorgeous, older sisters, and even just pretending, when we wear the same clothes, makes my inner child absolutely giddy! I wish I had a little more freedom to style these pants, because they've got so much potential! But I did have a lot of fun wearing them for my state board exams. One of the most critically important things for me, as a hairstylist, is that my clothes are comfortable and functional--these pants definitely fit the bill. They don't hug anywhere that I don't want them to, and sit so perfectly on top of my hips. Pairing them with a simple Downeast shirt was great for my mobility (my arms need free movement!) and my trusty h&m flats kept me comfy throughout the day. Five hours of stressful testing on your feet isn't easy, but with this outfit, it was a dream.

The 30 Wear Challenge

Hi all!

This week I have been thinking a lot about my wardrobe.  I saw a post on Instagram about the "30 Wears Challenge", and decided to do a little digging.  It all seems to have started with Livia Firth, wife of actor Colin Firth, who is trying to lead a campaign for more sustainable fashion.  She has suggested that when considering buying an article of clothing, we should ask ourselves, "Will I wear this 30 times?"

While researching this idea, I came across some statistics that were shocking to me:

• "The average woman keeps a piece of clothing in her wardrobe for only 5 weeks" (http://www.styleconscious.net/eco-fashion/sustainable-style-30-wears)
• "Women generally wear  their clothing only 7 times before disposing of them" (@TheNew_Wardrobe twitter)
• "The average party top is worn 1.7 times before being discarded" (tortoiseandladygrey.com, Aug. 8, 2016)

There were some other, equally shocking statistics that I can't seem to find now.  It's unbelievable how wasteful we can be in the name of "fashion"! So while I definitely can do better, and will begin asking myself the #30wear question at the store, I decided to highlight a couple articles of clothing in my closet that I have worn at least 30 times.

This navy blue dress is very flattering and has a classic fit/shape that definitely stands the test of time!

Everyone needs a trusty pencil skirt, right?  It's these great, versatile pieces that never go out of style

I've had these jeans since my freshman year of college...that's right, going on 6 years of wears!

 Both of these shirts have been in my closet since high school.  

Definitely go-to shirts for me that I love!

In case you haven't noticed from the Instagram feed, I also have quite a few pieces from thrift stores, and my sisters and I are always swapping clothes when we're done with them.  These are great ways to get even more wears out of an article of clothing and help prolong the life of a garment.

What pieces in your closet have you worn 30 times?  What can you do to sustain the life of your clothing and combat the "fast fashion" waste? We'd love to hear your opinions!

Love,

Becky

Introductions

It's hard to narrow things down to one paragraph when I feel like I've lived so much life and experienced so many things in just the last 5 years alone...but here goes. Just under 5 years ago I married the man of my dreams, we have since moved 9 times with a combined distance of over 8,000 miles. We also have 4 undeniably beautiful children: Gideon age 4, Annelise age 3, Olivia age 3, and Naomi age 1. While my husband pursues his dream of violin making, I am pursuing my dream of higher education while working in the admissions department of a locally founded university. My favorite color is grey and I wear a lot of neutrals. I love trying crazy things with my hair and aim for a classic style with an edge to it.

Hi! I'm Becky! I've been married to the most amazing man for four and a half years; no kids yet, but we are so looking forward to that. I teach math in high school, and yes, I am as big of a nerd as that makes me sound 😉. My husband and I watch way too much TV, including sitcoms, dramas, reality tv, sports, and everything in between. I love shopping of any kind, even for groceries. Every few years I chop my hair off, and then grow it out ridiculously long (currently in the ridiculously long stage).  I consider myself to be a pretty happy person, so I love wearing bright colors. I never feel fully dressed if all I'm wearing is neutrals. It's hard to tell you all about me in a little blurb, so I'm so excited to be sharing about my life and style through this blog and on Instagram with two great sisters!

So, first off, you should know that I'm terrible at introducing myself. In high school, when people would ask me what my life story was, I would talk about the boys I had liked in each stage of my life. So, in other words, I'm Elizabeth and I'm super awkward. However, I'm a lot more confident about my awkwardness now. I've been married for two and a half years and I have a fifteen month old baby girl. I'm currently in cosmetology school (which is a huge reason I've become so confident) and I am loving it! Being a hair stylist has changed my personal style a lot as well--mostly showing me that I can pull off anything I want to. Style is what we decide it is. And so I chopped all my hair off, I'm rocking a pixie, and I wear whatever I want (barring that which goes against the dress code at school) and I'm very happily being me.