Fall Inspiration Board

Made a dream style board for Fall...feel free to send me any all pieces :)))
What are you looking forward to most about Fall Fashion?

@ashleyanielson Fall Style Board by ergobaby featuring aviator glasses

Old Navy On Point For the Whole Fam!

I had some Old Navy Cash that just MADE me stop in the store and look around for some Fall goodies and I was blown away with how much good stuff they have right now for the whole family! I must say, it's a good thing I don't have a little girl, because I was DYING at all the cute things they have--I blew up my sisters phone with all the sweet tops and dresses she needed for her new little lady baby. Here are my favorite things (and of course, pretty much everything is on major sale, because, it's old navy, and that's always the case!)--too many of them are happily hanging in my closet...

Just click on any items that catch your eye to shop!

thirty-one weeks and my five senses

Seeing: My belly like a wave as this baby boy jabs his little heel up and down my right side.

Hearing: The Essential James Taylor Album while I organize a drawer full of tiny baby socks and hats and onesies in the nursery, the same drawer I've opened and closed and moved things around in at least three other times in the past few weeks--i need this little baby to come start wearing these mini things before i lose my mind!

Smelling: This candle in gogi berry from anthropologie. It's my all time favorite house smell. It's on it's last burn, but luckily I have my birthday discount this month--time to restock! :)

Tasting: Cold, soft ice coated in a little bit of cran-apple juice--it's my latest addiction.

Feeling: Acid in my throat and stomach after every meal I eat and wondering how my belly could stretch any tighter than this. Mostly feeling ready for the baby to be in my arms and not in my uterus.

 __________

wearing:

buffalo check coat//c.o. oasap (buy here)

locket necklace//jcrew old (similar here)

oxblood long sleeve tee//forever21 (buy here)

fox ring//c.o. cents of style (buy here) *use code for UNICORNS for 20% off anything in the store

demin skinnies//levi's curve ID (buy here) 

forest green heels//just fab (similar here)

the things i worry about on my drive to work...

Yesterday, as I was driving to work, I was listening to KOOL 94.5--a favorite radio station of mine since I was a kid--it's slogan is "Good times, Great Oldies, Kool 94.5" so as you might have guessed, it plays 'Oldies' and because most people can find Oldies palatable, it is commonly played quietly at dentist and doctor's offices. 

Well, yesterday, on my way to work, a catchy little tune that I didn't recognize came on--as I continued to listen, my car dancing stopped and my face started turning red from embarrassment--I had heard jokes about this song in the past, but somehow had never actually heard it--"Afternoon Delight" was on my radio station--the same radio station that plays at my dentist office. I started sweating a little at the thought of sitting under that iridescent dental light with a spit sucker and several metal tools in my mouth, with my dentist overhead bobbing his head and mindlessly singing along to the radio. 

You guys, I would die. DIE! 

How did that song ever pass for radio approval back then!? It is full of such insane innuendoes that they might as well not be innuendoes at all! I don't know what I will do if my daymare ever comes to past--I've decided that I must call the radio station before all my dentist appointments and plead with them to take that off their playlist. I must take control of this situation. I must.

<<what i wore>>

wide brim hat//c.o. oasap

round sunnies//can't remember (buy similar here $29)

aloe pink lip color//amazon (buy here $9)

moon necklace//etsy 
twisted gold layering ring//c.o. dresslily (buy here $5)

circle necklace//emersonmade (buy similar here)

BDG scoopneck tee//urban outfitters (buy here $12)

geo sweater//c.o. persunmall (buy here $22)

high-rise skinnies//asos (buy here $50)

gold bracelets//c.o. pb&j boutique 

tabby boots//c.o. pb&j boutique (on sale $40)

new eyes//free write

I feel like lately I've fallen into the trap of negativity. I truly believe that just like optimism is contagious, negativity is equally so.

For the past several months I've been complaining about living here in Arizona--I was hating the weather and griping about how there were so many beautiful places to live--why in the world were we stuck in a place who's favorite color seemed to be brown and faded (very faded) green. Almost every weekend would come and go and the only thing we could find to do was eat and sit on our couch watching movies. We have yet to find friends to fill the spot of our Idaho besties and the lack of socialization was really getting to me.

I dreaded seeing co-workers or family members after a weekend because I knew they would ask something like, "How was your weekend, did you do anything fun?" and I would rack my brain trying to think of something, anything that was noteworthy, but always ended up replying something like, "It was fine--we went out to eat..." and then quickly changed the subject.

I constantly rolled my eyes at the dirt lots and chain-link fences that were the ever-present eyesores of the neighborhood--my eyes were yearning for scenes I had found in Europe--cobblestone roads, wild green grass and lush wisteria vines taking over thousand year old walls.

I was a grouch--and i was getting sick of myself.

Then a friend of a friend contacting me through Facebook and asked if I wanted to be part of his photography project. He and his wife had recently moved from Utah, a place surrounded my some the prettiest mountains in America to the desert of Arizona and he felt similarly to how I was feeling about the desolate landscape. The difference between he and I, was that he was working to love with his new home. He embarked on a project to find the good Arizona has to offer (it does have many good things) and capture the beauty--he wanted to fall in love with the wild desert.

I thought his idea was interesting, so I drove out to east Mesa and met him and his wife and we all drove out to the Superstition Mountains. As we got closer, I realized that I hadn't ever been right up to them--they're mountains I have seen my whole life, but had never taken the time to really experience them. My mouth was gaping open as we drove through the untouched desert, at peak time--the golden hour--those red rocks rocked my world. I was so happy to be right where I was.

The shoot was so beautiful--it was extremely quite and peaceful and there was a gentle, but crisp breeze. He shot film, so there as no peaking. We stayed out for a few hours and just as we were wrapping up, both he and his wife's eyes widened, I turned to see what was of such interest and right behind me over those gorgeous flat mountains, rose a bright silver dollar moon. I got the chills and my eyes welled up a little. It was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen.

I was suddenly so proud of my state. I had fallen back in love with it. Out there in the silence, I could feel that God loved me. He made beautiful things for us to look at, because He knew there were people like me, who needed to see them. That's when I know God is there the most--when I see His creations, unaltered by man.

Since that time, I've had the chance to drive out there again, this time by myself. It was just as magical and I felt just as loved.

I needed new eyes, and out there in that cool desert, I found them.

all photos by Pressing the Plane

simple sally + a few tunes

It's a busy week--I'm working feverishly with my partner to plan an influencer's conference in Salt Lake as well as doing a ton of 'end of the year'/christmas planning for the position I volunteer in at church. I'm the secretary of the primary, so it's a lot of paper work (which is luckily something I actually sort of enjoy). It's weird, when I look at my to-do list, I should feel overwhelmed, but instead, I feel excited. I need to be busy to feel fulfilled, I guess. I busy week also makes me really appreciate my weekends, so wish me luck!

What do you do to stay motivated? 

I think my helper is good music! {Like this song or this one}

<<what i wore>>

boater hat//free people sale (buy similar here)

sunnies//oasap (buy here)

khaki green jacket//ann taylor (old) (buy similar here)

metal and lace sweater//c.o. pb&j boutique (buy it here)

sweater pencil skirt//c.o. persunmall (buy here)

watch//arvo

pink lips//magic lipcolor (buy it here)

ring//c.o. persunmall (buy here)

ankle strap heels//c.o. oasap (buy here or similar here)

comfy casual

We've been working on our back patio as of late. It's been a glorious transformation, since for the past year plus it's served mostly as a junk yard for old tools and construction scraps from our indoor projects. We still need to plant a lot of the treasures we've gathered, but just having them around makes me so happy! I can't hardly wait to get it all finished! If I had it my way, all we'd get for Christmas is all our little projects finished! (hint hint, marcus :))

Yay for productive Saturdays!

<<what i wore>>

baseball cap//j.crew on sale (buy here)

hair//my beach curl (tutorial here)

striped cardi//old urban outfitters (buy similar here)

garnet necklace//c.o. caroline hill collection

merci tee//j.crew on sale (buy here)

jeans//old ross find (buy similar here)

booties//target (buy here)

magic lipcolor//ebay (buy similar here)

November Highlights

We had such a lovely November, so sorry for the photo drop, but I really think November is our busiest month of the year! Since both our families are from Mesa, we generally try and hit both houses for the Thanksgiving festivities. This year was extra special since Marcus' parents were leaving for their mission to London that very weekend. Every hour of our day from Wednesday-Saturday was planned and packed with family time. It was a lot of fun--the more time I spend with the Nielson's the more I realize how lucky I am to be in the family--I love them!

We also got to spend thanksgiving morning at my parent's house. I did my best to help my mom in the kitchen, she always takes on a lot of the responsibilities--not because other's don't offer, but I guess being a homemaker and mother of 8 turns you into a bit of a control freak when it comes to food!

Anyway--here are some glimpses into what our holiday weekend looked like!

Do you have any great traditions? I'm looking for something to get my excited about Christmas, we don't even have a tree up yet! I'm thinking I need to bake something to bring to our neighbors!

Football in the park with the Nielson boys

we have a lot of vegetarians in the family, so this was an exciting treat!

marcus and my nephew both showed up to lunch in blue gingham and green chinos!

little nieces

big nieces

my brother and his wife--she just found out she's having a girl after 3 boys! we're so excited!

my mama and i

my incredibly talented sister in law, Lizzy, decorated and it looked like it was straight out of a magazine!

i believe there were over 30 pies at the Nielson's. It was insanity, but a very delicious insanity--not like that crazy workout, not at all.

my newest niece--look at those lips!

we had our traditional Christmas Eve celebrations that weekend since Ma & Pa Nielson will be away for Christmas

Alice and Lizzy

saying goodbye for a year (hopefully we'll go see them in London before their mission is over!)

birthday dinner at one of my favorites, Republica Empanada--it was cold and rainy!
High-Low Dress//Asos (buy it here)
Floral Tights//old (buy similar here)

my baby, Poppy Reh!

cutest scorpio loafers! c/o choies sold out :(