Angels

If you're anything like me, you've had a hard time finding religious pieces to hang in your home that you can make an emotional connection with. While I think there are plenty of beautiful Christian artist, it's rare that I connect with one and think, "I'd love to see that piece everyday, hanging in my home." And then the few times I have thought that, I didn't know how to find the piece or if I could afford such a work! 

A few years ago I learned of the artist Brian Kershisnik. I fell in love with his style but didn't think I could actually have any of his art, assuming that it was super expensive. His common usage of hosts of angels made me so happy, as I believe we have ancestors watching out for us, rooting for us, and lifting us up in hard times. 

In comes the discovery of Latter-Day Home. A modern curator of unique religious art that speaks to me and is totally affordable! 

I ended up being able to partner up with them to help them style up some of both Brian Kershisnik's art (Angels and She Will Find What is Lost) as well as this beautiful picture of Christ by J. Kirk Richards. And they were so generous and offered my followers a giveaway for both you and a friend, so be sure and check on my instagram, here-- and hurry, I'm picking the winner this week! 

I hope you're as happy as I was to learn about this beautiful shop. Good luck on the giveaway!

where i talk about baby animals and i can't stop.

Last weekend we got done with dinner quite early and since it wasn't over 100 degrees outside, we decided to take a quick stroll around the Mesa Temple to enjoy the gardens and watch the sunset. While the weather was not particularly enjoyable, it was bearable, and bearable is something we strive for here in Arizona during the summer months (unfortunately). Right was we turned the corner to one of my favorite little spots on the temple grounds, we saw one, then two, then three cottontail rabbits. They were so tiny and hoppy i thought i had entered a fairy tale! Their little tails truly looked like you glued on a little cotton swab to their behind! I was enamored--this shouldn't surprise you, coming from a girl who has spent far too many afternoons watching "Too Cute" on Netflix--but seriously, that show IS TOO CUTE! 

Baby humans are cute and all, but baby animals!? Don't get me started...

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wearing:

sunnies//c.o. oasap (buy here)

floral kimono//c.o. oasap (buy here)

striped tank//gap (buy similar here)

tiny arrow necklace//stella & dot (buy here)

gold circle charm//old (buy similar here)

triangle necklace//stylelately (buy similar here)

bracelet//threads (buy here)

leather watch//skagen (buy here)

high rise skinnies//madewell (buy similar here)

ankle strap heels//old (buy similar here)

flor de arizona

The season of the unicorn is here! I'm loving every minutes of it and can't find enough excuses to get outside and smell the flowers (even if this cold refuses to budge!). This week marcus and i went to the Mesa Temple. The grounds were so beautiful and the weather matched that beauty.

While Marcus and I were dating we used to hold regular weekly planning meetings, come to think of it, our very first date was a planning meeting--haha. But when we got married, we fell out of the habit--which was silly, since we need it just as much now, if not more. Anyway, this Sunday we reinstated that tradition and had a full on, agenda lead, meeting to get our lives in order. 

We had categories of house projects, spiritual goals, physical goals, social goals, travel plans, and food planning and so far we've done pretty good. It feels so nice to be able to get to the end of a week and look back and feel like you really accomplished something worth while, instead of just living life and not really remembering where all your time has gone. We, of course, had a few hiccups, but that's what next week planning meeting is for, discussing what we could do better and how.

Life is just about progress, sometimes we get off the path, but the important thing is that we always end up back on it!

I hope your week is going lovely and that you have some relaxing or exciting plans for the weekend!

p.s. there is going to be a giveaway on my instagram account (@ashleyanielson) to win one of these lovely, authentic, fair-trade mexican dresses from flor de luz, so be sure to follow along :)

 <<what i wore>>
mexi dress//c.o. flordeluzshop (buy here --i hemmed mine a few inches) +USE CODE flordearizona for 20% off your entire purchase :)
bracelets//threads 
daisy ring//denmark souvenir (similar here)
petty booties//sam edelman (buy here --they run big!)

marcus' gingham tie//j.crew (similar here)

happy heart.

last weekend was glorious.

we've been having some somewhat disappointed weekends as of late and had had enough of those for the foreseeable future, so we made some exciting plans that were sure to satisfy and as plans often do, some worked out and some changed--we ended up on a little roadtrip, a desert in bloom and a happy heart (and puppy).
I'm sure I've said it before, but I feel God's love when I am surrounded by His beautiful creations--and
reminders of that are always a good thing.

part of our weekend was dedicated to watching this, feel free to check it out.

a small town life for me?

Spent conference weekend in the woods, surrounded by family, singing bluebirds, plump squirrels and a few curious deer.

The sound of the wind through the pines got me craving a small town life. I get that way lately, when we're all together up there. It was also the most well-behaved Poppy has ever been--it was her first real experience with green grass and wide open spaces. In most of the pictures she's nothing but a blur. I guess that's what freedom does to her. It's safe to say, she was in heaven. 

And so were the kids. Running around, climbing, playing in the shallow stream, sitting on the porch watching wildlife--i love that. 

"Her got a sock!" -Coco (in reference to her cast)

Living in a city brings so many conveniences, but it also brings a chaos that most kids don't like or understand. It seems they're happiest with simplicity and perhaps in turn, the parents are also--but to give it all up and trust that you will be is the scary part. 

 

If i could just find a cute little town that also had a La Grande Orange and a Lolo's Chicken & Waffles, I think I could probably do it. 
I want to believe that anyway.

What about you? 

Any of you small town (past or present) dwellers want to weigh in?