IF I KNOW WHAT LOVE IS {Life Lately}

 

I stumbled across this quote a little while ago from the lovely Bridal Musings. Instantly it hit a chord with my heart. You guys know how dear to my heart I hold quotes but this one is a little more than just what meets the eye. I haven't shared this with you guys yet, but a little over two months ago, JD & I spent about a week apart. I let busy take over my life, my marriage and my home. I let flower scraps lay on the floor for far too long and checklists take over my life.  I let radio guest appearances, magazine features and blog collabs be more important to me than my marriage. I let seeing the end-goal become the only vision I saw. I didn't see that I was putting myself, my health and my husband last. This little boutique of mine has grown rapidly.. like times 100 in the last six months. My follower count, subscriber count and blog views became far too important to me. I didn't see how it was hurting him to see me sleepless, tired and not spending quality time with him. I needed a refresh - I needed to focus and find my heart again. I spent a handful of nights sleeping at my parent's house, and what I didn't do: was open up social media. I didn't care what anyone said or thought about the mess I created. All I cared about was finding my heart and Joe and us finding our way back to each other.

Six weeks. I took six weeks off of social media. I didn't open the apps, I turned off all notifications.    Those six weeks were amazing - I found I had time for things that fed my soul and heart and quit worrying about those perfect lighting moments and angles. The pictures I did take ? Were of our special moments together, big belly laughs and stolen kisses. I sleep now. No really, I sleep every night - like "wake up with a let's conquer the day spirit" My devotions are first thing in the morning followed by my workout and Foxylilpom walk. I set boundaries. My days off - are now truly days off. JD and I are closer and stronger than ever. Trust me we are so far from any version of perfect there is, but what came out of this little refresh was a renewed spirit and appreciation for my husband. There is nothing more important to me than my Faith and my husband and our marriage.  

I lost some followers. I say that and I have no shame in that. I don't worry about how many comments I get on my photos or how many new followers I get every day. I still take special care in curating my social media photos to align them with my brand, but I don't worry about sharing every single moment - or spreading news like wildfire. Don't get me wrong, social media has it's perks - I'm a big proponent of Instagram and building community - but I see & hear so many people using it to judge their quality of life and self-esteem. I actually stumbled across a funny post somewhere that said "calm down, Instagram is like monopoly money, it's not real". How sad and true it is. We can all take a pic, and spend hours editing it and only put online what we WANT the world to see, not what our lives are really like. Taking a photo after everything has been cleaned, vacuumed and perfectly arranged. I see that far, far too often. I want to take pictures of our home being lived in, loved on and real. A couch that has zillions of throw pillows all over the place because we'd rather sit close together with our legs intertwined and holding hands, rather than worry about keeping the $30 pillows perfectly fluffed. I want to take a picture of us out belly laughing over an inside joke from eight years ago, than sitting around a dining room table that has pictures perfectly hung around it. Life happens in the imperfect moments and to hell with perfection and posting a perfect life - I want to live, I want to laugh and hell I want to love with passion and fierceness.

I now know what love is. Love is not JUST loving someone with their flaws; love is loving someone enough to tell them truths - loving them enough to want the best from them and for them. I know love because my husband loves me enough to tell me truths so we can be closer to each other. He is truly my hero in every way. I share this with you so hopefully you don't make that same mistake - seeing the end-goal and keeping "your eye on the prize' is a must - but not if you bulldoze over all the things that are dear to you. Because you want to share that prize, whatever it is for you, with them. Happy Tuesday loves, from my imperfect heart to yours.

xoxo - C

Beautiful design above by the gals behind Bridal Musings.

A LITTLE LIFE LATELY {Gratitude & the Foxy lil Pom}

A couple nights ago we rushed our furry little child to the emergency clinic because we noticed his behavior was very different than his usual happy and excited self. We spell out the word w-a-l-k and  t-r-e-a-t because just the mention and he flies into excitement. We knew when we asked him to go on a walk and he just laid there, something was wrong. The emergency vet gave him a quick dose of pain killer but found nothing wrong with him outside of his normal health issues. (He is epileptic and has testicular cancer.) The next day we took him in to his regular vet and she immediately noticed he has a back injury by the way he was walking. Several liver flavored medications and weeks on bed rest in a kennel was the diagnosis for our foxy lil' pom.

This little ordeal was so unplanned and having to stay home pretty regularly to watch him and administer medication regularly put his age (he's between 15 and 17 guys!!) and just how much longer we have with him into perspective. A sadness overwhelmed us. This little guy brings so much sunshine and warmth and life into our lives. It's funny how grateful was my morning devotion the next day and then stumbling across the quote below from Oprah. It all combined and got me thinking about what it means to truly be grateful - not just kind and thankful for small favors - which I am very much so. (I say please & thank you even to the rudest drive-through peeps') But to truly feel grateful. The amazing Lara Casey always says "gratitude changes everything" I believed her - but I didn't truly feel it until I realized how grateful I truly am for the last couple of years with our furry child. And perhaps this is all just ramblings and nonsense from a crazy pet-parent because we are still working on our own family - but I F-E-E-L different. That realization - turned my sadness into gratitude. I'm grateful for giving that little furry child a really good life - grateful that he has opened our heart's to being pet-parents, grateful for the light and sunshine he brings us. I just feel lucky that we adopted him - lucky that we've spent this time with him - lucky to have him no matter what little time we have left with him.

Of course my gratitude extends far beyond the joy our pet brings to our life. But I think that is another post for another timee. I feel grateful in all aspects of my life these days - especially in the -not-so-perfect ones. In fact - I can't think of an aspect of my life that is perfect, and you know what ? I'm totally and completely G R A T E F U L for that; because how boring would that be?

Here's to us without perfect lives, may we continue to grow, and have adventures; because the broken road is often the most rewarding.

love, C

 

Grateful Print Photo  Design by the gorgeous Anne Robin Calligraphy. Shakti Gawain quote via Oprah.

HAPPIEST MARCH

Of course I had to share with you a wonderful quote by my talented paper friends over at Wiley Valentine. These ladies truly have a gift. These days this quote uplifts me as well as phone calls with friends and late nights watching silly comedies from high school. 

Happy March !

 

Above quote design & photo via the lovely gals behind Wiley Valentine Paper Goods. Check em' out!

KISS YOUR HONEY ! {Happy Valentines Day !}

    I don't know about you guys, but Valentines day makes me weak in the knees. Every shade & variation of pink takes over the world and seems to fill every retail store. It simply makes me giddy - JD knows it's one of my absolute fave holidays. Not just because of the pink explosion, but because the last 9 years I have had the honor of celebrating with someone who makes me want to do all the things that this lovely design via Wiley Valentine created. Today we are doing our usual - popping a bottle of our favorite Italian red, visiting the greatest Italian restaurant here in Springfield, Palermo's, and then coming home to open our cards and then it's Seinfeld and the Office with our yearly brownie indulgence. From my heart to yours: Happy Valentines Day! 

Be sure to head over to Wiley Valentine and check out all their lovely stationary. They are incredible!! 

xoxo Cassie

GRAND SCHEMES & BIG DREAMS {December Goals}

Amanda Genther sent this out today for her subscribers and is so sweet to post it as a free download over on her blog. She teamed up with Paper & Honey to bring you a handful of beautiful designs for December. I couldn't resist using this one today since I am an Illinois resident. It is so inspiring.  Go get yours, like now! I don't know how you guys feel about December, but It is scaring the pink pajamas right-off me ! How can it truly be December already? It's nearly 2015 and I feel like I need to double check myself and squeeze in the last of my goals and some extra workouts. (Like seriously!) Before I get too immersed in the Christmas Party that JD and I are hosting (yes, so excited!) I wanted to drop in and post my goals for the month so that I don't get caught off guard at the end of the month as I turn the page and head into 2015. I feel like I accomplish more when I post my goals - because you sweet peeps keep me accountable. So without further ado let's rock December!

Refresh my brand and my website. A recent issue has been brought to my attention as well as a scandalous copycat out in Cali - so I'm going to refresh my pink space and make it so dam pink and sparkly and awesome and so Cassandra that it'll be so totally-crazy awesome you can't copy it because it would be too obvious.

The Dattoli Christmas. Oh yes, JD and I are hosting our first ever Christmas party for family and close friends on Christmas Day in our new home. I'm cooking, and decorating like a mad woman and JD is nailing and screwing holes in our walls like a crazy person and 20ish people are planning to show up and eat to their heart's content. I'm planning a very pretty and sparkly tablescape with some help from the lovely people over at La Tavola Linens. New York sparkles headed my way!  

Client Gifting. I have some fun and pretty items planned out to all my beautiful clients for Christmas. I want to get these all finished up by mid month, boxed up and out the door.

Christmas Cards {Personal & Business}. This let's say by December 18. I can do it!

My year in review written and posted before 2015 appears.

I really want to attend Christmas service at the Greek Church here in Springfield.

Begin working through Whitney English's Year Designer for 2015. You don't know who Whitney English is you say? Well click and meet this fabulous and inspiring woman. (p.s. I'm a Day Designer girl - on my third one! I can NOT recommend another planner more - this is where it's at.)

Order at least 5 copies of Lara Casey's Make It Happen book. I have at least 5 in mind to give it as gifts. Lara changed my life - the Make It Happen conference changed me - click here to read about my MTH experience.

Okay - I think I have listed the highlights of my goals, I thought about putting taxs on my December goals - but that would just depress me - so I'll leave it here so it's at least on here - maybe, just maybe I'll give them a start.

What are your goals for December ? Share below and I just might pick you to send a copy of Lara's book to!

Happy December!

 

Image created the ever-so-talented ladies Amanda Genther & Paper & Honey.