Where are my rice lovers?!? This one is for you! I shared this side dish recipe last week and received requests to share how to make it. It’s quite delish and easy to make. (And I must admit, Jose’s favorite rice. Yep, you heard it here first. He loves this rice over the Mexican rice! *gasps*)
Needless to say, it’s a favorite in the #sojohome and I am so excited to share it with you!
Hope you are off to a good start this month. I think it’s fair to say it’ll take time before things are back to normal. It’s the reality. I’ve said this before in previous posts, but I’ll say it again, there’s light in all of this. It is up to us to choose how we handle the unprecedented moments.
Typically, on the first of the month, I share top blog posts from the previous month. I am delaying that blog post until tomorrow to share what I am doing for the next 30 days!
For the past two years, I’ve been trying to figure out a posting schedule, and I must admit, it has been a huge challenge for me. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my blog. It’s just a little tough to stick to an actual schedule when my time is divided amongst other things. (Let’s face it, I am just making up excuses, right?) To be quite frank, I am busy doing the doing. You know those personal development tools I share with you? Well, those are the tools I am applying to my life on a daily basis. I am not just sharing those tools and not applying them myself. I am trying to build something here. Ya know?
To help me develop the habit of writing more frequently, I’ve decided to write one blog post every single day for the next 30 days. Imagine that?!? You’ll hear from me (via my blog lol) every single day. (I hope you love my writing strong enough to stick around – haha). All joking aside, I plan on sharing a little piece of my day with you. I’ll be sharing habits, rituals, lessons, projects, sales, outfit ideas, the home, the raw stuff. You can expect the {mostly} unedited, the pretty, and the ugly.
Having said that, I’d like to share what I listened to this morning.
Continue reading “Day 1: Happy April & What to do to Prepare for the Future”
Felt like a little kid this morning. After completing my workout session, I stopped to explore every flower that crossed my path. I love nature, but I am not going to lie, I hate bugs. Certain bugs freak me out, especially those that can fly. (I don’t mind staring at little white fuzzy worms or a chill lizard/gecko, which is exactly what happened this morning.)
I noticed so much I hadn’t noticed before. First of all, I took a different path, and on that path, I ended up right next to the bayou. I went over a wooden bridge and stopped to observe the muddy water running underneath it. I even noticed a small hidden pond, in the middle of so many large oak trees. This tiny pond took me back to my childhood days when my cousins and I would sneak to the other side of the fence and explore the “woods”. And yes, against our parents’ will. They didn’t like we would do that because I guess they were afraid of snakes biting us – fear didn’t phase us though. We would do it anyway. We would hang out by a small pond and have the best time laughing our heads off. (I think someone has a photo of this location somewhere in their files.) I also came across massive trees filled with berry-like fruit (we grew up calling them moras). This was the exact same tree my grandma (aka wela) had in her backyard! I LOVED picking and eating those delicious moras when springtime came around. Ah – fond memories.
All of these memories made me realize something…it made me wonder, what else am I forgetting? What other memories are dug deep into my memory?
Is this what it’ll take to recall some of the best memories from my childhood? Walking around the park and do things I would do as a kid? Had I not taken the time to explore, look at every flower, stare at the pond, observe the water, would I have ever remembered those precious childhood memories? It’s honestly kind of scary to me. I don’t know why…perhaps I am afraid of losing my memory forever.
Nonetheless, it was nice taking a step back and observing the world. This morning definitely inspired me to continue to stay curious. Who cares what people think, stop worrying what others might say. I loved feeling like a kid again.
Sharing our master bedroom bedding set has been on my list for a very long time. *drum roll* I am finally sitting down and sharing all of the details about this beautiful set.
Our master bedroom is not 100% ready. I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again, we are taking baby steps on furnishing the home. We refuse to get in debt over furnishings. Our approach has been very subtle, strategic, and a thoughtful process. We don’t want to fill our spaces with meaningless things. I want to love every single aspect of my home, after all, this is where I’ll live for the next few years. And I think anyone who is as intentional about their home, should do the same. It’s okay to be picky. Don’t settle. You’ve worked hard for this…now do it right, the first time. In case nobody has told you this, mistakes cost money AND precious time.
I selected this bedding set late last year so I was definitely in the mood for something appropriate for the season. I won’t be replacing it this spring/summer season because the bedding set I want is quite pricey, and as mentioned above, our budget doesn’t allow for that type of spending right now. Once other rooms are completed, and we save for a new bedding set, I’ll definitely have an alternate set for the spring/summer season.
To some of you, seasons may not matter. So if you’re okay with velvet and you love this style, it’s still available. The good news? It’s available in plenty of colors! And quite trendy. I’ve spotted this exact style of bedding at Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel. Both of these retailers offer different colors as well.
Ps. The ivory pom pom throw blanket on the edge of the bed is my current favorite blanket to use at night. For a 25% discount, use code “FRIENDS” at checkout.
Earlier this week, I shared tips on how to stay focused while working from home over the next few weeks until life goes back to normal. (Thanks to the little sister for giving amazing tips as well!) We touched a bit on time management (tip #11) and I wanted to expand a bit more on what I shared regarding this subject because it’s something I am constantly trying to improve, and figured maybe someone else is on the same boat.
Happy, happy hump day! Hope you had a lovely day. I know things are tough right now but we can still manage to control our attitude and make the best of hard circumstances. My intention through this whole thing is to focus on positivity and spread it through my blog or IG. (So if you’re seeking for a little light – I gotchu, gf!)
Since many people will be working from home in the upcoming weeks, my sister and I decided to consolidate our tips for concentration to help those who find it hard to concentrate when you are away from the regular workspace.
We understand how difficult it can be to be productive at home, especially when you are surrounded by distractions. We know the distractions all too well…unload the dishwasher, do laundry, scroll through social media, eat a little snack, take a little nap, and do everything but work. It’s human nature, we get it. Our main goal is to share ideas to help create an environment for concentration in order to stay productive and complete tasks on the agenda. Here they go… Continue reading “Tips on How to Stay Focused While Working from Home”
If you are an OG around here, you know July is love month on the blog. It’s love month for many reasons but the main one is it’s the month I tied the knot. I share everything related to love, marriage, wedding planning, etc. during this time. And even though July is a few months away, I am still going to share a wedding-related blog post because I recently had a lovely bride-to-be ask for advice on planning for a destination wedding. And I figured, why not share my response with you as well…
Seriously tho – what’s happening with the world?!? No one truly knows. I like to believe everything is going to turn out ok, honestly, just riding out the wave. I am not one to panic in situations like these, instead, I prefer to take things day by day because no one TRULY knows what is ahead.
If you live in South Texas, you can probably feel springtime in the air! I cannot be the only person looking forward to warmer and sunnier days. (Seriously though, what’s up Houston? This isn’t Seattle.) This evening I am sharing today’s #ootd – a long sleeve floral shirtdress, ideal for spring/summertime.
