Style – Winter Neutrals with a Bold Beanie & an AHA Moment

I attended Alt Summit here in Salt Lake City a couple of weeks ago and helped with a few events that Cents of Style was putting on. I wanted to share an aha moment, and will in just a second after I give you all the sweet details of this outfit.
Beanie: Gigi Pip
Sweater: Pink Blush (It’s almost gone!) I’m obsessed with the flow and fit of this sweater.
Underneath is just a tee from Madewell
Jeans & Boots: Roolee Boutique
Wearing: Laced Hair Extensions
Makeup done by: Classy Cosmetics
This is probably one of my most favorite looks & I love that Jen just used a dab of metallic eyeshadow to center of my lower lip for a good pop!
Did you know you can do that?
Rose Gold Watch: Arvo
So…back to Alt. I really loved it. It was fun to get to do what I love (meeting new people and throwing parties) and to work for a company that I love.
I live about 40 minutes away so I stayed up there for 3 nights. When I got back, I caught up with a friend of mine who said, “You are so lucky you have so many people who takeover and watch your kids.”
Now knowing my friend, I’m pretty sure she meant it in a way that would relieve some of my stress of leaving my kids for a few days, but my heart was a little bit hurt.
Yes, I am so lucky that I have brothers, nieces, cousins, friends, & neighbors that are so kind and willing to watch my kids.
Yes, I sometimes can’t believe that I have such a supportive husband that doesn’t resent me and lets me chase the things that make me happy.
But takeover?
I don’t think a mom’s job is ever really taken over. My kids were watched for 3 days and my husband majorly helped for a few weeks before the event.
24-7, I work for, with and sometimes against my kids. I love them, get mad at them, read to them, write with them, clean with them, get mad at them again, play with them, bathe them, feed them, bake with them, and love them some more. When I head out for something, I try to prepare by leaving detailed lists, directions, emergency phone numbers, and money. I have all the clothes washed, probably not folded though, and have the fridge stocked with everything needed for all meals throughout the day. I make sure the Sharpies are put away, nail polish is up high, and the candy hidden. I have carpooling setup, play dates arranged, and double check that I haven’t booked anything too important on dad’s watch. Let’s be real, sometimes the outfits the kids are given the ok to wear to school under dad’s care definitely reinforce why I make appointments when I can take them.

While I occasionally hire babysitters to help with our children, I don’t feel like they take over and assume my role as mom. They definitely help me balance the many hats I attempt to wear and I appreciate that. As women, mothers, sisters, friends, I think we should be quicker to love & be grateful for the different hats we wear. As a mom, I’m also a baker, a photographer, a DIYer, a shopper, a blogger, a crafter, a cook, a lover of parties, a reader, a chocolate connoisseur, a competitive board game player, a tennis player, a fan of water parks, a girl who loves a good chick flick, a room mom, a lady who tries to serve the best she can in her church calling, an event planner,
someone who is trying to figure out the ups and downs brought on by anxiety,
a wife, a sister, a daughter, an aunt, a friend.

While I might not make fresh bread weekly to have with my homemade jam or drive my kids to 17 activities every night of the week,
I can appreciate and love the women that do.
And even if most of the hats I wear are wannabe hats, I can try a little harder to love the lady that wears them because she fought like crazy to at least try them on.
I truly love that we can all wear different hats and add different styles to this world that wants to tell us there is a correct way for them to be worn.
How boring would it be and what would be able to bring to our relationships if we all wore the same ones?

I stumbled across this awesome quote the other day:
Women need real moments of solitude and self reflection to balance how much of ourselves we give away.
Barbara De Angelis

Thanks to Nina Tekwani for braving the cold with me. You rock lady!
She is an amazing photographer, check her out on Instagram!

Linking up here:
The Pleated Poppy

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