Well, we're just cruising right through March over here at our house, and I for one couldn't be happier! Warmer weather is in the air, boots are finally packed away, and I'm super hopeful that we're going to see some serious spring coming soon. And that means the hubs and I are getting closer to our Bahamas cruise! I'm starting to think about ship attire since it's been - oh - a decade or so since I've cruised! Naturally, I needed a little Stitch Fix to help me snag a few more pieces for the boat! 

If you don't know about Stitch Fix (<--Referral link!), let me give you a little rundown. Stitch Fix is a clothing subscription service, and you decide how frequently, or infrequently, you'd like a shipment. You'll fill out a detailed style profile about your sizes, style preferences, and budget (and it's super fun to fill out the profile to see what your style preferences are!). Not only does Stitch Fix offer clothing, but they have accessories, bags, and even shoes! They style men, women, and children, and they offer extended sizes. And, if someone signs up through your referral link, you get a $25 credit to use toward your next purchase! (And let me tell you, that adds up to some awesome free clothes!) The BEST part of Stitch Fix? It comes directly to my door which means I can try it on in the comfort of my own home, pair it with things already in my wardrobe, and not have to take my brood into a dressing room with me. So much winning! 

This time around, my best gal Serena pulled some super spring-y pieces including pink jeans (can I rock pink jeans?! Undecided!), a really cute floral kimono, and some tops I really like. But I need your help trying to decide what to keep! (Also, let's pretend there was some really gorgeous natural lighting for these pics, k? K!)

1. Lakeview Denim Alex Colored Skinny Jean, $58
2. Emory Park Eilley Ruffle Sleeve Blouse, $38

Alright, y'all. Pink jeans. What do we think of these? I have a few pair of colored jeans, but they're definitely neutrals, and I feel like these are a little more bold than I'm used to. And the kimono! I need something white and coral for the cruise, so this is totally the right color pallet, but I'm not sure how I feel about the super ruffle on the sleeve. Tell me your thoughts! 

3. Alice Blue Simona Henley Blouse, $38 

LOVE the green color of this tank, and the pattern is cute! I could totally see myself wearing this shirt on the day-to-day, which is totally appealing for extended wear. Plus, it could be super cute with white shorts! 

4. Alice Blue Bushnell One Pocket Blouse, $38 

This shirt is SO sweet for spring! I love the yellow, the floral, the short sleeve, the pattern, the little pocket detail. It's super cute and lightweight, and again, I could see myself wearing it regularly mixed with other pieces I already have. 

5. French Grey Valina Back Detail Brushed Knit Dress, $48 

You may notice I look annoyed in this picture. That's because two seconds before this picture was taken, my husband/photographer opened his honest, honest mouth and said, "Huh. That dress kind of makes you look big in the middle." Hard no on this one, then! To be fair, I think it's too big overall, so it's ill fitting on TOP of the fact that it makes me look big in the middle. Thanks, hun! 

So that's my cruise-y shipment, and I need your help figuring out what to keep! 

Want more to see more Fix goodness? You can see previous Fixes here:
Stitch Fix #1
Stitch Fix #2
Stitch Fix #3
Stitch Fix #4
Stitch Fix #5
Stitch Fix #6
Stitch Fix #7
Stitch Fix #8
Stitch Fix #9
Stitch Fix #10
Stitch Fix #11
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Stitch Fix #13
Stitch Fix #14
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Stitch Fix #16 
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Stitch Fix #18
Stitch Fix #19
Stitch Fix #20
Stitch Fix #21
Stitch Fix #22
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Stitch Fix #25
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Stitch Fix #30
Stitch Fix #31
Stitch Fix #32

What the Marines taught me about motherhood

About a decade ago, my sweet coworker Jerra and I traveled to San Diego for a week to learn about the Marine Corps. It was a trip for Indiana educators sponsored by the Marines so that we could get a literal inside look into the military in case we had students who might be interested in pursuing the career path. 

The trip was so eye opening in so many ways. I was incredibly ignorant when it came to the military, and the trip was equal parts learning, growing, and fun (and drinking, if we're being totally honest here). That trip still occasionally pops into my mind, especially since I became a mother. 

Because almost daily, there's a mantra I learned from my time with the Marines that I fall back on. 

One of the coolest parts of the trip was on the second day of our boot camp experience when we got to have lunch with some of the guys going through basic training. These guys had been on base for 6-7-8 weeks without any civilian contact by the time we got there, so we were a welcome sight in the mess hall that day. Jerra and I sat down with a REALLY nice young man who reminded me of so many of my students. Super smart, super talented, and wanted to do something amazing with his life. We talked for a long time about his family, his high school experience, the teachers he had, and what he wanted his future to look like. And we had the opportunity to ask him a lot of questions. And so I asked him - How do you do this every day? Knowing that the whole goal is essentially to break you down to build you back up stronger? How do you persevere through that? 

Me and Jerra having lunch with our Marine recruit!

He thought about it for a little while, but he finally just said, "Ma'am (btw, I was all of 26 at the time of this trip, but I got ma'amed everywhere we went) - Ma'am, I just focus on getting from chow to chow. I try not to think about the weeks or days that are left before I get to move onto the next step. I just focus on making it to breakfast, and then to lunch, and then to dinner, and then to breakfast again. Small goals. It helps me to stay positive." 

That conversation stuck with me, I suppose, because when I became a mom, and in particular, a work-from-home mom, his words came back to me. 

I LOVE almost everything about being a mom. I love the way my sweet boys are all snuggly and red-cheeked when they wake up in the morning. I love watching them learn something new or accomplish milestones they've been working on during the day. I love their love for each other. And I love that I get to spend so much time with them. I'm incredibly blessed to be able to stay at home with them, and I don't take that for granted. 

But y'all, I live in reality, and this job is HARD. It's the hardest job in the world with incredible stakes and no real performance review to help you improve every six months or so. Some days, it feels like the movie Groundhog's Day - wash, rinse, repeat. Chasing two little boys really IS super rewarding, but it's also mentally (and sometimes physically and emotionally) exhausting. 

So on those totally hard days, I embrace this mentality. I don't look at the month ahead or the week ahead or even the whole day ahead. I just focus on the next few hours until we get to a meal. Because ANYTHING is possible for a few hours. 

On the super hard days, I've trained myself to see the meal as a reset. Going forward, positive vibes. Whatever happened prior to that meal is water under the bridge, and we reset the day. 

Again, I love in reality, so this doesn't always work flawlessly. Some days are just a MESS regardless of a different meal, a mental reset, whatever. But some days, we DO reset, and we have an amazing afternoon or evening together when mere hours before, the day looked like a catastrophe. 

I did a lot of learning on that trip to San Diego a decade ago. But this lesson - this is the one I carry with me now as a mom. And I encourage you to try it too!