I have been meaning to write this post for a while now and wanted to somehow loop it in with the backstory of how my blog started and the evolution of it. I'm hoping this one isn't too lengthy, but if you have some time... Sit down with a fresh cup of hot coffee and enjoy!
How and Why I Started Blogging
Oh boy... where do I start? I guess at the beginning! I started blogging almost 7 years ago. It was around then that
Pinterest became really popular and I came across a few blogs that were linked from some of my 'pins' that I just fell in love with. I loved the idea of having a creative outlet that combined home decor, fashion, and everyday life! I also loved the idea of keeping a somewhat personal journal online that you could share with people. I always loved writing and used journaling in the past as an outlet, but I loved that blogging was a way to connect with like minded people that had the same interests.
My first blog was called 'Last Year Of Twenty Something' which was not a very good idea for a blog title because A. I wasn't going to be 29 forever... and B. It just didn't really tell my readers what my blog was all about. So, when I turned 30, I decided to change the title and actually bought my own domain as well to use for this blog. I knew I wanted to continue to blog about style, home decor, and life in general so
Lovely Life Styling was what I chose! The 'Lovely' part comes from one of my favorite bible quotes:
"Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is LOVELY, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:8
I've always loved that passage and to me it means to focus your energy and mind on positive aspects in life. Think about things that are true, lovely and make you feel good. I think it is so easy to focus on all the negative aspects in life and especially with the way social media has impacted our lives. It is so easy to fall into the comparison trap and all the hardships that are happening all over the world, but if you just focus on the good things in your life and count all your blessings, you will in turn feel more inspired and happy! That's what I want this space to be about... Focusing on all the LOVELY aspects of LIFE!
The Evolution of My Blog
When I first started my blog, I was posting about random things. Recipes, new clothing and accessories, home decor, etc. It was all over the place! Then, when I got engaged right after I turned 30, the focus turned to wedding planning! There were 'wedding Wednesday' posts and DIY projects I completed for our wedding. Then, after our wedding I posted some recaps of our wedding.
Then, when I got pregnant with Camden (about 4 months after we got married!), it was all about pregnancy! Then, after I had Camden, it was alllll about baby Camden! Fast forward to getting pregnant with Bennett (when Camden was 10 months!) and then having Bennett, it was all about baby stuff again for the next year!
Once Bennett turned one, I started to turn the corner from zombie new mommy to beginning to feel like myself again. I still would occasionally blog and post about style and home decor, but it was mostly centered around the boys and motherhood up to that point. I started feeling a little more comfortable in my skin last year around this time which made me want to do a little shopping and actually feel like I could be put together on a daily basis. I've always loved fashion and style and putting together outfits is somewhat of a way for me to feel creative.
Fast forward to the beginning of this year and my focus has turned mainly to style. I love sharing my daily outfits, affordable and stylish pieces. I want to inspire others by showing them that they are worth the extra effort in the morning to look and feel their best! For me, if I wear sweats or my PJs all day I am not productive. If I throw on some jeans (or even leggings!) and a cute top, then I feel so much better and am ready to tackle my to do list. I want to inspire and empower others to do the same! That's not saying I won't ever post about home decor, pretty parties or motherhood. Those subjects will also be sprinkled in as well!
Your Questions Answered
Recently I dropped the Question box in my instagram stories and told you guys to go ahead and ask me anything! I was a little nervous about what type of questions I would get, but was pleasantly surprised to see most of the questions were about my boys, our family and my (daytime) job! Which prompted me to write this post as well! The questions I received and my answers are below...
Q1: "Your boys are so cute! Are you planning to have more kids?"
A: As of right now, no... We have our hands full as it is! 😆 BUT, we haven't completely closed that door yet. Just not on our immediate agenda!
Q2: "How close in age are your cute boys? Would you say their age gap is good for your family?"
A: Camden and Bennett are 19 months apart! I got pregnant with Bennett when Camden was 10 months old! Camden wasn't even 2 yet when we had Bennett and I will say that came with some challenges. Camden was in a very needy stage when Bennett arrived, but I think he really started to love his little brother after a few months. There will always be an adjustment period going from one child to 2, no matter what the age gap. I LOVE how close in age they are now! They are just starting to really play together and like all the same things. It is so cute to see their little friendship grow! I feel like I could write an entire blog post about them and this subject!
Q3: "How long have you lived in Columbus?"
A: Pretty much my entire life! I grew up in a suburb of Columbus (Worthington), then went to Bowling Green State University for college (close to Toledo), then moved back to Columbus after I graduated. Bill and I met and got married here and moved to a suburb of Chicago (Plainfield, IL) when Camden was a little over one and I was pregnant with Bennett for Bill's job. After living there for a little over a year, we decided it was best for our family to move back to Columbus. We missed our friends and family being close and to be honest, I really think Columbus is such a great place to raise a family!
Q4: "What is your job?"
I work as an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) analyst for a Real Estate Investment company based out of Colorado. Basically, my company buys apartment communities for sale and takes ownership and manages the properties. They also complete any upgrades needed such as interior renovations or adding amenities.
What I do is help to manage and audit the websites for the properties. It is a unique business because each property is run as it's own small business and each property has it's own branding. I also help to optimize the websites for search engine results by updating content, photos, etc. There is a lot of technical backend work that goes along with SEO, so I will not bore you to death with the details!
I work about 32 - 36 hours per week remotely from home which helps me have a flexible schedule. The boys still go to daycare/school 3 days a week and my parents help watch them 1-2 days per week so I can finish up work projects, etc if need be! I love having this type of flexibility!
Q5: "How did you find out about your job? It is so awesome you get to work from home!"
A: This could turn into a whole blog post on it's own but basically I am somewhat related to the owner of the company. He is my mom's cousin! But to be honest, I maybe met him a handful of times before I got the job. My mom actually encouraged me to send him my resume because she had heard they were looking to hire someone to help with social media. A lot of the reason I was hired was because of my experience. I had been working in leasing and property management for 5+ years, I have a business degree and majored in marketing and had (at the time) my real estate license. I also mentioned on my resume that some of my skill sets included social media, blogging and knew my way around google analytics and I think that helped seal the deal as well!
When I started, the company had NO corporate marketing department. The company has since grown from owning and managing less than 40 properties to now owning and managing around 200 properties! I got in at a great time and we now have a marketing department of over 30 people spread out all over the country!
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So there you go! Hopefully you now know a little bit more about me! If you are still reading this, kudos to you! I would be fast asleep by now! ha!
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
