Sparkles Holiday Look '15

Are you ready for Christmas? You probably are more prepared than myself. The only thing I have down packed is this holiday outfit I'm sharing with you Sparkles. 

I had no clue what to wear to our holiday party. I literally went into my closet and stared several times hoping for inspiration. When I think of holiday parties, I think of bold colors, plaid, or sequins. Literally that's what I looked for in my closet. I bought this skirt back in June with the intentions of wearing it for all the holiday festivities. I thought it paired just perfectly with this plaid button down. To me, they are both such statement pieces that can be rocked in varied ways. These are pieces that make me so happy, i just feel like they are show stoppers. I  just love how much this ensemble screams Christmas to me! Heck, I might wear this same outfit for New Year's Eve. 

What are your plans for the Holidays? The Hubster and I will just be home enjoying the end of another year and the start of a new one. 

Get the look:

Skirt: Express (in store only, clearance!) similar  and how cute is this longer version

Shirt: J.Crew Factory

Boot:Nordstrom Rack

4 Tips on Making Free Time!

With there only being 24 hours in a day, I am very careful with the way I spend my time...well..sometimes I am. Lol. 

I am a person who loves to be alone most of the time. I am interacting with humans of all ages (literally 5 years of age to 70!!).  My perfect day would be spent reading,writing, and eating while watching numerous episodes of reality tv. This SOMETIMES happens, but not often! 

I conjured up this post idea because I have a few days to myself this week. It really got me thinking that we all should have at least a couple of hours worth of free time to ourselves!

1. Stop Making Plans!

I am the worst at this, and this is really going to be one of those "practice what you preach" lessons. oI get ahead of myself and and will make plans a month in advance. The moment I say yes, I usually regret it! I hated saying no, crazy as it sounds. The more life goes on, the busier it gets for me. I hate that burned out feeling, and complaining just doesn't always work for me either. Now if someone asks me to do something with them, I usually say "Let me see how I'm feeling in that moment", and it works! I mean, why lie and say yeah when I know I'm probably not going to be able to do it anyhow? 

Or take a selfie of yourself. It's really refreshing...yeaaaah.

2. Or DO Make Plans!

Oh dear, I hope I am not confusing you. Before I said to not make plans, meaning, don't make plans that you know you can not keep. Trust me, people hate when others flake. But DO set goals and make plans that will benefit YOU. For instance, this weekend I am making firm plan to enjoy take my dog to the park while enjoying a boba. It doesn't have to be huge, just needs to be something where you can connect with yourself.  

3. Take Advantage of Every Second!

Omg, again, this is a "practice what you preach" lesson. Time passes us by like crazy. I can have a solid hour of free time and use it on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. Haha, I know I am not the only one here! Can I get a witness? I get so angry at myself once that hour is over with and I've run out of time. One of my main goals is to use my wisely. I could be caught up on so much if I just got everything completed and out of the way.

4. Use Organizers to Help You

I have 3 organizers that keep me updated.

 Desktop Calendar: Located below! For starters this was just too cute so I forced to buy it. It really is just one big huge reminder of what events I have to focus on.

 Pocket Planner: I keep this in my purse at ALL times. It has all of my events, blog posts, shopping lists, menu for the week, and odds and ends that need to added. This planner is a life saver. I keep a pen on me at all times, and add ideas to it daily. 

iPhone: My iPhone is my biggest form of organization. The hubster and share the calendar on it and it really lets us know what's going on. Anytime I have to nanny or we both need to be somewhere, we update our calendar. I also use it like crazy for notes I think of so many blog post ideas while on the go, so when I do I just type them in my notes!!! I keep tabs on picture inspirations, looks ,and locations I would like to use as well. I also use my phone as my source of work while I'm on the go. I work as a freelancer and much of the work can be completed on my phone. Phones are amazing, point blank.

I hope this advice will help you with your free time! Remember, it's all about using your time wisely. #WorkHardPlayHarder!

Love and Sparkles // Chels

Sunday Lunchday// Boulder Take 2!!!

Hello Sparkles! Say it with me...SPRING.BREAK. 

I hope your weekend/week has been just as great as mine! I am thoroughly enjoying my spring break. It is only the second day I have already accomplished so much!! Been to Target about 4 times in 2 days! Lol, what am I going to do? This weekend was great, but the real fun didn't start until Sunday. Our Sunday Lunchday was at this place I have been wanting to try for a while. 

It's called Southern Hospitality, yes, lol. All the way up here in Denver! Did they have it?..Hmmm, maybe.

We sat on the patio right along the street and enjoyed people watching as we ate. Haha, we love doing that sometimes! You can learn a lot, I tell you. 

For the meal I had my classic chicken and waffles, I rarely say no to that. This was bone in chicken, but I would much rather have boneless. The waffle itself was totally perfect!! It was thin and crispy, just how I like them. I hate thick waffles...I hate thick anything {except for hair}. 

The hubster had a steak sandwich and sweet potato fries. We took a stroll on 16th street mall afterwards. 

Monday was great! Some gal pals and I drove to Boulder for the day. It was absolutely amazing, I mean I had the BEST time!! My friend Merilee is a Boulder native, and if you only want the best you should always go with a native!

We strolled Pearl St. and did a little shopping. Then we had lunch at this yummy place called Med. This pizza was bomb. 

I should work at this boutique :)

Merilee was a real good tour guide haha!! She showed us her family horse, Lizzy!! We got to brush her and feed her. She is truly a gorgeous horse. 

We also walked the campus of CU Boulder, it was so fun! And definitely strange for me as I've never really been on a college campus before! We had happy hour "On The Hill"  where I got a cool hipster vibe from!

 Goooooooo Boulder! And happy spring break!

Love and Sparkles // Chels