Its the Small Things

***Disclaimer- this is in no way fashion, beauty or style related***

Many of you know how much I love my dog- how much Rubble has been a part of my life – just how much I need her around me.  But many of you do not know the story behind her arrival here in the UK.  When we moved, last September, we made the most heart breaking decision to leave Rubble behind- my brother and his family volunteered to take her in and give her a home- I said good bye to her at the airport- had a little cry (even writing this I am sobbing) – and then tucked the feelings of sadness far far away… there was nothing we could do- our landlord was not keen on dogs, the costs seemed too much and we had not completed the paperwork- She would be fine (and happy) with my family back in Colorado…. yes- she wold be fine… but would I???

Fast forward to December- we landed in Denver, home for Christmas- and there was Rubble waiting for me… TEARS.  GIANT TEARS. It was in that moment I knew Rubble would be coming to London- I knew then the only regret I had about moving was leaving her behind.. It was in that moment I realized its the small things in life that make it whole- and without Rubble I was not whole.

Amanda Maxwell, Family Shoot. Battersea, London.

February 17, 2016 Rubble touched-down at Heathrow (many many thanks to my mother). The fact that Rubble arrived in the UK is solely due to the ever patient, ever caring, ever amazing person I call mom- honestly without her it would not matter how much I was missing Rubble she would not have made it.  Truly mom, thank you.  There are two other days in my life where I felt happier than on the 17th of February- my wedding day and the day Declan was born- but this was fast approaching to take over those two.  The companionship and trust Rubble brings to my life is unlike any other- I am hopelessly dependent on this dog.  There is not one major thing about Rubble that makes her the amazing dog she is.. its all the small things- its the morning wake-up kisses, its the way she sits at Declans door while he naps, its the way, without fail, she will make a bed out of dirty laundry, its the fact she occasionally winks at me, its how she protects her family, its her love of the snow, its how she snuggles up next to me at night, its how she carries her ball home from the park, its the way she walks (okay, prances)… its all the small thing that makes up her dognality (that is dog and personality combined).  Rubble makes people smile… I want to be like that.  Wouldn’t it be amazing that every time people saw you they smiled… just your presence brought about a sense of trust and companionship… I strive for that in my life.  With Rubbles arrival and finding her place back in our family I am, again, whole.

With Love,

Rose gold and wrap bracelets (I promise by the end you will understand the title of this post).  One is a long time obsession and one is new.  Rose gold has been my metal color of choice for many years now- in fact I have sent my my watch in twice, due to abundant wear, for “refreshing” and wrap bracelets are becoming my new wrist go-to.

I love the stacking bracelet trend – the multiple single strands really adds an element of dimension- but I am starting to really love the wrapped look.  It adds depth, often times color and hugs your wrist in all the right places.  I like the thickness of a wrap bracelets- I love the one piece layered look- I love the bit of uniqueness it offers to a simple outfit- simply put I am embracing this trend and am loving it.  Typically I gravitate towards the beaded varieties- but the leather and rope styles certainly fall in a close second.

Onto rose gold… I am not sure I have enough space, or you care to read, to even begin to express my obsession with rose gold.  Shoes, watches, earrings, rings, iPhone, iPad case, bracelets (although not a wrap one yet), sandals, nail color, sunnies… the list goes on.  The feminine and girly nature of rose gold is initially what drew me to it and then the neutrality and accessibility of it solidified my desire to fully embrace it and at times bathe (figuratively) myself in it!  My Michael Kors watch was the first rose gold purchase I made and I haven’t slowed down… it is easy to mix with gold or silver or both- it is versatile enough to be worn with black in the winter or bright white in the summer- with its soft hues and glimmering shine it looks good on all skin tones- it can be very elegant and fancy or a bit more casual by complimenting your favorite skinnies and a hoodie– adding a few diamonds to rose gold is like HEAVEN for me (check out “A Girl Can Dream” on my homepage).  All around rose gold ranks at the top of my must have list!

These small, normally shimmery, additions to my closet make such an impact- they are often tiny but always powerful- they leave an impression of happiness… again my aspirations in life mirrors those of my fashion obsessions- shine bright- be powerful and bold- leave a lasting impression of happiness. Exploring life with a shiny outlook was not always easy for me- at times I would struggle to find the good, to find the “silver-lining” or to see past the negative and would get hung up on the challenges… these days, while I am not perfect and still have bad days (really, who doesn’t??) I always try to end my day with a thought of positivity.   Some nights I can celebrate the whole day and some nights it is one small thing… but before I fall asleep I remember the moments that shine brightly and left a lasting impression of happiness- sweet dreams everyone!

With Love,

Below are a multitude of both my favorite wrap bracelets and rose gold finds- click on the thumbnail to be taken to a retailer for purchasing. Happy Shopping!!!

**Disclaimer: this post is  not fashion, style or clothing related**

This afternoon I was putting Declan down for nap – we had followed our regular routine of reading books and singing sweet songs when he changed it up on me- he grabbed my arm and squeezed.  When he grabbed my arm it reminded me to squeeze a little bit harder- I did- when he grabbed my arm it reminded me to sing a little bit long- I did- when he grabbed my arm it reminded me to slow down just a little- I did.  A gentle reminder from my 2 year old stopped me dead in my tracks.  Now, Declan is usually not the cuddly kind nor his he the type of child who craves or even enjoys snuggling but today he needed a little extra love from mom.  Not to be too cliche  but it melted my heart.  We only have 24 hours each day to finish our to-do lists, to make sure everyone gets fed, to make sure the laundry gets done and house cleaned, to make sure we are ready for the next 24 hours that we hardly ever slow down  (as short or as long as it may be) to squeeze a little tighter, to sing a little bit long, to embrace a little bit harder.  When something like this happens I am continously mesmerized by the life lessons Declan teaches me.  These precious moments come like the changing of the tides- they come in and then they go out- but they leave an impact on the sand of my heart… forever touched and changed by the smallest action.  Too often it is the huge moments that we focus on, too often it is the huge moments that we remember, too often it is the huge accomplishments we celebrate… Today we will remember the precious moments and allow them to carry us through.  Today Declan and I will celebrate the small moment of a simple arm squeeze.

Stumbling upon a perfect pair of shoes (or dress, or bag, or earrings, or sweater).  “Patience is a virtue” we have all heard the saying, we have all tried to live by it and honestly most of us fail miserably (or at least I certainly do!).  I try not to be an impulse buyer- I try to be practical in my purchases and try to have a good wear/cost ratio but when I came across these Steve Madden slip-ons while waiting for our flight to Spain I quickly jumped on the chance to buy them.  They were the perfect shoe I didn’t know I needed until I saw them waiting for me to take them home.  It was like Christmas when we arrived back from holiday and these babies were patiently waiting on the doorstep.  While I didn’t exhibit an ounce of patience in purchasing them I did have to wait until we arrived home, a week later, to enjoy them.

Stumbling can have such a negative connotation that we often spend a great deal of time ensuring we do not stumble- as a mother I spend countless hours reminding Declan to slow down- as professionals we ensure that we do not stumble through a project- as humans we are afraid of stumbling for fear but I can say there is great positive in stumbling (both metaphorically and physically).  Today I learned that stumbling has given me a chance to expand my love for fashion- I see nothing but positive.   Discovering something you never knew you needed but clearly can’t live without is one of the small treasures in life that makes each day a new adventure… who knows what you might stumble upon tomorrow- or next Tuesday- or even next year.  It’s the small joys of finding something you love and loving what you found.

I have linked the pair I purchased along with several others:

Fresh Flowers.  Ahhh, one of the best ways to brighten my day, my mood, my perspective.  In London there are fresh flower stalls on almost every corner (every other for sure) and it is impossible for me to walk by them without smiling.  Yes, I likely look a bit odd as stroll down the street randomly smiling at every other corner… but I am happy to be that girl.  Fresh flowers rejuvenate me after a long day with Declan, they remind me of the amazing beauty in the world, they offer a pop of colour on cold London days and the smell can be simply intoxicating.  It’s the small simple pleasure of picking out a perfectly prepared bouquet and allowing it to fill my life with freshness that keeps me coming back for more.

One of the things I love most about the flower boutiques around the city is how the colors mirror those of the changing seasons.  Deep reds, purples, burnt oranges and yellows to highlight the autumn crisp air- the evergreens, the cranberry reds, the crisps whites to remind you Christmas is just around the corner- the soft pinks, pale lilacs, faded yellows and pastel blues as the new spring season unfolds- the vibrant yellows, ravishing reds and the brilliant pinks of summer- simply put flowers shadow the path of life.  They outline the ever-changing aspects of the everyday yet bring about a constant of freshness and a reminder to stop and admire the beauty all around.

Brendan, in the last year, has brought home more surprise flower bunches than the prior eight years combined… there really is something special about flowers in bloom.