ChelsChats – November: BIG Life & Blog Updates (+ some things in my shopping cart)
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I’ve definitely fallen out of the habit of writing here consistently over the last few weeks (or months) and to be honest, it’s been kind of hard to get back into the swing of things with all the changes we’ve had going on over here in the Carr home. I’ve seriously had months of content shot and planned and just haven’t had the time (or, to be honest) the energy to sit down and write about them by the end of the day. And, once I made some big decisions over the last few weeks, it felt weird to write about anything until I could share what’s going on in my life and where things are going from here.
SO. Let’s have a little chat and catch up on life so I can explain the radio silence that’s been going on for the last month AND so I can share all the content I’ve been sitting on for the last three, haha.
Life Updates:
- The Instagram Fam knows this already, but Dustin accepted a new job with Paylocity at the end of August and it’s been an amazing career move for him AND for our little family. Dustin gets to work from home about 75% of the time and the travel he has to do is within the state, so he’s always home in the evening. His new manager is fantastic and, although it’s been an adjustment to the new work schedule, we’re settling into it and loving the change of pace.
- Speaking of jobs….my big news….I left my corporate recruiting job! I’ve been working in corporate recruiting and HR for two years now and while it’s been an amazing experience, filled with great co-workers and mentors, I have been feeling really drained and frustrated by the lack of time and energy I’ve had to put towards Hey There, Chelsie. Additionally, the amount of stress I was dealing with at work was causing some “fun” health issues that were really weighing me down. I had been going back and forth about finding the “right” time to leave my job and had finally decided that it was time to move on when an amazing opportunity practically fell into my lap (well, after going through the interview process.) I’m SO excited to say that I have accepted the Social Media Specialist position at my FAVORITE clothing boutique here in Utah, My Sister’s Closet! It’s literally the dream position – I’ll get to work in their warehouse on Monday’s and Tuesdays and work from home the rest of the week, helping them manage their social media accounts and run campaigns. Oh, and it’s also a part-time position, so I’ll still have plenty of time to work on HTC. I’m seriously so, so excited about this change…and TODAY was my first day! It was SO much fun – I got to help prepare for our Black Friday sales and do an FB live to share the new arrivals that dropped today on their FB page!
- In sadder news, our Teddy boy is going in for elbow surgery this coming Wednesday. Long story short, Teddy injured his elbow about a year ago while wrestling with Rosie (but we didn’t realize how severe it was because he stopped limping within 24 hours.) About 6 months ago, we noticed that he was limping a bit more frequently, especially after wrestling sessions with Roo. We took him to the vet, who said he probably just had a birth defect in his wrist and gave him some anti-inflammatory meds. The limping seemed to become more and more consistent and more and more prominent, so we decided to take him to a different vet for a second opinion. After a few x-rays and consulting with numerous surgeons, we are moving forward with a scope surgery to hopefully find and remove a fractured piece of bone that’s stuck in his elbow joint (much like having a rock in your shoe.) We’re nervous about any kind of surgery on our sweet boy (and it’s definitely not cheap) but we’re hopeful that this will eliminate a lot of his discomfort and allow him to stay on all four legs for the rest of his life.
- In other news, I started taking watercolor painting classes at a local art studio with my sister and it has been fantastic. I have always thought the only way I could be artistic was through my makeup, but after spending an afternoon learning how to use watercolor paints with my sister, I decided to give it a go. Plus, Dustin says that I need a hobby that I can enjoy without worrying about monetizing it (like my blog or my photography, haha.) It’s been an absolute blast and I have LOVED learning so much about the medium. I have even surprised myself with some of the paintings I’ve done and love sharing them with you all on Instagram Stories!
Blog Updates
- Well, it’s been pretty stinking quiet here on HTC for the last few months while we’ve gone through these changes and adjusted to a new schedule and routine (which we will be adjusting again with a change in my work.) I’m hoping to get back into the swing of things with more time in my week to work on blog stuff. Like I mentioned above, I’ve been sitting on a TON of content that I’ve shot with Sadie, but just haven’t gotten around to writing and posting.
- I also have some big. big. big. plans and a big. big. big project coming at the beginning of next year that I cannot wait to share with you! I hope it will continue to build and strengthen the #myvibrantlife community.
- I DO have some gift guides coming this week and will be doing my Black Friday coverage on my Facebook Page and my Instagram stories like I did last year, so if you want to follow along as I shop ’till I drop, make sure you’re following me there on those platforms.
Chambray Dress: Thrifted via ThredUp (Similar here) | Leggings: Zella Live In High-Waisted Leggings | Booties: StitchFix | Hat: Smith’s
Currently in my Shopping Cart
While I’m definitely saving up for Black Friday, I do have a few things in my shopping cart right now that I’m considering hitting the “purchase” button on:
These Cozy Boots – I saw these in an Amazon ad while scrolling through my facebook and just decided they looked so cozy and would be great for winter time. I’m pretty much an addict when it comes to anything remotely sherpa-like, so these boots definitely are on the top of my “to-order” list. I like that they have a little bit of a heel to them, as well, but look like they would be easy to walk in if it is snowing out.
This Varsity Henley– I’m still kind of on the fence when it comes to the henley trend, mainly because I’ve always been self-conscious about any tops that have buttons down the front. Having a bigger bust always made buttons pull awkwardly when I was younger and I never wanted to draw attention to that part of myself. Anyway, this henley is a bit oversized, so I don’t think I’ll have to worry about any awkward pulling and I love the Rust color. Plus, it just looks so cozy and perfect for work from home days!
Snug Life Sweatshirt – Okay, I did hit “checkout” on this one, because every Sunday morning, Dustin and I have a Sunday Snoozie Snugfest where we get both dogs in the bed with us and just snuggle for an hour. It’s my favorite part of the week and since this sweatshirt is currently on sale for $19.97, I just hit the checkout button and didn’t look back. PLUS, it will look so cute with any red PJ bottoms or joggers during the holidays, so it’s a win/win/win.
It feels SO good to have finally written a blog post again, and to have shared what’s going on! I can’t wait to get back into the swing of things and to finally share ALL the holiday content and ALL the style guides I’ve been sitting on for months!
I’d love to know what you’ve been up to in the comments below!
