Hey There, Chelsie

The thing about blogging is that sometimes I get it in my head that all of my content has to be amazing and helpful and useful and then I feel like I can’t just sit down and just write to say hello. While I want most of my blog content to be helpful and useful, I also want everyone who stumbles across HTC to know that I’m a real person with an imperfect life (even if Instagram shows otherwise.) I want to bring back my monthly series where I just write to say hello, catch you up on my life, and chit-chat about anything and everything that I think you should know about (but doesn’t warrant a whole blog post.) So hopefully, these posts still are kinda helpful?

Life Chit-Chat

• Dustin and I surprised my mom with a round-trip ticket to come visit us in Utah for Mother’s Day and she finally came last Tuesday and flew out yesterday. I don’t know who was more excited to see her, me or Rosie (she has a very special connection with Roo.) It was so fun to show her our new house and to take her around Utah. All of my siblings and their spouses came down from Idaho for the weekend and stayed at the house and we went to a water park and had a big BBQ in my back yard. It was so fun to be with so much family (but also exhausting.)

• I made sure to take advantage of my mom’s green thumb while she was here and had her help me in my gardens. She helped me pull all the weeds from my second garden bed, pick out plants that would survive the 6 hours of direct sunlight in the morning, and she helped me plant them. We also got rid of the VILE NASTY POKEY (see here) and it is such a relief to not have that thing in my yard.
• The big news of the month is that I’m starting a new job on Monday! I am really sad to be leaving my current company as their HR assistant, but I couldn’t say no to the pay raise and the shortened commute at my new company. I’ll be working as a corporate recruiter (and it’s still part time, so I’ll be able to work on my blog in the afternoons!)
• Dustin and I have COMPLETELY finished my office re-design and I can’t wait to unveil it to you in the coming weeks. Thank you to all who helped me decide on a paint color!
• As you can see above, Teddy got his first hair cut and looks like a poodle! I know it will help him stay cool this summer, but I can’t wait until he looks more like a doodle again.
• I recently had all of my scans and tests done (minus one) to see if I’m still in remission. It’s always a pretty stressful and scary time to have these tests done and this time it was even more nerve-wracking because I officially have transitioned to a new team of doctors here in Utah. I really trust my team back in Boston, so it was hard to see new doctors who hadn’t been with me since the beginning. Thankfully, they were all really great and answered a lot of my questions about this stage of my survivorship. Once I have my last test completed by the beginning of August, I’ll know if I’m still 100% in remission, but it’s looking really good right now!

Let’s chat about that Nordstrom Sale

I know, I know, every blogger, their mother, and their dog has written about the Nordstrom Sale. I purposefully have NOT written about it until now because I didn’t want to add more to your newsfeed about it. But, I did pick up a few things from the sale and figured I would share them with you here in case you were interested in what I’ve snagged. Most of my orders will be here by the end of this week and IF you are interested, I will do a try-on post for HTC. If you are tired of seeing Nordstrom Sale posts, let me know and we’ll skip it.

Catherine Maladrin Fit & Flare Coat – This is my splurge item, but since I got rid of all my winter coats when we moved to Arizona, I figured I should invest in a quality one to get me through a few winters in Utah. I like that this one is edgy and girly and definitely more work/church appropriate.

Lush Perfect Roll Tab Sleeve in Quail – I already have two of these tops in other colors and love how flattering they fit and how well they layer. Plus, it’s under $30.00, so it’s a great deal.

Caslon Knit Blazer in Black – My new job’s dress code is a bit dressier than where I’m at now, so I figured it would be good to grab a blazer. This one is under $40.00 and is knit, so I’m hoping it will be more comfortable to wear compared to other blazers.

Dreamers by Debut Forward Seam Tunic Sweater in Tan – This sweater looked so cozy and comfortable and would pair great with leggings. It was under $30.00, so I definitely put one in my cart to try on.

BP. Seamed Moto Leggings in Olive Green – I’m not even kidding, I tried to order these exact leggings for OVER A MONTH last winter and they were always sold out in my size. I grabbed these the SECOND I saw them and if they fit well, I will probably order the other two colors. You can never have enough moto leggings.

BaubleBar Abbie Tiered Y-Choker – This has already sold out twice but I was able to order it when it came back online (even though it was back ordered.) I’m not going to lie, this is a little more than I typically spend on jewelry, but I saw Jaclyn Hill wearing it and LOVED it on her. It was just one of those things that I had. to. have.

Sole Society Susan Faux Leather Tote – I’m really excited about this bag. I had a really beautiful leather tote that I got when I first got married, but it has seen better days. I know I need to get rid of it, but I really wanted to find a replacement and I knew that this was it when I saw it.

BP. Lightweight Rib Stitch Cardigan in Oatmeal – This sweater is only $31.00 and I’m kicking myself for not ordering it in grey, as well. I think it’s going to be perfect for layering in the fall and winter and classy enough to wear in my office.

Zella Lexi High Waist Relaxed Leggings – This wasn’t a NEED for my closet, but they just looked so comfty that I wanted to order them and try them on. I would really like to get rid of about 40 pairs of sweatpants, but want a nice pair to replace them.

Halogen V-Neck Tunic Tee in White – I loved the cut of this tee and want to replace the three white v-necks I have right now because they are all stained and yucky.

Note – I normally do not shop at Nordstrom because, as Kathleen Lights would say, ‘Das Esspensive. However, I currently am trying to revamp my closet to include more classic quality pieces that I can wear for a long time and felt like some of the deals at the Nordstrom Sale were too good to pass up. I don’t know if I’m keeping everything, but I ordered everything I was remotely interested in because Nordstom has free shipping and returns, so why the heck not?

Things worth chatting about:

.eb Wellness – Some really good friends of mine recently started up a company called .eb Wellness to support and raise awareness for those struggling with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, or mental illness. I opened up on my Instagram last night about my fight with PTSD and anxiety (check it out here if you want to learn more about my story) and wanted to share their amazing cause on the blog as well. Proceeds from every shirt go towards organizations dedicated to helping those experiencing depression or anxiety.

The cool thing about these shirts is that the word “strong” is actually printed backward so that when you look at your reflection, you can read the word! If you want to be part of this movement, you can check out their shirts here and order one before they close this round of orders!

HTC Catch-Up

In case you missed it, here are the blog posts that went up on HTC over the last few weeks:

• Spring 2017 e.l.f. Cosmetics – First Impressions and Review
• Makeup Vanity Necessities – The HiMirror Plus
• The Carr Home: Lessons as First-Time Homeowners V.1
• Five Favorite Products + Playlist – June

Phew, that was a lot to catch up on, but it feels good to just take a pause from other kinds of content to say hello. Let me know below if you are interested in a Norstrom Sale Try-On/Final Thoughts post next week and how you have been over the last little while!