Fall Season

Fall is definitely in the air. I know it's not September 23rd just yet but I can't wait...so I've officially started to slowly bring out my fall wear with scarves, autumn colors and of course my favorite PSL Chai Latte at Starbucks! 

What are your favorites for fall? I'd love to hear. 

Blogerversary

Hey y'all it's officially my Blogerversary! I can't believe it's been TWO years since I started blogging out of a pastime hobby of mine. So much has happened over these last couple of years... Here are some pics of the best moments ever in a timeline. Enjoy! 

In the beginning...

Our family is finally complete!

Last year's One Year Blog Anniversary!

Stella & Dot Photo Shoot

Well my friends a lot has happened over the last couple of years. Here's to many more fab and awesomeness (as if that's even a word) to come! 

So what's new? Just living an awesome life with my family and slanging jewelry with my latest gig with Stella & Dot. You can find all the latest fashion trends on my site here: www.stelladot.com/astridwilliams. Book your style session and earn free jewelry and accessories. Want to learn how, let's chat! Email me at astridmickens@hotmail.com. I can't wait to hear from you!

Stella & Dot New Fall Launch

Hey y'all, I'm so excited to share with you another fabulous post. In just a couple of days I'll be headed off to Viva, Las Vegas!! Yes, that's right my office hours will be in the sun and fun and hopefully a brief R&R poolside. 

I'll be heading to Las Vegas this week for Hoopla, Stella & Dot's annual Stylists conference. While there, I'll get a chance to see and order samples for the new Fall collection. 

If you'd like to be one of the firsts to see and shop the fall collection,  I've got the following dates available: August 1st, August 8th and August 22nd for next month. If another date works better for you, let me know and I'll see if we can work something out. Get your girls together and I'll bring the wine and jewelry ;-) My hostesses earn hundreds in free product. I'd love to help you get some of these items for free or half off! Here are some sneak peeks of the new Fall line to launch July 21st. Eeek, I'm so excited!!

We're talking about some sizzling hot style for the Fall. I can't wait and I'm sure you can't either. Let's connect soon when I get back. Oh, and I'll be sure to post peeks of the fashion accessories throughout my social media feeds so stay tuned...

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Freestyle Your Life

The Opportunity of a Lifetime 

Hi y'all, I wanted to share a great opportunity if you've ever thought about becoming an entrepreneur on your own terms. Since joining the Stella & Dot community I've learned and grown so much in my personal and professional life. The opportunity as a Stella & Dot Stylist has afforded me the ability to do what I truly love, connecting with great people and friends all while earning additional income. As a Stella & Dot Stylist you can earn on your own terms. It's very exciting to see how easily you can make sales by wearing fashionable jewelry and accessories. 

My Why for joining was to get free jewelry and accessories all while getting in on the phenomenal Stylists perks! I also like the idea of how flexible it is to be present with my family and not impinge on my existing responsibilities. As a Stylist you truly can "free-style" your life by doing as much or as little you choose to do. In addition, to my guilty pleasure for irresistible jewelry I've also been able to provide great opportunities for travel and families trips! What is your "Why?" 

What do you have to lose? Right now, there's an awesome deal going on that's essentially risk free! Join during the month of June for the initial starter fee of $199 and you have the opportunity to get a rebate for your initial starter kit fees. It's a win-win and once in a lifetime opportunity that may not become available again. If you're interested and want to take advantage of this great promo before the end of the month, I'd be more than willing to further discuss with you. So what are you waiting for...act now and earn while you get free jewels!

Here, I've done the math for you. That's over $850 in free jewelry and accessories plus approximately $450 in cash off to boot. That's all for doing something that you'll love. Need I say more! 

Comfortable Chic

Hi Y'all, I'm just sharing some inspiration after reading a blog article online, read more here: http://harperandharley.com/2015/05/how-to-be-chic-and-comfortable-at-the-same-time (sans the heels). I thought I'd share a little bit about myself and style. 

I've given up wearing "high heels" years ago. After working in Corportate America for many years I wore the traditional work uniform. You all know what I mean..."button down cardigans, dress slacks and the ever so uncomfortable high heels." Working long eight hours plus being in Administration Hospital Management (i.e. exempt position) often meant working many long hours and you guessed it on the floor touching basis with my staff and patients. So walking the floors of a large hospital in killer, fierce heels some days took a great toll on me. But, I've realized that my style has morphed into so much more in my transition to a more wholistic and creative lifestyle.

I would capture my style as simply stated, "casual chic." I'm a definite girly-girl and LOVE the feminity of dress and style but I'm also about comfort! So, no more high heels for me! Of course, I would wear a pair if the decorum fits the occasion, but on a day-to-day basis you'll find me in my comfy Toms! I love their cause..."one for one." For every pair of Toms purchased they donate a pair to someone in need. 

So to each her own. I love fashion & style and love to wear my comfy shoes as well! 

Like mommy, like son. Beckham & I matching with our Toms. 

I love this casual chic outfit with my ombré espadrilles. 

Once again you'll find me in my chic, pink Toms.

Looking forward to sharing more with you. I hope you all have a great Memorial Day! 

Stella & Dot Trunk Show

Hi Y'all! I hope your week is going great! I want to check in and share what I've been up to lately. I recently became an Independent Stylist with the Stella & Dot company. For those that are unfamiliar with Stella & Dot it's a jewelry company that offers high-end,  gorgeous jewelry and fashion accessories at affordable prices. You can learn more here: www.stelladot.com/astridwilliams. I love the concept of the company as it promotes its jewelry through the chic and trendy concept of hosting "Trunk Shows" at home. This is where the fun begins...you gather your girlfriends, family, coworkers, kids teachers, etc. well you get the point! And have FUN shopping the lastest coveted fashionable jewelry and accessories in the comfort of your home or at a "pop up shop."

So, this past weekend I held my Debut Trunk at my home. I was a little nervous, but it sure was fun! I had a pretty good mix of old High School friends, college roommate, close family members, bosses, sorority sisters and my husband's friends wives. It was a pretty good turnout and just right so everyone had and opportunity to try on samples and look through our season's Look Books. 

Here's some pictures of the Trunk Show at my residence. 

We had such a fun shopping experience while eating fine cheeses, sipping on fresh lemonade and San Pellegrino. But don't fret if you feel left out you can still shop my Trunk Show now until June 6th here: http://www.stelladot.com/ts/jp876. 

Oh, and the bonus is the special promotion going on now is "Dot Dollars" now through June 15th. For every $50 you spend you get $25 back! So if you spend $100 you get $50 back to use on a future purchase starting June 25th. So go online I'm sure you'll find something you like or create a "wish list" of some things you'd like to purchase.

Happy Shopping, my friends!!!

How to Get Organized: Plan Your Life

Hey y'all! Happy Wednesday! I hope your week is going well. I'm so glad it's mid week and almost Friday. I have been busy trying to stay afloat with all the projects I have going on. 

With that being said, I would like to note I've also started a blog on my business website at A Happy Nest Concierge. It's in the beginning stages and I'm trying to decide whether to consolidate with this blog, keep it separate or start a whole new Blog on Word Press. I'll keep you posted as to what I decide but in the meantime you can also check me out there as well, for useful life and home information at www.ahappynest.org.

So getting started with the focus of this post on getting organized. I can't tell you how important it is as a wife, mother, daughter, business owner, etc. so here's some tips to "Get yo' Life On Order!"

Get Organized! 

Manage your time, simplify your life and live your true priorities with a weekly plan. Today I'm sharing specific details on how I plan my week.

Set A Planning Time

Organizing doesn’t happen by accident. We have to choose to be intentional with the way we spend our time or our lives are hijacked by the many distractions around us and we may even live our lives according to others priorities rather than our own.                                                               

I have found that the most effective way to live my true values is to make an appointment with myself every week to pray, think and plan. Setting a consistent time each week creates a habit and makes it much more likely that I will sit down and do the few minutes of work necessary to plan my week. In the past I planned my week on Sunday evening but most recently I find that Saturday mornings work best for my current season of life and the fact that I am a weekend-get-it-done person.

*Find a time each week when you can have 30 minutes alone with your calendar and your thoughts.

Decide Your Priorities

There are some items on everyone’s list that must be done for life to function. Around our house those include:

• Grocery shopping because my family will loudly complain if there is no food in the house;
• Laundry because clean clothes are a necessity;
• Dishes because I can't stand a messy home.

I also need to plan meals for the week, kids activities and business related functions.

All of these tasks are necessary but other items are actually more important even though they scream less loudly like being present with my little one who is experiencing his terrible twos or having fun with my family so that our family unit can stay strong. I have to plan “relationship” time alone with my family members to ensure that I am spending time on what really matters.

Choose a Planner

There are many planner options available. I prefer to use a written planner because it meets my need for an artistic outlet but there are many more technologically advanced ways to plan including phone apps. I find that simple is better so don’t think that a planner with all the “bells and whistles” is necessarily better. Try several systems and find what works with your personality and lifestyle.

*Try several planning systems to find what works best for you.

Schedule Everything

Making a list of tasks to complete is only half of the planning process. You need to schedule times to accomplish those tasks. I personally am not a “by-the’hour” planner. I loosely schedule every item on my priority list but without specific times. For example, I know that grocery shopping will happen on Wednesday after we finish school but I don’t have a specific time because I have to see how our day goes. Of course life does not go according to plan much of the time, but I am much less stressed if I have a general plan to follow. 

Check Your Plan

All of this planning will be of no help to you if you don’t consult your planner and follow the plan. If you use your phone to organize, set alarms to remind you of important appointments and tasks that need to be accomplished. Create a habit of checking your plan first thing in the morning, throughout the day and just before bed to make sure you don’t miss anything.

*Create a habit of checking your planner throughout the day.

So those are my tips on stating organized. I hope they were helpful. Drop me a line below of you would like to share how you stay organized. I'd love to hear your tips! 

Chai Tea Lattes

Hey y'all, Happy Weekend!! I'm really excited about this post. If you know me you know why! I'm a fanatic about tea and I love my Chai tea lattes. I was scrolling through Pinterest and came across this recipe for chai tea ice cubes by "Will Cook for Friends". I'm no stranger to lattes and iced tea lattes are my fave!

I love to wrap my hands around a nice hot chai in the winter, but in the summer months I prefer a cooler option. That’s where these super-concentrated chai iced tea cubes come in. Just add a couple cubes to a glass of milk (or dairy-free substitute such as Almond milk), and you’ve got a refreshing glass of iced chai tea.

In the recipe it used an English Breakfast tea, from the company Arbor Teas. You can make your chai with whatever black tea you like, but this is definitely one of my favorites. The quality of the tea makes all the difference!

Here's the recipe via the website:

Chai Iced Tea Cubes 

Makes about 2 cups (gluten-free, easily made vegan)

2 1/2 cups water
1 whole star anise
1 whole cinnamon stick
3-4 whole cloves
4-5 whole black peppercorns
4-5 cardamom pods, cracked
2-3 thin shavings of fresh ginger root (I used a vegetable peeler)
1/4 cup + 2 TBSP turbinado sugar (or sucanat, or light brown sugar)
3-4 TBSP loose leaf black tea (or 4-5 tea bags)

For serving: 4-5 cups whole milk (or your favorite vegan alternative – coconut would be nice!)

Method
1.   In a medium saucepan, combine the water, whole spices, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then cover and remove from the heat. Let steep anywhere from 5-15 minutes, depending on how strong you like the spices to be.
2.   Return to the heat and bring to a boil. Add the tea, remove from the heat, and let steep for another  5-7 minutes.
3.   Strain out the tea and spices. If you’d like to make a regular batch of chai, add the milk and serve immediately. To make the chai iced tea cubes, let the mixture cool, then pour into an ice-cube tray and freeze.
4.   To make an iced chai latte, add 2-3 ice cubes to a glass of milk (about 1/4 cup of milk per cube). The tea will get stronger the longer it sits and the more the ice cubes melt. Garnish with a dash of cinnamon, and enjoy!

Let me know what you think!!

Sunday, Funday

Hey y'all Happy Sunday! I hope your weekend was eventful. I thought I'd check in to share the highlights of my my weekend in review. Here are some of the pics from this past weekend.

Weekend Highlights 

Lazy start to my Saturday weekend. Starbucks with my new coffee cozi (purchased on Etsy) and a good read. 

Hey, I love my Hunter's so much I styled them here at our entryway with some grocery store roses. Such a nice welcoming view. 

Hey, just me out and about running errands. The Mr. had the kids so I took full advantage of this free "Me-time"!!!

Later Saturday evening the hubs and I went out to dinner with a group of friends. I ordered a pear martini. It was called the 'Perfect Pair,' how appropriate for the evening?

Here's my view Sunday morning before going to church with the family. It couldn't be more perfect! 

Ugh, that feeling I get late Sunday evening around 8PM. I really do think I'm allergic to Monday mornings.

Well I hope you all had a great weekend and here's to another week on the grind! 

I Really Should...

I Really Should Blog More

Hey y'all I'm sure you all can agree 2014 was a good year; and I plan on making 2015 even better. I really should blog more. I know I've been slacking!! My plan this year is to dedicate more time on the blog to sharing inspiration and tidbits of my life that hopefully you all can relate to. 

I'd like to hear from you all on what you would like to hear or see more on the blog in the new year. Feel free to drop me a line below in the comments. I'd love to hear what inspires you all most! 

Until next time...

Happy New Year

Hey y'all I hope your holiday season was great. I'm looking forward to a happy and prosperous NEW YEAR! Over the holidays my family and I took a road trip to good Ole' Georgia to visit family. 

The whole gang and I jumped in the car and drove across country to Atlanta. We spent a good amount of time visiting, relaxing and enjoying our time with family. Here are some pictures from our trip.

Of course, I had to have dinner at one of my favorite spots. Here I am with my cousin Minashia at The Cheesecake Factory for dinner. 

I even managed to fit in a workout at Pure Barre located in Snelleville. It was my first time and it was challenging but great.

I visited  Whole Foods, one of the finest  grocery stores in Atlanta area. Their Whole Foods market did not disappoint.

They had a variety of different ice creams and gelatos to choose from. This was great because I love ice cream and trying new flavors.

I chose the Basil Gelato. Can we say it was heaven. Yum!! It had fresh basil in it too! I'd definitely recommend it. Trust me!

I also visited Pappadeaux Restaurant in Alpharetta, GA. We did the New Year's Brunch. It was my first time at Pappadeaux and I loved it. You know I love me some seafood gumbo!

Their Hibiscus Lemonade was great too.  

Here's the Mr.  and I celebrating New Year's Eve with my Sister-in-law and her husband. Cheers!!

We visited the infamous Underground in Atlanta. 

I got my usual candy apples that I get each trip. My cousin Kendra and I have been getting these for years since we were little girls. So I decided to pick up a few for my Littles.

On our way home we stopped at another one of the Restaurants to try on my Bucket List. We ate at Cracker Barrel in Albiene, TX (I hope I got that right). The food was good and the hospitality was great. It had good ole' southern charm. I ordered cheese grits, hash brown casserole and turkey bacon. Mmmm!

Here's a picture of the entry into the restaurant. 

The ride home was a long three-day ride.  We stopped a few times along the way but it was mostly vast land (nothing to write home about). Here's my attempt to get a scenic view in Mississippi. 

Here's a picture of the Welcome Center in Louisiana  once you've entered across the state line. 

I knew we were almost home when we saw the ever so familiar windmills in Palm Springs. This scenic view is a reminder that we were close to home.

Overall, we had a great trip. The kids enjoyed themselves and I enjoyed spending time with my family. It's not often that we take a trip back south. It was a first for a family cross country road trip and we survived!! That of course my friends means that I'm ready to tackle what the New Year has to bring!

I wish you all a joyous New Year!!