Luxury Lifestyle Award Winner

I am beyond thrilled to share that I have been selected as one of the top 50 bloggers and influencers for the 2023 Luxury Lifestyle Awards. It is an honor and a sweet surprise to be recognized, especially since I haven’t been able to blog as often as I would like. This acknowledgment motivates me to share more often in this space.

Sometimes I forget the countless hours of hard work, creativity, and commitment that brought me to this point. It has been 13 years of creating and sharing. So, though being chosen as a top 50 blogger and influencer for the Luxury Lifestyle Awards is a total surprise, I am challenging myself to fully embrace and accept the recognition.

I look forward to sharing more fashion, beauty and life with you all.

A Season of Transformation

A long time ago, when I was 25 years old (I’m 38 now), I had the desire to start a blog. I had nothing earth-shattering to say, but I knew I had something to offer the world. So, I created a tiny corner of the Web for my voice, musings, passions - my life.

This blog led to a styling business which led to becoming an influencer which led to being a full-time blogger and creator which led to becoming a Creative Director which led to becoming a Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing. But most of all, this blog led me to my voice and has been a time capsule of my transformation over 13 years into the woman I am proud to be today.

And though, it’s true that it’s only a snapshot of my life and though there are posts on here that were sponsored by brands that I would not have written organically, the combination of blogging and posting on social media for 13 years is is a long enough time to see watch how someone shows up for life, the choices they make, how they say things…To see their integrity, their intention and their impact.

I don’t know if I will see the full impact of this tiny corner of the internet in my lifetime, but I do know that vulnerability (aka sharing) the wins and losses in my life with strangers has transformed my own life, and that’s enough for me to keep it going. As to how that looks, I’m not sure. But it feels good to dust off my digital desk and say hello.

Best Gifts for a Single Parent

The best gifts for single parents come in the form of service. As a single mother of two, I’m always wishing I had another pair of hands or more hours in the day. So, if you’re looking to give a gift that’s more than just a gift card or money (also very helpful) to a single parent, look to gifts that will save them time, offer convenience, and/or lighten the load.

Subscription services, in particular, are some of the best gifts you can give because it’s truly the gift that keeps on giving each month and is reliable. Some of my favorite subscription services to consider gifting are:

Walmart delivery - I love that I can order groceries with ease and they are delivered to my door with a click of a button. I shop at Walmart because you really can’t beat their prices, and they have a good selection of organic produce!

Green Mango Pest Control - This might be a strange gift, but honestly, knowing I don’t have to kill scorpions and spiders by myself is one of the best gifts ever. I love that Green Mango comes to my home on a regular schedule and uses natural pesticides instead of nasty chemicals.

Sweat App - When I can’t make it to the gym (also a great membership gift, especially ones with childcare), I use the Sweat app for challenging at-home workouts. There’s something for everyone with this app including meal plans.

ClassPass - Such a great subscription service that not only offers fitness classes but gives you access to beauty salons, acupuncture, massage, and other wellness services. The user can pick and choose how and when they want to use their class pass points.

Amazon Subscribe & Save - Talk about convenience, Amazon is known for saving my butt so many times whether it was for a Halloween costume for school or Christmas presents for the kids, or even coffee…This is a very practical, much-appreciated gift!

Sunbasket - Coming home after work, doing homework with the kids, getting them into the bath…Home-cooked meals are challenging for me. A meal subscription is a great gift for a busy parent. I like that Sunbasket offers healthy options with farm-fresh ingredients.

DYPER - Diapers are one of the biggest expenses of raising a child. Not to mention, they are one of those things that you NEVER want to run out of. There were so many times that I had to pack the kids in the car just to run to the store to get diapers. Save the bum and save the planet with a DYPER subscription! I work for this company, and I can promise you these diapers are incredible from end to end.;)

Whatever way a gift can lend a hand is truly appreciated. Babysitter money, cleaning services, and lawn care services are also great gifts to consider.

A LETTER TO A GRIEVING WOMAN

Dear _____,

You don’t know me, but I’ve been praying for you and your family since the day you held your baby in your arms and have continued to pray even though you cannot hold your baby in your arms today.

My friend told me you were headed to the ocean to escape and grieve, and she thought maybe I may have some comforting words for you since I too have escaped to the edges of the earth to grieve.

I have not lost a child, so I don’t want you to think I know how you feel or that there are any words I can say to take your pain away. Words fail in the presence of the greatest grief we can know in this life. And I know that the hundreds of “I’m so sorry’s” or “I’m praying for you’s” or “sending you love’s” feel like nothing right now. So, instead, here’s a story about a trip to the ocean: 

I went to the ocean so life could stand still for a moment and the waves could drown out the noise of my thoughts. 

I went to the ocean to catch my breath and to feel wind and life whip through my hair and across my face because I felt numb. 

I went to the ocean to face the abyss of dark and ominous waters with seemingly no end in sight wondering how in the world I could ever be on the other side of this when prayers and miracles seemed to have failed. 

I went to the ocean for answers from God and to let my endless tears of disappointment and sadness add to their depths. 

I went to the ocean to be held by the warm sun because there was no one else to hold me and my arms couldn’t reach far enough around. 

I went to the ocean because I didn’t know where else to go. It just seemed like a place that was better than anywhere else, especially better than the deafening silence of empty rooms. 

Maybe you are going for one or all of these reasons too. Maybe more. And I’m glad you are. I couldn’t tell you why I was going at the time, but God met me there in it all.

There were no answers to why it all happened, but there was healing just like God always has done with water whether it be a well, a sea, a cup, a murky lake, or a bucket to wash feet. 

I left the ocean knowing:

That this isn’t the end of the story. 

That this wasn’t for nothing. 

That this will be redeemed. 

That this won’t always feel like this. 

That I am not alone.

That God knows and understands. 

That’s the best way I can sum it up. 

It has been four years since that first trip, and I continually go back to that shore with the same sunsets and the same views like a ritual of remembrance. And ever since I went back the first time, it has felt like I am standing on the other side of the Red Sea astonished as to how I got to the other side. It’s spectacular and miraculous and a place I now dream of living one day.

So, my prayer for you is that the depths of the ocean meet the depth of your pain. And that the depths of your pain meet the depths of God’s peace and compassion. And that the depths of peace are displayed in the sun, the wind, and the water. And that you leave with enough hope in your pockets to sustain you until your next visit. 🌊

Peace be with you, 

Alex 

Journey to Alignment: Trusting in Divine Timing

My dear friend Sam Harper has launched an incredible and supportive podcast called ‘Journey to Alignment.’ The goal of the podcast is to share various journeys of healing and finding true self and the wisdom that comes along the way.

Sam is an executive coach with a background in social work and therapy. She is also a single mother and an incredibly stylish human. She asked me to be on her podcast and share my journey to my own alignment. Though I’m still a work in progress (spoiler alert), I was happy to share what I have discovered so far.

I hope you enjoy listening to my experience. I hope that it encourages you along your healing journey, especially if you are someone that is healing after divorce. Just remember to take it one day at a time.

Check out the podcast here.