Ever since I was a little kid I’ve been collecting things. It started out with erasers. In kindergarten I stole some fast food shaped erasers from the classroom to start off my collection. Years later I would have thousands of different types, sizes, and shapes. Although my eraser collection has been since divided, donated, and used for Oh, Hello purposes, I’m still a collecting nut. These aren’t even all of my collections represented. Let’s not forget enamel pins and squishes shall we?
There’s something so satisfying about collecting. About working towards a goal just for the sake of the process rather than the end result. Collections are glimpses into a person’s passions, interests, and pasts. A lot of my collections I’ve had for years while a few are recent additions. I’m finally saying ‘hello’ to Hello Kitty.
I’ve started as many collections as I’ve quit, but the passion and love for the process hasn’t left. I never feel in a hurry to collect more things either. I’m not out buying the newest Pez dispensers or scouring EBay for anything Rugrats themed. I’m more into an organic acquisition. If I stumble upon something that’ll fit, I may pick it up. I’m not eager to ‘complete’ collections. After that then what’s the point?
My favorite of all my little collections has to be my children’s books. These were my favorites growing up and of course I stole them away to start my own collection. No good collection doesn’t start with some innocent thievery right?
I’m definitely in the business of collecting collections. I’m curious to know what sort of things you collect!
So it’s January 2nd. Are New Year’s Resolutions still a thing? I’m definitely the type to have grandiose plans January 1 and abandon them by March. Yet this year I wanted to really commit to a couple of things I know hands down I can easily stick with. Start small and work my way up to the mega resolutions later on.
Thanks to some really awesome Christmas gifts I have all the tools in order to get started. Right off of my wishlist (this never happens) and better than I could have imagined, the
Disney Collectible Postcards box is going to do a lot more than just sit pretty on my shelf. I lusted after these gorgeous cards showcasing how some of my favorite childhood movies came to life because I want to use them. Sure part of me wants to horde them and collect them all, but a postcard demands to be sent. I want to send all 100 of these gorgeous cards to people throughout the year. I used to write letters like crazy. I still do, but I wanted something to inspire me and encourage me to do it even more. These cards are amazing and I can’t wait to share them with friends and family.
Alex and I love to host events, so this next one would probably happen naturally. I want to expand my cooking and baking skills in 2017 and this seriously amazing
appetizer cookbook will make it loads easier. It has 225 different appetizer recipes and each one has a photo. Done. Nothing will make me try a recipe more than a mouthwatering photo to go right alongside it. By the end of 2017 I want to cook at least two dozen of these recipes for various parties I’m sure we’ll host throughout the year.
That’s it. Those are my two goals for 2017. No fuss and no frills I just want to cook more and stay in touch with family and friends. 2017 feels like the year to strip down all the excess and get back to the things that bring me joy.
What are your resolutions for 2017?
Don’t think I forgot about the wedding posts. I’ve been saving them up, big time. Plus we finally got the final photos so we’re good and ready to get deep into the nitty gritty of the wedding. I’m excited. It’s like reliving the day over and over again.
The details definitely made the wedding so special. Sure I found that I stressed about them more than anything else before the big day, but they’re what really put things over the top. We had so many signs to help guide guests and to include them in the wedding festivities. Finding the signs was a feat in itself and then figuring out what to write on them was an even bigger struggle. Luckily my mom swooped in and had it all under control. My family and my bridesmaids really took a lot of the stress off near the end.
The cake had poppies on it as a nice not-so-subtle wink to Oh, Hello. My garter was Doctor Who themed because that’s how Alex and I started talking. I brought the hat my grandpa always used to wear because he was no longer with us. We took a massive group photo during the reception to remember everyone who came. The extra little effort changed everything.
But my absolute favorite detail I didn’t even know about until the wedding weekend began. My maid of honor Lauren brought Fox in Sox, in a bow tie no less. Story time. Lauren moved to China for the last two years of high school. It was a big blow to me as we were inseparable before that. So I devised a plan. I got us both Fox in Sox stuffed animals to act as a “replacement” of the other person. So whenever we did anything that we would have normally done together, we took photos with our foxes instead. We have photo albums filled with us on our separate adventures holding our foxes. Fox in Sox saved our friendship throughout those years apart and he made an appearance at my wedding and in Lauren’s maid of honor speech. I cried buckets. Sure everyone else didn’t have a clue what was going on, but it was that special moment between me and my best friend that sent the entire magical day over the top.
Just a few of my favorite things from the last month or so.
It’s one thing when life throws you some punches, it’s another when they’re suddenly directed at someone you love. It definitely causes a feeling of helplessness because you can only do so much. I’m currently in the midst of one of these life changes. I’m adjacent to life doing its twisting thing. No one has died fortunately, but it’s an end of an era that didn’t seem like it could end, and definitely not like it did. It’s strange because I would almost prefer it to be happening to me because then I could actively do something about it. But I’ve learned over these past few months of watching the struggle how to help, even if they’re small.
Find out what they need from you without asking. They have enough on their plate and don’t need constant, “if you need anything from me” sentiments sent their way. That always feels like such a half-hearted way to help without having to do anything. Sleuth out the situation and see what kind of help you can be. A shoulder to cry on? A distraction from what’s going on? A place to crash? Figure it out and then offer them clear, helpful assistance rather than a blanket statement anyone can give them.
Be there. So simple, so important. Even if there isn’t a single thing you can do, just being there for the person is helpful. If they live far away, be more active in their life. Call. Write. Let them know that they aren’t alone beyond sending a text.
Help make a plan. Or be a sounding board for them to bounce ideas off of. Ultimately it’s their decision on how they get over the hurdle, but you can definitely be there to help them map out what to do next.
Be a distraction if that’s what they need. Take them out, come over for take-out. It goes along with being there, but sometimes they just don’t want to think about the problem right away and you can be the one to keep their mind off of it.
Know that this too shall pass and bad days don’t last forever.
Things have already looked up in the situation I’m currently in and we’re all getting through the change one day at a time. It’s not what any of us wanted, but we’re making the best of it. And that’s really all you can do in the end anyway.
Prepare yourself for the wedding posts. They’re finally coming. It’s been almost three months from the big day and it honestly felt like it didn’t even happen until our wedding photos arrived just a few days ago. Everything came rushing back in one happy, emotional blur and we got to finally relive the day. It was downright magical.
So here are the highlights. My favorite parts and moments of that amazing blur of a day. My dad walking me down the aisle, the big kiss, officially being married, and dancing the night away. There are so many other, smaller moments I’ll go into detail over in later posts, but I couldn’t help but share these moments first. The wedding was a fairytale without a doubt.
