Cabin Fever

canvas bag, Pullover sweater, Vero Moda denim jeans, Toast grey socks, Forever 21 vegan shoes, Canvas bag, American Eagle Outfitters fedora hat, Charlotte Russe blue shawl, S'well Teak 25oz Bottle, DIANE VON FURSTENBERG The Woman I Wanted to Be Book, Signed Copy

Belated Merry Christmas to you all! Karl and I just returned from a much needed road trip up North. We spent Christmas eve and day with my family in Santa Barbara County, then spent the weekend in one of my favorite cities...San Francisco <3

Ahhh, the weather was phenomenal! Sunny and without a cloud in the sky, yet chilly and crisp. It was ideal for walking around and exploring the Marina District and Pacific Heights. 

We arrived in SF on Friday afternoon just in time for a late lunch. We stumbled into The Butler and the Chef <---A definite must-try! We split a burger and butter lettuce salad. They had a seasonal drink called "The Hog Nog", which was essentially egg nog doctored up, spiked with rum and chilled to perfection. 

We spent the later portion of the day walking around the boutiques on Union Street and I happen to find coffee heaven; it's name was Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters. Not only was the small shop adorable, it also offered the experience of sitting at their drip bar. Pretty cool touch for any coffee geek! 

With coffee in hand and a water bottle in the other, we made our way to The Lyon Street Steps, or "Lion Steps" as my friend Cathry refers to them. Karl and I made it to the very top just in time to catch the sunset over the city. It was pretty magical. 

***You can browse more of my SF galavanting on my instagram (@Sheelo)

Tomorrow we are departing on yet another road trip. We will make our way up to a cabin in Mount Laguna to spend NYE with friends. We will also squeeze in a quick visit to Salvation Mountain. I am sure that there will be plenty of hiking, perhaps mountain biking, picture taking, and s'more making ahead of us. 

However you celebrate NYE, make sure you do so with a grateful heart. There is just so much abundance and joy to be noticed in this world. Cheers to another wonderful year had, and many more blessings ahead! 

Xo, Sheel

Understanding Your Purpose & Your Friends Better

A few months back my dear friend Becky and I decided to begin a mini book club...right now the member count is: 2 (her and myself). For our first selection, we opted to read The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. Honestly, the past few weeks have been both emotionally and physically trying, and re-reading this book could not have occurred at a better time. Reading it has given me a sense of peace and a better understanding of God's plan for my life. It has also encouraged me to forgive those in my life that have unintentionally hurt me.

The book has a fabulously simple format; Read a chapter (only about 4 pages in length) each evening and answer the "Question to Consider" at the end of each chapter. The book is meant to be read over a 40 day span (since it is comprised of 40 chapters) with an accountability partner.

Since Becky and I live hundreds of miles apart, we don't have the luxury of meeting up at one another's home to discuss the readings over snacks and tea. Instead, we enjoy our book club virtually! We read a chapter every almost every evening and answer the "Question to Consider" via email. I have to say, this has been a beautiful experience for the both of us. Not only do we get the opportunity to journal our feelings and insights about rather intriguing and personal questions, we get to share our answers with each other. This process has encouraged me to be extremely vulnerable with Becky; In doing so, we are getting to know each other on a deeper and more spiritual level. For that, I am grateful.

I encourage each of you to become more vulnerable with those around you. Developing intimate friendships/ relationships take effort and an element of risk. Afterwards you may find yourself feeling more understood, more supported, and much more connected.

Why not give the virtual book club a try?

High School Advice

This past weekend I traveled back to my hometown to attend my 10-year high school reunion. It was a blast and such a blessing to see how my classmates grew up and accomplished so much.

While in high school I recall thinking: “By 25 years old, I will have all my s*%$ together!” Meaning: I will own my own home, I will have a flourishing career, I will have a new car, etc., etc. Well, the reality is: I was in graduate school working on my Master’s degree until 26, I still drive the same 2001 Honda Civic that I drove in high school, my husband and I currently rent an apartment together (granted we own a condo for investment purposes), BUT guess what... I wouldn’t have it any other way. Life is funny like that.  

In lieu of the reunion, I began thinking of myself back in high school and all the fun I had. As an adult reflecting back, life was definitely a lot less complicated then. Yet, teenagers have a way of making things so dang stressful. Below I have complied a list of advice that I would like to offer my high school self…

Beauty Advice:

-Don’t over-pluck the brows- they will never grow back! And, bold brows are about to make a comeback, just you wait.   

-Appreciate your natural waves- ditch the straightening iron and learn to embrace your wavy locks. Voluminous hair is much more appealing on you than pin-straight hair. Plus, straightening your hair takes too much time, and you could never properly get the back of your head anyways.

Academic Advice:

-Use your school planner- Develop a sense of time management now! You will soon realize the importance of this skill in college when you are taking 17 units, going to track practice, working 20 hours at a part-time job, and juggling a social life. Procrastination becomes a traumatic experience during finals week…trust me.

-“Only boring people get bored”- Remember this motto whenever you begin to feel bored in class, or while doing any activity for that matter. Perspective is immensely important. Your mindset can either create an adventure or an ordeal in any given situation. Use that creative mind of yours to find delight in the mundane.

Social Advice:

-Drinking is overrated: It really is. Don’t feel like you are missing out because your mom didn’t allow you to attend all those ragers. Believe me, you will get enough of those experiences in college. Right now it’s more important that you spend quality time developing meaningful relationships with family and friends. It is those relationships that will get you through life’s ups and downs. 

-Being uncomfortable is good- You didn’t get the same Spanish class as your friends? You have to give a 10-minute class presentation? You didn’t get the elective that you wanted? Oh well…make the most of it! These uncomfortable moments make you more resilient. Being in a class without your friends allows you the opportunity to make new ones. You will realize that doing things that are uncomfortable will push you to grow and eventually become more confident. 

What advice would you give your high school selves?

How was your high school reunion experience?

Xo, Sheel

*Blog post was inspired by Emily at Cupcake & Cashmere.

Valentine's Gift Guide: For the Mrs.

scented candles/ Victoria s Secret victoria secret lingerie / Victoria s Secret thongs panty / Tory Burch ballet flat / Kate Spade crossbody handbag / Kate Spade stud earrings / Jo Malone body cleanser / Opi nail polish, $19 / OPI nail polish, $19 / Nearly Natural artificial flower / Eclectic by Tom Dixon scented candle, $105 / The Paris Wife

"Let me treasure you…" Sorry, Bruno Mars' Superbowl half time performance is still in my head. I kinda have a thing for him. That smile…

Anyways, Happy Monday! There are only 11 days until Valentine's Day, and I thought I'd create a gift guide filled with romantic picks. Last time I was in San Francisco I stumbled upon a quaint little chocolate shop in the Haze Valley. It happen to be my husband's birthday weekend, so I hand selected a box of their interestingly-rare chocolates. They carry unique flavors such as: jalapeño, pistachio, rose water, and salted caramel. Sooooo good! In my opinion, no guy can go wrong with the good 'ol box of chocolates and long stem rose pair. But, if you want to take it a step further, throw in a little something extra. 

Cropped

You might have noticed that shorter hair has been trending as of late. But hair is not the only thing getting shorter; Tops are too! Crop tops that slightly expose your mid drift seem to be everywhere! It's true, trends always come back to life. 

My thoughts: I kinda dig it! There is something so carefree and relaxed about the look. In my opinion, crop tops pair best with pencil skirts, or long flow-y ones. Now, I just gotta be bold enough to put one of these babies on!  

It's Been Awhile

This post comes after many, many months of evolution. My evolution. This past September, I walked down the aisle to greet my fiancé, and walked back down as his wife. It's been the most joyful day of my life, thus far. I never imagined myself this happy, nor could I have ever predicted the soothing sense of security marriage could offer. I love us so much.

After coming back from our honeymoon, I fell back into the grind of things. To be honest, work became work. For a moment, I lost sight of that balance I had always prided myself for incorporating into my life. Frankly, I was pooped! After a couple of months of working my buns off, I realized something…I needed to stop, smell the flowers, and continue to focus on them. My goals were going to be achieved, just not within that moment, and that was okay. Ahhhhh…*sigh of relief*

As of late, I have been carving out more time to do simple stuff. Stuff like: watch the Bachelor (I know, it's horrible, but hey, at least it's not the Kardashians!), delve into new books, not set my alarm on the weekends, listen to Maxwell's greatest hits on YouTube, dedicate time to friends, and walk around unfamiliar areas of San Diego.

Isn't it funny how not really doing anything "huge", can have such a rejuvenating and satisfying impact?