FROCKTOBER – WEEK 4 And Some Words of Wisdom to Be Kind to Yourself

As FROCKTOBER comes to a close this week, I’m hoping 3 things come from it:

1-That I helped raise some money and awareness for ovarian cancer research;

2-That my Instagram photos–as stressful as they were for me to pick outfits and to take sometimes–didn’t bore you too much, and,

3-That you take away that you can feel beautiful no matter your shape or size.

Over the last several months, I have been battling hip and back pain, which has prevented me from exercising like I used to. It’s frustrating & maddening and I am carrying around some extra weight that I desperately want to get rid of. I’ve started doing yoga, and am seeing where that takes me. I can’t look at a plate of pasta without gaining weight.

So, here’s the thing. We all have to fight little battles every day. Take them one day at a time.

In the meantime, be good to yourself, because truthfully, we love you just as you are, tight pants and all.

Thank you for following along with me this year. 😘

Day 22

“So when you’re cold
From the inside out
And don’t know what to do,
Remember love and friendship,
And warmth will come to you.” –
Stephen Cosgrove
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I love these chilly days. By far, October, November, and December are my favorite months of the year. I always feel so surrounded by love and hope and inspiration during these months. So, I broke out the fur in today’s #ootd. Beef soup is on the stove and I will curl up with season 6 of Doc Martin this week. Stay warm and cozy, my friends!

Day 23
“I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house.”- Nathaniel Hawthorne
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My daughter is reading The Scarlet Letter, so I thought this would be appropriate for this morning’s quote. Plus, one of the new characters in my book is named Nathaniel.
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Today’s #ootd features a red plaid skirt from @cabiclothing and a wrap from @shopthecottagesp … Boots from @boden_clothing.

Day 23
“The most dangerous drinking game is seeing how long I can go without coffee.” -Anonymous
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I had @elizabeth_johnson3 and my husband cracking up with my ode to coffee. ☕️ I told them that I sometimes go to bed at night content to know that I will wake in the morning and have a delicious cup of coffee. Neither one can understand my passion for it as neither one of them drinks coffee. Such a shame. They truly do not know what they are missing; each sip is a delight. And my #yeti keeps it hot the whole commute to work. Brilliant. 👍🏼😘💕
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This fashion photo, therefore, is a tribute to two things: coffee and leggings. ‘Tis the season to be totally comfy when not at work! Wearing mine today with over-the-knee boots from @dsw.

Day 24
“Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way to live.” —Gianni Versace
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I’m excited to host tonight’s workshop on building your online brand with Chip Rouse. We love working with our students and getting them ready to start their careers after college. Tonight’s workshop will focus on building a website, how to use LinkedIn to your advantage, and tips on social media. It was exciting to see the workshop fill up. We look forward to working with the students. @47_house @chiprouse @stevensonuniversity .

Dress from Mod Cloth.

Day 25
“Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.” – Emily Bronte
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Thanks to all the students who came out last night for our workshop. It’s always great to see students gaining knowledge about a subject outside of class! .
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Today’s #ootd is a red dress from The Limited, coat from Floryday, booties from @dsw.
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Have a great day you all!!

Day 25
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“She would be half a planet away, floating in a turquoise sea, dancing by moonlight to flamenco guitar.” – Janet Fitch
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Turquoise is one of my favorite colors. I’ve fallen in love with it the more I spend time down south, particularly in Hilton Head and Bluffton. This happens to be in Severna Park–it’s precious. This color just makes you feel happy. 😊💕

Jeans from WHBM, Sweater from Forever 21, boots by Naturalizer. Scarf was purchased two Christmases ago in Philadelphia at the Christmas Bazaar.

Day 26
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“Push yourself. Don’t settle. Wear those stripy legs with pride.” – Will Traynor from Me Before You
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What the bag says is true. Every woman wants the bumblebee tights. We are all different. What motivates one of us may not motivate another. But we all should live boldly in this life, as Will suggests in the novel. I love Jojo Moyes’s writing. It’s beautiful, relatable, and inspiring. In fact, it’s so inspiring that this writer and fashion lover bought herself some bumblebee tights….
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Bee inspired…live boldly.

Dress and bag from Target, Booties from Macy’s, Tights from Amazon.

Day 27
“I don’t believe in pessimism. If something doesn’t come up the way you want, forge ahead. If you think it’s going to rain, it will.” – Clint Eastwood
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I agree with Clint Eastwood, but sometimes a little rain is good for the soul, especially when it comes in the form of an impromptu lunch out with your family at @lapostapizzeria in @severnapark. After watching Eat, Pray, Love with my travel writers, it was my moral imperative to dive into some delicious pizza. Oh so good, even if my pants felt a little tight. 😳 Mangia, people, and I hope you get to spend a little time with your family this weekend. Xx

Hunter boots, Nordstrom leggings, sweater and jean jacket from Loft, bag from Target.

Day 28
“Age does not protect you from love but love to some extent love protects you from age.”
– Jeanne Moreau
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All we can do is love people, flaws, mistakes, and all. As we move into the season of love and forgiveness, I am always reminded of the beauty of opening our hearts. When I write my fictional stories, this is a recurring theme of mine. I also believe that we can love people long after the relationship has changed or ended for whatever reason if we keep them in our thoughts…and hearts. Just some #sundaythoughts as #frocktober2018 begins to wind down.

Jeans by Michael Kors, Over-the-Knee boots from DSW, Blouse from WHBM