Here are my top picks for jean jackets. I like a little detail on mine and truthfully we might be living in the era that likes distressed and torn but I have a feeling I'm going to find myself wearing that look for a few years! I like the fact that it can turn a feminine dress into something a little funkier - that's just my personal style preference.
MADEWELL
SHOPTIQUE
L'AGENCE
THE GAP
I think taking the time to find a great jean jacket that will work great throughout the years isn't a bad idea! Also, when you order it make sure you try it on with anything from a sundress to a pair of white cut off shorts to perhaps a pair of Happy Pants! I promise, this piece of clothing will work for years to come!
Here is my favorite way to style a jean jacket! With a flowy sundress and sandals! Easy peasy, comfortable and totally put together! A mom's dream outfit!
You can click on the pictures and snag the styles right up!
Happy Shopping!
XOXO!
Marcy
]]>My body has been feeling "off" lately. Bloated, sick more often than usual, brain fog, a random rash popping up on my forearm...just not feeling great these days. So I decided to kick-off a body reset by going all in on this!
Six and a half years ago ( I was 6 months postpartum) I did a 5-day juice cleanse and it truly changed the way I felt and helped aid with losing the extra baby weight. After that cleanse, I did a Whole30 and it was truly transformative for my health and my body.
This cleanse was far easier than the last one, mostly because I did not have to physically juice myself which is super time-consuming. Thank you Clean Juice for making life so much easier this time around!! Juicing clean-up is a hassle and the all-organic ingredients in their juices made me feel secure that this was the best option for me this time around - not to mention the cute packages that tell you the benefits of each Juice. If you are considering embarking on this journey, I would recommend using Clean Juice to make this the easiest juice cleanse evah. If you have never done a cleanse...start with a 2-day and work up to a 5-day cleanse in small increments over a few months.
I have done a few 3-day cleanses since moving to our new house last May and it really felt so much easier to do the 5-day cleanse this time around. If you are curious about what to expect on a cleanse, I documented my 5 days below.
Day 1: Honestly felt great all day. At 3 PM was when the hunger started to kick in. By 5:30 PM I was extremely tired and ready for bed. My husband was out of town so I fed the kids (P.S. having to cook while on a juice cleanse is by far the HARDEST part of the whole thing :) so if the hubby is home have him figure dinner out for the kids). I put the kids down at 7:30 and I was in bed and asleep by 8 PM! Slept like a baby...first time in weeks. I did incorporate a short 2-mile run to this day so I made sure I drank all my juices.
Day 2: Felt GREAT! More energy for sure. Might be because I slept a full 8 hours. Had energy all day and wasn't hungry. Found it hard to drink all 6 juices...skipped the 6th juice. Put kids to bed early went to bed early.
Day 3: Woke up energized, felt energized all day. Was starving for dinner. Did not drink all my juices but felt great besides feeling hungry (hungry because I did not drink all my juices - friends, drink all your juices...keep the hunger at bay). I ran this day and felt really great in terms of energy.
Day 4: FELT AMAZING! Had a GNO with a few friends and did not know it was a full on cocktail and dinner event. I was the crazy pants not eating or drinking. Had a fun night and felt great. Went to bed waaay past my bedtime. LOL.
Day 5: Woke up and felt amazing again. A little tired from the late night, yes 11PM is late for me. Thought it was a good idea to play tennis with friends at 9:30 AM in the Florida heat and it kicked my butt later that day. I think I was dehydrated from the sun and did not drink enough juices throughout the day so felt sort of drunk if that makes sense. I think this was because I literally was dehydrated. But after I got more juice, water and laid down for a bit I felt better.
My recommendations: drink every single juice on the cleanse that Clean Juice provides. If Clean Juice isn't in your price range but really want to juice at home, I followed the ALPHA RESET on my first cleanse. Fill up the empty juice container with water after you finish it and make it a point to drink two of those before the next juice. If you are going to exercise keep it indoors and keep it low intensity. I think resting as much as possible is probably the best idea but listen to your body. I felt great working out but you need to listen to your body above all else. When you bring food back into your diet, ease into it. Have a small piece of grilled chicken breast (not too seasoned) with a light vegetable or salad...I would do this for a few days post-cleanse.
I had eggs with spinach and mushrooms for breakfast after my cleanse. That kept me full for the majority of the day believe it or not. The scale said I lost 4lbs (still haven't hit my post 3rd baby weight and she's almost 3 LOL). But it wasn't about the scale...it was seriously about feeling better. I decided to do this cleanse with my mom (who is 57 and has never done one). She had been having tachycardia and sudden spikes in blood pressure (which is super uncommon for her) so I felt she needed this just as much as me. I have to say, she did amazing! She felt so much better and really realized that food is medicine! She started going for walks and is excited about going back to our old way of eating (more paleo, less processed).
If you go with Clean Juice, drink the juices that they recommend on the cleanse. I modified mine because I had already done a few 3-day cleanses and knew which juices did not sit well with my stomach so I subbed them out. If you can try the juices one by one before you do this, I would suggest you do that so you know which ones give you a stomach ache. This isn't about "tasting" good. They are formulated to give you exactly what your body needs...it's about listening to your body and seeing how it feels after it consumes each one.
If you have any questions about this cleanse, comment below. I am happy to give you any suggestions or cheer you on if you decide to do one. I am not a nutritionist or doctor so be sure if you have any medical conditions that you ask your doctor before going all out on a cleanse.
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Perfect White T-Shirt Must Haves :)
1. Fit - Fit is a biggie for me, I like relaxed but feminine all at once...most t-shirts are boxy and unflattering.
2. Fabric (this is a big deal for me AS WELL! If there are holes in it by the first wash it's a no for me, most times a cotton blend is the way to go for durability)
3. Shrinkability (or lack thereof). I literally cannot stand when you happen to accidentally throw your t-shirt in the driver and it fits your 6-year-old son after it comes out. No bueno.
4. Details. I like when they add a puff sleeve, pocket, raw edge some funky element to a basic staple.
So because I'm kind of a BIG fan of popping on my HAPPY PANTS with the perfect t-shirt, I went ahead and rounded up a few of my favorites. Click on the picture and it will take you straight to shop the look. OH and they are having a BIG SALE so here is your chance to stock up (I know I did...LOL).
You want a t-shirt that stands the test of many washes and goes from fun day out with the kiddos to side-tucked inside a cute pair of pants/jeans for a night out with the hubby or friends!
A.L.C. KATI TEE
A.L.C. KARLIE TEE
MADEWELL WHISPER COTTON V NECK
VELVET WHITE TEE
Here is a picture of me showing you how you can style a simple white t-shirt, with a fun pair of pants. You can wear this to drop the kids off at school OR add some fun jewelry and you have the ultimate date-night ready outfit! Simple. Easy. Chic and Comfortable!
XOXO!
Marcy
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Click on the photo and it will take you straight to shop :)
Sanibel Platform Wedge Sandal
Raine Platform Espadrille Sandal
Barca Espadrille Wedge Sandal
Alida Espadrille Platform Wedge
Hope this inspired you to add a touch of pink to your closet!
XOXO!
Marcy
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As I mentioned in my last email, our February intention is to Declutter. This week we are going to declutter our HOME. Now, I am not going to go the full-on Marie Kondo method with you! I feel anxiety building up as I think of pulling everything out of every room at once. Busy moms often times don't have the capacity in their days for that...so let's cut ourselves some slack and start small (remember small tasks/steps daily build up to big change).
This week we will pick 2 areas of your home you will declutter! Those areas can be the kitchen or bathroom counters, your closet, kitchen drawers, pantry! Just pick two areas! Once you know what you are going to tackle we are going to take 3 days to fully declutter one area and 3 days to tackle the next (Sunday's are for Jesus - take a break). Spend two uninterrupted hours a day doing each area (maybe during naptime or when the kiddos are in school). Put on music, a podcast, an audiobook - whatever motivates you...just give yourself two hours (if you have more than two hours bravo!). When a determined mama can focus for two hours she can tackle anything! If your kiddos aren't napping find a time in your day (maybe after bedtime) to get your two hours in...perhaps even include them if necessary - they might enjoy it!
What you need to know is clutter in your home can cause massive amounts of mental distractions. It is often a result of other underlying things we keep putting off in life or an indicator of areas in our lives that need more of our attention. Clutter is also an emotional pitfall, where we hang on to things because we have an emotional attachment with the item. We need to release the emotional energy from items in our home that are not serving us in our current season and in doing so we are opening up to receiving what we truly need.
This doesn't mean clean out to go buy more - nope. It means that if you are holding onto things for the wrong emotional reason...you are not opening yourself up to healing that area of your life. Back in February of last year when I wanted to initially do this challenge I researched a lot about clutter and the psychology behind it and all arrows point to holding things to not let go of memories, hurts, or the possibility of getting back what you have lost. One of the best examples is holding on to clothes that don't fit you right now in hopes you'll "lose" the baby weight...friend, let me encourage you to let it go. Give yourself permission to love your current body. This doesn't mean the weight is NEVER going to come back, it just means that if you have been holding on to that pair of jeans for 5 years hoping to one day fit into them - I encourage you to release them...start fresh, the steps to getting the body back will start another month.
Who is ready for Monday?
XOXO!
Marcy
P.S. If you are joining me, email me at hello @ kaiyadesigns.com with what two areas you are going to tackle this week! Remember cheer yourself and your accomplishment on at the end of the two hours!!
How many of you have been hooked on the new Netflix series with Marie Kondo? Everyone is watching it and making use of her skillset to transform their living spaces. Last year, I wanted to do a declutter challenge with you guys. But as the story goes, life got in the way and I did not have the time to put out what I was working on myself. In a way, I’m glad that I lived through the process myself first so I could be a better guide for you guys this time around.
What I found over the last year is that there are more areas in our lives that need constant decluttering: our home, yes, but also our minds and bodies need to be decluttered. If you will be joining me for this un-official challenge in February I think working through decluttering these areas of your life will truly be a catalyst to creating the best 2019 yet!
You see, we are creatures of habit. And psychologically speaking, we are much happier and successful humans when we create routines. But routines and sticking to them truly relies on having a right mind and foundation. It’s really difficult to mentally start anything new when our minds and spaces are not right. We will inevitably get overwhelmed and give up. 2019, is not the year of giving up - especially not on ourselves. Which is why each and every month we are going to take the proper steps to create the momentum for real lasting change.
Each week in February we will focus on easy steps. Those that can be accomplished and worked on over the course of the week. February is not about getting overwhelmed it’s about taking a step every single day that will create lasting change. If I’m being honest with you, when I watched Marie’s first episode on Netflix - I got a little anxious. One of her exercises was for the people to take EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF CLOTHING out of their closets and go through them one by one and decide which item “sparked joy” and which ones didn’t. The ones that don’t, you thank it for their time with you and you donate them (if they are in good condition) or toss them. If you kept them you’d have to fold them according to a category in a very specific way and put them away. Now all that sound super dandy…I guess. But it was the taking EVERY SINGLE THING out of the closet at once that gave me anxiety.
Most of us have waaaay too much stuff in our closets/homes. Removing everything all at once would truly and realistically require HOURS to go through, find out if it sparks joy and put away - if we are being honest and depending on our shopping habits, even days.
In my opinion, if you haven’t decluttered your closet (or home) in years - starting with one section daily is more palatable than going full-force. Focusing on a project for hours when you have kids, work, a husband - heck a life is like torture and at times discouraging. However, you can start a section at a time: your jeans, blouses, skirts, pants, winter clothes, the junk drawer in the kitchen we all have - one area per day and tackle that area in an hour or two not 30 hours. Taking smalls steps daily is a lot less stressful than going all out, becoming overwhelmed and then having to look at a pile of clothes, for days, in a corner in your room.
Something to know about me - I HATE clutter! I don’t use the word HATE often but when it comes to clutter I have to keep it all the way real. A pile of clothes that aren’t moving for a few days would send me into full-blown hive mode and I’d be an overall stressed out, unhappy mama until it ends up back in my closet hung any which way, just as long as it’s where it’s supposed to be.
I want February to be manageable. I want you to celebrate every single step you take action on, even if it’s very small step! Did you hear that?? I want every step to be celebrated! Celebrating our WINS is part of this decluttering process. You see, I mentioned decluttering the mind as one of the things we will tackle. We live in a society that if that WIN isn’t BIG enough it wasn’t worth it. I beg to differ. I think that if we celebrated more we would accomplish more because we are demonstrating self-love through celebrating all wins...no matter what size. Our minds need those celebrations, it’s sometimes easier for us to talk unkindly to ourselves than kindly. I once read something that said, “if we talk to a friend the way we talk to ourselves would that person still be our friend?” I want you to think about that - celebrate every step no matter how big or small - showing yourself love is a major step in creating lasting change!
In February, I also want to celebrate your small and big steps! I’d love to know if you’ll be partaking in this un-official challenge. Send me an email at hello @ kaiyadesigns.com and let me know. Oh, and if you know a friend who would love this please this post with them…the more the merrier!
I’m so stoked!
XOXO!
Marcy
Nothing good ever comes of long drives and tons of thinking in his Marcy brain - but hear me out. We were driving in Disney this weekend to celebrate Kaiya's birthday and I was chatting with Danny boy and got a ding on my phone. Looked down to get this little iPhone notification of the amount of SCREEN TIME I put in over the last week.
Side Note: I told Dan over a year ago that iPhones should start doing that - proof that I sometimes have good ideas AAAAND that these people are listening to all of them :)
So I get this notice and was SHOCKED to see I spent about 66 hours and 43 minutes on my phone last week! That's over 9 hours a day, that's 565 minutes! What the whhhhhaat? As you can see lots of that was on Facebook. Now, if you know me you know I run my business on Facebook - but don't get this twisted, it's NEVER 100% business on there...there is A LOT of shiny object syndrome and distractions happening if we are being honest. Truthfully I am ashamed to openly admit how much time I spent...but there is a lesson in this knowledge!
Here is what I learned and what my BIG revelation was - STOP MAKING EXCUSES! Check your screen time app on your iPhone (if you don't have it, download it), track your usage for the rest of the month - take note of it. By the end of January let's tally all that up. Let's see how much time we are spending on our phones either of Facebook, Instagram on our text messages - all of it!
If yours is more than 4-5 hours a day we are going to do something. We are literally going to start taking back an hour of THAT time a day! We are going to be intentional about getting 7 hours back (at least) a week to do ALL the things we keep making excuses that we just don't have enough time to do. EXAMPLE: workout, eat healthy, clean the house, do the laundry, meet a friend for lunch, go to date night, start the business, spend time with the kids - you get the picture. Truthfully, if you and I can spend 66 hours staring at our phones we literally have a bone to pick with every excuse gremlin that tries to get in the way of us creating the best version of us in 2019! So if you are completely on board, send me an email (hello @ kaiyadesigns.com) and say: I'm done making excuses and I'm ready to make this the best year yet!!!
You know I love you right?!?!
XOXO!
Marcy
Have you started your January intention of Just Show Up (for yourself)? If so, I'd love to hear about it! Send me an email (hello @ kaiyadesigns.com) and tell me how it's going for you...if you are just now seeing this email and want to partake in this NEW you...send a note saying I'M IN!
Praying for many amazing things to come from just showing up for yourself!
XOXO!
Marcy
Friend, those are my full blown jammies! NO make-up, NO hair did, NO cute clothes to make me feel amazing and look the same. Thursday I slept wrong, woke up with a sore neck and back (second morning in a row), and honestly needed a little more time to get zooming in the morning. So what did I do? I popped on some Uggs made the kiddos b-fast and lunch and headed out the door to take the kids to school.
So here is the deal, Dan and I love driving them to school together. We Tony Robbin's them in the morning aka we motivate and practice our gratitude mornings and all that jazz - so I did not have to get out of the car to drop them off - Dan did that :) THANK THE GOOD LORD FOR THAT! I got to the studio and missed a client by a hair - as I pulled up she was pulling out of the store - THANK THE GOOD LORD FOR THAT! I stayed in my office just like this most of the day - (listen if I'm in the studio I'm doing creative stuff) all the businessie CEO stuff gets done at home...that is where I focus. But at the studio, I'm up creating and designing and pulling all the fun out of me! Not Thursday, nope, I stayed couped-up in my office because jammies are just not cute to wear around your peeps.
BUT... I did get up, and I did show up and I did get things done! HOWEVER, here is what I missed by not showing up FOR ME: no walking the kiddos into school and giving them the massive amount of kisses I like to shower them with before they're off to class. I hide in my office when clients came in because jammies are no-go business attire at all, I also did not get to stop at the store for my much needed non-dairy coffee creamer leaving me with lack-luster coffee this morning.
SO yeah, the bright side and where I show myself all kinds of grace is: I did get up take the kids to school, went to work and got things done! WHOOT ME!!
Here is the deal friend, life is about showing ourselves grace when we need it the most. Life is not about perfection, it's about progress. It's not about slipping off the wagon and giving up just because you slipped off. It's about having THAT day. The day you cannot show up your very best but you still showed up. It's NOT about getting into the habit of slipping off the wagon every single day and making excuses for why it happened. Today is a new day. Today I got up, dressed up, did my hair and make-up and stepping into Friday with the best foot forward.
I'm rooting you on over here!!! Send me an email (hello @ kaiyadesigns.com) and tell me how you're showing up for yourself today!!
XOXO!
Marcy
We had such a blast and it was Max and Eve's first time leaving the country ever - so that was pretty exciting. We were there for a whole week and could not recommend everything about this hotel and island more!
I also wanted to share with you some of the most essential items I brought with me in hopes that it will help you on your next fun-in-the-sun trip.
Lets just say, if I had not brought these items (or asked the hotel for them)...I know I would have regretted it.
I have to say, up until 3 months ago I was THE girl that NEVER took care of her skin. Like EVER! But I started a great system that has kept me going and now I'm stoked on taking care of it. Not to mention with the exception of some malasma issues - my skin just looks so much better.
Now, I'm not saying go off and buy [Rodan + Fields](https://marcyb.myrandf.com) - I'm more saying lug your ENTIRE skin routine with you. It might seem daunting to have to pack and take every single little bottle with you - but I promise you, you won't regret it.
There is nothing your skin needs more especially if it has been in the sun or outside for hours than to be taken care of at night.
Not to mention if you get out of your daily skincare routine you might find it difficult to get back in the swing of things when you get back home - so why risk it.
If you are on vacation with your little kids that are tugging, climbing, perhaps still nursing...you are going to want to get a cute full coverage bathing suit. Listen, I'm NOT saying your body is not bomb dot com, I'm just saying, with little kids climbing on you, asking you to swim with them or just on top of you at all times (thank you Eve) this full coverage bathing suit saved my life.
A good cover up is also essential. Not only does it help to keep your skin covered from the sun, but it also helps you get from room to beach to lunch without having to go back to your room to change! What I love about this one in particular coverup is that you can truly get away with wearing this to a restaurant. The coverups I see everywhere are made of netted or sheer material and in my opinion, are not conducive to hitting a restaurant post beach. If you are just hitting the pool bar for grub than the netted/sheer ones are perfect! Me (and my kids for that matter), I like a nice meal post pool or beach - this style cover up just works for me!
I cannot rave enough about these last two items. This sunhat is my JAMMY JAM! I bought this super chic sunhat, which never made it in my suitcase. It was too BIG! I was worried that it would get totally damaged. It is so cute I wasn't about to chance it. This visor style sunhat rolls up perfectly which makes for much easier packing. I ended up finding this at the outlets and have been searching for these for you all but haven't found the same ones. Here are some I did find.
The Tory Burch Ella Tote is a must have for travel. It has sooo much room inside of it, I was able to pack pretty much everything I needed for Eve, my other two littles and the hubs and I. So not only is it spacious but waterproof which if you are going to a beach/water vacay you need.
Guess what - it has transformed me. I thank God for the hurts, and the hard, and the roadblocks and the mountain I am climbing or the disappointments and I allow Him to work through those days and try not to worry.
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All mountains require BIG gratitude! |
2 years ago I made it point to start my day with gratitude. Even on the hard days, even on the sleepless days, even on the days where I have had weeks of tears, where I'm walking into each day without knowing what is in front on me because things in life just feel so dang hard at that time. Guess what - it has transformed me. I thank God for the hurts, and the hard, and the roadblocks and the mountain I am climbing or the disappointments and I allow Him to work through those days and try not to worry. I live my days with blind faith. I get that this isn't common for everyone. I just asked God to give me super natural courage and He delivered. Because the faith I have in Him is truly one that I only wish we could all experience I know that thanking Him for moments of massive confusion and unknown and sadness have allowed me to keep stepping into each day knowing that He is in the midst of every single thing that could happen in that very day. I am so grateful for that. Because no mountain we face in life could outshine His mercy and love. Today I wanted to take a moment to THANK YOU ALL! Some of you might be new here and don't exactly know what this whole Kaiya Designs thing is. I started my business out of a hot garage in my house. It was a one woman sweatshop for sure :). I have had "friends" literally copy exactly what I was creating in my small business in the early days. I had those days where competition from people I trusted out weighed all the support I had showed them in life -- and even then that did not stop them. Even through those hurts and disspointments I climbed THAT mountain, and am a far better person because I did. |
My first hire was my mom. She took the leap of faith and quit her job to come work for me. I thought her how to sew and to this day she is a far better sewer than me. There were moments early on where working together was difficult. We can now say we have both grown so much and have overcome THAT mountain in this journey. In June of 2015 I hired Kym, she took a leap of faith on me and my business and often times believed in me more than I believed in myself. God put her in my life exactly when He knew I needed her and she has healed my heart from all the hurts I had experience in other friendships. She held my hadn't through that mountain. For that I am forever thankful for. Shortly after Kym I had the honor to employ 7 other people. Every single one of them have helped me grow my business and it's been such a blessing to have had every single person working along side me. Because you have supported KD you have helped keep 6 people employed. For that I am very thankful. You guys get the spotlight! Because my business has grown because of you! Because you take the time to tell people that stop you at Target, at dinner, at the mall and give them our information. Because you add people to this community and you believe in what we stand for! Thank you for coming to the studio and telling us your stories and sharing your stories with us. Thank you for posting pictures on here and taking us to some of the most amazing vacations. For making us part of some of the biggest celebrations of your lives - those pictures keep me going! |
I am filled with gratitued for every single one of you. My dream is to keep putting Kaiya Designs in closets across Tampa Bay and beyond because these clothes are so much more than pants and dresses. They symblize community and love and friendship. It symbolizes confidence and a sisterhood of women that are lifting each other up. It symbolizes community over competition and it has the perfect Jesus bow wrapped around it. Because He is at the center of this company. We pray for you guys daily and we hope you guys feel them when you wear our stuff. Because we pour into every single item with heart and soul. If you guys know of someone that needs the love and encouragement that we are so passionate about in our Facebook group be sure to forward this email to them and have them click the picture above to get in the group! We are sending all our NEW FB group friends a very cool "welcome gift" so just make sure they mention YOU when they ask to join! Thank you from he bottom of my heart! LOVE YOU ALL BIG! |
If I’m going to brutally honest Max was 99.9% never going to happen. I never envisioned a life with another child. After 4 years I was finally getting in the groove of having my one kid. Kaiya was finally “easy.” I never for a second imagined Max would be in my life…which means Eve was literally just a big ole surprise!
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Has shame taken over your life? |
Funny enough this post is more about Max’s 5th birthday than anything else. But you see if I would not have broken free of the chains of shame this email would not have been written. If I’m going to brutally honest Max was 99.9% never going to happen. I never envisioned a life with another child. After 4 years I was finally getting in the groove of having my one kid. Kaiya was finally “easy.” I never for a second imagined Max would be in my life…which means Eve was literally just a big ole surprise! For 4 years I suffered in a prison I had created for myself. I had gone deep into a path that was ruling my life and I never imagined coming out of it. This prison was called shame. Let me explain. When I got pregnant with Kaiya I thought I knew what I wanted. I was married for LITERALLY 3 months when I found out I was pregnant - yeah I really don’t recommend that to anyone. I learned that being married, getting pregnant and having a baby were all seasons in one’s life that need the proper adjustment. The proper growth, the proper time to cultivate, get used to and nourish. All too often we rush through these seasons not ever really knowing how to properly adjust our minds and hearts to how we are feeling in those moments. Often times we find ourselves lost in a sea of change that you can’t take back, control and feel completely overwhelmed by. |
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After I gave birth to Kaiya I did not feel this strong beautiful bond that I watched over and over and over again on TLC’s Bringing Home Baby. This my friends, was the start of the long and bumpy ride on the shame-train. I found motherhood both easy and extremely hard. Easy in the sense that I could change a diaper, provide the bare necessities but all too often I found the overwhelm of being a new mom take grip on me and I would find myself shamefully crying at my lack of that true “motherly-gene.” I wasn’t the girl that dreamed about being a mom. I dreamed about having a successful career making an impact and traveling the world. 6 months after having Kaiya I found myself (along with everyone else in my company) out of a job after 7 years of having a very successful career trying to figure out what I was going to do. Each passing day I spent with my baby I realized I was losing a little bit of myself. This baby wasn’t filling the gap in my dream that I had longed for all in my life, instead it spiraled me to a long road of baby blues, depression and massive anxiety. The shame of feeling all those emotions dug me deeper into this shame-pit, one I never imagined I would get out of. You see when you want to hide from shame it rears its ugly head even bigger. I would find myself feeling worse any time feelings of anxiety or sadness surfaced and I couldn’t find a way to get myself out of those feelings. It wasn’t until I started talking to my family about it and openly letting them know that my anxiety at times was too much to control and that there were days where being a mom made me very sad that I started to heal. It took a while, but it was through the healing that my heart opened to the idea of having another baby. I never in a million years wanted to go back in that pit of shame. When people would ask me when we were going to have another baby those baby-blues filled days and massive anxiety attacks would make their way to my head and immediately I could feel my fight or flight response kick in - I was FREAKED OUT! |
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Today, as I celebrate Max’s 5th Birthday I am so thankful that I freed myself once and for all from the shame that was consuming my life. It was actually through watching my mother in law mourn the death of her mom a few years ago that I can recall God soften my heart. I watched her as an only child experience having to put her mom to rest - all on her own. It truly did not matter that she was surrounded by family and friends because none of those people could truly FEEL the way she felt that very moment. As we said our final goodbyes to GiGi I looked at my own daughter and realized that I would never want her to experience this sort of loss on her own.I wanted her to have a brother or sister to feel these feelings with and to get through that hardship with someone. I didn’t want her to do it alone. Shortly after that I learned that I was pregnant with Max (yeah we clearly waste no time at all) and my first emotions were fear. What if I went back to that pit. What if I would suck at being a mom (yes, this was another lie that I was fed in my shame-pit…that I was a terrible mom…which if anyone knows me that is totally untrue). What if I was so depressed I could harm my babies. Those fears were felt a lot and they would come up often throughout my pregnancy. I worked hard to push those fears from my head because I knew those fears were not valid. Max changed my life. He opened up a new level of my heart that I never knew was possible.I ended up deciding on a natural labor with him and almost delivered him in my car. I adored every ounce of him immediately after delivery (I uttered the words “I want ANOTHER one” seconds after he was born). He was my easiest labor, my hardest baby/toddler but my every ounce of joy. He was the piece of the puzzle that our family was missing and I am so thankful for him every single day. He has grown my patience in ways I never thought possible and he just holds such a big piece of my heart. He broke me free from my shame prison and it was his birth that allowed me to kindle a relationship with myself as a mom. |
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Thank you Jesus for bringing this fun, loving, compassionate boy into our lives and allowing us to spend these exciting 5 years with him. He is unlike any boy I have ever met. He is strong, loyal, funny, cautious, focused and hasa true love for others. He cracks us up every single day and shows that silly witty personality daily. He adores his baby sister and stands up to his big sister. He is so smart and loving and independent…I am just in awe of this little guy! Happy Birthday Magic Max….you complete me and I thank God for choosing ME to be your mom! How many of you have shame that is not allowing you to move forward? Take that shame by the horns accept it and release it. That will be the start to unlocking the chains the devil has locked up in you. Respond to this email and I will pray for you! XOXO! Marcy |
Have you ever had days where you just want to cry? You know, the days where the lump in your throat is there – all. day. long! Those days where you question the why, the how, your every step? Today is one of those days! But you see I wont allow the tears to flow. When I’m certain that when I allow the ugly ass cry to happen I’ll feel so much better. I sent a text to my life coach – you’ve all heard me talk about her. The woman that has many times overheard me ugly cry on the other end of a phone very early in the morning. I asked “reasons why I would be emotional today. Like I could cry at the drop of a hat?” Her response – like it ALWAYS is was comforting and reassuring and even “duuuude I feel the same way!” (ok Cynda does not say dude – but you know I have my own inner dialogue about how people would reply to me if they were actually speaking to me – marcyisms for sure). |
I still haven’t cry. Why because I have no idea why I want to cry in the first place. Dumb, right? I’m the type that needs that reason. When in reality maybe you just need to freaking cry. It’s ok to want to cry and feel raw and feel a lump in your throat and just want to have a fun ugly cryfest party with yourself without having a reason. So today ladies, I’m giving you ALL permission to not have a reason for the cry and just freaking do it already. Maybe you want to cry because life is so flipping good right now you just want to ugly cry about it….maybe life is such a flipping mess your kids are driving you crazy and you want to ugly cry about it – do it. Point is – just do it. No explanation, no reason, no right time. The soul heals through tears. Now, for me…I’m going to try and find space today to journal and reflect and cry. Because sometimes we just need to take our own flipping advice. *And if you're in need of a Cynda in your life...you know someone that will help you out of a pit when you don't see an end in sight...I would click the picture above. She has no idea I'm doing this...so if she gets inundated with calls don't tell her I sent you :) ! I want to know, have you EVER had days like these? Reply to this email and let me know how you got through it! XOXOX! |
(read the full story by clicking here. 📷 cred: bustle.com)
What are your thoughts? Do you enjoy shopping for undies?
BE Blessed!
XOXOXO!
Marcy
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(For more cool to-do list head on over to www.biblelovenotes.blogspot.com)
What do your mornings look like? I would love to hear about your routines.
Be Blessed!
XOXOXO!
Marcy
]]>I've had a great time sewing, creating and spending a lot of time with my little muse and friends this summer. I'm sad that summer is over and I'm officially back to school. It's exciting because after this semester I can close THIS chapter in my book of school. But, it's also sad because I had SO much free time to sew...I'm now reorganizing to handle the business and my commitment to my final 16 credits this semester.
]]>I've had a great time sewing, creating and spending a lot of time with my little muse and friends this summer. I'm sad that summer is over and I'm officially back to school. It's exciting because after this semester I can close THIS chapter in my book of school. But, it's also sad because I had SO much free time to sew...I'm now reorganizing to handle the business and my commitment to my final 16 credits this semester.
I never knew this whole process was going to be so time consuming. There are so many factors that go into play when starting a small sewing business and keeping up with a blog. When there is no store to personally go look at an item you have to ensure that the people looking at your blog can get a very detailed idea of what you're selling. That's not always easy to do over a computer. I feel like we're getting better at it though. I'm practicing with my new awesome camera McHubs bought me and hopefully my sweet photographer skills will kick in some day soon :) Suggestions on angles are welcome!
As you can imagine, I was totally unprepared for any of this. Starting something is VERY exciting but as time goes on you start discovering the things that work and don't work to everyone's advantage. So with that said, I made a few changes to the blog.
The first one is I changed my purchasing button to a "add to cart" button. There were many emails from people wanting to know how to order more than one item more easily. Since I am still trying to learn the ropes I decided this might be an easier way to do it. I also added a "view cart" button on the right hand side. These changes I'm hoping will make ordering easier for all of you.
When you purchase anything through PayPal, you do have to sign up for the site (it's free and allows you to pay with multiple forms of payment, even checks I believe). When you purchase anything through my website, I get an email from PayPal notifying me of your payment. This is the easiest way for me to get an order actually. If using the buttons at the bottom of each post is not working for you, feel free to go ahead and email me your order and specify the name, size and quantity of the items that you want. I will then send you an invoice through PayPal. Once payment is received, I will notify you of the time it will take me to get your order shipped.
Another change I made was including combo pricing for items that I notice are almost always ordered together (skirts/shorts and shirts). Just another way to show my appreciation :)
Thanks again for your business, and if you have any questions about these changes, just let me know. I want to make sure I get things done and out to you as soon as possible and this way will be best for me to keep track of things.
xoxo!
Marcy
Don’t forget about our first KD Meet Up at Sacred Pepper this coming Thursday @6pm. Please let us know via the event tab in the group if you will be attending, and wear your favorite KD!!!!!
We are looking forward to mingling with you all!
Winner, Winner, Turkey Dinner: Congrats again to Amanda B. and Kara R. for winning our “half way there” prizes for our 4,000 member Kaiya Kash Giveaway!!!
We cannot wait to give out the big $$$ so keep adding those ladies!!!!!
As always there are still some Ready To Ship items available. Remember these items ship next business day!!! Talk about fast!!!
Business Partnership: If you are a local business or service provider we want to partner with you. Email hello@kaiyadesigns.com for more information regarding our coupon book program we are launching soon. Several of you have already taken advantage of this opportunity and we can’t wait to roll it out.
Thanks so much for your support and continuing to #standoutforchange.
BE Blessed!
XOXOX!
Marcy
The Vault: Please remember that the following styles will be headed to the Vault on August 31st. Be sure to snag them while you still can!!!
The exclusive fabrics have been selling out like crazy!!!! We’ve been having a lot of fun at the studio finding the perfect ones for you ladies. Here’s a look at what is still available.
As always don’t forget about our ready to ship items that ship next day!!!!!
As always if you have any questions please email us at hello@kaiyadesigns.com.
Thanks so much for your support and continuing to #standoutforchange.
BE Blessed!
XOXOX!
Marcy
I'm a firm believer that when we feel good in our clothes it shows. Fit is at the forefront of this methodology and you know how passionate I am about that. There is a huge number of women who wear the wrong fit and we have found that the ability for them to customize their KD clothes is helping eliminate the problem.
We also introduced Limited Edition FriYays!! This will only be done on Fridays and it is where we introduce a print that will only be made into 7 pairs of pants. Ever! The print we introduced at our inaugural L.E.F sold out in less than two hours!! Can't wait to show you next week's print!
Some are you are still heading out on vacation, and we still want to see your #kdtravel pictures so make sure you share with us your summer adventures!
Thank you so much for your business and for being such KD advocates!
Now tell me, who is ready for back to school? When do your kids go back?
BE Blessed!
XOXOX!
Marcy
]]>I'm excited for those of you who are joining us in our Faith & Fitness challenge starting August 1st! We are going to have a blast. Truth is, when it comes to feeding my body correctly I am all about it, but taking the time to workout is not necessarily my forte. I find it hard to fit time in to workout and if for any reason I get out of my groove I tend to put fitness on the side burner! Needless to say, I am so excited to have you all in with me to keep me accountable and so we can cheer each other on!!
Yay for accountability!!!
But what has me even more excited is the "faith" part of this challenge! If you have never read a Jen Hatmaker book you are in for a treat! What I love about her is her down-to-earth approach to faith, being a lover of Jesus and how to shine your light and love towards other. Her approach makes sense to me, not to mention she is HYSTERICAL - and who are we kidding we can all use a little laughter in our life amiright? I'm not going to lie, in my mind Jen and I are BFFs!
I love the idea of taking that same down to earth approach and applying it to a bible study- that is what I'm all about. You see, since February of 2015 I decided to read my Bible from Genesis to Revelations and I'm excited to learn how to dive into a specific book and explore more of God's word. I've never done that and I think moving forward it would just be nice to get deep into a study...the Bible is full of amazing teachings and lessons and stories.
I'm not sure if most of you are like me, but I didn't grow up in an environment where being in the word was a top priority not to mention even taught. I grew up believing all the lies of religion and because of that I never grew up having a genuine relationship with Jesus and cultivating that relationship and my faith.
My grandma, a devout Catholic tried to encourage church and sacraments, but none of what was being taught in Catholic mass on Sunday mornings truly stuck with me. Instead I felt unworthy of God's love any time I made a mistake or failed to make confession on Saturday. I grew up thinking God's love for me came with stipulations and if I ever came short of those exceptions there would be a disconnect between me and God, period.
When I was in my late teens I recall stepping in to Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California on a Monday night bible study and accepting Jesus Christ in my life. As life would have it, a few years after that day, I proceeded to live life in the world and the relationship I had planted in that church those years prior was put on the side burner and I began to live life thinking my ways were far better than His.
If I am being completely honest, it wasn't until the end of 2014 that I finally decided to listen to the nudge I kept feeling for a few years prior. That's when I finally decided that enough was enough and I knew there was something extremely big missing in my life and that is when I realized I was missing my faith and my relationship with Jesus.
This is when I decided to redirect my path, head back to church and live my life with intention. What has transpired since I made that decision has been the cornerstone to the person I am this very minute. I find so much lightness in my heart and in my soul and I cannot imagine what life would be moving forward without this newfound relationship. I discovered that despite the fact that I've worked hard for the beautiful life I currently have, it wasn't until December of 2014 that my blindfold was removed and I realized how blind and lost I had been.
Losing my religion has been the best part of my life since that day in 2014. My life is no longer led with the guilt I was brought up with and the lies that religion tried to feed me. I now get that my God loves me and that Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for my sins...and that even if I made a few bad choices along the way after that day in Costa Mesa that He loves me regardless and it doesn't matter that it took me this long to realize that.
My life is different, my faith takes precedence, and my relationship with the awesome God I now know is my priority. I lost my religion and gained this beautiful relationship I never knew could exists. In losing my religion I was able to decipher His voice and be lead by His everlasting love in my life.
Doing this study with you all will now bring this new me to a full circle. I have been intentional about being in the word but now I look forward to learning with you guys how to dive deeper into His book. If any of you have good tips, pointers and advice on how to dive into this study based on techniques you have used in the past to study your bible I would love to hear about it.
BE Blessed!
XOXOX!
Marcy
Wow! You are 4 today! Where did time go? I remember the day I found out I was pregnant with you. I cried...a lot! Your dad and I were trying a little longer than usual for God to bless us with you, but when it happened I felt sad, scared and worried that we had gotten too used to just having your big sister, who at that point was pretty easy to manage. At that moment I felt incapable and unprepared to be a mom again...after so many years.
But now you are 4 and we couldn't be happier to have you in our lives. You came into this world as one of my best labors to date and the minute I saw your face I immediately knew I wanted another baby! Funny how that happens, I was totally convinced your sister would be my only child and you brought so much happiness into my world that I just knew you needed a younger sibling.
Eve has been our best baby by far. Let's keep that between us mm-k? She cries very little, sleeps all day and is pretty freakin' cute if I may say so myself. Being a mom for the third time has had its ups and downs but I think I've officially gotten the swing of things and with a ton of prayers I'm finally starting to feel like I'm in a groove.
I remember sitting in my car in January with a friend talking about this and we made the commitment to each other that WE would be better. I was committed to going back to church, filling my soul with good friends and conversations, but more importantly 2015 for me has been filled with prayer! BIG INTENTIONAL prayers and I can now look back today - November 2nd, and I have seen God totally show up and answer many of those BIG prayers! Prayers so BIG you looking back at those request now, it would seem unimaginable that they could be answered. You see, God wants us to pray BIG, dream BIG and ask BIG. There is never a prayer to BIG for God and I am proof that those verses in The Bible aren't just there to fill up space.
Every step I took this year was in faith and trust me the bumps and derails on the road have thrown me for a loop - but I KNOW and trust so much what God is doing in my life that those bumps on the road just can't hold me down!! I have learned to see life through a different lens and I find myself being grateful for those situations in my past that have broken me. Deep down I now understand that there is breakthrough after the breakdown - I didn't know that last December.
I have grown in so many ways, I am still a work in progress but I am so much happier because I made that commitment to myself and my family.
In church last week the message talked about how we get so caught up waiting for God to answer our specific prayers that we miss all the other miracles that are taking place and that He is making happen around us every single day. Don't miss those miracles - being on this Earth today is a miracle...be grateful and you will see how the simple things in life that we take for granted almost everyday are BIG amazing miracle and make such a big difference!
With All My Love & Tons Blessings!
xo-
Marcy
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