Another year is here, and as thankful as I am — I’ve also been very indifferent about… well a lot of things. It’s a strange place to be, while also feeling content in a lot of ways. Maybe it’s just being content… a feeling I’m not so familiar with. Nonetheless, 34 was embraced with all the things each year brings, some good, some bad.
In addition to feeling indifferent yet content, I’m feeling a little extra sappy this year. As much as I understand the seasons of life, watching the seasons of friendship and family in life change for good… or bad… brings a lot of sadness with this change, especially as the milestones of life once celebrated together come around and those people are no longer there. Part of me totally understands why and is okay with it, and the other part of me just aches for the simpler days. Contrary to all of that, I understood at a young age that I am who I am for who I’ve loved, even if those loves ended in heartbreak and I now understand that to be true beyond high school boyfriends.
Within the last few weeks, I’ve been personally attacked by ones once close and hated for who I am, even though I don’t have those same feelings back. In the last half-decade, I’ve been ignored and written off, because… I honestly have no clue at this point… but within those times both long and short I’ve grown a lot, worked a lot of myself, and work to hold true to myself while also being cognizant of those I care about, even when that same respect isn’t paid back in return.
In happier news, year 35 is still looking bright. It was welcomed in with bubbles, sweets, and dancing in our kitchen (which is always something I dreamed of happening). We have a handful of trips planned, my business seems to be growing, memories will be made with the ones who matter most, and I’m looking forward to many long days of laughter, bubbles, music, dance parties, days spent outdoors, more growth, inevitable tears, and many more things I could only dream of.
My annual wedding anniversary gift guide is back! We are exploring traditional and modern seven-year wedding anniversary gifts this year. The traditional gift to celebrate year seven is copper or wool, while the modern gift is desk sets and the gemstone is Onyx.
“The traditional gift calls for either copper or wool. These two elements may seem diametrically opposed, but they have one thing in common: warmth”
“… the gemstone is the dark and mesmerizing onyx, which is thought to protect marriages from trials and promote harmony” – BRIDES & The Knot
Traditional: Copper
This one can be a little tricky and not the easiest to find a practical and meaningful gift — so perhaps focus on something small and simple if you want to go traditional copper and focus on an experience with your person to celebrate year seven.
Custom Penny Key Chains are simple and sweet little gifts that won’t add bulk to your keychain and will be a daily reminder to you and your honey. Plus it’s customizable with different options to include your date, initials, and year, and ships so fast! This Copper Ball Marker is another easy gift that will be perfect if your husband loves to golf and will be a reminder throughout their day as they golf for 4-hours. 😇 Another great gift, that B got me last year for year six with iron is copper dice! We love to play Yahtzee, so this was a super thoughtful and fun surprise, he even got a custom box for them to stay in.
Modern or Stone
This year we are skipping the modern gift of desk sets because it feels super dated and a thing of the past. The stone of year seven is Onyx, which is typically a black stone — there are so many beautiful jewelry items that can be high-priced or a bit more affordable. There aren’t a ton of home decor items, but I did find chic checkered onyx dishes on Etsy. More affordable jewelry items I found are from Alex + Ani, how gorgeous is that bracelet? It’s so unique and special with the round onyx and then the round gold loop, which reminds me of an infinity symbol, which IMO is perfect for an anniversary gift. Lastly, the Onyx ring from Uncommon James (love Kristin Cavallari) is a fun and stunning statement, that will make you feel beyond this anniversary and each year after.
If you’re like us, our anniversary is coming in HOT (and this post has been a draft for months 😅) — and it’s also right before the holidays, so it’s always good to plan ahead, ESPECIALLY if you’re going the custom gift route (which I love!). Planning ahead can also help on the check book so that you can do more on your anniversary, like a fun experience, whether it’s cocktails out or a nice dinner at a new hot spot.
Is year five like the first mini-milestone when it comes to wedding anniversaries? I think it might be! This year’s themes are fun and offer a bit more creativity than year four – although, I will say we knocked year four-anniversary gifts out of the park with our Cafe Appliances in our kitchen remodel, the timing just happened to be perfect for us! But let’s talk about year five wedding anniversary gifts; the traditional gift is wood and the modern gift is silverware… but I might challenge that to be goldware!
“Your roots have sprouted much like a tree by your fifth anniversary, so together you can endure anything.”
“All the meals you’ve enjoyed together and will continue to share are best commemorated with beautiful silverware.”
We always love going the traditional route whenever possible – and this one feels like it could be easy with endless options, but when that is the case, I always like to try to make it a little more special or unique to us! OK, so it’s no secret if you’ve read my previous wedding anniversary gift guides that I love to head to Etsy. There are plenty of wooden themed gift options that offer personalization – here are a few I found and why I love them.
Apple Ornament Box: This is super simple and I love the play on “love you to the core” it’s such a sweet and symbolic jester that can remain as a reminder even after the fifth anniversary – plus this one opens and you can include a sweet memory, better yet, it could be used on a weekly or monthly basis to exchange sweet messages to each other after the anniversary.
Jenga Memories: I hate playing Jenga, because it gives me anxiety but I also love this idea because it’s a unique and personalize way to document 5-year milestones. Instead of doing the engraved route, buying a Jenga set is another way and as a gift, combination anniversary activity you and your sig-o could take turns and write memories, moments or milestones on your Jenga set. This could be PG or R rated even. 😏
Engraved Hammer: Of course, I love this because B and I are no strangers to home projects and building a life and home together. Plus, this can be a useful tool or used more as a decorative piece or have as the inside hammer.
Handcrafted Wooden Utensils: Since our kitchen remodel, we’ve been wanting and looking for new utensils — and can’t quite find something that fits. Not only is this set handcrafted in Seattle, WA., but the finish and set is beautiful, I also can’t help but think of the wooden utensils I had growing up and how sturdy they were.
Other ideas include custom ornaments, charcuterie boards, engraved signs, plaques, trays, or picture frames – if you’re going the traditional route you have plenty of options to make it special!
Modern: Silverware
Like most, you may have had this on your wedding registry – maybe your taste has changed in the last 5-years? Maybe it hasn’t, but you want to add a little flair to your silverware game. This is the perfect excuse, to add, grow or change it up completely. We got brass silverware for our wedding, but didn’t use it unless it was a special occasion, since our kitchen upgrade it’s become our go-to, I just wish I had more of it! Here are a few things to consider if you’re going the silverware route to celebrate year five:
Price Point: How much do you want to spend? This is obviously all with what you’re comfortable with. But consider a few things if you’re in love with something but not the price.
Ask yourself: How many times did you get new silverware growing up? (never) Does your current set match? Or is it hand-me-downs? (we had mix-match & hand-me-downs).
Pro-Tip: Don’t be fooled by the price point and how many pieces you get, for the price you may feel like you should be getting a whole set, when in actuality you’re only getting one place setting!
How Many Pieces? For our wedding, we were equipped with 8 tables settings for our bronze flatware – which always seemed like plenty. Since our kitchen renovation, and dishwasher life we quickly run out of our nice flatware! Also, another way I like to gauge quantity is imagining the biggest group of immediate family or closest group of friends if they were all to come over for dinner – how many pieces would you need? We would need around 12 – aka – we need more!
Handles & Finishes: Not sure if this is something that bothers you… but fat or square handles can be a little bulky in your hand while you’re eating! So if you like your current style or size, keep that in mind when you’re shopping. I have small hands – but obviously I’m not the only one who uses them, so if possible try to test out some different options in store if you’re looking to make a big change. Finishes can go hand in hand with cleaning and care or your general style, try to go for something classic since this is can be an expensive and not a piece that is typically changed up.
Cleaning & Care: If you like having the ability to use your dishwasher as much as possible, it’s important to make sure you’re picking out dishwasher friendly pieces. However, if you’re looking for more of a statement, special occasion option like silver – know that you’ll have to do some hand washing and care! Always read reviews whenever they’re available.
Happy Fifth Wedding Anniversary and Happy Shopping!
I had full intentions of getting this post up on my birthday, 11 days ago – but I embraced our desert vacay and shut off from all personal and professional work (at least 95% of it!).
And it felt so good.
One resounding reflection I had during my birthday week and over our Palm Springs vacay was just how necessary a trip like that is, for everyone – and just how good for the soul it is. And as much as I’ve always tried to do more that is good for the soul, it wasn’t until I was sitting poolside without a care in the world that I realized this was the ultimate good for the soul moment.
This past year I feel like I’ve made leaps and bounds in prioritizing my anxiety, mental and physical health – and I’ve noticed the resounding change in just feeling better. Although trust me, there are still plenty of weak and challenging moments – I know my anxiety is always looming in the shadows. Perfect example, on our travel home from our super relaxing and perfect trip – we had a layover, the airport was packed with people and I was instantly overcome with chest pain and anxiety which stayed with me for the rest of our travel and even into the next day being home. The switch flipped from vacay back to reality and my anxiety was right there to welcome me home.
But as I reflect on all those good moments from the vacay week, I just felt so content on my birthday and looking ahead. I want to continue riding the 2022 wave, do things we want to do, not be afraid, and start living life again – and continue to choose and prioritize those good for the soul moments. I also want to not be afraid to share my voice, opinions, grow confidence in myself, the decisions I make – and honestly stop caring so much what other people think (it’s really hard!). I hope 32 brings on lots of hosting in our new kitchen, slow moments and soaking life in. ☀️🌴🍹
To be able to spend a week in paradise with B, my person, was simply incredible. I felt beyond blessed, grateful and was so spoiled all week and had the best time taking a break from life, kitchen renovations, and the last 2-years.
Book the trip, rent the mustang, and order another cocktail. Here’s to 32! 💜🎉
I had to come back from my month+ hiatus to celebrate a biggie. Today marks ten years with B… a whole decade, a whole third of my life ♥️! Our first date was on May 5th — and I always just use that date as the start of our relationship, because #FunFact: B never officially asked me out, we just were ever since our first date together.
Looking back, we were pretty inseparable since our first date and I know my when my parents rolled into town that weekend after our first date, and I was asking to go hang out with him at a bar they were like who is this dude? *smiles* There were so many early on signs that pointed to B and I being meant for each other, but I think my favorite was when we “found” each other in a crowd after my first half marathon. B was literally the first person I bumped into, before I could even find my gigantic family who I came with! It was just one of those movie moments that made you all starry-eyed. And if you’ve ever been in the aftermath of a race, you know it’s quite crowded and a sea of people.
Usually, we celebrate with Chipotle — but this year we’ll be making our own chicken lettuce wraps as we wrap up a 30 day gut cleanse and no alcohol, but that’s ok 🙃! We’ll be celebrating in the spirit of last year’s Cinco De Mayo funand dreaming of taco pizza – but at least we’re in it together.
Spoiler: We prefer to stay home on Valentine’s Day, even before this pandemic hit – it’s funny, because last year we were gearing up for a fun night in, which before March of 2020 was a welcomed infrequent occurrence. I’m learning to love Valentine’s Day as I get older, because I used to absolutely despise this day. But now, the only bone I have to pick is that of the expectations of this one day to show someone how much you love them with a grandiose gesture or a commercialized gift (even if we love them). What happened to showing our love each and every day?
Back in 2018, I dedicated the entire month of February to sharing little pieces of love to B – whether it was a little note, a memory, a special card or a punny gift, and it was so much fun, but it was also tough! Why can’t we try to share a little piece of love, a smile, a compliment to the people in our world’s every single day? That’s why I’m excited to share my little challenge, but it’s going up post-Valentine’s Day because we need to share it beyond one day!
With that, I wish you all a sweet and simple Valentine’s Day. B and I will be creating our own little memories together, over indulging in delicious eats and yummy treats. We’ll be cozied up by the fire, sipping on some bubbles and watching basketball.
Since National Prosecco Day 🥂 was August 13th and this year of quarantine and new normal has been anything but normal — I’ve pretty much been treating every one of the last 165 days like National Prosecco Day! So to keep on a good theme of 2020, I wanted to share my favorite accessories for bubbly drinking.
Freezable Travel Tote: I was gifted a PackIt freezable wine bag, that also happens to perfectly fit a cold bottle of bubbly! The tote, closes up nicely and is easy to carry – you can even through it over your shoulder. In between use you can just throw it in the freeze and it’s ready to go for your next trip. Best part of all is they come in a variety of colors and fun patterns to fit anyone’s personality.
Champagne Seal Stoppers: This is a must have, and you must have at least two! This is also a go-to travel piece that I throw in my purse, is that bad 😬 ? But seriously, it helps save a bottle for multiple nights – which helps give your bottle of bubbles some extra life. I’ve used two different types and they both seem to hold a good seal and deliver bubbles and a significant pop when reopening (watch out, sometimes it’s packs a punch!) Shop the stainless steal stopper and the silicone expander — you can’t go wrong with either!
Bubbly Glassware Options: I recently splurged some worn glassware that I purchased from Marshall’s — don’t get me wrong, they were great bubbly flutes, but after time the gold decals wore off. So, I thought it was time to invest in some nicer champagne flutes and decided to get a few different styles — because sometimes I love the stemless route and sometimes I like something a little fancier 🤷🏼♀️. I went for these timeless stemless champagne flutes with a gold rim from Pottery Barn. And for something a little fancier, I couldn’t resist these Monique Lhuillier Gaberielle coupes and flutesetched glasses, they’re stunning and also scream special occasion. They’ll be perfect for the holidays.
Even if you’re not a bubbly connoisseur, but maybe know one — these make great gifts and can easily be paired with a nice bottle of bubbles! So whether you’re celebrating National Prosecco Day (every day) or just celebrating a birthday or love bubbles, like me, these are a few essentials that you’ll want to add to your bubble drinking arsenal.
B and I will be cooking at home tonight, listening to Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra radio, may play a card game or two and will most likely end up watching Vanderpump Rules and falling asleep on the couch — and there is nothing else I’d rather do than spend it with my core unit of Moz and B.
Since we’re keeping it simple this year, I thought it would be fun to share fourteen things that B and I love to do together when we’re staying in:
Watching basketball, specifically the NBA
Cooking dinner
Drinks on our back patio (when it’s warm out)
Making breakfast and drinking coffee on the weekends
Play cards, specifically Kings in the Corner
Watch documentaries
Scheme our next house project
Just sit and talk — no tv, no music
Host friends for dinner and drinks
Late night facetimes with our west coast friends
Play with Moz
Watch Bravo
Mini scrabble tournaments
Morning or evening walks with Moz
Some of our best memories, are spending nights sipping on our favorite drinks, listening to music and talking the night away. We also love whipping up a fun, delicious meal or two — I’m super excited for our Valentine dinner, don’t worry I’ll be sharing recipes if everything comes out as good as it seems!
It’s Valentine week! And I have been obsessing over all things Valentine’s, can’t you tell?! From home decor, homemade valentines, picking out a meaningful gift and even getting wardrobe ready for the day of hearts — it’s been X’s and O’s, conversation hearts, everything pink and lot’s of love over here at the Bee residence, so let’s get to it!
Galentine’s Brunch. I’m slowly regretting not actually hosting a Galentine’s brunch this year and will definitely have it on my to-do next year! What sounds better than a table of all your favorite girls, delicious brunch and mimosas? Not a whole lot, especially in the middle of February! In case you’re trying to finalize your Galentine brunch deets, check out my Galentine’s Brunch Planning guide, here!
Although I’ve been all about Valentine’s Day, I must admit I haven’t thought as much about a gift for my hubby, B — but the last few years, we’ve taken the less extravagant route and will probably spend our time staying in, cooking a tasty meal, playing some games and exchanging thoughtful notes/cards to each other. If you’re looking for something a little more meaningful, my Valentine Gift guide features five FREE ideas that will still show your Valentine how much you really love them! Happy Valentine’s Day!
the bee life 