As promised, I wanted to share the recordings of our Instagram Lives in the event you missed them and wanted to re-watch our Psalms of Rest study!
Without a doubt, spending five days going through Psalms with you all was one of my favorite moments here on Lonestar Southern! These beautiful verses encouraged my heart so deeply during this crazy time, reminding us of the endless love and faithfulness of the Lord, and I hope they did the same for you. Even if it’s not what you personally believe, I want to extend a big, big thank you for letting me share some of my heart!
As promised, I wanted to share the recordings of our Instagram Lives in the event you missed them and wanted to re-watch. I was hoping Instagram would let me share these directly to my highlights, but unfortunately, that wasn’t an option. So, I’ve uploaded them to my YouTube channel, and you’ll find them below!
You may notice Day 1 is missing. Technology, y’all. I thought I had pressed the save icon for that day, but apparently did not. I am so sorry about that!
Without further ado, here are Day 2, Day 3, Day 4 and Day 5 of the Psalms of Rest study, which you can find here!
day two
day three
day four
day five
I miss our daily lunchtime hangouts, and hope that even though we aren’t doing it all together, you’re continuing to enjoy getting into the Word each day. Don’t forget, there are so many more great studies available on SheReadsTruth.com.
If you had any takeaways from this study, I’d absolutely love for you to share them in the comments below! I know they’ll be an encouragement to everyone.
In honor of another lap around the sun, I thought it might be fun to share a bit more about me! When I took a poll on Instagram Stories for what list you’d like to see here, I got quite a few messages saying “both!” So, without further ado, here are 27 random things about me and 27 things I love!
Hello, y’all! It feels so nice to be logging back on. I haven’t been as consistent as usual here on Lonestar Southern as I adjust to Andrew spending more time at home and attempt to feel out what blogging looks like during this sensitive time, and I appreciate your flexibility with me! I think most of us are trying to figure out what our life looks like during this odd time, and I keep reminding myself that that is perfectly ok.
As you may have seen on Instagram, yesterday was my 27th birthday! I don’t think I’ve actually ever shared my age on here and if I’m being honest, I think it’s because I didn’t want anyone (including myself) judging me for what I had/hadn’t done by a certain age.
Here, at 27, I’ve never felt more content or at peace with where I’m at. It feels freeing to openly celebrate that number, and the highs and lows that have led up to it, to the fullest! So thank you for all of your kind comments and messages yesterday. They made the day feel so special!
In honor of another lap around the sun, I thought it might be fun to share a bit more about me! When I took a poll on Instagram Stories for what list you’d like to see here, I got quite a few messages saying “both!” So, without further ado, here are 27 random things about me and 27 things I love!
My husband and I went to the same high school but didn’t meet until after college.
I started Lonestar Southern as a class project during my sophomore year of college.
My celebrity crush? William Moseley from Narnia.
I have pointy eyebrows… as in they grow up at the ends and look like devil horns!
When I was little I wanted to be a missionary actress in Hollywood.
I don’t like cheese! (Exceptions: pizza & Kraft mac n’ cheese)
Ever since I was little, I’ve always dreamed of owning a horse.
I have a massive birthmark on the center of my back that looks just like the Snapchat ghost. (And I always forget it’s there!)
My dad and I have a secret handshake we’ve been doing every time we say goodbye since I was in the first grade.
I was in Paris during the November 13 terrorist attacks.
I believe the BBC version of Pride & Prejudice is way better than the Kiera Knightly version. (Fighting words, I know!)
The English Garden Rose is my favorite flower in the world.
My ultimate stress relief is a hot bath in the dark with candles and Enya playing in the background.
I have this weird habit where I have to rinse my feet off right before getting into bed.
I’m an Enneagram 9.
My ultimate dream has always been to be a mom. (Not quite yet, though! :)
I played Sandy in Grease during my senior year of high school.
I’ve always preferred dressing up over being comfy.
One day I would love to own a massive Bernese Mountain Dog. (I just don’t know if I can handle the shedding.)
I wish I had a fabulous singing voice, and feel like maybe one day I’ll wake up and it will just *happen.*
“Crazy Little Thing Called Love” (the Michael Buble version) was the song Andrew and I danced to for our first dance.
I hate icing and don’t really like birthday cake… so my mom makes me a homemade apple pie every year!
I once got to shake James Taylor’s hand at a concert and to this day it’s one of my favorite memories.
After flying into a microburst a couple of years ago (this flight in particular) turbulence terrifies me.
My mom kept me and my sister’s hair really short when we were little, so we’d wear ballet skirts and dish towels on our head to pretend we had long hair.
I was on the golf team during my freshman year of high school because it was the one spring sport that didn’t involve running.
If I could live in any other US city in the world it would be Washington D.C.
Southern Living… my mom had a whole chest of issues while I was growing up.
Slow mornings spent with Jesus, a cup of coffee, prayer and journaling, and Peter Bradley Adams on in the background.
The earrings I designed for my bridesmaids… they’re by far the most-worn pair I own. You can see the full collection I designed here.
Miniature schnauzers… specifically Flynn! Having a dog has been the most wonderful thing and definitely a highlight of this past year. I’m so glad I waited until I was ready to take on the responsibility!
It was so fun to create these two lists, and I highly recommend you make them for yourself on your birthday! I bet they will be fun to look back on year after year as the things we love change and random facts about ourselves evolve!
Although it may sound cheesy, I truly want to thank y’all for being one of the best parts of this past year. Getting to share my life with y’all year after year is such a privilege and joy, and I’m so thankful for your part in it!
Cheers to 27, and all that lies ahead!
“My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14
I’ve realized that I love a good coffee mug, and they bring more joy to my day than I’ve ever given credit to! So if you find yourself at home these days, craving an afternoon coffee break yourself, perhaps this roundup of cute coffee mugs might give you a bit of sipping inspiration.
My 3:30pm coffee break has always been a daily highlight of mine, but now more than ever I so look forward to this moment to step back, soak up a bit of afternoon sunshine and indulge in a delicious cup of joe.
I’ve never been a coffee mug collector, per se, but over the years I have noticed a few quirky tendencies in regards to my caffeine consumption.
For example, I have one mug that I save exclusively for Friday mornings (a Cafe 30A mug I bought from a favorite restaurant Seaside, Florida), a couple dark/not cute ones I simply will not drink out of (I bet you can guess who brought those to the collection.. #Andrew), and plenty of other silly habits and traditions I’ve formed.
I’ve realized that I love a good coffee mug, and they bring more joy to my day than I’ve ever given credit to! So if you find yourself at home these days, craving an afternoon coffee break yourself, perhaps this roundup of cute coffee mugs might give you a bit of sipping inspiration.
click directly on an image to shop
grab a cup
cute coffee mugs for the social-distanced
Sending you lots of love as I finish off my afternoon cup! Now the question is… do I go for another?
Good morning, friends! Welcome to the start of a new week… and with it, new opportunities to make each day a little better and brighter. No matter what last week looked like for you, I hope you’re able to press the reset button and focus on the positives today. Last…
Good morning, friends! Welcome to the start of a new week… and with it, new opportunities to make each day a little better and brighter. No matter what last week looked like for you, I hope you’re able to press the reset button and focus on the positives today.
Last week looked a little different for me. Andrew was home, and we really tried to capitalize on the extra time together with lots of board games, rest, cooking and Flynn time. The downtime did wonders for my soul, and I’m feeling so refreshed today. I did manage to get a few blog posts up, and if you missed them, here they are: 5 Easy Dresses to Brighten Your Day, The Happy List No. 2, 15 Lougewear Sets I’m Loving
Today, I wanted to invite you into something a little bit different, and something I’m really looking forward to. Over the years, I’ve shared my love for “quiet times” – spending time each morning reading through Scripture and journaling my prayers. I often get questions about where to start, how to prayer journal, etc, and thought that perhaps the best way to share my process would be to invite you into it!
join me
This Wednesday, April 6, I would love for you to join me for a 7-day study called Psalms of Rest. It’s from one of my favorite online bible study resources, She Reads Truth, and I think will be so encouraging for the current season we’re in.
My hope is that each day, starting this Wednesday, you’ll join me as we work our way through these beautiful, encouraging Psalms. I’ll be going live on Instagram Stories at 12pm EST on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday to read through each daily devotional and share specifically what spoke to my heart and encouraged me. (The last two days of the study are personal reflections over two specific verses, so I’ll leave those to you!) If you can’t make it live, don’t worry, I’ll save the videos for you to access later!
This is going to be super laid-back and casual, and you don’t need to buy a thing! Here is a link to the free study. If you want to jump in, simply read through the suggested verse and devotional for each day, and then join me as we walk through it together. (Or not, you can totally do this on your own too!)
Hear this: it doesn’t matter who you are! It doesn’t matter whether or not you consider yourself a Christian. It doesn’t matter whether or not you’ve ever opened a Bible. You are welcome, no matter what. During this time I think many of us are feeling alone, anxious and perhaps a bit afraid. My hope and prayer is that no matter who you are or where you find yourself this week, you’ll find a little bit of encouragement, a tiny sense of community as we go through this together, and perhaps a moment of rest during these crazy times.
This idea for a “virtual” bible study actually came from one of you, a few weeks ago! It’s been sitting on my heart ever since, and after a lot of prayer I’m so excited to walk through this with you. Feel free to invite a friend, sister, mom, etc to join in!
So today, I wanted to share this post centered around something incredibly simple that also manages to lift my spirits… the act of getting ready and putting on an easy dress, especially during this season!
Hey, friends! I’m currently sitting in our living room as Andrew works on his taxes and I type out this post. It’s been a slow Saturday morning full of coffee, chill playlists, and open windows. Isolation has been weird and full of lots of unknowns, but in the midst of it all, there have been moments of rest and stillness (like these) that I’ve been trying to soak up. I hope you’ve been able to find moments of joy in the midst of this chaos as well!
As I mentioned at the beginning of the week, Andrew has been home this week on a “one week on, one week off” rotation as his hospital and, specifically, residency program, works to minimize exposure and prepare for the unknowns ahead. Selfishly, I’ve loved having him here these past few days, especially since time off is so rare during residency!
We’ve sought to really and truly rest this week, cooling off on work, catching up on sleep, getting outside at a safe distance, and it’s been the best mental and physical reset. But yesterday, we headed out to our front porch to shoot a fun little project with Nordstrom! It’s been a few weeks since I’ve shared an outfit post, and doing something normal and creative immediately lifted my spirits.
So today, I wanted to share this post centered around something incredibly simple that also manages to lift my spirits… the act of getting ready and putting on an easy dress, especially during this season!
A couple of weeks ago, I shared in my 7 tips for fostering joy during your day the importance of getting ready each day. Don’t get me wrong, I love a lazy day as much as anyone else, and have definitely indulged in a few of them this past week. But here’s the thing: it always amazes me how much more productive and confident I feel when I take a few minutes to put myself together!
My outfit of choice is always an easy, feminine dress. Why? For one, a dress is such a comfortable option, especially when working from home. (I don’t love working at my desk in jeans all day, especially with all of the social distance snacking I’ve been doing recently. :) But best yet, they make me feel lovely with hardly any effort.
So today, I’m excited to share 5 easy dresses to brighten your day. I hope these pieces put a smile on your face whether you find yourself working from home, a newly-appointed homeschool teacher or simply trying to figure out what this new season means for you. They’re all under $100, and are styles that deserve to be taken out on the town once this is all behind us!
(FYI – With times being tight, Nordstrom is offering site-wide sales on a large array of their inventory. Not only are many of these dresses included, but you’ll find different daily deals. Today, jeans for the whole family are 25% off!)
One of my favorite trends this season is the blousy midi dress. It gives you a glamorous look and such a cozy feel! This piece, in particular, looks perfectly sophisticated and is made with lovely, weighty fabric. Dress this down with sandals for the beach or up with heels and fun statement earrings!
Size Details: I typically go up two sizes to a US 4 in Topshop, but went down to a US 2 due to the billowy nature of this dress. It fits perfectly! I’d recommend wearing a slip underneath the white shade as it isn’t lined.
There’s something about a classic shirtdress that simply doesn’t go out of style. The beautiful pink floral pattern on this one in particular, along with the sweet collar detailing, instantly got me! If you haven’t checked it out yet, this brand Court & Rowe is giving me all the classic, french vibes.
Size Details: I ordered my usual size, an XS, in this dress. It fit perfectly, but without a lot of wiggle room! I’d recommend going up one size to be safe in this line.
An easy mini dress will always be one of my favorite go-to styles. Effortless, easy, and ladylike, you can wear this cute coral style with everything from sneakers to sandals to wedges! Andrew claimed this was his favorite out of the bunch.
Sizing Details: This dress comes in small, medium and large. I ordered the small (I usually take an XS) and while it was definitely a bit roomy, it works for the style!
Talk about a dress that instantly puts a smile on your face! This flouncy number from Free People is so much fun to wear. I honestly had a blast even photographing it for this post! Nordstrom is having a fabulous sale currently, and this dress is 40% off.
Size Details: I ordered my usual size, an XS, and it fits perfectly!
Soft enough to camp out on the couch with, easy and classic, this dress is one I’ll own for years. I love the pleated skirt detailing and the relaxed fit. Adorable with sneakers and wedges alike! It also comes in white, which would make for such a cute closet staple.
Size Detailing: I ordered my usual size, an XS, and found this dress to fit slightly large. The style is roomy by nature, but I think you’d be able to size down one if you’re on the shorter side!
Here’s the thing. You don’t need to spend a dime if you don’t want to! I’m sure your closet has a few treasures you haven’t worn in a while, and I hope these five dresses inspire you to take a few extra minutes every day to put one on. That simple action always adds a bit more joy to my day, and I hope it does the same for yours!
Over the years, working with Nordstrom has been one of my favorite partnerships and opportunities. I’m so grateful for their continued support during this uncertain time, and so grateful for your engagement!
Sending lots of love to you, and an extra hug to those who don’t have the ability to stay home and put on pretty dresses, but rather are on the frontlines keeping us all safe. You are our heroes.
Even though they’re just as cozy, loungewear sets give me more of a “put together” feel than your typical PJs, and that “put together” feeling is one of my favorites… especially during this time. I’m excited to share a few of my favorite sets with you today!
Hey, friends! If you’re wondering where I was yesterday… our refrigerator finally, forever broke. (Perfect timing, right?!) Andrew and I managed to find a model that Lowe’s was willing to sell from the floor, get it back to our home, move it into our kitchen (we used this contraption and it was actually pretty easy!), hook it up, transfer the food, and remove the old fridge.
Whew, I’m tired just typing that out!
Needless to say, it kept us busy nearly all day! With Andrew being off this week, it’s been the perfect time for us to finish a few projects around the house. I’m loving this little stay at home vacation with him so much. So forgive me for not being on here and Instagram quite as much!
I’m really excited to get this post live, though. I’ve been putting it together since last week, and finally have a few moments to sit down and publish it… 15 loungewear sets I’m loving! You know me, I’m all about getting dressed (preferably into an easy little dress) in order to feel productive and take on the day, but this week in particular I’ve loved living in loungewear.
I could do a whole other post on pajamas (and will, if y’all want me to!) but wanted to focus on loungewear sets today. Why? Because these don’t make me feel like I’m stuck in pajamas all day! Even though they’re just as cozy, loungewear sets give me more of a “put together” feel than your typical PJs, and that “put together” feeling is one of my favorites… especially during this time.
So, without further ado, here are a few favorites of mine! The sets marked with a heart indicate a price tag of $50 or less (as of the time I’m posting this!). I’ll also be sharing a few favorite loungewear brands below!
The only reason you won’t find any Colsie pieces in the roundup above is that there aren’t any “flat” product images. But be sure to check out this Target brand… so many adorable and affordable sets! I’m especially loving these grey leopard shorts ($15!) paired with this grey leopard sweatshirt ($20!).
I bought my first set of Honeydew (this pink star top and short) right before my honeymoon because I wanted something that was super comfortable but also cute! I have been hooked ever since. The material is unbelievably soft, and stays that way no matter how many times it’s washed. I wear the top with leggings all the time, as it’s great for mixing and matching! I have my eye on this set next. Shop this brand at Nordstrom, Shopbop, and Amazon.
Have you heard of the J.Crew Weekend collection? Tons of cozy favorites (everything from leggings to biker shorts to sweatshirts) that you can mix and match into classic, colorful ensembles. These camo leggings are next on my list!
If you’re looking to feel a little lux and don’t mind spending more for beautiful quality, look no further than PJ Harlow! I was introduced to this brand a couple of years ago when Andrew’s very stylish and chic grandmother gifted me this set for Christmas. The satiny fabric is to die for, and so easy to care for! If nothing else, trust me and buy these pants.
Now that loungewear is on the rise, I’d love to know any brands you’re loving!
Love from the Sunshine State,
Kate
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