Monday Motivation

In honor of my 30th birthday this past weekend, I thought I'd share a quote from one of my favorite authors, and Mr. Emerson couldn't have penned truer words than these. After spending a majority of my school years not fitting in, it's so rewarding to begin my third decade as nothing more than myself, unapologetically and with absolutely no need for approval. I hope you all will or already have achieved this same accomplishment.

 

Happy Monday!

What I Wore: Thanksgiving

 

Thanksgiving in my family is not a fancy affair. The food is deliciously Southern, the atmosphere is laid back, and the dress is casual.  That's why this t-shirt dress, denim jacket, and ankle booties were the perfect combination for not one but two Thanksgiving dinners. However, we got up to almost 80 degrees so I had to lose the jacket after lunch.

Details:

Dress: Wet Seal

Jacket: Old Navy

Boots: ShoeDazzle

My Go-To Thanksgiving Side Dish

 

I like to cook, but I'm not what you'd call a chef. I make a good pot of chili, to-die for potato salad, and can fry a mean pork chop, but I can't just come up with my own dish, and I usually don't stray far from a recipe other than to omit some things like onions or peppers. So it's safe to say you won't find me cooking the Thanksgiving turkey anytime soon, but it's tradition in my family for everyone to bring a dish to Thanksgiving. A few years ago I decided that those of us who don't like sweet potatoes or yams needed a similar alternative so I decided to try my hand at glazed carrots. They were such a big hit that I decided this year to share my ridiculously simple recipe.

What you'll need:

• 2 cans of carrots (I prefer Del Monte but it really doesn't matter)
• Butter
• Brown sugar
• Black pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat both cans of carrots on the stove just like you would if you were preparing them normally.
2. Once heated through, drain water off.
3. Transfer into serving dish.
4. Add a few teaspoons of butter (I usually do three but I'm not big on butter).
5. Once the butter has melted, add in desired amount of brown sugar, gently stirring so as not to smush your carrots. You'll want at least two tablespoons but last time I made them I used four.
6. Optional: sprinkle on black pepper to taste.

See, I told you. Super simple and takes about 10 minutes to prepare.

What's your favorite Thanksgiving side dish?

Recipe adapted from this version.

Monday Motivation

How true is this? There will always be people out there telling you that you can't do it, but even though it is so tempting to stop and bark back, the best thing you can do for yourself is to ignore them and keep working toward your goal. Besides, think about how awesome it will be when you can say you achieved your dreams despite those who said you couldn't.

Happy Monday!

Newsroom Fashion: Cranberry & Black

 

There's just something about this color combination that screams fall and the holidays, plus it's the perfect way to show my support of my alma mater, Troy. This post, though, is really in honor of my boots. Every time I wear them I get so many compliments and questions about where they came from. I bought these last year but luckily they're back in stock this year! They're very comfortable and the legs are lightly padded you don't get that gross leather-sticking-to-your-leg feeling after wearing them all day. If you're in the market for a heeled black boot, I highly recommend these.

Details:

Top: Old Navy

Skirt: old Lauren Conrad (similar, similar)

Boots: ShoeDazzle

On Living Your Dream

I knew a long time ago, before high school even, that I wanted to be a journalist. I decided that was what I wanted to do and set out on a path that ultimately led to where I am today, which I will admit is not where I imagined I would be all those years ago.

As with nearly everything in life, technology (and the 2008 recession) has transformed the journalism industry tremendously. Instead of working with ink, bylines and column inches, my day-to-day involves video, anchors and commercial breaks. But just because it turned out a little differently from the original plan doesn't mean I'm not living my dream.

See for me it's all about the news - delivering those stories that members of my community need and/or want to see or read. My original goal was to work for a newspaper or magazine, but when the economy tanked in 2008 that part of this industry took a big hit. I didn't give up, though, and applied to more than 100 publications before I was asked to temporarily produce my station's morning show in 2009. Even then I didn't realize that the definition of my dream was evolving. For the first two months I worked as a producer, I was still applying and going on interviews for newspaper jobs. None of them worked out, obviously.

Now, a little more than seven years later, I've gone from morning producer to evening producer to senior producer and now to executive producer. In addition to that I've gotten to pick up a camera and report on stories in my hometown. Sure there have been ups and downs and times when I've considered leaving, but I honestly can't imagine my life without the news.

So what was the point in me telling you all this? Too many times I see people give up on their dreams because it's not working out exactly the way they thought it would. I can't even imagine where I'd be now if I had turned that temporary producing gig because it wasn't part of the plan. The biggest part of achieving your dreams is the journey you take to get there.

Even though things didn't go nowhere near to plan, I didn't give up on my dream to be a journalist. Take it from me, the path to achieving your dreams isn't always straight but it's the twists and turns where you're most likely to learn who you are. You live and you learn and you just might end up exactly where you're supposed to be.

Monday Motivation + Blog Announcement

There really is nothing better than seeing someone doing what they love, whether it's their job, playing a sport or even doing a hobby. When I see people genuinely excited about what they're doing, it makes me want to find something I love to do right then. Fortunately, I love my job and my biggest hobby - this blog.

 

When I started this blog, I didn't even imagine that it would be a long-term part of my life. In fact, it started as a class project; I just never stopped. Over the years it's evolved from a commentary on random things I found while working overnight to a blog about all things journalism to what it is today - a lifestyle and career blog.

 

This weekend, I took the next step in the world of blogging - bought a domain name. What was ashtonwright.blogspot.com is now mommythejournalist.com. The former address will still get you here, but if you're following on a reader that isn't run by Google, you might want to resubscribe.

Happy Monday!

Newsroom Fashion: Over-the-Knee Boots

Over-knee-boots have been a trend I've admired on others but been wary about trying out myself because of my height. I worried that the boots would make me look shorter than I actually am. But when I saw this pair, I had to try them. They have an inner ankle zip, ties on the back and a nice cut-out at the knee. The suede, almond toe and heel help make these boots chic. They're pretty tight, especially around my prone-to-swelling ankles, and don't have much bend in the ankle area, but otherwise are comfortable ... so long as you don't try to cross your legs at the knees. Also, this skirt is a new favorite and is on major sale. I linked to it below.

Details:
Sweater: old (similar, similar)
Skirt: Cato
Boots: ShoeDazzle

Halloween 2016 Recap

Last year, I missed out on Halloween with Alexis because I was in a wedding, not that there's a whole lot to do on Halloween with an almost 7 month old. This year we made up for it, and have a pumpkin full of candy to show for our efforts.

First, we took Alexis to an event in my hometown - Pumpkins on the Square. She won third place in the costume contest for cutest contest, and especially liked the bean bag pumpkin game.

On Halloween, we took her to a trick-or-treating event held on one of our area town squares. Churches, businesses and individuals set up around the square handing out treats. There's also music and inflatables for the kids. Hundreds of people come out.

Hope everyone had a fun Halloween!