Tag: 2020

11..., Lifestyle

11… Hopes for the New Year

RaeAnna
Enjoying Christmas things in Baytown, Texas. | Dress | Shirt | Boots |

I’ve never been one for resolutions. In reality, I’m not even one for goal setting or manifesting. It’s not that I’m unmotivated; I’m actually incredibly motivated and hardworking. I’ve just found that it doesn’t work for me. Resolutions, goals, manifestations are not for me. 

Happiness and kindness are the two driving forces in my life. Every day I wake up and live my life to the best of my abilities by making choices that make me happy and do as much good as I can in the world. At the end of the day, if I have accomplished those, I have lived a good day and that will culminate into a good life. I hope. 

2020 was quite the year. Filled with ups and downs on a global and personal scale. I did what I could to find happiness and create kindness, but I, like the entirety of Earth’s population, am hoping for better things in 2021. 

I missed the usual Christmas traditions in 2020, but I won’t let it get me down for 2021. | Dress | Flannel | Boots | Earrings |
  1. I hope the pandemic is reigned in. For selfish reasons, I want life to get on with it. For global reasons, I want life to get on with it. Everything has been on hold for far too long. 
  2. I hope to see friends and family again. It’s been over a year since I have seen some of my closest friends and family members. Some live far away and others live just on the other side of town. Due to COVID, I have gone without seeing many people for their safety and mine. It sucks, but it is for the best. 
  3. I hope to travel. Knock on wood, 2020 was supposed to be my year of international travel. Shocker: It wasn’t. I went to none of the places I was supposed to. It makes me sad, but at the end of the day, it was for the best. Most of the trips were postponed, a few were permanently canceled. Time will tell when I get to see Europe again. 
  4. I hope for health. The health of the world and myself. As an imuno-compromised person, this year has been tough. I’ll speak more on how I’m ringing in 2021later, but it’s not the way I was hoping for my family.
  5. I hope to be more consistent. 2020 was anything but my finest year of consistency. I managed to let so many things fall through the cracks that I have never ever let fall through the cracks before. I’m ashamed… Kind of. In all honesty, I’m disappointed in myself, but at the end of the day, I just couldn’t make those things happen. In 2021, I want to get back to being the consistent human I was before and even more consistent than before.  
  6. I hope to get back to working. As a freelance writer, COVID seriously affected my income. I’m not complaining because, at least, I’m still working. It has been a very, very slow year for me. As a creative, I was impacted significantly. Luckily, I have a partner who has been able to work consistently throughout the pandemic, so we have not struggled the way other families have. I miss working, though. Here’s to a better year!
  7. I hope to not wear a mask. I will absolutely continue to wear a mask until it is completely safe to not wear one. I am looking forward to not having to need it, though. 
  8. I hope the vaccine can be administered to one and all. 
  9. I hope my puppies continue to grow healthy and strong. They will celebrate their first birthday in March. I can’t believe how soon that is and how quickly this year has gone by. I was so very blessed to have them and be able to provide for their health and happiness. COVID gave me the time to care for them, and for that, I will forever be grateful for 2020. 
  10. I hope to grow my blog. 2020 was incredibly inconsistent for the blog. It grew and shrunk and stagnated. I’m not complaining. I love this part of my life, but I’m hoping to really dive into it in the way I had been wanting to in 2020 but was unable to. I have a lot of books to catch up on reviews. So I hope to have those all published by May. Fingers crossed. 
  11. I hope to continue chasing happiness and kindness. I want 2021 to be filled with happiness for myself and others. I want to spread kindness wherever I go, making the world a better place as much as I possibly can. 
  12. Bonus Hope I hope to get a bunch of projects done in my house. I very much love it as it is, but there are so many things I want to get done, like painting and decorating. I’ll absolutely document my progress as I go because it’s so fun!!!

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”4328155″]

Blog + Dog, In My Own Words, Lifestyle

Christmas Tree Hunting in 2020; A Family Tradition

RaeAnna
I love Christmas tree hunting even more beause of Beau. | Sweater | Jeans | Flannel | Boots | Beret

Christmas tree hunting has been a tradition my entire life.

What is the definition of Christmas tree hunting? For me, it means, first, locating a Christmas tree farm: one that grows Christmas trees. [My personal favorite in the Houston area is High Star Christmas Tree Farm. It’s north of Houston. They have amazing prices and friendly staff.] Once at the farm, the hunt is on. Grab a saw and a measuring stick. Find the plumpest, tallest, most symmetrical tree that your space allows. Lay down on the ground, saw that tree down. Shake it, bundle it, pay for it, put it in the truck, head home to set it up and decorate!

Every single year, minus 1999, 2014, and 2015, I have gone to a tree farm, hunted the perfect tree, and cut it down. By I cut it down, I mean, my father, my boyfriend, my friend, my boyfriend, anyone that wasn’t me cut it down. We’ll get to that in a moment. The reason for no tree hunting in 1999 was: My family and I weren’t home for Christmas. We were celebrating in California with family, so we decorated a Christmas cactus. 2014 and 2015 did not have a tree hunt because I was living with my best friend’s family, and they have a fake tree. 

Beau loves the big dogs that moo so much!!!

Out of my thirty Christmases, I have had a real live tree personally cut down (by a someone close to me but not me) for twenty-seven of those Christmases. 

The most fun part about Christmas trees… I’M ALLERGIC!!! Our love is greater than my inability to touch them. I have a commitment to real trees because I love them, I love their smell, I love having a real tree that I picked out of the ground. Luckily, I have people who love me enough to struggle cutting down a tree, setting it up, and decorating it. I, graciously, take on the role of manager, pastry chef, and barista. Everyone gets what they want, but mostly I do.

Loving on the best girl in the whole world.

Once Beau entered the family, she started coming on the hunt for the perfect Christmas tree. This is her fourth year. This year, we have five extra dogs in the house. We decided to save our sanity, and only brought Beau with us to hunt. She loves it. She loved looking at the big dogs that go moo and rubbing up against the pine needles. She did her very best to try and greet every human and pupper she met. And per usual, she did not want to cooperate for family pictures, but I managed to get one nonetheless. 

This is also the first Christmas in my own house. A house with a very high ceiling, a very large living room, and fireplace warranting a large ass tree. I managed to find the chonkiest twelve foot tree I could find. It is a giant of a tree. I love it so much. The amount of joy it brings me is too great for words. Pictures will be coming soon. Bringing it in, setting it up, and decorating it was a several day process because it’s very large and very beautiful. I am in love with my Christmas tree. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna + Beau

Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”4315185″]

11..., Lifestyle

11… Coronavirus Quarantine Activities

RaeAnna

Oh 2020… You have not begun the way I was hoping. Coronavirus has hit the world in pandemic proportions. With social distancing and quarantining being the thing to do, I figured I would share some wisdom when you’re stuck at home. 

My life has changed very little because of quarantining and social distancing. Working from home, being an extreme introvert, and having a very tiny social life means I don’t leave the house all that much. I have become quite the connoisseur of staying in. I’m quite the indoorsy lady. Beau misses the dog park, but she doesn’t mind the extra cuddles I’m able to give her because of my sluggish work schedule.

20200323_201734(0)
Posing with my quaranteam! | Sweatshirt | Yoga Pants | Chair | Ottoman | Blanket |

  1. Read a book. This requires nothing but a cup of tea and a book. Dog cuddles make the activity even better. 
  2. Play board games. My personal favorite is Scrabble; it’s good for the brain; it’s good for the competitive spirit; it’s good fun.
  3. Have sex or masterbate. Whatever. Enjoy your significant other or yourself. You deserve it.
  4. Binge watch a cooking show. Find something ridiculous you want to try. Then try and make it. I suggest the Great British Bake Off. I have made several pastries in varying degrees of success. 
  5. Declutter. This is boring, but it will make you feel absolutely amazing when it’s all done. You also get bragging rights about not wasting your quarantine and being a badass. 
  6. Take up yoga/pilates/zumba/working out. I won’t do this, but I know some people have. It’s a good way to get flexible since we’re being forced to be flexible with our schedules.
  7. Download Duolingo and learn a language. Try Gaelic or Welsh or Vulcan. It could be fun and funny to show off your Elvish skills when you can go to bars again. 
  8. Watch those movies you’ve been wanting to watch but have never had the time to watch. Seriously. Dedicate a two day spree to watching those movies. We all have a list of them on Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, or all of those. You know you want to. 
  9. Cuddle your dog. If you don’t have a dog, adopt a dog!
  10. Call the people you’ve been meaning to call or text them or even write a letter. They’re great; you miss them; reach out. I do love sending a good letter, but I’m a weirdo. I think we should bring letter writing back, though.
  11. Have a photoshoot. For real. Grab those clothes you LOVE but never have a chance or reason to wear. Head out with a friend or a tripod somewhere cute and take pictures. You deserve it. Plus you’ll have something cute to remember this disaster of a time. 

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3954171″]

11..., Lifestyle

11… Things I’m Going to Do in 2020 for the Blog

RaeAnna

wp-1578880630004
Doing what I have to in order to get the picture in Des Moines. | Camera | Flannel | Sweater | Jeans | Scarf | Boots | Purse | Hat | 

I’m not much for resolutions or goals, but these aren’t resolutions. These are small things I’m going to do this year because I’m going to need a reminder of the things I thought about doing at one point when I’m bored and can’t remember what I want to do. These are all blog focused because I have loads of ideas, and then I forget about those ideas the moment I sit down to write anything at all. 

  1. Make a point to see more murals in Houston.
  2. Try new restaurants.
  3. Take better and more unique pictures.
  4. Be better about sticking to the schedule I set for myself.
  5. Create a list of my favorite coffee shops in Houston.
  6. Write about the things that are important to me.
  7. Go on more Blips for Trips (short, drivable day trips) in my spare time.
  8. Learn how to create a mailing list.
  9. Write about the Iowa Law Library. (finally) 
  10. See more of Texas. 
  11. Support as many wonderful women as I can. 

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3878129″]