Since I’ve Been Gone
July 25, 2017
Hey you guys! Ah, it feels so great to be back at my computer blogging to all of you this morning. I’ve been away for one and a half months (aside from two update posts) as Marco and I were on vacation to Catalina and I was in the midst of my site transition to Paige Schmidt.
Today, I’m back and I want to do a post of what’s been going on in the time between! I also want to know: How have you guys been? What have you been up to this summer? Any trips? Where have you traveled? What’s new that you’re learning and/or working on? Share with me!
CONCERTS
This lower-key working period started off with going to a Dustin Lynch concert with my girlfriends at Vina Robles in Paso. Man, was Dustin Lynch good! He was super entertaining! Have you guys seen him? Such a fun concert!
CATALINA
Marco and I had a wonderful time in Catalina! It was such a rejuvenating trip! Most mornings we would wake up, drink coffee (not him), and go for a run or a walk. Then we’d come home, eat breakfast, and get in our suits to spend the day at the beach.
Each evening, we’d go out to eat on our own or with family. Many mornings I’d sneak out with my journal and a coffee and write while looking out over the water. We took naps most days, set fewer alarms than we do at home, and took a total work break. I even read this small book that my friend Jen bought me on mindful eating. It was a fun mindful eating refresher book.
Here are some photos from our trip!
When I got home I’d received this poster from Modern Map Art in the mail! Thanks to Jennifer for sending this gift over. Now I have something to remind me of our favorite place all the time!
COFFEE DATES
There have also been many coffee dates with girlfriends, just like this one with Asia and her assistant McKenzie.
I spent many many mornings at Scout Coffee writing new content for the site, too. I wasn’t blogging during this time away but I was most definitely writing. I edited my entire eBook and added several new sections (you can download that for free in the sidebar of my site, or if you’re on your phone go to my home page and keep scrolling!), I updated all of Authentically You and turned it into a free 10-day course (you can start that course now for free by entering your name & email in the header of my site!), and I updated my story & all of the pages on my site. LOT’S of writing, which is why I chose to take a blogging break throughout it all.
LAKE DAYS
When we got home from Catalina we spent a day at Santa Margarita lake with our friends Hannah and Dusty, their little guy Waylon, and their newest family member, Saige. Let’s just say I’ve got the baby fever, even though I’m not quite ready to have kid’s. I’ve gotta say, Marco seems quite the same! He’s not “ready” (are you ever?) but he’s much more open to the idea of becoming parents, within the next few years. The breaks are still on… but we’re easing up. How about I just say that! I mean… how could you NOT ease up with that sweet baby-Saige face?
BEACH DAYS
We also had a few beach days here and there. Somedays we’d spend the whole time in the sand and water, other times we’d take our camper, spend most of the day at the beach, and nap/work. This particular time we spent the whole day at the beach and I worked on some blog writing while Marco took a nap. Day camping is the best!
On this beach day we also went to Mersea’s, a new(er) place on the Harford Pier in Avila Beach. Yum! Marco and I split fish and chips while watching the seals play on the dock below. The seating at this place is awesome – you’re right over the water if you’re outside, and if you’re inside they’ve got little window cutouts in the floors so you can see through to the ocean!
BRAND TRANSITION
During this time away I also had new photos taken with my sweet friend Asia Croson. Asia is the MOST fun person to have photos taken with! She makes you feel so comfortable and at ease. We took these photos at a newer coffee shop in SLO called Lucy’s. This was perfect, really, because the walls were pretty bare and the chairs were my new teal/blueish/greenish color! My friend Brit from Bluebird salon did my hair, which I was so happy with!
BYOB
I’ve also continued to co-host an event in SLO for women in business called “BYOB: Build Your Own Business” with my two friends Asia and Natalie. This photo is from an event we hosted at Ascendo in SLO before the other girls arrived. These events have been such a special time to connect in person with women in SLO. In fact, it’s given me such inspiration to meet with women IN PERSON that Simi and I have begun talking about hosting in person workshops for Finally Free. We cannot waaaaaait to share all of the details with you girls!
THE 4TH OF JULY
Since the last time we talked on the blog the 4th of July has also passed! We had a really good 4th the weekend before (because the 4th was on Tuesday, we celebrated early). We had a slumber party at our friend Jess’s house. We parked the camper out front, decorated it in American-flag-print everything, and stayed up until 2:30 in the morning playing games, eating taco’s, sitting around the fire, and listening to music. It was such a blast! I even ventured out and made bacon wrapped dates for the first time to bring! They were SO good. Who knew they were so easy? They were just dates, bacon, and goat cheese. Yum! Here’s the recipe.
OUR OJAI GETAWAY
The next weekend Marco had off we ventured down to Ojai for a romantic getaway. Just the two of us! A family I used to babysit for was going out of town and offered to let us stay in their house for the weekend. The house was incredible and we had the BEST time. I woke up early each morning, took myself to coffee, read, journaled, and picked up breakfast to bring back for Marco and I. We fell in love with Jim & Robs Fresh Grill in Ojai and I ordered burrito bowls each of the three mornings – it was awesome!
Simi and I have also been reading this book, Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst. It’s been so good! We actually just finished and now I’m going to pass the book off to my friend Jess. Have any of you read it? The only thing I DIDN’T love was how critical of her body Lysa was – but I also totally understand the insecurities, because I used to feel the exact same way. I just wish we could all be more gentle with ourselves, you know?
ENGAGEMENTS
Wedding season is in the air FOR SURE. Since we last talked, I’ve had 3 friends get engaged, I’ve been to two showers, and have added three weddings to my calendar. Holy moses! When Marco and I got engaged we were so young that we didn’t experience everyone else getting married at the same time. Now most of our friends are around that 27-35 age and it seems like new rings are popping out every weekend!
Do you guys feel the same way? Are you newly engaged? Married? Single? How do you feel about all these engagements? Excited? Overwhelmed? Share!
BRIDAL SHOWERS
My sweet friend Jen is getting married this October and I have the honor of being in her wedding! Jen and I met through Emma (red dress) and I ended up being Jen’s health coach for one year before she decided to start a coaching career of her own! And now I’m in her wedding! Wow, how God brings people together!
Jen is one of my favorite humans. She’s got the biggest most beautiful heart and she is so much fun to talk to. Her excitability for the small things in life makes me feel like we’re soul sisters, born of the same breed. I love this girl with my whole heart!
My dear friend Ashten also had her shower this past weekend, which Jen and I went to together. Ashten and I met through blogging a few years ago, and I ALSO had the honor of being Ashten’s coach for a year! And now we’re friends and Marco and I get to go to her wedding! It’s pretty cute, actually: Ashten is marrying Kyle, who she started dating during our time in coaching together. When Ashten was moving one weekend shortly after her and Kyle began talking, Kyle had a pizza sent to her house. Not flowers, but pizza. From that point he had won Ashten’s heart, and mine too. I remember writing on her coaching notes that day “Kyle sent her a PIZZA – so sweet!” It was the sweetest, cutest, and most authentic move on his part and I loved it!
BAR METHOD SLO
What else is new? Let’s see… In the past two weeks I’ve been taking Bar Method classes with my friends Morgan and Mimi. Mimi owns the new Bar Method studio here in SLO and it is GORGEOUS. My friend Morgan is on her way to becoming a certified instructor, so I’ve been going to all of her practice classes. I love them! Do you guys do bar? Share with me! What are your fav bar classes?
LOOKING FORWARD
Looking forward, Marco and I are excited for a month full of visitors in SLO! Mine and Simi’s Finally Free Instagram Goddess, Karly, is coming to visit! Karly is incredible! While Karly is here, my dad will be coming up to teach my friends and I how to make salsa, pesto, and maybe hummus too – yay! I wish you could all come! Maybe we should Instagram it? I’ll do that!
After Karly’s visit, Marco’s cousin will be coming up during the week to stay with us, and same with his grandparents. They’ll be coming up to celebrate Marco’s granny’s birthday. Marco and I will then head to Ventura for a weekend of beach camping, and the next weekend my friend Kayla will be coming to visit. So much love!
This was such a fun post to write! I wanted my first post back to be one that allowed us to all hangout and allowed for me to reminisce with you a bit about what’s been going on!
Now I want to hear what’s been going on with you? Have you written a recent blog post? I want to see! Share it below! Are you traveling anywhere soon? Did you just get back from a trip? Where?
Final notes:
- My email has changed – my new email is paige@paigeschmidt.com – if you want to hear from me make sure my email is added to your contacts or simply send me an email so that your inbox knows I’m human and not spam!
- Come hang on Instagram @paigeschmidt! Say hi, tell me you read this post, let me know who you are! I want to come follow you back & get to know you!
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Anything else? Leave a comment! I love hearing from you 🙂