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Make Life Marvelous

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Lifestyle

Thoughts on 2020 & My Word for 2021

January 18, 2021      46 Comments

Thoughts on 2020 & My Word for 2021 BEFORE READ-MORE Let’s be honest, 2020 was a tough year! I had a whole lot of beautifully-laid out plans that unfortunately just didn’t happen. Partly because of the pandemic, and partly because of my mindset. I found myself just sort of depressed and couldn’t really find the motivation I needed. Thankfully, ever since the holidays, I’ve felt like this universal shift is coming and things are going to be so much brighter this year. I’m definitely pouring all of my positive energy into making my goals happen this year, no matter what things look like with the pandemic. I have to realize that it’s not within my control what happens in the world. I just have control over myself. I wanted to share with you my biggest takeaways from last year. I want to stay mindful of these three things during 2021, and beyond. Plus, I’ll be sharing my word for this year at the bottom! Take Care of Your Loved Ones This past year tore us away from our family and friends. It was heartbreaking for so many, especially to those who are now grieving over some of them. As each year passes, it is almost always on my mind that some of my loved ones may not make it to see another year. That probably sounds very morbid and daunting, and is probably just a result of my life experiences. But it has opened my eyes to really pay special attention to those I love the most. I want to show them that I care while they are here. I want them to know without a doubt that I’m there for them and will do anything in my power to help them. I work very hard to not take anyone for granted because we never know when our time is up. Protect Your Peace I learned how important protecting my peace was last year. I felt like I was going through a multitude of things. Some of the things that were bothering me the most, I couldn’t even control and didn’t directly involve me. They involved loved ones. I’m sure many of you have had similar situations where you have family members that can sometimes play a toxic role in your life. As a result, I really needed to rely on creating healthy boundaries and sticking to those. It’s an ongoing difficult situation for me, but I have truly handled it better than I ever have before. I hope to continue to grow in this area and get better with those healthy boundaries. Try to Control What You Can Control (Not What You Can’t) This one is pretty much directly tied to what I just mentioned about protecting my peace. I’ve spent so much time (that I can never get back) stressing myself out over things I can’t control. Mostly in regard to loved ones, but also the world as a whole. While I choose not to talk politics in this space, I think we all can agree that things have just been a mess in the United States for the past year and even right now. The pandemic, the mud-slinging, all of the sad news that’s plastered all over the tv or our social media...it’s just exhausting. I just had to cut out most of the news because it was so depressing. Short of voting and praying for things to get better, that’s really all I can control. The rest of it will be what it will be, and I’m really trying to remind myself that each day. My Word for 2021 is Growth I’ve been flip-flopping between ‘change’ and ‘growth’ for my word this year. I realized what I wanted for this year was way more like ‘growth’ than ‘change.’ My thought process on using ‘change’ was that I was creating these new habits that were going to be life-changing and help really boost me to achieving my goals. When I thought about it a little more, I realized ‘growth’ really summarizes what I want to embody this year the best. It still requires change to happen, but it just seems like a better fit to choose ‘growth.’ [PIN] I hope you’ve gained a little something from reading this post, friend. I’m wishing you an amazing week filled with lots of joy. ust on a fun side note, I’m looking forward to watching The Bachelor and WandaVision this week. Do you have any fun shows/things in general you’re looking forward to? Let’s Chat! Do you identify with any of these takeaways from 2020? Have you chosen a word for this year? Fun question: Have you been watching The Bachelor this season?

Let’s be honest, 2020 was a tough year! ...

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New Year’s No-Spend Challenge

January 1, 2021      37 Comments

New Year's No-Spend Challenge

It’s time for another no-spend January, friends! ...

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All the Christmas Vibes!

December 21, 2020      24 Comments

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It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas! ...

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How to Have a Happy Halloween at Home

October 26, 2020      30 Comments

How to Have a Happy Halloween at Home

Covid has changed so much during this year, and because of it, you're likely spending Halloween  at home this year! ...

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About Me

I'm Ashley, the one-woman village behind this little blog! Living in my thirties era and happily married to my soul mate. Cat mom to our two precious rescue cats, Draino and Pepper, both crossed the rainbow bridge but are never forgotten. I’m obsessed with grabbing iced coffee, watching court cases, check marking my to-do list, fresh air, cozy blankets, helping others, and saying ‘I love you’ before every goodbye.

I'm so happy you're here and can't wait to connect with you on all the marvelous things!

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makelifemarvelous

In this beautiful new year, I’m really leaning int In this beautiful new year, I’m really leaning into slower, cozier moments! A cup of coffee, a good book, a little planning time, and finding beauty in the everyday while wrapped up in the softest cardigan ever. ✨
 
These vintage-inspired frames from @firmoo_optical’s Retro Flair collection are absolutely perfect for adding a little extra cozy aesthetic to my day. I’m wearing the TM13880 frames in Pattern C7. They’re stylish, comfortable, and so helpful for making the most of those quiet moments when I’m reading, making lists, or going over what needs to get done for the day. 
 
If you’ve been wanting to refresh your glasses (or try something new!), you can shop Firmoo using my link and save 50% off with my code below ✨
 
🔗 Shop here: https://bit.ly/4myPRIs or use my link in bio! 
 
☀️ Use code: MARVELOUS50
 
How do you make your day a little extra cozy?

💗 Ashley
 
#MakeLifeMarvelous
#firmoo #myfirmoo #eyeglasses #RetroFlair
Your Friday reminder. 🫶 Here’s your gentle nudge Your Friday reminder. 🫶

Here’s your gentle nudge to believe in the tiny shifts, the quiet growth, and the moments you’re creating today.
 

💗 Ashley

#MakeLifeMarvelous
Start fresh, motivational quote, keep going, change is possible.
🌊 Coastal winds, cozy layers, and wardrobe staples 🌊 Coastal winds, cozy layers, and wardrobe staples I’ll be wearing all season long!
 
Everything I packed for Monterey was under $60 from Amazon and super easy to mix and match.
 
You can find all the details in my blog post on makelifemarvelous.com and everything is linked in my LTK Shop! ✨
 
I can’t wait to share with you my recap posts for our Pebble Beach trip, this is the first of many! 

💗 Ashley

#MakeLifeMarvelous
Cozy season, what I wore in Monterey, Pebble Beach outfit ideas, Amazon budget finds.
A gentle reminder to…   🧡 Slow down 🤍 Brew or pick A gentle reminder to…
 
🧡 Slow down
🤍 Brew or pickup your favorite coffee
🧡 Wear something soft and cozy (I’m picturing my emotional support scarf!)
🤍 Take on the day with an open heart + kindness

Wishing you the very best day, sweet friends!

💗 Ashley

#MakeLifeMarvelous
Cozy season, inspirational quote, sweater weather, find joy in each day.
The first snow of the season called for one thing: The first snow of the season called for one thing: ✨ cozy soup weather ✨

So I whipped up my favorite quick and easy chicken tortilla soup, and it really hit the spot! Warm, comforting, and perfect for nights when you want something delicious without spending all evening in the kitchen.
 
Be sure to save this post so you can come back easily to the recipe!
 
🥣 Chicken Tortilla Soup — Stovetop
 
Ingredients
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (cooked — diced or shredded)
• ½ cup diced yellow onion
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 (15 oz) can chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 (15 oz) can corn — undrained
• 1 (10 oz) can original Rotel — undrained
• 1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• ½ tsp chili powder
 
Directions
Add everything to a pot on the stove, mix well, and let simmer for 1 hour. The flavor gets even better the longer it sits, but since everything’s already cooked, it’s ready once heated through!
 
Top with tortilla strips, cheese, sour cream, or whatever your heart desires. 🤤 I love to serve this soup with cheesy garlic bread!
 
What’s your go-to winter comfort meal?

💗 Ashley

#MakeLifeMarvelous
Cozy soup season, quick and easy recipes, chicken tortilla soup, football recipes, comfort meals.
Tiny moments of care add up to something beautiful Tiny moments of care add up to something beautiful. 🫶
 
The little things you do matter more than you think — savoring your coffee, giving yourself just a little extra time in the mornings, sending a kind message, choosing rest when your body needs it, taking action on your goals, etc.

What’s one small, cozy win you’re celebrating today?

💗 Ashley

#MakeLifeMarvelous
Inspiring quotes, tiny wins, every little bit counts, the little things add up to big things, keep going.

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