A couple of weeks ago, I was invited by my lovely friend Grace Baja to join her for an afternoon of fun with the ladies. When I asked her what to expect from the event she described it as an intimate gathering of friends chatting the afternoon away. Grace shared that she would also be launching a new facet of her Grace Home line in the form of pretty pillows. I am already fond of her candles, her stationery, and her home sprays, so I knew that her pillows would be equally pleasing as a home accessory.
Ladies? Chatting? Afternoon snacks? Pretty Pillows?
Yes, please!
I was happy to learn that we would be chatting with some other bloggers that I have met through different projects and events as well. I imagined it to be a relaxed talk amongst like minded women set in The Kirov showroom of Proscenium, in Rockwell.
Yummy nibbles, snacks, and drinks were provided by Trish Panllilio from nawwTy’s Kitchen. When Trish is there, I know I won’t go hungry, and the details of the dishes will be served with class and elegance.
Before everyone arrived, I was able to explore the showroom.
How pretty are those pillows?
So, Grace had prepared some questions for all of us so that we could chat openly about blogging. I loved the flow and the fun banter that occurs when women get together.
We chatted about LOVE, STYLE, and LIFE.
You don’t have to imagine how the conversation flowed, because Grace was gracious enough to even provide us with a little snippet of what our afternoon “Pillow Talk” entailed.
One thing I really enjoyed?
Is how Grace got me to thinking…
Every now and then, it is important to take a step back, ask yourself some honest questions and look in the mirror. You can evaluate what you are doing (or in this case blogging) to see where you can improve, or even where you might need to let go.
So, here are some of the conclusions I came to from Grace’s prompting all of us to think:
I LOVE blogging. I love the connection I make with other moms and parents. I most especially LOVE it when a parent of a child with special needs reaches out to me, because I feel like my purpose is served for starting this blog in the first place. I love the connection I make with other bloggers that I meet. Connecting with other Mommas, also makes me a better mom. I love sharing what our family does, and how we do it, but I’m mindful. I certainly don’t share EVERYTHING. I share the good parts. I feel like GOOD BEGETS GOOD. Positive attracts Positive. And that’s a good thing. I want to keep my little corner here in the blogosphere as positive as I can. Even through the challenges.
It took a little time to find my personal STYLE, here on the blog. When I first started sharing almost four years ago, I wasn’t quite sure where I wanted to go with my thoughts. I knew that I wanted to share parts of our lives with Gellibean, so that others could see having a child with special needs was indeed a blessing. I also wanted to share parts of my motherhood that I enjoyed. If that was cooking, or teaching yoga, or DIY hacks, or even parts of my advocacies for Gelli, then somehow, I knew I could find space for these kinds of posts amongst the others about special needs and Down Syndrome. After all, Down Syndrome is not the only thing that defines my daughter, just like being her mom isn’t the only thing that defines me as a person.
I guess the most important aspect of style for me, would be to remember that if I remain true to myself in what I write about, and what events I choose to attend, then I can remain authentic in my voice. I apply this in all of my life choices as well…and this comes from knowing my center, returning to it often, and standing true in what I believe in.
As a mom, I know that LIFE is a balancing act. I’m even more aware now, just how important this balancing act is after attending #BETTERMEPH sessions with Coach Pia and The SoMoms. I’m a daughter, a wife, a mother, a blogger, an advocate and a woman who likes to enjoy life for herself as well. I need to find time to take care of my children, make sure that house and home is efficiently run, nurture my relationship with my husband, find time to write and attend events, hang with Best Buddies to further inclusion, see my girlfriends, and take time for myself.
There are some days I’m pulled in to make sure my kids have everything they need. So, I pull back from events and blogging to devote more time to my first priority. Lately, Nino and I have been spending a little more time than we have had in the past, to nurture our relationship and rediscover one another. And sometimes, I get pulled out of the house a little bit more, which means that the household staff all have to be on board with making sure that everything runs smoothly at home, when I am unable to attend to daily duties. It’s give and take. It’s finding the balance in what I do, E V E R Y D AY. No two days are alike…and that can actually be refreshing.
The beauty in these thought provoking questions? I got to hear what each of the other guest bloggers felt, and surprisingly, (or not) we all were on the same wave length.
One thing is for sure, we all agreed that Grace’s new French Chic Collection of Throw Pillows was certainly a good reason to come together and chit chat.
Grace Home Throw Pillows are designed by Grace herself. She wanted to provide options for the home decorator that would be attainable, stylish, French-inspired, and hypoallergenic.
I appreciate the fact that the pillow covers are made of a microfiber cotton that is easily removed and washable.
But, if you have visited the blog before, you also know that I like pretty things with a practical side. Having four kids means that many of the decisions I make have to be sensible and realistic. It just comes with the territory. At only Php 1,500 for the round pillow and Php 1,600 for the square pillow these are an affordable way to change up the look and feel of a room without much effort.
Dontch’ya think?
Shop Now: www.gracehomemanila.com
