• Home
  • Blog
  • CBD
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Balancing Today

Learning To Balance It All

  • Ashley’s Life
  • Around DC
  • Motherhood
  • Self Care
  • Work-Life Balance
  • Fitness and Workouts
  • Weight Loss

in Everyday Moms, Reviews

Charmed Christmas Memories

When I was a young teen my parents bought me my very first James Avery charm, a volleyball.  Over the years I have added charms to my bracelet, each one tied to a specific memory or milestone.  My charm bracelet is more than a piece of jewelry, it’s a true keepsake full of stories.  I guess that’s what I love most about James Avery, it’s more than a store, it’s a story!

James Avery Christmas Charms
The older I get, the more and more I treasure my childhood Christmas memories.  My favorite Christmas memories always go back to those early Christmas mornings with my brothers and sister, hours before we’d wake up my parents.

James Avery Christmas Charms
Although I don’t remember which year this tradition began, one year, instead of hanging the stockings on the banister, my parents hung our Christmas stockings on our bedroom doorknobs.  We were overjoyed to see what Santa had brought us, not realizing that this new tradition gave my parents an even greater gift, a few extra hours of sleep!

James Avery Christmas Charms
Christmas stockings bring back so many fond memories and remain one of my favorite Christmas traditions! The James Avery Christmas Stocking Charm makes me so happy because it floods my mind with sweet memories every time I look at it!  Whether filling my kid’s stockings, finding the perfect gift cards to add to Neal’s, or openings my very own Christmas morning, stockings remain one of my favorite traditions.

James Avery Christmas Charms
James Avery Christmas charms make a perfect gift, whether you’re looking for a last minute Christmas gift, a token to close out the year, or a piece of jewelry to remind you of all those sweet memories you’ve made!  This year, as I wear my Christmas stocking around my neck, I can’t help but smile!  I adore all of the James Avery charms, but this one is especially dear to my heart!

James Avery Christmas Charms

My Holiday James Avery Necklace

  • Enamel Christmas Stocking Charm
  • Green Glass Enhancer Bead
  • Changeable Charm Holder Necklace

James Avery Christmas Charms
Visit the James Avery Charm Collection here, but promise me you’ll take a look at their gorgeous earrings! I hope each of you are enjoying this holiday season and are creating lots of beautiful memories!

James Avery

I am thrilled to be a James Avery Ambassador and to share my favorite jewelry with you today!  James Avery provided me a piece of jewelry to wear in exchange for sharing my story and experience.  All thoughts, experiences, and opinions are my own!

Related Posts

  • James Avery Spring 2020James Avery Spring 2020
  • James Avery Kaleidoscope Gemstone NecklaceJames Avery Kaleidoscope Gemstone Necklace
  • James Avery Classic Ear PostsJames Avery Classic Ear Posts
  • James Avery Mother’s Day IdeasJames Avery Mother’s Day Ideas
  • Simple James Avery AccessoriesSimple James Avery Accessories
« Easy Pizzas 2 Ingredient Dough
Life Lately »

let’s connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Categories

Archives

More about Ashley

I'm Ashley, a full-time working mom who lives in the Washington, DC area. Balancing Today is all about learning to balance family, work, wellness, and most of all, life's simple joys! Read More!

Let’s Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Looking for something?

Today was an absolutely beautiful day. This aftern Today was an absolutely beautiful day. This afternoon while the kids were having some downtime I sat on the deck with Theodore and planned out the week ahead. It was heaven.
Easter looks very different than my childhood and Easter looks very different than my childhood and early 20’s. I am forever grateful to have left a cult masked as a church. It’s been 12 years, and though I still very much believe in God, I find him in nature, in the fruits of the spirit, and in his grace. So today, I am spending Easter morning at the park, with my kids and my journal.
Someone said this the other day and honesty, I hat Someone said this the other day and honesty, I hated it. At first I felt discouraged. Thinking about years wasted and some things I wish I could go back and change. 

But then I swung to the other side. She was right! There is no redo. So what am I going to do to make the most of today? What am I going to do this year to make myself proud and to live boldly. 

As I near 40, I’ve experienced this spectrum of emotions. Wishing I had used some of my past years differently but being excited and grateful for the years ahead of me. 

What I’m learning now, more than ever, is all that matters is this moment. All that matters are today’s decisions. All that matters are the people in my life right now. 

I don’t want to waste any more time and I don’t want any regrets. The past is the past and today is today. There’s no redo.
Before March 2020, I was so focused on the grind a Before March 2020, I was so focused on the grind and our routine. Getting the kids out of the house and to daycare, commuting 3 hours total each day, working 8...9-5...:30, and getting the kids to bed so I could get back to work or tackle things before my own bedtime.

It makes me tear up thinking about it. 

My top priority was work and I was so lonely and depressed. I had put myself and my family on the back burner. All because I thought I had something to prove. The harder I’d work, the more valuable I’d feel. The harder I’d work, the more purpose I’d feel.

What this year taught me is that it’s all a lie. I had it all backwards. I knew I had it backwards but I fell into the system that told me to pour myself into my job. That work held the keys to my future. 

What I lost was my health. What I lost was time with my kids. What I lost were all the little moments that make life great. 

I’ve always known the life I want to live, but I was so far from it!! I’ll never stop working hard, but it was time for me to reprioritize my energy and focus. 

This moment on the beach, when my daughter called me over to see what she had done, was a beautiful picture of shifted priorities. I’m so thankful and look forward to all the days to come!
Time off is good for the soul. Time off by the wat Time off is good for the soul. Time off by the water is good for the mind. So thankful for time to rest and recharge, especially by the water.
One of my hidden talents... 🌸 👑 So thankful One of my hidden talents... 🌸 👑 So thankful for this distraction free time to play outside and play pretend.
Today was an extraordinary day. We are on vacati Today was an extraordinary day. 

We are on vacation. A vacation that was paid for entirely by the money I made back in January thanks to my little side business.

That little side business is the same side business I was terrified to start. I was nervous if I could be successful in direct sales. I was worried about what people would think and say. 

Deep down, I knew I wanted this, I knew I needed this, and I knew I was capable of this. 

I said yes, because I needed more extraordinary days. I needed more joy. I needed more time with my family. I needed more money. I needed more friends. And most importantly, I needed to prioritize me! 

Today, just 3 short months after joining Green Compass, I was promoted to Director!

I am forever thankful for my leap of faith and for all of the people I’ve been able to help these past few months. 

The hopes I had for myself before joining Green Compass are becoming a reality, and I can’t wait for all the extraordinary days to come!!
I want to be the best I can be for her. I want to I want to be the best I can be for her. I want to be an example. I want her to look back when she’s my age and say “my mom was a great mom”.

What I don’t want is for her to look back an say, “my mom was working all the time”, “my mom wasn’t really around”, “my mom didn’t really play with me”.

This year opened my eyes to the path I was on in my pre-pandemic life. I allowed work to take whatever I was willing to give, and for me, it was myself. 

I raced to get my kids out of the house, having them eat breakfast in the car, just so I could get to work as early as possible. I worked a full day, having my kids stay at daycare right up to closing time. Some nights I was back on my work computer in those few hours before my kids went to bed and then worked until my own bedtime.

I thought my worth was determined by how much and how hard I worked. And what did I have to show for it? Nothing. Instead I lost time with my kids, my health was in the gutter, and I was still trying desperately to be heard and valued at work. 

Though I’m still learning, I will never go back to being that person. My family and my health will be my top priority, no matter what. 

I am forever grateful for this slow down and opportunity to prioritize my life. I am doing this for her (and Neal and my son), but also for me.
Today we slept in, made breakfast, went on a drive Today we slept in, made breakfast, went on a drive to see the house I lived in in Yorktown, VA when I was in the 6th and 7th grade, played at a park, went for a long walk, ate lunch and took naps, played in the hot tub, and now we are enjoying the shore before dinner. Vacation is so good for the soul and so good for our family. We needed this time together and I am thankful!
They are my why. This vacation is my why. I want They are my why. This vacation is my why. 

I wanted more for my family. I wanted to be able to take them on special vacations and not stress about the money being spent. I wanted the mom on those vacation to be happy, joyful, and fully present! 

4 months ago, I didn’t have a whole lot to look forward to. We had been home for a year, money was tight, and I was unsure of my purpose. 

CBD had already changed my mental health, so after months and months of considering becoming a Green Compass advocate, I took a leap and joined. 

I have been blown away by how my life has changed since December! I am having so much fun helping others who need CBD, I am supporting a team of men and women with their own businesses, and the money I’m making is making vacations like this possible! 

The sky is the limit, especially because I’m my own boss, and I’m not looking back! I’m dreaming big and can’t wait to help others find the same freedom. If I can do this, you can do this!!!

Copyright © 2017 · Balancing Today is running the Genesis Framework using the Market theme and is powered by Accelerated WP.