Family, Fun & Fashion

I’m switching gears today.  Rather than focusing solely on style & outfit inspiration, or what local event I’m heading to, I’m incorporating the most important part of my life, my family.  This past weekend the hubs & I took our little man to Oglebay, a family friendly resort in West Virginia.  Creating holiday traditions as a threesome is important to us which is what made this trip so special.

After we arrived at the resort & got settled into our rustic-inspired room we stopped by the lodge’s bar & grille for a quick bite, and a glass of vino for this mamma bear 😉 It didn’t take long before little man saw the pool & insisted we go for a swim.  This boy loves to swim & we love to relax in the hot tub, so it was a win-win!

At dusk we hopped into the car & headed to the Winter Carnival that consisted of a hay maze, hot chocolate & a wagon ride through beautifully lit Christmas lights.  We were graced with an unseasonably warm evening which only required lightweight layering pieces like this pink bomber jacket I snagged from TJ Maxx & little man’s new fleece from Target.

Afterwards, we went on to enjoy the Festival of Lights which is a 6 mile driving tour of light displays.  Unfortunately, due to poor planning on our part, the trolley tour was completely booked so we had to drive through the park ourselves.  We also wanted to take little man to meet Santa’s reindeer, but again reservations were booked – there’s always next year!

Overall, we had a great time & cannot wait to go back next year.  Of course, little man said his favorite part was the pool but if you ask me it was playing board games by the fire while listening to a live blue grass band & sipping vino.  Making memories & creating new traditions with my boys makes my heart so full!

The cozy cardigan I’m wearing above is from Stitch Fix & is by far my favorite cold weather layering piece.  It’s from two winters ago but we have similar styles at great prices right now! If you haven’t booked your Fix yet, be sure to do so; I’ve included a link for $25 off your 1st Fix too.

As always – comfortable & effortless housewife style xoxx

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Fashion, Depression & Motherhood

Well, once again, life happened & the blog took a backseat.  It’s been one hell of a busy summer full of camping, swimming, traveling etc. etc. When I’ve managed to get some “me” time I haven’t felt fully motivated to write anything besides a quick Instagram post.  However, as I sit here on this beautiful Sunday morning with the windows open & coffee in hand I find myself inspired to write something. 

On one of my recent Instagram posts I reintroduced myself and why I started blogging.  As much as I tend to overshare with my friends & family, I am not always as open about my life on social media, besides what I’m wearing/eating.  Today I am taking a little bit of a risk & opening up about myself….

My name is Laura & I live in Wexford, PA with my husband & little man, hence the name The Wexford Housewife.  I recently turned 33 & although my 30’s scared me when I was younger, I am embracing the hell out of them now!  With age comes experience and I’ve learned to keep close the ones you love & rid life of toxicity including people, habits and feelings.

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I went to school for Fashion which gave me the opportunity to live in LA & NYC but in the end I put down my roots in Pittsburgh which is where I met my husband.  Long story short, we met on Match.com, got married 2 years later & now have an energetic, full of life 4 year old boy named Stone.

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After having our son I had post partum depression which I didn’t acknowledge until a year later.  Looking back it was one of the hardest things I have ever experienced.  I was overwhelmed with my new role as a mother & didn’t talk about it in fear of being viewed as a failure.  Excuse my language, but motherhood is fucking hard!  The anxiety I felt put pressure on my marriage, causing my husband & I to constantly argue and be at odds.  He tried to understand what I was going through, but I couldn’t help but feel alone, unappreciated, and angry.  I was mad at myself for leaving my full-time job & becoming a stay at home mom, I was mad at my husband for, well everything, I was made at my son for not sleeping or nursing…. I was just mad.  I finally met with my doctor and was put on medication which to be honest was a godsend.  I had experienced depression & anxiety previously but nothing like this.  I know medication isn’t for everyone but it works for me.  I finally felt like I could breath again, that a dark cloud was lifted & I could finally be me.

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Being a SAHM is one of the hardest jobs I’ve ever had.  Once I finally got the hang of it, a year later lol, I needed something to regain my identity & call my own which is why I started The Wexford Housewife.  Throughout the years I have found other creative outlets like being a  member of Style Collective & GrlPwrPgh, I am also a Senior Stylist for Stitch Fix & will soon be helping my husband with his landscaping business.  They say idle hands are the devils playground, and I’ve learned the hard way I need to stay busy or my mind runs wild.

Through all of this madness I have learned that it’s okay to ask for help.  It’s okay to talk about things that aren’t normally discussed.  It’s okay to open up about feelings of failure, depression & anxiety.  At 33, I finally feel like I know who I am and what I want from life.  I feel healthy & happy.  I am so blessed to have such a supportive husband, a strong-willed little man, family that loves me continuously regardless of my mood, and a tribe of friends that are ride or die!

If you’ve made it through this entire post, I thank you!  If anything, I hope that me opening up helps someone else reading this and to know that you are not alone.

Mother’s Day Weekend Style

In the (almost) 4 years I’ve been a mamma bear, this was the best Mother’s Day thus far.  Each year it just keeps getting better & better.  Partly because little man is getting older and our interaction & communication with one another has grown.  We kicked off the weekend with a Mother’s Day Tea at his preschool where we made handprint art together, enjoyed tea & cookies and his class performed songs they had practiced for weeks; seriously the cutest thing ever!

For the Tea, I wore my favorite black shift dress from Stitch Fix along with a lightweight Kimono I recently purchased on sale at Target for under $20 and my black high heeled ankle booties.

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The weekend continued with my quarterly Style Collective meeting which encouraged us to celebrate the women in our lives by bringing them with us.  My mom is everything to me, so I was so excited when I could include her.  She’s been my biggest supporter with every new venture I take so it was nice to have her by my side.  Mom, if you’re reading this I Love You ♥

The event was hosted at a local Pittsburgh boutique called Vintage Grace Boutique.  I’ve followed them on IG for a while but this was my first time in their store & I am obsessed!  Their clothes & accessories are on-trend and priced fairly well.  I ended up purchasing the cutest blouse dress and lightweight jumpsuit.  For the event, I decided to wear my new kimono again layered over top a vintage-inspired lace detail knit, my black cropped trousers & strappy high heels.

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Each Mother’s Day I host a brunch at our house.  I love any excuse to host a get together & Mother’s Day gives us a chance to bring our families together which is always a plus.  We put together a breakfast-inspired spread along with mimosas & a giant cream puff.  I decided to wear my new Blouse Dress from Vintage Grace Boutique as a tunic with my plum skinnies & black pumps.  The dress was under $50; I’ve attached the link for you to shop.

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Whether you’re a mom yourself or just celebrated the women in your life, I hope everyone had a fantastic Mother’s Day weekend.

As always – comfortable & effortless housewife style xoxx