AJ I totally get where you are coming from. Enjoy the time with your kids (they do grow up fast). And I hope you please keep coming up with great outfit combos. I have enjoyed your SAHM style and your paper doll cutouts approach. Hope to see you pop in if you can!

Best wishes, AJ! Power on!

I've been always impressed by your mixing skills. Enjoy the time with your family.

Balance is important; we all live busy lives that involve so many different roles and it's important to prioritize which ones need to take precedent at different stages of our lives.

One thing that I've discovered is visiting this forum can be done in many different ways. Over the past few months, since I'm not teaching, working, or traveling, I've had much more time to spend here. But I do know my participation is going to change once I get back into my regular routine and other interests. And, more importantly, I've always felt welcome here regardless of how I've chosen to participate.

Sometimes, as QM has shown, stepping back can be useful. And it's always fun to welcome back old friends. And, I just had to add, that outfit is amazing!

Warm hugs to you, AJ. I will be delight to see you here in the future, should you chose to return. And if not, I wish you only wonderful things for you, wherever your path may take you.

You will most definitely be missed. While I completely understand, I do wish you'd reconsider. At any rate, I wish you all the best. God bless!

I totally understand wanting to focus on your family. YLF can be very addictive. I always loved seeing your WIWs. All the best to you and your family.

I will also miss you but admire that you want to put your family first. You have the cutest WIW's, especially the one that you just posted. I hope to "see you" again!

Dear AJ, When our little group gathered last October, it was a moment I will never forget! You inspired us with your zest for life, organizing and friendship and it was because of you that we came together in such a special way.

I'm so sad to hear about your recent losses and I also recognize how quickly life moves and that you are tuning in to your family's needs, which is so very important. You are doing great things as a SAHM and being there for your your children is wonderful and I applaud you for that.

I do hope our paths cross again sometime down the road. You are a beautiful, kind and loving person and your photo brings the biggest smile to me! I'll miss you! ^_^

Photo 1: Breakfast in Newport Beach
Photo 2: Swap Meet Shopping in Huntington Beach
Photo 3: Parking stall at The Camp in Costa Mesa

THANK you all so much for the well wishes!

@Angie - There is NO way that you are the cause of my departure! If anything, your FABness make it very difficult to want to leave. No, this has to do with me and readjusting my priorities. Please know that this forum rocks because of you and Greg and your daily commitment to make this site a safe and excellent place to have fun with fashion!

XOXO

I am going to miss you, AJ. Your wonderful smile, the way you rock a hat, your paper doll cutouts, your incredible sense of style, and the sweet and wonderful woman that you are. Wishing you all the best!

Adding my tearful "farewell for now". I get it. But I don't have to like it! You will be sorely missed and I hope your hiatus is a brief one. Vicki's pics are priceless aren't they? We had such an amazingly great time and I will remember it always roomie!

AJ,
I love the positive energy that comes through in all your pictures and posts.
Already missing your fun AJ style.

AJ - I will miss your wonderful & light-hearted posts & outfits, but I think we can all understand the need to re-prioritize.
Enjoy your family time!

ETA: I thought we were going to get a "sound of music"-inspired outfit when I clicked on this thread. Maybe something made out of curtains.

AJ, you've been a big contributor to making this a fun place to be, and I will miss you! You're going on hiatus in fabulous style...I adore your "farewell" outfit...it's so AJ!!! Best wishes!

AJ, you have such a sense of fun that shines through. I will really miss your presence. It goes without saying that you have a fab sense of style, and that pattern-mixing pic just takes the cake. My word.

Well, this is just very sad to read AJ! I have sooo enjoyed all of your posts and pics - and loved meeting and spending time with you in person last fall! I am really sad that I am not going to be "seeing you around" anymore! I hope that you feel good about your decision and give yourself permission to change your mind if/when things change in your life! Thank you so much for all of your encouraging words to me as I have tried to figure out my style - and thank you also for initiating the So Cal get-together last fall. If it had not been for your decision and confidence to "put yourself out there" and declare that you were coming to So CAL the rest of us may not have ever gotten together like that - nor would we be in the planning stages of another weekend get-together! Take care AJ!

We will all miss you AJ!
It just goes to show what a lovely forum this is, where 'friends' don't think twice about letting others know what is going on in their lives, and sharing their wisdom and kind words.
'See-you later-alligator-AFTER-A-WHILE-CROCODILE'

AJ, while I totally understand needing to take time to focus on things that are important, my heart dropped when I read your post because I've always enjoyed seeing your outfits, your playful and creative approach to remixing, and your sweet and supportive comments. I really hope that eventually you'll pop in from time to time, but your presence will be GREATLY missed. I'm especially bummed that I won't have the opportunity to meet you face to face as I'd hoped! I'll be keeping you in my thoughts, and please enjoy lots of wonderful time with your family.

AJ, I totally appreciate your desire to focus on your family -- these years go by quickly and you can't get them back I'll miss seeing your smiling face and your paper doll photos (so clever!), but all the while knowing it's for the greater good!

You certainly are going out with a *bang* though -- that outfit is FAB!! Keep up your stylish work

Aw, so sorry to hear that you're leaving! I understand completely about priorities and family coming first. But I'm still sad--I feel like a friend is moving away! Hopefully this is just a "farewell for now" and not "goodbye forever." I hope we'll see you again someday after you've had a break. I love your FUN style, your paper doll cutouts, and your fab creative DIY projects like the scarf vest. And you certainly know how to make a showstopping exit with your amazing pattern mixed outfit! We'll miss you and best of luck AJ!

You will be missed AJ

AJ,

I think it is very wise of you to realize what your priorities are. When I started participating in YLF, I quickly realized that I was totally hooked and was spending way too much time on here. The loving support and invaluable ideas make us addicted to YLF and this is where its power lies. At the same time, I think this forum serves a deeper purpose. It helps you develop some insights about your personality that may not be directly linked to fashion or style. For example, how to moderate your time while being an active participant or think a little bit harder about your priorities. Although, I am not very active on the forum, I really enjoy seeing others having fun with fashion, trying to make outfits work for them or following different themes. I hope your time off is filled with a lot of happiness. We will miss you and good luck to your eldest for his high school.

AJ, I took a long break (about three years) for much the same reasons. You will never regret spending time with your children before they grow up and leave the nest. My youngest leaves for college in just 13 days. I will also add that staying away helped immensely for me to save money for their tuition.

But please, never ever EVER feel like a selfish mom! It is a good thing to be a little selfish, so that your children know that it is okay to have your own interests, wants and needs. And that it's okay to prefer to spend time with people who appreciate you and are thoughtful, kind and caring. And that it's okay to always want to look your best, and splurge a little on your self and the things you love. I'm sure you've demonstrated just the right balance.

I'll just add here that youngest daughter happens to be my photographer for my recent photos. She told me this weekend that she is happy to see I'm back participating in YLF. "It's cool you have a hobby mom. You were so happy before, with all the fashion challenges. I was wondering why you stopped." Of course, I never stopped dressing up, exercising my creative muscles, and experimenting with outfits (shopping my closet)....but she meant the YLF part of it.

So I am back again... I'm going to need something to fill my time now that the kids will be gone 3/4 of the year, right? And hopefully you will be back too! Until then, enjoy your family. You won't regret it.

I'll miss your posts, AJ. You are one of YLF's shining lights. Enjoy your family time. You won't regret it.

AJ -- I am shocked to read this. Your outfit is very fab though!!!

I haven't read all of the responses so maybe my point is redundant. What I want to say is that maybe your participation here isn't all about you. Maybe you have inspired others. Maybe you have made others happy in their hearts on a hard day. I come on the forum late at night (as well as other times). Whenever I saw you on the forum, I felt just a little happier knowing your sunny self was there. So thank you for that. Just being here and participating makes this a great place and we are giving happiness to each other, not just here for selfish reasons. Does that make sense?

Enjoy your family time. Hope to see you back here!

(Wow, CocoLion - that was a lovely response!)

I understand the readjustment in priorities and focus and I think we are all the better for having "known" you on the ylf forum. I think you will bring passion, common sense and a zest for life to everything you do. I have had to limit my forum time just because of lack of time and feel sort of overwhelmed when I check in and have missed out on what is going on but I know my priorities are right.
We will know that you are out there looking fab and carrying the ylf torch in spirit if not online