Is it feeling like Summer where you live? If you live on the coast in San Diego we have what’s lovingly known as “May Gray” and “June Gloom.” May and June tend to be our cloudiest months and I have to work hard to not let it affect my mood! I’m hoping it isn’t too bad overall this year, but this week has definitely been on the gloomy side. To cheer myself up I brought a little sunshine inside this week with some simple summer updates. :) I can’t wait to get my kids out of school and to have friends/guests over! I got this fun duvet, pillows and poufs from Walmart and love the summer vibe they brought into our guest bedroom. Walmart has so many cute options for summer decor right now.. inside and outside! You’ve probably noticed that I always stick with white bedding in our bedrooms. It’s hands down my favorite. White duvets/comforters always look crisp and clean and then I can switch pillows and easily mix things up for different seasons. These navy jute pouf ottomans are adorable! A little small for this bedroom so they might end up in our outdoor area. I’m always tweaking things and playing musical decor.. nothing new around here. :)
When these two pink pillows showed up on my doorstep and I saw/felt them in person I immediately ordered two more in navy! So soft and a great price. I love the simple trellis pattern. They come in lots of colors and are such great staples to layer with patterned pillows on a bed or couch.
Also loving these cute rattan lamps! Honestly though.. I don’t think I’ve met anything rattan that I haven’t loved. Ha.
I brought some simple summer vibes into our powder bath too!
Words can’t express my love for this little lemon bath mat. It’s just ADORABLE. I have a thing for lemons. Did you know that? My mom does too. :) We’ve always loved them which is why I have lemons at the top of my blog. I put lemon trees in my yard and nothing makes me happier than a bowl of lemons on my kitchen counter in the spring and summer.
Other than a lemon bath mat in my bathroom. :) *Mom I bought one for you too! But you have to come and visit to get it. I’m tricky like that. ;)
This woven tray was perfect for my bathroom counter and instantly made it feel like summer! This ceramic pot is the same pot on my guest bedroom nightstand, but the larger 8 inch size and the candle has lemons on it and ties in the bath mat. Love it!
I have been so impressed with Better Homes & Gardens Walmart bath towels! They are soft and extremely absorbent and such a great price. We’ve been using and loving these diamond bath towels since December so I picked up this paisley set. I still need to find a cute little hand towel to bring in the yellow in this room!
Last but not least I finally bought these fruit prints that I’ve loved on-line for over a year! I’ll show you what I’m going do with them as soon as I figure that out! But it will be cute.. and summery. :)
In other fun summer news my favorite divided server plate is back in stock! This was my most used kitchen item last summer. I try to toss fruit/veggies on it in the morning so my kids have healthy snacks to grab throughout the day. It makes me feel better about all of the ice cream, popsicles and candy we eat in the summer.
If you’re a mom who wouldn’t mind easing summer food guilt too, give it a try. ;)
Other Walmart favorites for living room, kitchen and outdoor are linked below! I found so many CUTE things! Now I just need our sun to reappear and we’ll be set.
We all survived another week! YEA. And it’s Mother’s Day weekend! I hope you have something fun and/or relaxing planned! I’m planning on sleeping in (fingers crossed until at least 8 am!) so I’m a happy camper. :) This pic was taken on Mother’s Day last year. I’m so grateful for these 3 today and every day. I landed on this old Mother’s Day post a few weeks ago and it made me smile. It also made me feel really proud of myself for surviving all the years when my 3 were little! If you are in that stage of motherhood with young kids I have deep respect. You are doing amazing. Take it one day at a time. :) Two years ago on Mother’s Day I wrote a post titled 10 Habits of Happy Moms. I wanted to link to it again in case you are a mom who is struggling right now (we’ve all been there). I’m certainly no expert on parenting! These are just things that have helped me enjoy motherhood (and life in general!) over the years.
Aside from sleeping in, I’m so happy that I’m not cooking this weekend. Double score! Always my #1 wish on Mother’s Day. I do have a pretty table set up though! You know.. for my take out. ;)
I wanted to set up something fun that would work for Spring/Summer get togethers. I can’t wait to entertain again this summer! It’s always so fun to have people over.. even if it’s just a few girlfriends for a quick lunch!
I fell hard for these gold planters and love that they come in two sizes! I put some faux pink peonies in the small planter for my living room mantel (shared that in my last post). I loved the look so much I did the same thing for my dining room table. You could obviously get this same look with real flowers too. Any flowers would be pretty! I love faux flowers because I can leave this up for months! When we aren’t entertaining the dining room looks pretty to walk by and I don’t have to worry about watering/killing/replacing the flowers.
But my favorite part of this tablescape? Aside from the fact that I don’t have to keep flowers alive? These jute chargers! Aren’t they so fun for summer!? I absolutely love them and they were such a good deal! I’ve seen so many similar pricey options and kept hunting for the same look for less. Target for the win once again! It was a happy day when I landed on these on-line. (The plates were from PB but sold out.)
These pretty pink pillows have been making the rounds in my house. They work well in every room and I’m tempted to pick up another set!
The only thing stopping me is my pillow closet. I’ve been organizing ALL the pillows around here and it’s causing a serious pause on my growing collection. I’m going to have to donate a few more before I’m allowed to buy a few more.
At least I can admit I have a problem. #pillowsarelife #cantstopwontstop
Such a simple tablescape that’s perfect for Spring/Summer dining!
This pretty table might just inspire me to cook something after all.
But not this weekend. :)
All dining room sources are linked below! Along with some Anthro favorites. Everything at Anthro is 20% off this weekend! You’ll recognize a few staples from my house in the collage..
Along with this beloved rattan-wrapped stool. I have the graphic tees and little pineapple spoon rest sitting in my cart. I’m also obsessed with the orange plates/bowls in the second collage and that Just Peachy rug is calling my name! Too many cute things for summer!
I might need to clear out a few more cupboards. ;)
I hope you’re having a good week so far! I can definitely tell it’s May because our family calendar is full. We have more activity going on this month than we’ve had in a year. Ha! Are there any other moms out there feeling it? There’s always so much to wrap up when a school year is ending. I do love it though. Lots of celebrating and checking things off the list with the promise of slow summer days in the future. Plus it feels good to be busy again! I don’t know how you feel but 2020 gave our family enough down time to last for a while. ;)
I’m sharing a few pics of my living room at the moment! I added some simple Spring touches but I still want to re-style my shelves. I was going to wait until I had done that to take some pictures, but after looking at our calendar I decided I better just share a few pics now or it will be time for Fall decor before I get around to shelf styling. Who cares about pink flowers when it’s time to talk orange pumpkins!? So here is my living room at the moment with shelves that still need some tweaking. :)
Really I just wanted to share my Spring mantel because it makes me happy and was so easy to style!
Candlesticks are one of those items that I use in my decor all year long. They work with every season for mantles and tables. I’ve had this wooden set for a while and linked some other fun options below. Next to my candlesticks I put some of my favorite faux peonies in this cute little gold planter vase and then I ordered this beautiful floral print on-line. You can buy this print already framed, but it cost more plus I wanted a thin wooden frame so I did a little hunting and found this inexpensive poster frame with the exact look I wanted. Target.. I knew I loved you. :)
This is similar to what I did this year on my family room console table. Adding a pretty floral print in a frame is such an easy and inexpensive way to bring Spring/Summer vibes into your home!
Spring in the living room! All sources are at the end of this post. Our weather is warming up and flowers are blooming and life is feeling more and more normal every week. I’ll take it. :)
In other not so important news.. I had a happy Target run and got some cute things for the house! I’ll share what I’m doing with everything in posts to come, but a lot of times the best items sell out so I rounded up what I bought and some other McGee/Target favorites below. See the little Target sack in the back of my car? That is what I went for and actually needed (hand soap, deodorant, etc.). I had to laugh walking out of the store with my cart full of decor. Target is a dangerous place to hang out!
Happy Friday! It’s April 30th and my dad’s 75th birthday today! Which means it’s going to be a great day. :) (I love you dad!) Really I can’t believe that we are at the end of April! I feel like I just shared my March Amazon Buys with you all last week. This time of year gets busy and always flies by so quickly doesn’t it!? Today I’ve got a quick round up of the things we ordered from Amazon this month. It’s so fun prepping these posts.. I just pull up my monthly Amazon order to remember what we’ve ordered and then I give you a little peek even further inside of our lives. Ha. Whether it’s sharing what the inside of my cupboards and drawers look like or what we ordered on Amazon for the month.. there is pretty much no mystery left around here now. You know it all! So funny because when I meet people in real life who read my blog I immediately want to say.. “so.. tell me about YOU!” It always feels a little one sided. I want to peek inside your drawers and see what you ordered on Amazon for the month of April. Then we’ll really be besties. ;)
Ok.. first up are some tried and true favorites that were running out! We love screen mom to clean all of our screens – computers/tv.. it works so well! I use Weiman quartz countertop cleaner to really make my kitchen counters shine and LOVE it. I also love Myers counter sprays (these are my favorite Spring scents!) and I usually rotate between that and this quartz cleaner.
I bought my girls this comb cleaner brush for Christmas (put one in each of their stockings) and they are so great at getting hair out of brushes I just ordered one for me! The bristles really dig in and get the hair out quickly. We have thick hair at our house and need to clean out our brushes often so this is a new staple!
I also picked up a few more of our favorite summer towels for our coat rack turned pool towel holder. Getting ready for pool days! YEA.
This coat rack was definitely one of my favorite Amazon purchases of last year. I still love this solution for pool towels! It just works so well for us. It’s in stock and almost half off!
A reader sent me this picture and it just made my day. So clever! Use this rack for pool towels and swimsuits in the summer and then snow clothes and boots in the winter! I also love how she put two side by side for more storage.
Nothing like warm days and kids who actually hang up their pool towels. It’s the little things. :)
I’ve shared this battery organizer before but had to order another one for my main floor laundry room. You might remember in my “before” pictures.. it was such a mess! I had a lot more batteries than I realized and just kept buying them because the drawers were so messy I couldn’t tell! Can’t wait to show you that little makeover next month. :)
I also picked up the latest Dog Man book for Kole. The obsession continues. :)
A few other purchases linked below include some pretty pink glasses (they are so beautiful and I’ll share them styled soon!), a couple of makeup bags I’m trying out, some summer shorts and the cutest mini backpack for Ad! She wanted something smaller than her regular backpack to take to after school activities. It comes in so many cute colors! I also picked up more duster for our keyboards. Exciting stuff. :)
Happy Thursday! Is it warm yet in your neck of the woods!? We’ve had a cooler Spring this year and I’m so anxious for SUN! We’ll get a warm sunny day here and there and then back to cool and cloudy. Spring is such a tease. :) I’m sharing a few recent Spring fashion favorites from Walmart. If you haven’t ever checked out their Free Assembly brand of clothes you should! It’s full of cute, affordable basics and I find myself slipping Free Assembly items into my on-line cart with our groceries more and more every month. It’s just a little too convenient. Ha.
This black tiered dress with puff sleeves is adorable! Lightweight and easy breezy. It comes in white too which is a little more Spring like but I always go for black. I’ve found that my black clothes rarely go out of style! They look great year after year. If you’re looking for some cute COMFY sandals for a steal try these three strap slide sandals. You can dress them up or down and the sole is padded and so soft.
Speaking of black basics.. this strappy romper is another Free Assembly favorite. If it looks similar to rompers I already own that’s because it is. :) I live in stuff like this in the summer! My kids swim multiple times a day so I find myself putting on my suit and just leaving it on most of the day. I love rompers that I can toss over my suit if we leave the house for a quick popsicle run. :)
Here’s a closer look.. I love the sash that ties around the waist! It has a flattering fit and the material is nice and thick.
You can’t beat a cute simple tee! Or another black basic. Clearly I’m a fan. :) Also these high rise skinny jeans are such a good fit for the price! So comfortable and they have a nice amount of stretch. They come in a darker wash and a black. I really need more light options when it comes to jeans so I got the lightest wash. I’m wearing a size 4 (I’m usually a small in bottoms) and they fit perfect!
This sweater is comfy and warm but lightweight. Perfect for Spring days that are still on the cool side. I wore it twice last week and my kids were quick to point that out to me. Gotta love their never-ending honesty and attention to detail.
This is another lightweight sweater that I know will be on repeat. So cute and of course I had to get it in green! It does come in other colors too. The sleeves are my favorite! The reviews said it runs small but I’m wearing my regular size (xs) and like the fit. I could have easily gone up a size if I wanted it longer.
I ordered a few of these ribbed crewneck tees (along with one of the long sleeved tees!) because I find myself reaching for comfy basics like this a lot. Perfect with sweat pants or leggings to wear around the house or to layer under a vest, cardigan, button sweater, etc. I got the navy, white and heather color.
I also picked up a couple of these long sleeve henley shirts for Kenny. He put it on and immediately said “oh I like this!” I knew he would. :) Then he wore it two days in a row and I’m still wondering why the kids didn’t give him a hard time like they did me. Probably because dad’s wardrobe is always basics on repeat and isn’t on their radar. At least that’s what I’m telling myself to feel better. ;)
(Another great shot of Kenny.. he wouldn’t slow down long enough for me to take a pic so this is all I got. He’s not winning any blogger husband awards lately.. that’s for sure. Speaking of.. if you’re interested in hearing about my job from Kenny’s point of view you can read this “husbands tell all” postfrom the archives. If you’ve already read it then you understand why I haven’t had him write a post since. Clearly we need to work on our picture posing skills first. Baby steps with this one.) ;)
Ok.. last favorite Free Assembly find and I’m in love! But since they’re sweats you already knew that. :) These are such a good fit and so comfy! (I usually wear a small in bottoms but these are an xs and fit perfect so if you’re in-between sizes go down one.)
As soon as I’m done running kids around for the day I switch to sweats! That’s the one thing I miss about lockdown.. I finally got to live my dream of never taking off my sweats and joggers. ;)
Kenny and I are both having a hard time adjusting to our “back to normal” busy schedules and work clothes. We got pretty used to a slower paced life at home in comfy clothes all day. It made us ready for retirement and now we’re counting down.. ha. ;)
I’m so proud of myself for surviving having him and the kids all home for so long. Moms pat yourself on the back.. that was no small feat! My kids are going back to school but Kenny hasn’t been back to his office yet. He has decided he’s pretty productive working from home and likes the added bonus of being able to give me a hard time all day.
I don’t know what I’d do without him and his sarcasm.
I’d be a lot more efficient and productive.. that’s for sure.
Happy Monday! I hope your week is off to a good start! It’s raining here today and rain always makes me want to stay in pjs and organize so I’m kind of bummed that I have a busy list of to-dos that doesn’t include organizing. Or pjs. :) Maybe this evening I’ll get my wish! I’m pausing on our organizing challenge for a few days because I have some other fun things to share, but if you are in the trenches with me and working on your garage this week I have a big post with tips coming! Get started on the purging part.. that’s the biggest hurdle when it comes to garage organization isn’t it!?
Today I’m sharing gift ideas for Mother’s Day and I had so much fun putting together this post! It’s a round up of my favorite things that I would love to receive for a gift. Some of these things you’ve seen and some are more recent. Really my favorite gift for Mother’s Day each year is the homemade cards or slideshows my kids put together and just enjoying a day with no cleaning, cooking, shuttling kids, etc. It’s a rare occurrence isn’t it!? Well deserved moms! :) But if you want to send something special to your mom or your husband needs a few fun ideas, I’ve got you covered! I LOVE everything I’m sharing today staring with this gorgeous new urn that just came in the mail! This was a Christmas present from Kenny. I hinted to him that I loved it in NOVEMBER. He ordered it and it just came last week. Crazy delay time! For Christmas he gave me a print out of a picture of it and told me “it’s coming.” That’s always a fun option if you want to send something for a gift that won’t be delivered on time. It looks like this urn is back in stock (it had sold out for a while) so hopefully if you decide to order one you won’t have to wait 6 months like I did! But I will say.. worth the wait! It’s HUGE and absolutely stunning. Christmas in April! Thanks babe. ;)
I shared these sheets at Christmas and gave them to everyone on my list. Huge hit! They really are the best sheets for such a great price! I have a set of grey or white on every bed in our house at the moment. I wash our sheets often and they have all held up great! They would make a perfect gift for mother’s day.
Ok.. major repeat but I can’t do a gift idea post without shouting my love from the rooftops about my favorite joggers EVER. So soft.. so flattering. Your mom won’t want to take them off! (Neither will you so pick up a pair for both of you and thank me later!)
They are back in stock in most colors and they’ve add a few new colors this year! They also added a “long” version if you are taller or don’t love the cropped fit.
And if you want to get a jump-start on Father’s Day.. Kenny is obsessed with Vuori clothes too! It’s pretty much all he wears now that he’s working from home. Their banks shorts and their strato tees are his favorite!
These are some products I’ve been using and loving lately. I have heard so many great things about Navy hair care products so I finally decided to give them a try. Wow. I have to admit that I love them too! When I first went to order the shampoo and conditioner to try I was a little bummed that they were pricey for such a small bottle but I quickly learned that a little bit goes a long way with this stuff! You really don’t have to use much to get a nice lather for your hair and I love the way it makes my hair look and feel. The biotin treatment is good but my #1 favorite is their texture spray! Seriously gold! I’ve never used a texture spray before but I’m 100% hooked now. It gives your hair so much volume and that salon look! Just spray a little where you want some volume/height. It’s magic I tell you! My recommendation if you want to try this or give it as a gift is to order this set that includes the shampoo/conditioner and the texture spray. SO GOOD!
Other favorites include the Urban Decay make-up setting spray and the Living Proof dry shampoo. My girls asked for both of these products for Christmas and I tried them out and now I’m hooked too! My make-up looks good ALL DAY thanks to the setting spray (usually it fades half way through the day and I’m reapplying if I have to be somewhere in the evening) and the dry shampoo makes my hair feel and smell so clean! Which is saying a lot because I usually only wash my hair twice a week. I’m also loving this Olaplex bonding oil to put on my hair after I blow-dry it. It calms the frizz and makes it so shiny. The girls who do my hair swear by all of the Olaplex products so I’m going to try more soon. Really happy with the bonding oil and all of the products above! Any of them would make a great Mother’s Day gift.
So would my favorite hair mask that’s finally back in stock! LOVE LOVE LOVE this. I use it once a week instead of conditioner and it makes my hair is so soft and easy to style. This always sells out so don’t wait if you want to try it! I’m buying a few extra to keep on hand for gifts. It’s so good!
Another fun gift idea while we’re talking hair is any T3 hair tool. My blowdryer, curling iron and straightener are all T3. I’ve had them for years and love them. They are all on sale right now too!
Ok.. now that we’ve talked all things hair let’s move on to skin! Addison and I have been on a major skin care kick lately. Well.. me lately.. Addison always! This girl has been obsessed with skin care for years now and is exploring becoming a dermatologist or something similar. I told her to bypass that and look into plastic surgery so she can give her mom a face lift someday. Kidding! Kind of. ;) Who knows what her future career holds but for now.. we talk about skin care a lot at our house. :)
Addison really wanted a facial steamer for Christmas so I ordered her an inexpensive steamer on Amazon and she used it religiously and it was horrible. Sputtered.. only worked well half of the time. Such a disappointment! So when Vanity Planet reached out to me to see if I was interested in trying their Aira steamer I was so excited because I knew Addison would love it. What I didn’t expect was how much I would love it too! This is the BEST steamer! I’m totally hooked now and Addison has sucked me into her skin care world. We get so excited every weekend to have our own little “spa nights” where we paint nails and steam our faces and try out new masks. :)
Here it is in action. Wash your face, pull back your hair and turn it on! Then just let that steam work its magic. It cleans your pores and hydrates your skin and feels amazing. Addison does it 2-3 times a week and we can tell a big difference with her breakouts. I have really dry skin and love how much it hydrates mine! I love Vanity Planet products and reached out to them to see if I could offer you all a discount on my blog like I was able to do for IG stories when I shared this there. They said yes and are offering a discount on all of my favorite products if you purchase them through this link on my blog! YEA! Best deal! :) (Discount is automatically applied when you use my link!)
Another Vanity Planet favorite is their Raedia. Many of you probably remember how much I loved my Clarisonic and how sad I was when that company went out of business. I was so happy when I discovered the Raedia! It’s a facial cleansing brush just like the Clarisonic but I love it even more because it’s so gentle and comes with different brush heads. Ad has sensitive skin and the 3rd white brush works so well for her. I love this travel case it comes in too!
This honestly gives your skin such a deep clean that you just can’t get using a washcloth. I’m so excited about it and you can get it for such a good deal! I also have Vanity Planet’s sonic toothbrush and LED travel mirror and love them too. My Vanity Planet favorites with a “sunny” discount are all linked here. Any of them would make a great Mother’s Day gift!
Slippers are always a safe gift for most moms. If I’m home I’m wearing a pair! My feet get so sore walking around on my wood floors if I don’t wear house shoes! I’ve reached for these Ugg slippers the most this winter.
These are two other pairs I love and wear often. Don’t mock my obsession with slippers. 2020 was a long year and these babies helped get me through it! Ha! #noshame
If I can’t wear slippers my next go-to are my Adidas Swift Run Sneakers. I absolutely love this shoe for light exercise and every day running around! A pair would make a great gift for any mom. So comfy and stylish!
These Cambria dishes are my favorites for every day and a set would make an amazing gift! I got two of this set for my birthday a few years back and we have loved them. Then later I picked up this large footed serving bowl and this oval serving bowl and have loved them too. (Both are on sale!)
We use them every day for dinner, cereal, pasta, etc. and I also display them around my home and layer them with decorative plates for decor and table settings when we are entertaining.
I use the serving bowl a lot to hold fruit too! This was the only pic I could find of it.. ha.
Kenny really spoiled me this past December for Christmas. I told you he ordered me the urn above (that took forever to get here). He bought me this Tory Burch purse and he also got me what I really wanted. A Dyson vacuum! So many of you have messaged me on IG telling me how much you love yours (I have been debating one for years!). I was hesitant to get one because we have central vac in our home and I didn’t really want another vacuum. I love my central vac but always having to plug in the cord when I want to just hit the kitchen floor quick was getting old. Kenny surprised me with the V11 Torque Drive and now I can’t believe I lived without it for so long!
These pics are a little dark. I just snapped them quick today of my cleaning closet where we hung the vacuum. I have loved this vacuum so much! Kenny was like “are you SURE you want a vacuum for a gift? I’m not going to get in trouble for this later.. right?” Ha ha. Not in trouble with me. I love a clean house and anything that makes that easier for me to achieve is a win in my book!
Anyone tired of pjs yet? Never! :) These moonlight pjs are so cute and perfect for summer! They come in lots of fun colors/patterns. My cute El loves them and I bought them for my mom in navy last year and she loves them too!
And last but not least I can’t end a gift guide without mentioning Barefoot Dream blankets! I was so skeptical of these blankets when they first came out. They are definitely pricey! But I finally caved after hearing people rave about them for years and now I get it. Hands down the most coveted blankets in our house and you all know.. I own a lot of throws!
I snapped this of Kenny last night watching baseball. I’m laughing at his smile in this pic because I know him so well. This is his forced “I love you so I’ll do this but make it quick so I can get back to my game” smile. Kenny always has one of my barefoot dream throws draped over him and if he isn’t using it one of my kids are! I often sneak the leopard print throw in my bedroom and hide it so that when it’s time to sit down at night I can pull it out and it’s mine all mine.
After all.. moms are the ones who deserve the best, right?
;)
I hope that by sharing my favorite things it gave you some fun gift ideas for Mother’s Day! Below are a few things I found on-line that would make fun gifts too. Hats off to all of the hard working moms out there! You are truly beyond amazing. :)
Happy Friday! Made it to the end of the week.. whew! I’m tired. Things are definitely back to full speed around here with all of my kids’ activities and I’m not used to this pace! I need some serious conditioning. Ha. Good thing we only have about 6 weeks left of school. I got so used to not having to drive as much and didn’t miss my former life as a taxi driver. Cue the podcasts! Back in the car we all go. :)
It’s time for a random Friday 5 brain dump! Get excited. ;)
1 – Since we’re talking toy organization this week I thought I’d share my new home for board games.
I decided to move them all down to two of our kitchen island cupboards. One reason I did this is because I’m using our toy/game closet in the playroom to store other things now that my kids are growing out of toys.
But the main reason I moved them here is because whenever we play board games we always bring them down to our family room. It’s where the kids always want to be so it just makes more sense to have them close. These island cupboards didn’t have much in them anyway so it was easy to clear them out and make room for games! (You can see details on how my entire kitchen is organized here).
Sometimes it helps to think outside of the box when it comes to organizing. Where does it make the most sense to store things you use? Are systems that used to work for your family still working now? Always good questions to ask. :)
On a sidenote.. Friday 5 pics are usually quick cell phone pics hence the lovely lighting in these.
2 – I was making my lunch the other day and thought I’d snap some pics quick and share this simple lunch idea. It has been on repeat for me for years. I usually eat it for a few weeks and then eat my turkey sandwich for a few weeks and then I eat a chicken salad for lunch for a few weeks and then back to this salad tortilla. Does anyone else eat the same things over and over? It’s hard enough for me to come up with dinner for everyone every night.. I don’t want to have to think about lunch!
So at the beginning of the week I wash and chop up carrots and celery and cucumbers so they are ready to go. I buy the pre-washed Spring mix lettuce so it’s ready to go.
Then all I have to do for lunch is grab a wheat tortilla and pile on lettuce, my vegetables and oven roasted sliced almonds. I love oven roasted sliced almonds. They just make salads happy don’t they?
I top it all off with this salad dressing. Below is the recipe.. it’s so good! I got this dressing recipe from one of my close friends and I always think of her when I mix it up. Love you Koni! ;)
Salad Dressing:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
2 minced garlic cloves
Shake well and keep in cupboard (don’t refrigerate!)
Kenny calls this my “rabbit food.” He’ll tease me about eating my rabbit food for lunch and then follow it up with “hey.. could you make one for me?” Ha ha. It’s really good! The carrots and celery give it a nice crunch, the dressing gives it so much flavor and it fills you up more than you think it would! Nice and low calorie and when I eat this for lunch I feel like I can eat pizza for dinner and skittles for dessert. :) Let me know if you try it!
Then soon after she left this cute straw backpack I ordered showed up on my doorstep. I have been looking for a mid sized backpack that could double as a purse for a while now and I’m so excited about this!
I snapped a pic with it quick to show you the size. It has adjustable straps and can hold everything I keep in my purse with room to spare. Not too big and not too small. It’s PERFECT.
I wanted a cute backpack purse because sometimes I just want to have my hands free! This will be so nice for summer travel, theme parks (I miss Disneyland!) the pool or just heading to the grocery store. (Sidenote.. I’ve shared this tie sleeve blouse before but I honestly keep reaching for it about once a week so I’m sharing it again. It’s so lightweight and cute! Hangs a little longer in the back. It also looks really good tucked in with a pencil skirt and was just marked down! It comes in white and red too.
4 – Since I’m on a straw bag kick I decided to round up some cute options! Straw bags signal spring and summer and sunshine and always put me in the best mood. Do you love them too? I had so much fun rounding these up and adore every bag below. :)
5 – When I moved to San Diego I did a really smart thing and made lots of great friends. I made sure that they were kind, honest, loyal people. I also made sure that they were older than me. Ha. Kidding! Kind of. For some reason I’m the baby of my group of friends and I have to say that it has served me well through the years. ;) Last weekend one of my close friends turned 50 and we had the best time throwing a party for her! It was an 80’s themed party and I joined a few other friends to work on the decor. We were so proud of ourselves for pulling off a balloon arch!
I snapped these pics from a video so they might look a little blurred but I wanted to show you some of the things we used if you ever want to attempt this for a party yourself.
This electric balloon pump and balloon tying tool saved us!
The decor was 80’s but nobody was going to dress up. Then at the last minute some of us decided to dress up but there was NO time to order 80’s gear. Lucky for me I had this hot pink baby in storage! Ha ha.. one of my high school dance team warm ups. I actually graduated in 95′ (told you I’m the baby of my friends.. they were teasing me about being 3 in the 80’s!) but this number works for 80’s or 90’s. I know you’re all dying for the link to it so you can wear one too.. so sorry to disappoint. ;) Happy birthday to my beautiful friend Darci who seriously looks 29!
Kenny came up with his outfit in 10 minutes too. Kind of sad it was so easy for us to pull these clothes out of our closet! Kenny was cracking me up.. his look was Journey meets Richard Simmons? Who knows! I wish we would have taken more pics! We went home with no voices because of all of the singing and dancing. We turn a little wild when you put us in clothes from our glory days. ;)
Didn’t the balloon arch turn out fun!? We were so impressed with ourselves that we pulled it off! I linked everything we used below.. it wasn’t too hard.. just time consuming to blow up all of those balloons!
Toys! Have they taken over your home? They have definitely taken over mine a time or ten and it never ends well. ;) It’s toy organization week of our Get Organized Challenge so today I am sharing all of my toy organization tips! If you are currently in the “toy stage” with your kids and can’t walk 3 feet without tripping over one.. it’s time for an intervention. :) Follow the steps below and breathe a sigh of relief!
1 –Decide what rooms toys should be located in. Of course little ones will drag them everywhere, but there should be 1-3 spots in your home that toys live when it’s time to put them away at the end of each day. (Bedroom, playroom, basket in the living room, etc.)
2 – Once you have those spots nailed down decide on the best organizing solutions for the toysyou want to keep. (I have LOTS of fun options at the end of this post!)
3 – Before you start organizing the toys, get rid of half of them. Seriously! Donate the toys your kids don’t love to play with. If your kids are ok letting go of toys, choose which toys to donate with them. Most moms will need to do this without their kids because if you involve them that toy that has been ignored for a year suddenly becomes an ALL TIME FAVORITE when it’s time to say good-bye. Sound familiar? If you’re worried about tears once your kids realize certain toys are gone try this.. choose the toys you are ready to donate and put them in a sack or box and tuck them a way for a while. If months pass and your kids don’t even notice (9 times out of 10 they won’t because you are saying good-bye to toys they don’t really love to play with anyway) donate the toys and don’t look back! Kids usually play better with toys when there are fewer options. If you don’t want to pare down your kids’ toys collection consider rotating them! Put some away in a closet for a while and pull them out on a rainy day.
4 –Round up all of the toys you are keeping and put them in one big pile.
5 –Pick up each toy and put it in a pile with similar toys. I love to categorize. :) Stuffed animals in one pile.
Vehicles in one pile.
Dinosaurs, swords, action figures, barbies, dolls, dress-ups.. categorize them all!
6 – The last step is my favorite.. put the categorized toys in their home! Below are a few ways we’ve organized toys at our house. This bin organizer is a long time favorite! I love it because it’s so easy for kids to see their toys and clean them up after they play. (I linked this exact organizer and LOTS of additional similar options at the end of this post!) This grey bin organizer is currently sitting in Kole’s bedroom.
I found this pic from the playroom in our last house. I used the same toy organizer with my girls. That little pink vacuum brings back so many memories! :)
This was another pic I found digging through the toy organization archives. Can you see El peeking behind the toy bins at her baby brother? The sweetest. Pics like this make me want to transport back in time to this exact moment! But then I want to be back in the present day for bedtime because I’ve grown rather fond of sleeping through the night.
Storage cubbies are another great option for organizing random toys!
So are bins in kids’ closets if you have space for them.
If you have little kids who like to play with toys in the same room mom is in, a large bin or basket is a great solution. When my girls were little I kept most toys in their bedroom and our playroom, but I also always had a large basket of toys next to the couch in our family room. (Lots of bin/basket options that are perfect for toy organization are at the end of this post!)
When we built our current home I designed a play room with a closet just for toys.
I definitely went to my happy place with this one! Any closet with shelves could work the same way. This was such a great solution for years while my kids were still playing with their toys. I need to share what this closet currently looks like!
Now that my girls have outgrown toys and Kole is phasing out of many of them too (tear) our toy solutions are changing. I bought this triple drawer storage cabinet for our playroom when I started turning it into a hang out space for teens. It works so nicely under the TV for extra storage!
It holds a few toys Kole still plays with and some I want to save along with the Xbox accessories.
If you are building or remodeling, a built-in bench with drawers is a great solution for toy storage!
I have loved having these pull out drawers in Kole’s bedroom to hold larger toys.
For years I used these drawers just for toys and then I recently started using them to hold Kole’s blankets too.
I also added these large pull out drawers in our playroom that blend in with the wall molding. I was so excited during the framing stage of building when I realized that we had all of this extra space in the wall under our window because of our steep roofline!
I can always come up with a way to use extra storage space. :)
I hope the solutions I’ve found helpful through the years give you a few ideas for toy organization too! Toys that entertain and bring out kids’ imagination and creativity are such a blessing! Right up until they are taking over your house. No mom loves that! If you feel like there are toys everywhere take some time this week to follow the steps above and gain control over your home once again. You will gain control of your sanity too!
Major bonus. ;)
I took some time to round up my favorite solutions for toy organization and storage and honestly the collages below make me giddy! There are just so many fun and stylish ways to organize kids’ toys. Most items below come in multiple color options. The last collage especially makes me want to start all over with my babies just to use some of those adorable baskets! I’m thinking I need to pick up one of them (the ice cream or pineapple!) for a clothes hamper. Too cute! Or maybe my girls would be ok using a turtle basket to hold their make-up? (sigh) I want that turtle but I’m just going to have to live vicariously through some of you on that one.
Happy Friday! Anyone setting aside time to make some paper piles this weekend? If you are I might be stopping by. Call me crazy but that’s my idea of a good time. Ha. I hope my last post was helpful if you need to get your paper/home office set up whipped into shape! My office is looking a little different than the pictures I just shared. If you hang out with me on IG stories you’ve probably already seen my new office paint! I was debating between about 10 different shades of green.
It kind of made me smile when I realized that I had picked up shades of green that matched my planner, my binder and about 10 different shirts I own. Clearly I’m drawn to this shade! I finally narrowed it down to one and I’m so happy with how it turned out!
The winner? Sherwin Williams “Quietude” at 50%. I tried it at 75% and 25% too.. because I’m tricky like that. But 50% was hands down the winner. Not too dark.. not too light. Green with a grey tone (which was what I wanted) but not so much that it looks more grey than green.
Ignore the Christmas rug. I took these pics right after the paint was dry and hadn’t switched out the rug yet!
I can’t wait to decorate and I’m kicking things off with my new office rug! My kids spend as much time in this room as I do so I wanted something that felt fun. I also wanted a rug that complimented the new green paint, but was neutral enough that it would work with any other colors/decor I decide to decorate with. This woven tacha rug is perfect and even more beautiful in person. So much texture and I love the rose gold stripes! I think I’m going to need a rug pad under it to flatten it completely but this table is SO heavy! I’m not sure I can convince Kenny to lift it for me again.. ha. *Sidenote because I get asked about this table a lot.. I had it made custom when we built the house. I sketched the legs and my carpenter made them and then we put a quartz slab on top. Hence the reason it’s SO heavy. :)
I hope you like the changes so far! I know some people like the blue paint better and that’s ok. For me this green paint is a welcome change. It feels calm and so me.. like I’m coming home. :) I desperately need some new barstools. The seats on our previous barstools in this room completely peeled off! They were inexpensive from Home Goods so I guess I’m lucky they lasted as long as they did. We’ve been pulling our kitchen barstools in this room to use temporarily and the back and forth is getting a little old. :) I’ll share the new barstools when I find them and other office progress along the way!
If you are working on your home office and paper organization with me this week and need a few storage solutions I found so many great options! Both for paper and also for overall office organization. I lined them all below!
I’ve unpacked our bags and am ready to get back into our Get Organized Challenge! This week we are tackling home office/paper organization. Let’s do this. :) If you are drowning in paper.. I see you. And I feel your pain. Ha. Seriously though.. the struggle with paper management is real! If you don’t have a good system set up paper can take over your life! Ok.. maybe that’s a little dramatic. But it can certainly make you feel frustrated, unorganized and unproductive. In our previous house I didn’t have a home office. I was ruthless about what I kept when it came to paper (and everything else!) and I was pretty organized in that area. (I’ll share my past system later in this post!) My current home has more storage so when we moved into this house I slowly became lazy when it came to paper management and before I knew it I felt so overwhelmed by it all. I had paper files and piles scattered everywhere and my brain felt as scattered as my paper.
If you feel the same.. follow the steps below and finally tackle paper once and for all!
1. Set aside some time to work on this. You all know I’m a huge fan of organizing 15 minutes a day, but to really tackle paper (especially if you’ve been putting this one off!) you need to set aside some time. Several hours at least. If things are really out of control block out a full afternoon/evening for this job.
2. Round up ALL THE PAPER. All of it. Every single page! Go through your house and collect it all and then find a spot to dump it.
My go-to is always on my family room floor in front of the TV. This is the perfect activity to do with a movie/series on in the background. I always prefer something I love that I’ve already watched. The TV isn’t getting my full attention, but it’s there to keep me company while I work. A bowl of popcorn never hurts either. :) I always lay down a blanket to keep my rug clean. This pic is from a few years ago when I finally tackled the paper piles in our house.
Told you I see you and feel your pain. :)
3. Take a deep breath and pick up your first piece of paper! Can you recycle it? Or do you need to keep it? Is it something for one of your kids? A bill? A receipt? Medical? A future project? Write it down. You just made your first category. Write it down on a stickynote and add any other papers that fit in that same category.
Continue doing this until you’ve gone through every single piece of paper! You can see my labeled categories above and the sack of paper to recycle next to it. I also made a pile of paper I wanted to shred.
*Obviously the goal is to RECYCLE as much as possible so only keep things that are really important. So much is digital these days so you really don’t need to keep much! I know some people have gone completely paperless which is amazing. You can always scan paper you want to keep and organize it all on your computer. I personally like keeping certain things on paper in my files and will always prefer a hand written to-do list over a list in notes on my phone, but do whatever works best for you. Most importantly come up with a system you can easily maintain over time.
4. Now look at your files and decide which papers you can tuck away. The papers you only need once in a while are the papers to put in hanging file folders. These are the files I used above and they come in lots of colors. I linked some other fun options below!
Then label everything, place them in a filing drawer, cabinet, bin or box and you’re set!
My husband and I both have filing drawers in our offices. He keeps all of our financial papers/taxes in his filing drawers and I manage all of the kids’ stuff, medical and any other miscellaneous papers.
In our previous house we didn’t have a home office or room for filing drawers or a filing cabinet so I used this crate for important papers. If that’s the situation you are currently in I rounded up options below. So many cute and convenient ways to file your paper!
Ok. Now that we have our paper taken care of that we don’t need to see every day, it’s time to set up a system for the paper you DO needin your every day life. I’ve shared these wooden bins in my office before. They are magic for me! A perfect place to set all of the paper I use/need day to day for work and home life. (These exact bins sold out, but I’ll be sharing lots of fun options for filing paper in my next post!)
If you don’t need multiple bins like I do my best advice is to still have ONE spot where you keep “urgent” papers. That document that needs to be filled out soon for work, your 4th graders field trip signature page, etc. The papers that you get daily and think “I need to not lose this before I can get to it..” This also keeps paper clutter OFF OF YOUR COUNTERS which we all know is huge! No more piles all over the house! Create a go-to spot for paper. Kenny gets the mail every night and we go though it immediately (and trash most of it!) but if you don’t like to do that, have a set bin just for mail! A place to keep it so that it doesn’t pile up around your kitchen until you have time to go through it. Of course then you have to remember to go through it often. I check my inbox a couple of times a day. Papers are always moving in and out of my bins!
I have this hanging file system on my wall that I’ve had for years with the kids’ names on it. This is where they keep all of their random school papers they don’t need right away but want to keep. (This is for things they are currently working on, not their school work I’m saving.) If you have kids you definitely need a spot for their loose papers. If I’m cleaning and find Addison’s math on the floor this is where I put it. My kids know to look here first if they are missing any assignments!
If you have a home office you know that it can become a dumping ground quickly. Take some time this week to go through things and declutter! I gave my office a total overhaul a few years ago and have worked hard to keep things mostly organized. If your office is a mess, pick a day that you can devote to it and pull everything out!
I pulled out all of my office items and photos and old scrapbooking stuff a few years ago and dumped it on.. you guessed it.. my family room floor again! Time to watch TV and sort. :)
I used clear art & craft bins (similar to these) to organize all of the random items I wanted to keep. These bins hold lots of projects that are in motion but not done around here. #storyofmylife
I also store some of my Christmas decor in these bins. Art, our family Christmas cards I hang, Santa pictures, past holiday pics the kids have drawn that I like to display, etc.
This process also helped me realize that I don’t need to order one more clear page protector. Ever.
Ha.
I fit SO much in this one cupboard! Organization is amazing isn’t it!? Get rid of what you don’t need and better organize what you do need. Makes life SO much easier!
Here’s a little more office organization to get us motivated!
I pick up cute greeting cards and thank you notes when I’m out and about and love having a place to organizing them all. So handy when that birthday party or graduation pops up and you need a card for someone! This is reminding me that I need to get mother’s day cards soon. Oh wait.. I already have some saved in my handy little card organizer. ;)
If you’re designing or remodeling a home office these pull out drawers come in so handy too!
Perfect spot for kids’ posters, large albums and other miscellaneous items.
This side of my office with drawers closed..
and open.
A lot of you might remember this tall cupboard in my office. It was one of the very first things I organized when we moved into our new home! A spot for all of my kids’ blank papers and craft supplies.
This cupboard gets opened and closed multiple times every day and still looks just like this. That’s whey you know you have a system set up that works for your family!
I’m thinking I might need to switch out the blue bins now that I recently re-painted my office walls. #ifyougiveamouseacookie
These old magazine files.. I’ve had them since my teaching days before I had kids! They have served me well through the years. :)
I know some of you might look at pictures of my home office and think “sure.. it’s easy to stay organized when you have space like that!” I know you’re thinking that because for years I thought that way too. :) If only I had more room. And a home office! I would be so organized. But here’s the secret I quickly learned moving from small apartments/homes to a larger home. It’s actually easier to stay organized in a smaller home. Really and truly. I had to be more disciplined about what I kept, but in a lot of ways that made life easier. Less stuff means less to take care of and manage and organize.
So no excuses! ;)
This was my “home office” in my last house. A horrible old picture but all I could find! I used a little bookshelf in the closet under my stairs. You can see I had a small table with my printer on top of it in the corner. Up under my stairs (further back in the closet) I kept our luggage. Do you see my colorful magazine files again? Told you I’ve had them forever! I’m thinking it might be time to replace those too. Ha.
I had simple file sorters on top with homemade labels for urgent papers that I needed to refer to often and one for a daily inbox.
Then I used this crate I shared before for our files. That was it! Of course Kole’s nursery held all of my scrapbook supplies because I had no where else to put them. Who has been with me long enough to remember!? Oh my word.. I read that old post the other day and can’t believe how long ago that was. 11 years but it feels like 11 minutes ago I was sharing a room with my baby boy! If you’ve been reading my blog long enough to remember that post just consider yourself part of the family because I do. ;)
Last thing we’ll cover in this already too long post.. wrapping paper organization! You need a system for it too – especially if you have kids. It feels like there is a birthday party for a friend every other day.. right moms!?
I went through my wrapping paper bins and cupboard after Christmas this year and it felt so good to get it all cleaned out and organized!
I keep ribbon and tissue and tags in small bins.
Then I keep my wrapping paper and gift sacks in this tall cupboard. In my previous house I had one large basket for all of it with smaller craft bins inside that held my ribbons and tags. If you are really short on space something that goes over your door like this would work great too.
Then I bought this baby to hold all of my Christmas wrapping paper. Of course this could be used for regular wrapping supplies too. It fits nicely under a bed if you’re short on space!
Last but not least don’t rule out simple ziploc bags! They come in so handy for office organization. I use them all the time to hold pictures, supplies, all sorts of things. I’ve also used them to hold holiday decor and game and puzzle pieces in our playroom. I ordered this variety pack a while back and love having different sizes of these bags on hand.
Alright friends. I have some CUTE office organization options rounded up and I want to show you my new office paint! But I feel like this post is already a book. I’ll be back soon with more. In the meantime.. start rounding up your paper piles!
Home again! We’re back from Maui. Flew in late tonight and I’m still on island time which is why I’m feeling pretty good sitting on this exact couch and writing this post after 1:30 am. When you read this I’ll most likely be a sleep deprived walking zombie working on my never ending to-do list that includes everything I put off last week plus unpacking, laundry, groceries, etc. The Monday after a vacation is always a treat isn’t it? But so worth it. It felt surreal to get away and take a little break from our routine after a year of being so homebound. None of us are ready to be back! I still haven’t shared a Maui tips post and I’m hoping to get to that done this spring/summer for those of you who have asked for it. It’s definitely one of our family’s favorite places to relax and spend time together and I know many of you who have been there love it as much as we do!
For now I’m sharing a few pics of the current state of my family room. I snapped these pics quick before our trip.. just a few simple changes in this space since last spring!
The main change is happening on my “too big to figure out how to style” mantel. It has a new look for spring! I ordered this gold arched metal framed mirror in October and it came in February. I put it up on my mantel in March and am finally sharing pictures in April.
I may drive fast but that’s pretty much where speed ends for me. :)
We have this same mirror in the large leaner size in black in our hallway and I’ve absolutely loved it. (I could only find night time cell pics of it.. I need to take some during the day!) This was one of those purchases I thought about for a long time before I pulled the trigger and now have no regrets!
I looked at a lot of different mirrors and art and other options for this fireplace but just kept coming back to this same gold mirror. Not uncommon for me to buy doubles of things I really love. Not news to any of you. :) I’m not quite ready to take down my brass lanterns I put up during the holidays. The flickering candles still come on automatically around 5 pm every night and give such a nice glow! I think I’ll leave them up all year. I added a basket on the right for some spring vibes. Keeping it simple because I have several items on my console table next to this fireplace.
This console table is looking a little french country to me but I’m not mad about it! Slightly more feminine for spring and summer. :)
I’ve had the sign for years from Home Goods but felt like I needed something next to it. I found this pretty print on-line and love it near the lilacs! A gold frame from Target to hold it for the win and now all feels right in the world!
A little spring tour to kick off our Monday! I hope you enjoyed it and I hope your week is off to a great start. If you’re joining me in my organizing challenge it’s paper week! I’ll be back soon to discuss all things paper organization. A favorite topic of mine!
Spring decorating and paper organization. Maybe it’s not so bad to be back home in my routine after all.
Happy Wednesday! Is it Wednesday? We’re on island time this week so to be honest I’m not sure. ;) Spending the week in Maui for my kids Spring Break. With my sister and her family coming for their Spring Break and then our first vacation in over a year we’ve had more excitement in the past 8 days than we’ve had in a long time! Feels so good to mix things up from our every day and be back in one of our favorite spots! This is hands down the busiest I’ve seen this island so we apparently aren’t the only people who were anxious to travel again and spend some time in the Maui sun.
If you’re following along with my organizing challenge we are tackling family/living rooms this week! Usually these are easier rooms to keep organized (keeping them clean is another story right!?). I added some updates to these spaces in my home that I’ll share soon! I took pics before we left on our trip and I’m hoping to post them one of these nights after my crew is fast asleep. I’m so trained to kick it into second gear late at night that I can’t go to bed at a good time even on vacation! I try. I lay in bed listening to everyone else sleep. But I really just want to sit up and pop some popcorn and blog.
Sharing a few fun things I’m wearing this Spring/Summer! I’m loving these sandals and am ready to put them on repeat! I’ve loved the square toe shoe trend. So cute. Isn’t it funny to see all of these 90’s trends back again? So many teens are wearing Docs and thinking they are so cool. I’m like um.. Ellie.. I was wearing those when I met your dad.
I love and really want these Vince sandals but I’m trying to restrain. I saw them shopping with my sister and told her I loved them and she said “yeah.. total Erin shoes!” And they are. They look like 5 other pairs already in my closet which is why I’m trying to restrain. :)
I always find a few cute simple tees every Spring/Summer that look good with jeans or shorts. Just easy and casual for every day running around with the kids. This eyelet sleeved tee is so cute! I love the sleeves and it’s a great length/fit. Comes in lots of colors. No surprise I went with green. :)
This v-neck ruffle tee is the same brand as my cute green tee above and I love the material! Just so comfy. I’m also obsessed with these linen pants and love them so much I got them in black too. Perfect for spring and summer. They can be dressed up or worn to the pool/beach over your suit. I love the rope tie/nautical look and they are really flattering!
These heels are so beautiful and comfortable! They sold out in all colors except the denim at Nordstrom, but I also found them here! Going fast. Also can we talk about this adorable straw circle tote!? Perfection! I love the faux leather handles and it’s such a good price. It’s also the perfect size for a towel and a few essentials. My go-to pool/vacation/beach bag this summer. Funny story. I saw this bag on-line, instantly fell in love and ordered it. The next morning my friend Vanessa sends me a text with a picture of the same bag.. “just bought this circle beach bag.. isn’t it so cute!? It reminded me of one you had last year.” I sent her a screen shot of my on-line order from the night before and we were cracking up that we both bought the exact same bag within about 12 hours of each other! Too funny. We’ll be twins at the beach this summer sporting our circle totes!
Same v-neck ruffle tee.. different color. Obviously when I love something I buy it in doubles. :)
A look at the black linen pants! This suit is older (I’ve had it a few years). It’s a Robin Piccone – my favorite brand of swimsuits. They cost a bit more than some but the quality and fit makes them worth it. They hold up so well year after year.
Another cute coverup! Roxy dresses are my favorite for summer! So many fun styles of cute little sundresses that are perfect to toss on over your suit! My white legs in this pic remind me of my other spring/summer staple that is with me in Maui right now.
This is hands down the best tanner I’ve used! And I’ve sampled quite a few over the years. :) It honestly looks like a salon spray tan and is so easy to apply. You need the applicator mit and just rub it on. The tan shows up immediately which I love because you can see exactly how to even it out and make sure you aren’t missing spots. I have super fair skin but still use the dark mousse and just put on one coat.
I have the tanner on in this pic from last year and you can compare my legs in it to the pic above to see the difference. I feel like it looks very natural! It dries quickly and lasts about a week. This cute cover-up/romper I got last year is back in stock! Go stripes. :) Also these Steve Madden sandals are older favorites and they also come in black, white and rose gold. I wouldn’t recommend them for a day of walking (flat soles) but they are perfect to slip on for a few hours. I keep these in my mudroom drawer and slide them on often when I’m running to the grocery store or to pick up kids.
A couple of cute hats I picked up for this summer! I’m a little crazy when it comes to sun protection. Both of my parents have skin cancer (the least dangerous type) and my skin is so fair. I gave up attempting to tan years ago! I’m also not that into wrinkles (you too?) :) so a hat is a must for me in the summer. I’m religious about putting on this sunscreen under my make-up every day (LOVE it – it’s tinted and light and matte and doesn’t feel like sunscreen at all) and then I just try to keep my face covered as much as I can when I’m in the sun.
This is what the floppy hat looks like on. Also how cute is this bikini top!? I love it because my shoulders are covered! I don’t want them to get wrinkles either. ;) Seriously I’m always putting a tee on over my suit when I’m in the sun too long to cover my shoulders so they don’t get burned so I love this. I got these bottoms to go with it and they are really flattering (good butt coverage!). Robin Piccone again.. the best suits and bikinis. I shared more favorite suits/bikinis I’m loving this summer in this post.
Ok.. last favorite for today! I ordered this cute wrap maxi cover-up dress on-line for our trip to Maui and it came pretty wrinkled like clothes often do!
In two minutes I had it looking like this. I told you all in my last laundry post that I’m not a fan of ironing and I got lots of questions about my favorite steamer!
This mini handheld travel steamer is gold! I had another steamer I was using that was ok but I wanted something smaller to keep upstairs and use for travel so I ordered this to try. After a few months I tossed my other steamer and now I just use this! It’s so easy to use – just fill it up with water and steam. It works so well on everything – my couch, drapes, bedding, clothes. I use it every week and don’t miss my iron one bit. :) #leastfavoritechoreaftercooking
Here’s how this maxi cover-up looks on! A little long on me (I’m 5’3 1/2 and wearing the xs) but so beautiful and perfect to toss on over a suit when you’re heading to dinner after the beach. Kole came in my bedroom while I was taking this pic and told me I looked like a greek goddess. Ha ha.. MUCH better than other “compliments” my 5th grader has so graciously given me so I’ll take it. ;)
That’s it! A few things I’m loving this Spring that are with me on our trip. Feels so good to spend some time in the sun! With my sunscreen. And my hat. And a suit that covers my shoulders.
And where’s my popcorn?
Old habits die hard.
:)
xoxo, Erin
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