*This post is sponsored by Walmart and affiliate links are used. All opinions and product selections are my own!
Happy Saturday everyone! Do you like the garland I attached over my butler’s pantry shelf this year!? I hope so because it’s all over my house. :) Making things SO cozy! I’m still styling this shelf and finishing up my decorating this weekend, but I set a few of my go-to’s for holiday baking on the counter to share with you today. With Thanksgiving right around the corner I thought it was a fun time to chat about a few favorites from Walmart that I use in my kitchen often! Walmart has been getting in so many fun things for the holidays!
I always get excited when it’s time to pull out my red KitchenAid mixer! A sure sign that the holidays are finally here. :) I picked up this KitchenAid hand mixer last year too (comes in lots of colors) and what a game changer! It’s SO much better than the other brands I had been using before. I also love this set of 3 plastic cutting boards. We have a pull out wooden cutting board built into our island that we love (you can see it in this post on my organized kitchen), but I tend to reach for these simple plastic cutting boards for the easy, every day stuff like dicing up an apple for Kole. :) They are just so easy to use and quickly rinse clean! This is also a great set of colanders if you need one!
I included a few other Thanksgiving dinner essentials below! My mom does most of the cooking for Thanksgiving every year. My job is usually to entertain the kids, decorate and set the table, and then organize the fridge with all of the leftovers after. No complaints here! I quite prefer it that way. ;) But if I WAS cooking.. below are a few personal favorites.
Bringing you my cozy kitchen window! Because it’s a Wednesday and we need the mid week pick me up. I guess I shouldn’t speak for all of us.. I need the mid week pick me up. :) So step into my snowy Christmas village and relax! It’s straight out of a Hallmark movie and I’m not one bit mad about it.
Honestly this little Christmas scene in my kitchen window has cheered me up immensely this week and it was so easy to put together! I placed 3 command hooks on my window molding (one in each corner where the cabinet starts and one in the middle behind my pendant) and then I just hung my all time favorite faux garland! I used two 6 foot strands on each side for a thicker look (so there are 4 strands total). It looks just like fresh real garland without the mess!
I hung 5 of my beautiful jeweled snowflake ornaments from the tiny nails I have on the backside of my molding and then I added my beloved birch trees and some cozy light up houses. (These exact houses sold out but I linked lots of fun options below!) Last I sprinkled faux snow – the closest thing to snow we’ll get this holiday season. Magic!
I’ll share pics of my snowy window scene during the day soon (didn’t have time to photograph it today!) but I did get a quick picture of the display below my cabinet. I wanted to extend the snowy forest/village look so I added one more little birch tree and a few other bottle brush trees and more faux snow on my antiqued metal tray.
This is the same tray I used to display candles and pumpkins on my table in October and it has honestly been one of my favorite purchases this year. It’s so long and beautiful and the styling options are endless! (I have the large size.)
I’ve been burning my favorite Christmas candle this week and it just makes 2020 blur and suddenly all is right in the world! It’s “fir and firewood” and smells just like an evergreen forest. At Christmas. In a Hallmark movie. Catch the theme I’m going for this year? ;) It’s to die for and soon my friends will be enjoying it too because I always buy extra for gifts! I snapped a pic next to the faux snow I used in my kitchen because I’ve tried lots and it’s my favorite!
In other home news the Christmas decorating is coming along! Some rooms are finished and just need to be photographed. Some rooms are 70% done and need to be pulled together with this and that. And then there are rooms like my formal dining room that are seasonally challenged. *Notice the mix of pumpkins and a tree. But I wanted to share this real time pic with you because this tree is the other flocked tree I bought this year and I absolutely love it! I haven’t even touched it yet other than initial set up so the branches still need to be fixed and fluffed, but I LOVE the look of it! (This pic doesn’t do it justice!) It’s so beautiful at night (the white lights are large and covered in flocking and so pretty). I know it’s behind my table, but I just thought it would be fun to mix it up this year and put a tree in front of our dining room window. We won’t be hosting large parties this year like we usually do (for obvious reasons!) so I moved my dining room bench and set up my tree there instead! It looks so pretty from the outside!
This is the other new tree I bought (so you can compare the two different looks). It’s decorated and I’ll be sharing it soon! I was worried buying two new trees online this year without seeing them first but I love them. Really great quality and exactly what I was looking for. I would absolutely recommend either tree if you are looking for a new faux flocked tree this year! Really happy with them both. :)
Last but not least here are a few RP favorites that were released today! I honestly wanted to order every single thing in this collage! Except the red dress because I don’t look good in red. But it’s gorgeous for someone who does! That green sweater on the other hand has my name all over it. ;) I also ordered the wool wrap coat (I’ll let you know if I love it!) and several of the home decor items and will share how I’m using them soon. I just can’t resist cute Christmas decor! Or green sweaters.
I can think of worse things.
Happy Wednesday everyone! From my Hallmark movie scene to yours.
Happy Monday! I hope you all had a good weekend! We finally got some rain and it felt amazing. I honestly can’t even remember the last time it rained in our area. Too long ago! The rain and cold weather definitely made things feel holiday cozy and it was so fun to light a candle (this is my current favorite!) and work on my Christmas decorating! I’ll have lots to share soon but for now I’m kicking off my annual holiday gift guides with some fun ideas for teachers! After the year we’ve all had it just seems like a good place to start. I am so incredibly grateful for my kids’ teachers this year and for all they have done to keep things rolling with such crazy circumstances! As a former teacher I know how much work goes into everything they do and adding the extra learning curve of all things on-line.. I can’t imagine! So here are some fun ideas to help celebrate all of the amazing teachers out there. If you are one of them THANK YOU!!! Sending a huge HUG your way!
1 – Rifle paper journal / Teacher notepad / Minted personal notepad – A teacher can always use a good notepad (probably why I’ve always been obsessed with them!) and these are three cute options! Add some pretty pens and attach a fun gift card if you want to spend a little more!
2 – Laminator – This is a great gift for Elementary school teachers. Even if they have access to a laminator at their school it’s nice to have your own for smaller jobs at home. Especially this year with a lot of teachers working from home!
3 – Teacher Survival Kit / Amazon Gift Card – This is a cute little zipper pouch that you could fill with all sorts of fun things including a gift card! After the year we’ve had I’m sure you could get pretty creative with “survival items”.. masks, hand sanitizer/lotion, bubble bath and LOTS of Tylenol are coming to mind.. ;)
4 – Cozy Pom Pom Sherpa Throw – I LOVE giving throws for gifts! Who doesn’t love a cozy throw!? These pom pom throws are festive and fun for the holidays and also perfect to curl up with on the couch.
6 – Hydrating Lotion – I’ve heard amazing things about this lotion! I’m excited to try it and pick up a few for gifts this year!
7 – Best Teacher Ever Journal – When I taught school nothing meant as much to me as a handwritten note from a parent or child. I saved them all! This journal is a fun way for your child to share a few words of appreciation with a little prompting and help. :)
8 – Peppermint Bark – I share this as a gift idea every year because it is DELICIOUS! I always give a few as gifts and buy a few for our family. My kids get so excited when I bring it home! This has especially saved me with male teachers because they are harder for me to shop for. Peppermint Bark is always hit. :)
11 –Williams Sonoma holiday towels / Om for the holidays cookie set – I’ve given these two items together for gifts the past two years and will probably do the same for a few new friends again! WS holiday towels are my favorite and the OM for the holidays spatula feels especially appropriate this year! (Breathe deep everyone.) ;)
12 –Candy Cane candle – A beautiful candle to bring some holiday to a teacher’s home!
13 –Best Teacher Ever Tumbler – Such a cute tumbler for teachers on the go! Would be fun to pair with a Starbucks gift card.
I hope that gave you a few fun ideas for the teachers in your life! If you want an easy way to keep track of who you’re buying for and what gifts you’re giving this year give my free holiday planner a try! It’s always a huge help to me this time of year. :)
If you’ve been with me for a while on this blog you know a few things about me. You most likely know how much I love Christmas decor, how much I despise cooking, that popcorn is a favorite snack, that I’m a night owl, that I can’t live without cherry ice chapstick, and that angels sing to me every time I greet an organized drawer. Or cupboard. Or closet. (They really do.) You most likely also know about my obsession with all things Vuori. When I got the e-mail that Vuori wanted to partner with me on a post I was so excited I jumped up from my computer and ran to Kenny’s office to share the good news. He stood up to congratulate me (because he knows how much I love their clothes!) and then we looked at each other and laughed. We were both wearing head to toe Vuori! “I think they found the right person for the job.” He said.
I had to agree. ;)
I honestly can’t say enough good things about this brand of performance apparel! Their tanks and leggings and joggers are my absolute favorites to wear when I exercise because they are so comfortable and flattering. I’m wearing their daily joggers in these pics and am obsessed! They are a true legging/jogger combo.
The fabric, quality and fit are seriously next level. Usually if I exercise in the morning I’m anxious to change out of my restrictive exercise clothes and into something more comfortable to work in all day. I have worked from home for over 10 years now and as you all know I spend most of my time on my computer or doing projects around my house. Comfort has always been a priority!
When I’m in my Vuori clothes I always end up just keeping them on all day. I never get that itch to change into something more comfortable. Plus their clothes are just cute to wear for every day running around. Go ahead and ask Kole what clothes his mom lives in half of the time.
Actually.. my 10 year old son may not be paying attention to such things. But if he was he’d say Vuori. ;) Go ahead and ask my girls instead. They’ll give you the right answer! Ellie especially since she is always sneaking into my closet to borrow my Vuori tanks!
You could say I quickly became a fan! Ha. I know you’ve all seen me wearing these in different fashion posts before because they are hands down my FAVORITE joggers. Which is why I own them in almost every color available (Kenny I’m going to need that maroon pair for Christmas!). You all know that joggers are my thing! I love wearing them and own a lot of different brands and styles. Vuori takes the cake!
Of course who can resist buying a pair in black camo!? Certainly not me. :) I also love these halo essential hoodies! So comfortable and perfect to slip on over my tank after I exercise on cold days. This is a lot of camo going on for some (never enough for me!) but I also wear this hoodie with black leggings or jeans and the camo joggers with a solid black sweatshirt. So many options with these cute staples! (*These performance joggers were just re-stocked and always sell out quickly so if you’ve been wanting to try a pair (or to give them as a gift) grab them before they are gone again! Check the reviews if you don’t trust me yet. ;) I’m clearly not the only fan of these joggers!)
There are so many different fun styles of Vuori leggings! Every type I’ve tried I love. I usually wear these daily leggings or the daily joggers when I exercise. I just noticed that they added a new color.. green camo! (Kenny.. paying attention?) ;)
So many things have been hard about this year, but one thing I’ve been truly grateful for is having more time for exercise. It honestly makes such a difference in my mood each day and has been my favorite way to deal with any stress or sadness I feel coming on. Just spending a little time each day outside in the fresh air instantly changes my mood and makes me happy.
Some mornings I meet a close friend at a local park to run these stairs. We work up a good sweat going up and down the stairs and then walk a few loops around the park and catch up.
Then every evening Kenny and I go on a hike on the trails behind our home. This pic was taken on a hike in Park City. (Wearing my lux performance tank! I have these in several colors and love them.) The past few nights Kenny and I have gone on our hike it has been so dark because of the time change! We took head lamps tonight! Ha. I think we are going to need to figure out a way to sneak out earlier in the evening or start going in the morning. But mornings are rough for this night owl so I’m not really sure how that will work out.
*It won’t work out. Headlamps it is!
We’ve also started biking a lot together this year and love it! Kenny and Kole started biking together every day when things first shut down in March.
Hello hello! I hope you’re all doing well and recovering from Halloween and election craziness. What a week! We have watched so much election coverage that tonight Addison and I finally decided to take a break and turn on Gilmore Girls. I highly recommend that little detour! You can’t listen to Lorelai and Rory banter without instantly feeling better about life in general. :)
One of Kenny’s friends had an outdoor 70’s themed get together for his birthday a few days before Halloween so we made a quick Amazon order and came up with the groovy look above. I about died when Kenny came walking out of our closet in those white pants! He was a little too comfortable dancing around in them. Ha! My kids loved it. They were mortified, but secretly loved it. ;)
(left by yours truly, middle “mom and baby” by Kole, right by Addison, Kenny and El supervised)
Halloween day we spent together as a family carving pumpkins (we shoot for basic at best), making Halloween treats and watching scaryish movies. That night we had teens over – spaced around our fire pit outside so Kenny stayed home to supervise. He was more than happy to take one for the team and watch football while I took Kole trick or treating in a neighborhood that had a few safe options. I loved seeing so much creativity! Candy hanging from trees or coming out of a tube from a top window straight down to the kids’ candy bags. I was worried that Kole wouldn’t have a fun night with things being so different but when I put him to bed he said “did you see all of the nerds I got? BEST Halloween ever.”
So the take away is as long as nerds are involved we’re set. :)
Of course I couldn’t put away my pumpkins and pull Christmas decor out fast enough the next day! Just SO excited to have all of the red and green and lights up again! Especially with the time change. Christmas lights create such a cozy environment don’t they!? These pics are from last year and I’m excited to show you how things are looking around here this year!
If you need me during the next week I’ll be hanging out with my trusty ladder scaling every wall of my home! (Don’t worry mom.. I’m being careful.) Remember my neutral tree from last year? Not happening this year! I missed the red so much! I’m such a sucker for traditional Christmas colors.
I’ve seen so many cute options for Christmas decor this year! Down right dangerous.. I seriously want one of everything and am working hard to restrain. Have you seen the cute stuff popping up in Target this year!? I rounded up my favorites below and then couldn’t help ordering a few things!
I was laughing because the day after I placed an order one of my close friends came by my house. I opened the door and she said “have you seen the cute Christmas stuff at Target!?” She pulled out what she bought to show me and we laid it out. It looked so cute on my bench so I snapped a pic!
I had ordered this cedar hoop wreath too! We just laughed. We do that all the time.. get excited to show each other what we bought and then realize we bought the same thing! I actually love this wreath so much I ordered both the large and the smaller size. And the stockings are full size! When I saw that they were only $15 I assumed they were smaller or not great quality. I was wrong!
These are a few Christmas favorites I found at World Market this year! I didn’t include it in my collage but I ordered these winter tree scrolls (if you remember my Fall decor you probably know where one is going!). :)
And of course we can’t talk Christmas decor favorites without a few things from Pottery Barn. PB at Christmas! Be still my heart. ;) This was a happy mail day at my house! Excited to show you how I’m using it all. The HO HO HO crazy long lumbar pillow! There are no words.
Also my Christmas tree shaped wood cheese board is back in stock! Another favorite I couldn’t love more. Mine is the large size and it’s an absolutely perfect size to set out on the counter to hold holiday crackers and cheese or snacks. Even better it looks so cute in the kitchen for Christmas decor! Excited to make our annual Christmas pretzel hugs yet again this year. :)
Two weekends ago we decided that before we put up our Christmas decor we needed to at least FEEL some Fall air (it has honestly been so hot here the past few months!) so we loaded the kids in the car and took everyone to breakfast. (My cute top is from Walmart.. below are a few other affordable Walmart favorites!)
We went a little later in the morning to avoid any crowds and had hand sanitizer ready! We snapped these pics with the girls.. Kole was sitting on the other side of me and ducked out. :) I made El flash a smile to show off those pretty teeth. Braces finally off for my oldest!
2020 has been a lot of things, but for us it has also been the year of braces. All three! I honestly feel like I live at the orthodontist office. Between the three of them someone always needs to be there!
After breakfast we headed to Julian (a cute little mountain town about an hour away from San Diego). We go every year and it’s usually so much fun. Cool temps and pumpkins and fall leaves and apple cider and pie and fun little shops to explore..
That was NOT the case this trip!
We went from crazy heat to a full on rain storm! It was POURING! And so windy! We got soaking wet. Ad burned her lips on the cider. The line was over an hour wait for pie so we bagged that.
Right after we took these pics Kole’s cute space umbrella snapped in two from the wind!
We took off our masks for these pics, but other than that masks were on and coats were zipped and we were freezing!
Not quite the picturesque fun Fall day we had planned! We were only there about an hour or two. We got back in the car and Kole said.. “well.. that was a disaster!” We all laughed so hard! It was honestly so bad it was just comical. 2020 I tell ya! We have been remembering it and laughing about it for two weeks. Still a great family day with some funny memories we lived to tell about.
AND we finally experienced Fall. Not quite the Fall we were picturing.. but cold weather.. check!
It was enough for me. Back to sunshine and Christmas lights on the palm trees and Gilmore Girls. We can head to Julian again in December to feel and experience snow.
Happy end of October everyone! Can you believe that Halloween is this weekend!? I’m so confused at how this has been the longest year ever but at the same time it’s flying by so quickly. Right!? Ha. Really though.. I can’t believe it’s time for November and the time change! I’m soaking up these pumpkins for a few more days because come Sunday we are in full on Christmas mode! Who is with me this year!? So excited. Our weather finally got the Fall memo and this week has been absolutely glorious. It’s finally cooling off and feeling that crisp Fall air this week put me in the best mood. I couldn’t wait to wear all of my sweaters and Fall clothes! I am so excited to share some Walmart fashion finds with you all today! Seriously.. I found some CUTE clothes for amazing prices and went a little crazy with the sweaters. My favorite! :)
Sam Edelman has always been a favorite brand of shoes (I lived in my SE slides this summer) so I was thrilled when I saw these cute hiking boots! They come in a fun brown color too and are so comfortable. I also love these boots that have a similar look and I’m thinking I’ll order these cute snow boots for El. She needs a new pair for any Utah trips we take this winter. Here are some other cute shoe options I found..
I love a good turtleneck and this one by Free Assembly is so soft and a great fit. Comes in other colors too! I’m also flying high about these skinny jeans! I tried on a few different pairs of jeans and these Jessica Simpson’s skinny jeans were a home run. Really flattering. They are supposed to be more of a cropped look but are full length for this shortie. I’m so ok with it because they come to my ankle and are PERFECT to tuck into cute booties and boots!
This lattice back cable knit sweater is so cute and the back has such a fun criss cross detail at the top! I need to wear it next time with a ponytail to show off the cute back. You can also see in this pic the length of the skinny jeans I mentioned above. (I’m 5’3 and 1/2 (don’t forget the half) for height reference.) ;)
I can’t help myself when it comes to green! Love this long sleeved ribbed henley. I’ve mentioned this before but I really love simple, solid colored tops like this because I wear them with jeans or joggers during the day and then just keep them on with pjs pants in the evening.
My favorite thing about this upcoming time change is that I feel completely justified putting on pjs at 4:00 every day. :)
Cutest chunky crewneck sweater! Another Free Assembly win. That brand at Walmart is a great place to start if you’re looking for cute, affordable fashion.
I have a system when I decorate for a new season. I basically pull everything I might want to use to decorate into one room. That room becomes a total hot mess landing zone (items fly in and out daily) while I’m styling the rest of the house. My hot mess landing zone as of late has been my formal dining room and this week I finally got it cleaned up and put back together. Fall bins are put away and it feels great!
I also brought my industrial shelf in from my hallway and decided to use it for extra storage in my dining room for all of my wooden bowls.
I’m running out of room in my decor closet and I decided they are pretty enough to just display for a while. My shelf fits so nicely in this happy little spot.
Always fun to move older items around and make them feel like new again isn’t it!?
Similar industrial shelves:
For table decor I decided to work smarter, not harder and just stick with the same look I have on my kitchen dining nook table and my coffee table. I still love it so much!
I found this beautiful ivory chiffon table runner for just $10! Isn’t it pretty!? I tied the ends and love how they hang. If you have a shorter table than mine this runner would be pretty hanging down longer and touching the floor too.
I enjoyed this look for a day and then decided to add some dishes!
Just a simple table setting for 5 since we aren’t entertaining much these days. We haven’t been using this table and I decided today that it’s time we start. Why not enjoy a pretty table for regular family dinners with just the 5 of us? Even if dinner consists of takeout or pancakes. :)
I’ve used my wooden chargers for years and still love them so much! The cute appetizer plates say things like “grateful” and “thankful.” They aren’t in stock anymore, but I’ll link to some fun similar options below.
Wooden Chargers:
What really makes this simple table setting beautiful is my Amazon gold flatware! Kenny surprised me with it for Christmas last year. And by surprised I mean that I picked it out for him to order for me.
But it was still a surprise to see whether or not he would follow through. ;)
So nice to have our dining room all clean and dressed up for Fall!
Just in time to start pulling out the Christmas bins.
It’s time for one of my favorite posts of the year! Let’s talk Christmas decor for 2020! Ahhh! Pinch me! Is it really time!? Well no. Ha. For some of you I know it’s a little early and yes.. I promise we’re still celebrating Fall and Halloween around here. But if you’re into seasonal decorating at all then you know that a lot of Christmas decor sells out quickly. Some items are already backordered so really.. what choice do we have?
We simply have no choice but to go there. And while we’re at it, I might as well admit to what happened at my house last weekend. Eek! Ok. Before you roll your eyes (yes.. I can feel it.. I’m tricky like that) please know that this decision (like the decision to write this blog post) was 100% totally justified. I mean I HAD to put up this tree. It’s new! And when it came in the box I immediately realized that the only smart, responsible thing to do was to make sure that it was working properly. What if the tree was damaged and I had to send it back and get another one? Wouldn’t it be irresponsible of me to wait!? Clearly I had no choice whatsoever.
Ok.. the jig is up. I LOVE Christmas! I could have Christmas decor up in my house for 6 months and I wouldn’t get tired of it. The season is never long enough for me. I’ve been like this since I was a little girl. Just ask my dad who would shake his head every year when the Chipmunk Christmas tape (later CD) would start echoing from my bedroom in September. So yes. I start decorating a little early. And some years I’ve left a Christmas tree or two up through February. I sincerely hope that we can still be friends. If not.. I have my Christmas tree lights to console me. ;)
There are so many fun Christmas decor items popping up this year so today I’m sharing all of my favorites! First up are a few beloved items I’ve used in past years throughout my home (some are on sale through the weekend!). Then at the end of this post I’ve rounded up my favorites in several Christmas categories. These items took hours to round up because I wanted to share my absolute favorites and there was a lot of Christmas decor on-line to comb through!
It’s a dirty job but somebody had to do it. I decided to take one for the team and make it happen. ;) I’m sure I will discover other fun items and I can’t wait to decorate and share my Christmas decor with all of you! But after this post I promise I’ll wait until after Halloween.
Mostly.
First exciting news.. my faux cedar garland is back! So is my beautiful faux cedar wreath that goes with it! Many of you know I went a little crazy with this garland in my home last year and I plan to do the same this year. I’ve never before seen Christmas garland that looks so real. It’s absolutely gorgeous and this weekend it’s 25% off! Also this year they came out with it in a longer size. I actually bought several last weekend at full price! Kicking myself I didn’t wait one more weekend! But I didn’t dare because this garland sold out so quickly last year. It is on the thin side (it truly looks just like real cedar garland) so on my mantel I used multiple garlands to get this look. (I think I had 5 layered on this mantel.. but this mantel is huge!)
Here you can see the width of it better around my door. Can’t wait to get out my ladder again! :)
Isn’t it beautiful!? I’m holding the faux Cedar wreath that later went up above my mantel. My potted Cyprus trees are also back in stock! I can’t wait to decorate my porch for Christmas. It’s going to be similar, but I’ll try to add a little more red this year. If you ever wonder what my favorite color is.. this picture might give you a hint. Ha.
Anthropologie is a go-to for me when it comes to good Christmas wreaths and garland. I shared a few other favorites above. Seriously all such a good deal at 25% off! Good garland is one of the first things to sell out every year so don’t wait if you find garland you love! (I linked lots of beautiful garland options below!)
These are a few other Anthro Christmas favorites this year! I love the tabletop trees (I have the trees on the left) and I of course stocked up on the Fir & Firewood candle while it’s on sale. It smells SO good and is perfect for holiday gifts!
This was my kitchen window decor the year before and once again.. my Fa-la-la banner is back! Always a favorite. I know some of you have it and love it as much as I do. :)
Last year I added the Fa-la-la banner to my living room tree.
And to my living room mantel. No doubt it will be popping up somewhere new again this year. :) I also found knitted stockings similar to mine on-line! I have the same set in red..
Last but certainly not least.. my gingham plaid pillow covers are back in stock! The cool thing about this pillow is that the back is a beautiful grey faux fur so you can use either side and get two totally different looks. They also sold out quickly last year.
Ok friends. Can I still call you friends? ;) We all know that I could go on sharing Christmas decor favorites from my home for much longer, but I’ll wrap it up because I’ve linked everything I’m loving so far for you below!
Now back to my pumpkins for the rest of the month!
(If you are already a Sunny Side Up subscriber just enter your info. again to get the calendar.. it won’t add you twice! Also, if you sign up and don’t get an e-mail soon after check your junk mail! Once in a while it lands there first.)
Happy Saturday everyone! I hope you all had a great week. Today I’m sharing a few recent fashion favorites to kick off the weekend! When I saw this cute Night Owl tee I had to snag it for me and my girls! You all know that I’m a night owl. Pretty much every post you’ve read on this blog has been put together between the hours of 10 and 2 pm. :) I’ve tried time and time again to become more of a morning person and it just doesn’t work for me! I always get a second wind around 9 or 10 at night and I crave that quiet time when all of my kids are tucked away in their bedrooms and Kenny is falling asleep on the couch. Peace! Just me, my laptop, my popcorn, and a movie on in the background (preferably one I’ve already seen because I’m not really giving it my full attention). Ellie has always been a night owl too. The two of us are always the last two in bed every night and it’s funny because we aren’t affected as much if we don’t get enough sleep. Our moods stay the same! Kenny and Addison are a different story.. watch out when those two are overly tired. ;) During quarantine and the summer when we had no schedule whatsoever Addison started staying up late with us. We would all three exercise late on our treadmill and then plop on the couch after the boys were in bed and the girls would watch movies while I worked. We were able to sleep in a little so we got on a pretty late night schedule! So many fun late nights up hanging and laughing with my two girls! I had to buy us these fun tees to remember our late nights together and to wear during future night owl parties. :)
A closer look on a day I was wearing it with these cute Daily Joggers. I’m still over here obsessed with all things Vuori and I’ve got Kenny hooked on their banks shorts! He works in them every day with a dress shirt on top for zoom. Ha. I’ll let you know the second my joggers get restocked because they are gold! I also think this tee is fun for Halloween. Here are few other cute Halloween tee options I’ve found on-line..
Another obsession? Adidas Swift Run Sneakers. This isn’t a new obsession either. Long time favorite shoes for every day running around! The shoes pictured are all more recent buys which is why they are still so clean. I tossed two older pairs that I had worn into the ground.. they were looking a little rough! I love these sneakers for light exercising (a walk or bike ride) and also just to slip on with leggings or joggers to run errands.
This one is a new obsession! I just discovered these 4-pack liner socks and you guys! BEST no show socks out there! They are so low! They work great with any shoes – including Fall booties that have slits on the sides. The best part is that they come with a silicone grip on the heel that holds them in place. I’ve tried so many no show socks through the years and these are hands down the best I’ve tried.
I’m slowly bringing jeans back into my wardrobe but still end up in leggings and joggers most days. These faux leather leggings I bought at the N sale have been on repeat. I feel like they look a little more put together because of the material and they are so flattering. I want to try these cute camo prints they came out with! And I really love this cozy hooded top! It’s lightweight but warm.. the perfect comfy transition to Fall top.
We’ve only had a few cool days this Fall and then our temps go right back up to just too HOT. Of course the second they dip you can find me in a sweater. :) For someone who loves sweaters as much as I do I really should consider moving somewhere cold! November is usually when it cools off for us so me and my sweaters are patiently waiting.
In the meantime tops like this cute crewneck are perfect because they are so lightweight! I love tops like this because I can wear them all day with jeans and look put together and then just switch to pj pants in the evening and they work for lounge wear too.
This is such a pretty cap sleeve blouse! It comes in ivory and black too. Very lightweight and easy breezy. :) Would be cute with a blazer over it for work/zoom meetings or a moto jacket over it for date night!
This Vuori outdoor shell jacket is a new favorite! I’ve only worn it a few times but I can already tell it will be a staple for me. I mean first of all.. it’s black camo. What’s not to love about black camo!? It’s so cute on and will be perfect for our evening hikes with cooler temps. I also love jackets like this to throw on over tops when we get rain or coastal misty wet weather.
Speaking of my forever love of camo.. how cute is this scoop cardigan sweater!? Walmart you guys! It just sort of slipped into my cart when I was ordering some groceries. :) Walmart has seriously stepped up their fashion/home decor game – you just have to pick and choose. I find so many random cute finds at Walmart lately! Our closest Walmart is a bit of a drive for me so I order pretty much everything from there on-line. Can you remember a time when we didn’t have on-line shopping!? I feel like now I couldn’t live without it!
I’m sure Kenny would agree to disagree on that one. Ha. But it’s definitely a time saver that I’m grateful for. He is too. He just doesn’t know it yet. ;)
I’m excited to wear this more when it cools off. I put a black camisole under it to add a little length. Cute and so comfortable and warm!
That’s it for clothes today but I want to share some skin products I’ve been trying lately because they are all 25% off this weekend! I was going to wait to share them because I’m still in test mode, but even though I’ve only been using them a few weeks I already have a few favorites. Plus it’s such a good sale! I’ve been hearing about Colleen Rothschild skin products for years from friends who use and love them so I decided to finally try a few of her best sellers. These are the products I’ve tried so far and what I think about them..
Radiant Cleansing Balm – Honestly obsessed with this one already! You use it to take your make-up off and clean your face at the end of the day and it seriously feels like you’re giving yourself a spa treatment! It comes with a muslin cloth that you put under warm water to wash it off.
Matcha Tea Treatment Toner – I also love this toner and know that (like the above cleansing balm) it’s a keeper for me. I put a little on a facial pad after I use the cleansing balm and spread it all over my face (you can use these soft facial pads or your own). It makes my face look and feel so CLEAN and refreshed!
Mandelic Acid Radiance Serum – this is supposed to help with skin texture and tone, unclog pores and help with wrinkles. I can tell my skin is smoother in the mornings because of this and I love the way it feels! I need to use it longer to really notice a major difference so I’m going to be consistent with it and will let you know if I see progress.
Face Oil N °9 – This is the product I’m having a harder time getting used to because it’s an oil. You can watch a video about it on the website that explains why it works so well. It has amazing reviews and everyone I know who uses it loves it, but it feels so weird to me to put something oily on my face! I do like the way my face feels in the morning because of it so I’m going to keep using it and I will follow up with this product too.
Retinol Supreme Eye Serum – I can tell already I love this product! My eyes need the most help (wrinkles on the sides of them and sometimes bags and dark circles under them.. remember I’m a night owl and my eyes show it). ;) I can already tell a major difference with this! I’ve been using it consistently for a few weeks and my eyes look so much more refreshed in the morning! Less bags and my eyes already look more firm and smooth.
Quench and Shine Restorative Mask – LOVE LOVE LOVE this! And it’s sold out at the moment. But I will let you know as soon as it’s back in stock (looks like this month and they will still honor the discount!). This is a conditioner for your hair and it’s absolutely amazing. I’ve been using it twice a week with my Moroccan oil shampoo and it leaves my hair so smooth and shiny!
Overall in just the short time I’ve used these products I’m honestly impressed and excited about them! There are a few other best sellers I want to try and like I said I will follow up again in a few more months. One thing I’ve learned about skin care is that you have to be consistent and use the products every day to really see results. Sometimes that’s hard for me because I do go to bed late and most nights I’m too tired after blogging the night away to spend time putting on 5 face creams! I’ve mentioned this trick before, but for those of you who missed it, I came up with a simple way to fix this little problem a few years ago. When Kole was younger I always put him to bed around 8:00 pm. I created a routine where I would read to him and tuck him in and then immediately go to my bedroom and put on my pjs. Then I would take off my make-up, wash my face and put on my skin care products. After reminding myself to wash my face right after I tucked in Kole for a few weeks it just became part of my routine and I didn’t have to even think about it! Kole goes to bed a little later now, so I have a routine of doing it right after Kenny and I get back from our evening hike. Ever since quarantine we’ve been exercising in the evenings together so as soon as we’re back I shower and then put on all of my skin care products. Now taking care of my skin is something I look forward to instead of something I dread doing at the end of each night! This little trick can work with so many things. If you want to make a new daily habit, tie it to an existing habit and it becomes much easier to make it a part of your every day.
Maybe that will help some of you with a not so fun daily task too. :)
Of course, going to bed earlier is probably the real solution. To an easier face washing routine time AND the bags under my eyes..
Alright friends. It’s hard to believe it but it’s that time of year again! My HOLIDAY PLANNER is back and ready for 2020! A few years ago (after one too many stressful Decembers) I designed this holiday planner to help me prepare for December by starting holiday prep early. I love Fall and don’t want to rush the season we’re in! But I’ve found that by doing a few simple things ahead of time my Nov/Dec runs so much more smoothly and I’m able to really enjoy the holiday season. I created this planner because I wanted one place to keep track of everything for the holidays that was running through my head. A place to calendar activities from October through December. A place to list what I need to get done. A place to plan gift ideas and budget. A place to plan holiday get togethers and baking. A place full of weekly reminders so that I don’t forget things. A place to plan fun family holiday activities and ways we can serve others. This planner is my massive holiday brain dumping spot and I love it! It honestly is so helpful to me each year and I’m always thrilled to hear that it is helpful to some of you too!
(If you are already a Sunny Side Up subscriber just enter your info. again to get the calendar.. it won’t add you twice! Also, if you sign up and don’t get an e-mail soon after check your junk mail! Once in a while it lands there first.)
I know that this holiday season will feel different and we may not be doing as much entertaining as we have in past years, but I left my party planing pages the same regardless. I know some of you will host big family get togethers and some will entertain outdoors or safely with small groups. Obviously these pages are all just here for you to use however you want to use them!
INCLUDED IN THIS PLANNER:
October/November/December monthly calendars (both vertical and horizontal options)
October/November/December to-do lists (I’ll be printing out multiple copies of these!)
Week at a Glance (LOVE this! I laid out exactly what we should be working on each week so that we can fit everything in BEFORE December!)
The Nice List (Organized shopping for your kids)
Shopping by Group Guide (So excited about these pages too! They make shopping for everyone on your list a breeze!)
Holiday Menu Plan (Because we have to cook.. ) ;)
Holiday Baking
Party Planning
Decor Planning (can’t wait!)
Holiday Self Care/Fashion and Beauty
Black Friday/Cyber Monday Shopping Page
It’s a Wonderful Life (make the holidays meaningful!)
Wrapping Up the Holidays
2020 has been a hard year for everyone and I’m looking forward to a little Christmas cheer more than ever! I’m hoping it will be a year that everyone can focus on why we celebrate and spend quality time with loved ones. For me that means getting a jump start on the less important things so that I have time for the most important things! These 3 are always a party and I’m looking forward to family traditions and spending cozy nights by the tree with them so much! Bring on the hot chocolate station and It’s a Wonderful Life! So excited.
I rounded up some of our Amazon favorites below and hope they are helpful! Now that we have our holiday calendars ready to go it’s time to get a jump start on the holiday shopping. Gifts will all be bought and wrapped and sent out so early this year! Right!?
These are some of the big items that will be on many lists! Do any of you have the echo dot for your kids? Love it? I’m debating that for Kole this year. This TV is in our guest room and is a favorite and we gave my dad the Kindle for Christmas! The AirPods are Ellie’s all time favorite gift.
Some fun items I’m ordering for Kenny! He has the beanie and wears it non stop in the winter months when he runs.
Wrapping up this post by sharing a few recent family Amazon favorites! This egg spatula saved our marriage. Ha. Seriously though. I searched for this when Kenny had driven me crazy for the 88th time by using our wooden spoons to make scrambled eggs and then not rinsing off the spoon. (Why is it that hard to remember to rinse off the spoon!?) The egg would harden on the spoon and it always took me too long to soak and scrape the egg off and wash it by hand. I finally said no more one morning! I looked this up on Amazon and ordered it and now we are both in egg spatula heaven!
(And yes! We always move the wreath when we cook! Forgot this morning and moved it right after I took this pic.) ;)
It scrambles his eggs to perfection, has a ledge so nothing gets on the counter and is a breeze to clean. Win for both of us! Marital bliss once again.
It’s the little things.
I shared this cute workout top a few months ago and still wear it all the time! Kenny and I hike every evening and it’s one of my go to tanks. So cute and comes in lots of colors!
I also use the waist pack every night to hold my water and phone. It’s a great pack for exercising! The book light is Kole’s favorite for night time reading and my girls are both in love with their blue light glasses! All the high school kids are wearing them on-line this year. So much screen time!
See how happy we are together!? You can thank our new egg spatula.
Made it to Friday! This week felt long at our house.. anyone else? And busy. Although it was one of those weeks where I felt busy, but at the same time I didn’t feel like I was getting much done. I’m not a fan of days/weeks like that! I was putting out too many little fires and not eating my frogs. ;) (If you haven’t read Eat that Frog it’s a favorite! And clearly one I need to re-read.) But enough about fires and frogs. Let’s talk about trays! How was that for a topic transition? Ha.
I use trays when I decorate all of the time but I especially love using trays for holiday decorating! They are such a perfect accessory to style with a little holiday cheer. Use them to hold pumpkins and a Fall candle in October (spiced cider is my current favorite!), a vase with olive branches in November, and ornaments with some greenery in December. I love using trays on my kitchen counters, dining tables, coffee tables, and console tables. ALL tables need a tray! Well.. most of them in my house do anyway. ;) I’ve shared several of these favorite trays throughout my home in various posts already, but thought I’d round up my top 6 trays at the moment because they are making me happy.
Aren’t the handles fun!? And the rust gold is perfection. I love the large size for long tables. I styled it the same way I styled my coffee table with simple greenery, candles, white mini pumpkins and gold pinecones. We slide the tray to the end of the table at dinner time and turn on the candles. They light up with a little remote and create such a cozy vibe in the evening! I’m getting excited to style it for Christmas. There are so many fun ways to use this gorgeous tray!
I’ve shared this lacquer wood round tray a few different times. I love puling it out for the holidays every year! Aside from the pretty style I also love the size of this tray. It’s just right for a kitchen island. Big enough to hold a few fun items, but it doesn’t take up too much precious counter space.
I recently shared this fun marble and gold serving tray.. love it so much! I’m just now noticing that all the trays I’ve shared so far have gold handles. Nothing wrong with being predictable. :)
(Sidenote: This has absolutely nothing to do with this post, but when I went to World Market’s website to get the link for this tray I started looking around (job hazard) and came across this desk and isn’t it absolutely perfect!? So fun for a teen bedroom or offie space and a great price. I spent 15 minutes trying to figure out why we need it. Spoiler – we don’t. We all have desks already and I’m kind of bummed about that after seeing this one! Maybe one of you were meant to have it?)
Last but not least you can’t go wrong with a great basket tray for the holidays and this tray is absolutely beautiful in person! It’s so large and I love the brown handles. This is my friend’s table and her house looks so cute for Fall!
Those are my 6 favorite holiday trays at the moment! I’m excited to dress them up again for Christmas. :)
Since we’re talking Target and I’m sharing a pic from my friend’s house.. isn’t her front porch cute too!? I gave her the lanterns.. the rug and wreaths are also Target! I rounded up some of my favorites for Fall from Target for an IG story a few weeks ago so I’ll add that collage below. Some of the items have sold out but a lot of times they come back in stock so check back if you love something! Or they might still have things at your local store. Fall decor is pretty picked over at mine so I mostly order on-line.
One October afternoon when Kole was around 4 years old we came home from the grocery store and I set the pumpkins we had just bought outside for him to spray them off with the hose. They were a little dusty, but I was mostly just trying to keep him entertained for a few minutes while I unloaded the groceries. Like most little kids he loved water! He had such a fun afternoon spraying them off.. along with the rest of the yard and house. :) The next October when we bought pumpkins at the grocery store he asked if he could spray them off again. They needed a good cleaning after all.
And so began our pumpkin washing tradition!
The two of us now have a date together every October. We go to the store and pick out our pumpkins and then he gives them a good cleaning and waters the other plants while I sweep and decorate the porch. It’s one of our favorite traditions and I’m sure at some point he will out grow it. At which point I will cry and make him continue regardless. Someday he will be all grown up and he and his wife will come over when it’s time to wash pumpkins and decorate the porch.
Hope she’s cool with that. ;)
Fall porch for 2020! I kept it really simple this year.
Just pumpkins (added the bright orange this year!), wheat and mums stacked on wooden crates. (You can find lots of fun wooden crate options here or here.) My mums haven’t bloomed yet but will be stunning when they do!
I just used the same two rugs I used last year. Still love them both so much!
My favorite additions this year are the orange Black-Eyed Susan Vines! Aren’t they pretty!? So fun for a Fall porch. I put them in these beloved baskets I’ve used on my porch before and throughout my home. I might still look for something to put on my door although I say that every year with every Fall porch! Then before I know it it’s time to take down Fall and put up Christmas so it never happens.
I guess I’ll just take the pressure off of myself early and decide that it’s done even without something on the door.
That felt good.
Nothing like a few pumpkins and a cute door mat on the porch to make life a little sweeter each day.
Along with time spent with favorite people.
{2017}
Who are growing way too quickly. Happy October friends!
From my pumpkins to yours. ;)
{POST SOURCES}
xoxo, Erin
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