Well! Â This week was a blur. Â As are most weeks during the summer! Â We still have 12 more precious days before my first child heads back to school (quickly followed by my other two the following week) so we are making the most of it. Â Then I will be writing all sorts of time management/organization posts because I seriously need to get focused and back on track! Â But today we are talking bathroom decor! Â I’m still loving all of the spring/summer touches around my home and am especially obsessed with combining coral and soft pink! Â It seems to be a theme running through my home lately and it is making my spaces feel so current and light and bright. Â I’m a fan. :)
When Pottery Barn reached out to collaborate on this post (after doing a happy dance in my office because we all know how I feel about PB!) I knew exactly what I wanted to share with you all. Â Their Hydrocotton Quick Drying Bath Towels are long time favorites (they are seriously so plush and soft!) and I’ve had my eye on the Rose colored towels for a while now.
It’s such a treat when I find things I love to use daily that also look great in my home and work with my decor. Â The rose color in these towels looks so good against any and all grey paint! Â Making them perfect for my bathrooms.
I already had pops of coral in my master bathroom and love the combo with the soft pink!
So feminine and pretty.
I wondered if Kenny would mind the pink towels but he didn’t say a word about the color.. only how soft the towels are which was no surprise. Â He never notices details about how things look! Â Only how they function so the towels are a win. Â For both of us.
I have a feeling the pops of pink have only just begun. :)
I loved my new towels so much in my master bathroom I decided to put some in my powder bathroom too!
This rose color is a deeper pink making it perfect to transition from summer to fall. Â I have a feeling a lot of pink will be popping up in fall home decor this year. Â It’s such a hot trend! Â I’m still trying to decide if I want to keep the pinks or go with traditional fall colors. Â What’s your favorite for fall?
I added some of the same towels below my powder bath vanity, added a white hydrocotton towel in my basket and washed my bathroom rug.
A few simple changes and it feels like a new space every time I walk in this bathroom!
Crazy the difference a few new towels can make. Â One thing I’ve learned through the years is that it really doesn’t take much to transform and breathe new life into our spaces. Â A few new towels in the bathroom, a few new pillows on the couch, a new plant or some fresh flowers and DONE. Â We fall in love with our homes all over again. :)
Huge thank you to Pottery Barn for sponsoring this post! Â And for helping me decorate my home through the years. Â Your style and quality keeps me going back. Â And back. Â And back again.
And then back again one more time even when my husband says it’s time to be done going back. :)
Enjoy your weekend everyone! Â This pictures sums up plans around here. :)
Fashion Friday (Anniversary Sale!) and a Special Day
Happy Friday everyone! Â We made it! Â Always a good feeling isn’t it!? Â Friday is hands down my favorite day of the week. Â Everything just slows down and for me, the promise of a great weekend is usually better than the weekend itself.. ha. Â Not that weekends aren’t good, but because of the stage we are in with our kids they are busy! Â I usually have grand plans of down time that don’t really pan out. Â But Friday is my day to dream! Â I’m sure a lot of you can relate. :)
I’m excited to be partnering with Nordstrom today to share more of my favorites from the Anniversary Sale! Â The sale ends this Sunday night so this is the last weekend to get great deals on cute new things for Fall. Â Love this sale. Â I’m always sad to see it end! Â Some of the things I ordered on-line arrived and I’m excited to share a few more of my favorites with you along with things I’ve shared that have been re-stocked!
So this sweater was a splurge but is honestly one of my favorites! Â I absolutely love bell sleeves and the neckline and color of this sweater is so beautiful. Â So cute with a long necklace! Â This Madewell necklace was also on sale and sold out but this is another Madewell necklace I have and love that is similar.
I ordered it in gray also to try and wanted to show you both colors. Â I’m going to keep the purple because I already have a lot of gray but love them both! Â The gray I ordered in petite but I like the regular xs above in the purple better so I’d say order your regular size! Â Looks cute a little long in the sleeves.
You all know I can’t resist a good black and white plaid flannel top! Â And this one is darling. Â So cute with these casual wedge sneakers. Â
But I also love it with this cute faux leather tote and my brown Kentvi Sandals! Â Isn’t this purse cute!? Â And such a great price. Â Comes with a strap you can add but I like it better without. Â The gold handles are my favorite! Â My top comes in other colors and patterns too. Â I really love all things Rails, but it’s a pricey brand so I usually only buy Rails during this sale when things are marked down. Â Their plaid shirts just hang so perfectly! Â And they are warm but not heavy flannel – perfect for easing into Fall when it’s cool but not cold.
I bought two new cardigans during the sale (live in them when it’s cool!) and this oversize cardigan was one of my favorites. Â I love the big sleeves and how slouchy and cozy it fits. Â Excited to have a cardigan in navy too! Â I love navy.
The other cardigan I loved from the sale this year is the Leith Ribbed Shawl Cocoon Sweater. Â Beautiful cardigan that comes in so many colors. Â Loving the teal! Â Just a few sizes left in this one so grab one quick if it’s something you want and they have your size! Â Â Matching my bathroom here.. not intentional but we’ll roll with it. :) Â You can see how I organize my jewelry in this post.
Speaking of jewelry, these Oblong Drop earrings are my very favorite from the sale this year (this pair is similar) and I’ve been wearing them almost every day since they came in! Â So cute and they seem to work with everything. Â I snapped this pic last weekend on our way to watch El perform in Dancerpalooza (a fun dance intensive we usually travel to but this year it was in San Diego) .. so much fun seeing her on stage!
I mentioned this balloon sleeve sweater is one of my favorites from the sale this year. Â So comfy and such a great price!
I had to order it in green too! Â Just couldn’t resist. Â LOVE this sweater. Â LOVE this color! Â Wearing it with my Kate Spade Aviators I also love from the sale this year! Â A friend snapped this pic for me and we were laughing so hard..
I was dying! Â So hot wearing this sweater outside in the summer! Â Half of my pics came back like this of me fanning myself.. ha. Â I was trying to mix up the bedroom mirror selfies for you all but quickly realized that sometimes I do things a certain way for a reason.
Air conditioning! Â Back in my cool house and ready to try on winter wear. ;) Â Ok.. you all know how I feel about camo.. this Caslon Utility Jacket is so cute! Â Especially love the little pop of pink above the pocket. Â It runs large so I’d order one size smaller than your regular size.
I got it in the green to try too and now can’t decide which one to keep!
I ordered this Fit and Flare dress early on and knew I would love it! Â I was so excited to try it on and it fit perfectly true to size. Â It looks a little short on the model but on me it hits just above the knee (I’m 5’3.. and a half). ;) Â I love it with my over the knee black boots for Fall! Â I bought my boots during this sale last year and about wore them out. Â I love not having to worry about my legs! Â Haven’t shaved? Â Out of tanner? Â No problem. :) Â This pair of Vince Camuto over the knee boots are similar and on sale! Â
Here is a side view of this dress so you can see how sliming it is and how beautiful the ruffle sleeves are. Â Plus I’m crazy about this stunning teal color! Â But it also comes in navy and burgundy.
And it ties in the back! Â Would be so cute with hair in an up-do to show off the bow. Â LOVE this dress.
Ok.. enough dressy talk.. let’s get to the really good stuff. Â The pjs! :) Â I shared this cute Make and Model pair I bought early on in the sale. Â If you know me you already know of my never-ending love for Make and Model pjs. Â If we had to evacuate our home I’d grab my kids, my albums and then my Make and Model pajamas. Â Because I’d need something comfy to wear during the disaster of course. ;) Â Really though.. they make me so happy. Â I put them on at the end of the day and just ahhh.. instant comfort. Â Plus they are cute and flattering too! Â Comfort first, but that’s a major bonus.
They’re cute enough to wear for every day wear too! Â Isn’t this pullover darling with jeans!? Â Wear pjs all day? Â Well if you insist… ok.. don’t mind if I do. :)
So I bought the new pair above during the sale. Â And not too long ago I bought this blue pair. Â (Those I wear during the day running errands all the time too!)
And now Nordstrom has this pair in stock and on sale! Â Ahhhh! Â Don’t do this to me! Â I seriously can’t resist a cute pair of Make and Model pjs. Â I’m just not strong enough. Â Admitting my problem is the first step to recovery. Â The only reason these aren’t on their way to my house right now is because I can’t decide which color combo to get.. aren’t they all perfection!? Â Help! Â What’s your favorite? Â Tell me in the comments or I’ll be forced to order one of each.
And then I’ll be promptly signing divorce papers when my husband finds out.
Kidding.. but not kidding.. ha. Â He just doesn’t understand! Â If they made Make and Model pjs for men he would get it!
I broke out of my Make and Model comfort zone and bought these matte satin pj’s during the sale too and have loved having cool silky pjs when it’s hot – which is most days right now. Â Thinking of getting a few pairs for Christmas gifts this weekend. Â I have a feeling my mom would love these too. Â Am I right mom? :) Â Also my favorite bliss throws are going fast! Â Just a handful colors left if you want one for only $25!
Yesterday I shared some cute clothes Addison and her friend got for back to school from the Nordstrom sale, but I didn’t share anything for my little guy! Â This Michael Kors suit was his splurge from the Nordstrom sale this year. Â A major splurge for a special occasion. Â Two weeks ago Kole was baptized. Â (In the church we attend kids can get baptized when they turn 8 years old). Â It was such a special day for our family! Â And a bit emotional for me seeing my husband baptize our youngest. Â Plus I just kept looking at Kole in his first suit looking so grown up and handsome and couldn’t get over it!
I had this new dress that was perfect for such a special occasion so Kole and I were feeling fancy. ;)
The ceremony was so beautiful. Â My girls sang and I shared some sweet and funny things about Kole. Â So easy to do! Â He brings so much happiness to our lives and to everyone around him and makes us all laugh every single day. Â I can’t imagine life without my sweet boy. Â He is growing up way too quickly! Â And because of that I had his pants tailored in a way that we can keep letting them out so hopefully this suit will last a while. ;) Â This is one outfit I’ll save forever. Â Wish I could freeze him in time and keep him this age forever.
He got baptized with two of his good buddies and we had a luncheon with lots of friends and family after to celebrate these darling boys and the good choices they are making in their lives.
Of course they responded with unmatched poise and sophistication.
As they always do.
:)
*Huge thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post, for the incredible customer service and for such an amazing sale this year! Â Â
So this past week has been NON-STOP organizing at my house. Â Ok.. that’s not totally true. Â There has been a lot of running kids around and enjoying summer in-between the organizing, but whenever a free minute pops up, I’ve been working! Â We have three weeks until school starts and I am on a mission to get my house in order and projects wrapped up that have been lingering on my to-do list for way too long. Â First up was organizing the file drawers in my office.
I absolutely loved hearing from so many of you that my post on organizing my file drawers motivated you to get some of your paper under control too! Â One sweet reader sent the picture above along with garbage bags of recycled paper she finally sorted through. Â E-mails like that make my day! Â So thank you to all of you who send me kind comments and thank you notes. Â They are appreciated more than you know!
Finally getting my file drawers organized gave me the motivation I needed to clean out other areas in my house so today I’m sharing some progress we’ve made. Â Emphasis on the word PROGRESS. Â These are quickly snapped cell phone pics with lousy lighting and real life messes. Â Be warned. :)
My office. Â What can I say.. I’ve cleaned it out so many times but to be honest, I’ve been mostly just shuffling things around. Â Not this time! Â This past week I have been tossing EVERYTHING we aren’t using and I can’t tell you how good it feels to get this spaced cleaned out and organized for good!
Two bags of garbage and one to Goodwill after this major clean out. Â “After” office pics of how I’m organizing this space are coming! Â Most likely when the kids are back in school and I have time to take some pics. :)
Mudroom was next on my list! Â I shared this little clean out on Instagram Stories but thought I’d share the pics here on the blog too for those of you who missed it!
My kids are always so happy when I start tearing cupboards and drawers apart.. ha. Â Sorry but not sorry. :) Â We took everything out of the cupboards and drawers, vacuumed and wiped them all out, then put back the shoes and things we are actually wearing right now and put the rest in bags for Goodwill. Â Crazy how quickly kids grow out of their shoes! Â A few pics of the progress..
I love having all of our flip flops in one drawer by the door! Â Before we moved into this house I always kept a basket in our garage full of flip flops during the summer then put it away in the winter.
I use these cupboards to hold shoes that aren’t worn as often and old backpacks. Â (My kids always keep one old backpack each for camping, travel, hikes, etc.)
Time to organize each of our lockers on the left side..
We each have a drawer for our most worn shoes. Â This is my 14 year old’s drawer and I got so many questions about her rose gold sandals! Â You can find them here. Â They are darling, come in lots of colors and I love them for me too! Â So fun that we are the same shoe/clothes size now. :)
My husband’s shoes are in our closet and so are most of mine (I just keep my exercise shoes in my mudroom drawer) but ALL of the kids’ shoes are in this room.
Wiped clean and ready for new backpacks!
I shared this little tip and heard from so many moms! Â YES! Â Keep socks downstairs by the door with the shoes! Â Saves so much time with younger kids.
Thrilled to have this room so clean and ready for a new school year!
This evening Ellie and I tackled her closet and room and OH MAN. Â I’ve been putting this one off! Â It was getting so full of clutter! Â Here is my BEST TIP for cleaning out kids’ rooms when they have hit disaster mode. Â Pull everything out of the room! Â I had El get everything in her closet, under her bed, on her floor, on her desk, etc. and pull it all into the hallway. Â The nice thing about this is that you are starting with a CLEAN room and it feels like a blank slate that you don’t want to mess up again! Â I vacuumed her floor really good while El got to work organizing..
Well. Â More like taking a little trip down memory lane reading old journals. Â Ha. Â Moms.. you have to oversee large projects like this for this very reason. Â Kids should do most of the work, but they usually need some prodding along the way so that a 2-3 hour project doesn’t take a week. ;) Â I gave El one black sack for garbage, one for Goodwill and everything else she wanted to keep she needed to put back nice and neat. Â She did a great job and we got rid of most of that stuff in the hallway only keeping special keepsakes and a few things she still uses.
We even hit the jackpot finding money and gift cards in all sorts of places. Â I think I should take that for my services and assistance..
We also pulled all of her clothes out of her drawers and vacuumed them, then wiped them clean!
Then we put back only the clothes she is wearing now. Â Addison took a few things and then we had another full black bag of clothes for Goodwill!
Half way through I asked her how she was holding up and this was the response I got.. ha! Â It wore us both out but oh my word.. her room is so nice and clean! Â Ready to start High School clutter free! Â I think she’s motivated to keep it clean too because she doesn’t want to have to do a clean out like that again for a long time!
Switching gears with daughter number 2! Â She and her friend got some cute new back to school clothes and I wanted to share them with you now because most of them are from the Nordstrom sale that ends Sunday night! Â I have a few more of my favorites that I’ll be sharing tomorrow but here are some cute things if you have girls heading back to school this fall!
Ad is the shortest of all of her friends. Â Both of my girls are! Â They are taking after their mom in lots of ways. :) Â So in love with this cardigan I got Ad for Fall! Â She loves how cozy it is and can’t wait to wear it when it cools off. Â Her friends is wearing Zella wear that is also so comfy for back to school!
These two have been doing a fun summer theatre camp together so in-between these pictures there was lots of practicing for their upcoming performance. Â Cutest girls. Â Love them!
This lace up hooded dress is also so cute! Â I bought this one for Ad and it was too long on her but looks daring on her friend! Â So she kept it and we ordered Ad another one a size smaller. Â They will be cute twins in this darling dress this Fall!
Never a dull moment with my girls and their cute friends. :)
Another dress both girls will be wearing this Fall! Â There were so many cute dresses on sale this year for girls! Â And Ad is obsessed with tops that tie so I knew this striped top would be a hit. Â I love it so much too and wish it came in my size!
So happy it’s still summer around here but when school hits we will be ready! Â I have a few more spaces to organize and need to do some clothes shopping for my other two, but progress! Â One day at a time. :)
A few weeks ago I freshened our living room up with a few small changes and I have been loving how bright and crisp and clean this space feels for summer!
I think the first thing we would chat about are these beautiful new pillows! Â This room can sometimes feel busy to me because I have a lot of accessories on the shelves and a lot going on in the pictures in the gallery wall so I absolutely love the way the simplicity of these pillows calms things down and brings everything together.
They are from Lauren at LO HOME and are amazing quality and so beautiful in person!  Plus Lauren is just the sweetest and I’ve loved getting to know her.  She reached out to me about doing an IG post, but I just had to share her fun website with you all here on the blog too because I honestly love her style and decor so much and know I’ll be ordering more from her in the future.  She set up a page of my favorite pillows and throws I chose for my living room (they come in so many different fun colors!) but she also sells furniture and accessories.  I have my eye on some cute new ginger jars she just got in and I love her lamps! But I have to tell you what I’m beyond  impressed with are her pillow inserts!  Oh my word!  Seriously the softest pillow inserts ever!  I’m going to be using them for all of my pillow covers when I switch things up for different seasons because the quality is amazing.  Although I have to say I’m in no rush to switch out these beautiful pillow covers!
Still loving navy and coral.. and I added a fun pop of pink for summer!
I have been looking for a larger tray for my coffee table for a while and finally found this silver lacquer tray.
I love that it gives me more room for accessories. Â A favorite flower book for me and my husband’s Harley book underneath. Â A little bit of both of us on the table. ;)
I got this cute white glass box from LO HOME also but it looks like it has sold out! Â Hopefully it will be back in stock soon.. so cute for a great price!
I switched a few things around on my shelves. Â Funny how such simple changes – new pillows and mixing up accessories can make you feel like you have a whole new space.
Tulips are a Home Goods find and the coral brings in the beach for summer! Â We’ll ignore the fact that I still have my O Holy Night Christmas sign up behind them. Â Guess I’m trying to bring ALL the seasons into this room. Â Or I’m just too lazy to find something else to put there. Â Verdict is still out on that one.
Always a good thing to mix up our surroundings and re-decorate every once in a while. Â It just breathes new life into a space! Â And is kinda fun.. so there’s that. :)
Well! Â Here we are mid week already! Â All three of my kids are in summer camps right now and I had been looking forward to this week thinking I would be able to get so much done. Â Instead I’m spending most of my time getting them to ALL the places and then picked up from ALL the places with a quick grocery store run and kitchen clean up in-between. Â It’s looking like it’s not going to be such a productive week after all! Â Ha. Â I decided this might be a good time to chat about planning and productivity on the blog with all of you since this week is a total bust for me when it comes to productivity. Â I’m hoping just chatting about being productive will make me feel better. :)
I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about how I plan my day and what type of planner I use so today I’m sharing a few things that help me plan and be more efficient with my time. Â But I have to first warn you.. the only thing that is consistent about my planning is that I’m completely inconsistent. :) Â I’m not inconsistent with planning itself.. I’m a planner and I always make a plan for my day. Â I’m just not so consistent with HOW I plan. Â There are two reasons for this. Â First, different planning methods work better for me depending on the month/season that I’m in with my life/kids. Â And second, I just love planning and to-do lists so it’s always fun for me to switch things up and try new strategies. Â I’m kind of nerdy like that. Â I don’t think this is new news to anyone here. :)
Because I LOVE a good to-do list I started making my own years ago.  These are three different to-do lists I have always loved using and rotate often.  I finally made them into free printables for all of you too!  Something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.  I love sharing things with you that are working well for me!  Then you can all be nerdy and geek out over new to-do lists too.  #itsaparty  #youreinvited
(If you are already a Sunny Side Up subscriber just enter your info. again to get the printables.. 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.) Â
This first list I call my Time Blocking To Do List. Â I use this the most during the school year.. especially on my really busy days when there are lots of things I need to get done. Â I write my to-do’s on the right side in a list and then put my top three things that HAVE to get done that day at the top. Â Then I assign specific times during my day to specific to-do’s. Â I have learned a lot about time blocking this year (mostly by trial and error!) and will write a separate post about things I’ve learned at some point. Â This printable is great for days you need to be really specific and strict with your time.
MyWeekly To Do List is two pages long. Â I use this when I have week with a lot of specific things I need to do or remember each day. Â I created this a couple of years ago in May! Â May is always a crazy month with all of the end of school year activities and I needed a place to write ALL the things I had to do/remember each day. Â Send flowers for teachers Monday, volunteering for field day Tuesday, crazy hair day Wednesday, and on and on. Â This list helps me immensely during weeks that I need a lot of daily reminders!
My Day/Week/Month To Do List is my favorite list to use over the summer! Â It’s a less structured list that helps me keep track of things I need/want to do for each day, the week and then things I’d love to get done during the month. Â My favorite part of this list is that it’s perfect to use with sticky notes!
This list fits a regular square sticky note for the daily to-do’s and a 3×5 sticky note for the weekly to-dos. Â I didn’t come up with this idea (I found something similar on pinterest and made it my own!) but I absolutely love it because it’s so nice to toss that top sticky note at the end of each day and start a new one! Â Sometimes I get to toss the weekly list early too and then I feel oh so productive. :) Â I still cross things off as I go too. Â I love that I don’t have to keep re-writing the monthly to-dos. Â Those are usually bigger projects or things that I need to get done, but don’t have an immediate deadline. Â Perfect to-do list for summer because each day is so different and this list isn’t structured in any way.
I hope these to-do lists are as helpful to you as they have been to me! Â Now.. for the question of what planner am I currently using? Â That changes often around here too. :)
*affiliate links used
I am always on the hunt for the perfect planner and to be honest I feel like I have yet to find it! Â I’ve found a lot of planners that I really like, but I haven’t found one that has everything I want it to have. Â Sometimes I dream about creating my own and owning a little planner/notebook shop! Â For now I enjoy experimenting with different planners and binders and using my to-do lists above. Â This summer I’ve been using this simple 5 Star Flex Note Binder.
Remember the wooden trays in my office that are divided into categories to help me keep paper I need often under control?
Because we’ve been traveling more often this summer I decided to use this binder because it has lots of folders! Â So I can take the miscellaneous papers I need with me. Â The folders/dividers also have tabs and I was going to label them but just haven’t got around to it yet. Â (Too much time in my car! Â Ha.)
I hope that sharing what has worked for me when it comes to daily planning gave you some ideas too! Â I’ve always loved mixing up how I plan. Â It keeps my to-do lists fun and less of a chore. Â Happy planning!
Or if you’re still in summer mode with kids home like me.. happy planning how you’ll soon plan when everyone goes back to school. :)
Oh happy day! Â The Anniversary Sale is now open to everyone! Â For those of you who have been patiently waiting happy shopping! Â I hope you get some things you love! Â I’m also hoping they re-stock some things I’ve had my eye on that sold out too quickly! Â Fingers crossed. Â I’m sharing a round-up of all of my favorites today so everything is in one place to make your shopping easier! Â Along with a few favorites I haven’t shared yet and the best buys for the men in your life. Â For those of you who aren’t all that into fashion (what!? Â why not!? ;)) I have some fun posts coming your way next week. Â I’ve been busy with lots of organizing and decorating and it feels so good to make progress on a few projects! Â I’ve also been getting so many questions about planners and how I plan my day so I’m hoping to share that with you all very soon too!
This favorite Sunday graphic tee that’s first on the agenda isn’t actually part of the sale!  I’ve had it for a while now and it sold out so quickly I never had a chance to share it with you all before it was gone.  It’s now back in stock in all sizes!  So cute and comfortable.  Plus how could I pass up a tee with a sun on it?  :)
My Good Vibes graphic tee is also back in stock! Â Same comfy brand. Â I live in tees like these!
Speaking of Vince Camuto.. I got my blouse in the mail and LOVE it. Â I’m not really a fan of this color on me (unless it’s an accessory) but the style and fit of this top is so beautiful I don’t mind the pink! Â This skirt is also really comfortable and flattering and on sale right now if you need a good basic black skirt.
I was trying to get a pic of this blouse with jeans because it would also be cute for a date night look but someone decided to help with the photography so we didn’t get far.
He has been “helping” with my Fashion Friday posts for a LONG time.
My biggest fan. ;)
If you are shopping for the men in your life there are some great items on sale right now! Â Below are my favorites. Â These are all things Kenny has and loves along with a few new things I picked up for him this year!
When I shared my favorite Bliss Throws that are on sale earlier this week I was flooded with questions about the colors I chose. Â They look so different on-line and really are a lot prettier in person! Â Above are the colors I have and bought for gifts last year. Â Ignore the “swipe up” since you’re already here. ;) Â Below are other Home Decor favorites on sale for those of you just starting your shopping! Â (The Fringe Pillow is back in stock! Â Such a cute little accent pillow!)
So many cute sweaters this year! Â Loving this combo of all shades of pink. Â My favorites are below! Â Hoping a few are re-stocked! Â I really want #6 in white and my size sold out before I could order it.
Yesterday I shared my favorite dresses but forgot to include this Belted Red Skirt and Halogen Ribbon Top!  LOVE this outfit so much!  A close friend of mine also bought it and I have to say that it looks better on her!  She is taller and the skirt hits right above her knees like it’s supposed to.  Ha.  But I don’t care.. I still love it!  I just need to add some higher heels for height.  Nothing new there.  The rest of my favorite dresses, purses and jewelry are below!
And we can’t have a favorites round-up post without favorite pjs! Â I thought about turning on our AC the other evening just so I could wear these. Â Don’t tell my husband. Â He’ll call my dad for sympathy because when I was in high school I used to turn on our heater (sometimes in the middle of summer) just so that I could lay on the heat vent on the floor to dry my hair. Â It gave it the perfect scrunchy 90’s curl! Â How could I not? Â Ha ha.. my dad would get so mad! Â The men in my life have put up with a lot in the name of fashion and good hair. ;)
Signing off! Â I’m so excited for the weekend. Â It’s a special day for our family Saturday! Â I’ll share next week. Â I love sharing my life and passions with all of you btw. Â If you’re reading we most likely have things in common and that instantly connects us all. Â I love that. Â Thank you for being here and allowing me to be a part of your day! Â It truly means so much.
Not sure what prompted the sentimental turn I took there but Kenny isn’t awake right now to give me a hard time so I’m rolling with it. Â Enjoy your weekend friends! Â :)
I loved hearing from so many of you about my paper organization post yesterday! Â I know sorting, purging and filing papers isn’t rocket science, but seeing how others organize always inspires and motivates me to get things done around my house and I’m thrilled it did the same for some of you! Â I’ll definitely be sharing more about how I organize ALL of our paper in upcoming posts. Â I’m on a roll! :)
Chatting about a few random things today! Â First on the agenda are my kitchen rugs.
I get so many questions about how I keep these rugs clean! Â Really how I keep all of my white/light colored rugs clean.
Here’s the deal with my striped rugs. Â You are NOT supposed to wash them. Â But I can’t have kitchen rugs that I can’t wash. Â My kids are not kind to my rugs in any way, shape or form and they get trashed daily. Â So I knew when I bought these rugs that I was going to ignore the label and wash them anyway. Â (Such a rebel.)
Clearly I’m a fan of these rugs since aside from my kitchen, I also have one in my laundry room and two on my front porch. Â You all know that when I find something I love I buy multiples. :) Â I toss them in my washing machine (one or two at a time) and put them on either the gentle or hand wash cycle (I’ve done both and don’t see a difference between the two). Â Then I shake them and let them air dry.
The rugs in this picture look faded but they aren’t.. that’s just because I took this picture by the window. Â The rugs don’t fade when you wash them BUT! Â The first time I washed them they did shrink a little. Â Maybe an inch all around? Â I didn’t even notice at first but when I went to lay them on their rug pads, the pad was bigger. Â I just cut it smaller to fit the rug and they haven’t shrunk again since that initial first time I washed them. Â (I’ve washed my kitchen rugs each 4-5 times now.) Â One time a little bit of the black bled into the white (just a tad!) on one of the rugs but it doesn’t bother me. Â I’d rather have rugs that are a tiny bit smaller or have colors that have bled a little and look clean! Â I figure I’ll wash them until they don’t look good anymore and then buy new rugs. Â I have to get new kitchen rugs every 2 years or so anyway because they take so much abuse. Â We really aren’t careful with them at all! Â And I’m a hot mess when I cook in my kitchen. Â Things get spilled daily. Â I’d love to blame it all on my kids but the truth is that I’m most part of the problem. :)
I do the same thing with my favorite white bathroom rugs. Â Toss one at a time in the washer on a gentle cycle and then lay them out to dry. These come out so nice and clean! Â I do have large, fairly new washing machines so that might make a difference. Â It’s risky washing rugs that aren’t supposed to be machine washed, but for me it’s either do that or I just have to find a new rug anyway because like I said, I have to be able to wash them.
I don’t know what will happen to your rugs if you wash them! Â You may or may not have the same experience, so machine wash at your own risk! Â I would feel awful if you ruined your rugs because of my advice. Â But I get asked this question so much and wanted to share the honest answer. Â I break the rules. Â I machine wash rugs that aren’t supposed to be machine washed and deal with the consequences.
Because for me, at the end of the day, CLEAN wins.
Every time. :)
Speaking of all things laundry.. you guys! Â I was cracking up a few days ago! Â I shared this on IG stories so sorry for the repeat for some of you but oh my word. Â I have to document this. :) Â I walked into my kitchen the other day and went to my sink to wash some dishes and about jumped a foot because there was something large and red hanging just outside of my window. Â It seriously scared me at first! Â Then I thought wait minute.. is that my husband’s shirt!? Â Hanging from our outdoor light fixture!?
Um yes.  Yes it is.  My husband rarely does laundry.. I do it all so this was a first.  I don’t why but it just cracked me up! There are so many places he could hang his clothes to dry inside our house (including built-in drying racks!) but why use those when you can use outdoor light fixtures instead.  Ha ha!  Hanging clothes outside isn’t a bad idea.. and I’ve tossed things over chairs before to dry, but something about seeing his clothes hanging from these large light fixtures was just so funny to me.  Points to him for being creative!  And taking the initiative to do some laundry.  (Although I think I’ll take it from here babe.. not sure I want to see what you come up with next time.  Our neighbors still like us at this point..)
Ok.. back to talk about wearing clothes instead of washing them. Â I was so excited to wear this new dress from the Nordstrom sale last week! Â I snapped a pic so you could see it in better lighting. Â I don’t usually go for busy patterns but I just love the flowers on this dress. Â Clearly! Â They match my yard. :)
Honestly the dresses were one of my favorite things on sale this year! Â Above are all of my favorites. Â (Minus this favorite dress because it sold out so fast!) Â I have a few events in September I have to dress up for and was thrilled to find so many cute options. Â I ordered several dresses from the collage above and can’t wait to try them. Â I wasn’t as impressed with the purses/bags on sale this year. Â Did you find one you love? Â I ordered this purse for Fall (so cute and a great price!). Â The other three in the collage were options I love but didn’t buy because I already have purses/wallets that are similar.
Another favorite from the sale this year? Â The JEWELRY!
Ahhh! Â Love every single things in this collage so much! Â I’m patiently waiting for the jewelry I ordered to arrive but wanted to share my favorites with you all before they sell out!
Aside from questions about my rugs I’ve also been getting a lot of questions about these flowers. Â They really took off this year! Â So fun seeing all of the plants in our yard finally filling in.
Here is flower info. for those of you who have asked!
Talking organized paper files today! Â Raise your hand if you’ve ever struggled with controlling the paper in your home!? Â Or just nod your head! Â Or smile. Â Not that I can see any of this, but the thought of you joining me in this never ending struggle brings me great comfort regardless. :)
Last week I decided to pull some file folders out of my office drawers to sort through. Â The drawers had been driving me crazy for months because they were getting overstuffed with paper I knew I didn’t need to hang on to anymore. Â I decided that since I was going to sort through my office files, I might as well sort through some old files in our filing cabinet in the garage. Â And since I was doing that, why not go through the files sitting in a pile in my husband’s office too?
Why not!?
All of the sudden I was staring at this ENORMOUS pile of paper on my family room floor wondering two things. Â 1) How in the world did we let our paper consumption get so out of control!? Â And 2) Why in the world did I just turn a 20 minute project into a 4 hour project!?
But I was determined to organize my paper files once and for all so I sat on the floor and got to work! Â Two Hallmark ‘Christmas in July’ movies later my family room floor looked like this. Â One very large sack of paper to recycle, a pile of paper that needed to be shredded, a pile of paper I needed to ask my husband about, and my categorized paper piles.
For me this has always been the easiest way to organize paper. Â Dump everything on the floor. Â Pick up each paper and decide if you can recycle it or if it needs to be filed. Â If you are going to file it, decide what category it fits in, write that down on a sticky note and add to it as you go. Â I never know what my folders will be named until I’ve made my sticky note piles and figure out what paper can be combined in a folder.
I had some Smead hanging file folders on hand so I chose some blue folders (worked best with my office decor!) and got to work labeling.
This is what I was left with after everything was sorted! Â Even as I was putting the piles into folders I ended up getting rid of more paper. Â I kept asking myself what I really needed to hang on to and keep. Â I had a whole pile of papers on emergency preparedness I was about to create a file for, but then reminded myself that if I ever decide to prioritize that and update our 72 hour kits, food storage, etc, I will most likely go on-line to find information. Â No reason to keep extra forms/paper that I deep down know I won’t ever use! Â If they have been sitting in my office drawer for the past four years and I haven’t looked at them, chances are I won’t look at them in the next four years either. :)
I only kept things that are current and that I refer to often. Â Be ruthless when you are purging paper! Â Or anything else for that matter.
Time to put things back clean and organized! Â My favorite part of the process. :)
The drawers on both sides of my computer look like this closed..
and like this open.
Organized paper files! Â Wait for it.. do you hear!? Â The angels are singing again.
I knew they’d be back. ;)
I used my trusty label maker and kept things simple. Â Just folders that hold important info. I refer to often. Â I was able to recycle a lot of things I kept from when my girls were younger so for now my little buddy is monopolizing most of the drawer. ;) Â After the kids’ individual folders I just kept things I refer to often like family medical forms (immunization cards), class phone directories..
fitness forms (with the list of knee exercises I’m supposed to be doing everyday), yard stuff I need and receipts. Â I don’t keep many receipts, but I like to hang on to receipts for larger home decor items. Â Mostly so that when I get questions like “what fabric did you put on your couch..” I’ll be able to find and remember the answer. :)
I had my cabinet guy make these built-in file drawers for my offie and I’ve loved them.
I had him make the drawers deep in case I ever want/need to use longer file folders. Â In my previous house with NO office/drawer space for things like this I used a lot of file crates to organize my files…
They work great if you’re short on office space!
The bottom drawer holds forms I want to keep but don’t look at often. Â Transcripts and important papers from college, some stuff from my teaching years, church talks I want to hang on to, some special e-mails I’ve printed and saved and the poems my husband’s grandma wrote us for Christmas every year (love seeing her handwriting).
Other forms we keep (taxes, finances, etc.) my husband has in his office and I still need to go through those. Â But that requires his help so tackling that little project is a horse of a different color. Â Ha. Â Then I have the kids’ school boxes I’m finishing and some keepsakes in a different cupboard so as soon as I wrap up our paper organization I’ll do a huge post that includes how I’m organizing ALL the paper in this house.
Which thankfully after last weekend, is now much less. :)
BEST feeling ever getting these files organized! Â It’s funny how we dread projects like this and keep putting them off, but when we just START and get it done we realize it wasn’t that bad and wonder why we didn’t do it so much sooner! Â At least that’s what always seems to happen with me. :)
So if you have drawers stuffed full of paper like I did, here is your invitation to set aside a few hours as soon as possible and JUST DO IT! Â Turn on your favorite movie (or Hallmark Christmas in July because it’s on and why not?)Â and start a recycle pile.
Then the angels can come and sing at your house too. Â I’ll loan them to you!
Happy weekend friends! Â I’ve been knee deep in paper organization the past few days and I know this sounds crazy, but I’m having so much fun.. ha! Â Totally in my groove just getting things done. Â I’m excited to show you what I’ve been up to! Â (Sharing some of the progress on IG stories if you follow me there!) Â But this weekend I wanted to pop in and share more favorites from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale because things are flying and selling out so quickly! Â It’s the Superbowl of sales and this is a Superbowl of a post! Â Might want to grab a snack. :)
They come in so many fun colors and if you read my blog last year you might remember how I stocked up on so many during last year’s sale and gave them out as Christmas gifts! Â Teachers, neighbors, friends.. everyone loved them! Â And I had a big chunk of my Christmas shopping done in July. Â Pretty smart if I do say so myself. ;)
Of course I kept a few for us too. :) Â They are so soft and cozy! Â My kids and I usually fight over them when it’s time to watch movies. Â I usually win.
I got these cute satin pajamas at the sale too! Â LOVE the colors and they are so silky and comfortable!
Let’s talk other Home Decor items on sale.. these are my favorites..
So many great deals and along with the throws I think the serving board, candles, or monogramed tablet holder would make great Christmas gifts for those of you who like to have shopping done early too!
There are always SO many cute sweaters that come out during this sale! Â I’ve linked my favorites from this year below and took a couple of pics so you can see how I’ll wear some of them. Â The Balloon Sleeve sweater above I love so much I also ordered it in a green! Â Makes me excited for cooler weather. Â We’ll be waiting a while for that!
Round-up of my favorite shoes. Â If I lived somewhere cold the pink/cream Sperry boots would be coming home with me! Â Trying to justify buying them for our one ski trip a year.. ha.
Another long time favorite basic are these Caslon Scoop Neck Cotton Tees that are marked down! Â Such great staples. Â I love wearing them under vests and scarves.
Here are a few more of my favorite essentials that are marked down..
That luggage set is darling and an amazing deal! Â My friend just bout the set in pink! Â I have the T3 curling iron and love it so I’d love to try the hair dryer. Â The earrings are perfect for every day. Â I wear them a lot even though they get lost in my hair! Â Couldn’t live without my spanx and the pink make-up brushes are such a great deal I’m buying a few to have on hand for gifts!
I also got these darling Kate Spade Aviator sunglasses on sale! Â So many good things this year. Â I hope you’re all finding a few things you’re excited about too! Â I’ve got to go but I’ll be back soon!
All of my fashion loving friends! Â It’s that time! Â The Nordstrom Anniversary sale is here! Â To those of you who come here for just the home decor/organization I have fun things in store! Â But we have to pause and talk all things clothes during the Nord sale. Â It’s the law and I’ve always been a law abiding citizen. ;) Â I have to say that I love this sale more every year. Â It just keeps getting better! Â Last year I bought so many cute things that I lived in all Fall/Winter and are still favorites so I was excited to see this year’s inventory. Â It did not disappoint! Â If you have a Nordstrom card you can start shopping today! Â If not I hope this post gives you some fun ideas for when the sale opens to everyone on July 20th!
I ate a power breakfast this morning (could hear Rocky music playing in the background) and then hit the mall!
I came home hours later exhausted (the best kind of exhausted!) with 5 full bags and some CUTE things for me and my family for back to school, the rest of summer, Fall, Winter.. and into the future! Â As we all know, this sale is a marathon, not a sprint, so I’ll share a lot of what I got in this post and then more things I’m loving and what I got for the rest of my crew later on! Â (Sidenote: my all time favorite black Flashback Adidas sneakers that I’ve been living in are back in stock and on sale! Â Pictured above by the bags because I wore them today.) :)
These were my favorite shoes this year! Â Every pair is so fun and stylish and COMFORTABLE and a great price! Â I loved some of the tall boots too (like this pair, this pair and I really love this pair.. and how cute are these for rain/snow!?) but I bought so many tall boots last year I just didn’t need another pair. #practicalwon
These Aiden Wedge sneakers are so comfortable!  And I love how they are such a perfect mix of cleaned up but casual.  Had to get them in two colors!  I know I’m going to live in them!
So excited about these! Â It’s hard to not be happy when you’re wearing cute shoes. :)
I was especially falling hard for all of the cute pink shoes this year!
And it was hard to resist these cute black Hunters for such a great price! Â But since we had rain about twice last year and I already have a grey pair I decided I’d wait on these.
Full fitting room full of clothes! Â This post is full of bad lighting and dressing room selfies so please excuse the photography! Â Things sell out fast so time is of the essence! Â Let’s do this. :)
I loved it so much I got it in the Burgundy and Pink. Â Wearing the pink here with these Mother Frayed Ankle Skinny Jeans. Â They are a little long on me (supposed to be cropped.. ha!) but I love the pink lines down the side and they fit so cute. Â I’ve heard great things about Mother Jeans and am excited to try them! Â Very flattering fit!
This Halogen Pleat Detail Midi Skirt I had circled in the catalog and was thrilled that it fit well.  Love it so much!  I can’t wait to try different tops with it.  (Wearing a 2 regular but might order it in the petite to try because of the length.)
I loved this Cinched Waist Sweatshirt the second I put it on! Â Really comfortable and flattering because of how it tucks in at the waist. Â I love clothes like this that look cute but feel like you’re wearing your favorite sweats! Â (It runs big so get one size smaller.. this is an xxs).
This Stripe Rib Puff Sleeve Top is darling! Â Comes in other color patterns. Â It’s pretty fitted so I went up a size to a small.
This Treasure and Bond Baseball Tee is a staple that can be worn so many ways with so many different things. Â Love it with this cute AG Legging Ankle Ripped Skinny Jeans! Â Again they look like full length jeans on me instead of ankle jeans I’m so short.. I just roll with it. :)
Ok.. so excited about this Vince Camuto Denim Jacket! Â So cute! Â It runs big so order one size smaller than you usually wear (I’m wearing the xx-small). Â It’s a little jean overkill with these pants, but will look so cute with colored jeans, joggers, skirts. Â Everything!
This Twill Utility Skirt is so comfy and casual and fun for Fall but I’m going to start wearing it now! Â Also comes in camo (wanting that one too!) and a grey. Â I’m wearing a 2 petite and it’s still past my knees (it’s long so get petite if you’re short!).
Comes in other colors too! Â I didn’t come home with this color because it washed me out, but such a comfy top.
Give me all the Sporty Stripes! Â Love this Treasure and Bond sweater! Â And it comes in grey and white too. Â Trying hard to resist getting another one!
This Puff Sleeve Silk A-Line Dress was my splurge of the day! Â I actually didn’t look at the price tag when I brought it into the room to try on or I probably would have put it back, but once I had tried it on I had to have it! Â Such a great fit and the pattern is darling! Â This picture (and bad lighting) don’t do it justice.
K.. this looks huge on me because the top isn’t my size (ordering it!) but I was surprised at how much I liked this! Â It’s a really casual Cotton Blend Midi Skirt and matching Boat Neck Top and I’m thinking it would be so cute with sneakers! Â I need to try my size in the top and see if I want to keep it or just keep the skirt.
This outfit is totally out of my comfort zone because I rarely wear red and it’s so dressy (I always gravitate towards casual!) but I LOVE LOVE LOVE the fit/style of this Belted Red Skirt! Â At first I was wishing it came in other colors, but then I decided it’s good for me to have a variety of colors in my wardrobe (and break out of my rut!) so I was daring and bought it. Â Plus the coordinating Halogen Ribbon Top makes me feel like such an important executive.. ha! Â I just need a pencil in my hair and some really important clients to manage. Â For now my three kids will have to do. ;) Â (Was wearing the xs petite top in this picture but bought the regular xs because the sleeves were a bit short.)
I have a feeling this Rebecca Minkoff Floral Dress is going to sell out fast. Â SO cute. Â I couldn’t believe how many cute dresses were on sale this year!
And of course, I couldn’t stray too far from my norm.  Hello new Make and Model pj’s on sale!  Happy day!  I loved this fun blue star pair but the stars are embroireded on and you can feel them!  So not as comfortable and I had to pass.  Too bad because they are so cute!  But comfort reins supreme with pjs.
Which is why I came home with this cute pair! Â Oh my word.. are they not just adorable!? Â And so flattering and comfy! Â And cute enough to wear out and about and pretend they aren’t pjs! Â I have to hide them from Kenny because if he sees that I’ve bought one more pair of Make and Model pjs…
(If you didn’t buy a Barefoot Dreams Cardigan last year I would HIGHLY recommend getting one while it’s on sale! Â The most comfortable cardigan you’ll own! Â I wore it every single day last winter just working in my house. Â Perfect to throw over pj’s when you’re cold or dress up and wear with jeans. Â LOVE this.)
Ok.. signing off friends!  And we haven’t even discussed Handbags, Beauty or Home Decor on sale!  More to share from this beloved sale but it will have to wait!  Seeing my cute Make and Model pjs has made me tired and ready to put them on and go to bed. :)  Happy shopping!
How is everyone’s summer going so far? Â Good I hope! Â Sharing some randomness today. Â Some of this.. some of that. Â A little bit of the other. :)
My house for the most part is a disaster. Â But I’ve found that during the summer if I can just keep the kitchen semi-clean with a vase full of hydrangeas, I can handle the rest of the chaos.
Of course it’s no easy feat keeping the kitchen clean in the summer. Â Especially with all of the slime that’s going down around here. Â I had hoped by now that my kids would be over it (2 out of 3 are) but I have one child who is STILL slime obsessed a year later and we’re honestly about to turn into a slime factory over here she has made so much of the stuff. Â I’ve been holding out hope that this phase would pass (right along with her “I desperately want/need a Bearded Dragon in my life) phase but both are still going strong. Â I can most likely compromise with her and get rid of one if I’m ok with the other.. but because I’m not excited about either we are at a stand still. Â And the slime just keeps on coming. Â I guess I should just be grateful that (so far) there isn’t a large lizard camping out on my couch every morning.
I wanted my girls to learn some healthy habits they can take with them the rest of their lives so I hired a nutritionist to meet with us a few times this summer. Â I’ve got a lot of things covered around here (they will definitely leave this house knowing how to scrub a sink) but healthy eating habits? Â Turning this one over to an expert. Â We had our first meeting and it was pretty clear that I’m the one who needs the most help! Â Apparently Coke Zero doesn’t count as a healthy breakfast. Â Who knew? ;) Â After 2 hours of ALL the information, she gave each of a copy of this Wellness Journal.
We have to write down everything we eat over the next couple of weeks and it has a place to check off our water (we are drinking SO much water I feel like I’m drowning). Â I thought I’d share this little journal (you can buy one here) in case it’s helpful for any of you! Â Misery loves company so come on.. join my world of carrots and cauliflower. ;)
Summer evenings are my favorite! Â I love being outside in our yard watching my kids swim and play, checking on the plants and flowers in my yard, going on walks with Kenny. Â When a neighbor is having a BBQ or mowing their lawn it’s even better. Â Aren’t summer smells the best? Â Love them.
Summer night date look. Â This Embroidered Lace Top is so beautiful! Â Hands down one of my favorites this season.
The detail is so pretty and I love wearing white in the summer time. Â I wore this somewhere a couple of weeks ago and when two of my friends saw it they decided to order it too! Â Now we will all be white embroidered triplets in this top. :)
I shared this similar white eyelet dress in my last Fashion post. Â All the love for summer white! Â These are a few other white tops I adore. Â I really wanted to order this one (adorable and only $32!) but it’s sold out in my size! Â One of you get it and wear it and love it for me. Â I’ll feel better. :)
If we aren’t outside enjoying summer evenings you can usually find us camped out on our family room couch. Â Reading or watching TV.
Or cracking up over who knows what. Â This picture made me smile when I came across it! Â Typical night with Ad. Â We laugh a lot when we’re together.
Somehow it always ends up being us two hanging out together because El is usually busy with dance or friends and Kole and Kenny are doing their thing. Â Ad and I have become partners in crime lately. Â :) Â We watched the entire series of Gilmore Girls together when I had knee surgery (Ad’s first time watching, my second) and are looking for a good summer series to start. Â Any suggestions for fun Netflix series or movies? Â I’ve been showing her the classics lately. Â We started with Gone With the Wind and then Fiddler on the Roof. Â I have a list we’re making our way through this summer so if you can think of any good classics you love give me those too! Â I can share my list in a post later if anyone is interested? Â I love a good classic. Â Especially when it includes Clark Gable or Jimmy Stewart. :) Â Is it ok to watch It’s a Wonderful Life in July? Â I never get tired of that movie.
The cute blue sweats I’m wearing are one of my favorite brands.. Make and Model. Â I love this set so much because they’re lightweight, crazy soft and comfortable and also I feel like I can wear them to the grocery store or to run kids around. Â I’m all for pj’s that double for real clothes! Â Plus in the summer I’m always cold inside most places because the air is usually blasting so these have been perfect indoor summer sweats.
Some of you have asked if I’d share pics from our recent trip to Florida. Â Here are a few for those of you who are interested! Â We hit Universal Studios and Volcano Bay and spent three days at the two parks. Â My best tip if you are planning on hitting theme parks this summer(after years of owning Disneyland season passes and spending more time than I’d like to at theme parks!) is to GO EARLY. Â Pretty obvious tip, but I’m always amazed how few people do it. Â We always try to be at the parks ready to go the second they open! Â It’s hard to get up so early on vacation, but you can hit so many fun rides and see A LOT in the first two hours before the park starts getting busy. Â Plan your route the night before and hit everything that you care about the most first thing. Â My kids have wanted to see all things Harry Potter at Universal for a while now so we surprised them with this trip and they were so excited.
Such a fun day and because we went early we were able to really enjoy it all without crowds!
Caught this quickly with my cell phone in line to choose their wands. Â Oh my word.. the look on her face! Â Ha ha.. priceless.
The windows all have fun things that happen when you wave your wand a certain way and these two could have done this for hours.
A little tricky to figure out, but after some help we were in business! Â Like magic. :)
First ButterBeer of the day!
Riding the train between parks was one of our favorite things! Â The window showed scenes from the movie and there were shadows on the doors of the train on the opposite side that made it feel so real. Â Friends from the movie, Dementors and leaping chocolate frogs all passed by on our journey. Â My kids loved it.
After we hit all things Harry Potter we split up for a while because my girls wanted to go on some scary rides that Kole wasn’t excited about. Â Plus he and I had our own agenda. Â Time to hang with Transformers. Â After years of Disney Princesses it has been so fun to dive into all things little boy. :)
Curious George was a long time favorite so we spent some time there and on other fun rides. Â The next day Kenny took the girls back for more rides and Kole and I decided to take a break and swim at the hotel and feed the ducks. Â Sometimes the two of us enjoy a slower pace. ;)
Our third day we hit Volcano Bay (the water park next to Universal Studios) and this is the only pic I have to share! Â Taken from my lounge chair. :) Â We put our phones away and enjoyed a day of water slides. Â Really fun park! Â Once again we made the most of our early morning time and hit as much as we could. Â By 3:00 the park was so busy and we had done most of the rides we cared about several times (plus the lazy rivers.. love those!) so we left early for dinner. Â Right around that same time a huge thunderstorm hit and they closed the park! Â I was so glad we went early and were on our way out anyway.
The rest of the trip we just enjoyed some down time at the hotel. Â Always such a treat to have uninterrupted time together.
On our last day there we took off on a boat to see alligators. Â When in Florida right!? Â The girls and I sat in front with the boys in back.
Can you see the gator in this picture? Â They blend in SO well with their environment! Â It was unreal being so close to them without even knowing it until we spotted them. Â I have to admit.. I was ready to move on as soon as I saw that nose coming up out of the water. Â Too close for my taste!
Holding a baby after our boat ride. Â “Snap a pic quick because I’m not holding this thing for two seconds longer!” Â Ha. Â Glad I did it.. don’t need to do it again.
Finally! Â I finally have some 4th of July outdoor decor to share with you all! Â Every year I think of how easy it would be to make this already white and blue space festive for the 4th with just a touch of red.
Every year I think of this right around July 5th. :) Â I’m so proud of myself for being more on the ball this year! Â Next year I’ll shoot to have it up by Memorial Day in May.
Whoah now. Â Let’s not get too crazy ahead of ourselves. Â Ha.
But really this was so easy and fun! Â Plus it just felt good to be decorating again. Â Things have been nonstop around here with my kids for months and I haven’t had as much time to do the things I really love. Â Decorating this space only took 45 minutes and put me in the best mood! Â A good reminder to all moms out there to prioritize your hobbies/passions and find a way to make time for them! Â I feel like I’m a much better mom/wife/person when I’ve had some happy creative me time.
Here are a few quick and easy things you can do in no time to make any outdoor area festive for the 4th! Â (Also if you are looking for more fun 4th of July ideas you can follow me on Pinterest! Â I have a board for the 4th I love referring to this time of year.) Â
I just used my favorite go to blue painters tape to hold the banners. Â One side of the left banner came down and I made Kenny climb up on the counter and fix it (he just loves doing stuff like that for me). Â They’ve stayed in place ever since so fingers crossed! Â I’m thinking I’ll put a small pin or nail up there to hold them if I do this again next year.
My rug and blue pillows and poufs were already 4th of July festive so I just added a few fun new pillows.
It always amazes me how just a few new pillows can transform a space! Â I love these red tassel pillows (they come in other colors and are on sale for only $21!). Â These red pillows would also be cute for this time of year. Â (They’ll be fun to use in December for Christmas too.)
Then I used flag pillows for the two chairs. Â These exact pillows also sold out but I linked similar options below. Â White hydrangeas make everything beautiful don’t they? Â My forever favorite flower. Â I moved this white tray out from my family room but I like it so much outside I want to get another one!
I rounded up a few dishes I would use if I was entertaining and put these cute Liberty Burlap flags in a white pitcher. Â Easy decor. Â Now I want to throw a party! Â We are usually out of town visiting family for the 4th but with this fun set up I’m thinking my family needs to come to us. Â It’s cooler here too.. are you listening mom? Â 70 degrees and navy gingham plates and white hydrangeas and flag pillows! Â And a fridge stocked with diet coke and lemons on my trees. Â And a guest room that is finally decorated.
I’ll answer for you. Â SOLD. :)
Flowers are working well with my set up this month. :)
This rug is fading fast because of all of the sunlight this area gets so I’m going to get one more summer out of it and then find something new. Â Really it has held up pretty well considering all we’ve put it through the past few years!
I’ve loved having this area decked for the 4th. Â I just feels like summer and makes me smile every time I go outside.
As for the inside of the house.. I didn’t do much! Â I just put up this fun American Flag sign (similar option) I bought from PB last year on sale. Â I always love buying holiday decor about a week before the holiday. Â There are still a lot of fun things in stock and everything is marked down. Â Then it’s like a happy surprise pulling it out the next year.
So proud to be an American. Â Bring on the parades and fireworks and food!
This year we’re ready. Â :)
{POST SOURCES and SIMILAR OPTIONS} Â
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xoxo, Erin
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Always a good thing to mix up our surroundings and re-decorate every once in a while. Â It just breathes new life into a space! Â And is kinda fun.. so there’s that. :)
I am always on the hunt for the perfect planner and to be honest I feel like I have yet to find it! Â I’ve found a lot of planners that I really like, but I haven’t found one that has everything I want it to have. Â Sometimes I dream about creating my own and owning a little planner/notebook shop! Â For now I enjoy experimenting with different planners and binders and using my to-do lists above. Â This summer I’ve been using 
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So proud to be an American. Â Bring on the parades and fireworks and food!