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Fashion
07.03.17

An outdoor project! With a side of rambling.

{All porch sources at the bottom of this post – affiliate links used}

Happy 4th of July weekend everyone!  Or 4th of July week?  Whatever it is when you read this!  Do you all love my over the top holiday decor this year?  I know.. I know.  I really need to dial it back a bit, but I just couldn’t help myself.  Ha. :)

Truth be told I wasn’t going to decorate for the 4th at all until I made a quick grocery store run with my little buddy and he BEGGED me for some flags.  He wanted two for himself and two for me.  Mine went in the front porch planters and we called it a day.  It’s what I like to call “2 dollar and 2 minute decorating.”  A new trend I’m starting. ;)

I’ve never done much decorating for the 4th because we are always traveling so much during this time of year and this year has been no exception!  I was home from Maui for one day – just enough time for some laundry and a quick pull the swim suits out of the suitcase and pop in the dance competition shirts.  Then off to LA for El’s National Dance Competition for a week!  The competition was supposed to be in Palm Springs but was canceled at the last minute (LONG story there.. I got off the plane ride home from Maui and my phone was exploding with messages).  El’s dance instructor booked the team at a different competition in LA so we were all scrambling to change travel plans and hotel rooms and make the switch.  Everything worked out, the girls danced beautifully!  And we had a great week.  So proud of these girls and the rest of their team!

A picture of just some of the moms.  This picture makes me smile because it was taken right after some serious cheers and high fives for helping our girls make one of the fastest costume changes of all time.  They had 12 MINUTES to get off stage and from one costume into the next with hair completely re-done (from a tight bun with 20 bobby pins to dutch braids!). Good thing I watched those You Tube videos and practiced. ;)  We had their costumes laid out and ready, chairs set up for the braiding, moms assigned to different tasks.. we were running like a well oiled machine and I could just hear the Rocky music playing in the background.  We had those girls changed and ready 3 minutes early!  Whew!  It was intense. :)  At this point it was also late at night and the girls had been dancing for 3 days straight and we were all SO tired.  GO MOMS!  I’ve seriously loved getting to know all of these amazing women this year and had such a fun trip with everyone.

Hanging out at the hotel with one of my cute dance mom friends who also reads my blog and loves the fashion posts!  Can you tell!? :)  I was so excited when she showed up in my favorite Anthro joggers!  Aren’t they darling on her!?  We had so much fun being twins for a day. :)  Oh and I kept the black Rayos wedge sandals!  Tough decision between the black and nude leather but at the end of the day I just knew I’d wear these more because I wear a lot of black.  I’ve loved them.  I was on my feet in them all day (looking several inches taller than I am I might add!) and totally comfortable.  Another fun thing at the competition was meeting some of you!  Hello to my new friends from Chicago and Arizona!  And my new friend from Cali that I met in Maui!  I seriously LOVE it when I get to meet blog readers.  We have an instant connection – like we’re already friends who just don’t know each other face to face yet.  Whenever I’m out and about and get recognized I just want to give the person a huge hug and say “So!  Tell me a little about YOU.” ;)

I got home from LA just in time to take the dance mom clothes out of my suitcase and pack some red white and blue for our annual Utah trip for the 4th of July!  Yes.  More travel!  My husband was so happy I was back.  He tried to work from home all week with Ad and Kole.  They each had a summer camp but just for a few hours.  He told me he would be working from home with the kids all week.  I told him good luck with that.  Ha.  Turns out he didn’t get much work done.  Shocker. ;)  He said to me “I know I say this every time you travel but seriously – what you do all day is WAY harder than what I do all day.  How do you ever get anything done!?  I’m elated that you’re home.”  Feeling great about that.  Especially since he only had two of our three kids, a slower paced schedule and didn’t do much laundry or cleaning or managing of half of the things I normally manage in a week.  One tiny example?  Above is my lovely herbs I put in pots in my kitchen window in February.  Want to see what they look like now?

Yup.  Dad was in charge.  Ha ha..   Totally giving my husband a hard time!  He’s great and does so many other things that I don’t do well.  Some guys just don’t have that “nesting” instinct and my husband is one of them.  ;)  But while the plants didn’t survive, he survived and the kids survived (on peanut butter and pancakes).

Now I’m back in the driver’s seat of all things HOME.  And seriously thinking about replacing every single real plant I have with something fake!  My fiddle leaf fig looked as fabulous as ever when I got back.  I seriously love this faux plant.  Do any of you know a source for some faux small herbs or plants that look real?  I haven’t been able to find much when it comes to small faux house plants.

K – I’m rambling!  Time for the point of this post!  If I ever really have a clear point. ;)  I wanted to share a little outdoor project we have in the works right now!

It has to do with our Outdoor Entertaining Area.  (More pics and sources for this space here.)

You might remember that we put a TV in this space.  Which if I’m being totally honest, I don’t know if I’d do again if I had it to do over because we’ve hardly watched it.  Maybe three times since we moved in?

But it’s there and we might use it more in the future.  It’s fine.  But I do have a minor issue with it!

It looks great when we’re using it (which is hardly ever).

But when we’re not using it (most of the time) we have to cover it to make sure it doesn’t get dirty/scratched/ruined.  I don’t love the look of that ugly TV cover!  This area is what I look at every day out of my family room french doors and that cover has bugged me since we moved in.  So I finally decided to do something about it. :)

First things first.. I called our carpenter Chuck.  Because of course I did. ;)  I told him my plan and gave him a sketch and we brainstormed and he set up shop in my yard.

This was a quick sample he did just so I could get an idea of what it would look like.  I wasn’t totally sure I wanted to do this at first because we are covering up rock!  (Ignore my kids pool towels and “Pinky” who isn’t looking so hot in the corner.  This was just before she retired in Addison’s room. ;)

I liked the sample and decided to go for it!  Basically I want to plank the upper part of the fireplace and have a TV cover made that looks better instead of worse when the TV isn’t in use.  Which is most of the time.  See where I’m going with this?  :)

For the tv cover I wanted something like barn doors that would slide to the side to open, but we didn’t have enough room for the cover to open that way.

So we’re going up!  This project has been so funny.  Chuck and I are totally MacGyvering this.  We don’t exactly know how it’s going to turn out and work at this point.. ha!  But we’ll figure something out!  And I’ll show you all when it’s done.  Progress is moving slow because he’s also working with me on a bigger project inside our house that I’ll share soon.  Because of course he is. ;)  The two of us have so much fun working on things like this together.  He wants to just work for me full time and I keep telling me that I’m going to run out of projects for him to do so then we start brainstorming about fun things we’ll do in the next house I build.

But we don’t tell Kennny about those conversations. ;)

Do you all have fun plans for the 4th!?  My kids want to make our annual Holiday Pretzel Hugs!  The same hugs we also make at Christmas and Valentine’s Day.  Because we’re tricky like that.

Easy recipe is here (from way back in 2009!) if you want to make them too. :)

I’m sure I’ll also be making my favorite fruit dip!  I always get assigned fruit salads or fruit trays at BBQ’s because everyone knows I don’t like to cook/bake.  So I’m the go to fruit girl.  Which means I need a go to fruit dip.  Good thing I have one. ;)  I’ve shared this before also but here it is again for those of you who missed it..

Whip together:

8 oz cream cheese (softened)
7 oz jar of marshmallow creme
2 teaspoons of Maraschino cherry juice

It’s simple but SO tasty.  Perfect little side treat for your fruit salad.  Because we wouldn’t want to be too healthy now would we?  It is the 4th of July after all.

Have you all seen the fun sales going on this weekend!?  I’m trying so hard to be good because the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is around the corner and I need to save my shopping energy (and funds!) for that.. but wow.  A lot of amazing deals this weekend!  I don’t know how strong I can be. ;)  My liberty jogger pants are just over $20!  The cute sweatshirt that goes with them is also on sale and how darling are these USA joggers!?  Ordering them.  I think they are cute for every day wear, not just during the 4th.  I bought this cute shirt to wear Tuesday and will wear it all summer.  It fits darling.  Who says we can’t be patriotic all year?  Also thinking of buying this while PB is doing their “buy more save more” to decorate with next year.  It would make a good addition to my over the top porch right? ;)

My favorite Rugby stripe tee is also marked down and don’t these pj’s look SO cute and comfy!?  Seems I’m gravitating to all things lounge wear.  So nothing new over here. ;)  There are also some darling purses on sale and shoes!  Fun sneakers and I’m loving sneakers right now.  So many cute styles.  A lot of favorites you’ve seen in my home are on sale so I added links to those things at the bottom of this post along with my other favorite sale picks for this holiday weekend.

Enjoy the 4th everyone!  I hope you are all able to spend this special holiday with those you love!

And maybe with some fruit dip on the side.

:)

FAVORITES ON SALE:








xoxo, Erin
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Organization
06.29.17

My Organized Kitchen (and how to keep your kitchen clean and organized too!)

I’m so excited to be sharing some of my organized kitchen with you all today!  I’m also sharing my best tips on how you can keep your kitchen clean and organized too!  We all know that kitchens are the hub of the home.  It’s where everyone wants to hang out and one of the hardest spaces to continually keep clean!  One thing I’ve learned about myself is that a clean kitchen is absolutely essential for my sanity.  When my kitchen is a mess so is my head!  It’s really hard for me to focus on anything else when my kitchen is a mess which is why I’ve always worked hard to have a clean kitchen.  My kitchen drawers and cupboards for the most part stay organized, but every so often they need a little re-fresh!  I knew as soon as my kids got out of school and things slowed down a bit it was time to tackle some kitchen cupboards and drawers.

Ace Hardware reached out to see if I would be interested in trying out their e-cloths.  I’ll be honest, I don’t accept many sponsored posts like this, but I have a soft spot for Ace!  We have one near our house so it has become our go to hardware store (I swear my husband is there once a week at least).  The guys who work at our store are so friendly and Ace always has whatever we need when it comes to house projects.  Plus at Christmas time they put up a huge train around the top ceiling of the store and my son could spend hours at the store watching it!  He begs to go every December.  So good memories with Ace. :)  I was also excited to work with them on this post because the more I learned about this new product they are carrying, the e-cloth, the more excited I was to try this product line.  You all know I LOVE a good cleaning product!  I’m all about anything that can make my life easier when it comes to cleaning.  You guys – I’ve been using these e-cloths for a while now and love them!  They are chemical free, extremely effective and you simply add water to clean with them – they last for up to 300 washes!

Like I said, my “befores” weren’t awful, but things were starting to get messy and kitchen drawers tend to get crumbs in them and just need a good clean out from time to time.

When I’m organizing kitchen cupboards/drawers I always take everything out.  I used the e-cloth cleaning cloth to wipe out all of my drawers and clean out the organizers.  Love this cloth.. it’s so absorbent.  It always bothers me when I buy dish cloths and they don’t absorb anything!  After the drawer was sparkling clean I made sure to only keep and put back what I really use!

So much better!

Below our kitchen utensils I keep our dish towels.  This drawer stays clean but needed a good wipe down!

Then our clear storage containers are below that.  This drawer always ends up a mess!

Much better!  But I have to say that this drawer is getting re-organized again because I came up with a better way to do it that will help me keep it clean.  Does anyone else lay in bed at night trying to come up with new ways to organize your kitchen containers?  Ha!  Just me?  I can live with that.. ;)

I handed El an e-cloth and put her to work on the other side of the kitchen.  She would empty drawers and wipe them down cleaning out all the crumbs and dust and then I’d come by and toss things we didn’t need and put it all back organized.  Because these cloths are chemical free it makes them perfect for cleaning out drawers that hold items for eating and drinking.

This bottom drawer holds our water bottles.  My husband and I always take our heart rate band/monitor and a sweat towel to our gym, so I added containers to hold those in this drawer also.

Above that is the plastic bowls/cups that the kids use daily.  And yes.. Christmas plates stay in this drawer all year because they are Kole’s favorite.  He asks every day for a “4 plate” which means he wants 4 different things on his Christmas plate. I love 7 year olds. :)

Lots of good organization going on in the fun little drawers near our nook!

This time of year the larger drawer in the middle holds stuff for the pool!

The pool controller, googles and sunscreen.  All we need to ensure a good summer around here.  And popsicles!  Can’t forget the popsicles. :)

Our silverware drawer got a good wipe down too.  The e-cloth was perfect to clean out all the crumbs!

The top cupboard to the left of the stove holds our medicine (just shared how and why I re-organized this space in this post).

And the top cupboard to the right of our stove holds our every day plates and bowls.  I forgot to photograph the cupboard to the right that holds our cups!  Next time. :)

While El and I were busy cleaning and organizing the kitchen drawers I put my other two helpers to work on our french doors and windows!

LOVE the e-cloth window cleaning cloth!  It came with two cloths in the package.  One you add water to and clean the windows with, the second cloth you use to dry the window after.  These are my favorite!  SO easy to clean the windows and doors completely streak free!  I also love that they are chemical free making them so safe for my kids to use.

Plus the kids loved them.  Kole was having so much fun I kept him going on the french doors in our living room.  Because I’m tricky like that. :)

These will be new staples in our house for sure!  I asked Kole this morning to clean up his toys and he said “can I please just wash the windows again instead!?”  Ha!  His new favorite chore.  I have a feeling my french doors are going to stay pretty clean this summer. :)

{Kitchen sources here}

Like I mentioned before, keeping the kitchen clean and organized is a must for me!  The good news is that if you establish a few simple habits it’s not that hard to always have a clean kitchen (despite your kids’ constant efforts to mess it up!). ;)  Here are my best tips for keeping your kitchen clean and organized!

5 TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR KITCHEN CLEAN AND ORGANIZED

1 – Declutter drawers and keep only the essential!  This is the key to keeping your home organized and it’s no different in the kitchen!  It’s a good goal to have some space in your fridge, cupboards and drawers.  Less is more!  Create a home for each item and teach your kids/family where everything belongs.

2 – Keep everything off the kitchen counter!  This is hard I know!  Kitchen counters can easily become the dumping ground for anything and everything.  Don’t let it happen!  Establish zones in other areas of your home for all paper, purses, kids’ backpacks, etc. so that the kitchen counter doesn’t become a catch all.  It’s also a good idea to use minimal home decor in the kitchen so that things don’t get cluttered and you have plenty of space for cooking and eating.

3 – Wipe the stove, counter and sink after each use.  The e-cloth kitchen cleaning cloth is perfect to use on your appliances!  If you get in the habit of immediately cleaning up kitchen messes and spills right after they happen you’ll do it without thinking!  It never pays to put off washing dirty dishes or scrubbing the stove.  The mess hangs over your head and just smells worse when you get to it later.  Remind yourself to do it immediately until it becomes a habit and you don’t have to remind yourself anymore.

4 – Do a mini fridge/pantry tidy each time you buy groceries.  One thing I’m in the habit of doing is a mini clean-out of my fridge and pantry each time I bring home groceries.  It honestly only takes 5 minutes!  I wipe off the fridge shelves, toss anything that’s bad and put the new groceries back.  In the pantry I toss bulky boxes and straighten anything that’s messy and then put the new food away.  This way our fridge and pantry always stay clean and organized and I never have to do a major overhaul on them.

5- Involve the kids!  You will never be able to stay on top of keeping your kitchen clean if the kids aren’t on board.  They certainly help make the mess and need to be involved cleaning it up!  This can be hard – as moms we want things done fast and right so it’s tempting to just do it ourselves, but by doing that our kids never learn how to really clean and how important it is to pitch in and help around the house.  During the school year it can sometimes be hard to have your kids do a lot of chores also because they are so busy with activities and homework.  Summer is the perfect time to get your kids involved cleaning!  I know my three kids are on major kitchen duty this summer.  Lucky aren’t they!? :)  They know they always have chores to complete before we get to do something fun.

Lucky for them “fun” is never far behind. :)

Thank you to Ace Hardware for introducing me to e-cloths and for sponsoring this post!  Ace has a sale on e-cloths from now until July 4th – head to your local Ace and you can get the e-cloth stainless steel or window cleaning cloth for $11.99 each.

(This post is sponsored by Ace Hardware. All thoughts and opinions are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of Ace Hardware.)  

xoxo, Erin
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Favorite Things
06.23.17

Organized Medicine Cabinet (take 2!)


{swimsuit/cover-up/beach bag/sunglasses}

(affiliate links used)

Aloha friends!  Popping in from Maui to say hello and I hope you all had a great week!  We have officially become one with this island and never want to leave!  We’ve had such a great family trip – one of our best yet – and I’m incredibly bummed that our time in Maui is winding down.  It’s never easy to leave this beautiful island!  I’ve been getting lots of questions on Insta and e-mails asking about our favorite things to do when we vacation here so I’m working on a post that will share our Maui favorites!  If you have a favorite Maui activity or restaurant let me know in the post comments or on IG!  I’ll try to include your suggestions along with mine.

(Details on what I packed for this trip in my last fashion post here.)

So.. like I said.. more on Maui later. :)  Today I want to share my organized medicine cabinet.  Take 2!

You might remember the first time I organized this medicine cabinet.  So organized!  So beautiful!

So NOT functional.  Ha!  This is what my beautifully organized medicine cabinet looked like 6 months later.  I shared these pictures in what might be one of my favorite organization posts ever – 5 Reasons You Can’t Stay Organized and How to Fix It!  I talked in that post about how sometimes we don’t recognize and fix systems that aren’t working for us.  This medicine cabinet organization was clearly not working for us!  So I analyzed what the main problem was.  Clearly I had organized neatly what we had at the time, but I didn’t think ahead about where I would put new medicine when it was added.  When everyone got sick last winter and we started accumulating more medicine there was no space for it!  So I gave up on trying to keep things in order and just started stashing things.  Happens to the best of us. ;)

This is what my medicine cabinet looks like today!  Ahhh.  So organized!  So beautiful!  And so very FUNCTIONAL.  Now I know it doesn’t look that much different than the first organized medicine cabinet, but I’ll tell you the simple changes I made that will make all the difference and ensure that I can keep this baby clean.

First things first.. First Aid. :)  I moved our First Aid kit to the top cupboard.  I’m happy we have it for emergencies, but it’s not used often so it was silly to have it taking up prime lower cabinet space.  Moving it up to the top gave me more room to work with.

The labeled bowls were actually working well so I kept them and just added one more bowl labeled “cough drops” so I could toss all of the cough drop packages in the trash that were taking up too much room. I plan to toss these cough drops each season and buy a new pack to refill the bowl.

I cleaned out everything that had expired (which was a lot – a good reminder to go though this cupboard more often!) and then made my biggest change.  I bought this fabulous Expandable Shelf Organizer to hold all of our medicine.  Right now I don’t need it expanded.  But when I do..

I can pull it out further to accommodate more medicine.

If needed I can pull it out to fit the size of the entire cabinet!  Plenty of room for any and all new medicine and NO excuse to let this cabinet get so messy again.

I’m happy to say that I think I’ve fixed this broken system and am on my way to enjoying an ‘easy to keep organized medicine cabinet’ from now on.  YEA!  Puts a smile on my face. :)

Really simple changes that make all the difference.  A lot of times that’s all it takes to create spaces in our home that are easy to keep clean and organized.  As soon as I get home from summer trips (I’m out of town again next week with El for a dance competition!) I plan on working on all of my paper systems.  I really want to get on top of all things paper before a new school year starts.  You too?  Let’s plan on talking paper systems together sometime this summer for sure. :)

Below are sources from this post!  I’m also including links to a few of my favorite things that are on MAJOR sale this weekend!  Like all of PB’s outdoor umbrellas!  And my favorite rug is at an all time low!  And so are the lamps in my master bedroom and my favorite summer drink dispenser that’s perfect for entertaining.

I also found a few cute things on sale to wear that I own and love (like this darling metallic tee – I have it in gold and silver!) and a couple of things I’m debating ordering (like this cute white dress I’ve had my eye on) so I’ll share links to those too.

Have a great weekend friends!  Off to enjoy our last day in Maui with my crew. :)




xoxo, Erin
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Fashion
06.18.17

Fashion and what I’m packing for Maui!

Happy weekend friends!  Kole finished school Friday and we are getting ready for an upcoming trip to Maui!  I’m so excited.  Today has been so busy getting everyone packed and ready to go.  We have some good friends staying in our house while we’re gone so I was also busy trying to get everything cleaned and ready for them.  My kids are in bed and I really should be doing a little more housework and laundry right now but I needed a break.  So I’m blogging.  And eating popcorn and watching the movie Taken because it happens to be on TV right now.  And it’s scaring me!  So now I’m feeling like I need a break from my break.  Ha. :)  Time to talk fashion!  I’m sharing some recent favorites along with a few things I’m taking on my trip!

(affiliate links used)

First up.. new summer shoes for the win!  Oh my word.. where to start!?  Love these all so much.  I had mentioned before that I had my eye on these Reyos Perforated Wedge Sandals.  They are a little pricey so I kept debating them and then finally pulled the trigger.  I ordered them in the black and the nude leather fully planning to return a pair.  Um.. I want them both!  I’ve already been wearing the black so I have to keep those, but I’m dragging my feet returning the nude pair.  They go with everything and are so comfortable you guys!  So are the Despina Strappy Sandals.  They are padded on the bottom and are so cute with the ankle tassels.  My favorite Tory Burch flip flops and my pink Adidas Sneakers will be coming with me on my trip.  I seriously wore out my last pair of Adidas so when they came out in pink that purchase was a no brainer!  They are so cute and perfect for every day running around with the kids.  (They run big so order one size down!)  The hot pink heels are on sale right now for such a great price I couldn’t pass them up.  I wear a lot of solid neutral dresses and they will be just the pop of color I need. :)

The one pair of shoes I ordered that I’m not keeping are these cute Vince Camuto Sandals.  I have a couple of friends who have them and they are darling.  And on sale!  But my feet are narrow and they just didn’t fit right.  Probably a good thing  since all of the other shoes I ordered fit a little too perfect. ;)

{Gingham top/Favorite Jeans/Black Wedge Sandals/Earrings}

K – you guys I’m so in love with this Ruffle Sleeve Gingham Top!  I’ve had it for a few weeks now and have worn it over and over!  It’s actually an off the shoulder top, but I mostly wear it on the shoulder.  Because I’m tricky like that.  It honestly looks so cute either way.  I’ve worn it with jeans..

And to church last Sunday with a fun green skirt I’ve had for years.  Btw.. I tried to find you all a similar skirt and failed but I did come across this green ruffle pencil skirt which is totally different and now I want it!  Sometimes blogging about clothes gets me into trouble. :)  But it’s so cute, right?

{Gingham Top/Earrings/Similar black jogger pants here and here/Strappy Sandals}

Then I wore it a few days later with some black jogger/capris I’ve had for a few years and my new strappy tassel sandals.

{Tory Sunglasses/Striped Beach Bag/Mia Black Swim Suit/Gingham Top/Similar Shorts/Tory Flip Flops/Bedroom Rug}

But I really bought it for our trip and the beach!

Wearing it off the shoulder here with my swimsuit under it. :)  Btw.. this gingham top runs big.  I’m wearing an xxs Petite (normally a regular xs in tops).  Order down a size!

{Sophia One Piece/La Blanca Vision Quest One Piece/Mia Crochet One Piece}

For years my two favorite brands of swim suits have been Robin Piccone and La Blanca.  They are great quality and have a flattering fit.  Plus they both have great butt coverage.. a must for me. ;)  Last year I bought the black Mia suit and have loved it so this year I ordered the Sophia suit which is similar and I love it too!  I tried on a lot of suits for this summer and my favorite was this blue La Blanca suit… really cute on.  I always size up quite a bit with these two brands and order a 6 or sometimes an 8.  Sorry I’m not up for modeling swim suits for you all.  I’m going to need a few more leg lifts or something before I attempt that one.  ;)

This cute striped top is another fun beach top and the black skirt cover-up I bought last year and about wore it out!  It ties on the side and is perfect to toss on over your suit.

{Tassel and Coin Woven Tote/Chevron Tote (on sale for $35!)/Vince Camuto Stiped Tote}

My latest favorite beach bags for summer!  So excited about these!  The Tassel Coin bag is huge and will be great for towels.  The Chevron tote is on sale for just $35!  Love it.  And of course the black stripes had me at hello.  :)

I ordered several cute cover-ups to try and a few are backordered and didn’t come on time.  Bummer!  (I’ll link to them at the end of this post.)  But this beautiful White Embroidered Cover-Up came and is so cute!  I tried it in black too but liked the white better.  Also coming with me on this trip is The Book of Summer written by Michelle Gable who happens to be a close friend of mine!  She has two daughters in 5th and 7th grade who met my two daughters in 5th and 7th grade at the beginning of the school year and our girls all became the best of friends.  So naturally Michelle and I became the best of friends. :)  And when I found out that she was a famous author (like New York Times Best Selling Author) naturally I felt especially cool.  And naturally I freaked out just a little bit. ;)  She is on a book tour in Nantucket right now (Nantucket!  Can you imagine!?) so I had her girls over on Wednesday and she sent them with a copy of her latest book.  So excited to read it!

Also coming with me on my trip is The ONE Thing.. because you know I can’t travel without a good time management book. :)  And Simplicity Parenting.  So excited to read these!  I’ll give you all a re-cap when I’m done.

A few other things I’ve been wearing lately..

{City Mix Layered Tee/Grey Cargo Joggers/Tanner Pendant Necklace/Strappy Sandals}

Love this outfit!

{Twist Front Tee/Zella Crop Joggers (sold out)/Black Rayos Wedges}

This twist front tee is a casual and cute top.  I ordered an xs and probably should have ordered one size smaller.  It runs big so size down!  I have it in white and might get the gray too.  I live in tops like this in the summer.

Got this cute Jersey Maxi dress and I’m returning it. :(  I tried an xs regular and it was WAY too long.  Even with wedges.  So this is a small petite and I like the length (good with flip flops) but it’s just too baggy on me.  It reminds me of a dress I wore a few summers ago that my husband didn’t like.  He’d always say “oh are you wearing the tent today?..”  Ha ha.. Isn’t he witty?  Sometimes I wore it just to bug him. ;)  The xs petite in this dress isn’t available.  Bummer!  It comes in a cute stripe too.  The regular would be darling on taller girls!

This cozy fleece pullover has become one of my favorite tops to slip on!  So comfortable for cooler days.

This stripe slouchy pullover is another favorite!  I wish you could all feel the inside of this!  SO soft and comfortable and I love the big sleeves.  I’m taking it on the plane because I always freeze on airplanes!

{Zella black tank/Zella Leggings/Pink Adidas Sneakers}

This simple black Zella tank with these high waist crop leggings has been one of my go to workout outfit for months now.  LOVE these leggings!

Ignore my scary white stomach. ;)  I just wanted to show you all how high waisted these leggings are and what a wide band they have.  SO flattering girls!  That band sucks everything right in.  Then they have this darling cross pattern on the back of the bottom of the legs.  I love them so much I bought them for a friend for her birthday.  Then I ordered this pair that is the same but with mesh on the back instead of the cute straps.  Such a good fit!  I love Zella.

I know it’s hot for most of you, but if you want a cute, comfy warm sweatshirt for evenings at the beach or even for next Fall this tie front pullover is DARLING.  Sorry mine is so wrinkled!  I’ve worn it so much during the past two cloudy months and the day I had it on for this picture it had been sitting in a pile on my closet floor waiting to be washed until I decided I could wear it ONE more day. ;)  It comes in several colors.  So cute.

I’m taking this romper to Maui..

And this cute J Crew scalloped romper which sold out in black but also comes a cute blue.

Last but not least this beautiful flutter sleeve blouse is on sale!  Comes in lots of colors and is light weight and perfect for summer.  One of my favorites this season.

Oh my word.. so many cute things in for summer right now isn’t there!?   This time of year is usually my least favorite season to shop for clothes but this year I might be changing my mind.

And because this post isn’t long enough already ;) I have to give a quick shoutout to my cute husband for Father’s Day!

A few pics of him with the kids from the past month..

Taking El to prepare meals for people in need.  Hairnet and all. ;)  My husband has been doing community service like this with my girls for years now because he wants to teach them the importance of giving back, serving others, hard work and not taking all they have for granted.  Kole is almost old enough to join!

Visiting Ad’s school and not only staying for the program but also hanging out after to join her and her classmates in a fun game.  Sometimes I think he’s secretly 10 years old going on 11.

Made this girl feel pretty special.

Saturday morning ritual of making pancakes with his little buddy.

My husband has a busy, demanding career but somehow always manages to find time for each of our three kids.  He doesn’t think twice about his own needs and gives everything he has and then some to our family.  Watching him grow into his role as a father has been one of the most tender and rewarding things I’ve ever seen.  My kids are so lucky to have him.  I am so lucky to have him.  Happy Father’s Day babe!  We appreciate what you do every minute of every day and couldn’t love you more.

Also Happy Father’s Day to my amazing dad and to all of the incredible dads out there!  I’m so grateful for a day to honor good fathers and the difference they make in the world by being there for their children.

K.. signing off now!  So much to do.  Enjoy your weekend friends!  Post sources are below!

I’ll be checking back in soon.. on island time. :)

ALL SOURCES FROM THIS POST:









xoxo, Erin
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Home Decor
06.14.17

Living Room Summer Decor

Summer has officially arrived!  My girls are out of school and in three days my little buddy will join us.  YEA.  It feels so good!  I was beyond ready to ditch the early mornings, busy schedule, lunch making and homework.  I’m a happy mom right now to say the least. :)  To celebrate this beloved season I’m sharing my living room summer decor!

*affiliate links used

Finally getting my gallery wall updated with fun summer pictures inspired me to want to re-fresh my this space a bit so when Nordstrom reached out to see if I wanted to share a few fun things from their Home Decor department (my fav!) I knew just what room I wanted to update.  (If you missed it, you can read my tips on creating a coordinated gallery wall here.)

Last Spring I added some new things to this space and I still love them!  So I didn’t change a lot.  My simple mantel stayed the same.

I tweaked my shelves a bit (seems I’m always editing shelves around here!) but I mostly just shopped my house for a few different items.

The main living room update is this beautiful bold striped throw blanket and my new flamingo pillows!  The second I saw this throw blanket I knew it had to come home with me.  It’s the perfect summer throw!  The stripes and colors are so beautiful.  Did you all know I love coral and navy? :)  I knew it would be perfect for this space.

And can we just talk about these darling flamingo pillows for a minute!?  I don’t know what says summer happiness more than beautiful coral flamingos.  In the on-line description it says these pillows “add a touch of tropical romance.”

I believe they do just that. :)


Plus we’re long time flamingo fans around here.  “Pinky” is still resting comfortably in Addison’s room.  She has deflated quite a bit more, but is still holding her own swaddled in blankets and dining on bacon and toast.  After I shared this picture in a fashion/favorites post someone on Instagram was talking about it and wrote #retirement goals.  I laughed so hard!  Ha ha.. let’s hope we can all be as lucky as Pinky someday. ;)

This corner has become my new favorite spot in my home.  Funny how a simple new throw and pillow can make a space feel completely transformed.  My whole living room feels lighter and brighter.  It feels like SUMMER. :)

Of course this chair needed a flamingo pillow too. :)

I had been hunting for the perfect vase for this coffee table tray for a while and was thrilled to find this beautiful triple tone glazed vase at Nordstrom.  It comes in a small size and a larger size (I bought the large).  I originally had something taller on this tray and never liked the height.  This vase is the perfect size for a coffee table!  Large enough, but not too tall.  I picked up some inexpensive grocery store flowers and wa-la!  More happy summer vibes. :)

I added some fun books I own and have already read to my dough bowl.  I read the most in the summer time and that is what these books represent.  Time to slow down and enjoy a good book.

I’m still looking for the perfect bench for the other side of my entry door and then this area where you enter our home will be complete!  That’s a good feeling.

The entry coordinates so well with the living room since I last updated it and already has a summer vibe!  (Entry sources here.) 

My ‘O Holy Night’ Christmas sign is still up.  If I find something a little better for this time of year to hang in this space I will buy it, but for now, I don’t mind a little year round Christmas. :)

Like I said, just a few simple changes like adding a new throw or pillow or re-arranging things you already have can completely update a space!  That’s why seasonal decorating is always my favorite.  It’s so simple and fun.  My living room summer decor makes me smile every time I walk past this room.

{YOU CAN FIND ALL OTHER SOURCES FOR THIS ROOM HERE}

Huge thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post!  Their home decor section is always one of the first places I check when I’m looking for something fun to update my home.  So many reasonably priced items and the quality and customer service can’t be beat.  They have so many fun things in right now!  My favorite marble/wood paddle board is back in stock and this cute pillow is just $14!  Plus they have a whole section called “SUNNY LIFE” with fun summer things.  Of course I’m slightly partial to those items. ;)  I could get lost in the home decor section of their store forever!  Add the shoe department and there goes my day.  And my wallet… :)

I’ve linked to some Nordstrom Home favorites below!  Some of them I already own and the rest are on my wish list.  Happy summer sprucing friends!






xoxo, Erin
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Home Decor
06.13.17

Creating a coordinated gallery wall

No.. it’s not time to deck the halls.  Although I could totally go for a little Christmas decor right now.. and always.  ;)  Today I’m sharing my Summer gallery wall along with a few tips for how you can create your own coordinated gallery wall.  The last time I shared the gallery wall in my formal living room it looked like this…

Lots of red and green and full of Christmas cheer.  I have to be honest and admit that this gallery wall stayed with lots of red and green and full of Christmas cheer well past Christmas.  Maybe even well past St. Patricks Day.. {sigh}.  Life!  It has a way of getting in the way of well planned projects, doesn’t it!?  But finally one Spring day I got to work switching out the pictures and this is how my coordinated gallery wall looks today…

Traded in the red and green for pinks and blues and navy and green and all things Spring and Summer!  Love this time of year too. :)  Putting together a gallery wall full of pictures that coordinate and work together is no small task!  I’m starting to figure out a process that works for me so I thought I’d share it in case any of you have struggled with something similar.

I knew for this gallery wall I wanted to be able to always use colorful family pictures.  That’s why I chose to use the same frames in different sizes.  Because the frames are cohesive, the pictures can all be different and it still works.  (I found my reclaimed wooden frames at a local store on the coast, but these frames are very similar.)

-affiliate link used

My first step is to always pick one or two pictures that I love and definitely want to use.  For this season it was our most recent family picture and the picture of my three kids.  They took up the two large horizontal frames and gave me my new color scheme.  I actually put these two pictures in and then the rest of the frames sat empty for a few weeks until I had time to find other pictures that worked.  No shame in taking your time with house projects!  Clearly that’s the underlying motto around here. ;)

Now I knew the colors I wanted to use so I started looking through old pictures to find 3 things: pictures that included similar colors to my original pictures, pictures that screamed Spring and Summer, and pictures that bring me joy.  This picture of my girls in their past Easter dresses was perfect!  And while the color navy isn’t in my original two pictures, I have a lot of navy in my living room so it worked.

So I had a picture of my girls.. now I just needed one of my little buddy.  Hmmm.. a picture of Kole that screams Summer?  That one was an easy, obvious choice and one of my all time favorite pictures.  Such a cool little dude.  Even at 2 months old. ;)

For this last large vertical picture I had several options, but kept coming back to this picture of me and my girls.  It’s not a favorite picture of me (at all), but I will always remember this day.  We were at the Cove (one of our favorite hang outs) watching the seals, playing tag on the grass, wading in the ocean, just spending time together as a family.  I clearly remember feeling so full of gratitude for my two little girls that day.  For some reason this day always stands out in my mind.  It does for my husband too and he has always loved this picture.  Bonus that our clothes are pink, blue and green.  Fits all criteria! :)

I then had three small frames left to fill so I knew I wanted one of each of my three kids.  I just went through pictures and found a few that were taken during the Summer that brought back fun memories.  El with her dad at the beach.

Ad in a favorite swimsuit.

And my little frog.  I loved bathing my babies and this picture takes me right back to those days. :)

I ended up pulling in more of the color green than I planned but I love it!  A great color for this time of year.

For the random object/frame/whatever I can find to put at the top I really wanted something in a circle or a different shape to break up all of the rectangle frames, but I couldn’t find anything that looked right.  This hello Spring sign I had bought at Target for Ad’s room but decided to try it here and the colors were perfect.  I’m still on the hunt for something that fits the space a little better, but it will do until then!

So to recap a few tips for creating a gallery wall that works:  

1 – Choose a picture or two to start with that you love.  These original pictures (and the colors in the room) set the color scheme for your gallery wall.

2 – Look for pictures/objects that have similar colors, fit in with the season (if you are decorating seasonally) and that bring you joy.

3 – Face end pictures inward.  You’ll notice that the large picture of Kole is on the far right so that he is facing in towards my gallery wall.  The large picture of the girls in navy dresses is on the far left so they are also looking inward.  For some reason this always looks better than if people in the pictures are looking out away from the gallery wall.  That takes your eyes away from the pictures.  Just a little observation I’ve made!  We are looking straight ahead in the picture of me and the girls together so that one went in the middle.


So nice to have this coordinated gallery wall updated for Summer!  Now we can focus on making more memories for next year’s wall.

:)

*You can find more pics of my living room and all sources in this post.

xoxo, Erin
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Family
06.12.17

Easy Cashew Chicken

Easy Cashew Chicken (Sunny Side Up)Happy Monday friends!  I’m switching gears just for today and going totally out of my comfort zone to share a recipe with you all.  That’s right.  I cooked.  At least a time or two last month.  And we all know that when I cook it has to be documented.  Try to contain your excitement for what’s to come. ;)  This easy Cashew Chicken is actually a recipe I shared years ago on my blog.  It’s one of our family go-to meals because everyone loves it and it’s SO easy to make.  Definitely worth sharing again!

*affiliate links used

This is all you need!  Chicken, broccoli, cashew halves, rice and the secret ingredient – General Tso’s Sauce and Glaze.  Can you see why I like this recipe?  5 items.  That’s about my max.

A close friend told me about this General Tso sauce and it’s delicious!  My grocery store stopped selling it a few years ago so now I order it on Amazon.  I always order this pack of six for a great price and then I can make this meal every 3-4 weeks.

Ok – quick disclaimer before I share how to make this.  I take pictures of food about as good as I cook.  Maybe even worse (if that’s actually possible) so let’s please remember before viewing these pictures that I am NOT a food blogger and aside from making cool pyramids with my sauce jars like I’m in the 5th grade, I know nothing about styling food.  Or taking pictures of it.  

Thank you and carrying on now..

Step 1 – Cut the chicken in pieces and cook it.  I cook as many chicken breasts as I can fit in this pan which is usually 4-5.  (This is my least favorite step that I’m always happy to have behind me.)

Step 2 – When the chicken is cooked, pour a bottle of General Tso’s sauce on it and stir.  (I like this step.. suddenly without much effort on my part the chicken is starting to look and smell fancy.)

Step 3 – Set aside some of the chicken if you have a family member with nut allergies.  (I love you and you’re welcome Addison.)

Step 4 – Pour in the can of cashew halves and stir.  As many as you like!  (This step is my favorite because the chicken now looks and smells really fancy.  Your mouth will start watering and you might start thinking about sneaking off into the pantry and closing the door and eating the whole pan yourself instead of sharing at this point.  Not that those thoughts ever cross my mind.)

Step 5 – Boil some rice.  I prefer Boil-in-Bag brown rice.  You pop a few bags of rice right in the pan and they only take 10 minutes to cook.  Plus there’s no mess!  Brilliant.

Step 6 – Boil some broccoli. 

Step 7 – Place everything on a plate, take a lousy picture of your easy Cashew Chicken in bad lighting with blurry rice and over cooked broccoli (I over cook my broccoli every time) and then serve!

Step 8 – Have your husband snap a picture to document an evening when nothing was burned.

I look so happy in this picture don’t I?  That’s because the cooking is done.  And with leftovers plus a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich night or two, I’m off the hook for a while. :)

I hope you enjoy this Easy Cashew Chicken as much as we do!  I’ll be back to chat with you all tomorrow.  About home decor, not chicken.

Whew!  Looking forward to that.

:)

p.s. Getting questions about the pans I use! You all know I’m no chef so there might be something better out there, but I have used these pans for YEARS and love them. :) I linked to sources below!

xoxo, Erin
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Family
06.07.17

Life Lately!

Friends!  I’ve missed you all!  You know that feeling you sometimes get like you forgot something?  Or you know there was something you needed to do but you can’t remember what it was.  And you just feel a little off.. like something is missing.  Whenever I go longer than a few days in-between blog posts that’s how I feel!  Kind of funny.  Blogging is so ingrained in my every day routine that when I don’t have time for it I feel like I’m walking around without something important like my purse or my cell phone.  Or my left arm.  :)  That’s a long way of basically saying that I’ve missed you all and things are finally slowing down for us (this is my girls last week of school then one more for Kole – hallelujah!) and I’m excited to be back posting again. :)  Before I dive into all sorts of fun stuff on the upcoming blog agenda I thought I’d share a few random pics that I had on my phone of what we’ve been up to lately!  It has been a busy and fun month to say the least.  Lots of pics so I’ll keep the chit chat to a minimum.  Or try anyway.

(affiliate links used)


My cute friend joined the 40’s club!  We are the youngest two out of most of our friends and quite like it that way.  But unfortunately we couldn’t run from 40 forever.  {Sigh}  At least we’re in it together. ;)  Had so much fun celebrating with her!

I don’t know what it is about ugly laugh pictures but when I find them on my phone they are always my favorite!

{similar ruffle top/gray cargo joggers}

Love these girls!

Found this picture and had a lovely ah-ha moment about why my jeans have been feeling so snug lately..

Saturday morning walk with my babe.  We love our walks!  Without the kids we can actually carry on complete, uninterrupted sentences.  #itsthelittlethings

Snapped this of my boys on our way out the door to church.  Love the every day routine pics.

Hanging with these two cuties at Ad’s band concert.

Best music I’ve heard in years. ;)

Our playroom is a hot mess right now!  I have a good reason that I’ll explain later!  The good news is that Kole and his friends never seem to mind and just carry on as usual in the land of make believe. :)  (But if this picture makes you twitch like it does to me, you can see our playroom in all of its organized glory here.) ;)

Dinner in La Jolla!  LOTS of evening events with my husband this past month.  I about wore out this shirt dress (sold out) and this favorite black dress.  I was so glad I had them both to rotate!  I always love time spent with my husband but it is hard to get out of the house in the evenings on school nights.  (Moms can you relate!?)  So much going on with the kids that it sometimes feels like more work than it’s worth trying to arrange help.  I definitely decided that weekend date nights are where it’s at.

I like to keep puzzles in my closet.  Gives me a few extra minutes to get hair/make-up or cleaning/laundry done when Kole is wandering around board or impatient. :)  (Master Bathroom pics and sources here.)

 On her way to play audition call backs!  She tried out for a part in Alice in Wonderland so I sent her with our white rabbit stuffed animal.  Just to keep in the car for good luck. ;)  It must have worked because she got the part of Alice!  The play director sent us an e-mail while she was at school and we were so excited!  She had activities after school until late so when she got home El and I surprised her with the news.

El made a poster and I put on our Mad Hatter hat from a past Halloween and we had Alice music playing in the mudroom when she and Kenny walked in the door.  She was so surprised and excited.  Fun moment. :)  I’m so proud of her!

We have had such a cool couple of months on the coast!  Our “May Gray” and “June Gloom” is in full force and I’ve honestly been in cozy sweatshirts with the fireplace on while I get things done at home most mornings.  It’s a nice change from the constant sun for San Diego locals, but seriously!?  NOW it’s cold!?  Would love to have this weather in October – January when the rest of the world gets to wear a turtle neck and have pumpkin spice everything.  A little backwards around here!  If you check my favorites page half of the clothes are sweatshirts.  Just in time for summer.  Ha! :)

Outfit on repeat:  Favorite Zella leggings/Favorite cozy sweatshirt

We’ve still been having pool time, but the hot tub is getting the most use!

Two weekends ago I flew to Salt Lake City for a quick weekend with my mom and sister for my mom’s birthday!  (We were so bummed my sister in law couldn’t make it!)  We stayed at my sister’s house in SLC the first night and I got to spend a little time with my cute niece and nephew.  My niece was excited to show me around her cozy backyard “house.”  She swept for my arrival and served me some lovely tea and we had a nice conversation around the fire. :)  Love her.

Then the next day we took off to Park City!  Spent a day shopping and eating and stayed the night just enjoying some girl time.  It was so beautiful!

My mom sent me these pics of me and my sister.  Just starting to laugh at something coming out of a restaurant in this first one.

Then before you know it we were cracking up!  Oh my word.  This picture!  I only laugh this hard with my sister.  Like we’re about to die and need a bathroom STAT kind of laughing.  Ha ha.. talk about the ugly laugh in full force!  We have had more moments like this than I can count.  My mom just shakes her head.  I probably should have taken more pics of the beautiful scenery while we were there.  Instead I just have this picture to remember our trip.  Oh well.. it pretty much sums up the weekend. ;)

Then this last weekend it was show time!  All day dance dress rehearsal for my kids on Saturday and then Sunday was the big show.  I took this picture Saturday on our way out the door.  I signed Kole up for a hip hop class this year because we pretty much live at the dance studio anyway with the girls and I thought he might like it.  He was the only boy in his class and they performed a dance to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.  (Anyone else have that song memorized?  Totally dating myself.)  Kole was the Fresh Prince!  K – I know I’m his mom so I’m a bit biased but seriously you guys.  He was into it and it was adorable.  And hilarious. :)

The girls danced beautifully!  So proud of these two and all of their sweet friends.

My parents came to town for the big show.  Always special when grandma and grandpa are visiting!

The true highlight of this year’s show was that for the first time my girls’ dance studio had the dads do a dance in the recital.  Any dad who was willing to volunteer!  My husband about died after the first practice class (they had their own rehearsals!).  It was a real hip hop dance and it was fast.  I think all the dads thought they would just dance around acting silly but this was serious business.

They had rehearsals for weeks!  And chose these lovely outfits to wear.

I can’t really put into words what went down with the dads dance except to say that I laughed so hard I cried and I don’t think I was the only one.  I’ll just let these pictures do the talking!


Oh I can’t even..

Seriously you guys.  I wish you all could have been there.  It was epic.  Ha!  It’s amazing what dads will do for their kids isn’t it? :)  These men were absolutely awesome.  The DVD of the show always takes about a month to come out and I seriously can’t wait to watch that dance again.  Proud of my husband for taking one for the team (my kids loved it!) and I’ll never forget this day of watching my whole little family perform. :)


Waiting to give his sisters flowers after the show.

Ad came out first!  (And are my new earrings not the coolest!?  I feel so 80’s when I wear them.. ha!  Love that.)


Showing Ad a funny picture waiting for El.

Girls with my cute parents.

And one sly little photo bomber.

Life lately!  This past month has been a good one.

:)

xoxo, Erin
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Home Decor
05.31.17

Nautical Modern Boy’s Bathroom

Happy Wednesday friends!  I hope you all had a nice long weekend!  Back in the swing of things right!?  I’ll admit I was moving a bit slow today.  My brain is beyond ready to click into summer mode!  It doesn’t want to think so hard anymore. ;)  Almost there!

Since I finally shared progress in my little buddy’s bedroom a couple of weeks ago I thought I’d share pictures of his bathroom with you all today.  There’s a little hallway in his bedroom with his closet on the left and his bathroom straight ahead.  I’m calling his bathroom a Nautical Modern Boy’s Bathroom because.. well.. it’s a bit modern and a bit nautical and to be honest I have no clue what else to call it!  I didn’t really have a plan when I designed his bathroom and I had a harder time pulling this space together when we were building.  Despite all of that, here’s how it turned out!

(affiliate links used)

I tried really hard to get a decent picture of this bathroom and finally realized that I just couldn’t do it..

without having me smack in the middle of the mirror.  So hello!  Don’t mind me and my tripod and my sweats staring back at you.  Ha!  But at least you can now check out Kole’s bathroom.  :)

You might recognize the lights and mirror!  I had similar custom mirrors made in my girls’ bathroom and I used the same light fixture that I used in their bathroom too.  Unfortunately they don’t sell this fixture anymore!

I went with a white Quartz countertop (similar to what we used in other rooms in the house) and simple, modern chrome hardware.  I also added a fun rock tile border.  The neutral paint in this bathroom is “Crisp Muslin” by Dunn Edwards.

The white hand soap and toothbrush jars were a Home Goods find (similar jars here).

I don’t know the exact gray color I used on the cabinets because it was a custom gray/brown mix that I kept tweaking until it looked just right.  Sorry I’m not more help on that one!

One of my favorite things in this bathroom is the floor!  It looks like wood but is actually tile.  It has been such a great bathroom floor.  It’s soft, but not too slippery, easy to keep clean and I love the distressed wood look!  (I added links to similar wood/tile floors below.)  The rugs I bought for this bathroom are my all time favorite bathroom rugs.  They are PB’s Morgan Memory Foam Bath rug and you won’t find a softer rug out there!  This gray border is “flagstone.”  I have the same flagstone rug and also the “twilight” navy rug in the larger size that I rotate in my powder bathroom.  

Ok!  This bathroom isn’t large so it was a bit tricky to take pictures.  I’ll try to take you on a little tour!  To the right of the counter and sink is a window and I added large gray rectangle tiles below it around the bottom half of the room.

To the right of his door I added some hooks for towels!  These fun towels with gray strips are from Target.

Next to the towels is his shower.  I went back on forth on whether I should add a tub in this bathroom.  When we moved in Kole was still little and was taking baths.  But we have a bath tub in the guest bathroom he has been using the past few years and I knew once he got a bit older he would mostly just use a shower.  We decided to just put a shower in this bathroom which allowed us to make it a larger, nice sized shower.  I figured he’d appreciate that some day. :)

I added the flat rock tile on the shower floor.  It’s so soft to stand on!

Before we moved Kole into this room and bathroom we used it as a guest space.  My dad loves this shower!  He gets excited to come and stay with us just so he can use it.  So yeah.. he’s not too happy about Kole reclaiming this space.  Ha!  But my 7 year old little buddy is using it now and showering all on his own.  I have to be there still to encourage him to keep moving along or he’d play in the water for an hour!  But he scrubs and washes his hair all by himself and it’s pretty cute seeing how proud he is that he can do everything independently.  Sorry dad. ;)

I kept the inside of the shower simple and used large gray modern tiles.  I was trying to pick something that would work as Kole grew older and wouldn’t date too quickly.  I added a quartz bench.

And a little nook for soap and shampoo. :)

I also tried to sort of enclose the toilet so it felt a bit more private.

That’s a wrap on Koles modern nautical bathroom!  Designing this bathroom was definitely a learning process for me!  But I’m happy with how it turned out and my little buddy seems to like it too.

Not that he’s too hard to please. ;)

p.s.  I shared a sneak peek of the light we just added in the guest bedroom in my insta stories today and had a lot of questions about where the fixture was from!  I added it to my “shop my favorites” page so you can check it out there!  It’s so beautiful you guys!  I can’t wait to give you another guest room update!  :)  I also added some cute things I ordered from the Nordstrom sale that ends this weekend so you can check that out on my favorites page too.  And so sorry btw that my master bedroom post has been pushed back!  I need at least two solid hours to go in and photograph everything (at the right time of day with good lighting) and it just isn’t happening this month!  I knew if I didn’t get that room photographed and posted before May hit I’d be in trouble.  This month has been insane!  It will be a priority once school ends and we get in a good summer routine. :)

Ok friends.  Bathroom sources and similar items are below!  And as always, thanks for stopping by. :)



xoxo, Erin
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Fashion
05.25.17

Roses, Gates, Sales and Survival!


Happy Thursday friends!  How is that for a post title?  Random one today. :)  First up for discussion.. my roses are blooming!  I took some pictures of them quickly last week.  They are just too pretty not to share!


When we were picking out plants and flowers for our yard I wanted TONS of hydrangeas!  Then my builder and landscaper reminded me (for the 645th time) that I don’t live on the East Coast.  Those plants don’t do well in Southern Cal.. so why couldn’t I just pick out a Spanish tile roof and some Palm Trees and move on already… ha!  Clearly I was supposed to live in Nantucket and missed my true calling. ;)

Ok.  Fine.  Next best thing to hydrangeas?  White roses!  So we planted LOTS of white roses.  Lining the driveway and around the yard.

They bloom on and off during the Spring/Summer and I get absolutely giddy when they first start popping out every year.  So pretty!

These are white iceberg roses.  They are always a bright white at first..

and then they start turning pink.  :)  (Still need to get some flowers in that window box!)

Kole and I have a little routine every week.  He brings the trash up from the street to our gate while I check on the roses.  Then I open the gate and put the trash cans were they go and then we play outside for awhile.  Sometimes we play hide and seek.  Sometimes we look for bugs.  :)

Last week I brought out my camera and while I was snapping pics of the roses I realized that I’ve never shared pictures of our side gates!

They are simple, but one of my favorite things.  My builder and husband wanted the gates on the sides of our house to be rock.  I wanted white gates.  Because I think I live in Nantucket remember. ;)  I sketched a picture of some inset wood gates (similar to the cabinets in our home) but wanted a fun detail on top so I added the little open squares you see on top.

I was excited about how they turned out!  Kind of craftsman coastal like the rest of the house.  Plus they cost less than rock gates would have so my husband was happy.  He got to stay in budget and I got to continue on with my East Coast home fantasy.  Win win. :)

A view from the other side.

I also added  this on the side of our yard for an enclosed trash can area.  Kenny gave me a hard time about figuring out a way to make the trash cute.  But why not?  :)

Then we added that same style of gate to the side of the house.

It hides all of the ugly swimming pool equipment!

White roses and white gates.  I’m a fan.  :)

My little buddy loves to skip.  Seriously the cutest thing.  This picture makes me happy because it has SUMMER written all over it!  Roses, green grass and skipping in the sunshine without a care in the world.

We are almost there moms!  This May has been so insane.  A couple of nights ago I found this post I wrote last year and re-read it!  I needed the reminder.  These 5 Strategies really do help me whenever I start feeling overwhelmed.  I thought I’d share this post again in case any of you are also drowning in end of the school year activities!


And for those of you who are finishing school this week or next (I’m so jealous btw.. we go until mid June!) here is what our Summer To-Do list looked like last year for some fun ideas of things to do with your kids while they are home.  My kids really look forward to brainstorming this list every summer.  Almost as much as I do. :)

Ok!  A little fashion before I sign off!  I know.. this is the never ending post.  My week is so busy that I have to fit in as much as I can when I have time.  Major back log of blog posts going on around here!  But Nordstrom is having their Half Yearly Sale and it started today!  Woot woot!  So many of my recent favorites are on sale!

(affiliate links used)

{Ribbon Tie Sleeve Top/Instasculpt Jeans}

This picture is awful because it was cloudy when I took it, but I’ve had this Ribbon Tie Sleeve top for a while and love it!  Perfect comfy top for some of our recent cool May weather.

The ribbon sleeves are such a fun detail.  It comes in 4 colors and is marked down to $29!

{Hat/Similar Tee/Liberty Jogger Pants/Chucks}

Keepin’ it real with this one!  CRAZY month = no time to get ready.  I look real impressed with myself don’t I?  Ha!  It’s all good because I have no problem running around in sweats on days that I’m working from home and then playing taxi driver all afternoon. :)  These Liberty Jogger Pants have been on repeat!  Cute, comfy.. a great fit.  They are Make and Model – one of my favorite brands of lounge wear.  And I know lounge wear. ;)  Love them!

Remember my Valencia Tee?  LOVE love love this top.  It’s on sale too!  Also comes in a pretty coral color.

I wore it this week with these cute Zella capri joggers.  I have a feeling these pants are going to be my favorite thing to wear this summer!  They fit darling!  True to size.  SO lightweight you guys.  They come in black too and I already have the black pair in my on-line cart. :)  Zella has always been a favorite brand (love their leggings!) so I was excited to try these and even more excited after I tried them on.  Perfect summer staple!

My Eyelet Collar top is 40% off!  (Comes in other colors too.)  And so is my favorite navy clutch!

{Ruffle Sleeve top/Jeans/Faux leather tote/Wedges}

My favorite ruffle sleeve top is also on sale!  I told you all how soft this top is!  Like wearing pj’s all day.  After I shared it a few posts back I heard from so many of you that you bought it and love it.  It always makes me so happy to hear when you love one of my recommendations!  This comes in gray and black too and sizes are going fast.  It’s a good one. :) My wedges are also 40% off!  And I don’t have a picture in this ruffle sleeve top but I love it and it’s also marked down!

So excited about this one.  My Vince Camuto cross body purse is 50% off!  Shut the front door!  I think this color just sold out (it was still there when I started writing this post and isn’t now) but it comes in lots of fun colors.  They won’t last long.  Such a good deal!

And we can’t forget fun things for the home now can we!?  My cute coral fringe pillow is just $26!  And this throw or this one would look so cute with it and are also on sale.   This sale is a good one you guys!  Kind of excited.  Good sales have that effect on me. :)

Favorites (most are on sale!)



Other sale items I’m excited about (the headphones are my husband’s favorite!)


Rugs I’m loving that are marked down!

Alright.  Signing off!  I’m sorry my posting is so sporadic this month!  Kind of in survival mode right now.  I have two more crazy weeks and then everything starts to SLOW down.  And I will limp across the finish line like I do every June!  And then I’ll have lots to catch up on with you all.

:)

xoxo, Erin
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Fashion
05.19.17

Fashion Friday (new favorites for the kids!)

Happy Friday friends!  We made it through another week!  I don’t know about all of you but around here that is definitely something to celebrate. :)  We have been running non stop this month with the usually May madness, but somehow managed to make some time early May to prioritize cleaning out the kids’ closets.  Getting Kole’s clothes sorted and moved into his new bedroom inspired a little clothes clean out with my girls.  I had them bring all of their clothes into their hallway so they could sort everything and only keep what they really wear, love and what actually still fits!  This sort of thing used to be so difficult for them!  It would take forever and they would hardly part with any clothes.  I was so impressed at how quickly they went through their clothes and that they got rid of more than they kept!  They are definitely growing up.  And my endless quest to teach them how to de-clutter and organize just might be paying off.  At least when it comes to clothes.  Stuffed animals are a different story. ;)

When their closets were clean we looked at their clothes and could easily tell what they needed for Spring/Summer so updating their clothes was a breeze!  My girls had earned some money so after we cleaned closets I took them shopping for a few new things to wear and two days later Nordstrom reached out to me about collaborating on a post on kids’ clothes!  One step ahead of you Nordstrom!  Talk about feeling organized. ;)  Today I’m sharing what we found for the kids and are loving right now!

(affiliate links used)

New running shoes for my little buddy who never slows down!  Love them.  He wears a lot of orange.  Because I love him in it. :)  I got him the Vans for church and times he needs to dress up.  Of course another pair of Converse one size bigger for El along with the Adidas.  So she can match her mom. ;)  Addison needed new shoes for PE and Volleyball and has loved these Asics.

This Print Handkerchief dress we picked out for Addison is my absolute favorite!  So cute.  It hits above her knees in the font and then comes down longer on the sides.  We bought her sandals at Nordstrom last year (love them!) and they are back in other fun prints and colors.

Love the back too!

She was on her way to audition for a play when I took these pictures.  Proud of her. :)

 (Shirt/Cargo Pants/Flip Flops)

A fun new causal outfit for school!

Love these cargo pants.  I wish they had them in my size!  Such a great fit and the zippers are too much fun.

This girl is pretty fun too. :)

(Good Life Hooded Tank/Asics)

Day two of her play audition!

She got called back for day two that was all about dance.  This hooded tank was perfect.

I picked her up from school, braided her hair and dropped her off at dad’s office so he could take her while I took El to dance.  YEA for days when dad can help with activities.

El and I Sunday after church a couple of weeks ago.  Comfy shirt dresses are her favorite right now.  This blue dress is from Nordstrom but I can’t find it on line!  (You can find my Knit Flare dress here.)

This X back knit dress and Gladiator Sandals are another recent favorite outfit of El’s.  Comfy and low key for summer.  Summer!  It just can’t get here soon enough.  I’m so ready.

This is the same dress but in a different print.  Because when you love something this much you buy it in two patterns. :)  (Similar black shoes)

Let’s dab for a moment shall we?  Because when you live with teens that what you do. ;)  Love this girl.  We have had quite a month.  She has been studying the Reproductive System in Science so lots of heavy questions and conversations.  We had “the talk” over a year ago but this has been all of it on a whole new level!  13 years old is full of a lot of changes and some nights I lay in bed at night going over and over our conversations in my head.  Hoping I said the right things and explained it all in a way that makes sense.  Hoping she feels like she can always come to me with any questions.  Teen parenting is no joke!  And we are at the very beginning.  I’m tired just thinking about it. :)

Love her so much and I’m so proud of the way she has handled the adjustment to Middle School this year.

And my little man.  Had to get him a few cute new things to wear!  Last year I told you all about my long time love of Natives.  Hands down my favorite summer shoes for Kole!  Perfect for mud, water, whatever kids throw at them!  These knit shorts are another fun find.  I’m always looking for comfortable clothes since Kole sleeps in them too.  Ha. ;)  I think I shared these in a past post already, but for moms of little boys these underwear are my all time favorites!  Stocked up on a few more.

I mostly order from Nordstrom on-line because it’s so fast and easy, but it’s honestly one of my favorite stores to shop in at the mall too because of their awesome customer service.  Taking three kids shoe shopping is not my idea of fun!  At Nordstrom they always help me get in and out so quickly!  Kole always leaves with a balloon and I always leave with my sanity in check.  Thank you Nordstrom. :)  We bought him a pair of navy Natives and the grey/green combo which he wanted to just wear right out the door.

Loved this shirt so much I bought it for Kole in two colors.  He’s showing me his hip hop dance.  We tossed him in a hip hop class this year because we are at the dance studio so much with my girls.  He is the only boy in the class and for the recital this year they are doing a dance to “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” and he’s the Fresh Prince.  Ha!  Ask me how excited I am for that number.. my boys got moves. ;)

And he NEVER slows down.

Like I said, same stripe v-neck shirt different color. :)

Found this pic on my phone.. heading to Target I think.  Btw.. this Fleece Twist Front shirt is seriously the coziest top EVER.  We had a cold snap last week in San Diego and I wore it three times!

Another favorite new top for Kole.  And these shorts!  They are the Ribbed Waist Utility Shorts and are hands down my favorites shorts for my little buddy.  I bought three different colors and plan to order a couple more.  Summer wardrobe right there!

So tough.

DIVE SCHOOL

Love him. :)

These are those same utility shorts in orange.  His front tooth on the right is loose.  I’m trying not to be, but I’m so sad about it.  Once kids lose their baby teeth there is no trace of little left.  Not quite ready for this one to grow up any more than he already has!

This Smartcare wrinkle free white dress shirt is another long time favorite.   A dress shirt I never need to iron?  Yes please.  Do you love the portrait he drew of me in church last week?

I don’t think I’ve ever looked better.

:)

Enjoy your weekend everyone!  Sources are below along with a few other fun things my kids are wearing and loving right now.  Huge thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post!  And for making shopping with my three as painless as possible. ;)







xoxo, Erin
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Home Decor
05.17.17

Nautical Industrial Boy’s Bedroom (progress!)


Friends!  I feel like there is so much going on I want to share with you all!  I could seriously start typing and never stop.  Well.  I might stop for a snack.  My posts usually make me want popcorn.  But as long as I had some popcorn I could seriously start typing and never stop!  But I won’t do that to you.  Yet. ;)  I need to keep the chit chat to a minimum because I have SO many pictures to share of the progress I’ve made in Kole’s bedroom!  I titled this post “Nautical Industrial Boy’s Bedroom” because that seems to be the direction his room is heading.  Although by the time I finish decorating there might be a new spin on things.. who knows at this point.  I’m all over the map this month!  (This might be a good time to grab that popcorn.)

Quick re-cap where I left off.  My little boy has been sleeping in our guest room since we moved into our new house because he was so little when we moved in and that room is closer to our master bedroom.  My baby is 7 years old now and not a baby anymore {tear} so we are finally moving him into his real/big kid bedroom and turning our guest room into a real guest room.  (Suddenly Pinocchio is coming to mind…)  When I last shared his room we were having our carpenter install some shiplap for a fun focal wall to get the party started.


These two go way back..

Long time buddies. :)  At least now Kole “helps” by chatting with Chuck while he works instead of climbing all over his supplies. ;)


Come in come in!


Come in faster!  ;)


Friends.  We have furniture!  And a rug!  And bedding!  Not a lot of decor yet, but all of the large, main items have been chosen and delivered and assembled.  For me getting to this point is the biggest hurdle.

(affiliate links used)


I knew I wanted an industrial style bed for this room and we have been so happy with the Owen Bed from PB Kids.  It’s well made for a kids’ bed and I love the look!


The bedding is from Restoration Hardware Baby and Child.  I wanted simple navy for the comforter and debated between this set, this set and the set I finally chose because I love the grommets.


These letter sheets (also from RH) were the first thing I found and bought for his room!  Love them.  They are so much fun and crazy soft.  BUT.  They are flannel and way too hot for summer so I am probably going to replace them soon and just use them during our few cold winter months.

Rug, dresser, nightstands and the rope mirror are all also from RH (teen and baby/child).  I found multiple options for each item.. some less expensive (I’ll share them all at the end of this post), but I ended up getting a lot from RH for this room because aside from loving the look, they also carry larger sizes that worked better in this space.  The fun industrial/rope basket holding stuffed animals next to the dresser is from Tai Pan.  I bought it a year ago for my family room but didn’t love it in that space.  I was so happy to find a home for it (and a good purpose!) in Kole’s new room. :)  I still need to figure out something to hold his plastic swords/light sabers in the other corner.


This mirror looks so small in this picture alone on this wall but it’s actually quite large!  And very heavy.


The built-in window seat is my favorite part of Kole’s room.  Such a fun spot to chill and read a good book.  And those drawers below!?  I was in my happy place designing those.  :)  I’ll share how I’m organizing all of his things in an upcoming post.  But you already knew that. ;)


I picked out the coastal wall lanterns when we built the house and the linen/zinc bulletin board was a happy mistake!  I had ordered it from RH for our master bedroom, but the wide zinc frame looked too industrial for that space so I bought this one for my master and was planning on returning the zinc board.  On a whim I decided to take it to Kole’s room to see if it would work anywhere.


PERFECT size for this wall space in-between the two windows!  That was a happy day. :)


The bench seat was custom made by my friend Tritia (you can find her info. here).  The fabric has a navy and orange stripe because I’m planning on bringing orange into this room as an accent color.


Kole’s favorite Star Wars pillows are a start (here and similar here), but I need to find more fun pillows for this bench.

Homework I can handle. ;)


I looked at SO many rugs for this room.  I kept gravitating toward stripes, but wanted to try something different because I have so many striped rugs in my house already.  Ha.  :)  I tried getting Kole’s opinion and it was pretty clear he could care less!  At the end of the day I went with the stripes.  I just liked this rug the best.  What can I say!?  Except buy what you love. ;)


The biggest decision I had to make for this room was what to do with this blank wall in-between Kole’s bedroom door and his closet/bathroom.  I debated so many options!  For a while I was planning on putting a desk against this wall.  But after finding desk options and measuring, a desk and chair would have come out too far in the room.  This open space is the main walk way in this room (and the best open space for Kole to use when he plays) so I wanted to keep it open.  That meant finding something that didn’t come out too far into the room.  I decided a book shelf would be best!  I originally wanted this Emerson shelving from World Market (I’ve always loved it!) but it wasn’t wide enough for this space.  Back to RH!  This industrial pipe shelving was more than I wanted to spend but it was the perfect height, width and depth for this wall.  I’m so happy with how it looks (matches his bed perfectly!) and I can’t wait to style those shelves.  The steel pipes had to be mounted to the wall so this baby isn’t going anywhere for a while. :)


A few weeks after we got the shelves up my husband brought in this annoying Internet access point and said it has to stay put on this shelf so I’ll have to work around some lovely cords when I’m styling!


Using the bottom two rows for books.  :)


Around the corner from the bookshelf is a walkway that goes into his closet on the left (pictures of his closet in my last post!) and his bathroom.


So that’s a wrap on the progress in Kole’s room!


There is still a lot to do, but next is the fun part.  My favorite part!  The smaller stuff.  Styling and adding Kole’s things and personality into the room.

He has personality plus so that shouldn’t be too difficult to do. ;)

Sources are below!  I also included similar items I considered and the sheets I’m deciding between for the warmer summer months. :)

*Paint is “Himalayan Trek” by Benjamin Moore #1542.   Fan is from Craftmade Fan Solutions.






xoxo, Erin
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