*affiliate links used

Hello friends!  Happy August!  I love August.  Summer is so fun but after two months of late nights and kids all over the place and no schedule I start to crave a little routine.  Plus shopping for school supplies is my favorite. :)  Bring on the end of one season and the start of another!

I know I owe you all an update on Ad’s bedroom (it will come at some point!) but today I’m sharing a few pics of El’s bedroom transformation.  I’ve shared parts of her room before but thought I’d put a full post together with before and afters.  When we moved into our house 8 years ago she begged me for a bedroom with purple walls.  Then she became a teen and begged me for a bedroom without purple walls. Ha. Here are a few pics of her little girl room when she loved all things purple and panda bears.  :)

My little dancer. :)

We ended up painting her room our main house grey color at 50%.  You can find details about this grey paint (and all of my paint colors) on a printable when you sign up for my e-mail list here.  This pic was taken with my phone in the evening with bad lighting – the greys look darker than they really are in person!

{playroom sources}

Once we got the new paint color figured out we moved all of her stuff into the playroom for a few days.  That’s always a good time. :)

Good-bye purple!  I’ll be honest.  I was a little teary the day we did this.  I never loved the purple, but it was like saying a final good-bye to all things little girl with my little girl.  The end of an era is never an easy transition for me!  Luckily this story ends well and I have loved having teen daughters.  I feel like every stage with my kids is the best stage with my kids.  Minus a few “teen” moments. ;)

{brass & acrylic fan/whimsical waves comforter/faux fur pillows/bed skirt}

This is how El’s room is looking today!  She wanted a “non-cluttered room with white, cream, soft pink and gold accents.”  So that’s what we did.  El is a neat freak and likes her room to be pretty clean and organized.. don’t ask me where she gets that from. ;)  We kept the ballet shoe print and her bed and nightstands.  Then we switched out her ceiling fan to this updated gold/brass fan, and added these cute bubble lamps and this white waves comforter.  I have this same comforter on Ad’s bed too and love it because the kids can lay on it to do homework or hang out and it always looks good!  The wrinkled look never looks messy and wrinkled. :)

{ivory faux fur chair/faux fur pillows/jewelry box/bubble lamp}

I got this faux fur chair for my girls during quarantine.  Just so they would have a place to mix it up and sit to read or study while they were doing on-line school.  They have both loved it (it’s seriously so comfortable!).  They both use it and Ad often pulls it into her room too.  (PB teen has a lot of fun comfy chair options for teen rooms!)

{jewelry box/bubble lamp}

We kept the bookcase too.  I’ve had this Elsie bookcase in both of my girls’ bedrooms since we moved into our house 8 years ago and I still love them.  It’s so nice when you can find furniture that transitions with kids as they grow!

{beach summer of love art/palm tree art/beach umbrella wall art}

She wanted her bookcase really simple with beach prints and I bought these 3 framed prints during the N sale last year.  I had two of them on other shelves in my house and somehow they all ended up in El’s room. :)  We all enjoy living by the beach but El is my child who truly LOVES the beach.  It’s part of her!  She would spend time there every day if she could.

Nordstrom always has cute framed prints marked down for their anniversary sale and two of El’s prints above are included.  I added some other favorites from this year below (on sale through this Sunday!).

I had lots of fun ideas for the wall between her bedroom and bathroom door (was thinking of something cool with gold framed mirrors) but El kindly requested more beach prints.  It’s her room!  More beach prints coming up. :)

{etsy beach prints/similar gallery wall frames}

We found this cute set of digital prints on etsy and had them developed in the full size of her rose gold frames.  You can also buy them already printed here.  It looks like these exact frames sold out.. I linked similar options above!  You can also find other fun beach print options here.  There are so many cute combos available!

I had the little white desk made when we moved in this house because this corner is so small.  I never imagined it would get used the way it did last year!  She spent her Junior year of high school in this corner.

{similar white desk/metal frame oversized round rose gold mirror/trifold make-up mirror}

We’re hoping that this year she can just use it for make-up. ;)  I bought El this trifold make-up mirror for Christmas last year and she loves it and uses it every day.  A fun gift idea!

{faux fur throw}

Two other beloved items in Els’ room are this pretty faux fur throw and her lights!  You can’t see her multicolor LED lights in this pic – they sit right below her crown molding over her bed.  She wanted them so badly for Christmas a few years ago (ALL the friends were getting them) and we caved and she’s obsessed… turns them on every night.  I’m personally not a fan – they make her room look like a disco party.  Ha.  But I am a fan of making my sweet girl happy so multicolor LED lights it is.

And Addison has a lizard.  Which by the way is HUGE now.

The things we do for our kids!

That’s where we’re at with El’s bedroom update!  I’m happy to say this space is now fit for a teen. ;)  She keeps all of her personal items and dance memorabilia displayed on shelves in her closet.  I’d love to create a fun picture wall with photos of her and her friends above the chair (personalize the room a little more).  I’d also love to add a rug and a bench at the end of her bed but El doesn’t want them!  She likes things simple so I have to resist the urge to keep adding details.

Which is why I moved on to her sister’s room. ;)

Pics with El through the years..

They grow up so fast!  Embrace the purple paint.  Then embrace painting over the purple paint.  Love them hard and be grateful for every minute.

(Proud of you El.  Love, mom)

:)

{BEDROOM SOURCES}

{stripe towels/white coat rack}

Happy Friday!  So excited about today’s post!  Talking July Amazon Buys, the best chicken and fun home items that were just added to the N sale!  Random I know but when it’s fun random we don’t care. :)  I’m kicking off my July Amazon Buys with my go-to striped towels for my coat rack turned towel holder.  It has been so hot and humid this month and we have been living in our pool.  Different friends rotate through and my kids are in and out multiple times a day.  I’m so grateful for our pool towel solution!  Now if I can just come up with a way for the pool towels to magically wash themselves.  Does Amazon have a solution for that? :)

When I was in Utah I spent some time at Koni’s house like I always do.  Koni and I have been life long friends – besties through school and on forever.  (If you want to see some fun throw backs check out this blog post from 2008 when only my family and close friends (like Koni) were reading my blog.  Worth it just to see our hairstyles. Ha.)  Anyway.. I walked out to her backyard and saw this work of art!  Then promptly asked her where she got such a fabulous idea. ;)  So smart to put two of the coat racks side by side!  And baskets below holding sunscreen and pool toys.

This coat rack is honestly one of my all time favorite Amazon buys and I’ve loved getting e-mails from so many of you who use it this way too!  (on sale right now!)

I ordered a few more towels this month (was so happy they are back in stock!)  These towels have been great.  They are big enough, but not too big making laundry hard and they are very absorbent.

Speaking of pool time.. we ordered a couple more fun Amazon items after spending time at my moms.  She had this watermelon ball for the grandkids and it was such a hit!  I’m still trying to figure out why it’s so fun.  It just fills with water and sinks and then rises.  Nothing too special, but the boys absolutely loved it and played with it for hours.  So when we left my moms and the watermelon ball behind.. into the on-line cart it went. :)

My mom also had a full face snorkel mask that Kole was obsessed with. I never would have thought to order something like this for our pool but it entertains him so long!

It’s so kid friendly and just fit his face so well.  He swam with it for hours every day when we were at my moms.  When I got home I ordered this kids full face snorkel mask.  It works great, but is a tiny bit tight on his face (a perfect size for kids 10 and under) so I just ordered this snorkel mask to try and see if it fits him a little better.

Who needs Maui when you can snorkel in your own pool? ;)

Sorry.. more pool items.  Not hard to figure out what we’ve been up to all July. :)  Last summer I discovered and ordered this electric portable pump to blow up pool floaties and we have used it over and over and over.  It has 3 nozzles and so you can easily use it for any pool floatie, air mattress or whatever you want to inflate.  I included it in my collage this month because we’ve been using it so much and it’s such a beloved Amazon purchase!

It works so well and blows things up so quickly.. I don’t know how we lived without it for so long!  This blue lounger made its way to our house this month.  Loving the side drink holders.  Ultimate relaxation!

Bonus.. it matches our pool and pillows so nicely!  Not intentional but we’ll take it. :)  Below are a few other fun Amazon buys for July!  I’m reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens with Kole.  An assignment for his whole future 6th grade class.  I’m making my girls read it too (or listen to it on audible) so that we can have some family discussions.  They are absolutely thrilled about it as you can imagine. :)  I’ll let you know what I think when we finish.  Trapped in a Video Game (the first book) is one of Kole’s long time favorites.  It’s an easy read for him now, but when I saw him re-reading the first book I decided to order the series for him for some fun summer reading.  If you have a child/grandchild who loves video games these books will be a hit!  I pick up a water slide for the yard every summer that Kole uses with friends and by the end of summer it’s usually hanging on by a thin thread so I get a new slide for the next year.  I gave Addison the dead sea mask for Christmas and she has loved it so I picked up one for me to try. :)  I also ordered this pretty gold plated necklace (along with this necklace from the N sale) to see which one I like better, a few more of Addison’s pink velvet hangers for her closet, some waterproof bags for a rafting trip she went on (they worked great and kept everything inside dry!), and Aquaphor chapstick.  Cherry ice is my all time favorite but when my kids’ lips get really chapped.. it’s time for Aquaphor.

1- the 7 habits of highly effective teens / trapped in a video game  2- kids snorkel mask/bigger option

3- triple racer water slide   4- mud mask   5- gold plated necklace  6- beach towels

7- waterproof bags 8- velvet hangers   9- pool lounger  10- watermelon ball

11- electric air pump  12- aquaphor lip repair stick

I’m so excited about this cast iron double grill!  One of my favorite N sale purchases.  I’ve had one for years but I use it all the time and it had seen better days (an understatement!) so I tossed it out and am so happy to have this replacement.  I use grills like this to cook chicken and thought I’d share this little trick because it’s so easy and will make your chicken delicious!

(I shared this on my blog a couple of years ago and I’m sharing it again for anyone who is new or missed it!) 

All you need is chicken tenders, extra virgin olive oil and this Santa Maria seasoning.

Put your chicken tenders in a bowl, add olive oil and sprinkle a very generous amount of the seasoning on the chicken (you can’t use too much!).  Stir it together in the bowl.

Then cook your chicken on medium heat!  If I look stressed in this picture it’s because I was.  I always have an apprehensive, unsure look on my face when I cook.  Ha.

Just keep flipping the chicken back and forth until both sides are cooked!  You can also sprinkle a little more seasoning on each side while the chicken is cooking too.

Ta-da!  Honestly it tastes so good!  My kids love this chicken and it’s so simple to make.  Plus I love just cleaning off the grill and not having to wipe down my entire cooktop.  This cast iron grill is flat on the other side so perfect for pancakes and french toast too. :)

{extra large wood cheese board/large wood cheese board}

Ok.  I wasn’t planning on talking the N sale in this post but ahhh!  They just dropped new items in the HOME category!  Good stuff!  Like my beloved Treasure & Bond cheese board!  Large and Extra Large.  You know I have a lot of cheese/serving boards in my home.  I can honestly say these are the boards I use the most.  I have both sizes and they are perfect for afternoon snacks..

or for shelf decor.  I always have two displayed on my entertainment center shelves.  I love the shade of the wood stain.. so beautiful!

They are also perfect for fancy treats during the holidays.  This is as fancy as we get. :)

That made me excited for Christmas!  So here’s my shelf with all new holiday decor.  And the treasure and bond board. :)

{wild poppy art/tower 23 art}

They also brought back two of my favorite art prints!  I have them both displayed in my upstairs laundry room at the moment.

Below are other fun homes items I love that are just popping up and on sale for such a great price.  I ordered the wooden bowls (large wood serving bowl/medium wood serving bowl – they look gorgeous!), the beautiful round wood serving tray and the stripe comforter & sham set .

1 – extra large wood cheese board/large wood cheese board  2 – stripe hand towel

3 – stripe comforter & sham set  4 – tower 23 art  5 – trisilk pillowcase  6 – iman accent pillow

7 – large acacia wood tray  8 – clipped floral shower curtain

9 –  large wood serving bowl/medium wood serving bowl

10 – fringe throw blanket  11 – round wood serving tray  12 – wild poppy art

That wraps up this random post!  Swim in a pool, cook some easy chicken and enjoy your weekend everyone!

:)

*affiliate links used

I hope you’re having a good weekend so far!  Kenny and I spent the day running errands and catching up on things around the house.  Kind of a work day but definitely productive.  We were able to spend a little time alone together which is always a good thing.  When you have 3 kids a Costco run alone together becomes major bonding time. ;)  I’m looking forward to some down time Sunday!

Not long ago I shared my girls’ organized bathroom drawers.  I think we’ve finally found a solution they can maintain because they have stayed organized.  Woot woot!

(You can see the rest of their organized bathroom drawers in this post.)

I thought I’d share what their bathroom is looking like at the moment.  When it’s clean.  (We’ve tackled drawers but keeping the counter clean is still a work in progress.. ha.)  Above is a picture of how their bathroom looked for years when they were younger.  The little white stools!  We brought those over from our previous home.

They bring back so many memories. :)

This is how their bathroom looks today with a recent re-fresh!  Still simple with just bath mats, soap and a decorative tray on the counter, but a little more grown up. :)  My girls will turn 16 & 18 during this next school year but they will always be those little girls in soft, pink pjs and curlers to me!

I ordered these fun bath mats from Anthropologie a while ago for my bathroom but they just didn’t feel right in that space so I tried them out in my girls’ bathroom.  Perfection!  I love them here and so do my girls.  It looks like they sold out in navy but are still available in lilac.   These are some other bath mats I love!  Especially for teen spaces.

These are all items I shopped from my home that you’ve most likely seen before. :)  Round wicker trays are so versatile and look good everywhere.  They are definitely one of my most used decor items!  I linked a few options I love below.

One small detail that adds a lot to this space is the Capri Blue Volcano hand soap and lotion set.  I love this navy and gold soap bottle.  One of my sweet friends gave it to me for my birthday last March and I put it in my main floor laundry room.  (I still need to share that space organized!)  It made such a fun statement that I bought another set for my girls’ bathroom.  I just refill them with basic hand soap from amazon!

You can see both soap bottles in this picture.  We have double sinks in this bathroom but it’s hard to photograph them both!

Here is a better look from an older post.  With the stools.  Did I mention I love those little white stools?  Sigh.. 

{hydrocotton bath towel/hand towel/washcloth}

My girls’ favorite white towels are marked down for the N sale!  They actually come in lots of colors but I’ve switched my girls over to mostly white towels.  It’s just easier for laundry and they always look good.

That wraps up my girls’ bathroom re-fresh.  Always nice to have kids’ spaces organized isn’t it!?  Since we’re talking kids I’ll add my kids’ favorites from the N sale below.  My girls have grown out of little girl clothes just like they grew out of their little white stools, but I still love looking at little girl’s clothes in stores.  Old habits die hard. :)  I rounded up all of the cute things I would have bought them a few years ago!  I also found some fun things for Kole.  He has grown so much this past year and needed some new tops and definitely shoes!  The boys collage below is everything I bought him including his favorite socks.  We’ve tried lots and they are his #1. :)

Enjoy your Sunday!

1-waffle bodysuit & pants set  2- two-piece pajamas  3- stripe two-piece pajamas

4-denim A-line dress   5- knit dress   6- smocked cuff side tie top 

7- long sleeve top   8- high waist leggings   9- distressed skinny jeans

10- romper   11- hipster briefs  12 – camo leggings

1- night graphic tee  2- fade graphic tee  3- socks  4- palm rise graphic tee 

5- fleece hoodie  6- classic slip-on sneaker  7- air zoom pegasus 38 sneaker 

8- elite basketball shorts   9- old skool sneaker 

10- sweatpants  11- dunes graphic tee  12- taper fit jeans

*affiliate links used

I hope you all had a happy and safe 4th!  We’ve been road tripping the past two weeks and just pulled in to San Diego a few hours ago.  Feels so good to be home!  We had a great 4th in SLC with family and then spent some time in Park City.  I got back in town just in time for the N sale.  YEA!  The Nordstrom Anniversary sale is here!  You can find details all about this year’s sale HERE including when you can shop.  The sale kicks off today for Icons and I’m heading into my store to round up all of my favorites to share this week!  I hope it helps to see the items I’m loving and how things fit.  If you can’t shop yet you can still preview the sale and put items on your wish list.  I rounded up my favorites in the HOME category below and will be posting other favorites throughout the week.  If you aren’t into Fall fashion and the Nordstrom sale it’s ok!  We can still be friends!  Just not besties.

KIDDING!

Kind of. ;)  I have lots of organizing and decorating coming your way too.  So much to share!  As soon as I get groceries and catch up on laundry I’ll be blogging up a storm.

First a few pics of our 4th!  Nothing like cousin time.  You wouldn’t want to run into this crew in a dark alley.  Ha.

My sister and her husband once again made a feast of all feasts and we ate for two days straight.  SO good.  I kind of let all things healthy eating go the past two weeks while we were traveling.  Felt so good I don’t even regret it!  Although I’m sure I’ll feel differently when I’m trying on jeans at the N sale.

My bother-in-law and the master chef!  I hand picked him for my sister (have I ever shared that story?) and now I know why.  Everything he grills turns out AMAZING.

LOVE them. :)  The only one of us not pictured above is my brother who took this group shot.

I wish I had a good picture of him to share but every shot that involves my brother looks something like this.  Siblings!  Funny how when the three of us are together we’re instantly kids again and everything is hilarious.  Car and I get laughing so hard we can’t come up for air and our kids look at us like we’re crazy and wonder what happened to their moms.

Love the 4th!  Love July.  Love my people. :)

Ok.. N sale HOME favorites!  All of the items below I have and love!  Other than #10 and #11 that I’m buying because I need a new grill and the hand towels are so cute for Fall. :)  I love that the serving boards come in black too this year!  Most of these items will sell out quickly because they are such a good deal.  My best advice with all things N sale is to be decisive.  If you think you want it, don’t wait.  You can always return items you change your mind about but if you pause.. it won’t last.  Items fly and this sale is not for the weak.  Be bold!  Be decisive!  Hit purchase or move on!  Can you hear the Rocky music playing in the background!?  We’ve got this. ;)

1-  bath towel   2- cheese knives. 3- round marble serving board  4- marble coasters 

5 – serving board  6- marble lazy susan  7- monogram coasters   8- duvet cover 

9- stripe shower curtain  10- griddle and grill  11- kitchen towels    12- feather duvet 

{stripe shower curtain}

Here are a few of my favorites on sale in my home!  This shower curtain in our guest room comes in navy too.. so cute and just $20!  (More bathroom details in this post.)

My round marble serving board and marble lazy susan sold out so fast last year.  I’m happy they brought them back again!  Two favorites that are always displayed somewhere in my home.

We love these bath towels!  I always stock up on white but they come in other colors too and are a steal during this sale.

There are SO many beautiful throws this year!  I did a separate collage of favorites.  Anything Barefoot Dreams is sure to be a hit and will sell fast.  I splurged on this in the wild throw and it is hands down my favorite blanket I reach for each night on the couch.  So much so that I hide it from the rest of my family!  They all try to steal it.  I gave a few away last year and am excited to pick up a few things for some of you again this year!  A way to say thank you for all of the support you give me.  It means so much.  Plus it makes my day when I can send something special your way!  Hang with me on IG this week for more details. :)

1- floral throw blanket   2- bliss throw   3- faux fur blanket 

4- in the wild throw   5- cotton & linen throw  6- faux fur throw 

7- riley oversize throw   8- cozy chic throw   9- cloud oversize throw 

10-whistler throw blanket  11- jasper oversized throw  12- coastline plush throw

Most of these throws come in lots of colors.  They are making me so excited for Fall decorating!  You too!?  But it’s HOT so we’ll be patient. :)

Of course my beloved Bliss throws are back.  Wouldn’t be the N sale without them!  BEST gift.  I’ve pretty much given one to every person I know at this point. :)  They also have them available in a larger size this year.

They work so perfectly with my little throw styling tip.  Remember this!?  When I’m laying a throw over the back of a chair (or in the corner of the couch) I always twist it in the middle.  Then I tuck it into the chair/couch corner.  It makes a perfect little spot for your pillow and helps create the look you want!   Like it’s casually draped over the chair and looking flawless with no effort on your part whatsoever. ;)

Ta-da!

I’ll be back tomorrow with more N sale favorites!  In other HOME news Studio Mcgee dropped new Fall items at Target and oh my word.. so good!  I rounded up items that stood out to me below and then ordered a few things.  I’ll share how I’m using them in my home soon!

1-lantern pendant  2- cookbook stand  3-color block pillow 

4- floral print pillow  5- oversized woven pillow  6- diamond persian rug 

7- ficus tree   8-artificial branch plant   9-oval metal tray  10-throw blanket

1- seagrass pendant table lamp   2- framed canvas  3- magnolia wreath

4- chunky woven basket  5-serving utensils  6-bowls 

7-ceramic vase   8-vase  9- carved vase  10- gold metal ladder

Lots of good things going on this week.  Happy Monday to you all!  If you’re shopping the N sale stay tuned!

And may the force be with you.

;)

*affiliate links used

{light fixture/malta rug/couch cushions/couch base/storage unit/shimmer baskets/foosball table}

Happy July everyone!  I’m a little late with my June Amazon buys.  We have been enjoying friends and family and kids and summer and sun.  All good things.  I so hope you are doing the same and I hope you have fun plans for the weekend!

Remember my in-progress teen hang out room?  This space used to be a playroom for my kids when they were little, but it wasn’t getting used much so I starting transforming it into a teen hang out.  I was off to such a good start with a cute rug, couch, additional storage and my kids’ favorite – our beloved hanging rattan chair.

Then my husband made an executive decision that he and Kole needed a ping pong table.  Ummmm.. not part of the plan.  He spent some time researching different tables and finally decided this was the one.  The good news?  This room is getting used more than ever and it has become a true teen (and family) hangout because everyone loves ping pong.  The bad news?  This table takes up our whole room!  No need for a rug.. no room for the couch.  I had this space decorated so cute in my head!  But to be honest I’m glad I never finished decorating it the way I originally had planned.  This set up doesn’t look as cute, but it’s much more practical.  This room is a mess right now (I snapped these pics quick with my phone after we set up the table) so I’ll share it when I get things put together.  I’m going to add some things to the walls and get it semi decorated.  Debating new paint.  On to plan B!

Another bonus with this ping pong table is that you can easily set it up so that just one person can play.  It has been keeping Kole entertained for hours!  Which in my book is priceless. :)

This is another Amazon purchase that helps me keep Kole entertained.  He has always loved hidden pictures and this 4 book set is great.  I love things like this for when we travel or after we have been out in the sun all day and just need some inside quiet time.

I picked up another bottle of my favorite tanner this month.  I’ve tried several self tanners and this is my favorite because you can so easily see exactly where you’re applying it and how dark it’s going to look.  It looks natural and is so easy to blend if you have the mitt!  A summer staple for me.

I mentioned that my favorite storage bags for pillows were back in stock so I picked up a couple more.

{jewelry organizer/rug}

Also my jewelry organizer came!  I love this because I wear a necklace almost every day and this is such an easy way to keep them from getting tangled when I travel.  There are also more pockets for bracelets or a watch and places for your rings and earrings.  I have a thing for letter necklaces (I’m sure you’ve noticed by now!) so most of my necklaces are a little mini “e.”  Below are favorites!  I have them all but one and it’s on my wish list.  Necklaces like this are one of my all time favorite gifts to give and I love seeing my friends wearing their letter necklaces too. :)

I shared other travel favorites (including my favorite make-up bag above) in this post but I forgot to share my favorite travel duffel bag.  (Not Amazon but it matches my Amazon travel accessories perfectly!)  I bought a pink and black Luca duffel for me and Kenny for Christmas last year and we have been loving them!  So many pockets for all the things and they are just soft and comfortable and easy to carry and attach to larger luggage.  I have this backpack on my wishlist for next Christmas.  (I like the duffel for car travel but want the backpack for when we’re flying.. nice to have your hands free in the airport with kids!)

My faux cherry blossom branches arrived and I have to say.. I’m impressed!  I thought there would be a major difference between these and my more expensive faux branches but they look VERY similar.  The main difference is that these branches are a little smaller and if you look up close at the brown branch it doesn’t look quite as real.. but SO close and the blossoms are very realistic!  They come in a set of 3 and I ordered 2 sets so this is 6 branches total.  Perfect for most vases.

Here is a closer look.  Impressive right!?  Amazon SCORE.

Below is everything we bought and loved from Amazon in June!  I’ve been on such a travel accessory kick I ordered two new sets of packing cubes to try.  I’ve had some for years but don’t love them.  I ordered this set and this set and will report back with my favorite.  We also picked up a fun swim tube for the pool, another small backpack (Addison loves her so much I got one for me and El to share), jumbo hair rollers El wants to try, and this kitchen sink/counter squeegee that is amazing for cleaning up food/spills.  I’ve been using it mostly in my farmhouse sinks to help guide food into the drain.

That’s a wrap on my Amazon favs.  Enjoy the holiday weekend!  Party like it’s 2021. ;)

1- highlights book set    2- jewerly organizer case   3- cherry blossom branches 

4- tan mousse  5- packing cubes   6- pool float   7- leather backpack 

8- jumbo size hair roller set   9- ping pong paddles  10- indoor table tennis 

11- kitchen sink squeegee  12- storage bags 

*affiliate links used

Happy Friday!  We’re feeling festive over here after I gave our outdoor area a good cleaning.  It was due!  We’re having a few get togethers before the 4th so I added some red, white and blue!  A lot of the flag pillows and banners I usually put in this space I used inside this year and I didn’t want to spend a lot so I found some inexpensive options and I’m so happy with how it turned out!

I popped up this simple banner with painter’s tape in 2 minutes!  Then I added these cute $12 red plaid pillows.  They are 20×20 and so comfortable!  I’ve had them in navy for years and love the red for July.

These red dishes will be fun for summer and then I’ll use them again in December (the mugs are perfect for hot chocolate!).  I’ve also been loving this glass pitcher for lemon water (comes in a set of 2) and I didn’t photograph it but I picked up this cute utensil holder.  Perfect for outdoor dining!

Festive and fun and ready for guests!  And food.  Whose bringing the food?  I just like to be in charge of the cute pillows and dishes. :)

I also finally got around to hanging our 4th of July pics on my shiplap display wall.

I love this board because it forces me to get our pictures off of my computer and phone and out where we can enjoy them!  You can see more details about my shiplap display wall here.  You can also see more pics of how I’ve decorated my home in past years (inside and outside) for July in this post.

I was looking on-line last night for something cute to wear for the 4th (for me and the kids) and found so many fun options.  I went to my happy place putting outfits together. :)  You could mix and match all of the items below!  I stuck with mostly solid pieces because they can be worn after the 4th too.  Fun summer fashion!  I have a lot of these items already (I own and love all of the sandals).  I love #4 for a dressy look but outfit 1 & 2 & 3 are more what I would actually wear for the 4th to the parade/pool/fireworks.  I want the cute white dress in outfit 5!  And all of the fun earrings.  Tell me which outfit is your favorite!  I’m also dying over all of the cute options I found for kids!  I so miss the days of buying sweet little matching dresses for my girls.  I have a feeling that wouldn’t go over so well now.  Ha.

1- slim ankle jeans   2- v-neck t-shirt   3- star drop earrings 

4- chuck Taylor sneaker   5- phone crossbody bag 

1- puff sleeved top    2- high waist demin shorts   3- tassel drop earrings 

4- riley clutch    5- granda slide sandal   6- selina sandal  7- a-line mom shorts

1- sleeveless dress    2- star power earrings 

3- straw circle handbag    4- slide sandal     5- sundress 

1- romper    2- teardrop earrings 

3- leather clutch   4- strap sandal   5- ankle strap sandal

1- Americana heart earrings    2- bell sleeve ruffle dress 

3- straw basket tote   4-  greece sandal

1- tie dye romper    2- puff sleeve dress   3- floral print dress   4- button-up shirt 

5- graphic tee   6- chambray dress  7- kids printed dress   8- striped terry romper 

9- wide leg jumpsuit   10- slip-on sneaker   11- flag logo tee  12- crew socks 

13- athletic shorts    14- board shorts

Nothing like July festivities.  I had a good laugh at some of our past 4th of July pics while I was going through them today.  Kole!  I swear he’s screaming in every holiday picture I have of him when he was this age!  That boy did NOT like to hold still.  Look close at my arms in this pic and you can see the death grip I have on him.. ha!  Also if you remember pics like this of Kole in a death grip and my girls with braided hair and matching dresses you’ve been with me a while and I’m sending you a huge hug for sticking around so long! :)

Out of all of the pictures on the 4th we’ve taken through the years this is my favorite.  A pic I snapped quick as an afterthought getting into the car of El playing with Kole.  Oh my heart.  This one takes me right back!

I love July because it’s a month I get to spend with my whole family.  It’s complete madness when we’re all together.  The very best kind of crazy!

The boys act like idiots in their patriotic hats.

And admittedly.. so do the girls.

Bring on the fireworks!  I wouldn’t have it any other way.

:)