Organization

Organized Hair Tool and Bathroom Drawers

Friends! I’m so excited about today’s post! I’m finally sharing the rest of my organized bathroom with you all that includes how I organize my hair tools and my vanity bathroom drawers. If you missed my first post on my master bathroom organization (how I organize my towels and make-up) you can see it here. Today’s post (all about my vanity drawer organization) includes one of my favorite drawers in my house. YEA! Happy I’m finally getting around to sharing it with you all. :)

*affiliate links used

{Master Bathroom Pictures and Sources Here}

On one end of my master bathroom I designed a vanity. I’ll be honest. I have yet to sit at this vanity to get ready. I like to stand at my bathroom counter to get ready and I don’t know if that’s just from habit (I never had a vanity before this house!) or just because that’s me, but someday I might decide I like to sit down to get ready and if/when that happens, my vanity will be ready. :) For now, it’s a beautiful space to organize all of my jewelry (jewelry organization in this post) and a few other things I’m showing you today.

Ready to see the inside of these drawers? Let’s do it…

But wait. I’m not ready yet. ;) First I wanted to show you this picture. The past two years I have been traveling a lot more than my norm. Aside from our yearly family vacations and trips to grandma and grandpa’s house, I started traveling a lot for my blog. It has been so fun and a real growing experience for me, but also crazy to be continually packing and unpacking. I wanted to make getting ready for trips as easy as possible so I bought these cute little travel containers from Target, filled them full of my favorite every day products (I’ll share them at the bottom of this post) and then used my trusty label maker (on sale right now!) to label them all. Next I organized a little “travel drawer.”

The left side of my vanity is all dedicated to travel supplies. Mini containers with hair products, mini soaps and deodorant, toothbrush holder and a container for vitamins. Because I turned 40 this year. So now I’m old and need vitamins. :)

Mini toothpaste, floss, hairspray, extra contacts.. everything I need for a trip!

I have absolutely loved having everything for travel organized in this top left vanity drawer! It makes getting ready for a trip and unpacking from a trip SO easy. I especially love that I don’t ever have to wonder if I’m forgetting something. My make-up is all in this drawer and travel supplies are all here so I know I have everything I need.

The next drawer down (not pictured) holds extra travel supplies for when I run out (more soaps, etc.) and then the bottom vanity drawer..

holds all of my make-up/travel bags.

The drawer on the top right holds extra random things like an older Clarisonic (this is the new sonic I use now) and elastics for when I do my girls’ hair in this bathroom.

The next drawer below looks like two drawers but is actually just one really deep drawer. My fav!

I was so excited when we built our house to design a drawer just for my hair tools! I sketched a picture for my carpenter and he made this beauty happen for me.

Four spots for my hair tools (blow dryer, two sizes of curling irons, one flat iron) and then open spots for all of the cords.

Then we talked to the electricians and put a plug outlet in so that I can plug them all in inside the drawer if I’m sitting at the vanity to get ready. Which I don’t do yet. But might someday. ;)

Is that not organized perfection!? Makes my heart skip a beat every time I open it! The best part is that I can put my hair tools away while they are still hot. My counter stays clean and I don’t have to worry about little hands touching things that might burn them. Bonus. :) There is room in the open spaces for cords to add hair tool attachments or other hair supplies if I ever wanted to, but they just hold mostly cords for now.

The top two middle drawers are empty so that completes the tour of my organized hair tool and vanity bathroom drawers!

On a random note, and because we are talking about all things travel, I have to show you my new favorite luggage. I’ve been on the hunt for new luggage for about a year now and recently bought this Ambuer 2-Piece Spinner Luggage set. SO excited about it! It’s everything I was looking for. Lightweight, but durable. Easy to roll in an airport, unique color so it’s easy to spot at baggage claim (I ordered Rose Gold but the set comes in other fun colors too!).

And the inside! The large suitcase is HUGE and I love that there is a flap on the left side that zips up over your clothes and has space for shoes and extras. There is also another zipper pouch you can see on the right side of the suitcase. Organized luggage compartments galore! Makes me giddy. :)

The small travel size suitcase has the same shoe pockets and compartments.. just smaller. :) I just bought the 2-piece set, but you can also buy the 3-piece set if you wanted a bag in-between these two sizes. Had to share in case any of you are traveling a lot and looking for good new luggage too! This is one of the new favorite things I just added to my updated Favorites Page. Some of my recent Fall favorites (also on that page) are 40% off like this dress, these over the knee boots and these booties I’m especially in love with!

Organized travel drawers, organized hair tools, organized luggage and Fall favorites on sale! This post is making me really happy.

I sincerely hope it does the same for you. :)

Post sources are all below! (You can find decor sources for my master bathroom here and sources for my favorite make-up here.)

xoxo, Erin

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Organization

09.06.17

A Day In My Life

Every year in January I put up a survey on my blog asking what you’d all love to see more of on Sunny Side Up and guess what the number one thing is that I always hear back? A regular day! Never what I’m expecting to hear, but I get it! It’s always fun to see how other people live and how they fit in all that they do. So friends, this is it. Today I’m sharing what a typical day in my life looks like. You can bet it will be beyond glamourous. ;) I’m joining my friends Amy and Christy at Magnolia Lane and a group of fun bloggers in this series so there will be lots of fun “day in the life” posts to check out! It’s always the best to get ideas and learn from each other.

I picked a day last week and documented the whole thing from start to finish. I used my cell phone for a lot of the pics during all times of the day (not just good lighting times) so this truly is real life in all of it’s grainy glory. Grab a snack! My days are long. ;) Here we go!

Our alarm goes off at 6:20 am and my husband has to roll me out of bed. I am a night owl and don’t like early mornings! He gets in the shower while I fumble my way upstairs to wake my girls. Ellie is usually up and going already, but Addison (pictured above with a blanket over her head) is like me and never wants to get out of bed. Sometimes I get back in bed with her and we both snooze for 10 more minutes until we nudge each other and convince ourselves that we have to get up. :)

Once my girls are both up and going I go back to my bedroom to put on my workout clothes and then I head to the kitchen to start making breakfast and packing lunches. El gets lunch at her school, but Ad and Kole still like to take a lunch despite my on-going efforts to convince them that school lunch is amazing and lunch from home is of the devil. Lunch packing. I am not a fan. I always have the kids set their lunch boxes and water bottles out on this counter the night before so I’m not searching for them the next morning and sometimes (if I’m on my A game) they get the packing started the night before with things that won’t go bad.

Then in the morning I finish them. I’m struggling this morning because Kole doesn’t want the leftover pasta I was planning on using so his lunch is looking rather pathetic with a cutie orange and animal crackers as the main dish, but it is what it is at this point! We need groceries. Kole usually wakes up on his own at some point while I’m making the food and then the girls and Kenny come in the kitchen and everyone (except me) eats breakfast. Then I help the girls round up their things and get out the door by 7:20. Most mornings (if my husband doesn’t have an early meeting) he takes the girls to their middle school on his way to work.

Kole’s school starts a little later this year and we have 45 minutes after breakfast before we have to leave so my new plan for this year is to get my workout done most mornings before I take him to school. I let him turn on his favorite Lego show and I sneak into my husband’s office. Kole is loving this new plan too. ;)

Last school year Kole’s school started at 8:00 so I went to an 8:15 class at Orange Theory after I dropped him off. (Do any of you workout at an OT? Crazy good workout!). But this year Kole is at a new school that starts at 8:30 so I can’t go to my class. I don’t want to take the 9:20 class because I have too much to get done during my kids’ school hours and can’t have exercise take up the whole morning, so over the summer we bought a new treadmill and my plan is to do a quick 30 minutes on it before I take Kole to school. I still may do an OT class once a week and I usually run with friends one morning a week, but this will be a quick something for most busy days. I’ve been decorating Kenny’s office and it was looking so good until I plopped a huge treadmill in there.. ha! Not my best decor accessory. ;) But it works! And he could care less.

After I exercise I finish helping Kole get ready and off to school we go! He has to wear a uniform this year – little polo shirts and tan shorts that he’s not a fan of, but I help him accessorize with fun shoes/backpack so we make it work. ;) I chat with moms/friends at his school after walking him in and then head back home.

This is the morning rush kitchen mess that is always waiting for me and even though I need to shower and have tons of work to do, I can’t do anything until I’ve cleaned my kitchen!

I put an egg on the stove and while it’s boiling I start cleaning. I know – one boiled egg is a lame breakfast! But I am never hungry in the mornings and would love to just skip breakfast all together if it weren’t for the whole “you have to eat breakfast.. it’s the most important meal of the day”.. spill. So I make myself eat an egg and call it good.

{Kitchen pictures and sources in this post}

I get the kitchen looking like this again. Ahhh. Much better!

Then I style a few things in my bay window because it has been empty and I want the house looking good for a party we are hosting over Labor Day weekend for 70+ people – my daughter’s dance team and families. (Which we had and it was so fun! Pics coming later.)

I add some lemons to a wooden bowl and a new plant.

Then I take this pic to share on Instagram at some point.

{Master Bathroom Pics and Sources}

Kitchen is clean so I head to my bathroom to get ready for the day. My bathroom wasn’t quite this clean but I forgot to take a pic of it. Although I will say that ever since I organized my bathroom drawers I have been doing a pretty good job putting things away immediately and keeping it clean! Definite improvement. :) I shower fast (and don’t wash my hair) and get ready.

(affiliate links used)

I wear my favorite jeans, go to booties, tassel earrings I’m loving right now and my recent favorite ruffle tee that has been on major repeat this month. This is the time I usually take my Fashion pics – right after I get ready and before I’ve wilted from the day’s activities. ;)

{Office pictures and sources}

Then it’s time to get to work! During the day I work at this window desk in my office/craft room. Lots of fun things help me stay organized!

I have multiple planners – which aren’t necessary but I’m a planner/notebook addict so there’s that. :) In one of them I have my blog content planned out for a month. I always get side tracked and never follow it exactly, but it’s a good outline to go by.

This is an older to-do list, but using it just to show you – I always have a running to-do list going (one for my blog and one for every day life) and then I highlight the top three things for each day. When they are done, I highlight three more and just keep going!

I also have a Visual to-do list in my office that I refer to for larger projects I’m working on. You can read more about that here. I have more desk organization coming in a post soon because this post is already too long!

At my desk I answer e-mails, make phone calls for the upcoming party and appointments for the kids I need to schedule, answer blog comments, etc. I am giving a fun gift to a friend at the party that involves everyone sending me e-mails so I spend some time working on that too.

Time for lunch so I make me a quick turkey sandwich with baked lays and strawberries. Typical lunch I’ve been eating for years!

Once in a while I mix it up and make me a salad instead of my turkey sandwich. And then I always add some sort of candy or treat after. Because I wouldn’t want to be too healthy. ;) I usually take my lunch back in my office and eat while I keep working.

At this point it’s 1:30 and good lighting so I head to my guest room and take pics for a progress post coming soon. (One of the things highlighted on my blog to-do list!)

Then at 2:00 I have the countertop guys scheduled to come and install the counter in our theatre room. (Progress on that space coming too!) I meet with them and get them started and end up staying upstairs with them to show them where to drill holes for the faucet, sprayer, etc. At 2:45 they are still working but I have to leave them to finish while I run to pick up my kids from school. My work day is over so anything I didn’t finish will be put off until late!

I pick up this cute boy and hear all about a fun Science gummy bear experiment he did in class and how they also read his favorite story Teacher from the Black Lagoon and how his new school is the best school ever (yea! #momwin) and can he please have some food immediately because his lunch didn’t fill him up (sigh #momfail).

After chatting about his day he does the usual and requests “Thriller” from his play list. A long time favorite song. Halloween – we are ready for ya. :)

We head to the girls’ school to pick them up. I quickly answer IG questions while I’m waiting in the carpool lane. Then when the girls come I drive straight to Addison’s play practice. She finished Alice in Wonderland on a Sunday and started a new play on Monday! I leave Kole with Ellie and take Ad in the building she has practice (that also conveniently has a little food shop) and buy her a smoothie for a snack because she won’t be home until 7:00.

She meets some friends that are also in this play and I snap a picture and give her a hug good-bye. They have 10 minutes to eat before practice starts!

I get in the car and El and Kole beg me to get them pancakes at our favorite bakery. We usually have to rush home for El to do homework before dance, but she assures me she finished most of it during ISPE (she gets a study period at school instead of taking PE because of all the dance she does outside of school – love that!). Plus she only has 2 hours of dance tonight instead of her usual 3-4 hours so pancakes it is! I never order me anything because there is always left overs. :) We have a good chat and I hear all about Ellie’s day at school. She is keeping the middle school drama at bay and I’m proud of her. While El and Kole are doing a word search I hurry and post something on Instagram.

Heading back home! I snapped a picture of the pic that has been on my car dashboard for years now. That’s how old my kids were when we bought our van! Babies. My husband is trying to get me to buy a new car, but I’m sentimental (about the van and this picture) and am not moving very fast on that one. :)

I notice our pretty tree blossoms on our side yard pulling into the house and stop to take a picture. I never regret taking a minute to appreciate the little things. :)

We walk into the house and El heads to her room. Kole changes out of his school clothes immediately – ha! Then he needs a little down time to play so I find myself with 30 minutes before I have to leave again to take El to dance. Kids are fed and happy and I have just enough time to fix this mudroom closet that has been driving me crazy! We let it get messy over the summer and I could barely open the door. I quickly pull everything out, decide I don’t want to use the stacked organizer on the side anymore because it’s taking up too much room, re-organize everything, and put it all back nice and neat.

Better!

I start a load of wash downstairs and run upstairs to check on El and see if she’s ready for dance. Then I start a load of towels in the kids’ laundry room before we head out the door.

Kole isn’t excited about getting back in the car (poor kid gets driven around a lot!) but he does it and we take El and drop her off. Her water bottle says “I can’t, I have dance.” Pretty much sums up her life right now. :) It’s getting close to 7:00 so we then drive to pick up Addison from her play practice. On our way home we stop at the grocery store to get a few things so Kole can have a better lunch experience and actually get full the next day. ;)

You can see he was thrilled about that decision. This kid just loves to go grocery shopping.

;)

Luckily his sister keeps him entertained and cheered him right up!

We get home and I unload all the groceries and get the kids taken care of and I’m getting tired. This is always the hardest part of the day for me. I’m just starting to wear down from all the go go go and I still have a lot to get done. It’s around 8:30 and I’m home for the night so I change into my favorite pj pants and pull my hair up in a top knot and immediately I feel better. :) This is how I look every single evening once I’m home for the night. Whether that starts at 8 or 10 or 6:30. Once I’m done running kids around, my pj’s are on and my hair is up. And yes – I recognize that my top knot is huge. I have super thick hair and in college I wore it like this for dance practice (college dance team) and my friends all called it “the mushroom.” Ha. :)

I head upstairs to get Kole in bed and toss the towels in the dryer.

Kole wants to read before his shower instead of after tonight. We read together every night before bed and are loving the Magic Treehouse series right now. We take turns reading and a lot of times I stop at a cliff hanger on purpose so he’ll want to keep reading in bed. I’m tricky like that. :) Reading, shower and prayers with Kole and then I’m back downstairs wondering how in the world my kitchen looks like this again when I had it spotless this morning…

The roses were a fun surprise left from a friend. I start picking up and realize that it’s 9:00 and I haven’t eaten dinner and am hungry. I forget my own dinner a lot because we are so busy in the evenings so then I start eating/snacking too late. It’s a problem!

Kenny had a dinner with clients so I heat up the rest of some fajitas we had left over for Addison and grab a Lean Cuisine for me. This Chicken and Broccoli and Pasta is a good one! You can probably tell by now that I’m not much of a foodie.. ha! Most definitely why I don’t love to cook. I’d rather just make a quick turkey sandwich and be done any day. :)

While my dinner is “cooking” in the microwave I clean the kitchen and load the dishes. Again.

{Organized Bathroom Drawers}

I kiss Addison and get her up to bed and then eat dinner. Then I head to my bathroom to take out my contacts because my eyes are hurting. I always take off my make-up at this time of night because I stay up late and am too tired when I finally make it to bed.

Kenny walks in the door with Ellie (thank goodness he always does the super late pick ups!). She wants something to eat and I want to cry because the kitchen is finally clean. But I make her some food anyway and we talk about dance.

Kenny brought in the mail so I sort through and toss most of it and then find this.. my Christmas porch was featured in an upcoming Country Living Christmas Magazine! I love fun mail. :) Aside from the feature thinking about Christmas instantly cheers me up! (Btw.. because a lot of you have been asking, my kitchen is supposed to be showing up in BHG in Spring of 2018! They are slow to get things published, but I will definitely let you all know when it’s out!)

Back to our day! Does it ever end? El needs help with some math before she goes to bed and that is ALL Kenny. I’ll keep helping Kole with his sight words. ;) It’s about 9:45 at this point and I am finally sitting down to start working again. This is when I write and post! When my kids are at school I keep up with e-mails, complete projects and photograph them, and run errands. All of the computer part of my blogging happens after my kids are in bed (which used to work out so well when the kids were little and all in bed by 8:00! Not the case anymore.) I get my second wind right about this time of night though so I’m good. I start editing pics and adding my watermark and writing. El finishes math and heads to bed. My husband and I offer each other a tired “oh hello babe.. how was your day” just before he crashes on the couch. I turn on the TV for company more than anything else and work on my blog until around midnight or 1:00 am. If I can get at least 5 hours of sleep I’m good to go. I always tell my husband to go to bed without me but he doesn’t like to. So he sleeps on the couch in his clothes until I’m done and then I wake him and we head to bed together. He’s out again before I get my teeth brushed. :)

Then at 6:20 am the alarm goes off and we do it all over again!

We are in a busy stage right now with our kids and our jobs and a lot of days I am just doing the best I can to keep my head above water! But we are happy and our kids are healthy and doing great. We have a wonderful life that I’m very grateful for and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Except maybe hire someone to make the school lunches. I’d change that little routine if I could.

;)

Be sure to check out my friends “day in the life” posts too! I can’t wait to take a break from my hectic day to read about theirs. :)

Amy from 11 Magnolia Lane

Megan from Honey We’re Home

Haneen from Haneen’s Haven

Julie from Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss

Mallory from Style Your Senses

Sam from Simply Organized

Jennifer from Dimples & Tangles

Amanda from Dixie Delights

Rebekah from A Blissful Nest

Christy from 11 Magnolia Lane

SaveSave

xoxo, Erin

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Home Decor

09.03.17

Saying Good-bye to Summer

Happy long weekend friends! I hope you’re having a good one! I’m sharing some random summer pictures I had on my camera and iPhone with you all today to wrap up summer 2017. Then we are full steam ahead with all things organization! And pumpkin spice everything.

Now THAT’S a fun combo. :)

Legos. My favorite summer centerpiece.

{Family Room Sources}

Half of the summer we had the tent set up in the family room. I was ok with it because you know.. stripes. :)

Cozy spot to watch morning cartoons. And afternoon cartoons for that matter.

Our pool swan joined us for dinner a time or two because the kids didn’t want to leave him outside in the hot sun. (Naturally)

Hands down my best tablescape to date.

Heading home from a cloudy evening at the beach.

{Laundry Room Post/Sources}

Seeing my kids’ swimsuits drying on our laundry room drying rack is always one of my summer favorites. :)

So is walking into a room and seeing this.

Again and again. Crazy how long they can hang like this.

Morning chores.

Our morning chores usually take WAY longer than they should. Not sure why…

;)

New flowers in our flower boxes!

Can’t get enough of this toothless smile.

I took these pictures at a summer wedding my girls were a part of.. waiting for the bride!

So happy for this beautiful girl and long time favorite babysitter. She saved me when we were building our house and feels like part of our family.

My girls got a little emotional. Happy for her, but also growing up and change is hard.

Such a special day that we were honored to be a part of.

Quick stop at In-N-Out to eat before Addie’s play! Wearing my recent favorite Ruffle Tee that I shared in this post. Kirk the dinosaur joined and was clearly ready for a cheeseburger. :)

Show time! So proud of our little Alice in Wonderland!

She was darling. #proudmom We had a crazy couple of weeks with lots of showings but it’s always worth watching her on stage. She loves it so much. And I love her. :)

So many of her darling friends came to see the play!

I had a hot date to most of the shows. El snapped this picture.

So then Kole insisted on taking a picture too. I think he has real potential for a career in photography.. you?

Summer of 2017! It was a good one.

xoxo, Erin

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Fashion

08.30.17

Bring on Fall!

Friends! I’ve missed you! Crickets on the blog lately because the past two weeks have been just short of insane around here wrapping up summer and starting a new school year. Plus with the situation going on in Texas and Louisiana right now it has been hard to focus on a lot else. I am so heartbroken to see the devastation taking place. We have had to evacuate our home in the past two different times because of California wild fires so I know all too well the feeling of panic that comes when your neck of the woods is in danger. To see what some of these people are going through.. words can’t describe. I have several friends who live in Texas and have had to evacuate. I’m so grateful they are safe and I’m so grateful for organizations who are taking donations so that we can feel like we are doing something to help. If you live in an area affected by the floods please know you are all in our constant thoughts and prayers!

I know I said my favorite organized drawer was coming (and it is!) but because of life and recent events I got completely behind on my blog schedule (seriously.. why did I even attempt a blog schedule during the summer!?) so now I need to play catch up first. That post is coming soon! Along with TONS of other organization! I’m really excited about everything I have to share with you all this Fall! Summer was light on computer time but heavy on project time – lots going on around here and I’m so excited to finally have a minute to breathe and post about it all!

{Porch sources are in this post – along with how the porch was decorated last year for Halloween!} *affilliate links used

My girls started school Monday! 6th and 8th grade. Middle School! I can’t believe it. One in a sweatshirt hoodie and one in a dress. Typical! :) (Btw.. Ad’s dress is so cute and on sale right now for just $24!) They were both so excited to see their friends and meet new people. I always give my kids the same advice continually throughout the school year… to never be afraid to ask questions and to look for the kids who are new or need a friend. Addison came home from the first day and said “mom.. I made sure to reach out and was really nice to the new girls and included everyone, but does your advice apply to boys too? (Nose crinkled up) Do I have to be nice to the annoying boys?” Ha ha.. I told her yes! You don’t have to invite them to sit with you at lunch, but you can still be nice. ;) I guess I should be grateful that she still feels this way about boys because I know all to well that her opinion of them will change before I’m ready for it!

Speaking of boys! My little buddy started 2nd grade today! I just dropped him off a few hours ago and while it feels wonderful to have a quiet house and a minute to catch up, I’m already missing him. I can’t wait to pick him up and hear about his first day. He chose his red shirt and couldn’t wait to wear the new shoes I let him pick out last week. He said after we bought them “mom these are my favorite shoes I’ve ever had.. can I sleep in them?” Ha! He loves them because they are velcro (this kid does NOT like to tie shoes) and he loves the shade of blue. Picture is with a buddy who is starting Kindergarten today. :)

I’m sharing a few new Fall favorites with you today from Nordstrom! (Huge thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post!) I wanted to get this post up today before all of the organization/decor posts because I found some CUTE things and I know sizes will sell out fast if I wait!

{Sarah Print Wrap Top/Jeans/Booties/Necklace}

We are having a major heat wave right now! So typical San Diego. It gets HOT when things are cooling down everywhere else. This is a great transition to Fall top because it’s lightweight. Also very slimming because it ties just above your waist where most women are the thinnest! Plus it’s half off and just $21! (Btw.. for size reference because a lot of you ask, all of the tops in today’s post (except one) fit true to size and I’m wearing an XS.)

{Adidas Trefoil Jersey Tee/Jeans/Pink Adidas Sneakers}

Loving this simple Adidas Tee! It’s fitted and flattering and just perfect for every day running around. Nordstrom has so many cute new Adidas tops/sweatshirts in for Fall!

{V Strap Tee/Jeans/Booties/Tory Burch Leather Tote/Tory Burch double wrap logo bracelet}

This is another simple and fun tee I’ve been running around in. The V strap at the top is so cute! This is the one top in today’s post that doesn’t fit true to size. It runs BIG! I’m wearing an XXS and it’s still loose so order one size down! I’ve been using larger bags like my Tory Tote a lot lately because of all the school forms. SO many school forms! Paper organization was a huge summer priority for me.

Wore this top last week to school Open House. Favorite sunglasses because #notimeformakeup. But how cute is Kole’s smile!? He lost both of his front teeth this summer one right after the other. :)

{Ruffle Sleeve Blouse/Tassel Fringe Earrings/Jeans/Booties}

A new favorite dressy blouse that I love so much I ordered it in two colors! The sleeves are so pretty on this! It’s long so I like it best tucked in the front a bit or with a belt, but it would also look cute over leggings or tucked in all the way with a high waisted skirt. I’ve reached for this top so many times in just the past few weeks! It’s perfect for dressy/casual events.

{Puff Sleeve Sweater/Black Stretch Skinny Jeans/Booties}

Another “I want it to be Fall but it’s not quite cold enough for sweaters” sweater. :) Love the puff sleeves! I also ordered these black stretch skinny jeans and they are a great fit (and a great price!). They are a bit long so I’ll have to have them hemmed at the bottom (same old!) but SO comfortable. I’m excited about them!

{Good Vibes Tee/Black Stretch Skinny Jeans/Booties}

My new black jeans look especially cute with this beloved tee. Good Vibes and peace to all. ;)

{Scalloped Hem Sweater/Black Stretch Skinny Jeans/Madolee Over the Knee Boots}

This Scalloped Hem Sweater I haven’t worn yet but can’t wait to! So comfy and cute for Fall!

I especially love it with my Arrow Stack Necklace.

{Slim Bell Sleeve Tee/Necklace/Jeans/Booties}

This Slim Bell Sleeve Tee is another recent favorite! It’s fitted and slimming and a light weight knit material. I actually wear a black tank top (this one) under it. It’s not totally see through, but barely see through if that makes sense. :) Also comes in a beautiful burgundy color!

Took this picture so you can see the fun bell sleeves! LOVE this trend.

A simple black top like this is fun to dress up with jewelry! I either wear my Tassel Fringe earrings with it or a long gold necklace like the Arrow Stack necklace I shared above.

{Color Block Faux Leather Tote}

Brought out another favorite bag for this time of year! I actually just bought one identical for a friend’s birthday too. Such a great staple for just $50! I always get compliments on this bag. It looks a lot more expensive than it is!

It will hold ALL the back to school papers too. ;)

{Recent Kitchen Decor Post/Sources}

So I got off my computer and just took this picture. I made myself wait to bust out my new pumpkin spice candle until my kids went back to school and today they are officially back in school! YEA! Wait is over. My house smells heavenly right now! It’s a total disaster (haven’t even cleaned up the breakfast dishes yet) but it smells heavenly. #priorities :)

And yes. TWO candles for Fall. I kept smelling them both in the store to decide which one to get and the lady working there said “oh.. those are the same candle! Just different packaging.” I said “Ahh! That’s why I’m having such a hard time choosing which one! Ha! I’ll take them both. Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin is my favorite.” :)

Bring on Fall!

*All Post Sources are Below!

xoxo, Erin

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Home Decor

08.22.17

Shiplap Display Wall for Summer

Remember a while back when I created this shiplap display wall in my hallway?

It looked like this when it was all finished and I was so excited to have something fun to take up the wall space between our powder bathroom and my office.

In December I used it to display my Christmas cards.

Such a happy wall. :) This is making me excited for the holidays!

A lot of you have asked what I planned to display during the rest of the year so I wanted to share how this wall has looked all summer.

I’ve been using it to display some of the art that my kids brought home at the end of the school year.

Happy, colorful art.

Kole made the fun vine and animals at the top. He is obsessed with snakes and has been for years.

A couple of other pictures are his and the rest are the girls. I loved having a fun place to display artwork they were proud of. It has brightened the whole hallway and was perfect summer decor. :)

Eye of the Tiger for a centerpiece. ;) I took too many pictures of this wall I know. I’m picture happy and tend to get carried away. But that is something you already know too. :)

This is our last week of summer and then I will be taking this down because I have a fun idea for this shiplap display wall for the Fall. I thought I’d share it with you quick before I change it again! I can’t believe how quickly summer flew by. It always does but this one seemed especially busy and fast flying. We are doing lots of back to school prep this week and are shopping for a few school supplies today. I’m hoping we also have time to swing by the Container Store! I need something to finish up a project I’ve been working on. I’m so excited to have it done! And to share it with all of you.

Enjoy your day friends! I hope it’s a good one. :)

**Getting lots of questions on Instagram about this paint color! You can find info. on all of the paint colors in my house in THIS POST. Also for those of you asking for more info. because Frazee switched to Sherwin Williams, I am working on that and will have it up on the blog soon! Once my kids are in school. ;)

xoxo, Erin

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Fashion

08.18.17

Fashion Friday

{Summer wardrobe: This is the comfiest tee!/Zella Joggers/Pink Adidas Sneakers}

(Affiliate links used)

Happy weekend friends! This week was the best! It cooled off just a bit (it has been so humid here this summer) and there was a hint of Fall in the air. Made me excited for things to come. It also motivated me to get out of my joggers and to clean up. For a few days anyway. :) Here’s what I wore this week and a couple of things I’m excited to wear when it cools off even more. Fall Fashion is my favorite! Love this time of year.

{Sincerely Jules Ruffle Tee/Ex boyfriend Jeans/Block Heel Booties}

This Ruffle Tee is new in at Nordstrom and this picture doesn’t do it justice! It has such a cool vintage/washed look and is really flattering. These are the kinds of tops I reach for again and again because of the way they fit. Comfy and casual – fitted but not tight. I know these jeans and booties will be Fall staples this year!

{Twist Front Cozy Fleece Pullover/AG Jeans/Adidas Sneakers/Sunglasses/Rebecca Minkoff Purse}

I also wore my cozy twist front pullover this week – love this top! It’s the softest. I wear it all day and then keep it on with pj pants in the evening. :) This top just came out in so many fun new colors for Fall! Might have to get one more.

{Lace Up Sleeve Top/AG Jeans /Tory Burch Tote/Tory Burch Bracelet/Peep Toe Booties}

My girls had their back to school registration yesterday at their middle school and I wore this fun lace up sleeve top. The sleeves on this top are just SO cute and I love it in olive green for Fall. It was fun getting their schedules and locker combos and seeing friends at the school. My girls both have to have bottom lockers because they are too short to reach the top lockers. Ha! A little gift from their mom. ;) El is so sad to see summer end.. Addison can’t wait for school to start. :)

{Corset Seam Tee/Ex Boyfriend Jeans/Block Heel Booties}

Another great top to transition in from Summer to Fall!

Love this material. This corset top has the same look as the ruffle tee above. Faded black and just cool and casual. It was cute on the hanger but I really loved it most after I put it on. Such a good fit!

I also love it with a long layered necklace. I linked to a few cute layered necklaces below!

{Piper Two-Fer Tee/AG Jeans/Block Heel Booties}

I haven’t worn this top yet but I’m so excited to when it gets cooler! I LOVE shirts like this that look like they are layered but are really just one top. It’s such a cute striped turtle neck and the grey tee gives it a fun, casual look. I tried it on with booties but I think it would look cute more casual with sneakers too. Perfect for early Fall because it’s lightweight!

The sleeves also have the thumb cut out if you want to wear it longer over your hand. LOVE this top! Free People is a favorite brand of mine that Nordstrom carries and they have so many cute new things in for Fall! I’m excited to wear my favorite FP sweatshirt when it cools off again too!

{Good Vibes Sweatshirt/AG Jeans/Gray Chucks}

Another fun sweatshirt I’m excited to wear this Fall! Good Vibes always. :)

Some of my recent Fall favorites from the Nordstrom sale have been restocked! This Ruffle Trim Track Jacket sold out in a hot minute but is now back in all sizes.

So are my Good Vibes Jogger Pants and my Good Day Sunshine Sweatshirt! I’ve already got my money’s worth out of these pants. :) #livinginthem

A lot of my favorite Ruffle Sleeve Sweaters are back in stock too so check this post for links to them all!

Huge thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post! I would tell you all how Nordstrom is hands down my favorite place to shop for clothes because of their great selection of brands and amazing customer service, but you all already know that. ;) Links to my favorites from this post are below!

Ok.. friends. I have someone I want to introduce you to before I sign off!

Meet my new niece! Quincy Kate who came into the world yesterday – 6 lbs 8 oz. My brother and his wife are so excited to get a girl after having two cute little boys and we couldn’t be more excited at my house either! This little one completes our family and we are all so grateful to get her here. It’s killing me to not be there with my family right now! I was a hot mess of happy and sad tears yesterday! Counting down until I can visit and hold her. I’m sure I’ll be sharing more pics of her soon. This was taken soon after delivery. :) #proudaunt

Make sure to check back next week for other fun pictures coming! I’m so excited to show you all my favorite drawer in my house! You’ll see why soon. :) Favorite organized drawers. Fall fashion. New babies.

Life is good. :)

Enjoy your weekend friends!

xoxo, Erin

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Home Decor

08.15.17

This and That

Nearing the end of summer friends and I can honestly say that I’m completely exhausted. Ha! The best kind of exhausted but exhausted none the less. :) I know a lot of you are already headed back to school. (Here’s a fun post on back to school organization if you’re interested!) I hope the transition is going well! Two more weeks for us and this mom is hanging on by a very thin but mostly happy thread. ;) Here’s a picture dump of what’s on my camera and phone at the moment!

*affiliate links used

This kid. His outfit says it all. :) Love him. There is no rest with this one in my life, but his toothless smile makes up for it.

My little buddy is allergic to something in regular sunscreen – his skin breaks out and he gets the worst rashes from it. I’ve struggled with this problem for years and have seriously tried over 20 different sunscreens on him. I finally found something that works! Sharing this for any moms dealing with the same issue. This Burn-Out Eco-Sensitive sunscreen is amazing. Goes on so smooth and doesn’t bother his skin at all. (Hallelujah!) I initially found this at a health food store and then later found it here.

Ad lounging at the pool with friends. Rough life, right?

Plasma cars are still our favorite!

This girl has had a great summer hanging with friends, hanging with the family and working on her play. My little Alice debuts in Wonderland next weekend!

Back to school is going to be a rough transition for my girls. Ha! I am going to start getting them to bed earlier each night and waking them up a little bit earlier each morning next week. Wish me luck with that one. I’ll need it. :)

El has spent her summer dancing. She recently got back from a week long dance convention in Long Beach. I told her to pack before the trip and she said “I already did mom!” Her stuff was laid out so neatly. It made me smile so I took a picture. :) She’s such a little mini-me when it comes to organization.

Proud of her and her cute friends.

I snapped this at her dance studio a few days ago. She came home from her trip and has been there non-stop learning next year’s solo routines. Hardly a break from dance for this girl! And hardly a break from workout clothes for me. I’ve been living in Zella leggings and tanks this summer. I always have great intentions of getting dressed and ready after I exercise, but most days it’s suddenly 6 pm before I even realize I forgot to get dressed. Some days it’s 6 pm before I realize I forgot to exercise too. :) #summerproblems

{Ex boyfriend jeans/sandals}

I did clean up one day this month for a camp performance and dinner with friends. Snapped a picture to document the rare occasion. ;)

{Zella crop joggers/twist front tee/sandals}

If I do get dressed I’m wearing these joggers! Hands down my favorite summer staple. They sold out so quickly and have now been re-stocked. I have them in the green and black and just keep rotating the two with different summer tees. My girls tease me each time I put them on about wearing them yet again. They are just so light weight, flattering and comfy!

{Tie Front Pullover/Zella Leggings/Pink Adidas}

Something else I adore that was re-stocked is my favorite tie front pullover. Love this. They came out with it in a pink (so cute) and also now have this similar version. I can’t wait to wear it more this Fall! I just can’t wait for Fall period. I’ll take cool weather and all of the tie front pullovers please!

{Family Room Sources}

We’ve been doing some MAJOR paper organization at my house this past month. I tore my office apart last week. Again. Shared some pics on my IG stories of the mess. :) I’ve been trying to get all of my files and everything in order before school starts. Today I had my girls sort through some of their old work that was accumulating. We had a movie paper sorting party mid day. :) I can’t wait to have this project checked off my list!

{White Swedish Lace/Bloom Burst Backpack}

New backpacks for 6th and 8th grade! Did I really just say that!? El’s last year of middle school. My girls picked out their own and I love them both. Nothing like a new backpack full of new school supplies for day one. :) I’m going to see if I can stretch one more year out of Kole’s backpack, but it might only make it to Christmas.

The start of a new school year gets me so excited to plan ALL the things! My head is bursting with ideas and projects right now! Some I can’t wait to finish and show you all and some that I can’t wait to get started on. OneCanoeTwo came out with their new planners for 2018.. SO cute! They sent me this adorable version and now I’m itching to use it! I’ve loved using their planner from 2017 this year.

Remember the fun new lamps from Barn Light Electric that I shared in this post? Betty (who works there and is such a sweetheart) wrote a fun post about them on their blog if you want to check it out!

She also wrote a post about my new dishes. Love them! Love Betty. Love Barn Light Electric. :)

Remember when I shared my Summer Living Room re-fresh? I’ve been looking high and low for something to replace that square Spring sign because it just never looked right to me. Too many square shapes and not the right size.

So last week I took it down. And I love it with nothing there! Which made me think about how we sometimes overthink decorating (at least I know I do!). A lot of times when I don’t love the way something is styled, after playing with it forever I always end up taking off half of the “stuff.” And like magic.. it looks better. Breathing room is a good thing and quite often less is more. A little life tip I needed to hear myself today. ;)

Found the quartz I’m using for our theatre room! Man. What a project that space has turned out to be. It has occupied a lot more of my energy this summer than I planned on, but things are moving right along and I can’t wait to get it finished. We have one counter in the room (I’ll share another progress post at some point!) and I chose this slab of quartz called “Calcutta Vicenza.” Very similar look to marble but it will hold up great in a space that will often be used by teenagers. Mission accomplished!

Summer evenings outside are my favorite! My outside lights all click on and there is such a soft glow when the sun starts to set over the ocean. I can just smell it. The summer evenings and my neighbor’s BBQ. ;)

Then it gets dark and we all head inside to continue our Harry Potter Marathon. Ad is reading the books and is flying through them at record speed so that we can watch each movie after she finishes a book. I don’t think I’ll let Kole watch the last few (they get so dark and scary!) but he has loved the first few movies. And I love our time spent cozied up on this couch together.

Maybe I’m not so ready for summer to be over after all.

xoxo, Erin

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Home Decor

08.07.17

Summer kitchen decor

August! I can’t believe it’s already August. This summer is flying by so quickly.

I realized when I recently shared my summer shelf decor that I never shared pictures of my summer kitchen decor.

Either because we got busy. Or I forgot. Or I thought it wasn’t a huge enough transformation to share. Or the kitchen was too messy to take pictures.

Most likely all of the above. :)

I’ve been feeling a major pull towards “less is more” with my decorating this summer. Probably because there are so many other things filling up space in our home lately. The kids toys are out more than usual, there are pool towels drying on empty chairs, friends’ shoes fill up the mudroom, books and movies cover my console tables and slime is around every corner. (I’m SO over the slime!)

It’s crazy. And I love it. I really do enjoy a break from the hectic school schedule and having less structured, low key days with my kids and their friends. BUT. While I love summer, chaos can be hard for me. Too much stuff and clutter in my home is hard for me. So to keep my sanity the past two months I’ve really simplified my decor.

Less is more has actually become my motto when it comes to everything in my house. Even more than usual. Every day I find myself getting rid of more things we don’t need and putting away excess decor until I’m in the mood to have more of it out again.

It has been therapeutic for me and has helped me cope with the mess surrounding me each day that comes with having kids out of school.

Light and bright. Less is more.

Makes it easier to enjoy the little things.

KITCHEN SOURCES BELOW – affiliate links used

Dish towels

Enamel dishes

xoxo, Erin

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Fashion

08.02.17

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale – Final Favorites!

Hello friends! I am so knee deep in projects and kids at my house right now it’s crazy! I need a distraction! Not that projects and kids aren’t both wonderful, but sometimes you just need a break from all that wonderful. ;) The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale has been a fun and happy summer distraction for me. Did you all know there was a sale going on at Nordstrom? Ha. ;) Some things I ordered on-line to try a while back have come in so I’m sharing my last round of favorites from the sale! The sale ends this Sunday night and on Monday everything will be full price again. So sad. Well.. for some people. Not so much for my husband. He will be doing a major happy dance. I told him the other day when a few more new boxes arrived on our doorstep “don’t worry! I’ve ordered multiple sizes in things.. there will be returns!” He was like “um.. yeah.. not buying that anymore since every time you head to the store to return 3 things you buy 5 more. How about I ease your load and start making Nordstrom returns for you?” Me: “Hmm.. Let me think about that. Nope. Not really a fan of that plan. But you can ease my load by taking Kole to the park next time I make Nordstrom returns.. I’m open to discussing that option.”

Clearly the two of us have some compromising left to do.. ;)

(Huge thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post and for the amazing sale this year! Affiliate links used.)

{Tassel Earrings/ Black Tassel Earrings/ Kate Spade Earrings/ Cubic Zirconia Earrings}

My favorite earrings from the sale! I have the tassel earrings in a coral/orange and have loved them so much I picked up this rose gold pair on sale and also splurged on this black pair (which aren’t on sale but I know I’ll wear all the time!). The Kate Spade earrings will be such a fun simple every day pair. I have friends who have bought and also love these that are similar and on sale.

{Vince Camuto Peep Toe Booties/ Boots}

I started off the sale just buying a couple of pairs of Fall shoes but then a week later I tried on these…

{Over the Knee Black Boots/ Gray Block Heel Bootie}

You guys.. I never thought I could wear over the knee boots like this black pair. I’m short, I have thick calves.. I just didn’t think they would fit right and look good on me. But I tried on this pair on a whim and they seriously fit like a glove and are so comfortable! I absolutely LOVED them. So excited to wear them when it cools off! If you’ve been on the fence about boots like this too this is a great pair to try. They really are so flattering. I was shocked at how much I loved them!

{Scallop tee/ AG jeans/ Similar Purse/ Gray Block Heel Booties}

The gray boots were a no brainer. I knew I’d love them the second I saw them! And these boyfriend jeans I bought and love have been re-stocked!

Really cute with pants that roll up.

{Ruffle Bell Sleeve Blouse/ AG Jeans/ Gray Boots/ Tanner Bar Necklace}

Or with regular length jeans. I wasn’t sure if I’d love this Ruffle Bell Sleeve Blouse because it looked kind of boxy on-line but once I tried it on I was so happy I ordered it! Looks so cute tucked a bit in the front with jeans and I love the sleeves! Comes in lots of colors.

{Ruffle Beel Sleeve Blouse/ Black A-line skirt/ Black over the knee boots}

It’s also really cute tucked in and dressed up with a skirt. This skirt was another favorite find! I knew I needed a new black skirt this Fall and I ordered two to try.. this pencil skirt from Vince Camuto and this A – line skirt I’m wearing. The pencil skirt was just too long on me and too tight on my butt! I tried 2 sizes and it still didn’t work for me. If you’re tall and thin it would be a great staple skirt! #shortpeopleproblems #bubblebuttproblems

This A-line skirt worked so much better for me. A great length and you can see in this pic it’s high waisted and while it’s fitted up top, it’s very butt friendly. So if you’re short or have had one too many BBQ’s like me this summer you’re still in good shape with this one. ;)

{Military Bomber Jacket/ AG jeans/ Vince Camuto Booties/ Earrings/ Necklace}

I mentioned in my last sale post that I was excited to try this green military jacket. Love it! I knew I would. :)

It’s thin and light weight and just really stylish and fun. A keeper for sure! And aren’t these earrings gorgeous!?

{Long Sleeve Crewneck Tee/ AG Jeans/ Tory Burch Bag/ Tory Burch Bags on Sale/ Vince Camuto Booties/ Necklace}

I also ordered a few of my favorite Caslon long sleeve tees on sale. They come in lots of colors and have been a favorite Fall/Winter staple of mine for years. On sale for just $19!

{Caslon Tees/ Vest/ AG Jeans/ Peep Toe Booties}

I love to layer them under vests or jackets. They are a great length and not too heavy or too light. Love them!

I also love Caslon’s long sleeve scoop neck cotton tee and they are marked down too. Very similar to the Crewneck tees except a bit more fitted.

Tried this one on under my new Leather Bomber Jacket.

And under this Suede Moto Jacket I bought last year. There is a darling similar suede moto jacket on sale this year too!

{Camo sweatshirt/ AG Jeans/ Pink Adidas Shoes/ Similar Adidas Shoes on sale}

I ordered this cute Camo Lounge sweatshirt on-line a while ago and forgot that I had ordered it! It was such a happy surprise when it came. LOVE it! So cute and soft and on sale for just $31! Great for lounging or those cold days I’m just working from home and don’t want to clean up.

{Asymmetrical dress/ Over the knee boots/ Necklace}

K – my favorite dress from the sale! This Asymmetrical plaid dress caught my eye when I first saw the Nordstrom catalog before the sale. I loved the look but wasn’t sure how it would fit and the material looked like it might be itchy. I was wrong! It’s a knit but so soft and incredibly comfortable! Flattering fit and I found it to be true to size. I love the sleeve length for Fall too. I’m so excited to wear it with my new over the knee boots!

Showing a little skin here (we just went from G to PG) ;) but I wanted to show you all where these boots hit my thighs (I’m 5’3 1/2 – don’t forget the 1/2). Can I just tell you another reason why I’m so excited about these boots!? There are so many days in the winter when I need to dress up (for church or other events) and my legs are white and I haven’t shaved. These boots are going to save me! No more tights or nylons! No more last minute scrambling to put on some tanning lotion or do a quick half shower shave! (Am I the only one who does this?) I’m pumped.

I was too excited to wait until Fall to wear this dress so I wore it to church last Sunday with my peep toe booties. (Got so many compliments on it!) The booties make the dress look a little more casual. Peep toe booties with skirts or a dress is such a fun look right now. I don’t love the look on me personally because like I mentioned I have short legs and thick calves, but I still do it anyway sometimes because I love my booties. :) I actually think this looks better on me…

See how a simple black heel without straps in the front elongates my legs where the booties cut them off? Little trick I learned years ago on “What Not to Wear.” (I love you Stacey and Clinton.) Short people take notes. ;)

{Good Vibes Sweatshirt/ Good Vibes Tee}

Another fun sweatshirt I ordered that still hasn’t come yet! Sub_Urban Riot is one of my favorite brands. LOVE the way their tees and sweatshirts fit. I also ordered this Good Vibes tee that’s backordered and am patiently waiting for it to come. I love this brand for my girls too!

{Good Morning Sunshine Tee}

I got my girls two Sub_Urban tees from the sale and they love the way they fit too! El is at a dance camp this week so Ad has been running around in them. Good Morning Sunshine. :)

{Going Out Shirt}

And how can you not love a Going Out Shirt? Especially one that’s casual enough for dinner with the family right after swimming with the family. :)

So that’s a wrap on the clothes I loved from the sale! A couple of other fun things I picked up..

{Kate Spade Zipper Pouch}

As if I could pass up this cute little striped Kate Spade zipper pouch that’s on sale.. especially when it comes with mini school supplies! Be still my heart. :) I’m planning on using this to hold things in my purse. Maybe receipts I want to keep, or extra cards, or my lipstick.

{Bliss Plush Throws}

And last but certainly not least.. a favorite find from the sale this year for my home decor lovers out there! Ahhh! So crazy about these throws! I saw them on-line and thought they looked nice and ordered one. When it came it SO exceeded my expectations! They are crazy soft, the perfect length, thick and warm enough but not too heavy, and darling with those tassels. But the best part? They are on sale for just $25!

So I picked up 4 more for Christmas gifts! Crazy but smart right!? I know it’s early but I love getting my Christmas shopping done before the holiday madness hits and these throws will make a PERFECT gift. Throws are great for people you want to get something nice for, but maybe don’t know as well personally to know exactly what they would want. Neighbors, friends, teachers.. everyone loves and can use a comfy throw! And these throws are heavenly. Clearly I’m a fan of tassels. :)

I styled a couple of them in my house. Love the navy in my living room!

And I have a crush on this soft pink throw in my family room! Light and bright for summer.

It has inspired pink flowers all over my house. :) Now the only problem is that I want to keep more than one! We’ll see if they actually get used for Christmas gifts or just rotated around here. Ha..

I can think of worse things.

Just don’t tell Kenny.

;)

Linking to everything in this post and all of my favorites from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale below! Remember that it all turns into a pumpkin and goes full price this Sunday night. What a sale. All set for Fall and beyond!

xoxo, Erin

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Home Decor

07.30.17

Decor Updates with Barn Light Electric!

Happy Monday friends! Remember my upstairs laundry room? And how in my first post about this space I told you all how excited I was when I found my light fixture on-line?

I went on and on about the fun schoolhouse pendant that not only gave me the look I wanted in this space but also came in the exact shade of green that matched my cabinet paint perfectly. The day this light fixture arrived at my house was a very happy day. :) I ordered this light from an on-line store I’ve loved for years called Barn Light Electric and couldn’t be more excited about partnering with them on this post! When they reached out to me to collaborate I had a major pinch me moment because I seriously LOVE their products. Their Primary School House Stem Light in my laundry room has always been my favorite part of that room. I was able to pick out a couple of fun things for my house from their website (like I said.. pinch me!) and I’m excited to show you what I chose and how I’m using it in my house!

Does it surprise you I headed right to my favorite color combo again? :) I can’t get enough Jadeite in my life. And white with a black stripe? Perfection. Barn Light Electric started carrying Porcelain, Enamel and Copper Dinnerware a while ago and I’ve been eyeing this Dipped Enamel Breakfast Set for so long!

Major upgrade from the plastic Target dishes we’ve been using for breakfast since my girls were toddlers. :) I love that they are enamel because aside from their fun vintage look, they won’t break! My kids are older now, but I still try to avoid glass dishes in the kitchen when I can. Plus my dad always had an enamel set of dishes in our camper we camped in as kids growing up so they bring back fun memories for me.

We’ve been using them for breakfast this summer and have loved them. This is a typical look at breakfast at our house most mornings. Except for all of the flowers that are usually in my family room. I brought them in for all of you. ;)

El and Kole always want fruit and toast (Kole’s with cinnamon!). Ad is my cereal girl. Some mornings if my husband has time he makes scrambled eggs or pancakes. Once in a while I attempt scrambled eggs or pancakes, but that usually ends with pancakes that are too doughy or scrambled eggs that are half burned so when I’m in charge I often stick to cutting up fruit and toasting the bread. On cute new enamel dishes. ;)

When I started snapping these pictures I told my kids “ignore me and just eat your food.. act like you usually do at the breakfast table.”

So they did.

What I should have said was “ignore me and just eat your food.. but instead of acting like you usually do at the breakfast table, sit up and pretend like you have manners.”

Manners? You mean like not putting elbows on the table and chewing with mouths open and cutting out shapes in our bread (because heaven forbid we eat the crust!) and laughing hysterically at who knows what.

Yeah.. bad plan to tell them to act normal for these pictures. Ha! They don’t know it yet but after sorting through 20 pictures that look just like these I’ve decided we’re starting table etiquette 101 at breakfast tomorrow morning. Thank goodness my teaching skills are better than my cooking skills. There’s no hope for my doughy pancakes but there’s still hope that these three will turn out ok. ;)

While using my new dishes for breakfast every morning has been fun, what I really love is how cute they look styled on my butler’s pantry shelf! I wanted to re-style these shelves for summer and they make perfect accessories. So fresh and clean and I love just pulling them off this shelf to use each morning.

I kept the rest of my shelf decor simple. Lots of white and a fun plant for summer. Lemons always. :)

I wanted the jadeite set to match the other jadeite in my kitchen but these dishes come in so many colors! That’s one thing I love about everything Barn Light Electric sells. Most items come in a large variety of colors so you can get a custom look for your home.

Want to see what else I picked out that I’m so excited about!?

Lamps for Kole’s room! Oh my word. I couldn’t love these lamps more! I actually knew I wanted lamps from Barn Light Electric for his room from day one before I even started decorating this space, but I kept debating color and style and just hadn’t pulled the trigger on ordering anything.

Once I decided his room would be navy and gray with pops of orange I knew the direction I wanted to go with the lamps. This collaboration couldn’t have come at a better time because I’ve just started accessorizing his room and was ready to order! I chose two Drake Retro Desk Lamps in orange. I was a little worried about the orange being too red of an orange so they sent me a sample of the color (they have amazing customer service!) and then I could tell it was perfect.

You can really customize these lamps. I ordered the largest stem and the largest shade because I wanted the lamps to stand out and I knew I had plenty of wall space, but you can get them in a smaller size.

They are huge in person! And amazing quality.

I honestly couldn’t love them more. They give Kole’s room such a fun pop of color. Exactly what this space needed! Kole loves them too. We have been reading The Magic Treehouse series together every night with his new lamps on. :)

I have a few more fun things I’m adding to his room soon so I’ll keep you posted on progress! You can see my first post on his room with sources here.

Huge HUGE thank you to Barn Light Electric for sponsoring this post! I just couldn’t love their products more. You have to check out their wall sconces (I’ve got a major crush on this copper gooseneck light at the moment!) and all of their ceiling lights. Too much fun.

Alright.. signing off for now! I need to get some rest since I have a serious date with my kids in the am at the breakfast table.

;)

*This post was sponsored by Barn Light Electric but all opinions and thoughts expressed are my own! Love them. :)

xoxo, Erin

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Food and Cooking...or lack thereof

07.25.17

Feta and Tomato Dip

Hello friends! How is your week going so far? Good I hope. Summer is moving right along isn’t it!? Part of me wants it to slow down and then there’s another part of me that is getting excited to have a little structure back in my life. That part of me usually hits around 7:00 pm after a full day of entertaining kids when everyone is tired from fun in the sun and Ad and Kole start arguing over who started their previous argument first. Ha. Good times. :)

Last month I shared a favorite recipe with you all (our Easy Cashew Chicken) and you were so sweet! E-mails came pouring in from so many of you who have tried it and love it and are adding it to your family’s favorite recipes. Seriously that made me so happy to hear! That a non-chef like me could make dinner time just a tad easier for someone. ;) So I’m going to try to share more favorites like that with you all.. maybe one a month? By the end of the year I’ll have shared everything I know how to cook.. ha. Kidding! Kind of. :)

When we were in SLC over the 4th a few weeks ago, aside from acting like a dork with my husband.. (seriously what is this pose!?), my sister and I cooked up a huge feast.

Well.. I shouldn’t say my sister and I cooked. She and her husband cooked up a huge feast and I assisted as is usually the case with family get togethers. I always get the “chop this Erin” or “stir this Erin” or “entertain the kids while we cook Erin” types of jobs. And they work just fine for me. :) This year I begged my sister to make the Feta dip she makes every year when we are all together over Christmas. I was craving it! It’s SO good you guys. And so easy to make. I snapped some pictures along the way to show you all how to make it too. If you haven’t had this yet you have to try it! Btw.. my mom snapped this picture of us looking so triumphant just before we broke into a laughing fit over something like we usually do. Isn’t my sister’s kitchen cute!? Her home is so modern and fun. I shared some other pics of her house in this post if you want to check it out.

Ok.. I’m calling this Feta and Tomato Dip for obvious reasons. All you need is Olive Oil, Feta Cheese, Roma Tomatoes, Green Onions, Greek Seasoning and a fresh Baguette. My sister has been making this every December for over 10 years but found it on-line so we didn’t invent this! We just love it. :)

I’ll show you how to make it step by step since that’s how I need to see all things recipe related. :) First! Pour some Olive Oil onto a platter.

Then chop your tomatoes.

And put them on top.

Dice the green onions..

And add those too.

Stop and take a quick picture of your cute niece because whew! A lot of cooking has been going on and we need a break to do something fun.. like photography. ;)

Add the crumbled Feta and then sprinkle the Greek Seasoning on top.

That’s it!

Stir it up and serve with slices of fresh bread.

Is your mouth watering yet!? It’s SO delicious you guys! And I don’t even love tomatoes. But I LOVE this dip. I could eat it all day long.

If this is a new recipe for you I hope you enjoy it too! (Thanks for letting me share it Car! And for making it every time we’re together after I beg you to..)

Now.. time to make breakfast for my kids.

Feta and Tomato Dip anyone?

xoxo, Erin

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Fashion

07.21.17

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale – Best Purchases!

Ahhh! Today’s the big day my fashion loving friends! The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is officially open to the public! Everyone can shop the sale regardless of whether or not you have a Nordstrom card. Oh happy day. :) If you enjoy my organizing/home decor posts more than the fashion, fun stuff is coming next week! But this is an exciting day for those of us who love a good peep toe bootie that’s on major sale. ;) Especially when it’s new Fall stuff that’s marked down! Oh how I LOVE this sale! I’ve already shared a lot of my favorites in this post and this post, but I have a few new things to show you and wanted to do a quick round-up of my favorites in each category to celebrate the official opening of the sale! I hope this makes your shopping easier. Remember that if something you love or the size you need is sold out to check back. Things get re-stocked often during this sale. I’ve already seen a few of my favorite items get re-stocked and then sell out again. Crazy! But fun crazy. :) Here are my favorites from the 2017 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale!

(Huge thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post! Affiliate links used.)

The sweaters this year were my all time FAVORITE! Bell sleeves and ruffles are big for Fall. I loved this Bell Sleeve sweater so much I came home with it in gray and navy!

This is the navy. I need to take one back and can’t decide! SO cute. Whenever I’m debating 2 options during this sale I always buy both! Returns are a breeze at Nordstrom and things sell out so fast it’s better to just get what you want now and return later.

This Ruffle Bell Cuff Sweater is a favorite I came home with that I don’t think I’ve shared yet. It’s just $31! And so cute.

This Ruffle Sleeve sweater is one I know I will reach for over and over this Fall/Winter. So comfortable! Comes in lots of colors.

Same with this Tie Front Cozy Fleece Pullover. (I’m clearly loving forest green at the moment!) This sweater isn’t as fitted which means it’s prefect for dinner out. Especially if Italian or Mexican is on the menu.

Now I’m hungry.

And sharing this Flare Sleeve sweater one more time because I just couldn’t love it more. These types of tops/sweasters are my favorite! Simple, solid color with a little something extra that makes it look like you’re fashionable and put yourself together when all you did was toss a sweater on. :)

Favorite Sweaters:

Darling tops on sale this year – how cute is this ruffle top!? Pink usually washes me out, but I’m ordering it to try anyway! We still have many hot days in our future and this is perfect for summer.

This Ruffle Front Poplin top is also darling. I love it out and tucked in. If you work out of your home this would look so cute for work with a skirt or slacks! A little dressy for my every day office (hello couch and laptop.. I’m back). ;) It also comes in a black and white stripe.

Speaking of stripes.. how could I pass up this Rounded V-neck Tee when it’s so comfortable and such a good price!? I LOVE a good, simple tee. This comes in other colors too. It runs big so order down! (I’m wearing an xxs and you can see it’s still plenty long!) These green Slim Utility Pants are also darling and a great fit. (True to size.) I didn’t come home with them because I already have a few pairs of pants/capris that are so similar. And yes.. I already have striped tops too, but stripes surpass all rules in my fashion book. ;)

I actually just wore this top yesterday. :)

Favorite Tops:

It’s great for summer but will also be fun to layer when it’s cooler with a cute cardigan! SO many cute cardigans on sale right now! I came home with 3 so I’m gearing up to hear lots of Mr. Rogers jokes this Fall. At least my husband thinks he’s funny.

Favorite cardigans:

You know my all time favorite jeans are AG so I was thrilled when I saw so many of my favorite pairs on sale! I scooped up the one style I didn’t already have (these boyfriend jeans that were just re-stocked!). I love them with this Embroidered Military Shirt.

Another fun pair of jeans I’ve shared that I came home with.

Favorite jeans:

I was talking to a friend the other day and she was telling me how she always hits the shoes very first during this sale. I get it! The shoes are SO cute this year. Initially I just came home with these Peep Toes, these Over the Knee Boots and these Running Shoes.

But I kept thinking about these Block Heel Booties I had seen! Perfect for dressier occasions and such a great price for this shoe! So I ordered them on-line. Can’t wait to get them. I have a similar bootie that I’ve worn for years and they are starting to look really worn. I think I just found their replacement. :)

Date night with my babe. This picture is from last summer but the Laurel Peep Toe Booties I have on and have had for years are on sale too! I love the slouchy look of these shoes. They are beautiful but I’ll warn you.. they aren’t as comfortable as the Vince Camuto peep toe booties. They are perfect for dinner out, but not all day.

The Vince Camuto booties are my very favorite! So comfortable and stylish. They go with everything. If I had to recommend one shoe for everyone it would be this Vince Camuto peep toe bootie in black. I bought mine at this sale last year and am still wearing them 4-5 days a week! But you see what I’m wearing most days so you already knew that. ;)

There are also a lot of fun Converse shoes on sale! Love my Converse. :)

Favorite Shoes:

I love stocking up on favorite workout clothes during this sale! Darling vests on sale too.

This picture was from last year wearing my Quilted Vest that’s on sale again. I always end up with a new vest and plaid top from this sale!

Favorite Workout Wear and Vests:

There are so many darling plaid shirts on sale this year! I came home with this Classic Plaid Shirt but also love this Plaid Cotton Blend. And have you noticed the new thing is to tuck half of your shirt in and leave half of it out like the picture above? What do you think? Kind of funny looking but I like it. :)

Favorite Plaid Shirts:

Let’s talk jackets! These three things landed on my doorstep as I was typing this post! I haven’t tried this Military Bomber Jacket on but can’t wait to tomorrow. So cute. So me. :) I also got a watch I’ve had my eye on for months that’s on sale and this cute pink Velvet Baseball Cap for days I don’t want to do my hair. I’ll let you know if they are keepers!

This Ruffle Trim Track Jacket is another sale item at the top of my list. I’ll probably wear it just as much as a top! It’s so soft you can bag wearing something under it and just zip it up for days that aren’t cold enough for a second layer.

And my all time favorite jacket maybe EVER that I’ve shared with you all!? This Shrunken Leather Bomber Jacket. So flattering! So soft! So warm!

I’ve already worn it twice this week! (It’s always cool enough for a jacket in the evening in San Diego – even in the summer.) We went on such a fun mom/daughter date with friends a few nights ago. First dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.

Then we saw the play Guys and Dolls. Love these darling girls! And their moms. :) Kenny and Kole watched The Lego Batman movie and had their own party. ;)

Favorite Jackets:

We can’t talk favorites without mentioning lounge wear! My favorite of all the favorites. :) I’ve already shared details/pictures in this post but here are my favorites for lounging one more time! My family will see me in these clothes LOTS this upcoming year. :)

Favorite Lounge Wear:

There are also a lot of amazing deals on beauty products and jewelry! My favorite perfume is on sale!

And I just bought this darling Initial Necklace that’s on sale for a close friend’s birthday. She loved it! :)

Favorite Beauty Products and Jewelry:

Favorite Purses:

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Whew! Well now. That was a workout. :) Like I said, I hope that my favorites give you some fun ideas and help with your sale shopping! Nordstrom and this Anniversary sale are my favorite. So many fun new things marked down!

May you have more strength than I’ve had this year.

;)

xoxo, Erin

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Favorite Workout Wear and Vests:

Favorite Beauty Products and Jewelry:

Favorite Purses:

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