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Home Decor
07.20.17

The Theatre Room (and other summer projects!)


*Picture of the day: Kole and his buddy poolside with root beer floats – livin’ the good life. :)

Ahhh summer.  Moms.. how are you holding up?  Are you all hanging in there?  Two days ago I had to go to the doctor for an MRI.  (Dealing with re-occuring knee issues I’ve had since I was 10 years old.)  The guy administering the MRI told me that he was sorry, but I’d have to put on some headphones and lay still for 30 minutes.. 15 minutes for each knee.  I said “Sorry?  You’re sorry?  I have 3 kids and we’re in the middle of summer.  30 minutes of headphones and laying still doing absolutely nothing sounds amazing.  Don’t be sorry.. it will be the highlight of my week!”

And it was.  It felt so good.  I just zoned out, let my thoughts wander and almost fell asleep.  Talk about relaxing!  I was seriously sad when it was over.  I told him it was the closest thing to a spa treatment I was going to get for a while and I’d see him next week please.. same time same place?  Ha. :)  I love summer.  But it’s exhausting and I’m tired.

Part of the reason I’m tired (aside from the usual summer shenanigans with my kids) is because of a little project I’ve got going on that is occupying a lot of brain power.  Remember the extra room next to our playroom?  You can see more pics of it and my organized attic in this post from a couple years back.

When we built our house we planned for this space to be a theatre room.  At one point during building we were going to finish it, but we knew it was a room that would take a lot of planning and we were so overwhelmed with all of the other decisions going on that we decided to leave it alone, get settled in the new house, buy a couch or two and tackle it later.

And now it’s later. :)

My husband and I went back and forth on this room so many times and had totally different ideas of how it would look.  I really wanted it to just be like a second family room more than a theatre room.  I didn’t want the stacked rows of seats – I like comfy and cozy and just wanted one big couch.  I also would have been fine with a large TV instead of a projector and screen.  My husband had dreams of making this space more “theatre like.”  Finally we met in the middle and decided that I would take over the room layout and all design decisions while he would handle all things audio, electrical and technical.  So basically this room will consist of a large comfy couch (with cute throw pillows of course) and a projector/projection screen.

And popcorn.  We both agreed on the popcorn. ;)

These pictures are early on getting everything taped out the way we sketched it.

Soon after it was go time and the couch and crib had to leave!

And this is what our theatre room looks like at the moment!

So maybe there’s a little more going on than just a couch and projector.

If I’m designing a room you better believe molding will be involved. ;)  I’m in my happy place with where this room is going!

While this project is only one room, it has been so time consuming.  A lot to figure out – especially with all of the electrical stuff going on.  I’m really grateful we didn’t try to tackle this room while we were building the rest of the house.  Even though doing it this way means we get to enjoy all the dust floating though our upstairs. ;)  It’s seriously everywhere!

So there you go!  A little progress update on one of the many projects going on around here right now.

I can’t remember if I shared this on the blog at the beginning of the year, but if not these were my house goals for 2017:

1 – Design, build and decorate the theatre room.  Obviously we hire out the building part!  By “build” I mean to manage all of the moving pieces. :)

2 – Design and build something to cover the outdoor TV (progress post on that project here.)

3 – Decorate our guest bedroom (you can see the beginning here and more fun progress is coming soon!)

4 – Finish decorating the master bedroom (done and I can’t believe I still haven’t shared it with you all yet!  I’m not checking it off of my list until I’ve blogged about it.) ;)

5 – Decorate Kole’s bedroom (first progress post on his room here.)

6 – Finish the garage.  You can see my last garage progress post here although it didn’t include a whole lot of progress!  I’ve realized that it’s really hard to whip the garage into shape when you have so many other projects going on.  Our garage has become the catch all for everything project related!  Right now it’s full of extra wood the guys are using for the theatre room.  And dust.  LOTS of dust going on at my house.  Did I mention that already?

The garage might not get finished this year but I think (I hope!) everything else on my list will.

I also have a “to organize” project list that I’m working on but that project list deserves a blog post of its own!

Want to see our other recent catch all with all of these projects going on?

Yup.  That’s what used to be my organized playroom.  Everything isn’t quite in its place at the moment!  And yup.  Still not ready to get rid of my crib and rocking chair.  So I’m not.  :)  Keeping them both.  I just need to decide where to store them.  And find the energy to put them away.

Then I need to find the energy to clean up everything else in this room.  This space will most likely be on my 2018 “to decorate” list.

But I can’t go there now.

It makes me want another MRI.

:)

p.s. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale opens to everyone on Friday! I shared my favorites from the sale here and here if you missed them. :)

(affiliate links used)

xoxo, Erin
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Fashion
07.16.17

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Picks (Round 2!)

Happy weekend everyone!  Back with round 2 of my picks from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale!  (You can see round 1 here if you missed it.)  Such a good sale this year!  For those of you who don’t have a Nordstrom card and are patiently waiting, the sale opens to everyone on Friday.  Woot woot!  And I know a lot of items and sizes are selling out, but keep checking back if you love something because a lot of times they re-stock things.  Alright.. has everyone gone to the bathroom, do we all have a snack?  Have I been spending too much time with my children this summer?  Yes. :)  But this is a long post so we need to be prepared.  I have my popcorn.  Let’s do this.

(affiliate links used)

{Sunshine Sweatshirt/Good Vibes Jogger Pants}

So yeah.. we’re kicking things off with pajamas.  But not just any pajamas.  Good Day Sunshine pajamas!  I mean how could I resist.. right!? :)  You all know my love for Make and Model so I was thrilled to find so many cute new pj’s on sale this year!  I love this brand of lounge clothes because they are so comfortable and a great fit.  Plus they’re light weight so I can wear the pants year round.  But since this cute sweatshirt is a little hot for summer I bought this too..

{Gotta Have It V Neck Tee/Good Vibes Jogger Pants}

LOVE this tee.  Such a fun 80’s vibe that totally reminds me of clothes I wore when I was a little girl.  I had a pair of pants with a rainbow just like this on the pocket.  Clearly it had to come home with me.  For memory sake. ;)

{Gotta Have It V Neck Tee/Raw Hem Ankle AG Jeans/Chuck Sneakers}

This tee also looks really cute with jeans.  I love tops that I can run around in all day and then keep on to lounge in in the evening.  I have two pairs of AG jeans that I seriously LIVE in (you see them in every single fashion post) and they are both on sale!  The pair pictured above (Raw Hem Ankle) and the Stilt Cigarette Skinny Jeans.    Seriously love them.  Hands down my favorite jeans!

{Brushed Hacci Sweatshirt/Good Vibes Jogger Pants in Black}

Sorry.  Ignore the lightsaber.  Quick visit from Kole while I was taking pics. :)  And this is the last lounge wear pic!  But these were so soft I couldn’t resist.  (Seriously you won’t want to take this sweatshirt off!) I had to sneak all the pj’s past my husband.  He tells me every year at this sale to just not come home with more pajamas.  He thinks I have too many.  But if you ask me, pj’s are like notebooks and throw pillows.  You can never have too many.

But I don’t think he’s asking me… ha. :)


{Zella High Waist Crop Leggings/Zelfusion Water Repellent Vest/Free Run Distance 2 Running Shoe/Wool Shag Rug}

I’ve loved my Zella gray high waist leggings so much I was thrilled when they went on sale!  Got a black pair to exercise in.

And I fell hard for this darling white vest!  Perfect for cool morning walk/runs.  I’m wearing the Zella Siesta Studio Tee under it.  Great top for every day or to exercise in.  Also on sale!  I’m hoping this outfit inspires more exercise than I’ve been getting lately.  I’m determined to get back in shape after letting things go the past few months.  A topic for another day!  The struggle is real.  {sigh}

So you can see this vest from the side.  So cute right?!

I like it with jeans too.  And my new white Nikes from the sale.  Also meant to inspire more exercise. ;)
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{Feathers Contour Bra/Rose Dream Bra/Sublime Full Fit Bra/Seamless Bikini/Wool Shag Rug}

K.. feeling a little silly posting this picture and I almost didn’t, but since I recently showed you everything in my bathroom drawers (clearly we’re that tight) and since a good majority of my readers are women I feel like I would be doing you all a  disservice to not share my favorite brand of bras that are on sale right now. :)

Natori bras are amazing!  Such a great fit and the 3 I bought are perfect to wear under tees.  I’ve loved this brand for a long time.  They are a little pricey so I stocked up while they are on sale!  Also the seamless bikini underwear pictured above, while not the cutest, are also amazing to wear underneath fitted clothes.  No lines and they are SO lightweight.  They are also pricey (you’ll see why if you get a pair!) so now is a great time to try them or stock up if you already use and love them.  Also Spanx are on sale!  YEA!  Love my spanx.  Most moms do. ;)
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{Vince Camuto Karinta Block Heel Bootie/Madolee Over the Knee Boot}

My favorite shoes from the sale!  They come in other colors.  I already have similar shoes in black and a deeper brown so this color will be perfect for Fall.

I also love these Prasata Booties.  So cute!  I have narrow heels and they kept slipping out (hate that!) so they didn’t come home with me.  But a favorite for sure.

{Classic Plaid Shirt/Tanner Bar Necklace/Jeans/Boots}

Love this classic plaid shirt!  So cute.

{Quilted Vest/Similar Striped Tee (also on sale!)/Jeans/Boots}

And here’s a better pic of my favorite vest from last year that’s re-stocked and on sale again this year!

I have this vest in navy too – yes I love it that much. :)  Wore it for family pictures a couple of years ago.  My kids look so little to me in this picture!  Time needs to slow down.
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This little V-neck wool cardigan is darling!  Comes in lots of colors.  A lot of times cardigans like this pull at the chest, but this one is a perfect fit.  Fitted but not tight.  And so soft!  (True to size)

And a few pics of some of the things I shared in my first sale post.  The lighting in that dressing room was so bad so here are a few favorites without the fluorescents!  This shrunken leather bomber jacket is one of my favorites from the sale.  So beautiful in person and so comfortable.  I love that you can move in it!  Sometimes moto/short jackets are stiff and it’s hard to move your arms around (hate that) but not this one!  I don’t know that I love these boots with it – too similar in color – maybe a darker brown?  I got lazy trying this stuff on for you all.  I’m used to taking my fashion pics as I wear the clothes.. not so many at once!  This was a workout. Ha. ;)

While we’re on the subject of cardigans.. ahhh!  LOVE this one from Barefoot Dreams!  So perfect for chilly days and seriously the softest material EVER.  I got it in black but it comes in lots of colors.

This is the other Barefoot Dreams Circle Cardigan I came home with.  I had a hard time choosing which color to get.. they are all so beautiful!  I brought home Stone.

Seriously these 2 cardigans above are like being wrapped up in the softest blanket!  My best attempt to show that with the above picture. ;)  Last Fall I bought several cardigans and I wear them all the time either with jeans or over my pj’s when the house is cold.  One time I was wearing a favorite cardigan and Kenny told me I looked like Mr. Rogers.  (Had to laugh at that one.)  Ever since whenever I put on a cardigan he starts singing “It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood..”   

So glad he amuses himself.  Ha.

Last cardigan (Ruched Bell Sleeve) I shared earlier but wanted you to see it in better light.  I love the style of this so much!

The sleeves and pockets are my favorite!

Had a visitor mid photo shoot.  Back from volleyball practice. :)
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So you know I went on a major purse spree around my birthday last year (purse sources in this post) and I got my Tory Burch bag for Mother’s Day so I couldn’t justify a purse or bag during this sale.  But they definitely had a few I wanted!  Love this Crossbody purse on sale that is so similar to my navy purse above!  These are my 5 favorite bags from the sale..


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And we can’t forget the HOME department!  I’ve loved my fringe pillow and there is a similar pillow on sale that comes in navy and gray on sale.  So cute!  I ordered it in both colors to see what works best.  I have a spot in mind. :)  Here are my favorite sale items from the HOME decor department!



My Mia Pink Sonic is also on sale!  Just mentioned that in my last post on bathroom organization.  Love this.. I’ve used mine for years.

{Black Soft Lace Up Sneakers/Old School Navy Vans (need to lace them!)/Navy Tennis Sneakers/White Adidas Sneaker}

And I got some new shoes for the Mr.  Last year I bought him a pair from the sale and he has LIVED in them.  He usually tells me to not buy him anything but this year he asked for shoes.  Progress! ;)  He was due for a few more and already has a lot in brown so I went with navy, black and white.  They have a great selection of shoes on sale for men this year.
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And a few things I got for my girls for back to school before I sign off!  We aren’t keeping all of this.  I always pick out my favorites and then let them my girls try everything on and just keep what fits and what they love.  Things sell out so quickly during the Anniversary sale so I buy heavy upfront and return later!

A few things that we loved and are keeping..

LOVE this washed and worn green romper!  I want it in my size!  Ad hadn’t been out of the pool long but couldn’t wait to try it on. :)

I bought her these pants in the Spring and she has loved them so I got another similar pair.

They are the Utility Cargo Pants and are a great fit.  Ad had just stepped out of the shower this time.  Clearly we don’t do our hair much in the summer. ;)  She also loved this black and white striped top.

And this floral print tank/tee and the Collin Skinny Jeans.

And I especially loved the Pineapple Graphic Tee so that’s a keeper for sure.  :)  El still needs to try a few things on.  Really cute stuff on sale for back to school for kids this year!  I still need to look at a few things for Kole.  They grow so quickly!  Here are some of my favorites for the girls..


This post has also grown quickly.  Sorry for the novel!  I told you you’d need a snack for this one.  And my popcorn is gone so it’s time to sign off.  Happy Anniversary Sale shopping friends!

:)

(My first round of sale picks are here if you missed them!)  

xoxo, Erin
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Fashion
07.13.17

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Picks (round 1!)

*FOR THE QUICK SHORTENED VERSION HEAD TO MY FAVORITES PAGE TO SEE ALL OF MY FAVORITE ITEMS FROM THE NORDSTROM ANNIVERSARY SALE THIS YEAR!

Alright friends.  I’ve been shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale for years and this is honestly hands down the best I’ve seen!  Seriously.  It’s SO good this year!

{affiliate links used}

And yes.. I tried this ALL on today. :)  I’ll go into more details about my purchases in future posts but for now I just wanted to take you into the dressing room with me to see a glimpse of what I bought and LOVE!  Today wasn’t my best hair day, the dressing room lighting is horrible and I snapped these pictures so fast because I only had a short amount of time that my husband could shuffle kids around.  I felt like at any minute my carriage was going to turn into a pumpkin so this was speed shopping at its best!  Luckily I know my way around Nordstrom. ;)  Here are some of the things that came home with me today!  Like I said, better pics, more clothes and more fit/size details will come later.  After sleep. :)

Channing Embroidered Military Shirt and Roll Cuff AG jeans.  AG jeans are hands down my favorite jeans and there are so many fun styles on sale this year!  I’ll link to some of them at the bottom of this post!  Can’t express enough love for this shirt!

This Catskills Jacket fits darling if you are looking for a military jacket this year!  Cinches in at the waist for a flattering fit and I love the pockets!

I knew this Ruffle Trim Track Jacket would come home with me as soon as I saw it in the catalog!

I was so excited to see the Barefoot Dream Cardigans on sale!  Softest cardigans EVER!  I wanted one last year and they never went on sale and then sold out of my size.  They come in lots of colors.  I love the longer version too.  I have a feeling these will sell fast!

Cutest scallop edge sweater!  Also comes in lots of colors.

And I love this Ruched Bell Sleeve Cardigan.  I also bought these Wit and Wisdom Hem Jeans ($45!) and these Vince Camuto Peep Toe Booties.  Knew I wouldn’t leave the sale without a pair of peep toes. ;)

There were so many darling sweaters with ruffles and bell sleeves!  I wanted one of each!  (Halogen Ruffle Sleeve Sweater – comes in lots of colors!  AG Step Hem Ankle jeans)

Another cute bell sleeve sweater!

And my favorite of them all!  If I HAD to pick. :)  (Flare Sleeve Sweater – love it in white too!)

This darling Tie Hem Sweater is so cozy.  It made me forget that it was 80 degrees and humid outside!

I tried on a lot of cute moto jackets (including this gorgeous Felicity Leather jacket).

But ended up splurging on this Shrunken Leather Bomber Jacket.  You guys!  SO comfy and it’s absolutely gorgeous.  This pic doesn’t do it justice.  And I don’t usually like this beige/pinkish color on me, but I fell hard for this jacket!  In this color!  I’ll take a better pic soon.

I tried on lots of boots and absolutely loved these Camellia Tall Boots but they were just a tad too tight on my calves.  If you have skinny calves these boots are gorgeous!  I ended up buying these Vince Camuto Madolee Over the Knee Boots instead because aside from loving the look they also just fit me so much better.

Such a great shoe selection this year!  I tried on lots and I’ll link to some favorites below!  I only came home with 3 pairs and was so proud of myself because I seriously could have bought 20!  Almost every pair I tried on I fell in love with.

I needed some new Nikes (so many cute Nikes on sale!) and came home with this pair.  They make me feel like I’m walking on a cloud.

LOVE these Sperry Rainboots if you live in the rain/snow.  I needed something to wear when we go snow skiing but was bummed they don’t come in half sizes.  I’m in-between!   I also love this darling pair of Hunters that are on sale!

And you guys!  My favorite vest from last year’s sale is back!  Seriously one of my favorite things I bought last year.  It’s so flattering and comfy!  I lived in this last Fall/Winter and always got so many compliments every time I wore it.  It sold out fast last year so I’m thrilled it’s back again this year for those of you who wanted it and didn’t get it in time!

Other favorites that went on sale are my favorite Adidas sneakers (I just bought them in pink but also love them in this Talc White that’s on sale.)  My Tie Front Pullover also went on sale!  Such a cute way to dress up a sweatshirt which basically allows us all to wear pj’s out and about in a totally acceptable way. ;)  AND these beloved high waisted Zella leggings went on sale.  Woot woot!  I bought this top and more of my favorite black leggings too.  Love Zella!

Ok friends.. I feel like we’ve barely touched the surface of this sale!  I didn’t get to Kids (got some darling things for back to school!) or Home or the beautiful Hand Bags on sale or the fun shoes I bought my husband!  I’ll take some better pics soon!   Luckily this is just day one and we’ve got time.  As we all know, the Anniversary Sale is a marathon, not a sprint. ;)

Favorites so far are linked below!









xoxo, Erin
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Organization
07.11.17

Organized Master Bathroom

Organized Master Bathroom! (Sunny Side Up)

Hello hello friends!  Today I’m sharing my organized master bathroom with you all!  Well.  Some of it.  Part of it.  The part that’s organized.  Ha.  Kidding!  It’s actually all organized.  But only because this room (for the most part) is a kid free zone.  I have control.  Complete control!  It’s a wonderful feeling!  ;)

{Master Bathroom Tour and Sources}

(affiliate links used)

Let’s start with the built-in cabinets on the left!  My side of the bathroom. :)

They hold all of our towels.  LOVE the Savannah baskets from PB for organizing (on sale right now!).  I have them all throughout my house!

More towels on the bottom.

I did a major towel clean out in the Spring when I bought some new towels and tossed everything that was old and we weren’t using anymore.  Feels so good to not have cupboards that are crammed with too many towels!

Pretty much the same thing on my husband’s side of the bathroom.

Although I don’t think he’s ever opened these cupboards since I always wash/fold/rotate the towels.  Like I said.. complete control in this space. ;)

Still loving my chevron vase and coral flowers and you probably noticed I have the same set up on my living room mantel.  They have made this bathroom so bright and cheery for Spring and Summer!

K – let’s take a peek at how I’ve organized the 6 drawers with handles on the left and in the middle (pictured above)!

On a sidenote.. I was feeling just a tad vulnerable about sharing every single thing in my bathroom drawers with you all, but that feeling only last about 2 minutes and then I was over it.  When I think about the big scary “web” sometimes I pause before I post.  Then I get past it by picturing me chatting with a bunch of my friends.  Friends who love the same things I love.  Their families, their homes, organizing, decorating, list making, and maybe a good pair of peep toe booties.  I always like to picture my blog as one big slumber party where we stay up way too late talking about our favorite things.  And we all have on really cute Make and Model or PJ Salvage pjs on.  Ha. ;)

We’re all still friends right?  I thought so. :)  (Since my slumber party is actually in large part a one way conversation I get to answer questions the way I want to.)

On with the bathroom drawers!

Top left drawer holds my make-up!  I’ve been using these inexpensive Rubbermaid Interlocking Drawer Organizers from the Container Store for years to organize my bathroom drawers.  I love them!  So easy to customize for exactly what you need and easy to wash clean.  Every few years I toss them and buy new ones.

On the top I keep smaller items.. my contacts, chapstick, nail clippers, elastics and some make-up I use once in a while.

The bottom holds my every day make-up, favorite daily sunscreen and glasses.  (I’ll link to all of my favorite hair/make-up products at the end of the post!)

The drawer below my make-up was tricky for me!  It took me awhile to figure out how to best use the space because it’s such a deep drawer.  I had a lot of taller items I wanted to keep standing up but they didn’t take up the whole drawer so I finally tried putting one of my dream drawer dividers inside to corral them to the side and it was perfect!  (Dream drawer dividers are another favorite organizer I use throughout my house!)

Wash cloths take up the other side of the drawer.  I always have a wash cloth laid out on my counter top to set make-up and other things on because we have marble countertops in here and they scratch so easily.  I love my marble counters but they are definitely high maintenance and every single day I’m grateful I went with quartz in my kitchen. :)

A mirror and extra curling iron are chilling in the bottom drawer.

Top drawer in the middle holds all things night time!  My toothbrush and floss and then everything I use to wash my face at the end of the day.  I love my Mia Sonic!  I’ve been washing my face with it for years and I feel like it makes a big difference when it comes to keeping my skin healthy and clean.  I’ve been trying this TNS serum for about a year now and really like it too.  It’s pricey but you only use a small amount each night so it lasts a long time.  Then this Clinique Mask is what I love and use as a moisturizer.  Brushes and my hair clips and headband (that I wear when I put on my make-up to keep my hair out of my face) are also in this drawer. :)

I have favorite gray baskets in the middle drawer that hold extras.  Things I stock up on from Costco basically. :)

I also keep a notebook and pen in this drawer because every single night when I’m brushing my teeth I think of something I need to remember the next day that I forgot to add to my to-do list!  I like to jot my thoughts down in a notebook instead of my phone because I’m old school like that.  I’ve kept a notepad in one of my bathroom drawers since I was in high school. :)

Bottom drawer holds a few more extras I stalk up on like soap, toothpaste and deodorant.

So that’s it!  The cupboards don’t have much in them because I’m careful to only keep what we use every day in this bathroom and my husband’s drawers on the far right are organized basically the same way with his things.  We’ll let him have some privacy and just stick to my drawers.  Today. ;)  I still need to share how I organize my vanity area with you all and those drawers are my favorite!  Coming soon to a blog near you.

K friends!  Hold the popcorn.  I’m pausing our sleepover party until next time because this girl needs some sleep.  I love summer but my kids are wearing me out!  Plus I have an early appointment at Nordstrom tomorrow!  Time to find the best of the best from the Anniversary Sale to share with you all!  I’m excited.  Next post will have my first round of favorites up!

Hopefully pj’s will be included.

;)

Favorite Organizers, Make-up, and Hair/Skin Products from this post are below!
(Master Bathroom Decor and Sources are HERE.)







xoxo, Erin
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Family
07.09.17

5 Things.. and a giveaway!

Happy weekend friends!  Sharing a few random things today because I’m in a random sort of mood.  I’m watching Fred Claus while I type this.  A Christmas movie in July.  And it’s seriously making me crave chocolate milk.  Which has nothing to do with Christmas.  Or July.  Or Fred Claus.  I just had some yesterday at my mom’s house and it was really good.

:)

{Family Room Sources}

(affiliate links used)

Random #1 – It’s so good to be home.  We just got back from Utah today.  Had a great trip with the family!  It was my third week of travel and to be honest, that was a bit long for me.  I can’t even tell you how good it felt to be back in my own house puttering around today.  We’ve had so much fun but I’m excited to get in a nice little summer routine with the kids and just be HOME.  (I hear Dorthy’s shoes clickin’..)

Random #2 – Had a fun 4th of July in SLC at my sister’s house.  Spending the holiday with her and her family has become such a fun tradition!  We were missing my sister-in-law this year.  She is due with baby #3 in a few weeks so we are all counting down!

Thank you Car for supplying us with appropriate head gear.  The hats for the guys took the cake.  Merica!

Pool bound!

{sunglasses/swimsuit/cover-up you can’t see in this pic ;)}

Kids love the annual Piñata.

And the guys started their own tradition of watching Rocky 4.  Because what’s more patriotic than Rocky 4?  “If Is can change.. and yous can change.. everybody can change!”  

{Favorite daily hair products: Enjoy Straightener/Moroccan Oil/It’s a Ten}

Random #3 – I need some new hair tools.  Help!  I feel like the straight iron I use (Nano Titanium pictured above) is pulling my hair apart!  My hair keeps snagging on it and it just isn’t working well lately.  I need a new straight iron and don’t know what to buy.  Do you any of you use one you love?  Something strong (and safe!) for really thick hair?  My blow dryer is also years old and on its last dying breath.  I started researching the best hair dryers and this one kept popping up..

Have you all heard of this Supersonic Hair Dryer!?  Looks so strange doesn’t it!?  I’m so curious how it works!  It’s crazy expensive for a hair dryer but wow.. amazing reviews.  Seems to be worth the hype.  Wondering if any of you have tried it before?

This Drybar blow dryer also has great reviews but I’m still on the hunt!  I don’t want to spend a ton, but I do keep my hair dryers for years and they have to work hard with my thick hair.  Would love to hear what you all use if you have one you love!

And on another totally random side note I’m getting so excited for the beloved Nordstrom Anniversary sale!  Have you all seen the catalog!?  CUTE stuff this year.  I’m going in on Wednesday this week to scope it all out for you!  Pre-sale starts Thursday the 13th and then it opens to everyone July 21st so make sure to check back for a full post of my favorites!  The good stuff always sells out SO fast.  I’m going to have to watch Rocky 4 with the boys the day before to get pumped.  And drink LOTS of chocolate milk.  This sale is serious business and I need to be on my A game.  ;)

Random #4 – My hydrangeas are blooming!  They are small but mighty.  Move over Palm Trees.. a few East Coast plants never hurt anyone. ;)

Random #5 – So much fun hearing from all of you who are signing up and excited about Grove!  If you missed my last post I shared my favorite cleaning supplies and how you can snag this fun set (that includes the white tray) for free!

To celebrate this summer of entertaining I’ve partnered with Grove to give away a beautiful bunch of farmgirl flowers to one lucky follower AND a friend!  They are GORGEOUS.  Head to my Instagram page and check the post with these flowers in it for details on how to enter!

The fun giveaway and free products when you sign up for Grove only last a few more days so don’t put it off!  And let me know if you have any questions at all about joining!  I’ve been using Grove for years and am happy to explain anything about how it works to you.  Their customer service is also amazing and if you shoot them an e-mail they can help too. :)

Random #6 – (You didn’t really think I’d end at #5 did you?) Because we are talking all things cleaning lately I’m sharing a favorite past post if you missed it!  Or need the reminders again.  I know I do!

10 SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU KEEP YOUR HOUSE CLEAN AND ORGANIZED ONCE AND FOR ALL

I hope it helps!  K – coming back soon with a fun organizing post!  Fred Claus just ended and there is no chocolate milk in sight (major bummer) so I better sign off.

Talk soon friends! :)

xoxo, Erin
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Home Decor
07.06.17

My favorite cleaning supplies (get your free Mrs. Meyer’s Gift Set!)

There is something so special about summer.  Green grass, beautiful flowers, sunny skies, slower paced schedules, the sound of kids laughter throughout the house.  I love it all!  I also love that I have more time to have friends over to swim and play and chat and eat in the summer time.  We entertain more during this time of year so I work hard to make sure my house stays clean.  Well.. mostly clean most of the time. :)  I love for my home to be an inviting place where my family and friends can relax and enjoy each other.

During the summer months I try to keep real flowers on our coffee table and I make sure my kitchen smells fresh and clean.

Want to see what has been making my kitchen (and my hands!) smell fresh and clean this summer?  Mrs. Meyer’s.  I love Mrs. Meyer’s products!  If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you know this.  You also know that I’m a huge fan of Grove Collaborative.  If you haven’t heard of Grove, they are a company that sells all natural eco friendly cleaning supplies and other products.  I love their products.  I love their customer service (honestly the best customer service you’ll find).  And I especially love that they deliver exactly what I want/need right to my doorstep.  It truly has been the best thing for our family!  No more Costco runs for toilet paper.  No more spending a fortune at Target because I got distracted in the home decor section of the store instead of buying cleaning supplies.  (Happens more than I’d like to admit!)  Plus I’ve been able to try out so many fun new products that have become favorite staples at our house.  I get slightly giddy every time a box from Grove arrives on my doorstep. :)  #truestory

Below are some favorite products I love and order often from Grove…

I’ve also found a few new favorites lately!  Like these great Reusable Storage Bags.  They have been perfect for so many things.

I especially love them when I travel.  I’ve used them to hold sunscreen, medicine, toiletries, snacks, jewelry.  This last week I’ve been traveling with my kids and used the large bag to hold their DVD’s. :)

I also love the Grove glass spray bottle.  I have several!  I use them for cleaning and Kole uses them to water the outside plants.  He’s a huge fan of Grove too. ;)

When you click over to Grove, you’ll be asked a few questions and your cart will auto-fill with $20 of products.  You can keep their suggestions in your cart, or replace them with items you know you love or want to try.  They have such a HUGE selection of amazing, eco-friendly, well priced products.  It’s honestly so easy to spend the $20 each month on items we all need and would buy anyway (like toilet paper!).

Grove is offering something special for my readers (YEA!).  Right now when you sign up for Grove and place your first order of $20 you’ll get this SUMMER STYLE set for free!

*IF YOU ARE AN EXISTING CUSTOMER YOU CAN REDEEM THE TRAY FOR 25% OFF HERE!

{CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP AND GET YOUR FREE PRODUCTS!}

Such an amazing deal.  I love this set!  The dish soap, hand soap and hand lotion come in several different scents.  I like them all but Lavender is my favorite! :)  I’m also so in love with this sink tray!  You can use it to hold your dish soap, hand soap and hand lotion on your counter next to your sink OR you can use it like I do..


I keep mine in the drawer next to my sink to hold two of my Grove dish brushes – they are forever staples!  I just ordered another sink tray to hold my glass cleaner (another favorite from Grove).   And while I’ve got my drawer open for you I should also mention that the walnut scrubber sponges are perfect for washing pots and pans and cleaning sinks so be sure to give those a try too. :)

If you decide to become a new member of Grove Collaborative let me know what you think!  I know a lot of you signed up the last time I wrote a post about Grove and have been loving it!  That makes me so happy. :)  Affiliate links are used in this post, but as most of you already know Grove is a company I truly love, use and endorse 100%.  (I wouldn’t be writing this post otherwise!)  They are an amazing group of people who sell great, affordable products and have outstanding customer service.  I’m a fan.

I’m also a fan of a clean, organized home that smells amazing in the summer.  Thank you Grove for helping me keep mine that way!  Now if I can just get my three kids on board to do the same..

:)

xoxo, Erin
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Fashion
07.03.17

An outdoor project! With a side of rambling.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Whip together:

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

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

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

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

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

And maybe with some fruit dip on the side.

:)

FAVORITES ON SALE:








xoxo, Erin
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Organization
06.29.17

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

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

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

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

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

So much better!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

{Kitchen sources here}

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

5 TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR KITCHEN CLEAN AND ORGANIZED

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

xoxo, Erin
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Favorite Things
06.23.17

Organized Medicine Cabinet (take 2!)


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

(affiliate links used)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I can pull it out further to accommodate more medicine.

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

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

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

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

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

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




xoxo, Erin
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Fashion
06.18.17

Fashion and what I’m packing for Maui!

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

(affiliate links used)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Love this outfit!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I’m taking this romper to Maui..

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Made this girl feel pretty special.

Saturday morning ritual of making pancakes with his little buddy.

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

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

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

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

ALL SOURCES FROM THIS POST:









xoxo, Erin
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Home Decor
06.14.17

Living Room Summer Decor

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

*affiliate links used

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

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

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

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

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

I believe they do just that. :)


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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






xoxo, Erin
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Home Decor
06.13.17

Creating a coordinated gallery wall

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

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

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

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

-affiliate link used

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

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

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

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

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

Ad in a favorite swimsuit.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

:)

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

xoxo, Erin
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