Erin, Author at The Sunny Side Up Blog

Home Decor

05.08.18

Shiplap Display Wall (through the seasons)

Lately I’ve been getting a lot of questions about our shiplap display walls! I know I’ve shared them a lot before, but everything is spread out in various posts so in an effort to consolidate information, I’m sharing ALL of the details on my shiplap display walls including how I dress them up through the seasons.

Because shiplap display walls are fun. And after the long day I just had.. I could use a little fun this evening. :)

Once upon a time there was one shiplap display wall..

When we designed our home I thought it would be fun to put some planks on this large wall by our formal living room so I had our architect sketch an inset wall in this space and we made it happen. I knew that I eventually wanted a gallery wall in this space, but for the first couple of years in our new home it sat empty.

A lot of things sat empty for the first couple of years in our new home. Some still sit empty today. Clearly I’m ok with empty. Less to dust. :)

One December I got tired of the empty planked wall so I used it to display our Christmas cards. I loved having a place to display our Christmas cards, but wanted something I could leave up all year long so I finally got my act together (aka called my carpenter and dad for help)..

and created the gallery wall that was always meant to be. Pictures rotate seasonally in this spot, but the frames stay put. (Right now I have these Spring/Summer pics up and you can see my Fall pics up in this post.)

Rewinding just a bit.. in our previous home I spray painted a frame and attached some wire to hold pictures. I used it for Christmas cards and to highlight my kids on each of their birthdays. Ellie through the years.

Addison through the years.

And Kole through the months. ;)

Fast forward back to the new house. I now had one shiplay display wall with frames in our formal living room, but no place to display our Christmas cards or fun miscellaneous pics of the kids. I was so torn on what to put on this blank wall between my office and our powder bathroom. I thought of A LOT of different ideas! But I didn’t love any of them.

I wanted something really fun because this is the hallway that we see the most often all day walking to the garage/car so I decided to add shiplap display wall number two! With planks going horizontal instead of vertical.

Because I’m tricky like that.

Ok.. details on this hallway shiplap wall. (I’m going to try to answer ALL the questions!) This one is NOT inset in my wall like the other one because it wasn’t planned in our original design. I told my carpenter who built this for me to line the top of it up with the bottom of our office/bathroom door molding and to leave one foot of wall space on each side of the shiplap wall. No reason other than I thought that would look good… like it was framed between the two rooms. Then I told him to make a thick 3 1/2 inch edge (similar to my other shiplap wall) to frame the planks. He built the frame first and then cut the planks to fit perfectly inside. I told him to make the planks 7 inches because I like them wide. They are 59 inches long inside of the frame. The whole square including the frame is 66 x 66.

This isn’t a magic size! I totally made it up.. ha! If you are making one yourself (or hiring someone to make one for you) I would just make it fill the majority of the wall space you have. There is no right/wrong size for a shiplap display wall. I know this because I made this shiplap display wall up which means that I get to make the rules.

Rule #1 – there is no right/wrong size for a shiplap display wall.

That’s part of the reason shiplap display walls are so fun. :)

I like this game.

I wish that I would have taken better pics of the step by step of this wall, but I just have this one I took right after it was primed for paint.

Here are some pics of it soon after it was finished..

SO many possibilities for one little wall!

I get a lot of questions about what I use this for through the seasons so here are pics of what I’ve done so far..

{SPRING} We kick off birthdays for all 3 of my kids as soon as the holidays end (January March and May) so I decided to just put up some fun pics of all of them vs. doing a whole wall of each child and switching it every other month. (3 kids = time to simplify.) :)

This wall has become such a bright spot in our home! It adds a lot of life and I love that it forces me to get pictures off of my computer and displayed in our home.

*My most asked question about this wall is what do I use to hold the things I display? PAINTER’S TAPE! Once again.. we are all about simplifying around here. :)

{SUMMER} In the summer I like to display my kids’ artwork. You know all of that stuff they come home with at the end of the school year!? Bam. Temporary home.

{FALL} I have so many fun ideas for this wall in the Fall but so far we’ve just used it to display past Halloween pictures.

My kids love seeing their old costumes every year!

{WINTER} And in December I finally have a place to display Christmas cards again!

So those are my two shiplap display walls through the seasons! They have been such fun additions to our home.

And they both lived happily ever after..

Clearly I’m ready for bed. :)

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xoxo, Erin

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Organization

05.02.18

Our Evening Routine

Talking about our evening/bedtime routine today! We often hear how important it is to have a morning routine that starts the day off right and sets you up for success, but for me I’ve found that my evening/bedtime routine is what makes all the difference! Maybe because I’m more of a night owl than a morning person? I don’t know. What I do know is that you have to figure out what works best for YOU and your current stage of life. Our evening/bedtime routine has changed over the years as my kids have grown older but we still do a lot of the same things! For school nights, my goal is to always connect with each my kids before they go to bed and of course.. to make sure we are organized and ready for the next day. On the weekends we try to find a little time to relax and spend time together.

*Honored to partner with The Company Store on this post and share why bedtime is special to me! I love that they are celebrating moms for mother’s day by sharing their evening/bedtime stories.

A few things my kids do every evening:

Write down one thing they are grateful for. We started using our Gratitude Jar at the beginning of this year and have been doing pretty good! Some nights we miss, but we try to remember to do it at least a few times a week! Addison is usually the one reminding the rest of us.. she keeps us all on track around here. :) Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in what’s hard, sad or a struggle during the day and I love how this jar has helped us focus on something GOOD happening every day in each of our lives.

Pick up their rooms. Every evening I tell my kids their room/bathroom needs to be clean before bed. We have been doing this for so many years that my kids are really good at keeping their rooms picked up because they know they will have to do it before they go to sleep. Kole had a playdate the other day and I heard him tell his friend “we have to pick up my room before you go because if we don’t I’ll have to do it all myself tonight..” Ha! Start training them young moms. ;)

Homework and get backpacks completely loaded and ready for the next day. Ad and one of her close friends doing homework together a couple of weeks ago. These two have great plans of moving away to college together and conquering the world. :) As soon as my kids finish their homework I make sure they get every SINGLE thing ready for school the next day.. signed notes, homework, books, snack, water, etc.

Lay out clothes for the next day/week. When my girls were little we had a lot of outfit decisions/drama each morning before school so I would always have them organize their clothes with ziplock bags on hangers each Sunday for the week ahead.

This saved us lots of time (and tears!) every morning. :) As they got older I bought closet organizers for them to lay out their clothes in the night/week before.

If you have little ones and think this would help with your busy mornings you can read more about our system here! I also go into detail in that post about the complex system I came up with for Kole and his every day outfits. ;)

A few things I do every evening:

Read with Kole. Reading with my kids has always been one of my favorite parts of our bedtime routine! For years when the girls were little Kenny and I would take turns reading books to them at night before bed. Now that my girls are older they usually read for 20-30 minutes before bed on their own and I read with Kole. I love that I get some one on one bonding time with him every night and it has really helped his reading skills. (He is obsessed with Diary of a Wimpy Kid books right now!) After I read with Kole we say his prayers together and then I like to check in on my girls and talk to each one of them individually for a few minutes in their room before bed. We talk a lot throughout the afternoon but I always like to check in right before bed and make sure all is well in the ever changing land that is middle school. :)

Late at night after my kids fall asleep I always check on each of them one more time! It’s something I’ve done since they were babies and is a favorite way to end my day. Kids look so peaceful sleeping, don’t they? It always makes me pause and remember what’s important and how much they mean to me.

Wash face/skin routine. About a year ago I decided I needed to start washing my face earlier in the evening so that I wouldn’t be too tired to use my Clarisonic and take care of my skin. I had a bad habit of going to bed too late and then I was always too tired to use all of my skin products (it can be a process right!?) so I’d just quickly wash my face with soap and vow to do better the next day. Which I never did! So now as soon as I read to Kole and get him in bed (around 8:00 each night) I head downstairs and wash off my make-up right after. SO much better than doing it after midnight when I’m usually rolling into bed beyond tired!

Clean my kitchen. I can go to bed with the rest of my house turned upside down but my kitchen has to be clean! It’s messy again after the morning breakfast rush, but much easier to clean quickly for the day if I already did the bulk of it the night before. (Kitchen pics and sources here.)

Brain dump and pick up office. I always write my to-do list/plan for the next day before bed. I know some people like to do it in the morning, but I sleep better if I do it the night before so all of my to-do’s aren’t swirling around in my head keeping me awake at night! I usually take 10 minutes to clean up my work space and write my to-do’s and just go over what’s ahead of me the next day. This is one of my best tips for increasing your productivity!

Lay out my clothes. If I have to be somewhere early I try to lay out my outfit the night before so I’m not scrambling to find the earrings/purse/jeans I need. (Ignore the bad lighting! Took this quick at night when I was getting my clothes ready for the next day.)

If I’m going to exercise (most mornings I hop on our treadmill for 30-45 minutes before I take Kole to school) I lay out my exercise clothes. Everything down to the socks I’m wearing! And I fill up my water bottle! I have to make it so that I have no excuse but to just get dressed and get moving because I stay up too late with all of this evening routine stuff and have no mental energy first thing in the am. ;)

Friday night evening routine: Life is SO busy and a lot of times making time for yourself can be near impossible (especially if you are in the thick of it raising kids!). I started a little Friday evening “relax and unwind” routine years ago when I was feeling especially burned out and it has become something I look forward to all week! It doesn’t happen every single Friday night.. but most Friday nights I pull it off. Kenny and I are always so tired by the end of the week that we usually make date/friend plans for Saturday night and just take Friday night off. If our kids aren’t with friends we put on a movie for them upstairs so we can relax. Then I kick my Friday night off with a bath!

I LOVE taking relaxing baths and always have. When we built our home I wanted a free standing tub so badly because I love the look, but after trying a few out (yes.. I laid in them in the store!) I knew they wouldn’t work for me. I actually use my tub and comfort was my top priority on this one!

I love to turn the lights on low and light a few candles and relax in a nice hot bath. It feels so good to just ZONE out and slow my mind and body down from the week.

I get out my favorite soft towels (love this set too!) and my favorite bubble bath and just have some of my very own spa time.

(I also love these chevron towels and aside from being soft they are perfect for bath decor! Roll them up in a basket, etc.)

BEST way to end the week. My bath totally relaxes me! Then I put on comfy pjs and blow dry my hair and join my husband on the couch for a movie. Half way through the movie he’s usually asleep and I’m on Pinterest, checking my favorite blogs or shopping on-line.. but that’s ok. Whatever relaxes you right? ;) My Friday night evening routine always helps me recover from a busy week and rest before the weekend madness hits.

Sometimes (if I’m feeling relaxed enough after my bath) we even let the kids join us for movie night.

Sometimes. ;)

That wraps up our evening/bedtime routines! They help us stay organized, connect and relax. I’d love to hear about your evening routine! Anything special you do with your kids/family? Or a good habit you have that helps you get ready for the next day? (I’d love to hear from you in the comments or share your bedtime routine/story on IG with the hashtag #ShareYourBedtimeStory!)

I think I have some free time each night between 11:35 and 11:40 pm so I can implement your suggestion then..

;)

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xoxo, Erin

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Fashion

05.02.18

Mother’s Day Gift Guide

Mother’s Day always sneaks up so quickly doesn’t it!? I’ve rounded up 20 cute gift ideas for a Mother’s Day Gift Guide so that we are all on top of our game this year! These are all items I have and already love OR things I’d love to get for Mother’s Day. (Hope my husband and kids caught that..)

So whether you are looking for a gift for the mothers in your life OR just forwarding this to your husband and kids for a few ideas.. I hope it helps. :)

*affiliate links used

1 – Scalloped Faux Leather Tote. The scalloped detail on this bag is TOO CUTE! Plus it’s a great size and price. I gave it to a friend for her birthday and she loves it! (Comes in a pretty Ivory color too.)

2 – Classic Croissants, Set of 15. One of my close friends gets these delivered every Mother’s Day and said they taste absolutely amazing! They are shipped frozen and are so easy to cook. I love that tradition and want to start it this year! These would make such a perfect mother’s day gift.

3 – Emma Serve Bowl. I have this bowl and it has just come in so handy! It’s beautiful and simple and works great for holding fruit, decor, salads.. every time I entertain it’s the first bowl I reach for!

4 – Vintage Wood Serving Set. I love this wood serving set and need something like this! Would be a cute gift paired with the Emma Serve Bowl.

5 – All-Clad Stainless-Steel Cookware Set. I got this cookware set for Christmas and have loved it! Not claiming to have cooked anything too amazing or intricate with these pans, but they have worked great for everything I’ve made so far and the best part? They look beautiful in my kitchen! #priorities ;)

6 – Marble and Copper Serve Tray. I love this simple serve tray. Perfect for entertaining and it would be cute decor in your kitchen when you aren’t using it! This is the type of thing I use over and over.

7 – High Shimmer Lip Gloss. My favorite! I love and wear “Bellini.” It looks so good over any color of lipstick!

8 – Mckenna Jewelry Binder. This is exactly what I’ve been looking for to organize my jewelry when I travel! Hint hint Kenny.. :)

9 – Sophee Textured Drop Earrings. This is the perfect pair of everyday earrings. So cute and stylish. They have great reviews that they go with everything and are lightweight! On my wish list.

10 – Letter To My Daughter. This New York Times Bestseller by Maya Angelou is on my list to read! I’ve heard it’s so good! Perfect Mother’s Day gift.

11 – Flutter Sleeve Cotton Knit Top. One of my favorite tops this Spring! I love the sleeves and pretty blue (comes in lots of colors). It has been a go to since I bought it! (You can see fit/what it looks like on me in this post.)

12 – Hydro Flask Water Bottle. I’ve probably bragged about these enough but they are hands down our favorite water bottles! They keep your water cold for days and come in so many cute colors. I love giving them as gifts!

13 – MOM heart necklace. I love sentimental gifts and any type of jewelry my kids give me (especially something personalized with mom like this!) is an immediate hit. Almost as good as the homemade macaroni necklace. :)

14 – Moroccan Oil Travel Kit. I love Moroccan Oil products and this travel kit is perfect to take on summer vacations OR just to keep to sample the different hair products. (Also a little goes a long way with Moroccan oil products so these small bottles actually last for a LONG time!)

15 – Twirl Convertible Curling Iron. I’ve bragged about this curling iron before but I have to say I’m seriously still loving it! It curls my hair in such a great beachy wave. I took it to the Reward Style Blog conference and my friends all tried it and by the end of the trip they had all decided they were buying one too! The top is interchangeable but so far I’ve only needed (and love!) the 1.25 inch barrel it comes with. Great gift idea!

16 – ‘Morning After’ Shower Cap. Love this shower cap for keeping my hair dry in the shower! I only wash my hair every 3-4 days so this shower cap has been a must for all the showers in-between! Long time favorite and a fun gift. (You could also pair it with a brush or a favorite hair product!)

17 – Moonlight Pajamas. These are SO cute and look incredibly comfortable! They have great reviews and come in lots of colors and are at the top of my wish list! Because I need new pajamas so badly. Ha.

18 – Celine Throw. This throw is so beautiful! It falls perfectly draped over your couch or chair. Comes in lots of colors – my favorite is the salmon (coral). It has been rotating around my house so much that I’m just going to get another one. I want it in every room! (It’s currently living in my mudroom.) Would make a beautiful gift for moms who love home decor!

19 – Initial Mini Disc Bracelet. This simple bracelet is so beautiful and I love that you can personalize it and make it special with an initial. Similar to this pendant necklace I love and have given friends for various gifts.

20 – Patricia Green Chloe Slipper. I’ve been hunting for some cute lightweight slippers for spring/summer (my wood floors are hard on my feet all day!) and these look perfect! Great reviews.. a lounging essential indeed. :)

Happy Mother’s Day shopping friends!

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xoxo, Erin

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Organization

04.30.18

20 Easy Ways to Spring Clean (with a free checklist!)

It’s May! Can you believe it!? Seriously WHERE did April go? It came and went so quickly! I don’t know about all of you, but this is the time of year I always get the itch to clean and organize my home. Ok.. I guess every time of year I get the itch to clean and organize my home. :) But still – it’s definitely a good time to spruce a few things up before the summer madness hits. So today I’m sharing 20 easy ways to spring clean! These are simple things we can all do that won’t take much time but will help us all feel lighter and brighter this season! The 20 things I chose are all things I want to get done before summer rolls around so basically I’m just making my to-do list yours.. ha! You’re welcome. ;)

20 Easy Ways to Spring Clean:

Toss any old medicine in your medicine cabinet

Clean out the glove compartment in your car

Wipe out your fridge and freezer

Clean out and donate any clothes you didn’t wear over the winter or last spring

Organize the apps on your cell phone

Wipe out and organize your make-up drawer

Buy a new throw and pillows to brighten up your couch (Spring decorating pics/sources)

Toss cleaning products that are expired or you don’t use anymore

Clean out your purse and buy a new one if it’s old/dirty (Recent favorite Spring purse! Other outfit sources in this post.)

Splurge on fresh flowers (dough bowl)

Pick a closet that’s driving you crazy and clean it out

Sweep your porch and add some plants, flowers, a new rug and/or a wreath (my porch rug)

Organize a junk drawer

Print new pictures to display around your house *they can be new “old” pictures ;)

Toss and replace old bathroom towels and rugs (girls’ bathroom rugs)

Clean out your bedroom nightstands

Donate old blankets you never use

Organize your computer desktop and folders

Spray off and clean your patio furniture

Organize a kitchen cupboard or drawer that is usually a mess

There you go! 20 Easy Ways to Spring Clean. And to make it even EASIER for us all I’ve added a free checklist of these 20 things (with boxes to check off as we complete each one!) to my printable library. It’s cute you guys.. you’ll want it. ;)

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE SPRING CLEANING CHECKLIST HERE!

(If you are already a subscriber just enter your info. again to get the printable.. it won’t add you twice! Also, if you sign up and don’t get an e-mail soon after check your junk mail! Once in a while it lands there first.)

So NO excuses! We got this. Happy Spring cleaning friends! :)

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xoxo, Erin

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Fashion

04.25.18

RS Conference, IG Story Thoughts and an Amazing Sale

{Family Room Sources}

*affiliate links used

I’m back! Back from the Reward Style Conference in Dallas and back to blogging. It’s so good to be home. :) It was a great trip. I had a blast with friends (old and new), learned a lot, and slept very little. Pretty typical blog conference recap! Today I’m sharing a few things I wore to the conference, a few thoughts on Instagram Stories (excited to hear your thoughts on this one!), a pic of my little Ariel who stole the show over the weekend, and a few favorite items from Wayfair because they are having a huge one day sale that I’ve been waiting for!

So yes.. random at its best around here once again. But all good things. :)

{Kris/me/Randi/Bree/Jen}

{Ruffle Sleeve Top/Jeans/Wedges/Earrings/Necklace/Similar purse Here and Here}

Dinner with some of my favorite girls! I wore my favorite ruffle sleeve top in mint! But you knew that. :) Three of us are wearing the exact same Marc Fisher wedges. They are seriously so comfortable and look cute with anything you’re wearing! Jen on the right has them in the “mushroom suede”.. Randi and I are wearing the “blush suede.” Not planned but it’s not the first time we’ve all dressed alike. :)

One of my favorite parts of the conference was hearing Kendra Scott talk about starting and growing her business as a single mom. I’ve loved her jewelry for years and her story was so inspiring!

I searched high and low for something cute to wear to the conference (always a certain amount of pressure when you’re hanging with fashion bloggers!). This banded lace midi skirt was an immediate favorite! I’m so in love.

{Santorini Espadrille Sandal/Fame Halo Strap Sandal}

I bought these shoes on two different days and didn’t even realize they were the same brand and the same exact shade of pink until I was packing them both for the conference! I had to laugh. Clearly I’m a fan! I really did fall in love with this shade of pink. It’s so fun for Spring/Summer and it’s almost a neutral skin color that really elongates your leg. When you’re short, elongating the leg is always a good thing! I also love this Diane Peep Toe Pump in the same color but my heels are too narrow for them! So cute if you’re looking for a good heel and you don’t have #heelissues like I do. I always have to go for the straps! But seriously loving both pairs of these shoes.

A close up of this skirt so you can see the gorgeous the material/pattern. Such nice quality. A bit of a splurge for a single skirt, but worth every penny to me because I know it will be a Spring/Summer staple for many years!

It’s always such a treat at these conferences to be surrounded by so many good friends. We are the only “home decor” people at this conference and we’ve all grown so close through years of blogging together. These women are all so talented, down to earth and just FUN. I’m so lucky to have them all in my life. What would we do without girl friends to share ups and downs with!?

I also took my recent favorite long sleeve shirt dress. It’s just SO easy and comfortable! My friend Kris took this pic and we were seriously laughing so hard. The first few pics she took were hilarious! I had my arm around that lion in one of them. I’d share the outtakes but I deleted them right after! There is a reason I mostly blog about home decor/organization and why most of my fashion pics are quick mirror selfies. Whenever I try to branch out and take “serious fashion blogger” pics things just don’t go well! Ha.. :)

With Randi and Jen. Love these two! I bought this pink purse at Anthro.. they have so many darling purses in for Spring! I couldn’t find it on-line but this purse and this purse are similar!

{Tiered Ruffle Skirt/Floral Print Top/Earrings/Kate Spade Purse/Wedges}

I was so excited to meet and hang out with Erin (My Texas House)! You know when you just know you could be really close friends with someone? (I feel that way about so many of you!) I’ve also always felt that way about Erin. I mean to start with.. her name.. ;) She and I have been friends on IG for a while now and I had a feeling we would just click. We both love home decor and each have 3 kids similar ages. We got chatting and couldn’t believe how much more we have in common. We discovered that we were both living in Virgina and teaching Elementary school at the same time while our husbands were going to the same law school! They graduated the same year AND we were all living in the SAME exact apartment complex those three years. Is that not crazy!? I wish I would have met her then. I could have used a good friend during that time! I was so homesick and exhausted working three jobs to get Kenny through school and well.. that’s a post for another day. :) Bottom line – I’m so grateful for this new close friend and you will all love following her if you aren’t already!

Details on this outfit I wore one day of the conference. It’s so darling! I fell hard for this tiered ruffle skirt. It runs big so order one size down (wearing 0). This floral print top is PERFECT for Spring/Summer. So pretty and feminine and lightweight. It’s nicer in person than it looks on-line. I also went down one size in this top (wearing xxs).

I was worried this skirt might make me look extra heavy because it has so much going on, but it’s actually quite sliming! It zips on the side and the top half is fitted before the ruffles start. It’s a little long on me (I wish it came shorter!) but it still worked. I got so many compliments on it!

After classes and time for dinner! I kept on the floral top and switched the skirt for these slimming Paige jeans. (Love them!) I added my favorite pink jacket (I’ll link to similar jackets below) and these fun beaded tassel white earrings. Ready for the evening!

Perfect for dinner with friends our last night in Texas!

I went to bed at 2:00 am (we can’t ever stop talking and go to sleep!) and then headed to the airport at 4:00 am so that I could be home in time to curl Ariel’s hair for the big day! My parents had come into town the day before so everyone was ready to party when I got there. I was a bit of a zombie from 3 days of non-stop go go go and hardly any sleep during the conference, but Addison snapped me right out of it with her amazing rendition of Ariel in The Little Mermaid. I cried on and off during her performance in both shows! I don’t know if it was the sleep deprivation or just the sheer proud mom moments I had watching her on stage (most likely a combination of both!) but such a neat day for our family. I wanted to record a little IG story to share of the performance but they wouldn’t let anyone take pics or film during the show! I’ll have to share a clip of the DVD when it comes out for those of you who have asked to hear her sing. (Thank you for all the love when I shared her singing on IG stories a while back!)

“Look at this stuff.. isn’t it neat?…”

Never gets old does it? ;)

Speaking of IG stories. I feel like I need to put this out there. I’m kind of struggling with them! If I’m being honest.. I always have. When Instagram first started stories I know a lot of people were so excited, but to be honest I wasn’t feeling the love. As we all know.. social media can be such a blessing and a curse all at the same time. For the most part, I’m so grateful for it.. I’ve been able to share my passion for all things home and fashion and have made life long friends in the process. But social media can sometimes bring out ugly feelings of comparison and can also become a HUGE time suck (as I’m sure most of us have experienced!) and in some ways if we aren’t careful, I think it can be really harmful. One of my blogging goals this year was to do better with IG stories. They are a weakness for me and I want to be better at just sharing every day snaps from our life more often for those of you who enjoy that sort of thing. But it’s hard for me! Because I’ll see my kids having a sweet moment and think “oh I should story that”.. but the second I get out my phone to film I feel like it takes away from the moment. Now I’m not just enjoying a sweet moment between my kids.. I’m thinking about the best angle to share what they’re doing with my IG followers. Filming interrupts special moments for me. Not always, but sometimes. And I don’t like the way that makes me feel. During this Reward Style conference I wasn’t very active on stories. Which is awful as a blogger who is at a social media conference! Ha! But I just wanted to enjoy the conference. And enjoy my friends who I only get to see in person once or twice a year and not worry about filming and sharing everything we were doing. I’m not AT ALL criticizing my friends or other bloggers who did share pics and clips of what we were up to and who are very active on stories. I honestly wish I could be that way! Part of this is my issue because I’m SLOW at getting stories up and I tend to over analyze what to post and what not to post while my friends can knock them out in no time and they aren’t as big of an interruption to their day. I’m sure I’d get faster/better at them if I did them more often. I usually take pics or film little clips for stories throughout the day and then upload them all later when my kids are in bed. Stories are suppose to be “real time” glimpses of “real life” but I’m just being honest that sometimes I struggle with that concept. I guess I don’t want life to pass me by because I’m busy filming it. :) I really want to maintain a healthy relationship with social media and for me that just means breaks sometimes. Story breaks, IG posting breaks, times when I just step away from my phone and computer.

I honestly don’t even know why I’m sharing this with you all. I guess because I’m wondering how you all feel about IG stories. Do you watch them often? Do you love them? Hate them? Does anyone sometimes struggle with the concept like I do? Am I crazy and need to just film more and it won’t bother me so much? What are things you’d like to see more of from me on stories? Obviously there are plenty of things to film during the day that won’t take away from family time and this is not to say I won’t share family moments on stories anymore! I’m just putting it all out there because it has been on my mind a lot lately and I like to be honest with all of you. I would love to hear your thoughts on all things IG story related! I value your thoughts and opinions so much.

Ok.. last item of business and then I will end this already too long post! I feel like it is my duty (as a home decor blogger and friend!) to let you know that Wayfair is having a HUGE sale for today only! Things like this art in my guest bedroom are marked down really low and it’s a great day to pick up anything you’ve been needing home related. Furniture, decor, mirrors.. all of it is marked down just for one day. I’m linking a few things I personally love below. I’ve been excited to pick up some fun things for my home during this sale!

Alright friends. Enjoy your day! Hopefully my next post won’t be quite so scattered. Still running on little sleep around here. ;)

Some things I love looking for at Wayfair:

AREA RUGS

OUTDOOR PLANTERS

ACCENT CHAIRS

STORAGE and ORGANIZATION

ALL THINGS KITCHEN

DECOR AND PILLOWS

VASES

RS CONFERENCE ESSENTIALS:

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xoxo, Erin

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Home Decor

04.16.18

5 Tips To Create a Relaxing Bedroom

*Honored to partner with The Company Store for this post! They are long time favorites of ours when it comes to all things bedding!

Today I’m sharing 5 tips to create a relaxing bedroom. I feel like creating a calm, relaxing bedroom is so important and something that in a lot of cases isn’t high on the priority list. I know this because for years it wasn’t high on ours! In our previous house my master bedroom was a major source of frustration for me. It was constantly a dumping ground for things I was too busy to put away, clothes I was too lazy to hang up and toys galore because it was located right next to my kids’ play room. I vowed that in our new home things would be different! Now that I’ve decorated our bedroom and created a clam, relaxing retreat I can’t believe how much I enjoy this space! It really is an escape for me from hectic days and non stop mom duties. A small piece of calm in the center of one crazy wicked storm. ;)

These are the 5 things I’ve done that I feel like have made all the difference to create a relaxing bedroom..

1 – Clear out ALL clutter. Your room will never feel relaxing to you if it represents things you need to get done, projects that need to be finished, clothes that need to be hung up, etc. If you need a dumping ground figure out a different spot in your home! Let your master bedroom be a space that is always clean and clutter free. If you have a dresser in your bedroom work hard to form the habit of putting away your clothes as soon as you take them off or wash them. (This is something I’ve really been working on!) I also recommend keeping your decor simple – don’t over decorate. Too many things on your walls, tables, etc. can become distractions which makes it harder for you to clear your mind and relax in your bedroom.

2 – Consider decorating with a calm color palate. The colors in your bedroom ultimately should reflect you and make you happy, but it’s often the soft, cool colors that help your mind relax. I knew immediately that the original color we painted our bedroom wasn’t right because of the way it made me feel.

The new lighter paint was such a breath of fresh air! It instantly gave me that relaxing feeling I really wanted for this room. (You can download a printable of all of my paint colors HERE.)

I decorated with pops of color that make me happy, but the foundation of this room (white bedding, soft paint and a tranquil painting) create an overall calm and relaxing feeling for this room.

3 – Splurge on good bed basics. This tip has honestly made the biggest difference for us! If you don’t have a lot of money to decorate your space my best advice is to de-clutter your room and then put the money you do have towards your bed basics first! Your mattress, comforter, sheets and pillows. A good night’s sleep is so important and there is nothing like quality bedding to help you feel comfortable and get your beauty rest!

One of my favorite places to go for bed basics is The Company Store. I first discovered The Company Store when my girls were little. We ordered some fun bedding for their bunk beds and loved it! Great quality products that are so soft and cozy. (A long time favorite for us so I was thrilled to partner with them on this post!) Their comforters are AMAZING. I have their Legends Luxury down comforter inside my duvet cover and it’s so comfortable! They have a comforter guide on their website to help you determine the level of warmth that’s right for you and all of their comforters are hypoallergenic. #bonus

Getting a good night’s sleep is so essential to our over all heath and well being. There is nothing better than climbing into soft sheets and laying your head down on a cozy pillow at the end of a long day! (These pillows are so soft and comfortable and these sheets are my favorite!) Just like with their comforters The Company Store has a pillow guide to help you choose what type of pillows will work best for you. I love that feature when I’m ordering on-line!

I want to stay here reading my time management books FOREVER please. :)

4 – Emphasis on cozy when choosing a rug or carpet. It’s not always incredibly fun to get out of bed in the morning, but having a rug or carpet that feels like heaven to step on makes it a little bit easier! It also helps create a warm and cozy environment in your bedroom. To be honest I was a little nervous about having wood floors in this room! We always had carpet in our past master bedrooms and I liked getting out of bed and stepping on soft flooring so I searched for the softest rug I could find. A cozy rug or carpet is a must for a relaxing bedroom! (You can find my rug and other room sources in this post.)

5 – Splurge on fresh flowers. I know it can be a pain to constantly replace fresh flowers and you know I’m all about faux a lot of the time.. BUT. I truly believe that having one spot in your master bedroom where you keep fresh flowers can make a huge difference in helping your bedroom feel put together and relaxing. Fresh flowers are so beautiful and have been found to have positive effects on our overall mood and happiness. I always have these fresh flowers on the small table between the two chairs in my bedroom and they make me smile every day! I’ve been surprised at how different the room feels when they aren’t there.

They are inexpensive flowers that I pick up at the grocery store once every other week and the life they bring into my bedroom is an instant pick me up!

These 5 tips to create a relaxing bedroom are so simple and yet a lot of us don’t take the time to make them happen. I can’t believe that I didn’t prioritize these things in my previous home so that I could enjoy the benefits that come from having a clam and relaxing space to retreat to at the end of a long day. Being in the throws of raising small children I certainly needed it! Lesson learned. Don’t put your master bedroom at the bottom of your priority list. You deserve a retreat!

There now.. I gave you permission.. go make it happen. :)

The only problem we have now is that I made this bedroom SO cozy and relaxing that I’m not the only one who wants to hang out in this space.

Good thing I like these three so much or no way would I let them crash on my favorite bedding. ;)

Of course the real treat comes when I get to use my cozy bedroom to re-charge and have a little time to myself.

Maybe at some point I’ll let my husband join.

Verdict is still out on that one.

;)

xoxo, Erin

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Fashion

04.14.18

Home and Fashion Favorites

Happy weekend friends! I’m sharing a few home and fashion favorites with you all today! But first! Remember when I shared that my kitchen was in the Better Homes and Gardens Kitchen and Baths magazine?

You know.. the one where I was effortlessly styling flowers on my kitchen table like I do every morning. Surrounded by my kids throwing Cheerios at each other. They must be under the table in this picture.

With the Cheerios.

Well now the other magazine that features my kitchen is also out! Better Homes and Gardens Secrets of Getting Organized. I figured we’d kick today’s favorites post off with this since this magazine has been a favorite of mine for a LONG time!

While the Kitchen and Bath magazine is more about my kitchen design, this publication has six pages about how my kitchen is organized. Here is the page about my pantry. So surreal seeing my house in this magazine!

I might have picked up a copy or ten. The guy checking me out at Costco looked at me like I was crazy. I didn’t care. I just showed him my pantry. ;)

This was a happy Spring for me and my kitchen! Maybe a favorite. :)

{ruffle sleeve top/neckalce/Tory bag/jeans/wedges}

*affiliate links used

Ok.. on to some fashion! First a favorite Spring top I’ve already shared..

That I might have picked up in mint too. It’s seriously embarrassing now how many different colors I have in this same shirt! But I LOVE it so much. Easy breezy.. soft as a t-shirt with feminine ruffle sleeves. Tops like this and a pair of jeans are my favorite thing to reach for every day.

{earrings/necklace/purse (on sale!)/skirt/shoes}

A favorite ruffle denim skirt I bought last Spring is back in stock! My favorite thing about this skirt is that it seriously goes with EVERYTHING. Very easy to dress up with heels or dress down with flip flops in the summer. I’m a bit short for it but still love it. This pink stripe tie front top sold out (so cute!) but I’ll link to some similar options. Nordstrom also has a similar version in the girls section! I’m tempted to buy it for one of my girls but they don’t think it’s as cool to all match as I do. :) Tie front shirts are big this season and these are some of my favorites..

Loving this skirt with my new top I recently shared too.

Just give me ALL the ruffles. :)

I’ve been wearing my Kendra Scott earrings with this top (and a necklace with my birthstone my mom gave me) but I just ordered these earrings to pick up the maroon flowers. So excited about them!

I’m going to a blog conference in Texas next weekend. I went to this conference last year and it’s mostly full of fashion bloggers so I always feel pressure to find something cute to wear! We have to dress up for a couple of events so I’m planning on taking this navy shirtdress that I love and then I’m looking for one or two more dresses or skirts. These are the dresses I’ve ordered to try that are hopefully showing up on my doorstep tomorrow! Hello last minute dress scrambling..

I’d love to hear which one is your favorite!?

The dress I bought and wore to this same conference last year has become a staple in my closet. It’s back in stock and they have it in pink. I love the thick material and the lace detail.. so flattering!

A prefect dress to wear to dance the night away! Those shoes I took though.. not so much.

I’m really crossing my fingers one of the dresses I ordered fits and looks cute.. dresses are so much harder for me to shop for! If I were in charge of a conference like this I would demand that everyone wear jeans and a favorite tee to all of the events. Then I’d rotate my rainbow of colors of this shirt. Probably why they don’t put me in charge. ;)

Speaking of jeans.. you all know that AG jeans are my all time favorite. The style I love and have several pairs of are on sale again! So are these black AG jeans so I just ordered them. I also ordered these AG jeans in pink to try. Hoping they work because they would be so fun for Spring/Summer!

PB is having their Friends and Family 20% off sale this weekend so I’m sharing some favorites I own and a few things I’m ordering. If you need outdoor umbrellas this summer I have to strongly recommend their Cantilever umbrellas. They are marked down as low as I’ve seen them right now and are seriously amazing umbrellas! You can adjust the height, the canopy and rotate them any direction you want. Several years later ours still look brand new and we’ve used and loved them so much!

Sitting under one of those umbrellas watching my kids swim and reading a time management book is my favorite thing to do in the summer! Speaking of TM books.. I have some good ones to recommend! But that’s a post for another day. :)

If you need lounge chairs this summer I absolutely the style/look of these Palmer rope chaises! They are also marked down and don’t they look comfy!?

Every year about this time I also check all of PB’s outdoor rugs. This rug that is currently in our outdoor area is starting to look a little faded from the sun (this area gets sun ALL year long) so I flipped it over on the other side last summer but will probably need to replace it at some point. The cute outdoor rugs go fast! These are my favorites this year..

So cute.

I have absolutely loved the topiary next to my kitchen sink (a favorite this Spring and they sold out so fast!) but PB just got in these darling similar topiaries with lavender! Love them. I also love these fun faux lemon branches! Would be so cute in a large vase or jar.

They also just got in these Sea Glass Vases. My absolute favorite thing to decorate with in the summer!

{hallway shelf sources here}

I have some that are almost identical throughout my home!

Another Spring/Summer decor favorite is my Seaglass filler. I have this in several spots.. in clear jars in my bathroom and on various shelves in bowls. A very inexpensive way to add some color and a touch of Summer to your home!

So you know I’m all about stripes..

These favorite stripe beach towels we keep in our outdoor bathroom and pull them out when we’re entertaining.

PB just got in these bath towels in coral and I’m SO in love with them! Ordering some this weekend.

Give me ALL the stripe towels with ALL the flutter sleeve tops. :)

Also picking up a few more of these favorites while they’re on sale.

And I just put new rugs down in my girls bathroom. The exact same ones! We’ve had them for 4 years and they weren’t looking quite so clean and bright but I couldn’t find anything I liked better to replace them with. I still love these rugs so much. On a sad note.. my girls don’t use these stools anymore. You know how I’m feeling about all of that lately.. (tear).

I can’t talk favorite rugs without mentioning this one. I have it in grey..

coral..

and navy. But I know you already know that. :)

This Georgia table lamp from S&L! I LOVE it. So much. I’m trying to figure out where to put it and I don’t really have a good spot for it! I asked Addison if she wanted to makeover her bedroom just so I could put these lamps in it.. ha. She’s happy with her room as it is so for now I’ll just have to admire it from afar.

It’s similar to my guest room lamps..

and to the lamps in El’s room so clearly I gravitate to this style of lamp! Btw.. I can’t believe I forgot to share Ellie’s room with you all! Adding it to the list..

And I know this is random.. but isn’t this watermelon slicer the coolest!? I am so ordering this. I love watermelon but always dread cutting it up!

If you didn’t get a chance to download my Current Projects printable it’s another favorite! Nothing like checking things off that project list. I just wrote down all the areas of my closet on that printable that need to be organized. It’s seriously such a disaster. I have half way organized it ten times which is why it hasn’t made an appearance on the blog yet. Ha. I need to just spend a little time each day focusing on it and GET IT DONE!

{family room rug}

Enjoy your weekend friends! I hope you can find some time to relax.

Might be a challenge around here. ;)

{FAVORITE FASHION/HOME SOURCES}

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xoxo, Erin

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Organization

04.10.18

Current Projects (a printable to help you get things done!)

So in my last post we cried all the tears together. (Loved hearing from so many of you… thank you for your kind and understanding comments/e-mails! It’s so comforting to know moms are all in this feeling the same things together isn’t it?) But today we are switching gears completely. Because I’m tricky like that. Time to dry those eyes and get things done! While we’re squeezing our kids tight and enjoying every minute.. ;)

Do you ever feel like you have so many current projects and things you’d like to get done but you just can’t find the time? Or maybe you can carve out the time but the project just feels so overwhelming you don’t know where to start? Or maybe you started a project at some point, but lost focus and direction and just can’t seem to get it finished?

Raise your hand if you have ever felt this way before! Or nod. Or smile. I guess I can’t see any of that.. (ha) but I’m guessing you’ve felt this way before! I used to feel this way daily. I often struggled to finish projects after I started them and then there were projects that every time I thought about starting them I would immediately feel so much overwhelm I would instead just walk away and continue to put them off.

Last year I was feeling especially overwhelmed with all of the projects that I couldn’t seem to check off of my list so I finally started to analyze the problem (time, direction, follow through) and came up with a solution that has been such a huge game changer for me! I’m so excited to share it with all of you. I hope it helps you to start and complete projects as much as it has helped me!

This is my “Current Projects” system.. if you choose to accept it. ;)

1 – Spend some time doing a major brain dump (I like to start everything with major brain dumps that lead to list making of some sort). :) Write down every project you’d love tackle. Maybe you want to organize your garage this Spring. Or clean out all of your kitchen cupboards. Or decorate that bedroom that has been sitting empty for years. Get all of the projects swirling around in your brain down on paper.

2 – THEN.. and this is the difficult part.. choose your top 3. I know it’s hard! You want to do them all! And you can. Just not all at once. (That’s one of my main problems.. I get too many things going on at the same time and then I never complete anything! Can I just tell you all that I have 33 blog posts that are half way done right now? Isn’t that INSANE? 33! Started, but not finished. Ha! Like I said.. it’s a problem. Admitting it is always the first step.) If you’re having a hard time choosing your top 3, think about what projects will have the biggest overall impact in your life. For example.. by organizing your pantry you will not only enjoy the clean space, but you will also be able to cut grocery costs by not buying things you don’t need and help your kids easily find after school snacks on their own. Some projects have a ripple effect making other things easier for you. Those are the projects to start with first!

3 – After you have chosen the top 3 projects you want to work on it’s time to break each one down into manageable pieces. Here’s where the magic happens! I created a “CURRENT PROJECTS” printable that has become a lifesaver and go to for me. I made one for all of you too and just added it to my printable library!

(Get access to my Printable Library HERE. Once you’re in, click on the CURRENT PROJECTS printable to print your own.)

*If you don’t get access to my printable library soon after you enter your e-mail, check your junk mail!

This printable has room for 3 projects on one page because I’ve found that 3 is a manageable number for me. I can have 3 projects going at the same time and still be chipping away at each of them without getting too scattered. If you want to just focus on one project at a time until it’s finished that works too! Title the project/projects you want to work on and then break your project down into smaller steps. I filled this one out as an example to show you how I use this printable.

My first project is “organize kitchen.” You can see that I went through my kitchen, found all of the trouble spots that I wanted to organize and listed them next to each check mark. Suddenly organizing my entire kitchen doesn’t feel so overwhelming anymore! And I don’t need an entire free day to get it done because who has an entire day to spend on just organizing the kitchen? (Don’t answer that mom.. I’m already jealous enough of your hard earned retirement..) ;)

Now when an extra 20 minutes pops up during my day I have some direction! By breaking this project down into simple steps I can easily choose just one thing to work on. It’s totally up to you if you want to go in order! Most of the time I don’t write things down in the best order because I’m just brainstorming everything that needs to get done so I complete whatever step I want to complete regardless of the order I wrote it down.

Each thing on your list should be something simple that can easily be done in 20-30 minutes. If it’s not, break it down into an even smaller step! For example, my Project 2 is to finish up our theatre room (I got a little sidetracked with the holidays and then knee surgery!). One of the things I need to do is find a rug for that space. You’ll see that one step to check off is to simply “measure for rug.” I might not have time to scour the internet for new rugs one afternoon, but I should be able to find 15 minutes to measure my space and determine the size of rug I’m looking for. Then when I do have a little more time one evening to look for rugs I’ll know what size I need. Make this checklist as easy for yourself as possible. If you break your project down into bite sized pieces it’s so much easier to tackle! And harder to procrastinate.

A project like organizing your kids’ school work can seem so daunting! You can see how I broke that project down into smaller jobs that can be done in less time. One item on my list was to just “round up all of the the kids’ papers.” I went around the house and rounded up everything I wanted to go through. Easy! Next time I have 20-30 minutes to work on this I’ll “divide in 3 piles” – just separating my kids work so I have a pile for each child. Then I can organize each pile individually during another 20 minute time slot, and then decide what to keep and what to toss the next time.

Breaking down projects like this works wonders in SO many ways!

It makes your project feel less intimidating. You feel a sense of direction instead of overwhelm!
You no longer feel like you’ll never have time to finish a project. You don’t have to do it all at once! Just work on each step when you can find small pockets of time.
Checking things off of your list and seeing progress creates motivation and momentum. Once you can see you are making progress it motivates you to keep working on your project and to finally GET IT DONE. #goals

This printable I made is simple but has helped me complete projects time and time again! I use it mostly for organizing and decorating (because that’s what I do for fun and for a living) :) but you could use it for ANY type of project. Planning a party, learning a new skill.. any project can be broken down into smaller steps that are easier to complete. It has been such a game changer for me when it comes to getting things done. I hope it is for you too!

I’d love to hear what project you’re currently working on (or dreaming about completing!).

And please tell me I’m not the only one who needs a system when it comes to completing projects. Off to work on those 33 unfinished blog posts..

;)

xoxo, Erin

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Fashion

04.08.18

Kauai and thoughts on parenting

We just got back from a trip to Kauai for Spring Break. One of our favorite vacation spots! I know I owe you all a post on both Kauai and Maui. They are in the works! They will be posts full of fun things to do, places to eat and just general tips for traveling to Hawaii. So while I’m working on those posts (and on about 15 other things I’m excited to share with you all!) here are a quick few pics from our trip this year including some fun things I wore. Also sharing some thoughts at the end of this post about parenting. I don’t know what happened but I starting sharing some thoughts that have been weighing on me lately and by the end of this post I was in tears! Maybe some of you are feeling the same and can relate? If not.. sorry in advance. ;)

Early morning at the airport with my favorite traveling companions. :)

My kids still love seeing the fish at the resort.

Kole and his cousin. Good memories. :)

{Blue flutter sleeve top/Zella copped pants (just ordered these in grey!)/Earrings – found my exact rose gold pair!}

Getting more Shave Ice.. probably trip 32.

View from our room of the grills and Kenny cooking! Not a bad view. :) He always cooks when we travel (or we eat out) so it’s a true break for me! One of my favorite things about vacations.

Night lights at the resort. We really lucked out this year – so many nights we’d take the kids night swimming and be the only ones at the pool! (I’ll talk more about where we always stay in my Kauai tips post!)

The kids lived in the water.

{swimsuit/black skirt cover-up/sunglasses}

We love traveling with my sister and her family! She has two kids the same ages as mine and the kids have a blast together. We love having uninterrupted time to catch up and our husbands can take off adventuring together early in the morning while we sleep in and hit the pool. :)

Seriously love this swimsuit! Aren’t vacations the best? I always feel so carefree and happy and rested. I wish I could bottle that feeling up and sprinkle it on me daily when real life hits again. :)

One of Ad’s close friends happened to be there the same week as us so we planned a zip lining trip together. My kids have always loved zip lining!

They went together a few times..

and alone! So much fun. I love zip lining too but had to sit it out this trip because of my knee.

Kenny and Kole sailing through the trees. :)

Our favorite activity this trip was tubing!

I was on-line looking for low key activities in Kauai we hadn’t done yet that I knew I could handle with my knee not being 100% (most of the hiking and adventure activities were out). I stumbled on tubing and it looked pretty chill so I booked it for us and my kids ended up loving it more than anything we’ve done before! You put on helmets with lamps and just float down a river on a tube!

We all had so much fun! The river was moving fast so it felt a little thrilling, but not scary.

You go through caves and turn on your head lamp. We were with a group of around 15 people and did this activity on the morning of Kole’s birthday. We were just starting to go through a cave when a woman told Kole he was brave and asked him how old he was and he told her he was turning 8 today. She said “Oh it’s his birthday today! Let’s all sing!” So we all sang happy birthday to him going through a cave. The smile on his face was priceless! Highlight of the trip for his mom. :)

We especially enjoyed spending Easter in Kauai this year! The bunny showed up at the resort for a fun egg hunt and I think my sister and I were more excited than the kids. :) (The top I’m wearing is a new favorite! So cute.. I love the embroidered detail on the sleeves!)

We didn’t have Easter baskets so we improvised with our beach bags. :) I didn’t get a pic of it but I bought this cute purse for the trip and it’s darling! So cute for Spring/Summer. I love it with or w/o the tassel.

Organizing their loot. :)

The stage we are in with our kids right now is so busy that this week felt like such a gift. I loved having un-interrupted quality time with my kids. No school, no homework, no work, no activities, no cell phones. Those things are all great, but it felt so nice to take a break from it all and just spend quality time together as a family. We were due!

{Tie front tee/Zella crop pants}

Travel is getting easier now that my kids are older and this trip felt like a major shift to me. I was noticing so many things. Like how I didn’t have to entertain Kole during the whole flight with constant snacks, movies, coloring, etc. He didn’t wiggle around in his seat. He didn’t start fights with his sisters just to see their reaction.

He didn’t need 10 bathroom breaks or time spent running up and down the airport corridor just to burn off energy before our flight. (A pic from a past Kauai trip.) :)

He read his book. He played on the ipad. The girls sat by each other and quietly did their thing during the flight. I read a book and took a nap (a nap! On a flight with my kids!). They are old enough now that the adults could go to dinner and leave Ellie babysitting her siblings and cousins. They are old enough that we could say “head to the lobby and we’ll be right down.” They are old enough to sleep in or quietly entertain themselves if they wake up early so that we could sleep in. They are old enough that the sometimes long waits and unexpected schedule changes that come with travel weren’t a big deal.

When you are in the throws of raising young kids you think days and trips like this will never come. You dream about them but they don’t seem like your reality and you are living in a constant state of tired and just trying to make it from one day to the next. There are so many happy moments and joys, but it is truly survival mode at its finest. I’ll be honest. There is a lot about that stage that I don’t miss and this trip felt like a breath of fresh air to me in so many ways! We are now able to just have fun with our kids and truly enjoy them without feeling physically exhausted.

It is wonderful. But during this trip it really hit home to me that it’s all just going by so quickly. They all tell you that it will. All the sweet ladies in the grocery store who see you struggling to check out with one toddler on your back who’s starting an argument with her sister climbing out of the cart while your other child is trying to sneak a third pack of gum. Those sweet ladies look at you and smile and say “enjoy it.. it goes by so quickly.” And you smile back and think “it better because I’m about to lose it!”

But then one day you take a picture of your girls that looks like this..

When honestly 10 minutes ago they looked like this.

And your little boy who was a baby “helping” you in the kitchen just the other day..

All of a sudden turns 8 years old.

You go on a trip and your kids are so much easier and you realize that someday – before you know it and so much sooner than you’re ready for – you’ll be on a trip and one of your kids might be missing. And then two. And then someday soon.. all three.

And life will still be wonderful and there will be new joys and experiences to look forward to. And it certainly won’t be the last trip with your kids. But it will be different. The day will come when it won’t just be your little family with your little kids doing everything together.

Lately I have been struggling with that reality. My oldest starts high school next year and all of my friends and the sweet ladies in the grocery store are telling me “get ready.. once high school hits you blink and they are gone.”

I believe it. I believe them now more than ever because I know. I now know that the stage of raising little kids while in the moment felt like forevvvver.. really went by in a flash. This current stage we are in will go by in a flash too.

This truth really sinks in and hits me at random times. Like during a calm trip with my kids to the grocery store. Or on a family trip where my now older kids are behaving and so much easier. They are so much fun and doing amazing things and I think about how wonderful it is that they are growing up.

And then I fight to hold back tears.

But we can’t live in the past. True happiness comes from being present in the moment and being hopeful and excited about the future.

So when those moments of sadness sink in and hit me and I’m holding back tears I think about this guy. And all of the fun we’re going to have together someday when our kids are raised. Doing whatever we want whenever we want!

And visiting our kids and hopefully taking them and their families on fun trips to Kauai.

And running our little grandkids up and down the airport corridor.

{CLOTHES I TOOK ON THE TRIP ARE LINKED BELOW!}

xoxo, Erin

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Organization

04.04.18

10 Quick and Easy Recipes

Today I’m sharing 10 quick and easy recipes. Wait what? Where’s Erin? To be honest I don’t know. Having an identity crisis clearly! Don’t worry. I’ll be back sharing things I’m much more comfortable with very soon. I’d much rather be writing a post about something I’ve decorated or organized. Or a post about Spring fashion or time management. Or a post about our recent vacation. Or a post about butterflies or race cars or politics for that matter. I hate politics.

I hate cooking more.

But I love all of you! And if sharing some of my tried and true, quick and easy (emphasis on the easy) recipes helps someone who also struggles with what to fix for dinner.. well then.. the pain of writing this post was worth it. ;)

In a recent post I shared 3 time management tips to increase productivity and mentioned that I’ve been working on “batching” tasks. Because cooking is so much fun for me (hugely exagerrated if you couldn’t tell) I like to knock it all out once a week and get it over with. My goal has been to cook at least two meals (sometimes three) at the beginning of each week. Follow through with this goal has been hit and miss to be honest, but on the weeks I do pull it off it makes my life so much easier! The recipes I’m sharing today are my tried and true recipes that we have cooked over and over for years. I’ve shared some of them before but thought it would be good to have all of our favorites in one post. The food isn’t fancy and the photography is lousy, but my kids eat most of these things which to me equals success. We are easy to please around here when it comes to meal time. :)

I took this pic during one of my “batch cooking sessions.” Starting to cook two favorites.. our Chicken Fajitas and Pepperoni Pasta.

CHICKEN FAJITAS:

For the Fajitas all you need is an assortment of peppers. Aren’t peppers pretty? I love buying them and seeing the bright colors in my fridge. I usually buy 3-4 green peppers and then one or two yellow, red and orange.

You also need an onion (not pictured) and then I buy the grilled and ready southwestern chicken strips. (Pre-cooked chicken is my BEST friend.)

Just slice up an onion and the peppers into strips and stir fry them in a little olive oil. When they are starting to get soft, toss in the chicken and stir fry everything for another 10 minutes and then done! You can add other spices, but I’ve found the southwest chicken gives it enough flavor. We eat them on wheat tortilla shells with or without cheese. Depending on how tight my jeans are fitting that week. ;)

PEPPERONI PASTA:

For this simple recipe you just need a green pepper or two, pepperoni, olives, spaghetti sauce, corkscrew pasta noodles and mozzarella cheese.

Cook the pepperoni and pepper in a skillet stirring it often until the pepper is tender-crisp. Then add olives to the peppers and pepperoni if you like them (I love olives!). In another pot, cook some corkscrew pasta. Drain your pasta and add a jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce.

I feel the need (at the bottom of this particular picture) to remind you all that I take pics of interiors, not food. ;)

Then mix everything together in the pot that was holding your pasta and cook on low for about 10 minutes. Then stir in some mozzarella and if you’re feeling really chef like, add a bit of Parmesan. Let the cheese melt a little and you’re done! Fast and easy and really hard to mess up – my three requirements for a meal. :) Bonus: it tastes even better as leftovers. My kids love this!

ZITI LASAGNA:

This Ziti Lasagna is so simple and delicious! You can find the recipe HERE in a past post.

CASHEW CHICKEN:

Another long time family favorite! You can find the recipe to our easy Cashew Chicken recipe HERE.

WHITE BEAN CHILI:

A family favorite that I make several times every Fall/Winter! You can find our white bean chili recipe HERE. (This is a great one to batch cook!)

TACO SOUP:

I shared a pic of this taco soup on IG stories a few weeks back and got a lot of recipe requests. I’m sure most of you know this one (or a similar version!) but this is how we cook taco soup. Brown some hamburger and then toss it in the crock pot with 2 cans of kidney beans, 2 cans of stewed tomatoes (already cut up or slice the larger tomatoes into bite sized pieces), one can of corn, one can of tomato sauce, and one pkg. of taco seasoning. Cook it on low for a few hours and you’re set!

I batch cook this taco soup all the time because my kids love it and it’s SO easy to make. I can get it going in the crock pot in the morning really quickly and then make something else that takes more time. We love it with a little grated cheese and Fritos. Except when I have to remind my kids to eat some taco soup with their Fritos..

CHOW MEIN CHICKEN STIR FRY:

So this isn’t exactly a recipe but I had to include it because my family loves this and I batch cook it all the time! It’s Chow Mein Chicken Stir Fry and I make two packages of it for my family of 5.

I always have this in my freezer! Along with some other frozen food that is quick and easy and not so good for us.

Similar to my pantry.. at least the not so healthy food is lined up neatly. #priorities ;)

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS:

For these Chicken Enchiladas you need: 1 tbsp butter or margarine – 1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chilies (drained) – 1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese (cut up and softened) – 2 cups chopped, cooked chicken breast – 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese – 1 pint whipping cream – flour tortillas.

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with Pam. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add Rotel and stir one minute.. then stir in the cream cheese and chicken and cook (stirring) until the cream cheese melts. Put 2-3 scoops of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla and roll them up. Then place them side by side in your pan like I did in the picture above. Sprinkle the Monterey Jack Cheese on top and then drizzle the whipping cream on top of the cheese. Cover them in tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 min. Then cook for another 15 minutes w/o the foil (or until the top is golden brown and you’re feeling extremely chef like). :) So good! My husband’s favorite. :)

MEXICAN CHALUPAS:

This is another recipe I love to batch cook! So easy and delicious! You can find the recipe for our Mexican Chalupas HERE.

TACO SALAD:

Another really easy recipe to batch cook! You can make the hamburger mixture and get the toppings ready in the morning and then just get the tortilla shells ready at dinner time! Recipe for our Taco Salad HERE.

Those are 10 recipes that are on heavy rotation around here! And the things I batch cook the most often. :) Because we are talking all things cooking today (so that I can then avoid this subject for another year) ;) here are a couple of other things we love to eat…

FETA AND TOMATO DIP:

This is my favorite snack EVER! Perfect to take or serve at a party. You can find this Feta and Tomato Dip recipe HERE.

And because I’m rounding up ALL the food posts.. you know I have to share (yet again!) my favorite cookies and banana bread muffins. Humor me. I only cook a handful of things.. ;)

BANANA BREAD MUFFINS:

If you haven’t come across this recipe you haven’t spent much time on my blog! These babies took me quite a while to figure out so yes – I’m proud of them and share them often. On the blog and with anyone who will eat one. ;) Recipe (and other failed attempts) for my Banana Bread Muffins HERE.

APPLESAUCE COOKIES:

Another long time favorite that can’t be left out of a food/recipe round-up on this blog! Recipe for our Applesauce Cookies HERE. I snapped this pic over Christmas break when we were making them to deliver to friends and neighbors. Such a fun tradition.

These two are the true chefs in the family who love to cook and did all of the holiday baking. Ad’s pig pj’s helped the whole process immensely. ;) My job is always to clean the kitchen up after the mess and then wrap the cookies up and make them look pretty. I’ll take my job over the baking ANY day. :)

Since we’re talking all things food and cooking (confession time!) I recently admitted on IG that I’ve hired a nutritionist. Just to come over a few times next month to talk to my girls about overall nutrition (because their mom covers how to make their rooms clean and pretty but nutrition not so much) and to help teach me some more healthy snack/meal options to fix the kids (and hopefully batch cook!). I feel like I need a few more healthy options in our regular rotation and I’m so excited to get some professional help! What I wasn’t prepared for was when she told me to write down everything we eat for three days before we meet. I seriously wish you could have seen my face when I read her e-mail with attached food charts! I about died. Then I turned and said to Kenny “should I be honest and tell her how I skipped lunch because I was busy and forgot to eat and then had a Cadbury Egg and Coke Zero in the car for dinner last night?

Or should I lie?”

Major panic. I’m in SO much trouble with this! Food and cooking just aren’t my thing. I’ll keep you updated on how things go! Hopefully the next time I do a recipe round-up I’ll have more healthy options to share. Although I can’t make any promises about the Cadbury Eggs and Coke Zero..

(can’t stop.. won’t stop..)

Alright friends.. that’s a wrap on my 10 quick and easy recipes along with other food rambling and nonsense. I’ll be back with more “fun for me” topics soon..

;)

xoxo, Erin

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Home Decor

03.26.18

Simple Spring Decor Updates

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your weekend! Ours was nonstop. Had a birthday party for my son (my baby is 8.. cue the tears!), dance classes for El, theatre for Ad, a Costco run, dinner with friends, packed for an upcoming trip, got the house ready for guests and took these pics and wrote this post… ha. I’m tired! But happy. All good exhausting things. :)

*affiliate links used below

I’m joining blog friends today for some fun Spring decor! If you’re visiting from Krista at the Happy Housie (love her!) hello and welcome! I’ve been slowly adding simple Spring decor updates throughout my home. I love getting things clean, organized and updated this time of year! Spring always feels like a fresh start doesn’t it!? I usually fall into a bit of a slump after the holidays (this year was especially bad with my knee surgery!). March is always the month I feel more like myself again. I get motivated to tackle projects and get things done! Spring feels like a fresh start doesn’t it?

My powder bathroom got a few small updates starting with a new coral rug! And yes.. it’s the same rug as the navy and grey that I rotate through this bathroom. I absolutely love it (so soft!) so when PB came out with it in coral I was all over it. :)

(I get lots of questions about keeping these white rugs clean – I do wash them in my washing machine and they come out spotless! I have a large washer/dryer and the largest size rug so just make sure your washer can handle the size, but they do wash well! I lay them out to dry.)

I usually keep fresh flowers in this bathroom during the Spring/Summer, but because this season is especially busy for our family I’ve had “low maintenance” in mind while I decorate. Which usually means faux flowers vs. real. :)

I shopped my house for a few things and ended up going with all white vases. I love white decor in bathrooms and kitchens! Makes everything feel clean. :) The trick when decorating with a lot of white (or any time you repeat the same color) is to mix up the textures. The texture on these vases add so much to the room and keep things from looking bland. The faux cherry blossoms are long time favorites that you’ve seen rotate around my house a time or two. :)

Still in love with my Anthro towels and ladder.

Simple updates. Always fun to mix things up for a new season!

I’m sure we’ll be back to the navy rug and fresh flowers for Summer. :)

My shiplap display wall got a little Spring update too! I was so torn on what to do on my planked display wall for this season and finally just decided to print random 8×10 family pics. Our birthdays are all stacked this time of year (El in Jan.. me and Kole in March.. and Ad in May) so at one point I was thinking I’d highlight each child with their own wall of pictures. But then my “low maintenance” mantra kicked in and I decided to just fill the planked wall with family pictures that represent us all and call it good!

I’m kind of liking the new low maintenance me. ;)

I get so many questions about this shiplap wall so I’m going to do a post with all of the details soon for those of you who are newish to my blog!

Here’s a closer look at the pictures. You guys! I’ve been having quite the weekend with Kole’s birthday party and going through so many old pics. I’ve teared up more times than I want to admit! I remember all of these moments like they were 10 minutes ago. I know a lot of you do too! Some of you have been with me since Kole was born or before. Seeing my kids grow up on this blog is aging us all. ;)

{Bosworth Printed Wool Rug (on sale!)/Coral Celine Throw/Woven Araya Pillow/Embellished Shape Pillow}

The mudroom got a few small Spring updates too!

I loved this coral throw and these pillows so much from my family room that I decided to do the same thing in the mudroom. I always buy multiples of things I really love! Can’t seem to kick that habit but it’s all good because I’m not sure I really want to. :)

We got this Bosworth runner soon after Christmas and I have loved it so much!

Perfect for a high traffic area because it hides dirt so well. It’s really soft, completely low maintenance and it’s marked down for a great price right now!

I’m tempted to buy it in a larger size for another room in my house. #doublesagain #cantstopwontstop

My kids love it too. Wanna know what else we love? SPRING BREAK! That’s right Addison.. empty and hang up that backpack. We are DONE with school for a week. Such a nice feeling. I need a break from the homework! El ~~and I~~ wrote a seven page history paper last week that about did me in..

(On a sidenote.. Ad walked into the mudroom mid photoshoot today and hung up her stuff and I just kept taking pics and then she walked out of the room and didn’t even look at me or think a thing of it.. ha! #blogkid)

If you are new to my blog I shared my family room and kitchen decked for Spring a couple of weeks ago!

And good news! MY NEW FAUX FIG IS BACK IN STOCK! It sold out so quickly. Great price on a very real looking faux fig tree. I bought it originally for my husband’s office, but liked it so much I put it in our family room and moved this one I also love into his office. Perfect if you’re all about low maintenance this Spring too. ;)

You can see lots of pics of these spaces and all sources HERE. And if you’re ready to update your wardrobe for Spring (or your kids!) I’ve got you covered too. :) {Favorite Spring Fashion/Favorite Kids Spring Swimsuits and Fashion.}

You can also download a printable with ALL of the paint colors throughout my home HERE. (Thrilled with the e-mails coming in that it is helping so many of you btw! It’s like one big paint party.) :)

Next up on the Spring tour is Bre at Rooms for Rent! Such a treat! You’ll love Bre and her stunning home. I’ll add links to other fun tours at the bottom of this post. I hope you enjoy all of the Spring decorating inspiration! Such a great time of year to update our homes.

Wishing you a slump free low maintence Spring! In my opinion.. that’s the very best kind.

{POST SOURCES}

xoxo, Erin

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Uncategorized

03.22.18

Kids’ Spring Fashion

It’s that time of year! Spring is here for some of us and right around the corner for others. We can all taste WARM can’t we!? I’m sharing some kids’ Spring fashion with you all today. Woot woot! It’s always around March when I like to update my kids’ closets. :)

*This post is sponsored by Nordstrom/affiliate links used.

{Closet tips/tricks}

They are usually growing out of last year’s Spring/Summer clothes and it’s time to clean closets, purge, organize and then shop for a few new things! (I love the whole process..) :)

{Slab Island Board Shorts/Lennox Stripe Board Shorts}

Our Spring Break is coming soon and we are heading on a fun trip so swimsuits were at the top of my list this year. I have so much going on right now with the kids (honestly this Spring just might do me in!) so I made things really easy on myself and just ordered everything on-line from Nordstrom. They have SO many cute things in right now for Spring. (I shared a lot of my recent favorites in my last post!) Plus with their free shipping/easy returns I don’t have to carve out time to go to the mall. I got Kole the cute board shorts above.. one size down was perfect! (He’s about to turn 8 and they are size 6.. he’s on the skinny side but I’ve found these types of board shorts usually run a little big.)

I also got him this white All Day Unity Rashguard that will go with any suit he’s wearing. I’m all about making the sunscreen process is easier! I have a couple more suits I’m sharing pics of below that are sitting in my on-line cart. My kids’ summer wardrobe basically consists of swim suits so I try to stock up in the Spring when all the cute suits are out. They get picked over quickly and then it’s hard to find something I like in the right size.

My favorite suits for boys..

Kole begged me to let him water to try out his new suit. It’s one of his favorite things to do.. our plants love him. :)

Every Spring I pick up a couple more of these Tucker and Tate Ribbed Waist Utility Shorts for Kole. These have been staples for years! He likes things that are comfortable and these are soft and cinch at the waist.

He also loves these Dry Elite Basketball Shorts.

And of course every year he grows he gets a new SmartCare Dress Shirt for church. WHY do they not make all shirts for boys/men like these!? Absolutely no wrinkling.. it’s my favorite! We also love these Woven Jogger Pants and these grey Chino Pants. I like that both options can be dressed up for church or going somewhere nice or worn more causally with a shirt/sweater. I’ll also link my favorite shoes for Kole! These Vans and these Asics have been our recent favorites and I just ordered him these Adidas shoes to try. Every Spring/Summer we get him a new pair of Natives. So perfect for all water activities and just running around in the sun. And of course time to stock up on socks and underwear. :)

Favorites for my little buddy..

Kole made a new little buddy at church who follows him around… the sweetest!

{Front Embroidered Sweatshirt (Ad’s favorite!)/Similar Hudson Jeans/Similar Leggings/Similar Uggs}

Ready to move on to girls!? Oh my middle schoolers! They are so much fun right now. And so exhausting all at the same time.

They are so full of personality. And attitude (good and bad!). And energy. And laughter. And tears. And drama. And quiet. And carefree. And stress. And happiness. And frustration. The best way I can describe this phase with my girls is by comparing it to a roller coaster! I always picture the grandma on Parenthood during the roller coaster scene.. enjoying the chaos while the dad is about to throw up. I strive each day to be like that grandma! To look at the big picture and not get caught up in the day to day exhaustion of the ups and downs.

Ad and I were so excited when we found this Kira Cover-Up Dress! It’s a cover-up that she can wear over her swim suit all summer, but with a tank underneath it also makes a darling top for school. Such pretty material and I love the color.

{Cover-up Dress Shirt/Hudson Dolly Skinny Jeans}

Girls Favorites..

{Emoji One Piece Swimsuit/Smocked One Piece Swimsuit}

She picked out these two darling swim suits for our trip (love that emoji suit and the smocked suit fits her so cute!) and I have a couple more I’m giving the girls for Easter. I could NOT get over the swimsuit selection at Nordstrom this year for girls! They are all so darling! Really hard to choose.

Favorite swimsuits for girls..

Nordstrom is also carrying some beautiful dresses for Spring! I love getting my girls a new dress every year around Easter. I got Ad this Print Handkerchief Dress last year (it’s back in stock!) and she has worn it so much! We love it on her.

She often wears it with a cute little cardigan (similar here) to church or if it’s cooler outside. Not sure why this is the chosen pose..

but if my kids will let me take a picture of them I’ll take what I can get. :) Nordstrom also has so many darling sandals in for Spring! I’m debating between a few paris for Easter and just can’t decide. I want them for me too!

Favorite Spring dresses and shoes for girls..

She also wears a denim jacket over her dresses often and it always looks so cute. Ad and one of her besties at a school presentation yesterday. These two girls have big plans of going to college and traveling the world together someday! They’ve planned it all right down to the furniture in their apartment. Including the pictures of their moms over their beds. That might have been my idea…

{Ad’s Favorite Jogger Pants/Coral Throw}

Dresses are fun, but my kids are just like their mom and want to be in comfy pjs or sweats the second their home!

I’ve been able to spend some one on one quality time with each of my three kids over the past month and have really enjoyed it. They are growing so quickly! I wish every day that I could freeze time with them. So proud of all they are doing and who they are becoming.

If I look a little disheveled in this pic it’s because I was.. a field trip with a bus load of second graders will do that to you! Worth it to see this boy so happy. He hasn’t quite hit the age where mom isn’t cool so I’m living it up. He has lots of “girlfriends” but tells me “don’t worry mom.. you’re still my favorite.” Whew. Not ready for that to change.

Dinner with my mini me. Ad is starring as Ariel in the play The Little Mermaid soon! I always wanted to be Ariel growing up so I’m vicariously living through her. ;) So proud of how hard this girl works! And of how good she is to help me with house work and her little brother. She is always thinking of others.

Dinner with my other mini me! El starts High School next year! I just can’t even believe it. When I stop and think about the fact that in four years she’ll be going away to college a huge lump starts to form in my throat and I have to push the thought aside and not let myself go there. I can’t even begin to imagine not having this sweet girl in our home every day. She is so full of creativity and love and kindness. Parents are always telling me what a kind, thoughtful girl she is and I couldn’t be more proud of her.

When I was growing up my mom used to brag about me and my siblings to total strangers in random places like the grocery store. She’d say to the checker “this is my daughter Erin and she got straight A’s last semester!”.. or “You should see this girl dance!”.. or “My daughter’s on the Homecoming royalty!”.. whatever was going on in my life. I absolutely HATED it. Like I wanted to crawl under a rock and die when she did that. So I vowed that I would NEVER do that to my kids.

And I don’t. I don’t brag about them to random strangers in the grocery store.

Nope. Would never do that.

Instead I brag about them here. To the handful of people who read my blog.

So MUCH better.

;)

Happy Spring everyone!

Here’s to enjoying the roller coaster.
:)

*Huge thank you to Nordstom for sponsoring this post! So grateful for their huge selection and great customer service. It saves me with my busy family of five. :)

{ALL POST SOURCES BELOW!}

xoxo, Erin

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*My most asked question about this wall is what do I use to hold the things I display? PAINTER’S TAPE! Once again.. we are all about simplifying around here. :)

A few things my kids do every evening:

A few things I do every evening:

20 Easy Ways to Spring Clean:

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE SPRING CLEANING CHECKLIST HERE!

Some things I love looking for at Wayfair:

RS CONFERENCE ESSENTIALS:

{FAVORITE FASHION/HOME SOURCES}

This is my “Current Projects” system.. if you choose to accept it. ;)

(Get access to my Printable Library HERE. Once you’re in, click on the CURRENT PROJECTS printable to print your own.)

{CLOTHES I TOOK ON THE TRIP ARE LINKED BELOW!}

CHICKEN FAJITAS:

PEPPERONI PASTA:

I feel the need (at the bottom of this particular picture) to remind you all that I take pics of interiors, not food. ;)

ZITI LASAGNA:

CASHEW CHICKEN:

WHITE BEAN CHILI:

TACO SOUP:

CHOW MEIN CHICKEN STIR FRY:

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS:

MEXICAN CHALUPAS:

TACO SALAD:

FETA AND TOMATO DIP:

BANANA BREAD MUFFINS:

APPLESAUCE COOKIES:

(I get lots of questions about keeping these white rugs clean – I do wash them in my washing machine and they come out spotless! I have a large washer/dryer and the largest size rug so just make sure your washer can handle the size, but they do wash well! I lay them out to dry.)

{POST SOURCES}

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

My favorite suits for boys..

Favorites for my little buddy..

Girls Favorites..

Favorite swimsuits for girls..

Favorite Spring dresses and shoes for girls..

{ALL POST SOURCES BELOW!}

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