Erin, Author at The Sunny Side Up Blog

Fashion

06.02.18

Father’s Day Gift Guide!

Happy Saturday everyone! I hope you’re all enjoying the weekend! We have been so busy wrapping up the school year that I didn’t realize until a few days ago how close Father’s Day is sneaking up! I went on-line (no time to hit the mall these days!) and found SO many fun things for Kenny and my dad. (They know they aren’t allowed to look at this post!) I’m excited to share them with you all in this Father’s Day Gift Guide! I’ve also included a few of my husband’s current favorite things to give you lots of ideas for Father’s Day. Dads do so much for us don’t they!? I love having a day to celebrate fathers. (You can see my Mother’s Day Gift Guide here if you missed it! Fun gifts for women for any occasion.)

*affiliate links used

1 – Oxford Slim Fit Shirt – Love this shirt! Ordered it for Kenny. He loves the ‘slim fit’ shirts and wears this type of shirt to work most days. The blue is a great price but there are also other colors on sale!

2 – Bose Wireless Headphones – We’ve had these for years! Long time favorites. Especially when we travel!

3 – Nonstick Burger Press – This looks so perfect for summer! It has great reviews and is a fun gift for the man who loves a good BBQ.

4 – Herschel Travel Kit – Every man needs a good travel kit! This is a great size and I love Herschel bags.

5 – Stainless-Steel Sliding Skewers – So excited about these! I’ve been looking for some good skewers and these have great reviews and look perfect for summer grilling! Giving them to Kenny but really it’s a gift to me when he does the cooking.

6 – You Can’t Scare Me Shirt – #truth Love this. Perfect for any dad with daughters! There is also one for 3 daughters and 4 daughters. I know my husband will wear it proudly. ;)

7 – Tumi Alpha 2 International Carry On – I have a close friend whose husband travels a lot for work and she swears by this suitcase! Her husband has been bragging about it all year. It’s durable, lightweight, has a lot of great storage compartments inside. A perfect gift for a dad who is often on the go!

8 – Billabong Board Shorts – Every spring/summer I get new swim suits for me and the kids. Then we go on vacation or hit the pool and I see my husband wearing the same suit he’s had for going on 8 years. :) Trying to be better about updating his swimwear and with lots of board shorts on sale right now that’s easy to do! These are a few favorites I’m choosing between..

9 – Ecco Soft 8 Sneaker – My husband has these shoes in black and grey and loves them! So comfy and stylish and on sale for a great price right now!

10 – Wooden Chess Set – We gave Kole and Kenny this for Christmas and they love playing Chess together! A fun game they bond over. Another fun game Kenny loves playing with the kids is Clue so I just ordered this Harry Potter version of Clue for the kids to give him. My husband just loves that we all give him gifts that benefit us too. I’m tricky like that with my gift giving. ;)

11 – S’well Water Bottle – I love this wooden S’well! Our favorite water bottles are Hydro Flasks, but we all have S’wells for times we don’t want to carry our larger Hydro Flasks and they are great water bottles too.

12 – North Face ‘Surge’ Backpack – I’m so excited about this! My husband has been using the same backpack for every campout and trip we’ve gone on for years and it is seriously falling apart. This North Face backpack will be a perfect replacement! I’m a huge fan of organizing compartments and this looks like it will hold every single item and then some. Great reviews. I know my husband will love it! You’re welcome babe.

Oh yeah.. you’re not reading this.

13 – Rainbow Flipflops – Perfect gift for summer! These are simple and casual and comfy. My three requirements for mens flip flops.

14 – Key Cable – This keychain makes it a breeze to charge your mobile device! Such a fun and creative gift.

15 – Fitbit – A great gift for any father who doesn’t already have one! Kenny loves his.

So that’s it! My favorites for Father’s Day. I hope this post gives you a few fun gift ideas to help spoil the dads in your life!

p.s. Did I mention how excited I am that it’s June and May is behind us!? Seriously SO HAPPY about that. You can download some fun summer calendar pages here!

I’m also happy about my closet organization progress and my updated planning system, but that’s beside the point.

And posts for another day. ;)

Enjoy your weekend and happy Father’s Day shopping!

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xoxo, Erin

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Organization

05.31.18

2018 Summer Calendar (free printable!)

Summer is almost here! And what better way to celebrate than with a summer calendar printable!? Planning and lists and calendars make me absolutely giddy. So does the thought of taking a break from driving my three kids all over this city and then back again each afternoon! To say this mom is ready for summer break is an understatement. Good-bye May! I’m not sad to see you go. :)

I use a combination of apps, notebooks and my planner to plan during the school year, but summer is a break from our regular hectic schedule and I like for it to feel a little more care free in my planning too. Enter these fun June, July and August summer calendar pages!

We like to keep things low key when school is out, but my kids do have various camps and activities going on during the summer so I’m using these calendar pages to schedule those types of things.

If you have younger kids home this summer you could use them to schedule some fun activities/outings for each week.

Or you could use them to schedule trips, projects, appointments, something to organize each day. The possibilities for blank calendar page are endless! :) Do you love the color scheme I used?

Navy, coral and mint.

Hmm.. looks familiar…

Yes.. navy, coral and mint. I do believe we’ve seen those colors around here a time or twenty. Clearly I’m a fan. ;) If you aren’t crushing on those three colors like I always am, I also have these calendar pages available in black and white. In my book, you can’t go wrong with simple black and white either!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE SUMMER CALENDAR PAGES!

(If you are already a Sunny Side Up 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.)

I hope you enjoy these summer calendar printables! Happy summer planning everyone! :)

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xoxo, Erin

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Home Decor

05.30.18

McGee & Co Shopping Trip!

Happy Wednesday everyone! Is it Wednesday already? These four day weeks always throw me off! But I’ll gladly take them. :) A couple of weeks ago (when I was feeling particularly burned out – story of my life this month) I gave myself permission to take the morning off so I could go on a little road trip! I have been DYING to get to the new McGee and Co store in Costa Mesa and told Kenny a trip to the store was all I wanted for Mother’s Day this year. He helped me make it happen and it was such a fun trip!

*affiliate links used

Want to come shopping with me!? I took pictures so that I could bring you along! I wish you would have been there in person. :) I walked up to the front door and instantly felt at home.

I wonder why?

Their black dutch door felt strangely familiar. ;) Clearly I need to add a green Spring wreath!

The store is tiny but Shea used every inch of space so wisely and it was brimming with gorgeous home decor… ahhh! Angels were singing!

I hung out in the kitchen section the longest. Be still my heart! I wanted one of everything there!

I wanted these white metal boxes so badly! But I had to pace myself..

I’m not sure what heaven looks like, but I have a feeling it’s similar to this kitchen view. At least for me. ;) The dark navy cabinets had me debating re-painting my kitchen islands! The kitchen accessories had me drooling. And those vertical planks with white thick open shelves!? Wait a minute..

No wonder I love them so much. ;) My long time favorite marble and wood cheese board on these shelves is from McGee and Co! Heaven indeed.

I loved the way they tied ribbon around their cutting boards. Fun style tip and such a perfect gift to give someone – a nice cutting board with just ribbon and a card.

I always add ribbon to kitchen items during the holidays but now I’m thinking I need to add some fun black and white ribbon to my every day decor too! (My kitchen cutting boards behind my range are also from McGee and Co!)

So many fun accessories in this store! I could have stayed ALL day.

I was going to get a picture of me in the store and completely spaced it because I got talking to the sweetest ladies who recognized me. (Hello to my new friends from San Francisco!) I was wishing I had taken some fun friends shopping with me and ended up making new friends there. :) We got chatting about the best home decor stores on the west coast and how to keep a Fiddle Leaf Fig alive (watering with ice was their tip! Would have been good to know before I killed three real figs one right after the other.. RIP).

I finally made my selections and left the store. Telling myself on the drive home it was all ok because I would be back very soon.

{Jute-Twisted Geode/Large Demijohn Bottle/Wood Pedestal/Halifax Stripe Hand Towel/Upton Stripe Hand Towel/Glass Beads/Stripe Trays}

I tried to not buy things just because they were beautiful (everything was beautiful!) and to only get things I knew I had a place for and would use. This is what I came home with! Happy Mother’s Day indeed.

The wooden pedestal was a splurge but something I have wanted for a long time and it was even larger and nicer in person than it looked in the pictures on-line. It will be so perfect for entertaining!

Or you know.. for holding my productivity timer. ;)

Now that I have a few new accessories to play with I am itching to re-style these living room shelves! Something I’ve wanted to do for months and haven’t had time for. One of the many summer projects on my to-do list!

FUN fun. It was the best finally visiting the McGee Store after loving Shea’s style and products for so long.

Who wants to go back with me!? I could be ready in minutes. :)

Actually today won’t work. It’s my sweet Addison’s birthday! She is 12 years old today. I can’t believe it! I’m so proud of this little peanut. She is wise beyond her years! Such a hard worker, deep thinker, and she honestly has the kindest heart. This picture will always be special to me because she rarely left my side during my knee surgery recovery. She took such good care of me for weeks! People always call her my “mini me” when they see us together and I just beam. I couldn’t be more proud to be her mom.

Her birthday always falls during the busy end of school year madness so we wait until summer for her party, but we schedule and make time for a pedicure just the two of us. A special birthday tradition we started years ago! We invite El every year but she doesn’t like pedicures. Addison on the other hand? Loves every minute of it. :)

Enjoy your day friends! And remember to make some time for something you love. A trip to a favorite store, a long walk with a close friend, curl up with a good book, or maybe it’s time for a pedicure.

{cutting boards/similar faux plants/jute striped plant baskets}

Enjoy the little things. We are working hard around here to do the same. :)

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xoxo, Erin

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Organization

05.28.18

Weekend Organizing (with closet tips and good sales on the side!)

Happy Memorial Day! I hope you’ve all had a good weekend. I found this picture of my three kids from Memorial Day years ago. They look so little! This day means a lot to our family with my grandpas and uncles and dad all being Veterans and I know so many of you feel the same. I love that there is a day we can stop to remember and honor them all. We have enjoyed the past two days so much just slowing down and spending time together as a family. Catching our breath before the last two weeks of school!

Aside from honoring our veterans, getting some rest and spending time with family and friends, I love to tackle organizing projects over long weekends like this one! Sometimes there are projects that just feel too big and overwhelming to start during the week when time is so limited. My closet is one of those projects that I have been putting off for a long time. I have ‘half way sort of but not really’ organized my closet more times than I can count and it is a space that has been driving me crazy for a while now. Time to finally give it the makeover it deserves! I snapped the pic above with my phone after pulling out my first drawer of clothes. We’ll call this a “before.” :)

Quick tip that helps me when I organize clothes: Pull everything out of your drawers and categorize clothes in piles before you put them back. Why? Because sometimes this helps you see better how/where to put the clothes back. Maybe you don’t need the full drawer you’ve been using for gym clothes.. maybe they can be combined with something else in a better spot in your closet or dresser. Maybe it makes more sense to keep certain things together you hadn’t thought of before. If you just re-fold and organize clothes in their same spot and don’t pull them out you sometimes miss better solutions and “homes” for your clothes.

For example I realized after pulling everything out and categorizing my clothes that I could put some of my winter stuff together in one drawer to save space. I used to have a full drawer of scarves (seriously why? I live in San Diego!) but after purging scarves I didn’t wear last winter I had room to add my Christmas pj’s and a few other cold weather items.

I only finished a small section of our closet (there is so much work to do in there it’s scary!) but it felt so good to just get started. Now I can make a list on my current project printable and finish the rest during smaller chunks of time when they pop up. Hopefully I’ll have more progress to share with you over the summer!

Here are a few past organizing projects that are perfect to tackle over the weekend if you need a few ideas! Click the link below each picture for the full post and details. If you have a project like my closet that feels overwhelming and you keep putting it off, get out a timer and set it for 30 minutes and just START. You’ll gain momentum and be cruising before you know it. :)

{ORGANIZED DVD’S}

{ORGANIZED OFFICE SYSTEM}

{KIDS SCHOOL WORK – what to save and what to toss!}

{ORGANIZED PANTRY}

{ORGANIZED JEWELRY}

{ORGANIZED KIDS’ CLOSET}

{ORGANIZED DECOR CLOSET}

{ORGANIZED LINEN CLOSET}

{ORGNAIZED BATHROOM DRAWERS}

{ORGANIZED TRAVEL SUPPLIES}

Also I recently shared 20 EASY WAYS TO SPRING CLEAN – quick organizing projects you could definitely tackle over a weekend. (You can find family room sources HERE.)

We are going to a BBQ at a friend’s house tomorrow and I’m planning on making this Feta and Tomato Dip! Perfect party food if you need a quick idea for any upcoming summer event.

I’m also thinking I’ll make some patriotic pretzel hugs. They are always a hit with the kids! Plus they are sounding pretty good to me right about now too. :)

*affiliate links used below

I was doing a little on-line sale shopping tonight and saw that this favorite top is marked down!

So is this favorite swim suit and this one that is similar.

And my favorite white tassel earrings are also on sale! Picking them up in another color. I shared other favorite clothes from the Nordstrom sale in my last post too. Of course while I was shopping the sale I ended up finding some cute things that I couldn’t pass up that weren’t on sale. Never fails! I’m sure my husband will be thrilled to hear that one. :) But how cute are these five tops!?

See why I didn’t have a choice!? I especially love the Running Late is my Cardio tee. Pretty much sums up my life story. :)

A few favorites I own that are marked down this weekend..

Some fun patriotic things I bought for the 4th. Can’t wait to add these red tassel pillows outside!

I own these four rugs and they are all marked down today! (Recently ordered this one for the theatre room and love it!)

And these are my favorite sale items from the Nordstrom Home department. Such cute stuff! Clearly I’m having a love affair with navy rugs at the moment.

Enjoy what’s left of your weekend friends! If you need me, I’ll be in my closet.. ruthlessly purging so that I have room for the new clothes I just bought. #andthecyclecontinues

;)

Happy Memorial Day!

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xoxo, Erin

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Fashion

05.23.18

How to Get Out of a Productivity Slump

Monday I was in a total slump. You know when you have those days when you just can’t seem to focus and energy is low and you’re having a really hard time getting motivated to tackle your life? Adulting can be rough sometimes. Am I right? I can totally see you nodding right now. :) I think I hit a wall yesterday for two reasons. Part of it is our weather. San Diego is a bright and sunny place most of the time, but we have a couple of months during the year that we get a lot of cloud cover (especially where I live near the coast). Locals call it “May Gray” and “June Gloom” and a lot of people love the change of clouds and cooler weather. I would love it too.. if it happened in November when it’s supposed to! But right now for me the clouds are just feeling gloomy and they are inspiring nothing but sweats and an excessive amount of snacks. :) The other reason is because honestly I think I just hit major burn out at the beginning of this week. May has been crazy and last weekend was non-stop with late nights. I got the kids off to school Monday and had so many things to get done but I was feeling very DONE myself. I wanted to turn on Netflix and give in to the lack of motivation, but that just wasn’t an option. So after a few hours of wandering aimlessly attempting to be productive and seriously struggling, I pulled out an old friend! My little secret to how I get out of a productivity slump. Because let’s face it, they can be hard to shake!

*affiliate links used

Friends meet my Miracle Timecube Timer. I know what you’re thinking.. a timer? Really? But yes. Really. I’ve had this for quite a while and it always seems to come through for me when I’m lacking motivation and need to kick things in high gear.

This particular timer is my all time favorite! It comes with options of 5 or 15 minutes…

or 30 or 60 minutes. Whenever I’m feeling zero motivation to do something I get it out and tell myself I just have to focus for a set amount of time and then I’m done. So if the house is a mess and I feel overwhelmed with where to start and I’m not in the mood to clean, I’ll set the timer for 30 minutes and tell myself I just have to start somewhere and clean for 30 minutes. If I need to write something that I keep putting off, I’ll sit down at my computer and tell myself I just have to focus and write for 15 minutes.

I know it sounds so simple but having the timer going and feeling like I only have to do something for a short amount of time helps SO much. Why is that? Because the hardest part of doing things we put off doing is just GETTING STARTED. Of course, what usually happens is that once I’m past that “getting started hurdle” I get in a groove doing whatever I was avoiding and when the timer goes off I want to keep working past the time I set. That’s why it really is a “miracle timecube timer.” It just gives me that kick that I often need to get started! It also helps me really focus on one thing for a set amount of time.

I especially love this timer because it’s so easy to use. You just put the time you want face up and it immediately starts counting down. Sure.. you could use your iPhone or a clock, but the timer makes it more fun and I like the simplicity for my kids. I use it a lot with them too! Here are some ways I’ve used this timer:

When the house is a mess and kids are home I’ll say “I’m setting the timer to 5 minutes! Let’s see how much we can all pick up before it goes off!” Suddenly cleaning is a game and my living room/kitchen is miraculously cleaned in just minutes.
When Kole is struggling/complaining about starting homework I”ll tell him “we just have to do your homework for 15 minutes and then you can take a break!” By the time 15 minutes is up he’s usually close to done so then we just finish it up.
When Kole wants to get on the iPad I’ll tell him he has 30 minutes and set the timer so that he doesn’t accidentally end up on it for longer than he should be.. not that that has ever happened around here.. ;)
And of course, I use it ALL the time for work. I’ll tell myself to just focus on one thing (writing a blog post, answering e-mails, editing pictures, etc.) for 30 minutes and then I can take a break. It really helps me block out the rest of the world and just stay focused because I know I’m only working for a short period of time. I need this because I tend to get distracted really easily working from home! I’ll work for 10 minutes and then remember I need to put clothes in the dryer and before I know it I’m re-organizing a closet. :) This keeps me focused on my one thing I need to get done.

Speaking of the one thing I need to get done.. have any of you read this book – The One Thing? It’s so good! Another thing I do when I’m in a slump is pull out one of my many time management/productivity books and look at some of the things I’ve highlighted. Nerd alert! But I don’t care. :)

Btw.. Kenny told me the other day that if I just took all the time I’ve spent reading about time management and actually just worked instead I’d be a lot more productive. Ha! He’s probably right.

But don’t tell him I said that.

Anyway.. I seriously LOVED this book! So much that I’m reading it now for a second time. This is what it actually looks like (I always ditch book covers pretty quick).

The main idea is that to be successful you need to go extreme and only focus on one thing. So if your goal is to lose weight, it’s not time to also grow you business or learn how to play the guitar. Losing weight (and all that it takes) is your constant focus and #1 priority. Then each day ask yourself “what’s the ONE THING I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?” Find the one thing that will move you closer to your goal each day.

A few of my take aways from this book:

– Successful people make their focus very narrow. They start with a large list but are able to narrow it down to ONE thing. THE one thing that has top priority.

– Whether you say “later” or “never” you don’t do anything else until your one thing is done.

– Multitasking is not efficient or effective. (Fascinating reading his thoughts about miltitasking!)

– You need to regularly work at something until it becomes a habit and regularly works for you. Build one habit at a time.

– Lists are invaluable, but they have a dark side. (What what!?) Achievers are able to whittle out what’s not important and focus on their one important thing vs. just checking to-dos off of a list all day. (Ouch! That is so me! Working on that one..)

– A balanced life is a lie. (SO fascinating reading his thoughts about balance!)

– Time block your day so that your One Thing gets done. Set regular appointments with yourself and protect them at all costs.

I could go on and on.. so many great take aways from this book! I highly recommend it if you need a some re-direction or motivation in your work or personal life. And then I highly recommend re-reading the notes you took if you’re in a slump. ;)

{Reglan Sweatshirt/AG jeans}

Ending this post with a few pics of what I’ve been wearing lately. Completely inspired by our weather I’ve been living in comfy sweatshirts. Maybe not the most stylish in Spring/Summer fashion, but definitely the comfiest. :)

This Make and Model Pullover hoodie is so soft! Pjs that are acceptable to wear out and about. Of course my favorite comfy Zella crop pants have been on major repeat.

Another favorite pj/sweatshirt with my black Zella crop pants.

And remember this Dream Scene sweatshirt I bought soon after my knee surgery in January? I’ve seriously worn it out! My favorite go-to when I’m cold.

So I bought it in black too! It’s the comfiest sweatshirt ever. And I’m wearing it with.. drum roll please.. you guessed it! My Zella crop pants. I think I’ve had them on 6 out of the last 10 days. Kind of embarrassing and yet.. I’m not embarrassed.

This Treasure and Bond sweatshirt is also really cute and comfy. I love it with jeans.

Dress for success! That’s what I always say… ha! ;)

And in case you’re thinking that my counter looks awfully clean in the picture above, I snapped a picture of what the rest of my office looked like the day that picture was taken.

You can see my timer box (don’t ask me why I keep it in the box but I do!), my camera, several notepads with lists (clearly the “one thing” concept is a work in progress over here), my Skinny Pop popcorn and a Coke Zero. Essentials for a typical day at he office. :)

And in case you don’t want to follow my lead and dress like you’re crawling out of a major slump this month (or crawling into one?) Nordstrom just kicked off their half yearly sale! I rounded up my favorite fashion picks below that are marked down and I have a feeling most of them will go fast. The good stuff always does!

A favorite timer, a favorite book, favorite comfy clothes and a good sale. We’ve covered a lot today friends! My work here is done.

For now.

;)

{POST SOURCES AND FAVORITES ON SALE}

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xoxo, Erin

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Fashion

05.16.18

Fashion Favs and Summer Tips

{Ruffle Sheath Dress/Purse/Earrings/Halo Strap Sandal}

Sharing a few recent things I’ve been wearing and loving! This dress.. such a favorite you guys! I was really excited to try this when I ordered it on-line because it had amazing reviews and I totally see why. It is absolutely beautiful and so flattering! I wore it to church for the first time a couple of weeks ago and got so many compliments. Even my kids and Kenny noticed and loved it. Keeper!

*affiliate links used

It has a ruffle in the front that goes low in the back.

And the back is absolutely stunning! I love that it has a mesh lining under the lace flowers too. I have pre-teen/teen daughters so keeping it modest is always a good thing. ;)

Another fun summer dress that’s a bit more low key is this striped maxi dress. Don’t ask me why I only have a side picture to share.. I swear I took one from the front but couldn’t find it on my phone! I blame it on May. This month is making me feel SO scattered. I have piles of paper everywhere right now and I hate piles! But that’s a story for another day. :)

{Stripe Camp Shirt/J Crew Skirt/Purse/Necklace/Earrings/Heels}

My cute pink camp shirt came back in stock! I shared it a couple of weeks ago with this long time favorite J Crew skirt.

{Earrings/Camp Shirt/AG Jeans (on sale!)/Purse/Wedges}

But most days I wear it with jeans. :)

{AG Jeans/Sandals/Similar Necklace}

This gingham top is one I’ve had for a couple of years but the jeans are new. I know that it’s Spring and not a time to normally pull out the black pants but I had to act quick when these AG jeans went on sale. I’ll watch and let you know if they do again. Such a great fit! And I’ve loved these cute sandals I first shared in this post. Surprisingly comfy!

{Earrings/Gingham Top/AG Jeans (on sale!)/Wedges}

Dressing room selfie from a couple of weeks ago when I picked up this cute gingham top. I need to get a better picture of it.. it’s darling for summer! Would look good with white jeans. Which I never buy because I can’t keep them clean. But in theory.. that would be cute. :)

And I SO wanted this Free People striped shirt to work! I absolutely love the way it fits. Shorter in the front (perfect for tucking in), a cute length in the back and it comes in other colors. But you need to order one size down and it sold out in my size in the navy. It says true to size, but I felt like the xs was just still too baggy. Oversized tops are such a thing right now and sometimes I love the look but sometimes I just feel like they are.. well.. too oversized. :) But this is a cute one if you can size down!

{Tie Waist Pullover (40% off!)/Zella Crop Pants}

Weekend casual. My favorite. :) This top is SO comfortable and cute and is 40% off! And they came out with two other colors of my favorite Zella crop pants! I have these in black and am wearing the grey urban in this pic (kind of a green/grey), but I’m thinking I need the blue too! I seriously LIVE in these in the summer. Really lightweight and comfy. But you all know that because I’ve shared them before. :)

A cute tee for summer!

And these earrings have become fast favorites that seem to go with everything. I’m really loving white earrings at this current moment in time because they stand out so well. Black earrings tend to get lost and hidden in my hair. :)

Ok.. if you’re a mom in the thick of it with school winding down this post on strategies that help when you’re feeling overwhelmed might get you through the month! If you’re not a mom in the thick of it with school winding down this post might get you through overwhelm you’re feeling because of another situation. If you’re just not overwhelmed at the moment.. well.. we can’t be friends anymore because misery loves company. Ha. ;) Seriously though.. I re-read this post a few days ago because I definitley needed the reminders. May is never my friend!

Making our Summer To-Do List is on the agenda because it helps remind us all that fun less stressful times are ahead!

Below is our list from two previous years if you want more summer activities to do with your kids.. a lot of them are the same or similar. :)

And this pic above was from a post WAY back in the archives but I wanted to share it for those of you who are heading into the summer with little ones! When my kids were little and we were heading to the pool or beach it was alway so hard to remember ALL the things we needed to take. I finally made myself a “get out the door list” that I hung on our garage door so I could quickly scan it and make sure we had everything we needed. I have something like this for vacations too! I figure my brain has enough it has to keep track of on a daily basis.. why make it work harder than necessary? ;)

I’ve shared this summer tip before too – keep a veggie tray like this out and full for the kids to snack on! It helps ease my guilt when we’re eating pizza for dinner for the third night in a row. #truth

I have a few new things I’ll be doing with my kids to help keep things running smooth this summer that I’ll be sharing soon!

But for now I just need to make it though May. So many good things going on.. just too many good things all at once..

one more weekend long dance competition, one campout, dance team tryouts, 3 birthday parties (one I’m planning), parent-student dance, two school meetings, tech week and two full weekends of Ad’s play, annual dance recital (Kenny and the dads have been working hard for that one too!), final school projects due, 3 end of year parties, 2 church talks, 1 open house

and a partridge in a pear tree.

Mothers against May! Who’s with me!?

;)

{POST SOURCES}

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xoxo, Erin

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Home Decor

05.15.18

A Weekend Party

We’re officially half way through May! Please tell me it’s as crazy at your house right now as it is at mine. Even if it isn’t.. lie. I need to believe I’m not suffering alone. ;) If you have school aged kids I know you’re with me on this one. It truly is such a busy month and most days I’m just focusing on one hour at a time because that’s honestly all I can keep up with! It’s kind of like that last month of pregnancy that pushes you right over the edge so that you are beyond ready to have a baby. Always by mid-May we are counting the seconds to summer break around here!

On Saturday we hosted a party for some associates/friends from my husband’s office. I had so many fun plans for decor and table centerpieces but my week was so busy with my kids’ activities that I didn’t even have time to think about the party until about 5 hours before it started! So I headed to the grocery store and bought ALL the hydrangeas. Because naturally that’s what one does in a moment of panic. ;)

The food was catered (my favorite part about throwing parties for my husband’s office!) and we had an extra table and chairs and some heat lamps brought in because it was a cloudy, chilly weekend so really we didn’t have too much to get ready.

*affiliate links used

Five days before the party I called Jared (my favorite light guy who helps me with my Christmas lights every year) and said “how fast can we get outdoor string lights up?” Kenny and I have wanted to put some up in our backyard the past few years and just hadn’t made it a prioity. This party was a good excuse to get it done before summer hit and Jared saved the day helping us so quick! He recommended these lights because they are a great price, LED and of course.. waterproof! I’m thrilled with how they turned out!

So Saturday afternoon just a few hours before the party the outside was a hot mess with last minute string lights going up..

and the inside was a hot mess with last minute hydrangea arrangements being put together. We were hardly party ready and I was starting to get a little bit nervous we wouldn’t be able to pull it off! But I put Kenny and the kids to work on the backyard and I kept chipping away on the inside.

And we started making progress!

Two of my cute friends who were hosting with me came to help and we pulled it off and had things ready just in time for people to arrive. Whew! :)

{Hem Knit Top/AG Legging jeans/Espadrille Wedge Sandals/Kendra Scott earrings}

This outfit I wore to the party I had on earlier in the week for an event at Kole’s school and it was so cute I wore it again Saturday night! My cute shirt is only $22 right now! (This top is a similar look and also so cute for summer!)

These Kendra Scott earrings were a gift and I love them so much! Statement jewelry really makes an outfit doesn’t it!?

Back to the party. (I had on these earrings that night!) It got cold in the evening so I tossed on a long time favorite jean jacket. Fun summer look. (If you are looking for a stylish jean jacket for summer this one is so cute, has great reviews and is on sale!)

Almost party time!

Our husbands made a last minute ice run and got the heaters going. We were in business!

For being so last minute my hydrangea table centerpieces turned out pretty good! You just can’t go wrong with hydrangeas and rope lantern vases. :) I used a mix of colored vases I’ve had for years and these vases you all know I love! I shared pics/video of this party on IG stories today and got a lot of questions about how I keep my hydrangeas alive. I’ll have to do a video on that sometime but all I really do is take off most of the leaves, cut the bottoms of the stems off at an angle (I usually cut them a lot shorter than they come) and then I put in flower food! (You can always ask for extra flower food packets at your grocery store.) Then I switch the water (and add new flower food) every 3-4 days. I can usually get them to last at least two weeks (sometimes three) this way. I’ve also heard that bottled water vs. tap water makes them last even longer but I haven’t tested that theory yet! I need to. Hydrangeas are hands down my favorite flower.

Dessert table ready to go! I forgot to take a pic of the food! It was Persian and delicious. You can see more in my IG story!

The party was a blast! Sometimes I get so busy with work and kids and regular every day life that I forget how fun and important it is to prioritize time to have friends over. I often think to myself “I’ll have friends over as soon as things slow down” or “as soon as that house project is done..” but the truth is that the house will never be 100% “done” (because that would be boring) and things will never slow down! At least not any time soon. I’m going to stop stressing over the little things and try to invite people over more. Even if the house is messy or “not finished” and even if the centerpieces are last minute or don’t exist! The food will be a pizza instead of a nicely catered meal if I’m in charge, but I’m not going to worry about that either.

Fun with good people trumps all. :)

Besides.. we’ve got string lights now! Who’s coming over!? Let the outdoor summer parties begin!

{POST SOURCES}

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xoxo, Erin

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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. ;)