Bring On Swimsuit Season

I don't know about you, but now that I'm a mom I want a swimsuit that gives me a little more coverage. Okay, maybe it doesn't have as much to do with me being a mom as it does with my body not looking like it did when I was 23.....but just because I'm a mom and I want to cover a little more doesn't mean I can't look good, right? With that in mind, I thought I'd share some fun one-piece swimsuit and cover-up options for the upcoming season. I found lots of cute options at Target and Old Navy, including some that are dupes for pricier versions, so definitely check those out first! I also threw in some accessories just for fun!

Swimsuit I have this suit in dark purple and it's one of my favorites. The plunging neckline isn't too plunging so I can wear it without feeling self-conscious that my boobs will fall out, and I love the lace detail!

Cover-Up Maxi Dress I originally ordered this coverup in black, and liked it, but ended up returning it. When I saw this blue and white striped version, I decided to give it another chance. The website says to size down, which I did for the black one, but for this one I ended up ordering my regular size. I will say that because of the way the pockets lay, it kind of makes me look a little hippy, but not in a bad way - you can tell it's the dress, and I wanted a more relaxed, comfortable fit so I preferred the medium.

Straw Hat Ohmygoodness, I love this hat! I ordered the white version of this floppy hat a few months ago, but am seriously considering getting this one too.

Straw Bag So cute and fun! Though I have to admit, every time I read it I read it as "B*tch Please," which is a little inappropriate. Probably why they made it, Heidi, duh!

Flamingo How fun is this flamingo drink holder?

Flip Flops I usually stick with my Reef Ginger Flip Flops, but I decided to step up my flip flop game with these. Don't get me wrong, I'll still be wearing my Reefs plenty, but now I've got these Sam Edelman ones too.

Towel Love the pink and white stripes!

XOXO,

Cleaning Routine

One of my least favorite things to do is clean, but I also can't stand it when our house is messy. Not a good combination. What makes it even worse is that Michael could care less about what our house looks like. I guess in a way that's good - I don't have to feel guilty when I spend my day sitting on the couch watching Hallmark movies or out shopping, but it's also somewhat frustrating because it means when something is out of place, he doesn't notice/do anything about it. Case in point - this blanket sat on the floor right in front of the stairs for a day. Carter even walked right over it. It killed me just to leave it on the floor, but I left it until the next morning.

I decided to create a cleaning schedule to try to keep myself on track and thought I'd share it with you today. I just started, so fingers crossed it's something I can actually stick to.

Daily:

Day: Unload dishwasher, do a load of laundry (fold and put away), clean a closet/drawer, dust mop, vacuum downstairs rugs

Night: Run dishwasher, wipe down counters, trash/recycling, junk baskets*

*The kids both have baskets that we keep on the stairs. Even though they keep their toys in their bedrooms and the game room closet, somehow toys, books, etc. always end up downstairs. During the day as I come across anything that belongs upstairs, I put it in their baskets. Then at night before they go to bed we take one last sweep of the downstairs before bringing the baskets upstairs to empty.

Weekly:

Saturday - Shine the Sink (see this post for details on how I do this)
Sunday - Sheets
Monday - Floors (upstairs)
Tuesday - Bathrooms
Wednesday - Weekly Chore
Thursday - Dust furniture, clean mirrors
Friday - Floors (downstairs)

Weekly Chores:

Week 1: Blinds

Week 2: Sweep Front & Back Porch

Week 3: Clean Refrigerator

Week 4: Baseboards

I have been really curious about trying Norwex products since my mom mentioned it a few weeks ago. Then when I was trying to come up with a cleaning schedule, I searched Pinterest for ideas and came across a blogger who raved about their products, so I decided to order some. I'm all for anything that makes cleaning easier, and with Norwex products you don't have to use any cleaners, you just use water! Sounds almost too good to be true, but I'm hoping that's not the case. I just placed my order today, so I'll do a full review once I've had everything for a few weeks.

Do you follow a cleaning routine? If so, please share in the comments below!

XOXO,

Shopbop Sale

Okay, so I've been trying really hard to stick to my no shopping rule for Lent, but all of these amazing spring sales are making it really hard! Shopbop is having a sale right now that is WAY better than the one I mentioned in this post (that one was tiered, whereas in this one you save 20% on any purchases under $500 and 25% if you happen to spend $500 or more), so I thought I'd share some fun items that are included in the sale. Shopbop had become another favorite place to shop (behind Nordstrom) because they offer free two day shipping through Amazon Prime.

Shoes

Here are some of my favorite shoes that are included in the sale. I either own them or will be purchasing them during the sale. I know, I'm not supposed to shop during Lent, but Easter is this Sunday and the pairs I'm ordering were already on my wish list, so I might as well buy them now when I can save some money!

1. Sam Edelman Patti Sandals I ordered a black patent pair from Nordstrom to wear to a cocktail party in early May, but I'm considering returning them and ordering these instead.

Okay, so I'm editing this to let you know that I am returning the black patent shoes, but I won't be ordering the leather ones. The shoes are super cute and the ankle strap makes them look kind of sexy, but they fit my toes weird. The strap hits my toes in a weird place and you can see the bottom of my baby toe behind the strap. Toe cleavage? No thank you! Sorry for the unattractive photo of my feet, but I thought I'd share a picture so you can see what I mean.

Anyhow....I shared earlier in the week on Facebook that I had ordered these shoes for Easter (shown on the right in the above photo). The strap on these is wider, which means it covers up the toe cleavage. Long story short, I'm returning the Sam Edelman shoes and have already ordered a black patent pair of the BP. shoes. It works out well because the BP. ones are only $59.95 and even on sale the Sam Edelman ones are $80. Nordstrom offers free shipping, so get these if you haven't already taken my earlier advice and gotten these.

Side by Side Comparison

BP. Luminate vs. Sam Edelman Patti

2. Sam Edelman Gates Fringe Sandal How fun is the fringe on these shoes?

3. Soludos Espadrilles I did a review of these in this post, and also included them in the last Shopbop sale post, but I wanted to include them again because I love these shoes! I have the tan ones right now, but I'm picking up the black ones today. They are seriously one of the most comfortable pair of shoes I own and I get tons of compliments every time I wear them. I've seen mixed reviews as far as sizing - for me they fit true to size. They felt tight when they first arrived, but they have stretched with wear, so I'm glad I didn't size up.

4. Sam Edelman Gigi Sandal Another one of my favorite shoes for spring and summer, and I love that they come in fun colors and prints! Adding a fun shoe can take a basic outfit and kick it up a notch.

5. Hunter Original Tall Boots If you've been considering getting Hunter boots, now is the perfect time to get them at 20% off! I have them in black, but I love this light blue, and how fun are these hot pink ones?

Accessories

Some of these items are a little more expensive, but handbags and accessories are an item that I tend to splurge a little more on, so it's even better when I can get them on sale!

1. Sam Edelman Straw Beach Tote I love the scarf on the handle! I'm not sure how often I'd use the strap, but it's nice that it's an option.

2. Clare V. Black Foldover Clutch Every girl needs a little black clutch! I have it in the british tan and carry it all the time! Seriously considering adding the black to my shopping cart.

3. Le Specs Neo Noir Sunglasses I love the tortoise print and reflective lenses!

4. Shake Things Up iPhone Case My iPhone case is boring, so I've been looking for a new one.  I've also been thinking about upgrading my phone, so now is a good time to order a new case! Kate Spade cases are always so fun!

5. Vanessa Mooney Earrings The perfect statement earring that will go with everything!

6. SUNDRESS Indiana Short Beach Dress I ordered the striped version of this coverup about a month ago and I absolutely love it! It's nice because you're completely covered in the front, but it's open in the back (business in the front, party in the back).

7. White + Warren Cashmere Travel Wrap Scarf Cashmere? Yes please! Unfortunately, even on sale this is a bit more of a splurge than I'm willing to make, but a girl can dream!

I've linked some other cute options in the widget below. Happy shopping!

XOXO,

Spring Dresses

When I was little, one of my favorite things was getting a new Easter outfit! Now as a mom I still get excited picking something cute out for Sophia and Carter, and I try my best to find something cute for myself as well. With that in mind, I thought I'd share some cute options, both for Easter and any special occasions (or even just because it's cute!) you may have coming up this Spring or Summer.

1. White Lace This dress is beautiful! I love that the spaghetti straps are adjustable. I actually originally ordered this as my Easter dress, but I kind of felt like it was a little too much va va voom to wear to church on Easter Sunday. I think it's probably best for smaller chested girls, but that may just be me being self-conscious about the size of my chest.

2. Green Lace Dress I love the color of this dress! It's just so springy! I just recently discovered Chicwish. They are offering an extra 20% off through the end of today with the code "Sun20."

3. White Collared Dress I ordered this dress on a whim when I decided that the the white lace dress I'd originally ordered for Easter was too revealing. It's cheaper, which is nice, and I think I like the shorter length on me a little better. I ordered these shoes to wear with it for a fun pop of color.

4. Floral Cold Shoulder I love flowers for Spring, and the cold shoulder look is a trend that is still going strong.

5. Yellow Floral I love how bright and flowy this dress is! Unfortunately I don't look good in yellow, so if I order it I'll probably get it in blue, but the yellow is beautiful!

6. Blue off the Shoulder This dress is less than $30 at Target! Um, yes please! I love an off-the-shoulder top or dress ~ there is just something about exposed shoulders that makes you feel a little sexier without being too revealing.

I couldn't leave without giving you a peak at Sophia's Easter dress. GAP is offering 40% off right now with code "SPRING."

Dress 

I linked some other pretty dress options in the widget below. Happy shopping!

XOXO,

Fitness Update

It's been a little over two months since I shared what I was doing to get fit and healthy in this post, so I thought I'd give an update. 

Top / Shorts / Shoes / Sports Bra

The biggest lesson I've learned in the three months that I've been working out regularly (4-6 days/week) is that it's not about the number on the scale. Okay, so I probably shouldn't say it's a lesson that I've learned....it's a lesson I'm TRYING to learn. I've  lost about five pounds, but the past few weeks I have kind of been at a standstill with my weight, which is frustrating. I'm okay with my current weight, but then I think about what I weighed when I got married.....I'd like to get closer to that number (see, I said I want to get CLOSER, not reach it. I'm being realistic....there isn't any way that I'm going to get back to my weight as a 23 year old, right?). I wish that I would have taken measurements prior to beginning the regimen because then I wouldn't be so focused on the number on my scale, which I'm still loving, the scale, not necessarily the number (buy it HERE or HERE).  When I look in the mirror I can definitely see a difference in my body, in a good way. My stomach and my upper thighs are my biggest concerns, and I have noticed a big difference in the way they look. This is where taking measurements would have come in handy - the number on the scale may not be changing as dramatically as I'd like, but if I'd taken measurements I'd have confirmation that a change was happening (because, you know, looking in the mirror isn't good enough).

Anyhow...with Michael traveling, soccer practices, etc it's been hard to stick to the meal plan I created, at least when it comes to dinners, so while I was still trying to make smarter choices when it came to what I ate, I wasn't necessarily paying attention to my daily calorie count. A few weeks ago I started using the Lose It app. I had originally planned on joining Weight Watchers, but it's $20 a month and Lose It is free (unless you select their premium plan, but even then it's only $39.99 for an entire year), so I decided to stick with Lose It. It's really easy to use - you simply create a profile with your current weight and your goal weight (and how quickly you want to reach your goal) and it tells you how many calories you can eat each day. Once you've created your profile you log your meals, snacks, and any exercise by scanning the item, searching by product, or manually entering the product information. You can even create recipes to calculate the complete calorie count on different foods (eg Linguine in Clam Sauce - 361 calories per serving, Dilly Dip - 96 calories per serving, Dump Cake - 201 calories per serving). When you log exercise, it subtracts the calories burned from your daily total. I still try to stay at or below my daily calories without deducting the exercise, but it's nice to have a buffer.

While the elliptical is good for cardio, I decided to add in some additional exercises. I've started doing the 30 Day Butt Lift Challenge as well as the 30 Day Plank Fat Burning Challenge, and have also started including crunches and weights into my daily workouts. I'm hoping that by adding in these exercises I'll begin to see a bigger difference.

Source

Source

We are going to Hawaii in June for our 15th anniversary, so that was my motivation to start working out, but I've gotten to the point where I feel guilty when I don't work out (even though I still don't enjoy it, like AT ALL), so hopefully I'll keep it up. What are you doing to get fit and stay healthy?

XOXO,

My Thoughts on Some Recent Purchases

Rather than doing a standard favorites post (though when they've been sporadic at best I don't know that I could call it "standard" anyhow) I decided to share my thoughts on some of the things I've purchased recently.

1. La Mer Crème de la Mer I have been really concerned with aging, so I gave in and purchased the La Mer Introductory Collection. The main reason I purchased it was to try the Crème de la Mer. I was surprised by how thick it was and felt like I had to use a lot of it to cover my face and neck. Because of this, I won't be repurchasing it. It's too expensive to repurchase every month or two. Instead I'll be going back to using the Clinique Moisture Surge Intense that I mentioned it in this post.

2. Fresh Sugar Face Polish I went to Sephora a few weeks ago to find a new foundation that gives me a little more coverage than my Vitazing. Unfortunately I ended up returning the foundation she recommended because it didn't give me enough coverage, but I ended up buying this exfoliator once I got home because the consultant told me that my nose was dry. I've never thought of my nose as dry, but I took her advice and ordered this when I got home. I've only used it a few times, but I've already noticed a different in how smooth my skin is. Love!

3. neuLash Serum Several bloggers I follow have raved about this eyelash serum, so I splurged on it to see if it lived up to the hype. I have only been using it a few weeks, but I feel like my lashes are thicker and longer ~ I'm not sure if it's because the serum is actually doing what it claims to do or it's just in my head, but so far I like what I'm seeing. You can probably achieve the same look by using this mascara, so I'm not sure it's worth the price tag, but if you want to try a lash serum I'd recommend this one.

4. L'Oréal Double Extend Lash Extension Effect Mascara This mascara reminds me of the Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes, but it's less than $10! It adds so much length and volume to my lashes - they almost look fake! I think "Step 1" makes the biggest difference in adding length. I use it with the Too Faced mascara and it creates major drama (in a good way!). I also love that it doesn't run or come off. It's quickly become a beauty must-have.

5. Essie Fiji Polish This is the perfect pale pink nail polish. It's all I've been wearing since purchasing it a few weeks ago!

 6. Soludos Espadrilles I ordered these during the Shopbop sale that I blogged about in this post, and they have quickly become a new favorite! I ordered the tan and am considering ordering the black as well. They are incredibly comfortable and are so cute! I've seen mixed reviews as far as sizing - for me they fit true to size. They felt tight when they first arrived, but they have stretched with wear, so I'm glad I didn't size up.

7. BP. Mirrored Aviator Sunglasses I love these aviators! And the best part ~ they're $12! Yep, you read that right. BP. is a super affordable brand that is carried exclusively at Nordstrom. I have several BP. pieces, including my favorite long sleeved tees (on sale for less than $11!), and I have the Rose Gold aviators and love them! I'm the worst about throwing my sunglasses in my purse without a case, so the lenses are a little scratched, but since they were only $12 I can easily replace them when needed. Buy them!

8. Le Spec Rapture Bat Wing Sunglasses This sunglass brand is a little more of a splurge when you compare it to the BP. brand sunglasses, but at $59 I'd still consider it more of a save when compared to my dream sunglasses which I won't be purchasing anytime too soon. The "bat wing" is a fun take on the cat eye and it adds some interest to basic black sunnies.

If there is something specific you'd like to see on my blog, please share in the comments below! Happy shopping!

XOXO,

Office Preview

We purchased most of our furniture when we built our last house in 2006, so it's time to update things a little. It all started with Michael buying two monitors, a keyboard, and a laptop docking station for his office. Once everything arrived I realized that our desk was way too small and I needed to find something new. Several of the decor items in our office are black and gold, so I decided to stick with that color scheme. The first two purchases I made were this console table and rug. 

I'd originally planned on getting a more modern glass desk, and found what I thought would be the perfect one, but then Michael set up the monitors and docking station and I realized that I needed something that would hide some of the cords and the actual docking station. I started searching and found this L-shaped desk at Adam's Furniture. It still fit with the overall color scheme of the room, so I decided to switch directions a little. We ordered this desk and the matching lateral file.   

Right now the only things that have been delivered are the table and the rug, but I'm so excited with how the room is coming together! Stay tuned for the full room reveal soon!

XOXO,