The Longest Winter Evrrr

| outfit details |

dress | Knox Rose (from Poshmark here)

faux leather jacket | New York & Co (on Poshmark here)

purse | MICHE 

heels | Target

I'm just gonna preface this by saying, life. It's busy. With three kiddos in sports at the same time, it's even busier. And you know what? That's okay. We love watching our boys do things they love and they have LOVED playing Upwards basketball this year. If I'm being honest, busyness hasn't been the only thing keeping me a little quieter on this space lately. I've been trying harder to put my energy where I feel it's most important and, have really not minded being a bit more absent around here because of it. I do so enjoy sharing outfit inspiration and family happenings though so, please keep checking back every so often. :)

I have a little side post in progress and I hope to share it with you all one day soon. For now though, could you please just keep my family in your prayers and thoughts? We would greatly appreciate it!

Is it just me or has this been the longest winter ever for anybody else? Ugh.. Like, it snows, it's beautiful, we enjoy it for a day or two, it melts, the weather warms up and is GORGEOUS. Then the temps plummet, it's frigid and dreary and miserable to be outside and we have zero warning before the cycle starts all over again. It's so frustrating! We are SO ready for spring to arrive. If I'm not mistaken, didn't the groundhog predict an early spring? What's up Phil?!

Anyway, I never shared this fun look from my birthday and loved it so much I thought you might as well. I love the contrast of the feminine dress with the black leather jacket and accessories. Just another way to slip in spring styles while trying to endure the last (hopefully) of winter. I hope you've all had a lovely month of LOVE! It was a pretty special one for us, as it always proves to be. There are just so many reasons to love life, if we really focus on the good. Happy Monday peeps!!

Contrasting Basics

Hey friends! I hope you all had a wonderful and blessed Christmas season! It seems like it always takes so long to get here and then, bam, it's over. I guess that's true with most things we get excited about though, huh? Was it everything you hoped it would be? Or even more than you imagined? For our family, Christmastime is always so busy. We have many celebrations with different family and lots of traditions we like to continue. So, I try extra hard to be super intentional about the things we do leading up to Christmas Day and making sure we remember to slow down during the craziness. There are so many things I love about this time of year and I want to be sure I'm enjoying it, not just trying to get through it. It turned out to be pretty great though, as always!

Something I struggle with in the post Christmas season is getting sucked into that after holiday let down. Like, the excitement and celebrations are over and now it's just a cold and yucky mess outside (and sometimes inside) and there's nothing to really look forward to until Spring. It kinda stinks. But, there are a few things I've come to find that help me enjoy the rest of winter so much more. 

Using free time off from schoolwork to organize and purge is a huge part of it. I find I can think more clearly and feel like I'm beginning the new year with a fresh slate when I'm not surrounded by clutter. So, while the boys enjoy endless hours of free play, I clean and purge and sort and bag things to donate or sell. It's soooo refreshing.

Usually, while going through my closet, I find things that I've been holding onto for a long while but can't actually remember the last time I wore. I like to bag those things up and consign them so I can replace them later with things we need and will really wear and use. It also helps me get a fresh look on some of the things I own. Like a sweater that's been tucked away or a pair of shoes I had forgotten about. It's kind of fun for a clean-freak mama like myself. LOL 

I wanted to share this fun sale find with you guys. This sweater is so soft and cozy. It's the perfect length and fit and I love the contrasting colors. I found it for $7 at my local Rue 21 and instantly loved it. It also looks pretty great with white skinnies, a contrasting boot and this fun neutral (and SUPER warm) coat! I love the longer length on it, as opposed to most puffer coats you find, and the fur around the hood is a fun little touch. 

My grandmother gifted me this cuuuute MICHE bag for my birthday and I just love it!! It's so neat that they make shell coverings for them so you can switch out the look as often as you like! This pretty black leopard patterned shell came with it and, so far, I haven't had the slightest urge to change it. I'm basic, I know. LOL 

Anyway, I hope your week was a great one and that your weekend it even better! We're supposed to get a ton of snow so, we'll probably by hunkered down by the fire with some board games and chocolate. ha. Happy weekend!!

| outfit details |

sweater | Rue 21 (in-store only, other cute styles here & here)

white skinnies | Walmart

otk boots | Circus by Sam Edelman

earrings | Nickel & Suede (size medium)

Purse | Base Bag & (couldn't find shell online but, I also love this shell)

Cozy Neutrals

Anyone else have one specific go-to look you rely on when you're just not feeling up to the amount of energy (or creativity) it takes to put an outfit together? See mine above. I've been living in cozy sweater dresses and OTK boots lately. It's just too easy to toss on a soft dress and a scarf and grab some boots and bam. Done. I feel like I steer more towards neutrals also. It takes a little effort for me to feel brave enough to don color most of the time. And that's totally okay. Neutrals just get me, ya know? LOL And, I just have to say, my seven year old photog is getting better and better at helping his mama! Didn't Lucas do such a GREAT job on these photos?!

I hope you've all had a lovely weekend! It's been a crazy busy one for our family. We traveled nine hours (one way) to a friend's wedding in Wisconsin on Friday and then all the way home afterward yesterday to be back home for Christmas play preparation at our church today. phew... give mama some ice cream, I'm bushed!

I don't have much else to say, other than Christmas is a day closer and I've only just begun wrapping gifts! Eeeek! haha Happy week friends!! And God bless!

| OUTFIT DETAILS |

Sweater Dress | thrifted (similar here)

Scarf | Sole Society (old, love this one & this one)

OTK Boots | Charlotte Russe (old, similar style here)

Earrings | Nickel & Suede (size large)

Purse | thrifted (similar here)

Ladies Holiday Gift Guide

| OUTFIT DETAILS |

Lace Dress | June & Beyond (old, similar here)

Blanket Scarf | Aldi (similar here)

OTK Boots | Charlotte Russe (similar style here)

Earrings | Nickel & Suede (no longer available..)

Gorgeous Fresh Pine Wreath | Local Tree Farm

Only TWELVE DAYS til CHRISTMAS!! Can you believe it?!? If you haven't finished your shopping yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! Just kidding, I've got a few small things left to pick up as well. As far as shopping for that special lady in your life, every girl knows how picky she can be about her wish list. Really, we know what we want and are careful to be very specific! This guide is for all the hubbys/significant others out there that just can't get the hint. Or, want to totally and completely surprise her without worrying about whether she'll love it or not. Here ya go! I found some really great gift ideas for the ladies and (as of now) they all have time to ship with Amazon or Prime and be here before Christmas! Come on now, get on it!

From the photog enthusiast to the fashionista, the gourmet chef to the farmhouse

style loving lady, here's a list of gifts she's sure to love!

Heart Pom Sweater

Camera Bag (looooove this bag!! hint hint hubby ;) )

Knit Pajamas

Canon IVY Mobile Portable Mini Photo Printer

Rose Quartz Facial Roller

HOT TOOLS Curling Iron

Faux Fur Lined Suede House Slippers

Distressed Three Tiered Serving Tray

Plaid Blanket Scarf

Stainless Steel Garlic Press

Pampered Chef Mini Serving Spatula

Pampered Chef Stoneware

Pampered Chef Mix & Chop

SheIn Long Sleeve Cardigan

Zerlar Trench Coat Cardigan

Southport Candelsticks

Brother Sewing Machine

Linen Textured Curtains

Vintage Rustic Wooden Nesting Trays

Jade Facial Roller

Norwex Fruit & Veggie Cloth

Electronic DSLR Flash

Vintage Restaurant Coffee Mugs

Chvity Womens Waffle Knit Tunic

Adidas Womens Sneaker

Fur + Plaid Holiday Style

Guys! It's been a bit since I last posted any fashion inspo around here..  #momlife. We've been busy bees getting Christmas ready and I just cannot wait! I have very few gifts left to buy and then it's wrapping city over here. We had our first Christmas celebration over the weekend and it gave me a chance to dress all festive and stuff! Let's be real, I'll take any excuse to wear faux fur and a full face of makeup. These days, that's pretty rare. And, while I love our slow-paced days at home, getting out and around people (well, bigger people) is a must for me. (Just not too often. lol)

I thrifted this fun plaid shirt dress a while back, new with tags, and it is so comfortable! It's multicolored with just the right amount of red to make it holiday approved. I loved how it looked with this faux fur vest layered over it too. The Christmas and winter season always brings out the most fun texture in my closet. Like, just gimme all the fur and sequins there is. I really love it!

How do you change up your style during the holidays? Do you still don faux fur or is that so last year in your mind? Have a lovely week friends! Only TWO Saturdays left til Christmas!!

| OUTFIT DETAILS |

plaid shirt dress | Lucky Brand (on Poshmark here)
faux fur vest | Dani Collection ( also on Poshmark here)
OTK boots | Charlotte Russe (similar here)

Blushing Tones for Love Day

Valentine's Day is officially less than a week away and it has me pulling out all the pink things. I'll admit, I don't have near what I used to. Growing up, I felt like I had SO MUCH pink. Then, it slowly began disappearing from my closet until it was completely gone. I mean, I literally had  z e r o  anything pink until a few months ago. That's when I started seeing all the gorgeous tops and ruffles and new styles and all of a sudden, I NEEDED to fill my closet with pink again! 

I've found some really great tops and dresses thrifting and I've made others based off styles that I love. So, while I have a bit of selection to choose from now, I'm definitely still on the lookout for more. Especially going into spring and all the beautiful pastels we'll soon be seeing everywhere. 

When I spotted this Teddy Bear coat at Rue 21 a few weeks ago, I knew it had to come home with me. They have it in two colors but, this gorgeous pink was the (very) obvious choice for me. It is THE coziest coat I own, hands down. It's so warm and soft and most definitely lives up to its name. I've gotten so many compliments on it and people just can't believe it when I tell them it's from Rue and was less than $20 when I purchased it. Now, it's on sale even more so, if you've been searching for this style coat, I can honestly say you won't be disappointed in this one.

I love to throw different hues of the same color together and this pairing is a favorite for sure. The soft pink suede saddle bag was, get ready for it, a Walmart sale find! I picked it up for $9 and loooooove it (as much as you can actually "love" and inanimate object lol). It's especially festive with sweethearts day coming up and all.

I used to do something a little fun around here and share the total cost of my outfits. This one, though half of it is new, still comes with a pretty great price tag. For everything you see : Rue 21 coat, Charlotte Russe sweater, Target jeans, Walmart purse and Old Navy ankle booties, the total I spent was $40. Not bad for some really great basics that I wear alllll the time throughout the fall/winter months. And the purse is definitely great for more than one season of use.

Anyway, I hope you have some nice plans for the upcoming holiday! Whether it's having dinner on the town with your love, going out for a family date night or spending an evening cuddled on the couch after tucking the littles into bed. Make the most of it and be grateful for the time you have to do those things. Happy weekend friends!! It is FINALLY upon us!

| OUTFIT DETAILS |

SWEATER | Charlotte Russe (old, similar here + this one is great for V-Day)

TEDDY BEAR COAT | (in stores only, very similar style here + love this one)

JEANS | Mossimo

ANKLE BOOTIES | Old Navy (similar here)

FAUX SUEDE SADDLE BAG | (in stores only, similar here)

Black Monochrome + Emerald

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend! We were hit with a nasty snow storm yesterday afternoon so, although we don't have a lot of interest in the Superbowl (I know, I know..), we decided to have a lazy afternoon and then hunker down to watch it. And we really had a great time!

We didn't cheer for either team specifically. My brother in law is from the New England States so, he is obviously a HUGE Pats fan, unlucky for him. The boys chose their team right before it began with Glen and Blake cheering on the Eagles and the other two rooting for the Pats. You can imagine how surprised Blake was when they started doing so well and then, eventually, won! It was also a bit ironic that my outfit post for today features these pretty Nickel and Suede Earrings that would also suggest I was rooting for Philly. LOL 

Like I said, we aren't serious about it so no one was offended or hurt by the outcome. We just had a good time snacking and enjoying it together. 

These earrings though?! Yea, I'm pretty serious in my addiction with them.. They're probably my most worn accessory these days as they're so easy to throw on with nearly any outfit. So, even for a monochrome outfit like this one, a colorful classic leather works perfectly. I thrifted this sweater dress a few weeks ago and, just can't quite make up my mind about it. I've worn it with jeans under it and then like this with some OTK boots. Both ways work, I'm just not completely sold on the fit and style of it. Who knows, I may end up taking it in with the last of my winter consignment stuff, we'll see. 

These boots, however, have been on  h e a v y  rotation lately. They're such a staple and can be worn SO many ways! Seriously, one of my very favorite Christmas gifts I received last year. You can find mine at the link below (and on MAJOR SALE!) or another version here. Both are really great. 

I pray you have a wonderful week friends!! We've got some exciting things happening over here and I can't wait for it all to begin! God bless!!

| OUTFIT DETAILS |

OTK BOOTS | Circus by Sam Edelman

SWEATER DRESS | thrifted (similar style here + love this turtleneck one)

EARRINGS | Nickel & Suede

(Also, apparently third day hair is dirty enough to be nearly 100% immune to the wind?? I'll take it!)