Striped Pillow Covers / White Couch / White Lamp

White Side Table / Wicker Basket / Gold Floor Lamp 

We're in the midst of a little living room (which serves as our family room/tv room, connected in an open concept to our kitchen) makeover, so I've been doing a lot browsing online lately -- always fun! I am drawn to the Serena & Lily vibe (coastal -- but on the more traditional/homey side, if that makes sense), but their prices are not in the budget!

If the same is true for you, I wanted to share several fun finds I've spotted recently that have that S&L look with a much kinder price tag. ;) Edited to add: By the time I put this little collage together, several of these items were sold out. I'll link the ones that I can find that are still available -- but hopefully this gives you some inspiration!

Here are some places to shop where I've found good Serena & Lily dupes:

Target

One Kings Lane

H&M Home

Ikea

TJMaxx/Homegoods

I'll keep you posted on our living room update. In the meantime, happy browsing and decorating!

February Favorites

Happy February!

I'm not much of a fan of winter, but I can't help but be fond of February. Valentine's Day is always fun (more so each year!) with our three little valentines, and there are some very special birthdays in our family this month... one of which we'll be celebrating snowed in this weekend!

I've been wanting to share a few recent favorites with you. Some are things I've recently purchased and love, some are things I've read, and some are things on the wish list.

Hope you're staying happy, healthy, and cozy this month. I see a light at the end of this pandemic tunnel, and it is filling my weary heart with hope. Better days are coming, my friends, and in the meantime I hope we're able to embrace these days with as much courage and joy as humanly possible. :) xoxo

Loft earring set | Sugar lip polish | Sleep shirt

Cozy slipper slides | Untamed | Yeti mug | The Magnolia Story

Let's Get Cozy: Sweatshirt Round Up

 Hello, and happy Wednesday (and September)! 

I hope your week is going well and your month is off to a great start. I can not believe it's already September -- totally surreal! Though summer is my most favorite season, I love fall too, and I am embracing this new season with open arms. I've already had three pumpkin cream cold brews (please oh please try it if you haven't!), have lit my favorite candle (pumpkin marshmallow), and am ready to whip out all of the fall decor. This year, the girls want to decorate the outside "spooky" and my new motto for 2020 is.. whatever works! haha. So, spooky decor it is. We'll probably save that for October, though. ;)

On the topic of all things cozy, today I'm sharing a round up of comfy and cute sweatshirts since I foresee them making up 99% of my fall wardrobe. I've shared a few of these gems in my Instagram stories already (come follow along, if you're not!). Enjoy!

This is the sweatshirt I'm wearing above, from Loft. It's a crop, so just keep that in mind style-wise! But it's so, so soft and I love the embroidered stars.

Love this off the shoulder style from Gap.

A nice change of color to brighten things up! From Asos.

Another off the shoulder option from Asos. Really like this one!

My favorite oversized sweatshirt, from Aerie.

Love this affordable style from Old Navy. Such a cute neck, and lots of color options!

I love that this style from J.Crew Factory could look easily pulled together.

These are great for throwing on for chilly outdoor walks/hikes, from LL Bean.

Target does it again! Can't go wrong with this burnt orange for fall.

My Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Wish List

 

It's that time of year again! The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is here and open to non-cardholders (aka me!). If you're a blogger or avid blog reader, or like to follow influencers on Instagram, you likely already know allll you need to know about this sale. It's one that I personally keep an eye out for every year because it includes some staples that I like to try to buy while on sale. For instance, I've never purchased a North Face jacket from anywhere/at any time other than this sale -- and every North Face jacket I've gotten for the girls has been passed down through all of them! So it makes sense to get the deal, if you can, on quality products. 

I know this year looks very different for many, so please know these posts are just for fun. I love shopping (and especially filling my "cart" and then not buying anything, or only buying one thing -- is that a hobby of anyone else's? lol), but I never want these shopping posts to come off as pressure-y at all. Just sharing what has caught my eye this season and what's on my actual wish list!

Women

The Natori Bra is the "regular" (non-sports) bra I wear daily and I always replenish them during the anniversary sale. They're great quality, comfortable, and pretty!

I've talked about Wit & Wisdom Jeans so much I should probably be a spokesperson. In fact, if I've seen you in person, I've probably shown you the stretchy inside of the waistband (please comment if I've done this to you! haha). They are the best, though -- so comfy, so cute, so genius! This style was on my wish list but is sold out. Check out some of their other styles!

I've never had a pair of Spanx leggings but they've long been on my wish list! I love this faux leather pair because, let's face it, this is as dressy as I'm going to be getting this fall/winter. Paired with a long sweater -- how cute? Hello Thanksgiving. If you have a pair of Spanx leggings, do they live up to the hype?

This Patagonia jacket is unfortunately also sold out, but it was on my wish list because I could use a mid-weight winter jacket for running around. I feel like this is one of those pieces you'd have in your closet for years and years -- especially in black!

I am a sucker for a high-top sneaker, and this Dolce Vita pair (love this brand, I have other Dolce Vita shoes that have lasted for many years!) lined with plush looks like the comfiest. I know this pair is getting a lot of blog love, but I'm personally a fan of these!

Kids

My oldest has had this North Face jacket (in a different color) for the past two years and it's held up great. I love that it's reversible -- we actually would just flip it to the furry side for her "dressy" jacket. She could use a new one this year!

I don't know if I'll pick up this jean jacket for C, but man it's cute! I love this style of a jean jacket mixed with sweatshirt sleeves/hood. So fun for the fall (and can still be used in the spring!).

These classic Sperry duck boots are perfect for snow and/or rain, and the anniversary sale is a great time to grab them for a good price! Unfortunately they're sold out in C's size, but I'm going to keep an eye out for restocks.

And there you have it! I told you I'd only share the things that were on my personal wish list (so easy to go down the rabbit hole of things I could potentially want... but not really need at all ;)). Have you shopped the Anniversary Sale? If so, what did you pick up? Happy midweek, y'all, we're halfway there!

Weekend Favorites

Happy weekend & first day of August!

Phew, what a week! I feel like most of my days have revolved around back to school research, talking to other parents, discussing all of the various points with my husband, calling my own mom with updates, reading and debating and writing lists... repeat forever. I know so many of you are in the same boat and I've really appreciated you being alongside me with all of this. The fact that we are all in the thick of this together is comforting. And somehow, we will make the right decision for our families (I shared more of my thoughts on this topic on Monday, here).

Anyway, coming at you a day late with Friday Favorites! Here's what I've enjoyed this week:

-Loving connecting on another level with my new Instagram page where I share my favorite finds, fashion, home decor, and snippets of motherhood. It's a brand new venture and I'd love to meet you.. so come say hello! :)

-This viral message with a pediatrician's advice to parents about making "the school decision"

-Hadley got the round version of this swing for her birthday, and the kids have already gotten so much use out of it. Who am I kidding: I love it too!

-Literally lol'ed at this video -- and then wondered if someone secretly filmed me. Too true!

-I ordered 4 of these kids' mask lanyards -- two for each of our older girls -- so they don't lose their masks or put them down on dirty surfaces. You customize them with their names, fun colors, and a little charm. How cute/genius is this?! They should arrive today so I'll share what we think of them on Instagram stories.

-Check out the new Oprah magazine cover. Powerful.

-I made this salmon twice in one week it was so good (and easy). Let me know if you try it!

-And two sales happening this weekend I wanted to share: bareMinerals Friends & Family (everything is 25% off and free shipping -- this is the foundation I've been using daily for years), and J.Crew is taking an extra 50% off sale styles (sign up for their free rewards program and get free shipping all the time)

Have a wonderful weekend & start to a new month. <3

Summer Fun: Our Bucket List & Favorite Outdoor Toys

No doubt this summer will look a little different than any before it! Our little crew is determined to make the most of our favorite couple of months, though, before it passes us by in a blur. Each season, we make a bucket list with things we'd like to do/see/experience/learn that season. I always have the girls help me add ideas so they have a say and have fun getting into it too. Below is our Summer 2020 Bucket List (I realized how much is food related, haha!), and keep scrolling, because I've also rounded up our most favorite outdoor toys. Camp Backyard, here we come. ;)

My kids will often go outside and mash berries up with some grass clippings to make "stew" or run around singing and pretending. Yours too? But there have been some toys/gear over the years that have proved to be lasting favorites. Some of these items are marked up this summer, so I'd recommend keeping an eye out on local yard sale sites and/or doing frequent price searches online as I'm sure the prices and availability will fluctuate a bit. I've linked our exact, or as close as possible to what we have if it's no longer available:

Splash Pad // Inflatable Pool // Play Set 

Basketball Hoop // Bubble Wands // Paddle Toss

Cottage // Water Table // Sidewalk Chalk

Bike // Scooter // Giant Sprinkler


Wishing you a wonderful, sunny weekend!

Breezy, Neutral Summer Outfit

Even though I'm not going as many places these days, it doesn't mean I can't dream up the perfect summer outfit. ;) I've had my eye on breezy, summery, neutral pieces lately. Can't you just picture wearing this easy outfit for a day trip to the beach, or maybe a get together with girlfriends? 

What is the thing you're looking forward to most in June?

Straw bag | Nothing screams summer like a straw bag, and my favorite style is the classic circle bag -- this one looks like it has plenty of room!

Tie shoulder top | This loose, flowy look has my heart -- give me all of the loose and comfy summer tops! I especially love the texture of this top, and the fun tie details on the straps.

Comfy "camp" shorts | I think most of us are rejecting the real waistband these days, and with shorts as comfortable and cute as these, who can blame us? Under $20!

Tortoise sunglasses | A classic summer staple. These are affordable (a must for me, personally, with sunglasses since they usually end up getting lost, crushed, or chewed on!).

Statement ring | Love this beautiful Kendra Scott ring for 50% off! The color is reminiscent to me of the Caribbean ocean.

Leather sandals | Another can't-go-wrong, classic summer style is the slide. These studded beauties are on sale for less than $60 and would go with everything.

Comfy At Home

Happy Friday, my friends! I can barely keep track of the days anymore, but I never forget a Friday. I know my opportunities to come to this space have been few and far between in the last several weeks (as I'm sure all of you understand well!), and when I have I've been pretty contemplative. What about you? How are you doing with everything? Hoping you had a week with a lot more ups than downs.

Since we're all spending the vast majority of our time indoors, I know our lounge-wear is getting more use than ever. And, it just so happens that lounge-wear is one of my favorite categories of clothing. ;) So it's working out well (maybe too well) over here!

I've rounded up a few of my favorite comfy clothes and accessories, perfect for working, playing, and doing absolutely nothing at... yep, you guessed it... home.

Lightweight sweatshirt  |  Softest tee  |  Knotted tee  |  Boucle Hoodie

Customizable Bracelets  |  Mom Off Duty Socks/Sleep Mask  |  Slip On Shoes  |  Blue-light Glasses

How cute would the customizable bracelets (supporting a small business and #momboss) be personalized with kiddos names for Mother's Day? Or how about the Mom Off Duty socks and sleep mask? I started wearing a sleep mask after I had Isabelle and it's a game changer for restful sleep. If anyone owns blue-light glasses, I'd love to hear your thoughts about them -- do they really work? With so much time spent staring at screens lately, I feel like they might be worth trying.

Wishing you a comfy, cozy weekend ahead.

Friday Favorites | Thinking Spring (In February)

Is anyone else already thinking spring? I know I can't be the only one. Honestly -- and I think I've mentioned it before -- I always start to think spring in terms of plans, clothes, decorating, pretty much everything beginning in January. By the time the new year rolls around, I am ready to say goodbye to any brief winter we've had and plan on sunshine, warm weather, fun plans and happy colors in my closet and house.

Here are a few early spring lovelies I've spied:

1. Crossbody Saddle Bag | This is my favorite purse brand for a few reasons: the quality is incredible, you can personalize your bag with your initials (subtly embossed in gold), and it's not as well known as some other brands so you don't see it absolutely everywhere. I've been carrying one of their bags as my primary purse aside from my diaper bag for over six years.

2. Tortoise Sunglasses | I'll admit, I'm not a sunglasses girl. I have one pair at a time and wear them until they break or I lose them. ;) For that reason, I'm not one to spend a ton on a pair of sunglasses. This neutral pair is only $17 and I love the lighter tortoise for spring/summer.

3. Floral dress | This is a bit of a splurge, but hello, how cute. If you have a bridal shower or another fun spring event, I don't think you can beat this pretty button down dress. That color combo is warm weather perfection. By the way, who else has shopped at Tuckernuck? I recently purchased something for the first time from them (on mega sale + free shipping!) and was very happy with the overall experience.

4. Mary Jane Flats | Do you own a pair of Rothys? In the blog world, they're talked about a lot and the reviews are pretty amazing. I'd love to hear if they're as comfortable and versatile as everyone says! This new style caught my eye. That bow!

5. Patio Set | This Serena & Lily inspired patio set (at a much more reasonable price than Serena & Lily) is amazing and I sort of desperately want it for my actual kitchen. But really, I do.

6. Door Mat | I have been on a door mat kick, apparently (I shared this one from Anthro last week) -- but I had to share this one because I had a lot of questions about our current door mat (which is this one) and this Target version is so similar!

7. Lemon Wreath | Not sure if lemons will be a thing this spring, but in my eyes they already are! I bought an almost identical wreath from Homegoods and it's patiently awaiting the first day of March when I will deem it appropriate to officially declare winter over and decorate with all of the spring things.

8. Embroidered Tee | This t-shirt is currently en route to my house (snagged during Loft's recent 40% off + free shipping promo -- you all know how I feel about paying shipping). I spotted it a month ago and knew I needed it immediately. "I'll be by the sea" -- yes please!

Are you thinking ahead to warmer, sunnier days like me? What's on your spring wish list?

Friday Favorites: Things I'm Loving

We made it to Friday, friends! 

Today we're celebrating a very special birthday over here. I'll give you a hint: we are celebrating the only person in our house who is not a girl. Ha! Happy Birthday, Steve! This is the seventeenth birthday I'll be spending with you, and I hope it's your best one yet. I bet you never thought, all those years ago, that there would be four sets of girls' arms around you giving you birthday hugs. ;) We all love you so much and can't wait to have a delicious dinner out tonight!

Besides my husband ;), I'm also loving some other things this rainy Friday and I thought I'd share with you:

-This doormat is the prettiest I've seen and has me thinking Spring!

-I signed up for online Barre classes and HOLY I am so sore. I'm really excited about keeping up with them, though! I've wanted to try Barre for a while and this was a great, realistic way for me to check it out.

-My colleague Katie just wrote this article for Romper about caring for sick kids during this never-ending winter, and it is so. true.

-I got a sample of this honey mask by Farmacy in a recent Sephora order and absolutely loved it. I'm not usually a big mask person, but this one was amazing!

-Did you guys see the viral post about the different ways that people think? It's sort of blown up the Internet. Do YOU have an internal monologue?

-Fellow parents! Gymboree is coming back and I just got an email that they will have FREE SHIPPING on their website. This is huge, as I refuse to pay shipping, haha.

Wishing you a fantastic (and sunny!) weekend ahead!

Friday Favorites

Y'all. I mean... guys. Let's all agree on one thing: JANUARY WAS THE LONGEST MONTH OF ALL TIME. Ooooh man, it sure felt like it was never going to end, but we made it! ;)

What are your weekend plans? Ours are mostly low-key. Carrington has a birthday party for a friend on Saturday and we're hoping to see my brother for a belated birthday celebration. On Sunday our friends might come for a visit. We don't have ties to either team playing in the Super Bowl so maybe we'll have the game on in the background but we'll see! Super Bowl is usually just an excuse to eat appetizers for dinner over here, haha.

Today I wanted to share a random assortment of recent favorites/finds with you for Friday Favorites. What have you been loving lately? 

PS: I have drafts of a few different posts ready to go for the next couple of weeks exploring the extraordinary ordinariness of parenthood, reviewing what we've watched on Netflix lately, sharing our favorite baby must-haves this time around, and talking about how to really give yourself the best chance of achieving those resolutions you set a month ago. Stay tuned!

Friday Favorites

-Stick on nails are BACK! Am I the last one to this 1990-themed party? I picked up a pack of Impress Gel Stick On Nails from Target on a whim the other day and tried them out this week. They look awesome! I didn't feel the glue stayed on as long as I would have liked but then again I'm washing my hands constantly, scrubbing children, and using my nails to open stubborn yogurt containers like four times a day so this isn't too surprising. For $5.99 for a box of 30 nails, they are SO worth a try! Especially perfect for a special event. I posted about them on my IG Stories and a bunch of people said they use them too! Who knew?

-I never cook fish. Like, never. But in an effort to try some new healthy meals I ordered salmon fillets in my grocery order this week and cooked up some Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon & Asparagus and it was delicious and so much easier than I thought it would be! If you're looking for a tasty and nutritious dinner option, give this recipe a try and let me know what you think.

-Do you all follow Morgan Harper Nichols on IG? You've definitely seen her quotes and beautiful artwork floating around. Just an FYI that she often posts free wallpapers to her IG Stories that you can simply screenshot.

-Free shipping alert! One of my favorite places to shop, H&M, is offering free shipping through TOMORROW! Their kids clothes are the best.

-I finally took the Enneagram test recently and I'm a 2. Who are my fellow 2s?! I've found all of the descriptions to be so spot on so I'd love to hear if you've taken the test and what your result was!

That's all for now, friends. Have a great weekend!

Friday Favorites: Holiday Moments

Happy Friday, all! Where the heck is this month going? Things have been quiet on the blog but anything but quiet in real life. I'm sure it's the same in your world. December is such a busy time, especially with kids!

I hope you've been truly enjoying your season, though, in between the big stuff on the calendar. The singalongs, brunches, spirit days, parties, cookie exchanges, work events and more are all fun, but I've always found my absolute favorite memories are made during the "in between" -- impromptu dance parties to Jingle Bell Rock, sharing chocolates from my $1 advent calendar (the chocolate tastes like plastic but I will never not have my cheap advent calendar!), pointing out all of the twinkling lights on the drive home from the store.

Do you find that, too?

Anyway, I wanted to just stop in and do a simple catch up on all of the holiday-related life things. Here's a little of what we've been up to!

Decking the Halls

We've added our sparkly touches to the outside and inside of the house (with help from a particularly cute, old Golden girl, as evidenced by the photo above). The "yay, you made it!" door mat is my favorite decor purchase of the season by far. Still available here for just $12.74 today! Just love the welcoming, casual vibe.

The girls each decorated their little trees for their rooms this year. The trees are older Target purchases and the ornaments are a mix between a few new ones they've collected over the past few years and some from when I was a kid. Kind of fun to pass them along to my own kids!

School Activities

Along with elementary school comes a whole new event/spirit day calendar. This year I've had the chance to volunteer at C's school shop (so fun), watch her sing her heart out in a holiday singalong, and get her ready in her most festive pajamas for pajama/gingerbread house day at school. Hadley has her school singalong next week, and I can't wait! 

Matching Christmas Pajamas

Speaking of pajamas, you know I had to do full-on matching jammies for my three little girls this year. It's Isabelle's first Christmas, after all, so there was no way anyone was getting out of full coordination (though I skip the whole family-matching thing as I think Steve might leave me - haha!). The big girls' nightgowns came with miniature nightgowns for their dolls.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

I met one of my best girlfriends (hi Sarah!) in a nearby town last weekend for crepes, coffee, and window browsing. I love exploring local downtowns this time of year -- they're always so festive and fun. 

Our Advent Calendar

The first thing the girls do when they go downstairs in the morning is check their advent calendar. I got this one on clearance after Christmas last year (check the stores after the holidays this year!), and I put a little slip of paper with an activity, idea, or event in each day's pocket. Here's a full list of our advent calendar activities. They're mostly very simple, which is perfect for us, especially in this season of life. One day was "Santa Pancakes for Breakfast," for instance.  But, shhh, tomorrow's is a big one: "Ride a Christmas train!" We're so excited to surprise them.

So, what about you? What have you been up to? Do you go all out for the holidays or try to keep it low-key?