Outfit: Family Party

Last weekend I attended my hubby's grandma's 83rd b-day party. This is what I wore for my family day:

Top: swap w/ Kaitlyn, Tank: Dots (similar) (similar), Pants: Loft (similar) (similar), Shoes: Shoemint, Necklace: C/O Just Fab, Watch: Kristin Hassan, Chain Bracelet: T plus J designs, Gold Bracelet: Baublebar, Ring: Jewelmint, Lip color: Blue Raspberry by Bobbi Brown

I really love the contrast between the blue necklace, mustard denim, and stripe shoe. Thoughts?

*And the 3 winners for the V-Shape giveaway are #'s 1, 5, and 13 (Jillian H, Polly, and Kelly)! I will be emailing all 3 of you today to get your sizes and shipping info. Thanks to all who entered and a big thank you to Vedette Shapewear for hosting the giveaway!



Outfit: Subtle Pattern Mixing

I love the idea of pattern mixing, but it doesn't always have to be over the top. I chose to mix this great pattern top with a leopard pattern shoe.

 

Top: Ark & Co via Piperlime, Jeans: 7 for all Mankind, Shoes: Shoemint, Bag: Coach, Watch: Kristin Hassan, Chain Bracelet: T plus J designs, Bracelet: Baublebar, Ring: J Good, Necklace: Jewelmint



 This mixing is subtle since they both have the same tan/orange color in them, but it gives the outfit a bit of pop, no?
What do you think? Ever try a trend and dull it down a bit?

Outfit: Curriculum Night

It was curriculum night at my son's school an this is what I wore: 

 

Coat: Victoria's Secret, Jeans: Old Navy, Blouse: Old Navy, Boots: Dolce Vita (similar), Bag: C/O Just Fab, Chain Bracelet and Earrings: T plus J Designs, Watch: Fossil

We sat in the gym for part of the night and then went into our kids classrooms and sat through another presentation. It was very informative and I love that I know and adore all the teachers/therapists that work with my son on a daily basis.

I think this was the perfect outfit for a casual fall night! Boots, skinny jeans, blouse, a great bag...what's not to love? ;) 

Latest Obsessions

As per usual I have many current obsession ;) Here are my three favorite things right now. 

One for me, one for my kids, and the last one is my favorite current trend:

Pevonia: De-aging Body Balm

This stuff is heaven! I love the smell, the way my skin looks after using it, and the cool orange color. It's great on elbows and knees (well really all over your body) and it is something I look forward to using in my daily shower routine.

*Don't forget you can get 20% your full order at Charleston Naturally using code "S&DB"

Erbaviva: Baby shampoo

This stuff is great! It smells like lavender and my little ladies hair looks AMAZING after every wash. I'd say this is a must buy for sure!

*Again, you can get 20% your full order at Charleston Naturally using code "S&DB"

Leopard print

I currently own a shift dress, peplum top (not shown, Kaitlyn is borrowing it ;), 2 blouses, a scarf, and 2 pair of shoes with leopard print on them. Obsessed much? It's safe to say, yes I am!

What are your current obsessions?

Outfit: Family fun at Uncle Arlo's

Every other year or so we head to my best friends mom's boyfriend's farm for an outdoor mini festival. (I think I worded that right! lol)

There is live music, hay rides, great food, and even better company. This is what I wore to this years Uncle Arlo's:

Top: Loft, Jeans: Because I shop Too Much- Christine's Closet, Belt: Fossil, Bracelet: C/O Kristin Hassan, Shoes: Forever 21, Necklace: T plus J Designs, Watch wrap: Kristin Hassan, Sunnies: Michael Kors, Lip color: Blue Raspberry by Bobbi Brown

We had so much fun! Last time I went it was just me and the little dude, this time all 4 of us went. The kids loved it and so did we! I love days like these.

Washing Your Fruits & Veggies with Vinager

My mom sent me an email last week saying that is you soak your fruits and veggies in 1 part vinegar/10 parts water all the dirt and grime water alone doesn't wash off, will come off. (You do this for 10 minutes) It also gives your berries a longer shelf life.

Within one day of this email I saw pins all over Pinterest saying to do this very thing. So, I decided to try it out myself.

I gave my sink a good scrub and then decided to try it out on the fruit I had in the fridge.

I added 1 cup of the apple cider vinegar to the sink of water.

This works AWESOME! I tried it later that day with my veggies (spinach, romaine lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes (yes I know tomatoes are a fruit), green and red peppers, and mushrooms). I was so grossed out by the color of the water after I soaked my veggies for sure. I didn't realize how much better I could be cleaning my fruits and veggies before I eat them and/or feed them to my family.

I will do this from now on. It's a great tip for sure! Thanks mom and thanks Pinterest! ;)

 

*Head over to the Sisters Marie blog to see my outfit post of the day! It's a good one... ;)

Vedette Shapewear: Post 2 of 2

Yesterday I showed you a piece of non-sensual shapwear from the Vedette Shapewear line, today lets get into the sexy kind! I chose this GORGEOUS bustier named Rosina. This my friends is the kind of shapewear that I LOVE. This is the kind that you feel uber sexy in as you know it's under you clothes, and you can style it so maybe some others get a peek of it, but it just makes you feel like a woman.

My husband actually had to help me get this bad boy on (lots of hooks in back). Which made it even more sexy as we both knew I was wearing it all night! It has this sort of 1920 glam feel to it, obviously a plus as far as I'm concerned.

I decided to style it under a 100% sheer top and pencil skirt. The Vedette Shapewear gave me that hour glass figure and since the top was sheer you got a peek of the maroon on the sides and the straps. I am OBSESSED with this get up!

Top: Piperlime, Skirt: JC Penny (similar), Shapewear: C/O Vedette Shapewear, Belt: Express, Shoes: C/O Just Fab, Ring: House of Harlow, Necklace and both bracelets: T plus J Designs, Sunnies: Michael Kors, Lip color: Rose Blossom by Bobbi brown

Now lets get to the good part, the Giveaway! Three lucky winners will be sent a surprise piece of Vedette Shapewear! I will contact each winner and have them give me their measurements and shipping information. I will then pass it along!

To enter:

Simply Follow Vedette Shapewear on Twitter AND "like" them on FB.

Leave me a comment below telling me you have done both & don't forget to leave your email address.

Good luck! Winners will be announced next Saturday (9-29) at 7:00 am.

*the giveaway is open international but not from the Philippines since they are experiencing difficulties in shipment

Vedette Shapewear: Post 1 of 2

I was contacted by Vedette Shapewear to be part of their V-Shape, from flab to fit campaign for moms. If you've been a reader of my blog, you know from previous posts about my love of shapewear.

I don't care if you are a size 0 or a size 22, shapewear smooths out your curves and makes your clothes not only feel and look better on, but I think they make you feel sexy too! Not a fan of shapewear, then you're not wearing the right kind! ;)

There are 2 parts to my V-Shape post.
Today I will show you what I look like before and after when I wear the extra firm control bodysuit called Julie. Tomorrow I will show you how I styled a piece from their sensual collection and host a giveaway for 3 lucky winners (so make sure you check back tomorrow)!

Here is what my first piece of shapewear looks like:

 

I may be a size small, but I've also had two children! I gained 67 pounds with my son and 45 pounds with my daughter leaving me with a muffin top. I am fine with it. I have no plans of ever getting a tummy tuck of any sort. I think as mothers we need to embrace our size, our curves, our battle scares! ;)

However no one needs or wants to see our muffin tops. lol

 Enter shapewear!

The left side is my before and the right is after.

The firm control smoothed out my " love handles" and made me feel less self conscious in such a tight waisted pair of shorts.

I can't wait to show you what piece from their sensual collection that I chose, don't forget to check back tomorrow!  

The Classroom Creative

Have you guys heard of the new website The Classroom Creative yet? It's really an amazing site for parents and teachers alike! Here's a bit about it:

"Back when we were both teaching, we dreamed of a totally free website that would make lesson planning easier. We both remember late nights scouring search engine for unit ideas.

After searching 1000s of blogs and sites, nothing was exactly meeting our vision. So, we’ve spent the better part of the past year building this site. We wanted to feature and totally organize all the amazing ideas we were seeing…

So…this was born.

The classroom creative will feature the best of teaching, parenting, homeschooling, and creative blogs broken down in easy to navigate photo galleries by grade, subject, and unit. {You can explore the galleries by clicking on your preferred grade level above}.

Galleries will be updated daily with the newest and most creative ideas we can find on the web.

We also have sections of crafts broken down by holiday and season, a teacher’s lounge section to help with classroom management, and a parent’s corner to help with everything from meal planning to homework.

With the amount of information in search engines, looking for ideas to educate our children is an exhausting process. The Classroom Creative takes the dirty work out of planning, and give you more time back to work with your children.

We hope this site brings together parents, teachers, and homeschoolers while inspiring curiosity and creativity in your homes and schools.

Want to know more about Nicolette? Click here.
Want to know more about Karen? Click here.

This site will keep growing and changing to meet the needs of our hardest working readers: teachers, parents, homeschoolers, and therapists. Have ideas you’d like to see featured on the classroom creative? Submit your idea here.

Thanks for reading. Come by often.

Thank you,

Karen and Nicolette"

What a great idea! I am so glad I know Nicolette (yep, same Nicolette of the blog Momnivore's Dilemma that I hang with) and have known about this site from the beginning. It has so many great tips and ideas!
There is also information on social emotional and sensory play for all us parents with non-neurotypical children. This area (located under the preschool tab) has been very helpful!

There are quite a few crafts me and my kids will be doing this fall off the site for sure! I hope you all check it out, it really is a wonderful resource.

Recipe: Crock Pot Flank Steak and Hasselback Potatoes

I decided today I would share with you an entire meal.

*This was not a meal for my kids, as it was very spicy! Me and the hubbs enjoyed it though ;)

The first part is Crock pot Flank Steak with Giardiniera and aujus sauce. I put the steak in my crock pot while it was still frozen, added have the bottle of giardiniera and 1/2 packet of the aujus with a 1/2 cup water. The aujus packet DOES have trace amounts of gluten and dairy in it so if your diet does not allow, no need to add it! I just enjoy the extra juice!

After putting this in my crock pot, I set it to low heat and set it aside for the next 5 hours.

Next I needed to come up with a side. About an hour before the flank steak was done I started getting my potatoes prepped.

I saw this recipe for Hasselback potatos on pinterest and knew I needed to try it!

All you do is cut the potatoes almost all the way through, drizzle a bit of olive oil over them and salt and pepper to taste. They were in the oven at 425 degrees for 40 minutes. So yummy! My kids did eat these and they called them chip fries. Yep, that will work! ;)

We did have a side salad to complete the meal, but I ate it before I got a pic! lol This was a great meal, I hope you try it! 

Outfit: Coat Weather

I had a TON of errands to run this day and when I walked out the door at 8:30 am I smiled and walked back inside. It was in the low 50's and mama needed to wear a coat!

Coat: Tinley Road via Piperlime, Boots: C/O Just Fab, Top: Victoria's Secret, Jeans: Old Navy, Bag: Just Fab, Sunnies: ASOS, Ring: House of Harlow, Necklace: Windsor

 I just got this bad boy and I couldn't have been more excited that I had to go back in and put a coat on. ;)

I was just wearing a basic tee, jean leggings, and a great pair of boots, but this bag and coat really took the look up a notch. I felt like I should have been doing more then just running errands. I can't wait to wear this coat all fall/winter long! LOVE me a great collar.

Outfit: A "Made for You" Dress

You may remember me wearing a "made for you" dress back in December from Eshakti. Their online store really has the most amazing concept. They have a wide range of sizes and you can alter and change the piece into what you want it to look like.

Dress: C/O Eshakti, Necklace: Loft, Bracelets: Kristin Hassan, Ring: C/O Silver Speck, Shoes: Shoemint

How amazing is this dress?
It was literally made for me as I had to give my measurements at time of order so it fits perfectly. I felt super chic and actually pretty sexy in it. I adore the beaded detail on the shoulders and the keyhole on the back. I also love that I kept the length longer (as you have the option to make changes to the length and the neck style). There is definitely something sexy about a pencil style bottom half. If you can't tell, I am gaga for it! I can't wait to wear it again during the holiday season. 
  

Since it's been hard to find a sitter lately, this is what I wore for a date night at my house with the hubbs. He liked it. He liked it a lot! ;)
We had a lovely dinner and wine after the kids went to bed. Sometimes the best date nights are nights in!



For my hair:
 I started at one side and began to twist until I reached the other side under my ear. I put a small goodie hair tie in. From there I just braided. But here's the twist, I separated into 3 sections like you would for a normal braid, but I braided the center section. When that was done I used that braid as one of the 3 sections in the main braid. This adds more texture and makes it look almost like a fishtail no? Thoughts? Hair tutorial needed?

Outfit: School Meeting

Me and the hubby went to my sons school for his yearly IEP meeting. Since it was in the low 70's this day, I decided shorts, basic tee, scarf, and a cute ankle boot was the way to go.

Tee: Piperlime, Shorts: Old Navy, Belt: Fossil, Scarf: C/O Kristin Hassan, Watch: Fossil, Love Bracelet: Etsy, Stackable Rings: Banana Republic, Boots: Dolce Vita, Sunnies: Loft

The meeting went awesome (I just love the school he goes to) and we left a bit emotionally drained, but happy with the overall meeting.

In a side note, does anyone else feel like they are trouble when you sit in the principle's office with a group of teachers? lol So funny, but I get so nervous over these things! ;)

This is for sure my "mommy-on-the-go" go to look lately. Scarves and tees are just easy. What's yours?

**The winner of the Mia Mariu giveaway is #16 Megan!
I'll be emailing you today for color choices and shipping info. Congrats to Megan and thanks to all who entered! 

Outfit: Trench Vest and Striped Dress

I am LOVING this cooler weather! ;) I decided to pair a sweater dress with a trench vest and then jazz it up a bit with my yellow statement necklace and these AMAZING blue shoes! I was also super pumped to wear my new clutch.

Dress: Old Navy-sold out (similar) (similar), Trench Vest: Forever 21, Bag: Just Fab, Necklace: Pree Brulee (similar), Sunnies: MNG by Mango, Shoes: C/O Just Fab, Earrings: Kristin Hassan, Lip Color: Blue Raspberry by Bobbi Brown

By now you all know that I have a major obsession with Just Fab. They do gift me product, but I also shop online becaue they have sooo many items I want. ;)

When I was checking out as I bought a new blush colored purse last week (you'll be seeing said purse next week), there was a little pop up that asked me if I wanted to add a clutch or a pair of flats for just $25. Ummm, YES PLEASE! This is the clutch I chose. Perfect neutral color for year-long wear! LOVE!

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Recipe: Chicken (What ever You Have In Your House) Soup

I showed you in a previous post how to make your own broth and store it in the freezer for future use. On this cooler day I decided chicken soup was a must! I grabbed the last few containers of broth I made out of the freezer and looked in my fridge for what I could add. I had a whole chicken, so I put that in the oven then looked around for what I could add to my chicken soup. I'm very big on just cooking with what you have on hand in your home. I had carrots, fresh spinach, frozen corn, frozen peas, and rice. Yep, that will do!

With about an 90 minutes left before the chicken would be ready I peeled and sliced 4 large carrots and put that in my large pan with the frozen broth. I left if over medium-low heat for the entire 90 minutes. When I had 30 minutes before the chicken would be ready I added the rice, peas, and corn.

 
When the chicken was ready I added the spinach as it doesn't take long for that to cook. I used 1/2 of the whole chicken (of course saving the bones for the next batch of broth I will make), cut it up and added it to my soup.

I ended up with a lovely chicken, rice, and veggie soup that was made entirely from ME! I followed no recipe. It was good!!! My kids loved it, my hubby liked it (he hates all veggies, but at least he ate nutrient rich broth, fresh chicken, and rice) and I was kinda impressed with myself.
Here is the finished product:

Do you have a go to chicken soup recipe? Or are you like me and just make it up as you go?

Outfit: Spikes, Spots, & Animal Print

Top: Piperlime, Shorts: Old Navy, Belt: Fossil, Boots: Dolce Vita (similar, also Dolce Vita), Bag: Express, Sunnies: MNG by Mango, Necklace: Because I Shop Too Much- Mariana's Closet , Wrist Wrap and Watch wrap: Kristin Hassan

Super loving the cooler weather we had over the weekend here in Chicago. I love mixing boots and shorts with blouses! Fall is coming and I couldn't be more happy!

I decided to mix patterns with the leopard clutch and spotted top and then threw in an unexpected pop with the spiked choker. Loves it! ;)

I found this necklace on Because I shop too much, but the seller has a few more so head over to Mariana's closet and shop away. It's super light weight and quickly becoming my new favorites.

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