Nautical Blush

 Oh, MAN am I excited about the what's trending in the fashion world this season! Nautical and preppy is on the rise and I have all the heart eyes.  I totally fell in love with this rain (or shine!) jacket from Banana Republic Factory Store. The fabric is super sturdy but not too stiff. I paired it with my white jeans and added some blush because blush is everything.  These loafers I found at Old Navy are theeeee most comfortable shoes I own right now. I literally can't stop wearing them, nor do I want to.  

Stripe Trench || White Denim || Pink Loafers || Pink Tote

Hope you guys have a HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Valentine's Day Ideas for Kids

When I was a little girl, my Daddy used to have a special dinner with all of us on Valentine's Day and then he would give each of us a penny we got to redeem for a special Daddy date. Really, we could have one on one time with my Dad whenever we asked, but the penny made it seem a little more special.I always appreciated that as I was growing up, my parents taught us the Valentine's Day wasn't just about celebrating romantic love. This was especially true when I was going through those awkward middle school years and I had nothing going on in the romance department. Thank goodness we had a long-standing family dinner so I didn't just sit around feeling sorry for myself!Our Valentine tradition is to give a small box of chocolates to the girls (momma gets the jumbo box), along with a letter from mommy and daddy and a special gift. Their special gift this year is this sweet gold heart locket from J. Crew Kids. [showshopthepostwidget id="2390643"] Reese actually saw it last time we were in the store and begged for it for Christmas. Yes, this was in January. Won't she be pleasantly surprised when she doesn't have to wait a year to get it?!We also really try to place a great deal of emphasis on how much God loves them as we celebrate Valentine's Day. We recently came across this book and have been reading it daily. It's a simple way to explain the story of God's plan to save us thru Jesus. [showshopthepostwidget id="2390639"] As a little added surprise this year, the girls are both getting a new pair of Hunter Rain Boots. These are the most durable and adorable pair of shoes my girls own! They love running around with their monogrammed umbrellas jumping in puddles. The muddier the better! I think we are going to go with the light pink again (they've both outgrown theirs!). When you're a little girl, pink is considered a neutral in your wardrobe. Who am I kidding? Pink is a neutral in my wardrobe, too! [showshopthepostwidget id="2411116"] I hope you have a special day with all the ones you love!If you have any fun ideas of what you like to do with your family to make Valentine's Day special, I'd love to hear about it!Thanks so much for reading! 

Good Vibes ONLY

Do you ever get tired of the words you have rolling around in your head?Goodness knows I do.Some days it feels like there's a middle school bully up there pushing me around, calling me names, and literally just giving me a mental beat down.I know who the bully is.As a Christian, I know that Satan uses first person talk in my mind to make me believe lies about myself. For example it's never "You're not smart, pretty, worthy, loved." No, it always turns into me taking complete ownership of the lie Satan wants me to believe "I'm not smart. I'm not pretty. I'm not worthy. I'm not loved."If you've seen the movie The Help, you'll probably recall the very touching and memorable part where Aboline leans in to the little girl she has practically raised and says "You is Kind, You Is Smart, You is Important."I cry through that whole movie but especially at that part!I love truth. I love it because it literally has the power to set us free. When we focus our minds on what is true, it changes the whole trajectory of our thinking and ultimately our lives!The mind can be a toxic place if we aren't careful so I wanted to quickly share some of the ways I've had my mental lie detector on high alert.

Listen to conviction, throw out condemnation.

Condemnation has a way of devaluing. while conviction actually adds more value. Conviction is always kind but condemnation is a bully. If you're allowing condemnation to rule your thoughts sending you into a spiral of negative emotions, reject those ideas and replace them with the truth that you can always work harder and be better but you are loved totally and completely right where you are this very second.

Speak affirmations, silence doubt.

Affirmations are borderline cheesy but gosh are the effective! I read in a parenting book one time that you must speak the truth you wish to see in your child. They need to physically hear what you believe they are capable of. So every night before the girls go to sleep, we go through positive affirmations. Right after they've been disciplined for a wrong behavior, we affirm the exact opposite of that behavior. For instance, when Rowen wacks Reese over the head, after she apologizes and they hug it out, she has to hold her hands up and say "I use my hands to be kind. I do not use my hands to hit." Whatever area you feel weakest in is the one that's crying out to be affirmed. Wake up to your potential by literally speaking it into your reality. Our words are so powerful!

Discipline disappointments, practice being grateful.

Disappointment is a tough thing to deal with but when we have the right perspective, it can be a great teacher. Too many times we make it our enemy. It's not! We can learn and grow from the things that let us down. But if you let your disappointments tear you apart, then you learn nothing and no one wins. Instead, have an attitude of gratitude and choose to see growth as your friend and not your enemy. I will be the first to admit that I literally have to have the truth right in front of my face DAILY in order to not believe the lies that get conjured up in my head. I keep God's word handy and read it out loud on the regular but especially in the moments I'm feeling down and out.There's a lot on the line not only for me, but also for my girls. If I'm going to teach them how to have healthy mindsets, it's something I'm going to have to practice myself.I hope this will help you in your thinking this week. I hope you know thatYou are loved.You are valued.You are beautiful.You are special.And don't you let anyone tell you otherwise!

Mixed Up - Playing With Pattern

 Mixing patterns can be overwhelming at times. You want to pull off eclectic without achieving "hot mess". It's a total game of balance, really.  Stripes are obviously one of my favorite patterns. Second only to the almighty leopard print. Some people don't like leopard because it feels a little too va va voom, if you know what I mean. With this look, I balanced the leopard out a bit by adding some preppy stripes. The collar of this button down also has a ruffle, which softens the whole look while adding texture and dimension.  The real key to mixing patterns is just having the confidence to pull it off. If you feel good in what you've got on, it really shows. My general rule when mixing patterns is not to mix more than two "busy" patterns. I'll incorporate different solids but only two actual patterns for the most part. I don't mind pulling in textures like rhinestone cuffs and a muted snake skin clutch to keep things interesting. But showing a little self restraint when mixing patterns will really help with the balance of the whole look. The majority of this look is from J Crew Factory. I'd recommend sizing down in this blazer. The sweater also runs a little big but I am so excited about all the different ways I can wear it this Winter and into Spring.Sunglasses (similar) || Leopard Sweater || Striped Ruffle Button Down || Red Blazer (similar)|| Black Jeggings || Strappy Flats || Black Clutch || Rhinestone Cuffs (similar)

Friday Favorites

Hi!Happy Friday to YOU!It's been a quick minute since I've actually done a Friday Favorites post so I'm kind of excited to bring it back. I'm sharing things I use the heck out of in hopes that maybe you'll end up needing/loving/wondering how you ever lived without any one of these things.Here we go!

Steamer:

I use this one to steam my clothes and it has been a life saver! I can't tell you how much I hate ironing clothes and it's just not always feasible to make it to the dry cleaners every week. Plus, hello, I have two toddlers that are constantly roaming in and out of my closet. My clothes don't stay wrinkle-free for long! But this steamer that Matt got me for Christmas heats up in like 30 seconds and works like a charm![showshopthepostwidget id="2370311"] 

NuMe Curling Wand:

Some of you have been requesting a hair tutorial for getting beachy waves and I will go ahead and tell you this this is my trick. I've used other wands in the past but the size and heat on this one is perfection. It works so efficiently that it really cuts down on how long it takes me to do my hair. Praises![showshopthepostwidget id="2370319"] 

This White Layering Cami:

So yeah this is kind of a funny thing to add to a Friday Favorite list but Y'ALL. I can't tell you how much I love this cami! It's a blouse material, very soft, and not see through. I don't like things super low cut so it hits at just the right spot. The price point is spot on and I promise you will love this and will literally want to wear it under every. thing.[showshopthepostwidget id="2370327"] 

Nike Tanjun Shoes:

If you've followed me for five seconds or more, you will be quick to learn how much I wear these running shoes. I own them in black and grey and they are like bedroom slippers that I can workout/run to Target in. I'm pretty sure all my sisters and my mom own a pair and they rave about them too. I've been around the block when it comes to running shoes and these are by FAR the most versatile and comfy pair I've ever owned. Get ya some.[showshopthepostwidget id="2370328"] That's it for this week! I hope you have a great weekend! As always, thanks so much for stopping by. I'm so grateful for you!