Lately I’ve been in the mentality of having fewer pieces in my closet, but better quality. It stops the “I have nothing to wear” and makes it easy to piece staple items together in a multitude of ways.
Trench coats (especially camel ones) are having a HUGE moment, but they are the type of piece that will live in your closet from year to year.
I decided to splurge and go with this Anine Bing option. However, there is an almost exact dupe HERE.
Ahh the temps are warming up, the sun is shining, flowers blooming, and we can start to shed some layers and dress for spring.
In this in between weather where it’s still a bit chilly, outfits can be tricky.
An easy way to style spring transition outfits is by wearing a warmer layer on top (sweater, sweatshirt, shirt with duster,etc.) and shorts or a skirt on bottom. I like to pair mine with boots or booties.
I’ve been living in these Anine Bing Sweatshirts. They run true to size. They are a bit pricey, but good quality, and I wear them over and over again.
These over the knee snakeskin boots are an Amazon find! They are under $40… crazy, right?! If you aren’t wanting something quite as bold I found a bootie version as well. You can shop those HERE. (They are $27 and another Amazon fashion find!)
A spring transition outfit staple is a faux leather skirt. Suede skirts are having a moment too! Here are some great options….
I’ve found myself being overwhelmed lately with mom life, events, work life, etc. It was time for me to reel it in and get back to the basics so I started re-listening to The Secret. Instantly my mood changed. I was more patient with my babies, inspired with my work, and more happy in general.
My friend Caroline Hobby is such a joyful person and once told me that you get to choose what you think. You can choose to think positive thoughts or you can choose to think negative thoughts. It’s so simple, but powerful. What you think becomes what you are. (P.S. Be sure to check out her podcast Get Real with Caroline Hobby.) Sometimes you just need a kickstart to adjusting those thoughts. If you need a place to start this list is great!
Not complaining and maintaining a really happy attitude does not come naturally for me. Sometimes you just need to get in the right headspace.
Best Podcasts & Books on Positive Thinking
* The Secret – If you read one book it should be this one! I’ve read and listened to this multiple times. If you’ve wondered about how powerful positive thinking could be, this explains everything. It’s powerful stuff!
* The Lively Show- Jess Lively – She’s all about intention. There’s a reason she’s had over 10 million downloads. If you need to re-adjust your mindset into thinking of “why” you are doing things and be more purposeful than this is for you.
* Julie Solomon- The Influencer Podcast – This is my absolute go-to for all things “influencer”/blogger/entrepreneur. She’s positive and to the point. There are so many powerful women as guests that bring knowledge and insight into this field. I’ve noticed that each guest she’s had has a common theme, and that is their positive attitude towards their business.
* The Gratitude Project – Living a positive and happy life is rooted in being grateful for what you currently have. This is such a cool podcast that was inspired by Georgian Benta’s goal of inspiring 100,000 to change their lives through gratitude. Gratitude is a habit, and this podcast dives deep into that aspect.
At the beginning of the year I made a pact to bring more purpose and intention to the blog. Living a healthy lifestyle is important to me, but not easy.
Let me preface this post by saying I don’t always live a perfectly healthy lifestyle. I fall off the wagon and struggle. However, recently I’ve been more successful with it and it’s all about a mindset change. It’s important to me to implement this healthy lifestyle to our children so that they don’t develop bad habits. Also, I’ve noticed my productivity, mood, energy, and overall demeanor is just better off when I’m ON the wagon.
With that being said… here are 5 tips to Star living your best life. NOW!
1. Start Now, Start Small
Start today. Don’t wait until the New Year. Don’t wait until the weekend is over. Don’t wait until after a trip. Just pick a small change you want to make, and start NOW. You could start with something as simple as cutting out soda completely, taking a multivitamin everyday, going for a daily walk or jog. Whatever it is, once you implement a healthy habit into your life you see the effects that is has on you. Once you see those effects, you want to incorporate more!
2.Practice Makes Perfect
It is unrealistic to think that you will be great at any given change right away. “Diets” are fads. They don’t work. If you want to truly change your lifestyle that involves forming habits. On average, it takes a little over two months before a behavior becomes automatic. Be kind to yourself and allow room for mistakes and growth. Nothing worth having is easy. It is not easy the change to living a healthy lifestyle. Practice those habits until they become second nature.
3. Find Your Balance
It is unrealistic to think that you will stay on the straight and narrow all the time. Balance is the key. (As is life…right?!) Everything in moderation, including moderation. I’ve chosen a couple things that are pretty much hard “no’s.” Soda, for example. Then there are things that I really enjoy and do not want to deprive myself of, pasta for instance. On Sunday’s we like to cook a “feel good, comfort meal.” Finding whatever balance works for you. Decide on some things that you will essentially complete cut out, what you will limit, and what you can’t give up.
4. Enlist the Help of a Partner/Motivator
Everything is more fun with a friend. Self control is not an easier thing, but it sure is easier when the people closest to you are there for moral support. For me, it’s next to impossible to eat healthy and exercise when my husband is on the junk food wagon. Right now we have committed to living this healthy lifestyle together and it’s made it a million times easier for me. If you have that friend that you can text to talk you off the chocolate ledge, reach out. Enlist their help to motivate and keep you on track. It also helps for you to be that person for someone else. Simply hearing yourself speak to them is also reinforcing those thoughts to yourself. You are what you think. Your thoughts become your actions. When you tell yourself you can do it, you’ve won the battle.
5. Plan Ahead
When I sat down and really evaluated why I was struggling with eating unhealthy and not sticking with a exercise routine it all boiled down to planning. With two babies under two, my days are hectic. Most of the time I just didn’t have the time to go to the grocery store so I would get the easiest delivery at the final hour when I was so hungry my stomach felt like it was eating itself. With just the littlest bit of time management and planning life has been SO much easier. Sundays are a great day for me to sit down and find some recipes to try and plan out what I need to get from the grocery store. If you can meal prep for days that you know will be hectic, even better. Making planning out your week a priority keeps you going down that healthy lifestyle path!
And of course.. outfit details. Tip: if you wear a size XS/Small you can get a boys size 10 or 12 and save TONS on designer finds. ThisGucci T-Shirt has quickly become a closet staple for me and I was able to save several hundred compared to the women’s version. (It’s the size 10 for reference, it’s snug and fits as a fitted shirt would.) I LIVE in this Duster. It runs a bit oversized so I sized down. It truly feels as if I’m wearing a robe, and makes the simplest outfit a little more chic. These leopard booties are my new favorites! You can totally treat leopard as a neutral. The block heel makes them super comfortable which is key for me these days….
P.S. Read more on saving on key designer pieces HERE.
P.P.S. Iced coffee with some almond milk or coconut milk is a great healthy alternative!
I grew up in the Midwest and we had our fair share of snow. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good snow day, but COME. ON. SPRING. It’s just cold to be cold over here in Nashville, and these baby boys just want to be outside all day.
Spring style is about to be here, and I can’t wait! Until then, here is a little transition outfit idea. Denim Jackes are the perfect transition piece. I styled mine over this $10 GRAPHIC TEE, and added a stripe scarf for interest and my go to white booties. (The pop of white is perfect for spring style!) They are also on sale for half off and are now under $100!!
We are trying to beat off the cabin fever by doing little workouts inside and getting out any chance the temperatures spike up! However, this Wilson clan is all MORE than ready for spring!!
Some SALES I’ve been shopping this week:
Too Faced– Up to 30% off site wide. I was out of my favorite mascara and ended up snagging a couple other items as well.
Shopbop– One of the best to find designer pieces, and they’ve added A TON to the sale. They also are offering 15% off regular priced items using the code: FORYOU15.
Revolve– They have a ton of staple winter/fall items on mega sale. So many great jackets! I grabbed this black velvet moto jacket on sale for under $100.
Anthropologie – They are offering an additional 25% off sale. Since we moved in to the new house I’ve been crushing on all of their home decor.
P.S. You can check out my favorite spring transition outfit from last year HERE.
If I’m being honest 2017 was a complete whirlwind and most days I felt like I was drowning. Wading water, at best. Adding Wilder into our family was amazing, but adapting to life as a mom of two under two is trying. Rewarding, amazing, full hearts, full hands, but difficult in every shape of the word. The year is a bit of a blur, but having some help over the holiday season has given me a few moments to reflect. I also turned to my husband and asked him areas he’s thought I have grown or lessons to have an outsider perspective as well. So here goes. 17 life lessons I’ve learned this year:
Patience. It’s truly the key to everything in motherhood. It’s also one of those “easier said than done” type of things. Also, with sleep comes patience. With babies there is serious sleep deprivation so I’ve had to really dig deep sometimes.
2. To have good friends, you must be a good friend. Becoming a mother of two has also limited my amount of “free time.” It’s become hard for me to keep up with all of my friends as well as I want to. I’ve tried my best to surround myself with positive friendships and nurture them in the free moments I do have. The smallest gesture can go such a long way. You really have to nurture your relationships for them to grow. I noticed the ones that I didn’t have drifted off, and the ones I’ve put in effort have flourished. (A 2018 goal is to water those friendships even more.)
3. Family first. It’s just that simple. (This includes friends that we consider family.)
4. Sometimes you have to “give in” to your partner. You can’t win ever argument. Know when to fight your battles and when to wave the white flag.
5. I’ve given up “FOMO.” Yes, I still have it at times, but I’ve come to terms with it. With babies, I can’t be at ever party, I can’t be the last person standing at the party, etc. Also, am I really “missing out” when I’m at home with my kids? I don’t consider it that. Right where I need to be.
6. You get to chose your thoughts. A friend of mine brought this to my attention and I sat with that thought for a long time. If you chose to put your energy into thinking positive thoughts, that will surround you. YOU have the power of your own thoughts. It’s a practice that takes lots of time to perfect, but so very powerful.
7. Put the phone down. I read the book HANDS FREE MAMA. Highly recommend it to everyone. There is ___ version that is geared towards everyone (not just moms.) Given the nature of blogging, I do still spend a lot of time on my phone. However, it’s significantly less. When Trey gets home from work and we are making dinner and playing with the boys we have made a great effort to put our phones down and soak in that precious time.
8. Work smarter, not harder. I feel like I spent a full year trying to figure out the blogging world. I remember when I first had George and he would nap I would just sit on my computer waiting for emails to come in. These days I have so little time that I had to learn this lesson out of necissity. I don’t waste my time with anything that isn’t concentrated and beneficial efforts.
9. Your best is enough. Still struggling with this one still. I truly try every day to be a good wife, good mom, good business woman, good friend, etc. There are days where I fall short on one of them, and there are days where I fall short on all of them. BUT, if I’m truly trying my best to be the best I can on all of those fronts… that’s enough.
10. Teamwork makes the dreamwork. I really feel like Trey and I have become REALLY good “teammates” aka parents. We know how to get in there and each take on tasks to get the job done. No relationship is perfect, but this is something (when it comes to dealing with the boys) that we have learned to excel in.
11. You are who you surround yourself with. Pick wisely!
12. LEARN from these life lessons. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve repeated mistakes. As a mom I’m really trying to be a better example. Learn from the life lessons (even if they come the hard way) and move on.
13. It’s ok to spend time to yourself. (Don’t get me wrong this literally only happens every 2 or 3 weeks to get my nails done..) I always feel guilty, but when I come home happy everyone else is a little happier too.
Here are the things Trey noticed that I’ve gotten better at this year:
14. Communication avoids fights. So many little arguments are actually just miscommunications. My favorite answer to “what’s wrong” has always been “nothing.” It’s easier to just lay it out there and communicate about grievances.
15. Save money. (He might be SLIGHTLY confused on this one.) I have made a much better effort. Not sure if my execution has been perfected just yet.
Reflection is so important because it leads to growth! I’d love to hear everyones lessons or ways they have grown in 2017.
One of my favorite fall trends is mixing prints. This bomber jacket is under $40 and can be paired with so many different things this season. I partnered it with this polka dot blouse (under $25!) and wore the ruffle cuff longer than the jacket length to add interest. It would also look great over a dress worn buttoned up, or over a graphic t-shirt and some leggings with sneakers. These studded booties sold out so fast during the Nordstrom sale, but they are back fully stocked in all sizes and worth the $$. The block heel makes them wearable for everyday, and they add so much to a look. I love adding some texture to an outfit. The weather has yet to cooperate with my fall loving self just yet. It hasn’t stopped me from rocking fall trends already! I’m so very ready for sweater weather, and to be able to take the babies outside for longer periods of time.
It was Wilder’s one month birthday yesterday, and I took him along to try out the new Cafe Roze in East Nashville. The interior decor is adorable, and they make a mean iced latte. (AKA mom fuel.) This past month has been a complete whirlwind, and we are still adjusting to the major lack of sleep. I’m literally surviving on coffee. Speaking of, I’m working on a post with all of my favorite coffee shops in Nashville. There are so many great ones. (From a self-proclaimed connoisseur, of course…)
The Nashville Guide has so graciously let me take over their social media channels today so that I could share some of my favorite local hot spots. I’d love for you to give them a follow and check it out!
Fall is right around the corner and I’m more than ready for the fall outfits! Ya’ll know I’m such a sucker for a graphic tee! I replaced the tigers I’ve been obsessing over with this cute snake tank. If you follow me on Instagram you might have noticed I’ve been wearing this striped cardigan pretty much everyday. It’s comfy and easy. Perfect for mom life. These jeans were one of my favorite purchases from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. (P.S. The sale is winding down… shop the new fall items now before prices go back up!) You can check out my favorites HERE. I stocked up on lots of great fall items and can’t wait to style fall outfits after this heat wave passes.
Ok, so now on to a “mom life” update. Holy heck it’s hard. Thankfully, my mom and Trey’s mom both took turns staying with us to help the first few days. So “real life” just truly kicked in. No moms, Trey’s back at work, and it’s just me responsible for two babies everyday. I’m pretty much saving G’s life 10 times a day. He’s constantly trying to jump off the couch, open the door to run outside, jump down the stairs, etc. That in itself was exhausting enough, but adding a newborn who feeds every hour to the mix, and things are pretty crazy around here.
Whenever it gets to be too much (which it does hourly) I try to take a deep breath and realize that they will only be babies for such a short period of time. One day soon they won’t truly need me anymore, and I will be wishing for this time back. That helps me put things into perspective and make it through until help arrives. HA! I’m SO grateful that Trey has been able to really help and go in late or come home early from work. These first few weeks are so important to bond with your baby, and it’s awesome that he has been able to have that precious time. It’s just as important for fathers as it is for the mothers. (IMO.)
My mother in law had two babies 13 months apart, and she always would tell me it’s best to be mentally prepared. I knew what I was getting myself into, but you don’t really know until you are “in it.”
I did not have high hopes for Georgie in the big brother department. I truly thought that he would have such a hard time sharing the spotlight. However, he has truly proved me wrong. He was acting out right before Wilder was born, but he’s been so sweet since he’s been home. Anytime visitors come he takes their hand and leads them to Wilder and points to him. He brings him blankets and pacifiers. If anyone is getting too loud he puts his little finger to his lips and says “shh.” He’s even brought him the remote control when he was crying, because hey what man doesn’t need a remote when he’s sad. It makes me so proud of him, and happy to see the innate love and protective spirit he has for him. As hard as it is having two babies it makes it seem worth it that they will be best friends.
I’ve been seeing the embroidered trend everywhere this season, and I’m really loving it. Of course, I had to do my own take on it. Which at 81/2 months pregnant means in t-shirt form. I found this designer, Banner Day, that makes these handcrafted, high-quality linen embroidered t-shirts and couldn’t pass them up. Yes, it was a little bit of a splurge. They source original artwork as the illustrations for the shirts. How cool is that?! You can shop the one I’m wearing HERE. I sized up for the bump, but I think it’ll be cute tied up later this summer, post baby. I also love this cactus version and this coyote version . Most days, I wear this with some leggings and flats. However, for a little friend date I wore it with the only jeans that fit me these days. These are NOT maternity, but are super low rise so I’ve worn them my entire pregnancy. If you are expecting, save your $$ on maternity jeans, and get a pair of these. That way you can wear them after too!
I’ve been loving the embroidered trend so much much I wanted to get a purse with that vibe. I searched long and hard to find this one that is completely embellished and it’s under $100! It comes in two other colors as well. I’m also tempted to buy the tote version as well. These days I typically need a big bag to carry all G’s (and soon to be baby #2’s) things as well as my own.
Let me just tell ya, it’s hard out there for an 8 month preggo in this summer heat. I’m anxiously waiting to meet baby #2 and see his cute little face. Most days I’m at home in the air conditioning with G in comfy clothes, but I am soaking up day time friend dates to grab lunch or a coffee as much as I can before his arrival. I know it will be hard to get out for awhile once he’s here!
With less than 6 weeks to go in this pregnancy, outfits are getting a little harder. BUT I’m loving graphic tees with overalls! Yes, you can totally rock overalls pregnant! These are not “maternity” so I had to leave the one strap down to be able to fit in them right. Ha! They do make maternity overalls that have extra space in the bump area, if you are more comfortable with that.
I loved that these overalls were black denim, distressed and under $60. Win-win-win! I paired them with a graphic tee, because let’s be real, when don’t I pair things with graphic tees? I also love these boots for summer. The cut outs make them more breathable for the hotter temperatures and they are flat. Flat and 8 months pregnant go together much better than heels these days.
We just got back from Santa Barbara for Trey’s brother’s wedding. It was such an amazing weekend celebrating! I will be sure to share lots of pictures from our trip. (Georgie was in the wedding, and his little outfit is just too cute!)
This pregnancy is nearing a close and I am feeling alllll the feels. I’m anxious to meet him, and see if he looks like Georgie, or favors Trey this time. I’m nervous to have two babies under a year and a half. We truly just aren’t as prepared as we were with G, but I’m really working on fixing that. The nesting has started to really take place here lately, and I’m hoping it will get my booty in gear. I’m also excited to share the name! It has been a secret thus far, and I’m ready to let everyone in on that secret!
How do ya’ll feel about keeping the name a secret? Curious to how other people have handled that!
