Well, this might have been my least fashionable summer. That being said, I don’t know if any summer is really fashionable as I’m typically in PJs, a swimsuit and cover up or athleisure! Since I’m back to school, I’ve been a bit more mindful of my outfit choices, and I’m trying to make the most of some of my favorite dresses before the temps cool off.
It’s been a bit since I’ve shared a few outfits, and today I’m linking Kellyann and Jill for Fashion Files.
This post is a random assortment of outfits over the past few weeks when I’ve remembered to take a pic. Forgive the poor lighting in some as a few pics were taken at 7am!
I’m starting off strong with a very casual outfit. I’d come home from school and changed into something comfy for Hadley’s volleyball game. One of my favorite SSYS t-shirts and leggings, Amazon sandals, and my favorite Amazon cardigan in case the gym was drafty.
Comfy but together for school in my SSYS Reese flutter sleeve dress (I purchased last summer, but there are new colors from this summer) and Target sandals. They are so comfy!
Another day, another SSYS dress…the Gemma. I wore this on the second day of school. I have it in two colors from the spring, and it’s my fave…again, my new Amazon sandals are a fave too.
Speaking of Gemma, I also have the shirt version as well. I’m a sucker for a Peter Pan collar. I did wear a cardigan to school because the mornings are cool, but this is another favorite top of mine. I wore it with my flowy cropped Amazon pants and Target sandals that I’ve had for a couple of years.
In yesterday’s post, I talked about these Amazon pants. They are the same as above but longer. This was my church outfit, and the pants we fine for that, but since they are longer, I don’t tend to wear them as much to school. I just don’t want to trip over the length. I purchased this sweater towards the end of last school year, and I love it. I think I will even wear it in the winter with a light weight turtle neck underneath.
I also purchased these wide leg sailor jeans from Target at the end of the school year. There are so many colors, and they are sometimes on sale, so I have them in a few colors. They are high rise, so I sized up one. This blouse, that I have in two colors, continues to be one of my faves too! On this day, I wore another favorite pair of strappy Target sandals that I’ve had for a couple of years.
This pink dress was a SSYS “Saturday Steal,” and I’ve worn it quite a few times. Again, if I wear a sleeveless dress, I usually wear a cardigan…because my classroom runs hot and cold. Also, it’s perfect because it has two pockets…so when I leave my classroom, I put my phone in one and my keys in the other!
Here are the cropped Amazon pants again with a Universal Thread chambray top from Target that I’ve had for years.
Then, we had a three day weekend, and I didn’t go to school on Tuesday. Being sick most of the weekend, I didn’t take any outfit photos. I was lucky to have washed my hair! haha
Anyway, back to school yesterday and feeling cute in another SSYS dress (The “Jules” that I purchased on sale this summer) and…you guessed it…my favorite cardigan!
I’m trying to make the most of the temps (and being tan!) and wear dresses as much as possible. Before we know it, it will be sweater weather!
We’ve had a great week of summer, and it was nice to not have too much our agenda. With today being a holiday, I’m not sure who all is blogging, but I can’t miss a Friday Favorites post with Andrea and Erika.
Here are some favorites from the week:
We have two hydrangea bushes in our yard, one in the back and one in the front. The backyard one rarely seems to bloom, but the one in the front yard is so pretty.
Trav told me I should snip a few blooms, so I can enjoy them in the house, and that’s just what I did. The pink is so pretty, and hydrangeas are one of my fave flowers.
Speaking of flowers, this lovely bouquet arrived, and these flowers are oh so pretty.
So pretty that I bumped the hydrangeas to another spot, so I can enjoy these in the family room..
We had one more update to the hall bathroom. This picture of the kids in the bathtub is one of my faves. We had it in a simple black frame, and once we put the bathroom back together, I wasn’t sure what do to with the photo. Trav even told me I had to find a place for it in the new bathroom because it’s just a favorite of ours. So, I found this pretty gold frame at Michael’s and we hung it this week. It’s the perfect finishing touch to this small blank wall.
Hadley and I had a couple of errands on Monday, and she likes driving me around. We tried a new coffee shop, and the first iced coffee that I saw on the menu was “the teacher.” It has vanilla, lavender, and honey, so I knew I’d like it…and I did! It hit the spot on a hot afternoon.
Hadley left for camp this week, and I sure am missing her. Look at this cute group of “Lucky Charms.” She will be home on Sunday, and we can’t wait to see her!
I was highly influenced by Amy when she shared her Aerie finds. Cornflower blue is my favorite color recently, so I just knew I needed to snag this sweatshirt. Aerie was having a sale, so I snagged the shorts too! I probably could have sized down in both, but I rolled the shorts once, and they fit perfectly and I liked the length that way. And, as you know, I love an over-sized sweatshirt, so I’m keeping both as is.
Yay! for pool time this week. I went to our pool a couple of days, and then Hayden and I went to my sister-in-law’s mom’s pool at her house to swim one afternoon. The temps have been hot, but not too bad…and even better when we’re just floating in the pool.
I shared a few July book trackers on Instagram. I love when others use them to share what they’re reading. They are saved to an Insta highlight, and feel free to tag me if you use them.
Favorite Foods:
Is she a food blogger now? I had a few recipes that I really liked this week.
Sunday, I wasn’t sure what to make the rest of the week, so I placed a quick Kroger delivery to get us through the weekend. I decided to try a slow cooker recipe I’d seen on Tik Tok. (@therapybysourdough)
In your slow cooker, put 6-8 chicken thighs. Then, add 5 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of garlic powder, 1 1/2 tablespoons of seasoning salt, and 2 table spoons of brown sugar.
Cook on low for four hours. Then, I steamed frozen broccoli in the microwave and when it was time to eat, I added the broccoli to the slow cooker. I microwaved Trader Joe’s Jasmine rice, and served dinner on the cooked rice.
This was easy and delish, and I will definitely make it again!
Then, as I was making my grocery list for the rest of the week, I was scrolling Pinterest and saw this recipe that I used to make all the time a few years ago. It’s perfect for low carb days that I try to do on Mondays and Tuesdays.
I made a batch and had some for lunch both of those days with this chips and and apple and peanut butter. Homer really wanted some too!
Lastly, I was trying to find an easy meal to make on Wednesday, and I stumbled upon these meatball subs. I just knew Hayden and Trav would love them, and they were a hit! I ended up buying mini hoagies which held three meatballs…perfect! These will also be added into the dinner rotation!
Favorite Mom Meme:
I will actually miss this once all the teens are driving…
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
Well, you knew I would have to share a few 4th of July throwback photos.
I love the 4th of July, and miss the days of the kids dressing in red, white and blue. Heck, at this point, I miss the kids just being home on the 4th. Hadley tends to be at camp most of the time on the 4th.
Weekly Recap:
I had a few posts this week! Also, if you read my SSYS post on Wednesday, I’ve updated it to include a few favorites if you’re interested in trying out that online shop.
How is the week treating you? I hope all is well. I’m excited for today’s post…that was supposed to post yesterday, but I set it for PM by accident! Welcome to my brain…
I like to share clothes that I love, and it’s no secret that I love the online boutiqueShop Style Your Senses.
I’ve been following Mallory and her team since the beginning…when it was just Mallory shipping items from her closet! Well, her business grew, and she has a wonderful team, an office, and a ware house full of wonderful clothing items.
As the years have gone on, they’ve created their own label pieces. These styles have been such a success that she hopes to move to only SSYS label pieces by fall. That’s mind blowing.
I’ve shared so many SSYS outfits in my posts through the years from athleisure to dresses to swim cover ups to sets and more.
I exclusively wear SSYS for my workouts, I wear so many pieces to school, I love the swim cover up, and when I pack a suitcase, I bet 75% of it is SSYS at this point.
One thing I really appreciate their label pieces that they’ve designed is that I feel like they understand women’s sizing. Recently, I’ve been on the hunt for a couple of dresses to wear to a wedding and have struck out in local boutiques. I’m a size large in SSYS label pieces, but when I try on a large in a boutique, often times, dresses don’t fit…mostly they will be tight in my chest area. On top of that, most boutiques don’t even have sizes larger than size large. It blows my mind that when these boutiques go to market, they don’t purchase or find items that will fit all shapes and sizes.
With SSYS, they do lots of try ons on the app, via lives try ons and on Instagram (@shopssys) and show various body types/sizing which I appreciate. You get to know the ladies trying on the clothes and can see how they fit on various women. I’m a tried and true size large for them. Some of their flowy tops, I could probably be a medium, but overall, I don’t mess around with the sizing. I feel good in their clothes and that’s what matters to me.
They are currently running a Share More, Earn More event this month which caught my eye.
Screenshot
If you’ve never ordered from SSYS, now is the time. I’ve never tried to be a major influencer…this blog is for fun, but I think it’s so neat that I have the opportunity to share about a shop that I love, you get 25% off your first purchase using their app, and I can earn $20 for future purchases. It’s a win win for all.
I believe this is my link for your 25% off your first purchase or use the code: “HBHNTREF”
A few of my faves are the Gemma dress (I have in blue and black) and the Gwen. I bought one two summers ago and purchased another one this summer.
I have to Everyday Dress in black and pink.
I don’t think it’s in stock now, but..
the Lainey is this season’s iteration. I didn’t purchase only because I have two of the Everyday Dresses.
I own last season’s Taylor…
This season, they added the cute little ruffle detail!
Anything in their “air” fabric is amazing…and especially perfect in the summer. The fabric seems to have a cooling quality about it.
Any of the “tent tops” are my fave. In the past couple of years, I’ve ordered the black and light pink short sleeve shirts. This season, they have the short sleeve version, and I now own two of those.
The Get Ready Robe is very popular. I don’t have one yet, but I’m always tempted. It would be an easy item to start with based on sizing.
One note is that if you do return what you order, you do receive store credit and not a refund to your original form of payment. I know that can be a deterrent for some, but it’s rare that I return anything from the shop…and of course, I know there’s always an order in my future if/when I do return something.
You won’t be disappointed if you decide to purchase! Bonus: their shipping is always free. They also have $10 expedited shipping.
Oh –and one more thing — once you order from the app, I assume you’ll have a referral code too. I’m not special …haha…this is a “Thank you” from SSYS to their customers, I think…so the more the merrier sharing their codes!
How was your week? We had a good one overall. It was one without too many extra activities or commitments. I can’t believe this is the last Friday in June!
This makes me want to both laugh and cry.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
No pic but I had pool time a couple times this week, both at our pool and my sister-in-law’s mom’s house. I hope to hit up the pool even more now that it feels like things have settled down a bit.
Anyway, another favorite was celebrating our anniversary on Tuesday. Trav and I were married on June 24, 2005.
Is it even a celebration without a card with bubble letters?
In a true picture of our life right now, we had dinner in between picking Hayden up from his workout and picking Hadley up from work.
We went out for sushi, and it hit the spot! It was a nice evening.
My friends have really shown up over the past week. It was just a hectic one with the kids’ wisdom teeth extractions and then a couple of other appointments.
I’d never even seen this book, and my friend dropped it off for me…
I can’t wait to read it!
Another friend, sent dinner on Saturday night along with some Gatorade for the kids, so I didn’t have to leave the house.
…and my sister-in-law sent some sweet treats too…
I appreciated the additional support while juggling a few extra things on my plate.
How cute is this mug?
Last week, Hadley and I were out and about, and I popped into a store I’d never been in….I was looking for a dress, but walked out with the cute mug.
Mugs don’t frustrate me…they are cute and one size fits all. The same can’t be said for dresses.
Homer continues to be the sweetest…and always seems to find the sunshine.
I purchased a few candles from Antique Candle Co. They had their spring and summer candles on sale, so I chose these three:
Almond Vanilla will be perfect for the fall; I’ve already lit Sun-Kissed Citrus, and it’s great for summer. Lavender Vanilla is one of my faves, and I will burn it next or save it for spring.
It had been a minute since I got out the celebratory red plate. The kids took turns using it for dinner to celebrate the end of freshman year…yes, a month ago! haha
They wrapped up the year with great grades and lots of track accolades.
Hadley had the plate before wisdom teeth extractions, and Hayden had it after!
I rarely buy clothes from Nordstrom, but I have purchased quite a few things through the years. Their Nordstrom sale wasn’t even on my radar, but I saw an ad on Instagram for these Wit and Wisdom flare frayed jeans…the “ab” solution fit..and the waist has good stretch. I have a pair of the “ab” solution jeans, so these caught my attention. Also, I like a cropped/shorter pair of jeans. Anyway, I purchased two pairs of these…deep sea grass and ecru, and I know I will get a lot of wear out of them…even wearing them to school.
Favorite Mom Meme:
Ok, this made me chuckle, but I can also relate. How do I have two kids driving me around town?! (BTW – I’m still getting used to this milestone!)
Weekly Recap:
I had a pretty full week of blogging. I had two posts yesterday because I got off on my blogging schedule…but here are my posts this week:
Target is the real MVP of all the things, and lately, with some purchases, I’ve thought to myself “oh, I should share this!”…so I’m doing that today with a Target Tuesday round up.
Hadley has actually driven me to Target twice since getting her permit…I guess I’m already teaching her my ways! haha
Here are some recent finds that I’m loving:
So, I shared the bathroom update with these pretty white towels that I picked up at TJ Maxx…
…but I knew when I bought them that white probably wouldn’t be practical for everyday towels because, well, my kids still don’t seem to understand not to wipe their toothpaste mouths off with the HAND towel?!
Anyway, Memorial Day weekend, I was absolutely influenced by Landyn when she shared her cheetah pattern bath towels, and I saw that the Threshold brand also had the cheetah hand towel, and I purchased two.
I’m still keeping the white hand towels in the rotation, but I’m loving this neutral with the wallpaper.
…and I did what any rational person would do and I purchased two bath towels as well. We’ve had the same bath towels for quite some time, so I got rid of two and replaced them with these. They are just perfect.
When I purchased the towels, they were on sale, but they are absolutely reasonably priced and great quality.
I’ve already shared this tray, but it’s still one of my favorite parts of our updated bathroom. Online, it comes in three colors, and my receipt says I purchased the white one.
…but it most certainly looks cream to me. I love it…but I don’t think I would call it white.
On the same Target trip, I also picked up this little tray not knowing which tray would work best. I had every intention of returning it, but then I thought it looked so cute on the night stand next to our guest bed. Our guest bed situation is one that “bothers” me in that we don’t have a guest bedroom…just a bed in the basement.
So, I took this opportunity to keep it and put it on the bedside table.
On a second Target trip, I added this room spray and…
….this sweet little scallop trinket dish to the tray. I figured it would be good for jewelry or keys.
Y’all, I have this cute little corner in the kitchen where I usually keep a plant. The problem is that we don’t get a lot of sunlight in that spot, so time and time again, a plant doesn’t survive.
So, I decided to add that to my Target list, and of course Target has everything so, look what I found…this cute little fiddle leaf plant. I think this is just what we need in this spot. But, y’all, twice I’ve almost gone over to water it! I’m used to trying to keep a plant alive over in that little corner! haha
A few months ago, Travis got rid of my plastic cutting boards…he has his reasons, but I was so annoyed. I asked him if he was trying to cut our marriage short! I was truly so mad. Anyway, I saw this cutting board and bought it to replace one of the two that he got rid of on his purging spree.
…and was just what we needed to spruce up our front porch.
These wide leg sailor jeans come in so many cute colors. I have them in beige and blue. They are high rise, so I sized up one. When I bought them, they were on sale, but full price for $28 is worth every penny.
I’ve already worn both pairs a few times, and love them.
I wore the blue pair to a graduation party (with this sweater) on Sunday and the senior graduate complimented me on my outfit…enough said!
Ok, I’m not a fan of wearing shorts…I’m a leggings girl all the way. That being said, `Regan (@thebloomingnest) shared these flutter athletic shorts, and I decided to give them a try. I always size up in athletic shorts (just my preference!), and that’s what I did with these. I now have them in navy and black, and I really like them. Again, I got them on sale, but they come in quite a few colors with a $20 price tag. The “All in Motion” brand has been a good one for me.
I was in need of a couple new sports bras and have similar ones from All in Motion in the past. These are comfy and supportive!
Like I mentioned before, Hadley was with me on a couple of these Target trips. She usually has a list, but really all she needed was some more dry shampoo. We always get the Batiste brand, but I hadn’t seen the “brunette” dry shampoo. I guess it doesn’t spray white when you apply it to your hair. What will they think of next?
Have you done Target returns from your car?! This new feature is life changing as well!
So, those are some of my Target finds and faves! What would we do without Target?…especially Target pickup and exchanges! What a time to be alive!
Yesterday, I shared a quick recap of our spring break trip to Isle of Palms, SC.
As I started to unpack, I do what I’ve been doing at the end of most trips…putting together what I actually wore to show myself that those outfits would fit in a smaller suitcase…and then I keep telling myself that maybe one day I won’t over-pack on a trip. That being said, I pack a medium suitcase, so it’s not like I go completely overboard. I still swear by packing cubes to keep me organized and free up some space in my suitcase.
I do have a few packing lists that I use depending on where I’m going, and I update those lists once I return. I also give a list to the kids, but they tend to be pretty minimal as to how much they pack. Most the time we are traveling by car, so I don’t feel bad having my medium sized suitcase.
Once I pulled out the clothes I did wear, I tossed them in this laundry basket because I wanted to snap pics in the outfits.
Maybe in the future, I can use this laundry basket as a gauge on whatever fits in the basket will fit in a smaller suitcase!
The condo we stayed in didn’t have a full length mirror and this Fashion Files idea only came to me once I went to unpack my suitcase. Please forgive my hair in most of these pics as I snapped them after my Saturday morning workout.
I’m linking up with Kellyann and Jill for Fashion Files.
I wanted to be comfortable. I wore a pair of my SSYS scallop hem leggings, my Amazon sandals, black SSYS tank and Amazon cardigan. (This “apricot” color cardigan was a new purchase…I now own it in four colors, and I love it so much! This cardigan was actually the MVP of the trip as I wore it the most!)
In regards to the sandals, I’ve had them for almost four years, and I wear them more than my actual Birkenstocks. I think I will buy another rose gold pair this summer as these have been worn so much that a new pair is probably a good idea. (I did size up to a 10 from my regular size 9)
For dinner that night, I wore my black SSYS Sophia set and the same tan cardigan. These sandals are from Target last year, and they are the “nicer” pair that I turn to the most for wearing when “dressing up” a bit.
Tuesday:
For my Tuesday morning walk, I just wore the same leggings and black tank from the drive on Monday as well as a sweatshirt.
For time on the beach, I wore an Amazon swimsuit that I’ve had forever (This seems to be the same one, but with more patterns), an Amazon cover up (I did size up to an XL in case it shrinks a bit in the wash), Havaianas rose gold flip flops from Nordstrom (I have two pairs of these, and have had them for years), and my hat is from Etsy.
For dinner with friends, I wore this dress from Target that I’ve had for a couple of years, the tan cardigan, and Target sandals.
Wednesday:
For my Wednesday morning walk, I wore SSYS leggings and SSYS long sleeve frill neck top. My Nike Air Maxes aren’t my usual walking shoes, but I brought them because they are my faves to wear with leggings.
On Wednesday morning, Hadley and I went out for breakfast (well, more like brunch!). I came home from the walk a bit sweaty, so I changed into navy SSYS scallop leggings, an over-sized Amazon t-shirt, my SSYS “shacket,” Amazon sandals and my Coach cross body purse.
Later that afternoon, my friend and I walked around a few shops and got a drink and I wore the same leggings and a sweatshirt I brought.
Once back to the condo, I showered and put on this outfit (SSYS leggings and tank, Amazon cardigan) to hang out on the balcony and read for a bit.
For dinner, I wore my new Amazon short sleeve sweater, Old Navy kick flare pants, SSYS shacket, and Target sandals. (Y’all – I only paid $14 for both of my sweaters, but a couple of colors are $9.99! This is such a great closet staple!)
Thursday:
For my Thursday morning walk, I wore SSYS leggings, pink SSYS frill neck tank and Target scuba material jacket.
Thursday was the best beach day. I wore my Amazon one shoulder swimsuit under my Amazon cover up. For this trip, I did buy a new beach hat. I still love my Nordstrom one that I’ve had for years, but this was does have a strap…
…which is sometimes needed with the beach winds!
Also, my Amazon sunnies are still my favorite shades to wear. Plus, if I lose them, they are very inexpensive to replace!
For dinner, I wore this SSYS dress along with the MVP of the trip…my cardigan!
I wore the same strappy Target sandals that I wore with “nicer” outfits.
Friday drive home:
For the drive home, I wore my Old Navy kick flare pants and my new “Charleston” sweatshirt, as well as my Amazon Birks. I like to be comfy on car rides.
This photo is actually me right when I got home, started unpacking, and thought to myself “I wish I had documented what I wore on vacay!” haha
In this post, I am missing an outfit or two–but just shorts for lounging, a sweatshirt, and my other pair of Old Navy kick flare pants. Also, I packed three pairs of PJs, but only wore two. While it’s obvious that I packed enough clothes and didn’t really repeat an outfit, I do wish I’d packed this set. It would have been perfect for walking around the shops and just hanging out on the condo balcony.
Our condo did have a washer and dryer, so we did laundry before we came home. It was nice to open our suitcases and just put clean clothes away.
What about you? Are you a good packer? I am glad that my kids seem to not over-pack, so I’m the only one with suitcase issues.
Signed, a permanent over-packer,
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Well, I feel like March is really chugging along. This time next week, it will be April.
I’m trying to do better about joining in on the What’s Up Wednesday fun!
It’s the last Wednesday of the month, so I’m linking up with Shay and Sheaffer.
Here’s a look back on the month:
What We’re Eating This Week:
This is one of those weeks were I’m winging it, but not really. I *finally* got a dinner plan for the week, but it’s flexible. Usually, I write down what we’re having every night for dinner, but this time, I have the groceries for a few meals but I’m deciding night to night what to make. I’m really living on the edge over here!
Sunday: I knew we’d be gone most of the day at Hadley’s volleyball tournament and then be home in time for the Kentucky basketball game. Anyway, I made dinner very easy with Trader Joe’s salsa verde chicken burritos and a side of jasmine rice, chips and salsa. (On Saturday, Hadley and I went to Trader Joe’s, and I’d never seen the burritos before, and I’m so glad that I picked them up. You just put them in the oven for twenty-ish minutes and they’re ready to eat!)
Monday: I did my bigger Kroger grocery pick up, so I was ready to roll with my options. We had baked chicken and baked potatoes for dinner. Whenever I make this chicken, that is a family favorite, I always want enough to leftovers the next day, and I did make enough for leftovers.
Tuesday: Last night the kids had a track meet, so we had leftover chicken and Bob Evans mashed potatoes once we got home.
Wednesday: Tonight, I’m making thisGround Turkey Sweet Potato Bake. I’ve made it before, but it’s been a while. I’m hoping there’s leftovers for my lunch on Thursday.
Thursday:Chili...one more time this season! I actually made it last week, but I just didn’t know what to make this week and thought I’d make it one more time since the temps are cool this week.. I might suggest that if the kids want to change it up a bit, they can have a chili dog or put some fries in the air fryer for chili cheese fries.
Friday/Saturday: no plans but I do have what I need for shrimp Alfredo (thanks to Trader Joe’s)
What I’m Reminiscing About:
Nobody was more excited than UK winning on Sunday to make it to the sweet 16 than Hayden!
My mom texted and reminded us of the time a few years ago when Hayden was so mad when the CATS lost in the first round of the tournament that he stripped off his UK shirt and threw it in our front yard bushes! That shirt was in the yard for a couple of days because I forgot about it.
While that was a funny memory, here’s a sweet one:
In 2014, we went to Indy for the Elite 8. I can’t remember who we played (I’m sure Trav does!), but we won, and the CATS moved on to the Final Four.
UK fans from day one. (I’m just along for the ride!)
Hadley would shake that bell and yell, “Go CATS!”…and an opposing fan was next to us, and Hadley would look at her and jingle her bell. haha
What I’m Loving:
I shared these ric rac placemats that I picked up at the Target dollar spot…and they are perfect for our dinner table…
…and I couldn’t resist these cute Easter hand towels. My kids know that I put the cute towels on the oven, and they are to be looked at not used. haha
Ugh…it’s the time of the year when I’m running out of supplies, and realized I needed more of my larger sized paper clips. (Fun fact about me, I don’t like little paper clips! What’s the point? They are too tiny to hold much.) When I saw these colorful ones, I ordered them…and I’m placing a lot of pressure on these to help me get through the rest of the school year. hahaha!!
What We’ve Been Up To:
We celebrated St. Patrick’s Day, and my brother’s family joined us for dinner.
Hadley’s had a couple of volleyball tournaments this month including one in Louisville/Indiana last weekend. The girls played well and made it to the gold bracket on Sunday.
Of course, it’s March Madness, and Hayden is glued to the games and is updating his brackets! I like watching the games, but I didn’t fill out a bracket this year.
What I’m Dreading:
As a teacher, I feel the time crunch this time of the year…and it seems like my students have tests quite a bit. This week, my English 1 students had a district benchmark assessment, next week they have MAP testing, and then once we get back from spring break, they’ll have a unit test.
I’m trying to space the testing out for them as much as I can, but I don’t control all of the deadlines.
What I’m Excited About:
It’s outdoor track season. They kids had their first meet last night, and they ran great. I will say that I don’t love sitting out in the cold. Thankfully, last night wasn’t too bad, but the season typically starts with colder temps…and then rain sometimes.
I don’t know if I should be excited or scared, but Kentucky just passed House Bill 15 which means that 15 year olds can get their learner’s permit. In Kentucky, you get your permit at 16 and then your driver’s license at 16 and a half after completing sixty hours of driving.
Now, kids can get their permit at 15 giving them more time to practice driving before being sixteen and a half to get their license (with a few restrictions).
Not sure if it’s still that way, but when I was growing up, in Missouri, you could get your permit at fifteen and a half and driver’s license at sixteen.
Truth be told, both of my kids, especially Hayden, don’t seem to sure about all this. I think I feel the same way!
What I’m Watching/Reading:
I’m still chipping away at Younger, and am still loving it.
The Rookie started back in February, and I missed the memo. So, now I’m playing “catch up” on this season’s episodes. It’s one of my favorite shows.
You know I’m always watching something on Netflix, and I did watch a couple of episodes of With Love, Meghan, and I’m intrigued. I know people either love it or hate it, and my interest is piqued.
I think this is technically a “young adult” book, but I’ve seen the title for a couple of years, and there’s a series on Netflix, so I decided to listen to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. There’s more than one narrator and a few voices for a few characters, so it has my interest.
I haven’t listened to a ton of episodes, but The Coop with Kit Hoover has some good interviews. I’ve listened to the ones with Chelsea Handler and Natalie Morales.
What I’m Wearing:
I’m a broken record wearing my Old Navy kick flare pants and SSYS shacket. Both pieces are perfect for this time of the year.
I wore this Target jacket last weekend, and it’s so comfy and perfect to wear with leggings.
…but how cute is this outfit? This light-weight “puff sleeve” sweater was only $15 when I ordered it last week. As I type this, it’s $11! I promptly ordered it in black as well. I bought these flowy linen pants in gray last summer, and I wear them quite a bit. So, I ordered them in navy. I can’t wait for sandal weather.
What I’m Doing This Weekend:
I don’t put out much, but I’m hoping to have time to put out my Easter decorations this weekend.
What I’m Looking Forward to Next Month:
Spring break!
Last year, we went to Washington, D.C. We really loved that trip; I’d go back again in a heartbeat.
I’m ready for break and some time off to prep for the last stretch of the school year.
Well, I wasn’t really thinking about blogging until yesterday, so I don’t have any pics from Friday or Saturday. That being said, we didn’t do much besides watch basketball, run errands, do things around the house, and I did make it to the gym!
Here were my highlights from Sunday:
The Rookie! I love this show, and I didn’t realize it had returned until a couple of weeks ago. Now, I’m getting caught up on episodes. Hayden watched one with me on Friday night, and I watched another one yesterday morning. It’s just a fun…and sometimes thrilling, show to watch.
Church! It seems like between crazy winter weather the first six weeks of 2025 and then volleyball tournaments a couple of weekends a month, we haven’t been to church as much as we like to go. We went last week and were able to go again yesterday, and it feels like we’re back in that routine which I love.
The weather was crazy yesterday…we went from torrential rains to the sun to very chilly winds to more rain and then overcast skies. The sun was shining when we left church which was such a nice way to end the service.
Leftovers! I took Hadley to a friend’s house Saturday night, and then picked up Chinese take out on the way home. We had enough for leftovers on Sunday after church which was an easy and delicious way for us to grab lunch before…
…running some errands. Not that errands and chores are fun, but I appreciated feeling productive on Saturday and Sunday. Everybody has clean sheets on their beds, I purged the last closet that I needed to, and I was able to make a few returns. Then, Hadley convinced me to pop into Bath and Body Works. I resisted the urge as I don’t need any new candles, but how cute is this bunny one?! I will say that another highlight was using a couple of coupons, including 25% off my total order to make it feel like we didn’t do too much damage!
One of my returns was to Old Navy to return two pairs of pants I’d ordered. Well, I wasn’t sure of the sizing, so I ordered four pairs of these pants (in two different sizes) because they were on sale for $14. I ordered the navy and the black of this “kick flare” style, and I love them. They are leggings material, but I will most certainly be dressing them up and down. I did end up with my true size, and I don’t regret this purchase one bit!
…And, I might be pushing it, but it will be sandals weather as much as possible because I was able to go get a pedicure after school on Friday! That was a great way to kick off the weekend.
I was up early on Sunday morning to get my corned beef in the slow cooker. I borrow my sister-in-law’s as well, so we can make two!
We had a delicious St. Patrick’s Day dinner last night with my brother’s family, and it hit the spot!
I outdid myself 😉
We ended Sunday with full bellies, ready to start the week!
It’s been a minute since I’ve shared what I’ve been wearing. I’m linking up with Kellyann and Jill for Fashion Files.
Since I’ve shared some clothes that I love from Shop Style Your Senses (SSYS) in the past, I’m sharing how much I really do love the clothes I buy from there, and that a lot what I wear is from SSYS, supplemented mostly with Amazon.
I’ve been following and buying from SSYS from the start…six years! That being said, once they started producing their own label items a few years ago, that’s when I really found pieces that I loved.
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve snapped pics in a few outifts…mostly what I wore to school vs. more casual outfits for the weekend.
Excuse the poor lighting in some of the photos… if I snap in pic in the morning, it’s not very bright outside!
School:
The Greta top with the cutest collar is a new purchase, and I couldn’t love it more!
I purchased this Sophia set a few months ago, and it’s become an absolute fave. It’s definitely one that I can wear throughout almost any season! One day for school, I paired it with my favorite Amazon cardigan that I have in three colors.
Friday is always casual dress at school and last week, I wore last year’s Ainsley pullover with jeans. The “air” fabric is buttery soft, and I love wearing this when I can.
On Monday, I wore one of my absolute favorite SSYS items. This pullover was one of the first, if not the first, label pieces they designed. Now, they name all their items, but this OG one doesn’t have a name. It’s perfect to wear with leggings, but I’ve also worn it with jeans. I’ve worn this so many times over the past three years. They’ve made other iterations of it as well, but the thicker quilted fabric is nice to wear in the fall and winter. For example, the new fabric is lighter weight than the original.
The Ava quilted pullover is another fave. I’ve worn it quite a few times over the past year. I love the side zippers and the funnel neck collar. I wore the SSYS sleeveless poplin undershirt which is perfect because it’s fitted but then you have the cute collar. For shoes, I wore my favorite Amazon flats that I have in black and in tan.
I’ve also worn that same undershirt with the Lucy scalloped pullover. This is such a comfy but cute top that I’ve worn many times since I purchased it in the fall. (Peep my fave Amazon flats in khaki)
Casual/Weekend:
I wore the same Lucy top one weekend night with jeans and tennis shoes.
For Hadley’s volleyball games, I wore SSYS leggings, my favorite Amazon t-shirt, and the SSYS shacket (shirt/jacket combo). The shacket is an SSYS label piece that they’ve sold over the past couple of years. I finally decided to buy one at the beginning of the year, and it arrived, I put it on and wasn’t sure it was for me….but then I threw it on and decided to give it a try, and there’s no looking back. I love it. I’ve worn it mostly casually, but I’ve also worn it to school with pants and a blouse. I know I’ll wear it with dresses once the weather is warm enough. It’s truly become one of my favorite staple pieces in my wardrobe.
When we went to the pizza place with friends a couple of weekends ago, I wore this super soft Henley that I bought on a Saturday Steal deal.
Last weekend, this is what I wore to Hadley’s volleyball games on Saturday. SSYS leggings (this is their seamless butter fabric), active top in the honeycomb fabric and then the updated Ainsley with a ruffle collar in the same air fabric that came out in the fall. The black active top was probably the second label piece I bought a couple of years ago. I have the same top in a couple of colors. This is this year’s iteration.
This pair of leggings is the pair I bought from the January athleisure drop. The compression on them is next level, but they are still super comfy. Since they match Hadley’s volleyball team’s logo, I wore them to her tournament a couple of weeks ago.
And…this is the pair I bought from the February drop this month. They arrived this week, and I couldn’t wait to try them on. This is a very typical after school outfit for me…leggings and a comfy sweatshirt.
…and while it seems like I might shop a lot from SSYS, I don’t really shop anywhere else now. Again, Amazon and Target or Old Navy are good in a pinch or for basics, but most of what I reach for in my closet is SSYS. Quality over quantity.
When I pack a suitcase, I bet it’s at least 50% SSYS.
Also, now I’m very comfortable with sizing for their label pieces. Overall, I’m a size large from tops to leggings. There are some things that have some room, for example, the Lucy and Ainsley pullovers that I’m guessing a medium would work too….but just depends on how I’d want to style them. With the Ainsleys, I’d want to wear them with leggings mostly, so I’d want them to cover my rear.
Also, since I’ve been buying their label pieces for a couple of years, I know that some of the popular items will most likely come back the next year, but maybe with a few updates or other color options. For example, Ava and Ainsley have been around for a couple of years but updated. The spring version of Lucy is this cute scallop set.
Recently, I’ve been getting one pair of leggings when they do their monthly athleisure live sale. That being said, when I recently cleared out my dresser drawer that holds my leggings, 90% of the pairs that remain are SSYS.
They just dropped their spring collection, and I showed restraint only ordering one dress. haha
A couple of other things about SSYS —
On Facebook, there is a BST (buy/sell/trade) group, and I’ve sold quite a few pieces in that group. Just this week, I sold a top that I didn’t wear as much as I thought I would.
Some people sell their purchases if they’ve missed the return window or if they are just doing a closet purge.
SSYS also posts on Facebook on Sunday, and if you post a pic wearing an SSYS item, you get an email with a code for 10% off. I have so many codes from sharing photos that I never pay full price for anything I purchase.
Of course, they sell things besides clothes. The online shop has shoes and accessories too. I’ve purchased a few necklaces and earrings from them as well.
You can purchase on the app or online.
One thing about returns…If you do return something to SSYS, they only do store credit.
Anyway, that’s a bit of what I’ve been wearing, and just showcasing the online shop that I love.
Let me know if you have any questions. Soon…it will be time for tanks and dresses!
It’s been a minute since I’ve shared some outfits, so I’m linking up with Kellyann and Jill for Fashion Files.
I decided to share some of my vacation outfits, although really I was mostly in PJs or swimsuit/cover up. Then, I will share my “back to reality” back to school outfits this week.
I will link what I can as some things are old and others might not be available any more.
The first day, I was at the beach for most of the day…from noon until 6:30 sunset.
I’ve had this hat for years, and I think I got it from Nordstrom. This purple guazy dress is a dress…but I’ve turned it into a lightweight cover up, and it’s one of my faves. I got it a couple of years ago from my favorite online boutique…Shop Style Your Senses. I’ve had my sunnies for quite a while, but I just lost them this week! They are from Amazon, so I just snatched up a pair….for less that $10 thanks to an Amazon sale.
Sunset pic on Tuesday of our trip, and I was wearing the same hat and another SSYS cover up, but this one is from their label. The terry cloth material is perfect, and I love the hot pink…especially when I have a bit of a tan.
On Tuesday, we got some breakfast in Seaside, and I was wearing my new Amazon set. It’s perfect to throw on and go.
Here it is before I walked out the door. My Lululemon crossbody purse is perfect for vacay as it holds a lot, but it’s not too big. My JW hat is from an Etsy shop, SoLillyDesignCo, and I got it earlier this summer. My fave flip flops are the Haviana brand from Nordstrom.
On the last night, we went back to Seaside for dinner, and I wore another SSYS label set. It’s a lilac color, and it’s one I wear often in the summer.
This is a pic from a few months ago, but I wore this exact outfit a couple of times. I love the SSYS scallop leggings, and the over-sized v neck t-shirt is their “air fabric” which is so soft.
One night, we always go out for an adult dinner, and I wore the “Gwen” SSYS dress that I got last summer. I love the vibrant colors, but it is a dress I feel like I “should/could” only wear on vacation, so it’s the perfect dress to pack.
I forgot to take a pic that night, but I snapped one as I unpacked the other day. These strappy Target sandals are still one of my favorite pairs to wear.
A few times on vacay and also at home, I’ve been wearing my new favorite waffle knit pants, and I’ve had this shirt from Amazon since the end of summer.
Now…back to school.
On Monday, I wore these linen pants and lightweight black sweatshirt, both from Amazon that I’ve had for a while. I got so many compliments on this outfit…(and my tan), that I figured it would be a good outfit to share.
These are my other favorite pair of strappy sandals, also from Target.
On Tuesday, I wore my new favorite blouse with some old black pants from Old Navy…and the same Target strappy sandals.
Yesterday, I wore a long sleeveless black dress that I got at Target years ago with my favorite Amazon cardigan and sandals.
Reality sure has hit this week!! Both with waking up and putting on real clothes.
What’s your favorite outfit?
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