Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#3}

For today’s Friday Favorites, I thought I’d share some of my favorite Instagram accounts. Admittedly, I can get sucked into Instagram…especially Instagram Stories. I give myself time to hop on Insta in the morning and then in the evening, and I even set a timer on my phone, so I don’t let it consume too much of my time! Instagram is all about the pretty pictures, and these ladies do post some pretty ones, but what hooks me in to their accounts is the fact that they also keep it real and their Instagram Stories are so engaging, funny, lighthearted, (serious when needed), and real.

Living with Landyn

Listen. If you don’t follow @livingwithlandyn, you are missing out. She is so real. So funny. Such a girl’s girl. I would want her to be my sister, my friend, my mentor…and she seems so approachable and loves to meet her followers.

She lives in Nashville, married to a former NFL player (her middle school sweetheart!), has two kids, and is opening a Living with Landyn store in Nashville very soon. She always talks about “making pretty choices,” and it’s not a superficial meaning…she just means make a choice to be happy, adding some pretty flowers from your yard to a vase, help a friend, go out with your girlfriends, make time for yourself, etc.

She really is such a warm spirit on Instagram, and that just makes you want to know her, be her friend, and support her new business.

Pic @livingwithlandyn

Cotton Stem

I’ve been following Erin at Cotton Stem (@cottonstem) for a couple of years. She lives in Oklahoma, and is the mom to four sweet little girls. Her decorating style is 100% my decorating style. What I love about her stories is that she is super honest about how she handles life as a mom, wife, and influencer. She talks about how Instagram’s nine squares shows the pretty pictures of life, but her stories show the real life and I love that she’s so reflective and shares what she has learned on her Instagram influencer journey. For example, she sets boundaries like putting her phone away and staying off social media on the weekends. She’s had her home featured in magazines like Better Homes and Gardens. I also love that she’s not afraid to redecorate or rearrange and also shows how changing a few small items in the house, like a lamp or rug, can change a space in your home dramatically. Lastly, she often shows and explains how she creates wardrobe capsules for what she wears during each season, and I love this idea! She’s definitely an inspiring person to follow!

Pic @cottonstem

The Rambling Redhead

I started following The Rambling Redhead, Jenn, (@theramblingredhead) about six months ago. She is so much fun to watch on stories. She usually starts her stories with “Good Morning. Goooooddd Moooorrrrning!” (even if it’s 1:00 PM) haha. Her energy and positivity seem endless. Also, I don’t know how she gets it all done. She’s a mom of three, home schools her kids a couple days a week, is very present on social media, just opened a coffee shop with her husband, and now is filming a show for HGTV!! She also wrote a book a few years ago W(h)ine: 50 Perfect Wines to Pair with Your Child’s Rotten Behavior. #classic

Her clothing try on sessions are always so fun to watch as she continues to keep it real but is also the best at sharing codes and links to what she’s wearing as well as home decor.

Watching her stories, definitely puts some pep in your day.

Pic @theramblingredhead

Ellery Designs

I’ve only been following Ellery Designs (@ellerydesigns) for a few months on Instagram, but she’s yet another who keeps it real “life is hectic” department. Her home decor is so cute and I especially love her entryway and mantle as those are two areas she updates seasonally. The entryway has little touches that make that season special while the mantle is a bigger undertaking. She re-wallpapers the mantle a few times a year, and it’s always a bold design or pop of color as a base to then decorate for the season.

Ellery also has updated the outside of her home and decorated it to be so inviting for those who see her home. I love the huge wooden planter that she has on her porch that I believe she and her husband built. The flowers are so pretty, and she mentioned that the planter was featured in an online commercial for Menards.

I really enjoy watching her talk about her home, ideas she has, as well as a bit of her family life.

Pic @ellerydesigns

Bev Cooks

Bev Weidner of Bev Cooks (@bevcooks) is sooooo funny. I’ve been reading her blog for years and following her on Instagram forever. She’s a food blogger who lives in Kansas City. She started her blog while going through infertility struggles, and it’s turned into so much more. She has boy/girl twins who are so cute, and it’s fun to see her family of four interact.

I’ve made so many of her recipes throughout the years, and they never disappoint. On Instagram Stories, she shares recipes, but she is just so funny. Her personality and humor draw you in. She shares about her clothes, what she finds thrifting, what she’s reading, and she even has a show on Foodnetwork.com called Mom Wins where she shares quick recipes that your family will love. It’s been fun (and inspirational!) to watch her family’s journeys the past two summers. Last summer, her family spent the month of June in Connecticut and this past summer spent a month in Oregon. Such amazing experiences as a family with awesome views, activities, and food. Also, most Fridays she posts a “Friday Flotsam” of what she’s been up to, what questions she as for her readers, as well as random pictures. Her posts are always hi.lar.i.ous!! I always look forward to her blog posts and her stories, and she just seems like so much fun to be around.

Pic @bevcooks

Kristy Wicks

Kristy Wicks (@kristywicks) is just the sweetest person to follow. She is always smiling, always so encouraging, and always so positive. Her home is perfection and since it’s just her husband and herself at home, she’s honest about the fact that they purchased and renovated the home to be just what they needed even if it’s a smaller home. She’s so informative about the community in which she lives, shares so many stories about her girlfriends, her husband, her daughter, and their pup Maggie. Her husband, Jeff the Chef, as she calls him just seems to supportive of her (and she shares his recipes too!) They do so much together including travel to amazing places. As a former flight attendant, she shares her love of travel with her readers and viewers as well. My favorite part of her home is our backyard outdoor space. She’s so knowledgeable about her flowers and plants, and makes the outside space just as inviting as her indoor space. She’s certainly a friendly and inspiring influencer on Instagram.

Pic @kristywicks

Go check these ladies out! They will certainly add a little something to your day!

And speaking of inspirational ladies, my little lady is the best. It apparently was National Daughters Day on Wednesday, and well, Hadley’s been giving me a run for my money since 2009. I wouldn’t have it any other way. #GirlBoss #Whorunstheworld? #girls

This pic popped in my Facebook memories from last year!

Don’t forget to check out the others who link up for Friday Favorites.

Have a great weekend!

Jen

Instagram: @showmeandsweettea

Facebook Page: Show Me and Sweet Tea

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#1}

I’m so excited to link up with A Little Bit of Everything, Grace and Love, and Momfessionals for my first ever Friday Favorites.

Four Day Work Week

My first favorite of the week is the fact that coming off of a three day weekend meant having a four day week of school. While my school year is off to a great start, I will take breaks as they come! It’s still nice to ease into this first month of school.

One Bars

We live near a Trader Joe’s and one of my favorite things to buy there are the ONE bars. I’m sure you can get them many places, but I just grab a few on my every other week trip to TJ. I also like the chocolate chip and glazed donut flavors. Surprisingly, I have the will power to usually just eat half of these bars. I think because they are rich in flavor, I just eat half one day, leave it in my lunch bag and eat half on the other day. It’s the perfect sweet to eat half of …even on my low carb days.

Packing Cubes

I’ve been using these packing cubes for at least two years, and they are certainly a favorite of mine. I was talking about them with friends the other day, so I thought I’d share them. While they are intended to help you fit more into your suitcase and I do believe that’s true, I just love them from an organizational standpoint. I’m a chronic over-packer, so these don’t help me pack less (haha!), but at least what I pack is organized. I’ve used them where each family member has a certain color for their clothes…or I’ve used them where everyone’s swim stuff goes in one, everyone’s dress clothes go in another, etc.

On our recent trip home from Florida, we were over by five pounds (this shocks no one who travels with me as I always fret if my luggage will be over in weight)…40 pounds adds up quickly. Anyway, just as Travis was about to pay the $50 (WTF?!) baggage fee, I whipped open the suitcase, pulled out one of the cubes, stuffed it in my carry on, and we made the second weight check. I looked at my family waiting for them to applaud me and confirm I’m a genius for making us use these when we travel…but let’s just say I’m still waiting for those accolades.

Fabulous Friends

Another favorite is a night out with these ladies. To say I’ve hit the jackpot of friends would be an understatement. Most of these ladies I’ve met through Hadley’s Girl Scout troop, but we all have kids that go to my kids’ school. They are certainly a blessing in my life…and going out to dinner on a Thursday night (we were missing a few ladies!) to celebrate Cassie and Estee’s birthdays was definitely something I needed.

The Flay List

One of my favorite shows to watch lately has been The Flay List on The Food Network. Bobby Flay has always been a fave of mine…and while he seems to have a tough exterior, it’s fun to see a softer side while he interacts with his daughter Sophie. The first few episodes had them sharing their favorite taco, fried chicken, and burger places in NYC. They seem to have a sweet relationship, and it’s fun to see her get him to relax and laugh a bit.

Side note: Flay is in the horse business as well, and we’ve seen him at the horse sales through the years…Hayden (who loves the show Beat Bobby Flay), spotted him when we were visiting Travis at a sale last fall and watched his every move. Hayden was star struck!

Friday Nights at the Pool

Friday nights at the pool have been a favorite. Sometimes we just go for a couple of hours, grab dinner and a drink while the kids swim, and cling to the carefree summer nights. (Real talk: the kids had to wake me from my Friday afternoon nap to convince me to go last Friday night…but so glad we did…it’s fun seeing friends, chatting, and letting the kids burn some energy)

Cross Country

Another fave is seeing the kids’ cross country team swag come in. They were so excited to see the shirts for their team, and the first race is tomorrow! We’re all excited to get the season rolling (or running?!) 😉

Homer’s Scarf

Homer, of course , is still a fave…although, I would love it if he’d quit knocking over small children with his enthusiasm. I definitely treat him like the third child I never had …complete with a new autumn scarf. September 1st = fall (y’all) in our house. I’ve ordered a few scarves from Golden Doodle Co on Instagram (thanks to a recommendation from my friend Natalie). The scarves are so cute and great quality…plus, he’s just too cute while wearing his pumpkin scarf!

Kindle Paperwhite

My Kindle Paperwhite is definitely a favorite of mine…so much so that I’m wondering what I did before I had one (besides read hardback books) 😉 Fun fact: I buy myself an end of the school year gift…basically because I survived that year…haha. So, I purchased mine from Amazon in May. I usually just check out books from the library (for free!), but have purchased a few on Amazon. Don’t get it twisted…I still prefer the feel of holding an actual book, but the Kindle is so convenient. It’s always in my purse, so I can read it while waiting on Hadley to finish dance class or if I have a few minutes before school starts, etc. I actually tend to read two books at once: one on my Kindle and one hardback book that usually just stays on my nightstand to read at bedtime. I never thought I’d do that, but it’s been a part of my reading routine for quite some time…and I tend to have two different kinds of books I’m reading to not confuse plot, characters, etc.

When I bought mine in May, it was on sale for $90 and definitely an awesome deal, and I bought the cover to ensure it would be safe when I kept it in my purse.

Hadley

Occasionally I find (52) Hadley selfies on my phone. They are always unexpected to find and always crack me up. She gives me a run for my money (on the daily), but I love her caring, outgoing, and silly spirit.

Another favorite has been seeing Hadley transition from only taking a hip hop class to also taking the combo tap/jazz/ballet class. I feel like this is next level 😂as she’s at dance for TWO hours on Wednesday nights. She comes home with the biggest smile on her face while plié-ing, prancing, arabesque-ing all over the house. I’m not saying she’s headed to Juilliard, but her grace, strength, and the five seconds she stands still to hold a pose amaze me. ❤️

Also- not to leave Hayden out but he’s been busting it on the soccer field…but Travis wins best dad award taking him to his practices while I take Hadley to dance…He’s on a team with lots of his baseball buddies, and the first game is tomorrow (followed immediately by the cross country race). #sweatyBoostatus 😂

Blogging

Blogging has become an absolute favorite of mine. I sooo appreciate all that take the time to read my posts. It’s been easy to think of content so far as I guess I’ve read many blogs for awhile…and I know what posts are of interest to me while also coming up with a few of my own ideas. I love sharing about my family, what we are eating, what I’m reading and other topics as well. It’s true that you find time to do things that are important to you, and blogging, so far, has become a part of my routine…and not stressful at all. Again, that’s so much for following along, and I hope there’s a little something for everyone!

Friday Meme

Lastly, this meme is a favorite that made me laugh out loud. Even though it’s been a great week, always TGIF!

I hope you have a great weekend, and thanks for reading my first ever Friday Favorites. Feel free to check out the other bloggers who linked up as well.

Have a great weekend,

Jen

Instagram: @showmeandsweettea

Facebook Page: Show Me and Sweet Tea