Thursday, October 31, 2013

Not Entirely Perfect and an Amazon giveaway

Happy Halloween everyone! No tricks are happening over here, just a treat for you today!

The incredibly beautiful Stephanie from Not Entirely Perfect is giving away one lucky reader an e-gift card to Amazon. I absolutely love Amazon because you can get anything from the site! Its where Tolar and I do a lot of our last minute shopping because we know we will find something and with our Prime account we will get it shipped to us really fast. But I already shared my love for Amazon Prime here...

This is about Not Entirely Perfect (stay on topic Lindsay!). Go check out Stephanie, especially Tuesday's post about being organized. I think we might be the same person; I feel the exact same way about every point she makes. Her blog is great, she chronicles her life, random thoughts and funny stories and shares amazing recipes like this one for Butterscotch Cocktail Cupcakes. Yummy!



And if you are looking for treats this Halloween, enter the giveaway below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Wore: Mixing Animal Prints

I must have a need to go on a safari or something after putting together this outfit. I laughed at myself after selecting the pieces to complete the look because I didn’t really mean to combine animal prints, it just happened that way. I was trying to find new ways to wear my black maxi dress and to take it into a new season. And I think it worked.


Since the maxi dress is a neutral, my options for accessories are pretty limitless. This is one of my absolute favorite scarves (thanks Very Jane!) and the zebra flats are seriously the most comfortable flats ever. I feel like I’m wearing slippers whenever I have those babies on. I like the look because while I am wearing two different animal prints, it isn’t overkill. The scarf and the shoes add just the right amount of pop to my black dress without overpowering each other or the whole outfit.

Dress: Old Navy.
Scarf: Very Jane.
Shoes: Target.


What do you think? Do you like mixing animal prints? I’m all about mixing prints and I know think I’m a fan of multiple animal prints in one outfit.


I’m linking up with Style Elixir for Style Sessions, The Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesdays and Because Shanna Said So for Random Wednesdays.
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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Cool Weather Wish List

This is a collaborative post with Joules, all opinions are completely my own.

I used to think that summer was my favorite season because my birthday is smack dab in the middle of it. Although as I get older, I am realizing that I am more of a fall girl. And it shouldn’t come as a surprise to me, because I absolutely hate to be hot. No clue why I always thought I preferred summer. Fall is definitely more my speed: the crisp temperatures, beautiful colors of the leaves and super comfy, yet fashionable clothing.

I love layering; scarves and boots are certainly on regular rotation during the cool fall months. Anything that screams comfort, but looks amazing is right up my alley! Also, online shopping is huge in my book as my free time to go shopping is very limited. If I can purchase something while holding Baby K in my lap, well I am a super happy lady! I recently discovered an awesome store named Joules that has amazing clothes with some of the best patterns and colors I have ever seen. It’s a U.K. company making the leap to the States and I was thrilled to discover the shop.

They make clothing of the highest quality so it can last from season to season – I’m all about that! Go scroll through their website, I know you will smile because of all of the bright colors they offer. Even though I wear a whole lot of black and grey, I love me some color.  

Here are a few of the items I have on my wish list from Joules:

DOWNHAM Women’s Gilet Vest in Marine Navy. I love that pink zipper (obvi!). Plus its reversible, two vests in one!



KEMPTON Light Quilted Vest in Navy Check. You could wear this with so many different color combinations.


You can view the entire collection of vests here. There are so many great options to check out.


WELLYPRINT Women’s Printed Rain Boots in Raspberry. I so wish it was raining right now so I could wear these rain boots! They are so adorable and it’s kind of hard to decide on just one pair.


I definitely can’t forget about the little fashionista I am raising. Baby K would look so cute in their clothes. While I am looking at clothing for the cool seasons, I can’t help but drool over the amazing Girls jackets they offer. I’m dying over the JNR KIRSTIE Girls Hooded Rain Coat in Candy Spot. If only they made this in adult sizes too, I’d buy one for both of us!

Go check out the Joules website now and see if you can find something colorful and amazing for yourself, I guarantee you will fall in love with the site. Happy Fall Shopping. I hope I just became a bad influence on your shopping budget!

Linking up for Totally Posted with Niki and Karly Kim!
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Monday, October 28, 2013

4 Months Old - Time Slow Down

I’m probably going to say this every month, but how in the world do I have a 4 month old? I still remember perfectly every detail of when I found out I was pregnant almost a year ago! And here I am, the mother of the cutest little ginger baby ever! Well happy 4 months to my beautiful Baby K. My love for her grows more and more each day. I never imagined loving someone this much, it truly is amazing.



Stats: 13 pounds, 3.6 ounces (31st percentile). 23 1/4 inches long (9th percentile, short like her mama!). 16 1/4 inches head circumference (73rd percentile, gets it honest, this is a large head family!).

Development: She is grabbing a hold of everything and finally starting to really like toys. I love handing Baby K some toys and seeing her reach out and grab a hold of them. It’s awesome! She has amazing neck control according to her pediatrician; we have worked hard on that! And Daddy is practicing balance with her. His methods are quite scary for this Mommy to watch, but they are effective. J And Baby K loves it, plus I want her to be fearless and not a scaredy cat like me. She is rolling from her stomach to her back a lot, Daddy likes to work with her on this.

Loves: This girl LOVES to talk, which we absolutely love too. She coos and talks and laughs all the time. We try to catch as much as we can on video, but oftentimes she will see the camera in our hands and start concentrating so hard on it that she forgets to coo. We also discovered that she loves her activity mat again. Awhile ago, she would scream if I laid her on it for 5 seconds, so I thought the activity mat days were over. But I just tried it with her again a couple weeks ago and she played on that thing for a solid 30 minutes. I love to see her swatting and grabbing the little plastic animals that hang above her head. We also realized that she really likes it when Mommy and Daddy act silly, she will laugh at us all day long. And a recent discovery: she loves to air drum with Daddy and watch him head bang. And of course, she still loves to stand! Does this mean she will be walking soon? J



Dislikes:  She still dislikes being sleepy. The second this girl realizes that she is tired, the screaming begins. It’s a constant work in progress to make sure she takes sufficient naps. She also doesn’t like to be cold, but who does? If I don’t cover her up with a towel immediately after her bath, she will let me know I’m doing something wrong.

Sleeping: As you can see above, the naps are still eluding us. Some days she does great, others not so much. I did receive some advice from another mother telling me to try and keep her awake a bit longer in the morning before putting her down for her first nap. I used to just watch her cues and whenever she rubbed her eyes or yawned, I would put her to bed (which was usually about an hour after she woke up) and she would only take a quick catnap. But now we have been playing longer and she doesn’t go down for her first nap until 90 minutes to 2 hours later and we get an AWESOME nap out of her. So thankful for this village that I am a part of to help me raise my child!
She is still sleeping through the night, but recently decided that she would rather practice her monologues at 5 a.m. instead of sleep. She doesn’t cry and doesn’t seem to need us; she just wakes up and starts talking. We will go in after a little while and soothe her back to sleep and she will go until about 7:15 a.m.

Diapers: Holding steady in Pampers size 1. We continue to be diaper snobs and will only use Pampers (both the Snugglers during the day and the Baby Dry at night).

Eating: Baby K is rocking her eating schedule. She eats every 4 hours (we are following the Baby Sleep Solution) and does wonderful with it. She is growing a bit right now and seems to want more to eat during each feeding than normal.

Clothing: She is mostly still in 3 month size clothing, though I have been able to use a lot of 3-6 month sized clothing (6 month stuff is still way too big on her). A few 3 month sleepers are snug, but everything else still fits. Homegirl is rocking the adorable sleepers at night. For the longest time, we would put her to sleep in onesies, but now that the weather is turning cold she wears sleepers. And they are adorable!

Health: We had a sickness scare when Baby K was 2 months old and it turns out that she had a UTI. Her pediatrician ordered us to get some scans done on her bladder and kidneys to make sure that everything was working properly and that there wasn’t any back up. We went last week for the procedure and got awesome results. Her scans came back negative, so her kidneys and bladder are clear! Praise The Lord! We dodged an invasive procedure for her; she’s had enough of those already!
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Friday, October 25, 2013

High Five For Friday

I hope everyone had a great week and that you are ready for the WEEKEND!!! Woohoo!
Here are some of my top moments from the week.

1.) I have an awesome assistant, she loves to help me with computer work. J


2.) So I just realized that the new iPhone update has a neat feature that tells me how long it will take me to get home in current traffic. This is seriously cool for when I am walking out of work, ready to go home.


3.) Thanks to my super technology minded hubby, I can watch Baby K sleep while I’m at work.


4.) Baby K is grabbing a hold of everything these days, notice that she has a tight grip on her toy and if you look closely, her thumb is wrapped around her plug (pacifier). Homegirl doesn’t want to let those things go, even while she sleeps.


5.) I love this sign. #truth


And I have an additional fun item for you. Tolar took this amazing video of Baby K, I just love her laugh. It makes my heart burst! But the part at the end is hilarious and one of the MANY MANY reasons I simply adore my daughter.



Linking up with Lauren Elizabeth for this High Five For Friday post.
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Thursday, October 24, 2013

Brainbreak or Brainstorrrrm

Being back at work and having to wake up at 5/5:30 a.m. everyday has finally caught up to me. I’m the person who regularly got to sleep in until 7:30 a.m. on the weekdays because I don’t have to be at work until 9:30 a.m. So this early morning business is killing me! It’s definitely my choice to get up that early. I could sleep in a bit more, throw my hair up in a ponytail each day, forget the makeup and grab whatever I see first to wear. But we all know that isn’t me. I’m a southern girl and we like to look our best which does take time. Like I’ve said before on this blog, I feel my best when I am confident in how I look. Vain I know, but it’s true. If someone could just invent a 20 second full face of makeup applicator, my life would be complete. Not to mention I’d probably look even better because I could sleep longer, thus waking up each day looking well rested. But I’m getting away from my whole point of today’s post. And that is that I’m quite tired and in need of a brainbreak. I might have just invented the word brainbreak, sounds good to me. I’m allowing myself to say, “Hey brain, here’s your 15 minute union. You’ve done a lot of thinking today, just relax.”


And in order to allow my brain to relax, I like to watch funny youtube videos. My friend Sarah reminded me of this fab video that I haven’t seen in years. And now I'm watching it over and over again, forgetting about all of the responsibility that I have and just resting. Enjoy, you’ll thank me when it’s over.




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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

When Can A Sweatshirt Be Considered Dressy?

I found the best thing at LOFT a few weeks ago…a dressy sweatshirt. Say what?!?! I would never think that a sweatshirt could be dressy, but apparently if you add a little lace to it you get instant glam.



This lace sweatshirt was there when I first walked into the store and something about it said “try me on, you have to.” So I did, thinking I might just use it as a weekend shirt for bumming around the house. I mean, it is a sweatshirt and oh so comfortable. But the second I put it on, I realized it was so much more. The lace just adds an extra something to it, taking this otherwise boring shirt into a whole new territory.

I added a turquoise tank underneath so you could really see the detail in the lace and I love the outcome. Oh and did I mention how comfortable it is? Seriously, this shirt is kind of like a cheat shirt. Because it looks dressy enough for me to wear to the office or church (although my church is come as you are), but I don’t feel uncomfortable at all. Double win in my book!


I have plans to pair this with some heels and boyfriend jeans too. I will certainly be maximizing the outfit options for this shirt.


Lace sweatshirt: LOFT. (similar here)
Tank: New York & Company.
Skirt: LOFT.
Shoes: Payless.
Necklace: Stella & Dot.
Bracelet: Lou Lou.


I’m linking up with Style Elixir for Style Sessions, The Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesdays and Because Shanna Said So for Random Wednesdays. 
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Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Pumpkin Patch!

Over the weekend we went to this awesome pumpkin patch here in Northern Virginia out at Cox Farms. They had a huge fall festival with tons of activities for kids, hay rides, lots of animals, yummy food, music and of course pumpkins. I love doing fun activities like this around holidays and I am so glad I have a really good excuse to do them more often, thanks Baby K! Of course, she couldn’t really do a whole lot, but we definitely made plans to visit again next year when she is mobile (hopefully) and able to participate a bit more. My dear friend Marcy went with us and it was great to do some fun things with her and act like a kid again.


The place is very family/kid friendly; there were strollers everywhere! We of course took our trusty Ergo to tote Baby K around in, but I was so glad to see that strollers were acceptable. We haven’t been to a lot of family events yet just because Baby K is so young, but it was so wonderful to be in a place where everyone around you understood crying and nap time and eating time and KIDS! I look forward to experiencing more family outings with tons of other families in the very near future. If you live in the Northern Virginia area, I highly recommend Cox Farms. You could stay all day if you wanted; there is so much to do!



Linking up for Totally Posted with Niki and Karly Kim!
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Monday, October 21, 2013

Allergy Help In A Cute Little Package

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Kleenex but all my opinions are my own. #KleenexAllergy #pmedia http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO

Ah Fall! What a terrific time of year. The colors of the leaves are beautiful, Pumpkin Spice everything is available and we get to pull on our boots and cozy sweaters. However, with all of these lovely things comes something I’m not a huge fan of…seasonal allergies.

I have been pretty lucky in my life and didn’t really suffer from allergies as a child. I remember seeing my poor sister have to lie on the couch at night with a wet wash cloth over her face because her eyes were puffy. And man, the poor girl would sneeze like crazy. Well, I have now joined my sister on the sneezing side of allergies. Sadly, I have developed seasonal allergies in my “old age.”

Sneezing and runny noses are no fun (or all that flattering), but there is a product that helps make allergy season a bit more bearable – Kleenex Brand facial tissues! They are super soft and don’t irritate an already uncomfortable nose (no red noses here!). Plus they are thick, so you know they will get the job done. Kleenex has been my brand of choice for as long as I can remember and I know I will continue using Kleenex my entire life.



Besides being helpful with allergy symptoms, Kleenex Brand facial tissues also come in adorable packaging, they are almost like an additional home décor item. I stock up on Kleenex tissues and place them all around my house – and I have been known to select boxes that match the color schemes of my rooms. Seriously, I try to place Kleenex boxes everywhere: in our master bedroom, the guest bedroom, the baby’s nursery, bathrooms, our living room…everywhere. I have to be prepared!



Also, my allergies don’t stop once I step outside my house. If anything, they get worse. So being prepared is even more crucial. Luckily for me, Kleenex has these really cute Pocket Packs that I can throw in my purse for when I’m on the go. Besides my purse, I keep a pack in my car, in the diaper bag and at my work desk. It’s so helpful to have tissues in so many places, that way I know my sneezing fits can be somewhat controlled.



I recently took a trip to Target to stock up on Kleenex Brand facial tissues for allergy season and was able to score a FREE 3-pack of the Pocket Packs. And you can too! Just click this link for a coupon that you can use at any Target store (while supplies last).

Buy Kleenex 4pack, get a free wallet pack (2-pk) or pocket pack (3-pk): http://goo.gl/186og3

I love a good coupon (Target has great store coupons!) and being able to score something I regularly use, for free, is amazing. So if you are like me and suffer from a lot of sneezing during allergy season, run to your nearest Target with that coupon in hand.  And throw some of those Pocket Packs in your purse or car, because you never know when a Kleenex Brand facial tissue could come in handy!
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Friday, October 18, 2013

High Five For Friday



Well, we all survived another week and a glorious fall weekend is upon us.
Here are some of my top moments from the week:

1.) Baby K has become an escape artist and quite often can pull her arms out of the swaddle. But what I love most about this picture is the way she is sleeping, not a care in the world apparently.


2.) Monday was a day off from work for me which meant I wasn’t up at 5 a.m. scurrying around trying to get ready before Baby K wakes up. Instead I got to enjoy a nice cup of coffee in a quiet house. Ahh, the little things.


3.) I got to serve for Night of Pink at DC Sisterhood, our women's service at church. I just love my church!


4.) I saw this photo on GroopDealz’s instagram and laughed out loud…because it’s so true!


5.) Tolar is taking a couple weeks off of work to spend quality time with Baby K, so they came to visit me at my office.
My sister thinks she had a bit too much milk to drink! :)

How was your week? I hope fabulous and full of rainbows and butterflies. Have a fab weekend!

Linking up with Lauren Elizabeth for this High Five For Friday post.
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