What's in Your Bag

Part of the beauty of blogging is that you get a glimpse into other people's lives.

Similarly to when your neighbors leave their windows open & lights on or garage doors up.

I tend to peek because......well, I'm nosy! I would say curious but I'm just going to be honest.

I love to see how other people live and get ideas for my own life/home that way.

Heather over at Glitter and Gloss is hosting a fun linky party today.

And since I didn't have a blog planned but have some time to kill I thought I'd join in!

The amount of junk that I've been carrying is a bit out of control!
So glad I joined in the party to kind of clear out a bit of the clutter!

 A brief overview of all my goodies

Bag: Steven by Steve Madden (Nordstrom Rack)
What I got inside:
My wallet: Finally got a new (grown up/decent) one for Christmas and its purple-y pink so I love it
My necklace - found this in my car on Wednesday and haven't bothered to return it to it's home.
Tide to Go: A clumsy girls must have
Purple Pen
NARS lipgloss in Orgasm - a must have
Rosebud Salve - original & apple flavors
Sunglasses
Business Cards
Flash drive (you never know when you may need to save something)
Hair clips
Receipts/Coupons
Kleenex
Dum-dum lollipops
Hand lotion
C.&O Bigelow travel set
Makeup Bag (too many products to list)

So there you have it.
That's what is happening in my purse.

What's in yours?

weight of the nation

You all know that I have been on a workout mission for the last 6 weeks.
It's no secret that I am much less disciplined about my food choices than I should be.
I am a french fry eating, chocolate chip cookie & cupcake baking, pizza loving mom.

But since having Baby Bear I have had to work hard to lose the baby weight. At first it was just incorporating workouts and then it was realizing that in order to get rid of the layer of chub, I had to modify the actual food that was going into my body.

In short, I had to change how I thought about food.

While pregnant I really didn't give much thought to how much I ate.
In the beginning (and while I was working) I gave into whatever sounded good that wouldn't make me nauseous.
Once I went on leave we ate pretty well balanced meals for the most part since I was home and able to cook about 80% of the time.
But postpartum is a different story.

I am breastfeeding so I want to be sure to provide my son with only the best nutrients while still maintaining a decent weight.
And clearly I'm not doing too bad on that since he's 16+ pounds.

So in recent weeks I've changed a lot of what I eat but not really what we, as a family, eat.

Then my husband went to the doctor and was encouraged to maintain a low fat diet to keep his cholesterol at a healthy level.
And I really started to look at what we had around the house.

Even though I believe "everything in moderation" I realized I had been focusing on just me and not us as a whole. I want us all to be around for a long time and to set good examples for both of our kids about making positive food choices.

I don't want them to view certain things as "bad" or dangerous, but I also don't want them to think that it's totally okay to just gorge on junk all the time either.

So in the last week or so my wonderful hubby has put his workout regimen into action and it's awesome.
I am so proud of him for making that decision and actually get up each morning and do it! 

We've also started taking a look at the food we eat each day and the portions that are going into our bodies.

I know he needs better snacks in his life.
 I've mostly purchased the things that I like that are sugar free or 100 calories so now I need to be more cognizant of what I choose to put in my grocery cart for all of us.
More whole grains, lean meats and tons of veggies and fruits.

It didn't help that last night we watched a program on HBO titled Weight of the Nation - a four part documentary series chronicling obesity in America. Each series focuses on a different aspect.
The first one CONSEQUENCES -talks about the scope of the epidemic and some of the health issues faced by the obese.
The second CHOICES - discusses how to lose weight, maintain weight loss and prevent weight gain.
The third and fourth CHILDREN IN CRISIS and CHALLENGES air throughout the week.
Both of those talk about what is going on with the kids in this country and then some of the forces behind obesity in this country.

It was very........thought provoking viewing.

After watching it, Babe and I are both extra committed to bringing healthier food into the house.

I'm not really worried about baby Bear as he only eats breast milk at this point and I have designs on starting him on homemade baby food when he's ready (thank you mother-in-love for the baby bullet!) but Sweet Pea is more of a challenge. 

She's very headstrong when it comes to what she will and won't eat.
If it's got 'fings' in it its not happening.
The good news is that she is actually eating vegetables these days (she's not happy about it but she eats them) but her snacks are not always the best.

She's not big on fruit and that's really my fault because I was a young mom who gave her what was quick and easiest so she wouldn't pitch a fit. (parenting fail)

But that ends now.
This summer we will be all about trying new foods and fruits.

I think we'll get back to going to our local Farmer's Market on Wednesdays and try one new thing each week.
We don't have to like it but we do need to test it out.
Because I don't want my family to be part of this epidemic and I want to lead by example.
So far we've gotten into the whole 'juicing' craze and have begun to drink the Naked Juice Green Machine Smoothie's about every other day.
I was sketchy at first due to the color but am kind of obsessed with them now.
I've also started to create quick snack packs (grapes in a baggie/celery sticks with reduced fat peanut butter) that are in the front of the fridge so we're more tempted to eat those.
Oh and the fat free muffins and whole grain bread have made their way into the house as well.

I know it's going to be a process to fully change what we eat and how we view food so stay tuned and see how it goes.

Do you have any healthy eating tips?

What a weekend!

Ahh what a great weekend.

I love it when the weather is awesome and I get to spend time with my man and my kiddos and not have a ton of things to do.

Saturday the girl and I had hair appointments (thank the Lord cuz we needed them) so I was able to get in some chat time with my bff sister-friend and hairdresser Ms. Ebony and Sweet Pea got to kick it w/ her (Ebony's) daughter (& bff) Miss Jada girl.

Love those ladies.

We left looking like much better versions of earlier selves and went home happy.

Babe spent the day getting fly himself and then stopped by his BFF's casa to kick it with his god-daughter for a bit.

He ended up staying for the Laker game (heartbreaking loss) so by the time he made it home,Baby Bear was knocked out and Sweet Pea and I were on the couch watching a movie.

Yesterday we decided to grill out and invited over a few friends and their families for an afternoon of food, family & a lot of laughter.
For me it was an excellent day.
I'm sure I've mentioned how much I love entertaining.
Whether its on a massive scale or really low key, it just makes me happy to have a house full of people we love.
There were children and babies crawling/toddling about the kitchen.
Young love was blossoming in the form of my pint sized boyfriend Q and D's goddaughter.
Sure there's a 2.5 year age difference but both kids were smitten.
They moved too fast for us to grab the camera (or our phones) but it was a beautiful thing to see all the kids getting along.
Babe hooked up a smorgasboard of yummy eats.
There was steak, burgers, hot dogs, chicken sausage, salmon, pasta salad and grilled corn.
All topped off with Ghiradelli's brownies.
It was delicious.
I absolutely love these kinds of (semi) lazy Sundays.
Just sitting around shooting the breeze talking about life and enjoying each other's company.
Everyone hung out until it was apparent that the littles needed to go home and lay it down and by then it was dark.
Such a good time spent with great friends.
It was a great way to end the weekend and kick off the beginning of a new week.



Did you all do anything fun this weekend?

Tres Meses

Time flies when you're having fun.

Or when you have babies.

Life just seems to go so quickly some days.

And others (the ones where they won't nap and things are going slowly downhill) seem to drag by.

Yesterday marked 3 months since the arrival of my Baby Bear (aka Squishy Fats, aka Baby Ninja).
I can't even believe it.
It seemed like getting to this milestone would take forever but slowly & surely it crept up on us.
As I write this I'm listening to him in the other room, playing on his mat, beating the stew out of that smirking/mischievous octopus and talking to "the baby in the mirror".

Its melting my heart.
I love to hear his little voice and will go to crazy lady lengths to get him to use it.
He has totally changed our lives.

Yesterday his sister was talking to him while I changed his diaper after a bath and I wanted to cry my heart was so filled with joy listening to her banter with her brother.
He looked back with big brown eyes, raised eyebrows and toothless grin.
Be still my heart.
He has changed so much in the last 12 weeks as has our family unit.
We spent the first few weeks adjusting to his arrival.
Trying to make sense of this new life and get accustomed to no longer sleeping in.

The next few weeks were spent trying to figure him out and getting into some kind of routine that worked for all of us.
The last few weeks have been wonderful.
Routines have been established, schedules are working and everyone is finding their place in our new foursome.
It's still odd to me to say the phrase "my kids" but it also makes my heart do a little dance.
I have kids. Two wonderful children that God blessed D & I with.
These are our gifts.

We were so excited about this new little blessing and now he's here and it doesn't even seem real.
Three months in and we've sort of settled into a groove.
Carson is sleeping longer and more steadily.
He still has a hearty appetite and I am happy to supply him with what he needs to grow.
I've (somewhat) figured out how to incorporate his sister into his evening routines.
And she loves him wholeheartedly and honestly it just melts my heart.
It's been an incredible gift to watch this boy grow and change each day.

Today, in fact, he rolled over from his tummy to his back several times.
I got so excited I squealed and promptly emailed my husband.
And at that moment it hit me, had I gone back to work last week I would've totally missed this moment.
Sure it would've still happened but that first roll would've been witnessed by someone else.
I am so grateful.
There are moments of absolute insanity and stress when the baby is crying, we're starving, I'm trying to help Sweet Pea or just have a conversation with her and I haven't had a date with my man in months.
But then there are moments when we're all at the table eating dinner, talking and having a 'family moment' that make my heart just fill to bursting.
This is my life.


And I'm enjoying every single minute of it.

Happy 3 months Carson Riley!!!

D.I.Y projects.....

We all know I am a Pinterest junkie and have recruited several of my friends to join in my Pinterest addiction so now they see how wicked awesome & useful it really is.

Remember how I said I wanted to stencil a rug?

I originally had designs on doing it before the baby arrived while I was in my full blown nesting stage but that didn't happen.

So then I thought, well once I recover I can get to it and that still hasn't happened.

And I'm glad it didn't because this morning I saw this fabulous rug on Tatertots & Jello (she is so stinking creative I love it)

image via: Tatertots & Jello

And I am in LOVE.

I don't have the time or patience to tape of that design (maybe one day) but I found a similar stencil at Cutting Edge Stencils so I'm leaning towards that.

They have a TON of killer geometric designs that may just be right up my alley so I'm sure that will be a process to choose just one.

But who knows - I may end up stenciling more than one rug for the house like Jen's done!

I was super torn about the actual stencil for the rug and as I was going through my Home Style pin board I noticed a trend in that I was gravitating toward geometrically designed rugs.

As evidenced here:

I also realized I am not going to be tackling this project any time soon.

We plan on moving when our lease is up in November (say a prayer we are able to buy a house!)

so I want to save that project for our new place.

Since that place will be ours (hopefully) I can really put our own creative spin on things.

This makes me excited.

I can't wait to pull out all the stops and really get going on some of my more elaborate ideas.

Like how cute is this chair?

I love the bright colors and the fabric. I don't necessarily need to buy a brand new one but if I can find a similar style and then re-upholster it......oh snap! Custom furniture!

I also intend to paint our patio furniture a darker color - similar to this

That I actually plan to do sooner rather than later but I need to recruit a few friends for the process.

And a babysitter.

Or I may just pull an all-nighter and do it in the garage one evening during the week. 

Wouldn't that be fun?

Any d.i.y. projects you're working on around the house??

T.G.I.F.

Oh good gracious thank God it's finally Friday!!

This has been a bit of a nutty week.

Sweet Pea's 4th Grade Mission Project was due on Wednesday and like true creative people we procrastinated right up until Tuesday so she was up late finishing her writing and drawing.

The actual building of the mission got scrapped as Baby Bear decided he absolutely would NOT take a nap for more than 45 minutes that day.

Fortunately we took plenty of pictures when we visited so we were able to put together a slide show/power point to present.

Crisis averted.

Wednesday was Open House so dinner was Chick-fil-A as we had to go visit the classroom chat with her teacher who is retiring this year (and ever so lovely) and buy raffle tickets for the spring baskets

 (they had a MONEY tree y'all!! $225 worth of cash tied to tree branches. You know I bid on that!)

I also learned that one of my dear friends is going to be moving out of state soon due to her husband's promotion at work.

Insert sad melodramatic music here.

It almost broke my heart, I just love her and her family so much. 

But I am truly happy for them & this awesome opportunity.

I just wish the opportunity was in state.

Thursday morning I had planned to go to Sweet Pea's school and cue up the slide show for her presentation and then run some errands.

Unfortunately they would not let me on school grounds with the baby.

Parenting fail.

So I went home praying that some kind of way she would be able to still do her presentation and not get her grade docked, changed clothes and headed to Costco before it got crowded.

I got about 10 feet into Costco when her teacher called to tell me she had broken a strap on her sandals and could I please bring her another pair of shoes?

Oy.

broken shoe strap.....smh

So I left Costco (fortunately I didn't have anything in my cart) and flew back home to grab her some shoes.

It was 11am.

She was getting out of school at 11:45 am.

Sweet.

So we went back home for a brief nap and then back to the school to get her and back to Costco.

My entire day was spent driving in circles.

I also thought it was Friday for the rest of the day.

The upside is I was able to spend under $200 at Costco and got the majority of items on our list.

Even the little mini Naked Juices!! 

mini naked juice!!

So excited about my Green Machine!

At some point during the afternoon I realized we would need a laptop to do the slideshow on and since ours died a while back, I was frantically trying to figure out who's we could borrow.

My father saved the day.

He drove all the way out here yesterday evening so I could have the laptop for this morning.

So today Babe stayed home with Baby Bear while I took the kid to school and cued up the slideshow.

She was nervous but she did great.

And I was happy it all worked out.

A highlight for me was seeing one of her classmates on the playground and have her call out "Hi Camryn's Mom". 

Awesome.

Sidebar: what's up with all the moms dropping their kids off with their PJ's still on?

I mean that's fine if you're not getting out of the car but if you plan on walking up to the campus do you think you could at least put on flip flops instead of slippers?

I at least put on my trusty boyfriend jeans, put my hair in a pony tail and filled in my eyebrows.

drop off attire

Tonight we are going to keep it simple and maybe watch a movie or catch up on the DVR.

I am exhausted!!

Sunday Carson will be 3 months old. 

OH. MY. WORD.

time is just flying by.......

How was your week?

WIWW - Mother's Day

Mother's Day this year was especially lovely.

I was able to celebrate with my girlfriends at Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa on Saturday and that was all I wanted.

To lay out by the pool with an adult beverage, have a massage and just relax.

Sunday, we spent the early part of the day with our immediate family.

My mother, God-mother, Mother-in-love, Babe's Grandmother all his sisters and brother met up for brunch at the Omni Hotel in Downtown L.A.

Sadly we did not get a group photo as everyone was busy enjoying the delicious food and free flowing mimosas.

We then stopped by the home of his BFF's mother and spent the remainder of the day with the Famdamily and all our kiddos.

It warmed my heart to see all the new babies toddling about.

This time last year two were pregnant and we were working on Baby Bear and now......here they are in the flesh!

So sweet!

I spent the entire week thinking about my outfit (cuz that's how I roll) and was inspired by the Target Style email with model Coco Rocha's Target Ten choices.

This outfit spoke to me.

The skirt was not shown online (only available in stores) so I made the trip.

I knew I already had the blue top in my closet so I was really hoping that they had what I was looking for.

I scored.

Not only did they have the orange skirt but they had it in bright yellow as well.

I couldn't decide so I got both.

Very proud of myself for stepping out of my regular outfit box and going for some fun color blocking!

Top: lush from Nordstrom Rack

Skirt: Target

Shoes: Carlos by Carlos Santana (old)

Earrings: Forever 21

What do you think?

Linking up with Lindsey!

Choices

Being that it's Mother's Day weekend, it's only appropriate that I write this post.

Today I chose my kids.

I drove all the way to downtown Los Angeles with the baby bear and officially resigned from my job.

It was exciting to see everyone and I felt a surge of .....something being in the office but I knew deep in my heart that home is where I am supposed to be right now.

I thought hard about it.

 Weighed the options and even half-heartedly looked into childcare.

Then I just gave it up to God and let it go.

And in time my answer came.

Choose the kids.

I know there will be plenty of time to be a fancy working mom.

I've been there and done that.

But right now, in this season of my life, at (almost) 33 years old.

I am supposed to be at home with my baby boy and be there for my little girl.

It's funny how okay I am with this.

10 years ago I felt like I had to prove something to myself and my peers.

A young mother trying to convince everyone I could handle anything and everything.

Mommy-hood? I got this.

Work? No problem.

Balancing it all? 

In my mind it was all good.

In reality I was felt like I was failing at one thing or another most days.

So this decision has been a bit easier.

I know it will be a somewhat of a strain financially and I think we're okay with that.

I have no doubt that there will be a lot of changes in our household in the coming months.

But it just doesn't make sense financially & emotionally to go back full-time.

Paying for train passes, daycare for the boy, after school care for the girl, gas for both cars.

Killing myself to get the kids after work.

Babe having to get both kids together each morning.

Having to be basically hooked to the breast pump all day each day to provide milk for the boy, or switching to formula and incurring yet another cost.

Letting someone else (a stranger) care for my little bear.

It's all so much.

So today, I am officially self-employed.

I will continue to do makeup (less on the side and more concentrated effort) as that will allow me to have some income and still be at home with the kiddos but at this time I have no desire to work in an office.

Of course I will miss my co-workers.

I will miss the daily fashion show that occurs in our offices.

The inspiration and encouragement to really express yourself with your clothing.
I will definitely miss that free shipping discount!

There really won't be a need to put on heels each day and strut my stuff (Target is far more casual than downtown L.A.) but there also won't be that urge to absolutely keep up with trends and to shop at all times.

( It's a dangerous place to work sometimes!)

I am happy with my choice as I know my Sweet Pea is and baby Bear will be as well.

My wonderful husband is behind me 100%.

He just wants the best for our kids and for me as well.

We have realized that this is what's best for us.

So we will make it work however we can.

And if necessary, I can always go back to working full time outside the home.

Because to be honest, what I do around here is definitely work.

The pay scale is a little different but just as rewarding if not more so.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mama's out there, working in or outside the home, what you do is nothing short of amazing and I hope you are pampered by all your people all weekend long.

Weekend Review

Ahh Monday....usually somewhat of a drag or kind of slow going but today not so much.

We had a fabulous weekend as a quartet and went on our very first day trip adventure!

As a student in California our 4th grade Sweet Pea has to do a project on one of the California missions.

She chose Mission San Diego de Alcala.

So Saturday we took a day trip to go visit the mission, take a tour and get some photos.

It was the perfect day for it.

The weather was beautiful and the drive down was nice and relaxing.

The mission was stunning.

Arches, fountains and paved brick walkways.......

I have a thing for Spanish architecture so it was right up my alley and there was a peaceful energy surrounding the place.

Babe & Sweet Pea got a ton of great pictures while I pushed the baby bear around and enjoyed the scenery.

After we left the mission we headed into Old Town San Diego for some lunch.

Of course since it was Cinco de Mayo the place was packed with the majority of streets blocked off.

We managed to find a place to park and enjoyed the festive atmosphere and some yummy Mexican food at  the Cafe Coyote in Old Town.

Oddly Sweet Pea and I had been to this particular place a few years prior for my god-sisters 40th birthday celebration but I could not remember the name of the place (baby brain).

They are known for their handmade fresh tortillas and margaritas and it was all delicious.

I finally got my Strawberry Margarita that I have been craving and it was divine, even though I didn't finish all of it. 

Baby bear was not a fan of the loud drunk people on the patio behind us, combined with having been strapped into his car seat for several hours and desperately needing a diaper change - he was not a happy camper.

However once he had a clean bottom and was placed in the baby bjorn he was good to go.

We wandered the streets for a bit picking up a souvenir magnet for the fridge (yes, we are cheesy like that) and a shot glass to add to our collection plus a snow globe for Sweet Pea.

After a quick stop for some shaved ice we were on our way home.

We finally arrived home well after 8pm and were all worn out from the day's adventure.

Yesterday we had a quiet day at home catching up on the DVR, watching The Muppets Movie (hilarious) and just chilling out around the house.

I whipped up a lovely dinner (both of my people said I knocked it out of the box) courtesy the Pioneer Woman (yet again) and we relaxed for the rest of the evening.

In my opinion it was quite the perfect weekend.

Just the right amount of adventure mixed in with good quality family time.

Lots of laughs and memories made.

We definitely have to do that again.

What did you all do this weekend?

Baby Fat ( an update)

Okay so I'm 10 weeks (going on 11) postpartum and I am feeling MUCH better than I was here.

It's amazing how a few extra hours of sleep, some great workouts to create/boost the endorphins and time have completely changed my attitude.

I'm only 4 weeks into my post baby body revolution as I had to wait for the 6 week "ok" from the doc but I definitely see the changes.

And I am thrilled about it.

I started out doing Lindsay Brin's Post-Natal Boot Camp and that was great for the first week but I have zero patience and wanted results fast.

So I stepped it up to Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred.

She kicked my tail so hard the first week I took Friday, Saturday & Sunday off to recover.

But I got back on the wagon soon enough and graduated all the way to level 3.

Still I was not satisfied with my overall progress.

I could see changes but at the same time it  is was like nothing was happening.

So I started doing it every day instead of every other day.

I then threw in an evening workout of Bootylicious Buns twice a week.

Keep in mind that I am "semi" dieting as its really hard for me to count calories and be concerned with how often I'm eating as I am ravenous while nursing.

But I have been making better food choices and trying not to do so much mindless snacking 'just because it's there'. 

Last week I sent Babe to Target on his way home to pick up Jillian's No More Trouble Zones DVD as I was convinced that those saddle bags and semi muffin top were what was holding me back from my skinny jeans.

It's 40 min. y'all.  A very long 40 minutes.

A far cry from my quick 20 minute shreds.

I thought I was going to die.

But I kept at it.

And this week I did it all five days and I have to say......what a difference a week makes!

Holy Cow!

Now don't get me wrong I still have some chubb I can stand to lose but the inches in the mid section and thigh area are whittling away!

I was able to put on a pair of skinny jeans I haven't worn in almost a year today and they looked pretty good (according to my husband).

A year y'all. Seriously so excited.

This afternoon I decided I was going to really push myself since I'm supposed to put on a bathing suit next weekend for my mother's day trip to Glen Ivy, so I swung by Target yet again and got Jillian's Banish Fat Boost Metabolism.

I'm going to mix that in with the Trouble Zones and am hoping for stellar results.

I've given myself a deadline of my birthday (June 9th) to be in my skinniest of jeans if possible.

I don't think that's too crazy of a thing.

I got a little crazy this evening and decided to attempt to get into my cute new boyfriend jeans and I did it!

If I lose a few more pounds they will be perfect so now I'm really motivated.
And I have to say I'm really proud of myself.
It's a pain to drag myself out of bed at the crack of dawn, put on workout gear and cue up the DVD player but the results are rather inspiring.
I don't have any delusions of being at my pre-wedding weight by my birthday (cuz let's be honest a lot of that was stress) nor am I going to push myself to get there quickly but I will be fit and healthy by then.
This weekend I will venture out in a bathing suit for the first time since last August.
First, I must find bathing suit tops that fit my newer, more busty appearance and then I just have to gain the confidence to rock it!!

So wish me luck on this week's workout endeavor.
I have no doubt it will kick my butt.
I just pray that I have the strength and energy to keep it up all week long!

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New Discoveries

You know what I love about the web and blogging?

there are endless blogs out there that appeal to so many people across the board. And there are some that only appeal to a certain type of person.

But either way they are out there for your perusal.

With each new blog I discover something new. 

Whether its fashion, or cooking or decorating it excites me to add them to my blog roll.

However, it also reminds me I need to clean up my reader as there are some blogs I don't even glance at anymore.

I guess that means my taste has evolved? Or I'm finally figuring out why I'm on here maybe?

Maybe.

Anywho.

Since I have become slightly fashion and home decor obsessed these past few months I have discovered several new blogs.

Some with the help of Pinterest and My Style, Style Inspiration & Home Style boards and others by clicking onto those blogs to see what they are reading.

A few of my recent favorites are:

For the Love Of
I happen to know Andrea in real life and I dig that she is all about lovely things.
Her style is timeless, approachable and modern with a classic twist.
I also appreciate that she is a mom of two with one more on the way and dresses for her age while still showcasing the latest trends.

photo: For the Love Of

The Pink Peonies
I found Rachel via an outfit I pinned to My Style board and have been kind of obsessed ever since.
Her style is more classic than mine but I am definitely inspired by how she puts those classic pieces together and still manages to make them look fresh.

photo: The Pink Peonies

photo: The Pink Peonies

Penny Pincher Fashion
Another recent discovery I dig that she is all about finding fabulous clothes on a budget, is a mom and still manages to look quite stylish and trendy without being too "put together".
Her commitment to sharing her frugal fashion sensibilities will keep me sticking around for more.

photo: Penny Pincher Fashion

The Stylish Housewife
Ahh Jennifer - the name alone intrigued me and then I saw a couple of outfits she posted and was totally hooked. Once again a mother, a "housewife" and a wonderful Southern California Chic vibe made me add her to my blog roll immediately.

photo: The Stylish Housewife

The Hollywood Housewife
She just seems cool and very normal.
Not quite a style or design blog she just kind of encompasses all things. And her life seems a bit more glamorous than most since she's married to a Hollywood producer so there's that too.

Wendy's LookBook
Similarly to The Pink Peonies I discovered Wendy when looking for the perfect boyfriend jean and  fell in love with her style.
She just kills it.
I can't always afford all the pieces but I have enough in my closet that I can definitely recreate a few of my favorite looks

photo: wendy's lookbook

La Dolce Vita
A design blog I was immediately drawn to the images she showcased  for Fabulous Room Friday.
But what really got me was the images from Sally Wheat Decorates.
Talk about design inspiration!
Love, love, love!!!
Can't wait to peruse the blog further to see what she has up her sleeve.

photo: La Dolce Vita

Amber Interior Design
First of all her name is Amber so she must be awesome right?
Well she absolutely is.
I discovered her by accident while checking out La Dolce Vita whom I found via The Hollywood Housewife (see a pattern here? its like Alice in Wonderland and the rabbit hole).
I am really digging her aesthetic and sense of humor now that I've had a chance to really peruse the blog.
I have no doubt she will be the source of many inspired Pins and decor style for when we move and redecorate our space.

photo: Amber Interior Design

Whether its fashion or home decor all of these blogs inspire me in different ways and really isn't that what the Internet is all about?
Blogger's have this cool little community that is built up based on word of mouth and people just doing a search and finding you somehow and they are hooked for life.
In one way its kind of creepy that anyone can find you but in another its wicked awesome that you can reach so many different types of people all from your personal sanctuary.
But I love the new sites I've found and love that I am  inspired to create a better home, a better me thanks to all of these lovely ladies.
It just goes to show that even though the ages of these women varies from early twenties to mid-thirties, true style never goes out of fashion and when you've got it......share it with the world!


What blogs inspire you?

in the moment

Happy Hump Day!!

Its not the most beautiful of days so far but I'm feeling pretty good so its a start!

Currently I'm: 

- drinking Gloria Jean's Butter Toffee flavored coffee from my Keurig. 

mmmmm so good. Makes my whole house smell delicious and will definitely keep me from falling asleep on the couch so early in the day.

- setting out ingredients for tonight's dinner. Kahlua Jerk Chicken. 

So yummy and easy to make and the whole family enjoys it. I like to have all my items set up early in the day so if I need to go to the store I know what I'm missing rather than harassing Babe to pick it up on the way home.

- staring at the cute squishy face of my baby bear. I love to watch him sleep. He's just so stinking cute! And he snores which just kills me!

- excited about the progress I'm making with my workouts. This week is "No More Trouble Zones" (another Jillian DVD)

 it kicks my butt and I am dripping sweat at the end but I definitely see a change happening (not as fast as I would like of course) and it feels good knowing I'm taking charge of that aspect. 

- looking forward to going to visit a friend & her new baby girl tomorrow. I'm taking them an Italian Feast of a dinner. That makes me happy.

- thinking about driving down to San Diego on Saturday. Sweet Pea is working on her 4th grade mission project and she chose San Diego de Alacala so we have a road trip planned!

- folding laundry. It's like it never ends! As soon as I'm done with the last load, it's time to do it again! How many outfits are these people wearing!!

- happy about the state of my life. looking forward to see how things pan out in the next couple of weeks but generally pleased with things.

What are you up to today?