The Six List

I mentioned last week I really was enjoying Sarah Mae's book Having a Martha Home the Mary Way.  Her quick tips, easy ideas and breath of fresh air are just what my soul needed.  I had a few takeaways from her book and one really has stuck with me (almost) daily.

She shared this $25,000 piece of advice of creating your own Six List every day.  She suggests that you write them down the night before, in order of which you will do them.  {I'll be honest, the night before and in order part are still a work in progress for me...baby steps!} 

Basically Charles Schwab was approached by a public relations expert Ivy Lee back in 1920.  Lee suggested if he met with Schwab's executives they'd be more productive, therefore making Schwab's business more profitable. 

It worked and Charles ended up paying Ivy $25,000 for his work.  

Why do I think it works?

Well, if you're anything like me, your to do list(s) are pages and pages. You never fully accomplish it all every single day and then you feel like a flop.

If you just focus on 6 (SIX) non-negotiable things you have got to get done for the day to feel as though you did all that you could, you'll have a great day and be productive.

It's kind of fun too...

Yes, I'm a dork.

My sample list for today:

1.  Workout at the Y

2.  Play/read with kids.

3.  Fold & put away all of the laundry (while watching This is Us)

4.  Read.

5.  Pay bills.

6.  Meal prep for the rest of the week.

Simply cross off each number as you complete the task.

What happens when you don't get to the last one or two?  

Just roll them over to the next day and start with those.  

It's that easy!

What will be on your six list today?

Fashion Friday

Soooo it's Friday!!!!

I cannot believe I am looking at snow accumulating outside my window.

It's really putting a damper on my fashion haha! 

I want to wear light and pretty Spring/Summer items and instead 

I'm still bundling up in sweatshirts and coats.

Boo.

I decided to create a separate Instagram Profile.

It's a public one and I've decided to make my personal account private again.
Follow along for fashion inspiration!

Anyway, I wanted to share some of my looks this past week.

We'll call it, "mommy chic" as my friend Elizabeth called it.

Most days jeans is dressing up as a sahm.
Simple white v-neck tee and it's the perfect canvas to accessorize. 

Old Navy Fleece & sunnies.

For the wedding we attended, 

I opted for a mint lace dress, 

statement necklace 

& a wrap.

I had to throw this in for fun. My "warm look" for last Sunday!

The howlite stone is one of my favorites! 

{This Howlite stone has calming properties and can be used to relieve anxiety, tension, and intense emotions. Wear this Limited Edition geo bar as a reminder to relax, keep calm, and carry on in style}

Real life:

Most days I'm so busy in the home, it's sweats, yoga pants & sports bras.

So when I do have a little time to add some fancy bling,

I LOVE IT!

I love searching for inspiration for the next season's look!

Shop Stella & Dot!

S&D

Tassel Necklace 

Reversible Voyage Tote Bag

Getaway Bag

Tunics are going to be HUGE this summer! 

Along with the tribal look--very easy and chic.

I love that these can be worn poolside or out for a bite to eat and drinks.

What woman doesn't love versatility?

Tunic & Tassel Necklace

Have a lot of nice accessories?

It's probably a good idea to store them safely; whether you're traveling or just at home.

This gorgeous jewelry box is perfect.

Cute enough to leave out to look at and functional!

Travel Jewelry Box

What looks have you been wearing or lusting over?! 

Have a great weekend!

Confessing Thoughts!

I confess...

I stalk Nikki on the daily and I love these Thursday confessions so much I had to join in!

I am working really hard on not drinking coffee.  Ok, too much coffee. I've cut down to 1 cup a day and I'm proud of that!

I said to the hubby today that one day we will have our "Fridays" back and I actually am looking forward to that.  I love love love staying home with my babies, but I know that it can't last forever, one day they'll be in school, and Fridays will be just ours again!

We talk a lot about the future and what my "job" will be when the kids go back to school. Since our rental properties are growing, maybe I'll be more like this girl on Flip or Flop.  Today we are on a hunt for a mirror, so naturally my instincts are telling me to go to Target.

I also will confess I totally have a total girl crush on her and think she's pretty much perfect haha!

I am excited for our date night Saturday; lil sis is taking the kids and then bringing them back Sunday to hangout for the day--good times!

I'm hooked on Green Tea {matcha} Lattes from Starbucks.  Again, working on the whole cutting down on the coffee.

Super pumped about the new launch of S&D today!! I cannot wait to model my new items!

Baby boy has the cutest noises still.  "Hiiiiiyyyyyyaaaaaaaa" is his current repeated phrase.

Brooke still sucks her thumb; I'm hoping she grows out of it, but it's hard that I can't just take it away. What to do?!

OH hey 2013, I finally joined Snap Chat and am trying to convince all my besties to post silly randomness alongside me.  I'm obsessed. For realz.

I'm a firm believer in the universe and what you put out there comes back...it's totally working lately!

~~~GOOD VIBES ONLY~~~

I'm finally coming to terms with the whole no more kids thing.  It's been a done deal since October, but I was still holding onto things...but I'm letting go and we are all good!

I've made $60 on Thred.Up and $200 on craigslist so far and I am super excited to keep selling junk we don't need!  It takes a little effort and I never get what I really want for things, but it's still money in our pocket and going to people who could use them.

I don't love working out but I do love the way I feel afterwards.  Just. Push. Play.

I'm surely not one to sit around and complain, but MAN I will admit I am soooo ready for warm weather.

Totally trying a new dinner tonight, Taco Tots, so stay tuned!

Loving that it's Thursday; what do you confess?!

Weekly Keep

Happy Tuesday friends!  With that said, I of course want to send my thoughts and prayers to everyone in Brussels.  I just can't believe this is the world in which we live in, and my heart goes out to them.  8 am in the morning at an airport or 9am on the metro...innocent lives.  It's just devastating. I will continue to spread peace and kindness as much as I can and do my part...

My scheduled post for today...

Spring colors are the perfect addition to any outfit.  The citron keeper is a hot one right now!



Add a pineapple for the perfect yet simple accent!

The rose quartz, rose gold, and saddle have it going on!

Mother's Day is around the corner, how adorable is this?

I received my new Pink dipped wristlet pouch and I LOVE it! It's really quite big and I was impressed with how much it can hold.

I'm having several Be Kind & Design Socials on Facebook!  If you're interested in hosting or shopping one,  say the word!

My favorite luxe stone is by far this one:  The Howlite Stone

Have a beautiful day xox

Weekend Snippets

Of course I had to mention the Oscars---I didn't stay up to watch them, but I was really excited to see Leo won! I think it's so funny to see other women my age admit their teenage crush on Leo, and how it's so great he finally won an award!

Yesterday got into the 60's! Kids enjoyed playing on the back deck while I cleaned a bit.  I took them to BJ's in the morning as we needed diapers etc. and

Joe was at the land all weekend, unless he was working.  He was clearing out the brush, trees etc. and making great strides so we can build! It's so good for him to get out there and he loved doing it.  I'm not going to lie, it makes it really hard not seeing him and being alone with the kids all weekend.  I know that it won't always be this lonely and hard, but it is a little difficult at times. We miss him!  But we know good things take sacrifices and we do what we need to do to make our dreams come true.  I want to remember these feelings so when I am in our new home and I feel like maybe I don't deserve such a beautiful thing, I will recall how hard we worked as a team to get there.

Country Livin!

So peaceful...

I couldn't believe that we were standing where one day our big new home will be!!

I'm able to remind myself that when I believe in my dreams, work hard and make sacrifices, good stuff happens!!   My Keep of the Day. 

And because I'm a dork, this song is stuck on my head whenever I think about our home being built!!

Saturday Brooke had dance class; these girls are so cute!

Kids and I had a pizza party after dance.  He can't have the cheese because of his dairy issues, but I just take that off and slice up the pizza.  He ate like 3 slices, minus the crust!

She loves her pepperoni.

I finally uploaded the day we got dumped on by some snow! I think it was February 16th. Rumor has it there are 2 storms left this winter.  One is coming Wednesday, but it only looks like 6 inches, so nothing crazy like this day was.

Happy Monday!  Stay beautiful friends xox

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Hey Hey Hey!! It's Happy Hump Day!

Is anyone else loving 2016? I am feeling, I mean f-e-e-l-i-n-g it!  I know it's the start of Mercury Retrograde, but that ish can just go away!  I mean, really...I cannot express to you how much I've accomplished this year! Haha

For starters? I got my first workout in for the New Year on Saturday.  Good old JM never disappoints.  Felt that one the next day--yahoo!



Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the "Someday" mode.  Like, someday we will be living in our new home and I will have a baller closet. I said it.  I really love fashion and love getting ready to go out, and right now I have an itty bitty space to work with.  I really went through and got rid of things that no longer fit right or that just don't make me happy.



It makes me happy to see things neatly organized and almost 'styled' and a girl's gotta do what  girl's gotta do! It also will help me get ready each day because it was a disaster in here.  Everything falls out and it was not good.  Now? I can get ready and accessorize accordingly!



Speaking of accessories, like the black keeper & gold keys? Me too. Hop on over to the Bachelor Mystery Hostess Social and scoop yourself up some KEEP!  Want to save? I am currently booking February socials--holla at cha girl! Seriously, these are so much fun. I missed, I mean MISSED girl time and not having a constant sitter or grandparents to constantly watch the babes makes getting out of the house really hard.   My dot dollars ended yesterday and I may have had to scoop up the city slim clutch.  #justsayin

Enter in a Facebook party = SUCCEEDING.  (See what I did there? I am using my 2016 word!)  I keep telling myself each day, okay what can I do to SUCCEED...you guys, it's working.  I can't believe it, but I know that it should because I am setting my intentions each day.

I am not beating myself up if I don't workout 7 days a week. Or if I eat a cookie. Or pasta.  I just keep going with the flow and doing what feels right.  Some days I snuggle my babies harder than others; sometimes we stay in our jammies and play with Pawtrol (that's how Brooke says it!) for hours and push trucks around!

The result? I'm not stressed. I am not rushed. I am not feeling guilty.  I know that my kids are getting the best upbringing possible; we have our independent play times and we have our family time.  I work in my biz where I can, but I will always be a mommy & wifey first.

Example here: Nap time.  Healthy snack. Water. Time to work/write.  #zen

I put myself on a blogging schedule. I want to blog every day.  But I just can't. I have other things I want to do and don't always know what to talk about. So, I have put myself on a M/W/F schedule.  Let's see how it goes!

I am loving this soup! My step mom gave me the recipe, which is sooooo easy. You just dump a bunch of cans into your slow cooker, taco seasoning (I was out so I just used my spices and made my own!)  Add 3 chicken breasts on top and push under = YUM

I wish you could smell this right now.

I also cleared my bookshelf of books that did not make me happy to look at (or I never read them) and made a pile to donate.  I put away the books that I grab often, (baby, toddler, mama, fashion, cooking) and cleared the top off and added the new canvas I got for hubs.

I am loving these two cookbooks! I have a PW Skillet Lasagna on the menu for this week; I will let you know how that goes.  It will most likely be awesome!  I really want to sit down and read them; they're beautiful!  Thanks again Tricia!

And lastly, I am still loving my rose gold planner, {it's perfect for scheduling all of my KEEP Socials!} but I also love my mug from my #bff.  For Christmas we did a "Starbucks Mug Swap."  Literally, we sent the same mug to one another. #twinning

What are you ladies loving in 2016?!

Father's Day

As I sit and finalize this post, I just have to comment how warm and nice it is! I can hear the PE class out back (we live near a high school) and they must be doing the mini ropes course.  Pretty soon we won't hear anything, as school will be out.  But I remember the moments between now and then; the longing to be on vacation, while finalizing another in the books.  

But now my days consist of playing with blocks, choo-choo, wiping dirty hands, singing nursery rhymes, and cleaning up the endless random toys and things strewn about my house.  Right now it's the bucket of K-cups she found in the cupboard.

I love it.

Anyway…my post for today.

Father's Day is a little tricky.  

It's the "last day" of the tent sale shenans, and basically Joe gets up super early to go move cars and put his store office back together.  I would much prefer wake up and make a lazy breakfast, full of applewood smoked bacon, muffins, sausage, eggs and blueberry pancakes, but that will just have to be for another random Sunday. 

For now?  We get all of Joe's gifts and cards ready and impatiently wait for him to return.  

This year it was a pair of Under Armor shorts [similar to the pair Brooke got him last year] some big league chew, and a homemade desk calendar I did on Snapfish.  

Oh, and baby #2 got him a picture frame to be properly displayed in the home!

To say he liked the calendar, is an understatement.  I try to match up the pictures from the previous year (or two) and it's just a cool reflection of how big Brooke's gotten and some wonderful memories that were made.

The silly burger card? Brooke picked that out all by herself!!

She wrote on the envelope.

And diligently signed her card.

Little miss decides to start doing cute poses for the camera! "Cheese", as she shovels cheese in her mouth!

After the unveiling of the gifts, Joe really wanted to go checkout the latest fixer upper that is ready to be rented out!  My man just loves to work, and it was "his day" so off we went.

Prior to leaving, I made sure to say, "Brooke and I will need to eat within the hour, as it's around noon. Should I make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?"

"No, no we will just grab a bite."

"OK."

3 1/2 hours later…

I tell myself and my mother in law, next time I will make the damn sandwiches!! I was so hungry and Brooke missed her nap, but we made it through the day.

I vowed not to bitch, since it was Father's Day, but I know better than to not eat a meal or bring one along!!

Some shots of the rental.

I think it has a lot of potential and tons of charm.

My father in law and brother in law did a lot of the work and they did so great!

It's so awesome to see a complete dump turn into a cute home for a new family to rent.


Snacking on the last bits of treats I brought…

Monkey See Monkey Do.

I'm not sure if we have ever all been together on Father's Day, so it was nice to see everyone.

Oh yeah, do you see what I see?  My belly is already huge. ::: cue the next long 30 weeks of, "Oh wow you're gonna have a big baby!" Yes, it's already been said to me, and yes I am going to give birth to a big baby.

My belly just loves to grow, what can I say? C'est la vie.

Joe's eyes are shut for most of the photos, and Brooke lasted only a few...

Brooke and Grandma: Belly button!

She's starting to imitate what we do, so that was pretty cute.

We ran for burgers for a late lunch, came home and tried relax a bit.  It was almost weird having Joe home, as it's been so long since he's been here in day light!  

While it wasn't picturesque, it was perfect for us.  Seeing him at all, even if for only part of the day, was worth it.   I won't lie; I look forward to some lazy summer Sundays head though!  I see beach trips, walks in the park, and lounging on our back deck in our future.