Tuesday, July 10, 2018

I love white in the spring and summer!  Actually, I usually don’t start wearing white until Memorial Day because I guess I’m old school.  And, I’ve worn so much white by Labor Day that I’m done, so I don’t wear it much after Labor Day, either.   Those rules don’t really apply anymore I’ve heard, so you do you.  One fall I wore white jeans with brown riding boots, but it didn’t feel right to me. Anyway, no judgement if if does feel right to you!  

For some reason, I don’t have a lot of white tops.  I have lots of white bottoms, however.  I have:

1 pair of white linen wide legged pants (Old Navy) Old Navy is a great place for white because it won’t break the bank.

1 white skort (Kohl’s Chaps brand)

1 pair of white linen shorts (Old Navy)

1 pair of white denim cut off shorts (Target’s Universal Thread)*I love Target’s Universal Thread line.  It has a Madewell vibe.  

1 pair of white distressed jeans (American Eagle) I love AE jeans.  You may have to order online if you need short like me.  

1 pair of non distressed jeans that I frayed the bottom of myself.  Check it out here.  (Old Navy)*

*New this season.  Everything else is at least a year old.  

I find that white works well for my summer color palette in my closet.  It looks great with yellow, navy, orange, black, things with white stripes, and the list goes on.  Check out my post on summer staples here.  Check out my summer outfit ideas post here.  

Here I am in the cut off shorts.  

Here I am in the skort.  It looks like a skirt but has shorts underneath.  It’s like a spork – a spoon and a fork. 

I am the proud mom of teenage twin boys.  There were many years when I didn’t wear white!  Maybe like ages 0-8?  Ha!  If you are currently in the baby, toddler, preschooler, messy early elementary age with your kids you may not want to own many white pieces.  You could maybe have a pair of jeans to wear out to dinner when you have a sitter.  Just know that your day to wear white will come.  

Here are my tips for wearing white:

-Do not put white on until you are totally ready.  Do your hair and makeup in something else.

-Do not cook in white.

-Do not wear white when it’s raining.  I almost always wear black pants when it’s raining because even when it stops, those puddles will get you.  

-Wash your hands before you put the white item on.

-Avoid touching your pants or putting hands in pockets.  

-Ahem – Don’t wear white when Aunt Flo comes to town.  I hope you understand this euphemism.

-Don’t wear white when you will be sitting on benches, bleachers, etc. 

O.k. – I know that sounds like lots of rules.  In the end, you just have to go for it and maybe carry a Tide pen or a Clorox pen.  I’m wild and don’t carry either.  Just live your life in white and when you get home there’s always Oxiclean.  (not sponsored by Tide, Clorox, or Oxiclean.)

Amy 

P.S.S. – Get out to the sales!  It’s time to get summer clothes for a song!  

Monday, July 9, 2018

What a fun and full summer weekend!  I’m linking up with My Glittery Heart, Lindsay’s Sweet World, and The Sirois Family.

Friday I spent the day with Pia (she is our 17 year old German cousin) scooping up swimsuit deals.  She bought 3 bikini tops and 2 bikini bottoms – mismatched – for $40 total for all of them!  We scored some great deals, I think.  One pair of bottoms came from Old Navy, but the rest came from Target.  We also looked at Kohl’s and didn’t find anytthing for her there.  If you still need suits, they are starting to get picked over!  

After all of the intense shopping and trying on, we needed a nap.  I like to take a nap in the summer around 2 and then have a coffee around 3.  It’s a nice little routine, I think.  I do have a caffeinated coffee and it doesn’t seem to affect my 10 pm bedtime.  For the first week Pia stayed with my SIL who lives in town but it was time for the switch to our house.  I took her there to have a little nap and pack and then we all picked her up at 7 and took her to Mellow Mushroom.  This was her first pizza in the U.S.  She wanted the chicken barbeque pizza and really liked it.  She is not picky at all and has liked everything we have fed her.

Note that  she is wearing her $8 Old Navy dress from last week’s shopping trip below with one of my sons.  

My husband thought we should order these pretzel bites because she is German and from the birthplace of the pretzel.  They were good but didn’t taste like pretzels in my opinion.  We couldn’t get enough of the beer cheese dipping sauce.  

One of the pizzas we ordered was the Holy Shitake – so good!  Do you all have a Mellow Mushroom?

Saturday was the day to pick up my other son from debate camp.  My sister’s family boats about 10 minutes away from his camp so we got to do the full day of boating I talked about last week and in my summer bucket list.  The lake is huge and beautiful and we swam almost the whole time before the kids and my husband went tubing.  My nieces and nephews bonded with Pia (different side of the family so this was their first time meeting) and the sweet girl below especially enjoyed the attention of a 17 year old girl.  

Tubing!  There were so many boats out on this lake.  I might add that the weather was pure perfection.  I think it was 82 degrees.  We were a little chilly in the morning.  

I wasn’t ready to leave but my son was anxious to get home after being gone and our dog was waiting.  We had a 2 hour drive home.  When we arrived back in town, we picked up Taco Bell and Chick Fil A to take home. Let me explain:  Pia requested trying Taco Bell and Chick Fil A was right next to it and she had only tried CFA’s breakfast.  So, it had to be done.  She loved both!

I introduced her to Gilmore Girls and she was hooked, so we watched 3 episodes before bed.  The sun and water took it out of me!

Sunday morning was sleep in day.  All of us needed it.  I still got up pretty early and had my coffee on the patio then started dishes, laundry, baked a coffee cake, and ran to Trader’s for some meals and breakfast foods.  Pia slept until 11!

Everyone ate breakfast and we just were chatting about the day’s plans and the fact that we were going to a baseball game at 6.  We looked for tickets and found out it was actually at 2!  So, off we went.  We got seats in the shade and it was perfect.  It was a very “American” experience for Pia!

We stayed for the entire game because everyone was comfortable and enjoyed it!  We came home and grilled and ate on the patio.  

We had chicken, sausage, broccoli, potatos, salad, and bread.  

After dinner we went down to the marina to sit on friends’ boat and visit for a bit.  This is a new boat and so we hadn’t done this yet.  

I hope you all had a great weekend, too!  Thanks for reading and leave me a comment!

Amy 

Friday, July 6, 2018

What a weird week with the 4th on a Wednesday, no?  Well, not too weird for me because I’m off all summer! But, it was weird for the people I spent it with because they had to be ready for work the next day!

Favorite #1)

Air Conditioning and boats with AC!

O.k.,  we were not really looking forward to the 4th because we had an extreme heat advisory and all of the plans are outside!  We wanted to show our German cousin Pia a great celebration, too.  But, we were invited to go out on a boat with AC!  And the angels sang!  It didn’t feel bad when the boat was moving or when you were in the shade or in the water.  I did have to go in to the AC a few times and maybe it was a mental thing to know it was available, you know?  

Favorite #2)  

Holiday Foods!

We had some red, white, and blue lunch picnic foods on the boat and I attempted this layered drink below.  The secret is highest sugar content on bottom so this was cranberry juice, sprite, and then Gatorade G2 blue.  I don’t think the sprite worked.  I have done it before with Sobe juice I think as the white layer.  Still it was pretty cool!

We boated until about 4:30 then went to my SIL’s house for dinner.  I brought red, white, and blue fruit pizza.  I gave the recipe here and you can do mandarin oranges and strawberries or really any fruit.  It’s a crowd pleaser.  We left by 7:30 but Pia was going to go out to the fireworks with teenagers. 

Favorite #3)  

Natural hair and makeup!

You know what my routine is right now?  It’s basically nothing.  I take a shower and keep my hair wet to stay cool and put no makeup on.  I’m saving money by not wasting makeup that will melt off, you know?  You have to look for the upside to the heat, right?  

Favorite #4)  

Hair product

I love my hair sylist, but I’m taking a little summer break from highlighting my hair.  I found this product and have sprayed it mainly at my roots and I really like it.  It smells nice, too.  

Favorite #5)  

New to me Self – Tanner

My friend H told me this was her favorite tanner and I thought I had already found mine.  This is cheaper at 6.99 and it’s my new favorite.  Check out my self tanning post from quite awhile ago here.  I really don’t feel the need to sit in the sun anymore and this gives me just the right amount of color.  I love this stuff.  

Favorite #6)

New blog friends, link ups, and just blogging in general!

You all, I am having so much fun blogging here.  I read blogs for years and thought I could never do it myself.  Thank you for reading and I’m so excited to have some new fellow bloggers that have commented on my posts and been so nice to me.  Please check out my new friends!

Kellyann at This Blonde’s Shopping Bag

Joanne at Europafox

Shannon at Slay it Again Shan

Jenna at Tractors and Glam

Because I have some new readers, I want to direct you to some summer posts you may have missed.  (Note: I’m trying to provide content that I would like to read myself  and that reflects my interests.  Those are mainly product recommendations, books, tv, movies, fashion, beauty, frugality, cooking, entertaining, boating, among others.  Please don’t hesitate to let me know in the comments what you want me to talk about!)

If you:

want to read my post on swim cover ups go here

need ideas for entertaining your kids on a budget go here

need ideas on kids’ clothing go here

need motivation to invite people to your home this summer go here

I post Monday – Friday at 4:00 a.m.  I am definitely not up that early, but I schedule it for that time to help my early riser readers.  Monday is Hello Monday where I recap the weekend, Tuesday is a Tuesday Tip, Wednesday is What I Wore, Thursday is Thursday Thoughts, and Friday is Friday Favorites.

Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for visiting!

Amy 

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Happy Independence Day!

If you need outfit ideas, go here!

If you need easy recipe ideas to take to a cookout or to host a cookout, go here and scroll to bottom!

Since I don’t have enough outfits to make a post for “What I Wore Wednesday” I thought I would change it up this week and tell you where I’ve been this week and where I’m planning to shop sales! 

Monday I did my usual morning routine and then left to run some errands. I had a blouse to pick up from the tailor. Do you have a tailor? I think it’s so important to mend clothes or get them out of your closet.

Then I went to meet my niece and Pia, the 17 year old German cousin,  for lunch at Zoe’s Kitchen. Do you have one near you? I ordered a Mediterranean trio bowl and it was delish! See below!

After lunch, we ventured in 3 stores. I didn’t buy anything but Pia found a shirt, a necklace, and hair things.  She is really finding some good bargains!

I left to pick up my Kroger Clicklist grocery order.  Moneysavingmom.com has been posting her Kroger deals and her free Friday downloads so I finally figured out some couponing while doing my online order.  I saved $23!  After my son and I did the unloading and putting away of all the things, I rested for a bit while watching a new to me Netflix original called “Love”. It is full of bad stuff for non-adults, so beware. Netflix is cranking stuff out like crazy and it’s pretty good! Check out the movies Kissing Booth and Set it Up. Have you watched anything lately? I watch one episode of The Office before bed because I’m just so charmed by it.

I taught my Spanish lesson to the young couple and then made spaghetti, zucchini, and bread for dinner. We feel weird with my one son at camp. The other son will have to do all the chores!

Monday night I binged on more Love, the Netflix original and then texted with son at camp when he was able.

Tuesday I did usual am routine but watched some of my DVRed Bachelorette. It’s so bad but I can’t stop – especially in the summer!

Then, my son and I picked up Pia for her first experience of a Chick Fil A breakfast eaten in the car while driving like a true American.  Ha!  She had chicken minis and hashbrowns and an iced coffee and loved it!  Then I picked up friend’s son and then went to my other friend’s house where she and her daughter were waiting.  We did a nice little nature trail.  

Then we swam in her pool to cool off.  I swam, too, and participated in some pool games.  We ordered sandwiches from Which Wich.  Note:  We don’t eat out this much normally.  During the school year, it is pretty rare but in the summer a little bit more, but not like this.  I just say “yes” more to fun and opportunities in the summer and that means being out and doing things!

We had a great day and then I did cook dinner at home for the 3 of us.  Pia is staying at my niece’s house this week.  

Are you a fan of Southern Charm on Bravo?  I am!  I love most things Bravo!  I saw these black framed and black aviators on adorable Cameran and wanted them badly but didn’t want to pay.  Imagine my surprise when my husband showed me he owns these exact glasses!  They’re mine now!  (Insert evil laugh here!)  I love sunglasses and I like to mix it up and not always wear the same ones.  

Is she also wearing lightweight leather earrings?  

4th of July sales:  O.k., people it’s time to lace up those shoes.  I’m only going to say this once.  (I will probably say it again, but you know..)  It is time to get the last of your summer wardrobe because the fall stuff is already in many stores.  It is definitely time to get a new bathing suit or anything beach or pool related because that will be gone soon.  Do you need some more summer clothing for a July or August trip?  In my part of the country, we can wear summer clothes or some summer clothes through October.  

Please make a list of what you need and don’t buy things just because they are cheap.  Here are some sales I plan to check out or I have already checked out:

American Eagle 60% off – Ladies of a certain age, you can still wear many of their things.  The quality is really good.  They have a bit of an Anthropologie vibe for way less money.

Gap 60% off sale and 40% off entire store

Loft 50% off

Old Navy up to 60% off – I’m not fooled by their “up to” language, but I will say they had some good deals when I visited a few days ago.  

Target 20% off swim

Don’t forget:  Your consignment stores are also trying to move summer merchandise to make room for fall things.  One of my consignment stores will have everything at least 25% off and up to 75% off.

If you are a Louisville local:  Clothes Mentor, Sassy Fox, Dunc’s, and Slugger Kids are my fave consignment stores.  

My Thoughts on Nordstrom Anniversary Sale:

This may surprise you but I’m not a big fan.  In case you don’t know, this is a sale for selected fall and winter items.  If there is something you absolutely love and know you will wear, it might be a good thing for you.   This year as I looked at the online catalog (Just go to Nordstrom.com and click “anniversary sale” tab), I didn’t fall in love with any items.  I went a bit crazy one year but ended up returning a few things.  I am really not ready to think about fall stuff yet, so I shopped like a drunkard. When a new season is approaching, I like to carefully inventory my “old friends” and see what holes are in my closet.  This is the time to purge any item that doesn’t feel like a long lost friend, too.  

Last but not least, are you an Amazon Primer?  Prime Day sounds pretty good, but again, make a list of what you need and see if their deals match up.  Do you have birthdays coming up?  Please don’t tell me you’re so organized that you are ready to shop for Christmas gifts!  It will soon be time to think of school supplies, dorm room necessities, and things of that nature.  Maybe Prime Day will help you out there.  If you aren’t an Amazon Primer, why not?  Amazon Instant Video, Amazon Music, and free shipping are where it’s at.  Even my most frugal friend is one!  

O.k, if you stuck with me for that long, thanks for reading!  

What sales will you hit up?  Any deals I should know about?  Got any 4th of July recipes?  (I will still have to go to the store this morning!) Any Netflix or Amazon Instant recommendations?  

Amy

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Did you see my 4th of July ideas yesterday?  If you didn’t, head here before you go to the grocery today to get ready for your celebration tomorrow.  I hope I have some ideas you can use!

O.k., today we’re going to talk about the brand Hue.  The first time I heard about this brand was on the very popular blog Sheaffer Told me To.  She highly recommended Hue leggings in black and charcoal grey.  I happily ordered them from Nordstrom and have worn them for maybe 5 seasons now.  They are still in great shape and they wash and dry perfectly. They have a wide waistband and are just a great product.  

I was in line to check out at DSW when I saw the light denim colored pair below folded up compactly with a Hue label on the wrapper.  It was spring of last year and I was wanting some light denim.  I paid for them (around $28) without trying them on and I loved them.  No one knew I was really wearing leggings, people!  They look like jeans and even have back pockets like jeans.  They are ankle length on me, but I’m sure they are meant to be capri length on non-vertically challenged people.  

Anyhow, I wore the heck out of them during the spring and summer of 2017 and even into the fall.  Winter of 2017 comes around and I am strolling through Macy’s minding my own business when I see a sale rack of Hue jean leggings/jeggings.  I see grey in my size for $18.  Twist my arm.  These came home with me.  It’s surprising how handy grey jeans are in one’s wardrobe.  They look great with black tops, white tops, burgundy tops, etc.

Finally, my third pair came into my life this May.  I was again strolling through Macy’s after finding my beloved Reef flip flops and there the white ones appeared.  My love of white jeans, white shorts, white linen pants, and all things white for summer is well documented on this space.  These were full price but maybe had a little discount at a $25ish price point.  So, now I am the proud owner of three identical pairs of Hue in light “denim”, grey, and white.  I ask people if they like my “jeans” and then I tell them my little secret.  You just pull them on.  I would say they probably run a little bit small and I always have a longer shirt on with them.  They wash and dry well, but I do line dry them because I think it saves on wear and tear.

How about Hue?  Do you own any of these magical pants?  I’m not going to lie – if a black pair comes across my path I will most likely have a 4th pair and I don’t think I will feel badly about it.  I am not really a brand snob, but I like quality and I like things to wash and wear well.  I have a list of favorite brands and Hue is definitely at the top.  Hue, Reef, Birkenstock, Lucky brand shoes, Target’s Universal Thread, American Eagle, and many more.  

Here is an Amazon link for you.  It looks like these have an ankle slit which mine don’t have and they are more expensive – maybe the slit makes them more.  I don’t get anything if you click on this link because I’m a very amateur blogger.  Ha!  If you want to visit a department store, these should be located in the hosiery section.  Let me know what you think!

Amy 

Monday, July 2, 2018

Today I’m linking up with The Blended Blog, as well as recapping my weekend and  helping you prepare for Independence Day! This could be a long one! Grab your coffee and let’s go…

TBB Asks:

1. Unfortunately we can’t work out a vacation this year for various reasons. Maybe we will be able to do a few days or a weekend?

2. I like a balance. My boys are not sit on the beach for a week kind of people, including my husband.  I really like a good mix with some history, some museums, some shopping, as well as a beach.  Any recommendations?  

3. July is the best for us.  

4.  I’ve never been on a cruise!  It’s hard to believe!  

5.  We don’t really have one.  We try to eat the local food and only eat at non-chain restaurants that we don’t have at home.

6.  Germany in 2016!  

7.  I love to pack lightly.  We only did carry on for 2 weeks in Germany, but we did have access to washing machine.

8.  I like them all, really.  They all have pros and cons.  Lately we have done dog friendly houses.  

9.  Seafood and/or the local specialties.

10.  I always seem to pick warm, but we do love Michigan in the summer and northern Germany in the summer.  

This weekend was busy!

Let’s start off with another great consignment store find – the flip flops below for $14.  

I tried a new beer – it is grapefruit flavored and was very refreshing.  We went to a pizza place Thursday night with two other couples – H and H and their husbands.  

My friend J said I needed to stop drinking so much Starbuck’s and “drink” locally so I tried this coconut mocha iceberg.  Yum!  Thanks, J!

We had a crazy time getting our German cousin here!  She finally arrived 24 hours late and we had to take this picture with Colonel Sanders, founder of KFC, in the Louisville airport.  

We dropped off this guy at his debate camp and he couldn’t wait for us to get out the door!  

After drop off, the timing worked out to meet my sister on a beautiful lake nearby and we had a nice boat ride with them.  This little gal is one of my sweet nieces.  

After we got home this sweet niece below brought Pia over for a bit to visit and talk.  She is staying with her the first week and with us the second week. 

 Sunday morning we tried a short boat ride before it got too hot.  After the boat ride I made Hawaiian ham and swiss sliders, quesadillas, chips, and tomato and mozzarella salad.  Then we had to stay in the AC so we took Pia to the mall to get her American shop on.  She scored some major deals at Old Navy – a dress for $8 and a shirt for $10.  She loved Altar’d State and scored some great 40% deals there and finally ended with some flip flops at Macy’s because she doesn’t have any.  She said she doesn’t really need them in northern Germany!  Can you imagine a life without flip flops?  I sure can’t!  I wear them into November usually.  Guess what brand I talked her into – Reef!  

Did you think I could go to all of those stores without buying something?  You’re right, she talked me into this $12 clutch from Old Navy.  I love a clutch to take to dinner.  

What are you doing for the 4th?  Many of us will host or go to a cookout, no?  I still don’t know my plans because so many plans are weather dependent.  Here are some fun ideas that really can’t be called recipes.  Just look around your grocery for inspiration.  I even found a bag of red, white, and blue baby potatoes last year in the produce department!

-blue tortilla chips and red salsa – easy!

Gather some fun plates and napkins – these are from the dollar section of Target.  I also picked up a scavenger hunt card set and a Bingo card set.  You could also make your own.  I may give these cards to my teen nieces to see if they could play with friends and Pia!  Could be fun!

I grabbed some red, white, and blue potato chips at The Fresh Market if you have one in your town.  

I also found the red, white, and blue M&Ms at Target to put in a bowl and also for the pretzel, rolo, M&M things below.

-waffle pretzels with a rolo and red and blue M&Ms – Place your pretzels on a baking sheet and put a rolo on top.  Melt at 350 for 3-5 minutes.   Take out of oven and smush an M&M on top.  Let cool in frig for one hour.

–fruit pizza – unroll 2 packs of crescent rolls and seal perforations so that you make a rectangle on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 8 min. or until golden brown.  Allow to cool.  Spread cream cheese store bought icing on top.  Right before serving place blueberries and strawberries and cut in squares.  

-Cobb salad with blue cheese and red tomatoes as the focal point but also add all of the traditional cobb ingredients.

Have a great week! Leave me your ideas or a comment!

Amy

Thursday, June 28, 2018

On a recent typical summer weekday I decided to add up my “savings”.

Check it out!

7 am – got up and drank two cups of coffee on my patio that I made in my Keurig instead of buying coffees at Starbuck’s

Saved $10

9 am -made myself breakfast at home instead of getting a Starbuck’s sandwich or Chick Fil A minis

Saved $5

10 am -walked and listened to a podcast instead of paying for an exercise class

Saved $15

11- went to see my friend’s new boat and helped her a bit instead of going shopping

Saved anywhere from $20-$100

12- came home and made myself lunch

Saved $10

1 pm -Watched a DVR’ed show instead of going to a movie

Saved $10

Did my nails at home

Saved $30

Read a library book

Saved $10

4 pm- Made myself a cocktail

Saved $10

Cleaned, did laundry

Saved $10 (If I had a cleaning service I guess it would be $50 a week maybe?)

Made dinner for my family

Saved $50

By my calculations I now have at least $180 saved up for a shopping trip!

Go me!

*This post was written tongue in cheek and meant to be humorous. At the same time, I think it illustrates how easy it is to spend money like a drunken sailor when you have time on your hands!  This happened to be a day that I spent $0, but of course, I purchased groceries and gas the day prior.  Hope you enjoyed it!

Amy