Weekly Startup Oct. 28

Happy Monday! If you haven’t already, grab some coffee!! I cannot believe this week is Halloween!! Time. Is. Flying. I’m writing again from my phone because we still haven’t swallowed the pill of getting the MacBook fixed yet. Krew has his first dentist appointment and his one year checkup this week, which both went good, but boy am I glad they’re over. I hate appointments and I really hate having multiple in one week, but hey we knocked em out! The good thing is that we had a pretty laid back weekend over here! Brandon worked Saturday and Sunday morning then we just ran some errands and cleaned up some. Oh, we did do Walmart pickup for the first time Saturday which was awesome and I highly recommend, except my scatterbrained self forgot to add a few things on the list so we had to go in anyways….fail. It was still cool. Side note: if you like spicy things, try the Mikes Hot Honey. Thank me later! We did chicken tacos Saturday night because they’re such a good go to for us to throw in the crockpot and have leftovers! With Halloween being this week, we’re doing another cute little pumpkin craft with Krew tonight and it’s going to be a blast! We found this craft at Target in the dollar section….SCORE! Anywho, let’s jump into this week!!

Some Quotes to Get You Through the Week:

“Bad vibes don’t go with my outfit.” // I just felt like this was perfect to start the week out, keep the bad vibes off, they don’t match your outfit.

“You’re only limit is your mind.” // Come on, this seriously speaks for itself and it speaks volumes. Nothing is holding you back more than a mindset. Change it and make it happen.

“Remember, growing may feel like breaking at first.” // I love this quote because think about it, trees lose their leaves in Winter, to grow back even more beautiful in the Spring. Also, think of animals who shed their fur, then it comes back thicker. When you workout, muscles tear so they can grow. Growing as a person can cause pain and trouble and feel like you’re crumbling when you’re actually becoming stronger. You’ll get through it.

“A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles.” // Holy moly this may be my new favorite quote. This one hits home because seriously, the more grateful you are, don’t you feel a change in your life??? Man, if this doesn’t just make you wanna dance around then I don’t know what does. I just love it.

“Embrace the glorious mess you are.” // I say beautiful chaos all the time because that’s exactly what life is. We all are messy at times, especially us mamas, life is messy. Just embrace the mess, get through it one moment at a time and flaunt it sista.

Random Thoughts and Tips

Y’all know I love layering, especially with the weather finally deciding to get cooler. Well, this means we can also start bringing out our vests! Vests are great for layering, add a flare to any outfit, simple and warm while still looking trendy, you can wear them casual or dressed up, and there are so many options out there! Puffers, fleece, denim, sherpa, reversible, I mean there are all types! And I love a good vest! I actually did a roundup of different ways to style vests yesterday and will launch that blog post tomorrow, so stay tuned!! PLUS, all my clothing items (and Krew’s and Brandon’s sometimes) are all linked in the free LIKEtoKNOW.it app to make for easy shopping!!

Me and Brandon have our Marine Corps Ball coming up soon, and we’ve never been to one in 4 years, so this year its happening!! This will also be our first time going out in such a long time without Krew so my mama heart is gonna be hurting and stressed out…prayers! I’ll be sure to share my dress, shoes, jewelry and all that jazz as it gets closer.

The best piece of advice I’ve been told lately is that people are going to judge you no matter what you do, so do whatever the heck pleases you! Seriously, judged if your hairs dirty, judged if it’s always clean and fixed. Judged for cooking all the time, judged for going out to dinner. Judged if you dress up for Halloween, judged if you don’t. Judged for what you wear and how you wear something. Judged for how you parent, judged for wearing makeup, not wearing makeup. Y’all the list goes on and on. Let’s stop judging and just do what makes each of us happy.

Random tip for holiday season- if you don’t have a calendar or planner (or use your phone) start doing it to map out when you need to have certain gifts by, and it also helps to keep things divided up so it doesn’t stress you out!

Thanksgiving Ideas

• Mashed potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Green beans
• Pumpkin pie
• Turkey
• Ham
• Cabbage
• Brussel sprouts + sweet potatoes on same pan
• Cornbread
• Corn
• Biscuits
• Rice
• Mac and cheese
• Turnip greens
• Potato salad
• Cauliflower/broccoli
• Pinto beans
• Casseroles
• Pasta salad
• Baked beans
• Cranberry sauce
• Cheese board/dips
• Meatballs
• Chicken stew
• Wings
• Sliders
• Tacos
• Pumpkin cake

I freakin love Thanksgiving. I made a huge list (and probably left out some things because it’s 12:32 am) of a bunch of random items that aren’t all traditional Thanksgiving dishes because Thanksgiving to me is about reflecting on what you’re thankful for and enjoying a meal with friends and family. We haven’t decided what we’re cooking yet but boy I am pumped! Let me know if there’s anything specific your family HAS TO HAVE for Thanksgiving!

Sales/Finds

Abercrombie // 40-60% off coats, hoodies, jeans

Aerie // 50% off bras and bralettes + 40% off sweaters

Joe’s New Balance Outlet // great New Balance shoe deals all the time!

Old Navy // 30% off everything code: HURRY

Gap // up to 50% off everything + extra 10% off online code: TREAT

Fabletics // 2 for $24 leggings when signing up

Overstock // great holiday deals

Wayfair // up to 60% off seasonal decor + up to 70% off kitchen items

Toms // free shipping on all orders

Pink Lily // 20% off order code: THANKYOU20

J. Crew // 35% off code: WEARNOW

Target // so many sales and its Target so it’s always a win

Amazon leopard blanket // great price for a great gift!

As always, thanks for reading and hanging out over here! I hope you have a great week and stay spooky for Halloween!! I’m going to make some Halloween-themed snacks today or tomorrow, YUM!

Happy Monday you guys!!

I’m just a mama sending out good vibes for your Monday.

Weekly Startup

Happy Columbus Day and Happy Monday!

Oh Lord y’all last week was one of those weeks. Whew! It started out fast and great with a bang then kind of came to a screeching halt for Thursday and Friday. Anyone else??

Let me give y’all a quick story about how Friday morning started…I walk out of our room at 7:20ish a.m. because Koda (our German shepherd) was full on barking and whining, which is not usual. Brandon takes him out before work so this was odd to start. As soon as I walked out of the room to check on him, the smell knocked me in my face and I knew exactly what I was about to walk downstairs to. Yep, poop ALL over the crate, some on the floor, on him. *cue me scrambling to get him outside, clean up, light every candle in the house, spray all the smell good stuff I have* I was thinking to myself “come on, this is not how Fridays go…” Oh, but my Friday was just getting started.

I laid back down after I got the dog poop situation under control, and then get up and go get Krew out of his crib around 10:00ish a.m. I kid you not when I tell you guys I walked into his room, turned on the light, and there it was…poop ALL over his crib sheet (luckily not on him and I still don’t understand that one). Y’all, I felt like I was getting freakin’ pranked on Friday morning. It was one of those “you’ve got to be kidding me” moments that you literally don’t think will ever happen, oh but they do.

So there was my Friday morning, and all I could do to try to turn the day around was to breathe through it all and literally speak out the parts I was grateful for through anything that happened all day. Plus, we did go to Target Friday night so that helped too. Target always helps.

Saturday we did a grocery run, and our neighborhood had a cookout with tons of food, a fire, kids running around everywhere, and good company for a Fall night. Fun fact: I never thought I’d like to live in a neighborhood, but the experiences we’ve had here with our neighbors have been great and we’ve loved it! I guess that means we should keep an open mind!

Grocery List for the Week

• Mac n cheese for Krew
• Rice Krispie treat stuff (frosted Rice Krispies, mini marshmallows, butter)
• Chimichanga stuff (chicken breasts, tortillas, cheese, salsa)
• Black beans
• Steaks
• Hashbrown casserole stuff (cream of chicken, sour cream, hashbrowns, cheese, onion, butter)
• Blueberries
• Apple cider
• Lunch meat
• Cheese
• Eggs
• Pancakes for Krew
• Pumpkin donut holes
• Chicken breasts
• Steaks
• Bacon
• Green tea
• Diet Pepsi
• Flamin’ Hot Chips
• Crackers
• Avocados
• Feta cheese
• Bread
• Dishwasher powder
• Italian dressing
• Sugar

Nothing fancy about our list, just some meals for the week + odds and ends

**We didn’t know we needed and forgot to get Pam**

Crafts with Krew didn’t happen during the week through all the chaos, but we did get to do a pumpkin one with him this weekend. We did a little pumpkin painting by the fire (with the wood his daddy found today, picked up, and chopped up). We did his handprints more like hand smears on a little white pumpkin, and let me just say that those moments are gold you guys. Even the one when he tried to eat the paint and laughed when mama kept saying “no.” I swear I live for those kind of moments. The ones that can’t be replicated but will always have a replay button in your mind and a special place in your heart.

Some Quotes to Get You Through the Week:

“Be the same person privately, publicly, and personally.” // This quote goes back to one of my favorite lessons I’ve learned. People are going to judge you no matter what you’re doing, so don’t change depending on who you’re around. Be yourself unapologetically and do what makes you happy, around anyone and everyone. Life is way too short to not.

“Direction is more important than speed.” // Life’s not a race y’all, do your best each day and you’ll get where you want to be as long as you’re heading in the right direction. Focus on where you’re going and how you’re going to get there so that you do it right.

“Think of all you are instead of all that you are not.” // GIVE YOURSELF SOME PRAISE, SISTA! You don’t even know all that you are doing because it’s so much easier to focus on the bad over the good. Focus on the good and see how far you’ve come, how great you are, and it’ll show you how far you’re gonna go. You are your worst critic, so put your hair in a ponytail, drink some coffee (or whatever you like), put on whatever music gets you in a good mood, and work it.

“Why be moody when you can shake ya booty.” // This quote just made me smile when I read it so, here it is! I so desperately needed this quote yesterday because I wasn’t feeling too hot and it made me pretty moody. I definitely should’ve just shook my booty instead. Sorry for the mood, hubs!

“Creep it real.” // In the spirit of Halloween coming up, I had to share this one. It was too corny and funny.

Random Thoughts and Tips

Alright you guys, I don’t care what you’re doing right now. Stop whatever it is, turn on some worship music, and clear your head. Trust me now and thank me later. This always brings me back whenever I’m upset, stressed, whatever the case may be. It works wonders. Next on the random tips is to drink your water. We’re supposed to drink AT LEAST half of our body weight in ounces each day. (Example: if you weigh 120 lbs. you should drink at least 60 oz. of water daily). Drink your water, it helps your skin, helps hair grow, keeps bloat down, flushes out sodium and toxins, and keeps energy levels up.

So Fall is really here now weather-wise and that means we can actually bring out our vests, flannels, boots, and scarves without getting called crazy! One of my favorite things to do in Fall is layer layer layer my outfits. I layer thermals or henley tops under flannels, then maybe a jean jacket or cargo jacket on top of that. Sometimes I’ll do a longer white t-shirt that has some length on the back underneath shorter sweaters/sweatshirts too. Another way I like to layer is a plain sweater, a printed shirt or plaid flannel, then a vest on top. Putting a print between two solid colors is the key to keeping layers look put together (and keep you warm as heck.)

Here comes my “mom hack” that isn’t that groundbreaking for the week but it honestly helps me and may help at least one other person! I always shower for the day right when Krew goes down for a nap (unless I want to shower at night) and then I let my hair air dry while I do my makeup, and clean or do laundry or whatever house work I need to do. When I do this, my hair is almost dry by the time I’m done with whatever else I need to do so I can either style from there or pop it in a bun or a hat, which is almost always. #noshame

I have a question for you guys this week! Are you Christmas shopping yet or waiting a little longer?? We’ve started a little bit and we’re hoping to spread it out so it doesn’t all add up right before Christmas…fingers crossed! But, if you are shopping or are about to start or whenever you start, feel free to reach out and let me know if you need/want help searching for anything specific. My favorite part about blogging is getting to communicate and interact with y’all and I’d love to help in any way I can!

Potato Soup Recipe

This recipe has been much requested and it’s so perfect for this time of year! It’s my sister’s recipe and it is so simple and yummy! Here we go:

• 5 lb. bag Yukon gold potatoes
• 2 chicken broths (32 oz. containers)
• 1 white onion
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 lb. bacon
• 1 bunch green onions (scallions)
• 2 bags of sharp cheddar cheese
• Sour cream
• Milk
• Salt and pepper
• Bread (we use a loaf of Italian bread)
• Butter, Parmesan, garlic salt, parsley (bread toppings) **optional**
• Corn starch **you may or may not need this**

How to Make it:

• Peel, wash, chop potatoes into small pieces.
• Peel and finely chop whole onion. Chop green onions and put them aside or in fridge.
• Put finely chopped onion, potatoes, and chicken broth into a pot with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil until potatoes are tender. (This doesn’t take too long so don’t forget about them.)
• While potatoes boil, cook and shred about bacon.
• Once potatoes are tender, remove from heat. Add heavy cream, 1 bag of cheese, and half of broken bacon bits. Stir together.
• Return to heat on low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes or until thick enough. Salt and pepper to taste.
• If not thick enough, mix 1 tsp. of corn starch and tiny bit of milk to make a paste. Pour into soup and it will thicken it. If soup is too thick, add milk.
• For the bread, lay bread on a pan, butter, garlic salt, Parmesan, parsley, and toast for a few minutes in the over or toaster oven.
• Use scallions, sour cream, cheese, and bacon to top soup when serving.
• Enjoy!!

If you make this, let me know how it turns out! I hope you love it as much as we do!

Quick Workout

• 10 lunges per leg
• 20 squats (squeeze your booty)
• 10 pushups
• 50 jumping jacks
• 25 crunchy frogs for abs
• 30 second – 1 minute plank

Repeat 3x

Sales/Finds

American Eagle & Aerie // up to 60% off everything , 40% off all tops , 40% off all Aerie leggings + free shipping on orders over $50

GAP // 40% off everything + extra 10% off everything CODE: WARMUP (some exclusions)

JCPenney // buy 1 pair of boots, get 2 FREE pairs of boots

Abercrombie // up to 60% off everything

Amazon beauty blenders // great gift for sister, cousins, friends available here

Makeup bag // great gift + you can fill it with goodies available here

Cozy Sherpa pullover // say no more, this gift is a cozy win! Available here

Traveler mug // everyone loves a good cup, and this one is super cute, great reviews, and good price point available here

Honest mascara // I had to include my favorite mascara because it’d be a great stocker/bag stuffer available here

Tarte // 19% off sitewide CODE: 19BDAY (free gift with Tarte shape tape)

Express // up to 50% off everything (faux leather leggings are a must!)

Mondays are for fresh starts. Crush it today.

I’m just a mama sending out good vibes for your Monday.