Life Lately

Happy First Monday of 2016! While I enjoyed every minute of the holidays with my family I am so ready to get back in a routine!  I had lots of down time and feel refreshed and ready to get organized and tackle the New Year!

For Christmas my sister gave me a new yoga mat and the large size S'well bottle.  I have been enjoying both.  My old yoga mat sucked.  It was old and worn out and offered no traction, so far I am loving this one.  I especially love the cool pattern.

Yoga Mat | S'well Bottle

I definitely gained a few pounds over the holidays so I have been trying to get back on track with my healthy eating.  I made my favorite Chopped Greek Salad last week.  If you assemble it like this is lasts longer and doesn't get soggy.

I mentioned before but sister had her second baby last week.  They named him Rutledge and I have been loving all the sweet pictures of him.  We are going to try and head home next weekend to meet him! I love newborn snuggles.

After so many days of rain the sun finally came out last week for a few days.  The kids and I enjoyed some time near the water.  We were all needing some Vitamin D.

We had some friends in town visiting from New York and went out for dinner and drinks.We ate at The grocery, still one of my favorite restaurants in town.

Rebecca Taylor Blouse | T. Marie Earrings | Jeans | Pumps | TB Purse

The kids were so excited about New Year's Eve this year.  Normally we stay in and celebrate with them but this year we actually made plans.  I bought a bunch of fun hats and sparkling cider and let them enjoy it with us before we went out:)

We went out to dinner with two other couples for New Year's Eve and had so much fun!  A fun tradition I hope we keep up!

I wore my Equipment Leopard Dress + Julie Vos Necklace

New Year's day it was rainy and dreary so we just relaxed all day.  We did enjoy the standard New Year meal of collard greens, black eyed peas, mac and cheese and Ina Garten's Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread.  This Cornbread is seriously amazing.

I have been living in this sweater lately.  I love the fun print and it is currently on sale 40% making it only $40. It is super cute with leggings and a tee or jeans.

Sizing wise it runs TTS.  I am wearing a small.

Sun and Shadow Cardigan

We burned our Christmas Tree.  It is a very redneck tradition that our kids love.

Made the easiest appetizer ever.  3 ingredients : Dates + Gruyere + Bacon.  Stuff the dates with the cheese and wrap with bacon and bake at 350 degrees about 10-15 minutes until cheese melts and bacon is crispy.

Lily Lovers don't miss out the Lily sale starts today!  

You can shop HERE.  

I am loving so many of the little girl outfits and their Resort Wear.

Here is to a great first week in 2016!

Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016

The older we get the quicker the years seem to fly by.  I feel like it was just yesterday that I was in the hospital having Sterling and Frances Moon and they are now 2 and almost 6!! I turned 35 this year and I remember when that seemed so old to me.  40 is creeping up but I am embracing getting older.  I have gained so much more confidence the older I have gotten and I care less about the unimportant things in life. Each year I learn more about myself and strive to be a better version of me.

2015 was good to us in many ways.  We lost our dear dog Nelson, but gained Rodney who feels like he has always been a part of our family.  We could not have asked for a better rescue dog.  Sterling started kindergarten which was probably my biggest concern this year but he is thriving and loves it.  It is amazing to me how much they learn in kindergarten! He can read so many words now, count over 100 and even do some easy Math.  Frances has really come into her own and her little personality is starting to show.  We have nicknamed her Fiesty Frances because of her attitude:) She is growing up so quickly and I just want to slow down time a little bit.  We did some fun house projects to our house and can't wait to do even more updates next year. 

 I got to travel more than I usually do this past year to Dallas, New York, St Maarten, and Palmetto Bluff and enjoyed every minute of those trips.  I gained a new nephew yesterday,  just in time for the New Year.  My heart fills so incredibly full.

I am especially thankful for these two and Matt.  They are my everything.

 I have had so many incredible opportunities with my blog this past year.  Helping to design a purse with Gigi New York was such a dream come true and a big highlight of 2015.  I also worked with so many other amazing companies.  I am thankful everyday for the opportunities this blog has brought to me.  I get to do a job that I love and work from home and I feel so fortunate for that.

I also want to thank all of you who read this blog.  I remember when I started it 5 years ago I figured just my family and close friends would read it, so I am incredibly thankful to all you out there who read my blog and have helped it grow.  I love when people come up to me in person and tell me they read my blog- that really makes my day!!  So thank you to all of you who have stopped me to say hello:)  My blog is such a bright spot in my life and I feel so lucky to be able to write this blog and connect with so many wonderful and inspiring people.

At the end of each year I like to compile a list of things I want to do.  Not necessarily resolutions but goals for that New Year.  I love the idea of a fresh start and get so inspired at the start of the New Year.

Here is my list for 2016:

Travel more, even if it is just a weekend getaway.

Volunteer my time.  Now that the kids are getting older I want them to see how important it is to serve and help others.

Exercise consistently.  This is going to be my year to really get in shape and tone up.

Try more new recipes out.  Nothing inspires me more than cooking.

Eat more real food and less processed foods.  I also want to keep eating less meat.  

Be kind to everyone and less judgmental.

Update our family room.  We spend so much time in that room, I want to brighten it up like our dining room.

Get organized with my pictures and the kid's art.  I want to upload their art into the digital books and print more photos to put in albums.

Tell my family that I love them more often.

Do more small acts of kindness, even if it is a simple hand written note.

Be more present and put my phone away more.

Read more books.

Drink more water.

Be Thankful. 

I wish each and everyone of you a Happy New Year!  

The kids are especially excited this year we bought them fun hats and apple cider that they already got into this afternoon:)  I hope your New Year is as fun as theirs.

Here is to 2016 being a fabulous year!

Favorite Healthy Recipes of 2015

With 2015 drawing to an end it has me thinking about New Year's and getting back on track after the indulgent holidays.  I love to start the New Year with fresh healthy foods.  Today I wanted to share a few of my favorite healthy recipes from this past year.  Cleary,  I love a good salad!  You can expect lots more healthy recipes to come in 2016!   Just click on the recipe name to take you to the actual recipe.

Bon Appetit!

T H E  P E R F E C T  N I C O I S E  S A L A D

M E D I T E R R E A N  O R Z O  S A L A D

A S I A N  C O B B  S A L A D

 B R O W N   R I C E  S U S H I  B O W L S 

T R O P I C A L  G R A N O L A 

V E G E T A B L E  C H O P P E D  S A L A D + J A L A P E N O  V I N I A G R E T T E 

S T U F F E D  S P A G H E T T I  S Q U A S H

 A S I A N   S A L A D  W I T H  R O A S T E D  S H R I M P

L O A D E D  V E G G I E  C O U S C O U S

S O U T H E R N  C O B B  S A L A D  W I T H  H O M E M A D E  R A N C H

B R O C C O L I + G O U D A  S T U F F E D  M U S H R O O M S

C R U N C H Y  T H A I  S A L A D  + S P I C Y  P E A N U T  B U T T E R  D R E S S I N G

S T U F F E D  A C O R N  S Q U A S H

C H O P P E D  F A L L  H A R V E S T  S A L A D

B R O W N  R I C E   V E G G I E  B O W L S + L E M O N  T A H I N I  D R E S S I N G

K A L E  +  C H I C K P E A  C A P R E S E   S A L A D

K A L E + B R U S S E L S  S P R O U T S  + C U R R I E D  A L M O N D S

T H E  U L T I M A T E  V E G G I E  S A N D W I C H

Style Files | Vol 1 Watercolors

I have not posted many outfit pictures lately besides selfies and for the New Year I want to start sharing more outfits.  One of my favorite things about reading other people's blogs is seeing how they style their outfits.  It brings me a lot of inspiration.  We all have different personal styles and it is fun to see how outfits actually look on.

BCBG Dress | Hammit Purse c/o | Vince Pumps 50% off

A few weeks ago Hammitt, a purse line, reached out to me and asked if I wanted to review a purse from their line.  I was excited because I don't own a Hammitt purse.  I had seen them carried at a few local stores like Finicky Filly and really loved the look.   They are known for their use of studs or grommets on their purses.  They have almost an industrial feel which I really like.

I went with a cross body style and I love this style because it has so much room inside! 

It is a great everyday purse and also great if you are traveling because you can fold it or roll it for packing purposes.  I carried mine all week while I was home.

 I am carrying the Andrew Crossbody.  It comes in about 8 different colors.  I have the Cappuccino color combo.  I also really like this brown color.  The leather on mine has some fading and color variation and this one is more of an even tone.

I fell in love with this BCBG Dress because of the print.  I thought the colors were gorgeous.  It reminded me of an abstract painting.  Sizing wise it runs TTS.  It is a looser fitting dress which I like.   I am wearing a size small.  I also really like the collar and sleeve details.

The same print also comes in a gorgeous blouse version.

and don't miss out Shopbop is offering extra 25% off all sale items with code EXTRAEXTRA.

The same style dress I am wearing is onsale in this pattern, plus the extra 25% off.

BCBG Maris Dress

Other favorites on sale right now at Shopbop.