Last Minute Gift Ideas

Are you finished with your shopping, or do you still have a few last minute gifts/ stocking stuffers to buy? If you fall into that second category, I’ve got you covered! And if family members are still asking you for some ideas of things you would like, I’ve got some great ideas for you today too!

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Christmas is going to look pretty different for us this year considering I am 39 weeks today, and we are not doing any traveling. Except to the hospital in Memphis when this baby boy decides to make his appearance. The gifts Parker has gotten me are currently sitting under the tree unwrapped. I started that trend though because the gift he asked for was too big and heavy for me to lift and wrap at this point, so it’s not wrapped either. I have no excuse for the cookbooks he’s getting, but they look cute on top of his bread maker. :)

But anyway, I have broken my picks down into 2 categories- Gifts for the Cozy Girl and Gifts for the Beauty Lover. I think a few of the gifts from each collage could be thrown together to make a really great gift. Or some of the smaller things would make fabulous stocking stuffers!

Gifts for the Cozy Girl

You can click on any of the photos in the collages below to shop them!

Below is my commentary about each item pictured in the collage!

This pajama set would be great to wear on Christmas or to give as a gift because it can definitely be worn after Christmas too!

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Gifts for the Beauty Lover

Below is my commentary about each item pictured in the collage!

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Thanks so much for reading! I hope you have a wonderful day!

SHOP MY GIFT IDEAS:

A Christmas Gift You Can Add to Yearly

Hey Y’all! After enjoying a busy Thanksgiving & cyber week, catching a cold, and preparing for a baby, I needed to take a little break from blog posts. However, I’m so excited to be back this week! I’m sharing a fun Christmas gift idea today, and my 38 Week Bumpdate will go live on Thursday with all the updates! I’m actually 38 weeks today!

Onto today’s topic- a fun Christmas gift idea that you can add to every year. Or every holiday for that matter! I discovered Coton Colors shortly after college when I was teaching in Huntsville. However, I didn’t start my own collection until Parker and I got married and moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas. It’s safe to say that ever since then, I have adored it!

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They make beautiful tabletop items, serveware, decor, ornaments, and items for all celebrations in life. My favorite things all happen to be in their Happy Everything collection, and that is what I’m focusing on in today’s post. Let me explain.

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How It Works:

  1. Choose a base.

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2. Choose attachments.

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3. Velcro the attachments onto the base.

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4. Switch out attachments for every reason and season!

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Bases:

There are a lot to choose from! And there are two sizes- big and mini. There are big platters and cookie jars. I have this big white dot platter, this big bright dot platter, and this big cookie jar (except mine has polka dots). There are also big bowls and big wreaths. And some mini bases include soap pumps (my mom’s favorite base), bowls, vases, cookie jars, frames, platters, and canisters.

Big Bases:

Mini Bases:

Attachments:

This is the fun part! Attachments stick onto bases with velcro. You can choose so many different attachments for all different celebrations and seasons. This is where the size is important. If you have a big base, then you want to order big attachments. And if you have a mini base, then you want to order mini attachments. I have some that are holiday and season specific and some that can be used any day. I wish I had ALL of them! :)

Big Attachments:

Mini Attachments:

Gift Examples:

For Christmas last year, Parker and I gave his mom a mini cookie jar and a few mini attachments. For Mother’s Day this year, Ebie and I gave my mom a large platter and a large attachment. Now, we are able to add to their collections and give them another attachment or 2 for Christmas or whatever holiday may arise!

I took the photo below at my baby shower, and you can see my mom’s mini cookie jar in the back right. She put one of my sonogram photos in a frame attachment- most adorable decoration! You can see a tiny glimpse of her polka dotted soap dispenser on the left. We love Coton Colors!

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Below is a picture of a big platter, and I have a plate stand to display it. Our house in Southaven doesn’t have as much space as our house did in Fayetteville, so it is not currently being displayed. This picture was taken in Fayetteville. However, I wanted to show you a picture of what it looks like. Such a fun gift!

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You can’t go wrong with a cookie jar, platter, soap dispenser, or any other base/attachment combo. They make such cute and fun gifts that last a lifetime! And it’s so easy to think of gifts for the future- everybody wants to add attachments to their collection! Thanks so much for reading! Have a wonderful day!

SHOP THE POST:

Big Bases:

Big Attachments:

Mini Bases:

Mini Attachments:

Early Access Black Friday Sales!

Happy Thanksgiving y’all! There is so much to be thankful for, but I have to say one big thing I am thankful for is y-o-u! To the people who read my blog, like and/or comment on my posts, send me messages, share my posts, shop through my links- THANK YOU! I will never be able to say it enough!

This year is the first time in years that Parker and I will get to spend Thanksgiving with some of our family members. Parker’s parents got here last night, and my parents are getting here around lunchtime. I am overjoyed. I hope your day is full of family time and lots of delicious food, and it is also my hope that you can use my blog as a resource for your sale shopping!

Ok, let’s get into the sales! There are TONS! I’m going to share some of the best deals, as well as a list of all of the sales going on. Please reach out if you have any questions about sizing or anything!

The Best Deals

My Favorite Sweater- the lowest price I have ever seen it! 40% off and I purchased the blue one!

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All the Cyber Week Sales

Amazon- tons of Black Friday deals & new deals of the day everyday (+ lots of great baby deals!)

Anthropologie- Extra 25% off clothing and home sale items

ASOS- up to 60% off

BaubleBar- 30% off personalized gifts

Beautycounter- 15% off + Free shipping on orders over $50

Bed Bath & Beyond- so many deals for Bed Bath & Black Friday Week!

Camilyn Beth- Spend $100-$250 and get 15% off with code HOLIDAY15, Spend $251-$350 and get 20% off with code HOLIDAY20, Spend $351-$450 and get 25% off with code HOLIDAY25, Spend $451+ and get 30% off with code HOLIDAY30

Gap- 50% off everything with code BLKFRIDAY, no exclusions!

GiGi New York- 30% off all black items site wide + special deals on select products

J.Crew- 40% off your purchase with code TOGETHER

J.Crew Factory- 40-50% off sitewide with code ADD2CART

Jack Rogers- Up to 80% off select styles

Kendra Scott- 20% off all purchases

Lisi Lerch- 30% off + $5 Shipping

Loft- 50% off your entire purchase with code THANKS

Lord & Taylor- Up to 40% off with code DEALS + Free Shipping + $25 off your $200+ purchase with code BONUS

Macy's- tons of amazing Black Friday Preview Specials

Madewell- 25% off your entire purchase with code DEALWITHIT

Nordstrom- Up to 60% off

Nordstrom Rack- new Black Friday reveals every day this week

Old Navy- 50% off entire purchase, no code needed- discount taken at checkout

Target- Save $10 when you spend $40 on clothing, shoes, & more; Up to 25% off home; Save 40% on Christmas trees

Vineyard Vines- 25% off everything + Free shipping with code HOLIDAY18

Wayfair- Up to 80% off

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving! I’ll be back tomorrow with all the best Black Friday deals!



Cyber Week Sales

The biggest shopping week of the year is here! I will have blog posts Tuesday, Thursday for early access Black Friday sales, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday covering all of the best deals!

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It seems like stores start their sales earlier and earlier every year. Some of the sales going on are already amazing! I have bought a couple of sweaters, as well as a diaper bag and some other baby items, because it’s hard to believe the deals could get any better.

In today’s post, I’m going to feature the 3 best items to buy now, the best sale happening right now, and then a roundup of all the other sales currently happening! Now is definitely the time to start buying gifts for the people on your Christmas list if you haven’t already!

The Best Items to Buy Now

EDITED- I shared yesterday that the one best thing to buy right now is this city coat. While I still think that is the best thing to currently buy, I’m sharing 2 more things that are on sale and would also be amazing purchases!

  1. Spanx faux leather leggings are on sale for 20% off! They are so flattering and perfect for the holidays! If you’ve had your eye on them, now is the time to buy. If you are between sizes, I would size up because they are pretty fitted. Mine are a size large.

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2. My favorite sweater ever is this Free People sweater. It is currently 40% off! I have a bright pink color from last year that is not available this year. However, I did purchase the blue one also because I love it so much! Mine is a medium, and it was oversized last year, and it is still oversized at 8 months pregnant. I’d say go with your regular size if you want an oversized fit or size down if you don’t want it quite as big. It comes in 6 colors, and this is the best price I have ever seen it!

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3. The best item to buy right now is a city coat! I got one last year, and it has been my favorite coat ever since! My family clearly loves it- I have pink, my mom has green, and my sister has purple! The shade of pink they came out with this year is different from mine, but there are so many gorgeous color options- 8 to be exact! If you prefer neutral colors to bright colors, here are some pictures I took last year of the more neutral colored city coats!

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It is currently marked down from $178 to $98. It does not usually get marked down more than that. So many colors and sizes sold out last year during Cyber Week, so I wanted to highlight it early this year, especially while it is marked down so much! This one is more expensive and very similar if you want to check out the pricier version!

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It does run big. If you are between sizes, size down. I like my coats to be a little big, so I can wear layers underneath it. I got a size 6 last year, and it fit perfectly. It’s getting a little snug at 8 months pregnant, but the fact that it still somewhat fits shows that it definitely runs big! You can click here to check it out!

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The Best Sale Happening Right Now

Tory Burch- 30% 0ff $250 with code THANKS

This is the sale where I have gotten my Tory Burch boots and bag! You will very rarely (if ever) find Tory Burch items for more than 30% off. Now is the time to grab them! They are a guaranteed amazing gift for any girl or a fabulous treat yourself gift as well. :) My exact bag and boots are both several years old, but I’ll link the updated versions here- boots | tote bag

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All the Cyber Week Sales

Amazon- tons of Black Friday deals & new deals of the day everyday (+ lots of great baby deals!)

Anthropologie- Extra 25% off clothing and home sale items

ASOS- up to 60% off

BaubleBar- 30% off personalized gifts

Beautycounter- 15% off + Free shipping on orders over $50

Bed Bath & Beyond- so many deals for Bed Bath & Black Friday Week!

Camilyn Beth- Spend $100-$250 and get 15% off with code HOLIDAY15, Spend $251-$350 and get 20% off with code HOLIDAY20, Spend $351-$450 and get 25% off with code HOLIDAY25, Spend $451+ and get 30% off with code HOLIDAY30

Gap- 50% off everything with code BLKFRIDAY, no exclusions!

GiGi New York- special deals on select products every day this week

J.Crew- 40% off your purchase with code TOGETHER

J.Crew Factory- 40-50% off sitewide with code ADD2CART

Jack Rogers- Up to 80% off select styles

Loft- 40% off your entire purchase with code BESTWEEK

Lord & Taylor- Up to 40% off with code DEALS + Free Shipping + $25 off your $200+ purchase with code BONUS

Macy's- tons of Black Friday Preview Specials

Madewell- 25% off your entire purchase with code DEALWITHIT

Nordstrom- Up to 60% off

Nordstrom Rack- new Black Friday reveals every day this week

Old Navy- 50% off entire purchase, no code needed- discount taken at checkout

Target- Save $10 when you spend $40 on clothing, shoes, & more; Up to 25% off home; Save 40% on Christmas trees

Vineyard Vines- 25% off everything + Free shipping with code HOLIDAY18

Wayfair- Up to 80% off

Whew! That was a lot! Which sales are you most excited about taking advantage of?! Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a great day!

Top Picks from the Nordstrom Fall Sale + Gifts You Can Score for a Steal

Parker and I have started working on buying Christmas gifts for our families lately because this Christmas is going to be so different for us. We’re trying to knock out all of our familys’ gifts as early as possible, so we can give them to our parents when they come up for Thanksgiving next week! This way they can bring them home since we won’t be making it home this Christmas.

With all that said, this Nordstrom Sale that is going on right now is the perfect time to stock up on gifts. Everything I’m sharing today is between 20 and 50% off. I worked really hard to narrow down my favorites to my top 25. I basically have or want every single thing I’m sharing today. So whether you are wanting to treat yourself or get your Christmas shopping going, I hope today’s post is helpful!

5 Items I Have and Love

  1. Adidas Running Shoes (also come in gray)

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2. Leith Ruched Dress (nonmaternity)

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3. Tory Burch Riding Boots (33% off and come in 3 colors; I have gotten 2 pairs for Christmases in the past- the BEST gift!)

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4. Wubby Fleece Pullover, Similar Zip Up Option (it says to size down, but I actually sized up from a medium to a large and love the oversized fit)

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My 25 Picks from the Nordstrom Fall Sale

Did anything catch your eye? If I had to choose 2 things for myself, I would pick this sweater and this candle. Thanks so much for reading! Have a great day!

What to Wear for Easter and Spring Weddings

Hey Y'all! It feels like I've been away for forever. I typically write blog posts Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. However, I took a little break this week after a fun weekend at home with my family and friends. So I will just have blog posts Thursday and Friday this week.

When packing to go home for a wedding last weekend, I realized that I need to add to my wedding guest dress collection. I talked to my mom about this dilemma, and she told me that she had several friends looking for dresses to wear to weddings this spring too.

So, here we are- I have done lots of online research and found the most beautiful dresses to wear to spring weddings and/or Easter. I will include a separate section of white dresses that can be worn for Easter. When picking out a dress to wear to a wedding, the 2 rules that come to mind are: 1. Do NOT wear white. 2. Dress conservatively. Dressing conservatively also goes for Easter, but white dresses are totally acceptable for this joyful day!

I wore the dress pictured below to my friend Maggie's wedding last weekend. I got it when I was working at a boutique in Northwest Arkansas. It is by Trina Turk, and I have found the same style dress on several retailers' websites, but they are all different prints. I'll link them below the picture! I sure am missing my employee discount.

I have 4 categories of dresses for you today: 1. 10 Dresses Under $60 2. 15 Dresses Under $100 3. 20 White Dresses 4. 25 Dresses for $100+ My favorite dresses are of course in the last category. :) If you see a dress you love, but it is not in a color that you like, click on it because a lot of the dresses I am sharing come in multiple color options!

10 Dresses Under $60

Dress (comes in 10 colors)

Dress (comes in 10 colors)

15 Dresses Under $100

20 White Dresses

25 Dresses for $100+

Can you pick one favorite? If I had to choose just one, I would have to pick this pink dress! Thanks so much for reading! Have a great day!

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

For the first day of February, I'm sharing some Valentine's Day gift ideas! I've always loved this fun day. From trading cards and candy in elementary school to movies/girls' nights in college, and now to a pretty low key date night with Parker, I've enjoyed it throughout all stages of life!

Whether you are celebrating with the girls or a significant other, it's always fun to gift someone a cute little treat on Valentine's Day. It might just be a Reese's heart and some pink flowers, or you could share this post with a loved one and let them know your top favorite picks. :) OR if you have a Valentine who has been known to not live up to your standards, treat yourself! I am personally LOVING the jewelry in the collage below!

You can click on the images below to shop them!

one | two | three | four | five | six | seven | eight | nine | ten | eleven | twelve | thirteen

I thought I'd go ahead and share a sneak peak of an outfit coming to the blog next week because my accessories would also make great gifts!

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dress | kendra scott bracelet | david yurman bracelet 1 | david yurman bracelet 2 | similar beaded clutch 1 | similar clutch 2 | similar clutch 3

If you're looking for a Valentine's Day gift idea for a guy, you can click here to check out Parker's suggestion! And if you're looking for a casual outfit idea, you can click here!

Thanks so much for reading! Have a great day!

SHOP THE POST:

What to Wear for a Casual Valentine's Day

Does anyone prepare their outfits a month in advance?? Me neither. :) I do like to wear pink and red leading up to Valentine's Day. Maybe that's a teacher thing. My students always liked to wear their Valentine's Day clothes leading up to Valentine's Day (AKA the most insane day of the school year), and they loved it when I wore festive outfits too.

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Sweater | Faux Leather Leggings | Wedges | Earrings | Kendra Scott Bracelet | David Yurman Bracelet

So today, I'm sharing an outfit that could actually be worn any day, but the rose color of the sweater makes it the perfect option for a casual Valentine's Day. And I wanted to go ahead and post about this sweater now because it has sold out at several retailers. It already sold out at Nordstrom and Revolve. However, I found it in stock at Dillard's and Free People. It also comes in gray and red (which is actually more like a burnt orange), if rose is not your thing.

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My mom gave me this sweater for Christmas. She also gave it to my mother in law for Christmas. It looks so cute on her! It is a sweater that is perfect for all ages. My mother in law mentioned that she loves the cowl neck because it is so comfortable. It's not one of those necklines that chokes you. It lays so nicely! My favorite part is the length. It's perfect to wear with skinny jeans or leggings, which is always a win in my book!

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I paired it with some Spanx faux leather leggings because 1. I love them 2. They are so comfortable while also flattering and 3. They seemed to dress up this look a little more than a regular pair of leggings.

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I also threw on these wedges because they seemed to make this look a little dressier too. However, if the snow and frigid temps stick around, I will most definitely be in closed toe shoes. I actually wore it with these Rockstar jeggings and boots while I was in Dothan over Christmas, so here is another way to style this sweater. Thanks to Peyton Marie and Ann Clay for the photo!

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I have a dressy Valentine's Day outfit post coming soon and a gift guide too! Parker and I usually don't go too crazy for this holiday, but we always like to do something little to celebrate!

Thanks so much for reading! Have a great day!

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Life Lately

Life has been so go-go-go lately that I felt the need to slow down this week. I mean, I just got around to taking our Christmas decorations down on Sunday (insert embarrassed emoji). I planned on taking the first week of January off from the blog, but then the Lilly sale happened and I obviously couldn't miss out on that fun. I'm sorry for the lack of posts! I'm hoping to return to a more consistent schedule next week.

 Today, I'm sharing a post about all of the things that have been happening lately! Parker and I had the best week and a half at home with our families for Christmas, and I like to have these pictures all in one place for the memories. :) Warning- this post is long and photo heavy.

Mobile for Christmas

Parker and I got to Mobile on December 20th. The day after we got home, we went to get my Christmas present from my parents and Parker- my new phone! I have had so much fun taking pictures with it. Portrait mode is the coolest!

One day, we met my dad downtown and went on a duck boat tour! I honestly did not know what to expect. The duck boat pictured below took us around downtown Mobile by road and water, and we had the best time! Our tour guide was fabulous. He was super entertaining and taught all of us things about Mobile that we did not already know.

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Another night, we met up with a couple of my besties at Moe's. It had been way too long since I'd seen these girls. I cannot even wait much longer for all of Kelly's wedding festivities to begin next month... so much BFF time coming soon!

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Rosie turned 4 on Christmas Eve! I truly cannot believe it. Her personality brings us so much joy and keeps us laughing. The vet told us she'll grow out of the puppy phase around age 7, so we still get to enjoy puppy Rose for a few more years. :)

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She loved her birthday bone from Dog Days Barkery in Mobile. We also grabbed some stocking stuffers for both girls while we were there. This place is highly recommended by Bailey and Rosie! And Parker and I liked it too. The people were so friendly and helpful.

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Parker and I try to get a Christmas picture each year of the 4 of us. We took the picture below before Christmas Eve church.

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I never shared these ribbon wrapped hoop earrings before Christmas because they sold out so fast. They are now back in stock in pink and red, and they would be the cutest addition to any Valentine's Day outfit! It's kinda hard to see, but I wore the red pair with my Christmas Eve outfit!

My Aunt Robin outdoes herself for Christmas every single year! This year she had a gingerbread theme, and as you will see below- a real life gingerbread man came over to visit!

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We had the most delicious breakfast on Christmas morning. The cinnamon roll casserole was my favorite, and the mimosas were fun too!

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I did not take nearly enough pictures on Christmas day. We got to see my dad’s family, but I don’t have any pictures to document it. The photo below is the only one I have that we are actually in on Christmas day. We love our J.Crew Factory city coats!

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Dothan: December 26- December 31

We left my family the day after Christmas and went to Dothan to visit Parker's family! We trade every year. Next year we will be with Parker's family in Dothan on Christmas day.

The day we got to Dothan, Parker's sister had us all over to her house for a delicious dinner. And then we opened our gifts. Fun fact- The first year I went to visit Parker's family right after Christmas, they made me sit in the middle of the room and wear reindeer antlers while I opened my stack of presents and everyone watched. Unfortunately, they couldn't find those antlers this year. :) Like I said, we'll be in Dothan for Christmas next year, so we will all open our gifts together then! 

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Going to Hunts is something we look forward to every Christmas! We love their oysters.

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We also loved getting to catch up with Parker's friends! We had so much fun getting dinner and drinks with Tiffany and Floyd!

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On our second to last day in town, I had a fun day with my nieces. We went to lunch, took blog photos, and went shopping. It was actually the most fun I have ever had taking blog photos. They helped me try out some new poses, and then I got some pictures with each of them. We should have brought Parker along... they could have taught him how much fun taking pictures actually can be!

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Parker's sweet sister Allyson gave me this Lilly Pulitzer poncho because it was a little long on her. Such a sweet gift right before the huge Lilly sale!

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We got back to Southaven on New Year's Eve! We had the best time with our families, but it's always nice to get back into a routine. However, blog duties hit fast! With the Lilly sale and my Neutrogena collaboration, I felt like I was constantly playing a game of catch up.

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So, I gave myself some days off of blog posts this week. We finally took the Christmas decorations down, cleaned the house, transferred our calendars, and I am just now starting to feel caught up. Whew! Busy start to the New Year, and I'm excited for all of the fun things in store for 2018!

Thanks so much for reading! Have a great day!