7.24.15 // High Five for {the little things} Friday!

I swear, I'm normally shocked and happy that it's Friday already!

Here are my favorite little things from this past week! 

1. I went searching for a dress and accessories for my brother's upcoming wedding. I ended up finding this necklace and earrings (shoes I already had) to go with a dress I decided to borrow from my mom. I love it! Just what I was looking for. The necklace and earrings are from J.C.Penney and came out to $20 total. 

2. We hit up the community pool again on Sunday and it was so nice! The kids are continuing to do a great job learning to swim. And we just so happen to have another pol day planned for this Saturday with our family.

3. While doing some yard work, this little guy came around! I love when butterflies come around our house. This one decided to not even flutter away when I got close, so pretty!

4. I got a lot of decluttering done this past week. I still have more planned to do but I was happy to get rid of a TON of old makeup, kids clothes and lady 'under things' (how did I hoard so many of these ?!).

5.  My mother-in-law found these bows at Wal-Mart for $2.50 for 6. Such a great deal and they actually stay in my daughter's hair. She has really thin hair right now and a lot of clip in bows just slide right on out of her hair.

How was your week? 

Have a great weekend! 

Rompin' Around {Did I just do that? Yes, yes I did.}

I have been swooning over all of the rompers out there! Both pant rompers (upon investigation, the pants are jumpsuits and the shorts are rompers, I kind of interchanged the two, oops!) and short rompers.

I tried on this pale purple/pink shorts romper at Macy's but I have to say, they were not flattering to by stomach and I almost felt like I was in a pair of scrubs.

{Bar III via Macy's}

I think the way to go is all black. Always a versatile color and you can change the look up with different accessories, shoes and outer layers. I'm still on the hunt so I gathered a few different pant and shorts options, black only please!

1. Mossimo Sleeveless Jumpsuit // Target $29.99

2.  Sleeveless Jumpsuit //  H&M $20

3. London Times Lace Trim Jumpsuit // Amazon $28

4. Nicole by Nicole Miller Jumpsuit // J.C. Penney $29.99

5. Surplice Woven Jumpsuit // Forever21 $29.90

6. Mossimo Sleeveless Chiffon Jumpsuit /// Target $29.99

I tried to find options that looked like they had a decent inseam and that was quite difficult, so I had to throw in some black/white print rompers. 

1. Ombre Sangria Short Sleeve Romper // J.C.Penney $24.99

2. Jones New York Sport Sleeveless Romper // Dillards $24

3. RD Style Sleeveless Romper // Amazon $20

4. Split Neck Cotton Romper // New York & Company $19.99

5. Bisou Bisou Crochet Sleeveless Romper // J.C.Penney $24.99

6. American Living Tie-Dye Romper // Macy's $26.99

How do you feel about jumpsuits/rompers? Do you own any that you love?!

Linking Up with:

Tatertots & Jello

How to Shop Aldi + Top Items to Buy

I struggled a bit with what to name this post. Healthiest items to buy at Aldi? Depends upon what diet you follow. Best deals at Aldi? Not necessarily, you might be able to find better deals at your regular grocery store. So, I settled on 'best items to buy at Aldi' and to me that is based on healthier options and items that are on average a great price when you don't want to hunt for a sale and deal with coupons. 

When I first shopped Aldi, it was all foreign to me. Just figuring out how the store works was so different from a normal grocery store. You need a quarter to use the grocery carts. You bring your own bags, buy your bags or use an empty box from the shelves to corral your groceries. You pack your own groceries into said bags or boxes. And the store does not offer everything you may need. (I always shop Aldi and at least one other store.)

If you have never been, please allow yourself to go more than once. On your first trip, you may not see all of the hidden gems that Aldi offers. It has taken me multiple trips to really understand the best things that I think Aldi offers. To make it a little easier on you (whether you have never been or just want new ideas on what to buy there), I've listed out the best items to buy at Aldi.

-Organic Apple Juice $2.49

-Frozen Hashbrowns $1.89

-Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts 2.5lbs $6.69

-Frozen Corn $.95

-Frozen Broccoli Florets $1.09

-Frozen Peas $.95

-Frozen Extra Fine Green Beans $1.59

-Mushrooms $1.29

-Blueberries $.99-$1.99 (on average)

-Strawberries $.99-$1.99 (on average)

-Mini Sweet Peppers $1.99

-Organic Carrots $1.49

-Organic Apples $3.99

-Avocados $.69-$.99 (on average)

-Organic Fresh Spinach 5oz (not pictured) $2.99

-Natural Unsweetened Applesauce $1.89
-String Cheese $2.79
-Shredded Parmesan Cheese $2.49
- Hickory Smoked Uncured Bacon (no nitrites/nitrates) $3.99
-Pork Sausage Roll $1.99
-Pure Maple Syrup (not pictured) $3.49

-100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil $3.49
-Pure Canola Oil $2.09
-Beef Broth $1.49
-Organic Chicken Broth $1.69

-Light Red Kidney Beans $.69

-Cannellini Beans $.69

-Black Beans $.69

-Organic Diced Tomatoes $1.69

-Tomato Paste $.35

-Tomato Sauce $.25

-Organic Pasta Sauce (not pictured) $1.89

-Single Serve Raisins 6ct $1.29

-Chopped Walnuts/Almonds $3.59-$4.59

-Blue Corn Tortilla Chips $1.69

-Regular/Whole Wheat Soft Tortilla Shells 8ct (not pictured) $1.99

-Ziplock Bags 40-50ct (freezer and sandwich) $1.99

-Flex Odor Control Tall Kitchen Trash Bags $4.99

-Aluminum Foil $1.99

-Scrub Sponges 3pk $1.29

I've listed prices for reference but please note they may fluctuate. 

Keep in mind that not all stores may carry the same products. Sometimes, products may not always be stocked that you normally get. If you have any questions about a product that you don't see, ask an associate. They are always very friendly!

What are your favorite things to get at Aldi? See anything from the list that is new to you that you now want to try?

Linking Up with:

Tatertots & Jello

7.17.15 // High Five for {the little things} Friday!

Oh man, this past week my sleep has been so messed up. Rather, my timing in getting up each morning has been messed up due to how I am falling asleep. For awhile there, I was turning off the T.V. and phone at around 9:30p and winding down with either a magazine or a book in order to fall asleep around 10:30p. Ideally, I need to be up at 6am and I'd like to feel like I've had enough sleep and am ready to get the day started. Whew, not sticking to that routine doesn't do me any good. So, I'm going to try and get back to that sleep schedule next week and see how I feel.

Now let's get to my favorite little things from this past week...

1. I finally got to take the kids to the pool for the first time this summer! We have a local community pool that opened not too long ago. It has a regular pool, a wading pool and a whirl pool. OMG, the kids had so much fun bouncing between the pools, I could barely keep up. My 4 year old has made so much improvement in his swimming (he loves the pool but has been so scared to do things without someone holding onto him) and my two year old just kept saying "I'm a dolphin, I'm a fish!". LOL It was great to see them really comfortable in the water.

2. I picked up these beautiful sunflowers at Aldi for $2.99 each. They just make me smile! Although they don't look like that now and I'm hoping it's because new blooms are coming and not because I killed them already.

3. I had to stop by CVS to pick up milk and diapers (staples of course!). I ended up having such great coupons that I also picked up contact lens solution and a peppermint patty for my little helper for under the price of the diapers alone! I had $6 in manufacturer coupons, $4 in CVS store coupons and a 30% off my entire purchase coupon from CVS which saved me an additional $7. If you shop CVS, make sure to sign up for their emails to receive coupons like the 30% your entire purchase, always scan your card at the CVS coupon center and check your receipt for additional coupons.

4. I made the easiest, delicious meal the other night. Crockpot salsa chicken. Maybe you have heard of this, maybe you haven't. But you literally throw some frozen chicken in a crockpot, cover it with a jar of salsa and cook on low for 5 hours. Shred. Put on a hard or soft tortilla shell (or on top of a bed of lettuce) and top with your favorite taco toppings. My kids ate multiple servings so I call that a win in my book.

5. A fun quote from my son last night that had me laughing... "Oh mom, my head hurts! Avery made my head hurt from her screaming so loud in Wal-Mart!" And that incident happened HOURS earlier in the day. I got a good chuckle...I thought it was a good try at blaming his sister for his head hurting.

How was your week? Any tips on a better sleep routine to help me get up early?! 

{From the Kitchen} Healthy Walnut Raisin Pumpkin Bread

I know it's not fall yet but that doesn't mean I can't make something with pumpkin in it, right?! OK, good...because I did. I've had two cans of pumpkin sitting in my pantry for awhile and I decided I wanted to try and make some type of pumpkin bread. 

I ended up making a healthy version of a pumpkin bread with added raisins and walnuts.
It turned out really moist and good! I would say that you could add some pumpkin pie spice to kick up the pumpkin flavor if you wanted. I'm going to try that next time I bake these.
This recipe used all pantry staples, too!

HEALTHY WALNUT RAISIN PUMPKIN BREAD

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup pumpkin puree
Raisins
Walnuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a bread pan with non-stick spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla.
Add in the pumpkin and whisk until evenly combined.
Add in all of the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
Add in raisins and walnuts and stir until evenly combined. (I just added in as much as I wanted, up to your preference. You can also leave these out for just a plain pumpkin bread.)
Pour batter into the bread pan and bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Adapted slightly from Simple Green Moms

Do you reserve pumpkin for fall? Or can you eat it any time of the year?

5 Must-Have Clothing Basics from Target

I love Target!!! You feel the same, right?!
Over time I have found a few clothing items from Target that have become staples for me. Like, I have multiples of them in different colors. And I use them on a weekly basis.
You can't beat the price and I have been really impressed with the quality of the items.

Here are my 5 favorite staples from Target:

 Mossimo Crew Neck Tee
$9 (but I have seen as low as $5 during sales)
I have tried many t-shirts from Target and these are by fay my favorite. They are fitted but not too tight. The length is long but not too long. Everything seems juuust right on these shirts. I'm planing on adding more colors.

 Denizen Essential Stretch Skinny Jeans
$27.99 (look out for sales and coupons)
I haven't had a whole lot of luck with jeans at Target. This girl needs some stretch and I can't seem to find that in a lot of the jeans Target carries. But these, streeeetch! My mom and I actually picked up the light pair together. And we loved them so much we ordered the second pair online in a darker wash. I'd love to see some more styles/washes of these come out.

 Mossimo Full Length Leggings 
$8 (and sometimes on sale for $5)
Website only shows the capri style but I always purchase the full length. 
I have purchased so many pairs of these leggings. As you can see, right now I have 4 pair. One pair are the ones I paint in (see the splatters?). Another pair has holes all in them that I continue to wear to bed because they are so comfy. They are the perfect thickness and the waist band isn't annoying.

Merona Ultimate Long Sleeve Tees
$10 (and can go on-sale as low as $6)
Love the fit of these in both the crew neck and the v-neck...and I don't normally do v-neck tees. Nice fit and light enough to layer with in the winter and wear to the office in the summer.

Merona Favorite Tank
$10 (and on-sale for as low as $5)
And obviously #1 on my list...these tank tops! To wear to bed, to layer under other shirts, to wear by themselves, love them! They are smooth (no ribbing), they have some stretch to them. come in so many colors every season and are so versatile. They are also long enough on me but not ultra long.

Do you have any favorites from Target that you have bought multiples of?

7.10.15 // High Five for {the little things} Friday!

Hi! Happy Friday! The weeks go by and I barely get to squeeze in much more than work, eating, sleeping and repeat. Ha! Glad to see the weekend and hoping we get the chance to finally head to the pool or splash pad. I need to break in my new swim suit!

On to my top five favorite little things from this past week...

1. I worked an event Friday night for 4th of July which was so fun! And Saturday for the actual 4th of July, we had a neighborhood street party which got pushed into our garage due to rain. Oh the rain, it put a bit of a damper on our party and fireworks but it was still fun none the less. I didn't get to take any pictures during the festivities (because you know...rain...) so I will leave you with a picture of Andy Grammar watching the fireworks from the night before. ;-)

2. I was finally able to clean the inside of my car over the weekend! It was in serious need of a good vacuum and wipe down. Do you know what kind of things you can find under car seats and in crevices when you have kids?! Food crumbs from who knows how long ago, band-aids...yuck! My car is all fresh and clean now and smells like Sun and Sand thanks to these little guys from Yankee Candle. I got a bunch of fragrances during their last sale for under $1.50 each pack.

{via}

3. We finally replaced the plant that has been slowly dying by our patio door. So nice to see life again from this new plant we brought it. Just have to work on remembering to water it...

4. I mentioned in the last Friday post how I've been taking my kids to the library for a heroes program they have put on. Well, I have to share that we went again to learn about service dogs and meet this incredibly sweet dog named Gabriel. He is a service dog for people with diabetes. I wish I got a picture of his little face because he has one floppy ear and one that goes straight up. *melts*

5. And last but not least....that dang bag of Cheetos that got left at my house from the 4th of July is finally gone! LOL I don't buy them, they are not at all good for you, yet if they are in my presence I can not resist!

{via}

How was your week? Did you have a great 4th of July?! 

5 Ways to Use Up Those Samples

Have you looked around your house lately? Have you noticed random samples and sample sized products in different places? I sure have!

In my bathroom under the sink, in the bathroom closet, under the sink in the guest bathroom.

We seem to end up with samples from purchasing products, friends or family give them to you, torn out of magazines, from stores or people selling products, etc. And then they just get forgotten about.

What good is that?! I want to give you some encouragement today to use those samples!

Check out all of the samples I rounded up from around my house. 
Gathered from all of the examples I gave above and more.


WAYS TO UTILIZE YOUR SAMPLE PRODUCTS

1. Use them yourself: No brainer, right?! But I know I'm not the only one who has these all about their house and forgets to use them. So gather them up, put them all in a cute basket in your bathroom and encourage yourself to start testing out all of the products. It's fun and you might discover a new must-have product for yourself.

2. Use them for travel: Traveling soon? Whether just to the beach, another state or a weekend trip...travel size products are great to grab and pack in your bag. They are smaller and take up less space in your bag.

3. Put them in your purse: Grab a little makeup bag and keep some of your sample size products with you on-the-go! Perfumes, hair spray, lotions, etc. You never know what the day might bring so it's nice to have some extra products that might rescue you from, say,  your hair needing tamed or an extra sweaty day!

4. Leave them out for guests: This is a great opportunity to create a little basket for your guest bathroom. If anyone is visiting for the day or staying the night, they can take a peak in the basket and use anything they may need or have forgot to bring with them. Toothpaste, body sprays, hair spray, etc.

5. Donate them: Think you're really just not going to get to using them? Donate them! Check your local women's and homeless shelters and see if that is something they will accept. They might be small to some but such a wonderful thing to receive for others.


These ideas may seem pretty common sense but I hope I just gave you a little encouragement to actually use your samples and save a little money!

Do you have any other ideas on how to utilize your sample products?

Linking Up with:

Tatertots & Jello