Back to School in Style!

Back to School in Style

It's back to school time! One of our favorite things to do around back to school is to freshen up our wardrobe! The girls each have their individual style, and they love to mix & match pieces on their own to come up with unique outfits that really display their personality!

Natalie tends to be more girly in her dressing, while Bella has streaks where she loves dresses - but then other times likes to be a little sporty as well!

This X-Temp raglan tee is perfect for Fall days as they start to get a little brisker but you still need to keep cool while being active, and just by coincidence happens to be Alabama colors!

Staying cool and comfy has definitely taken a higher priority here in the Alabama heat, and since they have recess every day, durability is important too! When we are freshening up our wardrobes for the new school year, I like to get a few "special" outfits, this year were our Eleanor Rose dresses, some great play wear, like tops and skorts from Cat and Jack at Target - and comfortable undergarments that will last throughout the school year, like our favorite Hanes socks and underwear.

Our family has used Hanes undergarments for years and we recently tried the Hanes X-Temp line,  our whole family has found something to love. The X-Temp socks work great for my hot natured feet, and Bella really likes the sporty hipsters. My husband has worn Hanes tagless tees under his work shirts for years, and Natalie's favorite socks are her heart covered ComfortBlend socks!

Check out the Giveaway

Comfortable undergarments, durable enough to last through PE, recess, and after school play are key! Our family love Hanes undergarments and X-temp products - and we are excited to partner with Hanes to bring you a giveaway to go back to school with style AND comfort!

Enter to win a Hanes Prize Pack that includes:
 - $50 Hanes Visa Gift Card
 - 3 Back-to-School styles from Hanes in your size

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Styles may include selections from Hanes X-Temp and FreshIQ technologies which help to keep you cool and fresh all day long!

Hope you have a great start to back to school and don't forget you can enter to win daily until September 8, 2017!

** This post is sponsored by Hanes. All items included in giveaway will be shipped directly from Hanes. All opinions are my own.

Back to School... Fashion for Moms!

It's back to school time again, and moms everywhere are running around getting last minute school supplies, planning new school year schedules and freshening up the kids' wardrobes! It isn't just the kids that should add in some new style for back school though, I know I've always loved adding in some new pieces for Fall during back to school season and even now as a Mom have continued this tradition! I wanted to share some of my favorite pieces that I've been loving for the early Fall and back to school transition time period!

These pieces can take you from late summer and through Fall, I love pairing them with wedges or boots as the days get chillier. And they are versatile enough to work with leggings, skinny jeans, or capris!

1. Bobeau Split Neck Woven Blouse at NordstromRack.com, $24.97
 - Bobeau is one of my favorite brands to find at Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack. You can even find it at Marshall's or TJ Maxx sometimes as well. I have this tunic blouse is a different print and I love the long length and light weight material, it makes it perfect to transition from warmer months to cooler months. The tassels give it a bit of great detail as well!

2. Felicity Striped Dress at CharmingCharlie.com, $19
 - I have this dress in navy and have gotten tons of compliments on it, both in person and in videos! It is available on the Charming Charlie website in the red color. It is easy to pair with accessories and also would look great with a cardigan put over it in the cooler months!

3. Bobeau Embroidered Tank at NordstromRack.com, $24.97
  - I love the neck detail on this one and I've found over the summer that these long tanks with a bit of detail are so easy to wear! You just toss them on and instantly feel put together!

4. Tom's Stella Wedges at Zappos.com, $55.99
  - These are great basic wedges that I've been eyeing for quite some time - and they are now on sale at Zappos.com! The color would transition nicely into the fall and is a great natural tone that goes with everything!

5. Bryn Camera Bag, RebeccaMinkoff.com, $275
  - I'm very excited about my upcoming trip to a Beaches Resort in the Turks and Caicos islands, and as I mentioned on my YouTube channels - one of the main speakers at the conference will be Rebecca Minkoff! I've collected her items for years and love her classic styling with a bit of its own edge, because I feel like it has great personality but is very wearable for years to come. I've been looking at her recent releases for possibilities for my upcoming trips, and I really love this Bryn camera bag! Lots of room to store all of my... well, camera supplies! And stylish enough to transition between different types of events I will have to go to at blogger events. 

6. Cole Haan Elsie Cross Wedge at Zappos.com, $79.95
  - This are an easy to pair wedge in the Acorn color, that would go with a variety of outfits and occasions!

7. Long necklaces at Dillards.com, various prices
  - I shared in a recent blog that I've been loving a number of long necklaces that I found at Dillard's! They have had some great sales recently, and I found some beautiful long necklaces to wear with dresses and tunics. If you don't have a Dillard's near you, they also have a great selection online!

8. Rebecca Minkoff Adventure Awaits Passport Holder at Nordstrom.com, $45
  - Love this shimmery passport holder by Rebecca Minkoff and I think it would be great for my upcoming Caribbean trip! The phrase "Adventure Awaits" holds so much extra meaning for me, with all of our recent life changes! I'm ready to get out there and see what is waiting for me!


I hope this has given you some great ideas of pieces to add in your own Back to School wardrobe! These are some of the things I've been loving recently and shared in recent vlogs!

** This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Back to School - 1st grade & Preschool!

Back to school time is finally in full swing around our house! Michigan goes back to school a little later than other states, due to tourism and our weather staying cooler here later in the Spring months... staying in school until June and ending summer after Labor Day works out great with our climate here. This year, the girls were itching to get back to school and into the routine - and I admit as much as I enjoy doing activities around the house with them, I was looking forward to going back to the school routine as well.

This year, Bella is in 1st grade at a great school we absolutely love and I'm so glad that we moved to start her there before kindergarten. I feel like it's a great fit and perfect combination of compassion and academic goals. They want the kids to learn, but also remember that they are people as well and she's had teachers two years in a row that believe in having fun, which I think is great! I'm hoping the transition from kindergarten to 1st grade will go smoothly.

Natalie starts school the week following Bella, at the same preschool she attended last year in the Pre-K 3 program. This year she will be attending Pre-K 4 and at school 3 afternoons a week. I'm looking forward to her making new friends and enjoying her independence at preschool.

I feel blessed that both girls enjoy school and like the routine, because I do think that really helps as a parent when they are excited to attend. I always loved going to school and I had hoped that would continue with them, not only a love of learning - but also a love of the social atmosphere as well.

So as school gets in to full swing around here, I hope your year is also going great whether you've already started back, are waiting to start, or homeschool!

Check out the highs (and lows) of the first day of 1st grade in our daily vlog:

* This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

The Night Before School... For my 1st Grader & Preschooler.

I wrote this post on Instagram and shared on my Facebook page as well, and the response was fantastic - so I wanted to share on my blog as well... in case this may give you some back to school inspiration. My thoughts on going back to school "The Night Before School"... for my 1st Grader & Preschooler this year.

The Night Before School

"'Twas the night before school starting, and all through the house... Little creatures were still stirring as if we were going to see the Mouse. 

Backpacks were hung in the kitchen with care, in the hopes that homework would not soon be in there. 

I was ready to get all snuggled in bed, when suddenly thoughts started racing through my head. 

The lunches! The folders! Had I bought all the cheese? The new shoes! The clothing, had I gotten all they'd need?!? 

Why what to my wondering mind would appear? ... but the realization I'd prepared the best that I could and from here.... Their cheeks like roses and minds ready to fill, they were off to conquer their new grades with great will! 

With a gleam in my eye and a nod of my head, I soon knew I had nothing to dread. I'll speak not a word, but keep on with this great task - of molding and shaping these little people in a stage that won't last. 

And so with resolve, to all the parents out there, I say Happy Night Before School starting - and have a wonderful school year!!!"

Pottery Barn Kids Backpacks Ready for School!

I hope you have a wonderful school year! I wrote this the night before school started for my girls quickly in an Instagram post, and it quickly resonated with parents after I had posted it. Please feel free to share this page if you loved it too!

** This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Back to School Fashion for Moms!

It's back to school time! Some of you have already back to school for a few weeks, while here in Michigan, we still have 3 weeks of summer left and don't head back until September! (Not rubbing that in, I promise!)

I have already begun thinking about what supplies and prep items we need to be getting for around the house and at school though. I had been using this learning space in our home for summer learning, and this will transition to be a great homework space for my new 1st grader this year... homework will be something all new at our house!

Check out the tour of our homework space for younger kids on YouTube:

Our needs for school supplies to actually bring into school are fairly minimal this year, since our school participates in a supply order that we completed at the end of last school year. Bella will show up to school and there will magically be a box of supplies waiting at her desk for her. So while I will definitely miss the supplies shopping because it's always been a favorite activity of mine - it does take one thing off my "To Do" list.

What about the moms though? Often times, at this time of year we are running around getting everything in order for everyone else and we forget about ourselves. I think Back to School time is a great time to freshen up our OWN wardrobe, as well as the kids' - and I'm also planning on taking a few extra breaks to keep my new gel nails filled in, which seriously warrant their own post.... but they are amazing. I had them put on for our Disney Cruise and it was the first time trying them out - two weeks of great looking nails, no chipping, no peeling... I think that gel polish will become my new nail standard!

For my wardrobe, I've been loving loose flowly looks, neutrals, and creams mixed with tans! My Sanuk yoga bottom sandals have been worn a TON this summer and I'm also loving the cross body purse that I purchased from Nordstrom's for our cruise and plan to use that into the back to school time frame as well.

Here's a mash up I made on Polyvore of some of my favorite Back to School picks for MOMS!

Back to School Fashion for Moms!

What are you looking forward to for back to school? Do you have a fashion wishlist for yourself right now?

At Home Stores Shopping Challenge: Giving My Office a Makeover for Back to School!

I am excited to have partnered with At Home Stores to bring you this post! I received a $100 gift card to give my office area a makeover for back to school in addition to compensation. Come shop with me in my #AtHomeStores shopping video and check out the results of my back to school #CollegeMoveIn challenge!

At Home Store in Utica, MI

This was my first time shopping in the At Home store in my area - they have a large retail space off of M-59 in northeast metro Detroit - and I was excited to see what I would find in store. When we entered I noticed right away that they had displays of similar toned items grouped together to give you inspiration, which I loved, and they also had a helpful take away map area to keep you guided through the store. This came in handy!

We set off with back to school in mind and I wanted to find some great items to refresh my office space! My office also doubles as a filming space for YouTube videos, and makes a great reading nook space as well! I hope this give you some inspiration for refreshing your own office space, or perhaps a great sitting area in a dorm or college apartment!

I was also excited to see that they were starting to place Fall and holiday decor, but was determined to stay focused! (Those items would have to wait for a future shopping trip!) I did love the "Seas and Greetings" section in the holiday section though, and just had to sneak that in to share!

SEAS and Greetings to you!

We found tons of great organization containers, bins, and clear acrylic drawer systems. The clear acrylic drawers are some of my favorite organizational elements, because they are so easy to use and see everything that you've placed inside. We use these in our house for everything from hair ties to washi tape, and they just work great!

Great organization elements!

Throughout the store, I was particularly enamored with the great small table selection! Everywhere I went, there were adorable tables of all shapes, sizes, and colors - and this really drove my inspiration for how to makeover my office! I found about 3 in particular that I loved, but eventually narrowed it down to a great silver and chevron style table that I thought would work PERFECTLY in my office! It only had legs on one side, so could easily be pushed up to a chair to hold a book, my phone, and more!

Tables galore!

They also had a fantastic pillow selection and I saw a ton of great styles I could use throughout my home. When I went down the aisle with predominantly pink and purple pillows, I was particularly struck by a lilac colored pillow with the phrase "inspire" on it... This really stood out to me and immediately went in the cart! A short while later down the aisle I found some great purple ombre pillows that I thought complimented the look and I was set - pillows it was!!

To finish off the space (and my gift card!) - I was drawn to a great selection of faux topiary pieces in all spaces and sizes. I picked a rounded style that I thought would go great in my room and I loved that it had a bit of a purple accent in the plants to tie everything together!

This was my finished office space, given a makeover to Inspire!

Check out my shopping trip on my YouTube Channel - and don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe! Thank you to At Home Stores for this great shopping experience - and I will be back for some holiday decor shopping VERY soon!

* This was a sponsored post in collaboration with At Home Stores and BSM Media. I received compensation for this collaboration. All opinions are my own and I hope you love the look I came up with!