#OOTD & Back To School Shopping

It's that time again! School starts in a week and like usual I put off shopping until the last minute. Lexi is super excited for school this year. She's going into the 6th grade, her first year of Middle School. I can't believe it! Time seriously is flying by. I'm really excited for her. New school, new classes, new friends, new beginnings, and new memories to be made! She's really excited, and I think a little nervous too. We've talked about it for a while now, what it would be like as a Middle Schooler. We registered her, picked up her PE uniform, and her class schedule. I think it really started to sink in when she had that schedule in her hands. She's going to have a busy year, she's in all AP classes! Kevin and I are so proud of her for getting into those classes. She's in choir this year, but she's starting to wish she would have chosen Theater Arts. I told her to stick it out for the first semester, and if she still wants to switch at Christmas then we will talk to her councelor about changing over. She's definitely not excited about PE. She's not a fan of the uniform, or the idea of having to change in front of strangers. I told her not to worry, that PE uniforms are never cute, but that everyone will wear them so all the girls will be in the same boat. One thing she was looking forward to this year was having a locker. We were both so bummed when we found out her school doesn't utilize their lockers. Also, they aren't allowed to carry regular backpacks. Only the string cinch packs are allowed. Thankfully we found a really cute denim one with white polka dots for her to carry.

We are almost done with her school shopping so she's almost ready to go. She found clothes at Abercrombie, Kohl's, Dillards, and Target so far. We also are almost done with her school supplies. The only thing we need to get for that is plain manilla paper, which apparently is a hot commodity because we can't find it anywhere. We are going to go back out tomorrow to get a couple more shirts and she will be good to go. She picked out all her own clothes. When we got home we went through everything and she pretty much picked out all three-quarter length sleeved shirts. But really, that's all that we could mostly find that she actually liked. Tomorrow our mission is to find more short sleeved shirts. She's allowed to wear flip flops this year which she's really happy about, because that's mostly what her shoe collection consists of. She went through a growth spurt this summer and is a size bigger in everything. We went through her closet today and over half of it were clothes and shoes that were too small. Her closet is pretty bare now, so we are going to have to get her more clothes than I anticipated. I don't really mind though, because she only goes on these huge shopping sprees twice a year, once before school and once again in the winter time. I pick her up a shirt or a pair of shoes here and there through out the year, but nothing like what she gets for back to school.

Now onto our outfits of the day. This has been Lexi's signature summer look. Cute tank, cutoff shorts, and a pair of flip flops. She got that mint purse from Forever 21 for Christmas and takes it everywhere we go. She keeps her 3DS and games in it, along with her iPod and allowance money. Her go-to hair style lately has been a bun with a bow. She's starting to try and fix her own hair, and this is what she does to it every day. It's easy, and it keeps her cool with her hair out of her face.

Kason rocked one of his new shirts today from the baby clothing haul I posted a couple weeks ago. This shirt is from Macy's and it's just too cute. His dark gray cargo shorts and from Old Navy. Old Navy is my go to place for his shorts. The baby section there is very small, but the shorts are really affordable and they hold up good in the wash. He rocked his checkered Vans today. This is his second pair, the first pair he's already grown out of. I love these shoes but they are such a pain to put on.

I went with a simple tank from H&M, denim cutoffs from Pretty Little Things, and flip flops from Old Navy. These shorts are so comfortable. They are stretchy and don't ride up. My purse is the Selma Top Zip Satchel from Michael Kors. I got it last year and am still so in love with it. The color is perfect, and I like how sturdy and structured it is. It came with a long strap that clips on so I can carry it on my shoulder or cross body, but I prefer to carry it this way. I normally carry my Rebecca Minkoff MAC when I'm taking Kason out, but since he was in the stroller all day I was able to bring this one and put it in the bottom of the stroller.

I hope you enjoyed today's post. If you have any requests for posts you'd like to see, leave them in the comments below!


xoxo,
Casey

Happy Father's Day!!

Hey ya'll!!

I hope everyone is having a great Father's Day and you're getting to spend it with your families! We have had a great day so far. My dad's birthday is today as well so we spent the first part of the day with my side of the family. We went out for lunch at a restaurant on the lake and after spent a little time chatting outside. Later this evening we will be spending time and having dinner with Kevin's side of the family. We are so blessed to have both of our families close by so we can spend all our holidays with them.

Family is so important. When you're young, you really don't realize it. Now that I'm older and have a family of my own, I cherish the little things and all the special moments we all get to spend together. Family doesn't always have to be blood either. Family are those that you love, enjoy spending time with, and who love you back.

Enjoy the rest of your day everyone! Just wanted to post some pictures of us and our day together. It was a very good day with lots and lots of love and family time.


xoxo,
Casey

Kevin with Kason & Lexi

Kevin introducing Kason to the water spouts. He seemed a tad confused, but he was smiling at the end so he must have liked it!

My sister Ashley, my Dad, & I 

Awwww! :)

Ashley & her daughter Violet 

Violet playing in the water spout, so cute!

 My Mom with Papa, her dad

Nanny & Papa (my mom's parents) with Lexi & Kason, their great-grandchildren 

Nanny & Papa with all three kiddos

Lexi & Kason with PawPaw, Kevin's dad

Kevin, Lexi, & Kason with Kristen (Kevin's sister), Brian (Kevin's brother), & PawPaw

Mommy Minute: Living with a Terrible Teether

Hey Momma's!!

I'd like to take a little time to talk about motherhood, and how our precious little ones can drive us absolutely bonkers. Many of you I'm sure will relate, and many of you will probably get a few laughs in as well. I know when I read about other people's kids driving them nuts I can't help but crack up laughing because I can totally relate. Our kids drive us up the wall sometimes, but at the end of the day we love those little beasts more than they will ever know.

My son Kason, 5 months, is teething. No teeth have cut yet, but I know he's starting to teeth because he is a big drooling mess 24/7. I've stopped putting shirts on him at home because they get soaked, so most of the time he's just rocking a diaper or a pair of cotton shorts.

I can already tell that he is going to be 100% a Type A personality through and through. He is happy for the most part, but he is so dang sensitive and particular about his routine and schedule. If something is not done right, he is hungry, tired, or simply not feeling all that great, he has zero problem letting you know! There's no difference between his "I'm kinda hungry" cry to his "I'M FREAKING STARVING" cry. It's all an "I'M FREAKING STARVING" cry, every time.

He's also started this fun little game where when I leave the room, he freaks out. I'm talking he thinks I left him for good and am never coming back cry. I stick my head around the corner and he immediately stops crying and starts laughing. Yes... laughing. Ummm, can we say bi-polar?? I swear the kid knows what he's doing, and thinks that driving me nuts is the funnest game ever.

Back to the teething, I know that a lot of babies experience pain during this time, and some babies couldn't be bothered by it. Kason is the baby that thinks he's dying and just can't handle it. Now, I'm not saying it doesn't hurt, because I know it does! I'm sympathetic and sensitive to him, because he's my little man and I love him, but this little dude cries ALL DAY LONG. Have you ever had one of those days where you want to smother yourself with your own pillow because no matter what you do, your baby is miserable? That was my week this week. He cried on and off all day, for 5 days straight! On the fourth day, my amazing MIL took the kids for me so I could have a break. Thank the good Lord above for that little break because I was about to admit myself to the Looney Bin.

I know that this is just a faze, and once that first tooth cuts it will get better. Right now I'm trying other options and a couple seem to be helping. Walking around outside helps distract him from the pain for a short while. He seems to like chewing on cold wash cloths too. I wet one of his own and put it in the fridge for about 15 minutes, then give it to him. It's light-weight and doesn't fall out of his mouth easily. He also likes chewing on the cold teething rings, but wants me to hold it while he chews away, but Momma doesn't always have time for that! Another thing that seems to help are Popsicles. He goes to town on them and they numb his gums for a little while.

When I'm feeling overwhelmed from the constant screams, it really helps to put him in his crib and shut the door. I then proceed to my room, shut the door, and just let out a big ol' scream myself. Try it, it helps!

I'm sure some of you are like "Omg, what an insensitive Mother!", while others are probably laughing saying "Omg, I've been in that very same spot!".  I would like to say that I am very sensitive towards him, and I love him more than anything, but listening to a crying baby for hours and sometimes days on end will drive anyone a little crazy. It's safe to say I had a big glass of wine every night this week after bed time.

I hope ya'll enjoyed today's little post! Let me know in the comments below if your baby was a terrible teether and what worked for you. If you're baby was a precious angel that didn't cry once during the teething process, then please keep your comments to yourself... (Hahaha, just kidding!)

xoxo,
Casey

OOTD & How To Be A Fashionable, Yet Fabulous Momma

Hey ya'll!

Today I'm showing you my "Outfit Of The Day" for my daughter Lexi's 5th Grade Class Picnic. I'm also going to talk about how to make time for yourself and still be a Fashionable, yet Fabulous Momma.

Mom's, there is a way to dress appropriately for a school function without being too casual, or too dolled up. Getting dressed, doing your hair, and putting on some makeup may seem like a challenge due to our busy schedules, but it is possible and it just flat out helps make you feel good about yourself.

Everything I am wearing today is linked below:
Kimono: PacSun
Tank Top: Target
Jeans: Abercrombie
Flats: Lucky Brand


So many mom's make excuses on why they can't put themselves together because they just can't seem to find the time. I get it, because I'm a mom myself. I know what it's like to be busy and to feel like you're suffocating thanks to your to-do list that just seems to keep growing by the minute. I am so blessed thanks to my husband Kevin, who is able to solely provide for our family, so that I can be a stay at home mom. Between having a school-aged child, an infant, a rowdy dog, and a house to take care of, finding time for myself can seem dang near impossible. But it isn't! We can all find time, we just have to make time. Whether that means getting up a little earlier, or going to bed a little later, we can all find a little "me" time during the day to pamper ourselves, and to help us look and feel good without taking time away from our kiddos.

If I need to get myself ready, I put Kason, my son, in his chair with a toy or in his bouncer. I turn the TV on Disney Jr. and he is fully entertained! I am able to get dressed, fix my hair, and put some make-up on while he hangs out and watches his shows. Now before anyone freaks out, yes I check on him, and no I don't leave him stranded by himself. My bedroom is right next to my living room so I can hear and see him the whole time. Some mom's are against letting their babies watch TV, and that is 100% okay. We all have different ways of raising our kids, and we all have to do what we think is best for ourselves, and for our families. There's no right, or wrong way. Everyone is entitled to raise their kids however they see fit. Unless it is physically, mentally, or emotionally harming the child, I don't think any of us are in any place to tell someone else what is best for them, or what's best for their kids.

For me, getting dressed for the day, fixing my hair, and putting my face on really helps to get me going, and makes me feel good about myself. No I don't fix my hair or put makeup on every day. Half of the time I'm in gym clothes with my hair in a pony or a knot. But I do try to put some effort into my appearance regularly.

One thing that I absolutely cannot live without, and saves me so much time, is dry shampoo. Every mom needs it! It is a life saver when it comes to getting ready in a pinch. My favorite is Batiste and you can get it at Ulta for $7.99. My hair gets very oily and I used to wash it every day. Once I discovered this little baby, Holy Guacamole! To prove how much I love this, and how amazing it works, I am on 3rd day hair. Yes I said it, 3RD DAY HAIR! Trust me Momma's, go pick this up. You can thank me later.

I hope you all enjoyed this post. Let me know in the comments below what you like to do for "me" time, and how you pamper yourself on the daily (like having a big fat glass of wine after the kids go to bed). Don't forget to follow me on Instagram & Twitter for daily pics, tips, and extra little tid-bits!


xoxo,
Casey


*UPDATE*
Here's a picture of my daughter Lexi, my son Kason, and I from her class picnic! :)
My sunnies are Gold Ray-Ban Aviator Flash Lenses in Blue

Welcome to My Blog!

Hello Everyone!! I am so excited to get this blog up and running.

Before we get this party started, I'd like to introduce myself and let all of you know what you can expect from me and this page.

I am a HUGE beauty fan!  I love all things makeup, skincare, haircare, and everything in between. I have a lot of things planned to post and talk about. A Sephora Haul and my May Favorites will probably be the first two posts so stay tuned for that.

I am also a big-time bookworm. I love to read and like to read often. I plan on having a section dedicated to all things books from what I'm reading, book hauls, and reviews.

I am also a wife and a mother. I have a 5 month old son and a Bonus Baby, a girl who is 11 years old. I would like to have a section dedicated to all things family. Being a wife and mother can be the best, most fun, and rewarding jobs ever. There are also times where you want to pull your hair out and the stories that cause that often times are the most fun, and hilarious, to read about!

If anyone has any requests, or post suggestions, please feel free to let me know!

xoxo,
Casey