Burnt Orange Peplum Top

Today I'm taking a break from buffalo plaid to show you a gorgeous new top that is going to get tons of wear!

High Five for Friday 12.22 - More Christmas Fun!

Happy Friday! Della at Della Devoted, Katie at Cup of Tea, Tif at Bright on a Budget, and I want to welcome you to High Five for Friday! Each week we share the best parts of the week and hope you'll join us!

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Last Friday night the boys went to Grandma and Grandpa's to spend the night. Russ and I had originally intended on going out to eat, but with colds hitting the house, we decided to stay in. Russ made this cute little menu for our dinner at home. 

Striped Ruffle Sweatshirt in Festive Style

Happy almost Christmas! We're inching closer to my favorite holiday and I love the suspense and excitement that builds even though my students at school can get a little wild this time of year.

Amethyst Smoke ShadowSense Tutorial

Hey all! I know many of you know I sell LipSense, but that's just a tiny part of the whole company, SeneGence. SeneGence has a full line of make up, and I've been dabbling in make up tutorials. I've been putting them on YouTube, sharing them with my VIPS, and I though you might appreciate them too! Today I'm sharing a fun purple and smoky eye tutorial. It's not perfect but I hope you enjoy it!

Want to learn more about SeneGence cosmetics and how you can purchase these products or get them at a discount? Join my VIP group!

$10 at Target - Festive Finds

Welcome to $10 at Target! Each month a group of ladies and I go the place of the red bulls eye and see what $10 can get us! We always link up on the third Monday of the month. Feel free to join us!

As always, I start out with some things I didn't buy. The dollar spot was hoppin!

High Five for Friday 12.15 - Hair and Happenings

Happy Friday! Della at Della Devoted, Katie at Cup of Tea, Tif at Bright on a Budget, and I want to welcome you to High Five for Friday! Each week we share the best parts of the week and hope you'll join us! This week was so good I had to share six things!

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I got my hair trimmed and highlighted by Julie at Art of Life Salon. I'm so happy with how it turned out. I got highlights this summer, then went for a more dark low light, this fall and decided to go back to highlights again. 

Lace Up Sweater and Buffalo Plaid Sneakers

I've been loving the pretty details of lace up sweaters lately, but sometimes it is hard to find one that is mom/teacher appropriate. I found one that fits the bill and is super affordable!

Des Moines Moms Blog: Simple DIY Snowman Ornaments

Need a simple winter craft? I'm over at Des Moines Moms Blog sharing Simple DIY Snowman Ornaments!

High Five for Friday 12.8 - Festive Things

Happy Friday! Della at Della Devoted, Katie at Cup of Tea, Tif at Bright on a Budget, and I want to welcome you to High Five for Friday! Each week we share the best parts of the week and hope you'll join us!

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We've started some of our Christmas traditions which includes chocolate advent calendars from Trader Joes! I mean, who doesn't want to start the day off with a little chocolate for 25 days?

How I Style It: Holiday Style - Plaid Buffalo and Pencil Skirt

This month the How I Style It crew is sharing our spins on holiday style! Make sure you stop by to check out Della, Nicole and Tif's looks!

Caramel Apple Bar

Honeybear Brands sent me their new Pazazz apples to try. Pazazz – an all-new apple variety, ten years in the making, is finally here and available for local apple lovers to try before most other places in the country get their chance to take a bite.

High Five For Friday 12.1: Tis the Season!

Happy Friday! Della at Della Devoted, Katie at Cup of Tea, Tif at Bright on a Budget, and I want to welcome you to High Five for Friday! Each week we share the best parts of the week and hope you'll join us! This week I'm trying to combine the last two weeks since I took Black Friday off from H54F!

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We decorated for Christmas the weekend before Thanksgiving. We usually try to decorate the weekend after Thanksgiving, but because we were traveling, things went up early. I just love staring at the tree!

Floral Bomber Jacket

Just like cardigans, jackets are fun pieces to add to your wardrobe! Today I'm sharing a beautiful floral bomber jacket that Shein sent me in exchange for review.

Romwe Black Friday Sale: Perfect Plaid Dress

 Today I wanted to share my outfit from Thanksgiving!

4 Reasons I Love Wearing ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses

This shop has been compensated by ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses and Collective Bias, Inc. All opinions are mine alone. #TreatYourEyes2 #TreatYourEyes #CollectiveBias

I remember in ninth grade when I finally got to shed the glasses and give contacts a go. For me, a lot of my desire at the time for having contacts was about the looks. Glasses weren't cool or trendy back in 1998 like they can be now. After being a contact wearer for years, there's much more to my love of contacts than just looks!

Even better now, I'm wearing ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses. These lenses are the most comfortable ones I have ever worn. At my exam at Target Optical®, I shared my concerns with the doctor about the lenses I had been wearing and he suggested I try the ACUVUE OASYS® Brand Contact Lenses. I've been wearing them for a few weeks now, and I love how they feel.

Today I wanted to share with you why I love wearing ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses. If you haven't made the jump to contacts or are looking for comfortable and affordable lenses, give them a try.  If you're new to contacts, here are some tips to help you!

1. No Glare: I remember as a child having to pose my face a certain way during school pictures so that you could actually see my eyes. Because I wear contacts, I don't have to worry about tilting my head a certain way or removing my glasses all together to see my eyes.

2. No Dirty Lenses: Glasses lenses and smudges are a constant battle and I can't even imagine how much more of a battle I would have as a mom with my kiddos touching me all the time. With contacts, I can see clearly because they get a nice cleaning every night when I take them out before bed.

3. No Adjusting Frames: Growing up, my glasses frames would constantly get bent out of shape or even broken. I don't have to worry a bit about that now.

4. Wear Whatever Sunglasses I Want: Because my eyes need so much correction, I can't go anywhere without glasses or contacts. I am also the type of person who loves sunglasses, and because I have contacts, I can wear different styles of sunglasses depending on the outfit or activity.

These sunglasses are from Target. I love Target's affordable sunglasses selection so I can have different sunglasses for different outfits.

Make sure you check out Target Optical® for all your eye care needs!

Important Safety Information: Available by prescription only for vision correction. Ask your doctor if ACUVUE® Brand--- is right for you. Although rare, serious eye problems can develop while wearing contact lenses. Talk to your eye doctor about proper wear and care. Ask your doctor for important use and safety information, or see acuvue.com.

$10 at Target: Drink Ware on My Mind

Welcome to $10 at Target! Each month a group of ladies and I go the place of the red bulls eye and see what $10 can get us! This month there was so much Christmas goodness; it was hard to know what to choose!

First off, what I didn't get! Looking back at all of these pictures, I realize so many are cups or mugs!

High Five for Friday 11.17 - Family Happenings

Happy Friday! Della at Della Devoted, Katie at Cup of Tea, Tif at Bright on a Budget, and I want to welcome you to High Five for Friday! Each week we share the best parts of the week and hope you'll join us! Just an FYI that we're taking next Friday off from the link up for the holiday. Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

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I shared a little on my Instagram story, but I've been trying out Color Street Nails. I met a gal at a vendor show and decided to give them a try. I applied this set over my powder dip mani. I really like how easy they are to apply. I wore them for a little under a week. They wore a little at the tips but I think part of that was that my manicure was so smooth that they didn't adhere 100% like they would to a natural nail. All in all though, I really like them and I will wear them again. They come right off with polish remover and even the glitter came off without much fuss. I am impressed!

Personalized with Case App

I received product free in exchange for my review. See my disclosure for details.

We use our phones on a daily basis, so having a fun case (or three) for your phone is a fantastic idea. There are so many pretty cases out there, but I love to design my own case using Case App. This time I created a fun seasonal plaid case for me, a case for my LipSense biz and Henry designed a case too!

How I Save Money Without Much Fuss

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Hopster . All opinions are mine alone. #SaveWithHopster #CollectiveBias

We all know money doesn't grow on trees! Being a two teacher family and having three kiddos (two of which are in daycare), we're always looking for ways to save money. I'm also a very busy person, so I don't have time to go to different stores or always shop the sale fliers. I've had to look for other ways to save without a lot of fuss, so today I'm sharing four easy ways with you.

Always go to the store with a list.

I've learned that going to the store with a list really helps me stay focused on what I need to buy. If it's not on the list, it doesn't go in the cart. Sometimes it is an actual paper list, because I love a good paper list, but I also use the notes and reminders apps on my phone, too. Russ and I have a share reminders list for a couple stores on our phones so we can add to it, then we both know what we need if we go to the store without the other person.

Use Hopster.

Besides a list, I check the Hopster Mobile Rebates app when I go to the store, too. Or sometimes if I know we just need, something like cereal, I'll check the app to see if something that would work for our family is available with a rebate.

Using Hopster is so easy!

1. Choose your rebates from lots of different brands and items.
2. Shop at any store.
3. Take a picture of your receipt showing the item you purchased.
4. Rebates will be redeemed and credited to your PayPal account as soon as they're validated. You don't have to get to a certain dollar amount to cash out! Rebates go straight to PayPal no matter how much they are!

You can download the app on iTunes or Google Play!

Track what you buy.

Those little expenses can add up quick if you don't realize it. I've gotten in bad habits in the past of $20 here, $10 there and it truly adds up! We have a spreadsheet (which I can also access on my phone) where we track our expenses each month and this has truly curbed my spending. Knowing everything had to fit somewhere in our budget really makes me think before I buy those little things. The spread sheet is easily accessible and is categorized by type of purchase. AND, I can add some money back into our budget with my rebates from Hopster!

Give yourself a little fun money!

Everyone deserves a little unquestioned spending. We budget in some fun money each month that goes to whatever we want, no questions asked. Knowing that I have that little me money every month makes sticking to a budget easier. Deciding what to spend my money on is an adventure! And an extra perk if I can stretch the money further by finding a discount on Hopster!

What are some of your money saving tips while shopping?

High Five for Friday: Family Pictures and More

Happy Friday! Della at Della Devoted, Katie at Cup of Tea, Tif at Bright on a Budget, and I want to welcome you to High Five for Friday! Each week we share the best parts of the week and hope you'll join us!

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It's always fun to look in Henry's backpack and see what gems I will find. This was a note he wrote to his brothers and the pictures just crack me up because the describe them perfectly. Cal is obsessed with the Netflix show Mighty Machines and Wesley + Princesses = Life right now!

My Favorite Kids' Stocking Stuffers

This post is sponsored by Shopko. All opinions are my own. 

Christmas will be here before we know it! Stocking stuffers are always fun. Some years I over to it and some years I am totally last minute, but this year, I working on being prepared and making some of our Christmas purchases useful things or consumable things so we aren't affected with so much clutter.

Embroidery and Layering

I am LOVING the embroidery trend. Embroidery, especially floral, is back in style and it's a fun little detail to add to your wardrobe. Today I'm sharing an easy way I transitioned this short sleeve embroidered top to be fall-wearable.

Des Moines Moms Blog: Poshmark

I'm over at Des Moines Moms Blog today sharing about how I shop on Poshmark! Go check it out!

High Five for Friday 11.3 - Happy Halloween

Happy Friday! Della at Della Devoted, Katie at Cup of Tea, Tif at Bright on a Budget, and I want to welcome you to High Five for Friday! Each week we share the best parts of the week and hope you'll join us!

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First, we'd better start off with the boys' costumes! We had a dino rider, Sleeping Beauty, and a construction worker. They had so much fun trick or treating!

The Ruffle Sleeve Trend

The ruffle/bell sleeve trend is one I wasn't 100% sure was for me. Some of the way its styled, I'm not sure I could pull off, but when I saw this top, It called to me. I knew the classic print was something I could make work, so I gave it a try.

How I Style It: Blanket Scarf and Ankle Booties

This month the How I Style It crew is sharing our spins on scarves and ankle boots! Make sure you stop by to check out Della, Nicole and Tif's looks!

Simple Ways to Make Over Your Bedroom

This post is sponsored by Shopko. All opinions are my own. 

Does anyone else feel like their bedroom is a neglected space? Ours was becoming that, so I decided to change it up a little bit. I didn't want to spend too much as we're planning on changing rooms in less than a year once Calvin gets a little older. 

High Five for Friday 10.27 - Pumpkin Patch

Happy Friday! Della at Della Devoted, Katie at Cup of Tea, Tif at Bright on a Budget, and I want to welcome you to High Five for Friday! Each week we share the best parts of the week and hope you'll join us!

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We took our yearly trip to The Pumpkin Ranch. Every year the boys have a blast and this year was just the same. Wesley got brave and tried the zip line. Calvin was all business and just wanted to go pick his pumpkin!

Eye Care Made Easy

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses. All opinions are mine alone. #TreatYourEyes #CollectiveBias

I've really been working on self-care as life gets busy, but sometimes the biggest feat is actually scheduling the appointment. Especially with eye exams, since I wear contacts, I usually wait until I'm on my second to last pair in the box to see if I can find an exam time. So many times I forget to call and cut it close, so when I saw that Target Optical® allowed online booking, I was so excited! Plus, it's Target! I can shop for fall decor AND get my eyes checked in one place? Sign me up!

A Different Spin on Holiday Cards

We received these products free for review. See my disclosure for details.

I've talked about letting go of control a little bit as a mom recently and embracing your kiddos for who they are, and I'm realizing that perfectionism often carries over into the holidays. I want the perfect holiday card. The perfect picture. And really, it doesn't always embrace the feelings of the season. This year, I'm partnering with Ben the Rooster for our cards. If you've been around here, you may have heard me talk about Ben before or seen me mention him on Instagram. Ben the Rooster is a children's pen pal service. 

High Five for Friday 10.20

Happy Friday! Della at Della Devoted, Katie at Cup of Tea, Tif at Bright on a Budget, and I want to welcome you to High Five for Friday! Each week we share the best parts of the week and hope you'll join us!

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I spent the weekend in Tulsa Oklahoma at the SeneGence Leaders Conference. It was so fun and I learned so much that will help me personally, in my business, and leading my team! If you would have asked me a year ago if I would be there this year, I would have told you no way, but this year has been amazing and I can't wait to see what the next year holds! 

$10 at Target - Much Better This Time!

Welcome to $10 at Target! Each month a group of ladies and I go the place of the red bulls eye and see what $10 can get us! Last month was a bit of a bust, but I was determined to make this month's shopping trip better!

High Five for Friday 10.13

Happy Friday! Della at Della Devoted, Katie at Cup of Tea, Tif at Bright on a Budget, and I want to welcome you to High Five for Friday! Each week we share the best parts of the week and hope you'll join us!

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Russ had a wedding video job this past weekend up in NE Iowa, so the boys and I tagged along to spend some time with family. The boys had a blast and it was nice to see some cousins, aunts, and uncles we don't see often.