Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Loving Lately, Spring 2018

Hi friends! It's been a good five months since I wrote one of these bad boys; so, I thought it'd be fun to do a little Spring update. Here are some of the things I'm loving lately that I thought maybe you'd love, too:

Barre3. By now, y'all know I am a barre girl. It is my sanity, it is a treat to myself, it is a way to try and keep myself healthy so that I can keep up with my little circus until I am old and grey. After a couple years at Pure Barre, I switched over to Barre3 last year and have truly enjoyed the friendships I've made and the workouts I've gotten. AND over the weekend, I got to attend their first ever "Mommy & Me" class. Ohmygosh, y'all. I loved it! There was a 30-minute workout that all the sweet littles got to do side-by-side with their mommas and then we had a 30-minute "veggiecation" session that ended with the sampling of delicious green smoothies (so good, I went and bought all of the ingredients shortly after and made them for my whole Lu Crew that evening!). I just love that I got a chance to show Raleigh one of the things I love most - Barre3 - and do it right alongside her, showing her how important it is to take care of our bodies from the inside out and outside in. I don't think either of us stopped smiling the entire workout (and yes, we totally twinned for the occasion). :) Thank you, Barre3, for letting me introduce my biggest girl to something I am so passionate about. <3 And friends, there are Barre3 studios, all over the country; so, If you're local, let's go together (nothing in it for me except extra time with you)! If you're not, grab a friend and check out your local barre options. I promise, you will LOVE the workout and love the awesome women you meet. <3


Spa Kit. Raleigh received this All Natural Spa Day Kit for Christmas, and I have been so impressed with it. It comes with lots of different spa activities we have been able to do together (e.g., make bath bombs; create smelling stones; mix-up homemade facial masks). It comes with headbands, invitations (in case you wanted to invite some sweet friends for a spa day), and several of the ingredients/items needed to complete the spa activities. Such a fun activity for young girls! 



Gratitude. I was given this gratitude journal for Christmas, and I absolutely love it. Every morning, during my quiet time, I write down one thing I am feeling grateful for on the corresponding date, and I swear my attitude shifts as soon as I do! It's a simple concept but one that has become part of my morning routine, and I love it. I thought maybe you would, too. <3 It, coupled with the devotional I am reading right now (Savor by Shauna Niequest - really good!) and the book my LifeGroup ladies and I are reading (Church of the Small Things by Melanie Shankle) really start my days off on the right foot. On another note, our LifeGroup is about to start a new study together (the guys and girls) called Seamless by Angie Smith, that's supposed to be really good. Will report back on that one when we're done!  

Scissor Skills. Harrison received this Scissor Skills Activity Kit for Christmas, and it has been a real homerun! He loves cutting along the ines (straight; diagonal; jagged; etc.) to create the various scenes included in the book (ice cream cones; houses; etc.). It comes with this really neat pair of child-safe scissors, too. He doesn't even realize he's getting extra scissor practice while having all the fun! I just love toys that are fun and functional. :) 




FabFitFun. I know I've blogged about it before, but I just received my Spring FabFitFun box, and it may be my favorite yet! For all you hard workin' women out there, I couldn't recommend FFF any more! It is such a treat to receive a box full of goodies every three months - it's a way to try out new products, receive super cute accessories, and treat yo' self. Plus, the merchandise you receive is worth anywhere from $275+ more than what you spend ($50 per box or less if you pay for a year's worth of boxes at once), resulting in at least $315 worth of merchandize per box (and often, more). Further, you can "add on" items to your box if you choose. For example, in my search for better hair care products, I added on a sample kit of high-end shampoo, de-tangler, and styling creme for $9. You don't have to add on, but I probably will for now on given the awesome options they have at significantly discounted prices (think Diff sunglasses; Living Proof hair products; etc.). Two of the items in my box this time were these fun tassle earrings and this colorful clutch that just screams "Hello, Spring! I'm ready for you!" I won't share pics because I don't want to "spoil" the fun for those still awaiting their box's arrival. :) Anywho, if you want to give it a try (at least try one box and see what you think!), use this code and we will BOTH save $25. Heck yeah! :) Here's the link to the code: http://xo.fff.me/ieXa9

Functional Trays. One of my favorite bloggers posted about these trays she got her kiddos, and I decided to follow suit based on her rave review. And....I love them!! What's so great about these trays? Well, for starters, they are multi-functional! For example, we use them as placements for every meal, only they are better than placements because they have raised edges (as well as a bevelved side that comes to a point). So, they easily catch food crumbs and then my kids don't spill the crumbs everywhere when they are taking them over to the sink to dump the crumbs. Sounds simple but I'm telling you, these things are so much better for crumb catching. They are also great to use for things like Playdoh, crafting, cookie-decorating, etc., that may involve tiny bits of things like glitter, sequins, sprinkles, etc. And they are easy to wipe down and use again. These are now a mainstay on our kitchen table and will be for the forseeable future. 


Discounted Furniture. As I have mentioned previously, our home is currently undergoing some updating - we recently had the entire house, driveway, sidewalk, and porches power-washed. We also just had some of the exterior of our house re-painted, and our entire downstairs and kitchen cabinets are being re-painted in a few weeks. Further, we finally replaced the 14-year-old furniture we've been rockin' for way too long. While I looooove the beautiful furniture found at some of my favorite home decor stores, I don't love the pricing, especially since we needed to buy all new furniture, lighting, and rugs for our main two living areas. Enter Wayfair and Birch Lane. I know y'all have heard about these, but they are definitely two home decor websites I am loving lately, given the pricing and quality of their products (and their ease of returns - two of the couches we ordered didn't end up working for our space, so we are returning them and have already ordered two others to try)! So, I wanted to give them a shout out (along with Joss and Main, Hayneedle, and Rugs USA,  which I also love!). We had these chairs made and they are my favvvvvvorite! 



Rent the Runway. If you saw my post last week, you saw the pics from this year's Greenway Gala and all my gorgeous girlfriends. A lot of the ladies who attend the gala rent dresses, and apart from a couple mishaps, it has overall been successful for us over the last three years. After hearing about a few other awesome websites with beautiful, reasonably priced gowns, I *may* buy one next year. But if not, there's always Rent The Runway! It is definitely one of the things I am loving lately - wear a pretty dress and then very easily ship it back, hassle-free? Fine by me! If you use this code, you'll save $30 off your order (and I will, tol)!! Tip: I like to rent my dresses several months in advance to ensure it will be available in my size when the time comes. Here's the link to the code for you to get all dressy and dazzling for your next event (note: all their dresses aren't just formal gowns. They have tons of options - including accessories - for every kind of event, from casual to dressy!) : https://rtr.app.link/e/YdnjmDtleL

 

And there you have it! A few things I'm loving lately! If there are things YOU are loving lately, let me know so I can try them out, too. I love good tips from good girlfriends. :) So, what say you?!

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