Categories
food healthy eats jen Uncategorized

Healthy No Sugar Banana Bread – Perfect After School Snack!

With 3 young children, bananas are a staple in our house.  A) Because they all love them, but B) Because my youngest loves to wake up at the CRACK of dawn on the weekends and insist, “I’m hungry!”  And it goes from “hungry” to “HANGRY”  with a quickness!  So bananas are the easiest thing to hand over while mom + dad get a few more minutes of rest!  (Complete transparency – sometimes we go to bed with a banana on our nightstand because we know the little pitter patter of feet will be coming in a few hours and neither of us wants to go downstairs to fetch a banana)  But sometimes they go on a banana strike and then we’re left with old spotted bananas that are too mushy for eating.  When that happens, I do one of two things: 1) Peel, cut them in half and put in a Ziplock baggie to freeze for smoothies or 2) Make banana bread!

The other day, the kids spied the spotted bananas and it was the perfect time to bake some bread!  Ever since I started a clean eating program 3 years ago, I have been more health conscious – especially with regards to the amount of SUGAR that goes into our daily diet in things that we don’t even think about.  So when I do have an itch to bake, I’m always looking for ways to make things healthier.  One of my favorite substitutions is applesauce.  It’s a great all natural sweetener and in most cases, particularly in baking, makes your creations more moist!  Sounds like a win win to me!  I’ve scoured lots of different banana bread recipes and have tweaked certain ingredients based on my preferences and this one is the best one yet!


Healthy No Sugar Banana Bread

Prep Time: 10 min.

 Ingredients
  • 3 overripe bananas
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup applesauce (no sugar added)
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
  • Dash of vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan (or in my case, I used 2 3×5 inch mini loaf pans).

2.  Combine flour, baking soda, salt in a large bowl and combine.

3.  In a separate bowl, mash bananas (don’t over mash as I like to have little banana chunks in my bread) and combine with eggs.  Stir in applesauce and honey and mix well.

4.  Stir banana mixture into flour mixture in batches until just mixed and pour into loaf pan(s).

5.  Bake in preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack or a paper bag.

ENJOY!!!

Check out more of my healthy recipes and snacks here!

 

Categories
amazon fashion shopping Uncategorized

Fall Fashion Finds Under $50 (the best of Amazon fashion!)

I’ve been finding the cutest things on Amazon lately so I’ve rounded up the best fall fashion finds on Amazon.  The best part?  Everything on this post is $50 or less!  So many cute pieces.  The first set are a bit more dressy/work friendly.  How cute is the bell sleeve tassel top?  It’s a fave!  I couldn’t help add a few cold shoulder tops as it may be fall but cold shoulder is definitely still something I’m going to be working into my wardrobe!  The pretty ruffle like the blue or the blush are great work to happy hour tops.  And that cute blush dress will be SO cute with a cozy cardigan and over the knee boots.

I couldn’t forget some cute shoes.  I’m loving blush for fall and adore the pointy toe pumps.  But these mules, such a great price and they come in a bunch of colors that will go with everything in your fall wardrobe!

 What to buy at Amazon: Fall Fashion Under $50

TOP ROW: BLUE BLOUSE \\ BLUSH BLOUSE \\ TASSEL TOP

MIDDLE ROW: COLD SHOULDER BLOUSE \\ SCARF \\ BLUSH HEELS \\ BLUSH DRESS

BOTTOM ROW: FLORAL PRINT BLOUSE \\ OPEN TOE MULES \\ STRAPPY COLD SHOULDER BLOUSE

—————————————-

This next set are all pieces that would be cute for weekends and casual days.  I’m all about the oversized or flowy tops so that striped blouse and the ruffle hem sweater are on the top of my list.  The lace up tee is so cute if you pair it with a jean or moto jacket.

I’m all about the embroidery these days, it’s such a fun detail.  The dress, the top and the booties are all great pieces that can be the focal point of your outfit.  You don’t need to add much more with those pieces.

The best Fall Fashion pieces under $50

TOP: RUFFLE TOP \\ LACE UP TOP \\ EMBROIDERED DRESS

MIDDLE: EMBROIDERED TOP \\ RING HANDLE BAG \\ BOOTIES \\ POLKA DOT RUFFLE TOP 

BOTTOM: OVERSIZED TOP \\ EMBROIDERED BOOTIES \\ CLUTCH \\ STRIPED SKIRT

I’ve been looking all over for an affordable ring handle bag.  It’s definitely a “look for less” of the Chloe bag if you are comfortable with that.  I can’t vouch for the quality, but if you are just looking for a cute ring handle bag I think it’s a great option and it’s under $30!  I’ve found quite a few “look for less” bags on Amazon and I’m thinking about doing a quick round up.  I, of course don’t support fake designer bags but I’ve actually seen quite a few women carry bags that are “inspired by” (I guess is a good word for it) and I actually don’t mind them.  The bags don’t have the logo and are not trying to be a replica so I’m debating on my thoughts around it.  What do you guys think?  I’ll share my round up soon!

Want more great deals on Amazon?  Check out all my latest Amazon Finds here including my favorite shoes that are over 50% off!

This post contains affiliate links and I may make a commission if you purchase something using the link.  Thank you so much for your support!

Categories
entrepreneur make money online Uncategorized

4 truths about being a small business owner + tips for success

4 truths about being a small business owner

I’ve been a small business owner for 5 years now and when I tell people what I do, people love to hear our story of how we got started and how we run our business. I get a lot of “That must be so fun!” Which it is, no lie. I love what I do and have had a lot of fun this whole time.  However, we never really get to the part about how HARD it is to run a business, especially a small business as most of the time, the owner/founder is not just creating products, we are also doing the marketing, social media, inventory management and so much more.  My sister and I do have a team that helps us run parts of the business but I also have plenty of friends that just do it all themselves which I think is amazing and so incredibly hard.  I’ve been wanting to share more about my business and also help out other small business owners so I thought it would be a great time to start with just what it really entails to be a small business owner and the 4 things that I’ve found to be the hardest part of being an entrepreneur.

Flexible Schedule:

My most common thing that I hear is “You can work from home AND manage your schedule, that’s a dream!” I do have to agree that it is awesome that I can have a flexible schedule and that if my daughter is sick, I can keep her home from school and take care of her myself.  Or I can have coffee dates with my friends during the day (this doesn’t happen that often) or if I need to go to the grocery store in the middle of the day, I can.  So yes, I love that about my schedule, but the reality is, is that I also work ALL THE TIME.  So even though I might not be sitting down at my office for 8 hours like you do at a regular office, if you accumulate all the hours in a day that I’m working it’s more than 12 hours a day every day.  When you own your business and work from home, it literally never leaves you, mentally or physically. I am always thinking about my business and my laptop or phone is always nearby.  My sister and I text or call multiple times a day and sometimes we text just to gossip or talk about personal stuff but the majority of the time, it’s about our business so it literally is always there.  I’m not complaining as I’ve come to accept it as part of my life and I tell people that I don’t have a “work-life balance” I just have “life” it’s all one thing for me and I’m OK with that.

TIP FOR SUCCESS: Stick to a schedule and allocate times for yourself where you don’t look at your phone/computer.  It’s just way too easy these days to get immersed in emails and all that when we always have our phones on us.  Being strict with yourself about the times you can check your emails and social media (relating to your business) will not only save your sanity but also make the actual time you allow for your “work time” to be efficient. In the past year, I’ve been much better about managing my schedule and allowing myself to have times where I don’t even pick up my phone and honestly, it’s changed me.  I’ve found not only does it end up being better for my business and my family, but my stress levels as well.

The truth about being a small business owner
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Working From Home:

If you’ve never worked from home before, it does sound like an ideal situation.  You don’t have to get all dressed up, you don’t have to sit in traffic, you never have to worry forgetting your lunch… Of course all those are pluses and I agree it’s pretty great.  On the other side though, for me it was hard to separate “home” from “work” in a physical sense.  So I would go to make myself lunch and end up seeing all the dirty dishes in the sink and spend the next hour cleaning the kitchen and then realize how much time I just spent doing that when I should be working!  It gets so distracting to not want to do those things while you are at home.

TIP FOR SUCCESS: Make a space in your home dedicated to your business only.  It doesn’t even have to be an entire room, even if it’s just a corner, it’s important that you have that space.  Also, decorate it so that you actually enjoy working in there! Pack yourself a lunch so that when it’s lunch time you’re not spending a lot of time prepping it (and accidentally cleaning the kitchen too!) and just grab it out of the fridge, heat it up and enjoy!  And another thing, give yourself an actual lunch break! It’s easy to work while eating but you really do need that mental break during the day.  Music is also a big thing for me.  Since I’m at home by myself, it drives me crazy to work in silence so we have a Amazon Dot in every room and we also subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited which is awesome as I always have music to listen to! If you don’t have it yet, try Amazon Music Unlimited and get a 30-Day Free Trial

Home Office Inspiration
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Growing your business:

The first year is sometimes all what people think about, because there’s so much to do that first year from the idea, to putting it all together to the launch of the business.  It’s all so exciting and keeps you so busy. The 2nd year is still about growth as you are still fairly new and getting your name out.  The 3rd and 4th year are a lot harder to continue and maintain the growth of the business and is something that we rarely hear about.  For us, our growth was so rapid and in our 2nd year of business, we hit a million dollars in sales.  I never thought that we’d be able to do that so fast and it was so exciting but to tell you the truth, it hit us hard our next year knowing that we had to try to maintain that level of growth.  I don’t think my sister and I, and our team, worked harder than that 3rd year of our business.  It was incredibly difficult and stressful trying to keep up with that kind of growth.  Obviously, we managed to get through it as here we are in our 5th year of business but the 3rd and 4th year is pretty common to hear of when business owners really start to struggle to keep up with growing their business.

TIP FOR SUCCESS: Always be learning.  Especially in this online world that we live in where things change seemingly on a weekly basis.  It’s been quite some time since Instagram changed their algorithm from chronological yet I can’t escape the amount of people that continually complain about it.  I’ve never been one to complain about something that I can’t control.  Instead take all that energy into learning just how to make that change work for me.  I have immersed myself in reading blogs, ebooks and taking courses from experts in small businesses, social media, facebook ads, etc.. and every bit of that goes into how I run my business and the changes that we make to adapt to the environment.

Hiring team members:

When it comes to growing your business, hiring a team should be on the top of your list.  It is essential because you alone, can not do everything. The more you grow, the more work there is so you’ll want to start putting together a team of people that can help you do the things that you don’t necessarily have to take care of.  My sister and I always knew that there are certain things that only she and I can do and that we needed to use our time to grow our business and things like packing orders and customer service were best delegated to team members that could manage it.  We still oversee everything but the we’re not actually working on those things until an issue is brought up that needs one of us to manage it.  Hiring a team sounds great but in reality finding the perfect team members is much harder than you would think.

TIP FOR SUCCESS: Be clear with yourself the kind of person that you are looking for in your business and the position you are hiring for.  Once you start to interview you will find yourself thinking that each candidate seems great and that they will do a great job.  I can say that I’ve hired quite a few stellar people for our team and a few that have ended up being the worst match for our business.  Interviews don’t really give you the whole picture as some people are just really good at selling themselves but when it comes to actually working, well the effort isn’t exactly there.  Make a checklist of who your ideal employee would be for that employee and try to ask questions to gauge that they will fit those characteristics. Of course not many will fit every single thing you are looking for but as long as you have a general idea, that is what will help you narrow it down.

If you don’t have the need for a full time employee or looking for a virtual assistant, upwork and fiverr is a great place to find people that are experts in things like social media, SEO, facebook ads and a ton more!  It’s great for those things that you have no idea where to even start but also don’t have the time to learn it all.

——–

I hope some of my experience being a small business owner can help those of you who are just starting out or those of you who are looking to grow your business.  It’s not easy being an entrepreneur and I believe in community and always helping out others who are in the same boat.  I’m always happy to answer any questions you may have about running or growing your business.

Learn more on my tips on being an entrepreneur and making money online.

Categories
las vegas Travel Uncategorized vacation

Where to stay in Vegas ( that’s not on the strip!) – Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa Review

My sister and I were invited to speak on the panel at the Women Who Slay event in Las Vegas and we were hosted by the  which was such a fabulous hotel.  Just wanted to share my review and thoughts on our stay as well as some of the fun stuff we got to do! Also if you want some recommendations of what to do and eat in Vegas, scroll down to the bottom of the post!

Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa

I’ve been to Vegas, a lot.  I think this was my 12th time being there.  And I’ve always stayed on the strip so this is the first time not being on the strip but it was absolutely what I needed.  If you haven’t been to Vegas before, staying on the strip is a no brainer!  You definitely have to experience it once in your life. But if you are a frequent visitor, a place like the Red Rock Resort is a great option.  It was about a half hour from the strip which was an easy uber/taxi ride for when we did go out at night but we just stayed at the hotel during the day relaxing by the pool and eating all the food!

FAMILY FRIENDLY HOTEL IN LAS VEGAS

I mean how could we not sit by the pool all day?  Look how gorgeous it is! And I didn’t get a great photo of all the pools but instead of one gigantic pool like a lot of hotels have, they have one larger one with the fountain (which is great spot for the kids!) and then lots of smaller size pools all around so that not one pool was ever super crowded.

PLENTY OF UNCROWDED POOLS

Here’s a view below of one of the smaller pools and as you can see that was pretty much the extent of how many people were in the pool. It was always less than 10 people which was so nice as I could get into the pool and not feel like I was sitting in a crowd of people which I’ve actually done many times in the pools at other Vegas hotels.
There were also plenty of chairs and you didn’t have to do that ridiculous thing of getting at the pool super early just to put your towel down and save your spot. It was super hot when we were there, well in the 100’s and this Seattle girl thinks 85 is hot so I was dying but I still wanted to be outside as much as I could so getting a chair and then taking a dip in the pool every once in awhile was the perfect day for me.
I was also so excited to spend some sister time.  We both had invited friends to come along but both unfortunately had family emergencies and could not make it last minute. We were sad that they couldn’t make it but we had a great time together!
We will for sure be back with our little ones as we saw so many families with kids and they all looked like they were having so much fun.
Wearing T&J Designs swimsuits! Shop them here: Champagne Problems || Pina Colada (take 30% off the entire site this week only!)

DELICIOUS FOOD BY THE POOL

I ate by the pool all 3 days I was there.  I loved it! The food was so good!  Still thinking about the avocado toast and mango margarita.

Another one of our pool lunches.  Obviously we were so hungry look at all that food for the two of us!  But everything was so fresh and delicious.

TWO BEDROOM SUITE

My photos of the room didn’t turn out great, but they put us in a two bedroom suite with a sitting area in between.  It was beautiful and perfect for what we needed.  The rooms were fairly large and the beds were very comfy.
Wifi that worked great both in the rooms and in the public areas.  Oh and we got room service every morning (I mean nothing better than when you had stayed out until 3AM the night before, right?).  We were so happy with the service everywhere!
.

 FLAMINGO ROMPER

WOMEN WHO SLAY EVENT

At the Women Who Slay event (more on that later) they had a VIP section set up for all of us so we got to enjoy this nice private pool and cabana section.  We had a lot of fun taking pics with the floaties 🙂

DEMI LOVATO PRIVATE PARTY

My sister had been invited to the Demi Lovato song release party for her Sorry Not Sorry song and she got me and a friend (who happened to be in Vegas at the same time) in as well.  We had SO much fun and it was fun to see Demi sing her song. We had no idea that there would be a surprise guest so when they announced Nick Jonas I lost it and screamed like a little girl. LOL! I’m not a crazy fan,  I actually only know a few of his songs but still the guy can bring out the 13 year old in me.

I’m wearing the Star Lace Dress

NOBU HOTEL

The party was on the penthouse of the Nobu hotel which was cool to see as well and had such a great view of the strip!  Anyway if you want to see more, especially the rooms at Red Rock Casino (and the Nick and Demi appearance) check out my video that I posted to my facebook page!

TOP THINGS TO DO AND PLACES TO EAT ON THE LAS VEGAS STRIP

If you are visiting Vegas, here are a few of my favorite things to do:

The Cosmopolitian – one of my favorite hotels.  I stayed there not too long ago and the rooms are huge and gorgeous.  The best part of the hotel, is that they have some of the best restaurants. We never had to leave the hotel to eat! You definitely need to check out:
China Poblano – a mix of chinese and mexican food which is so unexpected but done so well.
Momofuku – Yes they finally have one in Vegas!  Don’t miss out on the world famous Pork Belly Buns!
Zuma – We just went on this trip and the food was exceptional.  I love Japanese food and could eat it every day if it didn’t cost an arm and a leg! The food was expensive but I also felt like it was a fair amount for what we paid for.

More to do:
Nobu – I’m a sushi lover and have tried a ton of sushi restaurants in Vegas but Nobu will always be a favorite. I’ve only been to the one in the Hard Rock Hotel but there’s also one in Ceasar’s Palace (which is where the Nobu hotel is)
Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace – I love shopping here, so many good shops and it’s just a fun environment!  Don’t miss out on the Gucci store, it’s gorgeous and right now Gucci is killing it.  I wanted to buy everything in the store!
Bellagio – Go there to see the flower garden and the fountain but also the shopping.  Well to tell you the truth, I mainly just go there to drool at the Chanel store but still a fun place to shop!
Britney Spears – I saw her show about a year ago and even though she lip syncs, the show is still really fun.  I like the Vegas venues as they are so much smaller than if they were actually touring and your seats are so high that you can barely see them.  I loved the show and would totally go watch her again!  I also  REALLY want to see the Backstreet Boys in Vegas.  They weren’t performing the week I was there or else I totally would have bought tickets to their show.

Categories
anniversary sale beauty giveaway home Nordstrom sale shopping Uncategorized

The best of Beauty and Home at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale + $500 Giveaway!

I hope your not all shopped out yet as I still have more deals to share with you!  My first thing is to always shop for clothes and shoes at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, but they also have amazing deals in the beauty and home departments!

For the beauty items, it’s such a great time to get these products now as a lot of the sets and deals are exclusive for the sale and they won’t go on sale again.

1. T3 Flat Iron & 2. Hairdryer: My favorite flat iron and hairdryer by T3 is on sale!  I admit it seems like a lot to spend on hair tools but after using them for awhile now, I understand why expensive tools are worth it.  They just last longer and they do the job much better!

3. Aveda Hair Essentials: I’m such a fan of Aveda hair products and just saw that they have this essentials kit as part of the sale!  It’s only $39 and you get shampoo, conditioner, thickening tonic (great to give your hair fullness and volume) and the best hair spray.

4. Revitalash: I haven’t started using this yet but I’ve heard amazing things! It’s basically buy one get one free right now!  I’ve used other lash growers before and had great results, it’s just that you have to keep on buying it but for now I’m happy to get this deal!

5. Erno Laszlo Cleansing Duo: The Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar alone is already worth this set!  This is one of the best cleansers I’ve used.  I’m not usually one to use a bar but I tried this out on recommendation from an estethician friend and I am a cleansing bar convert!  My skin feels so clean after I use it and it has helped keep breakouts away.

6. Clarisonic Mia Fit: I’ve been using this for about a year now and as much as I love the other clarisonic tools, this one was a clear winner once I started using it.  I love the shape of the Mia Fit compared to the ones with the longer handles as I feel like I can really control where I’m cleaning my face.  Oh and I just rub the cleansing bar on it to get the soap on it and the combo of the two has been fantastic for my skin.

I also wanted to mention that T3 also has the hair dryer and flat iron in compact sizes which makes it great for putting in your gym bag or for travel. Both work just as well as their regular size versions and are just so cute!  Get the hair dryer here and the straightener here.  I just got mine and they are coning with me on our weekend trip!

photo provided by T3

I’m kind of obsessed with little details for the home.  I’m always buying little things to add to every corner of my house and I change things up every few months or so to make it feel new and fresh. Below are some of my favorites from the home sale that I use year round and happy to see that they are on sale!

1. Canvas Wall Art: How cute is this?  I totally want it for my office but I currently don’t have any more wall space!  I’m going to need to take something down to make room for it.  It’s just too cute!
2. Stemless Wine Glasses: Even if you don’t get these for yourself, they make for great gifts!  I just can’t resist drinkware with cute sayings on it.
3. Nap More Pillow: I have a few ghost chairs in my office and I always like to add pillows to them to not only make them more comfy but it’s also cuter.  This pillow is perfect and it’s probably a motto that I should follow more often 🙂
4. Mini Candle Set: I actually love small candles more than big candles as I tend to get sick of scents really fast so I love having smaller candles to have more variety.  These ones smell so good and are perfect to make your home smell fresh and clean.
5. Chic Happens Trinket Tray: I am all about having little dishes and trays all over my bedroom because I tend to take my jewelry off in every room so having a little spot for them ensures that I don’t lose anything.
6. Fragrance Diffuser: I tend to splurge on diffusers.  I just love them so much and think that they do an amazing job of making your room smell so good.  I keep one in our guest bathroom all the time and usually they are Archipelago as they make the best scents.  Anytime I can get these on sale, I jump on it as they don’t go on sale often!

Also just needed to share that my two favorite tops from my haul are still available!  Go shop them now:

Satin Pajama Top – wearing a size S for a more relaxed fit.  Also comes in white.  The choker is also from the anniversary sale but unfortunately sold out.  This tassel necklace is still available and I love that you can wear it in a variety of ways!

 TOP SHORTS SHOES CHOKER

I just got this tulle sweatshirt top yesterday. When I pulled it out of the box, I immediately just put it on to wear to dinner!  I love it!  It comes in gray and both colors are still available in all sizes.  I’m wearing an XS and it fits true to size.

 TOP SHORTS SHOES BAG BAG STRAP 

Now onto the awesome $500 giveaway!

nordstrom giftcard giveaway

In celebration of the recent launch of Lili Alessandra a maker of fine linens and soft furnishings on Nordstrom.com.  Check out the gorgeous selection of Lili Alessandra on the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale!  I have partnered with a few of my favorite bloggers to give away a $500 Nordstrom gift card! Simply enter below by completing the rafflecopter. You’ll receive one entry per completion. This giveaway is open internationally and ends on 8/9. Winner will be announced here. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Categories
anniversary sale dressing room fashion haul Nordstrom shopping Uncategorized video

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017 – Best Buys and Dressing Room Diaries

The best buys of Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017

It’s here!  Now everyone can shop the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale!  I finally made it to downtown Nordstrom and tried on a bunch of stuff and bought a bunch of stuff!  This is a huge long post, but keep reading so you can see all my finds!  I think this year is one of Nordstrom’s best years yet!  I love so many things.  I was so happy with my buys I even had my sales person take a photo of me with my bags before I left.  LOL I have no shame but isn’t the wall paper so cute?
What to buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017
GET MY DRESS HERE IT’S ON SALE + 50% OFF!

I tried everything on for you in my latest youtube video so if you want to see everything on me, check it out here!  I also tried on a few things in the video that I didn’t have a chance to photograph yet.  Please subscribe to my channel to keep up with me there as well!

Also just wanted to point out that everything except for one thing is under $50!!  Yay for affordable picks from the Nordstrom Sale!
This dress was surprisingly one of my favorites.  I’ve always been a fan of drop waist dresses – my wedding dress was a drop waist! I just loved the fit and the print of this dress.
What to buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017

Black Drop Waist Dress: Size XS $45.90 

Another cute dress, love all the details, especially the fun sleeves!  I also love that both were a good length on me and I think it would work fine for anyone taller or shorter than me.

What to buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017

Pink Floral Dress: Size XS $45.90 

These shorts are one of my favorites ever!  Funny story – I saw them on the wall hanging at the very top and I was jumping around trying to grab my size but it was so hard to read the tags (short people problems).  I probably looked ridiculous, but I ended up finding my sales associate and she grabbed them for me.  I’m so glad I did not give up on them though, they are SO cute.  I love the pleats and how it looks like a skirt.  They really dress up an outfit.

What to buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017

Pleated Shorts: Size XS $42.90 

And I can never resist a cute button up so I grabbed this one and was not disappointed.  I love that it kind of looks like a pajama top.  I know I’ll be wearing this a lot!

What to buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017

Pajama Top: Size XS $42.90 

I asked my sales associate to help me grab some more cute tops and she brought me the same top but in this satin/silk material and I fell in love!  The color and the material is so pretty.  And I know it may be hectic the first day of the sale, but if you can, have your sales associate help you find stuff that you may not have seen. I just told her the kind of tops I was interested in and she found a bunch.   They are happy that they will probably get more commission and I’m more happy that I don’t have to leave the dressing room to hunt and can just get cute stuff to try on!  It’s a win-win!
What to buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017
Satin Pajama Top: Size S $45.90
Distressed jeans: Size 26 $52.90 

Ooooh this top… man I told you so many cute things this year.  I love this color, the material (it’s lightweight and stays tucked in) and those sleeves!  Seriously one of my faves!

What to buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017

Red Bell Sleeve Top: Size XS $38.90

This is a great basic sweater with a twist with those bell sleeves.  Oh and it’s SO soft.  I hate buying sweaters only to find out later that it’s so itchy.  This one is not itchy at all and so comfy.  The jeans are by Topshop and I although I have so many pairs of distressed jeans, I had to get another.  These fit so well but I did size up on them.

What to buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017

Bell Sleeve Sweaters: Size S $38.90 
Distressed jeans: Size 26 $52.90 

This was a top that my sales associate found for me.  I loved it but it was too similar to the silky button down top (it was basically the same color) so I passed on this one but I had to show you guys as I still think it’s a cute top.

What to buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017

Ruffle Sleeve Top: Size XS $31.90 

Another top I didn’t get but I love the details!  It’s an asymmetrical hem and has split sleeves as well.  I did buy those skinny jeans (they were only $40!).  I love dark skinny jeans and I can always use another pair.

What to buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017

Asymmetrical Top: Size 2 $43.90 
Skinny Jeans: Size 25 $41.90 

This top is so cute, but I also left this one behind.  I love it but I know that once the weather turns here I will not be wanting to wear anything off the shoulder and I liked the other tops better.

What to buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017

Off the Shoulder top: XXS $29.90

Here’s a few items that I shared in my video but I didn’t have a chance to photograph yet.  Check out the video to see them on me!

What to buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017

PEPLUM SWEATSHIRT: Size XS $35.40

What to buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017


RUFFLE SLEEVE BLOUSE: Size XS $31.90 (Mine is the polka dot one which looks like it’s sold out online but my store had a bunch!)

What to buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017

Tassel Earrings: $27.90 

What to buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017



Layered Choker: $23.90 

I have two more online orders that I placed that I’m still waiting for.  Once I get those items in, I’ll shoot another video and blog post!  Also I’ve been keeping this page updated with all the items that I’ve either ordered or tried on that I love.  I will keep on updating it but if you ever need a link to anything you see on me here or on instagram, you can find it on this page!

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3 Reasons Why You Need to Stop Wearing a Bra

This post is sponsored by Kohl’s. I received the included bralettes as compensation.

I’m sure I’m not alone in the fact that the moment I get home from a long day of being out all day, the first thing I do is take off my bra.  Seriously, it’s like the best feeling in the world to be free of it when you’ve been wearing it all day.  I, however, hate going braless.  It’s just not comfortable to me so I have a huge collection of comfy bralettes that I wear at home. I have loved them even before it became trendy to wear them!  But I’m glad that it’s become trendy as there are just so many cute styles out now.  Since I own so many, I now use any excuse to wear a bralette rather than a regular uncomfortable underwire bra.  Sure the support isn’t as great and depending on the outfit and situation, you’ll definitely need a regular bra but I have to say on the days where I’m working from home and running errands all day or out with my daughter, bralettes are such a good option.

I love Kohl’s for everything.  I buy a ton of stuff for me, my daughter and even my house there and I recently discovered what a great intimates section they had. You may remember my last post with my favorite shapewear that I picked up there!  They also have such a great selection of bralettes and I wanted to share my favorites.  This is also my PSA to those of you out there that hate regular bras like I do to stop wearing them and give these fun and comfy bralettes a try!

1. Make a low cut shirt appropriate to wear:  I have some v necks that are a deeper V that I can feel a little overexposed wearing sometimes.  But no problem, just put on a cute bralette like this with a higher neck and not only are you fully covered,  you’ve just created a whole new look for your tee!

MAIDENFORM SEAMLESS BRALETTE

2. Wear a tank top without worrying about your bra straps: You know how sometimes you really want to wear that cute tank but you really don’t want to wear a strapless bra?  A pretty bralette like this with pretty lace straps, solves that problem!  Instead of trying to hide your regular bra straps, you’ll want to show these off with your top!

CANDIE’S EYELASH LACE BRALETTE

3. It’s the perfect tee shirt bra: Most of the time when you are in a tee, you are most likely trying to go for comfort right?  So why put a uncomfortable bra under a comfy tee?  I’m all about the bralette on my tshirt days!  This one is great as it does have cups and a bit more support but if your tee is more fitted and you don’t want the lace texture peeking through, just get a smooth/seamless version!

So many cute options!  Make sure to check out Kohl’s as they have great styles and all are super affordable too.


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