Confessions of a Shopaholic

I recently had a friend share the Sophie Kinsella series Confessions of a Shopaholic with me. It's normally not my typical read, but after reading a lot of "heavy" things lately I was excited for something for light.

The title obviously lets you know that the main character, Becky, has some major shopping issues. While reading the first book my jaw was continually dropping as she continued to dig herself into an almost impossible amount of debt. Even in the midst of this, Becky is a really likable character and does (eventually) begin to come around in the debt department with a redeeming storyline. 

Throughout the series we see the different phases of her life unfold: getting married, finding a long lost sister, and having a baby. I've only read the first four books, but am excited to get the rest from the library. There were definitely fun, light, reads. The one thing I will mention is the use of the "f" word though out. The author is British and I know it's very commonly used in England, but if that is something you aren't ok with when reading, I might steer clear of this. Otherwise, I think this would be a great series for you to work on this summer while your kiddos are playing at the park or swimming at the pool. 

40% Loft in Stores and Online

In stores and online everything is 40% off, yay! Here are some things I'm loving:

I love an interesting top and this teal lace top is super cute and $30 today! This flutter sleeve top is also my jam completely and only $25 today! I love how interesting this plaid ruffle top is too, perfect for summer and it's only $30 too!

As for dresses I love this floral dress and it's silhouette and it's only $45! This shirtdress is also so fun and and only $40! 

I got these denim jeans  earlier this week when everything online was 50% off and I adore them! the fit is perfect and  I love that I can wear them ankle length or cuff them.

I don't know about you, but I love a good Loft sale, so I'm excited to go check it out after work today! 

A Time for Everything

Sometimes I find myself with a case of the "hurry ups." I want what I want, when I want it. I have my plans, my timing, my idea of perfect. I plan-God laughs. I can find myself forgetting about God's perfect timing. I think back on all the major milestones in my life, and they never happened when I expected them or had planned them myself, and I'm actually grateful for that. 

Then I'm reminded what Ecclesiastes 3:11 says: "He has made everything beautiful in it's time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

God has the perfect timing, so why do I try to take control of that? He has also set eternity in our hearts, a desire to be with Him.  Even in the midst of this, we still can't quite fathom all God has done, because we can't see things the way God does. We try to put our plans and thoughts into a neat little box that is way to small to really encompass all of who God really is. 

It's through spending time in God's word and soaking up the quiet I have in the morning before everyone is up for the day that I can focus on how great God is and how He has me covered. I don't need to be the keeper of all the answers because I know the God has the answers before I even ask the questions. 

Easter Weekend

This last weekend was crazy busy! We had family in town, egg hunts, and all the festivities included with Easter.

We went to church as a family. Love these spring temps and the time we can spend outside!

Girls....

I'm going to fill you in on a little secret, being a mother to a girl is no joke. Sis has more sass and personality than I was prepared for. Grant is not perfect by any means, but I definitely did not had the same challenges with Grant as I am having with Hannah.

First off, girlfriend has an opinion about every everything. She knows what she wants and she gets pretty upset if she doesn't get it. She also is still trying to learn to talk, so I think that adds to the frustration. Here she needed both her snack and cup and we would have had problems if I tried to take it.

Small Great Things

Last week I finished Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult. I have been a long time fan of hers and this story did not disappoint. Here's what Amazon has to say about it:

"Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years’ experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she’s been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don’t want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene?

Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy’s counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her family—especially her teenage son—as the case becomes a media sensation. As the trial moves forward, Ruth and Kennedy must gain each other’s trust, and come to see that what they’ve been taught their whole lives about others—and themselves—might be wrong."

This story was not only compelling, it is a story that will stay with me. Because of the color of my skin I have not shared the same experiences as someone who is of color, and even though I thought I understood blatant racism, I think in many cases I was unaware of how aversive and institutional racism are interwoven into so much of our society.  In my opinion, this book should be next on your to-read list.

Spring Outfit Inspiration

Today I thought I'd show you all some outfit ideas for spring! I hope you get some great ideas! Here's a shopping list, in case you're interested:

Essential Tops: floral top / stripe top / solid top

Essential Bottoms: denim jeans / ankle pants / white jeans / linen skirt / pencil skirt / shorts

Essential Dresses: floral dress / stripe dress / colored dress 

Essential Layers: Clare cardigan / denim jacket

Essential Shoes: Tory Birch sandals / Espadrille sandals/ ballet flats / block heels / wedges

Essential Jewelry: Rebel pendant / Elisa Pendant /  leather earrings

When I chose all the Spring Wardrobe Essentials I worked to chose pieces that would mix and match easily, which makes creates outfits super easy. I made the following 17 outfits in less than a half hour.  I bet you could easily work with the pieces you have to create similar looks right now at home!

This first look is a more casual one, perfect for the weekends or a night out with friends. As a teacher, I could wear this to school too!

floral top / white jeans / denim jacket / wedges / Elisa Pendant / earrings