Denim for Days

I had every intention of sharing with you all my latest Fabletics pick for the month, but the fact that it is about 12 degrees outside with a windchill of below zero, I opted for something a little different. The thought of standing outside in this weather in workout gear and no coat does not sound appealing to me whatsoever!

Instead, I wanted to share with you guys one of my favorite trends for spring...denim/chambray! I am thinking more in the terms of anything but your typical denim jeans. I purchase an adorable chambray dress at Target a few weeks ago (that is nowhere to be found online...sorry!) and it kind of got me on the hunt for more super cute chambray/denim pieces that would be cute for the spring season!

1. Target /// 2. Loft /// 3. ChicWish /// 4.Old Navy /// 5. Gap /// 6. Loft /// 7. Etsy /// 8. Old Navy

I have always been a fan of the whole romper/jumpsuit thing because it is so versatile and comfortable, so the chambray jumper is calling my name! I've also been gravitating towards sneakers lately, mainly for comfort reasons, so the Loft sneakers are just adorable to me.

Even if you aren't a huge chambray fan, or a fan of wearing denim in any form other than jeans, you can incorporate it into your wardrobe in smaller ways like these super cute earrings from Etsy or the floral chambray hat! 

Hopefully spring will be here soon! 

All About StitchFix

I am sure most of you know, or at least have heard of Stitch Fix. It is pretty popular and seems to be growing and growing. I had thought about giving it a try for a while, just to try something different. I was torn mainly because I own a clothing boutique, so I pretty much can wear whatever from my store (which is awesome, of course). BUT- sometimes, it just feels good to not wear something from my store, and just wear whatever the heck I want!

Anyway, for those of you considering Stitch Fix, or are curious, I figured I would give you a little breakdown as to what it is, and why it's pretty cool. I am waiting for my first "fix" to arrive. Once it does, I will be sure to post about it!

To start, here is a brief three step description of how it works. What I like is that you only pay for what you keep (you mail back what you don't want in their pre-paid mailing bag). Also, the more feedback you give to your stylist, the better your experiences get each time. I also like to think it gets you to try things that you might otherwise not try!

To start, pricing is pretty reasonable as well. I love that the initial fee is put towards your final order, so you aren't out that $20. Pricing for your budget is key for me- I will get into more detail below.

When setting up your profile, it takes some time, so make sure you have time to answer every question. It is really detailed, down to how often you dress up, your bra size, to how tight or loose fitting you like your clothes. Take a look...

I love the next several questions, mainly because I am more of a visual person. Being able to see different styles and outfits helped! Some outfits I love, but literally would never wear them because of different reasons-I don't really go anywhere that requires something super fancy, or I don't have to get super dressed up for work. I was also able to share that in some of the questions they asked, which only benefits me in the long run- hopefully more items that I will keep!

With style preferences, there are always things that you typically avoid, or you just know doesn't work for you. They ask you to specify that as well! 

It goes on to ask other questions like what you like to flaunt, if there are any prints or fabrics to avoid, and how adventurous you want to be with your fixes! Do you want to stick to what you normally gravitate towards, or you do want to take a risk or two and try something you never have before?

Once you get your profile all set up, they start working on your fix right away. They keep in contact with you to let you know when they are curating your fix and when it ships. You have input as to when your fix arrives so you can plan accordingly!

I like that I can change it at any time. If I am feeling 'bohemian chic' one month, I can request outfits that fit that style. If I am feeling 'edgy' or 'preppy' the next month, I can request that instead! Also, with my working out and doing Weight Watchers, my size is going to change- having access to my profile to change my size preferences is key!

You can change the frequency with how often you receive your fixes (every month, every other, or every three) or cancel at any time, so there is no need to worry about that either! I am telling you- the flexibility with your fixes is pretty awesome!

Another awesome feature of Stitch Fix is that they price match. If you find an item from your fix at a lower price within 7 days of receiving the item they will match the price for you and future clients that order the same product! Can't beat that, can you?

I am super anxious to go through my first fix and share with you all what I got! If you do Stitch Fix I'd love to hear how you love it!

And I do realize Stitch Fix isn't new and groundbreaking at this point to most, because it has been around for a good bit now, and there are a ton of people that use it, but it's new and groundbreaking to ME! So, sharing it with those of you that are like me and trying it for the first time (or even hearing about it for the first time) just seemed appropriate to me!

If you have any questions about it just let me know!

Blanket Scarf Cozy

This past weekend my husband outdid himself again, and surprised me with a great Valentine's Day. We will be married ten years this April and together for almost 15 years, so Valentine's Day isn't something that we go all out on.  I thought I had the day off to head to my cousin's for their baby sprinkle, but he apparently had other plans! (Missed you Katie and Laura).

Before Saturday, he had told me that he planned something for me, but didn't tell me what. Let me tell you how hard it was to plan what to wear! Having no clue what we were doing made it so hard! My outfit changed numerous times, and my husband had to answer numerous questions about whether this or that would be appropriate!

We ended up going on a great wine tour for the day with friends, and ended the day with our husband's cooking us dinner! It was absolutely freezing on Saturday, so adding the blanket scarf was the perfect finishing touch to keep my warm (along with the wine).

Outfit Details:

Scarf: ChicWish /// Moto Jacket: Old Navy (love this option) /// Graphic Tee: Old Navy (similar) /// Jeans: Old Navy /// Booties: Forever 21 (similar) /// Belt Bag: Blair Ritchey /// Sunglasses: Target /// Necklace: Stella and Dot (similar) /// Bracelets: Alex and Ani, My Saint My Hero

Hope you all have had a great start to the week! Don't forget to there is still time to enter the Nuetrogena/Target giveaway for a chance to win one of two $25 Target gift cards and some of my favorite Neutrogena products! 

Weightloss Journey Update: Tips, Tricks and Staying Hydrated

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and DripDrop®, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #DrinkDripDrop #DripDropHydrates http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

I shared with you all last week how I started my weight loss journey (again) a little bit before Christmas, but have really started to get into it over the last month or so. I am talking really watching what I eat and incorporating exercise into my daily routine. Yeah, there have been struggles, but then it wouldn't be a journey, right?

I promised last week I would share some tips, tricks, tid bits, whatever you want to call them, that I have found to be super helpful, and have kept me motivated. Because let's face it- losing weight isn't fun all the time, and it can get super frustrating! I will also share a little bit of my workout too!

~Break up your work out. I don't know if this is necessarily good or bad for you-I am not a medical professional, but I find it works for me. I notice that I push myself harder when I have shorter workouts, and I am more motivated to work out when I know I only have a short workout ahead of me. Because of that, I started breaking up my workouts as often as I can. I do a little in the morning and a little in the afternoon/evening after work. I work so much harder and feel so much better because I worked out hard.

~Replace meal sides. I love mashed potatoes. But I find that one serving turns into two, turns into three. No good. I like to have a salad with a low fat dressing instead of the mashed potatoes. I toss on a few croutons for some crunch and I find it satisfies me. It also saves me a lot of calories and fat! Something like that is so simple but can be effective.

~Over the last few weeks, I have started my day with a mug of warm lemon water. The benefits are amazing. It has quickly become part of my daily routine. I drink it while I am in the kitchen getting school lunches packed.

~Lastly, I drink lots of water.  I usually do pretty well with staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water (I usually drink around 84 oz a day), but over the last couple of weeks I have noticed that it has been a little more challenging for me to get all of my water in for the day. I have been really forcing myself to drink it. Water typically isn't my first beverage of choice- it doesn't quench my thirst, has no flavor and is just blah to me-I have always felt that way. I love your typical flavor enhancers to change it up, but I know it's not great to drink them all the time. So more often than not, I have to really force myself to drink water.

I also know how important it is to drink water before, during and after workouts. That is sometimes when I find it the hardest. When I work out in the late afternoon,  I am just about done with drinking water for the day- I can't force myself to take another sip!

One way that I have found helps me drink my water every day is DripDrop Hydration Powder (comes in Berry and Lemon-Lemon is my fave). It's like a flavor enhancer for your water, but better for you and actually serves a purpose. Plus, it is safe for children (older than 1), which is great. My girls always want to drink my flavored water but I am always hesitant because of the caffeine (and sometimes a lot sugar) in them. DripDrop is in the baby aisle at CVS, so it is perfectly safe for them. (They think it's a special treat to drink it..double win!)

DripDrop is a hydration powder that you add to your water, and has a lot less sugar and calories than your typical sports drinks or pediatric drinks. It also has 2-3 times the electrolytes of sports drinks and 25% more than pediatric drinks. So not only is it good to drink before/during/after a workout to stay hydrated, it's great for kids when they are sick and need to be rehydrated. I notice I get really tired when I am dehydrated (add to that working full time and having two children!). Fatigue is a pretty common symptom of dehydration-as tempting as it is to want to lay down a take a snooze or grab a Diet Pepsi (a vice of mine), drinking some DripDop and hopping on the treadmill is much better!

Here are some ways I like to incorporate it into my day:

~I like to have a little in the morning. I am not an up and at 'em kind of person. It usually takes a little to get me going. I will have this after my cup of lemon water. Having it early in the morning eases me into the rest of my water intake for the remainder of the day.

~After school with my girls is full of "no you can't have fruit snacks, no you can't have another brownie, no you can't have chips." Letting them have something like this is a treat because they think its Mommy's flavored water.

~Having this with my workout just fits. It keeps my hydrated, keeps me going and to me is just an added bonus with my workouts. Knowing that I am drinking something that is also safe for my girls just makes me feel more comfortable using it!

As far as my workout routine, I do a different workout every day. I get bored easily and when I get bored with working out I lose motivation. I base my workout on my mood usually and do anything from the elliptical, treadmill (Couch to 5k app is great), or workout DVD's (Biggest Loser workouts are my absolute favorite- so hard). You will find me doing something different each day of the week, and I love it! We have a nice little home gym so it's super convenient for me! What will be even better is when it gets warmer outside. I love to walk outside in my neighborhood, walking at the park nearby and riding my bike.

Another thing I have really understood the importance of, besides staying hydrated, is stretching. I never used to stretch or even warm up. I used to just jump right into my workout. Now I make sure I do some sort of warm up and a cool down that involves some kind of stretching. It's so good for you! I also like to incorporate light weights into my workout as much as I can. The DVD's I do use them, but sometimes just holding them while I walk on the treadmill takes my workout up a notch!

Right now, CVS is offering a $1.00 coupon with the purchase of any ONE (1) box of DripDrop Hydration Powder. This is available until 2/21/15, or while supplies last. You can find it in the baby aisle! You can print out a coupon here!

Give it a try, it's something simple, and is an easy change to make to your daily routine. If you are anything like me, I can't deal with drastic measure with my workout/weight loss regime (which only took me YEARS to figure out). Incorporating the tips I shared with you and also DripDrop are small, but valuable!

What are some of your tips/tricks? I'd love to hear!

New Year New Neutrogena + Giveaway

As a Brand Ambassador, this post was sponsored by Neutrogena. Although provided with the products all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. 

One of the things I love with the start of a new year is new products! Everyone seems to come out with new and improved products, or completely new products all together! It never fails either- I am always so intrigued, especially with new beauty products.

I always like to try new things and add them to my beauty routine- some every day and some as a treat to myself!

Neutrogena has recently launched several new products, because it's a New Year New Neutrogena (#NewYearNewNeutrogena), and all of these products are available at Target! Another great reason for why I need to go to Target..."I need more facewash, honey!"

I will give you a breakdown of their new products as well as tell you which ones are my absolute favorite. Neutrogena is also kind enough to partner with Target to give away two $25 Target gift cards as well as some of my favorites from their new line!

NEUTROGENA® CoolDry Sport Sunscreen: 

This new sunscreen has new durable protection that holds through your outdoor activities (I guess not everyone likes to just lay by the pool on warm days?!). This sunscreen will also not leave a greasy/sticky feeling. It also has a new MICROMESH™ technology that is clinically proven to allow perspiration and moisture to pass through the sunscreen without compromising any of the SPF strength. Because it allows  you to sweat naturally, it leaves your skin feeling cool. From what I tested, it didn't seem too greasy at all. I will be taking this with me when I head out to LA in March- hiking is on my agenda so this will come in handy!

NEUTROGENA® HYDRO BOOST®: This collection is made up of lightweight products that hydrate and smooth the skin. It absorbs quickly to the skin without leaving it oily or greasy. The he Progressive Release System formula includes Glycerin & Olive Extract, and Purified Hyaluronic Acid. Naturally found in the skin, hydrating hyaluronic acid acts as a sponge for dry skin cells, moisturizing with up to 1,000 times its weight in water, resulting in more supple and smooth skin.

Hydro Boost® Water Gel®

·             Hydro Boost® Water Gel instantly quenches dry skin and keeps it looking smooth, supple and hydrated. The unique water gel formula absorbs quickly, like a gel, but has the long-lasting, intense moisturizing power of a cream. It boosts skin's hydration level and locks it in all day. I really liked this a lot. It absorbed pretty quickly, and I didn't need to use a lot of it, which is nice. I feel like I get my money's worth- a little bit goes a long way. 

NEUTROGENA® HYDRO BOOST® Gel- Cream for Extra Dry Skin

·             This is similar to the above, but for extra dry skin. Fortunately for me, I don't have super dry skin, so I can just stick with the basic. If you do have dry skin, especially this time of year, then this is for you. 

NEUTROGENA® HYDRO BOOST® Eye Cream

·             Hydro Boost® Gel-Cream for Eyes quenches and keeps the eye area looking smooth and hydrated. It has the same water-gel cream formula as the Hydro Boost Water Gel, so it absorbs the same, like a gel, but has the intensity of a cream.  I have been using this after I apply the gel to my face. I like the way it feels when I apply it, and it seems to absorb pretty quickly. This is definitely one of my favorites, as I consider my under eye area one of my problem areas. 

NEUTROGENA® Oil-Free Acne Moisturizer Pink Grapefruit

·               Moisturizing is necessary to keep skin smooth and healthy looking-that is a no brainer. The non-greasy, water-based formula of this moisturizer is non-comedogenic, which means it won’t clog pores and it fights acne! It has a delicious grapefruit scent. It has .5% salicylic acid to help fight acne!

NEUTROGENA® Rapid Dark Circle Repair® Eye Cream:

·               A revolutionary anti-aging eye cream that not only instantly wakes up fatigued eyes but is also clinically proven to start improving the appearance of dark circles in just one week. It is formulated with their exclusive Accelerated Brightening Complex. This eye cream diffuses the look of dark circles while light reflecting minerals brighten under eye shadows. I think this is, hands down, my favorite. They had me at "dark circle repair" though. I have terrible dark circles, so this is something that I am anxious to keep using. I love it though- I am not talking dramatic "oh my gosh you look amazing results, but enough for me to notice. I also like the light reflecting minerals in it. You can definitely tell when I have it on. This is usually the last thing I put on before I apply my concealer. 

NEUTROGENA® Naturals Purifying Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes

·               NEUTROGENA® Naturals Purifying Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes are more effective than other ‘green’ wipes and just as effective as the #1 makeup remover wipe on the market. Using just one towelette removes 99% of makeup, which I do notice. It is formulated with 97% naturally-derived, pure ingredients without any harsh chemical sulfates phthalates or parabens. It even removes water proof mascara, which we all know is so hard to get rid of! Also, just a fun fact, those that switch from using traditional water face washing can save up to 1,500 gallons of water each year, per user. Pretty cool, huh? I really like these- I already use Neutrogena's makeup remover towelettes, so adding these was pretty natural to me. I can get pretty lazy at bed time and forego face washing (I know...not good for me), but using the towelettes is something that is a little more up my alley. So much easier and quicker! I do find that I use every last square inch of it to get my makeup off!

NEUTROGENA® RAPID CLEAR Stubborn Acne Collection [Cleanser & Spot Gel)

·              It is maximum strength (10%) Benzoyl Peroxide that helps fight the key signs of even stubborn acne. It is formulated with the #1 Dermatologist recommended non-prescription acne ingredient. After using it for just one day, you are to see a difference, and after one week, clearer skin. This specific collection is meant to treat large acne, so if that is your dilemma, then this is for you. 

NEUTROGENA® Nourishing Long Wear Eye Shadow + Built-In Primer

·               Built-in primer prevents fading and creasing, with 12 hours of wear! These shadows are formulated with vitamins and conditioners for the delicate skin around the eye area. It comes in six different shades. Love, love, love these eye shadows. I can't say enough good things about them. As much as I love makeup, and have been using it/playing around with it for years, it can be overwhelming (at least to me) when you have a palette with several different colors. I would be lying if I said I don't use the diagram on the back to help me apply! Some days, I swipe just one color on, because of time constraints, but most days I use all four colors. I apply it light enough that it is perfect for my daytime look, but I could easily apply more for a more dramatic look. 

NEUTROGENA® Healthy Skin Boosters

Healthy Skin Boosters Facial Cleanser

·               This has a rich, cushioning formula that doesn't over dry your skin. It is formulated with antioxidants, Vitamin E and white tea to keep the skin looking/feeling healthy. The skin booster is clinically proven to boost three signs of healthy looking skin: softness, evenness and radiance. 

 Healthy Skin Boosters Daily Scrub

·               This is a foaming formula with skin-polishing ingredients that gently exfoliates skin without over-drying. It is also formulated with antioxidants, Vitamine E and white team just like the facial cleanser.

Although I love all of the products and Neutrogena's line, my absolute favorites have got to be the Hydro Boost Gel, the Hydro Boost Eye Cream, the Rapid Dark Circle Repair and the eye shadows (the Cocoa Mauve has been my go-to, which is what I am wearing above)! Oh and the makeup remover towelettes too. They all seem to work the best with my particular skin needs/issues and are super easy to add into my daily routine. 

Enter below for a chance to win one of two $25 Target gift cards as well as some of my favorite new items from Neutrogena!

a Rafflecopter giveaway