Outfit Post / / Sky Blue Scarf with Black + Denim

 Hey y'all!  Brrrrrrr, it has been just a little windy and kinda chilly here the past few days.  Mostly with those types of  mornings that make you want to bundle up in a cozy sweater, or wear a warm scarf, and drink some hot, yummy, tea.  My husband and I have been very busy around here lately.  Mostly running our online business which involves things like getting inventory, posting items, and working through all of the financial stuff.  Although this isn't exactly what I would call a particularly fancy, classy, or fashionable outfit, but I decided to go ahead and share it with y'all anyway.

I chose it because I needed something to wear that was practical, comfortable and warm.  The scarf (from Charming Charlie's) was given to me as a Christmas present a couple of years ago by my aunt.  I haven't had the opportunity to wear it that often, so I was exited to get to use it again when I noticed that it matched my light, blue tank.

// outfit details //

Shirt: Walmart

Tank: Belk

Skirt: Made by me

Scarf: A gift

Boots: Walmart

This skirt is one that I made, back in the fall, from an old pair of tapered-leg, work jeans (hence the paint on them) that had gotten too tight for me.  Click here to see an older post about when I made this skirt.  I absolutely LOVE it because, since it used to be pants, it has front and back pockets!  So, if I pair the skirt with anything, it automatically makes that outfit very functional.

I hope you're all having a fantastic week and thank you so much for stopping by! :-)

What have y'all been busy doing lately?

Do you wear scarfs a lot?
Have you turned old pants into a skirt before?

Headband Tuck / / Valentine's Day Hairstyle Tutorial

Hey y'all!  With Valentine's Day just right around the corner, we've been having fun coming up with some cute hairstyles for special occasions.  I've been seeing variations of this headband style everywhere lately, and was excited to get a chance to try it out on my sister-in-law, Chelsey (remember to check out her new health blog lasantecafe.blogspot.com), and we we're very pleased with the results.  One of the things that I completely LOVE about this style, is that it takes less than 5 min. to style (always very helpful for busy mothers with little ones!), keeps your hair out of the way, and is still such a pretty updo that can be fancy or worn everyday! :)

Start with your hair down and

 place a headband on the back of your head.

Now begin rolling your hair in and around the headband.

Tip: depending on your hair type, you may want to secure with bobby pins as you go, instead of waiting until the end.

Do the same from the other side of your head.  Finally, roll the remaining middle piece in and around the headband and secure all hair with bobby pins.

Voila!  An adorable updo that works for any occasion.  Another plus is that this style works regardless of hair length and it doesn't matter whether you do or don't have it cut into layers.

Very Elegant.

So Pretty.

What ways do y'all usually style a headband?

Are there any "special occasion" or "less than 5 min." hairstyle that you use a lot?

I'd love to hear about them!

Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by!  Each and every comment that y'all write truly brightens my day. :)

Baby Gear Favorites

Hey y'all!  This is the first chance that I've gotten around to posting some "young mother ideas" in my journey as a new parent.  In this post I just wanted to share a few of my favorite pieces of "baby gear" that I've been using a whole lot lately, and have really appreciated and enjoyed.  The majority of them were gifts that so many loving friends and family gave us, and we want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to y'all!!!  The "favorite" things that I've used and loved have changed constantly since Gavin was born until now, but here are some of the products that have brought me joy as a new mother with a now 8 month old baby boy.

SleepSack Wearable Swaddle Baby Blanket by Halo

I really liked these blankets as Gavin got too big to swaddle.  They're awesome because he can't kick them off and they keep him nice and snugly warm all night long.  I use them ALL the time.

Cosco Flat-Fold High Chair

This has got to be one of the greatest inventions ever!  It is a portable high chair that folds completely flat.  You can store out of the way to keep the kitchen less crowded, and pack it away easily in the car for traveling.

Waterproof Absorbent Bibs

This pack of waterproof bibs are great and have kept Gavin's clothes clean a dry since he's been eating solid foods and teething.

NUK Learning Cup

I've tried lots of different cups for Gavin, but have found that these two (above and below) are the easiest for him to hold on to and drink from.  I like them both very much!

Munchkin Training Cup

Baby Cowboy Western Boots

And last but not least,  are these adorable cowboy boots that are actually warm and are SO CUTE!!!  Pretty much look great with every outfit. :)

You can find all of these great products on Amazon at some really decent prices!  Also, since we use Amazon a lot, and selling online is one of our home-based, family businesses (Wright Resale), we've become part of their affiliate program.  That means that if you buy any of these items, that we recommend or promote, from Amazon through us, than we'll make a small percentage from the sale and you'll be helping us as well. :)  They've got some the best prices on these products too!  So be sure and go check them out.

Anyway, that is a basic list of what I've found to be useful lately with my little one.  Maybe this was helpful for some of you moms, soon-to-be mothers, or as ideas of good, practical gifts to buy for someone that you know who is expecting a baby. :)

Thank you so much for stopping by!

What are some of y'all's favorite "baby gear"?

Or perhaps stuff you've found useful with baby siblings?

DIY Hair Detangler / Leave in Conditioner

Hey y'all!  I've been meaning to post this forever ago, but we've just been super, busy lately.  I just finished laying little Gavin down to sleep for the night, the house is peacefully quiet, and this is the first chance I've gotten lately to really sit at my computer and work on some things. :)

Anyway, I'd like to show y'all today how to make something that I use all the time: hair detangler.  My hair has pretty much always been very thick and tangle-prone.  I've been using the stuff from the store since I was probably about 8 or 9 years old, but I had no idea how simple it was to make yourself!

A few weeks ago, my 10-year-old, sister-in-law, Charlene (she also has really thick hair) stayed with us for a few days, and we made this together.  It works great!

All you need is:

                                                    1. your favorite hair conditioner

                                                    2. warm water

                                                    3. fragrance or essential oil (optional)

                                                    4. squirt bottle

Directions:

Simply fill your squirt bottle a fourth of the way, or so, full of the conditioner (you can use less), then add warm water, and shake until mixed well.  Next add a couple of drops of your fragrance if you'd like; Charlene and I used honeysuckle (which you can find on Amazon, click here) and it smelled AMAZING!  If your conditioner already smells wonderful though, than you can skip that step.  That's it. It truly is just that simple and saves you so much money to make yourself, rather than buy it at the store.  It also really helps with static, and calms frizzy hair during these winter months, due to the dry, harsh, cold winds and low humidity.  The detangler/leave in conditioner makes a great moisturizer for the ends of your hair too.

I hope that this is helpful and informative for some of y'all out there that are

constantly dealing with long, thick, tangley hair like me!

Guest Post / / "La Santé Café" Health Blog

Hey, y'all!  I apologize for it having been awhile since I've posted here.  I hope to make another post very soon, but I really wanted to share with y'all Chelsey's (Jesse's sister) new health blog!  It is amazing and y'all should definitely go and check it out.  Below is her guest post about it:

 

  Enchanté fellow readers! I hope your day is going splendidly. I would like to introduce you to my blog new blog, La Santé Café.

La Santé Café is french for The Health Café. I started writing this blog because I have recently gone through a weight loss program that has caused me to lose 40 pounds so far and my over all goal is 70-80. I've done this through a month and a half long juice cleanse, which I m currently in the middles of! (before and during pictures below)

  Throughout this process I have been learning how to listen to my body and give it what it needs instead of just what it wants. Turns out, when you do this, your body is a lot happier and treats you better in return.

I've spent most of my teen years and now into my early twenties dealing with obesity and being overweight. Trying many times to do something about it, but to no avail. Until one day I decided that what I needed to do was not lose weight.. but become a healthy person. And so my goals changed, I no longer wanted to eat anything I desired so long as I could burn it all off on the treadmill later. Instead I wanted to give my body the things it needed to begin healing itself from years of mistreatment at my hand.

I've learned that losing weight is about more than just losing weight. It's about being kind to yourself, loving yourself and believing in yourself before you ever even begin. These things are essential, I assure you, to living a healthy lifestyle.

For me juice fasting is only the beginning. My plans are to reach a healthy BMI ( Body Mass Index ) and once I'm there begin introducing foods back into my system one thing at a time. But not the kind of food I used to eat. Live foods instead, or at least mostly live food. Like fresh veggies and fruits, nuts, seeds, lean meat and homemade bread. Yes, I said homemade and not whole grain. ;)

I believe that eating in a healthy way can be delicious and much easier than we think! And absolutely achievable and essential.

I am no dietitian or nutrition specialist, I only plan to share with you what I have learned so far and how it has worked for me. I promise to be honest and straight forward and only tell you about products and dishes that I would use myself. And I promise to write for as long as you promise to read.

So come on over and check out what we've got so far and be sure to like our facebook page  for daily updates where you can keep up with my weight loss journey, and learn what I'm cooking up each week that you can use in your own kitchen! 


Yours Truly,
Chels

 

Y'all be sure and go check it out at:
 www.lasantecafe.blogspot.com

 

 and like her facebook page too at:

www.facebook.com/thehealthycafe

Funeral & Outfit Post / / Gray Stripes, Black Maxi Skirt

 Hey y'all!  Our family has had a very busy week and weekend.  Jesse's grandmother, Linda Crumpton Harris, passed away at the age of 74 after living with Huntington disease for many years.  She was a strong woman who devoted her life to raising up her five daughters, including my wonderful, mother-in-law Denise.  Now she is at rest in heaven with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in perfect peace.

"Grandmother" Linda Crumpton Harris

Though I wish it could have been under happier circumstances, I did enjoy getting to know all of the cousins, aunts, and family better over the weekend that we all spent together.  I also want to say a big thank you to everyone who helped, we really appreciate everything you did, and for all your many prayers.

We had been staying for nearly a week, over at the Wright's, working at the office for our online business (Wright Resale).  Then, towards the end, came the sadness. We hadn't brought any dressy clothes, so this entire outfit that I wore, was bought the day before the funeral.  It is sometimes difficult to find new, and stylish clothes for special occasions that are also modest, so that's why I decided to go ahead and include what I wore in this post.  Maybe it will give y'all some ideas for next time y'all have to dress up a bit.  Actually, this was a very comfortable ensemble that I'll probably wear to church a lot as well.

I'd never really had an official "maxi skirt" which seems to be a fashion trend lately, but I absolutely love this new one that I got!  It so versatile, easy to wear, and super comfortable.  Also, I went a little out of my comfort zone by wearing ballet flats.  I generally stick to my boots in the winter, but I'm glad that I went ahead and got these shoes.  The best thing about this outfit is that it didn't break our tight budget.  The entire outfit only costed about $29.99.

// outfit details //

Shirt (the cardigan and white part are actually connected): Walmart

Tank Top: Walmart

Maxi Skirt: Walmart (also you can

find it on Amazon click here)

Shoes: Walmart

Necklace: Christmas Gift

Bracelet: Borrowed from Gina (my sister-in-law)

I also wanted to share with y'all our little, guy's outfit, because it was so cute.  I found the little dress shirt (that snaps on the bottom, keeping it tucked in) for $.54 at a thrift store!

Both of my handsome men all dressed up.

I absolutely love studying and recording family history.  So, now I will be working on the genealogy and write out a family tree, as detailed as I can make it, for that side of the family.  I don't want to let our family get forgotten just because no one's ever taken the time to write down what we know.  I personally want to find out all that I can, and record it all so that we can pass that on, down to our next generations.

Family is very special and we should each take the time to tell our loved ones, as often as possible, how much we love and appreciate them!  Thank you so much for stopping by. :)

How do y'all normally wear maxi skirts?

What kind of shoes do you usually pair with one?

Medieval Braid Wrapped Braid / / Hair Tutorial

 Hey y'all!  Here's a really fun looking, medieval, braided hairstyle that I did on Gina the other night just for fun.  It's not that hard, but it looks complicated with all the different braids.

 First, do two normal, three-strand braids; one coming from either side of your head.

 Then combine them and split the hair in half, being careful not to let the braids come apart.

 Now, fishtail braid it all the way to the ends, by taking a small strand from the left half and adding it to the right half, then add a small piece from the right to the left, and repeat all the way down.  Tip: the smaller the strand of hair you braid, the more intricate and awesome it will look! :)

 At this point you could just be done, but to make it more amazing, make a tiny braid with the hair from right beside and underneath your original, three-strand, crown braid from earlier. (see picture below)

 Do the same thing on the other side.  For the final step, wrap these two braids around the fishtail braid and fasten off at the ends.

 And voila!  A really complex looking, medieval hairdo.

For another really cool Celtic tutorial, check out this one
Celtic knot hair tutorial

What kinds of complex braided hairstyles have y'all tried?

Do you have any favorite historical hairstyles?

If there are any hairstyles that y'all would like to see a tutorial on, just leave them in comments below.  Thank you so much for stopping by! :)