I am asked this question all the time - how do you do it all? Well, I would be lying if I told you that my life is perfect and everything just runs so smoothly. Currently, I have a four year old girl screaming at the top of her lungs that she is not tired and does not need a nap. I also have a giant pile of laundry that I need to fold and put away. But those things aside, I LOVE organization! My friends make fun of me for my organized pantry! I seriously have a problem! Here are a few things that I do every Sunday after church to help our week run smoothly! 1. Lay out clothes for the week. I don't know about you, but I can't always think straight in the morning. And I certainly don't move at a turbo speed either! That's why the kids always help me lay out their clothes for the week! This helps the kids be independent in the morning. It also really helps things run smoothly! 2. Plan your meals for the week. If I don't have a game plan for my week, our family meals are not nearly as healthy as they should be because I am scrambling!! So on Sunday, I figure out what needs to be used up for our meals for the week. Also.... I don't cook on Fridays! TOO TIRED!!! 3. Get on the same page as your spouse/significant other/roommate etc.... Briton and I use the app Cozi! This is a great app! We just use the free version, but I hear the paid version is pretty amazing too! The free version works great for us though! We both have the app on our phones. When one of us adds an event, it shows up on both of our calendars. I also love it for the shopping list feature. When I add something to the list, Briton also sees it on his phone too! This has really helped!! 4. Drink tons of coffee! I recently became a coffee drinker and I can say with confidence, I feel better when that delicious liquid streams down my throat! I recently bought this coffee maker on Amazon, and I love that I can schedule when our coffee is made in the morning. I grind the beans the night before, pour in the water, and hit the timer button! At 6:35 a.m. every morning, a fresh batch is brewed! Our mornings run smoother for sure! I hope this helps your weeks run smoother! What are some things you and your family do? Drop them in the comments below!
3 Comments
So, I have mentioned before that I have had some digestive issues. Most of the time I have a hard time even having a bowel movement once a day. Well, today, I had the exact opposite problem! Let me set the scene for you.....
I had just picked my class up from recess and lunch, and we were back in the classroom. The kids were quietly working on their laptops working on their technology skills when my stomach started to feel weird and gurgle. Panic set in! I had no special this afternoon and therefore, no break until the end of the day when school dismissed! Oh my, I was not going to last that long! I propped my door open and told my teaching neighbor that I was having a bathroom emergency (I felt like one of my students!! If you only knew how many times a day I was told that someone had a bathroom emergency......)! Also.... just to make matters worse.... I was wearing WHITE PANTS! Anyway, I walked quickly (almost a jog) to the student bathrooms because those are much closer to my classroom. I get there and it appears no one is in there! SCORE! Let's just put it this way....... it didn't sound like I was going "number 2". And then the story takes a frightening turn........ I went in stall 2, I always use stall 2! I am a creature of habit. This time, stall 2 was void of all toilet paper. Well, shoot! Panic sets in. What am a going to do?? And then I realized something, I was not alone. The girl in my classroom who had just had a "bathroom emergency" was in there with me. (And had been the whole time....) And then I hear her voice. "Don't worry, Mrs. Post, it's just me!" Oh man..... I have probably scarred this girl for life. After asking "Maggie" to hand me some toilet paper, I put myself together and walked out of that stall (with the little dignity I had left) to wash my hands. Together, we walked back to the classroom. You guys, I cannot stop chuckling! Hopefully, this is not TMI, and you can get a good chuckle too! Moral of the Story: Always check a stall for toilet paper before doing "your business"!
I have had several readers reach out to me and ask "What are your must have items for fall?" or "I am purging my closet. What new items should I buy?" Well, I hear you, ladies! Here are my 10 favorite things to incorporate into my wardrobe for fall!
1. A Striped Shirt
There are so many great options to wear a striped shirt - under a cardigan, under a vest, under a jacket, by itself! The list goes on and on!
2. A Statement Necklace
A statement necklace is a perfect piece to dress up any outfit! Add it to a plain tee and BOOM - instantly cuter!
3. A Utility Jacket
To say I love my utility jacket would be an understatement. I know I will continue to wear it quite a bit this fall! Here are some other options at different price ranges.
4. A GOOD Pair of Jeans
I have posted about them so many times on my Facebook page but these jeans are by far my favorite pair! Love the elastic waist!! I am wearing the ankle version which is perfect for my 5'5" frame! Here are a few other great options!
5. A Shift Dress
While this dress is not currently available, there are tons of other great shift dresses that are the perfect transition piece!!
6. Booties
Can you ever go wrong with a pair of great booties!?! I purchased these during the Anniversary Sale and LOVE THEM!! They are a splurge now, but incredibly comfortable!
7. A Plaid Shirt
A plaid shirt is a perfect casual addition to your closet! I love to wear mine under a vest, by itself, and over my school pride tee!
8. A Utility Vest
In my opinion, you can never go wrong with a vest! They are my constant go-to for fall!!
9. Converse
Well, it is certainly not a secret that I LOVE my Converse! They are perfect for every season except winter if you live in Indiana!
10. Scarves
A scarf is the perfect way to add color or a fun detail to any outfit!!
This has been on my mind quite a bit lately. So I decided to get my thoughts out there. This sounds cliche, but size really doesn't matter. Don't buy a certain size just because it is what you normally wear. In my closet right now, I have everything from XS to Large! Sometimes, we, as women, get so obsessed with being a certain size that we don't buy clothing that really fits. Here's the truth: sometimes items run big and sometimes they run small. Buy what fits! No one will see the tag but you! And if it really bothers you, CUT THE TAG OUT! And honestly, sticking to your "regular size" doesn't always make you look good! Just because you normally wear a small, doesn't mean that shirt that runs small will look good on you. Things too tight make you appear larger. Just like things that are too loose can make you appear larger. Buy what looks good and makes you feel good! You are your own worst critic. You know that thing on your body that bothers you? That pimple on your face? That nose that is "too long"? Whatever that thing may be! Odds are, those who love you and enjoy you for you, don't even notice! We all have something that we are insecure about. ALL OF US!!! Even that gorgeous woman who you think is perfect - she has something on her body that she does not like. So just be you! You are loved, and you are beautiful! So go out there! Be you! And let go of the things that are holding you back! Who cares what size you are wearing? Buy what fits! Buy what you love!
Oprah said that you should ask three questions before you make any purchase! I always ask these before a purchase! If I can't answer yes to all three, I don't usually buy it! 1. Does it make you look and feel good? 2. Do you love it? 3. Is it the image you want to portray? Love to you all! Candace The start of the school year is crazy! In case you didn't know it, I am a first grade teacher! I also have two kids! Henry is in first grade, and Lucy is in her final year of pre-school. Every new school year I learn the same lessons! You would think I would get better as the years go on!! Lesson #1 Water your flowers!!! Every year my poor flowers die when the month of August starts! You would think that the 5 minutes that it takes to water them would be more than feasible! But, I'll be honest.... I am lazy! Or maybe just really tired! Lesson #2 Wear deodorant!! Last week at 1:55 I realized that I forgot to put deodorant on! Whoops! Sorry, kids! I did the smell test and realized that it was definitely a mistake I made that morning. Luckily, I have learned from my mistakes and keep deodorant in my top desk drawer! Thank you, last year's self! Lesson #3 Work out more often!! Not only am I a complete slacker in the deodorant department, but I have totally fallen off of the workout train! Some of my sweet teacher friends decided that it would be great to work out after school in our gymnasium! Sure, why not!?! Monday after school I worked out - only a 30 minutes video. Tuesday, I could not walk without pain. Wednesday, if you could have seen me trying to sit on the toilet, you would not have been able to stop laughing! I felt old - very, very old! Lesson #4 Do a few loads of laundry throughout the week. I know the statement above to be true, but yikes, I just got done washing about a bazillion (<-I'm sure that's a real word!) loads of laundry! It's not that I mind washing and drying the loads. It's not even that big of a deal to fold. But putting things away is my least favorite part of laundry! Dear Future Self..... Please take the advice above!!
I am about to explode all of my thoughts on blogging lately on this post! So sit back and enjoy (hopefully!!) my random thoughts! Random Thought #1 If you are new to the page, you may not know that I am a first grade teacher! So while it may appear that I am present on Facebook throughout the entire day, I actually schedule my posts the night before to post throughout the day. And while I will reply to all of your comments and questions, it will not be until after 4:00 most days! I do treasure each response, seriously, so I will do my best to always get back to you! Random Thought #2 I have had several sweet ladies reach out to me and ask me questions about blogging. I am truly flattered. And while I am, by no means, an expert, I am happy to pass on the tidbits of advice that have been shared with me. 1. Be true to yourself! This sounds cliche, but it is so true! When you are authentic in your posts and share your personality, your engagements in your post increase. 2. Invest in yourself! If you are just doing your page for fun and not looking to make a considerable income, you can skip this step. However, if you are interested in increasing your following and income, be willing to invest in advertising on Facebook (or whatever platform). 3. Invite your friends to like your page. While not all, in fact, not even most, will like your page, that first small amount of followers can come from your personal friends. 4. Don't be afraid to reach out to bigger bloggers. When I first started in May of this year, I reached out to several bloggers I enjoyed following. Not all of them responded with help, but several of them did! When you get to know a bigger blogger's likes, find things that they would be interested in and let them know when something they have on their page goes on sale. Sometimes, they may even tag you in a post which will help increase your page likes too! Random Thought #3 While blogging sounds like a blow off job, it is very time consuming. But I will tell you this, there are many fun aspects! I love fashion and all things involved! And most especially, I am loving the connections I am making with all of you! Random Thought #4 You can't make everyone happy! I get comments on posts all the time! And while most are so sweet (THANK YOU!!), some are not! I see the same thing you do when I order an item. I can't see how much stock an item as. So when I post something I love, and it ends up being sold out, I am sad too, but have no way of knowing ahead of time. I also wear a variety of items that have a huge range in price. Some items are worth investing in (in my opinion) and others are not. I often get comments that say "that is just too expensive" or "I wouldn't pay that much money for ____". And that is great! You don't have to! But I will remain true to myself! I cannot express how much joy this whole blogging thing has brought me! I am touched by your stories that connect to mine, encouraged by your sweet comments, and excited to see what the future brings. I am so grateful to have you following along on this crazy journey with me!
Candace To say Henry and Lucy LOVE Chocolate Torte would be an understatement! I love this recipe because it is pretty easy and is always a crowd pleaser! For those of you with any gluten sensitivities, it is also flourless!! Ingredients:
1 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 3/4 cup butter 5 large egg yolks 1/4 + 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla Pinch of salt 3 egg whites Chocolate Glaze: 1/2 cup melted butter 1 cup chocolate chips Directions: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease baking dish with butter. In small pan, melt butter and chocolate chips. In large bowl, beat yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla, and salt. Slowly add chocolate and mix together. In separate bowl, beat egg whites and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Fold together with chocolate mixture. Bake 25-30 minutes. Let cool, then add glaze and refrigerate. Enjoy! I start every morning with a smoothie! And while this is my typical recipe..... sometimes, I like to change it up with this peanut butter smoothie recipe!!! I have totally said this before, but you guys, I am HORRIBLE at measuring the exact amounts. So here are some pretty close measurements!! I make it for my family of four so feel free to adjust the amounts as needed!
I use a Vitamix and love how well it mixes everything!! 20 ounces of your choice of milk (I use Almond Milk) 2 scoops of protein powder One handful of spinach 3 tablespoons of peanut butter Blend the above ingredients until smooth. Add 3-4 frozen bananas and blend until smooth. My kids get super excited when I add cocoa powder too! They love having "chocolate peanut butter milkshakes"! A love a good steak for dinner! In the summer time, my usual choice was grilling! That was until a couple summers ago when my best friend, Brooke (the most fabulous cook!!) told me that I should try making my steaks in the oven in a cast iron skillet!! This totally changed how amazing my steaks tasted!!! I start by melting 2-3 tablespoons of butter in the skillet. Next, I pan fry GOOD steaks on both sides until the outside of every steak is brown. Then I sprinkle some fresh herbs (parsley, basil, chives) on the steaks and place the entire skillet in the oven to bake for 20ish minutes (depending on how you like it cooked) at 400 degrees! Take it out of the oven and serve with some of the au jus sauce from the steaks! I also like to serve the steaks with a mixture of sweet and red potatoes. I dice the potatoes, sprinkle them with olive oil, salt, and minced garlic, and bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes! So easy and good! Hope you enjoy this as much as my family does!! My mouth is watering just typing this!! On a side note.... this is what I have all my herbs in during the summer! I plant them all in a big galvanized bucket right outside our kitchen door! So convenient!!
|
AuthorHi! I'm Candace! Wife, mom of two, teacher, and lover of all things fabulous! Here's to home, dishes, & fashionable wishes! Archives
December 2017
Categories |