Pages

Monday, December 28, 2015

Happy New Year + Link Up!!!

I hope everyone had an AWESOME holiday!! I am taking a bloggy break over the holidays, but we are still running the link up so feel free to link up below!!! Be blessed, my friends!



Time to link up! Don't forget to use the hashtag #lovelylittlealamode on social media!


Hosted by ~
Carrie/A Lovely Little Wardrobe ~ Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram
Whitney/Whitney à La Mode ~ Bloglovin/Instagram
Casey/A Little Bit of Cheer ~ Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram


Now let's get linking! We like to keep things simple around here. Just link up your favorite posts--fashion, beauty, food, DIY, anything goes! Follow your hosts on social media, have fun and be inspired! Thanks for linking up!

A Lovely Little À La Mode Link Up
<a href="http://www.alittlebitofcheer.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/button%20small_zpsujefyz2q.png~original" alt="A Lovely Little À La Mode Link Up" width="125" height="125" /></a>



Don't forget to follow A Little Bit of Cheer on Facebook HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Follow me on Bloglovin' HERE  

See where I link up HERE

 photo http___signaturesmylivesignaturecom_54493_88_9CE8AA3F49A05E87EC0C8AFE42F0194E_zps6da736d6.png

Monday, December 21, 2015

Pinned It, Did It + LINK UP

It's time for the monthly Pinned It, Did It! You know, the post that FORCES me to go back through my 4,000 "Fall/Winter" Pins and start recreating them! You can check out my Fall/Winter Pinterest board HERE.

It's been COLD here, people! California cold!!! We are talking like 40's in the morning! It's funny I used to live in Chicago and literally used to PRAY for 40 degree days!! Now, if it's under 60 my BONES are literally frozen. #suchawimp At any rate, this weather has just made me want leggings, leggings and more leggings--cozy and comfy! So this is the outfit I chose to recreate:


Super simple, right? Here's my version:

Tunic: Eddie Bauer (see options below)
Leggings: Nordstrom/Hue (exact)
Scarf: Gift (similar, similar)
Boots: Similar
Purse: Charming Charlie (similar, similar)

If you don't have a plaid tunic, I HIGHLY recco one for the days you just want to throw on some leggings and be super comfy--it's almost like wearing PJs! But paired with boots, you are perfectly presentable in public--all lady parts COVERED :) I picked this tunic up last fall at Eddie Bauer, but here are some great options ~ (click images for more info)


Another one of my absolute fave tunic/shirts is this plaid shirt from Express:

It's sooo  soft and just the perfect amount of "oversized" to not look sloppy. Depending on how tall you are, you may be able to wear it with leggings since it's pretty long! There are lots of different color options, too! Click HERE for the shirt.

****Before we get to the link up, I just wanted to let you know that I will be taking a little bloggy break now until the New Year. I will still have the link up live next Monday, though so definitely stop by and link up! Thank you guys so much for being a supporter of my blog this year. I feel so blessed to have "met" so  many of you through the blogging world! Wishing you a very blessed holiday season. XOXOXOXO

Time to link up! Don't forget to use the hashtag #lovelylittlealamode on social media!


Hosted by ~
Carrie/A Lovely Little Wardrobe ~ Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram
Whitney/Whitney à La Mode ~ Bloglovin/Instagram
Casey/A Little Bit of Cheer ~ Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram

Each week we choose a favorite...check out Carrie and Whitney's blogs to see if it's you! My favorite look this week was Taylor from Pink Heels, Pink Truck.

 Vest, chambray, bling...really doesn't get much better, Taylor! I LOVE IT and will be copying this outfit soon!! Like, tomorrow :) Read her entire post HERE.

Now let's get linking! We like to keep things simple around here. Just link up your favorite posts--fashion, beauty, food, DIY, anything goes! Follow your hosts on social media, have fun and be inspired! Thanks for linking up!

A Lovely Little À La Mode Link Up
<a href="http://www.alittlebitofcheer.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/button%20small_zpsujefyz2q.png~original" alt="A Lovely Little À La Mode Link Up" width="125" height="125" /></a>



Don't forget to follow A Little Bit of Cheer on Facebook HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Follow me on Bloglovin' HERE  

See where I link up HERE

 photo http___signaturesmylivesignaturecom_54493_88_9CE8AA3F49A05E87EC0C8AFE42F0194E_zps6da736d6.png

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Seven on Sunday ~ Week 50

Day 1: Sunday ~ The Hammer and Chisel program that I am doing requires a resistance band attached to a door ...guess who found a favorite new toy???? :) He's ready to get ripped!


Day 2: Monday ~ 100 Christmas cards done and mailed out! Phew!

Day 3: Tuesday ~ They were ready for the Christmas program!! It's sad because it was Brookey's last year performing in the program! Good thing I have two other little ones because I am NOT ready to give up seeing their cute faces and angelic voices every Christmas season!

Day 4: Wednesday ~ I have been doing my workouts On Demand, but my ACTUAL Hammer and Chisel program came in the mail today! Woo hoo!! I can't say enough about this program! It's totally kicking my butt but it's the perfect transition/challenge after finishing the 21 Day Fix workouts!

Day 5: Thursday ~ I am so grateful for everyone who commented on Facebook and eased my concerns about taking Will to see Star Wars!! I can't wait to take him!! Hoping to take him to the IMAX show today (Sunday!). Wish us luck!!

Day 6: Friday ~ Our annual SF holiday staycation! Yep, we're eating room service french fries, wearing slippers and shower caps and watching the Warriors! #radomfamilyfun

Day 7: Saturday ~ The next day we played tourist on a GORGEOUS day in SF! We found a place called Inspiration Point that I cannot believe I have never heard about! I was inspired!!

And we did our annual Christmas Tree pic and visited the life size gingerbread house at the Fairmont :)
Brookey was in a bad mood and acting tired all day. We came home early for a church party, but she ended up having a fever and staying in bed all evening. So no party for us! Poor girl! Let's hope she feel better before Christmas....and that none of us don't get it!! :(


Don't forget to follow A Little Bit of Cheer on Facebook HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Follow me on Bloglovin' HERE  

See where I link up HERE

 photo http___signaturesmylivesignaturecom_54493_88_9CE8AA3F49A05E87EC0C8AFE42F0194E_zps6da736d6.png



Seven on Sunday ~ Week 51

Week FIFTY-ONE!! Are you kidding me??!!

Day 1: Sunday ~ We were having a great time on our SF Staycation, when Brookey started to get SUPER grumpy! Then this happened on the way home. She ended the day with a fever and was in bed for the next three days!!! Poor baby!!

Day 2: Monday ~ Took this guy to see the new Star Wars movie in 3D. I don't know who was more excited! I grew with with Star Wars so I thought they did a great job of appealing to the, ahem, "older" Star Wars generation. I LOVED IT! And who doesn't love Harrison Ford at 70 years old still kicking butt?! (oh yeah, spoiler alert--I CRIED!)

Day 3: Tuesday ~ Sometimes I wonder where Sarah came from because she's just so..uh...DIFFERENT! But she was enthralled with The Sound of Music, so now I know for SURE she's my kid! My favorite movie of all time! Hands down!!

Day 4: Wednesday ~ Here's my recipe for a Skinny Peppermint Latte! I started my day off with one of these! YUMMY!!!

Day 5: Thursday ~ My parents came up on Christmas Eve and the girls had fun baking with Grandma!


Day 6: Friday ~ Christmas Day!!! Lots of fun, lots of food and way too much fun with the selfie stick!!!





Day 7: Saturday ~ LAZY DAY :) Naps were definitely involved...and that's about it. And more eating. :)

Hope everyone had an awesome Christmas!!


Don't forget to follow A Little Bit of Cheer on Facebook HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Follow me on Bloglovin' HERE  

See where I link up HERE

 photo http___signaturesmylivesignaturecom_54493_88_9CE8AA3F49A05E87EC0C8AFE42F0194E_zps6da736d6.png

Friday, December 18, 2015

10 Tips for Staying Healthy Through the Holidays

** This post originally ran on The Blended Blog this week but wanted to post it here as well!

The holidays...a time of joy, gratitude, sharing..and lots of eating and drinking! Am I right?? Not exactly a time when words like "healthy" or "exercise" come into our vocabularies. It's more like this:


I am ALL for Eat, Drink and Be Merry this time of year! However, I also don't like to feel terrible come January 1st and feel like I have to play catch up at the gym with the other 4 zillion people there! Here my 10 tips on how you can stay healthy this holiday season ~


1. Consistency with Exercise: This might be a no-brainier but the holidays are NOT a time to throw your exercise routine out the window simply because "it's the holidays." Consistency with exercise is KEY for several reasons. First--it helps balance out the extra calories you will undoubtedly consume! Also, exercise is also a huge stress reliever and I don't know about you, but the holidays aren't exactly stress-free around my house!!

If you aren't currently doing any exercise don't use the excuse that you'll "wait until the new year." Start NOW!! Get a jump start and get ahead instead of feeling so far behind come January 1st. It can be as simple as committing to a walk around the block, dusting off the treadmill that you vow to pull out January 1st, a workout video or a quick 7 minute workout (Google "7 Minute Workout"). ANYTHING to get your body moving and your endorphins released will help you through the holidays in more ways than one!


2. Stay Hydrated: Did you know the recommended amount of water to drink is HALF your body weight in ounces? So if you are 150 lbs, that means you need 75 oz, or roughly six 12 oz bottles of water each day. Water helps with so many things, but one thing it really help with is controlling the amount you eat and how full you feel. I never used to drink water with meals but now that I do, I find myself wanting LESS food!


3. Your Plate: When you eat a large meal, try to balance your plate so it's completely overloaded with fats and carbs. Here's a basic rule of thumb you can follow for a holiday meal ~

* 2 Proteins=the size of your palm (ham, turkey, steak, etc)
* 2 Carbs=what would fit in your cupped hand (those creamy mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, sweet potatoes and all the yummy starchy goodness!)
* 2-4 Veggies/Fruits=the size of your fist (hopefully there are veggie options at your holiday table! Salad, green beans, brussel sprouts, etc.)



4. Have a Plan: This may be the most important one of all! You MUST plan your meals ahead. If you don't, you will end up hungry (HANGRY!) and frantic which will 100% of the time lead to poor food choices. Been there, done that!! I have been planning my meals for years and it literally takes me less than 15-20 minutes on a weekend. It 100% sets me up for success the next week!


5. SNACK!!! When you plan your meals, plan healthy snacks too! Have them READY and AVAILABLE when those temptations creep up!! Here are some ideas of healthy snacks that are packable and aren't full of empty calories!


6. Avoid Temptation: If you work in an office or at a school like I do, the break room is my arch nemesis during this time of year! Cookies, candy, doughnuts are EVERYWHERE in the break room. I know I'm a sucker for a piece of See's Candy and a doughnut or two, so I just pack my healthy snack and STAY OUT! That way I don't have to see it or think about what I am missing! If you're at home, same thing--stash junk out of sight (no little candy dishes all around the house!) or better yet, give it away! You can't eat what's not around.


7. Gifts other than baking: A simple "i'm thinking of you" gift such as nail polish with a personalized tag, a DIY picture frame or a decorated mug or mason jars filled with cookie baking ingredients are all simple ways to say "Happy Holidays!" without sticking more cookies or fudge in front of someone...well, in front of US because if you bake them, you know you have try them...just to make sure they're good :)




8. The Ten Minute Rule: I LOVE to eat. Make no mistake about it! On Thanksgiving, I am typically the first one to get up for seconds of mashed potatoes and whatever other starch is left! This Thanksgiving though, I did things a little differently. I drank lots of water with my meal (#2 above!) and after I was done, I just sat and waited for 10 minutes. I enjoyed my glass of wine and just sat at the table and chatted instead of immediately rushing for a 2nd plate. IT WORKED!! After 10 minutes, I found myself just perfectly full (with a little room left for dessert!!) and I didn't need to get up for more food. Afterwards I felt AWESOME, not bloated and stuffed like I used to! You learn something new every day!! :)


9. Pre-Eat for Holiday Gatherings: It's a given that there is delicious food everywhere at holiday gatherings, and pretty much none of it is healthy! There is no avoiding it, but I have found it helpful to eat a decent meal before I leave for a party. Then you are able to indulge in SOME things, but hopefully won't have the appetite to go crazy on the meatballs and cheese tray!

10. Moderation: Most people fall into two camps around the holidays...ALL or NOTHING ~

* ALL: "I'm not exercising, I'm eating whatever I want, indulging...this is the HOLIDAYS! I want to enjoy!!"
* NOTHING: "No, I can't eat that, it'll ruin my diet. I can't eat dessert. I can't I can't I can't."

These "all or nothing" attitudes aren't healthy! Remember that moderation is key. Have a Christmas cookie, but ONE small one. Have a piece of candy one day, but forgo the workplace sweets the rest of the week. Don't deprive yourself, but practice self control. Listen to Julia!



With that, my friends, I am wishing you all a very, very happy, blessed and healthy holiday season!!!!




Don't forget to follow A Little Bit of Cheer on Facebook HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Follow me on Bloglovin' HERE  

See where I link up HERE

 photo http___signaturesmylivesignaturecom_54493_88_9CE8AA3F49A05E87EC0C8AFE42F0194E_zps6da736d6.png

Monday, December 14, 2015

Celebrity Style ~ Joanna Gaines + LINK UP

Do you guys watch the show Fixer Upper on HGTV?? I might be a little bit #obsessed with it--enough to **maybe ** make me fly to Waco and stalk Chip and Jo Jo until they redo my house!!! HA! Joanna's decorating style is always spot-on and I would give her free reign in my house any day!

Not only does her interior design style match mine, so does her personal style! I am always so drawn to her simple, casual, slightly "rustic" outfits...can you describe an outfit as "rustic?" Hmmm. Anyhoo, check out some of my faves from Joanna ~

Reece Witherspoon is another one of my celeb style icons (read the post HERE)--I am drawn to the casual, no fuss, yet put-together "mom" looks of both Reece and Joanna. I have recreated several of Joanna's outfits at one time or another this fall, but here is the one I am recreating today :

Black Jeans/Leggings, Chambray Top + Military Jacket + Cognac Boots


Here is my recreation ~

 This outfit formula is super simple to recreate and you probably have most of these items already!!


Black Jean/Leggings: Express (exact, similar)
Chambray Tunic: Target (exact, similar)
Jacket: J. Crew Factory (similar, similar)
Boots: Nordstrom/Corso Como (similar, similar)
Bag: Nordstrom/BP (similar, similar)

What do you think of Joanna's style???

Time to link up! Don't forget to use the hashtag #lovelylittlealamode on social media!


Hosted by ~
Carrie/A Lovely Little Wardrobe ~ Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram
Whitney/Whitney à La Mode ~ Bloglovin/Instagram
Casey/A Little Bit of Cheer ~ Bloglovin/Facebook/Instagram

Each week we choose a favorite...check out Carrie and Whitney's blogs to see if it's you! My favorite look this week was Lanae of modest budget belle! She rounded up how to glam up a sweatshirt! She pretty much had me at "sweatshirt." So much inspiration, Lanae!!! I love this one:

This is TOTALLY my idea of the perfect holiday party outfit! HELLLLOOOOO it's a SWEATSHIRT! Read her entire post HERE.

Now let's get linking! We like to keep things simple around here. Just link up your favorite posts--fashion, beauty, food, DIY, anything goes! Follow your hosts on social media, have fun and be inspired! Thanks for linking up!

A Lovely Little À La Mode Link Up
<a href="http://www.alittlebitofcheer.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/button%20small_zpsujefyz2q.png~original" alt="A Lovely Little À La Mode Link Up" width="125" height="125" /></a>


Don't forget to follow A Little Bit of Cheer on Facebook HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Follow me on Bloglovin' HERE  

See where I link up HERE

 photo http___signaturesmylivesignaturecom_54493_88_9CE8AA3F49A05E87EC0C8AFE42F0194E_zps6da736d6.png


Quick and Easy Meal Prep for Breakfast + Lunch + Snacks!

Ready for a SUPER quick and easy meal prep?! No joke, it took me longer to find all the lids to these containers than it did it prep my b...