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Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Create28 Fall ~ Favorite Go-To Fall Look

Can we believe it's OCTOBER??! October, people! Fall, leaves, Halloween, Christmas!! Yes, I did happen to see CHRISTMAS decorations at Costco on September 26th, FYI. #stoptheinsanity But October also means Create28 Fall Looks!! Woo hoo!! Today is Day 1, so sit back and let's enjoy 28 Days of Fall Fashion from Carrie, Whitney and me! Feel free to join us! Link up your looks every Monday or use the hashtag #Create28FallLooks on social media! We can't wait to see your fall outfits!!

Today let's talk about our go-to Fall outfit. For me it's ~ Jean, boots, plaid, scarf. Repeat.

Repeat after me: Jeans, boots, plaid, scarf. It's doesn't get much simpler than that for Fall Fashion does it??! This is my absolute favorite go-to fall outfit. I mix and match my plaid and my scarves, and always wear my favorite jeans and tall boots. I could wear this outfit every single day! If it's ain't broke...


I picked up this plaid shirt from Express over Labor Day and it is quickly becoming one of my favorites. It's SO soft, lightweight and relaxed. The added bonus is that it's long enough to wear with leggings with full back and frontal coverage! #winning


Jeans: Wit and Wisdom/Nordstrom (exact)
Plaid: Express (exact, cute option, cute option)
Scarf: similar, option
Boots: Frye/Nordstrom (exact, similar)
Necklace: Stella & Dot (exact)

As if jeans, boots, plaid, scarf weren't enough for me, throw in a vest and boom--you have all five of my Fall Faves in one outfit!


Jeans: Wit and Wisdom/Nordstrom (exact)
Gingham Shirt: Target (similar, similar)
Vest: via Jane.com (similar)
Boots: Frye/Nordstrom (exact, similar)
Leopard Scarf: H&M (similar, similar)

I love kicking off Fall with my favorite pieces! Let's hear what your Fall go-to outfit is!! Don't forget to stop by and check out Carrie and Whitney's go-to looks!! :)




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

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Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Work Wear Challenge Favorites

Well, the Work Wear Challenge was over as fast as it started! I was so happy to get some new outfit formulas to wear to work.


 Here are some of my takeaways from the Work Wear Challenge ~

1. A few, good quality pieces are the key to a good work wardrobe.

2. Work wear can be easily dressed up or down based on fabrics. For instance, gray pants/slacks can be worn in a dressy work environment and grey jeans in a more casual work place.

3. Pearls make just about outfit work appropriate!! :)

4.  Tucking in and adding a fun belt can elevate an outfit from casual and work appropriate.

5. A blazer always looks polished.

Here's another look at all the outfit formulas individually ~

1. Black Pants + Polka Dot (or printed) Top + Cardigan + Leopard Heels/Flats 


Black Jeans: Express (exact, similar)
Polka Dot Top: via Poshmark (similar, option)
Cardigan: Old Navy (similar, similar)
Leopard Heels: Payless (similar, flats)

2. Printed Skirt + Chambray/Oxford Top + Pearls 

Printed Skirt: thredUP (option, option)
Chambray Tank: H&M (similar, long sleeve blouse)
Pearls:(similar, similar)
Sandals: Target-Sold Out (option, option)

 3. Colored Pants + White Top + Neutral Heels/Flats

Chinos: J Crew Factory - exact color sold out (same style)
White Portofino: Express (exact)
Nude Heels: Payless (exact, similar)
Leopard Belt: Target (exact, similar)

 4.  Gray Jeans + Black Tee + Blazer + Pearls + Leopard Heels



Gray Jeans: Loft (similar, similar)
Black Tee: similar, similar
Blazer: Loft (similar, great casual option)
Leopard Heels: Payless (similar, flats)



5. Dark Wash Jeans + Oxford/Chambray Shirt + Cardigan + Heels

Jeans: Denzien/Target (exact, similar)
Chambray Tank: H&M (similar, long sleeve blouse)
Cardigan: similar (cozy purple)
Leopard Heels: Payless (similar, flats)

 6. Printed Skirt + Black Tee + Pearls

Striped Skirt: similar, cute option
Black Tee: similar, similar
Black Wedges:similar

 7.  Colored Pants + Polka Top + Blazer + Leopard Heels/Flats


Burgandy Cords: Loft (similar, in Tibetan Red)
Polka Dot Top: via Poshmark (similar, option)
Blazer: Loft (similar, great casual option)
Earrings: Stella & Dot (exact)
Leopard Heels: Payless (similar, flats)


 That's a wrap for the Work Wear Challenge, pretties! Hope you are able to use some of these outfit formulas to find some new outfits from work! Enjoy the rest of your week!

AND DON'T FORGET!!! Create28 Fall starts TOMORROW!!! Woo hoo! Join Carrie, Whitney and me as we share 28 days of fall fashion--we hope you join us, too! Use the hashtag #Create28FallLooks and link up with us every Monday!




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

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Sunday, September 27, 2015

Fall Transition + LINK UP

Happy Monday, pretties!!! As usual, Carrie, Whitney and I are hosting A Lovely Little à La Mode Link Up today, so if you're a blogger, please join us! The girls and I have been hosting a little mini series this month and this is the last installment! Thursday we will be starting Create28 Fall Looks so you'll have fall outfit inspiration every day in October!

Monday 9/7 ~ Summer Dresses (see post HERE)
Monday 9/14 ~ A Classic Piece (HERE)
Monday 9/21 ~ An Essential Bag (HERE)
Monday 9/29 ~ Fall Transition (TODAY!)

Fall is around the corner, Pumpkin Spice is in the air and I may or may not have busted out my boots in 68 degree weather the other day! I know here in Northern California we'll get more days of shorts and tanks, but fall will definitely be upon us before we know it!

Today I have two simple "Fall Transition" outfits for you. In true "Casey" style, they are super casual and easy to wear!

1.  Shorts + Plaid ~ If you know me, you KNOW I love me some denim shorts!!! You also know I love my Converse! So how do I make this "fallish??" ADD PLAID! Done! I love this plaid shirt not only because it's the perfect weight, but look at the sleeve cuffs...buffalo plaid!!! Sold!


Plaid Shirt: Target (exact, option)
Denim Shorts: J Crew Factory (exact)
White Tee: J Crew Factory (exact)
Converse: exact
Necklace: Stella and Dot (exact, in gold)

2. Jeans + Tank + Fall Scarf ~ Another transition fave of mine is a tank and scarf. You're looking at my new favorite jeans for fall that I showed you in my Express Model vs. Me post HERE! Sooo darn comfy, perfect stretch and I would say perfect for anyone who thinks "flares" are too much! These "Barely Boot" cuts give the same look, but without a lot of flare to deal with. Another great thing is that I can wear these babies with flats and not look 4 feet tall!!



Jeans: Express (exact)
Tank: Loft Outlet (similar, similar)
Scarf: Jane.com (option, option, option)

I have a very easy Fall Transition formula: Mix a summer/warm weather item with a fall/cool weather item. In Outfit 1, I mixed plaid (fall item) with shorts (summer item). In Outfit 2, I mixed a tank (summer item) with a scarf and jeans (fall items). Check out some of these other ways to mix and match ~

* Shorts + Sweater


* Summer Dress + Scarf


* Summer Dress + Cardigan


* Cropped Leggings + Jacket


* White Jeans + Sweater


 * Maxi Dress  + Sweater

I absolutely love all of these looks and will be copying them ALL until "real fall" hits Northern California come the end of October!!

Do you have a go to Fall Transition outfit?

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 from Fonda from Savvy Southern Chic! This girl can do the "work wear/professional" look better than anyone! She always looks so darn put together! And I just love the cobalt and black combo...mixed with leopard heels??! Yes, please! Read the 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
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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

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Seven on Sunday ~ Week 39

Ok, before we begin..can I just point out this is WEEK 40??! Forty! Out of 52! How in the world can this year be on it's way to being over??! Cray.

Ok, next point--this week was a blur. Not sure what went on, but apparently not much that involved pictures. Sooooo...it's kinda randomness today ya'll! Sorry!!

Day 1: Sunday ~ "Mom! Take a picture of me and my daddy!" Horrible pic, but how could I refuse??!


Day 2: Monday ~ This came across on my Facebook feed this week. Salad on a stick! HOW FUN!!!! SOO going to try it because EVERYTHING taste better on a stick. Hello!!!!

Day 3: Tuesday ~ After a horrible ER experience with Brooke when she was 1 1/2 after she had a bite a peanut butter, I have been very cautious with my other kids eating any sort of nuts. Well, Sarah apparently has NO problem with peanut butter and has declared it her favorite food! SO happy to know that both Sarah AND Will are not allergic to nuts! (Brookey still is, bummer!)


Day 4: Wednesday ~ The first day of Fall! Woo hooo!! Hot weather be gone! Busting out my Crock Pot to sharing some awesome recipes, workouts and clean eating motivation starting October 5th on Facebook! Email me or comment if you would like to participate in the group!!

Day 5: Thursday ~ This is one of my favorite quotes ...amazing it's from one of the Founding Fathers yet they also say it in the 21 Day Fix videos! LOL! Timeless!!! Really going outside my comfort zone these days...


Day 6: Friday ~ It's always fun gong to Toys R Us with Grandma...but I DID NOT let her bring those cars home!

Day 7: Saturday ~ Yep, back at it again! It's touristy, but Napa never gets old! And we **HAD** to pick up our wine club shipment so......



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

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Friday, September 25, 2015

21 Day Fix ~ Q & A

Last week I posted my results of the 21 Day Fix HERE. I was so amazed by this program and believe it the portion control/exercise/work hard basis of this program so much, I became a Beachbody coach!! Since then, people have been asking me tons of questions about the program...and I don't blame you! It's SO INTERESTING!!

Healthy weight loss with results you can see quickly is ALWAYS interesting. I am doing my best today to answer some of the questions I have gotten about the 21 Day Fix over the past few weeks. If you have any additional questions, feel free to email me or comment! I am happy to help!

Here we go!

1. Why did you do this? You're already skinny!

Yes, I have gotten this question in more than one form.  "Skinny" to one person is not the same as "skinny" to another. Much of it has to do with heredity. Yes, I have never been super "overweight." However, like with most moms, I gained weight with the birth of each child and slowly but surely it creeps up on you...year and after..a few pounds here, a few pounds there..over time....and all of a sudden you are screaming at the dryer for shrinking your clothes!!! Yes, my arms were jiggly, my butt was wide and my love handles were...well, HANDLES! Stuff people might not notice on me, but that I noticed on myself.

Here's the deal--everyone has their "ideal" weight. For some people, that ideal weight may entail losing 5-10 lbs. For some people, it might be 50 lbs. It doesn't matter. We all have a weight goal that is going to make us feel good about ourselves. The goal of the 21 Day Fix is to make that happen. For some of us, one round will get us there. For others, it might take 10 or 20 rounds. It doesn't matter. The basis of this program is healthy, portion controlled eating, exercise and gradual weight loss. It's not a magic pill. It's not a "quick fix." But it works, no matter what your goals are.


2. So what did a typical day's food look like?

This was a great question and what I freaked out over the most before I started because I LOVE TO EAT. I totally thought I would be eating nuts and lettuce for 21 days. Nope. Here are a few of my "typical" meals:


Breakfast

1. Two eggs with salsa, 2 slices of turkey bacon (sorry, I ate one before the pic! love me some bacon!) and a banana.



2. Greek yogurt, berries, cinnamon or a drizzle of honey



Lunch

1. Chicken or Tuna Salad (made with greek yogurt and mixed with avocado), greens on whole wheat toast. I usually had fruit or carrots and dip to go along with this.

2. My other go-to was leftovers!! A big batch of chili, taco salad or stir fry made the best leftovers for lunch!!!

Dinner

1.One of my favorite dinners was taco salad. My family loves tacos so I would make a big batch of taco meat and my kids would have hard shell tacos and I would  have a salad with the taco meat, avocado, olives, tomatoes, salsa and greek yogurt (AKA : just like sour cream).


2. I also LOVED lettuce wraps!!! Ground turkey or pork stir fried with veggies and served with lettuce cups. YUUUM!!!! That's also a side of quinoa for some carbs at dinner.


Snacks
My favorite snacks were:

1. Shakeology: A sweet treat...SO GOOD! Blend vanilla Shakeology with a little pineapple and coconut extract..hello Pina Colada!!! Chocolate and peanut butter--OMG. Heaven.

2. Apples/Celery and Peanut Butter

3. Cheese and Crackers (i do one string cheese stick with 7-8 whole wheat crackers)

4. Carrots and Hummus

5. Veggies and Greek Yogurt Ranch (greek yogurt, mixed with a tiny bit of ranch mix and a tablespoon of lemon juice)

6. Banana and Almonds

3. What else did you eat? All nuts and kale or what?

I did eat almonds but no kale :) Listen, the 21 Day Fix is all about balanced eating. It really doesn't deprive you of many foods, but it changes the amount that you eat. Yes, you can have cheese--just less. Yes, you can have bread, just not an entire loaf. Yes, you can even have chocolate! Depriving yourself of carbs or sweets or any other "yummy" food is a good way to pi** a person off! Don't deprive your body. Just have less! That being said, I was never hungry on this program!!


4. But what about wine? What about coffee? 

You can have wine (not an entire bottle/night!). You can have coffee. My new favorite way to drink coffee is with almond milk and honey or Stevia vs. cream and sugar. It's really yummy!


5. I have an old injury and can only do low impact exercises. Can I do this program?
Absolutely. There is a modifier gal on the video that does all the exercises in low impact form. Many of the videos have pretty much all low impact exercises, especially the ones that target your upper and lower body. 

6. How did you have time for all of this?
There aren't enough hours in the day for me to accomplish everything I want. There are only enough hours to accomplish everything that I make a priority. I made this a priority and I stopped making excuses. I do my workouts in the morning when the house is quiet --it's only 30 MINUTES. I take about 15-30 minutes over the weekend to plan my meals and snacks. That's IT.



7. What do I need to complete the program?
You need to purchase the program, of course. After that, all you need is a pair about 3-5lbs weights and a strong desire to lose weight and get fit.


8. Is there a monthly fee?
No. No monthly fees. Once you have the program, you have it for life. You also have my coaching and support for life! That will always be free :) The only reoccurring cost would be Shakeology, if you continue it past the first month. I was skeptical at first, but I am so addicted now!!!

9. How to I sign up?
Sign up through me! I will hook you up :) Send me an email: alittlebitofcheer01@gmail.com. I will answer any other questions you have and get you started on the path to a lifetime of being healthy and fit!



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

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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...