Lately

GOOD GOLLY - it’s been a minute since I have wrote on here. Man, keeping up with ALL the things is tough. Add being a mom and a wife on top of running your own biz and you’ve got a whole new ball game. I apologize that I have basically abandoned this space but sometimes, something has to go.

A quick catch up — let’s see…..

-I am now styling FULL TIME. Like, I quit my 9-5 and I’m following my dreams of being a full time stylist! What this means for my clients: MORE AVAILABILITY. What this means for me: MORE AVAILABILITY to LIVE my life on MY terms. It’s a WIN WIN really.

-My youngest son is getting MARRIED! THIS YEAR! I can’t hardly believe it. I still picture him as this scrappy boy who exchanged my front license plate on my jeep one night. He swapped out my dotte original for his OU plate and couldn’t wait for my reaction. I loved it though. I remember feeling accepted for the first time, like oh he does like me! haha. We’ve come SO far since then. This next adventure is a big one for him and I couldn’t be more excited for him. His fiancé is a doll, so that helps too ;)

-Brylee is growing like a dang weed. When they say the days are long but the years are short, MAN DID THEY MEAN IT. I can’t hardly believe what a beautiful young lady she’s turning into. Makes me smile and breaks my heart at the same time.

-My oldest son is doing well too! He’s still south, so we miss him BUT we get to see him often. He started his own business so he’s figuring out what working two full times jobs is like. He’s hustling & doing rather well for himself.

-Our house remodel is like, basically, almost, done. You know how it is, you go hard core, get the MUST DO things done and then you slow. I kind of enjoy just living in it though, I still come home and think - man, I LIVE here and WE DID THIS! We’ll be tackling finishing touches on the outside this spring, I’m excited about that!

That’s about it folks. Things here are good, we are beyond blessed. I am thankful for this life, grateful for my families health and happiness. You can find more day-to-day going’s ons on my instagram - I’d love to have you there! Give me a follow @magdalenastyless. I story nearly every day; showing my work, sharing good finds - ya know all the things! Oh and you’ll find reels. If you like that kind of deal.

Thanks again for being here. My clients mean so much to me

<3 Em

FIT ME: Tutorial Deets

Hi! How are ya today?! Have you watched my tutorial on the FIT ME products from maybelline yet??? 3rd times a charm apparently, it finally posted to IG stories. You’ll also be able to go back to that tutorial via my highlights circle called Make-up Hacks. If you HAVE watched, what do we think?? Do we like?? Do we want more? I love doing these so please, I welcome any and all feedback!

below you will find a list of products used in this tutorial and they are LINKED so you can find where to purchase these goodies as well! Enjoy your new products! :)

FIT Me foundation: Matte Poreless, color 118

FIT ME setting powder: Matte, color translucent

FIT ME matte bronzer: color 360

FIT ME Matte Blush, color 25

FIT ME Concealer, color fair ( I didn’t use this in my video, but if you need'/want fuller coverage under your eyes or want to really brighten those areas then I would suggest using this over the foundation, under the setting powder).

FIT ME Concealor, color 330 (I didn’t use this in my video but this can enhance your contour, just set with the matte bronzer). I will do a tutorial with all of it soon.

Covergirl Mascara, color very black

ELF brow pencil, color brown

ELF lip gloss, color peach Bellini. - this color isn’t listed online, so I linked on that is very close. This one has a little more sparkle to it.

Brushes: Sonja Kashuk foundation brush, contour brush, blush brush. (mines black but this is the same brush)

This is all I used to create my face this morning! Enjoy!

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Freedom

Sunday’s. 90% of the time this is my only day “off”. Off doesn’t mean I get to lay around on the couch all day and do nothing, although I take full advantage of those opportunities when they come! Off means, I don’t have a punch in & punch out job to go to. I don’t have my regular work and I don’t have styling. There’s still house things to be done, duh, working 6 days a week leaves LOTS of house things to be done on Sunday. And I still have my family to tend to. But I don’t have to be in the car and on the road at a certain time for “work”. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful for the 6 days I do have that, I love both my jobs but Sunday’s are welcomed with open & sometimes exhausted arms. 

I’ve been carving out time on Sunday’s to read. Sunday + inspo. Do you have a magazine or book or even a blog space, you turn to for inspo? I buy JoAnna Gaines magazines every time they come out. I flip through them quickly to see the prettiness & lay them out strategically around my house but rarely do I actually read ... today though, like my sundays prior, I’m reading. I’m soaking in everything she has to say about FREEDOM. In issue 11 of her magazine, she is sharing her version of freedom from both a design stand point & her life. There are several other stories in here shared from people who are designing their life by their standard of freedom. 

It got me thinking. Am I designing my life? Am I shaping my life by my standard of freedom? .  My current answer is, not really, but kind of? Maybe to you that means financially, physically, emotionally; it’ll mean different things to everyone. For me it means not RUSHING, not being overly scheduled, overly worked, exhausted & short tempered with my loved ones. Feeling like I’m not myself because I have 7,000 open tabs in my brain & I’m not working on these tabs to please myself, I’m working to please everyone around me.  This year I made a 30 before 30 list and I’m really trying to knock everything off my list but is that the only thing shaping my life? Am I actually living or am I just going through the motions of everyday life on fast forward? Honestly the thought of saying yes to that is a little scary. How do you even begin to reshape your life to being in your own category of freedom??? I live a wonderful life and I’m thankful everyday for every opportunity & blessing. It’s time to start putting a little more thought & effort into what I really want from this life. We only live once. 

This weeks goal- Brylee, my husband and I will make a summer bucket list, the first step in designing our life and living a little more intentionally. I’ll be sure to share what we come up with. Although this may not be big picture, it’s a baby step. Eventually I will say YES with confidence that  we are living in our version of freedom. 

I’d love to about your version of freedom!! What does that mean to you and your family??  

6 product face

I get asked all the time “do you do this to your face every day?” As I’m styling a bride. No way. My everyday face takes hardly no time. Last night on my IG stories I did a quick tutorial (are we liking these???? so hard to tell! lol) using just 6 products. I’m all about finding excellent quality products for an affordable price. I’m also all about time savers, what can I use that will lay right the first time and leave me feeling confident all day long!? I showed my go-to face last night and even with recording, I was done in 16 minutes! WOOP!

Here’s a run down of what I used & the price point. Everything is linked so enjoy shopping!

  1. Foundation: Revolution Brand, $12.99, an Ulta find! I wear shade F2

  2. Marc Jacobs Accomplice Concealer (this was sent to me via voxbox). Marc Jacobs isn’t a brand I have much in but when I was sent this, I was excited to try!! I loved it; excellent consistency, full coverage super creamy, blend-able. Didn’t settle into fine lines either! Little higher price point, at $32. I used shade 20.

  3. Fit Me by Maybelline Matte powder - $5.99, I use shade 100 translucent for setting.

  4. Wet and Wild Contour palette - $4.99, Dulce De Leche is my color of choice for bronzer.

  5. Fit Me by Maybelline Blush - $4.49, I love all these colors and have multiple in my styling bag. I used color 20 last night.

  6. Total Temptation Brow pencil - $6.99, I use color Blonde just to fill in a tad!

    and that was it for last night!! This face option would be perfect for moms, who want do something with themselves but only have 7 minutes to get out the door! Quick steps, with good products! If there’s other things you’d like to see, let me know!

Do You Like You?

Comparison is the Thief Of Joy.

I said yesterday in my stories on IG that working out is a “different kind of Bear for me”, quickly following it I said, “I don’t know why though” I do know why. It’s because I’m in a constant state of comparison.

I tried hot yoga today which was 1,000% outside my comfort zone. I have been working on venturing outside that box & doing things that challenge me. While winding down in the class a song came on, called “Try” by Colbie Caillat. (linked & worth the listen). I had heard this song a long time ago and listen to it pretty frequently; the words just really resonated with me. I took that as a little bit of a sign, that maybe I’m where I’m supposed to be.

I have also been living by some of the lyrics in that song. “Do you like you?”

I have really been letting myself feel the effects of that question. My biggest “flaw” I’ve found is comparison. I was living in a constant state of comparison for all the things. Not just my health/body, but my parenting, my career, my faith, my marriage, this blog… nearly every aspect of my life. In the last couple of months, I have been admiring instead of comparing. It’s truly made a difference for me. I will continue to try to admire, compliment, hit goals, invest in my circle, invest & embrace in myself. But i will NOT continue to try to be somewhere I’m not. I will not continue to question myself.

I know we’re all guilty of it. Maybe you’ve already tackled this. But for me, this a whole new realm, maybe it’s part of getting older. {Hello , thirty} or maybe it’s the power you let social media have over your life. I can’t quite put my finger on it. If you’re struggling with this right now, I just wanted to let you know you’re not alone.

Just know that your life is as unique & just as much yours to be what you want it to, as your finger print, never let yourself believe otherwise.

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Our House Remodel

Happy Tuesday!!

I know most of the time, I share beauty related topics. But I do this blog not only for y’all but for myself too. I wanted to share HOUSE UPDATES! This will be an on going thing as our house is literally changing by the day!

Quick Backstory: We have lived in our home for several years now, it started off as a rental. When we moved in our life was chaos, we were expecting our little girl  and we were planning a wedding. We didn’t think of this house as our forever home.  However, the house is perfect for us so we bought it! We finally decided last September - IT’S TIME! We’re not changing the footprint of the house (down the line, we are. I have big closet dreams) but for now we’re just updating. When I say updating I mean, EVERY square inch of the house is being touched! Here’s a quick run down of where we started and where we’re at now!

Our Deck: The house had a concrete patio on the back which had settled, A LOT. The patio footprint was a little small so we added to it.  Last Fall, we added the deck of our dreams! Scott, Logan and Levi finished it all in! The more we get into this, I’m finding out how handy my husband is!! :) 

A quick snip of how the deck progressed

Our Kitchen: I keep thinking, this room will be the biggest change of all but honestly, every room is going to be so different! We started with counter tops. We went from john deere green to these gorgeous quartz counter tops with a marble pattern. If you’re looking for a counter top place; check out Granite Direct! They did a FAB job!! They also installed our sink and faucet! I couldn’t be more pleased. Next step was appliances. We adjusted our cabinets to put the microwave over our stove, leaving so much more counter space! We went with black stainless & although they are SO pretty, they do show more finger prints and such than normal stainless. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still in love with them and would purchase them all over again. We used Nebraska Furniture Mart and overall we didn’t have a great experience but I’m learning that’s just how house remodels go - No pain, no gain. {Literal pain and tears went into the appliances though}. Then came back splash, 5 stores and 12 hours later, I landed on the white subway tile with cobble stone grout. I think Scott was ready to kill me and I was ready to punch him in the face but it was fiiiine. and look, how prettyyy! Now, we’re still working on lighting, I found my pendant lighting for over the island on Wayfair and I’ve ordered 5 chandeliers for over the kitchen table and one pendant light for over sink that haven’t stuck……. Lighting is fun! Cabinets will be getting painted this month complete with new pulls then all that is left is new floors and little decor details.

Before is on the left - after on the right! The last two are both after’s! :) I am absolutely in love!!


Main Bathroom: When we moved in this bathroom was a BRIGHT BLUE, like ROYAL blue color so my pregnant self couldn’t deal, we painted it. But looking back I don’t know why I chose that color. It was pretty dark. So I went with the color Shiplap from the Magnolia line. Of course, our painter & friend Kris Welter did an awesome job! Brylee and I painted the vanity ourselves. At first I wasn’t to sure how it would turn out but worse case, we’d buy a new vanity. Turned out amazing! We used a self leveling paint and primer all in one, color Cloud Sky by Behr. The lighting came from Menards {I got recognized at the gas station by a menards cashier if that says anything but about home time we’re spending there}. The mirror was a steal of a deal!! I found it at Home Goods for $29.00 then it was marked down to $24.99 because of a small dent. I took it home, removed the frame, painted it with matte black spray paint & screwed it all back together - done! Saved $125! Still working on small details such as toilet paper holder, towel rack, shelving etc.

Really excited about how this room is coming together!! Bry helped A LOT. So might brighter!

The Basement: The basement is my husbands palace. I jokingly (but not jokingly) have said, you do whatever you want in the basement and I will do as I please upstairs, kkkkk??? haha! He’s been AWESOME! He’s done all the work himself and I am crazy impressed! He’s also got Bry helping which was has been so cool! She now knows all the different screw drivers, can operate a stud finder, can measure things & rock her tool belt on a weekly basis. The before and afters of this space are going to be insane. It’s already such a huge change from white walls to carsiding!


We’ll reveal more of the basement soon!!

Bry’s Room: Bry’s room got a good running start to her overhaul! She still had nursery colors on her wall {not going to lie, painting over it made me kind of sad} Luckily, Kris came and knocked if out and it was over quick! ha! Bry picked out ballerina pink for the color, she did good! She also asked for a loft bed for Christmas, so that was easy!! There’s to come for her room; wall hangings, closet doors & new floors!

Looks so much bigger!! Can’t wait to add the rest of the little details!

Coming soon: Hardwood floors through out the whole house, Farm house trim, new interior and exterior doors, new furniture, patio furniture and 2 shiplap walls!!





















New Skin Care Goodies

I used the same skin care for.ev.ver. (sandlot fans, you feel me) & I started to feel like my skin was just being a rebel. SO I changed it up. As I should be doing really, I just found something I liked and stuck with it.

Lately I have been using No.7 products and so far, SO GOOD! Im loving the results. It’s a simple routine, I have to keep my shiz simple or I’ll do it for like 6 days and fall right off that wagon. I have been using the cleanser from No.7, the toner and the daily moisturizer. The cleanser does a wonderful job of getting ALL the makeup off. I have used makeup wipes & still keep them on hand just in case, but this cleanser leaves me feeling 100% clean. The toner also does seem to finish off that clean feeling, taking away built up and such. I do still use The Ordinary brand Niacinamide 10% + 1% zinc as well. This is good for oil control and shrinking large pores. All of these products are for reducing pores and oily skin and promote healthier skin which is all of our goals right?? None of these products will break the bank either which is a huge perk. The No.7 brand has a micro-dermabrasion called total renew that I just picked up; it has amazing reviews so can’t wait to see what it’s all about!

Just thought I’d share some new products that I have been using and loving! Happy Thursday!!

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LASHED BY ALEX GIVEAWAY

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! The relaxation winner was announced just before midnight last night. 

Ready for round 4???  

Todays giveaway is from one of my favorite gals in the beauty industry; Lashed by Alex!! I have been going to Alex now for TWO YEARS for eye lash extensions. To say I’m hooked is an understatement; I’m straight addicted. Alex not only does the best extensions in KC (in my opinion) but she also offers lash lifts! Which is the perming of your eye lashes. Most lashes are naturally straight, which is why we use an eye lash curler. The purpose of a lash lift is to perm the lashes so they curl up on the daily! Your lashes will look SO good!!  Check out some of these before and after shots! Eeee! 

 

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Before.  

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After

First Response Massage Giveaway

The winner of the $20 personalization giveaway was just announced! Congrats Emily Hunt!! Enjoy your gift. I can’t wait to see what you have done!! ​

Okay, y’all. Round 3!! ​

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This time we’re bringing you the gift of relaxation! First response massage, located in Tonganoxie, is giveawaying a 45min massage- yay!! I’ve had multiple massages from this place and each of them has been amazing!! I love that they really get down to what you need out of your massage. They chat with you before you go in so you get the most out of your experience. I’ve had deep tissue, several relaxation sessions & a couple quick chair sessions! They use essential oils as well, the atmosphere is top notch! 

First response also offers specials year round for first responders & military. 

Here’s their New Years specials!!  

 

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The Paisley Peony Giveaway

The winner of the earrings from Hodges Little Shop has been announced- yay! ​Isn’t this the best way to go into 2019?! 

Now time for round two!! ​

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The next giveaway is a $20 personalized item from The Paisley Peony! ​Kelli has been running this little side gig for a while now & she’s become super popular!! She can personalize anything & everything. From tumblers, flour sack towels, shirts & even onesies. Every year at the start of the school year, I have a special shirt made for my little girl from Kelli.  The best thing about Kelli is she tries to accommodate all time lines (within reason of course). She’s the sweetest gal to work with; be sure to check her out on Instagram and Facebook! 

Heres some examples for her fab work! ​

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Hodges Little Shop Giveaway

Hi there!! I hope you had a great Christmas!! Our Christmas was slightly different than years passed but it was nice! We were able to hang out all day and not rush round. We just relaxed and enjoyed each others company!

Have you seen that meme going around about the week between Christmas and New years?? It says something like “the week between Christmas and New years, time stands still, you don’t know what day it is, you don’t really know what you’re doing and it’s acceptable to drink at 10 am”. I am feeling this in my soul y’all!! This week is always so odd! However, it makes for a great time to reflect on last year and go to your goal board for how you want 2019 to go!

I’ve teamed with up some fabulous vendors to bring you a giveaway each day leading up to the new year! What a great way to kick it off right?!

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The first giveaway we have is from Hodges Little Shop. This is an etsy shop, located right here in KC. Lyndsay & her family started this biz about 6 months ago and it has just completely taken off! Her etsy shop is filled with the cutest items; earrings, flour sake towels, signs and wreaths! I also love that the earrings come in kid sizes; give me all the momma & me collections!! Everything is such great quality and fairly priced; which makes after Christmas shopping super easy! She is giving away BOTH these pairs of plaid earrings! All you have to do is….. FOLLOW BOTH Magdalena Styles and Hodges Little Shop online on Instagram, LIKE the giveaway post & TAG 2 friends in the comments!! SUPER SIMPLE. Winner announced tomorrow morning, open to US only.

Here’s just a taste of what her shop carries!

The Cut

So. I have no tatoos, never had surgery for anything more than giving birth, never been cut on. The idea of someone cutting on my face sounded pretty dang scary & I totally almost chickened out. SOOOOO glad I didn’t. I got my brows micro bladed!

I’m pretty embarrassed to show you guys my before pic but it’s a must sooo here it is. I tell people, I have no eyebrows. No jokes y’all. They’re not pretty, well, they weren’t anyway. Mine were so thin and light that I did a combo of microblading and micro powdering.

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A friend of mine turned me onto Timeless Beauty KC, she had been there for microblading herself and her brows looked bomb. So I knew I liked her work & trusted the results; I made an appt! Bad “beauty blogger” move, I got no pics of the inside but her salon is very chic! You know how those type places just generally really pretty, they just relax you? They just make you feel better about what you’re doing, for whatever reason, her salon is just like that. The consult was quick & you don’t have to do a pre-procedure consult if you don’t want to. You can do that right then & there, that’s the route I chose. You go clean faced, hydrated and well moisturized. She had me draw on my brows like I normally would and then she drew them on with the right dimensions and shape for my face; I wasn’t too far off but still it was different. I showed her a couple pics of brow shapes I liked and the coloring I wanted. She walks through all of that while you sit with numbing cream for 30 minutes. Then she begins. The process it’s self takes about an hour, I was there for a total of 2 with consult and numbing. There was minimal pain involved more of a slight burning sensation for me. After she was done, I couldn’t of been more pleased!! They looked soo good. If you’ve been thinking about doing it, I totally recommend it! Even more so, I recommend Timeless Beauty KC.

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Just some little details about the process

  • Microblading involves little cuts being made to create fine lines, creating the illusion of hair. Color is deposited into those cuts, making brows look more “real”.

  • micropowdering gives the brow a gradient appearance with small pin-point dots 

  • The healing process is about 7-14 days, in that time the coloring will soften some.

  • You can’t get your brows wet for 3 days, which means no makeup around your brow area either (I just wore a ball cap for a couple days to keep from wearing makeup on the top half of my face HA!).

  • During the healing process, your brows may scab some, DO NOT PICK. I thought this would be a hard task for me (I’m a little bit of a picker) but I haven’t touched them!

  • You follow up in 4-6 weeks. She will check to make sure you’re happy with shape and color and do touch ups if needed!

     

    Heres my after. 2&3 weeks post cut; I go back in 2 weeks for a follow up/touch up!! 

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This is 29.

My birthday was this past weekend. Normally, I’m all about the celebration of ANYTHING. I’m always eager to celebrate others and their accomplishments. I’m all about the song for the birthday girl/guy, the going away parties, the dinners, the showers, etc. Rarely though, do I get super excited about celebrating me. I don’t mind the attention, I’m not shy. I don’t get embarrassed by having to wear a sombrero or being asked to stand up. So why do I have such a hard time planning and enjoying celebrations for myself?

I think it’s because I don’t think of myself as being worthy. I never find my accomplishments to be anything special. Which is CRAZY TALK. SO I’m done with that. From here on out, I will celebrate me! I’m going to be 30; I deserve to feel special, I deserve to feel proud & damn it, I AM! If you struggle with this too, start today. Celebrate YOU!

I made a list. A Thirty, before 30 list. It’s filled with things that are important to me. Some are silly, some are slightly vein, some are going to be tough to reach but isn’t that the point of goals? I debated sharing, for fear of …. I don’t even know what I’m scared of. Fear of being judged? Fear of being exposed? Can’t even put my finger on it. I chose to share because saying the goals out loud, writing them down gives me just a tad more accountability.

  1. Travel to Italy/Greece

  2. Do a 5K (or 2)

  3. House renovations: floors, deck, new living room furniture, appliances, cabinets, counter tops, shop floor, laundry room update, paint bedrooms. Expand my knowledge of how to do some of these things.

  4. Travel to South Carolina to see my brother with Sarah

  5. Pay off my student loan

  6. Buy a new car (new to me anyway)

  7. Clean out my closet 100% and have it better organized (I mean, pull out EVERY piece of clothing I own and purge, organize with bins and everything)

  8. Book 25 weddings (I’m 9 weddings into my goal already) + 1 destination wedding

  9. Lose 30 pounds

  10. Print each years family pictures, put them in frames, get them on gallery wall. (we take them every year with Kelley and I print small little ones but I want like nice big ones)

  11. Volunteer with Brylee (we donate toys but I want us to have hands on experience)

  12. Plan 5 trips to see the Hansens in TX

  13. Eat at 10 new restaurants

  14. Micro blade eyebrows

  15. Take Brylee to Disney world with Scott

  16. Hit the next level at work

  17. Take a weekend for just Scott and I. (This could be a him & I trip or just a weekend with nothing on the books enjoying our home)

  18. Plan 30th birthday party to be what I want and not worry about pleasing everyone else (lawd, this will tough haha)

  19. Watch a movie at the theater with Scott (we’ve NEVER been to the movies together! lol!)

  20. Save $5,000

  21. Write two thank you/thinking of you cards a month

  22. 1 random act of kindness/pay it forward once a month

  23. Watch 3 movies I’ve never seen… Hocus Pocus, Beaches & Thelma and Louise (I know, I know…. shocking right??)

  24. See 5 new waterfalls (my favorite thing to visit when traveling)

  25. Get a Brazilian Wax

    26. Complete my station in studio; do 3 themed bare shoots with Kelley (we’ve got a couple ideas floating around, super exciting!!) Continue to build my blog as well.

    27. Invest in my family relationships & friendships. Have healthy connections. continue to build strong bonds. make an effort to see everyone more.

    28. Sunday family dinners, every other Sunday.

    29. Organize my card collection (I keep all the cards people write to me, currently they’re just a pile, I’d like to have them be more accessible)

    30. Forgive myself more. Don’t yes to everyone and everything. Give myself grace, count my blessings, spend the year falling back in love with myself.

There it is. I’ll do updates through out the year! Have you made a list like this? I’d love to hear what’s on yours!

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Florida

I can't believe how quickly summer went!! August meant we were Florida bound! Generally, I'm a 70 degree and lower for vaca spots BUT I can deal with the heat if I'm ocean side! This year we decided to make it a full on family trip! I totally recommend the New Smyrna Beach area if you're looking for a chill, family oriented area of Florida. 

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My Bonus mom's family {Jackie} has a condo there. It's right on the beach, sleeps plenty and has a pool for after ocean time! We love it there. So relaxing to wake up to the sound of waves crashing! 

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Of course morning walks on the beach were a must. We went almost every morning, just strolled till we were ready to turn around. We built sand castles and hung at the pool then ran back down to the beach if we wanted {Bry got bit by a crab the 2nd day there, it was just a small one but it hung on to her toe pretty good. We all got a laugh after she calmed down}. Her bravery for the ocean would wear off quick ;) We normally ate breakfast at the condo {great thing about being in a condo is you make a grocery store run on the first day and stock up on snacks & such, saves you some money through out the trip}! For lunch we ventured out some days, other days we had lunch at the pool. Just a very relaxing- no schedule type trip! My favorite kind! 

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JB's fish camp is our go-to place for sea food and frozen rum runners. We ate there SEVERAL times. A must eat place if you're in the area. Affordable, cool environment right off the river with boardwalk and delish food/drinks. They even had live music most nights!

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One of our favorite things we got to do this trip was Discovery Cove. It's a branch of Sea Life in Orlando. We spend nearly 6 hours there just taking in the white sand beaches, hang with fresh water fish you could swim with {sting rays were NOT shy lol!}, chilling in the longest lazy river, ever & swimming with dolphins! Food and drink are included in your package, so don't worry about the added cost of that! Our package even included alcoholic beverages if you so desired. The girls got an absolute kick out of the dolphins. Bry said "I can check that off my bucket list now". We've been talking about goals/ambitions- she's all over it. haha!

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My hair was basically up the entire time (Florida humidity mixed with salty air = puffiness). I used Ouai Wave spray on my hair and ran out the door. Simplicity.  I kept my wardrobe as simple as possible this trip, nothing layered and nothing overly fancy. I lived in my swimsuit most of the trip anyway! We did do family pictures on the beach. My dress was an altard state clearance find that I pulled from the back of my closet; it had gone unworn last summer. It worked right in with all the blues! 

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Even though I could have stayed another 5 days, I was thankful for the week of fun we had! Looking forward to next year's adventure! 

Dallas

Vacay mode.

I plan to stay this way for the rest of the summer. We leave for Florida in FOUR days - am I going to survive this work week???? We shall see!

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This weekend Bry & I + my aunt T, Trent and my momma; spent time with my Aunt and Uncle in Texas. I haven’t been down there in years! It was such a fun trip filled with memories that will last a lifetime!

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We flew American Airlines and if you watch closely and plan ahead some, you can get some seriously cheap flights! It’s only an hour and 15 min flight VS an 8 hour drive so it just made sense for a quick weekend trip! 

We ate at an amazing Tex-Mex place; Marianos Hacienda Ranch, shareable entrees and yummy drinks! They’re home of the first ever frozen margarita (bless them! Haha). We also ate at Ozona which is a college hangout for the SMU students all throughout the school year.   The atmosphere was great, very much a chill vibe! 

 

 

Of course we had to hit up the American girl doll store which is TWO STORIES at the galleria mall. Brylee was in heaven! I don’t think it gets much better than watching her face light up at every new discovery. Following that it was time for some adult shopping, we all enjoyed the different stores. I hit up the Nordstrom anniversary sale; snagged this super cute cardi! I got lucky and they had one cream colored one left - yay! I have a feeling this will be my go-to all winter long. It’s still in stock in charcoal. It was funny, as we were shopping along my aunt said "when I pass this store, I always think of you!" It was A’ltard State {one of my fav places to shop} at the North Point mall, this mall is a must shop if you’re in Dallas! I picked up a super cute floral dress that I can wait to show y’all! 

In between shopping and eating we just chilled out. Spent some time at the pool soakin up the sunshine, relaxed in the house and put together this intense LEGO set that was gifted to Brylee by her sweet “cousins”.  

 

We’re all already planning for round 2!  

Swimsuits - you can too.

How are you this week? Have you taken a second for you? Gotta make sure you're doin' that babe! Even it's just waking up 10 mins earlier to read or a cookie in the closet - find that moment!

Today I'm going to share a couple of my go to SWIM SUITS - does that word give you the heebeejeebee's? SWIM SUIT, SWIM SUIT, SWIM SUIT - Just put it on! ! I’m getting brave and even sharing a few pics of me in a swim suit (yeeek)! The summer bod never kicked in but I’m rockin’ my curves and feelin pretty damn good! In all reality, swim suits aren't the easiest things to slip into and feel good in( they don't come off easily either- one piece struggles). BUT I have found 2 suits this season that I am loving, I recently ordered 2 more so we'll see how those look. Thought I’d share them Incase you’re still looking for that suit to fit you perfectly. 

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This purple one is so fun and was a TJ Maxx find. Love the detail of the of the shoulder straps but once again, can’t be havin those tans lines. So I just slip my arms out when I’m sunning! Love the color of this one too.  

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​I found this one on amazon - a little fuller coverage than in years passed but equally adorable! The blue floral is a 2 piece from cocoship. However, I don't have much for boobs so the strap helps me look a little more curvy in that area (if that's possible - #pancakelife). I prefer the strapless option because I’m a weirdo and hate tan lines! Loving the high wasted trend and the rooshing on this one hides that pooch even better! Ordering online can be a little scary so read those reviews! They're a life saver and major help in not being disappointed in what you order.

Along with a suit a couple other of my must have's for being pool side: 

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Face SPF; lather it on girls! I've been using the Neutrogena Face Stick, smells SO good and doesn't clog my pores.

SPF for the bod: I love this 15 SPF for shorter days at the pool. It's got some built in bronzer you just get that tan, glowly feeling. On longer pool days/Ocean visits, I put on the Banana boat kids - haha! Just happens it’s the most sensitive thing I’ve found for my little red head too!  

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Swim Cover up: Found this cutie cover on amazon for $13, found one just like it at target for $23.99, decided to save some monies and order. I love it! Covers the booty and is comfy!

 

 

4th of July

July is just beginning and I have A LOT goin' on this month. Mostly travel and spending time with Family+ Friends. As well as ordering my station and secondary styling items for the studio; construction is coming along so nicely!! 

 The other thing I'm working on this month is BALANCE. I've just felt kind of off the last couple weeks- urrr- months. That feeling I talked about in early June, that just BLAH feeling, it's still lingering. Damn it. What am I going to do about it? What should I do about it? 

Sitting in the pool Wednesday,, relaxing, enjoying girl time, picking myself apart, comparing myself to my beautiful friends; feeling lesser than them. I realized I have GOT TO STOP; but so do you. Because as the conversation went on, it revealed itself that I'm not the only one sitting there doing that to myself. All 4 of us were feeling self conscious about something. It wasn't all the physical things either, it was emotional comparison, parenting comparison, lifestyle comparison. The truth-this late 20's/ verging on 30/ early 30's phase is hard.

It's such a weird place of comparison. Some of us are done having kids, some are just starting; which is better? Some of us are just getting married, or are going through hard times in marriage. Did we fail? Some of us are paying close attention to diet and some are eating Twinkies for breakfast; does that make us less? Some of us are moving and some of us are "standing still"; are we being brave enough? There are so many things that make us questions who we are & if we're doing this right. 

What I'm going to do about it be kind, be understanding, be forgiving, be present. I'm going to give myself a BREAK. I'm going to work on accepting that the life-phase that I'm in, won't last forever & I should be thankful for it. I'm going to surround myself & my family with; places, experiences, challenges, people; things that promote growth. I'm going to give thanks, instead of complaints. I'm going to give compassion instead of comparison. Finally, I'm going to embrace/love this stage of life the best I can. You only get it once. Don't waste it. 

Can't wait to share more with you on this subject - Kelley and I have been brainstorming and bouncing ideas. She's come with something that I am truly excited about! Sharing the details sooooon but for now; love yourself & your life stage a little harder today. XOXO

Emily 

 

Knock, Knock - Who's there - July

Hey guuurrl! It's JULY!  We're half way through the year already!! Can you believe it?? It's gone so quick! 

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This first half of the year was amazing for me! SO many beautiful faces and new friends made; I am forever thankful for each you who trust me to be part of your special occasions! July means no weddings for me. I take a break from 6-7 day work weeks during this hot month (so much sweat). However, I am available for any other type of styles {Engagements, seniors, date nights ETC}. So be sure to let me know if you need anything!! Photo Cred: Rachelle Stierly Photography

This half of the year also means - STUDIO TIME is NEAR! If you haven't heard Kelley Photo and I have some super exciting things in the works as we open our own studio (well it's her studio and I am lucky enough to share a little corner of it) but I am BEYOND excited. For those of you who have asked; YES we will be doing an open house as soon as the dust settles! So be on the the look out for that announcement! 

My fam is doing some vacationing in the next couple weeks which I am SO LOOKING FORWARD TO. Stay tuned for some looks {it's been a hot minute since I've shared what's happening in my closet}, some must have's for summer, & some vacation deets! We're lake bound, CO bound, TX bound and FL bound all in the next 6 weeks! EEK! I can't wait! 

Just wanted to do a quick LIFE update! If you've got anything you're wanting to see- drop me a line! Happy July folks! 

- Emily 

 

Is that you Summer?? Already?

Who else is HOT? Like boob sweat, back sweat, humid, hair unmanageable, muggy - type hot? You? Me too. We finally turned on our AC. After a morning of trying to get ready for work with sweat literally dripping down my face and my clothes sticking to me, a few choice words and a couple *loud* grunting noises, the hubs caught on. I'm so bummed that it's already 95 degrees on the regular. 

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But why am I so bitter about the heat? For one, I just really adore winter. For two, I'm bigger than I planned to be. I don't talk weight much because I don't want to be one of those "I'm going to lose weight, follow my journey" girls annnnnnd fall on my face because Taco Tuesday got me again. I think part of it is *brutal honesty comin' at ya* I follow all these adorable girls who are like size 2's or 4's (not hating on the more fortunate sized gals - get it gurl - just sayin') showing us all these super cute clothes and things to buy for spring (what spring?) / Summer. I want to buy them, but I won't look like they do. While we all know we can't compare each other to one another; I'm still pissed about it. I'm mostly mad at myself for letting it get too far gone. I allow myself to do it EVERY FUCKING year. I lose the weight March- May, generally 15-20lbs, just enough to feel comfortable again and not hate myself. I maintain through June, July, August and come September, I give zero fucks about diet. Bring on all the carbs and the late night eating; I have got to stop with yo-yo life & I don't just mean that pertaining to my weight. 

I know I'm not alone, I know I'm not the only one struggling. We're busy! I don't know about you but the thought of trying to fit a work out in right now literally bring tears to my eyes, I already feel like I'm failing at so many things. I'm already so tired. I tell myself I'll get up early and go for a run or I'll do a zumba class at the local gym.... it doesn't happen. But self care and self worth and feeling good about YOURSELF, should be priority. Why do we let all the other things in life come before that??? How does that happen? How do we end up putting ourselves last, time and time again?? 

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We can do it!! We can put ourselves first, we deserve to be a little selfish {next post: what makes me selfish}. I went and saw my hair girl this week and my exact comment to her was "I'm fixing all my life problems by going a shade lighter and just sitting here". I walked out of there feeling like a queen. I followed that up by wondering Target, no time limit, no where to be, no kid asking for something every 2 seconds and it was glorious. Self care, who would've thought it would that easy? 

Here's somethings I have challenged myself to do this month. I'd love to know what you do, when you're feeling like everything is going "wrong", what makes you feel like you're slayin' life? What fuels your want to take care of yourself? 

  • Read - Take a break from that screen time! I picked up the new book out by Christy Metz, I'm almost finished with it & I love it! 
  • Family Dinner - it's old school but we've been sitting down as family, at the dinner table, no phones, no radios, no TV. That time has become really important to me. 
  • 25 squats - I work in an office, every time I get up to wait on the printer in any fashion, I do squats. My goal is to get at least 5 in each time, end ultimately I want to hit 25 a day. It's silly and if my boss reads this, she'll probably giggle. 
  • Face masks - Finding time for this was easier than I thought, I put one on and go do the dishes or wash my daughters hair or hang up clothes.

Hang in there girl, we're all struggling with something. Turn on your AC, take a 7 minute shower instead of 5 min, stretch when you get out of bed, take a long lunch. Take care of yourself.