Five on Friday

I am so glad it's Friday. For me, it sort of feels like a long weekend because I haven't been at work yesterday and today. Not that I'm relaxing, I'm taking care of baby Farrah and of course trying to take advantage of the extra time to get household chores out of the way.

Here are my five this week:

{one}

As mentioned above, I've been home with Farrah the last two days. I had planned on going back to work today since she was fine all day yesterday, but late afternoon yesterday, her fever spiked to nearly 103, so I just knew that there was something wrong other than teething. I took her to the doctor this morning and turns out she's got ear infections in both ears. Just what I thought. She's been really great though, and other than the fever, you wouldn't be able to tell anything else was wrong. She's happy and playful, so that's good. We're starting her on antibiotics today, but I may also take this opportunity to soothe her and speed the healing process along with my essential oils. I'm going to try this recipe.

{via}

DIRECTIONS:
In a Roller Ball (Old 5 ml bottle)
Combine the following:
5 Drops of Lavender
5 Drops of Purification
5 Drops of Lemon
3 Drops of Pan Away
3 Drops of Thieves
Fill the rest with Olive Oil
Roll in Front of, Behind and Under the Ear to relieve pain. DO NOT PUT OILS IN YOUR EAR.
I'll let you know how it goes!


{two}

My Goddis Linsey cardigan arrived this week! I am in love with it. I am so glad I waited for a major price-drop though...no way could I justify $215.00 on a cardigan, unfortunately.

{ The Goddis Linsey Cardigan / Similar Items }

The colors are so vibrant in person. I am really pleased with the quality. I actually bought the last one in Starfruit on Revolve's website, however, I found the same one on the Goddis website, but at full price. Click links under my photo for other options.

{three}

I have an audition tomorrow to be a Barre instructor at a local studio here in Charleston. I am super-nervous, but I know if given the opportunity, I could be really great at it. I just have to fight through these nerves and show what I'm made of. At the very least, it will be a good experience, and if I don't get it this time, I won't let it break me, I will only work harder to attain the goal...it will all happen at the right time. I'm not yet certified in group fitness {working on it}, but I have taught dance & sculpt classes at gyms before. I really, really love Barre and I hope to become an instructor very soon. I will let y'all know what happens!

{via}

{four}

My workout plans went out the window this week...not totally, but they definitely didn't go as planned. Next week, I plan on changing my usual routine up a bit. I think with summer rapidly approaching {and let's face it, it's actually beach weather out already}...I am going to focus more on cardio. Mondays & Wednesdays I will take barre classes and Tues/Thurs/Sun I will run. I need to start working on my running mileage anyway. Saturdays I may take in another barre class or some sort of HIIT workout.

{five}

It's Jake's USCG duty weekend, so it will just be the kids and me for a couple of days. I'd love to take them all to the pool for the first time this season...so that's definitely in the plans. Lord knows I need some sun...I'm blinding right now.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Linking Up With: Hello, Happiness! // The Good Life // A. Liz Adventures // Carolina Charm // Lauren Elizabeth // Meet @ The Barre // September Farm // The Farmer’s Wife // All The Joys // Momfessionals

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Thoughts For Thursday: Home Updates & Other Random Info

Yesterday, this sweet little angel came down with a fever at daycare so I had to leave work a couple hours early to get her.

She was very playful and happy when I got her home, some Motrin did the trick to get her temp down {it was low-grade to begin with} and she ate normally, so I was certain I was going to let her return to daycare today, but then she woke up 2-3 times screaming and crying during the night. Even though she went back down easily each time after being consoled for a couple minutes, I felt it best to stay home with her today since it was definitely out of character for her to wake at night.

At least it's a free day to get a head start on the weekend chores...and time with Farrah is always nice.

I shared a few random shots of updated spaces around the house this week on my Instagram.

Some of you may remember my Kids' Organized Art Space from two years ago...it was one of my most pinned items...so I was extra-proud of it.

It's looking more like this nowadays...upgraded to a larger table and two chairs, changed out some pictures in the frames and of course, now there is art hanging!

In Farrah's nursery, I had a really cute wicker chair that I had spray-painted. I really still love the seat, but it wasn't the best in terms of rocking and feeding her.

I posted about the one I found the other day - painted it the same color - and now it sits in her room beautifully. It's much more comfortable for feeding her in the morning...and it's a rocker!

We're still working on the bathroom...this project has taken much longer than I thought it would {my husband has taken a few weekends off from it - much to my discontent!} I told him I needed to get back in there and get my stuff finally all put away because it's driving me crazy...so I'm hoping we see it finished soon. The last I posted about it, it looked like this:

This is what it looks like right now - basically we just need to get a new light fixture, get the mirror cut to size and hung, get a plumbing piece that we need {since he moved the sink over a bit} and to repaint the room. I'll likely move back in before we paint because I can deal with that.

Jake made the countertop himself - it is so beautiful. And he made the cabinets on top. We used the existing vanity, painted it white and he just added to it with the drawers to make it larger and provide more storage - there's even hidden toilet paper storage!

That's it for my home updates for now. Hope you're having a lovely week!


Linking Up With: Home of Malones // East Coast Chic

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Spring Break...What "Break"?

Tanner's last day of Spring Break is today and I keep having those pangs of "working mom guilt" because I'm almost certain it hardly felt like a break for him. He still had to get up at 6am {ok, so like 20 min later than he usually gets up for school} all because both Jake and I have to be to work...me at 7am. He didn't have to do schoolwork, so yes, that's a little bit of a break, but he did have to go to Breckin's and Farrah's daycare for the week. He had to be on a "schedule" all break. I suppose he had fun...he saw his old friends from his old school and they did a few field trips throughout the week...but it's always these types of vacations from school where I wish that I could be at home too, so we could all have a real break...and have some quality time and fun together.

But oh well, it's not the way it is right now, so rant over.

We did have a nice weekend...Saturday, I took in an early morning gym session and when I got home we spent a lot of time outside. It was nice and overcast, so not too hot for the kids to be out there for hours. I am trying to get them out of that winter TV/screens mode and put my foot down about them being outdoors when it's nice out. They give some resistance, but for the most part, popsicles and a few new outdoor balls to throw around do the trick. I did manage to find some time to get some cleaning and organizing done...and I did find a perfect spot for one of those peacock chairs I scored for free a few months back!

It still desperately needs a cleanup and paint job; I plan to get to that in the next couple weeks.

Easter was a fun day. We got to "sleep in" a little bit...I swear I am so lucky because my kids are the kind that don't get up super-early...even on Christmas and Easter. No 4am Hell for this mom. They do it just right at about 6:45/7am. They went downstairs, tore into their baskets and then we had a backyard Easter egg hunt.

 

We went to church and as I was looking for the right Easter-y dress to wear, I realized I really don't have many good dresses for that. I ended up finding this paisley number that was from Victoria's Secret over 10 years ago. I love the cut of it - it's figure-flattering...and a little Boho chic. I did end up pairing a cropped cardigan with it to make it more church-appropriate.

We went to Cracker Barrel for lunch afterward and then again, I made sure we spent a lot of time outside. I even had time to spruce up this wicker rocker I got to replace Farrah's nursery chair. The one I have in there is super-cute, but it hasn't been the most comfortable in terms of feeding her. I painted it with Krylon spray paint in Khaki, just like the other one.

It's up in her room already, so I'll take and updated picture and post it here this week for you.

Anyway, that was my weekend! Hope you had a happy Easter!

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Five on Good Friday

Happy Good Friday to you! Many of you are lucky enough to have this day off, or already stay at home and may be enjoying Spring Break with your kiddos. I am doing neither! Regular work day for me over here.

 

But nonetheless, I'm happy it's Friday, I'm ready to have a great weekend and celebrate Easter with my family! On to my five...

{one}

I left you on Wednesday with some ramblings about my future and some plans I have. I mentioned that as of next month I may no longer be at Boeing. Well, I received the news yesterday that they'd like to extend me into July...and at that point there may be permanent opportunities. So that's good news - and I'm always open to possibilities. Either way, I'm going to enjoy the extra income for another few months. However, my heart is really leading me to what I was discussing Wednesday, so we will see how it all turns out. Good news is though, I received news that I've been invited to audition for a barre instructor position at a local barre studio. I'm not sure when that is yet, but they'd like me to come in as much as I can this month to take classes at a steep discount, in order to familiarize myself with their method.

{two}

I have wanted the Goddis Linsey cardigan for so long now. On a whim this morning, I decided to look it up on Revolve again to see if it price-dropped or if maybe they had a few new patterns. It was originally priced at $215.00 and I had not seen it go down in price. Unfortunately, I'm unable to drop that on a cardigan! This was the one I'd been eyeing:

{via}

I couldn't believe it when it said it was discounted to $121.00 and there was only one left...AND it was my size. You know I put it in my cart. Being the resourceful gal that I am, I looked up discount codes on Retail-Me-Not and found that if you use their app, you get 15% off your first purchase. So, I downloaded the app and got that discount. For a whopping $102, I got my most-coveted cardigan! Can't wait til it arrives! Perfect beach cover.

So it now says "out of stock" thanks to me, but they do have a couple of other patterns if you're interested.

I'm just calling this an early birthday present.

{three}

Speaking of my birthday...I feel like I'm rapidly getting deeper and deeper into my 30s. It seems like it was just yesterday that I turned 30...how have two years gone by? Two years and a baby to boot?! What a whirlwind it has already been. Turning 32...I don't quite know how I feel about that, but nonetheless, it really doesn't matter because it's happening whether I like it or not. But I'm good with where I'm at in life at this age...three great kids, a wonderful husband, true friends and I'm finally starting to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. I'm excited to see my growth in that area in the next couple of years...see how it all pans out.

{four}

I've pretty much got the kids' Easter baskets put together this year...but when I went to put everything in them - stage them, if you will - they seemed a bit sad compared to years past. I definitely tried to scale back on the candy...it seems we have leftover candy year-round from holidays and I've just got to put a stop to that! I may need to do some more shopping...any good toy/gift recommendations for kid's Easter baskets? Something they will actually get use out of? My boys are 9 & 4. Farrah of course will not have much because she's not going to eat any candy at 11 months old. Heck, she won't even know what is going on. I basically have to get her an Easter basket so the boys don't question why she doesn't have one.

Our Easter plans are pretty low key. Church in the morning {can't wait to see Farrah in her Easter dress!} and of course I always do a little backyard Easter egg hunt with the boys. I am hoping for nice weather so we can go outside and have some fun as a family.

{five}

I have to end this lovely Friday post with an update on my postpartum weightloss. As y'all know, it has taken me MUCH longer than expected to drop the Farrah lbs. I had a long road ahead of me after I had her and I certainly didn't want to accept that it would be so long. I have been working hard the last 3-4 weeks {well, I have been working hard the whole time, but specifically more as of late} and I have really done well with clean eating. I have had some days that weren't so great diet-wise, but for the most part, I've been clean...and I'm seeing the results of that for sure. I am now a whopping ONE pound away from pre-prego weight! I am definitely differently distributed in some areas than before, but I plan to still do some work after I meet that weight. It is so nice to finally see a light at the end of this tunnel. Farrah was worth every single pound, but it is nice to feel more like ME again. I feel less and less uncomfortable in my skin these days and most of my clothes are back to fitting really well. It's a good feeling. For now, this is my mantra...

Have a happy Easter!

Linking up with: Meet at the Barre / The Good Life / A. Liz Adventures / Carolina Charm / Hello! Happiness

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{Workout} Wednesday on a Whim

This is a whimsical post because I'm literally just typing it as I go along...so there really was no planned post for today, but I feel like writing, so here I go.

I've got a few things running through my mind lately...future plans, goals...things like that. As I get closer to my "contract end date" at Boeing, I realize that I very well could be back to being a stay at home mom by next month. However, there is a chance my contract will get extended. But as far as anything permanent opening up in my current organization, it's looking pretty grim and the work has definitely slowed. I'm OK with it either way though...I started mentally preparing myself for this possibility about a month ago and I tend to live life in a "roll with the punches and rise above it" sort of way. With this possibility of being back at home on the horizon, it's given me some time to really think about what I want to do and how I can make a career - whether full- or part-time - out of something I'm passionate about.

Without getting into too much detail in the very early stages of my "planning", I can say that my future plans are definitely fitness-oriented. I have been so passionate about improving and challenging myself physically for well over a decade now. There is no doubt that I love fitness and I've found that along with that, I really love sharing my knowledge with others and helping drive them to succeed at their own health and fitness goals. It really is rewarding. I have an idea in mind for where I want to end up as far as the business end of this industry, but for now, my first steps are getting my personal training, group training and specifically, Barre instructor training certificates. I'm hoping to get my feet wet in teaching some classes soon.

I have started a neighborhood boot camp and the first class is tonight. I'm pretty excited to get some great girls through a challenging workout. I'm hoping to make it a weekly thing for the neighborhood and that the attendance tonight is good. I'm a tad nervous, but I've got a class plan and many of these girls are already friends of mine, so I know it will be a lot of fun {and hard work!}

So other than all of that, I have been pretty much keeping good with my clean eating and workout schedule. I have really found that writing it out on Sunday evenings has been beneficial and I've stuck to that process for 3-4 weeks now. Here is a snapshot of my workout plan for this week:

Hope you're having a great week!

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