The New Normal | Online Shopping

I have been ordering new shorts and tees/tanks over the past few days for our upcoming vacation.

Only one pair of shorts are in my possession, but I figured I would share all of it with you.

Amazon

I found so many fun tees and tanks on Amazon!

Here is what is currently on its way to me ;)

Drinks Well With Others Tank

Happy Camper Tee

'Merica Tank

You Are My Sunshine Tee

Target

I ordered these mid rise utility shorts in the gray and olive green options.

The are currently on sale for $12!

I also snagged this super cute Sunkissed tank that is perfect for the beach!

Old Navy

Another store, another pair of utility shorts ;)

Sizes and colors are limited, but the these mid rise twill shorts are super comfy!

I grabbed these mid rise linen-blend shorts in olive, black and gold :)

Currently on sale for $15!

Where are you buying your summer clothing from these days?

With so many retailers closing their doors due to Covid and/or bankruptcy I have a feeling we will be doing the majority of our shopping online moving forward.

Thank goodness for free shipping and returns! ;)

Linking up with the Style Six ladies and Nancy's Fashion Style.

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday!

XOXO ~ Vanessa

* This post is not sponsored in any way. All images and opinions are my own.*

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Style My Way | Eyelet in the sky

When you shop for new clothes do you typically have something in mind that you are looking for, or do you just buy whatever jumps out at you?

I typically don't buy anything I just see as I shop.

I go to stores or sites with the intent to find an item that I have pictured in my head.

So when I headed to Target the other day I was looking for an eyelet top of some sort.

I actually picked up the exact same top in two different colors since you aren't able to use the dressing rooms right now.

Honestly, I wasn't giving the navy one much thought.

In my mind I was going to wear the white version.

Well, to my surprise I really liked the navy one so much more!

I paired it with some simple white chino shorts and sandals for an evening with friends.

It was perfect!

Navy Eyelet Top - Available in white & rose as well.

White Shorts

Straw Sandals - similar

Straw Handbag (not shown)

Earrings (shown below)
Sunglasses - not shown

Which is your favorite way to shop - In store or online?

Thanks as always for stopping by!

Don't forget to check out my What's Up June post today, and link up your style related posts below :)

XOXO ~ Vanessa

Linking up with the Style Six ladies & Nancy's Fashion Style.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Back 2 School Sales

Just like January 1st, the first day of the school year brings new wishes, dreams, goals, etc.

It gives you a fresh outlook on #allthethings

It brings cooler weather for most, all the family holidays, new friends, and more.

More meaning...new clothes, shoes, school supplies, backpacks, etc.

I am not doing a collaboration or anything here (but I'm down if you are a retailer 😉).

Just sharing a few items that I think your kiddos would enjoy and want to wear back to school.

I'm kicking things off with Walmart since that is where I found X's new backpack.
I know I, and quite a few other bloggers have mentioned this before but Walmart has really upped their game on quality and selection.
And you all know the prices are ridiculously affordable!
X really wanted a Fortnite backpack this year for school.
I looked around online, and some of the prices were crazy!
Not to mention quite a few featured guns and such on them which aren't allowed at school/aftercare.
I actually found quite a few options online at Walmart, but I wanted to compare sizes and such so I headed to one of our local stores.
They actually had four available in store!

They were pretty good quality and the size was perfect.
And get this....under $17!
Honestly, I wasn't sure I was going to get X a new backpack this year since his from last year was in still in really good shape.
But for only $17, I didn't think twice and now I have a very happy 7 year old ready to start 2nd grade next week!

Head here to check out all the backpacks Walmart has online (and possibly in your store).
Most are under $25!
So many styles, colors, characters are available.
And some of them even include a lunchbox, water bottle, and more!

I also stock up on socks, underwear, and white tees for X at Walmart.

I typically head to Target or Old Navy for the majority of his wardrobe, but I am currently obsessed with this jacket!

I actually have a similar one I picked up from the NSALE a few years ago.

And for $20, he might be getting this one like it or not ;)

Currently available in 3 colors.

And this one is seriously cute for the little girls in your life for under $18!

X has quite a few tees and shorts to kick off the school year, so I am only picking up a few new ones until the weather cools off.

Target and Old Navy always have the best graphic tees!

And when it is time to get him some new jeans, I usually score them at one of these two stores as well for under $10 a pair.

The quality is always great too!

And if they get ruined I'm not upset at all :)

I had every intention of showing you my favorites from Old Navy and Target but there are just too many!

Head here to check out the wide variety of items that are currently 60% off at Old Navy (uniform items included)!

40% off your online order at Old Navy ends tonight (8/13)!

Boys and girls character tees are on sale at Target starting at just $7!

School uniform items are currently 20% off at Target with code UNIFORM.

Shoes for the whole family are 20% off at Target with code SHOES20.

I had to add a couple other sales because they are just too good!

Carters/Osh Kosh are running a warehouse sale today only with items starting at just $2.99!

Plus they have an extra 20% off when you spend $40+ with code FIRSTDAY.

Children's Place is offering an extra 5% off when you choose No Rush Pickup.

Entire site is 50% off, uniform polos starting $5, and more!

JCPenney has 25% off $100+ purchase or 20% off with your JCP card with code SCHOOL (ends 8/15).

Kohl's has an extra $10 off $50 purchase with code BTS10 (ends 8/18).

Where do you shop for your kids back to school clothing and shoes?

When do/did your kids go back to school and when do they finish for the year?

XOXO ~ Vanessa

Let's Be Real & Fall Style Finds

Oh what I wouldn't give to be that teenage girl again who thought she was "fat".

Over the last year I have struggled and struggled to figure out what is going on with...me.

At the moment I still don't know.

I just finished an 8 week long program of workouts, managed portions, clean eating, but cheats allowed.

I feel good.

But that is it!

I weigh exactly the same as I did when I started 8 weeks ago.

They say "don't focus on the scale".

And "you've probably lost inches".

Nope!

The scale nor the measuring tape have budged.

Yet, I feel stronger and my muscles feel firmer.

No other changes.

My clothes don't even fit better.

In fact, less of my "fat" clothes fit now than prior to the 8 weeks!

I put on clothes that I used to swim in just a year ago and I can't even get them on.

Heck, new "fat" clothes I bought just this summer don't fit anymore.

I have gained 35-40 pounds since the Spring of 2017 and I can't figure out how.

I workout...honestly I do.

I love working out!

And eating...I try to keep my portions small even when I think I want more.

I have turkey sausage every morning with steel cut oats or a protein smoothie for breakfast.

I eat simple salads for lunch every day with a piece of fruit.

I snack on Skinny Pop or Smartfood popcorn, but I don't overeat.

Dinner is my biggest meal of the day by far.

I try to have a protein, veggies, and a carb.

I typically do my workouts at night so that meal helps give me energy.

After I might have a protein shake and that is it.

Yes, I have cheats throughout the week.

I have coffee with almondmilk and creamer.

A serving of twizzlers throughout the week.

I don't drink pop or juice.

I have an alcoholic beverage about once a month, if that.

I drink a TON of water.

I have no idea what to do.

Yes, I am going to be 40 this year.

But that isn't an excuse for me.

Actually, to me it means I shouldn't be at this point of my life.

All I know is I am going to keep going.

Keep eating right, while still allowing for a little fun.

Still working out every day because it is the only thing that instantly makes me feel better.

The rest...I pray falls into place.

I am not posting this for pity, sympathy, etc.

I just feel like I need to get this off my chest.

Weight has never been something I struggled with.
And if I gained a few pounds here and there it came off with a few workouts.

Again, I know I am getting older and with that things don't bounce back as quickly as they used to.

But I know I am working like crazy for something that has not shown me an ounce of reciprocation in the last year.

And that is just frustrating!

It is also frustrating when you cry every morning or every event you get ready for because something that fit last week/month doesn't.

It makes you a complete mess.

Not gonna lie....I don't do well around people who cry.

And now here I am, tearing up all the time over this problem I have.

If you want to shoot me your opinions I would be glad to hear them.

First, let me give you my symptoms....

Ice cold hands and feet ---- like no circulation in them

The rest of my body sweats uncontrollably

My hair is drier than normal and falls out a lot

My skin is super dry and even burns when I am working out

I have a permanent sore throat and raspy voice

Ridiculous weight gain

Wake up exhausted after a full nights sleep

So tired at night but can't seem to fall asleep

Depressed- mainly due to weight gain/clothing not fitting

Stressed out

My joints ache

Memory issues
Etc.

Thank you for letting me ramble today.

I know so many people suffer through things like this and are afraid to share how they feel, or they feel like they are the only one this is happening to.

If that is you....I just want you to know you are not alone.

Heck, we can form a group if you want ;)

So due to to who knows what is going on with me I had to grab a few new items so I had something that actually fit me.
I headed to my go-to spot and found a few things that work well for work, but could easily crossover to hanging out with friends and such.

I grabbed this pale olive green sweater and loved it so much I went back and grabbed the white and gray striped option as well!
It's technically listed as a knit top because it is so lightweight.

This Black Boat neck Top was simple and classic.

And I loved the buttons on the shoulders!

I love olive green in the Fall/Winter, so grabbing this Utility Top was a no brainer!
It has a little bit of extra length to it, so I can pair it with some skinny jeans when I am not at work :)

Believe it or not, I don't own many tunics. 

I love the colors of this Plaid Tunic, and knew it would work well with the pants I have in my closet for work and fun.

I also picked up this sleeveless navy polka dot top (not online currently) and wore it the other day to work with my favorite denim jacket (same brand), mustard sateen jeans, and cognac booties :)

I also snagged these super cute White boots!

I mean, they are called Vanessa so how could I pass them up?

I mentioned this on Instagram, but I had pair super similar to these when I was in 1st grade!

I loved those boots!

Can't wait to wear these!

Side note: I am typically a 7 1/2, but had to size up to an 8 in these.

Now it is your turn!

Link your Wednesday Fashion Frenzy post below!

And then click on some of the other ladies who joined in the fun today and spread the love :)

An InLinkz Link-up

XOXO ~ Vanessa

Shopping Haul | Target & SHEIN

I recently ordered some new pieces from Target and Shein and they arrived last week.

Target was running a special online for buy one swimwear piece, get one for 50% off.

So despite not remotely being in swimsuit shape I ordered a few to try out.

Honestly, I figured if I felt OK in one of the new ones I picked up I would have some hope for myself when I hit the beach in June :/

One shoulder bikini top in olive and black

Scalloped bandeau bikini top in black

Keyhole neck bikini top in black

Scalloped hipster bikini bottom in olive and black

All of the pieces are mix and match which is great in my opinion!
Clothing shopping is hard as it is, and swimsuit shopping is even worse :(
But getting to pick tops and bottoms in different sizes make me like it a bit more :)

At the end of the day I am keeping the keyhole top and black bottoms.
I liked the olive suit, but the top isn't as adjustable as I would like it to be.
Same goes for the bandeau style top.

So on the bright side I have a suit I am comfortable in now!
That doesn't mean I am going to stop eating healthy and working out!

Countdown to the beach  - 15 weeks!

Did you pick up any new swimsuits from the Target sale?
Any other shops?
I would love to hear what you have scored in the comments below!


If you follow Jen (why wouldn't you?), you saw that she recently tried out some clothing from Shein.

I also decided to give Shein a try.

The prices are amazing, but you definitely have to read a lot of reviews to figure out if the item is worth it or not.

And even then you might still order a dud :(

So here is what I selected...

This Leaf Print Dress is super cute, but a bit see-through :(
The size was a bit more fitted than I would like, and I didn't like the short ruffle sleeves on me.

Sending it back

I see similar tops to this Grid Top all over the place and love them, but never spend the money.

So I decided to give this one a try for the price.

It fits fine, but again is a little more sheer than I would like.

I don't want to have to wear a cami with it every time I wear it, and this definitely requires that.

Sending it back

I totally went out on a limb with these Ruffle Waist Shorts.

I am a curvy girl.

Higher waist things don't always look that good on my shape.

While the fit is fine on these, the style does make me look bigger than I am (nobody wants that!).

Sending them back

I had hopes for this Lace Knit Sweater but it is huge, not soft at all, and hangs really weird :(

Sending it back

I am not a ruffle girl/girly girl at all!

But this Ruffle sleeve top was cheap and is kind of trendy without be crazy.

And you all know I love navy!

It is pretty sheer, but the reviews stated that so I knew that ahead of time.

It is shorter than I anticipated though...think crop style :/

(this 39 year tummy isn't sure about that)

But I am decided to give it a try for the price.

I think it will look super cute with shorts this summer :)

I tried it on a couple more times before submitting my return and decided to send it back as well.

I will definitely give Shein another try in the future.

Those prices are great, and shipping from China only took a week to get to me (My order didn't qualify for faster shipping).

A couple things to remember if you decide to order from Shein...

Read the reviews! Read A LOT OF THEM!!!

Check the size chart, find your size, and I personally would suggest ordering up a size. In my opinion these are juniors sizing.

Remember these are not designer quality pieces.

Most the items in my opinion are for trying out a new trend without the hefty price tag.

Have you ordered any items from Shein before?

I would love for you to share your experience below :)

Linking up with The Blended Blog today!

Flexible Much?

Linking up with Erika, Narci & Andrea for...

Remember how I mentioned not too long ago that I was trying to just live in the moment more?

Well, that is exactly what happened yesterday and why I am just now writing this post at 10:30am :)

#sorrynotsorry

I am here now, so let's get on with my favorites from the past week!

I made my coffee To-Go on Friday morning and used one of my favorite travel mugs.

#alwaysreppin' #neverforgetwhereyoucamefrom

 I came home on Friday to some happy mail :)

The ladies at Willow Elizabeth gifted me these gorgeous earrings!

I absolutely love them!

 Grab yourself a pair of the Pantone Color of the year ones or those fun shiny silver cutouts!

They are always releasing new patterns! Check out all of their earrings here :)

Friday evening was X's first Upwards basketball practice.

#4 is my favorite ;)

I absolutely loved watching him out on the court!

I can't wait for him to play in his first game tonight! 

 After basketball we joined some friends for pizza at their house and were able to surprise Mic with a cake for his birthday :)

If you know my husband, one of his favorite things is learning more about the bourbons that are out there.

I thought it would be fitting to have a bourbon barrel cake made.

I think this turned out great considering we only planned this whole celebration a few days before!

Saturday was officially Mic's 40th birthday and I convinced him to go out to dinner at our favorite Japanese steakhouse.

A couple of our best friends joined us too!

Good friends just make life so much better!

On Sunday I made a stop at Target before I did my normal grocery shopping.

I mentioned these shows in my Target Picks post this week.

Seriously, don't they look almost identical to the Vince Camuto ones?

I have a feeling these will be my favorite spring/summer shoe!

I try to treat myself to Starbucks on Sundays when I do my grocery shopping.

When I ordered my favorite Caramel Creme Brulee Latte I was told they were upgrading me from a Tall to a Venti for free because they were trying to get rid of the excess product!

#illtakeit

Rachel shared this with me when I was looking for some healthier/cleaner alternatives to butter.

Have you tried Ghee Butter before?

How do you use it?

It isn't my favorite yet, but I could see switching if I had a better idea how to use it :)

I started the blog week off by sharing some of my favorite tips on Self Care :)

I am open to more suggestions from you all as well!

Instagram = All the favorites

This is unfortunately 100% me :/

#justbeinghonest

Please tell me someone else out there had this couch in their childhood home?

I honestly didn't know that backing into your parking space or garage was considered old!!!

I didn't think old people could do that!!!

This is how Mic and I park almost everywhere we go, including our garage!

So my little ole' Instagram account hit 1000 followers this week!

That is crazy!

Thank you! You are all my favorites!

And now I am planning a little giveaway in celebration.

Stay tuned friends!

It is Kindness week at school so each day the kiddos were able to wear something different (similar to spirit week).

X wanted nothing to do with crazy sock/shoe day or crazy hair/hat day.

But when it was time for wear your favorite sport/team day he was all about it!

He went back and forth, but ultimately decided to wear his New England Patriots Tom Brady jersey.

He later told me it was because the rest of his friends were wearing Ohio State and he wanted to change it up.

I definitely don't have a follower on my hands :)

Yesterday I worked from home because this guy finally had his 6 year check up.

He was having a blast goofing and dancing around while we waited for the doctor.

I seriously think laughing is his favorite thing to do!

When we were done, he put his pj's back on and we headed to our favorite store.

Yesterday was PJ day at school.

He was blown away that he was allowed to wear his pj's to the doctor.

And he questioned me even more that he was allowed to wear them into Target.

He didn't believe they would let him in!

I pray that he stays that way forever! ;)

 And on a side note....oh my goodness does this kid look like Mic in this picture!

Same smirk and stance!

I was in need of some coffee and we were right next to a Starbucks drive-thru so we grabbed one of my favorite drinks before heading back home.

And then I saw this.... 

I don't frequent this particular location so I had no idea they changed their drive-thru to 24 hours as of the 1st of the year!!!

So excited!

#smalltownwins

While X is still into Pokemon and Minecraft, his latest obsession is Beyblade Burst.

He picked up a few of them yesterday with a gift card he received and he hasn't put them down.

He even wanted to sleep with them!

And last but certainly not least, I saw this on Pinterest this week and it has become my new favorite.

It is now my screen saver :)

I hope you all have had a wonderful week and enjoy your weekend!