Can I be honest with you guys for a second? Being a mother of 2 babies is hard. I knew it would be difficult and I tried to prepare for it, but it is so much harder than I realized. I honestly don’t know how mothers of multiples do it. I am in awe of you and you need a hug. And a spa day week. Lately, I have felt very overwhelmed.

I have tried to be a really independent mother. I want to do everything myself and I hate hate HATE asking for help. I feel like my kids are my responsibility and I get so caught up in the mindset of having to take care of them by myself. I should have them all the time. I should be the one to feed them, clothe them, bathe them at night, take them to the park, teach them. I am their mother. I am the one supposed to be raising them.Funny thing happens when I think like this. God laughs at me. He says, “No, no, no, sweetheart. You need help. You can’t do it alone.”

I do need help, y’all.

A childhood friend of mine started a Mommy Play Group on Facebook (which is awesome) and we met a couple of  weeks ago downtown at the splash pad. I was so excited! I just knew Hampton would love it. I mean, anything outside that involves water is right up his alley! Oh boy was I wrong.

I loaded the kids, Hamp in the stroller and SR in my ergo. I packed our lunches and we hiked down to the splash pad (because it is a hike when you are hauling 2 babies up a hill). I didn’t know I could sweat through jean shorts, but I can. In case you were wondering.

Once we made it, a train went right by the splash pad. Hamp spotted it right away. . He was so excited, but as soon as the train went away, he started pitching a fit. Then SR started screaming because it was time for her to eat. Hampton never would touch the water. He watched everyone else play and he continued to pitch fits, asking for the “choo choo.” I finally said “that’s it!” I loaded them back up and hiked back to the car with two screaming babies. I was so thankful to my friend who helped me push the stroller part of the way back. I didn’t ask, but she offered and didn’t even wait for a reply. She just helped me. It was so nice!

I was so tired, hot and frustrated. They were hot and not happy at all. We all really needed a nap. It hit me really fast that this is why I should not be afraid to ask for help. I am feeling overwhelmed right now, and it is okay. I’m still trying to learn how to be available to 2 babies all the time while working and blogging. It is so tough sometimes.

God has a funny way of teaching me lessons. He definitely has a sense of humor. I am stubborn and determined and he is trying to show me that it can’t always be my way. I can’t do it alone. I have to learn to rely on Him, always. After this experience, I can honestly say, I have learned my lesson. It really does take a village to raise a child, and it’s okay to learn to rely on the village sometimes.

If you’re a mom, I just want to say that you are wonderful. You are doing an amazing job. No matter what phase of life you’re in – whether you have babies or grown adult children there will always be challenges because you’re a mom. You are everything to your kids, so don’t give up and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. We all need help sometimes.

Most mornings, all I need (or have time for) is coffee and mascara. This tank truly says it all because it is basically my life right now. Some mornings, I barely even get a chance to drink my coffee. It all depends on the babies.

With that being said, I have managed to exercise every day, but I haven’t quite established a workout schedule yet. I am basically working out when I can. Some days that means going to a late Zumba class, other days, I have to get up really early to run. It just depends on our schedules.

I promised I would give you guys updates periodically on my weight loss journey, so here goes…

I have finally started losing weight again. This has been a frustrating process because even though I was eating clean, breastfeeding and walking, I did not lose a single pound in over 4 weeks. It was beyond frustrating. Once I was cleared to exercise a couple of weeks ago, I really buckled down. I started C25K and am currently on week 5! I also continued to eat healthy and started using My Fitness Pal app again to keep up with my calories to make sure I did not eat too much sugar, carbs, etc.

It has definitely helped me a lot! I am now 8 lbs. away from my pre-pregnancy weight. We have less than 5 weeks til our cruise, so the chances of me losing all of it by then are slim, however, I am finally losing weight again and I am so thankful that I am getting healthier and closer to being able to wear my clothes again!

I absolutely love my LINDSxoPRESSES tanks! I ordered this one and another one that will show it’s face on my blog soon! They are so comfortable and go with anything! I can run in them, or I can pair them with jean shorts! Graphic tees and tanks are so “in” right now and I really love them! This adorable Etsy shop offers so many different colors, styles, and custom options. There are sizes for babies all the way through adults! Definitely check out all this shop has to offer! Be sure to keep up with the latest updates and styles on Facebook!

LINDSxoPRESSES is offering a Free Shipping code “LOGANCAN” for every order over $20! 

This car seat cover is so awesome! It fits easily over her car seat and covers her really well. It can also be worn as a nursing cover which I LOVE! Just throw it on as a scarf and you’re ready to go! It is so cute and comes in several colors and patterns. I snagged the gray because it will so with pretty much anything!

How do you protect your baby from the sun? Could you recommend a great double stroller?

Two of my favorite designers are Lily Pulitzer and Kate Spade. They produce pieces that just make me smile. They are always bright, classy and very feminine. I contacted LBH Creations to create a romper for me a few weeks ago and she blew my expectations out of the water! This Lily/Kate inspired romper made me giddy. I mean, can I have one?

LBH Creations creates custom baby rompers and shoes. You can literally pick the fabric you want her to use and she will make it specially for you. I am so impressed by this Etsy shop. The romper is very good quality and I couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out! I will definitely be ordering more from her in the future!

Be sure to check out LBH Creations on Instagram for the latest custom looks!

Who are your favorite designers and why?

This Father’s Day weekend was a good one! Friday night we stayed in, popped popcorn and watched a movie. It was So. Nice. On Saturday, I went on a little mini shopping spree where I bought myself a new book and then stumbled into Dillard’s where they happened to be having a sale! I snagged a tank and dress from Gianni Bini at 65% off and bought Ryan some blue seersucker shorts at 40% off! I felt like I hit pay dirt!

Saturday night, we celebrated Father’s Day with my dad and also celebrated my sister-in-law’s birthday! We ate a delicious meal at Olive Garden (my cheat meal for the week) which is my favorite! Give me all the pasta!

Father’s day fell on the first day of summer which was appropriate because it was beautiful and HOT outside. We spent the afternoon at Ryan’s parent’s house where H and his cousin played really hard. They are so adorable together. When we pulled in, H ran to his cousin chick flick style – arms outstretched. It was precious. It also happened to be national wear your Lily Pulitzer day! I wore mine on Saturday night, but Rae took part in it as you can see. 🙂 My little preppy diva!

(Rae is not a fan of the sunlight. haha)

Late Sunday afternoon, we got a phone call. Someone wanted to see our house. Yes, we officially put our house back on the market last Monday and we have already shown it twice! Y’all please pray it sells quickly! It has been 15 months since we listed it (the first time) and we are hoping after taking it off the market for a month and now listing it at a lower price that it will sell. Fingers crossed.

All of the dads in our family were spoiled this weekend! It was a blessing being able to be with all of them.

How was your Father’s Day weekend? Did you do anything special?

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.  #NauticaforDad #CollectiveBias

With Father’s Day only a few days away, it has got me thinking a lot about my dad and what a wonderful person he is. He has always worked extremely hard and provided for our family. He has been there for all of our big moments and he has loved his children unconditionally.

When looking for a husband, I subconsciously found a man with these same qualities. Ryan is a wonderful Christian man. He leads our family and he pushes me to be a better person every day. He is so hard working and has loved me unconditionally. Let me tell you, I am not always easy to love. He has such a servant heart and is always willing to help anyone who is in need. From helping my sister with her homework to doing yard work for widows in our church, he is always happy to help.

His kind and loving spirit made me extremely confident in his ability to be a father to our children. Two and a half years ago, if you told me we would have two children right now, I would have laughed at you. During our struggles to conceive Hampton, (other than God) he was my pillar. He kept my spirits up and encouraged me daily. He loved me when I was in a miserable place. He helped me through the most difficult time of my life. He was and is my anchor.

Watching him become a father was the most precious thing. He loves our babies so much. He plays with them and is always more than willing to help out with them. He watches Sophie while I run during lunch. He bathes Hampton when it has been a long day. He loves to spend countless time with them and is so patient when Hampton wants him to read the same book ten times in a row. It is a beautiful thing to witness.

Needless to say, I definitely wanted to get Ryan something special for Father’s Day this year! Because we are going on a cruise in 7 weeks (not that I’m counting), I decided to put together a Nautical/beach themed gift basket!

I drove up to Hoover to visit the Galleria and ran into Macy’s where I purchased the Nautica Life Gift Set! The scent is wonderful and reminds me of the sea with a romantic twist. The gift set includes two fragrances as well as aftershave balm and shower gel.  I can’t wait for him to wear it! I also included a pair of sunglasses, swim trunks and sunscreen. Instead of using an actual basket, I put everything in a duffle bag because I know he will use that a lot more.

Giveaway Time!


One Grand Prize Winner will win a $4,000 Cruise Vacation Package, Five Second Place Winners will win a Nautica Men’s Fragrance Gift Package. Winners must be 18+ to enter. Good Luck!

Nautica for Dad

Who is the anchor in your life? What are you planning to get your father or husband for Father’s Day?

I am so excited to do my first mommy and me styled post in a new series I’ll be doing over the next few weeks. I love to match SR in subtle ways. Don’t get me wrong, I do not like to dress like a baby, but I love finding little details that tie in our outfits.

I’ve always enjoyed color coordinating with Hampton, but I can take it a step further now that I have a little girl.

I am a huge fan of leopard print. I have been for many many years. I absolutely love it and it never goes out of style! I loved these adorable headbands that I found on Etsy at Urban Style Kids. I could’t help but snatch them up! USK has the cutest headbands and they are so comfortable.

I am also still loving the Chambray look that was really popular last year. I am so glad it is still in! I bought both of our chambray rompers at Old Navy and I am a huge fan of both of them! They are easy and you can style them so many ways. The possibilities are endless!

Confession: These pictures were taken 3 weeks ago and I’m just now posting this. Whoops. I am a little behind. 😉

Homemade laundry detergent.
-I started doing this about 2 months after I married Ryan. We were looking for ways to save money and I came across a recipe on Pinterest. Of course, I consulted my mom on whether or not it was safe and all that jazz. She said that people have used this forever. After using it for almost 3 years now, I can tell you that I love it. I haven’t looked back. It cleans the clothes just as well. I do add Oxi-Clean to mine and still use regular softener.

Coupons
– I’m not suggesting you become a crazy coupon lady, although I wish I had the time to become one myself. I do suggest that before going out to eat you look for a coupon or Groupon deal etc. This also applies to shopping. When shopping online, you can almost always find a coupon code for free shipping, a percentage off, or if you’re lucky, both! I also highly recommend you shop through Ebates when shopping online. They give you a percentage of your purchase back. I saved so much money Christmas shopping last year by doing this. There is literally no excuse not to use Ebates. You can also take these short surveys to gain access to great coupons and other deals. I love using this site.

Cook at home.
-We see a dramatic increase in our spending when we eat out more one week than when we eat at home. Groceries are expensive, but they are so much cheaper to buy and prepare at home than if you go pay $25 a meal. It is also a lot healthier.

Set a budget.
– I’ll be honest. When we first got married, we budgeted for our bills, but didn’t have an allotted amount for food/groceries or for our “fun” spending. Since we set a specific amount of how much we can spend on food and extra fun things/ gifts, we have saved a lot more money. I’ll save you my budgeting rant, but that is the biggest budget tip I can give you that has helped us.