How I Get Fall Styles for Less

There's something about Fall.  Suddenly people are finished with the bikini life and they're ready to get dressed.  And when they go to their closets they wonder what in the world to wear.  And when you wonder what to wear, you'll inevitably want to go shopping.  Luckily for me I consider myself a deal finding expert and get quite a thrill out of it if I'm being honest.  Even if I won the lottery, I'm still totally convinced I would not change my current shopping habits because there's just something internally rewarding about getting the bang for your buck.  Sure I'd go on a lot more vacations and probably spruce up my house, but as far as fashion?  I'm stuck in my ways and yes I think they're best the ways.  That's why I've decided to fill you in on one of them today and that is my ongoing love for Jane.

No, it's not a person.  It's a website.  And if you STILL aren't shopping there, you're really missing out.  Jane is a site for people who want the latest fashions but don't want to spend a ton of money.  It's a site for people who like me, get a thrill out of finding the BEST deal at the right time (all deals change daily and they sell out if you don't jump on them!). It's a site for people who are sick of looking for a needle in a haystack.  Because if you're a fashionable "basic" girl like me, you don't want to spend hours scouring a million different boutiques for exactly what you want.  You want them all in one place.  And that's what Jane is.

Below I've put together some of my favorite looks, all of which can be found on Jane - clothing and accessories included!  I've also paired with my favorite lip colors because now that I'm into that life, it has too become a part of the outfit!  No, I did not link each individual piece because the cool thing about Jane is that inventory changes daily, so what's there today may be different tomorrow, but guaranteed if you like these, you'll find them coming back again and again.  Comment below with your favorite look and stay tuned for my Target haul coming up soon!

Look #1 - Florals, browns, and fringe booties!

Look #2 - Oversized sweaters, Pointed Flats, and Wines!

Look #3 - Graphic tee, side pony, and a double leather wrap!

Look #4 - Flowy blouses, head wraps, and subtle pink lips!

Look #5 - Plaid, Criss cross necks, and plum pretty gorgeousness!

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5 Things You DON'T Need On Your Baby Registry (And What You Should Get Instead)

So this post might seem slightly out of place in my life, and no, I am NOT pregnant for those who might now be speculating.  I'm writing this because for some reason I seem to have a record number of pregnant friends suddenly seeking advice.  Well if you want my #1 piece of advice it is this: Take it with a grain of salt.  I can't even tell you the amount of things people swore I needed that I didn't even use, thus prompting me to share my experience and throw my own two cents into the mix.  

And now, without further ado, here are the things you totally DON'T need on your registry...

1. A Rock n Play.  I can't even begin to tell you the number of people who told me I needed a Rock n Play, and I suppose if you have the room for it, you go Glenn Coco. I on the other hand have a tiny house.  We don't have a ton of room for extra pieces of furniture all over the place.  Instead,  I went with Boppy Loungers (not to be confused with a traditional Boppy pillow which is entirely different) and my kids LOVED them!  Also as somebody with her living room on a totally separate floor than her kitchen, these were really easy to carry up and down the stairs whenever we needed a change of scenery.  


2. Swaddles.  Babies love swaddles they say.  It makes them feel secure they say.  Well let me tell you, even my 2 lb. 5 oz. little hampster babies wanted NOTHING to do with the swaddle.  They were legs out, arms out escape artists from the second they hit the isolate and it never stopped when we got home either.  What I did end up using 8,000 of, which surprised me, was receiving blankets.  I could just lay them on top of them to keep them warm without making them feel trapped in.  I'll admit, when I ended up with so many after my shower, I thought to myself nobody in their right mind would ever need this many blankets.  Wrong.  In those first few months it actually becomes a part of their outfit because they're being carried in it all the time.  And being the OCD matchy matchy mom that I am, the blanket of the day HAD to coordinate with the sleeper, which had to coordinate with the other sister as well.  It's a good thing I had so many choices after all! 





3. A swing/bouncer of any kind.  I had both.  For both children.  And a variety of types because I bought them all second hand.  I'll admit they looked adorable sitting in the corner of my living room, but if I'm being quite honest, I was probably lucky to get a good 3 minutes out of either of them before a child was screaming bloody murder to get out.  They just did not like it.  The thing that they DID find entertaining above all things for legit months and months of their life?  The activity mat.  Jungle gym.  Whatever you want to call it.  For them, this was the big deal.  Smiling, batting, reaching, laughing.  They even had their first full on infant conversation on this thing.  No doubt because they were both so ecstatic about what they were seeing, albeit in their squeaky infant sort of way.  It might seem plain Jane to you, but seriously do not overlook the awe of the baby activity center.  There's nothing better when you're stuck lying on your back while mom folds your laundry.  


 4. Dr. Brown's baby bottles.  Is it like a rule that "good moms" use Dr. Browns?  I swear everyyyyybody and their mother (pun intended) uses Dr. Browns.  I'm sorry but you are ALL doing it wrong.  I chose the Playtex drop-in system and guess what??  I don't wash bottles.  Ever.  Just a quick soap squirt into the nipple and quick rinse and we're done folks.  Yes, my kids made the mess of all messes when I first introduced it.  Yes it took practice to get more in their bellies than down their face.  But ya know what?  They get used to it.  They learn.  You're life is easier and you have less time washing dishes and more time loving on those beautiful babes.  I would never use another product.  Period.

Tip: Start with the SLOW FLOW nipples and you can increase gradually as they get bigger. ;) 




5. A bathtub.  I actually never registered for one because quite honestly I didn't know where I would store it when it wasn't bath time, but I DID get one of those cushiony bath mats that I thought I would lay down in the tub instead.  It's still in the packaging in our attic somewhere.  Personally I found it super easy and quick to bathe my kids in the kitchen sink until they were too big to fit there anymore.  And by that time, they are happily sitting up and playing with toys in your regular tub anyway.  I just find the whole baby bath tub thing to be quite cumbersome for something that's not being used all that frequently.  I don't have a link for my replacement idea because it's the kitchen sink and mother's loving arms, both of which you have already! 

And just as a side note, feel free to apply my initial advice to this post as well, which is take my words with a grain of salt.  My kids are not your kids, and truly, they will let you know what they need AFTER they get here! xo 


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See more like this at Five On Friday!

What I Found Out After Taking a Krill Oil Supplement

It's no secret that Omega-3s are important in our diet.  From heart health to joint health to possibly even helping with anxiety, I like to think of it as diet gold and make a point to sneak it in there every morning around breakfast.  I could break it all down and quote numerous medical sources, but instead I'm just gonna steal this graphic from Dr. Axe because it's honestly most comprehensive thing I've seen and I couldn't say it better myself.


So anyway, as I began my affiliate relationship with IdealLean and was in need of a new supply, I naturally grabbed up a bottle of their Omega-3s because it only makes sense that I actually use products I may eventually promote to decide if I even like them right?  Hmmm... Krill oil?  Ok whatever.  I guess you just need to be fancy.

As I continued taking it though, it started popping up on my radar more frequently.  It's not just IdealLean's fancy name.  It seems to be everywhere.  What the heck.  What happened to fish oil?  I honestly thought that krill was just some fancy type of fish until I suddenly began having flashbacks to my childhood trips to the Frederick County Science Center in which we would inevitably spend time with our hands in buckets petting krill, which were totally not fish I might add.  They were some sort of cross between a crawfish and shrimp from what I remember.  Is this what I've been consuming this whole time?

Yes, yes it is.  So first things first.  Krill oil comes from a shellfish!  If you have a shellfish allergy just stop reading and DO NOT take a krill oil supplement!  If you're a regular shrimp loving, crap picking, lobster devourer, however... read on.

Now that that's been cleared up, let me tell you what else I've learned and why this stuff is actually superior to the fish oil capsules I had been taking previously.

1.  It's absorbed more readily by the body.  My Krill oil supplements are tiny and I only take one a day.  With my fish oil they were pretty darn huge and you were supposed to take a couple of them.  Why? Because fish oil has to go through more steps to actually be absorbed. Only a small percentage of what you consume is actually used in your body.

2. It is more environmentally friendly.  Krill is among one of the largest biomasses on the planet, so although it is consumed by many marine animals, the krill harvested for human consumption is but a tiny fraction of what's out there.  It is much more sustainable than the cod and salmon typically used in fish oil.

3. It contains an additional antioxidant, astaxanthin, that protects the body from free radicals and DNA damage.  Essentially... it slows the aging process.  Omg sign me up.

4. It doesn't produce those gross fishy burps that fish oil tend to do.  It still smells a little fishy when I open the container, but once down the hatch, you won't have to revisit the experience later ;)

If you want to learn more and get the scientific explanation, you can start here like I did and decide for yourself.  Of course there are pros and cons of both, but I am down with the krillies for now.  How about you?  Are you taking your Omega-3s?

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