My Curves Weight Loss Update & Some Perspective for Those Also on a Weight Loss Journey

Thanks to Curves International for sponsoring today's post, regardless all opinions expressed below are completely my own. Are you ready to get #CurvesStrong?

It's time.

You may remember around 3 weeks ago I officially owned up to my faults. I admitted that I've been slacking on the work outs and decided to become a member of Curves and change my lifestyle.

Not only am I excited to tell you that I've lost 8 lbs in those 3 weeks, I'm stoked to say I feel better about myself and more confident now as well... and it's not just the few lbs I've shed, it's the new lifestyle. *Curves Fitness members on average lose 5 lbs. over a 20‐week period. I received promotional consideration.

There's just something about how fresh the air feels after a great class or a nice little walk with Delainey and the way I feel after eating a healthy, satiating meal, there's no way to really describe it other than refreshing and with each bite I know my food is more nourishing than any fast food ever could be.

It's funny how just changing a few little parts of my day can entirely change the way I view the world. Although, life is all about perspective isn't it...? Well, so is weight loss and today I wanted to share a few pointers on perspective when it comes to weight loss, things we all need to hear!

1. Strong, not skinny - I constantly have to remind myself to focus on the end goal, you likely should be doing the same. We aren't working towards being tiny, necessarily, we're working toward a long, healthy future. I'm sure we all want to be around to see our kids graduate, but that obviously involves leading a healthy lifestyle and taking care of our bodies. Aim for a strong, healthy, balanced lifestyle and your life will flourish.

2. Food is for nourishment, not satisfaction - Speaking of flourishing, as we know, food is one those things in life that is absolutely necessary... but here's the thing, it doesn't always have to be super flavorful and insanely tasty. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love pumpkin pie as much as the next lady, but making sure you're supplying your body with what it needs via your diet means cutting back on carbs and sugars and allowing your body to process the foods you are eating. Make sure you're focusing on the content of your food and not always just following your taste buds.

3. Working out is fun, if you let it be fun - This one is hard for me to always remember, especially on my "lazy days"... but once I'm at Curves and in my routine, I always feel great... and that rush you get post work out proves to me I always make the right choice when I choose to get up & active.

4. Rome wasn't built in a day and I didn't gain all this weight in one day either - Simply meaning, we can't expect all of these extra lbs to just fall off when we're ready to shed our baggage. It's going to take work and dedication to meet (or exceed) our goals, but it'll be worth it in the end. Smalls goals are just as exciting to celebrate as big ones, so today I'm celebrating 8lbs and soon I'll hopefully be celebrating a more substantial weight loss!

So tell me, do you have any weight loss tips or advice on keeping things in perspective? I'd love to hear it in the comments below!

How to Wear Leggings: 5 Fashion Rules for Leggings

I used to really love fashion and I always wanted to follow the latest trends... but I'm not going to lie, since I became a mom I've also kind of neglected buying things for myself. I know I'm not the only one that's suddenly started spending on their spawn and cut back on their own stylish efforts, right? Yoga pants are life and leggings are equally as important.

So I've made a decision, after a year of concentrating solely on Miss Delainey and her fashion, this mama deserves to be stylish again too. With that said, I'm also not willing to sacrifice what I've learned to love... I mean, I most definitely still want the comfort of yoga pants.

And that's where Cuddl Duds comes into the picture... whether I'm wearing my FlexFit or Fleecewear Leggings, I know I can look fabulous while also feeling comfortable enough to chase this tiny little toddler around town.

I love that I can pair these leggings with anything and if I'm being frank, both pairs are the SOFTEST leggings I have ever owned. Like I've heard of "buttery soft" fabric before but these leggings are even softer.

With that said, there's a certain way that leggings should be worn. We've all seen those trainwreck outfits on others that make us question whether this garment of clothing should even be "allowed" in public... but here's the thing - leggings are easy to wear and pair items with! So today, I'm here today to discuss a few "fashion do's and don'ts" regarding leggings:

1. Let's start with the obvious, always cover your behind and your front butt when wearing leggings.

When it comes to tops long enough to wear with leggings, I'm seriously so in love with Cuddl Duds Softwear Stretch Cowl-Neck Tunics!  I'm not even joking when I say my cowl neck top from Cuddl Duds is a new staple item in my wardrobe.

It's the perfect pairing for both pairs of leggings and it's so versatile I feel like I can dress it up with a nice pair of slacks or down with some leggings and stay cozy all day long. I'm a huge fan and recommend everyone have one of these tunic tops to pair with their leggings... and I'm hoping to add more colors to my collection soon!

2. Make sure you find the right fit & the right length - Leggings should fit comfortably at the waist and NOT squeeze your middle. Length wise leggings should fit at the ankle, any higher will make you look short and any longer will obviously be uncomfortable and look awkward with footwear.

3. Speaking of footwear - choose the right pairing! Don't wear your yard work shoes with your leggings, choose shoes wisely. I'm not even going to deny the fact that I wear flip flops with everything... but honestly, they aren't the best pairing with leggings! I love pairing mine with boots or simple flats. But you could also pair Cuddl Duds with some simple heels too.


4. Mix it up - While I'm guilty of finding something I like and wearing it religiously, that's out of habit... not style. So this is more of a "do as I say, not as I do" piece of advice. Be sure to mix up your look - Try leggings and a button down one day, another day rock a duster and your Cuddl Duds Softwear Stretch Cowl-Neck Tunic! Variety is the spice of life after all, so don't stick with the same style!


5. Consider the occasion - Last but certainly not least, know where to wear your leggings. Job interviews, weddings, or any occasion that calls for a more reserved look is the WRONG place to wear your leggings. While they are comfortable, fashionable, and fun, they aren't business wear so be sure to dress up when needed...*(Not to contradict myself, but if you think you have the perfect business-casual outfit that involves leggings, remember there are always exceptions to the rules)!

Now that we've chatted about how to wear these leggings, I'm going to pretty much DEMAND you check out Cuddl Duds at Macy's... you can thank me for bringing your attention to this life-changingly soft line of clothing later!

Parenthood, Adulting, and Saving for Your Child's College Education Wisely...

This post is sponsored by the Florida Prepaid College Board, through my role as a Believer Blogger. All thoughts are my own.

After Irma hit my husband and I have decided to prioritize things in our life a little more, I guess you could say we are giving this whole "adulting" thing a go. I guess it just took the threat of a natural disaster to make us "man up" but we've both been doing a lot of thinking about life and evaluating what our priorities are.

With my itty bitty baby already hitting her 14 month milestone recently, I've realized she's going to  grow up fast. Right now I'm reading her stories at bedtime and remind her not to eat dirt, next thing I know it'll be tea parties with her neighborhood friends and trips to library with classmates, and soon enough I'll be sending her off to college. I'm still figuring all this adult stuff out but one thing I know for certain is life flies by, so the reality of planning for her future is absolutely of utmost importance to us now.

With that said, I know now is the time to start saving for her future - I want to be sure she can get the higher education she wants and deserves without feeling burdened. My hubby and I have been saddled with college debt and a monthly student loan for years and that's just not something I want for her future, so we're doing something about it.

Saving for her future isn't just for her though. It benefits us too, we want to be sure we don't saddle ourselves with even more college debt and I mean, one day... someday, we eventually hope to retire... and well, that all takes planning, budgeting, and all that jazz.

While it's been great to really start to "adulting", I'm not going to lie - it's a little stressful getting up close and personal with all things finance-related. I'm sure we aren't the only millennials trying to figure out what to do about our college debt while also trying to plan how to pay for our kid's college one day.

After a little bit of research and some investigation, I'm so happy to have found the answer - The Florida Prepaid College Board Plans... and the good news for us all is: NOW is the time to enroll!

With five different plans, each with specific costs, payment schedules, and benefits which all include tuition at 28 Florida Colleges (as well as 12 universities), it's easy to see why the Florida Prepaid program would make sense for our little Florida baby.

So if you're a parent in the same boat as me trying to figure out how to save wisely, you may be asking yourself some questions... and I'm hoping I can answer a couple of them...


Let's start with the first question that came to my mind - How can you sign up for this Prepaid Plan and how much will your monthly payments be? You can sign up here... and since the monthly payment amount varies based on the age of the child and the amount you plan to save, your payment will be different than mine. Prices start at around $50 and the range of prices really varies.

When is the right time to start investing? NOW! From birth until 11th grade, you are eligible to enroll during open enrollment and should take advantage of this savings plan. After all, when we found out the cost of college has already increased 538% since 1985, we knew NOW was the right time to start investing and guaranteeing her a great education.

But why a Florida Prepaid College Plan? There's several reasons, but my top three include:

You and your family can literally fund your kiddo's college years, one month at a time. I mean it's pretty easy to pay approximately $50 a month, it's a little more daunting with a bill of $7,373 being thrown at you each semester, which is approximately the lump sum you could pay into the 1 year Florida Prepaid fund if you were able to...

Another reason we decided to save with Florida Prepaid, is the benefits and the flexibility.

What exactly do I mean by that? Even if one day we decide to move back to Oklahoma or maybe even broaden our horizons and dip our feet in a Wyoming pond, the good news is Delainey will always have access to Florida in-state tuition while using her plan to help pay for tuition! I love that we are free to roam and she won't lose her Florida Prepaid benefits!

Even better, if she happens to get a scholarship, I love that the amount of the plan we have selected can be use towards school expenses or refunded!

What if you only have enough for the one year plan now? Well, I love that we can work towards getting her college paid for as a family. One student can have a handful of purchasers, that means grandmas, aunts, cousins, and more can help send your kiddo to college.... and it's an affordable monthly payment, if they're able to help! I love that. Instead of asking for toys this year, I think we may ask Delainey's grandparents to help pay for a year of college... maybe you could do the same?

Will my payments vary? Nope, the plans are guaranteed and the prices are locked, so no worries about price hikes in tuition or payments suddenly increasing.

With all of that said, just because these plans work for us, doesn't mean it's made for you... Don't fret. Check out how a Florida 529 Savings plan could be the answer! With no set payment schedule it may be harder to add into your budget, but the down side is the plan isn't guaranteed by the State of Florida like the Florida Prepaid plan.

No matter which plan you choose, now's the time to enroll - go ahead and sign your little one up for a Florida Prepaid Plan before open enrollment ends in February!

DIY Matryoshka Russian Stacking Doll Baby Costume

So, I kinda sorta have a fascination with Russian stacking dolls.

I'm not sure why I find them so fascinating and adorable... but I do.

I look forward to sharing this love with my little "Babushka".

And since we've been playing dress up all month long, it was obvious to me that I had to find a way to make D into a matryoshka...

While I couldn't exactly stick her inside of another doll, I did my best to make her family of smaller dolls - including the cuties on her top & her bow!

I'm proud to report, while playing dress up she fell in love with the little "dolls" I made her to play with and we will soon be adding a real matryoshka set to her toy collection.

And well, she may or may not be rocking this "costume" as an outfit again in the future... because hello, adorable! Want the details on her costume? I've linked what I know below!

bow { Darling Diva Boutique Bows }
top { bought used/shop sadly unknown }
icing pants { MudPie }
stacking dolls { Bloomology }