How to Use and Organize Your Lilly Pulitzer Agenda

I love my Lilly Pulitzer agenda!  The one I have here is the jumbo size - it's perfect for me as a busy mom, business owner, and blogger.  I can easily organize everything I need to do for work as well as all the kids' activities and all of our family activities.  How do I organize it?  I love these Staedtler pens - they have a super fine 0.3mm tip and don't dry out easily.  I highlight with Sharpie's retractable markers and I love using washi tape throughout to block out dates for certain activities.  

For a detailed look at what the whole agenda looks like - I have a blog post dedicated to an overview of the agendas.  

Dates worth celebrating are all written down so I don't forget.

My monthly view is color coded so I can see what I need to do for who at a quick glance.  

And I love the lined note pages in the back for brainstorming blog post ideas.  

Jo Malone: Fragrance Combining and Layering Scents

Jo Malone has been one of my favorite scents for the last 10 years.  If I have to describe it in words, I would say that the scent is timeless, elegant, clean, and fresh.  I've been a diehard Orange Blossom lover.  It smells like you're walking through an orange grove with all the orange blossoms in bloom.  It just smells beautiful.  From their candles to their body oil, I loved it all.   I love that you can layer everything on - from body wash to cologne to bring more depth to the scent.  

Just recently, I've stepped out of my comfort zone and decided to learn how to combine their scents.  I've discovered that I love how orange blossom + red roses combine for a sweet yet beautiful scent.  Next on my favorite list is peony and orange blossom.  It smells like heaven.  

Do you have a favorite combination for me to try out next time?  

Please excuse the glitter in the candle - my darling kids decided that the candle needed some glitter! 

Roasted Figs with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Vinegar

With figs in season right now, this appetizer is so easy to make and so delicious too!  Fancy appetizers in under 15 minutes!  Yes this recipe calls for only 3 ingredients!  Fresh figs, your favorite goat cheese, and the balsamic vinegar (my favorite is this one by baker & olive - it's rich, sweet, and aged 18 years).  

Slice the figs in half, top with goat cheese, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and pop the whole tray in the oven at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.  Serve warm.  

The St. Anne Tote - Barrington Gifts

Have you ever looked at a beautiful tote and wished that it came in a certain color, or wished that it had a slightly different pattern to it?  Well, wish no more - Barrington Gifts has some pretty awesome totes that are made of a durable water resistant Ballistic Nylon accented with beautiful leather trim.  Not only is the St. Anne tote available in 7 different colors, but then you get to choose from 9 different patterns!  

We were invited by Barrington Gifts to design a bag for review.  I chose a bright cheerful orange as my base and an all over trellis pattern.  The bag is super roomy - much larger than it appears in the photos. It's a good thing because I didn't only carry what normally goes into my bag, but was also able to tote the children's things around as well.  That would mean snacks for the older two and diaper, wipes, and snacks for my baby.  And there was still plenty of room!  I also loved that the tote also has 3 inner pockets to hold my iPhone, hand sanitizer, and lip gloss and a giant zippered pocket that could fit an iPad mini.

For those of you that are huge on college games, Barrington Gifts also can customize the totes in your favorite team colors!  With over 4,000 color and pattern combinations, I'm sure that there is one that you would fall in love with!  

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10 Amazing Homemade Body Scrubs

I love how easy it is to make a great body scrub.  Chances are, you have most of the ingredients needed to make an all natural scrub.  Sugar, salt, oil, essential oil, and herbs are what usually go into these scrubs.  Mix them all up, scoop it into a pretty container and it's ready to be used or gifted! 

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Lowest Price on ErgoBaby - $79.90!

I love my ERGObaby baby carrier.  I carry my little guy around everywhere.  It's just so much easier than using a stroller sometimes and besides, what baby doesn't like to be held?  He's 9 months old and weighs something like 2 tons...I mean, 21 pounds - which feels like 2 tons some days!  I have lower back pain but the ERGO does an amazing job at dispersing the weight across my body so that it doesn't hurt my back.  There are 3 ways of wearing the baby in this carrier - facing you, sitting on your hip, and on your back.  ERGOBaby came out with a new 360 degree carrier that allows you to wear the baby forward facing as well. 

More ErgoBaby Carriers and Swaddlers 

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Must Haves

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale starts tomorrow!!  There are just so many pretty things to look at and buy...I've narrowed it down to a few of my favorites for you here.  The Tory Burch calf hair thong sandals - those are a steal at only $129.90.  And the darling see thru gold polka dotted iPhone 5 case by kate spade...love it even more because it's on sale for $25.90!  I'll be quiet now and let you take a look for yourself!  Remember - prices go back up August 5th and from what I remember last year, things do sell out!

kate spade surprise sale: wedding edition

Wedding season is in full swing now that summer is here and for those currently in the throes of wedding planning, kate spade is making it a little sweeter with this amazing sale with deals up to 75% off!  

If you're purchasing two or more statement necklaces or clutches for your bridesmaids, they'll give you an additional 20% off!  Don't wait - the sale ends July 17th at 11:59pm PDT.

Tory Burch for fitbit - Luxury Fitness Trackers

This is so so cool.  Tory Burch and fitbit have collaborated to bring us gorgeous pieces to wear all the while tracking our steps, distance covered, calories burned, and how we're stacking up against our daily goals.  At night, it tracks your sleep cycle, helps you learn how to sleep better, and wakes you silently in the morning.  Access your stats anytime on your iPhone, tablet, computer, or Android.

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale - Things for Baby - Review

I love that Nordstrom is practically a one stop shop now for high quality baby gear!  And with their Anniversary Sale - the prices simply can't be beat.  
The ERGObaby Carrier is hands down my favorite.  I carry my little guy around as much as possible - he's 9 months and 21 pounds.  It's a lot of weight to be toting around and my back is prone to back pain.  But, this is the only carrier that evenly distributes his weight.  I won't lie and say that my back doesn't hurt - but it is significantly reduced - even after carrying him for hours!  
The 4Moms rocker - I love this rocker.  I didn't get a chance to get him one because we had already gotten two as gifts but when I saw it in the store...well, I wish I had one!  And from friends that have one - it's worth the money! 
The Honest Company Baby Gift Set - I love the scent of their products, the baby wipes are super strong, and I love that all their products are organic, free of sulfates, parabens, dyes, and anything that's bad for you.  Good stuff!
The Little Giraffe sleep sack - seriously the softest chenille ever!
Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag - love this bag - it's roomy, boxy, and doesn't lose it's shape.  Plus, it's super pretty!
Barefoot Dreams blanket - this is super super soft.  You won't regret it!

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale - Jewelry Picks

And our favorite picks from Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale continues!  I'm seeing a lot of monogram pieces - it's a great way to add personalization to your wardrobe and a lot of statement pieces.  Here are my favorite pieces of jewelry from the sale:

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale - Beauty Exclusives - Beauty Tools

Are you excited about Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale?  You should be!  It's like the reverse sale. Everything is marked down by a ton on brand new lines for the fall season.  And then, come August 5, poof...the prices go back up to retail until they're ready to mark them again late fall.  So, buy what catches your eye now because if they go out of stock before August 5 - you're outta luck!  Below are some amazing beauty tools that they've put in their sale.  Don't forget - some of these items come with a gift with purchase, so be sure to check those out as well!  Just click on the image to be brought to the site.  If you're not a Nordstrom card holder - you can take a sneak peek here and then the sale opens to the public on Friday, July 18th.