The Bag All Mommas Need Now!

You're a mom so you're always are bringing tons of bags with you.  Am I right?  You've got a bag for snacks, a bag with some school work in it, a bag with some games in it. Does this sound like you?  Plus let's not forget your purse because, of course you need that! 

Girl, have I got the solution for you and since I've found this out it has been a game changer for me.  

The answer?  

A Diaper Bag! 

it's true!  Even if you don't have a kiddo in diapers anymore, you need to get yourself one of these bags.  

If you're like me, when your kiddos were done with diapers you wanted to throw your bag in some firepit and walk away, all gangster style like on Office Space.  

But now you can go back to the bag...it will be okay.  I promise.

Our kids are 10 and 12 and I carry a diaper bag. Every.Single.Day.  

Now before you think I've gone off and lost my cotton picking mind...let me explain myself.  

Tons of pockets and zippers and compartments.  

Most diaper bags these days have a waterproof pouch. Maybe these were made for wet clothes but you can now use them for snacks.  Something spills or sweats or leaks?  No biggie.  A contained mess in a wipeable area is aces.  

There is a place for a changing pad.  Take that out. You don't need that anymore.  You're above that.  You owned that.  See?  You're left with a pretty ample sized pocket.  I use this to store a binder or my planner.  And suddenly it's like I'm some kind of organizational wizard.  

Bottle holders on the sides?  Hello water bottles!  Or sunglasses!  Or your cell phone! 

I'm telling you all, diaper bags are not just for diapers.  They should just be called mom bags from the beginning because they can hold so many things.  And you don't need to have a diaper bag with monkeys on the print or whatever you may have had before.  You can have a cute bag that will hold everything you need it to...I kid you not!  

Once I let go of the idea that I needed my own bag and then a bag for school work and a container for snacks, and a container for this and a container for that...once I could let that go I was able to accept the idea of a bag for me, as a mom.  I am my own person but I am also ultimately a mother who carries the weight (literally!) of bringing things with us so instead of 27 different bags I've been diligent in finding a cute bag that suits my personality and the stage of life I'm in.  

I have a stylish Coach diaper bag in a pretty blue color.  This color is not the norm for Coach bags and I get so, so many compliments about it.  The great part?  We went to a baseball game recently and I was able to comfortably store food for my kids in it...I had 4 sodas, 2 bags of chips, 7 cookies, and two baseball hats.  I'm for real here...this is why you need a diaper bag! 

Here are some of my favorite bags...some of these I have and others are on my shopping want list! Like I said, I love these bags.  Almost all of the "purses" I carry around these days are actually diaper bags. 

Maybe one day I'll have a smallish purse again but for our life right now these work great! 

This sweet bag is on my Amazon wish list. I have friends who have this bag and I've heard rave reviews from other CC tutors who use it to bring their books to community day. I love that it can be carried as a tote or a backpack! And the color is on point. So adorable.

I have this bag and really love it for vacations! It can become a cross body or a hobo style bag with adjusting the straps. It holds tons of snacks and provides a really soft cushiony case for my DSLR. So versatile!

I don't have this striped bag but I have this in a black version and it is easily my favorite bag of all time! It has been so many places with me and I have been able to take so much with me because of this bag! The top zippered compartment is perfect for cell phone storage...it's great for people like me who lose everything and need a place for everything! Also, when my sister dumped an entire cup of coffee on my purse it cleaned up beautifully!

This bag is similar to my coach baby bag although the pattern of mine has been discontinued. I love the removable strap...I use it a lot when we are out of town or have a lot to lug around and then usually take it off for every day use.

So those are my favorite mom bags (aka diaper bags I guess). If you have a favorite way of carrying all of the mom stuff around be sure to comment below and keep all of us friends in the know, too!

ALSO! Make sure to hunt at any children’s resale events you go to for diaper bags. It’s one of my favorite places to find bags. I’ve snagged some before for just a few bucks and they were brand new!

Happy shopping and toting all of your stuff around, friends! XO 

Day 1 of No-Spend Challenge with a Lesson from My Toes

Last night we stayed home and toasted the last year away.  It was an amazing year, full of trips, memories, laughs, and adventures. 

I am so blessed by our family. 

Last night we rung in the new year and with it an entire year of not spending. 

As excited as I am I'm also feeling a little scared. 

I mean, how hard is this going to be?  Ahhh! 

I felt like last night I should have been out on the town, driving in a limo throwing money out the sunroof.  Something.  I mean, that was my last shot to waste some moola. 

But we stayed home.  Despite numerous invitations I just wanted to be at home with our kiddos.  My parents even wanted to take the kids and instead we just decided to be home as a little family. 

So today begins a year of this no-spend challenge I've been talking about.  If you are new to this you can read my initial post here and then my post about the basic rules we have set out for ourselves. 

How hard can it be to not spend money when we are staying home?  This should be easy!  A cake walk!  A walk in the park!  Any other kind of walking!

But this morning after I took a shower I was stunned by my toes.  Yeesh!  I NEED a pedicure!  Like, someone call a group and let's have an intervention time. 

But then I remembered the date and it caught me off guard how spoiled I am.  Any other time I probably would have proceeded to get ready, grab my purse, and tell Nick I am going to go get a pedicure. 

But not today my friend. 

Today I found my very own nail polish remover, remover the polish myself.  And currently have naked toes. 

The horror! 

It reminded me of a conversation with my Grandma.  She was telling me about nail polish and when she was a teenager no one had money to own nail polish.  She said once in a blue moon one of her friends would have a bottle (A bottle!) and then the girls would go over and paint their nails with it. 

How cute is that? 

It made me feel a bit well to do with our two giant baskets of nail polish.  And yet those sit while I go out to the salon for a pedicure. 

So here I am in day one of this challenge and I'm already learning so much about what is truly a need and what is a want. 

Obviously a pedicure is a want but it kind of shocked me how my mind instantaneously went to thinking I HAD to have one. 

I hope you all are having a great New Years!  Me and my naked toes are signing off! 

What I Wore Mondays: Cozy Cardigan Edition

So let me just start this right off the bat by saying that glamorous woman, I am not.  However, when you spend your days in nasty yoga pants and then when you do happen to take your homeschooled children to an event and find yourself amid cork-shoe wearing, denim jumper wearing women, you feel like you need something, some type of incentive to actually get yourself dressed and attired in something fashionable. 

And so I thought of doing this.  At least once a week I'll be dressed.  Well I am dressed every day thank you very much :) 

I don't think I am the queen of fashion but at the same time I think I can figure out what goes well with what.  So I'll show you what I am wearing. 

  So here you go...

Ta-da!  

I know, I know, I'm gorgeous :)  

Here's what I've got on...if you can get it still, I'll link it up. 

Cardigan (Chaps, 3 years old)

White Shell (Target) 

Dark Rinse Skinny Jeans (Old Navy)

Bandolino Cognac leather boots (2 years old)

Sapphire diamond ring (3 years old) 

Vintage Denim Purse (Coach)

So there you have it!  It was a blustery, cold day today and it felt so good to put on a thick sweater and feel cozy while running errands and taking care of the house.  

Anyway, I don't feel like the prettiest Momma in the world, but like I said in my last blog  I am trying hard to rid myself of the lies that Satan has been feeding me...because by golly I am God's and I am precious in His Sight!  No where in the bible does it say God wants to gouge out His Mind's Eye when he sees me :)  Whew about that, right?  

As my husband took photos of me and then I went through them to find the best one and then I posted it and then I told y'all what I was wearing I was trying so hard to not apologize.  To just blurt out "never mind, I'm a big ugg-o, no one wants to see this!"  Because even if no one wants to see this, I am doing it to hold myself accountable to having a good enough image of myself and enough confidence to post away on this little blog of mine.  

So I challenge you to stand with me and dress yourself so you feel pretty, take a picture and post a link in the comments section.  I'd love to see other Momma's  standing up and feeling pretty in their every day role, whatever that entails for you!  

Hope you have a fabulous Monday!  God loves you very much, xo

What I Wore Mondays: Cozy Cardigan Edition

So let me just start this right off the bat by saying that glamorous woman, I am not.  However, when you spend your days in nasty yoga pants and then when you do happen to take your homeschooled children to an event and find yourself amid cork-shoe wearing, denim jumper wearing women, you feel like you need something, some type of incentive to actually get yourself dressed and attired in something fashionable. 

And so I thought of doing this.  At least once a week I'll be dressed.  Well I am dressed every day thank you very much :) 

I don't think I am the queen of fashion but at the same time I think I can figure out what goes well with what.  So I'll show you what I am wearing. 

  So here you go...

Ta-da!  

I know, I know, I'm gorgeous :)  

Here's what I've got on...if you can get it still, I'll link it up. 

Cardigan (Chaps, 3 years old)

White Shell (Target) 

Dark Rinse Skinny Jeans (Old Navy)

Bandolino Cognac leather boots (2 years old)

Sapphire diamond ring (3 years old) 

Vintage Denim Purse (Coach)

So there you have it!  It was a blustery, cold day today and it felt so good to put on a thick sweater and feel cozy while running errands and taking care of the house.  

Anyway, I don't feel like the prettiest Momma in the world, but like I said in my last blog  I am trying hard to rid myself of the lies that Satan has been feeding me...because by golly I am God's and I am precious in His Sight!  No where in the bible does it say God wants to gouge out His Mind's Eye when he sees me :)  Whew about that, right?  

As my husband took photos of me and then I went through them to find the best one and then I posted it and then I told y'all what I was wearing I was trying so hard to not apologize.  To just blurt out "never mind, I'm a big ugg-o, no one wants to see this!"  Because even if no one wants to see this, I am doing it to hold myself accountable to having a good enough image of myself and enough confidence to post away on this little blog of mine.  

So I challenge you to stand with me and dress yourself so you feel pretty, take a picture and post a link in the comments section.  I'd love to see other Momma's  standing up and feeling pretty in their every day role, whatever that entails for you!  

Hope you have a fabulous Monday!  God loves you very much, xo