Happy Halloween!!

Hey y'all! Hope you had fun yesterday! We sure did!

Traditionally, Halloween isn't my favorite holiday, but this year I took time and effort to create a costume. Not to brag or anything, but I thought it turned out awesome!! Inspired my my favorite 90s movie, Clueless, I was Dionne, Cher's best friend!

I remember going to the theater and seeing this movie in 1995, and it has been a classic in our household fro 20 years. I can quote the movie almost line by line and I was so excited to be Dee!

Nose ring and all!

Since last year, I knew this was the costume I wanted to recreate. However, the black and white plaid pattern is hard to find. I  searched for months but couldn't find a suit with a matching blazer and skirt. Sewing is not my strength, so making a suit was out of the question. I found a flannel shirt that the perfect pattern and bought 3 of them. I made a skirt with 2 of them, and wore the third as the "blazer". The white hat came from Party City, and I used black ribbon and 3 red roses to make it look like the one in the movie. The knee high socks, white cami and red sweater came from Target, and the patent leather shoes came from Payless. Couldn't forget the nose ring, which came from Claire's.

Trick or treating!

The final touch was the Nokia phone! It was my husbands first phone from 1999! What-ever!

I plan on being Dionne for the next 3 years, since it took me so long to get all the elements of this costume together. Anyone wanna be my Cher?!?

Ugh! As if!!

Always,

astreia

Fashion Friday 10.16.05 || Twinsies

Happy Friday y'all!

Let me be clear... this is the first time I have ever had any desire to dress like my child. But the outfit was so cute and coincidental that I couldn't resist. For us to have 4 items of clothing that were almost identical was some freakish accident. But the results are awesome!

These boots were made for walkin'!

Amaya likes to hike her socks waaaay up her legs! I guess it's her signature style!

 The concept is simple: white tank, skirt with a print and denim vest (the "completer" piece). I jazzed it up with cowboy boots because hey! Who doesn't love a cute pair of cowboy boots??

Seriously, I don't make it a habit look like my daughter, but she was just too adorable! 

My vest and tank are from Target, along with Amaya's vest, tank and boots. My skirt is from Old Navy and hers is from Osh Kosh B'Gosh. Rack Room Shoes has so many cute and affordable boots, and that's where I bought them.  

The whole idea, like always, is to keep it simple and effortless. Three pieces, cute boots and you are good to go. Here's the rundown of where you can get some of these items.

Amaya:
boots
vest
tank
skirt

Mom:
vest (in the darker wash)
skirt
tank
here is the page for several pairs of boots at Rack Room Shoes. I have the Coconuts Gaucho, but they don't have the dark color anymore :(

Hope you guys enjoyed it! Feel free to let me know what you think!

Have a great weekend :)

always,

astreia

Fashion Friday 10.09.15 || Spanx you very much!

A super cool mommy friend of mine requested this topic for the blog: 

SPANX! Yay or nay?

What do you think???

I am YAY all the way baby! Especially after I had the twins, there was no amount of sit ups or crunches I could do to get rid of that post-baby pooch. In winter of 2010, Jesse and I were invited to a wedding in April of 2011; only 7 months after the twins were born. I wanted to look nice, but everything I tried on that was even remotely form fitting showed the pooch. There was a lot of internal conversations about it: 

"Do I really need them?"
"It's not really that important."
"Why do you care so much about how you look?"
"People will know you just had the twins so they won't care."
"The pooch is a sign of motherhood... like a battle scar. You're a hero!"

Then one day, Jesse and I were out and about and we stopped for gas. I went inside to use the potty and buy some water. The cashier looked at me all lovingly and said, "Oh my goodness! When are you due?"

I. Was. Mortified.

I smiled sheepishly and said, "I'm not pregnant, but I did just have twins." The cashier was clearly embarrassed and very apologetic, but once I got back in the car, I burst into tears. 

No more self talk...I went the next day and bought some.... and it was life changing. Yes, it's a bit of a struggle to get them on, and I had to take some deep breaths afterwards, and sometimes I had to sit down because I got light-headed....but it was so worth it. They instantly slim you, they hold you in snug and smooth lumps,  bumps and panty lines. Over time, they loosen up, so I was happy once I stopped having shortness of breath. The first pair were the kind with the bike shorts. The waist band came right under the bust line and the shorts stopped about mid-thigh. I actually liked them the best. The second pair was purchased about 6 months afterwards. This pair was the same at the top as the others, but there was a panty attached at the bottom. That pair wasn't my favorite only because you see the panty line, but they were both effective in keeping my tummy tucked.

I wore out the ones with the shorts about a year ago. I definitely got my money's worth over the course of 4 years. Truth be told, I still wear the other pair. If I am wearing a form fitting dress, it helps keep me snug and tight and looking right!

Before I put this together, I poked around on their website and they have a ton of stuff! Bras, bodysuits, hosiery, slips and a bunch of other stuff. They even have Spanx for MEN! 

Here is a little history about the company that I pulled off the website: Spanx founder Sara Blakely was getting ready for a party when she realized she didn’t have the right undergarment to provide a smooth look under white pants. Armed with scissors and sheer genius, she cut the feet off her control top pantyhose and the Spanx revolution began! With a focus on solving wardrobe woes, the Spanx brand has grown to offer bras, underwear, jeans, pants, active and more. SPANX also shapes the world by focusing on their mission: To help women feel great about themselves and their potential.

Check it out their website here for their full line of products. Spanx are sold in most department stores and Kohl's as well. Just like any other product, there are other styles from other manufacturers out there. I have only tried the original Spanx, but that's not to say another type isn't as good. 

Hope this helps you! If you have a cool story to share, please feel free!

always,
astreia

Please let me take your picture

I haven't been feeling good the past few days so I've been staying at home, and watching lots of TV. I've been watching Long Island Medium on DVR and I swear I cry at every persons story. Every single one! The older I get, the more I realize that our days are numbered. I think about my mom and my in laws getting older and it's very difficult to imagine what life will be like when they aren't here. I also started to think about my Granny. Her birthday is today, so that's what prompted me to write.

Josie Bell Mitchell passed in 2006, right before Jesse and I celebrated our one year wedding anniversary. Her death took us all by surprise because it was so sudden. She wasn't sick and she wasn't in an accident; she simply went to bed that night and didn't wake up. For a long time I held on to a lot of guilt for not calling her more often to tell her I loved her and for not visiting more often. We had just moved back to Jacksonville earlier that year and her house was literally 10 minutes away. Why didn't I come by more? Why didn't I make more time for her?  I guess I figured she would be around longer than she was and I took that for granted.

Our church is doing a series on the next generation, so we have been having deeper talks with the kids about God at supper time. One of those conversations rolled into a discussion about families. The kids are intrigued by who is who's mommy and who is who's brother and Auntie M and Auntie Tracie.

"How many cousins do I have again, Mommy?"

"So Grandma is Daddy's mommy and G-Ma is your mommy?"

"Is Uncle Greg your uncle too, or just my uncle?"

The kids are so proud to have so many people in their family and they have so many questions.

"Who is your grandma, Mommy?" I got quiet for a split second, and said, "Let me show you".
I thought it would be cool to find a few pictures of her so I could share them with the kids. I looked through album after album and I only found two pictures. Only TWO! I didn't even take a picture with her at my wedding, and damnit do I regret that every day. I cherish the photos I have, but man! If I could go back and do it over again, I would have taken more pictures with her so my kids could have seen what a beautiful relationship I had with her.

Mother's Day around 1998. JB is the Silver Fox in the middle

My college graduation 2000

Since we've had kids, I take way more pictures than before. My husband thinks I'm crazy and he cringes every time I bring the camera out. I have told him and my kids, that one day, I feel like it will be harder for me to remember things, and I'm documenting moments now so I have something to hold on to later. However, there are people in my family (primarily women) who dodge my camera. My mom doesn't think she's photogenic. My mother in law doesn't like how her skin looks in pictures. My aunt thinks she's too heavy. [Now that I think about it, my Granny didn't like pictures either.] In a way, these pictures become our history. They can and should be passed down to our kids, grandkids and great grandkids.

As our pastor says, none of us will make it out of here alive. Do I think pictures are the most important thing in life? Of course not. I encourage you to spend as much time as you can with the ones you love! Cherish it! Enjoy it! Soak up those moments! But in the event someone asks you to take a picture with them; your child, your mother, or your husband, give it some thought before you say "no". Most people don't realize how important pictures are until they are all we have left.

Love you, JB and I miss you every day. Happy Birthday

always,
astreia

Fashion Friday 09.25.15 - Curvy is the new Skinny

Hey, hey, hey! I don't have a cool look to post today... I have something better! Inspiration!!

A lot of women have said to me, "It's hard for me to find clothes because of (insert your reason here)." One of the most common reasons I hear is "They don't make cute clothes for full figured girls". I hate to say it, but I agree. I went into a few stores this week, and there aren't as many options for plus size ladies. However, there is hope! I did some digging online and found a few bloggers that can help.

Curvy Girl Chic- If Allison looks familiar to you, it's probably because you have seen her featured in People Style Watch, Marie Claire, Glamour, and Seventeen Magazine. She's a California girl with a great eye for color and trends.

Musings - Thamarr (pronounced tag-marr) always looks fantastic and her style is budget friendly. I subscribed to her blog a couple of months ago, and I am digging her style. Fun fact: she lives in Jacksonville!! Love a local girl who can rock it!

Plus Size Princess - I just found Cece's blog and I love her motto, "don't wait on your weight". She offers fashion advice, health and fitness tips, and her stories on dating in NYC are hilarious!

These women are fierce!! Once you learn how to dress our bodies, we can make clothes work for us. That's just what they have done.

No matter what our size, we all have insecurities and we all have things about our body that we wish were different. I realized a long time ago that this body isn't gonna change. I will never be a size 2 and I will never weigh 110lbs like I did when I was 12, but that's okay! I'm older, wiser, and though my bottom may be big, it's mine, and I love it. It's time we embraced our curves!!

My hope is this will help someone today! Get out there and get shopping!

always, 
astreia

Recycle cart, smecycle cart

Hello everyone! Happy Thursday!

If you are a St. Johns County resident like us, you should have received a new recycle cart a few months ago. Super exciting, I know! Although the 2 black bins we had when we moved in was sufficient, it was nice to see this bright blue receptacle being dropped off on our driveway. Plus, the new trucks would pick up the cart and dump it all by itself. My truck-loving younger son thought it was the coolest thing ever!

However... the thing is HUGE! In the months we've had it, we have never filled it up, not even after 2 weeks of missing recycle day. It's bulky, cumbersome, and the kids had a hard time maneuvering it.

One day while we were on a bike ride, my husband noticed a house with a smaller cart on their driveway. I asked one of my neighbor mommy friends about it and she said, "Just call this number and request a smaller one".

Easy peasy lemon squeezey! In less than a week, we received our pint sized cart, and I gotta say, it's pretty freakin' awesome. It's just the right size for the amount of things we recycle each week, but the best part is....

It's kid-sized! My kids love doing chores (at least for right now) and the smaller cart makes life easier. I'm all about raising responsible kids, so doing chores at our house is a daily activity. Whether it's helping collect the trash cans in the house on garbage day, putting away their own clothes on laundry day, or sweeping up after a meal, teamwork makes the dream work in our home.

If you want to switch yours out, call Republic Services at 904-825-0991. They will pick up your big one and swap it out for a smaller one!

always,
astreia

the size difference is significant!

Perfectly kid-sized!

** Yep... this was pretty random information. 

But if you didn't know, now you know!**

Also, I have joined some other bloggers at TOP MOMMY BLOGS, so click their icon to find other blogs that may be helpful to you!

Have a fantastic day!

Fashion Friday 09.18.15

It's Fri-YAY! My favorite day of the week because I get to share my passion for fashion :)

This week's look is a lot like the last: simple and chic. V-neck tee and white jeans. Done! What makes the outfit super chic, is the accessories and of course, the confidence you have when strutting through town.

The tee shirt is from JCPenney and is on sale right now. ONLY SIX BUCKS! It's awesome because it doesn't have too much stretch, so it won't hug you in the wrong places. The white jeans are the  Straight and Narrow Jean from JCrew Factory outlet and probably the only style of jeans I will ever buy from JCrew. Truth be told, shopping for jeans is not my favorite. It can be challenging to find jeans that are my style and fit comfortably. I'm not a fan of low rise jeans or super skinny jeans. Hello! I'm in my 30s and have 3 kids! The super low, super skinny trend is not for me! These are more of a straight cut, and are not super tight on the leg. Another great thing is they have the perfect amount of stretch and don't stretch way out like jeggings. The rise is a tad lower than I would like, but not terrible. Better stock up on these before they sell out!

To complete the outfit, throw on a simple black heel, bangles,  a cute ring and sunnies. Boom!

easy, breezy Sunday brunch outfit

vibrant clutch paired with simple heels

The clutch is from Nine West, but it was from three seasons ago. Any colorful clutch would work, as long as it coordinates with the top you choose.

a few accessories to polish the look

The ring is from Express and the bangles are from Forever 21. Most shops have inexpensive jewelry, and gold is timeless. However, if you like silver or rose gold, rock it! You can even mix metallics!

Let me know what you think! Please leave a comment or question below and don't forget to sign up to receive blogs in your email! Have a great weekend!

always,
astreia

What do you think?

I spent the morning at home today trying to come up with a few topics to blog about and I was a bit stumped. My mind kept wandering.... to clothes. Trying to figure out what would be the next outfit for Fashion Friday. Trying to get ideas to help moms be more fabulous!

When I started this blog, it served as a creative outlet to write about my crazy life as a stay at home mom, hoping to connect and help other moms. That's still my goal, but I am more excited to write about the fashion part over anything else. So I wonder....

Would you guys like more fashion tips? Would you benefit from this being a fashion blog rather than an "everything" blog?

I would love to have more followers and more contributors and it would be a dream to create a community of women who want to share, learn and grow together. Motherhood, whether you stay at home or work, can be pretty challenging. Having help, encouragement and support is a must. I'm not exactly sure where I fit in in the blogging world, but I'm praying for guidance that I can find my niche and help others.

It would make my heart so happy if you could share this blog with friends and family.... other moms who would want to share and learn or just be entertained. Feedback of what you would like to see more or less of on this blog would be helpful too. You can sign up to get updates sent to your email. It's especially good for folks who are not on Facebook and don't see the new blog posts.

Thank you guys so much and I'll keep you posted!

always,

astreia

Fashion Friday 9.11.2015

Hey y'all!

It's been a while since I've posted, but better late than never right? Hope all of you are doing well and enjoying your summer! Since most of the country is about to change seasons (except us Floridians!), a lot of stores are having big sales to make room for fall and winter apparel. This is a great time to stock up on bathing suits and all the cute kids' summery stuff for next year. But don't forget to grab some cute things for yourself!

This week's look is pretty simple, but I think it makes a big impact. The look is only 2 pieces, but the right accessories can make an outfit stand out from the rest.

Layered white tanks from Target on the top and a skirt from the Papaya clearance rack on the bottom. Simple, right? The skirt was only $11 and tanks are on sale at Target right now!  The skirt stood out to me because it's a great pop of color and I love the texture of the lace overlay. I paired it with a wide belt that I already had (purchased at Body Central), heels from a previous girls night, a cute clutch and jewelry.

Honestly, the shoes are strictly for looks. I would not recommend going out dancing or for a night on the town, because your feet will be screaming! These are shoes perfect for date night dinner, a sit down concert, or church (which is where I wore them). The shoes are no longer available, but Charlotte has A TON of shoes on sale right now for 50% off. The clutch was from DSW and you can click here to see what's available now.

simple and chic

shoes, clutch and jewels will complete your look

Even though these exact pieces aren't available, my goal is to give you hard working moms a basic outfit outline in order to create your look. Tank, belt and skirt. Done! Add cute shoes, a bag, and a bracelet, and you're golden! Whether or not you stay at home with the kids, or work double duty outside the home and in, it doesn't mean we can't look fabulous while we do it. I want to empower moms! It is possible to look fierce on a budget!

Enjoy your weekend ladies!

always,

astreia

Confession: I never wanted to be a stay-at-home mom

When I was younger, I didn't dream of being a mommy. I thought I would either be a famous TV personality or working in New York in the fashion industry. At a young age I was pretty career and money driven. My family always said, "Do good in school, go to college, then get a good job so you can make a lot of money." Not everything went according to my plan. I had my eye on the prize of being a career woman until I met Jesse in 2002. Once we were married in 2005, I accepted that God had his own plans, and realized my life had another purpose (and unfortunately, that purpose was not to be Oprah's replacement).

Even after Jackson was born, I went back to work, with the idea that I would be the working mom. Once we found out we were having twins, the game totally changed. How could I go back to work and afford daycare for THREE kids? My co-workers were pretty certain I wouldn't be returning after maternity leave, although I was sure Jesse and I would figure something out. I never pictured myself as the stay at home mom. 

Never. 

Breadwinner? Sure! 
Working mom? I'm on it! 
Stay at home mom? You must be crazy.

I had a chat with a friend last month, right before Easter, I think, and it got me thinking about working moms. I asked her how her job was going and I was secretly hoping she would say it's fabulous so I could live vicariously through her. To my surprise, she said, "It's okay, but I'm quitting in 2 weeks".

"Wait... What?"

She said that she honestly isn't making that much money once you factor in daycare and gas. Plus, her schedule is crazy because she has to get the kids up early, which isn't easy, and rush them to daycare in order to get to work on time. In the evenings, there's hardly any time for playing or relaxing with the kids because you have to feed them, bathe them and get them to bed at a reasonable time. On top of that, she's exhausted. 

Now my wheels are turning.... working mom vs stay at home mom.... After examining my own life, I was certain the working mom path would be way more exciting and fulfilling. The twins start pre-K next year, so I will have a little more free time in the fall. I considered a part time job and then maybe branching out full time once all three kids were in elementary school. I have dreamed of this ever since the twins started walking! Finally! Back to work!

Confession: I complain... a lot! I complain how much the kids nag me all day all the time (have you read any of my previous posts???) I complain about never having time for myself. I complain about have little interaction with adults. I'm always complaining to my husband about our money situation. For 4 years, I have longed to contribute financially to the household consistently; Not just a couple photography jobs a month. A steady weekly or bi-weekly paycheck. However, I haven't seriously considered what I would be giving up once I got back in the workforce. Missing milestones, school events, or just the every day little victories the kids achieve. Now I'm confused. Which path should I take?

On the contrary, I can't imagine it's a walk in the park for working moms. I'm sure it's struggle to balance work life and home life, especially if you are in a job you love or a job you need. Dealing with daycare, drama on the job and having to miss work if a child gets sick. At the end of the day, each mom has to make the choice to do whatever is best for her family, whether that means working outside of the home, having her own business, or staying home. 

If the shoe was on the other foot, and I was working, I would probably be wishing I could stay at home. I guess that's the whole "the grass is greener on the other side" syndrome. A wise person once said (or maybe it was Justin Bieber) "the grass is greener where you water it". Some days (weeks) are tough with a traveling husband, a seven year old, twins, homeschool, laundry etc. However, God gave us these kids and I'm beyond blessed to be able to stay home with them and to be apart of the everyday little things. I may not have a brand new van or a designer handbag, and I'm sure I'll never work in NYC as a fashion editor, but I will have these memories with my kids forever. Starting today, the complaints will stop. We made the choice so I need to roll with it. 

No matter what kind of mom you are: stay at home mom, working mom, sharing custody mom... water your grass and be proud of it. It's yours.

always,
astreia

Veggetti!

This afternoon, I went to my local CVS to find this baby and I was so happy they had it! I posted the picture on my personal facebook page and I couldn't believe how many people knew what this was. Honestly, I hadn't heard of this thing until Sunday. Since there are a few folks who want to see how my meal turned out, I thought I'd tell you how I have come to know, and now love, my Veggetti.

I am a member of this rad yoga studio called Yogabar in Jacksonville. Every so often they have date nights, mommy and me classes, workshops and other events. This past Sunday, I went to a Clean Eating Workshop hosted by blogger Alesha Haley. Alesha is a local graphic designer and mom and her blog is called Made With Love. You can follow her on Facebook here or click this link to subscribe to her blog. Let me tell you, this girl is way cool. I tried clean eating in 2011 after we moved to Saint Augustine, but after 9 months or so, I fell off the wagon. This workshop reminded me what I love about clean eating and inspired me to try again. We heard Alesha's story and her weight loss success from clean eating. We tasted some yummy samples, discussed what it means to eat clean, and at the end, there was a raffle. One of the raffle items was the Veggetti. Never heard of it, and it kinda sounded obscene, but after I saw how it worked, I had to have it in my life.

That brings us to today. Found it, bought it, but didn't have a clear picture on what I was going to make with it. I figured I would start small and only make something for myself as to not gross out the kids. I modified one of Alesha's recipes and was surprised at how much I had on hand. About two handfuls of frozen shrimp (10-15), a can of artichoke hearts, spinach, garlic and my zoodles (zucchini noodles). I sautéed the zoodles with coconut oil and garlic for about 8 minutes. Sauteed the shrimp with a bit of coconut oil and lemon. Sauteed the spinach and artichoke hearts with salt, pepper and a dash of olive oil. When everything was finished, I threw it all in a bowl and said a prayer.

Wow, oh, wow! That junk was amazing!

zoodles with coconut oil

shrimp

my new best friends: garlic press and veggetti

all finished!

so yummy

 My overall thoughts? Love it! Go get one! It's only $15 bucks. It will change your life :)

always,

astreia

New Easter Traditions

At Bible study this week, we all went around the room to talk about what Easter traditions we remember from our childhood and what traditions have started with our little ones. The question made me squirm a bit, because my husband and I haven't really established any. Growing up, my mom didn't take us to church on Easter. We grew up going to church, but not on those two days. She explained it's because too many other people decide to go to church only on those two days of the year (a term I have heard around my community as "Creasters": people who only go to church on Christmas and Easter). My mom didn't like the idea that folks were so much into the materialistic side of it (new Easter dress, Easter shoes, Easter pocketbook) but they weren't as concerned about what it really meant. For most of our holidays, we focused on gathering the family together at my Grandmomma's house and eating. Good food was always the center of our holiday celebrations.

As the question made it's way around the table, I just said what was on my heart. No, I don't remember too many different traditions, but Jesse and I were working on what we wanted to introduce. Over the past couple years, we have had an egg hunt in our community (something super small organized by a few moms) and it was always a week or two before Easter Sunday. Growing up, my family didn't emphasis the Easter bunny or have him bring us Easter baskets, so that's something we haven't introduced to our kids. Call me crazy, but I want my kids to understand the true meaning behind Easter and Christmas, which is about our Lord and Savior. I don't want them to miss out on the fun, however, so we are trying to differentiate between what represents Spring (bunnies, eggs, and new life) and what represents the Resurrection of Christ. It's just the same with Christmas; Santa is a representation of the season, but the reason we celebrate Christmas is the celebrate the birth of Jesus.

On a side note, my kids watched the movie "The Rise of the Guardians" last year, and it may have derailed our teaching a bit. If you haven't seen it, the basic plot is about the "Guardians" of children (the Easter bunny, the tooth fairy, the sandman, Santa Claus and Jack Frost) and how their existence is being threatened because kids don't believe in them. It was a cute movie, but totally confused my kids. "Mommy, I thought you said Santa wasn't real." To which I asked him, "Baby, what do you think?" He said, "I think he's real Mommy".

"Let's just go with that, then."

All this to say, we are still a work in progress on establishing traditions and what we and what our children believe.

This morning, we made an Easter treat that some of the ladies from Bible study recommended. Empty Tomb Rolls! They were delicious and super easy. Here is the recipe I used along with some pictures of how we put them together.  The idea is that the marshmallow represents Jesus' body. The oil and cinnamon and sugar represent the spices that were used to prepare his body for burial and the dough represents the tomb. After baking, the marshmallow melts and the roll is empty! Pretty clever and they were a huge success!

***My only warning is to watch your marshmallow. I used the big and fluffy (not jumbo) and in hindsight, I probably should have used smaller ones or used more dough. As they baked, the marshmallow kind of exploded out of it and dripped onto the bottom of the oven. Just a word to the wise to look out for that so there's no mess***

Have a Happy Easter everyone!

always,
astreia