A Gym Snooze, Painting, Verbal Antics & Purchases

Things have continued to be non-stop lately and I found myself multi-tasking to a ridiculous level (kinda the way the title of this blog post sounds, ha) the other day so I'm trying to tone it down and focus on one job at a time. Obviously parenting comes at the top of that priority list, so there's that. And then I took a 45-minute nap today, which kept me from being a zombie the rest of the evening, so giving myself props for slowing it down long enough to rest. Because a bed (or couch) is a way better place to snooze then the gym!

I was in my Body Pump class the other day lifting weights while the quads ran out some of their endless energy at the kid's club. My arms were burning and I was laying on the step bench on my back, so I lowered my weighted bar onto my stomach and closed my eyes to catch a breath. I kid you not that I flat out konked out for a couple seconds and completely went to sleep!!! My eyelids jerked open and I side-eyed the room to see if anyone noticed and then realized they were still finishing out their set of chest presses so obviously I hadn't been checked out for too long. I got moving pretty quick and finished out my own presses before I accidentally passed out again, ha! So you can see why I made time for a nap today.

We're also firmly in the phase of "kids say the funniest and most random stuff." The quads have been cracking the husband and me up quite a lot lately. And then also just interjecting their blatant observations whenever they feel so compelled. Like this evening when I went to pick up the kids from my mom's house—Kailey asked me to pick her up, so I did. Then she proceeded to pull the top of my shirt out wide, look down inside and casually say, "Those are your boobies."

Yup, that they are. Thank you for reminding me where I put them. Oh, and hi there Aunt Deanie and my younger brother, Ben. So nice to see you!

my younger brother, ben, and my aunt deanie 

myself and ben

my grandma, ben and my mom

Kids! They don't care who is there or where you have. If they've got something to say, it's gonna be said! And they'll wear necklaces. Logan put on seven of them this morning in preparation for going to her meemaw's (my mom's) house and I managed to bargain with her and cut it down to two. It was an intense negotiation there for a minute.

In between trips to the gym or visiting the grandparents, we've passed a lot of time at home reading, coloring and, more recently, water color painting. Logan is such a little artiste and takes it all very seriously, sometimes coloring or painting for over an hour.

Anyway, over the past two weeks I've had the chance to run a couple errands and even discover some good finds that I'm loving, like these darling floral PJ's. Both sets came together at Ross for only $8!

A trip to Bath & Body Works yielded the perfectly matched candle holder to my wine-themed kitchen and some deliciously-smelling coconut lotion. I'm a sucker for coconut every time.

Then another trip to Ross this week (while looking for a cheap stool) resulted in scoring a most comfortable pair of Steve Madden black heels for $21.99. Done and done.

Lastly, I couldn't resist this sweet Carter's outfit for a friend's upcoming baby shower. Those leggings are too much.

In other news, aside from shopping or my kid's verbal antics, I just recently launched my new blog series, The Professionals, where I'm sharing insightful advice and Q&A's from some of my good friends who are very talented in their respective fields and professions. It's gonna be a a fun series and I kicked it off with my long-time friend and synchro teammate Christine who is handing off her top tips for teaching kids how to read and enjoy literacy! Check back for part dos coming next...

Five Things

You know how you get so excited when you find a new product or outfit or beauty tip that literally makes your day? And then you love it so much you use it or eat it or wear it for, like, a month straight?! That's how I feel about these Five Things in my life right now, which I'm sharing below in no particular order. Except maybe the cookies. ;)

1. Sugar Coma Cookies. So I have this gal pal that I've known since we were tiny little kids. She and her twin sister and I used to pal around while our moms spent time together, as they've been long time friends, too. We both grew apart as we got into the adult years then reconnected when she was pregnant with triplets and I was pregnant with quadruplets. I mean, what are the odds, right?! Mary is super creative and highly talented, not just in motherhood, but in just about everything she sets out to do. Thus it's been no shocker that she started decorating sugar cookies one day and literally one year later, her sweet treats are the hot commodity! She created some beautiful cookies for my second annual QMBFF—short for "quad mom best friends forever"—trip and we just about died over them. So delicious and perfect to look at. (And more on that trip very soon, as it's one of the reasons I've been MIA lately!) The hearts represent my three girls and one boy, and she also made us QMBFF ones, too. Love, love, love this girl, her kiddos and her cookies!

2. Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips. I've probably blogged about these before, but they are the bomb.com! Easy to apply, lasts 10 days to two weeks and look like you spent hours on your nails! The geo-pattern I'm wearing above is the one I sported during my quad momma getaway. ;)

3. Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in Dewy + Smooth. This fab stuff is my new go-to for the face. I was tired of dried out skin and not looking fresh, but this foundation literally makes my face look dewy and moisturized without being greasy or shiny. And it lasts all day! Tip: This looks extra good when I wear it with my fresh, peachy Milani blush in Luminoso. 

4. Signature Soy Island Coconut Candle. If you've been following my blog for a decent length of time, you'll no doubt be completely aware that I'm unashamedly (and immediately) in love with all things coconut! One of my quad mommas—who was hosting us during our trip in California—gifted us with bags full of goodies, including this awesome candle. I will be replacing it immediately after I have burned it all up! It makes my house smell like a fresh, beachy, coconut-laden haven. (Psssst: the Red Velvet Cupcake scent is another winner, and is one of my go-to gifts paired with a bottle of Cupcake Red Velvet wine.)

5. Printed Knit Palazzo Pant in Vintage Black. If you've checked out any of the links I've provided for all this stuff, you'll notice the Target trend I've got going on right now. Seriously, several of my cute new clothing items for summer are from Target and who doesn't find 458,453,940 things you don't need when you browse the aisles slow enough to admire everything!? These pants are soft knit, thin material so they're warm weather-appropriate, and have small pockets. I wore the vintage black patterned ones on the plane and loved them so much I bought a solid black pair, too, so I can pair it with turquoise or pink tops. Comfy, stylish and stretchy waist banded!

What's one of your most favorite things right now!?

Solitary Retail Therapy

Last night, the husband and I stayed up well past midnight binge watching the first season of Madam Secretary. That show is so much better than I was even expecting it to be and we are totally hooked! A bag of popcorn and a slightly frozen Coke were the perfect TV accessories. I cracked a window in the living room to get some fresh, very cold air in so we could snuggle under extra blankets. Temps have been in the mid-30s for much of the week and promise to stay chilly over the weekend. Two days of rain have only added to the need to stay warm and comfortable, hence the giant crock pot of turkey chili I let slow cook all day yesterday for our dinner.

But before the watery weather hit and post-Christmas buzz, I got the chance to enjoy some alone time shopping when the husband offered to take over things at the house. My first stop was H&M since I'd seen some cute things through the window recently and wanted to further investigate. I snagged a bra for $7 (ahem, not pictured!), some cute flowy tops that'll be perfect with leggings and boots and an adorable set of hair bows for the girls.

A striped tunic top from JC Penney...

...and some super cute stuff for the kiddos, thanks to a thoughtful gift card given to them for Christmas. The plush princess dolls are awesome, even I think they're cute. Trystan found the pink Rapunzel one at church one Sunday and she carries it around the whole time she's there each week. Her teacher even told me how much that sweet girl loved it and was tempted to buy one for her! I had already received the gift card for the quads and knew just what I was going to be getting! I got the Cars slippers for Harrison on clearance for only $6.99, which was perfect since the girls got some super cute reindeer slippers from their cousins. The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse figurines have also been a big hit.

I pretty much can never walk by Victoria Secret without going in. I just love that store and everything in it—especially things that fit. I believe one can never have too many comfortable sweatshirts. Or turquoise.

this is the back of the same shirt, with a unique cut out - nice air flow for exercise??

I also dropped in at Carter's to use a bit of yet another awesome gift card the kids received from a dear friend. I was thrilled to find a set of tunic tops for the girls, some cute jeans and a sherpa vest for Harrison. It looks so charming over his button-up shirts! I'm excited to have still saved a good chunk of their gift card for the spring to invest in some cute warm weather pieces when Carter's starts bringing out new stuff. That store is such an addiction for me. Who knew I would love shopping for baby and toddler clothes so much!?

Last but not least, during my grocery stop at Super Target (a different one from where Trystan had her awful seizure this past Tuesday) I picked up a bottle of Organic Rosewater Toning Spritz by Boots Botanics at Target—it was recommended by a cute fellow blogger I read regularly—and a new Rimmel Natural Bronzer. Only $3.99 and I love the stuff. Kailey dropped my old one on my bathroom floor and it broke into a million pieces, so I figured I could invest in a new one at that rate.

It felt good to find some nice budget-friendly purchases and slowly sip a Starbucks iced tea while I meandered through the mall at a leisurely pace. So often these days I feel the pressure of sticking to a schedule or having at least four (little) people needing my assistance every other second, making time for myself a very treasured thing.

Happy weekend!

An Afternoon in Boston

Hi, I'm in Boston! The weath-ah here is gaw-gus and my ears perked up as soon as we arrived at our hotel and started overhearing that distinct accent.

"Welcome ta Bah-stun!"

It's a work-and-pleasure combo trip, so while the husband put in some valuable face time at his corporate office today, I've been walking my boots off all over town. I found Newbury Street where there's plenty of shops from Louis Vuitton and Valentino to Urban Outfitters and Ann Taylor Loft. I went into the latter and found some really cute stuff for 50% during a special sale they were having.

pants | top | sweater (similar style)

I headed back toward the hotel by way of a park in the middle of town and stopped to snap a few more photos. The weather here was originally supposed to entail loads of rain all weekend, but instead it's resulted in beautiful blue skies and mild temps. Today was around 72F, I think.

Just as I was about to turn onto our hotel's street, I remembered I'd spotted a TJ Maxx nearby and found some more great buys. Don't you love it when you find such wonderful things without even trying? Sometimes I think I shop better when I'm not in search of something particular. The two tops below are Michael Kors and I got them for $29 and $25, plus a bright blue bag that just looked like fun! I wanted to some more color in my wardrobe aaaannd I think that'll do it. Also snagged a cool Nautica tie for the husband, some acai berry face wipes for me and under-eye cream from Bliss (my fav spa).

Yesterday in the wee hours of the morning, the husband and I each loaded a suitcase and carry-on bag into the truck and headed toward the airport in the quiet of a not-yet-completely-awake Thursday morning. My parents had spent the night and both they and the babies were still sound asleep when we made our departure, and by the time they were awake we were boarding our flight to Boston!

| bag - sold out at Target (similar) |

shirt | leopard-print flats

It turned out to a busy day since we dropped our bags at the hotel room and freshened up then headed over to the husband's company corporate office and did a meet-and-greet with everyone. It was nice to put faces with names! After that, two of the guys from the office and their lovely wives drove us all out to the Patriots vs. Jets game at Gillette Stadium and we had a blast! The Pats won in the final seconds of the game and we met some really cool people around us in the crowd, like a local fireman who has three daughters. One of them is a police officer and was working stadium security that night, and his older daughter was sitting with him. He wore a patriotic red, white and blue custom-painted fireman's hat, which he said was his original fireman's hat that he had painted after 9/11 to commemorate the tragic event and our country. He wears it to every game! 

I've been enjoying a break from miles of walking this afternoon at Starbucks with my trusty green tea, but now it's time to get ready for dinner. Both the husband and I can't wait to get some really good lobster bisque—one of our favorite soups—so we might be heading over to The Boston Chowda Co. And I am also booking tickets for a duck tour tomorrow to get a true feel for the city.

Happy weekend!

{Style File} Flying Solo & Shopping Haul

One-on-one time with my babies is a rare thing. But it's a very treasured thing. This week started off right, with a shopping trip to Target accompanied by my favorite red head! My mom came over after nap time and watched the other three kiddos while Trystan and I headed out. We perused lots of the aisles at Target after she snapped herself into the seat of the cart, and she talked and pointed out pretty things and had a perma-grin on her face the whole time! We split an iced green tea from Starbucks in between her applesauce squeeze pouch and left with a couple good finds. It was one of the best ways to spend a Monday afternoon. ;)

fabric cube drawers for trystan and logan's room,
hopefully they'll soon find a home in a new book shelf.
i hope to create a look like this one!

balloons for the quad's birthday party in may!

cute pants for the girls for $2.50 each. yes, please!

After Target, we stopped by Ross to look for some 8X10 frames for a project I'm working on in our laundry room. I didn't find anything I liked in that department, but Trystan found a cute $5 piece of wall art for her room! She pointed to it on the shelf then held it in the cart the whole time we were at the store and kept admiring it and brushing her hands over the crystals on the front. Momma can't say no to that!

the wall art trystan selected :)

a cute frame for $2.99 that'll be a nice addition to trystan and logan's room as well

clearance shoes for the girls

wall rack for the laundry room, a deal at $2.99

Over the weekend, I'd made it out on a few errands and scored a few more buys as well. After judging a synchro meet Saturday morning, Carter's was calling my name since I had a coupon and some store credit to burn. Can not believe I'm having to start buying 24 month sizes!

sweet rompers for the girls, probably for their 2 year pictures!

polka dot shorts on left from carter's, other 3 shorts were previous purchases from target

clearance overall set for harrison and a cute dinosaur shirt for $4, also 24 month sized!

found these in the back of the clearance rack for $5.99, the girls love the sequins!

how cute is this outfit for the summer!? even better since it was 60% off!

We've been working on child proofing a few more things, like the DVR buttons that the kids love to attack both in the play room and our "adult" living room. I snagged a set of electronic shields at Babies R Us and they work great! They are basically clear plastic pieces that stick onto the DVR with velcro tape so you can remove them temporarily if needed. The kids were totally confused when they kept trying to punch all the buttons without success. And Kailey tends to always dump out her snack cup in the play room, but I switched to snack catchers with screw-on tops (buy one, get one half off!) and they work perfectly. Yay for less mess!

Old Navy is next door to the Carter's I go to (as is Trader Joe's, always a plus!) and since I'd won a $100 Visa gift card from a blog giveaway, I decided to do a little shopping for myself! 

$5 henley tees, love the lightweight fabric!

this cozy peach sweater was a great find on the clearance rack for $14 and will be
perfect for cool spring days (hello white shorts!) as well as next winter with jeans and boots

loved this summery top in a cheery color, also a clearance find, $8.99!

i loved the subtle sequin sparkle on this long sleeve top, also on clearance, $10 i think

these tanks were on sale for $2 each and will be perfect for sleeping
and the headbands are cute and comfy, $5/pack

Speaking of Trader Joe's, I just had to pop in and grab some of their fresh flowers, some roasted coconut chips, organic PB cracker sandwiches for the kids and this lavender lotion. I'd never tried it before, but it really does smell like a spa and absorbs great and moisturizes well. Definitely a new favorite!

Oh, and then of course our shipment of diapers came in. Actually, this is only the amount of nighttime diapers and wipes that we use in a month. Our daytime diapers (also Luvs) comes in a whole other super sized box. I have a subscribe-and-save order on Amazon, and since I have more than five automatic S&S orders, I get 20% off! Which makes for a great diaper deal and a happier momma, since I don't have to remember to go to the store every month and lug around heavy boxes.

Great finds (and gift cards!) and all, nothing beats an afternoon of errands with my sweet T!