Packing for Mexico

 

We're leaving tonight, heading to Los Cabos for our very first vacation that doesn't revolve around all of the kiddos since our honeymoon! 

We'll be there Monday-Thursday evening, plus this evening in Dallas since our flight is at 6:45 and....come on now. 🙈

Packing for a family of six has become a real game for me, so packing for two is a downright Olympic event. When we went on our honeymoon Chance borrowed a military backpack from my brother-in-law and it was incredibly efficient. I also carried the largest carry-on I could get away with, and almost busted the zipper. NOT THIS TIME! 

Here's what I've decided we're going to pack in:

My speedy 40 (I carry it every day, yes it's luggage, but *shrug*), the military back pack, and a handful of ziplock bags. 

These are the only things I bought specifically for travel

These are the only toothbrushes I ever buy for myself. This entire pack of SIX is only .98 at walmart. Nuts! Our resort will have shampoo, so I skipped it. Our toiletries consist of: a comb, volumizing gel, a curling iron, bar of soap, lotion, toothpaste, deodorant, tweezers, BB cream for me (bought some. Y'all KNOW I make my own but it has to be under 4 ounces, so I had to slum it with Olay. Ha!), CC cream for Chance (metro man), water proof mascara, wrinkle cream, and bronzer. 

I know I over packed Chance, but he's working on the farm today so I'll give him a few options, and I'm packing a lot of mix and match items for myself.

Chance's items:

3 pairs of trunks

1 pair of shorts

5 tank tops

2 v-necks

2 pairs of flip flops. 

My items:

5 swimsuits

1 pair of shorts

4 tank tops

A skirt

A maxi dress

3 kimonos

2 head scarfs

2 pairs of flat sandals. (STRESSING about wearing flats all week. I may slip a pair of wedges in there and eat crow after telling April and Heather I wouldn't dare.)

2 hats

After laying it all out just to show what a huge mass of cotton I've selected, I crammed it all into the air-tight bags. 

All of my swimsuits and kimonos fit into two, for reference to condensing. 

With everything sealed up, you're left with this:

As you can see, all of the sealed bags take up less space than the outfits we're wearing to travel!

I really out-did myself. All but one bag fit into the back pack

So the only thing in my bag is our toiletry bag!

I was so high on my new way of packing that I re-packed Layla's bag that Chesney put together for my mother's house, and downsized to a smaller bag!

Now we're off! 

Viva La Mexico!

Xoxo

Lauren 

Pinterest WIN!

While falling down the rabbit hole that is Pinterest, I stumbled upon this picture of bacon wrapped hot dogs and HAD to send it to Chance! 

That very night, guess what "the kids" requested for dinner? We had a plethora of options, some with turkey bacon, some with regular, some jalapeño cheddar dogs, a few all beef franks, a couple of turkey dogs...every one of them delicious! We're ruined when it comes to hot dogs now!! 

Xoxo

Lauren

Organization

Organization

When you have a family of 6 and live in a 1300 square foot home, organization is KEY.  Caycee and Layla share a bedroom and Layla's clothes are all stored in an armoir Chance has converted into a wardrobe.  It's worked for years, but now her shoes have overrun the bottom, thanks to two of my best girlfriends who hand down clothes their girls have grown out of to Layla.  We are SO FORTUNATE to have had a girl right at one and two years behind Sarah and Heather!  Here's how shoes were stored before:

A royal mess. With all of her dresses getting longer, we were losing space, so I made a quick trip to our local Family Dollar and picked up one of these:

It's black canvas, hangs on three hooks over the door, and makes me wonder if my head's been up my ass for the last two years because I why else would it have taken me so long to figure this out?  Now they're all in one place, and out of the way:

But why stop there? I picked up an extra one because my scarf situation was quite a mess as well.  Some were on hangers in my closet, some on hooks on the back of the door; all a disaster:

Now they're rolled up neatly and all in one place:

So until we buy a bigger house, re-purposing space will be my new hobby.

xoxo

Lauren

An eBay snafu gone RIGHT!

My favorite Jessica Simpson heels finally bit the dust.  Right where the ball of my foot sits on the bottom, they snapped.  I shouldn't be upset, I've had them for 6, maybe 7 years.

To ease my broken heart, I looked on eBay to see if I could find the exact pair, knowing it was a stretch.  I didn't find them, but i DID find that there are some AWESOME shoes to be had! I have no idea why women would choose to let these babies go; maybe they were a gift, or bought on a whim and never worn, who knows? Their loss is my gain and I didn't ask questions, just bid on every pair I could! Guess how many I won? ALMOST ALL OF THEM.  Whoops.  

Here are the ones that have come in in the last three days:

Dont y'all know my mail carrier must hate my guts? Keep in mind, I bid on 11 or 12 pairs and some auctions are still going, plus some are still being delivered, this is just what I've received so far.

These Nine West wedges were New, IN THE BOX, and I paid $5 for them.

These leopard beauties are Steve Madden, new with box AND TAG were scored for $9.99.

These Dolce Vita wedges were not new, but are still in perfect condition, $169.00 price sticker still intact on the bottom. Guess what I paid for them? TWO AMERICAN DOLLARS. Not kidding.

Jessica Simpson wedges, second most comfortable pair I've ever had on my feet. (Behind the leopard Steve Maddens, above). $8.99. Brand new, no box but not a speck of dirt and the holes in the buckles have never been punctured on the left shoe. CRAZINESS.

Another pair of Jessica Simpsons, without box and a bit crumpled during shipping, $5.00

Lastly, these sex on a platform Jessica Simpsons, brand new in original packaging, $9.99.

Of course, I had to pay shipping on all of them, and it was more than the shoes themselves each time but that's a part of life, and still didn't make them more than $20 a pair once it all averaged out.

Chance's first question was "Are they all real?" Hahaha.  If someone takes the time to replicate fabulous, inexpensive shoe lines, more power to them.  I love that my talks of The Label Loop have affected his thinking.  God love him.

So, moral of the story; the next time you're jonesing for some good quality shoes but don't have time to shop all over town or a few hundred dollars laying around in a shoe fund, check eBay! you never know what is currently being cast off!

xoxo

Lauren

O.P.I. Obsessed

Good Mani Morning!

I LOVE a nude manicure.  If I lined all of my nude polishes up, I feel the line would stretch from here to North Carolina, BUT I'm tossing them all because I've found the PERFECT one for me!

O.P.I's Lacquer in My Vampire is Buff

It's PERFECT! Not too pink, not too white, not too beige.  A shocker? You can now buy OPI at Sally Beauty Supply! You used to have to buy it at a salon or salon supplier, so I was over the moon excited to see it there yesterday! At $8, I'll admit it's more than I'm used to spending on a bottle of nail polish, but I'm VERY happy with it! It's thick enough for just two light coats, and dries evenly and very smooth.  If you're in the market for a good nude, look no further!

Have a great day, Dolls!

XOXO

Lauren

NEW from Joy&Crown!

Y'ALL!

I've been so impatiently waiting for Ali and Jenny to release their red, white and blue ensembles! The Fourth of July has never been more exciting to me!  Earlier this month, a few of my dearest friends and I were fortunate enough to go out to Wichita Falls and visit with the Joy&Crown girls while indulging ourselves in a spa day! (Thanks, Chad!)  After being buffed, rubbed, chemically peeled and blown out, we got to see some behind the scenes action during this very shoot! So fun! I mean really, could Keeli *BE* any more adorable? She'll always be a kid at heart!

Head over to Joy&Crown TODAY to get your hands on some of their new goodies before they're gone and you have to lust over them on everyone else!

XOXO

Lauren

The Label Loop

Holy Canolli I've been busy!

Know why...?

Because I've officially taken over The Label Loop!!! Whoo hoooo!  If you're not familiar with it, BECOME SO!

                                               A little back story:

My beautiful friend Ali had this amazing idea to create an outlet women and men alike can use to consign their designer items using social media.  When consigning an item in a store you usually get half of what the store sells it for, which is NEVER anywhere NEAR what you paid for it.  When selling on craigslist, eBay, or another site, you never know what kind of people you're dealing with and giving your personal information to, plus it's a huge hassle!  So Ali built up this amazing business with a slew of clients and BAM, 

The Label Loop was born.

Cut to the present.

Ali and her beautiful friend Jenny have created a fabulous clothing line filled with the softest Ts, Tanks, Onesies and Bags imaginable, all carrying beautifully printed faith based messages.  You have to check them out here: Joy&Crown

Joy and Crown is now taking up ALL of Ali's free time so she's passed the reigns to The Label Loop to ME!  She did all of the work, and I reap all of the glory!

Have a luxury item collecting dust in your closet? I bet there are 100 women who will fight for the right to decorate their arm with it!  Looking for a specific bag but don't have a few grand laying around to sink into it? Holler at me! I'll find you one!

Until next time.

XOXO