Five on Friday

one 

baker's first week if preschool!
Baker had the BEST week!  she started a Mother's Day Out program at a church up the street from our house and oh my goodness I am so excited for her this year!  Tuesday and Thursday from 9a-2pm Baker will be in a classroom with about 12 other kiddos her age to grow and play with.

she loved carrying in her "pack-pack" and her purse (lunchbox).. she talked about her teachers and playtime and most of all about eating "MAH WUNCH!" sweet girl gets nervous at drop off and cries when I leave, but just a few minutes after I'm gone her sweet teacher, Miss Autumn, is sending me happy pictures of our Baker girl.

bows // clip // shortalls // tank onesie // sneakers (similar)

 her nervous habit- hands in her mouth.

back pack // nap mat // lunch box // thermos

by day two this week she had the routine down for the morning and was off to her second day of school.  love this girl and I'm excited to watch her grown and change this year! 

two

first taste of fall!
my favorite time of the year is HERE!
I'm as basic as it gets when it comes to the fall season- right down to my coffee!  I try to stick to the lower cal options at Starbucks, and usually go with the skinny caramel macchiato, but this time of year I get picky when I order!  I'm not a PSL kind of girl, just too sweet for my taste, I suppose, but I do LOVE salted caramel mocha! I got a ton of questions about how I order my coffee drink after I posted this to my IG stories! I ordered it with skim milk, no whip cream, and sub out the regular for sugar free mocha syrup! AND my shirt is from Albion fit!  its long enough to cover my rear when I wear leggings and the thumb holes are everything this time of year! I actually bought this tee when I was pregnant with Brady last Fall and was excited to pull it out for the chilly mornings we've been having. find the exact top HERE and more colors HERE.
use code MASSEYA15 for 15% off your purchase!

three

one hundred.
I hit 100 check-ins this week at camp gladiator! that means I have completed 100 hours of butt busting workouts over the last year or so and I have never felt so amazing in my life!  they kinda make it a 'big deal' when you have your 100th check in and all I have to say is that there was WAY too much excitement going on at 5:30am that morning!

four
fall fashion
AGAIN.  another reason why this time if year is my FAVORITE.  the clothes!!  working at Stitch Fix,  I love all the clothes..but the fall and winter apparel are AMAZING and those are my favorite Fixes to style. from cardigans to booties to sweaters to flannels!  I got my Fix this week (I styled myself!) and it was filled with a bomber jacker, flannel with elbow patches (!!!) and the coolest moto leather leggings evaa.
these zoey sunnies from DIFF landed on my doorstep this week and, y'all.. I have about 6 pairs from DIFF and while I love all of them THESE are my favorite!  a good friend mentioned that they look like fall and I 100% agree!! you can use code AMBER25 at checkout to get 25% off a pair for yourself!
sunnies // flannel

ALSO. I feel like I'm living with the CAPS LOCK on because I just cannot get over how amazing all the fall drops have been!  I got these sweet little digs for Brady this week from Zara and I'm obsessed!!  

tee // jacket // denim

five

festive jams
last but not least.. its September, which means it completely appropriate to pull out the halloween jams.  happy Friday, folks!  go on and get a little festive!  

five on Friday

its FRIDAY!!  I slept in until 7am this morning + woke to a bed full of babies, so I would say its off to an amazing start.  we don't have a ton of plans this weekend.. a family birthday party/dinner on Saturday afternoon but other than that we are just laying low.  J is at the fire station so we may bring the toddler party to him!

one. camp castle play mat  

one of THE COOLEST toys we have ever had. I was introduced to Camp Castle through an acquaintance on Instagram (I love that place) and I was floored at the quality and detail of this mat when it arrived. I am OBSESSED!  I have been watching my girls play on this mat for hours since it hit our doorstep and I think you guys should totally get in on this goodness, too. they are working hard to get their brand up and running for a final release around Christmas (perfect timing!!) its 100% wipeable surface with a matte texture (no pet hair!) and a grippy backing to keep it from sliding all over the place while the girls play.  it pretty much has a permanent place in our entry way, but when its time to pick it up, I just roll it up and stick it in the hall closet until we are ready to play with it again!

two. amazing giveaways over on the 'gram!

its been a busy week! I have partnered with two awesome brands to bring you a couple fun giveaways over on my Instagram page. enter HERE for your chance to win one amazing swim suit of your choice from Albion Fit (I'm wearing this top in a size XS and these bottoms in a size small!) I'll announce the winner on Saturday, but in the meantime use code: MASSEYA15 at checkout for 15% off your purchase! 

the other giveaway is for a 4 moms mamaRoo4!!  4 moms is launching their new mamaRoo4, but also their collaboration and commitment to the non-profit project sweet peas, supporting families that have experienced a stay in the NICU.  I'll be selecting a winner today, but you still have time to enter + nominate a NICU mama HERE.

three. SAHM status

I mentioned in my post earlier this week that I'll be a staying home with the kiddos.. actually working from home as a stitch fix stylist, but not having a commute and being home with the girls and Brady.  I've had some (major) anxieties about it because I have always worked outside the home, but we have been praying for a long time about how we would make this work.. and finally its come to the point for us to pull the trigger.  my last day is next week and I'm both nervous and excited!  I will also be able to devote more time to the blog.. and have been working with Kate Handling Creative  for a major overhaul and new design, so stay tuned for that update, soon!! 

four. sister girls

the cutest thing ever has been happening in our house for about a week. Baker moved into a "big girl bed" a couple weeks ago and she's been doing an awesome job sleeping in her room!  

we have been reading books together in Parker + Jolie's room at night before bed and one night last weekend Baker asked to "stay" while she was snuggled up in Jolie's bed.  Jordan has been talking about Baker eventually wanting to sleep in the room with the twins, but I didn't think that would ever happen..but I was totally wrong.  Jordan called it!  Baker has been sleeping on the floor of the twins room on her crib mattress that we had stored in her closet after replacing it with her twin size mattress. the most adorable thing ever.. and now I'm contemplating moving a bed into the twins room for Baker?? we are in the middle of making a 'big girl' space for her in her room, but we actually still have the other twin size bed that the twins used stored in the garage.. maybe I'll set that up, too?

five. NASHVILLE

me and my honey are heading to Nashville next week.. just the two of us!  we are road tripping and stopping for a night in Memphis for some amazing BBQ and then heading to spend a handful of days in downtown Nashville.  I've got a list going for places to see + yummy food to eat, but if you've been there or live there, send all your recs my way!!  I am so excited for this trip! 

happy Friday, ya'll!  I hope everyone has had an awesome week.. lets hop into this weekend asap!

five on friday | let's flamingle!

images via pinterest 

I'm SO excited for tomorrow!  today is full..and you can probably find me in full party mode + running like a chicken with me head cut off! my parents and brother will be in town this weekend- the first birthday party they have ever attended for one of my kids, so thats a new milestone for all of us and I'm excited to have them here!  

here are a few ..err five favorites for this summer birthday party!

one. pearl + jane

ya'll.  I don't know what I would do without this gal. Amy and I have been working together for the last couple years and I can't express my gratitude towards her creative brain when it comes to making these parties come to life!  I pretty much come up with an idea, throw a few things out there (theme + color, etc.) and she does the rest.  I literally have no idea what the decor is going to look like until it hits my doorstep! opening her big box of goodies is actually like Christmas morning anticipation.  and she never ever disappoints!
you can see some of our other parties together at Baker's summer strawberry themed first birthday
and Parker + Jolie's milk + cookies themed third birthday, and paint party party fourth birthday!!
stay tuned for a fun giveaway soon:)

two. shelby chic boutique

YOU GUYS.  I've been following Veronica for over four years on social media, back when she was making amazing cakes for a living and since then she's created a huge impression on the small shop world with her sparkle bows and poolside wraps!  we have about a billion to our name, and when I asked V to make Baker and the twins some special head wraps for the party she suggested all our little friends get one as well!  yaas!  she was gracious and even sending me pictures of fabric options for the perfect wrap for the party. I about fell over when her package came along with these ADORable gift boxes for each little gal at the party. Veronica is literally among my most favorite people on the planet and I am so thankful for her!
use code PBANDJ at check out for a special discount code that never expires! 

three. custom invitations

for all things party, Sarah of CKFireboots delivers! we've worked together since the twins first birthday and have gotten to the point of me sharing ideas and a little bit of inspo and she takes off and creates the most amazing party invites and printables!  I usually have her print my invitations for me, but when it comes to food tents and prints I take the digital file and have them printed at Office Max or some place similar. Baker's party invitation this year is MY FAVORITE EVER.

four.  lovey lake 

lets talk about how sweet this little peplum top and bloomers from lovey lake!!  when I saw them on her instagram I immediately HAD to have them for the celebration! flamingo everything!
ALSO- this little hair bow from pemberley handmade is the perfect to match:)
..always with the baby dolls!  her BB got her a new baby for her birthday and it hasn't left her arms since!

five. BBQ food = the best food!
we're sticking to the basics for Baker's BBQ bash and making hamburgs and hot dogs on the grills.. a  variety of chips and a couple of yummy side dishes to round out the meal!  this caesar pasta salad recipe looks phenom, and if you know me you know I love a good caesar salad!  we will also have a couple options for chip dipping' with a Mexican street corn salad and the easy peasy homemade salsa.
OF COURSE there will be cake and cookies for dessert and maybe a special appearance for a frozen treat!

SO excited to celebrate miss Baker tomorrow.  after the chaos of life these last several weeks we need some fun.  I appreciate everyone's support, love, and prayer regarding Jolie and while there isn't a ton of new information I plan to share a little update next week:)
happy friday! 

five on Friday | life lately

so theres a bit more than five items on the agenda for this Friday edition of life lately, but ya'll - we have been SO busy!  my days are running together and my babies are changing by the second.. especially Brady that basically gains a neck roll every 24 hours and Baker clearly has bear hands compared to her little brother.  its all the "buttah" (peanut butter!) we've got a lot to cover, so lets hop right to it!

one. school's out

the big girls had their last day of preschool last week!  it was the fasted year if our life and looking back, those girls have grown, changed, learned, and loved so much since last September.  the end of this year was extra special/emotional/sentimental because their preschool (mothers day out program) is transitioning to a private preschool academy.  it was the final school year as CT Kids, and I'll admit to tearing up at drop off that morning when I hugged their teachers, Ms. Sarah and Ms. Stacey.  for that and many other reasons, Jordan and I decided to keep them out of a preschool program for this last year before they go into kindergarten.  it may seem so backwards to some, but this is the last year of these two being home all day everyday for the next 14 years!  I am still working part time and my days off are days that they would be in school- I just don't want to miss anything, you know? we have hired a nanny to help when myself and Jordan are not there and this sweet girl is working towards becoming a kindergarten teacher and she's agreed to tutor them for a couple hours everyday she's there!

sunnies HERE + suits HERE + shoes HERE

 two. bootcamp

so. I started back to working out last week.. bootcamp has left me pretty sore, but at the end of my second week of camp gladiator I am feeling pretty good! trying to figure out a schedule with Brady on all this has been a challenge but we are working it out!  I am doing CGFit, which is similar to what I did in my first camp that I ever completed last June (see my progress HERE) and I'm excited to get back into the swing of it!  its amazing how out of shape I have become. I plan to do a recap in the next couple weeks!

 three. summer supper club

last weekend we met the supper club crew for pizza (and lots of wine!!).  after dinner the adults passed around a pint of ben + jerry's and a spoon and watched all our babies run and play together in the fountains.  this was just a couple days before we welcomed number 19 to our group!

four. memorial day

we posted up in our usual spot at a family friend's pool and played the day away in the water.  the weather was perfect and the girls were DARLING in their matching suits.  I bought the twins these exact suits in purple last year and I snatched them up as fast as I could when I saw them online again this season. AND- that poolside hairwrap?! give me all the Shelby Chic!!  she's started to release her poolside line and I love it all!  use code PBANDJ for a discount that never expires :)

 the cutest yellow suits HERE

five. summer hair + baker's first!

mama went blonde for summer.. even with a bit of silver mixed in!  my oldest and dearest friend, Angela has been doing my hair since I was 14 years old after I went to Florida with some family friends and poured about four bottles of sun-in on my hair- anyone remember sun-in?? not to mention she did up-do's for four proms, three homecomings, a couple firefighter balls.. my wedding + all my bridesmaids.  and now she been giving my baby's their first cut.  Baker got the last of her baby hair trimmed out this week.  

baker's onesie HERE + shorts HERE

 girlfriend was being such a stinker.. throwing a fit over nothing at all, and therefore cried through the entire thing.  Jo was trying to comfort her.. and Parker stuck a half eaten dum-dum sucker in her mouth.. still with all the tears.

 in the end we both are loving our summer hair!  if you are local give her a shout HERE

six. hello, carter grant

I can't believe Carter is here!!  one of my best friends, Ashley, also known as Auntie to my kiddos (and the blog), had her second baby boy this week! I made my way up to the hospital on Tuesday just a couple hours after Carter was born to get in some baby snuggles and to hug her neck.  I always get so emotional about stuff like this! the next day we brought the girls up to meet the newest little guy. they loved him just as they love Brady!   Baker is so baby obsessed- she claims, Carter as her own! sorry Auntie, but this girl is convinced that she needs this baby more than you do. 

 Parker + Jolie's top HERE and clip HERE

 these dads and their boys!  so many years to come with these babies growing up together.  I can't wait!! how amazing is it that our babies are so close in age? love it.

seven. take me out to the ballgame

we took Brady out to his second Rangers baseball game this week! we celebrated Brittany's birthday at the ballpark and Brady tagged along while the girls had a sleepover with their BB and Papa.  this time he was awake for the majority of the game and finally passed out when I wrapped him up in the Solly.

 Brady's onesie HERE and similar shorts HERE

he's such a HAM.  I love every inch of this boy and I basically want about 4 more just like him!  who wants to sign my petition to present to Jordan in support of baby number five?

its the weekend! lets see what we can get ourselves into- see ya Monday! XO!

5 summer essentials | casual mama style

the weather is warming, the sun is hanging around a little longer in the evenings, and I can smell someone in my neighborhood grilling every night of the week.  its summer!! when it comes to my wardrobe these days I'm looking for easy care items that I can throw on and feel put together but also be super comfortable and able to move around when I'm out doing activities with my kids- from the grocery store to the aquarium to a (casual) date night these are my top five mama essentials for summer!  even better- the holiday weekend has left us with a bunch of sales, so nearly all my picks are discounted!  yas!

the easy tee

I've been living in boyfriend style pocket tees.  I love the casual nature of them and how lightweight and comfortable they are for summer!  I tuck the front for a little added shape and you can totally dress them up our down, just depending on the shoes and accessories.  I'm also loving the softened shirts that button down- my third summer in a row to be breastfeeding, so I'm all about the easy access with buttons down the front!

casual bottoms

two words: boyfriend denim. I LOVE distressed denim and the boyfriend style allows me to move and bend and be comfortable without feeling like I'm going to explode after eating Sonic cheesy tots (with jalapeños!).  don't get me wrong, there is a perfect time and place for an amazing pair of skinny jeans (I have THESE in every color because they are just perfect in every way!)

but the looser fit of the boyfriend jeans also offers the ability to wear them while its 100+ degrees in Texas.  I also invested in a cute pair of joggers to wear while running errands or grabbing coffee with a girlfriend (I did this yesterday!) pair with the boyfriend pocket tee and you are totally hitting all the high marks for that athleisure style thats so popular right now.

AND overalls. yes.  100% yes.  I prefer the fitted style over the baggy boyfriend fit- I own a great pair from Pinkblush that I'm loving and wearing about once a week (and they're on sale!). but I'm hard pressed to add a pair of short overalls to the mix.  do it.

breezy dresses

my favorite "look" while sporting the bump this time around was a t-shirt dress, sneakers, and a ball cap. talk about comfort and style all wrapped into one! as the heat is rising (its literally sweltering hot today..) I appreciate the t-shirt dress for several reason- keep me cool (number one!), the variety of style it offers (with sneakers + ball cap; sandals + side ponytail; wedges + chunky necklace..), and the fact that I can take the same dress and go from daytime to evening and not have to think about changing my clothes:). these are my favorite dresses for wearing casually with sandals or sneakers.

trendy sneaks

speaking of sneakers.. they are like my new favorite guilty pleasure.  no idea WHY,  but finding ways to be able to wear them with everything I currently own in my closet is my mission.  I think a lot of it has to do with how much I'm on me feet- I need something thats comfortable.  I am not a shoe person at all whatsoever.. which is probably a good thing.  I usually purchase one great neutral pair of sandals and wear the crap out of them all summer. same for heels and wedges.. now when it comes to boots and booties all bets are off because I just loveeee me some booties.  

every color, please! but this is summer.. in Texas.. and I'll literally be filling my suede booties up with sweat if I attempted to wear them right now.. so I'll stick to sneakers:)

blush lip
blush everything is the hottest color of the season and I've found a handful of glosses and mattes that I'm loving right now.  the tarte lip paint is phenom.. I got it as a sample last month and I'm loving it so much that I went and got a couple the other day to stock up for summer.  my luck, they always discontinue my favorite makeup and I can ever find it again- I hate that!  I've learned from these tribulations and always buy more than one when shopping!
my top three makeup must haves right now..
NUMBER ONE is definitely lip gloss. number two would have to be my bronzer/highlighter combo (I am loving the tarte combo palette !), and number three is my eye brow pencil + filler (benefit gimme brow is the bomb).

five on friday

this week was so good.  it had a lot to do with the fact that Jordan was home almost the entire week (angels singggg!) and a WHOLE lot to do with these little people that call me mama.  Parker, Jolie, and Baker have just been so easy going and a lot of fun this week.  Baker keeps me laughing all day, even in the moments I feel like everything is taking me three times as long to do because I'm doing it one handed (with a baby in the other).

their patience, lack of (ridiculous) tantrums, and overall happy demeanor this week has offered the greatest amount of grace I could ever ask for from those three.

for the first time in almost 6 weeks I felt like I had a handle on managing life with four kids.

even though, at some point, they all contracted the worst case of pink eye have ever seen, but we kept it clear of Brady so that is one for the win column, ya'll!

one. little mama

 I cant get over this girl.  she's amazing.  I never want to forget her at this age.  RIGHT. NOW.

she's blooming into this sweet and thoughtful little girl and I cannot get over it.  

her baby dolls are her most prized possession.. including her very own real live baby brother.  

..and I've never met someone that eats more peanut butter than me.

she screams "BUUTTAH!" from her highchair after every meal and I have to just put it away after she asks for her fourth giant spoonful.

this girl is the true light of our world.

two. thoughtful (and caffeinated) support

the afternoon my girls woke with the nastiest pink eye (like SO GROSS) Brittany texted me after dropping off my beverage of choice on the porch.

you know how when you find that person that you just kind of stay on the same wavelength?

three. impromptu family date night on the patio

Jordan worked over time this week as a medic at a large golf tournament and me and the girls were out and about ALL DAY.. Brady was there, too. still getting used to that:)

 our (amazing superwoman) housekeeper was at the house and we kind of evacuate for the day so she can clean.. she washes, dries, and folds every ounce of clothing in this house, you guys, even the sheets! if I could afford it she would live with us.  I love that woman- again, I cant claim to have it all together when I have a village of people that help me with this mama life.

anyway, she got a later than normal start and was still at the house around dinner time so we opted for pizza on the patio at the most amazing place up the street from our neighborhood.  a sunburned Jordan met us there and we just had the BEST time.  I have been thinking about that caesar salad since we left earlier this week and Jordan brought one home to me last night for dinner- bless that man.

four. home-cooked dinner on the table!

when I did my (online!) grocery shopping this week I was really hungry:)  after skimming my pinterest board I ended up deciding on a handful of recipes to make, including this REALLY yummy and really easy meal: cheesy pesto chicken + veggies stuffed spaghetti squash.  I followed the recipe exactly and decided to use parmesan and mozzarella when it called for cheese (it wasn't specified in the recipe).  I cooked my chicken breast in the crock pot on HIGH for about two hours with chicken stock, salt, and pepper.  I normally cook my chicken on LOW but decided kind of last minute that this was going to be dinner for that night! 

I also have THIS delicious cajun shrimp pasta on the menu for this weekend.. throwing in some chicken sausage, because well I'm so hungry.

all the time.

five. our growing little chunk

 we made a (double) trip to the pediatrician this week.  one for the pink eye and the other for Brady's one month well check. he looks great and is growing so well!  when the scale tipped to 9 pounds 9 ounces I was admittedly surprised. I knew he had gained weight and gotten bigger- for sure thought we were about 8-ish pounds.. NOPE.  little chunk gained almost two pounds in the last three weeks!

side note: I get so many compliments on this swaddle blanket- its from bebe au lait and you can find it in the swaddle set HERE

 ..and because I cant get over this baby picture of Jordan!  Meme brought us this picture of Jordan when he was about a year old while at Brady's sip + see over last weekend.. and he's wearing the same baby shoes hanging in Brady's room.  SO many heart eyes! 

also. my kids are spitting images of their dad.

heres to another FRIYAY!  happy weekend, folks:)