Friday Favorites: Our Favorite One Piece Swimsuits

Happy Friday!  Usually after a 3 day weekend the week flies by, but that just isn't the case this week. It has DRAGGED!!!!  The weather hasn't been great and it's hard with the kids home all day with nothing to do now that school is over. There are no camps, no sports this week and we can't go to the movies or trampoline parks or anything we would normally do on a rainy summer day. Here's hoping for sunny summer days ahead!

Today I wanted to share some of my favorite one piece swimsuits!  I had a friend ask me the other day about this topic and so I figured I would do a blog post about it!

Our FAVORITE suit last summer was THIS ONE!  We even showed up at the lake one day twinning! 

I know a lot of moms don't feel comfortable wearing a bikini anymore and even if you do there are times that you just want to be a little more covered up.  Especially when you want to be the fun mom and do things like jump in the pool or go down the water slides...something we've been known for a time or two.

Being FUN MOMS!!!  Both of our suits in this pic are from Nip Tuck Swim! 

The good news is that one piece swimsuits are totally on trend this summer and we did a little round up of some of our very favorites!  

Black one shoulder - The one shoulder trend is SO popular this year!

Blue ruffle stripe - This suit is adorable and we love the girly details!

One shoulder ruffle - This one comes in a TON of colors and has over 1,000 great reviews!!!

Orange color block - We love the color blocking on this one and it also comes in a teal and pink color block.

Tropical palm leaves - This is another one that has TONS of great reviews and comes in a bunch of different colors/patterns.  The cut of it and the placement of the mesh straps are SUPER flattering.

Black crochet - This was our favorite last summer and is still available in a few sizes.  There is also an updated version HERE.

Orange ruffle - This suit is so cute on and we love the ruffles! It comes in a bunch of colors and also has a bunch of great reviews.

Leopard one shoulder - You know us and our love of animal print!  Combine it with a one shoulder suit and we are in love!

Blue lace - OK, this one is a little more revealing than some of the others, but it is so pretty and if you are looking to show a little more skin, but still be covered this is a great option.

Tie-dye - We had to include a fun tie-dye swimsuit since it's our favorite print this summer!


When we were doing our round up we couldn't pick just a few because there are seriously SO many cute ones out this summer.  Here are a few others that we love!!!

leopard // ruffle (also comes in white) // floral and striped //scalloped one shoulder (also comes in pink)

This leopard print one is actually one of my personal favorites this summer.  I love how you can tie up the sides of the legs so it doesn't cut into your hips.

When I spotted this cut-out suit it reminded me of a style I used to have when I was a kid called belly-busters.  Does anyone remember those?  It was connected on the side, but your belly still showed, hence the name.  SO impressed with the quality of this one!

Are you a one piece or a bikini kind of mom?  

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Always Eat After 7PM

This post is brought to you by our sponsor, “Always Eat After 7 PM”. The opinions expressed below are my own.

Whew...I'm tired. Physically. Emotionally. Mentally. Just plain tired. Between moving, keeping up with the kids, and just every day life - I've become so exhausted it's a struggle sometimes to keep my eyes open past noon some days. Because I'm tired I've slipped into some bad habits - both eating and with my exercise routine. Recently it's really bothered me so I've decided to look into different ways to boost my energy levels and change up my routine - for the better. 

When we were given the opportunity to receive an advanced copy of Joel Marion's new book Always Eat After 7PM, I was intrigued. I love the premise behind the book. He chats about breaking typical diet myths (who makes up all these rules anyway?!),  and making healthy choices that don't seem restrictive. The goal is to create habits and long term changes that become part of your everyday lifestyle. That sounds like exactly what I am looking for. 

Here's a quick introduction from Joel Marion that really kind of spoke to me...

I appreciate that he's "walked the walk", and is coming from a place of his own personal experience. By breaking the rules and using science as his accountability partner, he was able to lose 12 pounds in the first two weeks, and almost pounds by week 16! I've always heard that "don't eat after 7PM rule, but scientific research is now showing that isn't really accurate - and Marion's personal experience is proof. Plus, he's pro-dessert, and I'm so here for that. 

The overall plan consists of three phases: a 14 day accelerated phase to kick the program off and see the rapid results he speaks about, the main phase where you learn about what foods to eat in order to lose weight, gain muscle, and build energy (bonus: he also shares some great recipes!), and the final Lifestyle phase where you build your plan to maintain all of your hard work. 

Always Eat After 7 PM: The Revolutionary Rule-Breaking Diet That Lets You Enjoy Huge Dinners, Desserts, and Indulgent Snacks—While Burning Fat Overnight by Joel Marion is now available to purchase. 

I'm excited to dig in more and give it a go. I've decided to take you along on the journey in case you are looking into doing something similar or are just looking to make some tweaks to your current routine and want to see what other options are out there. I'll share more over the next few weeks - so stay tuned!  If you want to go ahead and join me, you can learn more about the book and purchase here. 

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This post is brought to you by our sponsor, “Always Eat After 7 PM”. The opinions expressed below are my own.

How to Paint POLYWOOD Outdoor Furniture

In the anticipation of moving into our new home in a few weeks, I've been doing a lot of projects. Luckily all this quarantine business has allowed for a lot of free time to tackle my never ending list of ideas. First order of DIY business - the outdoor furniture. 

A little backstory: 

When we purchased our home we noticed the previous owners had a lot of POLYWOOD outdoor furniture surrounding the pool. We knew from experience that outdoor furniture receives a lot abuse as a result of living in the sunny South.  POLYWOOD and Trex Board tend to stand up well to both the elements and the extreme use of a family of who likes to entertain a lot outdoors. So when we were negotiating the sale we decided to ask for the furniture on a whim. 

We have a lot of outdoor furniture at our current home, but we figured we could worry about what fits best in each space when we move in. The minute I was these adirondack chair sets I knew I wanted to keep them. They were in the roughest shape of the bunch, but I had hopes I could bring them back to life. 

I waffled on the colors and what to do (one set is purple and one is orange). Everything else has a neutral base, and while I liked the vibrant purple, it didn't match the rest of our outdoor furniture or decor. I knew I didn't want to spend a ton of money to redecorate since we are in the midst of a major renovation on the interior of our home, so I came up with the idea of changing the color. 

I did a ton of research and realized a few things about POLYWOOD furniture. 

1. You can clean it, but aren't supposed to pressure wash it. 
2. Sanding it scratches the protective surface and voids any warranty it has. 
3. Painting isn't recommended because that also voids the warranty. 
4. Painting has been done, but be cautious on what to use. Also, for the long term it might not last.

So obviously I did what any sensible person would do. 

Wrong. I painted it. 

And have no regrets. 

I figured we essentially got the furniture for free so if I messed it up, no real monetary loss. I also researched if I was to paint it, what would be the most successful. 

Here's how I painted my POLYWOOD outdoor furniture, but I think this process would work for any outdoor furniture you want to transform. 

HOW TO PAINT POLYWOOD OUTDOOR FURNITURE

What You'll Need

• Primer + Paint: Look for water based primer and paint designed for plastics. I found this Krylon ColorMaxx Spray Paint that is a primer and paint mix designed for a lot of surfaces including plastics. 
• Cleaning Materials: A good scrub brush is a must. Use vinegar or a mold and mildew cleaner. 
• Gloves 
• Optional: Mask (to block spray paint particles) & spray paint comfort grip (trust me - worth it!)

What To Do

• First clean your outdoor furniture. Remove all dirt, mold and mildew. The paint will adhere better to a clean surface. Let it dry for one hour. 

• Test a spot first. I tested the underside of one piece to dip my toes in (catch that pool pun?), and let it sit for a few hours. This allowed me to confirm color, and make sure the paint would adhere.  

(Using thin coats: this is the second coat being applied.)

• Once I was satisfied that the paint would adhere, I sprayed the whole piece and let it sit in the elements for a few days. 

• I sprayed one light coat first, and repeated the process until I felt the furniture was well covered. (To avoid drips or obvious spray marks it's best to do really light coats rather than one or two thick ones. This will also help prevent the paint from chipping prematurely.)

Overall the process was quite easy, and I'm very happy with the results. The chairs have been through a few sunny weeks, a ton of kid use (both wet and dry), and a few rain storms and seem to be holding up well. 

| Polywood Furnture | Throw Pillows | 

I chose this bright aqua paint color because it looks similar to a color Polywood offers in their furniture line, and matches the pool tile well. It's the Krylon ColorMaxx Paint + Primer in Aqua. I purchased a few extra cans to have on hand in case any chips do appear over time. I also like knowing I can purchase new pieces directly to match if needed. 

Now that I've transformed the purple set, I've set my sights on the orange set. 

Here's a teeny tiny sneak peek at the color I'm going with for that set! 

This was a fun project, and I was glad I was quickly and cost effectively able to update our outdoor furniture. And now - time to sit back, relax, and enjoy it! 

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Home Sweet Home Tour: Family Room

A part of us thought this quarantine would mean that we would have a lot more free time to blog consistently, but oh how we were mistaken.  First of all, I feel like I'm third in line to get my laptop after the kids are done with all of their online school work.   Secondly, I've just had a hard time getting motivated.  BUT, today I have a new post in the Home Sweet Home Tour series!  

Up first though, if you missed any of the other posts in this series they are all linked below! 

The Building Process 

Building Tips 

Entry and Office 

Mudroom and Command Center 

Kitchen and Keeping Room 

Dining Room 

Today I'm sharing our Family Room! We spend a lot of time in this room. It's where we watch TV each night, where we put our Christmas tree and open gifts Christmas morning. 

 It's the room where I sit late at night when everyone has gone to bed and I just need a few moments of quiet to myself. 

It's a very lived in room. My daughter stretches on the floor in here and practices tumbling drills on the sectional. My son uses the sectional, pillows and chairs as a ninja course and we have even been known to do some baseball drills in here on a rainy day! Dodge ball and nerf gun wars occur, our dog used to run laps around this room when he was a puppy and just about everything else you can imagine. 

We knew we wanted a giant, comfortable sectional for this room. It might not be the prettiest or most on-trend piece of furniture, but it is comfortable and our entire family can snuggle up on it and watch a movie.  I just try to dress it up with the pretty pillows! Funny story, that square coffee table is one that we bought in college at a garage sale and refinished.  Not even lying!  We originally put it in this space until we could find something else, but it fits in the square part of the sectional so well that we ended up just leaving it.

I needed something to fill the space on the wall above the sectional and a friend suggested doing maps. I loved the idea and ended up ordering them from the USGS website.  They were all between $10-$20 and I was able to pick places that are meaningful to our family.  The frames are from Hobby Lobby so overall this was a very easy and affordable project!

This little sitting area has chairs from Pier 1 and I was so exited when I found this lamp and shade with the the coordinating nail head trim!  I always love using some sort of greenery and books to help spaces feel welcoming. 

I wanted to share all of the links and sources that I could from this room! If you have other questions, just let me know. :-)
Sectional - Rooms To Go 
Seersucker Arm Chairs
Buffalo Check Pillows - Custom 
Monogram Pillows - Custom 
Macrame Pillow Covers 
Down Alternative Pillow Inserts 
Lamp Base 
Lamp Shade 
Curtains - Custom 
Bamboo Shades
Leopard Throw Blanket
Maps
Map Frames - Hobby Lobby 
Round Side Table 
Wall Paint Color - SW Silver Strand 
Trim Paint Color - SW Canvas Tan 

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Sunglass Style 2020

Do you have an accessory that you wear every. single. day? For us it would be sunglasses. We joke at this point we might own more pairs of sunglasses than we do shoes. In reality, it's probably pretty close.

| Maui Jim Honi Sunglasses | Costa Del Mar Loreto | Crochet Halter Swimsuit | 

Sunglasses aren't just a Summer accessory either. In our opinion, sunglass season is anywhere from January 1st to December 31st. Sure, we have some pairs that scream "Summer" (hello neon pink aviators!), but for the most part when it comes to accessorizing sunglasses to our outfits year round - anything is fair game.

| Costa Del Mar Loreto Sunglasses | 

However, now that Summer is upon us, we are looking to add a few new pairs to the mix. We thought we'd share some of our favorites and our favorite finds (since a lot of retailers are having major sales right now!). Some of these are super budget friendly and some are a little pricier - but oh so worth it.

| Jewelry | Tortoise Shell Sunglasses | Gold Aviators | 

1. WOWSUN Polarized Sunglasses - These might be the best bang for your buck that we have found! One pair comes in at under $14, but they have an option on some color combinations to get 2 for $20. They are polarized, come in a ton of fun colors and mirrored options, and have thousands of great reviews.

2. Black Round Framed Sunglasses - I (Jen) forgot my sunglasses during a soccer tournament weekend. Luckily there was a Target less than a mile from the field. I grabbed these on a whim because they were cute and polarized (a must for my sun sensitive blue eyes!), and not only are they super budget friendly, they have been on of the pairs I grab the most often. They fit so well!

3. Blenders Sunglasses - When friends introduced us to these sunglasses we couldn't wait to try them out. They are all just so fun! Blender's offers a ton of brightly colored polarized lenses in a variety of styles - and almost all pairs are under $50.

| Blender's Ice Palace Sunglasses | 

4. Costa Del Mar Aviators - We spend a ton of time on the water throughout the year, and love love love these Loreto aviators from Costa Del Mar. We own them in three colors - they are that good. They are pricier but so worth it in our opinion. We also love the South Point aviators and the Remora style. Our husbands also wear this brand and own several pairs.

| Costa Del Mar Loreto in Gold | Costa Del Mar Permit Sunglasses | 

| Maui Jim Honi Sunglasses | Loreto in Gunmetal | 

5. Quay Australia After Hours Sunglasses - We love these tortoise shell glasses with their classic shape. They look great on most people and are around the $50 mark. The navy pair is our favorite. They have great reviews!

6. Rayban Erika Sunglasses - One of our absolute favorite pairs of sunglasses. We love the mirrored lenses and the twist on the classic wayfarer style that Rayban is known for. They come in a ton of
color options too.

| Ray Ban Mirrored Sunglasses | 

7. Lilly Pulitzer Sunglasses - We've been LP fans for awhile, but it wasn't until recently we made the plunge into their sunglasses. We've been pleasantly surprised, and just like the brand itself they have a wide range of fun styles and colors. There's also a wide range of pricing and you can find Lilly Pulitzer glasses on Amazon on major sale.

| Lilly Pulitzer Kinley Glasses | 

We have a few new pairs on the way to us and will add to our list if there are any we love! Do you have a pair that you love that we need to give a try? Bonus points if it's a budget friendly pair!

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