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Summer Shorts Upgrade: Just the right length with personality

This post on summer shorts is sponsored by The Good Stuff and Coupons.com.

Related Articles:
Summer Reads for Kids
A Summer Chore List
Patriotic Rag Wreath

Remember the days when holes in pants were considered messy and poor? When did we get the trend where pants are being bought with holes in them? It truly baffles me.

I have to admit though, as my kids wore holes in their pants, I became a little lax and let them wear them anyway. It was the trend after all.

After a General Conference address by Jeffrey R. Holland where he said “Sunday best has lost it’s meaning in our time“, I recommitted myself to pay more attention to what we wear all the time, not just on Sunday.

The holey pants had to go. Being the frugal person that I am however, I wasn’t just going to toss these otherwise perfectly good pants out! Instead, we like to upgrade our pants into shorts.

Summer Shorts How-To

Bonus here – you know how girls shorts are always way too short. I mean, WAY TOO SHORT! This simple fix gives your summer shorts that are the perfect length and fun to wear.

Here’s what you do. Take a pair of pants with holes in the knees. Cut along the hole that is up highest on one leg. This will be your guide for cutting along the other leg. Fold the pants in half, and cut off the other leg.

Ta Da! Shorts!

Being the creative fun type (hahaha…ok I do try sometimes!), I then pulled out some fun crafts to really give our summer shorts an upgrade. Why not dress them up a bit?

With fabric markers and iron-on patches, you can really turn an old pair of pants into something new. If you personally don’t feel creative, turn the project over to your kids, and let them express themselves on their shorts.

This is a great activity for when the kids are bored, and it’s raining outside, or just because you need a day to actually get stuff done around the house this summer! Iron on patches and fabric markers can be found at most fabric stores, or as always on Amazon.

I suggest a parent helps with the cutting and any iron on patches. From there though, this is a project the kids can run with. We personally went with a patriotic theme to get ready for the 4th of July this week.

We styled the shorts with a fun striped shirt before heading out for some photos. Read How to Style Summer Shorts for more tips on styling your new creations.

June 30, 2019
Mom’s Best Friend for Stylish Tweens – Wee Blessing

One of my favorite times of the year growing up was back to school season. It meant shopping with my mom for new clothes. We’d all get one special outfit for that first day of school. I liked to have my own style, but really had no idea what I was doing. Now I still have no idea what I’m doing with my stylish tween, and can use all the help I can get.

Use HOMEMAIDSIMPLE for 20% off your first Wee Blessing

As a mother, I love taking my kids’ shopping, but it can become so frustrating! This year when Venice entered middle school, I wanted her to go in with confidence and have no worries about the clothes she was wearing. So when Wee Blessing reached out to me about their family styling subscription I jumped aboard!

Venice and I sat down together to answer the style survey. She picked her favorite colors, the types of clothes she liked or wanted to try, and included her favorite hobbies and extra-curricular activities, as well as the types of clothes she doesn’t like – dresses and skirts. As her Mom, I included the types of clothes we weren’t looking for, and my requirements – no sleeveless or leggings.

From this survey, a style professional went shopping for just the right clothes. It took a lot longer for the clothes to finally arrive, but I believe this was due to the company being fairly new, and revamping their backend system over the summer. So hopefully they’ve got it figured out now and future Wee Blessings should arrive in 2-3 weeks.

At one point a stylist called us to discuss Venice’s style more in depth. What were we looking for, what did we want to stay away from? These types of questions were easier to discuss with a live person than to type out in the survey. Check out these cute clothes they sent!

This first outfit is Venice’s absolute favorite. Mom and Dad find the shorts are bit – short – but they are perfect for lounging around the house, or going out for runs with Mom! Our stylist couldn’t have found a more perfect shirt for Venice than this one. She has a dream of opening a boutique in Paris, and this shirt speaks to that.

This is my favorite outfit for Venice. The pants were something she needed, but they found a nice stylish pair with the cool side zipper. Venice loves this shirt as it’s in her favorite color – purple!

The third outfit in our Wee Blessing was this romper. Venice really wanted to try out a romper and see if it was something she would enjoy wearing. I was hoping they would send a more fall style romper with longer pants. The off the shoulder sleeves were not our favorite feature either.

Since this is a style subscription it runs like other services out there. You are sent 3 outfits in each box, you pick what you like, and then return what you don’t. You only pay for what you keep, but if you do keep every piece you save a little more money.

What makes Wee Blessing different than other style subscription services? Well, it’s not just for one gender or age group! Wee Blessing focuses on the whole family. So whoever you’d like to get styled in your family – from the little littles all the way to Mom and Dad, everyone can get help from a professional stylist.

Ready to try Wee Blessing for your stylish tween? Or maybe for yourself? Use the coupon code HOMEMAIDSIMPLE to get 20% off your first blessing.

September 20, 2018
Tips for Your Side Hustle to Stay Afloat

I received complimentary prAna clothing. All thoughts and opinions in Tips for Starting a Side Hustle are my own.

These days it seems everyone has some kind of side hustle. Whether that be an extra job on the side of your full-time career or an extra job on the side of being a parent. If you’ve got a side hustle, and are feeling overwhelmed, these are my tips for you!

Take 15% Off your entire prAna order with code TMF17AP

Some days I stand back and look at my life and wonder just how I manage to fit it all in. Between mothering, being a good wife, and the many side hustles I’m running I just laugh – and sometimes I cry. The crying usually only comes when I forget to plan effectively and follow these tips for staying afloat with a side hustle.

Tips for Your Side Hustle

Start The Morning Early

When you get up early, before the kids, and spend a little time on yourself you are better mentally prepared for your side hustle. Research shows that early risers anticipate problems sooner and can minimize their effects. When you’re running side hustles throughout your day, being able to see those problems before they hit can be key to staying afloat and feeling like quitting. Grab a cup of your favorite drink – hot cocoa here – a pen and paper, and spend the early hours preparing for your day.

Related: Steps to have a Productive Morning

Get Dressed for the Day

It can be so easy when you’re working from home to stay snuggled in those pajamas. After all, they’re warm and comfortable, and no one’s going to see you anyways right? By getting dressed every day you’re telling yourself it’s time to get to work. Getting dressed doesn’t mean you have to give up that comfortable feeling though. I love these Mantra Pant and Penelope Pullover from prAna. Giving me a sense of style while still feeling comfortable is key for my mental state when getting down to work. Nothing distracts more than clothes that are itchy or too tight. prAna makes their clothing from sustainable materials like Hemp and Organic Cotton – and they are super comfy!

Change the Scenery

For most of us, our side hustle is spent in a home office. If our side hustle is the result of earning extra income on top of being a parent like mine, then chances of getting out of the house seem to be few and far between. Make it a point to change up your scenery. Head to your favorite cafe with wifi or the local library. Often the new scenery will inspire you and help get past any business blocks you’ve run into. If you are already dressed for the day this will be even easier to do. The Mantra Pant despite being comfy with a stretchy waist, looks like business attire. So no matter where you wear them – at home or out – you’ll look professional.

Be Socially Responsible

Give back to your family, your community and the world when you can. A simple place to start is filling your closet with clothes that support fair trade and sustainable practices like prAna. This clothing line was built for the entrepreneur, as evidenced by their purpose to “pursue sustainable, traceable, and responsible action to protect our environment and inspire the adventurous spirit”. I believe all entrepreneurs and side hustlers are spurred on by that adventurous spirit. Once your side hustle is going well consider donating to your favorite charity. It will make you feel good.

Clock Out

Running a side hustle usually means no set hours. You run your business in any spare moment you have. Don’t forget to clock out. I’m off the clock when the kids get home until they go to bed. I then take another 2 hours to work. I shut down before going to my room, and work stays out of the bedroom. Taking these breaks allows your mind the freedom to explore new ideas that can be put in place during the next day’s work hours.

Do you have a side hustle? Tell me about it in the comments!

Discount

prAna is offering my readers 15% off their entire order at prAna until October 19th with the code TMF17AP. Not valid on sale items.

September 19, 2017
Summer Reads for Kids: The What and Where

My favorite part about summertime is all the extra time we have to read books! It means staying up late to finish that adventure, audio books in the car, and ideally some poolside reading. Our summer reads consist of my childhood favorites and my kids’ current reads. I received a product in exchange for this post. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated when you click on and purchase through them.

First off, isn’t that shirt awesome? Readers Gonne Read is just one of many cool kids tees from Cents of Style. It fits right in with our family’s personality of readers. They even come in sizes that fit all the kids from 6months up to youth large (size 14-16).

Get your Kids Tee for 50% OFF the Lowest Mark Price this weekend Only 6/16/17-6/18/17 Use code KIDSSTORY

Summer Reads

This summer I plan on doing a lot of reading with my kids. I also hope to direct them to a few of my favorite books to read in their quiet spaces. Currently, I’m reading Squirrel Girl and Little Women with the kids before bed. The rest are ones we’ve enjoyed in past summers.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl by Shannon Hale.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley

Where to Read

Did you know you can take a book anywhere you go! It’s even more true with smartphone apps that allow us to read on the go without the bulk. This is a list of my kids’ favorite places to read. We usually find them in their beds, but outdoors, in a fort, and in the car are some common places we like to take a book. I’d love to hear where you find your kids reading this summer.

In bed.

Outside.

In a Tree.

In the Car.

In the Bathtub.

On a Trip.

In a Fort.

Check out the other Kids Tees from Cents of Style here. Which graphic tee would your kids wear?

Where do your kids like to read, and what are their favorite summer reads? Let me know in a comment.

June 16, 2017
Fashion That Inspires Me to Be a Better Mother

All around us we can find something to spark inspiration. It’s how we choose to see that inspiration and what we do with it that will change us. I like visual reminders in my life, like this fashion that inspires me to be a better mother. I received a product in exchange for this post and will receive compensation if you click on and purchase through the links found here.

Get inspiring Fashion for $15.95 with code BESTORY

I was checking out the new styles in Cents of Style’s Be Series with Rosalina. There are so many fantastic options, that I was feeling very undecided on who I currently wanted to Be. I asked her what style she thought I should get, and without hesitation, she told me I needed the Be Kind shirt.

I thought for sure she chose it solely for the cute heart design but wanted to be sure. So I asked her why she chose it.

“Because mostly you yell.”

Knife to the heart! I didn’t think I yelled that much, but perhaps I have fallen into a habit of yelling more than I should. I believe our children pick up on our habits more than we do ourselves. Even if I don’t yell very much, it’s enough that she notices and thinks it’s too much.

With a hug and a click my decision was made. Be Kind was on it’s way, and my thoughts were already changing. What could I do to not yell so often? I needed this shirt to be my inspiration. A visual reminder that I don’t have to yell. There are other ways to deal with frustrations and impatience than with a raised voice.

Rosalina deals with anger by being silly. For her a tickle fight and funny faces quickly change our outlook, and usually lead to a kinder discussion that doesn’t involve yelling. Some of my children need a quiet place to go to, while some need a hug and deep breaths.

Today I’m pairing my Be Kind graphic tee with my Liverpool Jeans. I love bright colors, and these jeans add just the right pop of spring color to the pale pink Be Kind tee. It’s not the only reason I chose these jeans, however. What you can’t see, but I can, is the inspiring message inside my pockets. Printed on the inside of these pockets are the lyrics to Let It Be. Sometimes when remembering to Be Kind in the moment is a little difficult, I need that extra reminder to just let it be. Let the kids be kids, let the messy house be messy, let the world be so I can be.

What’s the Fashion that Inspires you? Share your Be Story with me in the comments.

This weekend only (4/28-4/30) you can get your Be Series graphic tee for only $15.95 with code BESTORY.

April 28, 2017
Thankful Grateful Blessed

I received a Thankful Grateful Blessed Tee from Cents of Style. All opinions are 100% my own.

November is here and with it comes a feeling of gratitude for many. As we prepare for Thanksgiving, our hearts are turned to the many blessings, big and small in our lives.

GRAB YOUR FREE THANKFUL GRATEFUL BLESSED TEE

Over the last year, Mark and I have noticed that our children seem to struggle in giving thanks. Many prayers are said asking for blessings, but the gratitude is minimal. This month, with my Thankful Grateful Blessed tee from Cents of Style, I’m putting a plan in place to focus more on showing my own gratitude while encouraging the kids to ponder more on their own blessings.

So for the month of November, and hopefully longer, I plan on sending my kids off to the bus stop not with a “Have a good day”, but rather with a “What are you thankful for today?”. Then on their return, instead of asking “How was your day?” I will focus on the good. “What was the best part of your day?”

You see when we focus on the good, and remember to look at the positives from our day, it naturally reminds us what we have been blessed with. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the frustrations and the ‘what went wrong’ moments of our day. As the parent, though, I have a duty to help remind my children that those moments are just that – a moment in time. The bad will pass unless we choose to hold on to it. The good however will last much longer as we embrace it and seek it out.

My sister in law uses the phrase “Sweet and Sour”. At the end of the day she’ll ask her kids what the sweet part of their day was, and what the sour part was. I love this idea! I know it’s not realistic to pretend that the sour never happens. So giving our kids a chance to talk about both the good and bad is brilliant. It also offers us as parents the chance to help them focus on those sweet parts, and turn the sour around.

These are just a few of my thankful grateful blessed moments from the past month.

Thankful for my family. My parents, my siblings, my cousins, my aunts and uncles, my husband and my children.

Grateful for a job, a house, and food in the pantry.

Blessed because no matter what has happened, I have always always had family, friends, food and shelter. My basic necessities have always been met.

What are you Grateful for?

November 4, 2016
Fall Fashion with the Remi Swing Dress + Blanket Scarf

I received the Remi Swing Dress and Blanket Scarf in exchange for this post. All thoughts are 100% my true feelings. This post contains affiliate links.

Cold weather, rainy days, a cup of hot cocoa, and the most comfy dress I think I’ve ever worn! Have I mentioned how much I love fall? I know I have, but I won’t stop saying it. Fall is the best season of the year!

CYBER MONDAY DEAL! $15 OFF ANY DRESS WITH CODE CYBERDRESS

The first day I wore my Remi Swing Dress, I couldn’t stop raving about it. By the end of the day I think Mark had heard it enough and responded that it was because I was basically just wearing a t-shirt.

He couldn’t have been more right with that statement! OK OK, it’s not a t-shirt, but you know those TV shows with the girls wearing just a t-shirt and they look so comfortable lounging around? Yeah, that’s basically what the Remi Swing Dress is for me. I totally lounged around the house all Sunday afternoon in it.

It’s not just for lounging though! This super comfortable dress looks amazing with just a few accessories added. I layered the top with another super comfy item – a blanket scarf! On the bottom half I pulled on a pair of colorful tights and then my knee high boots. With the length of the Remi and the height of the boots, it leaves just a hint of color peeping out, which is just how I like it!

I love how the Remi hugs my body in all the right places without accentuating the areas I’d rather not show too much. It comes in all sizes and all colors! If you don’t like the knee high boot look, Cents of Style also has some cute ankle boots that would also look adorbs with the Remi.

GET THE REMI SWING DRESS!

See how other women are styling their Remi Swing Dress!

October 21, 2016
Life is Tough but So Are You

I received a Life Is Tough shirt from Cents of Style in exchange for this post.

Life is tough. I’ve come to accept that that is just how it will be. Sometimes life is easy, and we get to float through, but it’s the tough times that help us appreciate those easy times more.

I’ve had this bad habit through my life where I internalize most of my feelings. Unless positive happy joyful words are going to come out of my mouth, I keep it all in. Then I went through a lot of life changes. I became a Mom. I dropped out of school to raise my children. We dealt with many moves as a family, and job losses. I went back to school, while still raising my kids, and also began a business. I started saying YES to everything.

Not all the changes were bad, but some of them were stressful. Most of them were stressful. Everytime a new change was going to happen, I had to remind myself – You’ve made it this far, you’ll make it through this too. And so we have.

There comes a time though, when internalizing all the negative, and never letting anyone help you, can become detrimental. It is OK to be a happy and positive person. It is also OK to laugh through the tough times.

Do you know what else is OK? It’s OK to seek help. It’s OK to tell those around you when you don’t feel good. When life gets tough, it’s OK to take a nap. It’s OK to say “HEY! I’m not happy!”. Life is tough. Asking for help is tough.

But guess what – so are you! You are tough because you are still kicking your way through life. You are tough when you let other people see the real you. The struggling you. You are tough when you let others in to take care of you. You are tough because you know when you need to reach out.

September was labeled as Skirtember by a few of my friends. In an effort to raise awareness of Mental Illness, especially Prenatal depression. For those moms struggling to get dressed each day because mentally it’s too much – my friends were wearing a skirt every day. I tried to join in, and wore a skirt on the days I could.

Truth is, though, I’m struggling. Life got tough for me this month. Prenatal depression is real. On top of it I had some scares with the pregnancy, and physically this little one is taking a toll on my body I didn’t expect. Instead of continuing to smile through the pain though, I’ve reached out. I let people know, and I’m letting you know too.

I rewatched this video this morning and just cried. Life is tough, but as long as we hold on to hope and our Savior, we can be tough to, and we can make it through.

Check out the t-shirt Collection from Cents of Style!

Life is TOUGH! But so are you. So am I. Together we can create a community that helps and lifts each other through the tough times.

September 23, 2016
Customized Football Raglan Tees

Links to the Football Raglan Tee are affiliates. Excitement is totally genuine.

OK, anyone who knows me, knows I’m not that big into Football. I don’t understand most of the rules/plays/flags – but I love the social aspect it brings out in people.

I have some favorite teams, but like any other sport that I love, I also couldn’t tell you just how well they’re doing this season. I watch the occasional game with my husband, and ask him for updates. My interest is genuine, it’s just not obsessive.

What I do love and maybe obsess a little about, when it comes to sports, is the social camaraderie – or rivalry. We never go to any huge parties, but the idea of tailgating sounds like a blast. I love the fake fights Mark’s family has over who the best University team is in Utah – it’s Utah State University. I think we all agree that the University of Utah has the best cheerleaders, though.

When I saw that Cents of Style now has Football Raglan Tees that you can fully customize, I had to share it! You start by picking the sleeve color for your tee, then your shirt graphic, and finally the color for the graphic! So what are you waiting for? I’m pretty sure I’ll need to get a Royal Blue GAME DAY Raglan.

I’d love to hear what colors you’re sporting on your Football Raglan Tee! Leave me a comment.

Need some Game Day Food? Try this 7 Layer Dip:

September 9, 2016
Wrap Bracelets by Tatiana Filippova + a Bracelet Giveaway

I received Wrap Bracelets by Tatiana Filippova for review. All opinions are 100% my honest thoughts.

When you’re a non-jewelry wearing person, it’s a rare but exciting find to come across a piece that you actually enjoy wearing, and is comfortable as well. That is exactly what I found in these wrap bracelets.

I love jewelry, don’t get me wrong, but remember to put it on and then finding a piece that allows me to comfortably do my work and daily activities chasing the kids has been hard to find.

I didn’t get my ears pierced until I was 21, and I still only wear those on occasion. Usually for a date night and some Sundays when I’m not rushing around trying to make sure the kids all have clean clothes on and combed hair.

I gave up wearing bracelets when I was a teen. My biggest pet peeve with bracelets is how most never fit snugly, so simple movements and this pretty bauble would be riding halfway up my arm, or attempting to slide off my hand.

Wrap Bracelets don’t do that slidey thing! Now they can, if that’s how you prefer your bracelet, but I like mine to fit snugly on the wrist. I especially love the different colors and well-made bracelets from Tatiana Filippova. She’s got a gorgeous set, and for how much my kids have played with these, they have held up beautifully.

How to wrap Wrap Bracelets

To put the bracelets on, hold the button between your thumb and pointer with the bracelet hanging down the back of the hand. Begin wrapping it around your wrist. Once you have the fit you like, stop wrapping. Slide the button into one of the 3 provided button holes.

Voila! Now you’ve got a stylish wrap bracelet that you can wear anytime, and anywhere. I’ve tossed mine in my purse a couple times when we were in a rush, and then put it on when we got to our destination. Venice stole it only a few days after I first received mine and wore it to school! Santa may need to bring a couple for stuffing the stockings this year, so the girls stop sneaking off with mine.

Wrap Bracelet Giveaway

One lucky reader will receive a Wrap Bracelet by Tatiana Filippova. Open to US 18+. Giveaway ends 9/30/16 Enter on the Rafflecopter form.

ENTER FROM MOBILE HERE

a Rafflecopter giveaway

September 7, 2016