Spring Fling Linkup: Favorite Spring Trends

Today is the second day of spring (thank goodness) and to celebrate, I am linking up in Seersucker Sass and Pick Your Beau's Spring Fling Linkup! This winter was definitely a long one and I'm so excited for fun and bright spring outfits! So, I'll be sharing five of my favorite trends for the spring season that will probably carry into summer as well!

Gingham

I've officially bitten the gingham bug and I love it! Gingham is such a classic piece and is really in style this season (thanks J. Crew). Be right back as I go and buy everything printed in it! Stay tuned for tomorrow's post featuring a super fun gingham accent!

Blush

Blush is one of the 2016 colors of the year (well rose quartz is and they're practically the same thing). Blush is so versatile and I love how it can be added as so many different pieces (shoes, a purse, a top, etc.) to add a feminine touch into an outfit!

Light Blue Stripes

I blame this Kate Spade top for this one! Stripes are always a spring must-have (um, let's be real y'all- stripes are always a must have for me, not matter what the season) and I love the nautical touch they add to outfits! Light blue is a bit of a switch up from the ever-popular navy or even black, adding a spring touch to the classic!

Pineapples

Pineapples are definitely a trend carried over from last summer that I definitely love more this time around! The pineapple craze can be seen everywhere from home decor (like this Insta-famous jar) to fashion (you know it's legit when Lilly Pulitzer puts a spin on it!).

Embroidered Pieces

Definitely can be a bit more boho but I occasionally love pieces with some embroidery on them! I think they add such a fun, spring vibe to an outfit and I love these Vineyard Vines options!

What trends are you loving for spring? Let me know in the comments!

My Chic Week: March 11-17

2 and a half days, y'all! In case if you were wondering, that is how many school days I have until my Spring Break begins and I could not be more excited! This past week has been a doozy workload-wise and I have quite of bit of work to get done this weekend (but I also have some fun plans I'll be sharing next week) making me even more anxious for break to officially begin!

Friday was a pretty exciting day as my mom and I got up early and hit the road to go to tour Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC. I toured Wake my freshman year (it is actually the first college I've ever toured) so I was excited to visit campus again!

It did not disappoint and it was so nice to walk around and explore campus a little bit!

Since Wake was on spring break, it was a self-guided tour so after that my mom and I drove over to the football stadium before going to get lunch at Panera before heading back home.

We ran a few errands before heading back home and I pretty much just hung out the rest of the afternoon and evening, which worked for me after an early wakeup that morning!

Saturday was another exciting day as my mom, sister, and I went shopping at Southpark Mall (which is in Charlotte) to shop at Lunch at Lilly. Lilly, of course, was our first stop and I was thrilled to pick up a lot of pretty goodies that are perfect for spring along with some fun Gift with Purchase items (not to mention, how cute is this dressing room!).

fit and flare dress, shift dress 

short sleeve dress, long sleeve dress

After Lilly, we hit a few more stores and ate lunch at California Pizza Kitchen (I'm obsessed with their Barbecue Chicken Pizza) before heading back home. That afternoon, I hung out and blogged for a bit before going to Saturday night Mass with my mom!

Sunday was a super lazy day, one that was much needed! I slept in and just worked on homework and blog stuff all day. My family had our Corn Beef and Cabbage dinner to celebrate St. Patrick's Day since that was Thursday and it's harder to do on a weeknight! The homemade Irish Soda Bread is the best part- I look forward to it every year!

On Monday, I had a spiritual retreat, which was nice since I didn't have to actually go to class that day! After school, I taught my Faith Formation class and then studied!

The rest of this week has been fairly insane to say the least. Today is my last major test day of the quarter so I have had a lot of studying to do to prepare for those! I also have a few big projects to work on this weekend (two books to read for AP Lit along with a Pre Calc project) so I am eagerly awaiting Wednesday, which is the start of my Spring Break!

Other than a tremendous amount of studying and homework, I have had a few meetings this week and I have nannied each night after school, which is always a fun break from all of my homework!

On my Radar:

1. Spring Break! My break starts on Wednesday and I could not be more excited! This week is the last week of the 3rd quarter (how did that happen?) so, as I mentioned before, I have had a lot of tests, quizzes, and projects this week! Good thing I'll be at the beach this time next week :)

2. Mackenzie Horan's adorable boutique, Design Darling, is having a sale to celebrate the boutique's 4th birthday! All purchases are 20% off with the code TURNINGFOUR. The boutique has so many cute items, I picked up this print that is perfect for my room redesign (which you can see the inspiration for here!)

3. I am loving this outfit from Amy!

4. I'm thinking of making these Mini Easter Egg Cakes with the little boy I nanny this week. They are so cute and fairly simple to put together! Be sure to follow me on Pinterest here!

5. I love Caroline's tips for staying healthy while on vacation, I will definitely be using some of these over Spring Break (find out where I'm heading in this post)

Be sure to check out my posts from this past week:

How to Organize Your Life, 10 Things I Could Never Travel Without {Collab with Riley of Northern Prepster}, #galpalholiday: Four St. Patrick's Day Desserts from Pinterest, All About Babysitting

Have a great weekend!

All About Babysitting

One job that I would say is fairly common for girls my age is babysitting or nannying. I nanny 3 to 4 days a week after school as well as other babysitting jobs on the weekend. Since I babysit and nanny quite frequently I thought it would be fun to put a post together for y'all as a guide for babysitting as well as some fun activities if you babysit yourself!

Disclaimer: All of this is based off of my own personal experience babysitting and nannying so it may vary for your own personal experience babysitting and nannying!

image via

The Difference Between Babysitting and Nannying

Babysitting has been a great job for me over the past few years but one definite drawback is that it is fairly inconsistent- I have ranged from weekends with no babysitting jobs to ones with three in two days. Nannying is a consistent job where you have a set schedule (typically). For example, 8 am to 6 pm every week day in the summer or 4 to 7 PM on Monday, Thursday, and Friday.

What Babysitting Entails (in my experience)

This depends on the time of day but entertaining the kids, feeding the kids, putting them to bed, changing diapers, going to the park

What Nannying Entails (in my experience)

All of what a babysitter does but possibly helping the kids with their chores, driving the kids to sports practices or home from school, helping out with laundry, etc. as well. I usually do more activities with the kids while nannying (such as going to the pool or the movies) as nannying, for me at least, is a longer period of time. Also, what the nanny does varies from family to family and the parents have always let me know what they want me to help out with!

The Pay

I am not sure if this varies by area but I would say $10 a hour is pretty common. I would ask because it could change based on how many kids are there, if you're driving the kids around, etc.

Things to Ask Before the Parents Leave

- Bedtime!

- Where things are in the house (like cookie sheets if you want to bake cookies, utensils, food, etc.)

- What time they will be home. Be sure to ask this! I once thought the parents would be back before 11 but they actually got back a few hours later than that so definitely always ask!

Things to Keep in Mind

- Be comfortable: This doesn't mean to act totally like you're at your own house but be comfortable enough to get food or watch TV (after the kids are in bed)

- Don't snoop around the house: Yes, it's okay to look in every kitchen cabinet in search of a mixing bowl but don't snoop in places you shouldn't be in because honestly, that's just weird. A good rule of thumb is to stay with the kids but encourage them to stay out of spaces such as the parent's office.

- Use your judgment: For example, if a 4 year old claims to watch a school aimed for middle-schoolers, use your best judgment and maybe say something like "You may watch this but tonight let's watch _____ instead". This also goes for if a kid says "Mom lets me do this" for something questionable

- What to Wear: Comfy clothes! During the summer, I'll wear workout clothes or just chino shorts and a simple top. Little kids tend to spill a lot so I would not wear anything that you would not want to be stained

- Bring a Treat or promise a treat for good behavior!

Activities to Do

- Board Games

- Go to the park

- Head to the movies (in my area they have $1 kids movies in the summer)

- Bake cookies

- Paint

- Go for a walk

- Bring a movie (older ones like Spy Kids or High School Musical are fun because the kids may have not seen it before!)

- Use chalk outside

- Go the pool

- Take advantage of what's around you (local kid's museums, ice cream places, parks, pools, the library, pottery painting studios, etc.)

Anything I forgot to add? Let me know in the comments!

#galpalholiday: Four St. Patrick's Day Desserts from Pinterest

Today, I am so excited to be linking up for another edition of the #galpalholiday linkup hosted by Cathleen of Classy Cathleen, Rachel of Seashells and Sparkles, and Cristina of Cristina Was Here. This week's theme is St. Patrick's Day as St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow (so be sure to wear green!). I figured that it is a little late to share outfits as you will not be able to buy it in time for the holiday so I decided to round up four delicious desserts from my St. Patrick's Day Pinterest board (be sure to follow me on Pinterest as well). As be sure to check out my other posts for previous editions of the #galpalholiday linkups: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valentine's Day!

Unfortunately, I can't eat any of these as I gave sweets up for Lent but if you didn't give up sweets, let me live vicariously through you!

Peekaboo Shamrock Pound Cake- I just think that this is the cutest idea and you can adapt it for other holidays (a heart for Valentine's Day, a Christmas tree for Christmas, a snowflake for January, a pumpkin for Halloween or Thanksgiving, etc.)

Hidden Pot of Gold Brownie Cups- These look so cute as well and have hidden "gold" aka sprinkles!

Shamrock Pretzel Pops- These are so cute not to mention to so easy to put together!

Mint Oreo Truffles- I love Oreo truffles, so yummy! These look like such a fun variation for St. Patrick's Day!

How will you be celebrating St. Patrick's Day? Let me know in the comments!

10 Things I Can't Travel Without {Collab with Riley of Northern Prepster}

I am so excited to be teaming up with my friend Riley of Northern Prepster today to share with y'all 10 Things We Can't Travel Without. I have a little more than a week until my Spring Break begins and so I currently have everything travel related on my mind (find out where I'll be traveling to in this post)! 

1. Sunglasses

After forgetting them for a few vacations, I always make sure to pack a pair! Be sure to bring a pair especially if you're heading to the beach!

2. A Shift Dress (or Two!)

Lilly Pulitzer shift dresses are my favorite in the spring and summer and they are perfect for vacations! I love that they're perfect for everything from a casual dinner at the beach to a graduation, making them a travel essential for me!

3. A Wristlet

I always keep my wristlet with me as I keep my ID in mine but they are so handy to have on vacation as you can throw in your hotel room card, cash, and your phone (in the pocket) and keep it in your beach bag rather than having to carry a wallet around with you!

4. Hair Towel

I always use a hair towel to help dry my hair at home and I can't tell y'all how many times I have forgotten to bring it along with me on trips! They are so helpful in drying your hair so I would definitely pick one up at Target (where mine is from) and bring it with you!

5. Headphones

An absolute necessity for the actual trip to your destination! While in the car or plane, I like to listen to music or watch movies, so don't forget your headphones! For more carry-on essentials, read this post from last spring!

6. A Large Tote Bag

I always use this large tote bag as a carry on bag so I can fit all of my stuff for the trip as well as use it as a beach bag once I get to my destination!

7. Dry Shampoo

I am typically so much lazier about my hair routine while on vacation so dry shampoo is an essential! This Moroccanoil dry shampoo is amazing and they make versions for both light and dark colored hair!

8. Cute Sandals

I live in my Jack Rogers and Tory Burch Millers in the summer so be sure to pack a pair! They're so versatile and will go with everything you pack!

9. A Vineyard Vines Shep Shirt

No matter what the weather of your destination, I would always bring a shep shirt or another pullover. They're great for mountain trips during the day or even if you're at the beach, to wear at night when it is a bit chiller or if you want to escape from bugs while making s'mores!

10. A Bikini

Seemingly obvious but something you don't want to forget (especially for a beach or lake vacay!). I would also bring one along even if you think you wouldn't need it (aka a trip to the mountains) as you never know if you may spontaneously want to go somewhere where you need a swimsuit!

What can you not travel without? Let me know in the comments!

How to Organize Your Life

Happy Monday (well as happy as a Monday can be!). Today, I have gathered up my favorite organization tips for y'all! I consider myself to be fairly organized and I honestly couldn't function without being organized so I have complied all of my tips into this post!

Use an Agenda 

I've probably said it a gazillion times but without my agenda I would be totally lost. My agenda literally holds my life together so I would definitely recommend investing in one if you haven't already! I did a post on my agenda organization, which y'all can read here!

Clean Room, Clean Mind

If my room is a mess, I feel like a mess. Take a few minutes a day to clean your room, which helps you focus!

Prep for the next Day the Night Before

Prevent the mad rush in the morning by prepping the night before and making your lunch, picking an outfit, showering, charging your computer, etc.

Keep your Inbox in Folders

I am pretty OCD about my emails and keep absolutely everything. My thinking is you never know when you need to use it (you better bet I have emails from 2012) so I make a ton of folders and put them away in there. Read more about my email organization in this post!

Create your "system"

Obviously what works for me may not necessarily work for you! Try a few new things and create your own system that works perfect for your needs.

To-do lists = your new best friend

I love to-do lists! I have at least 5 going on at any particular time! I love that you can make long term or short terms ones and keep track of what you need to be doing!

How do you stay organized? Let me know in the comments!

My Chic Week: March 4-10

HAPPY FRIDAY! I actually have the day off from school today, which makes Friday a million times better! I'm off on another college tour today, so stay tuned for pictures next Friday (dying to know where I toured? follow me on Instagram!).

Friday was a Mass day for me at school and the Bishop actually came to perform Mass. A fun tradition is the Bishop can grant a day off of school when he performs Mass at school so we didn't have school on Monday, which was very exciting!

After school, I camped out in Starbucks for a while since I had the SAT the next morning!

I woke up bright and early to take the SAT, which of course was a lovely way to spend my morning! Afterwards, I ate lunch and then took a long nap (a 3 hour-long one actually). Saturday night, my neighbors came over for dinner, which was a lot of fun!

Sunday morning, I went to the earliest Mass with my sister and mom. Afterwards, we went out to breakfast at one of my favorite restaurants so I of course had to indulge in some pancakes!

The rest of the day I checked a few things off of my to-do list and just hung out!

As mentioned earlier, I didn't have school on Monday so I slept in and caught up on my to-do list! I grabbed lunch before running a few errands. I also took my puppy for a long walk since it was so nice outside!

I had Faith Formation that night and also did a bit of studying for a test that I had on Tuesday!

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were all fairly busy as it is one of the last weeks of the quarter (and before Spring Break!). I also nannied on all of these nights, which was a fun way to take a break from studying and essay writing! Not to mention, it has been so warm here this past week so I have spent a lot of time outside while nannying (who can say no to playing in the park?).

Since I don't have to much to report on for y'all, here are a few snaps from my Instagram this past week. One of my 101 in 1001 goals is to post on Instagram everyday for a month, so I am attempting to that this month (well from March 6 till April 6). Be sure to follow me here to stay updated with all of my latest snaps!

On my Radar:

1. Lunch at Lilly is tomorrow! Seriously can't wait (read my post here!)

2. I bought this sports bra from Lululemon over the weekend and I'm obsessed, definitely motivation to work out!

3. It has been so gorgeous outside this past week so I switched my regular hot coffee to a DIY Iced coffee and I love it! It is actually so easy too: just fill a tumbler cup up with ice, pour in coffee, and then add your creamer/milk and sugar! Not to mention it's so yummy!

4. Ben & Jerry's just released 3 new flavors: Brownie Batter Core, Coconuts for Caramel Core, and Cookies & Cream Cheesecake Core. The Cookies & Cream Cheesecake Core is calling my name (after Lent ends of course!)

5. Love these tips from Krista on how to take better blog pictures!

Be sure to check out my posts from this past week!

Spring Break Travel Outfit {Collab with Kasey of Classically Kasey}, Easter Dresses, How to Switch Your Closet to Spring (Plus Organization Tips!), Lunch at Lilly

Happy Friday!