Friday Five {Edition 4.16}

Hello Friday! April has been a crazy busy month, in such a wonderful way. I've loved getting to share it with y'all, and thank you so much for letting me. I hope y'all enjoy my Friday Five for the month. Have a fabulous weekend friends!

1. Madewell Tee: This tee is the best, seriously. It's super comfortable, looks cute tucked in or out, and the blush color is right on trend! (Plus, they have a ton of other colors and it's only $19.50). 

2. & 3. Beautycounter Tint Skin Foundation and Retractable Brush: Y'all, as I've shared before, I'm not a huge foundation person because I normally go for tinted moisturizer. I love this foundation though! It's build-able, so you can  get the coverage that you need depending on what you're doing that day/evening. This brush makes putting it on effortless, you must have both!

4. Kendra Scott Necklace: What I love about this one (because I do have a few) is that it's a longer length. So if you have a low v-cut shirt on or even a high crew neck, you can let it hang a bit lower than some of the other styles. 

5. Tory Burch Wallet: This wallet has been great for me since I've had Ian. It has a slot for your phone, so you can carry it as a wristlet too. It's easy to pull out and carry on it's own, but it's small enough to fit in with the million other things in my bag!

Madewell Tee // Tint Skin Foundation // Retractable Coverage Brush // Tory Burch Wallet {similar} // Kendra Scott Necklace {similar}

xoxo, Ashley

Spring Plaid

For Ian's birthday I decided to do StitchFix! This is about my 7th box, and sometimes the box is great, other times it isn't quite what I was hoping for, but this time around, I loved this top that they sent! When I saw it, I knew it was perfect for Ian's birthday party. Paired with these white jeans and lace up shoes, I was sold! 

Top: StitchFix--Market and Spruce {similar here, here, and here} // Jeans: Nordstrom // Shoes: Nordstrom // Necklace: Kendra Scott // Bracelets: Whispering Prayer

Favorite Spring Shoe Picks

Spring is my favorite season because the weather is perfect, it's sunny (but not too hot), and there are so many adorable fashion styles to choose from. Today I wanted to share my top shoe picks for this season, and most of the shoes I've picked come in multiple color options, which is great! I've included a range of price options too. Enjoy! 

Hinge "Drea" Peep Toe ($89.95)

{image via nordstrom.com}

Steve Madden "Darcie" Ankle Strap Sandal ($79.95)

{image via nordstrom.com}

Steve Madden "Slithur" Sandal (On Sale for $89.90!)

{image via nordstrom.com}

Ella Espadrille Sandal ($29.99)

{image via target.com}

"Neta" Leather Wedge Sandal ($79.95)

{image via nordstrom.com}

Arianna Gladiator Sandal ($29.99)

{image via target.com}

"Luminate" Open Toe Dress Sandal ($59.99)

{image via nordstrom.com}

xoxo. Ashley

Ian's First Birthday Party

We had so much fun celebrating Ian turning one last weekend with our friends and family. We decided to have his party at our house, which turned out great, especially since he went down for a nap 30 minutes before it started. 

Our desserts were made by Baked By Ash, and she did a FABULOUS job! Not only were the mini cupcakes, cookies and smash cake adorable, they were so delicious. {She did cake balls for our wedding back in 2011, and everyone raved about those too!}

He wasn't really sure what to do with the cake, but it made for a great photo op! :) {A big thanks to my brother for capturing this one + some of these other pictures in this post.}

I did make a slideshow of his first year of pictures, but our TV wouldn't cooperate, so I was never able to play it. It's still fun to have though for when he gets older!

I usually don't do a whole lot of crafting because I get too impatient with it, especially if it doesn't turn out like I envision it in my mind, but I decided to take on a couple for his party. I was pretty pleased with how it all turned out! :) The high chair banner didn't take near as long as I thought it would, but it did take a whole lot more ribbon than I anticipated {we visited Michaels quite a few times last week}!

xoxo, Ashley

Casual Vibes

I don't know about y'all, but I love a good baseball tee. I probably own way too many, and still don't pass a good one up. I got this one last week and have already worn it multiple times (and it comes in pink too!). It's super comfortable, and it's only $20! (P.S. You can also get this one for 10% off with code "karlyrep10").

These New Balance for J. Crew shoes are amazing too (also come in other color options). They go with so many different outfits and they're super comfortable! This is a new brand of jeans to try out for me and so far, they are my new favorites. {For reference, I'm 5'9, size 4 in women's and got a size 5.} I rolled them up with this outfit, but they are the perfect length for me to wear them unrolled with wedges or heels. 

Top: Happily Ever Aften // Jeans: Nordstrom // Shoes: J. Crew // Necklace: Bird Bee (Back in Stock!!)

xoxo, Ashley

My Lake Must Haves

Growing up we would always go to Alabama a lot in the summer to visit our grandparents that lived on the lake. We went as many weekends out of the summer as we could and spent so much time on the water. Since we've gotten a little older, we generally don't end up being able to go to the lake as much as I'd like to, but we always make it out for Handy Festival in July. It is a blast, and it's so much fun to be with all of our family again, so obviously, I've already got July on my mind. I wanted to share a few of my basics that I'll be taking with me this year!

This swimsuit is from Alloy Apparel because they have a great tall selection (I'm 5'9), but they didn't bring this one back this year. So, I've linked a few of my other favorite swimsuits this year below! 

Y'all already know I'm obsessed with my Beautycounter products because they are non-toxic, clean and high-perfoming, so of course, I have their sunscreen on hand. This is a small stick that's easy to throw in your bag, and perfect for little ones that need a little bit of quick protection. I will also be getting this lotion for summer this year too!

And you know I don't go anywhere without my BNA hat. It goes with everything and is definitely a perfect lake or beach hat. 

What are your must-haves for the lake and beach??

Sunscreen Stick // Sunscreen Lotion // BNA Hat // Swimsuit {similar favorites here , here, + here}

xoxo, Ashley

Nautical Vibes

If you know me, you know that I LOVE stripes. If you were to look in my closet, you'd find way too many striped tops. When I saw this one though, not only was it was too cute, but it was too affordable to pass up for spring and summer. This will probably be a staple outfit for me, especially with some jean shorts when it gets warmer. 

Some of these pieces are from last year, but I have linked similar pieces below if they didn't bring them back this year. I'm super bummed they not longer have this print/style in the Coach purse, but I linked up a gorgeous Coach bag I'm loving right now! 

{P.S. My sweet friend is a brand rep for the boutique I got my top from, so use code "karlyrep10" for 10% off your purchase (excludes sale items and preorder). Hurry, sizes are going quickly in this piece!}

Top: Happily Ever Aften // Pants: Michael Kors (similar) // Bag: Coach // Shoes: Alfani (similar) // Watch: Michael Kors (similar) // Necklace (similar)

xoxo, Ashley

My Go-To Travel Workout

When I'm out of town, it's usually to visit family or friends with my husband and son. There's not normally much time or opportunity to scope out a gym to drop into, so I usually create my own workouts to do while I'm away. As I've mentioned before, I always have this jump rope on hand, and that makes it super easy to get a quick burn in wherever I may be! 

5 Rounds for Time of:

50 Double Unders (or sub 100 singles)

Sprint 200 meters

25 Push-Ups (or sub push-ups from the knee)

50 Air Squats

If you aren't quite sure what 200 meters looks like (I usually can't tell!), we just used a long driveway that we were staying at and sprinted that. You could also run in place as fast as possible for 1 minute if there's not room or the weather isn't nice enough to run outside. 

What is your favorite on-the-go workout?

xoxo, Ashley

*Disclaimer: Please consult your doctor before trying any of these exercises. Please note that I am not a doctor nor licensed personal trainer. 

My Cinderella Shoes

I was looking back on our wedding photos and was reminded of how much I loved my wedding shoes--and since it's Shoesday Tuesday, I figured why not share with y'all. ;) We had a winter wedding, so our colors were black, white and silver, and when I saw these shoes I knew they were the ones! Of course, I haven't worn them since then because I haven't had a reason to get that dressed up again, but I am dying to put together an outfit they will go with. Since these are a couple years old, I wanted to link a few similar choices for y'all. If you're in the market for some fancy shoes, no matter what the occasion, Antonio Melani always has some fabulous choices! 

{photography by Tara Sierra Photography}

HEEL {similar} // SANDAL {similar} // FLAT {similar}

xoxo, Ashley

Chilly Spring Day Look

April seems to be the month of birthdays for us! We have been to 3 parties so far this month, and we still have Ian's first birthday party coming up on the 23rd (how is my baby going to be one?!). This past weekend was a bit chillier than I thought it would be, so I pulled this outfit together for Saturday.

I have been trying out some different brands of tee's, and I have to say I love this one (I'll be sharing more on my favorite basic tees soon, so stay tuned). This tee is only $19.50 (+ free shipping if you get it from Nordstrom), and it comes in 9 colors. I went with this color because it is huge this season and can go with so many different pieces, but I have a feeling I'll be headed back for more colors soon. This Free People tote is also a new favorite of mine. It's reversible and comes with a small zipper pouch and a large zipper pouch inside of it, which makes it easier to organize. I love that when fall/winter rolls around, I can switch it back to the black side if I want. There are 9 other colors available in this tote as well, so make sure you check them all out! :)

JACKET // TEE // JEANS {similar} // SHOES {similar} // TOTE // NECKLACE {long} // NECKLACE {short}

xoxo, Ashley

Around Town Look + Diaper Bags

Today I'm talking diaper bags and a casual around town look. This diaper bag is the one I have used since Ian was born, and I love it! It is made of nylon, so it easily wipes off, and it has a ton of pockets (and if you know me, you know I am a bit of a neat freak). The cross-body strap on it is a little bit long, but I usually just wear it on my shoulder anyways. Other than that, I cannot say enough about how much I've enjoyed this bag. It will definitely take me through baby #2 as well, which is what I was going for!

I have to admit that this "around town" look is one that I have put on repeat. It's comfortable, easy to throw on, yet stylish. These booties are the most comfortable ones I own, so they have already gotten tons of wear out of them. This outfit is also great for the unpredictable weather we've been having here. Nashville can't decide if it wants to be warm or cold!

I wanted to share a few other diaper bags I found that I love right now (and if I could justify having more than one, I would definitely pick one of these). Backpacks are totally making a comeback, and I love that Tory Burch has the same nylon fabric as mine in that style here. This Lily Jade here is great because it can be a backpack, and you can carry it on your shoulder or as a cross-body as well.  Plus, it has a removable/washable organizer and changing pad that comes with it. The backpack style makes it SO much easier to carry your baby and the diaper bag if you don't have somewhere to stow it. Sometimes I have a tough time fitting all of our stuff under Ian's stroller!

What is your favorite diaper bag?

xoxo, Ashley

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Diaper Bag // Top (on sale!) // Jeans {similar} // Necklace {currently sold out, similar here} // Shoes

Hello, Spring Accessories!

Happy April loves! 

This is a pretty quick and easy-to-read post, but I just had to share with y'all my favorite go-to Spring accessories. These pieces are timeless, and I can pretty much throw each of them on with any outfit! If I'm in a hurry, I know I can grab these and go. 

{Although Ian is getting to the point where he wants to chew or pull any jewelry I have on, so I usually have to end up taking them off!}

Enjoy!

Sunglasses | Necklace | Bracelets

xoxo, Ashley

Party Ready Look

SKIRT {similar} | TOP {similar} | NECKLACE | CLUTCH {similar} | BRACELETS {similar} | SHOES