Cooking is not my forte. I like to cook – kind of – but I don’t excel. Does that make sense? No? I know…I’ll try to find a way to explain that so it makes a bit more sense. I love Food Network. I’d love to cook well, and there are a few dishes I’m… Continue reading Dinnerly Dinner Subscription Review: Simple, Delicious, and Affordable
Four years ago today we welcomed our last babies into our world. Our twins, Carter and Charlotte, were born. I was 36 weeks and 6 days pregnant when they made our debut at 3 lbs. and 5 lbs. They spent a week in the NICU, and we spent a week living at the hospital –… Continue reading Happy Birthday, Babes: Answers to the 10 Most Commonly Asked Questions We Get About the Twins
Hey, y’all! Happy Wednesday…and happy cooler weather, Floridians! I’m so happy to have this gorgeous 70-degree high situation back in my life. This weekend was spectacular – and in more ways that one. We had a house full of kids and family all weekend, and we got to spend a child-free night being treated like… Continue reading FAQs: Answering a Few of the Most Commonly Asked Questions I Get On Instagram
Happy Tuesday! I’ve been away from the blog for over a week now, and I really do hate that. I have some amazing content prepared and ready to share, but it’s been a very rough 12 days in the Raiford household. The Flu It hit. And it hit hard. I woke up 12 days ago… Continue reading Life Update: Diagnosed with the Flu and 3 Little Ways to Get Out of A Funk
Monday, Monday, Monday…a new week with some new goals and some new things to conquer. Always welcome, but this weekend did seem to go by a little too fast. We had the best weekend this weekend. We woke up Friday morning at 5 am per usual, we showered, sat down with our coffee, and went… Continue reading Weekend Recap: A Spontaneous Family Getaway at the Gaylord Palms
Some days are not awesome. I think I’m very fortunate to say most of our days are pretty awesome – but we also know how to focus on what’s good in life rather than focusing on what’s less than perfect. Perspective is super important. But it still doesn’t change the fact that some days are… Continue reading 5 Ways to Let Go of Stress at the End of the Day
Time. Do you have enough time? I never feel that I do. I manage to use every second to my best ability, and I’ve decided that’s just who I am. I’m okay with that, but I’m hyper-sensitive these days to the things taking up my time. My kids. My husband. My business. Those are the… Continue reading The Perfect Gift: The Gift of Time (and a GIVEAWAY!)
A Thursday blog post must mean something special is going on. It is. It’s the eve of the very handsome Mr. Raiford’s 35th birthday, and I love celebrating his birthday. He’s the best person I know, and I have no shame celebrating him daily. He’s the kind of man you can’t help but love, and… Continue reading 35 Things You Don’t Know About My Husband (The Man Behind the Scenes of Every Instagram Photo and Blog Post) in Honor of His 35th Birthday
I like Monday. I love the routine and schedule of a Monday. I love weekends, too; don’t get me wrong. I love the unstructured morning schedule of sleeping in, the fun we have, and the laidback-ness of it all, but I’m so schedule-oriented. I like Mondays because I love what I do, and I like… Continue reading The Benefits of Sweet, Slow Sundays: Quality Over Quantity
Every day is different, yet it’s remarkably the same in Raiford household. We run a tight ship with schedules and routines for ourselves and the kids. It’s helpful in keeping everyone on track (and me less crazy), and it’s taught our kids some amazing habits. They know to clean up after themselves because messes make… Continue reading 5 Daily Self-Care Habits that Make Life So Much Sweeter
{Photo: Her Creative Studio) If you follow me on Instastories, you may have noticed I posted a story last week of me sitting in my dining room with my laptop, iPad, and notes working away after being forced out of my home office in annoyance. In fact, I know you noticed because I receive so… Continue reading Working from Home: Answering FAQs About the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Happy Friday! Does everyone have amazing plans for the weekend? We’re doing the date night thing tomorrow night. My husband booked a sitter and he’s taking me to dinner, and then we are spending the rest of the weekend at Disney with the kids. It’s going to be COLD, but what a nice change from… Continue reading Friday Fifteen: Things You Didn’t Know About Me
I love the New Year. I love looking back on where we were a year ago and how far we’ve come since, and I love seeing how much we’ve grown and accomplished. This year is no different. We’ve set our goals, we’ve made our peace with the most wonderful time of the year being over… Continue reading 5 Things I Let Go Of That Changed My Life
Happy 2018! It’s time to get #backtobasics in life. I’ve already shared how 2017 was such a phenomenal year of growth for us prioritizing our family, being more intentional with our time, and slowing down a bit to enjoy the little things. 2017 was a sweet, sweet year for our family. It’s hard to top,… Continue reading #BackToBasics in 2018 (And Happy New Year!)
2017 is over. Can you believe it? I swear the years go by faster every day. I’m still wrapping my mind around the fact that it was New Year 2017 just a minute ago and now we’re mere days away from ringing in 2018 with abandon. Anyone? Just me? No? 2017 was good to us.… Continue reading 2017: The Year of Quality Over Quantity
Motivation isn’t easy to keep, y’all. This is a tough week, too. Thanksgiving is two days away, we all have things to do, people to see, activities to enjoy - kids home from school. But then there are people like me who take on a new client and a new contract at the beginning of… Continue reading Organized Chaos: Tips for Staying Motivated When You’re Just Not Feeling It
Being a lifelong Floridian probably makes it a little ironic fall is my favorite season, but I like to be a little bit of a rebel. So what if it’s 96 degrees today? My front door is flanked with fresh mums (not yet dead from my lack of green thumb) and my house is… Continue reading Cozy Fall Moments With Wayfair: How I Bring Fall to Florida Year With My Decor Year After Year
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it’s true – but it’s really inside your personality. If you’re ugly on the inside, it won’t take people long to determine you’re ugly on the outside. Basically, you control your beauty and it starts from the inside (remember – sarcastic people who love to laugh and… Continue reading 34 Life Lessons to Live By For My 34th Birthday
{ Dress: Charles Henry (old) | Shoes: Manolo Blahnik (old) | Crossbody: Prada } People ask me all the time what I love most about my job. Is it working on my own schedule? Is it working from home? It is being my own boss? It’s Monday. I really love Monday. It’s a fresh start,… Continue reading Florals: Pretty Even in the Fall (And Always Gorgeous on Date Night)
{Before and After using Smile Brilliant's At-Home Whitening Trays} I have terrible vision. I’ve worn glasses/contacts since I was in middle school. It’s a family trait on my dad’s side of the family, but I can’t complain because along with horrible vision comes beautiful teeth. In my almost 34 years, the most my dentist has… Continue reading Professional At-Home Teeth Whitening with Real Results: How A Busy Mom of 4 Gets Pro Whitening Results On the Go {And a GIVEAWAY}
{#floridastrong Our sweet girl offered to sweep all the leaves and branches off the drive the morning after} Hurricane Irma. What a bitch. To say that we are exceptionally thankful right now is a gross understatement. We have a home We have no damage We have power We have one another The worst of the… Continue reading Surviving Hurricane Irma With A Grateful Heart
It turns out being a grown-up is entirely too overrated. I mean, honestly. You guys…we are facing some serious problems here in Florida. Serious problems – and this is a serious post. I know you want fashion and lifestyle tips and things like that, but this week things these seem a little less important than… Continue reading Difficult Decisions in Difficult Situations: Family First Always
Happy last day of August! {All photos of random things we've been up to in the past two weeks} I don’t know about you, but tomorrow officially begins fall in my house. It’s my favorite month of the year – and not just because it’s my birthday month. I’m turning 34 on the 30th, which… Continue reading Life Lately: An Update in the Midst of Busy
{The Marlowes: Short Sleeve and Boatneck} You guys…it’s finally here. The Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale runs from Monday, August 28 until Wednesday, August 30th. Three days of one of my favorite sales of the year. No – my absolute favorite sale of the year. With that I mind and only the weekend to prepare,… Continue reading Simple Tips for Shopping the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale
Better late than never, right? I promised this recipe post two days ago, but I’m slacking this week. Seriously, back to school is amazing, but being part of the PTA for the first time is really a learning curve for me. I didn’t realize how many man hours it takes. I’m enjoying it – I… Continue reading Healthy 5-Minute Edamame Recipe Perfect for Snacking or as A Side Dish
You guys, today is the first day of back to school for our kids – and we are celebrating! Okay, so we took them to school, walked them to class, and ordered our favorite biscuits and gravy to go so we could come home and sit at our desks and eat them. But it’s quiet.… Continue reading The Casual LBD: The Perfect Way to Transition from Summer to Fall ( Or to Other Summer in Florida, anyway)
Happy Friday, darlings! It’s time for champagne, late nights, and fun in the sun. Kidding. It’s time for sippy cups and evenings in the pool and “New Baby Lasagna” night with our closest friends to welcome the newest babe to our little group. I promise there was a time we were much cooler. Fridays meant… Continue reading Friday Favorites: Summer Cocktails Perfect for the Weekend
My magic number is 5. 5 people live with me whom I love more than anyone in the world. 5 is the number of minutes I always white lie about when I’m getting ready/on my way/being rushed. 5 is the number of times I have to repeat myself before anyone even attempts to half listen… Continue reading 6 Simple Habits that Make Every Morning Better
Few things stress me out more than figuring out what to wear to the airport. First world problems, I know. Listen, I’m certainly not complaining about the traveling we get to do or minimizing any actual, real, valid life problems – I’m merely stating a simple fact. I have serious issues figuring out what to… Continue reading Keeping My Travel Style Simple Chic in the Airport
I’m in serious get sh*t done mode over here. It’s Monday, and I killed 23 articles, 10,200 words, a half-hour intense cardio workout at the gym with my handsome husband during lunch – and I spent 30 minutes sitting on the deck in my bikini working on a tan. Any color. Some color. Like, even… Continue reading Three Great Sales You Don’t Want to Miss Before They End
I have this serious thing with sarcasm, wit, and intelligence. A good mixture of all three really brings me such joy and entertainment, and I find it applies to every aspect of my life. I don’t particularly care to spend time with people who don’t appreciate all three – not that there’s anything wrong with… Continue reading Three Insanely Motivational Podcasts that Will Change Your Life
Happy Birthday, America! I don’t know about you guys, but I’m sitting here work, work, working away the day before the Fourth of July, and I have no complaints. The big girls are at a sleepover, the babies are at school, and I’m using this day as a chance to catch up, to work a… Continue reading In Need of Last Minute Fourth of July Inspiration? Here Are My Fourth of July Favorites
Happy Wednesday, you guys! It’s the middle of the week, the prettiest day, and my kids are being extra sweet today – so it’s a win over here. Hashtag winning. So last week I began a Why Not Wednesday series dedicated to trying new things, going outside my comfort zone, and really shaking things up… Continue reading Why Not Get to Know Me A Little Better: Here Are 20 Random Bits and Pieces of Me
Four kids + one business + a husband + a house + social life + children’s activities = One busy mama. I’m (hashtag) blessed, you guys. I married a man who doesn’t have a traditional view of “men and women” in the home. He’s the kind of guy who goes above and beyond for us… Continue reading Friday Favorites: The 5 Things I Do For Myself When I Need to Recharge My Soul
Trying new things makes us well-rounded, more worldly people, right? It’s easy to look back and see how trying new things has helped me to evolve and grow as a person, a wife, a mother, a writer, and newly-minted blogger…yet most new things must be forced on people while they may or may not… Continue reading Why Not Wednesday: Why Not Follow These Three #Bossbabes Today?
Bottomless mimosas overlooking the bay in Tampa followed by a day of shopping til we dropped with my favorite person by my side is my idea of a gorgeous day. Any day with my husband, best friend, partner in crime, built-in comedian is a gorgeous day – only made more gorgeous by the fact our… Continue reading 6 Easy Tools to Set the Tone for A Great Week Ahead
It’s Monday, which means most people feel unmotivated – but not I. I love a good Monday. It’s a cliché, but it’s really a fresh start. It’s also the day after my rest day, which means I usually feel full and content and happy. Sundays are family days for us. It’s the day we attempt… Continue reading Motivation Monday: My 5 Favorite Quotes and Verses
Florida weather is no joke for anyone, but it’s especially brutal on those of us who don’t leave the house without makeup. There’s a fine line between achieving that dewy, fresh look and looking as if my face is melting off. I try for the former, but often feel more like the latter. The moment… Continue reading Beauty Must-Have: Hard Candy Pro Palette
Happy Friday, friends! I love Fridays. It’s amazing how that’s changed over the years, though. Before kids, we loved Fridays because it usually meant we were boarding a flight to one of our favorite cities for a weekend away, or it meant date night, or it meant we got to sleep in like crazy the… Continue reading Friday Favorites: 5 Things I Always Have At Home
I love a checklist of things to do. I crush the art of crossing things out and checking them off. I feel a little like superwoman every time I do it. In all honesty, if I’m feeling unmotivated, behind, or even as if my list is too short on any given day, I’ll start throwing… Continue reading To-Do List Disaster: Handling Life When the To-Do List is Too Long for Comfort
May 15, 2005 is the day my husband and I exchanged vows in front of God and 130 of our closest friends and family members. May 15, 2005 was 12 years ago. Twelve. I can’t even believe it’s been that long. In all honesty, I feel as though it was just yesterday. Cliché. I know,… Continue reading 12 Fun Facts About My Marriage on Our 12th Wedding Anniversary
Happy Mother’s Day, Mamas! If you’d told me 9 years ago when I was celebrating my first Mother’s Day as an expectant mommy-to-be that Mother’s Day would become a day that’s so bittersweet, I never would have believed it. I was high on life, on the baby we were expecting, and on everything else. Life… Continue reading 6 Surprising Things I Love About Being A Mom: The Mother’s Day Edition
We have too much fun, and sometimes I make poor decisions when we’re having fun. Relax, friends; my decisions aren’t that poor. I’m talking about purchasing shots for a group of 12 knowing how I feel after a shot, or ordering a quesadilla for lunch alongside a couple of bloody Mary’s and a bucket of… Continue reading Vacation Recovery: Looking and Feeling Good After Too Much Indulgence
First 5 Email Facebook Instagram Pinterest Online shopping I mean, I shower first, pour my coffee second, and then start with my First 5. That’s a morning tradition I cannot live without. I like my me time in the mornings to get myself situated. I like to get up at 5. I like mornings. I’m… Continue reading How Does Social Media Make You Feel?
274 days. 3 feet. Math. Yuck. But that’s how long my husband has been working from home full-time and how far his desk is from mine in our home office with his fancy title I can never remember (he’s a tech genius who makes magic happen – and if I understood half of what he… Continue reading 5 Ways Our Marriage Benefits From Traveling Without Our Kids
Want to know a secret? I don’t handle stress very well. I have several theories as to why – none of which are medically backed, medically diagnosed, or medically anything. I am not a doctor, and I gave up on Grey’s Anatomy when they killed off McDreamy (but I was kind of off that train… Continue reading Handling Stress When It’s Overwhelming Is Easier Than You Might Imagine
When I was 29, I could not wait to turn 30. I’d been hearing for years that your thirties are the best years of your life and considering how amazing my 20s were, I was pumped for my 30s. Let me tell you this – my 30s have been amazing, and it was hard for… Continue reading My Body in My 30s: What My Body is Telling Me
Hi friends – My apologies for going MIA the past two weeks – and for planning on doing precisely the same the next two weeks. It’s been an overly stressful time in our household with all four kids getting sick, and now me falling ill. It’s been four very LONG weeks, and my body decided… Continue reading Much Needed Rest and Recovery: Back on April 12th
What. A. Week. I’ve been MIA the past week, and for good reason. My household has been turned upside down, inside out, and back again. Thankfully, it’s Monday and I’m happy again! The last time I was here was last Monday when I shared some simple tips for making Mondays kick ass, and that post came… Continue reading Grace and Tears: What I Appreciate When Life Throws Curveballs
Monday…few people love a Monday, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I don’t dislike Monday, but even I’m happy to admit it’s not my favorite day of the week. If you love what you do, you’ll never have a problem with Monday. Lies. I love what I do, and I don’t dread getting up on… Continue reading Monday Motivation
Tiffany Raiford 