It's OK to buy shredded cheese...

I remember the first time I heard the news.  I was at one of my friend's Pampered Chef party and we were putting together meals.  It was really fun, actually. Anyways- the lady was telling us that the shredded cheese that you buy in the store has added chemicals to keep it from clumping- and therefore it is better to buy blocks of cheese and shred it yourself...and then she tried to show us how great the Pampered Chef one is...etc,etc... I remember thinking:

It's not that I couldn't naturally deduce that myself, but I had never put any effort into it. I had bought shredded cheese since college because it was easier and I had no desire to add that step.

I'm not sure what the timeline was but LATER I was reading Pioneer Woman's blog- before Ree became the mega-star she is today (I love you Ree Drummond!) and she begged her readers to shred their own cheese! I was like, PEOPLE! At that time I had 2 little tornadoes at home and I was a MAJOR crafting blogger...at least in my head. I didn't have time to shred my cheese. I hardly had time to take a SHOWER. You can keep your shredder, thank you.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/broccoli-with-cheese-sauce/

Now fast forward many years.  Add 3 more kids to the mix.  Those oldest 2 are 11 & 10 and amazing helpers. Life is crazy but good- with an emphasis on crazy, ha. I wouldn't have it any other way- but get this. I shred my cheese now. I'll let you process that a moment.

Need more time?

Yes- I shred my own cheese now.  I'll hold for applause. 

Still holding. (Bwahahahah!)

With a family of 7 people that are constantly asking me to do this or that, I finally feel like I have matured to the level of a cheese grater.  Now please, do NOT get me wrong.  Sometimes I'll do a recipe that requires a cheese that I usually don't buy and I say- let's do this the easy way, mister. Pre-shredded please and thank you.

WHY am I telling you this? WHY should you care? And for heaven's sake- what does this have to do with fashion?!!!

It wasn't her season.

 Or hers...

 Or hers...

 And certainly not hers...haha! I can't help it, I love this picture.

BUT it is hers...

My season to what, exactly? My season to make time for things that matter to me. Time to make a little more time for myself, even if it requires getting out of bed a little earlier. My time to set my priorities in order- ya know? And actually, it really doesn't have anything to do with CHEESE, although I am a big fan. It's a season for me- not in a forget-your-kids-they're-on-their-own way, but more of a they-need-to-see-me-as-a-person kind of way- and Lularoe is doing that for me. Maybe it can do it for you too. That's your call, but I can help!

I'm not sure what season you're in, there are so many! I hope that whatever stage it is, that eventually you'll get to that point where it feels authentic in your skin.  It's a good feeling.  Even if there's shredded cheese in your fridge {heehee}.

Don't SKIRT the issue...let's talk about them.

This weekend I wore my Lola, which is one of the lesser known Lularoe skirts.  To say I love it might be an exaggeration.  To say I worship it might go a little far, I mean its just a skirt. Let's just say I REALLY LOVE IT!

And since the Carly dress is in such high demand, I'm thinking I just might add the Lola.
Here are some more pics from Lularoe. As you can see, they come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and patterns- just like most LLR stuff.

Lularoe says this:

The Lola skirt, LuLaRoe’s midi skirt, falls fashionably below the knee. This lace or chiffon skirt features a lining that is four inches shorter than the skirt itself, adding visual interest to the lace options and enough fullness and weight to ensure this skirt hangs beautifully. This skirt in turn makes you feel  beautiful and who wouldn’t want that?

http://www.lularoe.com/lola-skirt

The Lola runs $46 making it one of the more expensive skirts- but that's why its fun to hostess (free stuff!) If you take the plunge- and I think you should- you just might wear it all the time. And let's just say they don't make good pajamas...not that I would know...or would I?


There are several other skirts that I will eventually carry.  But here are two that are some of the most adored LLR items, and I think you'll see why.

The Cassie is one of THE MOST POPULAR skirts.  I mean if she were a person, she just might be voted Miss Popularity (Do they actually vote on these things? No, no they don't...but let's move on.)

Y'all know how I feel about polka dots, right?

Sorry, I am passionate about dots.

And one more thing- this is one totally crazy thing I love about LLR, they are so diverse! Check out this CASSIE skirt pretending to be a scarf.

http://www.themommybeautyblog.com/2015/12/lularoe-review.html

Or EVEN a top!

http://www.vivaveltoro.com/2016/04/lularoe-cassie-pencil-skirt.html

(MIC DROP)

Our Cassie skirt takes the fancy up a notch without sacrificing comfort. Our pencil skirt’s waistband    flatters all body types and enables the wearer to adjust the length as needed. You can still dance like no one is watching and know that everything you want covered will stay covered. And you will look hot, too. We live in this skirt all year long.

http://www.lularoe.com/cassie-skirt

Cassies are so diverse and can be casual or fancy. A darling but comfortable pencil skirt- that's such a great combo. Cassie skirts are $35.

I don't know one YET...but I will. OHHHH YES, yes I will. And it just might have polka dots if I'm super lucky!

Last but not least is the MAXI.  Most people know what a Maxi is- but did you know that the Maxi is what started this whole Lularoe thing? The whole story is typed out nicely HERE. In short- our CEO DeAnne started sewing Maxi skirts for her daughter and her friends. She discovered there was a market for them after sewing over 60 skirts...that is about 59 more skirts more than I would have made, so PROPS!

Our Maxi skirt is a go-to piece for the woman who wants to be comfortable throughout the day but still likes to look her best. It's perfect for the woman whose demanding day requires function and style from her wardrobe. The LuLaRoe Maxi Skirt can easily be worn while playing on the ground with kids and transitions effortlessly to a night on the town!http://www.lularoe.com/maxi-skirt

And just because I like to see your face when I throw in a surprise- check this out.

http://gracepurposeandpearls.blogspot.com/p/boutique.html

BOOM. A Maxi 2-ways.  You knew it was coming...

Maxis run $42 and I will have them in stock very soon!

Shave your legs, ladies- because these skirts are awesome...or just wear a Maxi and enjoy the freedom. Happy Monday!

xoxo,

Linz

To the T- The Perfect T to be exact...

There's a reason they call this the Perfect T, look at that great fit. It can be all loose and flowing when you're not feeling it (can I get an amen?) OR it can be tied in the back and BOOM-SHAKA-LAKA! Fitted Tee. SO FUN! Here is a shot of all sides.

Lularoe describes it here:

LuLaRoe’s Perfect T boasts a fun swing shape complimented by flirty side slits and a flattering half-sleeve that makes this simple, comfortable top the star of any outfit. Pair it with any of LuLaRoe’s skirts and leggings for a look that can’t be ignored! http://www.lularoe.com/perfect-t

This is a great sizing chart to figure out how you want to wear it. I WANT ONE.  Don't you?

Perfect T is $36

Coming sooooooooon!
xoxo,
Linz

The Big Fat WHY

One of my friends called me today. Love her. She started off her conversation by saying- OK, help me understand this whole Lularoe thing. What is taking so long? What made you decide to do this?

Bless. First of all, it's taking forever because last year there were only a few thousand consultants in the whole company, this year there are tens of thousands- so they are experiencing a lot of growth and it's taking a while, as you can imagine. I know this because despite the fact that I have crossed fingers AND toes- my call to order my initial inventory still has not come and I signed up over a month ago- but I am not without hope!

One of the big deals with Lularoe is what they call "your why".  The thing that will motivate you to keep moving and working when the going gets tough- so I thought I would share with you my why...but first, a story.

Did you know that I played soccer? OK, I kinda still play.

Well I don't play as well as I used to because I am OLD...but that's another blog post (which will never be written because hello? Depressing!) The picture above is of one of my teams- The American Eagles, way before the clothing store was around.  I'm on the bottom row, 2nd to the left. I began playing when I was 8 and have played off and on my whole life. 

In case you don't have first hand experience, let me tell you- soccer is year-round. You have a month off here and there, but there is no real off-season. Playing soccer on a competitive team is a major commitment and I LOVED it. Every Saturday my parents would load me and my gear into the car and we would go wherever our next game was...for years, without an off season. In all the years I played soccer, my parents only missed one game. Just one. 

Now as a parent I realize what a tremendous sacrifice they made for my passion. I come from good people. I hope I make them proud.

OK- back on track. My WHY.  Here they are:

The whole idea started out as a simple desire. My husband does an amazing job of supporting our family.  We live in a beautiful home, own 2 vehicles, have nice clothes and food on our table.  We want for nothing. However, having 5 children is expensive and unexpected things pop up and set us back on our financial goals. I'm fairly certain we refer to this as LIFE. Can I get an AMEN?

I have found that as the children get older they want to DO things with their life.  Piano lessons, flute lessons, gymnastics, violin lessons- lots of lessons!  No soccer, but I can live with that. Haaaaaaaaaa. And since our money tree hasn't started growing in the back yard yet- I really felt the need to help where I could...so I started thinking.  I looked into lots of options. I did some research. I prayed. I felt a little lost. I prayed some more. Then BAM- that idea that I had thrown around a bit in this noggin' came clearly in my head.  And here I am, typing to you instead of dusting my ceiling fan (which by the way is SUPER dusty).

My WHY is financial, kinda. I want to stay home with my little bitties. I want to be at the crossroads when my older children need a ride, need a hug, or need a gentle reminder that they haven't done their laundry in 2 weeks. (Ew.) I also want to help them reach their dreams...and that, often, requires a little extra.

So to recap- my WHY is to give my kids the same experiences I got as a child. On the soccer field, on the gym floor, in the band hall, or at an easel- wherever they put their dreams- I want to be able to say- sure, you can do that. And please, do your laundry.

I hope you'll help us get there!

xoxo,

Linz

The Randy Man

To say I am anxious to get my inventory is a bit of an understatement. I AM RIDICULOUSLY EXCITED.  Sorry, I'll stop yelling. One of the pieces that will come in my inventory will be the Randy t-shirt. Man, they have come up with some super cute pattern combinations and I am just itching to get my hands on one! I'm thinking that if you play your cards right, this top would be so stinkin' cute with leggings. Oh and boots- can you see it in your head? What about now?

Here is what Lularoe says about them:

At LuLaRoe, comfort is key and we often liken our dresses and skirts to a simple t-shirt in terms of their wearability and comfort. With LuLaRoe’s Randy shirt, we have a t-shirt to offer. This unisex knit shirt resembles a baseball T with its raglan, mid-length sleeves in a contrasting, patterned fabric. It is everything a t-shirt should be: stylish, easy, and comfortable.

http://www.lularoe.com/randy-tee

Did you see how sneaky I was there? There was a MAN in one of the pictures. So ya- guys can shop the 'Roe too, and how cute is a guy in a baseball tee? Very. Get ready, hubs- you're getting a Randy. Ooh maybe we can get matching ones?! What? Too much? OK, maybe. Did I mention I was excited?!

Oh and one last thing- if you'd REALLY like to see how different the Randy is- check out the Instagram pics on #lularoerandy. While you're there, make sure you follow me at: shop.with.linz

Randy sells for $35.

Have a great day, peeps!

xoxo, Linz

Amelia Bedelia...no, not really.

The Amelia dress, which actually has nothing to do with the awesome book character Amelia Bedelia, is one of our higher end dresses. I have tried on the dress before and really liked the fact that it had a zipper in the back, to make it a more fitted style, and pockets- because I'm a Mom and Moms need pockets to stow little treasures like Barbie shoes and chewing gum wrappers. Word to the wise: remove those wrappers before washing. Trust me on this one.

Lularoe describes the Amelia like this:
The Amelia dress' stretchy knit fabric is comfortable enough to let you wear the dress all day, while having the structure and tailoring that make it sophisticated enough for the office or a fancy night out. The dress features handset box pleats, giving the dress a  flowing, full skirt. And before we forget the best part, this dress also has hidden pockets! This dress is everything a girl needs.

http://www.lularoe.com/amelia-dress

 My cute sister Heather loves her Amelia.  Here's her rocking it out. Please note: polka dots are a thing for my family. We love our dots. If my initial inventory has polka dots, I just might snatch them for myself. You've been warned.

Folks, if you don't have a fascinator hat, we will forgive you.  It appears that a necklace and belt do just fine.  Love my sassy sister and her style. Lots of great ways to dress up this dress.

Amelia's are $65.

Think you'd like to try one on? Let me know!

#shopwithlinzatlularoe

xoxo,

Linz

Hello Carly!

The Carly dress is the newest addition to Lularoe and they are flying off the shelf. I can't wait to add one to my closet! It looks so comfy yet stylish.  I'm also all about a dress that might hide my...what shall we call them?...Motherly curves? Those that have bought the Carly are raving about them. I haven't tried one on yet, but its only a matter of time, y'all.

Here is what Lulare says about the Carly:

 "We all want a cute dress that lets us breathe and move easier, so we are excited about the Carly - a swing dress that flatters the best parts of a feminine physique while being flowy and breezy everywhere else. The Carly comes in a wide array of fabrics, prints, and washes and has some amazing features such as a patch pocket, a flattering high-low hemline, and cool open sleeves."

-Lularoe, http://www.lularoe.com/carly-dress  

I've added the sizing chart, but I've heard the Carly runs big, so keep that in mind. The Carly is something I would like to add to my boutique- what do you think? And let's just say one more thing- I don't own a single mustard colored anything- but this model is rocking it.  Who knew mustard was more than just good on a sandwich? Well, apparently lots of people- but it would be new for me.  Does mustard go with white bread? Because y'all, that is what it might look like on me. (Yes I am looking you straight in the eyes).

Sincerly, the Non-tanner

Carlys run $55.  Coming sooooooooon. #shopwithlinzatlularoe #soon

xoxo,

Linz