Friday Favorites: Hitting Our Summer Groove, Road Trip Organization, and Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Happy Friday! It has been another fun summer week here! As usual I am linking up with  Erika, Narci and Andrea. for another edition of Friday Favorites!

*Some affiliate links used.

Getting in the Summer Groove

After we had a week long celebration of the 4th of July, I appreciated a quieter week these past few days. The other day, I noticed that our front porch flower pots are now in FULL bloom. At that moment it clicked with me that we are hitting the sweet spot of summer. The flowers are in bloom, the grass is really green and lush and the kids and I are hitting our summer groove. July is the month of summer that we really try to savor!

We are not even half way through summer break, so I am trying to take our time day by day. I don’t want to wish away this summer!

Getting Organized for Summer Travel

Earlier in the week, I shared my favorite tips for road trip organization! We have logged a lot of miles on the road and I have learned a thing or two about how to stay on top of the organization game.

One of my favorite tips (that I did not share in the post) is to get your car vacuumed immediately after a road trip! Last Sunday we came back from a weekend at the lake and I immediately got off of the freeway and took my car to get vacuumed. This isn’t always doable if you have a car full of people and stuff. But in our case, there was sooo much sand in our car that I did not even want to wait to clear everything out!

Another thing I didn’t mention in my post earlier this week is that I like to leave the house with a clean kitchen! Nothing is more sad than coming home from a trip and the house is a disaster. It’s like a double whammy! Anyone else with me on this philosophy?!

 

Next month’s Clear the Clutter Challenge is Kids Clothing! If you haven’t already joined our Facebook group, hop on over! We share easy tips and ideas for getting the house organized!

Conquering Kids Fears

This week, my older kids had two swim meets and as I sat there cheering them on, I thought to how much  one of my kids HATED to swim when he was younger. His fear was so great that even bath time was a struggle.  It is tough to see your kids struggle through a challenge or fear! There are times as a parent that you wonder if your child will ever get past the particular fear/milestone/challenge. However, I am learning that in most cases, the kids do push through and overcome that hurdle! I am a big proponent of the motto “Hard is not the same thing as bad”. Challenges are a good thing for our kids to learn about at an early age!

On Wednesday, I shared my tips for helping your child overcome the fear of water—most of the tips could be applied to any challenge your child is facing. (Spoiler alert: A lot of patience is involved!).

Now, I am happy to report that my son loves to swim and he is doing awesome on his swim team. You would never know by seeing him swim that he disliked the water up until almost two years ago!

 

Nordstrom Sale

Are you excited about the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale? The Sale started yesterday for Cardholders and starts on July 20th for non-cardholders.  I always find a few things for me but I am always most interested in the deals for the kids. I usually buy each of the kid’s gym shoes during the sale. Plus I always look for some athletic gear for the boys and any cute outfits for my daughter.

Now that my kids are getting older, I am starting to realize that less is more when it comes to kids’ clothing. My kids tend to favor the same clothing over and over again.  So, lately I have been buying more quality pieces but less quantity of clothing. We still head to Old Navy and Target for fun, trendy pieces. But when it comes to shoes, pants and coats, I am willing to spend a little more.

Last year, I got a pair of Zella leggings for my daughter during the sale and she lived in them all year. The leggings have held up so well that I wanted another pair in a different color. These Zella  black leggings are part of the sale and I ordered them yesterday. I honestly wish there was more girls Zella clothes as part of the sale. Last year, I got my daughter the cutest, lightweight hoodie that she has gotten so much use out of. 

These Zella girl’s socks are a great deal. I like to stock up on basics before the school year.

I LOVE these moto leggings for girls. They come in a few colors and are a GREAT price point!

 This knot tee is so cute and I know my daughter would wear over and over! This top is one that I wish was available in my size!

I am debating between a few girl cozy jackets/sweaters. This Zella one looks so comfy and warm –I also wish this came in my size.

This Northface fleece also looks warm and I know my daughter would get a lot of mileage out of it.

If I had my way, I would order this adorable flamingo sweater for my 11 year old. However,  now that I am dealing with a tween, I don’t think that I could convince her to wear this:)

I always try to find a pair of shoes for each of the kids. These Nikes are a great deal.

For the boys, I am buying a few Under Armour items. My middle son LIVES in athletic gear. I can pretty much only get him to wear “fancy” clothes (as he calls them) for church and holidays. (P.S. Fancy means jeans or any pants with buttons–ha ha!).

We own several of these Under Armour half zips pullovers. I love this color!

This blue full zip jacket is also another great deal.

I found that the boy’s shoe selection for the Anniversary Sale is lacking and I didn’t really find any good options! Bummer!

Now that I have shopped for the kids, I will want to take a look for myself too! What good deals have you found?

*******************************************************************

That wraps up this week’s Friday Favorites! I hope you have a nice weekend. See you back here on Monday for a post on a FUN family activity!