My Favorite Things

Meal Prep Made Easy with Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE

May 23, 2017 by Laura Tucker 56 Comments

This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/Rubbermaid®. All opinions expressed within this post are 100% my own.

Within the last month, my husband and I gradually started incorporating a small lifestyle change when it comes to the meals we prepare and eat. For years we’ve mostly eaten what we wanted and were able to get away with it, but as we’ve gotten a little older, our bodies have become a little bit slower and the weight started sticking to us more than we wanted. We both have jobs that require us to sit down a good bit, and even though I do chase around a toddler all day, I’m definitely not nearly as active as I once was. I’m certainly busier now that I’m a mom, but I’ve strayed away from quality physical exercise and exchanged it for trying to catch a break on the couch once my toddler is down for a nap. All that is to say, we saw that some changes needed to be made in our lifestyle, and the first place we started was eating healthier and better foods.

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Sharing Mommy & Me Styles and Smiles with Swap.com!

May 22, 2017 by Laura Tucker 1 Comment

I received compensation in the form of store credit in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed within this post are completely my own. Affiliate or referral links may be included at absolutely no cost to you.

From the very first moment that I held my daughter in my arms, I felt as if I was holding the world’s most beautiful and precious little baby doll who completely stole my heart with her very first breath. I had spent the previous 5 months preparing her room, coordinating her bedding to the colors of her nursery, buying the latest and greatest baby gadgets and filling her closet with the sweetest little outfits I could possibly find.

Classic “southern” styles are what I’ve always gravitated towards when picking out clothing for my sweet little doll baby (who is now a vivacious little two year old,) but the price tags on that type of clothing don’t exactly line up with what my bank account agrees with. Does that mean I sacrifice style and let my daughter go the plain-jane route when it comes to her wardrobe? Goodness, no! I simply shop smarter – and I’m sharing my fashion secrets with you right here, right now! 😉

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Breastfeeding Questions? See a Lactation Consultant Anytime, Anywhere with Amwell!

May 17, 2017 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

Last night after church I was chatting with a friend about how busy life can get sometimes. It’s easy to often feel like we don’t have it all together and just need more hours in the day to get it all done! This week my sweet baby girl is turning the big TWO, and I’ve been running around like a crazy lady just trying to balance my work and home life while wearing many different hats: party planner, personal chef and chicken nugget cooker, chauffeur, potty training police, piggyback ride giver and kisser of boo-boos. (Parents – I know you feel me!)

And because I often have impeccably weird timing, I randomly decided to start thinking about when baby # 2 might come along and join in on all of the busyness we’re already juggling. (Notice I said thinking..not planning. We’re not ready just yet!) My mind started going in numerous different directions about my future pregnancy and all of the things that typically come along with it. I clearly needed one more thing to think about this week! 😉

One thing I know for sure I want to plan for better next time around is building a relationship with a lactation consultant and being proactive about asking questions in hopes that I’ll have a successful breastfeeding journey with my future children. As I was thinking about my previous breastfeeding experience and the things that ultimately made it not as successful as I had hoped for, I realized I actually had quite a few questions and concerns that I definitely wanted to talk to someone about before planning for another child.

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Got a Minute? You’ve Got Dessert! Duncan Hines Perfect Size for 1

May 15, 2017 by Laura Tucker 1 Comment

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Duncan Hines. All opinions expressed are 100% my own. I only promote what I truly love!

Hello there, sweet friend! I see you. I know you’ve been working hard this week trying to keep up with all that life has thrown at you. Maybe you’re a busy mom rocking the yoga pants and an old college t-shirt, begging your toddler for the 5th time today to please eat the food you cooked for them. Maybe you’re a college student who spent the last 5 hours cramming for that final coming up, or maybe you’re kicking booty today doing whatever you please. No matter where you are or what you’re doing – give yourself just a minute right now to relax and unwind. Go grab a coffee mug and take a seat – I’ve got something for you that’s going to turn your day around for the better! 😉

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Being You in a World That Tries to Tell You Who To Be + Cents of Style Discount Alert!

April 28, 2017 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

Big thanks to Cents of Style for launching their beautiful Be Series and for partnering with me on today’s post. All opinions expressed within this post are 100% my own.

I’ve been a mess here lately.

You know that little section on Facebook that tells you all of the trending news for the day (that’s more often filled with horrible things than positive things?) I’ve been staring at it. I can’t leave it alone. I refresh my browser far too much, just to see if something changes in the world that will leave my heart and my mind caught up in a whirlwind of emotions. I’ve been watching the bad in the world play it’s evil hand, and I’ve let it shape my outlook on how I’m going to play my own hand. This world has been sending me messages telling me to be certain things that I don’t want to be – be worried, be unsure, be scared, be hopeless, etc.

Enough is enough. Falling into the trap of being what the bad in this world wants me to be would be an unfortunate sacrifice of all of the beautiful and good things that can and will come from me. My heart was designed with a greater purpose in mind, and now more than ever I’ve felt a calling to be a light that shines through darkness and to help break the chains of sadness that we carry and the apathy that this world expects of us.

I no longer subscribe to a life waiting on bad things to happen. Now, I choose to be the good that this world so desperately needs.

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Farmhouse Laundry Room Decor on Amazon!

April 26, 2017 by Laura Tucker 2 Comments

Affiliate links may be included throughout this post at absolutely no cost to you. I promote things that I love, and I love sharing all of my favorite farmhouse decor finds with you!

We’re currently 4 months into our home building project, and while I need to be thinking about what kind of outlets, doorknobs and fixtures I want, all my mind wants to think about is all of the fun farmhouse-style decor that I’ve seen on shows on HGTV (I’m lookin’ at you, Fixer Upper!) 😉

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Dunkin’ Donuts Pretzel Croissant Breakfast Sandwich – A Breakfast Dream Come True!

April 25, 2017 by Laura Tucker 1 Comment

Thanks for Dunkin’ Donuts for making breakfast a real treat 24/7 and for partnering with me for today’s post. All opinions expressed within this post are completely my own.

You know what really gets me excited? Like – jump up and down, sing at the top of my lungs, and maybe throw in a cabbage patch dance kind of excited? Food. Always food. No doubt about it.

That should come as NO surprise to many of you who have been following this blog for a while. Food instantly takes me to my happy place. When it’s time to eat, I’ll be the first one to show up and show out to get some grub in my tummy. I never miss a meal, and I especially never miss breakfast. Just to keep it 100% with you all, breakfast is the most coveted and anticipated meal of my day! There’s just something about breakfast food that screams “comfort food” to me, and I love it all!

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Cherishing every (Mom)ent with JORD

April 17, 2017 by Laura Tucker 2 Comments

I received product in exchange for my honest opinions. All thoughts expressed within this post are 100% my own.

The Easter bunny has officially come and gone, and we’re hopping right along through this beautiful spring season! Easter weekend gave me some much needed time to rest, reflect and enjoy this life and everything in it. The past two weeks have been a little tough on me. Seeing horrible happenings in the news, dealing with a string of bad weather that rolled through and juggling multiple different projects has made me feel a little defeated at times, but being able to rest has helped me sort through those feelings and refocus on the most important things in life.
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How I Simplified My Life (And Saved My Sanity) With The Click of a Button!

March 27, 2017 by Laura Tucker 4 Comments

When my little one made her debut into our life almost 2 years ago, she unknowingly (and in the sweetest of ways) turned our world completely upside down. Things got really real when my husband and I jumped into the wild ride of parenthood. All of your parents out there know exactly what I mean when I say having a baby makes things….different. It’s not just a few things in my life that changed. No, pretty much everything changed.

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So, What’s This Lipsense Thing All About? (+ Discount Alert!)

March 25, 2017 by Laura Tucker 4 Comments

I received a starter kit in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed within this post are completely my own. I only promote what I truly love!

I’ve been hearing lots of buzz lately about Lipsense lipstick and cosmetics. I’ve seen the videos of people testing the product, showing them wiping their fingers across their lips to prove that the lipstick stays put and doesn’t come off. I’ve seen quite a few Facebook groups pop up inviting me to come see what Lipsense is all about, but I’m just going to be really honest with you:

I was skeptical. I think by nature I’m pretty skeptical of most things. We’ve all heard that saying that if something is too good to be true, it probably is. So when I first heard mention of this “Lipsense” stuff, for the longest time I just sort of turned my attention away from it. I convinced myself that I didn’t need a lipstick that won’t budge, and that ordering through a direct marketing company like this was just a tangled web that I didn’t want to get caught up in.

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