Thrifty Wife Happy Life

Favorite Fall Look

October 13, 2017 by Katie Haller

Hi everyone! I feel like I’ve been so busy lately, but you probably can’t tell by the number of blog posts I’ve been putting out. I feel like I have so much that I want to share, including all my favorite fall outfits. This time of the year, I am always inspired more with my wardrobe. I love it when the weather starts to cool down and I can start layering again. I have so many new clothes that I’ve purchased in the last 2 months, plus I’ve been working with some of my old wardrobe pieces and reinventing them.

For today’s blog post, I’m sharing one of my favorite fall looks. It’s a mix of new and old. I bought a couple items at Old Navy last month for my birthday. I’m obsessing over leopard right now, so I picked out this leopard scarf that is the perfect fall accessory. I also bought this long t-shirt at Old Navy. I like how it fits and it’s perfect to wear with scarfs. My jeans are old, but I’ve been into making my old jeans new again by adding a distressed look to them. (I promise to have a how-to post on that soon!) These were a pair of jeans that I was debating getting rid of until I reinvented them and now I’ve been wearing them all the time. My boots are from last fall. I find ankle boots to be much more practical in the fall, instead of tall riding boots. Don’t get me wrong, I love my tall boots, but they do make my legs hot, especially when the temperatures warm up in the afternoons. My sunglasses are from my glassesshop.com post that I did back in July (post HERE). I love the style of them with the cat-eye frames, which are super popular this fall. My purse is also from last fall. It’s from Last Call Neiman Marcus and unfortunately, they sold out of this style bag, but I did link some similar options because everyone has been asking me about it.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link, I will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life || Fall look with black top, distressed jeans, ankle boots and leapord scarf

Shop my closet
Top-Old Navy (exact) || Jeans- old (similar) || Scarf- Old Navy (similar, similar) || Purse- Last Call Neiman Marcus (similar, similar) || Boots- XOXO- Burlington Coat Factory (exact) || Sunglasses- Glassesshop.com (exact)

What are your favorite styles for this fall?

Baby Update- 20 Months

October 11, 2017 by Katie Haller

I’ve been really bad at keeping up with Jack’s baby updates. I meant to do a post for 15 months, then I didn’t get to it so I thought I’d do it at 18 months, but that didn’t happen, so now I’m trying for 20 months. I really love sharing updates on Jack, because he’s the light of my life. Plus, I like to use my blog as a way to look back on memories. I don’t scrapbook anymore, so this is my way of making a scrapbook.

Jack is 20 months and I would like to know where the time went?? I can’t believe that he will be 2 before I know it. Jack is really developing into his own little person lately. He has a great personality. He’s very smart, very serious at times and he just soaks in everything around him. He also loves to laugh, he’s funny, playful and he can be super sweet.

Currently, Jack’s favorite toys are his puzzles, cars, foam letters, books, train and oh yeah… the iPad. I know a lot of people have different opinions on children under 2 having screen time, but I don’t mind it at all. Jack has learned so much from the YouTube shows that he watches. He knows almost all the upper case letters, his colors, shapes and numbers 1-10. I am so impressed with his learning abilities. He catches on so quickly.

Jack has been in child care full time for almost a year now and he loves it. We have had such a great experience with his school. He loves his teacher, his friends and I’m pretty sure that he likes the toys there more than his toys at home. I feel like it’s been so good for him to spend time around other children his age. Although, I am learning that he is really bad at sharing. Apparently he doesn’t like it when the younger baby’s in his class play with the toys incorrectly.

As for sleep, Jack has been sleeping through the night for about 6 months now. Halleluiah!! It was a long first year of getting up almost every 2 hours, but as soon as we got rid of bottles, Jack stopped waking up. Now mommy and daddy can finally sleep soundly, besides the few occasional nights when he’s not feeling good or teething.

Over all Jack is a good eater, but it definitely depends on his mood. If he’s in a bad mood, he throws his food at me, if he’s happy he eats it. He really loves cheese, macaroni and cheese, pears, oranges and milk. He loves his “ma” as he calls it.

Jack is talking up a storm lately. I swear he adds 3 new words to his vocabulary everyday. He says “dada” all the time. He says “mama” when he wants something or is crying. My favorite word that he says is flower “fow fer”. He loves listening to music and dancing. He’s even starting to sing, which I think is hilarious. He sounds like a dying whale or something, but it’s just too cute.

I can tell that 2 is right around the corner, because my little baby boy is turning into a toddler monster at times. He has started these dramatic tantrums when he doesn’t get what he wants. He screams, throws himself on the floor, kicks his legs and throws things. It’s all a show to see how far he can go. I’ve even caught him watching himself in the mirror during one of his fits. It’s pretty entertaining, but also a little frustrating when you can’t reason with your little human.

Over all it’s been an amazing 20 months! I love everyday of being Jack’s mom. With each age, I feel like somethings get a little easier and other things get harder. I only wish I could slow him down a little bit.

LipSense Review

October 9, 2017 by Katie Haller

Today I’m talking all about LipSense. Have you heard of it? If you are on any form of social media, I’m sure you have at least heard the name or know someone who sells it. LipSense is the long-lasting lip color that will stay on your lips all day long.

I normally don’t wear a lot of lipstick. I like a little color once in a while, but I try to stick to very neutral colors. I love the idea of lipstick, but I’ve always had bad luck with it. Every time I wear lipstick, it always comes off my lips within an hour of applying it.

I’ve been hearing a lot of great things about LipSense, so I was very excited when I was asked to collaborate on a product review of LipSense. I’ve been working with Kristin, who is a distributor of LipSense. She’s extremely knowledgeable about the product. When I told her that I preferred neutral lip colors, she gave me a few options to choose from and helped me pick out the perfect color for me. I ended up going with the color Pink Champaign. Kristin sent me the complete starter kit that includes the long-lasting liquid lip color, moisturizing gloss, and the Oops remover. The complete starter kit is valued at $55.

Once I received my starter kit, I started wearing it every day to work. I really wanted to get a feel for the lipstick before I wrote about it. What I found out, was that these girls aren’t lying when they say it lasts all day. Being a preschool teacher, my makeup takes a beating throughout the day. With LipSense, my lip color never moved.

How does LipSense work?

My starter kit came with detailed instructions on how to apply it. You start off with clean dry lips, then you apply the lip color. You are supposed to start at the corners of your lips and run the wand across, then you wait for it to dry and apply 2 more coats. At first, I was a little worried that the lipstick was going to dry out my lips, but once you apply the lip gloss, it adds so much moisture to your lips that it was no longer a concern. You can leave your lipstick at home and just bring the lip gloss with you when you leave the house.

Is it worth the price?

As you know, I’m the thrifty wife and I’m not one to spend a lot of money on makeup. Most of my makeup products are from the drugstore, but I do have the occasional makeup splurge. LipSense is defiantly a splurge for me. As I mentioned before, the starter kit is $55, however, once you have the starter kit, you can purchase the lipstick Al La Cart for $25. One good thing about LipSense is that one tube equals 4 regular lipsticks, plus it lasts all day. If you add that all up, it makes it worth the purchase. You also have to remember that you are paying for a quality product. I have never had a lip color like this one.

How can you order LipSense?

If you’re ready to make the splurge, I would say go for it! You can go to Kristin’s facebook group Confessions of a Lipstick Addict or DM her on Instagram @confessions_of_lipstick_addict to place an order. She is also offering a special promo code for my readers. Use the code ThriftyWifeHappyLife10 and receive 10% off your purchase.

*A big thank to Kristin who gifted me this product!

Casual Blazer Look

October 6, 2017 by Katie Haller

One thing that I always hear people say to me is that they wish they could be more stylish. When I googled the definition of “stylish” it says that it is to be “fashionably elegant and sophisticated” or to be “neat, confident and skillful”. To me, being stylish means that you can create an outfit and make it into a look. I feel like once you can do that you will feel confident, sophisticated and elegant. I think that most people are overthinking their outfits. It’s not hard to put together a polished look. I know that it can be confusing when you are always seeing new trends, but really you just need to stick to the basics and work with what you have.

For today’s “my closet” post, I recreated a look similar to many of the pins you will find on my Pinterest boards. It’s a very simple look. I pulled my gray T-shirt, an older black blazer from Forever 21, a pair of LC Lauren Conrad jeans that I bought on clearance 4 years ago, my old BCBG black pumps that I bought when I was still in college, a thrifted statement necklace and my black satchel purse. I love this look, because it’s so simple, yet it’s stylish enough to wear out on a date with my husband or to a blogger event. I could also wear it with booties or flats to dress it down a bit.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link, I will receive a small commission with no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life Gray Tee shirt with blazer, jeans and black pumps.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life || Affordable fashion- casual blazer look

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life || Affordable fashion- cuffed jeans

Shop my closet

Top- Zappos (similar, similar) || Jeans- LC Lauren Conrad (similar) || Blazer- Forever 21 (similar) || Shoes- BCBG’s Marshals (similar) || Purse- Last Call Neiman Marcus (similar) || Necklace- Savers (similar)

This weekend, I challenge you to be more stylish with your wardrobe. Try to think outside of how you usually wear your clothes and make sure that you feel confident, sophisticated and elegant before you walk out the door.

Las Vegas, My Home

October 4, 2017 by Katie Haller

It’s been almost 3 years since my husband and I found out that Las Vegas was going to be our new home. With that anniversary approaching, plus the recent tragedy that happened this week, I felt inspired to write a post dedicated to my current home, Las Vegas, NV.

When I first told people that we were moving to Las Vegas, I got some mixed reactions. Some people were excited for us, while others told me that they couldn’t see me living here. People asked me if they had neighborhoods that weren’t on the strip and they asked me if we were going to be gambling all the time. Now when I go home to visit my family, the TSA guy makes a joke about how I live in Las Vegas, but vacation in Detroit and the person sitting next to me on the plane is usually amazed that I am a teacher in Las Vegas and they actually have schools here. When I fly home, the airplane is full of passengers who are usually cheering when we land and ready to start their vacations. All I’m thinking about is how I have to go back to work the next day.

We were never planning on moving to Las Vegas. We were supposed to move to Florida, but then Kevin found out that he would be based in Las Vegas. Instead of trying to bid for Florida again, we decided that we would go with Las Vegas. Kevin kept telling me how nice the weather was and how much I would like it. I trusted him and with never vacationing in Las Vegas, I moved here with an open mind. I found a job right away, made friends and quickly became familiarized with the area. Exactly one year after moving here, I gave birth to Jack. My labor and recovery rooms both had a view overlooking the strip and we joked about how our baby had a strip view for his first days of life.

Although the summers are very hot, I’d say 9 months out of the year are pretty much perfect. I don’t even mind the cooler winter days. My child may never know what frost, dew or slush is, but we are only 40 minutes away from some pretty great sledding and skiing on Mt. Charleston. We feel like we can never run out of things to do. We are close to so many national parks and if we want to go to the ocean, we are only a 4-hour drive.

Kevin made a comment to me the other day after looking at all the “Pray for Vegas” pictures on Facebook. He said that the Las Vegas skyline describes Vegas perfectly. There is a little bit of every city in our skyline. A little of the New York skyline, a little bit of Paris, Rome, Cairo and more. Not many people are actually born and raised in Las Vegas. Most of the people living here are from all over the country and world, that’s why our skyline is so perfect for our city. Las Vegas is a little bit of everyone and so many people love this city. In the last 3 years, Las Vegas has become my home and no matter where life takes my family and me, Las Vegas will always have a special place in my heart.

Here are some pictures from just a few of our many family outing out and about in our town, Las Vegas.

Our first night out on the strip when we first moved to Vegas

I took this picture 2 weeks ago when we were walking around the strip on Sunday after getting lunch.

2 months ago we went to the top of the Effie Tower.

A favorite family spot for us is always The Linq.

Last fall at the Bellagio. This is one of my favorite spots.

Eating Graham crackers on the High Roller last spring.

My little Vegas born baby checking out the strip

Family photo.

Please pray for the victims and their families of the horrible mass shooting this week. Luckily, I did not know anyone personally who was a victim, however our neighbors, friends and co-workers know people that were effected. If you would like to help the victims of this tragedy, you can click HERE to the go fund me account to donate. Thank you for all your love and support this week!

Working Out as a Busy Mom

October 2, 2017 by Katie Haller

One thing that I have been really bad at since becoming a mom is making time to workout.

I have a love/hate relationship with working out. I love staying active and I love the feeling I get after a good workout, but I hate getting motivated. My biggest roadblock to working out is time. I work full time and when I get home at night, working out is the last thing on my mind. By the time I make dinner and get Jack in the tub, I’m ready for bed myself. On the weekends, I like to go for morning walks with Jack, but it’s really hard to walk in the summer when it’s 100 degrees by 8:00 am.

This fall, with the weather changing, it’s making me feel like it’s time to make a change. I am really trying to make an effort to fit in some kind of quick workout as much as I can, that’s why I was so excited when Aaptiv asked me to do a free 2 week trial of their workout programs. I thought that this would be the perfect way to get me started on a good path of getting active and strengthening my body again.

Aaptiv is an app that has any kind of workout program you can think of. It is an audio workout with a personal trainer who will help guide and motivate you through your workout. The app has classes ranging from Outdoor running, elliptical, strength training to even yoga and meditation.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link I will earn a commission for this blog. Thank you for your support!

The thing that I really love about Aaptiv is that they now have launched a new maternity program that is perfect for expecting moms who are looking to stay fit and healthy throughout their pregnancy. The new program has recruited top-tier talent to lead the design and development of the maternity program, including Kira Kohrherr of FitBump, yoga guru and author, Kristin McGee, and expert Aaptiv trainers who are trained and certified in pre and postnatal exercise. I wish I would of had this when I was pregnant with Jack, but I’ll have to save it for the second time around. They also have some great stroller workouts that I really enjoyed doing on my morning walks.

The thing that I really like about Aaptiv, is that you can workout anywhere and you don’t have to commit yourself to a long stretch of time. For me, the weekends are the best time for me to get a nice long workout in. That’s when I go for my walks and do the stroller workouts, but during the week, I’m crunched for time. I found that it was easy to pick out a quick 8-minute workout right after Jack’s bath time while he was playing. I liked how all the workouts that I tried were all quick and effective. I could feel a nice burn after only an 8-10 minute routine.

Whether you are an expecting mom looking to stay fit through your pregnancy, a working mom with no time for a workout schedule or maybe you are just someone trying to get a healthy routine started, I would highly recommend looking into what Aaptiv has to offer. You can download the app at the App Store or Google Play and start making changes today!

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