Thrifty Wife Happy Life

Weekend Wardrobe- Summer Style

June 19, 2016 by Katie Haller

The forecast for Las Vegas this coming up week is going to be hot. The highs are between 111 and 117 degrees. It’s hot! As I mentioned last weekend, I’m kind of at a loss for getting creative with my outfits in the heat. That’s why this weekend I just decided to play it safe and get some use out of my sundresses. When it’s hot out, I feel like a simple sundress is the most comfortable thing that you can wear. I don’t even like to wear a lot of jewelry or accessorize that much in this kind of heat.

Here’s what I came up with…

Saturday

I spent the first half of my day in my bathing suit at the pool. It was nice because Jack took a nap in his shaded stroller while Kevin and I enjoyed a swim.

Instagram post

Top- Target (exact)

Bottoms- Old Navy (exact)

Sunglasses- Smith’s (I buy my sunglasses at the grocery store because they’re only $5)

When we came home I changed into this little black dress that I recently found at Savers. I remember when I was younger, people always told me that you couldn’t mix black and brown. I’ve talked to a lot of my friends my age and they still feel like you can’t mix these two colors, but I say that nowadays anything goes. That’s why I wore my black dress with some brown accessories just to switch it up a bit.

Dress- Target (bought at Savers) (similar)

Sandals- Target (exact)

Belt- Target

Purse- Savers

Sunday

I decided to wear this purple smocked dress that I’ve had for a while now. It’s perfect for the heat and in a closet full of black and white, it’s nice to wear some color. I’ll have to wear this dress again sometime soon!

Dress- Forever 21 (bought at the Salvation Army)

Sandals- Target

Purse- Savers

Have a wonderful week!

5 Free Ways to Get in Shape After Baby!!

June 3, 2016 by Katie Haller

For most women, one of the hardest parts of having a new baby is getting their pre-baby body back. It’s not easy. Every women’s body is affected differently by pregnancy. For me, my weight gain during my pregnancy was all in my belly. I remember when my baby bump first started to show, I could feel all my muscles in my abdomen stretching. There is no doubt that my baby really did a number on my abs. On top of the stretching of my abdominal muscles, having a c-section didn’t help much.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not ashamed of my new mom body. I’m actually very proud of it. I grew a human in me for 9 months and I think that’s something to be proud of, but like most women, I’d like to lose the mom pouch as it’s called.

I’ve always been a very petite person and it never took me much to stay in shape, but things change after you have a baby. I think it’s important to set realistic goals for yourself. Remember that you just carried a 6 plus pound human in you. It takes 9 months to grow a baby, so it will take time to shed that baby weight. Don’t expect it to happen overnight. My goal is to flatten out my belly and get some of my ab muscles back that I used to have.

So how can new moms lose that baby weight and get back to their old pre-baby body? For me, I don’t spend money on gym memberships or expensive classes. I feel like there are plenty of ways to work out on your own. Here are some ways that I’m working out for free.

Walk/Run- I’m not a runner, but I do love to go on walks. I feel like there is no easier way to workout for free than walking or running. All you need are a pair of tennis shoes and you’re ready to go. It’s the perfect workout for new moms because you can include your baby. Jack loves his weekend walks with me.

Baby Exercises- I love finding ways to include my baby into my workouts. When I’m not at work, I like to spend every moment I can with Jack, that’s why including him into my workouts is a great way for us to spend time together. I feel like there is a big movement with baby workouts right now, so it’s easy to find exercise ideas. Here are a few great baby exercises that I’ve been trying out, here and here.

Workout Videos- If you’re like me, you might have a few workout DVD’s laying around your house. I like to use them to get a full-body workout from my living room. I have a few Jillian Michaels videos that always give me a great workout. I also like to use YouTube to search for new workouts. There are tons of great workouts on YouTube and it’s free.

Pinterest- Using Pinterest as a resource for workouts is a great idea! One thing for me when it comes to working out is that I feel like I have a lack of time to fit it into my day. That’s why I love finding quick workout plans that are easy and effective. I’ve been doing a lot of pinning of postpartum workouts you can check out on my Pinterest page (here).

Workout Apps- There is literally an app for everything. There are lots of different apps out there that will help you diet and help you get on a fitness plan. I’ve always used Map My Run to track the distance I go on my walks and it will also tell you how many calories you burned. Since I’m focusing on my core, I recently downloaded an app called Abs & Core Sworkit. It is basically like having your own personal trainer. If you’re looking to count your calories, my favorite app for that is My Fitness Pal. Find an app that works for you and use it. The great thing is that most apps are free, so you can try one out and if you don’t like it, just delete it and find another.

Those are my free ways I’m getting in shape after baby. How did you do it?

What I Wore- Mom Wear

May 28, 2016 by Katie Haller

I have definitely been slacking with my outfit post lately. My reason for this is my 3-month-old baby, of course. He takes up all of that free time that I used to have to blog. Lately, my days are packed and I never feel like I’m getting ahead on anything. Monday through Friday I go to work. My preschool class goes from 8-2, then at 2:00, I try to manage my time appropriately to finish all my paperwork during my planning time, so that at 3:30, I’m on my way home to see my baby boy. Once I’m home there’s dinner to make, laundry to fold, a baby to change, feed and keep happy.

After I put him to bed around 8:00, I have an hour to clean the kitchen, wash his bottles, get myself ready for bed and prep everything for the next day. I sometimes get a few minutes to do a little blogging or check my blog social media accounts, but that’s about it. I have to make sure that I’m asleep no later than 9:00, because I know that I’ll be up with the baby before midnight. I’m usually up at least 3 times during the night with my little guy. (He is not the greatest sleeper.) The next morning I drag my tired self out of bed to do it all over again. This is why I live for the weekends, but even then, Saturday and Sunday are my catch up days. I knew having a baby would completely change my life forever, but living it every day can be overwhelming at times. Please don’t get me wrong though, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I love every moment I get with my baby boy. Every smile reminds me just how much I love that little human. I love being a mom and I would never want to trade it in for my old life before my baby was born.

So with all that said, you can understand that my life is busier than ever. However, I refuse to loose my sense of style. Having on a cute outfit can always brighten my day. What I’ve been trying to come up with is easy to put together outfits that are comfortable and cute. I like to call it “mom wear”.

Here are some of my mom’s looks from this week.

Sunday, I wore this hand-me-down dress that my mom gave me a while back. I love a black dress. It’s easy to accessorize and looks good on everyone.

Dress- Nordstrom

Jacket- Meijer

Shoes- Target

My Monday outfit is pretty much my standard look for the workweek. Leggings, tank top and a cardigan with flats are always my go-to outfit because it’s comfortable and looks cute. Since I work with kids, I figured my work outfits are good looks for stay at home moms too.

Tank Top- H&M

Cardigan- Target

Leggings- Forever 21

On Tuesday, I wore my grey tunic with a white cardigan. The cardigan is an Express cardigan that I bought at the Salvation Army for $3. I love finding simple staple clothes at thrift stores for cheap, especially when it comes to my work clothes.

Tunic- Nordstrom Rack

Sweater- Salvation Army

Leggings- Forever 21

On Thursday, I wore this look that I wore a few times in the fall while I was pregnant. (Pregnancy look here). It’s an easy look that doesn’t require a lot of thought.

Shirt- Old Navy

Cardigan- Target

Jeggings- Old Navy

On Friday, I really wanted to wear a dress, so I wore my new swing dress (read about it here) with a cardigan. I love how comfortable this dress is in the heat. It’s a perfect summer mom outfit.

Dress- Nordstrom Rack

Cardigan- Old Navy

Look for more mom wear post soon! I’m all about trying to stay stylish while being a mom. Plus with the lack of time on my hands, I don’t have time to get to the store and buy new clothes, so I’m trying to reinvent some new looks with the older clothes that I already have in my closet for now. I can’t wait to share more soon!

Must Have Spring Basics

May 13, 2016 by Katie Haller

One/Two/Three/Four/Five/Six/Seven

When putting together an affordable wardrobe, it’s always a good idea to stick with the basics and just build off of that. I like to accessorize and mix and match my clothes to get the most use out of them. In the spring, I have a few favorite pieces that I like to wear to add a little spring to my everyday looks.

Today I want to share some of my spring essentials wardrobe pieces that I couldn’t live without.

Blazers- I love to layer and blazers are perfect for layering in the spring. They make the perfect lightweight jacket. I love how putting on a blazer can ready dress up a simple outfit and make it look polished. My favorite blazers that I have bought are from the LC Lauren Conrad collection at Kohl’s. I like to buy them on sale with a coupon or look for acute one on clearance.
Colorful Statement Necklaces- If you follow my blog, you know I love colorful statement necklaces. I think that they are the perfect way to make a simple look pop with a little color. My favorite place to buy accessories like this is Charming Charlie.
Denim Jackets- My denim jacket is my favorite right now and it’s perfect for layering in the spring with almost any outfit. I found mine a couple summers ago for a steal (read about it here), but denim is pretty popular, so it’s easy to find a cute jean jacket. Just keep your eyes open for great deals.
Maxi Skirts- Long skirts are great in the spring. I like how comfortable they are. I find the best prices on maxi skirts at Ross and T.J. Maxx.
White Pants- White is the perfect way to add a little spring into your look. This time of the year is always a great time to look for white pants. I found my pair of white jeans at Target in the clearance section for under $10. (read about it here)
Colorful Hand Bag- I tend to wear a lot of neutral colors, that’s why I always like to carry a bright colored purse to add some color to my look. I’ve been using the coral Coach purse that I got as a gift last Christmas. Charming Charlie is a great place to find a colorful handbag for a decent price!
Wedge Sandal- I love a wedge sandal as an alternative to a heal. I’ve been wearing my black strappy wedge sandals a lot this spring. I bought them at Target last summer for under $10.

Here are a few spring outfits that I’ve put together using my favorite spring basics.

White Pants//Turquoise Necklace//Denim Jacket

Navy Blazer//Light Pink Necklace

Maxi Skirt//Denim Jacket//Turquoise Necklace

Denim Jacket//Coral Purse//Wedge Sandals

White Pants//Denim Jacket//Green Necklace

Grey Blazer//Coral Purse//Wedge Sandals

I hope you like my looks and get some ideas on how to style your own spring look!

Shopping Finds

May 4, 2016 by Katie Haller

After having a baby, shopping is just not the same anymore. Going to the store and leisurely shopping the way I used to is not easy. But last weekend I decided to face my fears of shopping with an infant and just do it. We ended up having a nice little Sunday afternoon out bargain shopping (Jack slept the entire time of course). I ended up at my favorite store at the moment… Nordstrom Rack. I still had $25 on a Nordstrom gift card from Christmas, and when I get a gift card, you know I’m going to make the most of it and stretch the money as far as I can. Since I’m trying really hard to be disciplined with my spending habits, I tried to stick to my spring/summer wish list that I made a few weeks ago (post here). This way I was able to remember the things that I really wanted and not get sidetracked.

I’ve been wanting a new pair of jeans for the longest time. This might sound crazy coming from someone with a closet full of jeans, but you can never have enough denim. I had something specific in mind. I wanted to find a pair of jeans with a thin stretchy material that would be nice and light for the warmer weather, and also had distress faded look to them. I ended up settling on a pair of jeans with no holes and thicker material. They were only $12.97 and they fit well. I felt that I couldn’t beat the price so I bought them. Once I got them home, I tried them on and realized I had made a mistake. Despite the great price and fit, they were not the jeans that I was looking for. So later in the week, I made a quick trip back to Nordstrom Rack to return them. While I was skimming through the clearance racks I stumbled upon this pair of jeans for $13.50. I was so excited because they weren’t there earlier in the week and they were just what I was looking for, including the price. I was very satisfied with my exchange.

(similar)

My other Nordstrom Rack purchase was this striped swing dress that I bought for $18.97. Now I know on my shopping list I was looking for a bright spring color dress. I’m still searching for one, but I thought that this dress was a safe bet for me. I love black and white and I love stripes. I figured that I would bring some color to it with a fun necklace. This style of dress will be perfect for the hot desert summer that we have here in Las Vegas.

(exact)

My last purchase was from Target and it came straight from my shopping list. I was looking for a pair of braided sandals to replace the white braided sandals that I bought at Target years ago. I ended up pretty much buying the same pair in the cognac color. I paid full price, but they were only $15.99, so I wasn’t sad about that. Target is one of my favorite places to buy shoes because their shoes are always affordable and they are made well for cheap shoes. I know that I will get plenty of use out of these sandals.

(exact)

Whenever I get new clothes I love to put together new outfits and share them. So here are a couple looks I came up with.

Here I put together 2 looks with my new jeans. On the left, I have a casual look with my new sandals. On the right, I put together a dressier outfit with a blazer and heels.

Here are 2 outfits with my swing dress. The first look on the left is simple and perfect for the hot summer weather. On the right, I wore my wedge strappy sandals with my denim jacket to dress it up a bit more.

I hope you like my shopping finds. Hopefully, you can find some great spring deals too! Happy shopping!

Simple Sunday

May 2, 2016 by Katie Haller

I haven’t done a Simple Sunday post in a year probably, but today I felt the need to quickly reflect on my weekend. I like to do Simple Sunday posts to reflect on the things in my life that I love so that I can emphasize on the “happy life” part of my blog.

This weekend I barely left the house, but I got to spend the weekend with my boys. Lately, on the weekends we have been trying to get out and do something as a family, but this weekend it was just nice to be home. Jack is changing so much every day and I love getting to spend the entire day with him. He’s smiling and laughing all the time now. He thinks that his daddy is hilarious and I love to watch the two of them together. Now that I’m back at work, I appreciate every moment I get to spend with my little family.