Planning it all Out!

As a mom of three girls there are times that life can get a little chaotic hectic crazy busy, that is of course ONLY the beginning. 

All three of my girls are in different school again this year.

Dakota my oldest is going into 9th grade and will be going back to the Junior High building this year before hitting the big league next year on the High School campus. 

Alora my middle girl is headed to 7th grade and will also be headed back to the same campus as last year over at the Middle School grounds where she will be prepping for the Junior High campus for the 2017-2018 school year.

Then there is my "baby" who is headed to 4th grade and is still at the Elementary Campus which to me is WAY for fun than the other two and with a lot more happenings!

So on top of keeping up with all three of their schools and what is happening in their lives like band, choir, ROTC, etc; I have to keep up with my husbands work schedule, school schedule, when bills are due, appointments for everyone, events that we are to attend like birthday parties, get together's and such. I keep up will birthdays and anniversaries for both sides of our families, I run the blog and still working on What the Photography plus right this minute I am back to job hunting so there is the luxury of keeping up with interviews... yay.

If you are like me then I am sure that list overwhelmed you. When I sit and think about everything I am responsible for as a mom I think I am NUTS! Not to mention I do NOT have the best memory at all so then I have to figure out a way to make this all work and run smoothly...

There are a MILLION apps out there now since we are in such a tech-lovin' day in age but I will tell you right now as much of an app and tech junkie that I am I HATE using my phone or a digital device to keep me on track. 

Of course there are SEVERAL reasons why this is for me personally but to each his own: One is because I have never had the best of luck with phones. I have lost important info when my phone has reset its self etc. Two if I loose, break, or even have my phone stolen well then there goes my life.... and it would spiral into a VERY quick chaotic world.... 

So what DO I use you ask?

A Planner...

A good old fashioned, paper, use a pen to write in, tabs to pick your month planner!

There are two types of planners:

1: Annual

 Which will run your new planner from lets say January 2016-January 2017 and you might even get a bonus month or two.

2: Academic

This planner runs your planning year from June or July 2016 to June or July 2017 plus a bonus month or so also

I use the Academic planner because there is nothing I love more then trying to swap information RIGHT there at the holidays :)

In all seriousness though I do like the fact that it follows the girls and their schools years. During the summer there is a bit more "free" time that I can find to transfer dates and all with than in the middle of the holiday season when there is shopping, decorating, parties and running to take care of. 

Planners also come in MANY different sizes from pocket, 4x6, 5x7 and a LARGE 8x10 size (measurements are not accurate I am sure).

When I first started using planners back when I was 16 I used the pocket size one and it worked great for a while even with school and work... but then came baby...

I quickly found out that you are on the run MORE with a child in your life than if you were single and busy... Weird how that works. 

Anyways a baby turned into 3 over the years and the older they get the busier we are, the busier we are the bigger the planner...

I am now up to the 8x10 size and LOVE it! 

Huge areas to write in, monthly views, tabs and references galore!  

The last few years I have used Blue Sky's and I wont be turning away from them anytime soon. You can find them at your local Wal-Mart or order them online through Amazon.com like I did this year.

 

Check out this layout!

You get a HUGE monthly layout for fast reference

On top of that each month even has a a dedicated area to keep up with the finer details on whats happening in your life.

There are also LOTS of reference areas plus a quick contact list 

Nice right!
Now when it comes to keeping up with everyone's stuff and not getting it confused because I am pretty sure taking your 9 year old daughter to the OBGYN appointment set up for your 14 year old would get you mommy of the year award :) for example I color code it...

Yes folks it's that bad like that

The color coding is super easy for me to not fuck it up and since I also have a slight obsession with pens its a win when for me :)

Right now there are 10 color coded "happenings"

I LOVE these pens and you can also find them at your local store or Amazon

Here is my "cheat sheet" for my colors which is located in the back of the planner in the great note section

With us only a few weeks a way before the 2016-2017 school year I have put together my planner and feel a little bit more prepared for what this year may hold.

How do you keep it all together?

Our NEW Online Store

Here at Inked & Sassy we are  now offering fun, unique products for you and everyone on your shopping list. 

Since we have just started about two weeks ago we are focusing on our first product which I hold dear to my heart and that is a fun and adorable coffee mugs! 

As an avid coffee lover I know just how much a fun mug can mean not only to you personally but to your home, your friends and family, co workers and more! Th

ese are perfect for gifts or even something for yourself to show off your personality or even a great conversation starter! 

You can check out our store front right here!

I hope that you will check back often for new products that we will be adding in the future and for more great mugs!

If you are into social networking I have a public group on Facebook where you can stay up to date with ALL the NEW happening so I invite you to come join us and send your friends!  

Here are just a few of the mugs you can find RIGHT NOW in the shop...

and don't forget we are always open to requests and custom orders. :)

 

Happy Shopping!

XOXO

SJ

My Year with Ipsy Glam Bags

When I first started the blog I shared with you guys my obsession with subscription boxes... 

At that point I had already been with one called Ipsy and  had my eye on a few more as well which you can check out here.

I have now been with Ipsy for a full year and I don;t plan on dropping the monthly script anytime soon... 

Here's why?

Number one is I REALLY look forward to the pink package in the mail box every month...

for me it is like Christmas! 

 Plus I get a SUPER cute bag every month and if you know me on a personal level you know that this has been an OBSESSION of mine since I was younger... 

damn it the cuteness!

 Over the last year this is what I have raked in with the subscription and if you really think about the quality and the quantity of what you get each month you are really saving money with them! 

 I also LOVE make up brushes and thanks to ipsy I have been able to work on adding to my collection!

 Plus what girl doesn't just LOVE to smell amazing! 

These adorable little bottles do just that!

 A blushing babe is always a must for me... since I am the half a shade of a marshmallow especially in the winter a little color to my face is a must have...

 Blending and eyebrows are the point of perfection on any gals face and luckily I was able to get new and professional grade tools to keep both of these points in shape.

 Ipsy really nailed it with their choices in nail polish brands and colors. 

Though I am not HUGE on painting my fingers you won't see me with out my toes looking color-rific :)

 Keeping my hair healthy is important since I color it so often and with these products I can do just that on a dime :)

 Beautiful skin is a well beautiful thing! 

Ipsy has showered me with amazing products to do JUST that.

 As a busy mom of three, plus the wolf pack at our door and me always on the run, when I do take the time to apply makeup I damn sure don't want to waste it. Ispy apparently heard my cries and hooked me up with these amazing bases and finishers! 

 My favorite place to make a statement with my make up is my eyes. 

As you can tell thanks to the style questions ipsy asks you when you join they know this too and this is the biggest "category" I have gained with them and I LOVE it! 

 I have never been a huge lipstick or lip gloss person but I do think that it is a MUST for certain looks or occasions.  There are a few WOW colors but they have been great about mixing it up and also sending sheer, nudes, and lip balms for my plain jane lip self...

 If you are a make up enthusiast, lover, junkie, new to the game or whatever your make up status is try it out! 

You simply follow this link and sign up!  

Earn points every month and cash them in for FREE products! 

You will love it too! 

Are you an ipsy gal?

Dreaming of...(Subscription) Boxes : Home Edition

Last Thursday I shared with you guys my new could be obsession  with Subscription Boxes. 

If you missed it check out Our Beauty Edition

Since these last couple of weeks I have been working my ass off trying to get my home in order I thought it would only be natural that this week I share with you my Home Edition!

Right now there are 56 home themed subscription boxes and with the costs ranging from 240 a yr to fit into your budget, I have narrowed it down to my top 3  "wish list" so check them out...

 Wickbox

 $29.95 per month

 Choose a medium or large candle to be delivered to your door every month! Fill out a scent profile so we can handpick your candle based on the scents you love. Our brand partners focus on quality like lead-free wicks, superior wax, & beautiful containers.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE candles! These things would be an easy budget breaker for me and I think that out of all the ones that they offer this sounds like to me one that I would enjoy the most. 

Flower of the Month Club

$34.96 per month

In every Flower of the Month subscription receive a professionally designed seasonal bouquet cut just days before you receive it. Also their monthly newsletter where you’ll learn about each featured flower's history, where it originated and how it was grown.

I love fresh flowers, but I will be honest they are not in my everyday decor, flowers get expensive FAST and since I do not have a green thumb, nor the knowledge to keep a plant alive this would be my best bet. I am telling you I am NOT graced with being able to take care of plants... AT ALL... I mean I am the one who killed a Venus fly trap! Who knew...

Box of Chic

$49.00 per month

A subscription box for your home! Each box will surprise you with pretty pieces for your desk, coffee table, kitchen, bar, dining room, bedroom and more! Jennifer personally styles each box's items and includes a gorgeous photo depicting how she styled as well as styling tips so you can easily re-create the look in your home.

I LOVE  styling tips and items that say here ya go stupid! Needless to say I have always had my own sense of style and decor and up until recently I have never really cared. I guess you get to a point in your life when you say maybe it is time to let your style grow up some... After all I was the teenage with my favorite things stapled to my bedroom walls... So yeah...

These were so hard to narrow down since there are so many that are similar but these would be the ones that I would say are a MUST have in my book for our home. 

The list of subscriptions were thanks to Hello Subscription

I REALLY encourage y'all to go check it out! 

I will be sharing more "Wish Lists" in the following categories so STAY TUNED:

BEAUTY
WOMEN

CLOTHING & FASHION

CRAFTS, DYI & HOBBIES

MEN

SPECIAL INTEREST & FAN

FOOD & COOKING

BEVERAGE

HOME

FITNESS

TEENS & TWEENS

BABY

KIDS

PETS

&

REGIONAL, LOCAL & COUNTRIES

Which one are you most excited to hear about?

Are you a Box Subscription Subscriber? 

If so who are you signed up with?

 (DISCLAIMER: this is NOT a sponsored post, I was not asked to speak about any of the companies involved and all of the opinions are of my own)

Friday Favs!

I thought I would kick off the weekend with sharing you some of my favs!

These are COMPLETELY random and just off the top of my head so bare with me...

Pumpkin Flavor:

Fall is by far my favorite season of the year and ever since we have moved to Arkansas I am in love with it SO MUCH more!

Growing up in Southern California then moving to the DEEP Dirty South of Alabama you got TWO seasons... Summer and Winter!

Now along with fall comes pumpkin flavored EVERYTHING!

YAY!

From pumpkin pie, to muffins, from cold coffee to hot and you can't forget the BEER! My fall loving butt is ALL over it!

Luckily my girls inherited the love of pumpkin too... only down fall? Well now I HAVE to share...boo! and Aaliyah is allergic to nutmeg! UGH!

The Color Black:

I have always been a little obsessed with the color black. I honestly can't remember a time when black was not listed as a favorite. 

From clothes, shoes, nails, eye shadow and everything in between I can't go wrong with black... WELL except for hair... 

I can't pull that one off... I am WAY to WHITE!

Photography:

If you know me personally then you know since I first set eyes on my Grandpa's 35mm SLR camera I WAS HOOKED! Then when I had my first kid, Dakota, my mind was made up I would become a photographer. 

I was all self taught until I enrolled in school when we moved her to Arkansas. I am starting my own photography business, What the Photography (more on that later),  and EVENTUALLY the plan is to have my Master's Degree in the Art.

Ink aka Tattoos:

Again this was another obsession I have had since I know I was a teenager. My mom used to YELL at me all the time for drawing "tattoos" on me as a kid, plus I am PRETTY sure it didn't help when my ink skills found it's way to my shoes and jeans... oops...

I got my first tattoo at the age of 16 and now that I am 31 I am close to or right at 15 maybe even over. I lost count lol 

There are more that I will add but I can't tell you ALL of it now! That is for another post later so stay tuned!

P.S.: Ant is also inked up and all I can say is... men with ink...yum! :)

Who's with me?

Apps:

Okay I am SERIOUSLY starting to think there should be an addiction class like AA for these convenient little shits! I can NOT tell you how many of these damn things I have because of course I NEED them. 

Ant thinks I am absolutely RETARDED, but like I said I NEED them! 

I will share with you my favs soon but I promise I will categorize them first so you don't go cross eyed reading a half a novel on why I LOVE and NEED them :) 

Music:

I have always been a HUGE music fan and not just a dead set only exclusive kind of girl I listen, enjoy and know ALL genres. From classical to heavy metal; from rap to country there isn't much I don't like. 

If I was a single gal I could tell you I probably wouldn't even OWN a TV. I prefer music ALL day ANY day! 

Chalkboards:

Here is yet another OMG I LOVE thing and the hubby rolls his eyes at me. Granted last year I went a SHIT TON CRAZY little overboard with it. I find it SO convenient and not to mention I can reuse these items OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER again. With three kids to me that is just money smart lol

I have a free standing easel,  my coffee corner in my kitchen features chalkboard canisters, I have chalkboard banners I use for EVERY party I host and when we build our pantry in the kitchen I already told Ant I want the doors chalk board... DON"T JUDGE ME! ;)

Coffee:

Just ANOTHER thing I grew up to LOVE. I swear it is in my blood stream. I was raised as a military brat PLUS around fire houses and we ALL KNOW those men and women SURVIVE off coffee!

I have always had a taste for it from iced to hot, latte to cappuccino. If it is coffee based I am ON IT! I even got cross trained while working at Books-A-Million and became a certified Barista! Yes folks it is THAT BAD!

Oh and my kitchen theme will be cafe when I start it... LOL

My Planner: 

As a mom, wife, blogger, photographer, business starter, and future student my planner is the NEXT BEST thing besides my cell phone!

This is HOW I manage everything that goes on. 

From Doctor's appointments, school functions for the kids and hubby, sports for the kids, my work schedule, photo sessions birthdays, an

anniversaries and MORE. 

I am tell YOU I. WOULD. BE. LOST without it!

Color Coding:

SO when you are managing a household of , a blog, work, school, sports, a business AND trying to keep up with those Happy Birthday's, you learn to find a system that works for you. Mine just happens to be color coding things in my planner and my filing cabinets.

Aaliyah has pink files, Alora has purple, Dakota has red.. you get the picture LOL 

As for my planner... 

Let's just say multi-colored pen packs are MY BEST FRIEND! The more colors the better!

For example:

Light Blue: Birthdays

Orange: Anniversaries

Pink: Anything to do with the Girls Schools

( I REALLY wish they would have had a pack of pens that had enough colors though to individualize each girl because they are in 3 different schools for the first time this year and that my friends SUCK!)

ETC.

These are just few of the things that I love and I am sure there will be more to share with you very soon!

Next week I am going to be dedicating a day per family member to tell you a little bit more about them!
Have an AMAZING weekend!