As I’m sitting here typing this, it’s hard for me to believe that someone will actually read it, or care to for that matter. It’s all so surreal to me. I’m so glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone and started thethriftyblondeblog. I can’t believe how quickly 2018 flew by but it was one for the books. Starting a blog and an Instagram account that people actually read and follow is mind blowing! From creating a blog, transferring to a clinic where I work for the very best doctors and have the best coworkers ever,  to having an almost perfect performance evaluation and getting a raise, the Lord has blessed my family and me tremendously this past year and I have so much to be thankful for!

A New Year is always refreshing to me because it’s new and vibrant and sort of a fresh start. I never make resolutions that I don’t think I can stick with. Like going to the gym…you will not find me in gym, so I’m not going to pretend like that’s something I will start doing. Make resolutions that won’t make you feel like a failure early on. Even though, overall I had a wonderful year, there were parts that were not so glamorous. I was stressed out A LOT and my health was/is not that great. My plan and resolutions for this year is to put practices in place to prevent many of the not-so-great moments from happening so often.

Resolutions

Improving My Diet: I don’t think I’ve ever talked about this on social media, but I have a connective tissue disease and recently had surgery where it was found that I have granulomas (masses of tissue) in all of my fingers and parts of my hands. There are several types of connective tissue diseases and hundreds of things that could cause me to have granulomas, so I go back to the doctor in a few weeks for more testing. The connective tissue problem causes joint pain, swelling, body pain and just plain feeling like poo when I have a flare up. I also have autoimmune thyroiditis along with hypothyroidism which basically means that my body sees my thyroid as a foreign body and I will take thyroid replacement medicine forever.  I say all of this because I feel like if I ate more healthy and took the time to do more research on how my diet affects my condition, I would feel better. Because now, I eat whatever I want, skip dinner sometimes because I’m too tired to eat, drink way too many sodas and use way too much salt. I’m not sure, but I’m going to give it a go and see if it works.

More Time in Scripture Prayer: This is a major improvement and something that is very important to me. Also, something that seems to get put on the back burner. Yes, I go to church but I also need my own quiet time at home with Jesus, with just Him and me. There’s just something about quiet prayer time and “being still” that we need that I never do. This is a huge problem for me because I have a hard time sitting still. I am constantly going, going, going…and it leaves me exhausted, moody and stressed to the max. This will be a good way to de-stress whether it be in the morning before work because honestly when I get up at 4:15, I sit on my phone and respond to Instagram comments and DM’s for at least 15 minutes. I received a prayer work book for Christmas so that will be a great tool.

Unplug More Often: I hardly ever do this, but I think it would be beneficial for me to do it more often and a good way to manage stress. I am constantly on my phone, whether it be on Instagram, texting, banking, whatever it may be, I think taking several days out of the year with no phone or electronics, and go on a road trip, take a hike, hang by the pool… It’s good to recharge with no distractions whether you be alone or with the people you love.

Bring you the best outfit inspo!: Blogging goals for 2019 you may ask? My goal when starting this blog was to show women how to dress on a budget and that to look cute and trendy, you don’t have to spend a fortune. I believe that I have accomplished that thus far based on the positive feedback you sweet gals have given me! (thank you from the bottom of my heart!) My plan was mainly for outfit ideas, so you can incorporate what I put together and make it your own. I just want to keep bringing you the best affordable outfit inspiration that I can. And, if I hit 1K followers by the end of 2019, I’ll be in shock, HAHA!! I also, need a good planner and need to be more organized about what and when I’m going to post! I would also like to come up with something weekly to showcase shoes or a certain item or outfit (i.e. “Tuesday Shoesday” “Workwear Wednesday”)…not exactly this but you get my drift 🙂

MONEY HONEY: Okay, so last but not least comes the dreaded subject of finances. Right now, my closet is bursting at the seems and its shameful how many clothes I have that I’ve only worn for IG photos. I actually have laundry now that needs to be hung up that can’t be because I don’t have anymore clothes hangers.  Lord knows I don’t need all of those clothes and I’m sure they were super cheap when I bought them but I am putting myself on a budget. Like every week I will have “X” amount to spend on clothes or shoes and when that runs out, I’m done. Keep in mind, I am not rich, I just buy clothes for cheap and find really good deals and have the sweetest hubby that doesn’t care. And, as much as I love clothes, I love the beach more and would love to go on more vacations this year! And, I am horrible at saving money so I really want to improve on that this year as well!

I’m not a huge fan of reading and that goes back to me not being able to sit still, but there are some books that I would like to read this year that I want to share:

The Simplified Life by Emily Ley | Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis (I actually started reading this but haven’t got past the 2nd chapter) | Prayer, It’s Not About You by Harriet E Michael along with the study guide | Grace, Not Perfection by Emily Ley

Like I said in the beginning, I believe if I put these practices in action, especially the first three, I will be way less stressed and healthy. BUT, 2019, you have some big shoes to fill! Thank you for all of your love and support over the last few months! Happy New Year!

May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace. Numbers 6:25-26

XOXO

Lauren

Hey y’all! It feels like a while since I’ve done an actual outfit post but it feels good to put one together again. This time I’ve put together some holiday looks. Now, I’m staying true to my style on this one. I love all of the glitz and glam and shiny dresses I keep seeing but honestly I have nowhere to wear stuff like that, so here we are! Enjoy!

I’ve shared this sweater a few times on my Instagram because I think it’s so festive and perfect for Christmas! I love Ross Dress for Less, which is where I purchased this so I can’t link it but if you haven’t shopped there, give it a shot, you will love it! These black skinny jeans are my favorite jeans ever and I wear them all the time!

This look, is so simple but so chic! Anyone call pull this look off. This would be the perfect look for a casual office party or family get together. This velvet tee is so comfortable and soft on the inside and this color is perfect for Christmas. You could easily swap out the pants with dressier ones or dress it down with mules. Very versatile!

I absolutely love rompers! They are my favorite thing to wear in the warmer months so when I saw this one I grabbed it! I’m obsessed with this shade of green anyway. I just put on some tights and black booties to dress it up a little and you have a perfect holiday outfit!

This would be another look for the office during the holidays or church. Printed pants always make a statement. This would also work well with a sweater and some boots. Theses pants are another Ross find and this shirt was from the clearance section at Target.

I bought this neck tie shirt a few months ago especially for Christmas. I’m just in love with this pretty emerald color. You could do so much with it! Wear it with a skirt, or shiny pants, basically anything!

There you have it gals! I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and if you ever need links to anything or need anything at all, just message me!

XOXO

Lauren

She’s way prettier than me. Her pictures look so much better than mine. I’ll never have that many followers. I’m not rich, I can’t buy all of these designer clothes, so I’ll never reach that level. How do they have it all together? Do these thoughts run through your mind daily as you scroll through your Instagram feed? I know they do mine…or used to until recently I got a hold of myself and my thoughts. This is something that has been weighing on me as of late and I’m sure I’m not the only one. Comparing yourself to other people’s social media life is seriously dangerous and will take a toll on your mental health. Or, comparing yourself to people in general is not healthy. It seems more prevalent now that I’m blogging, than before. I don’t think we do it intentionally but at the end we’ve sized our life up against someone else’s without even realizing it. People only allow you to see what they want you to see in their perfect little Insta-square and you have no idea what’s going on in their real life. Theodore Roosevelt said it best when he said that “Comparison is the thief of joy.”

BIBLE TRUTHS

Let’s see what the Bible has to say about comparing yourself to others: Each of you must examine your own actions then you can be proud of your own accomplishments without comparing yourself to others. Assume your own responsibility. Galations 6:4-5 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. James 3:16

I FELT LIKE A FAILURE.

When I start comparing myself to others, I start feeling like a failure. Like what I’m doing is not good enough, or not enough period, then that leads to envy and jealousy and those two things are not good feelings to harbor. After only a few months, I was losing my confidence and asking myself why I was even doing this. I am a perfectionist so I put so much pressure on myself to make sure everything is done just right and that there is a blog post out every week. Honestly, I had no idea how many bloggers there were, I just knew that I was a thrifty shopper and I wanted to show others how I did it on a budget plus share my DIY projects and recipes along the way. If you get caught up in the followers you have, like I did at one time then it will literally drive you crazy. Some bloggers will follow you just to get a follow back, then unfollow you. Shame on you if you do this. It’s just wrong in my opinion. (Sorry, nothing to do with comparison, this just really bothers me.)

I AM BETTER THAN THIS

I am not one to start something and not finish and I’m super type A personality and I know that I am better than letting this feeling of failure get a hold of me. Heck, I’ve barely started, I’ve got a lot to share! And, I have a pretty great life with pretty great people in it. I do have to tell myself over and over, this is my niche, I am doing me, they are doing them. I have gotten SO MUCH positive feedback from my followers that it shouldn’t matter to me what someone else is doing. If I can help one girl, I feel accomplished.

COMPLEMENT INSTEAD OF COMPARE.

I promise you I am much happier now that I only focus on myself and you have to give yourself some credit for actually stepping out and creating something! I have met some sweet ladies that I interact with daily and I love that and I wish them the most success. The way I did that was reaching out and complementing them instead of comparing myself to them. I genuinely loved their sweater or hair or shoes so I complemented them and that’s how you start relationships and get out of that comparison rut.

YOU ARE DOING GREAT!!

We all are giving our all. Most of us have full time jobs, are mothers or are trying to make a name for ourselves. I don’t have a skin care routine, my floors need to be swept and mopped as I type this, I forget to send my son to school with lunch money, I’m too tired to give him a bath some nights and I let him eat ice cream for dinner. Hey, I’m human and so are the people that are idolized on IG and their kid probably ate Halloween candy for dinner this week. HAHA!! I may not have thousands of followers and I’m fine with that, but I’m thankful for the faithful 400+ that I do have. With a new year right around the corner I plan on sticking to why I started thethriftyblondeblog and not comparing myself to what’s around me because I like my joy and don’t want anything stealing it. If you do want to compare yourself to anyone, compare yourself to Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1)

STAY IN YOUR LANE

Why did I start blogging? Because, I believe I have things to share and say that would be beneficial to others. And, this is MY blog, there are no rules, I don’t have to write a blog post every week or post a picture on IG every day and I really just need to give myself a break. I have to remind myself daily to STAY IN MY LANE, that I am doing the best that I can with my time and resources and I’m doing a pretty good job. So are you! Just opening the Insta app can be overwhelming and mentally it can take a toll on you if you let it. No one is perfect. We all have problems and issues, some just make it look better than others or don’t talk about them. It’s a breath of fresh air when I see a feed that is different; that doesn’t conform to the “norm.” All of the “blogger babes” that I follow, I do so for a reason. You are all such an inspiration and if you are just starting out don’t get caught up in the comparison trap and always keep this verse in mind:

I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; My soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:14

XOXO

Lauren

Hey there! Black Friday is upon once again! I freaking LOVE Black Friday! And, it’s awfully strange to me because I hate traffic and large crowds and I am a total introvert but just something about it draws me in every year. I do refuse to start shopping on Thanksgiving because I believe that is a time for family and if it weren’t for people wanting to shop so early, then those retail workers would be able to spend time with their families as well, so I will not contribute to it. SO, it’s actually not that crowded on actual Black Friday anymore because of this new craze to start shopping before your Thanksgiving dinner has digested. I am going to give you 4 retailers that I will be headed to that day and my picks from their ads.

TARGET: DOORS OPEN AT 5PM ON THURSDAY 11/22, WILL CLOSE AT 1AM FRIDAY 11/23 AND REOPEN AT 7AM FRIDAY 11/23

• All TV’s on sale
• Nikon camera and bag $499.99
• Disney Maximus horse $69
• BOGO 50% off mix and match all toys from these brands: Tech Deck, Melissa and Doug, Our Generation, Nerf, Beyblade Burst, Ninja Turtles, Vtech, Leap Frog, HotWheels, Baby Alive, Little Live Pets, Imaginext, WWE
• BOGO 50% off college and pro team products
• Razor $18
• Battery Powered Mercedez Car for kids $124
• Girls leggings $4
• Kid’s Tees $5
• Kid’s and Toddler’s boots $10
• Kid’s Puffer Coats $20
• Women’s Boots $15-$20
• Women’s and Men’s tees $4
• Sweaters for the family $10
• Holiday Graphic tees $5
• Women’s Graphic pullovers $15
• Men’s Fleece pullovers $10
• Family PJ’s $10
• BOGO 50% off Beauty and Cosmetic Gift Sets
• Flannel Sheet Set $14
• Weighted Blanket $50
• Pyrex glass mixing bowl and food storage set $18
• Air Fryer $49.99
• Spend $50 and get a coupon for 20% off for a future shopping trip online or in store between 11/27 and 12/8!

WALMART: DOORS OPEN AT 6PM ON THURSDAY 11/22 BUT YOU CAN START SHOPPING ONLINE AT 9PM WEDNESDAY NIGHT 11/21

• BEATS wireless earphones $75
• Fujifilm Instax Mini $55
• Sony wireless speaker $17
• Nintendo Switch with MarioKart $299 **Great Deal**
• $5 and $10 board games
• HotWheels Ultimate Garage $75
• Bikes $36
• Hoverboard and Go-Kart Combo $148
• Shark Navigator Lift Away Pet $88 **I want this so bad**
• Instant Pot $59
• Better Homes and Gardens 23pc Prep Set $9.96
• Suede Slippers for Women $7
• Cuddl Duds Thermal PJ’s $10
• Leopard Print and Plain Black Booties $12 **These will sell out!!**
• Sherpa pullover $12
• Kid’s Pajama Sets $4.75

OLD NAVY: CHECK YOUR LOCAL STORE FOR EXTENDED HOURS

SALES START WEDNESDAY 11/21-50% OFF ENTIRE STORE AND ONLINE $1 COZY SOCKS FOR THE FAMILY IN STORE FRIDAY 11/23 ONLY                 **OLD NAVY WILL DONATE $1 PER PAIR OF SOCKS SOLD UP TO 1 MILLION DOLLARS TO BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS**

ACADEMY SPORTS AND OUTDOORS:

If you are looking for athletic shoes, I have found the best selection and prices at Academy. 

JC PENNEY: DOORS OPEN AT 2PM THURSDAY 11/22

• Hardside luggage any size $39.99
• 60% off holiday decor
• 5pc comforter set any size $25
• Guys knit joggers $9.99
• Guys thermal tees $6.99
• Men’s, women’s and kid’s puffer vests $14.99
• 60% off men’s slippers
• Girl’s leggings $4.99
• 60% off kid’s cold weather accessories
• BOGO free kids socks and underwear and girl’s bras
• Baby and Toddler match-ups $3.99
• Red box women’s boots $19.99
• Chi flat iron $60
• Blanket Scarves $7.99
• Juniors Leggings $4.99
• Sherpa Cardigan $9.99
• Sephora has $15 and under deals

You can also head to blackfriday.com and see all of the ads! Happy shopping!