Author: Big Mama

  • Fashion Friday: Edition complete with a Mother’s Day giveaway!

    So this weekend is Mother’s Day weekend and to celebrate, I’ve teamed up with Milk and Honey Tees and the Millie Mae Collection for a fun giveaway. (You don’t have to be a mom to enter. You just have to have had a mom which means we all qualify.) Here are the prizes:

    – A Milk and Honey “Grace Alone” tee
    – A pair of Millie Mae “The Julia” tassel earrings
    – A copy of my Everyday Holy devotional

    Entering is easy! All you have to do is leave a comment here on the blog for a chance to win.

    But what’s even better is we are choosing THREE different winners to each win ALL THREE items. You can have more chances to win by following @milkandhoneytees on Instagram and leaving a comment there and by following @milliemaecollection on Instagram and leaving a comment there.

    One winner will be chosen from my blog, one from Milk and Honey tees, and one from the Millie Mae Collection to comprise three total winners. The winners will be chosen by a random drawing.

    Now for some cute things I found this week:

    1. ruffle fit and flare midi dress

    There is a darling new line at Nordstrom called 1901 and they have so many cute things. This dress is $129 and also comes in green, white, gold, black and light blue. It would be perfect for a summer wedding or graduation.

    2. mixed floral tie flutter dress

    I never know how I’m going to feel about pink clothing, but this appears to be a winner. I love the shade of pink and the floral pattern. I also think it could be dressed up or down depending on your dress needs.

    It’s $89.50 but an extra 30% off plus an extra 10% off with the code LOVEMOM at checkout.

    (Why not just 40% off? I don’t understand, Loft.)

    3. plaid cotton style wrap dress

    This is another dress by 1901 and I love it because it seems like something the ladies in the movie Hidden Figures would wear. It’s so retro and I love it. It’s $129.

    4. steve madden kirsten layered platform sandal

    I keep meaning to buy these shoes and then I forget. And then I think about them again and can’t decide between the gold or the natural tan color. They are $89 and I love that they are a heel without really being a heel. They’re like a cross between a sneaker and a sandal, which I guess makes them a “snandel” or a “sandeaker”.

    5. loft cropped jeans in chalk pink

    I love a pair of white jeans, but I also like to have other light colored jean options. This pink is perfect and I love the raw hem. They are $69.50 plus an extra 30% off and an extra 10% off with the code LOVEMOM at checkout.

    6. loft striped flutter button shell

    I think this is a darling top. It’s $54.50 plus an extra 30% off and an extra 10% off with the code LOVE MOM at checkout.

    7. aimee y-choker

    Several of you asked about the necklace I had on in the picture with Caroline yesterday that I wore to the Pop Cast. This is it. It’s $48 and also comes in silver. It has extra notches in the back so it doesn’t have to be worn as choker-like as it is featured here. I really love mine.

    Also, the jumpsuit I wore that night is here for those who asked. It is so cute and so comfortable, but it’s almost sold out.

    8. hadley embroidered tunic dress

    I am a sucker for an embroidered tunic anything and so this is no exception. The reviews also say it has a slip under it so it’s not sheer. It’s $99.95 plus 25% off.

    9. striped long kimono

    I have had my eye on this for a long time. I think it would look so great over all white this summer and then all black later on. Or maybe just over jeans and a white t-shirt. Whatever. I love stuff like this and love the colors. It’s $99.95 plus 25% off.

    10. steve madden cali espadrille platform

    These sandals are the other pair I keep debating because I don’t need these and the ones featured above. I love them both equally, but think these might not be as everyday friendly since they’re a little taller and might cause a person to twist an ankle walking out of the grocery store. But maybe it would be worth it because you’d look so cute up until that point. I do love that they’re a platform so it’s all the height without a real heel.

    They are $99.95 and also come in cognac or black.

    That’s it for today.

    Have a good Friday and a happy Mother’s Day!

  • A post with a lot of information

    Hello.

    It’s me.

    I’ve been wondering if after all these years you’d like to meet.

    Someone should make that a song.

    I figured I better dust off the ol’ blog and write some sort of something before I forgot my password to get into it. Especially since forgetting passwords is my specialty. The other night I kept getting all these notices that someone was trying to log into my Twitter account and all I could think was “Good luck with that, sucker, because I can’t even remember my password.” I realize there are all manner of programs that can help with this, but then what would I do for fun?

    Things have been busy around here as May tends to be. Lots of end of the year projects and tests and finding various athletic uniforms that need to be turned in and driving to soccer practice. (And, let’s be honest, the true shout out goes to the teachers who are still holding down the fort after nine long months. You’re the real MVPs of May.) The good news is that Caroline finally got cleared by her doctor to return to normal activity after almost six weeks of being out of commission and I swear I saw the clouds part and angels begin to sing. She has always been a kid who functions better when she can basically exhaust herself with physical activity and so it’s good to see her back to her normal self.

    Last weekend Caroline and I went to Dallas for the Pop Cast Live with Knox and Jamie and had the best time. We stayed with my friend Jamie (a different Jamie than Jamie Golden of the Pop Cast) which is always fun and then did the show. I honestly can’t remember the last time I’ve laughed that hard. The whole thing was a delight and if you have the chance to go see them live, then you totally should do that. The junior high picture that Jamie shared of herself basically made my life complete.

    Here’s a picture of Caroline and me before we left Jamie’s house that night for the show. I need you to know the only reason I’m taller than her is because I had on heels. She’s about to be a sophomore in high school and I don’t even understand what’s happening.

    On Sunday morning we drove home and then spent the rest of the day doing nothing except unpacking and taking naps.

    And that’s really all that’s been going on around here. However, I do have several things to share that you may want to know about.

    1. Coffee and Crumbs Podcast

    I was a guest this week on the Coffee and Crumbs podcast and had the best time talking to them about motherhood. We discussed how I got the name “Big Mama” for the blog, the things we lie about to our pediatricians and other things about motherhood that catch you by surprise. You can listen here.

    2. Chin Up, America t-shirts

    Look what’s back for a limited run!

    Mandy at Milk and Honey tees has brought back our Chin Up, America! t-shirts for a limited edition run due to high demand. They won’t last long and this will probably be their last hurrah, so you may want to grab one before they’re gone if it’s something you want. You can find them here.

    3. Everyday Holy Instagram Contest

    Richard the Owl has put together the most fun giveaway over on my Instagram account. We are giving away 45 gift boxes just like the one pictured above with a stuffed owl, Everyday Holy dishtowel, Everyday Holy Journal and an actual copy of the Everyday Holy 100 day devotional. It’s just a little way to celebrate the one month anniversary of Everyday Holy being out in the world and to thank you for giving it such a great start.

    The only catch is you can only enter on Instagram. You can find and follow my Instagram account here
    .
    4. Say Something Event

    I was invited to speak at Say Something in Dallas a few weeks ago and they actually recorded video of my talk which doesn’t happen very often so I thought I’d share it here in case you want to watch. It’s all about how to give ourselves grace and finding our security in being who God made us to be.

    Please note that God made me a person who can’t help but talk with my hands. The only reason it’s remotely in check is because I had to hold the microphone.

    Hope you have a great Thursday!

  • Fashion Friday: Edition it’s Pop Cast Live Weekend!

    Y’all.

    I feel like we have so much to catch up on…although I’m not entirely sure you want to hear about my life of driving to soccer practice and taking Piper and Mabel to the dog park…but still. It’s just been a week of constant motion and I plan to write a nice long blog post next week about all the things that are happening here. That makes it sound more exciting than it is and now I feel like I oversold it. I apologize.

    This weekend is the Pop Cast Live in Dallas with Knox and Jamie and I couldn’t be more excited about it. Caroline is going with me and I’m going to try not to bombard Jamie Golden with 1,084 questions about various Sephora beauty and hair products.

    In the meantime, I thought one or six of you might be interested in reading an excerpt from Everyday Holy that was featured on ibelieve.com yesterday. You can find it here.

    And speaking of Everyday Holy, I’ve heard from so many of you about how much you are enjoying it and how God is using it in your life and I can’t tell you what that means to me. Seriously. I am in a season of really struggling as I try to write my next book and the encouragement has been good for my soul at a time I’m tempted to just watch The Office on Netflix. So thank you. And if you feel inclined to go leave a nice review, I would so appreciate it. People who know stuff tell me that reviews really matter. Why? I have no idea.

    You can find Everyday Holy here on Amazon and here on Barnes & Noble or in your local Barnes & Noble store in addition to a multitude of other book seller options. It would be a perfect Mother’s Day or Graduation gift and it’s just $12.00 most places.

    (Also, for those of you who pre-ordered and are waiting on journals, I promise you will get them soon. They underestimated how many they would need and had to re-order but they are getting them out as fast as they can. Thank you for your patience!)

    Now for some cute things I found this week:

    1. eyelet split neck peplum shell

    I believe I have stated that I adore eyelet for the summer. This is $54.50 plus 40% off with the code SUNNY at checkout.

    2. urban outfitter oversize border print maxi dress

    I featured this last week. And I have been so tempted to buy it for myself since it is my summer of the kaftan, yet I resisted because it wasn’t on sale. But now Urban Outfitters is offering 20% off dresses and rompers.

    There is a legendary story in my family about a cousin of mine who, when she was little and would get in trouble, would tearfully declare, “And just yesterday I gave my heart back to Jesus.”

    That’s how I feel about this kaftan being on sale. I’m trying to be better but it’s just so hard.

    3. loft denim bermuda shorts

    I feel like I get a lot of emails asking about a longer denim short option. They have been hard to find in seasons past, but these from Loft are perfect. They are $54.50 plus 40% off with the code SUNNY at checkout.

    Loft actually has a lot of great short options in a variety of lengths depending on your leg comfort.

    4. j.crew dandy drop earrings

    These are little straw pom pom earrings and I think they are darling. So bright and fun for summer. They come in a variety of colors and are on sale for $22.13.

    5. wide brim straw hat

    I am I-need-a-large-brim-hat-to-be-out-in-the-sun years old. This one is on sale for $15 and is just about perfect. $15 means if it gets ruined by the end of the summer that it’s not the end of the world.

    6. stripe camp shirt

    I love a shirt like this for summer because it’s so easy to throw on with jeans or shorts and it’s lightweight. This one is $45 and also comes in blue.

    7. lou and grey striped tee dress

    There are a bunch of these cute tee dresses on sale at Loft right now and I love them all. I love a cotton dress for the summer. This one is $69.50 but 40% off with the code SUNNY.

    8. hillary top

    How cute is this top? It’s $36.

    9. old navy ruffle trim voop neck tee

    I didn’t know a voop neck was a thing, but I’m here for it. Even though, between you and me, it makes me sing Salt-N-Pepa’s Shoop to myself. In fact, I just went on a rabbit trail that led me to the video on youtube.

    This top is $24.99 and also comes in an olive stripe, navy and peach color.

    10. vince camuto carran platform sandal

    I think these are so cute and they come in several different color options.

    And I’ve also had my eye on these toms clarita espadrille slides because I have no doubt that they are super comfortable.

    11. free people morning glory kimono

    This is just a bonus item because I saw it at the last minute and it spoke to me. Love the way it looks over all white. It’s $68.

    That’s it for today.

    Have a good Friday.

  • Fashion Friday: Edition it’s a three day weekend and I’m not mad about it

    That’s right. We have a three day weekend because today is a holiday in San Antonio. There’s a big parade called Battle of Flowers to honor the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto and so the kids don’t have school. I will not be going to the parade. Caroline and I plan to celebrate by going shopping and maybe getting pedicures.

    Anyway, here are a few cute things I found this week:

    1. loft ribbed poncho sweater

    I love a lightweight sweater for the spring and summer and this poncho style is really cute. The reviews do say that you’ll need a tank under it, but this color would look great with white jeans. It’s $59.50 plus an extra 30% off since everything at Loft is 30% off right now.

    2. stacie cardigan

    Speaking of lightweight sweaters, this is another great option. It’s $49.95 plus an extra 25% off.

    3. steven greece slides

    I’ve been looking for a pair of gold slides and I really like these. They are $79.

    4. oversized border print maxi dress

    Remember last week I said that Gulley and I have declared this to be the summer of the kaftan? This definitely qualifies. I adore it. It’s $69 and Urban Outfitters has free shipping on all orders right now.

    5. gap dress with gathered waist

    I’m such a fan of lightweight cotton dresses for the summer because they are easy to throw on and so much better than navigating shorts when you sit down. This one is really cute and also comes in a blue color.

    6. mosaic striped split neck blouse

    How pretty is this? It’s $59.50 plus and extra 30% off.

    7. j.crew printed flutter dress

    I love this. It’s on sale for $52.50 and also comes in a navy polka dot and black. I really love it in this color though and would wear it with turquoise accessories.

    8. oversized tortoise sunglasses

    These sunglasses are at Target and just $14.99. I enjoy a cheap pair of sunglasses because I tend to lose them or sit on them and, basically, can’t have nice things.

    9. noonday collection masai earrings

    These are $32 and I think they are so fun for summer. The color patterns vary so know that before you order, but I love how bright and cheery they are.

    10. rosario jumpsuit

    This is the sleeveless rosario jumpsuit that I featured a few weeks ago. It also comes in red. I just thought you might want to know that it’s now 15% off and they are offering free shipping on everything through April 29th. You may also find a great leather bag or a great necklace while you’re looking.

    That’s it for today.

    Have a good Friday.

  • The Big Boo Cast, Episode 103

    This is the emergency episode that we recorded in light of the new royal baby. I also feel that since it is now almost midnight on Wednesday night as I post this, and there is still no official word on the name, that my theory about an ongoing argument about the name between Kate and William is a real thing. Stay strong, Kate. I trust your baby name judgement, even though I don’t trust that you had that baby seven hours before you were photographed leaving the hospital. The ankles are always the sure sign.

    Anyway, we also discuss beauty products and books. And maybe some other things but I can’t remember those now.

    You can click here to listen. Or here. You can even listen right here on the blog.

    You can also listen on Stitcher or Google Play.

    And if you’re on the Facebook, well, we are, too.

    We’d love for you to subscribe on iTunes, and we’d be honored if you’d leave us a review.

    Here’s where you can get more info on the stuff / products / places we mention:

    Princess Charlotte greets the crowd

    Friday Night Lights

    Grey’s Anatomy scrubs

    Waiting for Guffman

    Father of the Bride

    Crazy Rich Asians

    Revlon Color Stay Ultra Suede lipstick

    Jamie Golden, Beloved Podcaster and Beauty Product Expert

    Jamie’s Instagram (her Stories are SO helpful for Sephora / Ulta / Dermstore shopping)

    Amika Bombshell Blowout Spray

    Aquage Uplifting Foam

    Sunday Riley Tidal Brightening Cream

    Charlotte Tilbury Unisex Healthy Glow Moisturizer

    EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 tinted sunscreen

    Heliocare capsules

    Our new Big Boo Cast t-shirts from Milk and Honey Tees!

    SPONSORS:

    Easy Kicks

    FabFitFun #fabfitfunpartner

  • Life in general: A not so brief retrospective of the last seven days

    Listen.

    I don’t know where the time goes. I just know that I look up and another week has gone by and a new one is starting, I feel like Caroline when she was a toddler and threw huge fits and then would look up at us after she calmed down and say, “Happen? Happen?”

    What happened was you lost your dang mind because the straw to your juice box broke. Kid, I’m sorry about your level 10 reaction to a level 2 situation, but all I can tell you is you come by it honestly.

    Anyway, we left town a week ago this past Friday for College Station. We spent the weekend with Honey and Big, along with Gulley and her family, and loved every minute. I fully embrace a weekend that involves eating chips and dip, watching various Aggie sports and being with people I love and this one included all of those things.

    Caroline and I drove in that Friday night and just hung out after making a quick stop at Aggieland Outfitters to buy their last three remaining Aggie sweatshirts since there was a cool front blowing through. Then Saturday we headed out to watch the Aggies play baseball against Alabama before eventually making our way over to Kyle Field for the maroon and white game. While it lacked some of the excitement of an actual football game, it was still fun to see the players on the field and you’ll be glad to know that I was doing a careful study of Jimbo Fisher’s coaching style and I believe he has it all under control.

    We drove home on Sunday and stopped at the Buccees in Bastrop along with what was apparently everyone else in the state of Texas. Caroline and I were both hungry and agreed that the chopped barbecue sandwiches they were selling smelled delicious, but felt that they would leave us with some regrets later on so we stuck to a bag of chips and Sour Patch Kids.

    Then last week was basically banana crazy pants. I can hardly even remember what we did but it involved a lot of trying to figure out geometry homework (Lord give me strength) and preparing for a Biology lab practical on a fetal pig dissection. (Lord give me even more strength)

    In the meantime, I did a lot of trying to figure out things to cook for dinner, laundry and attempting to get started on my next book.

    But on Thursday, our high school girls’ varsity soccer team was playing in the state semi-finals in Georgetown, Texas which is about a two hour drive from here and I ended up taking a carload of Caroline’s friends to watch the game. Caroline rode on a bus with the JV soccer team, but several of her friends wanted to go watch the game and somehow I ended up agreeing to being their chauffeur. Here’s what I learned from the experience:

    1. High school girls are very loud.

    2. There will never be a time when they see a sign that says “Road Work Ahead” that they don’t say “Road Work Ahead? I sure hope it does!” (This is apparently from a Vine and it’s the joke that keeps on giving.)

    3. They will decide to listen to “oldies music” on the trip which for them means Maroon 5 songs from 2012. Or, when they really want to throw it back, Britney Spears singing “Oops I Did It Again” from 2000.

    The honest truth is I enjoyed every minute of it and they were very sweet and made me laugh multiple times. Our soccer team ended up losing the game in the last 72 seconds which was a heartbreaker, but they played their hearts out and I was so proud of the girls for how hard they fought.

    As for this past weekend, we just did a whole lot of nothing on Friday and then went to Caroline’s club soccer game on Saturday. She’s out right now with an injury but we still wanted to support the team and then we had everyone over for fajitas on Saturday night.

    Also, I posted this on Instagram, but her coach had the girls do ice baths after the game in these huge trash cans in the back of his truck since they had another game on Sunday afternoon and needed to have fresh legs.

    I mean. If any picture ever summed up soccer in Texas, then this may be it.

    So that’s a not so brief look at life here over the last week or so. I’m sure I’m forgetting something but I can’t remember if there’s more. Of course I also couldn’t get the coffee pot to work this morning so it’s all relative.

    True story. P left early on Sunday morning to go to church, but I slept in. When I got up, I turned on our Keurig and attempted to make myself a cup of coffee, except it wouldn’t brew when I pushed brew. All I got were a few sad drops of coffee in the bottom of my mug. I’d just cleaned it thoroughly a week ago when the same thing happened so I knew that wasn’t the problem. I decided to use my best technological knowledge and unplugged it and plugged it back in. But this time it wouldn’t even turn on. I kept plugging and unplugging and pushing the button to turn it on…NOTHING. It was dead. You know what’s a sad turn of events on a Sunday morning? A dead coffee maker. (By which I mean a coffee machine that doesn’t work, not a dead barista. Clearly, a dead barista would be the worst thing that could happen on a Sunday morning.)

    Anyway, I decided I’d just have to stop at Starbucks on the way to Caroline’s soccer game. P got home from church as we were walking out the door and I announced, “The Keurig is dead! I’ve plugged it in and unplugged it and pushed the button and NOTHING!”. He asked, “Are you sure?” I walked over to it triumphantly and said, “LOOK! IT WON’T TURN ON!” as I pushed the button repeatedly.

    That’s when Caroline looked at me and said, “Mom. That’s not how you turn it on. You need to use the power switch in the back.” And then she and P died laughing at my expense.

    As my Pa-Pa used to say, “It’s hell to get old”.

    But, in my defense, P attempted to make a cup of coffee after we left and used the power switch and everything and it STILL didn’t work. So the bottom line is I WAS RIGHT. IT WAS BROKEN.

    And so I spent part of my Sunday afternoon going to Bed, Bath and Beyond to buy a new Keurig because COFFEE IS LIFE. Apparently without it, I don’t even know how to work basic appliances that we’ve owned for ten years.

    Have a happy Monday.