It is Shop Small Saturday, and I can’t think of a better place to shop small than at The Shops at Willow Park! They are located at 210 Shops Blvd, Willow Park, TX 76087. They have everything from shopping to experience to yummy dining. They even have an area out front for kids, or adults to play Cornhole, sit around and congregate, play Connect Four, and more! It’s the perfect date night, girls day out, or family outing. If you love to shop local like I do this place is a dream! It’s right down the road from anyone located in Aledo, Weatherford, or the Fort Worth area. Below I’ve listed the shops located at The Shops at Willow Park, along with a link to take you straight to their websites. All you have to do is click the store you’re interested in. I will also list a few fun date nights, and girls days below!

Date Nights: Ice Cream at Orange Leaf, Dinner at Drakes Yoke, Brunch at The Parker County Brewery, Coffee at Cafe 23:5, Breakfast Date at Sunny Street Cafe

Girls Day Out: Shopping at Red Horse/ Carys Lane/ Byrd Mill/ Lonestar Dry Goods (to shop for your man), Salon day at 2Ten Salon, Nail day at Ziva Nails, Shopping at a number of the local pop ups at Meld Popup Shops located at The Shops, Relaxing Day at Tree of Life Wellness Center

List and Links of The Shops: Cafe 23:5, Drakes Yoke, Orange Leaf, Parker County Brewing Company, Sunny Street Cafe, 2Ten Salon, Eyes Decor, Mathnasium, Plains Capital, Tree of Life Wellness Center, Ziva Nail Lounge, Byrd Mill, Carys Lane, Lone Star Dry Goods, Nutrition Nation, Red Horse Boutique

Coming soon to The Shops at Willow Park: Mariposas Latin Kitchen and Spring Hill Suites by Marriott

Brace yourself, this is not your typical fashion post, but it will be okay I promise!

Ever feel overwhelmed? Like life has just slapped you in the face with all the things? I mean ALL. THE. THINGS. If the clapping hands emoji could somehow be typed out they would definitely be in that last sentence. In the same breath, have you ever felt guilt for that overwhelming feeling, because it’s from strictly good things happening in your life. This is my life right now. Let me explain.

I shared a little bit about this on my insta stories a few days back, but I felt like I needed to make a post about this topic and recap in case you missed it. Raise your hand if this has ever been you?! UMMM HELLO… my hand is to the Heavens!

This draining feeling came a couple of days ago when I started back to school. I don’t want to be misunderstood like Luke P. or anything (gag lol), but I absolutely LOVE my job. I love getting to impact young lives every day, and love on my kiddos. BUT…I also LOVE other things as well. Such as, my husband, my family, my friends, working out, and most currently this new journey I am on with you guys. These are all AMAZING things! Most people are like how in the world are you stressed out about all these awesome things happening in your life?! It’s simply because I don’t know how to make it all work. I know that I am so incredibly blessed to be in this predicament, but that doesn’t change the fact that sometimes I feel like the world is caving in around me. I guess what I am saying is I don’t know how to take care of myself, my full time job, countless meetings for committees, my household (since my hubby is gone for football 24/7 now), and make this new passion of mine work all at once. If anyone has an answer, I need to hear it right about now cause ya girl is strugglin’! Jenna Hatmaker once said, “If it’s not a HELL YES then it’s a HELL NO.”. Which is great advice, but what happens when they are all in the HELL YES category? How do you time manage? How do you not feel overwhelmed? Or how do you cope with the feeling of being overwhelmed? I don’t have the answers to these questions or have life figured out, because if I did I wouldn’t be sitting here putting it all down on paper. All I know is that these blessings came at once for a reason. I am in this stage of life on purpose, because the Good Lord above knew I could handle it. These things didn’t just happen on accident. There is a kid in my class that will need me just as much as I need them this year. There is my health on the line. There is a woman out there who will need to hear what I have to say one day, or someone who get’s a confidence boost by ordering that outfit I showed off. There is a town that needs me in the decisions being made for its future, and without my home in order all other aspects of my life will turn to chaos too. So…HELL YES, those are the reasons why I choose to keep taking baby steps forward even in the times I’m relying on pure faith. Even in the times that get so hard that it would be easier to give up than to stay focused. This overwhelming period will pass, but I won’t let my opportunity to impact lives (including my own) do the same.

Be sure to follow along on Instagram for all the fun, and please, please, please be sure to like, share, and comment on all the things! Instagram is wonky like that. It is appreciated more than you know! All my hugs & love,

XOXO LoLee

We had so much fun shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale this year! It was our first year, and we definitely learned some do’s and don’t’s! As for the do’s…DO plan ahead, DO make a collection of the items you for sure want, DO set a budget before you shop so you don’t get too carried away (because it is SO easy to do so!). The biggest take away for the don’t’s for me was DON’T assume just because you ordered it online at the store before the sale was live online that you will get the item you ordered. We ordered several items that we “paid” for that ended up being canceled due to the volume of online orders that day. The items were oversold, and we were left hoping there would be a restock. Overall, we had such a fun day and we will definitely be participating again next year. Pro Tip! Be sure to call days before to schedule a personal shopper to have a second set of hands to pull the items on your wish list. It is a game changer since it is usually so packed! Below I will be linking both items from the Anniversary Sale and dupes for the sale.

I ended up purchasing a few more pieces from the sale that I didn’t photograph, but I will post below with a dupe! I found all of these dupes below on Amazon. The pictures on the left are the pieces I found on Amazon for y’all, and the pictures on the right are the actual pieces from the Nordstrom sale! I am only linking the dupes below! Snakeskin and leopard are all the rage for this fall! If you have questions about anything else you saw in my try-on’s on Insta please don’t hesitate to reach out and ask! Helping you guys is my favorite part!

Happy Shopping…uhhhh I mean Happy Sunday! hehe Remember, please like, comment, and share with your friends if you’re loving this!

With hugs and LOVE,

Lolee

All things Scottsdale on this blog post! Outfits, restaurants, and fun, so buckle your {airplane} seat belt and let’s get to it! You can’t have the proper girls trip without a little shopping, exploring, and relaxation! Can I get an AMEN?!

First off, when I travel to a new place I want to explore every part of it! I want to know what makes that city so special. For me, this concept doesn’t just apply to travel, but with people as well. Exploration feeds my soul. Understanding what makes someone who they are is everything to me, but back to exploring Scottsdale! The first day we hiked Camelback Mountain. To say it was easy would be lying, but boy was is B-E-A-Utiful! We not only got to see the amazing scenery, but wildlife too! Aside from doing a little hiking, we also walked what felt like the entire town each day to eat and shop. Here are the links for a few of my fave “exploring” outfits below…

What else do you do in 100 degree heat?! Of course! You spend your days at the pool! This is exactly how we spent part of our trip, and let’s be real this was my first vacation of Summer and I needed a tan in a bad bad way. No amount of self tanner can do what a real tan can! Plus there is nothing better than a little Vitamin D! You heard me when I mentioned this was my first vacation of Summer right?! What you didn’t hear me say was it was my first week away from teaching all my sweet kinder babes. As much as I love my job and my kids, this relaxation was just what the doctor ordered! So, to top it all off we ended our trip with spa day massages.

Raise your hand if you love food as much as I do!! Here comes all of my mouth watering recommendations if you plan on stopping into this cactus town! I will link all of them as I talk about them, as well as some of my dinner/lunch outfits below. The first night we ate at Cien Agaves which not only had awesome food, but a great happy hour as well! The second day after hiking Camelback Mountain we needed something not too heavy to rid us of our hangriness (if that’s even a word) for lunch, so we stopped by The Breakfast Club. Let me preface that we did not eat a mediocre meal while in Arizona, BUT our second day dinner destination was BY FAR our favorite meal of the whole trip! Sumomaya is an Asian/Mexican fusion(which sounds weird) restaurant that is hands down on my top 10 favorite restaurants list, with the coolest atmosphere! The last day we ate at a quaint little restaurant called Montauk for lunch with the most delicious french onion dip with homemade chip app, and for dinner we decided on happy hour at a local favorite called Salty Senorita which had my signature drink; prickly pear margaritas that were bomb! Here are some of my dinner/ lunch looks!

Please feel free to contact me about any other recommendations you might need! I am definitely no expert, but would love to help in whatever way I can. Also, a lot of you sent me DM’s on insta asking me to get a LiketoKNOWit so you can shop the links, but unfortunately haven’t been accepted yet. To have an account to link to they look at followers, shares, and comments on posts to know you guys are interested! So help me to get these links more accessible to you by liking, commenting, and sharing on posts that you LOVE! It means the world to me!

-XO,

Lolee

I am for the most part an open book, but it hasn’t always been this way. I used to hide under over-sized/athletic clothes, I used to barely speak in public in fear of sounding uneducated, and I came off almost snooty when I was only trying to stay guarded. Don’t get me wrong. I still have my insecurities and flaws, but I have worked so hard to grow into the woman I am fully meant to be. That means, I may not be a size zero but I can still look cute, I may not be the smartest person in the room but I was made with a voice for a reason, and I may not always feel comfortable but when I share my stories I might be helping someone else going through the same things (good or bad). So here is a little bit of my story to help you understand a little better how I got to where I am today.

Lets start with high school. Some people have the time of their life, and some people you couldn’t pay to go back. The latter was me. You couldn’t pay me a million dollars to go back. Now with that being said, without that part of my life I wouldn’t be who I am today. High school was where I learned not to trust. It took my self confidence and shredded it into a million pieces. I let it take my individuality. I lost who I was as a person, because I put my self worth in another human being. Little did I know what my future would hold. How strong I would become, how confident, and how to go after whatever I want out of life no matter what anyone else thinks.

Then came college. I attended Texas Tech University (WRECK’EM!) in Lubbock, TX, and it was the BEST decision I have ever made (besides marrying my hubby of course)! Wait. Let me back up for a sec. I was still dating said boy who I put all my self worth into, and my first year in college was spent with me eating my feelings away in my dorm/waiting on his every move. How silly is that?! Yeah, I know. I remember calling my dad at the end of that first year, and telling him I was ready to throw in the towel and come home. He told me that I needed to try it one more semester, and if I still felt that way after giving it another shot then I could come home. I agreed, and gave it a whirl. I moved out of the dorms and into a place off campus with 3 other random girls. This is where I met one of my best friends to this day! This same year I learned that I didn’t need to smother who I was to please anyone else. I finally found my voice. The next two and a half years had their fair share of ups and downs, but more than anything I just kept finding the pieces of myself. Long story short, I stayed and never wanted to leave. No exaggeration. I contemplated getting a teaching job right there in good ole Lubbs, but my family brought me home.

My happy ever after! I came home from college and somehow landed my dream job straight out of the gate. Now, now, now. It wasn’t as easy as it sounds. I applied to what felt like 30 schools, and there was only 1 that called me back. Thank the Good Lord that he had a plan for my life, and knew exactly where I needed/wanted to be. I started my first year of teaching and felt lost. All of my friends were settling down, and figuring out their lives and I felt like I was just floating through the days. Yes, I loved my job and was so grateful to have it, but part of me felt so much anxiety for what my future held. Don’t worry though, God had a plan for that too! I started my job in August and in November I was due for an observation day around the campus. That means I was able to go to other schools to observe teachers who were more experienced than I was in the same grade level. Looking back on that day I laugh. I laugh because I was assigned to observe a first grade classroom when I was a kindergarten teacher, and was so frustrated that I had to make sub plans to just “waste” my day. To my surprise, I met my husband that day. Right there in the cafeteria of the school where I currently teach. He caught me, speed walking to the first grade classroom, I was annoyed to go to. As I walked by, he spoke up and said, “Hey, how are ya?”. Y’all. I bet you could never guess what my response was! I could’ve said, “Hey what’s up?!” or “I’m great, how are you?”, but nooooooooo. You know what I said?! I only said, “Good.”. Just good?! Yeah, and kept walking. Remember the snooty, but guarded statement above. That was partly that coming out, and the other part was my frustration from the day. Later that afternoon I felt so guilty, and decided to message him on insta to apologize. One thing led to another, and here we are almost married for a year in June! Meeting my husband sealed the deal for me. I found someone who loves every part of me, and encourages me to be goofy, messy, and imperfect.

Here we are present day and I am sitting here typing this and reviewing my life. Everything I went through to get to where I am now. Without every single one of those instances I wouldn’t be me. It would be silly to say that someone bigger than myself didn’t have a hand in all of this. I had to lose all my confidence and trust in high school to learn how to become my own person, and focus on me. When I met my best friends in college my trust was restored. When I applied to 30 schools and the school of my dreams was the only one who called me back, it taught me patience. When I just so happened to meet my husband in that same school district it taught me perseverance. To wrap this up, it brings me to this conclusion. Through every situation I have stayed consistent. Consistently me. I kept bettering myself, and the perfect situations kept falling into my lap. So, yes this whole blog venture is way out there for me. It’s uncomfortable, vulnerable, and scary, but if I only connect with 1 person it is worth it. It’s something that has been tugging on my heart strings for a while, and I am doing it. It’s not going to be easy, and there is no telling where it will lead, but I am going to ride it out until my heart is satisfied!

“Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.”- Marilyn Monroe

If you ask me, jewelry and shoes make an outfit. A simple pair of shoes is all it takes to complete the perfect look! Add the T word into the mix, and you’re speaking my language! Anyone else feel me?! Everyone knows the feeling of failure from walking into Target for one specific thing, and leaving with the whole store. In this instance, it ended up not being one, not two, not even three, but six… I REPEAT SIX pairs of shoes. Y’all it was like when you open a package of peanut butter Girl Scout Cookies telling yourself you are only going to eat one, and the next thing you know the whole box is gone! Wait. That’s only me?! Oops! No self control. Zip. Zero. Zilch. That was what it was like when I found all of these shoes for under $140. That sounds like a large number, but let’s be real. Usually one or two pairs of shoes adds up to that amount. I just couldn’t pass them up. I ended up getting a mixture of slides and espadrilles, and they are cuter than ever! I can’t wait to finally share my Summer go-to’s with y’all! The links will be posted under each picture, so all you will have to do is click to purchase! Also, always be aware of the deals on Target Cartwheel. I got an extra 15% off by using it!

Please be sure to like, comment, share on the post on insta @laurenleeblog , and to comment here as well so others can join in on the fun as well! Thanks for supporting me in this new adventure! It means more to me than you know!

Here goes nothing! What better way to start this blog off than with an earring post!

First of all, if you’re reading this, thanks for checking out my VERY FIRST POST on this site. It means the world to me that you are here. Yes, I know my pictures aren’t absolutely perfect, but what I care about most is sharing all of these awesome finds with you guys. I didn’t do a styled shoot for this post (Probably should have, because these are just screenshots from the videos posted to insta. Oops!) so I could get these deals out to you as quick as possible. You can call it beginner probs! So swipe left if you are in it for the flawless pics. Secondly, earrings have to be my favorite accessory. Sometimes I even pick my outfit for the day based on what earrings I want to wear! Anyone else do this, or is it just me?! And lastly, I love a good deal even more than I love a cute new pair of earrings. All of the earrings posted below are $14 or under and come with Amazon Prime. Say what?! Yeah, you read it right. Amazon has become my go to for finding the perfect clothes, shoes, and accessories at affordable prices. I will attach the link under each picture below so all you will have to do is click the blue word, and start shopping! Nothing completes an outfit quite like a super fun, and colorful set of earrings. I hope you guys find as much joy out of ordering these as I did! Happy shopping!

You can see the try ons and videos of all of these earrings on my insta stories at @laurenleeblog! Go follow, like, and comment so I know what to post next! Thanks for stopping in!

Thanks for joining me! I can’t wait to share my love for all things fashion and lifestyle with you guys! My goal is to be real, honest, and genuine in everything I share.

“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.”- Coco Chanel