Black Bell Sleeve Lace Top + Life Lately

Hellooooo guys!  Can you believe there’s actually a new post today?  I’m sorry I’ve been so quiet on here and Instagram, but life has been so busy, messy, and tiring lately that I decided to step back for a little mommy timeout.  More about that later on, but I wanted to dive into this fab outfit post first. Black on black is probably one of my favorite color combos to wear for date night, a girl’s night out, or if I’m attending a fancy event.  I know – how boring, right?  Wrong.  Not only is black universally flattering on ANYONE, but I love how polished and chic I feel in a good black outfit.

This beautiful black lace top has become my go to black top to wear out and for good reason.  The delicate detail, the 3/4 bell sleeve, and length make this lace top the perfect one to add to your wardrobe.  Oh yes, did I mention it’s less than $25??  Yes, girl. YASSS.  I wore a little bralette underneath it, but you can also pair it with a tank if you want more coverage. I paired it with these jeggings from Old Navy that I love, but you could also wear them with your favorite skinny jeans or tuck it into a flared skirt for a great formal look.

So life as of late has been hard.  While I really enjoy snapping photos of my outfits and motherhood moments, I hope you know that this is just a tiny glimpse of the big picture.  For every “picture perfect” moment I post on my blog or Instagram, there’s a handful of bad ones I don’t share. An overly tired momma, daily meltdowns, and a cluttered home are just a few examples of those real life moments I experience daily.  I hope you don’t think I live this perfect little life because I don’t.  And I’m ok with that, but man, some days (or in this case – weeks) have been tough.

Matea wasn’t sleeping. I was feeling under the weather (and super tired). Marli had 2 days off which meant I had to find activities to keep both girls entertained/busy. My house was a hot mess. The pressures of social media were getting to me. My body was feeling so blah. Etc. Etc. Etc. I think you feel me.

 So, I took a break from blogging/social media and went to IKEA with my dad to get organized.  I think the clutter in my house was mentally weighing me down and sure enough, I was right.  I spent 3 (yes 3!) entire days PURGING all of Marli, Matea, and my things and holy moly guys. I feel like a completely new person.  Matea’s room (which also doubles as my home office) got a complete makeover and I absolutely LOVE how clean, organized, and bright her room is now!  Plus, we purged ALL of their toys and organized them into separate bins and I cannot tell you how many times I heard Marli saying “oh mama!  I have been looking for that toy!” We threw away 2 boxes of broken toys and filled 5 bags of clothing to donate to charity!  I will also be selling some on HERE if you’re interested in shopping my closet or Marli/Matea’s closet. (I haven’t posted anything but will work on it this weekend.)

Affiliate Links: c/o Black Lace Top | Black Jeggings | YSL Clutch (also in gold HERE) | Heels (similar)

In regards to my workout regiment, it’s been a roller coaster ride trying to get back in shape. For the most part, I’ve been doing OK, but I know I could do better.  Plus my body has been feeling so run down lately so I decided to complete a 3-day juicing detox with Squeezed to reboot my body into gear. I’m already on my 2nd day and only have 1 more to go!  I did this a couple years ago with the same company and LOVED the benefits except I picked a slightly different plan this time around.  I’ll be doing a full recap on my results so stay tuned, but in the mean time, you can get 20% off your order with code LINH if you live in the Houston, San Antonio, or Austin area. The best part? Squeezed delivers it right to your doorstep!

Sorry this was a bunch of rambling, but I wanted to shed some light onto why I took a little break from blogging/social media.  More importantly, I hope we can all relate to each other that sometimes life is just plain hard and for that, I am SUPER grateful that I can vent, discuss, and lean on you guys for your support.  That’s what this community is about and I am beyond grateful for this cool tribe we have. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this super long post. XOXO

Photography: Hayley Jackson Photography