{A Couple Things I Picked Up At Maurices}

This is the smallest post ever, I just wanted to share with you a couple of tops that I picked up at Maurices last week.

Yes, I even cheated & got the pics off of their website instead of taking them myself. :)



I absolutely LOVE this! It is all sequins on the front, and just plain black on the back. It was $29.98 on sale, and then another 40% off of that. So I paid only $17.99 for it.

I love this as well! I almost bought it when it was full price, but Im glad I waited. I got it for the same deal, $29.98 on sale with another 40% off so I paid $17.99.

I bought the black top for myself to wear on my birthday which is Saturday. I bought a hot pink shrug at Dots to wear over it. I will post pictures of what it looks like.

Super short, but I wanted to post something today! We are crazy busy right now, we close on our new house on Friday, and lots of other things going on.

Have a great day!

xoxo,

Alana

{OOTD-New Tenni's-Workouts-Favorite Foods Right Now}

Hi Loves! I forgot to mention, I will also talk a bit about fitness & weight loss on my blog. I have been on a weight loss journey for about 3 months now. And I have lost 22 pounds. I can definitely tell that I am losing inches more than pounds, because my pants are all getting too big. I'm not really comfortable saying what my weight is...but when I lose a bit more, I will share with you where I started.

My sister and I went to lunch & tanning on Sunday. This was the first time I had been tanning in years, since high school Im sure. I was looking in the mirror, and I couldnt help but to notice for the first time, that I really AM losing weight. Here's the shot I took:

Outfit Details:

Shirt - Ross (I bought it while I was in Hawaii. Sadly, we dont have Ross' here in Ohio. :(

Jeans - Mixit (Rolled up into capri's)

Cross Necklace - handmade by a local woman

Black Flip Flops (that you cant even see lol)

Nothing really special, I just thought I'd throw that in. :)

Not a really good quality photo, but I was so happy! I am loving the results I am getting from choosing to eat better, and working out a lot. I will share with you a bit of what Im doing. I know I could be losing more weight... but honestly, since I started - I was in Hawaii for 10 days, and I ate whatever I wanted while I was there. Also, the weekends are really tough for me. When I'm at work, it is easy for me to pack my lunch & thats all I eat because I work in a really small town - no fast food chains, no restaurants period. But on the weekends, it is so readily available that it makes it really tough to stay away from. I'm getting better with it, though. Dont get me wrong, I am really happy with my progress so far, but you know - as women, we are our toughest critics.

Here are a couple things that I'm loving right now.

Breakfast:

My favorite breakfast is the Yoplait Light Very Vanilla yogurt. There is 110 calories per container. And they are soo good! I usually eat a banana with it, and I'm good til lunch.

Lunch:

I dont really know what to call this salad. I ordered one from a local restaurant, and I recreated it. There it was called a walnut chicken salad. Although, I make mine with pecans. So I guess its a pecan chicken salad. It has: fresh spinach for the greens, fetta cheese, pecans, mandarin oranges, strawberries, chicken, dried cranberries & a strawberry vinigrette. It is seriously, de-lish!

A really great sort of, light summer salad.

Dinner:

Spaghetti Squash.

I made it for the second time last night for dinner. It is uh-maz-ing! I just cut my spaghetti squash in half, scoop out the seeds, put a dab of butter in each side, and place them open side up first for about 20 minutes on 400 degrees. Then I turn them over and cook them for another 30 minutes or so. When you take them out, you take a fork to them & they shred up just like spaghetti! It is awesome. Just add your favorite sauce & parmasean, and you have a fabulous no carb dinner!

I am a pizza addict. Or should I say, was a pizza addict. These zucchini pizza's (thank you Pinterest :) are a fabulous way to trick yourself into thinking you're eating pizza. And it is sersiously, rediculous. I love them! I have also made pizza's out of portobello mushroom caps & low carb pita's.

I am doing low carbs as you can probably tell. I am also counting calories, but carbs is my main focus. I am staying away from potatoes, breads, sweets etc.

For my workouts, I am doing a lot of cardio. At least 30 minutes on the elliptical, sometimes 45-60. Followed by 15 minutes on the stationary bike. And then 75 weighted crunches. Sometimes I do a class, either Zumba or Piloxing.

I am a busy working mom, so I go to the gym after work and I dont always have a lot of time to devote to a work out. I have to get home & get dinner ready & such. If you have any suggestions, throw them my way!

I also bought myself a fabulous new pair of tennis shoes. They are New Balance, and the N on the side is all glittery & blingy. I absolutely love them! They are super comfortable, and working out great for me at the gym.

Thats all for now! Thanks for reading. And again, if you have any comments or suggestions, feel free to make them!

Have a fabulous day! It is gorgeous here!

xoxo

Alana

{I Can Only Imagine}

I was driving to work this morning listening to my favorite Christian music station, when this song came on. We have all heard it. I absolutely LOVE it. The tears started rolling down my face as I was singing it. (they always do, it gets me every time.) It really speaks wonders, & is so powerful.
A few weeks ago at church, it really captivated our service. The youth got up to sing it once, and the Holy Spirit really took over, we then played it three more times. My sister was standing next to me, doing the sign language to the song that she learned at our old church. It was amazing!!
I think my favorite part is, "Will I stand in your presence, or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all?" Mercy Me certainly poses a couple great questions here, I myself - can only imagine what it will be like when we get to Heaven. The glory of the Lord is ALL over that place! Amen!

Have a fabulous day, be blessed!

xoxo

Alana

{Nineteen Questions.}

Hiya! If you managed to stumble across my blog, I hope wherever you are that you had a faulous weekend! I've been catching up on my YouTube videos from the weekend, and came across this 19 questions tag from TheStyleSupreme (Leslie) she is fabulous & I thought it would be fun to do!


19 questions:
1) Where were you born?
Oxford, Ohio.

2) Were you named after someone?
Yes, actually! My dads name is Alan, he said that if he ever had a daughter - her name would be Alana. And my mom loved the name too, so here I am! :)


3) When was the last time you cried?
I dont remember actually.


4) Do you have any kids?
Yes, one. The other love of my life (other than my husband) my son, Noah.


5) If you were another person, would you be friends with you?
Of course! I think I'm a great friend! I'm a good listener, and I try to help anyone in any way that I can.


6) Do you have any pets?
Yes, a chihuahua named Andrew.


7) Do you use sarcasm?
Me? No. ;)
Yes, of course! Its part of my personality. :)


8) Would you bungie jump?
Noo, no interest. I would be the one who's cord wrapped around their neck, or the cord snapped or something. That's my luck, lol.


9) What is your favorite cereal?
My all time favorite is Cinnamon Toast Crunch. But I dont eat it much because I try to stay away from that sort of junk. But I also really love Honey Bunches of Oats, for a healthier alternative. :)


10) What is your eye color?
Green on the outside, blue on the inside.


11) Scary movies or happy endings?
Scary Movies! I love them!


12) Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Yes, one younger sister named Alisha.


13) Computer or TV?
Probably computer.


14) What is the first thing you notice about a person?
Their hair & their style/what they're wearing. Then, their personality & sense of humor.


15) Favorite smell?
Bakery scents: like carrot cake, cinnamon buns, pumpkin pie (favorite!) those scents for candles/and home.
My favorite perfumes are: Clinique Happy, Be Kissable from Avon, Be Enchanted from Bath & Body Works.
And of course, whatever my hubby is wearing. Usually something really yummy from Avon.


16) Furthest you've been away from home?
Hawaii. I was there this year, from February 3-13. It was absolutely amazing!


17) Do you have any special talents?
Not really... I can flip my eyelids inside out. My son thinks that is pretty cool. lol!


18) Do you have any hobbies?
Shopping, if that is considered a hobby. lol


19) Are you in love?
Yes!! My hubby & I got married on December 16, 2006 & we have been together since November 20, 2005. <3

{Stuff I'm Loving Right Now.}

Stuff I'm Loving Right Now:

1. My Be Enchanted Shimmer Mist from Bath & Body Works. I love the scent first of all, it is very light & sweet. It is a great summer scent! I had to have it in both the shimmer mist & the body spray. I love the shimmer mist because it is so fun! I spray it on the parts of my skin that are visible when I'm going to work, going out, or going to the gym. (yes the gym. :) It is even great just sprayed on your clothes & gives them some extra sparkle!

2. Neon Accessories - Any accessories really. But this hot pink scarf is ah-maz-ing!

3. Flip Flops - We have had some fantastic weather here in Ohio the past couple days. I couldnt wait to bust out my flip flops today! I cant wait til Summer!

4. Sequins - Which, I actually love all the time. But especially right now. They are super fun, I have a couple tops that are covered in sequins, they are my favorites of course!

5. Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara - I have tried SO many mascaras. I have been using this for quite sometime, and it is definitely my all time favorite! It makes my lashes look awesome!

6. Baby Pink Lip Color - I have a Revlon shade very similar to the one pictured here. I love these light colors for Spring.

7. Zebra Print - Again, I always love it. I love how it is everywhere & very accessible too! I have shirts, purses, jewelry, shoes, ink pens, phone cases - so many things covered in zebra print.

8. Bows! - Super cute, and very feminine. I love them on everything from my hair to my shoes & other accessories.

9. One Shoulder/Cold Shouler Tops - These are great for plus size girls who dont want to show everything they've got. I also love the tops with just the cut outs at the shoulders. It lets you show a little skin, but can still be work appropriate & definitely great weekend-wear.

I made this collage on Polyvore.com. They are super fun! You can add text, frames etc. And there is so many things to look through. Just type in what you're looking for & your bound to find it. You just click on the picture & it links you to the item's website as well. You can also make your own pictures. Some of these things are very general, like the hot pink scarf that is pictured is Michael Kors, and it is $395. Obviously, I would not pay that for a scarf, but you can find them anywhere.

I hope you enjoyed! Go to polyvore.com & follow me!

http://mommafashionista.polyvore.com/

Enjoy your day, go play outside - its gorgeous!

xoxo

{Haul} Clothes & Jewelry.

Welcome Back. :)

As promised, here is a haul. It is all clothes & jewelry. I will warn you, as I dont think I have before - my style is a little blingy. Im all about the sparkle!

My sister & I went to Burlington Coat Factory for the first time last week, we also ordered from accessoryhouse.com for the first time, and theres a couple things from other miscellaneous places thrown in. The picture quality is not the best, I was trying to get all the pictures taken Sunday while my husband & son were gone to visit Russell's grandma for a little while.

Burlington:

I love this shirt! You can kind of tell there is lace at the top portion in the back.

It was only $12.99!

 Basic Black Shrug

$5.99

And that is the regular price!

 Zebra print top with attached black belt.

$7.99

 Patent Red Flats

$6.99

I picked these super cute Polo tenni's up for Noah for only $14.99

I could not believe the prices! And the quality is fantasic!

accessoryhouse.com:

 Cross with wings magnetic pendant

$4.40

 Heart Studs

$3.10

 Square Studs

$2.75

 Multi Layer Necklace With Houndstooth Cross

$6.30

 Fleur de Lis Magnetic Pendant With Matching Earrings

$4.40

 Long Heart Necklace With Matching Earrings

$4.65

Zebra Cross Blingy Headband

$2.75

These prices at Accessory House are fantastic! But the catch is, you have to have a tax id number, and a minimum purchase of $50.

Dots:

 Long Multi Cross Earrings

$7.00

 Long Cross Necklace

$7.80

Animal Print Blazer

$21.80

 &

Black Lace Cami

$7.00

I also had coupons for Dots, so the prices were slightly less than what is posted. If you havent already, you should go to their website & sign up. They send them out about once every two weeks or so, and it is $10 off of a $35 purchase or $15 off of a $50 purchase. A great deal!

I got this adorable top off of ebay for $2.00! It is black & white stripes with a sort of cowl neckline & looks like it has a white lace cami underneath it. Im looking for a red cardigan to wear over it. Ive been on the hunt for one for a while, and not having any luck!

Last couple things,

Maurices:

 I love this fabric & gold bracelet. I didnt know if I had anything to wear it with, but I had to have it!

They had select bracelets on sale for $2.99! This one was regularly priced $14.00!

These fabulous pearl chandalier type earrings were also on sale for $2.99

I absolutely love Maurices as a whole, but they also have fabulous jewelry.

 Especially when you catch it on sale!

That concludes my haul. I hope to have these pieces featured in outfit of the day's coming up soon!

Have a great, blessed day!

xoxo



{Our Weekend.}

Happy Monday! The time change has me feeling super tired this morning, I need to make up for that hour of sleep that I lost. :) I hope wherever you are, you had a wonderful weekend! I know we did. It was my husbands birthday on Friday. So that evening, we went out to dinner at O'Charleys with his dad, stepmom & sister. And Saturday night we went to Dave & Busters with a couple of his friends, his brother & sister in law, and my sister & her boyfriend. We absolutely love Dave & Busters!

Here we are looking like a couple of dorks. :)

Family Photo :) Russell hates pictures lol Sorry they are so dark, it was dark in there!

My husband is a HUGE Ohio State fan. Yes, he was devestated that they lost yesterday. Here is a few things he got for his birthday.

And one of his cakes.

We just really enjoyed our time together as a family this weekend, and I hope you did as well!

Have a wonderful Monday, I know sometimes that is difficult! I took pictures for my haul, so thats coming up next. :)

xoxo

Sister Shopping Day - Outfit of the Day - Bright Color Trend

Sisters are great, arent they? Yesterday I spent the day with my sister, Alisha. It was a day full of shopping, laughter & fun. :) We went on a mini-road trip to Indianapolis (an hour & a half away). She is starting a new job at O'Charleys, and since she is not 21 - she had to a take a short 2 hour class on selling alcohol. Which she said was all no-brainer stuff, but its something she had to do. Of course, we always make time for photo shoots. Here is a couple:

OOTD

Here is what I wore for our adventure:

Outfit Details:
Dark Wash Jeans - Old Navy

Coral Long Sleeve Shirt - Old Navy

Black Halter Top - Maurices

Necklace - accessoryhouse.com

Black Flats - Shoe Show

While she was in her class, I went down the road to Target. (or Tar-jay as my family calls it. :) My husbands birthday is tomorrow, so I was shopping for a few gifts for him. But I couldnt help but to try on a couple things for myself. :) Here's what I found:

 As a plus sized girl, Ive always been afraid of prints, but Im trying to get out of my comfort zone a little. I was sold on this floral print open front top, but I sent a picture of it to my sister, and she talked me down from it. I still may run to my local Target & see if it is available there. It was on clearance for $12.48.

I absolutely LOVED this shirt... But alas, I left without this one too. It is a black shear top (i had a black cami under it.) with an adorable bird print all over it. It has sort of bat wing sleeves, a little ruffling at the neck line & strings that could be tied into a cute little bow. :) Im still grieving it, I HAVE to return for it! $21.99

I know the bright neon color trend is all the rage right now, if you're looking for a few neon pieces to add to your closet, I suggest checking at Target! They had some great adorable & affordable pieces. I took pictures of some of my favs.

 Being plus sized, I am a bit skeptical when it comes to color - especially neon - but accessories are a great way to add some color to your life. These adorable bangles are only $4 each!

 They have loads of colorful necklaces, bracelets, earrings & rings.

 These shoes :O Wowza, I LOVE them! But, I would totally break my neck. So I walked away.
$29.99

This is something I may try -bright colored tanks- I could throw a cardigan & a belt over it & be set!

These were on sale for $8.00

 And so were these.

 I thought these little shoes were the cutest thing! They have them in SO many colors!

$12.00

 I LOVED this bright yellow messenger bag. Great way to add some color!

$24.99

This one too, super cute!

On clearance for $13.98.

While I was in Target, I decided to check the CD section to see what their Contemporary Christian selection was like. I browsed a little myself, and didnt have any luck, so I asked someone where I could find the Christian section. I was shocked at his response, "we dont have one." WHAT?! Now, I know that with all of the online downloading, that the music sections are slimming down in stores. But to completely do away with it? Of course, there was loads of Rap & R&B but no Christian, which really ticks me off! He asked me what I was looking for, and when I told him specifically BarlowGirl, (my favorite) he looked at me like I was crazy!

So as I was walking away, I found a teeny tiny little section of about 6 cd's in the "Inspiration" section. Of course, it was just barely off the floor.

After quite a while in Target, I lost track of time when my phone rings, "WHERE ARE YOU?!" It was my sister, oops! :) So I went to pick her up, and we went to Burlington Coat Factory. It was our first time there, and we were both IN LOVE! The prices are amazing, it is HUGE & the selection is incredible! Then we went to Steak & Shake (yummy & totally NOT on my diet) Then to an Amish cheese shop (total bust, not even owned by Amish people) Then to a really cool place called Warm Glow, which is full of amazing candles, and adorable home decor. Finally we ended the day at a local indoor flea market-type place. It is super fun, and full of lots of goodies. :)

It was a wonderfully full day!

I am going to take pictures of what I bought yesterday, and a few things I bought last week. So, my next post should be a haul. Fun!

Have a great day & be blessed! Look for things to be thankful for today, there are so many!

xoxo.

Alana

My First Post. :)

I've been tossing the idea of starting a blog back & forth for some time. Lots of people start blogs for lots of different reasons. Mine will be a combination of a few things: [God Stuff] Im a Christian and I would like to share my faith with others. [Mommy Stuff] Im a mom to an amazing 3 year old boy named Noah. [Plus Size Fashion Stuff] I am plus size, and I LOVE fashion! I dont typically follow any trends, or rules. I do/wear what I want & what I think looks good for my body.
It took me a couple days to come up with a blog name that incorporated what I wanted my blog to be about. Curvy Mom: All Things Are Possible, is what I came up with. A plus sized Christian mom. I believe all things are possible with Christ. Im going to share things that I am passionate about, and I hope others will enjoy it!
Ok, a little more about me. My name is Alana. (pronounced: uh-lay-nuh) I am married (December 16, 2006) And I am 24 years young. My husband & I have a 3 year old as I said, who is our whole world! I was raised in a Christian home, and my husband & I are doing the same in our little home we have created. I love Jesus with all my heart! I like to shop on a budget, I will share deals & steals that I come across as well.
Im going to ponder about what I want my next post to be, I hope to start posting often! Thanks for stopping by! Love & blessings, Alana.