Alexis loves to help in the kitchen, so I'll use any excuse for a kid-friendly easy-to-prepare meal, especially in our current heat wave. These super simple personal sized pizzas are fun to make and eat. Other than slicing the English muffins and tomatoes, it was something Alexis was able to do all on her own.

All you need is a package of English muffins, jar of pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, and toppings of your choice. We used pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives, and tomatoes. Slice the muffins evenly in half, spread pizza sauce on each half, cover in cheese, and add your toppings. Bake in the oven at 350-degrees for about 15 minutes (or until they're as crispy as you want).

These were a lot of fun to make, or watch Alexis make, and she had a blast putting them together. There's literally no wrong way to do this, so let your little chefs design their perfect pizza.

Dating during the summer months, especially in the South, can be a sticky situation, literally. Regardless of what you'll be doing, you want to dress cute and stay cool at the same time, and I don't know about you, but shorts don't exactly scream romantic. So I put together four simple outfits that I would wear on a date - two dressier outfits and two more casual ones. I hope they inspire you this summer!

Dress: Amazon / Shoes: Target

Romantic Dress

First, let me tell you how much I love this dress. It fits perfectly, is thin but not see through, and just floats around your legs. It buttons up the front with little elastic loops. The waist is stretchy and has two hidden buttons to keep a liner in place so there's no chance of skin showing between the buttons. It comes in a ton of patterns and colors, and none are more than $35. I'm wearing a medium and it's not tight at all.

I, personally, would wear this dress for any occasion because it makes me feel so good about myself, but it's perfect for a romantic dinner or picnic, outdoor concert, or visit to a local museum.

Dress: Maurices / Vest: ShoeDazzle / Shoes: Target

Casual Dress

This maxi dress and denim vest combo is perfect for a date that involves some kind of activity. I would wear this to a ballgame, arcade, or movie. The stripes on this one makes it feel a little more casual than other maxis I own. You can't see them because of the vest, but it's got double straps. It's not lined but the material is thick enough it's not a problem. The waist is stretchy, which allowed me to shorten the skirt and create a blouse effect. If you live somewhere that doesn't get into the triple digits, you could swap the vest for a denim jacket and roll up the sleeves. I'm wearing low-heeled sandals here but could easily swap them for flat sandals or slides. I'm wearing the dress in a small.

Jumpsuit (old) - similar, similar, similar

Jumpsuit

A jumpsuit is a fun alternative to a dress and feels much more grown-up than a romper to me. Cotton or polyester will make it feel casual while materials like silk or crepe will make them feel more dressy. I would wear this one to a nice restaurant or concert. I've had this one in my closet for awhile looking for the right pair of shoes to go with it, so unfortunately it's no longer available, but I'll link to some similar ones.

Shirt: Target / Jeans: JCPenney / Shoes: ShoeStation

White Jeans

White jeans are a great alternative to blue jeans in the summer, especially for a date. Pair them with your favorite dressy-casual button-up and bright shoes and you're done. This outfit is perfect for dates that involve a lot of movement like bowling or putt-putt. You don't have to worry about accidentally exposing yourself in a dress or skirt but still look put together and cute.

I love maxi dresses, but my body type makes shopping for them not easy. I tend to bypass them in stores and avoid the hassle of ordering online only to be disappointed. So when I saw this in the display window of my local Maurice's, I was prepared to be let down yet again, but I went in anyway and tried it on. Much to my delight, the small not only fit (I've never worn a size small there) but it also was the perfect length. It has a stretchy waist, which helps create shape and will make wearing this with flats easier. It's lined to about my knees, so no worries with it being see-through. I was able to wear this comfortably without a bra, but if you need/want a bra it'll definitely need to be strapless. I wore this for a casual business meeting just like this. You could easily add a navy blazer for an office setting or a jean jacket in the spring/fall.

Details
Dress: Maurice's
Shoes: Target

I keep seeing a quote graphic on Facebook about how it's impossible to raise our kids the way our parents raised us because that world no longer exists. I sent it to my mom and asked her thoughts. As a teacher, she's had to evolve and change with the world, so I figured she has pretty good grip on reality and where we are as a society. Here's what she had to say: "It's true the world has changed, but morals and values should still be upheld." Hear, hear. So here are ten things I learned from my parents that I'm teaching my daughter, regardless of how much the world has changed.


Be kind. Neither rudeness nor meanness ever solved anything. You never know what someone else is going through in their life. If you can't be kind, don't say or do anything.

With that being said, always stand up for yourself. Don't be a doormat. And if you realize you are, put a stop to it.

Hold the door. It's just common courtesy.

Respect those working in the service industry. Example: Don't talk on your phone while you're ordering food in a restaurant or checking out at a store.

Be able to stand on your own two feet.

Say no. To bad situations, relationships, food, whatever.

Be present. Pull your head out of your phone (or in my case back then a book).

There is a time to be still and quiet. You won't always have something or someone to keep you entertained.

Spend wisely. Money doesn't grow on trees.

Tell the truth, even when it hurts.

Mamas (and dads), I'm curious to know what you think. Do you believe you've had to completely bypass the way your parents raised you to raise your child(ren)? Is there anything else you'd add to this list?

I love a good dress for the summer. They're so easy and effortlessly pulled together. We're expecting 95-plus degree weather next week, which means I'll be living in cool and breezy clothes, and I thought this would be a great time to do a round-up of the dresses I've bought since the weather started turning warmer.

1. Light Blue Floral Midi Dress
This was one of the first dresses I bought, and it's gotten a lot of wear. It's midi length, has a stretchy waistband, and cute ruffle hem. It came with a tie sash, which I used the first couple times I wore it, but I've recently cut the little string loops off the sides, and I'm happy to report that the dress is still just as cute without the sash. The only thing that would make this dress better, is if it had pockets! Wearing medium. (Original Post)

2. Flutter Sleeve Dresses
I absolutely love this striped dress. It's super soft like pajamas and not clingy. It comes in a bunch of colors and sizes. I also have it in green. Wearing medium. (Original Post)

3. Blue Tank Dress
This is another pajama-like dress. It's perfect for layering. I dressed it up a little with a long gold necklace and my gold sandals. It comes in a few more colors. Wearing medium. (Original Post)

4. Red Floral Wrap Dress
This is my most recent dress purchase, and I absolutely love it! Read all about it in this post. Wearing medium.

5. Black Button-up Midi Dress with Detailed Hem
Who says you can't wear all black in the summer? I shared this dress in early Spring when it was still a little cool out (see the post), so that's why I'm wearing a jacket. I love the feminine details around the hem. The buttons are non-functioning, but that just means no awkward pulling. Wearing medium.

6. Navy Dolman Dress
This is one of my great Walmart finds. This dress has ruching over the stomach so it's super flattering. I know you can't see it in this picture, but the sleeves are rolled, giving it a sportier vibe. It's cotton and super soft. Also comes in a pretty green. Wearing medium. (Original Post)

7. Striped Shirt Dress
Another Walmart find. Shirt dresses are so classic, and this one is cut so perfectly. Unfortunately, this particular pattern is no longer available but there are three other options to choose from. I could have worn this in small but chose to size up to medium for a little more room in the shoulders. (Original Post)

8. Orange Floral Wrap Dress
This dress is so romantic. I promise the next time I wear it, I'll get some better pictures so you can see just how perfectly flowy and flattering it really is. It's starting to sell out so if you want it, better act fast. Wearing size medium. (Original Post)

9. Green Floral Wrap Dress
Another dress I need to take proper pictures of. This would make a great summer work dress. Beware though, it's unlined so you might need a slip or shorts underneath, and I had to relocate a seam in the top meant to keep it closed because it was way too high for me. Wearing small. (Original Post)

10. Calico Printed Dress
How great is this retro style? This was part of my first order from Shein, and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality. You can read all about it here.

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Is this the perfect summer dress? It 's definitely in my top five this year. Wrap dresses are super flattering for most body types, and this one has a unique feature that I love. Instead of strings/sashes that you have to weave through a pinhole (that can sometimes be confusing), it has a button closure at the right hip. The the On the left hip keeps the dress fully closed. I did have to pin the top to keep it from gaping on my smaller chest. It's not lined but I had no issues with it being see-through. I'm 5'2" and wearing a medium.

Dresses are my go-to for warm days. They're so easy and, if you find the right one, can usually be worn so many ways. I like that this dress can be dressed up or down by simply changing shoes. If I were going to a meeting, I might add a blazer and swap my wedges for pumps or heeled sandals. On cooler days, I would throw in my denim jacket or vest. To be even more casual, I would wear flat sandals (like my fave gold ones) or navy sneakers (like these).

This look is kind of a go between for dressy casual style. This is only the second time I've worn these black espadrille wedges. The first time I ended up changing shoes about halfway through the day because my feet were dying. The heel is pretty high, much higher than what I've been wearing lately, and they started out really stiff. This time I was able to wear them all day with only minimal discomfort. All the online reviews recommended sizing up, but I stuck with my normal size 7.

This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through one of my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!

Tank: JCPenney / Kimono: StitchFix (similar) / Shorts: Kohl's / Sandals: Old Navy

One // Two // Three Four // Five // Six Seven // Eight // Nine

Dress: Shein // Shoes: Old Navy (similar)

I've been wanting to try out Shein for awhile, but I've been hesitant because everything ships from overseas and I've been burned by those type brands so many times in the past. After reading through tons of reviews, I finally took the plunge on this 50s-style calico dress.  I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this dress. It's polyester, lightweight and stretchy. I will probably end up reinforcing the buttons, which is pretty common with this style of button. I haven't washed it yet but don't plan on drying it as I'm pretty confident it will shrink. This style of dress is one of my absolute favorites because of how flattering it is, especially that band around the mid-section that helps keep everything nice and flat. The only thing that would make this dress better is pockets.

Dress: Target / Sandals: Old Navy

Dress: Charlotte Russe (similar, similar) / Shoes: Dillard's (similar)

Shirt: Target / Jeans: JCPenney / Sandals: Old Navy

Dress: JCPenney / Sandals: Old Navy

Shirt: Target / Skirt: Forever21 (similar) / Shoes: Target

Dress: ShoeDazzle / Sandals: Old Navy

Shirt: Old Navy (similar) / Skirt: Belk

Jacket: Old Navy (similar) / Shirt: JCPenney (similar) / Jeans: Walmart (similar) / Shoes: ShoeDazzle

Shirt: Old Navy / Jeans: Old Navy (similar) / Shoes: Payless (similar, similar)

Shirt: Target / Skirt: Old Navy (similar) / Shoes: ShoeDazzle (similar)

Dress: Old Navy / Vest: ShoeDazzle / Shoes: Old Navy (similar)

Jumpsuit: JCPenney (tall) / Sandals: Old Navy