Breakfast at Katie Lynn's

fitness. motherhood. life & style.

Black Friday Gift Guide

There are so many good sales this week that are actually lasting longer than just Black Friday. Linking my favorites below to help you shop and save! For a few sites I'm also sharing my picks from the sales!

Target- major savings on TVs, the Ninja blender, Dyson vacuum, etc. Linking my picks, some of these sales only last today. Also- 40% off boots and BOGO 50% off toys.

DIBS- some of my favorite makeup items that I use daily 25% off with code BF25

Abercrombie- I love their jeans, maternity jeans, and pretty much just about anything else they sell and it's all 30% off. Linking some of my picks, it's a good time to save on a nice coat that would also make a great gift.

Pink Lily- major sale on their blankets which I think make excellent gifts! Usually $94, they're now under $50. Also, use code SHOP35 for 35% off, and spend $150 for a free hat and belt bag

Elemis- The resurfacing pads I've been using have been a game changer for my skin and they're 35% off with code CYBER. I also picked up a few other items to try so I can report back on my Instagram on those!

Tula- I love my Tula products and they're all 30% off. The eye balms would make great gifts and I've linked what I use daily. I've never seen a Tula sale this good! 

Walmart- They have tons of great deals today but the one that caught my eye was an Apple Watch SE that's only $150!

Gap- I just picked up the cutest puffer vest from here that would be a great gift (easy to size if you're unsure of sizing because it's oversized) and everything is 50% off today!

Old Navy- they always have the best deals and excellent family gifts like matching PJ's, sharing easy gift ideas for him, her, and some PJ's for the kids!

Aerie- I love Aerie items and any of their sweaters/sweatshirts would make perfect gifts (mostly all runs oversized so take that into account). I also love their nursing bra's!! Highly recommend. They have 40% their collection, $25 leggings, 10/$35 undies (the best), and $10 bonus cash when you spend $125.

Express- my favorite site for holiday and workwear, everything is 50% off and jeans are down from around $100 to $39.

Miranda Frye- this site is my #1 pick for jewelry. Mostly under $100 but VERY good quality for that price point. I wear at least one of her bracelets daily and the packaging is perfect for gifting. Sharing my favorites. 20% off!

Amazon- of course they're full of good deals but I'm sharing gift ideas for men and kids! We have several of these items and love them and they're all on major sale.

Peloton Apparel- some of the best workout gear up to 70% off for your Peloton lover!! The cadent leggings are my top pick.

Fawn Design- 40% off their diaper bags, I am obsessed with mine and it would make a great gift for a new mama. Linking the one I have.

Electric Picks- another jewelry line I love with a similar price point to Miranda Frye, these items also hold up very well. 30% off with code BF30.

Kendra Scott- 40% off which is a huge deal! Sharing some gorgeous items, lower price point than Miranda Frye and Electric Picks.

QVC- always so many deals but the one that caught my eye was a $100 Nespresso. I LOVE MY NESPRESSO and this is the best price I've seen.

Brumate- Ian & I love our Brumates (fancy koozies that keep your drinks cold forever) and they're all 25% off with code BFCM25. The coolers are on sale too. Keep in mind with the koozies you have to pick certain ones to fit whatever you drink of choice is. Great mens gifts.

Hopefully this helps you with Christmas shopping! They're are so many great deals but these are just a few of my favorites and tried and true items. Enjoy!

Toy Bestsellers
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Nordstrom Sale 2022

Wow has it been a minute! But more on that later.. First I am linking all my favorites from this years Nordstrom sale. I love this sale because it's a good time to buy good quality closet staples and fall trends. Keeping it simple this year with just a few of my favorite new items, my wishlist, designer finds, and items I have and love. Icons shop 7/6, Ambassadors shop 7/7, Influencers shop 7/9, and everyone can shop 7/15! This is all based on your Nordstrom card level. Easily shop by wishlisting what you love! Enjoy!
WANT
HAVE
DESIGNER
LOVE
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Gift Guide/Black Friday 2021

Happy Holidays!! Today I'm sharing a few easy gift guides and almost everything is on sale for Black Friday! WOMEN
MEN
KIDS All of these items are under $40!
FAMILY This category can be good for in laws/parents, aunts, uncles, everyone!
SPLURGE These items are higher price points than my other categories but they're all tried and true items I love!
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Nordstrom Sale 2021

It's that time of the year again! The Nordstrom Sale kicks off tomorrow for Icon card holders! Ambassadors can shop the 14th, Influencers can shop the 16th, and everyone can shop on the 28th. The levels are based on what you've spent in the past as a card holder.

I always enjoy sharing during this time because you can get some great deals on really nice, new items for fall for the entire family. I have it all organized by category and I've linked my favorites.

WOMEN

MEN

KIDS

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Target Spring Finds & Designer Dupes

I am so ready for spring and Target has some awesome spring items right now. Most of them are similar to popular and more expensive items too! I'm sharing all of the new Target finds below and comparing some of them to the more expensive option.

CHANEL ESPADRILLES

I have been looking for a dupe to these for awhile and I LOVE the Target ones. Fit is TTS and they're comfy.

CHANEL DAD SANDALS

These are not totally identical but have the same vibe and I loved them as soon as I saw them. I did go a half size up in these (always do with slides).

STEVE MADDEN TRAVEL SANDAL

I have the Steve Maddens and love them and the Target pair is almost identical. I would personally go up a half size in both.


BOTTEGA SANDALS

I love what Bottega has been putting out lately and I think they're setting a lot of trends. I picked up these sandals because they look so similar to the $700 pair. I went a half size up again.

BOTTEGA PURSE

I actually would love to own this real purse but for now the Target one with the same vibe will do! Comes in cute spring colors too!

STEVE MADDEN ESPADRILLES

I have the Steve Madden pair of these too but actually like the sole better on the Target pair! I would go TTS on both probably.

OTHER TARGET SPRING FINDS

Obsessed with everything they have out right now!

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Interior Design Board with PowerPoint

I've been antsy to decorate our new house but can't yet since we aren't moved in. So in order to get an idea of what I'm looking for, I made mood boards using PowerPoint! Which is much cheaper to use than other programs but not directly made for this type of work. So today I'm sharing how I made it work for me!

1- Start off with a blank slide and save or copy photos you like. Sometimes I have to screen shot because I can't copy or save the photo. If you're going to use the photos anywhere publicly you'll probably have to link where they are from or note they aren't yours. To screen shot a specific thing (not just the entire screen on a mac) use command+shift+4. Or you can crop the screenshot in PowerPoint.


2- I try to find items with plain white backgrounds because you can easily get rid of the background and lay the board out nicely. On a Mac, you hit "picture format"- then the side arrow on the "color" icon- and then "set transparent color" and tab the white back ground. Most of the time if it's a solid background, it should leave the object as the focal point. I'm sure it's the same on a PC but the icons may be laid out differently.


3- Next you'll want to lay out your design and then use the "bring to the front" and "send to the back" tools to get like your couch in front of the rug, etc. You can also use the flip tool (on the far right here) to mirror objects if they aren't facing the right way.


4- Get to designing!! I'm sharing a few of my boards below. Once you get the hang of it, it's pretty simple and you can get really creative! You can add paint back grounds, wallpaper, put labels on each slide, etc. I even used paint to change the color of chair legs in one slide (not my best work lol) but it works. I'm obsessed!






Boards are my own- but items on the boards are not my pictures.


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Items to Motivate You


A new year brings new motivation! I also love finding fun items that help with that. So today I'm linking some of my favorite items for motivation. Whether it's nice pens and a good planner or new workout clothes, I've listed it all! Linking Lululemon that is on sale and Aerie!



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On to 2021

I would love to write something super uplifting or great about 2020 but this year has been a little defeating! On a silver lining note, I think it's been nice to slow down and realize what is important to us. I know 2021 is just another January 1st, another tomorrow- but I love the feelings a new year brings and the motivation that comes with it. So in the spirit of a better year next year, I'm sharing some of my goal setting tips and ideas from my own 2021 resolutions.

GOAL SETTING

1- Be realistic with your goals so you don't burn yourself out early in the year and then regret that the rest of the year. This also requires some honesty with yourself, do you have the mindset to really make changes? What is attainable for you with work, family, etc. Just like with fitness, there is a fine line of pushing yourself and pushing yourself too far.

2- What do you really want out of this year? Don't just settle for the generic fitness goal that everyone is doing. What do YOU want out of life this year? New years resolutions don't have to be just fitness oriented. Maybe you decide that this is the year you really pursue a new career or save for something you want. Get creative and think about your 5, 10 year plan as well and how this year will play into that.

3- Write them down. You're much more likely to work towards a goal if it's set it stone (or on paper, not just in your head). Put it somewhere where you can see it or make a big vision board so you're reminded of it. I even use to write notes on my mirror with dry erase marker back in the day for daily motivation.

4- Reward yourself. I think this is something we don't think about as much. Give yourself extra motivation to hit your goals by rewarding yourself. Yes, hitting your goals is rewarding but it's a similar theory to motivating employees- give yourself something worth working towards.

5- Be specific. It's easy to say, "I'll save money." But how much money? How are you going to do it? Also, give yourself a timeline. Write this all down like an actual business plan so you have a map to achieve your goals and it'll make things a lot easier.

MY GOALS

I'm sharing my own 2021 goals in hopes of giving you ideas for your New Years resolutions!

1- Budget every month and log consistently. I always have a general budget but I want to be REALLY specific and tight with this by using the Every Dollar app. My friend Renee inspired me to do this and she paid off $50k in 16 months this way. You can follow her journey on instagram here: @debtfreerhythm

2- Finish paying off the wedding in cash only. This will rely on us budgeting and making sure we are making our money work for us. I've tried to plan out each and every cost as best as possible and will continue to do so as best as I can. Weddings have tons of random tiny expenses, lol. We have also tried to be very diligent about making this as affordable as possible but also what we want.

3- Dry January and 1 hour of activity daily during this month. I will be making mocktails and getting my workouts in early so I don't skip on them haha! I am doing this with a few friends so that will help with motivation.

4- Better fitness level than the previous year. This is somewhat generic but also a goal I aim to achieve every year. I want to continue working out at least six days per week and have a mix of spin/running/strength. I'll need to make sure I'm stretching more and getting enough sleep to really power through a workout. This year I logged (hoping to hit this today) 5000 minutes on the Peloton and I want to up that to 6000 next year.

5- Enjoy every moment and be unapologetically myself. 2020 showed me that I actually enjoy slowing down and living in even small moments like a trip to the mountains with my family. I want to continue that in 2021. I also spent a lot of time over analyzing things in 2020 (too much time at home LOL) and I don't want to carry that into 2021.

Discipline is my main word for 2021. I had to be disciplined to work from home and workout from home this year but I want more of it! To achieve this I actually want to unload what is on my plate a bit so that the stuff I do take on, I take on well because I have the time for it all. I want to make sure to continue to be disciplined with mental health as we continue to navigate this weird time. Disciplined with self care, family time, going to bed early. etc. etc. It all ties together! 

I hope this post was helpful for you and you have the same positive vibes going into the New Year! Cheers to making it through 2020 and on to 2021!

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8 Ways to Gift That Aren't Gifts

 This year is the best year to gift something other than a "gift". Things are tight for a lot of people and we could all use a more meaningful pick me up instead of an Amazon delivery. Now don't get me wrong, I love Amazon haha but I wanted to share a different kind of gift guide this year.

1- If you are able, you can donate in someones name. I love this idea, it gives to people in need and you're doing it on behalf of a good friend or family member.

2- Have a dinner at home! I did this with my girlfriends last weekend and it's one of my favorite traditions. Get dressed up or wear sweats lol and pick food up from your favorite restaurant. You can also get together and cook or have a potluck. I would much rather us spend time together than anything else!

3- Have a board game night or a virtual game night if you're concerned about seeing anyone. These are always fun nights and great ways to get some social interaction.

4- Just sending a Christmas card or hand written letter. I love when people think of us and send us Christmas cards! I also love handwritten notes! They're small tokens of appreciation that are just as meaningful as a gift. You should still have time to do this before Christmas.

5- Doordash someone their favorite meal or sweet treat! It doesn't have to be expensive and who doesn't love food.

6- Schedule a Holiday zoom call. You can have a virtual ugly sweater party or even play a virtual drinking game! Again, I think especially this year any kind of social interaction is way better than a gift.

7- If you know someone with kids, send them a Holiday activity like a little holiday coloring book! All parents want their kids to be occupied with something this year while at home, lol. Also, who didn't love a gift like this as a kid?! and they're very affordable!

8- Do a funny virtual gift exchange. This works if you all live near each other. Draw names and then find something small in your house that you don't want (usually it's something funny) and leave it on your persons doorstep. I would say it's good to clean it (not sure if COVID is passed via items) and then everyone can have a zoom call and open their gift! You can have fun guessing where it came from too. We actually used to do this with my old company (except it was in person back then) and it was so funny to see what people get!

I hope regardless of how this year has been, that everyone still has a wonderful holiday season!

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Last Minute Gift Guide

We have one week until Christmas and I can't wait!! If you still have a few last minute gifts to get- I'm linking some ideas for everyone below. As of today (12/18) they will make it by Christmas. Everything is under $50. Hopefully this will make last minute shopping easier!!


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Holiday 2020 Gift Guide

 This year I wanted to do something different so most of these gifts are from small shops on Etsy! Everything is also under $50 or on sale for under $50 (except maybe one mens item). I tried to keep the gifts pretty general for anyone who is hard to shop for. I also think some of the mens/women's gifts would be good for teens. I hope this helps finish off those shopping lists!

WOMEN

MEN

KIDS

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