Classy Southern Texan

Today, I am linking up with Erika, Narci and Andrea for Friday Favorites. WOW it is already February...I don't know about you but January also seems to drag by for me. I think it is the hype of coming down from having constant events, activities, and all the excitement of the holidays to keep us busy.

We being January thinking we need to organize, eat healthy and go to the gym!!

This week has been busy as we begin to prep to leave for a full week of skiing. I always like to lay out all the major ski equipment about 2 weeks in advance to make sure we have all the gloves, beanies, goggles, helmets, and layers we will need for skiing. As a TEXAN I don't have much cold weather gear so it is important to make sure we haven't lost anything.

It seems we always have because we have loaned out ski equipment that hasn't been returned. AHHHH

This year we each had to get a new set of goggles and hubby needed new gloves.

I needed some new layering pieces...I stopped into Dick's Sporting Goods yesterday and have to say what is NIKE thinking. I am not a BARBIE. I typically wear a size small but goodness me even the Medium felt super tight and no thank you. With all the bulky gear anyways I don't want something feeling skin tight on me.

I continued browsing around the store and ended up with two Calia by Carrie Underwood tops that were on sale!! Win Win

I got one in this pretty plum and then another in black. They are the perfect weight for skiing or some colder weather days!

We are gearing up for Super Bowl Sunday at our house and I am so excited to share SuperBowl commercial bingo from Coffee, Pancakes and Dreams.

I think this will be super fun for kids and adults alike. We also are doing a SuperBowl pot and I can't wait to see who wins. The Eagles or Patriots...I truly just watch for the commercials.

What is on your menu for SuperBowl Sunday? I think these recipes from Mix and Match Mama are super easy and fun if you are still looking to add something to your menu!

I was talking to my dad this week and got my hubby some new tools for Valentine's Day. He has a racquet set but truly needed some nut drivers.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MKIUYQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

What are you planning to get the extra special person in your life for Valentine's Day?

If you need some jewelry...be sure to check out stellaanddot.com/kelliwbeason

Friday, February 02, 2018 2 comments

The Great Debate Top Loader vs Front Loader

I recently did a Facebook Poll of my friends/family and was surprised to see that many of them preferred a top loader to a front loader.

My family has owned laundry mats for the past 40 years and overtime seen the shift from customers and personal friends using top loaders to converting to front loaders over the past 10 years. Today it seems that in Lowes, Home Depot, Sears, etc. you tend to see more front loaders and this is the new trend in washers/dryers.

My parents personally own top loaders and always have. I owned a top loader the first 8 years of my marriage and recently switched this year. We now have a front loader and I have been very happy with. My main complaint with my top loader was how long a cycle took, knowing water was essentially just standing in the tub for a long period of time and how loud it was when going into the spin cycle. If you have ever noticed top loaders tend to shake, rattle and roll as I like to call it on the spin cycle. This is typically due to being overloaded. I will never forget one of the first arguments I had with my husband. He decided to wash about 12 pairs of jeans in one load the machine was unbalanced and wouldn’t finish the cycle. He argued with me saying it could handle the load as I shifted the jeans around to balance the machine again. I walked away saying, “my family has been in the business 40 years I know what I am taking about.”

With top loaders you have the advantage of being able to

Soak your clothes before the cycle begins

Adding items to you cycle

Life expectancy and cost of repairs is less

Purchase price is less

With front loaders you have the advantages of

Much gentler wash cycles

Water and energy savings, they use far less water

Detergent savings, you don’t need as much

Front loaders have a different washing action, which tumbles your clothes in an up and down motion similar to hand washing. Top loaders use a central agitator which moves your clothes in a circle and causes more wear and tear of clothes getting caught.

The main complaint I hear with front loaders is the smell! With some extra care you can eliminate these smells. The main causes of the smells are the humidity that stays in the washer. We are used to leaving the lid of a top loader open and this remains true for a front loader, keep the door open. Because of the lower water level in a front loader you may see excess grime and dirt build up. To prevent this from happening follow these simple steps...

Leave the door and dispenser unit open after the laundry is done

Never leave a wet load in the washer overnight or for several hours

After a load is done rotate the drum with you hand, things could stick to the top and sides of the washer drum

Use softener sheets in the dryer vs using fabric softener in the washer

Liquid detergent is better than powered formulas

Dry the washer door and seal after each load

You can also buy products like afresh to run though the cycle

I personally prefer to turn my machine to the sanitize cycle and run some vinegar though it when I notice a smell. I have had my personal front loader since March and have never noticed a strong smell from it.

Front loaders spin your cycle much faster which allows you to cut your dry time exponentially.

Which do you prefer and why?

Wednesday, January 31, 2018 2 comments

Happy FRIYAY! Today I am linking up with Andrea, Narci and Erika for Friday Favorites.

If you haven't visited their blogs you SHOULD! Andrea is a school teacher and has great recipes, and fashion/home ideas. Narci is a photographer in the Dallas area and also a fellow Stella and Dot stylist and Erika share a lot about everything from fashion to football, babies and just life in general.

I can hardly believe that January is almost over but I am so excited about February! January is all about fresh starts, losing weight, and organizing but February is all about football and love. The two things make this girl super happy.

We are back to hosting our annual SUPERBOWL Sunday at our house and I cannot wait. While I love football, I truly don't care about who wins. I enjoy the food, company and commercials of SUPERBOWL Sunday.

Having lived in Louisiana for several years we always celebrated Mardi Gras and have a King Cake at our party. OMG this yummy cinnamon goodness is what keeps people in Louisiana happy among many things. Mardi Gras is huge in Louisiana, there are Mardi Gras balls and parade throughout the whole month. It is truly something everybody should experience.

Whoever finds the baby in their slice of King Cake is supposed to bring the King Cake the following year!!

I am also looking forward to our annual skiing trip in Vail, CO. My husband grew up skiing Vail and we have returned every year for the last 6 years. I am now skiing moguls and black runs right along with him. The hubby has been skiing since he was 2 years old off and on. This past year he even invested in his own pair of boots.

This picture is from my first year skiing in Vail!! It was so warm that season and I am so sunburned!!!

We have stayed several places in Vail, but our favorite is the Tivoli lodge. It is only 5 stories and the local mascot puppy is always there to greet us!

I just love the town and all the wonderful restaurants. I have already begun talk of where to eat for Valentine's Day and throughout our trip. We typically make reservations on Open Table because it is easy and we get a reminder of where we are eating each day. Reservations book up quickly during Valentine's Day and the President's Day weekend.

What are you Valentines' Day plans? Do you prefer an evening at home or to go out?

Friday, January 26, 2018 1 comments

How to Keep White Clothes White

Do you ever notice a child, a co-worker, a family member and get jealous because man on man do their white jeans look so clean! Or dang how do they wash those blasted school shirts? You laundry can look like theirs if you follow these steps!!!

Step 1

Sort your dirty laundry carefully! Washing white clothes separate from colors will prevent color bleeding and transfer. This is what causes your whites to look dirty or dingy mixing them with other colors. You may say well I am doing a load of lights and WHITE is a light color. WRONG! Wash those whites separate. You wouldn't wash your bras/undies with your towels they need to be washed on delicate. Likewise separate your whites out.

Step 2

Do not overload a washer...your clothes need room to get water and spin out.

Step 3

Chose a detergent that contains optical brightening power. They will make your whites appear whiter than they are and thus trick you EYE! I suggest using CLOROX 2, Borox or Vinegar with your whites.

Step 4

Treat your stains quickly. Letting that spaghetti sauce sit until you are ready to do a load of whites isn't going to help. Treat your strain and soak it for a while if you can't right away do a load of laundry.

Step 5

I do not suggest using fabric softener when washing your whites. Instead use 1 cup of what I call my magic ingredient vinegar to your load.

Step 6

Check your clothes when you pull them out of the washer. If there are still stains soak your clothes for a while. DO NOT put them in the DRYER. The stain will set and will NEVER be REMOVED!!!
Even better if you can hang it to dry do this instead.

You can also try to use bleach but ONLY use it on COTTON!!! It can damage fabrics! It is great for towels and sheets but not tshirts!!!

Lemon juice is another great alternative, it is a natural bleaching agent.
Soak your clothes for an hour or overnight in hot water with a little lemon juice added and then wash as usual the following day.

Hopefully some of these tips are helpful! What do you use to keep your whites white? Please comment below.

Thursday, January 25, 2018 No comments

Welcome everybody, as you can see Classy Southern Texan has ungone some changes in the last few weeks. I wanted to take a minute and introduce myself and share 10 Random Facts you may or may not know about me.

Hi, my name is Kelli yes spelled with an I. Not an ie, y or ey....My mom is Shelley with ey and my dad is Kenny with just the y. Believe me no one ever spells our names correctly on an invitation. Too much confusion. Why Why Why

1) I am an only child and love all things girly, Lilly Pulitzer, pink and bright!!!

2) From the time I was 2 years old I was a dancer until my 8th grade year! I did ballet, tap, jazz and hiphop at a local studio in Killeen, TX.

Yes, I grew up in a military town home to Ft. Hood the largest army base in the free world. However, my family is not military.

In middle school I started cheerleading and my freshmen year of High School I was one of only 3 freshmen to make the Varsity cheer team. To this day I still cannot do a back handspring!!!

3) I was 16 years old before I got my ears pierced!!!

4) I originally went to Stephen F. Austin in Nacgdoches, TX for my college degree. I am an education major. Stephen F. Austin is the number 2 school in the nation for education degrees. I was so fortunate because there I became a Tri Delta and met lifelong friends.

5) I transferred to Baylor University as a sophomore and meet my husband. My cousin set us up and thought they were actually dating at the time. He asked me out on our first date and we have been together now 12 years.

6) I originally taught 3rd grade in Shreveport, LA for three years and then I was a K5-5th grade librarian. I love children's books and so enjoyed the library because I was able to create my own curriculum. I can tell you about all the Dewey Decimal system.

7) I now live back in TX and adore our modern/mid century home!!

8) In 2014 I tore my ACL skiing. I underwent two surgeries and have been back skiing since!!

9) In 2015 I had jaw surgery! I have had braces 4 times in my life. I had them in middle/high school and then again as an adult for 2 years!!!

10) I now own laundry mats and am having so much fun learning new things daily!!

Tuesday, January 23, 2018 No comments

Hello blogging world...today I am back and linking up with Erika, Narci and Andrea for Friday Favorites!!!

Thank you to everyone who read my laundry tips and tricks this past week. Be sure to stick around as I plan to share tips monthly. If you have a question on anything be sure to comment below and I will do my best to get it answered!!

I wanted to take a few minutes and share my love for all things Nordstrom real quick!
Number 1) free shipping and free returns!!
Number 2) the majority of bloggers I follow use likeittoknow and you can then get their outfits sent straight to your mailbox to shop. I find the majority of the people I follow also have a love for Nordstrom. :-)
Number 3) If you have a Nordstorm credit card you can shop sales early before things sell out.
Number 4) I love their makeup products and bra and underwear section.
Number 5) This is where I discovered my love for Zella workout wear!!!

Some of my favorite most recent Nordstrom buys are Natori underwear, my Vince slip on sneakers and my T3 curling wand!!! Below is a picture of hair curled with the wand ahhh love it!! Super easy to use and it heats super quick so less time waiting to curl your hair.

I recently have been following Ash Donielle on Instagram. She is so cute and a fellow Stella and Dot stylist. :-) She has the cutest style and recently showed some purchases from American Eagle. I haven't shopped at AE since probably high school. However, I went in yesterday and OMG everything was on SALE. I got a super cute pair of workout pants and a cozy sweater for this cold weather we have been having.