Are your kids back in school yet? I have a junior, freshman, and a middle schooler (Like HOW did that happen?! I still feel 30!) who started this week. In preparation, I curated some fun back to school finds for teens and pre-teens including school supplies, school clothes, and accessories. I thought it would be helpful to have them all in one place for you so here you go!

We completely transformed our first floor with Select Surfaces Laminate Flooring and spoiler alert- we couldn't be more pleased. But here's the thing; We had perviously sworn off laminate flooring so how did we go from 'No way. Never again.' to 'We love this flooring and you should absolutely consider it?' Let me tell you...

After a year of working on the guest bath off and on, it's complete and we couldn't be more thrilled! The main culprit of the delay was...you guessed it- paint! Initially I chose a pretty muddied pink color and while I loved it, I knew almost immediately that it wasn't right for the guest bath. To add insult to injury, it sort of made me hate the DIY harlequin floors. Once I admitted that I couldn't live with it and started over, everything changed. Here's the lesson- small windowless bathrooms don't need light paint. They need depth. Here's the guest bath, start to finish!

I love curating gift guides but it's a special challenge when you're shopping for a man of simple pleasures. Joe is such a content guy who has a few things he thoroughly enjoys (bourbon and Jujitsu to name a couple). He doesn't collect shoes, tech gadgets, or sports paraphernalia. So what do we do for our easy-to-please husbands or dads? Well first of all, experiences are super fun! And now that I think of it, I should write a post on that. But other than that, I love upgrading things he already has. You know- the 12 year old worn out baseball cap or the ratty toiletry case. That said, this father's day gift guide has something for everyone- the active dad, the cook, the stylish dad and more and the best part? It starts at just $14.95. Ok, let's get into these gift ideas for Father's Day!

Can you believe Easter is just around the corner?! I've rounded up a bunch of fun Easter basket fillers for your kids, but a caveat: Turns out the gift guides are growing up along with my kids so these gifts are geared toward older kids and teens. I've shared a quick note about each item- many of which we have- in the list below and included an asterik for items under $10. There are definitely items on both lists that are gender neutral so make sure to peruse them both! Oh and update- I added a few more gift guide links at the bottom of the post, including all of the things we *actually* bought.

Easter Basket Fillers for Big Kid and Teens Boys:

Mighty Patch, the Original. $12. I can't even believe we're to this point with Dax. Genevieve swears by these. And you know I love a personal care item posing as a gift.

Are ya'll ready for a new Pretty Real gift guide? I've never curated gifts for parents before. But I kept thinking of ideas and wanted to share them- hopefully it's helpful! The one thing I forgot to include is this, but other ideas are in the collage below. Here are my ideas for parents ages 55+, but obviously for anyone because I wouldn't mind these gifts at all. Wait what does that say about me? ha. I digress...

Gifts for him is my toughest guide! If it's not about Jiujitsu, workout clothes, or tattoo care, Joe doesn't want it lately. ha. But the good thing about husbands/boyfriends/etc. who either have everything or are indifferent, is when you buy them something stylish, it's sort of a gift for you, amIright? I'm partly joking- we gifted a few of these items to Joe and they were very well loved! Here's our 2025 Gift Guide for men!

If you liked this guide, check out these: 

2024 Gift Guides for Men and Women

2023 Gift Guide for Him

2021 Gift Guide for Him

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I shared the Gift Guide for Her over on Instagram but I love to share why I chose items for the guide and which items I have and can personally recommend. This is one of the easiest guides to curate because I'm all "what do I want?" ha. Like my other guides, this one is practical, but stylish and includes a lot of budget-friendly options! Here are my gift ideas for the women in your life (even if you're her), with notes!

Paint by Sticker Kids: Unicorns & Magic  |  Block Print Travel Pouch  |  LEGO Bluey: Bluey’s Family House  |  Sorel Children's Explorer lll Lace Boot  |  mibasies Kids Purse  |  Pegasus Weighted Plush Kids' Throw Pillow Pink  |  Hello Kitty Mini Kids Digital Camera & Video Camcorder  |  Ivy and Bean's Treasure Box: Beginning Chapter Books  |  Cute Animals: Coquette Inspired Bold and Easy Coloring Book  |  Jellycat Jolly Gingerbread Ruby Stuffed Toy (pay attention to dimensions) |  Washable Markers  |  Farmhouse Play Kitchen Toy for Kids w/ Chalkboard, Storage Shelves, 5 Accessories (51% off!)

Calling out the paint by sticker book which my kids loved and side note- is perfect for road trips. We missed the Bluey phase but you'd have to live under a rock to not notice its popularity. This could be a great gift to get your kids into Lego which we've always loved. If she's a little fashionista, the boots, purse, and pouch are the CUTEST. The pouch is a bit splurgy but that block print is to die for (comes in several patterns). A hobby gift is always on the list- love this little camera that's well reviewed. If you're into a "something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read" Christmas- Ivy and Bean is a great series to gift! The weighted plush is on my teens' lists. My kids love a plushie, still! Speaking of a plush, the Jellycat brand is doing something right- but check the dimensions. If you want something bigger, this one is cute! Dax's friend Charley had the cutest birthday wish list and I stole that cute coloring book from it. And lastly I'm always a sucker for an aesthetic play kitchen- this one is on serious sale and comes in a bunch of colors.

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I love curating gifts for teens- it's a fun challenge to find the perfect gift for Mr. All-I-Want-Is-Cash. Listen, I'm all for giving them cash for Christmas, but I can't bring myself to skip gifts all together. Um, that's not fun! I don't have a teenage son yet, but I poll friends and I pay attention. All that to say you'll find some great ideas for your teenage boy. As for the girls, the ideas are endless. I always include beauty (I love that one of my girls is into makeup and the other into skincare), hobby (hello fancy camera), and cozy ($11 fleece pullover? Say less). While there are some "big" gifts on the list, I make sure to include mostly budget-friendly finds and be sure to check the notes for a lower cost version of a few items. Ok enough chatting, here's the 2025 Teen gift guides full of Christmas gift ideas for teen boys and teen girls, with notes.

I love gift guide season! I pride myself on choosing gifts that are fun, unique, realistic, and include a lot of budget-friendly/accessible gift ideas. Today's gift guide is for big kids and preteens. Of course, Dax is my muse. He is outdoorsy, loves gadgets, is creative, and loves gaming. He plays and loves hockey but I wouldn't say athletics is his first love; that said he's a very active guy so I've included some gifts in that vein too! Hope you find something your little guy (who's not so little anymore!) will love or a few things that spark an idea! So here's the Pretty Real Gift Guide for Big Boys and Preteens with notes plus I've starred the items that are under $30.

I received my Invisalign treatment in exchange for content. All opinions are truthful and my own.

Why Now?

Sometimes you just come to a realization that something needs to change. I'm not sure when it happened- if it was when I canceled my mammogram because I was "too busy," while I carted my daughter from appointment to appointment for various medical and orthodontic needs, or when I took the time to think through my goals for the new year. But it hit me that even though I'm no longer in the throes of caring for infants and tiny toddlers, I was still putting my own care on the back burner. Whether it was my failure to find a hair stylist when we moved to the Raleigh, NC area NINE years ago, not scheduling necessary doctor appointments, or ignoring my dentist when she suggested Invisalign, I simply wasn't prioritizing my self-care and wellness. At the beginning of 2024, I decided that needed to change. I started mental health coaching, I found a braiding stylist, I got X-rays for old injuries, and I reached out to Bumgarner & Martin Orthodontics in Wake Forest regarding Invisalign. Here's a recap of my honest Invisalign experience at Bumgarner & Martin Orthodontics.

My smile had changed over the years- it was always something I really liked about myself but over time, that changed too. Aside from aesthetics, getting Invisalign would correct my bite issues which could lead to more extensive work down the road. 

About Bumgarner & Martin Orthodontics

When I visited Bumgarner & Martin, I was greeted by Ashley who is so warm and friendly. I liked her immediately and honestly just had fun chatting with her, which put me at ease. She educated me on the process and we went over all the ins and outs of what Invisalign entailed. There was plenty of time to ask all of my questions. 

Dr. Martin then met with me to discuss my treatment plan, timeframe, and goals. I'd heard from people who went into treatment with unrealistic expectations or who weren't told about the attachments Invisalign requires, so I was really impressed that the team at Bumgarner & Martin were very realistic and forthright with everything regarding Invisalign in general and my treatment specifically.

Pros and Cons of Invisalign Treatment:

Cons:

Any orthodontic treatment can be expensive. Luckily Bumgarner & Martin offers payment plans and accepts assignments from most major insurance carriers. See more here.

You are responsible for weekly scans- tbh this is a pro (more on that in a sec) but it is a recurring task you need to remember. Make sure to allow notifications from the ScanBox app to get reminders. If you're a non-compliant patient like I was at times (oops), you'll even get a text reminding you.

It's uncomfortable- your teeth are moving and that might hurt. It's not terrible pain by any means but for some reason, it surprised me. I got used to it over time and I'm sure no two experiences are alike but there was much less discomfort during the second half of my treatment. 

You need to keep up with your trays- Probably easier for adults than kids but something to consider. Just never put them in a napkin or plastic baggie! We don't have pets but if you do, keep it in a place where your pets can't get to them.

Pros:

You can eat foods that are usually off limits with braces. While you'll wear your trays almost nonstop, you remove them to eat.

You can manage so much at home vs. going into the office. I mentioned weekly scans being a con but I'd rather handle my own scans than have to trek into the office constantly.

It improves oral hygiene- by helping with crowding, flossing becomes easier. Also, something about the attachments made me floss much more often than I ever had! I think I felt like something was in my teeth so I always made sure to floss to be sure it was only the attachments I was feeling.

They're practically invisible. There was no way I'd ever get braces as an adult but Invisalign felt much more doable since they're practically invisible.

They work! At the end of the day, the results are absolutely worth any challenge.

Conclusion

I can't recommend Invisalign at Bumgarner & Martin Orthodontics enough. The office is so friendly and thorough and the treatment was the least invasive way to fix my teeth. Time goes by so quickly- I'm glad I didn't put it off any longer! And though this was a partnership, I moved Nadia's treatment to Bumgarner & Martin (paid for out-of-pocket) because I was so pleased with my experience! If you live in Raleigh, North Carolina, Wake Forest, North Carolina, Knightdale, North Carolina, Rolesville, North Carolina or the Triangle area in general, I highly recommend checking out Bumgarner & Martin for you or your child's orthodontic care!

When we recently renovated the kids' hangout room, I wanted to include a special feature- either a moulding type wall treatment or wallpaper- I wasn't sure exactly but something interesting and fun. And while wallpaper is fun, I'm such an optimizer- looking at every option available and analyzing the pros and cons- that I wanted to find an easier project that still had a wow factor. I decided to paint an accent wall in a plaid pattern to look like wallpaper. Who remembers the last time I painted an accent wall?! It worked out very well because-here's some BTS tea for you- I was working with HGTV Home by Sherwin Williams for the renovation. I only agree to paint collaborations if I LOVE the colors. It's only paint, but I just don't want to put in the effort for a color I don't love nor do I want to share something that I wouldn't choose "in real life," simply because I'm being paid (it's called integrity. ha). Well I saw the colors and HGSW Still Water was perfect. At least I thought it was...until I got the paint chips and tested it and it was reading too cool with the sofa we'd purchased- and we love the convertible sofa so much. I also really liked HGSW Hazel so when the thought hit me to combine the two (along with HGSW Creamy which truly is a beautiful white!), it was like Eureka! A DIY plaid wall idea was born. If you want to DIY a plaid wall, I'm sharing a step by step tutorial for how to paint a plaid wall here.

Our poor playroom has been in purgatory for awhile. It was once a cute and functional playroom, but as the kids- 15, 14, and 11- have outgrown toys, we began simultaneously clearing it out and using it as a dumping ground while we worked on other rooms in the house. It desperately needed a transformation! While it feels a bit small to label it a rec room, the goal was rec room vibes. We set out to create a fresh and modern space that felt inviting and cozy. I made a list that looked kind of like this:

It's giving J. Crew and Boden but at a fraction of the cost. I've been sharing Walmart for years - well before they paid me to do so- but I'm still a tiny bit surprised when I find a head-to-Walmart looks that look so much more expensive and are made with quality stitching and materials. Full disclosure, Walmart sponsored an Instagram post and stories on my Instagram profile. I am not obligated to write a blog post but I like to share still photos and something more permanent (fine, and more wordy) than a reel so here are my latest Walmart fashion picks with fit and style notes!

When the kids get back to school clothes, so do I. ha. Per usual, Walmart didn't disappoint. I shared a reel today that you'll definitely want to check out since it shows how I mixed and matched everything I bought to create a bunch of different looks but I wanted to share a few of the looks here too to pin or shop from for later. Side note: the reel is sponsored- this blog was not; I'm just excited and wanted to have these affordable fall fashions on the blog!

Matching sets are so easy and paired with these gorgeous boots? It's a win/win. I styled it with a cute tee and a sweater in the reel.

Which look is your fave?! Everything linked below!

Walmart Fall Fashion Finds- August 2025

Chunky Cable Knit Sweater  |  Pleated Dark Denim Maxi Skirt  |  Black Mid-Rise Barrel Jeans  |  Cocoa Flutter Sleeve Maxi Dress  |  Dark Denim Cropped Utility Shirt  |  Tan Oversized Cargo Barn Jacket  |  Army Green Utility Cargo Jeans  |  Merlot Striped Cotton Cropped Crew Tee  |  Denim Shirt with Blouson Sleeves  |  Black Kitten Heel Ankle Booties