Friday, May 29, 2015

May Favorites

Over the last month I've kept track of the beauty/skincare/fashion favorites that I reach for almost on a daily basis.  Some oldies but goodies, and some newbies too.  I think most of these will carry me through the summer, so definitely try them out if they peak your interest! 

Here's the roundup :)




I actually tend to lean more towards tinted moisturizers (my fave) or BB creams in the warmer months, but for those days when I want more coverage (parties, all-day events, church, date night), I opt for this favorite.  It's a light weight formula but covers like a dream, and you will be SURE to find your perfect shade - they have tons to choose from!  I apply with this favorite brush






Continuing in the face department, I picked up this palette months ago, but I wanted to really use it before I reviewed it.  Verdict = amazing.  It's marketed as a contour palette (3 highlighter colors, 3 contour colors), but can be used in so many different ways.  I use the top middle shade to set my under-eye concealer and to highlight my nose and forehead.  I use the bottom middle shade like a bronzer below my cheekbones, on my temples, and jawline.  These shades are completely matte, no shimmer, so they work really well at creating lines, depth, and dimension to the face.  I also love them ALL as eye shadows and have been reaching for them almost daily for that as well - they are so creamy and blendable!

If you're new at the contouring idea - this image is a good guide!
Just blend blend blend!








I used to wear this shade years ago, and just recently stumbled upon it again at Sephora, and remembered how much I loved it!  It's a beautiful champagne shimmery color with a hint of pink.  So buttery and is perfect for a summertime glow.  (also great as a cheek highlight!)





I know I've mentioned this lipstick before, because I have several colors and I'm in love with this particular lipstick formula.  It's so creamy and smooth and lasts a long time.  This color is a beautiful nude pink, and I love topping it with this gloss.  





I recently received this beauty in a birthday kit from Sephora (for spending way too much money there).  It came with two different shades of these Nars lip crayons - I gave my mom the red, and I kept this mauvey pink shade.  It's a great consistency and so easy for your purse or to have on-the-go.  I also will use it as a base to a nude lipstick (like the one above) and I love that combination.    







This is a summertime favorite of mine - especially for my toes.  My sweet sister-in-law gave me a gift card for a pedicure for my birthday (best present), and I immediately picked this color out.  It's the perfect orangey-red color, and I'm in love!  Similar to OPI Cajun Shrimp, but without the subtle shimmer.



Bioderma Crealine (Sensibio) H2o Ultra-mild Non-rinse Face and Eyes Cleanser 250 ml


When my parents vacationed in Paris last fall, I had one item on my wish list for them to pick up for me while they perused the Parisian markets and shops.  It wasn't art or a postcard, or even a box of macaroons (I wish).....it was this bottle of liquid gold.  Apparently, it will soon be sold in the US, but for now it's just a European luxury, and one of the best face cleansers out there.  It's so gentle, mild, but effective in removing every ounce of makeup or grime.  It's a no rinse formula, and leaves my skin feeling so hydrated and cleansed.  In LOVE.  Thanks Mom and Dad!  ;)




Swisspers Premium Ultra Soft Facial Cleansing Cotton Pads

I've used a lot of cotton pads for toners, moisturizers, and cleansers in the past, but these take the cake for sure.  And they might be the cheapest I've found!  I get them in my local grocery, but it looks like Walgreens sell them as well.  I almost bit the bullet and bought these (has anyone tried them?), but then I remembered that they were cotton pads, and I didn't want to fork out $10 for them.  So I got these, and they are the softest, most luxurious feeling cotton pads ever.  I don't think I'll ever use another one again!  





Oh maternity swimsuits.  The only thing worse than trying on normal swimsuits, is trying on maternity swimsuits.  And I have tried on a LOT, because I knew this summer we would have a few beach trips, and lots of pool days on the agenda.  I saw this one online, and thought it was so cute, but had to try it on in the store before purchasing, because you just really never know with swimsuits.  This is the most flattering and forgiving one-piece I've found ((however, I don't look nearly as cute as the model does) , and I love that the tie around the neck is adjustable, and can give those ladies a much needed lift.   Highly recommend!






This is my second summer with these babies, and I couldn't wait to bring them back out as soon as the snow thawed!  They are my favorite flip flops, so comfortable, durable, and somehow make your feet look oh-so-pretty.  They are basic and simple, but great quality, and I love the nude color.  Go get your some of these!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------


And last but not least, I have to share my favorite snack/meal lately!  I have been really craving chicken salad, and I just couldn't find a recipe that I loved, so I made up my own.  And I love it!  I usually just pair it with these Ritz Chips, or regular Saltine crackers.  Here's the recipe:

1 Rotisserie chicken shredded up
2 celery stalks chopped 
5 green onions chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese
1/2 green apple chopped
1/4 cup sliced almonds
mayo to taste - I don't like a ton
salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder to taste

Combine and enjoy!


Do you have any products or favorite items of the month?

linking up with Liz for today's post!


post signature

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

It's A.....













Could not be more excited!! Feeling so blessed and thankful for our baby GIRL!!
Can't wait for bows and bonnets and ruffles and pink!!
Baby Girl we love you so much already!!


post signature

Friday, May 15, 2015

Gender Prediction - Baby #2

We find out tomorrow what we are having!  We are going to the OB office that I used to work for, and my girlfriend will be doing my scan.  
Later on, we are going to have a big BBQ and gender reveal!  I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!  
And I have NO clue what we are having - I'm going to be surprised no matter what!

So here's what the ole wives tales are telling us....
(Thank you Ally for this idea!)  

Morning Sickness
They say that the sicker you are, the more likely it is you're having a girl.  With Andrew, I was hardly sick at all, maybe a couple of times.  With this pregnancy, I have only NOT been sick a few times!
So looks like it's a GIRL for this test.


Pencil Test
This test is crazy.  The pencil went from not moving at all to moving like crazy! 
But no circles, here.  Mine with straight back and forth, over and over.  
That's the sign for a BOY.


Baby's Heart Rate
Supposedly if it's less than 140 it's a boy, and if it's greater than 140 it's a girl. We've been 150, 148, and 156, so according to this theory it's a GIRL.  And my best friend swears this theory is correct - we will see!


Acne
Girls supposedly steal your beauty, and boys just bring out your beauty even more. 
I had some acne early on, but it's totally cleared up already.  So I'm going to call this one a draw.


Sleep
If you sleep on your left side, it's a boy. Sleep on your right side, it's a girl.
I never sleep on my right side, it's either my left side or my back.
 BOY.


Food Cravings
Salty cravings mean boy and sweet cravings mean girl. I would much rather have chips and dip and Mexican food all day long.  No sweet tooth here. But with Andrew, I wanted a doughnut (and may have indulged) every single day!  So I'm not sure about this one.  It's completely opposite for me, which would mean GIRL, but the test says BOY.


Chinese Calender
BOY


My Gut Feeling
It was a boy right when I found out, but it's switched to a GIRL ever since!  John also thinks it's a girl.
I really have no clue - but will be THRILLED with either!  

BOY = 4
GIRL =  3


Any guesses?


post signature

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Baby #2 - Weeks 13 through 15

First of all, I think I was doing baby updates and bump pictures starting at 8 weeks last time!  
I guess that's what happens the second time around when you're chasing a toddler around and/or spending most of the time hovered over the toilet :(  Now that I'm on meds and in my second trimester (a little more energy!), I'm going to start documenting this pregnancy better!  I love looking back at the blog "journal" of my updates with Andrew, so I definitely want to continue that with Baby #2!  


Here are a few pics from the early weeks - still pinching myself every day!  So thankful!


Our 8 week Ultrasound!  March 20, 2015. 


First photo of our family of 4!  Overjoyed!


Easter Sunday - April 5, 2015
10 weeks pregnant!




-------------------------------------------------------------




How far along? 13 weeks!
Baby Size: Baby is the size of a peach ;)
Total weight gain/loss: no weight gain yet
Maternity clothes? not yet, but I got these AG skinnies in a size up! 
Stretch marks? Not yet....
Sleep: Sleeping great!  On my side mostly.
Best moment this week: Making it to Barre class 3x this week! Yay!
Miss Anything? Sushi and Jersey Mikes Subs.
Movement: No movement.
Food cravings: chicken fingers, lemonade and Caesar salad 
Anything making you queasy or sick: Sick a ton. Nausea and vomiting almost every day. 
Have you started to show yet: There's a little bump there!
Gender: Don't know yet, but this week I think it's a girl
Labor Signs: Nope 
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On! 
Mood? So tired, but maybe gaining a little bit more energy. Thankful.
Looking forward to:  Telling friends and announcing the pregnancy!







How far along? 14 weeks!
Baby Size: Baby is the size of a Meyer lemon ;)
Total weight gain/loss: no weight gain yet
Maternity clothes? not yet, but my mom took me shopping and I got lots of cute things! 
Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: Sleeping great!  Lately I like to sleep on my back.
Best moment this week: Having my parents visit - we had so much fun!
Miss Anything? Deli meat and pepperoni pizza.
Movement: No movement.
Food cravings: Pizza and tortilla chips. Anything salty. 
Anything making you queasy or sick: Sick sick sick, although I had a couple days of relief this week. Food aversions: Broccoli and raw chicken.  
Have you started to show yet: Yep, just a little!
Gender: Still think it's a girl, but only because this pregnancy has been way different from my pregnancy with Andrew
Labor Signs: Nope 
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On! 
Mood? Happy, and excited.
Looking forward to:  Taking a few announcement pictures!



I had to include this picture- Andrew loves watching John take my weekly bump pictures, and when I was done with them today, Andrew stood up against the wall, where I was, and just stood and smiled.  So funny!  








How far along? 15 weeks!
Baby Size: Baby is the size of a naval orange.
Total weight gain/loss: I lost a few pounds with being super sick this week.
Maternity clothes? Loving these comfortable shorts from Target. 
Stretch marks? Not yet....
Sleep: Sleeping great!  I go from back to side.
Best moment this week: Announcing the pregnancy!
Miss Anything? Keeping down my food!
Movement: No movement.
Food cravings: Bagels, tortilla chips and salsa. 
Anything making you queasy or sick: This was my sickest week, threw up so much and finally had to go to the hospital. On meds now. 
Have you started to show yet: Yep!
Gender: Gut feeling is girl, but I am excited about either! 
Labor Signs: Nope 
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On! 
Mood? Sick and tired.  But trying to stay positive!
Looking forward to:  Feeling better and getting more energy soon.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I'm 16 weeks now, and thankfully my nausea meds are working!
I've felt the best yet this week, and will be doing a weekly update soon. 

We find out gender this weekend!! 
AHHHHHHHHHH!!!



post signature

Monday, May 11, 2015

Spring Loves

Ahhhh - spring is in the air!!  And it is glorious!  A few of y'all might even be experiencing summer temperatures already!
I've got my eye on all things bright and colorful, so I thought I'd share a few of my favorite new items that I'm loooooving right now :)
Spring loves

1- I've had my eye on this beauty (which is on sale and comes in several colors!) for awhile now!  Perfect dress for spring and summer!

2- I've got a thing for scallops, and yellow, so this top is calling my name - and it's just $28! :)

3- My girlfriend recently was donning these earrings, and I fell in love!  Can be worn lots of different ways!

4- Yelp! It's a bit on the pricey side, but oh I just love everything Mara Hoffman!

5- I feel like these are just really cool. (Exact ones were from F21, but went like hot cakes - but these are just $10!)

6- Tried this at Ulta recently in the Melted Sugar color, and it was the perrrrfect nudey/pink color, and it lasted forever.

7- The colored ones are sold out, but I love this leather sandal look!  These are fun too!

8- These milky, minty blues and greens are my fave for spring. (Another fave.)

9- I linked a similar pair, but these pom pom shorts are the cutest, and I love them in a classic black

10- Love the sleek lines of this case!  Also love this one for summer!

11- Again with the scallops - love this dainty wallet!


What are your favorite spring trends or must-haves??

post signature

Sunday, May 10, 2015

The un-Perfect Mom


Your "success" as a mom is not measured by your capacity to keep everything in order; it's determined by your ability to trust that even in the chaos Jesus is beautiful - and even in the mess, so are you.

via The Good Mom blog

If you have a moment, the article I linked is a good one.  Such a wonderful reminder that we don't have to be perfect, as Moms, or just as people in general.  We are nowhere near perfect, and that's where the grace of God steps in.  My life does not look like my Pinterest board, or even my Instagram photos.  It's messy, it's disorganized, it's chaotic, and I brush my hair about once every 3 days.  I feed my child dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets, and I forget that I'm supposed to be brushing his teeth.
I have spent a lot of the last 2 months curled up on the couch just reading books with him because I'm too nauseous to do anything else...for the entire day.

I'm thankful that my child loves me despite all my short-comings, and even though I am not even close to being a perfect mom.  I want him to know that he is loved, he is loved so much, he is cared for, and I am always here for him, no matter what.  And that's exactly how our Heavenly Father feels about us.

I love the line from one of Andrew's childrens books,
"I am your quiet place, and you are my wild"




He definitely is my wild, and I wake up every day so excited to live another day with him. And I just want to be his quiet place, his comfort, his peaceful respite in this crazy world.
Being a mother has always been a dream of mine, and I'm so happy I'm living it out right now.
And with another little one on the way - my heart couldn't be fuller.


Happy Mother's Day to all you sweet mamas out there.
 And to those future mamas - or mamas with angel babies, you are so special and I hope you feel loved today.


To the woman who I get to call "Mom", and have for the past 31 years of my life:
I love you and I am so thankful to have such a wonderful and beautiful mother to look up to and to be inspired by, and encouraged by on a daily basis.  You are kind, compassionate, loving, thoughtful, giving, and gracious.  Thank you for loving me and supporting me through the years - I don't know what I would do without you by my side!



Hope you all have a beautiful Sunday!

post signature

Thursday, May 7, 2015

A Special Gift - A New Baby!

This birthday has been so lovely.  As a tradition, I've basically been celebrating all week long...with family, friends, thoughtful gifts, and delicious desserts.  I love birthdays and I'm definitely not shy about being excited for turning a year older!  Am I crazy?  

Older means more experiences. Older means more memories, more friends, more things to be grateful for.  Older means more life lived, and what a privilege that is! 

The best gift this year....
Well it was a hard decision because I've got some seriously thoughtful friends and family members.  And John also brought me home a bouquet of tulips and a 3 pound chocolate peanut butter pie.  So yeah, it was hard to choose.   But here it is....




The most special gift of all...


That's right.  
We are having a baby!  
We are so overjoyed, and I have been an emotional wreck crying tears of joy and unbelief at the drop of a hat.  It's the biggest blessing and to say we are excited is a huge understatement.  
The part that gets me all mushy is that we will be giving Andrew a sibling - something I've daydreamed about since the day he was born.  They'll be 22 months apart, and hopefully the best of friends, the thickest of thieves.

Thank y'all for being so sweet and supportive as I took a big ole hiatus with the blog the past few months.  I have been sick as a dog, and only now am I feeling like I can look at the computer screen without losing my lunch..err breakfast...err anything at any time because my "morning sickness" has been more of an "all-day sickness".  I'm 15 weeks today, so hopefully the nausea train is leaving the station, and leaving me on the platform, waving enthusiastically with a grateful grin on my face.


So YAY!
The greatest birthday gift ever!  God is Good!



post signature

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

31...and Grateful



Today I turn 31.  
I am grateful.  Grateful for the years I've had.  Some great, some not as great.  
I've learned, I've loved, I've grown, I've been challenged, I've experienced loss.  
I've been blessed. 

I'm thankful to Jesus for giving me another day, another year to live.  
I'm grateful.  For so many things.
My best friend, my true companion by my side who I'm so privileged to do life with.
A precious son who gives me Eskimo kisses and loves me unconditionally. 
A family that supports and encourages me, and would give me the world if they could.
Girlfriends who I can laugh with and cry with and pray with. 

And a God who created me, exactly the way I'm supposed to be. Who forgives me, saves me, and whose mercies are new each morning.

It's enough.  It's more than enough. 
I am grateful.


  Here's to 31!  I have a feeling this one's gonna be a good one :)




post signature

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Lately - Visit from Fam, Outdoor Living, and An Early Birthday!

Over the last 2 weeks, we've had a blast!  A visit from my parents was the cherry on top, especially because I got a nasty cold and sinus infection, and they basically took over everything for me!  
Andrew especially had the time of his life - playing at the park, going to festivals, seeing a firetruck, having his first ice cream, and lots more.  

It's been glorious outside too, mostly 70's and sunny, and just the perfect weather for outdoor living.  We've taken full advantage!  

We also celebrated my birthday (a little early - it's tomorrow!), with a trip to our favorite pizza spot, a day of shopping with my mom, and strawberry cake - my fave!

Here's a peek into our lives lately!  :-)

















(my Ali Ro jacket was a birthday present to myself, and it's basically become my second skin - I'm in love with it!)







Hope y'all are having the happiest Spring!

And Happy Cinco De Mayo!  Are y'all celebrating?
(we are doing mexican food tonight, and I'm making one of my favorite desserts!)


Ole!  

post signature