Christmas Gift Guide for Her

This is pretty much my wish list (minus a few I already own)

1. Kendra Scott Ellie Earrings- Currently on sale at Nordstrom and come in a ton of colors. I thought the emerald and rose gold were the prettiest especially for Christmas and New Year's.

2. Threshold from Target 5 pc Gold Flatware- My dream is to have gold simple flatware and white dishes. Such a pretty combo.

3. Michael Kors Selma Medium Satchel- Also on sale at Nordstrom for half off. I'm obsessed with red during this time of the year and a red purse is at the top of the obsession list. It's the perfect pop of color for any outfit.

4. Anthropologie Bowls- So. many. colors. I like that they're deep so I always give it to Juliana to eat from because toddlers=messy soup eaters haha

5. Coach Poppy Perfume- I love how this smells. There's usually always a gift with purchase when buying fragrance around this time so it's kind of a 2 in 1 gift idea.

6. My Burberry Perfume- You can't go wrong with Burberry. Ever.

7. Sugar Paper LA for Target Planner- I love Sugar Paper! That whole line is perfect! So many gift ideas from planners, notebooks, and leather goodies. I already got a 2016 Planner and a document holder because I'm a nerd like that. Their blog and Instagram are full of beautiful things worth checking out.

8. Tory Burch iPhone Case- It's cute and looks much more protective than some other cases I've seen.    Cases are great gifts because you can't mess up and get the wrong size ;)

Makeup: Skin

Hello!

So it's been a very loooong minute since I posted. March to be exact. But, I'm back and have a lot of stuff I want to talk about. 

What I love about blogging is that it's a community of people sharing what they love, whatever that may be. I love testing out new products (who doesn't?!) and finding that one that changes all your old ways and this L'oreal Paris Infallible foundation is that product for me.

Best part, it's under $12 at good old Target.

Back story: I've been using the same Cover Girl foundation since high school and while it worked perfectly for me than, I found that it pretty much did me no favors in my mid-twenties. The CG looked like speckled paint. Pregnancy, acne and a bad diet really messed me up so I had to find something else. Enter this L'oreal. The first time I tried could be compared to the sun breaking up dark clouds. I couldn't believe how well it covered and how well it matched my skin! It was truly love at first blend. It has a smooth, matte finish and is build able if an area needs extra coverage. 

For comparison, I tried a sample of Chanel foundation and you know what, I was very unimpressed. I didn't even finish the tiny sample that I had and threw it away. It didn't cover well and my skin looked dull. So lesson learned just because something is almost 5x more expensive does not mean it's better. Maybe it works for some people, but it didn't for me.

Anyway, thank you L'oreal geniuses who made this product. Skin is such a struggle for me so it's a major dream come true to find something that works. 

wish i was...

spring by glitterandtea featuring a skater skirt

wearing this outfit.

it's a sunny saturday, hubby is working and both babies are sleeping. after i'm done putting together imaginary outfits with shoes that cost an arm and a leg i'm going to read a book. #momlife. but really if i had to wear the same colors for the rest of my life it would probably be these. my whole closet is a combo of white, blush, light pink & royal blue.

happy weekend :)

Lucy-6 months!

This is a month too late. in exactly one week lucy will be 7 months. but lets talk about her 6 month developments anyway, shall we?

clothing: 6-9, 9m, 12m leggings. they are a tad too long but don't pinch her in her (nonexistent) waist like smaller sizes. her tummy & thighs are too delicious to be contained by tight pants :) i'm excited for summer so she can show off her beautiful arms in sleeveless onesies. popeye would be jealous. 

diapers: still size 2. we love target diapers and i think they're a more generous size compared to huggies for example. 

sleep: bless this beautiful angel from Heaven who still naps every 2 hours during the day. if you heard that chubby babies sleep better than i'm here to tell you it's true. before i thought Lucy was just a crabby baby and would hold her and try to soothe her nonstop but turns out she was just tired. but when i laid her down for naps she would cry like crazy and i would immediately come to her rescue. it was a restless first few months. one day i was too tired for this routine. i knew she was tired so i swaddled her up, turned on classical music a bit louder than usual, laid her down, closed the shades and the door and left. she cried for 5 minutes on and off and then silence. i was in shock! next time i tried it again and again it worked! we know have a beautiful bedtime and nap routine and we're all happier because of it. i think the music distracts her from the fact that it's sleep time. 

play: when she is awake she loves to be on her tummy, on the ground playing with toys or watching older sister run around in circles. she recently started sitting up so i've been putting her in the high chair and she loves that too. give her a toy to chew on and she's a happy camper. loves anything she can put in her mouth. 

teeth: 2 bottom teeth just sprouted! they're still so tiny but so cute. around the time they popped through she got an ugly cold complete with coughing and nonstop runny nose. i don't know if that was a coincidence or there was a connection but we're glad it's 99% over. 

hates: being on her back so diaper changes, getting dressed or being in the carseat turn on the flood works. luckily she sleeps during car rides so the carseat thing isn't too big a deal. once she's in it though you better start driving in the next 2 minutes or else! 

solids: we had a couple spoons of bananas & baby yogurt but girlfriend is NOT interested. she makes the funniest face! she doesn't even open her mouth for the spoon once she realizes what's going on. she just gives me a "why do you keep giving this to me?" face. 

Juliana: i think around exactly 6 months they really got interested in each other & now even "play" with each other. it's sometimes nothing more than staring at each other and giggling but it's the best thing in the world. Lucy is obsessed with Juju and instantly lights up when she sees her. Juju loves to bring her toys, diapers when I ask and comes running to me to let me know Lucy is crying when she wakes up from her nap. 

I'm loving watching my little Lucy develop and seeing more of her personality shine through every day. she's absolutely the sweetest little girl and her blue eyes light up our days :) i thank God for making me her mama. 

our room

with the help of pinterest i'm slowly figuring out what i like when it comes to home decor. my style is traditional, simple and clean. i don't like clutter but just a few pretty decorative items like a candle or flowers is a must. i put together a room inspiration board and so far i've acquired half of what i think will make our master bedroom complete.

• candle holder (target during christmas)
• large black mirror (tjmaxx on clearance)
• white bedding (target)
• nightstand (ikea. we have the 2 drawer white hemnes)
• dresser (ikea hemnes-exactly as pictured)

here is a small look into our current room situation. we are in need of a headboard! we're also currently renting so in the future our walls will be grey. don't worry they're not as orange in real life. they're more beige/tan.

so far it looks like the theme is white, navy, gray with black accents. i was leaning towards more neutrals like beige (think burlap pillows) but i think this way it's not too girly for the hubs ;)

p.s. that lamp is awesome! :)

random confessions (5 on friday)

1. 

I don't watch the bachelor/bachlorette. i've never even seen a single episode. i don't even have cable to watch even if i wanted to. that being said i love this bloggers recaps of the episodes. but her whole blog is pretty good. she's seriously so funny! 

2.

i want a pair of camo pants. i bought some camo flats from express several months ago and they've been patiently waiting in my closet for the snow to melt. i tried them on with a few spring outfits and they seriously match everything. i'm hoping they won't go out of style by than because i can't wait to wear them. this fact has made me realize i need camo pants. not to wear together obviously, i'm not going hunting. but i think they would be cute with coral tops and striped tees. i like these. 

3. 

i'm such a night owl! it's my guilty pleasure. it's my time to pin a million things i will probably never bake, make or wear, catch up on blogs, read, write in journals i keep for my daughters and eat the occasional junk food. my hubby is currently out of state so i feel less guilty about doing all this past 11 pm :) 

4.

since juliana's 2nd birthday i've become more attached to her. is that even possible? the answer is yes because i can't let this girl out of my sight. i've become more protective and (a little embarrassed to admit) clingy. it just hit me how quickly she's growing! she's changed so so so much in just the past few months let alone the past 2 years. i could go on and on how intelligent she has become and how she blows me away every day but i'll stop here. i just love that girl to the moon and back. 

5. 

that being said i am selfishly happy i have another daughter that i get to love, hug, squish and watch develop. just getting to reuse juliana's old clothes on lucy brings me joy. i'm so thankful i get to almost relive everything with lucy because the 1st time everything just flew by! i'm more conscience of cherishing every moment. i spend more time cuddling lucy because i know i'll blink and she'll be walking or it'll be her 1st birthday. she's already almost on the verge of sitting up by herself right in time for her 6 month birthday and starting solids. another milestone i love is how much more Lucy smiles! she used to be so serious but smiles constantly now! it's awesome seeing how alert she is of her surroundings and recognizing people. Juliana especially makes Lucy smile which just melts me :)

link up here with natasha & September farm

Latey...

It's been absolutely freezing like -9 in the morning and when it warmed up to zero (!) I finally left the house. I don't mind the cold at all but it sucks not being able to take the girlies out anywhere so they've been cooped up inside. It's probably for the best being its flu season and all...

So here's what we've been up to this past month...

The only place I absolutely make myself go is the gym. Even Target has been put on hold. I always celebrate a workout with a selfie (not pictured). Even though I feel ridiculous and hope no one sees me. I workout with a friend and having someone to meet there definitely keeps me from giving myself more rest days than I need :) 

Speaking of working out, the hubs and I are trying to lose weight (he also goes everyday. We actually take turns going so one of us is home with the girls) so we've been eating a lot of soup. This Zuppa Toscana is the 4th one this month though I'm not sure how healthy it is... It has kale so it must be ;)

But sometimes you just gotta have a waffle with ice cream and strawberries for breakfast. 

And Five Guys burgers on Valentine's Day because you're too married and have (two) many kids to go out. Just kidding. We don't really do Valentine's Day because our 1st date anniversary is the 19th and that's more special. 

We also hit up tjmaxx and old navy recently but came home empty handed because this little goofball would rather run around the store touching everything while I chase her around. As you can see here she is sneakily plotting her escape out of the cart. Side note: she loves sunglasses and I love that she loves them and let's me try 10 different pair in her :) look how cute she is! I could just eat her! 

And the best day of all this month has been the day we celebrated my little girl turning 2. I teared up all night the day before her birthday and even snuck her into bed with us so I could snuggle her while she was 1 for the last time. The emotions were on full blast that day. We just spent time as a family and were thankful for warm weather so we could go to the aquarium, get the best pizza around, visit great grandparents and back home for a cake, popcorn and a movie. Juliana's party will be next Saturday and that's when we'll invite her cousins, aunts and uncles. I'm so thankful for this girl and a day to celebrate her. There are not enough words. 

top 5: beauty

top 5: beauty philosophy face care

1. philosophy purity cleanser. i picked up a trial version of this cleanser after wanting to try philosophy for a long time. totally worth the hype! my skin feels smoother and cleaner. around the same time i started using this cleanser i started to wash my face twice at night. once to wash off my makeup and the second time to really clean the pores. i feel like this helps so much.

2. sally hansen is my #1 lady for nail polish. essie does not do it for me. the insta-dri formula is thick,  and the brush is wide so you need less strokes which equals a smoother, more even application. i just got this blush color from target and it's my new fav.

3. clarisonic. i was probably the last person to start using this thing. lets just say i wish i started earlier. i used to use it daily but reduced it to every other day. it does clean really well and on these days i use #4 and i strongly believe the clarisonic helps absorb anything i put on my face after using it 10x better than without it.

4. ester lauder advanced night serum: i love all things estee lauder. this is definitely worth the price. i put it on at night and wake up looking brighter.

5. john frieda sheer blonde. this is my favorite shampoo and conditioner combo ever. my hair feels clean and super soft after using this stuff. i'm not as blonde as i used to be but am planning for highlights in the future. regardless, i love using this stuff.

excuse all the lowercases i. i typed this one handed while holding lucy :) yes it took forever.

link up! 

IKEA purchases (five on friday)

ikea purchases featuring an acrylic throw

we live really close to IKEA which is good and bad because I go way too often. Like weekly.

I loooooveee home decor and seeing how people decorate their house. I'm one of those people that always needs a home tour when they first come over. Pretty much I'm just a creep. Thank goodness for Pinterest where people share their homes willingly and we can steal their good ideas. and thank you to Ikea for their awesome showroom. Seriously love that place.

1. I love stripes. Especially chunky black and white ones. This throw is super soft and only $20. I honestly don't even know where to put it but I love it so there it is.

2. I found one of these fake green plants (the middle one) in the AS-Is section and got it even though I thought it might look cheesy but the green really brightened up my windowsill and now I'm obsessed with fake potted plants.

3. The reason I went to Ikea in the 1st place was because I saw this lamp on sale in the catalog. It's such a classic design. I've wanted it for ages and now it's mine for just $20 yay! It's easy to assemble and really good quality.

4. This is a wok but I wanted a skillet with higher walls because I'm kind of a messy cook. This will do. $10.

5. A home for my fake potted plant haha :) $4.



linking with Natasha :)

Better Food

One of my resolutions has been to eat healthier along with everyone else in the world. Usually by the end of January I've completely stopped trying but this year I'm doing better now than I was at the start of 2015! I'm really excited because I feel like I finally found my groove when it comes to better choices. 

One thing that has really helped is having a list of simple and quick food ideas consisting of things we almost always have on hand. It's hanging right on the fridge so I can always see it. Numbers 1, 2 & 3 are at the top of the list for a reason. As you can see really simple stuff but things I know I love. I try to get a veggie in with every meal & use only real ingredients. I'm mindful of what nutrients I get from everything I put in my mouth. Not only important for me but Lucy too.

My breakfast almost daily and no I don't get sick of it. I try to stuff spinach in as much food as I can. The bread can be better but you only live once. 

More eggs, more veggies and more avocado toast. Always coffee. 

Another fav meal that's not the on the list (why?!) is lemon tilapia and broccoli with garlic. Takes like 11 minutes and so light but filling! Bonus: Juliana eats it too. 

Sorry about the ugly picture but my favorite way to eat sometimes is by replacing bread or tortillas with a romaine lettuce leaf. I can eat like 4 of those bad boys and be stuffed just from a small can of tuna, onions and a little mayo with S & P. 

This is my go to dessert. I found it on gimmesomeoven.com (awesome stuff! Go now!) they're supposed to be energy balls but I mix all the ingredients, keep it refrigerated and just grab a spoonful when I crave something sweet. The mix tastes like a perfectly soft peanut butter Chewy bar but without preservatives and all natural ingredients (except the chocolate chips) 

Being more food conscience makes me feel like such a grown up sometimes ;) 

Love Month...

Happy February First!

I'll be honest I wasn't always the biggest fan of February but now it's one of my favorites months...

1. Top reason being it's the month my precious firstborn daughter was born. In 13 days Juliana will turn 2! So bittersweet.  

2. It's the "love month" thanks to the heart shaped holiday that follows Juju's birthday. Pink, glitter, flowers and hearts everywhere! It's especially fun when you have daughters. 

3. It's the month my husband and I started dating. This 19th we will celebrate 5 years since we first met for a coffee and took a freezing walk around "Love Park" (it's actually called Centennial Lakes but everyone refers to it as Love park because that's where every one we know starts dating, gets engaged and/or takes their wedding pictures there. 2/3 are true for us. It's a beautiful park!)  

4. It's the shortest month which is pretty special, right? Exactly 4 weeks long. 

5. It's a sweet transition between wintery January and some signs of spring in March. *fingers crossed spring is coming!* 

It's also the Super Bowl but I'm not really about that. I'm guessing Hawks will win though. 

Instagram the source of all things awesome led me to this free February calendar print here

I want to frame it with a heart around the 13th and hang it in Juliana's room.  

This is another free printable @mscraftberrybush (Insta) 

This is the Shutterfly calendar we currently have hanging in the hallway. The quality is the best and the options are endless. Love this month's roses :)

New Year's Eve & 2015 Resolutions!

First off, I woke up New Year's Eve day to feed the baby around 7 and a few minutes later got a text from my brother in law with pictures of my new niece who made her surprise entrance in the middle of the night 4 weeks early! I can't believe my sisters and I who are my bestest friends all had daughters the same year! July, September and now December. It really is a miracle. Another cool thing is the 31st is my parents wedding anniversary. 

Emma Eve-perfect in every way. Praise God!

This NYE was pretty laid back like the previous years since getting married. We went to a party at our friends house, ate delicious food and played a few games and were home by 11 to put the girls to sleep. My husband kissed me at midnight and than we sat at the table with some candles and Christmas lights and talked about our new years resolutions and how we think the past year went. 

I'm a big believer in New Year's resolution just because there is something motivating about saying good bye to the past and celebrating the future. I think every one has that one year that stands out in their minds and setting resolutions can make the new year be that significant year. A chance to set and reach goals, try something new, live in the present, become the person you've always wanted to be. 

I love having resolutions written down to look back on so here are mine:

1. I have several fitness goals:

• cut out sugar during the whole month of January (we're 5 days in and I've already slipped a few times...) I'm convinced I'm going to drop 10 lbs just from eliminating sweets because I've been bingeing on them like crazy this past year. Candy & ice cream were my top cravings when I was pregnant with Lucy.
• drink a gallon of water a day
• eat vegetables with every meal

2. Professionally whiten my teeth and maintain their overall health. first stop: dentist for a checkup. 

3. Get organized and declutter, declutter, declutter! If I haven't used it in the past year it has got to go! I'm a bit sentimental and it can be hard to get rid of things but I'm getting better. 

4. Start a family savings plan for the future. 

5. Put down technology and be more present for my girls and hubby. Seeing how big Juliana is makes me want to absorb every little thing Lucy does because now I know first hand how fast it goes! I'm one of those people that carry their phone with them everywhere & I take a lot of pictures of the girls on it daily so this will be hard. 

6. Read the whole Bible in one year. This has been my goal every year for the past 5 years & the only goal I will beat myself up about not reaching at the end of the year.