Amazon Kitchen Favorites

I don't know about you, but it seems like I'm getting a new package from Amazon every day. I'm not mad about it ~ who doesn't like getting happy mail? Amazon makes life so much easier. Last Monday my egg slicer broke, and by Tuesday I had a new one in my hand. Could I have just gone to Target to grab the same egg slicer? Probably. But then I'd have to get in my car and drive there, and I'd end up coming home with $100 worth of stuff that I didn't really need. Target has that effect on you. By shopping at Amazon, I'm totally saving money!😉

One of my favorite things to eat on low carb days, or any day, is avocado toast. My husband make the most amazing avocado mash, and on low carb days we eat it on Trader Joe's Gluten Free Crispbread. I'm always looking for a kitchen gadget that is going to make life easier, so when I found this avocado knife I immediately added to cart. It slices through the peel perfectly and it makes perfect little avocado slices. It took a few tries before I got the hang of using the pitter, but once I figured out that you have to twist the knife it was so easy! Could I get by without the avocado knife? Probably, but it's a definite time saver and it was less than $10, so it was totally worth it!

I love to have sliced up bananas mixed into my overnight oats, and one of my favorite "treats" is sliced strawberries and bananas with Almond Milk Whipped Cream. A butter knifes slices the banana fine, but I always end up with an odd piece at the end when I'm holding it in my hand, and I'd rather not get a cutting board dirty. When I saw this banana slicer I decided to give it a try. I love it! It makes slicing bananas a breeze, and there is never that odd piece left over because you just keep putting it back in the slicer. Totally worth the $7 I spent.

My son loves marinara sauce, my daughter hates it. One of Carter's favorite foods is lasagna, but because Sophia doesn't like red sauce we rarely make it (she still hasn't gotten past noodles and butter). Well, one day I decided to try making her lasagna without sauce. I needed something to add some moisture to it, so I subbed olive oil for the marinara sauce. She loved it! I started making it almost weekly, and each time I made it I used those disposable aluminum loaf pans. I wasn't thrilled about having to throw the pans away every week, so I went on a hunt for something else. When I found this lasagna trio pan and knew it would be perfect! Now I can make Carter and Sophia their own lasagna, and if Michael and I want to trick up our lasagna at all we can. It's only $20, and considering I was buying disposable pans every week I figure I'll be saving money soon.

We love to make smoothies - it's a great way to get in your fruits and veggies (carbs), and there are so many things you can add to easily get more fat and protein into your diet. It seems like we almost always add nut butter (we usually stick to almond butter or peanut butter) to our smoothies to make them creamier, and bonus: added fat and protein! I used to get frustrated when adding nut butter to our smoothies because it always gets stuck to the spoon, and when you finally get it off the spoon sometimes it ends up stuck on the side of the blender cup and doesn't always mix in completely. Then someone mentioned freezing your nut butters - not only does it eliminate the problem of it sticking to the spoon/cup, you don't have to add any ice to your smoothie because the nut butter is frozen. Genius! I ended up grabbing this silicone ice cube tray and it works great! I still have to deal with the frustration of the nut butter sticking to the spoon, but it's only once when I'm filling the tray, so I can deal. And each little hexagon holds about a teaspoon of nut butter, so I don't have to be too precise.

When I started tracking foods in MyFitnessPal I realized that a lot of the foods are listed by weight and that it's better to weigh your foods than to just choose something similar. For example, a medium banana is listed in MFP as having 30 carbs, but when I weighed what I'd call a medium banana and entered the weight into MFP it only had 21 carbs. Those extra 9 carbs are important! I wasn't sure what to buy, but when I found this digital food scale and it was a decent price. I also liked that you could change the unit of measurement (grams, ounces, fluid ounces, mL), so I went ahead an ordered it. I love that it's pretty small, and it's nice that it's stainless steel - I store it on the griddle cover on our stove and it blends in because the cover is also stainless.

*This post is not sponsored. However, it does contain affiliate links. If you click on the link and purchase it, I make a small commission off of your purchase*

Sephora Sale!

The Sephora VIB Spring Sale started today and runs through 4/24 for for VIB members (use code "VIBSPRING"), so I thought I'd share some of my favorites in case you want to pick anything up. This is one of my favorite sales because you get 15% off with no exclusions.

Eyes

1. Urban Decay Anti-Aging Eyeshadow Primer I never used to use eyeshadow primer. Who am I kidding, I never used to wear eyeshadow! Anyhow, this was the first primer I tried, and after trying several others I went back to it. It really makes a difference as far as keeping your eyeshadow in place and preventing creasing. I also like this primer, which you get free with the Smashbox Full Exposure Palette.

2. Smashbox Full Exposure Palette The perfect neutral palette. This palette is another favorite, but the Smashbox palette is more balanced in the number of matte and glitter shades.

3. Too Faced Sweet Peach Eye Shadow Palette This palette is perfect for spring and summer, and it smells so good!

4.Kat Von D Tattoo Liner This is my favorite liquid liner. You get the smoothest line, and it's so easy to create a winged look.

5. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara I still love this drugstore mascara (especially Step 1), but this mascara is a new favorite.

Face

1. Fresh Sugar Face Polish I love the way my skin looks and feels after using this!

 2. Murad Time Release Acne Cleanser I can't use this during the winter because it dries out my skin too much, but it's still one of my favorite cleansers. I don't have bad acne, but every once in awhile something pops up. With this cleanser that doesn't happen as often, and I love that it's anti-aging.

3. Clinique Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup I struggle with finding a foundation that will even out my skin tone and provide some coverage without looking heavy/caked on. I have tried several different brands and always end up going back to Clinique. This evens out my skin tone, but my freckles show through and I still look like me. I ordered this one for summer (SPF 40!).

 4. Nars Orgasm Blush Prettiest blush ever!

5. Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder Highlight My favorite highlighter!

Hair

1. CAVIAR Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture Shampoo & 2. Conditioner I rotate between this shampoo & conditioner bundle and a few others. I tried their Repair RX bundle thinking I'd like it just as well, but it just wasn't just as good. I'm ordering this from the sale today.

3. CAVIAR CC Cream for Hair 10-in-1 This is right up there with the Living Proof PHD 5-in-1 Styling Treatment in terms of my favorite styling products. You can't go wrong with either one. If you want volume, go for the Living Proof.

4. Moroccanoil Glimmer Shine The best finishing spray!

5. GHD Platinum Professional Styler I purchased this when my Babyliss broke. It heats up really fast (like in less than 60 seconds) and straightens in one pass through my hair.

Fragrances

Chloe Love Story / YSL L'Homme / Tory Burch / 

Nirvana White / Nirvana Black / Sephora Perfume Sampler

If you're looking to buy a new fragrance, now is the perfect time to buy! I just ordered the Chloe Love Story Rollerball for myself and the YSL L'Homme Travel Spray for Michael. I love the idea of buying a rollerball or travel size to start because it allows you to try the fragrance before you commit to a bigger, more expensive, size. Sephora actually offers a fragrance sample kit that comes with a coupon for a free rollerball of your favorite! I'm sharing some of my favorite perfumes here. I'm still searching for the perfect cologne for Michael. My two favorites are the ones my dad wears, and I think it might be a little weird if my husband smells like my dad. Lol! What's your favorite men's cologne?

The sale starts tomorrow (4/20) for Beauty Insiders (use code "BISPRING") and lasts through 4/23. It's free to become a Beauty Insider, and it's definitely worth it just to get to shop the sale (did I mention 15% off?), so if you haven't joined, sign up here. 

I've somehow spent WAY too much money at Sephora over the past year and am VIB Rouge, so I placed an order yesterday (code "ROUGESPRING"). We are going to Hawaii in June, so I had a cart full of products for the trip, and I decided to take advantage of the 15% off and pick up a few things that I'm running low on. So yeah, my order was huge. Here is what I ordered:

What are your hair and beauty must haves? Happy shopping!

XOXO,

My Thoughts on Some Recent Purchases

Rather than doing a standard favorites post (though when they've been sporadic at best I don't know that I could call it "standard" anyhow) I decided to share my thoughts on some of the things I've purchased recently.

1. La Mer Crème de la Mer I have been really concerned with aging, so I gave in and purchased the La Mer Introductory Collection. The main reason I purchased it was to try the Crème de la Mer. I was surprised by how thick it was and felt like I had to use a lot of it to cover my face and neck. Because of this, I won't be repurchasing it. It's too expensive to repurchase every month or two. Instead I'll be going back to using the Clinique Moisture Surge Intense that I mentioned it in this post.

2. Fresh Sugar Face Polish I went to Sephora a few weeks ago to find a new foundation that gives me a little more coverage than my Vitazing. Unfortunately I ended up returning the foundation she recommended because it didn't give me enough coverage, but I ended up buying this exfoliator once I got home because the consultant told me that my nose was dry. I've never thought of my nose as dry, but I took her advice and ordered this when I got home. I've only used it a few times, but I've already noticed a different in how smooth my skin is. Love!

3. neuLash Serum Several bloggers I follow have raved about this eyelash serum, so I splurged on it to see if it lived up to the hype. I have only been using it a few weeks, but I feel like my lashes are thicker and longer ~ I'm not sure if it's because the serum is actually doing what it claims to do or it's just in my head, but so far I like what I'm seeing. You can probably achieve the same look by using this mascara, so I'm not sure it's worth the price tag, but if you want to try a lash serum I'd recommend this one.

4. L'Oréal Double Extend Lash Extension Effect Mascara This mascara reminds me of the Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes, but it's less than $10! It adds so much length and volume to my lashes - they almost look fake! I think "Step 1" makes the biggest difference in adding length. I use it with the Too Faced mascara and it creates major drama (in a good way!). I also love that it doesn't run or come off. It's quickly become a beauty must-have.

5. Essie Fiji Polish This is the perfect pale pink nail polish. It's all I've been wearing since purchasing it a few weeks ago!

 6. Soludos Espadrilles I ordered these during the Shopbop sale that I blogged about in this post, and they have quickly become a new favorite! I ordered the tan and am considering ordering the black as well. They are incredibly comfortable and are so cute! I've seen mixed reviews as far as sizing - for me they fit true to size. They felt tight when they first arrived, but they have stretched with wear, so I'm glad I didn't size up.

7. BP. Mirrored Aviator Sunglasses I love these aviators! And the best part ~ they're $12! Yep, you read that right. BP. is a super affordable brand that is carried exclusively at Nordstrom. I have several BP. pieces, including my favorite long sleeved tees (on sale for less than $11!), and I have the Rose Gold aviators and love them! I'm the worst about throwing my sunglasses in my purse without a case, so the lenses are a little scratched, but since they were only $12 I can easily replace them when needed. Buy them!

8. Le Spec Rapture Bat Wing Sunglasses This sunglass brand is a little more of a splurge when you compare it to the BP. brand sunglasses, but at $59 I'd still consider it more of a save when compared to my dream sunglasses which I won't be purchasing anytime too soon. The "bat wing" is a fun take on the cat eye and it adds some interest to basic black sunnies.

If there is something specific you'd like to see on my blog, please share in the comments below! Happy shopping!

XOXO,

Valentine's Day Wish List

Last year I shared both Christmas and Valentine's Day gift guides for the men in your life, so I thought it would be fun to share a wish list/gift guide today!

Venus ET Fleur Roses Flowers are an obvious choice, but the flowers from Venus ET Fleur are different because they last a year! They are more expensive than your average floral arrangement, but when you consider how long they last, it's really not that outrageous a price. 

Apple Watch I have gone back and forth on whether I want an apple watch or not, but I think now that they have a rose gold watch I'm finally on the bandwagon. Love it!

David Yurman Earrings Michael bought me the most beautiful diamond earrings for Christmas, so I've been going back and forth on whether or not I really NEED these earrings, but I love the combination of the pearl and diamonds. So pretty!

Kindle Paperwhite I mentioned possibly wanting an e-reader in this post. I just think it would be so convenient to be able to throw it in my purse and have a book with me whenever and wherever I find the time to read.

Pink Wallet / Black Wallet I have this wallet in turquoise and I love it, but I had a lipstick open up in my purse and it's now stained so I want a new one. The practical side of me is saying I should get the black one because it won't show wear as quickly, but the pink one is so pretty and fun! The compromise might be me buying this one and letting Michael buy me the black one. There's no rule saying you can't buy yourself a Valentine's Day present, right? Problem solved! *Editing to add that both the black and pink Lacey wallets are part of the Kate Spade Secret Sale and are over 50% off! The sale ends tomorrow (2/9) at midnight, so now is the time to buy!

I've linked some other fun options in the widget below. What's on your Valentine's Day Wish List?

XOXO,

Friday Favorites: For Your Health

It's January, so that means that you've probably set a resolution to eat healthier and exercise more. I know I have, though I don't like to think of it as a resolution because resolutions usually get broken, and I'm hoping that doesn't happen for me. I'm using my upcoming anniversary trip to Hawaii as motivation to stick with it and make this more of a life change. With that being said, this week's Friday Favorites are all somewhat geared towards living a healthier lifestyle.

Shorts / Scale / Tervis Tumbler / Devotional / 

52 Lists for Happiness / Elliptical / Nikes

What I'm Doing

I wish I was one of those people who enjoyed working out, but I'm not. I grew to like it prior to adopting Carter when my friend Erin and I would go to the hip hop and yoga workout classes at LA Fitness together, but with the birth of her son and Carter's adoption, we stopped going and I eventually cancelled my membership. We belong to the rec center in our community, and they offer some classes, so maybe someday soon I'll be able to talk a friend or two into joining me (it's more fun when you work out with friends), but for now I'm working out at home. We purchased an elliptical a few years ago, so I've been trying to work out on that at least four days a week. On days when it's nice outside I'll take our golden retriever, Beemer, for walks. We used to take family walks every night before bed, and I'm trying to work that back into our routine. Sophia and Carter enjoy doing yoga at night, so I join them when I can. If you have kids, you should check out Cosmic Kids Yoga on YouTube - both kids love it!

I also picked up the Fitbit Aria Scale, which I love. It's connected to my Fitbit account, and tracks my weight for me. Prior to buying it I told myself that a scale wasn't necessary - I didn't need to see a number on a scale to know whether I needed to lose weight/exercise more, which I still think is true, but it does feel good to step on the scale and see that the number is going down (or, at least, that it isn't going up!). I think part of my frustration with scales was that the ones I purchased never seemed to be accurate - when I'd go to the doctor the number was always higher there (while I preferred the lower number I was seeing at home, I wanted something that was accurate). So far the Aria scale has been the same as what I'm seeing at the doctor, and we've had it over a year now, so I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking for something a little more high tech.

What I'm Wearing

When you workout, you need to be dressed for it, right? There's just something about having cute workout wear that makes working out seem better.

Le Mystère makes my favorite bra, so when I saw that they made sports bras, I decided to give it a chance. It's very comfortable and supportive. It's designed for C-cup and up, so if you're an A or B cup you could get something a little cuter (like this or this). It's on the pricier side, though it seems that most bras are nowadways, so I'd suggest checking on Amazon for a deal. I'll usually just throw on a t-shirt over it, and add my Nike Half Zip if I'm going to be outside and it's cooler.

The Lululemon Run Times Short *4-Way Stretch 4" are my favorite workout shorts! I have a few of Nike Tempo Shorts, but I like my Lululemon shorts better. The waistband is smoother and they're more attractive on. My sister-in-law has several pairs of tempo shorts as does Sophia and they look great on them, but they just look weird on me.

I have two pairs of Nike 'Free Flyknit' Running Shoes and I absolutely love them! Up until getting my first pair of these, I didn't wear athletic shoes because they just never felt very comfortable to me. When we went to Disneyland the first time, I realized that I probably needed something a little sturdier than my flip flops, so I picked up a pair of Nike Frees. I really liked them, so when I needed a new pair I decided to stick with them, but when I went shopping I thought the design on the Flyknits was cuter, so I got those instead. I'm so glad I did because they are so stinking comfortable! And did I mention that everytime I wear them I get compliments on how cute they are? I don't wear mine with socks (I don't think you're supposed to - they're described as having a "snug, sock-like fit"), so being able to wash them is really important, and these wash and dry really well. They're not cheap, but every once in awhile you can find them on sale. If you're thinking about getting them, now is the time to snap them up! I have two fun colored ones, but I think I'm going to pick up a black pair for our trip to Hawaii this summer. 

What I'm Eating & Drinking

Last year I shared that we had started ordering Blue Apron boxes in this post. I love it because it takes the guesswork out of what to cook for dinner! Up until this point, we've gone with the meals for two, but I just changed our subscription to the family meal plan. It's only two meals a week, as opposed to the three we were originally receiving, but that may end up being a good thing because with Michael's travel schedule, practices, school events, etc it was sometimes hard to cook all three meals (don't get me wrong, I make dinner almost every night, but I don't always have time to devote to the prep work that these meals require). I'm also counting on Sophia and Carter eating those meals, and they're both pretty picky, so two fights meals a week is probably plenty. If you'd like to try it, let me know in the comments below because I've got free meals I can share with you!

I also just recently discovered the Skinnytaste blog. So far I've only made a few of her meals, but we've enjoyed everything we've tried so far. We have also used the Drop 10 Diet by Lucy Danziger, editor in chief of SELF magazine, as a guide to meal planning. I'm not necessarily on a diet (I had Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream for dessert last night!), but I'm trying to be more aware of what I'm eating. The Drop 10 Diet is perfect for this because it truly isn't a specific diet, it's more focused on adding superfoods to your current plan. There are several recipes in the book, as well as on the SELF website, and we have incorporated some favorite recipes from the South Beach and Sonoma Diet books. I sit down each week and come up with our meals, which makes grocery shopping a lot easier. Here is a copy of a two week plan I created. If for some reason it doesn't work let me know in the comments below and I can email it to you.

I'd love to say that I have given up Diet Coke, but I don't think that's ever going to happen. I have, however, cut back to one (okay, sometimes two) a day, and am drinking more water. I find that if I have a big tumbler I can refill throughout the day I tend to drink more.

What I'm Reading

I picked up this daily devotional and have been trying to be more purposeful about taking time out of each day to read and pray. I also picked up this journal, which has helped me to refocus and be thankful for the things I have. It's important to focus just as much on your mental health as your physical health.

I've also started reading for pleasure more. You can read more about some of the books I've recently read here. I just discovered that our library is connected to Overdrive which allows me to check out eBooks and read them on my phone, so I'm debating whether it makes sense to buy a Kindle or not. I really enjoy holding a book in my hand, but I like the idea of being able to immediately check out/download a new book when I finish one and am not in love with reading on my phone (I'd like something a little bigger), so I'm considering getting a Kindle. If you have an eReader, which one do you have? Would you recommend it? Thanks in advance for your help!

I'd love to hear what you're doing to stay healthy this year!

XOXO,

Recent Books I've Read and Enjoyed

I've always loved reading, but lately I seem to go long stretches where I won't read at all, and then I'll pick up a new book and read it in two days! I love hearing about good books other people have read, so I thought I'd share some of my recent reads! Four of the six books are by Liane Moriarty, who has quickly become one of my favorite authors! I know I should probably change it up a little bit, but when I find something I like I stick with it.

1. The Husband's Secret - This is the first Liane Moriarty book I read. A woman finds a letter from her husband that is meant to be found and read after his death. She struggles with whether to open it now, but eventually does and is shocked by what she reads. At the same time you meet a woman whose husband leaves her for her cousin, who also happens to be her best friend, so she moves home to Sydney with her son to live with her mother. She ends up meeting and falling for a man who the school secretary suspects got away with murdering her daughter 30 years ago. Moriarty does a great job of leaving the reader in suspense and weaving three separate stories that all intertwine in some way. I loved it, so I immediately went out and bought another of her books.

2. The Hypnotist's Love Story - Ellen finally meets the perfect man, but it turns out he's being stalked by a crazy ex-girlfriend. Even though it does involve a stalker, she doesn't go all Fatal Attraction on her and boil her bunny - in fact, at one point the stalker breaks into Ellen's house and bakes for her. It's interesting to see how the story plays out.

3. What Alice Forgot - When I first saw this book on the shelf, I thought it had something to do with the movie Still Alice. It doesn't. It's about a lady who falls and hits her head at the gym and when she wakes up she's forgotten the last ten years of her life. She thinks she's 29 and pregnant with her first child, blissfully in love with her husband. She's actually 39, has three kids, and is separated from her husband. It's interesting to watch her navigate her way through her "new" life while longing for the only life she knows. So good!

4. The French War Bride - I decided to branch out and read something other than a Liane Moriarty book. The title and the picture on the cover imply that it's a love story, but it's not. This story weaves back and forth between the past (WWII France) and present (Wedding Tree, Louisiana) as Amélie tells Kat the story of how she was able to "steal" her fiancé during the war. Amélie shares with Kat the dark history of the Nazi occupation of Paris and how she came to meet and marry Jack, Kat's fiancé. Every time I read historical fiction, I love it, and this book was no different. I really don't know why I don't read more of it. 

5. Big Little Lies - It didn't take long for me to find another Liane Moriarty book I wanted to read. When I heard that HBO was creating a limited series based on the book, I knew that I needed to read it. A school trivia night ends with a death, and the book takes you back six months prior to the trivia night and introduces you to all the characters/suspects. It's a great book, and you're left in suspense the whole time. I literally couldn't put it down!

6. The Woman in Cabin 10 - This book was okay. It's a mystery/suspense/thriller, which isn't a genre I frequently choose, but it sounded good and I needed a new book to read, so I decided to go out of my comfort zone a little. It started off slow, but then I got sucked in and couldn't put it down! It was a quick and easy read, but definitely not my favorite of the books I've read recently. I can't quite put my finger on why, but I don't think I'll be reading another Ruth Ware novel.

Now that I've finished The Woman in Cabin 10 I'm looking for something new to read. What are you reading right now?

XOXO,

Friday Favorites: Random Edition

It's time for some more of my favorite things! This week's list is totally random, but I decided to just go with it.

Oral-B Pro-Health Pulsar Toothbrush Yes, a toothbrush. But this isn't just any toothbrush, it's an affordable alternative to an electric toothbrush. It has vibrating bristles! And did I mention it's less than $5? When I went to the dentist a few weeks ago the dental hygienist asked if I'd gotten a Sonicare because my teeth looked so good!

Olay Regenerist Luminous Brightening Cream Face Cleanser I just started using this again when I noticed that the Murad Time Release Acne Cleanser I normally used wasn't working well for me with the dryer weather. My forehead felt weird (the skin wasn't smooth anymore, it was bumpy and dry) and my face was red and dry in certain areas, so I decided to change my cleanser. 

Clarisonic Mia I was on the fence about this, but ended up ordering it during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. When I got it I used it a few times a week and liked it, but wasn't overly impressed. When I noticed how dry my skin was getting I started using it again, and that night I could already see a difference in the texture of my skin (remember the weird forehead issues?). The Mia comes with the sensitive brush head, so it's really gentle on your skin. I've been using it more frequently and my skin looks and feels so much better!

Origins VitaZing Lately I've gone back to a more natural makeup look, and I've been reloving my VitaZing tinted moisturizer. It's lightweight so I don't feel like I'm wearing any makeup, but it's tinted so it evens out my skintone and makes it look fresh and luminous.

DV Jameson Bootie I have a pair of Dolce Vita booties that I got from Nordstrom a few years ago that I really like, so when I saw that Dolce Vita had partnered with Target I knew I had to check them out! I ended up getting a pair of these in cognac along with a pair of slip on booties in August and the cognac booties have been my most worn shoe all fall and winter (except for those few days when it got really cold). I liked them so much I decided to pick up the black ones in December. They're on sale right now for $19.99, so now is definitely the right time to buy! They run a little small (at least for me), so I'd recommend going up a half size.

Barefoot Dreams CozyChic Robe I got this robe as a birthday gift and I love it! It is so cozy and warm, and I love to wrap up in it while I get ready in the morning! I love it so much that I ended up asking for this blanket for Christmas!

Like I said last week, I have some fun posts planned, but if there is anything specific you'd like to see, let me know in the comments below. Talk to you soon!

XOXO,

Friday Favorites: Hair, Beauty, Boxes, & Books

I'm sorry I've been MIA for the past few months. I subbed a lot between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and then with the kids and Michael being home over the holidays we were just busy! I've got some fun posts coming up, though, so that's good.

I haven't done a favorites list in awhile, and another blogger I follow posts her "Friday Favorites," so I thought that would be a fun way to jump back into blogging. I can't promise it will be a weekly thing, but I'll do my best! 

Hair & Beauty Favorites

ALTERNA Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner Since I started using this shampoo and conditioner, my hair looks and feels healthier, and I think that it's growing faster! Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part, but it's definitely a duo I'll be repurchasing.

Moroccanoil Treatment My hair is silkier, and again, it looks and feels healthier. This is also great for all of those flyaways and baby hairs I used to tame with clear mascara (this works way better and my hair doesn't get crunchy).

Hot Tools Tourmaline IONIC Professional Dryer This is the most money I could justify spending on a hair dryer ($85), but as soon as I picked it up I knew I had to buy it - so light!

Trish McEvoy 'High Volume' Mascara This is the coolest mascara. It stays put during the day, and when you're ready to take it off you just wet a wash cloth with warm water and dampen the lashes. The mascara literally slides off your lashes!

L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream I have eczema and my hands get really dry during the winter months. I started using this at Christmas and, while my hands aren't perfect, they aren't cracking and bleeding like they normally are. There are a few dry patches, but I think with more use those will go away too.

Chanel Rouge Coco Baume Hydrating Conditioning Lip Balm I love how soft my lips are with this lip balm, and it's Chanel so that makes it feel a little fancy (I think that Chanel beauty products are the only things I'll ever be able to afford!).

Clinique 'Moisture Surge Intense' Skin Fortifying Hydrator Winter seems to be the time to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! My face was really dry, so I started using this gel moisturizer and it's amazing how silky smooth my skin has become. I use it in the morning before I put on my makeup and at night after cleansing. I was worried I might breakout due to the intense moisture, but that doesn't seem to be an issue.

Favorite Subscription Box

POPSUGAR sent me the December Must Have Box to try, and I have to say that I love it! I mean, who doesn't love getting presents? I love that all of the products are full-sized and that there is a mix of fashion, beauty, home, and more included in each box. Sophia and Carter were so excited when they came home from school today to fresh baked chocolate chip cookies, courtesy of Sisters' Gourmet! The Odeme Catchall + Ring Dish is perfect for holding my jewelry each night when I go to bed, and it looks so cute sitting on my mirrored nightstand!

Order your box here and use the code SHOP5 for $5 off!

Favorite New Author

The Husband's Secret / The Hypnotist's Love Story / Alice Forgot / Big Little Lies

The first Liane Moriarty book I read was The Husband's Secret. I loved it, so I immediately went out and bought another one of her books. At this point I've read four of her books and I've loved them all! I'm excited because Big Little Lies is actually going to be a limited series on HBO starting in February! I'm planning a book review post soon, so I'll share more details on all four books then, but I'd definitely recommend her books!

I hope that you had a very Merry Christmas and are having a great year so far! Talk to you soon!

XOXO,

Family Movie Night

PJ Shirt / PJ Pants / Hot Chocolate / Slippers / Blanket / Pillow

One of my favorite things to do over the holidays is to cozy up on the couch with the tree lit and have Family Movie Night! We make hot cocoa (I just found this recipe for Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate that I'm excited to try), eat popcorn (I can't wait to try this White Chocolate Popcorn) , and enjoy lots of family time. We have a pretty extensive movie collection, which is nice because it gives us the freedom to watch them whenever we want, but Freeform is showing a lot of them if you don't already own them/want to buy them. This is just the primetime schedule, but if you go to their website you'll find the full schedule.

Here are some of my favorites if you want to add to your collection:

1. Elf

2. Christmas Vacation *

3. Miracle on 34th Street

4. Arthur Christmas

5. Home Alone/Home Alone 2

6. The Santa Clause

7. Charlie Brown Christmas

8. The Elf of the Shelf: An Elf's Story

9. Polar Express

10. Love Actually *

11. Best Man Holiday (if you haven't seen The Best Man you should!) *

12. White Christmas

Movies marked with an asterisk are movies that Michael and I enjoy, but aren't necessarily movies we watch with Sophia and Carter. On that note, there is no shortage of original Christmas movies on The Hallmark Channel, so definitely check that out as well! They've actually already started showing their Christmas movies, so anytime you're in the mood for a little holiday cheer, you can tune in!

If you're going to get cozy you need the proper attire, right? I linked some options above, but here are some more! 

XOXO,

Holiday Gift Guide for Kids

I can't believe it's already November! Thanksgiving is just three weeks away, which means that, if you're like me, you might be starting your Christmas shopping. Target is having some pretty good sales on toys (20% off with code KIDSGIFTS) and games (buy two get one free) right now, so I thought I'd start with a Holiday Gift Guide for Kids. Not everything on the list is from Target, but most things are.

1. Bend a Path Track - my sister ordered this for Carter two years ago, and last year she got it for our nephew. They both love it! I love it because it's easy to set up and clean up! This year I'm getting Carter the additional 6' track and firetruck as well as the accessory bundle.

2. RC Battle Copters - When I turned on the tv last weekend for some reason it was on HSN (this is seriously weird because I don't think I've ever watched it before) and they were showing the Bend A Path track. I was sucked in (the reason I ordered the additional track and accessories) and ended up continuing to watch while they showed the battle helicopters. I think the reason I like this so much is that it comes with two copters in two separate boxes, so you're getting two gifts in one. I think Sophia and Carter will really like these!

3. Anki Overdrive Starter Kit - We saw this demo'd when we were in NYC a few years ago. I like that you use your smart phone to control the cars, so you don't have to worry about having extra batteries on hand for the remotes (just remember to charge your phone!). And I love that the starter kit comes with two cars, so both kids can play at the same time!

4. Lego Minecraft Crafting Box - This is one of my favorite Lego sets Carter has gotten because it comes with directions to build multiple things. In other words, once he's finished building one thing, we don't put it on display to never be touched again, he enjoys it for awhile and then can take it apart and build something new. Even if your child isn't a Minecraft fan, this is a great set to buy!

5. Lego Elves - Sophia loves these sets! Of course, with these she does just build them and then put them on display, but she has fun while doing it! 

6. Magna-Tiles - These magnetic shape tiles are so much fun! It comes with directions on how to build several different three-dimensional figures, which Sophia and Carter love, but they also enjoy getting creative and building new and different things.

7. Kapla Blocks - These building blocks remind me a little of Jenga pieces.

8/9/10. Dash / Ozobot / Ollie - If your child enjoys coding, these three coding robots are a lot of fun!

11. Pottery Cool - Sophia got this for her birthday, and I was surprised at how easy (and not ridiculously messy) it was to create pottery. 

12. Qixels 3D Maker Set - We have the original Qixels, which was recommended to me by Carter's Kindergarten teacher as a great way to work on improving fine motor skills. Both kids love them, and Carter was pretty excited when he saw they now have this 3D maker set.

13. Aquabeads - These remind me of the Qixels in that you need water to "glue" the beads together and create different designs.

14/15/16/17/18/19. Blokus / Trouble / Hedbanz / Skip-Bo / Bellz / Sequence - We love having family game nights, and these games are some of our favorites.

Happy shopping!

XOXO,

Affordable Quality Denim

Shirt / Jeans / Booties / Sunglasses

I'm not sure when it happened, but at some point in my life I became a denim snob....that's actually a total lie. I know exactly when it happened. Michael was a Senior at E&Y and the girls that he worked with told him all of the brands he needed to buy me: Coach, Burberry, 7 for All Mankind, etc. That's right, it's all Michael's fault. ;) Now I'm not complaining at all - I loved the name brand items that were appearing in my closet, but at some point I started to believe that if my jeans didn't cost upwards of $200 then they weren't worth buying. Ridiculous, right? Now don't get me wrong, I still love me a pair of Hudson or 7 for All Mankind jeans, and they do seem to last years, but it's hard to justify spending hundreds of dollars on new jeans every year. Okay, so me saying "they do last years" is a total contradiction to me needing to buy "new jeans every year," but as a girl who loves to shop, I like buying at least one new pair of jeans every year. Ya feel me ladies?

Anyhow, I discovered Vigoss jeans during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I followed the advice of another blogger and ordered a size smaller than I usually wear and they fit perfectly! And they're so comfortable! I have a pair of sevens that I love, but the leg openings are so small sometimes I feel like they're suctioned to my legs - not the most comfortable feeling! Affordable jeans that make you look and feel skinnier? Yes, please!

Tee / Jacket / Jeans / Booties / Scarf (old from GAP, similar here and here)

Right now I only have this pair, but I have the grey and white ones on my wish list, and I'm kind of loving the detailing on the black moto jeans! I linked several below. Which pair is your favorite? Happy shopping!

XOXO,