Fun holiday napkins add so much to a table. In this video I show you how to make a Christmas tree out of a napkin. They are perfect for adding a name placement to a table or just to spruce up your family dinner settings. For best results you will want to use large starchy napkins like THESE.
Shop my entire holiday table HERE
Getting ready in the morning doesn’t need to be a long drawn out thing and “lots of time” to get ready is a thing of the past. I don’t have a lot of time to glam up and spend an hour on my hair and makeup. However, I do believe it’s important to feel my best and get ready for the day. For me that means making my bed and putting on a little makeup. I use these products every day to get ready and it takes me 3 minutes or less. Ilia is a clean skin line that I discovered last summer and I have not gone a day without it. SPF is a MUST and their Super Serum Skin Tint has SPF and keeps my skin glowing and evens out my skin tone! I linked all the products for you! Leave me a message below if you try something from my roundup! I always love your feedback.
The picture below is clickable. I also linked my Amazon storefront for you if you prefer to shop through Amazon!
My birthday present to myself was to treat myself to a few new things I will be able to hand down to my kids some day and to revamp my website and give it a new name and a little bit of a makeover! Welcome to herdailycoffee! I’m excited to be back on here to share with you what’s going on in my world and my favorite products, fashion, and family updates. Here is a little roundup of the jewelry I am wearing right now and the new gems I got for my birthday!
WHAT A BETTER TIME TO ORGANIZE THEN WHILE YOU ARE STUCK AT HOME IN QUARANTINE!
Let me start by saying, I am possibly one of the most unorganized humans mentally that you will ever meet. My brain is a scattered as a puzzle. I can’t keep a schedule, I’m horrible at planning, and I get so sidetrack working on a project that I forget to finish the project. One thing I do know, if my rooms and spaces aren’t organized, I can not function AT ALL. I organize and then a few weeks go by and it looks like I had never organized in my life. It’s so unfortunate when people come to visit on those days because it looks like I’m okay living in a pigsty which I’M NOT! So I’m trying to do a weekly sweep these days so I don’t have to do a half yearly DIVE.
My mom and I were laughing last night. I told her I spent the day cleaning and organizing every room and closet in the house. She said “what is it about organizing and cleaning that feels so good? I think it’s the instant gratification”. SO TRUE. Being home this much with nowhere to go is making me lose my mind even though I have things to do and kids to tend to. What makes me lose my mind even more you lose is being stuck in a messy and unorganized home. Doing something that almost instantly gratifies me, felt wonderful and I highly suggest it!
There have only been a few things making me really come alive lately and stay out of depression and those have been my husband and kids which I’m so thankful for, taking walks, and doing little acts of kindness. Last week I had Maverick give the UPS driver, the garbage woman, and the FedEx drivers each a 6 case of Purell. Nothing made me happier that seeing Mavericks excitement when he handed them these packs of 6 holiday scented purells (insert cry laugh face here) and seeing the look on their faces. One of them teared up. The FedEx drivers eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head and he had the biggest and best smile that I will never ever forget for the rest of my life and then he said “you have no idea how bad I need these. How did you find them??” I didn’t want to get into it with him on how I accidentally ordered 21 packs of 6 bottles of holiday scented purell instead of 21 bottles of purell 2 months ago before the pandemic hit hard and there was a shortage. Thankfully I did and I’m able to share them now with people who truly need them.
Anyway, I decided I needed to start seeing what we have too much of so I can donate and what we need and the only way to do so is to ORGANIZE. I learned I have more rice and marinara sauce than I’ll ever know what to do with, and that I don’t really have anything to make an actual meal.
Wanted to give you a list of the containers I use for my spaces so you have an idea of where to start if you have never done anything like this!! The Home Edit is not only one of my favorite ideas ever, it’s my favorite book ever written to inspire me on how to get organized. I highly recommend it. I met Clea, one of the co-founders of The Home Edit about two years ago through mutual friends. We have spent some time together and shared conversations and not only is she my hero for starting this business and a bad ass girl boss, she is possibly one of the funniest humans I know. I will say, I would love to have one of these girls come and vamp up my spaces because their work is like nothing I have ever seen, but for now it’s just me, myself, and I.
My spaces are nowhere what I dream them to look like but the way they are right now is just perfect for where I am in my life and what I am able to do as a mom of two very young children.
I’m giving you a little peek into my closet to see what I use for organizing some of my shoes and bags.
I use acrylic spacers that are normally used for magazines and books and a bunch of other things. I find them to look clean and are easy to see everything. Being able to stack my flat shoes under the acrylic shelves and the heels on top makes it easier for me to see what I have and actually want to wear my shoes. Be sure to get the larger taller ACRYLIC SHELVES for you shoes. These can also be flipped upside down and used as bag holders too!!
CLICK HERE FOR MY SHOE ORGANIZERS
CLICK BELOW FOR MY BAG & CLUTCH SPACERS
To have a creative mind, my work space needs to be de-cluttered or I can’t succeed at anything.
My office….. I find this to be one of the most important spaces to keep clean and organized or I can’t get any work done. This is also the space that collects the most clutter in our house and I am constantly cleaning. I swear this next picture is what my desk looks like every few weeks.
Usually my office is a great resemblance of what my brain is feeling like. When the space is a mess and has things scattered all over the place, that’s usually how my mind is feeling. The moment I clean it and organize it, I feel like a new person and I can be productive. I need things to be light and bright so I like to keep everything pretty neutral, clean, and white. My storage boxes are white and grey and I will list them below. I LOVE using book of all kinds for decoration and for putting plants and candles on top of. You will find them ALL over my home. I also love all things Chanel so I have every book I could find Chanel. I listed these below! If you can guess what drives me THE MOST CRAZY about my shelves then you know me very well…. that big darn speaker on the left but I share an office with our TV room so I guess I can make it work!
Rose gold and white are two of my favorite colors so I was very happy to find pens, scissors, a stapler, and a pen holder (that can also be used to plant a small plant in) all in white and gold tones.
Also listed a link to my favorite artist named Brittany Fuson who did my personalized stationary for me!!
WHITE AND GOLD STAPLER
WHITE AND GOLD PEN OR PLANT HOLDER
BLUE PEN WITH GOLD
WHITE PEN WITH GOLD
I mentioned in my Instagram story how my husband will open up the refrigerator and just stand there looking inside of it and then close it and say “there’s nothing to eat”. I get so mad because I do all the grocery shopping and I know there is food in there. I have to remind him sometimes that you have to actually gather the foods and cook them to make a meal. One thing I will give him is when you refrigerator looks like this, it is hard to find anything and it’s discouraging, especially to a man. Organizing it and putting everything in a birds eye view is what they need and I need it for my sanity. I put the things he likes right at his eye level. I recommend taking EVERYTHING OUT. Clean the fridge, check expiration dates, and then see what bins fit in your space and GO TO TOWN!
BEFORE
DURING
AFTER
I must say, this particular project brought me instant gratification, so much joy to my heart, and made me feel warm and fuzzy.
The Home Edit’s Labels are a MUST. I label everything in every room. They have a sticker for pretty much everything and they look so pretty and clean!
If you don’t know where to begin there is an awesome refrigerator starter kit that you can get. If you are anything like me, the more containers the better. I will always find a need for them somewhere else in the house. These are not made just for the fridge. I use them in my bathroom, laundry room, basically every room.
DEEP CONTAINER DRAWER FOR SNACKS
LARGE DEEP DRAWER FOR FRUIT & VEGGIES
Ahhhhh the pantry. What is it about a pantry? They are magnificent when they are clean but why are they so darn hard to keep clean and organized? These before pictures are two sets of before pictures! This first one is what our pantery looked like before I started getting it organized.
BEFORE
I went and grabbed a few bins and containers and this was my first attempted to organize and then I think I had a baby or two.
FIRST ATTEMPT A COUPLE YEARS AGO
AFTER
My husband laughed at me yesterday when I went back at the pantry. He said “you wasted the night away cleaning that pantry. You just cleaned it last month”. I’m like ummmm, did you not see how messy it got? It had to be cleaned and revamped so we can see what we have. Now I know never to buy rice or pasta sauce again.
This picture below is from last month! I moved some stuff around and took all the alcohol out and put it somewhere else. We need all the room we can get in this bad boy!
Start by taking it all out. Yes I know that sounds HORRIBLE but it is worth it. Check expiration dates, dust, do all the things. Possibly draw out where you want everything to go and start placing the containers where you want them to fit your space.
My trusty helper was hoping I would drop a container.Good thing they have pop tops that help keep your food fresh a lot longer.
I use a lot of the same containers in the pantry as I do in the refrigerator. My new motto is “one can never have enough storage containers”. If you aren’t that person then there is an awesome starter kit that you can get HERE if you feel overwhelmed. After it arrives and you start, you can see what else you need. The starter kit is a great way to go if you are just getting into this whole organization thing! Then you will see what I mean about never having enough containers!!
Below is a list of the containers I use in our pantry. Hopefully this has helped you and not totally overwhelmed you. Start with one space and finish it, then move to the next. Trust me, because I have done a few rooms at once and it is not fun. One at a time is fun and feels so good after.
Happy Wednesday! I have lost track of time and what day it is since quarantining but I always know when it’s Wednesday because Wednesday is trash day and I love watching the excitement on my sons face every Wednesday when we stand outside and wave at the trash man! I also know what time it is when both my kids nap at the same time. 2pm because that is the only time I have alone these days.
I haven’t been on here in a very long time. Honestly aside from not having the time (which now all I have is time), I haven’t had much motivation, until yesterday Tuesday March 30th 2020 day 18 of staying home. I have realized it’s starting to feel a lot like groundhogs day around here and I need to start doing something that fills me up other than play with my kids all day long. So I’m going to try to commit to writing more and sharing more on this space which I created for just that several years ago. I want to post things I’m passionate about and activities I’m doing with the kids to keep them busy and me sane. I know there will days where I can’t do this, but I’m going to try my darn hardest to keep my word to myself and you.
Skin is something I have always been passionate about and I felt inspired by how many woman reached out to me online about my skin routine so I wanted to share a little bit more in detail about what I use and have this as something you can always come back to for skin help since Instagram stories go away!
When I was 23, I met a woman named Jodie Emery. She taught me the importance of skin. She was the first person I saw for botox and the only person until I moved to Nashville. I would fly to LA to see my family and her until I started having kids and it became impossible to do. Jodie introduced me to hydroquinone and retinol which is what I believe kept my skin looking young along with the botox. If you are in the LA area I HIGHLY recommend Jodie for all injections and skin advice. She is one of the kindest most beautiful woman inside and out that I have ever known and I miss her so much. My passion started in her office years ago.
I’m going to keep this as short and simple and to the point as possible since my son is singing in his bed and I have a feeling he will be up shortly.
Let me start by saying all of our skin is so very very different so what works for me may not work for you. I’m 39, I have very sensitive skin. My skin is fair and I burn in the sun. I had skin cancer at 28 years old. My skin regimen may not work for you or some might and some might not. You may need something stronger or weaker on your skin. I have also worked up to using more intense products on my skin so if you are just starting, remember to go slow, every few days instead of every day with a lot of these products.
First thing I do in the morning before I go outside is my morning face bath!
Wash with Skin Bar sensitive cleanser then pat dry with towel
Wipe entire face with one Gly/Sal pad from Binhlam Aesthetics let dry (My contact there is Lacy Gifford)
Apply a half dropper full of Skin Ceuticals PHLORETIN CF (antioxidant treatment) Let dry
Apply a few drops of my Skin Ceuticals CUSTOM DOSE Formulated by Binhlam Aesthetics (Lacy Gifford)
Apply half dropper full of Skin Ceuticals PHYTO CORRECTIVE GEL (calming)
Apply two pumps Epionce Renewal Face Lotion
Apply two pumps Tinted SPF 44 from SKIN PHARM
Mix
1 pump Skin Pharm Tinted SPF - 1 pump It Cosmetics CC Cream ( I use the color Light) 1-2 drops Cover FX DROPS ( I use the color Celestial)
I apply this mix all over and blend with a beauty blender!! Little bit of Bye Bye Under eye and a touch of Hoola From Benefit. This gives the perfect color for pretty much all skin tones. I have never found a bronzing powder that I like better.
SHEEEESSSHHH I know that’s a lot! But it goes on quicker than you can read this! Hahaha. Like I mentioned in my IG TV, I am NOT a minimalist when it comes to skin care but I am when it comes to makeup! I guess you have to pick and choose your battles. I know no one is perfect but I do strive for perfect skin.
Contact Lacy Gifford for details on your signature Dose, brightening pads, and Gly/Sal pads. lgifford@binhlamaesthetics.com
My night face bath is very similar to my day bath. I believe it is so important to wash your face at night. No matter how tired I am, how busy I get, how late it is, how many drinks I have had….. I ALWAYS wash my face, ALWAYS. Getting the day off my face and any makeup I might have put on, has got to come off at night to have pretty glowing skin with no congestion.
Wash with Skin Bar sensitive cleanser then pat dry with towel
Wipe entire face with one Brightning Pad from Binhlam Aesthetics let dry (My contact there is Lacy Gifford)
Apply a few drops of my Skin Ceuticals CUSTOM DOSE Formulated by Binhlam Aesthetics (Lacy Gifford)
Apply half dropper full of Skin Ceuticals PHYTO CORRECTIVE GEL (calming)
Apply the size of about a nickle Skin Ceuticals GLYCOLIC 10 RENEW OVERNIGHT (promotes cell turnover)
Apply The Magic…….
Dig your thumb nail into The Blue Cacoon or what I like to call The Magic and rub in fingers until it turns to oil then apply to entire face. This is the stuff my husband steals from me. I use this over makeup in certain areas to add glow during the day or when I fly (I should say when I use to fly) I apply once or twice while in the sky to avoid getting too dry. This is very pricey but should last you a year if you use it sparingly and if your spouse isn’t stealing it from you. TIP: Don’t let your husband dig their nail in because they have a VERY HEAVY DIP and will use way too much thinking it’s not enough!
Hope this helps! Love your feedback on what you ended up with and how you are liking it!
Cheers!
xoxo
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Hair Food. The opinions and text are all mine.
Have you ever stopped and thought about the importance of what you put on your hair and body? I know there is a study that the average woman puts 515 synthetic chemicals on her body every day without even knowing it!!! That is so mind-blowing to me. Would you pour yourself a cup of chemicals for tea in the morning, or drink a cup of tar at dinner, or eat processed cookies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Well, maybe just once I would eat cookies all day until I got sick because I love them so much but we tend to be so much more concerned about what we are putting in our bodies than what we are putting ON our bodies. What we put on our body is just as important as what we put in our body.
I’m a firm believer in using natural products that are free of sulfates, parabens, mineral oils, and dyes on myself and my kids. I was excited when I was approached by Hair Food to collaborate because I have used their products before and always loved them. They sent me the Coconut Milk & Chai Spice shampoo and conditioner to try along with a hair mask. As you can see, I’m a bleached blond and hate to admit it - ain’t real, so my hair is extremely dry, over processed, and damaged from years of coloring my hair! I’m always looking for anything to hydrate and deep condition my hair that is also color safe.
First off, when I opened the bottle to smell the shampoo and conditioner because I’m really big on smell, I was immediately taken to the beaches of Hawaii with the incredible smell. I didn’t smell any chai in there, it was all coconut heavenly vacation smelling goodness. The product is wonderful for me because it’s very hydrating and I noticed a difference almost immediately with the condition of my hair once it was dry. It felt smoother, thicker, and more hydrated as soon as I got out of the shower. I also loved the mask because I am a big-time believer in using a deep conditioning mask on my hair a few times a month. This one really hydrated and repaired my hair.
My mom is staying with me right now before the baby comes and asked if she could use some shampoo and conditioner. I gave her the Hair Food and asked her to tell me what she thought. She has dark, healthy hair that gets oily very quick. She used it and said “I’m not sure how this will be for me, it’s heavier than what I’m use to and my hair is so thin, I’m afraid it will weigh it down.” After her hair air dried, she came in the other room and said “I love this product. My hair feels so good.” She also told me that the next day her hair wasn’t oily and that she really liked the product and was surprised how much volume her hair still had. I share this with you because we have such different hair and sometimes people with thin oily hair can’t handle a product that is this hydrating but that isn’t the case with Hair Food’s shampoo and conditioner.
Some of the things that really caught my eye about this product aside from them being free of sulfates, parabens, mineral oils, and dyes are the shampoo really has a nice cleansing feel while still hydrating and adds volume to my hair. The conditioner is sooooo yummy and makes my hair feel thicker which I LOVE. Knowing these products have color protection is a bonus for me hence the bleach blond hair I have that always seems to get brassy in time and who doesn’t want to feel like they are on vacation every time they escape to their shower?! The smell of this product is one of my favorites.
You can find this product a lot of places which is a bonus and I was surprised and excited to see it at Walmart while I was shopping for diapers last week. #AD #FeedYourHair #HairFood
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Hair Food. The opinions and text are all mine.
So it’s been a massive battle getting my son to eat anything nutritious these days especially while he’s teething, and on those days he decides to be extremely picky of course. One day he will eat an entire container of raspberries, the next day he won’t touch them. It’s like a mystery trying to figure out what he likes. One thing he never turns down is a smoothie. I like to change it up and he enjoys them every time. I sneak all sorts of goodies into them. It’s like a complete nutritious breakfast all blended up and he loves them. I have a few different recipes so he gets something different every day.
On the days he is under the weather, I add honey to the smoothie which makes it almost too sweet for me but he loves it.
Here are a few different versions of my recipes:
TIP: When I’m making one for my husband and I as well, I use 3 cups milk or coconut milk, 2 scoops protein powder, 3 cups ice, and 2 bananas.
My favorite protein powder is only found at Whole Foods. It has 19 grams of protein per scoop. I couldn’t find a link but here is a picture. I use the vanilla in all of mine but I do like the chocolate when I’m in the mood.
Serving Size for these is 1
Complete Blended Green Breakfast Smoothie
1 cup coconut milk, almond milk, or milk. (I prefer coconut milk or whole milk)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (This is a make or break for the taste. Protein powders can really ruin a smoothie)
1/2 cup quick oats
1 TBS Chia seeds
1 TSP ground flax
2 large spoons of creamy peanut butter
1 banana
1 hand full of spinach
1 cup ice
Blend and enjoy!
Peanut Butter & Jelly Smoothie
1 cup coconut milk or milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
2 large spoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup frozen strawberries or raspberries
Hand full of spinach
1/2 cup ice
Blend and enjoy!
Omega Joy In a Cup
1 cup coconut milk or whole milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 avocado peeled no seed (obviously)
2 large spoons of peanut butter or almond butter
1 TBS ground flax seed
1 TBS Hemp seeds
1 TBS Chia Seeds
Dash of cinnamon
1 TSP honey
1 Cup ice
Blend and enjoy!
Orange Dreamsicle
1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 TBS Chia Seeds
1 Banana
1 Cup ice
Blend and enjoy!
Healthiest Smoothie In Town
1 cup coconut water
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup fresh strawberries
1/2 cup spinach
Half lemon with skin on (trust me it’s good)
1 TSP Honey
1 TBS Flax seed
1/2 cup ice
Blend and enjoy
This one may not be as big of a hit with the kids but it’s hit or miss and worth a try!
Maverick likes to trade cups with me to steal some of my smoothie when his gets low.
TIP:
If your smoothie is too thick add more milk. My son likes them more watered down so I always have to add a little more milk after the first blend. Eye it and see what your kid likes best! My husband likes them really thick so I give him some from the first blend then add more milk.
TIP FOR DIABETICS: If you can’t have banana sub with an avocado. It won’t be as sweet but your levels will not go crazy. If you like to sweeten use a dash of grade B maple syrup instead of honey (There are more healthy minerals in grade B)
OUR FAVORITE CUPS!
Plastic Mason Jars with lids and straws
No Spill Rubbermaid Cups
Let me know what smoothie was your favorite and which was a hit with your kids!!
Cheers!
So excited to share my love for Famous Footwear with you!
I’m not big on New Years resolutions because I tend to break them and get upset with myself. I do however set goals! Two goals this year are to exercise more and budget my shopping a little better. Let’s see how that goes! I’m thrilled to have teamed up with Famous Footwear , a company that makes shopping for shoes fun and easy.
I have stepped up to the challenge this New Year in my new woman’s athletic Nike shoes and I’m ready to take on my goals! Finding cute shoes at low prices is a must for the New Years budget that I've I’m put myself on. Wait, did I mention they even have an app?!! Yup! You know I’m all about a great shopping app.
Find all the newest trends and current styles with Famous Footwear for woman, men, and kids. I love the Nike sneakers I got through their site, it’s been a while since I shopped for exercise shoes so I was a bit clueless on where to start. These were affordable and easy to find making my job much easier when it came to making a decision. If your looking for cute and affordable shoes Famous Footwear is the place for you!
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This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Popchips. What did you crave when you were pregnant? Or not pregnant!? I mean I have been craving things since I was 12 years old. Holy smokes I’m ADDICTED to nutter puffs Popchips. They have become my new craving and new obsession this pregnancy. I’m currently devouring the peanut butter & chocolate as I type this post. I already finished up all the bags of peanut butter that I had… true story. Want a chance to win $1K with their Spread the Cheer sweepstakes? Keep reading!!
My husband crawled into bed the other night with a bag of the peanut butter and I yelled at him for stealing my snacks, then I felt bad and I agreed to share with him. He ate the whole bag, I got upset again after that!! How amazing is this, aside from Popchips being non GMO, gluten free, only 130 calories per serving, made with real peanut butter, and 5 grams of protein per serving, in the spirit of the holiday season, nutter puffs is partnering with The Art of Elysium limited edition holiday packaging, available at selected retailers, to ‘spread the cheer’ and give back! Yup, that’s right folks, The Art of Elysium is a non-profit organization that helps communities in need by providing support & healing through creative expression. The Art of Elysium believes in happiness, freedom and self-empowerment through art and self-expression. One of the many reasons I was so excited to team up with them this holiday season. Popchips nutter puffs will be giving away $1k to 5 winners to use towards their holiday shopping. I’m so excited about this. Popchips nutter puffs will also donate $1k to The Art of Elysium on behalf of each winner. How much more do you love this company now?! Visit nutter puffs HERE for your chance to enter!
This healthy snack is amazing. I feel like anyone who turns a corner in our house will find me shoving my face with these.
Friends, you know I only promote products I have tried and believe in and this is one I highly recommend. My favorite healthy snack option right now, and I’m proud to stand by a brand that gives back in any way! Your kids will love these too!!
It’s been a hard month with a lot of scary health news and to be totally honest, I have been in the dumps the last week. Feeling a lot of feelings and also pretty sick on top of it all. I have always collected rings over the years. They symbolize moments and memories for me. I have been searching for two rings that I could wear next to my wedding rings on my pinky and one to wear between the rings I always wear on my right hand. I was really excited to learn about NOÉMIE for many reasons but the number one being they guarantee the finest quality fine jewelry, at the fairest prices. I wanted one ring to represent my strength and the other to remind me of my roots. I fount the Petite Diamond Band for my pinky to represent my strength. I have felt a bit helpless lately and forget how strong I truly am. Heck, I gave birth to a human and lived! Now that is some strength! This ring would have looked amazing stacked with my wedding bands but I really wanted a pinky ring that I could also wear as a half ring when I’m feeling super trendy and hip. I’m so happy I got the pinky ring. I love that all their rings come in every size from 1-15 so I had this option.
Becoming a new mother has been the greatest experience of my life and has also had me questioning myself a lot. I have lost myself in the last year and I’m trying to find the new Vanessa. I know the free spirited hippie is still in me somewhere who loves all things vintage. When I came across the Vintage Diamond Band I knew I had to have it. This is my reminder of my roots. Every time I look down at this ring, I feel a part of me come back and that brings me joy. This ring would make the most stunning wedding band ever if you are on the hunt. I love how it looks like it could have been my great grandmothers band and it goes perfect with my other rose gold rings that I wear as other reminders to myself.
I am thrilled to partner with Noémie now that I have found my special rings. It isn’t often that they offer discounts on top of their already incredible prices. They have given me the chance to offer 50% off your purchase using my code VANESSA50. I think I may have to go and grab myself something for my mom with this code! If you are already thinking of holiday gifts, Noémie has beautiful bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and of course stunning rings. I think my next piece will be their beautiful “Mama” bracelet! They have engagement rings too! Thank you Noémie for the opportunity to partner together. I will forever cherish my rings.
Hey friends! It's been a minute since I have written a blog post. I've been traveling a bit and trying to spend as much time with my son and family as possible. I find balance very difficult! I wish I was one of those moms who knew how to juggle work and family better but I'm not. My son is currently sleeping and I'm attempting a post!
Ever since I became a mother, I find I'm not taking any time for myself! Ha! Go figure! Can you parents relate? I have hardly any beauty appointments and spend most days in the clothes I went to sleep in. I made a promises to myself about two weeks ago that every day I would put an outfit on before I leave the bedroom. I still want to make an effort to look pretty and show I care even if that means a graphic Tee and my hair thrown up in a messy bun. I feel like when I have clothes on, I'm able to do more and I'm motivated to take on the day. It's kinda like making the bed every morning. Even though we get back in it every night, making the bed feels like I accomplished something and it feels good. It's also nice to look at!
Throwing on an outfit looks a lot different now days. I don't have the time to try and figure out an outfit, so having a few staples in my closet that I always go to and can mix and match makes my life so much easier and makes putting clothes on a lot less stressful.
I think everyone needs a fun graphic Tee in their closet. They are mom friendly, meaning every time I bend over to pick something up my son drops, I'm not flashing anyone, and they are so comfy and can be word dressed up, or dressed down!
I found a line by a company called Life Clothing Co that has the cutest tees around. I love them because they are made so well and you can tie them in a knot (which is super in style right now) or wear them without a knot and they look cute both ways.
Notice in these three different outfits, I have the same shoes on and the same graphic tee! I mixed and matched my bottoms and added a kimono in one, and a blazer in another! I find adding a fun hat changes your entire look and can dress up any outfit and also hides horrible mom hair and roots that haven't been touched up in weeks!
In this first look I'm wearing my graphic tee tied with my favorite high wasted white pants that are on sale right now. You can find them HERE. Along with these white shoes that have become a staple in my wardrobe. They make my legs look long in shorts and look so cute with a cropped pant like the ones above!. Shop my shoes HERE! I added a hat to this look to keep it fun and hide my greys that are coming in. This outfit took 3 minutes to put together. It's casual but you could still get away with wearing this out for drinks!
This look is a day and night look. I wore the shorts and tee earlier on with a pair of flip flops and to go out later in the day for a meeting, I threw this blazer on, with my go to white slides, added a long necklace, and my hat. If you are wanting to go a little dressier, try THESE shorts that aren't cut and the look will be even dressier! My blazer is on sale right now and you can shop it HERE!!
This last look is almost identical to the look just before this. I added a kimono from Carly Jean because I love a good kimono over anything. I find kimonos can dress up an outfit or dress down a super dressy look. This look is more me than anything. I'm almost always in a kimono. I still have the graphic tee tied and the white shoes give this a dressier look. If I wanted to head to a casual lunch or even the beach, I would kick the slides to the side and throw on a pair of open toe sandals and call it a day!
All of these looks consist of only 7 different items! That includes my hat and necklace. I mix and matched my top with two different bottoms and added a kimono to one look and a blazer to my other look. Simple and easy which is how I try and live my life these days. I think staying in my PJ's is comfy and the easiest but getting up and showing up for myself is really important too. I'm happy to have a few go to pieces that make life simple for me where I don't have to think too hard.
TIP: Keeping a cute blazer that you love and fits well is a wonderful staple. A blazer goes with everything!
Life Clothing CO has great graphic tee's
I also LOVE this tee HERE
Try swapping out the cutoffs for a cute cropped denim like these that are on sale!! Shop them HERE.
If you are looking for a great pair of affordable non cropped shorts. THESE are favorites of mine.
I love ALL the cutoff shorts this line HERE has to offer!!
My white shoes can be shopped HERE.
And my hat can be shopped HERE along many with others!
If you know me at all, you know you will probably never see me without a kimono on. I try, but I just always go back to them! I love that you can wear the same kimono casual during the day with a cute pair of cropped jeans and flats and then dress it up for a date night with a sexy heel. I wanted to share with you my top 10 kimono picks for this summer.
I have this kimono in 3 colors and live in them.I dress it up or wear it casual. Makes the perfect cover over a date night dress or jumpsuit.
Here is the same kimono duster in white. I wore it over a jumpsuit with heels for a date night with the hubs.
Dress this up at night with a cute colorful pump & cropped black pants!
& wonderful for fall!
These colors make me so happy.
Have it in two colors. Perfect for summer & fall.
I love a kimono that is light weight to wear around during the day but will keep me warm when I run into a restaurant that has the air pumped. I get so annoyed in summer here in Nashville because it's 100 degrees outside and 5o degrees inside everywhere you go. These light weight kimonos are sheer enough to wear during the day and do a nice job of keeping me the perfect temperature in doors.
This Free People kimono jacket is a dream. I love the weight of this one. If you need a jacket but don't want anything too hot, this is perfect for you! I will be wearing this all year long!
OBSESSED....
but dresses up perfect for a date night!
Also comes in black.
Goes with everything!
My mustard kimono is back and I am beyond excited!
Goes with everything and is perfect over a black jumpsuit or dress.
If you love kimonos and wear them often, then you are familiar with picking the right size. New to wearing kimonos? They are made to fit very flowy. I always take a small but can get away with a XS or M if a small is out. The medium fits a bit bigger obviously and the XS can fit a little tighter around the arms. I'm 5 foot 7. I weigh 135 pounds. My shirt size is small. I wear a size 3 or 4. I normally take a 27 in pants. I hope this helps you pick the correct size!
Hi friends! I am so excited to share these pictures with you. I was recently asked by my friend Tiffany (Tifforelie on Instagram) who is one of the most incredible photographers and a dear friend of mine, to style a shoot she was doing. I was honored that she asked me. This came at such a perfect time for me. I had been asking myself what makes me feel alive other than my son. Styling is something I have always loved to do but hadn't had the chance to have my work photographed.
The look we were going for was a summer board with a zen vibe. We wanted people to feel like they were with us. The hope was you would feel uplifted just by the looks of the board and want to create your own board to share with friends. I chose greenery and succulents to add texture and dimension. Succulents seem to be everywhere these days, so it was very fitting to use them on my board. Succulents are my favorite. I have them all over my home. I picked up the succulents and the greenery from my local flower mart. I didn't want to add a lot of colors to distract the eye so I kept the pallet more neutral. I picked oranges, cantaloupe, strawberries, lemons, dried apricots, peaches, and grapefruit because they all fell in the color house I was going for.
For a board this size, I like to pick three to four different types of cheese that all vary in color and flavor and two or three types of nuts. For this board I used a Merlot cheddar, rosemary cheddar, and Manchego. I find cutting the cheese up into small blocks looks pretty when you stack them and adds more dimension. Leaving one type of cheese (preferably a firm cheese) cut in small triangles to add texture. I love using Manchego for the triangles and cutting my cheddar's into cubes. Adding a short glass to the center or side of the tray with olives adds even more dimension and separates the board. I used pitted green olives to match my greenery and I wrapped thin sliced proscuitto around long bread sticks for a fun and no mess for the guest look. I used pistachios and two different types of marcona almonds for this board.
Cheese and fruit boards have always been one of my favorite things to put together. I normally do them for fun when we have guests over. I find a fruit and cheese board is the perfect way to gather friends for beautiful conversations. I love to pair a refreshing cocktail or glass of wine with the fruit and cheese board depending on what I am serving on the board.
Three days after the shoot with Tiffany, I had a guest over to the home for some wine and I wanted to put out a small board. It was only going to be the two of us and I didn't want to waste so I did a small board and added two of the succulents and used some of the greenery I had from the shoot on the board and used cheese and nuts that I had left over. I did only two types of cheese on this board and two types of almonds but added small round rice crackers to this board for more texture but did not use fruit this time. I wanted this to be very simple and easy to put together but still look beautiful and the focal point of the kitchen when she walked into my home.
I hope you have enjoyed this post! I would love to hear from you and see your board you put together!
This post is brought to you by CYBEX. All opinions are honest and 100% my own.
I have teamed up with CYBEX. to share with you their new convertible car seat, the Sirona M with SensorSafe 2.0. Ya'll this car seat is a dream. I'm not lying to you when I say this is our 4th and last car seat we have tried. We started using this seat a month ago when Maverick had just turned 9 months. Maverick loves this one. Not only is this car seat spacious and Mav's favorite, it's my favorite because of all the safety features it has to offer. This car seat has incredible technology that sends alerts to you when your child is put in danger.
Every child is different. Some LOVE a good car ride, in fact the ride may even put your kid to sleep almost immediately, others may not be as lucky. I remember my son screaming for the entire car ride no matter where we would go, no matter what time of day. I noticed the car seats were not comfy enough for my little man. When I tried the Cybex Sirona M with SensorSafe 2.0, I wanted to cry tears of joy because Maverick did not cry. He loved it. I searched the web for months and months to find the safest car seat because my number one priority is keeping him safe. I'm so excited to share all this car seat has to offer.
Now that is a happy baby face. We weren't all smiles in the past when it came to car rides. Thanks CYBEX. for making a seat my son loves.
I will start with my favorite safety features of the new Cybex Sirona M with SensorSafe 2.0. This car seat was originally developed to prevent the rising number of infant hot car deaths, something I honestly didn't even know was a thing until having a baby. Cybex Sirona M with SensorSafe 2.0 takes it one step further to monitor the well being of the child while the vehicle is in motion. Whaaaaat?! Yes! Whether you accidentally leave your child alone in the car (which I never thought I could ever do until my mom brain kicked in) or the child unbuckles themselves (something to look forward to as they grow up), the essential alert will go off through both the vehicle receiver and the caregiver's cellphone. Remember folks, It is NEVER safe to use your phone while you drive but have no fear the app is not required to receive alerts so you can keep both of your hands on the wheel if your co-pilot is with you.
This little chip that you are about to see installs into your car (super easily) right under the dash and will sync up with the SensorSafe app to send you alerts.
If you are a parent who puts safety first, then the Cybex car seat is for you. When life gets crazy and I'm running around like a chicken with it's head cut off and my mind is full, I'm so thankful that I have a car seat that will alert me if I make any mistakes along the way that could leave my child in harm. I love that there is an alarm that will sound if it gets too hot. Living in Nashville it is very hot and since I'm in the front seat with all the air in my face, it's hard to tell how warm it is in the back seat. I don't worry about these things now that we are using this car seat.
The new Cybex Sirona M with SensorSafe 2.0 has an energy absorbing shell around the car seat which reduces the impact force felt by the child in a collision. The headrest is adjustable and there are 12 different positions for the height of the headrest. Yes I said 12! I love that the harness will automatically adjust when the headrest is adjusted. Could this seat get any more amazing?! Yup! The Cybex Sirona M with SensorSafe 2.0 is for children weighing 5 pounds all the way up to 65 pounds! So one seat is all you truly need! The seat has a newborn insert so it can be used for newborns.
To the new parent who is expecting and on the hunt for a car seat, I do however suggest when you have a new born to get a car seat for those first few months that you can remove and take them with you wherever you go that does attach to the stroller and CYBEX makes an incredible one. Newborns sleep A LOT in the beginning and getting them in and out of the car seat all day long is no fun.
The Cybex Sirona M with SensorSafe 2.0 seat is big and does not hook into a stroller but I think the reason Maverick loves it so much is because he has so much room to move around and doesn't feel trapped. I love that the top part of the straps have a no slide griper on the bottom so they stay in place and they are soft and don't irritate his cheeks which is one issue we had with other car seats in the past. Aside from the CYBEX being an amazing car seat with wonderful features, I love the color of it. I'm not a big fan of dark color seats since they seem to get so much hotter.
This light grey color is perfect for us.
Thank you again CYBEX for sponsoring this post and introducing us to our favorite car seat!
Happy Monday! I hope you enjoyed the weekend and got some much needed rest!
I wanted to share with you this incredible overnight bag that I recently found. I have been searching for a bag I can use to bring on quick trips. I realized on my California trip as much as I loved having the extra space using two bags was a pain in the ass.
This bag by Birdling is wonderful. It was very well thought out. Most bags that would fall into the category of a duffel bag feel like a big black hole where nothing is ever to be found and everything gets mixed up. Not this bag! I love how there are several different compartments and more pockets than I know what to do with, and that is a good problem to have! I took a few pics of the inside of this bag to give you an idea of what I'm talking about.
Aside from all the pockets inside and out, this bag is durable. I feel like I could toss this bag around, throw it in the dirt, get it wet, and it would still hold up. I went with a darker color the washed charcoal weekender because I like to hid dirt and God knows between my husband and my son, this bag is going to get dirty!
Needless to say, this bag is epic. I'm so excited to finally have a bag that I can use and toss out all of my other over night bags because this one is perfect! I also love my essential kit that I can keep my makeup and toiletry's in. This little bag has amazing compartments as well and what I really love is that I can put makeup on one side and toiletry's on the other side and they wont interfere with each other because the bag is big enough!
If you are in the market for a new over night bag, I highly recommend this one!
Have a great week!
Cheers!
SHOP MY LOOK
This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Nad's but as I always mention in all my sponsored posts, I only write reviews on products that I have actually tried and I'm able to give an honest review on. #ad
Anyone else forget to shave? Well I most certainly do. I use to shave a few times a week and exfoliate daily when I was trying to land myself a husband. Now that my shower time is limited, the last thing I'm thinking about doing while I'm in the shower is shaving and I can't remember to exfoliate for the life of me. The other day I looked down at my legs while I was working out and I was mildly horrified. Have I totally let myself go now that I'm married and a mother? Yup.
I use to wax my "downstairs" area religiously once a month but that became a huge hassle and now I couldn't even imagine setting a time to go get waxed.
I was recently sent Nad's Ultra Smoothing Exfoliating Wax Strips to try and review. What caught my eye with Nad's wax strips was the buff & wax 2-in-1 which exfoliates and leaves the skin silky and soft up to 4 weeks while removing the hair. The strips smell so yummy too. The wax is naturally infused with grapefruit and pomegranate extract to effectively remove the shortest hairs for those salon results we all want. The wax is non irritating and pulls the hairs out from the root which is so important to have any true effect. I also love that the product is 100% VEGAN and 100% CRUELTY-FREE! I must say, wax is wax and it stings a bit when you get waxed but something about doing it myself, hurt a little less for some reason.
I have extremely sensitive skin and exfoliating always makes my skin red and irritated. I long for smooth skin, especially in the cold, dry winter months here in Nashville. These wax strips have been a game changer for me in removing those unwanted hairs in my bikini area and leaving me smooth and silky with no irritation.
If I may be 100% honest with you, I'm totally a hairy human. I will never forget when I was 24 years old flying with my boyfriend at the time on a daytime flight. It was very bright and I had the isle seat and he had the window. I looked at him and into the extremely bright window light. He had a weird look on his face and told me I had a mustache. It was blond but very much there. I became so self-conscious of that stash and started buzzing my upper lip soon as I got home with a nose hair buzzer and have been doing it ever since. I decided to try waxing my upper lip so I wouldn't have to buzz as much! These strips make that super easy since I don't have to go get it done at a salon.
My pictures are of me trying a small area on my legs because I didn't want to accidentally flash the camera while getting rid of those bikini line hairs but I do recommend this product for anyone looking for a quick and super easy way to get rid of unwanted hairs that you would like to keep away longer than what a shave job would do. Plus you are exfoliating big time with these strips so you're killing two birds with one stone!
I hope this review was helpful and made you laugh a little!
Cheers!
It was an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to share my birth story on the Motherbirth podcast . This is my first podcast speaking on motherhood where I share my birth story in more detail, my struggle with gestational diabetes, postpardum depression, and why working with a Doula was life changing for us.
I loved being interviewed for this podcast and sharing more on where I'm at postpartum and what I went through during my pregnancy and what my birth was like. My hope is that if you are pregnant, a new mother, or even a mom of three and looking to connect and relate with where you're at in your pregnancy or postpartum, that you find something in my podcast interview that does just that.
I'm not a health professional just sharing my experience. I wanted to personally thank Mellisa Reeves and Laura Rice who are the co-founders of Motherbirth Podcast for having me on the show. It was such a pleasure to chat with you ladies and thank you Betsy Miller for connecting me with these gals and for being such a rock in my life since the day I met you.
You can find listen to my podcast interview HERE
And find the ladies on Instagram HERE
Be sure to subscribe to their blog and connect with them on social media to help reach more mamas!
My healthy boy Maverick is just about to turn 7 moths! I'm thankful every single day for him and would do it all over tomorrow.
The book I mention in my podcast interview on Gestational Diabetes is called Real Food For Gestational Diabetes. If you have gestational diabetes and are looking for some good recipes you can visit an older blog post of mine HERE or my gestational diabetes recipe board on Pinterest HERE!!
I shared a little bit about Onsite Workshops at the end of my interview. If you are interested in finding out more about what they have to offer you can do so HERE.
The last thing I will say is if you think you may be depressed and are suffering from postpartum depression, you are not alone. This is such a common thing that so many woman let go untreated and miss out on joy with their children because of it. Please don't ever feel shame in asking for help. There are so many different ways you can seek help. Finding a good healthcare provider who can direct you to someone you can talk with could really help where you are at!
Sending you lots of love and thank you for reading and listening!
Flowers? Jewelry? Candy? Pampering products? Valentines Day anyone??
This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Simply Summer's Eve.
I use to be the girl who insisted on date night, hoped for flowers and a great gift but never made a stink about it, and always got dressed up to the T for Valentines day. That has changed a lot over the last few years and even more so now that I'm a mom. I would much rather grab a really nice bottle of red wine and chill on the couch with some fantastic takeout and binge watch our favorite show.
Summer's Eve recently conducted a survey on how woman really feel about Valentines day. This survey was conducted by Wakefield Research. They interview 1000 woman 18 years and older. Did you know that survey results found that 62% of woman view getting intimate as a priority on Valentines Day? Millennial's (74%), are especially eager to get it on, compared to older generations. So glad I'm of the older generation (insert laugh cry face). When it comes to the great debate of going out or staying in, a majority of woman (58%) would rather skip the crowds and spend Valentines Day at home chilling out rather than on an extravagant date.
I must say I do love to feel pretty and fresh regardless if I'm home or out and I will be freshening up with my favorite Summer's Eve products, doing my hair and makeup so I look pretty for my husband, and getting out of my pj's but I will most likely be spending the Hallmark Holiday at home in the arms of my husbs and hanging with our little bundle of love, and our dog Dakota. If my husband could give me the perfect gift aside from more diamonds (kidding, kinda) that would include a spa day or anything relaxing along with a bunch of fun pampering products for me to try once our son has gone to bed!
I have been using Summer's Eve products since I was 15 and learned I couldn't use just any soap. I needed a good PH soap because I'm allergic to EVERYTHING. Their products are free from dyes, alcohol, and parabeans, for a gentle clean. They have both cloths and cleansers! I love their cloths for traveling!! I'm excited to share that they have a fantastic promotion running at the moment but you need to act fast because it ends tomorrow!! If you purchase any 2 Summer's Eve products, get a FREE beauty treatment or Fitness Experience. Find out more about the special offer by clicking HERE. This may include but is not limited to manicure, pedicure, blowout, hair style, haircut, yoga, gym class, pilates class, nutritional consultation, Zumba class, or personal training!!
If you are in a jam and forgot Valentine's Day is only two days away, this could be a cute basket idea along with the gift of pampering!!
Cold weather can feel so discouraging for me because the last thing I want to do is get outside and be active when it's snowing. I have been spending a lot of time inside the last few weeks finding new recipes and baking.
I was on a mission to increase my breast milk supply and I found a recipe that has helped a LOT!
I'm so excited to share with you these incredibly yummy and easy and quick breakfast bars that I have been keeping in the fridge. If you are breastfeeding you will want to be sure and get on this asap as long as you don't have an allergy to peanuts!
Oats have been known to help with milk supply and I am proof that oats work. I was really worried that my milk was running out. I have been keeping Maverick on my boob all day long because supply and demand is one of the top ways to increase the supply so I hear. I did all sorts of research and tried a bunch of different things that didn't really work. When I started eating a lot of oats, the milk came! I was so sick of oatmeal and putting oats on my yogurt. I wanted to find a tasty way to keep oats in the fridge so I could eat them all day long!
These breakfast bars have been what I am snacking on all through the day. I dream about them they are so good. I have a good size bar for breakfast along with my eggs. They take maybe 7 minutes to make and there is no baking required! And they are healthy!
1 Cup all natural no sugar added creamy peanut butter I LIKE THIS ONE
1/2 Cup Honey
3 Cups old fashion organic quick oats I LIKE THIS ONE
1 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1. Melt the peanut butter and honey together on stove top at medium heat for about a minute or until ingredients becomes smooth. If you are using a microwave, cook for 30 seconds then stir then cook again for 30 more seconds. Combine oats and cinnamon with warm peanut butter and honey mixture. Stir well until ingredients becomes thick.
2. Spoon into a 9x9 no stick pan and press into pan. Let it sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before eating!
Be sure you get quick oats! Bars become soft at room temp so I recommend keeping them in the refrigerator.
If you want to add natural dark chocolate to your bars add 1/2 cup dark chocolate pieces to your peanut butter and honey mix and stir until all chocolate chips are melted and continue with next steps above!
Nothing goes better with breakfast bars than a frothy latte. I had been hearing about bullet proof coffee for years now and all the health benefits that go along with it (some more info on it here) but for some reason I had not tried it until today. Friends..... life changing. I mean I had one sip and my lips did a happy dance. It's been about three hours since I had it and I have not had a crash yet. I usually get a lot of energy after I drink my coffee in the morning and then about 30 minutes to 1 hour later I crash hard and feel like I need another cup. I was told the way the bullet proof coffee works allows your body to process the caffeine different and you don't have a crash and don't need another cup, although you will want one because it tastes so darn good.
If you are a person who likes to skip breakfast this is really for you! I love breakfast and still believe after all the different fads that have come and gone, that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Some people just can't do breakfast in the morning but will have a cup of coffee on an empty stomach. Talk about a nice way to burn a whole in your tummy! ALl that acid! Yikes! Bullet proof coffee is a wonderful addition to your life and gets your metabolism going and will help coat your tummy if you don't eat!
Here is how I made mine this morning. I added a few other things to mine. There are all different ways to make it. The recipe I found called for MCT oil which I don't have but will be purchasing. I used coconut oil instead. You can find the oil at the bullet proof coffee site HERE. Here is how I made mine this morning.
1 tbsp organic virgin coconut oil
2 tbsp Kerrygold butter
12 oz coffee
2 dashes of cinnamon
1 teaspoon honey
1. Brew a cup of coffee using any brewing method you like. I grind my beans and then do a slow drip and made mine fairly strong.
2. Add butter, oil, coffee, honey, and cinnamon to blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds and ENJOY!
I am so excited to see how you like yours after you make it! Please let me know!!
I am wearing my favorite blanket as a wrap. Shop it HERE
Favorite Jeans ever and under $100 you can get them at Fab'rik Brentwood. Call them and ask for Vanessa jeans! 615-309-8484
I have this hat in all colors! Shop my pom pom hat HERE
My Snow Boots are a must in this weather! Shop them HERE
