My 10 Favorite Facial Products

Today we celebrated my son's 3rd birthday and it was exhausting. For his first two birthdays, I went ALL out with decorations, food, and fancy invitations. This year I said I would keep it simple. So I decided to just have family over for dinner, that's it, nothing special. Well our family is huge so it turned out to be just as stressful to plan a simple dinner for over twenty people as it was for the big parties.
My mom took my son for the day to hang out, have lunch, and to pick out his present. I was so thankful that she did that because I ended up spending all day in the kitchen.
Once everyone arrived, the dinner was amazing and the night went smoothly. My son had a blast opening his gifts and blowing out his candles. After everyone left and we got the kiddos to bed, I began my nightly routine which includes washing my face.
No matter how tired I get, I always wash my face. For one, I have problems with acne so if I miss a night regret will come in the form of a large, ugly pimple the next morning. Second, the whole process is like a spa treatment after a long hard day. It's like I'm literally washing the day off my face every night. It helps me to wind down and relax right before bed. As I was going through my routine tonight, I got to thinking of my favorite products  that I use night and day and I thought I would share them with you.

First up: The Cleansers

Cetaphil//Microdelivery Wash

Finding a great cleanser took me a few tries. I have very sensitive skin so I have to be very picky. I actually received a free sample of the Philosophy wash and I just fell in love!! I went out immediately to buy my own after the sample ran out. It was a little on the pricey side but it's huge and it works so well. My dermatologist recommended that it is best to use a gentle exfoliater at night and a gentle cleanser in the morning. The exfoliating wash at night is the best because it cleans my makeup off the best and leaves my skin feeling fresh and very clean.
The Cetaphil is a very gentle cleanser that I use every morning. This cleanser is great for those with sensitive skin. It also is very affordable and can be found in any drugstore, local Target, or grocery stores. I also use this as a makeup remover, especially for getting my mascara off. I highly recommend both of these daily cleansers.

Next: The Moisturizers

Eucerin//Cerave

Moisturizing is VERY important. Your skin needs that moisture to keep its elasticity. It is also very important to use separate moisturizers for day and night. For the morning, I use Eucerin Daily Protecting with 30 SPF. It is smooth, non greasy, and it keeps my skin protected all day.
I actually just recently learned that sleeping with sunscreen on is bad! It prevents your skin's natural repair cycle while you sleep and it clogs your pores which isn't good. For that reason, I love CeraVe's PM Facial Mosisturizing Lotion. It feels so good and it is a nice finishing touch to my nighttime routine.

Next: The Extra Deep Cleansers

Acid Toner//Mud Mask

These two additions to my daily routine are great for getting that extra deep clean. Toner helps completely clean the face and the pores. I love this one from Mario Badescu specifically because it has glycolic which helps brighten up the redness on my face.
This mud mask by Formula 10.0.6 is AMAZING! I love masks in general but this one is one of my favorites. My absolute favorite is extremely expensive but this one feels just as great and only $6! I use this mask once a week usually on Fridays just because by the end of the week I feel tired and this mask really makes me feel refreshed.

Next: Make Up

Lancome//DermaBlend

I seldom wear makeup but when I do these are my FAVORITE products. First, I want to talk about the foundation. I have tried countless foundations from drugstores and a even a couple designer brands but they have all left me unhappy. I have extremely oily skin and every single foundation would leave me looking so greasy after only a few hours. I had to constantly pat my face and it was annoying!! This 24 hour foundation from Lancome is a lifesaver. I can literally wear this all day and do not have to pat once. It is such a light weight formula and looks great.
My DermaBlend camo stick never leaves my side. I suffer from acne and with that acne I have received a lot of scars. This concealer stick hides all my scars and leaves my skin looking smooth. I put this on under my foundation for a nice finished look.

Last Up: The Eyes

Mascara//Eye Liner

Applying mascara and eye liner, helps my eyes to look more awake and with two little ones at home with me, I need all the help I can get in that department. Maybelline's Great Lash has been a staple in my makeup bag since sophomore year in high school. It is cheap and works great!! I have tried other mascara's to test the water but I always come back to this one.
For a few months, I was a subscriber to a monthly cosmetic box called BirchBox. I would receive a box every month with five or six samples inside. This Cynthia Rowley eye liner was in one box and I'm so glad it was because it is now my favorite eye liner ever. Before this one, I used Mac's Liquid Liner but it would make my eyes burn sometimes so I needed to switch. The switch to Cynthia Rowley's was the best decision ever.


So those are my top 10 facial products. I use all of these on a daily basis. I have learned that our faces are very important and we should take the best care of them and that means finding the best products. I have included links for all these products if you seem interested in any of them. I hope some of these products will help you as much as they have helped me.
Stay beautiful!!

DIY: Command Center

Since becoming a mother I have learned many important lessons. For instance, I have learned that I no longer have privacy privileges in the restroom, I need to pick my battles carefully, invest in a good broom, and to never trust anything on the floor that resembles a raisin. Of the many things I have learned, the MOST important to me is organization. I feel like ever since I had kids my memory has taken a permanent leave of absence. I write dates and times on whatever paper is near me but, of course, it disappears and joins my keys, favorite chapstick, and the many other things that get lost now a days. I needed something to keep me in check and I knew a command center would be the ideal solution for me. 

Lucky for me, I have the coolest friend ever who just so happened to create her own command center. She was explaining to me how she made it and sending me pictures that made me drool! I knew I needed one of those. She bought the frames bogo free and had two cork boards leftover so I got to make one with the supplies she already had. I just knew it was fate, right?! Totally! 

I decided to hang it above my desk in the office because that is usually where I plan out my day and pay bills. I also wanted a place to sort mail so I decided to pick up some baskets to hang underneath. 

To make your own command center, you need a frame (whatever size you prefer), cork board, ruler, scissors, pencil, hot glue gun, and permanent marker or paint chips. 

My friend drew out the calendar with the permanent marker but I decided to use paint chips from Home Depot for my days. I also covered my bottom cork with gold chevron fabric, which is totally optional as well. I also found the most adorable "Hey Yall" print that I just had to have. The baskets I used to sort my mail are from Home Depot as well. They were $3 each and I spray painted them gold. 

Okay y'all, I need to be honest with you here. I might have gone a little crazy with 

the spray paint. Painting the white baskets gold made them look ten times better so I might have sprayed more things in my office. I may have painted my coaster, pen pail, and a milk bottle I now use as a vase. Told you, pure crazy! I got to say I love my office space now. I share

my office with my husband so my space really needed a girlish touch. The splashes of gold and pink really gave it just that.

See for yourself........

Anyways, back to the command center :) The process for putting it together is so incredibly easy. The hardest part for us was trying to line up the paint chips evenly. We used a ruler to guide us and a hot glue gun to stick them down. Once the paint chips were glued on to the back of the paper that came in the frame, we laid the glass back on and locked everything back into place. I then glued the fabric to the cork and then stuck the cork to the side of the calendar on top on the glass. The cork comes with sticky pads but I also used gorilla glue to make sure it stays in place. After

that you are ready to hang it up and fill in your calendar. Regular expo markers work lovely on the glass/plastic! I left a space on the bottom of my calendar for my daily meal plan. My friend left that space open for notes. 

The best part about this project is that it is easy and can be customized to whatever fits your needs. I am so thankful that my friend came up with this idea because it has made things so much easier for me. My favorite parts are my large calendar so I will never forget dates and the baskets for my mail so I will never loose bills. Unfortunately, that has happened one too many times. 

If you, too, are feeling like you need a little organization in your life, let this easy DIY command center help take your stress away. Seriously, I love it! 

a little wishful thinking

November is here, finally! November is my favorite month! The weather is perfect, my birthday is near, Christmas music is finally acceptable, and of course, Thanksgiving!! My son's birthday is also this month. He is turning 3 which is very exciting! When my husband asked me what I wanted for my birthday or what I wanted to do, I honestly had no answer for him. I realized that I have been so focused on getting ready for Caleb's birthday that I haven't even thought about mine. So tonight I decided to think of a few things I have been drooling over for a while now. My husband likes lists to make his job easier but I figured this time I would add pictures to change it up a bit. 

I get cold so easily! Not kidding, it will be like 60 degrees out and I will be shivering so I love coats! This winter I really, really want to add this beautiful blush coat to my closet. 

After reading Gone Girl, I can't wait to start my next thriller. Sandra Brown's Mean Streak sounds like it could be my next favorite. 

Alright, so I am probably the worst at painting my nails but I love nail polish. This color by butter London just screams November to me. This month's color is topaz and with the added sparkle it is just perfect for celebrations.

My husband LOVES watches and when he found out that I didn't have one when we first got together it bothered him. So every year I have gotten a new watch. It's a tradition that I hope lasts because I now have an obsession with watches. This year I have been dreaming about this Michael Kors large gold watch. The pink face is so darling!

The white chucks are the perfect addition to anyone's wardrobe. They seriously look great in any season!

Isn't if fun to come up with a little wish list like this? I know I enjoy it! 

This month is going to be a blast for my family and I. I actually forgot to add Black Friday to the list and picking out our Christmas tree. November is seriously the best!

If you happen to like any or all of the items on my wishlist, I have provided you the links so you can shop away! Happy shopping!! :)

Blush Coat//Chucks//Butter Nail Polish//Mean Streak//Michael Kors Watch

Train Rides and Coffee: A Few of My Favorite Things

When I was kid, I lived in New York and we would take the train a lot. There is just something so mysterious about trains. The history they hold is so interesting to me. The places they have been, the passengers they have carried, and the way they changed our country for the better continues to fascinate me. I love to picture myself in a big, beautiful 1860's gown, boarding the train for New York City to meet my beau for an afternoon stroll through the lush central park. Doesn't that just sound dreamy?? Or am I the only one who has these thoughts? Needless to say, I love trains so when my mom came to me with the idea to take my kids for a train ride, I didn't hesitate! 

Our morning started off at Denny's for the much needed pumpkin pancakes. You can't go through Fall without the mandatory plate of scrumptious pumpkin pancakes, you just can't! My kids LOVE any food in the breakfast category; yogurt, pancakes, french toast, eggs, sausage, English muffins, cream of wheat, etc. So we all very much enjoyed our big Denny's breakfast!

Cate is very much into coloring right now, I love it! Okay so after our stomachs were screaming, "ENOUGH", we packed up headed to the train station. Caleb's reaction to the train approaching was so awesome! He couldn't stop squealing and smiling! I sometimes wish I still got that excited over the little things in life!! Cate was very quiet during the ride as she watched the trees go by through her big window. Riding the train as a kid was an exciting experience for me, but I got to say, watching my own child's excitement was much more thrilling. 

After we got off the train, we walked around downtown. I found the cutest little shop that sold knick knacks that I will definitely be returning to in the near future. I love finding odd, tiny shops that hold such an eclectic inventory. Our first stop was our favorite coffee shop, of course. Bean There, get it?? Of course you get it :) I think it is just the most darling coffee house around here. They have the best drinks and the atmosphere is most desirable for the college student cramming for midterms or the blogger with writer's block. They offer so many different drinks but I tend to always order the same boring thing, an iced vanilla latte! My sister ordered a chai latte that was delicious but my mother's snickerdoodle coffee (caramel, mocha, and toffee nut) was exquisite!!!

By the way, this extremely adorable coffee cozie you see above is handmade by my friend who owns her own Etsy shop! She has tons of patterns to choose from and they are seriously so precious! My personal favorite is obviously this gold chevron. I get so many compliments when I use it out in public. They are earth friendly and only $5 bucks!! Y'all need to go check out her site right now, especially with Christmas coming up. These make great stocking stuffers or teacher appreciation gifts. 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ThrLtleDragonflies?ref=pr_shop_more

After enjoying our coffee, we continued to walk around and let the kids let out some energy before we had to catch the train to head back home. The kids had a blast just getting to run around and check out the sites. 

Well that sums up our little trip downtown on the train. This is totally something we will do again and again. I love that my kids enjoyed the train just as I did as a kid. What made this experience even more special was that I got to share it with my mom just like old times. 

Mom Moment Monday

Alright so you got me, I have a thing for alliteration. Mom is obviously the first "m" word that popped into my head so I went with it. The definition for mother is one who gives birth but we all know motherhood is so much more than that!! Motherhood hasn't always been easy for me or my husband. 

When I first found out that I was pregnant, my husband and I had only been married for two months. I was shocked and extremely terrified! Kyle's reaction to my pregnancy was a relief and so comforting. He just smiled at me, took a deep breath, and said "Let's celebrate!" So we discussed baby names and our new addition over a delicious, deep dish pizza from Uno's. We then walked around Gap, oohing and aahing over all the tiny, beautiful baby clothes. We still have that adorable first outfit we bought that night! Unfortunately, that bliss began to wear off once I hit two months pregnant. I was incredibly sick the entire pregnancy, including two trips to the hospital for dehydration. Most couples have at least a few months in the "honeymoon" phase, we didn't. Our honeymoon phased consisted of vomiting and absolutely no romance. Even though it was hard, we swear it brought us closer! They say "A couple that that cleans up vomit together, stays together." They do say that, right?? Okay, well probably not but..... Anyways. 

Our son Caleb was born four weeks early at 5lbs 5oz!! He was our beautiful, miraculously healthy baby boy!! All of the sickness was worth it when I got to hold Caleb for the first time. He was perfect! I loved him more than I had ever loved anyone all within the first few seconds with him. Shortly after he was born, we knew we wanted a second child! My second pregnancy was exactly the same! Extremely hard full of sickness but like before when our daughter was born it all seemed worth it!!

The sickness, the lack of sleep, and the lack of free time is all worth it when I look at my children's faces! These two bring me so much joy! 

I'm a stay at home mom so each day we definitely have our ups and downs. Some days are full of fighting and screaming and tantrums, but other days are full of laughter and cheer! Days like this one in particular make my job the best in the world! This was just an ordinary morning in our ordinary home but getting to spend it with them made it extraordinary.

When I watch them play and get along together, it makes me feel almost a little emotional! I'm a crier, I can't help it! It's so amazing to know that I carried these two little monsters for months! They are a big part of me and pretty much my entire life! Their smiles can brighten my entire day! I love listening to them talk to each other and to see their personalities really shine. They are so silly and right now, they have a huge fascination with hats! I honestly have no idea why but it's cute! :)

Motherhood can be very hard and definitely has it's challenges! There are days that I feel overwhelmed or I question whether I am even doing a good enough job! When I sit with them in their rooms and play "restaurant" or try on hats, I know that this is right where I need to be! When they hug me and tell me they love me on their own, I know that I'm doing something right! I feel so blessed that this is my life. I would go through months of sickness all over again just to hold my babies. I love being being a mom and this particular moment with them today is exactly why I love it so much!

To all you moms out there, you are doing a great job and remember to always enjoy the ordinary moments because they are what makes this life so special! 

Time to Spice Things Up...

If you are anything like me, you probably spend a lot of time searching your cabinet for the spice you need. It is so hard to see them when they are all the same height. I tried this spice organizer from Bed, Bath, and Beyond but it only fit a fourth of all my spices so I was still having the same issue with the other 3/4 of them. I searched the internet for other ideas but the only other organizing rack I found that fits a lot of spices sits on the countertop, which I like my countertops clear so that wouldn't work.

Tuesday nights we head to my husband's parents house for dinner. It's great to catch up and have the kids hang out with the grandparents. I also love, love, love my mother-in-law's cooking. She is a a mastermind of all things southern comfort when it comes to dinner. Seriously, mouth watering. Pork chops, fried apples, biscuits & gravy, green beans (southern style), black eyed peas, yeast rolls, etc. Everything she cooks is to die for, no joke. 

On one particular Tuesday, I was particularly impressed with something other than the food, shocking I know! As a recipe called for last minute seasoning, I noticed her pull out a wide, shallow drawer lined with all her seasonings. It was seriously the best way to organize your spices I had ever seen. Each spice is laid out, perfectly easy to see, and the drawer holds a bunch. Unfortunately, my drawer isn't as wide as hers so if I add any other seasonings I will be needing another drawer! :) 

Ever since I moved my spices from the cabinet to a drawer, it has made my life so much easier. I love my food spicy and full of flavor so being able to access my spices so easily has been the best. I thought I would share a little bit of my mother-in-law's brilliant mind with you. It has helped me so much and I figured it might help some else racking their brain trying to find a better solution for their spices.