Watching My Baby Grow and Learning to Let Go

I�ve said it a thousand times, but each and every month of Harper�s life, I find myself saying �this is the best age ever!� I think it�s natural to enjoy watching your baby go from a tiny, chunky infant who does tummy time on a mat to a growing, running-all-over-the-place toddler who can communicate with you.

Becoming a mother is like the wildest roller coaster ride---there are ups and downs, surprises at every turn, joys and worry, and happiness and love like you�ve never experienced. It�s a tangled jumble of every emotion you�ve ever felt.

One of the questions that I�m often asked is "what surprised you most about motherhood?" I could give a hundred different answers, but the one I�ll focus on today is how motherhood helped me let go a little. And if you know me, you know that�s not something that comes easily or naturally for me.

I�m a huge worrier and worst-case-scenario thinker and I�ve been that way since I was a child. I think it�s my way of �protecting myself� in case the unimaginable were to happen to a family member or friend. So �letting go� of those worries comes in baby steps for me.

While pregnant, I pictured myself as "that mom" with an endless arsenal of germ-killing products, hand-sanitizer in every room of the house and keeping my floors �so clean you could eat off of them.� For the first few months of Harper�s life, I was very cautious about taking her places and exposing her to germs before she was vaccinated. Then, when my maternity leave was over and I went back to work, Harper was in daycare and she was sick quite a bit (as was I).

I also remember proclaiming how my house would still look "fantastic" after having children and believe me, I'm laughing so much harder at myself than any of you are. 

I realized that my vision of being �that mom� with the disinfecting spray bottle at arm�s reach and a perfectly organized home was not only unrealistic, but detrimental. I wanted to enjoy my time with my daughter, not worry about her putting a toy in her mouth after it fell on the floor or keeping my house spotless. I didn't have the time or energy to be the way I imagined.

My perspective changed so much as she grew. She was getting into more things and learning to crawl and walk. I loved watching her explore, learn new things and discover the world around her. I stopped freaking out if she ate a piece of food she dropped on the floor, licked a rock at the park or used a restaurant highchair without a cover. (Okay, maybe I did freak out just a little about the rock licking incident at the park).

(rocks and babies, not a good combo)

Though I've learned to let go a little, we of course still practice good hand hygiene and keep our house decent (we also have a cleaning service come about once a month) --- but I�ve become much more relaxed about it and it makes life so much easier. I would rather spend time making memories than making my floors sparkle.

There's no denying though that life with a toddler is messy. I can't tell you how many times I've watched in slow-motion as Harper threw hundreds of grains of quinoa on the hardwoods or threw pasta sauce on the floor.

There are noses to wipe, hands to wash, highchairs to clean� and it's truly never-ending. I never cared much about cleaning products before I had Harper --- but as soon as I became pregnant I started to look for options that didn't contain harmful or strong chemicals.

That's when I was first introduced to the Babyganics line. I started to use some of their cleaning products in my first trimester of pregnancy when I saw them at Babies R Us, and continued to use them when Harper was born. 

My husband and I are huge fans of their Alcohol-Free Foaming Hand Sanitizer (we keep one in each diaper bag and in our diaper-changing basket---and it comes in either unscented or mandarin---we have both) as well as their Foaming Dish & Bottle Soap, which we used to clean bottles, pumping parts---and now, sippy cups. We also used their all-purpose cleaning spray.

(thank goodness the bottle-cleaning days are over!)

(we need hand sanitizer for moments like when my daughter pets a goat, haha)

Recently, I got to test out Babyganics Toy & Highchair Cleaner Spray, Face Hand & Baby Wipes and Moisturizing Daily Lotion. 

These were new products to me and I have to say that hands down, my favorite of the new ones I tried are the Face Hand & Baby Wipes because I use them constantly. For runny noses, messy faces, sticky hands, and diaper changes. They're large and really get the job done---and the best part is that they're unscented which is great for sensitive skin.

I keep a package of them on the white tray on my kitchen island at all times!

The Toy & Highchair Cleaner Spray is also unscented and you don't have to rinse it after you've wiped down whatever you're cleaning. I mostly use it for highchair cleaning but I've also used it on my countertops.

baby + eating = messy

The Moisturizing Daily Lotion isn't a product we use daily, but it has a nice, light scent and is non-allergenic. It also doesn't contain any parabens, artificial dyes or fragrances and other ingredients that can irritate skin. Harper has sensitive skin (hello, redhead) as do I, so this is perfect for us both.

Have you ever tried Babyganics? Which products are your favorites?

Leave a comment below to enter for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!

Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
 1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: �#SweepstakesEntry�; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 10/16/2014 � 11/15/2014.
Be sure to visit the Babyganics brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers� posts!

Hanging Out with Sonia Kashuk- Your Questions, Answered

When I mentioned last week that I was going to be participating in a Google Hangout with makeup artist Sonia Kashuk whose makeup and body care line is exclusively sold at Target, you ladies blew me away with your questions--- thank you to all who left such great ones! 

Though she's worked with countless celebrities, what I love about Sonia is that she really focuses on making her brand accessible and relevant to all women. I like that her line has a lot of neutral colors and palettes available as well as every makeup brush you'd ever need to apply them--- for just a little more than what you'd pay for a drugstore brand but less than designer brands. I also like the focus on the must-have products like a defining eye pencil, neutral lipstick and skin-perfecting base.

Two of my reader's questions were featured in the Google hangout:

Jen asked "What does she think is the most under utilized makeup product?"

Nicole asked "For someone that does not like to wear a ton of makeup, what would be your top three products you must have for a simple daily routine?"

To hear Sonia's answers, you can watch the entire Google Hangout featuring some of my fellow bloggers, below:

Now that you've seen the video--- you can enter to win a $100 Target GiftCard^�

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 on my Everyday Luxury post, just click here. You have until June 30th to enter!

What Would You Ask a Pro Makeup Artist?

Last week, I shared a video with my thoughts on some of Sonia Kashuk's bath and beauty products and in a couple of weeks I'll be part of a group chatting LIVE with Sonia during a Google hangout!

This will be my second time getting a chance to talk directly to Sonia and I'm eager to know what you ladies think I should ask her?

Last time, I asked Sonia what her favorite products were from her own makeup line that she uses on a daily basis and also what inspired the (lovely) packaging on all of the products in the new bath and body line.

With a hot and humid summer ahead of us, I thought to ask for some tips on how to make makeup products stay put as the temperatures rise. What other questions should I ask? Let me know in the comments of this post and I will pick a few to ask during the hangout. By commenting you'll also be entered to win a $100 Target Gift Card^�, thanks for your input!

Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: �#SKBeauty� and �#SweepstakesEntry�; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 5/12 � 6/30.

H-E-B Beauty Picks: Radiant Orchid

Last year, I was absolutely smitten with Pantone�s choice of emerald as the color of the year. Not only is it my birthstone, but it�s one of my favorite colors and I own a few pieces I just love in that color, including this dress, this dress and this one.

This year�s color, Radiant Orchid, is every bit as beautiful and I already have several pieces in my closet that feature this color. I�ve also seen this color pop up in a lot of J.Crew�s pieces this season, even for baby!

H-E-B recently sent me some beauty picks celebrating Radiant Orchid as the color of the year. As you know, when I�m not using my typical palette of neutrals (browns, grays and black), I reach for purple liners and shadows to make my eyes pop.

 | NYXC Love in Rio |

Three perfect purple shades from a soft lilac to a deep midnight purple can create a pretty smokey eye

| Rimmel Water Proof Exaggerate Eye Definer in Purple Shock |

This liner is a little edgy for an everyday look, but boy does it have staying power and incrdible pigmentation.

| L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Caresse Wet Shine Stain in Berry Persistent |

I already own this gloss in the light pink color and LOVE it. It lasts such a long time and I love the gel-like texture when you apply it. This color looks very purple in the tube but is a bold berry shade when applied to the lips.

| NYX roll on shimmer in Pink |

This is the coolest product I've tested out in awhile. I was skeptical of the roll-on, but it truly works and is SO pigmented (as you can see below)

Orchid Nail Lacquer in What�s Sa-Rong? 

I don't wear metallic polish very often, but this shade is perfect for an accent nail. I would pair it with Essie's "splash of grenadine"

top to bottom- eyeshadow, roll on shimmer, eyeliner, lip gloss

I just love purple---all shades! One of my favorite pairs of shorts is a beautiful, bright orchid color. I can't wait to wear them again this summer!

Do you love this year's Pantone color of the year? Do you own any makeup items or clothing in this color? Share below!

FTC Disclosure- H-E-B sent me these products for review, all opinions are my own.

"Hanging Out" with Sonia Kashuk

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity via BlogHer, along with several other bloggers, to participate in a Google Hangout with famed makeup artist Sonia Kashuk whose new bath and body product line I reviewed recently. I have also reviewed her satin luxe lipsticks, here.

I asked Sonia what her favorite products were from her own makeup line that she uses on a daily basis and also what inspired the (lovely) packaging on all of the products in the bath and body line.  Check out our chat below, featuring Sonia answering our questions (my question is at 5:30 in the video!) 

I love that she uses her own products, because I think the most exciting part about creating a beauty and bath and body line would be to create my "dream collection" of products. Basically an entire suite of "holy grail" products to create my everyday look. Sign me up!


I hope you enjoyed this video!

You can check out the new Bath & Body Collection by Sonia Kashuk, exclusively at Target!

A Delicious & Quick Dinner Idea

When my husband and I first moved in together before we got married, we were both pretty lacking in our cooking skills. We often ordered-in food and we ate the same things all the time, which included a lot of turkey tacos because they were easy to make.

As we got older, we both got better at cooking and currently my husband does 90% of the cooking in our house. (Score!)  But now that we have a baby, our dinner routine has become a little more challenging because we both want to maximize the time we spend with Harper after work instead of being stuck in the kitchen.  We like to cook things that are quick or than can be thrown into a pan and oven-baked so we can play with the baby and have our dinner practically make itself, save some prep time.

We've been buying Bertolli authentic Italian frozen meals for about five years now. We kind of discovered them randomly in the freezer section of our grocery store. It was one of those "these look good" moments and we picked up a few different meals.

Recently, Bertolli came out with new, restaurant-inspired, multi-serve Rustico Bakes, which promise to deliver oven-baked taste from the microwave in minutes. Already a fan of the stove-top frozen meals, I was excited to try something that would take even less effort (and no clean-up either!).

Nowadays, we cook a Bertolli dinner anytime we don't feel like really cooking or don't have the time to but we still want a tasty dinner that's a real meal (ie: not mac n' cheese or cereal). The new Bertolli multi-serve Rustico Bakes are available in 4 recipes-  Stuffed Shells Bolognese, Ricotta & Mozzarella Ravioli, Ziti Alforno and Manicotti Alla Vodka. You guys, they are SO good. I was amazed at how delicious they were and, confession time---when we made the Ziti Alforno, I took it out of the microwave and divided equal servings into bowls...and then, when my husband wasn't looking, added a little more to my bowl. (Sorry, honey.)

Sometimes we don't have the time or energy to cook or we just want to spend our evening taking a long walk with the baby and reading extra books. Having something quick and easy that we can eat and enjoy as a family is awesome (and lately, Harper likes to watch us eat too!).

All you have to do to make the Rustico Bakes is to pop it into the microwave for about 10 minutes. When it's all done I promise you will love the taste- just like what you'd order dining out, but you can wear sweatpants and don't have to leave your house.

 

Harper hanging out while dinner cooks...

 Here's what it looks like after we've served it up:

so much delicious melted cheesy goodness...mmm...

Bertolli also has a new line of Italian-inspired desserts and as someone who doesn't feel dinner is complete without a sweet treat at the end of a meal, I'm loving the Lemoncello dessert.  

Have you tried Bertolli dinners? What do you cook when you want a great meal that's quick? Leave me a comment below for a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card!

Sweepstakes Rules: 
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: �#SweepstakesEntry�; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 11/7/2013-12/4/2013.
Be sure to visit the Bertolli brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers� posts!

A Girls Night Out with Almay- CC Cream Review

For the last year,  BB creams were the beauty-product-du-jour. It seems like every brand came out with one, and ads on TV and in magazines all touted BB creams as THE skin solution.

I had never tried a BB cream because I felt that they wouldn't provide enough coverage for my skin, which is breakout prone. I like to use concealer to help hide imperfections (like blemishes and unevenness) and then top that with a powder foundation for a smooth, matte finish.

About a year after the reign of BB creams, I suddenly started to notice ads and commercials for CC creams.  Promising to offer more coverage and color correction than BB creams, my interest was piqued.

I recently had the chance to test out ALMAY� smart shade CC cream� .  It promises to cover imperfections, correct discoloration in the skin and also to help brighten your skin tone with continued use. It also contains an SPF 35 which is awesome; especially because I live in Texas so extra sun protection is always a plus.

The best part is that the CC cream has Almay's color-match smart shade technology and adjusts to suit your skin tone so there's no guesswork. I used the "light" color and it blends evenly into my skin.  I like that it feels moisturizing but not oily, and it gives medium coverage so imperfections are corrected but your real skin still shows through.  I've always spent the most time on my skin when I apply makeup because I think having a great "canvas" is crucial to the rest of your makeup looking good.   I did add a little concealer on top of Almay's CC cream to help cover a couple of blemishes and then I set the CC cream with a light dusting of Almay's Smart Shade loose powder.

The thing I like about CC cream is that it's kind of an in-between product---not the full coverage of a traditional liquid foundation but more coverage than a tinted moisturizer (or BB cream).  It's one of the products I would reach for if I wanted to look a little more polished for a weekend morning of running errands or if I needed to quickly even-out my skin but didn't want to wear a full face of makeup. 

Using Almay's CC cream, I created a 'girl's night out" look. Now that I have a baby, girl's nights are very few and far between (okay, let's just call a spade a spade and say there have been no girl's nights since Harper was born, unless you count late night bottles and cuddle sessions as a girl's night). So I thought it would be fun to dress up a little...

Starting my makeup with Almay's CC cream and ending with one of their bright pink color+care liquid lip balm (in "pink pout"), I headed to my closet to select the perfect outfit for a girl's night out. It was an ideal opportunity to wear my new peplum top (yep, definitely jumped on that trend train!)

I like this look because it could be worn for a night out with girlfriends but it's not too fussy---and it's incredibly comfortable too. 

My skin with Almay's CC cream and a light dusting of powder- followed by bronzer and blush. You can see a few of the CC cream shades and the gloss I used below!

and here's my girl's night out outfit...

 Top- Anthropologie | Jeans- GAP | Shoes- Zara (old) (similar, similar) | Necklace- Groopdealz.com | Bag- Tory Burch Reva Clutch | Sunglasses- Lulu's c/o

 GIVEAWAY!!
For a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card, answer this question: How do your create you favorite girls' night out look?

Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods: Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this postTweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: �#SweepstakesEntry�; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry. This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winner will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 10/23/13-11/19/13.
Be sure to visit the Almay Brand Page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers� posts and find more chances to win!

Sponsored- A Girl's Night Out Look with Almay

Today, I'm sharing a new video via BlogHer and Almay featuring Kate Bryan of The Small Things Blog showing us how to get a pretty look for a girl's night out (and she uses one of my favorite glosses---Almay's Color+Care Liquid Lip Balm in the color "blooming") I hope y'all enjoy her tutorial!

Have a great Tuesday and enjoy this shortened week!

Sponsored: A Pretty Weekend Look

Today I'm excited to have been asked by BlogHer to share with you a second video in the Almay sponsored series called  �Different Occasions. Different Looks. Always Pretty.�

The video below shows a casual weekend look using minimal makeup to achieve a polished face that's quick and easy.  You may remember I shared my five minute makeup routine recently, so this video was right up my alley.

Speaking of Almay, I cannot wait to share a review with you all of Almay's latest Color+Care glosses that I have coming up soon.  They are amazing and I can't wait to show you photos and swatches of the shades I got to test out---they're pretty much my most favorite products I've had the chance to test out lately!


 
Watch the video above to learn how Kate Bryan from The Small Things Blog uses Almay's CC cream, bronzer, mascara and gloss to create a laid-back and pretty weekend look.

Thank you for reading and wishing you all a wonderful week!   

Sponsored: A Date Night Look by Kate Bryan of The Small Things Blog

You might remember a recent date night makeup look I posted when I was still pregnant using Almay products.

Lately my "date nights" have been all about cuddling with our sweet little newborn Harper so today I'm delighted to have been asked by BlogHer to share an Almay-sponsored video series called �Different Occasions. Different Looks. Always Pretty.� In the first video, you'll learn to re-created a date night look by Kate Bryan of The Small Things Blog.

And speaking of date nights---let me know when you had your first date night with your husband post-baby!


Hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

Creating A "Pretty Little Liars" Inspired Hairstyle

Experimenting with new hair styles has me convinced that I need to try them more often.  Every time I switch it up a little, I get lots of nice feedback from co-workers who are used to my same-old look everyday. It's so easy to get stuck in that rut of never trying something different because it's easier to just go on auto-pilot in the mornings and style your hair the couple of ways you always do.  That's why I'm glad someone's taken all of the guesswork out of creating these styles so they're easy enough for the average non-hair pro to achieve.

Today's style is something ideal for a date night or other special occassion.  It's not too fussy, totally easy to do (it took me way less time than the first hairstyle I tried) and it's overall just a nice, soft, voluminous look.


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I followed the tutorial above by the lovely It's Judy Time and I absolutely loved the results.  The only difference is that I curled my hair instead of keeping it straight.  I created this style on third day hair, so having a little curl gave me extra volume to work with and also really brought out my newly touched-up ombre color.

The thing I love most about this style is the volume it offers at the crown. It really sets it apart from an everyday style, but it's not so fancy that you can't wear it to work, Iike I am today. You also have the option to middle or side-part this style, but I chose a middle part since that's more my day-to-day look. It might be fun to try a side part with the front pieces for a night out.

All you'll need to recreate this look is a teasing comb, some bobby pins, a brush and if you want curls like me, a curling iron and some hairspray.

Here's how it turned out:

What do you think of this style?  Check out It's Judy Time's video above for a step-by-step tutorial of how to achieve this look---weather your hair is straight or wavy!  I promise this one is super easy and quick---and best of all, I can totally see it working on hair that's been at the beach all day and is full of texture---so it's perfect for summer, which is just around the corner (even though in some parts of the country it doesn't feel like it quite yet!) Wishing you all a great week!

This is a sponsored post via BlogHer.