Our Weekend...

I've been way behind on blogging this past week because I was in San Francisco (seriously one of the most amazing US cities I've ever been to) on a blogger's trip with StitchFix. It was such an amazing experience and I'm so excited to share it with you. I'm still going through photos of the trip but I'll have something up later this week. In the meantime, you can find some photos from the trip on my Instagram account.

Though I had an incredible time, it was so nice to come home to my family and enjoy our weekend together! My flight was delayed and didn't get to Houston until nearly 2 a.m., so Harper was a little confused when I walked into her room Saturday morning. I fed her breakfast and soon we were playing peek-a-boo. She loves opening and closing doors and "hiding" from me. 

Harper's romper, ? CuteHeads

In other cuteness, Harper said "cheese" for the first time this weekend and I actually caught a snap of her saying it!

Saturday we hung out at home (me in my PJ's with dark circles under my eyes) playing, unpacking and taking naps when Harper did because I was still tired from the trip and plane ride home (I didn't sleep well on the flight). It was the perfect time to make up for the lost few days of snuggles.

Sunday we had a play date with Bennett and Tyler and we all headed out to Buffalo Grille for some brunch. 

After brunch, we played at Liz's house for a little while and then we all headed home so our toddlers could nap. I had to pick up a few things at Target during nap time, so I headed there with a list on my phone and no intentions of sticking to it (isn't that how it always goes at Target?)

Harper does a lot of coloring and arts + crafts at school (they send their projects home each week!) so I picked up more markers, crayons, coloring books and blank pads for her. I LOVE to draw and color with her so it's a little for me, too, haha! She has a habit of scribbling over every single thing I draw. I also started to ask her "do you want mommy to draw _______" and she tells me yes or no. It's so cute.

 crayola color wonder mini markers  |  crayola color wonder brush-tip markers

crayola color wonder mess-free coloring  |  crayola color wonder mess-free coloring mickey mouse clubhouse

crayola washable crayons  |  crayola washable markers 

drawing pad

five little pumpkins  |  room on the broom 

if i could keep you little  |  happy halloween daniel tiger!

polar bear polar bear, what do you hear?

bunny peplum pullover (just $12!)

mead notebook- college ruled  |  mead notebook- wide ruled  |  pilot pink pens 

anastasia of beverly hills #12 brow brush (not from Target but wanted to include it anyway since I got it to work with my dipbrow  |  Tom's of Maine Toddler Fluoride-Free Natural Training Toothpaste

decorative glass pumpkins- in stores--- LOVE these and these (need to order them!)

I tried on this top by Mossimo, but I need to order one size down. I may just wait for a re-stock since it's   a basic.

When I got back from Target little miss was still napping. She had a three hour nap which is a rarity these days. As you might imagine, she was a ball of energy for the rest of the night. We read our new books, colored and ran around like wild things!

It took me a week to realize why Harper would randomly say "ba ba ba ba ba." I thought she was babbling. She always says it when she sees her sheep mat and her lamb upstairs. Duh. It is unbelievable how much her language has exploded in the past few weeks. She went from saying just a handful of words at her 15-month appointment to saying and repeating new words on a daily basis.

Harper's headband- little hip squeaks

 In other news, I can't get over how long her pony tail is getting!

Harper's headband by Ryan and Wren

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Here's a fun shot of our photo shoot with StitchFix. I can't wait to share more!

Target Up & Up Everyday Personal Care Products Review + Giveaway

For the last two years, I�ve been using many up & up brand products from Target. I�m a diehard fan of their moisturizing body wash, oil-free eye makeup remover, cotton rounds, cotton swabs and nail polish remover. These are staples in my skin, body and nail care routines- they�re a great value and quality and the products do what they say they will.

Plus, I already shop at Target a lot, so it's easy to pick up these everyday essentials during one of my many visits where I browse each aisle and buy things I absolutely need want in my life.

I first discovered this up & up sensitive skin body wash (there's also a moisturizing and exfoliating version I love) when I was browsing the skincare aisle. I have really sensitive skin that frequently breaks out in hives, so I have to be careful with what I use when I shower, since my hives are temperature-induced. This body wash has been a staple for me -- it's better priced than name brand body washes and I've never noticed a difference in its performance -- it leaves my skin feeling clean, soft and smooth.

Recently I got to test out more up & up products that I hadn�t previously used -- including makeup removing facial wipes created specifically for sensitive skin (yay!) and antiseptic spring-mint mouthwash.

Kevin and I both enjoy the mouthwash, it's a nice extra fresh-breath boost in the morning and helps keep plaque at bay with its germ-fighting ingredients. 

I had never before used makeup cleansing wipes prior to these up & up cleansing towelettes for sensitive skin. I didn't realize that cleansing towelettes could remove waterproof makeup (I thought they were formulated for removing only foundation and powder). Since I'm a fan of waterproof mascara, this was perfect for me. I'm actually going to bring these with me when we go on vacation later this year so I don't have to bring cotton pads and liquid eye makeup remover.

 

Having access to inexpensive products that I use in my day-to-day life that are reliable and high quality is awesome, and I've found that in the up & up brand.

 

Have you tried any up&up products? Which ones are your favorites? Share in the comments below for a chance to win a $100 Target GiftCard�. 

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: �#OnlyAtTarget� 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.com 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 9/8-10/22.
Be sure to visit the Target up & up brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers� posts!

A Perfect Gray Dress

My apologies for the mirror photos, but it has been absolutely crazy at work and I've been going in a little earlier and leaving a little later than usual because of a big local and national story I've been working on all week. I love being this busy, but I'm ready for a little downtime this weekend.

For $27.99, this dress is kind of a must-have. I paired it with a charcoal gray blazer and flats, since I had worn heels the previous day and was on my feet a lot.

dress- target  |  necklace- dolce ave, ?  |  flats- kate spade  |  blazer- artizia 

I know the listing for this dress says "not sold in stores" but I got mine in store and several of my readers said they saw it too. So you can buy online, but you can try your local store too.

Enjoy your night!

Recent Target Buys

I'm sorry I've been a little MIA from the blog this week. This past work week was so busy and next week is gearing up to be the same, so I took a little break.

I ended up going to Target tonight to buy a gift for a birthday party we're attending tomorrow and I thought I'd share some of my purchases. I love seeing what other people buy when they shop, so I hope you enjoy a peek into my cart!

|  Mossimo slim jogger pant  |

You've probably seen these pants everywhere. Megan got them several weeks ago and I went to my Target and all they had left was an XS and XL. They must have re-stocked them because I was able to buy the medium today. I love these- soft and comfy! I always change into sweatpants after work and these will be perfect for that. I like that the top band folds down because it makes them fit nicer on me. 

|  Mossimo tunic dress  |

This dress was one of the items I threw into my cart thinking "what the heck, why not?!" knowing I probably wouldn't end up buying it...but it looked so cute when I put it on that I couldn't pass it up.

|  Xhilaration� Juniors' Sleep Pant  |

I didn't end up buying these adorable leopard print pants because do I really need another pair of lounge pants (brain says no, heart says yes) but they were too cute not to share. #regrets

|  wherever you are�  |  on the night you were born  |

I purchased a few books for Harper's friend's birthday party and I couldn't resist getting these two for Harper. They're written by the same author as my beloved "It's time to sleep, my love" book so I knew I would love them�pretty sure Harper will too!

|  Brookside dark chocolate covered berries  |

WARNING!!! Addicting product above! A co-worker turned me onto these and it's been love ever since. I often have a few (okay, a small handful) of these after dinner and it's the perfect thing to satisfy my sweet tooth without eating half a bag of miniature oreos.

|  secret  |  elf lash curler  |  up&up non acetone nail polish remover  |

I've been using Secret clinical strength for years, as well as Up&Up non-acetone nail polish remover. And, here's a confession: I pay $1 for the ELF lash curler so I can use the replacement inserts on my Shu Uemera lash curler. Cheap and effective.

Lastly, I picked up some Seventh Generation laundry detergent. I use tons of SG cleaning products in our home and absolutely love the brand. I usually use Tide free + clear for our entire family's laundry, but this was on sale and since I love the brand, I wanted to give it a try.

I hope you all have a great long weekend!

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.

"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!

Quick & Easy Holiday DIY Projects

Well, it's November and I'm already breaking out the holiday decor,which you've already seen if you follow me on instagram. I probably won't put my tree up until after Thanksgiving, but I'm enjoying infusing a little holiday cheer into our home early.

During Harper's naptime today, I got out some trusty crafting supplies and got to work. I used some Spritz gift wrap that I purchased on sale at Target several weeks ago to create some gift tags and to wrap a gift:

I based all of my crafts around this paper because I thought the neutral color and polka dots would be fun to "dress up" for the holidays. I got this entire roll of gift wrap for $1! (and I totally bought two rolls, just for good measure).

The first thing I did was wrap a gift with the paper and then add glitter ribbon. I used a glue gun to create the little bow on top of the gift box and to affix the ribbon to the box itself (I was inspired by this pin).

Next. I cut the gift wrap into the shape of a gift tag and used a second floral-print paper (also from an invitation set I got at Target forever ago) to create little gift tags. I added twine and used a Sharpie to write messages of holiday cheer on the tags.

Finally, I cut out the letter "H" for Harper's name and affixed it with a hot glue gun to a square piece of felt. Then, I used some glitter tulle that I got from an event I attended (it was wrapped around the dinner napkins and I thought I could use it for a craft and took it home- they were throwing them away anyway!) Finally, I used some glitter ribbon to secure the middle of the bow and added thick twine to affix it to a gift (or you could also use it as an ornament!)

This year will be the first year my H and I will host Christmas dinner so I'm also looking at items that will prettify my dining table.  Right now I'm really loving these mercury glass accessories and these ombre glasses (both from Target). I think they add an element of glam to a dinner table, which is exactly the look I'm going for. I'll be sure to update y'all on what my Christmas dinner and table decor plans are!

Do you have any fun DIY projects planned for this holiday? Let me know in the comments below or tag me on Instagram (my IG is @veronabrit). Use the hashtag #MyKindOfHoliday!

This post is in partnership with Target. All opinions are my own.