Unlock The Perfect Summer with These Essentials - Babbleboxx Outdoor Adventure Summer Tool Kit

 This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.

It's officially summer and we are feeling it.

We are spending our days pool side and our evenings are mostly spent running around with friends, making the most of each day. Our days have been beyond fun, we go hard and we enjoy every second - from giggling to crafting, we're doing it all and D is mostly in charge. We all are so happy in our new place and cherishing this last summer before the diva officially starts school.

It's already been a summer to remember and we have months to go... So far, D has mastered swimming, or as she says, she's a "real little manatee now", we watched the lifecycle of a butterfly happen right before our eyes, I've changed my hair up and I finally started practicing self care to the fullest extent. It's been a summer of learning and growth, for us all, and it's been so rejuvenating. We go to the pool daily so we all are darkening some and our hair is sunkissed. We've been playing board games, staying up a little later, indulging in our favorite treats to cool off, and just enjoying ourselves to the fullest - as a family.

As we all know, stuff happens - even on the days that are the most fun. That's why I always bring a little bag of goodies to keep troubles at bay. Here's my little toolkit to unlock the perfect summer:

Let's start with the obvious... since we've been spending more time at the pool, we've had a few injuries. Nothing major, that Liquid Bandages from New Skin couldn't handle though!

Unlike adhesive bandages, New Skin Liquid Bandages are all in one protection - they prevent infection, seal out water, dirt, and germs, and help heal cuts and literally works when a bandage can't. Not only do they prevent germs entering your wound, New Skin Liquid Bandages kill 99.99% of germs while remaining flexible and invisible on any skin tone. The best part is you can find them on Amazon or at Walmart, so stock up for your next pool day!

We've had to bust out our bottle of Liquid Bandage out a few times to help heal up a few woopsies! Between Tim scraping his knuckles while playing ball with some of our dad friends  to me tripping and scraping my knee up while chasing after D, this stuff has already proven to be a valuable part of my "toolkit".

Speaking of accidents happening, we all know PMS can sneak up on us. Between bloating, cramping, and a cranky attitude, I know it's coming on and I try to fight the symptoms before they come on... luckily I've got the perfect way to combat it all in my little toolkit of summer essentials. Pamprin Maximum Strength Multi-Symptom is a lifesaver.

Pamprin helps me beat the bloat and get my body back to feeling normal again, while crushing the cramps with a little pain relieving action, and I've noticed it actually helps master my mood and get me ready for the day. I just pop a couple when I feel Aunt Flo is going to be visiting soon and Pamprin works as the ultimate period solution, I feel better and ready to take on all the summer festivities we have planned!

Speaking of things we have planned, self care is always on my agenda as of lately. Not just indulgent moments of eating cheesecake alone in the bathtub with a good audiobook, though. I have been trying to really take care of myself in all different ways and after recently going back to blonde, I knew adding Shampoo from Ultra Swim into my daily after-pool routine was likely a good idea. Ultra Swim is truly a shampoo for swimmers because it's the absolute best chlorine removal shampoo on the market.

As you likely know, if you've spent a lot of time in a pool, the chlorine build up happens quickly and creates dry, brittle, unmanagable hair. Ultra Swim is the best way to remove all that gunk and build up, while still moisturizing and of course, since D and I both have blonde hair now I'm super thankful that it prevents the dreaded "swimmers green" hair. Ultra Swim is a little beauty miracle in a bottle!

Speaking of miracles in bottles, the last item I'm going to share from tool kit today is the most important to get my energy up and ready to play while we are poolside! These Energy Stix from 4c have been a game changer, a little on-the-go energy helping me level up and join in on the fun with the kiddos. I love that I can still get a carbonated, energy fix from a tiny little packet poured into my water bottle - what's better than more energy, while spending less money?

Nothing, but I think you'll be stoked to hear these little packets of heaven are actually sugar free as well, meaning no sugar crash like those other energy drinks! Which flavor from the 4c Energy Stix line up do you want to try first - Berry, Orange, or Citrus? I can't even pick a favorite, so I just rotate through all the flavors!

Now that you know some of my summertime favorites, tell me yours?! I'd love to hear what your must-haves for summer are in the comments below!

Some BIG news!

Things have been pretty quiet around here for a good reason...

We bought a house! 

 

Yep, we did it - we OWN our home now!

It's been a long (and occasionally stressful) process, since we decided to go with a new build but so far I'm fairly pleased with our choice. We built our new house with KB Home and loved the process. From the day we signed, to our design center appointment, to the day we closed, it was interesting. If I'm being real, it got super dicey, there were delays, there are a couple small mistakes - but overall the house is beautiful and we are living in a gorgeous community with lots of friendly families. We are super excited for the change.

With that said, I wanted to share a few photos of our new place. It's still a work in progress,we still need to update a few items, unpack boxes, install more lighting and come up with some creative storage, etc.... but I couldn't help myself and had to share a little peek at our happy new abode.

Interested in seeing the updates along the way? Be sure you are following on instagram & facebook and subscribe to my blog! 

Simple, Stylish Paint Chip Christmas Tree Toddler + Kid Craft

 

 

The holidays are right around the corner and we are super excited about all the fun that involves... this year is going to be one of the best. I haven't share this yet, but we have family surprising Delainey with a long visit over the holidays so it's hard not to be stoked. Also, I'm pretty amped to see her face on Christmas morning, because I may have spoiled my sweet girl. Beyond that, the Christmas spirit is in full swing in our home - with our little Elf causing trouble and the sweet innocence of writing letters to Santa, I'm going to go ahead and call it, Christmas is truly the most wonderful time of the year!

With that said, we've been trying to keep busy lately as we countdown the days until Christmas and this super simple and FREE Paint Chip Christmas Tree Craft was the perfect way to keep our minds occupied while creating a masterpiece. It was also a great way to practice cutting and gluing skills and to encourage her to discuss colors and shapes.

I also loved that we were able to make our tree anything but green. She's been stuck on trees only being green and it was good to encourage her imagination and mix up colors!

Have a little crafter on your hands? Love the look of our simple paint chip trees? Want to make one of your own? Here ya go!

We grabbed our paint chips for an upcoming rainbow mural project in her room from our local hardware store and well, we decided to use them craft-ily as well once this idea came to mind.

You'll start by cutting off both ends with writing on them and start making staggered cuts with the remainder of the paint chip. Allowing for both big and small pieces, thick and thin,etc.

Now, once you have a ton of colors cut up and lots of variety in the shapes of your pieces, apply glue to your white paper in the shop of a tree, if you'd like you can top your tree with a star or a funky shaped cut.

It's that easy. Now just let it dry & hang it up! I plan on sticking these in shadow box frames and setting it out each year. I love looking back at our crafts year after year and admiring each piece, it's a little bit of nostalgia that I'll always be thankful for.

Do you love doing holiday crafts? Be sure to subscribe to receive our blog updates so you don't miss a thing!

The HONEST Truth about Sleep Number Beds - Sleep Number p5 Mattress Review

Did you know we actually WON a Sleep Number bed?


We did... and I was legit so excited! I won the Sleep Number p5 Mattress on twitter, craziest thing - I tweeted once in favor of a blog network that I adore and next thing I knew we were the proud owners of a fancy new bed!  We went to the store, we learned about our new bed, they came and installed it, the whole shebang! While I was SUPER thankful to have the opportunity to have such an expensive item, I learned from this lesson that the price of something absolutely does not make it a nicer product.

That's right, I'm dishing the dirt on our Sleep Number today and filling y'all in on the facts. We had a P5 delivered in 2016 and while it seemed cool to have such a fancy, adjustable bed at first - we soon discovered we aren't Sleep Number people. I like a bed to be soft yet firm, cozy yet sturdy. Our sleep number was best described as hard and uncomfortable when fully inflated or too soft and mushy when we lowered our sleep number. It's known as their most popular bed and it it supposed to offer body-contouring and sleep-enhancing benefits, but it simply does not feel good.

If you've ever been on a Sleep Number bed, you know there's a remote and you can adjust your settings. So I tried it all, numbers all over the place. There truly wasn't a comfortable number for me. I would wake up sore and still tired a lot, all from sleepless nights on our new mattress.

Not only was it uncomfortable, it was inconvenient. With the remotes, we were able to adjust our sleep number... but it really wasn't the easiest. You have to re-inflate regularly, then reset to your preferred setting when coming to bed. It wasn't anything to truly complain about but... when you can just get in bed and get cozy with almost any other mattress, why inconvenience yourself with another gadget to fiddle with before bed?

Like I said, I'm truly thankful to have won the bed... what a cool experience and a BIG win, but I thought I'd share our personal experience with Sleep Number and let you know that maybe it simply isn't worth the price for some. I tried for years to just deal with the bed, but finally decided to literally just toss it in the trash at the beginning of the pandemic.

With that said, we switched BACK to our Eve mattress that I was sent years ago for a blog campaign. They aren't sponsoring this post in any way now, but it is seriously a heavenly mattress - I highly recommend you looking into them if you are in the market for a mattress that'll blow your mind and offer that cozy, comfort we all want!

Growing up means I'm obsessing over wall colors and collecting home decor more and more. I can often be caught daydreaming about owning a white couch or sometimes I'll be off in Amazon-land collecting things I'd like to add to my knick-knack shelf in my cart to "save for later".

If you're also like me and clean, cutely decorated pinterest-styled-homes obsessed, then this little list of amazing IKEA finds for under $10 is right up your alley - and get this, you can buy a few of these items for each person on your shopping list this holiday and it won't break the bank!

So let's get this party started!

10 EPIC IKEA FINDS FOR $10 & UNDER

1. MULA Abacus -  One yellow, three greens and two blue ones.  Help your kiddo develop critical thinking and logical skills with this nifty little old-fashioned bit of a rainbow. In-stores for just $9.99!

 

2. HYLLIS Shelf Unit - This industrial looking, practical storage space is just what every space needs. Open, yet accomodating to all belongings. Grab one of these for just $9.99!





3. TOFTLUND Rug - This adorable rug is just the right amount of "texture" for any room. Whether you use it as expected, on the floor... or you could mix things up and drape it at the end of your bed or it may possibly provide just enough of a boho vibe if you hang it on the wall? The ways to use this little piece of sheep-skin lookalike material are endless and all of them are adorable. This little taste of heaven can be added to your cart for just $9.99 and is a must have!

4. MÅLA Portable drawing case - This super adorable little craft storage is what I like to think of as a child's version of a briefcase! With a hard surface for them to craft upon, this is perfect for around the house or long travels in the car, ringing in at just $9.99 - this is a must have under the tree this year!




5. HEMLAGAD Crepe/pancake pan - Breakfast is served! This crepe/pancake pan is one your kitchen is calling for! Become the Top Chef in your kitchen for just $7.99!

6. VARDAGEN Glass in blue - There's just something so nostalgic about these glasses... and I'm gonna go ahead and indulge in some bevies in these beauties for the low price of just $4.99 for a pack of 4!



7. POLARVIDE Throw in gray - This warm, fleece throw is an unexpected gift from IKEA. It's such a brilliant neutral,with a sweet scalloped edge, and comes in at just $3.99! Everyone on your list needs a new blanket for that price.




8. SPARKÄR Door mat in green leaves - This precious little plant lady door mat is literally the bee's knees! I'm beyond obsessed and think it's the perfect mixture of inviting and adorable without being too much! Add a buffalo plaid mat underneath it and we'll go ahead and call it the perfect "modern farmhouse" look we all want...amIright? Add to cart for just $7.99!




9. TROMMA Wall clock in white - This adorable clock arrived to IKEA just in time... HA. See what I did there? But seriously, this is such a cute piece to add to a gallery wall and for just $1.99, you might as well grab a few as gifts!




10. SANNAHED Frame in white - This adorable little frame makes the perfect shadow box for your photos or artwork. Coming in both black and white, I know these will be decorating our walls. Want to add some to your home? Grab one for just $4.99!

That's a wrap for 10 of the best items from Ikea for under $10! Which one is on your list this year?

Simple Snowman Countdown to Christmas Chain

 

This month I'm taking more time to embrace the little moments with my growing girl. After a year of running on overdrive for my small shop, I stepped back around Thanksgiving and realized I owe it to both of us to spend more quality time together, so we've been laughing more, cuddling tons, and doing non-stop craft projects. I thought I'd start to share our daily craft projects and hopefully inspire you to get your hands messy with your little one!



Today I'm sharing a super simple, yet adorable craft - our Snowman Countdown to Christmas Chain is something nearly everyone has the materials to make and it's such a fun way to visually show your kids how many days are left until Christmas. I highly recommend pinning this project and getting it completed early in December so that it's a fun, drawn out countdown! We started our countdown with 26 days left until Christmas and I'm so excited to watch D's face as the links go away and she realizes Christmas is almost here!

Ready to start making your Snowman Countdown to Christmas Chain? Let's do this!

Materials:
White Printer Paper
Glue
Scissors
Black Construction Paper
Markers

You'll start by cutting the white printer paper into the amount of days you are counting down... we started at 26 days so cut out 26 pieces of paper.

We then made one into a circle, gluing the ends together. Then continued that process, having Delainey help thread each piece through the next and place the glued ends together. Continue connecting until you have only one piece remaining.

Once we had all of our pieces of connected, sans one. We drew a cute snowman face on the last piece, threaded it through, and attached the ends.

We then cut out a little hat and attached with glue.

The final step was showing off our hard work and hanging it up so we could start counting down the days until Christmas!

Have you made a countdown or are you using a pre-purchased advent calendar? Tell me all about how you're counting down the days until Christmas in the comments below!

A little hello (again)...

This year has been full of chaos, as we all know... and I'll be completely real with you all, I haven't handled it well. 

I've had breakdowns, I've cried til I couldn't shed another tear, I've worried myself sick, and I've focused my energy differently than I ever have before and manifested all kinds of crazy events.. and I'm sure I'm not alone in any of this. 2020 has been a "helluva" year. I'd like to think December will be perfect, but as we all know - that's unlikely this year.

One thing I didn't do in 2020, that I was really aiming to do before the pandemic came ashore, was stay consistent and involved with my blog. I partially stopped updating as much because I felt paralyzed trying to write, I had the ultimate case of writer's block and well, I think it shows. It was hard to come up with anything to say with so much facing us. I shared my opinions and stance on major events on social media, but I honestly didn't feel I had a voice in anything happening in 2020. From the virus to race riots, that's not my expertise. I listened, I learned, and I occasionally reposted on social...but felt I had no right to share too much information here.

Beyond not knowing what to write, I also devoted ALL of my creative energy into my bow business - kind of by accident. Each week I've started having a ready-to-ship release and that's been a total time suck. Amazing, so much fun, and helpful financially, but writing is my passion - hence, why I started a blog and why I'm here writing for you now.

As I sat terrified over the last few months, not knowing what to write, it was easy for me to take a pair of scissors to my materials and create whatever felt right. It was therapeutic in some ways to step away from sharing so much here and just create "art", but then again, boxing everything in and not sharing was hard and obviously didn't do me much good. So, here I am, sharing the most honest post I've shared in 2020.

It's been a hard year. I've had my heart shattered, I've been let down, I've felt a complete lack of control - but I'm still here and I'm actually feeling more ready to share with you guys than ever. This year hasn't shut me up, it just taught me to choose the life I want, to create the life I want, and that's why I'm back - I want to encourage you to create your dream life while I create mine alongside you.

So, to summarize, I'm back and feeling better than ever about sharing here on the blog. Now is the time to create the life you want and I can't wait to help you do just that, by creating the life I want and sharing it here!

Let me just go ahead and say "hello" (again)!

How I'm Taking Care of Me with a Little Self Care #FallForSelfCareBBxx

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.

Lately, I'm learning that taking care of myself is just as important as taking care of those around me. From making sure I feel beautiful, to renewing my soul, I'm really working on ME lately and reminding myself who I am, knowing that this makes me a better mom, wife, and friend to all. It's funny because I was so invested in my family for so long, I almost forgot what a good day of self-care looked like... then Babbleboxx sent over this box of goodies for me to test out and it changed the way I take care of myself for the better.

The first big change for me was subtle BUT so revitalizing, I changed my hair color for the better and I'm so thankful to eSalon for making the best color I've possibly ever had. It came in a kit, with instructions prepared just for me so it was easy as pie to use and I think the results were incredible.

Before using their dye, I was starting to notice grey hair (thanks to parenting during covid, I'm sure LOL)... Luckily, they know that no two people are the same, our hair is ALL different and eSalon matches your hair with a formula made specifically for you. I asked for a shade with red violet in it and they sent over a BEAUTIFUL mahogany shade that matches my complexion so well, it looks like my natural color.

As you can see, it was a small change but the greys being gone and a luxurious, natural looking color literally have changed the way I view myself and my appearance. I'm proud to wear my hair down, I've been styling it more and loving the way I look!

Another thing I've been loving while I have a minute of alone time, is the book they sent over... A Fool's Paradise by Author Robyn Williams is a great read and a good escape. Before I had my daughter I loved to read, but I've done less of it the older she gets - not using her as an excuse, but my brain is tired after being her playmate all day long. Ha. I'm sure other mamas can relate... but this book is perfect to pick up and read during nap time and good way to renew my mind with a little escape. If you're looking for something you don't want to put down, then I suggest grabbing a copy of A Fool's Paradise.

Another thing I'm highly recommending from the Babbleboxx was the Lip Plumping Gloss from Grande Cosmetics. GrandeLIP is a high gloss, volumizing plumper and it makes me feel BEAUTIFUL. My poor lips have always been super dry and this gloss changed that right up and made them look fuller and more hydrated. In just 3-5 minutes, I feel like a new woman with fuller, more beautiful and glossy lips! Want to give GrandeLIP a try? Use the code SELFCARE10 to save!

We all know hand sanitizer is a commodity these days, so when they sent over a couple of different bottles, I was so excited to be provided a little bit of peace of mind. The Born Basic sanitizer is straight shooting and to the point, no gimmicks in their branding - simple and to the point, they are a necessity and they don't fluff up their packaging which is nice. I love that I can stick a bottle in my purse and head out to run some errands without worrying about germs as much, knowing I have this non-sticky, soothing formula of sanitizer in my bag!

The last thing in my Babbleboxx was the Nail and Foot Repair products from Kerasal. It's like they knew I was dying for a pedicure and supplied me with some goodies to give myself an ultimate healing one, AT HOME!  

The Kerasal Intensive foot repair was the perfect way to soothe my feet and deeply moisturize them. I noticed a change in my heels overnight... and couldn't even believe it! I just lather it on, stick on some socks and let it soak in. Interested in getting your feet in tip-top shape? Check out Kerasal Intensive Foot Repair for yourself.

The multi-purpose intensive nail repair was just what my toes were begging me for. After years of getting my toes done, I've noticed some serious signs of "aging" and was freaking out about the way they looked. It was something only I knew about, but something I was embarassed about nonetheless. Then I tried this stuff and realized it was just what I needed! Kerasal's patented formula helps improve nail appearance by reducing discoloration, smoothes the surface hydrates and normalizes your nails - making them look beyond healthy again!

Speaking of feeling healthy again, I bet you can see why I'm feeling all the good self-care vibes after receiving this Babbleboxx. So tell me, how do you practice self-care? What's your favorite way to "treat yourself" while you are still dealing with your day-to-day routine? 

 

 

You Have to Try These Fancy Dates: Bacon Wrapped Goat Cheese Dates Drizzled with Delicious Maple Balsamic Reduction

We've been getting creative in the kitchen lately and this delicious dish is an even-better-than-the-original recreation of one of our favorite appetizers at a local cafe. If you love flavorful and delicious foods, this goat cheese stuffed date recipe is gonna knock your socks off... top it off by wrapping each stuffed date with bacon and add a drizzle of a homemade balsamic reduction for the most perfect flavor combination you've ever experienced. They may not look fancy, but I promise you they'll soon become a new favorite snack or side dish!

Now that we've established you NEED to try this dish, here's how it's made:

- Ingredients -
8 oz of goat cheese (log works nicely)

5 slices of applewood smoked bacon

1 package of dried pitted dates

3 tbs balsamic vinegar

2 tbs maple syrup

1/2 tbs cane sugar

1-2 tsp corn starch (Mix with a splash of cold water prior to using, making a thin paste)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Do your best to stuff dates with goat cheese. I used a chop stick to get in as much cheese as I could.

Then lay out bacon slices on a plate and roll a date in a slice until it is wrapped completely. Slice the bacon and repeat until all of the dates are wrapped.

Put on parchment paper covered sheet pan in oven for approximately 12 minutes or until bacon looks done to your preference.

While these are baking, add the balsamic, maple, and sugar into a sauce pan and turn burner to medium high. Let the mixture boil for a couple of minutes, then add in the corn starch paste and stir thoroughly. Turn heat down to simmer. Continue to stir until the sauce starts to thicken. Drizzle on top of dates.

ENJOY!