Our Holiday & Weekend Recap

The holiday came and went so fast! I had planned on writing a big post filled with pictures and stories, but then we took like 2 pics that day. We charged up our DSLR camera, took it to Nana’s and didn’t get a single picture of anyone! It was such a fun Christmas and Ellie loved opening all her gifts, she wanted to play with each one that she opened until she opened the next one. She was absolutely spoiled this year by the family; dolls, strollers, books, Little People sets, and Frozen everything. We have to keep a few toys in their box for her to open and play with later (we usually keep a few put away and bring them out little by little over a few months) and I have a ton of cleaning and organizing to do in our playroom.

We didn’t get her a “big” gift this year because we couldn’t decide between a kids table (we’re looking at this one) and a kitchen set (we like this one and this one). I know she would enjoy both, but I didn’t want to get her too much so we decided we would get her some toys that would work for both and decide in the new year which she would enjoy most now and get the other item for her 2nd birthday. We gave her a ton of art supplies- Crayola Triangle Crayons, Gem Crayons, Paint Dabbers, Color Magic Markers & Notepad for her to use at a table and then Santa brought her some Sprouts Food Baskets (ours are from Costco and comes with a breakfast, lunch, and dinner basket) for a kitchen set. We figured we would see which she would get the most use of at this time to buy first. She uses a kitchen during free play at pre-school, but never uses the one at her Nana and Papa’s house, so I wanted to wait on it. She uses a table at both pre-school and her grandparents and I know that would always be good to have, but I have no idea where we would keep it and I have a place for the kitchen set in mind. So we’re waiting to see which we should get first.

Our only family pic from the day. Toddler life is not for the weak.

We’ve been playing and playing with all of her Christmas gifts and I had to work both Friday and Saturday so we took the rest of the weekend easy. Saturday night Matt and I rented Maleficent and filled up our bellies with holiday treats and pork rinds (a rare indulgence for us). Sunday, Ellie and I were both kind of tuckered out so we mostly napped and watched a Tinkerbell movie on Netflix. We did make it out of the house for a quick Target run, which forced us to get dressed for the day (only to come home and get back into jammies). Ellie insisted on buckling her baby in the cart to keep her safe too. It was the cutest thing!

I’m very excited for New Year’s Eve this year, last year and the year before that I was sick. This year we’re having a few people over for dinner and dessert. We’re excited to have plans this year! Hope you all have a great week!

Our Christmas Card

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!
I hope tonight and tomorrow is filled with love, joy, and magic this holiday season.

Our Weekend (kind of)

Although the post is titled "Our Weekend", it's more like the last few days that led up to the weekend. We've been so busy getting ready for the holiday, my Dad flew in on Saturday night to stay for a week, my sister and her fiance are going to spend time with us, so I took advantage of some days off to get all my shopping done.

Must not buy one of each, must not buy one of each

I really should have bought more candy for the house. I thought I'd be good and only buy a pound of nuts and chews for Matt and I and they're almost gone! Why did I choose a week full of visitors to be healthy? Terrible life choice. Even though our visitors are family, I find it so stressful to have people stay with us. I always want to make sure they're comfortable and we have everything they need. Anyone in that boat?

I was able to get my hair done for the holidays, it's a bit darker than before (I think, but maybe it just faded?) and I really love the color. I planned on trimming it and giving it more of an angle, but the day before my appointment I had an awesome hair day. Doesn't that seem to always happen? I think I'll start growing it out and trimming it every other time.Here's a pic of my hair, not shown is Ellie playing in the mirror at her 18 month check up.

Plaid Shirt 

Ellie made for a great shopping partner after our scream filled visit to see Santa. It really made for a great pic though!

Shirt // Bow

Since this past week has been rainy and cold and we couldn't really play outside, an indoor craft would have to do. Ellie made all her grandparents some ornaments. I was afraid that this would turn into a huge mess, but it was really easy to clean up! If only it lasted longer than 10-15 minutes.

I used a dollar store table cloth to cover our table and an old sleep shirt of mine that I tied in the back to use as a smock. After the ornaments dried, I sprayed some sealant on them to help them last a lifetime. I bought high gloss, but it really just kept paint at the same original gloss they already had. I was hoping it would add some more shine. We also wrote cute message on the back in gold marker. I can't wait for the grandparents to open them on Christmas morning!

Paints // Ornaments (Hobby Lobby) // Acrylic Sealer 

Ellie and I were able to meet up with one of my closest friends and chat over dinner at Pieology. It was our first time there and it was so fun! You can make your own pizza to be made or choose one of their signature pies. It was delicious! Ellie was making friends with everyone around us, it was so cute.

We both chose a margherita style pizza with their cinnamon sugar pie for dessert.

Matt and I braved the stores before the weekend started to stock up on groceries. We planned out our dinners and what we needed in general and got it all so we wouldn't have to go back while we had visitors. Although, I'm sure we'll have to get one or two things that will pop up.

Jeans //  Sandals // Sweater (super old) // Purse (old, similar)

Yes, it's the week of Christmas and we're still wearing sandals over here. No shorts though, we're too sissy in this "cold".

Hope you're all having a great time leading up to Christmas! Travel safe and drink lots of cocoa!

Ellie's Christmas Wishlist

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year (just like everyone else in the world) and it’s so much better now that I have a child to share it with. All of the holidays are better with children. Seeing the magic through their eyes, the wonder, it fills the season with more joy. We’ll be heading off to see Santa this week and here are some items on her wishlist:

Frozen Toddler Anna & Elsa Dolls // Frozen Slippers // Etch a Sketch // Disney Dolls // Gumball Machine // Housekeeping Set // Color Wonder Markers and Pages // Chunky Puzzles

Last year we had a great visit with Santa, she just stared at him and was so curious. This year I think it’s going to be a scream and run type of stranger danger situation. Wish us luck! What’s on your little one’s list this year? 

House to Home: Master Bedroom Reveal

There are certain times in your life that you truly feel like an adult. A real adult and not just a kid pretending to be grown up. Experiences like buying your first car, getting kitchen items (Mixing bowls that are dishwasher safe and stack well? Yes!), buying home goods (we need more throw pillows!), or getting furniture. The real kind. The kind that costs real money and lasts for decades.

Two weeks ago, I had that “Whoa, I’m thirty and buying legitimate furniture” moment. I’ve talked before about master bedroom inspirations and we talked about getting some in the new year. Since I was in the third grade, I’ve been using furniture that was handed down to me from my Great Grandmother. I love the furniture, they have a great shape with big deep drawers, and if Matt and I were using matching chests I would just refinish them and keep using them. I’m sick of our room and have been dreaming of giving it a makeover since we moved.

At first we were planning on just painting the room a soft white and we picked up some paint sample cards to narrow down our options. I had them taped up and after looking at them for almost a week we settled on three different shades that we would buy samples of and planned to paint in the next week. That little job would keep me happy until we were able to find furniture we liked.

Well…We had spent the night at Matt’s parents’ home and decided to go with them to look for a new couch for their home and ending up getting a whole new bedroom set and mattress! We went with the intention of helping them look at furniture and thought we’d look around to see what options are available and get an idea of what we liked. When we saw the set we had chosen, we just knew right away that it was perfect for what we were looking for! We didn’t have to debate about it or mull it over before we decided to make the set our own.

I’m glad we didn’t paint yet, because now we can choose a color based off our new furniture. I’m sure that any of the neutral colors we were looking at would still work, but I like being able to see how it will look against the furniture and lighting. There’s still lots to do and get before it will be “complete”, but I’m happy with our progress so far.

Bedroom Furniture // Large Mirrored Frame // Small Mirrored Frame // Silver Frame // Crystal Ring Holder // 3 Mirror Set (from Kohls, unavailable online similar here and here) // Sheets // Bedding

Here's a close up of the colors we're leaning towards. We're gonna pick up some samples and see how they look over the existing paint color and in the different lights of day.

Here are some items I’m still looking to get:

- Something to put above our headboard
I’m thinking a large mirror, but that might be too much with the mirror items above the dresser. My cousin gave me a vintage window pane I thought about putting above, but it’s much larger than I had anticipated and I’m going to put it downstairs instead now. Right now I’m just on the hunt for something and I have an idea that I’ll know it when I see it. Until then, any suggestions?

- An area rug
I love the look of a rug coming from under the bed, it really opens up the room and adds some color. I'll have to test it out because I don't want it to be distracting or too busy.

- Lamps
I’m torn between long skinny silver lamps or clear lamps. I like the look of both and I keep switching between which kind I prefer. I also love the look of mercury glass too. There’s so many choices! I love this, this, and this one.

- Bench
There are so many cute options available for benches at great prices. I think it would be nice to find one that doubles as a storage for extra sheets/bedding. I love this tufted one and this storage one.

- TV Mount
We’re ordering a mount right now so I can’t wait to get that puppy up on the wall. It’s going to look so good.

- Drapes
Here another item I’m kind of dreading buying. When we bought the soft blue ones for the living room, we had bought a few different ones before we found the right ones. I think it would be nice to go with a white, gray, or a pattern. I have no idea and I haven’t even started looking at any yet.They're definitely a priority, but I'm procrastinating in getting it started.

There's our room for now! I love our new furniture and am so happy with our purchase. There's so much more space and I love the look of the furniture. The color and style are exactly what I wanted. One of my favorite details is the jewelry drawer with a tray on the top. It's already getting lots of use and I love having somewhere lined to keep them.

Any suggestions, please leave them below! We have a lot to do before the room is "finished".

Our Thanksgiving Weekend

Our holiday weekend was so much fun and went by so quickly. On Wednesday, my sister and her fiancé came by for the night and we had a great time catching up, eating Chinese food, and talking about their wedding planning. On Thanksgiving, Matt, Ellie, and I woke up bright and early and started our holiday baking. We were in charge of bringing a dessert and two dishes of green bean casserole. It was nice to get them out of the way and enjoy the late morning relaxing and getting ready. We were able to have some hot chocolate and watch TV without having to rush out the door.

Thanksgiving was so much fun and I loved seeing all of our family there together. The food was delicious and Ellie and I finally busted out our Mama + Me matching outfits. I just need to snag a fur vest now….

After we were stuffed to the max we headed to Matt’s parents house to put Ellie down and I went out with my girlfriend for some Black Friday shopping. This is our third year going again and it was another successful trip for the books! I’m really disappointed that so many stores were open so early (or even all day) on the Holiday. Part of the magic and fun of Black Friday is staying up late or waking up early to stand in line. We were always prepared for the line with chairs, blankets, hot drinks, snacks and games. It’s kind of like the drive to Vegas for us- fun filled with excitement! We waited until our usual time to go out (9pm) and we were able to still snag everything on our lists! We took it easy this year and just went to Kohls, Ulta, and Target. I had planned to head over to Old Navy and Toys R Us too, but I didn’t need to after the 3rd stop. What was so great at Target is that there wasn’t a single person in line to check out! Fantastic!

After coming home and sleeping a few hours, my family and I went out with my sister to try on some wedding dresses! We have some more appointments for her in the upcoming weeks, but it was exciting to be there to share in the special moment. She’s going to have such a hard time finding a dress because they all looked beautiful on her. She’s going to make such a gorgeous bride!

This past weekend, my sister also asked me to be her Matron of Honor! We promised each other when we were children that we would be each other’s Maid/Matrons of Honor and it’s sweet that the promise is being kept. She gave each of us bridesmaids (she has 2 more to ask) a Christmas ornament as a keepsake of the special occasion. It’s been so fun to call/text each other with fun wedding ideas and add pins to her Pinterest board. I already have some ideas for her shower and bachelorette, as soon as the new year comes I’ll be on it!

Saturday I had to go in to work for a few hours and Matt and Ellie were supposed to meet up with his family for a short camping trip, but Ellie came down with the flu. It was the first time she’s ever thrown up and I felt so bad for her. All she did was want to cuddle all day and watch Frozen, so that’s exactly what we did! Thankfully she was over the bug by Sunday and was back to her usual silly self.

 

Sunday, we were so productive! I love those days when you get up and start tackling your day. We cleaned out our garage, I donated 5 garbage bags of clothing (some new with tags even) and a box full of blankets and purses to Goodwill for a local high school fundraiser. I had thought about selling the items or taking them in for cash somewhere, but it wasn’t worth the work and I know that people in need could put it to better use. We also hung up some items on the walls, did our laundry, did some cleaning, and then relaxed the rest of the night. The day went at a great pace, I felt like we were done by so much before 11 so it was nice to spend some quality time with the family.

I hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving and holiday weekend! Happy December!

Our Favorite Toys

With Christmas just around the corner and Black Friday just a few days away, I thought today would be the perfect time to post Ellie's favorite toys over these past (almost) 18 months. I've included toys that had the most use and would make great gifts for any littles you're buying for. Some ages are harder to buy for than others and I thought I'd give my take on what has been played with the most. Some of these gifts were bought for us and I'm so happy we were gifted them because they have been so much fun!

Learning Sit to Stand Walker  // Glow Worm Lullaby Doll //  Mega Bloks Building Bag //Block Sorter

Books // My Pal Violet // Ring Stacker (the old school plastic one is great too!)    

Soft Blocks // Play Tent 

What toys does your family/littles enjoy the most? Please share!

Recent Purchases: Mama + Me

Lately, I've been picking up a few items here and there so I compiled a post of everything over the last few weeks.I love to see what everyone is buying, what new products are out, and what deals they've found. Luckily, I've found some great deals and sales, especially with the holidays coming up. Around this time of year, I try to wait to buy things until Black Friday so I can get the best deal, but there's been a few items I've just had to have or I took advantage of pre-Black Friday deals.

On a side note, what the heck is up with the stores opening so early this year? Shopping at 6 is like regular shopping, not Black Friday shopping. They're taking the fun out of it! I think I'll just go shopping at my regular time and not care about standing in line or getting into a store first. Plus, I don't have anything specific or big to purchase.

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Polish

After seeing a ton of reviews I had to snag this for myself! I love Sally Hansen and will be doing a full review soon.

Milani Blush in Luminoso

Another winning recommendation from Meg. It was hard to find this shade- it was sold out everywhere. I really love the color, it’s a gorgeous neutral and I want to pick up a darker color for the fall season.

Big Sexy Hair Powder Play

I saw this a while ago on someone's IG account and when I saw that Ulta had some as stocking stuffers for $3 I scooped one up to test out. So far, I really like it! Especially when I wear my hair straight and I'm on day 2-3 hair and need some extra lift.

Black Knit Beanie

Remember the gray beanie I posted about on a previous post? Well, it finally cooled down enough to wear it a few days and I can’t freaking find it anywhere. It’s been abducted by aliens. So I picked it up in black until the martians decide to return it to its owner.

Plaid Blanket Scarf

When do I ever turn down a scarf? Never! Grabbed this one from Target asap when I saw that it was 50% off!

Cable Knit Infinity Scarf

Again, if it’s a scarf I must own it. I love this thick knit and the wine color is beautiful. I can’t wait to re-create this look from pinterest I pinned a million years ago with it. (LINK TO PIN)

Buffalo Shirt

Remember this gem from my Mama + Me post? I had to snag it, even if it was full price. I plan on being twinsies with Ellie for Thanksgiving this week.

Boot Socks (in store)

Here are some things I've bought for Ellie:

Merry & Bright PJs

I saw these online, but they didn’t have them yet in store at Carters, but I found them at Kohls! Add to cart. I wish they have feet attached at the bottom though, I prefer for Ellie's pajamas to keep her feet covered in the winter time. I'll just dress her in socks.

Fur Vest

As soon as I showed this to Ellie she hugged it and I knew it was a winner. Now if I could only find one for me!

Gold Metallic Skirt

This is the perfect skirt for the holidays! It’s so pretty and I love the material. I can't wait for her to rock this little pretty to the parties.

Polka Dot Tights

How cute will these tights be with the above skirt? Love the fun polka dots!

Northern Isle Pjs

I love winter jammies that Ellie can wear all season (not just for Christmas) and this fun bright print was perfect! I want to buy her a larger size for next year I love it so much.

Denim Skirt

I love the look of fun printed tights/leggings with skirts/dresses for layering on little girls. This skirt is so cute on her, she wore it for our family pictures a few weeks ago. 

Silver Flats // Fox Flats

These shoes are so adorable!! I love the silver flats (they run big) and want to get her the same pair in gold now. I couldn't help myself with the fox flats, they are just too cute.

Flannel Shirt

Although this is from the girl's section, it totally looks like a boy's shirt. Until I dress my little Ellie Bell up with a giant bow and fur vest (or puffer vest)! Can't wait to see how cute she looks in this top.

Hope you all have a fabulous short week!

Mama + Me: Chambray and Camo

Today's post is another easy outfit to wear for you and your littles. It's inspired by an outfit Ellie wore this week, actually. We have all of her outfit picks and she hasn't worn them together yet, but after dressing her in her camo leggings yesterday I thought about how could they would be with her chambray top. The lace headband adds just right feminine and girly touch to pull it all together. I love little guys in button down shirts, they always look so handsome in them. A nice chambray top is something everyone in the family needs in their closet. The material is so soft and easy to wear and play in. I wear mine nearly weekly, it was also nice when we were nursing, so it's been a fave for a while.

Little Man

Chambray Top

Camo Pants

Beanie

Mama

Chambray Top ($15! Order a Tall for tunic length)

Camo Skinnies

Lace Headband

Little Lady

Chambray Top (still available in store)

Camo Leggings

Lace Headband 

Happy Tuesday!

Product Review: Maybelline Color Tattoo Eye Shadow

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded

 

Since buying our house, I haven’t had the chance to replenish some of my Holy Grail beauty products in a while. Our area is still developing and our closest mall is a solid 20 minute drive and I don’t make it over there that often. One thing I’ve been out of for a while is my Urban Decay Primer Potion (see my original review here) and I’ve had to check out some other primers in the meantime (like this so-so elf one). I wear eye shadow daily and like to use a primer base underneath to ensure it lasts my work day without fading or creasing. I know I can order it online, but I like going into beauty stores to check out other products and I’ve been wanting to go in to see some products from my Fall Beauty Inspiration post.

One item that’s been on my radar for a while is MAC’s Paint Pots (specifically Bare Study and Ochre). I’ve tried a paint pot in the past and didn’t care too much for it, but I have been wanting to try it again. A few of my girlfriends swear by them so I thought I should give them another go and added it to my Christmas list. While browsing my usual beauty blogs and Pinterest, I kept seeing the Color Tattoo Shadows repeatedly as dupes for MAC’s Paint Pots. During a late night pinning sesh, I found this particular pin and decided to test the Color Tattoo Shadow in Barely Branded since it’s considered a dupe for Bare Study.

Barely Branded is a pretty shimmery champagne color that makes for a good neutral base for shadows. I’ve used this only as a shadow base, but have used it almost every day since purchasing it. I use a small concealer brush (similar to this one) to apply a thin layer all over my lid to my brow bone before applying my shadows. The shadow is creamy and soft, creamier than I remember the paint pots to be. I was afraid that it would be hard and not blend well, but it applies easily and “sets” quickly. It’s a pretty wash and is buildable in color if you’re going to wear it alone. This color is very shimmery and adds some extra shimmer to the shadows I top it with. I don’t mind that since a lot of my shadows are shimmery anyways, but I do skip it when wearing matte shadows or I don’t want to add the extra shimmer to my look. One day when I think I applied too much I did have some creasing, but typically I haven’t had any creasing and my shadows last a solid 8-10 hours before fading. Win!

After trying this out now for a few weeks, I’m very pleased with it. I’m not interested at this time in trying other colors or using it alone, but I really like it for a shadow base. After finding this base, I don’t care about trying the paint pots again since this is working for me, especially with its great price point ($6.99). I do plan on re-purchasing my Urban Decay Primer Potion as that is a clear base, but will probably use them both equally depending on what shadows I’m using (matte vs shimmer).

What primers do you like to use? Do you use a primer at all? We have a shopping center opening up near our home in the next year or so and I’m crossing my fingers that it will include an Ulta!