#FreeToBe Bubble Painting with all® Free Clear

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FreeToBe #CollectiveBias

Every summer, I love to get outside and enjoy the weather and outdoor activities we look forward to each year. It’s also the one thing I know can calm down a fussy or whiny child and is a sure bet to wear them out! Growing up, we always played outside and ate dinner nearly every night on the back patio and I love doing the same with the girls. Matt and I will have our friends over for a BBQ and set up our corn hole, chairs, and a blanket for the littles and spend the entire day in our backyard. I’m really going to miss these days when the summer is over!

Something we’ve been enjoying a ton of is bubbles! For Ellie’s third birthday party we did a bubble theme and all the fun is still going strong! Emma just loves to watch them float around and Ellie loves to catch them with her butterfly net. It’s honestly one of my favorite things to do with the girls because we can do it at any time and it’s nearly a no cost activity. Since her party, we’ve been bubble painting like crazy! Today I wanted to share how to do it, using all® free clear detergent to get the best bubbles!

- Mix 1 tsp all® free clear detergent with 1 C water, stir gently until soap is dissolved. I had to play with the measurements a bit, but this seemed the closest!

- Add a pinch of white sugar to help your bubbles last longer

- Add 1 drop of food coloring to create “paint”

- Mix food colorings to create different colors/shades

- Get to blowing and popping those bubbles!

Ellie LOVES this activity! It’s fun and gives each of her artwork pieces something special and unique! It's something that gets us outside and while Ellie "paints" I'll blow non-colored bubbles at Emma. It's simple to make and is easy to clean up, which is a must for toddler activities.

Everyone in our household has sensitive skin and we’re very careful with what soaps we use from top to bottom. We once left a blanket at a family member’s house who washed it for us before returning (so sweet of them!) and when Emma used it, she had a rash all over her! We had to re-wash the blanket in all® free clear detergent to make it safe again for her sensitive skin. When I was first pregnant with Eleanor in 2013, I was worried about choosing the right soaps and having everything ready for her arrival so we could snuggle her without worry. I did some research and found that all® free clear is the #1 Sensitive Skin brand and doesn’t contain any dyes, perfumes, or irritating residues.

Since switching to all® free clear, I knew I could trust it with Emma’s arrival as well and I depend on it greatly since Emma has shown to have the most sensitive skin of us all. It's so nice not having to worry and being able to send her to daycare with bedding for her to sleep on. We love the all® free clear detergent and their all® free clear Mighty Pacs®, for a fresh scent and no fading color.  We pick up ours at Target, my favorite place to shop! Interested in continuing the conversation? Join the all® free clear community and connecting with parents just like you!

OOTD: Blush + White

Top // Moto Jeggings // Pumps // Watch // Bracelet // Earrings (on sale under $30!)

My girlfriends and I have been stalking these moto leggings forever and on their Instagram I won a free item after posting this Lace and Celery outfit so I snagged these beauties right up! I love the detailing and zippers, plus they're extra comfortable! I'm definitely going to need more pairs. I think they'll be adorable with booties too. They run a bit small, so I would size up if you're between sizes. This blush top pairs perfectly with my rose gold accessories, and my Jord watch giveaway is still live (runs through 08/02/16), so be sure to enter!

Jord Wood Watch + Giveaway!

Every morning when I get dressed, I put on a watch- I have to wear one. It’s a must-have accessory for me and I feel naked without it. Even if my battery were to die, I would still wear my watch out of habit. Watches are timeless pieces that you can wear for years and years and worth the investment. With the right care, even an inexpensive watch can last you a lifetime. At my office, I see people every day and always take note of their watches. I notice their size, band, style and if I see them regularly, if they switch them out as their day changes. What people choose in a watch can say a lot about them and asking them about it can make for a nice ice breaker as well. My Koa and Rosegold Wood watch from Jord has been a big conversation starter for me everywhere I go!

Since it’s arrived, I’ve been wearing my Jord watch nearly every day. The Koa wood is gorgeous and the rosegold face is stunning. I love the balance it creates between masculine and feminine, it’s added a unique touch to my look each day. Each time I wear it, I always get asked about it “Is that a wood watch?”, “it’s mechanical?”, “I’ve never seen a wood watch before!”. A few weeks ago I was wearing it for a family lunch, and my cousin and uncle kept eyeballing it, they both love watches and said they needed to add a wood watch for their own collections.

Jord has beautiful watches in a variety of styles, wood, and faces so I know there’s one for you! Click HERE to be entered into a drawing to win $75 towards a watch of your choice, and even if you don’t win, you’ll receive a $20 e-gift card for entering! How cool is that? The contest starts today through 08/02 at 11:59pm, so don't miss out!



Wooden Watch Review

Friday Faves

Happy Friday everyone!!! The weekend is finally upon us! These last few days have just flown by for me and I'm hoping the weekend won't feel as quick. Have you shopped the Nordstrom sale yet? I posted my faves this week and will be checking out my cart this morning! I can't wait for it to arrive, I'll be sure to post some OOTD and reviews for you guys. I didn't order too much and I'm hoping a few items will restock. Did you get anything?

This weekend we don't have much planned, hoping to get some cleaning and errands ran and head to church Sunday. Ellie's hair is baby fine and the ends get knotted really easily so we've toyed around with the idea of getting her hair cut. When I mentioned it to her she flipped out and covered her hair with her hands saying she didn't want to cut her hair and that it will hurt. Poor thing took forever to settle down and I felt so bad. I only even contemplated it thinking that it may be easier to brush with that little bit gone. I've thought about taking her to a princess salon and having her watch other girls trim their hair and see how she feels about it. If we don't cut her hair, it's no big deal, I'd be devastated anyways because she has the cutest of curls only at the ends and I hate the thought of losing them. 

This week's Friday Faves is a bit of this and that, hope you all enjoy!

Lauren B Polish

This week I was putting Emma to bed when Ellie came in to give her kisses and say good night, she saw my feet on my the rocker and talked about how my toes weren't painted. She immediately left the room and came back with a polish and a napkin (to keep under my toes) so that she could give me a pedi. It was so sweet so I told her once Emma was down she could do it. I'm so glad I let her! Usually I'm too OCD and afraid that she would make a huge mess, but it was no big deal. It was the sweetest and funniest thing I've ever seen. It was all over my toes and so thick and wet in spots, she was so careful to get all of my nails covered in paint, going slow and as meticulously as she could. It was just the cutest thing. She has a heart of gold that little one.

Sutter Sisters Bow Shop

How cute is this leather trio set from Sutter Sisters? I love the colors, it's going to be perfect for now and transitioning into cooler temps...whenever that will be! It's been over 100 every day this week so far! The dark floral is my fave! I'm in love with this cookies and milk bow too! I paired with this bubble romper and I can't wait to get Emma in it this weekend. Sutter Sisters is also offering 20% both their shops (here and here) with KRISTEN20, so be sure to grab a set or two! There's a ton of super cute bows, moccs, and purses for your little ladies.

Emma's birthday is just around the corner and the first of her party decorations have arrived! I'm obsessing over this cake topper from Rustic Daisy Designs, it's absolute perfection! Before I had settled on a theme, I knew I had to have it for her big day. We're doing a garden party and when I saw these sweet felt flowers from Wholesale Bow Supply, a million ideas zipped through my head. This weekend I'll be doing a few more crafts and picking up some items and then I gotta go to work on the details. I'm so excited for her party and can't wait to share more with you guys!

I shared this pic already on Instagram, but I'm always, always wearing a hair tie on my wrist but I try and hide it under my watch because it can be such an eye sore, Maria Shireen sent me this gorgeous rose gold bracelet and you can wear your hair tie in it! It's the most genius thing ever! I love the look with the hair tie in or out of it and that you can even change your hair tie to something fun and bright to get a whole new look or pop of color. The bracelet is really well made and I love that it takes something so ordinary and transform it to something beautiful. Another item I'm listing in the "why didn't I think of that" category. You can support postpartum awareness and support with their Charity Ties and $10 for each bracelet sold is donated to Postpartum Progress to help build healthier families and build and support women.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend! Thank you for stopping by!

My Favorite MAC Lipsticks

As a self-proclaimed beauty junkie, my two areas of weakness are eyeshadows and lipsticks. I’ve been buying a ton of lipstick lately and during a late night nursing sesh I’ve found two more I just have to add to my collection- MAC Pure Zen and Crème D'nude. Late at night when I can’t sleep, I love to browse shops, Instagrams, and Pinterest and always seem to find more beauty items to check out. I have an ongoing list in my phone’s notes of specific products and colors I want to see in person and that list is just ongoing and revolving.

I recently tried and attempted to clean out my makeup drawer and purse and every time I do that, I’m amazed at just how many lipsticks I own. How could I ever use all of them completely? How could I ever rationalize buying another one? Do I really need another pink lipstick? Yes. The answer is always yes. So, to justify buying those two I found during the late night sesh, I’ve challenged myself to wear a new lipstick every day during my work week. It’s been an easy challenge to do and I’ve loved re-discovering some old favorites. Hello MAC Pink Nouveau, why haven’t I been living in your sweet pink glory??? There were even a few I just didn’t love anymore and tossed out or put aside for Back to MAC. I thought it would be fun to share my favorites, starting with MAC and will do a future post with my drugstore favorites.

Here are my absolute, favorite MAC ones, left to right:

Angel (the lipglass is also my fave!), Creme Cup, Snob, Pink Nouveau, Hue, Silly, Brave, Long Legged & Fabulous, and Lickable

What are your favorite colors? After cleaning out my drawer, I've realized I'm in need of a true nude and a great red. Any suggestions?

Currently Craving- My Nordstrom Sale Picks!

Top //Jeans // Sunnies // Booties

Blush (Lovecloud) // Palette // Lipstick (Pure Zen) // Lipglass (Signs of Spring)

Unless you’re living under a rock, the Nordstrom sale is going on right now. It's blowing up my email, my Instagram, Snapchat, everything! I’ve browsed through everything and there’s a few things that have caught my eye, but nothing that I just had to have. A lot of the items look like things from last year (hello Lush Tunic) and I’m underwhelmed with the beauty exclusives. The only beauty item I'm loving is this one, otherwise I feel a bit eh about it all. I have a few things in my cart ready to check out with some stuff that isn’t included in the sale as well.

This striped top is on everyone's list, but I couldn't help but not also fall in love with it. I LOVE stripes and this would be perfect right in my closet. I need another pair of jeans and these torn ones are so cute. I absolutely love the undone hem at the bottom, that's what won me over on them. Veronika ordered some gorgeous pink sunnies and then I found these sunnies for even less, so adorable! A few years ago I snagged the best booties ever from Old Navy and I wear them all the time, but told myself I want to get a new pair this for fall. I'm also obsessing over this pair, these, and this pair too. I've had my eye on these MAC beauty items forever and I'm finally gonna bite the bullet on them.

Are you shopping the sale this year? What do you have your eye on? Did you score anything great?

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday! This week has flown by for me and I'm ready to relax with the family this weekend. Work has been busy and getting home is always a big shuffle and our nights slip right through my fingers. The girls have been so cute playing together and Emma heads for the stairs as soon as we put her down to get up there. She is so fast and just laughs and laughs as she climbs each step. She hasn't figured how to get down them so we have to watch her like a hawk.

I've been super busy planning her birthday party this week and getting things together and shopping for it. I still have a lot to buy and I need to nail down the menu, but I'm so excited with the direction it's going. I'm working with some really awesome shops and I'm excited to share everything soon. I've been driving myself crazy with what to get her too for her first birthday, what are some of your favorite items? So far we've bought her a chair and a latch puzzle and I don't know what else! Please share some ideas with me!

This week's Friday Favorites is a mix of beauty and fashion pieces, just a few things I've been wanting to share and review with you guys!



I’m not sure if you remember my Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette review (btw, it’s on sale for $25 now here and here!), but I was in the market for a new shadow palette and was looking at the Tarte Tartelette and Tartelette 2 In Bloom palettes and decided to instead get the UDxGwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette (which I LOVE). Even though I’m thrilled about the UD Palette, I still had the Tarte palettes on my mind. When Matt and I went to Vegas for our anniversary, I picked up this little Tarte Tease set (along with this highlighter) to test out their shadows. I love the colors in this palette, they’re beautiful and it has a great mix of matte and shimmer shades. It also has a slight vanilla scent to it as well, which I was surprised by, but like. This was my first experience with Tarte shadows so here’s a quick review: I get very little fallout from the shadows and the pigmentation is great, but they can be a touch chalky. They’re lasting power is so-so, with primer I get about 8-9 hours of wear. I’ve been loving using this palette, the size is great and I love the versatility of the colors. The shadows are true to color and work great for everyday wear. I’m still thinking about getting the Tartelette 2 In Bloom palette, it was on sale a few weeks ago and I didn’t get it and regret it now!



When it comes to my skin, I swear by Image Skincare and I was running low on my cleanser so I picked up this daily cleanser on a whim. My skin can be sensitive and is prone to drying, so I’m always worried when I try new face washes… and I freaking love it. It has only the slightest scent, removes my makeup, cleanses my skin, and is super mild. I’ve been using it for several weeks now and it’s really great! It doesn’t leave any residue and has a great consistency. It doesn’t foam when using my fingers, but foams nicely with my face brush. I typically shower at night and will use their makeup remover cleanser first to remove the majority of my makeup and follow up with this cleanser. After using both together, I rarely have any makeup residue. I’m pretty surprised by how well of a cleanser it is considering it’s available at drugstores. I will definitely continue to use this cleanser and would recommend it for anyone with sensitive skin.



I’ve included these shorts in some weekend post or another, but I had to include them in a Friday Favorites. I tried them on several times before biting the bullet and purchasing them and I’m so glad I did. They are super comfortable and the fabric is extra soft. Between being pregnant, postpartum, nursing, and weaning, my sizing has been all across the board. I’m so thankful for elastic waist everything right now!



I posted this pic on IG (kristen_lawler) a bit ago and I am just loving this Alex and Ani bracelet. A girlfriend gave it to me and I've worn it every day since. It was so sweet of her and I love how it looks with my watch, I picked up this L'Oreal Julianne's Nude thinking it was the Doutzen one, rookie mistake not to double check, but I'm loving it! It's the perfect pinky nude and very natural. This is my first L'Oreal lipstick and the formula is so creamy and moisturizing that I also bought Blake's Pink. The pink collection is matte and super dry, I much prefer the nude collection's formula over it. Influenster also sent me this Marc Jacobs Glow Stick and it's pretty on it's own, but I've been using it as a base for powder highlighters and it makes your cheeks pop!!

We also received the sweetest bonnet from Little Sun Hat for Emma (it actually fits Ellie too!). It's adorable and reversible so we get twice the use from it. I love that it has a bill to keep forward to protect her from the sun, but that it can also be folded back. It's absolutely adorable and I love the sweet prints.

I've been living in this hat since it came in, it fits so perfect! I typically don't wear baseball caps, my head is kind of small, but this one is more shallow and it fits just right on my dome. If you've been on the hunt for one, check it out, I've been looking forward to the weekend all week just so I could wear it again!

Hope you all have a great weekend! Thanks for stopping by!

Bookroo Subscription Review!

Today I’m really excited to be sharing a fun and unique subscription box for your littles- Bookroo! Starting at $16.99,  you can choose three board books (ages 0-3) or two picture books (ages 3 and up), individually wrapped for your child! I thought that was such a cool detail, I know children love opening gifts and the excitement that comes from unwrapping a surprise to see what it is! Each one is wrapped in different paper too and we had a little note written on the inside of our box as well, which I thought was sweet. I love when companies put so much detail and thought into their products, it really warms my heart.




Growing up, I was an avid reader and still love to read today. It’s something I want my children to enjoy and we often visit the library together, read several books every night as a family, and we love to add new books to our library. We add books to our library every birthday and holiday, it's such a great way to teach kids lessons and prepare them for life changes (i.e. sibling books when a new baby is coming soon, potty books when potty training). I went back and forth about which box to order, but decided to go with the board books so we could get Emma’s library growing and I knew that Ellie would still enjoy them. Emma didn’t have much of an attention span when we opened ours, but Ellie dove right in! She was so thrilled with opening each book and kept showing Emma what book they received.



In our first box, we received Sassy's Zoom! Things That Go, a simple book with a single picture, what it is and the sound it makes. It's really cute, more of a "boy" book, but Ellie loves trucks and planes so we enjoyed it all the same. It's a great starter book for things and sounds. The second book was Sam Williams' Art Barn, the pictures were really cute, but we didn't care for the story. The third book was my favorite! I Love You Night and Day by Smriti Prasadam-Halls. The pictures were beautiful and I loved the rhyming story. Ellie and Emma enjoyed it too and I know we'll be reading it for a long time!



I really love this idea and being able to add to the girls' library every month. I think it's a genius idea and the books are reviewed by several families before being chosen for a box. The subscription is meant to find special books for your littles rather than classics. Bookroo also offers the ability to switch between board books and picture books so you can get a nice mix. Thank you Bookroo for our first box, we loved it! If you're interested in trying a box for your family use KRILAW at checkout for $10 off!

Our Weekend

This weekend was amazing for us. We did nothing! It was awesome not having somewhere to be or go (besides regular errands and swim class). We're always on the go, go, go, and I'm so happy to be busy with loved ones, but we've been needing a weekend just at home. The days seemed long and we napped both Saturday and Sunday (not long naps, but a quick cat nap that I'll take any day). They were long in the sense that we didn't feel like they just slipped between our fingers with a blink of an eye. We played and played with the girls, did some weeding outside, went on a Costco run, and caught up on Big Brother.

Hat // Top // Shorts (on sale!)

This hat is a lifesaver! I've been wanting a baseball hat forever and it's just one of those things for me that I don't really go out and buy, it's something that I just kind of come across. Does that make sense? Since we moved into our house, I seem to have lost all of my hats except for two- a floppy felt hat and a straw panama one. Well, I've been on the lookout for baseball cap that I like and I couldn't pass this one up. Matt and I are Dodger fans, it's a soft fabric, and it's small so it fits perfectly. I've basically lived in this exact outfit all weekend long. Here, I had just washed and blow dried my hair (just flipping it over, no time for a real blow out) and threw it on to run a few errands. I think I'll be wearing this hat all the time!

 

Suit

Ellie has been doing so great in her swim lessons! She goes just once a week for 30 minutes, but we swim a lot on the weekends with family and friends. She's been working really hard on a few skills and this past week she's moved up in her class. We're so proud of her and her accomplishments! I really look forward to every Saturday because I love watching her in the water. She's such a natural and it's so fun to see what she's learned and how far she's come from when she started.

Romper // Bonnet (c/o Little Sun Hat)

Last week I realized I never gave a full update on Emma and her broken finger, so sorry to be so late on it! Emma had her cast removed a few weeks ago and her finger is healed!! Originally, the doctor had said we would need to follow up every three months and that surgery could still be a possibility. I was worried that it wouldn't heal correctly and afraid that she would have to have surgery. When the doctors removed her cast and took new x-rays, her finger had healed so well that no follow ups will be needed! I'm so incredibly thankful! Thank you everyone for your sweet words, prayers, and thoughts. It means so much to me and the family!

Are these not the cutest bows you've ever seen? I'm just in love with them! They're from Rain & Honey Bows and the colors, prints, and shapes are just to die for. I seriously want every single one in every single color and shape. Ugh, they're so cute. 

We've lived in our house now for just over two years and it's slowly coming together. One room that is just the bane of my existence is our dining room. We've been wanting a buffet since we moved in and last weekend I finally found one! It was a total score at HomeGoods and it was so funny because when we had just bought the house I found a similar one there and by the time I decided to buy it, it was already sold! In a matter of 15 minutes or less! So this time, my mother-in-law and I guarded it with our lives until a worker came by to help us out. Now that we have it set up in the room (we finally busted out our China set from our wedding!), we just need to style it, paint the room, get a mirror, art work, a new dining table and the room will be complete! LOL. The room looks so much better though now and we finally have a direction of what we're looking for and where we want the room to go. 

Sheets // Ruffled Comforter and Pillow Set (Target, similar here)

Square Pillows (HomeGoods)

Last weekend, I took advantage of a bedding and bath sale at Target and I just love how a fresh made, clean sheet bed feels. I love these sheets because their have an extra elastic on them that keeps them from coming up on the corners- a problem we always had before! We've bought so many different brands and types of sheets (deep pocket ones for example) and these are our favorite! I love this taupe and gray print too, it looks so pretty against our headboard.

That's exactly where I am right now too- in my nice cozy bed, finishing tonight's Big Brother, with my little Ellie belly snoring next to me (thanks to a bedtime meltdown, she's in ours for the night). Hope you're ready for the work week! May your Monday go by quickly tomorrow!