A Little Monday Musings For Your Tuesday

It's Tuesday and due to the probability of some ice...my kids are out of school and daycare today {yes, really...that's the South for you.} I am doing a little bit of work from home, but mostly I'm off since it's a bit hard to juggle working from home when you have three kids to watch too. It's not going to be too freezing cold today, so hopefully I can kick my rambunctious boys outside for a little while. {Kids really need to spend more time outdoors!} And other than that, I get a head start on some chores that I would otherwise be spending my weekend doing...so it's nice in that aspect.

So here's something fun...my husband decided to demolish {well, not completely} our bathroom this weekend...without consulting me so I could at least get my makeup and things moved into our guest bathroom. Love ya, Hubby, but seriously? Heads up would have been nice.

The project itself is not random; it is something we've discussed doing for years. We are replacing the floor and removing the "privacy" {that's a stretch} wall between the vanity and toilet to make room for a larger vanity with two sinks. I took the kids to a friend's house for a few hours and when I came back, the little wall was gone, the flooring was all torn out and the toilet was in the bathtub. Gotta love a hardworking man. I'm not sure how long this will all take with him working full-time and all, but I will be sure to show you the finished product when it's ready.

Saturday night was nice, we got out for a little date night...nothing fancy, just dinner and drinks, but uninterrupted conversation with my husband is always nice.

That there is a cucumber jalapeno margarita and it is DELICIOUS. I had two.

I had a rough week last week as far as workouts go...but I got back going with Insanity on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Today it's on the docket as well. I love that I can actually do it whenever I want today, rather than just being held to 4:30am or 7:30pm...neither are my favorite time for working out, which I think has been part of the issue lately...starting back at work has definitely made fitting in workouts a challenge...if I miss my few opportune times to do it, then I just miss it. It's really requiring a lot more mental focus and determination now...spring is very close and beach season is right around the corner.

Speaking of the beach, I did get a cute little bikini with my Valentine's Day giftcard...something to motivate me to get in tip-top shape:

{via}

And I received my workout wear from them yesterday too...more motivation for fitness. I just love new workout clothes.

{via}

{via}

These are perfect for running...and speaking of running, I've got a 5K in just a couple weeks! It's a St. Patty's Day run...doing it with some friends. And the Cooper River Bridge 10K is in just over a month. I need to step up my running game in a few short weeks.

Hope y'all have a wonderful week!

 See where I like to Party.

Become a Fashion Designer

Three on Friday

Happy Friday!

I am always glad when it's Friday...a nice couple days off to rejuvenate, catch up on household stuff and spend time with my kids. And this weekend we are supposed to see high 60s/low 70s weather...with maybe a tad of rain here or there, but I'm really hoping we can make it out to the beach. Jake and I will also get a date night on Saturday, as we did not get to do all the Valentine's Day hoopla with his having to work for USCG that weekend.

{one}

The master bedroom is coming along! I received the rug I ordered from RugsUSA and even though my walls are still half blue {the other half is white wainscot}, I couldn't resist rolling it out already. So it's a bit of a color clash in the space right now, but it's a transition in progress. I also got our new bedding. I plan to paint the blue part of our walls gray this weekend. I also got new lamp bases...I had a vision in mind for what I wanted and whaddayaknow, I found them while at Wal-Mart {of all places} this morning!

{via}

The nightstands we have are either going to be replaced, or painted white when I can find the time. I have a lot of things I need to paint white right now, so I just need to carve out a few hours for it and do it already. I also need to decide on a curtain, but I'm waiting until the walls are gray so I can decide which route to go there.

{two}

I am preparing our outdoor spaces for spring weather...I still need to fill some pots with new plants, but I love the areas.

 

My biggest wish for this house was that we had a screened-in back porch, but this is working for now. I've been pulling in my new seat cushions before it rains because I am so tired of replacing them. I also got a new outdoor rug from the RugsUSA Valentine's Day sale.

{three}

I am just absolutely loving my Young Living essential oils. Right now, a few of my favorite uses are:

1 drop Frankincense to 1 tsp carrier oil
Rub on Tanner's, Breckin's and Farrah's spines in the morning to help support their immune system during this yucky season. Especially after Farrah's already gone through the past month!

Vetiver diluted with carrier oil
3 drops in Tanner's hands to rub together, put on the bottom of his big toes and then inhale by cupping his hands over his mouth and nose. We do this nightly. It is supposed to help with behavioral issues and anxiety.

1 drop Peppermint diluted to 1 tsp carrier oil
Rub over my sinuses {avoiding eye area} and temples to rid of headache and provide focus. This worked wonders on me yesterday!

Stress-Away roll-on
I just rub this on my wrists and inhale...I love the scent and it is very relaxing. I do this before and after work mainly...or whenever the kids are driving me batty. :-)

I also just ordered some organic coconut oil that I will be using for my skincare regimen, along with a few drops of Frankincense. I've seen some AMAZING results, especially pertaining to youthful looking skin with the use of Frankincense.

I have joined as a distributor and have put in an order for some more oils already in addition to the ones I have. If you are interested in getting a starter kit of your own, please go here!

That's it for me - have a great weekend!

 See where I like to Party.

Become a Fashion Designer

Tried & True Reviews Tuesday

I love trying new things. And in the last couple years, I've tried a lot of different things for my beauty regimen. However, I don't believe in using something just once and then giving a rave review about it because there is no way you can really tell its effect in that little of time and use.

I'm going to share with you some products that I used up until their last drop or close enough...so you know this is a tried and true review of these products.  

Disclaimer: None of these companies paid me to write a review about their products, nor did they send me them for free. I made my own purchase of the item based on what they claimed to do. In short, I can say whatever I f***ing want about them and it's going to be the truth, and nothing but the truth.

Clarins Double Serum

I bought this stuff on whim while at Macy's in NYC in December of 2013. It was a good deal, I think I paid around $85.00 for the larger bottle of it at the time. I was in need of a serum because I hadn't really had one in my regular skin regimen at the time and thought I should. It obviously lasted a long while, meaning a little went a long way. I only just ran out of it in the last month. I didn't use it EVERY day, but I did use it very regularly during that time. I highly recommend this product, especially if you have some skin discoloration or rosacea. I had some melasma on my forehead from my pregnancy with Farrah and it is pretty much gone now. I definitely give the credit to this product. It's pricy, but worth it.
Tip: After your rub it in to your face, use any excess on the back of your hands.

Boots No.7 Protect & Perfect Serum

I really, really wanted to like this stuff. It's gotten amazing reviews. For the most part, I did love how it felt, it was a light non-greasy feel on the skin and I'm certain it did do wonderful things for my skin. However, one thing it did do to my skin was cause it to break out. Not like horrendously or anything, but I started to notice that every time I used this serum, the next day I had a pimple on my chin or near my nose...I just couldn't believe that was coincidental. So I won't tell you to steer clear of this one because for the price at $24.99 it's worth a shot. I won't be purchasing it again, however, due to my skin's reaction. I'm not one who breaks out typically at all, so when I do have a random breakout, it's usually a red flag about something new I'm using.

Dr. Jart+ Pore Medic Pore Minish Primer

I actually got a trial version of this with an order I received from Sephora. But that trial bottle lasted a week at least. I've never been big about putting on primer before foundation, but I am one of those people that really notices her pores and I thought I'd give this a go to see if it made a difference. I REALLY liked it. I felt like my skin appeared smoother than usual and my pores were definitely hidden. A little of this goes a long way, so I'm sure a tube would last a good while. I'm considering buying it now that my trial tube is empty. It didn't leave a greasy feel or cause me to breakout.

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Moisturizer - Night

I love this stuff. I am on my second bottle of it. It does last a while. Retinol is a must in age-preventative skincare. I definitely see a difference in my fine lines and wrinkles. I don't use this every night, maybe about every other night, as my skin is on the sensitive side. On the nights I don't use it, I just use my regular nighttime moisturizer. I even bought the Day version of this...which is just a glorified sunscreen moisturizer, but definitely has anti-aging benefits as well.

Clarins Toning Lotion

I'm embarrassed to say I've gone years without using a toner after I wash my face. Now I realize the importance of it, in that it restores your skin's pH balance after washing. I got this also as a free sample with my Sephora order and I will definitely be ordering it once my sample runs out {which by the way has lasted a few weeks now!} I have normal/dry skin, especially in the winter, so I feel like this keeps it from getting too dry. No adverse reactions from it either.

That's it for my current empty products for now. I hope to keep you posted on other products as soon as I can give a tried and true review! Do you have any product recommendations?

 See where I like to Party.

Become a Fashion Designer

Monday Musings

Happy Monday & Happy President's Day!

This weekend started off good, with the exception of my husband being gone all weekend for his USCG duty. He left me a little Valentine's Day surprise:

I joked that it is actually a gift for him...then teased him that I'd be buying clothes with it, not lingerie.

I also finally got my Young Living essential oils!

I immediately applied the Stress Away to myself and diluted some Vetiver for Tanner {in studies it has shown to help with behavioral and neurological disorders}. I then grabbed some cotton pads and put about 10 drops of Citrus Fresh on them and placed them in the air vents {with the exception of the bedrooms, in which I used Peace & Calming}. My house definitely smells so pleasant.

For a little Valentine's Day fun, I took the kids to the beach in the afternoon. It was a bit breezier and chillier than I thought it would be, so unfortunately we didn't stay long. But they were able to get some energy out and had a lot of fun.

I then spent my evening watching Friends and Gilmore Girls on Netflix with a glass of wine and this little Valentine snuggled up next to me:

Sunday morning, I went to get Farrah out of her crib and found she had thrown up a little at some point in the night and her eyes were gunked nearly shut. I felt so awful for her...just when we think she's getting over one thing, she gets another. I took her to Doctor's Care and we got her started on amoxicillin. The doctor thinks it will knock out this sinus infection she has as well as the eye infection. I am just ready for her not to have glossy eyes and a runny nose. My poor baby girl.

So it wasn't a fabulous end to the weekend, but we're hoping that this antibiotic kicks in quickly so she can finally have a good non-sick week!

P.S. Don't forget to hit up the good President's Day sales!

RugsUsa {Promo Code: PREZ75}

6PM.com (more coupons): Up to 80% Off President's Day Sales Event + Free Shipping, No Minimum!

Amazon (more coupons): Up to 70% Off Amazon's Presidents' Day Sale + Extra 20% Off $100 Shoes, Bags & More with Code: SHOEPRES [Exp. 2/20]

American Eagle (more coupons): Extra 60% Off AEO Clearance + Free Shipping On Everything Through 2/15

Calvin Klein (more coupons): Up to 60% Off Sale Items + Free Shipping on $99+

Carter's (more coupons): 50% Off Everything Including Sale + Extra 25% Off $50+ w/ Code: BIGSALE [Exp. 2/16]

Children's Place (more coupons) Up to 50% Off Sale + Extra 20% Off w/ Code: SPRDM20FY [Exp. 4/15]

Claire's (more coupons): Up to 75% Off Clearance + Extra 20% Off + Free Shipping On $35 w/ Code: WELCOME20

Guess (more coupons): Up to 70% Off Sale & Extra 15% Off + Free Shipping w/ Code: LOVEGUESS

JCPenney (more coupons): 20% Off $100+ with Code SHOPPIN or $10 Off $25 with Code ONLINE

Kohl's (more coupons): Presidents' Day Sale + Extra 30% off & free shipping for card holders with codes HUGS30 and FEBMVC at checkout.
Everyone gets an extra 15% off with code THANKS7375 through 2/15

The Limited (more coupons): Extra 40% Off All Sale Items + Free Shipping on Orders $125+

LL Bean (more coupons): Up to 60% Off President's Day Sales + Free Shipping, No Minimum!

LOFT (more coupons): Extra 50% Off All Sale Styles

Macys (more coupons): 20% Off Your Purchase + Free Shipping on $99+ w/Code: FAVES [Exp. 2/16]

Nordstrom (more coupons): 40% Off Presidents' Day Clearance through 2/22

Old Navy (more coupons): 20% Off $75+ w/ Code HAPPY [Exp. 2/10] + Free Shipping On $25+ Purchases + Up to 40% Off All Shirts, Jeans & Outerwear with Code: SHIPFREE

OshKosh B'Gosh (more coupons): 20% Off $40+ with Code: FEBOKBG [Exp. 2/28]

Ralph Lauren (more coupons): $25 Off $150+, $50 Off $250+, $125 Off $500+ or $200 Off $750+ w/ Code: RLSTG15

Sears (more coupons): Up to 60% Off Winter Clothing Clearance + Extra $5 Off $50 w/ Code: SEARS5OFF50 + Free Shipping on $59+

Tory Burch (more coupons): Up to 50% Off President's Day Sale + Free Express Shipping On Select Items or Free Express Shipping On $300+

Wet Seal (more coupons): Up to an Extra 60% Off Sale Items, No Coupon Required

Linking Up With: Life Of Meg // Still Being Molly // Lipgloss & Crayons // B Loved Boston

 See where I like to Party.

Become a Fashion Designer

Five on Friday

 Happy Friday and Happy {early} Valentine's Day! Also, happy Friday the 13th {try to make it happy, not unlucky}!

 

It's been a busy week over here...I put in a few hours of overtime this week, so I didn't spend much time here on the blog. Farrah has been feeling a lot better and it's great to have her back to her happy self. But anyway, on to my five for this lovely Friday.

{one}

Jake and I won't really be celebrating Valentine's Day this year. His USCG Reserves weekend falls on the second full weekend of every month, so he will actually be in Georgetown, SC all weekend. It's OK though, I've never been one to make a big deal about this holiday. We will try and get a date night in next weekend. And if this e-card didn't just hit the nail on the head:

{two}

I feel like once I'm beginning to see the cusp of springtime and Daylight Savings, I tend to start to make my running list of things I'd like to accomplish around the house. One project I've put on the back burner for a couple of years now is redecorating our master bedroom. We have had it blue and brown since we moved into this house almost 7 years ago.

I am ready for a change. I'm starting to try and have our house sort of flow more with its colors...our living room went to pink/yellow/gray, our office/home gym is black/white/gray with pops of teal and pink and our kitchen is now black/white/gray with a couple small pops of pink. Upstairs where we all sleep, Farrah's room is pink/orange/gray and Tanner and Breckin's shared room is blue/orange/brown mostly {I don't intend on having theirs flow with the house considering the common denominator of the other rooms is pink, so they will be the exception, being boys and all}. For our room, I've wanted to paint the walls gray {surprise} and do a lot of white/gray/pink in the decor. This is my inspiration, but I won't go as heavy on the pink for Jake's sake:

{via}

I bought this rug from the awesome 75% off Valentine's Day sale at Rugs USA {use promo code: HEART75}, so I'm going to build my design around that. I also want to go all white with our bedding like above. {P.S. Those of you that loved Farrah's nursery rug, it's back in stock and on sale!}

{via}

I'll be sure to update you as progress goes along. We do have a dark brown bed and dressers, but hopefully it will still all work nicely.

{three}

Farrah turned 9 months on Monday...I can't believe my last baby is 3/4 of the way through her first year. It does make me sad knowing I'll never have a baby again...I'm just trying to cherish these moments with her as best as I can. I've already gotten started on her birthday party planning...I am so happy I will be throwing a rainbow-themed party in my lifetime! Of course, I turned to Pinterest for inspiration, as well as have a few creative ideas of my own!

{via}

I'm starting early with planning because I know how fast 3 months flies by in this house, especially when I'm working full-time. I don't want to procrastinate on the details or I'll never get around to doing most of them.

{four}

Tomorrow's weather is looking to be pretty sunny, but only a high of 56...I'm debating taking the kiddos out to the beach {with layers, of course} to play a little bit. I can't wait until every weekend is a beach weekend.

{five}

It's official...my life has gotten so boring that I can't think of a 5th thing...either that or my brain is officially fried from this week. Maybe it's a bit of both. Have a happy weekend!

 See where I like to Party.

Become a Fashion Designer