Monday, January 30, 2017

New Year, More Money! | With Groupon Coupons


*The post is sponsored by Groupon.

Straight up: As a beauty and mom blogger, I'm constantly spending money on the newest releases. Ahem. I mean, if my fiance is reading this, substitute "constantly spending money" with "receiving products for free and never spending a penny". He stopped reading? Okay. But really. It's tough to keep up without going broke. The latest mascara, the best baby carrier - it can get pricey. That's why I love Groupon Coupons!

Did you know Groupon has coupons? Yup, Groupon's not just vacations and discounts on events! Groupon Coupons currently has 75, 492 coupons/promo codes/sales in 11, 462 stores so there's something to be saved for everyone. What's really nice is that you can search for whatever store you'd like to find coupons for. Even better? These coupons/promo codes actually work! Ever search for coupon codes, find one and enter it, only to find it's either old or doesn't work? All coupons/sales/promo codes on Groupon Coupons are up-to-date! You can also enter your e-mail on the sidebar so you never miss a coupon from your favorite store!

Here's just some great sales going on right now from my favorite stores:
How do you save money?

*The post is sponsored by Groupon.
Sunday, January 29, 2017

How I Keep My Cool With Kids in Public | With jimmyCASE


*Product sent for review.

Who only has two hands, two kids and wishes she could trade arms with an octopus some days? This mama! And going out in public? Things can get crazy quick with a two year old and wiggly five month old! I've found staying as hands-free as possible is so key when going out by yourself with two little ones. I've compiled a few tricks below that I use when going out by myself with the littles!


Keep calm. I know. Kind of silly but it helps. Going out alone with kids can sometimes be downright scary. I remember the first meltdown in the public, the first diaper blow out - I honestly thought I was going to breakdown and cry. In those situations, just take a long, deep breath. If you need to leave, leave. Go out, grab a coffee and come back. It's okay.

Go right after nap time. Or right in the morning! Obviously, this doesn't work for everyone but I swear, my kids (mostly my toddler) is in his best behavior right after a good nap or in the morning.

Bring snacks. Yeah, I'm definitely that mom that bribes her toddler with snacks for just a few more minutes. I've noticed some fruit gummies or a cheese stick combat those toddler meltdowns almost immediately.

Babywear. If you're going out with two or more little ones, I highly suggest babywearing! There's so many out there that allow you to carry in the front or your back. Many baby carriers also have a pocket in the front that allows you to tuck your keys, cards and phone in it leaving your hands free to wrangle a toddler and push a carriage.

jimmyCASE. This cell phone case is great for moms on-the-go! The case is hard plastic (mine in particular is the iPhone card case) with a mahogany core and an elastic pocket on the back that never stretches out. It holds about six cards in it tightly and while it does have an open bottom, I have yet to have anything fall out. This basically alleviates having a wallet and is great when I just need to run in somewhere and don't want to carry in my diaper bag for a quick run.


How do you stay hands-free with kids?
*Product sent for review.
Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Lifestyle | Valentine's Day Party Inspiration


* This post is sponsored by Basic Invite.

Behind Halloween, Valentine's Day is one of my absolute favorite holidays! I can always appreciate a full day dedicated to hearts, wine and chocolate, am I right? 


While I'll probably be spending the 14th with my three fave guys in this year, I always thought it'd be fun to plan a big Valentine's Day party! I've partnered with Basic Invite to share with you some Valentine's Day party inspiration. Whether you're celebrating with your best girlfriends or inviting all of your loved ones over, I've got you covered - from invites to dessert and everything in between!

The invites.

The best place to start when planning a party is invites, of course! It sets the mood and from there you can color coordinate with the party and have a cohesive theme. It can overwhelming choosing an invite but no need to worry because Basic Invite has you covered. From baby birth announcements to graduation announcements, they have everything you need. You can totally customize everything with over 180 colors, 40 different envelopes and custom samples (yes, you can see how it looks on paper before buying a whole set)! I completely customized the top two for mock Valentine's Day parties from wedding invitations!

The desserts.

(Credit: Bake At 350 | Two Sisters Crafting | Oh Sprinkles)
Let's be honest. Desserts can make or break a party. Heck, sometimes they're the only reason I go. I'm kidding. Kind of. Those pizza sugar cookies, raspberry macaroons and "X" and "O" Rice Krispy treats will definitely keep me hanging around all night.

The decorations.

(Credit: PopSugar | Catch My Party | Studio DIY)
Decorating for a party can get expensive. That's why I absolutely love the DIY "X" and "O" tablecloth and smooch balloons. So easy-peasy! If you're looking for a quick, cute way to catch an eye, the "XOXO" balloons are definitely an eye-grabber and only cost about $7 a balloon.

The drinks.

I'm not a huge drinker so the Red Velvet Milkshakes by Lilluna are more my style but how fun is the Love Potion No.9 Martini and Raspberry Pink Champagne Floats by The Cookie Rookie? Very romantic looking and they sound delicious!

I don't want to toot my own but how fun would my party be? I'd be sold at the pizza cookies! Also, if you're looking for gorgeous invites for any occasion, make sure to check out Basic Invite!

Basic Invite | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter
* This post is sponsored by Basic Invite.
Friday, January 20, 2017

Beauty | ColourPop Puppy Love + Cat Nap | Swatches + Review


Happy Friday, babes! D'awwwwww! What's better on a Friday than a super cute picture of a kitty?Today, I have ColourPop's Puppy Love and Cat Nap Super Shock Shadows on the blog. What's really special about these gorgeous shadows is that all proceeds of both shadows go straight to the Best Friends Animal Society and their NKLA effort to Save Them All. 

  • Cat Nap - an icy rose gold drizzled with pink and silver glitter.  As with almost all of ColourPop's Super Shock Shadows, this was creamy, pigmented and chock full of sparkles. Can you guys just imagine this dabbed in the middle of a smokey eye? Yes, please! The only issue with this one is that there is some fallout but that's kind of the norm with glitters.
  • Puppy Love - a cream pink with golden sheen. What I love about Puppy Love is how that golden sheen takes this from a basic cream shade to something with a little hidden pow to it!
What can I say that I haven't said about ColourPop? They always knock it out of the park with their Super Shock Shadows (I haven't had a huge issue with one yet)! When you mix super pretty shadows with helping kitties and puppies, you really can't go wrong, am I right? 

Puppy Love and Cat Nap ($5 each) are still available on ColourPop's site but I'm pretty sure they're limited edition so grab 'em while you can! 

ShopBuy ($5 each)

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Lifestyle | Rustic Bathroom Inspo with PlumbTile.com


* This post is sponsored by PlumbTile.com.

I'm really excited to bring in a little home decor to the lifestyle side of the blog this year and decided what better way to debut that then to share with you some inspiration that I've been using for our current project: the bathroom.


Our bathroom needs some updating. And by some, I mean basically the whole thing needs to be gutted. Okay. I kid, I kid. Kind of? It has a humongous vanity that has weird cabinets in it, the walls aren't painted and the shower needs some sprucing.  It's just not really my style and did I mention the walls are super weird? Below, I'm sharing my most drooled over pictures of rustic inspiration and what we're planning on doing to the bathroom.


Ceramic wood tile floors.  I've always loved the look of ceramic wood tile floors - just not the price. On a total whim, we found some gorgeous wood tile flooring on sale and quickly bought a ton of boxes to re-do the bathroom. Thankfully, my dad knows how to cut tile and install so it's just a matter of getting some time with him to do it.

(Photo credit: Make-King.com / DecorPad.com)

Tile in the shower. To save money, we'll be saving the shower insert and will add tile to it to freshen it up. I'm a big fan of a simple subway tile more than intricate kind of like this marble tile from PlumTile.com!

(Photo credit to: Karri / TheSpaceBetweenBlog.net )

New wooden vanity with double sinks. Right now, our vanity is just strangely big. It's awesome having a million cabinets for towels and whatnot but let's face it, that thing is not so pretty on the eyes. I'm looking to get rid of the whole thing and have my fiance make a new, more simple vanity with double sinks. I've had my eye on these Duravit 2nd floor sinks! How gorgeous are they? And even though we don't have a tub in our main bathroom, I couldn't help but drool over these wall mounted bath faucets. They're so sleek!

(Photo credit to: The Pink Tumbleweed / HGTV)

Channel my inner Joanna Gaines. Oh yeah, guys. We're shiplapping an accent wall! Granted, I wanted to do the whole bathroom in white shiplap but decided to compromise with just one wall as we'll be selling our house soon and figure that there might be people who aren't fans (and clearly, not a friend of mine!).

I can't wait to get started on this project! Now, I just need to get my fiance and dad on board. For hardware, shower heads, light and more, I'll be checking out PlumbTile.com - the architectual bath and tile specialists!

Shop | PlumbTile.com
* This post is sponsored by PlumbTile.com.
Monday, January 16, 2017

Beauty | #FOTD + First Looks with Jesse's Girl


*Products sent for review.

Is it me or is the beauty world just killin' it with release after release of awesome stuff? Needless to say, my wallet and I aren't on speaking terms right now. In fact, Jesse's Girl just came out with a whole bunch of stuff I got my hands on so if you're looking to get some new goodies without breakin' the bank, head over to your local Rite Aid or on JessesGirl.com and #haulitup!

  • Face: My skin has been drier than the Sahara Desert with the recent New England weather as you can see in between my brows so I started with the MoJo Spas High Society Moisturizer and applied that on my face. Next, I applied Urban Decay Skin Perfector in Light with a damp Beauty Blender and concealed with It Cosmetics CC+ Concealer (literally down the last drop with this stuff!). To set, I used the bottom first shade from the right from the Jesse's Girl Cosmetic Highlight & Contour Kit ($12.99). It's very finely milled and light on the face but holy toledo - talk about blurring fine lines. As you can see from the bottom photo, it almost looks photoshopped. I'm lovin' it! Lastly, to contour with, I used the top middle contour shade from the same palette. It's very pigmented so I used it very lightly and blended out with a damp BeautyBlender.
  • Eyes: To prep, I used the Jesse's Girl Eye Primer ($5.99). I don't know why I've ever used anything else. This primer is ah-mazing! I let it dry and then got into the Jesse's Girl Back Stage Collection Natural Nudes Palette. In the crease, I used the taupe on the bottom second  to the right and blended that in a windshield wiper motion. To darken the crease, I went in with the shade right next to it. I also used this shade on the bottom. Back on the lid, I used the super creamy light off-white shade on the bottom left of the palette and placed that all over the lid. On the inner lid and outer lid, I lightly blended in the second from the top right just to give the lid some depth. In the inner corner, I carefully applied Jesse's Girl Fluid Shadow in Snowflake and let it dry for about 15 seconds before moving on. For liner, I used the Jesse's Girl Liquid Liner in Black  and created a sharp cat eye. For a little fun, I added some white directly underneath the wing using the Jesse's Girl Liner in Snow White.

Have you ever tried Jesse's Girl Cosmetics? You can find them online below or at your local Rite Aid. I'll definitely be running out to try more products. Stay tuned for my review on their insane Glow Stix Lip Glosses coming at the end of this week!

*Products sent for review.
Saturday, January 07, 2017

Beauty | ColourPop x Amanda Steele Weekend Warrior Palette | Swatches + Review


Happy snowy Saturday, everyone! I can't even contain myself over this review, guys. I'm so, so excited to share my thoughts on this palette. Eeeee!

So last month, ColourPop collab'd with model/YouTube Influencer Amanda Steele to bring us ColourPop's first ever pressed-powder shadow palette ($18) as well as three liquid lippies (one matte, one satin, one gloss) and three super sparkly shadows that I didn't grab because I wasn't really into them. But this palette on the other hand, I had to have!

Let's address how awesome the packaging is, shall we? The palette comes with a fishnet-print sleeve that you slip off to reveal the palette. The fishnet print continues onto the sturdy, cardboard palette itself. What's really cool about this is that the palette's "lid" comes down and around (does that make sense?) to ensure a secure closing. Hopefully you can see it in the pictures and understand what the heck I'm trying to explain. No mirror in this palette but I'm kind of cool with it as the price ($18) would probably go up more for it.

  • Throttle - a satin pale pink. Throttle is described as a pale pink but I'd say it pulls more a light, light grey-toned pink. The swatches on the site definitely show it being more pink on darker skintones so maybe it's one of those shades that looks different on everyone. The satin finish is super silky smooth and blended out beautifully.
  • Harley -  a matte cool grey. Harley is a great cool-toned cement grey. Again, as a matte, they can tend to be chalky but I really love how buttery soft and pigmented it is. Is it revolutionary? Eh, not really but it's still a nice grey if you're looking for one.
  • Burnout - a matte deepened teal. Yes! I love, love, love teal shadows. Minimal fallout from this pretty baby and it blends like a dream. Pigmentation was on point as well.
  • Chopper - a matte deepened purple. Rounding out the palette is this sweet dark plum shade. Again, a teeny bit of fall out but nothing crazy. Again, no issues with blending and I loved the silky formula.

(L-R: Chopper, Burnout, Harley and Throttle)


Overall: I find it pretty gutsy for ColourPop to come out with this palette for a few reasons. For one, they did mostly mattes in this palette which are so, so hard to get right. I found these shades to be absolutely beautiful and silky to work with. Chopper and Burnout did have some slight fallout but nothing that would make me want to send this back. Secondly, the palette is so cool-toned (which is my fave!) but I know many (if not most) enjoy warmer tones. 

Is this palette a must-have solely based on the shadows colors themselves? Eh, depends. I'm sure you could find similar shades laying around in other palettes but I much enjoying having these four together in one place. I really like that you can go for a natural look  with Throttle on the lid, Harley in the crease or take it to SmokeyVille with Chopper or Burnout in the outer V and bottom lid.

Is this palette on your wishlist? What would you like to see ColourPop come out with next?

Shop | Buy ($18)
Tuesday, January 03, 2017

Beauty + Lifestyle | PopSugar Must-Have Box | December 2016


* POPSUGAR provided me with a complimentary box.

I'm so excited for this post. For the past few months, I've been sharing with you guys the goodies in the latest PopSugar Must-Have Boxes and man, oh man. This month does not disappoint! PopSugar knows how to end the year with a bang! 

So, what's PopSugar? I'm glad you asked. It's a monthly subscription box delivered straight to your door, every month, filled with full-sized home, fashion, food, beauty and more products. They also have a "mini" box option that contains a smaller amount of products for a lesser price per month. The full-size box will run you $39.95 a month, $109.85 for three (saving you $10) or $214.70 for six months (saving you $25). The mini box will run you $18.95 per month.

What's In The Box?

  • Odeme Catchall + Ring Dish ($67) - YES PLEASE. I was so excited to see both of these in this month's box! While both are made from porcelain, they are pretty sturdy enough to throw your keys into without damage. I use the smaller one to put my rings into because you could bet I'd lose them if they weren't all in one place.
  • BaubleBar Snowfall Pendant ($28) - I love seeing necklaces in these boxes! Unfortunately, the pendant isn't really much my style but it's still a very pretty piece. The chain is about 28" long and can be worn alone or layered!
  • Mane Message Date Night Bobby Pins ($16) - What girl doesn't need bobby pins, am I right? These bobby pins from Mane Message come with two glitter ones and one enamel one for just the right amount of glitz. 
  • Winky Lux Lip Pill in Bunny ($14) - I love trying out new brands! I hadn't heard about cruelty-free brand Winky Lux until I received this lipstick in the box but needless to say, I'll be talking about them a lot more! Bunny is a perfect mix of red and pink and goes on super opaque for a somewhat satin finish.
  • Sisters' Gourmet Baker's Dozen Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix ($6.99) - As big of a cookie eater that I am, I have never tried making cookies from a jar mix! Clearly, I've been missing out! These were so, so delish! The mix makes about a dozen (depending on how big you make them) and would make an awesome gift as well.
  • Dessange Professional Color Restore Color Protecting Top Coat Serum ($11.99) - While I don't have dyed hair, I will be keeping this in my back pocket for when I do in the next few weeks! It contains vitamin E to protect those tresses and keeps everything silky and smooth.

Let me know in the comments below what your favorite product from this month's box is! Make sure to use the code SHOP5 for $5 off your first box! 

Shop | Buy
* POPSUGAR provided me with a complimentary box / contains affiliate links.
Monday, January 02, 2017

Baby | How To Keep Your Little Babe's Skin Soft in the Winter


Ah, New England winters. A special time of year where Mother Nature isn't sure if it should be 60 or 30 out which, in turn, wreaks absolute havoc on everyone's skin. I'm talking Sahara Desert-type of dry, people. But it's not just my skin I've been lotioning more often to protect.

Keeping your baby's skin moisturized is super key in the winter too. Not only does keeping their skin moisturized prevent uncomfortable cracking but it's also just a really great bonding experience. A happy baby = a happy mommy! 

Naturally, I'm picky. It took me a long time to find some really great lotions that aren't overly fragrant and harsh on the skin. Did you know certain lotions could actually dry out your little babe's skin with daily use!? Yeah, not fun. I recently went through my little lotion collection (yep, that's a thing) and picked out my four favorite lotions for little babes.


  • Earth Mama Angel Baby Angel Baby Lotion ($17.99) - Earth Mama Angel Baby is a trusted name in the mommy world when you're looking for a great product with natural ingredients. If that doesn't impress you, this lotion is also the first US personal care product-certified to the NSF/ANSI 305 Standard for "Personal Care Products Containing Organic Ingredients"! If your little one has eczema or sensitive skin, this is a great option as it contains organic Calendula and Rooibos which is great for soothing the skin without an irritants. After researching, I found that this lotion can also be used for diaper rash, keratosis pilaris and as a daily facial lotion! 
  • aden + anais Ultra-Gentle Lotion ($15.95) - I'm a huge fan of their blankets (their stroller ones are with us in the car at all times and both of my boys still snuggle with their ultra-soft swaddle blankets) and now I'm obsessed with their lotion! I've been using this lotion since they first sent it to me way back when Hunter was born. I also use this on myself as it's "gentle enough for baby, sophisticated enough for you". It's paraben, petroleum oil, gluten, soy and phthalates-free. The scent is my absolute favorite and I kind of wish it was a perfume for myself. It's lightly scented with Australian Sandalwood and infused with fresh, fermented Papaya fruit and shea butter for super soft, silky skin for your little one and you! Side note: Both of my son's recently had super-dry patches on their knees. I used this for two days and their skin went right back to smooth-as-a-baby's-butt-soft.
  • Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisture Cream ($7.19) - For those looking for a more cheaper alternative as well as one with no scent, this one's for you! It's both hypoallergenic and unscented and contains Colloidal Oatmeal and rich emollients to soothe their skin, kind of in the way an oatmeal bath soothes skin, right? Another great choice for little babes with eczema, as well!
  • Eucerin Baby Eczema Relief Body Cream ($7.39) - Another great, affordable choice for those looking for eczema relief! Last year, Hunter had "seasonal eczema" so I rushed out to get something that would ease the itchiness. While I grabbed both this and the Aveeno, I found myself using this one way more! It's a thicker cream enriched with natural oatmeal, Ceramide 3 and Licochalcone to calm and soothe red, itchy skin.

While it's hard to "over-lotion" with the above as they don't contain any harsh irritants that could dry out the skin, I still like to keep it to only twice a day. Once in their morning when I change them out of their pajamas into normal clothes and then at night when I'm changing them back into their pajamas. Lotioning them at night definitely helps my little ones settle down into their bedtime routine. If it's bath night, I just lotion them directly after bath time to lock in that moisture! My guys love their feet massaged! 

What are your favorite lotions for your little ones?

* Some products were sent for review.

the latest on the 'gram.