Simple Momma Makeup Routine

I have never been one to wear much makeup, even pre-child. Now that I have the babe, I would hazard to say that many days the most I can muster up is just washing and moisturizing my face. But on the days when I do have the time/energy to get a little more put together, these are the things I have been using and loving.. my goal is a pretty, glowing (ha!), natural looking face. And it can only take me 5-10 minutes max. And pretty much everything must be inexpensive. I am willing to pay a little more for some things that tend to last longer. And I have started spending a little more on the face products for anti-aging, since I entering my mid-thirties... yikes!

Daily Prep:
(ONE) Washing: Yes to Grapefruit Correct & Repair Brightening face wash wipes. Since starting to use these I have noticed that the red patches on my face are less red and my skin tone more even.
(TWO) Moisturizing: Meaningful Beauty Anti-aging Night Crème I have been using Cindy Crawford's Meaningful beauty products for about 4 years. I love them. I stretch my shipments out very far apart and only get what I need. My main loves are the Night Crème (which I use during the day), the clay mask, the toner, the Crème d Serum and the Glowing Serum.

Makeup Routine:
(THREE) Base: I have been using Bobbi Brown CC Cream in Blushed Nude. It has a slight coverage, SPF included and a little bit of light reflection.
(FOUR) Under Eyes: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind in Brightener. It was my last week's Can't Live Without It!
(FIVE) Forehead, Nose, Cheeks, Chin: Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser. Love, love, love this!
(SIX) All Over: Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzing Powder in Antigua. Gives a really gorgeous, healthy looking, all over glow.
(SEVEN) Eyes: Cover Girl Clump Crusher Mascara in waterproof black/brown. I love it! No clumps and nice separated lashes. This is really the only product I use on my eyes unless it's date night and then I will go wild and use eyeliner and shadow too!
(EIGHT) Cheeks: Bobbi Brown Blush in Tawny. I do a light application after using the bronzing powder.
(NINE) Lips: Mark Lip Gloss in Peek-A-Boo. I mostly just wear chapstick/lip balm, but when I'm feeling crazy, I'll throw on a nude gloss.

Five on Friday!

ONE

Can't Live Without...
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind in Brightener. I am going to do another post about my (very) simple momma makeup routine, but I just had to mention this item as my can't live without for this week. It is amazing. It transforms me from dead zombie to at least partially alive looking. Especially this week after being sick (see #3). It has helped me look human again when I had to leave the house. I mainly use it under my eyes, but I have also used it as a highlighter and in the corners of my eyes as well. Amazing.

TWO

Guys, I bought the nifty fifty lens. After all the rave reviews, especially this last week, I just pulled the trigger. I told myself I had to get it now so I would have it for our trip and H's first birthday. I am so good at convincing myself of things! It hasn't arrived yet, but I'll let you know how I love it once it does!



 

 

 

 

 

THREE

I had food poisoning this week (thus the lack of posts). 'Nuff said. I prayed that it wasn't norovirus or some other stomach bug and that my little one would be spared. Well, prayers were answered and she hasn't gotten sick. You know you are a mom when you care so, so, so much more about your baby than you do about anything else at all.






 

FOUR

Starting to think about what to get little H for her birthday. We don't want to go overboard, but want to give her a couple of neat things she will enjoy playing with. We are thinking about maybe a play kitchen with a set of food (these cute desserts - little macarons! what?!) and maybe a cart to push around too? Too cute! And also a book or two. Where is Baby's Birthday Cake is high on the list!
 

 

 
FIVE

This week... baby with a little backpack! I like that she has a little bit of 'tude in this picture with her hip out. In the past few weeks she has definitely started asserting her personality!!

 

 

I'm linking up for Five on Friday!

 

         

 

 

And also linking up for Can't Live Without It!

 

 

Five on Friday!

ONE

Can't Live Without...
Tracy Anderson. Okay, I know that I am starting to sound obsessed... because I am. I am a die hard Tracy fan. She truly changed my body and my exercise-life. I started doing her method about 7 months before I got pregnant and it changed my body like nothing else ever has. Her main program, Metamorphosis, has several different variations depending on your body type (hipcentric, glutecentric, abcentric or omnicentric - sometimes you can also find them at Costco or Bed, Bath and Beyond for super cheap) and the muscular structure routines specifically target your imbalances (along with everything else too). There is a description on her site that can help you figure out which one you are. I was hipcentric, and I completed the first 90 days (my hips shrunk 3 inches, along with inches lost everywhere else too!) and then I switched over to glutecentric (as that imbalance was more pronounced then) until I got pregnant. The routines change every 10 days so you never plateau (hallelujah)! The changing content also helped me get into a better routine of working out 6 days a week... I wasn't getting bored, and I always had her new cute workout clothes to look forward to.

I have always been an exerciser, but I LOVE FOOD (and wine!) so I think I was in pretty good shape, but there was padding, especially in my hips and thighs (I also pretty much always follow a modified weight watchers amount of points daily, but I get cravings, and did I mention wine?). Once I started her system the padding started falling away and I was still indulging (moderately) in some of the things I love (including the wine!). Then I got pregnant and I switched over to her Pregnancy Project (one of my Bun in the Oven Momma Faves). Each month has a workout routine tailored to that point in your pregnancy, and doing this helped me gain the appropriate amount of weight and feel better. When I was morning sick, I would motivate myself to get to it and I would always feel better afterwards. About 8 weeks postpartum I (slowly) started working out again using her Post Pregnancy 1 and Post Pregnancy 2 workouts. Working out again after having Hazel was so hard. So hard. Probably one of the harder things I've done (this warrants a separate post). But I started slowly and built on it and now I am almost back to where I was pre-preg (10 months postpartum). I also suffered from some postpartum anxiety, and I will say that exercising really helped with that too. I've switched over from Tracy's Metamorphosis program to her streaming workouts and they. are. amazing. Have I gushed enough?! Bottom line, this woman is a life-changer.

She is also super cute (total girl crush!) and on the cover of Health magazine this month and you can read the article here.

 

TWO

After a few online shopping sesh's (with 40 and 50% off!) here is what I ended up with from Loft:

Teal Stone Multi Strand Necklace - so cute and I really think this color is going to be a major trend for Spring/Summer
Pleated V-Neck Dress in Summer Navy (the color in person is somewhat lighter and grayer - so pretty! Also a great dress for nursing!)
Short Sleeve Lace Shift Dress in Mint Cream (makes me think of going to tea or a garden party, or great for a wedding!)
Floral Bloom Maxi Dress in Perfect Teal (this one is a saga. I ordered it in petite initially - I'm short - but the arm holes were way up in my pits - super uncomfortable. So I ordered a size larger in petite and also my normal size in the regular length dress. The larger petite was still made for doll arms, and the regular dress is way too long... but I love the dress, so I'm keeping the regular and I will be attempting to hem it myself.)

What I returned (and why):
Eyelet Striped Dress (zipper got stuck when I was trying it on and I honestly thought I would have to cut myself out, also fit was not great around waist)
Pleated V-Neck Dress in Vivid Teal (the color is gorgeous but is a little see through)
Colorblock Racerback Maxi Dress in Pale Tea Rose (loved the dress but the pink made me look pasty)
Modern Flip Flops (not comfortable)

I went to the store to do my returns and ended up leaving with another super cute bead & tassel necklace in candy coral (they are having 40% off again!). Tassels... they're so hot right now, tassels.

 

 

 

 

THREE

Finishing up getting the last items for little H's birthday party (I'm planning so far ahead because we have a vacation coming up right before her party).

I bought the cutest drink buckets from target. Oh, and I bought the booze - little mini bottles of pink champagne (and some larger ones too, for when the minis run out), because what first birthday party would be complete without some whine/wine!

I have also been working on making a gold and glittery banner using my Cricut machine! I got that thing almost 10 years ago (it was my first anniversary gift from G... what a sweet and thoughtful man) during the peak of scrapbooking mania. The last time I used it was probably about 4 years ago to make a banner for a bridal shower. It still is a pretty neat machine and did an awesome job making cute, uniform letters.

  




FOUR

Prepping for the plane trip of said vacation. We have purchased a few new books and a cute toy to introduce to H on the plane, so hopefully she will stay occupied (at least for a little bit). We are also going to bring a few small things she loves as well. And we got her a kid's Kindle already (we don't let her use it much yet, but she does like to play a few minutes of fruit ninja!). Fingers crossed for those five and a half hours. Any must haves/must do tips? Let me know!

We are going to Maui, so I themed the new

toy/books appropriately...

Where is Baby's Beach Ball?

Baby Loves Summer

Deep Sea Dive Lift-the-Flap

You Are My Baby: Ocean

Flutter Fly (Indestructible)

Little Ocean Books

My Beach House

 

FIVE

Baby in a romper with little baby leg rolls! Need I say more?!

 

 

 

I'm linking up for Five on Friday!

 

         

 

 

And also linking up for Can't Live Without It!

 

 

 

 

New Momma Nursing Favorites

My number one suggestion, if breastfeeding is your goal, is to take a breastfeeding class and read a good breastfeeding book (I really liked Breastfeeding Made Simple). Being armed with that little bit of knowledge helped me so much when starting out on the breastfeeding journey. Because even with that little bit of knowledge it was a huge learning experience. I remember in the middle of the night in the hospital calling the nurse in because H and I just had no idea what we were doing. I was so afraid to position her because her neck was so fragile. But the two of us soldiered on and figured this thing out... we are now going on 10+ months!

Besides getting some good info, support is so key. Look up lactation consultants in your area. If you took a birthing class, see if they have any recommendations. A local lactation consultant may even offer a breastfeeding class you can take (that's what we did). That way, once you are home and you feel like you need some help, you have someone to call. We used a lactation consultant when I ran into some issues a few months in and their help was vital. They came to the house, they were sweet and understanding, they assessed everything and even gave me extra advice about fussy babies, burping, postpartum counseling, etc. Amazing! And having a husband who supports your breastfeeding goals is also such a blessing. G is great that way.

Now the best part! The products that made the journey so much easier. Below are my new momma nursing favorites.

 

ONE // TWO // THREE // FOUR // FIVE // SIX

 

 

ONE: If you are going to be pumping/need to sterilize anything, USE THESE! You just pop them in the micro for 90 seconds with a little bit of water and presto. All clean.

 

TWO: Also if you plan to pump and do some bottles, the Kiinde system is great. You pump straight into the storage bags, heat those same storage bags up and pop them directly into a bottle system. No wasted liquid gold.

 

THREE: Nursing tanks are still what I wear on a daily basis around the house and at night. Comfy, and makes it oh so easy to nurse.

 

FOUR: These Therapearl doodads are awesome. If you get a plugged duct, just microwave them and put them in your bra. When you are engorged, put them in the fridge and then wear them around once they are cold. If you pump, heat them up and put them around the pump piece and it helps your milk let down faster and makes your pumping session shorter.

 

FIVE: This one is my absolute favorite and a must have! During the first week or two of breastfeeding, it's not the most comfortable of experiences, even if your baby has a good latch. This balm will save you from getting cracks and other painful issues. You don't have to use it forever - I went through one tube and then was good. But oh man was it a savior!

 

SIX: I really like disposable nursing pads, especially at the beginning when leakage is at its peak. These are great and you don't have to think about washing them, you can just toss them. They are also soft and comfortable and absorb a lot.

 

 



Five on Friday!

ONE

Can't Live Without...
This totally nifty printable 2015 calendar! I am using print outs of May to plan out the week before Hazel's party.. when to go shopping at different stores, when to pick up food, when to make desserts, when to clean, when to decorate. Kind of Type A, but this will keep my stress level way down! I love that this calendar is cute and I can print out as many copies as I want.

 

TWO

Hazel's swim lessons are going great! She was a little bit nervous/serious on the first day as we waited for the lesson to start. She just wanted to cuddle on Momma (which I can't deny, I love!). But, by the end of the class she was the happiest camper! She was even giving the teacher big smiles.

Side note: Swim diapers don't absorb pee... I now know this because I got peed on! As we were waiting for the class to start my husband was holding H and at one point he looked over at me and said "I'm dripping!" I grabbed Hazel from him so he could see what was going on and my lap started getting very warm and wet. Just one of those mom initiation rites, yeah? I've been peed on! I'm officially a mom! :) Any tips for how to handle swim diapers and the time before getting in the pool?

P.S. I have been peed on before, too. So we will just call this additional confirmation of my momma-ness!

 

 

 

THREE

This color game. It has eaten up way too much of my time! Makes me think about that whole blue/black white/gold drama. My eyes start going bonkers after the first few.

 

 

 



Left // Right

FOUR

Now this week Old Navy is killing it with the cute clothes for the littles. Miss H is almost out of the baby clothes and into the toddler ones (tear!). Thank goodness the Navy has some of the cutest graphic tees right now! Now that we have the babe, I have been doing most of my shopping online and then only going to stores to return things. When I do go out for the returning, I buzz through the kids section just to see if anything is cute (ha! I always find something!). Today I found 2 of the cutest little tees! Good thing they were having a 2fer $12 deal (always with the rationalization over here)!

FIVE

A cute video of my babe, because why not? She is 10 months now, and I honestly cannot believe it. She officially took her first *real* steps on Wednesday. She has taken one or two here and there before, but these were legitimate steps.  She is just growing up so fast. Yikes. Oh and she has been doing her Tracy Anderson workout moves this week too...

 

 

 

I'm linking up for Five on Friday!

 

         

 

 

And also on linking up for Can't Live Without It!

 

 

 

 

Easter Basket Blog Hop!

Hazel's Easter basket turned out really cute! The bunny I ordered online ended up being really small.  I hadn't anticipated that (thought it would be a basket filler). So I ended up getting her the sweetest little mini purse too (total splurge but I couldn't resist). I thought it wouldn't be something she would want to play with until she is a bit older, but she loved it!

But the books were her absolute favorite. She would have been happy with just those! We had to prompt her to unpack the rest.

I also added in a couple of other bunny toys she already had, to make the basket more festive!

This is Hazel's last 'first' holiday (tear!), and it was fun to see how much different she is now than at Christmas. She definitely got the concept of the basket and unpacking and playing with the items.

Where Are Baby's Easter Eggs?

Easter Touch and Feel

Jellycat Ballerina Bunny

Vera Bradley Mini Satchel

Peter Rabbit Hanging Toy

Basket

I'm linking up for the Easter Basket Blog Hop!

10 Month Update!

   

This little miss has 3 teeth, 2 pigtails, and a truckload of sassy personality.
 

Age: 10 months

 

Stats: Weighed  19lb 8oz (69th percentile) and was 28" tall (46th percentile) - although these are not official doctor's visit  measurements, wears size 6-12 months in clothing, size 3 diapers & has 3 teeth (2 bottom middle and 1 top left)!

 

Favorite Foods: Same as 9 months, plus pepperoni! That is definitely her jam! On the flip side, she hates black beans. I mean hates. I gave her one when we were at Chipotle and the Epic Bean Meltdown of 2015 (said in a booming James Earl Jones voice) occurred. Whoa. You would have thought the world was going to end.

 

Words: Same as 9 months, plus she has started repeating things! I don't know if she knows what they mean, but she has said goodnight (when Daddy was reading her Goodnight Moon), shorts (when Momma was changing her clothes) and hello, all really clearly. She has also increased her really cute babbling this past month. 

 

Favorite Activities: Same as 9 months, plus clapping! About a week ago she just started clapping one morning out of nowhere. So cute! And we have also taught her to high five. I'll put my hand up and say "high five!" and she will slap me some skin and laugh like it is the funniest joke on the planet! She is also loving practicing different facial expressions. She has started doing that silly fake smile that all kids seem to end up doing in pictures at some point. It cracks us up!

 

Favorite Things: Same as 9 months, plus swinging! We had been going to the park in the past, but now she is sooo into it. We have been going every night after dinner, before bed. The higher the swinging, the happier the little chick. She gets so sad when we have to leave. Did I mention balloons before? We went into Party City and she almost didn't know what to do with herself. All of those mylar balloons lined up on the wall.. this little one went crazy! Flags too. Waving in the breeze. So funny to her!

Least Favorite Things: Same as 9 months, plus black beans, per the aforementioned meltdown scenario.

 

Signature Moves: Same as 9 months, plus she has started to grab and hold on to us when we pick her up (that sound you hear is my heart melting into a puddle). She has also become a super pro at standing with no hands. Even when she gets excited and flaps her arms, she can keep her balance. She has tried to take some steps on her own a few times, but so far not much success. Her crawling has transformed into this crazy, super fast monkey crawl (G came up with that). This girl can get around!

 

 

 

Both your Daddy and I have noticed how much more grown up you seem this month. Time sure is flying by, but we are trying to enjoy every moment of your journey.

 

 

 

Five on Friday

ONE

Just feeling so blessed to be a momma. Sometimes it is really overwhelming. Like really, really overwhelming (wine anyone?). It's a 24/7 job with no vacation and no time off. But it is by far the most rewarding experience of my life, ever. I love our little nugget with a fierceness that I never expected. I read somewhere recently that having a child, meeting them for this first time, and loving them is like finding a new room in your house - it was always there, you just didn't know it existed. It really is impossible to imagine what life was even like before Hazel, such is the expansiveness of all of the feelings. Oh Hazel, you are Momma's favorite, favorite, favorite girl.

Seriously, this kid is a ham. Anytime the
camera comes out, its ham-mer time.

TWO
Loving these shorts from Target. We've been having some warmer weather and I have been rocking them pretty much on the daily... they are super, super comfy. I bought a size larger than I normally wear because I didn't want short-short-booty-hanging-out shorts, but they'd probably be cute that way too if that's your jam!

...don't mind my mess!






























tank // sandals - Loft/old (similar-ish) // necklace - see below!





THREE
Hazel is starting swim lessons next week! We want to prep her for the pool time she'll have during our Hawaii vacation in May. I can't wait to see her in her swim suit, swim diaper and little flip flops. Carter's has a cute cover-up too. I tried the flip flops on her today and *darling*. Is there anything cuter than baby feet in shoes?! She wasn't so into keeping them on those cute feet though!











FOUR
Loft ended up having a 40% off sale this week, so I was able to get the cute sundress from last week's Friday Five along with this gorgeous necklace and this maxi dress. They haven't arrived yet, but I'm hoping they are cute on! Update: They just arrived and the sundress is so not flattering. Plus the zipper got stuck when I was trying it on and I thought I was going to be trapped forever and have to cut myself out. After about 20 minutes of jimmy-ing it I was able to escape! The maxi dress is so so cute, but I ordered the wrong size (too snug on the armpits). The necklace, however, is great (see above in #2)!

FIVE
Target has seriously been killing it lately with cute outfits for the little chick at awesome prices and great sales too (they are having a buy one get one 50% off right now)! Some of my favorites are this cute cat onesie pictured - anything with kitties, tho (matching leggings too!), this other adorbs onesie (I am such a sucker for anything that proclaims love for the momma, and the daddy version too) and this cute little lemon outfit. The babe is set for Spring! (Oh and this top, and this top too, and the matching capris!)

 

 

 

I'm linking up for Five on Friday!