Favorite Things - June and the Nerium Giveaway Winner!

I'm linking up with Andrea and Erika for their Favorite Things party. Here are a couple of my favorite things under $10!

I absolutely loathe the sticky feeling of aloe vera so when I found this after sun aloe lotion I had to try it. We go on 3 field trips a week at the day care and 2 of those are usually swimming so my shoulders and arms are getting quite a bit of sun. This lotion really helps keep them moisturized and if I get a little pink, it helps keep from peeling. It's right over $10.00 on Amazon but it's only $4.97 at Walmart.

Thanks to Melanie, I'm able to drink my venti iced Starbucks for only $3.91. I used to laugh at Melanie's lengthy order but now I do the same thing. Venti iced coffee with whole milk, 3 splendas and one pump of hazelnut....mmmm so good! I'm so thankful for my sweet husband that will stop on the way home from his workouts every morning at 5 AM to buy me my favorite coffee :) 

I have tried countless brands of mascara over the years. I've tried mascara that costs $5.00 and I've tried mascara that cost $30. I always, always go back to these two mascaras. Out of all the mascaras I've used, these two are by far my favorite. They give me length and volume without any clumps. Yes, I use two mascaras...call me weird but it works for me. :) Best mascara I've ever used for less than $10 a tube...can't beat that!


And now for the winner of the NeriumAD giveaway.....

Drumroll please.........

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations Shannon!! I'll get you that NeriumAD ASAP!! Thank you to everyone that entered!

Mommy Must-Haves and Meltdowns

This weekend left me feeling like this mommy must have a break...or a large dose of caffeine--the latter is a bit more realistic. Our weekend was eventful and fun, but included several meltdowns (one of those meltdowns may have been from me).

On Saturday, we went to our sweet niece's birthday party. Ella's party was lots of fun...what else beats swimming and hot dogs in the summer?! I planned on getting some great pictures of the kids with their cousins and cute pictures in the kid's pool---key word was "planned". 

Let me take a quick minute to share with you that Dusty and I are pretty adamant about keeping our kids on their nap and bedtime schedule. We've been that way since day one with Sawyer and continue to be that way with both kids. Yes, we know that there are exceptions and we let it happen every once in a while, but 95% of the time our kids are in their beds at the same time every day and every night. There are times that it's hard because we miss events we would like to enjoy as a family but we know that it would get in the way of nap time or bed time. 

Back to Saturday...Ella's party ran into Sawyer's nap time but of course we weren't going to miss our niece's birthday party! We were all good until about 45 minutes into the party....that's when things got difficult. Bless our little girl's heart. She was just too darn tired. First there was a cupcake dilemma and then we made her get out of the pool because it started raining. How dare we...I know ;) Long story short, we made a quick exit to get her home so we could get her in bed ASAP. Needless to say, I didn't get many pictures from the party. 

This was the best I could get and I'm pretty sure it's because she had a cookie.

That evening was our community's annual 4th of July Celebration and I was super excited to enjoy it for the first time as a family of four. Our church was running one of the game booths so we wanted to go and help out as well. This was going to be one of our "exceptions" for keeping the kids out past their bedtime. Spoiler alert...totally backfired in.my.face. I can already tell you now that I did not get to take one single picture. Jansen did fine but I don't think Sawyer had really recuperated from her nap being off earlier that day. I was totally having one of those, "I'm such a bad momma" moments. She was so done and I should've known that it wasn't going to work out after having a tough afternoon. I just got caught up in wanting to make those priceless memories with my sweet little family.

Once again we made a quick exit and got home and put the kids to bed. I was left with the feeling of "is it our fault that our 2 year old can't handle being off her nap/bedtime schedule because we made it that way?" I was trying so hard to not be bummed out when I saw my friends posting pictures of themselves with their kids (around the same age as Sawyer or younger) at the 4th of July celebration watching the fireworks. How were their kids not having meltdowns? I was totally having a little pity party thinking that we just weren't going to be able take our kids anywhere for the next 3 years. I forgot to mention that I was having a bad day...one of those that you don't have very often, but when you do, you swear the whole world is against you...yeah I was having one of those. I decided at 8:30 that I just needed to go to bed.

Of course, on Sunday morning when I woke up and was able to think clearly I knew that things are not as bad as they seemed the day before. We are not doomed to being confined within our home for the next three years. We have a 2 year old and an 8 month old...meltdowns are going to happen. Sawyer was having a bad day just like I was and I can blame it on an interrupted sleep routine but it's going to happen regardless. My mom had a quote on her fridge a couple weeks ago and I think as a parent and as a teacher it is something that I forget all too often...

“So often, children are punished for being human. Children are not allowed to have grumpy moods, bad days, disrespectful tones, or bad attitudes, yet we adults have them all the time! We think if we don't nip it in the bud, it will escalate and we will lose control. Let go of that unfounded fear and give your child permission to be human. We all have days like that. None of us are perfect, and we must stop holding our children to a higher standard of perfection than we can attain ourselves." --Rebecca Eanes

That being said, I'll leave you with my Mommy Must-have for the day. 

Mom's One Line a Day.

This little book lets me write down all those daily memories that you don't want to forget. No matter how small or how silly they may seem, you know you don't want to forget them. I bought this book for my teammate this year because she would share so many funny stories about her 3 year old son and we were constantly saying that she needed to write them down so she wouldn't forget any of them. I was out at Northpark one day and spotted this book in Papersource. I didn't buy it at that moment but I kept thinking about it over the next month. Finally, I looked it up on Amazon and bought one for Nicki and one for myself. I love being able to write down all those little moments that I don't want to forget. From Jansen's first time to pull up, to Sawyer's saying "I not silly Mommy, I hot mess". I write it all down!! 

I love that each day has spaces for 5 years. You get to have 5 years worth of memories in one little book! You can look back on one day and see what happened on that particular day for 5 different years. The book is on sale on Amazon right now for $9.60!! You can find it HERE. They even have a basic One Line A Day Memory book that can be for anyone, not just mom's. 

Don't forget to visit Melanie's blog to see her weekend update, Mommy Must-Have AND a brand new blog design!! Her blog is full of fun stuff to start your week off ! 

Trendy Thursday -- Summer nails

I absolutely love having my nails done and when I mean "done" I mean painted...not fake nails. I like the clean look of a short, painted manicure. That being said, I've never been a huge fan of trying to find the time to go get my nails done just to have them chip within a matter of hours. Yes, I said hours. Apparently I'm not the most delicate person when it comes to using my hands. I've tried doing them at home so I don't have to spend the money or time going to get them done. I'm horrible at painting my own nails...I'm praying that Sawyer never wants me to paint her nails because I can only imagine how awful I'd be at painting someone else's nails...a kid's nails at that. A moving target?? I don't think so. 

When I heard about gel nails a little over a year ago, (I think I called it shellac then...not sure what the actual correct term is to tell you the truth) I went and tried it out. Not impressed. I didn't try it again for several months but when I went back and had them done again, I had a change of heart. I love love LOVE them! Finally a manicure I can enjoy for over a month! It's actually worth the time and the money to go and get my nails done because they actually stay looking nice for a long time, no matter how tough I am on my nails. 

I know pretty much every single woman out there has either heard of gel nails or had them done before so I'm not sure how "trendy" this post actually is. This may be old news to you ;)

Melanie aren't you proud of me for not getting my usual dark nails?!?! For those of you that don't know me personally, when my nails are painted...95% of the time it will be a dark color. We're talking a deep navy or purple. Possibly dark grey or even black. I don't know why I am so drawn to short, dark nails but I have been that way since high school. I still remember Lindsay Wickman...Dilday now :) teasing me about me and my dark maroon nails. Those were the days when dark nails were still a "goth" trend I guess...is "goth" even a relevant term anymore? 

Anyways, I always go in with the intention of doing something new but the majority of the time I stick with what I know and love--regardless of the fact that it might be summer and it's the time for bright or light polish. #idon'tcareifitsafashionno-no

We'll see if I can stay away from the dark colors again next time...I'm still liking my bright and fun nails so far :)

Here are some ideas I've seen on Pinterest that I wouldn't mind trying.

 I am loving the aztec print on this one! I may have to bring this picture in next time :)

How perfect would this be for the 4th of July?!

Dark nails + sparkle = perfection! 

I'm thinking this would be cute for a pedicure with the glitter on the big toe.

Love the turquoise! 

Recipe Club - Monster Cookies!

I'm linking up with Momfessionals Recipe Club today and posting Monster Cookies! These are probably my favorite cookies because the recipe makes a TON, it's easy and you can totally mix it up and add your own favorite ingredients!

MONSTER COOKIES

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 12 oz. jar creamy peanut butter

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup M&M’s

1/2 cup chocolate chips

2 tsp. baking soda

4 1/2 cups quick cooking oats {don’t use instant}

1/2 cup raisins, optional 

In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs & sugars until well combine. 

Add salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter & mix well. 

Stir in the chocolate chips, M&M's (and raisins if you're using them), baking soda, and oats. I always do this by hand because it gets pretty thick.

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and drop the cookie mix by tablespoons 2 inches apart. Bake for about 8-10 minutes and don't overcook! When you remove the cookies from the oven, let them cool for about 3 minutes before moving them to wire racks to finish cooling completely.

Y'all I could eat my weight in these cookies...no lie. And I'll totally admit that I eat them for breakfast --just call it oatmeal to go with all the fix in's!

Excuse the horrible picture...it's an old picture from probably the first batch I ever made. Pretty sure after writing this post I'll be making a batch today! I'm craving some Monster cookies now!!!

My Skin "Testimony" and a giveaway!!!

I've been planning on doing this blog post for a while because I get so many questions about Nerium and anyone that knows me knows that I can talk...A LOT. This post is not to "push" a product or "up my sales". This is simply a post to finally say all I've wanted to say about the different products I've tried for my skin and what my skincare regimen is now and why I love it.

When people send me messages asking about Nerium, there's a lot I want to tell them but 1. I don't want to type that much every single time nor will I get the chance to finish before I have someone crawling up my leg and 2. sometimes it's hard to tell someone how much you love a product without feeling like you sound like a salesperson. It's funny because I feel that once someone knows that you sell a product, this switch goes off in their head and any time you mention that product, they think "Oh, they just talk about how much they love it because they're trying to get you to buy from them". BUT if you are just someone who loves a company and raves about the products you use from them, people listen and are more tempted to try it out as well. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's just my personal experience. Once people think your only intentions are to sell the product, their belief in your words go out the window.

So please, forget that I'm a brand partner for a few minutes as you read and know that I am writing this as someone who just loves this product.

A few months after having Sawyer, I noticed that my skin just looked dull and lifeless. Yes, I know I had a newborn and the sleep was minimal, but I wanted to do something to make my skin better. I realized that regardless of how my skin looked or felt, I really needed to start taking better care of it because I'm not getting any younger (unfortunately). I got sucked into an infomercial for Meaningful Beauty--you know that skincare line that Cindy Crawford pushes. Helloooo gorgeous Cindy Crawford skin!! Why would I not want to try it?! Well I did and my face felt like it was ON FIRE!!! Whatever that melon concoction was did not agree with my skin. Needless to say, I sent it back.

The next thing I tried was Rodan & Fields and I loved it! I mean really loved it. I really don't have anything negative to say about Rodan & Fields products. They are great and I never had a problem with the products or the company. I used them for about 8 months or so but I will say I wasn't always consistent with the skincare regimen. That's the main reason I stopped using R&F. My nightly regimen consisted of the daily cleansing mask that I needed to leave on for 2 minutes, the toner, and then the night cream. In the morning was the same thing, just with the day cream instead of the night. That didn't include any anti-aging/preventative products that I wanted to use. Y'all...by the end of the night, I'm tired...the less I have to do to get ready for bed, the better. There were too many nights that I was just downright lazy and didn't want to go through my "steps". Consequence of that would be my face breaking out...no bueno.

Right after I had Jansen, I kept seeing Facebook posts about Nerium. I was interested so I messaged the girl that I was friends with that was doing the posting. A couple videos later, I decided I wanted to try the product. All the science behind it was incredible and the before and after pictures were unbelievable! I'm not by any means "old" and don't have have lots of wrinkles or saggy skin BUT I knew that I wanted to use something that could help with the bags under my eyes, large pores, overall skin texture and most importantly for me PREVENTION! I tanned in tanning beds all through high school and part of college and I knew that wrecked havoc on my skin. I want to start taking care of my skin now so it won't ever get to the point where I'm unhappy with it. Within the first week, my skin was softer and I noticed my makeup went on more smoothly. I've been using it since November (a little less than 8 months) and I've never been happier with my skin! People always ask me what are the main changes I've noticed. Here you go: overall skin texture has improved, pores are smaller, bags under eyes are better, tighter skin, fine lines are diminishing, makeup goes on smoothly and my skin doesn't get as oily throughout the day. I used to have to reapply pressed powder routinely throughout the day. I only have to do that once now! My skincare regimen is so much faster and simpler now. I wash my face with my $5 purpose face wash and my clarisonic mia brush and then put on my Nerium...that's it! In the morning, I do the same but use the day cream. Yes, my skin will break out periodically but that is because I am only human and I have hormones and stress as well as everyone else. Curse those stupid hormones! And well, if you ever want to know if I'm stressed out, just look towards my face. It's always been that way and I don't think that anything will ever change that.

I  was hesitant at first because of the pricing (as is everyone I think), but the 3URFREE program lets you get your product for free each month when you have 3 friends sign up as well. Plus, I realized, "I don't want to spend that much on my skin that I'll have for the rest of my life, but I'll spend it on a pair of jeans?" Once I thought of it that way, I realized it's a better buy to insure good skin versus a pair of pants haha. Plus I added up what I spent on the Rodan & Fields line that I used plus the anti-aging I would be buying and it was a substanital difference in pricing. Less money and less steps...SOLD!  

That is my "skin testimony" as a 26 year old mother of two little ones...not as a Brand Partner for Nerium. 

I did not become a brand partner with Nerium so I could push a product just to make some extra money. I simply joined this company because I absolutely loved their product and thought it would be fun to be a part of a team of these amazing ladies. If I could get my product for free AND make a little extra money on the side...why not?!

This company is amazing and I love being a part of it. The support is unbelievable and the friendships these women (and yes, men too) form is beautiful. I have never heard one negative thing come out of anyone's mouth...EVER! These people are extremely positive, happy, and don't hesitate to do whatever they can to help someone out.

Having a full time job as a teacher during the school year, working at the daycare during the summer, being a wife to my husband and mommy to my two little ones leaves very little time for me to devote to Nerium. I don't make it to the events, group meetings or many of the team calls, so needless to say I'm not as active in the company as I would like to be. That being said, my team is extremely understanding of that and it's awesome.

I like to have my Nerium parties once a month that way if someone hasn't been able to make a previous one, they have more than once chance to come. Plus if any of my preferred customers are working on referring their 3 friends to get their product for free, they can bring them too :) If anything, it's a chance for my fellow mommies to have an hour or two away and just hang out with some friends. I don't know one momma that can say they don't need that! If you ever want to come and hang out, let me know...I don't care that you have no interest in the product-- I promise no one will be pressuring you to buy anything.

If you want to see my before/after picture, I'll be happy to email them to you. If you want more information you can always check out my website (tons of awesome before/after pictures and videos) or email me with questions. I'm here to help!

www.laurenwill.nerium.com

I am giving away one bottle of NeriumAD night cream to one lucky reader!! Just follow the rafflecopter steps and I'll announce the winner on Monday!!

And if you haven't checked out Melanie's Tuesday Tip, you need to go check it out!! She already got me hooked with this tip!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday Tips -- Bloglovin

First off I have to say Happy birthday to my sweet niece Ella Grace! I can't believe you are 4 years old already. Dusty, Sawyer, Jansen and I love you SO MUCH!!!

Now for my Tuesday Tip! If you enjoy reading blogs as much as I do and you haven't discovered bloglovin...then you need to download the app and/or bookmark it on your computer ASAP!

I use the app on my iPhone and I love it! It's the easiest way to follow your favorite blogs. I don't have to bookmark a million different blogs anymore. I just bookmarked bloglovin on my computer and downloaded the app on my phone. Voila! All my favorite blogs are in one place and the "unread" posts show up on my home page just like a newsfeed. Once you read them, they go off your home page. You can still access all the posts from your top blogs by selecting the blog you are wanting to visit. I absolutely love this app (I use the app more than I do the actual website). I read blog posts like most people read magazines...obviously I can relate more to the blogs than I can the magazines.

So if you are a lover of blogs, this is right up your alley! Find me on bloglovin by copying and pasting http://www.williamspartyoffour.com/ in the search bar.

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/12466813/?claim=6hmgx6qxj6n">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Monthly Q&A -- Kicking off July!

Melanie and I thought it would be fun to have a monthly Q&A on the last monday of each month. We LOVE reading the Q&A's about our favorite bloggers, hopefully y'all will enjoy too. When you are done reading mine, don't forget to go check out Melanie's Q&A HERE. Some months may have somewhat of a theme and some months may be completely random. That being said, this month's Q&A theme is summer...here we go!

1. What is your go-to summer outfit? 

Y'all will probably think I'm super boring, but honestly you'll pretty much always find me in a pair of my favorite J.Crew shorts and target long & lean tank top. I'm so not exaggerating when I say that I have a drawer full of these tank tops. I'm a layer-er (not a word, but it works) so I couldn't tell you the last time I was only wearing one shirt. I'm wearing one of these tanks under any top pretty much 98% of the time.

I totally have 5 pairs of these shorts and am planning on buying more...they are the perfect length and come in so many adorable colors.

You can find the shorts HERE and the tank tops HERE.

2. What is your go-to lunch?

Gah...I really wish I could sound totally healthy here and say something like...ok I don't even know what I would put to make myself sound healthy. Honestly, I'm either on the go a lot in the summer or working at the daycare. That being said, my "go-to lunch" on the go would be Chic Fil A. I recently fell in love with their Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap so that's a new favorite. And of course just their basic chicken sandwich...and sweet tea of course. If I'm taking my lunch with me to work and I've been to Costco recently, I'll make a sandwich with a Hawaiian sweet roll and Costco's chicken salad...cranberries, celery, chicken, and pecans mmmmm. If you have a Costco nearby, go grab you some!!! 

3. What is your go-to outfit for the kids?

I recently did a post over shopping for the kids and I covered my favorites for Sawyer and Jansen. You can check it out HERE!

4. What is your favorite summer memory?

Oh...I have such a hard time choosing just one (I do that with many "favorite" questions) Most of my summer memories that really stick with me are from my childhood and those memories take place at Wet N' Wild (this was before Hurricane Harbor came to town), Disney World, and my parent's pool. Summers in Texas have always been and will always be HOT HOT HOT. Waterparks and pools are a must!!!

5. What is your favorite summer hangout?

Okay, I have three...I told you that I have a hard time choosing just ONE favorite. I think I should have an indoor favorite, and outdoor favorite, and a kid friendly favorite. My parent's pool is by far my favorite outdoor summer hangout...it's been that way for the past 20 years :) Northpark has to be my favorite indoor summer hangout...this is really a favorite hangout all year long BUT I get to frequent my favorite shopping site much more often in the summer. Hellloooo brunch at Breadwinner's! Unfortunately Dusty doesn't share my love of Northpark (then again, what guy does?) as much as I do so Melanie or my mom are usually my shopping buddies :) And lastly...my favorite summer hangout with the kiddos is our community park. Sawyer LOVES the park and splash pad and wants to go ALL the time. We had a play date with sweet Juliette on Friday and will be back again countless times this summer.

6. What is your favorite summer recipe?

I'm going to have to go with my mom's grape salad...I could eat the whole batch, but the grapes are really about the only healthy thing in this recipe. This recipe doesn't call for any "cooking" so it's super simple and so yummy!

1 8 oz. cream cheese
1 jar marshmallow creme
2 lbs. grapes
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Place cream cheese in a bowl and let soften on the counter for 30 minutes. Then beat in jar of marshmallow creme until creamy. Add about 2 lbs. seedless grapes (red or green) and 1/2 cup chopped pecans and store gently.
Will keep in the refrigerator for several days.

7. What is your favorite summer drink?
Anything cold....seriously, like fill the cup up to the brim with ice and then pour over pretty much any beverage. I really don't drink many cokes...I'll crave a DP every now and then, but I'm trying my hardest to resist. I really try my best to only drink water BUT if I just have to have something other than that, you'll see me drinking iced coffee, sweet tea, or Fruit Water.

This helps curb that carbonation craving I'll have every so often. It comes in five flavors but strawberry kiwi and orange mango are my favorite :)

9. Best vacation destination?

I'm going to make my father proud on this one and say Disney World. For two reasons...#1: It really is the most magical place on Earth and #2: I haven't been to many other places haha. Seriously...I've lost count on how many times I've been to Disney World. That's the only place that my Dad really wanted to go on vacation when I was growing up...who am I kidding? That's the only place my Dad still wants to go on vacation. In fact, we've been on family vacations to Disney World twice in the past 4 years. I've been to Disney World as a kid, as a teenager, as a newlywed, and as a 6 month pregnant mommy of a 14 month old. There is something to do no matter what age you are or what stage of life you are in.  I can't wait to go back! I said I wouldn't go back until Jansen was 4 and Sawyer was 5...I'm not sure I can wait that long though!

10. What is my go-to play date location/idea?

I really enjoy taking Sawyer and Jansen to our community park. Sawyer loves to play on the playground and run around the trails. The splash pad is always a hit as well! This is really our first summer to plan play-dates so I've got a list of places I'd like to visit. That list includes the Perot Museum, Klyde Warren Park (we've been, but we want to go back), the Museum of the American Railroad, along with a few more. 

I'm so excited that Melanie and I are hosting a week long instagram challenge/giveaway that starts today! We are giving away this gorgeous Lia Sophia necklace. 

All you have to do is post a picture each day (today is a selfie to introduce yourself) with the hashtag #landmgiveaway in instagram to enter in the giveaway. Melanie and I have participated in these types of challenges before and they are a lot of fun!!! It's fun to take a peek into someone else's life and see how creative other's are. I know I love seeing everyone else's pictures. We'll enter all the participants names and draw out a winner at the end of the week. We hope you're in! 

Don't forget to go visit Melanie's blog HERE to read her Monthly Q&A and see her explanation of our instagram challenge/giveaway (her explanation is probably better than mine).

Trendy Thursday--Rock that Top Knot!

Those of you that know me, know that my hair is up in a "top knot" about 75% of the time. So when I found this shirt online, I knew I had to have it. 

 I am absolutely loving Slyfox Threads and have several items on my "wish list"...for the kids and me (even Dusty too). This is also where I got the kids' "Like a Boss" tees I posted about last week. I'm extremely happy with the quality and style of the shirt. It's so comfortable and the length is perfect. The only thing is that I wish I would've gone up a size because for this style of shirt, I think it would look better draping off a little bit more. It's not quite as fitted as it looks in the picture but I think you catch my drift.

Make sure you take some time and go check out Slyfox Threads! I'm sure you'll find a thing or two that you like :)

Don't forget to check out Melanie's Trendy Thursday Tips HERE! Melanie is WAAY more trendy than I am so I'm sure her Thursday posts will be much more exciting than mine ;)

Just call me the bag lady

I've always been a sucker for bags and that love of bags has only gotten worse since I've had kids. I've been called a bag lady more times than I can count but I don't care. I will never be one of those women who can carry a small purse and that's it. My purse will always be huge and always be full. Aside from my purse, I carry two diaper bags and two lunch bags (if I'm taking the kids to daycare). Both of the kids' diaper bags and lunch bags are ThirtyOne and I LOVE them! I've had several different types of diaper bags, but ThirtyOne is by far my favorite brand.

I use the Retro Metro for Sawyer and the Retro Metro Fold-Over for Jansen. Both of the kids have their own thermal tote as well. I pack Sawyer's breakfast in her's and Jansen's bottles and food for the day go in his. I also have a thermal tote for my lunch bag that I take with me to work. Are you starting to see why I get called a "bag lady"? On a typical school day during the year this is what I have when I leave the house:
-Sawyer's Retro Metro bag
-Sawyer's thermal tote (I put this in her Retro Metro bag)
-Jansen's Retro Metro Fold-Over bag
-Jansen's thermal tote (also put this in his bag)
-My thermal tote
-My Organizing Utility tote (I use this as my school bag)
-My purse

I also have the zipper pouch for each kid in their diaper bag (this holds their diapers and wipes) I love these zipper pouches! They are the perfect size and you can use them for just about anything.  I used the thermal zipper pouch to store pumped milk after having Jansen and it was awesome. You can find it HERE.

 The kids' diaper bags, lunch totes, and zipper pouches. 

 Packed and ready to go to daycare.

This reason alone can show why we don't need to have another kid any time soon. I literally do not have enough arms to carry everything. I hardly have enough to carry both kids and bags at the same time! Props to all you mommas that have more than 2 kids under the ages of 3!

Next on my "to-buy" list is the Picnic Thermal Tote

I have been eyeing this for lunches and snacks by the pool. This would also be perfect for our picnic lunches when we go on our little "outings".

The Large Utility Tote

I am in desperate need of a pool bag to hold our towels, swim diapers, etc. and this would be perfect! There are 23 different prints for this utility tote (this is just my favorite). This tote is normally $35 but if you spend $35, you can get it for $10!

Pocket-A-Tote

I would use this to hold my keys, phone, and any money or valuables while we are at the pool.

If you are in need of some organization or bags, go shop my online party going on now through Wednesday, June 25th! Melanie is a Thirty-One consultant so I definitely take advantage!! You can shop the online party HERE.

Melanie posted this picture earlier today. She's ready for the pool with her Thirty-One bags (and a Vera Bradley too)

Check out this month's specials! 

If you have any questions, email us at laurenlou5644@yahoo.com or melroseacker@yahoo.com

Tuesday Tips

I'm not sure how great I will be at giving "tips" on Tuesdays....but I'll definitely try ;) Melanie and I both have money saving tips for you today so get ready!

The first tip that I could think of off the top of my head was Amazon Mom/Subscribe and Save. I used to be an avid Diapers.com shopper and that was my go-to for all things baby/kid related (and still is sometimes), that was until I discovered Amazon Mom and the subscribe and save option on Amazon.com.

Sidebar tip first:
I use the Honest Company diapers for Sawyer because she has such sensitive skin and those seem to work best with her skin. I signed up for the diapers and wipes bundle to be sent to our door every 5 weeks. With that bundle, we get 6 packs of diapers and 4 packs of wipes for $80. The diapers are adorable and fun, plus they are made without any chemicals! Sawyer loves getting to pick out which diaper she wants to wear. Anytime I can give her some ownership with something and let her have a choice...I do it!

Back to my original tip -- Amazon Mom is amazing and by far the cheapest way I've found to order diapers, wipes, and most things baby/family related. I'll link in all the details to having an Amazon Mom membership because I don't want this post to get too extremely wordy. But the most important thing is that this membership is FREE and it SAVES you money. My brother would say those are two of his favorite words! Click HERE to learn the specifics behind Amazon Mom.

When you have a Prime account (which I HIGHLY recommend if you are a frequent Amazon shopper) you can opt into the subscribe and save program. When you schedule 5 or more autoship products each month, you automatically save an extra 20% of your order. It's easier than you think to find 5 products that you use each month. I actually have 6 items currently being shipped to me each month (not including the ones that ship every two months). Here are my items that I have in my subscribe and save "cart"
-Formula
-Jansen's wipes
-Jansen's diapers
-Both kids' night time diapers
-Sawyer's allergy medicine
-Sawyer's vitamins
-dog food
-Oil of Olay shower lotion (this stuff is amazing!)
-Tide Pods (shipped every 3 months)

I'm telling you, this is such a money saver for us! I double checked and it costs $44 at Walmart for Jansen's diapers. Through Amazon, I pay $37.75. If I were to buy Jansen's formula at Walmart, it would cost me $132.92. I pay $105.57 through Amazon...that's a $27.35 savings!!! That's more than one can of formula.
Sidenote: I don't know why people gripe about diapers being so expensive, the formula is ridiculous!! Sawyer was only on formula for a month before switching to cow's milk so this is a whole new world for me. Holy cow, I am really wishing my milk supply would've lasted longer!

For those of you who don't have kids...the subscribe and save program isn't limited to those who have an Amazon Mom membership. There are so many items in the Subscribe and Save "store" that aren't baby or kid related. Now go and save some money!!

And if you want to read even more money saving tips, go check out Melanie's Tuesday Tips HERE. She's talking about summer fun on a budget. We all know that as fun as summer is, it can get pricey with all the outings and such. Melanie has great ideas to solve summer boredom and stay within your budget!

Any questions or ideas for a post? Email us!

laurenlou5644@yahoo.com
melroseacker@yahoo.com

Must-Have Monday...on Tuesday

I'm a couple days behind on blogging...I usually write my posts the night before I post them, but the past two nights I have crashed EARLY! We're talking 8:00 people...so sad. I'm trying to play catch up so here we go...

Amber teething necklaces. 

Both of my kids wear amber teething necklaces and I don't plan on taking them off anytime soon. Sawyer started wearing hers when she was about 7 months old and Jansen's had his since he was about 5 months old. I know many boutiques sell these necklaces now but I ordered both of mine off of inspiredbyfinn.com. Follow my link by clicking HERE.

Sawyer and Jansen both cut their bottom two front teeth first. After those first two, Sawyer cut 5, yes I said FIVE teeth and it really didn't seem to bother her much at all. Jansen is working on another tooth right now and he is a little bit fussier than normal, but I just don't think he's as easy of a teether as Sawyer was. I have many people ask me if I think the necklaces really work or not and I tell them I feel like they do, but I don't feel like testing it out by taking them off haha. 

There are several different variations now as far as color and raw/polished. Sawyer has the polished honey and Jansen has the polished green & black. If you have any questions about length, raw vs. polished, or color, email me at laurenlou5644@yahoo.com

Friday Faves

Melanie and I decided that Fridays would be our day to post some of our favorite things for the week. We are both pretty random so these posts will be the perfect "outlet" for our randomness!

.One.

Beautiful Day lotion and body spray from Bath and Body Works.

I've actually been using this since October and I'm still in love with the scent. I'm extremely picky about scents in lotions and perfumes and I always have a hard time deciding on my favorite. I'm really surprised that I am still loving this one as much as I do. When I was in the hospital after having Jansen, every single nurse that walked through our door would ask what perfume or lotion I was wearing. I'm horrible at describing scents so I'm not even going to try...just make sure you take a second to stop and smell it next time you are at Bath & Body Works.

.Two.

I totally wish that I could've been the genius behind Sparkbox Toys. Seriously, I don't know why someone hasn't thought of this and created it before now! One of my team members at work mentioned this to me about a month ago and I quickly began to research. Within about 10 minutes of research, I ordered my first box. 

Here's how it goes:

You select your frequency...one box every 8 weeks, 6 weeks or 4 weeks (each is at a different price point). I chose the 8 week frequency for 23.95 a month because it was the cheapest and because I felt like that was an adequate amount of time for Sawyer to use the toys before getting bored with them. We rotate Sawyer's toys out around that time anyways (My rotation of toys explanation will be on a "Tuesday tips" post later on).

Once your account is set up, they create a "Treasure Chest" for your child based on gender and age. This treasure chest consists of four developmentally appropriate toys for your kiddo. You can switch toys out easily by looking through all the ones they have to choose from. Yes, the toys are used BUT they are highly sanitized and repackaged before sending to their new temporary owner. 

Once you have confirmed the treasure chest, your Sparkbox will be shipped to your door. These toys are NICE, good quality toys, not dinky little toys that are cheap or poorly made. The company sends product cards for each toy as well as a mesh bag for each so you can keep the pieces together while you have them. (This keeps them separate from our personal toys as well) All the product cards, paperwork, and return label are attached on a ring so don't have to worry about losing anything you will need in 8 weeks. You simply put each toy in it's mesh bag and paperwork in a box, attach the return label and take it to the post office. There are no "late fees" either. If your child loves a toy so much that you'd like to keep it, you get to buy it at a discounted price. They are extremely understanding about lost pieces and if they never turn up, you just pay a small fee. I couldn't be happier with this company and the toys they send! Coolest thing EVER! Once they receive your box, they will send the next one with 4 more toys for your baby or tot to play with :) 

Here is a picture of the current toys Sawyer has. We gave her the two left toys first and then a couple weeks later gave her the Magnetic Hide and Seek Board. We haven't given her the gears and puzzles yet but I will here soon. She LOVES the laptop and plays on it all the time. Jansen actually plays with the wooden whimsy blocks more than she does. And when I say play, I really mean sticks them in his mouth and bangs them on stuff. 

This is a money saver for us because I know that I would spend more than 23.95 every 8 weeks on toys for Sawyer and sometimes she wouldn't even get much use out of the toy. This is the perfect solution for spending too much money on toys for them to only be played with for couple months. 

Go check it out for yourself HERE! 

Don't forget to go and check out Melanie's Friday Fave's over at her blog HERE.

Shopping for the Kids

I have been in love with shopping for Sawyer since day one and when I found out I was going to have a boy, the only part of my heart that was sad was that part that loves to shop. Boy clothes....so not as fun to shop for as girl clothes (or so I thought).  I know Melanie had the opposite feelings as mine when she found out she was pregnant with Ella. She loved the boy clothes and wasn't sure what to do with a girl!

I could spend every single penny we make on clothes and shoes for the kids and if my husband is reading this, he is probably saying I basically already do. That's not true though ;) The inspiration for this post came as I was picking out Sawyer's and Jansen's clothes for their sibling pictures at daycare today.

These are the outfits I decided on. Jansen's shirt is from Old Navy and it's on sale right now for $10.00. You can find it HERE. His pants are from Carter's and he wears these all the time. They fit him perfectly and I have them in blue too. Both are on sale for $12.99 and they are normally $26! HERE! There aren't a ton of sizes left but I'm thinking I may buy him a size up so he can wear them again in the fall and winter.

Old Navy is my first stop when wanting to find affordable clothes for the kids that are simple and not stamped with cheesy animals or prints. I'm one of those mom that doesn't like to dress my kids in clothes that look like the typical "baby" or "kid" clothes. Don't get me wrong, my kids clothes are always age appropriate, I just like to dress them in clothes that look like mini "big people" clothes...does that make sense? Melanie knows what I'm talking about! I hardly every buy anything regular priced at Old Navy because they have sales so often. The couple times I have bought when there wasn't a sale, no joke the NEXT day I got an email about a huge sale going on. Talk about kicking myself in the behind...needless to say, I've learned my lesson. I also buy the majority of the kids' Old Navy stuff online because the selection is better than what I usually find in the stores. I hardly ever have to pay for shipping and they have more online sales than they do in-store sales.

I've gotten TONS of compliments on a few of Jansen's shirts that I've "splurged" on because I just couldn't stop thinking about his cute little self in them. I've only got a picture of him in two of them so you'll have to deal with the website picture for one of them.

I'm not sure why there are black dashes going down the shirt in the picture...it's not really on the shirt in person (and ignore the drool please) This will always be my favorite shirt of his and I'm so sad he's about grown out of it. It is the softest shirt ever..that vintage slub type. "Go Ahead, Swoon" is from The Printed Palette. Find them HERE. Their quality is amazing and their items are so unique.

I can't look at this picture without laughing because my kids look so NOT happy.  I totally bought them "matching" shirts and I swore I would never do that buuut I couldn't help it. I've been eyeing these "Like a Boss" shirt for a month now and I finally ordered them. TOO CUTE. You can see all the other variation of "Like a Boss" HERE at Slyfoxthreads. Once again, awesome quality and unique items!

I am in love with Jansen's Gotta Stay Fly tee! I haven' t taken a picture of him in yet so this will have to do. Ezra and Eli are only taking pre-orders on this shirt because it's so popular. Find it HERE. They have a tank version too that is super cute. 

Sawyer's top is Matilda Jane and her ruffle pants are by Baby and Me Designs. You can find them on Etsy HERE or Facebook HERE. They were featured on groopdealz.com or jane.com one day (I can't remember which one) and I ordered several pairs. I've tried several different brands of ruffle pants and these are by far my favorite. Sawyer has 5 different pairs of the triple ruffle pants and I am about to stock up on the double ruffle shorties for the summer. What I love most about them is that they are comfortable for Sawyer. They have plenty of stretch and they breathe well. Very important for a highly active 2 year old who runs, climbs, and jumps on anything and everything. I love pairing them with her Matilda Jane tops and dresses!

I mean...how cute are these shorts? Sawyer has that EXACT Matilda Jane top. I told you they look great paired with Matilda Jane!

I get lots of compliments on all of Sawyer's Matilda Jane outfits. I pretty much stick with the MJ tops and dresses because I like to pair them with solid ruffle pants or shorts from Baby and Me Designs. MJ has super cute bottoms as well, but I try to balance my spending ;) Here are some pictures of Sawyer showing off her MJ favorites. My friend Andrea over at Momfessionals is doing a giveaway right now for a $50 Matilda Jane gift card. I've already entered and you should too! Andrea is a "Jane" for MJ and she is accepting wish lists until Friday if you'd like to make on and submit an order to her. Follow the link above to her blog and you'll see an explanation on how to make a wish list and order. If you have any questions, you can email me at laurenlou5644@yahoo.com. I'm telling you, Matilda Jane quickly becomes an addiction. The quality cannot be beat and I love the quirky prints and textures. I feel like I've finally found a clothing line that matches my daughter's cute and spunky personality while still getting to be girly without all the frou-frou and fluffy stuff!

Let's talk shoes....

My go-to shoes with both kids have always been Converse and Toms. I've tried other brands but those are really my favorite. Jansen already has a pretty good Converse collection started because he has inherited 3 gender neutral pairs from Sawyer. That girl didn't like to wear shoes until around 14 months so all of her shoes before then are in perfectly good condition! My favorite places to buy Converse is Nordstrom and Diapers.com (this website will be getting an entire post later on...it's amazing!). I rarely buy them unless they are on sale which is pretty often at my two places of choice. His neon yellow ones in the top picture are from Diapers.com

How fun would THESE red, white, and blue ones be for the 4th of July?! AND they are 20% off right now if you buy 3 or more other clothing or shoes items with the code SUMMERVACAY...I'm so bummed they are out of Jansen's size!

I'm loving these for Sawyer!!! Perfect summer colors :) 

They are out of Jansen's yellow slip ons BUT they do have a neon orange pair on sale for $19.19. The only sizes they have available are 2 and 3 and there aren't many left so you better jump on it if you want them!

I really love TOMS the most for Sawyer right now because she can put them on herself...now they may not always be on the right feet, but you get the point. Nordstrom is where I get the majority of Sawyer's Toms and I almost always buy them online. I'll get on there periodically and just check to see which ones are on sale.

THESE are my favorite for Sawyer and she wears them almost every day because they go with EVERYTHING. My best friend, Brittney, bought her these for her 1st birthday and of course my stubborn child wouldn't keep them on her feet at the time so they have already found a spot in Jansen's closet (along with a navy pair and a red pair of Toms that she also wouldn't keep on her feet) However, I loved the burlap ones so much that I bought her another pair in her current size about 2 months ago and she loves them!

I'm dying over THESE coral crochet Toms....and the lime ones too!!

This post ended up be WAY longer than I anticipated, but if you ever see an item you like that my kids are wearing just send me an email or post a comment and I'd be happy to share where I found it!

Happy Wednesday everyone!!!