Ah, Fall... my favorite time of year. And it's not my favorite just for the 'basic' reasons, like cute boots & pumpkin spice lattes (but, let's be honest, yes to all of that!). Fall is a big time of change for me.
I will never forget the day that Fall became magical for me, it was 2015 and I was living in LA, I hadn't felt true crisp-air-changing-leaves-sweater-weather-Fall in years (for those not in the know, LA is pretty much sunny + perfect weather year-round). I had been doing the same thing for years, same routine, same stagnant attitude, same me. On that particular day, which was the first day of Fall, I felt ready for change, and instead of doing my normal routine of going to the beach and doing the same thing I did everyday... I decided to try a new route; I went to an art store and got an acrylic paint set, came home and turned on my now-favorite indie Fall music playlist, and I spent the rest of the day creating Autumn-themed crafts with my 3 year old. Although this doesn't sound like a life-changing day, it was unbelievably so...it was a day of decided change, a day where I chose to make memories, a day where I made one small change and it domino'd into a big deal, that day was a day of positive light, a day of peace, a day I was a better Mom, a better person... it was a day I turned a new leaf, and it is forever tattooed in my mind. Something so simple as a slight change can shift your life.
Every single year now on the first day of Fall, I look forward to hearing that playlist, burning pumpkin scented candles, reflecting on the year, and deciding what changes I want to see in myself from this point forward.
As the leaves of the trees transform into bold & vibrant tones and begin the process of change, so do I.

Two Little Band-Aids

A personal story about my journey with eczema.

Minimalist Best Friend Tattoo Ideas

I have something truly special in my life that I cherish with every ounce of my very being: I have a best friend.
Not just any best friend... a lifelong best friend.
We met in 1999 during high school art class and were instant best friends; it just clicked, she was the sugar to my spice, the yin to my yang, the peanut butter to my jelly. We passed notes between every class in high school, we shared lockers, we drooled over Blink-182 together and spent countless nights having slumber parties and meeting at the mall. We're now both mamas, and although we may not giggle about cute guys & punk bands like we once did, we still talk on a daily basis and indulge in each other's lives. We are part of each other, she is a pillar in my life.
I still remember the moment we met, what we said, where we were sitting, what we were wearing... the day is tattooed in my head. From that point forward, we basically grew up together, and still are. She knows everything about me (perhaps too much! haha), anytime I need to vent, or need an ear, or have to gush about something that happened, anything... she's right there. We've been through it all; together.
Although I only have 2 very small tattoos, and got them both before I was 21, I still find myself dreaming about what I would get should I take the plunge and go for a third.
I think tattoos can be purely decorative and artistic and have no significance behind them, and I think they can also be simple or not as artistic, but have great meaning (and all the shades of gray in between). I have one of both, and have to say that my tattoo with great meaning is much more special to me, and I decided that if I were to get another, it would also hold meaning.
After 20 years of building a friendship with my best friend, I cannot think of anything more appropriate than taking our 'friendship bracelets' to the next level with a cute, sweet, dainty little best friend tattoo.
We both agreed that this is something we are destined to do, and are currently contemplating what to get.
One thing I forgot to mention! We live three-thousand miles apart.
We spent the first half of our friendship inseparable, and the second half on opposite coasts of America. We are long-distance, but we talk every day, and are tighter than a cable knit sweater... we have never been so close.
I've created a list of possible best friend tattoos, and I wanted to share a few ideas with you. I love how powerful, yet minimalist they are... let me know what you think!

Pinky Promise

Why Summer Break Is Important

Hello sunshines!
After a notable, fun-fill, and much-needed summer break with my kids, I'm back!
I do this thing every summer where I think of everything that would be entertaining for a kid, splash pads, beaches, hikes, playgrounds, trips to the library, swimming, soccer, ice cream shops... and then I try to squeeze in as many things as possible during summer break. We had days of nonstop play, and we had lazy days where we just spent time together, but most importantly... each day counted.
And needless to say, we had a blast!
This summer was so different, you guys.
This was basically the first summer that I had two independent children, two children who could run around together and play and laugh and not need me every waking second.
Last summer Ava was a newborn, and all the summers before that Delilah was an only child... it truly makes a big difference having two kids who can play together!
I always imagined having two children as being extra challenging, and although it can be difficult at times, the truth is that many times they will entertain each other, leaving me with "free time". And by free time, I mean time to do fun stuff like fold laundry and clean out the refrigerator. Never grow up, it's a trap.
But seriously--
This was hands down my favorite summer so far.
In fact, I'm still very much on cloud nine.

Every Marriage Needs Date Nights

I tend to think my husband and I are in a beautiful yet demanding lifestyle, one that sometimes requires great strength and perseverance, one that isn't exactly normal for a young family... we live thousands of miles away from any friends or family.

We have raised our children by ourselves, in some of America's largest cities, without a net of family in close range. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, birthday parties... we have always had to travel to family to celebrate those events together. We've never had the luxury of driving down the road to visit my parents, or had the ease of hosting a laid back birthday party at my house, or dropping the kids off at grandma's so we can relax for an evening... I have no idea what that's like. It's a privilege to even have family, having their help is a luxury and should not be taken for granted. I am so proud of who we are; from learning how to care for a baby, to buying our first home, to raising children on our own... you wanna talk about strength: we have it running through our veins. It takes a staggering amount of patience, endurance, and stability to do what we do... and we do it very, very well.
Not only are we on our own, but my husband has an incredibly robust & successful career that requires a great deal of time & mental strength to flourish in, he is unbelievably busy at times and has, in turn, accomplished great things. Work hard, play hard... that's key.
Have you ever totally killed a workout, like you pushed yourself harder than you ever thought possible, and at the end you felt completely invincible and on top of the world? That's how we feel most days.

One ingredient to having a healthy & fun marriage while raising children without family is to nurture and care for each other, and that includes treating yourself to date nights. Date nights where you connect, cuddle, venture out, stay youthful, get excited; date nights you blush when you think about and stay on cloud 9 for a week. Treat them as sacred evenings, plan them out, book them often, get dressed for the occasion... and make them worthwhile.
We try to sprinkle date nights in throughout the year, sometimes we'll go a long stretch without one because we're so busy with life, or maybe we're going on a lot of family vacations (equally as important, btw!), but I like to have my man all to myself and go on adventures, so we go as often as we can.
Last night was a great date, perhaps my all time favorite thus far!

Ipsy Glam Bag Review: July 2018

I've been in a long term relationship with ipsy since around 2013; back when I joined, you were added to a waiting list, and sharing a referral link on social media moved you up the list! In return, I've accumulated a serious amount of cute pouches and beauty products over the years... some products I used once, some I'm still using years later. You never know what you're going to get when you receive your monthly glam bag, and although some people aren't comfortable with that... I love it! I've been introduced to countless things that I wouldn't necessarily choose in a store, but ended up loving once they got in my hands-- shades, colors, products, scents, there are so many options, and when you let go of what you think you know, and try something new... the world might surprise you! Although ipsy & I have taken occasional breaks when my makeup collection gets out of control (I can't even say that with a straight face), I always find myself running back to ipsy with arms open wide. 

What better way to talk about my little monthly purple package than with a review of the products & glam bag, I added a Beauty section to my blog tonight, it will contain my monthly ipsy reviews, as well as any beauty product reviews or advice. Let me know what you think!

I Bought Cheap Fake Hair Off Amazon... Here's What Happened!

It's no secret that when you see me out and about... my nails, lashes, and hair are fake. NO SHAME.
I have worn hair extensions and wigs since I was in the 8th grade (this is how I had a job with pink hair in high school- I wore a wig to work!); from high-end remy hair to cheap synthetic mall clip-ins, I've tried quite the list of styles!
The last time I bought synthetic hair extensions, they were straight as a board and super shiny... like, there's-no-way-that's-real shiny. After wearing some in a family photo and being horrified at how obviously fake they looked, I swore I would stick with human hair extensions for forever; but, alas, the future changed my mind, as it tends to do.
YouTuber Amber Scholl mentioned a halo hair extension piece in her YouTube video a few months ago and I jumped online to see for myself what a halo hairpiece was. The halo hair extension doesn't use clips, or glue, or tape, it's actually a large hair piece with (what looks like fishing line) a clear headband. You fit it on your head similar to a flower crown or headband, with the hair flowing down your back, and the clear band camouflaged around your crown.
I liked the thought of the halo style, but was hesitant to drop a few hundred on one without knowing if I'd feel comfortable wearing it... so I flew over to Amazon.com and, viola! They had some.
Like, duh, it's Amazon, they have freaking everything.
After a little digging, I found a highly reviewed Synthetic Halo Hair Extension in my color and placed my order.