Typically, I put my baby to bed while my husband puts our 7 year old to bed; I'm really good at the baby bedtime routine and he's really good at telling 2nd-grader-bedtime-stories... so, well, it works.
I usually start by giving Ava a warm bubble bath in our master bathroom Jacuzzi, then I massage her tiny body with baby lotion, button-up some warm cozy PJs on her, and hum "her song" as I lay her down in her crib and tuck her in. She loves her new pillow and fleece blanket I bought her last Christmas, and I have to tap her baby mobile so its flowers can sway around in circles above her bed...

The Milk Man Did It! Pregnancy Couple Costume Idea

The Milk Man Did It!
Classic, right?
My pregnancy Halloween costume won an award and was featured on a list of "Best Pregnancy Halloween Costumes" on a popular website... and I'm pretty proud of it! Since Halloween is this week, I thought I'd share my slightly famous (in my mind) costume and give some printables to those interested.
 If you're attending a Halloween party this year, or just want to get a few laughs from your friends, this is the perfect, most scandalous (and super easy!) costume.

I Got A $300 Hollywood Facial... Here's My Thoughts!

I've never been one to shy away from talking about the cosmetic procedures that I get. Although I do understand the secrecy, I like to be transparent about those kinds of things; it's such a hush-hush topic and sometimes, well, things need to be discussed! Here's a little factoid, too: anytime I post about getting Botox, or lip fillers, or cosmetic surgery, I get tons of private messages from other women interested in the procedures. For as many of those "I can't believe she would post that" people, I get five times the amount of private DMs from people who want to do it and didn't have anyone to talk to about it, and if I can inform and help others who may be pondering the idea... then I don't mind being that person!

So, last month I received an email from my favorite skin care and laser boutique here in Greater Seattle, they are introducing a new facial spa treatment and were hosting a facial party this week to talk about the new procedure and lure in interested clients. The facial is called a Hollywood Hydrafacial, it's the latest facial trend to hit the market and I was able to try it first!

Ipsy Glam Bag Review: August 2018

It's been awhile since I did an Ipsy glam bag review and lately I've been in the mood for makeup, so I thought I'd throw a splash of color in and do a review!

This is a review of the August 2018 Ipsy Glam Bag (yes I'm fully aware it's October, don't judge me). This bag has been sitting at the top of my staircase for over a month waiting on me to open it, I procrastinated so much... that my September bag arrived! Oops. You guys procrastinate too, right? Tell me you do!

Time To Break Out The Fall Decor... and DECLUTTER!

October has arrived, and while typically my home would already be dazzled in foliage decor and reeking of pumpkin-scented-everything... I'm currently giving one of my living rooms a makeover, that of which has totally sucked most of my free time up, so things were scooted last month and my Fall Decor party got the short end of the stick.

With that being said- Happy October, lovers, it's never too late to begin decorating! As I mentioned last week, Fall is a huge time of change for me, and this year is with no exception. Breaking out my Fall storage bins and throwing orange-&-brown-everything all over my house brings deep feelings of calm and nostalgia, it is an almost sacred time as I make my house feel more like a home with warm, welcoming decorations and quality family time. The Earthy tones of Fall are warm, inviting tones, and I think it's such a fitting characteristic of the season to spend time at home with my family.

One thing I like to do before adorning my home in seasonal decor is to clean and declutter the whole thing... to rid of the unnecessary and give it a fresh revamp for the upcoming season. Like a tree releases what it no longer needs, it's time to let go of the old and start fresh.

I always begin by removing all my bright, sunny, pretty decor that I keep up throughout the warmer seasons and putting it into storage.

Removing all the current decor, making room for Fall

After getting my house naked, I go through places that don't get much love nor attention and I declutter them completely... this year I purged my linen closet (this was actually my first time doing this space since buying this house 2 years ago!), master bedroom closet, master bathroom cabinets, and my kitchen baking & seasoning cabinet. I get in these moods where I want to keep NOTHING and can clear out an area in a jiffy, stripping it down to the necessities (and OMG does it feel good). 

I don't know why, but I cannot stand to have stuff, I just... I'm not a clutter person. Less is more. If you struggle with clutter and would like to work on it, I highly recommend reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo.

After I purged my junk and reorganized everything more efficiently, I did a top-to-bottom cleaning sesh... I'm talking scrubbing baseboards, walls, cabinets, bathrooms, fireplaces, heck I even cleaned the garage! Not only do I like to dip into the holiday season with a fresh house feel, but I also know cold season is right around the corner and thus I want to be on top of things while I can.

Keeping your house clean and organized, for me, is the difference between feeling calm and cozy... and feeling stressed, uncomfortable, and inadequate. My first apartment was a complete disaster, I despised cleaning and systems and structure; I neglected a lot of things back then! I spent my 20s teaching myself how to cook, take care of my health, and be a good mom; I've spent my 30s learning how to clean, organize, and make my house into a home. Becoming a good housekeeper was life changing, and it impacts your family's experience, too! If I can do it-- anyone can.

Although most have heard of Spring Cleaning, I think it's nice to have two times of year dedicated to really going through your junk and thoroughly scrubbing the place down. This week I've been busy with my Fall cleaning routine, followed by putting out all my Fall decor... and I will give you a tour of some of my favorite Fall decorated spots in my home this weekend, including my front porch tour!

I hope everyone is enjoying these lovely little crisp Fall mornings, the sunsets are arriving faster and the air is getting chilly here in Seattle... I love every moment of it!

Fall Is A Time For Reflection & Change

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.