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LIFE OF A BOY-MOM

Welcome to My Life!

5/29/2019

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Your one-stop blog to find activities for kids, beauty tips & tricks and ideas for living a healthier, happier lifestyle!

My name is Jamie, and I became a stay-at-home mom after having my third little boy in four years! Going from full-time teaching to full-time mom has been a bit of a learning curve, but I'm taking you along with me through this journey!

​Check out my posts under Beauty for some make up, hair and skin video tutorials and posts! 

​Look under Kiddos for quick and easy kids activities and projects to try with your little ones!

As for Lifestyle, this is sort of a catch-all for other aspects of my life and home!

Welcome & Enjoy!
​XOXO Jamie & the Haley Boys
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What's in my Young Living Order?

3/11/2019

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Essential oils have become a part of my daily routine in so many ways over the past few years! From using oils to help purely for aromatherapy, to pain relief and now everyday household products, I ALWAYS have something that I need to order. The awesome part about Young Living is their Essential Rewards program. Basically, you spend $50 a month on whatever you want or need, and you earn points that you can use toward FREE products! It is truly amazing how much free product I’ve received over the past year!

Sometimes people tell me “That sounds great, but I don’t use oils enough to spend that per month” or “I don’t even know what I would order”. The cool thing is that there is so much more than just oils! Our hand soap, dish soap, cleaning products, toothpaste, body wash and baby care products are just some examples of everyday items we order from Young Living.
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The moment I see that my monthly order has processed and shipped, I get to go on and change up my order for the following month. As I said, we are always in need of something around here since so many of our household and personal products are now coming from Young Living! Here is what is in my order for next month:
Savvy Minerals Hydrating Primer
Of course there is a makeup item in here! I just ran out of my old primer, and have been wanting to try out this new one from Young Living. It is fortified with coconut oil and shea butter and gives a radiant glow, but also helps prep the skin and smooth the surface for foundation. I have been really into hydrating primers since my skin has been pretty dry, and it will be good to use for any matte foundations I use in the warmer months that will *hopefully* be returning to us soon here in Illinois!

Car Vent Diffuser
During an extremely stressful drive up to Door County with three little ones last month, I was really regretting not having a soothing scent to diffuse in the car to calm us all down! This car diffuser quickly went onto my list of necessities. Now I will be able to have a fresh scent on the go for whatever the occasion calls for: invigorating scents for early morning drives, or calming tranquil scents for those stressful rides or when we want the kids to just chill out!
Charcoal Bar Soap
Charcoal is all the rage in personal products! It helps to draw out impurities without stripping the skin’s natural moisture barrier. Young Living’s Charcoal Bar Soap can be used as a face cleanser as well as for the body. I’m going to try it as a body wash first and really get my skin where I want it to be after this harsh, dry winter weather! Here are some of the benefits listed on the YL website:
  • Formulated with skin-purifying activated charcoal and pure essential oils
  • Leaves skin clean, soft, and smooth
  • Made without sulfates, phthalates, parabens, dyes, synthetic fragrances, or preservatives
  • ​Vegan and cruelty-free
  • Cleanses excess oil without stripping the skin​

Orange Blossom Facial Wash

I am so ready for this new face wash! This is formulated with 100% naturally derived ingredients and is formulated for sensitive skin. It removes dirt, makeup and excess oils while still being gentle and not over-drying. I still use the Mirah Luminous Cleansing oil to remove my makeup, but this will be my follow up cleanser to remove anything leftover.It has been awhile since I’ve changed up my face wash, so I am really excited to try this one out!
Seedlings Diaper Rash Cream
Listen, I know this isn’t the most interesting or glamorous product, but we go through A LOT of diaper cream around here, ok?! Those poor little raw bottoms need some gentle care and this has been by far the most effective diaper cream that I’ve used on them, and I have tried so many! First of all, it is made with 100% naturally derived ingredients (always a win for baby skin). Second, it is thick and coats very well (again, a huge win in the diaper cream realm if you didn’t know). Last, it actually smells awesome! Even though we use it often, one tube lasts quite a while because a little goes a long way. Definitely worth the money in my book!

Orange Vitality
Alright I said there were no oils in my order this month, but this is the one I will be getting for free! Anytime you spend certain amounts of PV (purchase volume), you can receive free products along with your order! These promotions change monthly, but depending on how much you spend, you can earn hundreds of dollars worth of free products! Just another one of the perks of Young Living.

So maybe you've been thinking about trying out products, maybe you're interested in what YL has to offer, or maybe you're even considering signing up for Essential Rewards!
I hope that this “What’s in my Cart” type of post gave you some ideas and inspiration on where to start! Questions? Contact me at jamie.pontikes@gmail.com or leave a comment below!

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Go-To Quick Make Up Routine

3/3/2019

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If you had asked me even a year ago if I could go out in public without make-up, I would’ve laughed and said no. First of all, my complexion was not the greatest. Second, I have a passion for make-up, so why would I go out without it? Well, here’s reality: staying at home with three children ages three and under does not require or even allow for full face of make up the majority of the time!

Even when I do go out to bring Leo to school, run to the store or to play dates, the majority of the time I just don’t have time or don’t have the energy to put on any make up. For the random mornings that I do have time and energy, I put on just the basics and I wanted to share this routine because it is actually pretty quick and easy to get a flawless looking complexion when you’re in a hurry!

Foundation (L'Oreal True Match)
Depending on the event, I bounce between different foundations, but my everyday tried and true foundation is L’Oréal True match. I’ve discovered that applying with a beauty sponge versus a kabuki brush makes a huge difference and it all depends on the coverage that you want lately I have gravitated towards the kabuki brush for a more full-coverage look, whereas in the summer I usually apply with the sponge for a lighter application. After my primer/moisturizer, I apply my foundation all over, concentrating on areas where I need more coverage.

Concealer (Too Faced Born This Way)
Lately my go to concealer has been the Too Faced Born This Way Concealer. It has awesome coverage, but still doesn’t feel heavy. It brightens and corrects, especially in the under eye area, but is easy to blend and melts in with my foundation and my skin! I apply concealer in triangle shapes under my eyes, in a T shape on my forehead and down my nose, on my upper lip and my chin, this balances the color out and gives my face dimension.


Setting Powder (Charlotte Tibury Flawless Setting Powder)
I discovered the best setting powder ever when I had some gift cards to spend at Sephora and I found the Charlotte Tilbury flawless setting powder. I put this over all of the areas where I applied concealer, and then use a large fluffy brush to distribute any excess to all other areas of my face and neck. This powder is true to its name and it never looks cakey or drying!

Contour/Bronzer (Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer)
The last major step in giving your face some dimension is applying a contour and/or bronzer in the hollows is the cheeks, around the temples and forehead, along the jawline and on the nose. You want to create shadows in the right places to help slim your face or just cast shadows where they would naturally fall! I usually go in with a smaller contour brush for the hollows or my cheeks, but then blend out with a fluffy bronzer brush to help blend and not make lines look too harsh. This gives the skin some color and dimension. My bronzer of choice at the moment is the Too Faced Chocolate Soleil bronzer because it creates a nice shadow for contour, but also gives a nice bronze when blended out.

Blush (Becca Blush)
I wouldn’t say blush is one of my favorite parts of the make-up routine but it does make a difference! I usually do a more brown toned pink for my skin color and try to blend with my bronzer. Depending on your face shape, you might apply blush to the apples of your cheeks, but I always apply mine further back on my cheekbones, right above my contour. I love this highlighter/blush duo from Jaclyn Hill by Becca Cosmetics, but it was only a limited time product! I linked a similar color blush by Becca!

Brows (Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz)
It is amazing what a difference a brow pencil or even just a tinted brow gel can make! I tend to use both of these products if I can help it because my brows are already pretty thick (thank you Greek heritage) but definitely need some evening out. I use my Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz to fill in sparse areas and give a better brow shape. I set them with the tinted brow gel to hold everything in place.

Mascara (Maybelline Falsies)
If there is one step that you don’t want to skip, it so the mascara! In the summertime when I have a nice tan going I can sometimes get away with just curling my lashes and putting on some mascara and feeling good about it! I always curl my lashes first to give them some lift, and then apply two coats of mascara to the top lashes and one on the bottom. Don’t ignore the bottom lashes because they really help to open up the eye and make everything look more complete. Personally, I tend to have watery eyes (or let’s be real—just more prone to crying) so I always use a waterproof mascara. My current favorite that I always go back to is Maybelline Falsies waterproof mascara.

So that completes my go-to  quick make-up look! I know it always seems like a time consuming process, but with practice, I can get this all done in around 10 minutes and be good to go! Also, if you tend to wear less make-up in general, just pick and choose from this list of products to use that best fits your own skin needs!
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Sleeping Babies 101

2/21/2019

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If there is one thing that every new parent stresses about, desperately needs and goes through many weeks (even years?) without… it is the ever-elusive good night of sleep.
When Leo was born, he was the toughest baby to get to go to sleep. It ended up being a two hour process every night and Todd and I just absolutely dreaded it. Needless to say, I was not very good at the whole sleep-training thing the first time around. I couldn’t let him cry, and even when I did, he was so stubborn that it ended up being a terrible experience for everyone. When we finally did sleep train Leo, he was a toddler (18 months) and we had no choice because at that point, we also had a newborn who also wasn’t sleeping.

After a night of being awake and going from one crying baby to another until 4am, I couldn’t take it anymore. It was go-time. After a week of crying-it-out, we had created an amazing sleeper in Leo. We created a great routine and it stuck. We also decided to start way earlier with a better sleep routine and forming good bedtime habits with Xander, and now with Taso.

As I mentioned in previous posts, we also experienced a whole new sleep issue with Leo right before Taso was born, and we are now (almost 6 months later) starting to get back to a better sleep routine for him.

So...I’ve had a lot of trial and error with each of the boys. But, that being said, I have found a few items that have made sleep and bedtime easier and seems to have helped the boys sleep, and in turn, helps mommy and daddy sleep too!

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Zipadee Zip by Sleeping Baby
This was a game changer. I somehow forgot that we had one with Leo, so we never ended up using it for him, but this transition swaddle/sleep sack helped Xander and now Taso with keeping them from startling, but allowing movement when they are able to roll over! There are different variations of these, but we’ve had a great experience with the Zipadee Zip and they wash well, are soft and comfortable for the baby to move around in. We kept Xander in the larger size until he was able to stand up. I’d highly recommend adding this to your baby registry or just ordering one to try it for your baby!

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Sound Machine (Skip Hop Owl)
​We never tried to keep the house quiet while the kids were sleeping. I figured they’d always have to deal with noise, and it is pretty common to find some sort of “white noise” machine in a nursery these days. We have these sound machines in each of the boys rooms and they act as a little night light, shines some faint stars up on the ceiling and can either play music or a variety of background noise on a timer, or for the entire nap/night. We stick with the white noise sound but I think this also helps to drown out any other noise that could potentially wake the boys like, for example, a crying baby! This is another must have for new parents.

​Essential Oils and Diffuser (contact me to order!)
Aromatherapy does wonders for adults, so why wouldn’t it do the same for children? We have many diffusers in our home, and definitely one in each of the kids rooms. For Taso, I use one drop of Gentle Baby by Young Living and you can instantly feel the calming effect that it has on him. For Leo and Xander, I use Young Living’s Kidscents line. We typically use SleepyIze, or if they are sick I add a few drops of SniffleEase. If we are out of SleepyIze, I also just use plain Lavender. WIth consistent use, this has helped with the boys quality of sleep immensely! I’m a firm believer in essential oils having a place in the home for various reasons, so if you or your child struggles with sleep, give them a try.
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Sleep Sticker Chart (here's a link to edit this chart and make it your own!)
Leo has had some serious sleep regression since the end of August. He stopped napping, and refused to go through his normal sleep routine. It became a literal battle to keep him in his room. It seemed to come out of nowhere since he had been sleeping wonderfully for the year before, even after transitioning into a big bed in a new room a few months prior. We tried for a solid week to get him back into our routine, but when Taso ended up being born two weeks early, we went into survival mode. The only way he would sleep is if someone slept in his room with him, usually it ended up being Todd. Now that Todd travels for work quite often, I new we had to try to get back to normal. Several people suggested a reward system and since I felt like recently he could grasp the concept, I created a sleep sticker chart. Every time Leo naps in his room (or even just has quiet time in there) or makes it the whole night in his room by himself, he gets a sticker. After earning five stickers, he earned a trip to Dunkin Donuts! This has been helping IMMENSELY, especially this week of Todd being at a work conference. I’m going to continue with this chart for a couple weeks until I feel like we are back into a consistent routine. I am so glad that I finally tried this method and really stuck with it! He doesn’t always earn a sticker, but when he does, he is SO excited about it!

I hope these items and tips can help you as you endure the time of little to no sleep with kids. As everyone tells me, you WILL sleep again someday. This time is temporary. But if there are things that can help you and your baby out, just give it a try! Do you have any sleep secrets for your kiddos? Share them in the comments!

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January Beauty Favorites

2/8/2019

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Living in the Midwest during winter is seriously rough! As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to despise these cold months following the holiday season, mostly because of what the weather does to my skin. This past month, I’ve really been trying to focus on finding products that help me through this weather and make my skin more comfortable to live in everyday! Here’s my list of favorites from make up to hair to everyday life that has made this very cold January a little more bearable!
 
Nars Radiant Longwear Foundation
For me, nothing in the beauty world is worse than trying to put on a full face of make up on dry skin! It definitely begins with skincare and proper moisturizing, but sometimes that doesn’t even help! This foundation has been a game-changer! It is just the right amount of “dewy” to avoid that flakey look that sometimes happens when applying foundation in dry weather. The color selection is pretty awesome, and I was able to find my perfect shade pretty easily. I get compliments on my skin every time I wear it, so if you’re looking for a new foundation to make it through to the humid months arrive, definitely give this one a try!
 
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder
This is definitely a splurge, but what a difference a good setting powder makes! I use this to set anywhere that I put concealer (under eyes, forehead, nose, upper lip and chin) and then use a big fluffy brush to spread it all over my face and neck. This powder does as it’s name says...makes you look flawless! It really is hard to find a non-powdery looking powder especially with dry skin, so I’d say this one is worth the money
Ouai Wave Spray
Let’s be real...I don’t get to wash my hair (let alone even shower) everyday. And really, you shouldn’t wash your hair everyday anyways! But this spray has been such a help in giving my thin, post-partum hair life! When I do wash my hair, I will usually put a little gel and spray this wave spray into it before throwing it into a braid or two. When I take it out, my hair smells awesome and has some body and wave to it! You really only use a few sprays each time, so while the price might be a little high, it has lasted me quite awhile.
 
Olehenriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream
After Taso was born, the dark circles and bags under my eyes were getting real! I had heard good reviews from several YouTubers about this so I decided to give it a shot. What a difference! You can instantly see the brightening effect that this eye cream has, and it helps my eye make up and concealer go on way smoother. I really only use it in the mornings, and you need the tiniest amount! Needless to say, I will be repurchasing this bad boy whenever I run out!
Young Living Thieves Essential Oil
Ok, this is my only “non-beauty” item on this list, but being healthy contributes to beauty so I have it in this list. Thieves is the Young Living Essential oil that helps battle colds and bacteria, which is why it has its own line of cleaning products that it is used in! I diffuse this oil every single day in our house, and use the Thieves Roll On whenever we go out! I feel confident that it makes a difference, and it smells awesome! This is an oil that I am never without!
 
Young Living Lavender Lip Balm
In past years, I was always so excited to wear my dark, vampy lip colors, but always ended up rethinking it because my lips were just always too dry. I ended up just skipping wearing a lip color all together which was a bit frustrating since it often completes a look for going out. This lip balm is amazing! It smells wonderful, and I have not had one instance of my lips cracking or even feeling chapped! I use it in the morning and night (and throughout the day as needed) but applying at night has definitely made a huge difference. I just ordered the two other scents as well to stock up! These are super affordable and I am so glad that I discovered them!
I hope you enjoyed my January favorites and that you can find something on this list to try out! Let me know some of your favorites in the comments, or if you’ve used any of these yourself! ​
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Promises to Myself

1/30/2019

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It has been a minute! And I’m going to be honest--I’ve had evenings with spare time to make a post, but I just didn’t feel like it. I wanted to just sit, do nothing, watch tv, talk to Todd, etc. I was just not feeling like I even had anything to write about. I’m not looking for sympathy, just real talk here. But now that things have started to normalize in my life (sometimes) I am so excited to get back to writing and blogging! The holidays were awesome, but hectic with three little ones. Leo turned 3 years old early in December, so now we have to say we have three kids that are "3 and under”. But honestly, it feels the same as "3 under 3" most days!

We’ve definitely gotten into a better routine. Taso actually sleeps through the night (first of my boys to do this so young) and we’re working on getting Leo back to a normal sleep routine. Now that I feel a little more settled (some days) into this stay at home life, I really wanted to sit down and make a list of promises to myself for the coming year. Not resolutions, but actual promises that I intend to keep in order to help my family and myself be happy and healthy. So here we go:

1. We will go to the gym.
We joined a gym as a family that offers childcare. It has been a godsend for ALL of us! I was getting to that point of eating whatever and whenever just because it was the holidays and I could use “baby weight” as my excuse. But then, it got to the point where no clothes were fitting and I was getting upset. I have given myself time and grace to recover from having three babies within four years, but now it is time to focus on getting healthy not just for myself, but for everyone’s well-being. I love that Todd and I both get to feel better about getting back into shape and the older two get to socialize and play in a fun environment. I wasn’t ready to put Taso in a daycare situation especially with it being winter, so my mom has been generous enough to take him for those times that we go, which I’m trying to do twice a week.

2. I will take time for myself.
Not every parent has this chance, but I am lucky enough to have help when I really need it in order to get a break from being “mama”. This comes in various ways from getting to go meet friends for dinner, to getting my nails done. My husband, mom, sisters, in-laws, etc are the best and I feel blessed to get some of the coveted “me” time that people need more than ever these days. I also now want this time for myself to include keeping this blog going. I’m really, really going to make the effort to get at least one post up per week because it is something that I have come to enjoy doing!

3. I will try to have patience.
This one is tough, and has gotten more and more difficult over the past few months. On the days that I am on my own with all three boys, I will admit that my patience wears very thin. Other days, I wake up and its already gone before getting downstairs. But then there are the days where I am amazingly calm, and everything just seems to go better. I need to keep this in mind, and try to remember to breathe, relax and then talk. It is easy for me to say this on a day like today where *miraculously* all three children are napping at the same time. (Leo hasn’t actually done this since August). So I am currently on cloud 9, enjoying some peace & quiet. But truly, having patience makes a difference in everyone’s behavior and moods. It is definitely something that I need to continuously work on!

4. I will do MORE.
This might seem like a vague statement, and possibly a contradiction to promise #2, but I meant it to be that way. I just want to do more in so many different areas – more projects with the kids, more around the house, more adventures with the kids, projects for myself, etc. Once I find a better balance of that coveted “me” time, I really want to make sure that I am accomplishing other things to keep myself motivated!

5. I will find the joy.
I am determined to try to focus more on the good than the bad. I’ve gotten into a bad habit of getting in my own head and really harping on all of the bad stuff that happens throughout my day – the tantrums, the yelling, the crying, the messes, the feelings of failure. I never realized how many emotions one person could feel within 12 hours. But I am going to take the time to reflect on each day and find the joy. Find the good. In reality, there is usually more good than bad, but as I think most of us tend to do, we let the bad overshadow it all and call it a “bad day”. When I realized that I was having more “bad days” than usual, it really got me thinking that something has to change and that something is my own mindset. I am going to find the joy in each day and even though I might still feel like it was an overall bad one, there is going to be something good that came from it.

I am so glad to be back on this platform and writing again. I am so thankful that I have you all to share life with! Hope you enjoyed and come up with your own promises to yourself, even if it is just one. Have a great week and stay warm my Midwest friends!
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Last Minute Gift List!

12/19/2018

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Ahhh the holidays are upon us! If you’re the type that has your gifts purchased and wrapped, well, this might just be a fun read for you, or maybe will inspire you for what to spend all of your gift cards on!
 
If you’re a procrastinator like me, then you probably have a few gifts left to buy on December 19th!  Oh and no gifts wrapped yet, either. I decided it might be helpful to share what is on my own Christmas wish list to get some ideas flowing for those of you who are stumped on what to buy for your friend, sister, cousin or yourself! I’ve also linked everything for you to make for easy shopping!
Leggings...with POCKETS!
You heard me. They make leggings with pockets now. Whoever did this is a genius and I’m questioning why it hasn’t happened sooner?! Aerie (by American Eagle) has some awesome high-waist ones that are also incredibly soft and thick enough to not worry about them getting worn or tearing anytime soon! I already have a pair, but definitely need more of these babies. I mean, who doesn’t need more leggings?
 
Slippers
For the past few months, I’ve been on my feet more than ever! Whether its bouncing to get Taso to sleep or chasing Xander around to grab whatever he just stole off of a counter or table, my feet are ACHING! I typically go barefoot, but recently, my foot pain has been so bad that I realized a) I am getting old and b) I really need some foot support. These fluffy, sturdy slippers are one of my top requests this year to save my feet (and keep them warm!)
Gym Shoes
Like the majority of the population, you’ll see me back at the gym and working out after the new year! This year especially--- it is time for the baby weight to really start going away for good! To inspire this new venture, I definitely want to get some new, cute gym shoes to inspire and motivate me! I am loving these Adidas ones that I found at DSW!
 
Sunglasses
I have only splurged on a nice pair of sunglasses once in my life. It was a pair from Ralph Lauren and I loved them. Then my dog ate them. For real. I think 5 years later, it is time to try again for a nice(r) pair than the pair from Walmart that has been my go to for the past several years. This style by QUAY is super cute and definitely my over-sized frame style. Also, they aren’t crazy expensive, but still look high-end!
Necklace
My style in jewelry has changed quite drastically as of late. I used to go for the huge statement necklaces, and if the occasion calls for it, I’ll still wear those. But now I am more drawn to finer, daintier pieces. There are several necklaces from Uncommon James that totally caught my eye as I was perusing their website while watching Very Cavallari, (haha she’s a marketing genius) but the one that I have linked is definitely my favorite!
 
Make Up Brushes
An awesome gift for any makeup-obsessed individual would be a new set of brushes! There are so many different types, that it can be overwhelming if you are out of your element in the beauty aisle, so a nice set is your best bet at giving them something that they need and will use! Jaclyn Hill’s brush sets from Morphe are definitely on my list this year. She has the whole set (linked) or as a less expensive option, the eye set or face set! 
Eye shadow Palette
Two of my favorite YouTubers collaborated with a make up company called Dose of Colors to create a line of make up this year and while I cannot justify buying myself a new eye shadow palette, I would gladly let someone else buy one for me! This Desi x Katy palette has some fun colors and some everyday colors and of course is great quality!
 
Perfume
The fragrance commercials seem never ending during this time of year, but it really is a great gift if you know the type of scent, or even better, the exact scent that the person wears! Perfume is not something I will wear everyday, but when I do, I want it to smell expensive and last all day! My favorite scent these days is Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet. It has a light floral scent without being too overpowering! Plus you really only need two sprays and you are set!

​I hope you enjoyed my Christmas list and find it helpful in these last few days of shopping or to go spend all of your gift cards on! I am really hoping to get back into the swing of more consistent blog posts starting in 2019! Here’s hoping and here’s to a fresh start in a new year! Happy Holidays!
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Easy Essential Oil Recipes

11/25/2018

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I know it has been a hot minute since I’ve posted! There is really no excuse other than life is just crazy these days! I’ve wanted to get this post up for awhile, and I finally took the time during these early morning hours of peace and quiet to just get it done.
 
I’ve been using essential oils for about 5 years now, and trust me; I can understand why you’d be skeptical. As a science teacher, I too wasn’t sure of the effectiveness of essential oils, but after using them in different situations; time and time again they have proven their worth! It is wonderful to be able to have these oils on hand for just some extra support and for some aromatherapy!
 
Here are a few tried and true recipes that we’ve been using:
 
Holiday Diffuser Blend
Who doesn’t love the smell of those spicy holiday flavors? This is a simple recipe that I have been putting in my diffuser everyday! It gives an awesome scent of the holidays while at the same time, keeping those germs at bay by adding a few drops of Thieves!
 
In your diffuser:
- 3 drops Christmas Spirit
- 2 drops Thieves
- Fill to line with water
Natural Vapo Rub
As a kid, vapo-rub was a necessity at all times for me, especially during winter for my yearly cough that always seemed to settle itself into my lungs! With this recipe, I feel comfortable even using on my kids because I make it myself! It seriously does wonders with relieving their colds and helping to get some good sleep! You can also add peppermint to this recipe, but I leave it out because I use it on the kids and myself while breastfeeding (it can increase energy for kids and can affect milk supply).
 
In any glass jar/container:
- 8 tbsp coconut oil (when making, leave at room temp so it is soft)
- 30 drops eucalyptus
- 12 drops lavender
- 12 drops tea tree
- (optional: 5 drops peppermint)
Mix together, store in refrigerator. About 30 min before use, take out of fridge so it is easier to scoop a bit onto fingers and rub on chest and bottoms of feet for some serious relief from congestion discomfort!
Immune Rollerball
Oregano, Frankincense and Thieves are the heavy hitters in this blend. All of these oils can help with purification! I’ve been using this rollerball constantly, especially to help ward off infections that are common during breastfeeding. I just roll this blend on the bottoms of my feet and I am good to go!
 
In a 10 mL roller bottle:
- 4 drops Thieves
- 3 drops Oregano
- 2 drops Frankincense
- 2 drops Lemon
- Fill the rest of bottle with carrier oil (like fractionated coconut oil)
Vapor Shower Melts
Ok, these were some amazing DIY gifts that I created last year and they are SUPER easy and turn your shower into a spa-like experience! You can really put any oils into these, but especially for this time of year, I like to have the eucalyptus scent on hand! You can make a bunch of these and just throw them in a jar, add a fancy label and voila! You have an easy gift as well!
 
In a bowl:
-1 cup baking soda
-1/3 cup water
- Mix together until a paste-like consistency, and fill cupcake liners halfway in a cupcake tin
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 min
- Allow to cool, then add 4 drops Eucalyptus and 4 drops Lavender oils
I hope you find these recipes to be useful! Let me know what recipes you use in your household or if you have questions about other uses for essential oils! Happy Holidays!
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Toddler Fun: Apples & Spiders

10/27/2018

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We’ve been continuing in our exploration of fall items over the past two weeks with apples and spiders! Last week we went to the library and checked out some books about all about apples to support in our science and art activities! This week, we’ve been using spiders for literacy, math and science! Check out all of the fun we’ve had:
 
Apple Stamping
Here’s an easy one! All you have to do is get an apple, some paint and paper and you have yourself an art project! We sliced an apple in half, dipped it into paint and had the kids stamp the apple onto paper! They love paint in any capacity, so changing it up to fit our theme made it even better! With the older ones, you can identify the different parts of the apple as you cut into them, too!
 
Apple Letter Matching
With Xander, we are just starting to work with him on identifying letters, so I drew some little apples onto red construction paper and put the letters of his name on them. On another piece of paper, I wrote the letters of his name in order in boxes that were the same size as the apple letter pieces. I had him try to match the letters and then glued them down when it was complete! He needed a lot of guidance, but any introduction to letters is going to help in the long run!
Slow Cooker Applesauce
We had a bunch of apples from a local farm, so what better thing to do than make applesauce! It was super easy and ended up tasting like apple pie filling! We had the boys help by turning our apple corer/peeler/slicer machine! They loved this thing!
 
Here are the ingredients:
10-12 apples, cored, peeled and sliced
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
1 tsp. cinnamon
 
We added our apples along with sugar, water and cinnamon and cooked on high for 5 hours! When it was done, I stirred the applesauce an emulsion blender until it was a smooth consistency. I put some into a container in the fridge to cool, and then the rest into a Ziploc freezer bag to save for a future date.
 
Contact Paper Apple with Tissue Paper
To work in a little OT and a fine-motor activity, we drew an apple onto a piece of clear contact paper. Then, Leo tore pieces of green and red tissue paper into smaller pieces and stuck them to the contact paper inside of the apple. When he was done, we stuck the contact paper to another piece and voila, we have a little decoration and some fine-motor work completed! 
Spider Literacy & Counting
The next topic we went to after apples were spiders! We bought some plastic toy spiders to use for the next few activities. On a piece of paper, my mom wrote S is for Spider and then a large S. We then had the boys place the spiders along the large S. We also wrote numbers and drew spider webs onto a few small paper plates. The boys had to count out the correct amount of spiders to match the number on their plate and put the spiders onto it.
 
Spooky Slime
This has been a total hit with both boys! Remember Gak from when we were younger? Well, here’s a way to make your own!
 
½ cup clear Elmer’s glue
½ tsp baking soda
2 tbsp contact solution
(optional food coloring)
Halloween items to stick into and take out of slime! (googly eyes, plastic spiders, etc)
 
Mix the glue, baking soda and food coloring (if you want to add it) until fully mixed together. Add 2 tbsp of contact solution until the slime stops sticking to the bowl and can be picked up without being sticky on your hands. You can also add a little bit of olive oil to make it even less sticky.
 
Then, it is ready to go! Leo has asked to play with this stuff every single day! The putting in and picking out small items can also count as your fine-motor activity! I also saw this slime made with the different colored, glitter Elmer’s glue which would be SO fun!
 
Have some fun this week and try out an activity or two! Happy Halloween!
 
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Dinosaur Nursery Decor

10/19/2018

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Well, it only took a few months, but we finally finished Taso's nursery decor! My mom, Carol, and my younger sister, Ariel, are the masterminds behind creating these items and bringing my vision to life, so a huge thank you goes out to them for making this room look so great! Take a look at what we did to make our tiny little dino's room perfect!
When I decided on this dinosaur theme, I knew I wanted bright colors! We found fabric that my mom used on several different items to make a crib blanket, changing pad cover and a Boppy Lounger pillow cover. She really did an incredible job on these sewing projects! (I'm trying to convince her to open an Etsy store so that she can sell this kind of stuff!!) The crib sheet is a different dinosaur fabric, but still incorporates the same bright colors.

We found wooden letters to spell Taso's name that we painted and attached above the crib, and I applied some vinyl dinosaur footprints to the wall to finish it off. The large wooden dinosaurs above the changing table were from Hobby Lobby, as is the dinosaur claw hook that we put on the wall. The crib blanket is incredibly soft gray fabric on the back to keep our guy nice and cozy (when he's big enough to use a blanket) and the bright colored fabric in between the dinosaur patterned fabric. The Roar, Stomp, Chomp blocks were created using my mom's Cricut machine and painted blocks.
I also enlisted the help of Ariel and her side-hustle called Artistic Accents by Ariel to create a couple of custom string art signs to hang in the room. My other boys also have their own custom boards (I'll be sharing their room themes in future posts) so it was only fitting to give Taso his "Haley" name board that several of the Haley cousins now own, and a stegosaurus string art to go with our theme. The boards turned out so great and are awesome quality! Ariel designs these boards based on customer request, so check out her website to order one for yourself and follow her on Instagram @artisticaccentsbyariel to check out some other works of art!
https://arielsaccents.wixsite.com/arielsaccents
We also have a few other items left to hang up and one of my favorites is the set of dinosaur cut-out paintings that we created. My mom created the cut-outs using white card stock, and we had Leo create three finger paintings that we placed behind each cut out to give it color! I love that Taso's older brother contributed some works of art! My mom also created a stats sign for Taso using her Cricut (this machine is truly amazing!) And finally, we have our Jurassic Park stuffed dinosaur to complete the theme and use for Taso's monthly pictures to show how much he grows in comparison!
I absolutely love how this room turned out and I literally could not have done it without my mom and sister! If you're interested in purchasing items from either of them, leave a comment and I'll put you in contact to create your custom orders! Like I said, my mom hasn't been convinced to start an actual business yet, but hopefully this gives her the push because she is so talented! Hope you all enjoyed the decor reveal and look for future posts to see Leo's Space theme and Xander's Woodland theme!
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