​I am a book lover. Hands down. I grew up reading everyday, (my mom would even have us identify letters in the newspaper before giving us breakfast!) even into my high school days, and I am hoping to instill this love for reading in my children’s lives, too!
 
I tried to narrow down my top 5 favorites that we read on a regular basis, and it was very difficult to just pick 5, but each of these books was chosen for a reason other than it is a story that my kids like hearing (and that I enjoy reading to them) so here we go:

Addison The Light Catcher by Courtney Kotloski and Natalie Sorrentino
 
This book is a new favorite, but holds a special place. It has a beautiful and powerful message of advocating for others and letting your light shine. When I say powerful, I mean I had tears in my eyes when I heard the book read for the first time! The book is based on real-life sister and brother named Addison and Asher, and has a description of them at the end. The author/illustrator team, Gnat & Corky, have a series of these books coming out, each telling a diverse story about real kids. I am so excited to read each one! 

The Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle
 
This book quickly became a staple in this house because, well, trucks! It is a very catchy, rhyming story about a truck that is friendly to all, even to those who aren’t friendly to him. It sends a great message about helping others and being kind, even in situations that we don’t want to be. There are also several other books in the Little Blue Truck series that are just as wonderful! 

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
 
Who doesn’t love a good tongue-twister story? Dr. Seuss books are a great way to teach kids rhyming words. They are also usually easy to memorize sections of, which is a great first step in teaching kids how to read! Another reason that I like this particular book is that while it is silly, Green Eggs and Ham sends a pretty good message about trying something new because you just might end up liking it!

Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anne Dewdney
 
I’m going to be honest...my favorite way to read this book is the way Ludacris raps it! Here is another catchy, rhyming story with a good message for kids – sometimes adults are busy and can’t be there right away, but they will always be there for you in the end. There are also a number of different Llama Llama books – about missing a parent on the first day of school, bedtime routines, etc. We have also come to love the Netflix show Llama Llama that brings the characters to life!

Recordable Books (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star by Scott Emmons)
 
This last one could really be any story, but recordable books are a must have keepsake in your home library. My mom asked my grandparents to use these books record themselves reading the story, and gave them to us as a Christmas gift. I now absolutely treasure this book since my grandma has since passed away. Being able to hear her voice, and to share it with my kids, brings me incredible joy and comfort. You HAVE to do this, whether it is of your own voice for your kids (helpful if a parent travels for work) or of their grandparents. You should even get your parents and grandparents to record one just for you! It is truly amazing how something so simple can help you take comfort, especially when the recording is by a loved one that is not often around, or is no longer with you.

Sorry to end on that heavy note, but I hope that you are feeling inspired to check out some of these book ideas if they are new to you, or share your own favorites with others! Reading to kids is SO important, especially in the very early years. You are truly setting the stage for the rest of their lives by taking just a few minutes everyday to read them a story!
 
Stay tuned for my next post on My Top 5 Favorite Books: Book Club Edition!

​I always wished that I had blue eyes or green eyes until I discovered what enhancing my brown eyes could do! Green eyeshadow will make any eye color – but mostly brown—pop! A “halo” eyeshadow look really focuses on the center of the lid and brings the darker color all the way to the inner corners. It is slightly different from my normal technique that I use, but not any more difficult to achieve!
 
I did a full post on the entire routine because I have changed a few products up, too! Hope you enjoy this look!

Eyes
As always, I prime my eyes with a concealer and set with a translucent powder. This gives you a nice even canvas for the colors to blend on! I used a total of four eyeshadows for the lid: Make Up Geek Tiki Hut, Dirty Martini & Shimmamint and Morphe Eyeshadow ES19 (Dirty Martini). I love both of these brands for eyeshadows! They are totally affordable, but amazing quality! (If you’re in the market for new make up definitely check them out!)
 
I used Tiki hut (the only brown) as my transition color and blended it using a Sigma E40 brush into the crease. Then I went in with my Sigma E25 (denser brush) and used Make Up Geek Dirty Martini into the outer corner, lower in the crease and also into the inner corners. This is what starts to create the halo look. I then went in with a Make Up Geek Outer V brush (pointier, denser) to really deepen that dark green.
 
Using a Sigma E57, I put the Morphe ES19 shadow onto the center of my lids. I also sprayed my brush with a setting spray to give the shadow a shinier appearance. I then used my finger to put the lightest green, Make Up Geek Shimmamint, directly in the center of the lids on top of the other shimmery green. I went over each step as needed until I achieved the color that I wanted!
 
Next steps for eyes are the usual: winged liner, curl the lashes and Arbonne It’s a Long Story Mascara!

Face
I decided to use a Sigma Flat-top Kabuki to apply my foundation today. This gives a little more coverage which I wanted since I was using a thinner foundation than usual. I went with my L’Oreal True Match Lumi foundation because I have a bit of a tan (this color was still a little too light!) and my MAC Pro-Longwear Concealer. I also added some of my usual Urban Decay Naked concealer to the inner part of my under eyes, and to the other points of my face that I usually highlight with concealer.
 
I used my dampened Real Techniques beauty sponge to blend the concealers because they were a little thick and I wanted to really make them melt into my skin. I set all of the concealer with my translucent setting powder as usual.
 
I used a darker bronzer for my contour today called Bahama Mama by the Balm. This is another affordable, good quality brand! I then used MAC Melba for my blush which I apply a bit further back on my cheekbones and blend with my contour. I also wanted a nice golden highlight for my cheekbones, nose and cupids bow, and for that I used Becca x Jaclyn Hill Prosecco Pop.

​Final step is the lip color! I used MAC Stripdown liner and slightly over-lined my lips to make them look just a bit fuller. To do this, just apply the liner right outside the natural line of your lips. Then, I used MAC Velvet Teddy lipstick on top to finish it up!
 
Set that all with a setting spray and you are done! I love the way that this look turned out and can’t wait to try it again soon! Have a great weekend, everyone!

Whether you are a parent looking for a refreshing change to the toys & activities you see (and play with) or an aunt/uncle/friend looking for gift ideas for a young child...this post is for you!
 
I decided to really watch what my boys played with over the past few weeks to compile a list of the things that they are drawn to and truly enjoy on a daily basis! Mind you, we have way too many things. I was just talking to my friend Ashley about trying to do a purge, but we both agreed at the ages that our older boys are at (three and two and a half) they really love all of their toys and notice when things are gone!
 
That being said, I think I will still do a secret purging of toys at the end of summer and donate the things that have been loved, but are not a part of our daily playtime. Ok, here we go with our list of favorites! I’ve also linked several of them if you are interested in purchasing! :)
 
Books
Being a teacher, I can never have enough books in our collection. We have hand-me-downs from our older cousins, we have new books, we have library books. This clutter and large collection never bothers me because reading at a young age is SO important. If there is one gift that never fails for kids, it is a good new book! My boys look at them on their own, but we also read several times a day, so books are my number one pick!
 
Puzzles
My older son, Leo, has really gotten into jigsaw puzzles lately! We have some that are even around 50 pieces and he just loves sitting and trying to figure them out! The fun part is watching him remember how the different sections fit together, and helping him out and making it a family activity. Sometimes we have to wait until Xander is taking a nap or in bed for the evening to get into the more complex ones, but even he has taken to the more basic puzzles in our collection! Puzzles are great for those fine-motor skills and even problem solving! (Have I mentioned that I’m a teacher?)

Spinning Stacking Toy (Fat Brain Toy Company)
This one is entertainment for both boys and even a bit for myself! The rings stack onto the white pole in the middle, but spin on their way down! Everything is really easy to maneuver and we use it to practice size order, colors and counting! Educational and entertaining---can you ask for anything more?
 
Melissa & Doug Ice Cream Counter
I am obsessed with Melissa & Doug toys because they are adorable, durable and easy to clean! One of our favorites has become the Ice Cream Counter. It comes with pretend cones, cup, ice cream scooper, ice cream scoops in different flavors, and even toppings! There is actually a list of educational ways to play with this toy, but for now, just pretending to make giant 6-scoop tall ice cream cones is fun for us!

Green Toys (Cars, Trucks, etc)
I have come to love this brand of toy cars and trucks! They are light-weight, so no worrying about it falling on little toes while playing, durable, and all made from 100% recycled plastic! We’ve been loving the fire truck, car transporter and helicopter around here! Definitely fun and even better for a lesson on recycling!
 
Play Doh
Play Doh holds a special place in my heart. I can still remember getting the giant red tin full of the different colored Play Doh and tools at my grandma’s house. We used real rolling pins, plastic knives and even an egg slicer for our imaginary cooking with Play Doh. Leo has really taken to this activity. He can seriously play with it for an hour, which is something to be said for a 2 year old! Xander has dabbled in playing with it (and attempting to eat it) but I know this will be a household favorite for years to come!
 
I hope this list of our favorites helps you to reinvigorate your household activities, or has sparked some gift ideas for you! Happy Playing!

I have had two chances to go out to dinner in the past few weeks, and I was so excited for the excuse to do a full face of make up!

I wanted to use the KKW x Mario eye shadow palette because it is full of plenty of neutrals, but also some fun colors! For this post, I just wanted to focus on how I did the eye shadow, so I kept all of my face products the same from my last make up tutorial post (Summertime Wedding Guest Make Up Routine)! Scroll down to check that out if you missed it!
 
And as a bonus, I’m including two eye looks using this palette! One with a pop of color, and one a little more neutral-glam! Enjoy!

Look #1: Pop of Blue!
For this eye shadow look, I started off by priming my eyelids with my Urban Decay Naked concealer, and then setting it with my Cover Girl Loose Translucent powder. I then went in with a fluffy blending brush (Morphe 533) with this light brown shade called Miami. I put this basically all over the crease and a little above to use as my transition shade.
 
Next step is going in with a smaller blending brush (Sigma E25) and a darker brown shade called Loyalty. I concentrated this color more on the outer corners of the eye and blended more in the middle of the crease. I went back and forth with the two brown shades until I built up the color that I wanted and it was blended out nicely!
 
Here’s the fun part! For this look, I went with a color that I normally shy away from and used the blue shade called Libra. I packed this onto a firm shader brush (Sigma E57) and then sprayed the brush with some setting spray. This gives the eye shadow more of a wet look and a little shinier. I had to go in a few times to build this color and then also had to touch up at the end once I was done with all of the eyeliner, mascara, etc, so you might notice a difference in the color intensity in pictures!
 
I then had to go back in with both of the brown shades to blend everything together so that it didn’t look too choppy with such a vibrant color on the lid.

Next steps are the same as my past tutorial using my Kat Von D Tattoo liner for a black winged-liner, curl the lashes, and add two different mascaras – Arbonne It’s a Long Story and then Maybelline Falsies Waterproof (for my ever-watery eyes this is a necessary step!)
 
I then did the whole face make up routine (again, find it by scrolling to my Summertime Wedding Guest Make Up Routine) and then finished under the eyes! I went in with the lighter brown shade on a pencil brush (Sigma E30) and blended that color into the lash line. I added my L’Oreal Voluminous black eyeliner into the water line, and then added my mascaras to the bottom lashes.
 
Just set everything with a setting spray and you’re done!
 

Look #2: Silver-Gold Sparkle!
This is going to be much shorter, because literally the only thing that I changed from the first eye look is the lid color! Instead of the blue, I wanted more of a neutral-glam look so follow all of the crease-color steps, and then pack onto a firm shader brush the color Glam and spritz your brush with a setting spray. This color is a bit easier to build, so it did not take as much touching up as the blue! I really like how this look turned out and it is super easy! 

​I hope you enjoyed two different eye shadow looks! Let me know what make up post you’d want to see next!

Ariel is an occupational therapist in the Early Intervention program (birth-3), private pediatric clinic, and school setting. She is the proud aunt of Leo and Xander, as well as Xander's godmother! She can't WAIT for baby #3 to get here and to spoil her three boys rotten :)

When I got the text from my sister, "Do you want to guest blog for incorporating OT everyday?",  I was more nervous than excited. This is the most complicated question to answer, ever! I'm an occupational therapist (OT)...do you know what that is? No? Don't worry- you're not the only one! It's hard to explain because OT is life -- literally! OT's help people of all ages be successful and increase independence/safety in their everyday lives, and participate in the things that are most important to them. When we are talking about kids, this may be play, school, dressing, eating, sleep, and more. Think about what your kid does every day- that is their 'occupation'! 

Literally, everything your kid is doing all day could be worked on at OT! So narrowing it down to the 'Top 5 Way to Incorporate OT into Your Everyday Life" is a hard one for me... but I'm going to try my best! Here we go...

1. GET MESSY!
Seriously- don't stress out about your child being a perfectly clean angel! That's not normal! Messy play is important in developing your child's sensory system- the system that helps them take in and process all of the senses in their surroundings. I could go on and on with things that you can play and get messy with, but to name a few: shaving cream, ice, play-doh, paint, water tables/pools, mud, and snow. Put some of the messier things in an older cookie sheet to keep it somewhat contained and have a designated tablecloth for messes. 

2. Tummy time
I'm pretty sure I could write a whole novel about this. Tummy time isn't just a buzzword- it has a lot of VERY important developmental implications, such as building visual skills, motor skills, and upper body/neck strength for head control (think- skills you need to read, copy from the board, and write!). The catch is that this doesn't stop being important once your baby can start sitting independently! Encourage even your older kids to color and play on their stomachs, do animal walks, and build 'Ninja Warrior' obstacle courses with cushions and blankets. 

3. Arts and Crafts
Not only do arts and crafts usually incorporate some sort of sensory play (glue, paint, feathers), but it helps develop their fine motor skills for dressing and writing. Don't force your little ones to write letters, just let them be artists! Teach them a 'pinch grasp' and let them have at it with markers and crayons (preferably ones with a larger diameter for those little hands to handle!). 

4. Encourage Independence
Parents LOVE their children and want to help them as much as they can- I get it, it's just how it is and I'm not going to change that! But we also need to challenge our kids to let them learn and grow. Let your child try and try again at every day tasks such as dressing, but don't let them get TOO frustrated. We call this 'grading a task' in the OT-world.  Let them try to get their shoe off a few times- then put their hands in the right spot and do 50% of the effort for them. This goes for all dressing activities (putting on/off clothes, zippers, buttons) and feeding! Put the utensil in their hand- maybe load the spoon if they need help- and guide them. It might get messy, but they're learning!

5. Develop a Routine 
When pediatric OT's aren't working on sensory integration, fine motor or gross motor skills, we're usually working on behaviors and transitions. When kids head off to school, they are thrown into a pretty rigid routine that they must follow every day. Routines help your children anticipate what's going to happen and when. Develop a fairly consistent routine (use a visual if that helps), and throw in a 'curve ball' every once in awhile, so they learn how to be flexible when things don't go as planned. It's never too early to have a routine!

So there you have it...a snippet of how to incorporate OT things into your everyday life.  If you take away anything from this post, it would be this:
 Go outside and play! Get away from the TVs, phones and iPads and explore. Let your kids just be kids! :)  

Want to learn more about one of these topics or if your child may benefit from OT services? Feel free to shoot me an e-mail at apontikes@gmail.com!

Ever since I really got interested in makeup, I also took interest in my skincare. Your skin makes such a difference in everything—aging, make up application, health...I mean, your largest organ is a pretty big deal! I will NEVER, EVER skip (at the very least) washing my face before I go to bed. And I mean never! It doesn’t matter if I had already been asleep on the couch for an hour (happens often), or out until 2 am, (hahaha not so much these days) but I will always wash my face!
 
On a few nights every week, I do a few extra steps to add to my previously posted routine. I still use my Arbonne RE9 Smoothing Cleanser, Toner, Serum and Eye Cream, but a few other products make an appearance in the evening. The list may seem like a lot, but keep in mind I only use a few of them on a nightly basis, and some are only 1-2 times a week.
 
Boscia Make Up-Break Up Cool Cleansing Oil
This is a game changer for anyone who wears a full face of make up! I use this before even wetting or washing my face to remove my entire face of make up. This stuff removes my waterproof mascara, foundation, etc. I just use one pump and rub into my skin, making sure that I get all the way to my hairline and down my neck since I usually blend makeup down pretty far. It doesn’t irritate my eyes at all, even when I forget to take my contacts out first! I used to use the make up wipes, but I ended up using two in order to get my make up off, and it still left a lot on my skin. But since switching to this, I almost never get make up on my face towel!
 
Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment
I received this product in my first FabFitFun box and I absolutely love it! This can just be used as a regular face scrub or left on for up to two minutes for a more intense skin treatment. It is a very fine grain scrub, so it won’t be too harsh as you massage into the skin. It has salicylic acid, different enzymes and vitamins to help the appearance of your skin, but mainly, it is working to get rid of dead skin cells to make your skin look healthier! It’s a little pricey, but really any gentle exfoliator should make it into your nighttime skin care regimen.
 
Lush Cosmetics Mask of Magnaminty Face & Body Mask
I fell in love with this face mask years ago when YouTubers started mentioning the Lush brand. This brand is vegetarian, handmade and everything smells amazing! This particular mask reminds me of mint chocolate chip ice cream and it does a great job of making your skin feel clean and fresh without making it feel too dry. I typically only do this once a week and just leave it on my face until it dries, then remove with a washcloth.
 
Arbonne RE9 Night Repair Cream
So this is one product out of this list that I will use every night after cleansing. This replaces my normal moisturizer from my morning routine and it is hands down the best night cream I have ever tried! You can definitely tell a difference when you wake up in the morning after using this guy. My skin feels so soft and smooth and even though it is pricey, you don’t need to use a lot of it, so it lasts quite awhile! Out of everything on this list of nighttime skincare, you have to try this one!
 
Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm
My lips are always dry even now in the middle of summer! Putting on a lip balm right before bed has had an enormous effect on the appearance of my lips. I used to be deterred from using any lipsticks, glosses, etc just because I hated how it accentuated the dryness, but ever since adding this step in every night, it has totally changed the appearance of my lips. You can really use any lip balm, but I have found that some brands, like Burt's Bees, actually end up making my lips even more dry after it absorbs in. This Jack Black one  (they have a few different scents, but I just use the one with Shea Butter) is wonderful and I (try) to never miss this step now!
 
Washing your face at the end of the day may seem like a hassle, but it is so important (even if you didn’t wear make up that day) to remove the dirt and bacteria from your face before you sleep because that is when your skin really gets to work on itself! Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried any of these or if you have any questions! 

​There is nothing that can quite describe the kind of “tired” that I am experiencing right now. 7 months pregnant...in July...with a 2.5 year old and a 14 month old. The days can be long. Very long. I know I will look back on this time and ask myself where the time went, but right now, it’s just...long.
 
One thing that I’ve found that can really make these long days enjoyable is to find little adventures wherever we can to change up the scenery, learn and have fun!
 
Here are a few easy ideas that can really make a seemingly drawn-out summer day into a fun-filled experience (for you and/or the kids!)

The Zoo
We went with some other Haley boys to the Milwaukee Zoo and it was so much fun! The zoo is pretty easy to get to, easy to walk around in a manageable amount of time, and has most of the favorite animals you’d want to see! We spent the morning and ate lunch there, and by the time we left, it was definitely nap time and the boys were exhausted! Also loved getting them together with some of their cousins!

The Farm
I am very fortunate to have my best friend Angie and I love the fact that she finds joy in showing the boys around her farm! We took Leo around for the first time last summer, and this summer was even better! He loved seeing all of the horses close-up, chickens, barn cats and, his favorite spot, checking out the garden! This year, Xander was just sort of along for the ride, but I know this will be a regular place for them to visit and I hope their love for the farm and all of the animals continues to grow!

The Park
Parks are ALWAYS a win in our book! Now that both boys are a bit adventurous and curious, they have a blast swinging, going on slides and even just running around (or stumbling in Xander’s case). We typically go to our little neighborhood park within our subdivision, but it is also fun to check out other parks in the area and meet up with friends and the boys’ cousins for just a little change of scenery and things to climb on.
 
The Botanic Garden
My mom and sister are members at the Chicago Botanic Garden and we have utilized this on several occasions! It is a beautiful place to take a (very long) walk, take in the beauty of nature, and even get up close with some butterflies! It is very kid-friendly with a whole area dedicated to kids and providing learning experiences for them!

The Ballpark
Since Leo was born, my family has made it a point to get to at least one White Sox game every season and bring Leo and now Xander with. It makes for a long drive and a long day, but it always is a very enjoyable experience for everyone involved! We pick an early afternoon game, tailgate beforehand for lunch, stay for a good majority of the game itself and can make it home with plenty of time for a normal evening routine. My husband is a Cubs fan, so I’m sure the scene and the team may change as the boys get older and can choose for themselves whether to be a Sox or Scrubs fan, but I love the tradition that we’ve started and that the boys can experience this from such a young age!
 
The Backyard
Yes, sometimes we don’t make it very far from home to have our little adventures! You can make the backyard into your own mini-waterpark/splash pad by setting up a sprinkler, water table and kiddie pool and have hours of fun! We’ve done this on our own deck and most recently at the boys’ cousins house in the next neighborhood over! They loved running around outside (in 90 degree temperatures) and just being in and out of water. It seems so simple, but really, these are some of the best times we’ve had so far!
 
 
Changing up the daily activities is something that I have found to be super helpful in this somewhat difficult summer! Trying to entertain toddlers all day can be draining, but finding some easy, fun things to do makes all the difference in the world! So get out of the house, even if it’s just for you, and check out some place to have your own little summer adventures!