How’s that for some alliteration?! This week we’ve been doing some activities at home that incorporate everything fall! I am a huge fan of this season and my mom and I have come up with some fun things for the kids to do that uses some of my favorite fall items! Check out these activities and try some out!
 
Pumpkin Spice Play Dough
My kids are obsessed with play dough of any kind, but making your own and adding a fun scent to it is cheap and easy! It has the perfect non-messy texture and our batch has already lasted a couple of weeks! We literally play with this everyday and just throw in different cookie cutters, scissors and even our real Play Doh set toys to change things up! Here’s the recipe:
 
1 cup flour
1 cup water
¼ cup salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp cream of tarter
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
orange food coloring
 
Toss all ingredients together. Turn stove onto medium heat and continue to stir until mixture starts to clump and then eventually into one big lump. Remove from heat, let cool until you’re able to touch it, and knead the dough until soft and pliable.

Leaf Stamps
Another fun art project was stamping leaves on paper using homemade stamps! You can use pre-cut foam leaf shapes or draw and cut your own. Then glue the foam (or stick if it already has adhesive) to one side of a wooden block. Then, use paint (or a large ink pad) to stamp the leaves onto paper! You could also add in some educational pieces to this by having them stamp certain numbers, letters or shapes that you draw on the paper.
 
Dia de Muertos Sugar Skull Decoration
In our house, the movie “Coco” was on repeat for a good month over the summer! I couldn’t get those songs out of my head! But it incorporated some fun culture into our discussion about Dia de Muertos and all of the traditions that go with it! I was lucky enough to be in Mexico studying abroad on that day and went with my classmates to a small village and walked through all of the houses to see their displays called “ofrendas”. To bring some of that into our house, I found some wooden sugar skull decorations and had Leo use his fingerprints to paint them!
 

I hope you try some or all of these activities out with your little ones or in your classrooms! Are there any fall activities that you've tried and loved? Let me know in the comments! We will be doing different themes in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for more fun fall (and holiday) activities in posts to come!

It's official...I've become obsessed with this company! Just kidding, but seriously. I've slowly but surely started replacing some of my old household and personal cleansing products with essential oil based products and guess what? They work! Here's a run-down of my current favorites!

Mirah Luminous Cleansing Oil
Cleansing oils have become a pretty popular make up remover on the beauty scene! This one is just as effective as any other cleansing oil that I've tried, but again, contains essential oils like Sandalwood, Rose, and Jasmine and pure carrier oils, including jojoba and argan to moisturize your skin while also dissolving away make up! It is super gentle on any skin type and is formulated without parabens, sulfates, phthalates, petrochemicals, animal-derived ingredients, synthetic preservatives, synthetic fragrances, or synthetic dyes/colorants. If you're in the market for a new cleanser, I highly recommend you try this out!

Seedlings Baby Oil
While I have pretty normal to oily skin, my children seem to have inherited their father's sensitive, dry Irish skin! I have been using this Seedlings baby oil mixed in with the boys normal lotion and it makes such a difference! The rough, bumpy patches on Xander's arms have disappeared since I began this method! It smells so good, and could also be used as a baby massage oil for your little ones! The calming scent of this line make it perfect for babies and helps soothe before bedtime. I'm looking forward to trying out other products in this Seedling Line soon!

KidScents Sleepyize Essential Oil Blend
Nothing quite comes close to a peaceful night of sleep, right? Well, at least that's what I remember before having another newborn! But this oil is specially formulated to create a peaceful, calming aromatic environment for bedtime that is safe to use with kids! (I say "safe for kids" because sometimes oils are too powerful for little ones. This is a blend of lavender, geranium roman chamomile and others that can be diffused in your child's room to give a calm scent that has been a savior on nights where getting the kids in bed has been difficult!


I hope you enjoyed my current favorites from Young Living Essential Oils! Let me know which products you use or if you're interested in any of the ones that I mentioned! Have a great week!

[Disclaimer: The information contained on this website is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products on this site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using these products.]

Sorry for the sporadic posts, but I am SO excited to share this eye shadow look with you guys! I waited for this collection to launch all summer! Jaclyn Hill has created a few palettes with Morphe, and this one is a set of four separate palettes that had colors that didn’t make it into her first collaborations, but they are beautiful and I just had to have it (even though I’m sure Todd thinks I need more eye shadows like I need a hole in the head). The color payoff of the shadows, especially the shimmery shades, are amazing and apply very smoothly!
 
I decided to do a fall eye shadow look using some oranges, browns & gold shades! For this I used the Ring the Alarm palette from The Vault collection. I didn’t have time to record a video tutorial for this one, but the steps are similar to my usual eye shadow techniques that I’ve done in the past, just using some different colors! I hope you enjoy this look

The Eye Shadows
After I primed my eyelids with concealer and set with my setting powder, I first went in with my transition shade called Rush (1). Don’t be scared that this is an orange color, because as you can see from the swatches picture, you can really use this lightly and build it to the color you want. I put this shadow in and above the crease with a fluffy blending brush.
 
Next, I went in with an orange-brown shade called Mugshot (2). This color was more focused in the crease directly, and in the outer corners of my eyes. I didn’t bring this in too far to the inner corners, because I wanted to keep that area lighter. To apply this I used a more dense, natural hair blending brush.
 
After that, I used a darker brown called Secret (3) in the outer V (outer corners) of my eyes and just blended that in with Mugshot, but again, kept this darker shade to the outer parts of my eyes. To apply this I used a smaller, denser brush specifically for the outer V, but you can use any smaller blending brush. I just wanted to keep the application more precise.
 
Here comes the bling...for the lid, I went with a foiled gold shade called On Camera (4). This has a bronze tint to it, so it went really well with the browns and orange shades. I applied this with a firm shading brush that I sprayed with MAC Fix Plus, and put this color all over the lid. I then went back in and blended the crease colors back in and also went in with more On Camera as needed until I got the smooth, blended and pigmented look that I wanted!

Eyeliners & Lashes
After I completed my eye shadow look, I used my Kat Von D liner to draw on my top winged out liner, and then curled my lashes and applied my Arbonne It’s a Long Story mascara to the top lashes. I then went in and did my standard foundation, concealer, bronzer, blush & eyebrows.
 
Last step is to finish the lower lash line and highlight. I went in with my Tarte “Tartelette” palette in the shade Supermom (hah!) to highlight my brow bone and blended out my transition shade more. Then, I put on my L’Oreal Voluminous black pencil liner in my lower water line. I blended that black out with our transition shade, Rush, on a pencil brush on the lower lash line and connected it to the outer V. Finally, I highlighted the inner corners of my eyes to really brighten them up, so I used my CoverFX highlight palette and used the 4th shade which is a more champagne shade.

​I completed the look with one of my many favorite lipsticks, the Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit in the shade Dolce K.
 
I hope you enjoyed this eye shadow look! There will be plenty more to come since there are three other palettes from this one amazing collection!

Happy Fall! It is my favorite time of year! Not only because of all of your "typical" or "basic" reason (Pumpkin Spice Lattes, leggings, sweaters, etc) but because now is the time to break out some amazing make up looks!

I typically don't wear a bold lip color--mainly because my lips are always dry no matter how much lip balm or lip treatments I use. But in the fall, on a full-face of make up day, the darker, bolder colors make an appearance! I put together some swatches and try-on pictures of my favorite colors, and let me tell you, I probably won't be doing something like this again in the near future! My lips were stained and raw after 8 lipstick changes! Hope you enjoy and find a new color to try for the season!

​

Starting from the bottom, and working our way up...

MAC Stripdown Lipliner with MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick
This is my more "everyday" combo because it has a brownish-mauve tone, but definitely is subtle enough to go with any make up look or for any occasion. It is also a great formula that looks matte, but isn't drying.

Savvy Minerals by Young Living Journey Lipgloss (worn over Velvet Teddy & Stripdown)
To give a glossy look, I added a new gloss from Young Living that is also a brown tone. It pairs perfectly with Stripdown & Velvet Teddy and just gives a nice subtle sheen over the top. Plus the gloss smells like peppermint!

Kylie Cosmetics Lipkit in Dolce K
This is a brand new purchase for me but has quickly become one of my top 3 lip colors! It has a brown tone without being too much. This shade works for any occasion and is a nice cooler toned brown that is very wearable! It is a matte liquid lipstick, but is very comfortable to wear, even on drier lips.

Dose of Colors Stone Liquid Lipstick
Whenever I wear this color, I ALWAYS get asked what it is! I discovered this color years ago when it became a staple for one of my favorite YouTubers, and it has also become my #1 go-to for any time of year! It has a purplish tone to it, but is also neutral enough to go with anything! Again, it is a matte liquid lip, but super comfortable to wear!

MAC Whirl Lipliner & Matte Lipstick
I am a huge fan of MAC lipsticks, and this shade is no exception! It is the perfect mauve-brown, and is an amazing matte finish. It is a little drying on the lips, but with a small about of lip balm underneath, it is totally doable. (For any of these matte lipsticks, it is also smart to exfoliate your lips beforehand by using a lip scrub, or even just a warm washcloth!)

Kat Von D Lolita Everlasting Liquid Lipstick
I LOVE Kat Von D's make up! Every product I have tried has been a winner, but especially these liquid lip colors. The formula applies smoothly and evenly, and is buildable to make the color as pigmented as you'd like! It also wears through most meals and drinks (I've been able to wear all day to work and it still looks great at the end!) This brownish-mauve is just a bit darker than the others, but still isn't too intense that you can't wear it during a normal workday!

Kylie Cosmetics Lipkit in Clove
This is another new purchase, but I instantly fell in love with this color! The lipliner applies so smoothly, as does the liquid lipstick! It gives a pretty intense reddish-brown color, but is just perfect for the fall & holiday seasons! I can't wait to wear this one out!

MAC Rebel Lipstick
Rebel is an old love of mine! This was one of my very first MAC lipsticks that I bought and I just love how bold of a color it is! It is a bright-plum color and it goes so wonderfully with a nice neutral brown or smokey eyeshadow look, and gives a great pop of color for this time of year! It is also super comfortable to wear.

MAC Media Lipstick
This is a new shade for me, and it is definitely one of the driest lipsticks of the bunch, but it has a great deep maroon color! I typically don't wear this dark of a color, even in the cooler months, but this color would make a great statement for a night out! It does take a couple of layers to build up the color. Be bold! Give this one a shot!

**The only color that I am not shown wearing in this last collage is Dose of Colors Stone, simply because I forgot to take a picture...whoops. But trust me on that one, you need to at least go try it out at your nearest Ulta, or even just go for it and order it! You won't be disappointed!**

I really hope that you enjoyed this post, because I love sharing my favorite make up with you guys! The eyeshadow look in these pictures was done using one of the new Jaclyn Hill eyeshadow palettes, so that little tutorial will be coming up soon! Let me know if you try any of these lip colors or what some of your go-tos are for the fall!

​He has arrived! Anastasios “Taso” Daniel Haley decided to surprise us two weeks before his due date and made his debut on September 4, 2018! The entire process went smoothly and really was just an incredible experience.
 
It has been just over a week since we brought Taso home, and here’s the reality: life is chaos. Leo started regressing on sleep (no napping, fighting bedtime) and really using some attention-seeking tactics (aka major temper tantrums) starting the week leading up to Taso’s birthday, and it has only intensified since then.

​We’re doing our best. Todd has been the most patient human being I have ever seen in terms of dealing with all of Leo’s behaviors, and with taking on caring for both of the older boys while I focused on healing and getting Taso settled. But some days, it seems like it will never end. Some days, we really don’t get any alone time, because Leo wakes up four times throughout the night, and Taso is up every three hours to eat. Really, Xander has been the most easy-going through the whole process, which I really did not expect since he was the one losing his “baby” status. I appreciate that little boy’s sweet, funny personality now more than ever before.
 
Life right now is really difficult. There are moments where I wonder how we are ever going to survive this stage. We have had so many family members here to help us, and I am so grateful that we are blessed to have them – my parents, sisters, in-laws and sister-in-law have been incredible. My friends have been a listening ear and a helping hand when they are able. But I’ve found myself wondering if will life ever feel “normal” again?

​​Everything is temporary. In the near future, life looks very different. When Taso is already looking like a completely different baby from what he looks like this first week, and when he doesn’t necessarily need to be by my side at all times. When Xander is talking more, and able to clearly communicate what he wants. When Leo has settled back into a routine, and is back to being the super-sweet, incredibly smart little boy we know and love.
 
“We’re doing our best. Life right now is really difficult. Everything is temporary.” That is my mantra these days. But I truly am trying to enjoy every moment of this sweet new baby. He is truly a miracle and a blessing in all of our lives. These three boys are going to grow up together and probably fight and wrestle, but also take care of each other and look out for one another. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for all of us.

I really wanted tonight’s post to be another make up tutorial/video using my new Jaclyn Hill The Vault Eyeshadow Palettes (I’m obsessed), but due to some sleep regression issues on Leo’s part, we’ve had a rough past few days with no nap time or even a lot of evening free time for me, so that will have to hopefully be next week’s post! **Also, more on the sleep regression fiasco coming soon...when I figure out a solution that works for us!**
 
So, that being said tonight is going to be an informational post on My Go-To Make Up Tools! I’ve had a lot of questions lately about things that beginners in make up need to get, so I thought this might be a good starting point for those interested! It may seem like a lot, but I honestly use each one of these make up tools when I do a full face of make up! Most are for eye shadows, but each has its own purpose, so if you’d like to learn where to start, keep reading!
 
**All of these brushes are by Sigma Beauty, and I love them and highly recommend this brand! Other good brands that you can find similar items in are Morphe, Real Techniques & EcoTools!**

For The Eyes...
 
Sigma E40 Tapered Blending Brush
This is the first brush I use when applying my eye shadow. This is a fluffier, less-dense brush that gives a light wash of color. This is perfect to apply the transition shade on your eye in and above the crease. I also go back to this brush multiple times throughout eye shadow application to blend everything out.
 
Sigma E25 Blending Brush
I have at least four of this particular brush! The reason for having multiple is really due to laziness and not wanting to wash my brushes before every single use, but this is the brush that I use to apply the darker eye shadow color that I am using into the crease of my eyelid. This brush is super soft, and denser than the E40, and makes applying eye shadow very easy. I go back and for the when applying my shadows between this and the E40 to give a really smooth, blended look! I’d say if you had to get one eye shadow brush to start, this should be it!
 
Sigma E54 Medium Sweeper Brush & E57 Firm Shader Brush
I paired these two brushes because they are essentially the same, just different length bristles and shapes. I use this type of brush to apply the lid color which is usually a shimmery color, but sometimes just a lighter matte color, depending on the look. I use the E57 for shimmer or glitter eye shadows and it is perfect for packing on the color. I pack on the shadow and then spray the brush with MAC Fix Plus or a setting spray to give the shadow a more metallic look. I use the E54 for my matte shadows because it isn’t as dense and doesn’t need to be for a matte shadow application. Just one of these would be perfectly fine, but again, if you don’t want to have to wash each use, best to get multiple options!

Sigma E30 Pencil Brush
This brush is dual-purpose: outer corner and lower lash line shadow application. A pencil brush is essentially to smudge out an eye pencil (get it?) so I use this most to help blend my eyeliner on my lower lash line with some eye shadow for a less-harsh look. I also use this to put a darker color in just the outer V (outer corner) of my eyes when I am doing a more dramatic look. It keeps the dark color from getting to crazy and more focused in the area that I want it.

For The Face...
 
Sigma F40 Large Angled Contour Brush
As the name implies, this is the brush that I use to apply by bronzer as a contour. It is angled and makes applying your bronzer very easy! I use this in the hollows of my cheeks, around my forehead and under my jawline. I will go in with a smaller brush to do my nose contour, but will blend the nose contour out with the larger brush. You could also use this to apply your blush!
 
F30 Large Powder Brush
Everyone needs just a giant fluffy face brush to help blend everything out! This brush I use after I apply any types of powder product just to keep everything blended each step of the way. It also helps to apply your translucent loose powder in larger areas of the face.
 
F25 Tapered Face Brush
I use this brush to apply my banana color powder or translucent powder under my eyes, on my forehead, down the nose, upper lip and chin to set my concealer. I like that it is tapered because it really helps get into the inner corners of the eyes and just is easy to use to cover smaller areas of the face that I want to focus on.
 
Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
Last, but certainly not least, is the make up sponge! I have fallen in love with this Real Techniques one because it is half the price for TWO of them compared to the Beauty Blender. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Beauty Blender, but I found myself using them so often and going through them, that I needed a more affordable option. The key to using these sponges is wetting them and squeezing them until they get larger and softer. I also like that these have a pointed end, but also a flat side to use to blend out foundation and concealer using different sides. You could also use this to apply a cream contour. Lastly, I use it when I “bake” using translucent powder. With the dampened sponge, you dip it into your loose powder and apply under the eyes to really set that concealer and beneath the cheek contour to clean things up.
 
So that’s it! I hope you find this helpful or at least find a few tools that you can use to help you get started or continued in your make up adventures! Stay tuned for another make up tutorial next week using those new Jaclyn Hill palettes!! I’m excited!

This whole staying at home thing...it definitely has its ups and downs. On one hand, I love being able to share the little heartwarming moments with the boys throughout the day. On the other hand, I also get the moments with tantrums, boredom and scrounging to entertain all day too! On a daily basis I think I experience every emotion possible.  It is exhausting, but I’ve discovered a few things that help me out in various ways! Here’s a few of the things that I use everyday in my stay at home life:
 
Diffuser with Grounding Blend
I love my essential oils diffuser! It gives a subtle scent to freshen up a room, and can also help with different situations: allergies, stressful environment, etc. The blend that has been my “go-to” lately is a grounding blend. (Grounding and being grounded is a term in aromatherapy used to mean connecting with the present, being in the now and physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally and energetically rooted.) When the kids (or myself) are a little high-strung and feeling like a little too much, this blend is a nice calming one to give a little balance for the day.

Grounding Blend Recipe:
3 drops Lavender
3 drops Cedarwood
1 drop Frankincense
​1 drop Vetiver
 
Reusable Paper Towels
I have to give credit to my mom for making these! I realized after a few weeks at home just how many paper towels I was using in a day and it made me feel pretty guilty as a somewhat environmentally conscious citizen. I found a tutorial on how to make these reusable paper towels (really just normal hand towels with fabric and snaps sewn on) and showed it to my mom. She made me a few that snap together and that I can roll up and have on the counter. I use them to wipe counters, high chair tray, the kids’ faces-- you name it! (Of course I use separate ones for kids hands/faces and counter tops.) When they’re sufficiently used, I throw them in the wash, and they’re good as new!
 
Life Planner by Erin Condren
Most people use the calendar on their phone these days, and I do that too, but I really like having appointments and events written down somewhere that I can have staring me in the face everyday. I have been buying the Erin Condren teacher planners for the past few years and since I would’ve definitely missed that part of starting a new school year, I bought myself an Erin Condren Life Planner! It is perfect for looking at the week and writing down things I have planned, Todd’s work schedule/events, etc. I also have a giant dry-erase calendar in the kitchen. While it might seem confusing or overkill to have so many places to write things down,  it’s the best way for me to make sure I am where I’m supposed to be! I feel like it will only be more helpful as the kids get older and we get busier!

Stick Vacuum
This. Is. Life-changing. I hate having messy floors and carpets and it is impossible to avoid with kids leaving crumbs of food and Play doh everywhere! It might seem lazy, but it is sort of a hassle to get out the big vacuum, plug it in, worry about kids tripping over the cord and all of that. A cordless stick vacuum with attachments makes it so much easier to vacuum everyday, (sometimes multiple times) and keep the place looking a bit more presentable! It also helps me avoid having to wonder what Xander has in his mouth since he insists on picking everything up and trying it!
 
Mom’s One Line A Day
A big thank you to my friend and “uncousin” Ashley telling me about this! This One Line a Day makes writing down memories for each of the kids so much more accessible and manageable than digging out the baby books every night! These are like tiny journals that help you to write down one or a few things from the day for 5 years! I have one for each of the boys and I write down what we did that day or something cute that happened or something cute that they said or did! I love these things and I really have been keeping up with them! It will be something I will be so glad to look back on and even for the kids to read once they’re older! Thanks again, Ashley!
 
Yeti 30 oz Rambler
Ok I’m not sure how I made it without this thing. I’m kidding of course, but this giant cup has helped me drink more water than I ever thought I could! It keeps it cold ALL day, and what is best, fits in every cup holder so I can take it in the car, in the stroller for walks and even in the side pocket of the diaper bag! Now, I’m sure other brands that do similar things are just fine too, but I decided to splurge on this and I literally use it everyday, so it was well worth the money! I also purchased some reusable straws to, once again, satisfy the environmentally conscious voice in my head. Plus straws make drinking water easier for me for some reason.

Well guys, I attempted to make a Youtube video tutorial and I sort of failed! For some reason I can't get the video to upload to my YouTube channel...I guess that's what I get for trying to do this all on upload day! What I ended up doing was uploading the video into four smaller sections...I apologize for this rough start to my YouTube life, but I didn't want all of this time to just go to waste!

We'll try again for one put-together video next week, but I think I did an OK job of capturing each step for this eye look! I also included my steps written out here on this post and step-by-step pictures! Make sure you click on the pictures to get a larger look at each step and I have captioned each one this time too!

So for this kind of look, I use three eyeshadows and three brushes. The first brush is a fluffy blending brush. This is for your lightest eyeshadow, or the transition shade. Use windshield-wiper motions and small circles to blend this color into the crease and just above it. It is ok to be messy! This is really just to help blend all shadows together!

For the final steps on the eyes, I added my winged liner (you can totally skip this or do just a thin liner), curled my lashes, added mascara, and finished the bottom lash line after I did my foundation, concealer and contouring! I also filled in my eyebrows as usual!

I apologize for the four separate videos this time around and the not-so-great quality! I'll hopefully get better for the next one and get a little fancier and edit the clips! I hope you enjoyed and found this tutorial helpful! Let me know what you want to see next!

Even though this is technically the shorter part of our day time-wise, it sure can feel like the longest part. And I mostly mean from 5:00-6:00 until Todd gets home, because, of course, the last hour that it's just me and the kids is when the tantrums and meltdowns usually occur the most! Here’s what a typical afternoon & evening looks like for us!
 
Nap time
Like I said in the last "day in the life" post, this is typically where I would enjoy some “me-time” and today, that is exactly what I did. It was a rough morning full of tantrums, tears, falls and minor injuries. I ended up counting the minutes until nap time. I was physically and mentally drained by 1pm, so I spend the two hours until Xander woke up just watching tv and enjoying my lunch. That was it for today!
 
3:00 Xander Wakes Up
Typically, Xander wakes up by 3:00 or 3:30, definitely before Leo because he falls asleep right away at 1, while Leo usually goofs around for a good 40 minutes before actually napping. I get Xander up and changed, and then we get a little bit of one-on-one time before big bro wakes up! I try to read some books and just play with him until Leo bellows and we go up to get him up.

3:30-4:00ish Leo Wakes Up
Leo is one of those that will either wake up in the best mood ever, or the worst. There is really no in between with him, and no reason for it that I’ve figured out yet. On those days where he is just a mess, I have usually reserved some of his favorite activities to try to distract him from any meltdowns: Legos, Play-Doh, coloring with markers, etc. These usually keep him busy and happy for at least an hour or so, or at least until his bad mood wears off!
 
5:00 Kids Dinnertime
This part is always an adventure! Like I said, this is usually the time where I am just hoping and praying that Todd walks through the door to save my sanity. Xander is ready to eat at this point, and Leo, well, IF he decides to eat dinner that day, we’re lucky! He eats a huge breakfast and decent lunch, so typically, he opts out of dinner, though we always offer him whatever we are having. Xander on the other hand will eat pretty much anything at anytime, so I usually cater the meal to his interests – some sort of meat and  veggie and sometimes a fruit or yogurt.
 
After Dinner until 7:00
At this point, my wonderful husband is home and has stopped at the grocery store and is thinking about what he and I will be eating. I’m super lucky that he is a great cook and in turn, does the grocery shopping on his way home from work or on the weekends. We just try to spend some quality time as a family in whatever way we can. On bath night, we both give the kids a bath if possible because it can get a little crazy sometimes. We usually put on one of our staple movies (Frozen, Moana, Brave) and it is just sort of on in the background for Leo. Neither him or Xander actually sit through a movie which is totally fine. But since they don’t have much screen time throughout the day, I don’t feel too bad having it on to let them (and ourselves) unwind until bedtime. We brush teeth and then Xander goes to bed first at 7:00, which is a super quick process just like naptime. Leo gets an extra hour with just us downstairs.

​8:00 Leo Bedtime
Either one of us or both of us brings Leo up at 8:00 for bedtime. He gets one story before bed, no exceptions. He used to be quite a challenge to get to sleep (mostly my fault for creating bad habits when he was a baby, but hey – it was my first time and I definitely learned my lesson since then!) He usually falls asleep pretty quickly at night and will stay in his bed until waking up for the morning!
 
Done for the day!
After getting the kids in bed, Todd and I finally get to eat dinner and relax. Sometimes I use this time to catch up on laundry or dishes if I haven’t done them yet that day, pick up all of the toys (I hate waking up to them out everywhere) and then just relax! Obviously there are days where I have plans, or Todd has plans and there are slight variations to our routine, but as with our mornings, the key is consistency to allow the kids to know what to expect!
 
Do you have any go-to’s for avoiding the meltdown time of the day?? Share the wealth & let me know in the comments!

Have you jumped on this bandwagon yet? Dude—if not, you are missing out! When I first discovered the magic of contouring and highlighting my face, it became a game-changer! As someone who has always been a bit self-conscious about my nose, the fact that I now have some tools to make it look smaller, slimmer & just more of the shape that I wanted is so exciting to me!
 
Check out these first pictures before and after contour & highlight --- you see the difference right? It isn’t necessarily hiding anything, but it is drawing your best features forward, and sending some areas back into the “shadows”!
 
It really isn’t hard once you get the basics down so keep reading and try it out the next time you do your make up!

Cream Highlight: Urban Decay Naked Concealer
I start off with having my eye shadow and foundation on. I use my concealer (in a pretty light shade compared to my skin) to draw triangle shapes under my eyes, and whatever shapes/design you want on the forehead, down the center of the nose, upper lip and chin. These are all of the areas that we want to brighten up to “send forward”.
 
Cream Contour: Tarte The Sculptor
You could totally skip this and just use a bronzer/contour powder, but I had to be extra for this and do both. I put my contour or dark color in areas that I want to “send back” in space. This includes: hollows of cheeks (suck in your cheeks like a fish-face to see where this is), sides and top of forehead, sides and tip of my nose (this is KEY), and jawline. This contouring step really can change the shape of your face! The more dramatic you are with it, the more you can tell a difference, so play around with it!

Blending: Real Techniques Beauty Sponge, Sigma Angled Kabuki brush
Then, blend everything in. I start with blending the highlighted areas with my sponge, and I prefer this dense kabuki brush to blend in the cream contour areas. You could use the same tool for blending both, but definitely start with blending the highlight in first. I also used a smaller angled kabuki brush for my nose, just because it is more precise.

Powder Highlight & Contour: Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit
Please excuse the poor condition of this palette but it is seriously a few years old! (I’ve gone through some of the pans, but you can buy refills for this one!) I use the banana shade in the center to go over all of the highlighted areas. This sets everything in place and adds a slight color. I then go in with a bronzer brush and the contour shade in the middle and go over the areas that we put the cream contour. Again, sets everything in place and gives a bit of a deeper shadow. For contour, it is better to go with a “gray” toned bronzer rather than an orange one because we are trying to create shadows in those areas, not necessarily make it “tan”. You can also go in over the contour areas with a brown-orange bronzer if you want more color! I also “bake” using a loose-translucent powder under my cheek contour. Basically, you dip your wet sponge into the powder and cake it onto your face and let it sit for a little bit. Then, brush the powder away. This gives you a really clean line and defines the contour.

Eyebrows: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz – Ebony
I thought I’d include how I do my eyebrows because filling in your brows also makes a HUGE difference in your make up! I use the spooli side of this pencil to comb the hairs upwards and draw (with a light hand) a line underneath the brow and create the shape I want. Then lightly fill in areas where there aren’t as many brow-hairs. I do the same on the top. I brush through the brows to blend it together and I then set my brows with Anastasia tinted brow gel. I also use a small concealer brush to clean up any lines above and below the brows and then highlight the brow bone with the banana highlight color from my contour kit.

Powder Highlighter: CoverFX shade #4
I go in with one more highlight but this highlight has a bit of a shimmer and glow to it, so this type of highlighter you want to place where light naturally first hits: cheekbones, center and tip of nose, cupids bow (upper lip) and chin. I also added some to my inner eyes to brighten them up.

After finishing up with mascara and bottom eyeliner, this look is complete! I hope you try out this technique and let me know if you do and how you like it!!

- eyeshadows from Lorac Mega3 pallette (post coming soon)
- lipcolor: MAC Soar lipliner with Tarte “Tartist” glossy lip paint in Obvi