Blmommy.com

Hey girls,
  http://blmommy.com/mommy/ is a pregnancy/beauty site that I follow on instagram and I think they are just so fun.  You will find everything on there from blog posts to photo shoots to birth to babies, beauty and everything in-between. I love scrolling through all the different photo shoots that various photographers have done.  It is so fun to see all these beautiful families celebrating a new, little life.

  One fun thing on there is that they feature different photographers from different states so if you are looking for one that specializes in shoots from maternity to newborn (or 6 month or 1 year photos) etc, it can be a good resource for you!

  They also just started printing actual magazines and because of our amazingly talented photographer, Christa Taylor, our photos were picked to be featured in one of their prints!  I have already ordered a couple copies (I want to make sure I save one for Scarlett for when she is grown). But, if you click here, you should be able to see the digital version.  We are featured starting on page 133.  =)

Anyways, just a fun tidbit for you.  And Christa's info is on the page too so you can schedule with her for your next shoot. She truly is amazing and has given our family such a gift with these photos.

Cheers!

Joy

  

Nails: What's the Scoop

Ladies, today we will be discussing the latest trends with nails. Yes, even nails have trends (like everything else).  I am totally NOT an expert in this field but let's just say that I have tried them ALL and definitely have a favorite.

When I was in highschool and college, the acrylic nail was touted as the best:  This is where they attach a false nail to the end of your own nail and then fill it in with a hard solution.  It can make your nails feel a lot stronger (and thicker).

The classiest look for them was, of course, the french manicure.  Now, I don't think acrylics will go away anytime soon, but there are certain ways of wearing them that will look outdated.  For example, while there is nothing wrong with a french manicure, it's more "in" right now to do a solid look and if you want more the french feel then do a light pink or even a solid white on your whole nail. If you like them really long, try the pointed look to be super trendy.

-Gel Nails - these are basically the same as acrylics so there's nothing really to differentiate here.

-Gel Manicure:

Okay, as you may have guessed, this is my current favorite.  A gel manicure is a regular manicure in which they use a polish that is thicker and hard.  It is not a regular polish, it is a gel consistency. This allows you to showcase your own nails but have your color last a lot longer than a regular manicure.  I can stretch these out to about 3 weeks if I have to (and if I go to the right salon), although, depending on the color it will go longer or shorter.  Square is still in as is the pointed nail.  I have never bought one of these kits to try at home because I really am not good at painting my own nails. =)  These manicures typically run around $25 a session which I think is pretty reasonable.  Some people have said that this gel color leaves their nails weakened afterwards.  If you are not going to be doing this regularly then a tip to avoid weakening your nails is do not pick at the color when it starts to come off!  Soak them in acetone, scrape it off and then buff your nails (or pay $5 to have them take it off).

-Regular Manicures - I think any manicure will never go out of style and while I have done these before (typically if I'm doing a color that will look dirty soon - aka, white), I know that the color will chip after only a few days and it's not worth it to me to keep going back weekly.  (Also, I love that the gel color makes my nails a little thicker and stronger so that they don't break as easily.) As a Mom, I'm pretty hard on my nails. =)



So, that's my run down of the different kinds of nail options out there.  Here are a few random tips to keep in mind:

-Shorter, clean, nicely painted nails will never look out of style. =)
-White nails are super hot right now but it will look dirty faster so maybe don't pay for a gel color if you are just going to want it off in a week.
-Black nails are still really in although they are more of a fall and winter look
-Any light, nude color is extremely classy and will make your hands and arms look longer and more graceful (a bright color will not do that for you as it breaks up the overall look from your arm down your hand).
-If you like it, the pointed "cat" nail is something fun to try.
-Pick a color that will compliment the colors in your closet
-French is okay if you love it but it's a tad "outdated" at this point =)

Cheers!

Joy

Maxi-SKIRTS

Okay, I have been wanting to write this post for a while because I love finding ways to use different articles of clothing to create multiple looks.  One of the easiest ways to do this is to wear dresses as skirts.  Yes, I do this a lot.

One of my pet peeves is when I buy a maxi dress, wash it and it shrinks several inches and becomes too short.  That means that I now have to pair it with flats (which are ok sometimes, but yes, I am a girl who likes her heels ;)) OR it looks super awkward and highwater ish.

Example A 

So, I decided to wear some of mine as a skirt instead which then makes it longer and allows me to wear the heels I like.

Of course I had to get a couple pictures with Miss Scarlett because she was looking so cute in her green dress.  She is in such a fun stage right now and I am really enjoying her a lot.

For this look to work, I wore a black tank top and used a belt to cover the top of the dress (because it had the sweetheart neckline).   I'm not sure why it looks bunched up in some pictures - I didn't realize til after they were taken and it was too late to fix it.  ;)  You can find lots of ways to make dresses into skirts and it's so fun to have a new look without buying a new piece.


Dress:  It's super old - I got it long before I was ever married.  Hot Topic I think?
Shoes:  Target
Tank Top:  Motherhood Maternity (please tell me I'm not the only one who loves maternity tank tops??)


So tell me, how do you like to re-use your dresses?  I love new ideas.  =)

Cheers!

Joy

St. Tropez

Okay girls,
  My latest summer obsession is the St. Tropez Tanning Mousse!  Seriously, if you haven't tried it, you are missing out!!  It gives the BEST color that I have ever tried and it's totally smooth with no lines or anything.

As a Mom, I don't have time to lay around at the pool getting a tan - I'm running after my toddler and holding my baby which means that my arms/back/chest can get some sun on their own but my legs hardly leave the water nor does my face see the sun.  I didn't want to just have white legs and face all summer so I've been self-tanning them to match the rest of my body.  This stuff looks so natural, I have had people tell me that my tan looks good (including legs) and when I tell them it is a mousse, they don't believe me!

If you try it, you HAVE to get a mitt to use to apply it with.  I had never tried one before but was very interested (anyone who self tans knows all about avoiding the orange palm ;)).  I purchased both at Sephora and I will never be going back!

It is so easy to apply, dries quickly and gives the best color.  I look forward applying my new tan on a weekly basis!

Here's how I apply it:
-I shower first (usually in the evening) so that I can exfoliate well and shave.  You want to make sure that you shave right before you apply it (including your face if you do so!) so that you'll get the best, non-streaky look that lasts the longest.  

-After I have dried off, I put some lotion on the parts of my body that I want to make sure don't look weird (elbows, knees, ankles, wrists, armpits etc). I give that a minute or two to dry and then just put my mitt on, squeeze some mousse onto it and rub it on.  It practically melts into your skin.  You will see a tiny difference at first but not a ton.  

-Wait til it dries on your body to get dressed (usually I put on pj's afterwards so that it's loose clothing).

-Give it a few hours to set in - usually I just go to bed and in the morning I wake up with a perfect, sun-kissed glow.  


Tip:  When applying to your back (I usually don't need to during the summer), have a friend or spouse do it for you in the places that you can't reach.  =)





                                                                                     

Cheers!

Joy

DIY Kombucha

Hey girls,
  Today's post is how to make your own Kombucha.  We love this fermented tea that is chock full of probiotics and try to have some everyday to help keep our immune systems boosted.  Fortunately, it is delicious and super refreshing so it's not hard to do.  Simon would drink it all day if I would let him.
  Now, in order to start making your own Kombucha you will need to find someone who already makes it to get a scoby from them.  Once you have a scoby you are ready to go!

  I like to use green tea to make Kombucha.  I think the flavor is nice and I just like it.  You can use decaf tea or regular tea - your preference.  There is an actual green, Kombucha tea that you can also use.

  For a 1 gallon jar, you will need 10 tea bags.  Steep the tea bags in boiling water for around 10 mins (more is fine).  While the water is still hot, add 1 cup of sugar to the mixture so that it can melt and dissolve.  Once this cools down, add this mixture (minus the bags) to the jar with your scoby (side note, you will need some previously made kombucha in your jar already with the scoby so when you get a scoby from a friend, take some of their mix too).  Then fill the rest of the jar up with water.

Once that is done, cover your jar with a clean cloth and put a rubber band around the top to seal it off.  Make sure you don't have wrinkles in the cloth to keep out the fruit flies.  =)  

Allow this mixture to "ferment" on your counter for 7 days.  Then taste test it to make sure it is ready for a second ferment.  It should not taste too sweet or too tangy.  It should be right in-between.  Once it is ready, get your jars ready for your second ferment.  

I got these jars from Ikea and they work great.  For a 1 gallon amount, I use 3 of them.

In your jars, add sugar - enough to cover the bottom of the jar but not a ton.

Once that is done, add fruit of your choice to flavor it.  I use frozen fruit and have tried all sorts of flavors.  You really can't go wrong.  =)  If you want to play around with ginger and things that is ok too!

Now fill up the jars with the mixture and close them up.  These will sit on your counter for a second ferment for 3-4 days.

After 3-4 days, place your jars in the refrigerator and drink up!  I like mine served over ice and with a straw to feel fancy.  =)  Also, I strain out the fruit.  Some people eat it but I prefer not to.  This is what it will look like:

You can leave your scoby in the 1 gallon jar (with some mixture to cover it) until you are ready to use it again.  Also, you can filter out the sediment that will gather and wash your gallon jar regularly.

I hope you enjoy it!

Cheers!

Joy

The Difference Between 1 and 2.

Okay so I thought I'd do a little update on everything since we had a baby and moved to a new state.  I have to be honest, I have a wide range of thoughts and emotions when it comes to noticing the difference with 2 kids as opposed to just 1.  I do feel that we have had a slightly different experience going from 1 to 2 because we had such a big move at the same time BUT it's still an adjustment and I I wanted to do a fun little list of things that I have noticed.  I'm sure people with even more kids could make a different list but this is what I've been experiencing lately.

Big Helper

1.  Ease.  I promise you, it is easier the second time around:  With your first, everything is new and you are questioning every decision which can make you stressed out and makes things "hard" on some level.  With #2, you have done this whole pregnancy/baby thing before so things come a lot more naturally and you are way more confident which can make it "easier" than the first time around.

Little Doll

2.  Baby weight.  This one is so incredibly true.  With your first, the weight seems to just fall off even without you trying - its really not fair because it gives you the impression that you can surely have that happen again (yes, you can be the ONE person that happens to, right?! ;)).  But after your second, it really does stick to you longer (even if you gained the same amount or less).  This has been a big surprise to me.  I know it will eventually come off, but it's weird to have it hanging around as long as it is.

3.  Time.  The first couple months you feel as though you officially have no time anymore.  Between trying to run a household, occupy/manage your older child and feeding a baby every couple hours, your own eating schedule goes right out the window (amongst other things - and the weight STILL isn't coming off how???).  This one also is was a big surprise for me because Simon was a baby who would go 4-6 hours between feedings from the get-go and sleep most of the time between so I had hours on my own to do whatever.  Scarlett eats a lot more frequently and needs more "entertaining" than he did which cuts down more on free time. However, I also recognize that this is a stage - there is no season that compares to the newborn/baby stage as far as the physical neediness.

Learning to vacuum

4.  Tiredness.  I am actually less tired this time around having a baby and a toddler.  That's probably because when you have your first, you have never experienced night feedings for months on end  - there is nothing like it to prepare you for that (AND Simon would take an HOUR for every feeding).  The second time around it's almost like you kind of know what to expect and you know that you can do it.  You adjust a lot easier to less sleep (BONUS, Scarlett has been doing longer night stretches a lot faster than Simon did and she takes half the time or less).

Bumbo Time

5.  Coffee.  If having your first baby didn't turn you into a coffee drinker, your second will.  =)  It definitely gets me up in the mornings AND now I'm occasionally having it in the afternoon too.

6.. Hormones.  Okay, this might actually be the difference between having a boy versus a girl but I've struggled a lot more this time around with wild hormones after the baby came.  Because Simon was such an easy baby, I really didn't struggle much (other than lack of sleep).  This time around has been harder (probably because we moved right afterwards which meant my toddler and baby were struggling PLUS I was still recovering.  Peter was also gone/busy a lot with moving us which threw me right into juggling 2 kids on my own almost from the get go.).


I have so much respect for all you Mamas out there!  Being a Mama is hard work - some of the hardest I have ever done.  But it WILL be worth it (and IS so worth it).  Keep up the good work!  It's so true:  "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world".  We are raising some pretty important people and it's such an honor to be a part of that.

Cheers!

Joy

Mommy Clutch

Hey girls!
  Back in March I purchased this beautiful, white, leather clutch from my friend, Morgan.  I had seen some of her purses that she sells on her Etsy shop (name SpoolGoods) and I just had to have this white clutch.  I knew that I probably wouldn't be able to use it too long since I was about to have a baby (and need a diaper bag!) but I wanted it for date nights and things like that.

I decided that I had to share it with you all because I actually use it constantly!  Because the leather is so soft and flexible, it easily fits into my diaper bag which means that I can grab it out at anytime.  There are plenty of moments where I'm running into a store or have a quick stop that I don't need my diaper bag so I just grab this.  It's beautiful, fun and makes me feel a little more cool than always dragging my diaper bag everywhere.  ;)

 You seriously should check out her shop - she has so many adorable purses and clutches on there at great prices.  Click here to see her shop.

Hat (old), here is similar:




Dress:  Click Here



Shoes (old), here are some I currently have my eye on:



CLUTCH:  Click here

Cheers!

Joy