Christmas Style for the Littles

Thanksgiving has come to an end which means it's time to start decking the halls, and decking out the babes in festive Christmas attire! Oh What Fun it is! I had a blast picking out the boys clothes for this season. They had so many cute things that I could hardly decide what to get. I wish I could have gotten them all but, my budget-and my husband wouldn't allow that. Dangit!

Anyway, I've compiled my favorites here for you for both boys and girls! I may not have a little girl, but I sure do know how she would be dressing if I did!

 Everything here came from Carters.com and OKBG with the exception of the 'Chillin With My Snowmies' shirt, which I got at oldnavy.com but I didn't see it listed today so it must be out of stock.

As soon as I saw the Dear Santa shirt, I knew Dakota had to have it. I also got matching 'I ate Santa's cookies' pj's for the boys for Christmas Eve. The ones shown here are the set that I got for Dakota, Levi's are footsie pj's. I also got Levi the onesie shown here that says the same thing as the pj's because he's just such a chunk, it was too perfect to pass up! I also completely fell in love with the Santa Hoodie and have already put it on Koda a few times and it looks absolutely adorable! The little puff on the top of the hood just cracks me up and makes it special.

 If I had a little girl, this is what she'd be rocking this season. The glitter flats caught my eye the second that I saw them, as did the reindeer sweater. The lace top is so girly and soft and would be perfect for photos. I love the bow sweater as well. The bow itself is made out of a sparkly silver thread to add just a touch of glitz, which I love. The red peacoat is so cute! I would totally rock it in a woman's size. The pink patterned pj's are simple and adorable. I love that with the exception of the rudolph sweater, these items can be worn all winter season, not just at Christmas time. Everything shown here is available at oldnavy.com and The Gap.

Even better, you can get great deals on all of this stuff! They are having Black Friday sales and best of all, you can get the deals in the comfort of your own home.

gap.com has a coupon code for 50% off- code is BLKFRIDAY

oldnavy.com is having a 50% off sale, no code needed

you can also take an additional 50% off with the code GRAVY

carters.com is having a 50% off everything sale and until 6pm EST you can get an additional 10% off!

Go get those deals!
Will you be black friday shopping tonight? What is on your list? 

Our (Untraditional) Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
This year, Thanksgiving is quite different for us. We were expecting to be in our own house by now but, unfortunately that just didn't happen and we are still waiting to close. So where does that leave us? In a hotel.
We would have loved to just go back to our home town to be with our families but Zach has to work and is also on call so, that wasn't possible.
This is all sounding really whiny so far but, I do not want it to come across that way!
I am so very grateful that we have a place to stay at all and I am especially grateful that, even though this Thanksgiving isn't what we had hoped it would be, we are still going to be able to be together this evening which is what matters most. This is the 4th Thanksgiving since Zach and I have been married but it will only be our 2nd of actually getting to be together. I would trade the turkey, stuffing, and trimmings every year if it meant that we could all be together.
Tonight, after Zach gets home from work, we will all head out and get some dinner at Applebees (the only place around here that is open on Thanksgiving besides McDonald's). When we are finally able to get into our own house, I plan on having our friends over and making a big traditional Turkey Day dinner because, I'll be honest, I want the amazing side dishes and pies! Haha! I hope you all have an amazing Thanksgiving!

Have you ever spent a holiday doing something untraditional? Leave a comment telling me about it!

Product Review: Sieva Stretch Mark and Cellulite Creams

Stretch marks.
A mother's 'Tiger Stripes', marks of growth, etc.
That's all fine and good but....I'll be honest. I don't like mine. I had some that I got growing up on my inner thighs but, up until the birth of my second son, that was all I had. I thought that since I hadn't gotten any with Koda that I would get away without any while pregnant with Levi. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. I got several on my lower abdomen and on my sides an I.Don't.Like.Them.
When I got the opportunity to review the Sieva Stretch Mark Cream I jumped at it! I will try anything to get rid of these things. I know they won't ever disappear forever, but if I can do anything to make them less noticeable, I will. I've been using the Stretch Mark Cream for about a month now and I love it! It's extremely thick. It has a consistency that is comparable to a body butter. When applying I don't need to use much product and after massaging it into the skin it leaves a very silky finish. Not greasy or sticky in the least. I give this one two thumbs up!

Moving on to Cellulite.
Simply put, it's unattractive and almost unavoidable.
I know some very fit and active people who have cellulite. I don't have very much, thankfully, but with age, I'm sure more is on it's way. I like to use this product on my legs for the most part and have been pleasantly surprised. It makes my skin feel firmer and smoother and nicely moisturized. This product has a slightly thinner consistency than the stretch mark cream but still feels very nice on my skin and leaves it feeling silky and not sticky or greasy.
Another great product from Sieva.

You can find both of these products on Amazon if you'd like to give them a try!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Influenster

If you've been reading my blog then you already know, but if not, let me just tell you. I LOVE free stuff. I I love to be the first one to find out about new products, try them out and let others know what I think about them, good or bad.

If you're, i dunno....human, then I'd be willing to bet money that you like free stuff too.
If you're wondering how I get to try out new products, here it is.
www.influenster.com
Influenster is a site for people like me (and possibly you!) who love to be in the know about new products, and share their personal experiences with them, and yes, it is completely free. Influenster is especially fun because you get to try out products that are actually interesting! Things like, soaps, lip balms/lipsticks/glosses, nail products, and most recently for me, a brand new Venus Razor.
The only thing that Influenster asks in return are probably things you are already doing without even realizing it. Telling your friends/family about your new favorite product. You can share with your followers on social media, or do what I do and write a blog post about it. How easy is that?  It doesn't take much to get me talking, especially about something that I genuinely enjoy so writing/talking about the products I get to try is a breeze.
To make things even more fun, and to give Influenster more of an idea of who you are, you can earn badges in the subjects which you are most interested in. For instance, I have a MegaMom badge, as well as a Sweet Tooth and Bookworm badge, among many others and through them, Influenster is able to see the many facets of who I am as a person and thereby, send me products that they know I will really enjoy and spread the word about. You can earn badges by reviewing or answering questions from other members on their page about products that you have tried in the past.
Another great feature on Influenster is called VoxPerks. By participating in campaigns and being an active member of the Influenster community, you can earn VoxPerks which are huge discounts on products or services. For instance, right now I have 5 different VoxPerks. A couple of them being 90% off a Oneplay premium membership and a free bottle of wine from ClubW.
Another great thing about Influenster is that now, you don't have to get on your computer to participate. You can get on their new InfluensterApp on your smartphone or tablet! Let's be honest, you're on them several times a day anyway, why not get some free stuff while you're at it?!
So what are you waiting for? Join Influenster today and start reviewing. You might be chosen for the next Campaign and have some goodies show up right at your doorstep.
Happy Reviewing!

Tips for Healthy, Youthful Skin

Have you started to see some fine lines, wrinkles, or bagginess in your skin? According to an article on www.dailymail.co.uk, your skin can start aging as early as your mid-twenties! NOT good news.

The skin starts to age naturally in your mid-20s. 

According to Dr Andrew Wright, a consultant dermatologist with Bradford NHS Trust, as we get older production of collagen  -  the protein which acts as scaffolding to the skin  -  slows, and elastin, the substance that enables skin to snap back into place, has less spring and can even break.

Dead skin cells don't shed as quickly and turnover of new skin cells may decrease slightly. 

This causes fine wrinkles and thin, transparent skin  -  even if the first signs may not appear until our mid-30s (unless accelerated by smoking or sun damage).

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1035037/Old-time-When-body-really-starts-going-downhill.html#ixzz3Jcio4Nzs 

I'm in my mid-twenties and I want to keep my skin looking as youthful as possible for as long as possible. So what can we do to combat the aging of our skin? Thankfully, several things!

1. Drink water. There is a reason you see and hear it everywhere. It's not just important for hydration, it's important in every aspect of keeping yourself not only healthy, but beautiful. If you have trouble consuming the amount of water you should daily, get a large water bottle and finish the water that it holds before a certain time of day. I use a Camelback water bottle and love it!

2. Take your vitamins. Your skin loves vitamin c and biotin as well as others that you might not be getting enough of through diet alone.

3.Wear sunscreen. Everyone knows exposure to the sun causes aging and can even cause cancer. Stay out of tanning beds, wear sunscreen and/or makeup that contains SPF (even in the winter and on overcast days), and wear hats and protective layers in direct sunlight.

4. Rid your body of impurities. Smoking, junk food, even caffeine. All of these things can be detrimental to your overall health and have a negative effect on your skin.

5. Get some rest. Lack of sleep makes for dull, lifeless skin.

6. Get moving. Exercise promotes healthy skin. Just make sure to wash your face afterwards to avoid breakouts.

7. Follow a daily skin regimen. Wash your face at least once, but maybe twice a day, depending on your needs and make sure you are using the right cleanser. For instance, you don't want to use a harsh cleanser, such as a daily blackhead scrub, if you have dry skin. A good way to know which kind to use is to see a dermatologist. I was surprised by what mine had to say and had to switch to a gentler, more moisturizing cleanser. It's also a good idea to use an exfoliating cleanser once or twice a week. If you're like me, after about 3 days I will begin to notice flakes on my skin. This tells me that it's time to exfoliate and slough off all of that dead skin. If you do this, you will notice that your make up goes on smoother and your skin will have an overall brighter appearance. Follow up your cleanser with a moisturizer to replenish your skin. Coconut oil is my favorite moisturizer.

8. Use anti-aging products. Things like Retinol (Vitamin A), Vitamin C, Hyaluronic acid (learn more about it here), Green Tea, and eye creams can all help your skin stay youthful and healthy. I've recently had the opportunity to try out some products containing these ingredients and have enjoyed the benefits of using them, as well as using the rest of the tips I've listed. My skin looks brighter and healthier and feels moisturized and nourished.

I've been using Body Merry's  Pro A Serum and Hyaluronic Dew Serum. I apply the Dew Serum for during the day and I use the Pro-A Serum at night.

I've also been using Foxbrim's Organic Youthful Radiance Eye Cream and have seen a huge improvement in my eye area. My dark circles have faded drastically and the puffiness has diminished as well.

I hope you have found these tips helpful. Try them out and let me know how they work for you! What are your tips to healthy, younger looking skin?

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.