Saturday, March 29, 2014

My Baby Boy Is 8 Months Old


My Baby Boy Is 8 Months Old:




Our sweet little Cash turned 8 months old last week! This little guy is really growing these past couple of months. He is beginning to look like a little boy instead of a baby! Gah! He has started to finally sleep through the night 12 hours, we still plenty of nights when he wakes up once because his gums hurt.  He has the 4 top teeth coming in all at once, poor little guy fights through the pain each day, drooling, hands and everything in the mouth to try to remedy it (once they come in he'll have 6 teeth! Ah BIG BOY!).  We give him infant motrin if it gets bad, its really hard to see him in pain so I give him lots of love and extra attention when he's teething.  We have had so much fun taking him to the park and playing in the grass, on the slides and in the swings! We love playing in the sand at the beach, putting our toes in the water, and going to our pool and spa.  He is obsessed with anything water! So that has been a ton of fun to get out and be in the sun as a family. I am really looking forward to more of this warm weather!  

Some of his latest accomplishments and milestones are, he is bouncing on his bottom while also trying to pull up on things to stand, he tries to wave, he reaches out for me and puts his hands on me when he wants me or is hungry or tired, he chats up a storm, he can stand like a champ holding on to someone or an object, he is army crawling but mostly using his back legs, he still tries to move using the rolling maneuver but less of this is happening this past month, he laughs and giggles all day every day, he is such a smiley flirt, he is still a really calm baby when we take him places but inside the house he can at times be hyper and chatting or squealing talking to us or himself, but he's mostly a chiller and plays great independently, he's not really a needy baby but he does love to cuddle and we play with him constantly because we love to, he loves being outside, he always has his hands in his mouth, he's a thrill seeker, he sleeps on his tummy a ton, he is taking 2-3 naps a day usually all 1 hour sometimes one will be two hours, sleeping 12-13 hours a night, we just started giving him solids again (because of his constipation we were holding out for a couple weeks), he is getting 1 oz of prunes juice mixed with 1 oz water every day and eating the "p's" to help his digestive system so we are waiting to see if this helps, he can hold his own bottle, he drinks from a zippy cup, he can eat puffs and some finger foods but sometimes gags, and he loves making noise (banging things, when we sing, hitting his pacifiers against his crib, hitting his toy against another loud toy), etc.  He is so interactive now, it really is so much fun and probably my favorite stage yet!  Im sure I say that every month, lol.  But really, it just keeps getting better and better!

We love being this little babys parents, we feel so blessed that Jesus chose us. I know we lucked out with this chill guy's personality and easy going temperament, so we are crossing our fingers that our next baby will be just as easy! 

How about you ladies? Do you have calm mellow babies, or wild spirited babies? Did your babies personality change from when they were an infant to when they became a toddler?



^^^One of my favorite pictures ever!^^^

^^^These two together is just heart melting^^^

^^^Dinner with my boys and grandpa for his birthday^^^



^^^"oh, just kickin back mama"^^^

^^^Fresh out of the bath..does it get any better than that?!^^^

^^^He loves this book, its probably his favorite one. And his favorite page is of the kitty, he tries to grab the tail just like he does with our kitty at home. (; ^^^


^^^Little teething pout^^^





^^^hanging with cousin Canes..they are 8 months apart^^^





^^^that little hand right there holding me back, killll me.^^^


And can't forget these adorable T's we've been living in over here c/o Dear Cub





^^^(Shoes c/o Jen Galaxy Designs)^^^





^^^baby feet are my weakness..oh and daddys with their littles^^^


^^^Just helping mama do some laundry^^^


^^^I left the room for one second & this sweety was almost all the way under his crib..this was before he could army crawl..he rolled over there! HA!^^^

^^^working on our crawling game^^^



^^^watching airplanes fly by^^^

^^^HAHA this pic cracks me up! Look at that big daddy trying to play with the little guys^^^


^^^His first flower^^^



^^^He was obssessed with shadows a month ago.. so we always let him play right where the blinds cast a shadow on the floor^^^

^^^So blessed to pray over sweet Sammuel in my friend Jessies belly. Cash had my dearest friends lay hands on him & pray when he was in my belly and it meant so much to me. Its so amazing to have him be right there praying over his soon to be friend.^^^



^^^Those kisses are the sweetest^^^

^^^This little princess is one of Cash's newest friends, shes adorable and we are so happy shes finally here and we can play with her^^^


 ^^^Cuddles with Taylor before she left to go back to San Fran. We miss you auntie TayTay^^^

^^^watching mama and papa play some H.O.R.S.E.^^^



^^^Those little specks of sand on his nose! GAH!!!




^^^Going down the slide with Auntie and Cousin Cannan^^^

^^^Cousin love^^^ (Threads and Arrows Moccs)


All of these pictures make me so so so happy!! I hope you enjoyed that nice overload of this precious angel. 

Xo



Thursday, March 27, 2014

Products We Love: Sugar Rush Creative + A 15% Discount

Products We Love: Sugar Rush Creative Plus 15% Off!



Hi ladies, with Spring here I wanted to share with you an adorable company that caries clutches and handbags that are perfect for park days and beach trips, Sugar Rush Creative. They sent me this beautiful Rust Chevron Pleated Wristlet clutch and I think its so much fun to mix and match with different prints and colors like this black and white top im wearing. These clutches would also be a perfect gift for your bridesmaids, or these messenger bags & totes are a great babyshower gift! Sugar Rush Creative carries the most beautiful colorful prints, perfect for Spring and Summer trends.  Check out their shop using the clink below to see what else they have in store!






Check out Sugar Rush Creative's Shop Here
Or Website Here

Coupon Code: MARCH15 (15% off through March)
Use APRIL15 (for 15% off for all of April)



Sugar Rush Creative has a monthly newsletter you can sign up for
here to get coupons, promotions, and freebies!

Chevron Clutch c/o Sugar Rush Creative

Striped Shirt H&M, Similar Here




XO

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Spring Came With A New Blog Design

Spring Came With A New Blog Design


Hi lovelies, spring is here and so is my fresh new blog creation.. I'm excited to share with you my new blog design by Kotryna Bass Design. Go take a peek around the new layout and let me know what you think!? My goal was simple, easy to navigate, and I wanted to give you guys some tabs at the top so you can always find your way around especially if you are here for something specific. I hope you like it, I love it, and Kotryna is the sweetest for helping me with all of the techy stuff that takes a genius like her to do. As always let me know if there is anything you'd like to see added or see more of! I also made it easy for you and I to connect, so come join me on instagram, facebook, and pinterest for some more fun!! And don't forget to follow along on this blog of mine so I know who my beautiful viewers are!

I don't know about you but I'm already so into this Spring and Summer weather, we've been doing the pool and beach every weekend and I'm working on that summer glow for our Hawaii trip coming up in a couple months. I love watching my little boy splash around in the water and play with daddy. I cannot wait for beach days everyday and come home with sand in our toes and the smell of ocean in our hair. I feel so free out in creation, nature speaks so deeply into my soul.. and adventure is what I thrive off of! Last weekend we went out on my bestfriend's Kayak into the ocean, charging huge waves out to sea, and then surfing them in! It was such a thrill, so scary, but so much fun! I hope you ladies are having a blast with this beautiful sunshine.

Stay tuned this week, I have some good posts coming up!

Xo


Monday, March 24, 2014

Products We Love: A Blue Swallow + 30% OFF Discount!

Products We Love: A Blue Swallow + 30% OFF Discount!


Hi ladies,  I wanted to share these adorable custom made and hand made mugs with you all!! A Blue Swallow makes all sorts of beautiful designs. Go check out there shop here to see more. This adorable Aztec mug with has a hand painted feather motif design combined with lines, shapes, and dots! I love it!! This is my new favorite mug to have my morning coffee in...and we all know coffee is a mama must have!  A Blue Swallow makes these microwave and dishwasher safe so you dont have to worry about losing the beautiful design. The owner of the shop, Carmen, is such a sweety and i relate to her so much! Heres what she has to say:

Until the birth of our son, Makai Elisha. I was absolutely in love when I saw his face. I went from wanting a career and getting my Masters Degree, to wanting to stay at home and watch him breathe every second of the day and stare at him even in a stalkerish way ;) I dreaded returning back to work and began to make plans on how to stay home (without killing us financially).

So here we are, a new budding idea full of life and creativity. When I'm not working or running around enjoying my little one grow I'm fervently working on something new for you!

Oh Carmen, im right there with ya and we will support you any way we can! I work two days a week and those two days are still so hard for me to leave him! I confess I just want to stare at my little all day long too!   

Scroll below for A 30% off Coupon Code, this mug originally is only $14 so with the discount that is a STEAL!





Any which way ya turn it its beautiful!

Coupon Code for 30% OFF (good through April 2nd ): TESSA

Check out A Blue Swallow here

XO

Thursday, March 20, 2014

THREE DIY Bridal Hair Tutorials

THREE DIY Bridal Hair Tutorials:


Hi ladies, I have partnered with Nume to create three DIY bridal hairstyles that are SIMPLE & stylish for Spring !!! These styles can be done by pretty much anyone, I just cut my hair super short so if I can pull these looks off then they will be even easier with longer hair! First, I wanted to create a simple look for that free spirited bride who is going for more of a beachy vibe, then I created a more bohemian look with a twisted wavy half-updo but added a touch of glitz to dress it up, and the third look is a messy knotted bun with a braided band, this is more of a loose updo for those of you that aren't into a structured tight updo or want a bit of bridal edge.  Check out the different styles below that I created using the Nume Megastar straightener. Most of the time I opt to use a straightener to create a textured wave instead of using a curling iron. Using the Megastar makes doing my hair so easy because it literally takes me less than 5 minutes to style my entire head! It heats up so quick and has a soft handle that is easy to grip and maneuver as I quickly create waves and curls in my hair. 

*Nume Collaboration* see bottom of this post to get a discount code for the Megastar flatiron.

LOOK ONE: Beachy Waves 

1.) Begin with dry unstyled hair. 

2.) Take a 1 inch section starting in the front of your hair on one side,  place the straightener at the top of the sectioned hair. Then twist at an angle while moving the straightner downward towards the ends of your hair while slowly twisting. Then release the hair by opening the straighter.  You should have a curl or a wave depending on how tightly you press and how tightly you wrap the hair around the straightener. If you want a loose wave then don't wrap it as tight around.  The Megastar straightener works so well with styling my hair because it was designed with a rounded barrel so the hair wraps around it perfectly.

To create texture and depth take smaller pieces and wave/curl those. Also, I switch the direction of the curl by turning the straightner away from my face or towards my face for every few sections. This changes up the direction and thickness of the waves giving it a textured more natural look.  Continue this pattern all the way around your head making your way to the other side of your face.  Make sure to get the pieces underneath as well.  


 
3.) Finish off with applying a small amount of argan oil to hair for a piecier finish.

4.) Add a feminine or fun headband to polish off the look!







LOOK TWO: Twisted Half-Updo for A Bohemian Bride

1.) Begin by creating the same textured wave described above using the MegaStar. 

2.) Tease your hair at the crown. I teased three layered sections at the crown. Spray the area with hairspray. Smooth it out if needed.   Apply this light as a feather finishing serum to flyaways and at ends to complete the look.

3.) Take one section framing your face and begin twisting to the back of your head, secure with a bobby pin. Section the hair framing the other side of your face and begin to twist back until you meet the back of your head where your other twist is secured, then overlap it just a tiny bit and secure with a bobby pin. 

4.) Add a bit of glitz to dress it up! Pull out some of your bangs if you want to frame your face.


LOOK THREE: Messy Knotted Bun With Braided Band

1.) Begin with your natural hair whether it is wavy, straight, or curly. If you want to achieve this exact look I used the hair waving process mentioned above in Bridal Look #1. But any texture of hair will work! Then begin teasing the crown of your hair.


2.) Section off the front and sides of your hair and pin forward. In the top right photo you can see this area pinned.  Then take the back section of your hair (the hair left that is not pinned forward) and all in one step lightly grab your hair into a pony tail at the back of your head (pony tail should be level with your ears) then with your other hand grab all your hair and just tuck or smoosh it down into a messy bun & then wrap a clear elastic band around the messy bun. You will have what looks like the bottom right picture.  Now take bobby pins and start pinning in the pieces of hair that are hanging down in the back. The messier the better! 

3.) Take one of the sections that you have pinned forward and beginning braiding towards the back of your head (if you dont braid back then the braid wont lie flat to your head like it is supposed to).  Secure the braid with a bobby pin at the back of your head right above the top of the bun. Then do the other side and secure the ends of the braid underneathe your first braid. Bobby pin down any pieces sticking out of the braid.
The finished product! I love this look! Pull some face framing pieces out if you'd like!






These flatirons are usually $199 but since I have partnered with Nume, I have a code & link for you below to get you SUCH a great deal. I haven't ever had a straightener that has worked as well as this one. The barrel is designed to be rounded so it makes creating waves SO EASY, which if you are anything like me and like your hair wavy instead of straight, this makes my life a whole lot simpler. I also love how it automatically shuts off for you after 30 minutes (NO FIRES here). Its 100% pure ceramic and uses an infared heat light beam! Its no wonder they call it "MEGA". 
Get Your Nume MegaStar Flatiron for just $79 by using code MEGASPRING

Megastar c/o Nume
Photography c/o Kelsey Steindler

I hope you ladies enjoyed the tutorials! Let me know if you'd like to see more of these in the future in the comments section.


XO