Momspiration: Make time for YOU...

Us moms focus so much of our attention and time on our families, jobs, and projects that sometimes we can forget to take some time for ourselves. Don't get me wrong...their is nothing wrong with spending the majority of your time and focus on your family but it is vitally important that we also take some time for ourself!

• Get a pedicure complete with a leg massage. You will feel so fresh and rejuvenated.
• Roots showing? Unwanted grays peeking through? Mommy go get your hair done! 
• A new outfit works wonders for confidence. Don't worry about your current size just slip into something new and gasp....trendy.

Remember, even little things can make a big difference. If you aren't up for laying down the green for a fancy outfit or pricey pedicure their are alternatives. Commission your friend, sister, aunt, somebody to color your hair for you. Go buy a pretty new nail color and commission someone else to paint your nails ( if you are like me and cannot paint your own). 

• Read a book.
• Browse fashion magazines.
• Scrapbook.
• Rent a movie.
• Laugh.

Pick something and do it just for you. Taking that time for yourself is important. Remember life is short. Live it up.

First picture is from Pinterest.

Second picture is from here.

Baby on a Budget: Quick Shopping Tips

Babies are adorable. The price of having a baby? Not so adorable. Worth it? Most definitly! Of course, if their are ways to save while shopping for little one....why not? Here are a few tips that have helped me save while shopping for necessary baby items.

• Sign up for rewards programs at baby stores. They do help. Babies R Us sends me $5.00 every month. Combine that with a formula coupon and you can get your babys milk fix on the cheap.
• Speaking of formula, head on over to Enfamil or Similac to sign up for coupons and samples. Trust me their samples are very generous and they love bombarding you with coupons. Other brands such as Gerber offer coupons as well.
• Same goes for your Huggies and Pampers! Head over to their websites to check out their savings programs.
• Consider dicounted baby shopping sites such as Zulily or Totsy where you can find clothing, feeding supplies and baby furniture on major discount.
• If you see an outfit you like at a baby store...give it a week or two...it will most likely go on sale and you will have saved yourself paying full price.
• Old fashioned couponing, yes you can scour Sundays ads if that is your thing.
• Fan of Carters baby clothing? Only buy these from an actual Carters store as their clothing is almost never full priced. They also have a awesome rewards program that will save you money on top of the already discounted prices.
• Check out Naturally Thrifty Mom she always has baby giveaways, discount codes and tips on where the current sales are.
• Check out Amazon Mom.
• Sign up for BabyCheapskate newsletter. Its literally savings delivered to your inbox every morning.

How do you save when it comes to baby shopping/couponing? Share your tips and advice!

Happy Friday!

Mommy Makeover Tip: H20

We mommies use water on a daily basis for many things. Washing our littles ones, brushing our teeth, watering gardens, making bottles, washing bottles...so many things we do with water.

However, a lot of times we neglect to drink up this crystal clear liquid we sometimes refer to as H2O. Well mommies here is to drinking more water, not only in the name of health but in the name of beauty as well. Drinking lots of ice cold refreshing water not only quenches thirst but it aids in mommy makeovers...I promise.

Beauty benefits of drinking more H2O.

• Clear and radiant complextion
• Detoxifying
• Glossier hair
• Brighter eyes
• Increased energy
• Improved circulation which leads to glowing skin

So mommies...its time to drink up. This easy tip will aid us in looking beautiful which makes us feel better inside and out. Keep chilled water bottles in your purse, at your desk and take one wherever you go. At home? Keep a pretty glass pitcher in your refrigerator.

Make it pretty, add lemon slices or frozen berries. Drink from a pretty glass. Buy a water bottle that you think is adorable. Drink H2O!

All the pretty pictures are from Pinterest!

Fall Baby Photo Session : The Ideas

I have been scouring Pinterest for my fall photography ideas for my little girl. I decided a few weeks ago that I want to take seasonal and/or holiday photographs. I of course turned to Pinterest for inspiration and as a foundation for my ideas. Once I get my photos done I will post them for you guys to see. It will be fun to see how I took an idea off of Pinterest and tweaked it a bit to become unique. I love the above picture but my little one is too young to stand. I might think of a way to incorporate some ballons regardless.

I absolutely have to include this in my photography session! Its so adorable! I want to find a red barn as my background for this picture along with a orange/brown themed hairbow.

No, I am not expecting but I love this photo. Its so original and cute. I want to do something similar however just my daughter would be in the photo with a chalkboard. I want the backdrop to be similar to this picture but with fall colored trees. This will be a bit hard for me here in California, would look amazing for someone living on the east coast.

I'm really loving the idea of picture with a monogramed prop. I want my entire fall photo session to be outdoored themed though so I was thinking of having my little one in a basked in a field. I would decorate around the basket with pumpkins and a large size wooden letter Z.

Props I need:

• Large size pumpkin.
• Smaller decorative pumpkins/squash in various colors.
• Small chalkboard/1 piece of chalk.
• Large sized wooden letter.
• Medium to large size wicker basket.
• 12 orange ballons ( I'm still wanting to incorporate a ballon themed photo)
• Bubbles ( Not sure what I want to do with these yet but the picture below is an inspiration).

                                 

 

 Let me know what you guys think!

What I am liking NOW: Skip Hop

Lately I have been loving the whimiscal cuteness of Skip Hop baby products. I dont know what it is about their owl themed baby items but they have me hooked. I am thinking of purchasing this adorable owl playtime toy simply because it is so cute and different. The Skip Hop website states that this toy ( which also comes in a lamb, bear, dog and monkey ) features 10 different developmental activies to keep your little one entertained. Score.

I am also eyeing this owl themed playmat. Too bad I hadn't seen this when I was preganant. Just look at all that owl cuteness.

I am currently in the market for a bath spout cover as well. I was going to get their infamous Moby the whale bath spout but now Ducky here is looking pretty tempting as well. Hmmmm....

Im loving these adorable farmhouse stackable blocks they have too. Im telling you guys this company is my current baby products obsession and I don't even own anything from them yet.

Have you guys tried out anything from Skip Hop? You can check out their website here. All the above pictures are taken from their website.

Here is to cuteness.

Todays Steal: Robeez Shoes

I have been eyeing Robeez shoes since before my little one was born. They just look so comfertable and practical. Given, I have never owned a pair they just seem to be the perfect combination of cuteness and soft soles. I have never been able to lay down the almost 40 dollars it takes to own a pair of these cuties though. I just can justify spending so much on a baby shoe, knowing that my little one grows like a weed. I have checked every consignment event I have been to and each pair I have found was so worn down, dowdy and way overpriced for its current condition. But today I found Robeez on sale on Babysteals.com. Yippee! A nice new shiny pair for $15.99. I bought the ones pictured above ( and that picture is from the Babysteals.com website).
Yay for Robeez, BabySteals and finding good deals.

Fall Photography Checklist...

Their is something about the Fall/Autumn season that makes me want to pull out my camera and take pictures of cornfields, red dilapidated barns, pumpkin patches and foggy night skies. With a white peppermint mocha in one hand and my camera in the other hand and my camera in the other, a lonely bench or golden colored tree suddenly becomes magical during this time of the year. It is my first Fall season being a mom and that makes me want to capture my little one in the essence of Autumn. I literally want to cut open a pumpkin and put her in it and sit it in a large empty field and snap away. I just might do that and share my pictures with you. I am excited at the prospect of this seasons photo oppurtunites with my little girl.

Check out this amazing Fall Photo Checklist from Pinterest to help organize/inspire your Fall photo session.  Anything you would add to the list?