Clean Beauty Brand: Clove + Hallow

Hey guys! Today’s post is going to be a collaboration with a Clean Beauty brand called Clove + Hallow. I am very particular about what brands I collaborate with and make sure it is only something true and authentic to me. I was so excited because this brand I have actually purchased multiple times from before so it was completely aligned with what I like to share! Clean beauty is a movement that you guys know I am very passionate about. I love that more brands are starting to come out with cleaner options for beauty and skincare, but sometimes the quality can be compromised. I was able to choose three products to be sent and try out so I wanted to pick one I knew I already loved, which was the conceal and correct concealer (shade 02) and then two new to me products that I currently did not have in my collection (pressed mineral foundation in shade 03 and lip
Velvet in cupcake). The concealer is my absolute favorite! It’s really pigmented, comes with a doe foot applicator (my favorite concealer design), has a nice creamy yet liquid-y formula that doesn’t cake and does a great job covering dark circles. You can blend it out with a dense brush or a beauty sponge (my favorite way). The pressed mineral foundation I tried out a few different ways and the way I prefer to wear it is over my tinted SPF. It does have coverage and color, unlike a translucent powder, so I found it to look better over something lighter like a tinted SPF rather than a regular
liquid foundation. I love a tinted SPF, but having oily skin I feel like I need a little something extra to set it and this was perfect. Love this combo for spring and summer days. The last product I’ve actually been eying for a while. I used to be such a liquid lipstick girl because I loved the longevity and dramatic look for special occasions when you need your lips to stay on for a while! I haven’t used a liquid lipstick in literally years because all of the ones I have don’t have the greatest ingredients. I love a moody/grungey lip color and this one really gives that look for someone who isn’t a fan of reds or berries, but wants a more dramatic lip. The doe foot applicator was great and skinny enough to line your lips if needed. The product went on super smoothly and really lasted. I do find that liquid lipsticks can be a bit drying (I have the world’s driest lips) so sometimes I like to add a little gloss or balm over the top of that is happening! Regardless, I will definitely be saving this one for nights out when I need a little something to add some drama to my makeup! Cannot wait to try more of their products! Thanks again for the #collab #cloveandhallow #brandpartner #cleanbeauty

You can order their products on their website www.cloveandhallow.com

I’m Pregnant! Pregnancy Update & Milestone Cards

Hey guys! It’s been SO long. I have been so bad about blogging my pregnancy with Baby #2! Oh and surprise! I’m pregnant with another baby boy - currently in the third trimester. It has gone by soooo fast this time since I have a wild little toddler to chase after. We found out in August that we would be expecting another little baby. It seemed like the first trimester lasted forever for two reasons: I felt so crappy and also we found out at 3 weeks so I think just waiting to tell people felt like forever. I’ll kinda break down the trimesters so far.

1st trimester is always the roughest for me. I would way rather have a big belly and be uncomfortable than be tired and nauseated all the time. I started to feel sick at probably 4 weeks. A lot sooner than with my other son. I also realized how much easier it was to be pregnant with my first than second! The first I could come home from work and just lay in bed the rest of the night, but when you already have a kid or kids (shout-out to people who have like 5 kids and are pregnant like holy cow how do you do it?!) I napped almost everyday during Luke’s nap on days I wasn’t working, which I NEVER do. Did not do any sort of exercise at all during the first trimester either and craved carbs only. Fresh, cold fruit and plain starchy foods like toast, crackers, bagels and grilled cheese/quesadillas. I was convinced I was having another boy because I felt identical to how I did with Luke. At the end of my first trimester I had to do an early glucose test since I had gestational diabetes with Luke and I failed again! So, they didn’t make me take the 3 hour one because my numbers were so elevated and I just had to start back up with watching my carb intake and testing 4 times a day. It seems like I’ve literally been doing it FOREVER at this point. I have such a respect for diabetics because it really is a complete lifestyle change and also I feel like my life revolves around obsessing over carbs and food (which is not something I prefer to do). Nonetheless, I am very grateful that I have been able to manage it with diet and exercise alone and hopefully I will have another average sized baby with no complications! 

2nd trimester was the best! Did not feel completely huge, got my energy back, felt those sweet baby kicks, found out the gender...so many fun things! I really tried to take advantage of the energy I got during the second trimester and started back up doing things I enjoy like actually getting ready for the day and wearing cute outfits, exercising a few times a week and just doing a better job keeping up around the house. The first trimester I basically apologized to my husband ahead of time that I was going to be the worst as far as cleaning and cooking go. I also was forced to cook more because of my diabetes. The most exciting thing happened during the second trimester and we found out we were having a baby boy! My mama instincts were spot on! We found out at a 3D ultrasound place called Sweet Pea Imagery in Spokane. It was so special just finding out the two of us, which is exactly how we did it last time as well. I highly recommend Sweet Pea if you are in the Spokane or Tri Cities area! We also decided on a name in the second trimester. It was sooo hard picking out another boy name! Girl names are so much easier for us and we haven’t used any 😂 Head to my Instagram if you want to see our name reveal! It’s hard for me to say when I started feeling baby kicks because I want to say it was really early, but then I felt like I didn’t feel anything for weeks after so I’m not sure if I did or not. I really started to feel them around 20-22 weeks I would say. I think a part of it was that the last I remembered for the feeling of kicks was at the end of my last pregnancy and they were obviously really strong and a lot more powerful. Regardless, they are always so reassuring when you can start to feel them. I started using my little belly sound machine thing that I posted about in my previous pregnancy! I really feel like I popped around 24 weeks and ever since then I just feel so much bigger than I did last pregnancy. I’m trying to embrace it because this might very well be our last baby, but guys, sometimes it’s just really hard getting larger lol. I think it is harder too because I’m lugging around a 30lb human half of the time and my belly is always getting in the way haha!

3rd trimester has been alright so far. I’m over the diabetes, but I’m trying to stay positive and I know everything happens for a reason and I’m trying to use it as a way to get more creative with cooking, which I totally have! I’ve been Pinteresting a lot of low carb recipes and actually have even baked a few low carb items as well. Cauliflower rice, zucchini spirals and the Keto Fat head dough have been great replacements in some of my favorite meals. Follow me on Pinterest if you need some ideas and are in the same boat :) One thing I really have not been following through with is the boys’ bedroom situation! We are planning on keeping the nursery as is and just converting our second guest bedroom into our older son’s big boy room. Assuming the new baby won’t sleep in his crib for quite a while, we want to keep big brother in there as long as possible so we don’t have to buy two cribs. Plus, Luke hasn’t tried or showed any interest in trying to escape his crib so I think we are good for a while. The new room is a pretty blank slate and we are actually having someone come tomorrow to give us a bid on some woodwork for a feature wall, so I guess that’s a little bit of progress! I’m starting to realize we don’t have a lot of time left though and need to start accumulating pieces for the room! I’ll post more on Instagram so make sure you follow me!

I’ve been so terrible at posting bump pictures and updates, but I did take some a few weeks ago after I was sent some adorable milestone cards from @babynotebook . They are so dang cute and I wish I would have used them earlier in my pregnancy! You can actually get your own for FREE if you sign up on their email list www.babynotebookapp.com! I also LOVE that they are based out of Seattle (Washington local here :)) Hope you guys enjoy this little update and let me know if you have any questions! I really want to start getting back into blogging more regularly!

Breath Detection Baby Monitor

Hey guys! I was recently approached by a company to see if they could send me and test out their new baby monitor. I did my research before I said yes and was actually really excited about the concept of this system. The system that I have been testing out over the last few weeks is called the Smart Beat Baby Monitor with breath detection. As a first time mom, I was super anxious having Luke sleep in his room and actually he didn't sleep in there until he was around 8 months old I think (I really can't remember exactly). I had heard of a few companies that do a monitor system that alerts you when levels get too low, but most of those require them to wear something or lay on top of something, and I have heard mixed reviews about them being a little too sensitive. The last thing I wanted to do while I was getting my very precious (and rare) sleep, was to be alerted for something that wasn't even true, so I steered away from those ones. I was actually using a security camera and just zooming in on Luke to see if his back was moving up and down. But, as I'm sure you can imagine, that takes a lot of tedious work and time -- plus it only works if you are in the app. Since using this new system I am SO happy and impressed with it. It really gives me that peace of mind knowing that my baby is breathing well in his sleep.

I received my Smart Beat monitor in the mail a few weeks ago and it came in a super simple and sleek package. It only has two parts: the camera and the base. The set up was really easy, it comes with a small booklet that tells you to download the app and then that basically directs you how to do everything with short videos! I set up everything except for mounting it on the wall (which my husband did for me). I HIGHLY recommend mounting it because I first tried it just putting the camera on a shelf and I couldn't get as good of an angle and by mounting it you really get the best results!

This system has so many pros in my opinion. The camera quality is really clear and works great with the lights off too. You just open the app after you put baby to bed and click to start monitoring & click where baby is located. A small box appears on the baby's body and breath detection starts. It's actually super cool because after doing it enough times you can tell if your baby is awake by the breathing being higher and slowing down when they fall asleep. It will actually alert you too when baby has fallen asleep or woken up. It calls you when there is a breathing alert and the breathing has dropped too low. You will get an incoming call and it will say Breathing Alert. I have had a couple of them only because I went and got Luke out of his crib and didn't tell the app so it alerted me. After the alert it will ask you what was wrong, which I think is really cool too! They send you emails with tips on how to safely have your baby sleep in case the alerts were from a stuffed animal or blanket in the bed (which is not recommended at all). I am actually super excited to use this in the future on anymore babies that we might have! I think it would give me a lot more peace of mind especially on an infant, when they are so tiny and helpless! But I still do appreciate it on my 14 month old son.

I would say that the only real con is that the app drains your battery, so make sure you plug your phone in while you are sleeping! I am notorious for having a low battery so I especially need to be better with charging at night now.


**Where can you get it? You can purchase on their website www.mysmartbeat.com and receive $25 off by signing up for their newsletter! Or you can purchase on Amazon. They have a 1 year manufacturer's warranty and you can return it if you are not happy!**

Easy Fall Outfit Ideas

I hope I am not jumping the gun, but fall will be here before you know it and if you are anything like me, you LOVE fall fashion. I put together 8 easy fall outfit ideas with some great neutral, versatile pieces and some fun ones too :) Kept the same pair of shoes for 7 of them; which I found at Target on clearance for $12 in the Spring! I didn't have a brown pair of booties oddly enough. Loving warm tones for Fall (or basically every season really) and love how you can mix them with black still. Target has TONS of pieces that are in that color palette if you are like me and on a budget! Also, if you don't have a leather jacket, GO GET ONE! Sell some things you don't wear and go buy one! I've had this one for years and it has gotten soooo much use out of it! It's vegan leather actually and under $100, but looks super expensive. And FINALLY, I have been talking about these Mom Jeans from American Eagle nonstop, but seriously go try a pair on! They are so amazing. I have curves and find it hard to find boyfriend or Mom style jeans that still look flattering and these do the trick! Love the worn look and how timeless they are. I want them in black really bad and a pair with no holes so I can wear them to work on casual days. I hope you guys enjoy these outfits! I linked either each individual item or really similar ones!

Baby packing guide

I wanted to do a post on what I keep in my diaper bag/how I pack for a trip with a baby. I am not an absolute expert on packing for a baby, but I have picked up a few tips and tricks over the past few months that I found really helpful when packing for trips! We have gone on one long airplane trip (to Hawaii) and countless number of weekend getaways since having Luke. For me at least, when baby gets older it gets easier and you have less "stuff" you have to pack -- this was great for me because it can get super overwhelming at first!

Diaper Bag - I like to keep the diaper bag somewhere up front in the car so I can easily access it; I keep the rest of the stuff in the trunk to try to keep the clutter at a minimum (honestly though, its hard haha!)

A couple of gallon bags are always folded up and placed in the back pocket of the diaper bag just in case we aren't around a garbage and he has a dirty diaper or for wet/dirty clothes.

Wipes and Diapers (I usually just put a pack of wipes or if you have a small diaper bag do a ziplock with wipes to save room). I also ONLY try to put in 6 diapers or so in here to also save room. If we are going on a weekend getaway I will stuff a reusable grocery bag full of diapers and a pack of wipes and stick it in my trunk to take out when we get to our destination.

Hand sanitizer. Because, germs.

Itzyritzy Reusable Snack Bag: I actually use this as a medicine/toiletry bag and it works great!! I always keep the necessities in here because these things can be expensive and you don't use them a lot, so it is nice to bring them with! I keep dye-free tylenol in here and a syringe, teething tablets, nail clippers, saline spray for nose, nose frieda, wash cloth, hairbrush, travel-size container with baby wash, thermometer, toothbrush.

Beauty counter Baby Balm: this stuff is amazing and can be used for literally everything. Great thing to keep with! Can be used for rashes, dry skin, cuts, bumps, etc.

Sunscreen. I use Beautycounter (the lotion kind, not the spray) or Babyganics **I am a Beautycounter Consultant so email me if you are interested! I do make commission from it**

One pair of jammies and one extra outfit. I like to keep extra jammies because they are so easy to change into or if baby gets sick they are a lot more comfy for them! (rest of the clothes get packed in either my suitcase or my second diaper bag that I use just for clothes)

Bottle with two servings of formula. Just in case of emergency or if I decide to have a drink or something it is nice to have some extra stock!

Manual breast-pump; again, just in case!

Munchkin water bottle. My favorite "sippy cup" for Luke.

Swaddle blanket that could also be used as a nursing cover/blanket/changing pad/ etc.

Snacks/food; I usually just pack a couple of pouches, snacks and a spoon/bib. I will buy real food when we get to our destination.

Extras:

Baby carrier of some sort, High-chair (ours is so small we can take it apart and bring it anywhere!), whatever your baby will sleep in (pack and play, bassinet, etc.) A couple of toys. Luke honestly really isn't into toys that much, but bring a few small toys or books with! Usually babies are so amused with new environments that you don't need much!

For long road trips: Our baby does WAY better when there are no other people in the backseat with him. I try to time it right so he can nap almost the whole way, but if it is a super long road trip or your baby has a hard time falling asleep in the car they do make stands for phones or tablets that you can attach to the back of the seat. We got this one on Amazon and it worked great for our road trip to the Midwest.

https://rstyle.me/n/dp86nmchyb7
On the airplane:

The only thing I do different is I actually wear Luke in his carrier through security and I take 3 gallon bags and put inside each one: one diaper, wipes, extra outfit (I read this tip from someone else where they would put one diaper/wipes/change of clothes in each bag for each hour the plane-ride was...that way you can just grab one bag and go to the bathroom and change them if they need a diaper change/have a blow-out). I think that tip is great because if you have ever changed a diaper in an airplane bathroom, they are freakin' tiny!! So, less is definitely more.

Top 5 Favorite Non-Toxic Products

As some of you know, I am a consultant for Beautycounter, which is a safer beauty brand. I share lots of Beautycounter favorites on my Instagram, but I also have some favorite non-toxic products that are not Beautycounter brand and wanted to share those with you guys. I am all about trying to limit the amount of harmful chemicals and toxins in my life as much as I can, but still enjoy a good quality product. I am so happy that I have been easily able to swap some things out one-at-a-time in efforts to make my home a safer environment. I definitely believe in balance and not being extreme, but my motto is: every time you run out of a product, replace it with a cleaner, safer option! Here are my top 5 favorite non-toxic products of the moment:


1. Norwex Mop System

This thing is seriously AMAZING!! I have been using a cheap little mop with wet pads over the past few years and I love how well they work to clean my floor, but A) The pads are expensive and B) They are made with harmful chemicals and synthetic fragrances. I saw my IG friend from @paisleyprintsspokane post on her stories about this Non-Toxic Mopping system that looked like a more heavy-duty version of what I had been previously using. She said it was Norwex, which I had heard of before, but didn't know much about it besides the fact that it was non-toxic. She gave me the run-down on all of the details behind the product and how everything works. If you are interested in learning more about it you can research it or reach out to her on IG (the science/mechanics behind it all made perfect sense to me, but I want to make sure you get all of the bases covered, so make sure you ask someone who sells it!). It's basically a special cloth material made up of fibers that you just have to add water to and it effectively removes dirt and germs from your home/body/etc. She has been using it for years and said she had saved so much money on cleaning supplies because of the fact that you only have to use water and the quality is so amazing. I think it comes in a pretty rose gold color too! Seriously guys, this thing is amazing and makes me feel SO much better about my 1 year old crawling all over the floors and my dog eating scraps of food or chewing on toys that have touched the ground.

Lindsey's Norwex Link
http://www.lindseyjones3446.norwex.biz


2. Everyone Soap

This stuff is so great! It is really affordable and easily accessible, too. I see it at Target and the grocery store, which makes it nice because as much as I love to order stuff online, sometimes you just run out of something and need to run to the store ASAP to grab it! My favorite scent is the Coconut & Lemon scent. The soap is a 3-in-1 product so you can keep it anywhere that water is running! We use it in our shower as a body-wash and Chris uses it as a shampoo. We have it in our guest bathroom too and can also be used as a baby wash. Such a great product!



3. Doterra Lemongrass Essential Oil

My mom is a distributor for Doterra and she gave me this oil to put in my diffuser or add to a spray bottle for cleaning. I am not super brand-loyal on essential oils because I haven't really gotten super into them or anything, but I know I have a lot of friends that sell both Doterra or Young Living. I just really freakin LOVE this scent! It is sooo fresh and lemon-y. I put it in my Amazon bamboo color-changing diffuser and it just makes my house feel fresh and clean without spreading toxic fragrances into the air we are breathing!



4. Primally Pure Deodorant

I have only used the Charcoal Deodorant, but I know they have a bunch of other ones to pick from. I had messaged them before I purchased it and they said their best sellers are the Charcoal or the Blue Tansy, so I might try that one next. I just love this stuff and it actually works for me. I was super disappointed in a brand that I had tried prior after I found out they use Fragrance/Parfum in their products. I immediately found Primally Pure after this and have been obsessed. This is one of the first things you should change out in your beauty routine because conventional deodorants have so many toxic carcinogens in them. No one likes a stinky, sweaty armpit, and I think you guys will really like this brand!

https://primallypure.com/products/charcoal-deodorant

5. NKD SKN Self Tanner

I did a blog post a while back on this product (go to my beauty tab to read the whole post), but I have been using it for a lot longer now and have come to seriously LOVE this stuff! I don't know about you guys, but I feel 100% better with a nice tan on my fair-skin! I used to do the booth spray tans, which are nice because you don't have to apply anything yourself, but I know they use synthetic fragrances in the ones I was doing and some toxic preservatives too. Getting sprayed as often as I want to be tanned is also pretty expensive! The Dark Shade of the NKDSKN tanning mousse has been my favorite. It is so affordable and accessible, too. It runs about $20 and you can pick it up at Ulta! They have a bunch of other products too, but this has been my favorite. I actually just recently had to repurchase for the first time, so it lasted me a long time. Highly recommend!!

Amazon Fashion Favorites

Hey guys! I wanted to share with you guys some things from Amazon that are on my wishlist in case you have similar taste in style. I think these are all super good finds and almost all of them are affordable (I included the Frye boots, which are a little pricey, but such a good quality boot and you would really get a lot of wear for the price). I actually ordered the platform espadrilles, but they haven't come in the mail yet, so I will probably do a post on how to style them when I get them this week :) I am really wanting to get back into more consistently posting on here. I am sorry that I have been MIA, I think I can get easily caught up with wanting to be a perfectionist and thinking I need to have these perfect ideas or images to go with blogposts, when those aren't even the types of posts that I enjoy reading! I am actually thinking of starting up a YouTube Channel, but want to know if you guys would be interested. I actually used to have one a few years ago, but stopped posting because I was feeling a little uninspired. Anyways, I hope you guys like these items and think I will do Amazon or store-specific wish lists periodically.