The Countdown to Christmas is On

I hope that you had a fun Halloween with all your little ghouls and goblins. My boys enjoyed the heck out of trick or treating even though there were a few meltdowns at the beginning. Once we got over the tantrums, the evening was really fun. We always start out as a huge group with the other kids on our street and then terrorize visit all the houses. Our neighborhood is fantastic at Halloween with decorating and just about everyone gives out candy... the boys now have enough candy to last them until next Halloween!

Me and my little skeletons. Emmett wanted to be a skeleton, so Oliver and I followed suit.

Let the mayhem fun begin!

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Now that Halloween is officially over it's time to prepare for the holidays, especially Christmas. I love Thanksgiving but I also love all the prep for Christmas so why not begin the shopping lists now. 

Budget

First off, I have a Christmas fund. Every pay period I have money automatically drafted and put into my Christmas fund which I can't access until November 1st. This works get because I save up all year so I don't end up having to run up my credit cards and worry about how I'll pay it off come January. I don't miss the small amount each pay period but it really adds up to make for a nice little budget. Pierce has one too. 

If you don't have a Christmas fund, I suggest starting one now so that next year you won't have the stress or worry of how you'll afford Christmas. Instead you can focus on the fun of giving. Which leads up to...

Deals

This is the best time of year to find some fabulous bargains. It so hard to stick to shopping for others when I see so many things I want for myself. I've got to remember that instead of buying things for myself I need to tell other people those items as I find them. I don't know why people say I'm difficult to shop for... I find things I want all the time 😋

Check weekly circulars and sign up for online sale notifications (you can always unsubscribe after the holidays). 

To me Black Friday is one of my favorite days of the year. I love going through the circulars, getting up early, and hoofing it to the stores but now I also spend a fair amount of time shopping online. A lot of the BF deals can be found online with free shipping. I try and buy the items I want online as early as possible (some are available Thanksgiving night) in order to get those items marked off my list, then I head to the store to get the in-store only deals on Black Friday. 

Also, shop now. Sometimes you can find just as good of a deal now as you can on BF. Check out sites like BFADS and Best Black Friday to prep ahead of time.

Do you Cartwheel? If I haven't said it before...  I love Target! Download the Target app and sign up for Cartwheel if you haven't done so already. Starting today they will have a daily toy deal that will be 50% off. You have to use it in the store but this is a great way to stock up on toys for the kiddos at out of this world prices. 

For example, today's Cartwheel deal is 50% off Safe Start electric scooters, making it $50.

The only issue with this is I find so many deals I can go a little overboard. I am trying hard to control myself this year since the boys don't need many toys. When I shop I scan everything through the Cartwheel app and usually have at least a few items that come up with an additional percentage off. It's so easy to use and who doesn't love saving money. Also, get a RedCard and you'll get another 5% off everything you buy at Target plus free shipping from target.com. I have the debit card so it comes directly out of my checking so they're aren't any monthly statements or finance charges. Woohoo!

Give

This past weekend I went through the boy's toys and clothes to get rid of the things they've outgrown or don't play with anymore. When it comes to the toys I let the boy's help pick out what they want to donate. It's good for them to be appreciative of what they have but also be charitable and realize that it's nice to pass along items to children who don't have as much as we do. Emmett used to want to keep everything but now he is excited to give and is enthusiastic about donating his toys. 

And a few things that made me chuckle...

This and That and Shopping

Whoa! This weekend was exhausting. Pierce had to work all weekend so it was just me and the boys. I kept us busy and by the end of the day we were all exhausted. I seriously couldn't keep my eyes open past 8:45 last night. Tonight I finally got a little quite time to myself now that everyone is tucked asleep in their beds so I figured I share a little of what we did.

Emmett's last soccer game of the season

Fall Fest in the neighborhood

Oliver may have powerlifting in his future since he can lift over half his body weight

Petting the ponies at my favorite Charleston spot, Magnolia Plantation 

Oliver feeding the deer and getting some licks

Selfie Time!!!

Roasted sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts to go along with an herb marinaded pork loin

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Now that I've got a few minutes to myself to play online, I also did a little shopping. Old Navy has great price points plus you can get an extra 20% off when you use code SWEET.
Here are some of my favorites that you'll probably see me wearing very soon.

Fit & Flare Velvet-Knit Dress- This would be perfect to wear to a Christmas party

Low-Rise Rockstar Jeans - on sale for $19!!


Flannel Blanket Scarf - only $20


Jersey Tee Dress- This will be great with a few accessories like the scarf from above


Metallic Flats- Gold shoes... of course!

Oliver Turns 2

I had the party early but today is officially the day that the good Lord blessed me with my sweet Ollie bear. 

Dear Oliver, 

These two years have flown by and while at times you seem so much older than two, there are other times when you are still my baby. You are courageous, stubborn (you get it honest), loving, independent, and determined. You love your family, especially Emmett. I am scared excited to see what all ya'll have in store for me. I have a feeling you'll continue to keep me on my toes for many years to come. While I love seeing you grow and discover new things, I wouldn't mind if time slowed down just a little so that you stay my baby for tiny bit longer. On the rare instances when you give out kisses, we all eat them up. You know you have us wrapped around your little plump (as Emmett calls him) finger. Watching you dance, hearing you sing, and seeing you play with your brother bring me so much joy it makes my heart hurt. I love you more than words can express. Happy birthday my handsome little man!

Love, 

Mommy

Weekend Roundup + Corn Dip

And so it’s Monday again. I hope that everyone had a fun weekend and you’re enjoying these beautiful fall days. Thankfully this weekend was pretty carefree. I didn’t have any set plans or places to be which is such a relief after the busy free weeks I’ve had. 

On Saturday our neighborhood hosted a neighborhood wide yard sale. I didn’t sell but the boys and I went around and did a little early shopping. After that we headed off to Emmett's soccer game. I have to say, his team is really improving and that includes Em. He scored two goals with one being the tie breaker! Woohoo!

Saturday I decorated outside for Halloween. Our neighborhood has really gotten into the Halloween spirit and I didn't want our house to be left out. I like simple decor on my house but I’ve gotta give props those of you who go all out. We drove around Saturday night and checked out all the spooky houses. There’s a skeleton house, a zombie house, and werewolf house just to name a few. Emmett loves all the creepy ones. Oliver, not so much. 

I want to get a couple more big spiders to put on the two windows on the right. My illustration isn't great but shows what I still need to do.

Some animal has bitten my pumpkin and given it a creepy jack-o-lantern face. Any ideas what could have done this???

Sunday we got up early and headed to Folly Beach with the boys. Pierce has been wanting to go metal detecting for a while now so we thought we’d give it a try. Let me tell you that metal detecting with young children isn’t easy. I didn’t mind running around and chasing the boys but for Pierce, who was trying to actually find stuff, it wasn’t much fun. Oh well, Pierce can try it solo next time. I made the best of it and enjoyed our wild beach time. Afterwards, we grabbed some Zaxby's on the way home and had a picnic in the yard.

We also stopped in at the Train Museum at the Citadel Mall. The boys thought it was cool and made sure they pushed all the buttons.

I did a little shopping too. I haven’t had the time to buy much lately so it was fun to get out and get few items for fall. I’ll be sharing those with you very soon. Here's what I wore.

shirt (on sale for $10!) // jeans // booties

I also wanted to share this dip recipe with you as well. Every one in my house is a big fan of dips so I figured I would try and make a new one each weekend that we could eat during the week. My goal is to make healthy versions of yummy dips (which are usually calorie laden) so we can have a healthier option for snacking.I made the first one this weekend. It’s a Greek yogurt spicy corn dip. I used the recipe found here but made some tweaks to it since I found it a little bland. The end result was delicious and everyone in the house ate it up. The only other thing I would add that I didn’t have on hand is fresh cilantro... I think that would have made it perfection.

Greek Yogurt Corn Dip

• 1 cup plain non fat greek yogurt
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn, thawed
• 1 (4oz) can diced green chiles
• 2 green onions, sliced thin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chili
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup bacon bits
• 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro 
• 
  

Combine all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors come together and deepen. 

Enjoy with tortilla chips.  

Skin Care Steals Under $20

I don't know how many products I use in a week, but when I look at all the products in my bathroom I realized I may have a few too many. I also realized I have some really great ones that I use all the time that are essential to keep me sane and not looking like a hot mess. 

Today I thought I'd share my top skin care items that I love and use religiously plus they're affordable... nothing over $20. 

Aquaphor Healing Ointment $5.60

I use this stuff, literally, ever day. It sits on my nightstand and I put it on my dry lips, cracked hands, and scrapes/cuts. Plus a jar lasts a long time. I just bought a new one after the one I've had for over three years finally ran out. 

Derma Beauty Microneedle Roller $11.99

I use mine about once a week. If you haven't discovered the magic of the derma-roller you can read about it here. This one from Amazon is the same one I use. It works great and is a bargain. 

Biore Deep Cleansing Nose Strips $5.99

Gotta love these nose strips. They work great and it's so satisfying to rip it off and see all the gunk it pulls out. Ewww!

St. Ives Even and Bright Pink Lemon & Mandarin Orange Scrub $3.29

I like to exfoliate once to twice a week. This scrub smells great and exfoliates without being too rough.

Biore Deep Charcoal Cleanser $5.99

I like this cleanser because it does a great job and is truly a deep cleanser. I feel like a lot of face washes don't clean well and leave dirt behind. Not so with this one. It leaves your skin feeling cool, tingly, and squeaky clean. 

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Night Moisturizer w/ Retinal $16.98

Since I'm over 30 I've got to try and do all I can to slow down the presence of wrinkles and repair where I can, that's where this comes in. It's affordable price and results make it worth the trying.

L'Oreal Detox & Brighten Pure-Clay Mask $9.79

I love a good face mask. The charcoal in this mask draws out impurities and cleans pores leaving your skin brighter and healthier looking. 

Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel- Cream $6.29

After I shower I always apply this gel cream to my face. It makes my skin feel so refreshed and moisturized. It is one of my daily must-haves. 

Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Skin Creme $8.99

Again, got to try and keep the wrinkles away. This face creme is great for day or night plus there's a sensitive skin version available as well.

L'Oreal Collagen Moisture Filler Day Lotion w/ SPF $10.74

With my fair skin, SPF is a must. This moisturizer has SPF 15 and can be worn under makeup without feeling too heavy or greasy. 

Burt's Bees Lip Balm Beeswax $3.29

Again, this is another daily must-have. I keep one in my purse at all times. It made with natural ingredients, feels good on and stays on for quite a while.

Eucerin In Shower Moisturizer $10.99

As a mom who is in high demand by her littles, I don't get a long time to get ready so anything I can do to make the most of my time is a winner. This in-shower moisturizer is a quick and effective. Gotta love that!

What's your favorite budget skin products that didn't make my list? I'm always down to try something new.