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. 

Oliver's 2nd Birthday Petting Zoo Party

All last week I was stressing and prepping for Oliver’s 2nd birthday party and it all came to fruition yesterday. It ended up being a beautiful day and even if there were a few hiccups, no one seemed to notice, and we all had a great day.
When I was trying to figure what I wanted to do for Oliver's party I knew it had to be something he would enjoy and since he is such an animal lover having a farm/ petting zoo party would be perfect for him.

I get such a thrill out of planning everything. For the food and games, I searched Pinterest for inspiration and found so many great ideas. Now it’s time for picture overload. I enjoy the planning that goes into the party but the best part is seeing everyone’s faces (especially the birthday boy) as they take it all in. It makes all the hard work worthwhile.

My friend, Amy, made this fantastic cake

I love little details... like the forks and knives wrapped to look like corn... 

... and place cards for food with a farm theme...

... there was the chicken coop, potato field, feed & seed, orchard, pig pen, and a watering hole

Favors for the guests included homemade candy apples...

... cheddar & caramel "corn-on-the-cob"

Oliver liked riding the pony...

...but not the tortoise

There was also a pig...

... rabbits, a sheep, and...

... a horse for the bigger kids

For games I had Feed the Pig & Feed the Cow bean bag toss...

... Tractor Races...

... and Pin the Tire on the Tractor

Apparently Oliver thought he was supposed to bite the candle out... don't worry I blew it out before he got too close

Party Ponies and Farm Friends provided the ponies and petting zoo animals. Brandie did a great job and I would definitely recommend them if you want to have ponies or a petting zoo at your next party.

I hope you enjoyed Oliver's party. I found so much inspiration online that I wanted to share how it turned out. This was definitely one for the books!