Five Things

When I first started my Five Things series, I intended to just randomly share, quite literally, five things of note. Whether it was a great meal, a new purchase, a one-off thought I had or something I was wanting to do. But over the past year or so it's really morphed into a round-up of my current favorite products—and mostly beauty, at that. Since my blog is so full of cute little quadlings and lots of mom-related talk, I figure that a style + beauty themed post now and then is a good change. And I do love my makeup and products, especially when it's something that works and I'm passionate about. 

So I revamped a little image to drop into each new Five Things post I share with y'all—which also will make it easier to pin these posts and share them—and look forward to lots of fun products and shares in this category. Keep in mind that some of the products I share might be new, but most of them are just things I've come across and added to my repertoire and love. I only include and talk about products that I've been using for probably at least a few months and I'm never compensated for my Five Things posts, inclusions or opinions. 

And before you ask, yes that's my bathroom counter in the photo below and yes, that's a note on my mirror that says "you look amazing." Because, let's face it, there are plenty of mornings when I stumble to my sink and get that first morning glance into the looking glass that I feel like I look a thousand times less than amazing. What you can't exactly see are the words written to the right of it in a light pink lipstick my husband found in my drawer. He added, "Love, Your Husband" because he likes to remind me that I look just fine. And, other than that initial glance of my just-awoken mug, I always end up believing him. ;)

1.) Eos shaving cream. Really never thought about trying this one until another blogger I read occasionally talked about it and I decided to give it a go. I really like their lip balms, so figured the shaving cream might be pretty nice. It's not a foam, it's almost more creamy and clay-like and it's been great on my skin and gives a nice, close shave without the occasional razor burn I used to get with typical shave creams. I liked it enough that I bought a new one when I ran out instead of moving on to the next thing!

2.) Keeping up with my kids and stressing out over something (or four or 12 things) every day definitely has upped my perspiration and I always am looking for a deodorant that can truly do its job and also smell nice and not fade away before my day is done. I actually already had Degree MotionSense Dry Spray in a different scent and was due for a refill so I opted to try the sheer powder scent and this one has been so awesome. Refreshing smell that has lasted all day long that even I'm impressed!

3.) With my new shorter 'do and my love of big hair, I picked up Big Sexy Hair's Powder Play during a Target run several weeks ago and was pleased at it's effect. Just a very light sprinkle on my roots has provided lift and fullness, even on second or third day old hair. Because a little goes a long way, this tiny container will last a long time. I sort of divide my hair into three layers horizontally and sprinkle across my roots on each layer than tousle my fingers through my hair to let it absorb. Style and go. Done!

4.) I have long been a fan of John Frieda products, especially anything in his beach style line, so when I spotted this Beach Blonde Cool Dip Purifying Shampoo during my same aforementioned Target trip I immediately added it to my cart. Obviously I was in my hair care restocking phase, as I'd just squeezed the last few drops out of my OGX Coconut Water shampoo. The mint smelled so good when I flipped open the top of the Cool Dip shampoo, and I loved how clean and light my hair felt after just the first use. It's meant to help detoxify hair and I think it truly achieves that. Plus the mint on your scalp feels heavenly and it has some detangler mixed in for less "knottiness" when you brush out your way.

5.) Did I mention I love John Frieda's beach hair products!? Because I really, really do. The Beach Blonde Sea Waves has been my go-to sea salt spray now ever since it hit shelves a little while ago. The Frieda line used to have the most amazing beach hair spray that I used religiously back when I was a teenager and then for some reason they quit making it. Finally, after all these years, they released one again. It's not as great as the original but it still beats out the million other brands I've tried. It's not overly sticky nor does it have too much gel in it that ends up making your hair crunchy instead of soft and wavy. Plus I can do some great styles or braids with my hair the day after using this because it provides such good texture and grip in your strands.

Now repeat the words "you look amazing" every morning until you believe it (or your makeup is done) and you'll start the day a little more ahead than you were...

What's in Our Summer Splash Pad Bag

Within the past few weeks, we've made multiple visits to our local splash pad and the kids are loving it! I'm loving it, too—I get to work on my tan and soak up some much needed vitamin D, plus it wears the kiddos out and they end up taking awesome naps when we get home. Makes it worth every effort! We've pretty much got our splash pad routine down and have our set of go-to supplies that make every trip with us, so I thought I'd share them here...

(This is not a sponsored post and all items are products we truly love! Some affiliate links are included.)

There's nothing better than soaking up some rays while watching your kids laugh and play in the water! And the splash pad is great because the only standing water is the little "river," pictured above, which isn't deep at all so I don't have to worry about the kids capsizing in a pool. Whew.

sistema tupperware | jute tote bag (similar) | Vita Coco Kids flavored coconut water | Walgreens After Sun Lotion and Aloe Vera Cooling Gel | Banana Boat dry oil | kid's beach towel (similar) | Aveeno Baby sunscreen | Frozen and TMNT buckets (from Dollar Store, similar) | chevron cooler bag (similar) | girls sunglasses (from Dollar Spot at Target) and boys Planes aviators | plastic table cloth (similar)

I tried to list links to comparable items for some of the things I couldn't find online, like my trusty chevron striped cooler bag. That thing is awesome! It's the perfect size to hold our lunch without having to lug a big, bulky bag and I just cram it with some frozen ice packs to keep everything cool until it's time to eat. The Sistema tupperware have really come in handy since they're small and divided, which makes it easy to toss in lunch meat and cheese on one side and maybe nuts or chips on the other. I also make quesadillas, pita pizzas and other easy lunches to eat picnic-style. The kids have been loving Vita Coco's flavored coconut waters, which are a great way to help keep them hydrated as well. The buckets were a great little find at our local Dollar General store, and the kids fill and dump them hundreds of times while we're at the splash pad. I usually stock up on several at the beginning of each summer to use for water, sand and play in general. My cute jute tote has plenty of space after towels, sunglasses and everything else, so I'll toss in some extra solo cups or cheap plastic measuring caps for them to play with as well. 

We've stayed sunburn-free so far thanks to my trusty Aveeno Baby sunscreen. I prefer to use Aveeno products since Harrison has sensitive skin and it has worked very well for us. Since I put sunscreen on the kids long before we leave for the splash pad, my own sunscreen is usually an afterthought. I don't like heavy coverage and usually prefer tanning sprays, but I've been liking Banana Boat's dry oil spray. I'll even spray some in my hands to rub on my face and the SPF 15 has proven enough to prevent any burning. When it comes to anything coconut-scented, I'm a fan so when I smelled the after sun lotion at Walgreen's I had to bring some home. It smells and feels great and was only $2! So was the aloe vera cooling gel, which the husband already had to use since he forgot to apply his sunscreen during our splash pad trip over the 4th of July weekend. 

And that's what goes in our splash pad bag for summer! 

What are your water-side go to products?

Five Things

You know how you get so excited when you find a new product or outfit or beauty tip that literally makes your day? And then you love it so much you use it or eat it or wear it for, like, a month straight?! That's how I feel about these Five Things in my life right now, which I'm sharing below in no particular order. Except maybe the cookies. ;)

1. Sugar Coma Cookies. So I have this gal pal that I've known since we were tiny little kids. She and her twin sister and I used to pal around while our moms spent time together, as they've been long time friends, too. We both grew apart as we got into the adult years then reconnected when she was pregnant with triplets and I was pregnant with quadruplets. I mean, what are the odds, right?! Mary is super creative and highly talented, not just in motherhood, but in just about everything she sets out to do. Thus it's been no shocker that she started decorating sugar cookies one day and literally one year later, her sweet treats are the hot commodity! She created some beautiful cookies for my second annual QMBFF—short for "quad mom best friends forever"—trip and we just about died over them. So delicious and perfect to look at. (And more on that trip very soon, as it's one of the reasons I've been MIA lately!) The hearts represent my three girls and one boy, and she also made us QMBFF ones, too. Love, love, love this girl, her kiddos and her cookies!

2. Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips. I've probably blogged about these before, but they are the bomb.com! Easy to apply, lasts 10 days to two weeks and look like you spent hours on your nails! The geo-pattern I'm wearing above is the one I sported during my quad momma getaway. ;)

3. Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in Dewy + Smooth. This fab stuff is my new go-to for the face. I was tired of dried out skin and not looking fresh, but this foundation literally makes my face look dewy and moisturized without being greasy or shiny. And it lasts all day! Tip: This looks extra good when I wear it with my fresh, peachy Milani blush in Luminoso. 

4. Signature Soy Island Coconut Candle. If you've been following my blog for a decent length of time, you'll no doubt be completely aware that I'm unashamedly (and immediately) in love with all things coconut! One of my quad mommas—who was hosting us during our trip in California—gifted us with bags full of goodies, including this awesome candle. I will be replacing it immediately after I have burned it all up! It makes my house smell like a fresh, beachy, coconut-laden haven. (Psssst: the Red Velvet Cupcake scent is another winner, and is one of my go-to gifts paired with a bottle of Cupcake Red Velvet wine.)

5. Printed Knit Palazzo Pant in Vintage Black. If you've checked out any of the links I've provided for all this stuff, you'll notice the Target trend I've got going on right now. Seriously, several of my cute new clothing items for summer are from Target and who doesn't find 458,453,940 things you don't need when you browse the aisles slow enough to admire everything!? These pants are soft knit, thin material so they're warm weather-appropriate, and have small pockets. I wore the vintage black patterned ones on the plane and loved them so much I bought a solid black pair, too, so I can pair it with turquoise or pink tops. Comfy, stylish and stretchy waist banded!

What's one of your most favorite things right now!?

Mandatory Spa Time, Foundation Work & Sickies

It's been a long, exhausting week...much akin to the weekend we just had, unfortunately. The kids are still sick. And I'm just about to the end of my rope. I'll spare you the excessive whiney details and instead share with you the brief outing I got on my own Friday morning. After I got all the kids up, checked everyone's temps and doled out meds, handed off the reigns to our former nanny (who's back with us on Friday mornings!) and kenneled the dogs so the contractors could access our back yard to fill the gaping holes beneath a few areas of our foundation. Neglect of the backyard prior to us purchasing our home resulted in some serious erosion of all the dirt back there, so every time it rains you can literally see the paths of mud flowing away from our house, down the hill toward the failing retaining wall at the end of the backyard before it drops off to a greenbelt and creek area. Now, however, everything's packed in and good to go so our next big step will be to level our backyard and redo the retaining wall. Nothing major.

But back to my outing! So after handling just a few things that morning, I headed off to the Crescent Hotel for an indulgent pedicure. It was their new "waterless" pedi that I enjoyed in a zero gravity chair that reclines to your liking, complete with a heated aromatherapy neck wrap and my favorite part....peace and quiet! One of the ladies noticed I kept rubbing my temples due to a headache I've endured for nearly 72 hours and brought me some delicious chamomile tea, which I sipped while my newly polished toes dried. The pedicure treatment was perfect—scrubs, spritzes, hot towel wraps and one fantastic leg massage! It was all in the name of research for a magazine beauty feature I'm writing. Sometimes work just has to be done, right??

I lingered for a few moments in the locker room—where they offer more tea, water and fruit—and wished I could've stayed for a dip in the whirlpool and lunch at the cafe, but had to head home to my sick babies. The contractors finished up with the foundation not long after and I got the kids down for naps then sat down on the couch right as the lawn guys showed up. I headed back outside to write their check and kennel the dogs again then sat down for a few minutes before one of the girls woke up. And so the afternoon went.

My Kailey girl actually took the photo above on my phone. She loves to snatch it off the counter and knows how to hit the camera button to activate it. Then she'll find everyone and tell us all to "wook at the camwa" and say "cheeeeeese!" It's really pretty cute and endearing and then I'll go through the 743,239 pictures later and save any good ones. But like the image shows, I've been cuddling sick kiddos all week and doling out breathing treatments and medicine like it's my J-O-B. Which it sorta is right now, aside from the deadline I'm on for this article I'm writing and the Etsy orders I desperately need to package and ship. 

This morning I woke up way too early and headed off to a synchronized swim competition for my local team, the Pirouettes of Texas, who I swam with for 11 years in my younger (athletic) days. My teammate, who's also one of my longest and best friends, now coaches the club and I signed up to become a judge to help support the sport. It's perfect for me at this stage as it's a commitment I can keep, even with quads at home, and I love being able to stay involved.

Unfortunately, by the time I got home the kids were taking yet another turn for the worse. All my hopes of potential improvement for our health were dashed to pieces. Trystan was running a fever again and Harrison began vomiting by the evening, which has continued well into the night. 

And yet sadder still, before I could finish off this blog post, we've added another one to our bedroom floor. Logan woke up covered in puke, so we're still up with the sickies at nearly 2am and are passing some of the "in between" time with an episode of The Tonight Show. I poured a glass of wine earlier tonight that I sipped on until just after 11pm when I decided that this night clearly wasn't over and opted to pour another half glass. The husband mocked my late-night drinking, only to end up pouring himself a glass just after midnight when yet another one bit the dust. He and I have both been sick ourselves for the second time in just over two weeks—sinus congestion and coughs be damned—and we've literally had enough. So whatever it takes to make it through tonight is fine in my book. We've now done five baths since dinner and the wee hours are still young.

Thank goodness for mandatory spa visits...

Five Things - New Beauty Buys!

It's been awhile since I've done a Five Things post and I realized I'd gotten several new beauty items that I'm loving so here's my scoop on what's new on my bathroom counter!

1. Have you heard of the Wet Brush before? It's truly a miracle brush. My hair gets soooo tangled after I wash it. Every time. Doesn't matter what type of conditioner I use, if I comb it through while in the shower or not. But by combining a wonderful detangling spray (see #3) and this Wet Brush in a cool chevron print, it's a far less painful process to work out the knots and not pull my hair out in the process. This brush works so well on dry hair and even when my hair is curly, too, and it's been pretty much all I've used lately.

2. I'd run out of my daily face lotion that I use in the morning (I opt for coconut oil at night before bed—there's so many uses for that stuff!), so I was in the market for a refill. I was about to go for my usual when I spotted Neutrogena's new Hydro Boost Water Gel and threw it into my cart. Because of our super cold weather, I'd had two dry spots on my face for a couple weeks that I just couldn't get rid of and less than 48 hours with this new gel they were gone. So, needless to say, this is my new fav lotion for muh face.

3. As I mentioned, tangled hair is my nemesis post-shower and this stuff is amazing for beating the knots. And it doesn't make my hair oily or greasy looking after everything's dried.

4. I'm not a big-time essential oil user, but I do have a couple in my arsenal that get a regular rotation. I took a small spray bottle from the $1 bins at Target's beauty section and filled it with about 36 drops of lavender oil and then water for a bedtime pillow spray. Smells divine and truly helps me relax after lights out. I also take a few drops to my face when my allergies are killing me (above eyebrows, down the nose bone and across each cheek). This stuff also works great in a wax warmer, as would any scent of oil. I add one tablespoon of coconut oil—the high heat oil lasts very well in the warmer—and 8-10 drops of essential oil and my house smells amazing. 

5. Last but not least, every gal is always in search of the perfect deodorant, am I right? I use coconut oil a lot but for the days I'm getting in a serious workout or I'm literally running my ass off chasing after the kids, I need something that's not gonna fail me. I snatched up one of Degree's new spray-ons and love it already. 

And now that I've solved all your face lotion and deodorant choosing problems, you're free to enjoy your weekend ;)

{Five Things} Charcoal Cleanser, Blush Sticks & More

I haven't bought new skin care products in awhile, other than lotion, so I was excited to see that Ulta and Target had a few things on the shelves I'd been wanting to try. Here's what I picked up and am loving right now!

1 & 2: These wonderful Freeman Feeling Beautiful face masks are easy on the wallet at just $3.99 and at Ulta, they were buy one get one free! Charcoal is all the rage right now in beauty products so I wanted to try out the charcoal and black sugar mask and the pineapple one smelled to good to resist. I needed something refreshing on my face and used the latter one today and now my skin is all smooth and cool.

3: Speaking of charcoal, Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser is another face product I'd read about in a magazine that's been getting rave reviews. I've only used it for a few days so far, but love that a little bit of the gel-like wash goes a long way, it lathers well and my face feels very smooth, clean and not dried out after each wash!

4. For a few years now, I've been wearing more blush than ever before. Bronze, peach, contour, rosy, you name it. Highlighting my cheeks with a color that reflects my mood, the season or my current skin tone has really made a difference in the look of my makeup. It looks more polished to me and my face seems to have more of a healthy glow with blush on the apples of my cheeks. This blush stick is no exception. I'd been using powder blush then applying a little sheer cream on top for a dewy finish, but the Maybelline Master Glaze Glistening Blush Stick in Pinch Pink takes care that in one step!

5. Ahhhh, my tan in a bottle. A friend recommended St. Tropez to me so I picked up the St. Tropez Gradual Tan Everyday Body Moisturiser to give my pasty self a little color. It takes a couple days to build up so verdict's still out on this one but I'm hopeful!

What new beauty find are you loving lately?

{Style File} Flying Solo & Shopping Haul

One-on-one time with my babies is a rare thing. But it's a very treasured thing. This week started off right, with a shopping trip to Target accompanied by my favorite red head! My mom came over after nap time and watched the other three kiddos while Trystan and I headed out. We perused lots of the aisles at Target after she snapped herself into the seat of the cart, and she talked and pointed out pretty things and had a perma-grin on her face the whole time! We split an iced green tea from Starbucks in between her applesauce squeeze pouch and left with a couple good finds. It was one of the best ways to spend a Monday afternoon. ;)

fabric cube drawers for trystan and logan's room,
hopefully they'll soon find a home in a new book shelf.
i hope to create a look like this one!

balloons for the quad's birthday party in may!

cute pants for the girls for $2.50 each. yes, please!

After Target, we stopped by Ross to look for some 8X10 frames for a project I'm working on in our laundry room. I didn't find anything I liked in that department, but Trystan found a cute $5 piece of wall art for her room! She pointed to it on the shelf then held it in the cart the whole time we were at the store and kept admiring it and brushing her hands over the crystals on the front. Momma can't say no to that!

the wall art trystan selected :)

a cute frame for $2.99 that'll be a nice addition to trystan and logan's room as well

clearance shoes for the girls

wall rack for the laundry room, a deal at $2.99

Over the weekend, I'd made it out on a few errands and scored a few more buys as well. After judging a synchro meet Saturday morning, Carter's was calling my name since I had a coupon and some store credit to burn. Can not believe I'm having to start buying 24 month sizes!

sweet rompers for the girls, probably for their 2 year pictures!

polka dot shorts on left from carter's, other 3 shorts were previous purchases from target

clearance overall set for harrison and a cute dinosaur shirt for $4, also 24 month sized!

found these in the back of the clearance rack for $5.99, the girls love the sequins!

how cute is this outfit for the summer!? even better since it was 60% off!

We've been working on child proofing a few more things, like the DVR buttons that the kids love to attack both in the play room and our "adult" living room. I snagged a set of electronic shields at Babies R Us and they work great! They are basically clear plastic pieces that stick onto the DVR with velcro tape so you can remove them temporarily if needed. The kids were totally confused when they kept trying to punch all the buttons without success. And Kailey tends to always dump out her snack cup in the play room, but I switched to snack catchers with screw-on tops (buy one, get one half off!) and they work perfectly. Yay for less mess!

Old Navy is next door to the Carter's I go to (as is Trader Joe's, always a plus!) and since I'd won a $100 Visa gift card from a blog giveaway, I decided to do a little shopping for myself! 

$5 henley tees, love the lightweight fabric!

this cozy peach sweater was a great find on the clearance rack for $14 and will be
perfect for cool spring days (hello white shorts!) as well as next winter with jeans and boots

loved this summery top in a cheery color, also a clearance find, $8.99!

i loved the subtle sequin sparkle on this long sleeve top, also on clearance, $10 i think

these tanks were on sale for $2 each and will be perfect for sleeping
and the headbands are cute and comfy, $5/pack

Speaking of Trader Joe's, I just had to pop in and grab some of their fresh flowers, some roasted coconut chips, organic PB cracker sandwiches for the kids and this lavender lotion. I'd never tried it before, but it really does smell like a spa and absorbs great and moisturizes well. Definitely a new favorite!

Oh, and then of course our shipment of diapers came in. Actually, this is only the amount of nighttime diapers and wipes that we use in a month. Our daytime diapers (also Luvs) comes in a whole other super sized box. I have a subscribe-and-save order on Amazon, and since I have more than five automatic S&S orders, I get 20% off! Which makes for a great diaper deal and a happier momma, since I don't have to remember to go to the store every month and lug around heavy boxes.

Great finds (and gift cards!) and all, nothing beats an afternoon of errands with my sweet T!