Simpler skincare: 3 steps!


As we all know, I am a self proclaimed beauty junkie. And I'm a sucker for great marketing and packaging. But oddly enough, I'm not really missing the beautiful bottles and jars atop my nightstand these days.
  I talk about my first three weeks on the prescription cream, tretinoin. Also known as Retin A. This cream is a tried and true anti aging holy grail! Originally meant for acne, the side effects provide smooth, supple, newer skin. I am loving the effects so far. 
  My eye cream is a soothing, emollient balm that provides just enough moisture. 
  And the new Nivea lip butters are amazing!! I wake up with the feeling of the balm still on my lips! 
   Though the routine of all the pretty products was fun and super girly, I must say my three step regime is providing excellent results! 
 Check out my YouTube video for more details:-) 

All about the Boba: A Review

   
     So I have had a few weeks to really get to know the ins and outs of the Boba Carrier 3g. I initially thought it would liken itself to the the typical, more common baby carriers such as the Baby Bjorn. Though controversial, the Baby Bjorn has quickly made itself synonymous with baby carriers all over the world. I have a feeling that may be about to change.


                                                                    Photo credit: boba.com

     What makes the Boba Carrier waaaaaay different is it's....well.... ummmm...everything i guess!
 
     The Boba Carrier is a baby carrier with the safety and comfort of the baby in mind. There are two different ways to wear your child: in the front, or in the back. What's great is that the Boba has the capacity to hold a child up to 45lbs! My kids pushing 24 and I have had no problems holding her in both positions for extended periods of time, ie: the Zoo.  Boba created an ergo dynamic carrier that protects the baby's hips. Ever hear the term "crotch dangler"? Yeah? Well don't worry; this isn't one of those.

     Unlike the traditional carriers that may have only supported the baby at the...ahem.. crotch, the Boba has a more "seated" position for the babies. In turn, you end up more so "wrapping" your baby around you during the ride. Awesome.
 
     This product is just amazing. I've had previous carriers where the straps dug into my scrawny shoulder blades during  walks. This when she was only two months!  During our few visits to the San Diego Zoo (ummm season passes anyone?), I used the Boba most of the day, and Stella loved having the full view of everything, while also having the closeness with her mama.  I haven't been able to use the hood yet, being that my kid only sleeps in her crib regardless of how tired she gets.


 
     Putting the Boba on, can sometimes be a test of both flexibility and patience. I found this to be the only potential downside to putting Stella on my back in the Boba. I found that while I'm in the learning phase, it's best to have a Handy Helper (did you catch the Mickey's Clubhouse reference? hahaha!) to assist you. Placing your baby in the Boba takes a bit of practice. But don't worry, Boba's website provides friendly how-to videos to assist in getting comfortable with the motions.
 
     The high back on the carrier is what makes me feel so secure while carrying a bigger baby. Stella is tall. I mean, really tall. 100th percentile tall. And the carrier was able to hold her to me snugly. The extra features are amazing, and really puts Boba ahead of the pack as far as convenience and consumer needs go.

      Most everything is adjustable for comfort on the Boba Carrier, and it can accommodate both infants and older children. Price for the 3G is from $120 to $125. Overall, we are thrilled to add the Boba Carrier to our family's "arsenal" of Baby Gear haha!



     Check out the Boba website for more details!





Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for review. All opinions are my own. I was in now way monetarily compensrated for my review. 

Quiet on Set...

I'm blogging from the comforts of my makeup chair in a beautiful classic hotel in San Diego. Such an early morning and though I thought I could enjoy my Monster Energy drink and my Justin Timberlake album on the drive, I could not due to the overwhelming smell of said energy drink. Yuck man!
I'm shooting for HP (Hewlett Packard). It's an ad for a new smartphone based app. Prob shouldn't go into details... On the details until I get the the go ahead. But it's pretty freakin cool!
Whenever I jump into hair and makeup, I always talk the artist's ear off. What's your favorite brand? How long have you done this? Blah blah blah. I get the feeling sometimes they just want me to shut my trap and let them work.
On a shoot like today, my scenes are minimal, yet I have the same call times as the rest of the talent. This translates to :hurry up and wait.
That's no problem for me though. I get paid the same, and I come armed with my heavy artillery of Samsung tablet, earphones, a mophie iPhone case, and my iPhone. I find a quiet spot to stay out of the way, and watch episode after episode of "Greys Anatomy". Not a bad gig, not a bad gig at all.








OP I'm in love

Guys it was my birthday! Ummm. Three months ago haha! But you gotta love good friends who no matter what schedule conflicts stand between you, they find a way to celebrate your belated birthday.
I just so happen to have a friend like that. She gifted me with a oh too cute top that will hopefully (undergarments permitting) make its debut on Wednesday. She also gave me this beautiful OPI polish called My Vampire Is Buff. A creamy, opaque, grey-brown-white (wth?).
I slapped it on during my Dancing With The Stars 2hour vegg fest. And after only two coats, got the look I was hoping for! Not too stark, but still in line with the creamy opaque trend you'll see repeating itself on every Pinterest page.
I forgot how nicely OPI applies to the nail. The brush rules! Definitely happy to have this color in my nail stash!


And so it begins...

With the wedding of my best friend all done as of this weekend, I can finally begin to focus on my upcoming nuptials. This has proven to be quite the process due to a few things: we have a baybay, AND we plan to have our wedding out of the country.
I know. I'm a glutton for the punishment. But it really makes sense actually. I have a fairly small ( almost non existent) family thread, and dear fiancé has a pretty tight yet small core family.
We plan to have the wedding April of next year in Punta Cana Domincan Republic. Contracts need signing NOW, dresses need fitting NOW, and invitations need to go out....yesterday.
Our biggest hurdle is trying to make sure those we invite can even afford to go. Who can have a wedding with no guests?!!! With a years notice, we are hoping that's sufficient time for friends and family to plan accordingly. I'll throw some wedding stuff on here and hopefully you all can help me out along the way.
Off to sign my life away......

Ps: does anyone else think getting your marriage license was super weird? The whole oath thing really threw me off. After we said it, I leaned in and asked, "Did we just accidentally get married"?





Oh Boba!

Wahoo! Can't wait to take this bad boy for a "spin" and see how it stands up to the Baby Bjorn and Ergo Baby! Boba Carrier was a Top Pick Overall. Super excited to do a review soon!

This Bag is LOVE

     I got a new diaper bag! Well, actually, it's the "doesn't look like a diaper bag" diaper bag. This bag is everything guys! 
     I spent so much time researching different brands of diaper bag companies and perusing Amazon's reviews on different bags. In the past 11 months I was able to decide what features I really wanted in my next bag. The Louis was just about the perfect size I was looking for, as I am happy to call my self the type of mom who packs "heavy". 
   The problem with Louis was that it had no zippers and no pockets, so everything was constantly moving and hard to find. Also, the straps weren't long enough, so I was never able to hoist it onto my shoulder while holding the baby in the other arm. 
   I needed zippers, pockets, longer straps, and STYLE! I want to say that I am not a fan of Petunia Pickle- whatever the rest is.... The cutesy design just does nothing for me. Nor do I want to punctuate that cuteness by wearing said cuteness...as a backpack. Some may enjoy the pattern and convenience, so to each his own! But me? Gracias pero no.
     I wanted a bag that basically looked like every purse Ive ever carried. I began to zero in on Timi and Leslie, a brand specializing in trendy yet functional diaper bags. I scrutinized Amazon and read all the reviews on the bags I liked the most: The Charlie, and Dawn. Reviews were mixed, to my dismay. I wanted a bag that was clearly a winner, not just a marginal runner up. I decided to purchase The Charlie after a few days of debate. 
 the front


 the back

   I finally went to Buy Buy Baby and looked at it in person. Wow! This bag is big! But not obnoxious. I imagined any bag I wanted should have some size to it if i want it to fit all my essentials.What's great about the Timi and Leslie line is that each bag comes with an accessory bundle that includes a zipper "mess" pouch, an insulated bottle holder, a changing pad, purse straps, a cross body strap, and a beautiful matching pouchette.  I chose a tan color, and went home to price shop. 
   I'm a coupon junkie guys. I don't make purchases from Buy Buy Baby unless I have a coupon to use. Mainly because though I love me some Buy Buy Baby, I find their prices to be around 20% higher than other competitors. Which leads me to believe this is why they happily accepts competitors coupons and allow the stacking of coupons. They know this will drive in new business, and they will STILL make a profit despite the abundant use of coupons. 
   The retail of this bag is 159.99. I saw some on Ebay for upwards of 190.00. Pass. I toggled with independent retailers, but worried I would have no warranty protection if something happened to my bag early  (a common occurrence with reviewers on amazon. Stay tuned for pictures to see why. I like to call it user-error). And Amazon pricing was just as common, but I didn't want to wait for my beloved to come in the mail when I could easily go pick it up at the store. 
   With that, I headed back to Buy Buy baby and used a 20% off coupon. I saved 32 bucks walked out with my first choice. 
   I will do a detailed review later, but for now I'll post some pics of Charlie upon "unboxing" and while packin it up! 



 all the accessories

 the abyss aka the inside of the bag

 more inside of bag

 do you get it? do you get it?


 1 of 6 elastic pockets. Yes!

 a clear warning. Apparently this was a common warranty issue with consumers. Placing straps in places that weren't reinforced /meant to be used as a strap hook. Therefore the bags were ripping. Cue bad reviews. Not Timi and Leslie's fault I say. 

all packed up!


It's All in the Details....

     After I posted my "What's in my Diaper Bag?" video, many of you wanted me to break down what I talked  about item by item. Well I'm glad to! Plus I'm coming off of a nice buzz from a bargain basement "jug" o' Pinot Gringio, and I need something to focus on.......





In no particular order:


     Diapers- I am not super picky. I typically will use whichever brand my in-laws pick up for us on their trips to Costco. We go between Huggies and Kirkland.

   
     Wipes- No room for the whole pack, so I place a stack in this cheapy/plasticy,barely stays closed case. Gets the job done. Yet every time I leave the house I secretly think today will be the day that I run out of said wipes.

     Burp rags- Mine's a drooler. And a spitter. She dribbles everywhere. We always have a few in the bag to soak up the messes.


     Hand Sanitizer- If you've ever used the public restrooms with the sketch ball changing station, you'll agree with me that this is a NECESSITY! Every knob, hook, latch, button, gets the wipe down. Then so do my hands. Then my child.


     Changing Pad- Refer to above thoughts....


     Spare outfit- Honestly Stella hasn't needed a outfit change midday in quite some time. I change her frequently so we didn't have leakage. This was more for when she was newborn, and blowouts were the norm.  However, my anxiety and OCD tendencies won't allow me to NOT carry this in my bag. *I suck at change*


     Table Toppers- Great for restauraunts. Sticks onto the table top and becomes a safe, sanitary place mat for baby. Some may be happy with a quick n dirty baby wipe wipe down.


     Diaper Cream- Good stuff. No joke.


     Snacks- The bigger they get, the more you may need. I stay stocked with Puffy Air Organic thingies and Meltable Yogurt Unchokeable bites.





     Bottles and Bottled water- A neccessray evil if you want to feed your hungry child. However if you nurse your baby, you are both lucky and.....lucky. Not needing these items will lighten your load significantly. I was not so fortunate and so I am packing the heat.

    Lastly- Sanitary nipple wipes. Stella loves to throw everything! When she does, and it lands on the ground, I am armed with these bad boys and can wipe off the surface so it can become baby friendly again.


    I'm hoping to find a way to lighten the load I carry everyday. Until that day comes, I am on the prowl for the perfect "No this isn't a diaper bag"...... diaper bag. Thank you all so far for your suggestions! 


What diaper bag are you carrying?


What's In My Diaper Bag???

   
     New video is up on Youtube! Who doesn't love a diaper bag video huh?!!!





What's inside your baby bag?

The Battle Between Haute and Snaute

     I have wanted to embark on a Mommy Blog journey for quite some time now. We all know by now that my true love prior to having "un bebe" was....makeup. Of course, that all changes once the kid arrives. But it is my goal, nay, my lot in life, to NOT lose who I am in the mix. 
     
     I see many women who just forget to maintain a part of who they were BEFORE baby. To be honest, it scared the crap out of me. But I am happy (and relieved), to report that I think I have found the happy medium between Juicy sweats and spit up laden V neck Hanes T shirts, and Louis Vuitton  Neverfulls and mid-calf chocolate leather riding boots for Fall. 
   
    I hope you all will enjoy following our lives and perhaps even learn a thing or two from my "cautionary tales" haha! I will try to navigate between being a mommy and being a 21st century woman. 

     Now, back to "Happy Feet 2". 



     This is my life.....as I now know it......