June Check-In

So, its been awhile since I checked in and let you guys know what's going on with me. To be honest, its the same 'ol beautiful life. It has its ups and downs but there have been far more ups than downs lately. I have let go of feeling like I need to be the same weight I was when I was 25 to be happy. Because when I was 25, I still wasn't happy with the way I looked. Now my goals are to eat healthier and exercise when I can, I'm not going to stress myself out anymore because one of the causes of weight gain can be stress.

I have also learning to meet myself half way and have started to get organized so I can have more time to blog consistently. I'm proud that I have been able to blog and schedule photo sessions. I have plans to start creating more content for you lovely people.

All in all I am learning that I am the master of my journey and I have to keep pushing because its not easy. I struggle daily to put myself first and take care of me. But, I understand its important for me to do this so I will be in the moment with my family and to show my children there is a balance.

With that being said, it hard to keep up... to balance a work and family, personal relationships, while trying to exercise, eat healthy, go on date nights, and vacations. All these things are exhausting... to the point I put things off... 

So, I say all that to say this: We only get this one life (as far as we know) so live it! Be Happy! Take responsibility for your journey so you won't have any regrets. And, if you can't navigate, seek help. Mental Health is a serious issue. One I deal with on a daily basis. The world needs you, your family and friends need you. 

I would love to know how you take care of yourself...

Scoring awesome beauty products at amazing prices

I may be the last person on earth who have never shopped in the beauty department of Marhall's. Where have I been? Today I got educated. I missed an appointment so I has some time to kill. I went to Marshalls for some Moccasins but to my dismay they didn't have any. I decided to walk around, which I rarely do, and I almost lost my mind and my pocketbook. 

I perused the shelves and saw a lot of familiar names like Elizabeth Arden, Clinique, and SK-II. And, those are just a couple. I have been trying a lot of affordable brands like Aveeno, Cetaphil, and Neutrogena but I wanted to see if there was difference in my skin using more expensive brands but I didn't want to spend the money so I have been procrastinating.

Well, procrastinating no more because I was able to get the Elizabeth Arden line for under 50 bucks. Win, right? I thought so.  I also, scored a MAC Brow Kit, Smashbox Primer, and lipstick for Kat Von D and Anastasia of Beverly Hills. I'm not a makeup gal but I would like to learn how to do my makeup. Now I don't feel bed trying all these products out because if they don't workout I didn't spent that much. 

Now, here is my disclaimer. Please don't stop shopping at Ulta, Sephora, or any place else you get your makeup and skincare products from because Marshalls may or may not care these brands regularly. I just lucked up and plan on visiting the store regularly to stock up. But if you are looking to try some products at a higher price point and Marshalls have them, why not save some of your coins.

Moral of the story is don't sleep on discount store for beauty products.

Where do you shop for your makeup and skincare?

Summer Dresses on my hit list

With summer in full swing here in Chicago, I managed to find some amazing dresses for the season. I always wear dresses in the summer because I find them to be effortless. And, I don't have to put much though into having a couple outfit to run around town in or a fun date night. I can just throw one on and go. Here are some I found for $150 and under. Let me know what you are wearing this summer.

Papa gets a New Pair of Shoes for Father's Day

Hello Procastinators! I welcome you to join me on the hunt for meaningful finds for our male loved ones...lol. Yes, I'm always late and this gift day is no different. I did plan a fun outing for the day, but finding a gift to give my husband can sometimes be tricky. He loves shoes, I mean loves shoes, so in ode' to my love, I have gathered together a list of cool sneakers he may or may not receive on Father's Day.

places to find these cool sneaks: finish line, flightclub, vans, nike

5 mobile apps I can't live without

I have been trying to stream line my life and use technology to make things easier so I can disconnect from social media and spend more time with my family. For the past month, I have been trying out different apps to assist me with this task, here is what I found so far:

1. The Waze- Similar to your Google Maps and Apple Maps. The Wave is cool because it gives you more information about traffic and lets me play my Spotify app. So, I'm killing two birds with one stone. If you live in Chicago this App is bomb because it alerts you to red light cameras, speeding cameras, and police. It even lets you know if there is an accident or someone stranded on the side of the road.

2. Planoly- This is a must if you like to update you instagram regularly. It lets me plan my photos in advance with my captions so I can disconnect because I'm addicted to social media and there are so many productive things I could be doing. 

3. HoursTracker- I was finding it hard to keep track of what I was doing throughout the day. This app has saved me a couple times because mama needs all her coins and it gave me the information I needed to get paid correctly. You can use the app for 21 days for free but after that there is a one-time $5.99 charge.

4. Spot Hero- Living in the city, this app has saved me. Its finds reasonable priced parking downtown. That is all.

5. Nike Training/MapMyRun- I know these are two apps but I think they are both awesome and they are health related, why not combine them. I use the Nike Training app when I am at home and can't get to the gym. But I love the MapMyRun and you can use it for more than just running. You can use it for biking, treadmill, sprints, etc...

Its a learning process but these apps have really helped me in my everyday life... especially to avoid tickets...lol

Decor Items Under $30 to Refresh your Home for Spring/Summer

with spring in full effect, its nice to refresh your home just like you refresh your closet. Since we have been in our home, I have never finished decorating a room. So, after a tiling debacle and the help of my friend Shawna Smith, I decided to refresh my kitchen with some unexpected ideas. 

Below is a mock up of what Shawna came up with. Check out my instagram stories, I will be showing sneak peaks and updates. With all that being said, since we decided to refresh the kitchen its the perfect time, to change my curtains, add some decor pieces, and change up my art work. Here are some ideas that I recently added to my home with the help of TJ Maxx and Marshalls.