I can't believe Summer is already here! I don't know if it's because LA winter lasted so long this year or because our family was hit so hard with cold & flu season, but I feel like the weather skipped Spring completely and jumped right into shorts weather! That means it's high time to stock up on some of my favorite skincare go-to's and a couple key beauty refreshers to prep myself for the impending barbecues and beach trips.

I was seriously stoked when Walmart's beauty team asked me to partner and pick out some of my favorites to share with you guys because I definitely needed a little treat-myself time and I've been obsessed with finding the perfect quick routine lately that works with my mom life. I mean, I adore my babies but I don't want to look like my hair is dead and crunchy or that I'm adding extra sun spots to my face. ;) Walmart also has free 2-day shipping on most orders of $35+ so it's extremely convenient when you can't run to the store, not that I've ever been that busy in my life, cough, cough baby's asleep on me again, cough. Free returns on those orders too if you don't like something!



Speaking of sun spots, I'll start off with one product I am SO eager to test out. I've heard for ages about the Elta MD Skincare UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 and how it's especially good for those with acne-prone skin. A little research revealed that a key ingredient in it is niacinamide which has worked really well for my skin in the past at increasing clarity and brightening and is cool to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Woohoo! It's oil-free and fragrance-free so it will integrate with my current skincare quite nicely. Know what else is oil-free and rocking niacinamide? CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion! I recently ran out of my nighttime face moisturizer so it will be nice to have that niacinamide boost day and night without using a separate serum.



With bare arms and jean skirts, it's very important to remember to moisturize right out of the shower when your skin is still damp for maximum hydration so I grabbed Eucerin Advanced Repair Lotion. It's a great basic that is fragrance-free and non-greasy. I feel like I became so boring after my high school and college days of perfume-laden body butters but I really appreciate only having scents I choose, only where I want to apply them, especially since my kids come in contact with my skin so often. Is it just me?



Also out of the shower I like to use a hair protectant to soften and protect my colored hair. It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product works great to make my hair look its best but also works as a heat protectant before using the blowdrier or curling iron, or just running around outside in the sun.


For days when I skip the makeup I really adore using Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water to clean my skin which is something I've been using for years. It never breaks me out or leaves a sticky residue and you can use it during the day after working out or going to the beach.


The makeup-oriented products that everyone should have in their collection for daily use are Smashbox Photofinish Primer (Which, again, I've been using for years and my mom always manages to take my backups because it's a holy grail for her too!) and the original Beauty Blender sponge. Obviously the primer blurs skin imperfections and helps foundation last longer and the Beauty Blender is actually so great for getting that super natural, healthy-looking skin because when you wet it first, it uses less foundation but gets the most even coverage out of every foundation application technique I've tried.


Finally, there is nothing like a gorgeous pastel polish to really make me feel like I'm ready to rock some cute espadrilles and OPI Suzi Without A Paddle is the palest baby blue that I'm completely in love with. I've been obsessing over OPI's Infinite Shine formula since it lasts longer than most polish lines on me, so I've been hoarding a small collection of my most-worn shades.


That's it for my Summer beauty picks. What are you guys using to prep your beauty shelf for the summer?

Disclaimer: Thank you to Walmart for sponsoring this post

It's finally AUTUMN and you know what that means! Cozy sweaters. Hot chocolate. A husband who stops complaining about being overheated (I have a sneaking suspicion that guys were intentionally made warm to balance out our naturally freezing toes. Maybe it's just me. ;)


And of course, maybe my favorite part of all is Halloween. I've always loved any good excuse to dress up and now that we have two little kiddos added to the mix I want my dream of coordinating family Pokémon costumes to become a reality. Dad will be Ash Ketchum, I'll be his #1 BFF Pikachu, Aria is Misty, and baby Ezra can be a swaddled-up Togepi which was Misty's egg-like buddy.


Since I love the idea of getting items that will work beyond just the one holiday costume, I've tried to be pretty intentional with getting a lot of value out of my purchases not only by picking out items that can be re-worn as everyday clothes, but also by taking advantage of the 5% cash back quarterly bonus categories from my Chase Freedom card. (Woohoo! Perfect timing! Just activate this quarter’s bonus categories, which includes department stores and wholesale stores before December 15th to take advantage of the earnings and it's good to go.) If you aren't already a Chase Freedom card member you can check it out here.


Because we used to live in the midwest with its gorgeous warm-toned foliage, I love incorporating that into our decor as a reminder of our hometown even though we don't quiiiiite get the same weather patterns here in Southern California. Right now Nordstrom Rack has the CUTEST fall décor. I couldn’t resist picking up a few new fall pieces to get our home ready for the holiday.


Getting Aria's costume was pretty easy since she already had the tank and shorts, so the best part were these red Converse sneakers from Nordstrom which she's already obsessed with. Ben's favorite t-shirts happen to be the 100% cotton Lacoste tees, so I picked up a blue one also from my beloved Nordies to pair with jeans for his everyday-Ash outfit as well. Comfy, easy, and able to be worn well after Halloween.


What do you guys think? Are you into couples/family coordinating outfits? What are you planning on doing for Halloween this year? Let me know in the comments!

Huge thank you to Chase Freedom for partnering on this post!

Disclosure: Post sponsored by RB

These last two years have been an incredible whirlwind of new experiences and emotions,
becoming new parents and now being pregnant with our second. Even today, we noticed
that Aria was eating like a hungry hungry hippo, which means she's likely on the cusp of
another growth spurt, and I'm sure I'm not the only one out there who is simultaneously
astounded and overjoyed at just how much they grow, not just physically, but mentally in
these short bursts of insanity! (Even the best-behaved children act like banshees during
growth spurts, am I right?!) Today I'm partnering with RB to share a bit of Aria's growth
journey and plans for baby 2, along with some information about a new innovation that
contributes to cognitive development!

Those who follow me on Instagram may already know this but I mentioned in a recent post about how it’s honestly difficult for me to set aside time for treating myself, especially now that I have a baby. There will always be a million excuses in my head for all the tasks that need to be completed which is only compounded by the fact that I work full-time from home while also taking care of Aria full-time as well. Yes, I do plan on eventually getting childcare help but for now I’m just trying to embrace this relatively short time to have her closer and save a bit of money! Unfortunately, that also takes up large swaths of my free time which is usually spent scrubbing bottles or folding seemingly endless piles of laundry. That’s why I, and my ever-amazing partners Aveeno, have realized that it’s more important to put my “me time” as a priority in my schedule since otherwise it will inevitably just never happen. Any other ladies out there feel the same way? Can I get an amen over here?


Basically, my tactic is to either full-on leave the house for appointments like a spa treatment or massage once in a while (which you definitely deserve, let this not even be a question) OR do what is much more realistic for fitting into my hectic daily schedule which is to be 10x more efficient at things I do throughout the day so that I can spare a bit of time to myself each evening.

That’s why I wanted to share a few time-saving hacks that I’ve found makes a busy life run a little smoother by the end of the day.


You may have noticed a couple of my favorite pampering steps were taking advantage of the Aveeno Positively Radiant line like the 60 Second In-Shower Facial which works with the steam of your shower to kick your regular exfoliation up a notch. Ben (aka Mr. Toe as he has been affectionately dubbed by some followers) who typically loathes any complicated skincare routine even gives this one a thumbs up.


The Aveeno Positively Radiant Overnight Hydrating Facial is another one that, dare I say, harkens to sleep masks in the Korean skincare routines I was raised with. I apply this before bedtime and wake up with hydrated, radiant skin. It’s that hyaluronic acid, baby. It does wonders with very little extra effort by me.


The further along I’ve gotten in this whole parenting thing, the more strongly I’ve realized that women who take care of themselves set an important example for their children, which in the long run will mean so much more than if all the dishes didn’t get cleaned before bedtime for a night. Don’t forget to build yourself back up first so that you can take care of everyone else better!