Winter Outfit Love

So, with the change in season comes a change in wardrobe. There are a few things that hold true though:

1. I love flowy tops
2. I love layers
3. I love comfortable things

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'Tis the Season!

To be completely honest, I am one of those crazy people that still holds on to the idea that Christmas comes after Thanksgiving. Ridiculous, I know. I am just a traditionalist that believes you can't put up the tree until you eat the turkey. Momma raised me that way. Anyway, once the turkey is gone, it is Christmas all over the place. I love it, Christmas all the time, through Christmas Day. That being said, I am really excited for a few things that come along with the Christmas season. All of which are listed in a cute little list below.

10 Things I am excited for this December:

1. Christmas Tree Lighting
Last year we attempted to go to the Christmas Tree Lighting after making Christmas cookies. Needless to say, we didn't make it. Not that I was going to complain too much, I was super pregnant. This year though, as long as the weather is decent I am so ready to go and see the lighting downtown and let Little Man stare in awe.

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Why is choosing Christmas pajamas so hard?

Some of the links may be affiliate links. 

Now that we are parents, I've decided we need to add a pajama tradition to our new ornament each year tradition. That being said, I can't choose! I have decided to buy them from Target, because well it is Target. 

Sidenote, as I walked out of Target Sunday my husband so nicely pointed out that every lady that walks out of Target is either dressed up like I was or in the perfect workout outfit. Y'all the stereotype lives on. #targetmom

We are choosing between the ones above, hopefully they don't sell out before we get there again!

So, what are you thinking?
1.) Bear Family

2.) Red Stripes
3.) Grinch Onesie
4.) Buffalo Plaid

I legitimately can't choose. Help!!!

What traditions do you have for your kids? I love being a parent.

Cheers loves!

Follow along with my daily life by following me on Snapchat (katianne1519),  Instagram and Twitter

and keep up with my blog by following me on Bloglovin' and liking my page on Facebook!

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When you love something, love it hard.

I have shared my love for Valentia products over and over again. Why? Because I legitimately love them. 

Recently the lovely people at Valentia (http://valentia.com) sent me this Pure Glow Brightening Moisturizer to test out. Good heavens, I am so glad they did. There hasn't been a day gone by that I haven't worn this moisturizer. I also added it to my makeup kit for weddings lately and have had so many questions on where you can buy it (here or here).

I was sent this product c/o BrandBacker and Valentia for review, but all thoughts and opinions are 100% mine. I would never lie to you, that is dumb.

It is lightweight, not greasy, and extremely hydrating. I pair it up with some of my other Valentia products and my newest Estee Edit products every single morning. Never in the last 5 years have I had so many makeup free days. 

Beyond the actual benefits I have felt and seen, the people over at Valentia are doing things right and creating a good for you product to begin with. Their skin care products are natural, free of toxins and paraben-free, because natural ingredients with an organic base have proven most effective at repairing skin damaged by sun or wind, preventing signs of aging such as wrinkles, dark spots, and reversing the effects of oxidative stress on the skin.

This moisturizer is made with:

• Botanical Hyaluronic Acid
• Kojic Acid
• Ginseng
• Safflower Oil
• Shea Butter

Yup all good things. Plain and simple, I love it. 

Want more Valentia in your life? Check them out on Instagram here and Facebook here.

Cheers loves!

Follow along with my daily life by following me on Snapchat (katianne1519),  Instagram and Twitter

and keep up with my blog by following me on Bloglovin' and liking my page on Facebook!

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Where have you been?

Shirt and Vest - Anna's Style Boutique
Use code KATI at checkout for 10% off! 

Yea, I bet you are wondering that (or maybe not). 

Truth is I have been just living life. There have been some big changes and some things that stayed the same, but life has been moving. No rest for the weary. I will say I missed this space though. Just somewhere to write and share with whoever cares to listen. 

Well, if you are listening, I am about to drop a much needed life update on you. 

About Nate lately.

Nate got a new job. He is out and about doing sales and is as happy as can be doing it. 

About Leighton lately.

He is about to be 1! What!? I swear that year went by way too fast. He is learning so much, running all over the place and talking up a storm (in his own language). Follow me on Instagram for updates on this little guy.

About Remington lately.

This dog is living the life. Leighton is now his best friend and I am so glad they have each other to play with. He is so loved by all of us. 

And about me lately.

So I am no longer working from home. I am now part of the daily Indy commuter club (is that a real club?). It is actually really nice to get up and out of the house, put on something other than pajamas and interact with other adults. My job is tons of fun (still in Marketing) and I really enjoy it. 

Other fun updates.

So as of now, we are still in our house that we moved into last year. We are trying to sell it though because we have this adorable 1852 bungalow downtown that we are dying to move in to. Legitimately all we have to do is sell our house,  which is easier said than done. That being said, if any of you are looking for a house in the Indianapolis area hit me up!

So that is life. New jobs, new schedules, trying to move yet again, and trying to raise a little gentleman in this crazy, crazy world. 

Anyway, I will be back. Like I said, I have missed this place. There are so many things I want to do and this helps to keep me moving toward those things. 

Cheers loves!

Follow along with my daily life by following me on Snapchat (katianne1519),  Instagram and Twitter

and keep up with my blog by following me on Bloglovin' and liking my page on Facebook!

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Me Time

Everyone needs a little "me time" every now and then. For me, it takes a little more scheduling and sometimes multi-tasking. Take for instance this very moment (yup as I am writing this post). I am also taking some "me time" and pampering my skin with a GlamGlow mask. Really I just try and make sure that at some point in the day I put myself first. You can't pour from an empty glass.

Sometimes I get lucky and have more than 15 minutes to pamper myself, and when that happens here are some of the things I treat myself to.

I have received some of these items from companies for testing purposes, they are marked with c/o after them. Although I received these products free, these are my honest opinions. I wouldn't say I liked something if I didn't, and I certainly don't mess around about skincare.

A Bubble Bath

Nothing beats it. Grab a glass of wine, pick out a relaxing playlist, and drop a bath bomb into the tub. Yes please. Sometimes I get brave and even read a book (honestly most times I am too scared I am going to drop it though).

A Mask

Like I mentioned before, I try and do a mask throughout the week as I am doing something else. Sometimes though I do a hair mask and a face mask at the same time (bonus points if manage to wear both masks while I am soaking in the tub). I love coconut oil for my hair. It washes out nice and really makes my hair and scalp feel moisturized. 

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Powered by Protein

I have really been trying to up my protein intake, but I just never seem to get enough. Enter the smoothie. Yup, plain and simple a berry smoothie with an extra punch of protein. It is a simple way to add an additional source of protein into my diet and smoothies have always been a favorite of mine. Adding this extra kick with the vanilla protein from Pure Goodness just made it even better. It took some trial and error to get my perfect mix but here it is!

I received this protein powder from Pure Goodness for testing purposes, but as always all thoughts and opinions are my own. I would never tell you guys I liked something if I didn't.

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Give Me All the Coffee

Anyone else? Lately it really does seem like it would be more efficient to have a coffee iv running at all times. I make at least one pot in the morning and a large cup in the afternoon. I would drink more too if my Kurig made larger amounts. The struggle guys.

Onward with this weekend's recap.

[Friday]

Friday night was a girls' night/guys' night kind of thing. Nate, Leighton and one of our good friends all stayed at our house and watched basketball. I headed out for some girl time and pizza at Greek's. I am always down for pizza and beer, and it really hit the spot.

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Twenty-Five Wishes

25 candles means 25 wishes right? I'd like to think so. Here is everything that I "wished" for on my birthday (a healthy mix of blog, personal and home wishes). It is obviously a couple of weeks after, but these things are all so pretty I couldn't not share...it would be a pretty good mother's day list too.

1 | Black leather jacket

I have been wanting a black leather jacket (fitted) for so long now. It is classically bad ass and I want it.

2 | Black Nikes

Currently I have a pair, but they have a hole in them so I have to wear black socks. Not a huge deal, but I would like a new pair anyway.

3 | Silver Watch

I had one from college, but the face of it got broken during our move. Plus this Kate Spade one is just so classic.

4 | Trench

Again, classic. I am really trying to step up my adult wardrobe and this is just another piece that I really think is needed.

5 | Live Lokai Bracelet

I have seen these everywhere and just think they are cool. It's jewelry you can wear with running shorts without looking ridiculous.

6 | Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black Perfume

OBSESSED with this scent. It is so manly without being like "girl is wearing cologne" ya know?

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Creating the Future

You get it Abraham. The guy knew what he was talking about, you know. I hope you all tackled your Monday and are on your way to achieving the future you create for yourself!

Last week was rough, Nate was gone for training for his new job and I was here with the baby. Seriously, kudos to all the single parents out there. I did it for 3 and a half days and was exhausted. Being a parent is hard sometimes, but you are the definition of superhero.

On to this weekend though.

[Friday]

So, Wednesday I was running and hit a bump with the stroller, which threw my phone out and shattered the screen. By Friday Nate agreed to get new phones so I could stop getting glass in my finger... We headed to the mall and ended up with two new LG G5s. We both love them so far.

That evening we had dinner at Scotty's, which was delicious as always. My beer wasn't my best choice though.

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With Sprinkles on Top

Or around the edges. Whatever it takes to put a little extra sparkle on your day. Nate gave me a hard time about wanting sparkles or something when we went to the store to buy the ingredients for these cookies. Yeah, I don't have to be a 5 year old to get sparkly things okay? It is my birthday, I'll add sprinkles and sparkle until I'm gone.

Anyway, thankfully I got a nice little coupon for a tub of Country Crock in the mail from Influenster to test out a new, simpler buttery spread that was made up of things I can actually pronounce. There are no artificial preservatives, no artificial flavors and 0 grams of trans fat per serving. 

So yup, the butter used in these cookies was free but I was going to make cookies anyway. Plus the butter tasted good, smelled like butter and worked for baking. Winning. Let's get on with the cookies shall we?

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Learn from Rafiki

As I inch within hours of my 25th birthday, I figured it was best to share wisdom that can only come from the best...Rafiki. You can't help but think about the past sometimes, but instead of letting it bum you out or keep you from trying new things you have to learn from it and grow. Thank you Rafiki.

Now on to the weekend.

[Friday]

Like most Friday nights, we were pretty relaxed. A movie and some couch relaxing. You know, the standard. I had planned on painting my nails but that didn't happen. What did happen is my lovely bestie since high school came down and joined us for some deep dish pepperoni pizza. "My Girl" was the movie of choice, and I loved it just like I used to.

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Punch It

It was a crazy week and a productive weekend. This will make for a pretty good Monday morning, I just know it. Besides, I have every intention of waking up, grabbing some coffee and tackling the day head on. Time to punch Monday in the face and do work! Before we get going though, here is a quick recap of the weekend's accomplishments and my goals for the week ahead.

Oh, and did you notice the change? I finally got my domain all set up. Yay! I love it, that alone helps to get me out of my funk. Okay, on to the recap.

[Friday]

After work we spent the evening just hanging out as a family. I made dinner (my favorite simply/healthy pasta) and then Nate ran out and got us Blizzards after. It is all about balance people. Leighton fell asleep decently early and surprised us by sleeping all night long. Win!

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Through My Partner's Eyes

Hey All,

I have decided to write a post for/to my wife. This is pretty new to me, though KatiAnne has been doing this now for a while. In this blog Kati, goes through and recaps her life, shows off her talents with makeup and hair styling (though she is equally as beautiful without them) and recently has been showing off our beautiful son (he gets it from her). 

What I have also noticed is she has been very hard on herself on the topic of being ‘Super Mom’, and falling short of her expectations. Well, she has been very honest and real with all of you ‘in her 

opinions’, but now its time that she and the rest of her followers hear the truth through My Eyes.

When I see Kati, I do not see a super mom, I see a super woman. Word of advice to you mothers and  wives, your husbands are not looking for a super mom, they are looking for you to be the women they married and the one they fell in love with. You do this by loving your child and loving them. 

 

That is something Kati has never fallen short of. She loves, and that is what a husband is looking for. 

Trying to accomplish a thousand different things will only drive you crazy and cause you to accomplish less than if you were to focus on just a couple things. This is why Kati is so hard on herself. She has set so many goals and does not realize what she has achieved because she only sees a never ending list. 

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Recognizing the Rut

So before we get into the real meat of what I want to talk about, let's quickly recap the weekend. 

[Friday]

My Dad hit the big 5-0 on Friday and he and my littlest brother spend the day up here watching the little guy. Then we all drove down to Southern Indiana for the weekend. Friday night was much too late as we stayed up to watch our Hoosiers. Unfortunately it didn't work out, but that happens.

[Saturday]

Leighton doesn't change his schedule because Mom and Dad stayed up watching a basketball game, so we were up nice and early. We didn't do much all day, but it was nice to relax with family. Plus we ended the day with a campfire, hot dogs and an Amish County sunset.

[Sunday]

Church came quickly Sunday morning and Leighton was not his normal sleepy self through it. Plus we had a really close call with an almost blow-out. He looked darn cute though. We had a delicious meal as normal at my Nanna's and Leighton got a whole bunch of love throughout the day. Eventually we packed up and made the drive home. Again, Leighton was not his normal sleepy self and the right was not quite pleasant. When we got home we just settled back into our lives and tried to get our schedule back on track...

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Four the Love of Friday | March 4

[source]

So there are tons of different versions of Friday Favorites posts out there. I wanted to try something new here though and you just tell me what you think. Instead of five things, I am playing with words still with Four the Love of Friday. You get 4 things in 4 categories now. So many good things to make you smile on your Friday.

1) Four Thirsty Skin

Winter is killing me. All the up and down of temperatures associated with Mid West living are just not fun. Anyway, here are four products I am loving to try and combat it all.

DERMA E HYALURONIC ACID NIGHT CREME

Heavy moisture without the greasy feeling that follows. I love this night creme for nights when my skin just really needs a boost.

SMASHBOX 'PHOTO FINISH' PRIMER WATER

Normally I am drenching my face in this primer to keep oil at bay, but now I am bathing my face with the Smashbox Primer Water instead. It puts moisture back into my skin and helps prep my face for foundation. Not sure what the magic is behind it, but it works for me. No one wants cracked foundation face due to dry skin.

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Hello, March

I can't remember exactly where we were in Ireland when I took this, but I want to go back.

We have moved on one more month into this new year (enter cheesy I can't believe it comment here). Really though, I can't believe it. My baby will be three months old soon. That in itself seems crazy. Anyway, here is a look into our life currently.

[wishing]

I could go back to Ireland. Actually, I think this has been a wish every March since I have gone. Not because I went in March (I went in January), but because March means St. Patrick's Day which means Ireland.

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In Search of Hydrated Skin

I don't know about you but winter kills my skin. Normally my skin is oily/combination so for my skin to just be completely dry all over is saying something. Because winter is doing a great job at drying me out, I had been on a huge hunt for hydrating products as of late.Enter my guardian angel - Valentia. 

I have mentioned Valentia products before, and currently am using their Vitamin C serum at night for an extra boost (trying to fade some discoloration - vitamin c wins). Anyway, it was like they heard my cries for help because they sent me their True Glow Eye Cream and Ultra Plumping Hydration Mask to try out. (Enter heavenly angel voices here).

Let me explain why I have so much love for this stuff. I woke up one morning this week and felt like my skin was about to rip. I looked in the mirror and the skin around my eyes was the most crepe like I have ever seen it. I used both of these that day and I legitimately felt a difference instantly. I haven't been using them long enough to see if the long term effects hold true, but the immediate ones were enough to help my skin out when I needed it. Here is a little more about both products:

[Packaging]

I can't  start this review without talking about the packaging first. Valentia really does a great job with their branding/packaging in my opinion. I love, love, love white, gold and negative space and that is exactly what their packaging it. Really, it just looks fancy to me and that always makes a girl feel good.

The bottle and tub that the actual products come in are good as well. I like the bottle for the eye cream more and feel like it still gives off the fancy/expensive vibe. The jar that the mask comes in though just feels a little more cheap in my opinion. The label still shows that clean and simple look that I love about the brand, but I almost wish the jar was the same brown glass that the eye cream bottle is made out of. (I'm sure it would raise the price though so the plastic really isn't that bad)

Enough about the packaging, let's get on to the more important stuff.

TRUE GLOW EYE CREAM

[Cost]

Normally $54.99, but you can get it on Amazon for $25.00!

[Claims]

REDUCES WRINKLES & FINE LINES

LIGHTENS DARK CIRCLES

DEPUFFS EYE AREA

NOURISHES & HYDRATES

PERFECT BOTH MORNING & NIGHT

[Ingredients]

Astaxanthin: A powerful antioxidant that increases moisture levels, smooths fine line and wrinkles, and restores elasticity to the skin.

Resistem: Natural Plant Stem Cells repair and protect the skin from harsh environmental pollutants and stress related aging.

Vitamin C: Leaves the skin smooth and visibly brighter for a well-rested and bright eyed look.

Organic Rosehip Oil: Provides intense hydration to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Arnica: A key anti-inflammatory agent to the restorative process that works to diminish the appearance of dark circles.

[Thoughts & Impressions]

It felt so refreshing on my eyes. The texture and consistency were just right too. The packaging is just as good to look at as my other products from Valentia. Overall I like it so far. I am going to keep using it to see if I notice a difference with my dark circles and fine lines/wrinkles. If I still see improvements in a few weeks this will most definitely be an item I go back and purchase a backup of. 

Bonus: I am all about the Vitamin C, it is life lately.

ULTRA PLUMPING HYDRATION MASK

[Cost]

Also, normally $54.99, but you can get it on Amazon for $25.00!

[Claims]

INTENSE HYDRATION

COMBATS SIGNS OF AGING

GLOWING RADIANCE

IN HOME SPA TREATMENT

NATURALLY NOURISHING INGREDIENTS

[Ingredients]

Silk Protein Amino Acid Blend:These natural miracles increase moisture content and help in the production of collagen and elastin which decreases the appearance of visible lines. 

Botanical Hyaluronic Acid:Penetrates deep into the skin to secure moisture and plump skin from within.

Organic Sea Buckthorn Oil:An anti-aging wonder berry that results in fewer fine lines, diminished sun spots, more even skin tone, and firmer more supple skin.

Japanese Green Tea:Contains catechins that provide anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and anti-irritant effects to the skin.

Aloe Vera:This botanical moisturizers skin and fight aging by improving skin firmness.

[Thoughts & Impressions]

This smells like an orange Popsicle, like the kind I ate when I was a kid at my Nanna's house. Obviously it gets points for that. But in all fairness, it gets points just for how is made my skin feel. It had a fresh tingling feeling at first, but it didn't last the whole time. My face looked like I used a bad self tanner by the end of it, it was just because the mask itself is orange and it washed right off. I felt like my face felt more plump/hydrated after using it and I will continue to use it to see if there are longer term benefits to the fine lines/wrinkles I am starting to see in my forehead (because I make some emotional faces). My only problem with this is the texture, but that is completely my issue. It felt amazing when it was on my face, but when I dipped into the jar to pick up the product I got a little squeamish. In the future I will be applying with a brush instead (which is more sanitary anyway).

[Recap]

So far so good for both of these products. Valentia does a great job with their skincare and I have personally loved each of the products they have sent me to test out. If something does what it claims to do I really can't complain. If you want to try out some new skincare products to help with your winter skin, read up on Valentia (here) and see if they are a match for you. 

Thanks for spending some time with me. As always these thoughts/reviews are one hundred percent my honest opinions. These items were gifted to me for testing purposes, but I would never lie and say I liked something when I didn't. We are real here. Always.

Follow along with my daily life by following me on Snapchat (katianne1519),  Instagram and Twitter

and keep up with my blog by following me on Bloglovin' and liking my page on Facebook!

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Best in Beauty | Hair (& more)

L'Oréal® Paris Advanced Hairstyle Boost It High Lift Creation Spray
I don't tease my hair without this, honestly there is no point. My hair is very fine and smooth so I have to use product when I try and backcomb or it all just falls right out. This spray is my saving grace. It adds some grit o my hair and really helps the tease to stay. After I tease a section I leave it up to dry and my hair really gets some major volume. I also use it to spray my hair before I put my extensions in to help give them something to grab on to.

Pureology Purify Shampoo for Color-Treated Hair 
My hair sucks at holding color so I need a color safe shampoo. It also gets put through a lot and I need something to really get it clean so I need a purifying conditioner. Well, this is the best of both worlds. I really do feel like it gets all the product buildup out of my hair, but gently.

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Doing Work

May your coffee be strong, and your Monday be short.

That is my hope for you today. It looks like it is another gorgeous day out, even though temperature wise I think it is a little cooler. Anyway, here is the weekend and a look at the upcoming week!

[Friday]

After a little quick cleaning and cuddle time with the little one, Nate's family arrived at our house. The night brought beer, pizza and basketball. Hoosier life ha! Unfortunately the Pacers ended up losing by one

[Saturday]

Saturday was Fraternity Day of Service for Pi Phi, and like when I was in school the girls spent the day at Barnes and Noble doing Dr. Seuss-like things. This year B&N was offering 10% of purchases back to the chapter for a donation to First Book. So being the good alumnae that we are, Natalie and I headed to B&N and I bought Leighton a couple of books (Go Dogs, Go & Brown Bear, Brown Bear). Then we walked the mall a little bit and little man fell asleep. 

I could have cleaned everything and taken a prettier picture, but why? I preach realness here so that is what you are getting. My counters aren't always spotless.

When we got back home, Nate had been hard at work painting. By that evening all the lowers were painted and we decided to go and buy the hardware for the doors/drawers. To end the evening outing we stopped and ate Chinese, because we can. I have such a love for the doughnuts...it was a struggle to only eat two.

[Sunday]

Sunday brought more painting, grocery shopping and computer work. The hardware went on the drawers/doors that were done, and I am loving how it looks!

We ended the night with popcorn (as always) and tried our darnedest to stay up until the end of the Oscars. I failed, not sure if Nate made it or not. That being said, congrats to Leo (even though I didn't see it happen)!

[This Week]

What should you expect this week? Well let me tell you, I am super excited about it. 

- Best in Beauty | Hair (plus some)

- Lucky Picks (St. Patty's Day outfits)

- Product Reviews

- Four the Love of Friday (Do we like the name?)

- Shop Small Highlight

Ambitious? Maybe. 

Here is to a wonderful week! Love you all, thank you for stopping in!

Follow along with my daily life by following me on Snapchat (katianne1519),  Instagram and Twitter

and keep up with my blog by following me on Bloglovin' and liking my page on Facebook!

Check out some other blogs while you are here:
[Link-Ups]

Her Heartland Soul | Healthy Diva Eats

MICHELLE'S PA(I)GE  | B Loved Boston
Champagne and Suburbs | More Pieces of Me
Life of Meg | Bella and the City

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All the Family

This weekend was a slightly longer one since I ended up taking the afternoon off on Friday. But before we get into all of that, look at our cabinets!

Nate got the first section finished up and they look awesome, I'm obsessed. Now we need to finish the rest of them and pick out handles. Hooray from DIY projects!

[Friday]

We had drove up to Fort Wayne Thursday night because Nate's sister and her daughter flew in. So the entire weekend was spent having lots of family/friend time. Friday morning though I actually worked from the office (I work from home normally) and it was so great to be in that environment. That afternoon/evening I spent time with the family and the two littlest members. 

[Saturday]

During the day, it was all family time once again. Nate helped out his parents with a bit of demo (pulling up the floors) in their kitchen while his sister and I hung out with the babes. That evening Nate, Leighton and I headed over to our friends' house for dinner (the most yummy Italian food) and the basketball game. #boilerdown 

[Sunday]

We headed off to church first thing in the morning. Then it was lunchtime, packing and more family time. It was so, so nice to be able to just relax and spend time with family all weekend. When we got back to our house that evening, we did a little cleaning before trying to get little mister to sleep. That didn't happen by the way. I think it may have actually been the worst he has slept since he was born - woke up every hour for the first chunk of the night. He and I actually both ended up just shy of having fevers by Monday, but we are all better now.

And that was that. Nothing crazy, just the perfect amount of relaxation and family fun.

Follow along with my daily life by following me on Snapchat (katianne1519),  Instagram and Twitter

and keep up with my blog by following me on Bloglovin' and liking my page on Facebook!

Check out some other blogs while you are here:
[Link-Ups]

Her Heartland Soul | Healthy Diva Eats

MICHELLE'S PA(I)GE  | B Loved Boston
Champagne and Suburbs | More Pieces of Me
Life of Meg | Bella and the City | TuTu Tuesdays

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Is it me you're looking for?

Well hello again! I hope you all had a great weekend and first couple of days of this new week. I mean little man slept for 8+ hours two nights in a row this weekend and fell asleep a little early to the amazing voices of those who sang the Lionel Richie tribute during the Grammy's. Come on, Demi Lovato alone gave me chills. 

Anyway, here is our weekend!

[Friday]

I headed to Target after work to pick up some PJs for our first Valentine's weekend as a family of 3. My friend met me there and then came over for dinner when we were done. Our dogs had a play date for a bit and then she headed home and we headed to bed. 

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Best in Beauty | Skincare

Since I spilled the details on all my favorite makeup products earlier, I figured it was best to follow up with my skincare favorites. These are all the things that I use to give my skin a boost after all I put it through. For reference, I have oily/combo, sensitive skin and last year my skin was even more temperamental since I was pregnant and all.

Clarisonic Mia2

Thank you parents for gifting this to me. I use this every other day at least. What they say is true, it gets makeup off that your washcloth/wipe/hands leave behind. Talk about a clean feeling face. And it is easy to use, so much so that Nate even said he would use it if I got him his own brush (and I will). 

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Super Days

[source]

And just like that we are back here again. In case you missed it, I posted my top 18 favorite makeup products in 2015 on Saturday. Go check it out here! Also, here is the recap of the weekend for the Blair family.

[Friday]

This was a shopping day, and it was glorious. I had a list of things that I needed for Saturday (I did a trial run for a lovely lady's wedding makeup) so I bundled up the little man, picked up a friend and headed for the mall. Hours later, we headed back to town with our loot. Two pizzas and two orders of bread sticks were the perfect dinner and eventually we called it a night.

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Best in Beauty | Makeup

I try a lot of products. Nate will agree, I have a lot of beauty products at home. But honestly I do a ton of research before I buy. I don't see a point in trying something if other people with oily/combo skin have tried it and it has failed. So really, it could be a lot worse. 

Knowing that reviews and other people's experiences with products helps me out a ton, I figured I would share my favorite products from 2015 that I just can't stop using. Really though, if I am going to be doing my makeup (any amount) I guarantee that I will be using at least 4 of the things below. Anyway, here are my thoughts on this chunk of favorite things!

Morphe M439 Deluxe Buffer

Hello holy grail foundation brush. I seriously can't put into words how perfect this brush is. It is packed full of bristles so your foundation goes on so smoothly every time. I have used it with thick, thin and in the middle consistency foundations and I haven't had a bad experience with any of them. It is my go to.

Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector

This is a miracle worker for me. I don't have puffiness under my eyes, but I do have dark circles (no matter how much sleep I get). The corrector is a salmon color and has a shimmer to it. The pinkness cancels out the blue tones from my circles and the shimmer reflects light which makes the whole area look brighter. I use this under another concealer to help out the eye situation and I swear by it.

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The Next Chapter

Goodness, where do I even start. This past month has been a whirlwind. Between getting used to life as a mom and now starting work again, it has been one of the quickest months I have experienced I think.

That being said, I have actually had a lot of time to think about this little place in the blog world and what I want to do with it moving forward. Honestly, this space gives me a kind of escape. Before I started this blog, I would read into people's comments and over-analyze what I had said to the point that it would cause me anxiety. By putting it all out there and opening myself up to receiving comments and thoughts from anyone who happened to stumble upon my blog I have been able to move on and work through that anxiety. 

It has been a few years since Raindrops on Roses began and my life has changed a bit. With those life changes I feel like I have to change my focus here a bit. Really, the main aspects stay the same. I am still a huge lover of getting glammed up, doing DIY/crafting projects at home and cooking. The change? Instead of doing all of those things as a twenty-something newlywed, I am now a twenty-something mom and wife that is trying to balance all of the things that I love with spending ample time with my husband and cherishing every moment of my little one's life. This will be a real-life type of place. I can't always be glammed up, sometimes I am lucky to even wash my face in the morning.

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Welcoming 2016

Yeah, yeah I know we are two weeks into the new year already, but I still want to start the year with this post. Just bear with me for a second.

Before we can move forward into a new year, I think it is only right to look back on the previous 365 days. If you make it through the 24 pictures of flashbacks then you will see my plan for the next year. I am not making a resolution, I am setting a theme/word to live by. First, here is a look back at 2015.

[January] 

We rung in the new year and we took on Chicago for a bachelorette party.

[February]

I cheered on the Komets as a Komette and celebrated Valentine's Day with the girls by having dinner and a movie.

[March]

We went out with our Fort Wayne friends and sold our house.

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