Friday Things
1. We had a great Easter weekend with the boys! We colored Easter eggs, they enjoyed their Easter baskets (chaotic Easter morning with an up-too-early-toddler in a still-dark house yielded minimal photos, haaaaa), we had a great dinner with our families, and I started and ended the day with chocolate. Win!
2. The boys are both doing really well. I can’t believe Dominic is already 6.5+ months old; he’s working SO hard trying to crawl every time he’s on the floor. He gets up on all fours, rocks a little, tries to lunge himself forward and usually falls back down. He’s mastered pulling his legs up underneath him and scooting forward like a little army crawl.
Joseph got a new summer ‘do this week (his waves and curls were getting crazy!) and is looking like a little grown boy. He’s currently in the throes of wanting to do everything by himself, which is precious and also a very good test of my (sometimes short) patience. He likes to buckle himself into his booster seat and the car seat, velcro his shoes, and a bunch of other things. I’ve just learned to pad the time we need to get out the door if we need to be somewhere at a specific time, ha!
3. I’m not sure if any of you have ever watched Ghost Hunters, but my husband and I used to watch it quite a bit years ago, and he follows those guys on Twitter. A couple of weeks ago he told me that one of the members, Grant Wilson, had lost his Golden Retriever. Foolishly, I went and looked at the tweets (which included photos) and my heart broke open about Einstein all over again. It’s been over seven months and there still isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about him at some point during the day. Ahhhh, still missing my old buddy…
4. On a (much) lighter note, I’d love to know if you have a favorite body wash/lotion combo. I don’t wear perfume regularly, so I’d love to layer a light scent. Give me your favorite!
5. This video about how deep the ocean is will give crazy perspective about the enormity of it… blows my mind! >> 131 Seconds That Will Change the Way You See the Ocean
6. Oh my gosh, how a puppy sees the weekend melts my heart!
7. Need one more rec! Where are you buying your clothes these days? I am severely lacking in the spring/summer clothes department since I’ve been in maternity clothes two of the last three summers. My pre-pregnancy clothes are still too small for me (womp womp) so I need a few new pieces. Tell me what you’re loving!
8. And now a recommendation FOR you! I finally tried the Sally Hansen gel nail polish and it’s amazing. So much better than my experience with the Essie gel. I’ve done two colors now and they last almost three weeks with ZERO chipping at all. My new favorite!
9. Are you watching the NHL playoffs? Who are you rooting for?!
10. TGIF! I hope you get to spend the weekend with a great friend ????
OGX Coconut Miracle Oil. The body wash and lotion are my favorite!
Hi Michelle! I have the cutest Easter egg story to tell you. My daughter and two grandchildren cooked and dyed 18 eggs for Easter. This is the first year they are both totally into the whole Easter bunny thing, they are both 6 and 4 and were so excited and had so much fun doing it. After they went to sleep, my daughter (aka Easter bunny) hid all 18 eggs in the yard for them to find the next morning. When they went out the next morning to find the eggs, every single egg was gone!! Except of course for a few egg shell crumbs which were left in their wake. It turns out, it was the Raccoon!! He had his very own Easter egg hunt while the children slept!! All in all it ended up being a rather cute story because luckily, they had about 30 of the plastic eggs that my daughter was able to hide rather quickly for them still to be able to have their Easter egg hunt. I was thinking the whole Raccoon /Easter egg hunt would make a great children’s story! The kids also got a kick out of it!
The boys look so cute! On to the gel and lotion question, I have not tried it yet, but I read where one other reader tried Jo Malone, I have been wanting to go smell that one the next time I go to Nordstrom, I have heard that it smells really good. I currently just use Vaseline for my body because it tends to get so dry.
Oh no, that is so funny!!
I’m 3 months post partum and am in the same boat as you with pre-pregnancy clothes. I’ve found super cute oversized tops and flowy dress at shein.com and chicwish.com. Both sites are inexpensive and the pieces I’ve bought can’t be worn now and when I’m back to pre-pregnancy weight. ????
Favorite body wash… I recently found a bottle of Eucalyptus Tea in my cabinet from Bath and Body Works and tried it having run out of my other favorite, Grapefruit, from The Body Shop. I LOVE this new find! Every time I catch a whiff, it makes me happy and calm. Definitely don’t need perfume and it is just a clean, relaxing scent.
Best ever lighter than light! Check out Eau Dynamisante- I use it as light perfume!! Can be ordered online or Macy’s, Dillards both carry it!
Your sweet boys are so cute. Thank you for sharing pictures. Duke looks like a good buddy.Â
I went on a Title Nine spring/summer binge. Cute shorts, pants, skirts, shorts, etc. Great for a busy chasing kids day.Â
Also, Gap and LOFT are my usual go-to stores.Â
I love the floral scents at Bath and Body works — and the Sky fragrance. Usually just use the shower gel as spouse really sensitive to scents.Â
Happy Spring!
Look how cute the boys are! Joseph looks like a little boy now. I love the Sally Hansen nail gel, too! My favorite lotion and soap right now is Crabtree & Evelyn’s Avocado, Olive and Basil. It’s so clean and fresh smelling. The one thing I would tell you about it is that the bar soap is very drying, so I just stuck it in a few drawers and now just use the liquid soap, the lotion, the body butter, and the hand therapy, which is the longest lasting of their products (IMHO). Good luck!
For scent, I love Kiehl’s coriander body wash/lotion. For clothes, Nordstrom has everything!Â
Your boys are so cute! You are fortunate they  like each other as there was a lot of sibling rivalry between my two. For a new scent, there are many nice ones at L’Occitane En Provence. From soap to hand cream to Eau de Toilette….. I like Verveine for summer. Clothing wise my go to store is Chicos Outlet….much less expensive than the regular Chicos boutiques. Clothes are stylish, comfortable, wash and wear and you never have to iron ANYTHING!
Well, I’m sure mine will have plenty of time to get into each other’s hair :) I’m just enjoying the smooth sailing right now! I keep thinking that as soon as Dominic starts crawling and getting into all of the toys things won’t be as smooth :)
My body wash/lotion rec is Soap & Glory’s Rich and Foamous/Smoothie Star. Just lovely.
Your boys are killing me.
On the fragrance, Google ‘Demeter ‘ and ‘scent.’ Create your own bath products from an almost limitless menu of smells. My favorite is ‘Fresh Hay!’
I love Scottish Fine Soaps “Au Lait” body wash and lotion. It’s a little pricey and a bit difficult to hunt down but omg so worth it. It just smells so soft & clean and lingers all day. Sometimes I can uncover it at Marshall’s or TJ Maxx, if not I turn to Amazon or eBay.
For clothes, LOFT, GAP, and Target. I actually think Target jeans and shorts are my favorite fitting!
You asked about 2 of my favorite things- scents and clothes!!! To keep it super inexpensive this is what I use and I ALWAYS get people asking me what I am wearing: I use Dove Body wash with Argan oil (makes your skin super soft and it has a rich spicy scent) and I use OGX Lotion which I find at CVS. I can’t remember the name of it, but, it comes in a purple bottle. They have a blue bottle, a purple bottle and a white one and the purple is my favorite for both scent and softness on your skin.
As for clothes, I am all about New York and company! They ALWAYS have great sales, seriously never pay full price for anything, and their jeans are the best. I’m short so I’m obsessed with their petite jeans. They also always have adorable summer dresses. Happy shopping!
Michelle,
I want to know how to put cookie dough into a disk? So I can make your soft sugar cookies as cutouts. The last time something went wrong with the batter and I couldn’t redo it.Â
Hi Jamie, Just shape it into a circle with your hands. It will be an inch or so thick.
Clothes first, I second the LOFT on that! Also I always have good luck on ThredUP. Â As far as lotion goes, I like to use things that I feel safe holding babies with, you know, so it doesn’t rub off on them. Maybe because my babies are so sensitive, ugh…but I LOVE the Seventh Generation coconut line for babies…the lotion smells great and I can use it on me or my babies lol a double win!Â
The pictures of the boys are so cute! I have been moaning about clothing myself – just not happy with what I see in stores or online – style, sizing, and price…..gah,,,,,Have a great weekend!
Have you ever tried Jo Malone products? She has natural scents overpowering. I like to use a non-scented lotion (Aveeno) with my current favorite Jo Malone scent – sea salt and wood sage.
Oh my gosh Jo Malone is the greatest and that is for sure the best scent!
I haven’t tried them but I’ve heard SOOOO much about them! That sounds like it would smell fantastic!
Such cute kids! :-) Â For body wash I love all the ones at bath and body, but Victoria’s Secret sweet tempatation is a favorite. Â For clothes, I shop at Gap, Loft and Old Navy, sometimes J crew factory. Â They have good basics and fun stuff. Loft and Gaps t-shirts are really awesome for all year around.
I just love Joseph’s haircut, he looks so handsome and grown up. And Dominic is just adorable! His little “spikey” hairdo is starting to lay flatter on his head. The boys are so cute, and I’m glad they enjoyed their Easter treats!
Happy Friday! Thanks, as always, for sharing a glimpse into your sweet family! Aw, Einstein <3 I totally feel you. I made a Shutterfly photo book when my cat of nearly 16 years died and it's nice to have something tangible to hold when remembering him. I miss him, but it helps me think of him fondly rather than be sad.
I've been trying to go the natural route when it comes to bath & beauty products, and highly recommend Burt's Bees rosemary mint (which to me just spells like peppermint) body wash and any type of lotion from Pacifica.
Nordstrom Rack is my go-to for new clothes when I want to class it up beyond Target :)
Most of my clothes are coming from TJ Maxx/Marshalls these days. Lots of different styles to choose from and reasonable prices. TJs also has an online option and you can return stuff to the store that you don’t want to keep. I will have to try the Sally Hansen gel – I have the OPI set and I was not happy with it at all. (and mad that I spent so much money on it to not be happy!)
Hi Michelle!
I’ve been searching for a new body wash/light scent For. Ev. Er. My sister and her husband go to Cambria, California, every year and she told me about Exotic Nature (www.exoticnature.com). I recently placed an order and have been SO happy! Am dying to try Lissa’s (the owner) shampoo and conditioner. I am allergic to perfume, so Lissa’s lightly scented Lemon Verbena Shea Butter Shower Gel is PERFECT. You just need a tiny bit on a bath scrubby to get a lovely lather. I love the smell of anything citrus! I also bought her Lavender Bubble Bath, a Vanilla Orange Bath Melt, Lemon Verbena Cornflower Body Lotion, and Arbordoun’s Calendula Cream. The calendula cream promotes skin healing. It’s gentle and it results in slow but steady healing for my adult acne. Seriously?? WTF is THAT?! Not only is my face beginning to resemble a Fox Terrier as I age, now there’s “adult acne?!” Sigh. Anyway, Lissa added a free sample of Lavender Shea Butter Body Lotion for free. She even customizes scents for you! (I’m thinking of a lemon or orange body mist.) Her products are shipped within the same day (if possible; depends on when you place your order) and come wrapped very lovingly. I felt like a had REALLY ordered myself a present!
Thank you, Michelle, for sharing your life and ‘loves’ with us! Adorable photos and interesting links! I’ve been buying some new clothes on amazon.com. I usually buy items that come with ‘free returns’ and have used that feature many times. Happy shopping!
For scent I use philosophy grace and Pure grace both are fresh and clean and mild. Its the only thing i wear and I get lots of compliments . Even when my nephew was little he would always tell me I smelled nice. :)
I use Pure Grace and Amazing Grace as well. The scent is light and clean. Love it!
I totally understand about missing Einstein; I still miss our sweet Lucy, who has been gone for 8 years.
Some good places for affordable clothes are Kohl’s, H&M, and Old Navy. I’ve found some surprisingly nice pieces at Target. Online, I like ThredUp, ModCloth for dressier pieces, Cents of Style, and even Amazon (though you have to be selective on Amazon because some of it is really poor quality). If you’re able to go to Kohl’s fairly regularly, sign up for their Yes To You Rewards- I’ve saved a ton of money through that program.
Oh that dimple! It’s a killer! Thanks so much for sharing not only your fabulous recipes and ideas, but also such cute photos of your darling boys! Enjoy every minute with them!
Mama V
Is it the Salley Hansen miracle gel polish or salon gel polish? What shades have you tried?! Definitely want to pick some up when I’m at target today:)
It’s the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel, and Michelle is right, it’s amazing! It stays shiny and on your nails for at least 2 weeks. I have about 10 of the colors, and they are all fantastic. In fact, I was just about to put on “Bare Dare” right this minute. Try it, you’ll love it!
when you want to take it off how easily does it come off and what do you have to do? also are your nails brittle underneath then? I had gel from a salon two times in a row and my nails took forever to get back to normal, they were so dry and thin and broke off and it was awful!
Hi Dena, I just use regular non-acetone nail polish remover with a cotton ball – comes right off. Just like “regular” nail polish. My nails are not brittle at all. I had one gel manicure in a salon years ago and the process of taking the polish off and the state of my nails afterwards was not worth it all, in my opinion.
Hi Sara, I’m so sorry for the belated reply! It’s the Miracle gel polish. I have V-Amplified and Pink Stiletto (I’m wearing that now – great spring color!).
Been loving LOFT for clothes! It was one of my favorites pre baby but it’s pretty much the only place I have purchased any clothing this last year since having a baby. Although most days you’ll find me in yoga pants and a sweatshirt haha but I have had to buy a few things recently for events that are actually outside of my house lol and they have great loose fitting tops and I love their jeans/pants. They aren’t specified as high rise but feel like they could be which is perfect post partum!Â
Thanks for the suggestion! I used to wear a lot of LOFT clothes before getting pregnant, but I always found that their shirts shrunk after a handful of washes, even if I followed the wash instructions to the letter. Like the sleeves would get short, the bottom hem would get short, etc. so I stopped buying their stuff. Have you ever found that to be an issue?
GO PREDS!!!????
I was rooting for them!! (still am)
I’m all about Marshall’s for clothes these days. I love that nail polish too. It’s the only thing that will last more than a 1/2 hour on my nails!
Bath and Body Works has a lot of nice scents in wash and lotion. One of my favorites is Love and Sunshine, very light, very girly.
For shower gel & lotion, I like Philosophy Pure Grace. It has a light, clean scent, and nice to  layer. Amazing Grace is also nice. It’s sold at Sephora, and Nordstrom.
If your looking for a light scented body lotion, Perfectly Posh has some really nice ones.  They are naturally based, and very affordable..a little goes a very long way.  Two of my favorites are Honey Honey, which is  a light honey lemon smell.
The other is Hippy Hooray…light and yummy. Â I swear by these body lotions.
Enclosed are the links. Â Â
https://www.perfectlyposh.com/MarshaMurphy/honey-honey-healing-body-creme
https://www.perfectlyposh.com/MarshaMurphy/hippie-hooray-body-creme
Your boys are sooooo adorable, and I can’t believe how grown up Joseph looks! Thanks for the tip on the Sally Hansen nail gel. I’m going to try it out.