Skincare, etc. {#SibuBeauty #Giveaway}

 

Ever since I started on the path of fertility treatments, my skin has been WRECKED. I mean, I had no idea my skin could look so bad, I felt like a 12 year old.

I feel like I have tried probably every pregnancy-safe face wash and home remedy on the market with no help in decreasing the acne or making my skin any more healthy.

I was contacted by Sibu Beauty to try one of their sea buckthorn products and naturally, I choose the facial cleanser!  I have been using it for about two weeks, while I still have some acne issues, my skin FEELS healthier – it’s softer and just in general looks better.

Sea buckthorn is a fruit that grows in the Tibetan Himalays and provides a rich source of essential fatty acids that assist in collagen production and healthy skin, hair, and nails.

Some of the features of the facial cleanser that I like the most, aside from how great my skin feels, is that it has micro-particles for exfoliation, easily removes make-up and it really does a great job at removing oils and impurities.

 

I really recommend this product, so much so, that I want to GIVE ONE AWAY!

Simply head over to the Sibu Beauty website, and tell me what product looks interesting to you in a comment.

This giveaway is open to everyone in the US and Canada – so don’t be shy, enter! Win! But make sure you have a way for me to contact you in your blogger profile or comment so I can tell you that you won!

Entries accepted from RIGHT NOW through Sunday September 2nd 11:59pm EST.

Feel free to leave me some other skin care ass-vice, I’d be glad to have it!!

Other things I need to do to make sure my skin shapes up, is to stop touching my face at work! I have a tendency to work when I am reading or concentrating on something to rest my hand on my cheek/chin.  And to make sure I use a daily moisturizer with SPF – that is probably one of my biggest mistakes, and I know it!

Now – GO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY!

*I was provided a sample of the Sibu Beauty facial cleanser to test, all opinions are my own.

Pregnancy, Nutrition, Vitamins, Oh my! #BrainStrongDHA

After a year of trying to get (and stay) pregnant I have taken prenatal vitamins, extra folic acid, baby aspirin and a multitude of other vitamins over the past year. And I feel like I have tried about a million different kinds of prenatals. 

One of my favorite kinds so far, for the convenience of how it’s packaged and the fact that they don’t make me gag when I swallow them, are the BrainStrong Prenatals.  They are packaged with a vitamin and DHA all in one nice little blister pack, makes it nice for traveling too – you don’t have to worry about remembering to bring all kinds of pills!

It’s not really a huge* secret that when I was pregnant with Gianna I put on a little bit of weight.  I hope to not repeat that action this time, but you know what, if I do, I do.  One of the things I really struggle with (in general) is making sure I eat a healthy, balanced diet.  The blue-box mac and cheese has really been calling my name lately, and so have bagels and cream cheese.  Thankfully it’s not Oreos (yet), but I don’t typically WANT to eat veggies.  Fruit and yogurt have been okay, and I tend to NEED them a few times a week, but again, I usually have to make a serious effort to add them in to my daily intake.

The fact that the BrainStrong Prenatals offer a complete multi-vitamin with the highest amount of folic acid and DHA available without a prescription makes me feel so much more comfortable.  I know me and this little one are getting the proper vitamins and the fact that there is so much folic acid makes this nervous mama feel that much better.  No need for additional folic acid with these!  And they cost less than most insurance copays (I know our insurance doesn’t cover prenatals, so low cost is a huge deal!)

DHA is a huge benefit to the little people that’s growing in here, the little one depends solely on me for (among so much else) the full supply of DHA.  This helps with brain development, and hey, we can’t go wrong there right?

BrainStrong provides me (and anyone else who takes them!) the assurance that no matter what cravings might be taking over, I am still doing all that I can to support a healthy pregnancy and baby.  Also, of note, BrainStrong is from a vegetarian source, not fish, so there is no fear of potential contaminants and can meet vegetarian dietary needs.

 

*no pun intended…

I was compensated for this post. All opinions expressed are my own. And I highly recommend these!

The Grandparent Lottery

If there ever was one, Gianna (her little sibling and cousin) won it.

My parents* seriously rock the house in the (grand)parent department.

      

Hanging out, celebrating Papa’s birthday            G and Papa riding their scooters.

They love this girl so much it is not even funny – and they have the most awesome relationship.  One of my favorite things to do, actually, is to just sit and watch them together.  Gianna helps her Papa with everything and anything and she is Gramma’s sidekick, hands down. 

G and Gramma doing the motor boat game in the pool.

A few weeks ago they took Gianna camping – and I am pretty sure that the grandparents may have had more fun than the three year old.  Either way, she talks about it almost every day.  Whenever we talk about going on vacation, she asks if Gramma and Papa are coming too (and if we are going on a cruise ship again!) and talks about our Italy trip.  Just last week she spent the night there three nights in a row!

They are always there when we need them for anything without question.  They laugh with her, they love her, they are helping her to grow and learn so many things that only grandparents can.

Soon there will be two more grandchildren for them to love – and I have no doubt, just as a parent has enough to go around to all of their children – that my parents are going to love these two new grandbabies just as much as they love the first one.  And they will all be laughing, loving and living some more with each other. But I have a sneaking suspicion that there will always be something special between them and G.

<3

I think my kid(s) also won the lottery when it comes to aunts (and uncles).  Gianna was just losing her mind the other day because she wanted to stay with her Aunt Sissy instead of going some place with mike and I.  That says a lot, in my book, about how she feels about her aunt. (or, perhaps how she feels about her parents…! just kidding, we know she loves us. we also know her aunt spoils her!)  She ADORES each of them for different reasons and again, I feel so blessed to just watch her with them all. Growing up with such great people in her life is not something that everyone gets to do – and I think it’s pretty fabulous that she is blessed with such awesome family.

(I’m missing an aunt and an uncle here – but I promise I have some very recent, very cute pictures of G with each of them at their wedding shower earlier this month!)

*in case you’re new around here my parents = my mom and my amazingly awesome step-dad. Which also added two wonderful sisters to the mix!

Shoes Shoes Shoes {Famous Footwear}

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Famous Footwear. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am pretty sure it's not a secret that I love shoes.

But in case you didn't know - not only do I love shoes, so does Gianna.  We share some serious shoe love.

 

And we have the luxury of having a Famous Footwear (possibly a little too) close to our house.  We go in there a lot - sometimes just to browse. Sometimes to lust over a new pair of shoes. But a lot of times to buy a new pair or two or three because they tend to run some pretty fabulous sales.

 

And if there is one thing I love more than shoes, it's a sale.

 

As we are preparing for back to school - or rather - first time at any kind of school - time, it occured to me that Gianna probably can't wear flip flops every day and she just might need some new shoes.

 

THANK GOODNESS Famous Footwear has a 15% off sale going on.  BUT! It get's better because they are also running a buy one, get one half off sale. And you get to use them together. Shoe and sale love all in one happy place, could it get any better?!

BUT WAIT! It can get better! Because if you are a a member of the Rewards Program - you get 20% off instead of 15%!

With the rewards program, you earn $1 for every $1 you spend, earn free shoes (by way of gift certificates!) and get in on other special deals.  It's a win:win, in my book.

 

We are lucky, as I said, to have a Famous Footwear close to us - but if you don't, or you are like me and are slightly addicted to online shopping - you can do that too.  Ship the shoes right to you, or to a store nearby for pickup.  EASY!

 

They carry super cute shoes - I have my eye on more than a few pairs (of Sperry's. And a pair of black Madden wedges) for myself and some for G too.  She ADORES her current pair of Twinkle Toes (by sketcher) so we might have to snag another pair.  But I really like the Puma's they have too.... such decisions!

 

Make the shoe part of school shopping easier on  yourself, check out Famous Footwear! (And don't forget to print the BOGO + 15% off Famous Footwear Coupon and use it in-store or online between 8.2 & 8.18!!)

 

So, what are you having?

I have to get this off my chest.

I cannot stand, at all, when people ask us if we know the sex of the baby. 

For the sole reason that it is usually accompanied immediately by stupid comments such as:  I am sure you want a boy. Or you MUST have been trying for a boy. Or, Gianna needs a brother. Or some other comment related to how if you have a girl, you automatically want a boy. (and vice versa).

Because listen – we waited a LONG FRACKING TIME to be in a position where we can bless our family with another child.  And the sex of this child? IT DOES NOT MATTER ONE BIT. AT ALL. EVER.  A baby, a new person in our family, is what we want.  End of discussion.

If you want to have an opinion as to whether we “should be” having a boy or a girl, that’s fine. But keep it to yourself. (preferably forever, thanks) I have to save all of my snappy comebacks for when we actually DO know the sex of this little one because I KNOW the ridiculous comments are going to keep on coming.

I personally think sisters rock the house.  But a boy would be welcome with loving arms just the same.   Gianna is pretty certain she is having a sister – considering as she refers to the new baby solely as “baby sister” and when you ask her about having a brother she refutes such statements with “no, sister”.

Also, unsolicited comments referring to our little one as “your” anything. The only person who gets that right is Mike. And Gianna.  Because hey! People are not possessions, therefore you do not get to refer to the new person as such. Ever.

And, I feel better now.

Wordless Wednesday

Fun times with her cousin from Florida.