The Small Things Blog

links + loves

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 14:21:06 GMT

How was your week? Mine felt like it was moving extremely fast until yesterday when Thursday actually felt like Friday so this morning feels like groundhog day.

Regardless, it was a good week and I’m looking forward to a chill weekend with very few plans!

If you are looking to freshen up a space in your home, I highly recommend using Modsy. I’ve used this service in the past for help in a room in our old house, and to help lay out my current office.

I love this blazer! It comes in 3 colors and I am totally tempted by the white one.

In the late fall, I ordered a few family photos from Mpix and am extremely pleased with the quality. If you are looking for high-quality photo printing, I’d recommend Mpix.

I love the color of these knee-high boots.

If you have started this year with a plan to incorporate more green smoothies, try this one from Kate at Naptime Kitchen!

I am not loyal to any particular brand of sock for working out, but I have to say I just picked these up at Cole Haan when I was getting another pair of the laser cut liners and I am really pleased! I love that the logo on the bottom is rubbery so they are kind of non-slip.

One of the things I love about Instagram Stories is the casual mention of the things I’m using, new products, old favorites, etc. But I can guarantee that the morning after a day I share a few things I’m met with many questions from followers who cannot remember what it was that I shared. In an effort to provide answers to those questions on a weekly basis, Amanda and I are compiling as thorough a list as we can about all the things I mentioned on stories from the week prior. I hope the list below is helpful.

Items Mentioned on IG stories:

Pink Gap sweatshirt – I wear a medium in this and love how bright it is!

Old Navy Fleece Quilted Zip Hoodie Jacket – I wear a medium in this and think it’s a great lightweight athletic-style jacket.

Blue fleece jacket from Gap – I wear a “small tall” in this and find it to be super cozy and the prettiest blue color.

Blue athletic tank from Gap – This tank is a nice length to partially cover your bum when wearing leggings and the cross back is a pretty detail as well.

Madewell Perfect Vintage Jeans in Vintage Canvas – A pretty pair of cream denim.

Dolce Vita Chelsea Boots – Such cute winter/waterproof boots!

Grande Cosmetics Mini Lash Lash and Brow Set – I’ve seen nice results from Grande Cosmetics on my lashes and brows, and this is a good intro set.

Ole Henricksen Lemonade Smoothing Scrub – I’ve been using this scrub for about a week and REALLY love it.

Fresh Kombucha Cleansing Treatment – A gentle and calming cleansing water.

Apple AirPod Case from my sister – My sister gave me this customizable case for Christmas and I love that the clip on the back is removable.

Madewell Back Button Top – A pretty sweatshirt with button details.

Bumble and Bumble Pret-a-Powder workout spray – One of my favorite products to use on a day I don’t want to wash my hair.

Maya Brenner Necklace – I’m so happy to have my necklace back from being repaired!

This week’s discount codes:

GIMME Beauty – For a limited time, these amazing bundles and brushes are 10% off!! If you use my code KATEB you get an ADDITIONAL 25% off everything in your cart!!

Home Chef – If you order now using code KATE90, you can get $90 off and cook along with me in 2021!

Tommy John – Use code KATEBRYAN20 for 20% off your purchase for the next 72 hours

Loopy Cases – Use my code smallthings10 for 10% off

Q & A from Instagram Stories:

I have trouble keeping foundation on my nose. It never seems to blend well and it wears off or turns really flakey. What can I do? Be sure to use primer, and set the makeup on your nose with a setting powder, translucent or not!

What is your favorite piece of jewelry? I really cherish my rings. I love my wedding bands and my engagement ring, and Justin gave me a ring after I had Emily as an heirloom to pass down to her one day.

Do you feel bad taking back makeup you’ve opened? No. I try my best to do as much research as possible and try to get the color that will match me the best, but sometimes it just doesn’t work out. Makeup isn’t always cheap, so I have no discomfort in returning what doesn’t work for me.

What is your favorite wireless bra for every day? I loooooooove the Tommy John Second Skin Triangle Bralette

What are your favorite Aera fragrances? White Tea, Home Hygiene Mint + Citrus, Deep Relax, De-Stress Mind, Lavendar, and Happy Green.

What is the best low budget curling iron? I have a post about my favorite hair tools under $100 here!

If you and Justin could go anywhere on a trip, where would you go? No question I would go skiing with him at Deer Valley in Utah.

Do you have a house tour? No. But I’ve shared a few rooms in my house. You can see my kitchen here, and watch my master bedroom tour here!

Giving Back: My Cause for the Year

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 14:13:23 GMT

When I was able to monetize this website back in 2011, I was thrilled to be able to sign up to sponsor a child through Compassion International due to the earnings from the site.

I shared that with blog readers because I thought it was important for the readers to know that they too were contributing to the support of this child through visiting my website! My only revenue stream back then was being paid monthly from small shops that had an ad on the sidebar, so high website views were what I needed to stay valuable to those small businesses who wanted a feature on my site!

Since that time, and as my business has grown, I’ve found numerous additional ways to give back. I’ve donated earnings from Poshmark sales, sent boxes of items to a company who ran a closet consignment sale, set up automatic monthly donations to causes that are near to my heart (you can read about that here), and much more.

I’ve also taken you along with me and the kids when we drop off donations. We enjoy getting them involved as well!

There have also been various other ways that my family and I have given back that haven’t been published. We bought a car from a former neighbor and donated it, and for a long time, I’ve been able to gift products or gently used baby items to a pregnancy support home in my area.

Giving back is important to me, and it’s also important to me that my heart for giving back is accurately conveyed when I speak about it. I would never want to come off like I’m looking for affirmation for what we do, as it’s something I would continue to do whether I had a public life or not!

The thing is though, this year I want to be a little bit more forward and open about the cause I’m choosing to focus on because you are a part of it.

My business operates in a way that your views, clicks, activity, etc. provide me with income. If no one is looking at my website, then there isn’t any value to placing an ad on it.

My hope is that when you come here, you gain something because I work hard to provide relatable, educational content for you to consume at no charge!

Throughout my life, the causes and missions that stir my emotion have changed as a reflection of where I am in life. Before children, I felt drawn to supporting cat rescues and volunteering to help clean the cages for the cats at PetSmart.

Before I was married, when I was single in college, I volunteered to lead a craft activity for an after-school program.

Since having small children, Justin and I have given financially more than of our time, simply due to the challenges of finding childcare, but we both agree that it feels different (more impactful?) when you give your time and energy to a cause. I know very well that both things matter, but the effect it has on you is different.

So, last year when COVID19 caused the world to essentially shut down, there were innumerable ripples that caused difficulty in so many aspects of life. The one that made my stomach flip, though, was thinking about all the children who were not able to get lunch anymore at school since public schools closed down.

Thankfully, it didn’t take long for organizations to pivot and create drive-through lunch programs for families who receive lunch for their kids at school. And as I’m certain many families were able to receive lunches, I’m also sure there were some that weren’t able to make it to the pick-up for a number of reasons.

So hunger-relief is a cause that I feel deeply convicted to do something about. I was thrilled to hear that Home Chef, a long-time partner of mine, collaborated with Feeding America to support hunger-relief. I am proud to be working with a company that aligns with my convictions as well!

There are also local organizations that I/my business supports and I am hopeful that when volunteer restrictions are lifted I will be able to participate in some in-person giving back this year.

Brown Bag Ministry is a local cause where kids and I dropped off items in December so they could fill bags with essentials and hand them out to homeless men. They also have a weekly time where they fill over 1k lunch bags to hand out at various sites in my area. It is my plan to attend one of those Saturday in-person events as soon as I can. I believe they have opened up spots for volunteering now, with safety precautions in place, of course.

One thing I would love to do is partner with Feeding America or a local hunger-relief organization to raise money. I have absolutely no idea how to do that, and Amanda and I started that process last year only to run into a few legal constraints.

What you can expect from me going forward is that I will regularly share about this cause being something I support, and I have such gratitude that your support of my business allows me to give back.

When I’m able to get on the schedule and volunteer in-person at Brown Bag Ministry, I’ll tell you about it! And if you have any affiliations with local hunger-relief organizations, I would love to hear about those so please e-mail me or leave a comment below.

My Weekly Routine

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 12:00:02 GMT

While it feels like every week requires some kind of shift, or adjustment, in the schedule, this is a general “birds-eye view” of my week:

M o n d a y

5:20am: alarm goes off and I get up and get ready to work out on my Peloton bike. I get dressed, fill my water bottle downstairs, and then quietly make my way upstairs to my office where my bike is located to be ready for my 6:00am ride.

6:00-6:30am: ride!

6:30-8:30am: shower, get myself ready for my workday, make kids lunches, drink 2 cups of coffee, make myself breakfast, tidy the kitchen, greet the nanny at 8:30am when she arrives!

8:30am: head up to my home office.

8:45-10:30am: work, which could be shooting content, editing content, writing copy for blog posts, creating concepts for campaigns, responding to e-mails, answering questions Amanda (my assistant) has for me, etc.

10:30am: I sneak down to the kitchen to grab a snack.

10:45am-12:30pm: back to work.

12:30/1:00pm: make lunch and bring it up to my desk to eat while I work.

1:00pm-3:00pm: last two hours of work and this time of the day is usually when calls are scheduled as my management team is out west.

3:00pm-5:00pm: this is when I’ll run any errands that I need to. It could be a post office drop off, a grocery run, or anything along those lines.

5:00pm-7:00pm: dinner with the family, spend time with the kids, evening routine, etc.

The rest of the evening involves the kids’ bedtime, spending time with Justin, tidying the house, and sitting on the couch for a bit before bedtime around 9:00-10:00pm.

T u e s d a y

5:45am: my alarm goes off and I hop in the shower right away with a shower cap on because I don’t plan on restyling my hair, and start getting myself pulled together before the kids get up around 6:30am.

6:30am: all the kids are typically up, sometimes Luke sleeps in, and we head downstairs to the kitchen to start early breakfast and get David’s backpack ready for school.

7:20am: the kids and I take David to school.

8:00am: return home, tidy the kitchen, send Luke and Emily to the playroom to play for a bit before diving into homeschooling.

8:30-9:15am: start Luke’s homeschool work for the day while Emily plays nearby.

9:20am: Take Emily to preschool.

9:45am-10:20am: Spend focused time on school with Luke.

10:20am-11:00am: pick up David from school.

11:25am-1:20pm: return home and dive into more homeschool work for Luke, David’s homework, and make the boys lunch.

1:20pm: pick up Emily from preschool.

2:00pm: put Emily down for a nap and let the boys do some media time.

3:00pm: Wake Emily up!

3:00pm-3:30pm: the boys do “room time” where they are alone in their rooms without any devices/media. Luke usually spends his time doing art and David likes to do legos!

3:30-4:45pm: get outside!

4:45pm-5:30pm: I make dinner while I try to encourage the kids to play upstairs in the playroom but they typically end up in the downstairs living room.

5:30pm-6:15pm: dinnertime!

6:30pm-end of the night: Like Monday, this is when we’ll do the evening routine. If there is time we will play outside again, otherwise we’ll just play upstairs and then do bath time/showers and get the kids in bed. Typically on Tuesdays Justin and I get on a Zoom call with our small group from church.

W e d n e s d a y

This day matches up exactly like Monday except for a few changes. If Amanda and I are having an in-person meeting, it’s typically on a Wednesday. And at 3:00pm on Wednesday, I relieve our nanny and Justin has time to himself in the afternoon.

T h u r s d a y

Thursday morning until around 11:00/11:30am is a flexible time. I either use it to run errands, schedule appointments or exercise a bit later in the morning. But usually, I end up working in some capacity because I’m an enneagram 3.

I take over being in charge of the kids from Justin at around lunchtime, and Justin heads out to his weekly drone job, and usually has a few more shoots in that time as well.

The rest of Thursday looks almost exactly like Tuesday except we don’t have our small group meeting.

F r i d a y

5:20am: alarm goes off, I get up and get ready to work out on my Peloton bike. I get dressed, fill my water bottle downstairs, and then quietly make my way upstairs to my office where my bike is located to be ready for my 6:00am ride.

6:00-6:30am: ride!

6:30-8:30am: shower, get myself ready for my workday, make kids lunches, drink 2 cups of coffee, make myself breakfast, tidy the kitchen, greet the nanny at 8:30am when she arrives!

8:30am: head up to my office.

10:30am: I sneak down to the kitchen to grab a snack.

10:45am-12:30pm: back to work.

12:30/1:00pm: make lunch and bring it up to my desk to eat while I work.

1:00pm-3:00pm: last two hours of work and this time of the day is usually when calls are scheduled as my management team is out west.

3:00pm-3:30pm: I relieve the nanny and the boys do “room time” where they are alone in their rooms without any devices/media. Luke usually spends his time doing art and David likes to do legos. Sometimes on Friday’s we skip room time and head outside right away if the weather is nice!

3:30-4:45pm: get outside!

5:30pm: I like doing something different for dinner on Fridays, whether that is getting together with my sister and her family, or grabbing carry out from somewhere nearby.

6:00pm-bedtime: Friday night is movie night! Emily can watch about 20 minutes of a movie before she loses interest so typically it ends up being the boys watching a movie and Emily playing with Justin and me.

___

What isn’t mentioned, but certainly takes up a good deal of my mental space and time, is squeezing in work-related tasks amidst the weekly routine. Having a job that never turns off can be challenging at times but I’ve learned to set pretty good boundaries and also know my limit of what I can take on. A few other things worth noting for transparency is that we have our house deep cleaned monthly, and I regularly use Shipt for grocery delivery. Justin and I split a lot of the household tasks (laundry, cleaning, dishes, cooking, etc) and make it a point to communicate our needs based on what we need to do in a given week with our work.

Justin and I have been married for 11 years and we’ve been entrepreneurs running our own businesses for a long time. I started my first business in 2007, and Justin launched his business in 2016 . Since neither of us work traditional jobs with traditional schedules, we’ve learned and adapted to tag teaming with the kids and hiring childcare when we need it. It seems like each season presents us with new schedules or changes but in general we have developed a routine that allows each of us to support each others’ careers while still also focusing on our family.

There are risks and unknowns in entrepreneurship, but the ability for both of us to do what we love and be able to demonstrate that to our children is truly a gift.

links + loves

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 13:51:30 GMT

It’s time for another weekly links + loves and I’m also including a few Q&A’s that I didn’t get to answer on my Monday morning Q&A. You can scroll to the bottom of the post to see them.

I mentioned my 2 favorite intimates items that I bought in 2020 on Instagram stories the other day, and wanted to share the links here in case you missed it. The chantelle high rise briefs are my very favorite for an extremely thin, stretchy, lightweight underwear. And my top bra pick was the Natori Pure Luxe Underwire T-Shirt bra. As far as bralettes go, the Tommy John Second Skin Bralette is my favorite for comfortable support without a wire.

I read We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter over the holiday break and was swept completely up in the story. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. It took place during world war 2 in Poland, and parts of western Europe. I would highly recommend reading this book!

These wine glasses are beautiful!

My mom made these peanut butter balls over the holidays and they are SO GOOD!

Justin got this flashlight on a cyber monday deal and we shared his unboxing and testing out of the light on Instagram Stories a few weeks ago. Since then, I’ve gotten so many follow up requests for a link! The light is a Marauder 2 and you can find it here.

Mary Orton, one of my favorites to follow on Instagram, launched a course with her husband Rich called “Owning the Interview”. If you are looking to improve your interview skills, I’d encourage you to check it out! You may remember me mentioning Rich awhile back when he interviewed me for the podcast “Influencer Business by Trove”.

If you have children in school and are looking for any supplemental curriculum or worksheets, we’ve been using various products from Teachers Pay Teachers and I would highly recommend it.

I have a Varley sweatshirt with a hood that I really love, and just found a hood-less version on Amazon with the same drawstring waist!

If you are looking for a great basic v-neck tee, this is it.

Question and Answer:

Are you wearing false lashes right now? I am. I’m wearing Lashify lashes and they are very comfortable and shave so much time off of my “getting ready” time!

What is your favorite lip mask? I’ve been loving the Lanegie Lip Sleeping Mask.

How do you fuel for your morning work out? I don’t. I can tell a big difference in my output when I’m able to drink coffee beforehand, but most days I don’t do that just because of time.

Eyebrow Routine? Have you done micro-blading? I have not done micro-blading and don’t plan to at this time. I use Anastasia brow products and just fill them in when I do my makeup.

What do you do for work? I’m a blogger/influencer/digital content creator.

What is your favorite under eye cream? I’ve been loving Bobbi Brown Eye Base as a daily eye cream under makeup. I use something heavier at night, like the fresh Black Tea Eye Concentrate.

How do you know if a hair product you are using is working? It depends on the product but generally you should see results from styling products instantly. For deep conditioning, repairing, or leave-in type of products, give it a few weeks to see if your hair transforms!

Is it bad to sleep with wet hair? Not necessarily, but more than anything you want to make sure it’s combed out so you don’t have any of your hair bend in knots while you sleep.

What shampoo do you use for your kids hair? I’m not too picky about their shampoo, but I did just grab some Head & Shoulders for Luke as his scalp is pretty dry. Hoping that will help!

A Few Favorite Vegetable Toppings + Recipes

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 12:00:31 GMT

Are you trying to eat a bit healthier in the new year? If you want to spice up your vegetables a bit, here are a few recipes I’d recommend, or just easy toppings to liven up an otherwise boring veggie.

Smitten Kitchen Almond Pesto is fantastic on beans, and would also be great on asparagus!

I’ve had a few Home Chef meals with recipes for “Everything but the Bagel” green beans, and it was a delicious topping that added a bunch of flavor.

I picked up some lemon-infused olive oil to drizzle on green beans or asparagus that I roast in the oven and it’s a perfect addition of a subtle flavor to the vegetable!

Roasted garlic salt would also be a nice addition to potatoes, beans, or even broccoli.

I keep meaning to remake the herb/garlic butter from this Damn Delicious recipe but I couldn’t find time this last month. Turns out I spent all my time making caramels! It’s on my list to make for this month. It’s packed with flavor and so good on steaks or potatoes.

What does Self-Care Mean to You?

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 17:10:38 GMT

I think when people hear the term “self-care” a lot of people, especially women, think of face masks while sitting in a hot bath reading a book.

And for some, that is exactly what they would want to do if they needed to recharge at the end of the day. But for others? It’s going on a run, it’s organizing a pantry, or it’s spending time with a friend.

After a turbulent year, the need for taking care of ourselves is more essential than ever before. I’d argue to say it’s vital to your emotional and mental well-being. There are certain stages of life that foster an environment of abundant opportunities for self-care, and there are others where you don’t have a single minute to spare for yourself.

Amanda and I were speaking recently about self-care and hobbies. I think this conversation came up because we both shared that neither of us really have “hobbies” that we actively engage in within our lives right now. It’s difficult to find time for a hobby when you’re a working mom, which we both are. It’s hard to find time for a hobby if your job is in the home raising your kids. It’s hard to find time for a hobby if you have zero kids and a demanding schedule. It’s hard to find time for a hobby if you suffer from an illness.

So in thinking about the fresh start of a new year, I thought it would be timely to share what I’m doing to try to develop some hobbies or simply make time for things I enjoy next year.

It sounds incredibly elementary, but keep a list of things you enjoy doing. Make a note when you are doing them if you find that they bring you joy. If you’re presented with some free time, for whatever reason, it’s helpful to have a little list of the things that fill you up instead of defaulting to housekeeping tasks, errands, or life-sucking activities like a dentist appointment.

On my list are the following:

I love cooking and baking (90% baking, 10% cooking)

I love exercising outside, including walks with friends

I like getting my nails done

I like to play the piano

I like to take photos of my kids

___

I hope it’s beneficial for you to think through the answer to the question: “What does self-care look like for you?”. And I hope you’re able to find a way to implement some of the things on that list in the new year.

Best Beauty Products (Makeup, Skin & Hair) from 2020!

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 14:33:19 GMT

Makeup:

Bare Minerals Gen Nude Cream Eyeshadow in “Turned Up” – a great, neutral base that locks powder eyeshadow in tight!

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eyeshadow in “Au Natural” – one of the most flattering colors I’ve used on my eyes that make the blue pop!

Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer Illuminating – a great base that adds a “lit from within” glow to the skin.

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray – a game-changer in makeup longevity!

Urban Decay Ultra Glow All Nighter Setting Spray – a more radiant finish of the same makeup-locking setting spray

Anastasia Brow Wiz in Taupe – one of my most loved eyebrow products!

NARS Liquid Blush in Orgasm – this color looks good on so many skin tones and is easy to wear.

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder for Under Eyes – absolutely essential for setting my under eye concealer to take away “tackiness” or creases.

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Concealer – brightens and covers darkness.

FENTY BEAUTY Cheeks Out Cream Blush in Strawberry Drip and Crush on Cupid – I love cream blush and these add such nice color and depth to the cheeks!

Marc Jacobs Beauty O!Mega Bronzer Coconut Perfect Tan in Tan-Tastic! – one of my favorite bronzers of all time.

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder – adds a natural-looking “filter” to the skin.

Patrick Ta Major Beauty Headlines -Double Take Creme and Powder Blush in She’s That Girl – a beautiful combination of cream and powder blush.

Grande Cosmetics GrandPRIMER Pre-Mascara Lengthener & Thickener – such a game-changer in adding length to the lashes!

ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr Go Off Makeup Remover Wipes – these are huge! so easy to use.

Laneige Lip Glowy Balm – feels like a drink of water for my lips.

Charlotte Tilbury Liv It Up – one of my most worn pink lipsticks (see this post for other favorites)

Bobbi Brown Pink Cloud – another favorite pink that looks great with tanned skin.

Laneige Glowy Makeup Serum – a seriously glowy primer that makes your skin look so healthy and hydrated.

Skin:

Olive and June Cuticle Serum – I hate dry cuticles and this is easy to throw in your bag or sit near your desk for frequent applications.

Philosophy the Microdelivery Exfoliating Facial Wash – a classic exfoliator that is nice and gentle on the skin.

Tan-Luxe The Body and The Face self-tan drops – two great tanning products for a sun-free tan.

Ole Henricksen Truth Serum – one of my longest loved vitamin c serums! adds brightness and firmness.

Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Moisture Cream – a deeply hydrating, extremely rich cream.

Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate – a little goes a long way when you use this rich eye cream.

SuperGoop! Glowscreen – perfect to wear alone for healthy-looking skin, and good for you too!

Supergoop Sunstick – one of my favorites for quick application on kids.

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask – I use this nightly and love how good it feels on my lips!

Ole Henricksen Transforming Walnut Scrub – a deep exfoliator that sloughs off even the roughest areas of skin.

Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask – one of my favorite masks of all time. My skin looks fully renewed after using it.

Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Dream Face Cream – A night cream that allows you to wake up with incredibly soft skin.

Ole Henricksen Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum – a hydrating vitamin c serum that brightens and softens.

The Billie razor – the best razor on the planet.

Fresh Sake Eau de Parfum – one of my favorite perfumes that isn’t overly flowery.

Flora by Gucci – Gorgeous Gardenia – a perfume that I’ve worn for over 7 years.

Hair:

Amika Fluxus Touchable Hair Spray – a flexible, easy to use hairspray. I also use this on my daughter!

Bumble and Bumble Pret-a-Powder Post Workout Dry Shampoo Mist – a game-changing product for refreshing after a sweaty workout.

CAVIAR Anti-Aging Multiplying Volume Styling Mist – makes my hair huge, which is exactly how I like it.

CAVIAR Anti-Aging Restructuring 3-in-1 Sealing Serum – significantly improves dry, brittle areas of my hair.

CAVIAR Anti-Aging Restructuring Bond Repair Leave-In Overnight Serum – feels weightless but does a lot of softening and repairing to my hair overnight.

Bumble and Bumble Glow Blow Dry Accelerator – shaves minutes off my blow dry time.

Amika Got Grit Dry Texture Paste – great for building width and thickness in shorter hair.

Virtue Healing Oil – literally “heals” fried hair. I’ve been using it daily for several weeks and see a major improvement.

Virtue Create Lifting Powder – a chalky powder used to add thickness and bulk to the hair.

Slip Silk Pillowcase – a beauty essential if you ask me.

GIMME Beauty Hair Bands – I love these for working out or just wearing my hair in a ponytail. They hold firmly without snagging!

T3Micro Curl ID 1.25″ Smart Curling Iron – truly a great curling iron that leaves my hair soft, shiny, and curled perfectly.

Amika Hair Brow Dry Brush – a great option for a blow-dry brush. Not too hot, not too loud.

Vented Wet Brush – I like to blow dry with a vented brush for speed and this is my top choice!

My Peloton Posts Recap

Tue, 29 Dec 2020 12:00:14 GMT

I’m coming up on my one year anniversary of owning the Peloton bike and thought I’d share a round-up of other posts I’ve written about it. I’ve heard from a few of you that you are getting a bike soon and I hope you love it as much as I do!

First Impression + Experience with the Peloton

Am I Keeping the Peloton Bike?

Gear + other Favorites that I use on my Peloton Bike

I have a “highlight” saved on my Instagram all about it, as well as some of my favorite gear.

Your Favorite Items from 2020

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 12:00:51 GMT

I am truly fascinated to see what you respond to when I share links to things, and the few times that I share some behind-the-“screens” statistics with you, some of you are really interested as well!

I pulled up my data and I’m sharing the top 6 things you loved this year, based on link clicks/purchases.

I have this information from RewardStyle, which is the platform that supplies my affiliate links. Affiliate links are one way I generate revenue for my business. If I use an affiliate link to a hair product, and you click on that link and make a purchase, I get a small monetary kickback. It doesn’t cost you any additional money, but it’s a way for influencers to earn revenue for advertising or marketing a product through their social channels.

So, I selected the full calendar year of stats, and here are the top 6 products that were purchased through my links this year!

One. Madewell The Perfect Vintage Jeans in Enmore Wash

Two. Target All in Motion Women’s Quilted Funnel Neck Collar

Three. Madewell The Perfect Vintage Jeans in Rosabelle Wash

Four. Caslon Joshua Water Resistant Bootie

Five. Madewell Whisper Cotton Rib-Crewneck Tee

Six. Sephora Nars Liquid Blush

The items with the most clicks (which doesn’t mean the same thing as a purchase) were:

One. Target All in Motion Women’s Quilted Funnel Neck Collar with 55k+ clicks!

Two. Target Women’s High-Rise Skinny Jeans Universal Thread, Dark Wash with 45k+ clicks!

Three. Target Women’s Mid-Rise Ankle Length Jogger Pants (similar!), A New Day with 35k+ clicks!

I hope you were able to find some wonderful “staple” items for your closet this year. As always, I appreciate you using my links and I always love to hear when you have clothing success!

End of Year Reflection with Justin

Sat, 19 Dec 2020 19:01:16 GMT

I’ve shared a bit on Instagram about the end-of-year discussion that Justin and I have but I’ve never typed up anything formal about it because we adjust it on an annual basis based on whatever that previous year held. In general, there is a loose outline that we follow that we’ve developed over time (you can find that below).

The point of this conversation is to set aside time for some big picture planning, end of year reflection, and goal setting for ourselves personally and within our marriage. I genuinely look forward to it every year. In the past, we’ve looped it into a trip, like when we went to Lake Tahoe, but sometimes it’s just something we do on a Saturday morning over breakfast if we have childcare available.

I’m sure this goes without saying, but this isn’t the only time that we discuss the topics listed below. We are always in discussion about these things, the point of this “end of year” discussion is to re-align after the business of the holidays, and set up for success in the new year.

I’ll share a few of the general topics that we cover below, and examples of questions we ask, but I’d encourage you to tailor this to whatever your life, marriage, or family may look like.

Categories: As Individuals, As a Couple, As Parents

Topics: Work, Social Life, Spiritual Life/Church, Serving, Finances, Events/Travel, Parenting, Alone time

For each category, we discuss the topics I’ve listed above. We share what we hope to do or want to do for the following year. We also address whether it worked in the current year. We each share our own thoughts and discuss how we can support each other based on whatever we decide. This conversation is not so much about planning action steps to set up new rhythms or routines, but more of a reflection and thoughtful time to evaluate our life at this time.

Afterward, we usually continue the conversation by discussing what changes or adjustments we would make based on what we discovered from discussing the topics.

I realize this may sound a bit abstract, and it kind of is, but I thought it would be helpful to provide a loose example below.

Example:

Reflection questions:

How would you describe your work experience from the past year? What were some significant accomplishments? What were some disappointments or failures? What are you most proud of? What could you have done better? How was work/life balance? What are you hoping to achieve and avoid this upcoming year?

How is your spiritual life? What is contributing to your growth/knowledge? What are you lacking? What can you do to change or improve your spiritual life for the following year?

Where are you serving and giving back? Is there an organization you want to focus on this year? Where/how else can you be serving?

Is there any travel you want to do next year? Are there events you want to attend or be a part of?

What were some moments of success with parenting from the year prior? What are you hoping to do better this year? What do you wish you did more of with the kids and how can we make that happen?

What are your hobbies? Are you creatively fulfilled? What would you like to see for your free time next year?

___

So we go through each topic as individuals, as a couple, and as parents. Our answers differ dramatically on some topics, but also align well on others.

While these types of conversations don’t need to wait until the end of the year and can (and should!) happen more often than just one time a year, it’s helpful to plan on doing a deep dive at a certain point so we can be sure that the other person is also thinking intently about the topics that we always cover.

Beauty Stocking Stuffers $25 and Under!

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 16:04:47 GMT

1. Laneige Lip Daydreams Set 2. Voluspa Macaron Candle Trio Set 3. Tatcha Dewy Skin Duo 4. Laneige Limited Edition Lip Sleeping Mask 5. Voluspa Macaron Candle Trio Set 6. Briogeo Detox, Restore + Protect! Mini Hair Care Kit 7. Besties Makeup Sponge and Cleanser Set 8. 7-Day Makeup Eraser Set 9. Anastasia Beverly Hills Insta Brow Set 10. Anastasia Beverly Hills Perfect Your Brows Set 11. Ilia Mini Limitless Lash Lengthening Mascara 12. Natasha Denona Mini Glam Eyeshadow Palette 13. rms Beauty Living Luminizer Glow Quad Mini 14. Sephora Collection Wild Days Eyeshadow & Face Palette 15. Sephora Collection Wild Eyes Eyeshadow Palette 16. NARS Mini Orgasm Double Duo 17. Nudestix Sunset Nudes 3-piece Set 18. Pat McGrath Labs Mini Flesh 5 Astral Trio 19. NARS Mini Orgasm Lip Duo 20. Anastasia Beverly Hills Lipstick in Praline 21. Bite Beauty Mini Midnight Mood Power Move Crayon Trio 22. Nude + Red Hot Lips 3-piece Set 23. NARS Mini Afterglow Lip Balm Duo 24. Fresh Soft Lip Duo 25. Pat McGrath Labs Mini LUST: Lip Gloss Trio

Not only are these little stocking stuffers a great way to be introduced to a new product, but they are also great to have for travel whenever that becomes a bit normal again!

I apply the Laneige Lip Sleeping mask every single night and would highly recommend it if you have dry lips. For daytime, if you are looking for a slight wash of color, the NARS Afterglow Balm is hydrating and softening too!

Large eyeshadow palettes are fun and all, but sometimes a small one like this from Natasha Denona is all you need for a few simple eye makeup looks!

You can check out my other gift guides here!

Festive Cocktails and Mocktails!

Sat, 12 Dec 2020 12:00:31 GMT

Sometimes you just need to make your own fun, and making your own festive cocktail at home is one way to do that since going out to dinner or drink isn’t the same right now! There are a handful of great pre-made mixes that only require the addition of liquor, but for the most part these drinks are simple to create from scratch!

Included are a few mocktails as well for those who do not drink, or if you need a drink for the under 21 crowd. My boys (ages 5 & 6) are big fans of a Shirley Temple Sprite + Grenadine with a few Maraschino Cherries added on top!

Mocktails:

Holiday Pomogranate Mojito

White Chocolate Peppermint Mocktini

Cranberry Fizz

Cocktails:

Apple Pie on the Rocks (this sounds right up my alley!)

Jack Frost Cocktail

Easy Cranberry Margarita (I love a Margarita and this one looks perfect for winter)

Santa Hat Martini

Drink Mixers:

Gaby Cocktail Party Bundle

Be Mixed Ginger + Lime (under $10!)

Champagne Toppers (would make a cute gift!)

Hella Cocktail Co. has a lot of options and the packaging is fantastic.

links + loves

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 17:09:13 GMT

Just a heads up, you’re going to blink and it’ll be 2021. It’s coming, y’all.

How was your week? Justin and I started off the week with a lot of things on our to-do list but by today (Friday), it has slowed down to a nice, normal pace. We watched a Christmas movie with the boys on Wednesday night which was fun, and we’re celebrating David’s birthday this weekend!

This was my outfit of the day. You can shop for any of the outfits or items I share on Instagram by clicking here! My jeans are some of my very favorites from Madewell. Either this wash that I’m wearing or the Enmore Wash, are my most worn jeans in the past few months.

My top is Varley (I got mine on Amazon), the blazer is old from Abercrombie, and my sneakers that I’ve had for years are now on sale at Nordstrom Rack! A similar blazer can be found at J.Crew Factory!

A similar top, though thicker and longer with side zips, is this funnel neck pullover that I found at Target recently. I have it in black and really love it for a warm layer!

I talked about 3 makeup palettes on stories this week and I wanted to share them here as well! These are three of my personal favorites because they have nice warm, neutral shades and a good mix of shimmer and matte options. The only palette with matte only shadows is the Naked 2 basics palette.

The Tartlette in Bloom Palette and The Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette are the other two I mentioned! You can see a demo of the Tartlette in Bloom Palette here!

I have absolutely no need for this beautiful dining chair so I’m sharing it here so I can live vicariously through one of you who may buy this and enjoy it.

I love this stripe set of loungewear from Thread & Supply.

How cute is this sherpa for a little girl?

If you are trying to think of some “socially distanced” Christmas activities, I have a few ideas for you!

You can do a drive-by Christmas Scavenger Hunt using this cute printable.

The kids and I made two different Christmas/Winter treats recently. The Rice Krispies Treat Trees were really easy and the kids got a big kick out of decorating them with mini m&m’s for “lights”

Reindeer Chow would be fun to make for a Christmas movie at home, or even to bring along on the Scavenger Hunt!

Salt Dough ornaments are also easy and fun to make.

It’s been a few years but these easy Pinecone Bird Feeders are a fun and simple craft even for toddlers.

Christmas Village

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 15:36:32 GMT

My mom has given me a new building to my Christmas Village every year for Christmas for the past 10 years or so. The brand is Department 56, and it’s something my sister and I both collect now. My village is the Original Snow Village, and my sister has Christmas in the City.

It’s one of my favorite Christmas decorations to set out. The kids love to look at it and take in the tiny details. It’s been wonderful to set it up in my foyer but I’ve nearly maxed out the table I set it on so I may need to find a new zip code for it next year.

I shared a video of the full village on my Instagram, click here to watch it!

How I Handle Cold Sores with Abreva

Sun, 06 Dec 2020 19:44:43 GMT

This post is sponsored by Abreva.

I still remember a poignant moment of embarrassment that I felt about a cold sore from over 11 years ago. I had a very angry cold sore below my lip and it was impossible to cover up. I was in my early twenties, dating my now-husband Justin, and we were standing in a group of people outside of a restaurant. A woman we all knew walked up and said, “Kate, what happened to your face?!” and everyone looked at me. The woman immediately tried to backpedal when she saw how embarrassed I was, and when she heard me stumbling over my words to try to sheepishly explain that it was a cold sore, but it was too late.

My cheeks were bright pink and I remember feeling frustrated and annoyed about having to deal with cold sores. Anyone that suffers with these knows how painful and obnoxious they are to deal with, but for people who aren’t familiar, it’s hard to understand why they just seemingly randomly pop up on someones’ face.

I completely understand the feeling of wanting to cancel plans, or stay inside, if you are dealing with a cold sore. I used to feel that too! But after coming to terms with the fact that I’m going to fight with cold sores for my entire life, I decided to be kinder to myself when they pop up and keep on living my normal life. Cold sores are more common than you may think and there’s no reason that they should put your life on hold.

Whenever I feel the first warning sign of a cold sore, I immediately apply Abreva to that area. Abreva can get rid of a cold sore in 2.5 days* when used at the first sign, so I almost always have Abreva within arm’s reach! I keep a tube in my purse, my bathroom drawer, and in my travel bag. Beyond simply being prepared with Abreva, I’m also conscious of common triggers that can cause a cold sore to pop up. Sun exposure, stress, and not getting good sleep are three things that are a perfect recipe for a cold sore to pop up on my face. I can always tell when I’m about to deal with one when I feel a slight itch and soreness in the same spot on my face. Some people may experience another sign like redness or tingling skin.

*Median healing time 4.1 days. 25% of users healed by 2.5 days.

Cold sores are sometimes unavoidable, and the best thing you can do to get back to feeling like yourself again is to be prepared with Abreva so you can attack the outbreak right away. And for someone in a job that requires putting your face out to the world, I know the desperate feeling of wanting a cold sore to go away as fast as possible, and that is why I always apply Abreva when I’m fighting one – nothing works faster**.

**Among OTC cold sore products when used at the first sign

I’ve spoken quite candidly about the fact that I deal with cold sores through my Instagram Stories, and it’s always encouraging to hear from those of you that also suffer that I consciously try to normalize them by continuing on with my “regular programming”, despite having am embarrassing cold sore on my face.

It’s taken a long time, but I’ve really made it a practice to be kind to myself when I’m battling a cold sore, so I can quickly get back to feeling confident, with the help of Abreva.

You can learn more about Abreva here!

Food Gifts to Ship or Make & Deliver locally!

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 16:02:44 GMT

In a time where eating out at restaurants has been limited, giving the gift of special food you can enjoy at home is kind of the best option. I rounded up a list of food gifts that you can ship all over the country to loved ones, and also included some options that you can make in your own kitchen to drop off locally.

To Order Online and Ship:

Sugarwish – my sister and I have been sending each other Sugarwish gifts for years! It’s a fun concept that allows the recipient to choose what they get in their box, and perfect to send to a loved one who you may not be able to see this year.

Giordanos Pizza (Chicago Style Deep Dish) – this is my favorite Chicago style pizza. And to be honest, it comes really close to being as good as what you would get in a restaurant. My mom gifted me a few of these last year and I just told her that I could love a few more this year as well!

Lou Malnati’s – it pains me to include this on this post but I hope you notice that it’s *below* Giordanos. Lou Malnati’s is another Chicago style pizza restaurant that you can also have shipped all over the country. My sister prefers it to Giordanos, which I find abhorrent, but it’s an option for those who enjoy really yeasty pizza crust.

Home Chef – I’ve been doing Home Chef for years and talk about it very often on Instagram Stories. This is a fun gift to give to someone who has been wanting to try a food delivery service like this! And you can use my code KATE80 for $80 off ($20 off each of your first four boxes).

To Make at Home and Delivery Locally:

Vanilla Extract – you only need 2 ingredients and it gets better with time!

Herb Butter – the recipe for the compound butter on this post. I’ve made this before and it’s divine, though I did leave out the cayenne pepper.

Caramels – my mom makes these every holiday and they are “melt in your mouth” perfection.

Cinnamon Rolls – read through this recipe a few times before you dive in, and get ready to make multiple pans worth of rolls!

Pasta Sauce – a classic homemade marinara recipe.

links + loves

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 14:18:40 GMT

We made it to Friday! This week was a little hectic for a few different reasons. We had to replace a broken HVAC unit which took all day Thursday, and also replace a broken pipe on our water heater. Those are never fun things to fix at any time of year, but it’s especially painful in the month of December!

But, it’s almost the weekend and it’s my sisters’ birthday today! I’m celebrating with her tomorrow and I’m so glad she lives near enough to me so we can get together!

I tried the Chestnut Praline Latte from Starbucks, with only one pump of the Chestnut Praline, and enjoyed it! It’s a nice change up from my typical Americano or Flat White.

How is your holiday shopping going? I’m making decent progress but Justin and I are still debating on our “joint” Christmas gift for the kids. I’m anxious to get it ordered since I’m anticipating shipping delays so hopefully we can nail it down this weekend.

A few other links + loves. . .

For my UK readers, I just saw that Eylure released false lashes designed by a breast cancer survivor that was looking for something when she lost her lashes during treatment.

This crust-less quiche looks delicious!

I just discovered Rebecca Allen shoes, which is a female founded and black owned show company with a focus on creating shoes in *different* shades of “nude”.

I get asked about my apple watch band whenever it’s shown on Instagram Stories, and it’s the Sport Loop by Apple. You can find it on Amazon here!

The actual last thing I need is another jacket but this pink puffer is calling out to me! And this gray hoodie looks lightweight and comfortable. I ordered it in the charcoal grey to try!

The Lou and Grey cozy lounge set that I have had for years and love is 40% off with code FALALA. This is the sweatshirt, and these are the pants! I have a medium both and am pleased with that sizing!

This is a cute quilted coat! I love the different pockets on the front!

I got these earrings recently and love how delicate and feminine they are.

I’ve told y’all about Smitten Kitchen’s Cheese Straw recipe one hundred times already, but I just wanted to throw it out there again in case you need an easy but impressive recipe to make!

Holiday Gifts Under $25!

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 16:49:32 GMT

1. Cheese Knives 2. Travel Size Supreme Body Balm 3. Luv Scrub Mesh Body Exfoliator 4. KitchenAid Citrus Squeezer 5. Fresh Sugar Lip Moisturizing Trio 6. Standard Silicone Straws 7. Treasure Box Mini Makeup Eraser Set 8. Remedy Conditioning Lip Blam 9. Blue Light Blocking Square Glasses 10. Slip Silk Scrunchie Holiday Ornament 11. Monogram Water Bottle 12. Golden Coast Reed Diffuser 13. Copper Mug 14. Delicate Stacking Ring Set 15. Velvet Pom Pom Slippers 16. Holiday Shower Fizzies 17. Oster Cordless Electric Wine Bottle Opener 18. Gemline Stud Earrings 19. Floral Vines Market Pad

Sometimes you need just a small addition to a larger gift, so hopefully some of these $25 and under gift options spark an idea for you!

I have these simple earrings and love wearing them in my second piercing. I also bought a few of these Holiday Shower Fizzies and I truly cannot decide if I want to keep them for myself or give them as a gift. I feel like it’s wise to try it first so I can really know how good they are, right?!

With different restaurants getting rid of plastic straws these days, it’s becoming more and more essential to carry a silicone reusable straw in your bag or car. While this isn’t necessarily a very *special* gift, I’m sure whoever you give it to will thank you if they are in a straw-type emergency

My sister told me about this citrus press a few months ago and I use it often. It’s great for getting all, and I mean ALL, of the juice out of citrus fruit and pours cleanly from the side.

If you missed it, I shared a few other gift guides on the blog recently too, you can find links to those below:

Giving Tuesday

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 12:00:04 GMT

There is no question that 2020 has been a hard year. On this Giving Tuesday, I wanted to share a few places I’ve committed to that perhaps may inspire you to give as well.

Feeding America: I was so proud when Home Chef partnered with Feeding America earlier this year when the pandemic was really starting to unfold in our country. I’ve committed to a monthly donation to Feeding America, but they also accept one time donations.

(local)Christian Life Home: This is an organization serving pregnant women between ages 10-23 in North Carolina since 1985. I’ve donated financially as well as gifted baby items that I no longer needed or received from a brand and didn’t use. As a mom, I cannot imagine a young girl being pregnant and not having support, so I’m happy to support this organization with a monthly donation.

(local) Brown Bag Ministry: This is a local organization that serves the homeless in my area. While volunteering in-person is challenging with COVID19 restrictions, there are other tangible ways to serve like filling up Christmas Gift Bags for homeless men in the area. I committed to an ongoing monthly donation but plan to fill some Christmas Gift bags and drop them off at a donation site.

Another idea and simple way to care for people this holiday season (or year-round) is to keep some granola bars, bottles of water, or basic toiletries in your car. It always breaks my heart when I see homeless men and women on the side of the street asking for money, and sometimes it’s unclear whether or not giving money is helpful or hurtful, so offering a few basic essentials (food, water bottle, toiletries, etc) may help in a safe way.

One of the things I really love about Justin is his generosity when he’s in situations like this. When he’s been approached at gas stations or fast-food restaurants he always offers to buy him or her a meal.

While there are constant needs for volunteers, donations, and more all year round, I appreciate the pause amongst gift buying during the holidays to look at where we can give back.

Holiday Gifts from Small Businesses

Sat, 28 Nov 2020 16:00:40 GMT

More than ever it’s important to support small businesses, and it didn’t take me long to find some incredible products from artisans and creatives that would make a wonderful gift this holiday season.

Recipe Cutting Board by MorningJoyCo

Custom House Portrait by JustArtinAround

CharmedBathBody Bath Salts

Elisabeth Ashlie

Dry Erase Chalkboard Calendar by circleandsquaredecor

The Dotted Poppy

ELARBOLDECEREZO Perpetual Letterpress Calendar

Estelle Colored Glass

Le Papier Studio

Glow Candle Bar Candles

Jeddah’s Tearoom

The Zen Succulent

Hippy Pilgrim Shop

Taylored Script Design Co.

Sohp Shop