At Home Date Night Ideas

Besides the big things like communication, trust, and selflessness; keeping things fresh is almost equally as important. More often than not, while we are dating or in our first couple years of marriage we make a lot of effort and work really hard at our relationships but as time goes on we tend to do less and less. I can't stress how important it is to continue to work hard at your relationship even as life gets busier and our to do lists get longer and longer.

One thing Tony and I ALWAYS make a priority is date nights. Of course, going out for a date night is not always possible. But even if we aren't able to go out somewhere, we make a point to have a date night home. Date night is our time, so the kids are in bed, and phones are put on the charger on silent. No distractions, just our time.

Our latest obsession is charcuterie cheese boards. I will make one with our favorite type of meats, cheese, black olives, crackers and/or bread, grapes, and pickles. We will either pay for a movie that we both want to see on demand, or sometimes we just want to eat and talk about our day and just spend time with each other.

Another we like to do, is couples massages. We did buy a massage table online but that totally isn't necessary. This date night combines, quality time, physical touch and acts of service in one. That's three of the four love languages in one date night. We grab our favorite massage oils, turn on soundscapes and we take turns giving one another a massage. Not only do the massages feel good, the physical touch, is an amazing way to really feel your partners love and it does a great job of restoring love that can sometimes get hidden during the business of the week.

Hope you guys take the time this week to either go out for a date night or spend a date night at home with your significant other! Relationships don't stay happy, its all about the work you put in. You get out what you put in, so do the work.

Happy Tuesday Yall!

"All Them Curls"

 

One of the most common questions Tony and I get asked is about the boys' hair. Questions like what kind of products we use for them, how do we de-tangle their hair, and how do we keep it moisturized throughout the week, etc...?

I am not super fussy with their shampoo and conditioner, right now they just use the Sauve keratin shampoo and conditioner. I will also use a deep conditioner mask in their usually one for dry hair with argan oil and Moroccan oil. Tayden will usually play in the bathtub while the conditioner does it's job. And T knows to do his hair first, put the deep conditioner in, and then wash his body to allow the conditioner to work. Then as soon as the deep conditioner is washed out. I will use the Kinky Curly Knot Today de-tangler. I will take a good size and rub it throughout their and put it up in a top bun while they they get dressed.

         

        

Once they are dressed, I will comb their hair out. I comb it out in 4 sections and add more knot today as I start a section. They are used to combing their out and don't fuss or complain about it. Tayden will watch some Disney show and T will watch a movie on Netflix. They both love their hair and don't want to cut it, so I tell them this is part of the process to have their curls. If the other sections of their hair start to get dry (Tayden's hair dries really easily), I take a spray bottle with warm water and regular conditioner mixed together and spray those sections. It helps moisten the hair but also de-tangles as well too. As I finish section, I just put it in a braid while I do the rest. T's hair probably takes about 15 minutes and Tayden's takes about 20 minutes, just because I am extremely gentle with his. T washes his hair twice a week because he is so active with sports and he sweats a lot and it makes it much easier to comb out. Tayden washes his hair once or twice, depending on if he had swim that week or not.

         

        

After, I will take the braids out and I will take some of the pantene proV oil hydrating oil and run it through their hair and shape their hair how they usually wear it. T wears his with a curly bang look, we had it cut that way to give him a distinct shape. Tayden wears his pushed back and pulled out.

         

         

During the week in the mornings, I use the Cantu curl activator cream to keep it hydrated and reshape their curls after they sleep on it. This has been a new addition to our routine but I love it. We have been using this for the past two months and I can see a difference in their hair and maintaining their curls throughout the week.

 I hope some of these products work. Curls can be a lot of work but as long as you keep them moisturized during the week, they can look soo good. And of course, you go through a rough phase while the hair is growing to a length that looks good. The boys go to a real salon and get their hair cut while wet and cut for curls so it always looks neat.

Hope this helps and helps you keep 'all them curls' lol!

New Month, New Goals!

It's crazy to think it's already October! Crazy to think the year will be over in less than 90 days. January will come around and we will all set our new year goals and then by February we will forget about them. Around the middle of this year, I started doing monthly goals. I really love this because I am able to break down my big goals into smaller ones and manage them monthly. Every month, when I am able to cross something off my goal sheet, I not only feel great but I am one step closer to accomplishing my yearly goals. Instead of waiting until January, try setting some small goals you can accomplish this month. If you start today, imagine how much better you will feel in the new year. Prioritize you and keep yourself accountable by writing it down. Writing down your goals helps you to visualize the steps you want to accomplish and it commits it to memory. And if you are more into the tech goal setting, you can use the Notes on your phone. Throughout the month, look back at your goals and remind yourself why you are doing what you are doing. Lets make October a great month and a great start to our last 90 days of the 2018.

My Top 6 Beauty Favorites

When I was younger, it was all about the newest makeup and trying all the new products. While I still love makeup, as I am now older, my focus has definitely taken a major turn to skin care. I am most concerned with taking care of what is under my makeup. Make up sits so much better on healthy skin. I have a couple makeup things thrown in but most of my top 6 beauty favorites are skin care related.

Kiehl's Dark Spot Corrector: This is one of those things that does what it says on the container. With consistent, continued use, it really does work. I am on my second bottle and almost all of my dark spots from little bumps I had on my cheeks are gone. I put this on before my moisturizer at night.

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen: Now that I am older, I understand the importance of sunscreen Every Single Day. If you want skin without dark scarring and age spots when you are older, I suggest you join the sunscreen club as well. It took me awhile to find a sunscreen that I liked but this one from Supergoop is amazing. It is a clear gel like consistency and literally just feels like a nice primer before applying make up. I love that it doesn't have any white color to  it and doesn't affect the application of my make up. I have been using it for months now and I am still on my first tube. Totally recommend it, I love it so much.

Nuxe Lip Balm: Ok I know, its just a lip balm. I bought this one from Duane Reed in NY and I have been hooked ever since. It has a matte like consistency so it isn't sticky when you put it on your lips. I put it on AM and PM. When I go to sleep with it on, I wake up with moisturized lips that are soft and hydrated.

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion: Got a bump or feel one coming? This guy will be your best friend. You keep the clear and pink solutions separate, take your Qtip and dip through both. Place it on your bump and keep it on through the night and within a day or so it'll dry it right up.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk: Hands down, my favorite foundation ever. Goes on like a dream and literally makes it seem like you have a filter on your face without being heavy or full coverage. It is very build-able, you can use one layer for light coverage and can add more for medium/full coverage. I have been using this for years and literally nothing compares and I have used quite a few different foundations.

Giorgio Armani Eccentrico Mascara: Falsies in a mascara? This is it right here, two coats and it curls and gives you voluminous eyelashes. I have tried sooo many mascaras and this one has been the star of the show for me.

Let me know if you try any of these products and if they work out for you!

Tips and Tricks to Help Your Kids Love School

I know most people have sent their kiddos back to school or will be sending them back to school shortly.  I am one of those parents that actually loves having my kids home because the school year is really really busy for us. Fortunately though, my boys love school very much even my 6th grader. There are some key things that help make school easy for kids and when something is easy it makes it much more enjoyable. I know the summer is over but maybe you can do these things throughout the year or save them for next summer.

Structure Is A Good Thing:
Kids actually thrive with structure. They might act like they don't like it but once you implement it, you will see how much they flourish. Every day in the summer (with the exception of when we are on vacation or out of town), our kids had some work to do every day to start the day. For my now 6th grader, the goal is to keep challenging him mentally and not let him forget everything he has done during the previous school year. His work consisted of a workbook, reading, and a workout. Every morning, he knew exactly what was expected and he did it with no complaints. An hour a day is such a small portion of the day, and they knew they had the whole rest of the day to relax or hang out. For my 4 year old, I wanted to strengthen his endurance while doing work, go over all of his letters with sounds and writing, and practice writing his name. He felt like such a big kid and loved showing off his work that he had done for he day.


Read, Read, Read:
Before my kids can read, I read to them all the time while pointing to the words as I read them. Pick books they are interested in and as they hear the words you are saying while seeing how they look, it helps start the reading process for them.

For my older son, he loves to read. Most days he reads at least 20 -30 minutes a day, he used to read a lot more but of course he has sports and a lot more homework. During the summer, he would 30-40 pages a day. And after each book, he would write a summary about the book. He read 5 books this summer and they were not short books. All of the books he reads are on a high school level. It's really important to help strengthen your kids reading ability. It helps them comprehend what they are reading for school and also teaches them vocabulary and spelling. As a second grader, he tested college freshman for his reading comprehension, vocabulary, and language. Reading really pays off.

 Plan Ahead:
This is actually something my dad did for me when I was a kid and it helped me tremendously and I do the same for my own. Kids will perform much better in school if they are confident in what they are doing at school. I help my kids feel academically strong by teaching them things they will encounter in the upcoming year during the summer. My oldest did 6th grade math the whole summer so this year the things he will be learning won't be new to him. And my 4 year old worked on things he would be doing in K4. I wanted him to be confident in class and not scared to do things because he felt unsure. They have been in school for four days and his teacher is already so impressed with how well he is already writing his name and how well he writes his letter. His name is Tayden which isn't the easiest name to write.

I promise you, this will help your kids more than you can imagine. Seeing them doing well in school and flourish as little students will make it all worth while.

Praying all of your kids have an amazing school year!!!

Random Facts About Me

I know a lot of you all know the basic things about me from social media or from Tony so I thought I would share some random facts about myself that I know very few people know. I hope it allows you to get to know me a little better.

1. I don't like taking pictures of myself.

If you look at any of my social media pages, it's very rare that you will see a picture of me by myself or a selfie shot. The only seflie shots I may take are with Tony. Even when Tony takes pics of me, 90% of the time I don't like them and won't even save them. If I'm honest with myself, I feel like this started after I had Tayden. Tayden is 4 now but I still don't feel like myself so when I take pics or see pics of myself, I always find something I don't like in the picture. This is probably why I haven't filmed any youtube videos in forever but it is definitely something I am working on. I am forcing myself to do things that make me feel uncomfortable, definitely a work in progress.

2. I'm very competitive.

 When I say competitive, I mean really competitive lol. If Tony and I playing are anything, from uno to swimming laps in the pool, I want to win. And I will admit, I can be a bit of a sore loser if I lose. I think that's why I have always played sports and have to be active, I have to release some of that competitive nature somewhere.

3. I originally was going to medical school.
My bachelors degree is in Biomedical science and I did a one year masters called Medical Science which was the curriculum of the first year of med school. I had always planned to go medical school before having little Tony. He was a preemie baby born 2 1/2 months premature and it changed my life forever. I needed to be there for him more than the average kid and I couldn't imagine not being there like I needed to be while in medical school so I put it on hold. And to be honest, it's something I don't regret. During that time, I was able to learn so much more about myself and discover so many things I am more passionate about that I never had the chance to explore. I will always love medicine and it will always have special place in my heart and maybe one day I'll revisit it in some capacity.

4. I don't have a lot of friends.
You will probably rarely see me with a huge group of girls on a girl trip or something like that. I'm more about quality over quantity. I don't let people get to close to me very easily but if I do, we will be best friends for life. The friends I do have, know I have their back no matter what and that I would give them the shirt of my back if they needed it.


5. I am a tomboy through and through.
You may have noticed but you will rarely see me in heels and dresses. I don't feel all that comfortable in them. My go to outfit more often than not, is jeans and a t-shirt. I have ways to dress it down and up depending on the occasion. Of course I do wear heels and will wear dresses from time to time but I am most me in a t-shirt lol. True story, before I met Tony I was the opposite of a domestic goddess. I was always playing sports my whole life so I never really learned how to cook, take care of the house etc... I learned all that stuff after we got married and some things I am still learning. Thankfully, Tony is an amazing husband and doesn't come home expecting me to have cooked every single night and he doesn't mind cooking if I don't feel like it.


I hope you enjoyed getting to know me a little bit more and if you have enjoyed this let me know and I will do them from time to time.