My Top Mommy Survival Items

A list of things that make my life so much easier and why. (In no specific order)

1. Hand Lotion- I am constantly washing my hands, specially since becoming a mommy. The first week home after giving birth my hands looked like they'd been burned in a fire from all the handwashing (and lets not forget dishwashing). So I have to have a decent hand lotion at all times to keep the crocodile patches at bay. Right now I'm using Shea Moisture Organic Shea Butter Hand Cream since i found it on clearance at Target. It's not my favorite but it does the job as long as I'm consistent with it. My all time favorite is Bath and Body Works Shea Cashmere Hand Cream (in Dark Kiss).

2. Mascara- If you don't always have time for mascara but want to hide some of that sleep deprived look most mothers suffer from, pop some mascara on! I feel like I look 100x more awake with mascara on, even if I don't feel it. My favorite mascara is Mac Haute & Naughty Lash and Mac Zoom Lash but I read really good things about Maybelline's The Falsies and decided to give it a try. I don't like it but I'm working with it until it's all gone. I don't like the awkward thick curved brush, the watery formula that smudges horribly on me or the fact that you can't layer it without it looking like you only have three thick lashes. Even when i manage to work with it, it still doesn't do enough for me. I expected so much more! It looks like it has fibers in the formula but I don't get any on my actual lashes. Maybe I'm wrong. 

3. Johnson's Head to Toe Baby Wash- I've been using this to bathe my daughter since she was born, but one day I realized it was almost identical ingredients to my Purpose face wash I had been using (which is also made by Johnson's and smells very similar). So I started to wash my face with it, and it worked great! It took my makeup off and didn't burn my eyes. I've also washed my hair with this and bathed with it. I've washed my makeup brushes with it, washed delicate items of clothing, used it to clean stuff like my daughter's baby bathtub, and the list goes on. I like having products around that can have multiple uses, is fairly cheap and comes in a huge pump bottle. 

4. Baby Wipes- Like the baby wash, baby wipes have many uses, are fairly cheap and have a good bit in the package. I was buying baby wipes before I even had a baby, using them to remove makeup. They're gentle enough for me to use on my face, and have worked better than some makeup remover clothes I've purchased. I also use them to get stains off clothing right when they happen, clean off handprints and crayon from the walls. I use them to wipe up sticky stuff which seems to be everywhere with a toddler. I make sure I have several packs laying around at all times. 

5. Dry Shampoo- I have the kind of hair that needs to be washed every single day or I look like I've poured cooking oil over my head. I don't always have the time to wash it everyday and I know it's not good for your hair to wash it everyday so dry shampoo is my lifesaver. I've tried so many different kinds and they are not all created equal. I'd finally resorted to just using baby powder since it did the best job but it left a dull look i hated. Then I found the dry shampoo for me, and it's super cheap to boot. Sauve Professionals Keratin Infusion. It actually makes my hair look clean and doesn't leave that stiff gross feeling most dry shampoos leave me with. 

6. Fast dry topcoat- I enjoy painting my nails but when you have a toddler running around it can be difficult. I can't keep my hands tied up waiting for wet polish to dry so a fast dry top coat is a lifesaver for me. I really like Seche Vite's fast dry topcoat since I can put it on before my polish it even dry, it seems to make my polish job look great even if I didn't do a great job and it dries so fast I can go about my day without worrying about smudging.

These are just some everyday items that help make things easier for me. What products help make your life easier?

Ready For Easter!

I'm pretty excited for Easter this year since Lily's old enough we can hunt for eggs and eat candy! I know a lot of people aren't putting much candy in Easter baskets anymore but she doesn't get candy often. So I think it's ok on the holidays.
I made her basket up the beginning of March but have taken it apart and put it back together probably 3 times now. I decided to do a Doc McStuffins theme since she really likes the show and I wanted to get her a Lambie. Here's how it turned out:

 

This is before I started messing with it:

 

I thought it needed something so I pulled out my stash of ribbon and tied some around the top. Also, I had saved some tags off of some Doc McStuffins tees, trimmed one up and glued it to a ribbon on front. I got the basket, grass, eggs, candy, peeps and chocolate bunny from Walmart for around $9 total (the bag of Easter candy was $3 and only some of it went into the basket). I put the candy inside the eggs with the plan to hide them for her after she opens her basket. The clear wrap and purple glitter bow (which was a pack of 3) came from the dollar tree for $1 a piece. I got the Lambie from Amazon for $11.95 which was too much since I've seen these at Walmart for around $8 and at Kmart for $7 recently. I ordered a stuffed Doc for her off of Kmart for $7 but when my order arrived it was Chilly. I kept him since I was already looking for him (the website said out of stock) but I just didn't feel right putting a snowman in an Easter Basket. I found a Doc McStuffins coloring book on Amazon for $4.49 that had double-ended crayons attached to the front. I was really surprised how well made it was and I'm thinking *maybe* my toddler won't have it torn to shreds within minutes. Next up I found a Doc McStuffins Little Golden Book on Amazon for $3.59 (I've seen them at Walmart slightly cheaper). It's the only one they have right now but I see another one is being released in July and is only $2.30 for pre-order. I'm glad to have found the Little Golden Book since all the Doc Mcstuffins books I've seen are paperback. The large plastic egg in the basket is something I actually already had laying around. It's got tiny markers and egg decorating decals inside.

I was really happy with how it turned out and can't wait to see her face Easter morning! Here's a picture of her last Easter which was her first:

 

 She looked so excited! Hopefully I can get as good a picture this time too. Last years theme was Hello Kitty. She still plays with the kitty shaped eggs all the time.

What's in your kids Easter basket this year and did you have a theme?