A Wal-Mart Outfit Try-on

Hey loves, I decided to try on a couple things from Wal-Mart the other day just for fun, (and to see if I can fit into real jeans now that I'm 4 weeks postpartum) and I decided to share it with y'all.

Some of the items are sold out online or only available in-store, but I linked as many items as possible. 

I'll also add any new items I find/buy at Walmart during the next few weeks. 😉 Enjoy!

P.S. Yes I can fit into my pre-pregnancy size jeans. Yay!

(New bonus content added at the bottom! Scroll down to see my jammy try-on!)

Shop the products below!

PART TWO

I went back the following week and found some ADORABLE (and affordable) jammies!

These would make amazing Christmas gifts, and I promise whoever you give these to will want to wear these all winter long! I certainly do!

A quick note here: Walmart sells the velour pants & cozy graphic sweatshirts as separates in the store, which is why you'll see the tops paired differently by me than they are in the online sets.

If you would rather pair them as I did, you can of course either buy all of the sets necessary (and give away the pieces you don't want? Although how can one have too many cozy things to wear... hehe) or check your local Walmart and see if they have these specific pieces available separately as mine did. ;-)

Also, the hats & red travel scarf are in-store purchases only, although you can get the hats in a set with its gorgeous matching chunky-knit scarf (linked below) in select colors online. <3

I hope you enjoyed this post! Feel free to comment and leave me some feedback!

xo, The 

A Visit to the Amish Farm & House in Lancaster, PA

Hey hey my people! So I've finally managed to get the tornado cleanup mostly done (thank you in-laws for all of your help!), and handle the rest of my normal #momlife enough to be able to upload these photos of our super fun trip to the Amish Farm & House.

One of the first things you see upon entering the farm grounds is this dairy cow that kids (and adults too, hey 😂) can practice milking, and of course there was no way my girls were going to just walk by it.

We then went looking for the highlight of the day. 😉

We got the privilege of attending their Sheep Shearing Event (you can see a list of their upcoming events here) but they also have the following events still upcoming...

• Amish Flea Market           August 2^nd + 3^rd and August 30^th + 1^st
• • Amish vendors will be on the farm selling their goods.
  • Excellent hands-on learning experience for kids.
• Fall Farm Days     October 12, 13, 14^th
• Fall farm activities, hay rides, pumpkin’ chunkin’, apple cider

My daughters were absolutely fascinated by the whole process...

(Jimmy sat in the stroller beside Mommy and colored, absolutely clueless as to what was going on 😂) ...

The Amish Farm & House was kind enough to provide the following images (the ones without my copyright) for my readers, just in case we were a bit too busy enjoying ourselves to take some really good close-ups. 😉

After the shearing process, visitors of all ages are invited to come up and feel both the wool itself and the newly shorn sheep. Definitely a cool experience for my littles!

We popped in to see the blacksmith for a bit after that, but even though we had barely just arrived,

at that point we were already hungry.

Of course, the AMAZING smell of the BBQ stand wasn't helping stave off hunger. 😂

The nicest Amish family runs the stand, and serves literally some of the best chicken I've ever tasted.

I'm actually getting hungry just thinking about it, and I've already had my supper. Dang it. Now I need a snack. Haha.

Like seriously, it is so. Freaking. Good!

They also offer soft-serve ice cream, so of course we had to get some!

Missy opted out of the ice cream photo, per her usual "I not!" protests. 🤷

Next up we visited the Amish School.

Fun fact, my husband's grandma (who was Amish herself until after her children were born and almost grown) used to be the tour guide in the schoolhouse.

I'm throwing that in there because evidently my 3 year old heard us mention that (We had no idea she was even paying attention! She was happily going from desk to desk and pretending to read) because for the rest of the day, she kept referencing the schoolhouse as "her school" and calling the couple that showed us around the school her "grandma and grandpa". It really was the sweetest, and to be honest they seemed like grandparents worth adopting. ;-) 

If you go and meet them for yourself, I'm sure you'll see what I mean.

"Grandma" had walked away to go do something when we circled back and asked for a photo (I had forgotten, oops!) so all we have is "Grandpa" here, but they really are such a nice and friendly couple.

The perfect type of personalities to be working with people all day. 

Next up, the children played on the really cool playground for a while, and then all piled onto the stroller for a walk around the rest of the farm. 

They really have all sorts of animals, but I didn't get a photo of all of them because I was trying to balance taking photos with also just being present in the moment with my kids.

Besides, if I show you evvvvvverrrrything, you might start to think you've seen it all and therefore you don't need to visit for yourself, and that would be a huge mistake. ;-)

Missy downing the last bit of the fresh-squeezed lemonade.

Here we're just taking a moment to chill and decide what to do next.

But Missy ended up being the one to pipe up and beg Daddy for a buggy ride, 

and seeing as she had just turned 3 the day before and we were technically celebrating her birthday with this outing...

... a buggy ride it was! I have to say, it was my favorite part of our entire visit, and well worth the small buggy ride fee.

Even Mark enjoyed every minute of it, chatting neighborly with our driver "Ab", who is so laid back and gentle in character.

Below is a picture of Ab posing with his horse "Charlie".

Up until later in the day, one of the farm's biggest attractions, their baby goats, had been swarmed by quite a few people, so we kept putting off trying to visit them, mostly because 3 small children (ages 5, 3, and 1) can get very impatient hehe, but after our buggy ride the timing was just right, and there was no way we were leaving without seeing them.

(Just a side note, keep in mind that we visited on an event day, and there were several school classes visiting as well as a TV crew to film the Sheep Shearing, so it isn't usually so busy, and there is always more than enough fun to go around without the need to wait in lines. Just thought I'd throw that in there!)

My children got to pet the little kids, and the black & white one pictured below was a favorite.

I believe his name is Peter or Petey. 

But me being the skilled baby holder that I am, I got to actually hold them. ;-)

Yes I got to hold not one but two!

They were so adorable, I really wanted to take one home!

(Mark was like, NO. Haha.)

Fun fact, they have Baby Goat Yoga, and if you're into yoga, and baby goats, you should totally go!

I'll link their IG page (which is specifically for their yoga) here and their Facebook page for goat yoga here.

Lastly, we visited the wood shop, and the spinning/weaving room as well, but my children were starting to be clingy and need Mommy, so no pictures.

At each shop, there are all kinds of authentic, handmade items you can purchase, and often times watch more being made right there in front of you.

We snagged some precious handmade dolls for the children- even Jimmy got one!

On the way out, we passed the dairy cow again, and Chari had to milk it just one more time...

Lastly, on our way back through the house (which they offer tours through, btw, but we opted out of that because of our small children and their smaller attention spans 😝) we stopped in at the gift shop, where I got to meet none other than the renown Esther O'Hara, designer and artist of the nationally-sold Amish figurines.

Esther creates quilted jewelry and accents her original Amish figurines by using an ancient art form known as millefiori to create miniature quilts. There is no paint used on her handcrafted quilt jewelry or the Amish figurines which are sold in her physical gallery in Lancaster, PA. The reproduction figurines sold on-line by retailer(s) are painted.

Also, if you visit her at the Amish Farm & House, your item will not only be handmade by her, but also signed! Not to mention she is a joy to meet and talk to.

Below are pictures of some of her figurines at the farm, but she also has many many more hand-crafted items, so be sure to stop in and see her (tell her The Brunette sent you!) if you visit the farm.

Last but not least, we actually took our family photo on the way out (that's why Jimmy is passed out! 😂). 

A special shout-out to UppaBaby for designing amazing strollers that literally can haul all 3 of my children at one time if necessary. It was a lifesaver. 🙌

And for those that need a pick-me-up after an all day outing with the kiddos, Target is literally right next-door (and yes we totally bought kombucha and popsicles because we literally stayed at the farm til they closed and had gotten hungry again 😂).

I really hope you'll give the farm a visit.

I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Til our next adventure,

Xo, The Brunette 💋

The Brunette's Holiday Gift Guide

Good morning & happy Wednesday!

Can it really be only 6 days til Christmas?!

I don't have a single thing wrapped yet... 🤔 but otherwise I think we're good.

Gonna have to run to the store and get some cute bags & wrapping paper before they sell outta the cute stuff tho. 😉

Are YOU ready?!

Well, you're either reading this for one of two things:

You AREN'T ready and are in desperate need of ideas (no worries, hopefully I can help),

Or you ARE ready and are just curious

(No worries, hopefully I can amuse you 🤣).

Fair warning, this is my first time doing this, and I don't consiser myself a professional,

so be kind with any criticism here.

My goal is to help and inspire creativity, not necessarily sell through any links- I hope I can accomplish that.

Know that none of the items I have shared are because of paid partnership or advertising, and if I ever do have an opportunity to do that, I will continue to uphold my standard of only sharing things I ALREADY LIKE- not something I don't like but it might make me a couple cents.

Ok, now that that's out of the way,

here are some things that caught my eye this season (or year, or years... some of these are beloved favorites of mine) and I thought y'all might like, too.

UPDATE:
Ok so this is actually extremely time-consuming... So I'm going to go ahead and post what I have so far, and continue to add to this (to the top for convenience) as I go.

I'll post updates so y'all know when a I've added new content.

Happy shopping!

~

Alrighty folks, this collection is of things that pamper and inspire me to good health.
Fighting postpartum depression for the third time and being reallllly bad at self-care, I finally realized I needed some help.
But who can afford to hire someone to follow you around every day and remind you to brush your teeth? (Yes, at risk of sounding like an utter failure at faulting and being gross or unglamorous, the truth is there are many days where I have struggled to do simple things like brush my teeth or fix my hair. The kids have never been neglected as I have always neglected myself.)
Or remind you to drink water, especially because you're nursing, and your lips are terribly chapped because your body is stealing every drop of moisture it can to feed your child?
Or lovingly tell you to get up and move a little, with no judgement? (not sure if a person can do that with no judgement... 🤔)
Ladies, if you've ever been there, or you know someone who is, these are really great gifts to help those ladies/mamas take better care of themselves.
Every single item has been so worth the investment to me.

◼ Rose gold essential oil diffuser.
I didn't feel comfortable recommending an essential oil brand as that can be controversial and I think each person should do their own research (I may spend some time checking out the different companies in the future and share my opinion then), but I will throw in here that cheaper is NOT better when it comes to essential oils.
In the meantime, I have purchased several diffusers over the years, and this one has held up the nicest, not to mention looks the prettiest. I think it's very reasonably priced, and its still cheaper than diffusers that I have seen for sale on the essential oil companies' sites. Win-win.
UPDATE: Guys, its SOLD OUT in this color. 😭 Its no wonder.
But the product itself is so amazing, and they still have it in dark brown, silver, and bamboo.

◼ Cocolaurin Supplement (and Fertility Tea) from Pink Stork.
My dear friend Amy- well, at least I consider her a friend. We have kindred spirits, Amy and I, and if you purchase from her you are more than likely to receive a handwritten note in thanks, and then you'll feel like she's your dear friend, too.
Pink Storm makes several products to help with women's health, especially mamas, and I love the Cocolaurin as it is a powerful immune booster.
Also, the fertility tea helps to balance hormones, which is a current struggle of mine, so this tea is now a favorite.
NOTE: Amazon currently has the Cocolaurin for $4 cheaper, and its available for free one day shipping with orders of $35 or more. O don't think you'll get a note from Amy tho. Also, Target has this fertility tea and a fertility supplement in a combo pack for $39.99 and its eligible for the Redcard 5% discount. 😉

◼ Manuka Honey UMF 15+
I love the quality of this Manuka Honey, and I feel like this brand is right at that sweet spot for quality and price tag.
Don't get me wrong, its not your average honey. If you don't know what Manuka Honey is, well, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to say google it. But if you end up wanting to try some, I recommend this one. 😉
Wouldn't the health enthusiast love to find this baby in their stocking or under the tree?? 💕

◼ Oral B Electric Toothbrush in Rose Gold.
Ladies, if your dental hygiene needs an upgrade, or you need to fall in love with brushing your teeth, then this is the gift for you. But don't be deceived, this toothbrush won't fit in your stocking. It comes in a much larger box with a travel case, a charging stand,  extra brush heads,  and a phone mount that goes on your mirror so it can  watch your Technique!  I was a pro at brushing my teeth after just a few days!
My breath is fresher (which makes me feel sexier 💋) and my teeth & gums are thanking me. I can feel it.
Target currently has it on sale for 17% off, and with the Redcard its then 22% off with a savings of $7.50. And it has free 2 day shipping, and free same day pick-up where available.

◼ Hapbee's Silver Toothpaste
Ok, I've tried lots of different fluoride-free toothpastes over the past couple of years (If you don't know the negative effects of fluoride, including  compromised immune system and cognitive damage/lowered IQ, you really should look into it... Not to mention it was invented by a scientist who was working with Hitler... No kidding) and this one is my current favorite.
Who doesn't want the added benefits of colloidal silver & bentonite clay in their toothpaste?!

 ◼ Guys, I know the Fitbit was featured in another collection already (or further down, depending on when you first read this post), but the personal benefits of this watch are really wonderful.
It does what it's supposed to do, from encourage me to move every hour or get a total of however many steps in, track my weight trends, track my sleep including Sleep Quality, and even give me guided breathing sessions when I'm feeling anxious and need to instantly calm down.  This little watch is like the therapist that follows you around everywhere that none of us can afford to hire. Haha.

◼ Fertility Tea (mentioned along with Cocolaurin)

◼ Diffuser bracelet.
I bought this bracelet with money that my parents gave me for my last birthday, and I really really like it.  I love the earthy yet modern style, the rose gold hardware, and of course the ability to  constantly be diffusing whatever essential oils I'm needing at the time, right here on my hand.

◼ Hidrate Spark Water Bottle.
I highly doubt that I need to go into listing the benefits of drinking adequate amounts of water, some of which include but are definitely not limited to... clearer skin, less brain fog, more energy and less fatigue, increased skin hydration & elasticity and no more chapped lips, sufficient milk supply for your baby when nursing, sufficient amniotic fluid for your baby when pregnant, weight loss, regular bowel movements, improved kidney health... The list goes on and on and on. We need water, guys. So it definitely is a problem when you are bad at drinking water, like I was. I'm still not very good at it without this water bottle to remind me, because it hasn't even been 21 days yet, but this thing has helped me increase my water by at least double so far, and it's much less frustrating than having my husband call me every hour or two to remind me to drink water! Haha! I think every busy mom should have one of these, or even just every busy person, unless you're like a water drinking pro, which then of course get something else you need! 🤣
The link above is for the manufacturer who currently has this water bottle for sale for almost $10 off and has more color varieties, but Target also currently has it on sale for the same price plus you get to stack your 5% Red Card discount and you get free shipping, but it's only available in black, white and teal.

~

Here's a magical little display of some of my favorite electronics. 💕

Clockwise starting with the microphone 🎤...

◼ Guys, THIS MIC! I probably can't accurately convey to you how much fun & good times we've had with this mic.
Basically it's a Bluetooth microphone that connects to your phone so you can sing karaoke wherever you want, no cords required. It has tons of cool features and comes in seven colors! We love this thing!

◼ These headphones. 🎧
What can I say? Target had them on sale and was also running a promotion to get a free gift card when I got them. And, they're rose gold... 😍
Of course, they're super comfortable and have amazing sound quality, but you probably already knew that. 😉
I've linked them at Target because with 5% off using their red card, they are currently the cheapest retailer online, but if that means nothing to you then Amazon also has them for the same price.

◼ Bluetooth ear buds.
They have crystal clear sound, about four hours of continuous music play, and look extremely stylish while doing it. Enough said.

◼ Fitbit Alta HR. I love the slim design of this Fitbit, and the way it looks with the many wristbands that are available to switch out. It looks like a very feminine accessory when done right. Its on sale almost everywhere, although there's a couple online retailers worth mentioning. First I'll mention the manufacturer, fitbit.com, which is running a promotion today for free one-day shipping with your purchase of Select Fitbit items with code "HURRY". See my screenshot below. 👇

The other retailer worth mentioning is Kohl's, which although you can't redeem coupons on this item, you can use your Kohl's Cash and yes2you Rewards, which could bring down the already reduced sale price to lower than the other retailers. And lastly, of course there's Target, which isn't stingy about offering you 5% off your purchase with your red card, and as usual you get free shipping, but this item qualifies for free 2-day shipping. The 5% off brings this watch's price down to $114, making it your cheapest option of the three. So those are the best sales at the moment.

◼ Fitbit Versa
This watch has so many new features, I'm still getting used to it myself, so maybe a tutorial from the manufacturer is in order to so it justice.
Literally the exact same deals are going on as above, with Target's red cars bringing it down to the lowest prices of $142.50

◼ Tile Mate Combo Pack
I bought this for Mark as a Christmas gift, so we haven't used it yet, but I am so excited to try it out. If you are forgetful like me, or even just human haha, then you probably need a set of these in your life. Target currently still has them on sale for $39.95, and then of course don't forget to stack your 5% if you have a red card. If you've never heard of these before, click the link here and check it out!

~

This flatlay is simply a collection of some of my favorite beauty items.
Some of them are very new to me, for instance the Pür eyeshadow palette that I haven't even used yet, and some I have had since before Jimmy was born and I consider them makeup staples.

The look below was done using several of these items.
I'm wearing:
Tarte Full Coverage Foundation (not pictured), RMS Beauty Quad, Tarte Arch Architect in I-don't-know-what-color-because-the-little-sticker-came-off but probably medium brown, Espresso Yourself eyeshadow palette in Strawberries & Cream and Java Chip, Simply Naked Beauty mascara kit, and NYX Liquid Lip Lingerie in Babydoll.

I'm not a pro so don't critique it too hard. 😉
I probably wear makeup maaayyyyyybe five times a month, but when I do I love these products.

Ok so here they are clockwise starting with the polish....

◼ Sally Hansen polish in Steely Serene (Color Therapy), Blushed Petal (CT, Terra Coppa (Miracle Gel) Exotic Acaí (CT) and Haute Stone (CT).

◼ Espresso Yourself eyeshadow palette by The Beauty Crop.
Y'all the names of these shades are so delicious, and these shadows are infused with my favorite beverage- COFFEE! ☕
(Also sold at Forever 21)

◼ This natural mascara kit by Simply Naked Beauty gives me lashes for DAYS, is made with organic ingredients, and its WATERPROOF. Boom. 👊

◼ This beauty quad by RMS Beauty has all of the essentials, and its super compact which makes it ideal for travel.
Bonus, it is formulated in a balm, so its super hydrating for winter skin without causing breakouts. No chalky look here.

◼ This NYX Liquid Lip Lingerie in Babydoll is that perfect nude lippie that is SO IN right now, and its super affordable.
It's a very matte formula and may feel dry to some. I layered it with some lip balm. 😉

◼ Guys, an eyebrow pencil and gel all in one! I love how travel friendly this Arch Architect by Tarte is, not to mention the product itself is 👌.

◼ Like I said, I haven't tried this Be Your Selfie eyeshadow palette from Pür yet, but I'm in love with these colors!

◼ My gals, if your hair is damaged or if you have long hair, you should try this stuff.
Why did I include long hair with damaged hair? Because the weight of your hair is putting stress on... Well, your hair. And this Caviar Repair Protein Cream by Alterna will coat your hair strands to give them added support. Try it, I doubt you'll be disappointed.

~

This group of things is inspired by The Dreamer / Planner, (or someone who needs help planning and organizing their life 🤣) and had me oohing and ahhing over the lovely florals & rose gold....

I can't think of a prettier way to start the new year. 💕

"Hidden Agenda" Planner // "Vintage Blog" Journal // Assorted Metallic Pens // Desk Set // Set of 3 Notepads // String Lights //

UPDATE: It appears as if the pen set & desk set are sold out! 

I've linked a similar pen set here... Still hunting for a desk set for y'all. 💋

Xo,

The Brunette

I Tried Meaningful Beauty for a Month and This is What Happened

Okay, so as promised I am delivering a blog post with an update of my thoughts on the skin care line Meaningful Beauty by Cindy Crawford that came in my October Bless Box.

I have used the skin care regime that was sent for an entire month, so I am definitely not jumping the gun with my feedback.

Okay so let's just dive right in.

First of all, I love how moisturizing the entire collection feels. I definitely noticed a difference in the hydration and elasticity of my skin.

However, being only 25 and still having combination skin now and again that is prone to some acne breakouts, I feel like the collection is lacking products for people with combination or acne-prone or oily skin. Again, I know that this is probably not the type of skin that this skin care line is catering to, so I don't feel like it means the skincare is any less effective.

I think it was nice that Sazan of Bless Box wanted to send an entire skin care kit, but I do feel like it's not necessarily inclusive enough for the majority of her subscribers, which mostly range in ages from 25 to 35, and they probably also found the need for a balancing toner or something else in addition to the products that were sent.

Lastly, I do have to say that I did notice a slight chemical fragrance with this line, even though it is probably comparative with other high quality products that could be purchased from a beauty store or the mall. I do happen to prefer something more natural and if possible organic, so there's that.

So, those are my thoughts after using Meaningful Beauty for a month!

Below you'll find a side-by-side of my face from before and after.

Again, you can see my face is broken out, confirming that this is probably not the best set if you have combination skin or need help rebalancing your skin PH levels. 😉

Having not had a consistent skincare routine before this, I was hoping for better results, but hey, on to the next.

Closing statement/Final Opinion: Good, but not for me. 😉

Xo, The Brunette