Valentine's Day Shopping @ J Crew

Oh man, my J Crew shopping cart runneth over... Here are my top picks for Islaboo and moi for Valentine's Day.

Victor has said multiple times that he wants to get me a locket. I've never really had a want for one until I saw this beauty. Now I agree - I want him to want to get me a locket :) And that baseball tee? Isla needs it. She neeeeeeeeeds it! Being the DIY enthusiast that I am, I'm hoping Isla will be one as well. I can't wait to build a snow globe with her with this DIY Kit. She is going to love it!

The diaper cover is from PB Baby and it is sheer perfection! I love baby butts and I would love a baby butt with a big 'ol heart on it! I eat it - nom nom nom :)

tights // dress // sunglasses for mama // locket for mama // confetti glasses for mama // diaper cover // gold crown headband // barrette // jams // baseball tee // shopper // build your own snow globe

Questionable Parenting

 

Isla has become an absolute mess during her tantrums. There are times when I have to walk into the garage and let out a primal scream just to keep from effing losing it. You don't do that? Oh. Well, gold star for you.

Isla has an insanely wild and curly mullet. I use a spray bottle with water to mist her curls in the morning so she doesn't go to school looking like a hot mess. A couple nights ago she lost her shit because I wouldn't let her wipe her nose with the same tissue she just used to wipe her ass! I'm pretty carefree on most helicopter momisms, but HERE is where I draw the line! We've had too many cases of pink eye in the last two years to go willingly wiping our faces with feces! She was screaming, thrashing, hitting me, throwing everything she could reach...and then. I. Snapped. I silently snatched up that water bottle and sprayed that little monster right in her grill - yup, I did it. I sprayed my sweet baby in the face with a light mist of water. I think we were both shocked. She stopped crying and just looked at me - and then she laughed.

Fast forward to this morning. Victor was trying to wrestle her into her socks and she wasn't having it. Enter complete meltdown. I grabbed the spray bottle and pumped a nice dose of shut the eff up at her and...she laughed. Victor looked at me like I'd lost my mind. Maybe I have, or maybe I've found that water training my toddler will instantly stop manic meltdowns - time will tell...however, after screaming "I potty" for 30 minutes tonight during dinner, my husband looked at me and said. "Where's the water bottle?" Welcome to the dark side my love.

Gift ideas for the man who wants nothing

If the men in your life are as hard to shop for as mine are, then this gift list is for you! Victor is the hardest male I have ever had to shop for. I rounded up my faves under the tree for him this year and his fave from last year! Ps. I know my image is blurry, but I gave up on fixing it. I'm tired.

1. Steel Collar Stays - I hate finding those little plastic ones all over the house and he's lost almost all of the first pack I got for him 4 years ago.

2. He always needs new shades - and right now they are on sale!

3. This Dyson fan is perfect for the man allergic to dust in your life

4. I saw these pink Himalayan salt tequila shot glasses and knew he must have them. I'm going to swing by Total Wine to pick up the Patron to pair with them.

5. I have heard such great things about Dollar Shave Club. I bit the bullet and bought him a subscription. This man shaves every day, so I'm hoping these are a winner.

6. Hair gel is always running low in our house and this is the only brand I can get him to use that isn't from the dollar section in Target.

7. When all else fails, chuck a candy pooping reindeer in his stocking like I did :)

Happy Holidays!

xo

Fall Favorites + Holiday Gift Idea

brightening eye cream - moisturizer - wet brush 

brow gel - straw cup - foundation - kate spade tote

Even Floridans need to adjust their skincare, make-up, and fashion hauls for fall. The humidity is gone and dry hair and skin is here. I would never recommend a product that I wouldn't buy again.

I typically use a firming eye cream, but this brightening formula makes my newly acquired dark circles not so dark.

You MUST try this L'Occitane moisturizer! I feel like I am applying silk to my skin. Ahmayzing! I can tell such a difference in the texture of my skin at night when I'm cleansing. This is a keeper :)

I recently started enhancing my brows. My brows aren't thin, but they are very light. I first tried Anastasia brow gel and the wand was just too thick for me. I really like the super thin wand on this one by Tarte.

I do not wear foundation everyday, but when I do, I want full coverage without looking like I forested my face with a tub of brown icing. I typically use L'oreal Lumi, but I really like this formulation for drier skin. It is very light, dewy, and moisturizing. You may not like this if you're super oily.

I still heart my tangle teezer for brushing out my wet hair, but this wet brush has changed my life. Seriously. I use this while blow drying if I want a straight look. The bristles are special; they are very thin and flexible so as not to snag fragile, wet hair. I found mine at Target, but you can get it for less on Amazon.

My husband and I are huge fans of Shark Tank. I first saw this straw cup on the show a year or so ago. I kept meaning to buy it on amazon, but just never pulled the trigger. I literally squealed with delight when I saw these at Target. I scooped it up and was excited to see if Isla liked it. Verdict? She loves it and the weighted straw mean that she gets every last drop. Cons? It is not spill or leak proof. If your toddler tornado is anything like mine, then juice will spill when she tips it upside down and shakes it. Over and over and over...

Finally, I've been on the hunt for a new tote. I have searched and tried on and bought several, but have been consistently disappointed. I ordered this bag a few weeks ago and am in love. I like my totes to have structure, an outside pocket for phone + keys, and a center section that is sewn at the bottom. This is my first Kate Spade handbag purchase since college and I must say that I am impressed. The gold chain feels luxe and looks quite classy with sweats in the am when I drop Isla at daycare :)

Have you heard of POPSugar? I can't remember where I first saw it, but I recently ordered my first Must Have box for $39.99 and am now on my third monthly box. It is SO much fun to get a box full of great brands and products that I wouldn't normally purchase. In addition, the value of the boxes is always over $200 and can be up to $500. The below box included a scarf that retailed at $140 - would I ever pay that? No. BUT, it feels like butter and the coloring is very unique. I highly recommend joining and enjoying your first box...PLUS, there are always around 7-10 products, therefore you can order one box for $39.99 and get 7-10 gifts for holiday. Winning! Here is the link to join: Get your first Must Have Box HERE

The Get Fit With Us was a $25 Nike.com gift card - that practically paid for the box on its own. The box also included Nicole Miller Headphones and Rifle Paper Co. note cards. Seriously? This is the best $39.99 I spend all month :)

xo

Did you miss me?

We have been slammed with life the past couple of months. We have been packing for weeks, planning for Halloween, sick with everything Isla brings home from daycare, and I've been really busy with work. I have made a vow - I vow to post every week until the end of the year. I have so many Isla updates that I need to get down before I forget.

So here's the deal...we're moving! We are saying goodbye to our home for the past almost four years. We are leaving the urban life of downtown West Palm Beach and joining the soccer moms in Jupiter. We looked at a TON of properties. I'm sure our agent wanted to throat punch us at our inability to make a decision. We decided on a lovely community called Mallory Creek. We can't walk to crowded bars, the coast, work (for Victor), or the mall anymore. BUT, we can walk to the park, food truck invasion events, craft fairs, and our friend's house - knock, knock!

Here is the outside of our corner town home with plantation shutters (gah!), ceiling fans (clutch), laundry room (what is that?), and custom California Closets (we will have closets!)

Oh hey kitchen! We currently have 5 kitchen cabinets (not double cabinets) in our downtown condo with our dishes on a Pier 1 shelving unit (that has survived 22 months with a toddler tornado). This kitchen calls for a Williams & Sonoma trip. Oh, and that's our laundry room back there complete with a side by side (no more top loader for the Fernandez family!) and a mud sink. Oh, oh and shelves!!!

Speaking of shopping, we move the 12th, leave for a weekend vacation with friends on the 14th, and then Victor leaves for Denver the following Wednesday. While he's gone, I plan to hit up every home store within a 20 mile radius to stock up and decorate any. way. I. choose. Most wives might be a wee bit miffed that their betrothed is leaving them less than a week after moving, but me? I'm ecstatic! I can organize, decorate, paint, put up a back splash, hire a handy man to hang photos...ANYTHING I WANT! No time to FaceTime, boo, mama's busy with your Amex cleaning.

We have sold pretty much every piece of furniture we own (any one need a king size solid wood + leather sleigh bed?). I have been pinning and planning the rooms of this place for weeks. I'll do a complete home tour early December :) And before you ask, I'm not even waiting a day to put our Christmas tree!!

We plan to make the most of our last weekend in downtown - City Place shopping + Family Fun Fest,  a trip to Paper Source, walk to the beach, stroll along the Intercoastal, Brunch at Paris Bakery, early trip to our local Starbucks, nail appointment at my fave spot, wine at The Blind Monk, Dinner at Table 26...so much to do!

xoxo

An evening at the beach

I love the beach, but I'm not very fond of actually going to the beach. I prefer the pool to the beach for many reasons; no sand, no sharks, and it is an elevator ride away. However, the sand + salt does do amazing things for my piggies.

We recently took Isla to the beach, and I'm not ashamed to say this, but it was her first time at the beach. I know, I know. The Atlantic is less than a mile away and we are just now taking our almost 2 year old to the see the sand + water. Before you judge too harshly, let me tell you that she probably would not have survived had we taken her at an earlier age due to our poor parenting...

This is not the first day we almost killed the baby, and I'm sure it won't be the last, but it was definitely the most public display of near manslaughter we have endured!

All is fine + well...

until a wave break washes over her and has her completely submerged in salt + sand!

 You are seeing water, because my back is to the water and a huge wave just washed over me and is on its way to knocking over my sweet babe! I don't know how the camera survived, but am quite happy it did. There was a collective gasp from all of the beach bums around us. My primal scream might have drawn a wee bit of that attention...

This neglect and near drowning might have been excused the first time...but yes, it happened a second time! We almost let a second wave wash away our Islaboo...world's best parents here!

Me: "Cough it up, baby...get it all out...please don't "dry drown" later in your crib...OMG, is she going to dry drown?! We have to get out of here before someone calls DCFS..."

However, I did manage to get a couple snaps of sweet daddy + daughter moments before we fled the scene.

DIY Gift For Grandparent's Day

I've mentioned before how much Isla loves to color; she's an animal with a crayon! We recently dove into finger paints, and I use the word dove literally here :) 

I wanted to give Victor something made by Isla for his birthday and this framed I Luv U art turned out perfectly. I'm sharing now because Grandparent's Day is upon us and I know one Nana that will be giddy over her gift :)

We used washable finger paints in her favorite color family - purple. I cut the painting down to my frame size with a ruler + xacto knife. I then cut another piece of card stock to the same dimensions. I brushed mod podge on to the plain sheet and covered it with glitter. I then used my cricut to cut out the letters in her painting. You can freehand letters or use stencils if you don't have a cricut. Then just top the glittered sheet with the painting et voila!

I found the gold frame at my local Home Goods store :) Now Daddy + Nana have a little Picasso for their offices.