Hi guys,
As mentioned with my last post, I’ve come up with a list of baby’s 1st year must haves. These are just things that worked for me. June bug is turning 2 this year already but pretty much everything I’ve mentioned here are things we still use every day! Everything is listed in no particular order and in no favor of preference and again, links are provided.
Being a mom means so many things. I still can’t quite understand and explain how the love you have for someone else is more than anything in this world, …. it’s wild.
David and I were married for 3 years before we choose to have a baby. To be quite honest, I was the one who did not want to have a child and I was fine without the thought of children. We just decided one year we would try and…it happened within 1 month of trying, haha. During my pregnancy, I was working part time and I was also a full time grad student(I literally remember walking up the flight of stairs to where my classroom was on the 2nd floor and running out of breath). David was also accepted and started the Police Academy around the time I found out I was pregnant. We lived 1 hour and 30 minutes away from where he was starting the police academy and so we made the decision to move and live where he was attending the academy, for the time being. I remember on the days I was not working and/or was not in class or attending clinicals, I would make the hour and thirty minute drive to our apartment, just to be where he was.
When David finally graduated from the police academy, we made the decision to move back home completely. Having no family around us would be hard and unreliable childcare would be even harder. When we finally had June, our world changed forever. I often don’t know how I function and or am functioning with so little sleep, but one thing I learned as a parent is…you somehow just get by and you just make it work.
One thing I absolutely love the most about being a parent is seeing how my daughter develops her own personality. Each day is different and every day something new happens. To sum up my daughter’s character at the moment: feisty, affectionate, funny, serious, and joyful. The second thing I love is seeing my partner be a parent himself; I love the fact that I get to see a side of my husband that 10 years while being with him, I’ve never seen before.
However not all times are great. Prior to being a mother, I would say one of my worst traits was my short-temper. Being a mother has tested my patience so, so many times! I’ve since learned to have patience, forgive, and not worry so much about the little things. We are currently entering the terrible twos and I can definitely attest to some previews of what’s to come!
I know this blog post is out of nowhere but I just felt a little sentimental watching my almost 2 year old ride her scooter today, thinking about where time has gone! Thinking about writing a “must have” post for my baby’s first year! Stay tuned.
Kay
Hi all,
One of my all time favorite blog posts or youtube videos that I love to watch are “favorite” videos. I love the excitement of wanting to try new things that others rave about, however it can get quite expensive sometimes when others’ “favorite things” accumulate up on my “To-Buy” list. But because I love these type of blog posts/videos so much, I wanted to share some one my own favorites with you guys.
I would have to say a lot of the things I buy, I like to use them for a good few months at a time, so a few of these things have been on my favorite list for quite some time now so that’s why I’m listing these as my “winter favorites”. Once you start reading, I added hyperlinks and so you can click on the name of my favorites listed and view/purchase if you want to.
1.) Ceramidin Liquid from Dr. Jart $39.00 @ Sephora (currently out of stock on line but I purchased in stores) – What it claims online: It helps prevent chronic water loss and seals in moisture to relieve dryness and irritated skin caused by environmental stress. It improves the appearance of fine lines, flakiness, and tightness, leaving skin looking and feeling healthier and smoother.
I have been trying to be more strict in my skin care routine and so while I was grabbing skin care samples to try at Sephora, I had asked the sales lady what she would recommend for dry spots on the face. I have combination acne prone skin (rather on the oily side however when I have dry spots, they are REALLY noticeable). So she recommended this for me and gave me a sample. I loved it so much I went to purchase the full size. I apply it on my face, leave it to soak through my skin for about 3-5 minutes, and then apply my moisturizer. I love this stuff so much; it’s going to be permanent in my skin care regimen.
2.) Prudent Advice for Every Woman by Jaime Morrison Curtis purchased from our local store Revival 23 (link to their IG page here ) $9.99 (also available on Amazon).
When I have “me time” I like to go into boutique shops and just browse in there. One of my favorite boutique shop in town is Revival 23 I love the fact that this local shop carries the best variety of books from cookbooks down to home makeover books. I happened to pick up this little orange book and could not stop reading it. So I purchased it and went my way home.
However once I opened it to start reading at home, guys….I’m not kidding you I was literally crying from reading the first few pages. Not too long ago I made an Instagram post about how prior to being a mother I did not fear death at all. Once I had June, my world changed and now the one thing I fear is death…..because well, if I die? Who will take care of my sweet child and love her the way I do?
I don’t know if this is a mom instinct or what it was but Jaime Morrison Curtis was spot on to how I felt. I initially purchased this book because I loved the few pages I read in the store but little did I know she wrote this book for her baby daughter.
On page 6 in her introduction she writes, “ It manifested itself as an almost obsessive fear that I would pass away, leaving my young child motherless, unintentionally yet unavoidably, abdicating the one true responsibility I had ever known – my duty to raise her”. So thank you Jaime for not making me feel like the only crazy mom who thinks this way but also validating the fact that this is a REAL fear once you become a mom. Anyways, the book is written to be easily read and it’s a book she writes for her daughter, for words to live by as a women.
3.) Cubic Zirconia Pendant Necklace $35 (free shipping) @ Nordstrom
I love simple jewelry. I started to follow this sweet and real nursing student online IG: @claracleaneats and this necklace stood out to me SO much every time she had a post wearing it. So glad she linked it because I purchased it and I love it so so so much. It goes with anything casual or formal and I’ve gotten a few compliments about it from strangers already.
4.) Physician’s Formula Eye Booster 2 in 1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner Serum $ @ Target
You guys, this is THE BEST EYE LINER EVER. Not because of what it claims to do but it is sooo easy to apply the perfect liner, the application is the best. I posted the link for Target however you can also purchase at Ulta, the only reason I didn’t link Ulta is because all 4 Ultas in my town sell out every single time I go in to see if they have it in stock.
5.) The Sounders Pais Nyob Meskas $20 purchased at the Hmong New Year (can also purchase digital) https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/thesounders
Go ahead and make fun of me you guys but I have seriously been loving The Sounders. For those of you who are not Hmong may be wondering who they are, they’re a Hmong band that’s been famous since I was in elementary school (haha). I literally listen to this CD every time in the car. And I sing the lyrics and pretend I’m really good at speaking Hmong when I sing but we all know my Hmong speaking skills is 1.5/10.
5.) Nars Deep Throat $30 @ Sephora
This blush is my favorite blush of all time, not just in the winter. It gives me the perfect flush cheeks without making me look like a clown. I’ve hit pan and already need to repurchase another one.
Like I said, I love reading and watching other people’s favorite videos and so I hope you guys enjoyed this post.
Kay
Over President’s Day weekend, we made plans to go to Pismo Beach for a short stay. When I use to work 12 hour night shifts, I would group may shifts together and have a stretch of 5 or 6 days off, which allowed for a spontaneous road trip if we decided. However since switching to an 8-5 job, it’s been much harder adjusting to having only a short amount of days off work. So when a holiday lands on a Monday and I get that weekend along with that Monday off…I am just about dying for a mini vacation….anywhere!
Its only February so I already imagined it being a little colder for a beach trip, it was cold indeed but the sun was out and so that made it bearable.
This was our first day here. Yes, we were wearing Jackets at the beach, the wind was crazy.
This was the second day, the weather was much more calm. June: “Ocean, I see you”
Such precious moments with these two, I love you guys.
And seriously, where did my baby go? She looks so grown up here!
And this here, is a reality photo. Us waiting in a long curving line at Splash Cafe on our first day, it was super windy, June was fussing and crying to get out of the stroller. I was worried she was gonna get hit by a car and trying to put her back into her stroller, her dad was clearly not worried, … snapping away.
I cannot wait until summer and the weather is warmer. June loves the beach SO much. She did not care sand was in her eyes or mouth. She was fearless of the ocean. And acted like it was 90 degrees outside when it was 56 degrees! We’ll see you soon, Pismo!
Kay
I feel lucky enough that I have Tuesdays and Thursdays off to spend with my daughter. Those days off also allow me to get things done around the house. Since Spring is slowly creeping up and the weather has been great here in California, I figured it would be a good opportunity to start gardening out in my backyard.
When we first purchased our home (almost 2 years ago), the backyard was the steal of the show. The landscaping was nice, bushes and tree were well maintained, and flowers were blooming. When going through the final walk through of the house, the previous owner gave me some tips and tricks for maintaining the plants in the backyard….she looked at the bushes nearby the pool and said, “These are the easiest flower bushes to maintain, even if you never water them, they never die…” Well almost 2 years later, those flower bushes are dead.
I haven’t been the best homeowner. We pretty much let our backyard greens and bushes grow out of hand. So much to the point that the weeds were growing taller than myself. However that is a another post in itself. But I’ve been embarrassed to have guests over because my backyard looks like a jungle. Once we have the backyard to where I like it, I will share with you all the updates!
However I decided instead of jumping into a huge landscaping project. I decided to start small and start on my window succulent plantar (which also died on me since last year). I don’t claim to have a green thumb but I hope these new succulents will last me a few more years before they possibly die again.
However, mid way into planting. Daddy came home with a new BIG toy. A “sand box”. Does anyone else’s husband always buy their kids toys, all the time?
So, one project done, a few more big ones to go. Will update soon once the backyard is in process!
Kay
Wow, welcome!
This blog has been something I’ve contemplated for so long. When the ending of this year was coming to an end, I wasn’t too sure what to look forward to in 2018. (Aside from weddings, that is, we have 5 weddings to attend this year!). Unlike all the previous years where there was always something to look forward to (finally getting married, getting pregnant, having a baby, purchasing our first home, graduating from grad school, starting a new job), this was the year where everything I had worked hard for, was there for me to finally sit back and enjoy…but I had nothing really planned or to look forward to this year.
So my husband and I had a conversation one day. The conversation was about what else we wanted to do besides work at our full time jobs, all our lives, until we retire. His response was somewhere along the lines of opening up a business in the future. My response? Was “blogging”. I have always wanted to start up a blog. Actually in the past I had created many blogs (none self hosted), however I would post up one blog post and that was the end of it. But when I told him “blogging”, I really meant, full on blogging and engagement, time and commitment to a blog. With some words of encouragement from my husband (actually he self proclaimed to be my “blog manager”) I decided to finally start on this new blogging journey.
There are so many other bloggers who I follow on a weekly basis, many of them I have followed for 5+ years, who I love and find relatable. Many of them are mothers, wives, hold part time/full time jobs, love fashion, and an overall have an enjoyable lifestyle. I figured, why couldn’t I do what they do? So not to say my life is super amazing or exciting. But there are things I love and things I do that I do wish to share and and document so that I can have something to look back on and something for myself to have. This is my little creative space and I hope you can enjoy.
Thanks for reading,
Kay.
