2024 Gift Guide: Clean Beauty Favorites

Back today with another gift guide! This time for the beauty-lover. Clean living is a passion of mine, so everything here is low-tox and free of lots of those unwanted chemicals. I've spent years honing my skincare and makeup favorites, so hopefully you find some good ones in the mix below! There's even more finds right under the gift guide. 

Let's get to it!

Ice roller / Merit bronzer / Cell Active Face Serum / Ilia skin tint / Ilia mascara / Olive & June gel polish kit (use code 25OFF for 25% off everything!)/ Olive & June polish (use code 25OFF) / Curling iron (1.25" is what I use) / Wrist bands for face washing / Divi Shampoo & Conditioner (use code MICHAELA15 for 15% off sitewide) / Divi Scalp Serum  / Tula Eye brightener  / Floral makeup case / Weezie Wash Cloths / Primally Pure Deodorant  / Eye Shadow / Velvet Hair Bow

For your Sister & your Friend:

 Wrist bands for face washing: I actually think this is the perfect stocking stuffer, but you could easily stuff a pair or two into a little gift bag for a friend. For me, these are a non-negotiable part of my evening routine. You put them on your wrists so that you don't get water dripping down your elbows (am I right?!) onto the ground while washing your face! Genius.
Weezie Wash Cloths: while you're at it, just throw one of these into the gift bag with the wrist bands! They're the absolute cutest with the little design, and if you've never tried Weezie towels before-- do yourself a favor and let this be your year. They are incredibly soft and fluffy, and I love that they're dark so you don't have to worry about makeup staining your towels. They come in a set of two, which is perfect for gifting. 
Olive & June polish (use code 25OFF for 25% off everything!): this is my favorite clean nail polish! It paints on like a dream and dries quickly. Don't miss their top coat! The best I've ever used.
Teleties Flat Claw Clip: this is one of my hero products of 2024, meaning it's so genius and solved so many problems of a regular claw clip. It's flat, so sitting in a chair / driving with a claw clip in is no longer a problem. I have super thick hair and I use the Large size.

For your Mom or Mother-in-Law:

Towel Warmer: I feel like this is the most luxurious gift you could give, especially for the mom who has everything already ;) As long as they have a bathroom that would fit the towel warmer, it's a sure winner!
Tula Eye brightener: this stuff is amazing! I've been using for a couple months and have really been impressed. You put it on under or over your concealer (I do under) and it has a bit of a brightening quality to it that helps your under eyes seem more illuminated. It also has a soothing cooling feeling to it, so it really makes your eyes feel rejuvenated. 
Whipped Hair Mask (use code MICHAELA15 for 15% off!): Divi is my go-to brand for clean hair care and hair growth. I've been a loyal customer since 2021! This new hair mask is the perfect gift for your moms to give a little extra love to their hair. It moisturizes and shines the hair beautifully!

For you!

Summer Fridays lip butter: this is by far my favorite lip gloss-- you'll never catch me without it! All the flavors all divine, but my favorite are the beige vanilla and poppy. They're sheer, light weight, but super hydrating!
Facial steamer: get the girl's night going with a steam facial. It clears your pores, and honestly, it's just really great to be warm in the winter ;) I've also used this to help with sinus pressure when I've been sick- ha!
Cell Active Face Serum: if you add one thing to your wishlist, let it be this serum! Its main ingredient is hydroxytyrosol, which is a phenolic compound found in olive trees and their leaves. It's a waterless serum, so you're getting your bang for your buck with the powerful active ingredients in here. One bottle lasts me 4 months with use every morning and every other night. I've noticed skin tightening, less breakouts, smaller pores, and even skin tone. It's incredible!
Happy shopping!
xoxo

PAST GIFT GUIDES:For Her




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2024 Gift Guide: For Her

My first gift guide of the season is here, and I'm so excited to share it with you! I have been working on these guides for weeks, and you may know that Gifts is my love language, so a lot of love has been poured into them! I hope my guides make your shopping fun, joyful, and just a bit easier. 
Today's gift guide is for HER: your friend, your sister, your mom, mother-in-law, grandma, aunt...or you! Enjoy!

Ember Mug / Lake Pajamas / Belt Bag / Necklace / Floral Earrings / Slippers / Anea Hill Sunglasses / Monogrammed Floral Playing Cards / ruffle socks  / Planner / Book Lovers book / The Bodyguard book / HydroJug Traveler / Gardening Gloves (if you have roses, get these!) / Flower Snips / Hot Pack / L.L Bean Tote / Monogrammed Travel Pouch / Zinnias Seeds

For Your Friends & Sisters:

The Bodyguard book: this was my favorite read of 2024! It was pure delight-- everything a fun rom-com should be.
Lands End Tote: this is a Mom staple, so for your friends and sisters who are mamas, just add this right to your cart. You can personalize it, it's super affordable, and it's a great "car tote" (you know, for piling things you need to bring to and from your car), for beach / pool days, etc. We use ours ALL the time!
Belt Bag: Honestly, the most practical gift you could give. I was a purse girlie before having kids, and now that I have no hands to carry one, THIS is my life saver. It's under $50, too.

For the Gardener:

Flower Snips: hands down, my favorite flower shears. They're perfection!
Zinnias Seeds: this fluffy, ruffly new variety caught my eye! Zinnias are the easiest cut flower to grow, so if you want to start a garden but don't know where to begin-- start with these!
Gardening Gloves (if you have roses, get these!): they'll come in handy all garden-season and they're extra cute.

For your Mom & Mother-in-Law:

Floral Earrings: I am obsessed with Susan Shaw's jewelry. Every piece is timeless, elegant, and amazing quality. I have these floral studs and wear them all the time. They're light weight and stay in place, somehow just making every outfit. 
 Lake Pajamas: these need to be on your wishlist, too! But if you need a luxurious gift for your mom or MIL (to say thanks for all the babysitting, let's be honest!), look no further. This Relax Set is my favorite-- my mom has it and loves it, too! But any of Lake's PJ's will be the perfect gift. They're made of 100% pima cotton and when I tell you the fabric is dreamy...you'll just have to trust me. You will never regret giving (or receiving) a set of these!

For YOU:

Hot Pack: if you know me, you know this thing is on my body 90% of the day in the fall and winter. You pop it in the microwave for 90 seconds and then put it on your shoulders, back, stomach (the best for cramps!) It smells like the most pleasant tea and is the emotional support we all need in winter ;) It lasts for years and years.
Anea Hill Sunglasses: these sunnies have been on my wishlist for the year! They're so classic and feel like the perfect size. The quality of this brand is unmatched. If those are too pricey, check these out for a similar look for less.



Happy Shopping!xoxo





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Labor Day Sales 2024

Happy Labor Day Weekend! 

It's hard to believe the end of summer is here (though for my fellow summer lovers, technically we have until the last week of September! ;)) I've rounded up a few of my favorite sales for the Labor Day below. It's a great time to stock up on some faves and even get a few new fall staples:

Apparel:
Abercrombie: 15% off almost everything (don't miss their NFL line if you're a sports girlie!)Athleta: 25% off fall essentials Anthropologie: 25% off denim, extra 40% off sale, up to 40% off homeJ.Crew Factory: 50-70% offJ.Crew: up to 40% offLOFT: 30% off new arrivals, up to 50% off sale, lots of deals starting at $12.LAKE: snag some of the soften pj's ever with free shipping!Madewell: 25% off fall essentials sale with code LONGWEEKEND, extra 40% off sale Hill House: extra 25% off sale with code LDW25Aerie: 30-70% off almost everythingSoludos: 20% off sitewide (such cute espadrilles!)Old Navy: 50-50% off select stylesDivi: 20% off sitewide for some amazing hair products and the scalp serum I swear by! Code LDW20 Sephora: 50% off select products
Home:
Wayfair: up to 70% offRifle Paper Co.: 25% off sitewide, 15% off rugs, wallpaper & furniturePottery Barn: up to 60% offWest Elm: up to 60% offBallard Designs: up to 75% off, free shipping sitewide
Baby clothes:
Caden Lane: 20% off sitewide code LABOR20Carters: 50% off everythingStitchy Fish: 60% off select stylesBeaufort Bonnet Company: 30% off Pink Sale prices with code ITSAPARTY

Happy shopping!
xoxo





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Rookie Year First Birthday Party

Our boys' first birthday was last week and we had the most fun celebrating them! I'm not going to hide it-- I have been planning their party since January ;) I had the best time putting together the details for their Rookie Year themed party! One thing that made it even more special is that my grandpa (my mom's dad) played baseball in the MLB. He passed away right before the babies were born, but he was so excited for us to have them. Before he passed, my mom had him sign two baseballs for the boys and we keep them in clear cases for them to display in their bedrooms one day. We put those baseballs out on the display table and it was just really sweet! I am so thankful my friend Ashley came to celebrate & was able to take some adorable photos for us. 

I'm sharing all of our sources at the bottom of this post, so scroll on if you're interested!

I had some fun crafting for the party and even got my husband to help, too. He made the arched backdrop, then my dad and I blew up the balloons the night before the party to create the balloon arch. It was so hot and humid the day of the party (it also rained), so they didn't stay blown up all that well. Every few minutes we'd hear another one pop- ha!

I made the little flags by printing out the flag designs that a sweet friend shared with me, then glued them to wooden dowels. I stuck them in jars filled with peanuts to give it even more of a ballpark feel. Signage is a fun way to elevate any celebration, so I printed some signs with baseball puns. We decorated with vintage glass coke bottles, baseballs, and I tried to pick out flowers that looked like they could have been picked from right field. 

One of my favorite decor elements was printing out the twins' monthly milestone photos and stringing them up above the display table. It's so crazy to see how much they have grown over the last year, so our friends and family loved taking a look!

Look at those precious babies!! Time is a thief!

What's a baseball party without cracker jacks?! I found these on Amazon and the kids thought they were great. I put out raisins for the littler friends.

Too keep everything fresh, we did our food inside on our dining table. We had veggie trays, crackers and cheese and chips and dip for apps. Then we grilled up hot dogs, hamburgers, and had fruit salad and chips for dinner.

Did I mention it was also my husband's birthday on the day of the party?! Quite the busy week for us! In the invite I sent out, I secretly tucked in a small card that told everyone it was McCann's 35th birthday and invited them to bring him some beer if they wanted to :) He had fun with that! We also did a signature cocktail bar for him-- his favorite rum & coke. It was also his signature drink at our wedding. 

Onto the cake smash! The boys were both a tiny bit apprehensive at first, but then absolutely dug in and enjoyed every second!! It was the best and made all my dreams come true. Their smash cakes were everything!! Just so cute!

Get it, Brooks!

Go, Sawyer!

I can just hear his little voice saying "ooohhhh!" in this picture.

This little guy nearly knocked the cake off his tray multiple times. Apparently birth order stereotypes are true even in twins (at least for us!) because Brooks' (first born) tray was clean and he only touched the cake a few times, instead mostly taking bites out of it. Sawyer (second born) dug in with his hands and had to be dunked in the kids pool to get him cleaned up ;)

My parents:

My mother in law:

All our friends!

The cousins (missing a few!):

The boys with their little girl baby friend, Margot :)

McCann did all the grilling for us on his own birthday...what a guy!

Here are the baseballs my grandma signed for the boys.

Dessert was amazing! We had the adorable cookies made, and the cupcakes were made by the same gal who did the boys smash cakes. My sister in law made scotcheroos and we had little ice cream cups for the kids, too. 

The boys were spoiled and got lots of fun new toys and outfits and books!

This is our WE MADE IT picture. I'm so grateful for this life of ours!

We love you to the moon and back, Brooks & Sawyer!

Party details:Invites, Signage, Monthly Milestone TemplatesRookie Year Decal (we customized it)Balloon ArchCakes & CupcakesCookiesGingham Tablecloth (so impressed with the quality of these!)
Gingham Table Runner (again, so impressed)High Chair TasselsBrooks & Sawyer's custom outfitsBaseball Themed Paper Products


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Twins' First Year in Photos

Last week our precious boys turned ONE! I cannot believe how quickly this year has flown by. The first 8-ish weeks are a complete blur, but once I came out of my fog, I've truly enjoyed (almost) every minute. These babies are so cute, fun, smart and sweet! I'm so glad I pulled out my camera every month to capture a couple everyday moments. As I picked out my favorites for this post, I had tears in my eyes! Seeing them grow each month is just wild. They were so tiny (they were 6lbs and 6lbs 10oz at birth, but both dropped quite a bit into the 5's), and then all of a sudden, they got little rolls and started growing like crazy! 
This past year has been the fastest, sweetest, most fulfilling, and at times challenging, year of my life. I am so grateful for my babies and my amazing husband who is just the best, most helpful dad. I can honestly say I am living my dream life. The Lord has richly blessed us!

We've loved watching you grow, sweet boys!








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