Healthy Lifestyle - How I get all 8 Glasses of Water in!

I feel everyone struggles with is getting their daily recommended water intake. I mean, 8 glasses of water a day can sound like a lot - because it is! I envy the people who can just pour a glass throughout the day and by 6pm they’ve reached the suggested amount. I’m the type of gal who had to find tricks to get myself to drink H2o. So if you're in need of some advice on how to get all 8 glasses of water into your daily diet below I mention some helpful tips that I use everyday! 

- Set small goals
If you’re an anti-water drinker you’ll probably struggle to get more than 3 glasses down. So start small, and be proud. Start with 2 or 3 cups and work you way up. 

- Switch up the cup
Something that helps keep me excited to drink water is switching up my ‘water bottle’. Sometimes I’ll match the bottle to the outfit I’m wearing or grab a funky shaped bottle so when I see it, I’ll remember to take a sip.

- Add a vitamin to it
A way I make sure I get my full amount of water needed is by adding a vitamin supplement. Currently, I drink 8oz with a collagen tablet which gives the water a lemon rose flavor but also I know I ‘must’ drink all the water to get that vitamin in for today. Then later in the day when I take my other vitamins I pour another 8oz and remind myself to consume all the water with the vitamins. 

- Flavors help
Add water flavors or fresh fruit if you’re bored of the flavorless water. Water flavors varies from ‘sweet tea’ to ‘lime margarita’. They seriously make a flavor out there for everyone! And fresh fruit you can toss anything from watermelon, berries, to even cucumbers. 

- Ice does the trick too
For me, really cold water is easier to consume than room temperature or Luke-warm water. So I always make sure to add some ice cubes (like the small pellet size from Sonic).

-Remind yourself why you’re doing it
For me, if I tell myself “hey girl, drink this water! It’s going to do wonders for your skin, appetite, weight, and keep you alert to play with Holly” I suddenly get major motivation to drink a little more H2o. Find what will motivate you if its a quote or a goal you want to reach. 

- Reward yourself overtime
The best trick is to reward or ‘treat’ yourself overtime. When I met my 30 day water goal I went and bought a new mascara I’ve been dying to try. I feel keeping a promise to drink water even when you rather have a Coke-a-cola is a reason to celebrate! 

I know these might sound silly or be obvious but the goal is to get the daily recommended amount into yoru diet. If drinking 8 glasses of water is hard for you I hope these tips help!

-Brittney

Store Credit Cards - Are they worth it?

The other day I went to Tjmaxx to get diapers and at the register the sales clerk asked “Would you like to sign up for the Tjmaxx credit card and get 30% off your purchase today?”  I said “30% off 3 packs of diapers? Really?? No”.
Then 45 minutes later Victoria’s Secret asked if I owned the 'Exclusive Angels Card' when I said “Yes, but I’m no longer using it” The girl spent 10 minutes explaining why I should use my credit card today.
Anyways, I went into 3 more stores and all asked me the same question.

After my drive home I peered into my wallet to see what 'Store Credit Cards' I owned and if they are even worth owning. 

You see, I have collected quite a few “Store Credit Cards” and all are either cut in half or locked in the safe. This is because overtime I realized store credit cards aren't worth owning. Below you will see my reasons behind this statement, a list of what cards I own, and which I feel is okay to own. 

Why these cards SUCK.
- Rewards are 99.99% only for that store/brand. Unlike regular credit cards where you can redeem for flyer miles, gift cards, or cash back - store cards are just ‘points’ off your next purchase to the actual store itself. 

- The interest is triple what a regular credit card would be. (This is no joke. One store card is 40.25% interest vs my discover which is only 11% interest). 

- Many require you to meet a certain yearly purchase rate to even get some ‘perks’. For example: Ulta requires you to spend 450$ just to get your points to NOT expire for 1 calendar year. And you have to keep that 450$ track record going every year or your points will be erased. 

- A lot of cards claim you will be invited to ‘exclusive events’ but be warned; so is EVERYONE else who owns that card. Which is A LOT of people. One VS PINK event I went to had 400 people waiting to get in. By the time I got in the ‘drinks and free gifts’ were gone. 

- Having a card or not, they still only want ONE thing from you - money.

- A lot of stores use the credit card sales as ‘bonus’s’ for the associates. So the constant pressure to get you to sign up is so that associate will get an extra vacation day or extra $20.00 on their quarterly sales goal. 

- If your card gets stolen and used; store cards normally don’t refund you AKA: they still expect you to pay off the balance - even if your card was stolen. This happened to me at Express and I still to this day refuse to shop at Express.

What cards do I own? *All Cards are no longer in use*
-Victoria’s Secret
- Ulta Beauty
- Nordstrom
- Express
- Amazon 

Honest Opinion on Which I'd Keep

Out of all these cards the only one worth having would be the Amazon because you get a cash back percentage back on all purchases + points to use on your future Amazon purchases.
Express I refuse to use because of the situation I mentioned above.
Nordstrom you get “Nordy Points” to use on your future Nordstrom purchases but to move up you have to spend THOUSANDS of dollars and keep up yearly or your will be bumped down.
Ulta Beauty you get 2x the points on Ulta purchases (which they do double points days already; so this is a worthless perk), 1 point PER 3 Dollars outside Ulta (Do the math $3 for gallon of gas = 1 point). You must spend 450$ to move to level 2 and actually keep your points longer than 1 year. 
Victoria’s Secret has went DOWN HILL. At one point you got monthly coupons for things like $10 off a bra, Free panty your choice, 40% off a beauty purchase, etc. Now they moved to a tier level where you must spend so many hundreds of dollars to move to the 2nd level and only get $15 off a credit card purchase reward.

So, if you’re thinking about building your credit, stick to a boring card that gives you cash back or where you can redeem for gift cards ANYWHERE. I know the store cards might be pretty and make you feel ‘exclusive’ BUT remember what I said before…. At the end of the day with or WITHOUT a card - they still just want you to buy something. 

LUSH HAUL - Using my Own Tips!!!

Good Morning everyone!
The other day I took a trip to LUSH Cosmetics and used my own tips to grab up a few items. Below you'll see all I purchased! (FYI - I purchased all of this for only $100!)
In total, I got 12 bath and bubble bars, 2 samples, and an 8oz bottle of shower gel (not pictured because my Husband is already using it!) all for under $100!

The gift set "Orbital" was a great deal! It was actually cheaper buying this gift set instead of purchasing each one separately. I did get a few bath bombs I've never tried before and so far I love them! (this was one of my tips).
I also got 2 samples! (one of my tips again!) The soap bar is a good size that I can use multiple times. And the small black jar has a shower scrub that will be at least 2 uses!
I also purchased some holiday items which were limited edition and there was a buy one get one free promo! (another great tip!).

As you can see some of these tips really did pay off! I had an amazing experience shopping the store!

Cleaning Tips! *Daily Chore Log Idea Too!*

When people visit our home I often hear “This place is so clean… How do you do it all?” Then I get the rundown on how much I have on my daily plate. Which are a lot and I know that.

The mass majority can’t stand cleaning (a good example is my husband) but I’m one of the few who loves to clean. I’m in charge of all the cleaning. Bryce spends all day at the office; it just doesn’t seem right for him to work all day and then come home to do chores. Don’t get me wrong, my job isn’t easy. I’m in charge of tending to Holly all day and night during the week so Bryce can rest, plus all the other projects I have. But I’m very fortunate that Bryce works a job that can support me being a “FTM”.

Anywho, cleaning is the best stress reliever for me. I have a weekly chore log that’s broken into daily cleans. The breaks help so I’m not overwhelmed, doing the same thing every day, and still have my weekends to relax. My cleaning list might not work with everyone’s lifestyle but I’m happy to share for anyone who needs ideas on how to create a cleaning log.

Daily:
Make the beds
30 minute pick up before Bryce comes home and/or pick up before bed
fold bathroom towels after baths

Monday
Laundry
Mop floors
Clean kitchen

Tuesday
Clean bathrooms
Clean towels

Wednesday
Dust
Vacuum
Clean livingroom + office
* Once a month (normally the last Wednesday of the month) I dust the baseboards, crown molding/molding around the doors, etc. This takes a lot of work but its a chore you only need to worry about once a month to get the extra dust. 

Thursday
Recyclables ( I take our recyclables to a center because this Condo we currently live at doesn’t provide recycling; and personally I’m a big supporter of helping the planet)
Clean bedrooms
Clean bedding sheets

Friday
Mop floors
* I try to do the least amount of work on Friday’s so I can relax for the weekend!*

Saturday
This is a day we relax. Bryce normally goes to the gym and I can have “me time”. It’s also a day we head to Destin, Seaside or visit family.

Sunday
Meal plan for new week
Grocery shop for the new week
We mainly relax on Sundays as well. We almost always do our grocery shopping this day but sometimes we bump grocery day to Monday. 

Extra tips: 
- When cleaning an area do everything within that area. For example: when I plan to clean the bathrooms I always throw the bath towels in the wash first. Then by the time I have the entire bathrooms cleaned the towels will be clean/dry as well.

- If you have small children like me do the bulk of your cleaning during their naps. I also knock out some good cleaning when Holly is having her ‘tv time’, eating lunch in her high chair, or when she’s having her “alone play time”.

- Keep the clutter down -> clutter is the root of all evil. We trash and recycle as many items as we can. When clothes and shoes are worn out, we pitch em. If it's something we never wear, we donate.

- If you have a busy week, meal prep or make large portions to have leftovers. Bryce isn’t big on leftovers but I grew up on leftovers. I think for families large portions + leftovers help keep the stress of meal planning under control.

- Do a deep clean day once a month. For people with children try to have a relative watch the kiddos so you can focus on deep cleaning with the products needed. Take advantage of a rainy day to do the deep cleaning too! 


My Cleaning Products:
Here's a photo of the cleaning products I use when cleaning. DISCLAIMER: These products are the ones I select and use. They fit my personal lifestyle and I’m not pressuring anyone to purchase these. 

For cleaning tools, I use the rubber gloves I have shown below (purchased at Dollar Tree!), A few brushes and sponges (from Dollar Tree as well) and some paper towels (We get whatever is on special) and/or some reusable towels.

Testing a Monthly Subscription Kit: PLAY! by Sephora

For years now there’s been monthly subscription kits (the Fab Fit kits, Birchbox, Boxycharm, Sephora, etc). And I’ve always wondered if these kits are truly worth it. The first thing is to decide on a kit. Some are devoted to jewelry, some makeup+skincare, and some for lifestyle.

Today I had the opportunity to test a monthly subscription kit; a Play by Sephora kit. Now a cool fact on Sephora; you can sign up for the monthly subscription or just purchase a “Play Smarts” kit (which informs you in advance what’s in the kit). The “Play Smarts” are usually themed and I have purchased “Play Smarts” kits in the past and loved it. [Image below is of my “Play Smarts” kit. It was a kit based on Age 30’s skincare. Like I said, I LOVED it.]

So when this opportunity to try the regular monthly subscription kit for FREE came around I felt I must try and compare. Now the only difference from the two kits is being aware of what you’ll get versus a kit that is a complete surprise. Both kits came with 5 products + 1 extra bonus, 50 points card to use on your next purchase, and the online how to use video. 

Below you will see images of the regular Play by Sephora kit I received. 

Overall, this kit was alright. For the price you pay you do get a good amount of items. The sizes are deluxe samples/travel sizes so you get more than 3 uses; which I love. There was some nice products and some that I didn’t care for (since the kit is a surprise without me knowing what’s inside a few of the items doesn’t work well with my skin/I already had in my collection.)

If you’re on the fence about trying a monthly kit I recommend doing the homework and reading reviews on if the products were legitimate, if the kit has a ‘personal profile’ so you will get items custom to your needs, and if you can purchase something that you already know whats coming to you (like the “Play Smarts” kits by Sephora). 

Newest Spring Break Swimsuits

Today’s post is all about the newest swim that has hit the shops in time for Spring Break destinations! As a stay at home mom, I no longer get to indulge in the “Spring Break” trips but that doesn’t mean I don’t know my way around some swimmies! (Living at the Gulf Coast has given me tons of "swim attire" experience).

As a casual reminder before you scroll down the see what the new swim trends are PLEASE follow the Instagram page! I post daily on fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. I also give some peeks into my daily life living in the Gulf Coast.

Ready to see the Newest Spring Break Swimsuits -


American Eagle - This store has swim for all body types. From one piece, bikinis, to cheeky and Brazilian cut. Size range is amazing and if you can’t find your size in store have an associate order one for you with free shipping to store! I noticed a big trend is bold colors.

Abercrombie & Fitch - This store is a personal favorite of mine (not because I worked there for a decade) but because their swim is high quality and the styles are always on-trend yet preppy. My local A&F was stocked with tons of sizes and they do free shipping when ordered in store. The associates at my local store was super friendly and gave me tons of swim to try on.

Red Dress Boutique- This shop I’ve recently became a fan of. I noticed their swim is very boho and also super girly. The sizes are a bit odd (only small, medium, and large) so look closely at a size chart.

Everything But Water - This store is literally all swim. So the associates know what the trends are and how to direct you to the best fit. Their swim is of nice higher quality brands and a lot of their pieces have a classic feel.

Forever21- One of my favorite cheap thrills places. I would grab swim from here if its for a quick and carefree trip. Never expect a F21 swimsuit to last ages. This is a fast fashion store so its garments are made to be worn only a few times. They do keep up with the newest trends and they have some bold ’show stopper’ pieces.

H&M- This store is also known as a fast fashion store. So the swim isn’t going to be the quality of a store that invests more in their products. This year I noticed a lot of banded detailing and unique cuts in their swim (look below).

Places to Visit: Bellingrath Gardens

Recently Bryce, Holly and I went on a small day trip to the Bellingrath Gardens in Mobile, Alabama. Let me tell you, this is truly a hidden gem. On 65 acres of land with tons of different and very unique gardens to walk through (something beautiful is blooming all year), a gorgeous home that you can tour to see the countless porcelain collection Mrs. Bellingrath collected, and even visit the small chapel right next door. Don’t forget to have lunch at the Cafe! 
I don’t want to give away all the information of this house but there’s many features that was built for this house that made it "ahead of its time". Also many of the people who still works here met Mr. Bellingrath before he passed away (so they have lots of information about the family and what they enjoyed doing). There’s a large collection of Coke-A-Cola memorabilia since Mr. Bellingrath was one of the first to bottle Coke-A-Cola (this is where a majority of his wealth came from).
Best of all, the Gardens play host to beautiful Christmas lights if you’re in the area during the winter months. Below you’ll see some photos we snapped during our tour.
I definitely recommend visiting this hidden gem if you’re a fan of architecture, history, and the magic a secret garden can bring.
 - Brittney 

Beauty EMPTIES!

Today's a quick post on some beauty products I emptied. When I’m bored I’ll check up on my favorite bloggers when they make this style of post because I always love reading about products and getting new recommendations! So today I thought I’d do the same.
This post is going to be simple and sweet. I’ll list where I purchased each item as well in case anyone wants to try these!
 As always follow the Instagram for daily posts on fashion, beauty and lifestyle!

1. Bastiste Dry Shampoo - This worked well when my hair felt oily or sweaty (especially in the summer time!). Love the scent and the packing is super cute. I’ll be mentioning in more details about this in a future post. Purchase anywhere beauty items are sold!

2. HUM Collagen Pop - At first I didn’t enjoy this. In fact I wrote a negative review about this because of the taste. After day 6, I was able to handle the taste and plan to get more. Its a 10 day drink mix tablet. I’ll be mentioning more on this in a future post! Purchased at Sephora.

3. Clarins Hydra-Essential Eye Mask - This lil’ guy was a sample from a Nordstrom purchase. I actually got 5 solid uses from it! Overall it's nice. I feel if I purchased a full size I would see more results on my under eye area. Considering purchasing again soon at Nordstrom.

4. 14 Karat Gold Rush Tanning Lotion - This is my go-to tanning lotion. The smell is heavenly and the amount of bronze color you get is amazing! Purchased at Amazon.

5. Sexy Little Things Perfume - This was my signature scent throughout college! Once I got married I felt I needed a ’signature scent’ change (but wanted to finish using my stash of S.L.T. Perfumes I built up in my closet!) This is now Discontinued.

6. MakeUpForEver HD Primer - The quality this primer gives is 100%. I’m definitely going to restock on this one soon! Purchased at Sephora.

7. Clinique Mascara - This mascara is surprisingly a good one. It doesn’t do a lot of volume but it's a great lengthening mascara. I’ll most likely get another small size with my Sephora points; but probably won’t purchase a full size. Purchased at Sephora.

8. Pacifica Kale Detox Face Wash - I really enjoyed this face wash! I even made my husband use it! The only downside is I couldn’t stand the smell (its the least pleasing smell in the Pacifica Collection) but the product WORKS wonders! Purchased at ULTA.

Get the MOST out of your Lush Cosmetics Experience

Like most people, I love treating myself with some skincare/bath items and a store I can’t avoid is LUSH Cosmetics. First of all, the smell! Ya’ll complained about smelling Abercrombie and Fitch a mile away, oh LUSH has that same effect. And like most, I notice the prices of these bath bombs and bubble bars... These things aren’t cheap! 

Today I’m giving out my tips on getting the MOST out of your Lush! So you too can enjoy LUSH the way I do.

1: Check the web-shop beforehand
This tip is major. If you walk into a LUSH without an idea on what you want - the associates will take you for a spin and your shopping basket will be packed to the top. What I do is browse the site to see what is new, the prices, and create a list on what I really want and what I just want to ‘look’ at.

2: Pick a side and shop in a circle
If you run around in circles the associates quick thinking is “oh she’s lost. Let me guide her to products” and that is where you can feel pressured or overwhelmed. Pick one side (left or right) and work your way around until you make a full circle of the store.

3: If you need help, ask the associates 
These workers are TRAINED to know everything about every product. So if you are confused or curious about a product - ask.

4: Wanna facial? Foot Treatment? Hand Treatment? Makeup routine? Get one on demand!
The staff is trained to do any type of in-house spa treatment free of charge! They do appreciate if you are purchasing something (it can be an item they used or something else) but do indulge on some spa time if you wish!

5: They are always down to give GENEROUS free samples!
See a soap bar you want to try? Or a face wash? Maybe a lotion? They're always down to give you a product to sample. Just ask. I noticed if you have good vibes and conversations with the associate they’ll give multiple samples (I left once with 5 samples!).

6: Don’t be fooled by the gift sets
Remember when I said visit the web-shop first? Compare prices on buying the products separately VERSUS a gift set. The year round gift sets are a better deal than buying the products separately. But the Holiday gift sets are MORE EXPENSIVE than buying each item separately. I was told this by an actual associate at my local Lush. 

7: Once you’re home, break up the bars
You heard me right! Those giant bubble bars can be cut up into 3, 4, even 6 pieces to create multiple baths! Lush associates will tell you to just crumble a chunk off; but I prefer cutting mine. 
My TIP - get a sharp metal knife, cutting board, and carefully cut slices to the size you wish. Put the pieces into zip bags for easy and dry storage.

8: Bathbombs can be chopped into 2 pieces
Be VERY VERY careful but you can separate bath bombs. My biggest tip if you want to separate your bath bombs is select bath bombs in store that are already separating or have a drastic crack in the middle. Take a butter knife and carefully separate the two. *You can also find videos on Youtube for guidance!*

So there's a few of my tips to get the most out of your LUSH visit. If you have any questions please ask me! And as always follow the instagram for daily posts on fashion, beauty and lifestyle!

-Brittney