We got a pet!

Oh my goodness, we got a pet!

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The decision to add a pet after kids has always felt like too much for me! I've told people that I already have two pets: MY KIDS. The thought of adding an animal in the mix sounded like willingly asking for more stress in my life! Living in a small condo only added to my fears.

Having said that, here we are! My cat-fever all started last year when the boys and I were at PetSmart and came across the cutest long haired kitten. We all fell in love and I almost broke down and brought him home that day.

A year later and we finally went for it! I saw an ad for a free kitten event in my town and asked you guys for advice on Instagram. Everyone gave me wonderful words of encouragement and nudged me to go for it! (Thanks, friends!)

Honestly, I feel like this has been the best idea ever. Sometimes I'm still not sure about the whole thing (I'm a serious over-analyzer) and I can't figure out for the life of me how to make a litter box not smell bad in a small space.. but at the end of the day we have this sweet soft little soul to cuddle and love. Finn is maybe the funniest little cat I've ever met. He meows so much and is wild and sweet and seems to be fitting in just fine. The boy are so happy that we finally have a pet and I'm pretty in love with this little guy myself. 

Welcome home, Finn. <3 <3

Making After School Count!

     

     I'm really trying to up my mom-game this school year. The past few years have felt like a lot of "going through the motions." Lately, I've really caught myself in that pattern and realized that I need to make a better effort to make more of these years of my boys being so young! It's easy to get caught up in the day to day tasks, especially being a working mom, but I truly want to take more time for the little things!

     One change I'm trying to make to set the tone for the day is making the after school transition a more deliberate time of connection. The bus stop is close to my house and my kids are old enough to walk home but I know that they still love when I meet them there. I'm trying to not fall into the selfishness of wanting those last minutes to myself and instead walk down to the bus stop to meet my little boys. I work from home and honestly getting outside for some fresh air is really good for me and helps perk me up anyway. I love seeing my boys run off the bus when they see me as well; it's one of those sweet heart filling moments that won't last forever. :)

     
     Another thing that I've been doing since day one of this school year is making sure I'm prepared with snacks after school. It's kind of crazy what a difference this has made. Don't get me wrong, I've always had food waiting for my kids after school but I notice that making a little bit of an effort in the snack department goes a long way. My kids are pretty ravenous after being gone at school all day and I feel like making sure they have good snacks to come home to is a way of showing them I care. I am not going full Pinterest-mom in any way here but I just make sure I have easy snacks stocked up and ready to go as well as some little surprises every once in a while!

     
     Rome and Ash were so excited to come home from school to this fun package from Welch's in honor of their new 100% juice with coconut water and I'm so happy to have them partnering with me on this blog post!

     I love that Welch's brand new juice has replaced regular water with coconut water which adds natural benefits while keeping the great taste of 100% juice with 30% less sugar! My kids can't tell that their juice is more nutritious and they love coming home to find juice in the fridge after school! 

     I have really noticed a difference with these small changes I've started putting into place during our after school routine. It's so important for me to take a few minutes to connect with my boys after they've been away at school all day and it seems like they really love being able to share their day with me! This time of connection is also a great time for me to empty out their backpacks to keep on top of the endless paperwork that seems to pour out of the public school system!

    It can be so tempting for me to want to pick up my phone or get right back to my never empty email inbox but I'm trying hard to take these moments to just be with these little boys whom I love more than anything! 

How do you connect with your kiddos after school! I'd love some more ideas on how to up my mom-game this school year!

Welch's is made right here in the USA with family farmers and Welch's grapes! Both of these flavors were winners with my little guys with their great taste and refreshing goodness: White Grape Mango & Tropical Berry Grape!

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5 Easy Ways to Make Extra Christmas Shopping Money!

*This post contains an affiliate link.*     

     I can't believe how close the holidays are and to be honest, the thought of Christmas shopping (and all that $$$) is a bit stress inducing right now! Do you guys feel the same way? I am always trying to bring the cost of Christmas down and today I want to share 5 easy things I've tried that can earn you some extra Christmas shopping cash! 

Sell Some "Stuff"

     I'm a minimalist and I love getting rid of some "stuff" before Christmastime since Christmas presents mean that more things are about to come into my house. Here are a few different ways you can sell items you own to make a little extra Christmas shopping cash!

Consignment Stores

I love taking a laundry basket full of old kids' stuff into Once Upon A Child and earning a little money back. There are plenty of other consignment shops out there for different types of items as well. You won't make very much money selling consignment but it's probably the easiest and quickest way to make a little bit of money for things that you don't want anyway!

Facebook Groups 

Check to see if your town has local Facebook buy + sell groups! I have bought items from a Facebook group and it was so easy! (Take someone with you if you are meeting a person you don't know and always meet somewhere public!) 

Set up an IG closet shop 

Set up a shop account on Instagram to sell clothing (or other small items) you don't want anymore! This one is probably easier for bloggers or those of you who have a higher amount of followers on Instagram. This is something I'd like to start doing because I have so many cute little boy clothing items sitting around that we don't' need anymore. I set up a shop account but haven't gotten around to listing anything!

Coupon Apps!

     I wrote an entire post about this last year: here. Coupon Apps are a really fun way to earn a little extra spending money. Most of them work by scanning receipts and awarding money amounts for different items. These apps can be time consuming but are so fun and easy to use! For the past 2 years I've cashed out about $20 each holiday season to put towards presents just after using them for a few months! (Fun, easy, free money- yes please.)

     If you are going to try just one, start with Ibotta- it's my favorite and gives you the most money back. You can use my referral code: tddfoyb to get a $10 bonus for signing up!

Take on Extra Work

     I've been looking for a few ways to take on a little extra work before the holidays. I just did a photography job this past weekend and I'm taking on a little more sponsored content on the blog. For my family personally, this is also to cover other expenses that we've had come up lately but will also definitely help come Christmastime! Look for little ways that you could make a little extra money at your job! Pick up an extra shift or project. Taking a holiday retail job is a great way to earn some easy money and the discount can help with Christmas expenses as well! (Win, win!)

Mystery Shopping

     I used to always be so intrigued by the idea of mystery shopping! I finally tried it out a couple years ago through SeeLevel Shoppers. My mystery shop took place at Hot Topic (oh hey, high school memories!) and I earned a little money for completing the shop and also got reimbursed for the nose rings I purchased there. This would be a fun way to make a little holiday cash. 

Open a credit card

     I know a lot of people with be against the advice to open a credit card and I totally get it. This is only good advice if you go about it carefully! Many stores offer extra benefits to open a credit card during the holidays. Make this work for you by choosing one that is going to save you a chunk of money and then pay it off immediately + close it out! Last year I opened an Amazon credit card and in return got a $50 Amazon gift card which I then used towards Christmas shopping!

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I hope you saw a tip that might help you earn a little cash this holiday season! Of course, these tips can be used year round as well. What secret ways do you have to earn extra money? I want to hear them!

My Current Favorite Night Creams!

*This post is NOT sponsored but does contain affiliate links!*

     Oh hey, it's time to talk about my favorite thing again: skincare! I've been interested in night cream and "anti-aging" products since I used my grandma's free eye cream jars that she got from department stores as a kid. People usually think that I'm a lot younger than I am so, thanks Namaw! jk :) In reality, I'm 31 and it's kind of exciting that I can actually start benefiting from these products that I love!

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     Between things I've picked up myself and products that brands have sent me, my nightstand is pretty jam packed with night creams right now! I grabbed a few of the products that I gravitate towards every night to share with you guys including my two all time favorite ever EVER night creams so read along to find out which ones they are!

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No7 Lift & Luminate Triple Action Night Cream

I actually won this No7 Lift & Luminate Triple Action Night Cream in a giveaway on the Kiki Blah Blah blog! I was so excited because I never win anything but I ended up winning this No7 skincare package and these awesome pants in the same week! (best week ever...)  This night cream is pretty standard- nothing outstanding about it, nothing horrible about it. The smell is nice and fresh, a good grandma smell not a flowery grandma smell.. (does that make sense to anyone else?) I love that it's made for sensitive skin + that it's inexpensive. I also use the Lift & Luminate Triple Action Serum underneath. This is just a nice easy night cream to have on hand and I like to use it between nights where I use a more targeted treatment.

Rite Aid Renewal Quick Wrinkle Repair Night Cream

Ok guys, here's the first holy grail night cream that I'm going to recommend and it's super inexpensive! This Rite Aid "Quick Wrinkle Repair" is a dupe for the well-loved Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair. (I love their play on words here- hah!) I can't remember exactly how I ended up using the Rite Aid version over the Neutrogena one but I love it so much + keep going back for more. I don't really struggle with true wrinkles yet but any lines I do see starting to form always plump up with this stuff! I definitely recommend trying this one out if you haven't already!

Eucerin Redness Relief Night Cream

I have gone through some weird phases where I struggle with redness on my face. I grabbed this Eucerin Redness Relief Night Cream off Amazon during one of those times and really liked it! I still use it occasionally if my face feels like it's flaring up a little. I also bought the Eucerin Redness Relief Daily Perfecting Lotion which has a green tint to it for combatting redness! Also these are inexpensive-yay!

HydroPeptide Nimini Cream

Well, this is the me I never thought I'd be.. I am totally a drugstore/amazon girl and this HydroPeptide Nimini Cream is fancy AF and costs over $100. It was sent to me in exchange for a sponsored Instagram post, which I did months ago. Mentioning it in this blog post however is in no way sponsored; I just ... freaking LOVE IT. I thought I was sooo cool when HydroPeptide offered to send me this expensive product but jokes on ME  now because I'm hooked and will definitely shell out the money to repurchase this... :)

This Nimini Cream is liquid gold. First of all, it smells fabulous. Second of all, your skin will glow in the morning after using it! It contains Retinol + Vitamin C and is a targeted "collagen support" complex. Any little wrinkles you might have plump right up with this Nimini Cream and it leaves your skin looking so fresh and youthful. Sometimes I'll see myself in the mirror in the morning and be like wow, I look SO refreshed today and yeah, it's always because I used this HydroPeptide Cream the night before. I highly, highly recommend this one if you're looking to try something higher end that works. 

Ok, I'm seriously obsessed that I figured out how to link all of these products for you guys like this! I'll definitely start doing for my beauty posts, it's so easy! Sometimes I feel like such an old person, it takes me forever to start doing all the "trendy hip" blogging things. Anyone else with me there??

Have you tried any of these night creams? I'd love to know! Of course, if you have any of your own holy grail night creams please let me know in the comments; I'm always on the hunt for something new to try!

Happy Hump Day!

xoxo, Gillian

5 on Friday!

Happy Friday, friends!

How was your week? My boys started back to school on Wednesday and I've done things like: catch up on work without distractions, leisurely stop by the store to pick something up without anyone whining for anything and wonder why my house is SO quiet for 7 hours a day now! :)

Here are 5 quick things I have to share:

1. 

Roman started 4th grade and Asher started 1st! I know everyone says this but: how are they this old?? I can't believe that this is the 5th year that we've been in this school routine. I have to say this week didn't go off as seamlessly as I'd hoped. Roman was very sad about summer being over and really bummed out after his first day. Asher was ecstatic after his 1st day but experienced some bullying on the bus after his 2nd day. This mama bear went straight to the principal about it because, I know kids will be kids but this went too far; trust me. Luckily, the school handled it really well and made both kids apologize and made Ash feel much better. Roman has also perked up and I feel like both kids are ending the week feeling positive about this year- fingers crossed!

2.

I put up a blog post sharing some cool PR packages that I've received lately! Am I the only one who is really nosey about blogger mail? For all you skincare junkies like myself, you may see a product that you have to try out. :)

3.

THE ECLIPSE. Guys, I was literally waiting for this eclipse like a kid waiting for Christmas morning. I'm obsessed with the sky. It is so meaningful + powerful to me so this day was big. I'm thankful that I had my sister in law here to enjoy it with me and make it even more special!

4.

Oh hey, just a reminder that you can use code: bygillianclaire for 20% off any purchase over $49 from Nano clothing! I'm really picky about the clothing brands that I share with you guys + I was definitely impressed by Nano. This peace sign shirt is my favorite thing in their shop right now and it's on sale!

5.

This quote from @cleowade. The events in Chartlottesville broke my heart. I'm white and there is so much adversity that I've been blind to and spared from because of that. The past year has shown me how much racism is still existing under the surface and I feel more than ever that it is so important for us to fight against it!

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I hope you all had a great week. I'm about to go pick the boys up from school and we have plans to go to the trampoline park + order Papa John's tonight. The trampoline park is kind of the best y'all. These wild boys get out crazy amounts of energy and in return they think I'm the best mom ever.

 Also, have you tried Papa John's gluten free pizza? I'm currently doing a gluten + dairy free trial and their gluten free pizza with no cheese is like my favorite thing right now...

Ok, I'll stop rambling! Ramble to me about your week + weekend plans in the comments!

xoxo,

Gillian

Sharing a Few Summer PR Packages!

The world of blogging is a weird and wonderful place that I've become part of within the past 6 (eek!) years. Being an Influencer is kind of a misunderstood place to be right now and I'm constantly analyzing and figuring out my feelings about it and the direction I want to go.

Some people think that bloggers will just do anything for free stuff when in reality there is a lot more behind blogging than that for a lot of us. Free stuff can certainly be a perk but simply trying to get a ton of free products isn't really the end goal in blogging. I turn down offers constantly from companies that want to send me things. I've been focusing my efforts more on paid opportunities that allow me to put in my time and creativity with brands that I admire while being able to support my family!

Having said that, sometimes I do get boxes of "free stuff" which gives me a chance to try out new products and share them with you all - and yes, it's fun!

I don't often see bloggers do a post strictly about PR packages but I thought it would be fun to show you a few boxes I've received lately and share my truthful feelings on the products inside! I was not required by any of these brands to do this blog post. :)



Imagine Dermatology

You may remember Imagine Dermatology from this skincare post where I talked about some of their anti-aging products that I tried. They sent along this bubbling charcoal mask recently and you guys, I AM OBSESSED WITH IT. I'm not kidding; this is a staple in my skincare now. It tingles and feels extremely relaxing. Also, it actually works + pulls out blackheads like you wouldn't believe. I will definitely repurchase this, can't live without it!


Pacifica

I was so excited to receive a PR package from Pacifica, because well, Pacifica- duh! The box is the prettiest thing I've ever seen and I feel like I need to keep it forever. They sent along a couple packs of their new cleansing wipes. 

I am a big believer in removing your makeup at night and I actually like to double or triple cleanse my face to really get everything off. I love to have  wipes on hand though for nights that I'm just too tired for my normal skincare routine. I usually use baby wipes so these seemed extra luxurious + they are really reasonably priced at $6 each!

To be honest, the face wipes stung a little. I have been having some seriously sensitive skin lately though so this may be a personal problem? They smelled fruity and fun and of course the packaging was adorable. 

The Cherry Kisses Hydrating Lipstick Wipes surprised me though. I honestly didn't know lipstick wipes existed and didn't fully understand the point until I read that these also hydrate + exfoliate your lips! My lips felt so soft and smooth after using these and I will definitely use them again! (Both of these products are sulfate + paraben free and Pacifica is a cruelty free brand-yay!)

Derma E

I was also pumped to receive something from Derma E, another totally awesome company that defines themselves as "Ethical Skincare". Derma E sent along two of their cleansing products. 

The Vitamin C Micellar Cleansing Water, again, stung my face! What is the deal with my sensitive skin right now guys? Micellar water is the bomb though and I've used another one happily in the past. 

However, winner winner- I LOVE the Nourishing Rose Cleansing Oil that they also sent me. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved using an oil cleanser. Like the name says, this stuff felt extremely nourishing. It has argan + jojoba oils as well as vitamin E; such wonderful natural skincare ingredients. Pick some of this stuff up guys, you won't regret it. (Side note, I have recently switched completely to the oil cleansing method of face cleansing. I'll share more about that soon but this would be a great product to try out first if you are interested in using oils to wash your face!)

So there ya go, a few favorite packages that I've received over the past few months! Did you enjoy seeing what was inside? Also, I'd love to know if you use any of these products or brands! 

xoxo, gillian 

6 tips for working *Better* from home

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DDIcedCoffeeToGo #CollectiveBias

     I've mentioned a few times here that I'm working from home now. It has been a huge transition for me! I feel very blessed to be back to working for myself, running my own online creative business ( + blogging part time! ) but I have to say that it has been a pretty rough transition. Along with feeling grateful for the opportunities that have come into my life, I been feeling overwhelmed with the unique difficulties that come with working from home!

I wanted to put together a list of the tips and tricks that I've learned during my 9 months of working for home that are necessary for me to stay focused and be more productive. I'm so excited to be partnering with Dunkin' Donuts® + Kum & Go® for this post because if you know me in real life, you already know that coffee is going to make this list!

6 Tips for Working Better From Home!

1. Make a Plan! Being scatterbrained and unorganized are huge struggles for me especially now that I'm working for myself. Making a plan for my day is crucial to staying focused. I like to use an actual paper planner because it helps for me to physically write things out and check them off as I go. I also find myself using the "notes" app in my iPhone to make lots of quick lists when I think of things that need to be done.

2. Take Coffee Breaks! Just because you aren't working in an office doesn't mean that you should forget about designated breaks! Sitting at a computer screen all day can literally make me feel a little batty especially since I don't have other coworkers around to chat with! One thing that I do every work day is run out to grab a coffee. Yes, I have a coffee maker at home and I use it to make coffee in the mornings, but taking a break to get out of the house and grab a little treat makes a big difference for me. At home I make hot coffee, but I always get iced coffees on my "coffee breaks". My new favorite is the Dunkin' Donuts Iced Coffee from Kum & Go. (French Vanilla is my go to but they also have Mocha, Original + Espresso!)

3. Listen to Music! After I posted this post and talked a little bit about my struggles working from home, a friend shared with me that listening to music through headphones can really help with focus. I have taken this to heart and it definitely helps me! My current favorite work music is the Indie Folk Revival Radio station on Pandora. :)

4. Create a Workspace! Ok, this is one that needs a little work on my part. I live in a 900 square foot condo with 4 people (including two crazy little boys) so when everyone is home, it is very difficult for me to stay focused on work. I eventually would like to get an actual desk and create a designated workspace in my bedroom but I haven't gotten there yet! This summer, I have been working on the porch which has been perfect! I can just shut the door and have my own little outside office space. (All of the photos in this post were taken on my porch!)

5. Find Support! Once again in my life, I have found that my alternative lifestyle is hard for other people to relate to. I have found some great Facebook groups that have helped me to network with people who do similar work and who are also working from home. Check out Facebook to see if you can find some good groups to join especially if you are in a creative field!

6. Get a Change of Scenery! This is another huge one for me. Guess what, you don't always have to work from home if you work from home! Mind blown? This is what God created coffee shops for! Ok maybe not but seriously, I try to get out of the house at least once a week and find another spot to do my work. This is crucial for me and sometimes if I have a heavy work week or extra hard time focusing I try to get out to work several days a week. Look for some cute coffee shops in your area, head to the library or even look into a local shared workspace! 

Be sure to check out the Kum & Go reward program so that you can save money on all those Dunkin' Donuts Iced Coffees like me! :) 

I'd love to hear from YOU if you also work from home + learn your tips as well!  I can use all the help I can get right now on staying focused and getting organized!
. . xoxo, Gillian