Deck the Halls & Welcome to Vlogmas!| beingmommywithstyle (December 1, 2...

It's time for Vlogmas!! On Vlogmas Day 1, we start decorating our house for the holidays, Bella has school, and I discuss a little bit why I will be opting to cut our night time activities down a bit after this month! (It's too much!!)



Welcome to Vlogmas on Being Mommy with Style!

Halloween Decor at the Detroit Zoo!

We love visiting the Detroit Zoo, located in Royal Oak, Michigan - we are annual pass zoo members and enjoy watching the change of seasons at the zoo. As the weather gets crisper, the animals are sometimes moving around outside more often and more visible, so its fun to check in at different times of year. We visited the zoo on Columbus Day since the girls were both off of school, and I had forgotten that since they hold "Zoo Boo" parties at the zoo some evenings in the Fall - it would be decorated for Halloween as well!

They had a ton of great pumpkin displays and even some fun Fall activities like a mini hay bale maze. The girls loved seeing the zoo decorated for Halloween and the pumpkin animals were some of their favorites!

Check out the different decorations we saw in this "Day in the Life" style video on YouTube!

Inside Out DISGUST Disneybound & Costume Ideas!

I am so excited to finally see my Halloween costume come together and just had to share it! For Halloween, my husband and I had planned to dress like characters from the Disney Pixar movie 'Inside Out' - Disgust and Anger! After finding the perfect dress at ModCloth - I was happy to find the "essential" Disgust accessories as well!

I also took a few minutes to try everything on and try out the Disgust character... not only do I think it is going to be a fabulously fun choice for Halloween - I also discovered that I REALLY like wigs, who knew? 

Find all the items for this great Disneybound and/or costume below!

Green Lace Dress: http://www.modcloth.com/shop/dresses/first-lace-award-dress

Fuchsia Go Walk Shoes: http://www.shoebuy.com/skechers-gowalk-compose-slip-on/762060

Purple Tulle (Free, from my house - but found at Hobby Lobby)

Costume pieces:

Green Wig from Party City

Lip Color - Walgreen's Villians Maleficent Lip Trio Set

"D" Belt, Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/QueenElizabethAprons

** This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Follow along with our DAY IN THE LIFE style videos!

Currently, we are doing daily "day in the life" style videos on YouTube! Follow along on our journey as we settle in to our new house - and make it a home!

Newly painted girls' rooms DITL!

Mommy time DITL!

First Day of Fall & Decorating DITL!

Fall Home Decor Tour!

All about the number 25!! (We reach 25,000 subscribers on YouTube and 2500 followers on Instagram on the SAME day!! And it was the 25th!! Awesome!!)

We are a family of four - mom, dad, and two girls Isabella (5) and Natalie (3)! We recently relocated from Illinois to Michigan for my husband's job, and we've been having fun getting re-settled into our new house! I share our new home decorations, organization, activities, meal planning, and more in our videos!

ALSO... be watching for upcoming DISNEY videos as well! (Yay!) Thanks for watching and following along!

** This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Plan with Me Videos!

"Plan with Me" videos are a new type of video I've been trying out on my channel recently - and I think they are quite fun! I've enjoyed trying new types of planners, and most recently have been testing out the Erin Condren life planner and Plum Paper Planner!

Follow along on these (almost?) weekly segments that I will be doing for the foreseeable future, as long as they are enjoyable and let me know if you have any questions along the way! I will try to note my favorite Etsy sticker & washi tape shops in the description boxes of the videos, but if you need additional information - just leave a comment and I will get back to you as soon as possible!

Current Favorite Etsy Shops!

Disney, Grocery, & Dance Stickers, EllaCouturebyJessica: https://www.etsy.com/shop/EllaCouturebyJessica
Sticker*Sters: https://www.etsy.com/shop/StickerSters
The Sticker Patch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheStickerPatch
Sweet Kawaii Design: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SweetKawaiiDesign
My Lil Angels Creations: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MyLilAngelsCreations
HoweCute4You Clips: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HoweCute4You?ref=l2-shopheader-name
Washi Tape: https://www.etsy.com/shop/shekphoebe
Washi from Target & Michael's



Get 10% Off your Plum Paper Designs purchase with code 'STYLE10' until November 30, 2015!
Plum Paper Designs: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PlumPaperDesigns

Erin Condren Planner: https://www.erincondren.com/referral/invite/dianahughes0505

** This is not a sponsored post, all opinions are my own. Please note there are referral links above. If you purchase items through this link, I may receive a personal incentive from the company for your purchase.

Question & Answer!

It was requested for me to start doing the occasional "Q&A" type video... so I started doing this in September 2015! For my first Q&A, I pulled the most asked questions in the comments section of my videos!

As always, feel free to leave a question in the comments - and you might see YOUR question in the next Q&A video!

Questions:
1. Where were the cats over the summer?
2. What does your husband do for a living?
3. What is my Master's degree in?
4. Am I going to go back to work when Natalie is in school?
Bonus question 5... Are we going back to Walt Disney World SOON?!? ;)

** This is not a sponsored post or video. All opinions are my own.

2015-2016 Chick-fil-A Mom Panel Member!

I'm excited to announce... I am a 2015-2016 Chick-fil-A Mom Panel Member! I was honored to be chosen to be a part of this great group of moms!

Thanks to Chick-fil-A for the awesome welcome gift!

Throughout the year, we will receive information about upcoming events, promotions, and be able to provide feedback to Chick-fil-A about our experiences! I'm looking forward to lots of yummy food, and seeing what's in store for us!

** This is not a sponsored blog post. All opinions are my own. I was selected to be a part of the Chick-fil-A Mom Panel and not obligated to post or share in video form about our experiences... that is just for fun!

Moving Playlist & We're almost there!!

We've almost made it to the finish line... today is the day!

As I reflect on our (long) move, I definitely have gain an appreciation for DOORS that can be shut between rooms and also I believe have insights into helpful lists of things to have when staying in an extended stay and moving with children. I will have upcoming posts on those.

For now... today is the day, and I will soon be able to wrap up my MOVING PLAYLIST! (Yay!) So I wanted to leave it here since it will slowly drop its way off of the front of BeingMommywithStyle. I'm looking forward to the adventure ahead - and all of the renovation & decoration projects headed our way too!!

Check out the moving playlist here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiFP1-yFEAllJjT-EqsHnRSjHmC29rKVg

Planner UPDATE! Sticker Issues...

So....

I now have an Etsy sticker problem. And an Erin Condren & Plum Paper Planner on the way to compare.

Will report back more on what works, after they are here!! :D

                                          

                                          Stickers from Sticker*Sters on Etsy!

Stickers from The Sticker Patch on Etsy!

PLANNER UPDATE: Moving from a Binder Style to a Bound Style??

As the new school year quickly approaches, I've been thinking a lot about my planner and whether my current situation is going to work well for now having one in all day kindergarten and another beginning preschool. I will now not only contain our household schedule, meal planning, and personal appointments in my planner - but also juggle school deadlines, field trips, and special school dates in my calendar as well.

Just writing it out seems a bit overwhelming. In the past, I've tried having multiple agendas - one for each "subject" or area of life it pertained to, and I found this just didn't work for me. What works best, is having one extremely efficient planner that can do it all - so I can reference our entire schedule at a glance.

So now the question becomes... is my current planner situation going to work for me? My answer I'm thinking is... probably not?

As pretty as it is, the Kikki K isn't the most practical design for holding multiple schedules and it is also too big to carry in my purse comfortably. I'm on the hunt to find the perfect planner replacement and with a little under a month to do so! I'm considering making the switching back to a "bound style" planner. Brands such as Blue Sky Day Designer (found at Target), Erin Condren, and Plum Paper Planner all offer this bound style planner.

For years I have been using more of a "binder style" planner, like the Filofax, Louis Vuitton, and Kikki K styles that I currently own - you purchase paper inserts for each year (or they arrive with them new also) and place them into the binder area. There are usually card slots, pen holders, and paper slots as well with these types of binder style planners.

The problem with them is... they're bulky. Really bulky. And heavy. If I want to grab my planner and bring it along - well, I just don't. They are too bulky!

For this upcoming school year, I'd like to try something that has plenty of writing space to hold all AND can easily be carried from area to area in our house - with the possibility of being able to bring it out of the house as well if needed. I've picked up the Blue Sky Day Designer from Target to try out the style and see what I think - if it works great, I might even look into getting a more customizable planner in the bound style as well.

Have you ever made the switch from a binder style planner to a bound planner? Did it work out well for you?

Check out my Planner Update on YouTube:

* This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Extended Stay Meals!

Living in an extended stay while waiting for our new house to be available has been a challenge, but I'm hoping that by sharing our experience we can give other people headed into the same situation some ideas - or just the knowledge that they aren't alone!

Eating while in the extended stay is one of those easy/hard type of things... because yes - the room does have a kitchenette area, with a refrigerator, microwave, and stovetop. However, it doesn't have an oven and you really start to realize how much you use something - when you not longer have it!

I've tried to be resourceful and figure out some stove top meals that we could make and would also allow for leftovers so that my husband would have food to take for lunch. After dragging my feet, I also went and bought another CROCK POT - a tiny, little one that looks adorable on the counter by the way! - and it has been one of the best purchases for the room so far!

Here are some of our recent grocery hauls of the food I purchased to make for meal in the extended stay!

Organization wise - I purchased a laundry basket with wheels that has been FAB-ulous... and I would highly recommend if you're looking at being in an extended stay for a period of time. And I also picked up a drying rack, which has been handy for extra towels, swimsuits, and also clothing on laundry day.

* We are a family of four on a relocation journey from Illinois to Michigan for my husband's job! We are staying in an extended stay for a number of weeks while we wait for our new house to become available, and our Illinois house has sold. Follow along as I attempt to cook for our family, entertain preschoolers in a hotel room, and keep us organized along the way!

** All opinions are my own. This is not a sponsored post.

Sea Life Aquarium - Great Lakes Crossing Michigan

We visited Sea Life Aquarium at Great Lakes Crossing for the first time. I honestly may do a separate video on our thoughts on it, because I know I was asked a number of times on my Instagram pictures whether it is "worth it" or not... My husband was really not thrilled with the value to experience ratio. It held Bella's attention (5 years old) and she enjoyed it - however Natalie (3 years old) lost interest mid way through in the "darker" areas.

Bella enjoyed completing the stamp book.

Here's a comparison of just the numbers, without getting into any sort of critique of how the exhibits were...

For 2 Adults, 2 Children (over age 3):
1 Day at Sea Life Aquarium... $84
1 YEAR Membership at Detroit Zoo... $79

Detroit Zoo is obviously a great value and I spend an additional few hundred dollars a year there to continue supporting them as well, making a point to go to special events, purchase food and merchandise there. (Sea Life Yearly membership is $260.) However, for the content available - I'm not sure I would recommend Sea Life unless you are just wanting to try it out and especially like fish.

A General Admission to Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, a short 5 hour drive away and MUCH larger aquarium, with a wider variety of animals - what I would consider to be an "actual" aquarium is $8 per adult and $6 for children... a total admission of $28 for the same family of four.

I would be inclined to suggest you drive to Chicago and spend the night there, applying the additional purchase price towards a hotel to visit Shedd Aquarium. Parking does cost additional in Chicago if you're going to park a vehicle, so there are additional expenses (parking is free at Great Lakes Crossing)... however having had both experiences, I can say the Shedd Aquarium experience is a much grander experience and would be my recommendation.

My local recommendation would be Detroit Zoo.

All of that being said, if you don't mind spending $84 and want to just try it out, it is nice that metro Detroit now has an "aquarium"... although it would be great if it were a bit bigger.

Check out a video our experience here:


Here are links with all of the info on the three places I listed above:
Shedd Aquarium - http://www.sheddaquarium.org/plan-a-visit/advance-ticket-options-tickets/
Detroit Zoo - www.detroitzoo.org
Sea Life - https://www.visitsealife.com/michigan/

** This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

We're in Michigan!

Well... we made it to Michigan! We're currently enjoying a few weeks stay in an extended stay - that I'm sure will make us that much more appreciative to be in our new house! For now, we're keeping busy enjoying the new sights, trying new activities, and catching up with old friends!

I will be vlogging as much as possible while we are in the extended stay, and then near daily after we get into the house to document our relocation and renovation experience! After we get into the house, we will have a number of renovation and redecoration projects that I will want to get started on, which I will detail in a future post and video. I hope you enjoy following along!

See what we've been up to since we arrived in Michigan...

Welcome to Michigan!

Getting the girls enrolled in school!

First Michigan grocery haul! 

Splash Pad Fun at KLR Splash Pad in Oxford, MI!

We become Detroit Zoo Members again!

Stay tuned for more MI fun!

www.youtube.com/beingmommywithstyle

DIY Wreath Making!!

Today all I can think about is getting back to some DIY wreath making... but I realize that it probably isn't the "best" time - being about ready to move and all. I would love to make a fun teal summer inspired wreath and I still have all of the supplies to make a fun Rapunzel inspired wreath as well!! So those are on the "to do" list as soon as our move is completed!!

Here are a few of the wreath projects I've completed over the past year!

I've given some fun Spring & Summer inspired wreaths as gifts, but I haven't had a chance to make any for my own house yet!! Definitely on the to do list!! Here are the warmer weather wreaths I made as gifts for Christmas:

Moving = Stress

We are about halfway through our corporate relocation from Illinois to Michigan for my husband's job. The process started in April and at last now in mid-June we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel with an offer on our current Illinois house, and moving companies calling us to set up times to come pack up our things. (Which is an amazing perk that I'm incredibly thankful to have, trust me! I've done all kinds of moves, and I do appreciate it.)

After moving EIGHT times the past 10 years... I can say one thing with certainty... regardless of whether its just one town over, you have one kid or two, or you're moving states away...

MOVING = STRESS

That is just how the equation goes. I thought this one would go smoothly, we've done this so many times before after all... but in the end, it is always stressful. Even after moving our things, having packed up our things almost as many times as we have been years married (our 10 year wedding anniversary is this year!) - the thought of changing location still gives me pause and an increase in heart rate. Just a bit.

With this move, while I do not have the stress of packing everything up, making sure things don't get broken, and loading it onto a truck, those are all lifted from me - the stress of selling our old place and finding the new place weighs that much more heavily. This is what WE are supposed to be focusing on, so it should go that much more seamlessly? Right? Not necessarily true. There's Murphy's Law (if you don't know Murphy, he's an old family friend of mine)... and inevitably always things that just end up happening that are out of your control.

So while I won't write a lovely post about how you can make moving STRESS FREE, because seriously - does that even exist beyond going on vacation the entire time someone else takes care of everything? I will write my few tips for relieving some of the stress or taking a time out along the way, to make it more bearable.

*1* Set a time to deliberate and discuss all things relating to the move. Write notes to cover all of the topics you'd like to discuss things relevant to the move with your significant other or others impacted by the move. Which leads me to #2....

*2* Set a time to NOT think about anything to do with the move. Whether it is 30 minutes or 1 hour out of the day, set aside a time during the day where you can take a mental break from the stress of moving and take your mind off of it. Whether it be doing your favorite actvitiy - reading, gardening, or putting together outfits on Polyvore, take a break and let your mind wander to less pressing issues for a span of time.

*3* Accept that things ARE going to happen during the move that are unexpected and out of your control. Trucks will show up late, something might get broken, schedules will clash, and so on... just mentally prepare yourself that something may not go as planned and hope for the best!

*4* Pace yourself. When you get to the new end, plan out which rooms to do first (I tend to like starting with kid's rooms and then going to the "priority rooms" like the kitchen, then working my way down to things like decor), and set a pace that is realistic. If you burn yourself out within the first week, that is how you end up with boxes that are still packed sitting in the corner a month later...

*5* Enjoy the journey, as cliche as that sounds. Moving is an adventure and it's taking you on a new path in life. Take some time out to explore your new city and neighborhood, see some new sights, and try some new food. These enriching experiences may even make you think a few weeks after the move.... That wasn't so bad, wasn't it? (It was, but luckily memory has a way of helping us out.)

Best of luck with your move, and I will keep you filled in on ours!

SHOPKINS SEASON 3!!

We love Shopkins at our house, so when I heard that the all new Season 3 would be coming out soon - I knew I was going to have to check out our local stores to see if they had received any yet. The stars aligned, and I happened to walk into our Toys'R'Us right after the Shopkins Season 3 items had been put on the shelf earlier that day - and I had a great selection of 12 packs, blind baskets, and NEW blind bags too!!

I picked up a few 12 packs, 2 blind bags, and only TWO blind baskets, trying to be conservative... I immediately regretted not getting more baskets by the time I got home. A few hours later, we journeyed back out to Toys'R'Us to see if I could get some additional Season 3 blind baskets to put up for rewards later on... and they were completely SOLD OUT at that point! Shoulda, coulda, woulda! I just feel lucky I was able to grab the items that I did!

There were a few 12 packs left when I made my return, so I did get two additional ones to put up for later.

We unboxed my original purchase - two 12 packs, two blind baskets, and two blind bags, and filmed it to share our haul! The girls are LOVING Season 3, and they frequently now play a little grocery store game with their Shopkins, play money, and homemade receipts. Honestly, I don't mind buying the additional Shopkins, because I feel like it is *somewhat* (ok, somewhat a stretch, but somewhat) a learning toy for them. Since they are so interested in the grocery store play aspect with them.

Some of our favorites from Season 3 include Wendy Wedding Cake, Suzy Sushi, Queen of Tarts, Snippy, and Vicki Vac - you can bet your buttons that we are going to end up with Maca Roon, the little macaron shaped cookie toys, at some point too!!

All in all, Season 3 has been a win for us so far - we love the redesigned baskets, the handles are easy to use and the pink & turquoise color scheme feels very summer-ish. Have you managed to pick up any Season 3 Shopkins yet? Our stores are now sold out, so we are on the hunt for more!!

AQUOS Crystal goes To The Edge! With 5" Edgeless Screen

We've been having fun playing with the AQUOS Crystal mobile phone by Sharp Mobile the past few days! Most people are probably familiar with the funny face game that you can play with the phone, and the girls have enjoyed that. I've also found it amusing that Mommy can always get #WhatMommyWants (a smiling child that ISN'T making messes) with the edgeless screen design. If your little is less than amped up about your current activity - I've found that the "funny face game" works wonders - and if all else fails, just "picture in picture" impose a smiling photo of your child, and voila! Problem solved!

Kidding, kidding. Here are my thoughts on it:

And be sure to check out my LIVE STREAMS, NEW on Periscope!! I've given a sneak peek of the AQUOS Crystal fun prior to this blog post, and we will be live streaming at Bella's dance recital throughout the weekend! I'm looking forward to taking it #totheedge DANCE style!

Follow Sharp Mobile at the links below!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SharpMobileUSA
Twitter: @SharpMobileUSA
Instagram: #totheedge @AQUOSTOTHEEDGE
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPNNCUmeTDK8H-00be8zDug

** Items shown in this post were sent complimentary for purposes of review. All opinions are my own.

KonMari Folding Organization Method!

If you follow me on YouTube, you know by now that I've been "KonMari-ing" my home... which in layman's terms, just means I'm keeping the things I love - discarding the things I don't. One of the suggestions that the book has to about folding, and keeping things in more of an upright position in the drawers.

I admit, I was a skeptic at first and didn't think that part was going to be for me... After trying it though - I LOVE it! It makes the drawers so much more accessible and I can neatly see everything in the drawer at a glance! No more forgetting what's a the bottom of the pile!

The night I started changing over my drawers, I filmed the process to get my reaction:

I didn't actually show any actual FOLDING, which people requested. So I decided to follow up with this video, and actually show you how I folded things down to get that look! (I even show my underwear! It's not as scandalous as it sounds, I promise!)

The KonMari system has been working out GREAT for me and was perfectly timed to go along with our move! I feel much more at peace with the things left in our house, although there is more work to be done for sure! Slowly but surely, I will find my perfect number of items one day!

You can follow along on my KonMari Organization Journey:
BeingMommywithStyle KonMari Series!
KonMari Closet Organization: https://youtu.be/vikhXmHfFYE
KonMari Makeup Organization: https://youtu.be/0rzbqnVMwhk
KonMari Nail Polish Organization: https://youtu.be/o3E8GGr4KDs
KonMari Bag Organization: https://youtu.be/y1a_27YB-BE
KonMari Book Organization: https://youtu.be/Zcopj9Q5R-4
KonMari Folding: https://youtu.be/i6gAwtNo8a0
KonMari Perfume: https://youtu.be/Z_F_XdXDB1g
KonMari Handbags: https://youtu.be/cBN3ZzZyvvs

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo: http://tinyurl.com/nsu7qdf

Goodbye May, Hello June!

It's been a busy time at our house. We are preparing for our move from Illinois to Michigan, and everything that goes along with getting a house on the market! We had been looking for a new home in Michigan while simultaneously getting things done around our IL house to list it - however, even after we thought we had found "the one" it ended up not quite working out!

I will be updating along the way on YouTube all about our moving journey!

I'm also hoping to BLOG some more now going forwards... I will do a post about my thoughts on it, but after migrating BACK to Blogger from Word Press, I feel like I'm going to be more inclined to check in a bit more!

Princess DIY #DisneySide Party Crafts!

I'm excited to finally be able to share our princess craft tutorial video with you! And don't forget to check out the link at the end to see our #DisneySide video on the Disney Parks YouTube Channel!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8x_RidyaTg

These crafts are super simple to make and perfect for ANY princess party!

We made Ariel and Rapunzel themed sets, and you can chose colors to match any princess theme! The crowns are made out of pipe cleaners (if you have boys attending the party - they can join in on the fun too! Use pipe cleaners to make crowns, scepters, or swords.) - and the princess skirts are now sew made out of craft headbands and strands of tulle!

To start out, cut out alternating color pieces of tulle to fill up each hole around the bottom of the headband. Make sure the length is DOUBLE the length that you want the skirt to be! Push the center through the hole on the skirt, and then loop the fabric through to secure it. Do that the entire length around the headband... and voila! An adorable and easy to make princess skirt! Perfect for an inexpensive party favor or to use as dress up at your princess party!

For the crowns, select pipe cleaners and make a "halo" to fit around the child's head. Then attach pipe cleaners of varying lengths to decorate the tiara as desired. All of the four year olds at the party could do this one on their own!

Check out our #DisneySide Princess Party HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyX2gUZn-s4

And for more #DisneySide fun, check out my visit to Walt Disney World as a part of the All Star Creators Conference in January 2015!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiFP1-yFEAlkjb9bZJcetP2wMikc1mEKF

* Thanks to Disney for inviting me to the 2015 All Star Creators Conference at Walt Disney World! Videos in this post were done in collaboration with Disney. I received complimentary air transportation, park tickets, and hotel accommodations to attend the All Star Creator's Conference. All opinions are my own.

FabKids Pink Studded Strappy Sandal!

Look at this adorableness from FabKids!! I want them in my size!

For April, we tried out a pair of FabKids shoes and Bella is loving them! They fit great in a size 10 (she floats between  size 10-11 in shoes) and I think the pink color will be great to go with a lot of her outfits this summer!

* Items shown in this post were sent complimentary for purposes for review. All opinions are my own.

FabKids MUST HAVE Dress!

We had the opportunity to try out the FabKids Must Have dress in March! We received it in an adorable pink color and it was perfect to wear to Easter activities!

The adjustable sizing fit Bella great and it fit very true to size for us.

The leggings that arrived with the dress were made of a great quality material and we were really happy with the fit and function of the dress & leggings! I cannot wait to see more FabKids designs!

** Items shown in this post were sent complimentary for purposes of review. All opinions are my own.

Mommy Spring Accessory Style Picks!

Well, early Spring that is! It is still cool here in Illinois - we alternate with it being 75 degrees one day and 35 degrees the next, with the majority of the time falling into the 40-50 degree range... it is quite the mixture and sweaters are still out for sure!

I've been having fun changing up my accessories for Spring though, and especially wearing other shoes besides SNOW BOOTS! I'm going to be doing a few Spring clothing hauls which I will share in the coming weeks, but for now... here are some of my favorite accessories I'm reaching for this early Spring!

Featuring Moon Cats scarves!

Get 30% off ANY PRODUCT at MoonCats.com with code 'MOMMYWITHSTYLE30OFF'! 

It's no secret that I love scarves, and I was contacted by Moon Cats to give theirs a try. I'm loving the light weight feel and neutral print that goes with everything! It is soft and feels like the perfect chic cap to any casual outfit!

I've also been reaching for my Balenciaga City Bag in Anthracite most recently... not the most "Spring-y" of colors, but I am loving carrying a light weight bag again, and the color again is neutral to go with anything!

For shoes, I've been happily wearing my Tory Burch flats more often and starting to break out the sandals on days that allow! As always, Havaianas are my favorite flip-flops type sandal, and I've also seen a number of cute sandals at Target this season as well!

What are you loving this Spring? I'm looking forward to adding in more maxi skirts, dresses, and bohemian style clothing to my wardrobe!

Moon Cats Scarves & Accessories: www.mooncats.com

Follow me on Instagram: beingmommywithstyle & Bags4Bubbles

** Some items in this post were sent complimentary for purposes of review. All opinions are my own.

GlobeIn Refresh Box!

I was contacted by GlobeIn to check out their 'Refresh' box, which is sold individually or as a part of a subscription box service. I normally do not partake in subscription box services, but after checking out their website and the concept, I was completely drawn to it! It is a unique take on monthly boxes and I think a wonderful concept to include pieces from independent artisans around the world.

The Refresh box is a box containing "spa" like items, for personal beauty and home use - a handmade soap, hemp woven washcloth, candle, teas, and a shampoo... all inside the signature GlobeIn woven palm leaf basket.

The assortment of items in the Refresh box was great, and I will enjoy getting use out of all of them - I'm a huge tea drinker, I love home decor and beauty items, so it was a great fit for me. I also liked how the GlobeIn box included a card with the information about the independent artisans that made the items within the box. In my GlobeIn box, the items came from:

- Palm Leaf Basket made by Martina Garcia, Oaxaca, Mexico

- Shea Shampoo handmade in Togo, West Africa

- Hand-painted candle handmade in Napier, South Africa

- Yerba Mate Tea hand harvested in the South American Atlantic Rainforest

- Dead Sea Mud Soap handmade by Sindyanna in Northern Israel

- Natural Hemp Washcloth handmade in Bagdha, Bangladesh

I think this is such a wonderful concept to be connected with things outside of our local circle and a great way to support artisans from around the globe!

Get 25% off your first month box with code BEINGMOMMY

Check out GlobeIn: http://goo.gl/qd978x 

The GlobeIn Artisan Box​ is a monthly subscription box. Each month, GlobeIn delivers “the globe in a box” ­ a themed collection of artisan ­made products from around the world. GlobeIn introduces you to products that you can feel good about - they are often organic, fair­ trade, and support artisans and farmers from around the world.

** Items in this post were sent complimentary for purposes of review. This is not a paid post. All opinions are my own.

5 Reasons Why Being a YouTuber is AWESOME!

... and why you should YouTube too!

This post just randomly hit me one evening while unloading the dishwasher... yes, dishwasher - but honestly, I loved the concept and wanted to share why I LOVE being a YouTuber! And why you should consider trying out YouTube too!

BeingMommywithStyle YouTube Channel!

1. There is a community for everyone on YouTube!

I'm a part of the mommy, housewife, and handbag communities on YouTube... upon further investigation, I began to realize that there are a TON of sub-communities on YouTube and you can pretty much find your niche where ever your heart is happy! Love horse back riding? I'm sure there is a community for that. Toys... reviews, skits, YouTube has them. And I can absolutely guarantee you there are thriving mechanical and Jeep communities - as my husband checks in on them regularly!

So the best part about this, is whatever your interests are - you can more often than not find like minded people to converse with.

2. Which brings me to my next point... it's FUN!

The filming and editing process are actually a lot of fun for me to partake in - but beyond that, the back end... where you get to talk to people about your content and meet other YouTubers with similar content is a lot of FUN! You can get into some great and productive discussions through the comments and it is nice to know there are people "just like you" out there in the world!

3. It is a great way to diversify your Social Media portfolio

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy... but if you're interested in the business side of things - YouTube IS a giant in the social media world and is a HUGE influencer for our younger generations. Just look at Shopkins! (Don't know what Shopkins are? What is a Shopkin you ask? You obviously don't have a preschooler... but just go ahead and search "blind bag" for a moment in YouTube - and you will find an entire world that toddlers, preschoolers, and young children alike are enamored with... being driven by YouTube videos.) It also is a great addition to the social media that you are already connected with your viewers or readers.

Videos are a great way to connect with your audience on a personal level and also the advertising placed on them is quite powerful.

And that brings us to...

4. People actually make money doing YouTube!

What? You read that right. (I just had to backspace "heard" instead of read... see, even my brain things "in YouTube".) YouTube is a fun hobby, where you can meet like-minded people, and even have the possibility of gaining revenue! While YouTubers aren't allowed to talk specifics about their numbers and what they are making, there are examples of YouTubers that are successfully (very successfully) doing it as a "full-time gig", some that are just making a bit of extra cash... and a whole lot of ranges in between.

5. It helps preserve priceless memories in a way you can continue to look back and enjoy them for years to come.

I'm a bit biased on this one - since I consider myself primarily "a YouTuber that sometimes blogs" - and not vice versa, a blogger that is trying out YouTube... I feel like I have a unique perspective on this one, and yes, it's probably a bit biased.

It is my belief though that video documentation whether through "day in the life" style videos (vlogging your life DAILY!) or through occasional life updates are these fantastic capsules where you capture moments that wouldn't have other wise been captured, may have otherwise been lost in your memory bank... and you have them in perpetuity to look back on. It's amazing to be able to pull up a random Tuesday in August 2013 and see... what we had for breakfast. How little my daughters were! Aww, look at their favorite toys... and the list goes on. I get the warm squishies just thinking about looking back on old videos, so you can imagine what actually going through them does!

I hope this list has inspired you to give YouTube a try! It really is quite FUN!

What about you? Are you a YouTuber? Do you already have a channel or have been thinking about starting one?

Check out my YouTube Channel!

Breville Tea Maker

Welcome to my new favorite toy in the house! The Breville Tea Maker is an automatic tea maker that you can brew loose leaf or bagged tea in, either hot or iced. (Double your tea proportions for iced tea.) Retail price is $249.99, and at Bed, Bath and Beyond where I purchased it, you CAN use the 20% off coupon that most consumers routinely receive in the mail. Also, Teavana carries it and they sometimes have sales as well.

I'm an avid tea drinker and have been considering this purchase for quite some time. I primarily drink iced tea, and like the occasional cup of hot tea - especially in the evenings. I will admit, the price tag held me back. Even with how much tea I drink, I didn't know if this purchase would end up being "worth it" or not.

After my old iced tea maker finally broke (again, I was on my 2nd or 3rd model of them since we'd been married) - I decided to finally go ahead take the quality plunge. I purchased it at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and with tax it was around $211.

As soon as I got it home, I set up the cleaning function (basically setting it to boil water) and set out to make tea right away... My old iced tea maker had been broken for about a week at that point, so I was ready for some TEA.

And I can say right off the bat, it did not disappoint! First of all, it is very amusing to watch run, the basket which holds the tea automatically steeps to the desired tea strength level after the water has reached the appropriate temperature. I especially like the "keep warm" function. With little ones running around, I frequently get distracted and it is nice to know that I'm not going to come back to a ruined pot of tea when I remember it 15 minutes later.

Also... the tea tastes GREAT. I was able to notice a favorable difference between my old iced tea maker and the tea from the Breville Tea Maker - and obviously from the week prior when I had been heating up tea on the stove trying to "get by" while I made my decision on what tea maker to get.

All in all, I'm very happy with my decision to go ahead and buy the Breville Tea Maker. It will get a lot of use in my house and I think it was a great place to invest in quality, since we make tea so often. I will be sure to follow up with a video review as well after I've used it for a while, but wanted to share my initial thoughts.

Do you have the Breville Tea Maker? What are your favorite types of teas to make in it?

** This post is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. I purchased this item on my own.

Girls Disney Themed Easter Baskets

The past few years we have had homemade Disney themed Easter baskets - and they did not disappoint! The girls loved them! This year I was able to find a number of unique things and we are of course very into blind bags right now, so I included a number of mystery items as well!

My favorite items in their baskets this year are probably the Palace Pets! The girls have been loving these lately and have developed quite a healthy collection! (Yes, I believe a Palace Pets collection video is going to be in order!) The Mickey chocolates also look very yummy!

Lots of cute Disney goodies!

One of the most frequently asked questions I am asked about my Easter basket & Christmas stocking videos are where to find all of the items, so below is a comprehensive list of where to look for the items in our 2015 baskets!

Palace Pets - Target or Toys 'R' Us

Imagine Ink Books - Target

Floating Bath Princesses - Toys 'R' Us

Cinderella Plush - Disney Store

Marie Tsum Tsum - Target

Frozen Eggs - Target

Mickey Ear Eggs - Toys 'R' Us

Mickey Chocolates - Toys 'R' Us

** This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. All items featured in baskets were purchased by me.