Here is a list of all the things we have been loving this season. Whether it's beauty, fashion, Summer reading, at-home learning, or everyday essentials, we cover it all right here.
Mama & Me Beauty
Now, I know the manufacturer states this is designated for children ages 8+ however, trust me when I tell you my 3 year old has been using this since it was gifted to her for Christmas and it has not been a problem at all. If you have a daughter who loves to get her nails polished then, this is a perfect item to have at home. I used to spend so much time doing her nails and with this, I can get her nails polished with a cute design in minutes! What I love about it most is that as she continues to grow, she will be able to easily do it on her own because of how easy it is to use. Did I mention, how adorable the stamps are?! Heck, sometimes I use them on my own nails!
Press-On Nails
I don't know about you but, ever since becoming a mom, it has become so difficult to get my nails done. Whether it is by going to the nail salon or doing my own manicures at home, it's just way too time consuming and honestly too much of a hassle when you have a million and one other things to do. In other words, "ain't nobody got time for that!" I had noticed a lot of people raving about press-on nails and at first I doubted the quality of them and if it would actually look decent enough to wear out. After a long time of pondering the idea, I finally decided to try it and I have never regretted it since! The brands below, are the two I have tried and loved thus far.
KISS Acrylic Nude French
These were the very first ones I ever tried and they were amazing. They looked just like a professional acrylic tips manicure you would get at the nail salon. It took me about 5 minutes to get them on and lasted me over 2 weeks. Not to mention, the package brings more than enough spares and you can reuse the ones you already had on. Best part is, you don't cause any harsh damage to your nails. These can be easily removed by soaking for a couple of minutes in warm soap water instead of acetone which, can really damage the top layer of your nails.
Static Nails has so many different and beautiful nail designs to choose from and at an affordable price. They also offer a variety of nail shapes ranging from almond, coffin, round, and more.
I honestly glued these on 5 minutes before leaving my home to catch a flight to Florida and they lasted me the entire vacation trip, plus two weeks after that!
If you're a mom with little time to spare, I highly recommend considering trying one of these the next time you have a special event to go to and need a fresh manicure!
Trader Joe's Shea Butter & Coconut Oil Hair Serum
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, using this hair serum after I wash mine or Celine's hair. It adds shine, smoothness, and a nice rich bounce to the curls in our hair. In my Top 15 Fall/Winter Super-Mama Self-Care Favorites blog post, I mention the Hair Mask, which is also A-mazing! Highly recommend using both this Summer if you're looking to keep your hair hydrated, lustrous, and full of shine!
At-Home Learning
Celine and I had so much fun with this at-home experiment. Coincidently, I had been teaching my 3rd grade students about the butterfly life cycle at the same time when I ordered this. I usually bring home my lessons and modify them to teach Celine as well. Not only was she fasinated by how we were able to watch the butterfly life cycle happen right before our eyes, it helped to reinforce what she had already known about butterflies. Even for me, it was such a wonderful and amazing experience to share with all of my family. I love that the kit also includes the observation journal which we used to record daily observations and/or changes as well as complete fun activities. At the end all of my family, joined us as we released our fully grown butterflies into our backyard and presented Celine with her certificate of completion.
If you are looking for a fun, learning experiment you can work on at home this Summer with your children, this is the perfect thing to try. I guarantee your entire family will want to take parti in it!
Super-Mama Summer Reading
This book truly is such a great book to read a page or two from every morning as a positive start to your day. It's more of a motivational/encouragement book that you can pick up, put down, and pick up again when you feel the need to. Reading this each morning after doing my morning prayer and journal writing, really helped to prepare me mentally to start my day at work. It filled me with a positive mindset and attitude to keep me going all day. If you're looking for some raw, straight to the point, push of encouragement this is one you need to place on your bookshelf this Summer!
I am currently still reading this book however, so far, it has been such a great read. I usually try to read it right after my morning scripture reading and journaling but, sometimes I make time before going to bed to read for a couple of minutes. What I love about this book is that as a I have recently dedicated myself to learning more about God, the ways I can increase my faith, and strengthening my relationship with God, there are a lot of things that I still don't understand. In this book Bishop Jakes does an excellent job at deciphering and breaking down the meanings behind important women who are featured in the Bible and who played a major role in the life of Jesus. What I love the most though, has got to be the emphasis that he puts on the importance of the woman's role in society, family, and faith through prayer. This book has truly helped me in this season where I find myself going through a lot of self-doubt and some mental distress, due to changes and decisions I have to make in my career. If you are looking to learn a little more in depth about the women who are featured in the Bible as well as getting some confidence boost in your womanhood, this is definitely the book for you!
Mommy & Me Fashionably Comfortable
Let me start off by saying that I was one of those people who would say to myself over and over again, that I would NEVER, EVER be caught wearing one of these. I would be the one to give non-medical workers/average people, a crazy stare whenever I would see them wearing these out. It wasn't until my little sister gifted a pair to my daughter for her birthday that I began to really see the beauty in these (when I say beauty, I mostly mean comfortability and likability). Seeing them on my daughter and nephew a few times, I began to realize how adorable they looked on little feet and how much they loved wearing it.
Not only is it fun for them switching out the jibbitz but, it's super comfortable and easy for them to wear anywhere! Recently, my husband gifted me a twin pair to match with Celine and I am in love with them. I haven't been brave enough to walk out of the house with them just yet, but, they are definitely growing on me!
Comment below, let me know if you or your children own a pair? What color(s) do you have?
Everyday Essential
Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush
These are definitely a MUST-HAVE for toddlers and children on my list. I have been using Oral-B electric toothbrushes since my dad bought it for my sister and I when we were around 12 years old. When I found these on Amazon, I was so thrilled! Celine is only 3 years old and I cannot tell you the money I have spent purchasing battery powered electrical toothbrushes that end up having to be thrown out. This is literally everything you need in one package and for an amazingly affordable price.
Here's what I love about this toothbrush for my daughter:
-It is rechargeable so , no more headaches about running out of batteries
-Brush heads can easily be replaced
-It has a 2 minute timer. This was definitely what sold me the most because I am very particular about Celine brushing her teeth properly and making sure she brushes for 2 minutes. Not only does this have the built-in timer but, there is an app you can easily download to your child's iPad or tablet so it can be easier to get your child to brush for those 2 minutes. This app is free of course and it keeps track of how many times your child brushes and of course you can start the timer when brushing and a Disney character of your choosing will let your child know when the 2 minutes are up. I know, they literally though of everything! Now, brushing has become less of hassle and a little more fun for Celine because she looks forward to getting rewards and stars for brushing her teeth from Minnie on the app.
-It also brings extra decorative stickers for your child to have fun with!
I hope that you found something you are interested in trying out from our list of current Summer favorites! Feel free to leave a comment below if there is anything you have tried already that I listed or any comment/questions you'd like to leave!
As I continue to experience life everyday as a mom, wife, etc., I have slowly realized that the most essential things we need in our lives aren't costly at all...
...Sew This is Life!
*Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on linked items listed at no additional cost to you. However, all opinions and ideas are based solely on my own experiences with the products.