Saturday Sip and Shop

Sip:

Lemon Rosemary Gin Fizz
Recipe HERE from The Travel Bite
Typically I don't love gin unless it's cut with a good amount of citrus, so I think this looks like the perfect warm weather cocktail!

Shop:




Tassel Scarf
Found HERE on Etsy
This seller is from Hong Kong so shipping takes a while (1-2 weeks, per the seller) but they offer some really beautiful scarves at super low prices!

I am also really loving this navy fox scarf that they carry...



... and this oversized yellow and white scarf! Twelve bucks!

3-5-7 Makeup

I love reading about favorite beauty products, especially if they are drugstore finds (easy on that wallet!). As a stay at home mom, I don't need my beauty routine to be Kardashian-esque, but I personally do feel better when I've got a little makeup on and my hair done. All HAY-ELL can be breaking loose in the home, but if I feel put-together, I feel a little less harried and looney. 

I was getting ready this morning when I snapped a few photos to show you my favorite products for my on-the-go days. Let's call this my "3-5-7 makeup" ... three products for a really quick and basic face, five products for a slightly more polished look, and seven products if I actually have decent time and cooperating babies when getting ready!

New mom disclaimer ... iPhone photos, not great lighting, nary a piece of gorgeous marble in my home to lay these products on, blah blah. You're getting fast snaps on my bathroom sink, so ... yeah. :) All can be purchased on Amazon, and I've included those links below.

Three Products

These are the three items I'd pull out of my makeup bag if we were doing a quick morning run to the grocery store or drugstore. Not anything that would take more than 2 minutes to apply, but just enough to look rested and put together and not scare anyone away. 

Glamoflauge Concealer: super, super thick and heavy duty. Great for camouflaging the lack of sleep I've had.

Bobbi Brown blush in Pale Pink: my favorite, lasts forever. It's not cheap, so I purchased this before I quit my job, hoping that it would last me a while until I needed a new one!

L'Oreal Infallable lipgloss in Rebel Red: Super pigmented and lasts a long time. One coat looks casual, two coats looks va-va-voom. A stained red lip is such an easy way to look polished.

Five Products:

This will be more like a three or four minute face. Using the three basic items above, but adding in my favorite cheapie brow filler and two coats of mascara (no eyeliner). Having my lashes and brows defined takes the basic non-frightening face above and makes me a tad more confident about running into a neighbor or a college friend on a diaper run to the drugstore. 

L'Oreal Mascara: my favorite drugstore mascaras are always L'Oreal. The best! I like thick, voluminous lashes and a few coats of this does the trick. 

ELF Eyebrow Kit: I use this in color "light" for definition but not to have really strong-looking eyebrows. I don't have really thick eyebrows, so any darker color just doesn't work for me.

Glamoflauge Concealer

Bobbi Brown blush in Pale Pink

L'Oreal Infallable lipgloss in Rebel Red

Seven Products:

Finally, here's the lineup that I'll use on a daily basis. It's not a date night look per se (I'd add in eye shadow and some pencil liner for my bottom lids for that), but it's an everyday made-up look when I actually have a decent amount of time to get ready.

L'Oreal Liquid Eyeliner: I've been using this liquid liner in Carbon Black or Blackest Black for YEARS now. It has a felt tip that is easy to apply, and after you get the hang of it, you could apply it half awake. Which is the perfect way to describe how I apply mine these days :)

L'Oreal Mineral Powder: Another favorite of mine for years now! Inexpensive, great coverage, and lasts a long time! 

L'Oreal Mascara

ELF Eyebrow Kit

Glamoflauge Concealer

Bobbi Brown blush in Pale Pink

L'Oreal Infallable lipgloss in Rebel Red

So, there is a peek inside my makeup bag and my daily beauty regimen. If you could only use three makeup items, I'd love to hear what yours would be!

Weekend Breakfasts: Monkey Bread Recipe

We had a can of biscuits in our fridge drawer that was just begging to be made into monkey bread. Like seriously, I'd open the refrigerator and hear, "Hey, hey! You there! Coat us with cinnamon and sugar and butter and brown sugar ... mmmmkay?!"

Who am I to turn that down?

So on Saturday morning I made monkey bread for us, and it was too darn delicious not to share here.

Ingredients
+ 1 12oz can refrigerated biscuits
+ 1/3 cup white sugar
+ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
+ 1/4 cup butter
+ 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
+ almonds and raisins, if desired

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray your loaf pan with some non-stick spray. Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Cut biscuits into quarters with a sharp knife. Shake 4 biscuit pieces in the sugar cinnamon mix at a time. Arrange pieces in the bottom of the prepared pan. Continue until all biscuits are coated and placed in pan. If using nuts and raisins, arrange them in and among the biscuit pieces as you go along. In the microwave, melt the butter with the brown sugar, about 45 seconds or 1 minute. Pour over the biscuits. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Do not cut! The bread just pulls apart.

Now, tell me that doesn't look amazing?

That can of biscuits is calling you from your fridge, too. 

Tuesday Catchup: Randoms & Weekend With The Babies

Last night, RIGHT before lights-out (standard), Charlotte projectile vomited what I'm guessing to be about a cup of milk. 

So. Much. Milk.

I'm not talking spit-up. I am talking full-fledged throw up and I was terrified. I've never seen a newborn get sick like that. I keep my pediatrician's phone number towards the top of my "Favorites" list in my phone for easy access, and I was soon on the phone with a nurse who gave me a little bit of peace about it and let me know it was likely a one-time deal. But how do you go to sleep after that?!

Sleep for Charlotte has been a bit of a struggle, because when I nurse her at night she doesn't settle right back down in the bassinet like Camille did. She fusses, we nurse again, we swaddle again, and she fusses in the bassinet. Then we start the process over.

Because of the vomiting, I slept with her in her nursery (Ian has a big workday today and I didn't want to chance us keeping him up all night) and she was in the Rock and Play instead of the bassinet. And wouldn't you know that it is the most successful night of rest that any of us have had since her birth. I've always been a stickler for sleeping in flat bassinets versus rock and plays, but I may be changing my tune with this babe. Anyone with experience here, I'd love to hear from you!

In other news, my girlfriend Lauren brought us AMAZING sushi take-out from Sushi Guru on Friday night! This South Park restaurant is, I think, the best spot to grab sushi in all of Charlotte. We love the sashimi pizza and the South Park roll so much. After 9 months of no raw fish, sushi was a major craving. 

Charlotte was wearing this little Carter's outfit that I was given for Camille. I think Camille only wore it once or twice, and that's been the best thing about having another girl born in the same season -- the ability to get more wear out of outfits that I just love!

My washer/dryer didn't exactly get that memo, though, as I pulled baby laundry out of the dryer Saturday morning only to discover that Camille had put a purple and blue crayon in the foot of her fleece pajamas (ouch) ... and I now had blue tie-dyed baby clothes. I'm STILL working on getting the blue out of some of these outfits. Several pieces may be too far gone for saving, but I'm trying to be patient and optimistic. I wanted to ugly cry. 

I was able to escape for a bit with Charlotte and go to Mindy's baby sprinkle at Cafe Monte! There was another slightly younger baby there, and it was nice talking to that mom. 

Later that afternoon, my family members that live outside of Winston Salem drove in to meet Charlotte and bring Camille some special big sister gifts. 

Sunday ... ahh, Sunday. Camille woke up and soon became very lethargic with watery eyes. A quick temperature check showed she was running a fever of 103. Ian swept her off to the pediatrician and a few doses of Motrin later and she was right as rain. 

On the flipside, we let her watch part of her first movie ever. Love the free kids movies you can watch on demand!

The rest of the day was spent around the house with my recovering toddler and my cluster-feeding newborn. Can't say I hated getting joint snuggles from them (while trying to still keep Camille at a safe distance). 

Alright, so, lessons learned:

1) Never say never about what you will or won't do for babies (and if you have used the Rock and Play for sleep and then transitioned easily to flat crib sleeping, hit me up!)

2) New moms will always hug you for sushi delivery. The more raw fish, the better.

3) Family is everything.

4) Always check footed jammies for crayons in the toes. And from here on out, only buy washable crayons. Seriously. I just purchased them from Amazon (here) and am trashing the others.

Five On Friday

It's time for another edition of Five on Friday and I do hope you'll join along!

Remember, all you have to do is post about five things on your mind, add our logo (found at the bottom of this post), and join the party using the linky tools below. Easy, and a great way to find new blogs and be found. :)

O N E
Our sweet new family member was one week old yesterday! It just seems like she's been around for much longer than that, and we are enjoying each sweet moment. Especially the moments shared between the sisters ... be still, my heart. I took this photo of Charlotte's little wrinkly foot in the hospital and I just melt every time I see those little piggies.

(fyi ... I often get questions about my camera - I have a Nikon D3100 and this is the amazing lens on Amazon that I credit with all of my best shots!)

T W O
Not even going to lie, it feels so nice to have a little wine these evenings! A girlfriend brought this
rosé on Wednesday night and I had some last night with my mom (she came back in town for the evening while Ian was away). It was delicious and crisp! Charlotte folks, she found it at Reid's.

T H R E E
It's officially the greatest time of the year in the household decor world ... the time for free flower arrangements from the yard! This little antique artichoke vase holds some of our knockout roses and yellow snapdragons, and it just makes me happy seeing it each morning when I walk in the kitchen!

F O U R
Just had to share this adorable photo of Camille doing a handstand at My Gym yesterday. That little tongue coming out of her mouth ... the cutest!

F I V E

Lastly, happy Earth Day!
I'm always looking for easy ways to be a better steward of this wonderful planet. For years I've always tried to bring my own bags to the grocery store, and we recycle in our home (whether it's putting a milk jug into the recycling bin, or "recycling" by letting Camille do art with paper towel rolls or on the back of Ian's work paper).

I've got some lime green crepe paper here at the house and think this will be a great post-nap project today!

You know all about one of my favorite household supply companies, Grove Collaborative, and I give them a big thumbs up today for doing their part to supply us with planet-friendly cleaning products and to help me use safe products in my home. I recently got this ultra-concentrated laundry detergent in my last shipment and the cost savings for the 66 loads it will do is substantial. Way better than what I was paying for detergent at my grocery store. You may use my referral link as a new customer to get $10 off your order and free shipping!

TGIF y'all, and hope you will join in on Five on Friday this week! Cheers to the weekend!

Checking In and Editorial Calendar ... HA

Although spare time is rare these days, I truly have missed regular blogging! This is such a nice creative outlet for me, and more than anything, a way to connect with other women (whether I know you personally or not).

So I did want to check in quickly and let you know that life is GOOD 'round these parts -- not easy or sleep-filled or stress-free or lazy -- but it's good.

Charlotte sleeps a lot and eats a lot and is just easy and adorable. My biggest goal each day is to have some sort of fun activity for Camille so that she still feels special and adored. Today was our first real outing together ... the three of us went to Camille's little gymnastics class at My Gym and then even braved the grocery store afterwards. 

I was tempted to skip the My Gym class since it requires parent involvement, but I figured we may as well jump in sometime and just embrace our new normal. And it went great! I posted lots of videos on Snapchat (@alizadventures). Thank goodness for the JJ Cole carrier I had with Camille which actually made that class doable. You can find this on Amazon (here) and it's seriously the easiest carrier I've ever used, and I think it looks nice too. Very streamlined, and dare I say ... chic?! The main part slips right over your head like a t-shirt, so there's no involved wrapping and twisting and origami folding necessary. 

Okay, so onto the "editorial calendar" part of the blog post title. I am using that phrase in a very non-serious, comical way. Back at one of my former jobs, we put out a monthly e-newsletter and had editorial calendar meetings to plan out the topics of discussion. So ... in a more casual way, and to help me not publish 723695 blog posts in a row about delicious newborn toes and neck rolls, I wanted to turn to you and see what you may like to hear me discuss. I have never really done this, and I know part of the fun of checking into a blog is to see what the blogger decided to post about that day, but if there's anything that you're thinking "hey, I wish April would write about XYZ," then I'd love to know what that XYZ is! So, leave a comment below or email me (alizadventures@ymail.com) with any ideas you may have! 

I'll be back tomorrow for FIVE ON FRIDAY, and man it feels good to say that! Ciao!

Camille Gets A Sister!

She's here! She's here! 

Our precious second daughter, Charlotte Smithwick, joined our family on April 14th at 10:45am. We were thrilled to find out that we had another girl and that Camille was going to be getting a sister. Hearing Ian tell me, "it's a girl!" is something I'll always remember. 

So, time is a little sparse these days, but I wanted to thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, and well wishes. I'll be back as time allows to document these first awesome, busy, sleep-deprived, friend-filled, lovely days. And in the meantime, some quick photos from my phone of what's been going on since Thursday!

I present to you, Baby Charlotte. A sweet, relaxed, and content baby. So in love. 

Toddler Busy Boxes

Blogging has connected me to so many wonderful women, and one friend in particular -- Justine from Full Hands Full Heart -- has been such a wealth of helpful advice to me. She is a mom to four with their fifth baby on the way in just a few short weeks! She recommended to me the idea of the "busy box" for toddlers, giving mama just a little more time to tend to the newborn when needed. A few days ago during naptime, I put together three boxes for Camille and thought I'd share them here.

I decided to keep these simple and inexpensive ... all materials came from one store (Dollar Tree) and cost just $13. I put them together over one 1-hr nap of Camille's, so it was not a labor-intensive project.

Each box has a few different elements to it, and Camille can select a box and then pick out an activity or two from that day's special box.

The contents include board books, coloring books, play-doh, stickers, and some toys. I made sure not to put in anything that would require too much help from me or that would be small enough to be a choking hazard. Also, crayons aren't in these boxes ... we are still working on making sure that crayons color ONLY on paper, so they are kept up high unless they are actively in use. :) 

Now, to help Camille select a box, I decided to go with a simple color scheme to label them. She's gotten pretty good at colors, so I borrowed some of her construction paper and traced two circles from three different colors (using a plastic Easter egg as the circle template!) and then taped the circles to the interior of the box using clear packing tape. 

Camille will now be able to choose the green, yellow, or pink box (and man oh man, she loves a CHOICE these days and gets so much joy out of choosing her snack, her pajamas, her shoes, et cetera!) and then she can select an activity. 

So, you can get as elaborate or as simple as you'd like with these boxes, and don't forget to rotate out the toys and activities from time to time to keep the boxes fresh! I'm excited to see these in action and hope that they help her stay excited during times that I will need to be devoting a little more attention to the new baby.

Have you tried an activity like this for your toddler? I'd love to hear what you filled your boxes with! 

Five On Friday

It's time for another edition of Five on Friday and I do hope you'll join along!

Remember, all you have to do is post about five things on your mind, add our logo (found at the bottom of this post), and join the party using the linky tools below. Easy, and a great way to find new blogs and be found. :)

O N E
Yep, stillllll pregnant! Ready to meet this baby, but enjoying the decent sleep we're getting now while we still can.

T W O
Thank you so much for your love on the photos of Camille and me that I posted about Tuesday (here)! I actually was able to get back out with our awesome photographer Heather with Pink Paisley Photography and take advantage of some gorgeous wisteria growing near her home. Here are two of my very favorite photos from this little mini-shoot.

If you live in or around Charlotte, I would highly recommend contacting Heather about booking a session with her. :) The dresses she had for me to borrow are from Sew Trendy.

T H R E E
Our knockout roses have started exploding in buds, and that makes me one happy girl! We have a few full roses blooming, so I brought some in yesterday. Free flowers = best time of the year.

F O U R
We are already prepping for Camille's second birthday next month since we know our time will be limited with the new baby! Ian may have already rented a bounce house for the occasion (weeeeee!) so that should be lots of fun. Camille has never been in one before, so I'm just hoping that she loves it!

F I V E

We are heading out for a fun little adventure today to Discovery Place Kids in Huntersville and after hearing so many great things about this little museum, I can't wait to see Camille's reaction!

TGIF y'all, and hope you will join in on Five on Friday this week! Cheers to the weekend!

Cutest Little Pink Camera You Ever Did See

I was the most amazing, jaw-dropping magician yesterday when I introduced Camille to the world of POLAROIDS.

I'm serious, I wish I had it on video, because her face watching the photo slowly appear on the film was the cutest thing I've seen in a while. 

I snapped the photo of her and asked her what color the paper was ... she responded "white." Then, the wood floor started appearing first on the film and she was just mesmerized. As her face started to appear in the photograph, she shouted "MILL MILL!"

Here's my new little toy in all its glory:

This little pink camera is just too much fun. Who doesn't love the magic of Polaroids, plus I just really dig the vintage vibe of the pictures it takes. I am definitely going to pack this in our hospital bag when it's go-time!

I have the light pink camera, but it's available in lots of colors, including classic white and black. Michaels has them 40% off this week, but they are even less expensive on Amazon (here). I did pick up my film from Michaels since it was so convenient, and I used my 40% off coupon on the Michaels app to get 20 film sheets for $14.99. You can, however, get 20 on Amazon Prime for $13.09 currently (here), so that's what I'll do in the future. 

You can also purchase different patterned film papers (I like the colorful Candy Pop papers shown below), and protective cases are just around $16 on Amazon. 

I wanted to share this fun find today because I think it would be an awesome little item to have on hand for pretty spring and summer days ... also a great Mothers Day gift for someone (or for yourself), because the gift of capturing special memories in a fun way would definitely be something that I would love to receive!

Oh gosh, or how about bringing one on a vacation or a bachelorette weekend? Or snapping photos at wedding or baby showers and sending the guests home with them? CUTE. CUTE. CUTE. Cute times a thousand.