mom reviews – Page 2

Be Me Nail Art Pens Review!

March 30, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I recently did a review on 2B Colours cosmetics and shared a tease about a nail art pen review coming soon and today is the day I share them with you! I was sent these Be Me Nail 2-in-1 Brush and Art Pens for review, and I was pretty apprehensive because I am not into nail art. <–Blunt right? I think it is adorable, but besides doing an accent nail every once in a great while, I usually stick to a basic manicure. Why do I not usually do nail art? Basically because it intimidates me since I am creative but NOT an artist at all, and also I feel like I barely have time to paint my nails as is. So, I decided to review these but keep it real with my bad nail art and all. Thank you to Be Me for sending me these for review! As always with my reviews, all opinions are my own honest opinions: ) If you want to keep seeing more reviews and giveaways from me, please like my social media and subscribe here and to my YouTube channels! The more subscribers, “likes”, and followers I have the more companies want to work with me which benefits you as well! And, I get giddy anytime I get a new like! My Instagram is updated daily, as well as most of my social media.

What I was Sent:

I was sent this Nail Art Pens Festive Collection. I believe this was a holiday collection, but the colors are beautiful so I didn’t mind at all!

First Impressions:

I really like that each color can be used as a nail art pen or as traditional brush and bottle nail polish.

My Nail Art:

Pros:

When used as a pen these have a SUPER fine point and it was pretty easy for me to get very exact lines. I think with a little practice I could really have some fun with these for holidays or special occasions. I love plastic bottle because you can squeeze it while drawing with the pen to get the polish to flow the way you need it to.

Cons:

Each pen comes with a color on each end, and while you can take them apart I realized quickly that I couldn’t get the cap off (without smudging my nails anyways!) unless the colors were connected. I also found that it took quite a while for this to dry, so the design was easy to make but the time spent drying was longer than when I just throw on a few coats of polish.

Overall:

I am excited to use these for holidays! I found myself looking up some YouTube videos and I’m excited thinking about doing things for the 4th of July already and it isn’t even April yet! I think these are very user friendly, and a lot of fun. My daughter, Hailey, is really excited about these, too! She thought my nails looked MUCH COOLER with some nail art ; )

Where To Buy:

I appreciate that these are easy for anyone to grab online! They are available at Walmart.com, Kmart.com, Target.com, and my favorite Amazon.com.

You can follow Be Me Nail on Twitter for much better inspiration and nail art that I created ; ) I also love following the Be Me Nail Art Instagram feed.

If you have any questions let me know! I need to challenge myself to try some cool nail art in the future. If you’d like to see any nail art or tutorials I *might* panic a little, but I would certainly be willing to try for my readers : ) Have a great weekend! Please don’t forget to subscribe! xx

EASTER BAKING + EASTER BASKETS! | WHAT ARE YOUR EASTER TRADITIONS?

March 23, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

Because of everything going on with our middle kiddo, Connor, Easter has snuck up on me a little bit this year. I had a lot of fun last week at Target with my mom (thanks Mama) and browsing Amazon.com (thanks for picking up the package Hubs!) gathering things for Hailey, Connor, and Logan for their Easter baskets. I had wanted to film a video for my LeahTackles YouTube channel, or at least do a blog post sharing what I got each kid and how I themed their baskets this year, but due to all the traveling lately I didn’t have the stuff in time. If you would still be interested in seeing a video or blog post on what they got, or think I should film one to post next year, let me know in the comments!

Anyways, long ramble over, today I want to share some past Easter related posts and list a few ideas I have for last minute basket ideas! And, I want to know: What are YOUR Easter traditions? If you know me, I am BIG into family traditions, but we don’t have as many for Easter as we do for Christmas. We enjoy doing the fun Easter things like the Easter Bunny, decorating and hunting for eggs, baking, and sharing with our children part of what Easter means to us as well.

PIC FOR CUTENESS:

PAST EASTER VIDEOS:

PAST EASTER POSTS:

Easter Basket Cupcakes-Hopping Into Spring Series Part 1

Simple 3 Ingredient Easter Candy-Hopping Into Spring Series Part 2

DIY Mickey and Minnie Easter Baskets!!

LAST MINUTE EASTER BASKET IDEAS:

THEMES:

Character

A Day At the Beach

Sports

Comics

Things That Go (cars, planes, trains)

Glamour Girl (makeup or Bath & Body Works minis for a tween or teen or me ;D )

Music (could be instrument toys for little kids or headphones for older kids)

Gardening

Crafting/Art

ANYTHING! Have fun with it! It’s so fun to make any Easter basket, but I love doing a theme.

OUR EASTER BASKET THEMES FOR 2016:

Hailey’s (4 years old almost 5) basket is “Let’s Make Something” with craft supplies, baking supplies, and gardening supplies being the main items!

Connor’s (3 years old) basket is “Things That Go” with cars and trains taking up most of his basket.

Logan’s (1 year old) basket is “Toddler Exploration” with new board books, bath toys, and other fun age-approriate fun.

PLACES TO SHOP FOR EASTER STUFF:

Target Dollar Spot (need I say more?!)

Dollar Tree

Don’t forget to tell me about your favorite family traditions! I hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend! We might be spending ours with snow…which we didn’t have at Christmas! That’s crazy midwest weather for you : ) Wish me luck as we wrap up Connor’s clinic and attempt the Easter Bunny with 3 under 5!!

CHAPSTICK PRODUCT REVIEWS and GIVEAWAY!!

March 7, 2016 & 14 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that all of you had a fantastic weekend! If you are a regular reader of my blog you know that I absolutely love lip products. I wear lipstick almost every day, and it isn’t always easy because my lips are always causing me trouble! I have dry lips in the winter, but my lips also get equally damaged in the summer when the sun is pounding down. ChapStick® reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in trying some different lines of products, and I am so glad that I did! I was pleasantly surprised that ChapStick® isn’t just the classic staples most of us have known about for years. Chapstick offered to share a giveaway with a you, too! So be sure to read about that below : )

*Note: The ChapStick® product, information and gift have been provided by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. All opinions are always my own, honest opinions. I turn down products that I do not think fit LeahTackles.com and never accept money in exchange for a positive review.

CHAPSTICK ISN’T “JUST CHAPSTICK”:

I was sent things from five different lines of ChapStick® products! I had no idea they even had that many options!

ChapStick® Original:

This was the line that I was most familiar with. I have bought Classic Original and Classic Cherry for years! These Original ChapStick® have been around for over 100 years! I love wearing these under my lipsticks.

Classic Original

Classic Cherry

Classic Strawberry (my new favorite!!)

Classic Spearmint (my husband’s new favorite!)

ChapStick® Moisturizer:

Moisturizer Original

Moisturizer Vanilla Mint (I wasn’t sure about this one, but I actually like the kind of odd scent pairing!)

Moisturizer Green Apple

Moisturizer Raspberry Creme (this is my absolute favorite Chapstick of the bunch!)

ChapStick® Medicated:

Classic Medicated (my mom loves this one for her lips in the winter!)

ChapStick® Sun Defense SPF 25:

I am saying this here to keep me honest: I *WILL* be better about protecting my smackers this summer! I am really excited about this one for beach days or days out with my kids!

ChapStick® Tropical Paradise Collection:

Mango Sunrise (this makes me feel like I’m somewhere tropical! It’s almost as good as a fruity drink…almost!)

Aloha Coconut (this will be sold exclusively at Walmart stores and it smells SO GOOD!)

ChapStick® GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

If YOU would like to win some of these fun ChapStick® items, enter this giveaway! Thank you to ChapStick® for offering to hook up one of my sweet readers : )

1). SUBSCRIBE to this blog! (it’s easy!)

2). Comment below which ChapStick® item mentioned you would like to try or already love!

3). Follow LeahTackles on Instagram

4). Follow ChapStick® on Instagram

GIVEAWAY RULES:

1). Giveaway ends on March 14th and the winner will have 24 hours to respond before I pick another winner

2). Must be 18 years old or have parental permission

3). Must be a United States Resident (sorry to my non U.S subscribers!! I will have more giveaways in the future to include you!)

Thank you, as always, for reading! Have a wonderful week!

THE NEW MUST HAVE PLANNER ACCESSORY! byANGIEBOUTIQUE Planner Pouch

February 15, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

Last year I got my very first Erin Condren Life Planner and I really enjoyed it but didn’t dive completely into the planner world but this year I’ve fallen back in love and I am all in. As many of you know by now, I am currently living away from home every week for the next couple of months (shameless plug: watch our Daily Vlogs to see our adventure!) and needed something to use to carry my planner and all of my planning goodies. I saw a picture of a byAngieBoutique planner pouch on Instagram and instantly was swooning! After talking to Angie we decided to coolaborate and I couldn’t be happier to be sharing her product with all of you. All opinions are my own, but I was gifted this pouch for my review.

The Rebecca Portfolio:

This is the absolute PERFECT pouch for any planner lover out there! My mom doesn’t have an Erin Condren, but she loves the concept for her coloring books, too. I love that I can easily fit not just my planner, but washi tape, scissors, pens, and other planning odds and ends. Plus, how adorable is this?! Angie has the cutest fabrics, too.

Construction:

This bag is not only super cute, but it’s extremely well made. The stitching is flawless, and the zippers and vinyl are both very good quality. I can really fit a lot in here without feeling like I’m going to jam it to the point of breaking. It also isn’t too giant, so I can slide it into a diaper bag or large purse easily. You could definitely fit this in a backpack or a lot of brief cases, also.

Features:

3 pockets (2 zipper pockets & 1 slip pocket)
Clear vinyl on both zipper pockets
Zipper closure on main pocket will not allow your planner to fall out or ‘pop out’ if bag is tilted or turned upside down
Fully lined with hidden seams
Includes a fabric tab on one side of the bag
Reinforced seams

Overall:

This pouch has made me plan more because it has made planning much more functional for me. I love that I can put literally hundreds of stickers, a bunch of washi, and a pack of pens easily inside along with the planner. I would truly suggest this to anyone who loves planning, especially if they ever plan away from home.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH BREAST MILK JEWELRY! HOLLYDAY DESIGNS REVIEW & PROMO CODE!

January 20, 2016 & 4 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

If you would have told me six years ago that I would own a piece of jewelry made out of my breast milk, and not just that I would own breast milk jewelry, but that I would would find peace and closure with it, and treasure it? I would have told you there was no way! But here I am today thrilled to be sharing my start to finish experience ordering breast milk jewelry.

When I found out I was pregnant in 2010 I did what I do for everything: research! I knew that I wanted to breastfeed, and that was on my “Must Do To Be The *Perfect* Mom” list. Now, breastfeeding is supposed to be the most natural thing ever, right? So I didn’t do any prep to breastfeed while I was busy researching and prepping for my first born. Fast forward to delivery day and the first week of Hailey’s life and I wished that I had! It took me SO LONG to be able to breastfeed Hailey well, and we both struggled with her latch, my nerves, but finally after ordering books, gadgets, and anything breastfeeding related I could off of Amazon we got the hang of it it. I went on to breastfeed Hailey for over 14 months and she had breastmilk for 18 months. Connor was unable to breastfeed due to medical reasons, but I did pump some breastmik for him. With my third, Logan, I was lucky because he latched perfectly immediately! My breastfeeding issues ended up coming later with him, so I fought to breastfeed him and turned to pumping most of his milk eventually. Logan stopped breastfeeding at around 11 months but thankfully I had pumped enough for him to have breast milk until his first birthday. Logan drank every single ounce I pumped except for about 1 tablespoons that I shipped to Holly Day Designs to have a charm made for my Pandora bracelet. My heart hurt so much when Logan wouldn’t nurse anymore, and any time I offered and he wouldn’t nurse I felt rejected and like our special bond had ended too soon. I was not able to let go of the sadness of my last little love ending his nursing journey until I ordered my breast milk jewelry and then as silly as it may sound a wave of peace washed over me and I felt the closure I had so needed.

*Note: I was provided my breast milk charm from Holly Day Designs in exchange for my honest review and consideration. I never accept payment in exchange for a positive review. I have a promo code below, but do not earn money if you order! The promo code is to pass on this wonderful treasure to my readers!!

What IS Breast Milk Jewelry?

It is a piece of jewelry of your choice (rings, necklaces, charms, bracelets, etc) where she will plasticize your milk and then encase it in a clear resin. There are TONS of choices! Check out the Holly Day Design Website or the Holly Day Design Facebook Page!

What is the process like?

Once you order you will get her shipping address on both the confirmation screen and via email! She has a great F.A.Q page, but I promise it isn’t scary! I wondered how in the world I would send milk, but it was as simple as sending my milk (fresh or thawed is fine but don’t send more than 1 ounce) that I double bagged in my breast milk storage bags and put inside a piece of thick cardstock in a bubble envelope! She has an awesome system where you can log in to your account and check the status to know when she has received your milk and when she has shipped your jewelry among other messages that I loved! My breast milk charm came a lot faster than I imagined, and I am absolutely in love with it! be sure to check her website for her current turnaround times.

What I ordered:

I picked out the European Bracelet Breast Milk Pearl in Solid

I knew that I wanted a subtle piece that I could easily wear. I love that this is something where nobody would know that it’s breast milk without me telling them (well all of you will know! haha!). I picked the solid option, but she also offers a beautiful swirled option for this pearl as well.

Get Your Own:

I have a unique coupon code just for my LeahTackles readers!! If you would like to order your own breast milk jewelry be sure to do so by February 15th using the code below to get 15% off your order of $50 or more!

LEAHTACKLES15

I hope that you enjoyed this! If you know a breastfeeding mama, please consider passing this blog post along! I couldn’t be happier with my decision to order, and know it will be something I treasure for years to come. My breastfeeding journey is over, and all of my milk is gone, but now thanks to Holly Day Designs I have a little keepsake to remember the struggles, the work, the labor of love, the pride I felt sustaining life with my body, and all of the special moments with my babies that I experienced nursing them.

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY LOGAN SULLIVAN!

January 11, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

Today my youngest, my baby, is one! I cannot believe that our youngest is already a whole year old! I am so grateful that we started daily vlogging so that we have so much footage of the second half of his first year! And let’s be real, he was well documented his entire first year : )

Logan,

Happy Birthday LoLo! You amaze & entertain us every day! We are so grateful that we had a change of heart, and that our forever plan of two kids changed to three. You are determined, sweet, serious, and tough! And then out of nowhere you’ll do something that cracks us up. We cannot wait to keep watching you grow, and we know you’ll do amazing things! But don’t grow up *too* fast, okay? <3

We love you so,

Mommy (and Daddy, Hailey, and Connor)

*Note: Picture credit to Brooke Ashley Snow Photography!