Hi there! I’m a Northern California girl with southern roots living in the sunshine state. I started blogging at Lily & Bliss to chronicle my journey raising sweet Lily and navigating marital bliss. My husband, Mike, our sweet Lily (who was born in 2011), our little girl #2 on the way, and our pup Bentley are the loves of my life. I really believe life is all about creating your own bliss. For me, bliss is found in a good book, live music, my comfy white Pottery Barn linens, dinners with my family alfresco, fresh peonies, a good bottle of Malbec (my wine of the moment), organizing our home to make life easier, the History Channel (a guilty pleasure!), sweet Lily giggles and all things Southern.
Friends! I’m so excited to introduce you to one of my very best friends, Amy! Amy lives in Tampa and has a sweet little girl named Lily (and another on the way!). Amy is my soul sister and I’m so glad to feature her here. We met at a bar right before I got married… its your typically love story! You will love her. AND check out her blog, Lily & Bliss.
AQUAPHOR: I don’t leave home without this amazing ointment! Aquaphor is preservative-free & fragrance-free which is non-irritating for my super sensitive skin. I primarily use it for a lip balm, however whenever I get eczema or dry skin I lather it on. Wearing flip flops 80% of the year in Florida is rough on the heals, so I apply this magic ointment to my feet at night and slip on some socks. My two year old daughter, Lily, has unfortunately received my sensitive skin and this product is safe for her precious skin when she gets small eczema breakouts. I love that I can find this product at any store and since you only need to use a small dollop- it lasts a very long time!
BOO-BOO BUDDY: My daughter, Lily, is very active and her legs seem to be riddled with bumps & bruises 24/7. The Boo-Boo Buddy is a cold pack I keep in the fridge to help soothe her boo boos which seem to occur on the daily. We have an Elmo & Disney’s Ariel the Little Mermaid and they make her smile through her tears when she gets to hold it against her scraped knee or head bump. Even though her dad and I are there to shower her with TLC, it’s the Boo-Boo Buddy that seems to alleviate her pain and end her tears…and that makes this a priceless item in our household! You can find these online or at Babies R Us. A tip: place it in the fridge & not in the freezer. The freezer makes the pad too cold for kid’s owie!
iPAD: Thanks to modern technology us moms have access to gadgets to keep our little ones entertained while we can get the most basic errands completed. The iPad makes grocery shopping, random trips to Target and doctor appointments much easier. When we take road trips the iPad has been a life savor keeping Lily entertained long enough to keep tantrums at bay. We have plenty of her favorite shows and a few Disney movies downloaded, but we have plenty of educational apps to keep her little brain active. Our favorites are Farm Sounds, Memory Match, Color Drops and Elmo Loves ABCs for iPad.
ZIPLOC BAGS: These famous plastic baggies make my life simple in more ways than one! To keep grocery bills low I purchase pork chops and/or steaks in bulk and then separate two pieces of meat per freezer safe bag, tossing them in the freezer until I’m ready to cook them. I pre pack snack and sandwich size bags with Goldfish crackers, Cheerios, gram crackers and any other snacks for my two year old. Whenever I’m running out the door (which is always) I can quickly grab a bag or two and toss them in my diaper bag. Always keep your toddler’s belly full when out in public! I keep a large Ziploc in my car just in case my daughter soils her clothes. When I have leftover pancakes I toss them in the freezer sealed in Ziploc bags. It takes less than a minute to heat the frozen pancakes for a quick breakfast!
MAC BLOT POWDER: This is another product I never leave home without. As a stay at home mom I rarely apply makeup anymore, but this compact helps me spot any food in my teeth along with blotting my shiny forehead from the brutal Florida heat. There is nothing worse than a woman with too much make-up on and this pressed powder helps set your make-up without leaving noticeable powder lines that most compacts tend to leave. The main reason I became hooked on this product (been using it since college!) is that it helps absorb my skin’s oil and keeping my face shine free!
BATH & BODY WORKS 3-WICK CANDLE IN “LEAVES”: I’m a candle lover, not just for their wonderful fragrance, but the calming ambience a flickering candle brings after a long stressful day of tantrums from my two year old. Turning down the lights and lighting a candle has always been a way I unwind weather I’m reading a book or catching up on my saved shows on DVR. This particular candle has become a favorite because the it makes my home feel like fall even though we are experiencing weather in the upper 80s still in Florida. This candle is suppose to burn for 25-40 hours and I can tell you that you only need to keep the flame going for less than an hour to make your entire room smelling like fall. Tip: this candle is pricey, but the shop sometimes places their 3-wick candles on sale for 2 for $22, so keep your eye out!
Follow along with Amy:
Blog: http://lilyandbliss.com
Instagram: lilyandliss
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THE SIMPLICITY SERIES features busy gals, in different stages of life, making what matters happen and tips and tricks they’ve found to be helpful. Simplicity is about building margin into your life and spending time on and with that which fuels your heart. While we love to share products and services that help us day to day, but simplicity is about HEART and intentionally choosing the thing that matters most (your TREASURE) more than anything money can buy. We wear many hats and we know you do too, so we’d love to hear your thoughts as well!
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34
