August 2018 | Dearest Lou

SAYA Designs Handcrafted Hair Sticks & a Silly Insecurity

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by SAYA Designs. All opinions are mine alone.

How gorgeous are these Mini Palm Hair Sticks from SAYA Designs? I have been in communication with Victoria (the owner and founder) for the last couple months and she has been amazing to work with. She sent me these little beauties to review and I have to admit I was a bit intimidated to use them at first! However, I'm happy to report that with a little bit of practice these have become my go-to for throwing my hair out of my face.

In the photo tutorial above, I show a quick one minute way to throw your hair out of your face and how I used these hair sticks to hold my updo in place! This particular hair style can be done in about a minute so it's perfect for anyone who may have a busy lifestyle or doesn't want to spend more than a minute doing hair in the morning (; I gathered inspiration for this look from SAYA Designs tutorials! It honestly took a bit of practice since I have so many layers in my hair but I think I finally have the hang of it. My best friend Kandice also recently taught me how to french braid my hair and I am so excited to come up with new ways to use these hair sticks in the weeks to come.

I don't know if many of you have noticed over the years but I tend to hide behind my hair. Even a month or so ago I wouldn't have been caught dead posting a photo of myself on here with nothing but lipstick on and my hair completely out of my face. I have always had an insecurity of having a chubby face but sometime during 2016 when I was pregnant with Adrien that insecurity got worst and lead to me rarely wearing my hair up. It got to a point that I found myself always either wearing my hair down, even to the gym! I would rather sweat and have my hair down covering my cheeks than pull it up, haha.

Earlier this month I decided enough was enough and that I was going to slowly work on wearing my hair back and out of my face more. I have only been doing this for the past three weeks and I'm happy to say that I feel more confident in my skin. It has been nothing but liberating to get up in the morning and just throw in some braids or pull my hair back in a ponytail. I don't know why I have been so hard on myself all these years but I'm happy I broke that silly insecurity now than later (: 

OXO Tot Stick and Stay Suction Line and Mantraband Promo Code

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by OXO Tot. All opinions are mine alone.
Mama is wearing: Dress || Head Scarf || Bracelets (Mantraband Promo Code CECILIAH10 for 10% off) 
Adrien is wearing: Top
Oxo Tot Products: Stick & Stay Suction Divided Plate || Transitions Straw Cup 9oz

Adrien has never been a picky eater and it feels like he eats all day long! He is also very independent and likes to do things himself, one of those is cleaning up after himself. However, in the process of cleaning up he will sometimes accidentally spill his leftovers all over the floor. OXO Tot just released this amazing Stick & Stay collection and it's made both of our lives a little easier. Adrien's plate will stay in place so it's easier for him to eat and grab things and his plate is suctioned onto his tray or the table so only mama (or dada) can pick it up. Such a win-win for everyone!

All of the products OXO Tot sent us are high quality! They are definitely a step up from any generic store brand products we have purchased in the past. I'm wanting to replace all of our current children's dishware with OXO Tot after trying them out. I love that OXO Tot products come in easy to remove packaging. All of the stickers came right off without leaving any residue and the boxes were very easy to open! That is reason enough to purchase their products, you won't need a pair of scissors or a knife to cut into the packaging.

We are very pleased with our OXO Tot products and we highly recommend them to any little friends in need of dishware. 

MadeGood Granola Bars

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by MadeGood. All opinions are mine alone.
One of my favorite activities to do with my family during the spring & summer months are picnic/park hangouts! I love throwing a blanket, eating some yummy food, and watching our children play while reconnecting with Daryl after a long day of work. When it comes to picnic food I like to keep things simple. Sandwiches, water bottles, and a healthy snack are usually my go-to items. A nutritious snack our family has recently been introduced to are MadeGood granola bars! We are big fans of granola and knew these would be the perfect snack for our picnic.

I always have a MadeGood granola bar or two in my diaper bag for a quick and healthy snack! These little bars are perfect for little hands. I find that my boys are a bit wasteful when it comes to larger portions and these granola bars are the perfect portion size for them. MadeGood granola bars contain the nutrients of one full serving of veggies in each snack! Perfect for sneaking in those veggies most kids won't eat (; They are also organic, gluten-free, and non-GMO project verified, these three qualities are very hard to come across in a granola bar.

MadeGood granola bars are made in a dedicated facility free of eight common allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, wheat + gluten, dairy, egg, soy, sesame, & fish). My boys don't have any allergies that we are aware of but we have a couple friends that do. It's so nice to know I have a snack in my bag that Zaden & Adrien can share with all of their friends.

We picked up our MadeGood granola bars at our local Smiths (Kroger store). They are also available at Whole Foods or if you are an online shopper like myself, you can buy them in bulk on Amazon. I highly recommend checking them out, these little bars are essential for any summer activity.