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A Simple Routine and Beauty Rewards

Don't you just love when you check your emails and have good news waiting? I know I do! I was so happy to get two email this week telling me I had free make up for being an Ulta rewards member! One was for a totally free chubby stick by Clinique, the other was a free lip gloss from Butter London. For the Butter gloss I just had to make a purchase, any amount! Perfect timing because I needed an eyeliner!

I got this little bag of goodies for just over $3.00!

These lip colors will be the perfect addition to a quick daily routine! Being a Mom of 5, I don't always have a lot of time to get ready for daily stuff. I still love make up and how I feel put together when I slap some on. Having an easy, go to look is a must for me. Which is why I love my Ulta rewards, I get points and freebies just for buying the basics like my skin care!

I've been using this Aveeno duo for about 10 years now. It saved my sensitive skin from break outs and irritation from rosacea.

I keep my everyday face simple, especially when it's warm out. I always use this mineral powder by maybeline because it has a bit of SPF in it, and I love that its affordable. It also comes with the mini kabuki brush. My eyebrows are so light I have to fill them in, this time with the Ulta pencil in blonde. They are still a work in progress! Mascara is one of my favorites, it's a quick pick me up. Lately I've been using the false lashes MAC mascara in false black, I love dark lashes! This tube came in my holiday set that I got from my MIL for Christmas, she knows how to shop! I also love a good drugstore mascara too, I just wanted to finish this one up. And of course, a little natural blush goes a long way with already rosy cheeks. I like this Urban Decay Naked Flushed palette in Naked.

When I want a little more coverage I use this BB cream, also containing an SPF. I even throw this on for a trip to the zoo or day out in the sun, it's so light on my skin. I don't like the heavy feeling of some sunscreens. Again, this UD palette comes in handy for a more finished look as well. It has a bronzer that compliments the blush and a highlighter for a nice contour.

The brush is amazing, another great gift from my MIL.

Now that you have an idea of my daily routine, let's check out these little lovelies I scored at Ulta!

I've always wanted to try one of these Chubby Sticks but I get distracted by other brands I'm familiar with when I shop. The color they gave out was Super Strawberry.


It's a nice color for an everyday, simple look like I just talked about. I also love how it applies so smoothly. This will fit easily into my diaper bag. I would love to try another color!

Butter London always catches my eye but I have never tried the lip gloss. I prefer a lipstick because I don't like how sticky a gloss is. Ulta had this in Flirt, a pretty pink.


I actually really like the shade and feel of this gloss! I feel like the picture doesn't show it's full potential though. It tingles a bit as it's supposed to be plumping. I will definitely keep this gloss close by for a good color pop in my daily routine. I can see myself getting another color in this too. It wasn't too sticky and it went on so nice!

After doing this post I feel like I should also show you all that I do have skills beyond my Mom routine! Looks like I'll need the husband to plan a date night soon... It's for the blog, right? I'd love to hear about some things you include into your routine, quick or date night looks!

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Stress and Sunshine

It seems like I'm always telling you how crazy the weekdays are around here, and how much I could use some rest on the weekends. That could not be more true these last few days! Last week was another tiring, stressful week. It included a trip to the hospital to get relief for my migraine. I thought for sure they'd tell me a cause and offer a cure. Instead, they told me I was dehydrated and the pain was stress related. Like I didn't know that, but now even a doctor is telling me to relax. I attempted a little of that.

Friday I thought I'd get a little fresh air and a trip to Target. There's not much a trip to Target can't help fix. My little guy requested that we go eat lunch in the cafeteria before we shop. Who am I to deny him this simple joy!? I got out of making a mess at home and he cured a hot dog craving, we all won! The smile on his face was priceless as he talked a mile a minute about all the things we should look at. Of course, I couldn't stop myself from wandering over to Starbucks to get a new coffee mug. It's a problem, I love getting a new fun design!

Saturday rolled around and it was time to go see my oldest daughter perform in a musical at school. She is much more outgoing than I was at her age, I was very shy. This was her second musical and she plans to keep trying out until she gets a lead role. I will admit, I have a lot of fun getting her ready to go. She loves make up and is always happy when she gets to wear more than we allow for daily stuff. I will also admit that I hate how much older she looks, and that red may actually be her color...

I was very proud of her performance! The whole cast of kids did a great job, their hard work showed.

My husband has been looking forward to some good weather so we could get outside and get stuff cleaned up. Sunday was perfect for that! It's a good thing too, because my list of stuff to do was getting long! Last week I introduced you all to my greenhouse... Yeah, about that. I noticed that the nice sunny spot we had it in was actually all shade now. We had to move it and that took a while, but it looks great and is in full sun now! Some of the things on my list had to wait after getting side tracked with rearranging all the veggies and shelves. At least now I can expect some faster action with the tomatoes! Myles also found some more things that needed to get planted, so he got right on it! Gardening has become something I really enjoy, it's a bit stress relieving.

We spent most of the day out back, even with all of the yard work it was relaxing. I found a moment to sit and enjoy our hard work, and a cup of coffee in that new mug! I'm so happy we had a weekend full of sunshine and fresh air...

and comfort food...

Kevin decided that ending the weekend with an easy, mess free dinner was also a good place to start!

I'm lucky to have a husband that knows how to handle me when I am overwhelmed. He knows the way straight to my heart!

I'm hoping this week is much easier than last. It seems like the weeks get harder as this year goes on, I need that to change! I also need to figure out a way to remove some stress from my days, these migraines really take their toll. I don't know how yet, but maybe I need to get back on track with taking walks to start.

The babies and I are starting the week off with a trip to the zoo! Good friends and animals always make for a good Monday! What plans do you have for the week? I hope next week I can report back with an easier week, and I hope everyone else has a great one too!

Growing a garden

I'm so excited that we decided to get a greenhouse this year! We were trying to figure out what to do with our new yard, it's a 1/2 acre of endless possibilities! For us that is huge, we feel like we have a little bit of the country life here in the city. We started out with some fun stuff for the kids and moved on to getting our fun going. Gardening! Growing our own veggies has been on our list for a while now.

My little guy loves to go pick peppers and beans from his Grandma's garden so he is just as crazy about the idea of a greenhouse as we are. Not only do we get to enjoy the fresh food, we get to have some great bonding and learning experiences with him. The other kids think it's cool, but I'm pretty sure Myles (2) will be a chef one day. He loves everything about food, including growing and cooking it! Myles and I water and check our plants daily, my husband takes him to fertilize it when it's time. It turns out I'm also the official "bug checker" too, Myles makes me check for anything creepy before he heads in.

We started this adventure over Mother's Day weekend. We bought a variety of things that we always use for cooking. I'm especially excited about the sweet peppers and tomatoes, and of course the salsa garden! It seems like the sweet peppers and snow peas are adjusting nicely to their pots, they're growing fast! The other plants are looking good, just not producing good eats as quickly as I'd like. Myles is definitely learning about patience, he is so eager to pick something and send pictures to Grandma! I'm learning patience too, I'm just ready for fresh salsa! We are still also learning a lot about the whole gardening process as we go and the Michigan weather has been much cooler than the normal temps this time of year.




What we have discovered so far is that pot placement is everything! My husband has already moved things around a few times because we didn't realize the growth rate and height of some of the plants. Once we get that just right we can relax a bit and things will really take off. We've had luck growing tomatoes in a pot before, and they were delicious. This is a bit more complicated than just tending to one pot though, but I think the greenhouse will help keep everything consistent as far as environment for healthy plants. Kevin also put an automatic arm on the window. It opens as the heat builds pressure so that there's no guessing when to let fresh air in. Once it's cool enough the arm will close it too. That's been a big help!

Another thing that's key to growing vegetables...

A lock, to keep these two busy bodies out.








I am looking forward to writing about progress over the summer and of course making some great recipes with our goodies. This topic will be a regular part of my blogging schedule and I hope you look forward to hearing about it too! I'd love to hear about your gardening experiences, and maybe share some tips!

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Change of Plans

I have been attempting to get ahead on my posts and throw some really cool reviews and recipes at you guys. Here's the thing, every single time I get set up for a recipe madness explodes in my house. I have to end up just getting dinner done and doing the nightly routine. And survive. Survival mode kicks in, I warm up my coffee, roll up my sleeves and get s*** done. Just not in the way planned to do it.

Last week I wanted to show everyone this great recipe I came up with for an easy weeknight dinner, I even took some pictures of my prep and set up. I managed to get a shot of the end result too.

Let me paint a picture for you so you understand why this recipe post doesn't exist...

Potty training a two year old, enough said. My six month old is in her "if I hear or see mommy, I have to be on her hip" phase. My oldest son got dropped off 4 minutes earlier than usual, that doesn't seem like a big deal but trust me it is. As a child with special needs even he knows this slight schedule change can throw off your whole day. My teenage daughter is in a musical later this month and has had rehearsal late for weeks now. She is a big help to have around while my husband works out of state. We also have an eleven year old boy who has an insane amount of energy, did I mention to you before that he also struggles with ADHD? You can see where things tend to get a little crazy most days. I'm not complaining, I save that for my husband...

This lovely man listens to my venting and gets yelled at, but never takes it to heart. He's great!

When I was venting to my husband about the crazy week that we were having at home he brought up a good point. I told him I was frustrated that I couldn't manage to get organized for my posts I had planned. His answer, "write about it." He mentioned that the name of my blog pretty much sums it up, "Coffee and Chaos." I'm sure he was waiting for me to shut the idea down, I love to have plans go smoothly and stay organized. I still tried to recover the post about my recipe or another idea I started, but it seemed too forced. Life seems to be a bit chaotic and overwhelming lately and that's not how I want to feel about my blog work too. I really enjoy writing and I'm hoping it shows through my posts!

That night we still ate the meal I was making. We ate in groups due to everyone's schedule, but we ate. My family actually enjoyed their meal too. So my post didn't go as planned, it never even made the cut of my schedule this week. I'll let you in on something, there isn't actually a schedule this week now! I'm writing this post today because I need to learn as a mom, and a blogger that the schedule and ideas I get will not always go as planned. That's not going to stop me from still doing the things I need or want to do though.

These pictures are not from that day, but just to get my point across. They don't care if plans change, if I get a post done or that I even have a blog now. They just care about me and they know I get the job done, even if I am frazzled doing it!

It would be awesome if I had some great advice on how to handle chaos and get through these moments when plans change, I don't. To be quite honest, I kinda stink at that stuff! I get stressed out easy and panic first. I eventually realize it's just life and I can move on. I can say this though, I know I will miss having (some) chaos and a full table one day. So for now I just need to figure out how to roll with it a little better.

We went on to have a great weekend, we spent a lot of time grocery shopping since it was rainy and our gardening plans also were cancelled. Which reminds me, my gardening post will be delayed for this week too! I have a cool series planned on growing in a green house! So brace yourself for some fun posts about vegetables and pictures of the cutest little garden helper I have.

My husband and the kids made cookies while I was at an event on Sunday for my Jamberry Nails business. I had a long drive home to prepare my thoughts for this week, plan a menu and call my Mom. By the time I made it home it was hailing and snowing, it's the middle of May! It's almost like Mother Nature is even in on the joke that is called "change of plans" in my life. At least the sun is shining today and the forecast looks good this week!

and I have cookies...

A Perfectly Posh Review: mini facial

I have been meaning to try some samples that a friend sent me from Perfectly Posh. Amanda, a friend of mine and now a consultant for Posh is a busy mom of almost 3 boys! She sent me a mini facial pack a while back, and as we all know life can get hectic. I just got around to trying these products, and I wanted to tell you about them!

My face is so sensitive and I have mild rosacea, I am always nervous to try new stuff. Luckily for me I have somebody I trust to give me an honest opinion of what I'm about to use. Let's start with the fact that I don't have much time to pamper myself during the week with a teething baby and potty training a toddler. This facial took all of 20 minutes, and I multi-tasked while doing it! I did it while Ava (teething cutie) was napping and Myles (potty training super star) followed me around asking questions. With coffee in hand I went to my desk/vanity and got started.

Amanda sent instructions that were easy to follow.

I started with a damp face and applied my first step...

Complexion Perfection This is an exfoliating face wash. It's made with finely ground walnut shells and scented with peppermint essential oil. Another key ingredient is Aloe, which is great for moisturizing your skin and reducing inflammation. I just rubbed onto my face in a circular motion and then rinsed it away. As always, I just lightly pat dry.

I will admit I was a bit nervous when I felt the cooling sensation and then it was pretty shiny after I rinsed it off.

Once it was off and dry I was pleased at how my face felt!

The next step was probably my favorite part...

Stay Gold The hydrating face mask was AMAZING! It has turmeric to brighten your complexion and some great stuff to add moisture. Honey, Aloe and Argan Oil just to name a few. I kept this on for 15 minutes, I didn't want it to end! This felt so nice on my skin, soft and light. Just to show off I sent my husband a picture of me with my feet up sipping coffee when he asked how it was going...

I rinsed it off and honestly felt like I could be done at that point.

I had one more step to do though...

Moisture 911 A caffeinated face creme, it tightens and brightens your complexion. It contains natural glycerin and natural orange essential oil, it smells amazing! The formula wasn't heavy at all and it only takes a dab, it goes a long way! My hands feel great after putting this stuff on too!

I did all 3 steps, took a few pics and did my Mom thing all in about 20 minutes! I will definitely try more Perfectly Posh products soon!

If I had to choose just one from this list to keep in my routine it would be the stay gold, I loved this one.

Just to show you that the redness went away I took another picture after an hour of completing this facial.

I also applied a little make up so I could let you see how smooth and even my skin was after the whole process. Excuse my brows, they are under construction as I try to let them fill out and find a good product to try!

I have included Amanda's link if you'd like to give any of these products a try! She's great at answering questions honestly about all of her goodies on the site.
You can find her here. With summer coming I think my next Posh product to try will be something for a pedicure at home!



All of the opinions about these products in this post were honest and all mine. I was not paid or asked to do this review.

Mother's Day Weekend

Mother's Day is always a big deal here in our house. My Husband, Kevin declares it a month long celebration. I'm not complaining, I feel loved everyday but he really knows how to spoil me on "my" day.

For the last few weeks he has showered me with awesome gifts that I've been wanting. I was having fun getting new stuff, especially my new hair tools and a new double jogger! Last night he made my heart so happy when he hung up something special I have of my Dad's, a walking stick I gave him 20 years ago. Kevin reminds me of him in a few ways, being my biggest fan is at the top of the list. It's a good feeling, being so appreciated and loved!

On Saturday we had my Mom over to spend the night. Kevin grilled us some dinner and we got to relax with a glass (or 2) of wine. Sitting out on the deck to admire some new flowers was the perfect way to start winding down a month of exciting surprises!

On Sunday we usually go out for brunch and then spend time with each of our moms, not this year! I was disappointed that my favorite spot no longer does brunch! Seriously, more change!? haha! Life must go on, and we still needed to eat. With 5 kids and my Mom also looking forward to eating something delicious, Kevin and I had to come up with something fun. We went with a breakfast casserole in the crockpot, it cooked over night and was actually really good! Celebrating and good food go hand in hand around here, it's nice to enjoy a meal together. Life gets crazy but it's good to stop and just be a family, talk at the table and make great memories. My Mom went home with her gifts and feeling loved, I was thankful to have another Mother's Day with her.


My Mother in Law and the rest of the family came over for dinner in the early evening. As I mentioned earlier, I really like when plans stay the same. I'm a big creature of habit, so when my MIL insisted I open my gifts right away I knew something was up. She knows me well, I'm used to getting the things I know for sure I want. I woke up feeling emotional already because I am used to getting a text or call from my Dad right away, again something new this year... So imagine how I felt as I opened something a bit different, almost out of character for her to give to me. I expected my usual gift card for make up and food, because she knows me well! Instead, a handful of snapshots fell out of a card, I send her pictures over the phone a lot. I never take the time to print any for myself. She made the cutest collage in a shadowbox, and put together numerous frames. Frames that were EXACTLY my style, with pictures that I absolutely adore of my children. In that moment I wanted to cry, happy tears because she knew just what I needed. It wasn't a new lipstick or nail polish. It was to feel loved and to know I have people that really care to know what I need, even if I don't always know what that is. And the flowers, so many beautiful flowers! Flowers make me so happy! They brought beautiful baskets so everywhere I look I see new blooms, new life growing!


We were able to start our greenhouse too this weekend. I'm pretty excited about growing some veggies and having a place for my flower baskets if it gets chilly at night, it is Michigan so you never know!

It's funny how becoming a Mom changes what excites you. Each time I have a new baby I find out a little more about myself. I sometimes forget that it's ok to still be "me" while trying to be what they need me to be. I have grown to really enjoy gardening, cooking, crafts and all sorts of "mom" stuff. Recently I realized that I've loved that stuff all along, it just feels new having other people to share it with. I would say my biggest lesson as a Mom is that, who they need me to be is just... well, me! They need to see me smile, cry, get angry, be forgiving, laugh at silly stuff and they need to see that I enjoy being their Mom and a wife. If I am who I am then they'll know me better than I know myself one day, and that can be very comforting.

This post was a bit of everything, all over the place I suppose. Honestly, so am I sometimes! Mother's Day weekend was a bit all over the place too, happy and emotional. I am so thankful though that I am able to celebrate with 5 awesome kids, an amazing husband, my own mother and a mother in law. I know that being a mom isn't always easy, in fact it's never really easy. I also know that having the chaos in a house full of kids won't always be here. So for one day a year I will celebrate what being a mom is to me, how it changes my life, make memories with my mom while I can and appreciate all the crazy, fun, stressful days in between.

Now that it's Monday I will get back to my job as Mom & Wife. I'll keep learning new things about myself and lessons as a Mom. I'm sure by next year I will have more to share about how my life keeps changing!

How did you spend your weekend? I'd love to hear about it in the comments! If you enjoy my blog and pictures, please check me out on Instagram and Facebook!