Let’s Rewind Now Shall WE???….Christmas 2016

You know how they say time get’s away from you?  Well, it truly does.  I have yet to recap Christmas and I would normally be way past that point.  All I have to say for myself is this has been a busy season in life.  You know…you think once those kiddos get in school you’ll get a “break”, nope, not really.  It’s actually a lot more to do!

Anyway, I’m glad to hop back on the blog bandwagon and let’s play catch up shall we?  I won’t go into anything political on my blog because y’all I just can’t handle it anymore and the one thing I DO KNOW is God’s got this!

Queue lots of pictures ahead and a bunch of fun recaps over the last month that I’ve been lagging on.  We are loving our new home and being in it for Christmas was wonderful!  Terence likes newer homes, but I have to say I am really enjoying all the “quirks” this house has to offer, we love our neighborhood, and we are right where we want to be.

Christmas Family Photo 2016

The Branch Family 2016- Yes those are all our nieces and nephews and they are the sweetest and cutest evah!

Connor and I headed to Arkansas for Christmas break just the two of us.  Terence stayed behind due to work and we missed him, but we were back in time to celebrate Christmas day together.  We had fun visiting with my family in Arkansas and my twin sister Bonnie.  Jarrett and Connor always have the best time.  We drove a Mazda CX-9 to Arkansas and the trip in that car was AMAZING!  That’s my next car y’all…I have already decided this.

Here we are jammed in the car with all our Christmas aftermath.  I found some great deals on furniture at Restoration Hardware, and thanks to the extra room in the Mazda CX-9 I was able to bring a beautiful bench and some bar stools home 🙂

Isn’t she pretty?  We literally went home to Razorback nation in a Razorback red SUV and we loved it!

Plenty of storage in the back for all the presents.  This car was such a dream for our trip home for the holidays.

Connor is always complaining about the sun being in his eyes.  There were built-in sun visors in the back seat and they were literally a lifesaver for him and myself because there was less whining! LOL!

One thing I know I can’t live without in my next car is a backup camera.  I don’t have one in my car now…but I feel so much safer having that feature in a car.  Also, the heads up display is one of my favorite features.  It shows the speed limit on your windshield.  

Thank you Mazda for a wonderful RED Merry Christmas in this beautiful CX-9 it truly was a dream to drive and a great family car!

We celebrated Christmas Eve and Christmas Day on the farm.  It wouldn’t be Christmas in my heart unless I was here to celebrate with all the people I love.  Isn’t it so pretty?

My Mom and Nannie outdid themselves and now I’m currently trying to work off all the food I ate over the holidays.  I miiiiigggghhhtttt have had one too many eggnog lattes as well…oops!

Nannie’s tree

The stockings were all hung with care…

The boys are reunited at last.  These two are Minecraft crazy right now.  I don’t really understand Minecraft, but they sure are into it! 

Bonnie and I had the great pleasure of meeting Tracy, she’s one of the very first friends I made blogging and we’ve been friends ever since.  It’s so funny because she was in Texas and now she’s back in Arkansas and lives close to my sister.  This lady is a JOY JOY JOY down in my heart and it was so wonderful to finally get to visit with her.

Me and Bon getting our Starbucks fix 🙂

Connor and Nannie Sue enjoying lunch

Downtown Conway at the Christmas tree

The boys playing….what else….MINECRAFT!!!

The boys just love their POPPY.  I wonder if they are related to Santa???

Nannie got us all matching shirts that said “I really really like love ______”  And filled them in with something we all loved.  Mine was blogging.

The boys opening their stockings on Christmas day

Road tripping with my best buddy.  He’s a great kiddo to take a trip with 🙂

Prancer and Dancer…ahem…I mean Becky & Bonnie

Our Christmas Mantle

Our Christmas tree…can you spot all the coffee ornaments???

BRANCH FAMILY CHRISTMAS

We also had a great family Christmas with Terence’s family.  We celebrated the birth of Jesus with a birthday cake and told the story of how Jesus came into the world.  We had a yummy dinner and a delicious ham courtesy of Petit Jean Meats.  MY ALL TIME FAVORITE PLACE TO GET HOLIDAY MEAT!!!  It’s sooooo good!

Petit Jean Meats also has some great Dallas Cowboys Party Packs if you are planning on watching the Super Bowl!

CHEERS TO A HAPPY NEW YEAR AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOURS IN 2017!!!

XO- Becky

Stay Smooth with Chapstick + Enter to WIN!!!

This post has been sponsored by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare.

Christmas is over, yet the chill in the air lingers on.  We actually had snow a few weeks ago here in Texas!  I promise I will recap our Christmas on the blog soon…it is coming!  I’ve just been busy with, well, life.  We’ve had sick days and sinus days and everything that comes with the season.  I have always had really dry lips, so I always try to use extra moisturizer in the winter.

My friends at ChapStick® are always there to help me during the winter season.  The new ChapStick® Total Hydration line is amazing y’all!  I had the opportunity to try out some of the different varieties and colors and I love it.  At this rate I’ll have kissable lips by Valentine’s day 🙂

The new ChapStick® Total Hydration products are available at Target.  I’m at Target pretty much every week, so I’m glad to know one of my favorite products is carried there.  Can we say “bullseye“???

My favorite ChapStick® is the Merlot Moisture+Tint.  It gave me the perfect amount of moisturizer and color all in one.

ChapStick® Total Hydration Moisture + Tint is the first-ever tinted lip balm from ChapStick®, the experts in lip care. This tinted moisturizer features a formula with 100% naturally sourced ingredients that deliver long-lasting moisture, plus a hint of color.

ChapStick® Total Hydration 100% Natural is an age defying formula with 100% naturally sourced ingredients like Argan Oil, Omegas 6 & 9 and Avocado Butters. Total Hydration 100% Natural is available in three flavors – Fresh Citrus, Soothing Vanilla and new Honey Blossom.

ChapStick® Total Hydration 3 in 1 is a Korean-inspired, 3-in-1 formula that provides triple action lip care in one lip balm. It moisturizes, renews and transforms lips to provide smoother, healthier looking lips. Total Hydration 3in1 is available in five flavors – Coconut Hydration, Soothing Oasis, Sweet Peach, Wild Acai Berry and new Cooling Peppermint.

ChapStick® Total Hydration with CoQ10 is an advanced moisture formula designed to instantly smooth and transform lips. It features a lightweight formula that provides long-lasting moisture, helping lips stay hydrated for a full eight hours, and reduces the appearance of fine lines. Total Hydration with CoQ10 is available in a Vanilla Cream flavor.

ChapStick® Total Hydration Conditioning Lip Scrub is the latest innovation.  I absolutely love this lip scrub, it gently exfoliates and conditions leaving lips soft and smooth.

I’m so excited about these new ChapStick® products and would love one of you to win a ChapStick® Total Hydration Gift Set and a $25 Target gift card!

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Staying Well in the Season of Sickness #SickJustGotReal

This post has been sponsored by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. All thoughts and reviews are my own.

Nothing is worse than when you have a sick child.  Am I right?  Especially when that child has the dreaded “stomach bug“.  I can just about handle anything but throw up!  Right before we went on Christmas vacation Connor had a bad stomach bug and he woke Terence and I up in the middle of the night screaming.  He tried to make it to the bathroom, but unfortunately didn’t get there in time…and wouldn’t you know it the ONE TIME that the toilet lid isn’t up is when he threw up all over it!  Boys….seriously???

We try to get through it the best we can as parents.  I’m so thankful for modern-day medicine and that we can give our children the best treatment possible. Pfizer pediatric products are my go to when we have a sick kiddo in the house.  They are my tried and true remedies for colds and fevers.

The pediatric brands of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare are there with three solutions – Children’s Advil®, Children’s Robitussin® and Children’s Dimetapp® – to tackle the ickiest of symptoms.

Flavor is everything too to Connor.  If it doesn’t taste good, he isn’t swallowing it. My child has the worst gag reflex and will spit up just about everything.

FEVER:  Children’s Advil® comes in several great-tasting flavors, including: Sugar-free Dye-free Berry, Bubble Gum, Grape, Blue Raspberry, Fruit and Dye-Free White Grape flavors.  Connor actually enjoys taking the medicine because it tastes so good!  Ha ha!

Other great products:

COUGH:  Children’s Robitussin® Extended-Release 12 Hour Cough Relief to control and relieve symptoms all-day or all- night. Available in grape or orange flavor, for children ages 4 and up. Please note, certain Children’s Robitussin® products are only suitable for children ages 6 and up.

COLD & COUGH:Children’s Dimetapp® Multi-Symptom Cold Relief Dye-Free eases your child’s stuffy and runny nose, while quieting a bothersome cough. All in a great-tasting grape flavor that’s dye-free, for children ages 6 and up.

*It is important to remember to always read and keep the cartons for complete warnings and dosing information on Pfizer Pediatric products and to use as directed.

If you have a friend who has a sick child send over a care package.  I found this cute little Valentine’s mailbox at Target for $3.  Pack it with your favorite cold remedies, some tissues, and a stuffed animal 🙂  Also, make sure you wash your hands frequently.  Connor puts his hands on everything and rolls around the floor…I have no idea why, but kids are kids and they do some nasty stuff!   I know as a Mom when your child is sick at times you feel helpless, especially when EVERYONE in the house gets sick too.  A care package is a great way to show someone you care about them.

Check out the Sick just got real.™ website & Facebook page for some great tips on how to stay well this season.

Finding the Best Breast Pump + Enter to WIN!

This giveaway is a partnership with Nakturnal, with a prize of a gift certificate

Memory lane…time is a thief.  I love reminiscing about when Connor was a baby and I sometimes think about another baby.  I dunno…think is the key word.  I’m no spring chicken anymore!

I was working full time when Connor was a baby and only had a couple of months maternity leave.  I enjoyed every second!  I remember coming home from the hospital and trying to breastfeed and it was one of the hardest thing I’ve been through.

I decided early on to strictly pump…and I kept that up for the next 14 months.  I absolutely loved breastfeeding and pumping was a lifesaver to me, especially as a full-time working mom.  It’s so important to find the best breastfeeding pump.

I honestly don’t know what I would have done without my breast pump.

This was what I carried with me every day:

By the time I went back to work I had a good amount of milk built up.  It took a couple of months for it to fully come in, but if you can just stick with it for the first month I PROMISE you’ll get over the hump!

It was worth every single second and I am so thankful I was able to give Connor the best I could. 🙂  I’m not here to knock you if you can’t breastfeed, because I know a lot of Mom’s can’t.  This is my personal experience and one that I treasure.  I also miss the calorie burn that breastfeeding gave me too! LOL!

You can read more about my story HERE.

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New Year, New You: My Microblading Experience with Dallas Brow Couture

Meet Megan…aka the “Eyebrow Queen”.  Not only is she absolutely gorgeous, but she has a heart for others.  She’s also really good at her job, she does microblading at Dallas Brow Couture.

I’ll be honest…when I first thought about microblading I was scared.  My first thoughts were:

  1.  Is this a tattoo?  NO.  It’s not a tattoo.  It’s vegetable dye pigment that is implanted under your skin with a tiny tool to draw hair-like strokes in with your natural brows.
  2.  Is in permanent?  NO.  It’s semi-permanent and can last from 1-3 years depending on your skin.  You can get touch ups as often as you’d like.
  3. Does it hurt?  NO.  Well, not really.  Your brow area will be numbed with a cream.  I was more sensitive my second visit than my first.  Probably because my skin had just been through the process.  It wasn’t anything that I couldn’t handle.
  4. Will they look fake?  Absolutely NOT.  They will look AMAZING!
  5. How much of a difference can eyebrows really make?  I thought I had good eyebrows before, but let me tell you gals…now I can’t stop staring at other people’s brows!  I feel like even if I have no makeup on I look put together.  Megan changed the shape a bit and it opened up my face more.  She did things I would never have thought to do.  She will make sure everything is symmetrical and you will leave looking Kardashian worthy.  Trust.  It makes SUCH a difference & I would recommend doing this to any of my friends.  

This is Megan’s makeover haven:

Here is my before and after and the last two photos are at my one month check up.  You can see from the first and last picture what a difference it makes.  I used to fill in my brows and now I don’t have to do that anymore 🙂 HOLLA!

Megan is such a wonderful person and I not only think of her as the “Eyebrow Queen”, but a forever friend.  She has a great program where she also gives this gift to others.  Check it out here.  You can also follow her amazing before and after photos on Instagram and Facebook.  If you have any questions please feel free to comment!

I made a video of the process below & I hope you enjoy! xo – Becky