While having a really rough pregnancy, I left the task of finding a car seat and stroller to my husband. My only requirements were that it needed to be light, easy to carry, and easily adjustable as the baby grows. My husband took that and ran with it. I would find him up in the middle of the night comparing different strollers. And after many sleepless nights we landed on the Nuna Baby Pipa Lite RX. It was backordered at the time and took us a while to get the stroller. However, when it finally arrived I fell in love with it. We have been using it for 9 months now and I have some pros and cons of the Nuna car seat and stroller.
After we found out that we were pregnant and in between my many trips to the restroom (thanks to hyperemesis gravidarum), I envisioned what I would like my daughter’s nursery to look like. On those sleepless nights, I would stroll Pinterest and Google, trying to come up with some inspiration. And once we moved into our new home, I tried out a few. After what felt like a 1000 different paint swatches and Amazon orders, my vision finally came to life. It’s calming, functional, and has all my nursery must-haves and everything that she needs.
When shopping for her nursery, I knew I wanted the centerpiece of her room to be her crib. I also knew that it had to be a convertible crib to make the cost worth it. We originally found this crib on Amazon and added it to our baby registry, assuming that no-one would purchase it. And to our surprise, someone did. It has grown with her this far and one day we can turn it into a toddler bed. We expect to have this crib for at least a couple of years.
Shelves: Ikea Spice RacksChair: HomeGoods Faux Bird Of Paradise: Ikea
Ikea Hemnes Dresser
The Ikea Hemnes dresser is the perfect dresser for a nursery. The four drawers at the top allow for easy access to all your essentials, such as diapers, wipes, burp clothes, and diaper creams. And with some drawer dividers, I’m able to separate her clothes by size.
As a first time mom, I don’t have a lot of experience with changing diapers. I knew I needed a changing pad that was easy to wipe down and sanitize. I know people say that a changing pad isn’t a must-have, but it is for us. We have had multiple accidents that were easily cleaned up after.
This was one thing that multiple people told me that i needed. And they were absolutely right. If i had to arrange my nursery must-haves, this would be number one. It allowed rocking our newborn to sleep ten times easier. We still rock her in today when she needs to be calmed. This one also has a footrest that allowed for comfortable feeding and a place to relax while she independently played as she got older.
I didn’t understand how magical a sound machine could be. Not only did it help our newborn sleep, but it also allowed us to have more restful nights. This one by Hatch Sleep also has a different light setting. This was a lifesaver for the middle of the night feedings.
I believe that a baby monitor is obvious must- have. Especially when your baby perfects the art of pulling up faster than you expected.
Flower Wall
I found this wallpaper while looking at Etsy for inspiration, but it was out of my budget. So I recreated it by buying these Daisy Wall Decals from Etsy and painting the wall. I used paint from Home Depot and then placed the decals where I liked them. I turned out easier than I thought.
Hopefully you got some inspiration from my nursery must-haves + tour! If you want to know what not to purchase then check out 5 BABY ITEMS I REGRET PURCHASING. Also check out my other Mom Life posts!
I will be the first one to admit that I was extremely confused on what I should and should not purchase as a first time mom. I looked through countless blogs and baby sites to gain some insight on the best baby items around. Even though I believe that I did enough research, I still ended up purchasing some items that I would not purchase nor recommend again. I’m sure that there are more than 5 baby items that I regret purchasing, but these are the one that I thought hurt the most because I was sure that we needed these items. And I have to share them to makes sure that you will not have the same regrets as me.
The number one reason why we purchased the Ubbi Diaper Pail is because it didn’t require any special bags. While reading through the reviews a few of them did mention that it didn’t contain the smell as well as other brands. But how bad could it be? BAD! No matter how many times you clean it out the smell is still horrible. It became a game on how fast we could open the top and put a diaper in before the smell hit us.
In-Car Baby Monitor
This is the one time where an Amazon ad got me! This monitor plugs directly into the charging port in the car. There is a camera that points to the baby and a monitor that sits on the dash. Sounds like a good idea in theory. However, if it was sunny outside, the sun would give off a glare on the camera. I was unable to see my baby at that point, defeating its purpose. And if it was dark I couldn’t see anything. I used the monitor for maybe two weeks before I exchanged it for a regular baby mirror.
We purchased this bassinet after struggling to get our daughter to sleep in the original bassinet. It was good at first, but then we noticed some issues. Unlike the Snoo, 4Moms bassinet doesn’t turn on and off based on babies movements. We found that the bassinet would put her to sleep , but it would wake her up in the middle of the night. Sometimes it would jump or skip , startling her out of her sleep. We soon noticed black soot around the base of the bassinet. That’s when we decided to take it out of commission.
Car Toys
I had extreme car anxiety the first few months after having our daughter. We purchased some car toys/distractions that would attach to the headrest. I figured this would keep her occupied long enough for us to get to and from our destination. Well they are still in the box. I started to read so many articles about not using after-market car toys due to the lack of testing during a crash. Better safe than sorry!
Button Pajamas /Sleepers
Out of all the baby items that I regret, this is number one because my husband warned me. People with multiple children warned me about button sleepers. Did I listen? Nope. Do I regret it? Yes. When you’re changing a hungry baby while sleep deprived the last thing that you want to do is button up a sleeper. Trust me, get the zip-up sleepers. It’s worth the extra money.
As a first time mom, we’re going to make mistakes. We’re going to buy things that we won’t use as much as we think we will. But as new moms we need to help each other out and be supportive during this new journey.
Those are the baby items I regret purchasing, what are yours? Also check out my other Mom Life posts.
I’ve been living on my own since 2015. I remember when I moved into my first apartment, I started an entire Pinterest board of how I wanted to decorate it. I even started buying little knick-knacks from Hobby Lobby and other home decor places. I ultimately never finished that space. I could never figure out the direction I wanted to go in. And now, three apartments later, after finally gathering all my thoughts and developing my style, I decorated my current space. I decided to go with a relaxed, bohemian-ish style. Neutral with a pop of color was the goal that I was going for.
Now that my living room area is now complete, I decided to share some of my must-have Amazon home decor finds. I’m so pleased with how my space turned out, and I hope that some of these items fit your space.
This post contains affiliate links. By clicking on the links, I may earn a small commission if a purchase is made. I only recommend products/shops that I love.
I’m slowly but surely adding new items to my home, so I’m sure that I will find some more must-have items. In the meantime, check out my post on some of the best home decor Etsy shops. These shops have something for everyone. And you’re supporting a small, black-owned business while finding fabulous pieces.
After a long work week, we randomly decided that we needed a break from Dallas and booked a trip to Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City was never on our must-visit list, but we added it after realizing how close it is to Dallas, TX. Since we left Friday afternoon and came back Sunday morning, we had a short period to explore. Before we hit the road, I created a list of places and food that I had to check out and then picked off that list during my trip. It made the journey less stressful and made sure I didn’t miss anything. In the 24 hours that we were there, we accomplished almost everything. So I’m going to share with you How To Spend 24 Hours in Oklahoma City.
Finding the right hotel is the most important thing for me when traveling to a city with a short time to explore. You have to stay central to the activities you want to do. And by planning your activities before your trip helps decide this.
We decided to stayed at the AC Hotel by Marriott Oklahoma City Bricktown. The location made it easy to get around because it was within 10 minutes of everything that we wanted to do. We also noticed there were different shops, restaurants, and cafes within walking distance from the hotel.
Not only is the AC hotel in the perfect location, the rooms are the ideal place to relax after a long day of exploring. They are modern, clean, and has all the essentials. The only downside is that they do not offer room service. They do, however, have a bar with a beautiful outdoor seating area in the lobby.
Itinerary for 24 Hours in Oklahoma City
To make the most of your 24 hours I would suggest coming in the night before.
This will allow you to hit the ground running the following day.
8am – Walk to Bricktown Canals
Bricktown canals is a 10 minute walk from the AC hotel. Make sure to grab a coffee from Landing Coffee Company along your route.
The Bricktown canals remind me so much of San Antonio. Its a human-made waterway lines with different shops and restaurants. They also have water taxis to take you from one end to the other. It was the perfect area to go for a run or grab a coffee and walk around.
9am- Breakfast at Waffle Champion
They have everything waffles. Check out their website here.
10am – Skydance Passenger Bridge
The Skydance bridge is Oklahoma City’s landmark bridge and stretches over Interstate 40. The bridge is gorgeous, but pictures do it more justice than seeing it in person. I would suggest visiting it at night if you want to see it in all of its glory. But it’s not a must-see for me.
10:30 – Scissortail Park & Farmers Market
After we left the Skydance bridge, we decided to walk around the Scissortail park.
If you’re looking for a great outdoor space or somewhere to take children, I would suggest here. They have water spouts and a large play area for children.
They were hosting a free workout class the day that we were there as well.
We stumbled on the OSU-OKC Farmer’s Market while walking towards the back of the park. There were just enough vendors to have an array of different items, but not too many to make you feel overwhelmed. The farmers market is only there on Saturday’s from 9am – 1pm.
11:45am – Ferris Wheeler Park & OKC sign
Let’s be honest. I just came here for the pictures. The OKC sign with the Ferris wheel in the background makes for the perfect setting. If you actually want to ride the Ferris Wheel, it’s only $6 for a single ride.
12pm- Myraid Botanical Garden
The Myriad Botanical Garden is an indoor botanical garden with an amazing interactive urban park as well.
The only downside is that the heat was almost unbearable. The water mixed with the heat inside a giant bubble didn’t make for the best experience. I would suggest waiting until the cooler months to visit.
1pm – Plaza District
Am I the only one that loves small shops with a curated collection of merchandise? If that’s also your vibe, then I would suggest visiting the plaza district. There are different clothing stores, restaurants, tattoo shops, and murals created by amazing artists in the area.
We stopped into Out On The Limb Boutique, and I’m surprised that I didn’t buy the entire store. They have everything from plants to woman’s clothing.
While exploring the different shops, make sure to grab some lunch or a snack from some of the amazing restaurants in the area.
Goro Ramen
Empire Slice
The Mule
Pie Junkie
Roxy’s Ice Cream Social
3pm- OKC Museum of ART
The OKC Museum of Art has one of the largest collections of Chihuly glass. Take a break from the outdoors and explore all the exhibits that they have to offer.
5pm – Return to the hotel
Use this time to rest and recoup before heading to the next activity.
7pm – Lake Hefner
Us deciding to end our day at Lake Hefner was the best idea we had. We went there for the lighthouse but stayed for the sunset. Just find a bench and enjoy the view. And if you’re anything like me then this is the perfect area for premium people and dog watching.
Here is a list of all the activities and restaurants for those that want to go at their own pace.
Activities
Bricktown Canals
Skydance Passenger Bridge
Ferris Wheeler Park & OKC sign
POPS Soda Ranch
Lake Hefner
Plaza District
The Womb Gallery
Scissortail Park
Myriad Botanical Gardens
OKC Museum of ART
Restaurants & Coffee Shops
Cuppies and Joes
Fassler Hall
Nashbird
Pinkitzel Candy & Cupcakes
Hideaway Pizza
Waffle Champion
Goro Ramen
Empire Slice
The Mule
Pie Junkie
Roxy’s Ice Cream Social
How would you spend your 24 Hours in Oklahoma City?
I have always been the type of person to close my eyes and picture exactly how I wanted things to turn out. When I first started college, I developed a plan for the next ten years of my life. I had a plan to graduate college at the age of 22 and start my career soon after. Then by the age of 25, I would be married with at least one child. And to my surprise, none of that happened. I graduated at 23 after changing my career. I then moved out of state to Texas and started my career. I did, however, get married at 25, but I’m now 28 without children. And just like my life didn’t turn out the way that I thought it would, my imagination also failed me on how my marriage would be.
Not saying the marriage is bad or good, it is just different. There are some things that I thought would be true, that isn’t. And some things that I was given advice on and told was the “truth” and it turned out to be unrelated to my marriage. So I thought now would be the perfect time to share some of my thoughts on things that turned out to be true and not to be true in MY marriage.
Marriage Expectations vs. Reality
Marriage Expectations that wasn’t true for my marriage
Everything will be 50/50
I’m not sure how many times I’ve heard, “For your marriage to work, everything should be 50/50”. Let’s be real; how many marriages are 50/50 in every aspect of the relationship? I don’t think that many are because it’s not realistic. We found that working as a team works best for us. He fills in when I’m slacking and vise versa. We work together. It’s not about keeping tabs on who’s doing what. And who says that you will both be in the same place financially and physically at different points in your relationship?
Lose Your Individuality and Become a Unit
Are we a unit? Yes. Do I consult him on major decisions? Absolutely. Does he give me enough room to make my own decisions? Yes. Just because you’re in a relationship doesn’t mean that every decision has to be a group decision. There have been times when I went to him to discuss a dilemma, and he told me his opinion, but ultimately it was my decision. I’m a firm believer that if it affects both parties, then a combined decision needs to be made. If one party is affected, then an opinion can be given, but ultimately it is that parties’ decision.
You Have To Do Everything Together
Listen, I love my husband with all my heart, but I still enjoy my alone time. And that is okay. Because I’m still a person outside of my marriage. I have hobbies and interests that I enjoy that my husband doesn’t necessarily enjoy. So spending time apart is a good thing. It allows me to stay connected with who I am outside of my relationship. We can travel together one moment and then go on separate trips with friends next. It’s okay to want alone time. It’s also okay to want to be your own person.
Everything will Change After Getting Married
“Marriage changes everything” may be valid for some relationships, but not for me. We were together for seven years before getting married. So I’m sure that played a part. But, for us, it was a smooth transition. The hardest part was having to change my last name on all my official documents.
Eyes For You Only
Having “eyes for you only” sounds good, but is it realistic? Most married people don’t want to admit this, but marriage doesn’t make you blind to the opposite sex. You will still find people attractive, which is normal. But it is all about not acting on that attraction. You can have a certain set of eyes for your significant other, but your attraction for someone of the opposite sex doesn’t go out the window.
Immediately Wanting Children
I wrote an entire blog post on the pressure to have children immediately after marriage.
Marriage Realities For My Marriage
It’s Hard Work
“If you love each other, then the marriage should be easy” MAJOR EYE ROLL. Marriage is hard, no matter how much you love each other. It takes a lot for two separate people to come together and make it work for years. It will not always be sunshine and rainbows, but it’s worth it to me.
You Will Have To Compromise
Resolving our issues with a compromise was the hardest thing to get use to. It was hard for me to have to take someone else feelings and thoughts into consideration at all times. But compromise is essential for a successful marriage and to prevent resentment. But, can every outcome be resolved with a compromise? I don’t believe so. Some solutions will be one-sided, and some will have a compromise that makes both parties happy.
Constantly Changing/ Having To Re-adapt
What worked at the beginning of the marriage doesn’t necessarily work years later. The parties involved in the marriage are changing, so why wouldn’t the marriage change? It’s not going to be the same. So stop comparing your marriage now to how it was in the beginning. You have to change and adapt accordingly. Stop being afraid of change because it could be for the better.
Continuously Date
Continuously dating is important. It has stopped me from becoming complacent and gets rid of the misconception of “I already have them”. Dating keeps the romance alive and keeps each other on the toes. It’s something to look forward to and gives each other a break from everyday life.
Finances Are Important
I know that most people don’t want to hear this, but finances can make or break a marriage. A discussion about finances should come in the very beginning of any long-term relationship. Do you all expect both parties to work? What would happen if someone loses their job? Will you help your husband pay off his student loans or credit card debt? Will you all both contribute to a house down payment? How do you expect the bill to be split? There are so many financial conversations that will come up within a marriage.
Everyone’s marriage expectations vs. reality will be different, but I’m sure that we all have them.
I moved to Houston in June 2015. And it was a struggle to find different things to do. I would ask locals and recent transplants what is there to do in Houston,and the answer would always be “Oh there’s a lot!”. But they could never tell me anything other than going to the club or hanging out downtown. I’m not a huge club person so the answers wasn’t all that helpful. I decided after many failed attempts at asking others to do my own research and exploring. I’ve come up with an array of different things you can do with family, use as a date, or just exploring by yourself. This Houston Bucket list will guarantee that you will always have something new to explore. Some of these will be Houston and some will be in the surrounding areas. But if you’re from Houston then you will know that driving 45 mins to an hour is normal around here.
Houston is a huge transient city and their food tends to reflect that! They have a wide array of different restaurant settings and cuisines. Read about my favorite Houston restaurants at different price points here.
I’m trying to broaden my coffee horizons , so I love trying different shops in my area. Houston has a lot of unique shops with amazing coffee. Read about my favorite coffee shops in North Houston here.
I love the museum district in Houston. Make sure to take advantage of the free admission days listed below. There are more museums in the area, but these are just my favorites. The Art Car Museum is not in the museum district, but it’s worth the trip.
Art Car Museum
Comtemporary Art Museum (Always free)
Museum of Fine Art (FREE Thursday 10 am–9 pm)
Museum of Natural Science (FREE Thursdays: 6-9 pm)
After living on my own for over five years, I finally decided to decorate my place properly. And of course, I started my search for home decor on Etsy. Etsy has become my favorite place to find unique, one-of-a-kind items for any event happening in my life. Someone’s birthday coming up? Go to Etsy. Looking for some cool graphic tees? Go to Etsy. Trying to find stationery items for my bullet journal? Go to Etsy. So of course when I decided to redecorate my house, I went to Etsy. Etsy allows me to support small businesses and find home decor items that I wouldn’t usually find in a large retailer. It’s like shopping at your local small boutique, but with more options.
I thought that it would be helpful to share with you some of the shops that I found. I’m sure that you can find someone to add to a space in your home. Here are six of the best home decor Etsy shops.
This post contains affiliate links. By clicking on the links, I may earn a small commission if a purchase is made. I only recommend products/shops that I love.
If you’re looking for beautiful macrame wall hangings, then StudioNom has you covered. She offers modern art in different styles and sizes to fit any space perfectly. I’ve been looking for neutral-colored statement items to fill space, and this is perfect.
Candice Luter at ShopCandiceLuter makes beautiful fringe and macrame wall art. How can you not love this fringe mirror? I currently have my eye on this fantastic fringe mirror to put in my entryway. The staging of this picture was my inspiration. The fringe mirror is the perfect statement piece!
LouLouArtStudio offers beautiful printable art and paintings. If you’re looking for colorful paintings, they have it. If you’re looking for neutral printable art that you can have immediately, they have it. This art piece is one of the first ones that caught my eyes. But there are so many other pieces that I would love to add to my walls.
CraftedGloryDesign offers hand-crafted home furniture and decor. How beautiful is this coffee table? It comes in three different finishes; maple, cherry, and walnut. He also creates wood cutting boards. Perfect for yourself or as an amazing gift.
I’ve recently realized how valuable pillows are in terms of bringing a space together. And after coming across AisheaHome, I had to stop myself from buying all her decor. Her shop is full of bohemian blankets, wall hangings, and of course, pillows.
MadeByRheal sells stunning concrete home decor items. The first thing that caught my eyes were these gorgeous concrete coasters. I can’t think of a space where these coasters would not look beautiful in. They also have concrete bowls, jewelry dishes, planters, candle holders, and much more.
Suspense books have always been my favorite genre of novels. Now don’t get me wrong I love a good autobiography or self-help book, but nothing is like a good thriller. I wanted to share with my fellow thriller lovers 5 Must-Read Thriller & Mystery Novels that I’ve read in the last year. Make sure to send me some suggestions for some of your favorites as well.
This post contains links to Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. To learn more, go to my Disclosure page.
5 Must-Read Thriller & Suspense Novels
Local Girl Missing – While browsing in Barnes and Noble, I spotted this book while passing a Mystery and Suspense table. I immediately picked it up, looking for something simple after reading some heavy books. And I wasn’t disappointed. The book follows Frankie as she tries to uncover what happened to her childhood friend Sophie. The author was able to find a balance between keeping you guessing about what caused Sophie’s disappearance while giving you enough clues and hints to keep the reader glued in. Local Girl Missing is one of the few books that I can say that I didn’t see the plot twists coming. It’s the perfect book if you’re looking for a light, lazy day, vacation read.
The Woman In The Window – At first, I thought that this would be one of those books that I had to struggle through because I’m a “once I start, I finish” type of reader. But I was wrong. The novel follows a psychologist trying to coup with her Agoraphobia by self-medicating with alcohol and overusing her prescribed medication. This novel has enough twists and turns to keep your attention. Some of the twists you can guess and some that will be a total shocker. The book does start extremely slow, but it is worth continuing to read.
The Wife Between Us – When I spotted this book on a Target shelf, the title of this book drew me in. I love a good domestic suspense book. I knew I enjoyed this book because after I finished, I immediately recommended it to multiple of my friends. From the start of the book, you will assume that you know where this book is leading, but trust me, you don’t! The book follows an ex-wife that is extremely upset that her former husband has found another woman to take her place. I read this book in one day because I couldn’t put it down. Once I finished the book, I had to reread parts of the book to see what I missed.
The Woman In Cabin 10 – I decided to take this book on a long travel day for me, and it helped me get through a long flight. The novel follows a journalist assigned to report on a luxury cruise ship for the elite. But her trip doesn’t go as planned. The Woman In Cabin 10 does have suspenseful elements included, but it wasn’t anxiety-inducing. It was enough to keep me guessing and interested, but not too much where I feel my chest tightening. It’s a good suspenseful thriller.
What She Knew – The novel follows Rachel as she searches for her son after allowing him to run ahead while on a walk in a park. You will find yourself sympathizing with the family while trying to piece together the clues to find Ben. There are many ups and downs without feeling like the author is trying too hard to make it suspenseful.
Can you believe that summer is almost here? We have a little over a month until the official first day of summer. But if you live in the south like me, then you’ve already experienced some days in the high 90s! Which tells me that summer in Texas will be a hard one to get through.
Even though I’m not necessarily excited about the heat, I am excited about the dewy, fresh, and lightweight makeup looks. I no longer have to worry about my skin looking dry and piling on the moisturizing products like in the winter. I now have to worry about stopping my makeup from sliding off my face and figuring out how to look dewy without looking like a sweaty mess. The key for me is mixing matte and dewy products. These long-lasting summer makeup essentials give the perfect, effortless look.
Long-lasting Summer Makeup Essentials
Fenty Soft Matte Primer – This has become one of my favorite primers of all time. It mattifies the skin without leaving it dull or dry looking. It’s incredibly lightweight on the skin and doesn’t make the skin cakey. I’ve tried this primer out in both humid and dry climates and it works perfectly in both. And it blurs the skin as a bonus.
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 – I’m not a huge foundation fan because it can feel heavy on the skin during the hotter months. When I finally discovered tinted moisturizers, I fell in love. This one by LM is the best that I’ve experienced. Before finding this one, I used the Maybelline tinted moisturizer until it discontinued the darker shades. LM carries 20 different shades, which is abnormal for a tinted moisturizer. It has a dewy finish without leaving a shiny look. The coverage is just enough to give that “no makeup” makeup look. It’s the perfect product to even out the skin, but don’t expect too much coverage.
Lancome Dual Finish Powder Foundation – I originally purchased this powder to wear on my wedding day. And I’ve used it ever since. I use it over my tinted moisturizer for additional coverage and on its own for an airbrushed look. It controls oils and increases the wear time in a humid/ hot climate. You can apply it with a damp sponge for more coverage, but I prefer to use it dry.
NYX Matte Finish Setting Spray – I love this setting spray because it makes the skin matte, but doesn’t give it a flat, one-dimensional look. The spray comes out fine and even without soaking the face. It does have a scent, but it’s not intense or unbearable. I don’t have oily skin, so I’m not sure if it will work to control natural oils. I use it to tone down the dewiness.
L’oreal Infallible Liquid Lipstick – If you’re looking for a long-lasting matte liquid lipstick, this is the one. This lipstick does not move no matter what you do. I have to scrub it off with an oil-based product. They go on so smooth and doesn’t settle into the lines of the lips. I believe that they have around 24 different shades. Some of them do have strong smells, so be cautious if that’s not your thing.
Lipcote Lipstick Top Coat – I found this product while traveling in London. I never heard of a lipstick top coat before. But I must say that this product is fantastic. You apply it over any lip products to make it last longer. You can also apply it slightly around your lips to prevent feathering. I no longer have to worry about my lipstick looking crazy after drinking something or being out all day.
Welcome to Demi Joie! I’m Demetress, a lifestyle blogger that loves to talk about fashion, skincare, traveling, and sometimes rambling on and on about life! Thank you for visiting my blog! ♡
