Awesome Food Website

A few weeks ago I was searching Pinterest for new recipe ideas when I stumbled upon a food website that took me by surprise (in a very good way).  Maybe some of you (or many of you) know this already, and I just happen to live under a rock, but I thought it was my duty to share this awesome website with all of you.  After successfully making several recipes with rave reviews from family and friends (especially the hubby!), I decided it was time to write about budgetbytes.com

You might be wondering what makes Beth's recipes so great, right?  Well let me tell you my top four (4) reasons:
  1. They are budget friendly
  2. Her recipes don't require a ton of ingredients, especially those you will only use once.
  3. The recipes are easy yet full of flavor.  With a three month old at home, I simply don't have the time to prepare meals that are too time consuming.  
  4. My husband is very impressed with my cooking as of late.
Here are the recipes I have successfully made so far:
    The Italian Wonderpot is one of her most popular recipes, and I can understand why after making this dish last week.  Unfortunately, I have been a bad blogger and failed to take pictures of these dishes with the exception of one, Easy Sesame Chicken.




    I am quite excited to try a few more recipes this week!  Our menu for the week looks something like this:
    I hope you check out Beth's website and let me know if you make any of her recipes.  If you have any favorite food websites that you love, please let me know in the comment section below as I am always in search for new and delicious recipes.

    Thank you so much for reading.

    Karina

    ~Live Simply~



        Baby Favorities - We Survived the First 3 Months


        Yesterday was a wonderful day because Micah turned three months old.  I cannot believe we have had this little bundle of joy for three full months.  He is such a great little boy.  As of today, he smiles, has started cooing, and loves playing with his hands.  I am so blessed to be called his mommy and have the opportunity to stay home with him.  So today, in honor of this wonderful milestone, I thought it would be fun to share our favorite baby products that we love.



        1. Mamaroo
        2. Aden and Anais swaddle blankets
        3. Boon Grass Countertop Drying Rack
        4. Baby Trend Snap-N-Go EX Universal Car Seat Carrier
        5. Diaper Genie
        6. Green Sprouts Wooden Brush/Comb Set
        7. Infantino Twist & Fold Activity Gym
        8. Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Glass Bottles - 4 ounces
        9. Pampers Swaddlers
        10. NoseFrida Snot Sucker
        11. Gerber Birdseye 10 Count 3-Ply Prefolf Cloth Diapers
        12. Boudreaux's Butt Paste
        13. Fisher Price Snugglebunny Swing
        In addition to other newborn essentials, these thirteen items made caring for a newborn a lot easier.  Three months later I have to say that there is no such thing as the perfect/right product for every baby.  We sure learned this lesson.  I spent countless hours researching so many products and it wasn't until Micah was born - through trial and error - that we learned what he liked and disliked.  Fortunately, we have a baby that responded very well to most of the baby products we purchased/that were gifted to us. 

        What baby products do you love and would recommend for a young toddler?  Micah is beginning to show interest in toys.

        I hope you enjoyed this little update and thank you so much for reading.

        Karina

        ~Live Simply~
               









          Beauty Diary: How I care for my Eyebrows

          Eyebrows make a Statement
          Eye brows help frame and shape the face so it is important to care for them.
          I learned this trick a while back in high school and never really got the chance to record it because either I would already trimmed them or forget to record it. TODAY though, I finally remembered and now I am able to share it with all of you ^^ I did a video and a picture tutorial so I hope you all enjoy and find it easy to do/try for sure!




           



           That is all for this Beauty Diary Post.
          I hope it was easy to understand and easy for you all to do.

          XOXO

          Postpartum: New Makeup Routine

          Hello friends,

          The other day I was reminiscing about how long it used to take me to get ready in morning for work and realized how much has changed since having Micah.  I used to sit in front of my vanity and look over my makeup collection to see what makeup look I wanted for that day, but so much has changed in the last three months.  Today I am going to share with you my new daily makeup routine.  This is the makeup I use daily to look somewhat put together during the day while tackling my new life as a new stay-at-home mom. :)



          These three face products are my everyday staples: foundation, concealer, and face powder.  I recently discovered Revlon's Colorstay Foundation and I absolutely love it!  It has become my holy grail foundation and it's only $9.99 at Target!  I've tried many higher-end foundations and this is by far the best, in my opinion, for combination/oily skin.  

          MAC's powder is fantastic at setting my foundation without looking cake-y.   I've used this product for many years and it hasn't broken me out.  However, I must say that their foundations and blushes do break me out, which is so unfortunate because they have such a lovely blush collection.

          I am a huge fan of Maybelline's concealer because it does a great job at hiding my under eye circles (this new mamma really needs it!) and it's very affordable.  It's so easy to blend and it doesn't settle into fine lines.


          Maybelline has a great selection of mascaras.  The Falsies is the mascara I am using at the moment and I really like it, it lengthens without clumping my lashes. I picked it up at Target last week, my last one had dried up, for $4.99 plus tax.  The mascara was originally $5.99 (already a good price) but the packaging had a $1 off coupon w/purchase...love instant discounts!

          Another Maybelline product I have been using for years is their clear mascara.  I use this product to keep my eyebrows in place as they tend to get a little out of control without it. 

          I like using an eye primer as a base before applying my eyeshadow.  Currently, I am using one by Laura Gellar.  I was quite excited when I saw this primer in my stocking last year as I had never used this brand before.  The primer works okay but I will not be repurchasing it.  I still like Urban Decay's Primer Potion or MAC's paint pots better.

          I didn't realize how many Maybelline products I use on a daily basis until I started writing this post, but I really like these products and the prices are within my budget. 

          Another Maybelline product I like using is the Define-A-Brow pencil.  I have to say though, I have a love/hate relationship with this product because I like how my brows look when I use this pencil, but I don't like how little product you get.  I am currently in search for a replacement that is a little more forgiving on the pocket book.

          Two eyeshadows I use daily are Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow in Bad to the Bronze and Mally Eyeshado in Twilight.  These are so easy to just wipe across the eyelid when you are in a rush, which is my case every.single.day. 

          Last but not least is my beloved eyeliner.  I am one of those women that has to put eyeliner on (almost) every day.  People will tell me I look tired when I don't wear eyeliner, sad but true.  So, to avoid looking a tad bit sad and sleep deprived, I try to always wear some sort of eyeliner.



          Here is what the two eyeshadows look like on my skin along with the Mally Eyeliner in Espresso.  The Mally eyeliner is great at staying on the waterline, once it dries it will not budge. 


          I like to add a little bit of color to my cheeks, especially during the summer time.  I have been loving NARS blush in Deep Throat (*cough, cough* at the name) and the NYX blush in Dusty Rose.  These two have been in rotation for the last three months.  NARS blush in Orgasm is another favorite of mine (not pictured here).  To finish off the look, I apply Smith's Rosebud Salve and Burt's Bees in Hibiscus to my lips.  Since having Micah I don't wear lipstick or lip gloss because I am constantly kissing his precious little face.  For this reason, I like that Burt's Bees lip balm leaves a hint of color without it feeling sticky or leaving a residue on Micah's precious face. 

          These are my go-to products to achieve a pulled together look on a daily basis.  Getting ready every morning and putting a little makeup on makes me feel better.  Of course, there are days when I don't feel like putting makeup on or I simply don't have the time, but I try to make an effort to look my best for myself and for my little family.

          What are your favorite makeup products you use daily? 

          Thank you so much for reading!

          Karina

          ~Live Simply~