As always I am super excited for another holiday with my kids And no holiday would be the same without paired or matching outfits for them.
Unique Baby is one of our favorite small business shops on Amazon and for good reason.
-They’re size inclusive and offer products for nearly every holiday for the whole family including matching mommy & me sets.
-They’re an environmentally cautious company with their “give a gift” initiative. (More on that in a separate post.)
-Unique baby consistently thinks of their customers by including thank-you notes, discount cards, and QR codes to redeem free-themed activity packs in their packages.
This Valentine’s Day The Tatorthoughts kids will be wearing 2 complete UB outfit sets:
Unique Baby Boys Valentine’s Day Tic Tac Toe T-Shirt with XO Shorts https://a.co/d/il4a90W
Their outfits are always high quality, they wash & wear well and my children always look forward to their outfits. Who doesn’t love feeling festive on holidays?
I’m always so excited when I find a full outfit for my son rather than just a shirt. —Don’t get me wrong we love a good themed shirt but when my daughter has 100 different options for 2 and 3-piece outfits for any given occasion and my son only has shirts to choose from it seems very one-sided and gender biased. Thankfully with Unique Baby, we are able to dress both of our children in cute, high-quality memorable outfits as they offer many things for boys and girls alike!
The only drawback with this Valentine’s set for my son is that it’s a short set rather than a full-length pant set like my daughter’s. We live in Georgia and have weather that often takes us through all 4 seasons of the year in a span of a week and as of the time I’m dictating this segment, the forecast predicts a high of no more than 65°F on Valentine’s Day. Knowing my son however it could be freezing outside and he’d still wear his outfit as it was meant to be worn. (moms of boys know what I mean 🤣😅)
We’re always thankful for the hard work and quality products UB is synonymous with.
Kim, if you read this thank you for all you do!
Use the links above to purchase any remaining sizes in these styles and browse for more in the UB Store on Amazon.
Happy Valentine’s Day from everyone at Tatorthoughts.com!
Target has helped me amp up the magic of Christmas this year!
We recently did a Christmas necessity haul at our local Target and got EVERYTHING we needed to *Wrap up* this year right!
(Yes, y’all know me.. a sucker for a good pun.)
After hitting Starbucks for my venti hot white chocolate mocha with extra everything we headed over to the dollar spot and bullseye’s playground to pick up gift bags, tissue paper, and drawstring North Pole Santa sacks (not pictured for obvious reasons)
We headed to the back and the major Christmas display section to hunt for Wondershop wrapping paper I just had to have and got 2 rolls of the new ASL merry Christmas pattern release.
(I may go back for more!)
During the search, we found licensed Spider-Man wrapping paper that we absolutely couldn’t pass up with a major Spidey fan at home!
We found our magic scotch tape and bought 4 rolls because I absolutely refuse to run out and I wholeheartedly tape my presents to death.
And on the way to the checkout line, we also found a limited edition only available at target Christmas countdown book that we just absolutely had to have anyone who knows me or my family can tell you we do holidays in a very big way so a story to read every night was a must-have.
At checkout, my husband grabbed me a Starbucks mocha Frappuccino (the 2022 snowflake edition) because he knows that I need mom fuel to get through the undertaking that is wrapping copious amounts of gifts for everyone we love and stashing them under our tree and all over our house.
I’m absolutely floored by the quality of products and the availability of the things that I truly want and need at my local store I’ve never had an issue with customer service and unlike the majority of places that I have no choice but to shop when I go into target my anxiety lessons instead of flying through the roof.
I’m always grateful for the opportunity to write segments such as this one and to be able to slow down and enjoy little moments I always look forward so dearly every year to picking that year‘s wrapping papers and gift labels and making each year special down to the little minute details that some people would not appreciate or even notice but that’s what the season is about for us slowing down and spending time and effort towards the people that we love and appreciate most.
Merry Christmas. happy holidays and a fantastic new year from everyone at Tatorthoughts and from our house to yours!
We hope you guys have a wonderful safe holiday and we cannot wait to see you in 2023!
Y’all I am absolutely loving my October 2022 ipsy bag!
I honestly didn’t think I was going to love ipsy as much as I do as I’m not super into subscription boxes however.. ipsy gets it right!
October makes my third bag as I received the August glam bag X curated by Alicia Keys.
Y’all know I love October and it’s not just because of my birthday it’s literally because of everything. The weather changes in Georgia and I feel like I’m at peace for three months out of the entire year… if you live in the south you know what I mean.
Hoodies, bonfires, pumpkins, going outside without a plague of mosquitoes or heat stroke, Halloween, hot chocolate, caramel apples y’all I could go on but it would be a shame not to mention that September and October are literally the only times throughout the whole year that I can buy home decor because I use Halloween decorations as 365-day decorations in my house! 😂
Anyways back to Ipsy…
The October bag is described as
“Spooky yet stylish, this month’s bag possesses everything you need for frightfully flawless skin and ghoulishly glam looks—all in a bewitching design you voted for. Happy Haul-oween!”
This is a black bag donned with a raised spiderweb, A silver spider zipper, and dark purple trim absolutely my aesthetic but then again I have not yet received a bag that I didn’t absolutely love.
in this month’s bag I received:
Clean beauty brand CHELLA’s Blushing Rose Eyeshadow Palette
E.L.F. COSMETICS Big Mood Mascara in Black
IT COSMETICS Confidence In Your Beauty Sleep Night Cream
SEPHORA COLLECTION Smooth + Blur Primer
FENTY SKIN
Fat Water Pore-Refining Toner Serum with Niacinamide
I love that when you rate products they listen and it helps improve your future bags.
I also really enjoyed the opportunity to give away five free bags to friends this month.
I love eyeshadows but I’m very particular about which ones I use. The same goes for mascara.
And I am working diligently currently to find a good skincare routine supplement that works well for me as I’m still really enjoying my Seint beauty skin care said that I’ve featured on the website before. (if you haven’t already seen that review go check it out!)
As all of you probably know I’m not a girl who enjoys being limited so the more options I have available to me the better and with my combination of skin care needs My ipsy subscription has been a huge help.
I’m loving toners and primers at the moment
And I found these to work really well for my skin.
I fully support self-care and #TreatYourself even if I haven’t always been the best at holding space for that in my own life.
I look forward to my ipsy subscription every month now and I can’t wait to see what the November 2022 ipsy glam bag X box curated by Becky G has in store for me.
Will I continue to receive ipsy bags long-term? I’m not sure. But I do know that some of these products I will be using in preparation for my wedding next year.
And I haven’t yet decided if I will continue receiving glam bag X or if I will drop my subscription down to the classic glam bags only. I have not had any experience so far with glam bag plus so I may try that in the future just to shake things up some.
Overall I feel like the traditional glam bags are well worth the subscription price and I’m currently happy with my choice.
If you are interested in signing up or would like to purchase ipsy as a gift use my link: https://www.ipsy.com/oupgliqc
We absolutely love celebrating holidays. Especially Halloween and Christmas and while we always have coordinated Christmas attire this was our first year doing a family-themed costume.
My kids are 14 months apart at 2 and 3 years old. One of their latest huge obsessions is the live action cat in the hat movie staring Mike Myers that just recently celebrated its 22nd anniversary.
It is currently streaming on Netflix in the US and is set to leave Netflix on October 31 of 2022.
So it is only fitting that we dressed our children as “thing 1” and “thing 2” per their request and my husband and I had matching shirts that said “mother and father of all things”
Amazon to the rescue!
Links to the exact products purchased are as follows:
These costumes are some of the most well-made ones we’ve ever bought!
I’m sure as many people know costumes are usually poor quality constructed, they don’t wash or wear well and they attract EVERYTHING from fuzz to mystery glitter and end up looking like you’ve rolled around in a dog bed by the end of the night.
These however were quite the opposite!
I was pleasantly surprised and extremely pleased by the end product.
I loved the Mittens on my sons costume and their ease of use and removal. The interchangeable numbers on both costumes were extremely helpful as this prevents you from having to buy specific costumes just because of the number. Both costumes came with a one and a two for use.
The tights on my daughters costume were very well-made and not see-through at all,
And I liked the fact that the back of her dress was a zipper closure in theory if she wanted to she could wear this dress without the sticker thing number emblem on the front as a very pretty dress, same with the tights!
I need my son‘s number Velcro to his outfit however my daughters was held on by a sticky 3M backing. This was the only drawback I found I wish hers were more reusable as his was.
My husband and I are no stranger to matching as we’ve done it many times however these shirts were extremely cute well-made and easy to purchase directly from Amazon.
Overall this year‘s costume choice was a great one! I’m very happy with the way things turned out and the durability of it all.
my daughter loved the headband that came with her costume however my son wanted anyone other than him to wear the hat that came with his for that I blame sensory issues but he still looked absolutely adorable as thing one and I wouldn’t change a thing!
So far my children have lived up to their character inspirations and been ABSOLUTELY WILD In their costumes but they won’t be this little for long so we are soaking it up for as long as we can. I’d say our first family costume experience was a win!
We all know by now that I am the mom who celebrates everything.
My two favorite holidays are Halloween and Christmas.
In our family, it is a tradition to dress for every holiday until and unless our children tell us they don’t want to anymore. Halloween 2022 is no exception.
(my family often compares me to Beverly Goldberg.. I am not mad about it!)
This year we invested in a casual Halloween outfit for each child as we usually do in addition to a Halloween costume.
*costume to be revealed later*
These casual outfits came from one of our favorite Amazon small businesses – Unique Baby – that has been featured on our website before and will more than likely continue to be.
You can purchase these exact items while supplies last at these direct links.
This year we purchased a size 4T in the shirt and a size 2T in the outfit and they fit perfectly. They wear and wash well, and are the perfect attire for any pumpkin patch visit and other fall family fun.
I’m always very pleased with my purchases from unique baby and it will be a very sad day when my children inevitably outgrow the sizes that they offer. Although I’m sure that will be quite some time beings as they offer matching parent sets as well.
It’s always a joy to create these special memories with my family. They don’t stay little for long!
I just received my second ipsy subscription bag and I’m loving it.
The holographic bag is giving me all the nostalgic vibes from being a kid in the early 2000s! this months bag is packed full of goodies and described as: “Whenever you lose sight of how strong and capable you are, this month’s bag design is a loud and proud reminder that no matter what comes your way—you got this!”
in this bag I received:
CIATÉ LONDON Definer Liner in Starburst
This is a brand that I haven’t previously heard of maybe I live under a rock I don’t know but this is one of the best metallic liners I’ve ever owned and I love it!
GOLDFADEN MD Bright Eyes Dark Circle Radiance Concentrate
I’ve had dark circles my entire life so I’m genuinely hoping this lessens them quite a bit, and it’s for that reason that I am so glad I get things like this specifically curated for my needs and the things that I enjoy.
HEMPZ Sweet Pineapple & Honey Melon Herbal Body Butter
this is again a brand I’ve never heard of and a product I wouldn’t ordinarily buy for myself but I will try anything at least once.
Life is all about broadening your horizons!
MEG COSMETICS Marine Serum Cleanser
this item I chose and I’m extremely glad I did it feels so refreshing on my skin!
TWEEN.TY Tightening Cream
This brand is also new to me however I’m a mom enough said. 😂
LARUCE BEAUTY LR007 Tapered Blending Brush
This month I got a bonus item and that happened to be a brush
i’m really excited to be able to continue to use these products and see how they work long-term and possibly change my purchasing habits based on something new I find that I prefer over my current products.
I can’t believe I’m saying this but summer is rapidly drawing to an end and the 2022 – 2023 school year is right around the corner that means like millions of other students my baby will be going to school..
FOR THE FIRST TIME AT 3 YEARS OLD!
Of course, we had to do back to school right, and thanks to the great people over at Mibasies we did just that!
We’ve decked these kids out in adorable, extremely well made very functional back-to-school items everyone needs from backpacks fit for the smallest of students to lunchboxes pencil cases, and elementary school-sized backpacks for everyone.
Entire MATCHING SETS of fabulous back-to-school staples!
I love how well-constructed these items are as well as their beautiful print options.
Yes, some things are made to match but there are so many different options that you could comfortably mix and match to suit your child’s likes and desires.
You can tell that there is a lot of attention to detail and durability as well as ease of use and parent-child peace of mind.
We know kids will sit things down and lose them and this detail-oriented company has thought about that. Their items have name labels on or inside them preventing total loss should something be dropped, misplaced, or left behind which I LOVE!
The lunchboxes even have buckle handles, exterior water bottle pocket access, and sturdy zippers even the smallest children can use with ease without worrying they’ll break or won’t be able to access their lunch without a struggle. Made from strong and water-resistant polyester fabric with an insulated interior and reinforced stitching these are top-tier lunch bags to fit ANY STYLE! They come in different liter sizes to suit the age of your child and even have interior mesh zipper pockets with three-layer insulation!
(Seriously, as an adult I’m living for some of these products myself and my kids are just as excited!)
The sparkling unicorn lunchbox suits my Girl SO WELL & the adorable positive affirmations listed on the back of the lunchbox are a bonus. it even has a carrying strap she can use to carry it like a purse!
The pencil cases are crush-proof and made of The same sturdy durable material and stitching we’ve come to expect from mibasies as it Carries nicely across all of their products, with an interior removable divider and mesh pocket there is more than enough room! Trust me parents skip those bulky plastic pencil boxes this year we all know they fall and break every chance they get!
I love that you can even label the exterior with your children’s names these were made with PRACTICAL use in mind and I as an educator and parent am totally here for it all!
I love these backpacks and I’m super pleased with the quality and versatility, you don’t find many kid’s backpacks that are both entertaining and aesthetically pleasing while simultaneously being sturdy and functional.
There are several pockets even with the backpack geared towards preschool & kindergarten age and all are well embroidered with the mibasies brand that doesn’t detract from the quality or cute factor.
During my youngest son‘s recent surgery we even took his new Mibasies dinosaur print preschool backpack to the hospital with us! We got so many compliments and it served us so well even on such a chaotic day. Holding everything we needed for him including snacks in the front insulated lunchbox pocket that is attached as one piece to the backpack itself. Which is something we thoroughly enjoy. our Dino lover was not disappointed!
Really words or product photos don’t do this much justice! Even the glitter products are made with STAY PUT GLITTER so your child gets all the glam and personality with none of the fallout mess!
You’ve got to see these products for yourself I could talk all day about the aspects that I love but nothing compares to seeing them in person or seeing your children regardless of age light up with excitement for the upcoming school year.
We are so grateful for our continued partnership with such great companies and so thankful to add the amazing people at mibasies to that list.
Thank you again for the opportunity to post this with permission and share my experience with your products with all who will benefit. These products are worth EVERY PENNEY. We will be long-term customers of Mibasies in every avenue!
If you weren’t already convinced One of my new favorite retailers for all things school can be found on Amazon and even hosted impeccable deals as part of this year‘s prime days.
These products are stylish, functional and giftable we will definitely be purchasing more products from them as the need and desire arises.
I’m not typically someone who indulges in subscription boxes or in this case bags but when I was offered a free one from one of my make-up-loving friends I couldn’t resist. I simply had to see what all the fuss was about and I must say I am more impressed than I thought I would be!
I’m happy with how cute the bag itself was, how well everything was packaged, and the simplicity of everything. I’m also glad I got to pick one of my items because that’s always nice and made it have a more personal feel for me. The only thing I wasn’t thrilled about was knowing everything that I was getting in the bag. I guess it’s nice if you want to know but it should be an option to reveal it or keep it a surprise. It also takes a while to arrive so I wasn’t necessarily expecting that but I guess it’s Okay when you get used to it.
(Does this mean Amazon has me spoiled with their two-day delivery?)
I also got a free trial of their refreshments subscription which was nice to be able to try and see what kind of products they offer however because I’m so particular about specific things like razors and aftercare I don’t think I will continue that portion of my ipsy subscription.
I will say personal preference aside that I think that’s a nice option to have since ipsy bags are delivered once a month depending on your subscription and you wouldn’t have to make any impromptu store runs for shaving supplies or really any of the other things that they offer through the refreshments tab in the app as it would be essentially sent straight to you with your bag. (*glam bag X happens quarterly and if you are a refreshments subscriber you will still receive your refreshments shipment with your glam bag X, even though during those months you will not receive a traditional bag.*)
About the bag: July
“Get whisked away to tranquil waters, sea breezes, and sandy toes. July’s beach-inspired bag invites you to soak in the beauty of the summer.”
Although each bag is different due to product availability and different responses to the Ipsy personal style quiz this is what I received in the July 2022 bag.
ACE BEAUTÉ – Blushed Up Blush in Rosy
BASIC BEAUTY- Lengthy Lashes
PRESTIGE COSMETICS – Waterproof Automatic Eyeliner in Smoke
SMASHBOX COSMETICS – Original Smooth & Blur Primer
(This is the item I chose)
THE NUE CO. – Barrier Culture Cleanser
Overall it’s been a positive experience!
I’m pleasantly surprised & I would probably rate this whole thing ..maybe a seven out of ten? Sounds pretty solid to me. it’s not overwhelming but the process was easy, the products I received were quality and I like it overall.
I’ll be back when I get my August glam X order with updates.
If you are interested in trying IPSY for yourself or giving a subscription as a gift use my referral link:https://www.ipsy.com/oupgliqc
Being part of the disabled and advocate community I encourage people to ask me questions about myself and my experience rather than make assumptions and I’m grateful that they do!
However, you would not believe how many people just assume that because I have cerebral palsy I can not do the mundane albeit necessary things everyone else does like cleaning.
While it’s true I have limitations and don’t do some things or do things differently one thing I have complete control over in my home is cleaning because for the most part I enjoy it and I do it well. As they say, I work smarter not harder this is especially important when I’m limited on “spoons” and they vary by the day.
(Shout out to my fellow spoonie community! If you’re not familiar with the spoon theory I probably sound crazy. But I encourage everyone to look into it and revisit this post and many others.)
I use ibotta and LOVE IT so when I was planning for my household restock recently and saw the offer for the Swiffer heavy-duty 6-foot extender starter pack I jumped on it!
I have zero regrets!
Now before I continue let me say that every disability brings different challenges and no Cp case is the same just like anything else everyone and their experience is unique.
With that being said, where balance and stability are concerned for me personally we are in dangerous territory. It’s less a than ideal thought to have to stand on things or lift things of substantial weight above chest height. So dusting with traditional dusters was either a task I delegated to someone else or dangerously attempted myself with as mu caution possible.
I stand 5 foot 6 inches tall. With my new 6-foot extending Swiffer duster I can reach 11 feet 6 inches off the ground with multi-directional swivel head options fully acceptable! I can reach everything while standing flat on the floor out of harm’s way!
This duster works disgustingly well and locks in all the allergen-causing dust and debris. I’m not even mad about how gross this thing gets because now I KNOW it’s clean!
The handle is ergonomically friendly and doesn’t strain my hands, it’s easy to adjust the length to fit the reach needed. It’s easy to slide on the dusters and they stay secured!
My kit includes one reusable handle with a hanging slot. And 4 dusters, (2 applications).
I’m so happy to finally have disability-friendly cleaning products like this! It’s a total game-changer for me and allows me to be proud of something I can control and enjoy knowing I do it effectively and safely. I’d like to believe this was created with people like me in mind because it truly feels like it was.
I would buy 100x over and recommend this for everyone! The only thing I would change would be making dust covers for the wand that are reusable / machine washable that are a car detailing cloth type of material. As far as I’m aware, no reusable dusters are available for the extender set.
As most of you have already read I have written previously about Saint and the products offered by this company however the skincare collection is something we’ve not yet covered.
Makeup is an important tool for many people looking to enhance their natural beauty, cover blemishes, and improve overall confidence Seint does a wonderful job of all of the above with quality low impact ingredients and high-quality products of all types in cream & powder.
Seint also offers makeup tools such as brushes apparel and storage solutions.
But none of that does its job as well as it could without a strong well cared for foundation. The skin is your largest organ.
Just let that sink in. Think about all the things that we do in a day that could possibly be damaging to our skin.
Chemicals from cleaning, overuse of body products, The impact of laundry detergents, and of weather and sun exposure.
These products have done my skin so much good and they’ve made the already amazing makeup application even smoother and simpler for me! As a busy mom with a demanding lifestyle I don’t have 2+ hours for self-care to get ready everyday and thanks to Seint I don’t need 2 hours, nor do I have to sacrifice myself for the sake of time.
It takes me 30 minutes to do everything from skincare and clothing to makeup & hair CONSISTENTLY. Yes, you read that right this ISN’T A FLUKE!
The Seint skincare collection consists of a three-step system and four items.
•Cleanser (100 ml)
•Toner (100 ml)
•Creme (50 ml)
•Microfiber Cloths (Set of 3)
(The previously mentioned 50 count refresh wipes that I love so much are sold separately)
It really is as simple as 123.
Wash your face with cleanser, wipe away makeup and any oils and residue with the buttery soft microfiber cloths,
Gently spray your clean, dry face with toner
And lastly, moisturize with milk cream to lock in all the healthy self-care effects!
DONE!
The microfiber cloths wash extremely well and the toner and cleanser can be refilled.
You can use them all as a system or at separate times as needed for your schedule and for your skin the sky is the limit with Seint!
The packaging is classy and consistent always giftable and welcoming.
The microfiber cloths even come individually packaged and housed in a pull drawer box which is wonderful for storage!
If it works to breathe new life into my neglected tired-mom skin it can do wonders for anyone willing to pick it up and try it.
I deserved the self-care and you do too.
There’s no longer any guilt surrounding me taking care of myself because I’m giving my children and my husband the best of me not just what’s left of me and I’m not having to sacrifice tons of time with my family and doing the things they need me to do to take care of myself I can do them simultaneously things are still getting done and I feel better no one loses here! As cliché as it might sound it’s truly been a blessing to me so if you’re ready to jump on the Seint bandwagon, I’m genuinely glad I did shop with my favorite artist at the link below under the skincare tab.
