At Home with Beech-Nut® Naturals™

Hi Friends! Today, I'm excited to share details on a baby food brand we've known and trusted since Winston was born. With Winston being our first baby, and both Jared and I not having a lot of friends with kids, we really didn't know what brand was going be "best" or "right" for our family in regards to feeding him baby food. What I wound up doing is going to our local grocery store, seeing what was offered, and looking at the ingredients on the label. I knew I wanted real ingredients without any additives or "extras" you might say. I wanted to know exactly what he was eating.

I was initially drawn to the cute honeypot Beech-Nut® Naturals™ jars with the bright green lid. I could see the color and texture of the purees in each jar, and the ingredients list was short and recognizable. So we tried it out... and kept going back for more.

We started Winston on the Stage 1 single ingredient solid food first, and eventually graduated him to the Stage 2 multiple ingredient purees. Winston is 21 months now, and his favorite has been and still is just apple & kale. And while he can also eat more hearty foods than purees, Beech-Nut® Naturals™ has remained part of his daily diet. There are so many reasons why, but I'll share just a few with you.

1. We like give him food he actually likes, that tastes good, and is good for him. All the ingredients in Beech-Nut® Naturals™ are non-GMO, natural, and simply prepared with ingredients like fresh apples and pears. They are pureed cold to protect flavor and nutrients, and it is clear that Winston can taste the difference!

2. It's a great way to get his fruits and veggies. Don't get me wrong, he's a great eater, we are very lucky. But raw veggies can be tough for a teething baby to eat. Because Beech-Nut® Naturals™ are 100% natural and made with real fruits and vegetables, we feel like we're doing the mom & dad duty in giving him the nutrients his little body needs.

3. You may laugh at this, but it's a great way to help Winston learn how to use silverware. We used to feed him each bite, but now we hold the jar and he takes the bites at his pace and gets a little more coordinated each time.

   

   

Before he takes a bite, he always does one taste test with his finger. No matter the flavor, it's always the same process. We always laugh so hard.

Beech-Nut® Naturals™ is made with real fruits and vegetables, just like you would use at home. Let me know if you try these out at YOUR home. I always love hearing your thoughts.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

xo, Crystal Marie

Thank you Beech-Nut® Naturals™ for sponsoring this blog post.

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Favorite Toys from Amazon

Easter is a week away, so I thought this would be the perfect to time to share a few of our favorite Amazon toy purchases. Some of these toys are new and a few are ones we've had for months and Winston still plays with. Perfect additions to any Easter basket. 

PJ Masks Ride On Vehicle 

Winston plays with this PJ Masks Ride everyday! Grandma gifted this to him before he could walk, so he played with the buttons and loved the sounds and slowly grew into riding it. Then, we bought one for one of his best friends. It's a really fun ride that comes in multiple colors. 

Wonder Wheel 

We keep this Wonder Wheel in the car and take it with us out to dinner to keep Winston entertained. Our friends with a much smaller baby had this one time we were out, and Winston zeroed in, so for $6 it was a no brainer. It makes noise but not a lot, spins in several spots and has a suction cup to stick to tables. Such a great price point.

Explore & More Toy 

We bought the Explore & More Follow-Me Bee when Winston started to crawl and he'd chased it around so much. Now he's almost two and plays with it even more than before, sometimes just turning it on to hear the music. We have to take this one and hide it away sometimes, because he'd listen to the tune all day long. 

Little Apps Tablet

This VTech Little Apps Tablet is another favorite we take on the go or keep in the toy bin. There are so many features and buttons to keep your little one busy. His favorite is the piano keys. 

Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car 

We don't actually own this Laugh & Learn Crawl Car, but this is one of Winston's favorite toy to play with at his friend's house. He loves the interactive dashboard with lights and toys. Comes in pink, too!

Explore & Grow Busy Gears 

This Explore & Grow Busy Gears toy will keep your kiddos entertained for a long time. Winston loves the music, and of course the lights. 

Fat Brain Toys Dimpl

This Dimpl toy is in Winston's Easter basket ready to go. It sold out during Christmas time, so I snagged it when it came back in stock. 

Thanks for stopping by!

xo, Crystal Marie 


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Spring Blazers Under $50

There are so many cute blazers in stores right now. I was on the hunt for a couple for some business meetings, and am now loving wearing them out and about with jeans and heels. I'm a big fan of the plaid, and would like to snag a cute striped blazer next. The neutral stripes are perfect for Spring and Summer and will go with so many outfits. 

If you're headed to the office or just running errands, a blazer is such an easy detail to throw on for a polished look.

Outfit Details 

Blazer // Camisole // Sunnies // Jeans // Heels (similar) // Bag (similar)

More blazers under $50

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Healthy Blonde: Moroccanoil

If you know MOROCCANOIL, you know that the packaging is beautiful and the products smell uh-mazing! I've used the light tones dry shampoo for years, and the past five weeks have been using exclusively MOROCCANOIL products for all my hair care needs. No matter what color or hair type you have, MOROCCANOIL has what you need to keep your hair healthy. Read on for details on several MOROCCANOIL products and what my hair looks like after using them. 

Color Complete Shampoo & Conditioner

I was excited to hear about the new MOROCCANOIL Color Complete Collection that recently launched. A lot of brands say they are color safe, but don't always hold up to their claims (my opinion). Being bright white blonde, I'm always so picky about what I'll try out. Both the Color Complete Shampoo & Conditioner are sulfate free and have COLORLINK™ technology that continuously repairs hair both chemically and physically so that hair is better able to retain color... And I really felt that after each wash. No fading, just soft, shiny, strong hair.    

Hydration Shampoo & Conditioner

To achieve this bright blonde color I'm constantly using bleach products to maintain the look, which can be super drying. The MOROCCANOIL Shampoo & Conditioner gives my hair back what the bleach has been taking away - hydration. It left my hair feeling softer than ANY shampoo and conditioner I've ever tried. I actually washed and dried my hair, and for the first time ever, I didn't feel like I need to straighten it. I typically have the frizzy, dry ends that need taming, but with this combo, I didn't need to. That's how I know it really worked! This line is also sulfate free.

After each wash, I used the Protect & Prevent Spray to detangle my hair. It also protects thermal damage, UV rays and pollution. It detangles my hair without weighing it down or make it feel like I have product in it, if you know what I mean. 

After brushing the Protect & Prevent Spray through my hair, I apply two pumps of the MOROCCANOIL Treatment Light from about mid length down to my end and it helps detangle even more. While the shampoo and conditioner along get my hair soft, adding this treatment gives me silky, shiny, healthier feeling hair. When you use it the first time, you'll really feel how nourishing it is. It makes my hair so smooth. Infused with Argan Oil and vitamins, your hair will thank you! After drying, I also use a tiny bit to catch flyaways.

Using any combination of the MOROCCANOIL products in this post, I was able to go 4-5 days without washing my hair (amen). I made the switch years ago to only washing my hair twice each week max and it's helped me keep my hair stronger. But finding products that last that long are hard to find. Several days after washing, I still smelled the amazing MOROCCANOIL scent and my hair felt full of body and super soft. 

If you do find your hair needing a little pick me up, maybe after a long work out or being outside all day in the wind or who knows what.... The MOROCCANOIL Dry Shampoo will truly rescue you. I've used the Light Tones Dry Shampoo for years in between washes. I love the smell so much and sprays light violet, brightening my color back up. It definitely creates a lot of volume too, so you could even use this after freshly washed hair if you wanted a little more volume. Every time I use this, my husband says, "Ugh, I love the smell of that stuff." So funny. 

These are the five products I'll definitely continue to use. While I love the Color Care Shampoo & Conditioner, the Hydration line helped just slightly more with my dry hair. 

The biggest takeaways from using MOROCCANOIL for the past five weeks has been softer, smoother, stronger, and overall healthier hair. And in case you were wondering, all the products I talked about have the signature MOROCCANOIL scent. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out in the comments below or on Instagram. I love getting feedback from you guys! 

As always, thanks for stopping by!

xo, Crystal Marie

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Favorite Wrap Coats

I picked up this gorgeous lavender wrap coat over the weekend for almost 60% off (insert happy dance) and couldn't wait to share it with you. There are several sizes left and also comes in plus size. The pretty color and timeless style are what caught my eye, but what I really like is that this wool coat will transition well into Spring. It is warm, but because it's a thin wool and unlined, I'll be able to wear with sweaters for the next couple months and then with a tee on a cool night. 

This coat would look really good with a white tee and sneaks for Spring. This is my new favorite tee. It's thicker, making it feel a little dressy and really soft. Love this staple white t-shirt, too. I'm also loving these sneakers. 

Thanks for stopping by! 

xo, Crystal Marie

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A FEW OF MY FAVORITE WRAP COATS RIGHT NOW

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