Favorite Swim Cover Ups

We had a blast in the Bahamas. It is truly one of our favorite spots in the entire world, and this time we took Winston. It was extra work and extra rewarding. Getting to see him experience the ocean for the first time was so fun. I wanted to share all of my favorite swim cover ups, in case you have a trip coming up and need some ideas. There are so many styles out there. My favorites are the kimono style, cover up pants, tunics and beach throws that double as a cover up. Check out my picks below. 

This kimono cover up is even prettier in person than in the ad. It's has beautiful vibrant colors and is lightweight (perfect for humidity at the beach). I've also been wearing this with jeans and a tank or bodysuit, if it's hot out, but I still want to cover my shoulders. The color is called "coffee."

My swimsuit top and bottom are both by Montce Swim. I wear medium in both pieces. 

I bring these cover up pants on every tropical vacay, and they might be my most worn item on every trip. I should really grab the other colors. Right now black and coral are available. I'm 5'4" and the pants hit just an inch or so about the ground. There's a drawstring, so you can wear low or high-waisted. This pair is similar and available in white right now. The top I'm wearing was a great find. I actually bought this short-sleeved version for roaming around and then a long sleeved version to protect my shoulders and arms later in the vacation. It's super thin, very soft and washes well (yay!). My swimsuit can be purchased directly from Montce Swim, and occasionally Revolve will restock this "Spring Gingham" print. 

This soft tunic is so comfortable and easy to throw on or take with you in a beach bag. This particular style is Calvin Klein and sold out (so sorry), but I'm linking several similar options below. I also love a good beach throw to just tie around me. I love this one by Tavik. It comes in both a short and long version. The material is super soft and can be laid out like a towel or tied around you for a cute cover-up. The horizontal lines are very flattering.

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I love hearing from you guys. Let me know if you try out any of these styles. Thanks for stopping by!

xo, Crystal Marie

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Haircare on Vacation

We're headed to The Bahamas this week for a little fun in the sun, and I wanted to quickly share how I care for my hair on vacation. A lot of resorts have amazing hair and bath products, but I'm a little picky and always like to bring my own products that I'm familiar with, to keep the routine that keeps my hair bright, soft and healthy. Do you bring your own hair products on vacation?

Swim Top // Swim Bottom // Getaway Glam Travel Set // Sunglasses // Hat

If you're headed somewhere nice, and plan on spending time in the sun, salt water and chlorine, it's important to keep your hair protected and hydrated. Moroccanoil has the perfect size travel kits for keeping your hair healthy (and styled). The Moroccanoil Getaway Glam Color Complete Set has the perfect travel size products to take with you. The sun and chlorine can make my hair crazy dry, so I always use a hydrating color protecting shampoo and conditioner and follow with a protecting spray and oil or treatment. If you haven't tried Moroccanoil products before, let me warn you... You're going to fall in love with the scent and be happy with the results. I've linked all four Getaway Glam Sets below, so you can pick the one that best fits your hair care needs. 

I always make sure to pack plenty of hats on my vacations. This panama hat is an all-time favorite that always comes with me. I also just picked up this one in white tweed, and can't wait to wear it. 

In the pool I like to pull my hair up as much as possible. It can be drying for any hair type, and can actually alter the color for blondes. Here are a few of my favorite scrunchies that are gentle on my hair. 

Happy Vacationing! Thanks for stopping by!

xo, Crystal Marie 

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Comfortable Basics for Summer

Today I'm sharing a few of my favorite basic pieces that are both comfortable, and easy for layering. I made a resolution for myself this year to buy less statement pieces, and instead buy more practical and comfy pieces. Here are a few of my favorites. 

These crop pants are so comfortable for the warmer days a head. I wore these so much last Summer and am happy they restocked this year in a similar shade. I also have the chambray pair. They come in several colors in regular and tall sizes. 

A white denim jacket is a must for me in the Summer. It's an easy layering piece to look polished and is perfect for those cool Summer nights. The jacket I'm wearing washes up really well and sizes from xxs-3x.

I have never been big on wearing t-shirts, until I found this one. Then I bought three of them. It's flowy, super soft and has cuffed sleeves (so it's a little dressy by itself). This one is on clearance, so I'm also including a similar style.

T-shirt, Similar // Jacket // Pants // Necklace // Sandals // Sunglasses // Watch // Bracelet

Thanks for stopping by!
xo, Crystal Marie

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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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