Running My Business God's Way | Its Not About Striving, Its About Relying

I love the story of David and Goliath. Whenever I feel inadequate in a situation I think of this story and remember that it is not my own strength that conquers the giants that stand before me, it is the strength of God in me. I only have tiny stones but with God behind me, before me, within me, I will conquer great feats.

Also, God's timing is perfect. I have had this video edited for about a week now but haven't had an opportunity to upload it so its perfect that I am able to share it on Easter weekend. This is why Jesus died for us on the cross, so that all of God's strengths are now available to each of us simply by accepting Jesus as our saviour. 

God doesn't want me to work like crazy and spread myself thin to do His good work, He just wants me to come to Him with what I have, He just wants my heart. 

In this video I share a little bit more detail on this topic and how God has been working in me not to strive but to simply rely on Him, I hope you will check it out and share your thoughts in the comments on social media.

My Favourite Bible Study App First 5

Psalm 147:8-11 New International Version (NIV)

8 He covers the sky with clouds;
    he supplies the earth with rain
    and makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He provides food for the cattle
    and for the young ravens when they call.

10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
    nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
11 the Lord delights in those who fear him,
    who put their hope in his unfailing love.

Stila Stay All Day Review

I received the Stila Stay All Day Foundation in a PR package a few weeks ago and was so excited to try out a new full coverage foundation, (full coverage foundation is my favourite). I have been wearing this foundation everyday for almost three weeks now and am happy to share my thoughts.

Here is how Stila describes this product.
"Stila Stay All Day Foundation is a lightweight, high definition, buildable coverage, oil free, matte foundation. Conveniently hidden inside the cap is a creamy, full-coverage refillable concealer that blends seamlessly to instantly neutralize under-eye circles and hide skin imperfections. This ultra long-wearing, water resistant formula is designed to Stay All Day, and looks and feels natural on skin."

What I love about this foundation.
The coverage is buildable, when you use less product you achieve a more sheer coverage and when you use a full pump or more of the foundation, you get a flawless finish, so the product is versatile. This foundation lasts for most of the day on me, but by the end of the day it has broken up in my t-zone revealing my skin. I did love the finish and coverage though for the time it lasted on my skin. The product has no fragrance and is comfortable to wear. I love that the concealer is in the cap and the colour with peach undertones really brightens my under eye! I will continue to wear this foundation for everyday.

What I don't love about this foundation.
The pump for the foundation is a little tricky to use. If I just wanted a half pump for a light coverage look, or if I wanted a half pump more to add another layer of coverage I ended up wiping product away and throwing it in the garbage. As I said in the video, I have oily skin, so on me this was not a matte finish foundation. In my makeup artistry work, I would use this product on normal to dry skin types for the best skin type match. When applied to dryer skin, I do think this foundation would wear longer and more matte but not as much on an oilier skin type.

Check out the shade range of the Stila Stay All Day Foundation here. 

I am so grateful to have received this product and I hope you guys found this review helpful. I shared my thoughts in a first impression video/vlog as well, check that out here.

Embracing Mama Bear

I am a mama bear.

I love my children ferociously.

I love my children softly.

I teach them skills that will help them navigate their world.

I pray and trust in God's guidance.

I make decisions on behalf of my children.

I hope my decisions are the right ones.

I get tired and I growl at everyone around me.

I feel guilty sometimes.

I feel so intensely.

I love other mamas.

I respect other mamas.

I love my own mama bear.

Some days I am just surviving.

Some days I make amazing things happen.

I resisted the changes that this role brought to my life even after giving birth to my first child but I could only resist for so long, now that I have embraced mama bear, I am so much more joyful.

Embracing mama bear.
Audrey

OOTD | Spiritual Gangster

I always get a ton of love for this Spiritual Gangster sweatshirt when I wear it. I originally purchased it from Lenox in Sarnia but I linked some similar styles below. I have also shared the makeup details for this look, I am currently loving full coverage foundation, bright lips and false lashes. And sweatshirts, all the sweatshirts, as mentioned in this post here . I hope your week is off to a great start guys, I have some more fun posts coming at you this week but I would love to know what your favourite content types are, family, fashion, faith, beauty, lifestyle, food? Comment below or on social media, I want to know!

KISS PR Unboxing

I love KISS Beauty products and was so excited to receive this PR package, I wanted to share it with you. I normally purchase my KISS products from Walmart. I hope you like this video, I will be sharing more about these products as I use them, here and on Instagram.

Here is the link to my KISS False Nail Review

Here is the link to my False Eyelash Application Tutorial

Family Fitness | YMCA Sarnia-Lambton

If you guys follow me on Instagram  and saw my post announcing my partnership with YMCA Sarnia-Lambton  than you know I have committed to start a wellness journey for myself and my family. I had been considering a family membership at our YMCA for a few months, taking a tour and experiencing some of the family activities that are offered. From our very first visit, I knew I wanted to be a member.

I took the kids to the Indoor Playground one Saturday morning, Luke and Elizabeth had a blast! I loved that they were having fun and getting some exercise but what really pulled me in was the sense of family and community in the atmosphere. There were families all around being active, engaging as groups and hanging out, I wanted my family to be a part of that. I even joked to Tyler when I came home from our first play, that we should consider moving to Sarnia so we could be closer to the YMCA.

Since becoming members, Tyler and I have had a few workouts and some much needed relaxation utilizing our Y Plus Membership. We have been swimming as a family and have registered Luke for the YMCA Gymnastics program that starts at the end of March. We are so excited to experience all that the YMCA Sarnia-Lambton has to offer our family.

I believe wellness is a life long journey, like anything in my life that is a priority it will require thought, planning and effort. I enjoy fitness and activity and know when I eat well and exercise, I feel my best. My children will learn by my lead so I feel very fortunate that they can be a part of this journey. Even when we can't be active together, they can learn that I value physical fitness when they see me setting time aside for personal physical activity. I can not do most of the things on my to do list alone, motherhood is definitely a team sport. I have started to utilize the Child Minding available at the YMCA Sarnia-Lambton to make it easier for me to schedule my workouts. I want to be active as an individual so I can be healthy and energized for my family.

My goal is to never give up on this wellness journey. There will be really great weeks and months when being active on a regular basis comes more easily and there will be times when other priorities get shuffled to the top of my list but I can always come back. Before my first workout a few weeks ago, it had actually been years since I had been in a gym but after just a few minutes getting
reacquainted with the free weights, some of my old routines came right back to me.

I am running a marathon not a sprint and I am excited to run this race well by making good small choices each day. I am glad to have started the race by becoming a member of the YMCA Sarnia-Lambton as a huge step in the improvement of my family's wellness.

I would love to know how you stay motivated to make healthy choices each day, please share below or on social media. Join the fun on Instagram and hang with me at the gym in my stories. 

How Not To Go Crazy In A Canadian Winter | Sarnia March Break Activities

Last week on Thursday evening we had an early dinner and then went outside to play in the falling snow. Tyler started a fire, we shovelled snow, jumped on the trampoline and played hide and seek. I was feeling a little cooped up last week and after a night outside I felt so refreshed.

Our winters in Ontario can be long and I can tell that even the kids can get a little out of sorts these days. I posted on Instagram last week asking for ideas to keep busy and have fun during the end of winter and I loved the response. As we go into March Break, I thought it would be fun to share my list of family fun activities (and some suggested by friends) and also get everyone to share their ideas here too, so we can all make the best of these sometimes grey days.

Have a winter bonfire.

A scavenger hunt inside or outside.

Fill the kitchen sink with water and let the kids drive boats and play with a few toys.

Burry objects in a bowl of snow in the house or a designated area in the backyard and dig them out with shovels.

Move toys around in the house to refresh the kids perspective on what they have.

Include the kids in household chores like emptying the dishwasher and loading the dryer.

Swim at a local pool.

Run around a gym during an open play.

Skate during open skate.

Get together with some friends.

Cook or bake as a family.

Drive to a park that you don't normally walk through to refresh the atmosphere of your strolls.

Check local dance studios, gymnastics clubs and other activity facilities for drop in classes during March Break. Bluewater Dance Academy is hosting a choreography intensive for two days during March Break.

Lambton County Libraries have special events going on, check out the schedule here. 

Exit Realty is Hosting a Family Fun Day Monday March 12 at the Library Theatre in Sarnia.

Lambton Mall has special events and activities for children during March Break with a special appearance by the Easter Bunny at the end of the week, check out the details here.

The YMCA Sarnia Lambton has a special calendar of events during March Break, call to find out the details.

I would love to hear what you and your family love to do, please comment below or on social media.

xoxo
Audrey

OOTD | Leather & Denim

“How can I make leggings and a hoodie look chic?” This is what I asked myself as I dug through my wardrobe to put together last Saturday’s outfit. I wanted to be comfortable while I shopped but also look nice for my Instagram Story friends. And let’s face it, I always want to be comfortable.

Perfect! I forgot about my faux leather leggings! They have a stretch waist band and are definitely a step up from regular leggings. My denim jacket over my pink hoodie added some spring flare to the outfit and I finished it off with my high top converse. 

I love how it all came together, comfortable and fun, a total reflection of how I was feeling last Saturday.

Shop Lambton Mall to create your own chic looks. Snap beautiful selfies using their backdrops beside Ardene, share them using #LMVibes and tag Lambton Mall on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for your chance to win a weekly prize. 

Follow me on Instagram for more fashion, family and lifestyle inspiration. 

Book Report | Staying Stylish by Candace Cameron Bure

My mother gave me "Staying Stylish" for Christmas and I finished reading it in January. Since then I have had the opportunity to apply some of the tips offered in the book to my life. In "Staying Stylish" Candace Cameron Bure offers tips on cultivating a look, that will help you feel confident. Advice is offered on all areas of style; wardrobe, skin care, makeup, hair and overall well being. A theme through the book is understanding who you are and showcasing your unique qualities through the way you present yourself.

The is the second book I have read written by Candace Cameron Bure and I also follow her on social media. One characteristic I admire about her and try to emulate in my own life is her ability to prioritize her life based on the leadership of God. She is a woman lead by God and allows His work in all areas of her life, even fashion and fitness. This is something I am taking steps towards each day and Staying Stylish, offered me practical tips that I could start applying right away.

My lifestyle has changed dramatically in the last four years and that is absolutely reflected in my wardrobe. I have been donating items as I turn over my closet the last few years and many of my old clothes are no longer relevant to my current fashion needs. My body has reached a point now where it has levelled out and hopefully wont be changing much so I have started to build a refreshed wardrobe that serves my current lifestyle needs. This book helped me to understand how to go about building my new wardrobe and consider all the different scenarios I need to dress for.

The fashion section is divided into categories based on clothing item and advice is offered on how to shop for an item, tailoring clothes, and how to use specific items in different outfits. I found this helpful as sometimes I can stick pretty close to my comfort zone when it comes to everyday dressing but the various categories helped me realize some gaps I had in my wardrobe, like my outerwear collection. Having a well rounded wardrobe that fits makes presenting yourself well, in different situations easy because you have classic pieces that interchange to create a variety of looks. This is what I am striving for and I am really enjoying the process of developing my personal style in this phase of life. Staying Stylish, is a book I will reach for often as a guide for helping me on my staying stylish journey.

Overall this book was a fun easy read filled with that classic Candace Cameron Bure pep that we all love and lots of pictures to inspire our own looks. A great read!

xoxo
Audrey

Real, Fast, Everyday Makeup | HAL

This is me, getting ready for the day, while the kids eat their breakfast. This is a real, everyday makeup look and while its not necessary, a little dust here and there makes me feel polished and ready to take on the day. In real time this look took me about 15 minutes but I wanted it to be super short for all you ladies who just want some super quick inspiration. Enjoy this 1 minute makeup tutorial. I showcase one of my all time favourite, time saving makeup tricks in this video.

Thanks for watching!

Shop some of my favourite, everyday makeup essentials here.

The Most Fun Shopping Trip

I thoroughly enjoy a full day of shopping, sometimes solo, with friends or for a date day with Tyler. I consider myself a pretty seasoned shopper so I thought I would offer some of my shopping trips to help you make your next shopping trip a huge success. I hate wasting time and I have totally been there when I need something new, have money to burn, things don't come together and I go home empty handed. Here are my shopping tips to help you always have the must fun and successful shopping trip.

1. Keep a running list of things you need.
As soon as you realize you are out of something or something needs to be replenished, open your app and add it to the list. I follow this rule for everything from groceries, to wardrobe, to items I need for the house. I use the app Wunderlist and create lists for categories and stores i.e. groceries or the mall. When I go on a specific shopping trip or into a specific store, I double check that matching list before I start shopping to ensure I stay focused and do not forget something I really need.

2. Set a budget
It is freeing and exciting to shop within a set budget. I love to challenge myself to put together an outfit within a budget, this causes me to shop my closet, ensure I don't purchase things I don't need and helps me to prioritize what I truly love. Sometimes I get many items for less or sometimes I save it all up and splurge on one special piece.

3. Eat, Hydrate & Caffeinate
I can not make decisions when I am hungry and if I haven't eaten properly how will I know if things will fit me properly after a meal. I normally carry snacks (mom life) so I always have something quick to snack on. If I am doing a full shopping day I make sure I have included time for a meal break to relax, refuel and reflect on my shopping list.

4. Take Your Time
I only shop with my children when my shopping does not require a lot of thought or time. If I am hunting for a new pair of jeans I know I need time to try on many pairs at a few stores and move in them a little to consider the fit. I always try to be realistic with how much time I need to complete tasks as rushing never ends well for me.

5. Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
I have been so surprised when trying things on that I would not normally choose for myself, hangers can be decieving. You may think something is your style, only to find out its not or visa versa. Don't be afraid to pull a few things off the rack you normally wouldn't choose for yourself, the worst thing that could happen is you choose to put it back. The best thing that could happen, you find a new style the refreshes your wardrobe and your perspective on putting together some new outfits.

I hope these shopping tips were helpful but I would love to hear from you too. Comment below or on social media with your shopping tips, I want to know.