Lego Sale at Zulily

Zulily* has a pretty great selection of fun Lego things happening now. Braxton is full on obsessed with all things Lego, especially their Star Wars stuff and The Lego Movie. I can't tell you how many times we have sung "Everything is Awesome" but it's engrained into my brain. The prices are all pretty great and if you check out with Visa Checkout, you can get free shipping! (Visa Checkout is free too, in case you didn't know) It's never too early to start Christmas shopping! I usually start small now if I find good deals, plus I don't have to worry about spending a ton of money only in December. 

Left to right: 

Tee: $9.99, 2x2 Storage Brick: $18.99, Storage Head: $12.99, 1x1 Storage Brick: $9.99, Superman Alarm Clock: $18.79, Batman Alarm Clock: $19.99, The Lego Hardcover Book: $12.99, Darth Vader Keychain Light: $9.99, Yoda Keychain Light: $9.99, Boba Fett Keychain Light: $9.99, R2-D2 Keychain Light: $9.99, Lego Water Bottle: $9.49, Classic Space Backpack: $17.99, Lunch Box: $10.99, Tee: $9.99

A few more of my favorite Star Wars finds:

 Lego Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles Hardcover Book, Lego Star Wars Minifigures Ultimate Sticker Collection Book, Lego Star Wars in 100 Scenes Hardcover, and Lego Star Wars: Battle for the Stolen Crystals Brickmaster. 

Some stuff is already starting to sell out so make sure you get what you want now! 

*Contains an affiliate link

Monday's Obsessions

July has been...weird. You know how you can get stuck in a rut? Well, that's been me. I'm hoping it goes away soon because we need to enjoy the rest of the summer! My mom will be coming up from Florida to visit us in the next few weeks, which I'm excited for. That also gives me an excuse to paint the down stairs (dining room, spare bedroom, and living room) so it'll look nice when she arrives. It's difficult getting things done with kids though so we'll see how that goes. How do YOU get house projects done when you have little ones running around? I'm really curious...

Ava started speech therapy this month. Yes, I may have another little one with a speech delay. It's a little frustrating but I'm hopeful! Ava talks more than Braxton did at her age but with the "average" 2 year old saying 50-200 words, that's not her. I think we have a great speech therapist though through a different agency so we will see how well she does. We also have another ENT appointment coming up in August at the same place that Braxton went so we can rule out a hearing issue. A little update on Braxton's speech? He's doing awesome! He still is behind considering his age but his language has improved so so much, I'm really truly amazed. He now talks back you guys...yay. My husband and I have said to each other multiple times how he shouldn't be talking to us that way but we're so happy he can haha. 

Yesterday I had a little me time with a mom friend of mine. We attempted to do a huge yard sale off of Route 90 but it was a bust so we headed out to Ithaca. I seriously love it out there. The people are friendly, the views are amazing, everything's health/enviroment conscious, and it feels world's away from the town that we live in even though it's less than an hour away. We went to the farmer's market where I bought some tasty local, organic honey and then we headed out for a little hike to see the Taughannock Falls. It was definitely the time away that I needed to re-charge. 

Jewelry obsession: necklaces by In God We Trust. Bitch Please, Nope, and Blah, Blah, Blah are a few favorites but the naughtier ones are even better and I want them all. (Best friend necklaces are still a thing in your mid twenties, right?) 

The struggle is real.

I have an obsession with Mini Melissa shoes, Ava has an obsession with Minnie Mouse lately, so I can't wait until these come to the United States. 

Love this lip pencil by NARS. 

As I write this, I'm dying for something sweet so here's a perfect brownie recipe. 

Yes, it's technically too early for Halloween decorating but I saw this and thought it was pretty clever!

I want a pretty hammock, a velvety chaise, and some shibori pillows. 

I never thought a dress would make me fall in love so much that it made me dream of frolicking in a field of sunflowers in it. Go ahead...laugh...I am haha 

30 Day Squat Challenge. 

I've had some pretty low days lately, which is sort of why I've been a little MIA, but I've been paying attention to ten foods that beat the blues and it's actually been helping a little.

Bright toes with this Shocking Pink nail polish. 

All things party from Knot & Bow. 

Ever think of gifting someone s'mores? So fun, and different! 

I'm in full on "let's re-do the house" mode and this is definitely something to remember. 

Loving this eclectic interior of that home. 

Back to school backpacks for the kids: space ships, puppy dog, a classic bag by Herschel, R2D2, a unicorn like North West, mermaids, 90's style with these daisies, and you can't ever go wrong with donuts. 

I'm definitely starting to think about blue hair. 

Ready for the giveaway?

This time around I'm giving away a cute, handmade romper by Little Sarah's Boutique. If you remember, that's where Ava's birthday sunsuit came from. When it came in the mail, I was actually blown away with how well made it was. I had searched and searched Etsy shops to find the right one but they either looked cheap or they were way out of my price range. Once I found this boutique, it was exactly what I wanted and affordable! After I messaged the shop owner, Lori, I realized she also was the friendliest ever which totally sold me. I ordered the size large for Ava and it will definitely be able to fit her for quite awhile because of the awesome stretchy-ness of it. Because I love them so much, we have another coming our way, and Ava will be obsessed because it's Minnie Mouse. (I always swore that I wouldn't do character clothes but look at me now) Lori said that she'll be adding some new fabrics to the shop coming up soon, which I think everyone should be excited about! I totally stand behind the quality and I'm excited to get the word out for her. 

All you have to do is head over to my Instagram and follow the directions on the latest post. It's super easy and I'll announce the winner next Monday evening! 

Codes for a Good Target Sale

I've been a little MIA lately, sorry about that. If you're following me on Instagram you saw that I went a little overboard at the barn sale for MacKenzie Childs. I had so much fun shopping the weekend long event and where everything was 50% off, the deal blogger in me was dying at all the good deals! The sale started Thursday at 8 am and I had friends camping out Wednesday night to get a good spot in line. I didn't make it there until Friday morning and when I arrived at 8 am I had to stand in line for over 2 hours just to start shopping. I ended up going back there Saturday, but this time woke up at 5 am, got there at 5:45, and I was the first 10-15 in line for when they opened at 8 am. My second day there was by far the best and I'm already thinking about what I'll get next year haha 

Anyways, today a Target email grabbed my attention. It says you can save up to 30% off of furniture and home items, and you can also take an additional 10% off using code REFRESH. They also have buy 3, get the 4th free on curtains, window hardware, throw pillows, and slipcovers. Licensed items (think Star Wars and Minnie Mouse) are buy 1 get 1 half off so I grabbed those two throw blankets I linked for the kids to hold onto until Christmas. If you spend $50, you save $10 and if you spend $100, you save $25 on bed and bath items using code COLLEGE. 

Their furniture selection is pretty great and there's a lot included in the sale currently. I'm really loving their dining furniture lately. These metal chairs are super popular and they range from $69.99 to $99.99 before the extra 10% off. I love the simple look on this 5 piece dining set, and the fact that it's highly discounted already as well as this dining room table. Also, you can't go wrong with a southwestern rug, especially the one in Cinder/Ivory. 

If clothes are what you're looking for, you can save an extra 10% on clearance clothing, shoes, and accessories using code EXTRA10. I may or may not have bought this little boy's sweatshirt for myself haha I always swore that I would stay away from licensed clothes for my kids but I have to say, some of the stuff is pretty awesome lately. 

And even though I'm not ready for it, back to school shopping has already started. Right now Target has select school supplies, backpacks, and electronics buy 1, get 1 half off. I always stock up during this time, not only for Braxton, but for the whole house. I can't tell you how much it kills me to pay full price for school supplies later on in the year. 

As usual, shipping is free over orders of $25 or if you use your REDcard you get free shipping plus an additional 5% off. 

A great sale happening at Ulta

This morning I got the email that was practically destiny. I say that because I literally just ran out of shampoo/conditioner, and Ulta started an awesome sale of jumbo size shampoos/condtioners, going until July 25th. Usually I have a friend who's a stylist buy my products for me from a supply store because they're cheaper but with this sale, I didn't need to. Shipping is free over $50, and they have a promo code that gets you $3.50 off. The code is 308958. You can also get a free liter pump with any select brand liter purchase, while supplies last. 

Joico K-PAK 33.8 oz shampoo/conditioner: $15.99, AG Hair 33.8 oz Argan & Coconut Conditioner/Colour Care Colour Savour Sulfate Free Shampoo: $21.99, Bed Head's Dumb Blonde 25.36 oz shampoo/reconstructor conditioner: $12.99, Redken Color Extend Magnetics 33.8 oz shampoo/conditioner: $21.99, Hempz Couture Color Protect 25.4 oz shampoo/conditioner: $12.99

I've tried all the brands I posted and like them a lot. The best sales are for the AG Hair and the Hempz Couture. The AG shampoos/conditioners are originally $55 and Hempz is usually $52.95. I may or may not have stocked up, just because. Because I spent over $50, I qualified for this limited time sample. I wish it was still going but it ended at 10 pm tonight. 

Ebates is offering 3% cash back there so you can make a little money back from your shopping! 

Monday's Obsessions

So I used to do this whole weekly thing called Monday's Obsessions where I shared some of my favorite things. It was a lot of fun but with two kids, it was time consuming; and I realized that if I wanted to stay consistent, there was no way I could do it weekly. It was one of those aha moments where I found out that blogging is actually a little bit of hard work. I wanted it to be interesting and fun to read and to do that, you need a lot of content. Now that it's been a little over a year since my last obsession post, I thought about bringing it all back, but this time having it a monthly type of thing. 

Usually how things go, I will share a picture or two that's personal to me along with a little update about us. Then I post links to things that I've been obsessing over. There's usually news articles, music, beauty products, clothes, recipes...the whole nine yards. I honestly really enjoyed sharing my favorite things because so many times I'm asked what I'm into and it was a perfect way to put it all out there! 

I am going to keep with tradition but I also want to add in some giveaways, because who doesn't love giveaways?! It may be big, or it may even be something simple but I know it'll be fun each time.

And here we go...

Loving high rise swim suit bottoms. This suit and this suit from Modcloth are both amazing, and they're on sale.

27 Silly, Sweet, and Strange Quotes From Kids.

Still obsessing over Rocksbox, especially now that I've got my second box from them. Ppsstt you can still try it for free with my code crystalroseexoxo

I love cooking kabobs in the summer and these salmon ones look to die for.

These brown Ecote Morgan Sandals definitely need to be in my life.

I practically live in my Tomgirl jeans. Who says it's wrong to have multiple pairs of the same jeans?

I think I'm going to test out and compare Bumble and Bumble's Surf Infusion and John Frieda's Sea Waves. Yes, that same John Frieda sea salt spray that we all used to use years ago, it's back! (And it's buy one get one half off at Ulta) I already use Bumble and Bumble's Surf Spray but I'm interested in something with some oil in it.

25 Hilarious Amazon Movie Reviews

Drooling over all of these outdoor spaces. Our yard is in total need of a makeover.

Loving Anthropologie's cake stands, this apron, and BHLDN's tea rose lights.

If you don't laugh at at least half of these cake fails, something is wrong.

#LoveWins

Every summer, I bring back my obsession with lipstick. I have always been a fan of bright lips and my go-to for the longest time has been Candy Yum Yum by MAC or Dragon Girl by NARS. I look at it as if I'm going to do lipstick, might as well go bold. I have new favorites now though!! So, forget what you thought about Wet n Wild for a moment because their lipsticks are uh-maz-ing. I have a handful of them and they have outlasted my expensive brands and it's definitely love. My favorite colors so far are Nouveau Pink, Dollhouse Pink, and Red Velvet. A big group of my lady friends are also big fans so you have to try!

I'm totally obsessing over Holly Madison's book and all the juicy drama that's coming from it.

As overpriced as it all must be, I'm dying over every little piece from PRESERVE's home collection.

Last week I got a new iPhone 6 Plus so now I'm eyeing these Kate Spade cases. 6 Plus cases are hard to come by actually!

I need popsicle brownies.

Ready for the giveaway?
I'm giving one person a super fun, trendy falsa Mexican blanket from Six and Grand! (Sorry, but shipping is US only for the giveaway because these blankets are a little heavy) Six and Grand's style is simple: southwest modern + bohemian chic. Their products not only accentuate your home or office but also your lifestyle. Their products are handmade from around the world, the quality is amazing, and the prices are totally affordable. I own a couple of Six and Grand's blankets and they're totally awesome. Bright colors are perfect for summer and they're the best blankets to pack up in the car for a fun day picnicking, laying out at the playground, or even at the beach. Gah, I miss the beach. Anyways! The blankets are light enough for snuggling in the summer, and they're actually pretty soft. Much softer than the ones I remember back when I was younger and my mom had a million of them haha I want to buy all the blankets in all the bright, bold colors.

Rana Falsa Blanket

Colibri Falsa Blanket

All you have to do is head over to my Instagram (@crystalrosee) and follow the directions on the latest post. It's super easy and I'll announce the winner next Monday evening!

1 Year Sam's Club Plus Membership + $20 Gift Card + $20 Store Voucher for $45 (New Members Only)

Zulily offers a 1 year Sam's Club membership, $20 Sam's Club gift card, plus a $20 voucher (choose from party food or kids' clothes) on sale for $45 for new members only. 

Instant Savings Party offers include:

• FREE 30-count custom cupcakes (Approximate retail price $14.58)
• FREE 16'' Take 'n' Bake Cheese or Pepperoni Pizza (Approximate retail price $6.99-7.99)

Instant Savings Back to School offers include:

• $10 off any name-brand kids' lightweight or heavyweight jacket (approximate retail price $11.98 - $29.98)
• $10 off any name-brand kids' jeans (approximate retail price $12.98)

As a Sam's Club® Plus new member, you'll also receive:

• $10 in Cash Rewards for every $500 in qualifying purchases, up to $500 annually
• $120 in special members-only Instant Savings offers (Must redeem voucher by Aug. 31, 2015 to receive these offers. Offers are valid 30 days after voucher is redeemed to activate membership.)
• More than $4,000 in additional Instant Savings offers, valid for a limited time between June 24 and July 19, 2015 (Must redeem voucher to activate membership by July 19, 2015 to receive these additional Instant Savings offers)
• Early shopping hours, 7 am Monday - Saturday (hours may vary by club)

My husband actually bought this deal, so we will be activating it shortly. We went with the party deal, because those free 30 custom cupcakes will definitely come in handy around Braxton's birthday and who can say no to a huge pizza?! We have a membership to BJ's already so it'll be interesting to see where we'll do more shopping now. We buy paper towels, dish soap/pods, toilet paper, etc. in bulk which ends up saving us money in the long run. It's probably my best money saving tip for a family household on a limited budget. 

The More You Buy at Gap, The More You Save

Ending today, Gap has one of my favorite sales happening. Buy 1+ items save 20%, buy 3+ items save 30%, and if you buy 5+ items you save 40% on your purchase using code MORE. I get the majority of Braxton's clothes from Gap because they're fun, well made, and the fit is perfect for how slim he is. 

Pocket tee: $9.58, Graphic tank: $7.18, Paint tee: $9.58, Carpenter shorts: $14.38, Denim shorts: $12.94, Flat front shorts: $12.92

As usual, shipping is free with orders over $50 and Ebates is offering 4% cash back, so don't forget to use it!