Friday Favorites

Hi hi. Well friends, it’s been over a year since I did a Friday Favorites post. Jeez. I can’t believe it’s been this long. If you’re new around here, Friday Favorites used to be a weekly series here on my blog where I shared my 4-5 favorites of the moment – anything from a podcast, book, makeup product… really anything. It’s been a while, but I’ve got some good stuff to share today so keep reading. 

1. Tiny Beans

Let’s talk about baby apps. There’s literally hundreds in the AppStore that will help with everything from breastfeeding to development tracking and everything in between. But, I want to share one app that I’ve used every single day since Vienna was born – TinyBeans. Think of it like a private Instagram account for your kiddo where you can share photos to select family and friends, and keep track of milestones in an organized and safe space. We upload a photo or video of Vienna every day to the app. I love the calendar function, because it makes it easy to scroll through every photo we’ve ever uploaded. Our families love getting updates and seeing Vienna grow up, even if they don’t get to see her in person as often as they’d like. 

It’s a free app, but if you want to try a premium membership, use code “SN2019” to get 1 month free. 

2. Bali Body Self Tanning Mousse & Face Tan Water

If you follow me on IG, you know about my self tanning saga. I was excited but also really nervous to start self tanning. Last time I tried was in high school and I turned orange for a school dance. It wasn’t a good look and traumatized me. Needless to say, the formulas have improved and options have greatly increased over the past decade or so. Like probably many people, I got suckered into Bali Body and their amazing marketing on Instagram but I’m so happy that I did. Their products are such high quality and really worth the price. 

I bought the self tanning mousse and the face tan water. Here’s what I did: 

• Showered, shaved (even tho they say not to), used an exfoliating glove.
• Dried off completely and applied Cetaphil body lotion to my knees, ankles and wrists – all spots that tend to be drier and prone to streaking.
• Used two pumps of the mousse on each leg and massaged it into my skin starting at my ankle. Then, I moved to my stomach, back and arms. I used a very little bit around my collarbone and neck.
• Added two pumps of the tan water to a cotton round, patted it all over my face, neck, hairline, jawline and ears.
• Waited 10 minutes before putting on a baggy t-shirt and joggers.

Overall thoughts:

• The products applied evenly with no weird streaks. Ulta didn’t carry the Bali Body mitt, so I used the St. Tropez version and it worked great. 
• Color is dark, but not crazy. Definitely not orange. It looks like I spent a day in the sun. I was conservative in how much I applied, so I would use a bit more next time.
• The products smelled clean and fresh at first, but it does have a very slight self tanner smell as it dries and sets it. It didn’t bother me at all though.
• It didn’t get on my sheets or my clothes.
• Face tan water didn’t irritate my sensitive skin. It went on like a toner and was insanely easy to apply. Been using it every other day. 

3. Trips to Valley Forge National Park

If you’re in the Philly area, I highly recommend taking a trip to Valley Forge National Park. It’s one of my favorite places to visit any time of the year, but especially when the weather cools down and the leaves start changing. Bryan and I typically go in the mornings before Vienna’s afternoon nap. It’s the perfect way to spend a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday. We love walking around and seeing the gorgeous views. The park is massive, so there’s always a new spot to explore, there’s always parking, and it never feels crowded. I even used to go by myself while on maternity leave. It’s a great place to go and just think. 

4. Rainy Day Playlist

My last favorite of the week is my new Rainy Day Playlist. You guys love my music recommendations on IG Stories because they’re a bit all over the place. At least I keep it interesting right? My newest playlist has all the slow jams, perfect for listening on a dreary day while relaxing in bed or driving around. There’s a mix of country, r&b, pop, old school stuff, and current. Anyone remember “U Got It Bad” by Usher? God, what a throwback to high school. My friends and I would blast that song and “Back at One” by Brian McKnight on repeat. Haha, who the hell were we singing about?! I also included some new favorites that I can’t stop playing, like “This City” by Sam Fischer. But anyway, if you want some new songs to listen to on a rainy day go check it out.