The Blissful Momma

12 Straw Bags under $40

Spring is in the air and summer is not too far behind and I am so ready for the fashion that goes with it! I love a good straw or rattan bag and this seems to be a trend that doesn't ever completely go out of style. Straw bags have been trending for the past few years and each season brings the release of some new designs, plus, the classics from the past few years get restocked. I've rounded up my favorite straw/rattan bags, all under $40 and one is even $16! I figured since we can't use these purses year round, it doesn't make sense to spend a lot on them. Why 12 bags? Ten was just not enough and I wanted to make sure to include all the fun styles I have seen trending. I also wanted ... Read the Post

3 Gua Sha Skin Benefits

Skincare has always been an interest of mine, but in the last 5 years, I have really honed on really trying to identify my skin's needs. With that, I've been trying out and identifying products and tools that aren't just gimmicks, but truly help improve my skin. One of these tools is a Gua Sha Stone. I was skeptical at first--I can one stone really do that much for my skin? Short answer: it's not going to work miracles (I mean let's be real, no skincare product or tool really is), but it does seem to reduce breakouts, even out my skin tone, and it reduces a lot of the muscle tension I carry in my face. And it feels amazing! What exactly is a Gua Sha Stone? Gua Sha is a smooth piece ... Read the Post

Second Semester Recap & My Favorite Pregnancy Items

Make sure you read my First Trimester pregnancy recap HERE, which includes the story of how shocked we were to find out we were pregnant. As I type this, I can't help but feel a little shocked that I am in my third trimester now...where has the time gone?! Maybe it's because I didn't have my pregnancy officially confirmed until I was 11 weeks or maybe because this is my second pregnancy, but time is FLYING. Recapping how I've been feeling, some health problems we've run into, and my favorite pregnancy items. How I've Been Feeling To sum it up. . .old. This pregnancy feels so much harder on my body than the last and it's only been three years! I am a little later in my 30s now too, ... Read the Post

My Top 3 Sweater Dresses for Fall

Being pregnant this fall and winter, I am all for comfort, but I also love to be a little bit stylish. When I can find clothes that are comfortable, stylish AND also not maternity so I can wear them after I have the baby, I am a happy woman. Sweater dresses are the perfect closet staple item that meet all three requirements; somehow this is my first year discovering just how versatile they can be. You can pair them with leggings, cute boots/booties, and a few accessories for a polished look. I'm sharing three sweater dresses that I've been loving this season that don't break the bank. Plus, a few over-sized sweaters that also pair well with leggings during this season. Dress #1 This ... Read the Post

Introducing the DBSA Mood Crew

How many times have you felt emotionally exhausted this year?! I think I've lost track at this point. Our emotions have been tested to the limits, and a lot of our own difficulties in coping with emotions have come to light. But what about our children? Imagine feeling the wide range of emotions you already do, but not being able to control them at all; that would be extremely overwhelming! I think we often forget that children are not born with the ability to regulate their emotions, and they often feel overwhelmed by them. Intellectually, many of us know this, but when our child is throwing a tantrum because we didn't put the peanut butter on bread "the right way", it's kind of hard to ... Read the Post

The DBSA mood crew is a free workbook curriculum for ages 4-10 that contains games, activities, and fun educational materials that teach children about emotions. The curriculum has 10 different emotions: happy, sad, lonely, scared, angry, worried, calm, embarrassed, excited, and confident.

Surprise: We’re Pregnant! Recapping My 1st Trimester

This first Trimester has truly been a whirlwind for our family. Since I didn't yet blog while I was pregnant with Oliver, I wanted to make sure to document a lot more this time around. And this time around is SO incredibly different that it is worth documenting. This is going to be a bit long, but only because our journey of getting here was quite long and much of a roller coaster. Trying to get Pregnant Yes, we were trying to get pregnant. We "officially" started trying in January and I knew it would probably take a while. When Covid-19 hit, I definitely was okay with not being pregnant right away with all the times of uncertainty and stories of women I was hearing about having to ... Read the Post

After calling my doctor I was told that if I'm getting negative pregnancy tests there is no way I'm pregnant. I was stumped.