5 Important Steps You Must Do To Get Ready For Amazon Prime Day

Better late than never! Amazon recently announced the date for Prime Day 2022 which will take place July 13-14. 

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This year shoppers were given a shorter notice for Prime Day than in years past but one this is the same that there are some important things all shoppers who plan to participate should do prior to the big day. These tips will just make your overall experience much more user friendly and hopefully allow you to take advantage of some great deals that only come around once year. 

5 Important Things Shoppers Can Do To Prepare For Amazon Prime Day

1 - Become an Amazon Prime member - 

If you want to participate in Prime Day and get the good deals you have to be a Prime member and have an active membership. 

Becoming a Prime member is super easy! Amazon even allows you to try Prime FREE for 30 days - sign up HERE to try Prime free for 30 days. You can sign up for a membership at Amazon.com or through their app on your phone. 

Amazon has several options to choose from as well as a discounted membership if you are a college student. If you don't plan on needing a full year membership Amazon offers a monthly option. Of course the price is a bit more than the annual membership fee but it allows you to pay by the month spreading out the payment rather than pay the full annual membership fee right up front. 

Speaking of the annual membership, this option is the most economical if you plan to remain an Amazon Prime member for a full year.

Are you a college student? Amazon Prime Student is a Prime membership created just for college students. They can get a free 6 month Student Prime trial here! Prime Student membership includes: 

• Free Two-Day Shipping on over 50 million items, 
• unlimited streaming of Prime movies and TV shows, 
• unlimited photo storage with Prime Photos, 
• exclusive deals and savings, and more! 

After your six-month trial ends, your Prime Student membership makes you eligible to receive 50% off Amazon Prime, and includes continued access to all Prime benefits.

Prime Benefits

Not only does Prime membership give you access to the Amazon Prime Day deals but there are tons of additional benefits you can enjoy such as free fast 2 day or 1 day shipping for eligible purchases, streaming of movies, TV shows and music, exclusive shopping deals and selection, unlimited reading, Amazon Fresh, Prime Now, Prime Pantry, Prime Wardrobe, and more. 

2 - Download the Amazon App

This is a must have tool to take advantage of the Prime Day deals. There is a handy "Deals" section on the app that lets you see all the upcoming deals. The app allows you to click "watch this deal" and will alert you the moment the deal goes live. Just be ready to act once you get a notification that the deal is "live" so you don't miss out before the item sells out!

3 - Create a Wish List

Having a plan before you shop always makes the experience more efficient. Amazon allows you to create wish lists that are saved to your account so you can always refer back to the list instead of re-scrolling through hundreds of items. 

If your wish list has some electronic items like tablets, Echo devices, TV or even microwaves it might be wise to wait for Prime Day to purchase them. Amazon devices will most likely be deeply discounted for this event so why not wait to take advantage of the deals!

4 - Comparison Shop Other Retailers

Since this year's Prime Day is so close to Christmas this gives shoppers a jump start on Black Friday deals and you can bet other retailers have taken notice and are dying to join the party! Before making a purchase check stores like Walmart, Target and Best Buy to see if they are offering a competitive price or a deep discount that could potentially be lower than the item listed on Amazon. 

5 - Set Up Price Alerts

Prime Day is quite overwhelming with so many deals being churned out over a 48 hour period. To keep track of the deals you are interested in just import your wish list to the website CamelCamelCamel, which is free and simple and set price alerts for the items on your list. You will get price alert notifications when your items go below the price alert you've set making sure you purchase at the right time for the lowest price! 

Check Out These Early Prime Day Deals

Amazon loves to promote their own devices and one way they do this is through early Prime Day Deals! These deals are going on now and expire on October 14. 

Check out these early Prime Day Deals happening right now:

• Echo Show 5  (save $45)

• All-New Insignia NS-43DF710NA21 43-inch Smart 4K UHD - Fire TV Edition (on sale for $199.99 original price $299.99 - Free Delivery)

• Kindle Essentials Bundle  (sale $119.97 original price $134.97)

Popular 2020 Prime Day Items You Won't Want To Miss

Excitement is building and people are looking for the best deals on their favorite products, but what products will be the most popular this year? Here are some items you might want to check out and add to your Wish List!

• Instant Vortex 6qt Air Fryer 4 in 1

• Apple Airpods with Charging Case

• Blink Mini - Compact Indoor Plug-In Smart Security Camera

• JBL Flip 5 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker 

• Apple MacBook Pro

• Laminator, 4 in 1 Thermal 

• Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G Cell Phone

• Nintendo Switch Animal Crossing: New Horizons Edition

• Instant Pot Duo Nova Pressure Cooker 6qt

Don't forget to check out this post - 20 Of The Most Useful Items I Bought on Amazon! 

How To Organize Your Busy Life - Free Daily Planner Printable

A daily planner is a useful tool to help you keep track of your goals and get control over the never ending "to-do" list! When life feels super busy and chaotic a daily planner can provide some organization to your fast paced life.  

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my disclaimer page. Thanks!

Organize Your Life With A Daily Planner

I used to just jot down my to-do list on a piece of scrap paper and leave it on my kitchen countertop only to find it missing or thrown away by lunch time. How frustrating! 

Since I started using this daily planner printable I have to say that it hasn't gone missing or gotten thrown away yet! Woo-hoo!! I think my family has caught on that this is mommy's list and nobody dares to toss it out absentmindedly! 

Because this daily planner has helped me keep my task list and goals organized, I find that I get more accomplished during the day than I was doing before I started using it. Plus I just love the decorative border and the fact that I can print out a new planner page each day.  

Each morning before I start my day I sit down at the computer, print off a the daily planner and jot down the tasks I must do that day as well as any goals or notes I want to remember.

Since my list and notes are written on the daily planner everyone in my household can actually read it too and it doesn't get tossed out!

Yeah for organization!!

Daily Planner Printable

This daily planner sure has helped me out so I thought I would share the free printable with you too! Click HERE to get the printable pdf file.  

I keep my completed planner pages in a three ring binder so I can refer back to them in the future. At the end of the month I like to flip through the pages to see how productive I was during the month. It is amazing how quickly you forget all that you accomplished!

This is the first time I've created a pdf daily planner and I'm so proud of my new skills. 

If you want to make the planner editable you can use this cool tool on PDFescape.com. I learned how to do this by watching Youtuber, Sandra Eide. Her tutorial on how to create a fillable PDF in Canva is easy to follow and well done! If you are interested in learning how to do this yourself click on her name (above) and it will take you directly to the video on Youtube. 

Looking for more helpful printables? Get instant access to all of the free printables I have created right HERE. Go check it out and let me know what you like or would like to see in the future. 

5 Fun Addition & Subtraction Math Games For Kids

Kids love to play games so why not turn learning a new math concept into a fun game! I found that my kids learned faster and new concepts "stuck" in their brains better if we played games centered around the new skill they were learning. 

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page.

As the saying says, "practice makes perfect" so when my kids were in their early elementary years learning how to add and subtract, I knew that in order for them to grasp a new math concept and learn their math facts they were going to need a lot of practice. 

The practice part can get a little boring if they use the same method of practicing over and over and over.... 

Today I am going to share with you 5 fun games I played with my kids as a way to get them to practice their addition and subtraction facts! These games are so fun they won't even know they are learning and doing school work!

5 Fun Addition & Subtraction Games To Play With Your Kids

ADDITION & SUBTRACTION WAR 

Grab a full deck of cards to play this game! Prior to playing mark the following numbers in pen or marker on the face cards: Joker = 0, Ace = 1, Jack = 11, Queen = 12, King = 13. 

Shuffle the deck then deal all the cards out alternating between you and your child until the whole deck has been dealt. Players should be sitting across from each other so that the space between them can be used as the game playing space. Each player should have a pile of cards (draw pile) in front of them placed face down. 

Before the first turn, players should agree if they will be playing the addition version or the subtraction version of the game. 

On the count of three (1...2...3) both players take their top card from their own draw pile and flip it over placing it face up in the middle of the playing space. The players add or subtract (depending on what was previously agreed to) the value of the two face up cards and shout out the answer. The player who shouts out the correct answer first wins and gets to collect both cards placing them next to their face down draw pile. 

When a player runs out of cards from their draw pile they can flip over the cards they won during the round and use this as their new draw pile. 

Play continues until one player wins all of the cards!

* Advanced version: If during a turn matching cards are played (for example two 4's are played) then each player on the count of three turns over an additional card from their draw pile. Players should add all four cards values together and shout out the answer. The player that gives the correct answer first wins all of the cards in play. (this may not work well for subtraction since the answer could result in a negative number - a concept young elementary students would not be introduced to yet!)

PIG DICE GAME

This is a game our family loves to play when we have a few minutes to spare waiting for food at a restaurant or in a waiting room at an appointment. Because we like to play it so much I always carry a dice and a piece of paper and pencil around in my purse! 

This is a fun addition game! Players take turns rolling a dice and adding the value of the dice after each roll until they choose to stop and pass the dice to the next player. The twist is that if a 1 is rolled at anytime during a player's turn, their cumulative score for that round goes to zero, their turn ends and they pass the dice to the next player.  During a player's turn they can roll as many or as few times as they want as long as they don't roll a 1. Each player can choose to keep rolling, increasing their risk of losing all their accumulated points or stop rolling and keep their score for that round.  

One person goes first and rolls the dice. The value of the dice is their current score for this round. The player can choose to keep their current score or roll again adding the value of the second roll to their current score. The risk of continuing to play is that if at anytime the player rolls a 1, their current score for that round goes to zero and their turn ends. The player whose turn it is can choose to continue rolling the dice, adding points to their score or they may stop rolling the dice and pass the dice to the next player. If a player stops rolling and hasn't gotten a 1 then their total score for the round is written down on a score sheet under their name. The cumulative score written on the score sheet cannot be wiped out in future rounds if a player rolls a 1. The first player to score 100 points as tallied on the score sheet wins the game! 

HOPSCOTCH ADD/SUBTRACT

Before play begins ask your child to draw hopscotch boxes in chalk on your driveway or sidewalk. To start use boxes up to 10 but as they grow in their math skills add more boxes!  

The purpose of the game is to teach/reinforce addition and subtraction facts to ten. Have your child stand behind the 1 box then you ask them math facts such as what is 1+3. They give their answer by jumping through the hopscotch boxes until they land on the correct answer (4). You then ask them a second math problem that includes the number they are currently standing on so for example you can ask what is 4+3. They should hopscotch hop to the number 7 box. At any time you can mix up the math problems and ask questions like what us 7 - 2.  Now your child has to jump backwards to the 5. Keep asking math problems until they reach the 10. Once they reach the 10 they "won" and they can start over and play again. 

* Indoor play - when I play this game with my children inside I use square sticky notes as the hopscotch grid, writing the numbers on the sticky notes and laying them out on the floor in the proper order. The child should jump from sticky note to sticky note just the same way as they would on an outdoor chalk hopscotch grid. 

FLOWER POWER MATH FACTS

This game takes a little pre-game preparation but once you have it done you are all set to play! Here is what you need to prep before hand so you can play this game anytime with your children:

Supplies

• 1 piece of red construction paper cut 10 - 2 1/2" circles
• 1 piece of yellow construction paper cut 10 - 1 1/2" circles
• 1 piece of green construction paper cut into 20 small leaf shapes (see pics)
• 10 large wood craft sticks (tongue depressors)
• glue sticks
• scissors
• sharpie marker

Cut out circles from the red and yellow construction paper and glue the small yellow circle to the center of each larger red circle. Glue the craft stick to the back of the circle. Next glue two leaves to the back of each flower. Using your sharpie marker write simple addition or subtraction problems on the front and back of each wooden craft stick - do not include the answers!

I like to keep my math flowers in a small mason jar filled with dried beans or peas so that we can play while we are sitting at the table. The peas prevent the child from seeing the math problem until they pull the flower out of the jar. Encourage your child to "pick" a flower, read the math problem and say the answer. If they get it right let them keep the flower but if they get it wrong have the child return the flower to the jar. The person with the most flowers after the jar is empty wins. 

Four In A Row

Looking for a game to boost your child's math skills and confidence as well as help them to think strategically? Four In A Row is a simple yet super fun addition and subtraction game that will help grow their math skills every time they play. Master each level and they can move on to a more challenging and difficult level!

This is a free printable game I created just for you! Play it as often as you like. I find that the Do-A-Dot markers work great for this game! Or laminate the pages and use dry-erase markers so you only have to print the game cards once.

Click HERE to download the printable.

*disclaimer - please do not distribute or sell this printable for profit or personal gain. 

More fun learning ideas...

Check out some of these other great games and activities you can do with your child to teach them math at home:

Simply Delicious Italian Sausage & Tortellini Recipe

Need a quick weeknight dinner that whips up fast and everyone LOVES? Don't worry I've got your back! 

This Italian sausage & tortellini dish is made with cheese tortellini, seasoned Italian sausage in a homemade tomato cream sauce that tastes like it came straight from a fancy restaurant. 

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page. Thanks!

If the name of the recipe intimidates you, don't be fooled! This recipe uses simple ingredients you probably already have in your fridge or pantry. Not only is this Italian Sausage & Tortellini easy to make but you only need one pot to make it! 

Before I go any further I just have to tell you about MY favorite pot - the one I use when I make this dish! This year for my birthday I got a new set of Calphalon pots and pans - that I just love! 

These pots and pans make cooking so much more enjoyable. I use the large (1.5 quart) sauce pan with cover when I make the Italian sausage & tortellini. To feed my whole family, I actually double the recipe and all of the ingredients fit wonderfully in this ONE pot! 

The pots and pans clean up so easily too. If you need new pots and pans I highly recommend this set.  

 

Yeah for easy - and yeah for one-pot meals with quick clean up too! Who has time for all of those extra dishes anyway?

Here are the ingredients and full step-by-step instructions you need in order to make this wonderful dish:

PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD

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Italian Sausage & Tortellini In A Tomato Cream Sauce

• 1lb. Italian sausage (casing removed) mild or spicy depending on your taste
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes undrained
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 9 oz cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach (optional - I left this out because my kids don't like spinach)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 - In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. Once the pan is hot add the diced onions and sausage to the pan. Using a spatula break up the sausage into smaller pieces stirring occasionally until the sausage is fully cooked and brown. 

2 - Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the sausage and onions stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 

3 - Next add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes and tortellini stir to combine. 

4 - Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. 

5 - Reduce the the heat, add the cream and cover. Let it simmer for 15 minutes until tortellini are heated through and tender. 

6 - Add salt and pepper to taste. 

7 - (optional step) Remove the cover and add the spinach. Stir until wilted. Remove from the heat and serve right away. 

Here is the free printable recipe card for this great recipe too! 

PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD - Italian Sausage & Tortellini 

If you have any leftovers, which I doubt you will, store them in an airtight Tupperware container in the fridge. 

Serve this dish alongside a house salad with homemade croutons and a loaf of warm crusty bread. Check out my recipe for homemade croutons using day old Jimmy John's bread HERE! 

I hope you love this dish as much as my family does! Three cheers to easy, delicious recipes that the whole family loves!!!

Here's what people are saying about this recipe:

 Look at all those 5 star ratings! You know it's a winner when everyone gives it such high marks. Let me know how you and your family like this recipe by leaving a comment.  

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Easy Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread Recipe

A fruitful summer garden can surely produce a large quantity of zucchini! A healthy zucchini plant can yield a bountiful quantity of zucchini. But what do you do with all of that zucchini? Make Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread of course!

(Printable Recipe Card)

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page for more information. Thanks

My neighbor gave us a HUGE zucchini the other day. She and her husband had been out of town for a little while and when they got home this big boy was staring up at them from their raised bed garden box! 

It's a biggie for sure. 

Sometimes the super large zucchini have tougher skin and are less flavorful but using one in this recipe will not disappoint!

This easy-to-make recipe makes two loaves of yummy zucchini snickerdoodle bread. I like to use a stoneware loaf pan and LOVE how any type of break I make in it turns out great.  If you don't have a great loaf pan check out my favorite one here!

This recipe calls for shredded zucchini. I use my handy Presto Salad Shooter to shred it. I LOVE this little kitchen tool because it comes with different blades so I can slice, shred, or fancy slice (with those cool wavy textures - think wavy potato chips) in no time at all. 

After baking the two loaves I love to freeze one and eat the other or sometimes I give one loaf to a friend or neighbor. If you choose to freeze a loaf make sure you wrap it in saran wrap then put it in a large Ziploc freezer bag. 

I haven't had any problems with freezing this bread and then using it at a later date! Just thaw it on the countertop and enjoy. I do recommend using it within 3-6 months of freezing though. 

Easy Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups grated zucchini (about 1 large zucchini)

Topping

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two standard-sized loaf pans and set them aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until well combined.
• In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix together
• Pour the flour mixture into the egg mixture and mix again until fully combined. The batter will be thick. Stir in zucchini until fully incorporated.
• In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients.
• Pour half the batter into prepared pans and sprinkle with 1/2 cinnamon sugar mixture.
• Cover with remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon and sugar.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until a knife is inserted and comes out clean. Allow the loaf to cool before slicing.

I love a fresh slice of snickerdoodle zucchini bread with my morning cup of Chai tea! It goes well with coffee too if you prefer coffee. 

Get a printable recipe card for this recipe:

Printable Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread Recipe Card

More Delicious Recipes....

Check out these other great recipes I know you will love!! 

This is my most popular recipe on this blog! Warning - it is so good you are going to have a hard time not eating it all in one sitting!! 

This is one of the most popular recipes on my blog - Carmel corn and kettle corn - It is very easy to make and super addicting, consider yourself warned! 

French Toast Breakfast Muffins

I'd love to hear how your Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread turned out! What are some of your other favorite zucchini recipes? 

5 Encouraging Things You Should Say To Your Husband Every Day

Marriage is hard work. Busy schedules, children, finances and pure exhaustion can cause stress in any marriage. As a wife our job is to be a helper for our husband and one way we can help them is by encouraging them daily. These 5 simple ways to encourage your husband will have a positive impact on your relationship and marriage. 

This post may contain affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page. Thanks!

5 Encouraging Things You Should Say to Your Husband Every Single Day

1 - Pray For Your Husband

Ask your spouse regularly what you as his wife can specifically pray for for him. Maybe he has anxiety about your finances or his job has been very stressful lately. Asking him how and what you can pray for him is one of the most important ways you can encourage your husband. Make sure you tell him you will be praying for him. 

I like to pray out loud with my husband for a few minutes each day specifically asking God to give him wisdom, thanking God for my husband's abilities and specifically asking God to help him in the ways he shared with me before I pray for him. 

2 - Tell Him You Love Him

Have you fallen into the habit of saying "love ya" as your husband pecks you on the cheek and rushes out the door to work. This is nice and all but not quite the romantic, look him in the eye kind of "I love you". Finding a minute or two to be alone as husband and wife, even if it's when you are falling into bed exhausted from a hard day of work, looking each other in the eye and saying "I love you____________(insert husband's name in the blank" is a way you can daily encourage your husband. 

Feeling truly loved by your spouse is an encouragement to everyone so make sure to tell him daily how much you love him. 

3 - Thank Him For His Hard Work

Men love to feel appreciated and respected, it is hard wired into their DNA! One way to encourage him is to tell him how much you appreciate the hard work he has done whether it is mowing the lawn, working at his job all day or helping out with the kids. Thanking your husband with a non-sarcastic, genuine tone, expecting nothing in return is a great way to encourage your spouse. 

If he has been slow to tackle some of the chores on the ever-growing "honey do list" don't gripe about how long it took him to get something done, instead just thank him for the work he did do. 

4 - Tell Him He Did A Good Job

Men take pride in their accomplishments and love it when their wife tells them how good of a job they did. Restrain yourself from nit-picking him about a task he just finished but instead tell your guy he did a good job. 

All men love to have someone tell them they did a good job! Taking notice and then saying "good job" is a great way to encourage your husband. Look for opportunities to say "good job" daily!

5 - Tell Him How Much You Appreciate Him

Feeling unappreciated can cause a lot of stress in a relationship especially a marriage. As a wife making sure you tell your husband how much you appreciate him for who he is and his role as a husband is a terrific way to encourage your spouse. 

Saying something like "Honey, I appreciate how well you care for this kids by making sure their bikes are in good condition" is just a simple example of how you can encourage your husband. 

Find something you appreciate about your husband every day and tell him! 

Keep your relationship strong and healthy by doing and saying these words of encouragement daily. Remember you are his helper and your words are powerful and important to him. 

Use a genuine tone that isn't belittling, sarcastic or nagging and don't expect anything (praise or compliments) in return from him. 

Cheap & Easy Beauty Hacks For A Busy Momma

One of the struggles all Mom's have is finding time to keep up with any kind of beauty routine. 

This post may contain affiliate links which means that if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page. 

When you have a newborn being able to squeeze in a quick shower is considered a luxury - forget about makeup or styling your hair!

As our family grew and my kids got older our schedule just seemed to get busier making it much harder for me to find time to pamper myself or even establish a simple & quick beauty routine! 

Those days of long, relaxing salon visits for a cut, color and style or even a mani/pedi are now memories of a distant past replaced with a quick trip to the salon for a trim, leaving with still wet, un-styled hair - which, if I'm honest, will probably get pulled back into a pony tail before I even make it home! 

If you are a busy Mom like me you know exactly what I'm saying! Time is precious and as our kids get busier our life gets busier too. Something has to give and it most likely is your beauty routine. 

But guess what? It doesn't have to! Today I'm going to share with you a round up of some simple and inexpensive beauty hacks for a busy Mom that will certainly help you reclaim some of your long lost beauty routine. 

I know we all feel better when we look our best but it doesn't need to take hours or cost and arm and a leg but rather a few minutes each day with some simple, over the counter products!

Inexpensive & Easy Beauty Hacks For A Busy Mom

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• Having pasta for dinner tonight? Don't let all that steamy pasta water go to waste! While the pasta is simmering away throw your hair up in a pony tail, drape a towel over your head and put your head over the boiling water in your pasta pot for 5 minutes. For a last blast of steam make sure you repeat this step when you drain the pasta! Even if you aren't having pasta for dinner you can still take advantage of a steaming pot of water to provide an inexpensive and easy facial. 

•  Capture that youthful glowing skin with an at home, easy to make liquid highlighter. According to That Look You Love (Youtube), combine shimmer, baby oil and Nivea Post Shave Balm and apply it to your face and lips. (see the infographic from Couponchief.com below for more details)

• Prevent hangnails and jagged cuticles with a mixture of vitamin E oil, coconut oil an a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Not only will your nails and cuticles look and feel better but the essential oil will provide a soothing scent to last for quite awhile. Your hands will feel salon pampered as a fraction of the cost too!

• Get rid of those dark circles caused by those sleepless nights spent nursing or soothing a little one with this simple and effective trick. Grab two tea bags of strong black high caffeine tea and a mug of boiling hot water. Steep the tea bags in the water for 3-4 minutes. Remove the tea bags from the water and place them just under your eyes for 3 minutes. (Caution - Before placing them under your eye make sure the temperature of the tea bags is not too hot!)

• Body butter is a great skin care product that makes your skin soft and smooth. I found this amazing recipe from Lemon Peony that only takes 4 ingredients, is natural, organic and super easy to make. All you need is beeswax, coconut oil, shea butter and vitamin E oil. Add your favorite essential oil scent if you desire too! Find the complete instructions and video here. 

• DIY Bath bombs are the perfect at home, inexpensive and easy to make beauty tool. You can customize the scent too! If you don't have time for a long hot bath you could toss one in the shower while you are showering to capture the relaxing aroma and feel the fizzy fun on your feet. Check out this post: "Easy DIY Bath Bombs With Custom Flavor Recipes" with a whole bunch of bath bomb flavor recipes for you to try. They also make great gifts for your mom friends.  

• Boost new life into your hair with a homemade hair mask. Prior to shampooing mix up these simple ingredients, massage into your hair with a wide tooth comb and let the ingredients work their magic. Wash with a mild shampoo after using the hair mask. Follow these 6 great hair mask recipes at Your Beauty Blog. 

A few more hacks...

Check out this great infographic that is full of DIY beauty hacks that you an try at home (especially in the event of a pandemic where all the salons and spas are closed!!). From homemade highlighters to at-home facial treatments, these selft-care tricks will help you maintain a normal beauty routine and keep your stress levels down! Thanks to Couponchief.com for the great infographic!

Organize Your Beauty Supplies & Tools

I've found that having the right tools on hand encourages me to keep up my beauty routine. For me it begins with organization. If my products like makeup, hair products, brushes and combs are shoved into the bathroom drawer haphazardly then I'm more likely to skip some steps or just give up all together. 

I recently found this great organizational beauty caddy to help me keep my beauty tools in order and it has helped a ton! I've also been using a makeup drawer organizer to keep things in their place and I love it too. 

For a mom with little to no time for regular hair cuts you can extend the time between hair cuts by using a good quality hair brush. I LOVE the Wet Brush! It doesn't pull when I brush through my hair and easily gets tangles out without breaking the ends - and it is a time saver. No longer am I standing for an eternity in front of the mirror trying to brush through my tangled hair. All it takes is a few minutes to comb out my whole head of hair so I can get on with styling (or throwing it up in a pony tail)!

Do you have any beauty tips, tools or tricks that help you keep up your beauty routine even when your life is super busy? Please - share them in the comments!