I was debating whether or not I should continue writing these monthly lists, so I took a super scientific poll on my Instagram Stories (lol). 91% of those of you who voted said you actually read them, so I'll keep it going for you - but I'll be checking my Google Analytics!

With that being said, I forgot to publish one last month - the last couple months were a little bit of a blur with the lack of sleep. But I have managed to get a couple new posts out to you in the last two weeks, so I think we are on an upward swing here! Anyway, here's what I've been loving in October and what I'm looking forward to next month! 

1. What I’m Watching: Fall TV is back, so there's a lot! The Walking Dead (I've been diehard since like season 3 and I just can't quit now), 9-1-1, The Resident, The Good Doctor, This is Us, and all the Chicago Series on NBC. We also binged The Bodyguard on Netflix this past weekend and it was soooo good. Oh, and I can't forget Hallmark Christmas movies, which are already airing! 
2. What I’m Reading: Not technically reading, but I downloaded the audiobook for Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis. I'm probably late to the game, and it's taking me forever, but I'm getting there. 
3. My Current Obsession:  Leopard print and luxe fabrics/textures. 
4. Favorite Beauty Find: I've had a couple really bad breakouts recently, so I'm done trying anything new for the time being! BUT I did try Fenty Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipstick in Candy Venom and I really liked it! The pigment was amazing, and the texture was great - matte without drying my lips out. 
5. What I’m Wearing: Leopard print, duh. ;) 
6. Best Meal I Ate: We actually didn't eat out much this month - nothing spectacular worth noting anyway. BUT we did order from Harry's Pizzeria this past weekend and had the mushroom pizza and the four cheese and spinach pizza, along with their polenta fries (our favorite). That was the first time we had ordered those specific pizzas and they were sooo good. 
7. What I can’t stop humming: Baby Shark? lol
8. Favorite Purchase This Month: Hubs got me the iPhone XS Max. The camera is pretty amazing. 
9. What I’m Most Looking Forward to Next Month: We've actually got so much going on! A wedding, Christmas minis, Thanksgiving & Hubby's birthday! And this Thursday I'll be a panelist at the last  Mama Boss Panel of 2018. Get your tickets here if you want to come hear me talk about my motherhood journey!
10. Wish List Item: I've got a couple of them, but rounding out the list are this puffer jacket that is way too cute, and I'm really in need of a laptop - that will be my next purchase for sure! 

xoxo, 

​Jenise

If you know me, you know I LOVE jeans. I always have. I love dresses and I love to dress up and wear fun outfits, but the truth of the matter is, I am a jeans girl. So I thought it would be fun to do a series where I dress up a pair jeans and a white tee in different ways and share the looks with you. These are 100% looks that I have worn or will wear on some occasion or another. They're all looks I created with things I already had in my closet, and I'll be sharing them with you over the next couple weeks. 

The whole point of this is to give you some ideas of outfits you can wear with things you already have in your closet, or how you can update your wardrobe with just a few pieces while keeping your basics the same. I LOVE avant garde fashion and runway looks as much as the next woman, but that's just not a reality for my lifestyle. And while I love to follow all the cool fashion bloggers, a lot of their looks also don't really fit into my lifestyle. I like to look on trend but I'm also not willing to spend too much on my wardrobe (because kids, pregnancy, and an ever-changing body) nor do I have the time to go shopping every week. So every season I buy a couple of items to update my wardrobe, but I use the same basics that I have in rotation in my closet. 

A pair of slim ankle-length jeans and a good quality white tee (that rings up at only $8! ). 

We had our first tiny taste of cooler weather here in Miami this weekend - temperatures were the lowest they have been since May. The morning was brisk and the humidity was low, but by midday we were back in the 80s. So this look right here is doing fall in a very Miami way. I added a light scarf and a wool hat, (and even the wool hat may be too much). Pointy-toe flats and a carryall make a great look for running around town and getting errands done. 

Photos by Sasha DeAlmagro 

xoxo, 

​Jenise

*affiliate links

But honestly, one of the coolest things about the new CottonTouch™ line? Both the Wash & Shampoo and the Face & Body Lotion contain actual cotton fibers. When I spoke with Sandrine, she explained that cotton fibers in the CottonTouch™  Newborn Wash & Shampoo help to keep the lather from making baby too slippery - because we all know that babies are slippery enough to begin with. She also explained that in the Newborn Face & Body Lotion, the cotton fibers help baby’s skin to absorb the lotion more quickly, because when you touch your baby, you want to feel their smooth skin, not a greasy lotion. (I can vouch for this because in the Miami humidity, I really don’t like to use body lotion that doesn’t absorb quickly. I can typically apply this and walk right out without feeling like a slippery mess!) ​

And another great thing about JOHNSON’S CottonTouch™  line? You can buy it from most of your favorite retailers, including Target!

So what are you waiting for? Go try it - I’m pretty sure you’ll love it as much as we do!

xoxo, 

​Jenise

Photos by Sasha DeAlmagro 

Hey there! It's a been a while, and odds are you haven't stopped by because I haven't had anything new to tell you. It's been nearly a month since my last post, and while I have been getting things done, attending events, and working my behind off, the truth is, I've been exhausted. The kids had both been sick on and off for almost 3 months, which led to major interruptions in their sleeping patterns. Sometime in August, Chloe went from being a perfect sleeper to needing to be rocked and nursed and coddled all night long. Caleb started school, got sick, and it was downhill from there.

I don't tell you this because I want your pity. I'm here to tell you that while social graces dictate that we should smile and "fake it till ya make it," the truth is, we don't always want to fake it, and we don't always feel like we will make it. In the roughest of my weeks, I probably mentioned to every soul I came across that my kids weren't sleeping through the night. If you were one of those people, I apologize profusely and thank you for not telling me to fly a kite. The truth is, for the last couple of months, I have felt like (and more than likely looked like) what Chloe looks like in the photo above. Crying, whiny, and perennially in a bad mood. 

It's no wonder that sleep deprivation is used as a torture tactic on prisoners. Lack of sleep messes with all of your faculties - from energy levels, to brain chemical imbalances, and mood swings. I had zero energy. I couldn't focus on writing, and I was making really poor decision about what I ate. I kept putting off sleep training because it's something I've always grappled with. I fought it with Caleb, too. Once I did it, though, everyone was happier. I kept reminding myself of that.

And after a really rough night, I decided we needed to just go for it. I contacted a sleep consultant, Anet of Learn Eat Sleep, and she helped me come up with a plan for getting Chloe to sleep. We implemented it, and five days in, we've had two full nights of sleep. I feel almost superhuman. We have all woken up in good moods, we're not scrambling around because we hit snooze three times in a row, and everyone is feeling so much better about themselves. 

But why a full post on this? Because while I made mention in passing on my instagram Stories about Chloe's interrupted sleeping patterns, I wasn't really forthcoming in just how bad it had gotten. Guys, it was bad. One night, after the third wakeup and spending forty minutes hearing her cry and trying to get her settled, I had to go to our room to get Eddie. I was in tears, and I told him, "I'm scared I might hurt her. I'm scared of myself." Guys, THAT is what sleep deprivation does to us. Luckily for all of us, I don't suffer from any kind of mental health issue that might have barred me from recognizing that in that moment, I was NOT OKAY. That night, I totally understood why some moms might hurt their children.

According to my social media posts, however, everything seemed "fine." 

But I wasn't. And you know what? It's okay not to be fine. It's OKAY to say, "I NEED HELP." 

And while you're at it asking for help, remind yourself that you don't need to compare yourself to anyone else. Because as I just proved, I'm only showing you a highlight reel. I try to be honest and transparent, I really do. But I get caught up in this world too, and I want everyone to think I'm doing great. I want to be able to do it all, because after all, in this day and age, our value is measured by how much we produce, right? And raising children doesn't give us a tangible product (I mean, aside from our kids being alive and well at the end of the day). 

But this is me, being transparent. And telling you that I certainly don't have it all together. And I'm here to remind you that it's one hundred percent okay if you don't either. 

And that it's okay to say "I need help," or "I need a break." Because God knows I love my kids and my husband. But really, sometimes, I need to feed my own soul. And I need time away so that I can come back fulfilled and replenished. Then I can be the best wife & mom I know how to be. 

So if you're feeling worn down, momma, know that YOU ARE NOT ALONE. There are so many of us out here, crying tears of exhaustion and frustration at 2 am. I've been there. You're not the first, and you won't be the last. So ask for help. 

And hang in there mama, you've got this. 

xoxo, 

Jenise