monthly must haves: heather's august picks

both genelle and myself love trying out new products. we have decided to start this monthly compilation of a few of our favorite must have items. this month i am taking the lead with my current obsessions i have already been telling all of my friends about and am excited to share with you.

1. misfit shine: 

i am a health and fitness gadget junkie and i *love* fitness trackers. if there is a fitness tracker made, i probably own it. the problem with most fitness trackers is that they look great when at the gym or running around town in your yoga pants, but are so unfashionable when you are not. one of the things i love most about my misfit shine is that the small, circular device can be worn a multitude of ways; this includes being able to pop it out and inserted it into a leather watch band (as seen above). the shine is functional and fashionable and can be worn in the water. i also love that it uses a watch battery so you don't have to remember to keep charging it every couple of days as you do with most fitness trackers. my favorite feature though is the free app that the shine syncs with on my phone----it includes a sleep tracker and it has been a major eye-opener to my sleep patterns. the misfit shine is awesome. if you end up getting one, let us know and we can link up to compete and encourage each other in our fitness goals.

2. splendid asymmetrical dress:

i am a sucker for the splendid brand. i own way more of their clothing than i should admit....but my current obsession is the asymmetrical dress. i am not a person that wears dresses all the time and i now own this dress in every color. that is how wonderful it is. it is comfortable, fashionable and the fabric is such that i can wear it around town with flip flips and then add some jewelry and heels and it transitions seamlessly to night. it's perfection. 

3. glamboxes jewelry box:

i love jewelry and when you own a lot of it, like i do, it is hard to find a great box to store it in that is not only fashionable but also functional. glamboxes are truly swoon-worthy and now all of my jewelry is perfectly organized, stored and displayed in a beautiful, custom acrylic masterpiece. they make make-up boxes also that are on my wish list for sure!

4. loreal makeup genius: 

i am not even sure how to begin describing this, because it is so unique and revolutionary that its really one of those things you have to see with your own eyes. loreal makeup genius is a *free* app that allows you to virtually try on make-up onto your own reflection in real-time. i've tried to explain it to countless people and it's impossible to do it justice---you just need to trust me and download it now and see with your own eyes. you can try on specific products as well as test out amazing looks that have already been put together by beauty experts. not only is this app completely changing the way that i shop for make-up, and a valuable tool for me......it is also a blast to use with my nieces and the neighborhood kids (okay, okay....i admit that i have now also have some hilarious photos and videos of my boys in make-up too.....can we say future wedding slide show?!). 

5. downy wrinkle releaser: 

your iron is going to beg you not to try this product, because it will be out of a job when this comes home from the store with you. truth. i now even bring it with me when i travel, because it is quickly becoming something that i can't live without. downy wrinkle releaser is a simple spray that, when spritzed over fabric, magically releases all of the wrinkles. no joke. it even works on curtains, throw pillows, sheets...anything. as a busy, single mama this is a 100% must have.

6: packit lunch boxes: 

now that i have found these, i am certain to be a devoted customer for years to come. packit is a freezable lunch bag that not only keeps my boys lunches cool for hours, but it is big enough to fit a good-sized lunch and a drink and it stays securely closed, even with the way my littles swing their bags around on the way to school. it's a must-have for school, summer camps and even as an adult for the office. 

7: eyes by togo spa: 

are you tired? stressed? dark circles under your eyes? (sounds like me and just about every mommy i know). you need these. eyes are collagen gel pads that are packed with moisture, tons of vitamins and other good things that give you a mini-spa moment in the comfort of your own home. i tried them first after a workout (as you can see above) and, after 20 minutes i not only felt more relaxed and refreshed, but the area under my eyes was noticeably improved. i'm hooked. my current favorite is coconut, but they also carry green tea and ice water, which are fantastic, too.

disclaimer: although we received some products for free, many are purchased on our own dime and *all* are products that we love and the opinions are all our own.

top 15 must-have *PAID* iphone apps for parents

this post is part three in a series of four posts about the top paid and free apps for parents and kids. if you happened to miss out on the previous two, here are the links:

the top 25 *free* iphone apps for parents

the top 15 *free* iphone apps for kids of all ages 

we hope that you are enjoying finding out about new apps as much as we are. if we happened to miss your favorite, please leave a comment and let us know. we would love to hear about them.

enjoy!

one:

real simple recipes--no time to cook--$4.99

Looking for quick and easy dinner ideas? this is for you! there are nearly 850 easy recipes for dinner that you can make—start to finish—in 40 minutes or less.

two:

nike+ gps--$1.99

map runs, track progress, link with favorite itunes playlist, get motivation. i am borderline obsessed with this app. 

three:

pac-man or ms. pac-man $4.99

this app needs no explanation, really. does it? the classic arcade game now in your iphone. brilliant. 

four:

white noise--$1.99

great for traveling. period. amazing for drowning out the ice machine that your hotel room is next to, or the crazy bachelorette party down the hall. also wonderful for helping your kiddos fall asleep while away from home. we use a noise machine for both of our little ones at home and it helps using this app and having one less thing to pack on trips. 

five:

my kids info--$0.99

this app is a family information manager for parents that helps you keep track of your kids day-to-day activities, medical information, important contacts such as teachers or doctors and all other information relevant for your children. we all have these lists, but now they can be in one place. so easy. 



six:

baby brain: your baby log--$2.99

i remember going to our first peditritions appointment with our newborn and we were asked a ton of questions ranging from how many poop & pee diapers the little one had produced to exact hours of sleep and feeding times and frequency. really?! i had barely slept myself and didn't even know what day it was! i truly wish i had app back then. track it all easily with this app. if you are expecting or know someone who is, get this! 

seven:

hipstamatic--$1.99

go retro with your digital photos! this app adds old school character by turning your phone into a customizable work of art. there are hundreds of different effects that can be created by swapping out lenses, flashes and film. i am loving the look that i can easily create with this app!

eight:

ihomeopathy--$3.99
an easy to use guide for treating first-aid emergencies, childhood ailments and common illnesses with homeopathy. everything from treating bruises to bug bites, burns and allergic reactions. 




nine:

two hundred sit-ups--$1.99 
it sounds crazy, right? this app provides a 6 week training program that will soon have you on your way to completing 200 crunches. all it takes is this app and about 30 minutes a week. (note: there is also a hundred push-ups app if you are feeling really crazy.)






ten:

postale--$0.99
easily create custom postcards using your own photos and personal message and then share them via email, facebook or twitter. there are different theme and layout options as well as multiple postal stamp designs to choose from. when you are ready to send, the app will create a unique poststamp on your card that shows the date and location that your card was sent from. it is so much fun!




eleven:

couch to 5k--$2.99
ever dreamed of running a 5k but don't know where to start? this app is your built-in trainer to get you to where you need to be to race. you can do it! we do so much for our kids--it's time to do something for yourself too. you deserve it!


twelve:

pack & go deluxe--family to do, tasks and travel packing list--$1.99
my family is not that large (there are only four of us). however, when we go on vacation, i always seem to forget something! life just gets busy and this app provides me with a great reminder of what to pack for a local trip to the farmers market or a theme park to packing for a big trip (like our upcoming cruise). create 100% custom lists for each member of your family using their bank of over 800 items or add your own. i have never been more organized or ready for a trip. 




thirteen:

martha's everyday food recipes--$2.99
whether you love martha or hate her, you can probably agree that she makes some dang good food! this app provides great, easy recipes along with the integration of a shopping list and fun video tutorials. i love that they provide you with great images so that i know what  i am making is supposed to look like! 




fourteen:

chore bank--$1.99
this app is the ultimate parents tool to keep track of your child's allowance, completion of chores and spending money. say "hello" to you own bank of mom or dad. this app allows you to create a virtual bank account for each child. you set up a chore list and assign a monetary value to the chore and then when he/she completes the core you simple check it off and the dollar value assigned to the chore is added to their "bank account". you can even set an interest rate. i think it is a fabulous way to keep mom/dad organized while teaching your child great lessons in the value of money.






fifteen:

craigs list pro--$0.99
quite possibly the easiest way to search and post items to craigslist. super easy to search for items and i love that it uses gps so you can find out which items really are located closest to you. 




what are your favorite paid apps for your iphone? leave us a comment and let us know!