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I'm Shay! I’m a cookbook author, lifestyle blogger, travel agency owner, wife and mama who loves making every day special for my family.

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Mix & Match Mama

Shay ·

February To-Do List!


Oh hello there February 1!  I’ve been looking at you for over a year on my calendar.  So happy to finally meet you.
Today, my first two cookbooks, Cakes and Meal Planner, hit bookstores nationwide.  If you’re looking for me this afternoon, I’ll be at Barnes & Noble soaking in the moment.  I’ll be the one with the bored three year old in tow ;).
To celebrate my big day, several of my sweet, sweet friends are hosting a giveaway!
Ten winners will receive copies of both books and one winner receive books and a stand mixer!
Woohoo!
To enter, search the hashtag on Instagram #mixandmatchbookblast.  From there, tag a friend on one of my friend’s Instagram pics (it will look just like the graphic above) and you’re entered to win.  Instagram pics will go up around 6:15 AM CST.
How fun is this?!?!  I’m so grateful for sweet friends who are celebrating this special day with me.  I couldn’t love them more.
So…since it is February 1, I thought I’d share my monthly to-do list with you.
 This picture is of my kiddos last February…it’s one of my favorites!  Love these three so much :).

Okay, before we get to February, here’s a recap of January…

 1. Cold Weather Activities: Well, I made a little list…and even tried out a couple of them and you know what?  It’s been warm here!  What???  The entire country has been under a blanket of snow except for us down here in Dallas…so, we’ve skipped all cold weather activities and have fully participated in as many outdoor activities as we could.  It was in the 70s over the weekend.  I mean…that’s Texas for you.  One minute it’s 75 and the next, it’s 28 and sleeting.  Sigh.
2. Walk or run on days I skip the gym: Ha!  Didn’t do that!  I would love to say I work out a lot…but I just don’t.  I hit the gym hard two days a week for my favorite class…but other than that, it’s a crapshoot.  Some weeks, I have extra time and some weeks, I don’t.  I try to be as active as I can…but it’s hard.  Kids/work/laundry/dishes/homework/after school activities/laundry/dinner/laundry it all adds up to a lot of time and as much as I loved it back in the day when I worked out daily (because I didn’t have a family to care for…), it’s just not realistic right now.
3. Find a face mask with moisture: You girls found one for me!! Woohoo!  Listen, my skin was dry from the weather and indoor heating, so when I asked for recommendations, you ladies blew me away with them.  After reading through your tips, I bought Clinique’s Moisture Surge Overnight Mask based on so many of your recommendations and the reviews online.

Side note: I think the last time I bought Clinique before this month was back in 1995 when I was in the 8th grade and all of the girls at Crockett Middle School were using Clinique’s three step cleansing system (bar soap, toner and that iconic yellow moisturizer) and I saved up my money from babysitting to buy it too.

  So…when I ordered this stuff, I didn’t know what to expect, I was just very persuaded my your reviews and the reviews online.  And you know what?  I loved it!  I’ve used it twice a week for three weeks now and I feel like it showed results after the very first time.  You put this on after you’ve done your nightly face washing/moisturizing routine and it’s a thick lotion (but not greasy) that rubs in clear (so you don’t have a mask-like product on your face) and then go to sleep.  When I wake up, my face instantly feels so soft and moisturized.  I’m totally a believer now.

4. Go meatless twice a week: Um, I totally did this and liked it so much that I’m going to make this a goal again in February.  Again, don’t get me wrong…I love me some chicken, pork and beef, but there is something energizing about going meat-free two days a week.  This might be one of those habits I stick with forever.
5. Clean out drawers in kids’ rooms: I tackled this one afternoon while everyone was in school.  I don’t know about you, but after I’m done and I’m look at a trash bag full of stuff to be donated that no longer fits my kids, I think, “what took me so long?”.
6. Make s’mores outside: About three days after my post, we went to Erika’s house for game night and she had s’mores.  Bam!  Goal checked off and I didn’t even have to grocery shop!  (And to be fair: our kids were so preoccupied with playing, that instead of s’mores, I’m pretty sure they each just ate a bar of chocolate and 468 marshmallows on a plate…).
7. Have a slumber party with the kids: We piled everyone in front of the fireplace with sleeping bags, watched a “scary” movie (i.e. Goosebumps…which my kids loved and now want to read the books) and had the best time!
That was January!
Since February is a short month, I’m making a short list…
1. Go meatless twice a week. Trying to make this a regular habit in my life.
2. Get more sleep.  I’ve never been one to sleep in…but I think it would do me some good to sleep in a little bit a few mornings in a row.
3. Get Valentine’s addressed early…and with minimal whining.  My kids are always so excited about addressing their Valentine’s Day cards…until about the fifth one and then they whine/complain/don’t care for the remaining 15.  I need to tackle this project early and spread it out to keep up the cheer.
4. Magic Eraser my baseboards: I don’t know about you, but my baseboards are scuffed and marked up and if I just took a few minutes out of my life to walk around, I could really clean them up.  Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and I have a date with the baseboards this month. 
Listen, that’s all I have for the month.  I’m going to sit back, enjoy February, spend extra time with my loves and not worry about the fact that I should be/could be/might ought to be doing something else.  I have a feeling that I’ll get a spring cleaning urge once March hits, so I should enjoy this last cozy month inside before spring.
One last thing, I saw this on Instagram last week and thought it would be fun to share with you girls…
What is yours?  Comment below and tell us!
I’m going to say mine is to wear sunscreen every single day.  I apply it in the morning and then if I’m outside at all, I reapply it as needed.  Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen.  
What’s your beauty tip?  And what are your goals during February?  Share!
Love you all!
Happy February 1st!
Don’t forget, search the hashtag #mixandmatchbookblast on Instagram!

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Comments

  4. Jo Biddick says

    The best beauty tip that I've ever heard was to ALWAYS remove your makeup before bed. Anytime I tried to skip doing it I lay in bed feeling so guilty that I just have to get up and clean my face.

  5. kelly says

    Congratulations on your book signing – so much fun! Wish I lived nearby, I would absolutely go see you at Barnes and Noble

  6. CourtinFL says

    Good morning! What sunscreen do you wear daily? I need to be better about wearing sunscreen, but don't want to smell like sunscreen all day. Congratulations on your new books!

  8. Julie Connelly says

    Best beauty tip: Don't forget to exfoliate your face. The best time to do it is in the morning & exfoliate 3 times a week. Congrats on your books!! That is SOOOOOOO EXCITING!!!!!!

  9. Caravan Sonnet says

    Congrats on book release day!!! As an author, I well understand how important this day is- such a mixture of emotions as you pour part of your life into a book and then it is out there!! SOO exciting! Rejoicing with you in this exciting time!!!! 🙂
    Blessings, Rebecca 🙂

  11. Narci says

    What an exciting day!!! I'm so happy for you, friend!! Also, that pic of the kids from last February!! Just the cutest thing ever! Xo

  13. Steph Paul says

    What an exciting day/ Month!!!! Congrats:)When did you have time to write these and the ones you are working on? Ok- so after faithfully reading your blog every morning and reading your goals each month- I am going to FINALLY write mine:)have a fantastic day!

  14. Chelsea Rohrer says

    Best beauty tip: wash your hair only every other day! It's so much more manageable. As far as wiping down your baseboards, I've never thought to use the Magic Erasers, but that sounds like a good idea! Have you ever used Norwex products? The dust mitt is awesome for dusting (go figure) the baseboards before you wipe them clean.

  20. Jess Deisher says

    Congratulations lady! My copy came Friday 🙂 Also, I kid you not we were just talking about cleaning the baseboards this weekend. Dogs make that a regular chore! Ugh

    Enjoy your exciting day!!

    xo Jess @ Red White & Sass

    • Megan says

      I seriously thought to myself -hmmm wonder if my baseboards need cleaning?? Then I remembered oh wait we don't have any yet. Ha!!! I'm losing my mind. Congrats on book release day!!!! And my tip-never go to bed without a clean face. I just can't.

  23. Kel says

    Best beauty tip: fill in my eyebrows with a brown eyeshadow and proper brush. I would never have believed how much more polished this makes me look!

  25. Sharon says

    magic eraser your baseboards? this intrigues me. Have you done it before and does it work? I'm a little afraid of those things – i have used them a couple of times and it seems to me they take a layer off and are very abrasive. My husband would be upset if he ended up having to re-paint all the baseboards after I "cleaned" them lol. So if you've done it before and it really works I'm game to try it.

    • LondonLauren says

      Hi Sharon! Jumping in here because I used to work on the advertising for Magic Erasers so I know a lot about the product and thought I'd answer your question. They can take off paint if you scrub REALLY hard or go over the same place too much. I use them on my walls and only once had an issue of some paint coming off and I just know it was because I scrubbed too hard and too long on one spot. It was only a little paint that came off and I could see it starting to happen so I stopped scrubbing (it wasn't like I walked away and 5 mins later the paint disappeared…that wouldn't happen). I also think it was because the paint was thin. I bet on a wood baseboard that would be very very unlikely. It really is an amazing product. One of my clients marked a line on our office wall with a Sharpie and then used the Magic Eraser and it came right off. That made me a believer! You just wet it, squeeze out the excess water and then use it. You don't use cleaning liquids with it. It is made of a product that disintegrates so as you use it, it gets smaller and smaller. That's normal so don't let that surprise you. When it gets too small to use, you just toss it and start using a fresh one. Good luck!

  27. Alicia Marie says

    Congrats on the books! I will look for them.
    What sunscreen do you use? I always moisturize in the am with sunscreen in it…but I should probably use more.
    I have no beauty tips…I should probably fix that… :/

  29. Gail says

    What have you been making for you meatless meals? I always struggle to find ones that will be "filling" enough, any tips? And congrats on the books, hoping to win a copy! 🙂

  31. Jenn says

    I'm not a big beauty tip person at all, but only conditioning your hair at the ends has made all the difference for my hair. And now I don't go through conditioner quite as fast. I also use cheap conditioner (Suave) as shaving cream.

  32. Sara Fehrenbacher says

    My mom told me years ago that if I waited to start wearing make up, my complexion would be great when I got older… and guess what? She was right! I didn't start wearing make up until college, and even now I still don't wear it regularly… and I don't feel like I have to! Its a great feeling.

  35. KRISTIN TATE says

    Best beauty tip ever: apply a thin layer of Vaseline under eyes and on lips before bed. I know 80 year old women who do this and look 60! I'm 32 and I've been doing this since I was 26, no fine lines yet!

  36. Brittany F. says

    Sleep on your pillowcases once and then flip it the second night to the clean side, and then change it on the third night. This tip from my dermatologist made a huge difference for my skin by eliminating any natural oils from hair since I wash it every other day.

  39. Angela Pino says

    Congratulations on your books, I can't wait to get my hands on a copy!

    I love seeing everyone's beauty tips! Mine is probably to wash your face every night.

    You can check out my monthly to-do list here.

    xo, Angela

  41. Stacey Walden says

    I always love your Monthly Goals posts, Shay!

    The best beauty tip I ever received was when a friend recommended I use moisturizer as make-up base instead of liquid foundation. I was always one who was prone to breakouts (especially as a teenager) and this was miraculous for my skin!

  43. Nerine says

    Just wanted to tell you congratulations on your big book release day!! I've had issues with trying to post comments for the last few weeks, so glad it worked today! I hope you are going on a nationwide book tour 🙂

  44. Nerine says

    Just wanted to tell you congratulations on your big book release day!! I've had issues with trying to post comments for the last few weeks, so glad it worked today! I hope you are going on a nationwide book tour 🙂 Best of luck!

  45. Mrs W says

    Congratulations on your books!! And the best beauty tip I ever got was to use a spoon for an eyelash curler. I know it sounds weird but it totally makes my super straight lashes look curled and natural, most eyelash curlers leave a weird kink and the spoon does not. 🙂

  47. Mckenzie Fortner says

    Oh goodness I have multiple ones that have been awesome like sunscreen everyday, and washing your face every night even if you didn't wear makeup that day but I think the best one is to use my ring finger when wiping under my eyes!!! Your ring finger is your weakest finger so when you feel the need to wipe your eyes use it because it pulls less on your skin and will not cause so much sag and wrinkles around your eyes!!

  48. Amanda M says

    So excited for your cookbook debut Shay! Congratulations 🙂 The best beauty tip I've received is from my beautiful Grandma who has always told me to moisturize every night no matter what! She has beautiful skin for being 75 and I hope to always look just like her! It's funny that you recommended the Clinique Mask today for moisture since she has always been a fan of Clinique!

  50. Kelsey @ The Peacock Roost says

    So exciting!!!! Hope you have so much success with your books!! Glad you have relaxing on the agenda for this month, you deserve it after publishing TWO books! My favorite beauty tip is to try not to touch your face. I can tell such a difference in how oily my face gets or how long my makeup stays depending on how often I touch my face. It took a while to break the habit but it was totally worth it!
    Kelsey
    http://www.thepeacockroost.com

  54. Renee I says

    One Word. TINKLE. Every women should buy some tinkle razor blades and clean off all the peach fuzz off your face. Makes your skin so soft and exfoliated. Make up goes on easier, stays on longer!
    I learned about this fabulous secret on Michelle Money's blog from the bachelorette.

    Please watch her video and thank me later!!! 🙂

    See her youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sRkYcY9yNY

    • Renee I says

      Ohh.. and by doing this and using the Clarisonic..Life is GRAND my friends! Don't forget the PMD for exfoliation. TADA! You'll feel brand new! I don't believe in paying a lot for expensive chemicals. Use what you have!

      No need to spend $100's at the salon!!!

      —P.s. I am an Esthetician/Journey-man Hairstylist..so I love trying new products and ideas.
      Check out this other video from the same goofs.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tct-2Tlba14

      Happy Monday. Hugs!

    • LondonLauren says

      I'm going to look up this Tinkle product, sounds fab! So funny you mentioned Michelle Money because right this moment I'm sitting here rewatching her season of the Bachelor and was just pulling out my iPad to try to find her YouTube beauty tutorials. And now you gave me the link – thanks!

  55. Leigh (Balancing By Faith) says

    Congratulations on your books! I have to say, I have tried multiple recipes of yours for my family and they are always a hit. I LOVE that the majority of your recipes are with items that are pretty standard at the store – so much easier!!

  56. Sarah Shaneyfelt says

    Yes–sunscreen!!! I wear one that I bought from my derm and it's formulated for people with oily/combo skin like me so the sunscreen doesn't make my face oily…which is what the cheaper brands do. And good for you to make a goal to sleep in some–sometimes our bodies just need that extra sleep to recharge! Then we feel much better and our health is better!
    Sarah at MeetTheShaneyfelts

  57. Unknown says

    I'm a teacher. Here's some advice on the Valentine Cards.

    Just have your child sign his/her name on each card. Then when they get to school they can pass out one card to each student.

    This will save you time and make it a little easier form them to fill them out.
    Plus, it's easier to pass them out too.

    Hope that helps. 🙂

  58. Katie Bauer says

    Congrats on your books!!!!

    Can you link your meatless meals for easy access? I try it sometimes but we always end up eating a plain salad or pancakes!

  59. Nichole Mancone says

    Always, always, always wash your face before bedtime. I started this in college and no matter how late the night I always wash my face before climbing into bed.

  61. Kellye says

    Congratulations on your book. I enjoy your monthly goals. The best beauty advice I ever received was to moisturize your neck. You won't believe what happens to your neck as you age!

  62. Charming Lucy says

    I have enjoyed reading all of these tips!! I think sunscreen is my top tip. I wipe my baseboards with a dryer sheet – it helps prevent the dog hair from sticking. We have two big labs so I can use all the help I can get(: Congrats on your cook books!! Susan

  66. Jeanie says

    Best beauty tip was to always apply moisturizer or makeup by rubbing it UP on your face and neck. Never rub any product downward; it encourages sagging.

  68. Hope Blevins says

    Cleanse your face every night and moisturize before bed! Start early in your life. I'm 56 and everyone thinks I'm at least 10 years younger! Oh, and drink lots of water!

  70. McFarland Family says

    Congratulations on your books!! I have tried several of your meals and they are delish!! I cannot to have them all in one place.

  71. LondonLauren says

    Thanks for being honest about not working out a lot. Sometimes I look at you and think you're just too perfect so I appreciate when you share the little things that make you imperfect. I can relate to being imperfect! Although I think working out twice a week is still pretty darn good so don't beat yourself up too much on that one! ; )

    Speaking of being imperfect, I loved Hi Sugarplum's super honest post about "Not Doing it All" a few weeks ago. Would love to see something similar from you if you dare! : )

  74. Kimberly says

    Congratulations on your books! My favorite beauty tip was shared with me when I was in junior high: only use glitter on places you want to accentuate (eyes, cheeks), not all over (forehead, nose, etc.). Not really an issue anymore since there isn't much need for glitter in my life, but thinking back to that tip always makes me smile.

  75. JJaz says

    Beauty tips: always remove your make up before bed, and use moisturizer right after a bath/shower. Also, always wear sunscreen, even if it's not sunny.

  76. Leiah Gordon says

    Eeeek love your new books! I just received Meal Planner and I am in <3 ! Congrats Shay!!! My best beauty tips: drink LOTS of water, wash face every night and only rinse with water in the morning, dry shampoo is my life saver, moisturize face/neck/chest religiously, and the most recent – Rose Hip Seed Oil, it's been called "nature's retinol". I've been using it lately on my face and legs and love it!!!

  78. GypsyAccountant says

    my beauty tip is to always drink plenty of water!
    Also, if you are interested in more meatless meals, I highly recommend the kind diet cookbook by Alicia Silverstone. There are some great vegan recipes you will be suprised how amazing they really are. My meat loving friends and family love it when I make the sweet potato lentil stew.

  80. Janessa Rodgers says

    I've been wanting to go meatless once a week but my husband says he can't live like that!! LOL Is your husband on board? Do you have any particular recipes for those nights that are so good they don't need meat?! I just love your blogs, thanks for doing them!