life lately

Emily Fossier February 19, 2018

JANUARY HIGHLIGHT REEL

1 | Eulalie loves the snow, Pier does not ^. Lots of snow days means that Eulalie got to experience her first snowfall and I dressed her up in the same winter suit Pier used when he was a baby. It's been either gloomy cold rain or slushy snow lately, leaving us with lots of days spent indoors. We are going a bit stir crazy in the Fossier house -- either fighting off illnesses or battling with inclement weather and trying our best to combat cabin fever. As someone who loves the outdoors, I do my best to make it enticing to get outside even when the weather doesn't cooperate. However, a certain two year old doesn't like to get messy in the rain or snow so my efforts are usually a bust. We do lots of art projects and build cities and watch movies...hopefully the sun will be shining too because we are ready for Spring! February may be the shortest month of the year but it FOR SURE feels like the longest.

2 | Speaking of illnesses, this month marked my first time getting mastitis. It wasn't my favorite.

3 | Also speaking of illnesses, Eulalie got the flu. That wasn't anyone's favorite. Seeing the happiest baby in the world become the saddest was hard. I've never seen a little one so sick, but I'm happy to report that she is all better and back to her smiley self! Praise God in His goodness because I was a wreck worrying about her.

4 | At the start of January, my mom stayed with us for a few days to help with the kids. It is always such a gift to have her helping hands and creative mind around. The house is always full with such joy and silliness whenever she comes! The kids love playing with her, and I love spending time with my best friend.

5 | Pier and Eulalie began taking a music class once a week in order for us to get out of the house and begin instilling groundwork for future music lessons. They love it! Pier especially likes banging on the drums. We sing songs and do silly dances and the teacher instructs the students in certain tonal patterns and beats. It's a lot of fun!

6 | Pier and Eulalie love each other (most of the time). Eulalie's love is unconditional. Pier's is a bit more unpredictable. My favorite part of the day is before I put Pier down for his nap...we read books then sing songs as I hold Eulalie and she smiles and giggles at Pier while he's in his crib. It's so sweet because they love to make each other smile.

my skincare routine (+how I cleared up my acne)

Emily Fossier February 16, 2018

I've been working on this post since SEPTEMBER and finally pressed the publish button...I love all things skincare and I've been itching to share you my favorite products. Let me begin by saying please don't be overwhelmed by this list haha! Most of you know I'm all about embracing a minimal lifestyle -- a lifestyle that I have adopted in all areas except in this particular one (and books too if I'm being honest). If you are simply a soap and water kinda girl be thankful and OH how I wish I could be like you! Unfortunately my skin repels anything that is low-maintenance.

Before we dive in, here's some background on my skin: It's oily in the summer, dry in the winter, and sensitive year round. It is a magnet for blackheads and white heads, so exfoliating is a priority for me. If I don't wash my skin every morning and each night I will wake up with all kinds of mountain ranges on my face. I have struggled with acne since I was 12 (particuarly hormonal). When I say acne I don't mean the occasional redness or pimple...I'm talking about serious cystic acne that was embarrassing and painful and gross. I had to go on Acutanne twice and even that didn't help in the long run.

So how did I clear it all up?

Somewhere down the road I learned what products worked for me and what didn't (and all the things from the drugstore caused my skin to worsen!). I then invested in products that worked well, took supplements that supported healthy skin, and tried my best to be consistent with them.

Here's what I've done so far to keep my skin glowing and blemish free:

cleanse:

First up, I remove any makeup with a witchazel toner and my eye makeup with jojoba oil. Then I cleanse using my clarisonic and nourishing cleanser from Beautycounter. The Clarisonic has been my weapon of choice since college and I love how clean it makes my skin feel after each wash. I use it morning and night and I absolutely notice a difference in my skin's texture and clarity whenever I use it. It's important for me to exfoliate regularly because I get clogged pores and white heads easily.

As for the cleanser...Y'all. Beautycounter lives up to they hype. It has completely changed the texture and tone of my skin and I have sworn my loyalty to these products until the day I die. And if you think that's dramatic then I dare you to try them for yourself. For those who haven't heard of BC, it's a company who is passionate about healthy skin and bans over 1,500 questionable ingredients from their skincare and makeup lines. This is extremely attractive to someone like me who is passionate about healthy living in all areas of life.

I truly believe that plants heal. Yet, every time I've attempted to trade in my traditional skincare products for more natural ones, I've been disappointed, Nothing seemed to work...and a lot of the "natural" stuff even made my skin worsen. Then, my friend Lisa sent me some BC samples to try and it was game over. My husband (my HUSBAND mind you) even commented on how great my skin looked after I started using them.

In fact, I love their mission and products so much that I decided to rep for them (which is huge because I am 1000% an introvert and never ever want to push anything I use on anyone...except Beautycounter :) because it's THAT good and wannnnnna to shout it from the rooftops!)

alright alright Beautycounter tangent over, promise. Next up, my secret weapon for keeping acne at bay:

treat:

I discovered (after a lot of trial and error and dermatologists visits) that I need a combination of salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide to keep acne-causing bacteria far far away. I don't know where I would be without the Paula's Choice CLEAR line. It has saved my skin! I use both the extra strength exfoliating toner and the skin-clearing treatment morning and night. I found the face wash in this line to be too drying for me, so I prefer using the one from Beautycounter instead.

To give my skin that extra glow, I use Kiehl's Midnight Recovery oil every night and a vitamin C serum every other night. I use the Mario Badesco vitamin C serum and I've been really pleased with the results -- a lot of old acne scars have begun to fade and my skin feels super soft the next morning. If I have a mac-daddy pimple, then I put a little dot of Mario Badesco Spot Treatment and it dries it right up.

Full disclosure, this doesn't fall into the "natural" skincare category. But it has been the only thing that has worked for my acne and so I continue to use it for that reason. If (when?) I discover a natural product that works as well as this does, you will be the first to know!

moisturize:

Finally, I use a moisturize for the morning and night. The acne treatment dries out my skin so it is important not to skip this step! I have fallen head-over-heels for the BC restorative moisturizers and let me tell you, these products have given me a babies bottom in exchange for a face. I also use the BC eye cream morning and night to help with my puff pastry under-eyes (#twokids) and to prevent signs of aging. Once a week I use the a charcoal mask (also from BC...notice a trend here?) and it has been the first mask that not only WORKS but doesn't break me out. Finally, I like using this vitamin E oil for an added moisture boost in the winter months.

complete list of products:

BC Nourishing Cream Cleanser | use morning and night
witch hazel + rose toner | use to remove makeup
BC eye cream | use morning and night
BC day cream | use each morning
BC night cream | use each night
Paula's Choice Clear Toner | use morning and night
Paula's Choice Clear Treatment | use morning and night
Keihl's Midnight Recovery Oil | use each night
Mario Badesco Vitamin C Oil | use every other night
BC face mask | use 2-3 times a week
Vitamin E Oil | use each morning
Clarisonic Smart Profile | use every other day (usually only use
this if I wore makeup during the day)
Mario Badesco Spot Treatment

six months with eulalie rose

Emily Fossier February 8, 2018

Nothing like a six month update two days from the seven month mark...better late than never, right? Technically she is still six months old, so let's go with it and let me update you on what the past six months have looked like with this sweet angel.

And she IS a sweet angel. Y'all. This baby is literal sunshine. She smiles 99% of the time, even when she's asleep. Brad and I often exchange looks with one another in disbelief that this baby is ours -- I didn't know easy going babies like this existed! Let's just say Pier was a... stoic...child (a very cute stoic child, but still, the hoops we had to go through to get that kid to smile were pretty comical!), so it's a whole new world having a baby who smiles as much as she does.

Developmentally she's right on track. She's discovering the world of relationships -- I can leave the room for only a moment and I might as well have left for China...she cries and cries if I'm not within arms reach. She learned how to sit up by herself and no longer fits in her bassinet or bouncy chair. That's pretty much broken my heart in a million pieces...My baby is growing quicker than I can handle! Her favorite thing lately is taking toys out of baskets. She loves splashing in the bathtub, playing peek-a-boo and singing songs with mama and daddy. My favorite thing lately is when she gets excited about a new toy...she furrows her eyebrows to analyze it as her hands awkwardly move up and down in excitement. It's the cutest.

She's still not sleeping through the night. That is probably my fault because I tend to be more in the gentle parenting camp of co-sleeping in my bed at night and baby-wearing for naps. We're planning on sleep training soon because Eulalie sleeps like this:

So not much sleep is happening for mama. And there's only so many pots of coffee that can get me through the day, ya feel me.

Six months with her has been such a redeeming time for me. I felt as if my time with Pier was robbed because of my anxiety and depression...this time around, I'm enjoying motherhood. I'm so in love with every coo, gummy grin, and rubber band roll. My favorite moments are when both my children are in good moods and enjoy interacting with one another. Eulalie adores her big brother. Pier may be the serious one, but he can make her laugh more than anyone else in this family. Sometimes I catch myself taken aback, breathless, with how full my heart is for these two souls. I am overwhelmed with gratitude and I can't wait to see what the next six months look like with her.

40 day fashion fast | closet breakdown + practical tips

Emily Fossier February 5, 2018

40 days. 10 items of clothing. The Goal? Less stuff. More Jesus.
If you're completely lost as to what I'm talking about, start HERE then HERE
and that will catch you up to speed.

closet breakdown | my 10 items

We're almost a week from the start of the Lenten season, which means it's time to give you a breakdown of the 10 items I picked to wear for this year's fashion fast. I had a lot of interest last time I did a clothing fast, and I'm super excited about the feedback I've already gotten from those planning on joining me this year! Regardless if you decide to join in, I thought it would be beneficial to go into more detail this time around in case you'd like to adopt a similar idea now, or bookmark it for a future Lent. Let's get started!

Remember that shoes, accessories, lounge clothes, and your winter coat aren't part of my 10 item list. Stay tuned in the weeks to come because (hopefully) I'll be able to show you my favorite go-to outfits so that you can see how I interchange my 10 piece wardrobe. Keep in mind that I am not a fashion blogger, nor do I have any claim to knowing anything about clothes -- this is a spiritual challenge first and foremost and should be approached as such. But sharing outfits is girly fun so why not be joyful during our fasting?!

practical tips

01 | ACCOUNTABILITY BUDDY | I think if you take on any type of personal challenge it helps to have a friend to do it with. It's useful to text someone to bounce outfit ideas with or just to give you support when you're sick of wearing the same thing every day. Detachment is hard! If you have a support system at your fingertips, you're more likely to achieve your goal. This time around, I started using the hashtag #40dayfashionfast on social media for those friends who want to join me. It's a great way for us to share our outfits and reflections over the course of the Lenten season!

02 | PLAN + PREPARE | You don't need to buy a whole new wardrobe in order to have the "perfect 10 items" to complete this challenge. Everything on my list were already wardrobe staples in my closet. I invite you to do the same! Look at the things you already own to find your 10 items and then plan out a few "uniforms" in advance so you don't have to think about what goes with what. I find this formulaic way of dressing helps take the guessing game out of "what do I wear today?". If you'd like to learn more about fashion uniforms, check out my favorite conscious closet blog, Unfancy.

03 | THINK COHESIVELY | when planning out your outfits, pick your pieces in colors that work well together. You don't have to have a closet full of neutrals, but a few things in basic hues (white, grey, tan, black) will add versatility to your statement pieces. I picked my two favorite colors -- blue and green -- as my stand out colors to wear with my neutrals.

04 | AVOID TEMPTATION | sign up for e-mail screening services such as Unroll Me so that you can avoid those pesky daily e-mails from your favorite stores. If it's not in your inbox, you're less likely to browse the new arrivals and be tempted by the 30% sale promotions. Freeing up your time online will help you be more productive with your precious free time -- like maybe reading a book, taking a walk outside, learning a new skill, seeking silence in prayer, or spending time with your family. Sounds good to me!

05 | KEEP CHRIST FIRST | Remember that fasting is meant to be hard. It's hard because you're dying to yourself in an area that keeps you from advancing in holiness. If it's not hard, then you probably need to rethink about what you're giving up for Lent. It's not a secret that shopping has always been a personal struggle for me. Materialism creeps in on my life time and time again, and it's easy to get caught in the trap whenever the newest "must have item" comes along. When I fall, I try to renounce any inkling of discouragement. Instead, I remember to boldly accept my weakness and rely completely on Christ's strength and mercy. The entire purpose of Lent is to recognize that we can't go through this life without Him. Trust in His gentleness and patience with our many faults and know that He'll help us detach from the things that prevent us from fully loving Him.

“Detach yourself from the goods of this world. Love and practice poverty of spirit: be content with what is sufficient for leading a simple and temperate life. ”

— ST JOSEMARIA ESCRIVA

the next chapter

Emily Fossier January 27, 2018

I was getting all sentimental and looking through old photos from our honeymoon in Italy, just starring at these two kids for a long time -- I don't think either of us knew the grand adventure that awaited us just a week later when we packed up the U-Haul and drove across the country to start our newlywed life in Indianapolis.

Almost four years ago we were pulling up into the driveway into our rental house. It was the first time I had even been to Indianapolis! A new city. A new job. No friends. No family. A cat. And then, a few months later, we would find out about Pier's existence and forever be changed.

I share all these memories with you because, as most of you know already, we are ending our time in the Midwest as Bradley wraps up his final months in residency. I'm happy to finally share that he has signed a contract and we are officially moving to St. Francisville, Louisiana. Population two thousand. Yep, this city girl is moving out to the country! And I can't wait to live out my Laura Ingalls dreams from childhood (I want lots of land to start homesteading of course ;)).

Brad will be working for the newly renovated hospital in his own Internal Medicine/Family Medicine clinic. He will have regular consistent hours, a four-day work week, and most of all, will be happy doing exactly what he wants to do. It has been such a long (longgggg) road for him and to see his dreams come to life makes me very proud to be by his side. We started dating his first year of medical school, so I've watched his medical career from the very beginning. It has been a privilege to watch my husband learn, grow, and tackle challenges with such courage and grace. It wasn't easy. There were many hidden sacrifices, but in his selflessness and humility, he never made a big deal about any of it. He is a cheerful giver who is willing to go the extra mile to provide for his family and make my dreams come true, too.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share an update here so you can know what we will be up to over the upcoming months. He begins his job in August, but we will likely make the cross-country move at the end of June. Over the Christmas holidays we rented a house directly next to the Catholic in town and can't wait to start making it a home. Eventually, our plan is to purchase a few acres of land and build our forever home on it. But until then, I will be content living in our sweet little rental for as long as we need to make that happen.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support for our family. We feel so loved and so blessed. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.