What the heck do we get with boys?! I combed through all the best picks for all the little guys in your life!!!! We have goodies for the adventurers, for the scientists, for the stealth bombers, for the athletes and for the readers! A little of everything that every boy will love!!!
“Mama Bear” by definition: A woman, especially a mother, who is extremely protective of a child or children. We have all been there right?! I believe there is nothing more scary than a mama bear protecting their baby. It’s a very overwhelming feeling to make sure that no harm in any way comes to our babes. As my girls are getting older we are inevitably coming up against more situations that make my mama bear instincts flare. I want to bubble wrap them from disappointments, hard lessons, unkindness, gossip, failure, literally all of it. The hardest part for me is to separate the times where I need to step in and protect them and the times that I need to buckle up my mama bear desires and let the situations play out with quiet advice from the sidelines. Our biggest goal is to help our girls become capable and smart. To treat unkindness with strength but love. To apologize if we have hurt someone’s feelings unknowingly. Most importantly to never have a victim mentality.
We had a situation recently, where one of the girls was up against a little bit of bullying. As soon as my girl shared the situation with me, my hackles went up. I literally lost sleep over it for days. I gave her my best advice on how to calmly diffuse the situation but the behavior got worse over a couple days. She calming went to her on day one and tried to talk it out to see what the root of the issue was. We discussed at home what she may have done to the little girl to make her react like this all of a sudden. We wanted to make it better but weren’t sure how. I always want the girls to look at these things from someone else’s shoes in case they unknowingly hurt someone’s feelings. To be sensitive to other’s perspectives. To never be reactionary. The next day behavior really ramped up. It was just getting unkind and I really had to make the tough decision on to step in or not. My thoughts went straight to “I’m going to discuss it with the mom”. I would certainly want to know if one of my girls was being unkind. I discussed me stepping in with my girl . I never want to take action without her knowing. I like us to be a team on this sort of thing. I had to weigh the worst case scenario in my mind. If I stepped in with the other mom, what would the ripple effect be of that? 1. I am now potentially spotlighting this other little girl and making her even more mad at mine which could lead to more unkindness. 2. I am not letting my girl deal with her battles herself. How will she ever know how to handle these sorts of issues in the future when I’m not there to step in? After lots of thought, I explained to her that I wasn’t going to discuss it with the mom and why.
So here is what we did. We decided to build a couple scenarios to practice what she would say if certain things happened. I’m a big fan of being mentally prepared for potential confrontations so you aren’t caught of guard. Being prepared I’ve always found keeps you from feeling helpless, frazzled or the situation escalating. Our big goal was to not allow someone to mistreat her but also deal with it kindly and firmly. She needed to stand up for herself. We decided on “ Please don’t talk about me behind my back. I would really like to get back to being friends again.” If gossiping was continuing. Another option for if unkind behavior was happening would be “ Please don’t be mean anymore, I would really like to be friends again if we can”. The truth was, my babe did still want to be friends with this girl and I agreed. Thankfully, the little girl snapped out of whatever was bothering her the next day and all went back to normal so my babe didn’t have to use any of our scripts. Phew! Crisis averted and I’m so happy I didn’t step in like I really wanted to.
I know this was a very little hiccup for my girl and there are so many serious bullying issues that so many mamas have to endure with their little ones. My heart breaks over it! I pray we help our babies be strong and brave and always enable them to stand up for themselves kindly.
Pleated skirts are my favorite fall piece of the moment! Pair them with sneakers, booties, flats, sandals, boots … literally seasonless and so feminine! I love a dressed up satin skit, floral print, leopard for texture, or simple chiffon. Any style is a must for your fall wardrobe! Top the look off with a graphic tee, a blouse or a sweater ! The pleats create a slimming silhouette on anyone!
The age of the sleepover is upon us! I’m all about a slumber party and love priceless memories they bring! We haven’t yet let the girl’s attend sleepovers but that hasn’t stopped us from having some super fun ones at our house. Here are some of our tried and true must haves to throw a simple yet really fun night that tweens love!
Have loads of snacks! Fun popcorn with sprinkles, pizza, chips, bubbly water, pizza and root beer floats where on the menu for our last one. Some of our sweet mamas brought waters, cookies, chips and some candy which the was so awesome for our movie night.
2. Try a new movie. Our choices were the new Aladdin or my personal all time favorite Wild Hearts Cant Be Broken. UGH! So good! I checked with mamas first to make sure they were okay with that choice and we all agreed it was the BEST! Make sure to keep your movies and music age appropriate! We are pretty heavy with our censoring in our house but it’s important to run by any choices with parents so everyone is comfortable. The girls picked Wild Hearts and loved it!!!!
3. Keep a couple simple activities on hand. We always make sure to have the poloroid ready to rock and roll for fun pictures. We keep nail polish, makeup and loads of hair stuff on hand for them to play with. They always seem to want to do each other’s hair at some point so we are ready!
4. We put together a sweet spa mask that was edible for the girls to mess with. You will need sprinkles, powdered sugar and milk. Mix and smear on face for some yummy fun!
5. Cell phone free zone! We dubbed our house a cell phone free party zone. I made sure all the parent’s were aware of the rule and all the girls were super cool with it! We wanted to make sure that they had access to them if they did need to reach their parent’s but out of their hands so they were free to just play and have fun. It was so great and really allowed the girls to be present.
Lastly, I let them do their thing! I make sure they know the house rules and that they are more than welcome to ask me for anything and then I hang back and let them play! I grab a good book and snuggle in with my door open and listen to the giggles.
I whole heartedly believe that any and all success that has happened in my life have been gained by confidence. It’s the single biggest lesson we are actively being very intentional with while raising the girls. I believe with confidence, they won’t be talked into situations that they don’t want to be a part of, they will feel good about standing for what they believe and not be swayed by their peers, they can move and shake in life knowing that they can handle any situation etc. Here are some of the very intentional ways and practical steps we are working on our building confidence in our girls.
Enforcing their voices- listening and hearing their thoughts. Of course, not everything they have to say is riveting or interesting, but to them it is, so we like to give them a platform for it each night. When we sit down for dinner, we take turns sharing the best part of our days. We very intentionally don’t discuss the negative. We find that giving any air space to negative just sucks the life out of the night and isn’t what we want to give attention too. We want them to be focused on finding the good always in their day. We go around each of us and discuss the best part of our day. It can be anything from crushing a test, seeing a butterfly, eating a really good sandwich or getting to wear our new shoes. Anything goes! Letting them actively share what’s on their mind has been really interesting. We are trying to make sure that both of them know that their voices are important to us.
Not everyone is thinking about you- to juxtapose the above, we also are very intentional with making sure that we instill the certainty that not everyone is thinking about them. Everyone is worried about their own stuff. We don’t take things personally. We aim to not overthink and just believe the best of intentions from everyone. We can only control ourselves not others and we can’t worry ourselves about what someone else may or may not be thinking or doing. Stay in our own lane.
Self deprication- to piggy back on the last topic, we keep a really strong sense of humor in our house. Really strong! We tease insesently! We are very conscientious to be kind but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Both Erik and I have pretty similar senses of humor. I really never take myself to seriously and can whole heartedly poke fun at myself. None of us are perfect and will never be! Why not keep our opinions of ourselves light and fun. We know who we are and what we stand for, the rest is just fun. Nothing can be that serious! Drama free house is the goal always! Check back with me in a couple years when all of us are pmsing at the same time!
Valuing their opinions on silly topics like shoes and what dress to wear- my dad gave me this advice a while back and I really took it to heart. He suggested giving the girl’s some say in things like what shoes I should wear to date night, what lipstick works best, or which earrings. It’s fun to see what their tastes are and what they think looks good together. I know these are fairly frivolous things to be deciding on but it gets them involved and subtly lets them know that they opinions matter to me. It also teaches them how to put together an outfit for an occasion and what goes into the look.
Letting them be in charge of adult things like the airport and parking places- this one is HUGE!!!! We are so fortunate to travel a lot as a family but also with my mom for our girl’s trips. When I was little she would give us our tickets at an airport and we were supposed to lead the way to our gate. We do this with every trip we do. If they know how to navigate their world they will be less intimidated when they get to adventure on their own. This practice also helps teach them how to problem solve when things get confusing or tricky.
Enforcing social graces like eye contact and conversation skills- this is such a lost art in our digital age. There is nothing more powerful than eye contact and conversation skills. To be able to enter any room and not be a wallflower is big in our house! There will be a lot of situations in their life where they are uncomfortable or not sure how to interject themselves but by leading with a smile and knowing how to converse they will be able to handle any awkward moments. We practice this every time we sit down for dinner with our “best day” conversations. Each person has to follow up with a question about each other’s day . This helps teach them to ask about others and not just talk about themselves. We also are very hard core with eye contact and manners in restaurants. Each of them has to order their meal for themselves, look at the waiter, smile and use their pleases and thank you’s. This includes every time the waiter fills their water. They are taught to stop what they are doing look up at the waiter and say thank you every time. It’s a lot but we feel it’s so important to teach them that they are not the most important person there and to acknowledge when someone does something for them.
All in all, we aim to raise them to feel good about their choices. To make decisions on their own and never be followers. If we reinforce these things with not only words but by actions and exercises daily, we hope that when they get into a tricky situation they can fall back on who they are and what they know.
Fall is great time to focus on skin! I am scrubbing off all the summer and working on that winter glow! As our temps will be dipping our skin can lose moisture and get dry.
This Pumpkin Enzyme mask has been a front runner for the last couple weeks. It’s the yummiest fall scent and really gets your skin squeaky clean and decongested but also resurfaces at the same time.
Tackling fine lines and skin texture are some of the major issues I’m tackling this fall. I’ve introduced this Glycolic Night Serum into my night routine and already can see results!
I’m guilty of being a total sun worshiper in my past. I still love a Cali tan but try and do my best to keep my sun exposure to a minimum. To keep a summer tan all year, this Sunless tanner is my all time favorite and I can’t recommend it enough! Make sure to snag the mit too for flawless coverage and no streaking!
Nothing screams fall more than rich tones on your digits! A fall mani/ pedi isn’t complete without a deep dark red paired with a classic red that never goes out of style or season!
I noticed my pores where getting really congested and started switching up my moisturizer to see if that was the culprit. I swapped my daily moisturizer for this Rose Hip oil and all of my pores seem to be happy again! It’s all natural and can be used to boost skin elasticity, minimize scars, burns, stretch marks you name it!
Lastly, is getting all that dead skin off your pucker! I’ve been using this Sara Happ duo and the grapefruit flavor is heavenly!
Sweet and Spicy Butternut Squash Pizza
you will need:
4 slices bacon, thick cut
1 apple thinly sliced
4 cups butternut squash diced
2 sweet onion cut thin
1/2 Adobo chili, minced
2 T honey
1 t chili powder
1/4 t cinnamon
1/2 t cumin
1 T butter
6 oz cheddar sharp cheddar cheese grated
Trader Joes rectangle pizza flatbread
To make:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.*
In a small bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, cinnamon, honey and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Spread the veggies out in a single layer on one or two baking sheets. Drizzle the olive oil mixture over the veggies and toss well to coat. Roast until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring the veggies halfway through. Remove and set aside.
While the veggies roast, caramelize the onions. Heat a large skillet with high sides over medium-high heat and cook bacon until crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Remove all but one tablespoon of bacon fat from the pan and then add the butter. Add the onions and cook about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. At this point you want to slowly add the cider, let it cook into the onions, add more and let it cook some more. Do this until the 1 cup of cider is gone or the onions are caramelized to your liking and the cider has evaporated.
In a bowl whisk together the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, chipotle chile pepper in adobo, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, cumin and a good pinch of salt + pepper.
Place your pizza crust onto a baking sheet and spread the chipotle olive oil mixture over the crust. Add the caramelized onions and half the roasted butternut squash. You may not want to use all onions if you feel like there is just too many. I used probably about 3/4 of the onions. Add the cheddar cheese and then the sliced apples and remaining butternut.
Bake the pizza for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is all melty and gooey.
adapted from Half Baked Harvest
I love to host little gatherings at house all year but as we come up to the holiday’s my hostess vibes go into full gear. I used to be a really anxious hostess. I would worry about everyone having a good time, was the food good, does the house smell nice etc. etc. Over the years, I’ve honed some tips on how to be a chill hostess and ensure that not only your guests feel special and taken care of but you have a great time too.
Pick a theme- a theme can really help with all aspects of party prep. You can get your table layout designed with decor, decide on florals if any, work out your playlist and create your menu based off the vibe of your theme. This doesn’t have to be elaborate but something that sets the tone for you and your guests.
Add some charm- now that you have a loose theme worked out, you can add little accents to your meal and table to make your guests feel extra special. I love using name tags for each guest. You can get really creative with these sweet touches from wood etched to hand written. Cloth napkins and your nicer dish ware show that you have given the setting extra thought. Florals are always a lovely touch. I like to keep my florals low and scattered to keep cross table conversation easy.
Prep before hand- I love getting my table all situated and set up in advance to see what I’m missing or be able to play with the design a bit before hand. I pull out the appropriate serve ware based on my menu so I can have everything cleaned and ready to go. This also goes for the menu. I plan everything out in detail a couple days before hand so I have plenty of time do the shopping and food prep ahead of time. I’m still working on perfecting my cooking times but practice makes perfect right?!
Libations and Apps-I feel like cocktails and appetizers are the kick off to any party. I like guests to have something yummy to snack on right away and be able to fill their cup with something festive. You can never go wrong with a fall inspired spiked punch or sangria and a yummy rustic charcuterie. Make sure to keep a little something for every pallet at fingers reach.
Set the mood with a great playlist- the tone of any gathering is immediately set by the music. If you want a more energetic vibe get something tuned up that is poppy and fun. For a more laid back feel, find tunes that feel more relaxed and serene. Keep in my tunes with profanity. Some tracks have some sneaky lyrics that may make guests feel uncomfortable and may not be great for little ears.
We have some major growing girls up in our house! I feel like I’m feeding these two constantly! I thought I get smart this school year and get ahead of grab and go snacks. First on that list by popular demand was our Chocolate chip peanut butter protein balls. They are the BEST! The girls get a good solid dose of protein with all super healthy ingredients sneakily tucked in. #momwin!! These are our favorite after school snacks and afternoon treat for mommy! They are decadent!
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Protein Balls recipe
1 cup oats
2/3 cup organic coconut flakes
1/2 cup organic peanut butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed ( we’ve used whole flaxseed and it’s totally fine)
1/2 cup chocolate chips ( could also swap for dried fruit)
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbs chia seeds
1 tsp vanilla
Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl thoroughly with spatula. Once mixed, scoop about a T size amount and form a ball. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. They might fall a part a bit at this point but it’s okay. Refrigerate for approximately an hour to firm up. Keep refrigerated!
While we aren’t super big Halloween people, we do love a goof family costume! We vote every year on what to be. We try and keep it fun and always throw daddy under the bus!
and this year we have a good one in store! The girls voted in July and now it’s just between what Erik and I are going to be. Going to be a fun!
With school back in full swing, our schedule get’s more packed by the second. We need simple, cute hair styles to get us out the door looking great with little effort. Here are some of our fave go to looks for all things hair cute.
Twisted bun:
This style is so simple! You part the hair on the side. The start rolling a 2 inch section away from the face tightly until you reach nape of neck. Pin and repeat on the other side. Secure the rolls with a rubber band. Tuck under the remaining hair to create a little bun. Add a fun scarf tie or a scrunchie to hide the rubber band. This style is great for dirty hair!
French braid pony tail:
This is exactly as the title says. Start by brushing all hair back. Then start an inside out french braid ( instead of sections going over each other these sections go under) Stop braid at crown of head. Sweep the rest of the hair up to meet braid and make a pony tail. Secure hair with a rubber band. Pancake or fluff the braid by gently tugging each loop out to make a thicker look. Add favorite scrunchie or bow.
Headbanded side bun:
We love a good head band moment in our house! They handle a world of weird hair days with one simple step. This look is easy peasy. Part hair and brush smooth. Top with favorite headband. Then brush all hair smooth to side and secure into a pony tail under the ear at neck. Twist ponytail and wrap into a bun. Secure with pins. This looks is ideal for dirty hair or bad hair days.
Half up:
With shorter hair a top knot really isn’t as easy. This cute half up style is still out of the face but give that perky cheerleader vide. Sweep hair towards top of head starting at the ears. Brush top section and secure with a rubber band. Loop the pony tail section under to create little tucked under bun. Secure with cute bow or scarf to match outfit and give flair.
It’s been almost a year since we got our trailer and we have sure made the most of it! We love trying new places and have found some really great spots! I’ve rounded up some of our trips so far including our favorite features and day trips to our notes on what to expect when visiting.
Chula Vista KOA
San Diego
We really like the Chula Vista KOA! It was packed with fun amenities like a blob ( huge bouncy pad), beautiful brand new showers, bathrooms and pool, rock climbing wall, restaurant and tons of kids activities. It super close to the USS Midway which was a fascinating day trip for all of us. We also stumbled into the absolute best mexican restaurant we have ever eaten at called La Puerta. Don’t pass up the best margarita ever called “ Whole Lotta Love”. We visited it in the winter so it was chilly but I can imagine how packed with fun it would be in the summer months. Never the less we had a great time and would absolutely visit again
Rancho Oso
Santa Barbara
This ranch style campground was a fun departure for us from our regular type of camping. If you are looking for a super simple, no fluff, ranch style camping trip this is your place. We were excited to try out some horse back riding and live on the ranch. The website is bit misleading on this place though. While we did have a good time we found some things that we learned quickly to pay attention too. Everything is very relaxed and simple. The grounds are great with teepees, horses and farm animal friends. The restaurant is open only by reservation the day before at 3:00 so make sure you are on the ball otherwise there is no food available outside of a small very simple ranch store or what you packed. We happened to get the memo right as we pulled in about dinner that night so we got lucky with a huge bbq dinner. There is no fluff at this place! Also, they will say there is wifi but there really isn’t. Not a big deal but worth knowing. The facilities are a bit older but still did the trick. The main take away was to ask a lot of questions when you can because there aren’t a lot of staff around and not a lot of info. Once you get the details you are good to go though for a fun cowboy time. If you want to take a break from the horses you can take a fun day trip in to Solvang. We visited Ostrich land, had some breakfast and shopping in town and checked out the Motorcycle Museum for daddy.
Bass Lake
at Yosemite
If you want a little of everything Bass Lake is a great option! We loved this trip! The campground is simple but has everything you would need. We chose a spot nearest to the little trail to the lake. We hiked back and fished one day and it was a fun little adventure. The facilities are super clean and updated. The huge pine trees make for a perfect backdrop to your trip! So gorgeous! We ventured into the little town ( 2 minute drive) to grab our boat rentals. We rented a speed boat one day and then a pontoon another. We loved our lake days. We found a little cove where the girls could rock jump and swing from a giant rope swing into the water. We added a tube both days onto our rentals and whipped them around the lake. For lunch, we highly recommend Ducey’s! The food was amazing and they had a great selection! You can also hang out at the marina restaurant with live music, food and cocktails. We were disappointed by the food but the vibe was fun and laid back. The lake is within 30 minutes of Yosemite National Park. The park is super busy in the summer time so be prepared for some crowds. There is nothing more specatular then the waterfalls and natural beauty of Yosemite. We visited the park a couple years back and documented the fun with a fun recap video!A note that we made for last time is to make sure we where or bring our swim suits to take a dip in the river. Also, we were bummed to miss the window for tube rentals to float the river. Next time, we will bring our own and get our float on. Also, make sure to bring snacks or lunch with you when visiting the park. It’s soooo busy that getting into any restaurant is crazy hard. A riverside snack, with toes in the water would have been divine! Overall this was a super fun trip that we would for sure take again!
Newport Dunes
Newport, Beach
Newport Dunes never disappoints! We have visited many times and always have a blast! Regardless of it being pretty pricey to stay it really is worth it for a quick trip! The pool is great and always clean. They have tons of daily kids activities for all ages including nightly Movie nights under the stars. The store is fully stocked with anything you could ever need including super cute sweats and swimsuits if needed. Our girls lose their mind for the inflatable water park. For a cost of $18 for 2 hours, the kids can party out in the lagoon on massive inflatables and jungle gym. They love it so much! We also love how accessible this campground is to yummy OC restaurants and fun things to do. You can bike really anywhere, grab a mouth water piece of pizza from St. Pepperoni’s, a Balboa Bar from Marine on Balboa Island, catch some chic shopping in Lido Village or just stay on the grounds for some relaxation!
Okay girls! Here are my best of the best beauty picks from the Nordstrom Sale. I have some major, well used, faves in this batch. Hands down my most used product is the best self tanner. This one is a jumbo size which is a major steal for the size! It’s 3 times a much as usual for $6 more! Seriously the most gorgeous tan every time! My most coveted devices ( here and here ) that I may just have to pull the trigger on finally and lastly my most used device. I’ve also included my most used makeup products ( here and here ) to master my favorite 5 minute face. I also included some of my hair favorites ( here and here) both for myself and for my work kit.
Alrighty guys! I’ve gathered up my favorite picks from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale which is by far the biggest sale of the year. These items will go fast! You can shop them all if you have Early Access. Early Access is shoppable when you have a Norstrom card. This really is such a perfect time to scoop up your staple pieces for the fall season. I’ve broken down each category of clothing. All my absolute faves in each category from head to toe in clothing including my favorite leopard pieces of the season.
Tops:
Sweaters:
Coats and Jackets:
Skirts:
Pants and denim:
Dresses:
Best of Leopard: