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Monday, September 29, 2014

OOTD

OOTD

These early Fall days are harder to get your kiddos ready! Mostly because there can be a large temperature swing. Mornings here are pretty chilly. Afternoons are warm enough for shorts. Getting Sammy dressed for school in the morning knowing he will be outside later in the day can be tricky. Here's how we tackled this issue today. 
We went with a short sleeved shirt and his Zara suspender jeans. He can run and play in this and it won't be too hot if it hits the upper 70s. The zip off jacket from Gap he can take off himself. It is pretty warm but the knit is loose and breathable. I love his chucks because they don't have any lining that traps in heat so it works out pretty well for both extremes of that day. 



Mondays

I spent all night watching reruns of Parenthood. Does anyone else every basically thumb their nose at being an adult and make stupid decisions?!

So.. that clearly lead to a great morning. Sammy was pretty good, my patience was thin but I was managing. Until he decided that listening is for other kids. We had a nice talk about that we need to listen. When I say talk I more mean lecture. Because he's 3. Which is my basic excuse for all behavior. He is a three year old and we're practicing being a member of society.

Not sure how I will ever get him to listen though. Sage words of advice are always welcome. Timeouts are ok, they are moderately effective but I know we have a great deal of room for growth in the area of listening.

Today was the first day of a full week back to work after my Aunt passed. I feel like I am slogging through sand when walking and thinking. Sleep and a to do list a mile long isn't making for great days. I know I will get it all under control. My fear is that I am going to get it under control just in time for my Grandfather to pass. He doesn't have too long. Maybe we should just hang out in chaos land so I can put it all back together just once. We'll get there. Cycle of life and all that.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Bebe... It's Cold Outside

Bebe... It's Cold Outside
 
 
Here are the pieces we've decided on for Fall. Full disclosure... I had some Gap rewards and some 40% off coupons that made this possible. I don't have a clothing budget that allows for full price for these items. (I paid like $25 for each coat and less for the vest)
 
First off is the Zara cardigan. It was pretty much love at first sight. I love it and know I can resell it someday so the $56 pricepoint wasn't my favorite but I know it will be high quality and since I was able to save other places. It's not the end of the world. But still- $30 would have been so much easier to swallow. 
 
Going to the right, the bomber brown coat from Gap is very nice. The color brown is great so I know I can get some wonderful snapshots outside picking apples and playing with leaves. The quilting really speaks to me.  
 
The mustard color warmest vest from Gap is well made and feels great. The details are well thought out and I feel like Gap does an amazing job of little boy's clothing. The color is perfect and goes well with a large range of colors so I don't have to worry about that while pairing with jeans.
 
Finally, the green dream coat. (OK, that is my name for it, but I love this thing!) Gap wins again. I got this because I had a 40% discount, got the cardmember rewards and had some gapcash. I usually get a coat for Sammy every February because they go on sale and I am able to get a great deal. This year however we had the Polar Vortex and deals were not so plentiful. And getting to the mall in the snow wasn't on the list of priorities. I got a great deal on this coat. 
 
This past I made the decision to get a synthetic fill coat instead of the down filled option we usually purchase. Mainly because I have a hard time washing the down coat and with Sammy being at school and playing outside during recess- it just has to be something that can easily be washed. I also like having two actual winter coats. It is a personal thing- some people would never feel the need but I like having two so one can be in the wash and one in use. I've just found that can be a concern with Sammy getting his clothing dirty. We have a long cold season ahead with reports that this could be a very harsh winter. I just don't want to put myself in a situation where I am stressed to complete the laundry and machine dry something I prefer to line dry. 
 
Lastly- keep checking for those sales. Carters has an amazing sale this weekend. 60% off and an additional 25% friends and family. They have some nice coats this year. North Face and Target also have some really standout coats. Don't be afraid to look around- but I recommend getting your choices made and get those coats home. I would just hate for the choices to be limited for a stylish little dude, and for a mom to feel like she didn't get exactly what she wanted! 


Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Preschool Table Favorites

Preschool Table Favorites


Here are some of our favorite items for Sammy to use while eating & drinking. No secret that I love baby gear, I have sussed out some things I love and I will share some of the brands that just didn't work out for us. 
Starting with plates. Most plates will work fine. I love the skip hop zoo line. (1)We have a few of these. You can't microwave them and I do handwash. They've held up for almost three years now and the colors look great. I think it helps with serving sizes and they are pretty durable. I haven't had many issues with it sliding around. I also really like the Tommee Tippee (6) line. These are great for travel and I never feel bad sticking one of these in the microwave. I tend to like the divided plates because Sammy is such a picky eater and often he'll really want a ton of ketchup and this way I can make it look like he has more than he actually does.
Sippy Cups and Drinking Cups were some of the most bought items in my home. Mostly because they get used all of the time. Sammy ended his love affair with the bottle at 12 months. My husband was determined he was getting his son off of the bottle before it became too difficult. Same with the pacifier. Tommee Tippee (3) has always been our first go to line. They are durable and tended to be leak proof for us. Sammy can throw a sippy. The seals were also pretty easy to clean. Now that Sammy is nearing four we use the coffee cup like version pictured. I didn't care too much for the straw model though because it was a bear to clean. The avent is pretty nice and I really like it. We use it for water on the go and is a nice trainer. (2)
The Ikea sippy cups are so loved they inspired this post. The are the Smaska line by Ikea (7) is a favorite of mine. They are not leak proof. We use them to sort of work towards completely regular glasses. We do sometimes use a small child size glass at dinner- but more often than not it is spilled. This is nice because Sammy can get a small serving of milk in the cup and we're talking more like 4 oz than 16 which the larger sippy cups can  hold. It is much easier to say drink your cup of milk and we're moving on to water. While I do believe dairy is a good part of our balanced diet, we try to consume whole foods and the vitamin D milk contains a good amount of calories. For a child that doesn't eat a balanced meal - that can be good and bad. I just don't want him drinking 16 oz of milk and there is no desire left for some veggies. 
Lastly silverware. Skip the skip hop brand. (hehe) We have never put them in the dishwasher and only use method detergent and the designs wipe right off. We have a LOT of this silverware because skip hop actually sent us replacements for the three sets we purchased and the replacements did the same thing. Now I just use them as travel silverware. I purchased the Ikea set (4) of silverware because I really wanted a set I could hang onto that would last. Sort of one day I will be a grandparent and hope to have little kiddos eating a meal at my house and having the honor of telling them that their dad used these when he was little. The plastic ones I used were totally not going to work for that purpose. These were very inexpensive and I plan to go back and maybe get a second set. The sugarbooger sets are pretty nice.(5) They have held up far better than any other plastic brand.  They look great and are a nice size. I really recommend them for day to day use.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Outfits for Later!

Outfits for Later!


I really am excited about Fall and the possibilities a little colder weather brings. Sammy fell and  hurt his forehead about two weeks ago - so we've been hanging out more indoors to give ourselves a little sanity check. Mostly me- Mamas are the ones to feel the pain longer I think with the anxiety something may happen again.
I LOVE this H&M shirt. They have a wonderful line out right now. Very worth a check. Our mornings have been so cool so we need something a little more substantial than a tee and shorts. 
The second outfit is some great layered pieces. The destroyed jeans give it a little pop and the shirt is just fun. I like the color of the jacket. I know I say it a ton but knowing Sammy's coloring is really key. Olive looks great on his shade of red- green looks like Christmas.
Gap skinnies are still my jam! I think they hold up nicely and fit for awhile. This Carters pullover is really cute- the elbow patches give it an unexpected edge. Camo is really on trend this season. It's always on trend at my house with so many hunters and Veterans. 
Hope everyone is easing out of Summer well! Happy shopping!