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Toddler Girl Swimsuits Under $40

May 15, 2017

I’ve had a unhealthy obsession with toddler swimwear since before my children were even born. I remember buying an adorable vintage looking one off Zulily while I was engaged and hoarding it until I finally had a girl. Yeah, the addiction is real. It’s hard to choose just one swimsuit for Evelyn so she definitely has a few on this list. Little girls just look the cutest in ruffled bathing suits! I’ve rounded up my favorite 12 suits I’ve seen this season and they’re all under $40, most under $20! Happy shopping, friends!

Cactus – $36 // Double Swan – $25 // Palm Ruffle – $39 // Wonder Woman – $35

Bird Print Tutu – $12 // Pink Floral – $25 // White Floral – $15 // Minnie Mouse – $20

Flamingo – $17 // Cactus Ruffle – $12 // Sprinkles – $12 // Grapefruit – $25

Gummy Vitamins – Not Just for Kids!

May 11, 2017

Vitamins have come a long way in the past few years. I can remember being pregnant with Henry five years ago and cringing every time I had to take a prenatal or adult vitamin. The smell, the taste, the plastic coating … it was awful. By the time my second pregnancy rolled around gummy vitamins had become more prominent in the marketplace. I only recently started taking daily vitamins in the last year (I know, I know).

Whether we admit it or not we all need the extra boost. I know I don’t get enough with my daily food intake but it had always been a struggle to remember to actually take the vitamins my body needed … until recently check out the best vitamins for seasonal affective disorder.

You have probably seen Smarty Pants gummy vitamins while pursuing Target on your (bi)weekly trips. Smarty Pants contain absolutely NONE of the following: synthetic colors, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, artificial preservatives, High Fructose Corn Syrup, GMOs, gluten, tree nut allergens, peanuts, soy, or dairy. The Women’s Complete Vitamins have never upset my stomach and instead taste like a treat. I take 3 in the morning and 3 before bed (usually on an empty stomach) and have no issues whatsoever. My husband and I loved how these tasted so much that we purchased more before the bottle was empty. I definitely noticed a difference in my energy and overall “well-being”. Even my husband, the forever skeptic, said “why can’t all vitamins taste this way?” after trying the probiotics. The Adult Probiotic Complete aids in digestion and are certified vegan and allergen-free. Probiotics give your digestive system the boost it needs by preventing lactose tolerance and helping the body digest milk products more efficiently. After trying (and loving) these delicious gummy vitamins, it would be hard to ever go back to another ancient pill. You can purchase all Smarty Pants products on their website, Amazon and in store at several retailers listed here. If you’ve tried these before, please let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

*This post was sponsored by Smarty Pants. As always, all opinions are my own.*

Spring Curb Appeal

May 8, 2017

I love Spring because it is the best time to give my front yard a fresh makeover. With the beautiful weather and leaves turning, it really puts me in the mood to update our curb appeal. We updated big things like our Cladding in the autumn so we decided to focus on smaller things thing time. So, this past weekend we took a family trip to Lowe’s to pick out some plants and pots for our mini stoop makeover while someone was doing some exterior house cleaning for us. Henry picked out a gnome bird bath because it looked like Santa and now it happily sits right by our walkway. Our windows are a tad to low in the front of our house so creating a window box wasn’t an option for us. We do however have a long walkway and brick stairs that we love to update every Spring. We don’t have to much space next to our door for large boxwood type planters so we decided to utilize the steps and create height there. Since our front stoop is an orange brick, we chose plastic black planters to add a nice contrast pop. My husband drilled some holes in the bottom to let the soil breath and drain and then he added some earthworms (they process waste, aerate the soil and produce fertilizer). The entire clean up and planting process took less than an hour and made a huge difference to the front of our house. Now if only I can keep it looking this way for a while …

Colorful details make all the difference when adding plants and flowers to your house. Monrovia plants are grown with attention to every detail, ensuring that they last longer and perform better. We chose beautiful green plants and blooms that would do well in cold weather and also thrive in the summertime. The Northern Exposure Plantain Lily is perfect for full shade to partial sun (exactly what our stoop gets) and only needs weekly watering. Low maintenance plants are exactly what I need because I don’t think I can devote the time in my life now to plants that require more tending to. The Dazzleberry Sedum is going to be a gorgeous raspberry color once fully bloomed and also requires only occasional watering once in bloom. Curious to see if Monrovia Plants are sold near you? Enter your zip code here for store locations. You can also shop online in the comfort of your on home (aka in your pajamas in bed) and shipping is always free!

I hope you’re inspired by our super easy curb appeal update. If you need more inspiration, be sure to check out Monrovia’s Grow Beautifully Blog here!

Beyond Beauty: Erbaviva

May 2, 2017

If you’ve been following along the blog this year, then you know that I’ve been on a mission to slowly weed out toxic products from my home. While tackling cleaning products, I’ve also been paying more attention to the products that I use on my body. Our skin is our largest organ. Everything we put on it is absorbed like a giant sponge – what goes on it, gets in it. I’m so excited to start sharing with you some amazing health and beauty brands that I’ve been testing out over the past few months. To kick this series off is Erbaviva. The packaging immediately caught my eye because it’s simple and monochrome. I love the dark amber bottles and minimalistic font. Most importantly, Erbaviva products have a USDA organic certification which means that their products are over 95% organic, so pure that they are edible. I love knowing that I am putting the best products on my skin. Their shaping oil products feed the skin nutrients that inspire the body’s natural ability to detoxify, shape and firm. I’ve been using this product for over 4 weeks now and love the way it smooths my skin and tightens my two+ year postpartum belly. This was my first time trying a deodorant spray and I was really impressed by their Jasmine Grapefruit Organic Deodorant. It’s different than a lot of the store brands sprays and feels more like a lightweight mist, almost like their body spray. The smell is clean, fresh, and energizing. Anything that uses essential oils is a must-have product for me. I apply both in the morning before toddler wrangling and again at night before bedtime. Speaking of bedtime, does anyone out there even have energy after dealing with kids, work, activities, cleaning, etc during the day?

As harmful as toxic chemicals are to your body, so are toxic thoughts, negative energy, and stress to your mind. While it’s never going to be possible to remove all negative things from your life, it’s important to slow down and take time for yourself, especially if you’re a mother, and focus on weeding out anything that may be bringing you down. We fill our days taking care of everyone else’s needs but often forget about finding time for ourselves. That is the biggest struggle I personally deal with: finding the time to actually want to do something for myself. With two young kids, a house full of pets, and working from home, I often feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day. By the time I am done in the evening all I want to do is veg out in bed and do nothing at all. Lately I’ve been willing myself to soak in the tub for at least 30 minutes after the kids go down. I light a candle, turn on relaxing music, and keep my phone in the other room. It’s amazing what a half hour of pure relaxation can do for the body and mind. Do you have any tips for relaxation? I would love to hear them in the comments below as I am always open to trying new methods!

“Erbaviva is dedicated to creating the healthiest, purest organic skincare products

available that benefit the human body and the planet.”

Sibling Style: Our Daughters

May 1, 2017

Every once in a while a clothing brand comes along that stands for more than just pieces of fabric worn to cover you up. Our Daughters is a San Francisco based clothing label that does just that. A friend from high school recently started this line of beautiful shirts that fit babies through adult. What makes these tees different from your run of the mill shirts is that they have an inspiring message for girls, boys, men, and women. In her words: “The inspiration behind this collection was our own daughters and the inception of this brand. It stands for the empowerment of all girls. Who they are, who they want to be and who they will be. We will support them the entire way.” Each collection is associated with a cause and all proceeds go towards that charity. Any company that gives back, especially one that is brand new, is a company that I want to support. These light weight cotton tees are perfect for year round wear. They are super soft, tag-less, and run true to size. I love that they are all gender neutral in color and design because if you’ve been following for a while, you know I’m not a fan of dressing the kids in flashy, vibrant prints. I like staple pieces that can be used in a variety of outfits. Mix these tees with a cardigan, jeans, or a skirt, tights and boots and the kids are good to go. Be sure to check out all the design and color options on the Our Daughters site here. A special thank you to Our Daughters for sending these shirts for the kiddos!

April Favorites

April 28, 2017

The closing of an old month calls for a new monthly favorites post and I feel like April went by in the blink of an eye. It’s been a busy month filled with a ton of fun adventures and outings and definitely my busiest month so far this year. I want to share with you some items I have discovered these past 4 weeks which I am loving!

Kidzshake – My kids are not interested in sitting down to eat a full meal. They usually take a few bites before they become bored and want to go run around like maniacs. It’s been hard to make sure they’re getting the nutrition they need as they grow. I was recently sent some samples of Kidzshake, which is a nutritional supplement for kids and it tastes amazing. There are several different flavors to choose from and the cutest little blender bottle which makes it easy and fast to serve these up. I usually mix with some milk if we are in a hurry or I make a smoothie and add fruit, chia seeds, and greek yogurt. You can also use the Kidzshake in pancakes, waffles, protein balls, and more. They have a ton of great recipes on their website. It’s nice to know Henry & Evelyn are getting nutrients even if they aren’t finishing their dinner. Kidzshake has a sale going on until the end of April. Use code SPRING for 10% off your order!

Madewell Cotton Tee – Earlier this month one of my real life friends who is also a fashion blogger, City Peach, had a personal styling event at our local Madewell. She introduced me to their best selling tees which are super lightweight and the softest I’ve ever felt. Usually they’re $19.99 but there are a few colors on sale now for $14.99 and trust me, I’ll be stocking up for the brutal Atlanta summers.

Wonderhood Grand Hotel – Henry loves to build, take apart, build, take apart … repeat times 1,000. Legos have definitely been his favorite for a few years but recently he got the Wonderhood Grand Hotel and he has been obsessed with building it in all different ways.

Platform Shoes – I’ve been stepping up my shoe game lately (see my favorite Spring flats here) and they’re all I can think about. I purchased these wood wedge sandals at the beginning of the month and they go perfectly with all of my maxi dresses that are just a tad too long to wear with flats (short people problems). They are surprisingly extremely comfortable and go with tons of things in my closet.

Warm Weather Cocktails – It feels like we jumped from “Winter” to Summer almost immediately here in Georgia so that means lots of outdoor time and longer days. I’ve been trying to eliminate sugar from my diet and it’s been tough finding a cocktail that is sugar-free but still has that sweet flavor. I came across these Sugar-Free Black Cherry Mojitos and they are incredible. I love how they don’t contain a ton of alcohol or sugar because no one wants a nasty hangover!

Are there any items you are loving this month? I always love to hear suggestions on new products, food, or drinks to try!

Epic Desserts to Eat in NYC!

April 26, 2017

Have you ever run across a website, video, or Instagram post of an amazing dessert and thought to yourself “Man, I would LOVE to try this one day”? Of course you have, we all have! Yesterday a friend and I traveled to New York City for 24 hours just to check out some of these amazing places that have been all the rage on Facebook, BuzzFeed, and Instagram. Let me tell you, they did not disappoint. I am already thinking of my next trip to visit so many more that we couldn’t get to. I went to college in New York City and it’s been 11 years since I visited. I forgot how much I love the city, especially Soho. The cobblestone streets, beautiful buildings, amazing food … and on the day of our trip; the overcast grey sky which I have always loved. Today I am sharing with you the yummy places we visited and what my thoughts were on everything we tasted!

Our first stop was DŌ … which nearly everyone has seen all over social media. This was definitely why we came to NYC and DŌ lived up to the hype. Usually the line can be anywhere from 3-4 hours long but we walked in and had zero wait time (an upside to going on an off day and time). The staff was super sweet and patient. They answered all of our questions, gave suggestions and plenty of samples. I ended up choosing the birthday cake dough and the signature chocolate chip on a birthday cake cone. This combination was like nothing I have ever tasted. I could have turned around and headed straight back to the airport and been fine. It was that incredible. Don’t have any NYC travel plans coming up? Not to worry, they ship nationwide so you can enjoy all the cookie dough your heart can take. Ladurée in Soho has the best macarons I’ve ever tasted and are a worldwide favorite. Coming straight from Paris, these macarons are as authentic as you can get. I purchased several and brought them home on the plane with me to give to the kids. The rose petal was phenomenal. *fyi, you’re not allowed to take photos with a professional camera, only your phone.*

Black Tap is known for their burgers and crazy shakes. I had several people message me on Instagram telling me how incredible they are. Since we were mostly there for the milkshake and didn’t want to eat too big of a meal, we decided to split 4 small sides and the Bam Bam Crazy Shake. Before I get to the outrageous milkshake, I have to point out that the Crispy Brussels Sprouts with sesame-tahini and the Teriyaki Broccoli were phenomenal. The fries were also super crisp and thick and came with the best truffle aioli I’ve ever tasted. I could have eaten that with a spoon but refrained. I saved my spoon feeding for the milkshakes that have been trending on every social media platform lately. We chose the fruity pebble milkshake which had a vanilla frosted rim with fruity pebbles, a fruity pebbles rice krispy treat, strawberry pop tart, nerds rope, whipped cream and a cherry on top. The servers were bringing out these shakes left and right and every single one was a masterpiece.

Since we only stayed one night we chose Row NYC near Times Square because it had a good price and was centrally located. The beds were comfortable and it was surprisingly quiet. I slept like a baby before having to wake up at 5am for our flight. I was so exhausted from the day that I could have fallen asleep on a park bench in the pouring rain. The only negative I’ll say about the hotel was the ridiculously long check in time and the fact that their check in time is at 4pm. Luckily when we arrived shortly after 2 and they had a room ready for us so that was such a relief. It felt so good to drop our bags off and prop our feet up for a bit. We were on the 19th floor and had a great view. After getting our afternoon game plan together it started to downpour. Not the most ideal weather when you’re trying to hit as many spots as possible in 12 hours. We headed to Squish Marshmallows in the Lower East Side to get our gourmet mallow fix on. Squish is known for their small batch, hand cut marshmallows. They are made fresh daily and all of the flavors come in original and a chocolate dipped version. What Squish is known for is their s’mores taco with roasted marshmallows. You can pick any three of their non-chocolate dipped marshmallows and get them roasted in your s’mores taco with chocolate sauce on top. It was the perfect little afternoon pick me up before dinner. One of the good things about coming on a Tuesday was that there were no lines anywhere we went. I think it also had to due with the fact that the weather was gloomy and supposed to rain all day.

Dinner was super low key at Raku; a small, cash-only Japanese spot in the Lower East Side. We were so exhausted from the day and the weather that we wanted to get some warm, real food in our systems before we went back to crash for the night. The udon is perfect and massive, without giving you that heavy after-ramen feeling. They also have the best shrimp tempura I’ve ever tasted. This restaurant is very small and can seat less than 20. They also will not seat you unless your entire party is there and do not take reservations. To say our trip was a whirlwind is an understatement. The day started at 3am Tuesday morning and I pulled into my driveway at 10:30am on Wednesday. I ate so much delicious food that I feel sick and pregnant. So in other words, NYC was done right and I cannot wait to do it again!

One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years.

Tom Wolfe

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