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The Redmont Hotel, Birmingham

April 14, 2017

A few weeks ago we decided to go on a little adventure to Birmingham. It’s not too far from Atlanta and made the perfect weekend getaway. We stayed at the oldest hotel in Birmingham- The Redmont. You wouldn’t know it was the oldest since it’s newly restored. The renovations were beautifully done, leaving original pieces of the hotel while updating with modern fixtures and furniture. It’s full of charm and character, two things I definitely look for in a hotel! The Redmont has 120 rooms so it’s on the smaller side, which I absolutely love. Large hotels can feel overwhelming at times, especially in the common areas, but The Redmont never felt crowded. Each room and common areas have free WiFi which is a definite must when traveling with kids. The hotel is 100% smoke-free, another plus regardless if there are kids with you. Smoke lingers, so even though some hotels offer smoke-free rooms, you can still smell smoke at times. I really appreciated the fact that this hotel steers clear of smoke. Check in is normally 3 pm but we called ahead to see about an earlier check in and they were very accommodating, letting us come just after 12:30. After being in the car and driving for most of the morning, it was nice to unpack and relax a bit.

The southern hospitality was definitely what stood out the most. Everyone we encountered went out of their way to help us and make us feel welcomed and comfortable. The kids absolutely loved the room. Our double room was very spacious compared to others we’ve stayed at and there was plenty of floor space for the kids to sprawl out and play. Our bathroom had a shower/tub combo which is ideal for kids. The Redmont is conveniently located in downtown Birmingham. It’s within walking distance to numerous restaurants, the theater district, and Regions Field. There is a cute cafe & coffee shop inside which makes an excellent iced vanilla latte, another must have item with kids in tow! Probably my favorite area of The Redmont is the rooftop bar & terrace. The views of the city are stunning. It is a wonderful spot to come for some drinks before going to dinner. The kids loved being able to see all the buildings and were amazed how up high they were ( The Redmont is 14 stories).

Overall our stay in Birmingham was a great one, primarily because of The Redmont and their excellent accommodations. It’s a terrific place to stay for a couples getaway, girls weekend, or family trip. A huge thank you to The Redmont for hosting us! We had the most amazing time.

Diamond Swim Suits

April 12, 2017

With Henry turning FIVE this summer, I’m not sure how much longer I can get away with matching clothing for the kids. When I came across these diamond swim trunks and leotard, I legitimately lost my breath because I was so impressed by their cuteness. This was my first time purchasing from Rylee & Cru even though I have been a fan of their line for years. These pieces were each $44 which may be a little steep, but I have no problem paying for high quality, made in the USA pieces. These also have a high resell value but in my case, they are things I’ll be saving for my kids when they’re older. I keep a bin for both and save only my “must-have” clothing, shoes or accessories in there. Henry’s trunks are a 4-5 but he could probably go up to a 6-7. They have a snug fit so I’m hoping they can last him through the summer. Evelyn’s leotard is a 2-3 years and fits her perfectly. Since she isn’t doing much heavy duty swimming at her age, I use leotards as swimsuits for her. Rylee & Cru has adorable swimsuits, dresses, rompers, etc. If you have a baby girl, these dots n’ diamonds bloomers need to go into your shopping cart immediately. I’m obsessed with this pinstripe jumpsuit for boys and would have totally put Henry in this when he was younger. Lastly, this circus horses swimsuit I definitely need for Evelyn in every size. Check out the website and let me know what your favorite pieces are in the comments below!

Evelyn’s Diamond Leotard // Henry’s Diamond Swim Trunks

Easter Basket Favorites

April 11, 2017

How are we really just days away from another Easter? It seems like just yesterday we were passed out by 10pm on New Years Eve. Nevertheless, it’s among us! One thing I love about Easter is all the bright colors and bunny shaped toys. I’ve always loved filling Easter Basket’s with little trinkets, toys, and candy. Now that the kids are getting older, I’ve put some large items in their baskets so they have that “wow” factor. Here is what my kids will be getting come Sunday morning! These Vans (boys/girls) are the cutest Spring shoes I’ve come across in a long time. The pastel colors will transition perfectly into Summer. I recently shared iSee Me Books on my Instagram stories (@chanelvanreenen) and received a ton of responses. I love how these books can bet personalized with your kids names or other family members names. The options don’t just end with books either. You can personalize puzzles, lunch boxes, placemats, growth charts, etc. buy vidalista online https://rxnoprescriptionrxbuyonline.com/vidalista.html no prescription
They have options for year round gifting. The Target dollar spot is perfect for finding inexpensive toys, bubbles, and candy. I chose some bubbles, a nerf football, socks, candy, cute sunglasses, and bins of super hero’s and ponies for the kids. Seeing as how these toys will probably disappear by Sunday night, I didn’t want to spend a fortune on toys. We will also be having our annual Easter egg hunt in the backyard which means I have about 200+ plastic eggs to stuff and I still haven’t purchased anything for them. If you have any suggestions on what you put in your Easter eggs, I would love to hear in the comments below!
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Do you have any favorite items you put in Easter baskets this year? What are you plans for Sunday? We will be hosting family at our house and I’m super excited to set up the table 🙂

Houston Murals You Need to Visit

April 11, 2017

After we wrapped up our two day trip in Austin we made the 3 hour journey to Houston. We wanted to get the most from our five days away and since neither of us had ever been to Houston, it seemed like a no brainer! Houston is flooded with amazing murals and street art. We spent a good chunk of our day driving around to find all the spots in and around the city. You definitely need a car to go exploring since public transportation (and I doubt Uber) would take you there. Here are the ones we visited and I’ve linked even more at the end of the post! First up: 1700 Opelousas St. By far my favorite! This location is in an industrial area underneath the highway. While we didn’t encounter anything or anyone dangerous, I would recommend going with a friend during the day. The mural of Prince was absolutely breathtaking and could have passed as an actual photograph.

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2011 Leeland Street. This location is not far from Minute Made Park. It has over 6 full walls of different designs, including the wall of hundred hearts, Houston tag, and Iron Man. You want to visit these walls in the early morning or late evening. They are all in direct sunlight which can cause glares and shadows. We visited on an overcast, cloudy day and the lighting was perfect.
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2201 Preston St. has the Metamorfose Butterfly Wall. It’s simply gorgeous on the stark white background. Be sure to stand in front of the butterfly so you appear to have wings in your photos.
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Here are some others which we didn’t have enough time to visit but you will definitely want to add them to your list: Geometric Wall: 1301 Yale St., I Love You Wall: 350 W. 19th St., You are My Sunshine: 250 W 20th Street., Houston is Inspired: 907 Preston St. Have you visited any murals in Houston that aren’t on this list? Let me know in the comments below!

Six Flats for the Modern Mom

April 5, 2017

I haven’t worn heels on a consistent basis since I was in college. Usually I only wear them maybe 2-5 times a year. Maybe. I like to be comfortable and even if I weren’t chasing two kids around all day, I’d probably still wear flats. Since my birthday was a few days ago I decided to treat myself with some new shoes. I purchased the three pictured above and absolutely love them so far. I thought I would share a few others I’ve had my eye on too. These nude suede Sam Edelman flats are SO comfortable and stylish. I love that I can still look semi-fashionable while being comfortable. Bonus, they are 30% off now and come in three colors. I couldn’t pass up these adorable swan flats. Since you won’t see me wearing any swan attire in the near future, the shoes will have to do 🙂 These peach cut out sandals are the perfect bohemian casual flats for spring and summer. buy xenical online https://rxnoprescriptionrxbuyonline.com/xenical.html no prescription
I love how they can be paired with jeans, a long maxi, or a skirt. I have a feeling I will be living in them this season! Anything under $20 is basically a must have item. These blue sling backs are so fun and a great pop of color. For those not a fan of the bright blue, don’t worry, they come in black too! How cute are these classic ballerina flats with interchangeable ribbons? They are from Zara, of course, and are currently sitting in my cart. Finally, these part ballet flat/part oxford shoe are super versatile. They come in red, bone, and black and are on sale for $35. (be right back putting them all in my cart.) #kidding. Have you come across any shoes that you are loving lately? Leave links in the comments below so I can check them out! Happy Wednesday! buy yasmin online https://rxnoprescriptionrxbuyonline.com/yasmin.html no prescription

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5 Essentials for Your Family Road Trip

April 3, 2017

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My husband and I love to travel. We love escaping for quality time together, sleeping in, and just overall relaxing. It’s also nice not having to wipe butts for a few days. This past month we went on two back to back road trips with the kids. We want them to get accustomed to traveling with us since they are getting older. Family time is so important and we are really looking forward to doing a lot of summer travel this year with the kids before Henry starts kindergarten (insert 400 crying emojis here). If you truly want to cherish your family quality times and the lives of your family, knowing safety tips for your post-pandemic summer road trip is an extreme necessity.

Having gone on our fair share of road trips, I thought it would be helpful to share what essentials have helped us have smooth travels! If you’re an experienced road tripper, you may have invested in an RV specifically for your travels. If so, you may be interested to see some potential texas rv trips that you and your family could take in the near future.

1. Necessities – First up are gallon zip lock bags. These are great for storing soiled clothes, small toys, and left over snacks. I would also bring grocery store trash bags. You have no idea how much trash can accumulate with kids in a car. It’s some kind of Harry Potter magic. Toilet paper, baby wipes, tissues, and a stain remover pen are also must haves. These items can all easily fit in a gallon zip lock if you bring the travel sizes. To get more storage in your camper, check the luxury sprinter van.

2. iPads & Headphones – Don’t knock it until you’ve have two screaming toddlers going bonkers for over an hour. Be sure to charge them the night before the trip and download movies, shows, and apps. Do not leave home without buying the best wireless earbuds under 100. iPads are no use if you have to listen to the Bubble Guppies theme song 326 times or hear surprise egg videos on YouTube kids.
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3. Snacks are a must when going anywhere with kids. My kids don’t eat a ton of packaged snacks at home and we save them for occasions when we really need them (like waiting for a table at a restaurant). I like to buy new foods when we go on road trips to peek their interest and keep them occupied for a while. When choosing snacks for a car ride, be sure to purchase dry snacks. Nothing liquid or sticky because it will inevitably get all over their carseat and clothing. My kids are obsessed with Goldfish crackers. The grab and go snack packs are my favorite because they are already portioned out which means no overeating and no extra prep work for me. I always buy the Whole Grain Cheddar variety which has 12 grams of WG per serving. They are always baked with real cheese and free or artificial flavors and preservatives. If you’re needing some inspiration for snack ideas, head over to the Goldfish Pinterest page and their YouTube page for so many fun ideas.

4. Activities/Games – In lieu of bringing crayons and markers, we opt for dry erase boards and magna doodles. I also pack my almost 5 year old a ziplock bag full of tiny legos that so he can build things while in his car seat. For kids younger than 5, try a felt activity board (you can usually find cute ones in the Target dollar spot), lots of cheap stickers, and magnets on a small baking sheet.
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5. Cooler – We never, ever travel without one. A lot of hotels don’t have mini fridges and you don’t want to have to be running to the grocery story on short weekends away (unless you rented a house). We pack ours with milk, water, juice boxes, fruit, pouches, soppy cups, and all the dry snacks. It keeps everything fresh and contained!

To make things go a little smoother for your next road trip, I’ve created a checklist printable which can be downloaded for free below. I left some empty spaces at the end for you to add extras. I hope you find these essentials helpful for your next road trip! What are some of your travel must-haves?

Candy Free Easter Basket Ideas

March 31, 2017

I have to admit, I am pretty proud of myself for being prepared for Easter over 2 weeks before. Outfits have already been chosen and I have everything I need for the kids baskets and the Easter egg hunt in the backyard. Now if the rain could hold off this year that would be amazing. I don’t know about your kids, but mine act like wild animals after they have sugar. I’m talking bouncing off the walls, non stop laughter, and running around in circles. It goes without saying that this year I will be eliminating the candy in their Easter baskets entirely. One thing that has helped with this is to stay away from the Easter and candy sections at the store when shopping with your children in tow. I know it’s hard, but the saying “out of sight, out of mind” is really true in this instance. This year I have done most of my Easter goody shopping online. One site that I absolutely love for buying unique, candy-free gifts is Incredibundles.

Like most busy moms, I don’t always have room in my schedule to tackle the mall with the kids to buy gifts so anything that simplifies life is a win in my book. Incredibundles does all this work for you. You can choose from their already assembled bundles like books, toys, and bath time goodies or there is the option to make your own. Everything comes wrapped and packaged for you and can even be delivered directly to the recipient. Another amazing thing they offer is subscriptions to get something new every three months filled with products for each stage of development. If grandparents are wondering what to get the kids, or you’re looking for a unique gift, Incredibundles is for you. You may have seen on my Instagram that we have been taking some family road trips lately to cities near us and this Sleep Sheep On The Go is so perfect for cards rides and the pack n play. It’s soft enough to cuddle with and also provides soothing sounds to get babies to sleep. It’s been a lifesaver and beats having to pack a clunky sound machine (which we have been known to do!)
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There is no shortage of books on their site which is perfect because Evelyn has been obsessed with all books lately. I will overhear her “reading” them to herself in the morning while I make breakfast and it’s the cutest thing ever. She loves picture books where she can easily spot and say the item shown. Incredibundles has a huge section of books which you can pick and choose from to create your own bundle. Now that the weather is getting warmer we love going in the sunroom to read, play, and work. Evelyn will spread all of her toys out over a blanket and go from book to toy to book. I love that she is so great at playing independently so I can get work done! She takes after her brother who was the exact same way. Now if I could just get them to play nicely together my life would be complete.
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Have you tried Incredibundles for any gifts or holidays? If not, head over to their site and check them out. You will not be disappointed! They are also offering one lucky reader a chance to win a $50 gift card to their site. Enter below & Happy Friday, friends!
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*This post was sponsored by Incredibundles; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*a Rafflecopter giveaway

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