So, this is basically just a photo dump because we packed so much into one weekend that I'm too overwhelmed to write it all. I will say, however, this is one of the best weekends we've had in a while. Jesse was off for 4 days in a row which never happens! So we took full advantage of it.
Enjoy allll the pictures :)
Read MoreNap time, oh nap time. I love you. You allow me to do so many things like snack on those cookies I dont want to share, and binge watch that show on Netflix I don't want Ever to watch, and even maybe get a workout in.
This is a simple 20ish minute workout that you can easily do at home with no equipment.
Read MoreWhen you become a parent, you begin to see the world in a different light.
You see all its beauty in a new way, but you also notice more of the bad things like chemicals, toxins, carcinogens, etc. everywhere. That's why I appreciate companies like Baby Mantra, who go to extreme precautions to make sure their product is safe for little ones.
Read MoreJesse went into work at noon today. The days he works 12-8 are very bittersweet. It means we have time to do something in the morning, but it also means he doesn't get home until late, usually after Evvie is already in bed. Today, he's MOD (manager on duty) which means he'll be extra late because he has to be the last one to leave.
Read More"Great minds start little." That's Baby Einstein's philosophy, and it's so true. Our babes, from the time they're born, are sponges, soaking up every little thing they see and hear and taste and touch.
That's why we love the 3-in-1 Snack and Discover Seat by Baby Einstein (available at Babies R Us), because it encourages baby to reach developmental milestones like sitting up, snacking, and sitting with family at the table, as well as encourages learning, laughing, and family moments. There are 3 parts to the seat: Support Seat for the floor, Snack and Activity Seat with tray for the floor, and Chair Top Booster Seat strapped to a chair. It's super easy to move from one place to another around the house, and there's a soft and removable foam material on the seat which adds comfort and makes it easy to clean.
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Woke up at 3:45am, hit the road at 4:30, parked our car, caught the shuttle, got to the airport, found our gate, and flight delayed.
Then, of course, dealing with Evvie on the plane was the greatest task at hand. Or so we thought.
We finally landed, and realized that we needed a way to get to the hotel. Duh. We knew we would but thought it would be as easy as catching a shuttle. But nope. We didn't bring our carseat, and a shuttle that didn't require a carseat was around $50 per person. So we looked into the BART and decided against that as well because we'd have to be lugging our bags around while trying to keep Ever calm in the Ergo.
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I haven't blogged in over a month. How sad. Things have been crazy over here, but I'm happy to get back into it with this little spontaneous adventure we went on.
I always forget that this time of year the weather is bipolar. It'll be 50 degrees when you leave in the morning and then 80 by noon. So, note to self: dress in layers. I was wearing a long sleeve with jeans and very quickly regretted it. Granted, we weren't planning to go to the zoo when we left in the morning, otherwise I would have planned ahead.
Ever woke up at 5:30 in the morning. So we had lots of time to get ready and somehow made it out of the house by 9 to go to Denny's with Jesse's mom and grandma. And, there was a white wall. So, photos, duh.
Read MoreYou know when you find a shop and you just have to have everything in it?
Yeah, that's Fernweh Home. From the triangle shelves to the hanging nighstands, everything has me drooling. And! It's all made from reclaimed wood. Pictured here is the hanging nightstand and I love it even more than I thought I would. We only got one for now but we're planning to get another for the other side.
We thought it might be too much with the hanging lights and hanging banner, but the hanging nightstand makes the area look clean and ties it all together perfectly.
Read MoreSwell & Solis is a children's brand based in Australia, and we are in love with everything they make. Pictured here is the Dune Romper in baby pink. It's a little big on her so I twisted the straps in the back to make them shorter. I love that it can work in the winter with a long sleeve shirt under, and I cannot wait for her to wear it in the summer to show off those cute toddler legs and back. We also got the White Periwinkle Pinafore, which will look adorable for the summer as well, it's a little too big now.
Read MoreI love love love finding small boutiques with unique items, and Thistle & Finn is just that. You can't find what they carry anywhere else.
In the photos below I put together three different outfits featuring three of their pieces.
Read MoreAnother trip to Utah.
We didn't get to see my family for christmas this year so we had to plan a trip a couple weeks into january. Plus, we were waiting for my sister to have her precious baby boy.
It worked out perfectly, as it always does, and my extended family was able to travel south to see us, and we did our whole chirstmas thing together.
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It's been a long time coming in my search for the perfect coffee creamer. Which, this one is stil by no means perfect, but it is delicious. Recently, my taste buds have changed. Because in the past couple years I've been eating more organic foods, my body has started to recognize what's real vs what's fake, and my coffee creamers were no exception.
We shop at Trader Joes, and I love it with all my heart. But, their coffee creamers are kind of the worst. First, they're lactose free, so obviously there has to be some sort of chemical process to make it a creamy creamer. And, second, the ingredients are frightening. I used to trust anything I bought from Trader Joes because I thought everything they sold had good ingredients, but I was wrong.
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Even as a barre instructor, I totally understand the struggle to make time for working out. It's a struggle just getting out of the house most days.. If I wasn't "forced" to workout by teaching 3 times a week, I would have a hard time doing it at all. SO here are some super simple workouts you can do in that precious naptime. All you need is 5 minutes.
Read MoreHappy 1st birthday to our little Ever Joy!
This party, though a lot of work, was so much fun to plan. I've never planned a birthday party before, and the last event I planned was our wedding, soo I was a little rusty. And I totally thought it was going to be a disaster, but it all worked out! Thanks to my list making skills and my amazing mom for helping.
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Breastfeeding is a completely different experience for every mom, with every child. For some, it may come naturally, but for others it may be a struggle. We were the latter at first. Disclaimer: I'm about to get really real right now. We just couldn't figure it out. I had flat nipples so Ever had a hard time latching and staying latched. Sometimes she couldn't find my nipple at all because it wouldn't go far enough into her mouth. I knew I wanted to breastfeed more than anything, and I couldn't bring myself to giving up, which may have had something to do with my pride, but now, looking back, I'm so glad that I didn't. About a week after Ever was born, I decided to try a nipple shield which was a huge blessing at the time. It finally allowed Ever to feel something in her mouth so she would know to start sucking. But we both quickly became dependent on it. And not to mention it was so hard to maneuver in public, while holding a screaming baby, and trying to put on a nursing cover, and then trying to get her to latch while holding it in place. But it got to the point that she couldn't nurse without it and I was terrified I might forget it at home someday and she would starve to death. Soon enough, we got comfortable and got into a system of how to nurse with the nipple shield.
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As a first time parent, I want to get my child everything. Whether she needs it or not. I want her to have everything she could possibly want. Obviously, I don't have the means to give her everything she (or I, really) wants, but when it came to her birthday presents from Norman & Jules, we got perfection. Norman & Jules is a toy shop that "celebrates imaginary play". I love that. Everything in their shop sparks creativity and imagination, so I feel confident letting my daughter spend her precious time playing with their toys. And they seriously have everything. I didn't have to shop anywhere else for her birthday presents, and I honestly didn't even want to. I may even use a couple as Christmas presents, too, so she doesn't feel too spoiled for her birthday ;)
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Ever has always been a sleep fighter from day one. I've always dreaded nap time because it's never been peaceful, it's always a struggle getting this kid to sleep.
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It's always a struggle figuring out what we're doing for thanksgiving because Jesse works in retail and it's mandatory that he works every single black Friday. But, thank God, this year, he randomly had tuesday, wednesday, and thursday off, (then got his monday covered) so we quickly communicated with my family and planned to do thanksgiving early on wednesday so we could fly home on thursday in time for the black friday madness. The Lord really had His hand over this whole trip. It was completely bizarre that he even had those days off, and the way we were able to plan everything in a few days was amazing.
Read MoreOh boy, was it chilly in Utah. I've already climatized to California weather, so we were freezing, even though it really wasn't that cold.
We had some time before travelling to my granparents' house for thanksgiving, so we threw on our Kortni Jeane swimsuits and went for a swim in my parents' tub.
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