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What started as a digital diary to document a newfound journey as a stay at home mom / wife has quickly evolved into my own little corner on the internet where I share all that life brings my way -- the good, the bad, and everything in between. Thanks for stopping by; I hope you stay awhile!

1.31.2019

New Year, Same Me -- With Some Personal Goals


Hi Friends!

If you've kept up with my instagram lately, you know that I've made a few pledges to start off the new year -- one of which is to start eating healthier this year. That means I am on the look out for substitutes and meal alternatives that don't make me feel super guilty afterwards. In essence, I want to eat well and I want to eat yummy foods while I lose the baby weight.

& yes, I am currently pregnant -- but good habits start early, am I right? I'm not trying to lose the baby weight until baby is officially out of my belly, but I feel like there is no harm in starting to eat healthier now especially since baby currently loves raw fruits and veggies.

The Goals 

So, with that, lets talk goals.. I'm taking a different approach to "clean" eating as I am not sticking to one plan, but rather taking inspiration from Keto, Paleo, Whole30, etc. I plan to limit carbohydrates, but not expel them completely. So if after an amazing week of clean eating, I decide to make some pasta, that's okay -- as long as I utilize portion control and don't over eat. I've never been one to ban a whole food group for the sake of weight loss and I don't plan on starting now.

I also plan to start working out, but because I am currently pregnant my goal is to do at least 30 minutes on the stationary bike I have at home or walk a bit more than I usually would. As soon as I give birth, I'll probably up the time and then eventually head on on over to the gym for a more intensive workout.

Another goal of mine is to conquer the need to drink more (or enough) water something that I am terrible at. I made it a goal to drink more water last year and did a pretty good job until I got pregnant. I just didn't want to run to the restroom every five seconds, but now that I am towards the end of my pregnancy, I tend to be doing that anyway, so I might as well be super hydrated while I'm at it. The goal is drink half your body weight in water, so I'm hoping that as soon as I can pop this baby out I can figure out what that number is.

I am wanting to utilize a skincare routine at some point this year too, I just need to figure out the products that I love and use them more frequently -- a blog post in the future will talk about said routine once I've sorted the cycle out.

Last but not least, the biggest goal regarding my spiritual health is to read the Bible -- cover to cover. I've always been a read a book in the Bible and really study it, but I've never sat down and read the whole thing which makes me feel ashamed. It's January 30th as I write this and I'm happy to say that I've kept this resolution for the last 30 days and it feels great to open up the Word of God each day and dwell on His goodness. It's made the days that much sweeter.

Freebies

So with those goals in mind, let's make this new year a great one! But before I close off this post, I just wanted to say thank you to all my readers and give you guys some freebies. Because this a "cultivating healthy habits" post, what better freebies than prints of veggies?!

These prints are for your personal use only -- so please feel free to print them & use them, but remember that they are not for redistribution.

So go ahead and click on the image below to go grab these cute little veggie prints!


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1.02.2019

Dealing With Picky Eaters [ + Nuby Product Review ]

Hi Friends! Happy New Year -- I hope your holiday season was filled with a lot of joy. Now that we've entered 2019, it's back to routines and tackling some resolutions. Since Felix and Marcus are still young and can't vocalize new year resolution, I've decided to make some for them some of which include cleaning up toys after play time, more educational play and being better at eating.

I mean, if we could tackle just one of those it would be better eating. If you don't already know, my Felix is suuuuuuuch a picky eater and that means that I have to go above and beyond when it comes to making sure he's getting all the nutrients he needs. He has lower iron levels due to his pickiness, so I really am trying to make eating more fun and I've turned to Nuby for help with that. 

Here are some of Nuby's products that have assisted in my never ending battle to make meal time more enjoyable and appetizing for my picky little eater. 

No. One ::   Sure Grip Miracle Mat Suction Plate 

This plate is nice because it sticks to his Ikea highchair and makes flinging his plate across the room more difficult. Felix is using the Red Monkey plate in the picture, but we also have this exact plate in a koala version too (also pictured above) -- because options. You can never have to many of those, am I right? 

I let him choose the plate animal / color before I set the table because I want Felix to feel like he has a say. Whenever he has choices, he's more likely to cooperate when it comes to giving the food a try.

I also really love this plate because it makes separating his food so much easier. If he sees that his food is touching, Felix has an instant melt down. He just likes to have everything in its place and who can argue with that?!

No. Two :: Stainless Steel Eating Set

This was the set that Felix responded to when it came to starting using utensils. My picky eater never responded to being fed well. He'd scream and turn away, but as soon as he got his tiny little fingers on this set and I let him do it by himself, it was instant fun. 

I've come to the realization that some kids just want to be independent earlier than others and that's okay. Even though Felix is picky, he's more willing to try things if I pretend that I am not watching or care in the slightest bit. I guess it's too much pressure having mom and dad stare you down as you're trying to eat a meal, so at least I can be assured he has the tools (like this cute little utensil set) as he wings it by himself. 

No. Three :: Sure Grip Suction Bowl

Another suction product because I wasn't kidding about needing things to stick to that high chair. I place soup broth in this bowl, but more than anything else, this is a snack bowl. He loves those pretzels found in Chex Mix and this is the perfect container size to serve those to him because it's made for tiny portions. 

When I do serve him soup in this, I love that the bowl isn't sliding all over the high chair tray. I feel like toddlers have no perception about surroundings and my toddler is no different -- somehow he's always elbowing his bowls and cups, so this suction bowl is and awesome tool. 

What I've Learned About Mothering A Picky Eater

With these tools in the kitchen, I feel more equipped when it comes to getting my picky toddler to eat.   I've found that having the right tools makes me less jumpy and eases my OCD levels when it comes to having him making a mess.

I tend to be super uptight in the feeding process, so if I've learned anything, it's that it's okay to relax. I am okay with Mac and Cheese ending up on the floor and with the fact that two bites is better than no bites. There are days when Felix will try everything I give him and others when he won't even take a bite of his favorite meals and that is okay. I've come to terms with the fact that I am going to win some battles and lose even more battles, but the main thing to remember is to not give up. 

I've lucked out that Marcus is not so picky when it comes to eating, but even if he was, I would still be hopeful. I keep thinking that one day Felix will wake up and LOVE the food I give him and the pickiness will some day cease, but until that day, I'll be over here using my Nuby products to help ease the process. 
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12.21.2018

Educational Play ( + Gift Guide ) With LakeShore Learning


If there is one thing that I love it's toys that promote learning, imagination and education while my boys play. If that's something you're wanting for you little ones, may I introduce you to a brand that makes this their main mission?

LakeShore Learning has toys that encourage your little one to dream big and use their imagination. They have products for young scientists and fashion designers. They also have educational toys that help your little one make learning their ABCs and numbers so much more fun.


Felix recently received a spaceship and a wooden railroad track from Lakeshore Learning that he is absolutely in love with!

Every time I bring out these toys for play time, he squeals in delight. He spends hours playing with the cute little astronauts, their mini rover and their spaceship as well as taking apart and putting together his wooden railroad! I love that he gets to play with these toys and that his growing little mind is exposed to different jobs, scenarios and play that prompts him to use his imagination. I can't get enough of watching him enjoying these things!

Another thing that I love about Lakeshore Learning products is that they are super light and portable which means Felix can take them with him when he goes and spends the day at Grandma's house. It's so easy to pack up the wooden railroad and take it with us -- makes everyone's life so much easier and hassle free.



Gift Guide


Here is a mini gift guide composed of Lakeshore Learning products that any growing mind is sure to love playing with! I've numbered and linked each product down below for easier access.


Products 

No. 1: Doctor's Office
No. 2: Make Up & Hairstyling Doll
No. 3: Hands On Teaching Globe
No. 4: Dinosaur Adventure Backpack
No. 5: Young Scientist Microscope Set
No. 6: Super House Cleaning Set
No. 7: Feels Real Baby Dolls
No. 8: Let's Play School
No. 9: Puppy Purses
No. 10: Grandma's Dress Up Trunk
No. 11: I Can Drive First Fire Truck
No. 12: Toddler Safe Food Basket
No. 13: Deluxe Doctor's Office

Aren't these some of the cutest toys?! They're all so neat and fun! I can't wait to get my hands on some more of these goodies.

*Thank you to LakeShore Learning for sponsoring this post. 

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12.18.2018

Christmas Shopping + Present Haul (With Walmart)

Christmas shopping is probably one of the most stressful things about this season -- especially when you are part of a large family. I find myself struggling to come up with ideas when it comes to my parents and my teenage siblings. Why is it so hard to shop for adults?!

This year, Walmart reached out to me and invited my husband and I for a store tour and you guys -- it was awesome! Who knew that asking the managers a bunch of questions would result in finding the perfect gifts for everyone -- it was so fun and so informative to get the inside scoop on what is "in" this holiday season and what all the cool kids are looking at these days. 

The Walmart Holiday Shopping Experience 

Walmart's holiday section stretches into about 10 long aisles filled with gifts, decor and sparkling decorations that get you into the festive spirit as you walk around. There is enough wrapping paper, tape and bows to wrap all the toys in the store!


As I walked around the decor and wrapping paper aisles, I was a bit overwhelmed! There are so many pretty choices to choose from and for someone like me, who needs a theme, it took me a bit of time to decide what the wrapping paper colors for this year would be.

When I finally decided on my theme, it was off to the toy aisles and that was an experience in itself -- Walmart has all the toys and by all the toys, I mean allllllll the toys. Aisles and Aisles filled with toys for kids of all ages. It was hard to concentrate when we were surrounded with so many fun gadgets and play things. I felt like a kid again and my husband even put himself in our toddlers shoes and said things like, "I would have loved this at Felix's age" when looking at all the possible choices.



One of the neat things that Walmart has set up is a "hot stuff" table where they place all the most sought after toys. Legos, Elmos, and LOL Dolls all made the list this year. The most surprising thing on the table was Ryan's World Giant Surprise Egg -- we were told that these items are the fastest selling item next to bicycles. There was only one egg on the table and I felt guilty taking it, so we went to look on the shelf for these eggs and to our surprise, we only found one left in stock.

And that's when Walmart.com comes in! We were told that if you come into the store and find out that they just ran out of an item you were looking for. They have a neat little feature that allows you to purchase online and pick it up in store free of charge. Walmart.com also has a wider selection of toys and gifts, so if no store has what you're looking for, you'll probably find it online.


Another thing that I loved was the gift bundle / stocking stuffer section of the store -- cue shopping for all the adults in my life! They had so many bundles to choose from things like bath spa kits, lotions, fragrance mists, collections of hot cocoa and mugs, cute sets of lip gloss + nail polishes for the little divas and eyeshadow palettes for the make up lover.

I loved going through these aisles and thinking up of cute little bundles and self care packages you could gift. Gifts that have a lot of small things in them alway have made me the happiest because you can enjoy a little bit of everything!

I seriously had so much fun browsing Walmart's holiday section. After two hours of waltzing down aisles, debating with my on what would be the perfect gifts for our kids, siblings and parents, we had finally decided it was time to head to the cash register!


Lucky for us, the lines at the register were short, so we didn't wait long to get all our goodies paid for and to the trunk our car. But just in case you're in a hurry and want to avoid the huge lines, Walmart has implemented an awesome feature called Check Out With Me -- okay get this you guys: you can now ask a store associate to ring up your things from your cart without even nearing a cash register! How neat is that?!

Because this is fairly new, not all associates have the new technology on them, but when I asked a manager about it, he eagerly popped out his walkie talkie and was ready to get me someone who did! The staff at Walmart is seriously so helpful even though I could tell they had a million things going on.

Walmart staff in Tigard, Oregon was beyond friendly and helpful during our time there. They made the whole experience so much more fun!

Christmas Present / Gift Haul

We got home an unloaded the car and it was time to start wrapping all the presents, but not before I made a quick run back to Walmart to grab the gift labels I had forgotten on my first trip because you know, #mombrain.


Don't these just look so fun?! I had such a fun time picking each thing out and I hope the kids love all these toys. Here are some of the neat gifts that I found at Walmart which you can also find online! I've linked them down below.

It was really such a blast to get to work with Walmart this holiday season! I found great gifts at awesome prices and am so ready for Christmas to roll around so I can see Felix, Marcus and my siblings light up when they open their gifts. 

Special thank you to Walmart HQ for sponsoring this post and the Walmart staff in Tigard for making this one of the best holiday shopping experience I've ever encountered -- I'll be back next year! 



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10.29.2018

Review | Contours Options Elite Double Stroller



I went on vacation with two under two and I can honestly say that one of the things that made this trip  memorable was having the Contours Options Elite Double Stroller -- it's a total game changer.

I love that it's extremely light to carry. We went to Disney with this stroller and we had no issues lifting it up onto and off the tram. I saw a lot of families needing their stroller to be lifted by at least three adults, but with the Contours Options Elite stroller, my husband lifted it all by himself without having to fold it.

If it needs to be folded, this stroller does an excellent job by still leaving room in your trunk for other things! We opted to travel to Disney in a van with SIX kids and made it into a road trip and I was a bit worried about there not being a enough space in the back of our van with all our luggage and supplies,  but this double stroller folded up so nicely and still left us a TON of room for other things.


It's trendy and stylish too, but my ALL TIME FAVORITE thing about this stroller is how comfy my boys seemed to be -- especially my 22 month old. Whenever he saw that I was about to place him in, he happily complied which hasn't always been the case.

Even though we were in a super busy and loud place, the Contours Option Elite Stroller gave both my boys enough comfort to take super long naps (2+ hours!) which made me one happy mama.


TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CONTOURS OPTIONS ELITE DOUBLE STROLLER

CLICK HERE 




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8.20.2018

Look Book :: Disney Outfits For The Kiddos


We're going to Disney at the end of this month and I had such a fun time looking at outfits for the boys to wear while we're there. Like always, most stores I looked at had a very limited boy section and I ended up going to sneak a peek at the girl section even though I have no daughters. I just couldn't help myself from looking at their outfits too and O M G you guys, there are some super cute things out there. H&M and Gap are my favorite brands that Disney collaborates with, so here's a look book / catalog of a few Disney items that I loved from those stores! 












Are these outfits just adorable?! Where do you shop for your Disney gear? Let me know in the comments below and check back here in a few days because I'll be posting some of my favorite adult Disney gear in another post!
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