Favourites

Rolling In Fast to 2022

Somehow we are already nearing the end of January. How did that happen so fast? This year started off so odd too. After what seemed like a pretty successful start to the school year and fall Covid-wise, I feel like everyone we know started to drop like flies with it. We THANKFULLY have not encountered it directly in our family although my kids did have a symptom here and there (since October). These intermittent symptoms have lead to them missing more than our fair share of school and January was no different for that. My heart goes out to the families where both parents, or even the single parent, is working full time. Juggling so many of your child’s ‘sick’ days with trying to work a full schedule sounds unbelievably stressful. My unfortunate health situation has forced me to continue my employment at home (insert laugh/crying emoji) – I am not so sure anyone would want to hire someone who needs every third Monday off for treatment, the Friday prior to each said Monday for blood work, and the odd scan and appointment thrown in here and there just for fun. Star employee right there! Luckily, while we do appear to have lots of friends with Covid, or Delta, or Omnicron, whatever it may be, everyone seems to be fairing okay and only enduring cold symptoms. So thank goodness for that! As we forge forward out of January, never my favourite month, my kids are already expressing excitement for Valentines Day. So with that being said, I thought I would round up some favourites to share.

A few things my kids would love to be getting in light of the holiday of love…

These sweet panties from The Gap for Miss Hallie

These cute Bear PJs caught my eye for Jackson but I am a sucker for matching PJs so it is likely they will both get them!

This adorable ‘stuffy’ for Jackson and this rug for Hallie because my girl loves her bedroom decor

How cute are these sparkly matching Letter Pens & Keychains with each of the letters of their names

Anyone else children just a tiny bit obsessed with Pop-Its? These are cute for both boys and girls. Well all needs some rainbows in our lives too.

For the munchies, I am determined to recreate this masterpiece…. though it is so pretty it might be too hard to eat!

I also just randomly discovered this online shop and it has TONS of cute stuff, but really loving this Ball Cap for Hallie and I. This crewneck is perfect as well.

I always like to do something sweet for Valentines for my husband as well, though I am not quite sure what that will be yet!

Oh and the perfect Valentines blend in your diffuser – Wintergreen and Orange. It will make the room smell like candy hearts I promise you!

Easter Fun!

Well it’s almost time for the ol’ Easter Bunny to hop along our way and we couldn’t be more excited. Why you ask, because that means spring is officially here! Old man winter has finally thawed his cold ass out and we are getting sunny days and warmer temps. My kids have been CRAZY being cooped up in winter – yes I know a lot of you brave mommies just bundle everyone up and do the damn thing but we just aren’t cold weather people. Which is odd because we live in Kamloops but we like bare feet and bare bums (well the kids do at least). I am not one for the ice and snow. Winter unfortunately means a lot of indoor madness and endless movies in my house. I try not to worry about ‘screen time’ though as I know that once spring and summer hit, we are outside morning until supper time; Judge if you may. But back to that big white bunny. We will be heading out of town for the Easter holiday as we need to tend to a few family matters. That means our easter baskets are already organized (almost) and packed away ready for the road trip. I wanted to share a few of our favourite finds along with a few old loves that never die (wind up chickadees all day every day please).

Back when I was a kid Easter was all about CHOCOLATE. The giant chocolate egg that you cracked open and low and behold it was filled with even more chocolate but at a bite-sized level that you could hide and munch on in secret without your parents knowing. I don’t know about your kids but my son, at the ripe age of 21 months can actually SAY chocolate. They get more than their fair share on a weekly basis. I am at fault here too. A tiny piece of chocolate goes a long way when your tiny terror is mid-tantrum and you have little to no resources other than the promise of a delicious piece of milk chocolate tastiness waiting at home for them. Or in the car. Or at the next destination. Whatever momma needs to say, am I right? So on holidays, it’s not really about the overload of sweets for us. I try my hardest to make it more about the holiday, the tradition and the experience. I am (pretty much) done completing the assembly of the kid’s easter goodies and there is no trace of anything edible yet. I will include a chocolate treat of course but for now, we are busting at the basket with anything but sugar. Oh crap… that’s a lie. I did order a local box of homemade cookies and treats. That is more of a family treat for the road trip though. So of course it doesn’t count! I mean most of that will go to mom and dad and necessary bribes. But they are homemade and gluten free so it’s all good right? So down to brass tacks…. the winding chickadee. This is a MUST. I don’t have a single childhood easter memory without one of these babies. My kids love them too. Perfect for races. We also have the token bunny ears. I am a huge fan of the glittery kind too but to keep things simple, we went or good ol’ dollar store fun and furry. Since we are hitting the road and staying in Grand Forks for the holiday, I have included a few colouring activities, including glitter chalk. I did not know this was a thing. My chalk world has now changed! With any messy activity too, aprons are required. The ones pictured above are actually my own design from my store Deer Baby. A little vintage floral for the ladies and nothing but the coolest for the gents: butcher style! Lastly, I am not a fan of the Paw Patroller crew but my kids fight ENDLESSLY over the few that we own. Therefore they will each be acquiring their own set. How I will keep them from mixing them up and continuing to fight, I have no idea. Lord give me the strength to be the Paw Patrolling mediator. Oh yes, don’t forget a couple books. Those are mandatory.

At then end of the day, it’s all just STUFF and not at all relative to what the holiday is actually about. But the little ones love it and I am here to make them smile in whatever way I can. That means Easter baskets for them and Easter wine for mama. Here’s to hoping all of your Easter hunts end with happy little munchkins.

Roll On Spring . . . Please!

I am sure I am not the only one who is totally over winter. As I sit here on my sofa (Hallie has passed on her germy cold to me so we are snuggling and watching Toy Story while Jackson blesses us with a nap) I can’t help but appreciate how beautiful winter can be. The snow, the white, the trees that are dusted from the last snowfall still…. I get it. We love it. For a little while! For a season even! But come on folks, March is literally right round the corner and we all need a little warmth and vitamin D in our lives. I believe that Old Man Winter is sticking around everywhere too. Not just Kamloops. So I don’t feel too burdened knowing that many others are dealing with the chilly temperatures as well. Nothing can stop me from dreaming about spring which basically means perusing spring clothing online and losing hours of my life on Pinterest while I research summer recipes, outdoor activities for the kids and backyard remodelling ideas. Normally I turn to my essential oils diffuser and diffuse something fresh and tropical to lift our winterized spirits. Today (and for the last two weeks) it has been Thieves in the diffuser all day, erry’day. I do believe we have avoided most of the bugs this season because of our oil use and Thieves in particular. I have also made my own countertop cleaner, incorporated it into our laundry, and made the kids roller balls and chest rubs for when they aren’t feeling top notch. It is amazing stuff for building those immune systems. Though they did catch a bit of a cold the last couple weeks, I hundred percent believe their symptoms were mild because of these efforts. So when the germs depart and I can get back to sweeter scents, my favourite to share with you today will leave your home smelling exactly like Anthropologie. Everyone who loves that store KNOWS that smell. You can thank me later! Combine Grapefruit, Geranium, Orange and Bergamot. You will be seeing sunny skies in your mind before you know it. I have also decided to share some fashion favourites that have me personally hoping spring get’s it booty here STAT! Also, for those not suffering from the sniffles, a dreamy sangria recipe to get you in the mood for warmer temps:

The Soho Sangria

I know I will be making this up in the near future for sure!

Now, it’s time for more snuggling with my homegirl and perhaps a little catch up from The Bachelor last night. Team Becca all the way!

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Easter Favorites

Easter is just around the corner! I actually don’t remember the date exactly and will need to google it (or look at one of my three calendars, if you read my last post) but nonetheless, I know it’s March/April and this year it is going to be a fun one! Last year we sort of got into it for Hallie. We decorated the night before and did a small hunt around the house. She is much more adventurous this year and is comprehending so much more that I think we can take it to the next level. Jackson, we will just give him a bunny stuffy and a plastic egg to suck on and he will be happy as can be. So first off I wanted to share a few ideas off of Pinterest and other blogs that I think would be super fun to try. If you have a backyard and access to a helium tank, this idea is adorable. Also very straightforward for toddlers. There are some great ideas for getting festive with food in this link, I particularly love the breakfast efforts and know they would be a huge hit in this house. If you are looking for basket treat ideas that are not candy and filled with sugar, I love this post and all it suggests. I would like to think I will take a few ideas out of that one but at the same time, I know our easter will likely be filled with way too many Mini Eggs! They are too yummy to resist and a staple snack during Easter.

Now for some Easter Favorites…

As a Tupperware Consultant I get a pretty savvy discount, which explains why I have mass amounts spilling out of my cupboards. Gotta love TW AND keep a finger on the Tupperware pulse at all times. They are always coming up with fabulousnous. When they released the Spring sales for this month, they had the cutest idea of using the pails as an Easter basket. I love it when something can be used again after so this idea appealed to me immensely. They also suggested using the avocado keeper to surprise little ones with their Easter treats – like Mini Eggs! LOVE love love this idea and I also love to keep my avocado as fresh as possible. So win win there for this momma. I am also loving just about everything in GAP KIDS right now so have selected all of our favourite Easter outfits from there. I am going to track down those sandals for Jackson as quickly as possibly as they are just too cute! They suit his style perfectly too- anyone who knows him would totally agree. Aside from all of the cute kid’s clothes, I love this time of year so much. It feels so fresh and we are all so sick of snow and winter that it couldn’t come at a better time. Now if the climate would just get it’s act together and warm up, all would be just swell!

Friday Favourites: Mama Style Winter Edition

The weekend has finally arrived! I couldn’t be happier because this week has SUCKED! It just felt that anything could go wrong this week was going wrong. I also felt super BLAH and the kids were not sleeping so each morning started with that feeling like you had been hit by a train. It was a bit of a struggle! But each day is a new one and all things do pass so here we are again at the beginning of a great weekend! So much fun going on too for us. Hallie has her first day of ballet; I can’t even contain my excitement about this. We have some adorable dance outfits to try and though we don’t have shoes yet, she can patter around bare foot and look just as cute. I don’t know who in their right mind thinks they can carole a herd of two year olds but power to ya! I intend to watch it to! I think it will be a combination of proud mom-tears and a good chuckle at the little kiddo’s expense. Will be quite the show! We are also heading out for some adult fun at the casino for a friends birthday. I have baked her a Bailey’s Chocolate Cake (yes, the boozy kind) and my entire house smells amazing right now. I am salivating just writing about the darn cake. If it’s a success tomorrow night I will be sure to share the recipe on here. If it tastes as good as it smells you can bet your boots I will be making it again soon. Bailey’s cake in the morning with coffee? Yes please! Okay so not the busiest, action-packed weekend I thought I was about to get into, that is pretty much it. Fun will be had nonetheless. Since it is so bitterly cold here, I decided to share some very appropriate Friday Favourites. Some of these items I own, and some I just wish I did. Either way, put them all together and you are feeling pretty darn cozy in this minus 25 degree weather we are having. No pone says you can’t look good, feel good and stay warm all at the same time.

Victoria’s Secret Bralette / Tupperware Large Water Bottle / Sorel Coat / John Masters Organics Dry Shampoo / Sorel Booties / Pom Pom Toque / Piperwest Watch / Gap Sweater

I was browsing through Pinterest at some Winter fashion and LOVE the look of the bralette peaking out of soft winter layers. It’s at the top of my list next time I am shopping. I am in love with my large Tupperware water bottle, and love even more that it is black. I signed up to sell Tupperware just so I could get a great discount but I got this little baby for free. (Tupperware loves to give you free stuff!). And it’s not really little at all. You can fit an entire bottle of wine in there! Coincidence? I think not. One brand I have become deeply obsessed with since I moved to Kamloops is Sorel, mainly because everything is so warm. Your fashion choices definitely open up when you move to a colder climate. I particularly love this coat and the tan booties. They are not what you would typically guess to come from Sorel and I love that they are a little less rugged and a little more chic. Now that I have two kids and am a lot busier, I find the need for dry shampoo more than ever. This one by John Masters is light and feels incredible on your hair. It doesn’t leave behind a residue as well that some do. A winner in my books for sure. For those days where not even dry shampoo will cut it, I love hats such as this one. I have many pom pom hats but I am really liking this one in black. The hat and the this GORGEOUS watch are out of my friend’s online store, Wishlist. With a birthday coming up real soon, this watch may be on my wishlist too. I love the Rose Gold and the simplicity of the strap and face. Lastly, I picked up this sweater at our GAP Outlet and seem to live in it these days. It is so warm and cozy…. plus I have a thing for grey. All items are linked back to their sites above.

Happy Friday friends! It’s just about Happy Hour so I think we should get this weekend started. Have a great weekend!

Mother’s Day

It’s almost Mother’s Day! I still consider myself a very new mom, and this weekend will mark my second year celebrating this very special day. I always made a big deal out of the day for MY mom and have to say, it’s even more special that I can now share the day with her. I think there are so many ways to show mom gratitude and appreciation! Gifts are always such a wonderful sentiment but sometimes it’s all about the little things.

Sleeping in. Sleeping through the night. Sleeping like my husband sleeps. Those would all be wonderful things to be given this mother’s day. The ability to sleep on my stomach and drink a bottle of wine (not in that order) would be AMAZING. Those are not possible right now due to being a pregnant mommy. My time will come very soon though! Then sometimes I think, man a day at the spa would be a fantastic mother’s day gift. But that would require me spending hours AWAY from my baby when I would probably just miss her like crazy and suffer major FOMA. I think mother’s day should be about spending quality time with the family and celebrating the very opportunity that I am blessed to be someone’s mommy. I did however read about one awesome tradition have decided to start it this year. It is to go to our local nursery, and between myself, my daughter and my mom, we will each pick out a flower that reminds us of one another. Then we will go home and plant it in the garden. Obviously Hallie is too young to realize what this is all about, but it will be fun to start anyways. I will just have to steer her in the direction of the peonies for now!

With all of that being said, it is pretty awesome to get a sweet present, whether it’s mother’s day or not. I have rounded up some treasures that I am totally LOVING right now and would be overjoyed to receive. A little bit of something for all of the mommies out there!

GEO Knit Throw / Kate Spade Jewel Dish / Books From Indigo / Clay Inspired Wine Cooler / Anthropologie Candles / Eleanor Jewel Case / Oversized Wicker Throw Basket / Dottie Glassware

I am a sucker for throws. This GEO print is super fun and I feel it would be easy to work into any room, no matter the existing decor. I love the navy as well. The jewel dish would be a lovely gift for anyone who wears rings. I have one in my bathroom, by my bed and even near the kitchen sink. Just in case I need to remove my wedding rings. I have misplaced them once and NEVER want to do that again! Books can be a difficult gift to give. After some thought out research, these two are bound to hit the spot with any mom. One a nice easy bath tub read, and the other one that has a different perspective and brings out all the ‘feels’. This wine cooler is so cute! I can totally see it on my patio table, with a blend of different blues in glassware and a crisp white linen tablecloth. Very Mediterranean. I also plan to do a lot of white wine drinking this summer so a chiller will come in handy. This one can be soaked in cold water prior to keep an icy chill on your bottle that much longer. Full disclosure on Anthropologie candles. I have many. I have a backstroke supply in our hall closet. If my husband new that I spent an average of thirty dollars on each of these candles, he may not be my husband any longer. Light one of these puppies up though and you will forget all about how much you paid to breathe in that heavenly scent. Worth. Every. Penny. The Capri Blue candle is an Anthro signature smell – the one you inhale dreamily whenever you enter the store. The Voluspa is one of my absolute favourites. Feeling the sudden urge to light one just writing these words. Since this Christmas just past, I have become quite obsessed with jewelry boxes. I can’t believe I went without one for so many years in my twenties. I love having a beautiful case to house all of my bits and bobs in. This one here is the Eleanor case from Indigo and I love the femininity of it. Mom will too! These oversized wicker baskets are so fun. I plan to put one beside the new baby’s crib and fill it with swaddle blankets. There is just something about them that makes me feel like I am in Aladdin, I love them! The color palette is great too. Lastly, this Dottie inspired glassware from Crate & Barrel is super cute. Fresh and summery, alcoholic or not a drink is going to refresh!

Instagram Favourites

I am as obsessed with Instagram sometimes as I am with Pinterest. I just love the continuous visual stimulation, not to mention all of the hot leads on baby cuteness available out there! I think most of the accounts I follow eventually lead to online shopping but there are a number of crafty ones that inspire me to create. That may be in the kitchen, in my craft room, often more than not I just screen shot it ‘for later’ and forget to copycat it….. but keeps my creative juices flowing nonetheless! Today I wanted to share a few favourites with you that I LOVE to see pop up in my feed. Check em out! You will love them as much as I do I promise!

Tiffanie Turner – Crafty friends, check out her Instagram AND website! She is an artist who creates gorgeous flowers out of paper, sometimes on a massive scale! Some of her work will knock your socks off! Oh and how awesome is her name?

Sweet Paul – I love everything about Sweet Paul. I first discovered the magazine when I was working at Anthropologie. It lead me to the website and eventually stalking the Instagram account. Sweet Paul covers everything from baking and cooking to creating and DIY projects. It oozes simplicity and elegance and inspires all! If you have not checked out the site, well it is your lucky day.

Made By Girl – Jen Ramos is the artist behind this beauty and boy oh boy is she just that! Her site is an online store for art and prints and her creations are beautiful! I love how her inspiration stems from something as simple as a pineapple and out pops this brightly coloured breathe of fresh air for your walls. I also am obsessed with her larger abstract prints.

Gray Malin – This photographer takes it to another level. Everything he does is so well planned. I love his larger scale projects in particular where you can’t even fathom the choreography required to get everything in sync. Check out some of his work and you will understand exactly what I mean! I especially love anything he has done with flamingos! Oh and pink striped zebras!!

Do you have any creative interests that you obsessively follow on Social Media? Please share the love!

Friday Favourites: Baby Boy Edition (Part 1)

I promised last week that this week’s Friday Favourites would be one FOR THE BOYS! I have delivered too. It was actually quite challenging to do, I have to admit. Since I have been in ‘GIRL’ mode from the moment I found out I was pregnant with Hallie, it has taken some real switching gears to get enthused about boys. Of course I LOVE the idea of having a boy. I mean that it was hard to get excited about the clothes. They are not at all as fun as little lady tutus. But if you look in the right places, there are some very cute things for the baby gentlemen in this world. Once I started, it was actually hard to stop! My baby boy will be born in July and the weather is going to be HOT HOT HOT. That means a lot of onsies, rompers and cute shorts and tees. My husband seems to think a summer baby can just be naked all the time but I have a couple objections to that theory. It’s a newborn baby. They need to be toasty no matter what the weather. Plus, the air conditioning inside our house will no doubt be pumping in summertime which means baby boy will still need to be somewhat clothed. Lastly, most importantly, we are dealing with a loaded gun people! No way we are having that boy chilling in all his glory, peeing everywhere! It’s my first experience dealing with a boy and I will be taking all precautions necessary. Grandma has already bought me a supply of PeePee TeePees. I have heard they don’t work all that well but the theory behind it is GENUIS!

Another fun part of putting this post together was getting to look at all of the fun ‘newborn’ items you can get that I had forgotten all about using with Hallie. Feels like forever ago when our top priority of the morning was Tummy Time. Now our top priority rotates between cleaning up food that has been splattered all over the kitchen, or catching Hallie before she clogs the toilet with toys, eats a pair of my earrings, climbs ON TOP of the computer desk,, the list could go on and on here. It will be interesting (and slightly terrifying) to see how we balance out the day and priorities when I have my arms full of two babies. I am starting to really think it will be two babies as my daughter’s strong-willed independence seems to be fading this week. She still loves to play solo but she is needing ‘mummy’ a lot more. She constantly wants ‘up’ and is all about snuggling and hugs. I do not mind this at all either! I will take those baby snuggles and slobbery open mouth kisses all day long. It just may be slightly problematic with a newborn baby in one arm. Think I better perfect the art of baby wearing this time round. I got a bit lazy with her!

So with all of that being said, I am sharing not one, but TWO Friday Favourites with you broken down into two posts! The first one sharing some adorable swag that I am gonna need to get . I mean of course baby boy is going to be a stud but who can resist bow ties and houndstooth print in such a tiny size. Irresistible!

The second part of Friday Favourites is what I have called Newborn Must Haves. This of course, is absolutely not true for everyone. You each have your own list of essentials that you feel make life easier with a newborn. My list was probably different when I was preparing for Hallie. In fact, I should do another series on that! You can find the original posts here for newborn essentials or even more fun, monthly favourites through the first year (almost anyways) here. I would love to do an updated version tailored to baby boys, or even comparing the two! What I was trying to say though is you can probably live without have of the recommended items these days and raise your baby perfectly fine. But where is the fun in that? I love enjoying cool baby things! When else am I going to in life? As usual, I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on what items you absolutely love for baby, and what you consider to be must haves for bringing up baby.. See the next post for all of this fun information!

Baby Boy Swag:

Batman Sleepers – How cute are these?! They are from H&M though they are sold out online. I am going to check them out in-store ad fingers crossed they have a selection there! One of my rules for sleepers now is they must be zippered. At least for the first four months. Snaps are the worst, especially in the middle of the night or when you are dealing with a major explosion. I mean the ones that are like Zero Dark Thirty and you need a team to go in there with you. Zippers make sense. That is all on this topic.

Baby Boy Shoes – I love baby shoes. They honestly make my heart beat a little faster. If they are too cute then I get a little teary eyed – oh hello hormones! Even though babies don’t do any walking for many, many months, I can’t resist dressing them in cute shoes. We have a wedding to go to a few weeks after baby boy arrives. I think a cute slip-on houndstooth print pair will be perfect for the occasion. I also love these ones from Baby Gap. Patent leather?! Yes please!

Mama Bear & Baby Bear Matching Tees – Did I mention I love to matchy match dress with Hallie? Well at least coordinate our outfits. I love these t-shirts so that I can coordinate with baby boy too. Not to mention my undying affection for ‘heather grey’. T-shirts and denim shorts are likely to be my go-to mom outfit this summer anyways.

Dino Hoodies – these hoodies have spikes on the hood to help him look more dinosaur like. Need I say more?

Chambray One-Piece Romper – This is the perfect gentleman’s outfit. It is dressy enough that it could be worn to events but looks simple and light-weight, perfect for our warm summer weather. Relatively easy to put on baby as well. This could also be a runner up piece for the wedding in which he will make his debut appearance to many people. Gotta dress to impress the ladies!

Dressy Onesie with Bow Tie – this is the next contender for the wedding. I don’t think I need to justify it’s cuteness, plus it is on sale right now. Who am I kidding anyways. He will be wearing things like this non-stop, not just for weddings hah! I see a lot of bow ties in our future.

Like I mentioned above, it was a challenge to narrow down some favourites in this category. I am glad it was though! This means there are plenty of cute options out there and that I can continue my baby clothes obsession. Words that every husband wants to hear I am sure! Stay tuned for Part Two Friday Favourites: Must Haves!

TGIF!

Ah Friday….again haha. Looks like all I can manage right now are Friday posts…. I don’t know if it’s because we are wrapping up a huge renovation downstairs, or if it’s because I am pregnant, or because every day my toddler seems to have more and more energy. Maybe it’s a combination of all three. I am friggin’ exhausted! Mentally. Physically. Emotionally. Jumping on here to write a post every couple days has just been impossible it seems. Not going to lie, I have had the best of intentions. Sometimes the day just manages to fly by though and there is not enough time. Tonight however I have managed to convert my mindless perusing on Pinterest into a collection of Friday Favourites to share with you. My mind is on babies and sunshine right now so they generally all are taking on that direction!

This Learning Tower is so awesome! I think we are a tiny bit early for Hallie but soon enough, this will be perfect for her! She can stand right up to the kitchen counter and ‘help me’ bake and be apart of the kitchen action. Perfect for water play in the sink as well. If we had it now though I am scared it would be used as a climbing apparatus and we would quickly have tears and broken bones!

This site here has some amazing ideas for creating all sorts of fun in the yard for kiddos this summer. My absolute favourite is the outdoor kitchen. I love the one side of the sink with dirt and the other with water and all the tools and pots and pans you need right there on hand.I can see Hallie making a big muddy mess and having a ton of fun doing it! All outside where the dirt belongs and clean up is a dream.

Speaking of being outdoors in the sunshine, this romper/sandal combo has stolen my heart! Is it not the sweetest little boho toddler outfit you have ever seen!? I happen to know a little lady who could pull it off perfectly. Yum! This Little Arrows Romper also gets me in the feels but I think it might be more for a newborn or at least a bit younger than my wild woman…. we will find out Monday though if a little lady or a little gentleman will join us in July so lets not cross it off the list just yet!

Onto newborn babies, I am obsessed with Little Unicorn Swaddle Blankets. They have the sweetest prints for tiny babes. I find it impossible to settle on just one. I am personally in love with the Garden Rose Set and the Berry Lemonade Set – hello summer!

This hanging cradle would be so perfect with the new baby when the weather turns warm. We have a large covered back patio and it’s a spring project to really baby proof it and set it up so that we can spend many afternoons out there, should the sweltering heat permit. I think it would be so sweet to have a peaceful rocking cradle just hanging there for babes number two while Hallie and I busy ourselves on the deck. Might have to draft up a little design for hubby to make me one!

Lastly, I love this idea of a Busy Board. Can’t decide it it’s too young for Hallie or too advanced for the new baby, probably both! Either way though I like it and I think someone will benefit from it, hopefully both. I keep wanting to say ‘the girls’! Ah!!!! MONDAY CAN’T COME QUICK ENOUGH! I have no patience left. Need to know if this baby is a boy or a girl now! I know, all you surprise lovers are just hating me right now.

Happy Friday friends! Here is a summer shot just for fun, since we are dreaming of all this sunshine.

Friday Favourites

I am a week late on this post but I figure better late than never. I headed out of town last weekend for a Rodan + Fields Training Conference in Vancouver and it was a form of travel that I hadn’t pursued in many years: coach bus! Seriously, we are talking probably ten years ago when I travelled throughout Australia is the last time I was on a bus. Unless you count booze bus trips to Seattle Mariners and Seahawks games during the last few summers. Pre baby haha! Ah those boozy days…. seems like a different lifetime ago! Back to the ol’ Greyhound. It was a fairly comfortable ride so no real complaints. Being preggo I managed to snag one of the seats at the very front and no one ended up seated next to me. The four hour trip allowed for a lengthy snooze and some solid reading time. You know, the solo time that tired mommies dream of! As I packed for this excursion, I thought it would be a great idea to share some of my travel favourites, essentials for making any trip a smooth one. I have to say, when you are not travelling with a toddler, it is so much easier! Much more room to pack for yourself as well. I missed her like crazy throughout the ENTIRE weekend but this was a trip for mom. Plus there was some serious daddy-daughter bonding while I was away. I might have been a teensy bit jealous. What is in your bag when it’s time for a little getaway?

The Good Bean Chickpea Snack – The bag should come with a warning: HIGHLY ADDICTIVE! Also extremely delicious and an extremely healthy snack. Perfect for you preggos out there, might I add. I managed to squeeze an extremely large portion into a plastic travel mason jar, perfect when you need a little energy fix when on the go. I picked up mine at Costco.

Ted Baker Travel Set – Whether it is a plane, a car or a bus, if you are travelling solo it can hard on your neck. I like to snooze on my hubby’s shoulder in transit but needless to say last week he wasn’t around. This handy neck pillow keeps you from doing the head bob while you get your beauty travel sleep. Love a good eye mask too. Plus this print is gorgeous! Available at Indigo.com.

Tieks Ballerina Slippers – If you haven’t discovered this Vancouver shoe designer, you need to check it out now! Comfort and quality, all the way. Though it is reflected in the price, I stand behind them being a solid investment. I used to keep them in my desk drawer at work when my feet were ready to quit on the chosen footwear I had been wearing. They are so comfortable. For travel, they fold up real small so that you don’t even notice them hiding in your bag. Best part? They come in every color imaginable. You might find it hard to pick just one.

Chloe Roller Ball Perfume – I am slightly obsessed with these Chloe scents. They are so fresh and subtle. This compact size makes them perfect for travel and the roller ball ability allows for quick and easy application no matter where you are.

Blanket Scarf – Every girl needs a good blanket scarf. On top of coziness and making a great fashion statement, they double up as a blanket when you need it. Mine is now sold out however Kit & Ace has so many gorgeous options here.

Transport Tote – A good bag is an absolute necessity for travel. I prefer ones with a bit of structure and to be nice and roomy inside. I don’t go for a lot of inserts or pockets. One of my favourite features is when you have a bag in a bag, usually attached and with a zipper enclosure. Perfect for putting tinier make up bags and smaller items you need. I know: a bag, within a bag, within a bag. I sound ridiculous. It makes my life easier though! The one I have listed here is PERFECT and available at Nordstrom however I recently bought one online from ZARA and it meets my needs as well. Can a girl really have too many bags anyways?

Compression Socks – Call me an old lady if you want. These are lifesavers! Great for travel because when you are sitting for too long, especially if you travel by plane and are higher altitudes, your feet can swell. These are excellent for keeping swelling at bay. I have also been told they are great for exercising and I personally know how amazing they are in the later stages of pregnancy. Even if you don’t want to wear them all day or out in public, throw them on when you are having your coffee or taking a moment for yourself. You will thank me! Dr. Segal makes it easy to love these socks with great prints. They’re adorable!

Oprah’s What I know For Sure – If anyone knows me well they know I am a HUGE FAN of Miss Oprah. She is always good when you need a pick me up. Hubby bought me this book for Christmas and though it touches on some deeper points, it is a nice, light read. Great for travelling as it can be difficult to concentrate. Loving this book and a little sad I am almost finished reading it.

BKR Water Bottle – It may not be possible with air travel due to so many security restrictions but in any other form of transportation, you can take your own source of water. I love my BKR bottle and it usually comes with me everywhere. There is something comforting about drinking out of a glass bottle. These bottles are extremely hand holding-friendly and are cute to boot with their different sleeves. I happen to have a few sleeves; between baby and hubby and few of my bottles have seen better days. Now I just have one small and one large, with a few interchanging coloured sleeves. Solid investment for a good water bottle though. Love my BKR’s!

Happy Travels Friends! Oh and Happy Friday!

Time With Tiffany

Motherhood, Lifestyle & Design