manomine. quite possibly the cutest little creatures i’ve ever set eyes upon. sometimes even grownies buy toys (like this)! shop them here.
a bed in a house. as i mentioned, rocco slept in the shower (in a pack-n-play) on vacation + wanted to go to bed. this just might be our next project.
papier mache magazine. i picked up one in new york a couple of months ago + haven’t stopped looking for another one (looks like i’ll be ordering online)Ω
the darling shop sunday in color + particularly 2 cute 2 be true + japanese goldfish balloons
wild boys (this photo by julie ansiau + i’m loving all of her photos). 3 boys means my days are sometimes wild. i’m embracing it more each day and just pausing to get lost in the wild blue eyes rather than the wild wicked mess they are creating.
what are you loving for the little ones this week?
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so, after our normal trip, La La and i snuck over to L.A. (with my mom) for a few days to celebrate her 10th birthday. we had a really fun time. and, although i wish i could have explored, all the places i read about from blogs and my goop app, there just wasn’t time for it. we stayed in santa monica and rode bikes by the beach every morning (gosh i could get used to that), got as close to the oscars as we possibly could (we saw many a black suv’s escorting the stars but no stars themselves), shopped (because that is what girls seem to like to do, even 10 year old ones), went to disneyland, and ate lots of great food. we even got to stay an extra day because our flight got cancelled, due to snow back home (many a tears were shed – tears of joy!). it’s definitley a memory i will always treasure. i’ll take a trip over things any day. memories and experiences are pretty much priceless. i’m hoping to make many ad to my menagerie that i’m carefully curating.
if you are headed that way here are places to eat at that i would return to in a minute:
+blue plate taco
+the ivy by the shore
+hillstone
+pizzeria mozza
and yes…. i pretty much need to go on a major diet, now yesterday.
and the only downside to travel is that it only makes you want to travel more. i have a few ideas of where i’d like to go next just not sure how it will happen….yet.
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hi lovelies. how have you been? it’s been a fun two weeks for me. i’ve been popping in from time to time to say hello while traveling. but today, i am back home in the winter wonderland that i call home. i love traveling and i love coming home. i always find myself overwhelmed with a sense of appreciation and find that i fall in love with my home all over again, pretty much, every. single. time. it’s just that feeling of domestic duty that always sneaks back in, within about 90 minutes time, that steals all those lovely endorphins.
but back to the trip. we had a lovely time. if you’ve been reading for awhile than you may have noticed that every year in february we trek out to the desert, tucson to be exact, with our friends. it’s been a tradition for 14 years. we started going before there were any littles and 7 kids later we are still making lots of memories.
i should like to tell you that we climb this mountain, and that one. that we go on adventures and so on, but really, all we do is eat, shop, relax, sit by the pool, take walks and then repeat. it’s pretty great.
+rocco, who slept in the shower all week (memory), was the sweetest.
+the mountains always give me a shot of strength that i can’t seem to find elsewhere, you know.
+we always go rock climbing. liam brave was brave little thing.
+a snowstorm was not what we planned for but it did make for memories + some haunting photos.
+the big kids . . . getting way to big. boo to growing up.
+stopped by one of my favorite stores, bon, again. diane keaton loves it too.
+my beautiful friend jen (who always inspires me to be a better mom) and pax, of #dailydoseofpax fame. he is such a darling, in every sense of the word + i could have just eaten him for dessert everyday.
a few of my favorite places to eat in tucson are:
+blanco
+wildflower
+sauce
+frost
+and, of course, this midwest girls likes to get her fill of rubio’s + in and out burger, when visiting the west, too.
*next week, i’ll be sharing some photos from a really cool shop in tucson, that i stumbled upon,that sells gorgeous handmade jewelry, that i fell in love with.
*you can see more from our trip over on instagram + post on LA trip to follow in a few!
this is the final week of room tours and out takes from my home that was featured in the Land of Nod catalog. you can see the other rooms right here and the video tour right here.
welcome to my dining room. i mean playroom. about a year ago, i decided to turn my dining room into a playroom. yes, we have a playroom in the basement but no one ever wanted to be down there. and, of course, i wasn’t able to always go sit down there with the little ones. so, one day, it dawned on me, why not, for a few years, turn the dining room into a playroom? we didn’t use the dining room, that often, and we really didn’t have to make any major changes. and the great thing about it is, that when the time comes to turn it back, there won’t be much to it.
to change things, we gave the room some fresh paint, took the dishes out of the hutch and exchanged them for toys, hung a few shelves and let the same fancy chandelier do its thing and shine some magic into the space.
you can shop the look of this room right here! but here is a list of some of the resources :
paint / top half of the room = winter wheat by benjamin moore. bottom half of the room = filmy green by sherwin willimas.
hutch/ old piece that my mom bought at ace hardware, of all places
light fixture/ i bought this (for a steal) out of someone’s dining room (literally).
play table / land of nod
chairs / little felix + iron rich play chairs
rocking chair/ retro rocker
rug / the land of nod
wire bins / down to the wire bins
polka dot bin / dotted storage collection
airplane + hedgehog night light / land of nod
lime green tea towel / lucky fish
cloud pillow / land of nod (this pillow makes me smile everyday)
yellow pouf / pull up a pouf
i hope you have enjoyed this little series and a behind the scenes look and out takes from the Land of Nod catalog. and, thank you Land of Nod for being so rad!
images courtesy of Land of Nod
hi lovelies…as you may have gathered from my instagram feed i have escaped the cold and am traveling. traveling with 4 kids, that is. it’s always a task, but well worth it. i’m sharing a few tips on flying / traveling with littles today. i’ve shared this before, but you may just be new around here! happy travels!
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Traveling with kids differs for everyone. But however you put it or plan it out it is not an easy task. I’ve come to the conclusion, 10 years and 4 kids later, that it basically comes down to luck and money. Not what you wanted to hear right? Luck if you have a well tempered little one (s). Luck if you happen to get the right ticket agent who will hook you up. Luck if the flight is not full and you can stretch out over a couple of seats. Luck if you have no delays or hiccups. Money, you ask? Well, money, can buy you lots of things, like extra seats, traveling nannies or flying private, which of course would be the ultimate easiest way to travel with kids. Yes, I know very far fetched but I’m just speaking the truth. You drive your car right up to the plane. Load anything and everything you want on the plane. You can stretch and roam about and eat catered food. Your kids can even talk to the pilots and see what goes on in the cockpit. Then the nice pilots land the plane. Open the door and viola your car awaits you and you’re off. And this pretty much would explain how Brand and Angelina can travel the world with 6 kids often and easily (that and add in a couple of nannies + an entire staff). Ok, now back to reality.
I’m a planner, and thus I plan, very strategically, on how to make travel as easy as possible. Of course, it doesn’t always go according to plan. Sometimes it goes way worse than expected + surprisingly sometimes it goes better. None the less, here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way:
01/ Technology. Load those iPads / iPods up and let them roll. Be sure to bring earphones that work with small little ears (ones that you wear like a headband and cover the entire ear have worked best for us).
02 / Snacks . Bring lots of snacks + then some. Whatever it takes, yes, even candy (suckers last a long time).
03 / Change of Clothes. I forgot a change of clothes once (duh) and of course LB had an explosion. Thank God it was summer time + a short flight. He ended up wearing a slightly stained white onsie.
04 / Pain Reliever. I don’t know if people still give there kids a little “something” when flying, but I always bring a little Tylenol for sensitive ears (do you?). Gum is also a great idea for take off and landings.
05 / Coloring / Craft. Ok, you know you want to bring something like this. Go ahead and do it. I recommendCrayola Color Wonder coloring books + markers (no mess). However, prepared to pull the iPad back out after 3.4 minutes.
06/ Bottles. If you are still nursing or bottle feeding, bring enough milk (or plan to nurse) for take off and landing and extra for in between. The swallowing helps babies ears when you are climbing in altitude.
07 / Buy an Extra Seat. Here is where money and luck comes in. If money is not an issue, by all means, buy an extra seat for your baby. You might not have the best luck and may end up squished between two people with baby screaming on your lap.
Although traveling with children can be hard and, yes, very tiresome. In the end, it is worth it. Hours of pain for days of fun. And lets not forget, memories that last a lifetime. Yes, even those travel nightmares end up being some of the funniest memories and most told stories.
image / les zigouis
this week i’m sharing some out takes from my boys room featured in the Land of Nod catalog.
welcome to luke and liam’s room. did you know this used to be my room growing up (well at least until the 7th grade when i moved all my belongings to the basement in an effort to not share a room with my sister anymore)? if you are new here, i should mention that i live in the house i grew up in. it’s crazy. it’s awesome. it’s weird. but mostly it’s super cool. i’ve watched this room, in particular, go through many makeovers over the years according to who resided in it. at first it was my sister and i (ages 9 + 4, to start with). than just my sister for the longest of times. then when my family (as in my husband and i) moved back in it became my daughters room (this is her room now) and then we moved everyone around when # 4 came along. now my two middle boys share this room. and come to think of it, it is the first time boys have lived in this room which is, in fact, still claimed by my sister, as her name carved in the closet door states.
you can shop the look of this room right here! but here is a list of some of the resources :
paint / winter wheat by benjamin moore /chalkboard paint
bunk beds/ land of nod
light fixture/ up and atom light fixture
wire baskets / land of nod
desk / little sloan leaning desk
desk chair / class act desk chair
rug / chevron and on rug in grey
robot drawings / hand drawn by luke, age 7 (he was super proud and i was too)
window shades / the home depot
string lights / ikea
the mouse hole / this was a super fun addition we recently made connecting the boys room to the nursery. the kids think it’s so fun to crawl through and i think it just adds an extra touch of magic.
i’ll be wrapping up the room tours next week with my dining room/playroom. (and again…. if you have e-mailed me with a question or left a comment, i promise i will get back to you).
images courtesy of Land of Nod
each day with you leaves me wondering of the next. it’s hard to believe that my 1st day with you was 365 x 10. i’ll never forget that, “she is so beautiful,” were my very first words to you. and that scrunched up face that was before me when our eyes first met is still the same little facey i see when you cry today. it’s seems those very first words are ones that i find myself saying or catch myself thinking almost each and every day. and with passing day i find that you are only becoming more and more beautiful both inside and out.
+ you have a song in your heart and have been blessed with a voice to share it.
+ you’re favorite books are the doll people but i’m glad you read ruby redfort for (and with) me.
+ you’d rather watch duck dynasty than nigella (what up with that?).
+ you write music and make movies every.single.day.
+ the stories you write are magic and endearing and make me want to be a better writer.
+ i don’t know if you like your dad’s noodle sandwich or noodle quesadilla best? i’m confused about either.
+ i wonder if you’ll ever tire of listening to brit nicole? – your answer is no.
+ you’ve worn your moccasin boots out
+ you always light up the room with your warmth
+ you are known for making up songs with coordinating moves at school. ”invertebrates. invertebrates….inverte verte verte verte vertebrates.”
+ you have great style. i’d like to wear the outfits you put together.
+ you have a sweet sensitivity and are always aware when someone is down + in need of love.
i have no doubt that you will be a star. you are already mine. you shine bright on dark days and you bring beauty to my life. we may call you la la but you are our lovely!
Happy Birthday, Ella Grace, Age 10.
chances are you might have seen the buzz that jessica alba was at alt summit. i had the opportunity to interview jessica on thrusday and learn a it more about her and the honest company.
ok, lets be real before i get into this interview. i know you are all wanting to know a thing or two. one, is jessica as beautiful in person? umm, yeah x10. she is even more gorgeous in person. too be honest (because sometimes i am overly…honest, that is) she is stunning. i mean when i talked to her i was a little taken with her beauty. but besides being so beautiful jessica is a truly lovely person. she was super sweet and easy to talk to. i didn’t have a tape recorder and i wasn’t taking notes, and since i was a little distracted by the gorgeousness i can’t remember every word that was said but i’d love to share a bit with you:
Question 1 : why did you decide to start the honest company? the truth is that jessica couldn’t find diapers that she felt were safe, worked well and were affordable (for everyone). jessica shared with me how she came to a a point where she just thought that constant diaper rash was just something her babies would have to endure and she just didn’t feel that was right. she tried several brands that didn’t work and some that still contained harmful chemicals. after doing her research she decided to start her own company and offer diapers (and many other products) that are safe, honest, affordable and yes….stylish (have you seen how cute the diapers are? even for boys!).
Question 2 : being a mom, a business owner and an actress is a lot to juggle. how do you prioritize and what does a normal day look like for you? jessica shared how she has made all three, very important roles, work for her and her family. some days her daughters go to pre-school, which is right around the corner. during that time, jessica pops over to the office and takes care of business. she shared how she loves being involved in many of the details, even things such as packaging. jessica has also done a really smart thing in setting up play area for her kids in the office so they can tag along and have a place of their own. things like making breakfast and bath time are important parts of the day that she always likes to be there for special times of the day. and when and if something comes up with one of the little ones jessica drops whatever she is doing …being a mom is job #1. as for juggling being an actress and motherhood, i learned that jessica always brings her little ones along on location.
Question 3: do you have any intention of creating natural beauty products for honest in the future and for the time being do you have any natural products that you love and recommend? i didn’t quite a get a clear answer on whether honest plans to create a beauty line. anything is a possibility. however, jessica has done her homework and tested many many natural products. in her upcoming book, the honest life, she shares a whole list of must have natural products that actually work (can’t wait to get this book next month when it is available).
we even dished a bit about things like botox in hollywood and how hilarious the movie this is 40 is. it was such a treat to be able to sit down and talk with, yes, a movie star, but also a fellow mom, that saw a need, stepped in and made a difference!
jessica has always been one of my faves when it comes to fashion so it was no surprise that i loved her look. here are a few pieces she had on (or similar to) that i la la loved :
.01 sneakers / .02 earrings / .03 bag
