3.23.2016

What's in Bella's Easter... Backback?

I always love to think outside of the box and I've always disliked buying cheap baskets that I'm going to toss after Easter is done, and maybe one day I'll get one of those personalized Pottery Barn Easter Baskets for Bella, but this year, I decided to go a different route!
 
An Easter Backpack! Say Whaaaaa?! Yep, an Easter Backpack! I'm super excited too! Bella loves bags and backpacks so I know this will be right up her alley and that she's going to love it! Read all about the items below that I'm including in her baske... oops, backpack! Maybe you'll even get some ideas for your own littles!
 
I've had my eye on this backpack for her for pretty much forever, well this style of backpack anyway, and when I laid eyes on this color I knew Bella had to have it! Plus a recommendation from one of my closest friends, Courtney from over at Rose and Marigold, sealed the deal that it was a good buy. It's a kids backpack so it'll be the perfect size for her. It matches with all of her other purple things, her room is getting puuuurrrple lol. I can't wait to see her face on Easter morning and to see her wearing it around this spring and summer!
 
We're so obsessed... like seriously obsessed. Cheddar bunnies are a much requested item in this home and I don't see the Annie's love diminishing anytime soon. Even I love them! And don't even get me started on the gummy bunny fruit snacks... LOOOOVE.
 
One of my dear instagram friends, Amy Kavs, recently published this lovely work of art. This book encourages children to learn how to use her talents and gifts to give back. I LOVE that there is no color to her skin and hair, so that ALL littles can relate to her, no one feeling left out. There is however color in her paintbrush and blooms, to show how she is giving and spreading love. My daughter has always loved books, but has especially had an interest in books lately so I know she's going to love this beautiful book.
 
This is a given. The "Berry Berry Lemonade" (or "Pink Juice as Bella calls it) is a staple in our home. Even I have to admit, I sneak them when she isn't looking. They are SO GOOD!! Plus they don't have all of the nasty artificial ingredients and overload of sugar that most traditional brands of juice packets have. They are sweetened ONLY with fruit juice and are completely organic!
 
5 | NeatCheeks
I guess you could say that this is a given. We've loved this company from the time we first heard of them from one of my best friends, Brianne from The Sentimental Mama, when the company was still just a startup in their baby stages. Sweet face wipes flavored with stevia (a natural plant extract) so that they don't leave a sticky residue, contain natural ingredients, and my toddler simply adores them and begs me to wipe her face with them, She constantly asks for "cheeks" wanting to taste their fun sweet flavor and stay clean. They come in both original/natural and peach! Nom!
 
These dishes are not only our favorite, they are a part of our daily lives and a part of every single meal in our home! These dishes take a beating and are extremely resilient, especially considering we've been using them almost daily (and now multiple times a day) for over a year and not only have they held up, but they look almost brand new! They literally look hardly any different than they did the moment we pulled them out of the box. And that's just the divided plates, bowls and utensils I'm talking out! The snack pod and Sippy cups don't just get daily use... they get constant use! Bella always either has a Replay Recycled Sippy cup or snack pod in hand. The snack pods are perfect for her Annie's Organic Homegrown snacks and her Skeeter Nut Free cookies. The Sippy cup? I could go on ALL day about how much we love this Sippy cup. It is the ONLY Sippy cup that Bella will use AND the ONLY truly no spill Sippy cup we've ever found. A few of the other reasons we love Replay Recycled dishes is because they're so easy to clean! Plus we love their green and earth friendly impact!
 
7 | Skeeter Nut Free Cookies
I recently blogged about Skeeter Nut Free and all the reasons we love them. Natural and wholesome ingredients, safe and inclusive because they're nut free for kiddos like Bella with food allergies but are enjoyed by everyone! And they're delicious! What more can I say? *nom*nom*nom*
 
I worked with the loveliest and dear Holly from the shop Will & Tess this past Autumn and I'm so excited to be telling you a little about one her their new products! Will & Tess is one of our favorite shops and I can only assume will be forever, because I mean, just look how adorable their stuff is? And have you seen the amazing new line of hand dyed items in the shop this spring? I might be drooling a little its all so gorgeous! But let me tell you about these little hairbows here for a minute... Holly sent us the Little Posey Hairbows in Guava, Grapefruit and mulberry, all seriously beautiful colors that I am maybe just a little obsessed with. These hairbows come in SO MANY colors though, they're simple yet make a big statement and they can be dressed up or dressed down. Oh and they're super cute with pigtails, Bella wore them in her pigtails to her allergist appointment a few days ago and the doctor and nurses couldn't stop commenting on them! Pretty sure I'm going to need to purchase a few more colors for Bella before too long. AND they come with the option to have either a clip (which is what we chose) or a nylon elastic headband which grows with your child and doesn't leave a dent in your babies head!
 
Okay folks, that's it for this year's Easter bag (I mean backpack;), and it's not too late to get some of these goodies for your own little(s) Easter basket(s)! What do you have in their baskets so far? Happy Easter!
 
 
 
 
 

 

3.16.2016

What I'm Loving Wednesday


Happy Hump Day! I am so excited to bring you another installment of "What I'm Loving Wednesday" a weekly post that will list some things from the past week that I am loving, can't live without, on my wish-list, or are things I am plain obsessed with - and I will even add links (when applicable) so you can check out or scoop up anything you love too!

What I'm Loving Wednesday will be a great way for me to showcase some of my favorite products, tell about something fun that happened, show you what I'm crushing on, highlight some of my favorite blogs/instagram feeds and a great way for you to find all kinds of great new products to buy or people to follow! I am so excited about What I'm Loving Wednesday and it is going to be a BLAST! I hope you  will follow along!

Today is all about... Well, honestly a little bit of everything! Read all about what I'm loving this week below!
How fun are these shoes? I'm planning on purchasing a pair for Bella for the spring and summer this year. I've heard so many good things about them and I can't wait for her to try them out! I'm especially loving the Jefferson Iridescence Kids shoes in Techno Purple.

2 | Pillsbury "Purely Simple Cake Mix
This cake mix tastes so good! I was recently in the mood to bake when I happened to notice this new cake mix at the store, and goodness am I glad I did. My hubby loved it even more than regular cake mixes which is definite WIN and it tasted more, I guess you'd say "real"? It didn't taste like pure sugar and artificial ingredients as cake mixes usually do. But there is a reason why! It's completely free of preservatives and it contains no bleached flour! Um, can we say Yesssssss! The only difference I noticed, besides the better taste of course, was that it didn't rise as tall as a regular cake mix, but it also didn't crack down the middle or sink after it cooled either, so that wasn't a problem at all. A short list of ingredients I can read and I'll definitely be buying this one from now on!

3 | Sweet Tea Jewels "Like a Rock" Bangle
My sweet friend Amanda who owns Sweet Tea Jewels (and also blogs over at Little Southern Life) sent me the most gorgeous bangle recently! I can't get over how beautiful and well made it is! All of the Jewelry she sells is handmade by her in the amazing state of South Carolina (helloooo future home state!), and this particular bangle can go with just about every outfit and occasion there is! Be watching for me to wear this a lot this summer! And I think she might have started an addiction... I need alllllll the Sweet Tea Jewels now! Haha!

I've been crushing on the dresses and rompers over at June & January for while now... The Swing Dresses, the Play Dresses, the Tank Jumpers... better hold them back a little ways so I don't get drool on them. Just Kidding, or am I? Hahaha. Preeeetty sure that Bella NEEDS some stat!

So yeah, this wreath. I could describe my love for it with about 10 heart eye emoji, but I guess I'll use some words instead. It's simply beautiful, delicate as it's made from paper flowers and definitely worth the $20 price tag (I think anyway lol), very spring-like but I also feel like it could be beautiful all year around. It's currently hanging on our front door.

This is one of my favorite finds lately. You can't beat the price at $12.99 and the style is so lovely. It instantly adds a homey feel to wherever you put it and it also makes me feel a little Joanna Gaines-ish to have this gorgeous farmhouse style piece at our doorway.

3.03.2016

Nut Free Snacking Sponsored by Skeeter Nut Free

As a parent, one of the last things we want to have to worry about for our children is food harming them, but as a food allergy parent, its something that is a constant worry and always on our minds.

As I've blogged about previously, our daughter has allergies to both peanuts and tree nuts, and sometimes that makes snacking a bit of a challenge for her. We read labels, a lot.


And sometimes I buy things and forget to read labels until we get home which means that sometimes we accidentally buy things that we can't use. Candies and sweets that most people can eat without giving it a second thought, we have to avoid or worry that it could potentially make her have an allergic reaction. But with Skeeter Nut Free, our daughter can snack, worry free! Now that's something to celebrate!
Skeeter Nut Free snacks are made in a completely nut free and peanut free facility with extremely strict testing protocols in place to maintain you or your child's safety, and all Skeeter Nut Free snacks are also free of coconut!
 

One thing I love about this company is their heart for family, in May of 2012, two Dads, who both have children with food allergies came together to create what we now know as Skeeter Nut Free. These parents are driven by the first hand knowledge of how hard it is to maintain an allergen free environment and by the food industries lack of nut free foods and snacks and they are on a mission to create safe snacks readily available for those with nut allergies. Something all we food allergy parents can get behind, because we know just how hard it is, go to any store, pick up almost any package and it'll either say "made in a facility that processes peanuts and tree nuts" or "made on equipment that processes peanuts and tree nuts", seriously, almost every single package you pick up will say that.


Did you know that peanut and tree nut allergies are not only one of the most common food allergies, but some of the fastest growing allergies AND most dangerous food allergies? That on average there is at least one, and sometimes more, child with food allergies in every classroom in the United States? Skeeter Nut Free is there to be inclusive for those with nut allergies, and is loved by those without nut allergies as well!

These are the perfect addition to your child's lunchbox or snackpod whether your child has food allergies or not. By sending Skeeter Nut Free snacks in your child's lunchbox rather than most traditional brands, you're not only keeping every child safe but also feeding the kiddos a healthier option, since Skeeter Nut Free snacks are all natural, made with whole grains and contain no high fructose corn syrup and no trans fat! Yay! Everyone wins! They're also affordable and won't break the bank. Now by now I'm sure you're wondering, where can I buy these amazing cookies?!

They're readily available for purchase though Target.com (click here to purchase), Amazon.com (click here to purchase), Wegmans, Price Chopper and Safeway just to name a few.

And who is that adorable little squirrel? Well, I would love for you to meet Skeeter! Skeeter is the most adorable little squirrel who was born with nut allergies. As we all know, squirrels LOVE nuts, so it's harder for him, all of Skeeter's friends were always
talking about, hiding and eating nuts, which made Skeeter feel left out. That's why he loves Skeeter Nut Free snacks, because they're safe for everyone! Every time you see Skeeter the squirrel on a package you know its' safe for you and everyone!
 


My daughter and I took the liberty of creating a safe, fun, easy AND delicious dessert using Skeeter Nut Free cookies and we're excited to share the recipe with all of you below!

This dessert is perfect for your next picnic or potluck, only takes about 10 minutes from start to finish to prepare. It's so easy a 2 year old can make it (with a little help from a parent of course). No seriously, Bella loves helping in the kitchen so this was perfect for her, I helped a little bit but mostly just oversaw her making it! It's something you'll want to make again and again AND eat again and again!

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

2 boxes of Skeeter Nut Free Double Chocolate Mini Cookies

2 packages of Chocolate Pudding

5 cups Milk

1 tub of Whipped Topping
 
DIRECTIONS:
Line the bottom and sides of your dish with Skeeter Nut Free Double Chocolate Mini Cookies. In a separate bowl, mix the milk and chocolate pudding mix together with a wire whisk until the pudding is completely mixed together and starting to thicken. Pour half of your chocolate pudding over the cookies that you've lined up. Once you've done that, crush up some cookies and sprinkle over the pudding, then pour your remaining half of the pudding over the crushed cookies. Spread the whipped topping over the pudding and sprinkle the top with more crushed Skeeter Nut Free Double Chocolate Chip cookies. Aaaand... You're done! Seriously, it's THAT easy! Chill in the refrigerator for a few hours and enjoy!

Skeeter Nut Free has so many snack choices available... Honey Grahams, Cinnamon Grahams, Double Chocolate Mini Cookies, Chocolate Chip Mini Cookies, Shortbread Mini Cookies... be sure to check them all out and snag a few boxes for yourself or your little(s)! Happy (Safe) Snacking Everyone!




I was compensated as well as received product for my open and honest opinion. As always, I would never review a product that we don't love and doesn't align with our lifestyle.