It’s that time of year again! And by that I mean the time of year where you see photo after photo in your social media feeds of adorably dressed, smiling kids holding up signs announcing their first day of school. I actually really like to see these pictures, they give us a chance to see how kids have grown and show us a smile before the reality of school sets in.
In honor of this day we made some First Day of School Signs for the 2019-2020 school year. Feel free to download and print out to make your life a little easier! I usually just pop them in a picture frame to make them look a little nicer and snap a pic on the way to the bus stop! Enjoy!
Run, don’t walk, to Target! Or just order online while relaxing in your pj’s like I do. Now through August 10th, Target is offering Buy 1 Get 1 50% off Kids Shoes. This sale arrived just in time for my back-to-school shopping. I can get each of my girls a new pair of gym shoes (or sneakers as Nanette would say in Maine) and these adorable flippy-sequin high top sneakers that BOTH of my daughters have been dying for!
Well, it’s here – the Summer Causebox! I was so excited to get my Summer Causebox and unwrap all the goodies because I loved the Spring box so much, I just knew this one would be a home run. And boy is it. I am in love with all the products this season has to offer. Let’s take a look at what I received! (P.S. – this makes a perfect gift for someone special!)
Summer 2019 Cause Box
There is seriously so much goodness in this box. Just the Caftan and Straw Tote alone would easily add up to $50*, but you get so much more!
* If you purchase the monthly subscription the price is $54.95 per box, if you decide on an annual subscription you save $5 making each box only $49.95 and you get to customize some of the items.
Reduce Insulated Wine Tumbler – Perfect for outdoor parties
Island Aloe Gel – Instant healing for sun-kissed skin (or sunburned)
Straw Tote Bag – Fun summer accessory.
Wet Swim Pouch – Definitely bringing this on my upcoming vacation.
Banded Scrunchies – Everything comes back in style including scrunchies!
I love a good Rose Margarita Recipe, especially during the summer. I always make my own simple syrup mainly because I don’t love all the added ingredients in pre-made, bottled margaritas. Also, I usually only want one drink and don’t want to tempt myself with an almost full bottle every time I open the fridge. So when I found this line of Organic Simple Syrups from Royal Rose I knew I had to try them out.
I was really intrigued by their Rose Simple Syrup and wanted to give it a try. So this weekend I tried out a margarita recipe and boy am I so glad I did. I mixed Royal Rose’s Rose Simple Syrup (say that three times fast), tequila and lime juice. That’s it. It was delicious with a slight floral hint for a little twist on a standard margarita. You can get the Rose Simple Syrup here: Rose Organic Simple Syrup 8 oz.
Right now they are offering 15% off everything with code SYRUP15 at checkout. Check it our here!
Rose Margarita Recipe
Ingredients: 2 oz tequila 2 oz Royal Rose Simple Syrup – Rose Flavor 2 to 3 Tablespoons Lime Juice (depends on how much lime you like- the more lime juice you add, the less you’ll taste the floral rose)
Method: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Pour over ice in your favorite glass and enjoy! If you like a sweeter drink you can add a little more simple syrup or a little less lime juice. This was the perfect combination for me. For a little extra fun, muddle in some chopped strawberries or add dried rose petals if you can find them!
I loved this drink, my husband loved this drink and we will definitely be having more margaritas by the fire in the summer nights to come.
I always think it’s great when something I loved as a kid turns out to be something my own kids love, too. It’s even better when that thing has changed juuuuuust enough to stay current, but retains everything you loved about it back in the day. This is what has made the new DuckTales series – now in its fourth season – such a blast. Prepare to have a certain theme song stuck in your head…..and to admit you’re a sentimental member of Generation X.
Back in action are all the classics: Scrooge, Donald, Huey, Dewey, and Louie! Webby Vanderquack and Mrs. Beakley! Launchpad, Gyro Gearloose, and Duckworth! Even arch nemeses Flintheart Glomgold and Magica De Spell! Sit down to watch with an after-school snack, and it’s like you’ve stepped back into the late 80’s.
Naturally, there have been some changes. The animation style is new, subtly altering the appearances of most characters, and there are new voice actors, whose work quickly grew on me. The series’ family-friendly humor was expected, but I appreciate the fact that some jokes seem intended for parents. However, some of the biggest (and among the most positive, in my opinion) changes were those made to Mrs. Beakley and Webby. No longer is Beakley a worrisome, grandmotherly type; she’s now a shrewd ex-secret agent who expertly navigates the chaos of McDuck Mansion. Webby no longer stands on the sidelines, clutching a stuffed toy; instead, she is intellectual, adventurous, independent, and exceptionally worldly for a kid. These character changes certainly make things more interesting, while making for some nice and unexpected storylines, and as someone with two young daughters, I really appreciated the stronger and more prominent female characters.
If you’re a fan of the original, or just love All Things Disney, I would highly suggest checking this reboot out! With episodes running at just 22 minutes each, they’re bite-size and well worth watching with the kids. You can find them on Amazon Video (like us), Disney Channel or Disney Now. https://amzn.to/2WY0ooq
This time of year is a favorite for most people and with good reason. Those last few days before summer break for kids, the start to hot days filled with sprinklers, ice cream and late nights. For me of course it’s a great time, but also bittersweet. Our youngest daughter had her last day of Pre-K this past Friday and as I watched her walk out of the school, for what I realized was the last time ever, I made sure to take a picture to commemorate the moment and even shed a small tear. But, as we drove home I got to thinking about all the other moments in the life of parents and children that come to an end, that have a last time ever, but that we don’t commemorate or even realize is happening.
I got to thinking of when my kids get older and there will be a point where I will carry them in my arms for the last time ever. Will I even notice that deep toddler belly laugh for the last time? Tonight when they jump into my bed scared at the thunder and looking for comfort, will it be for the last time? These are the small moments in life where time and memory are not on our side. As parents we are so busy with the day-to-day routines and stresses that it can be hard to take a moment to stop and appreciate the age and stage of development our kids are in and to see the small changes as they are happening.
As I got home that day and gave my kids a snack, I thought: do my parents remember the last time they made me a snack? Did they realize the last time they helped me with my homework was going to be the last time or that it would be the last time they read me a book? Did they get sad one day when they realized I was older and didn’t need them as much? That is how I know I am going to feel, blindsided one day, maybe when I see my youngest doing her own hair or navigate the latest technology. I’ll think, when was the last time I did that for her? And most likely I won’t remember.
I know as I scroll through my social media accounts this week and next I’ll see kids holding signs commemorating their last day of school and I’ll smile and take the same pictures of my own children. But, I hope as I go through this summer I’ll stop to commemorate the small moments as we go. Take lots of pictures, stop to notice the growth in each day, even if small.
This year for Mother’s Day all I wanted to do was go hiking with my family. I love to hike but, as per usual for this spring, the weather was cold and drizzly on Mother’s Day. It just didn’t work out, so a few weeks later when we finally had a bit of sunshine we went for a hike along Lake Michigan. My girls loved every minute at the beach, hunting for fossils and running in the sand. I loved the time together as a family, outside in the fresh air.
Because it was a little cool I ended up wearing my all-time favorite pants. They are joggers from Columbia, the specific style they don’t sell anymore but I found a similar pair here: dicks-sporting-goods.ryvx.net/yxXXG. They are UPF 50+ so you will be protected from the sun and a nylon material for great movement and durability.
The top is also from Columbia and you can buy it at Dick’s Sporting Goods. It is a soft material that has lasted nicely through multiple washings. Find the top here: dicks-sporting-goods.ryvx.net/MYM7n
The shoes are a vented, waterproof shoe I bought last summer for a trip to the Smoky Mountains. We went rafting and hiking through some mountain trails with waterfalls so I wanted a shoe that could get wet and that I didn’t need to wear socks with. While not a serious hiking shoe, these work really well for shorter distances, beach days and water activities. They were perfect for rafting! They do not have major support of any kind so I do not recommend them for any long distances and they do collect rocks in the bottom holes. But for the short hiking I do around home and Lake Michigan they work like a charm. You can get them here on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KpXhyG
Father’s Day will be here before you know it, so get your gift now! We’ve assembled some of our favorite Father’s Day gift ideas below to help make it easier on a mom who already has a million and two things on her to-do list. Let’s check this one off your list today!
For Dad’s who love technology (and have an iphone) – Apple Watch Series 4 – Although the most expensive item on our list, this watch can do so much including take calls, text, track workouts and more.
For Dad’s who love technology (and have an Android phone) – Samsung Galaxy Watch – With a charge that can last for days, this is a watch that will be his personal assistant. Like the Apple Watch, he can take calls, text, track health, workouts and more.
For the sentimental Dad – Snapfish Woodblock Desk Calendar, on sale through 6/4 for 60% off with code 60M2019 making this calendar just under $10! This calendar is the perfect addition to any Dad’s office or desk, especially when personalized with priceless family pictures.
For Dad’s who love their team – Custom MLB T-Shirt – Give them a shirt you know they’ll love with their own name on the back!
For the Dad who loves his morning coffee – Whiskey & Rum Barrel Aged Coffee Whole Bean Box Set – A special dad deserves special coffee. This gift box has three different samples of coffee you won’t find in your everyday grocery store.
For the Dad who loves being outdoors – Landmann 28347 Big Sky Fire Pit – We’ve reviewed this fire pit before on this blog, I got it for my husband a few years ago for Father’s Day and it was a big hit. Make sure to coat with high-temp rustoleum and it’ll last for years of s’mores and campfire memories.
Our nighttime ritual – books at bedtime – is something our kids look forward to, and it’s always great when we find something that really appeals to the whole family. Since everyone in the house has a penchant for a little mystery, some adventure, and a dash of humor, this made the first two volumes of the BOOM! Studios series Misfit City a perfect fit. Just a heads up, you may need to leave a few small parts out when reading to young children.
Set in fictional Cannon Cove, Misfit City follows four friends – Macy, Wilder, Karma, and Dot – as they pursue the long-lost treasure of the infamous pirate, Black Mary. Cannon Cove, famous for being the filming location of a cult classic movie titled The Gloomies, is replete with just enough tourists, snobby teens, and bad weather to make you root for the girls when they yearn for something that will liven things up. Naturally, when they stumble onto Black Mary’s treasure map, the girls find a bit more than they bargained for.
Before they know it, the group – along with their trusty dog, Pippin – are hot on the trail of pirate gold, just barely staying a step ahead of a series of ne’er-do-wells with the exact same goal. In between solving riddles, escaping villains, and dodging traps, the girls learn how to work together, trust their own strengths, and avoid the most wicked obstacle in all of childhood: the interference of parents.
Given that my wife and I are children of the 80’s, we loved that The Gloomies was a take on The Goonies, while Cannon Cove served as a stand-in for the film location of Astoria, Oregon. Alas, neither of our childhoods ever consisted of a real-life Goonies adventure, so it was great to relive that same kind of action through this series. It was just as much fun watching our girls soak up the world of Misfit City, much as we did with our own era’s books and movies.
In all fairness, we did hit a couple of minor trouble spots while reading that we had to gloss over as they were a little too mature for the ages of our children (6 & 8) so look out for that as you read, but events never became too scary, the main characters are all strong and capable, and the combo of treasure hunts, pirates, kids, and cliffhangers had our girls hooked from the very start. It’s a great series – and well worth checking out. Our girls’ only disappointment is that they have to wait for Volume 3!
Today I need a... 