five on friday

October 20, 2017October 20, 2017five on friday, motherhood, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Happy Friday! I am joining April, Christina, and Natasha for their 5 on Friday link up!

one | I was able to take both girls solo to their own field trips to the pumpkin patch last week and it was so fun to have some one on one time with each of them! We love Underwood Family Farms at any time in the year, but the Fall Festival is super fun!

two | I attempted using my InstantPot again and was pleasantly surprised! I love to make shredded bbq chicken sandwiches using my CrockPot, but once again I forgot to start it at nap time and 4:30 rolled around and I panicked. InstantPot for the win! I found this recipe off of Pinterest and modified it a bit because I didn’t have potatoes. But it was great and we were eating within 40 min of starting the process! I typically show you what I am up to at dinner time over on InstaStories!

three | We went camping a couple weekends ago and I attempted to make my first Michelada. I did a sad job and I didn’t love it. Literally half a little can of Clamato, topped with Corona and a shake of Tajin. I’ve been searching for some good recipes and found a few on Pinterest, so I’ll have to update when I try again! But doesn’t this look so yummy?! Excited to try this one!

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four | Fall Bucket List update: we went camping! We also went to the pumpkin patch, but since I took the girls individually I’ll wait till we go as a family to cross it off our list. The girls are getting to a different stage now since I originally wrote about camping with babies…definitely going to need to update it to camping with toddlers!

five| The girls had picture day at school this week and it was just adorable. Moments like that make me stop and enjoy this stage in their life because I know they are going to quickly move on and grow! We had a little practice photo shoot before we left for school. And how cute are Aubrey and Jacob?! In class together since they were about 6 months old…I just love them!

Happy Friday!

xoxo

Whitney

Be sure to catch April, Christina, and Natasha!

as well as Erika, Narci and Andrea

Friday Favorites

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Five on Friday | National Coffee Day

September 29, 2017September 29, 2017five on friday, motherhood, style, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

The last Friday in September…where has the time gone! I’m so excited to bring on the fall activities. I am joining April, Christina, and Natasha for their 5 on Friday link up!

one | As if being Friday wasn’t exciting enough, today is National Coffee Day! You know I will be celebrating ALL. DAY. LONG.

two | Speaking of coffee, I checked one thing off my bucket list! I had my first Pumpkin Spice Latte. Every year I have to be festive and every year I feel like its not my thing. But I ordered it with only half of the flavor pumps and it was way better!

three | I got those olive leggings from target a couple weeks ago and I LOVE them! High waisted, stretchy, and perfect for fall. They had a few other styles and I think I’ve gotta head back. They were on sale at the time, I’m not sure if they still are.

four | Sharon (from MamaChitChat) and I got to have the most fun experience over the weekend and I cannot wait to tell you all about it! I love going to the Stonehaus!

five|Next week, the first Thursday of the month Sharon and I will be hosting our third month of our color inspiration link up! We would love you to participate and share!! Can’t wait to share all things black for October. You can check out August and September.

Hope you guys have a happy friYAY and a wonderful weekend welcoming October!

xoxo

Whitney

Be sure to catch April, Christina, and Natasha!

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Five on Friday | Kicking the Cold Bug

September 15, 2017essential oils, five on friday, kids, motherhood, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Fall is officially on the horizon – our house was hit by our first cold. Poor Blake was the first to get it and my husband was the next. I’m usually so much better about prepping our immune systems but I got lazy – and here we are! You better bet I’m pulling out all the stops for Aubrey and I so we can avoid it and get the other two healthy ASAP!

In light of the coming seasons, my Five on Friday is dedicated to ways we are staying on top of our wellness using essential oils. I’ve mentioned here and there that our family uses oils in our home, but this is a little more in depth! If you’ve been curious about oils or have your starter kit and want to expand to more this will be great! You can also read a little more about oils by going to the “Essential Oils” tab in my top menu! There is a general overview and information about joining me also! You can also follow along with my oily Instagram for more tips and tricks!

one | I spent an afternoon this week refilling all of our roller ball bottles with immunity boosting blends that we put on the bottoms of our feet each morning (& night now that we need some extra help). Our most used oil this time of year is Thieves and I can’t tell you enough about its benefits!

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two | Ningxia Red is boost of antioxidant power! Just what out bodies need right now! If I was a quick boost I drink it straight, but lately I’ve been adding a bit of sparkling water and either a drop of Lime Vitality or Grapefruit Vitality! Such a yummy afternoon pick me up! Aubrey’s been having it this week too…I just water hers down a bit so it isn’t as full flavor for her and she loves it and calls it her “vitamin juice”, haha.

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three | Sleep! Sleep is what we all desire around here and when we are kicking a bug or trying to stay healthy I try to get myself and give the girls as much as possible! We start our bedtime routine a bit earlier and I diffuse at their naps too (sometime I don’t always do). Out of the bath, we use the Seedlings Baby Lotion and it has the most amazing calming scent for the girls! (We also put the Immunity roller on the bottoms of their feet or along Aubrey’s spine for an extra boost) Peace & Calming blended with orange helps us wind down while we read books and I’ll talk about their bedtime, diffuser blend next!

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four | At bedtime while dad reads books with the girls, I fill their humidifiers (if they do have the sniffles) and their diffusers. At the moment we are loving oils from the KidScents line! Snifflease is perfect help support their little noses! I’ll add a couple of drops of that with a drop of lavender for a great sleepy time blend! Or for Aubrey who is staying healthy, I’m using Sleepyize with a drop of Cedarwood. LOVE!

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five | Clean clean clean! Even at 2.5 and 13 months, my girls put EVERYTHING in their mouths still! Blake is still exploring and Aubrey uses her mouth as a tool if she needs an extra hand. I use my Thieves Cleaner on just about everything! If they’ve been playing with a few specific things for the majority of the day I try to clean those that night, and I do an all over toy wipe down every few days when they’re sick or every few weeks normally! Also laundry. I feel like Blake’s sheets get all sorts of snot on them, so I’ve been washing them every other day and adding a couple of drops of Thieves oil into the load!

Hope you guys have a happy and healthy friYAY and a wonderful weekend!

BONUS: If you’ve been interested in essential oils or this just intrigued you and you’re ready to jump in, email me and mention this blog post. I’ll get you all joined up on our team with exclusive access to our wonderful support system and a FREE bottle of Thieves Household Cleaner!

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xoxo

Whitney

Be sure to catch April, Christina, and Natasha!

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Five on Friday

September 1, 2017five on friday, kids, motherhood, Uncategorized2 Comments

TGIF! In the life of a SAHM, Friday’s don’t necessarily have the traditional meaning of being the last day before a couple of days off. Even though its the weekend, the girls still expect to be fed, entertained, and taken care of…can you believe that?! haha…relax, its a joke. But in all seriousness, this week was one for the books so a couple of days without scheduled activities is weekend enough for me!

one | The girls went back to school this week! Blake started in her own big girl class and Aubrey started in the two day 2s class! It is a bigger time commitment from me as its a co-op campus, so I participate – but I am super excited for them!

two | Keeping on the subject of kids activities, we also started Gymnastics up again for Aubrey too! This girl loves to run wild and giving her 45 minutes of jumping, balancing, hanging, ect is just what she needs! I typically will post some of her “skills” on InstaStories as its happening, lol.

three | I am making the switch to a Mac! I’ve had a laptop PC forever but knew its life was running out. I’m excited to have a big girl computer, lol. I feel like it’s going to be trying to understand another language at first, but I cannot wait to learn! Any tips for making the transition easier?

macbook pro

four | Here in So Cal we are having miserably hot weather! Not only does it make me want to hide inside with the AC on all day, but cooking is a struggle! Who wants to stand over a hot stove top or turn on an oven? Last night I was doing the last minute scramble to find something for dinner and made the perfect hot weather meal that brought me back to my childhood – I call it Tuna Surprise. Yup, I’m now the mom that puts things on the table with “surprise” in the title. Aka: mom didn’t have anything planned and this is what I found to throw together and call a meal!

I cooked the pasta and added the frozen peas at the very end before I drained it just to defrost them. Diced up the other ingredients and mixed it all together. Literally the easiest meal that I scrounged around the pantry and fridge to find the ingredients for! (I even got the lemon from my girlfriends tree around the corner!) We ate it right then but today we will have some leftovers cold for lunch!

five | If you need a little tough love in your life, or to be inspired by a gal who is awesome and just gets shit done, you’ve got to become friends with Rachel Hollis! She runs a successful media company, has a podcast, writes books, has a cook book, takes care of herself and her health, oh yeah – and has a husband and 4 kids that love her!! Honestly she is the epitome of no excuses and choosing to work hard to be happy. She is a woman who has created a wonderful life for herself and doesn’t let typical stereotypes or society’s perception of a woman’s role define her. Love following along with her for a boost of confidence! She does a Facebook Live video every morning at 6 am and her InstaStories are both funny and motivating! #chictribe

Hope you guys have a happy friYAY and a wonderful weekend! Still

Be sure to catch April, Christina, and Natasha!

Five on Friday

August 18, 2017August 18, 2017five on friday, motherhood, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Five on Friday is a fun link up I’ve been following and participating in for years with April, Christina, and Natasha. I love rounding up the week with 5 things I did/loved/wore/etc. What’s on your mind before this weekend starts?

one | The progress of my office organization project is moving along! Last weekend I ventured into The Container Store for the first time and my mind was blown! (If you follow me on Instagram you experienced my overwhelm in my stories!) This color coding, organizing, paper loving mama was in heaven! Did I mention I got to go solo?! I’m so close to feeling “done” – but are we ever actually done? I don’t think so! Here’s a little peek at the before, during, and after!

two | We had a mega play date at a friends house on Wednesday and it really brought my attention how high strung I am. What if Aubrey forgets to use the potty? OMG Blake is eating chalk. Did Aubrey just hit someone?! She’s going to get sand everywhere. Did she just dump sand on him?! Making sure my child behaves at home is a full time job. Bringing my circus to someone else’s house opens a whole other can of worms! What have I learned? Kids will be kids, wherever you are. All I can do is prep her (“Remember when you’re playing with your friends to use your words and you can always ask an adult for help.”), and try to relax! Play dates are for moms too, right?! It was so nice to see our school friends and it got me excited for our fall schedule! What’s your favorite part of a play date? Mine is the mimosas 😉

three | August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month and its bittersweet over here. I’ve been either pregnant or breastfeeding (or both!) for the last 3 years and this special season in our lives is coming to a close. Our journey has been a roller coaster but full of memories I’ll always treasure! Weaning Blake from nursing is both necessary for my sanity but difficult. Cheers to all the mama’s out there doing their best for their babes!

four | Is there anything cuter than matching jammies on babies?! I couldn’t resist capturing the 3 minutes of sweetness this morning before the day gets crazy! These cute footies are Carters.

five | I went to Marshalls yesterday and definitely got the urge for all things fall! Falling leaves, cozy sweaters, and…oh wait. I live in Southern California. Unfortunately plaid pillows and leaf wreaths will be where it’s at. I’m on the hunt for one more navy pillow, but burlap, navy and orange are going to be my home inspiration for fall!

Hope you guys have a happy friYAY and a wonderful weekend!

Be sure to catch April, Christina, and Natasha!

Five on Friday

July 21, 2017August 9, 2017five on friday, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

The weekend is fast approaching, yet again! I love rounding up the week with 5 things we liked/did/ate! Follow the links at the end to linkup with April, Christina, and Natasha!

one | A sweet friend of mine came over to take some photos for me so I can have clearer profile and introduction photos. Let me say, attempting to take solo photos was one of the weirdest experiences! What did we discover? The more awkward you feel, the better the picture is going to be! Haha…anyone else feel like that? Looking at all those fashion bloggers and everything they make it look so easy to look cute. Not the case. Definitely could use some more practice (maybe when we don’t have 4 toddlers under the age of 3 running around!) but it was a fun first attempt!

two | I got this Nuby popsicle mold two years ago to make breastmilk popsicles for Aubrey during her first summer. Now, I love that the molds are small and perfect for a toddler treat! We’ve been making them using yogurt and its the perfect treat for a hot summer afternoon! And its small enough that I don’t mind if she has it before dinner and she can finish it before it gets too melty!

three | I’m sure you’ve seen it, heard it shouted from the rooftops 850 times, but…the Nordstrom Sale is happening! And its open to everyone now! Have you purchased any amazing deals? I’ve shopped and put like a million things in my cart, but haven’t made any purchases yet. I find it hard to shop for fall things when its like 100 degrees outside! But here’s a few things I’m loving:

booties | black long sleeve | peep toe bootie | cardigan

four | For Christmas my parents got me a 50mm lens for my Canon and I absolutely LOVE it! But I’ve been looking into a wider angle lens to be able to easier photograph a larger area, like a room or other areas in my house. After reading a little bit, I think I’m leaning towards a 35mm. These are definitely a bit more of an investment though! I’d love to know if you have one and if you love it enough to be worth the investment? I’m clearly not a professional, but I love learning about photography and experimenting to get better!

five | Next week my baby turns ONE! How has this year gone by so fast?! I cannot wait to celebrate her and have a fiesta with our friends and family! I’ve started a party planning post that I’m excited to share!

Hope you guys have a happy friYAY and a wonderful weekend!

Be sure to catch April, Christina, and Natasha!

Five on Friday

July 14, 2017July 14, 2017five on friday, Uncategorized1 Comment

On Monday it seems as though the week will never end and by Friday I always wonder where it went! How can that be? I love rounding up the week with 5 things we liked/did/ate! Follow the links at the end to linkup with April, Christina, and Natasha!

one | now that we’ve landscaped and finally have some greenery in our backyard I’ve noticed so much more wildlife! Bugs, birds, butterfly’s…and Aubrey has noticed too! I just knew she would be excited to get a hummingbird feeder and I was right! Over the weekend we got one at Lowes and she helped me make sugar water to pour in. (4 parts water to 1 part sugar) It took about 4 days to see our first hummingbirds but even before then every time we went outside or even look out the slider she reminded me about pouring the sugar in the boiling water and giving it to the birds. So cute! We’ve already seen one this morning and she wants to “go out there to say HI!”

two | I told you about our trip to Costco last weekend, and we not only got salmon but halibut too! I made a delicious baked recipe that I found on Pinterest. I highly recommend it! It may not be the healthiest version, but it’s nice to change it up now and again from just plain seasoning! We all loved it…girls included (with some ketchup for Aubrey, obviously) The original recipe is by Port and Fin and she took some beautiful photos…unlike these!

three | I have to admit that I am awful when it comes to putting my outfits together! Unfortunately I’d rather get an extra 15 minutes of sleep than worry about my wardrobe. But this needs to change! I notice I feel so much better when I feel like I make an effort and I’ve started collecting some basics that will help me feel polished but still be comfortable! Thanks to Kate from the Small Things Blog I found a couple pairs of sandals and some tennies from DSW that will do just that! (I love watching her InstaStories!) I’ve never shopped there but really liked the shop online and pick up in person option! More convenient than strolling the endless aisles of shoes with 2 kids!

beige sneaker | black sandals | blush sandals | sneakers

four | Aubrey had her first swim lesson this week and it went fairly well! She spent a lot of time negotiating with the teacher and telling her the rules in Grandma’s pool, but she also did really well blowing bubbles and learning to “monkey crawl” her hands along the edge of the wall! I’m super excited for her to have some more awareness in the water and to learn some water safety! I posed some pics on my Instagram too!

five | Lastly is something we definitely aren’t loving…Anyone have any tips for getting mushrooms out of their grass? We just recently laid sod and we’ve been told the combination of the stuff they put in the soil plus this weird hot and humid weather we are getting can cause them to grow. Literally, EVERYWHERE! And we have to hand pick them before we mow or they’ll spread. The worst!

Hope you guys have a happy friYAY and a wonderful weekend!

Be sure to catch April, Christina, and Natasha!

Five on Friday

June 29, 2017June 30, 2017five on friday, Uncategorized2 Comments

I love linking up with women whom I follow and am inspired by – it is a great way to connect! 5 on Friday is a fun way to share a few things we are doing, places we’re loving, recipes we are eating, or things I’m finding inspiring! Happy FriYAY!

one| Just in case you haven’t heard, I’m a gal who loves her some office supplies! Planners, pens, notebooks, sticky notes, books – basically anything that helps me feel organized. It’s also a major bonus when it looks pretty and ends up being functional! You don’t want to know the amount of planners or journals I’ve purchased that I end up putting in a drawer after the first couple weeks! Enter Erin Condren. She and I have been in the longest committed planner relationship I’ve ever been in and I’m in love! I currently use 2 planners, one for everyday/personal/family things (neutral hourly) and one for my essential oils and blogging (neutral deluxe monthly). I’m so excited to have ordered my NEW one for next year (although let’s be real, I may move into it earlier!). I got a different format – the neutral vertical – and I’m hoping to combine both my personal and “business” books!

two| For a girl who loves to plan so much you’d think I’d be a meal planning machine, right? Nope. This is something I try so hard to be good at, but it always falls to the end of the list. I tend to be the type that runs to the store every-every other day or starts scouring the freezer for something easy at 5:00! A super easy meal that I always have on hand is tamales with beans and rice and/or salad! I always have beans and rice in the pantry, and the girls are always down for a quesadilla or bean and cheese burrito! These tamales are fresh, but freeze so well and are super yummy! I’ve found them at Pavillions and Costco! Perfect last minute meal!

three|Water Play! Summer has been in full effect for the past couple of weeks in So Cal, and the only way we’ve been making it outside is with a little H2O! The pool at Grandma’s, the splash pad with friends (love hanging with Sharon from Mama Chit Chat), or the water table under the patio have been our go-to’s! I’m loving the swimsuits I got for the girls a couple of months ago! Aubrey’s one shoulder is from the Gap outlet and Blake’s striped one is Babies r Us.

four|even though summer is not so different from the rest of the year for us (I don’t drop off the girls anywhere), the days are still longer and the heat seems to make them crazier and me more exhausted! The regularly scheduled things we do together (gymnastics and mommy and me) take a break so its up to me to get us up, out, and moving! A friend invited us on a little field trip this morning and we had so much fun feeding and learning about Alpacas at Alpacas and Beyond! If you’re in the area I highly recommend contacting Kim for a fun group outing!

five| I did some shopping in the LC by Lauren Conrad and juniors sections at Kohls the other day, and I’m loving the off the shoulder trend finds I picked up! Chambray, Coral, Gingham

Have a wonderful weekend!

Be sure to catch April, Christina, and Natasha!

Five on Friday

January 16, 2015June 29, 2017five on friday, Uncategorized1 Comment

as our due date gets closer, the weeks are flying by even faster! only four more Fridays {after today} left before her arrival {if she is right on schedule} and I cannot believe it! I feel a bit conflicted – excited yet nervous, prepared but I need to do just a few more things, ready for the hubby and I to become parents yet sad to be closing our “newlyweds” chapter and physically like I’m doing well but I can barely roll out of bed myself, etc. I’m sure these are typical feelings when a couple is less than a month away from adding a little human to their world, but I can still feel a little crazy now and then! in effort to keep my mind at ease and relaxed I figured a five on Friday “brain dump” would be great to feel organized before the weekend!

one.

I know it will be a whole post in itself, but packing a hospital bag has put on so much pressure! its only for a couple of days, but how can I possibly have everything I need for a little person I’ve never met?! I’ve found list after list on Pinterest and used them all to create my own MEGALIST. thank goodness Todd’s frame of mind is a little more logical than mine at the moment to talk me out of packing the kitchen sink! I mean, all of our family lives within a couple miles of our house if we forgot anything but I am still tempted to pack like I did for our two week honeymoon! {I’m definitely a self-proclaimed over-packer}

two.

miss mini michaels’ closet is already full…yet I found myself on the Gap and Old Navy websites this week! she is going to be adorable next holiday season! can’t. stop. won’t. stop.

silver polka dot dress | reindeer sweater dress | bow dress | heart jammies

three.

with just 4 weeks left to prepare, I really want to step up my meal planning game! we’ve been collecting ready to heat meals in the freezer to cook those first few weeks when the babe arrives, but we need more! can’t wait to try these couple of recipes from Pinterest that I hope will freeze well and be easy to heat up in a pinch!

meatloaf muffins | stuffed peppers

four.

I saw this headband on Mint and Arrow’s Instagram a couple weeks back and I’m wishing I ordered it sooner for our little valentine! {nothing haunts you like the stuff you didn’t buy, am I right?}

organic headband

five.

I’ve been loving my 2015 Emily Ley Simplified Planner, and even more all of the free printables she has been creating! how’s everyone doing with their 2015 organization goals?!

hope you have a wonderful weekend! join the 5 on Friday link up with April, Darci, Christina, and Natasha, Friday Favorites with Amanda or oh hey Friday with the farm gals!!

Five on Friday

September 5, 2014June 29, 2017five on friday, Uncategorized2 Comments

in light of last week’s news, we’ll have five on friday {baby edition}!

besides the obvious – {starting a family, caring for another human, teaching them to do fun things and navigate through life, etc.} – finding out we were expecting brought with it so much more to look forward to!

one. the outfits

just glancing around the J.CREW baby page is enough to make me swoon! so many cute options for little guys and gals for just everyday wear! don’t get me started with holidays and special occasions!

two. actually…let’s do

to me, holidays are the highlight of the year! I’m always counting down to the next one and can’t wait to experience them through the eyes of my mini! I’ve seen Christmas lights and gone trick-or-treating for 26 years – so a fresh perspective is going to be amazing!

I’ve been excited for holidays with a baby for so long, I even have a Pinterest board dedicated to them! with our mini due in February I can’t wait to cover him/her in lipstick kisses!

three. the nursery decor!

I have always been drawn to a neutral-ish nursery design with just some accents of color and girl or boy touches! I’m so excited to get the green paint in the new nursery covered with a subtle ‘greige’ and add hints of blue or pink!

four. an excuse to be a kid again {kind of}.

play-dates at the park, rainy days watching Disney classics and reading bedtime stories that I haven’t opened in years are just a few things that I am so excited to do again! obviously I’m the parent now, but who doesn’t love having a picnic under the trees or cuddling on the couch with Belle?

five. watching everyone in their new roles.

witnessing my husband become a father, our parents become grandparents, sisters turn to aunties, cousins become playmates and friends be the fun aunties and uncles will be one of the greatest parts! we have such an amazing support system of family and friends and their joy throughout this pregnancy so far is just a little preview of how amazing they will be when our little one arrives!!

this five on friday post is linked up with The Farmer’s Wife and September Farm

and Laurent Elizabeth’s High Five on Friday