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Friday, April 29, 2016

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday babes!!!  I love doing Friday Favorites and since we're in Disneyland today, I thought I'd do a quick Friday Favorites Disney edition!  Alright let's get right into it!

I have a couple diaper bags and like to switch them out for different occasions.  I don't think we could have survived this trip without our Fawn Design diaper bag.  The backpack function makes it the perfect travel diaper bag.  Plus, it's super spacious and has lots of pockets!  I've gotten so many compliments on it since being down here, it's so stylish!

I've said it before, but I cannot get enough of my Covered Goods nursing cover.  We have used it a lot as a carseat cover to block the sun and also as a highchair cover since we've been eating out so much.


I bought Sloan this princess graphic tee and she is obsessed with it, major hit with the toddlers my friends.  Bonus, it's on sale right now!


I bought the girls matching jammies (to add to all of their other matching jams-I have a serious obsession) for the trip and I cannot get over how cute these ice cream ones are!  I also bought them the cutest Minnie Mouse sets that are perfect for warm weather with short sleeves and pants.


These Minnie and Mickey shoes are quite possibly the cutest shoes Sloan has ever owned and I wish they came in my size!!!  They also smell really good, is that weird?!


I wasn't able to get this Goofy tee before we left and I am so bummed because I think it is seriously too funny (and cute!).

I have seriously been living in these huarache sandals, so comfortable-even when doing lots of walking.  They're under $25 and I own them in both colors.  Summer staple my friends.

And last, but certainly not least...

If you're a mom, you need to read this blog post by Hayley Hengst: This Stage of Life? It's Hard.  It's beautifully written and a really good reminder that we are juggling a lot as moms!  It can get crazy and tough, but it's truly the best time of our lives.

That's all I've got today, I hope you all have an awesome weekend!!  I'm going to get back to begging my husband to let me live at Disneyland now!  :)

Xo,

Marisa







Thursday, April 28, 2016

It's my Golden Birthday!

My Golden Birthday
Photo by Lindsey Wiatt Photography
Today is my golden birthday!!  Yes, I am 28 years old on April 28th!  I know in the grand scheme of life 28 really isn’t that old, but it sure feels old.  I’m officially in my “late twenties” or “almost thirty”.   My high school reunion is this year, ahh so old!  I am going to soak up this birthday because 1) I’m still in my twenties and 2) hello, it’s my golden birthday!  To be completely honest, I’m kind of a birthday nut.  We celebrate birthday week in our house, because one day just simply doesn’t seem like enough!  Sloan’s due date was actually on my birthday, but she was three days late.  So we don’t share a birthday, but we always share “birthday week” :).   We are spending our birthdays in Disneyland this year, which is so exciting!

Getting older makes you think about where you are in life.  You take inventory of the people and things in your life and check boxes off of your lifelong to do list.  When I was in my early twenties and newly married (Eric and I got married when I was 21, just a baby I know!), I thought about where I'd want to be at this point in my life.  I hoped that I would have graduated college, own a home, gone on some memorable vacations, and had a few babies.  Of course there were other things too, like not have a bunch of wrinkles, have a killer shoe collection, and go to a Britney Spears concert (I still love her guys, don't judge me) ;).  As I sit here typing this, I am overwhelmed with gratitude because pretty much all of my dreams have come true.  I have a wonderful husband, two beautiful daughters, and amazing friends and family.  I am surrounded by so much love and seriously feel like the luckiest ever!

I still haven't been to a Britney concert though... Please go on tour again B!

Anyways... while I am only 28 years old and know there is still lots more to learn, I do know this:

Time is precious and fleeting.  Time is really like a dirty thief.  It tricks you into thinking you have all the time in the world, but you don't.  Squeeze your spouse, your babies, all of the people you love-all the time.  Make sure they know how special and loved they are every. single. day.  Take responsibility for your life and create the life you've always dreamed of.  Soak up those special, sometimes everyday moments and do your best to take mental snapshots because like Darius Rucker says, "It won't be like this for long."  Embrace being a hot mess, because chances are you're doing more important things than showering or staying organized.  You're probably playing princess dolls with your toddler, nursing your baby, folding endless amounts of laundry, or cooking a hot meal for your spouse after he's worked all day to provide for your family (ok that may just be how I spend my days, but you get the idea).  Clean houses and perfect hair is overrated! 



My life isn't perfect, but it's a damn good one.  I am truly in awe of how the Lord has blessed me and I look forward to many, many more birthdays with my special people!

Xo,

Marisa

These photos were taken by the very talented Lindsey Wiatt Photography.  If you're in the Portland, Oregon area definitely check her out!

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

How I Make My Iced Coffee

I get asked two questions almost daily... 1) Who are my favorite bow shops and 2) How do I make my iced coffee.  My iced coffee is so easy (and I don't even make the coffee myself) that I didn't think it deserved a post, but I've answered the question so many times now I decided I better just post it for you all to see!

When Sloan was a baby we lived in downtown Seattle.  We had a swanky apartment in a high-rise which was right across the street from a Starbucks.  It didn't take long before Eric and I became daily Starbucks drinkers.  It just became a part of my day... Sloan would wake up and I'd feed her a bottle, I'd put her in the front pack, and we'd walk to Starbucks.  We'd walk back home and I'd sip my Starbucks while I made her breakfast.

When we moved back to Oregon (and to the suburbs), we decided it was time to get our coffee habits in check!  I've always been an iced coffee drinker so I bought the bottle of Starbucks iced coffee from our local grocery store... I was very skeptical (could it actually taste as good as the real thing?!).  I put in my regular cream and sugar and I was shocked when it tasted BETTER than the iced coffees I got from Starbucks.  I make one every morning and almost every day during nap time... they're just so good, once a day isn't always enough :).

So here is how I make mine...

I always drink mine out of a mason jar.  Not sure why, I just do :).  I fill it about half full with ice.


Then I fill it almost to the top with iced coffee.


Top it off with cream and two Splenda.  Note: I think organic half and half tastes better (my husband thinks this is ridiculous) and I think the off brand Splenda type sweetners taste weird so I only use the Splenda brand packets.


Mix it together (I always mix and drink mine with a metal straw) and enjoy!


See I told you it was WAY easy!

Xo

Marisa

Monday, April 18, 2016

Pssst Husbands... Mother's Day Gift Guide

Alright ladies, Mother's Day is right around the corner so it's time to start dropping hints to the hubs! I love Mother's Day because I know two things for sure, 1) I am guaranteed a sleep in day and 2) I get a hanging plant for my porch!  While I love my yearly hanging plant, I wouldn't mind some other goodies too.  My husband always asks me if I want anything and I never know what to ask for... so this year I created a fun Mother's Day gift guide.  So go ahead and forward this post to your husbands and you can thank me later ;).

While my husband loves buying me nice gifts, he doesn't always have a ton of time.  Ah who am I kidding, neither of us ever have enough time!  I wish I had more time to be thoughtful and always send the perfect gift, but we all know life gets in the way of that.  I recently discovered an app called Giftagram and I am in love with this app!  You can purchase a gift and send it to someone without even having their address, all you need is their phone number!  The recipient receives a text about their gift and enters their address.  The gift is delivered in 3-5 business days!  So easy and perfect for busy husbands trying to find the perfect Mother's Day gift (or giftS... I mean it is Mother's Day)! And pssst... Save $20 off your first gift with code SLOANANDCO!

Mother's Day Must Haves


#Momlife tank by Emerson Grace Boutique
Tweak & Twine Spa Day Box (which includes the yummiest peony candle) by Giftagram
Pom Pom Throw by Giftagram
S'well Bikini Pink Water Bottle by Giftagram
Custom Watercolor drawing by Ash and Boot (the one in the photo above is a drawing of my family and I am UHHHBSESSED with it, it's so beautiful in person!)
Dear Mom Mug by Giftagram
Polka Dot Tea Kettle by Giftagram

You can also send gorgeous flowers through Giftagram!  We all know flowers are a must (weather they're in a vase or hanging on your front porch)!  

I hope you're all spoiled rotten this Mother's Day, you deserve it!!

Xo

Marisa :)



Sunday, April 17, 2016

Sniffles and Farm Fun!

There's been a lot of sniffles and sleepless nights over here.  The preschool germs have gotten the best of Sloan and it's made for a rough few weeks.  So it's been really quiet around the blog, but I have some exciting things coming up that I'm super excited to share with you guys... Stay tuned!  

Alright let's get all caught up... Sloan caught a nasty virus from school a few weeks ago.  She had a really high fever and an awful cough so I took her into our pediatrician and after a very traumatic chest X-ray we learned that she had pneumonia :(.  She was SO sick, it was just heartbreaking.  She just finished her antibiotics though and she's pretty much back to normal (thank goodness!!).  

Sloan turns three in two weeks so I've been busy working on her 'princess tea party' birthday party!  She is so excited for her birthday party, she asks every morning, "Mama, is today my princess tea party happy birthday day??"  She can't wait to turn three and I am having such a hard time with it.  I just feel like three is getting pretty far out of toddler zone.  She's turning into a kid and I'm just not ready!  

Phayre said her first word and drumroll please... it's MAMA!!!  Sloan said Dada first so I was pretty excited when Phayre said Mama a few weeks ago!  She has started refusing baby food so we are pretty much just doing baby led weaning now.  She loves to eat and still has no interest in being mobile!

Over the weekend we went up to Olympia to stay with my best friend Lauren and her family.  We celebrated her daughter's birthday at a local farm and it was seriously the cutest party ever.  Lauren outdid herself with the decor and everyone had such a great time.  The animals were super friendly and the weather was great, just a really perfect day!  I love making these memories with my family and being surrounded by such good friends.  Life is good, just busy!  

That's all for now :)

Xo,

Marisa








Monday, April 4, 2016

Our Spring Family Photos // 5 Tips For Family Photos

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that there isn't any shortage of photos of my girls :).  I love documenting their days, but we don't really have a lot of photos that include Eric and me!    I have been thinking for a few weeks now that we could really use an updated family photo.  I had planned on waiting until this summer when Phayre turns one, but on a whim I scheduled some family photos for us last weekend!  It was actually very last minute, I text my photographer friend Lindsey Wiatt on Friday night and said, "Hey!  Do you have a free ten minutes this weekend to snap a few family photos for me?"  She said that we could meet the next morning and I was so excited.  I raided our closets and pulled our outfits together and then said a little prayer that we'd get another sunny spring day in Oregon!

We met the next morning and did a very quick family session, literally like ten minutes!  We got a few beautiful images and I will seriously treasure them forever.  There's nothing like a beautiful image of your family to make you go, "Wow!  I am the luckiest mama EVER!"  I am IN LOVE with how the images turned out and I'm so excited to be sharing a few with you guys!  I also wanted to include a few tips that I've learned over the last few years for taking great family photos, I hope they help you guys too!  If you click on the images, they will enlarge and look clearer.


1. How to coordinate your outfits:

We've all seen (or participated) in the family photo where everyone is wearing the exact same color shirt and jeans (or worse, the photo where everyone is wearing jean shirts :-P).  How boring!  When choosing family outfits, I like to coordinate 2-3 colors and some type of print.  Make sure the 2-3 colors you're choosing look good together, I always lay everyones clothes on the bed to make sure they look good next to each other (for our family photos I chose cream, light pink, and navy).  I like to include one (maybe two if they coordinate) prints and everyone else wears a sold (notice the girls and I are all wearing solids, but Eric's shirt is a gingham print).

One more piece of advice when choosing your families outfits: Choose your own outfit first (I'm talking to you, mama).  We are hardest on ourselves so choosing our own outfit will be the biggest challenge.  Choose something that you feel good in first and then choose everyone else's outfits.

Our outfit details:
Marisa: Dress.  My shoes are old, but these and these are similar.
Eric: Shirt. Shorts.
Phayre: Romper is old, but this one and this one is similar.  Headband.

2. Comfort:

Make sure everyone is comfortable, but mostly your little people!  If your son is miserable in that darling little bowtie that you bought him, ditch the bowtie.  When I showed Sloan her new light pink dress and told her it was a great twirl dress she was immediately on board and excited for photos.  DO NOT schedule photos during nap time, schedule them either way before nap time or afterwards.  FEED them before you go (even if it's not their normal meal time), they'll be much happier with a full belly.  Bring snacks or treats for bribery (our go to is mini M&M's), you never know when you might need reinforcements!



3. Pick the right photographer for your family:

When looking at a photographers website, make sure to read their "about me" section if they have one.  Try to get a feel for who they are and decide if they'll work for you and your family.  Look at photos they've taken of other families and try to get a sense of their style (do they do more traditional/posed photos or do they have a lot of silly/candid/lifestyle photos).  This will make a huge difference in the way your kids respond and act in the photos.

We went to Mexico right after Sloan turned one and I thought it would be fun to get some family photos taken on the beach.  I hired the first photographer I could find and lets just say she was not a kid person.  She was clearly annoyed that Sloan (the one year old) wasn't doing what she wanted her to do.  It made all of us uncomfortable as she barked orders and it didn't take long before Sloan was balling her eyes out .  I have worked with two local photographers who have their own small children and they have been amazing!  They totally know what to expect with kids and work hard to build a rapport with Sloan so that she'll be comfortable and act like her silly self!


4. Make it short and sweet:

When you're taking photos with small children, try to find a photographer who offers mini sessions.  There is no way you're going to keep a little person happy and engaged for an hour or more.  Book a session that is 30 minutes or less.  Like I said above, we took photos for about ten minutes and got several great shots!  And now that I think about it, this may be even more beneficial for my husband than my children.  Family photos aren't his favorite thing in the world :).



5. Display your photos in your home:

This seems so obvious, but people often forget to print and frame their photos.  Do it right away while you're excited about your new photos.  Frame a couple and display them in your home, you'll smile every time you walk past them!



All of these photos are by Lindsey Wiatt Photography, if you're in the Portland, Oregon area make sure you check her out!  You should also check her out on Facebook and Instagram!


Xo,

Marisa