Under the Sea Movie Night for Spring Break

My oldest is on Spring Break and I always like to plan fun things for him while he's off, but it's not always easy getting out when I also have my hands full with a 5 month old. Lucky for me, his FAVORITE thing ever is Movie Night!

I wanted to plan a special themed movie night to kick off Spring Break with a bang, so I thought and Under the Sea theme would be fun! I set up the kiddos Pacific Play Tent in the living room and spread out some soft blankets and their new mermaid Snooze Mat. How completely adorable is this mat? It's made by the same Shark Tank alum and brilliant mama owned company, Sleeping Baby (they also make Taylor's favorite sleeper - the Zipadee-Zip that I previously reviewed HERE.) It looks like a cute little backpack and even has straps, but then unrolls into the sweetest, softest travel bed! The mermaids head becomes the pillow and the blanket part is attached too. This made our movie night extra special.

I let me oldest choose between Finding Dory (On Netflix!) or The Little Mermaid. The later won out, I think because he watched Finding Dory twice already in the last month. I'm a sucker for any feel good movie, especially if it's Disney!

We always have popcorn at movie night and that night we also had goldfish crackers (to stay with the theme!) I was also excited to dress Taylor up in her cute fishy pajamas for the occasion! We ended up having the best time together and MOST of us stayed awake until the end!

Mental note: Another Spring Break activity we MUST do  - get his hair cut! :)

Want a Snoozie Mat of your own? I'm giving one away on my Instagram account this week! Can't wait? Use discount code SPRINGBREAK to save $5 off your own Snoozie Mat from SleepingBaby.com. 

What are some of your favorite Spring Break activities?

How I Get My Lululemon for Less

You all probably know I'm a HUGE lululemon fan! They are super cute and have the best fit of any athletic wear around. I almost always wear at least one thing by lulu on my daily runs and own approx 20 pairs of speed shorts. But, I rarely pay full price on my lulu! I wanted to spill the beans on some ways that I save money and still get my lululemon fix!

love lulu so much I actually wore a pair of their speed shorts as part of my Halloween costume this year! They were purchased off their WMTM section off their website.

1. We Made Too Much
Lululemon  has a page on their website called We Made Too Much. It is their version of the sale page. This page gets updated every Thursday morning. You can always find discounted prices here and some of the discounts are steep. I have scored $29 speed shorts and $19 tank tops on here - which is way more than half off. If you order from the WMTM section though, all sale are final so you really need to do your lulu research. I recommend knowing your size and reading the reviews so you know that you'll be happy with your purchase.

Got these speed shorts off WMTM for $29. I've since resold them but I think I sold them for more than that!

2. Ebay and Mercari apps
The cool thing about lulu is that is so highly coveted and such great quality that the resale value is HIGH. In fact, I have bought some great discounted lulu and been able to resale it actually for more than what I paid originally for it - crazy! I like to look on Ebay and Mercari for used lulu because you can find some great prices and some cool patterns and colors on some lululemon items from years past. I have gotten some great speed shorts (my fav!) on both of these sites for as low as $22.

I get compliments on these speed shorts all the time! Got them off Mercari for $34!

 I'm usually willing to pay up to $35-40 for used speed shorts as long as they are in great condition and a color that I've had my eye on. I have been able to get brand new with tags Align pants (another lulu fav of mine) on Mercari for abut 33% off. Mercari will sometimes give out codes to members of their apps where you can save 10-30% off so that helps bring the prices down too.I think that there are some Mercari sellers that must work at lulu stores and then purchase/resell with their employee discounts because some sellers have very well stocked online sellers pages! My best advice on these sites is to clearly know the return policy (if there is one) and to read the sellers reviews so you know that they are trust worthy.

Another great Mercari purchase.  I think these were $28 and they are one of my favorite pairs of lulu!

3. Facebook Lululemon Resale Sites
I belong to a few lulu resale sites on FB. My favorite two are Lululemon Speed Short Stash and Lululemon Exchange. These are both private groups of lulu lovers across the country and you have to request to join in. Once you're in (yay!) you can post your lulu to sell or buy others lulu. Each group has their own specific rules so for sure read these and make sure you understand them before diving in.

Another pattern I get compliments on all the time! I got these in a FB resell group for less than $40!

I have bought and resold on both these sites and have had nothing but great experiences! Actually when I was pregnant and looking to buy a couple of pairs of larger speed shorts I posted a request on one of these group pages and a member messaged me and offered to send me two pars of hers for FREE! It was literally the sweetest gesture ever!

These were the two pairs of speed shorts a member of the Speed Shorts group sent me. So incredibly generous.

 I think another thing I try to do is once or twice a year go through all of my workout clothes and sell any lulu that no longer excites me or gets passed over too often. By doing this, I earn some extra money and then can guilt-free use it towards refreshing my workout wardrobe a bit!

Totally scored on this lulu pacesetter skirt for $8! Sadly it was too big, but I resold it for a pretty big profit and used the money to purchase some lulu that fit me better. #winning

I hope this helps some of you stretch your lulu dollars a bit! Do you have any ways that you get your lulu at a discount? Please share if you do!

Powered by the Sun!

Living in the Valley of the Sun, it only seems fitting that we would get to test out a fun new toy from Educational Insights - The Solar Rover. It's a really cool buggy-shaped car that requires no chargers or batteries, it is COMPLETELY powered by the sun! Really, how cool is that?!

We day we got it we were super excited to try it out, as it comes completely ready to go, right out of the package. My 7 year old immediately got the hand of it, knowing that he had to maneuver his hands to block the panels to make the cars top and adjust them over the panels to make it go right or left. It's a little challenging - and that's what makes it fun (for both kids and adults!)

The Solar Rover also comes with small plastic traffic cones that you can use to built a stunts course and wither try to drive your solar rover around the obstacles or, in our case, we just tried to barrel right through the cones we set up!

What I love the most about this and other Educational Insights toys are that they are creative and so different, not what you'd see in every mass-merchandise store that you walk into. They also help to get my kiddo outside and in the backyard to play more often. We were just remarking, how in years past, my son would play in the backyard all day long but now that he's growing up, it's harder to find outdoor toys that engage him. We have a handful of Educational Insights toys now and they are all favorites and really help us to spend more time outdoors together, having fun! What are some of your families favorite ways to have fun outdoors together?

So Thankful for SoCozy

If you've been following my journey, you know that little Taylor has extremely sensitive skin and  severe eczema. Since I am still nursing, I changed my diet to eliminate eggs, dairy, and soy and that has helped to control her eczema somewhat but she is still extremely sensitive to different textures and scents. Poor thing is also a major scratcher and if her skin is irritated she will claw at it relentlessly. Seeing her scratch up her head and body makes my momma heart crumble.

I was so happy when SoCozy reached out, wanting me to try their new line of hush Sensitive Hair Care items that ate now conveniently found at Target. I'm a HUGE SoCozy fan, and was able to previously review their regular line of shampoos, body washes, and hair styling products last year.

Their Sensitive line (available at select Target stores) contains 4 items:
-A Sensitive Leave In Detangler
-A Sensitive 2in1 Soothing Shampoo and Conditioner
-A Sensitive Styling Foam
-A Sensitive Soothing Scalp Serum

All SoCozy hush products are allergy and dermatologist tested and contain no parabens, sulfates, phthalates, formaldehyde, synthetic color, propylene glycol, and are free of gluten, wheat, and nuts. They all contain a faint allergen-free fragrance and were designed to be beyond gentle. As a mom of a young baby with very sensitive skin, I appreciate this so much!

I first tried out their 2in1 shampoo and conditioner during Taylor's bath time. This product is the coolest, I would have bought it for the applicator alone! It comes in a squeeze tube with a soft bristle brush attached. To use, I squeezed the tube gently and then used the soft bristle brush to gently massage Taylor's scalp. She loved how it felt on her little head and I loved that it helped to gently massage away some of her lingering cradle cap.

According to the bottle, "the soft massaging brush helps to lift away dirt, flakes, and oil, plus supports the increase of micro-circulation and oxygen to the root, leaving scalp perfectly balanced and clear." I definitely have felt that her scalp is less itchy to her after several days of using our new hush shampoo.

I also tried the SoCozy hush Sensitive Scalp Serum, which is a balancing treatment designed to calm a babies irritated scalp. This is another product that I felt like was designed just for us! This is a non-greasy, leave-in formula that is designed to calm scalp, reduce the itch, and reduce flakes. I sprayed a couple of squirts of this product onto Taylor's head after her bath and massaged it into her scalp. It dried after a minute and you couldn't see te product, but what I could see what a clear and healthy scalp! Somehow this serum managed to soothe and eliminate all of her dry patches on her head. I literally couldn't believe it. I loved how sweet and fluffy it left her hair and how pretty her head looked without those dry scaly cradle cap patches.

I use the Sensitive Scalp Serum morning and night on Taylor's head and it works wonders to help soothe her itchy scalp and head.

I didn't get a chance to try out the two hush hair styling products: the foam and the detangler, because my peanut doesn't have nearly enough hair yet (someday!) but I know the detangler especially will come in very handy when brushing out her hair after bath time when she gets older (because despite what my mom used to tell me, it does'n't have to hurt to be beautiful!)

Want to try SoCozy hush products for yourself? You can find them at select Target stores HERE and they are on CartWheel right now for 25% off through March 18th!

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My Favorite Organizational Mom Hack

It's a good thing that babies are born babies and not a 7 year old with bustling busy schedules - it gives us moms time to ease into things a bit. Last year my oldest was in kindergarten and soccer and swimming and I was pulling my hair out at the 800 million different outfits he needed to have for his specific activities every single week. It took one mini melt-down (by both of us) when we realized it was PE day at school and his PE uniform was dirty and in the bottom of the laundry basket 30 minutes before school started for my mommy brain to realize there must be a method to this madness. It took me a couple of months to figure out that a simple $9 item could save us at least 1 hour or more of stress a week!

My little laundry helper.

Enter the closet clothes organizer into our lives. I proudly purchased this baby from Walmart over the Summer and was so excited to put it to use.

Best $9 ever spent.

Every Sunday after doing the wash, I grab my planner and start laying out my sons wardrobe for the week. It's crazy ya'll. He goes to a public charter school that wears uniforms, which you'd think would make life easier but Nooo. His school is on a 3 day rotation, which means every 3 days they have a different special and every special requires a different shirt (or different shirt and pants if its PE day) to be worn. And if you think that's crazy, just wait until you have to start helping them with their math homework (I think I need a tutor for myself for that!)

The line up. Excuse the mess in the background. #RealLife

So anyway, I look his activity and school schedule for the week. This week it's a lighter week because he doesn't have scouts;
Monday: Art day at school
Tuesday: Music day at school and Soccer Practice at night
Wednesday: PE day at school and Swimming Practice in the afternoon
Thursday: Art day at school
Friday: Music day at school and karate after school
Saturday: Soccer Game

Ready to go for the week - let's all breathe a sigh of relief!

I gather up everything he'll need for each activity (even the underwear and socks, because have you seen how slow a 7 year old moves in the morning - it's positively sloth-like) and put it in a bin. He knows the drill and gets himself dressed for school in the morning or activities after school and there are no fights, no last minute scramble looking for a missing soccer sock or clean PE shirt, they are all right there. Not to be dramatic in the least, but it really is life changing and totally worth the $9! What is your favorite mom hack?

Fresh and Feminine Spring Style

When I was pregnant with Taylor, I wanted to feel cute, despite my ever growing frame, so I splurged on pretty maternity pieces. I embraced ruffles and wore way more skirts and dresses than I had pre-pregnancy. You know what? I loved it and so did my husband and son. In fact, every time I wear a skirt or dress they both would shower me with compliments and tell me how pretty I looked. I resolved that postpartum I'd wear more of them - except I haven't.

When my entire day revolves around the baby and squeezing in a workout, it's hard to wear anything except my favorite leggings, usually 24/7, and usually the same pair all day that I also wore the previous day AND slept in too (I know, I know...)

What happened to my goals of maintaining my postpartum feminine style?

This is why I was so excited about the opportunity to partner up with prAna and try a few pieces from their Spring line! I chose two items - this skirt and this dress!

I loved the Lizbeth Skirt's feminine details, stretch, and curved hemline. It is long enough that I feel covered, but short enough that it still feels fun and flirtatious too! It's really a skirt that I an throw on and wear all day to play with my kids, and also wear out for date night with my hubbie too!

 It's made out of hemp and recycled poly, with a touch of spandex, so it's super comfy and soft. I absolutely adore the versatility of the coal color. I ordered it in the smallest size (0) and it fits well. (I'm usually a 0-2 in most shorts and a 4 in lululemon speed shorts if that helps anyone with sizing issues.)

I've paired the Prana Lizbeth Skirt with my FAVORITE Au Lait 2x1 Rib Tank in Burgundy. This tank is a powerhouse in my new mama wardrobe (I have it in black too and wear it several times a week - usually pulling it from the dryer and immediately putting it on.) It's fantastically fit and slimming and doesn't look like a nursing tank. It's one that I will keep and wear long after my baby girl has weaned.

I'm accessorizing the look with my gorgeous new teething and nursing mala necklace from Little Biting Tree. It's so hard to believe that this gorgeous combination of 108 hand carved sandalwood and neem beaded mala is a teething necklace! It is made of 100% organic wood and has balancing properties for us mamas too. The cool tie-die color on the tassel is made with plant based coloring and pairs perfectly with just about everything in my closet!

I'm also wearing my all-time-favorite gladiator sandals from Dolce Vita. These are the comfiest things ever (seriously!) and look so cute with everything (because trust me, I wear them with absolutely EVERYTHING!) I scored them last year on clearance at Nordstrom Rack, but they are still for sale on the Nordstrom website HERE, and probably in stores too.

The next piece I chose from the PrAna line is the Berry Dress in Koi. There are so many things I love about this dress! It's super soft and the silhouette is so darn flattering. Dolman sleeves add fun and flirty feminine detail, the wide waist band is super flattering, and the slightly longer length makes me feel comfortably covered. I'm 5'3" and it hit just below my knee, which I think lends itself to a very flattering fit.

The color is a little more or a burnt orange (actually exactly the same color of some koi fish I once saw swimming in Hawaii) than i thought depicted on the website. I love the color!

This is another super veritable piece I know I'll be wearing all Spring and Summer long, with flip flops during the day, and dressed up for a fun dinner out in the evening time! It's made out of fair trade recycled poly and organic cotton with a touch of spandex for a beautiful drape and jersey knit finish. I ordered an XS and I thought it ran a little big but not so big that I couldn't wear it,

I accessorized my Berry Dress with another amazing teething and nursing necklace from my friends at The Vintage Honey Shop. This necklace is called the Crystal Arrowhead and it is handmade in Nashville.

 It's made out of premium cotton fabric and organic wooden beads and tied with a silky satin ribbon (for completely adjustable lengths). I adore the mint, coral, and gold color combo and the fact that it's both stylish and functional - Taylor loves to grab it while nursing or being held.

I also accessorized my look with my FAVORITE new piece of jewelry because it means so much to me! My friends over at Planet Jill made me this gold dipped square photo necklace with my little lovies pictures on it! The charm is the perfect size (about a dime) and so so beautiful and special. I have literally worn it day and night since receiving it in the mail last week. I love sentimental pieces of jewelry so much!

I think with a few new key feminine pieces and some fun and functional accessories, my Spring and Summer wardrobe is complete! If you'd like to order from PrAna, you can use my personal savings code S4P17GFM to save 15% off now through 3/28. How do you like to update your wardrobe for the warmer weather?

Finally Time For Spring!

Spring time in Arizona is my absolute favorite! The weather is amazing and still cool enough that we can get outdoors to enjoy ourselves.

After a couple months of dreary grey, I'm always excited to refresh my wardrobe and home with fun new spring time touches!

I was so excited to receive this cool watch from JORD. It's constructed out of wood and so absolutely gorgeous - I've really never seen anything else like it!

 I chose the Frankie Koa and Ash Watch because I'm a HUGE fan of grey - it's my favorite neutral by far. The medium ash grey face is the perfect compliment to the medium ash wood color (plus it matches my favorite gladiator sandals perfectly!)

My JORD Watch arrived beautifully packaged in a wooden box that doubles as a place to store the watch when I'm not wearing it.

 It also came with a cleaning cloth and conditioning oil - I love the attention to detail and customer service of JORD, they are true professionals.

It's such a stunning watch and the quality is phenomenal. The wooden band is super comfortable and adds such a natural, boho look to my wardrobe - I get so many compliments every time I wear it!

Are you in LOVE with JORD Watches yet? I have collaborated with them for an awesome giveaway! One lucky friend will receive a $100 credit to JORD Watches!! Enter the giveaway HERE. That's not all! EVERYONE who enters will receive a $25 credit to use towards the JORD Wood Watch of their choice! Contest ends 3/12 and all entrants will be emailed their codes shortly there after. What watch would you choose if you won?

What are your favorite ways to refresh your wardrobe for Spring? I'd love to hear about them!



Luxury Wooden Watch