Red, White and Blue x Two

Having two boys that share a room made for another interesting project for Madre Dallas. I enlisted them to help make two beds that were the inverse of each other and which complimented my red, white and blue criteria. They mastered this task with the help of the lovely Leontine Linens which made the boys room another one of my favorites in our home.

Travel Destinations: Cabo

Cabo San Lucas might be my favorite destination to travel to for multiple reasons. First and foremost it’s proximity to Arizona which means short flight which is always nice whether it is with children or without. One of our favorite places to stay, especially when it is a solo trip without the children is Las Ventanas Al Paraiso. When flying out of Scottsdale, nothing beats SetJet.

When you arrive at Las Ventanas, they are always there to greet you and make you feel like you have arrived in Paradise! The rooms are impeccably clean and have you so close to the beach that you can hear the waves crashing at night.

Las Ventanas goes above and beyond to celebrate every single occasion, from anniversary to birthdays and everything in between so don't be shy in telling them anything you are celebrating.

The Alebrije and Sea Grill restaurants sit close to the ocean and allow for spectacular viewing of the changing colors of the clouds at sunset. The food is delicious and it doesn't get any better listening to the ocean waves.

Arbol, however, has quickly become the restaurant they are know for with the stunning setting amongst the trees and pool and the most spectacular cuisine featuring Asian and Indian influences combined with the fresh seafood of the region. Certainly a gem of a restaurant located within your hotel.

The next best kept secret is the speakeasy known as La Botica. A Prohibition Era-inspired bar that offers the best cocktails, but most importantly the best singer and musicians in all of Cabo and maybe the world. Rosalia de Cuba has the most incredible voice and every coupled with her incredible team of musicians they make dancing until the wee hours of the night seem like the only thing to do while in Cabo.

And in case the night gets away from you while at La Botica, they now have a Taco/Hamburger/French Fry cart that greets you on your way out for a late night snack. Brilliant!

Back to those added romantic touches, they are quick to decorate and make everyone feel special and loved whether greeted by rose petals, a drawn bubble bath and balloons.

Truly an elevated experience that passes every bit of The High Bar standards! We can’t want to go back!

A Peek into a Pink Dream Room

Ever since finding out I was having a daughter, I dreamed of all things pink. Obviously I’m well aware that not all girls like pink and even if my daughter loves it now, doesn't mean she will forever. Nevertheless, when I enlisted the ever so talented team of Mia and Kerri of Madre Dallas, I decided to jump feet first into a pink dream room. These ladies did not disappoint and left me breathless when I finally saw the final product. It was a pinch me moment and I am forever grateful for their incredible talent that led to my favorite room in our home.

A Trip of a Lifetime: The Masters

There is a reason it is called a “Tradition unlike any other!” Visiting Augusta, Georgia during the Masters tournament was a dream come true, especially for a 10 year old. Our older son was born on Masters weekend and has had a Masters themed birthday party since he was 4 year old. His dream was to go to The Masters Tournament on his 10th birthday. It was not easy, but we made that dream a reality and it truly was the most magical weekend with our first born.

I would highly recommend the Par Three Tournament on Wednesday, especially if you are taking children. The one caveat is that I would suggest age 10 as the youngest age to take children as there is a LOT of walking involved and it is not for the faint of heart. The Par Three is so special as it is one of the only days you can take cameras in. Not cell phones with cameras, I might add. We are talking point and shoot cameras only. This is unique as you can actually take pictures on the gorgeous property of Augusta National as well as potentially get some pictures of the players.

The proper etiquette is that only children are allowed to ask players to sign the yellow August National flags, and some players are more willing to do so than others. Below is a picture of this years Masters Champion Scottie Scheffler signing our son’s flag. Please keep in mind that this was on Wednesday! Little did we all know that he would be the big winner!!

The other must do at The Masters is the gift shop! There is usually quite a long line just to enter, but it is worth it! They have everything from Masters ties, backpacks (always our sons choice for school) as well as countless other knick knacks you never knew you needed. It makes for wonderful gifts as well since most things can only be purchased on site.

Thursday-Sunday are a whole new ball game as even more people arrive for those days. We found that Wednesday-Friday was a perfect amount of time for us as we got to set up shot on both the 18th hole as well as Amen Corner which are both must do’s in my opinion! The most incredible part is that on our son’s actual birthday, he got a ball from Tiger Woods. Little does he know that we will never be able to top that birthday and The Masters will forever be cemented in all of our minds as a tradition like no other.

10th Masters Par-Tee

Our oldest son was born on Masters weekend and I will never forget watching Bubba Watson’s pink driver while in labor. It is quite fitting that on his 4th Birthday he requested a Master’s-themed party. I immediately accepted the challenge and have absolutely loved enhancing this theme every year and all of the fun of repeating this tradition year after year.

To enhance the theme, we brought back swag from Augusta that added an extra element for him after experiencing all that encompasses the magic of The Masters!

Benedicts Caterers brought their magic by serving Pimento Cheese sandwiches, chips and chocolate chip cookies.

Jewels’ Bakery took the cake (pun intended) with my favorite iteration of a Masters themed cake yet. The fact that it was gluten free and vegan made it extra special as it was delicious!

Scottdale Cookie Co. made the cutest party favors complete with miniature green jackets and custom golf balls.

It was a golfers dream and made double digits a little less scary for our sweet boy.

Party Vendors and Décor:

Catering: Benedicts Catering

Cake: Jewels Bakery

Party Favors: Scottsdale Cookie Co

Balloons: Balloon People AZ

Light up Numbers: Alphalit Phoenix

Tea for Three

Party planning may be one of my favorite past times generally but planning a pink fete complete with a tea party may top the list of favorites. Due to 2020 shutdowns, we never had a first or second birthday party for our darling girl, so we finally got to celebrate her in proper form. Thanks to the incredible Laura Kay of Diarysketches, the vision for Madison’s 3rd birthday came to life.

Inspired by the clothing collection from Dondolo and the incredible matching tabletop accoutrement, the theme was decided. This all dates back to a tradition started on Madison’s first birthday of gifting a set of china to round out her future collection. The three roses tied with a pink bow was an instant favorite and set the tone for everything.

The incredible Lucy Murchinson of Shop Love Lucy created the perfect invitation and accompanying decorations that gave the event it’s extra finishing touches.

Benedict’s Catering based in Scottsdale found the cutest pink melamine tea sets to accompany the Dondolo pottery and made delicious tea sandwiches and macaroons for the big day.

The most magical white bounce house from Inflate Forty Eight surrounded by balloons from Balloon People Arizona rounded out the celebration and complimented the theme beautifully.

Jewels Bakery made the most delicious vegan and gluten free cake to match the theme and Scottsdale Cookie Company made matching cookies that were beyond words.

It was a beautiful day full of feminine touches for our little girl who is adored by so many.

Party Vendors and Décor:

Photographer: The Lauren Style

Portrait: Diary Sketches

Invitations and Signage: Shop Love Lucy

Catering: Benedict’s Caterers

Bounce House: Inflate Forty Eight

Balloons: Balloon People AZ

Birthday Hat: Storybook Goods

Light up Numbers: Alphalit Phoenix

Clothing and Pottery: Dondolo

Cookies: Scottdale Cookie Co

The Case for Social Distancing

Right now we are in an unprecedented time in our world. I am sure this will be documented in history books as we are in uncharted territory. The most important thing we can do at the moment is to have Social Distance! I see a lot of people talking about why they are #socialdistancing and a lot of it has to do with the elderly. Well I am here to tell you that for us it goes way beyond this as no one is “safe” from this, but we are especially concerned for the immune-supressed or those with underlying conditions. As of today, March 25th, the CDC has highlighted the following category for people who are high-risk for severe illness from COVID-19: People with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma. We are all too familiar with this as our oldest son was diagnosed with asthma at age 4. The photo above was the day he was discharged from the hospital after a battle of asthma and a complication of pneumonia nearly two years ago. The following story highlights why this is so serious and why we have been “quarantining” for 3 weeks already and we implore you and your family to continue to stay at home and help flatten the curve.

What started as an average school night almost two years ago, turned into one of the scariest nights of our lives. While M.J. had been officially diagnosed with asthma at age four, he had respiratory issues starting around age 2. Nebulizers and inhalers were constants in our home and we learned a lot of terminology like Flovent and Albuterol. Our family lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and we were dealing with horrible air quality as a repercussion of the wild fires that were rampant across California. While getting ready for bed that evening, M.J. complained of a “tummy ache.” That was a common theme that kept reappearing and the week before I had bought a Pulse Oximeter that measures Oxygen levels after seeing one advertised on Amazon. Out of an abundance of caution I decided to get it out for the first time to see what his levels were. His Oxygen level was 91 and so I decided to give him his inhalers and see how he fared. His levels went up to 93 so after consulting with my husband I put him to bed as he was exhausted and acting normal otherwise and went back to cleaning up the house and getting ready for bed myself. 

Right before bed each night I check in on the children one last time and decided to take M.J.’s oxygen level again. His breathing didn’t look alarming to me (heavy retracting of the neck), but I wanted to see if it had stabilized. His oxygen level was 89! This was so surprising and my husband was even convinced that the pulse oximeter was just not working properly. Mothers intuition made me immediately change into sweats and insist we take him to the ER. Our two-year-old was also asleep and my husband was not sure we should go as M.J. was sleeping soundly and his breathing didn’t seem that labored. 

But once again my motherly instinct kicked in and I just knew we had to take him immediately! So my husband and I each grabbed a sleeping child and buckled them in their car seats and raced to the ER. I decided when we arrived that my husband should wait in the car with our two-year-old so he could continue sleeping and I would just run M.J. in to have him looked at and most likely a quick breathing treatment and then be on our way home. Shouldn’t take more than an hour I thought! Boy was I wrong!!

When I got in there the triage nurses knew the situation was dire and got M.J. on oxygen and back into a room immediately! Everything moved so quickly that my head was spinning! It was 11 o’clock in the evening, I was 5 months pregnant with our baby girl, and I was alone in an ER with our son who was having an asthma attack for the first time, but never once voiced that he couldn’t breathe! It was such a scary and out of body experience being told that if we hadn’t brought him in he wouldn’t have had enough oxygen! That motherly instinct is pretty incredible!! In my mind though, I had always envisioned an asthma attack much differently…gasps for air and the look of distress! That was not the case for us, however!

The doctors were fantastic and immediately had steroid treatments and oxygen to open up his lungs and his numbers went up so I still thought we would be heading home sometime within the next few hours! But, the doctors quickly realized his numbers were not stabilizing and he needed to remain on oxygen until his O2 level could settle around 95. 

I sent my husband home to put Max back to bed and I sat up with M.J. all night long staring at his vitals. M.J. and I had some interesting experiences including listening to a Stanford Freshman who had come via ambulance for drinking too much. Even though M.J. was in a pediatric unit of the ER, this 18-year-old was next to us and cried like a baby for his mom while throwing up non-stop. My six year old learned two things from frightfully listening to that (these are his words I might add) : 1) You will always want your mama and 2) I will never drink alcohol! (Hopefully that never changes!) After listening to that debacle he was finally moved into a private room around three o’clock in the morning and I was still convinced he would be heading home soon!

Wrong again!! When his numbers would not improve they realized that something was compromising his lungs and that he was not able to get the necessary oxygen levels without being on oxygen. That meant he was to be admitted to the Children’s Hospital. I was still in disbelief that this child is the same one that my husband questioned eight hours earlier if he really needed to go to the ER. It was such a crazy and surreal experience!

He was hospitalized for four days. Those long days consisted of breathing treatments, steroids and oxygen to get him to an acceptable level… and then we found out he had developed pneumonia. His precious little lungs were just not getting a break! Living at the hospital while having one child at home is not an easy feat! Both children need you and so my husband and I would divide and conquer to be sure that both children had a parent with them. We would take turns sleeping at the hospital and trying to not let M.J.’s little muscles fatigue from lying in a bed all day all while trying to keep him entertained with legos and special treats from his favorite place: Starbucks!

Now I might remind you that all of this was triggered by the smoke from the California fires that ravaged our state. The air quality was not good and that was what put him in a tailspin. Unfortunately, the same exact thing can happen should he get a virus, especially one that targets the respiratory track. M.J.’s lungs are still susceptible to this day and that is why we have chosen to quarantine our whole family for the last 21 days and will continue to quarantine for the next two weeks of Shelter in Place in the Bay Area. When they talk about “flattening the curve” just know it is for more than just the elderly! While it protects them as well, it is also protecting those with weakened immune systems and other underlying conditions.

We are doing everything in our power to protect our family and we implore you to do the same! If not for you and your family, please do it for the people who are at risk of complications! There has been less emphasis on protecting children, due to initial reports that they were not at risk from COVID-19, but new research is showing that children (even healthy children) can get this virus and thus we must take it more seriously! The sooner we can socially distance the sooner we can hopefully get back to life as we know it.

Full disclosure that I am not a doctor and am not giving any medical advice, but I would like to share what I keep in our “toolbox” to help deal with these types of situations. Everything from my favorite locking travel medicine bag and no-contact thermometer, to my children’s favorite “night-light” humidifier and the pulse oximeter I use to check my asthmatic son’s 02 levels. The most important step is to be ahead of the curve, so if you suspect you have a chid with asthma, talk to your pediatrician to see if a Pulmonologist would be the next best step. From there they usually create an Asthma Action Plan to help you know what to do in a multitude of situations. I might add that all of the items below work for health issues well beyond asthma and help us navigate many different illnesses. It’s all about being prepared and well informed.

1. Travel Locking Medicine Bag, Medicine Safe 2. Otoscope, Dr. Mom 3. Pulse Oximeter, Santamedical 4. Humidifier, Tendomi 5. Remote Health Exam, Tyto Health 6. Fever Patches, Be Kool 7. Digital Thermometer, Withings

The one thing our family is focusing on during these crazy and confusing times is that LOVE and HEALTH are all that matter! We are wishing you both!

A Spring Themed Baptism Party For Our Baby Girl

In the days leading up to my Baby Girl’s First Birthday, I have realized there are so many special memories I have yet to share. One of those being her Baptism Day! As our faith is a large part of who we are as a family, her Baptism day was a very special occasion marked with our nearest and dearest! My fabulous Mother-in-Law hosted the chic affair that was made extra special in that it was the same location where we celebrated our Rehearsal Dinner exactly 10 years to the day!

Theme

The theme was “Spring!” A whimsy combination of pink and white ranunculus, peonies, hydrangeas and dahlias were the highlight of the event! As this event had an equal mix of children and adults there were elements that catered to both! Special pink cocktails and bubbles for the grown ups while the children had a coloring station and fun balloons.

Invitations

The invitations were created by Pixie Ink Prints on Etsy! They had a remarkably quick turn around time and the colors and design were superb.

Décor

The floral arrangements stole the show and were highlighted with the live ranunculus napkin ring holder. Such a bold and chic statement! The pink chargers served as exclamation points for our sweet baby girl, as it could not have been any more feminine placed on top of the pink paisley linens.

Food

While the adults had a beautiful lunch the children were delighted by their masterpiece of the ever-so-popular combination of butter noodles, hot dog and grilled cheese. I especially love these thrilling plates as it made the presentation of all three items that much more appealing to the under-7 crowd. The dessert special was unfortunately not caught on camera, but a fabulous selection of sorbets and truffles that were light but delectable.

Favors

The favors consisted of miniature Nothing Bundt Cakes that could be taken home, but in honesty were devoured by the children during the event. Pixie Ink Prints made these darling Favor Tags that perfectly complemented the Invitations.

One of the items that I would be remiss not to mention is the Baptismal Candle from Tierno Portugal. It features a beautifully hand painted gold embellished monogram and Baptismal Date and is a keepsake to be treasured. It was a highlight on Madison’s special day!

Overall, the day was spectacular! During the actual Baptism, the Monsignor was kind enough to surprise us with a Renewal of our Wedding Vows to mark the Occasion of our 10th Anniversary! A memorable day to say the least! We are forever grateful for these special memories!

Mommy and Me Spring Fashion Favorites

I have a weakness for matching! Whether it be coordinating with my husband, dressing the boys alike or twinning with my mini-me, I guess it’s in my genes! I have long been matching my boys and my husband, so when my daughter was born I finally felt like it was my turn to play dress up!

For the boys, I found brands like Vilebrequin and Peter Millar made it easy to dress my men in a similar fashion, but beyond swimsuits and dress shirts the options were sparse. Cue my surprise on how many fabulous options existed for the little women in your life! I have been reminded over and over again that it doesn’t last forever and at some point she may call it quits on the concept of “twinning,” but for now I am taking full advantage! Below are a few of my favorite finds for this Spring and Summer. I especially love brands like Minnow Swim that provide options to match both your sons and daughters! That is a win/win in my book!

Happy Shopping!

1) Pink Ruffled Gingham Swimsuit, Ephemera 2) Pink Girls Ruffled One Piece, Tucker + Kate 3) Girl’s Peony Bubble, Dondolo 4) Women’s Caftan Dress, LVSH + Dondolo 5) Women’s Butterfly Dress, Dolce and Gabbana 6) Girl’s Butterfly Dress, Dolce and Gabbana 7) Sabrinah Midi Dress, Lilly Pulitzer 8) Annabell Infant Dress, Lilly Pulitzer 9) Women’s Gingham Dress, Sofie D’Hoore 10) Girl’s Azulejo Romper, Sal E Pimenta 11) Women’s Tulip Rashguard, Minnow 12) Girl’s Tulip One Piece, Minnow

Valentine's Day Baby Shower

One year ago, we were so fortunate to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a beautiful shower for our baby girl on the way! My dearest friend threw the loveliest pink sprinkle imaginable that truly got us excited for all of the pink that was about to enter our lives! Reflecting back I feel so fortunate that these memories were captured on some of our last days as a family of four. We all feel so blessed to have Madison in our lives and this pre-celebration of her arrival couldn’t have been more perfect!

Theme

The theme was “everything pink!"

Invitations

The beautiful watercolor bow invitations were so feminine and perfect! Luckily my best friend and I happen to be paper/letterpress connoisseurs! Hand mailed invitations are a must for both of us and these were prettier than I could have ever envisioned!

Décor

My thoughtful mother was in charge of the decor and wanted to incorporate balloons as opposed to flowers for a feminine and fun twist. With the help of Sparky’s balloons, this vision came to life. The darling centerpieces were adorned with greenery for an extra touch of elegance and the balloon arch made for a welcoming entrance. The hot pink table linens were the perfect pop of color and each place setting had a menu that doubled as a place card. Literally every detail was perfect!

Food

The luncheon started with a vegan cauliflower soup and up next was a delicious salad topped with salmon. It was the perfect luncheon that accommodated all of my food allergies (the big ones being gluten and dairy). The standout item was this delicious Gluten Free and Vegan pink bow adorned cake! Not only was it the best tasting cake ever, it was too cute for words!

Favors

My darling girlfriend came up with the cutest favors imaginable! A bottle of rosé champagne for each guest with instructions to open the bottle and “Cheers” upon hearing of Baby Girl’s arrival! This could not have been a bigger hit and you better believe we were one of the first to open that bottle promptly after Madison’s arrival!

This sprinkle was a dream come true and I am so happy to be able to share it with you! My heart is forever grateful for my dear friend Anna and my mom for bringing us so much love and happiness during one of the most love-filled times of the year! We will treasure these memories (and photos!) forever!

Valentine's Day Gift Guide

I happen to be a sucker for all of the Hallmark holidays, Valentine’s Day included! What is not to love about celebrating love?!? Thankfuly, I have coerced my husband to participate over the past 17 years although I would be remiss to say that it is still not always perfect. In fact there has been a comedy of errors in recent years surrounding flowers! From trying 1-800-Flowers one too many times to confusing Peonies and Pansies (I love peonies!) I almost feel bad for all significant others and want to help break the stress of getting things just right!

I have compiled a list of Valentine’s Day gifts for all members of the family! I think if you have strong preferences, it is always helpful to give your loved ones ideas and hints. At the end of the day, we really just want Win/Win Situations for everyone! Just yesterday I was reminded by a dear friends that boys can wear blue hearts which prompted me to purchase matching Valentine’s Day pajamas for the whole family! Who knows how much longer my boys will want to match with each other or their mom and dad for that matter! For now we are going to relish in every aspect of this heart filled celebration.

1. Women’s Button Down Short Set, Roller Rabbit 2. Men’s Heart Boxers, Roller Rabbit 3. Children's Heart Pajamas, Roller Rabbit 4. Small Rose Le Plein, Venus et Fleur 5. Non Toxic Babydoll, Alimrose 6. Mommy and Me Matching Headbands, Lele Sadoughi 7. Heartshaped Chair Backer, Pottery Barn Kids 8. Apron, Pottery Barn Kids

Polar Express 4th Birthday Party

One of my favorite hobbies is party planning! If I could easily transition to another career, I think it would be event planner. I just get so much joy out of the process. When I initially found out that our middle child was due in December, I was crushed that he would never have a “fair” birthday with the proximity to Christmas. I quickly changed my attitude after speaking with my now 96-year-old grandmother whose birthday is December 15th! She told me of her joy of having her birthday so close to the Holidays as everything was already festive by nature and family members were more likely to be together. I decided that we were not only going to embrace this birthday, but convince our child that he was the luckiest to have such a special birthday during a special time of year!

Theme

Leading up to his first birthday party, I knew we were in need of a strong theme that could carry out this excitement! Enter…The Polar Express! One of our older son’s favorite movies and such a classic for the Holiday’s. We have stuck with the same theme every year and tweaked little things to make each party unique. All that matters is that the Birthday Boy is happy, and thus far he has loved every second of it! The best part is seeing all of the children arrive in their Christmas Pajamas!

Invitations

Every year has been a little different, but centers around the premise of the book (and movie) with a ticket to board The Polar Express. This year’s invitation came from Pristine Print Co on Etsy.

Décor

I was fortunate to find a great Etsy shop that sold printable signage with all of the Polar Express quotes from the movies as well as darling Hot Cocoa Station signage. Confetti Momma Party (also on Etsy) made these darling snowflake cups for the hot cocoa which added a fun and whimsical element. Also, one of the most adored items that we include every year are the “Walking” Reindeer Balloons available on Amazon.

Food

As the party typically takes place in the morning, the food centers around breakfast treats. Cinnamon rolls, egg sandwiches, fruit cups and of course the infamous Hot Cocoa station complete with marshmallows, whip cream and sprinkles. Even though it is a morning party, I insist on having a Birthday Cake and have an incredible bakery that does everything gluten and dairy free. It is always delicious and such a strong piece of decor with a different take on the theme every year.

Favors

This year we made a “trip” to Santa’s workshop and his elves helped each child paint and assemble a Melissa and Doug Train which they could take home with them. Santa also made a special appearance and gave each child a Silver Bell from his sleigh and told them “ that only those that believe hear the bell.” Santa also signed copies of The Polar Express book for each family and everyone received a picture with Santa in their darling pajamas. In year’s past the favors consisted of a cookie or cake pop, but seeing as though this party was four days before Christmas and there were already a lot of sweet treats being consumed, we veered away from the dessert favor.

We truly embrace the Polar Express and Christmas theme and absolutely love celebrating our darling boy in such a fun way!

Travel Favorites

It’s that time of year where random travel sneaks up on you! Whether you just got back from a quick jaunt away for MLK weekend, or preparing for ski week or the ever-fast approaching Spring Break or Easter travels…just when you think things are calming down they pick back up again! During this time of year I also love incorporating small gifts for Valentine’s Day that can be useful for travel days ahead. I have compiled a list of some of my very favorite items.

I am notoriously an over-packer…even when I try to consolidate, I despise when things get wrinkly or don’t look fresh. Alas, the perfect travel steamer by Steamery! We used this steamer on our recent work trip to Utah this year and it works like magic! It is also very sleek and works well even at home, not just on the road. I also love packing cubes and am addicted to organizing my items by category in separate packing organizers including for shoes. As a slight germaphobe, I find the thought of shoes touching my perfectly clean clothes horrifying. Paravel makes a dreamy combination of luxurious fabric with the option to monogram as well as the ever so popular aspect…purely functional!

I am also an over-consumer of Apple products to say the least, but I must say I am a big fan of the new Air Pod Pros. As a mom I find it highly unlikely that I would have time to kick back and listen to a podcast or (gasp!) even watch a movie on an airplane flight with three children. In the off chance, however, that there is a moment of calm where one (or even two!) of your children dose off, these are a perfect option to pop into your ear for a quick dose of sanity! The only problem, up until now, is that you can not watch the programing of your screen if you happen to be fortunate to have one in front of you. Enter, Airfly! The portable bluetooth transmitter that allows you to watch or listen to the content of your airline tv through your Apple Air Pod Pros. This is a game changer, particularly for a long flight and works incredibly well!

For all of you over packers (like me!) a great option is to have a portable luggage scale so that you know if you are one (or five!) pounds over for your luggage weight ahead of getting to the airport. Nothing irks me more than a check-in agent telling you to move around a few pounds of clothing to eliminate a surcharge. A decent travel adapter is also key for international travel to be sure you never have an issue with charging your ever so important electronics. Just be sure to always double check your hair styling tools, as converters don’t generally work on things such as straightening irons. Trust me when I say it is not a pretty sight when the iron gets so hot it literally burns the hair right off of your head. My personal trick is to ask the hotel if they have any styling tools that were left at the property you are staying at, or purchase one locally from a pharmacy.

Speaking as someone who despises germs yet loves to travel, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes are a staple in my purse and diaper bag. Most sanitizers, however, leave my hands feeling dried out and don’t leave much to be desired on the fragrance front. Enter Byredo’s Tuilpmania! One of the best smelling fragrances I have found and is a rinse free sanitizing gel. It is a luxury item to say the least, but is worth the splurge for a trip where you will be overindulging on the cleansing of your hands! This also makes for a lovely gift for the person in your life who is difficult to shop for!

Last, but certainly not least, the lovely little ones in your life deserve a few upgrades to the travel scene and one of my very favorites are monogrammed packing squares that come in different colors and can help you organize your children’s clothing. This becomes increasingly more important with the more children you have as keeping things separate and organized is imperative to speedy and tear-free daily dressing. As a treat, the Puro Sound Lab Noise Cancelling wireless headphones make for a wonderful travel companion for long car rides and/or airplane rides.

Hope you find these items as a helpful guide for you or someone in your life! Bon Voyage!

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- Love List -

1. Travel Steamer, Steamery 2. Packing Cubes, Paravel 3. Air Pods Pro, Apple 4. Bluetooth Headphone Transmitter, Airfly 5. Digital Luggage Scale, Sharper Image 6. Hand Sanitizer Gel, Byredo 7. Leather Travel Adapter Case, Hammacher Schlemmer 8. Children’s Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones, Puro Sounds Labs 9. Travel Shoe Cube Duo, Paravel 10. Children’s Stackers, The Monogrammed Home

The Adventures of a Pumping Mama

I love breastfeeding, but it is certainly not for everyone! I, for one, pass zero judgement as a fed baby is a happy baby! It did take this third time Mama some time to grow to like/appreciate pumping. With my first two, I viewed it as a tether…almost like jail. The sounds, the exposure, the upright position I had to be in…nothing spelled F-U-N! 

This time around I have a whole new perspective, with much of that thanks to my incredible cord free Willow pump. When my mom got me the Willow pump for my babyshower, I had no idea what a gamechanger it would be! One of the best things is that you are fully covered and with no cords can walk around and be present with your family while pumping. The reality for me, however, is that I am usually pumping while everyone is asleep. The best part of the Willow is that you can lay down while you pump (my favorite thing to do at 3:00 am.) I use to sit on the edge of my bath tub as my old pump would spill milk everywhere if you were not straight up and down. This was extremely liberating for me! 

My “formula” that has worked quite well, is to start pumping around the 1-2 week mark in the evenings usually after feeding and continuing at night even once my baby starts doing longer stretches. That schedule would look something like pumping around 10:00 pm before I would go to sleep and then waking again between 2:00-4:00 am to pump and build a freezer supply to allow me flexibility. That flexibility allows me to work, go on date nights and volunteer at my boys school…it is extremely important to me to build that stash in the first six months.

I am extremely passionate about this mainly due to my severe dairy allergy that prompted warning against all formula for all three of our children. I am allergic to the protein in milk and I was terrified to risk one of our children having the same allergy. Therefore, I decided early on that I would try to exclusively breastfeed or bottle feed pumped milk for one year with all three children. It is a BIG commitment, but one that I have grown to love and treasure! I have two more months left for my third baby, and trust me when I say I am savoring every moment!

Now I am the first to admit that every baby is different and you have to do what works for you and your little one! All three of my babies have varied with the most different being my little caboose! She is the only one that does not like the bottle! I have an entire freezer full of milk and she does not like it in bottle format. We had to be adaptable and as she has gotten older we add it daily to her food (which she loves)!

I will tell you that I have pumped in some pretty funny places! On a golf course during a round of 18, on the freeway headed to Disneyland, in a powder room at a wedding, in a fitting room at Neiman Marcus and most recently in the bathroom at halftime during the 49ers Playoff game. The one thing I have realized is to never be embarrassed or apologize! You have to do what is best for you and your baby! Most places, even with strict regulations for entry like a football stadium, are very flexible when it comes to nursing mothers and if you show them your breast pump you shouldn’t have any problems getting in, even if it requires a larger clear bag :) Most people are compassionate and have empathy towards a nursing mother, and if they don’t they might one day and look back and feel differently. What matters most is you and your baby!

I do have a few favorite products that I attribute to my positive view towards pumping. I am not a doctor and these are solely products that I purchased on my own accord that I really love. This list has changed over the course of three different babies, and I feel as though the products are just getting better and better. 

Wishing you all the best on your journey!

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- Love List -

1. Hands Free Pump, Willow 2. New Mom Smoothie Blend, Seedlyfe 3. Organic Nipple Butter, Earth Mama 4. French Terry Racerback Nursing and Sleep Bra, Kindred Bravely. 5. Travel Pump Case, Milue 6. Marvella Classic Maternity & Nursing T-Shirt Bra, Kindred Bravely 7. Post Natal Lactation Plus, The Honest Company 8. Vegan and Gluten Free Lactation Bites, Majka

Gift Guide For Children

— Toys and Other Fun Surprises —

1. Strolley Rose, Olli Ella 2. Bitty Baby Doll, American Girl 3. Pocito Ski Helmet, POC 4. Golf Set for Beginners, Golphin 5. Explorer 3.0 Go Kart, Y-Bike 6. Pewi Walking Ride on Toy, Y-Bike 7. Power Vehicle Set, Magformers 8. Essential Play Kitchen, Milton & Goose

Monogrammed Gift Guide

— FOR HER —

1. Monogrammed iPhone Case, The Daily Edited 2. Monogrammed Faux Linen Napkins, The Monogrammed Home 3. Monogrammed Travel Jewelry Case, The Daily Edited 4. Headband Travel Case, Lele Sadoughi x Stoney Clover Lane 5. Monogrammed Slippers, Rae Feather 6. Customized Sweater, Le Lion

Monogrammed Gift Guide

— FOR LITTLES —

1. Personalized Tea Set, Etsy 2. Monogrammed Thermos, Yeti 3. Personalized Stool, Madre 4. Monogrammed Shoes, Ellifox 5. Monogrammed Boudoir Pillow, Ellis Hill

Monogrammed Gift Guide

— FOR HIM —

1. Monogrammed Luggage Tag, Rae Feather. 2. Monogrammed Men’s Wash Bag, Rae Feather. 3. Monogrammed Tumbler, Yeti. 4. Monogrammed Stacking Cases, Paravel. 5. Customized Passport Cover, Smathers and Branson. 6. Customized Belts, Smathers and Branson.

Dressing up Boys

I admit that our family tends to dress a little more formal than others, it is just an inherent part of us that both my husband and I grew up with! With that being said, it is not for everyone!! I will say that more often than not, however, that people reach out to me to ask where I find these “formal clothes” especially for my boys! Darling clothes for girls are a dime a dozen! Even clothes for Baby and Toddler Boys are popping up much more frequently. Clothes for boys ages 4-14, however, are way more difficult to find! And then even when you find something, will your son even wear it!?!

My trick is finding and mixing in performance materials that are both lightweight and comfortable and most of the time are “tag free!” This is especially important ;-) My favorite brands for these items are Johnnie-O, Vineyard Vines and Peter Millar! All three brands offer performance material button down shirts and polo shirts that are not only nice looking, but incredibly easy to care for (wash and hang dry)! You don’t even need to iron them, although I usually iron the button downs for picture days ;-). They have also started offering performance pants which are also lightweight, easy to care for and usually young boy approved! 

Once I have a base layer that is performance, I will mix in different brands based on the occasion. In almost every formal look, my boys always have on a Johnnie-O Dress Shirt which are lightweight and incredibly comfortable! My boys have never complained about these particular button-down shirts. The next layer differs based on age, but my go-to look for little boys usually includes a sport coat.

Appaman makes great lightweight and slim cut sport coats. trousers and suits. The price is right and the look is timeless! When my oldest son was little, Oscar de la Renta had a boys line that made the best pieces for special occasions. You can still find a pretty robust selection on The Real Real and Gilt. They had classic rompers for little boys and great coordinating pieces for older boys ranging from sweaters and blazers to classic pants, ties and bow ties. To be honest, I am still looking for a brand that compares in such an offering from newborn to size 14. I will keep you posted if I find it.

For a walk on the luxurious side, Il Gufo makes the sharpest looking yet softest trousers for young boys. They are a bit pricey for boys pants, but you will never get a complaint for having to wear them as they are as soft as butter. Armani Junior also makes a nice boys chino trouser that has a nice lightweight formal material and slim fit design. For the boys in your life that really don’t care for a stiff sport coat, Armani Junior also makes a very handsome knit option that can be easily dressed up or down. And then there is always Gucci to elevate any outfit. From their unique ties and classic belts to their infamous horsebit loafers…you can rely on those styles to be passed down for generations.

My go-to shoe brand for little boys has always been Atlanta Moccasin. The shoes are handcrafted in Portugal and are effortlessly chic! Whether being paired with a suit or shorts and a button down, you can never go wrong with these shoes. My sons especially love the drivers and are their shoe of choice regardless of activity. They would even wear them to the pool if I would let them. I have also always loved Janie and Jack dress socks. They go up to size 10-12 and are comfortable and not too thick. We have drawers and drawers full of a variety of patterns.

In the meantime be sure to look into the performance materials. The best part…removing stains is a breeze! Butter, pasta sauce, mustard and chocolate usually don’t even require stain treating. Just throw them in the washing machine and out they come! It’s like magic!

I love creating win-win situations...and this my friends is win-win if I have ever seen it! 

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- Love List -

1. Mod Suit, Appaman 2. Bow Tie and Tie, Brooks Brothers 3. Dress Socks, Janie and Jack 4. Prep-Formance Button Down Shirt, Johnnie-O 5. Penny Drivers, Atlanta Moccasins 6. Performance Breaker Pants, Vineyard Vines

Life on the Tall Side

Dear darling daughter,

I was once that girl! The one who was taller than everyone in her class! The one who stood at the end of the line in height order and the back-row center of all school pictures. Trust me when I say it is the greatest blessing, but I know it won’t always be easy to see it that way!

Remember when people say “look how big you are” to immediately take it as a compliment and forgive their wording if it doesn’t sound flattering. You see, people don’t mean to sound insensitive, they just don’t even consider their words before they say them. My mom was truly the most incredible influence as she was so quick to program my brain that tall=beautiful! They were interchangeable words in her world and thus mine. I never had a chance to be self-conscious about my height as my mom did daily affirmations that made me lead with positivity. When someone was to say anything to me (you are so tall, you are so cute, you are a big girl, etc.) I was to immediately respond with a “thank you!” The affirmations were daily and I had to repeat them three times. First, she would say it, then I would repeat three times. I am strong, I am strong, I am strong! I am smart, I am smart, I am smart! I am beautiful, I am beautiful, I am beautiful!

The constant repetition made me believe it and created a very confident little girl. Now don’t get me wrong, I went through an awkward stage where I look back now surprised at the confidence I had for the way that I looked. But that is the very root of the issue, it didn’t matter what I looked like on the outside. My mom made me so strong on the inside and we always discussed that it’s what on the inside that truly matters!

I don’t know at what point it became culturally acceptable to be a “tall girl” and frankly it doesn’t even matter. What does matter is raising strong women that don’t care if they are the shortest or tallest, that they view their individuality as a blessing and they become thankful for that blessing daily.

When people would say that I had big feet, my mom would quickly respond that I would fall over if my feet were any smaller. If people asked if I played volleyball or basketball upon seeing me, my mom would be quick to point out that I was a cheerleader and golfer (two things not usually associated with height).

One of my dear friends has taught me that she tells her daughters “you are strong, you are brave and you can do anything!” anytime they are nervous for something! To be honest, I also tell my boys that on a daily basis. As parents we want healthy, happy confident children who are also kind to others! If we focus on that as opposed to “who is academically gifted” or an “exceptional athlete” we can make tremendous strides in making children feel accepted.

So, to you my fellow girls, stand up tall and walk with pride. For being tall is a gift that should be cherished and it is up to you what you will do with it! And for all the haters out there, my favorite response to any negative comment is “I am sorry you feel that way!”

Know that pants might be hard to find, but that doesn’t matter! Know that you can love someone shorter or taller than you, it doesn’t matter! Like age, height is just a number! You do you! I am proud of you and will always be here for you!