Shortly after I had our first son, I was chatting with a friend of mine. I was feeling overwhelmed. Exhausted. Nervous. And I made a comment about how hard it was. She responded by saying how she'd love to only have one - one was a cakewalk! I walked away from that conversation feeling so defeated. And I promised myself whether someone had no children or one child or 100 children, I would never say something like that to her. Because let's be real - life is just hard sometimes, no matter what place you're in. 

So how am I feeling now that I'm a mom of two? Pretty much as overwhelmed and scared as I was as a new mom of one. And like there aren't enough hours in the day to do all the things. The quality time with both children and each child separately. Running a home business. Keeping up with the house. Being more than ships passing in the night with my husband. Trying to reach out to friends. Working out (ugggggh, I MISS working out!). 

Mostly, I'm just tired. 

But, we're doing well. I'm seeing our family change in some amazing ways. Harrison sort of came into the picture seamlessly, and it's hard to remember what life was like before he was here. While big brother certainly has moments of wishing the baby wasn't taking attention from him, he really does love his little bro so much. He's constantly asking about him, wanting to be near him, and showing him how to do things (most recently, rolling from back to belly!)! 

My husband is quite literally super dad. He gets home and manages to play with both of the boys (and sometimes put them to bed at the exact same moment - a feat in and of itself!). I cannot wait to see them all grow closer - I have a feeling these boys will be inseparable as time goes on. I also foresee a lot of projects in our future. 

And I'm, honestly, kind of surprised at how I feel. I think I was an okay mom of one. But for some reason, I feel like a really good mom of two. I've been forced to slow down during the day - forget all the minute details like cleaning up dishes and trying to knock out my to-do list - and focus on the boys. To be fair, once the boys go to bed, it's go time, and I try to knock out ALL THE THINGS before I pass out at bedtime, but, the mom wins that I've been having seem to compensate that. 

So mostly we're just trying to just navigate this new fangled family we have. And it's really pretty great. 

Stitch Fix #26: The one where I wanted to keep it all!

You guys. Is it just me, or is winter hanging around for-ev-er this year?! You would think after 34 winters, I would get how this works, but no. EVERY year, January ends, and I think we're on the upswing, and then - THEN - I remember how brutal February is! And this one hasn't disappointed. 

BUT. In just a few short weeks, I get to head to fabulous CABO with my KEEP sisters, and that thought alone is brightening the yuckiest of days! Since I haven't shopped in quite awhile, especially for anything warm weather worthy, I needed to snag a Stitch Fix to help with the trip! 

If you don't know about Stitch Fix (<--Referral link!), let me give you a little rundown. Stitch Fix is a clothing subscription service, and you decide how frequently, or infrequently, you'd like a shipment. You'll fill out a detailed style profile about your sizes, style preferences, and budget (and it's super fun to fill out the profile to see what your style preferences are!). Not only does Stitch Fix offer clothing, but they have accessories, bags, and even shoes now! They style both men and women, and they offer extended sizes. You pay a $20 styling fee that gets applied to your purchase, but right now, if you sign up for your first /fix through my link, your first styling fee is waived. Zero risk! And, if someone signs up through your referral link, you get a $25 credit to use toward your next purchase! (And let me tell you, that adds up to some awesome free close!) The BEST part of Stitch Fix? It comes directly to my door which means I can try it on in the comfort of my own home, pair it with things already in my wardrobe, and not have to take my brood into a dressing room with me. So much winning! 

You can see my previous Fixes here:
Stitch Fix #1
Stitch Fix #2
Stitch Fix #3
Stitch Fix #4
Stitch Fix #5
Stitch Fix #6
Stitch Fix #7
Stitch Fix #8
Stitch Fix #9
Stitch Fix #10
Stitch Fix #11
Stitch Fix #12
Stitch Fix #13
Stitch Fix #14
Stitch Fix #15
Stitch Fix #16 
Stitch Fix #17
Stitch Fix #18
Stitch Fix #19
Stitch Fix #20
Stitch Fix #21
Stitch Fix #22
Stitch Fix #23
Stitch Fix #24
Stitch Fix #25

For this Fix, I asked my INCREDIBLE stylist Serena to help me find beach friendly wear that I could also use at home AND nurse in. No small feat, friends, but if you've read my past Fixes, you know Serena is like a style magician and always comes through! This Fix didn't disappoint, and I kinda want to keep it all! But I need your help (see below!)! 

1. Kaileigh Cecile Knit Dress, $54

If you're looking at this and thinking it looks familiar, you're not wrong! I was actually sent this dress in my last Fix, but it was just a little too snug! I tried to exchange it at the time, but they didn't have the next size up. But, Serena found it for me! I love the floral and the colors of this dress, and I think it'll be perfect for spring (and maybe Harrison's baptism!)! This makes my heart happy! 

2. Collective Concepts Ellie Wrap Blouse, $58 

Okay, so this blouse is FUN! I love the wrap around, the sleeves, the nursing friendly capability, the fact that I can dress it up or down - it's just really fun! Only because I have boy children, I wish it was a different color, but this might be a shirt I just don't wear around the kiddos. ;) I don't have anything like this, and I love that it's really versatile! 

3. Loveappella Deanne Printed Maxi Skirt, $48
4. Lemon Tart Gabriella One Shoulder Ruffle Knit Top, $38 

So, here's where the trouble comes in, friends. I was SO looking forward to this outfit because in Cabo, we have a party on the last night where we're supposed to wear blue and white. The skirt will be perfect for the cooler Cabo nights, and the top is adorable - but it's SO. DARN. BIG! Like, comically big. And because of the nature of the shirt, it would be unwearable unless I can take it in. (Or, it would be super nursing friendly in that this shirt might actually expose the goods completely.) I tried to see if there was a smaller top available to exchange it for, but alas, there's not. Do we think I can alter it enough to be able to wear it?!

5. Mia Ozella Laser Cut Sandals, $50 

I've been pinning a lot of cute sandals lately to my Pinterest board, and Serena took note and sent these cuties to wear with this Fix. Gah! They're so cute (my toes, not so much, but ignore them!). I love these flats for on the beach in Cabo and running around with my boys at home. 

So what do I doooooo, friends? I love this whole Fix, but that darn one shoulder top! What do I do with that? I need your help! And if I don't keep the whole Fix, what are the must keep items?!

A grrrrific third birthday: Henry's Daniel Tiger themed party

Our oldest son is three. WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?! It feels like just minutes ago he came rolling into our lives, and our world has been that much sweeter for it. And now, he's this spunky, funny, so, so, so active little man with thoughts and words (so many words!) and imagination, and I'm not even sure how it all happened. 

This past weekend, we celebrated little man in the midst of a giant snow storm! Luckily, with a winter birthday, we've always planned to be inside, so this year, our celebration took us to Fun-n-Fitness gymnastics. If you live in the Michiana area and have littles, they NEED to be going here. Miss Barb is truly incredible, and while I've seen Henry gain so much more coordination and agility, it's the independence he's gained here that I love even more. So, we decided to share the love and have his party at his favorite place. 

When I asked Henry what kind of birthday party he wanted to have, he informed me that he wanted yellow cake. So, we gave him some options, and he was quick to decide on Daniel Tiger. We try to limit his screen time, but I'll tell you, Daniel Tiger always gets a pass in our house. He loves Daniel and his lessons, and we love that we can bust out those catchy Daniel songs when he needs a reminder. 

"If you're feeling mad and you want to roar, take a deep breath, and count to four!" 

"When you have to go potty, stop and go right away!"

"When something seems bad, turn it around, and find something good!"

I could go on all day. But I won't. 

I was honestly surprised when I started looking at the lack of Daniel Tiger things available. I kind of thought for sure we'd be able to locate a bunch at big box stores, but it seemed like if we wanted anything cutesy, we were going to have to turn to Etsy. Instead, I did a quick Pinterest search and found some awesome freebies! These free printables were adorable, and made for a few cute decorations around the gymnastics center! 

We searched high and low locally for a Daniel Tiger birthday cake, but we couldn't find any! So we improvised! We went to our favorite supermarket, and we used their Princess Sophia walking down the road cake design to turn it into Daniel. We cut the Sophia items, flowers, and pink and purple, and I ordered these Daniel Tiger figures to put on the road. I think it turned out super cute, and Henry loved that the figures were his to play with afterward! 

And of course, we had to get some Daniel themed party favors! In addition to our to go car snacks (apple sauce packets, fruit snacks, and Goldfish packets), we also had a Daniel Tiger Activity Pack for each of our little attendees. I thought these were so cute because who doesn't love a little coloring?! 

Because we were limited on time and space, we didn't give Henry his presents at the party. Instead, we waited for his actual birthday, and we kept the Daniel Tiger theme going! In addition to his birthday cake figures, we also snagged him some Daniel Tiger DVDs (for those moments when we can't get it on On Demand!), and our friend Grace got him some AMAZING Daniel Tiger Colorforms (which totally make me think of my childhood!)! This little man received some super sweet gifts from friends and family, and he definitely won't be hurting for indoor activities the rest of the winter! Lucky little dude, this one. 

And now, life goes back to normal with our three-year-old. I can't wait to see what this year brings! 

Multitasking. And why it's the devil. And why I'm choosing to savor the moment.

I have always been an incredible multitasker. It's something I prided myself on. In job interviews, I always named it as one of my best assets - I had the ability to be planning a lesson, grading papers, and responding to parent emails all in one fell swoop. When I work out, the elliptical is my machine of choice because I can work while I'm on it. As a work at home momma, this has also served me well. I can nurse a baby, make lunch for a toddler, be tuning in to a work conference call, and thinking about the sixteen tasks next on my list to accomplish. I'm a list maker. I like lists. But I digress. 

And all of this multitasking served me really well, until baby number two came along. Because at that point, all the multitasking just started to make me feel like no one's getting 100% - time, energy, love - they're getting 70%, maybe, if it's a good day. They're getting someone who's distracted. And no one wins.

The problem with multitasking is that you're always thinking one or two or ten steps ahead. It is INCREDIBLY hard to stay in the moment. So when I should have been 100% focused on a conversation with my son or 100% focused on having a special moment with my baby, I was instead quickly checking my phone to see if there were any business items I needed to attend to. Or texting a friend really quickly about her weekend plans. Or making my grocery list. Or throwing in a load of laundry. Or whatever it might be that took my attention away. 

And what I've come to realize as of late is that multitasking is exhausting. And it's not all that fun right now. 

As a list maker, a Type A lady, an achiever.  I want to feel accomplished, but what I'm learning is my old methods might actually be making me more unproductive. Studies show you're more likely to make mistakes, feel stressed, hurt your relationships, and overeat with frequent multitasking. 

Ummm, ain't no one got time for that negativity. So, I'm changing the game. Flipping the switch. Trying something new. And I snagged this beauty as a reminder. 

Yesterday, I was in my eldest's room trying to get him to take a nap. He was being restless and silly, and I was itching to get things done before the baby woke up. I almost, almost said to him, "Hurry up and go to sleep so I can do some work, bud." But, I saw my bracelet, and I reminded myself to shut up and savor the moment. Instead, I sat down with him. I looked in his little boy eyes. I asked him what his favorite part of our morning had been. We sang a song from our music class. We cuddled. It took way longer than I wanted it to. 

And it was glorious. It was probably my favorite 15 minutes of the day. 

Friends, there is nothing at all wrong with slowing the f down and doing one thing at a time. If you're like me, you're going to need to say that to yourself about twenty times a day, and that's okay. This is a giant departure from the norm. Give up the guilt of not getting enough done (hell, maybe we'll be more productive!). Block your time. Decide what's non-negotiable. And take a breath while you savor the moment. It's really freaking freeing. 

Valentine’s gifting for guys, gals, and little pals

Valentine's Day is such a special day in our family's world. Not because it's Valentine's Day, but because of the day before. See, in 2012, Dan and I exchanged our first tentative messages on Match.com, and six years later, it still makes me smile when I think about those first few sentences (spoiler alert: we talked about cheese!)! And in 2015, our sweet, independent, loving little man was born (although his due date was actually Valentine's Day!). So, this time of year is always a fun one for us. 

But it's also one of those days where I often struggle with gifting. I love showing our boys how loved they are, and I want to get them special gifts, but it's hard to know what to get everyone. And I'm 99% sure my husband would say the same about me (he's probably waiting until February 14 to snag that gift). So this year, I've compiled some of my favorite items to gift (most are under $50!) in hopes that you'll love them just as much as I do! 

For the Men
Subscription Box from Bespoke Post
A few years ago, I was on the hunt for a birthday gift for my husband, and friend of mine recommended Bespoke Post. This is a subscription box service, but it's super easy to skip months where you don't want a shipment. You can also pay a little more and choose not to use the subscription portion. Anyway, I LOVE these boxes because they're truly so unique. From super cool drink sets to wallet and watch sets to gym sets, this site has a little of everything. The inventory is always rotating, and I love that the gift has pieces that all work well together. A box will run you $45, and you can choose which set to get. Word on the street is that there will be women's boxes launching soon too! 

Beer Soap
So, after you've been together for awhile, you sort of start to run out of great ideas when it comes to gifting. A few years ago, we were making our grocery list close to Dan's birthday, and the two requests he had to put on it were beer and soap. So, naturally I thought, someone should make beer soap! Enter Etsy! There's a whole HOST of beer soaps on there, so I found a store I loved with great reviews, snagged him some awesome "flavors," and he was a happy man (note: we also DID pick up beer at the store, so the list was still completed). The shop I purchase from is currently on a hiatus, but there are several other shops you can find just by searching! 

Cookie Bouquet
In my past life as a high school English teacher, I remember one particular discussion I had with my newspaper staffers regarding gift deliveries. One of the boys made a case that girls are super lucky because they can get things delivered to them at their jobs or school (flowers, balloons, gifts) and that there really wasn't a market for this for guys. So, we went hunting and found these Corso's Cookie Bouquets! The perfect gift for a dude - a bouquet of delicious treats to eat at work! And while there are definitely more feminine options, I also spotted footballs (hello, Superbowl!) and beer mugs, so everyone is covered! 


For the Ladies: 
KEEP engraveable and ring options
What do women want? More than anything? To know they were thought about. Period. It doesn't even really matter the gift as long as it's heartfelt and took a little planning. Enter the engraveable line from KEEP Collective! This line is PERFECT for Valentine's Day! Engrave your anniversary date, the coordinates to where you met, a song lyric from the first dance at your wedding, or anything else special to you! The engraveable bracelets start at just $29, and the necklace is $39. Flowers die, y'all. Get her something she can wear every day and know that you think about her! 

Mug and other "daily" items
Think about all the things the lady in your life does every day. What new thing could she use to complement that life? Is she a coffee drinker? She needs this mug. Does she always have a million things with her? She NEEDS a Four Things Tote Bag! (Seriously, this is eternally on my to-buy list!) Think of her favorite things, and then elevate it. Fancy coffee. A new water cup. Something for her home gym (but only if she's a fitness buff. Because otherwise that's offensive.). 

Date coupons
Wanting to go the homemade route? YES! Homemade gifts rock! And my absolute favorite homemade gifts are date coupons. Because what's better than putting on paper that you're going to spend time together. Can't think of your own? Snag some of these.


For the Littles: 
Little Explorers Subscription Box
If you're new to the blog, you should probably know that I'm a HUGE fan of subscription boxes. Because seriously, don't we all need more happy in the mail. So I'm SUPER excited to order the Little Passports box for our little explorer this year! Each month, you'll get a sweet box filled with educational topics around the globe. For littles, it's large concepts like oceans and weather, and for older kiddos, it's more specific items like countries and tourist destinations. I LOVE the idea of having fun adventures each month! 

Mommy and Me anything
Having only boys, I worried I might not be able to find any cute mommy and me sets out there. But behold! There are LOADS of options in the clothing department! I'm currently crushing on this set from Etsy because it's so sweet! For girl mommas, I'm crushing hard on KEEP's Rose Quartz engraveable bracelet! Rose Quartz represents love, and you can engrave nicknames, a fun phrase, or whatever you'd like on them. I also have a major crush on the new ring since you can add whatever charm you'd like! How sweet would it be to split the BFF heart?

A special date 
Par for the course, my favorite thing to do with our toddler is a special date - something that makes us a fun memory. This year for the eldest, we'll be tackling our first movie in the theaters, our first mini golf game (once the weather breaks, of course), and special dates to the trampoline park, ice cream, and other various adventures. The little guy is still pretty little, but we're looking forward to lots of special outings with him too - just on a smaller scale. 

So there you have it! What sorts of goodies are YOU gifting this year? I'd love to hear!