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Easy Valentine’s Day Craft

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Any other mama’s out there to a taby? Yea, that is not a typo! A taby is a toddler-baby aka a one year old. It’s a word I discovered while scouring the internet in how to entertain my newly walking, stir crazy kiddo this winter! If you’re in my shoes you know that the attention span of a one-year-old is crazy small, their motor skills still need a lot of work anddddd if they are anything like Henry… want to chew on everything. Mainly wanting to chew everything is our main obstacle with activities over here. One thing that has worked for us is stickers! Okay, so he isn’t the greatest at it, but with a little help, it keeps in occupied for a solid 5-10 minutes (sometimes, haha). To get in the Valentine’s Day spirit, I grabbed some festive stickers for Henry to “make” his very own Valentine’s Day cards!

What you’ll need:

  • Construction Paper
  • Stickers (I found these cute ones at the Target dollar spot)
  • Scissors
  • Sharpie Pen

Feel free to use your creativity here, but I just happen to cut rectangles on a whim out of construction paper, then had Henry go to town with stickers. Cutting the paper into hearts if you actually plan in advance (unlike myself) would be super cute! I still have to peel the sticker off, but let him pick ones he wants off the sheet and help put them on the paper wherever he wishes. After that, I wrote a little message and viola… homemade Valentines and easy taby entertainment. You can see ours in the photo below!

Happy Valetine’s Day, mama! Enjoy!

 

Xo, Anna

Three years.

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Here I am again apologizing for the lack of time that has passed since my last blog post. I saw today that almost three years have passed since I started blogging again. Then I got disappointed with myself. I have a degree in marketing, I’ve had jobs in social media, and sales. I actually feel really confident that I could be great at this, given the time/energy but as of now, I’m not. I started asking myself “what have I been even doing!?”.

:: bear with me here::

Then I started scrolling… oh you know, the dreaded Instagram scroll where you get lost and then an hour goes by. Except this scroll was different, I did it on my own page. Then it hit me, I’ve done A LOT in the last three years and I started jotting these things down. I have…

Planned a wedding

Got married

Got laid off

Was on unemployment

Started a new job

Traveled to Jamaica, Hawaii, Michigan, Deep Creek Lake, West Virginia, Niagara Falls

Lost a friend

Gained new friends

Bought a house

Got pregnant

Moved in the house

Morning All day sickness, yet gained extra lbs

Made a house into a home

Birthed my son

Became a MOTHER

Cried a lot

Laughed a lot

Breastfed for 7 months

Navigated ridiculous hormone shifts

Had a migraine for a week straight… multiple times

Found myself

Lost myself

Let go of little things

Held tighter to bigger things

Rode in an ambulance

Somewhat successfully mind read my tiny human 24/7

Became an aunt for the third time

And the list goes on…

 

You get the idea. The point is that a lot has happened for me. Probably less than some and more than others. Instead of feeling sorry for myself and my hobbies falling short, the idea is that I should be feeling gratitude. Gratitude for the things that I’ve experienced and lessons I’ve learned in the last three years. There have been many highs and many lows as I pick myself up and navigate my newest role as a mother all while trying maintaining pieces of my original identity. This process alone can feel overwhelming, time-consuming and confusing. So my thought to you is the next time you are feeling low, start jotting down everything you’ve done the last three years whether it be big or small, if it comes to mind write it down. Then you’ll see how much you actually are doing.. and living!

Xo, Anna

Little Blue Truck Party

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Hi, guys!

Fall is such a crazy time in our household and then adding in our little one’s birthday into the mix has kept me busy! Ever since Henry could sit up he’s been obsessed with books. He will literally sit there for long periods of time flipping the pages and staring at the illustrations. Little Blue Truck became a family favorite in this household and it seemed fitting to have it be the theme of Henry’s first birthday party.

We kept the guest list small with just immediate family and enjoyed spending the afternoon with loved ones. Henry was a little under the weather and wasn’t so sure about moments when all the attention was on him, but overall had fun playing with everyone! I served crockpot pulled pork, mac and cheese, coleslaw and a variety of dips. We finished off the meal with the most delicious birthday cake from a local baker! Henry liked playing with his smash cake, but when it came time to eat it gagged and cried. I’m sure he will eventually come around to sweets, ha!

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I kept the decor simple, but thoughtful. We had a chalkboard chart with Henry’s current stats which was a hit for the family that doesn’t get to see him as often. Another piece was a banner showing all of Henry’s monthly milestone photos I had taken throughout the year. We had fun asking people which month was their favorite. Mine was his 7 month photo, which was when his rolls were sooo rolly! To liven up his high chair we tied on a special banner. The final detail was balloons!! Henry loves balloons, but his favorites were farm animals tied to the little blue truck.

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All in all, it was a fun day celebrating our little man! Happy birthday, Henry!

Special thanks to my extra crafty mom for helping as well as making some of the decor! Love ya!

Xo, Anna

Baby Cat & Jack Unboxing

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Hey, guys!

It’s been a minute, but I wanted to write a quick post since a lot of people showed interested in seeing what we got in our Baby Cat & Jack box (by Target) Basically, it’s a box full of surprise seasonal clothing for your little one! Target sends you 6-7 pieces along with a free gift that you can try on your babe and whatever you don’t like it, just return in store for merchandise credit. You can subscribe or order as you wish… we opted for a single purchase this time to see how it went. Being an employee for a major subscription clothing box, I was so curious to see the delivery (I’d totally order him Stitch Fix kids if they had baby sizes!).

Let’s start with the presentation…

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The clothing is all folded nicely along with a brief note on the pieces and a coupon! All good in my book. Unfortunately, it’s not as personalized as other services so it’s just a stock-written note and randomly selected pieces. It would be super cool to do one more personalized to our style, which is basically Mac & Mia. I’ll do that when he’s a little bit more steady in his sizing to make the higher cost a bit more worth it! So let’s dive into the clothes!

Outfit #1: Keep! Love this cozy outfit, plus we are smiley people over here so it’s fitting.

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Outfit #2: Keep! I’m not the biggest fan of hooded things for babies because they honestly just get in the way majority of this time, but this outfit is too cute!

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Piece #5: This little romper is fun.. and cute… but I never put him in rompers anymore! Maybe I should? I’m undecided… help me! Actually, I’ll probably keep it, if you know me, I’m a big olive green gal!

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Piece #6: Leaning toward the return. I just can’t really decide if I’m into the details on this piece. Plus, I’m torn on the romper situation. It kind of goes with the next pieces below.

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Piece #7 & Free Gift: Return. The face on this hood weirds me out. Plus, like I said before there is only room for so many hooded things in little man’s wardrobe. But, the bib was the free gift, so I’ll obviously hang on to that for my little drool monster.

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What do you guys think? Do I think it was worth the 38 bucks (Redcard discount), sure! I would say you aren’t by any means saving or spending more money than you would if you purchased the pieces from the store. The fun part is the surprise and these pieces haven’t been released in store yet. I’d probably do it again since you can just return what you don’t want and let’s be honest, we are always at Target to use that merchandise credit. If you want to check it out for a special little one in your life, click here.

Have fun!

 

Xo, Anna

3 Ways To Get Out Of Your Fashion Rut (New Mom Edition)

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Hello, world! I’m back! I’d love to be better with blogging but honestly I’ve been lacking inspiration. My life is basically all about Henry which is amazing, but I always find myself questioning just how much I was to share his life with the world. I keep trying to find a delicate balance so thanks for your patience!

Anyway, the other day I found myself staring into my closet and feeling so bored. I know we all feel that way at times, but I really took a step back and tried to figured out why I was feeling this way. I have built a closet full of basic and classic pieces that I would always have then play with accessories to liven them up or give them a more trend-forward look. But now… my hair constantly has to be up in a ponytail and jewelry has to be minimum to none because Henry will just pull everything he can get his little hand onto! After he broke my smallest necklace that I didn’t even realize those tiny fingers could grasp, I’ve basically given up on the jewelry game for now. Does anyone else’s little one like to grab on to their hair too? So what’s a mom on a budget to do in order to liven things up in this situation and feel a little more trendy again? I’ve found three quick and easy solutions that are also new mom friendly aka little effort. Hah, enjoy!

1.Headbands!

This trend is back and I couldn’t be more thankful. It’s a great way to liven up a messy ponytail full of dry shampoo. Plus, they are great for summer! I just bought this pack from Amazon.

2. Kimonos!They are always so colorful with fun prints and in my opinion the best summer layering piece to have in your closet. It’s so easy to throw one on over a solid tee or tank to liven things up. They often can also be used as swim suit cover ups. I found this one at Marshalls, but I’ve seen them everywhere lately!

3. Go shopping with this specific goal in mind or schedule a Fix!

As you may know I’m a stylist with Stitch Fix which allows me to style my own fixes if I so choose… but its a blessing and a curse! Having a new set of eyes on your style is sometimes all you need to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Though I still styled myself in my most recent Fix, this time I really tried to style myself as an actual client asking for fun details/prints/accessories to get out a fashion rut. I’m excited about my choices and I ended up keeping 3/5 pieces. Two printed tops and one with super cute embroidery detailed top now have been added to my wardrobe!

If you’re interested in trying Stitch Fix, sign up here… https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/6126849?som=c&sod=i

Do you have any ideas I’m not thinking of? Talk soon!

Xo

Anna

Lactation Bites

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Lactation BitesHi, all!

After a nice long 16 weeks of maternity leave, I started back to work last month. Luckily, I get to work from home, but that can definitely get interesting with a baby along for the ride. I cut back my work hours to help manage it all, but that’s left little time for blogging still. I think eventually we will get into the swing of things over here, but for now, I’m barely keeping afloat with work and Henry! Does anyone have any tips or is it just one of those things that gets better as your kiddo gets older and requires less attention? Or does that just bring on a new set of challenges? Time will tell!

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Anyway, I don’t make much of anything from scratch in the kitchen anymore, but I have been making these Lactation Bites (or Boobie Balls, is what my husband calls them) all the time. Anything that requires minimal ingredients and no baking is a win in my book. When I started pumping to try and build a stash for times I’m away from Henry, I realized quickly that I definitely do not have an oversupply of breastmilk. How was I supposed to feed him AND have extra to save? After talking to a friend, she suggested making these bites to help build up my supply. I do think they help give me a little boost and I now have a small freezer stash of breastmilk which is a big victory in my book! There are a zillion different recipes for them out there, but I thought I’d share how I make them. The oatmeal and flaxseed are the two big important ingredients here in helping your supply.

lactation bites

 

  • 2 cup dry oatmeal
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup flaxseed
  • 2/3 cup raw honey
  • Combine all in a bowl. Wet hands and roll into ball size of your choice. Set in fridge to cool!

Ta-da! That’s it! Believe it or not, I have messed these up. Sleep deprivation is SO real, my friends. Luckily, Henry has been sleeping through the night for the last month or so (::knock on wood::), so the world is becoming a little less blurry again. We are at about 5 months of exclusively breastfeeding, which I’m super proud of! Breastfeeding is something that I knew would have its challenges, but it’s so rewarding. I also feel very fortunate we’ve been able to go this long. Stay tuned for a blog post in the next month or so about our experience as I’m making the super tough decision to probably stop soon. Oh my goodness, I got teary-eyed typing that. Okay, more on that topic another time. Have a great week!

Xo, Anna

6 Tips for Online Dating

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Hi, guys! Happy Tuesday! So February is one of my favorite months because it’s just such a LOVE month.  Not only is there Valentine’s Day, but it’s also the month that Nick and I started dating AND got engaged (he would want me to tell you that it wasn’t all on the same day). Anyway, for those of you that don’t know, Nick and I actually met online! I know, crazy, right? I still can’t believe it. We always get a million questions after someone finds out. I’m pretty sure it’s because we are normal adults (kinda) and we found love on the internet. Online dating seems to have a negative stigma sometimes and it can be overwhelming, frustrating, but also very rewarding! It’s not for everyone but it is for you if you want a different way to meet people. It’s 2017 and we use technology for just about everything else, why not this? An algorithm gave Nick and I a 97% match. Mind. Blown. And my biggest reason you should try it is simple… What if it works!!!

Here are my 6 tips for a successful online dating experience:

  1. The username
    • You finally talked yourself into this and now you have to think of a username? Eek. Don’t stop here. Because I would constantly delete and remake a profile, I used a few different names. The last one that I used was song lyrics that I liked at the time. I was “LittleTalks” and it was one of my better ideas because it attracted people that liked the same music as me. Try thinking of a hobby or interest you like when coming up with a name.
  2. How to pick your profile photo
    • Use current photos! Catfishing is real, folks. You can ask Nick about his story. Thankfully, it never happened to me.
    • Don’t go overboard. Post one head shot, one body shot, and one with family/friends.
    • Keep your clothes on ladies and gents if you’re looking for the real deal.
  3. What to say about yourself
    • Don’t give everything away! This makes it easier to ask questions in messages so that you can get to know one another.
    • Be honest! I remember rolling my eye’s at Nick’s profile when reading that he taught his grandma how to golf, funny story… he actually did!
    • If you have a sense of humor, try to show it! If you’re serious, show it!
    • If there are questions offered from the dating service, answer them. This is how their algorithms work in finding you the best matches.
  4. Messages
    • Who messages who first? Blah, I know. If you’re interested show it, but be a little creative in your first impression. If you can sense their sensor of humor and you’re attracted to that, compliment it. If they are a foodie, ask what their favorite place to eat in the city is.
    • Don’t overthink it, just be yourself.
    • This is the point where it’s okay to be picky! If you met everyone you messaged with, you’d be very busy.
    • If you’re not interested at any point, let them know.
    • If you’re interested after some messaging, get their information for one of their social media accounts if it makes you feel more comfortable. No, this isn’t creepy, they shouldn’t have anything to hide. Add them on Facebook, that way they can see you’re somewhat normal too.
  5. Meeting
    • Are you still not sure about this whole online dating thing? I wasn’t either. Though I knew I was interested in Nick, the whole idea of meeting him was very intimidating. So I highly recommend Skype, Facetime, Google Hangout, whatever to see each other’s faces and talk for a bit. This makes the first meeting feel so much more normal.
    • Don’t meet someone unless you are comfortable with it and genuinely want to meet them. This makes the whole experience way more fun!
    • Be smart! Go to a public place and tell a friend what you’re doing, ya know, just in case… or have your sister stalk you on the Find my Friends app (Heather!).
    • Grab a coffee or a cocktail. Don’t commit yourself to an entire meal or activity for the first time meeting. If cocktails lead into dinner, then perfect, things are going well!
  6. Happily ever after… or not… but maybe!
    • Be patient, your dream man or women isn’t always online waiting for your profile. It’s like real life dating still, you’re just using a website to help introduce you to people. If it doesn’t work out for you, at least you tried!

Are you considering online dating, but haven’t pulled the trigger yet? Here are some other things you should know:

  • Online dating can be like a second job. There’s a lot of people out there. If you’re serious about it, it can take a chunk of time to weed through the masses.
  • Do you want to wait until you meet someone in person? Yea, I did too. But, just do me a favor and keep in mind that when you meet someone at a bar you know nothing about them. When you meet someone from online, you at least know something about them! It should be less intimidating.
  • Try a free online dating website to see how you feel about it. There is no harm in canceling it.
  • You are going to see someone you know on the site, maybe even an ex… and maybe even your ex’s best friend who will message you. That’s a true story. But, get over it, everyone wants to find their love!

I want to conclude and give a special thank you to OkCupid for allowing me to find the man of my dreams!

Have you had success with online dating or not so much? What advice would you share?

XO, Anna