What your parents did
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • About the Blog
  • Blog
  • Projects
  • Contact

family adventure: chattanooga at christmas

12/30/2018

0 Comments

 
Family trip to Chattanooga at Christmas
​Being so close to Chattanooga you would think we would be more frequent visitors, but this was actually our first time to go together! I think when you do something a lot as a kid or it’s too close to home, it can lose some magic and novelty in your mind.

But all cities can grow and change and update while still having those familiar memories that conjure up your 4th grade field trip or a family vacation. The fact that family travel can resurrect the magic of old places through the eyes of your own child is another reason I love it! Travel with kids can also take you to little corners you otherwise wouldn’t go. (Itinerary included.)

Read More
0 Comments

our little firecracker's first july 4th birthday

7/4/2018

0 Comments

 
Little Firecracker Girls First Birthday Party on the 4th of July
Mountainside Photo Co.
One insane part of life is how your opinions of things can change on a dime. I was never really into the 4th of July celebrations for some reason.  Maybe it's my love for so many other cultures or my dislike of the summer heat, but good ol' Independence Day just was never a highlight of my year. Don't ask me why! I know fireworks are fun! But turn all of that upside down now, because it will forever be one of my favorite days to celebrate with this little firecracker-angel-blessing being "Born on the 4th of July."

Read More
0 Comments

galentine's day + sisterly love

2/13/2017

2 Comments

 
Galentine's Day Party Inspiration: Mom's Night In
Photos by Mary Margaret Smith
In 2016 I had a resolution of working harder to lift up others instead of being in my own emotions all of the time.  On a day to day basis, we are all just trying to survive adult-life/mom-life that we hardly have time to make grand gestures for our friends beyond big milestones like baby showers or birthdays. 

The Leslie-Knope-created "Galentine's Day" holiday is a perfect excuse or reminder to lift up your gal pals.  Let's be real... most women being really emotional puts a big hurdle for female friendships.  We keep tabs of things like "well they haven't initiated hanging out with me, and I've asked 2 times. Fine I guess they never want to hang out with me."

Well that's not how Leslie Knope thinks, my friends! She will bombard you with friendship and make a binder about all your favorite things. She doesn't take things personally and skulk back into a surface level friendship. It's definitely a lesson in being more intentional and thoughtful with your friends.

Bertha from Chic in Academia ran with this idea and hosted a fun "mom's night in" Galentine party at her house this month, and it turned out so sweet!  I was able to do some calligraphy origami place cards for the dinner table, and they turned out exactly like I pictured in my head! whew!

Read More
2 Comments

slow down for a snow day

1/7/2017

0 Comments

 
First toddler sledding day
We are big fans of snow days over here! They usually only come once or twice a year, so we don't usually have time to get sick of them. Our city also doesn't have enough salt trucks or plows to handle all of the icy roads, so we get to completely shut down for a day or two.

It's even better when no ice has weighed down power lines, and we are still cozy with all the comforts of home (internet, heat and all) like today.

Rowan wanted to sled like the big kids for the first time, so we had to improvise with a plastic storage box. It was a pretty good solution thanks to Zack's ingenuity, and he didn't topple out even once! I'm also proud of myself that I didn't take any pregnant-falls on the ice, even though everything is pretty much like ice skating.

I don't really have anything monumental to share other than our funny storage box idea.. hahaha! But I just wanted to remember this day, because it's been really fun. I also have a recent obsession with Enneagram tri-types and instincts this week, and I just really want ALL my friends to take Enneagram tests so I can know what everyone's dominant type (and wing) is. In between building snowmen, taking naps and playing board games, you should get on that right now and tell me what you are. If you don't, then I'll feel like a big piece of my friendships are missing -- like the type 4 wing 3 that I am. Ha!


Read More
0 Comments

5-minute yogurt bites

11/21/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Brittny Rene Photo
I’m so happy that today Heather of My Life Well Loved asked me to share one of the most adorable, easy, and HEALTHY party treats I found this year.
Head over to her blog to check out the recipe! ​
0 Comments

toddler-proof christmas decorating

12/26/2015

0 Comments

 
HAPPY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!
​I absolutely LOVE decorating for Christmas. Some people may say I'm a loony bird for still putting up so many decorations with a walking baby in the house...but I'm not gonna let that steal my JOY, haters! haha

Personally, putting up the decorations helps me to focus on Christmas and isn't stressful to me.  If it was, I would not be doing it for even a hot second or writing this blog about it!  I even love it so much that I get prematurely sad that the season is almost over. 

So if you are even remotely in the same boat, how have you kept your favorite Christmas traditions alive even when they don't mesh with parent-life?
Children's room Christmas tree - Christmas decorating with a toddler
We used my little tree from my Nashville house to be Rowan's tree. I think having his own tree to push over and touch was pretty great!

Read More
0 Comments

santa baby

12/12/2015

1 Comment

 
Summit Birmingham / North Pole Santa
When I would picture having kids, I thought I would have zero desire to ever do the whole Santa Christmas photo shebang.  But then you really have one, and you want them to do ALL THE THINGS!  Last year at Christmas, Rowan was just a wee thing, so this year was his first Santa experience. ​

Read More
1 Comment

favorite toys for year one

11/27/2015

0 Comments

 
PictureChristmas 2014 | Pretty sure I'll be good to get a quarter of these decorations up and out of the toddler's reach!
Today is Black Friday, and the Christmas shopping season is official! Let me just start this post by saying I am very anti-toy. Okay not really... I know they are necessary for your child's development and happiness, but with a tiny house and Christmas just around the corner, I'm mildly stressing about it! Also, last Christmas was so easy with a 2-month old... we didn't buy him anything! haha.

Fast-forward a year-- Rowan just turned one in October, so we are pretty stocked on toys! I've had the urge to donate half of everything we own, but I already drive Zack crazy with my anxiety-driven purging.  

So 
I was thinking, what toys can we give him that he will like the best and play with the longest? Some pretty schnazzy research a few years ago showed that when kids could make more discoveries on their own with an item, that their playtime was significantly longer. But okay... that still doesn't tell me which toys may be the best for different stages.

Again, I'm no expert, and observing my child is a singular, unique situation... but maybe these picks will help someone navigate picking fewer, better toys! 

If I could've only had one type of toy for each stage, this is what I would choose...


Read More
0 Comments

    Categories

    All
    Adventures
    Baby
    Birmingham
    Calligraphy
    Causes
    DIY
    Eco-friendly
    Education
    Events
    Family
    Favorite Things
    Health
    Holidays
    Home
    Nursery
    Organic
    Pregnancy
    Recipes
    Thoughts
    Thrifty
    Toddler
    Vegan
    Vegetarian

    RSS Feed

    Ergobaby Performance Carriers are great for warmer climates and outdoor activities
    Ebates Coupons and Cash Back

    Archives

    March 2018
    October 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • About the Blog
  • Blog
  • Projects
  • Contact