Deal Alert

I found a steal of a deal a few weeks ago, and wanted to share before it's gone.

I've been pining over this egg holder at Anthro for awhile now.  And when I've got $14 to throw around, I just never think to go grab it.

Whilst trolling around Jo-Ann's a few weeks ago, I saw a rather similar version in a gross pastel blue-green color.  With a coupon + sale, I snatched that baby up for less than $4.  A few coats of high-gloss white spray paint, she's a welcome addition to the fridge

Actually, it's out on the counter now, displaying some plastic easter eggs.  I really meant to get some cute eggs this Easter, but considering how much these get man-handled by the littles, it's probably best I stuck to the dollar-store variety.

For 10 bucks off, I'd say it's a pretty good imitation.

Happy Friday!

Little Dude is...

Oh, where does the time go?  I'm already planning his first birthday party.

Here's the latest and greatest:

• He is now saying 'mama', and I'm pretty sure he knows what it means.  I'm loving it!
• He's clapping, which is seriously adorable.
• This little guy has developed a nasty habit of standing up in his crib, rather than napping.  I know the easiest way to extinguish that is to just let them figure it out, but he's far too stubborn for that.  He just jumps up and down for hours if I let him.  Yikes.
• Speaking of sleep, preschool has thrown him for quite a loop.  He falls asleep every day on the way to get the Sunbean (we're in the car for about 20 minutes total, right at naptime).  I'm sure we'll get it all ironed out, but this week has been really off.  He's just such a treat in the afternoons with little-to-no nap.
• As evidenced in the photo above, he's got a mouthful of chompers.  He's eating pretty much anything now, but favorites are homemade pancakes, oatmeal, cheerios, and rice cakes.  He's not super into fruit, so he may not have the sweet tooth that the Sunbean and I have.

He's just such a sweet boy.  Love him!

School Days

Well, we opened up a new chapter of our lives yesterday.  The little Sunbean started preschool.

She's 3 1/2, but will be able to start kindergarten just after she turns 5.  When I realized that {in January}, I started exploring preschool options for next school year, so that she'd get a year of preschool under her belt.    I guess preschool is like college in these parts, because she was wait-listed everywhere.

On a whim, I decided to call our school district to find out exactly where she stood on the list.  I happened to get a lovely woman on the phone, who got my little lady signed up to fill an empty spot right away.  Now her spot for next year is guaranteed, and she gets an extra few months of school.  I really feel like we won the lottery on this one.

She's a 'peer model' for the preschool, which serves students with IEPs.  I think it will be a perfect fit for us.  Every single person I've spoken to has been absolutely fantastic.

It certainly tugged on my heartstrings to see my baby girl with a backpack on, walking into a school.  She's so ready for this....so I guess I am, too!  I loved the big smile and giant hug I got when I picked her up.

Next stop:  room mother extraordinaire!

I'm a Green Machine

I fully realize I'm about 2 years late to this party, but I've recently become obsessed with green smoothies.  As in spinach smoothies.  They are seriously the best way to start my day.  They are filling, hydrating, and easy...perfect for the busy mornings.

St. Patty's Day Breakfast

I've googled around and tweaked a bit, and here's my current favorite recipe:

1-2 cups of fresh baby spinach (I usually just cram as much in there as possible)
1 cup frozen tropical fruit (I found mine at Target...pineapple, strawberry, and mango blend)
1/2 cup orange juice (I actually use Trader Joe's Orange-Peach-Mango)
1 large dollop of greek yogurt
1 banana

Then just toss it all in the blender.  It takes some time, and you'll probably have to 're-adjust' things so the blender will get the frozen fruit and the spinach.

Don't be scared....these taste like some sort of tropical drink.  Enjoy!

Using a Reflector

This is for all the mommas out there.  You know, the ones who want decent photos of their kids.  Well, unless you have a 3-year-old, a la the Sunbean, and then you'll never get a decent shot.  That child is not a fan of photography these days.

One of my favorite photography tools is a reflector.  Here's my typical setup for Little Dude's weekly photo shoot.

I'm a natural-light photographer, so I never use a flash.  I'm just not a fan flash photography.  So when shooting indoors, I often move around furniture so that I can have a space with lots of natural light.

Here's where the reflector comes in.  It causes that natural light to bounce back on the subject, resulting in a well-lit image instead of lots of shadows.

For example, here's a SOOC (straight out of camera) shot without a reflector:

And here's another SOOC using the same settings, with a reflector:

Crazy different, huh?

Here's the best part.  You don't need a fancy, expensive reflector {though I'm sure they work better}.  My reflector is a simple foam board.  It was 2 bucks at Target, next to the poster boards.

If the subject is sitting or standing, just have them hold the reflector.  You can also have someone else hold it, too.  Just do what works with you, your subject, and the shot you want.

So on your next shopping trip, grab a foam board and start snappin'!

4x4x9 Months

The Little Things

Today, I'm feeling grateful for a husband who gets that the little things are important.  

Like a few weeks ago when he let me drag him to West Elm to window shop, and then suggested that we get a few things to 'spruce up' our kitchen.

We came home with these sweet measuring cups, and this cute little colander.  It's perfect for rinsing berries.

We also got a small cutting board and a new outside mat.

Just a few small things, but they made a big difference.

Love that man.

Sibling Love

I'm so thankful these cuties love each other.  They love to play and snuggle.  They both willingly share {for the most part} and put up with each other's less-than-lovely moments.

And they both love to snuggle.  Sometimes, when it's just a rough night for one of them, I let them have a little sleep-snuggle.

Sweet babies.

On the flip side, right now is supposed to be nap time, and really it's let's-lay-in-our-beds-and-make-each-other-laugh-instead-of-sleep time.

Back to Reality

We've been in sunny Florida for the past week.  It was so lovely.

My kids were fantastic, the weather was beautiful, and the company was wonderful.

We spent some time in central Florida with my grandma, and then headed to the gulf coast to stay with my grandpa and grandma.  Florida is the place to be for my grandparents {not a complaint}.

My kids were spoiled by the plethora of grandparents {we traveled with my mom, too}, and I enjoyed having a few moments here and there to myself {I started and finished a book}.

It was such a fun break from the everyday, and I so love taking my littles to the beach.  There's just something therapeutic about it.

More pics to come.

First-World Funnies

We have a running joke around here about 'first-world problems'.  You know, things like 'we can't decide which restaurant to eat at tonight' or 'should I get the minivan or the big SUV?'.

I found this on Pinterest, and have been laughing at it since.  Enjoy, and Happy Friday!

from geekfill