Category Archives: Parenting- Littles

Hush, Little Baby- Sleep Tips For The First Month

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First, my disclaimer- I am not a sleep expert by any means. However, I have had three babies who are all good sleepers and I do think it has to do with the sleep strategies I have put in place from day 1. So here is my wisdom, taken from experience and countless books and articles regarding sleep. Since it’s a lot to take in, I’m going to do it in multiple posts, broken down by months.

Month 1

Terms to Know-

  1. E.A.S.Y- Eat, Awake/Activity, Sleep, You Time
  2. Swaddle- The way you wrap a baby to prevent the Moro Reflex that WILL wake them if they are not properly swaddled (up to months 4-5)

Items You Need-

  1. Swaddle blankets
  2. Sound Machine
  3. Pacifier, if you chose to use one

With a brand new baby, any type of schedule is difficult to put into place. My advice for the first month is to keep EASY in mind but don’t worry if the baby won’t stay awake after eating. The Optimal Sleep Time for the first month is no more than 40 minutes, and usually a lot less. Try for stimulation but babies need A LOT of sleep so let that baby sleep! *** It is important to realize there is a difference between real sleep and comfort sleep. Let me explain. A real sleep will happen anywhere. The baby is tired and needs sleep. A comfort sleep happens when the baby is comfortable, in your arms for example. They doze because they are content. When it’s awake time and the baby is sleeping in your arms, make sure to put the baby down and see if she stays asleep. That’s how you’ll know the difference.***

During the day– When you want the baby to sleep, I recommend a light swaddle such as the Aden and Anais blankets. I use the crib from the start for at least 1 to 2 naps which I think is helpful later on. For some reason, moms can be scared to use the crib so I recommend starting during the day when you’re awake so you start to feel more comfortable.

At night, from now until around week 10– Swaddle that baby tightly using the Summer Swaddles (I tried soooooo many and these were the best). I recommend putting the baby down for the night in a flat bassinet, pack and play or co-sleeper in your room. Then when she wakes for the middle of the night feedings, keep the lights very, very dim, change her, feed her (keep talking to a minimum) and put her back to bed. Yes, even if she’s still awake. You are starting right away to teach her to fall asleep drowsy.

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It is not an easy month. You will be sleep deprived. And cranky. And more in love than you thought possible (even if it’s not your first!). If you take only one thing away from this article and by far the most important sleep advice for this month- DO NOT GIVE UP ON THE SWADDLE! The Moro Reflex is a very real thing and all babies have it. You must find a swaddle that works for you and your baby to extend a deep, restful sleep for you both.

*ALWAYS PUT A BABY TO SLEEP ON THEIR BACK*

All advice above is solely my personal opinion based on my experience. Always consult a medical professional with any medical concerns. 

Have Baby, Will Travel- traveling with an infant under 6 months

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First post in awhile! Life’s been pretty busy with five kids, go figure 😉
I’ve actually written a few travel posts previously because I love traveling and we frequently travel with our kids but, let me tell you, I was quite stressed about traveling with a five month old! We had a trip to Florida planned when Jules was about five months and then a trip to Puerto Rico planned a few weeks after that, just shy of her turning six months. What did I really need? How would I keep her on any type of schedule? Would it be enjoyable for any of us?
Well, after the two previously mentioned trips, I’m here with exactly what you need and what worked for us.
The Gear, Specifically For Babies 6 Months and Under~
Infant car seat and base
Snap and go (or similar)
Large bag to gate check car seat and base
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Travel Sound Machine- a lifesaver!
Packing for the Baby
I packed each “day” outfit, complete with socks and a headband (of course), as well as pajamas, separately, each in large ziplock bags. At this point I didn’t see a need for “night” outfits for her.
I also packed in 4 separate ziplocks—
1. Three extra complete outfits
2. Swimsuits, swim diapers (two for each day), her sunscreen, and her bug spray
3. Bibs (two bibs for each day)
4. Medicine (thermometer, teething tablets, gas drops, cough syrup, vapor rub, saline spray)
Ziplock full of medication- none of which we needed, thankfully!
In our checked bag, I packed an entire, unopened can of powered formula, her daily food (not much at this point), extra spoons, an entire unopened pack of diapers and wipes, the mat that she loves to lay on, and quite a few toys. I picked up this mat for our PR trip and I can’t say enough about it! It was perfect for her at six months because she was rolling all over the place and it’s huge. I can see us using it later at the park and beach as well.
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Jules on her favorite mat in Florida, before she was rolling over
Traveling
First, check everything you can. We checked our own bags, including a suitcase packed exclusively with the baby’s stuff mentioned above and her travel crib (I highly recommend the Lotus crib- super light weight and very easy to put up and take down). We carried on a very well-stocked diaper bag, plus a backpack with extra bottles, formula and the ziplocks with the medicines (all under 3.5 ounces) and the extra clothes just in case we were delayed or our bags were lost.
We elected not to buy her her own seat. I figured at this point she’d be in my arms regardless. I was lucky enough to have a friend who had a spare infant car seat and snap and go so I borrowed that instead of bringing our own. Most people will need to bring their regular car seat and base and snap and go, which would still work beautifully. We used this throughout the airport and gate checked it right before we boarded the plane. We put the car seat and base in the travel bag to keep it clean and prevent damage.
On the plane, she was pretty good. We timed the flights to coincide with her nap time so I fed her during take off and she fell asleep shortly after. Normally she sleeps for two hours but she slept for about 45 min both times (one sleep cycle) and then was up. I don’t normally use pacifier clips but they are so necessary when traveling so the damn pacifier doesn’t keep falling on the floor. I definitely had to walk her back and forth a bit when the crankiness began but overall all she did great.
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I’m in love with this travel crib!
Schedules
I am the first to admit I can be a bit neurotic when it comes to schedules (this is what works for us; no judgement whatsoever to all the non-scheduled babies and mamas!). Jules is a great napper and sleeper and I attribute that to her consistent daily schedule so I wanted to keep to it as much as possible without sacrificing our vacation. Here’s what worked for us~
  • 7:30am- Wake up at normal time. Because there was an hour difference in PR, that meant an hour later- score!
  • 7:30-9am- After her morning bottle, I’d get her dressed and take her down for a walk around the hotel while I grabbed coffee and breakfast. We’d check out the beach and pool area and it was nice and quiet. This was actually one of my favorite times of each day.
  • 9am- Time for her morning nap. I’d put her down, then quietly sneak out for my alone time by the pool/beach (leaving my hubby sleeping- must be nice!)
  • 10:30- she’d typically wake around 11 so I would come back up at this time. By now, my husband was up and ready to go down to the pool. He’d leave, I’d get her up and fed and then bring her down to hang with the family at the pool/beach. We’d all have lunch and by the time she was ready for her afternoon nap around 1, I was ready for a break from the sun too. I’d put her down and read my book or take a nap, depending upon how many cocktails I enjoyed by the pool 😉
  • 3pm- She’d wake up, have her bottle, and then we’d do our afternoon activity (we checked out the rainforest and Old San Juan in PR and visited family in FL)
  • 7pm- Dinner for all of us. I’d already have her in PJs and feed her her bottle at dinner. She’d typically fall asleep during our dinner but transitioning her to her crib wasn’t an issue.

DSC_0381Exploring the rainforest

Bottles
This was the part I had the most difficulty wrapping my head around before the trip for some reason but it really wasn’t as challenging as I thought it would be. I picked up this great travel bottle washing kit and drying rack and these microwaveable sterilizing bags and packed enough bottles for a full day, plus one, which meant we had to wash/sterilize bottles every day. I designated my husband in charge of this and he did great. He set up a nice area on the counter (bathroom in FL/small kitchen in PR), using lysol wipes to wipe everything down, and made space for clean/dirty bottles. Then, every night, he’d wash the bottles in the sink and then sterilize them in the microwave using the bags. It worked perfectly. We stocked up on bottled water upon arrival and filled the bottles with water so they were ready to go for each feeding. She is ok with taking bottles at room temperature so we didn’t have to worry about heating them.
Fun?
My final concern was would these trips even be enjoyable. Admittedly, traveling with a young baby is definitely more work and not as relaxing. However, what can compare with your baby’s first time going into a pool or watching their expression as waves touch their feet for the first time? Nothing! The older kids had a blast and we created some very special family memories, which to us is the point of family trips. It was fun and I’d do it again in a heartbeat!
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First time on the beach
I hope these tips help if you are planning a trip with a young baby.
xo,
Tanya

How “clean” are your beauty products?

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A few months ago, my daughter began collecting “pocket bacs,” the small, hand sanitizers from Bath & Body Works. Personally, I’m not a fan of the store- I feel like I get a headache from the scents just by walking in- but since she wasn’t actually using them (don’t even ask), I didn’t give it much thought.

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But then the obsession quickly grew to include their body washes and lotions, as well as body washes, lotions and bath bombs from other stores. I decided it was time to do a little research to see just what was in all of these products.

My first stop was Skin Deep, a great site where you can type in a product and get a rating on how good/bad it is based on the ingredients.  The only problem was most of the products I was looking up weren’t on there. Hmmm. I needed to do a bit of digging.

Have you heard of the “dirty dozen” for fruits and vegetables? Well, apparently there’s a list for chemicals too!

1. BHA and BHT– Used mainly in moisturizers and makeup as preservatives. Suspected endocrine disruptors and may cause cancer (BHA).
2. Coal tar dyes: p-phenylenediamine and colours listed as “CI” followed by a five digit number
In addition to coal tar dyes, natural and inorganic pigments used in cosmetics are also assigned Colour Index numbers (in the 75000 and 77000 series, respectively). Look for p-phenylenediamine hair dyes and in other products colours listed as “CI” followed by five digits.1 The U.S. colour name may also be listed (e.g. “FD&C Blue No. 1” or “Blue 1”). Potential to cause cancer and may be contaminated with heavy metals toxic to the brain.
3. DEA-related ingredients– Used in creamy and foaming products, such as moisturizers and shampoos. Can react to form nitrosamines, which may cause cancer.
4. Dibutyl phthalate– Used as a plasticizer in some nail care products. Suspected endocrine disrupter and reproductive toxicant.
5. Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives– Look for DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, methenamine and quarternium-15. Used in a variety of cosmetics. Slowly release small amounts of formaldehyde, which causes cancer.
6. Parabens– Used in a variety of cosmetics as preservatives. Suspected endocrine disrupters and may interfere with male reproductive functions.
7. Parfum (a.k.a. fragrance)– Any mixture of fragrance ingredients used in a variety of cosmetics — even in some products marketed as “unscented.” Some fragrance ingredients can trigger allergies and asthma. Some linked to cancer and neurotoxicity.
8. PEG compounds– Used in many cosmetic cream bases. Can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which may cause cancer. Also for related chemical propylene glycol and other ingredients with the letters “eth” (e.g., polyethylene glycol).
9. Petrolatum– Used in some hair products for shine and as a moisture barrier in some lip balms, lip sticks and moisturizers. A petroleum product that can be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which may cause cancer.
10. Siloxanes– Look for ingredients ending in “-siloxane” or “-methicone.” Used in a variety of cosmetics to soften, smooth and moisten. Suspected endocrine disrupter and reproductive toxicant (cyclotetrasiloxane).
11. Sodium laureate sulfate– Used in foaming cosmetics, such as shampoos, cleansers and bubble bath. Can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which may cause cancer. Look also for related chemical sodium lauryl sulfate and other ingredients with the letters “eth” (e.g., sodium laureth sulfate).
12. Triclosan– Used in antibacterial cosmetics, such as toothpastes, cleansers and antiperspirants. Suspected endocrine disrupter and may contribute to antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

Pretty scary stuff, not to mention overwhelming. I decided we’d start by going paraben and BHA/BHT free.

Needless to say, my daughter was not thrilled when I began confiscating her products to analyze the ingredients. To include her in the process, I used this very cool, FREE app called Think Dirty. With this app, you can scan products with your phone and it will give you a score (much like the other website I mentioned but the scanner makes it fun!). Within moments, she was scanning away and screaming when she came across a 10 (“OMG! Get this out of here!“). I love that she could see that the items weren’t good  for her so she didn’t resist. She even joked she could become a “paraben hunter” 🙂

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Her products that she will no longer be using.

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My products that didn’t make the cut.

Do you have any favorite “clean” products? I’d love to hear about them!

 

Pregnant after 11 years!

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Hi everyone!

So it’s been quite awhile and in case you’ve missed it, I’m pregnant! This will be baby #3 but since my youngest is 11, it quite honestly feels like baby #1.

(This is a second marriage for both myself and my husband. He has two sons from his first marriage; I have two daughters from my first marriage)

We found out in early November and shared the happy news over the holidays. We opted not to do a gender reveal party but still wanted to share the news with our family in a fun and exciting way. We did a reveal cake and it was great!

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It’s a GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The first trimester was tough and I didn’t really start to feel better until about 15 weeks. Ginger ale (Whole Foods makes a good “natural” one), saltines, popsicles, and Preggie Pop Drops helped but honestly I was nauseous from the moment I woke up until I went to sleep at night 😦

Currently I’m 21 weeks and feeling great. I’m trying to work out 3x a week and am still doing The Bar Method. I gained a lot of weight with my last two pregnancies so I’m trying to be really conscious as to not gain as much but I’m also not stressing myself out over it. In the first trimester, all I wanted was carbs and I certainly wasn’t going to fight it.

I just bought some maternity clothes and I must say the fashion has improved greatly since I was pregnant last. I remember searching high and low for a good pair of maternity jeans and now all the great designers make a version- yay!

Here are some pics from 14 weeks and 17 weeks.

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17weeks

 

 

xo,

Tanya

 

 

 

What’s your MISSION?

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A Mission Statement

 In most businesses and schools, a mission statement is developed to help ensure that everyone is focused on a uniform goal. It’s always been my belief that if we don’t know what we’re working towards, we’re standing still. I’m a mover and shaker so standing still isn’t my thing.

After becoming a stay-at-home mom three years ago, I struggled a lot with my purpose. Now by purpose, I certainly do not mean the day-to-day to-do lists that fill all of our lives. Go grocery shopping. Drop off dry cleaning. Get a car wash. Ughhhhh. Yes, these things have to get done but they definitely do not provide anyone with a sense of true accomplishment. I was looking for more. I felt I was blessed to have this time with my children but wanted to have a clear understanding of my goals related to myself and my family. Hence, the idea of drafting my personal mission statement.

Now, what goes into your personal mission state is, you guessed it, personal but I’ll share mine with you.

Mission Statement

To nurture myself, my husband, my children, and my pets with wholesome food, kind words and positive energy. To contribute to my children’s schools and my community with my own unique gifts. To be the woman I want my daughters to be~ active, educated, and cultured. To continue to read, learn, grow and be reflective and to surround myself with positive people who share the same goals.

I took this mission, typed it up and printed it and put it in a pretty frame. It now sits on my desk where I look at it often.

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It’s always a good idea to have a clear focus on what you’re working toward, especially within in your home. Have a lovely day!

xo,

Tanya

Dinnertime Organization

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When I first got divorced, I vowed to continue to have sit down family dinners every night. This was a staple in my home growing up and I wanted my girls to have the same great memories of sitting around the table and discussing their days, while enjoying a good, home-cooked meal. This was no easy task given I was a single mom to two young children while working full-time and tutoring most afternoons until 5pm. I would then rush to pick my little one up from pre-school and get home around 6, just in time to face the ever-stressful dinnertime dilemma. Necessity is always the mother of invention so I developed a process of meal planning that helped me considerably. Even though I now have more time on my hands, I still use this system because hey, it works!

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On a Saturday or Sunday morning, I sit with my cup of coffee, my folder full of recipes I’ve torn out from magazines, my personal cookbook (more on that in a minute), and my computer so I can pull up recipes I’ve pinned on pinterest (follow me here!) and plan my meals for the week. I make a quick list- M, T, W, T, F and plan full meals (usually adding one or two desserts for the week) for each of the five days. For each meal, I list all of the ingredients I’ll need on my running grocery list which I keep on my phone.

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Recently, I’ve taken this one step further by listing all the meals on this great chalkboard I found at Home Goods. I also add a quote of the week that we spend some time discussing (it works great for discussing literal meanings versus the deeper meaning most quotes have). We also do something called “high/low” where each of  us talks about the high of our day and the low of our day (the lows are always interesting…I have found that here you’ll hear things that wouldn’t normally get brought up).

Now about that personal cookbook- it’s really important in my house! This blank cookbook was given to me by my grandmother when I first moved to college. She told me to fill it with the best recipes I could find and I take that task very seriously. Since I enjoy cooking and like to try new recipes, I scour recipes online, on pinterest and in magazines and try them out on my family. If the comments are “it’s ok” or “it’s good but it’s not great” we toss it. If everyone loves it, it goes into the book. The book is now filled with my family’s favorite recipes and both girls have asked numerous times about getting the book when they move out. I figure I’ll convert it into a hardcover book when the time comes and I already know how much they’ll cherish it. Find something similar here.

I usually make two to three recipes from the book that are tried and true and two to three new recipes each week. This way the girls always have a few dishes to look forward to and new dishes and foods to try.

So that’s how I do it and I have to say, dinner is one thing I don’t stress about. 15 minutes on a weekend morning and a few minutes here and there looking for recipes is all it takes to have 5 well-planned dinners throughout the week.

xo,

Tanya

Planning Children’s Birthday Parties

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Spring is here which, for me, means Easter, April Fool’s (I just love pulling pranks on my two girls, especially because they never see it coming), and my older daughter’s birthday. She’s turning 14 this year and, although the parties have changed a lot through the years, it’s still important for me to find a way to celebrate her in an age-appropriate,

fabulous way.

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Here are a few of my time-tested party tips.

  • Choose a theme– In my opinion, this is the most important part because it touches on all other aspects of the party. Sometimes your child will now exactly what they want and other times it may be easier to start with a color scheme and work from there. We’ve done a Spa Day, a Movie Première Night, a cooking party, costume parties, probably every Princess imaginable, BBQs, a New York Yankees party, a Luau, and this year will be a “Pjs and Pancakes” party.

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Everyone dressed up, even the teachers, for my daughter’s Fancy Nancy party!

  • Invitations– If you are at all crafty, here is your time to shine. Using a computer, pictures and simple graphics, you can create a one-of-a-kind invitation for your one-of-a-kind child. If that seems too daunting, choose some paper from a local invitation store (or on-line) that already has the graphics and just add the wording. Make sure the invitation reflects the theme, includes all pertinent info, and your cell number, just in case parents need to reach you on the day of the party when you’ll inevitably be running around like a crazy person.
  •  Venue– Often times, the theme and the venue go hand in hand. If you are hosting a small party, I love doing it at the house and keeping it as simple as possible. Other location ideas are~

Parks, beach, pool
Roller skating/ice skating
Movies
Kid-friendly restaurants (pizza places and ice cream parlors are great)
Birthday party places
Laser Tag
Skate parks

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For our Spa Party, the girls were treated like VIP’s with limo service from school to the party.

*Remember to consider the time of the year. If your child has a summer birthday and you are planning an outside party, make sure it is a water party or that the children will have an opportunity to go indoors at some point.

  •  Keep it small– when it comes to kids parties, the smaller, the better. Experts recommend one friend for each year of age so a seven year old’s party should be limited to seven friends. Now, we now this is not always possible, especially when kids are younger and there is pressure to invite the whole class. I’ve done both and I have to say, the birthday child really does enjoy the smaller parties more. They are surrounded by their intimate friends and really enjoy the interactions. Especially with girls, the child may feel pulled in different directions concerning who to play with and sit with and etc. The age guideline is just a suggestion but it’s a good place to start. If your child really has more close friends, by all means, include everyone, but try not to feel obligated to invite everyone.
  •  The devil is in the details– The tablescape is important so start planning early. The table should reflect the theme as much as possible. Make sure you have tablecloths (I always go with solid colors and chose fun plates and other table decorations). Here is where Pinterest is a Godsend. No need to reinvent the wheel when there are so many creative ideas ripe for the taking!
  •  Goody bags– Again, keep with the theme, if possible. Stay away from little plastic toys that parents will throw away as soon as their child is not looking. I’m doing slippers for the favor for my daughter’s party because it is a sleepover. Funky shoelaces, hair accessories, and nail polishes all make great favors (Sorry that this is all geared towards girls- it’s all I know!).
  • The Cake…or not? Think outside the box~ ice cream cakes are always a hit, as are cupcakes, and I’m going to try a donut cake (idea found on Pinterest) this year. Don’t forget fun candles or even sparklers.

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My daughter’s cake from last year

  • Memories– Charge the camera and video camera (if you use two separate devices). If possible, put someone else in charge of taking pictures, as you’ll be busy managing the party and being the “hostess with the most-ess”. (A good girl friend comes in handy here, as this is not a favorite task of husbands. Maybe agree to be each other photographers for your children’s birthdays!)
  • Music– No matter where the party is, good music always creates a fun atmosphere. When my younger daughter had a gymnastics party, I created a cd of her favorite songs that the gym could play instead of whatever music they had on hand. It’s an easy way to personalize a party experience and sure to keep the kids singing along to the songs they love!

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 I hope these tips help make your next birthday party planning a bit easier. Are there any tips you have learned along the way? I’d love to hear them!

xo,

TFab

If you only do one thing this week…organize your photos and home movies

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We all have something that never leaves our to-do lists. Something that we just work around because, for one reason or another, it is a daunting task that we just can’t bear to get started on. For me, it’s organizing … Continue reading →

Book Review- French Kids Eat Everything

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Have a picky eater? Or are you a picky eater? If so, you simply must check this book out! The title caught my eye in the window of a bookstore. I’m notoriously picky and, unfortunately, my youngest is taking after me. I was ready to do something about it and this book came at just the right moment.

In this book, French Kids Eat Everything, the married, mother of two, recounts her experience of living in France for a year. She has come up with ten food “rules” and goes into great detail about how she formulated them, as well as her experiences, challenges, and successes.

I happened to be smack in the middle of this book when we took a trip to St. Barth’s. Primarily a french island, I had tons of opportunities to put into practice what I was reading all about. “You don’t have to like it but you do have to taste it,” applied to all of us (I tried tuna tataki, lobster risotto, and even foie gras!). Will I be ordering any of these any time soon? Probably not, but I set a great example and my little one ended up devouring fried shrimp. I said no to quite a few snacks and look forward to implementing le goûter (a scheduled, afternoon snack) once the school year starts.

Most of the rules are common sense when you stop to think about it, but the problem is, we often don’t stop and think about our eating habits and the habits our children are forming. I know snacking isn’t good for my daughter’s dinner appetite but I didn’t connect the dots that it may be the reason she’s not open to trying new things. And I certainly didn’t realize how many times she needed to taste something before she accepted it! This book definitely opened my mind on how I eat and how I feed my family.

Bon appetit!

Tanya

Revel in the beauty and wonder of spring

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Ahhhhhh…it’s spring in New York and there’s no where else I’d rather be (well, maybe Paris but New York will do for this year). I cannot begin to express how much I adore the change of seasons. It’s only my second spring and I feel the wonder like a child. In order to take advantage of all spring has to offer, I have made a Spring Bucket List (find the template here). Listed below are a few of the ways my family and I plan on making the most of this season of renewal.

  • Spring Cleaning- what is it about this time of year that makes us want to clean and organize? I found this handy checklist on the one and only Martha Stewart’s website.  I also change my air fresheners to a new, lighter scent and check the smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms to make sure everything is working as it should. The hot tub will be drained and cleaned and the patio furniture set back up. Enjoying my morning tea outside is a simple luxury I’m eager to begin again.
  • A spring nature hunt- I can put a check by this one already! My little one loves the outdoors and I love taking pictures so we took the camera and searched for signs of spring in our yard(a lot of the pictures here were taken by her!).

  • Picnic in the park- Doesn’t this picture make you want to pack a picnic basket and set off to the closest park? We are lucky enough to live in walking distance to a lovely park and duck pond so a picnic to celebrate the season is definitely in order. Don’t forget to pack a blanket and some toys for the kids to play. I’m thinking a frisbee and bubbles…I’m sure my girls will complain they’re too old but will then delight in the beauty of the bubbles floating everywhere~ I always do!

  • Shop at the local Farmers’ Market- Why not get your fresh veggies from your local farmers’ market instead of the grocery store? I can’t wait to take my dog and peruse all the goodies and then go home and make a meal of it. Remember, eating seasonally has so many benefits!

  • Opening day at Yankee Stadium- What says spring better than baseball? B’s love for the game has rubbed off on me and the girls and we all enjoy going to games. We’ll be there next Friday, April 13th to root for the Yankees. Why don’t you show your support for your team and enjoy a hot dog while you’re at it? I can almost smell it!

  • Get ready for the rain- Polish up those wellies and make sure you have a fabulous umbrella. I have to admit, I don’t like the rain and have never went for a stroll (by choice) in a downpour but I’m going to give it a go. I can only imagine my little one’s delight and joy when I suggest a walk next time it rains. Life is short; dance in the rain!
  • Make fashion and beauty updates- I would normally be making quite a few spring purchases but I’m on a shopping hiatus until after the wedding (which, by the way, is in 36 days!!!). So instead I created my fantasy shopping list on my pinterest board. One thing I will be doing, however, is sampling all the great spring nail colors. Essie’s Spring Collection and Resort Collection are so much fun! A Crewed Interest in currently on my tips and Orange, It’s Obvious is on my toes. Nail polish is such an easy way to keep up with the trends and who doesn’t deserve a mani/pedi after a long week?
  • Attempt, again, to grow herbs and tomatoes (my daughter’s request)- I don’t know why I can’t seem to keep anything alive. It’s really quite frustrating. I will try again and keep the manicured fingers crossed that something grows.

And that’s it. Well, in addition to planning an Easter Brunch, my daughter’s 13th birthday, my other daughter’s first communion, and, of course, the wedding! Summer will be here before we know it. Time is ever so fleeting so make sure you find ways to enjoy the now.

XO,

Tanya