Milk/Soy Protein Intolerance

One of the challenges I've had to face since having children is dealing with their allergies. Although not life threatening, their allergies have been a part of my life for over 4 years now.

My oldest has pretty much outgrown it, thank goodness. My youngest is getting there. One of the things that has helped her is the probiotic Culturelle. I first heard about it on a message board I'm on when another mom mentioned that her daughter's pediatric GI specialist was conducting some pilot tests on it. Given that I work with some GI specialists, I decided to talk with one of them about it. She said there was data from European studies showing that it had been helpful. My hubby and I decided to give it a try.

I'm not a physician and I'm not giving medical advice. Please check with your physician if you decide to try it. I'm happy to say that it has helped my youngest and she's now able to tolerate dairy in baked goods. She can also tolerate butter, yogurt, and cheese! The cheese is the newest thing she can tolerate after we increased the dose. Every time we introduce a new dairy item, we test her stool for blood. I wish I had known about Culturelle when I was nursing my daughters-I sure missed my dairy!

In case you have a dairy/soy allergic child, here's a LINK to a Pinterest board I created. Hopefully, you will find it helpful.

Cleaning Out the Closet...This is Not How I Planned My Day

Ugh, the dreaded task of cleaning out my closet and drawers. After two kids, I can't fit into many of my old clothes. I keep thinking, oh, "I can wear this again when I lose weight." Well, I decided this weekend that if I haven't worn something since before my oldest was born, who is now 4, then I probably should donate it. Unfortunately, I'm now a "Medium" instead of a "Small." Sigh. My husband commented that he now understood why women avoid this task. It's a task filled with self-criticism.

As I started the process, I started to realize just how much clothing I have that I need to get rid of. I then decided to see if there were some options to possibly make some money off of my old clothes. Most of it is in pretty good shape and, I'm ashamed to say, some items even have the tag still on them:(.

I googled options and found out there are several online consignment shops. I decided to request a bag from Thredup. Thredup is an online consignment store. They are particular and only accept certain brands. Some they will give you store credit or cash up front before the item is sold. Other items, they will place on consignment for you. I was surprised at the brands they accept versus ones they won't. For example, they will take Mossimo, but won't take Tommy Hilfiger or Liz Claiborne. So, once I receive the bag, I mail it to them, free, and it goes from there. I realize that many of my items will probably not make me some money, but if some of it does, well, more money for my Stitch Fix addiction:)

Here is the completed project:

Clothing going to Thredup

Clothing going to a local women's shelter

Once I find out what Thredup accepts and how much I make, I'll let you know if it's something you should try. I'm still not sure if I want them to send back what they don't keep. I need to check out the site more to see what they do with the items they decide are not up to their standards. If they will donate the clothes and send me a receipt, it might be worth them keeping them. If not, they can send them back to me. I will have to pay return shipping, but I can donate them locally.

The Plant Nanny

One of my hobbies in the early spring is to plant annuals and perennials around the home. When I lived in apartments, I acquired quite a collection of planters. Now, I mostly plant in the yard, but I still have a collection of planters to use.

This year I decided to start reusing some of my old planters. The hassle with them is the constant watering it requires in the hot summers here. I decided to research some options for self-watering. Because I am an Amazon Prime member, I immediately went to my app to look for items. I found something called The Plant Nanny. It's a stake that goes into a plant and it allows you to water the plant using wine bottles. Since I like to repurpose things, I decided to buy a set to try it out.

Here's the box and what one of the stakes looks like up close.

I'm trying a beer bottle in this plant. Clearly, my dahlias in the back need help!

I decided to place it towards the back of the plant. Be careful when placing the bottle in the stake. I broke one slightly trying to make sure the bottle was in all the way. I'm going to have the hubby remove the labels off of the wine bottles that I will try in some other plants. I think they are better for indoor or partially shaded areas.

June 2014 Stitch Fix Review

It's my favorite time of the month. My Stitch Fix box has arrived! For several months, I've been receiving clothes via Stitch Fix. It's an online styling service. They send you five pieces a month for $20, plus the cost of the clothing. The $20 goes towards the cost of the clothing, and you get a discount if you buy all five pieces. You also get a discount if you refer people and they sign up.

I decided to sign up based on the recommendation of a friend. I rarely have time to go shopping in person anymore, even though I like to shop. I also decided that for an initial investment of $20, it was worth a shot. Check out my previous post for some of the items I've already received and kept.

Based on the tips of another blogger, I decided to take a "sneak peak" this month once they sent me the email that my shipment was on its way. I was excited to see that my stylist had looked at my Pinterest board again and actually sent me two of the items that I pinned from other bloggers. 

So, first, the style cards:

For some reason, one of the style cards did not print out this month. Oh, well, it's not that important for the particular item.

Next, the top dress:

Mystree Hannah Striped Lace Detail Fit & Flare Dress $68

My stylist noticed that I like striped dresses. I also like blue. However, I don't like that the curves of the stripe on this dress make my hips look bigger. Additionally, the top of the dress is sheer. That means a strapless bra. I am not wearing a strapless bra to work. Plus, it didn't fit me right and was too short. So, back it goes.

Here's the polka dot shirt on the hanger and on me:

Pomelo Missy Polka Dot Tab-Sleeve Blouse $54

The color is a pretty mint. It's sheer and would require a tank underneath. I liked the color, but my husband was not sure it went well with my skin tone. I also felt like it made me look wider than I am. That might also be the skirt I have on, which is new from Zulilly. I just grabbed it to try on with it. Anyhow, again, my stylist looked at my board and noticed I like polka dots. However, I don't think this is the right polka dot shirt for me. So, back it goes.

The next item on the card is the reddish/orange or "Vermilion" tank as my husband referred to it:

Collective Concepts Esten Button-Up Sleeveless Blouse $54

 When I saw this tank, I was unsure about the color. I really don't like orange very much. When I tried it on, I actually liked it, but only if tucked in, at least with this skirt. I think it looks nice on it's own, but also would look good with a cardigan. My husband also liked it. So, I decided to keep it.

The last item pictured on the above style cards is the blue shirt:

41Hawthorn Wrenn V-Neck Jersey Top $48

So, you already know I like blue. This is one of the items that I pinned on my board, though in a different color. I was happy to see that she sent it. It's comfortable and I actually like it with this skirt. So, I'm definitely keeping it.

The last item is one that I also pinned from another blogger. The style card was absent. I liked the dress on the other blogger, though she didn't like it. Funny how that works sometimes...

Pomelo Darcy Weave Jersey T-Shirt Dress $68

close up of ruching in the middle

My hubby and I both really liked this dress, though honestly, I don't think it photographs well. I'm also thinking I need some Spanx haha! Anyhow, I paired it with a gray cardigan I own and I would wear it that way for work since it's pretty form fitting. So, you probably already figured out I'm keeping it.

I'm already looking forward to next month's fix...I'm seriously addicted! I think I'm going to ask for some slacks and matching shirts with the slacks. Now, off to complete my feedback!

Gingerbread Castle

In the part of California where I live, it gets very hot in the summers. So, when my husband mentioned that he wanted to go to the Organic Stone Fruit Jubilee, I balked. I've been to this festival several years. The fruit is delicious. However, standing outside in the 99 degree weather didn't sound appealing to me today. I decided to stay home with the oldest while he took our younger daughter, who loves fruit of all kinds.

In order to keep my oldest from feeling left out, I brought out a Cinderella themed gingerbread castle I bought after Christmas at Walgreens for $3. I intended for us to put it together a long time ago, but a very hot summer day is as good as any. I've never actually made a gingerbread house before, so this was a learning experience for me, too.

Here's what the box and castle are supposed to look like:

Here's the finished project, at least the front anyway:

I've decided I don't like the stars or hearts very much for this kind of project because the frosting gets everywhere, though I guess some might say that is part of the fun! The gumdrops worked much better. I did use some toothpicks to help apply frosting on to the back of some of the candies. I really don't know how they expect a reasonable person to be able to get frosting into the grooves like they have on the box, much less a child. I've decided that this Christmas, I might go to a candy store with the kids and try and pick out some candy for our own gingerbread house. I did like that this bought kit had grooves in the base for holding the castle walls together. I'm going to have to do a Pinterest search for tips before we do our next gingerbread house. 

Puffy Paint Socks: Pinterest Style

If you are one of the few people out there who has not checked out Pinterest, I'm not sure this will be the project to peak your interest. However, if you have kids who are always falling from slippery socks, then you might find this a great idea. I know I did the first time I tried it.

First, buy yourself some Puffy Paint. 

Second, apply to the bottom of socks.

Third, spread all around your kitchen or dining room table to dry:) It will take 1-2 days depending on how thick you apply the paint.

Here are some pictures of our efforts tonight. I let the girls help on a few. My 2- year old sat in her high chair screaming out colors for most of the project.

My daughter wanted crowns on her Rapunzel socks.

Hearts on the heart socks

My 2- year old wanted circles. I turned them into smiley faces to give them a bit of pizazz.

This project was super easy and both girls enjoyed helping. The paint lasts through multiple washes, though it may crack a bit with time. The biggest hassle is waiting for them to dry. Oh, and make sure to wear something you don't mind getting paint on...in case you or your child accidentally gets it on you!

O' Stitch Fix, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

So, the first thing you should know is that Stitch Fix is not paying me. I wish they would, though, so I could afford more clothes!

If you haven't heard about Stitch Fix yet, you should go to www.stitchfix.com and check them out. The brief information you need to know is that it is an online styling service and I love it!!!! I'm scheduled to get my next "fix" at the end of the month.

I thought I would post a few pictures of the items they've sent me that I've kept. I've been doing it for 3-4 months. I've kept 2-3 items from each shipment.

Style Cards

With each fix, they send you these style cards suggesting ideas of how to wear the piece. Here are the ones I can find...

From this set, I kept the red pants. They were a cute basic item and fit fairly well, if a tiny bit long. I'm 5'3" and am often too tall for petite clothes, but too short for regular.

I kept the first and third items here and will show close ups in a bit.

They sent me a scarf in this fix. I kept it, though I don't usually wear them in the spring/summer. It was too pretty to send back. I also kept the middle shirt. It is a nice basic piece. I wanted to like the 3rd piece, but something about it was off.

I kept the blue dress, which I didn't expect to like since A-line items often make me look wider. One feature about this dress that I love is that it has pockets!

These are the style cards from my first fix. I kept the jeans, which were super comfy, the solid eggplant shirt, and the chevron shirt. I loved the cobalt dress, but it was too tight:(

Close-ups of Items I kept

This Chevron shirt is sheer and requires a tank, but is nice for work. The sleeves unroll if you want to wear it that way.

Here's a funny pic of my hubby holding the scarf. Isn't it pretty?

Here's the houndstooth skirt up close. My stylist saw something similar on my style pinboard on Pinterest. It's a bit wider than I usually like my skirts, but is still flattering.

This shirt is a perfect example of why I LOVE Stitch Fix. When I opened the box, I thought...hmmm, not so sure on that one. My hubby looked at it and said "No Way." Then, I tried it on. We both really liked it!

Similarly to the last shirt, there is no way I would have picked out this shirt myself. Yet, again, I liked it on. Go figure.

      

This is my favorite item they have sent me so far! It can be worn either way. Isn't that clever???

I hope you've enjoyed this blog piece. You definitely should try stitch fix if you are remotely interested!

Father's Day

Father's Day around our house usually consists of a weekend of activities with my husband's side of the family. Last night we went to a local Serbian festival. We didn't stay too long, but we did get some tasty food. Before going, however, I had the girls help me wrap their present for their Dad.

I got into gift wrapping with brown paper bags last Christmas, mostly because I thought I would try and repurpose all the Starbucks' bags I had at work. The hospital I work at has a Starbucks in it and it has become almost a daily habit. I realized that most of the bags were too small for wrapping. However, Whole Foods' bags turned inside out work great.

Here's the one the girls decorated, with my help:)

The girls are into princesses, in case you can't tell. I bought some foam stickers a while back from Amazon. The hubby and I are Amazon Prime members and we LOVE it. The girls decided to use the stickers to decorate his present. I then let them pick out tulle to make the bow. Each girl wanted a different color, of course. I think my hubby will appreciate the irony of the wrapping lol.

I wrapped one other present the other day. I again used a Whole Foods' bag inside out:



Underneath the bow, and around the sides are rhino stamps. My husband collects rhinos, so I thought he might like it.

Here's what the stamp looks like up close. Stamp purchased via Amazon:)

Friday Night: Girls' Night

In the good ole' days BK (before kids), this might have meant any number of things, but usually it included dinner and a couple of drinks with friends. However, it now means something entirely different. Girls' night now means a movie at home with my two girls and popcorn with heaps of butter and salt for dinner:) I love popcorn for dinner and the girls seem to like it, too. My 4-year old will probably also request some cheese in the form of cheddar, Parmesan, or Asiago. My almost vegetarian soy/dairy allergic 2 year old will also likely get some fresh fruit or vegetables.

Most movie nights, the movie on the agenda will be some sort of Disney Princess flick. Tonight, the girls have chosen Beauty and the Beast. I don't think I realized how scary this movie can be to young children till my oldest ran out of the room when we first tried to watch it. She was probably about 2 when we thought she would want to watch it. The scene that caused her fright??? - when Belle approached the doors of The Beast's bedroom with its ugly doorknobs. I admit I was surprised that's what frightened her given that she made it through what I think are scarier scenes. Tonight, we get to that part and she has already left the couch to get some markers to draw. Meanwhile, my two year old remains glued to watching it. She's unusual, though, in that she has always LOVED TV. At two months of age, she would turn her head away from nursing to see what was on the TV. If I let her now, she would watch it all the time. I shudder to think what the teenager years are going to be like.

After the movie is over, I will get the girls ready for bed. Then, after they are asleep, I will hang out on the couch watching Baggage Battles while folding the laundry I should have done last night. And that's what a girls' night means most of the time in my household.

Intro

Like most people who start a blog, I'm not sure where to start. I guess I'll start with the basics. I'm a late 30 something married working mom of 2 beautiful girls, aged 2 and 4. I don't want to post a picture of me, mainly because I have a profession where I like maintaining my privacy. I decided to start a blog to talk about my hobbies and life as a mom. I'm a Pinterest addict, and my newest obsession is Stitch Fix.

I'm home from work today with my oldest daughter who is sick. This means a day of sort of being lazy since she's much more independent than she used to be. However, then comes the inevitable guilt related to all the stuff I should be doing, like laundry, dishes, taking stuff to the garage, getting rid of old clothes, oh, and did I mention laundry? Of course, now that our cleaning people do some twice a month, it's much more manageable. Convincing my husband that having them do some laundry while they are here took a few discussions. I think he's glad that I won that argument, though his pocketbook might not be as happy as I am.

I've been on Pinterest a lot lately searching for Stitch Fix outfits. Stitch Fix is an online styling service and I love it. Here's a link if you want to check it out. I decided to try it because I love online shopping and now that I have 2 girls, I rarely have time to go shopping. I've been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the clothes. If I have one complaint, it's that I wish their clothes were cheaper. I'm trying to update my work wardrobe to more quality pieces. I get my next "fix" at the end of the month, so I'll try and put up pictures.

The title of my blog comes from my minivan, which I LOVE, and life after becoming a mom.  Like many minivan drivers, I swore I would never own one. Then, I rented one a time or two. I realized that despite how UGLY they may be on the outside, they are heaven on the inside. I then jokingly started referring to my 2013 Nissan Quest as my "mom mobile." Being a mom changes your priorities. Plus, I still get checked out in my van, and I get all giddy when someone gives me a compliment on it!

If you haven't gone over to the dark side, do it. You won't regret it:)