Loving Lately

Happy Labor day! Today we are just relaxing: doing some projects around the house, playing at the park, and throwing rocks into the reservoir.
As we head into the last days of summer (what?!) I've been enjoying some refreshing snacks and neat outdoor gear. Here are the latest 5 in my long line of loves. What are you loving?

These Merrell trail running shoes are awesome. So comfortable, light, and breathable, exercising feels like a breeze. I've always had a hard time finding shoes that fit my food well and that look good. These fit the bill!

For lunch most days I eat veggies and hummus. Needless to say there can be too much of a good thing. I picked up this spicy lentil hummus at the grocery store a few weeks ago to switch it up a bit and its been the perfect addition to my lunches. It definitely has a little kick which pairs perfectly with cucumbers, carrots, cherry tomatoes, celery, bell pepper, etc.

My first pair of nice sunglasses (thanks Jeff!)! I love everything about these Smith sunglasses: color, fit, style. They go with every outfit and the purple gives them a great pop of color without saying "hey look at my face!" Perfect for the unrelentingly sunny days here in Colorado

Need I say more? I'm a huge fan of hot dogs. I love 'em. I've never felt super great about eating them when the ingredient list on pretty much all commercially produced dogs is...stomach churning to say the least. These Applegate hot dogs are delicious and good for you, made with just grass fed beef, water, and spices. Throw some on the grill for a delicious, quick dinner

I've never been a soda drinker but I love these Dry Sodas. I discovered them while living in the Pacific Northwest and thankfully have been able to find them at a few grocery stores here in Colorado as well. They are light, refreshing, and crisp: the perfect summer drink. I love that they are sweetened with only a small amount of cane sugar. I think each soda has more complexity of flavor because of the minimal amount of sugar.

xoxo-Leah

Exposing children to God's Word {Children's Storybook Bible Review}

Today I wanted to share our favorite children's Bible that we read to our 4 year old because I love it so much! It is called The Jesus Storybook Bible and I highly, highly recommend it! It is easy for kids to understand and it definitely does more than just present the stories of the Bible to kids. Every single story in the book points back to Jesus and to the love He has for us. It is really engaging and it even makes me want to dig deeper into my Bible to learn more. We started reading it to our

daughter when she was about 3 1/2 but I would say the ideal age range would probably be 4-8ish (obviously it just depends on your kids though). The stories are a bit long with more words than pictures so it does require a longer attention span. To make sure we read this book every day, I have made it part of her morning routine. We read two stories a day and once we finish we just start over and read it again. As she has gotten more familiar with the stories she has asked more questions and we have been able to discuss more things each time we read it!

The first children's Bible we got for our daughter was The Beginner's Bible. It is very simple

with nice illustrations and does a good job introducing some of the well known stories of the Bible. It does not go into much detail or very deep but it is definitely a good starting point for young kids.  

Right now reading from these children's Bibles is a great way to bring up things about Jesus that we want our daughter to know. We try to bring Him into everyday life as well by pointing her towards Him when she needs help (like with her attitude) and just talking about Him during the day. But I am curious to know how you expose your little ones to Jesus and Gods word. Do you read to them out of your Bible? Or do you do a family Bible study/quiet time together? I would love to hear what you do or any ideas you may have!   

Camelbak

Ok, so I plan on doing our "10 and 11 month must haves" next week but I wanted to share something we just got and are loving! It's the Camelbak kids water bottle. Bentley started being able to drink from a straw at 6 months and since then he's always grabbing our water bottles. So, finally we got him one of his very own. It's the perfect size and they come in all kinds of cute patterns. I'm in a total monster craze right now! Anything that has a monster on it, I have to buy it! So you guessed it, Bentley's Camelbak is this adorable monster one. You can find a good assortment at target or as always here on Amazon!

 

Let me know waht you think!

xoxo-Tara

B&T's 8&9 Month Must Haves

WOW my little Bentley boy is already 9 months old! Here are some things we found helpful the last 2 months.

 

1. I love this snack tower by Munchkin. It holds three different snacks but you can buy two or more towers and clip them together! It also has a pour spout on each section, which is nice if you drop it, they wont go everywhere!

2. We did a guest post a few months back on Fancy Nonsense and Leah had mentioned these delicious Little Duck Organics Tiny Fruits. I thought I would give them a try and let me tell you Bentley loves them! They are freeze dried fruits that contain nothing but the organic fruits labeled on the bag. They are about the size of a pencil eraser and are so yummy. Now the bag says they are for kids one year and older but we haven't had any issues with them, like all foods I just keep a close eye on him.

3. Around 8 months Bentley grew out of his baby bath. I bought this anti-slip bath mat for our tub at Target but have found them much cheaper at Home Goods. He is able to enjoy the big tub without slipping on the porcelain.

4. I have gotten so much use of of these Tommee Tippee Wipes. They are great for cleaning dropped pacifiers, sippy cups, and my favorite the table tops at restaurants. Now that Bentley sits in a high chair when we go out I think it's important to wipe down everything because he loves to put his mouth on everything he can!

5. Speaking of germs I also love The Floppy Seat. Not only does it keep Bentley from putting his mouth on dirty high chairs and shopping carts it also makes them more comfortable. It has little pockets and hooks for toys too!

xoxo-Tara

What's in my grocery bag: Trader Joe's

I thought it would be fun to do a little overview of what I tend to buy on my weekly trip to Trader Joe's. If you are lucky enough to live near a Trader Joe's you know the joy of being able to grocery shop there. They have so many different and delicious products to choose from, it really makes grocery shopping fun! Another added bonus: none of the Trader Joe's name brand products contain any GMOs.

I always head to Trader Joe's first when I go grocery shopping because all of their products are super affordable and I find that I end up spending less money overall when I buy as much on my grocery list as I can there

I have found that TJ's has a great selection of organic produce (depending on what you buy and like) some organic things I buy each week: zucchini, bell peppers, spinach, romaine, power to the greens (kale, spinach, chard). This time of year they also have their little crates of peaches which we LOVE. We usually go through one a week. I always buy my almond flour there as well because it is so affordable. This popcorn deserves (and will get) its own post but for now I will just tell you that it is heavenly and you should try it as soon as you can (hard to resist at only $1.99/bag!).

From the refrigerated section I usually pick up yogurts (organic cows for Jeff and cultured coconut for me and Lew), coconut or almond milk, and our frozen fruit. Trader Joe's has, hands down, the least expensive frozen fruit I've found. We generally pick up a bag of frozen pineapple, very cherry berry blend (black cherries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries), and blueberries. 

Canned goods vary from week to week but I always get my almond butter, peanut butter, and jam at Trader Joe's. They have the best quality for the best value. The jam pictured left comes in 3 varieties: raspberry, strawberry, and super fruit. Its organic, and is only sweetened with fruit juice. I'm a huge fan of their jumbo stuffed olives and will buy either garlic or jalapeno stuffed. In these summer months I tend to crave artichokes on everything from salads to pizza so those have been making regular appearances in the grocery cart as well

I must say that Trader Joe's is the best grocery store I have ever been to. Awesome products and amazing prices make grocery shopping a true joy, even with a little one in tow. 

If you want to read more about goodies from Trader Joe's check out the Tuesday Treasure at Trader Joe's posts over at Fancy Nonsense

xoxo- Leah

Loving Lately

Here are a few things I have been loving lately:

With summer not quite here in the northwest I find that a cup of hot tea is comforting and soothing on cloudy cool mornings/afternoons/evenings. I have really been enjoying decaf English Breakfast from Stash. Sometimes I have it plain and sometimes I add some coconut/almond milk and some sweetener for a creamy treat. If its warm and sunny where you live try making an individual sized sun tea. Grab an 8oz mason jar, throw your tea bag in and sugar or honey and let it sit in the sun for a few hours until well steeped. If its really hot and sunny where you live throw some ice cubes in and enjoy a nice cool glass of iced tea

I'm normally not a tomato person. For some reason every time I buy a nice looking tomato it ends up being grainy and inedible. I picked up these little guys at the store the other day just to see if they were delicious and they were. LOVE these little cherry tomatoes. They are the perfect size for snacking, sweet, and they don't have a sawdusty texture. Put them on tacos, salads, kabobs, dip them in hummus, the possibilities are endless

This candle makes me think of the ocean, sand in my toes, a soft warm breeze... Guava coconut just screams tropical paradise. This is the perfect summer candle; giving off a lovely sweet smell that isn't overpowering. 

A few weeks ago I had a major hankering (seems like the best way to describe it...) for some peanut butter cookies and immediately went in search of some on my favorite cooking blog Smitten Kitchen. Of course I found a recipe that looked perfect and made a batch. Friends, if you like peanut butter or just cookies for that matter, make these today. They are perfectly soft and just the right size. I love the addition of peanut butter chips. The only thing I would change is that I found them too sweet after rolling them in the sugar before baking. They are the perfect sweetness without the added sugar!

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If you are looking for a not so decadent sweet treat give these roasted coconut chips from Trader Joe's a try. They are a little sweet, very crunchy, and somehow creamy tasting. I think I could eat a whole bag of these without batting an eye. Perfect for a snack on the go

xoxo- Leah

Pool Time

YAY It's finally pool season!! With Memorial Day right around the corner I'm sure a lot of you guys are going to be heading to the pool. Here are some fun items to take with you!

These little swim trunks are too cute and I could not get over this ruffle bikini!

Don't for get fun accessories! The straw fedora is all the rage right now and I personally love a baby in sun glasses

I am all about the Charlie banana reusable swim diaper! Bentley has been using his and I love it. I already do cloth diapers so this was nothing new. Even if you don't do cloth I would still recommend doing this instead of the disposable swim diapers. Plus always remember sun screen! We have been using this Aveeno baby sun screen and love it!

you can't go to the pool without snacks. I think this Boon snack container is supper cute and don't forget to stay hydrated with this supper cool  Boon Fluid sippy cup. Now I haven't used either of these products... yet, I definitely plan to!

So what if you don't have a pool to go to.... well don't let that stop you! You can always buy a pool like this awesome turtle one!

And most important....

XOXO- Tara

6 and 7 month must haves

Oh my gosh is Bentley really seven months old already! It almost seems unfair how fast time is going but I know, or at least I've been told the best is yet to come! So, we have started doing solids as you can probably tell from our must haves!

1. These little mesh feeding bags by Munchkin are a great way to allow baby to enjoy all kinds of new foods without having to mash them up first. I think all kinds of fruit are the best for these because they are able to use their little gums to mash it up themselves and get all the yummy juice. We have used them for all different kinds of berries, ice chips,  frozen banana, really anything you can fit in there! You can find them at almost any store and Here.

2. Ok, this thing is pretty much AMAZING, it's the Fresh Squeezed Station by Infantino! If you're like me and refuse to buy baby food but want the convenience this is a must have! All you have to do make your puree put it in the little funnels at the top and push it in to the plastic pouches. Now the pouches are not reusable (so they say, I haven't tried though.) You can buy a box of 50 for about 16 dollars. I've seen this product at Target, Babies"R"us, and online.

3. These Johnson and Johnson face wipes are nice to keep in the dipper bag. Now that Bentley is eating and always trying to put things in his mouth it's great to have these on hand. You can find them at Target and here.

4. So the BOB is a little pricey but let me just say it's a pretty awesome stroller! I didn't think I really needed another stroller (I already have 2) But my husband surprised me with this and I'm glad he did. Bentley and I have been going on nice long walks everyday (trying to get that baby weight off!!) and this is great for that. It rides SO smoothly and can handle any path. You can find it at babies"R"us and here.

5. Love love these Tommee Tippee weaning spoons! They're made out of silicone so they're super fixable. Baby is able to get all the food off them because they form to their mouth. I've had a hard time finding them in stores, I got mine at Babies"R"us but got the last one and haven't seen them since however, you can find them online.

6. Ok this is a little something for the mams NOT for baby! So, this will be my first summer with a little one so my days at the pool will be most likely be spent in the water not hours all day laying out by it! With that being said I have a feeling my tan is going to suffer! I got theses Tan Towels at Ulta to try out and let me just say they're awesome!!! A little pricey but oh so wonderful! It's just a towelette that you rub all over your body/face. The tan you have the next morning (I do mine at night before I go to bed) looks as if you spent all day soaking up the sun. If you don't have an Ulta or Sephora near you you can find them here.

xoxo-Tara

4 and 5 month must haves

Ok so I'm a little behind on my month to month must haves so let me catch you all up!

1. Love the amber teething necklace. Leah did a great review on this product here. We got this for Bentley when he was 4 months old and I think it helped a lot with his drooling. He still doesn't have any teeth, so we will see if it also helps with the pain as his teeth come in. Be careful when buying this product online, there are many impostors. We got ours at the Clothes Pony here in Fort Collins. There is also a website called Babysteals that has them on sale sometimes.

2. Bentley got this little toy piano for Christmas and it has been a favorite of ours his since! It plays tons of songs and has three settings: Learning, music, and learning Spanish. It keeps his atttention which is hard to do for any baby and is small enough to take places. you can find it here

3. Love this sippy cup! It has a nice flexible straw and doesn't leak. Plus it just looks cool! I ordered mine online but I've seen them at Target.

4. So I got this cute lovie at Clothes Pony, we call him Chef. I actually saw this while shopping with Hannah and Leah when they were visiting this summer and had to go back for it! Its soft and smaller then most.  I just found it so darn cute and Bentley loves to suck on the knots. Again, you can order it here and many other cute ones.

5. Bord books! I LOVE all the board books and Bentley does too! I like that I don't have to worry about him pulling the pages out and he is able to hold them and study all the bright pages. A little tip, we get a lot of our books from TJ Maxx. They usually have a good assortment and are always a few dollars cheaper then Barns and Noble.

xoxo- Tara

My favorite lullaby music {not just for baby!}

I thought I would share some of my favorite relaxing music with you. My mom gave it to me when I was pregnant with my first and although it is technically a lullaby cd, I listen to it ALL THE TIME without my girls around :) I almost always give this as a gift at babyshowers!

The words and music are just so soothing and peaceful. Go here to check it out, you won't be disappointed. I will definitely be purchasing volume II now that I know it is available!

Three Month Must Haves

1. We got the Sophie Giraffe for Bentley for Christmas and he LOVES it. We bring it with us everywhere we go! He's not teething yet but he love to suck on it and it's so cute to watch him stick it in his mouth and chew on it!

2. The Bumbo is awesome! I've had it since he was born but just recently has he actually started to enjoy it. He loves to be able to sit up and watch what we are doing. They even make covers for them now, I have a gray one to match our nursery. I got my cover at Target but I've also seen custom ones on Etsey.com

3. This was also a Christmas gift that Bentley loves! He stayes so entertained in it and unlike the exersaucer it really allows baby to bounce! I love watching him laugh in it, he gets so excited when the music starts! This one is by Fisher Price and is called Animal Krackers. It plays a verity of songs which go off with baby's movement.

4. This is a memory foam play mat, it has been so great to have! It's super comfy to sit and play on. I also love it because we have two dogs and this allows Bentley to be on the floor without me worrying about all the dog hair! I have trained the dogs not to go on it but if they do, the mat is machine washable so easy to clean.  

5. The weather has been so cold here in Colorado and this cute little snow suite has been a life savor! It is a little bulky so I don't put him in it while he is in his car seat but its great for when we go on our walks! You can find them a lot of places but we got ours as a gift.

Loving Lately

Here are some things I have been loving lately!

The Les Miserables sound track. I have loved the music for as long as I can remember and after seeing the newest remake I can't seem to stop listening to the sound track. The story and the passion in the music will change your life.I get my fix from the Les Miserables 2010 cast radio station on Pandora. Check it out!

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7th Generation multipurpose cleaner. This stuff is the best because it is non toxic and all botanical so I feel comfortable using it on surfaces that the babe comes in contact with during the day. It acts as a cleaner or as a disinfecting agent (just spray it on and let it dry). A great every day cleaner!

The Fitnessista's baked breakfast cookies. These have been the perfect go to snack for me the past few weeks. Make a double batch on Sunday and have some for the whole week. I put shredded coconut, raisins, chocolate chips, and peanut butter in my latest batch and they are delicious!

Peanut butter. 'Nuff said. Not really though. I have an unhealthy obsession with peanut butter. I'm pretty sure I eat it at least once a day, like by the spoonful, not on celery or a sandwich. I know what you are thinking, and no, I didn't eat the whole container in 1 day...

Ahh, raisins, they get me every time. My (second) greatest weakness. These giant raisins from Trader Joe's are soft, juicy, and a little tart: everything raisins should be. I love the golden raisins best. They taste awesome in baked breakfast cookies and, coincidentally enough, on peanut butter. Easy snack idea: giant spoonful of peanut butter with a handful of raisins thrown on top. I have problems.

xoxo-Leah

Loving Lately

Here are a few of my favorite things in 2013!

I love my cuisinart! Not only is it my most adorable appliance, it is powerful as well. The small size is a plus too: its super easy to store and clean! Perfect for making baby food, nut butters, or chopping veggies. 

 If you don't have the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook buy it now. Right now. And then make every recipe. This is my favorite cookbook, partly because of the mouthwatering pictures on every page, partly because every one of Deb's recipes is phenomenal.

 Toasted hazelnuts. Their deep, nutty, toasted flavor will keep you coming back for more, again and again. Eat them on their own or throw them on a salad

 For those of you unfortunate enough to not live near a Trader Joe's... you can buy this on here on ebay. You're welcome. Their candy cane green tea makes the gloomy days of winter seem a little bit brighter. The peppermint flavor isn't overwhelming, allowing the subtle vanilla flavor to shine through a little as well. It's a seasonal item so make sure to stock up next Christmas!

My newest water bottle obsession.  This Swell water bottle is everything you could want in a hydration vessel. Nice to look at, sleek, light weight, and double walled, this bottle will keep your hots hot and your colds cold for a really long time. Another bonus - non toxic.

xoxo - Leah

NoseFrida: a snot-sucker that really works!

My little man got sick for the first time last week and had a runny nose for days! After several failed attempts at suctioning the snot out of his nose with a bulb sucker I realized I needed something a little more effective. I did a little research and heard so many good things about the NoseFrida I decided to give it a try. I picked mine up at Whole Foods for around $20 but they have them for $15 on Amazon.

Pros:

• easy to use
• fast
• effective

Cons:

• requires a new filter after every use - its easy to burn through 3 or 4 filters a day if your little one is really runny. Thankfully a box of 20 replacement filters is just over $3
• cleaning is a little time consuming - you have to disassemble each piece, wash, fully dry, and reassemble

Overall: I absolutely love this product. It is so easy to use and it actually works. I would definitely recommend it to anyone with littles. Go buy one today!

Two Month Must Haves

1. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Wubbanub! I know that Leah also mentioned this in one of her posts but I also wanted to say how much I love it! Not only is it super cute but it is also Bentley's favorite brand of pacifier (the soothies which I talked about it our 1 month must haves).  We have the frog which we cleverly named Mr. Frog but we plan to get more! This will definitely be on Bentley's Christmas list and a must have for every mom! why do I love it so much you ask? Well, we have yet to ever loose it (knock on wood). It stays in his mouth, and hello... it's stinking adorable!

2. These are the best socks ever! They are the Zutano brand. Not only do they come in super cute colors and patterns but they NEVER fall off!

3. So now that I'm back to work :( ...I'm pumping and having to use bottle while I'm away. Now I've never used any other kind but I've been very happy with our Tommee Tippee bottles. I love the shape, it's easy to hold, and I feel like the nipple is very accurate ;). Bentley had no problem feeding from it and we have had no issues with nipple confusion.

4. Love the Ergo! We also have the Moby wrap and the Baby Bjorn but I'd have to say the the Ergo is my fave. It's a little more pricey but I feel like it's able to grow with baby more then the others (when they're bigger you can where them on your back.) and I feel like it displaces his weight better. We go on walks almost every day and I use this one every time!

5. I've started using the Johnson and Johnson bedtime lotion on Bentley every night as part of our bedtime routine. I feel like even on the nights that we aren't able to give him a bath he still is able to be relaxed and it gives us a way of establishing our routine. They also make a cream wash which I love as well!

6. The Sleep Sheep is great! It's a sweet little noise maker that Bentley has really come to love. It has a Velcro strap on the back so you can hook it to the crib. It also has 4 different sounds, our favorite is whale! It has a timer and volume control.

Well I can't believe my little boy is already 2 months old but I can't wait to see what new fun  things are in our future!

           XOXO Tara

"Get it" or "Forget it" Review on the Boon drying rack

 I was given a lot of advice on what to buy and what not to wast my money on when I was preparing for baby Bentley. The Boon drying rack was an item that I got multiple reviews on. I however, didn't care what anyone said because I had made up my mind the second I saw it! I must admit when it comes to function vs. cuteness... I almost always choose cuteness! With that being said, I really do think that this product achieves both. Not only does it look way better on the counter then other drying racks it does great at getting the job done (I mean how hard can it be!) I love that you can stick anything anywhere and it stays right in place! I also bought the little flower accessory which is awesome for smaller things. (i.e nipples, small parts from a breast pump, pacifiers) Ok I will admit that it is a little on the smaller side. Now because we are breastfeeding we really only use it for the occasional bottle and for drying parts of my breast pump. Ok here is the run down:

Pros:
~Really cute and looks great in any kitchen
~Very easy to clean, just throw it on the top shelf of the dishwasher
~ Easy to travel with if need be

Cons:
~On the small side, So if you are bottle feeding, your only going to be able to get 3-5 on there.

I say "GET IT!"

         XOXO Tara

One Month Must Haves

1. Ok, this Stuff is AWESOME! Now that showers have become a luxury I find myself using this product a lot. It's TIGI's Rockaholic dry shampoo. I just spray it on the roots of my hair and it gives my hair another day of life! You can find it at most salons.

 2. Love, love, love these! They are called Lily Padz Lily Padz , they are silicone nursing pads. They stick to your skin and you just rinse and reuse! I've been using mine for 5 weeks now and they still work as good as the day I bought them!

3. The Soothie pacifiers are wonderful! Bentley especially loves the vanilla scented ones. I've only been able to find the vanilla ones at target and online.

4. So I was told that breast fed babies don't need to burp as much...not in our case! Bentley is quite the burper and he spits up a lot! Anyway he was making such a mess all over his clothes when he was nursing so I got these. The are the Tommee Tippee closer to nature milk feeding bib. I love them because the are soft and fit right under his chin. Now the mess goes all over these and I don't have to change his shirt 3 times a day!

5. Not only is the pattern on these little jamies so stink'n cute but they finally got smart! They put a little elastic band in the heel of the pajamas so their little feet don't slip and slide all over the place. I got these ones from Children's place  

6. I didn't think that newborns would be super interested in this but they are! We started putting Bentley on this at 6 days old and he loved it. I know they can't see very well but this one plays music and has a little light show that he just stares at. It definitely buys me some time when I need to fold laundry or do some other little chore. This one is neptune ocean advenure by baby einstein.
7. Aw yes the swaddle blanket. Love these not only for swaddling baby but also to use as a nursing cover. I just tie a knot and throw it over my head, it works great.

I could go on and on with products that I love but I think these are on the top of my list! What are some of your favorite products for this age?

       XOXO Tara

Teething cures + Baltic Amber teething necklaces

Teething can be an uncomfortable and frustrating time for you and your baby. Here are a few simple things to help with the pain and discomfort

1. Frozen washcloths - just wet a few wash cloths, wring out the excess water, and put each one into an individual bag in the freezer. Your baby will love the soothing effect of the cold ice 
2. Ice cubes/frozen fruit in a mesh teether bag (try bananas)
3. Baltic amber teething necklace - I was skeptical of this at first but after reading reviews online and talking to various friends I decided to order one to give it a try. Lewis started teething very early, at 4 months, and has since been plagued with excessive amounts of drool and discomfort. I was excited to try a more natural approach to curing his pain. After trying it out for a few weeks I wasn't sure that I could tell a difference in his overall mood/drool level so I decided to take it off for a few days. A day or two after I removed it I noticed a marked increase in his drool levels! He even lost his voice for a few days because of all of his drool. Only a few hours after putting his necklace back on his drool cleared up and his temperament improved. I would definitely recommend getting a necklace before turning to medication. It is a safe and natural way to deal with teething discomfort. Many necklaces have breakaway clasps if you are worried about your little one wearing a necklace while sleeping. Lewis doesn't even notice that he is wearing his, it usually just stays underneath his clothing. 

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