Monday This + That

We are back from my family's lakehouse where we spent a great Easter weekend. I have so many wonderful photos to share from our time away!

Two major highlights of the weekend: the first is that the baby had her first ever boat ride.

She actually did a lot better with the life jacket than I was expecting! And isn't it adorable?! It's by Stearns and I coudn't find the exact one online with the fish, but here's one that is built similarly. It zips up the back so you don't have to worry about them undoing it. 

The second highlight is that my mom surprised us with a handmade Easter dress and bonnet. It is absolutely precious on Camille and it fit her perfectly. I was just so shocked. Love, love, love my mom. 

In other news, a fun opportunity came my way to appear on the news this morning and talk a little bit about encouraging our children to be "makers" -- turning off the iPads, turning away from cartoons, and reaching instead towards items around the house that can be turned into fun toys with a little imagination. With a 10.5-month old, I still have a long road ahead of me to try to spark that little imagination, and I can't wait. 

We had a designated area when I was growing up, "the art pantry" as we called it, that was filled with construction paper, watercolor paints, coloring books, markers and crayons, safety scissors, yarn, and tracing paper. It was low to the ground, easily accessible, and it was where Mom sent us when we complained of boredom. You can easily create a space in your home like this that really helps these little minds to grow.

Here is a link to my clip!

The toy that I featured is a pretty neat little one. It's made in the USA from recycled, environmentally-friendly materials, and the pieces in the box are shaped like Y's, O's, and X's (hence the name -- YOXO, pronounced "yock-so"). An instruction sheet shows how you can make what's on the front of the box, but it also gives you alternate instructions for making other objects -- and you can even combine the pieces with household items like paper towel rolls and empty cardboard boxes to create other items. The possibilities really are endless. My favorite kit offered is the dragonfly version which is great for boys and girls. 

YOXO can be found at specialty toy stores but it also just got picked up by a little company that we know and love, Target! The kits are under $25 and would be a fun item to have on hand for bored kiddos during spring break or the summer days. I can't wait for my nephew's birthday to roll around!

I hope your weekend was a lovely one and that you had a very special Easter!

Five On Friday ... Happy Easter!

It's time for another edition of Five on Friday and I do hope you'll join me, Darci, Christina, and Natasha!

Remember, all you have to do is post about five things on your mind, add our logo (found at the bottom of this post), and join the party using the linky tools below. Easy, and a great way to find new blogs and be found. :)

O N E
Last night we had a dinner date with some friends at the cafe at Nordstrom, and I got a chance to try on the $18 straw fedora I posted about last Friday (available here). Um, it's adorable and high-quality, too. It will definitely be coming to Mexico with me. We were in a bit of a rush to leave as to not disrupt bedtime, so I purchased it online after the baby went down to sleep last night. That was a no-brainer because of Nordstrom's free shipping, AND I was able to pay with Paypal. It will be on my doorstep next week!

T W O
If you are a blogger, TODAY is the last day to rsvp to take part in The Palm Tree Boutique's Work Hard, Play Hard spring outfit challenge. I am definitely going to participate! All you have to do is let them know by the end of today if you want to participate. Then you blog before April 10th about how you'd style one of their items for work and for play. One participant will win a $250 credit on their site and also be featured on their blog. There's a fun incentive for everyone who votes, too! More details can be found here and you can email shoppalmtree@gmail.com to participate. I can't wait to see everyone's creativity!

T H R E E

Speaking of ... if I won, I would totally buy this yellow romper FIRST.

here

F O U R
This is so exciting! I have a pretty sweet project that is now DONE and I can't wait to post about it ... here is a sneak peek.

F I V E
Last, and most important: I am super jazzed about a fun weekend -- Camille's first Easter! We will be sharing this time with family, and I have my camera battery charged and ready to go. Happy Easter to you and yours.

TGIF y'all, and hope you will join in on Five on Friday this week! Cheers to the weekend!

Baby Carrier Ribbon Toys - Available Now

More to come later on this, but several of you asked about the carseat toys I made for Camille ... I now have several loaded in my Etsy shop!

I was tired of the cheaply-made, run of the mill options that were available for car carrier toys. These are soft (for safety) and brightly-colored to capture baby's attention and help develop fine motor skills. They would make a cute and creative baby shower gift! All are completely unique and one of a kind.

If you are interested in taking a peek, click here.

My Amwell Experience + Free Coupon Code For You

Don't you know that one of the scariest parts of parenting is when you need to ask a physician a question, and it's midnight?

Oh boy ... I have so been there.

My Camille, back when she was almost 4 months old

When Camille was around four months old, I was picking her up from daycare one afternoon, and I was chatting with her teacher about their day. Camille was in her teacher's arms, facing me. Next thing I know, BAM -- crazy projectile vomiting -- and the only thing I could think to do was reach my hands out and catch it. (It's a glamorous life.) I hurried to clean us both up and get her strapped safely in the carseat, and then I rushed home, trying to focus on the road but wanting to keep my eyes on her in the carseat the entire time.

We monitored her that evening, and she got sick twice more. I was really scared to put her down to sleep that night! Of course, my crazy mind was considering the worst case scenarios -- dehydration, choking on her vomit. I was on the phone a few times with the pediatrician's after-hours nurses, but I just felt like I was getting some contradictory information (and being a new mom, I just wanted an opinion from a DOCTOR -- yet my husband and I agreed that this particular situation didn't deserve an ER trip, where we'd expose our newborn to other scary germs).

Had I known that a simple "telehealth" company like Amwell existed, I would have hopped on the site in an instant. The opportunity to hand-select a physician, video conference with them, and give them the scoop would have definitely been my preferred method of dealing with her sickness.

Here's the gist of how it works:

Amwell is the nation’s largest telehealth company, connecting users with their choice of doctor for immediate, live online visits—day or night, on either mobile or desktop. Some general conditions their doctors encounter include: minor illnesses and injuries, general health and wellness concerns, prescription refills, and chronic condition management. They employ primary care and specialist physicians, as well as behavioral therapists and nutritionists, to meet patients’ needs. Amwell doctors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and are dedicated to keeping you healthy -- and all from the comfort of your home.

I downloaded the free app on my iPad and I think that's one of the easiest ways to use it. When I first logged on, I answered a few registration questions and then was given the chance to choose a physician to work with. I loved that it was easy to see their experience and credentials, and from start to finish this just took a few minutes. 

I selected to visit with Dr. DeHaas because I was looking for a family physician and I liked that her experience specifically mentioned working with babies. 

Before the visit started, I made a list of questions to ask Dr. DeHaas, and I centered this visit on the weaning process and how to go about introducing the baby to cow's milk when she is a year old. I was curious if our baby was getting enough "real" food now (outside of milk), and I was looking for more ideas of finger foods. 

You wait for a minute while the doctor reviews your notes (just like a normal visit, but without the uncomfortable paper gown) and then you get a little ping when the doctor is ready to see you. And by "see you," I mean see you via your webcam or mobile camera! This is just so easy. 

A physician visit is $49 (or $25 to see a nutritionist), but I have a way for you to try the service for free. Just log on, register, and use the coupon code MOMSQUAD when prompted (see my screenshot below). You don't have to enter any credit card information at all to take advantage of this one-time offer.

Looking for a little more information before you try it out? They have a pretty funny YouTube video which gives a great outline of the service:

So that's my experience in a nutshell. The next time you need a quick medical opinion, or if you are feeling poorly and don't want to leave the couch, or if it's after-hours, or whatever the case may be -- I'd encourage you to give them a shot. I know we will be using them again. 

Click here to try it out now, and remember to use coupon code MOMSQUAD!

Disclaimer: Compensation was provided by American Well via MomTrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of American Well or Momtrends.

Weekend Notes

Good gosh, weekends fly by these days! Maybe it's because the concept of "lazy time" has been pushed to the backburner and we are just set to go, go, go. 

We did have some nice family time, though, and a highlight was grabbing an early dinner with friends on Saturday night at Chuy's. We were that table with four adults, two kiddos in high chairs, snacks and books and trucks and bibs scattered around the table, and maybe a littttttle louder than some of the nearby tables. But I've learned to embrace the craziness that is dining with a 10-month old, and a good bit of the other 5:30 diners were parents to little ones as well. 

Sunday we were able to have lunch with the same group which was quite a treat, and Braswells has a great menu (and $2 mimosas to boot!). I had the prime rib sandwich which had the most delicious horseradish aioli, perfect for dipping fries in. And their fries are GOOD. 

Also on the radar? Some work in the front yard, back patio beautification, a Home Depot trip, some house hunting, a pizza delivery on Friday night, a chilly walk Saturday morning, crockpot barbecue and slaw last night, and watching quality television shows like Cops (which really is funnier and more interesting of a show than you may expect). 

And gobs of time laughing with this child.

I hope your weekend was just as fun!

Saturday Sip + Shop

Sip:



Ginger Bourbon Fizz
from Snippet and Ink (here)

Shop:


Straw Fedora
Only $18 with free shipping, free returns (here)
I've got my mind on VACATION and I think this would look so cute with a black bathing suit!
I've been wanting one of these for a long time but haven't found a quality one at this low price-point before. SCORE!

Five On Friday

It's time for another edition of Five on Friday and I do hope you'll join me, Darci, Christina, and Natasha!

Remember, all you have to do is post about five things on your mind, add our logo (found at the bottom of this post), and join the party using the linky tools below. Easy, and a great way to find new blogs and be found. :)

O N E
I had another great lunch this week with my girlfriends! This time we went to Cowfish and I had the best little bento box that featured a combination of a mini-burger, sweet potato fries, edamame, sushi, and cucumber salad.

T W O
I've been reading again before bed recently, and I just finished my book (I'm embarrassed to say what it is -- it is very 50 Shades-ish -- but once I started it, I felt bad not completing it). So anyway, I'm ready to move on to another book that I'm less ashamed to admit I'm reading :)

I could go the more predictable route and get the book on everyone's nightstands....

... or I could branch out and try a different one. I have heard awesome things about that book though, and I see it's under $7 for the Kindle price, not too shabby!

T H R E E
Last night I made Rice Krispie treats using Captain Crunch cereal. So ... yeah. They are as delicious as you'd expect.

F O U R
I'm still really enjoying Fickle Resale for buying and selling like-new items. Check out this adorable smocked bikini I got for Camille ... too cute, right?

Fickle is still being offered at no cost to the core group who signs up now. You do have to live in Charlotte, but it's expanding to other cities now, too (Atlanta -- look out!). If you live here and want to give it a shot, email the membership coordinator and she'll set you up quickly. You can reach her at keaton@fickleresale.com and just give her code AR101 to get on the site. I'm obsessed.

F I V E
Just had to share these spring blooms I clipped from the yard that smell so good (LOVE how fragrant hyacinth is). They bring a smile to my face every time I walk in the kitchen.

TGIF y'all, and hope you will join in on Five on Friday this week! Cheers to the weekend!

Roasted.

Warning, warning, warning, photos do not do this side dish justice. These photos are dark and not so pretty. But this was such a great dish!

I'd heard about the concept of roasted cabbage before, and around St. Patrick's day, our grocery store was selling whole heads of cabbage for $0.25. I used half the head for corned beef and cabbage in the crockpot, and the other half got sliced up and roasted several days later.

So for this side dish, you'll slice the cabbage and keep the slices intact. These all get put on a baking sheet and drizzled with some olive oil. I used a silicone brush like this one to coat them liberally with the EVOO, and then I seasoned them with kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, fresh minced garlic, and dried parsley. 

They went into a 400-degree oven for about 40 minutes, until crispy and a little browned. 

These have a great flavor and definitely are easy to prepare and low-cost!

I served the roasted cabbage along with slow-cooker buffalo chicken (from Allie's blog) and an easy salad with carrot ribbons and goat cheese.

So, now that I've roasted asparagus, broccoli, green beans, heck -- even sausages with grapes -- I'm officially in the camp that you can roast just about anything and have it turn out deliciously yummy!