Living
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Beer. It’s Overwhelming.
Megan and I both enjoy a good beer but the variety and crazy names can be overwhelming. My go-to is having Chris order/buy for me because he knows what I like. I usually have to text him pictures of beer cans when I’m at the grocery store to see if it is a good one or not. So, I decided it was about time I figure it out for myself – with Chris’s beer help of course. I sent him on probably his favorite errand ever, to buy beer, and now our fridge looks like this… It’s also a little tricky because everyone has different tastes. For instance, I love…
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What Are You Drinking During Social Distancing?
When my sister posed this question to me, my glib first response was EVERYTHING. This first week of social distancing has been really stressful in our household trying to meet the new homeschool requirements for our two kids while both Ryan and I continue to juggle the demands of our full-time jobs. Much less the anxiety around the largely unanswered questions of how to keep your family healthy and safe, how long is social distancing really going to last (have you seen this article?!?), and should I be stockpiling more food and household provisions. But, aside from my off-the-cuff response and the black and tan cocktail I had to celebrate…
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How We Are Entertaining The Kids During Social Distancing
Activity ideas are popping up everywhere as parents try to figure out how to entertain their kids for the unforeseeable future. Here is what is working for us at the moment: Baths Lego bath, Popsicle bath, car wash bath, shaving cream bath – you know name it. Baths kill so much time. They love all the fun kids soaps, bath crayons, and bath bombs too; Joey is getting these in his Easter Basket. 40+ Best Indoor Activities from Busy Toddler Busy Toddler is always a great place to look for relatively easy ideas. I stocked up on all the supplies she recommends from Amazon like blue tape, dot stickers, post-it…
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St. Patrick’s Day Ideas
We take full advantage of every holiday around here. Last year, we hosted a last-minute St. Patrick’s Day dinner party for another family from our kids’ school with Guinness potpies, rainbow fruit trays, and Lucky Charm sprinkled ice cream. Unfortunately, St. Patrick’s Day does not fall on a weekend this year, but I took some Irish-themed recipes for a test-drive and here is what I would make if I were hosting again this year: Drink Black and Tan 1 Guinness Stout Beer 1 Irish Lager Beer (such as Harp) Carefully pour half the lager beer (I used Harp) into a tall beer glass (let foam mostly subside). Place a large…
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Baby Food Files
I feel like I am constantly trying to figure out what to feed Jack. Anyone else? With my oldest, Joey, I was terrified of choking and really just stuck to fruit and veggie purees until he was older. But give me a few years and my second child, while I’m still terrified of choking, I’m more comfortable with Baby-Led Weaning and offering him a wider variety of foods. At the same time, while I am not a nutritionist, I have educated myself on what things are most important for my baby to be eating. Healthy fat or Omega-3 fatty acid (ALA) play a big role in our babes brain development.…
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Are You in Need of a Pedicure?
Its finally getting to be that time of year when us Seattleites can start dreaming about wearing sandals and flipflops again. For me, that means I need someone to scrub off the remnants of last fall’s toenail polish and make my feet look presentable again. Where do you like to go to get a pedicure? I may have an idea for you! Recently, as a post-birthday treat, my mom, sister, and future sisters-in-law headed together on Saturday morning (sans children) to Frenchy’s Day Spa for manicures & pedicures (thank you to my brother Michael for the holiday gift certificates!). For years I was a Julep enthusiast, but since Julep closed…
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Favorite Inexpensive Skin Care
I have never been one to spend a ton on my skin care products. I feel like I can find some great things without spending a fortune. So, if you are anything like me, check out a few of my favorite products as of late that bring my tired mom face back to life. Have you heard of the ACURE brand? I started using the ACURE line when I was pregnant with Jack. It is a natural line of skin care that Sarah Adler of Simply Real Health recommended. I was looking for something “clean” while pregnant and ACURE checked that box at a great price point. I’ve used a…
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How Not to Get Sick from Your Kids
I laughed at this meme the other day because it’s just so true. As the parents of young children, we are constantly exposed to all the crap these little germ factories carry. Sick kids are miserable. You don’t know until you know. Sick kids and sick parents? Even worse. I swear the last two years of Joey’s life I caught every single thing he brought home. To make matters worse, just about every time he got sick it turned into Croup, which meant scary trips to the emergency room. Joey started preschool this year and was sick for the first 3 months of school. Poor Jack caught like 4 different…
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Hope & Henry
Do you have a favorite store or brand that is your “go to” when shopping for your kids’ special occasion clothes? I have what might be a new one for you: Hope & Henry. I have never received more compliments about my kids’ clothing than when my daughter wore this dress to a school function: Fellow moms and teachers would randomly stop me on the street for weeks afterwards to ask about this dress. It was my first purchase from Hope & Henry via Amazon and I could not have been more impressed with the quality and price point ($26.95). While I am always very hesitant to make my first…
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To Sauna or Not?
Do you Sauna? Until very recently, I had never given it much thought. Chris, on the other hand, is obsessed. Him, Ryan and my brothers love a good sauna and steam session. They are all so obsessed that Chris getting one for our garage or backyard is a normal topic of conversation (not happening). This last Sunday following Valentines Day, my in-laws came over to watch the kids and we went to the gym and out to lunch. This was the first time in forever we have gone on a “day date” and it was glorious; I highly recommend it. We worked out and then went our separate ways to…
