Hope you are having a great week! I just wanted to share with ya’ll these cute pumpkin patch photos I took with Ella and our mommy and me coordinating fall outfits. With this being Ella’s first fall I wanted to make sure to do everything with her. I am so glad I got to take these photos with her, because they turned out so cute! Check out our mommy and me pumpkin patch photos below!
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I can’t get over Ella’s cute little leopard sweater and velvet turban. I have made her wear her little G-Stars non stop so she can get the most use out of it before she grows out of them. My dress is super comfy and the perfect fall gingham. I have this same pattern in a button down too! Can’t believe Halloween is just around the corner. Stay tune for our family costume reveal!
Check out more family fall post below, including Jayden’s first pumpkin patch seven years ago!
Hope you are having a great week! Today I wanted to share a fun fall family outfits with ya’ll! I couldn’t resist with these coordinating flannels. Check out all the details below!
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As a mom you have to take advantage of the matching outfits while they are little. I remember growing up, my mom always had us in matching outfits. I never cared for it, but now that I am a mom I totally get what the hype is all about. Plus are they not too cute? We had the best time visiting the pumpkin patches with these coordinating fall family outfits. Do you like matching with your family?
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Hope you are having a great week! I did a Q&A last week and this was one of the most asked question. As a second time mom what were my must have items. I have to say since the seven years when I had my first a lot has changed, and there are so many new things that I wish I had with my first that I can’t live without with my second. Here are my top six must have baby items below!
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6 Must Have Baby Items
PopYum Bottles– My friend recommended this to me which is such a genius idea. No need to worry about your bottle expiring because it keeps the formula and water separated until you are ready to use. So easy just push and shake! It’s great for feeding on the go, traveling, or having pre-made bottles ready for those middle of the night feedings. This bottle helped us out so much with night time feedings, and has been so convenient when traveling!
Sleep Sack – Seven years ago this was such a new thing, I never heard of it. Instead I struggled with swaddling with my first. My son always managed to get out of it and wake himself up. Out of all the sleep sacks we have tried this is my favorite DREAMLAND sleep sack and is a game changer. Ella started sleeping through the night at three months old! Use my code DARNELL15 to get a discount at checkout!
Doona – When I saw they came out with this carseat stroller several years ago I knew I had to have it with if I was going to have another baby. The pain of having to carry a car seat or push around a big stroller every time we went anywhere with my first was not pleasant. This is a must! I’m so glad I got this, even my husband thinks it’s the best invention ever for parents. I get tons of questions about this all the time, and my answer is YES IT IS 100% WORTH IT!
Play yard – I love this play yard because it is a secure play space that babies can move around in. Plus with all the pets we have, we wanted Ella to have her own space without the pets in her space. Our dog will lick her every chance he can get lol. Plus this play pen has its own easy to clean and soft play mat included.
Sound Machine – We never had one with Jayden and let’s just say he wasn’t the best sleeper. However we got this since we read so many great reviews. I honestly wasn’t a believer until she started to sleep through the night at three months old. We keep in on playing non stop, so anytime she is in their for naps or bed time she has a soothing atmosphere. Plus you can also control everything from an app on your phone.
Baby Electric Nail Filer – So with my first I was so scared of cutting his nails, that my mom has cut his nails since he was a baby. Every weekend he goes over there she always cuts his nails. But now that I found this super easy electric nail filer, it has been a game changer. It doesn’t hurt, very baby proof and works so easily on their nails. Ella is use to it now. She just sits there while I file her nails. If you have a strange phobia of cutting baby nails you need this!
One of the many reasons why I love the Doona is how convenient it is. Plus it has adjustable handles so even Jayden can push her around.
Always happy when she wakes up with her sleep sack. She has the best sleep!
Our sound machine that we play 24/7. We love it! You can see more of the nursery here! An inside look of our play pen. Jayden loves playing with Ella in there. It’s a great size!
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I can’t believe how many amazing things they have for moms these days. It makes taking care of a baby so much easier! I hope this post was helpful for all you moms and future moms.
Hope you are having a great week! Today I wanted to share four different looks for fall with flare jeans. I bought these jeans for 50% OFF, and they fit amazing! I’m still in between sizes with my postpartum body so I wanted to invest in jeans that were inexpensive but still a great quality. Check out how I styled these flare jeans for fall below!
For the first look I paired up this neutral shacket for an everyday look with these jeans. Shackets are a fall layering staple and and are great with flare jeans for fall.
For this next look I added this color block cardigan with these flare jeans. It’s the perfect fall cardigan and everyday outfit.
For this next look I have these pretty sleeve detailed button down that I wore with these flares.
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Last but not least I paired these flare jeans with a blazer for a work style look for fall. I love that you can dress these flare jeans up or dress them down for a more casual look for fall. Which outfit is your favorite?
Hope you are having a great week! This week we went on our first family trip with Ella. As our family grows so does the cost of traveling. And though we love to travel it can get costly for families, so here are some tips below to help save money when going on family trips.
TIPS TO SAVING MONEY ON FAMILY TRIPS:
Go on the Off Season – Everything is less expensive from hotel room rates, gas prices, even plane tickets. Plus when you go on the off season it means less crowds which is great if you are traveling with kids.
Look For Family Friendly Discounts – There are tons of places that offer family discounts for people traveling with kids. Look for these discounts when looking for a place to visit.
Eat in – Instead of eating out every meal opt to eat in by buying everyday items like groceries and ready to eat meals at Walmart. Not only will it save you money but time, and the headache of having to wrangle your children at a restaurant.
Buy Snacks and everyday travel essentials atWalmart – Instead of buying at the resort or hotel, you can save money by buying water in bulk and other everyday essentials like snacks, napkins, and diapers at Walmart. Plus you can find a Walmart in almost every major city and town in the U.S. so you can utilize their drive thru pick up for even more convenience!
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I bought all of this at Walmart using their Online Grocery service on the Walmart App. Super easy and convenient for a busy mom like me who prefers not to shop in store with a newborn. It’s great because you can pick up from any local Walmart store near you, no matter where you travel.
New customers can use promo code TRIPLE10 to save $10 off their first three pickup or delivery orders. $50 min. Restrictions & fees apply.
Traveling with family doesn’t have to be stressful. There are ways to save on family trips and Walmart helps when it comes to saving money for families on everyday items like groceries. We always make sure to stop by Walmart to get our essentials when it comes to our family trips. I hope these tips help you save on your next family trip. Thanks for stopping by!
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This post is sponsored by Walmart. All thoughts and opinions are all mine.
Someone is ready for pumpkin season! Time is flying by so fast with our girl. I can’t believe Ella is four months old. She is growing in leaps and bounds. It’s crazy to think how fast she is growing. Check out her four month progress below!
Look at her little personality. She is seriously the happiest little baby. Always smiling and cooing, and kicking up a storm. Ella has been rolling around from her belly to her back, and even to her back to her belly. She is so strong for her age. I honestly think we have another little athlete on our hands.
Not only is she so active, but she is the best sleeper. Ya’ll like clock work. Down by 8pm and sleeps through the night. I honestly can’t believe how great she is with her schedule.
All of us in our matching Halloween pjs!
How adorable are here passport photos we took of her? I can’t with her cute little expressions. She is seriously so adorable. I can’t wait to see which one they pick for her passport photo.
Ella watching her big brother’s soccer game with her Honey Do! Her facial expression is priceless. She already knows she is going to be so spoiled by her Honey Do!
We are so blessed with four months with our sweet little girl. We love watching her little personality grow. She is absolutely precious! Can you guess what she will be for Halloween? Here’s a clue, it has something to do with her name.
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Hope you are doing well! Today I wanted to share a fun and easy game day snack tray that your family and friends will love as we get into football season. You can see the full DIY video on my Instagram! This easy to share snack tray is my family friendly take on charcuterie boards with all your favorite snack items from healthy veggies to sweet chocolate covered pretzels this easy game day snack tray has something for everyone. Plus I got everything for under $20 at Walmart. A perfect budget friendly snack idea for your family or friends.
I bought all of this at Walmart using their Online Grocery service on the Walmart App. Super easy and convenient for a busy mom like me who prefers not to shop in store with a newborn. You can save time by having our personal shoppers do the hard work for you. Plus they even offer delivery so it can be delivered straight to your door!
New customers can use promo code TRIPLE10 to save $10 off their first three pickup or delivery orders. $50 min. Restrictions & fees apply.
Below are the items I bought to make this tray. You can find already cut up cheeses and meats to save you time at Walmart. I love that I didn’t spend more than $20 on this, so not only did I save time but money too. Walmart offers quality products for a great low price for everyday grocery items for my family.
INGREDIENTS LIST:
CHARCUTERIE TRAYS:
Is your family excited for football season? I know the boys are. They can watch their football, have friends over, and snack on this delicious easy game day snack tray. I might not be interested in the game, but I will definitely be there for the food. And with the convenience of Walmart’s Online grocery shopping, it makes it that much easier for me to order through the app and pick it up that day. Or even better have it delivered! I hope you enjoyed this post. Thanks for stopping by!
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This post is sponsored by Walmart. All thoughts and opinions are all mine.
Hope you are doing well! I recently posted on Instagram this video of our baby must haves in our bedroom baby set up. It has been so helpful for my followers on Instagram that I thought I would share it on a blog post here. When setting up our bedroom for Ella’s first couple months with us I wanted to make sure I had items that I could easily use in other areas of our house, didn’t take up too much space, and also easily store away once she grew out of our room. As a second time mom I realized you don’t really need much when it comes to baby, so having items that are versatile and easy to move around was a must. Below are four of my must have items that we used daily in our bedroom baby set up.
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Bedroom Baby Set Up:
Portable Waterproof Changing Mat– Instead of having a bulky changing station in our bedroom we opted for this portable waterproof changing mat instead. That way we could use it not only in our bed, but on our dresser, or on the floor if need be. And if she grows out of it in our bedroom, it’s great to stick in the diaper bag for traveling too.
Diaper Caddy – I love this diaper caddy because it was easy to put all her diaper essentials in one carry all caddy that could be easily stored under her bassinet or put on our dresser.
Baby Lounger – I loved this lounger for when we co-sleep with her. It gives her her own little bed that we could put in between us. Plus give us peace of mind that she wouldn’t roll around and get squished. We also used it in the bassinet as well because she loved sleeping in it.
Travel bedside bassinet – This is the best bedside bassinet ever. It can be used as a regular stand alone bassinet, but can also zip down and attach to our bed as a bedside bassinet. Plus it had wheels so we could roll it to any room in the house. And it also had storage underneath for burp rags and other essentials. It also came with a carrying case so you could bring it with you for traveling as well.
You don’t really need much when it comes to your bedroom set up for your baby. I love these items because it’s versatile and can be used for traveling too. I hope you found this post helpful in setting up your bedroom for baby. Thanks for stopping by!
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Hope you are doing well! I can’t believe our Ella girl is three months old already. Honestly she is the sweetest little angel baby, and so easy. I don’t ever remember it being this easy with Jayden. I’m not sure if it’s because she’s a girl or because we are second time parents, but this newborn stage is so enjoyable. If we had Ella first I think we would have had five kids by now lol.
This past month she has transitioned in her own room and has been sleeping 7-8 hour stretches through the night. It surprised me the first night that I didn’t sleep a wink because I was just waiting for her to wake up. We took the Taking Cara Babies 5 month bundle class when she was born and have implemented all those tips and tricks and it really helped! She is such a good sleeper and napper that she even puts herself to sleep. We don’t even have to rock her to sleep anymore. It is so crazy to think that she is sleeping in her own bed because with Jayden, he slept with us till he was five. Honestly I felt a little sad that Ella was already sleeping on her own. But at least I am still breast feeding her and occasionally we take naps together so I can get our cuddles in.
Ella had her two month check up a couple weeks ago and she is a tall skinny girl according to the charts. And she is also way advanced in her motor skills. She is already rolling over by herself! I think we might have another athlete on our hands like her brother. I was really hoping to have a chunky little baby with some rolls on her thighs. Guess we will have to see. Either way we are so thankful for our sweet little Ella, and love watching her grow!
Hope you are doing well! Today I wanted to share with you my postpartum essentials must haves that I have been using through my pregnancy. I found these items to be so helpful in my transition as a mom of a newborn. Check them out below!
Postpartum Essentials for Moms
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Since my body has changed so much, I need all the support I can get. These shapers and bras are perfect for my ever changing postpartum body.
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I use these pillows every day and swear by them! The body pillow is still something I used now when I go to bed. I’ve had my boppy nursing pillow for seven years and it is my most used pillow for everything from nursing, resting, and tummy time! Definitely a must have for your registry!
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I need all the help I can get when it comes to breast feeding and these work wonders. I take the Sunflower Lencithin everyday. So far no mastitis. These lactation snacks are so delicious and great snack alternatives. I even have a reserve of breast milk from the past couple of months.
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Honestly can’t do without these pumping bras. So helpful in keeping me hands free! The one from Bodily is my favorite. So silky smooth and comfortable. I love my breast pumps. I even got the portable one to take on my recent trip!
For all you mamas or future mommas I hope you found my postpartum essentials helpful on your postpartum journey. Thanks for stopping by!
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Hope you are doing well! This past weekend I went to my dear friends bachelorette party in Seaside. It was probably one of the best well thought out bachelorette party. From the matching beach totes to the night around a bonfire it was one for the books. Plus not to mention it was a reunion of my favorite people from my high school days to my sorority days in college. I couldn’t have asked for a better first trip away from my babies than this one with my girl friends celebrating our bride to be! If you are planning a bachelorette party in Seaside check out more details of this amazing sbachelorette party below!
Seaside Bachelorette Party
WHERE TO STAY:
For our stay we rented this beautiful home that was walking distance to Seaside shops, restaurants, and beaches. It was six bedrooms, four baths, with an amazing kitchen and common space plus free bikes we could use during our stay! It was plenty of room for all of us girls and it was nice that we could decorate it for our bride to be. The kitchen was amazing complete with a bar so we could make drinks and breakfast which saved us money from going out.
WHAT TO DO:
There was so much to do during our stay there, but honestly we could have stayed at the beach all day if we could. That was probably our favorite part was going to the beach everyday. Plus the weather and the water was so nice. We stayed out there for hours! But if you are looking to do more than the beach here are a few of my favorite things to do as a bachelorette party.
1. Shopping – There are so many cute shops at the square. If you are looking for those popular and cute Seaside sweatshirts then you need to stop by The Seaside Style. They have something for everyone, even for your pets! Another cute boutique if you are looking for unique hats and shirts is Focus Lifestyle Boutique. My friend got the cutest trucker hat there!
2. Bike Riding – One of my favorite things we did was get our bikes and ride around town and to the beach. Our bikes were included in our rental which was a plus! However there are bike rentals in Seaside where you can rent bikes! Seaside is very bike and golf cart friendly. You can get anywhere on a bike there.
3. Beach Rentals – We went to the beach everyday and stayed all day. It was nice to have beach chairs and umbrellas reserved for us when we got there. It may be a little splurge, but it was nice and convenient not having to bring our own. You can reserve chairs, boogie boards and more through here!
4. Beach Bonfire – For our last night there, the girls booked a sunset bonfire at the beach! We roasted s’mores and enjoyed our last night bonding around the camp fire with the stars shining above us. We used this company which is a full service company that operates on several different beaches on 30A. It was definitely a one of a kind experience and great for large groups like a Seaside Bachelorette Party.
WHERE TO EAT:
1. Bud & Alleys – We went here for lunch on our first day and the food was so good! From pizzas to pasta it has something for everyone. It sits right on the beach and the view of the ocean is unbeatable!
2. It’s Heavenly – I first went here on our family trip five years ago and have every time we come back I always visit this gelato shop. The gelato is so good and just what you need for those hot summer days.
3. Surfing Deer – This was my favorite restaurant we ate for dinner. It’s very upscale and very trendy. But most of all the food is amazing. I would highly recommend the PESTO PAPPARDELLE. It was the best! I still can’t stop thinking about it.
4. Food Trailers – One of my favorite things about Seaside is the row of food trailers right in the center square. It’s great for casual eating and right next to the beach.
5. Eating In – One of the things we did to save time and money was eat in. We were right down the street from a Publix grocery store so we were able to grocery shop for our stay there. It was so convenient so we could sleep in in the morning. We even made our own charcuterie board to snack on.
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Seaside is one of my favorite summer vacation spots. Being able to experience this with my girl friends for a bachelorette party made me love it even more. It is such a beautiful family and bachelorette friendly beach town. I would one hundred percent recommend if you plan to visit. I hope you found this post helpful. Thanks for stopping by!
Hope you are doing well! Can’t believe two months have flown by with our little Ella girl. She grows and changes every day. I love watching her grow. It’s crazy to think that she has only been her for two months. Just amazes me to think she was just in my belly growing, and now she is here making her way in this world. She is beyond precious and we can’t get enough of her. Check out her two month photos below!
Enjoying these newborn snuggles as much as I can. Even though we don’t get much sleep these days, I am thankful for these moments because I know it doesn’t last long. I see how fast Jayden has grown. To me it only feels like yesterday when he was a baby. Even though I take daily photos of Ella, it seems like it is never enough. I wish I could capture every memory so vividly as the moment it happened.
These past two months have been pure newborn bliss with our Ella girl. I am so thankful to be her mama and watch her grow with her big brother. Check out more Ella post below!
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How adorable are here passport photos we took of her? I can’t with her cute little expressions. She is seriously so adorable. I can’t wait to see which one they pick for her passport photo.
