Our matching girls

I love it when we meet new people and they will remark excitedly about the fact that my daughters are wearing matching clothing. The first question after that is usually to ask if we did it on purpose or inquire if it’s a special occasion. They are literally shocked when I then say that my girls have spent roughly 99% of the 2+ years they have known each other wearing matching clothing.  Carter's kissesWhat follows is usually a flood of questions wanting to know why they match, whose idea it was, and then they always want to know how on Earth I found so many outfits that match for the past two years.

I always tell them that "matching girls" was entirely my oldest's idea. When her sister was born in 2015, she wanted to make sure that everyone knew how excited she was about her baby sister and declared that they were going to match every day.

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Back to school fashion with Lee Jeans

Sponsored postWhen you think back to school must-haves, you’re probably picturing this, right? Back to school suppliesI’m going to argue that getting ready for back to school is not just about kids. Us moms have to wake up every morning, make breakfasts, pack lunches, get everyone out the door in time, and deliver our little darlings to school safely. We could stand to go back to school shopping for the necessities that will get us through the school year as well.

Our back to school must-haves look a bit more like this: Back to schoo must have for mom

 

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Corolle dolls offer a best friend for every age and stage

Sponsored post basic disclosure Best friends for every age and stage
My daughter is a hard-core doll fan. She spends nearly all day with her Corolle dolls, and they have quickly become more than just mere dolls; they are friends.

But, while my son is still very much into baby dolls, my daughter alternates between playing mommy and playing with her more grown-up dolls, like the Corolle Les Cheries dolls. These beauties have become my daughter's new favorite toy and she is on a mission to collect every single one Corolle makes.

Best Friends Les Cheries

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Back to School, rain or shine with Gymboree





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Back to School rain or shine
I remember thinking that summer was far too short when I was growing up, but as a mom I feel summer is even shorter than I remember. Our weeks go by in a flurry of summer vacations, mini getaways around Puget Sound and playdates at the lake and ocean. All summer long you can find us with our toes in the sand, building castles and having picnics, enjoying ice cream as the sun goes down, and then just as quickly as it started, it seems like it’s fall again.  

And, this year the coming of fall means a very big thing for us: the start of Elementary School. My daughter is really excited about going to the “big kid” school in our neighborhood and I’m excited to walk her there, hand in hand every morning and then pick her up every afternoon. But, with the arrival of school comes the changing of the leaves, the cooler weather, and the start of the rain that will be here on and off until April.

So, we’re starting school and kicking off the start of the rainy season with some new rain duds from Gymboree. That means rain boots, rain jacket, and umbrellas. But, it also means long pants for my son since he still goes to school twice each day to pick up his sister, and so far that has equaled a whole lot of wet jeans from puddles and rain.

Thank goodness Gymboree had everything we needed and more, including this gorgeous rain set that would make any rainy day seem brighter.


Gymboree rain gear
My daughter has worn it to and from school a few days now when it was sprinkling {or "sparkling" as she would say} and it was perfect for the warm days of fall. When she’s not wearing it, it stuffs nicely into the bottom of her school bag still leaving plenty of room for all the things that need to go back and forth to school each day.


Rain gear from Gymboree

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Summer vacation shopping tips {BlogHer shopping at Northgate Mall}

It is summer vacation time, and everyone knows what that means: shopping. Whether you are ditching the rain and heading somewhere tropical or you are beating the heat and heading for cooler weather, chances are you need some new clothing and gear for whatever climate you’re headed to.

I like to view this as an invitation to splurge a little bit on myself to make vacation packing easier. Since I love vacation shopping more than any other kind of mall trip, I tend to plan one a few weeks before any big trips to refresh my wardrobe before fully deciding on what I will be packing. So, amed with a complimentary gift card, my daughter and I headed to Northgate Mall in Seattle to prepare for my upcoming Chicago trip for BlogHer.


Girl time at Northgate Mall
Packing for BlogHer is a bit different than any other vacation for me, because I need to be professional and put together in addition to staying cool and comfortable, so it’s not like I can pack a few shirts, a pair of jeans and some shorts and skirts and call it good. I need fancy dresses for at night, put-together outfits for day, and coordinating pieces that can do double-duty so I don’t end up with three suitcases.

Naturally, I was really excited to get my shopping started at Northgate Mall, but before I started shopping, I did a little pre-vacation prep. Having become a pro at shopping for trips in the past, this time I knew exactly what I was doing and I followed these guidelines:


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Birthdays, holidays and more: growing up a Gymboree kid



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Grow with me Gymboree

You know how sometimes you just look at your kids and they seem so grownup all of a sudden?  Never is that more true that during the summer months when I dig out all their warmer weather clothing from the previous year only to find that everything is a few inches too short and we’re due for yet another clothing run.

With so many birthday parties for friends and family this time of year, I find I’m constantly searching for something nice for the kids to wear that still looks festive and fun.  And, with events ranging from pool parties to pony ride parties, my daughter thinks there’s always a good reason to get dolled up.

In my search for kid-approved clothing that can go from event to event, I always turn to Gymboree as their clothing tends to be the kids’ favorite in terms of fit, style, and flair.  This year was no exception, and I found so many awesome styles that are the first clothing pieces that the kids grab each day.

Items like the Glitter Star Cowgirl boots, which my daughter would wear every single day if she could {and she pretty much does, even in record high temperatures or when we’re going to the beach}. 


Mother Daughter pics

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Coordinating sibling clothes for everyday from Gymboree

I constantly have my camera out, so I love my kids to wear coordinating outfits most days so they don’t clash with each. For this reason, I’m a huge fan of Gymboree’s mix and match collections that come out each season. I love visiting one of the many Gymboree stores near me and grabbing a few things … Read more

New Barbie Apparel Line Available at Kmart {Our Barbie Fashion Show}

Recently Barbie has become a very big deal at our house.  Maybe this is because many of my old Barbie’s are making their way from Nana’s house or maybe it’s because the charm and ageless allure of Barbie is one that appeals to nearly every little girl.  But, whatever the reason, I’m thrilled that Barbie … Read more

SmartLab Toys Art and Education Kits

A girl after my own heart, my daughter likes nothing better than a good art project.  Close second on her list of loves would be jewelry, so of course I was excited when I heard about the Snap Fashion Jewelry Studio from Smart Lab that would allow us to easily create our own custom rings, … Read more

Tea Collection Mix and Match Clothing {Review}

You may remember a few weeks ago when I found Tea Collection and fell in love with their line of baby clothing and separates for kids and women.  Just recently, we were thrilled when we got to check out a few pieces in person and were incredibly impressed with their quality throughout.    I had told … Read more