We just got back from the beach a few weeks ago and I'm already SO very ready to go back. The beach has always been my happy place but after we had kids, we had to totally re-evaluate how we did beach days. I'm the type of beach bum that literally wants a sun up to sun down kind of experience, but as you can imagine, that becomes a little more challenging once kiddos are involved. 
Through a lot of trial and error, we have finally gotten this whole beach with kids thing down to a science. I'm here to share some of the things that have made our lives a million times easier in hopes that your next trip will be even better than the last! 
First things first, when we get up in the morning we pack up our cooler with four snacks and a drink for each kid. We normally do crackers, cookies, a pack of gummies, squeazie apple sauce, and a drink (water bottle). We put a frozen ice pack in our cooler to keep everything fresh. Next we apply sunscreen IN the house before we go outside. I can't stand putting on sunscreen on the beach with the sand getting mixed in. Yuck! We've found the best way to reapply when we're on the beach is this Babyganics Spray. It blends easily and the ingredients are really clean.[showshopthepostwidget id="2726452"]We put on suits and these shoes and head out! Here are the little swimmies I've been loving for my girls this season![showshopthepostwidget id="2726489"]My favorite way to roll is to wake up early and walk with Matt out to the beach (while my parents are at the house with the babies). We like to set up our umbrellas, chairs, and blankets so when we come down with the girls, we look a wee bit less like pack mules. We absolutely LOVE these chairs because they fold flat (easy to pack!) and you can wear them like a backpack. They also have extra insulated zipper packs in the back for more food and drinks.[showshopthepostwidget id="2726461"]If we don't plan ahead and end up all going together, this wagon is SUPER helpful for carrying all the things. It also folds down flat![showshopthepostwidget id="2726464"]To keep the babies entertained on the beach, we take lots of sand toys. I especially love this little Melissa ad Doug cooking set. The girls were really into "cooking" with sand so this set is perfection! Just be sure if you have more than one child, you have plenty of shovels! The only beach brawls we encountered were typically involving shovel sharing.[showshopthepostwidget id="2726465"]We normally try to save snacks for after we've been playing for a while so there's a little something to look forward to. When snack time happens, having a sand-proof blanket situation is necessary. We like to pull the snack blanket under the shade to keep the kids out of sun for a bit.[showshopthepostwidget id="2726466"]Here are a few tent suggestions that work for providing much-needed shade throughout the day![showshopthepostwidget id="2726470"]Normally the girls can entertain themselves for a good long while after they've had a little snack. This is also a good time to reapply sunscreen since they're occupied for a few minutes.I also wanted to share this AMAZING frisbee we got before we left. It's more of a silicone feel so it doesn't hurt when you catch it and it's so easy to throw. The girls loved playing with it and so did all the adults!![showshopthepostwidget id="2726484"] So if I could summarize the ingredients for a successful beach day it would look something like this:Pack snacksBring ShadeSpray SunscreenPlan GearProvide ToysHave FUN!I hope this helps! If you have any fun tips to share from your experience with having kids at the beach, please share in comments!
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale - 2017
Hi, friends!I'm really excited to give y'all a heads up about a HUGE sale that's very quickly approaching. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is by far THE biggest sale of the year! I know y'all hear me talking about sales all the time but here's why this one is so awesome: while most sales are trying to push old merchandise by discounting what's not moving, The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale showcases brand new products that are deeply discounted! Yes, please!The Nordstrom Sale is the perfect time to start planning for your Fall wardrobe, but it's also a good idea to go ahead and think about Christmas gifts, back to school needs, upcoming birthdays, etc.
When Is The Sale?
The Sale is open to the public on July 21st and will extend thru August 6th. That sounds like a long time but most of the hot items will sell out fast. Early access to the sale begins July 13th and this is only for Nordstrom card holders. If you're a card holder, go ahead and set an alert on your phone for July 13th and be sure to check my blog and Instagram because I'll be sharing all my favorites with y'all!What's The Best Way To Shop?
I absolutely hate crowds and this sale is going to be crazy in the stores so I suggest either buying online and doing in-store pickup OR buying online and having it shipped to your home. Nordstrom has free shipping and free returns so whatever doesn't work gets shipped back easy peasy.What's Included In The Sale?
So far all that's been released is a small preview of the sale items. But you had better believe that I'm going to be rounding up ALL the best finds from the sale for y'all in one spot! I'll be sure to keep y'all posted on when everything goes live, what you just HAVE to have, and of course what I'm getting.If you have any questions about the sale, please let me know! I will do my best to make sure we all put our FOMO to good use and take full advantage of this amazing sale!Love y'all!4th of July Sale Roundup
Happy 4th, friends!We are gearing up for a day full of family time, food, and fireworks but before everything goes into full swing, I wanted to share a few awesome sales that are going on right now!ASOS is doing a buy more, save more event. Use code FREE50 to get $50 off $200. FREE70 will get you $70 off of $250 and FREE100 will get you $100 off an order of $350 or more!Goodnight Macaroon is offering 40% off their entire site. They have SO many cute options right now!!Loft is offering an additional 60% off already reduced styles. I've gotten SO many cute things from there recently, y'all.Anthropologie is offering 30% off sale styles and they have some super great deals. [showboutiquewidget id="614121"] Happy shopping! Hope you have the BEST 4th of July!
Color Block Dress + Thoughts On International Ordering
Alright alright alright... I get questions alllll the time about where I get my clothes. Obviously. However the number one question I get asked is if I like ordering clothes from online stores that are over seas. The answer is: YES.I'm used to it but I know it still makes some people nervous so I'm here to give you my experience and hopefully take some of the guess work out.This adorable color block dress is SUPER high quailty and I got it for $17 from Shein (I'm wearing a small for reference!). Normally it takes about one and a half to two weeks for my order to get here, which is a little bit longer than most places but still not horrible. I've been told that returns are getting much easier AND they are working to get their ship time down! If you read reviews and see the item first on someone you know, then you can get a pretty good idea of fit before you order. I always try to let y'all know how stuff runs and what size I'm in so you won't have any surprises when your clothes come in.
I also get a TON of my clothes from ASOS because their clothes have a boutique feel but are super affordable. Their shipping is really fast and returns are SO easy. Literally your order will come with a prepaid return shipping label and a self sealed bag and you just pop it back in the mail if it doesn't work. Their sizing is normally in UK sizing so just think about whatever your size is times two and that's your UK size. I almost always wear an 8 at ASOS.Another couple of international retailers I order from are Chic Wish and Goodnight Macaroon. They both have great sales and just a really beautiful selection of clothes! Returns are easy at Chic Wish and a little more difficult with Goodnight Macaroon. But the good news is that a ton of bloggers shop at Goodnight so you can always get the scoop on how items fit before you buy.Here are a few fun finds from Chic Wish![showboutiquewidget id="607797"]Here are a few from Goodnight Macaroon![showboutiquewidget id="607798"]If you have any questions about ordering, please don't hesitate to let me know! I'm here to help!!Thanks for reading, sweet friend!
June Goals
Am I the only person that canNOT believe it's already June?! My word this year is just flying by. I'm a teensy bit late to the June goals game but better late than never is my motto. Also, thinking I should add "Plan ahead better" to my list of goals for the month. Ha!Here are my goals for the month:Half Marathon Training: Ok so while I'm not completely sure where or when I'm doing a half marathon, I do know I want to continue training so I can have a re-do of my my first experience. I was newly pregnant (didn't know it yet!) and had strep in my lungs. It was terrible! I really want to give it another shot. I've been doing maintenance runs of three miles three to four times per week but it's about time to start running longer. One of the first things I need to do is get new shoes! I've use the Nike Free shoe in the past but would love to hear any suggestions you have! So far I've narrowed it down to these.[showshopthepostwidget id="2697135"]Finish House Projects: We have a few things going on that we've left to the pro's but I've been doing a few things of my own that I've got to finish up. Part of the issue is saving up for things I want to do seems to take fo-evuh! I know I'd like to finish up Rowen's room and the upstairs bathroom. My dad is helping out with the bathroom (thank goodness!). To finish Rowen's room, I still need to decide on bedding and a few things to put on the walls. Oh, and lamps. Still gotta get those lamps! Here's a little sneak at what we've pulled together so far![showshopthepostwidget id="2697118"]Plant Flowers: Ok before you start laughing at this pitiful goal, just know that my thumbs are BLACK, not green. It's the saddest thing. We joke and say my yard is where flowers come to live their last days. I kill everything. But I am determined to change that. I dream of having beautiful window boxes filled with overflowing greenery and flowers. I've been eyeing these from Wayfair and I'm kind of obsessed. If you have any tips on keeping flowers alive, send them my way![showshopthepostwidget id="2697177"]Organize closet: Ok, so if you've followed me for a while you know that our closet collapsed a few months ago. Well, we are finally getting our bath and closet expanded next week, which means I will get to completely organize my closet. This is such a dream. If you could see what I've been living with these last few months you would literally LOL. It's so hilarious!We have a beach trip coming up in two weeks so I'm hoping to have most of these house projects done before then. I'm really looking forward to some runs with my sisters while we are at the beach, too! Here's a sneak peek of what's going in my suitcase![showshopthepostwidget id="2697251"] Thanks for reading, sweet friends!!