5 on Friday - Volume 17

Mixing things up a bit today - here are FIVE posts you should go read right now!  (yes, I know I'm bossy)

1. Potty Training Essentials for Boys - Savvy Sassy Moms

I'm guest posting over on Savvy Sassy Moms this week and talking about potty training a strong-willed boy.  Our potty training journey has finally paid off and Mac is really doing great.  It may have taken us a bit longer than others to get here, but I really think that waiting until he was truly ready was key for us.  I'm over there discussing how we did it, what tricks/tips we used and our favorite potty training products.  I'd love it if you stopped by and checked it out!  

2. Tips & Tricks for Photographing Children Outdoors in the Summer - Emma Constance Photography

My good friend (and personal photographer) Jessica of Emma Constance Photography just wrote a really awesome blog post about how to take photos of your kids during the summer (in full sunlight). I realize the summer's nearly over, but these tips can be used year-round while photographing your kids in the middle of the day or anywhere with bright conditions.  She's also got a lot of great advice about composition, setting the scene, getting genuine smiles and camera settings.  If you're into photography at all, it's a great post.  

3. Back to School Traditions - O'Leary Love

I love this post by Amy of O'Leary Love on starting back-to-school traditions with your children. Mac starts 3-day nusery school after Labor Day and I love the idea of making him a special breakfast that first day, taking his photo and having a surprise for him after school.  I've got some ideas up my sleeve already and I'm planning an entire week of back-to-school blog posts (product reviews, crafts ideas, photo setups and more) coming soon!  Eeek!  

4. Visiting St. Louis with Kids - Savvy Sassy Moms

I get asked all the time what our favorite things to do in St. Louis are, so I was so excited to put together an entire post on what to do in STL with kids!  I chose a couple of our favorite spots to explore with kids and a few places to get sweet treats afterwards.  If you're planning on visiting St. Louis with kids, these are definitely spots you don't want to miss.  This post is part of a series on Savvy Sassy Moms called City Gems that highlights some of the best, most fun and unique places for moms and kids in various cities across the country, written by local moms that know.   If you're looking for fun stuff to do in a city near you, see if there's a post on it (Indy, Atlanta, Vancouver, Palm Springs, Nashville, Denver, etc.).  

5. Favorite Instagrammers - Strawberry Swing & Other Things

Erinn of Strawberry Swing & Other Things has the most impeccable taste and her choice of favorite Instagram accounts to follow is spot-on!  I love her choices in categories like Sweet Treats, Crafty Ladies and Mamas With Words.  If you're looking to add a few new (and gorgeous) accounts to your Instagram feed, check these out!