Back-To-School Basics

Well, it's that time of year again...back-to-school! My social media feeds are filled with the smiling faces of backpack-laden kids and tots getting ready for their first day of school. Moms across the country are simultaneously shedding tears and popping champagne! (or is that just me?) I love summer, but I'm not going to lie...these last few weeks have been incredibly hard. Mac has been a holy terror (even more so than usual) - he's been pushing the boundaries, back talking and harassing Mim like it's his full-time job. He's become a pro at pushing my buttons and seeing just how far he can go before he lands himself in time out (for the 600th time that day). His camps are over and these last couple weeks of unstructured days have taken their toll on him (and us). He needs to get back on a set schedule, back in the classroom and back around kids his own age. (Mim needs a break). We are ready! 

That being said, we still have three more weeks before school starts for us. In the meantime, I've been stocking up on all the essentials for him to have at school and at home and looking for the perfect gifts to give his teachers to butter them up (or just profusely apologize) for him. There are so many adorable items for kids, teachers and classrooms these days. Here are a few of my favorites.

Wildkin Dinomite Lunch Box - Mac had to take a lunch to swim camp over the summer, so I got him this adorable dinosaur lunch box from Wildkin. They have all kinds of cute colorful prints for boys and girls with coordinating backpacks. They're insulated, roomy (but not huge) and easy for little ones to get into. 

North Face Mossbud Swirl Jacket (girls) - I'm obsessed with this gorgeous reversible jacket for girls. It's a pretty ice green water-resistant puffy coat on one side or a soft grey fleece on the other. If I can find this in adult, Mim and I may be sporting these matching jackets this winter. 

Super States of America Map Print - I love this colorful print of the U.S.A. from Minted. This would look great hanging in your child's playroom or homework station. Or it would make an awesome teacher's gift for the classroom. 

French Bull Plaid Backpack - There are so many great backpack options for kids right now. Everything from trendy and fun to superhero or character. I'm a big fan of simple and colorful, so I love this plaid backpack from French Bull. It's small enough for a preschooler to carry, but will also work for kids up to age 10.

Work Hard & Be Nice Print - I love this simple print from Minted. This would make a great teacher's gift or serve as a nice little reminder in an office or playroom. 

North Face Glacier Zip Hoodie (boys) - North Face makes the best kid's fleece jackets and this one is really cute for toddler boy. I love the hood and the soft fleece inside. Fully reversible and machine washable (a must for kids that are as messy as mine).

KicKee Pants Pajamas - It's super important right now to make sure your kids are getting enough sleep so that they can concentrate in school. KicKee Pants are above and beyond our favorite brand of kids pajamas. KicKee is made from bamboo and is the absolute softest material. It comes in a million different prints, patterns and colors, and a variety of styles (2-piece, footies, coveralls, etc.) My two spend half their lives in KicKee and they refuse to wear anything else to bed. 

Favorite Colors Clothing Labels - If your kids are anything like mine, they shed layers of clothes throughout the day and don't give a second thought to where their stuff ends up. I love these clothing labels from Minted that attach to the clothing tag and are machine washable. Hopefully this will help cut down on missing items of clothing over the school year. 

Macarons Personalized Notebook - Older kids (and parents and teachers) are going to love these personalized notebooks from Minted. Choose from a million designs and colors to reflect your kid's personality and/or hobbies. Perfect for keeping track of homework assignments or schedules. 

Onaroo Teach Me Time Talking Alarm Clock - Teaching Mac how to tell time has been on my list of things to work with him on this year, which is why I'm super excited about this clock. The clock gives the time in digital numbers as well as a traditional clock face. Plus, it has a night light and talks to tell your little one what time it is. 

Flyball Custom Name Labels - How adorable are these personalized baseball name stickers? These would be perfect for school supplies, lunch boxes, water bottles, sports equipment and toys. They're dishwasher, laundry and microwave-safe. 

Seeds of Knowledge Wall Art - This apple print from Minted would be such a cute gift for a teacher or perfect for your kid's homework station. There's also a similar one in gold, if you want to get fancy.

Educational Insights Talking Globe - Our local library has a globe like this one and my kids are obsessed with it. This talking globe asks over 10,000 geography-related questions and gives you hints for those you may not know. Perfect for kids learning about the world and interested in maps. 

Olive Kids Paisley Pencil Case - Carry your pens and pencils in style. I love this pink paisley case from Olive Kids. It's the perfect size for a desk or backpack. 

Nike Tennis Shoes - My kids both love their Nike kicks. These adorable sturdy and colorful shoes have velcro up top, which make them easy for little kids to put on by themselves. They come in a variety of colors, styles and widths. 

What are your favorite back-to-school products?

* Thanks to Minted for inspiring and sponsoring this post. Contains affiliate links. All opinions expressed regarding products and excitement for new school supplies belong to me!

* FYI - if you order any stationery products from Minted this summer, they will come packaged in a uniquely themed box that unfolds into a fun cut-out costume! Post a creative photo of you or your little one modeling and upload it to the #MintedBox project site for a chance to win a gift certificate. 

Cozy and Comfy in Burt's Bees Baby Clothing

I'm so excited to play fashion show with you today and even more excited that I am not the model. I'm sure you're all horribly disappointed to miss out on more of my poorly-lit, awkwardly-posed, super uncomfortable fashion blogger shots, but that's life - it's disappointing...get used to it. I'm kidding! However, in order to make it up to you, I have two very adorable models that look just as uncomfortable and forced, only way smaller and cuter than I'll ever be. 

We recently had the chance to try out the new line of baby and kid clothing from Burt's Bees Baby. Did you know they made clothes? And that they're absolutely ADORABLE and super soft? Oh, you are in for a huge treat. I was so excited to scroll through all the super cute options for girls, featuring florals, lace, dip-dyes and plaids. The boys stuff was surprisingly awesome (cute, durable and soft boy's clothes can be incredibly hard to find) and I loved all the stripes and camo. As you may remember from a previous post, Mac is incredibly particular when it comes to what he wears and will only wear clothing that's very soft, breathable and moves with him. He won't wear jeans, anything with tags or any clothes that are stiff or scratchy. The Burt's Bees Baby clothes I ordered for the kids were softer than I expected, so I will be ordering more particularly for Mac. 

Crochet Knit Tee & Skirt set (pink poppy)

Dip Dye Dress (aubergine) // Crochet Knit Tee & Legging set (lilac)

Reversible Camo Hoodie (herb)

And here our little models are...being disinterested, annoyed and (not so) patiently awaiting the sucker I promised them if they'd just stand still for ONE MORE FREAKING MINUTE. Seriously, trying to get these two to pose for a photo together is like herding cats. The phrases that come out of my mouth include: get closer to your sister; don't sit on your sister; stop spitting; look at me and not the dog; stop picking your nose, put your shirt down, don't eat the grass, stand up, turn around, I don't want a photo of your butt, SMILE!!! 

But then I get a shot like this and all is right with the world.

I mean...can you even?

Well, until this happens...the bored face strikes again. 

Both kids loved their Burt's Bees Baby outfits. Mac is obsessed with the camo jacket and told me he's going to wear it for 3,000 days in a row. Mimmy love love loved the pockets in this adorable little dip dye dress and kept exclaiming, "I got pocket! I got pocket!" I can't wait to pair this dress with a pair of jeggings, her boots and a giant bow this fall! It's a 2T, but still a tad bit big for her, so she's got room to grow into it. But she looks so incredibly grown up, doesn't she? When did my baby get so big? And speaking of big, I really really wanted to order her one of the adorable baby rompers, but they're all too small for her. WHY?!! I just want to keep her little and dress her in rompers forever. 

Finally, I had to break out the suckers a bit early. Can you tell who was the most excited about it?

I really loved all of the pieces we received from Burt's Bees Baby. I already know that camo jacket is going to get so much use. Luckily, it's pretty durable and thicker than I expected. It's reversible, so it can be worn with either the camo or herb green showing. The camo is actually really pretty, with a touch of blue in it that I didn't notice at first. Plus, as I mentioned, it's super soft and fits great. I can't wait for him to wear this to the pumpkin patch or when he's out playing in the leaves this fall. Mac usually wears a 4T, but I ordered him a 5T so he'd have some extra room to wear it for a while. It fits perfectly now with a little room to spare, so I'd recommend sizing up if you want extra space. 

Mimmy's outfits are just too cute for words. I really love the simple long sleeve tops with the crochet knit detail down the sides. Both tops can be swapped out with the floral skirt and leggings or worn with anything else. The skirt is actually reversible too and can be worn with the floral underneath and the cream side out, which makes it really versatile too. All the pieces are 100% organic cotton, super soft, comfortable, sweet and snuggly. The fall collection is gorgeous and I love that it feels and looks so natural and comfortable. The kids will be able to wear these pieces to school, to the park, on hikes, apple picking and anywhere else we go this fall. And did I mention they're really affordable?! Yeah. We're big fans.

Make sure to check out the entire fall line for kids and babies at Burt's Bees Baby, along with nursery needs and accessories - you won't be disappointed. Plus, sign up for their newsletter and get 10% off your first purchase. 

Have you tried Burt's Bees Baby clothing? 
What's your favorite item from the fall line?

*Post sponsored by Burt's Bees Baby. All opinions posted and fashionable children featured herein belong to me. 

Beach Vacation 2016

Well, it's only taken me four months to finally get through the 3,600 photos I took on our Florida beach vacation back in April. I'm not even slightly kidding or over-exaggerating with that number either, so I'm considering this a major accomplishment. A bottle of champagne may or may not have been popped. Honestly, I don't know why I feel it's necessary to take so many photos when we're on vacation and I'm always completely overwhelmed by them when we get home. When I downloaded them all, I was pretty sure I'd still be editing them when we go back next year. Part of that was because it was Mim's first time on the beach since she could walk and I really wanted to capture her reaction and the other part was that I was trying to get comfortable with a new lens I got for Christmas, but haven't used much. I'm still not sure I love it. Next year I need to remind myself to put the camera down more and play more instead of chasing my children around and trying to capture the perfect shot. I think I got some good ones, but there were literally thousands that were totally unnecessary. Lesson learned. 

Otherwise, our trip this year was probably the best yet. Every spring we rent a house on this island and spend a week doing as little as possible. The kids had so much fun at the beach this year and I think they're just going to love it more each year. The house we stayed in was amazing - right across the street from the beach with lots of space, bunk beds for the kids (which blew their minds), a rooftop deck, a huge wrap-around porch and a nice heated pool. Mim loved the beach from the second we put her down in the sand and couldn't stop splashing in the water, jumping the waves, chasing the birds and rolling in the sand. Mac was all about finding critters on the beach and fishing. He ended up catching a number of really cool ocean fish, including three stingrays! If you follow me on Instagram, you already know that stingrays are basically his spirit animal, so it was a very very big deal to him. It nearly broke his heart when we told him we couldn't keep them or take them home with us!

We try to make sure our beach vacation is relaxing and consists of lots of beaching, fishing, eating and swimming. We don't go anywhere that requires shoes or doesn't accept dogs. We try not to even get in the car once we're settled. Every day starts with a golf cart ride into town to get shrimp (bait), followed by beach time, pool time, lunch time, nap time (which is right at daiquiri o'clock), more beach time, more pool time, dinner, a golf cart ride into town for ice cream and then back on the beach with headlamps and flashlights to chase crabs until the kids basically pass out from exhaustion. We also played at the park, did a little shopping, danced at the local dive bar, ate our weight in oysters and even did a little geocaching. We had no agenda or schedule and just enjoyed living on island time for a week. The days were long, but so much fun and they flew by. Why is it that time seems to be on warp speed when you're trying to soak up every minute? I'm already counting the days until we can go back.

So, without further ado...here's a sampling of a few of my favorite pictures from the trip. If you want to read all about where we were and what there is to do there, check out the post I recently did on Savvy Sassy Moms. 

Only 290 days until we get to go back...