Stuff those stocking with Back to the Roots

As the kids I am gifting for are growing up, we are heading more into "activity" type gifts. The kids are busy with an activity that isn't a screen and the parents are happy for a little quiet time, win-win. Some of our favorite activity gifts include gardening and getting little hands dirty! Don't be afraid of a little dirt, folks, just have a proper set up and you'll be fine. My favorite kits to include in kids' stocking (ages 4-12, in my opinion!) are by Back to the Roots.

It's more and more important to teach our kids where our food comes from and simple kits like the mushroom farm and garden-in-a-can are great tools to get the conversation going. Check your Whole Foods, mine has these all stocked up and ready for gifting!

We are currently doing our mushroom kit and Jonas loved misting it each morning. We always see mushrooms in the yard that I tell him to stomp so it will be fun to explain that these are the kind of mushrooms we can eat! And a random side-note: do you watch The Bachelor/Bachelorette? I am guilty. Second question, did you watch Emily's season of the Bachelorette? Then you might remember the super cute mushroom farmer named Alejandro?

What about now? Yep, that's the same mushroom farmer that started this company, Back to the Roots! Was a fan then, am now a customer, thanks Alejandro and company!

Post Halloween come down with Crispy Green

If you're anything like me, you are happy that the week following Halloween is over. The candy negotiations have lessened, I have secretly thrown out all the Twizzlers and Whoppers and only a few Dum Dums remain at the bottom of my son's pumpkin. It is time for an overhaul! Especially before the holidays and unhealthy eating try to sneak back into our lives. Enter: Crispy Green! Crispy Green is packaged fresh fruit that has been freeze dried. Nothing else.

We love the apple for my kids, my daughter is still too young for regular apples because they are choking hazards but these apples basically melt in her mouth and I love that they are simply Fuji apples, nothing else. There is ever only one thing on their ingredient list-the actual fruit itself. Imagine that! ;)

To encourage healthy snacking, we have them placed in a basket on a lower shelf in our kitchen. Kids should be able to have things they like at plain view. This way my son feels empowered to help himself and snack healthy. A couple bags of these are always floating around my purse and car-excellent to keep on hand for the adults and kids alike.

Find out where to buy Crispy Green here and happy snacking.

Pura Vida Bracelets

My latest obsession is Pura Vida Bracelets! They are hand-made in Costa Rica and offer endless options to show your unique style. I recently wore the gold track bead and Silver Cali black bracelets on my Hawaiian vacation and never took them off! Even though I am back home and the weather is a lot colder than Hawaii, I still like the laid back California feel so I don't see myself taking them off anytime soon. I love the layered look so I can't wait to add to my stack as the seasons change for more warm layers and colors.

Pura Vida bracelets would make awesome stocking stuffers this holiday season. Just sayin' :)

Just Bones Boardwear

I was so excited to learn about Just Bones Boardwear-a stylish company featuring board shorts with a unique technology for fitting the waist just right, without compromising the length! My son is long and lean so this is a MUST for us. So often we have to move up to the next size because of his growing body, but as most other moms know, either the waist fits or the length fits, rarely both.

I put the shorts on my son (who loved the pattern!) and flipped open the discreet panel in the back to adjust them exactly to his size and then Velcroed it shut! Super simple. And next summer when he has likely grown, I will be able to adjust them once again. My son was super active on the beach and the shorts held up on the sand and surf just great. Thanks Just Bones!

Shop toddler board shorts here and while you're there, take a peek at their styles for women and girls, too!

How I Use: Seabuckthorn Oil

I am a big fan of oils in beauty routines and lifestyle in general, which is why I was excited to try Seabuckthorn Berry and Seed oils. I have used their cleanser and taken their supplements in the past so I knew it was a company I trusted. Both of these oils are excellent to put directly on the skin to help with inflammation, which is the root of all health problems. These both are excellent Omega sources and can be taken internally and externally! They are truly super, hardworking powerhouse oils that you need in your medicine cabinet.

Personally, I like to put it directly on my face before bed but be warned, it will turn your pillowcase (and face!) orange. It soaks in during the night so when you wake up, there are absolutely no traces. If you aren't down for slathering it on, you can also add a few drops to your night cream, stir it with a toothpick and then apply as normal. I know you will soon be as hooked as I am.

Paw Patrol cake

Rubble on the double!

I thought I would share how I made my son's simple Paw Patrol birthday cake. Once he requested a Paw Patrol cake, I headed to Google to see what was out there. And out there was a whole lot of red, blue and yellow-frosting, fondant, actual cake. Every cake was literally dripping in artificial colors and dyes. Now I do allow artificial coloring every once in awhile, in moderation, but I just couldn't bring myself to make (or pay!) for a huge chemical cake. I decided to order a simple cake from my grocery store with vanilla and chocolate buttercream as the base. I bought my son's favorite character, Rubble and knew I wanted to have a "construction theme". I crushed up Annie's Graham crackers and spread them on top of the cake and inside Rubble's scoop! My son flipped for it and as a bonus-he got a new toy. The cake was delicious and I felt good that I wasn't feeding the kids Red40!

Best books for a 1 year old

 

For the past month or so, my daughter's interest in reading has sky rocketed. She will constantly bring you a book ("bup") and sit in your lap and she definetly has her favorites. Here is a list of the ones she (and my son!) have demanded we read to them over and over again. These are perfect to tuck into a gift for a 1st birthday party or baby shower.

Let's Go Outside by Katja Spitzer. This one is Ivy's favorite, hands down. I got this as a gift and before I even gave it to her, I fell in love with it! The colors, the whimsical and cheeky illustrations and the size of the book are just perfect. As it turned out, she became obsessed, so now it's hers. I might need to get my own copy. She especially loves the pages with the squirrel and I love hearing her try to say "Squirrel". 

Moo, Baa, La La La! by Sandra Boynton. You probably have seen Sandra Boynton books before but this is the best one for the younger set (10 months+). The pages are simple and it's a fun, quick read with lots of interaction. When my 4 year old happens to walk by if I'm reading this to my daughter, he will still come and sit for the duration of the book! I have this memorized, and if you get it, you will too! This book is the reason my daughter calls dogs "ruff ruffs" and I'm not mad about it. :)

Peekaboo Sophie! This book gets so much play at my house that I have to hide it because I need breaks from reading it! The peekaboo flaps in this book are large and thick and easy for small hands to grab, which is half of the draw. The other half is Ivy hears me say "peekaboo!" after she opens a flap, which never gets old in her eyes. Also, did you know that Sophie's friends are sophisticated animals named Lazare, Gabin and Margot? Must be a French thing. 

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Eric Carle. Ok, I know what you are thinking, this is a no brainer. If you have kids, you know about this, but if you don't, now you know! We got our copy when my son was a baby and now, 4 years later it is literally falling apart. The kids love that purple cat and black sheep, what can I say. We constantly rotate books at my house to keep things feeling fresh but this book has a permanent spot and the kids never tire of it. A great book to turn into a sing song-y chant with clapping or just to flip the pages and name the animals. 

Ok, now it's your turn, what book is your child's favorite?

My "go to sleep" kit for babies and kids

Now that my daughter is one and her sleep is pretty regular, I am doing my best to keep it that way with nightly routines. With cold season coming up I know we are going to take a hit with my son bringing home lots of germs from preschool which always affect the kids' sleep. I'm sure our future holds many nights with the humidifier and nightly wake-ups due to coughing. I rely on my go-to sleep kit mainly for my daughter but I also can use it on my 4 year old son on especially rowdy nights or when he is sick.

I add a cup or two of magnesium flakes or epsom salts to their bath to start the calming process. Most people are deficient in magnesium and making sure your body is getting enough is key in getting proper rest. Other benefits include: improving circulation, stress relief and improving skin hydration among many more.

I spray Mommy's Bliss sweet slumber mist on my daughter's favorite lovey so she can snuggle it while she drifts off to sleep and not have to worry about the smell overpowering her pajamas. All of Mommy's Bliss products are safe and free of yucky chemicals. Sometimes I spray this on my pillow!

I roll essential oils on her feet as a final step to set the tone for sleepytime. My blend contains lavender and I feel that smell triggers something in her to know its close to naptime or bedtime.

What are your go-to tricks or routines in getting your kids to have good quality rest?

Greening your bathroom: Boka floss

I think the process of "greening" your bathroom can feel a little overwhelming at first, so I think it's best to go one product at a time and start with something slightly insignificant. Like floss! (Tip: do not start with shampoo, that one should go last) Most people aren't brand loyal when it comes to floss; they might get a pack free at their dentist or grab whatever they find at the store sort of without thinking. Unfortunatly for us, all the options at the typical drugstore are no bueno. Most floss is made from nylon (petroleum based product) and then coated with Teflon (yes the toxic stuff in the non-stick cookware, which is for another post). These are things we don't want in our mouth, period!

Enter, Boka Oral care. Their floss is petroleum-free and Teflon-free and coated with natural beeswax and mint oil so it still glides just as nice as the traditional kind. It also doesn't fray or shred! I seriously love this stuff. And not to mention it is the cutest little container.

All of Boka's products are designed so well and have ingredients you can trust. They have subscriptions too! I can't wait to try out their other products, especially their Cocorinse! 

#ivysgemjam

My daughter turned one this past week and here are some pictures from her gem party! 

 Let me know in the comments if you would like the sources of any of the items or DIYs!