Back to School

Thank you to Crocs for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about Crocs’ new Back to School line. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions expressed here are my own.

To be fair, we're not really going "back to school," since we kept Bub in preschool all summer. It was camp, really, and only for two mornings a week. Still, the start of the actual school year seems like a big deal. In Pre-K he'll get homework. HOMEWORK. We're only one full year away from kindergarten, which, WAIT it's less than a year actually, because our elementary school starts at the end of July. Let's just put that out of our minds, shall we?

So. Back to school shopping. Bub's school went ahead and broke my school supply loving heart when they simply charged a materials fee, rather than sending home a supply list. I've got to put all of my energy into shopping for things like clothes and shoes. I guess I'll manage.

With the kids' clothes, we've always shopped ahead. Once Bub is in a size, I mostly stop buying that size and start shopping for the next size up, meaning I always have a stockpile of clothes waiting for me. This has mostly worked, except that now he's starting to wear out his clothes before he grows out of them, so I have to rethink this plan a little.

For school, I have a few specific needs: Shorts and pants that are easy to put on himself post-potty, and shoes without laces. I'm sure his preschool teacher has things she would prefer to do above tying 24 stinky shoes all the livelong day.

And what do we have here? Laceless shoe perfection, that's what. They're even husband approved, and for anyone that knows my husband, that's saying something. He's got some serious opinions about the way the kids dress.

Now, it's possible you're experiencing a little weather related cabin fever? It's blazing hot here and Irene-ing all over the East Cost, so here's a little video sure to keep your kids busy for at least some seconds. The video is interactive, so you can click on any of the shoes and be taken directly to the site to buy them.

Psst! There's an easter egg hidden in the video. Here's a clue:



Some facties:

You can view the entire line of Crocs Back to School kids shoes here, with 13 styles for boys and girls from K-8. School-approved for their lack of holes, and being closed-toed and closed-heeled. I can't promise your kid won't transport more sand home than seems physically possible in their new shoes, (Is that just my kid?) but their toesies will be safe. Click on through and you can also enter to win a family vacation to San Diego. A bit of travel might ease the another-year-older sting a little.

Hello Gorgeous: It's a Small World Collection at Nordstrom

Upfront disclosure: I was provided with media credentials to attend the D23 Expo, but was not asked to write anything. This post is simply a reflection of my love for this collection.

So. Last weekend was the D23 Expo in Southern California. Basically a showcase of all things Disney. I visited for an afternoon and had a chance to walk through the Disney Living Pavilion. Honestly, I was expecting Mickey shaped rugs and such. It was explained to me that Disney Living really refers to incorporating Disney into every aspect of your life.

Oh.

A lot of what I saw was to be expected: toys, party supplies and plenty of licensed character offerings.

Then there was the unexpected, and the awesome. The It's a Small World line available at Nordstrom. You guys. The collection is being released in seasons. Currently Indian Summer is available, and Scottish Fall and Russian Holiday are still to come.

This line features favorites of mine like TOMS, Petunia Pickle Bottom and Trumpette, and these adorable FEED shirts.



$3 from the sale of each shirt is donated to UNICEF.

It seems like there's a limited selection still available online, BUT you can find the Baby Nay outfits from the collection on Gilt (now that there is an affiliate link) in the Summer Blowout sale section for more than 50% off. What are you still doing here?

Cherry pies with something to prove

So, it would appear that my in-laws think I'm mildly incompetent. I have two pretty strong pieces of evidence to support this. 1) I'm always asked to bring something like ice cream or chips and dip to holiday dinners. Basically, something that can't be screwed up. 2) My mother in law's response to my new kitchen was, "Well, you're going to have to learn to cook!" I can't imagine how she thinks we've been eating for the past six years, but I assure you, I cook. I'm still waiting for the day when dinner time rolls around and my children and husband shrug and say, "Dinner is overrated. Sit down and relax."

Anyway, today we hosted a lunch for some of my husband's family and I was assigned plates. PLATES. In my own house. Oh, and drinks. Plates and drinks. I asked my mother-in-law if she was sure I couldn't do anything else. She suggested brownies. Like, from a box. I told her I would be happy to make a dessert.

And make a dessert I did. Hello mini-cherry pies. (Note: That recipe is for cherry pie pops. I did without the pop part, and I think they're just as cute.)

Behold: The world's most disgusting cookie sheets.


Tip: Use less filling than seems necessary, or there will be spillage. The overflow isn't really a big deal, depending on your level of perfectionism.


I was seriously worried about burning the pies, so I may have slightly undercooked them. I also dusted them with sugar before baking. I highly recommend this step.


These were a HUGE hit today. There were four other desserts and this was the only thing people kept coming back to, and people took home in doggie bags.

Obviously, these could be adapted to any holiday, and use any pie filling. They would be super adorable in other shapes. Can you imagine mini-Christmas tree pies? We'll see if they were enough to get me bumped up to bringing something that actually requires assembly this holiday season.

Shameless Self-Promotion

Nothing to see here. Scoot on over to Style Lush where I'm talking about my newest stripey obsession, found at my home away from home - Target, of course.

Thoughts from a movie theater

*Texting from a theater may be just as annoying as actually talking on the phone

*The previews are part of the movie going experience. Don't make me shush you. Or, more accurately, don't make me complain so much that my friend will shush you on my behalf.

*How in the world is a Monday night movie so crowded?

*Get off my lawn.

*I love the way Emma Stone talks.

*Ryan Gosling is a pretty, pretty man. If my husband didn't think lists, *ahem-you know what kind of list I'm talking about*, are offensive he would be on mine.

*Crazy Stupid Love was fab.

*The preview for One Day makes me want to see the movie, even though I had an extreme case of The Rage after reading the book.

The Saturday Wife

First, I recognize the following: I'm lucky to even have a husband. I'm lucky my husband is an involved dad. I'm even luckier that he has two months of summer vacation. All of that claimed, I still reserve the right to say this: I am not looking forward to the start of the school year. Mostly.

As stated, my husband is home with us for the entire summer. This was particularly lucky when I birthed two June babies. Ten weeks of paternity leave, hello! Summer vacation is fab in a lot of ways, particularly now that there are two kids. Two adults at the pool, someone to stay with the kids while I run errands or, even better, someone to run the damn errands himself. Someone to split the kids with so we can spend one on one time with each kid. Glorious.

But, now it's August and I have Sunday Afternoon Syndrome. Summer isn't over, but I can SEE the end in sight. My husband has been back to work exactly one day and I'm already cranky. He's not even back full time, just spending a couple of days getting things back in order, and yet here I WHINE. You probably want to smack me. It's like I'm looking at my brand new pony and wondering why the hell you didn't get me a unicorn.

It's not that I'm ungrateful, it's that the transition back to normal, back to me at home and him working, is BRUTAL. Bub and I have been driving each other insane lately, and now we're losing our buffer. I get lonely being the only adult in the house for 12 hours. Bub will spend a solid month punishing me for the fact that I'm not daddy. During the school year my husband walks in the door at 6pm most days and from then it's a mad dash through dinner, bath and bed times. After that, he's so exhausted from managing middle schoolers all day, that we spend some time staring at the TV before giving up and passing out. The only day we really feel married and not like two people partnered in keeping the children alive, fed, and on some semblance of a schedule is Saturday.

Don't get me wrong, there are good things about the school year starting. I get to be back on my own schedule - master of my days. Bub will be in preschool three days a week and I'm planning to take a music class with my girl. I'm going to start attending playdates with my new MOMS Club. Still, I'm mourning the (looming) end of summer. I'm going to have to make real dinners, at a reasonable time and enforce bedtimes. No one likes the enforcer, particularly when the enforcer gets shouty.

If you're looking for a bright side in all of this, here it is: Fall. School supplies, pumpkin everything, cooler weather, scarves, jeans, cardigans, PUMPKIN EVERYTHING. I totally get why you might be desperate for school to start, but I'm holding tight to these last days of summer. Unless anyone has a pumpkin cookie to share?

BlogHer: There were s'mores

If you think my takeaway from the weekend should be greater than my marshmallow intake, I give you this.



That? Was s'more #6.

I think the marshmallow may have infiltrated my brain, because shortly afterward, I called my husband trying to convince him that we need to make this little beauty part of our family.


As if we need another thing that poops. But maybe you do? Her name is Yahtzee and she and her three siblings can be found at the Helen Woodward Animal Shelter. THAT FACE.

Really, for me, the weekend was about my beautiful roommates, and every other person I had the pleasure to meet. Despite all of the stories you hear about the drama, I witnessed none of that. Every single person I met was sweet, genuine and gracious.


During the rare moments I stepped way out of my comfort zone to introduce myself to someone, I was never disappointed. Seriously, not once. If anyone is wondering if something like this is worth it, I think the answer is yes. So much yes. Just maybe go easy on the s'mores.

Oh, and within five minutes of walking in the door I was already buttering my husband up for The Blathering. I'm going! Are you?