Stitch Fix Reveal - Birthday Edition

I'm so excited to share another Stitch Fix box with you. This box arrived just days after my birthday in January (don't ask...I'm really old) and I once again requested the same stylist I've had over the last year. Every box with her seems to get better and better, so I was excited to see what she'd pull together for my birthday. I request a few of my "favorite things" in this box - anything bright and colorful (bonus points for something yellow), anything with polka dots, ruffles or peplum, a vest or jacket and an amazing pair of jeans. JessicaV got the job done and hit all my requests. I was so excited to pull out each piece and know she really paid attention to what I asked for. I was extra picky this month, so I only ended up keeping 1 out of the 5 items, but I honestly could have kept them all and been happy with them. After I adjusted my sizes last month, everything fit so much better and I'm already looking forward to my next fix. 

And speaking of "next fix" -- if you want to win an AWESOME giveaway for a $150 gift certificate to Stitch Fix for your next fix, make sure you read all the way to the bottom of this post!

41 Hawthorn Norden Lattice Detail Blouse

This was probably my least favorite item in the box, but looking back at the photos, I kind of wish I would have kept it. When I tried it on the first time, I didn't love the color. It looked very garnet, and while that's my birthstone, I just don't love that dark color on me. I love bright red, but burgundy/wine...not so much. However, once I got outside the color was so much lighter/brighter - more of a raspberry color and I loved it so much more. I also really loved the v-neck on the shirt and the length. However, I just couldn't get on board with the lattice/cut-out look and felt like the body of the shirt just hung boxy on me. Maybe I just needed to steam it or something. Like I said, looking at these photos, I'm not sure I see that and now I'm kicking myself a little bit for sending it back. 

RETURNED

Daniel Rainn Bethanie Lace Yoke Knit Top

Next up, yellow! While I prefer bright lemon yellow, this mustard color was so pretty! Perfect for fall and winter. The length was great and I loved the softness of the knit, but the lace on the top just turned me off. I love wearing camisoles under shirts (and non-strapless bras) - both of which would be impossible with this top. And I felt like the lace was a little too old lady and dated me a bit. I felt the same way trying on lace wedding gowns - lace just doesn't work on me. 

RETURNED

Market & Spruce Anella Puffer Vest

Gah! How cute is this little black and white polka dot puffer vest?? I wanted to love this vest so much, but it just didn't do anything for me. So much potential and then it just looked plain and boring when I put it on. I don't know! It's sporty and casual and so me! I tried it on with a number of different tops in various prints/patterns/colors/styles and it just didn't look as cute on me as it looked on the hanger. I also have a number of black/grey puffy vests very similar to this one, so maybe it was just looked too much like what I already have to stand out. Maybe next time I'll ask for faux leather or shearling or something a bit more exotic? 

Pistola Tory Distressed Ankle Zip Skinny Jean

Another one that was SO close, but just barely missed the mark. These distressed jeans were so comfortable, with just the right amount of distressing in a great color. They fit perfectly around the middle, however, they were just a teeny tad bit too short (that never happens!!) - they hit right above my ankle - and I thought they'd look ridiculous with heels. I almost kept them anyway to wear with with flats and boots (as pictured), but then the ankle zip part of the jean was really uncomfortable when tucked in. The zipper hit right on the bony part of my ankle, making them impossible to wear with boots. Womp womp.

RETURNED

Market & Spruce Elissa French Terry Moto Jacket

I was not expecting to love this jacket as much as I did when I first pulled it out of the box. Heather grey usually washes me out, but this jacket was just too good to pass up. The black leather details on the jacket made it just a tad bit edgy/modern, while still being really warm and comfortable. I loved the cross-body asymmetrical zipper and the collar and thought it looked just as cute zipped up completely as it did half-zipped. This is one of those items that's casual enough to wear with jeans and boots on the weekend and can also be dressed up with a pair of black slacks and black heeled booties to work.

KEEP

What do you think of this fix? 

Did I keep the right pieces?

Mommy's Holiday Wishlist

1. Stitch Fix Gift Certificates - Receiving Stitch Fix boxes has definitely been one of the highlights of my year. I love this service that picks out items for you, based on your style preferences. I love being surprised by what my stylist chooses for me and am always thrilled by how well things fit and how much I wear and love the items. Stitch Fix gift certificates are the perfect gift for any SF lover or anyone wanting to try out the service. (hint hint: scroll all the way down for a big surprise!)

2. Cuisinart smoothie maker - The kids and I have really been into smoothies lately and have had so much fun trying out new recipes. My go-to is a banana, almond butter, oatmeal creation with some vanilla greek yogurt. Amazing. However, I hate dragging out my huge blender daily (not to mention cleaning it). A smoothie maker with travel cups would be awesome.

3. Tory Burch tassel key fob - I currently have a gold tassel key fob that I love, but it's slowly being pulled apart by the kids. I am crushing hard on this bright colorful rainbow tassel key fob from Tory Burch. Seriously, she can do no wrong in my book.

4. Swell water bottle - I realize I'm totally late to the game on the Swell bottles, but I'm obsessed with this pretty gold bottle.

5. Kendra Scott earrings - I have a few pairs of KS earrings and they're all just so pretty! I love the ones with bright colors, but I especially adore these white and gold ones. They are the perfect neutral that will go with everything!

6. Powerbeats wireless headphones - These wireless Bluetooth headphones are on the top of my list so I can finally ditch the cord to my cell phone while I run. It would be so nice not to have to untangle earbuds every single time I went for a run or get myself all caught up in the cord while I listened to my audiobooks in the evening while doing household chores. 

7. iPhone 7plus - While I've never been a sucker for having the latest and greatest technology, I'm drooling over the new camera on the iPhone 7 plus and pining over having more memory to take more (and better) photos of the kids while we're out and about.  

8. Canon 35mm f/1.4 L lens - Speaking of photos, this lens is next on my lineup of must haves. I've been desperately wanting a wide angle lens so I can take better photos indoors during those cold dark winter months when we're not outside as much. I love my 50mm f/1.4, but I need something that allows me to get a bit closer to the kids and not be shooting straight up their noses.

9. Melissa Button Frye boots - I need these boots in my life, STAT. I've been wanting them forever and ever amen. Please Santa. 

10. Bay leaf wreath - Slightly weird, but I'm obsessed with these gorgeous bay leaf wreaths. I love the smell of bay leaves and fresh herbs and want to hang one of these babies from every single door and window in my house. 

11. Ray-Bans Rimless Aviators - These sunglasses are my all-time favorites. For some reason, the rimless frames are the only ones that look good on my face and don't look like they're drooping down to my chin. I want them in every color/shade they come in. I already have the original, but these brown/gold ones are next on my list.  

12. Tieks - Again, something that I already own, but can't get enough of. If you're wondering if they're worth the price...yes, they absolutely are. I have the mustard yellow color and now want them in hot pink, leopard, black matte, gold and tan. Give me all the Tieks. 

What's on the top of your wishlist this year?

Holiday Favorites & Minted Giveaway

Now that Halloween is behind us, it's finally acceptable to start thinking about the holidays, which will be here before you know it. I've put together a little collage of some of my favorite home and family holiday items, from stockings to jammies and wrapping paper to ornaments. Plus, stick around until the end to win one of two $125 gift certificates to Minted to order you own holiday cards, photo gifts or art. 

1:: Merry & Bright Christmas Stockings - I love these bright colorful stockings from Pottery Barn Kids. They're so fun and happy without being overly juvenile or cheesy. That white one with the pom pom trim! LOVE. 

2:: Mixed Plaid Plates - How awesome are these mixed plaid salad plates? I love that you could use them on their own, or paired with a solid colored plate as an accent on your table. These plates make me want to throw a dinner party. 

3:: Naughty or Nice Stemless Wine Glass - I totally need a set of these wine glasses in my life...and fill them all the way up to the naughty line!

4:: Most Wonderful Time Painted Art - Right now Minted has some of the prettiest simple art prints for the holidays. I adore this "Wonderful" print from one of my favorite songs (it reminds me of my mom...she says this line all the time). I also really love this reindeer names print with the gold foil print.

5:: Glad Tidings Ornaments - Land of Nod has some ridiculously fun holiday decorations and ornaments this year. I'm in love with these colorful round Merry, Joy and Fa La La ornaments. They also have these adorable woodland animals ornaments and these colorful classic rainbow ornaments. These make me want to throw out my current green/brown/gold ornaments and do a fun, bright colorful one! 

6:: Williams-Sonoma Peppermint Bark - This stuff is a staple in our house around the holidays. I've tried making my own peppermint bark for years, but I can never quite recreate this classic iconic taste. They have this product nailed. It's also one of my favorite gifts to give because everyone loves it! If you want to get crazy this year, try the peppermint bark cookies, brownies or pretzels! 

7:: Minted Holiday Cards - One of my absolute favorite things about the holidays is exchanging holiday cards with friends and family. I tend to go all out with our cards and totally obsess over them for DAYS. I have fallen in love with Minted cards because the selection is awesome and the quality is outstanding - they're thick and sturdy and the print/color quality is amazing. I love clean, simple, classic cards and it takes me forever to narrow down my favorites because there are so many good ones. I also love all the little "extras" that Minted offers, like lined envelopes, coordinating return address labels and the option to put extra photos and text of the back of the card. Plus, they're also offering FREE recipient envelope addressing! That's going to save me so much time! As soon as I get our family photos back from our photographer, I can't wait to lock myself in my home office with a bottle of wine and pick our card. A few of my favorites right now are this letterpress Festive Foilage, Merrier Than Ever, Christmas Sparkles, Laurel of Pines, Funky Quartet and Sure is Bright. 

8:: Holiday Wrapping Paper - I love wrapping all the gifts we give in coordinating wrapping paper. The last couple years I've been guilty of picking through the crappy leftover wrapping paper tubes at Target and praying to find a couple rolls that aren't horrible tacky and look somewhat good together. Plus, Santa tends to wrap each kids' presents all in one color or style of paper, so thinking ahead is key. This year I'm going to order a couple of these 4-pack jumbo sets of wrapping paper so I won't be stuck with leftovers. 

9:: Personalized Ornament - If you like getting each kid a personalized ornament each year, I'm loving these adorable personalized animal ornaments from Land of Nod. Mac needs that penguin ornament and Mimmy needs the kitty. 

10:: Holiday Helper Advent Calendar - I adore this advent calendar. The one we have (this one) is nice, but the pockets aren't really big enough for treats or toys. This advent calendar from Land of Nod is so cute, colorful and fun! Plus, you can buy it fully stocked with a toy for each day! (or you could just by the 25 toys, if you want to stuff your own)

11:: Santa's Message Milk & Cookies - How cute is this set of dishes for leaving milk/cookies for Santa and treats for the reindeer? Plus, there bottom of the plate is chalkboard so Santa can leave a message for your kids after eating the cookies. My kids would flip! This would also make a really cute family gift for friends or neighbors with kids. 

12:: Holiday Lights Garland - What's not to love about this fun garland that will add a bright pop of color to your mantle, doorway or wall. Heck, you could even put it on your tree! 

13:: Hanna Andersson All Is Bright Jammies - There's basically nothing I love more than my children in matching jammies. It's a crazy obsession for me that runs deep and we take advantage of weekly. We don't even need a special occasion to match! And while Kickee Pants jammies will always and forever be my absolute favorite jammies, I really do love these bright, colorful and festive holiday jams for the ENTIRE FAMILY from Hanna. We have quite a few HA jams and they're excellent quality. 

14:: Cocktails Pillow - This pillow is speaking my love language. Enough said. 

15:: Believe Garland - I love this classic, simple pennant garland with the word BELIEVE. It's like the Polar Express reminding me to keep the faith. This needs to be on my mantle this year. 

Minted Giveaway!

And because I love you all so much and want you to have the same (intoxicating) experience picking out the most amazing holiday cards ever, I'm giving away TWO gift certificates to Minted for $125 each! All you have to do is go HERE (or click on the photo below) and enter your email address to enter! Open to U.S. residents only. 

And if you just can't wait - use the code CHEER to get 15% off all Minted holiday cards now through November 7th. 

*Special thanks to Minted for inspiring this post and sponsoring the giveaway. 

Date Night Gift Package & Giveaway from Uncommon Goods

Instead of the traditional Father's Day gift of a tie or mug, I decided to go with something a bit different this year to shake things up a bit. My husband is a gear junkie and already has nearly everything he could want or need in the fishing/hunting/camping/golfing areas, so I wanted to get him something that we could use to have fun together, whether at home or out of the house (get your mind out of the gutter!). As parents of little kids with full-time jobs and lots of hobbies, it's hard to find time to spend together. Last year we made a committment to have more date nights - ones where we left the house and didn't spend the entire time talking nonstop about the kids - and while we did a good job at first, more and more we started skipping them in order to get things done around the house or try to get caught up on work. Or when we did make it out of the house together, all we did was discuss the kids and worry about all the things on our to do lists (ok, that might just be me). And while sometimes that's fine (I mean, I gotta get stuff done), I also know how important it is to focus on our marriage and make sure we stay connected on a level that's different than just being mom and dad. 

So, with that in mind, I decided to put together a little "Date Night" gift package for Ryan , to get us out of our dating rut and force us to do some fun and unexpected things.  First off, I worked out an arrangement with our nanny for three nights of babysitting over the next few months so he and I could have a couple date nights. Woo hoo! Then, I put together a package of fun games and activities from Uncommon Goods that we could play during dinners out or even at home, once the kids were in bed, over a glass (or six) of wine. The games range from trick questions and word games, to more traditional conversation starters and discussion topics. Plus, I threw in a fun game for us to play with friends (about our phones), for when we have a double date with one of our favorite couple-friends (scheduled for July!) and a Date Night Bucket List barrel full of date night ideas and activities to inspire us to try some new things. (psst...they also have a Family Fun Bucket List that would be a blast to do with your kids)

Ryan and I had our first date night this past weekend and we got to try out a few of the games. We took the Word Teasers - Old Wives Tales game and the Table Topics game with us to dinner at a new Spanish restaurant we've been wanting to try out. Initially, I think Ryan was a bit apprehensive when I pulled all these cards out of my purse and told him we were going to play a game, but he quickly warmed up (he's a good sport) and after a few questions we were cracking up and talking about topics we've never really discussed together (ghostly encounters, retirement aspirations, favorite teachers, most influential books, etc.). The Table Topics game was a huge hit and we spent nearly two hours asking each other question after question, which inevitably lead to more questions and I learned so about my husband. I got the "original" version of the game, but they also have eight other variations on this, all with different topics and audiences (couples, teens, family, girl's night out, etc.). How fun would it be to get the Girl's Night Out one and try it with friends on your next girl's night or trip? (Hint hint, Tahoe ladies..)  

Even though the Table Topics game was a huge hit, I'm really excited to try this Game of Phones, which is basically a scavenger hunt on your smartphone! The prompts I looked at include things like asking everyone to show the last photo they took, funniest nickname for a contact, finding the weirdest Google image for your name, see who's parents will text back the quickest and create an emoji story. You earn points and the person with the most points at the end of the game wins (maybe free drinks?). I think Game of Phones will be so much fun to play with a group of friends or on a double date. 

The other game we haven't tried yet is the Trick Question game. However, I checked out some of the cards and they're good brain-teasers and play on word questions that require you to think outside the box. This one requires you to be quick and clever and I think it would be fun to play and discuss possible answers with a couple teammates. Definitely a fun one to play with family and it'll be going to the farm with us the next time we go visit my parents. I have a feeling my little brother is going to dominate in this one. 

Lastly, in the date night gift package, I gave Ryan one last item, mainly for us to use at home. This Smartphone Projector is a really cool DIY gadget that will turn your smartphone into a movie projector, so we can watch all those adorable iPhone videos of the kids on a big wall in our house. I absolutely love this idea, because we've both been trying to take more videos of the kids, but then they live on our phones and we don't get to share them with anyone (or even each other). With Ryan taking more videos of Mac fishing and me downloading my silly snaps of the kids throughout the day, I think this is a great way for us to be able to watch the videos together without huddling over a tiny phone screen or me having to do a ton of work uploading them all, putting them in iMovie and all that. I'm really excited about this one and can't wait to be able to throw videos of the kids up on the wall for our parents, as well. 

I am so happy with the way this little date night gift package turned out and I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Uncommon Goods. This is a company that is committed to sustainability and prides itself on carrying unique and creative products that are socially and environmentally responsible. Since their founding, they've featured products that contain recycled components and have not sold any products containing leather, features or fur. Their goal is to sell nothing that harms any animal or human. In addition, they created a program called Better to Give, which allows customers to select a non-profit at checkout, which will receive a $1 donation from the company after every purchase. 

No matter who you're shopping for, Uncommon Goods has some of the most unique, creative and fun gifts out there. The site is searchable by gender, age, interest (beer, foodie, sports, gardener, hostess, etc.). Uncommon Goods is also really awesome at curating fantastic gift guides/collections to help you pick from the overwhelming selection of amazing products on their websites. Some of my favorite collections for the men in your life (husbands, boyfriends, dads, brothers, uncles, and guy friends) are the Anniversary Gifts for Him collection (HERE), the Boyfriend gift collection (HERE) and the Birthday Guy collection (HERE). Why is it that guys are so much harder to shop for, anyway? 

Table Topics // Awkward Moments

Marital Bliss // Let's Play Doctor

WhatchmaDRAWit // Kwizniac Trivia

And because I love you and want you to have a fun date night with your partner in crime (or just the chance to get an amazing gift for yourself or someone special), I'm pairing up with Uncommon Goods to give away a $50 gift certificate to their website. Use the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win! Good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* I received the items reviewed free of charge from Uncommon Goods in exchange for my honest review and feedback. I was not compensated in any way for this post. All opinions expressed and the incredibly dorky love of games and trivia are all mine. 

Mac's Fishing Fourth Birthday

It was no surprise to anyone, that when Mac turned four he requested a "fishing" birthday party. Fishing has quickly become an obsession for him and it's his absolute favorite thing to do. He comes by this honestly, as it's also his dad's absolute favorite thing to do. It warms my heart to see the two of them share such an incredible love for fishing and bond over the shared experience they have fishing together. Ryan is such a patient teacher and I've been so surprised by how quickly Mac has picked up on the proper techniques and tricks of fishing, whether it's fly fishing or with a spinning rod. That kid's been casting for two years now and he's good! So, I was really excited to craft a party around his love of fishing and give him the opportunity to share that experience with his little friends.

We decided to have the party at a local park, close to our house that has a nice lake and a big pavilion with a dock next to the water. We drive by this park every day on the way to Mac's nursery school, so when I told him we were having his birthday party there, he got really excited about the lake and all the ducks and geese we always see. We had the party on a Wednesday evening, instead of a weekend, when the park would be less crowded. I was a bit concerned that no one would be able to make such a random time, but surprisingly, everyone loved the idea of a weekday evening party, which wouldn't take up a weekend and would fill those crazy hectic evening hours. We served giant hot dogs and sides, so no one would have to rush home for dinner and basically just let the kids run wild and burn all that energy kids have at the end of the day. I'm pretty sure everyone slept like a rock that night! 

I ordered the cutest Gone Fishin invites from Minted, which turned out better than I could have imagined! I absolutely love the little fishing vest on the front and all the ways to personalize the invites on the back. I added a few photos of Mac fishing to the back with some info on the party and the fishing situation. We asked that everyone bring their own fishing poles and tackle, but we also brought a few extra rods and a giant bucket of worms for the kids to use. As for the decorations, we didn't need much, so we kept it pretty simple. I got some green and brown helium balloons, along with a giant fish balloon and a giant number 4. I put some bobbers around the cake, which the kids could use to fish if they needed one. I also ordered a camping sign from Minted's "Campsite" party decor suite and a pennant banner from the "Wooded" suite, which I customized to say "Happy Birthday." Both of these turned out super cute and I love that we'll be able to use them again in the future. For party favors, I wrapped boxes of Swedish Fish with baker's twine and added a bobber - easy as pie and they turned out super cute. 

As for the fishing, it was a big hit! The kids and the parents (particularly the dads) absolutely loved fishing during the party! This was the first time that many of the kids had ever fished, so they were pretty excited about it. The lake at the park was full of little bluegill and sunfish, so a lot of the kids caught their very first fish ever! How cool is that?! Ryan stayed busy during the entire party, helping kids cast, baiting hooks, untangling knots and keeping everyone from hooking each other in the face. The lawyer in me was a little concerned about this and I considered having everyone sign a liability waiver upon arrival, but decided to chill the hell out and just have a beer and not watch instead.   

I wasn't sure if all the kids would want to fish, so we also set up some tents in the lawn next to the pavilion and let the kids play in them during the party. Ryan was pretty skeptical about the tents, but they turned out to be big hits and the kids loved playing in them! Although, some kids thought they were broken bounce houses and a few times the tents turned into preschool wrestling pits with all the kids tackling each other and bouncing off the walls. We also set up the bubble machine and put out a bunch of those bubble tubes for the kids to play with. And if all else failed, there were a couple dozen geese and ducks around that the kids could chase! The ducks actually invaded the pavilion and attempted to help themselves to dinner, much to the delight of the kids.

The final thing Mac requested for his party was a pinata. He went to a birthday party a few weeks ago where they had a pinata and he hasn't stopped talking about it. He ended up being the one to bust it open at that party, so I think he felt a little like the party hero and wanted to do that again. I was a bit worried about what would happen if he wasn't the one to break the pinata as his party, but it all worked out and he once again broke it open and he stood there with pride as the candy rained down on his people. It was hilarious watching all the kids try to bust this thing, which was nearly impossible with the wimpy little plastic bat I brought to hit it with (my fault). 

But I think Mac's favorite part of the party was the cake, which was adorable and delicious! Mac loved everyone singing Happy Birthday to him and the big smile on his face made it all worth it. I've never seen him turn that shade of red, but you could tell he loved every second of the attention! Ryan got a great video of him beaming from ear to ear while all his friends surrounded him and sang. It's the cutest thing ever. 

It was a great party! A big thanks to all our friends and family that made it out to celebrate our special guy with us. He had the best time and can't wait to turn five so he can do it again!

Happy 4th birthday, Mac!

*I was provided with invitations and party decor from Minted in exchange for my honest review and feedback. All opinions and love for Minted is entirely my own. Giveaway sponsored by Minted.