These times are hard. Covid-19 is here, there, and everywhere… and it’s taking its toll. Physically and emotionally, we’re all feeling it in one way or another. This includes our tiny humans. Many are now in orders to shelter in place, while the rest of us have been instructed to practice social distancing with little to no outside interaction. No school. No play dates. No trips to the playground. It’s stressful and exhausting – but it’s necessary. As parents, we are desperately trying to entertain and secure some sort of normalcy for our children while being socially responsible people.
I am so excited to share with you that Pixar has decided to release their newest film, Onward, for digital purchase TODAY – March 20, 2020 and on April 3, 2020 they will be adding it to the Disney+ line up.
In ONWARD, teenage elf brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot (voices of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt) get an unexpected opportunity to spend one more day with their late dad, embarking on an extraordinary quest aboard Barley’s epic van Guinevere. Like any good quest, their journey is filled with magic spells, cryptic maps, impossible obstacles and unimaginable discoveries. But when the boys’ fearless mom Laurel (voice of Julia Louis-Dreyfus) realizes her sons are missing, she teams up with a part-lion, part-bat, part-scorpion, former warrior – aka The Manticore (voice of Octavia Spencer) – and heads off to find them. Perilous curses aside, this one magical day could mean more than any of them ever dreamed.
Something fun and new for your families to enjoy SAFELY FROM YOUR HOMES.
While you’re at it, they have provided these amazing new Onward coloring and activity sheets to enjoy some creative, screen free time, as well.
Note: We were provided with a complimentary screening for this movie. All opinions are my own.
The phenomenon that kicked off the world singing about how “Everything is Awesome!” Is back, and while it is an adventurous, heartwarming story about how “Everything. Was. Awesome” and is now a story of how “everything is not awesome”, let me reassure you now – this movie, the sequel to 2014’s The LEGO Movie, is indeed… wait for it… AWESOME. This is my spoiler-free review of The LEGO® Movie 2: The Second Part.
The LEGO® Movie 2: The Second Part is a solid movie that picks up right from the moment its original story left off, and takes us on a brand new adventure that still finds a way to surprise and amaze – Specifically, in ways I would not have imagined possible in a sequel following a movie that ends with such a surprise on what is actually going on in the world of Emmet. It does this better than I could have asked in any sequel: The LEGO Movie 2 fully embraces the audience already does know what is going on to control the world around Emmet and his friends, and runs full speed ahead embracing this knowledge. By doing so, The LEGO Movie 2 feels completely different in ways than its original film, self-referencing itself and making all new kinds of jokes to its own situation, that it could not have in the first movies until its apex where you find what all is really going on. I could not have asked for better in a sequel like this – and yet, by doing so I would have to highly recommend anyone watching the LEGO Movie 2 make sure to watch 2014’s The LEGO Movie first, and if they haven’t seen it recently – go watch it again first. While there is enough general fun humor, not to mention pop references GALORE (especially if it has ever been a franchise created in LEGO!), you’ll certainly appreciate this movie so much more if the various character backstories are fresh in your head walking in to this sequel.
That said, I was very pleased with how this movie appreciated what has happened to each character with the turn of events that transition from the first to this new movie, how they have each adapted (or perhaps not adapted?!) to the change in environment and the adventure to come through this film. I have to applaud the writers of The LEGO Movie 2 for clearly taking the time to embrace what each character would become in the events between these two movies, from Emmet, to Lucy, Benny, Unikitty, LEGO Batman, and all the others from the original (I’m talking to you, Mrs. Scratchen-Post!). And rest assured, we are equally at home with newcomer key characters like Rex Dangervest (without spoilers, let’s just say this guy is legit the embodiment of every non-Emmet character voiceover master Chris Pratt has ever played on the big and small screen!!), and Queen Watevra Wa’Nabi (voiced by Tiffany Haddish, this new character embraces a level of character personification with LEGO that I remember doing as a kid, without the need for traditional minifig bodies to lock them down – would you believe in this film she manages to shapeshift into 40 distinctly different looks?! Love it!).
Beyond our lead roles, The LEGO Movie 2 also does well to embrace the vast world of LEGO itself, especially its huge range of both original and licensed characters and universes. Of its 523 unique characters in the movie, kids of all ages who have ever played with LEGO are guaranteed to find a smile in even niche references to LEGO characters they may have long forgotten about, or never knew was ever even made. Beyond that, as mentioned there are pop culture references that are sure to delight just about everyone. There was one particular reference to an entire list of franchises all related to a particular theme that made laugh out loud SO much, along with the laughter of fellow adults around me Which reference it is I’ll omit to avoid spoilers, but I so wish I could call out right now! Pop culture fans need to watch this movie, just to join in with me on this particular joke! I’m smirking right now typing this several days after my screening, thinking back to this particular reference.
And in the end, that’s what this movie is mostly about. It fully acknowledges the jokes and self-references to the lifestyle of LEGO that makes it so great and runs with it. And while the first movie did this so well, The LEGO Movie 2 takes it to a whole new level by further acknowledging that the audience now knows what is truly going on in the greater ecosystem and takes both its emotional rollercoaster and hysterical humor full blast using this knowledge. I could not have asked for any better in a sequel – because The LEGO Movie 2 does exactly what the first LEGO Movie has done with embracing why we as kids and kids-at-heart love about the play of LEGO, and continues to run with it while still managing to surprise us with its plot. My ten year old summarized his thoughts on the movie best, describing his thoughts on the movie as “so funny, but still found a way to teach us a great lesson. And its about being nice to your family, so that’s even better!” The LEGO® Movie 2: The Second Part is a family-friendly film that is worth a watch in theaters, as well as ownership when it later his home video. It complements the wonderful story of The LEGO Movie, and vastly expands its universe in the way only LEGO can.
Oh.. and if you thought Everything is Awesome was catchy, wait until you hear the soundtrack in this film. Remember how I said this movie fully embraces what made the first movie so great? Warner Animation Group managed to apply this to their “catchy” songs in this movie in the most self-referential way possible too! Get your Amazon Music / Spotify / Apple Music playlists ready folks, your kids will be asking you to playlist songs from this too (and if you’re like me you might hit play on these songs even without the kids around).
With 5 boys (6 if you include my husband..) Star Wars is a HUGE hit in our house. Though, truth be told, I loved Star Wars long before I had kids. Always a Leia fan, and a huge sucker for those Ewoks. (Wicket is life!!)
Naturally, this means we love anything related to Star Wars, especially Star Wars Day on May the 4th! I was thrilled when I received these fun printable activities for the new movie “Solo” to help celebrate this May!
I hope you and your kids enjoy them as much as we do! (Click on link below each photo to get saveable image)
Happy World Penguin Day!! We love those tuxedo clad flightless birds in our house!
It is with great honor, on a day like today, that I get to share with you that a company I already love for their dedication to the environment, food, and the well being of humans — is sponsoring the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program.
Stonyfield has begun a year long mission to bring awareness to this program. Through the Stonyfield YoKids’ sponsorship of the SAFE program, they will support conservation efforts of TEN (!!) endangered species — Including the African Penguin! What better day to kick this all off than World Penguin Day?! They even hosted a fun interactive FB Live broadcast on the Stonyfield Facebook Page, Live from Mystic Aquarium’s Penguin Encounter.
As part of their efforts to bring awareness to the cause and educate not only parents, but the future generation on the importance of saving our endangered species, Stonyfield YoKids’s packaging will feature most of the AZA SAFE species, as well as an on-package offer to bring families to AZA accredited Zoos and Aquariums. From now through September 2017, families that purchase TWO (2) specially marked YoKids multipacks will receive a FREE kids admission to their local AZA accredited Zoo or Aquarium! (There are 131!! Click here to find one near you!)
Even better news for parents! You arent just helping endangered species when you purchase YoKids yogurt! You’re giving your kids a USDA certified Organic, non-GMO yogurt that now has 40% less sugar than the leading low-fat kids yogurt brand!! Available in cups, squeezers and smoothies, you’re bound to find one (or many) your kids will love.
While you wait for your kids to finish their yogurts and planning your trip to your local zoo or aquarium, spend a few minutes checking out these other resources about Stonyfield’s sponsorship of the AZA SAFE program and also watch these super cute videos!
There you are, a new mom. You’ve got a squishy, perfect baby in your arms. You smell their head and snap a million and one photos. “Time is fleeting. Enjoy them while they’re little.” This phrase is one you hear so frequently. As I sit here now, with a pre-teen and a newborn, (and practically every age in between..) it hit me.. Enjoy them while they’re little because…
All too soon that sweet baby smell you loved so much is gone. What remains is sweat. Yep. Sweat. Trust me, you won’t be leaning in to take a deep breath of that. You’ll spend your time at the grocery store looking for any and every air freshener or deodorizer (I recommend Fresh Wave !!), you become fond of candles, you research which laundry detergent is best at odor removal, you suddenly realize why your grandmother has a love of potpourri, and you leave presents of deodorant and bath soap around the house just hoping they find it.
The adorable clothes? Replaced with screen print tees, hoodies, and run down athletic shoes. (Those also smell.. Did I mention Fresh Wave? They have little odor absorbing packets to put in shoes!) They might cave and let you pick out an outfit for family photos.. But I assure you, more than once you will receive raised brows, tantrums, and eyes rolls. “MOM! Seriously? Why can’t I wear my tennis shoes?” Enjoy your matching outfits now, it doesn’t last forever..
Mealtime. The days of gourmet baby food are gone. One day you’re dicing organic fruits and veggies, throwing them in the baby bullet, freezing them in organized ice cube trays, so pleased with your dietary rainbow. Suddenly, they’re eating you out of house and home.. But! Only if it’s on their list of currently approved, ever-changing, this-better-not-be-vegetables, foods. Preferably fried..
Toys. Oh the toys. You used to have cute little stuffed animals and shape sorters. Eventually they’d get into dolls and Legos.. Then all too quickly, it takes a sharp turn. “Toys? We don’t want toys! We want tablets, laptops, phones, drones, and cameras.” I’m fortunate that my boys like books as well, but that doesn’t mitigate their desire for all things tech.
Their rooms. Once a sweet nursery you spent months planning, organizing, and decorating.. It’s now the forbidden land of deceased toys and laundry. Sometimes, I question where all the stuff came from? I could not possibly have allowed that much *stuff* to accumulate, could I? Don’t think you can just clean it up, though. I mean, it’s “organized chaos” to them — and heaven forbid you want to throw anything away.
Time is fleeting, moms. Enjoy them while they’re (letting you dress them, smelling good, easy to clean up after, and content playing with boxes) little.
I just had baby number five. FIVE. I’m well seasoned in this mom game and newborns are like second nature to me at this point. I can translate cries easily and change diapers faster than Mark Zuckerburg. I know that newborns tend to want 3 things: Food, clean diapers, and to be cuddled. This is where swaddling comes in.
My previous two babies had an exaggerated Moro Reflex. I am going to guess many of you haven’t heard of a “Moro Reflex” but perhaps know it as a “startle reflex” — or perhaps you don’t know it as anything and just think your newborn is a particularly jumpy little human. The Moro Reflex is a reflex typically found in newborns – usually present until baby is around 3-5 months. It’s a natural response to the feeling of falling, or a sudden loss of support. Baby will flare their arms out, contract them back in, and fuss or cry.
Think about it, when you depend solely on someone else holding you and supporting you, and suddenly you feel like that support is gone, you’d panic a little too. This often happens while babies sleep, and frequently startles them awake. My boys would have this reaction if you even walked while holding them.. Just imagine what nights were like. Until our pediatrician recommended swaddling. It gives babies that feeling of security and combats that reflex action. I knew how to swaddle and did it sometimes, but it wasn’t something I was religious about. Especially at night. All that blanket wrapping and tucking, making sure baby was positioned correctly, things were snug but not TOO snug. Then the moment you aced it, baby would poop and you’d have to undo your efforts and start over again. We found a couple blanket options that were said to make all of this easier.. But they either didn’t fit right or they were just as inconvenient. However, swaddling was the best comfort for our babies when they were in that Moro Reflex stage. Well, that and the feeling of being held.
When baby number five came along, I got an email from Nested Bean asking if I’d be interested in trying one of their weighted swaddle blankets. The Zen Swaddle. I was familiar with the brand (hello: did I me ion I’m addicted to baby products?) but I’d never used it before. The idea intrigued me, but I wasn’t quite sure how it would work for us for a couple reasons. First, I had used Velcro swaddles before, and like I said.. Hadn’t had much luck with them. Second, my newest baby was a “small for gestational age” low birthweight baby. Surely these blankets would be much too big for him, at a little under 5 pounds. Knowing how our previous babies were, however — and the fact that I don’t judge one product on my experience with another — I decided to give them a try.
I have never been more happy with a decision. Ever. When it first arrived, my first observations were aesthetic. It was so cute! I mean, if you’re going to put an adorable squishy baby in something, it should at least be cute, right?!?
The next thing I noticed was the instructions for using it on a smaller baby. WHAT?! Yes!! I followed the directions and was amazed that it fit! Wonderfully. Snug where it needed to be snug, relaxed where it needed to be relaxed. A good, SAFE swaddle for my tiny little man! (Yes. As with all things baby related, there are safe and unsafe ways of swaddling.) I was very happy at this point.
The only thing better was when I got baby to sleep, set him down in his crib, and he slept there for two SOLID hours. I would be lying if I said I didn’t go in and check on him a million times. He’d never slept that long out of my arms since we brought him home!
The Zen swaddle has 3 sections of weighted beans. One on the chest, mimicking a hand resting on baby. Then one on each side of baby. They feel held and snuggled while swaddled. I imagine this is what contributed to his sudden willingness to sleep on his own for that duration of time! It also calms him down, even when I don’t necessarily need him to sleep. Wrap him up into a Zen swaddle burrito, give him his pacifier, and suddenly all is right in the world.
The fabric is so soft. The Velcro is STRONG. (My only advise is, don’t swaddle on something it can stick to. It will stick! Hahaha!!) It works for babies of a wide variety of sizes. It says 0-6 months.. It very likely will last most babies that duration of time! It’s one of my favorite baby staples. Likely a product I will include in baby shower gifts and recommend to new moms! “This! Go buy this! You’ll thank me later!!”
Note: Nested Bean provided me with a Zen Swaddle to review. My opinions are my own and I was not otherwise compensated.
There are many side effects of pregnancy that no one really focuses on. Everyone commiserates about nausea and heartburn, how their bladder now resembles an over-filled water balloon, and how swelling and the inability to bend over have made flip flops the only shoe option.
Let’s talk about digestion for a second. Pregnancy makes our digestive track work slower than a slug racing a snail. Unfortunately, this brings on a whole bunch of fun other side effects. Constipation? Hemorrhoids? Ugh. Best part? These are things I that don’t miraculously fix themselves the moment you deliver your baby like many of the other above symptoms do.
Enter the new Premama Digestive Aid chews. I received these from Premama and Mom Select a few weeks before giving birth and they not only helped immensely during those last couple weeks.. But they were fabulous immediately postpartum. That “please don’t make me use the bathroom..” phase was a bit less terrible!
It’s a simple vanilla flavored caramel. Uh. Yes, you read that right. It’s like candy. Candy that helps your digestive track function like a normal human. WHAT?!? I know. My mind was blown. We love Premama prenatal vitamins because it allows us to take the vitamins without feeling like we’re taking them. This is the same! Like a special treat that helps your body work. It’s not only a fiber source, but a probiotic as well. So, while you’re suddenly feeling better — your body is defending itself better, too!
Trust me, this is a product you will want to take during pregnancy — and you’ll definitely want to pack it in your hospital bag! Plus, just stock up on it for postpartum as well. I would even say you don’t need to be pregnant or postpartum to take them. I mean, it’s just fiber and probiotic. Who couldn’t use that in their life?!
Note: Premama Digestive Aid was provided to me to review by Premama and Mom Select. My opinions are my own and I was not otherwise compensated.
Note: I was provided admission to a screening of this film for this review. All opinions stated are my own.
Well, hello there! It’s time for another edition of Dad’s Diaper Bag Confessions, guest posts brought to you by the male contributory arm of The Diaper Bag Confessions. In this post, I’ll share with you my SPOILER-FREE review of Disney Pixar’s Finding Dory.
I know many of you want to know the answers to a couple big questions. So, channeling my day job where I often have to take big complex situations and summarize into straight-forward executive summaries, here’s what I think most of you want to know:
Is this movie good = YES
Is this a proper sequel to the excellent Disney Pixar classic “Finding Nemo” = YES
Will my kids enjoy this movie = YES
Okay, now that you know the big points, let’s dig into this big list of “YES” Or is it.. “Nope! Nope! Nope! Nope!” (not a spoiler per-se, just an inside joke you’ll be in-on after you see the film) 🙂
Is this movie good?
Oh man is this movie good. Disney Pixar has been knocking hits out of the park for a long time now, so we all know to expect some level of greatness with every release. But for me some Pixar animated films are great, some are amazing, and some are epic. Finding Dory fits somewhere between amazing and epic!
Finding Dory has all the components of the best Pixar films… Captivating story? You got it. Witty and hilarious one-liners? Absolutely. In fact, it’s taking all my being to not quote them all here! I guarantee when you exit the theater though, you’ll be exclaiming all the silly character-defining lines that are running through my head as I type this!
Finding Dory carries forward the Pixar tradition of top-notch voice talent, welcoming Ellen DeGeneres (“The Ellen DeGeneres Show”) and Albert Brooks (“This is 40”) back to the sea as favorite fish Dory and Marlin. Joining the crew for this sequel includes Ed O’Neill (“Modern Family”), who lends his voice to “septopus” Hank, Kaitlin Olson (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) who voices whale shark Destiny, and Ty Burrell (“Modern Family”) voicing beluga whale Bailey. Portraying Dory’s parents Charlie and Jenny are Eugene Levy (“Schitt’s Creek”) and Diane Keaton (“Love the Coopers”). And while the story takes place not long after the events of Finding Nemo, we are talking 13 real-life years later. So we welcome 12-year-old Hayden Rolence (“Beta Persei”) who stepped in to help bring Nemo to life. And each of these characters, new and old, animate on-screen with such realism and intrigue, where you can see the hard work of Pixar’s many animation teams pay off in a great way for the entire cast on-screen!
Is this a proper Finding Dory sequel?
This is what I am pretty sure most of us are watching for, at least among us who were old enough in 2003 to appreciate the depth of Finding Nemo’s heart-wrenching story (see what I did there? Ocean deep joke… Anyway..). I was more than relieved as the story unfolded, where we pick up not long after Finding Nemo left off. This time, the focus turns to our favorite Blue Tang Fish, in an epic adventure where she endeavors to find her family – and as an effect, herself. Finding Nemo was a heartstring-pulling, family-appreciating, family adventure whose story stands today as one of the most memorable among any animated film to-date. It would take an equally warming tale to truly do justice to Finding Nemo’s great storyline, and Finding Dory certainly EXCEEDS this standard. It unashamedly structures as a true sequel to Finding Nemo, even though the spotlight is truly for Dory this time around. Because it isn’t afraid to acknowledge itself as a sequel, Pixar was clearly focused on making it the best darn sequel that could be made for Nemo. It succeeds in answering so many questions in the Finding Nemo universe about Dory, even several questions I’ll bet you didn’t even knew you wanted to know about her!
Another thing that was big to me as a Finding Nemo and general Pixar fan, I was curious to see how they would handle the major advancements in digital animation between 2003 and 2016. The untrained eye might not have taken any notice, but because digital animation has evolved SO MUCH in the past decade I truly believe many of us would notice if Pixar had simply done one of two very-valid options: Maintain a 2003-like animation quality & style to closely resemble what Finding Nemo looked like… Or just go all-in and acknowledge it’s 2016, and animate the sequel as such. I really believe the problem with the latter is that, whether we know it up-front or not, making a sequel 13 years later look as much better as animated movies in 2016 look, will take away from the plot that is supposed to occur not long after the original story.
Instead, Pixar appears to do something pretty magical (as Disney movies do) where they blend an animation style that mimics very much what Finding Nemo looked like, but with just enough added detail that is possible in today’s standards to make you not feel like you’re just watching a decade-old film. But then, there are several scenes, particularly outside open ocean waters, that pull us in with so much fine detail and quality even more than the best digitally animated films of today – all while somehow blending back-and-forth without feeling like any of this is going on! I may be overthinking this, but I will say however they did it, they managed to pull off managing the risk of an animated sequel nearly a decade-and-a-half later.. Both in story and in technical advancement!
Will my kids like this movie?
Have you seen her?
I get the idea behind it, but I am surprised to hear a lot of people out there wondering if anyone as a kid after the 90’s or so, those who were old enough to understand Finding Nemo when it came out, would even enjoy this movie. All I should have to say is a quick reminder that this is a Disney Pixar movie after all – you know they’ll all love it! Will they get every joke or reference if they’ve never heard Dory “just keep swimming”? No, but that won’t stop them from appreciating Dory’s innocent lovability! Plus, this film is full of new characters, such as the “septopus” Hank, whale shark Destiny, and beluga whale Bailey – all those fun new characters stand on their own in this story! We took our youngest two (of 4) boys to see this movie, at the ages of 2 and 4 that I can guarantee were not around when the original came out! Sure, they have seen Finding Nemo at on home video, but at 2 and 4 even if they saw Nemo in theaters at first, Finding Dory would have been just as new to them regardless. This is truly a film for nostalgic Nemo fans to appreciate in parallel to the next generation of Dory fans to join in!
I agree with this so much that I’m sharing with you here a few free printable Finding Dory activities for your littles – enjoy!
So again – You’ll love this movie. Your kids will love this movie. And it more than just did Finding Nemo justice… It gives us a new love and appreciation for Dory’s story that we’ll be referencing for years to come!
Oh, and about the Short
I can’t leave this without a quick comment about the short film featured before Finding Dory. The short — “Piper” – touched my heart and visually fascinated me ALMOST to the fault of distracting my mind for the first couple minutes transitioning into the main attraction. Among my favorite Pixar shorts to date, including For the Birds, La Luna, The Blue Umbrella, and last year’s Lava… Piper is my new top fav. It’s beyond adorable, but what really did it for me was the incredible realism. I couldn’t help but think of how we continue to push the envelope of something artificial looking so real to the extent that you start to lose that clear definition/difference between what’s real and what’s not. There’s something about the ruffles in Piper’s feathers, the bubbles in the water, the sand… Oh the sand… until the birds started making faces in that anthropomorphic way I had to genuinely ask myself whether I was watching animation or video footage, and even then it was subtler unrealism as opposed to say, human-like in Zootopia (also a great film in a different way)! We’ve come a long way, and Disney Pixar is leading the path to the future of our animated entertainment.
And this isn’t a one-off masterpiece – some of these advanced techniques are clearly applied in the great animation we see in Finding Dory itself! I also saw this and Finding Dory in 3D – While Dory looked great in 3D (echolocation Oooh’s coming at ya!), Piper was truly the first animated film in some time that I truly recommend seeing in 3D! The last animation that utilized 3D this effectively was Walt Disney Animation’s “Get a Horse!”. So while most films these days I would suggest saving a few bucks and watching in traditional 2-dimensions, if you’re even somewhat considering it – go watch both “Piper” and “Finding Dory” in 3D!
FINDING DORY is now playing in theaters everywhere!
That time has come. If you’re anything like me, you’ve been anxiously anticipating it. Summer.
There is so much to love about the arrival of summer. The warm sun, allowing for more time outside. (The rare time of the year we Pacific Northwesterners get enough natural vitamin D and maybe even a sun tan?) A break from wrangling children to and from school. More daylight to take advantage of.
This year, I have been anticipating the arrival of summer for quite some time. Summer means the final stretch of this pregnancy. I’m THAT much closer to a baby in my arms and not in my rib cage. Woohoo!
Pregnancy, though.. Pregnancy brings a lot of cravings. Both in food and in life. Summer also allows me to indulge in more of those cravings, too! Like fresh summer berries. My favorite way to eat those berries? Mixed into Stonyfield’s Whole Milk Greek Yogurt.. on top of granola. (My granola cravings vary from Honey Almond to Vanilla.. But the yogurt and berries always stays the same! SO GOOD!) Another summer pregnancy craving has been egg salad. I know, I know. When you swap out the mayo for Stonyfield’s Plain Whole Milk Greek yogurt?? Not only does it fulfill a craving.. but it gives a light, protein packed option that I won’t feel guilty about later! (Especially when you step on the scale!) On crackers or as a sandwich.. such a good summer staple.
What else do I crave? Besides food, I mean? Being able to enjoy the sun outside without overheating in an instant. The last week here has been in the high 80’s and 90’s and those temperatures while 33 weeks pregnant? Yuck. I was able to go outside and enjoy time with my family in the sun thanks to my Quinn dress from prAna. No, it is not maternity, but it slides nicely over the baby bump, even accentuates it in all the right places. I’ll be wearing this for the last short bit of this pregnancy, and then will continue to wear it after! It’s light. Comfortable. Cool.
What sort of summer cravings do you have? Maybe it’s a poolside barbeque with your toes in the water while you enjoy a turkey burger and homemade potato salad? A hike up to a waterfall with a chicken salad picnic lunch? A simple playdate at the park, enjoying your kids and some frozen yogurt? (Great, just typing this all out has me craving every single bit of it…) Whatever it is — Stonyfield and prAna want to help you enjoy it comfortably and in style! They have kindly given all of my reader’s a 15% off code for prana.com
SCS16TRMC ** Code valid June 1- July 7 ** Not valid for Influencers, on Gift Certificates or valid with any other offers
They have also given one of my readers the chance to win a Quinn dress (Just like mine!) of their very own! The perfect dress for summer. Leave me a comment telling me what you crave this summer and how Stonyfield and prAna can help you fill those cravings… then enter using the rafflecopter below. (Open to US Residents Only)
Do you ever think about what is means to “be you”? I always said that I like to “be myself” — but what did that really mean? Then I took a step back and thought about what my me really is. I am a simple, ever moving, busy, go-go-go mom of four. I drive a carpool. I tote a baby with me, in a carrier, everywhere. I am lucky if I get a solid lunch– but it’s mostly just a simple snack, like yogurt, before darting out the door to my next appointment, destination, or errand.
I love style, I love feeling like I made an effort. However, let’s be honest.. comfort is priority. I spend most of my day on the floor playing with my toddler. When I’m not crawling around on the floor… I’m jetting from one appointment to another before I rush to pick my children up from school. That is me.
When we were given the opportunity to participate in the #JustBeYou campaign from prAna and Stonyfield.. it was not a simple task for me. I was trying to select my clothing of choice and I bounced back and forth between a few. There were so many options.. so many possibilities. And then I came across the Meryl Sweater Dress. It was cozy. It was simple and adorable. It would accommodate crawling around on the floor. It would work while babywearing. It would be cute enough to go to appointments to, but comfortable enough to grocery shop in. I could wear it to the park and on a nature walk with my preschooler. It was me. Obviously, it would also pair well with my quick lunch of choice.. the simple yet flavorful Madagascar Vanilla Bean Oh My Yog! Apparently I am a more simplistic person- and I am okay with that. Like the yogurt, I have my kick of flavor in my seemingly basic outward appearance.
prAna is a company that knows who they are. They pride themselves on being sustainable and organic. Comfortable and flexible for whoever you are, wherever your life takes you. They have offered me a way to help you #justbeyou and find your match in their clothing by providing a giveaway to one lucky person, and a 15% discount for all of my readers. Between now and December 15, 2015 you can take 15% off your purchase at prAna.com using the code JBYF15DBC. (Not valid on gift cards or other offers)
Now, for the giveaway! A Special thanks to prAna for providing this giveaway. One lucky person will win their choice of one (1) item up to a $99 value from the organic cotton collection at prAna.com. How amazing is that?? Which item would you choose?? Which item is your “You”?? And — just for fun — which Stonyfield Oh My Yog! flavor would you pair with it? Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.
Note: I am a Stonyfield Farm Ambassador and this post was sponsored by Stonyfield and prAna. I was provided a product for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
