schue love

Dr Oz's Three Day Cleanse: My Review

2013-05-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

I want to preface this by saying, that I've never done a cleanse before. I bought the Master Cleanse Book and was too scared to actually go through with it. I'm not really about starving myself and want to lose weight in a healthy way. So when I saw Alissa's review on Dr. Oz's 3 Day Cleanse, I was definitely intrigued. First of all, Dr Oz seems like a pretty reputable source {I mean, hello Oprah!} and second of all, I trust Alissa, since I know she's a "real" person! ;) Third of all, this is a cleanse that has substance to it. You essentially drink 4 whole shakes which consist of vegetables, fruits, and other fats. No starving involved.

Aside from all of that, I've been really struggling to lose those last 10 pounds from my pregnancy. Nothing seems to work. Just when I think I make progress, I gain 2-3 pounds back. It's been super frustrating. So I figured, this would be a good way to rein in my out of control food proportions {breastfeeding was the culprit here}, curb my sweet tooth, and maybe even lose a couple pounds.

Here's an overview of what's involved:

And here's my review:

Day 1

I started the day with the hot tea and lemon...I skipped the sweetener The breakfast smoothie was yummy! I loved the combo of raspberries, banana and almond butter. Speaking of, how have I never had almond butter?! It's so delicious! I was off to a good start!

The lunch smoothie is one word: DISGUSTING! It's not so much the ingredients...I like apples, cucumber and can tolerate kale...it's the texture. It's really dense and thick and just gross. It took me 3 hours to choke down the first day.

I got pretty hungry between lunch and dinner, so I made myself half of a breakfast smoothie again. And then had the dinner smoothie 2 hours later. The dinner smoothie is not bad...just a little spicy because of the cayenne pepper.

That night I took the epsom salt bath, which was nice, but it's hard to find time to really enjoy it with a small baby around the corner. I did get to bed by 9:30 which is unheard of! I was super tired.

Day 2

Still love the tea and breakfast smoothie and actually look forward to it. I'm not missing caffeine nearly as much as I thought I would.

I reduced the celery to two stalks and used a food processor which helped immensely with the texture. It's not AS bad, but still my least favorite.

I'm still hungry after work, but decide to just eat the raspberries and banana with a little almond butter instead of making the entire shake. I was literally licking the almond butter spoon.

Dinner is the same. I actually had the hardest time with day two. It was hard knowing what I was going into and knowing that today wasn't the last day. I end the day with another bath.

Day 3

SO happy it's the last day! Happily drink my breakfast smoothie and choke down my lunch smoothie. Had the same snack after work and then my dinner smoothie followed by the bath. I notice that I'm not as hungry as the first day and even feel less bloated.

Results

I can't say I felt immensely better...more energized and such. But I did notice my skin seemed a bit clearer, and most importantly, I lost 7 WHOLE POUNDS! Yes, I was shocked to read the scale on the 4th morning. It's been two weeks since I did the cleanse and I've kept five pounds off...not bad for three days. I can already tell that my cravings have been curbed and my proportions are much more in control.

If you're thinking of kick starting a healthy lifestyle, I would recommend this cleanse. I really feel like you can do anything for 3 days...and it's probably best to start at the beginning of the week. I even had a similar breakfast shake on the 4th morning, I was that hooked. Update: I've been having a variety of the shake every morning along with the green tea and lemon. I really do love it!

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions.

xo natasha

Ethan's 9 Month Photo Shoot

2013-05-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

I'm kicking off my weekend by sharing Ethan's 9 month photos! I'm so happy with how these turned out...Darcy of Artyard Photo captured the moment perfectly {as usual!}. I wanted to get outdoors to showcase our spring and incorporate some fun and whimsical details, like the adorable tepee below. We also took some shots in his nursery...totally obsessed with all of them!

Doing high fives!

We adore his Freshly Picked Moccs. They're the best!

I LOVE our tepee! It's by TwoFeetFirst and I highly recommend them! The tepees are made in the states and come customized with the poles. Megan was awesome to work with!

Ethan's Shirt: Zara Pants: Gap My shirt: Zara

Seriously...one of my faves.

Shirt: Zara Pants: Gap

Crawling like crazy!

And we're done! :)

Hope they made you smile today...Happy Friday!

xo natasha

F21 Finds {and Zara too!}

2013-05-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

I'm not a regular Forever 21 shopper...I get way too overwhelmed when I step foot in a store and usually leaved empty handed. But when some of my favorite bloggers, like Andee and Natalie, post about their fabulous finds, I always get hooked. I just bought the following items and love all of them! Better check them out before they sell out!

Popcorn Chain Bracelet

Best $4 I've spent in a long time...this is actually two bracelets, but they're great for layering with gold or silver because of the two tones. I think they look pretty high-end too!

Cheetah Print Top

Such an easy top...I've already worn it with some boyfriend jeans. I also plan to dress it up with slacks for work.

Faceted Spike Studs

These are a little bigger than I anticipated, but they're grown on me now that I've worn them a couple times.

Cutout Floral Midi Dress

How adorable is this dress? I love the length and the little cutout! It's definitely meant for a bustier gal {so sad my BF boobs are gone!} but it's nothing a little alter can't fix!

Another retailer that I love, but don't get to very often is Zara. I love all of their things, but can also sometimes get a bit overwhelmed with all of their inventory. I found this dress on my last trip to SF and love it!

Do you shop at F21 or Zara? What are your favorite finds as of late?

xo natasha

Baby Ethan: Week 46

2013-05-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

Weight: I think somewhere around the 18 pound range?

Health: Pretty healthy, though he's showing a lot of signs of teething. But not new teeth in sight! He hits his cheeks and drools a ton, so I'm thinking they'll show up sooner than later. We'll see!

Sleep: Super hit or miss...but averaging at least one wake up call per night. We hit him with a bottle and he's back down pretty quickly. I'm enjoying the cuddles in the meantime.

Social: He's a social little butterfly! Especially enjoying time with family...and his girlfriend Eden! ;)

Diet: We fed him shredded chicken from the slow cooker last week and he scarfed it down! Trying to be more consistent with proteins, but he loves his raspberries.

Clothes: Officially moving into 12-18 jammies...but still rocking 6-9 month onesies and pants.

Baby Gear Love: Balls! We just found out that he loves balls and will totally throw the ball back and forth. Too cute!

Crying: Never. {I kid}

Likes: He's recently loving to twirl his hair when he drinks his bottle. Love it!

Postpartum: Not too much new to report here! But I am super excited to share Ethan's 9 month photo shoot on Friday! ;)

Milestones: He can officially climb stairs, but not climb down them yet. And as I said above, he throws the ball back and forth. Also, he's been able to drink from a sippy cups. OH! And he loves making a MMMMMMMMMMoo sound, like a cow. Love.

xo natasha

Summer Mantel

2013-05-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

I usually let my spring mantel roll into summer without making too many changes. But this year, I scored a couple fun decor items and was excited to really do it up! We've hosting several summer birthdays and barbecues over the next couple months, so I'm happy to have a fun mantel on display.

I won this awesome tassel garland in a giveaway. It's by Everylane and I love the colors.

I don't know if they're supposed to be this crinkly, but baby got to them before they went up! ;)

I scored this vase at our local TJ Maxx. I love the seaglass color for summer.

The mantel even matches the art on the wall.

This is probably the least I've had on my mantel, but I really like how fresh and open it makes the room.

xo natasha

PS...I'm also posting over at Jen's blog, Down with the Dearmore's, talking about my go-to outfit these days! Check it out here.

Airocide: Breathing Easier

2013-05-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed a strange contraption in Ethan's nursery over the last couple of months:

You see that gray and orange thing sitting on the stool? It's an Airocide Air Purifier, and the wonderful people at this NASA developed company offered us the chance to review it! We've had it for over six weeks and I'm super impressed by the technology...not to mention the difference it's made in Ethan's nursery.

For us, testing this product was a no-brainer. Airocide promises to remove all VOC's and other harmful pathogens from the air, which allows baby to breathe easier. It's such a sleek and modern product too...there's no need to clean a dispenser or tuck it away out of sight, it utilizes the best there is to offer technology wise...and added bonus? It's a great white-noise machine too! Win-win all around.

We definitely noticed a difference, especially in allowing Ethan to sleep through the night. Knowing that he was breathing the best air possible is a huge peace of mind. We are sold!

If you want more info, check out this technology video, or better yet, check out Ellen's review! Additionally, you can find out more info by following them on Facebook or Twitter.

Thank you to the generous folks at Airocide for allowing us this opportunity! Be sure to check it out! :)

xo natasha

First Mother's Day

2013-05-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

As Ethan approaches his first birthday, I think it's pretty appropriate that I'm getting to celebrate my first Mother's Day today. After ten and a a half months, I've gotten to know the pure joy of what it means to be a first time mom. I've gone though the ups and downs, experienced a whole lot of firsts...some that have made my heart explode with happiness and others that have made me cry with compassion. I never really understood a mother's love until now, and I can't imagine my life before this time. Ethan is the light of our lives and I am so dang proud to be his mama. He's an amazing little boy and I can't wait to watch him grow up and experience many more trials and tribulations along the way.

I don't know how how my mom did it...raising four children under three! It's beyond impressive...I feel like I can barely manage one most days! ;)

Sending all my love to my mom, grandmother, step-mom, mom-in-law, and grandmother-in-law along with all the other specials moms in my life!

Have a wonderful Mother's Day!

xo natasha

Mother's Day Gift Guide

2013-05-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

If your husband is anything like mine, then you know that this gift guide is arriving just in time! ;) This is my first Mother's Day {and our mom's first Grandmother's Day!} and I'm so excited to celebrate with our little family of three. Of course, the biggest gift of all, is just spending time with Ethan and enjoying the day. I know all moms would agree that spending time with their children is the most precious gift of all.

But for those of you who may be struggling with ideas to buy your mom and want to slip a ~~subtle~~ hint to your husbands, this gift guide is for you!

Treat: Cookbook | Mug | Tray | Macarons

What mom doesn't love breakfast in bed? I've been eying Yummy Mummy's cookbook and would love to have breakfast served on this tray and with this mug! Of course, real macarons are the best, but I would settle for these pill boxes too...aren't they cute?

Pamper: Candle | Nail Polish | Mask

Sometimes a little R&R is just what mom needs. I love all Diptyque candles and a little sleep and polished nails go a long way.

Splurge: Perfume | Necklace

If you're up for spoiling your mom, consider a statement necklace from J.Crew or Jo Malone's Orange Blossom. It is my very favorite scent, especially for this time of year.

Whatever you do for your mom or receive as a mom this Sunday, I hope you enjoy!

xo natasha

Baby Ethan: Week 45

2013-05-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

Is it just me or did we just have an update? I swear the weeks are blending together. Needless to say, this will be a short post!

Weight: No idea! I should try weighing him on our scale to see!

Health: Pretty healthy...a little diaper rash, but nothing extreme.

Sleep: Oh man, what happened to our sleeping baby? Baby Man is waking up at least once a night where we have to give him a bottle...sometimes more! We really need to try just soothing him, giving him his paci and putting him back down.

Social: Baby spent all weekend with Dad and has had some quality time with Grandma S. since his nanny has been on vacation.

Diet: Four solid bottles a day...sometimes one at 2am and lots of purees and fruit. This little guy loves his fruit. It's also super easy to prep and put on his tray...we may need to start exploring other options.

Clothes: 6-12 and 9 month

Baby Gear Love: Baby boy loves getting outside more and more, especially when get he gets pushed in his new swing. He loves drawers, doors, and everything that is not baby proofed. Go figure.

Crying: Still in his dramatic stage...hates being changed, and being put on his back in general.

Likes: See Baby Gear Love above. Also loves twirling his hair when he drinks his bottle {he must get that from me} and clapping.

Postpartum: Completed my 3 day cleanse...I'll get to the review soon! And had my second weekend away from baby. Luckily, I knew he was in good hands and the hubby is really good about sending pics and lots of love.

Milestones: Working on walking more and more. He pulls up on anything and everything. We are in trouble.

xo natasha

PS...I posted my must-have items for baby that come in handy the first 48 hours. Check it out here!

Travel Schue: Changing the Way We Travel

2013-05-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that Ethan has become quite the little traveler in his first year of life. We've flown five times, taken plenty of road trips, and spent countless hours packing and unpacking in preparation for our getaways {you can read about our "must have" items for traveling with baby here}.

As Ethan gets older, {and he gets harder to entertain/distract}, we will have to be more thoughtful in how we plan our trips. For example, we'll probably opt to rent a house versus stay in a hotel, visit the zoo versus get a spa treatment, and find kid-friendly restaurants versus dining at a fancy bistro. Our future trips will definitely change, but I realized that we don't have to sacrifice all the things we love about vacationing just because we have Ethan...we just have to be more strategic.

Enter Norwegian Cruise Line. I've never been on a cruise, but have always wanted to sail to Alaska. And why not make it happen when we have children?

Ethan would get the educational benefit of observing all the sea life {hello orcas and humpback whales!}, but can also have gobs of entertainment, via Nickelodeon, circus activities, pools, slides, sporting activities and more, all while on the cruise. Sounds like a win-win to me! The best part about the Norwegian experience, is that they really cater to families. You can spend all day enjoying kid-friendly activities and then go out for that romantic dinner while the kiddos get to enjoy their own fun - supervised of course.

In looking more into Norwegian, they have activities and events outlined each day to really maximize the cruise experience, while keeping the kids constantly entertained. I can only imagine how much more difficult it will become to keep Ethan happy as he gets older...he's already such a handful! But these cruises are catered specifically to your kids needs. They have full-time activity counselors who are there to provide a supervised and fun experience for all ages. It's like summer camp, only better! You can visit Norwegian's website for more details.

Now for the exciting part! Norwegian Cruise Line and BlogHer are giving away one cruise voucher for a family of four and all you have to do to enter is tell me in the comments below:

What is your dream vacation for your family?

How easy is that?

Here are the official sweepstakes rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: "#SweepstakesEntry"; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

Entries from all participating blogs will be pooled for winner selection; only two entries per household.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 5/7/2013-6/2/2013.

Be sure to visit Norwegian Cruise Line's brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

So what are you waiting for? Tell me about your dream vacation and maybe you'll be taking that vacation before you know it!

Good Luck!

xo natasha

San Francisco Bachelorette Weekend

2013-05-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

We had an amazing weekend in San Francisco, celebrating my sister-in-law! Here's a little snapshot of all the fun we had...

Clockwise from top left:

Our view of the city from our hotel...we totally lucked out with gorgeous weather!

We had drinks at Waterbar, which had this stunning view! Dinner at La Mar followed...delicious seafood!

On Saturday we headed out to Sonoma...I never get tired of the vineyards.

We had champagne at Domaine Carneros and wine at Imagery, which has secnic grounds complete with picnic tables and bocce ball.

The gorgeous bachelorette ready to go out in the city on Saturday night! :)

The most AMAZING cab service {lyft} and our decked out cab complete with a fog machine, disco lights and karaoke. Seriously fabulous.

Last, we finished out the weekend at Mamacita with margs and street tacos. Yum!!

I had such a blast getting to know the girls better and celebrating the beautiful bride-to-be! I simply cannot wait for the big day...it's going to be a blast!!

xo natasha

Ethan's First Birthday Inspiration

2013-05-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

Guess what?! It's MAY! Which means Ethan's first birthday is NEXT MONTH!! Eeeeek! And this Mama is way behind on the planning!

The weekend of Ethan's first birthday is actually his Aunt Lauren's wedding {he can't wait to be the ring bearer!} so we decided the following weekend would be best for his birthday party. It also happens to be the weekend after 4th of July! So naturally, I decided that a backyard patriotic party was definitely the way to go. I'm thinking hot dogs and sand boxes and lots of tasty treats. Check out my inspiration board below:

Ok, and maybe a tent too! ;)

You can check out my Pinterest Board for more ideas and sources.

Guess I better get planning!!

xo natasha

Baby Ethan: Week 44

2013-05-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

Weight: Not too sure...and won't officially know for a couple more months. Perhaps I'll try weighing us together soon to see!

Health: Pretty healthy...no complaints except for a little dry skin.

Sleep: Eh, it's hit or miss. Sometimes he sleeps through the night, and other times he'll have a 2-3am wake up call. He stands up in his crib and can't seem to pull it together to put himself to sleep. So, we hit him with a bottle and he's back down pretty easily.

Social: We had lots of social time this past weekend. We went to the Earth Day Festival and got to see Beckett and Ryan. He also got a bath with Beckett later that day. It was beyond cute!

Diet: Welp, I'm officially done nursing. Yes, I decided 10 months was the mark and it was super easy to ween since I was really only doing a little in the morning and night. I miss the snuggles but do not miss the biting. I figured I have a lot of events coming up over the next several months and it will just be easier to be done at this point. In other news, Ethan continues to explore new solids and drinking water from a sippy cup. Guess he's not my little baby anymore!!

Clothes: 6-12 and 9 month clothes for the most part.

Baby Gear Love: Ethan loves his walker and activity table. He also was thoroughly entertained by the cat wand the other day too! He also LOVES rolling his tractor around. All boy!

Crying: He's still continuing his flair for the drama. Above is a picture of him having his fold in half meltdown. I picked him up from his grandma's yesterday and he was standing and doing just fine while I chatted with her and all of a sudden he just started bawling! His grandma thinks he was trying to get my attention. Oh my! But I have noticed that when he tumbles, he doesn't cry anymore and just continues onto his business.

Likes: Opening and shutting drawers and doors. We've got to baby proof ASAP!

Postpartum: Since I stopped nursing over the weekend...I decided to do Dr. Oz's 3 Day Cleanse to reset my bosy and readjust my portion controls. I feel like it got WAY out of control when I was nursing. I was eating huge proportions. So hopefully this helps. I'll report back when I'm done.

Milestones: We've almost got a stander! He pulls up no problem and he's finding his balance. He also learned to clap this past week. Too much fun!

xo natasha

A Sweet Treat for Mother's Day

2013-04-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends and Happy Tuesday!

Normally...I like to post a recipe on Tuesdays, but I'm on day two of the Dr. Oz 3 Day Cleanse...yep! I am giving it a whirl after seeing Alissa's review. I'll post my own thoughts when I'm done, but in the meantime, I thought today would be appropriate to welcome a guest post instead.

Please welcome Kendra Thornton, a former executive of Orbitz turned full-time mama:

Mother's Day is coming up soon, and I have the perfect treat to help you celebrate the day with your own mother and family. It is called the “Peach and Raspberry Parfait,” and it is flavorful, refreshing, colorful and perfect for Mother's Day!

Over the years, I have been to some amazing places, encountered incredible people and have experienced a fascinating array of cultures.

Although I have been to some wonderful destinations, I know that family is what really matters, so we have this little tradition each year in the Thornton household: I try to create a special memory with my children in the kitchen on Mother's Day.

I have also tasted many deliciously unique foods. My family and I traveled to Orlando, and while I was there I discovered this delectable treat at the Boardwalk Inn in Disney World. It is super easy to make, the ingredients are inexpensive, and making it as a family is a fun way to start off Mother's Day morning. Your family will be impressed with the delicious “Peach and Raspberry Parfait.” Serve it up with love this Mother's Day!

This recipe only takes five minutes to prep, and four servings are ready in a total of 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 pint of vanilla ice cream (My favorite is the Slow Churned Edy's Yogurt Blends.)

2 peaches sliced into 2 1/2-inch chunks

½ lemon

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 ½ cups of raspberries

Instructions:

Pour the raspberries, peaches and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Toss the ingredients together to combine them. Do not use a utensil as it may crush the fruits.

Squeeze the juice of the half lemon over the fruit and sprinkle a bit of zest into the bowl. Toss the ingredients once more. Let the mixture sit for about 15 to 20 minutes, then place two scoops of vanilla ice cream into cocktail glasses or bowls. Top the ice cream with the fruit mixture and serve with love!

I know your family will love celebrating Mother's Day with this special treat just as much as mine does!

Kendra Thornton: Travel advocate, TV spokesperson, PR businesswoman, proud wife and mama of 3. I am a long time travel expert who has been packing my bags and traveling the world since I was 3 months old! I've found my utmost desire in life is right here in my own home. This last post was inspired by my previous trip to Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, ranked amongst some of the top Orlando hotels, for fabulous and decadent foods. I have mixed my excitement for travel by bringing the taste of authentic cuisine to my own home with some of these unique recipes. Enjoy!

Master Update

2013-04-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

In following up from my recent Ikea haul, I wanted to show you some updates in our master bedroom. I've talked about our master bedroom since the beginning of this blog. It's a forever work in process, but it's nice to see some changes that have evolved over time. The last time we talked about our master, you saw this:

Lots of toile and iron. I took your advice and got rid of the lamps...and finally made the decision to do away with the toile. It's not perfect...but it's progress:

I'm planning a gallery wall of Ethan's first year in the room and think that over the bed might be the best place. And perhaps some Euro shams to give the appearance of a headboard. Of course, an actual headboard could really help too! I so LOVE our new mirror! It really helps to fill in the space. Last, if we ever give up the dog bed {that appears to be taken over by the cat}, a bench at the foot of the bed would help ad some dimension.

You can see a peek of the nursery across the hallway. Blues are definitely the color of choice in our house right now.

So there's the update. Still lots of work to do, but I think it's an improvement.

Happy Monday!

xo natasha

Happy 10 Months Ethan!

2013-04-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

Little Man,

Today you turn 10 months old, and your little personality is really taking off! You have quite the flair for the dramatic these days. When you're frustrated, we know it! Your signature move is folding yourself in half when you sit and slamming your head to the ground. It's over-the-top! You also will cry at a drop of a hat if you don't get your way, we try to change you, or you take a misstep. I'm really hoping it's a phase...and not a preview of what's to come!

On the milestone front, you're officially crawling, and you're really good at it! You zip around with ease and get into everything. Your favorite spot in the house is the entertainment center {naturally!}. You can pull yourself up and you love playing with all the dials and controls. You must be your father's son. So yes, you're also pulling up now {in your crib particularly} and you can actually walk with the assistance of your walker. You don't go very fast and you get super upset if you get yourself stuck or have to fall down. But on the other hand, it's really fun to see you gain your independence and watch you develop!

You're also a babbling machine and can say "Bah Bah" and "Ma Ma". You high five, and do fish kisses, and love yourself a game of Peek-a-Boo.

You still love your baths and cannot get enough of the cat. You had your first real scratch from her across your face this past month too. But you still can't get enough of her. You love to grab her fur and she actually tolerates it, most of the time!

I'd say you haven't changed too much on the food front...lots of purees and some soft solids. You seem to really enjoy hummus and fresh fruit, like strawberries and orange slices. We're also trying to get you to drink from your sippy cup more and more. You really like to feed yourself, and often times, it's the key to getting you to eat your purees.

Another flair for the drama, is that you arch your back when you're fussy or tired. I can be holding you and all of a sudden, you'll fling your head back! Kind of scary! You also do this when we put you on the changing table or in the car seat. Oy! The only thing that helps, is giving you food for distraction. Some puffs or mums mums usually do the trick.

I'm just about done nursing you. You really got into the habit of biting this past month and it hurts!! You've become better lately, but you think it's hilarious to bite and hear me yelp. You also think is hysterical when we tell the cat "no". You crack up, and we crack up too. Probably not a good lesson for future discipling!

Even though I kid about your dramatic streak, you still love your cuddles and think that I'm the center of your universe {Dad is a close second}...so of course, you'll forever have my vote. I sometimes sit back and just stare at the little boy that you're becoming and can't believe that you're becoming your own person as everyday passes.

I also cannot BELIEVE you're into the double digits on months now. You'll never go back to being single digits again. Of course...I also cannot believe you'll be ONE YEAR OLD in two short months. I know I say it every time, but the time is just flying by.

I love you little monster!

Love, Mom

San Fran Bachelorette Attire

2013-04-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law's bachelorette party is next weekend and I'm so excited for the itinerary! We're having it in San Francisco and Napa...doesn't that sound perfect? So I'm already starting to think about what to wear! Here are my ideas:

Cocktails in the City: We're kicking off the weekend with cocktails in the city. I'd love to wear a fun LBD like this one...and some fun heels. Yes please!

Wine Tasting in Napa: On Saturday, we're heading out to Napa for some wine tasting. I imagine wearing a flowing caftan and some metallic sandals.

Cinco de Mayo Dinner: That night, we'll be celebrating fiesta style, so naturally, I would love to wear this stunning lime maxi and aztec inspired heels.

Sunday Brunch: We'll end the weekend with a fun brunch before we all head home. I'm loving this colorful strapless dress with nude heels.

I can't wait to share all the details with you...now to packing!

xo natasha

IKEA Expedit in the Playroom

2013-04-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all your feedback on our Ikea haul this past Monday! Never have I felt more encouraged for my shopping/spending habits...so thank you! ;)

I told you I would reveal how I put my great finds to work. As I've mentioned before, our dining room has become a makeshift playroom. It works out pretty well because we don't use the dining room that often and it's really the only "extra" space we have available in our house. We had to get rid of our bar cart anyway, and we are in desperate need of more storage, so the Expedit shelf was the perfect solution.

And I have to say...I'm loving it!

We bought bins for the bottom shelves and use the middle two shelves for books and toy storage. The top row of shelves are still housing "adult" decor...we'll see how long that lasts!

Notice a little friend?

And here's a little snapshot of how the shelf works into the room. I think it actually opens up the room, don't you?

Do you own the Expedit? How do you style it?

xo natasha

Breakfast Tacos

2013-04-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

Breakfast is one of my favorite meals to get creative with on the weekends. Probably because I only eat cereal during the week days! These breakfast tacos are a fun twist on your traditional egg scramble. They're full of flavor and pretty healthy too {win-win}. Next time, I might add some black beans to round them out.

Ingredients

For Scram:

One egg per taco {we made six}

Splash of milk, salt & pepper

1-2 tablespoons of Cholula {to taste}

Toppings:

Sliced avocado

Cilantro

Cotija

Wrap with corn tortillas

Scramble eggs on medium high heat by mixing with milk, salt and pepper. Add Cholula in the end to coat the eggs. Assemble tacos with toppings.

Hope you enjoy!

xo natasha

Ikea Haul

2013-04-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends and Happy Monday!

How was your weekend? We took an impromptu trip to Ikea, which may sound like an average weekend, but our closest Ikea is about 2 hours away, so it was definitely a big deal. It all started on Saturday morning when I realized we needed to do away with our beloved bar car {at least for the time being} and replace it with something more functional. I mentioned a couple weeks ago that our dining room has become a makeshift playroom. So it only seemed natural that the Expedit shelf should replace the bar cart area.

And from there...things got a teensy bit out of control. You see, if you give a girl a Expedit shelf...she's probably going to need a to but the Mongstad Mirror she's had her eye on for awhile!

And since I'm adding something new to the master, I'll probably need to finally buy a new white duvet too. From there, I had to pick up this cute striped throw blanket...for picnics out or play dates in.

And of course, no playroom is complete without a cute table and chairs...or these play cars...or this alligator bath mat.

All in all, I would say it was a pretty successful shopping haul. I honestly can't get over how many great things are there...I always come out with more than I was planning on, and I justify it with the fact that we live so far away. I just love me some Ikea. Have you had any great finds there lately?

I'll share some updates on what I've done with these pieces later this week.

Have a great week!

xo natasha

Boho Love

2013-04-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

I found this adorable little romper and wanted to build an outfit around it. The back is super cute and flirty and it seems like a great piece to kick off the spring with. I have to say that my favorite accessory here is this amazing turquoise cuff. I am dying to own one like this one day.

Happy Friday...and Happy Weekend!

xo natasha

Linked to: Friday Fancies

Sophisticated Nod Decor

2013-04-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

Rocking Chair | Headboard | Lamp | Pillow | Blanket | Sheets | Side Table

I was flipping through my Land of Nod catalogue the other day and started to swoon over these adorable polka dot gold sheets. They totally match my Target PJs and remind me of Kate Spade, don't you think? Why oh why does Land of Nod not make bedding in king size? I would snatch these up in a heartbeat. And then I spotted this adorable headboard and I was sold! I couldn't help but notice how many great things Land of Nod sells that are great for adults! I want all of the above and then some. Is anyone else with me on this?!

Happy Thursday!

xo natasha

Baby Ethan: Week 42

2013-04-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

Weight: No clue, but should be in the 18+ arena.

Health: Baby boy had a little cold this past week...mostly a stuffy/runny nose. The bummer part is that he couldn't breathe well so his sleeping schedule has been interrupted.

Sleep: At the moment, Ethan wakes up 1-2 times a night as he recovers from his cold. But I'm confident it's a temporary situation {fingers crossed!!}.

Social: Ethan got to play with his buddy Cruz this past weekend. His mama is our photographer and she was taking his nine month photos. I cannot WAIT to see them and share them!

Diet: Drinking 4 solid bottles a day and nursing in the morning and night. We're introducing more and more "people" food, like pasta, pita and hummus, and other baby snacks...like these sweet potato cinnamon snax. They're SO good, I ended up snacking on them myself!

Clothes: Still wearing 6-12 or 9 month clothes for the most part.

Baby Gear Love: Ethan is really taking an interest in his walker. He balances really well now and has taken a couple steps. Pretty exciting!!

Crying: Oh man, this boy has a flair for the drama. He hates and I mean HATES getting his diaper changed. It's become the biggest challenge lately. He rolls and sits up the second I put him down...or worse, he'll totally arch his back and start screaming. It's awful. But other than that, he's great. ;)

Likes: Baby loves crawling and LOVES the cat...still. Even though she finally scratched his poor little face. But he still keeps going back for more...

Postpartum: I'm on day 14 of the shred. I don't know that I'm losing a ton of weight, but I already see some toning going on, which feels good!

Milestones: We've got lots of fun ones this week! Ethan's officially pulling up. Yep, we found him in his crib fully standing and so proud of himself. And as I said above, he's taking steps with his walker. A couple other ones that I forgot to mention the last couple of weeks was that Ethan loves play peek-a-boo and will hold the blanket over his head and then pull it down...over and over again. It's really cute. He's also giving high-fives and does little fish kisses.

Sweater | Jeans | Shoes

xo natasha

This is what we result to for getting Ethan to actually lie down and hold still:

Truth.

Instafood Adventures

2013-04-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

The most amazing sweet baked potato you'll ever have, complete with black beans, guac and Greek yogurt. We've got this on repeat every week.

Another favorite? Avocado Pesto...totally Paleo friendly too!

Have you ever heard of truffle tater tots? I didn't think so...amaze.

More amazing are these homemade Meyer lemon donuts that my talented friend whipped up. I believe the recipe is similar to this.

Check out this fully loaded Bloody Mary! This place also had amazing tots.

And of course, my beloved French Macarons...these ones were oversized!

Follow me on Instagram {@schuelove} for more foodie adventures!

xo natasha

Which Color Would You Choose?

2013-04-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Since I cleaned out my closet this weekend, that clearly means there's room for some new spring things...right? I am absolutely loving this dress...and the price tag! But what color??

See my predicament?! And the back is super cute too!

Tell me, which one you would choose!

xo natasha