the little things we do

lovely little lovelies.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Just wanted to pop by to let you all know about the Moorea Seal online shop that just opened today!

So many beautifully curated accessories and objects you'll love!

After spending a good chunk of time on the site this morning, I compiled a few of my favorites over at Babble, so you should check them out along with Moorea's shop!

Love and online shopping,

Lauren

barre3 fitness update: week 2.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Mon, 22 Jul 2013 01:00:00 +0000

So here is my Barre3 fitness update for week 2...

But before I share, I was wondering what you guys might think of having a link-up for these weekly updates? A lot of you expressed that you are in a similar boat of trying to get in shape and many people mentioned that they would join in on my challenge with me, so I thought I'd throw it out there. Maybe we could all share our weekly stats and photos...or just write about how it's going...whatever works. I've been weighing and measuring every Friday and then posting the results every Monday. How does that sound? If you guys are interested let me know and I can add a link, otherwise I'll just leave it as-is. Let me know in the comments!

Anyway...on with the update:

I made sure to wear a tighter shirt so you can get a good look at my "problem areas". And not to get all nit-picky about it or anything, but I'm going to point them out to you, so you can kind of get an idea of my goals during my fitness challenge with Barre3.

Here's a front to back view (note to self: don't stand like a weirdo in next week's photo).

My body is "apple" shaped, so I carry most of my weight in the top half of my body. Even before I had a baby my tummy was always my main issue. It's the first place I gain weight and even when I was in stellar shape it was never completely flat. I have come to accept that, but would like to get my abdominal muscles back in shape again...they get pretty lazy after stretching out to make room for a baby. I also would like to tone up my arms and back. I've always had a broader back (makes dress shopping a pain since I'm always a size bigger up top and smaller on the bottom) and I would like to see that toned up as well as those pesky areas around the arm pits as you can see in both the front and back view pictures.

Here are my side-view pictures:

In this shot you can see my lazy abs letting me stick out my tummy a'la month five of pregnancy. Not cool abs. Not cool. I remember when my belly started poking out like this when I was five months pregnant and I thought it was super cute and exciting...a little less exciting when you have an 18-month-old though and aren't pregnant. Also...I've got that mom underarm jiggle going on. You would think carrying around a 26 pound child all the time would give you ripped arms, but alas. I can definitely already feel improvements in my arms though and they were smaller when I was measured this week! As for my legs...I'm cool with them. They've always been pretty svelte and toned so no complaints there. I wouldn't be upset if the slight inner thigh jiggle went away though - the were a little smaller this week too! Yay! My hard work in the Barre3 studio is working!

Here are my stats:

Date: 7/19/13

Weight: 149.4 - (down 2.1 lbs)

Left arm: 11.75" - (down .25")

Right arm: 11.75" (same)

Chest: 36" (same)

Waist: 36" (same)

Hip: 37" (same)

Left leg: 19.75" (down .25")

Right leg: 19.33" (down .17")

Overall I am LOVING my Barre3 experience and I can definitely feel small changes in my body already. Craig actually commented on how good my legs were looking too, so there's that.

Anyway, let me know in the comments if you're interested in joining in and if you want to try out Barre3 too, they have studios all over and also an online program that is super inexpensive and perfect if you're a busy person. Definitely worth a look!

Also, thank you all for your encouraging words from last week! It was scary putting myself out there, but you guys were wonderful, so thank you!

Love and fitness,

Lauren

{Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I have been invited to try out the Barre3 studio. All thoughts and opinions are my own.}

weekly highlights: 7.19.13.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 15:13:00 +0000

Here are a few of the highlights from this week my friends...

Photos of Fern with farm animals...and even a little doe! Seriously. So much cuteness. I have more to post from my "real camera" once I actually upload them, but for now you can see some of them over at Disney Baby.

Getting to show this lady around the city. Andrea is my boss at Disney/Babble, but I'm so glad she's my friend too. Had fun sharing a little taste of Portland with her and now I wish she lived closer!

Having a good laugh at my first-year parenting self. I've definitely eased up a lot. ("20 Truths About First Year Parenting V.S. Second Year Parenting")

My new favorite lipstick from Wet n Wild. You probably forgot about them after junior high, but seriously, it's so good. I love dabbing it on instead of the typically swipe, because it leaves me with a perfectly matte stain-like lip. The best part? It's only $3.49 from Walgreens! I have at least 20 lipsticks (OK...let's be real, it's probably more), but this one has quickly made it to the top of the pack. ("Old School Glam" from Wet n Wild's Fergie Collection)

And while we're on the topic of beauty, here are some awesome "beauty" products that you should steal from your man's side of the medicine cabinet.

Wagon rides with this girl. She LOVES her wagon. Also...totally obsessed with her new romper from Fawn Shoppe.

Getting to hang out with Lauren and Ruby of Rain City Baby (Instagram: @raincitybaby). If you guys don't read her blog, you really should...she's relatively new to the blogging game, but she's a quick study. I love her authenticity. Plus she's super stylish...added bonus.

Playing in Fern's closet for this post. Seriously you guys, Disney actually has some really cute stuff and I'm not just saying that because I work for The Mouse. Their solid onesies are our favorites.

This delicious dessert that sort of just came to me. Simple and healthy'ish (not exactly low calorie, but good, quality whole foods and definitely more virtuous than ice cream). Sliced peaches that I soaked in a mix fresh squeezed lime, honey and mint (blended it all up in the Vitamix) and then topped over plain Greek yogurt. So good!

You know I love this quote. Also, some of my favorite fashion/style quotes are posted here.

Fern's obsession with Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines". It's been on repeat in our car this week. On a personal level he kinda gives me the creeps (Fastforward to minute 1:56 where he's eating an ice cream cone if you want full body shivers), but the song is just so catchy!

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Love and highlights,

Lauren

four eyes: dreams do come true.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 07:00:00 +0000

When I was a child, I had a brief stint between the ages of six and eight where I wore glasses. It was a real awkward two years and I spent them looking very much like a brunette Sally Jesse Raphael circa 1987 (see: Exhibit A) because I thought red plastic frames would be a good look for me. Anyway, my eyes ended up just correcting themselves and I was only slightly farsighted anyway. It was no matter to me at the time, because I hated wearing my glasses back then and was constantly losing them.

Once I became an adult though, I pined away at the thought of wearing glasses. Sadly (or not-so-sadly according to my nearsighted friends who think I'm crazy) every eye exam came back the same: stellar vision.

The last time I had my eyes checked was before I had Fern, so when Warby Parker offered me a free pair of glasses, I figured it was the perfect excuse to try again. And this time I was rewarded with good news! My eyes are still in good shape, but my optometrist said that glasses would help with my close-up work since I spend so much time sitting at a computer. Brilliant! I ordered my glasses immediately and since they arrived I've been absolutely smitten.

Here's what they look like on when I'm taking shameless selfies during Fern's naptime.

These are the glasses I chose: Preston in Gimlet Tortoise, and they come in a ton of great colors. If you've been living under a rock and you don't know about Warby Parker, you MUST check them out. All of their cool designer glasses are $95 and for every pair bought, they donate a pair to someone in need. Doesn't get any better than that. I'm pretty sure another pair is in my future and when the time comes, I'll definitely be utilizing they're free at-home try-on program. Genius!

Oh...and I have to add that I have quickly realized that glasses are pretty much the best beauty secret ever, because they instantly make you look more polished. Not sure why, but it's magical. I posted an Instagram of Fern and I while I was wearing them after they arrived and people kept commenting on how fantastic I looked, when in fact I hadn't washed my hair in five days and had zero makeup on. Thanks glasses and Warby Parker!

Do you wear glasses or contacts? Any tips for not losing them this time around?!

Hope you're having a great Thursday!

Love and cute glasses,

Lauren

{Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I was given a pair of glasses by Warby Parker. All thoughts and opinions are my own.}

what fern wore: getting in touch with her roots.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 13:22:00 +0000

Little factoid about me: I am half Mexican. My husband always teases me that I'm the whitest Mexican he knows. Also, I don't speak Spanish. I know...cultural #fail.

But I digress. My point was, that me being half Mexican means that Fern is 1/4 Mexican...and even whiter version than me. But, last week while we were at the fair, in between Fern hugging every single animal she encountered (go see the baby + animal pics here), we helped her get in touch with her Hispanic roots. A woman was selling these cute Mexican tops and dresses and I thought they were so fun! My parents got it for her and Fern loved the little tassels and I think it's so cute on her!

Top: Santa Barbara County Fair

Jeans: Gap

Shoes: Saltwater

Hair Clip: Etsy

Bracelet: Santa Barbara County Fair

Love and fiestas,

Lauren

barre3 and my postbaby bod.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 05:46:00 +0000

OK you guys. Today I'm going to get real with you about my post-baby body and let you in on a little fitness challenge I've started!

I've had a really difficult time losing this baby weight. Here's a quick rundown of my journey...

During my pregnancy I gained 55 pounds. Yep. You read that right. And now I'm going to give you real numbers, even though it goes against every fiber of my being. I started my pregnancy at 140 pounds and by the time I gave birth I was 195. That was hard to swallow.

Within the first week I lost 35 pounds, which brought me down to 160 pounds. I basically just hung out there until a few months ago when Craig and I had a friendly little wager (AKA cash bribe). During that time I lost 15 pounds and got down to 145 pounds. I was pretty stoked. My goal weight is 135...really 130, but I would be happy at 135. I have weighed less before, but that is my "happy weight". I was doing well, and then I started getting busy and slacking on my workouts and when I slack on workouts I start letting my healthy eating habits go and it's basically just one big slippery slope and now I've gained back 5 pounds.

I've realized that the main problem was a lack of accountability. I've realized that I'm a structure and schedules kind of girl. I need a set time to go to workout - in particularly focused classes - and I need accountability, but some flexibility.

This is why I've set out on a Barre3 Challenge!

If you haven't heard of Barre3, it's an awesome blend of ballet barre, yoga and pilates that work together to give awesome results and I'm so excited to see the changes in my body!

So, here's the deal: Every week I'm going to share my weekly weigh-in along with all of my measurements. My goal weight is still 135 (I am currently 151.5), so that means that I am hoping to lose around 17 pounds. But, I'm also measuring myself, because I know that the end goal is a fitter version of myself and inches mean more than pounds, so I'm trying not to get too hung up on the numbers.

I can't wait to share what I'm learning through my experience and share more about Barre3 throughout!

Here are my week 1 stats...I think I'll try to wear a tighter shirt next time so I can see my progress more easily.

Date: 7/12/13

Weight: 151.5

Left arm: 12"

Right arm: 11.75"

Chest: 36"

Waist: 36"

Hip: 37"

Left leg: 20"

Right leg" 19.5"

I realize that my current weight may be some people's goal weight and I'm not trying to make anyone feel like their goals need to be the same as mine. We all feel better at different weights and when our bodies look different ways. This is why I'm not setting out to achieve my college weight of 120 pounds...it's just not realistic for me anymore. This is more about being the healthiest version of myself that I can be and getting to a place where I feel confident and where my body is strong and I'm hoping that Barre3 will help me achieve this.

More details to come next week!

Love and sweat,

Lauren

{Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I have been invited to try out the Barre3 studio. All thoughts and opinions are my own}

life's a beach.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 11:00:00 +0000

We're having a blast in sunny California!

(My dad wants everyone to know that he took this photo...he was pretty proud of his capture.)

Just wanted to pop by and say hello. And here are a few posts to what I've been working on over at Babble and Disney Baby!

>> The Sweetest Adoption Ceremony

>> Why I'm Teaching Fern That Outside Beauty Matters

>> Stylish Kids: Lola Kids Goods

>> 15 Great Kids Books About Feelings

>> Conflict Avoidance: A Great Relationship Tool

>> 10 Tips For Taking Better Pictures of Wiggly Kids

Hope you all had a great relaxing and fun weekend!

xo
Lauren

what fern wore: 'merica.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 06:28:00 +0000

This is what Fern wore to her first 4th of July parade in our neighborhood. We missed it last year, so I was looking forward to joining in this year. It was super cute seeing all the kids in their red, white and blue garb with decorated bikes and wagons...made me excited to see Fern grow up here.

Dress: Gap (hand-me-down)

Shirt: Zara

Vest: Old Navy

Shoes: Saltwater

Hair Clip: Vintage off Etsy

And, this is the borrowed sweatshirt she wore later on to light little fireworks with our friends Jake and Casey. Just as cute I think :).

Also, how cute it her little Radio Flyer wagon that my parents got her? They decked it all out for the parade. Grandparents are the best :). Which reminds me...we're heading out tonight to spend the next week in California to visit family with my parents and perhaps a trip to Knotts Berry Farm while we're at it. Can't wait to share pics!

My posts will be scarce next week due to travel, but I'll share when I can and you can still check out my pre-scheduled posts over at Disney Baby and Babble!

Love and Independence,

Lauren

recipe: boozy summer slushies

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Ever since we got our Vitamix we've been using it at least once a day and as such *we have been getting pretty innovative with our creations (*and by we I really mean Craig).

Here is one of his recent creations that has become a favorite. He calls it a "Pom Royal". I told him he should come up with something better, because that wasn't a very "pinnable" name for Pinterest, but he told me too bad...that's what it's called. Sigh.

Nonetheless, it's delicious.

Pom Royal (Boozy Slushie)

INGREDIENTS:

- 3 fl. oz. white rum (2 shots)

- 1.5 fl. oz. pomegranate syrup (1 shot)

-RC cola to taste (my husband says RC is essential, though he is a diehard fan)

-3/4 cup ice cubes

DIRECTIONS:

-Combine white rum, pomegranate syrup and ice cubes and blend to desired consistency. Don't over blend or you'll end up with non-slushies.

-Add the RC cola to taste at the end. Do not blend it with the best of the drink or you'll end up with a foamy carbonated mess.

A perfect summer drink with a bit of a nostalgic flair and a grown-up twist. Let me know if you try it!

Love and slushies,

Lauren

these girls.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0000

This weekend Fern and her friend Tallulah had a fun little water play date. These girls have been friends since the womb. Tallulah's mama Dana and I used to work together while we were pregnant. Our girls were born just three days apart, so they have literally grown up together. We don't get to see them as often as we'd like with the busy-ness of mama life, but we love when we do! It's so fun seeing the girls interact since they're always going through the same stage.

Also...these swimsuits. I mean... A friend handed them down to us from her daughter and I couldn't resist sharing one with Tallulah so they could match. So stinking cute. Here are a couple of snaps from their little friend date.

*Swimsuits are from Le Top, though they no longer sell them.

Love and cuteness,

Lauren

instagram video hater.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 01:00:00 +0000

By now you all know that Instagram got revamped and now gives users the option of uploading videos in addition to photos. (If you dont, then dude: come out from under that rock!).

Everyone seems to be freaking out over it and users are jumping off the Vine ship Titanic style.

But, the thing is...I kind of hate the Instagram videos.

I uploaded a couple of videos to my Instagram when the news broke to give it a fair shake, but quickly decided that it's just not my cup of tea.

Call me obsessive compulsive, but I seriously can't stand seeing the little video play symbol on top of the photos on my profile feed...it's just not aesthetically pleasing and I feel like it breaks up the entire look and bugs me immensely.

Also, I don't like mixing the two very different types of viewing experiences. When I want to look at photos I go to Instagram. It's great for killing time while you're somewhere quiet and I don't want randomly interspersed videos suddenly playing. I love that I can go to Vine when I'm in a video mood and scroll through and watch them freely. It's actually become a post-nap ritual for Fern and I...almost every day after her nap we snuggle on the couch and watch Vine clips for 10 minutes. She loves it.

I will say that the Instagram video does seem to be a bit better in quality (barring the stupid video filters) and I like that they give you a longer to record, but other than that, I just don't really see myself using it much.

Am I the only weird one who feels this way?

Discuss! I'm curious to hear your take.

Love and Technology,

Lauren

disney social media moms and girl time.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 07:00:00 +0000

FIRST AN ANNOUNCEMENT:

I feel like every blogger out there is running around a'la Chicken Little telling everyone that the sky is falling (AKA that Google Friend Connect will be no more come July 1st) and that everyone should make sure to follow them via Blog Lovin'.

So here's my Chicken Little-esque announcement. See that little + sign over there below my photo on the right in the mix with all my social media icons? Well that is the magical "follow with Blog Lovin'" button. So there you go. Now you will still get updates on my blog posts here! ...Though to be honest I'm really bad about using Blog Lovin' myself. I really only go directly to the blogs I like...I guess I'm old fashioned like that. I think the best way to stay connected with my posts is via my Facebook Fan Page (I hate saying "fan page". It sounds so self-absorbed) - I'm always sharing updates there!

OK...NOW ON TO FUN:

By the time you are reading this I will already be in Seattle and having fun girl time and hopefully not being too socially awkward in a large group (yeah...sometimes that happens).

I will be attending Disney Social Media Moms On-The-Road and one of the stops on said road is Seattle...just a three hour jaunt from my fair city of Portland.

And, so we go.

I've actually never been to any type of blogging conference, so this will be a first and I'm excited. Excited to mingle...OK...half excited...half terrified due to the aforementioned social awkwardness. I don't know what it is about mingling, but I am definitely not a pro and my face always hurts at the end from all the fake smiling*. Also, I don't even have business cards. Suckiest blogger ever. C'est la vie.

(*If you are someone I met at a blogging function, then know that the smiles I gave you were legit. I was only faking it for those other bloggers.)

But, aside from that I'm excited to hang out with Chelsey (The Paper Mama) - road tripping and rooming it up together! It will be the furthest I've ever driven myself. I've driven in a car much further, but never been the driver for quite that long, since I mostly hate driving (I like taking in the scenery) and Craig hates being a passenger, so it works out.

Basically I'm going to be a big kid driver at the end of this trip. Go me.

If you wanna follow along with our Seattle/Disney SMM adventure, make sure you're following me on Instagram and Twitter.

Love and Road trips,

Lauren

smoothies + surprises.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Fact of the day about me: I'm not into surprises.

Well...I'm sort of into surprises if I have absolutely no inkling whatsoever that said surprise is going to be taking place, but if I have the option of finding out the surprise ahead of time? Sign me up.

That's what happened with this birthday present that Craig got me last week:

Yep. That's a Vitamix. And no it is not my actual birthday.

You're probably wondering if my birthday is in a couple of weeks and the answer is no. It's not until August 12th.

But, my husband knows me so well that he knew I would rather have my present early so I could enjoy the next two months of summer filled with smoothie/frapaccino/margarita deliciousness.

So, he gave it to me early and I'm in love. The smoothies are super good, but let's be real...my true favorites are the margaritas (how-to margarita video coming soon!).

So the moral of the story is: surprises are overrated, the Vitamix is not. Also...my husband is pretty great. The end.

Love and smoothies,

Lauren

the best kind of friends.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 05:03:00 +0000

The older I get, the more I appreciate real, true friends.

You, know the ones you can go an entire year without seeing and then when you finally do it's like nothing ever changed and you feel 100% comfortable around them? Those are the best kind of friends.

This weekend I was reminded of that when we hung out with our friends Jake and Casey.

This is us fresh out of our college days...when we could wine and dine until the wee hours of the morning...free of parental responsibilities.

And now, even though life is a little different, we know that our friends will always be there and will love us imperfections and all. No fronts...no cliquey lingo...just real-ness (yes, I know that's not a word).

Also, we still know how to have a good time and this weekend we proved it with an impromptu style hang out and it was the most fun I've had doing nothing in quite awhile. We whipped up a little meat and cheese platter and had afternoon margaritas and good conversation and laughs while Fern napped and it was the best.

Love these guys. The most priceless kind of friends.

Fun and Friends,

Lauren

not yoga pants: LBD edition.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 16:47:00 +0000

OK...first of all...many of you have asked for more mama style posts and I have decided that I am going to try my hardest to oblige. I think it will be a good excuse for me to get dolled up at least once a week.

Mostly these outfit posts will be every day style - nothing over the top and glammy, but occasionally (like today) I'll share outfits from a special event I might attend. The overall goal is to share style that is attainable, affordable and practical for moms and non-moms alike.

I'm calling it "Not Yoga Pants" (you can read why here) because yoga pants are such a trap that too many women fall into...I should know...I live in Oregon... quite possibly the yoga pants capitol of the world. I realize that comfort is key, but it is possible to balance comfort and style and I hope to encourage you to push yourself in this department.

I was also wondering if this might make for a good link-up? What do you think? I was thinking Monday would be a good day, so you'd have the whole weekend to prep your blog posts and because weekends tend to provide the most excuses for getting dressed in fun outfits - especially for those of you with a 9-5 work uniform.

So, Monday "Not Yoga Pants" style link-up it is and I included one today in case you have a post you want to share! OK...now on with this week's outfit...

>>>

It's like some law of the universe that invariably, when you have a wedding to attend, the most appealing thing in your closet to wear will be white. It's science.

That rule about not being able to wear white to a wedding is kind of stupid if you ask me. It's not like anyone is going to confuse my white, cotton sundress with the bride's gorgeous, white, lace ballgown. But I digress...

I had a wedding to go to this past weekend and of course I wanted to wear white, because...hello...universe...

But, instead I wore black. Because apparently if you look in my closet, you'll quickly realize that it's my most favorite color in the history of ever. Really I do like color, but you just can't go wrong with a LBD.

Also, the last time I wore this dress and photographed it was when I was 25 weeks pregnant. At least we know it's a comfy one.

dress: gift from a friend

belt: F21

shoes: Dolce Vita (Samba)

bracelet: Beam & Anchor

ring: F21

hair clip: Goody gold bobby pins stacked

Style and Comfort,

Lauren

friday finds: 6.21.13.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Fri, 21 Jun 2013 06:10:00 +0000

Hi friends!

We all made it to Friday! Congrats...the weekend is nigh!

Here are a few of my favorites from the week...starting with this girl. I can't even handle how cute she is as Little Lebowski...AKA: "The Dude". I'm hosting an Instagram Challenge called Littles In Costume (#littlesincostume) and it's given me an amazing excuse to play dress-up with Fern. She loves playing dress-up, but I have to admit that this outfit definitely served more for my amusement than hers. But seriously...

OK...now for the favorites of the week...

>>> Best Pinterest board in the history of EVER.

>>> The toddler hipster's summer check list.

>>> Chocolate for breakfast: YES.

>>> Quick + easy + FREE facial - totally trying this tonight.

>>> Disney life lessons.

>>> Super comfy. Super chic. Super affordable.

>>> My lazy girl beauty favorites.

>>> Ooooh! Shiny!

>>> If I was a little more crafty I would totally rock this.

>>> Did someone say cake?

>>> A little ABC action

What are your favorite finds of the week?

Love and links,

Lauren

cute iphone case dilemma.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:00:00 +0000

Good news!

I got a new iPhone! Well...actually...I got Craig's iPhone. It's a long and complicated story, so I won't bore you, but the point is: I need a new iPhone case because this one is a 5 (the last one was a 4S) and Lord knows I will break this thing almost immediately without one (*interesting factoid: I have broken three - yes 3 - of my previous iPhone screens. #klutz).

Anyway, I'm having trouble narrowing it down, so here are some of my favorites so you can help me decide! PS I have a black iPhone if that helps in your decision making.

>>> BLACK + WHITE + CLASSIC COOL <<<

>>> 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 <<<

OR...

>>> FUN + COLORFUL <<<

>>> 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 <<<

OK. What are your favorites? GO!

Decisions, decisions...

Lauren

playing dress-up.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Kids in costumes are basically the cutest thing ever.

See what I mean?

People always go crazy whenever I post an Instagram photo of Fern in costume, so I came up with a funny little IG challenge called "Littles In Costume (#littlesincostume).

If you want to join in check out the details over at Babble - along with more photos of Fern in costume! And if you just want to see cute kids in costumes, then follow along with the hashtag on Instagram (#littlesincostume)...because it's freaking adorable.

Love and cuteness,

Lauren

sometimes you just feel like quitting.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:00:00 +0000

You know those days when you just feel like quitting?

Like the whole world is falling in around you and like all of the balls you've been so carefully balancing and juggling have become too much.

That's how I'm feeling right now.

To be honest I just kind of want to crawl in a hole and hide from the world. There are people and commitments pulling me in a million directions. A husband who needs my time and effort...a daughter who needs EVERYTHING and needs it RIGHT now...friends and family who would like to spend time together too...deadlines...traffic goals...quotas...e-mails/comments to respond to...appointments to make...meals to plan...laundry to do...things to organize...errands to run...

It's just too much.

Tonight while I was simultaneously doing dishes and cooking dinner and Fern was pulling on my legs wailing for my attention, I had a bit of a break down. I was so overwhelmed that I didn't know what else to do but to sit down and cry.

So I did.

Then Fern stopped crying, looked at me with concern and came over to give me a big hug around the neck which made me feel a little better.

I felt bad for crying like that in front of her, but that's just reality I guess. Some days are going to be sad and overwhelming and some days Mommy's not always going to have it together at all...

...Days like today.

Sorry for being a downer, but that's all I've got. Needed a bit of a cathartic vent.

Crappy todays and better tomorrows,

Lauren

adventuring without a kid.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 04:41:00 +0000

Those of you who are newer around here may not remember this, but in the pre-kid days we used to go off-roading a lot (see here, here, here and here to reminisce about those well-rested, care-free young kids we once were).

Now that we have a kid? Well, we still have the off-road vehicles, but driving long distances with a little one? That basically sounds like my own personal idea of hell. So as you can imagine, we haven't done much G-Wagen'ing since.

BUT...this weekend my in-laws offered to babysit and Craig and I will be heading down to the Oregon Dunes for a fun little adventure!

I'll admit - life is way more fun with Fern in it, but it'll be nice to get away just the two of us this time.

Footloose and Fancy-free,

Lauren

mama favorites: bras.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Behold my dears: the most perfect summer bra ever.

Whether you are a mom or not, these bralettes are awesome and here's why...

1) No wire

If you are well-endowed, then these probably aren't the bras for you, but they're seriously so great if you can swing it. I refused to wear underwire bras while I was nursing after reading about how they can clog milk ducts which can lead to mastitis which I've heard is the worst thing in the history of ever. Also, even when you're not nursing...underwire isn't the most comfortable.

2) They're cute

For a long time I wore those ugly clip and un-clip nursing bras, but then I discovered these are they're awesome for nursing - totally practical, but not dumpy. A win win. And if they happen to peek out from underneath your top - it's not the end of the world, because it's lacey and adorable.

3) Wiggle room

Boobs are always changing - gain a few pounds, lose a few pounds, nurse, stop nursing...all these create the potential for needing new bras. But these are perfect, because they're stretchy and give you some leeway in the sizing department.

4) They're inexpensive

$14.99! Say what?!

5) They're at Target

Because they're at Target, you can also find an excuse to by a cute new top to go with your bra while you're there, because really...who can ever leave Target without buying at least one thing that they don't really need? Damn you Target and your genius marketing schemes!

The End.

Peace and Perky Boobs,

Lauren

on marriage and slippery slopes.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 05:47:00 +0000

I'm going to be vulnerable today and tell you about a not-so-lovely moment that Craig and I had a few weeks ago in our marriage.

We had a fight. And I honestly don't even remember what started it, but I do remember how I reacted and how that reaction was a pretty piss poor way to handle things.

Basically it went like this:

Craig did something that pissed me off. I did something that pissed him off too. Then we were both angry and annoyed...voices were raised and feelings were hurt. Then, awhile later, as I was proceeding to avoid him, I had to get something out of our bedroom and realized the door was locked. That made me real mad. I yelled at him to let me in and he yelled back something about why couldn't I just leave him alone.

And that just made something in me snap.

And then I said something like "Fine! If you want me to leave you alone, I'll REALLY leave you alone." After that I packed up some clothes and essentials for Fern and I and got in my car to head the 25 minutes away to my parents house where I fully intended to spend the night. I was livid.

Craig and I have never walked out on each other during a fight. We've definitely gone entire days without talking (stupid, but true) and we can bicker with the best of them, but we don't really have knock-down drag out type fights with yelling and I've definitely never packed a bag and left.

I got halfway to my parents house before realizing that this just didn't feel right.

Walking out on my husband (even if it was only for a night) was not what I had promised when I vowed to honor and love him through better and worse on our wedding day. Even though it might not have seemed like a big deal to a lot of people, the symbolism seemed huge. I felt like I was saying, "I love you except when it gets hard and when that happens, I'm just going to leave."

I know that realistically it would've just been one night away, but the potential for a slippery slope stopped me in my tracks. I never want to get to a place where walking out becomes "easy". If I left this time, wouldn't it be that much easier to leave the next time? And then maybe longer the time after that? And then what?

And so I came back.

And I'm not telling you this to pat myself on the back or say "Look at me! My marriage is so great!" But rather, I wanted to let you know that we have our crap too and we aren't perfect...and marriage isn't perfect. Marriage is hard effing work and that is the truth. For every photo you see of us smiling at the beach and laughing over ice cream cones, there are a ton of other things that aren't photo-worthy that you aren't seeing. And I want people to know that. Don't feel like your marriage sucks and there is something better out there, because it doesn't look like what you see in movies or on TV or in you Instagram or Bloglovin' feed. The reality is that we're all just figuring it out and we're all tripping and falling along the way - because we are beautifully broken people.

And you know what? Even though I came back, I still didn't give in for awhile. I am prideful and I have a hard time admitting my faults. When I walked in our front door though, I told Craig: "I didn't come back because I'm fine. I'm still super pissed and I don't want to talk to you. I came back because I wanted to honor my marriage vows."

Later we talked about it and worked it out obviously, but it took time...because marriage takes time. Lucky for us, we plan on having a lot more time together to figure it out...because neither of us are going anywhere...least of all down that slippery slope.

Love and vulnerability,

Lauren

feedback?

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Guess what?

I'll be launching my new blog very soon! And by new, I mean the same, but redesigned and at a .com on Wordpress. I'm super excited to have a fresh look for this blog!

But along with this new look, I would love to be sharing fresh new content with you guys as well. For awhile I've been slacking a bit, because I was feeling a bit uninspired with this space, but the new look is making me feel reenergized and excited to breathe new life back into this blog.

This is where YOU come in! I would love to get your feedback...

I want to know...

What would you like to see more of here at The Little Things We Do?

I'm planning to have more consistent "What Fern Wore" style posts as well as continuing my "Friday Finds" posts where I share my favorite links from the week.

What else would you like to see though?

I'm considering doing more video blogs (like the "Mom Tip of the Week" videos I do for Babble), but I'm not sure that's something you guys would be into.

Any other ideas?

I'll still be sharing the day to day stuff as well, but if there's anything specific, just let me know. The feedback would be super helpful.

Thanks friends! Happy Monday!

Love and questions,

Lauren

what fern wore: letting her outfits tell the story.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This post is sponsored by Disney Story. To find out more about this brand-new story-creation app – and how it puts the power of storytelling in your hands - click here.

Today I thought I would make our usual "What Fern Wore" post into a cool story format using the Story App from Disney. Here are some of the outfits Fern has been wearing lately... (*all outfit details at the end of the post)

Start telling your stories by Downloading the Disney Story app from iTunes – for FREE – right here! Stay on top of new Disney Story updates by following Disney Story Twitter and Disney Story Facebook.

Stories and sunshine,

Lauren

PS: Here are the outfit details:

Day 1:

>>> Romper: H&M

>>> Sandals: Saltwater

Day 2:

>>> T-shirt + headband: c/o childHOODS

>>> Shorts: GAP

>>> Shoes: Converse

Day 3:

>>> Tunic: Dollar Tree

>>> Shorts: GAP

>>> Shoes: H&M

>>> Barette: Etsy

>>> Bracelet: J.Crew

Day 4:

>>> Dress: Old Navy

>>> Button-up + Belt: H&M

>>> Bow: c/o childHOODS

>>> Shoes: Saltwater

Day 5:

>>> Tank + Shoes: Target

>>> Jeans: GAP

>>> Sweater: H&M

>>> Headband: Made by me

Day 6:

>>> Sweater + Boots: Zara

>>> Shorts: GAP

>>> Bow: c/o childHOODS

Day 7:

>>> Romper: hand-me-down Bobo Choses

>>> Shoes: Saltwaters

friday finds.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren @The Little Things We Do....) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

OK...so I decided I didn't like the title of my Friday posts "Wish You Were Here". Yeah. I'm fickle. So now, it'll be called "Friday Finds", but it will still be the same - a place to share inspiration and favorites from the week.

So, here goes...

>>> Because everyone loves a nickname.

>>> Can I have them all?

>>> Yes, yes, and YES. Goodbye "Keep Calm" and sayonara ironic mustaches!

>>> Father's Day gifts that don't suck. (Truth be told I want most of the things on this list for myself)

>>> Miss Mary Blair - you have stolen my heart.

>>> These nails. So freaking perfect.

>>> This weekender bag.

>>> I am a fan of all of these summer wardrobe essentials...except the overalls. NEVER overalls.

>>> DIY drumming.

>>> It's a small world after all.

>>> To make.

>>> And I'll leave you with a few of Fern's newest party tricks.

Happy weekend friends!

Love and links,

Lauren