Oh, hello, friends! It’s been awhile, hasn’t it? Don’t let me make you too jealous, but I’ve been super busy snuggling a very sweet little baby.

I’ve been thinking a lot about goals I have for myself for 2015, and while looking over my “Resolutions” post from 2014, I realized that my goals are still very much the same. I still need to drink more water, be more organized, take more pictures of my kids, travel often, and put down my phone. I need to do all of that, but so much more. Here’s where I stand for 2015 – what are your goals?

1.|| Be kind to my body. My body, the one that grew the two tiny humans that my world revolves around, deserves to be taken care of with just as much love and care as I give to my little ladies and husband. More water, still. Continue eating clean, and following the Paleo lifestyle that I’m learning to love. Exercise more often (because these final 9 pounds of baby weight aren’t gonna lose themselves). Teach my daughters that a strong, healthy, nourished body is the most beautiful, not what magazines and TV depict as being beautiful.

2.|| Lead a more minimalistic lifestyle. I organized a lot last year, but rarely felt that I was reaping the rewards because for everything I organized and found a proper home for, I purchased something new. This year I am seeking a home filled with less; fewer items that I cherish more. I’m very fortunate to lead a lifestyle that allows me to have the things I want, but with that I need to learn that everything I want doesn’t need to be had. I never want my girls growing up worshiping things, and that’s a hard lesson to teach when I don’t practice it myself. I’ve learned that I am very much an emotional shopper. If I’ve had a bad day, a trip to Target, or a quick browse on Zara or J Crew cures all…I need to start investing my emotions into a healthier (and less expensive) habit.

*On that note, I am no longer hoarding expensive kids clothes…Let’s be real though, I’ll still be buying on occasion, just not hoarding thousands of dollars worth of goodies for years to come… If you want the items you see my kids wearing (you know, the cute stuff!) then you can shop their closets on Instagram @shopreeseandwillow*

3.|| Take more meaningful photos. Focus on capturing the moment, the feeling, the memory, not just the smile or the clothes, etc. I am constantly photographing my ladies, but the pictures I love the most and actually take time to print and frame are the photos that remind me of how we felt at that time.

4.||Travel. My husband and I have spent the last 5+ years saying “let’s go. let’s leave it all, and let’s go!” and we’ve done that a few times. New York, Boston, Cabo, Paris, Nice, Monaco, San Fran, Napa, India, Singapore… It’s what we love doing most in life, especially with our girls. Seeing a place through Camryn’s eyes has always been so magical.

With Camryn only a year away from starting Kindergarten, we feel the pressure to travel now more than ever. A few places that top the list are Spain, France (again, because Paris holds a really special place in my heart), Italy, Turkey, Sweden, London, and Greece.

5.|| Be more present. With 2 kids, my husband, and our yellow lab Aly, my house is a little chaotic (that’s an understatement) and it can be hard to really enjoy any one moment. My goal is to make time for each of them, one-on-one, and be present to enjoy everything they have to offer. Cammy is at such a fun age – the best if you ask me – and I do not want to miss this time with her. Harper is growing so dang fast, I just don’t even know when my teeny tiny baby turned into such a little chunk!! If I don’t stop to appreciate her now, she’ll be her sisters size in a blink. And my sweet, sweet man. Y’all, he’s been so amazing the last month+, I just don’t even have words for how much I love and appreciate him. He’s been cleaning, cooking (every single delicious – dairy and soy free – paleo meal) for me, and letting me sleep till noon while he watches our ladies if its been a rough night. I couldn’t do life without him, and I need to stop and tell him all of this more often, and squeeze him and have more gratitude for him.

So that’s it. Those are my resolutions for myself. Nothing crazy like “lose 50 pounds”, and nothing that makes me feel like I’m bullying myself or trying to be something I’m not. Just the basics. Be a person I’m proud of. I might sprinkle in things like *stop swearing so damn much*, but let’s be real, those goals won’t ever be reached.

What are your New Years Resolutions?

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday & a happy New Years!! We watched movies, ate “faux-stess cupcakes”, drank Sophia’s champagne from the can, and didn’t realize it was 2015 until about 12:03am. We’re party animals!!

XO – Samantha

Dear 2014, you’ll be nearly impossible to top.

XO – Samantha

Hello party animals! (That’s what you are to me if you don’t have a newborn, and you get to sleep all night and stay up late without fear of getting absolutely no sleep that night. I envy you. I envy my “party animal” days. I hate anyone who gets to sleep in past 7AM.)

Today I thought I’d share all the mommy & baby items that I have been loving and couldn’t have made it through the past 2 weeks without. Starbucks should also be on this list, but lets be honest, I can’t survive any week without that.

1.|| Mushy Books – Babies grow so dang fast!! Harpy has changed overnight from a teeny tiny 5 pounder into a chunky cheeked 7 (I’m guessing) pounder. I cannot document our time with her fast enough or often enough. Our Mushy Book is the most beautiful, and modern, baby book. I have been absolutely loving this baby book!! It’s such high quality, and unlike many of the typical baby books you’ll find in baby stores. I have the “Dreamcatcher” theme, but also love “A Star Is Born”.

2.|| Solly Baby Wrap – Harpy likes to be snuggled 24/7. My Solly wrap is lightweight (necessary for Texas weather), super soft, has a built in pocket to hold my phone, keys, etc, and she loves being in it. I have the color Mauve.

3.|| Jennifer Ann Style Custom Name Blanket – Ok, totally unnecessary, but also an absolute MUST HAVE! This blanket is thick, velvety on one side and silky on the other, and everyone loves it…literally, every single person comments on it and asks where it’s from. Best baby gift ever.

4.|| MamaRoo – This was a recommendation from a few of my besties, and they were so absolutely right – I did need this in my life. This kick ass little machine mimics my movements (as well as things like the car) to calm Harps and rock her to sleep. She loves it. My husband loves it. I love it. It’s smaller than most baby swings and it’s crazy easy to assemble and clean.

5.|| Honest Products – We all want the healthiest, safest, ‘best’ products for our babies, don’t we? I feel like the Honest products are exactly that. Us moms have enough to stress out about, and these products make me feel like I have one less thing to worry about. They’re good for my baby, good for the environment, and they deliver. Ok, you’re right, they had me at “we deliver”. Click here for a Free Trial*

6.|| Lansinoh Double Breast Pump, Pads & Cream – Must haves if you’re going to breastfeed. There will always be a use for a pump, wether you plan to go back to work after baby, need to increase your milk supply, want time off for a few hours (you’ll need this, trust me), or just want to share in the joy of feeding your baby with your husband or family. The double pump is fast, effective, and best of all, easy to clean! I also love the nursing pads & breast cream from Lansinoh. I love that the pads come individually wrapped so I can throw some in my bag and not worry that when I go to use them they’ll be covered in Camryn’s goldfish crumbs lining the bottom of my purse. I purchase mine at Target.

7.|| Cake Nursing Bra – I didn’t understand the importance of good nursing bras when I first brought Camryn home from the hospital, but I learned that lesson quickly, and this time around I made sure to invest in quality (and uber comfortable) bras. My friend suggested the Cake brand bras, and they are the bomb diggity. I wear the “Cotton Candy” sports style bra most often. It’s also easy to wash.

8.|| L’oved Baby Kimono Onesie – Hands down, the best onesie for newborns!! Dressing babies is not easy; they flail, cry when they get cold, are limp, and fragile. This onesie makes dressing a baby so easy. The kimono design saves you from trying to pull anything over babies head, and the sleeves even have built in gloves to prevent baby from scratching their face (my favorite!!) I own at least half a dozen L’oved Baby items and they are all fantastic – this has become one of my favorite organic brands.

9.|| Covered Goods – This nursing cover is so multi-purpose. I use mine as a carseat cover, blanket in the car when I’m in a pinch, and nursing cover. Even when I’m not concerned with covering up for feedings, sometimes I’ll use my cover just to allow Harpy to focus on eating instead of being distracted by her big sister yelling and jumping around waving toys at her. I have the black & cream stripe.

10.|| Tippi Snugs – These lightweight blankets are super stretchy, and perfect for swaddling, covering the carseat, or wrapping up baby when it’s not too cold. They are so beautiful in person, and so soft. You’ve probably seen these all over my Instagram and in our newborn photos because I love the floral pattern and colors so much.

11.|| Ergo Baby Swaddles – We swaddled Camryn for 6+ months and she would sleep 12 hours if she was swaddled. She would calm down instantly and fall asleep with a little white noise in the background and be so soothed. I have been swaddling Harper with the Ergo baby swaddles and love them. Some swaddles on the market don’t tight enough, and basically don’t work the way they should for that reason, but these adjust to even the smallest baby and get plenty tight.

12.|| Target Pajamas Pants & Robe- I’m pretty much living in these pants and robe. They’re so comfortable, and the pants can be worn in public without looking like you’re in pajamas, which saves me when I have to pick up Camryn from school. The robe is fluffly and snuggly and perfect for winter. Everyone should own them.

What are you’re favorite mama/baby items?

XO – Samantha

*Disclosure: I received my Lansinoh pump free from Influenster to review. As always, my opinions are my own.*