We Love MiniMoc

 

You all know my love for handmade shops, and today I’m bringing you another great one to check out. Meet Minimoc, an ethically sourced, handmade moc company out of Vancouver. I met Amanda after seeing her mocs featured on a fellow bloggers Instagram account, and first fell in love with the color range she offered. I looked into minimoc and was so impressed with her story, and the obvious care she put into her mocs, and knew I had to try them out myself.

I chose the Robin’s Egg suede mocs in size 1 (they are teeny tiny and ADORABLE) for Harper’s first pair of mocs. I knew when the box arrived that they were going to be amazing because the packaging was so nice, and I was oh-so-right. They are velvety soft, a beautiful sea blue color, and incredibly high quality.
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minimoc2 All of the Minimoc moccasins feature a micro-suede sole for non-slip indoor and dry weather outdoor footwear. The sole is spongy, and soft, and is great for early walkers learning balance.

minimoc8 Every moccasin has an elastic opening which makes putting them on/off easy for young toddlers who must do everything themselves. (I know all about that!) The elastic opening also prevents the mocs from slipping off even the squirmiest of feet.

minimoc9 Aren’t they darling? Harper will be coming home from the hospital in these beauties. ;-) Here’s some fun outfit inspiration featuring Minimoc’s…

minimoc4 Sweater: H&M // Bloomers: J Crew // Purse: Target

minimoc3 Onesie: Target

minimoc7 Sweater: H&M // Lemons Shirt: Kate & James Shop // Bloomers: J Crew // Spotted Fabric: Caitlin Wilson Textiles

Amanda currently offers 22 colors of moccasins (I’ve got my eye on ‘Piglet’), as well as leather bows, bowties, and apparel. Her moccasins are competitively priced, and you can buy with the confidence that she is sourcing from reputable tanneries with fairly treated employees.

XO – Samantha

Photo Updates – The last 2 weeks.

Hello Lovelies!

I promised to update with pics from my last 2 weeks, so here goes!

Over the long weekend we took advantage of Camryn’s time off from school and went to San Antonio to a resort & spa and had ourselves a little “staycation”. They had a “river pool” that you could float around on, and Camryn was all about it. We had some cocktails (mocktails for the ladies) and lounged in the sun, ate s’mores in the evening, ran around on the golf course, and just had a nice couple of days as a family of 3.
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Before leaving San Antonio, we hit the zoo. It was a mild 105 degrees out…even the animals were hiding underwater…

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Those aren’t rocks, they’re HIPPOS!

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Camryn and I were home for 3 days before getting back on the road to Louisiana. My mom has (very generously) been watching our yellow lab, Aly, for the last month and a half while we were traveling. She lives in North Carolina so we met halfways-ish in New Orleans to make the doggy drop/pick-up. My sister, Camryn, and I drove all the way to N.O. and back in 24 hours…my mom made an even longer trip, ALONE (she’s a rockstar), in 24 hours. We’re all a little insane. Before we left Camryn needed to be a cat, naturally. vacay12 Y’all know I didn’t leave without getting a beignet first. vacay13 Look at this happy girl!!! :-) She’s been missed terribly. We celebrated our BFF’s (dogs) birthday yesterday, and pulled out all the stops to wish her a very happy day. vacay23 Right before our trip to New Orleans, I started getting sick. Camryn had been sick a few days earlier (Thanks for that preschool!) and of course I caught it. I also started having horrible morning sickness again. I’m gonna go into labor still throwing up, I swear it. :-(
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My husband surprised me with these little beauties a few days ago – each gold bar has one of our daughters names on it – Camryn & Harper. I’ve had a lot of interest in where he purchased these, and the answer is Nordstroms, and they are Moon & Lola brand, but don’t appear to be available anymore. Bip & Bop do an equally beautiful version. vacay17

I ordered this amazing shirt from my girl Charisse from Pixel Paper Hearts and finally got around to showing it to y’all on Instagram. It’s quickly become my favorite, and since I ordered a unisex medium, my husband steals it too. vacay16

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And what’s a post without a little bit of this cutie girl?! Some days I just look at her and think “how is it possible for you to be so damn cute? Neither your dad or I is even half that good looking!” vacay21 vacay19 And these two… Harper is a lucky girl to be coming into a world where these two exist, because their love is so incredible, I just know she’ll be smooshed between them someday and be one very happy and very loved little lady! vacay18 So there you have it, my last 2 weeks in a nutshell…all the eventful stuff at least. I have about 20 posts to put together for you guys of things I’ve been adding to my list. So many awesome new products that I’m dying to share, a few DIY’s, nursery updates, pregnancy updates, bump fashion, etc. Let’s see if I can get my s#!t together soon and do those. Ha!

There’s a pretty awesome giveaway happening on Instagram today that I’m a part of, so go check that out if you’re interested. 20 girl bosses, 20 awesome prizes, 20 winners. Does it get any better? Oh, and NO reposting or tagging. BOOM!

XO – Samantha

Sick Days

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You are sweet, sweet friends if you’re still here reading this little blog of mine after my disappearing act the last week. So much has happened…but mostly, I’ve been sick…again. Camryn brought home a cold the first week into preschool (I expected it) and of course I caught it. It has morphed from your simple stuffy nosed cold into a chest cold that makes me cough and talk like a 90 year old smoker. To make things even worse, my morning sickness has returned with a vengeance. *Cough – Throw Up – Cough* Oh, and did I mention my husband decided to get food poisoning? Yeah, thats currently happening. Let me be the first to say that the only thing worse than being terribly sick and pregnant is being sick, pregnant, and having your spouse be legitimately more sick so you’re stuck playing nurse in between bouts of sickness. He’s lucky I love him so fiercely.

So that my friends is why I’ve not been around, or sharing updates about our family “staycation” from last weekend, or my 24 hour trip to New Orleans this past weekend – I promise to share all those crazy details and photos just as soon as I can get my head out of the toilet.

I’ll be teaming up with some awesome shops in a few days for another Instagram giveaway, so stay tuned for that as well (look for the announcement on IG, as I’m not the main host).

XO – Samantha

20 Facts

I was tagged on Instagram to share 20 facts about myself, and figured this was a fun way to also introduce myself to a few of my new blog readers. Hope you enjoy reading some of the very random quirks I have. :-) Happy friday friends!

Hanna Mac Photography

Photo Cred: Hanna Mac Photography

1.) My parents named me after a dog. Thanks mom.

2.) I’ve accidentally been telling people I’m 28 all year…I don’t turn 28 until Dec 26th.

3.) Speaking of my bad memory, I’ve NEVER remembered my wedding anniversary. In fact, our 10 year dating anni passed on Tuesday and I forgot.

4.) My husband & I eloped to Vegas and had a total stranger as our witness. It was the best decision ever. Elvis didn’t officiate…biggest regret ever.

5.) My favorite foods are Thai & Mexican. I love lots of herbs and spices…and chocolate.

6.) My favorite color is coral.

7.) I need at least 8 hours of sleep (my husband says its more like 14 hours) or I’m a total b!+<h. I don’t see why letting me sleep in every day is an unreasonable request?!

8.) I was mugged when Camryn was 6 months old, and my wedding ring was stolen. (Neither of us was harmed)

9.) I wear a size 8 shoe but always try on a 7 1/2 first…I secretly want smaller, cute feet. My feet are not cute, at all.

10.) I have an older sister that’s 6 years older, and a little sister that’s 15 years younger.

11.) I wore braces twice. I wore retainers never. I need braces again.

12.) I’ve been wearing the same yoga pants 3 days in a row. Don’t judge me.

13.) I’m a homebody but I have wanderlust. If I’m not on a plane at least once every 3 months I get antsy.

14.) I only have a handful of friends. I’m very guarded in real life.

15.) I’m addicted to pillows. I have a closet full of nothing but pillows that I store and rotate year round. My sister texts my husband when we go shopping and I buy more pillows. She’s a nark, and trying to have an intervention on me. I bought a new pillow today. Suck it sista! (But don’t tell my husband)

16.) I swear like a sailor. My mom hates it. My dad swore a lot, so I blame genetics.

17.) I LOVE getting mail. Cards, postcards, packages, they make me so happy!

18.) I’m horrible at doing my own nails.

19.) I’m also impatient (which is probably why I can’t paint my own nails).

20.) I have absolutely no sense of direction. If I’m going somewhere for the first time I give myself a 30 minute buffer to get lost. Im also a human homing device, and find myself driving home sometimes when I meant to go somewhere else.

I tag all my blogger friends – you know who you are – I want to read about you and your weird, quirky selves.

XO – Samantha

P.S. Random facts #21: I hate my husbands hair in this picture. It was a bajillion degrees out, and I think even his hair products said “I quit!”.

First Day of School

It happened. My baby grew up while I wasn’t looking. Camryn started school yesterday, and saying I was devastated would be an understatement. I was sobbing before we even made it out of the parking lot…another mom stopped me to give me the “It’s going to be alright. It’s harder on you than them!” speach. The problem was, it wasn’t hard on Camryn at all. We barely walked into the school before she ran to her classroom and ditched me. I barely got a goodbye kiss, or an “i love you” before she was kicking me out. When did my tiny, chunky, bald baby become such an independent 3 year old who doesn’t need her mommy? :-(

I talked her into a few pictures before we left.

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Her uniform kills me.

Thanks for all the love yesterday on IG, you mamas sure know how to cheer me up! :-) If you haven’t already, make sure you go enter the #motherofallmothersgiveaway!

XO – Samantha

The Mother of all mothers Giveaway!

Good morning friends, and happy monday! Don’t grump out on me yet, because I promise to make this a very happy monday for you too. :-)

My very sweet friend Jayme, one of the owners and creative ladies behind Kate & James, and I have been talking about hosting a giveaway together for quite awhile now. In the past we had put things on hold because we wanted to bring you all a giveaway that you’d remember; a giveaway worth telling your friends about. Well lucky you, that giveaway is here, and there are a whopping 15 shops bringing you some phenomenal prizes! Jayme & I did our homework on this one, and we rounded up 15 of our favorite mama & mini companies who have so graciously offered up prizes that we’re absolutely drooling over. We own many of these items and are here to tell you that they are amazing! These are the types of women that inspire me daily. I created this little blog so I could stand beside incredibly talented, hardworking women like them, and I’m just so honored to be in their presence. I hope you’re all as excited about this giveaway as I am, because it’s the #MotherOfAllMothers!

All of the images below are linked directly to the item, so feel free to click the image if you don’t want to test your luck and would rather purchase immediately.

Ready to meet the rad ladies behind all the brands? lemons tee Kate & James – Lemons Make Lemonade Tee.

Jayme, my giveaway co-host, is the owner of Kate & James. She and her friend Katie started K & J in 2014 and have been killing it ever since. You’ve seen them clogging my Instagram feed on the regular with adorable pictures of Camryn rocking her “Lemons” tee, and with the new arrivals of their baby size tees you can count on Harper rocking hers when she arrives too. Jayme is a personal friend of mine, and seeing her company becoming “big time” makes me so damn happy!! Go. Go follow these babes on IG, peep their awesome tees, and put your kids in them. You can thank me later. - @kateandjames_shop

Coral And Cloud – $30 Shop Credit.

Miko is the owner of Coral And Cloud, and creative mama behind these gorgeous hand-painted necklaces and mobiles. Her modern, colorful, geometric necklaces are the perfect accessory for any mom or hip kid. If you’re not a jewelry fanatic, her mobiles are sure to win you over. How amazing is the pink & gold mobile pictured above?! You better bet that will be hanging in Harper’s nursery! Go follow her on IG - @coralandcloud

Sophie & Lili – Flip Doll.

You’re already swooning over these adorable Sophie & Lili dolls, aren’t you? I mean, c’mon, a princess that transforms into a slumber party doll?! These incredibly creative dolls can be played with, snuggled, and (hallelujah for us moms) WASHED! They make the perfect best friend for every little lady. Follow along on IG to see more - @sophieandlili

minimoc Mini Moc – $40 Shop Credit.

Amanda, the creative lady behind Mini Moc, popped up on my radar recently after being featured alongside one of my favorite brands, Vonbon. Her beautifully made and ethically sourced mocs come in a huge variety of colors and offer a micro-suede sole for a non-slip indoor/outdoor footwear. Amanda started Mini Moc using leather scraps leftover from her husbands handmade grooms gifts. She is also pregnant and expecting a boy or girl (it’s a surprise!) by the end of the year, so be sure to go say hi and congratulate her! (I chose robins egg, shown above, for Harper’s first pair of mocs.) @minimoc

Whistle & Flute – $25 Shop Credit.

Miranda, the wife behind this husband and wife duo, knows how to design and style kick-ass kids clothes…excuse my french, but they’re that good. She makes “Fine clothes for dapper families”. Her unisex kids and adult apparel can be seen all over the hip kids of Instagram, whom are admittedly her muse when looking for design inspiration. These cool parents used to be in an indie pop band called The Paper Cranes – like I said, their cool factor is off the charts! Go check them out, if you’re not already a follower. @whistleandflute

Pixel Paper Hearts – $35 Shop Credit.

If there was a rule on Instagram that only allowed you to follow one person, it would be @pixelpaperhearts for me. She is, hands down, my favorite. Charisse is so incredibly funny, kind, and talented. When I was looking for art for Harper’s nursery I immediately went to her shop…and when the print I was dying for didn’t perfectly match my color scheme, she had one custom made for me in the color I wanted. She is good people. Go check her out, buy her hilarious shirts and mugs, and grab some art for yourself and your kids. You will not be disappointed.

Little Big Dreamers – $20 Shop Credit.

Keri, the beautiful mama behind @littlebigdreamers is not only one of my blog sponsors, but also a really sweet friend. Camryn became one of her brand reps over the summer and she has been such an awesome supporter of me, my blog, and my social platforms ever since. I’m grateful to have met her, to have watched as her business flourished, and to be able to support her by rocking her designs all day everyday! The little tiny cutie above (with the sucker) belongs to her, and if you go follow her instagram you can get nearly daily doses of that beautiful face – need I say more?

Kid + Kind – “I have a lot of feelings” tee.

And then there was Jackie. Oh, Jackie, how I love you so. Kid + Kind was a relatively new brand to me, introduced through Jayme (of Kate & James), and a company that I really had to do some research into. Well friends, that snooping around was worthwhile because I discovered that this company is really special. On her website, under the about me section, Jackie describes her journey to create Kid + Kind. She mentions her wealth of knowledge of the industry, and desire to branch out on her own. She talks about the final push she needed to do that, and it’s so powerful and represents such a passion that I have to share. “It was the birth of my daughter that sparked my inherent need to make her world as fun, beautiful, and as inspiring as possible.” It was her baby. If that’s not something we can all understand, feel in our bones, and want to help support than I don’t know what is. She’s pretty bomb.com in my books, and her designs are too! Go check her out - @kidandkind

House Of Mia – $25 Shop Credit.

If you’ve never heard of House of Mia then you’ve been living under a rock. This powerhouse of design is another mama after my own heart. HoM was started after the birth of her daughter Amelia (Mia), and her longtime passion to create. Made with 100% organic cotton, HoM offers leggings, knotted hats, and newborn essentials. They are staples in my house, and pair perfectly with pretty much everything. @house_of_mia

covered goods Covered Goods – Nursing Cover of winners choice.

@coveredgoods is a company that my friend Jenn introduced me to a few months ago after I announced that baby #2 was on her way. Have you ever been nursing in public, using a traditional cover, and had your baby pull it open or the wind blow it off? Oh, hey giant nipple!! Look, I’m all for public nursing, and I nursed Camryn for 18 months, but I know that on certain occasions I’d rather keep my lovely lady lumps under wrap. Creepy dude at Target, “eyes up here!”. Lady server at that expensive steakhouse, “Quit mean mugging me while my kid eats. I’m gonna tip. And yes, they’re real!” Y’all know what I mean?! All you gorgeous moms on IG posting your breastfeeding pics, I bow to you and your self confidence, and some days I am you…days that I’m not, I’ve got my Covered Goods nursing cover! Here’s why these are awesome, and a total must have: They cover front & back, so your squirmy kid can’t flash you. They aren’t ugly…we’ve all had the ugly nursing cover, amiright? They double as an infinity scarf or car seat cover, and they’re also super soft!

Sweet Kiddo Co – $25 Shop Credit.

Cherie is my homegirl! No, seriously, we share our home city Austin, TX! She makes gorgeous, vibrant, and modern leggings, skirts, and headbands. I absolutely love the statement these leggings make, and how easy they make dressing your babe. Grab a tee and some Mini Mocs and you’re out the door and looking oh-so-trendy! Go check her out on Instagram – give her a “hey y’all!” @sweetkiddoco

Little Sapling Toys – $20 Shop Credit.

This husband and wife team are doing so many things right! They started their business in 2008 and quickly became the top selling toy shop on Etsy. Say what?! They offer the classic wooden toys with a twist, using organic materials, and offering the largest selection of shapes. You can even have your toy customized – what an awesome gift! These do-gooders even plant a tree for every toy sold. I have my eye on about 30 of their toys…totally reasonable, no?! :-) @littlesaplingtoys

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bandit print ADN Designs - Panda Bandit Print.

Anna, and “momma to the peej” as she fondly calls herself, is #1. The hottest mom, and #2. has one of the best Instagram feeds out there. I dare you to check out the hashtag #peejandme – it’s adorable overload of her ridiculously beautiful daughter and her, and it will melt even the coldest of hearts. She’s giving one lucky winner this rad “Panda Bandit” print that any kid would be stoked on. Camryn saw it while I was working on this post and nearly lost her $h!t. @adndesigns

Talia Handler Art – Custom Watercolor Portrait.

Where do I even begin with this beautiful lady? Talia and I connected early this year when she painted Camryn in her blue mustache, and have since become personal friends. Talia is so incredibly talented, and has the ability to turn a photo into a true work of art. I’ve since framed my crazy little mustache girl and smile everyday when I see her. This is one of the prizes that you will cherish for a lifetime, long after your little one has grown up, and outgrown everything. Go say Hi to Talia, and tell her what a babe she is. @taliahandlerart

Everly B – $35 Shop credit.

Another awesome shop started in honor of her kiddos. All of her awesome shirts are “mama designed” and her pants are “mama sewn”, which naturally means they’re made with tons of love! This Cali mom is really bringing it in the summer lovin’ department, and I’m seriously swooning over her trucker hat and striped onesie. She designs with comfort and function in mind, but with a trendy twist. She is ALSO 25 weeks pregnant, so again, give her some love and congrats! @everly_b

Are you still with me guys?! Phew!! What a group of ladies, and what a giveaway!! One of you is going to get really lucky…ready to find out how?

Head on over to my Instagram and follow me. You’ll find this photo:

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Go ahead and “like” it, because it’d be rude not to ;-) and then follow all the shops listed (which are all the ladies you just read about). Once you’ve followed all the shops, repost this photo using the hashtag #MotherOfAllMothersGiveaway Here’s a tip – click that hashtag before re-posting the photo and when you go to type it later it will auto populate the hashtag for you (so you don’t screw it up and miss a letter or anything…trust me, I’ve learned that the hard way!) Be sure to also tag me @playdatesandpearls. You must have a public account for the duration of the contest. You can post daily for additional entries. The contest will run for one week, 8/25 – 9/1, and closes at midnight. I will announce the winner on 9/2.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

XO – Samantha

{Product Review} Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundations

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I mentioned a few weeks ago that I had purchased the Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Foundation, and Airbrush Foundation (aka powder foundation) after hearing a few of my favorite beauty YouTube’ers rave about them. I love Tarte as a brand, and have really enjoyed many of their products over the years, so I had really high hopes for both of these products. I have been using both for awhile now, and feel confident that I can give a pretty honest and full review of each.

Before jumping into either product, let me (for the millionth time if you’ve been following my blog for the last year) tell you a little about my skin type. I have dry/combination skin, leaning more heavily towards dry. I have very thin skin which shows veins, freckles, and scarring very easily. I exfoliate my skin 3-5 times weekly using either a mask or bead/scrub exfoliant to remove dry skin, which prevents me from having too many dry patches. I use heavy moisturizers, particularly around my eye area.

With that said, lets jump into the cream foundation review first!

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Closer look at the photo 4/4 from above (same photo, just rotated). Creamy foundation finish.

As you can see, the cream foundation is very thick and (no surprise) creamy. I would say this is a medium-full coverage foundation, very buildable, and creates a very airbrushed effect like it claims. The foundation dries very soft, and almost powdery to the touch, and leaves a natural-matte finish. I haven’t had issues with breakouts while using this foundation, but I did use the Hourglass primer as a base before every application. I only noticed patchiness after 8+ hours of wear, if ever. The cream foundation offers SPF 15, and is oil-free. I wear color light-medium sand.

So…I like this foundation…but I don’t love it. For someone with combination/oily skin I would definitely recommend this, but for anyone with much drier skin I would stick to a more radiant foundation like the Nars Sheer Glow, or even a more natural setting foundation like MUFE HD foundation. I found that the Tarte cream foundation settled into fine lines, and emphasized blonde baby hairs on my face around my hairline. It aged my skin because of how matte it looked on my already dry skin, and I found myself adding Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector to it (before applying) to create a slight glow. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this foundation, and I think it’s a great product for some people, it’s just not for my skin type.

Let’s talk about the airbrush powder foundation…

I have used Bare Minerals powder foundations in the past and had really great results, but always felt like the powders were sitting on top of my skin, so I wanted to try the Tarte powder in comparison. In a nutshell, they are two very different products. Where they Bare Minerals provides a medium coverage, the Tarte provides a light-medium (buildable) coverage. Where B.M. has a matte finish, Tarte has a more glowing, slightly shimmery finish – not everyone’s cup of tea. Both products sit on top of my skin to a degree, but less so with the Tarte powder. I appreciate the range of colors available in the Tarte line (I wear light-medium neutral).

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Here’s the finish of the powder foundation. As you can see, there is some settling into fine lines, and it emphasizes my dry skin.

Tarte Shimmer This is the best photo I could capture of the “shimmer”/glow the powder foundation has. Because I have drier skin I actually enjoy the slight glow to my foundations, but someone with oily skin or acne may not want attention drawn to those areas (which shimmer does – hence why we use matte concealer on blemishes).

Similar to the creamy foundation, the powder formula lasts all day. These two foundations are really incredible paired together when you’re looking for a full coverage, flawless, airbrushed face. I wore them together to a wedding, in 75-80 degree heat, for hours and had great results. You can see what it looked like here. I also sprayed my face with the Urban Decay Chill setting spray, as well as my husbands face because he sweats like a whore in church even when it’s only 65 out. ;-)

I hope that helped to answer some of your questions about these products. If any of you use either of these, please leave a comment below letting everyone know what YOU think of them, because they will work differently on everyones skin. Also note your skin type if you leave a review.

Happy Hump Day!

XO – Samantha

Second Trimester Pregnancy Update

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It’s hard to believe I’m already in my 25th week of pregnancy, and just 15 weeks (or less) away from meeting this tiny lady! This has felt equally like the longest pregnancy, and the fastest pregnancy ever. When I think of all the things still lingering on my to-do list, I become overwhelmed with anxiety. When I think of all the hours spent nauseous and hanging over my toilets, sinks, and drowning myself in ginger ale, I wonder “how have I survived this infinite pregnancy?”

If you’re wondering what I’ve done to prepare, the answer is nothing. I haven’t bought diapers. I haven’t assembled (or purchased) the crib. The dresser/changing table still lives in Camryn’s room. The storage containers full of baby clothes that I’ve saved for the last 3 years are stacked to the ceiling and in need of being washed and hung. Thank god I am OCD and was smart enough to organize them all by size and season – hallelujah! We don’t have a double stroller (and probably won’t get one because it seems unnecessary for us), a swing, bouncer, activity mat, or even a monitor…although my husband did splurge on the Sproutling. If you’re unfamiliar with this awesome product, check out their video.

To be quite honest, I’m not concerned like I was when I was pregnant with Camryn. I feel like all I need is diapers, nursing pads for my soon-to-be leaky chest, a crib, and a car seat….maybe a few sleeping pills to slip that little night owl….BOOM! Happy baby. I’m kidding people. Don’t drug your kids. Put down your phone, no need to call child protective services. ;-)

Speaking of calling CPS, did y’all see that crazy mom who video taped her son lighting himself on fire?! W-T-F. Don’t even get me started. Ok, moving on before I get all Oprah on you and start telling you how I feel about said crazy mom…

Since I seem to be rambling, lets go ahead and break things down real quick with ten facts about my pregnancy as of now:

1. I can’t stop eating. I crave pasta, cereal, cheeseburgers, and popsicles. By crave I really just mean I like those foods and am using this baby as an excuse to indulge.

2. I tried to put on a pair of non-maternity shorts to wear unbuttoned over my bikini to the pool this weekend, and couldn’t even pull them up past my thighs. I am convinced I am growing Harper’s twin in my a$$.

3. I’ve only made 4 maternity purchases so far, which is probably why I’m constantly complaining that I have nothing to wear. 1 pair of pants, two shorts, and a tee shirt. On the other hand, I’ve bought Camryn 20+ new outfits in the last 6 months despite the fact that she hasn’t grown an inch since I got pregnant. Story. Of. My. Life.

4. I started feeling Harper move around 14 weeks. Taylor first felt her move around 17 weeks, and Camryn felt her around 20. I can now see her moving, and we watch my belly roll around nightly. Harper responds quickly to Camryn talking to her, and loves to kick big sister in the face when Camryn leans her head on my belly.

5. The love and bond my girls already share has made being sick for 6 months 100% worth it. Camryn touches my belly, says “Hi Harper!”, and kisses her at least once a day.

6. I haven’t had any stretch marks yet (I never did with Camryn), but I have gained a solid 16 pounds already. I gained a total of 30-35 with Camryn.

7. I am a walking furnace. Most days I just want to live in the freezer. Summer pregnancy in Texas is not my jam.

8. I havent had a single stranger touch my belly.

9. Harper does not yet have a middle name. We have about 4 names that we’re tossing around, but my husband is “meh” on all of them. Suggestions?

10. At 25 weeks, I still sleep on my belly. It’s only just (in the last week) becoming uncomfortable, and I’m trying to transition to sleeping on my side…I haven’t slept well in days. :-(

Hope I haven’t bored you too much with all this bump talk. I have a beauty review coming your way tomorrow, so if baby talk doesn’t apply to you, hopefully that will.

XO – Samantha

Rock that college fund!

The 4 little words that I say on a far too regular basis that my husband hates the most…”Rock that college fund!” It’s true, I’m addicted to toddler fashion. I can’t stop. I won’t stop. I take that back; I’ll have to stop, because my big lady is starting school next week and will be wearing a uniform every day to school. So in honor of going big or going home, I splurged on a few of the Duchess & Lion Co items that launched last week, and you better bet she’s been rocking that college fund this week!

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Duchess and Lion I also snagged a few headscarves…as if we needed any more.

These items will be relaunching tomorrow if you want to snag some for your little. Do not hold me responsible for your angry husbands, or overdrawn bank accounts. :-)

For those of you who have asked – YES! All of these items, as well as Camryn’s entire wardrobe, will be sold in the coming months as Harper wears and outgrows them – I will announce the Instagram account for any of you interested.

XO – Samantha

Wrap it Up!

Let me reassure you, this post is not sponsored by Trojan. It is, on the other hand, all about my new favorite fashion accessory – the hair wrap.

Camryn & I have been rocking hair wraps the last few weeks on a daily basis. They turn our not-so-fab hair into “Hey girl, heyyyy!” hair. Our sweet friend Keri, the owner of Little Big Dreamers, sent us a few new hair wraps that have quickly become our go-to wraps. She also just launched her fall line of headbands, wraps, and clothing, including a very special wrap that she named after Harper called “Harper’s Beauty”. <3 Be still my heart.

Here are a few of the wraps that I think you’ll love as much as I do:

Kicking it off with my obvious favorite, Harper’s Beauty – this gorgeous wrap would look amazing adding a punch of color to a black & white outfit.

Who’s that cute girl?! :-) Here’s my biggest lady rocking her Stud Muffin wrap, and just being straight up adorable while chugging her hot chocolate. Girls got a soft spot for a starbucks hot chocolate.

This is the “I Love Lucy” wrap, and the one you’ll catch me wearing most often. It literally looks good with every single outfit, and is long enough to be double wrapped and then knotted (because mama doesn’t always need a bow to draw attention to myself). This is the wrap I wore in this photo.

Oh sweet Teagan…look at that pout! Meet Keri’s oldest daughter, and most beautiful little model. This little lady has a creative mind like her mama, and it always shows in her outfits, which she picks out herself. I’m way too OCD to let Camryn pick an entire outfit by herself, but I always think moms who do are so damn cool. Back to the wraps – this gorgeous wrap is called the Lily Grace, and it’s next on my must-have list. I love the retro, vintage-y feel is has, and I would pair it with an A-line black dress, knee high socks, and retro school shoes…just in case you were wondering. HA! Reasons why Camryn doesn’t pick her entire outfit herself…mamas got issues.

Last but not least, I bring you “Totes Tribal”. This wrap is perfect for all of you ladies who are looking to rock the wrap without looking like a 5 year old. This wrap would look so chic with a top knot!

All of the featured wraps are just $12-14. What are you waiting for?!

While you’re visiting her shop, be sure to check out the “Cray Cray” tees (a mom staple), the headband section (you might spy a few pics of yours truly), and the “create your own” section if you’re feeling adventurous and think you can cut it as a designer yourself! If you create your own, and you don’t use the amazing black & white panda face fabric, then we can’t be friends anymore – pre-warning. ;-)

Oh, and sorry about the whole “I might have 2 posts up tomorrow” posted Thursday. If you showed up on Friday, there was nothing to greet you but the sound of crickets…OOPS! I may or may not have forgotten it was my husbands dirty 30 on Friday. I know, wife of the year. On the bright side, that just means more good posts coming your way THIS week.

XO – Samantha

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