Green Juice

Hello Darlings!

It’s Monday. Whomp. Whomp. Oh, also, my husband’s asked that I stop being such a fatty because my “bad eating habits” (since when did tacos, chickfila, and ice cream become bad eats?) are wearing off on him. Basically what he’s saying is that I’m now responsible for making both myself fat, and making him fat. No finger pointing in my house, clearly.

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One of the ways my husband and I like to stay healthy is by juicing daily, but at some point between Thanksgiving and Christmas we fell off the wagon, so we’re going to try and jump back on.

Our green juice typically contains:

1 organic cucumber (if not organic, wash and peel before juicing)

2 large handfuls of spinach

1/2 head of kale

1-2 Apples or Pears (Pears are sweeter)

Romaine if I have any on hand.

1″ piece of ginger

lemon if on hand.

Pretty simple, no fuss ingredients. This recipe makes enough for 2 large drinks, and it only takes about 2 minutes to juice everything, and then cleaning the juicer (Breville Juice Fountain) takes about 5 minutes. I really enjoy the taste of this specific juice (I hate beet juice, and I’m not a fan of celery, in case you were wondering), and it’s so good for my body, so I’m going to try and be diligent about making them.

I posted about my green smoothies recently, so I just want to talk about the differences between juices and smoothies. When you juice your fruits and veggies, you’re removing the fiber from them. Fiber is great for you, but by removing it you’re making digestion easier, which allows the nutrients to pass quickly into your bloodstream and boost your immune system. Both juices and smoothies are great for you, but juices pack a bigger punch!

Do any of you juice, or have you thought about starting? Kris Carr is a huge inspiration to me, and her book Crazy, Sexy, Diet talks a LOT about the benefits of juicing, and she also provides great juice recipes. I would also go check out Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, a documentary about juicing. It will blow your mind.

XO – Samantha

Friday Lust List: Handmade Kids Clothing & Accessories

Hello Loves!

So many of you ask me where I buy Camryn’s clothes, shoes, and accessories, and many times the answer is Target/Old Navy/H&M, etc…but some of my favorite items from her wardrobe are the ones I find from little shops on etsy, or discover through Instagram, or word of mouth. They’re handmade, many times using organic materials, and made with love. They are the pieces that last longer than any of the clothes from the “big box retailers”, they’re very high quality, and they’re the items that I plan to pass down to my future child(ren). I wanted to share a few of my recent favorite shops with all of you. Even if you don’t have a mini me, I’m sure you have friends and family with them, so check out these awesome shops – support small businesses – and shop my favorite items!

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1.|| You saw Camryn rocking her Mason & The Tambourine dress a few days ago, as well as the grey teepee leggings. This shop is one of my newest loves, and I am definitely going to might want to buy one of everything. (My husband reads my blog, so I can’t give away too much… Hi honey! No shopping happening here.)

2.|| zuzii.com was recently introduced to me, and I can’t stop swooning over these black & white striped sandals. Why can’t these be in my size too? Oh, and I can’t forget this bow belt, it’s too cute for words. Must. Own.

3.|| Hello Apparel is always on my radar, but I’m especially eyeing those darling heart baseball tees for Valentines.

4.|| Loola popped up on my radar recently, and I fell in love with these floral harem pants (no longer available in size 2T…wahhhhh!). The prices can’t be beat ($15 for those adorable pants)! These pants would have looked so chic with those striped sandals from Zuzii.

I’m also loving these quilted tuxedo stripe pants from Loola. :-)

5.|| House of Mia has become dangerous for me to even look at these days. These heart leggings, the little black umbrella leggings, and the tiny models in them…I want it all. 100% organic, and 100% CUTE!

6.|| Monroe & Harlow is a company I started stalking on Instagram, and now check in on daily to see what cute new designs they’ve dreamed up. My current favorite is this beautiful black & white striped band with a mint bow. Lucky you, they also carry a women’s line – check out these gorgeous turbans – I would rock one of these all the time!!

7.|| I recently made a few purchases with Grey Thread, an etsy company with quirky sayings on shirts and sweatshirts that are sure to catch attention. My favorites are “Embrace Messy Hair”, “Wild & Free”, and the funny “Jesus Saves, Bro” shirt.

8.|| Vonbon is releasing their new leggings line in early February, and I sneaked a peek and am smitten! These will quickly sell out, so mark your calendars. If you want to read more about my love affair with Vonbon, check out my full post here.

9.|| Sugarplum Lane is another shop I’ve been frequenting, and I’m currently lusting over these beauties. I’m a sucker for all things gold, but it’s the thickness and quality of sugarplum’s leggings that I love most.

10.|| No list about toddler fashion could ever be complete without mentioning Freshly Picked Moccs. You all know I love them, and my kid practically lives in them, but did you know they’ve released a radiant orchid pair in honor of the Pantone Color of the Year?! Oh yes Mamas, feast your eyes on those beauties!!! If you’re a lover of Freshly Picked like I am, check out Shark Tank tonight, and see if Susan cuts a deal with any of the sharks!

Let’s be honest, it’s hard not to love everything in teeny tiny size! Let the shopping commence. (I can say that now because there’s no way my husband’s still reading…he got lost somewhere between shoes and headbands.) :-)

XO – Samantha

Home Tour: Kourtney Kardashian

I have been drooling over Kourtney Kardashians home for a very long time. After searching the internet for photos and even trying to sneak a peek on her designer, Jeff Andrews site, I figured I must be coming up empty handed for a reason. They’ve been planning a big reveal for awhile, and lucky us, it’s out!

My obsession with her house all started here, in the living room that we’ve all spotted on KUWTK and swooned over.

Penelope’s room was designed by Kourtney alone, and she says it’s her favorite room in the house.

My kid would go bananas in this playroom. Kourtney hung surfboards from the kids choice awards on the ceiling, and has an Ikea rug on the floor. Even millionaires love Ikea. :-)

I’ve been having a black & white moment lately, but this house just brought my crush onto a whole new level. I’m ready to move right in…you coming?!

All photos are from InStyle Magazine.

XO – Samantha

What I’m Loving {Wednesday}

After having been gone for a few days, I wanted to get caught up with some of the things I’ve been loving, and pinning lately. I try to bookmark things that I’ve enjoyed all throughout the week so that I can share them with you on Friday’s Lust List’s, but this week there’s too much to wait.

1.|| This yummy southwest chicken salad from MSK

2.|| Buying one of these “Hustlin” mouse pads for my husband, and another for myself.

3.|| I love these leggings for Camryn

4.|| What a beautiful living room!

5.|| I love this quote.

6.|| My yellow lab, Aly, needs one of these chic little doggy beds.

7.|| Get in my belly. I would trade in my husband for this delicious looking cake. ;-)

8.|| DIY gold lip wine glass.

9.|| I received a bunch of new coffee table books for Christmas and my birthday, and the Kate Spade book was one of them. It’s soooo good you guys. I’m absolutely smitten with it, and it looks so pretty sitting on my table.

10.|| My daughter was given Living Sand as a Christmas gift from my husbands grandparents, and it’s absolutely AMAZING!! Have I mentioned this to you guys already? I’ve been telling everyone I know about it. It’s super easy to clean up, doesn’t stick to anything or dry out like playdough, and has been hours of fun for us. It’s also non-toxic and anti-bacterial. We own the large set, but there’s also a less expensive smaller set. Parents of toddlers, go buy some. You’re welcome!

11.|| I was really sick again all day today, so I lounged around and relaxed in the bath…which looks eerily similar to this one. I’m hoping to be back to myself by tomorrow. I have a long list of my favorite blogs to get back to reading. I’ve discovered a few new bloggers that I’ve really been enjoying, so I’ll share those with you guys soon. Maybe I can get some of them to come by and say “hi”, and tell you a little about their blogs themselves.

I’ll sure be glad when Friday arrives…until then, Happy Hump Day!

XO – Samantha

I’m Back!

It feels like forever since I’ve sat in front of my computer {eating chocolate chip & oatmeal raisin cookies…} and blogged. Ahhhh it’s good to be home!

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View on flight to WA

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Sunset at 30k ft on the flight home to Austin

First off, my trip was great! I got to see a bunch of friends and their littles, and I rubbed a TON of baby bumps. ALL of my girlfriends (yes, I’m being a tad dramatic) are pregnant! 5 baby bumps in total…which is actually a good thing, because that’s 5 sweet little babies that I’ll be snuggling in just a few more months. My ovaries have officially exploded, and all I say to my husband anymore is “I NEED A BABY!!!”

My SIL’s baby shower was so fun, and they revealed they are having a boy! A BOY, people. I finally get to shop for, and dress up a little man. They had been hoping for a boy, so I’m super happy for them. Camryn is going to be so excited to have a cousin. She was already talking to my SIL’s belly and giving it kisses. She kept asking her to “take the baby out”, and we were having to tell her he wasn’t ready yet. :-)

We didn’t get home to Austin until after 1am, so Camryn and I slept in till 10, and then spent the day relaxing and enjoying the beautiful 80 degree Austin weather. What a nice change from the grey and cold weather we had in Washington!

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masonandthetambourine

How darling is this Mason and The Tambourine dress!

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…and these M&TT leggings.
photo 5 Our dog Aly is pretty happy to have us home too. Camryn has been giving her kisses and hugs all day.

Thank you all for being patient while I was away. I had planned on blogging and posting vacay pics all week, but travelling solo with a toddler requires a lot of stuff, and my laptop wasn’t going to fit in my carry-on. I had to rely on my FIL’s computer and my husbands macbook, and it just didn’t work out like I had planned.

Speaking of travelling with a toddler, I remembered to snap a pic of the things I pack in my carry-on bag for all of you who have been asking for tips. I’ll put together a post soon. After 4 countries and countless plane rides, I’ve come up with a system that works really well for us.

XO – Samantha

Camryn pics + more…

Here are a few pics from our visit, as promised.

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We’ve been having too much fun. I spent the day with my little sister and step mom, and then went to dinner with a bunch of our dearest friends. It always feels so good to be home.

My SIL finds out what she’s having tomorrow, but is making us all wait until Friday when they arrive to spill the beans….it’s killing me!!!

Hope you are all having a great week.

XO – Samantha

Oops…

Well guys, I messed up. I had planned on blogging each night, and uploading Camryn Daily pics as usual, but I wasn’t able to bring my laptop (because I was traveling solo with a toddler and only hand so many hands to carry stuff) and my FIL’s laptop doesn’t have a camera card reader. So….no pics until I get my hands on a macbook this evening. I’ll post a bunch of pics for you guys on tomorrow so you can see all the trouble we’ve been getting into on our vacay. :-)

I’m spending today with my little sister and step mom. For those of you who don’t know me personally, my Dad died a few years ago, so my little sister and step mom are “my girls” and we stay very close. Our visits are usually the same every time; food, shopping, and the boy talk (I give my little sister the “no teen pregnancy or I’ll kill you” talk every single time). Hey, her dads not here to scare away little boys, so somebody has to…

Happy hump day. XO – Samantha

Let’s Just Laugh!

I made it to Washington!! Camryn and I had a very long and interesting day of travelling, and literally found ourselves RUNNING to catch our 2nd flight, but we’re here. It’s gray and cold, but it always feels so good to come home to see family and friends.

I thought that today we could just laugh a little, and not take anything too serious. I was on Pinterest the other night and kept coming across funny animal pictures…or at least at 11pm, after a very long day, I thought they were hysterical…so I thought I’d share with you. You’re welcome.

:-)

I’m hitting up my beloved Bagelry today, woohoo. Hope you’re all having a great day, and if you weren’t already, I hope these funny pictures helped.

XO – Samantha

Nursery Design: Pink & Chic

Girls Nursery

My pregnant friend, Alyssa, is struggling to design her little girls nursery due to the green wall color in her current rental house. She could paint, and then re-paint in a year when the home they’re building is done, or leave the green walls and work with them. Together we designed this mood board which incorporates the green walls into the color scheme rather than fighting them, and will also look beautiful in the new house (with lighter walls). She’s not afraid of a good DIY, so I added in a tassel garland and map letter, and some pom poms for her to work on. How lucky is the little girl that will soon call this room home?!

Here are the items we chose:

Elephant Print (size 60×40″)

Crib

Elephant Stool

Faux Fur Shag Rug

Candy Kirby Designs Crib Sheets OR Target Mudhut Sheets

Herringbone Throw OR herringbone minky baby blanket

Mirrored Heart Art

LOVE Art

Brushstroke Art – Commision pieces are available if you contact Jen.

Gold Polka Dot Pillow

Dreamer Pillow

DIY Tassel Garland Tutorial courtesy of Linen Lace and Love

I am off to Washington this morning for my sister-in-laws babyshower. My tiny lady and I are flying solo, so it will be quite the adventure, as always. She’s actually a great little traveller, so I’m not very worried, but I do get anxiety when flying ever since becoming a mom. I’m not good at having zero control over situations, and well, flying is kinda out of my hands. Wish us luck! First stop when I get in town is the Bagelry, my favorite little bagel shop in the entire USA. Mmmmmm! It’s one of the things I crave year round, and binge on whenever I’m home. My MIL usually has a bag of them waiting for me when I arrive. I’m an addict. Sad truth. :-)

I’ll be posting as usual, as well as updating the Camryn Daily page.

XO – Samantha

Lust List: 1/10/14

kate spade bow usb

1.|| I am LOVING this Kate Spade Bow USB. I take a lot of photos of Camryn, and am constantly using my USB to store them and transfer pics between my macbook and iMac.

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2.|| DIY lace elbow patches and heart – here’s the finished look. I love how they turned out, and will definitely be doing this to one of my own sweaters.

3.|| I found this darling elephant print on Etsy ( by Oana Befort) while sourcing items for a girls nursery (Full Nursery post on Monday), and love him! Isn’t he precious?

4.|| I’m flying home for my sister-in-laws babyshower next week, and I’m so excited!! They find out the gender in a few days and I can’t wait to start shopping for my ONLY niece/nephew. Future spoiled baby alert!!!

5.|| Since I’m flying home with Camryn, and without the help of my husband, I decided to have a carseat shipped to my In-Laws to avoid the hassle of bringing mine. This carseat is the #1 rated on Amazon, it’s cheap, and accommodates babies 5lbs-40lbs so my future niece/nephew can also use it when they visit home.

6.|| The man who became part of a lion pride. Amazing video – a must see.

7.|| This is such a great oversized clutch (it’s huge), and I love the optional monogramming. It comes in tons of great colors.

8.|| These “His & Her Vow” cards are darling, and the perfect gift for any couple getting ready to walk down the aisle. They’ll make great keepsakes for the Bride and Groom too, and would look beautiful framed and displayed on eachothers night stands as reminders. One of my sweet friends is getting married in May. :-)

9.|| Goop did a “Guest Apartment Challenge” and this beautiful space was created. Check out all the photos here.

10.|| Jenn from The Chic Pad revealed her foyer makeover, and it’s beautiful! Go drool over it, you won’t be sorry.

Hope you all have wonderful weekends!!

XO – Samantha

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