Easter Style For Your Little Guy

We've literally just finished one holiday (like, literally, I'm still trying to get the green food coloring out from underneath my nails), and another is quickly upon us.

St Pat's was a lot of fun. We bought shamrock balloons, drank the heck out of some green milk and I suckered Cruz into a little photo shoot. I really just wanted to get one good shot for a St. Paddy's Day pic and then he goes and gives me this.

Tee // Moccs

I mean, come on. Seriously this boy.

But now that St Pat's is over, I can get back to figuring out Easter plans.

I think we are planning to go to my parents again for church, dinner and an Easter egg hunt with the kiddos. The best part, Nick's mom and man friend D come over as well so we don't have to feel bad about splitting our time and Cruz gets to see 2/3rds of his grandparents in one place.

Did I tell you how munch I love that our families get along??

Obviously I've been thinking about little man's Easter outfit for the last few weeks and finally have started ordering some of the items. I was just turned onto Next, an amazing UK company that one of my besties who is originally from Ireland buys from for her little guy. I have an order coming and cannot wait to get it. Seriously I think every item on their website is amazing. (After posting this, I was told Next has a US site. How did I not know this? Check them out here!)

Mix some of those items with some of my other faves and you have these two outfits that I can't get enough of. And you know I had to incorporate a little yellow into his Easter outfit, didn't you??

Navy Gingham Shirt // Navy Vest // Yellow Trouser // Suede Boot // Belt

Oxford Shirt // Bow Tie // Suspenders // Navy Chinos // Chambray Tom's

What are your Easter plans? Hopefully they include lots of good food, even more mimosas and being with the ones you love!

St. Patrick's Day Style: For Your Littles

I don't know what it is about St. Patty's Day, but I'm a big fan of the holiday.

Although it has changed quite a bit from my prior life where I spent the day up at dawn drinking green beers, shots of Jameson, dancing a jig and eating my weight in corned beef and cabbage.

These days it looks a little more like this:

via

Of course, I'm still prepping for the holiday around here and already have Cruz's outfit planned. I also  thought it would be fun to throw together an outfit for a gal as well.  I just had to once I found these amazing leggings. Seriously, do you think I can find these in my size? Loving this black, green and gold combo for a little lady.

Beanie // Babiators // Hello Tee // Moto Pants // Moccs 

Clover Tee // Foil Leggings // Head Wrap // Satchel // Tom's

**Note: after noting on IG that these moto pants were sold out, Red Wagon Baby messaged me and let me know they added more on their site and on sale! How about that customer service!

What do you have planned for St. Patrick's Day? Hopefully I can live vicariously through some of your Irish car bomb fueled shenanigans? Maybe we will get crazy and head out to a local pub for dinner and at least one green beer.

Happy Wednesday!

Cruz Favorites | Recent Purchases

Lately I have been trying to curb my Cruz purchases, I mean his closet is just about the most ridiculous thing ever and I find myself jealous every morning when I pick out what he's wearing for school and then retreat to my boring old clothes to get myself dressed for the day.

However, there are just so many amazing products out there for kids (clothes and so much else) and I just love checking them out - aka buying them - and finding new favorites. And of course, sharing our faves with you all.

Not talking clothes here, but we just got our new Fred & Friends 3-2-1 Lunch  Rocket Utensils. Suffice it to say we are fans - we already have the Dinnersaurs fork & spoon and the Food Face dinner plate. I mean their names alone would make me buy them, but they are actually really awesome and a great way to make dinner time fun. And no one wants to eat a boring dinner...am I right?

As far as clothes go, I've been eyeing  Dudley Denim jeans for C man for a while now and finally pulled the trigger on this Torn to be Wild pair. Check out their Etsy shop. I can't tell you how excited I am to add these to the rotation. And I can't tell you how much shit I'm going to get from my dad for "actually spending money on a ripped pair of jeans" and the subsequent head shake.

And of course as soon as I got the notification in my inbox about the Tom's sale on Zulily last night, I got pretty excited AND set my alarm for 8am sharp to do some damage. They go quick so check them out ASAP if you are in the market. I got Cruz two more pair this morning, but I've also gotten them as gifts for other kiddos in the past. They are so versatile and comfy! Trust me, their mamas will love you.

I started pulling pics of Cruz rockin' his Tom's so I could prove how much we love them and couldn't stop at just one. I mean, just look at this boy...and his shoes. 

(I'm pretty sure we've had the gray pair in every size possible...)


And if May could hurry up and get here soon, I'm pretty pumped to get this delivery on our porch. If you haven't heard about the Phillup cups yet, well let me tell you. The company who makes the Puj Tub that we loved for Cruz when he was a little babe, has come up with a genius product and we got in on the Kickstarter project to push it into production.

The slogan? "Tired of dirty cup pile-ups? So were we!" And so is this mama...now that Cruz has learned to run the water spout on the fridge. I mean he fills up everything. Multiple cups, our water bottles, random vases. Cannot wait.

So there you have it. And I'm always looking for other fab items for kids....please do share some of your favorites!

It's Friday & A Makeover

Now don't go getting excited. 

I didn't finally get myself a much needed makeover, but this little ol' blog did.

And I have to admit I'm loving it - a huge thank you to Sarah at Social & Chic.  I definitely recommend you check her out if you are in the market for a little refresh.

And while we are talking about the blog, you see those little black circles in the top right in the picture above? I would LOVE it if you clicked on each of those and made sure you were following me on:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER 

(let's be honest I'm a horrible tweeter)

INSTAGRAM

PINTEREST

BLOGLOVIN'

And while you're at it, why risk missing a post....on the right sidebar you can scroll down and sign up for email alerts. That way you won't ever miss a post. And let's be honest here, at the rate my blog posts are going up, you definitely won't feel overwhelmed with emails from me. =)

#shamelessplug

Now that we've got that out of the way...

{ONE}

Maroon 5's new video has been on repeat since my sister told me to check it out last week. If you have n't seen it, you have to check it out. And if you aren't smiling afterwards, like a big cheek to cheek smile...well, then my friend you have some problems. How awesome would it be to have this happen at your wedding? I would go crazy.

via

{TWO}

We all know I'm not a whiz in the kitchen. Obviously. So when I mention a recipe, it's more than likely easy to make and good. And this Mexican Quinoa dish is on repeat with me and Mr Mango these days. It was a part of the Eat Green Challenge I did back in November with Kelli from Sweat Cycle and Soul and she finally posted it on her new blog, so I just had to share it with you all. I whip up a batch and throw it into single serve containers that I can grab and take with me to work....sprinkle a little feta cheese on top and it's even more delicious.

{THREE}

The Wet Brush. My MIL always finds us cool stuff. This is one of those great things she got me for Christmas and I've been loving it since. I also hear it's great for little ladies with sensitive noggins.

{FOUR}

I know I'm a little late to the Fabletics bandwagon, but I'm pretty excited for this outfit below to show up on my doorstep. I mean, that shrug alone is worth it, but what if I told you this entire outfit - shrug, tank and capris - was only $79.95. For you lucky ones who haven't ordered from Fabletics yet, they also offer your first outfit for $25!

I actually ordered this outfit below for my first. Of course it was sold out in certain sizes, but I ordered it anyway and guess what? It didn't fit. I'm bummed too because I loved the top but it was too big. The pants, however, fit very well and were true to size. More like Athleta sizing, not Lulu, if you know what I mean.

{FIVE}

This shirt. Isn't it the cutest? We love a raglan. And even better when it's black & white. And we definitely prefer hugs over drugs around these parts.  Now if only it fit...it's still a tad big so little man hasn't worn it yet, but we are hoping that changes very soon. Especially if we can pair it with all of those other goodies.

Happy weekend!


Linking up with Karli, Amanda and Natasha.

Teaching Your Toddler Manners

Manners are one thing that we have always tried to work on with Cruz. In my eyes, a "please" or "thank you" goes a long way.

Fortunately Cruz picked up on this early and very rarely does he not use good manners. Whether it be "yes please" when I ask if he wants milk with his dinner or "bless you" when someone sneezes, this kid actually does a pretty good job.

For the most part.

For us, some of the most important tips to teaching Cruz to use good manners have been:

• Model the behavior yourself. If you want your child to use good manners, then you should do the same.
• Be consistent. Use the words consistently in every day communication so your child gets used to hearing it.
• Praise good behavior.  When they say please or thank you, tell them thank you for using their manners. A little praise goes a long way with kiddos. Oftentimes, after I say thank you, it's no fail that Cruz will say, "does that make you happy, mama?"

Most recently, we have been working on "may I please be excused" when he wants to leave the table. I mean, I'll be honest when I say that I'm pretty sure I've never said this in my entire life, but remember this is all about making your kiddo waaaay better than you ever were, right?

And don't get me wrong, Cruz is not all please and thank you and smiles and roses.

Case in point...

Sooo, that is supposed to be him saying "may I please be excused, mama."

Uh huh, you heard that right. He instead said, "may I scuse me please, dummy."

My immediate reaction? "Cruz, you don't say dummy!"

"But mama, gran says it."

"Gran?" Who the hell is gran?

"Gran. From the Croods. She says 'we need some more fire, dummy.' Remember?"

Great. The TV I'm letting him watch is not only rotting his brain (or so I've heard) but now it's teaching him to use the word dummy.  Can a mom ever win?

On the other hand, I was more than happy to oblige when he sweetly asked me if he could please wear his "bomb" jacket to school.

Jacket // Camo Pants ($8 at ON right now!) // Nikes

Does it get any sweeter? I'm kind of digging the new 'sweep over' hair style he's been rocking these days.

The hair? It's all his daddy, I can't get it to do anything but stick up all over.

Fall Style: Gap Does It Again

It's a happy day around here, for me at least, because Gap's fall styles are out and I'm love, love, loving them.

Let me tell you, I'm not a big Gap fan for myself. It's not that there is anything wrong with Gap, I just never, ever find anything for myself.

When it comes to Cruz, though? This mama finds boatloads of cute stuff for my little. And I love dressing him. Whoever said it's not fun dressing boys, well honey, they were dead wrong.

Not only that but they have 40% off everything (Gap Friends & Family) through tomorrow. Only 35% off regular styles for non-card holders (not a bad thing, but I do love me my Gap card for this reason).

So I thought I would share a couple of outfits I've been crushing on lately.

Aaaand a couple of these items may or may not have landed in my bag when I was at the store earlier today.

Shh...don't tell my hubby. I sort of promised him no shopping for a while due to the packages arriving on our porch on the daily.

Sherpa Bomber Jacket // Marled Pocket Tee // Skinny Jeans // Camo Owl Backpack

Baseball Hoodie // Graphic Tee //  Camo Cargo Pants

Quilted Bomber Jacket // Cable Knit Beanie // Contrast Pocket Tee //  Rip & Repair Jeans // Sunglasses

And because the reason we were at the store today was to pick up few key pieces for a gorgeous little's first birthday party, I had the chance to browse through the gal clothes and just about fell.in.love. Seriously, even though I love dressing my guy? Oh man, I fell in love with so many of the clothes I checked out today. I may need to get me one of these baby girls someday...so I can live my dreams of fashion through them.

Sweatshirt // Leggings // Headband

Tee // Denim Jacket // Leopard Sweats // Headband // Sunglasses

Striped Tee // Chambray Shirt // Skirt // Headband // Moto Boots

Indigo Tee // Sweater // Ruffle Trim Shorts // Backpack

So, I'm pretty sure I found almost 80 outfits in the toddler girl section that I would wear. Is that normal? And where can I find those ruffle trim shorts and leopard sweats in my size? Seriously. I need those both right now.

What fall styles are you loving - for your little or yourself? I would love some new shops to check out. =)

RUUM. No Not That Kind.

Okay, so I'm going to let you all in on a little secret - RUUM kid's wear is where it's at.

I was first introduced to this little gem of a store via Zulily. And I fell in love after getting my Cruz's loot. Seriously, I say it like I'm dressing a barbie doll up in here...

Imagine my surprise when I got this email on a fancy Monday morning. {So, not surprise as much as excitement.}

30% off SALE items? Sign this mama up.

Of course, I had to browse the clothes and snag some fab items for little man.

Seriously, can I have his wardrobe?

Here are some looks I put together from the sale site and believe me most of these are en route to my house right this minute.  The only ones that aren't? Well, it's because they already reside in C's closet.

Sunday Brunch 
We just went to brunch this past Sunday. Unfortunately mama (me) was feeling lazy so he showed up in a Puma tracksuit. Now there is nothing wrong with a tracksuit, we wear those all the time, BUUT brunch is for sweet little boy outfits. This look? Love. I mean, can you ever have too many chambray shirts?Nah, not in my opinion. We just got this one from babyGap, but I am loving this dark one, so got it too. With the sweater over top (collar out, sleeves rolled) and these orange shorts? Well, gals, I could just swoon.

Gym Date
Oh goodness, I just love relaxed, casual looks. This baseball tee and these sweats? I seriously might just try to squeeze into them. Love me some comfort. And the aviators? Cannot even deal. We got these from babyGap, but as you would expect I'm pretty sure I sat on them and they are no longer in service.

Casual Friday Dinner 
If there is anything I like, it's going out to dinner. Just getting out of the house, with my boys and having a glass of vino {or chocolate milk for C} while we talk about our week is just about my favorite thing. We have these skinny, distressed jeans, but paired with the pink polo and green tee over top? I can't wait. And these shoes. Are you kidding me? Cutest thing ever. And just the break we need from Tom's.

Obviously, I only feature the boy looks because. Well. I have a boy. However, they have some darling little chica outfits too. And for those of you with no kiddos just yet? I'm sure you have a niece, nephew, friend's kid, little buddy at the daycare down the street - that you just want to spoil. RUUM is where it's at.

And for all you fashion bloggers? Keep posting gorgeous looks because I rely on YOUR style to help me with my own. Because for some reason I'm stuck on the little boy clothes. And not mad about it one bit. =)

What do you think...will Cruz rock these looks? What about a handsome little boy you know???

Cruz Style + Gap 35% Off Sale

Nothing like a change in season to get someone excited about new clothes.

 

Let's be honest, I'm always excited about new clothes.

 

Fortunately, I love buying Cruz new clothes as much as myself. Ok, almost as much. I'm being honest here, right?

 

Gap is one of my go to places for little man, so knowing they have a sale that ends today - 35% off regular prices!! - I had to snag some steals.

 

Here are our picks:



 

{Cool Kid}

I actually want this outfit myself. I love layering chambray with other prints, so this camo jacket over the chambray shirt will look great with bright white jeans and these cool aviators.

Camo // Sunglasses // White Jeans // Chambray Shirt

 

{Hipster}

 I'm not even close to being a hipster, but that doesn't mean Cruz can't be rocking the style. This is the perfect outfit for running errands around town or doing a little shopping. And skinny jeans on baby boys. Seriously.

Hoodie // V-Neck // Slip-Ons // Jeans

 

{Preppy}

I can't get over a preppy little one and this outfit will be great for Sunday church (Oh, that means I have to get us up and out the door in time? Got it.) or brunch with the fam. Love a pop of color under an otherwise neutral look.

Waffle Hoodie // Sandal // Polo // Linen Pant

{Jammy Jams}

What is it about PJs on little kiddos. I melt ever single night when it's pajama time. It's a mix of the fitted tops that highlight his buddha belly and the skinny pants that make me go wild. Gap has some of the coziest PJs - you know I love stripes, but yellow, gray and stripes mixed with a lightening print? Swoon. And the ABCs jammies are just too cute.

Lightening PJs // ABC PJs

 

A night time look isn't complete without slips. We had the cutest pair of gray and orange dinosaur slippers, but I can't for the life of me find one of them so we have been going without slippers at night and that isn't acceptable. I think these will be a perfect fit for his bedtime look.

Slipper Moccs

 {Easter Egg Hunt}

With Easter coming up, I just had to get this shirt. The bulldog with ears? Come on. I think this will be the perfect outfit for hunting down eggs after church on Easter morning. I love layering, so the linen shirt unbuttoned over the top of the tee will be the cutest.

Tee // Linen Shirt // Short

 

 

{$145 Giveaway}

Do you know what really helps when you are going on a shopping spree? Free moo-lah. Don't forget we have a $145 cash gift card giveaway going on right now! But it ends tomorrow, so get yourself signed up...and good luck! Check it out here.


If you follow me on Insta, you already know I made loads of room in my closet yesterday. I think that calls for some shopping for me too. Cruz can't have all the fun. Off I go!