Monday Fave Rave: Back to School 2016

Hallelujah it's back to school time! Today B starts his first day at a new preschool and my nerves are shot already.  He's not a huge fan of change or new situations and gets anxiety at drop-off even if he is comfortable with his surroundings so today is a big day for both of us. I will try not to cry too much.  As always, I want to share some of our must haves for school and let you all know how I prepare for Back-to-School as a single Jedi parent of a young Padawan in training.

I like to lay all of his stuff out after he falls asleep and make it a surprise when he wakes up.  It gets him excited and motivated to put it all on and get ready for the day.  THis worked so well this morning.  He had no anxiety at all, didn't fuss over getting dressed or leaving the house.  I was also able to snap off a few cute pics to share.

Here's a list of our must have items for school:

1. Name Bubbles for labeling everything...and I mean everything we send or wear to school.  It's way easier than labeling with a sharpie like my parents did or losing uber cool items to the lost-and-found bin.  I keep the clothes labels in his drawers so I can just pop one on to his shirts and shorts when we lay clothes out for the day.

2. Shoes! We buy two new pairs of shoes at the beginning of each school year.  I typically let B pick his out, too.  In the past we have been a huge fan of Stride Rite. They are great for  early preschoolers.  This year we chose to go with a more athletic shoe from Nike.  I know it can be very pricy to buy name brands but try shopping at Shoe Carnival or Famous Footwear for discounts.  (Also, the Name Bubble mentioned above have shoe labels! Sweet!)

3. Clothes: Well of course my child will basically only wear clothes with his favorite characters on them, including his underwear.  Ugh.  I have found great success with Hanna Andersson for everything from socks and undies to back packs.  Their shorts and pants are amazing! Thanks to European sizing and attention to detail their clothes will last forever.  Organic material, adjustable, washable and durable...all of the things you're looking for when's you spend good money on school clothes.  (Check out the PJs too...so cute!) I like to have him help me pick his clothes out the night before and lay them out for him to see.  It makes getting dressed in the morning a lot faster and he feels more confident when he picks the outfit.

4. Lunches: We have a variety of lunch boxes from Thermos.  I like to switch it up. Because my little guys is more of a snack eater I pack a selection of little things for him to pick and choose from.  Typically he will eat most of what I pack.  Hummus, yogurt, and cheese are good protein options along with a fruit (he likes apple slices, strawberries or grapes) in these cool camp tins from PB Kids.  I alway include a juice and a surprise treat like nut free cookies, gummie bunnies, organic chocolate cookies, Yummy Earth treat for fun.  Add a cute little Star Wars note to make his day or a sticker to keep him smiling. I prepack lunch boxes as soon as we get home from school.  It helps me just stay on top of that task and I am not scrambling to pack it all in the morning.

5. Nap Mat: This is our first time having to bring a nap mat to school.  He's not a napper so...good luck with that, teacher.  Getting B to take a nap is like getting anything done with a toddler at home...nearly impossible.  I decided to go the discount route when purchasing the nap mat for fear that he may not use it and it will end up a wasted chunk of change. Zulily  had really cute Robot nap mat by Olive Kids that we are going to try out.  Kiddo has already been laying it out on the floor and reading books on it so maybe it will work for quiet time at school.  Fingers Crossed.

6. And last but not least a cool back to school Star Wars themed printable for uber cute pics!

So, there you have it.  Our MLR Back to School list for 2016.  Wish us luck on our new journey at a new school. We are very excited to be attending Bright Horizons this school year.  I was pretty impressed with the tour of the facility, the teachers all seemed really great and they plan a full day of learning from my little preschooler.

Good luck to all you parents braving the back-to-school crazy this week!

Just remember...

Monday Fave Rave: The Summer Edition

Its summer and that means no school, summer camp, beach trips and vacations galore.  It also means asking yourself  "What in the actual f%*# am I going to do to get through the rest of this summer alive and intact?" Living in Florida, the heat is unbearable at times and the rain can ruin any plan at any time.  Luckily my little guy is attending "camp" three days a week to prevent boredom on his part and a full scale mental breakdown on mine.  We have just moved to a new house and we haven't gotten to the 'build a pool' phase of being settled in...we literally haven't even gotten to the 'kiddie pool in the back yard phase' because, well, YUCK.  As soon as you fill it up the water gets hot and gross and I'm just not into it and neither is he. We DO like to spend quite a few hours at the community YMCA pool or rec center pools.  This requires keeping a 'pool bag' packed at all times.  Something we can just grab and go whenever we're ready.

Here's what we pack in our Canvas tote:

Sunscreen: We love Coola!! Both the spray and the lotions are organic and high performing. Added Bonus, they smell great!

Towels: I'm currently obsessed with these Turkish Bath Towels. They're light, easy to pack, take up very little space, dry quickly, double as more stylish cover up when you need it, and are a more chic alternative to the same old beach towels we've used in the past.  (Tip: lately I've been finding them online and locally at TJ Maxx on the cheap.)

A wet bag: For both of our swimsuits post plunge we throw them into a Wet Bag.  I have always had these handy anyways for wet clothes or accidents 😬 (Tip: I found some at the beginning of the summer in the dollar bin at Target, but you could always use a ziplock.)

Along with toys (B is allowed 3 small pool toys, seriously...you don't want to look like John Candy in Summer Rental hauling the entire house out everyday) sun hats, goggles, keys, cell phones (do yourself a favor and spend the cash for a LifeProof case) and flip flops you should throw in some Boogie Wipes, Swimmers Ear Drops, Water Proof BandAids, and a Contigo Water Bottle. (Tip: Like everything else in my house I find this all at Target.  Gotta love that RedCard discount!)

I don't overpack bags ever.  Less is OK.  These are the essentials.

Good luck surviving the summer break and feel free to let us know some of your favorite items for beating the heat.

All Love,

W & B

Persnickety Palate: Popsicles

Who doesn't love popsicles? I mean, really? Everyone does, but there are way too many out on the market that are full of crap.  I am a firm believer in feeding kids "kid food" but without the additives, preservative, artificial colors and flavors, etc.  Living in Florida, popsicles are a staple in our house.  As summer turns to fall, and fall turns to cold and flu season, I will be stocking up on our favorite popsicles to help battle sore throats and fevers.  They're not just for the poolside lounging during the dog-days of summer. I know a lot of you uber moms out there probably pick, squeeze, blend and freeze your own healthy concoctions for your kiddos favorite frozen treats, but I just don't have the time or really want to deal with the mess.  Here's a little list of our choice icy treasures.  

1. Ruby Rocket's  Yumm! These are our go-to for heat relief and to soothe an ailing toddlers bout of the yucks.  We found these at Union Market in Brooklyn and at Winn Dixie (yeah, you read that right.) These will work for anyone with gluten or dairy allergies, are completely vegan, have added probiotics, and no artificial junk.  Keep these on hand all year long, your kiddos will thank you.
2. Lifeway Frozen ProBugs Push Pops A great alternative to ice-cream! These little beauties are frozen kefir with all natural flavors, gluten free, lactose free and have 10 added live probiotic cultures.  THese are great when my son has an upset tummy and isn't really interested in eating.  I can usually find these at Whole Foods and Fresh Market.
3. Diana's Bananas because dark chocolate covered frozen bananas are the jam! An added bonus is that I usually run across these at Aldi on the cheap, so I load up.

My picky little eater loves all of these and even kids in our neighborhood eat them all with no complaints.  It's a great way to sneak healthy ingredients into any diet and can help battle the blahs of being sick this winter.

Enjoy!

-W and Boo