Category:

Family

WE GOT A NEW PUPPY

by Shalice Noel

The kids have begged me for 6 years for a puppy and guess what??

Tomorrow we pick up our mini golden doodle puppy. He is 8 weeks old and the breeder named him Lukas. We cannot wait to pick him up tomorrow.

If you live in Atlanta, there is a breeder in Woodstock, that has both males and females called GLITZY GOLDENDOODLES. Check out her adorable Facebook page. Can’t get over those pictures of tiny puppies. Honestly, it was hard to just pick one.

This week, we have been watching youtube videos on how to train our new puppy. We’ve also discussed with the kids their new responsibilities. It won’t be perfect but I’m adjusting my expectations.

We’ve bought snacks, raw organic food and a travel crate for him to sleep in.

Next up, will be agree on a name?

Stay tuned 😉

Since we don’t know what we’re doing, please weigh in with any puppy training advice that you may have learned. Looking forward to sharing more of this new adventure!

5 TIPS TO GETTING A NEW PUPPY

1 Keep expectations low – be realistic, you won’t be getting a lot of sleep with a new puppy. You and you puppy will be adjusting to a new life and schedule.

2 Give him/her a safe place to play and sleep. We bought this crate.

3 Roll up your nice rugs!

4 Buy bells to place at the doors. Train the puppy to ring the bell to go out to potty.

5 Buy Apple bitters and spray on the furniture legs and lamps (with wires) before you get the puppy. This is key. We wished we did this before we got Lucca.

Tee shirt // Jeans // Sunglasses // Puppy crate

Happy Wednesday! We were busy with school, picking up groceries, working, and grilling steaks on the patio.

I absolutely love matching with my kids, so when Levi needed new sneakers, I had to get him matching Swift Run Sneakers, I jumped on them.

Levi loves to run and jump and fall. Thankfully you don’t see the scuffs on these adidas sneakers.

I also love these in CHEETAH!

I compiled some other shoes for Levi here:

Happy Wednesday!

Mama necklace // Circle names necklace // Mommy and Me Bracelets

There’s so much you can get a tween from books to bracelets. However, Atalie loved this one from Tiny tags!! We were able to personalize them, “mama” and “Atalie.” I asked Atalie how she liked her bracelet and she said “It is very pretty and goes with everything.” I love matching my girls.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ve probably noticed I wear my gold Tiny Tags circle with all the children’s names – they were able to fit 5 names!

I will treasure these pieces for years.

Reid and I both looked at each other and said “wow did this arrive on time!” Let’s be honest. We are spending record amounts of time at home, and we are tired and running out of creative ways to keep the kids off screens and devices. Enter the Kiwico crates! They are genius ways to keep your kids busy with educational kits.

How do I order?

Click HERE for 50% off!

You can search by age, how easy is that? We were surprised to see that they have crates for ages 2 to 12+. Levi even got one and felt special being included. Atalie got a walking robot, Kate the spin art, Mathias the infinity mirror, Brooks kaleidoscope and Levi got a mail delivery crate. VERY exciting and fun activities for kids bored at home!

Bonus: we had our kids write about their activity, how it worked and why it worked. Check, science is done my friends.

Was it fun?

Their favorite part was how hands on it was, creating their craft independently and playing with it afterwards. Atalie’s walking robot was a huge hit!

Do you have a promo code?

I have a link! Go to KiwiCo and get 50% off, no code needed!

Would this make a good Christmas gift?

Yes! Perfect for any child, niece or nephew in your life! Just shop by age. Here’s my link for 50% off!

Big thanks to KiwiCo for sponsoring this post!

Boots (40% off) // Dress // Plaid Shirt // Bracelet

My in-laws are visiting and it’s been a HUGE blessing. They’re helping us with small projects and Reid and I go drop off donations, shoot campaigns, and keep the coffee shops in business.
Lots of exciting stuff coming up, like a top secret project. Until then, shout out to Brooks for matching with me in buffalo check!
I linked some more buffalo check for the whole family below!

My girls love these mini backpacks! They brought them to church Sunday and put everything from lip gloss to snacks in there. I love seeing them matching in their mini backpacks. They boast an interior pocket and are soft with durable leather. They need to be durable bc we are hard on everything!

Have a great week!

x Shalice

Steve, Janelle and their adorable brood of 5 kids moved from Wheaton, IL to the English countryside!! Janelle is an awesome cook, home educator, and Steve, an auditor at a bank. We chatted recently and I wanted to share with you some of their amazing experiences and not so amazing ones. Grab your coffee and join us!


Shalice: So Janelle, you did what SO many families would only dream of doing: moving your whole family to Europe and making it look educational and dare I say, fun? It is truly remarkable! 
That leads me to the first question . . . .
The obvious question, how is it living in England with 5 kids?


Janelle: England has been an amazing experience for all of us and I’m so glad we took the leap! It has been so different in a lot of ways, and that’s been part of the fun, because the way it has been different is unique to England and not something we would experience if we had moved simply to another State. 

Shalice: What is the easiest and hardest part about living abroad?


Janelle: The easiest part has been all the travel. That has been beyond fun. And England is relatively small as a whole so everything is accessible by car, which is definitely the easiest way for our large family to travel. We also live in the country, where cows, sheep, and single, hedge-lined lanes surround our house and the beauty almost knocks you off your feet. Covid-19 has curbed our travel for the moment, which has been hard, but getting to enjoy daily walks in this amazingly beautiful area has been a true blessing. Initially, the hardest part was the first 6 weeks–bank accounts! a car! a house!–and then just setting up our house. Now the hardest part has been not being able to find a good church, for there simply aren’t many at all. Anywhere. And given that the kids are all homeschooled here, the lack of any sort of social life has been rough. Looking back, it’s interesting to think about how we built community in America vs. how the English do community. Granted, we live in small little village in Shropshire, which is almost on the border of Wales in the Midlands, so I can hardly speak to England in general. Just what we’ve experienced in our little village. 


Shalice: I know you live in a little town. I mention the name of it to my English friends and they haven’t even heard of it. But I’ve seen pictures and I know for sure my kids would love it because they love large green spaces, sheep and cows. Tell us about your town in England?

Janelle: One thing we’ve found interesting about England is that it really is all countryside! The entire country is countryside. But not countryside that you would find in America. It is definitely distinctly English. For instance, we live in country, where everything is one lane, farms abound, and cows often wake us up in the morning when they are visiting the field next to our house. But we are also only 5 miles from two different towns. And I feel like that is very much the norm here. You can be in the country, but then in town 10 minutes later. Our little village has a church built in the 1200’s and a community center, where they host movies and have tea during events (that, by the way, is a stereotype for a reason. No matter the event, there is always tea). Our little church hosted a women’s singing group this past fall, I think they were Army wives maybe? And at one point, everybody in the (mostly elderly) audience was singing along to a song from days past. Honest, I felt like I was in a scene from Call of the Midwives. 


Shalice: Favorite things about England?


Janelle: It is unbelievably beautiful!! And within the one island, there are so many forms of beauty, from the rugged beauty of Wales, to the romantic and soft beauty of the Lake District, to the jaw dropping seascapes of Cornwall. And there is history everywhere you turn, which I absolutely love. Between English Heritage, the non-profit that maintains crumbling castles and ruins, and the National Trust, the non-profit that maintains manors, estates, and country houses (ie, palatial wonders seen in Pride and Prejudice for instance), there is always somewhere to visit. And every National Trust house has a cafe with tea and scones. So. You never have to know what it is like to sight-see without being refreshed with tea and scones. We also have not yet encountered a mosquito. That is almost on par with the history. 


Shalice: Worst things about England?

Janelle: Terrible customer service! No, really, we were warned about it and it’s absolutely true. If you are lucky enough to get a person, and that is rare indeed, they simply don’t care or can’t do anything to help you. Also, the much higher taxes were an adjustment. Steve keeps saying that every American should live abroad for a period of time simply to understand and appreciate what we have in America. 


Shalice: What do you miss most about America?

Janelle: The food!!! I think the kids will mention a place to eat in America at least a week. And Target. Can you even imagine life without Target? It’s rough.  


Shalice: What will be the first thing you do when you move back?

Janelle: It’s a toss up between Smashburger and Chick-fil-A because it’s always about food at our house. Personally, I’m going shopping. The shopping here, unless you live in London, leaves a lot to be desired. 


Shalice: Worst surprise?

Janelle: Having to wait an entire MONTH for internet service to be installed, and then finding out that libraries and coffee shops close at 6pm. When you have online students who have all afternoon/evening classes due to being 6 hours ahead, no internet and closed shops made for a rough month. 


Shalice: Best surprise? 

Janelle: Roundabouts!! We LOVE them. You never have to stop, unless there’s really heavy traffic, and it makes driving so much more enjoyable. 

Reid’s shoes // Oldest boy shoes // Middle boy shoes // Levi’s toddler shoes (I went up a size for him)// My shoes are the Mode de vie, a pair from their lifestyle line: upscale suede, lightweight, and crazy comfortable.// Atalies shoes // Kate’s shoes Click the pictures below to shop:

It’s back to school time and the kids need new shoes again! I can’t believe my oldest is in a size 7.5 right now, how? She was a toddler eating dirt out of the back porch planters like yesterday. I’m not sure where time goes, but I do know where I like to buy shoes.

Mom tip: If you sign up for their rewards program and shop their seasonal sales, you save money. This is key when you have 5 children.

I’ve worn New Balance since high school, so it’s only fitting I buy New Balance for my kids. After all, the brand is notorious for its lightweight. quality, and classic style. Back to school is a great time to get your kids new quality sneakers for the fall. My kids absolutely love their new sneakers and I feel good giving them sneakers with support and comfort. I can barely keep up with them lately! Thankfully, their sneakers can. Clearly, DSW is a shopping destination for sneakers, athletic shoes and great selection. See more of DSW’s selection of New Balance below by clicking on the images to shop.

Thank you DSW x New Balance for sponsoring this post! All opinions my own