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Family

FamilyNordstromStyle

What I’m Buying from Nordstrom Back to School

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

 

girls stripe dresses // red sandals

older boys stripe sweatshirt // red shorts // boys sneakers

younger boy’s A OK tee // graphic jogger pants // boys sneakers 

I’m so excited to partner with Nordstrom Back to School for kids. I’m loving all their laid-back pieces to add to my kids’ wardrobe this fall. I honestly love shopping for their autumn staples just as much as my own and Nordstrom makes it too easy.

Because we spend most weekends in the mountains, I was happy to find a lot of pieces that layer really well! Going from warmer temps in LA to the cooler mountain temps can be a little tricky so I had my oldest pick out a plaid blazer to go over her yellow dress. And yes, I let her borrow my Gucci belt bag. You can’t fault her good taste. The boys’ shoes were sporty and adorable. Now I just wish they knew how to tie their shoes, but let’s reserve that for another blog post shall we? Likewise, the girls loved their boots because they look like mom’s! I wonder how long I will get away with them saying that?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—Nordstrom is simply one of my favorites for the kids. With all these adorable back to school options, how can you not want to pick something up for your kiddos?

I’m

Thank you Nordstrom for sponsoring this post!
FamilyOutfitsStyle

How to Prepare Your Youngest When He will no longer be the Youngest

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

his jeans // polo // hat // shoes // Reid’s shorts // Reid’s tee // Sneakers

 

Preparing your family for a new baby is both fun, but a little worrisome as well. We don’t really know how the kids will adjust to their new roles. Our kids have been pretty close in age, so the transition for them was not dramatic. However, now with our fifth, we have an age gap of 5.5 years between our youngest and the newborn. He is used to being the baby in the family and it’s all about to change. We’ve been researching how to best prepare him for his transition from baby brother to BIG brother. Here is some advice we’ve found:

 

Before the baby is born:

 

·      Tell him how special he is as a big brother. Explain how he’ll be able to teach his little brother how to draw rocket ships, build Lego’s, play soccer, make paper airplanes, etc.!

 

·      When the baby is born, have a gift prepared for each older sibling that is “from” the baby. We will be purchasing Lego sets and stuffed animals for each one. Also, have the kids give a “birthday gift” to the baby. Make sure to pack it ahead of time so the kids can bring it with them when they come to meet the baby for the first time. Make sure to have the camera ready to capture the moment they present the gift as well.

 

·      Have your child make a drawing to frame and hang in the baby’s room. I especially love this one!

 

After the baby is born:

 

·      Make sure to take pictures of both the new baby and the older siblings. Also take plenty of individual pictures of each child as well.

 

·      Have a few small gifts prepared for the older children when the baby receives gifts from friends/family.

 

·      Make sure to continue to snuggle with your older children and give them individual attention when you have the opportunity.

 

·      Invite the kids to sit next to you when nursing. Remind the kids how good they were at eating. Also, open up the photo album of when the older kids were born. They love seeing what they looked like as babies.

 

We’ll see how our youngest transitions. So far, he’s pretty excited. In fact, all the kids are pretty excited. For that, we are thankful.

Family

How We Decided on a Car for a Family of 7

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

We bought a car!

My teenage dream was to have a suburban and six kids. I’m not sure why I decided this was my family goal, but my vision was set. Ever since we discovered we were pregnant with number 5, we found our beloved 7 passenger SUV to be lacking some much-needed cargo space. After researching, friendly conversation and a little negotiation, Reid and I agreed on a car! Reid will admit he still wants a smaller SUV, but alas, I won. Who can turn down a dream I’ve had since I was 15, let alone a 36-week pregnant woman! We drove home with a silver Yukon XL and I believe we got a pretty good deal on it. Read on.

How did you buy it?

We decided to try Hertz Rent2Buy, which works like this: You reserve the car online, rent it for a couple days and if you decide to buy it, they waive the rental fee. So we reserved a silver Yukon XL, but when we picked up the car, they brought us a gold one instead. We decided to pass on the gold and wait for our first color choice—the silver 2017 GMC YUKON XL. We ended up looking all over the web, craigslist and local dealerships until Reid found a silver one online at Hertz Car Sales in San Diego. We liked how responsive they were and, yes, the price was a big deciding factor—they sell under KBB value. Bonus!

We made a day trip to San Diego to look at the car and ultimately decided to bite the bullet and purchase it. Ironically, once the kids learned the new car rules, like no eating, no crayons, no drinking, they actually decided they liked our old car better. Oh well. It’s my dream. I’m super happy and can’t wait to pack for a long road trip! Big Sur, Omaha, Vail…

Back to SchoolFamilyShop

Uniqlo: Affordable and Chic Back to School

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel
It’s officially back to school season and I am running around like a crazy person. Any other moms feel like summer went by way too fast, but are also happy to send the kids back to school? Such a catch 22. But anyway, with this time of year comes back to school shopping and I’m looking to one of my favorite brands to get the job done—Uniqlo.

GIRLS

BOYS
boys blue stripe tee // yellow puffer jacket// boys flannel shirt and red padded vest// boys jeans (yay for a relaxed fit and elastic waist, less complaints!) // socks not pictured but pretty necessary
A note on size: I found the fit pretty true to size. The 5/6 fit my 5 year old perfectly all the way up to my 10 year old who took the 9/10 size. 

Uniqlo really is a one-stop-shop for all things back to school. They’ve been around since 1984 (started in Japan—so cool!), which tells me they must be doing something right. And their prices are so reasonable. They actually design and manufacture every single item they sell, which is what keeps prices down.

Because I’m all too knowledgeable on how rough my kids, in particular, are on clothes and shoes, I’m all about an affordable retailer with good quality items! I was also happy to discover they sell baby onesies as well. If you’re looking for simple clothes at a great price-point, check out Uniqlo now! Ps. I did purchase this dress and trench to match my daughters and still can’t believe how affordable and chic their clothing is! Now, if I could only convincing Reid we need to go to Paris was just as easy. Ha!

All opinions are my own. Thank you Uniqlo for sponsoring this post!

Back to SchoolFamily

Lands’ End 4 Ways to get Back to School Better

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

LOL tee // girl’s moto bootie //girls hoodie tunic // girl’s cat flat // girls skinny jeans // boys flannel shirt // boys reversible camo jacket // boys lined jeans // boys green rugby 

4 Back to School Tips

I’m a big believer in EASING your kids into school. It’s a big change for moms, dads, and kids alike, so here are some tips to make that transition easier!

1. Go to bed earlier. I’ve found the back-to-school transition goes a lot smoother when kids are already adjusted to their new schedules. This means you should ease them into a morning schedule 4 weeks before school starts. I know that sounds like pulling teeth, but trust me, the keyword is EASE.
2. Have a treasure chest! I ordered all the little toys my kids are obsessed with from HERE so when they’re done with a subject or practicing piano or pass some test or goal, they get to choose ONE item from the chest. This works best for ages 5-10, in my experience.
3. Lower your expectations. The first couple weeks are rough getting into the new routine. Give yourself and your kids some grace!
4. Set their clothes and shoes out the night before. This helps so much so there’s no room for guessing or a possible disagreement. 
Thank you Lands’ End for sponsoring this post!
FamilyOutfitsStyle

Family Day in Laguna

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

 

Boys Rash Guard Top // Boys Shorts 

Girls Navy Suit  // Girls Ruffle Shoulder Suit

My suit // Sunnies // Necklace

We spent the day in Laguna beach after a week at Lake Arrowhead. We stopped at Whole Foods, made some turkey sandwiches, packed them in a cooler and headed off to find a good beach!

After building lots of sand castles and escaping lots of strong waves, we went to visit my aunt’s for spaghetti and fellowship! We headed home shortly after with thankfully lots of sleepy heads. The boys suits are some of my fave and are linked above. The girl’s suits coordinate though my eldest is asking for a matching stripe so I better get on that. Hope you had a lovely Saturday!

“There’s no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.” 

Jill Churchill

xx

Shalice

Family

Our Family Trip to the Channel Islands

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

Yesterday we took a day trip with my in-laws to Anacapa Island, 20 miles off the coast of Ventura. The best thing we did was buy a bunch of one-time use cameras for 3 kids and  1 pink instant camera my oldest saved up her money for. From the 1-hour ferry boat ride to the whale sighting to hiking around the island with a guide, 27 pictures on an instant camera went fast, but it was so much fun for the kids to capture the trip through their eyes.

We brought our lunch since there are no restaurants on the island. But we weren’t ready for the wafts of foul smells from the outhouses as we ate our picnic lunch. Yuck. Even though the smells and the nesting, and sometimes aggressive, western seagulls protecting their young, were among the cons of the trip, we still had an amazing time. The views were breathtaking. Something out of National Geographic with cliffs overlooking pebble beaches boasting sunbathing sea lions. So pretty.

If you go… don’t forget:

Water, sunscreen, cameras, snacks (in addition to lunch), dress in layers since the boat ride is chilly but the island gets hot. Also, don’t forget comfy shoes!

But if you ask my kids, in the end, after the long drive, the hike up, the 100 stairs, the squawking gulls protecting their young, they unanimously agreed seeing the huge blue whale and dolphins skimming our ferry boat was THE BEST part of the day. Go figure.

my jacket // jeans under $80! // cami similar // sneakers // sunglasses

FamilyOutfitsStyle

Our Memorial Day Weekend

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel


maxi dress and similar in solid print // sandals I also like these on sale // sunglasses // red bag // tassel earrings  

More Summer Weekend Faves

//

Memorial Day weekend was spent with Reid’s parents and sister and niece. We had a full house and lots of eating out and fun cousin time. We took them to Hollywood and the walk of fame, Rodeo Drive, Laguna Beach, and to see our cabin in Lake Arrowhead. It was a packed 4 days with lots of traffic and quality time together.  I’m still trying to catch a nap! On Memorial Day, we caught up with friends at the Montage Hotel which happens to have an awesome beach, picnic lunch, and ended at the top of the world park in Laguna Beach. It took a little hike and I’m not going to lie my legs were super sore from a long day. I wore the comfiest maxi dress, arch support slides and statement earrings. However, the views on top were worth the trip up. All in all, a great weekend and lots of memories.

xx

Shalice

FamilyOutfitsStyle

20 Weeks

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

dress // similar dress // sandals

20 Weeks

Halfway there this week and a lot of you have asked how I’m feeling. While I’m so grateful to have the hemorrhaging behind us,  I’m feeling lots of fatigue, leg pain, and let’s face it I can barely face an afternoon without dreaming of a nap. What is super cool, is feeling baby boy move, and hearing the kids baby boy name suggestions from John to Isaac to even suggesting their own names. Original eh?

Hello second trimester! I’m happy to announce the baby weighs 10.5 ounces and roughly the size of a banana! While he FEELS a lot heavier than carrying around a banana, there is consolation in knowing we’re halfway to meeting our little guy face to face!

I’m currently craving . . . .salads! I cannot get enough and anything covered in salt. Real healthy. However, I make my homemade dressing recipe daily and if you have a new favorite, email me!

As for preparation, we have cleared a potential room for the baby – and no new baby gear to report other than two Pack ‘n Plays and 2 diapers bags. I’m finally getting comments often like – “Wow you really popped!” and “Do you know what you’re having?” But its really our kids who make it most fun by rubbing my belly daily, saying prayers for baby boy, and asking me every day if he moved and how’s he doing. I’m loving experiencing this with them, through their little eyes! I feel really grateful for that, melting all the leg pain and making all of those 50 trips to the bathroom, worth every trip. God’s gifts are good. Happy 20 weeks baby!

xx

Shalice

Maternity items I’m loving

Maternity Dresses 20% off

Oils and lotion and body brush I’m using 

Shoes I’m Wearing During Pregnancy

FamilyOutfitsStyle

Sundays with the Family

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

Dress and pre-order here // Sandals // Sunglasses // Earrings // Similar Ring

Sundays are usually crazy busy, and if you’re like us, we try and squeeze every last minute out of Sundays. After church we eat a quick lunch at home followed by soccer, clean the house, get ready for the week and a popcorn and ice cream dinner. I know, so healthy. But speaking of healthy, I just started using a jade roller (it de-puffs under your eyes, leave it in the freezer for best results) and ordered a new prenatal. I’m also starting a new workout so let me know if you’d like to see more! In the meantime, my dress was restocked in size small so hurry up if that’s your size, and as an fyi that’s the size I’m wearing here! Also if you’re looking for some under $60 sandals for summer, these come in tan and black and they’re worth getting both colors like I did.

For more #pregnancystyle stay tuned and follow me on Pinterest as I’m collecting my favorite looks! Also, my shop page is always open 24/7

Happy Monday!

 

Click on any picture to shop my latest Instagrams below!

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