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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!

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.

I’ve tried to make skincare a big focus in my life for a while now, but the older I get (and the more my kids stress me out), the more emphasis I put on having a consistent routine. I’ve been using L’Occitane products for forever because they’re like magic in a bottle, so when they released RESET, I knew I had to give it a go. It has been amazing!
Between the kids, work and trying to squeeze in quality time with the hubs, sometimes I think I only have a skincare routine because it’s a few minutes of the day that truly belong to me. It gives me a moment of very much needed self-care. Plus adding an overnight treatment like RESET to my routine renews my skin and gets me ready for my hectic and busy day ahead. Now if only RESET could babysit the kids. 😉 
In all seriousness though, life is busy, but don’t forget to take some time for yourself. With stress, sun, pollution and fatigue, the first place it’ll all show up is your face, trust me. So if you’re looking for something new to try or are just looking for a little “you time”, I highly recommend L’Occitane RESET.

I had a follower ask me what slip dresses I recommend wearing for a wedding – possibly blush and able to accommodate a bump. I love getting those requests! I skimmed the WWW for the best of the rest, when in doubt, get your usual size and one size bigger for a perfect fit.

The Skinny on Slip Dresses:

 

this one is $55 // this one is under $25 // this one is under $100 (also comes in black) // I warn you, this slip dress may make you look better than the bride. Wear with caution. // slip dress for a bump //

Which is your favorite?

 

3 Camel Must Haves

by Shalice Noel

coat similar // dress  Fabiana Filippi here’s one similar and here // earrings // sunglasses // boots 

 

1. Sweater Dresses are so essential for fall. I love them layered! 

No matter what you call it, camel, caramel, stone, or tan, I’m loving it for fall. To the tune of wearing it from top to bottom.

When camel tones are worn from top to bottom, boots to coat, the impact is that much greater.

2. Every girl needs a camel coat. I have a couple and in different lengths.

3. Camel Boots are so flattering since they are the closest shade to the skin color. I love them pointed or with ankle detail.

I shared with all of you recently in this post that I’m a big believer in using natural deodorant. I’ve tried a variety of brands including Native. It’s one of my favorites and I always include it in my list of recommended brands whenever someone asks about natural deodorants.
Why do I love it so much? First and foremost, it’s safe! My oldest daughter just started using deodorant and one of the first things I told her was the importance of choosing an option with clean ingredients. This means using a brand like Native that is free of aluminum, parabens, sulfates, talc, etc.. Second, it works! Native has so many amazing scents like coconut + vanilla and lavender + rose and other limited edition seasonal scents.
Native is so amazing they’ve actually been mentioned on POPSUGAR, The Today Show, Women’s Health and more! Sounds like a winner to me, but I was convinced immediately after starting to use it years ago. If you’ve been wanting to try a natural deodorant, you can give Native a go risk-free because of their free return and exchange policy within the US. I have a feeling you’re going to love it though, and once you do, you can subscribe to save 17% every time its delivered to your door! I’ll definitely admit that Native is priced at a premium, but the benefits of using a clean product are 100% worth it to me and my family! The first two I bought, tried and loved were lavender & rose and cucumber & mint.
Which one will you try first?
Shot on location at Venice Beach, California. My overalls are One Teaspoon // Her overalls Hudson jeans
Thank you Native Deodorant for sponsoring this post!

1.  Oversize blazer (I’m wearing a small)

2. White tank (get it in black too!)

3. Distressed denim shorts (I’m wearing a size 27)

4. White Bella Band (I have in both black and white!)

5. Tan Booties in caramel suede (they’re 40% off!) 

I’m also wearing the following: Aviator sunglasses // Belt bag // Drop earrings 

Nordstrom always seems to nail it. I was looking for an oversize blazer over jeans, and distressed shorts and I found it all online at Nordstrom.com! I was so excited to share it with you. Also, if you’re on the lookout for denim shorts that are a good mom length, these are it! As for the white blazer, I got a small and it fits perfectly over the bum. So flattering. As a disclaimer, with 4 kids and a 36 week belly, I’m no stranger to stains. To be honest, I usually bring a tide stick with me. If you’re as crazy about oversize blazers as I am, this plaid one is equally stunning. Speaking of belly, try this bella band if you’re pregnant and wanting to still wear your pre-pregnancy jeans by covering this clever band over your denim zipper. Genius!

More Plaid blazers 

 

While in Lake Arrowhead last weekend, I wore this blazer over this dress and got tons of compliments. And yes, if you’re wondering, I’m wearing all the white after labor day. No rules ladies. Wear what you like, and if you want to feel EXTRA in white, use this self tanner.

Happy September!

 

Thank you Nordstrom for sponsoring this post!

Alice and Olivia leopard dress // sunglasses // earrings // satchel //
I recently joined the amazing Heymama network as a member. One of the founders, Katya Libin asked me,  “What are your must haves for the Fall?” 
If you ask me what my favorite season it is, I’ll say, hands down FALL. The fashion, the apple picking, the slight crisp in the air (if you live in an area with 4 seasons), and the jeans and a tee shirt weather will always be my favorite.
 
2. Something leopard like these rad pants – ie Leopard skirt 
5. Small Shoulder Bag I love that this one is double sided and this under $300 version is so pretty! I’m downsizing my mom bag as small bags are having a real moment, don’t miss it. Tip: If you buy a designer bag, opt for a neutral color, it will go with more outfits and you’ll get better cost per wear.
8. Something camouflage – depending on the brand, I like to size up on a camo jacket and belt it over a maxi dress or jeans. How cute is this camo cardigan?
Fashion isn’t always practical – hello ripped jeans on a 20 degree day and cut out tees, yup, I’m just as guilty for paying for a distressed ripped up tee. But how practical is an oversize blazer that fits like a glove and over the bum, high rise jeans (that won’t show your backside while kissing your kindergartener goodbye at school), and a COZY teddy coat? Sorry for that run-on. Ladies, good news, fashion is in our favor this fall, embrace it and these 9 must haves. I obviously won’t be a Fashion Week this year but will be watching the shows on my laptop, hopefully while nursing a cute babe.
Expect a filtering of the trends and showing you only what is your precious time and resources. Expect those posts along with some family and lifestyle content you have requested. I plan to post 3x a week, during maternity leave so stay tuned!
xx
Shalice

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…

It’s hubby’s birthday, so we are headed to Venice Beach and using Beach Now services to set up the party. More on that later. My in-laws flew in for the occasion and I’m busy making his chocolate sheet cake. Let me know if you’d like the recipe. Who doesn’t love long weekends and  even better sales? See below for my round up!

Anthropologie:  20% off furniture, 40% off sale items!

Nordstrom: is doing a somewhat low profile 40% off sale right now

Cos Stores: if you’re not familiar they’re H&M’s sophisticated sister company. I recently ordered this scarf which I will use as a nursing wrap. Selected dresses and sweaters are 30% off

And Other Stories: Extra 20% off sale through Monday with code: LABORDAY20

Asos: Take 20% off your purchase

Banana Republic: Get 40% off your purchase

Club Monaco: 25% off your purchase through Monday with code: Fall18

H&M: Up to 60% off select items and free shipping

Intermix: Up to 60% off when you take 30% off sale

J.Crew: 30% off + 10% off your entire purchase including new arrivals with code: BIGSALE

Levi’s: Classic denim is 30% off with free shipping with code: SAVE30

Marysia: Get 30% off

Urban Outfitters: Get 30% off sale items