Among the most commonly asked questions I get asked is how to deal with extreme heat and intense sun exposure for babies. Coming into my third summer living here in the Mojave, I have a few tips and tricks up my sleeve that I figured I would share here for those that are interested.
Continue reading “FAQ: Protecting babies and children from heat / sun”
As a conscious consumer, I love learning about new advances in eco-friendly options. I am concerned both about the materials my daughter may be exposed to through her sensitive skin, and for the general health of our planet. So I was honored and excited when Pampers reached out to me to be an Ambassador for their new Pure Collection– which means I am one of the first to get to try the new collection of diapers and wipes. The diapers feature plant-based fibers and other thoughtfully selected materials and the wipes are made with 99% water and a touch of premium cotton. The diapers are made without chlorine bleaching, fragrance and parabens.
Everyone has always told me that Pampers offers outstanding leak protection and fit, but I have actually never used them myself. So I am beyond thrilled that they came out with the Pampers Pure Collection– which is perfectly my speed. The Pure Protection diapers are made without chlorine bleaching, are hypoallergenic and are free of fragrances and lotion. And the Aqua Pure wipes are 99% water! I wish they would have launched this collection a couple of years ago as Prairie is currently getting potty-trained, so we won’t need diapers for too much longer! But she still wears diapers for naps and nighttime, which as you know are some of the most challenging times in terms of leak protection- so trust me when I tell you we got to give them a good testing out for all of you guys who are following along!
Continue reading “Pure Protection – my review of the new Pampers Pure Collection”
A couple of weeks ago, Prairie, Andy & I packed up and went on a weekend trip to the big city- aka San Diego. We actually visit San Diego pretty frequently, it’s where we lived for a few years before Prairie came along, and my sister and her family still live there. But we have always stuck pretty close to the neighborhoods of South Park / North Park / Golden Hill. So when my friend Rachel (aka the super-duper-mega-talented weaver behind Mr Blue Sky) offered to let us crash at her Airbnb, a sunny, art-filled loft in the hip downtown neighborhood of Little Italy. I was like “heck yeah!” And we were off to live my alternate reality dream life of living in a cool loft in a hip neighborhood, chilling with artists, eating at cafes, drinking craft brews, basically living the dream … but with our toddler daughter.
I knew that Little Italy was gonna be a great place to vacation but honestly was a little nervous that it was more of a hip adult spot then a kid friendly destination- but actually was proved delightfully wrong. Read on for more of our mini Little Italy adventure, and tosee more of Rachel’s lovely space.
Continue reading “A Little Guide to a Little Adventure in Little Italy (San Diego)”
Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot about the health benefits of the cool new super food on the block: cacao! Which of course immediately peaked my curiosity because much like everyone else in the world, I love chocolate. Anyways, as much as I would love to try out a cacao ceremony, I don’t really partake in anything I can’t do without my two year sidekick these days. So I was super stoked when my friend Sarah (of @usdrifting) who happens to be a vegan chef (seriously she’s about to open a vegan cafe in Buffalo, NY), shared her recipe for these cacao treats. You can call them truffles to impress your friends at dinner parties, or Prairie just calls them balls (which makes me start singing “suck on my chocolate salty balls” in my head and laugh like a 12 year old every time). Either way they are delicious, nutritious, and sure to impress both the discerning palette of your toddler and your hipster foodie pals.
Last week, Prairie and I were visiting the home of my sweet friend Sara of @usdrifting. It was a hot day here in the Mojave, and Prairie and Sara’s daughter Stella inevitably ended up naked splashing in a tub of water. At one point Prairie put on Stella’s fairy wings and climbed up in their van to check it out. I snapped a quick pic of her little backside with her fairy wings on peering out of the van’s portal window. It was such an adorable moment and one of those serendipitous times when you just happen to pull out your phone and capture what turns out to be one of your fav pics ever.
I’ve talked before about how I felt the need to makeover my wardrobe after becoming a mother and moving to the desert, but one thing I hadn’t really ever figured out is jewelry. “My jewelry personality” so to speak. Pre-kiddo I used to love to wear big statement pieces, but honestly I haven’t worn much besides my wedding band these past few years. The few things I have purchased in this time I need really reach for.
So when Jewel Street reached out to me and offered me a piece of jewelry of my choosing, I was both excited and also confused. This would be my first piece of fine jewelry that wasn’t either inherited or my engagement/wedding ring. This would be a piece of my own to pass on to Prairie someday! I love the idea of an heirloom piece, but what heirloom piece style am I?? Big and bold? Timeless and chic? Modern? Simple? Boho?? Ahh, so many decisions to make!
After countless hours virtually window shopping, (they have A LOT of AMAZING indie designers to explore) I discovered the lovely work of Uma K. Which is funny, because they feature designers from all over the world- but somehow I found and fell in love with the work of a free-spirited California girl! I guess I officially love the Cali-cool style, what can I say? Just like the clothing I gravitate too, my jewelry should be simple but sumptuous- it all seems so obvious to me now.
Anyhow, I chose this 14 karat gold infinity ring. Uma K’s pieces have an air of mysticism about them, which is very Joshua Tree to me and just feels right for this chapter of my life. I truly love the symbology behind the infinity ring that I chose. I love how simple it is, yet how special. Another really cool thing about Uma K is that she makes some of her pieces in Brass too, so here’s a more affordable version of the same shape.
So a while back I shared an instagram post about how my family now earns money from my account & thanked everyone for following along and supporting us. I know folks can get irritated by sponsored posts, so I wanted to remind everyone that I am a real person who spends a lot of time on this platform, and part of the pay-off for me being able to earn some income from it. There was a lot of questions & curiosity about the world of social media “influencing” (that word makes me seriously uncomfortable) so I promised a blog post. It is a big topic that I kind of don’t even know how to dive into, hence why I’ve procrastinated writing this, but I’m giving it a shot.
My life is pretty dreamy these days. (I have a national park for a backyard. I get to stay home with my darling daughter while also pursuing my own career goals. My husband is a wonderful partner. I am surrounded each day with love and beauty.)
But as much as I can acknowledge how incredibly lucky I am, I must also admit that sometimes I do not handle full-time parenting of a toddler with grace. I get stressed and irritated and snap at her and at my husband. I don’t want to be a parent who raises her voice at her sweet little boundary-exploring daughter, and I don’t want to be a passive-aggressive partner. I’m working on becoming more mindful, & one way I’m doing so is by integrating time for meditation and breath work in my day.
I have been using the Inscape app for my daily practice. It has guided meditations & breathing tools that I can access anytime I need a break. Inscape has a bunch of different “moments” like Conquering Deadlines, Facing an Audience, & Instant Stress Relief that you can choose to explore. When you open the app, it’ll make a suggestion for you based on time of day- like Energetic Morning, Upbeat Afternoon, or a Tranquil Evening session for example. It also allows the user to choose the length of the practice, which is a really cool feature. I like having the ability to do quick 3 minute session for cooling down emotions, or to really take some time to dig deep and indulge myself in something longer. I particularly love the 20 minute gratitude session, which helps me to reflect on all the things in my life I am grateful for.
