July Goals | 2017

This July is all about getting rid of JUNK. Junk in my diet, junk in my house, junk in our days– buh bye! As a teacher, I am an unashamed fan of alliteration, so the official hashtag for this de-junking endeavor is going to be #junkfreejuly. Yep. Total nerd and I don't even care.

Diet: My intentions were to be strict paleo postpartum for the first few weeks/months depending on the stability of my skin, and we did a great– and I mean great job preparing freezer meals, but I was not anticipating that I would be constantly hungry around the clock with breastfeeding. I did not remember that from last time. Within two days I had eaten entire bags of tortilla chips, boxes of Lara Bars, gluten free pretzels, gluten free cookies... you name it, I ate it. In general my eczema hasn't been too bad, but it is definitely flaring up in a few places and so I've reinstated light therapy twice a week (I had weaned down to once a week for most of my pregnancy) and am avoiding gluten and dairy at all costs. My sugar sweet tooth is out of control though, so doing a hard reset in July to reign that back in with only a few exceptions (like, almond milk coffee creamer, and some other things that have less than 10g sugar per serving). I probably should eliminate coffee also but I can't. Newborn and toddler life. I have to have coffee. Non negotiable. Caffeine is what really opens my eyes in the mornings.

• Meal plan for three meals a day + snacks, not just dinners. 
• Make ahead/batch cook when applicable.
• Minimal stops at drive thrus, no more Chick Fil A fries-- just fruit cups. 

House: I am shocked at how much stuff we have accumulated since our last major clean out when we got rid of bags and bags and boxes and boxes of stuff. I have a detailed comprehensive list in my bullet journal of things that need de-junking but the gist:

• baby/toddler clothes– organize in boxes, get rid of ones that do not spark joy (or that don't fit, aren't useful, not seasonally appropriate, etc) and come up with an effective storage plan and DONATE what's left. (A friend of mine volunteers weekly at a crisis pregnancy center that takes baby clothes so I LOVE that I know that it's going to a great place where it will be used!) 
• my clothes-- go through maternity clothes and get rid of things that I absolutely will not wear if I get pregnant again (probably not happening) and return borrowed items. Store in attic and donate/give away items I don't need/want.
• toys-- holy cow the toys! I packed up at least 75% of the kid toys into the closet and plan to donate a good chunk of them. Less is so much moore. 
• attic-- there are a few boxes up there of my childhood items and some other things that I don't even know what they are. Go through, keep and organize or purge. 
• an array of cabinets and drawers and closets throughout that just need a general walk through with a trash bag. It's time to say goodbye to many many things! 
• digital-- I have a few external hard drives and cds with photos that need to be put on our personal smug mug. Once they are uploaded, toss! 

Days: Without work in my life, I've been waaaayyyy loose about routine around here. Sleeping until the last possible minute, endless stream of Netflix while I sit and feed the baby. The teacher in me knows that routine minimizes meltdowns for little people (and big people-- ha!) so we have to get a rhythm back before work starts back for me in August. 

• Limiting us to ONE show on Netflix a day (preferably before lunch or nap, not before bedtime). Movies on Friday only. 
• Me, waking up at 6 when I feed Emmeline and getting up, getting dressed, getting ready. Our days run so much smoother when I get a head start before the toddler awakes. I can handle him much better if I have something in my belly before his toes hit the floor. Also, I'm up early and have the day's chores handled I can nap when the kids nap. 
• Limit playdates to 3 days a week. We are LOVING summer schedule and time with friends, but there's quite a bit of chores and errands that have to take place to keep this place running smoothly, and we need some justthethreeofus time. 

So, the overarching goal is essentially Get My Life Back Together Because Real Life is Coming Back Soon. This month of summer fun/maternity leave/postpartum recovery has been sweet, but I'm ready for some more structure.

Some fun things on my summer fun list, though....

• go to the pool with cousins
• go to the beach (still talking daddy into this one)
• make (paleo) apple pie
• play in the kiddie pool in the front yard
• eat popsicles for snack
• see fireworks
• participate in LOVE WEEK 2017! 
• visit splash pad again 
• write more
• shoot at church some
• document a day at home 

Dana Beasley | Vintage Giveaway

photo via Bugg Photography

You may remember this beauty from this fun DTR family session several months ago. She is still living it up in Charlotte and has started a fun insta-blog for vintage fashion that is TOPS! She is absolutely gorgeous (inside and out!) and belongs in every decade-- seriously. Timeless! She is doing a fun giveaway on her instagram where you can win a piece of her vintage collection. To enter:

• Follow @iamdanabeasley
• Like her post about We Are Handpicked 
• Tag a friend in the comments who loves vintage 
• multiple entries apply

Go, follow and enter! And may the odds be ever in your favor :) 

Water Wipes: A Love Story

Disclaimer: I received Water Wipes for free to review from Influenster, which is awesome because we use and love them already! As always, all stories, thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own. 

Diapering and wiping can be surprisingly complicated. I used to think it was just like, the baby needed a diaper change, and you just changed it. The amount of options out there for all the things can be very overwhelming and it totally was for me as a first time mom. This time around I feel a bit more prepared and knowledgable about what works for us after 2.5 years of diapering experience, but that first time around, I was as clueless as they came and wasn't sure which natural or sensitive skin products would really work for us.

Before Lincoln was born, I wanted to stock up on diapers and wipes but knowing my own sensitive skin and lifelong battle with eczema I was hesitant to pick any sort of brand to stock up on in case he came out like me. Well, he totally did come out like me and at a few weeks old he had a terrible rash on his toosh and I took him to the pediatrician feeling totally helpless. We had been using the diapers and wipes given to us by the hospital and the pediatrician straight up told us NOT to use them, and that they were the worst for newborns, especially sensitive skinned ones. Awesome. Thanks for nothing, hospital.

We tried all the conventional diaper rash treatments and finally found a combo that worked for us and it has constantly evolved since. From that moment on though, I was set that I would be the most careful about what products I used on my babe's precious bum.

Fast forward two years and quite a bit of trial and error we have found a combo of diapering products that:

1. keep his now-toddler-toosh rash free
2. are affordable and don't break the bank! 

One of these products is Water Wipes! We love these things. So, not only are they approved by and have the stamp of approval of the National Eczema Association, they are THE ONLY chemical free wipe on the market. They literally contain water and a smidge of grapefruit seed extract.

Lincoln had a small eczema flare on his face around the holidays and we couldn't figure out what was causing it, and then one day at preschool I saw that the kids were given Pampers wipes to wipe their hands and faces after lunch and snack. I brought in a pack of Water Wipes and asked for them to use those instead for him (his teacher is so amazing and accommodating!) and within a week it was totally gone and we haven't had any issue since.

These wipes are awesome for hands, faces, feet, tooshies and for moms too. I still struggle with hand eczema and it is painful for me to use regular soap and water sometimes so I keep a pack of these in my purse so even when I'm solo I can use them to wipe my hands.

Like all things with us and parenting, we are not 100% exclusive users of Water Wipes. We always try to keep some Water Wipes in the diaper bag and the car, though, so we have a safe option for messy faces or runny noses– safe meaning that it won't cause an eczema flare. At home we try to use a wet paper towel or washcloth for hands and faces, and reserve these for lil' diaper changes out and about. We also use Aldi wipes regularly for the not so small diaper messes at home (because sometimes you need like 27 wipes), as well as Honest Company and Seventh Generation as they are sometimes easy to find on sale or with stackable deals or rebates at Target which lend towards the more natural side. While we love these things, they probably are the most expensive wipes out there but if you keep an eye on Target deals and Amazon pricing and aren't afraid to stock up when a deal presents itself, you can keep a good supply of them for 10 cents or less per wipe!

I received a travel pack of Water Wipes for free from Influenster to use and review and I l o v e the travel size. I don't usually carry the big diaper bag everywhere, I usually YOLO and leave it in the car. I really like being able to throw one diaper and a travel pack of wipes in my purse for quick errands out and about! I usually just grab a few and keep them in a zip-loc, but these felt so fancy in their little package! Definitely worth stocking up on the travel size if you find a good deal.

Check out Water Wipes on Amazon, here! Happy wiping :)