Want to overhaul your toxic products? Start HERE!

Its 2023 and the consciousness of harmful ingredients in the products we use is old news, right? Are you fed up with yucky cleaners that can potentially harm your health? Disgusted by big brands trying to greenwash themselves into your good graces? Me too.

Creating an Atmosphere for Learning // a roundup post

I recently had the privilege to collaborate on a post about preparing a learning environment within the home that was featured on Redfin. Hope you'll take away some new ideas and a renewed sense of purpose for your home learning space!

Small Space Gardening with Kids

This post is sponsored by Responsival. As always, all opinions are my own. Affiliate links used. A small commission may be received if you purchase an item through my links. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Infused vinegar DIY cleaner

I've been really getting into spring cleaning lately. It's probably a combo of nesting + feeling invigorated by all the sunshine (vitamin D is truly a marvel).

DIY Pomander Balls // Deck the Halls {Christmas craft}

Show of hands, who's done decorating for Christmas? If you're like me than you've just begun, haha. In the spirit of holiday crafting, I'm so excited to introduce you to today's guest poster, my kindred spirit, Dana. When I need my eco-conscious questions answered, she's my go-to. Everyone needs a Dana in their lives. She agreed to share an easy, low-waste DIY holiday craft for orange and clove pomander balls!

Purging & Cleaning

I had a comment asking about how I got started on my purging and cleaning journey so I figured I’d shed some light on it!

Practical Essential Oils

I know essential oils are everywhere these days and its almost cliche that I’m writing about them (I know you thought it! Its ok :) but I feel like there is a gap that needs to be bridged between die-hard-oil-enthusiast and just-starting-out-newbie because there is a lot of information out there and knowing where to begin can be overwhelming.

Hometown Love

It's funny but I never truly appreciated my hometown until I moved away and then came back. I always felt that it was small and cut off; but those may be my favorite things about it now! Feeling safe, secure and cozy are no small feats and I feel blessed I get to raise my family in such a beautiful area. The sea is a part of my blood and the smell of salt is always welcomed. Today I'm excited to share my hometown love with you! 

{The Aquarium}

I just shared about our trip to the Aquarium on Kinsey's Birthday but seriously, this is the best Aquarium there ever was! My love for it runs deep. Rumor has it the setting for Disney/Pixar's Finding Dory is based on our Aquarium (though the name has been changed) and that makes me all kinds of proud. (Also, do yourself a favor and click that top Aquarium link to see past trips and an itty-bitty Kinsey. You don't want to miss it, promise.)

source

{The Beaches}

We are definitely beach bums and we have a variety of beaches to choose from; from the white, powdery sand in Carmel to the rocky sand in Seaside, we are beyond spoiled when it comes to our California Coastline. I'm dying to do a photo shoot at the beach for Christmas cards one of these years, just because we can :)

And yes, that's a tiny Kinsey holding Brian's hand :)

{MY Museum}

Again, another share from Kinsey's birthday week, but such a fun place! Hands on museums are special in their own right and having one in our backyard is wonderful! The first time I went was with my brother, mom and gramma when I was 14. It's changed location and has gotten more funding since then (16 years later) and its more amazing than ever.

source

{Natural History Museum}

source

Technically, this museum is in a neighboring town, but pretty much anywhere within a 30 minute drive will be considered my hometown :) We love going here on a weekday and spending time completing a scavenger hunt; we learn, we explore and at the end Kinsey gets to pick out a treasure, win! The first time we brought Kinsey here, she was only 2 and it was for a bee science study. The first time I went, there was a dinosaur exhibit. And through it all, the whale has always been there!

But the best thing about my hometown is getting to share all I love about it with the loves of my life!

{Some notable mentions}

Dennis the Menace Park- there is an old decommissioned train on site and it used to be open for kids to climb on. It was a rite of passage to climb to the top and ding the bell. Its since been closed off due to safety concerns but there's talk of it being modified and reopened for play! Also, there are two bronzed statues of Dennis the Menace sculpted by Hank Ketcham (he was a resident); one resides here at the park and the other is at the entrance to the birthing center at the local hospital (where me and my brother, Brian and his siblings and Kinsey and Brielana were all born.)

Fisherman's Wharf- it's a small pier but its filled with good things to eat (the clam chowder at Old Fisherman's Grotto is to die for) and homemade treats like saltwater taffy. 

The Bike Trail- this two-lane bike road spans the length of the coast and the views are like no other. It also lends itself to walking, jogging, running, blading and skateboarding.

Cannery Row- of John Steinbeck fame. It doesn't house sardine canneries anymore but the restaurants are wonderful.

{Famous Residents}

Clint Eastwood, Betty White (my all-time favorite), Leon Panetta (I wen't to school with grandson), Doris Day.

Linking up with Andrea.

 

Easy Organizing: my Beauty Basket

I'm a sucker for easy organizing!  Like put-stuff-in-a-pretty-container-and-call-it-a-day, easy organizing.  So here's a peek inside my beauty basket:

This handy and (cute!) wicker basket from Target corrals all my essential products and is always within easy reach inside the bathroom closet.  I just pull it out and get on with my morning routine.

It houses my body lotion, facial lotion, toner, zit cream, nail polish/clippers/file, and aerosol deodorant (which is a miracle product and I highly recommend that you try it!)

Do you have a genius storage system?  What are your favorite products?  Will you ditch the stick and try aerosol deodorant?! ;)

Also click here for a chance to win a $30 Target gift card!

Linking up with Annie and Vanessa.

   
   

Our Girls' Shared Room

I have been wanting to share about the girl's shared room for ages, it's been written up since before Brielana was even born (ha), and has since gone through a remodel.  Thanks to Andrea's prompt for Show and Tell Tuesday, it's finally being posted!  This is by far my favorite room in the house and actually used to be my childhood bedroom, so lots of good memories!  Welcome!

This room is a little box that isn't huge but holds everything neatly. The closet is behind the entryway door.  I'm going left around (asquare?!) the room: 

I made the tassels from tissue paper for assorted past birthday parties and the easel is from Michael's, a Christmas gift to Kinsey a couple of years ago.  The armoir is an antique that has been in my family for ages, it belonged to my mother and me before the girl's inherited it!  I absolutely love it.  Obviously I think the more the merrier when it comes to knickknacks.  A talented co-worker drew the picture of Kinsey when she was 2.5 years old.  I'm going to ask her to draw one of Brielana next!  The shadow boxes up top are mementos from the girl's births.  The adorable lamp is from Target.  The bookshelf is a cast-off from my brother, and hold's Kinsey's first pet, Bubbles the Betta. 

The gallery wall is one of my favorite spots in the room; it took years collecting all the fun prints and frames and it has become a real labor of love.  I made the pompom banner. The needlepoint was done by my grandma, the metal "k" and "Creative Girl" are from Michael's Dollar section. "You are my Sunshine" print from here, "Life's too Short" print from here and "Give God the Glory" print from here.  The pants hangers and clipboards were found around the house after a good Spring cleaning :)  The Renior reprint "Two girls in a field" was from a school project of my brother's and the frame was another one of my grandma's treasure's that I had spray painted over in Krylon's Watermelon (purchased from Michael's).  I made the rainbow hoop with inspiration from Raising up Rubies- she is one creative lady!  I made the tissue paper flowers and "Kinsey" banner for Kinsey's 2nd birthday and just couldn't part with them!  Her bedding, curtains and rod, and rug is from Target. The two onesies are forever keepers from Kinsey's newborn days that are too cute not to display.

There's a window in between the girl's bed and crib giving lots of natural light.

 The polka dots are from Oh Joy! for Target, I couldn't believe how perfectly they matched everything in this room and couldn't pass them up!  The picture ledge and child's chair are from Ikea.  The New Baby printable from here and the white frame holds a paint swatch!  The sweet hair clip holder was a gift from one of my favorite students, circa 2008. I made Brielana's name sign from a shoebox lid and scrapbook paper. My papa gave me the trellis several years ago, think 2005, when I was in a gardening kick (don't even ask) and it also lived in my classroom for a few years until coming home.  I had my mom attach chicken wire to hang pretties with clothespins.  The crib was Kinsey's from Target and the chevron sheet. The Mobile (made by a very talented mom of a former student! Find her Etsy shop here.)  was a gift from my friend, customized to my nursery's colors; I was breathless when I opened the box, so precious!  

Brielana doesn't sleep in the room at night yet, but she takes her naps here, anyone notice the ancient walkie-talkie style audio monitor?! Ha!  She also decided to pull herself up for this picture- a first!

I am beyond thrilled with how lovely this shared room turned out!  

Linking up with Andrea