Diaper Bags for the Cool Mom {Part 2!}

Hey mamas! How are we!? Anyone getting winter depression/anxious from being cooped up in this horrid weather!? It’s a thing… LOL I certainly am! I was just in CA for 5 days and came back to a blizzard – not exactly my idea of enjoyable BUT I am glad to be back with my guys! Hopefully only 6ish more weeks left of winter…we can so do it!!

Last year I posted a list of “diaper bags for the cool mom” and got a great response on the suggestions, so here I am to do part 2! I’ve tried a ton of diaper bags and definitely prefer the backpack style OR a bag that can convert to both an over the shoulder and a backpack. You already have enough things to carry as a Mom – your diaper bag should make your life easier and allow you to be hands free.

I see posts daily on Facebook or in the groups I’m apart of where Moms are constantly asking for diaper bag suggestions. Why is a diaper bag so important? WELL – once you become a mom, your diaper bag is essentially your purse. It’s your sanity for getting from place to place in a prepared manner. No more designer or cute handbags being used on a daily basis – unless you have 3 hands to carry both, which you don’t. Your diaper bag is now your fashion identity (I wish I was kidding!) Don’t feel like your diaper bag needs to be juvenile or have puppy print and hearts on it because it is being used for your child. You can see below that I am a huge fan of the classy neutrals/solids only, in the bags I carry. I also 100% think it is worth investing in a great diaper bag – you will use it DAILY and you need to feel like it’s comfortable, efficient, easy to carry, and easy to pack. Without further ado, here are my 2018 recos:

Skip Hop Greenwich Simply Chic

Fawn Design Backpack

Skip Hop Greenwich Simply Chic Diaper Tote

JJ Cole Backpack Diaper Bag

Freshly Picked Convertible Diaper Backpack

Highbury Hill Diaper Backpack

Honest City Backpack

Itzy Ritzy® Backpack Diaper Bag

JJ Cole Arrington Tote Diaper Bag

Skip Hop Suite 6 Piece Backpack

The bag I am using in these photos is the Fawn Design original in PLUM. Unfortunately the plum is SOLD OUT right now 😦 but it does come in 4 additional colors. I really love that this bag is spacious and can convert from an over the shoulder, to a cross body, to a backpack.

^mean muggin

Does anyone have one of these bags? I’d love to hear how you like it! If anyone purchases a bag above, please let me know – would also love to see a photo! Hope this helps!

 

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How to: Slay your Goals & Change your LIFE in 2018!

Hey babes! Welcome to 2018! I don’t know about you but I am very happy to see a new year. I just have a really amazing feeling that 2018 is going to top all previous years… I think that main reason I’m feeling so positive and good about the new year is because I have a PLAN. I know what I want, and when, and what my vehicle to get me there will be. I have a clear vision of how my life can change in 2018.

I have evolved so much as an individual, as a mom, as a wife, as a professional, since starting ‘Running with Strollers’, and I thank you for following on the journey. When I started the blog, I really wanted to write career/professional type posts, but at that time my career wasn’t inspiring me as much as I had hoped. I had just gotten pregnant and then had my son, so my focus shifted to everything #motherhood. I didn’t expect my perspectives, goals, dreams, LIFE to change as drastically as it did when becoming a mom. Everything I had come to believe about my aspirations, changed. I no longer wanted to drop my child off every day at daycare and sit at a desk to work on someone else’s dream. I had a strong desire to lead and inspire others outside of a 9-5. I needed FREEDOM, LIKE MINDED FRIENDS and EXTRA INCOME so that I could shift from a professional career to being a #girlboss entrepreneur on my own terms.

Most of you know that I started a business venture in the beauty industry in March 2017 that has been very successful for my family and I. In December, I came home full time to work my business and be a Mom to my almost now 2 year old. This week, I did a training for my team of 50 women on “5 Tips to Slay your SeneBiz in the New Year”… but I realized that these tips are really applicable to anyone who wants to accomplish big goals this year. I decided that I’d turn my “show notes” into a general blog post for even those outside of my team to read.  I feel compelled and qualified to talk on this topic because I have watched my life change dramatically over the past 9 months. I truly feel if you can master and remember these 5 tips, the details will fall into place and you will always know what the next step towards accomplishing your dream will be. They are really the core of what I do every day, week, month, etc, to meet my goals. Without further ado – let’s get to some life changing realness…

#1 – You must determine WHAT you want, WHY you want it, and HOW you will get it. 

So you want to change your life – what do you want to change, why do you want it to change and what will your vehicle be to get you there? For my team training, we obviously know our vehicle but I always encourage them to dig deep and find their “WHY.” Why are they doing what they’re doing? What was the root cause for them to start a business, become an entrepreneur (#mompreneur as I like to call myself) or add something “extra” to their plate? There has to be a deeper reason than just wanting to sell products. For me, I have a strong desire for freedom from a full-time job, I want to have flexibility, I want to see my child more than 2 hours a day, and I want to give my family an extraordinary lifestyle. No matter how hard I worked at my job, I couldn’t achieve that. Once you determine what you want and why, you HAVE to keep that in front of you. Slaying your goals and dreams isn’t easy – it often takes hours of additional work, there will be people who judge you or question what you are doing, and you’re going to want to quit 2, 3 or 10 times throughout the year. I once heard a quote… “if people don’t understand what you’re doing, you may be on to something.” God sized dreams are never seen or understood by the average Joe. Keeping a WHY (that is stronger than any outside force trying to destroy those dreams) in front of you is absolutely necessary and is the first thing you must identify before achieving a dream.

#2 – Write Down your Goals and Keep them in front of you!

How are you going to hit your goals if you don’t know what they are or if you aren’t looking at them every.single.day? Your goals and dreams are 100% more likely to come true if they are physically written down. Your goal boards can be electronic, on paper, in the form of words or pictures, just get them physically down! I have a goals board in my kitchen that I update on the first of every month. No excuses. I see it every single day and I post it as the background as my phone. We look at our phones what, like, 573 times a day? Now I see what I’m working toward every time I hit that home button. It’s important to remember that just writing them down isn’t going to make them come true, you have to take action every single day (more on that later) but you are sooo soo much more inclined to take that action when they are written down. Just do it. And thank me later. In addition to my monthly vision board, I had my team create vision photos with their faces like this:

#3 – Daily Self Development

There is sooo so much negative in the world today. In the news, on social media, with family and friends – we must rid ourselves of that negativity ASAP. Don’t be afraid of the unfriend or unfollow button. If something you are seeing or consuming daily is shaking your confidence or belief in YOUR path, stop looking at it. Basically you have to stay in your own lane, or else you’ll get run over. I think that is a huge part of self development – knowing what is affecting you and either ridding it from your life, or taking more of it in, if it’s positive. Another way I like to work on self development is through podcasts, ebooks, articles, blogs (such as this 🙂 ) or finding a positivity friend (someone I know I can always contact and we can lift each other up.) Instead of turning on pop radio in the car and listening to songs you have heard a million times and probably don’t even like, turn on an inspirational podcast. Be willing to put so much good in your brain that there is no option but for the negative to be pushed out. Your thoughts are like a muscle, they must be exercised daily in order to get stronger. Your business or goals will not grow or improve if YOU aren’t willing to change. Becoming an entrepreneur, a #mompreneur, or extraordinary, does NOT happen overnight -we must learn from those who have gone before us and found success. Lastly, I like to find or stalk, I mean STUDY, people in my line of business that inspire me. I can then replicate (not copy) or apply what I feel is drawing myself to them, in my own business. I often think about WHY I joined the team I did in SeneGence and try to remember that often so that I can create that same type of feeling with my followers. Here are some podcasts I like that can all be found on itunes:

MLM Nation

The Goal Digger Podcast

The Skinny Confidential – Him & Her

Almost 30 Podcast

I am not great at reading but REALLY want to be – I will work on that in 2018 and hope to have a list of reading material for you all soon. Or you can leave your recos below!

#4 Build Relationships and Tell your Story

In anything you want to accomplish in life, there’s a great chance you won’t be able to do it alone. You’ll need a network for a business, a goal, or a dream. You’ll need supporters, customers, followers, partners, employees, or encouragers. Whether your goal is to run a marathon or start a blog – you will need these people. My friend Kaitlyn of Essere Blog and Buzzed Bull Creamery is SO GOOD at doing this. She is a business owner, a wife, and a new blogger. She is constantly building her brand, telling her story, encouraging others, which I believe, attracts people towards her. I aspire to be more like her. Build relationships, tell your story, connect, and in turn you will make sincere friendships with others and find your “people” naturally. This can’t be a sometimes thing, this has to be a part of you – connecting with others needs to be a part of what you become great at. What you are putting on social media, or into the universe should be generally positive, honest, and things you care about that others can relate with. This helps to develop your “brand” which is an entirely different convo. Just know that you, are your brand, which is your business. It is all connected. We connect with people and why they’re doing what they are – not what they are selling.

#5 – Consistency ALWAYS Wins. Take Action Every Single Day.

Nothing you set out to accomplish can be a “when you feel like it” thing. Every day consistency will ALWAYS win. Although this is #5 on the list, I think it is the more important. You will see growth, change, and success where your thoughts and actions fall daily. Action inspires action – do you remember the theory from school, “a ball in motion stays in motion, a ball at rest, stays at rest?” It’s much harder to find motivation to take action when you haven’t in a few days, a week, or months. Once you get into the habit of taking action you will naturally want to stay in motion. Taking action yields results and eventually working towards your dream will become a part of your routine. You want to get to a spot where NOT taking action feels wrong, or makes you feel uneasy. Do at least one thing for your dream every.single.day.

Bonus Tip: Don’t QUIT!

The only way to completely fail at something you have a WHY, a PLAN for, and that you WORK at consistently, is to give up. THE ONLY WAY. Sure, some dreams and ventures will be more successful than others, but the only way to find no success is to STOP. Don’t quit your dream, and it won’t quit you (a quote by Whitney Bray.) BOOM.

If you want to chat with me, please feel free to reach out to me on here, via email (kayla.greenstone@gmail.com), follow me on instagram, or facebook!

Interested in a new opportunity with makeup and skincare? To join my team of badass boss babes, you can read about our January sign-up promo here or sign-up here with ID 330104.

Affordable & Fashionable FALL Lenses {with the Glasses Shop}

Hey hey hey babes! How is it going? I’m trying to figure out where the Summer went, but I’m also veryyy excited for fall. It is my favorite time of the year, and this year, it is also the season of my WEDDING!

 I am ALSO very excited to share my best kept online shopping secret with you all: The Glasses Shop. I first wrote about this site here last year and am so thrilled to be working with them again. I mean, how CUTE are these purple frames? I’m seriously obsessed – and they are perfect for all my fellow green eyed beauties.

I am always shocked when people remind me how expensive frames and lenses are at your typical brick & mortar stores…and most of the time they are not fully covered by insurance. Ain’t nobody got time OR money for that! Insert: The Glasses Shop. Your online shop for affordable, functional, and convenient frames & lenses. The tag line is technically: “budget buy eyewear site.” Like, really affordable:

• Frames are BOGO with code GSBOGO

• And your whole order is 30% off with my code GSHOT30!!

Update: here is a holiday 2019 deal for you as well:

Your next question may be – what about the quality? I was SHOCKED when I received my first pair of glasses last year. The lenses were immaculate, the frames were sturdy, and they came with both a case and cleansing cloth. I would 100% recommend this (hence why I’m doing a full blog post!) site to anyone looking for glasses!

Because they are so affordable, I like choosing a few pairs as “fashion” pieces. When lenses & frames are typically costing you $300+ at other locations, you want to get the most basic, “go with everything” pair. When you buy from The Glasses Shop you can afford to do a black, a brown, a clear, and even a PURPLE pair if you’d like! I have a feeling that glasses will be my #1 FALL FASHION staple at this price!

Here is the easiest way to order:

• Call your eye doctor and have them email over your prescription and PD (papillary distance) which is essentially the distance between your eyes to fit the glasses – you will need these for placing the order

• Find a pair of glasses that you like & upload a picture of yourself so that you can virtually try them on – this is a really cool feature of the site!

• Order a few pairs and wait for them to arrive!

• Enjoy!

A few more pairs that are in my cart from The Glasses Shop:

 

Douglas Oval – TortoiseFlynn Round – Black

Park Oval – Crystal 

Kimberley Rectangle Purple Frames

Lace-Up Hoodie

Lancer Sneaker (want in every color!)

Lexie Beary + Kiss for a Cause LipSense

I hope you all have an amazing weekend – please share photos with me if you purchase a pair of eyeglasses off this site! love ya!

Rompin’ Around {in Rose & Wesley}

So you may be wondering why I am writing and sharing a red, white & blue themed post and outfit for Calvin approximately 3 weeks after the 4th of July …. well this Mommy is just a littttle behind on blogging but we’re going with it. Does anyone else feel like life is running them over? JK, that’s an exaggeration. Kinda. Calvin sure looks like he is ALWAYS proud to be an American anyways:)

I had the pleasure of working with Mandi from Rose & Wesley – the cutest online boutique where  all of the items are handmade and the tagline is “Making Playtime Beautiful.” She was so sweet and sent me this hand sewn romper for Calvin. So. cute.

Cal is wear the LIAM romper which is so so soft and comfy for an active little boy. The romper is stretchy so it slips right on from the bottom up.  I can’t wait to get more for him – just like I love a good “momper”, they also work for the babes.

|Hat is from Jack and Winn|Shoes are from Converse |

Use code KGLOVES for 15% any order at Rose & Wesley!

Family Field Trip! {@ Krohn Conservatory}

Lately life seems as if it has been on complete OVERDRIVE! I never wanted to be one of those bloggers that was apologizing for not writing in such a long time, but here I am! lol…with work, growing my business, planning a wedding, chasing a 17 month old, and still trying to be a good fiance – it has literally been insane, and I don’t see any sign of it stopping any time soon!!!

Today we took the time as a family to go on a little field trip to the Krohn Conservatory, which is basically a showcase of plant species from all over the world located right in our neighborhood of Eden Park in Cincinnati! They usually have a butterfly exhibit, but we didn’t research beforehand and they are not back until August. SO we will be going back soon.

It actually sounds boring to walk around looking at plants but between the plants, flowers, sculptures, waterfall, coloring room, and fish in the ponds, Calvin was honestly AMAZED! Here are some of our snapshots from the day. I got a new lens for my Canon and I think my Dad would have been impressed at the photos I got of the flowers 🙂

^what face does a fishy make?

What are some other fun family field trips you like to take? Where else can we take this crazy little man for a reasonable price!?

The Moment I Realized You Were Gone

It was 17 days after you had passed away – just 2 weeks and 3 days since we said our final goodbye and sat with you bedside for the last time before they came and took you away. In that 17 days we had planned a funeral, held a visitation, buried you, hosted a lunch at our home in Cincinnati with a saxophone player you would have loved, planned a vacation, and made our way to Florida for some much needed time away.

My week in Florida was good…I had smooth flights, we did some dinners out to eat, some swimming in the pool, shopping, and went to the ocean off and on during the days when it wasn’t raining. On my final night in Florida, Friday the 23^rd, the weather just seemed to cooperate and it had been gorgeously sunny all day. I sat on the beach with a Corona, did a workout alone, and came back to meet my mom for dinner by the pool. After dinner I decided I wanted to go on the beach for my last night – for it was really the only day that week we could see the sunset. The other days had been consumed with rain as a hurricane moved it’s way through the gulf. I took myself out to the beach, and as I walked onto the sand, I started getting an overwhelming feeling of sadness. I laid my towel out on the sand, and just sat with my arms around my knees for a while. It was the kind of Summer night where you could be comfortable in a light jacket, or comfortable running around in a swimsuit – I’m unable to accurately explain the perfect temperature of that night in the words that it deserves. The humidity from the week had suddenly lifted and the breeze was lightly blowing as the ocean waves rolled in. Families all around me enjoying the sand, the water, and each other’s company as the sun set to the right of me, covered the beach. The sky was hazy and the perfect amount of clouds lined the edge of the ocean. Live music was playing up by the pool and you could hear it out onto the beach as the sun got lower and glistened over the water. For the first time since you’d been gone, I felt alone, no longer swept up in the plans of how we’d lay you to rest or planning this glorious week “away” from it all.

Why weren’t you there? You used to make my sisters and I get up at the crack of dawn to find the sunrise (I always passed on that) or make us drive to the perfect place on the island after dinner just to catch a small glimpse of the setting sun on our beach vacations. No way would there be this type of weather, this type of sunset and you not there walking the beach to enjoy it. I got that panicked feeling where you keep waiting for something to happen, for someone to come … it never does and they never appear. You keep waiting and hoping, knowing that it’s not happening but that there could be a small chance. Finally I came back up to our room…my phone was dead and I needed to capture this sunset, this view in front of me that you weren’t able to see from my point of view on earth. Mom reminded me that it was okay to feel sad and so I allowed 17 days worth of tears to come out in one night. I didn’t expect this, as we had already spent so many weeks and months grieving prior to the actual day that my Dad had died. I stood on our beachfront balcony for hours and engrained this moment and picture into my mind.  As it got darker, I decided to pull out my computer and get my thoughts out in writing before they escaped me forever.

How is it that just 1 year ago (to the week) you were with us on the beach – talking, laughing, swimming. Your incredibly tan toes walking the beach with us as you snapped photos, held your grandson, and gathered the family for what would be our last vacation photo as a family – and our last vacation as a family.

It’s crossed my mind often how much I’ll miss you on my wedding day in just 4 short months, at the hospital after the birth of my other children, or at our first family Hanukkah without you. It turns out when someone is gone, you can never get “away” – for they are always with you…in the big moments, the mundane moments, and ordinary moments such as a sunset on an otherwise ordinary evening or a neighborhood concert on a hot July night.

I have a feeling I will find you in these type of moments more often than not – the ones where I least expect it, the beautiful moments that scream, “you should be here.”

It took me 17 days to realize that you are never physically coming back, but that you will never truly be gone. 

Feeding our Toddler On the Go {with Bentgo!}

*Product in this post is provided by Bentgo – but all opinions expressed are my own*

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from having a toddler, it’s that they’re ALWAYS. HUNGRY. How does such a tiny body fit so many snacks? I can’t think of anything worse than being stranded on an outing with a hungry little Calvin. A snack solves (most) problems or tantrums that occur with our son. Being prepared with a well packed diaper bag and being ready with a meal or food for our toddler is EVERYTHING.

I was so happy when I discovered Bentgo Children’s lunch box, the all-in-one solution for on-the-go meal time. Bentgo is passionate about families leading healthy, balanced lives – and doing so efficiently. This is everything my blog and brand stands for, so I had to give it a try. The lunch box is portable, compact, keeps foods cold and separate in their different dividers. Although we are pretty lenient with our toddler’s snacking (I’ll admit we often give him anything that will make him happy #firstchildprobs), planning ahead and bringing foods from home allows us to avoid snacks such as french fries or cookies while on the go most of the time.

Our toddler seems to survive on two main food groups: fruit & cheese; so I made sure these were included on our outing to the park! Along with the fruit & cheese were crackers, steamed carrots and some turkey lunch meat.

Other outings that we will be bringing our Bentgo on this summer are:

The Zoo

The Mall

The Pool

Splash Pads

Parks

Grocery trips

Road Trips

I also love how the sleek Bentgo sits right in Calvin’s lap, or slides right into the diaper bag without taking up too much room. It doesn’t matter if it is turned upside down or shaken up a bit – the design of the box allows the foods to stay separated either way. They are also insulated so keeping them out of the fridge for a period of time is no problem.

Last summer, Calvin was only drinking breast milk so we did not have to think ahead about what to pack him on the go. I remember someone warning me that soon it would take much more effort for feeding our child. I’m so excited to have the efficient Bentgo in my mommy arsenal just in time for a fun-filled, activity packed summer with our little toddler!

Check out the Bentgo Bento Lunch Box site for additional bowls, accessories, and products.

All orders over $35 have FREE SHIPPING – you can also use my code RUN15 for 15% off any order through 6/26!

Enjoy, mamas!

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Livin’ in Athleisure (with Old Navy!)

Hi Friends! Happy Hump Day 🙂 How are your weeks going? We are heading to our tasting for our wedding tonight and I’m pretty excited to finally focus on some planning…and to eat some yummy food (…as I write about athleisure…)

I wasn’t originally going to write a whole post on this but after some good response and questions from my last IG post, I had to write about one of my latest obsessions – activewear from Old Navy! I have been off work for a few weeks and have been LIVING in these items. Now…if only I can find a way to continue wearing when returning to the office. We do have a gym here so I will be bringing with me for workouts when I can!

My brother in law, who by the way has amazing style, asked me where I got this outfit because it “looked expensive.” SCORE! Jokingly I said, it’s from like Lululemon or something like that…

But really, the pants, bra and shirt are all from Old Navy and I am so impressed by the affordability and quality of these items. Although I do believe that expensive activewear is always worth it, I love that I can get that quality from Old Navy and have even more of a variety.

I love putting on “athleisure” type items on weekends or days when I’m off – they are comfortable/easy to move in and honestly, I’m more likely to workout (either run or do a home workout) when I am already dressed. Sometimes getting ready is the hardest part for me!

Hyun Ah Perez Photography

Here are the outfit deets–

Go-Dry Ultra-Light Surplice-Back Top : now on sale and available in 5 colors. I am wearing a size Medium in “Prom Queen Neon.”

Go-Dry Strappy Light Support Sports Bra (similar) : now on sale and available in black & floral. I am wearing a size Large. If I were to run or do something more high imptant, I would have to wear a full coverage bra or add another bra. #bigboobprobs this lighter support bra is perfect for true athleisure wear or yoga/barre/pilates type exercises.

High-Rise Go-Dry Compression Capris: now on sale – wearing a Medium in “Black Mini Dot.”

Where do you shop for activewear/athleisure? What am I missing out on? You babes always have the best recos!! Have a fantastic rest of your week, mamas!

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All images captured by Hannah from Hyun Ah Perez Photography.

An Exciting New Opportunity + Why I Joined!

Hi, Friends! I hope you all are having a great start to your June…it finally is starting to feel like SUMMERTIME!

I’m sure some of you have noticed that over the last 12 weeks or so, my blog posts have been few & far between. Where I used to post once a week no matter what, I have only posted a handful of times in the past few months. I promise it’s for good reason and I will get back to regular posting SOON!

You all know that I love a good product and love to promote something when I feel strongly about it here on the blog! I won’t accept a partnership or promote a brand if I don’t actually use it and believe in it myself.

When LipSense (made by the company Senegence) started becoming increasingly popular over the past 6-8 months, I had to try it. LipSense is a lip color that molecularly bonds to the lip and lasts anywhere from 4-18 hours! It is smudge proof, waterproof, transfer proof and baby proof…I know what you’re thinking…a Mom’s dream…NEED!!!

One of my favorite Instagram influencers was selling, so I bought my first color BELLA back in October, to try. I liked the color and staying power, but didn’t think anything else of the product or opportunity until months later. I started to see amazing Women having success with LipSense as a business opportunity, I heard rumblings of friends & acquaintances loving the product and then it hit me like a ton of bricks in March — I too, could find success in this opportunity, so I became an independent distributor! My business name is “Running with Colors” – get it?!? 🙂

  In just under 10 weeks I have done over $5000 in product sales, have begun growing my team of women, have fallen in love with the other Senegence products, and have realized how fun it is to promote & play with makeup and skincare as my “side gig.” We all promote products every day via social media (especially bloggers) but it is nice to do this with products I believe in, and actually make some income while doing so!

There are dozens of opportunities flying around out there – so WHY SENEGENCE?

*Senegence has LIPSENSE and there nothing else like this niche product in the market!

*Senegence has amazing anti-aging skincare and a full cosmetics line

*A generous compensation plan and only 168,000 total distributors – this means we are JUST getting started and about to hit our momentum phase of growth!

*Proven upline support and resources from your sponsors

*Only $55 to join & no minimums on purchases or product sales each month – you can work at your own pace!

I am invested in this and want to experience all of the benefits that come along with being a distributor (car, trips, friendships, leadership opportunities, personal growth, monetary pay-off + much more) for the long haul! LipSense starter kits are $55+tax OR you can join my team and experience these same distributor benefits for the same price! If you are interested in products, or joining my growing team, you can find me here:

Email me!

Follow Me on Instagram!

Join my Facebook Group!

I also added a “Running with Colors” drop down on my home page if you’d like to see the display of colors and some of my other favorite products!

OR sign up on the Senegence Site using distributor ID #330104

As always, thank you thank you for all the support you have given me in both my LipSense & blogging adventures ❤

See you at the top, babes!

Rompers are a Mom’s Best Friend!

Hi Guys! Happy Tuesday. I hope you all had an amazing long weekend<3

I posted earlier last week that I took about a week off of posting on Instagram, and that sometimes real life needs you more than social media does. Do you agree? This is not to say that social media isn’t real life, but it is only PARTS of a person’s life, and that’s okay. It felt good to take a break from posting but …I am back because I have wayyy too many blog drafts started for my own good – time to crank out some shiz just in time for the warmer weather!

Let’s start with a discussion on my favorite Spring/Summer fashion necessity: ROMPERS. Are they not a Mom’s best friend? I’ll tell you why.

Have you ever tried chasing a toddler in a dress? The amount of bending over, squatting, and running around just does not mix well –enter: Romper. Still flowy and loose, but with built in shorts! I also feel as if choosing one piece to wear is easier than choosing two. Lastly, there is something so comforting to me about having something around my waist. Is that weird? I was like that before Calvin, but feel like a waist band (or at least spanx) are 100% necessary after having a child. Makes me feel more…secure? lol

Gimme all the affordable MOMpers in the world.

I found this affordable and gorgeous romper at no other than a Mom’s 2nd best friend…Target! I am obsessed with both the color and the sleeve cut.

I’m not a huge clothing shopper to begin with, but when life gets crazy, I don’t shop hardly AT ALL! It’s nice to find something affordable and quick for the weekend when stopping for diapers, groceries, or running errands. I highly suggest checking out Target for more affordable romper finds such as these:

Aztec Queen Ruffle Cold Shoulder Romper

Women’s Double Stripe Romper

Women’s High Neck Lace Romper

Women’s Off-the-shoulder Romper

What is your summer go-to? Where can I find? Please catch me up – need to get my mama style together! 🙂

Feeling Peachy in Pink Blush {+another giveaway!}

HI BABES – HOW WAS THE WEEKEND?! It’s been a MINUTE since I posted – will share where I have been (& why) later this week<3

You all should know by now that I am a huge PINK BLUSH fan – this is my 3rd time working with them and I could not be more excited!

I received this beautiful peachy/coral off the shoulder shirt earlier this month and fell in love immediately – I love the unique details on the straps and off the shoulder draping. It is an amazing color, flattering, perfect for Spring, and comfortable – what more could a girl want?

Pink Blush is NOT just maternity wear – they carry a full women’s, accessory & shoe line – and every item is adorable! Many of the items in the shop will take you from pre-pregnancy, through pregnancy and post-pregnancy as they are flattering and made for all stages of a women’s life.

I want to gift this shirt or any item you choose this week to one follower – so I teamed up with Pink Blush to give away a $50 gift card! I just announced the giveaway and entry rules on my instagram so head on over to enter! Winner will be choosen on Friday, May 12th.

I hope you have an amazing week – kick some ass & take some names!

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PS — Can we please talk about my new Cincinnati photographer Hyun Ah Perez Photography? I posted back in March that I was looking for an awesome new photographer to work with after our move back to OH and in the midst of LIFE I started to fall behind on my posts because I was running low on time to find someone great that would just “get” what I was looking for. Through the fate of the universe Hyan (Hannah) found ME on Facebook and here we are! I highly recommend her services – you will be seeing a lot more of her work in the future on Running with Strollers 🙂

 

 

 

 

10 Diaper Bag Essentials + How I Pack It {With JJ Cole}

Hey Mamas! It’s been too long since I wrote on here!!! I am usually pretty good about posting at least ONCE a week, but it’s been crazy ya’ll. I started a new business endeavor and it’s been on fire this week. In a good way – like, a lot going on. I will post about this next week.

In the mean time, I wanted to share my diaper bag essentials. Getting out and about with a little one is KEY but it’s also important to make sure you are prepared at all times with a well packed diaper bag. Funny story, the first time we ever took Calvin out of the house, we went to a mexican restaurant and left the diaper bag under the table when we left! LOL. Craig had to drive back to get it. Having a diaper bag in tow is definitely a change – and it’s important to have the RIGHT one with you as your go-to.

You all KNOW I am passionate about a great diaper bag – I have written several posts about ones I love. Here I wrote about diaper bags for the cool mom and here I wrote about having a good multi purpose bag for work. BUT I recently got a chance to try out the JJ Cole Caprice bag and let me just tell you — all the heart eyes. It’s aesthetically pretty (v. important to me), light weight (and not in a cheap way) and has 10 pockets to store all the things. Additional features…

• easy-access exterior pockets for wallet and cell phone
• zip-top closure protects and secures contents
• spacious interior with multiple organizational compartments
• 2 insulated side bottle pockets
• includes coordinating wipeable changing pad
• optional padded shoulder strap offers stylish, hands-free carrying option
• includes no-slip grips™ for easily attaching to a stroller or shopping cart

What do I put in this caprice bag?

1.) Diapers – duh

2.) Pack of to-go wipes – make sure you buy the ones with an easy open, resealable top like the ones shown above

3.) Stuffed animal – Calvin is oddly obsessed with soft stuffed animals. He calls them ALL “ee ah” because we used to sing an annoying “ooh ee ooh ah ah” song to him when playing with his stuffed monkey.

4.) Books – not like our child sits still long enough to read a book yet, but we always have them with us in case, for distraction. He does like books with anything furry to touch.

5.) Sippy cup of water and/or milk – sometimes we bring both, but since we no longer do bottles (except 1 at night) we always have a drink with us

6.) Bib – because 1 YO’s are messy.

7.) Children’s Tylenol – no we don’t drug Calvin all the time but he constantly has teeth coming in and sometimes some relief is necessary.

8.) An extra outfit – because #blowouts. These don’t happen much anymore at all but when they do, you don’t want to be without extra clothes.

9.) A blanket – again, with the furry theme, Cal loves thick, soft blankets but for diaper bag purposes we usually bring a thin cotton blanket just in case.

10.) (Not pictured) – an extra pacifier!

^all of our items fit into this bag like a perfect little puzzle piece

One of the best features of the caprice bag, is its ability to attach easily to a stroller or shopping cart with these subtle hooks.

^Shop this bag @ your local babies R us!

^runaway nakey baby!

^the caprice bag has a long strap OR shorter shoulder straps

Guys thanks for being patient with me as I (per usual) bite off more than I can chew. Will try to get back to regular posting as the weather warms up and we are able to get out and take more #momblogger shots! 🙂

PS – We have our engagement pictures next week and I am soo excited. It’s funny – I’ve done a million “blog” photo shoots, having a “vision” in mind and coordinating outfits but I am really struggling with our “look” for these special photos! Will let you know what I come up with and post on here for you all to see ❤