Kaylees Mini•Style

I have been having so much fun finding inspiration for Kaylee's outfits lately!! There is so much fashion media now a days everywhere. It makes fashionso accessible to everyone now! I often take bits and pieces from main stream fashion but make sure to keep it childAPPROVES, as I call it, because seriously sometimes I see lil babies dressed WAY to provocative for a BABY that it scares me!  

 

       I was introduced to Forever 21 kids by another IG momma who has two girls and dresses them AMAZING! As a Forever 21 lova in general I was excited to see cute mini sized pieces we could mix and match! And seriously I dont know anyone who doesn't love Forever 21 prices!! Kaylee kinda fits in there XS which is equivalent to a 4-5 size (Kaylee wears a 3T normally). 

••OUTFIT DETAILS••

Flower Crown: Tillys

Polka Dot Shirt: Target

Plaid overall skirt: Harajuku for Target

Nirvana sweetshirt: Forever 21

Boots: Gap

Till next time mini fashionistas!

Happy Birthday Dr. Suess

Ever since I could remember I have loved Dr. Suess books. I have always loved the graphics and the unimaginable worlds he created that made you feel like you were there. I have enjoyed bringing all that magic to my kids and introducing them to the wacky and insane world that he has created for generations now.

Justin has been celebrating Dr. Suesss birthday since kindergarten and I thought why not celebrate it at home since it lands on a Sunday this year. Los Angeles has had its first real rain storm in, goodness I cant even think back, perhaps a year? Our city has desperately needed this rain and this weekend has been a cozy one for the Carpenters. Yesterday we took a family cruise down PCH to check out the huge swells down in Malibu. We came home cuddled in our bed, took a nap and woke up for a family dinner at Chili;s oh and a quick Target run before it closed. Today the rain has been trickling down on and off and I thought I would make a fun breakfast in honor of the crazy authors birthday. Justin helped scramble the eggs and we added green food coloring to make green eggs. We used sausage as our ham, that counts right? The kids got a kick out of it, I am pretty sure my husband thinks I have lost it but he played along.

We have totally been taking advantage of this cuddle weather and have stayed inside all day. Warmed up the house with the fire and cut up a bunch of fruit to snack on. The kids and I have been reading in their room and making wacky Dr. Suess inspired worlds with play doe .  I absolutely love when we can all be under one roof just spending time with each other with no outside distraction. I hope everyone had a beautiful weekend and happy first weekend of March

Kaylee's Mini•Style

   You know your entering a new stage when your child is telling you what she will and will not wear. Kaylee even has an opinion on what we buy at the store.

Everyday I learn a little more about who she is as a child just buy watching her dress herself! There is a great quote by my all time favorite fashion icon , Rachel Zoe, where she said "style is a way to say who you are without having to speak". More truer words could not be said . I always get made fun of by my husband when I tell him the first thing I notice about people is what they are wearing. I can observe the way someone is dressed and know a lot about them in just a few minutes of silent observation. 

Going to start doing these more regularly so BE prepared!

••OUTFIT DETAILS••

Gray glitter bow: Target

White shirt: Target

Green Necklace: boutique in town

Brown Fur Vest: The children's place (selling same one New w/ Tags on my IG shop-SoCalMomsXpress!

Black & white stripped pants: Target

Shoes: Target

Till next time mini fashionistas! ✌️❤️

Vising Santa!

Ever since last year when I took Kaylee and Justin to visit Santa I wanted to make  a tradition out of it. Well that is as long as they both or one will do it. This year is extra special for me because I think it might be the last year my oldest kinda believes in Santa. He has said a few comments earlier this season that almost broke my heart, but the closer it gets to Christmas I have hope that he still kinda believes in it. These are the photos that I plan on looking back on and showing my grandchildren how there parents were throughout the years. I already appreciate these types of photo now and often find myself looking at how much they have grown in just one year.  Time is flying by so quick and I want to really soak in the moments of being a mommy to just two because soon I will be a mommy of 3 (I am NOT prego yet) and I feel like lifes going to get crazy.

Last year I didn't dress the kids up at all and I remember thinking ummm ok we shall fix that for next year ( Justins angry bird shirt haunted me for a while). . I still didn't get them as dolled up as I saw a lot of other kids but at least they were more presentable. Actually a lot more presentable and might I add how obsessed I am with Kaylees band sweater from Gap.

My new mommy friend Christie went with me and her two kids Brody and Darby , which are right around my kids ages. The kids had a whole afternoon of terrorizing the mall and we ended up staying for dinner. I was anticipating Kaylee to be ok with Santa this year because she has recently started to be ok with the Disneyland Characters at Disneyland. I was expecting her full cheese smile to steal the show.

Check out this tiny video of our day. I will be posting the Infamous Santa photo tonight 12/12/13 at 8pm Pacific Time.....Enjoy!

Kaylee's >> Fashion Diary

Well as you all know I stopped doing these due to my sweet little baby turning into a crazy toddler! Today she finally started posing again and I just had to document it!

     Today two of my mommy friends and I went on a "play date" of sorts with our youngest kids. We had 3 kids in all. All 2 and under which made it quite intresting! First we spent a few hours around Ikea shopping. I love Ikea so much but Kaylee truely makes shopping a pain in the booty. She screams demands, wants down, and climbs all over everything. After what felt like an eternity we went across the street and lunched at California Pizza Kitchen and tried to unwind a little! I feel so blessed to have amazing Mommy friends! In all I think our mommy date was a success!

::Outfit Details::

Fox Sweater: Cherokee for Target

Black Peter Pan Collar Shirt: Joe Fresh for JC Penny

Argyle print leggings: Joe Fresh for JC Penny

Black Boots: Cherokee for Target

Besties & Alter Ego's // OOTD

      There are so many quailties a best friend must have in my eyes. I love people who inspire me, make me laugh over the dumbest thing and who know when I need extra hugs . I think all my besties have these, plus a million awesome other qualities. But my fav is when you can strip all your outer layers and be yourself and show eachother your alter egos .

       I find, as a creative person that ALL great ideas start from a persons alter ego , or otherwise known as your inner self. As an artist your alter ego is you but ,like a bad ass, I don't giva a F@$!? what you say ,kind of you! Its so hard to be that most days because life just doesnt want to work that way. Whenever I hang out with my bestest friends I feel completely comfortable and explore myself in such a fun way. 

     As a mother and wife I have an important role I play to my family. I often find myself toning my real personality down a few notches ,at times ,when I need to be serious and it can slowly change you. I didn't notice it for years and then one day I realized I didnt do the things I was once soooo pationate about. I found myself not listening to music for a substantial amount of time. I wasnt really thinking about myself and that really scared me. Music has always been my life, my therapy ,my soul, my one peace to run to when all else failed. I dont think anyone who is not a mother could relate to the moment you realize how little you think about yourself in a day? How something like being able to listen to my music , alone, something I once did without thinking about ,just to have been fogotten all together.

      Today ,my best friend ,Cori and I took the kids to Venice Beach and had a bestie date. She makes me feel sane. She is also a mother of two Jaydin (6) and Lily (3) and is one of the only people who might just understand ALL of me. I feel like she is the one that relates to me, my life ,and my past the most. I think she brings out the best in me and thats why it always feels amazing to be around her. Today we played in front of the camera and had a blast doing so together. Talked about life, fashion , money , kids, and just caught up! Today I showed her my fashionista alter ego and I think she showed me her fashionista side she wants to work more on. We laughed at how motherhood can just dull your style and made plans to go shopping more often and really push our fashion boundaries. These are conversations you can ONLY have with someone you are beyond comfortable with and well thats why I love her!

     On my own quest to push myself out of my safe style bubble I decided to mix a rocker/feminine style together (my fav)! Through Instagram I have met such an inspiring and adorable cute woman , owner of TopKnotGoods, Natalie. She is such a beauty inside and out its ridiculous. She just launched her website and my t-shirt I am wearing is from her very popular T-shirts " No Rest for the Rad". Go check her she has AMAZING things!!!

Website: www.topknotgoods.com

Instagram:  topknotgoods

My Outfit Details:

Sunnies: Exhaliration for Target

Studded Vest- Forever 21

Shirt: "No Rest for the Rad" Top Knot Goods

Polka Dot shorts: Exhaliration for Target

Black tights- Target

Black Studded Boots- Mossimo for Target

Gold watch- Micheal Kors 

A mirror into the past

      Being a mother teaches you a lot. About how to care for others , how to be selfless. How to survive a day of teething and how to change a diaper in the dark so you don't have to wake up the baby. But more importantly it teaches you how to listen with your whole heart and give it all back. Lately, my oldest Justin, has began to teach me  more about myself than ever before. I see so many bits and pieces of myself it scares me.

        I had truly almost forgotten how argumentative I used to be. I mean like reallyyyy argumentative to the point where my mom just HAD to give in. Justin has such a determination of things and he quickly becomes passionate  about them.  I see that fire in his eye. Things go south when his goal becomes to have the newest Xbox after breaking his WII due to his own irresponsibility. Our arguments have become long and ugly debates that go back and forth.

       Its such a surreal feeling to be the authority against yourself from decades ago. That moment that everyone warns you about  when you sound exactly like your mother ,has really given me insights on how I want to parent him.  I have started to force myself to remember how I felt back then and what I wish my mom would of understood but couldn't.

      A mirror of my young self has been placed in front of me. Its my turn to take a long and painfully 

deep look into myself. As much as I feel I have changed and can brush all my old problems away ,I cant. Its my chance to figure out why I acted  and felt the way I did so I can help my little mini me a little more accurately.  It has become a blessing and a curse all at the same time to have him be  as complicated as me. Nobody really warns ya "hey not only are you gonna raise them but they will be your real life therapy". I feel like he is helping me in more ways than I will ever be able to return the thanks you's. I hate when I read those quotes about mothers not reaping the rewards of their hard work till their kids are older. The rewards are everywhere, EVERYDAY they are just so small and hard to see.