Friday Faves, St. Patty's Day Style

This post is so totally random because I just have not had the time to blog lately, but these cookies are so dang good I had to pop in and share!

ONE. Sea Salt Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

I confess I had a moment of weakness and ate 3 of these within seconds of each other. I can just see all of the pounds I've worked off on the treadmill coming back immediately but they are SO WORTH IT. Seriously you guys, make these cookies. The secret to making them super fudgy is under cooking them (I baked mine for 11 minutes) and letting them sit for 5 minutes on the tray while you stuff additional chocolate chunks on top, then transfer to cooling racks.

And in case you're wondering, no the recipe does not call for sandwiching green frosting between two cookies. But, why not?

TWO. Anthropologie Sale

I love a good Anthro sale because that's basically the only time I can shop there! And a pretty one-piece swimsuit! My top two picks here (love the back!) and here are 20% using the code SPRINGPERK this weekend. This suit in particular sold out so fast last year, so definitely snatch it up while its on sale!

THREE. These photos.

Taken one year apart. Last year these two had a serious love/hate relationship but they've become such little buddies now and I love it so, so much.

Tonight our wild St. Patty's Day plans include a beer and caulking our shower. So fun, right?! Plus some photography location scouting downtown and finally taking 2 year photos of Rowan. He is totally over my camera being in his face so this should go well. ha!

Have a great weekend, friends! 

4

Life Lately

I'm not entirely sure how we're already a week into March, but there has been so much going on behind the scenes over here and I'm excited to share some fun news!

+ I'm going to be an Aunt!! For most people this isn't a huge surprise but I'm an only child so that makes the odds of me being able to spoil someone else's baby a little lower. To top it off, its a girl so I finally get to buy all the baby girl things!

I'm co-hosting her baby shower and I'm just a little obsessed with this sweet little elephant invitation. Minted nailed it again... the rounded corners and envelope insert are totally worth the upgrade in my opinion! We're going to keep the elephant theme kind of minimal but focus more on the color scheme. Next up, I have to start working on some table decor and a banner.

+ Because I don't have enough on my plate I thought it would be fun to officially start a photography business! This is something I've been wanting to do for a long time but didn't have the confidence or even know where to start... so a huge THANK YOU goes out to all of my friends and family for their encouragement and advice! I'm starting slow with a few families that we know in the area but once I get some of my portfolio built up I'll share more info! 

Elephant Piggy Bank c/o Baby Aspen

+ You might spy a familiar room in Shutterfly's 100 Cute Baby Boy Nurseries post! I'm so flattered they featured Rowan's nursery, now that we're inching closer to a big boy room it was so fun to look back and see the room we brought him home from the hospital to! There is some seriously amazing inspiration there, including baby girl rooms and themes, so if you're expecting don't miss it!

+ Speaking of babies, I love this post on new mama advice from Baby Aspen! I was so excited to contribute and honestly it was tough to narrow it down to one piece of advice... if only I could go back to my first time mom self and read this!

 + I think we're officially at the stage where R repeats every single thing we say, last week he told me I had to leave his play area because he and my husband were doing "man stuff." He is also really into trains all of a sudden, does anyone have a train table you recommend? Did your toddlers play with it enough to make it worth it?

So what is new with all of you?! I need a major catch up session!

5

Friday Favorites

Three posts in one week?! You guys this never happens, I might need to pop open some bubbly tonight.

This week has felt like it's been crawling, mostly because we've got fun plans for next week including Rowan's 2nd birthday celebration! My baby is going to be TWO! I still can't wrap my head around it. Anyway lots of good things to share this week so I'll get right to it...

Mickey Outfit via Gigi Babies

+ In lieu of a birthday party this year, we're taking Rowan to Disney World! We're just doing a quick 2-day trip to Magic Kingdom and Epcot, so if any of you mamas have been to Disney with a toddler please share any tips you've got!

+ Did anyone catch this week's episode of Fixer Upper? Major house goals! Except we can probably leave out the chicken coup decor in the playroom. Totally working to get my husband on board with selling and buying an all brick fixer upper this year though, I think he's almost convinced!

+ Mamas, you must read this Space Between Baby and Boy article, even if you're a girl mom! It really hit the nail on the head for me because without us even knowing it Rowan has transitioned from a little baby to a big, independent kid. It's been a tough transition on me honestly. Which also leads me to this article that I loved!

+ Okay enough sappy stuff, I've been on a vegetable kick lately and this crispy brussels sprouts recipe is so dang good. The breading probably isn't the best for my diet but whatever!

+ Don't miss this post if you're stumped on a Valentine's Day gift or need low-key at home date night ideas! (Heart day is on a Tuesday, who really has the energy for a date on a school/work night?!) Enter to win a $100 credit for JORD wood watches and you'll get a $25 credit just for entering! Seriously such a unique gift!!

Anyone have fun plans for the weekend?! It's been so gorgeous here, I think a park play date might be in order before the Super Bowl! 

5

Favorite Camera Gear for Beginners

Happy February, friends! Today I wanted to share some of my answers to the most asked question I get... what kind of camera gear I use! I'm always so appreciative of the sweet comments and emails I get about my photos, so I thought it's was about time to get a post together.

Also I'm not getting paid by anyone for this post (I wish... come on Canon! haha) although there are affiliate links. I'm honestly just a Canon user and wanted to share my beginner experience to where I am now in my photography!

Up until the past few weeks I've used a Canon T3i DSLR camera but since purchasing it a few years ago I've been slowly adding to my photography arsenal.

1. Canon Rebel DSLR Camera: The Canon Rebel series (newest T6i version here) is a really great starter DSLR in my opinion. I started out using the automatic settings and then as I learned how different ISO, aperture, and shutter speed settings work, I ventured into different camera modes. Canon cameras have an AV mode which automatically adjusts all of your settings while letting you control the aperture... which is basically the blurry background you see in photographer's images. I still rock AV mode every once and a while, and using it made learning manual mode a little easier. The plus side to the Rebel series is you don't ever have to learn manual mode if you don't want to, and your images will still be beautiful!

2. Lenses: My go-to lens is the Canon 50mm 1.8 lens. On a Canon Rebel camera which crops your photos a bit, the 50mm makes you feel like you're practically standing on top of your subject. It's also a fixed lens so you can't zoom so it definitely takes some getting used to. BUT its such a better lens than the kit lens that comes with your camera and its super affordable! I'd say 95% of the images you see on my blog are taken with that lens.

The only time I use the kit lens (18-55mm) is when I need a wider angle or to zoom from far away. When we went to Europe I only used the kit lens and my images were a million times better than an iPhone photos (even though I didn't edit them much) so don't stress if you don't think you're ready for another lens. You don't necessarily need another unless you just want to take some nicer quality photos of your kid!

3. Remote: I have the Canon Remote and it has been so handy when I'm trying to get into the image. It's a low cost investment and is really easy to use.

4. Memory Cards: My T3i camera does not have a built-in wi-fi, so the Toshiba FlashAir memory card has been a MUST for me. I think the newer Rebel version is enabled for wi-fi though! If you need a wi-fi memory card, all you have to do is keep your camera turned on and your phone will find the memory card wi-fi. Then download the app and save your images directly to your camera roll.If you don't need wi-fi, I like the SanDisk Extreme memory card.

5. Tripod: I don't use my tripod too often but just like the remote, it has come in handy a few times when we want to take family photos. I have the Ravelli light weight tripod which folds up into a small case so its really easy to travel with and set up.

6. Editing: I use Adobe Lightroom for editing and absolutely love it even though I probably only know how to use about half of its features. It's not totally necessary for beginners, but it does help. My editing style is light and bright, so even though I tend to overexpose my images in my camera, I use Lightroom to fix some of the coloring, crop, convert to black and white, etc.

If I'm uploading an image from my camera straight to my phone, Snapseed is my first choice for an editing app, followed by VSCO. I never use any filters on my images.

7. Photography Breakout Courses: When you're ready to step your photography up a notch or just need some inspiration, tips on editing, etc. I highly recommend taking a Clickin Moms Photoschool breakout taught by a professional photographer. They are 100% online and usually run between $35-60 per course. Most breakouts include a huge PDF with tons of information, videos, and a forum where you can submit your own images for review or learn from others taking the course. I recently took the Behind the Scenes Volume 2 breakout and it was SO worth the money! Seriously it was amazing, I learned so much about editing that I could have never learned on my own!

My sweet husband got me the Canon 6D camera for the 30th birthday and its been a bit of a learning curve for me, especially because my old lens needed calibrated with the nicer camera, but I'm getting there!

But I'm still so happy I had the Rebel T3i as a starter camera so I obviously highly recommend, especially if you're expecting a baby, traveling, or if you're a blogger! If anyone has other questions please don't hesitate to ask!

2

Favorite Workout Gear for the New Year

This year there will be no resolutions. Just my new year "word."

Prioritize.

I felt the serious effects of putting myself last, or not on the priority list at all, last year. My back (and the scale, sadly) are the direct result of not doing some of the things I love to do.

While I loved our weekend trips to the aquarium or trying new Charleston restaurants, I rarely broke a sweat unless I was being my typical helicopter mom self chasing my toddler around the playground.

One of the ways I'm carving out time for me this year is heading to the gym during my lunch break. It's not always possible but I feel so.dang.good. when I do! I feel even better when I have new high rise leggings to contain the "current situation" while I throw down some intervals on the treadmill.

And when I say throw down, I mean I go between 4 and 6 miles an hour. I know, I'm so fast.
 
Is it just me or is it so much easier to mentally prepare for the gym when you have new gear to wear?! I thought I'd round up some of my favorites in case you're like me and need a little gym wardrobe update. Also have I mentioned how much I love high waist leggings?

My newest favorites are leggings with mesh cutouts and tops with an open back. I'm normally so gross after basically any cardio so I feel like cute workout clothes make up for my hot mess appearance.

Right now those GapFit gFast leggings and the strappy bra are 40% off and you don't have to wear them as stirrups! And my top two favorite Athleta leggings, the mesh Plié Tight and Quest Chaturanga (which are SO dang comfy and have pockets for your phone) are on sale, plus 20% off! Sizes are limited for the Chaturanga tights though so move quick!

And FYI, you can pick up my favorite Nike running shoes at Nike Outlet stores for much less. They are so light weight, I love them!

You'll note there is no Lululemon here. I cannot justify the cost and have heard so many complaints about pilling! So far all of my Athleta leggings have been washing great so I'll take that budget for sure!

And for the record, I own almost all of the favorites below and highly recommend! I'm just waiting on a sale to take that Athleta sports bra home with me! (You can also click on the items in the collage above!)

7

Favorite Cyber Monday Deals

This weekend has been nothing short of chaos with Rowan's newfound ability to climb out of his crib. Sooo needless to say I'll be getting all of my holiday shopping done online today!

There are so many good deals out there so if you've been putting your shopping off like me, here are some of my favorites!

Pehr Pom Pom Bin. Bannor Toys Wooden Camera. Gap Softspun Hi-Lo Tee. Childhoods Clothing Hoodie.
Toddler Hunter Boots. Capri Blue Candle. J. Crew Messenger Bag.

Pehr Designs: 30% off all storage and free shipping with code STORAGE30. We love our Pehr bins so this is a great deal!
Bannor Toys: 15% off with code CYBERMAMA
Childhoods Clothing: 25% off with code BLACKFRIDAY
Hanna Anderson: 20% off everything with free shipping 
Joss and Main: 30% off everything with code CYBERDAY
J. Crew: 40% off and free shipping with code
J. Crew Factory: 60% off everything and extra 40% off sale with code HAPPYSALE
Gap: 50% off everything (no exclusions!) with code CYBMON
Old Navy: 50% off everything (discount applied at checkout)
Nordstrom: Extra 20% select sale items and 25% off Hunter Boots!
Anthropologie: 20% off full price items and 30% off sale with code STACKS
Target: 15% off your purchase. I love the Cat & Jack line for kiddos!, especially these soft skinny jeans for playdates and school!
Minted: 20% off everything with code CM2016. They have so many good gift ideas... R's footprint art is still my favorite!

Hope you all find some great deals!!

2

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday! This has felt like the never-ending week but now that it's finally Friday, I'm praying time will slow down! We have so much to do before we host a little Friendsgiving on Sunday and I'm just hoping they don't mind the mishmash of Fall and Christmas decor I've got going on over here! 

I wanted to share a few favorites from the week before we sign off and enter what I expect will be the last remotely non-crazy weekend before the holiday madness begins!

ONE. If you're looking for easy desserts for Friendsgiving, the Trader Joe's mini pumpkin pies and pumpkin cheesecake are a major addiction around here. Rowan commandeers that cheesecake the moment he sees it, so my husband and I have resorted to snacking while hiding in the pantry. Hashtag we're fatties.

TWO. Like every woman in America, I'm a big fan of athleisure and Gap's softspun knit line is hands down my favorite clothing ever. The fabric feels like butter. I have a few of these tees and cannot stop wearing this hi-low top. Treat yourself now because they are 40-50 percent off!! Also they run a little big so if you're in between sizes go smaller.

THREE. We picked up Rowan this 3 foot Christmas tree (for $18 I couldn't pass it up!) for his playroom and he is completely obsessed. He tells us all of the colors of the lights and makes us sit on the couch with him just to admire it. Totally got his mama's love for the holidays!

FOUR. Needing last minute table decor ideas? I love the look of silver dollar eucalyptus with copper accents! I'm totally going to try to recreate this gorgeous setup!

FIVE. I think we're leaning towards an easel and new art supplies for Rowan's Christmas gift (he loves painting and I'm hoping to avoid more toys!) but I'm eager to hear what you're getting your toddler! Anyone have fun ideas for an almost 2 year old?

Hope you all have a fun and festive weekend!

1

Friday Favorites

Hi, friends! And hellllo Friday!

I admit I have had no idea what day it is this entire week. I was so off that yesterday I snapped about how excited I was it was Friday and then realized it was not actually Friday. Yikes. 

Now that I finally have my ducks in a row, I thought it was high time I show my face here and share some of my favorites from the week!

I have never been a huge fan of Halloween but since having Rowan its been fun getting into it a little more each year. Now that he is more aware, he has been loving all of his Halloween books (Little Blue Truck Halloween is the current fave) and I'm having fun adding some decor to his playroom! Target Dollar Spot has been on point with the Halloween goodies! 

Also, I'm currently working on his costume! I picked up two polos, one yellow and one white and I have to deconstruct them this weekend. Any guesses on what he's going to be?!

In other non-Halloween related news, I thought this roundup of 9 new Instagram features you may have missed was so helpful! 

Loving this Candelles Pumpkin Roll candle so, so much. It's like I'm baking something with pumpkin without doing any work. 

And since I obviously have this thing with neutral Fall decor this year, this simple Fall home tour might be my favorite. I love how simple but beautiful the mantel is. And now I miss having a mantel!

We're planning another low key weekend so I can paint the dining room, probably add to my white pumpkin collection (I may actually have a problem), and take Rowan to a fun play date! Side note: I'm beginning to think I will never be done painting in this house.

What are your plans this weekend? Anyone else already have your babe's Halloween costume in the works?

5

The 10 Best Trader Joe's Pumpkin Foods

Happy first official day of Fall!

We're in full Fall mode over here these days and I couldn't be more happy about it! The cool-ish mornings here in Charleston are such a welcome treat and we've already got a full schedule packed with festive play dates at the pumpkin patch, birthday parties, and finally our trip to Hawaii!

This week I've been trying to finish decorating but somehow all of my pumpkins, or "pums" as Rowan calls them, keep migrating to the playroom...

I also stopped by Trader Joe's and was greeted with their pumpkin food display, after which I promptly threw all of my favorites into my cart in the name of blog research. The last time I shared my go-to Trader Joe's shopping list, a super sweet reader suggested doing a pumpkin version, and I happily accepted the challenge.

You could easily spend a fortune trying all of TJ's pumpkin things, so I thought I'd help narrow it down to some of my favorites for you! I tried to exercise restraint and only came home with four of these items, but I had the others last year and plan on heading back for more after my first batch is gone. Which should be like, tomorrow.

Pumpkin Biscotti - This is my absolute favorite on this list! The flavor isn't too strong and goes perfect with my vanilla coffee every morning!

Pumpkin Bread Mix - Another favorite because its so easy to whip up! I do like making pumpin bread from scratch but with a toddler in tow I don't have much time these days. I love to top it with some mini chocolate ships or pecans.

 

Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies - I think these may be new.. Anyway, shortbread cookies covered in yogurt and pumpkin spice?! Yes, please! Rowan loves these but I try to hoard them mostly for myself.

Pumpkin Macarons - I'm a sucker for TJ's macarons and these are no exception! The box looks different this year FYI

Mini Pumpkin Pies - I just tried these for the first time and think they are so cute! Not a substitute for homemade but easy if you've got friends to feed. I like them heated up rather than room temp.

Pumpkin Cheesecake - I had this last year it was really good, the pumpkin taste isn't overpowering. Definitely picking this up for our next dinner party!

Harvest Blend Salad - Love these premade salad blends but I have to take it easy on this dressing!

Pumpkin Pancake and Waffle Mix - I've never tried making this as a waffle but I do like the pancakes! I just wish it were one of those mixes that only required me to add water... because I'm lazy like that.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese - Can't get enough. I may actually make myself sick of this because I've been eating it with bagels and apples a little too often this week.

Mini Ginger Pumpkin Ice Cream Mouthfuls - Has a little more spice to it so if you're not a huge ginger fan, maybe skip it.

And for the dogs, Ruby loves the Pumpkin Dog Treats!

Some things I couldn't find but I'm hoping they bring back are the pumpkin waffles (SO good) and pumpkin ravioli.

Anyone have other favorite TJ's pumpkin products?! Have you tried the pumpkin cookie butter? I'm a little weary of that but obviously there is a dessert theme going on with my list... Not sorry!

And no, I'm not getting paid at all by Trader Joe's for this post. I'm just pumpkin-obsessed. 

6

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday, friends!

I've missed this little space! Life has been a bit crazy, as evidenced here and here, but I think we may be coming out of the fog of my toddler's two week stomach bug. Yes, you read that right... TWO WEEKS.

To be honest there's been a lot of online shopping, solo cookie cake eating, and wallowing on my part. A lot of "who the eff gets a stomach bug for two freaking weeks?!" thoughts.

But seeing as Rowan acts relatively healthy and happy despite the bug, there have also been so many sweet moments. I don't normally get this much time with him because of work, so its been fun despite the diaper situation. I've been teaching him how to say important words like "peaches," which currently sounds like "pee-pee" so we're still working on that one.

Anyway this has and always will be one of my favorite kinds of posts: Friday favorites! So I thought it was high time I got back to it and linked up with Christina again.


DIY...

We're making so much progress on our DIY wainscoting and I'm hoping to have the bulk of it done after this weekend! A friend of ours was a saint for letting us borrow his Miter Saw, it made the trim process so much easier, but now it has me scheming all of the other projects we could use it for!

WATCHING...

The Night Of (SO freaking good) and Stranger Things. Anyone else a fan?!

Honestly I'm a huge baby when it comes to creepy movies and I wasn't expecting to make it through the Stranger Things season. It reminded me of a sci-fi Goonies and aside from making my husband keep the lights on all over the house, I really liked it!

FAVE SNAPCHAT ACCOUNTS...

I can't get on board with another social media tool (sorry IG stories) so aside from following all of my mom/blogger friends on Snapchat, I've really enjoyed following along with Amber from Barefoot Blonde (Amberfillerup) and Liz from Sequins & Stripes (Lizadamsss). Super down to earth mamas with the sweetest families. I also like following Julia from Gal Meets Glam (galmeetsglam) to see all of her travels, girlfriend has seriously gone to some stunning places!

I'd love to hear some of your favorite accounts! And follow along with us at HomeSweetRuby to see glimpses of Charleston, our current DIY projects, and my toddler's ridiculous antics.

PRETTY STORAGE...

Does anyone else have an unhealthy obsession with storage bins?! Or is it just me? We have a bunch from Pehr Designs in Rowan's playroom and I love them so much, so I wanted to give y'all a heads up they are 30%  off all weekend! (Use code PENCILS) The bins fit in IKEA storage units and I also love the pints for things like blocks and Rowan's shape sorter pieces.

HELLO FRESH...

A few weeks ago we took advantage of a free week of meals from Hello Fresh (thanks Annie!) and I have to say they were really delicious! I'm not sure if we'd use them too often because my husband is the world's pickiest eater and there really aren't many leftovers for Rowan and lunch the next day... at least in our house. But the meals were healthy and really convenient for a busy work week!

If you haven't tried it yet, you can get $40 off your first delivery with the code 222525BXPL4L.

READING...

Also really loved this article I shared on Home Sweet Ruby's Facebook page this week! After a rough week of nonstop diapers and laundry, I just felt totally spent and needed to hear it.

Hope you all have a fun weekend! I promise the first part of my Charleston Visitor Guide series will go live next week!

5

6 Must Have Beauty Products to Hide All the Things

This post could otherwise be known as "favorite miracle workers for tired mom eyes or anyone waking up and kicking ass all day."

A while back I mentioned that I treated myself to a few new beauty products in an effort to make myself feel human again. Chasing a toddler, working a full time job, and moonlighting as a Willow Crowns seamstress and blogger can really do wonders to your self esteem. Joking, kind of.

Somedays I feel like I'm kicking ass and others I'm lucky if I don't scare away Rowan's little friends at daycare dropoff.

So, I invested in a few new things to kick my makeup routine up a notch and I'm happy to report they have ALL been winners!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz Mechanical Brow Pencil :: It took me 29 years to finally have an arch in my brows. I always thought some people just couldn't have any arch. Wrong. Turns out you can have a slight arch without looking like you penciled your whole eyebrow on! To achieve a more natural look, I just apply it with a bunch of short, quick motions.

LORAC Color Source Buildable Blush in Aura :: I bought this to replace my favorite LORAC Cheek Stain in Rosy Glow which is nowhere to be found but this is just as good! It stays on through five thousand percent humidity during Charleston summer which is quite an impressive feat if you ask me. The color is more of a rose than it looks online, fyi!

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer :: I don't know where this has been my whole life but I can't go out of the house without it! It has awesome coverage and does not cake at all. I use a beauty blender with it to hide the dark circles, rogue zits, and the scar above my eye (I'll save that story for another time). I'm also thinking of buying it a shade lighter to use as a highlighter, I'm that hooked.

Lorac Love Lust and Lace Eye Collection :: I got this set for a steal during Amazon Prime Day and I have to say it lives up to my high expectations of LORAC products! The shadows are so perfect and neutral with just a little bit of shine in the Mocha shade. The mascara is also giving my drugstore mascara a run for its money!

Burberry by Burberry Perfume (the 1.7 oz is cheapest at Target) :: I purchased this immediately after stalking Laura's bottle during our Napa trip and its pushed my D&G Light Blue to the curb!

So there you have it! Six of my busy, working-mom approved beauty products! Anyone have others I should add to my collection?!

Linking up with Natalie and Annie!

4

5 Tips for Documenting Baby's First Year

Here we are, 16 months into my child's life and I've just now managed to finish his baby book.

Initially I started filling out his first baby book but in my sleepless haze during those newborn months it was not my prettiest handwriting and some of it didn't even make sense! What can I say, I'm a perfectionist.

So for the next year I kept adding milestones and fun anecdotes to the Notes app on my phone.

Now I'm not tech savvy, but I'm pretty sure that's not the safest place for all of your offspring's most precious memories.

So now that I can officially say I finished Rowan's Mushybooks baby book, I wanted to share a few tips I learned along the way for new mamas or those who are maybe a little bit (okay I was a lot) behind!

1. Pick a book you love.

I didn't love some of the cheesy prompts in Rowan's first baby book and I honestly think that is one of the things that kept me from filling it out. So before you decide, look for a baby book with a similar aesthetic to yours, fun but not annoying prompts, and a place to hold special items.

I love the simplicity of Rowan's 'Dreamcatcher' Mushybook. There are a lot of different options (see them here!) but the 'Dreamcatcher' is gender neutral, has the sweetest prompts, and clean lines. It also has an envelope in the back where I keep his hospital bracelets, birth announcement, first hat, and the name card that was in his hospital bassinet.

I also love that Mushybooks offers additional pages for your baby shower, baptism, and even toddler pages to add to your book.  

2. Print high quality photos

This is one case where I'm really glad I filled out the baby book all at once and later on, because I had so many photos to choose from and plan out for all of the spots in the book. I highly recommend making a list of all of the photos you need for the baby book, printing them, and planning out where you want them before attaching any.

I love the look of square photos and I couldn't be happier with Social Print Studio photos! The prints are thick, beautiful, and the turnaround was really quick. I used a combination of their 4x4" squares and minisquares. Social Print Studio also has a photostrip option which I think could be really fun for baby books!

Prints c/o Social Print Studio

3.  Use the Right Tools

One of my biggest pet peeves is when my pens bleed through on my planner, so I was bound and determined to make sure that didn't happen. I highly recommend getting double-sided mounting stickers for whichever book you decide on and a Micron 03 pen. I used it on the test paper that came with the Mushybook to make sure it didn't bleed through and it writes very easily.

4. Take Your Time

There are so many memories to record in a baby book, it can be a little overwhelming to write them all down at once. Personally I rushed through some of the sections in R's first book and wasn't very happy with what I wrote.

Instead of filling in the baby book immediately, I suggest taking notes either in a notebook or on your phone and then writing everything at once at the end of the month, or every 3 months.

5. Bring the Book to the Hospital

Odds are you won't be filling out the baby book while at the hospital, but it is so much easier to ask the nurses for help with hand and foot prints! They have to do prints anyway, so have the page flagged and ready for them.

If you are redoing a baby book like I did, I suggest making a copy of the original prints on card stock and sticking them in the new book. I saved the original prints in the back pocket of the Mushybook.

I'm so glad I have Rowan's baby book done, even if it took me this long! I still plan on making photo album for each year (I've got to do something with the thousands of photos I've snapped!) but there is something really special about having a dedicated baby book to write all of our favorite memories from his first year.

Thank you to Mushybooks for providing a discount for the purposes of this post and to Social Print Studio for the beautiful prints! As always, my thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Home Sweet Ruby possible!

4

10 Things to Buy from Trader Joe's

Every couple of weekends I drive to the opposite side of the city to brave the crowds and severe lack of parking at our local Trader Joe's. I have the same "must buy" list every time, and usually stock up on 2-3 of everything. I've for sure reached hoarder status on the chocolate croissants.

If I'm flying solo or my toddler is being especially good, I let myself get sucked into the rabbit hole of interesting frozen foods, flowers, and somehow end up coming home with 3 different types of hummus?!

Anyway, a couple weeks ago my friend Maegan asked for recommendations for what to get at TJ's and though I know there are a lot of posts out there like this, I love reading them and always find something new and good to add to my list. So here are some of my tried and true Trader Joe's favorites!

Chocolate Croissants - These are super simple and so dang good, you set them on a pan uncovered overnight and bake them in the morning for like 15 minutes. They come out looking like they are straight from a bakery! I'm obsessed. The mini croissants work the same way and are also delish.

EVOO - I think this runs you about $8 which is a great deal for the size and I love the spout!

Frozen Fruits - TJ's has a great selection of frozen fruits that are perfect for smoothies. Or like in our case, you have a child who only likes fruits on certain days and the fresh ones would go bad too quick!

Riced Cauliflower - my newest obsession! I made fried "rice" out of this and its so, so good not to mention easy!

French Macarons - every.single.time.

Mini Churros - These are so fun! I burnt them the first two times I made them so its probably best to make them after the kid goes to bed. You won't want to share them anyway...

 Balsamic Glaze - Love this on salads, veggies, pizza.. pretty much everything.

Mini Meatballs - Perfect for appetizers and kids, I always have a bag of these in our freezer!

Blooms - TJ's is a basic blogger's dream during peony season but I love getting different flowers like garden roses, ranunculus, and some eucalyptus to help a small bouquet look more full.

And last but definitely not least... wine! I've gotten a lot of good wines, even the cheap Two Buck Chuck isn't that bad IMO. Not all stores carry wine because of state regulations so if you're one of those people, stock up while you're on vacation elsewhere!

My absolute favorite rosé is the J.L. Quinson Côtes de Provence Rosé but I've heard the Griffone Rosé is also good!

And not pictured because I ate them already: Sweet Potato Ribbons, Hatch Chile Mac & Cheese, Spanikopita, Edamame Hummus and Mediterranean Hummus, Mac & Cheese Bites, Blondie Bar mix, and this salad mix (a recent find now that I'm trying to go all healthy and such). If you've never had it, try the Speculoos Cookie Butter but I tend to stick to the Speculoos Cookies myself!

And because I'm super basic, you better believe I stock up on any and all pumpkin things in the Fall.

Okay now tell me your favorites! What do I need to buy in bulk on my next trip?!

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5 Things

You guys, I'm alive. I know you were all waiting on pins and needles for me to grace myself with my presence again on this 'ol site.

Work has been kicking my butt and compound that with a toddler whose perfect sleep habits just went bat shit crazy, I'm running on fumes and sadly the blog is the first place to take a hit. That said, I've got a lot of things going on behind the scenes that I've been itching to share with you!

One. I've had so so many requests for my favorite recommendations in Charleston, so I'm working on a travel guide with all of my favorite restaurants, places to go that are off the beaten tourist path, and where to stay. Stay tuned!

Two. 15 months after the birth of my child I'm finally working on his baby book! (Tell me I'm not the only one this far behind!?) I filled out a previous baby book the first month or so but I think I was high on the newborn smell because none of what I wrote makes sense and I wasn't in love with the baby book itself. Enter this gorgeous Mushybooks baby book and now I'm super inspired! I can't wait to show more of this to you guys, its so perfect!

Three. With the lack of sleep I'm all about comfort lately and Thug Life Shirts hooked it up with this fun Good Vibes Only tee. I'm obsessed with how soft it is! It's been on repeat with my ripped denim shorts and converse at daycare drop off. I'm partial to these Wine Tasting on the Couch and Coffee & Mascara tees but I could probably spend an hour reading all of the fun options. Make sure to use code HOMESWEETRUBY for 15% off!

For reference, I usually swear a women's medium or large and I got the unisex tee in size small. It's got just the right amount of stretch to it that it shoes some of my shape but not the muffin top.

Four. I just need to add a few finishing touches to Rowan's toddler table and I'm excited to share the end result! Despite the fact its a little crooked underneath its somehow level and cute so I'm going to count that as a win? Don't worry, I'll teach you how not to build a crooked table.

Five. I'm also teaming up with the sweetest and super creative mama, Emily, of Emily Johnson Art. I'm obsessed with her watercolor art (hello perfect nursery prints!) and can't wait to see what she does with the family photo I sent her!

Hope your week has been less bananas than ours! xo

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