Mommy in Manhattan

Scottsdale Fashion Square

2012-02-29T07:51:00.000-08:00

A day lunching and shopping with this girl. Just me and my Gweney!

Only 3 more days in AZ. Soaking it all up!

Dr. Hauschka

2012-02-28T06:56:00.004-08:00

This lady's skin is always looking amazing! She recently shared some of her skin care tips with INSTYLE this month. She has been using Dr. Hauschka products and they were on the top of her list! A friend of mine recently turned me on to the cleanser. (thanks MM) I had to share because I have been using the same product for the last month.

photo via INSTYLE

photo via google

Dr. Hauschka uses a holistic approach with his skin care line. These are all natural skin care products that respect the natural rhythms of our own skin. What's not to love!? A natural skin care line that can really change your skin. Perfection!

I purchased my cleanser at Whole Foods. You can also purchase it at Dr. Hauschka's website. I love it! I love the smell and my skin feels extremely soft after I use it. I'm dying to get my hands on the "Radiant You" products!

2012-02-27T11:26:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited about Mommybites!! This is an amazing resource for moms.

sleep training, taking care of infants, taking care of toddlers, being a mom in a big city,

fashion and skincare for the busy mom, taking care of sick kids, fitness, etc

the list goes on and on

Starting today their site is now nation wide! Stop by and check it out.

I will be guest blogging once a week starting in March. I will let you know when the posts go live.

Have a great Monday!

Happy Friday!

2012-02-23T21:21:00.002-08:00

I'm still in AZ soaking up the sunshine. I have been wearing flip flops the last couple days and juicing so many oranges! I love my AZ oranges!

A few things that made me smile this week.

love this suit

Easter cake

flavored water

images via pinterest

Have a great weekend!

jenna

Hunger Games

2012-02-22T23:22:00.000-08:00

Have you heard "Safe & Sound" from Taylor Swift?

The Hunger Games is arriving in theaters in just a little over a month on March 23rd. Last month, we all were treated to Taylor Swift's single for the movie "Safe & Sound" and now the highly anticipated music video has been released. It might make you a little teary.

http://youtu.be/RzhAS_GnJIc

What did you think?

Hylauronic & Squalane

2012-02-22T06:52:00.000-08:00

photo via tribeca med spa

When I worked at TRIBECA MED SPA, I fell hard for these 2 products.

During the dry winter months, these are a must have.

How they work:

The hylauronic acid is a naturally occurring sugar in the body. It binds itself to 1,000 times its own weight in water. This creates very hydrated skin. For all skin types. Great for even acne prone skin if you need some moisture.

Squalane works as the seal. My skin always looks dewy and fresh after I put these on. A lot of hydration without the greasy feeling.

My favorite of 2012 so far.

tribecamedspa.com

Trader Joe's

2012-02-21T20:43:00.000-08:00

I took my SIL McCall, to Trader Joe's to see what was on her shopping list. McCall is one of the most healthy people I know. Her kids love to eat salad. In fact it's their favorite food. I never see them eat junk, it's really ALL healthy food. I always learn a few tips when I hang out with her. She is so motivating and leads an extremely active & healthy life. Here are a few things she buys from Trader Joe's.

Not only does McCall recommend these guilt-less free brownies, so does Lauren Conrad.

Ezekiel Bread is the best! Toast your bread and put sliced tomatoes and avocados on top. Really good!

fruit leather ends

Spread this on top of your ezekiel bread. Really yummy!

My kids love the French Toast! We use pure maple syrup on top. It's so fast & easy in the morning.

Even McCall will have a treat once in awhile. She prefers Dark Chocolate treats.

Add a little sweetness to your food. This is the best sugar alternative from an herb. It will not cause blood sugar spikes. You can also use this for baking. It's approved by the FDA.

Put this curry sauce over your favorite Jasmine or Brown Rice. Delicious!

The nut section is amazing. We bought the cranberry, cashew & almond mix for the drive home.

McCall uses these sauces because they taste good and have very little sugar in them.

I made a pizza with this sauce last night and it was really good!

These muffins are made with whole wheat. You can add your own fresh berries to the mix.

Perfect for all your smoothies and a great alternative from milk.

TJ's 2011 Most Favorite Products:

1. Frozen Mandarin Chicken

2.Triple Ginger Cookies

3.Greek Yogurt

4. Jalapeno Hummus

5. Candy Cane Joe's Cookies

6. Frozen Chocolate Croissants

7.Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

8. Frozen Mac 'n Cheese

9. Dark Chocolate Almonds

10.Cookie Butter

11. Roasted Seaweed Chips

12. Olive Oil Popcorn

13. Rosemary Chips

14. Dark Chocolate Almonds with Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar

15. Frozen Pear tarte

16. Steamed Lentils

17. Frozen Potstickers

18. Frozen French Onion Soup

I'm realizing the more I change our menu at home the kids are more willing to try new things.
I'm trying really hard to provide healthy meals while keeping it interesting.
If you have special dishes to share please do! I will post them!

What do you buy at Trader Joe's?? What are we missing?

and my favorite bliss product is....

2012-02-20T21:57:00.000-08:00

We stayed at the W Hotel in Chicago a couple years ago. They offered bliss products and I fell head over heels for this face wash. The floral fragrance is not too overpowering and the exfoliating beads are gentle on skin.

For all skin types. It removes eye make-up too!

Kristin email me for your product!

crandalldailydish@gmail.com

Bergdorf

2012-02-20T16:17:00.000-08:00

My dear friend Sara from the bay area, came to NYC for a girls trip. I was so excited to spend time with her. When I first met her, Dennis and I didn't have kids yet. I loved spending time with her and her kiddos! I would always imagine my life with kids. Dennis and I would watch her kids so they could have little get aways. Now I have 3 kids! It was fun to swap kid stories.
Crazy how fast time flies by!

When you go to Bergdorf Goodman don't forget to check out the kids section. It's amazing!

Little man suits, my favorite.

The home decor was gorgeous!

Hot cocoa in their fancy little cafe. The views are fabulous!

CAKE BOSS

2012-02-20T15:57:00.000-08:00

Last week we had a couple adventures before heading to AZ.

We scootered to the ferry in Battery Park City to go over to HOBOKEN. We wanted to see and taste the famous Cake Boss Bakery treats.

It was a very cloudy and sprinkly day.

Such a cute little place

The boys wanted the super hero cake

We ended up with almost 1 of every treat to try. My favorite was the pecan/chocolate bark and the strawberry cheesecakes. So yummy! Davis held on to his cookies tight.

I loved the streets of Hoboken. So much character.

Gwen wanted a purple flower cupcake. Anything purple or pink for this girl puts a smile on her face.

Such fun women to spend time with.

Happy President's Day

2012-02-19T20:11:00.000-08:00

images Kimber Crandall

We love our Red, White & Blue days around here. We took these pictures last summer in Carlsbad. We have been in California this past week and I couldn't help but think about all our fun times in California. I love cake pops from BAKERELLA and made this cake for the 4th of July.
We will be making it tomorrow while we spend most the day ~~swimming~~ sitting in the pool.
I'm exhausted, but loving the warm weather!

Cake Pops Cake

Cake Balls
1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark ( white chocolate)

wax paper & red & blue food coloring

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

I also only melt a few pieces of chocolate bark at a time because it starts to cool and thicken. It’s easier to work with when it’s hot.

Arrange into the American Flag! Enjoy!

And the winner is.....

2012-02-16T06:35:00.000-08:00

True Random Number Generator
Result:32

•Kristin• said...

i just found your blog through TBM, i love it!! I'm a fellow esthetician, and i actually worked at Bliss for a couple years before I had my son. I am currently using Dermologica's Special Cleansing gel morning and night. I'm interested to see what your favorite Bliss product is! :)

6:08 AM, February 10, 2012

*there was a deleted comment so I made it out of 62.

This week has been a bit crazy! We made it to AZ and now we are headed to Disneyland! I will be blogging again on Monday and I will share my favorite bliss products.

Have a fun President's Day weekend! Thanks for all the love!

MY VALENTINE

2012-02-11T13:30:00.000-08:00

This year we mixed it up a little bit for V-Day. We did a photo booth crawl around the city.

Thanks to my friend Casey!

We ended at Bubby's and had warm apple pie and ice cream.

Here are the restaurants that have the photo booths. You should do it. We had so much fun.

The Smith

Otto's Shruken Head

Lakeside Lounge

Vazac's Horseshoe

Bubby's

MAKE SURE YOU ENTER THE GIVEAWAY BELOW. WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED THIS FRIDAY THE 17th!

thanks for stopping by!

GIVE AWAY TIME!

2012-02-08T15:19:00.000-08:00

Here are the steps...

1. click, follow my blog

2. leave a comment on what you wash your face with

You will receive my favorite product from Bliss!

photo via bliss

All you AZ girls....

Thanks to The Beauty Mark for the spotlight!

Live with Kelly!

2012-02-07T16:05:00.000-08:00

The ticket!

The Set

Mrs. Kelly, The Host

Derek Hough from Dancing with the Stars - co-host and so very handsome

Debra Messing promoting SMASH!

She saw her drama teacher in the audience. She ran over and gave him a hug.

Kelly's heels!

touching up the make-up, I wish I was her make-up artist!

I will forever be grateful to MM for this morning! It's always fun to break free from the normal morning routine and have some fun girl time!

Mary Martha scored these tickets and we had such a fun morning!

I loved her. She was brillant and witty and so stinkin SKINNY!

I was a little annoyed when she told the audience she thought she needed spanx and that her stomach has bulges! What the what Kelly! Seriously!

However, I still love her. I watch her everyday and I really enjoyed the show. I happen to know where she works out.

She goes to, Physique 57. If you are in NYC you can take classes, in the very same studio that she does!

Or, if you are like me and need something fast and at home,

ORDER PHYSIQUE 57 DVD's.

Meeting Baby Deacon!

2012-02-07T09:47:00.000-08:00

Taylor and I had the honor of throwing Laurel a shower. It was really sweet having her new baby, Deacon, at the shower.

I wanted to share with you Ashly Lark's website. She is one talented lady.She designed the banner and thank you stickers. She can design anything you need. Check out her blog too! KIDLARK

SMOOTHIE SHOTS

Meet Deacon! cutest thing!

Can you believe she just had him!? She looks amazing and I have always loved Laurel's contagious smile. So happy for you!

2012-02-04T17:59:00.001-08:00

Harajuku for Target

2012-02-02T22:09:00.000-08:00

This jacket is so adorable and it's 50% off at Target. It has the cutest little bow on the front. Just in case you need a new coat, it's $10. Thanks Gwen Stefani for giving my adorable Gwen the cuttest jacket!

photo via target

Pretty stinkin cute for $10, huh?! And, Polka Dots!? Love it!

photo via target

Since we are on the topic of Target, I have to tell you my favorite little device. I love the " MOMMY HOOK!" I am able to get all my groceries home with just the hook and the stroller.
The Target I like to go to is in New Jersey.

If you are in NYC, it's really easy to get on the path train and go into Jersey.

You have elevators at both stops. You get on at the World Trade Center and get off at the Newport stop.

It's a clean and really nice Target.

What stroller should I get?

2012-02-02T05:10:00.000-08:00

Anyone interested in a little stroller talk?

My cute friend Lizzie, was telling me about this new stroller.

You simply click a button to fold it up. It's like the ironman of strollers.

The Origami Stroller

THE BOB DOUBLE

The Bugaboo, DONKEY. Love this, but it will cost you a pretty penny! It can convert to one seat with a holding basket.

I have always loved the bumble ride

The City Mini Double - I currently have

City Select

I candy

What stroller do you have and love? I'm in the market for a new one.

Matilda Jane is today!

2012-02-01T08:02:00.000-08:00

Have you heard about Matilda Jane clothing for girls?

The new spring line, SERENDIPITY launches today!

It's a little tricky getting your hands on these adorable clothes.

You need to find a trunk keeper that can get your order.

Usually everything is sold out the first day.

I have the best trunk keeper.

She is fast and always gets the clothes on time!

If you are interested, email me and I will give you her info!

photo via matilda jane

Wacky Wednesday

2012-02-01T05:12:00.000-08:00

Pre-K started doing Wacky Wednesday this week.

Davis wanted to be a cowboy in p.j's and bring Gwen as his cow.

nice....

Glow by Dr. Brandt

2012-01-31T10:30:00.000-08:00

Get Educated by Dr. Brandt

HERE

All about your skin AGING & it's ability to GLOW

photo via sephora

Ruby Technology Kit

this product contains retinol & micronized ruby crystals to mimic the Dr. Brandt in-office laser treatment

this product stimulates cell turnover

fights against aging

improves pore size

creates a younger, more dewy look

Try this new product. You can get it at SEPHORA. I'm ready to try something new, this is great timing Dr. Brandt!

If you want the same results and want to use a treatment once a week, try this:

photo via pinterest

This contains 30% glycolic acid. I was surprised that it's that strong for an at home peel.

You will get great results!

Research results:
- 100% of the evaluable subjects had improvements in skin brightness in at least one area of the face, as graded by the investigating dermatologist
- At least 70% of the subjects found their skin to be softer and smoother
- At least 70% of the subjects had increased facial brightness
- At least 70% of the subjects found their skin to feel firmer and more toned
listed on the sephora website

The best fight against aging skin, is DRINKING WATER! Combine this with skin treatments and you are doing all the right steps!

How much do you drink?

Skinny Jeans Workout

2012-01-30T05:32:00.000-08:00

I totally checked out this past weekend. I stayed in my pajamas.

I needed it. I just needed to sleep. Moms need a little TLC once in awhile too.

We have had our fair share of the stomach flu around here.
Have you had it yet? It's a bad one!
Dennis has been working a lot. Which is great, but means he is gone.

The kids ate Chloe's birthday cake for breakfast Sunday morning.

I didn't even feel guilty about it.

We watched a lot of videos.

I watched Midnight in Paris and Crazy Stupid Love.

A lot of pinning on Pinterest this weekend.

Chloe's bday plans got cancelled. Good thing she is 1 and has no idea.
I did manage to take her pictures of her cake smash.
She is the sweetest and cutest thing.

Now it's Monday and I'm feeling re-charged and ready to go.

How was your weekend?

image via pinterest

I found this on Pinterest. I did this workout on Friday and I was so sore Saturday morning. I did each exercise 20x and did 3 sets. That's another reason for the pajamas all weekend. I couldn't move my body. Start off with less reps if you haven't worked legs in awhile.

image via pinterest

So many good skinny jeans out there to wear. I thought designing a workout around wearing them was brillant! How I LOVE PINTEREST!

These are my top 4 favorites for skinny jeans. I have to be comfortable and all of these are great!

1. GAP

2. JCREW ( I'm wearing these in blue, the post below) VERY COMFY!

3. ANN TAYLOR LOFT - its the denim legging

4. GAP

Also, Urban Outfitters has the best skinny jeans. I wish I would have included it on my top 4. Check them out HERE.

Chloe's Cake Smash

2012-01-29T16:13:00.000-08:00

Okay Chloe, you can eat your cake!

Wow, this is going to be fun!

That was the best food anyone has ever given me!

Turning ONE is so much fun!

Natural History Museum

2012-01-26T21:28:00.000-08:00

This is such a fun field trip on the UWS. My kids always love going and we always see new animals and exhibits. We always stop by Levain bakery for the best cookies in NYC.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

The winner of the Cozette Couture headband is:

Kim said...

I just found your blog from "the girl who ate everything" and can't wait to go read all your posts. I want to visit New York one day! The bows are adorable. I can't ever have enough cute accessories for my girls.

9:03 AM, January 23, 2012

email me for details- crandalldailydish@gmail.com

There will be more fun give aways! I have a lot to share! Thanks for stopping by my blog. xx-jenna

Police Museum- Downtown

2012-01-26T09:13:00.000-08:00

We had the best day at the Police Museum. It was built in 1911. The building is amazing! It has a junior officer discovery zone for the kids and 3 floors of historical exhibitions. The kids spent a LONG time in that jail cell. I think it would be a really fun place to host a kids b-day party. Honestly, we were the only kids in the building and stayed for 3 hours. The boys were even entertained by the video upstairs showing how bombs in NYC are detected & found. It was perfect for a cold day. I was able to hang out with my girlfriend and talk while the kids were busy playing. I didn't have to worry about them running off. The exhibits are separate from the kids play zone.

Walking over to the museum from school.

just a year ago....

2012-01-25T09:15:00.000-08:00

I am very nostalgic today thinking about what happened on this day last year.

One of my favorite days in life. So happy to have her.

a few favorites this week.....

2012-01-25T07:38:00.000-08:00

I just discovered this liquid eyeliner from Avon. It's awesome, and it's $6! Lauren Conrad's tip that I tried. You can find it at AVON.

image via avon

Seriously, who walks around with this arm/love handle work out bar on their stroller. I may just get it to see the reaction I get!

I made these cute play date cards from MINTED.COM.

I have been looking for a kitchen for the kids. Everything is TOO big. boo! I found the perfect play kitchen for small spaces. It folds up & fits in a drawer.

Find it at AMAZON

How to wear a trench coat in so many ways!

images via pinterest

Cozette Couture Giveaway

2012-01-23T05:40:00.000-08:00

Okay ladies, are you ready for this!? Meet Suzette! She is the designer/owner of Cozette Couture. She makes the most beautiful hair accessories! I have so many of her bows and hair pieces for my girls. She loves to create, and you can see that this is her passion in life! She has a daughter named, Cozette, who inspired her to start this business.

See what I mean, ADORABLE! She also makes the hair accessories to match Matilda Jane & Persnickety clothing. ( we can discuss those clothing lines in another post)

You can follow and see her creations on her ETSY shop and on Facebook.

Suzette has offered to make one of these beauties for you!

If you don't have a girl, you can always give it to a friend for a shower gift!

2 steps to follow to enter the giveaway!

1. leave a comment

2. click in the left corner of my blog, "follow this blog"

Thanks! The winner will be announced on Friday!

Monday time!

2012-01-23T05:38:00.000-08:00

Make it happen.

Have you done Jillian's 30 Day Shred? It's challenging & you will get results!

I'm concentrating on ABS this week. It's so hard to get rid of the mommy tummy, aka "muffin top."

Jillian provides 3 exercises to target your abs.

Do 20 reps, 3 times each

I promise you will feel the burn. Lay down and do them. You will feel stronger.

You can do them in any type of clothing. :) No excuses.

To mix it up this week, you can also incorporate these.....

Criss Cross scissors, 20 reps 3times

Straight Leg Crunch, 25 reps

The Pilates 100, 100 reps!!make sure you breathe!

good luck! any tips for me?

Also, have you tried these bars. Peanut Butter & Chocolate is my favorite. I keep them in my diaper bag. The kids love them too. Better alternative to the fruit bars & snacks my kids always beg for!

New York Trapeze School

2012-01-21T20:13:00.000-08:00

Courtney learned "the whip"

learned my back flip

I still hold on for "dear life" at the very top.

Okay, this was my 2nd time at NY Trapeze School. I controlled my nerves so much better.

Courtney should be in Cirque Du Soleil with the tricks she can do.

Can't wait for next time.

Caprese Salad

2012-01-21T19:18:00.000-08:00

image via pinterest

Time is money! This salad will seriously only take you 5 minutes to make. Now that Davis will eat a little salad at dinner time I have been trying to spruce things up a bit.

You’ll need:

Organic Mozzarella
Fresh Basil
Heirloom Tomatoes
Balsamic Vinegar
coarse sea salt
fresh ground black pepper

Meeting Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock Actress

2012-01-20T07:30:00.000-08:00

The girls and I run around the city dropping Davis (my oldest) off at school, play dates, lessons, etc...

Gwen loves to go to the dog park and watch the dogs. Chloe is usually asleep taking her nap.

One of our errands was going to Whole Foods to get stuff for dinner.

Little did I know that Gwen would run right into Jane Krawokski's shopping cart.

We started talking to her in the fruit section and slowly made our way to the cash register.

I finally said something about 30 Rock and she was so cool.

She was so warm and friendly. I felt like I was shopping with a girlfriend.

She told me about her little 9 month old.

She was hugging and kissing on Gwen.

I'm never really starstruck but I love this woman. If you haven't seen 30 Rock, you are missing one of the best shows!

I secretly hope she wants to have a play date. ha ha.

Also, if you are looking for a romantic Valentine's Day gift I have an idea for you.

Romeo & Juliet is playing at the NYC ballet during the week of Valentine's Day.

I wish I could go. I will be out of town. If you go, please tell me how amazing it was!

Tightlining

2012-01-19T10:29:00.000-08:00

image via pinterest

Have you heard of Tightlining? It makes your eyes really POP!

Basically, instead of lining the skin above your lash line, you line the skin in between your lashes.

I use a gel liner to get a more dramatic look.

How to Tightline your eyes with eyeliner or gel liner.

Using clean fingers, gently lift your lashes upward (this step is only necessary if you find it easier to tightline). You'll see tiny gaps between your lash hairs, which you'll be filling in with eye liner.
Using either a gel or pencil eye liner, lightly dab the eye liner in between each individual lash (as close to the root as possible), to fill in your lash line and make it look fuller. Start at the the inner and work to the outer corner of your eye. Congratulations, you've officially tightlined your eyes!
To intensify the look, tightline your bottom lash line as well. It's the same concept as the top, but you'll be filling in the space between your lower lashes.

Make sure your pencils and brushes are clean before doing htis. You are getting really close to your eyes.

To sanitize your brushes you can:
1. Use an inexpensive approach and use rubbing alcohol to clean your eye makeup. Moisten a tissue with rubbing alcohol and wipe the surface of the pencil, liquid, or gel eye liner. Wait until the rubbing alcohol dries completely before use.
2. This only applies to pencil eye liners, but the easiest and fastest way to sanitize is by sharpening. Of course, make sure your sharpener is wiped down with 70% rubbing alcohol before use.

Kalencom Potette Potty On the GO!

2012-01-19T07:07:00.000-08:00

I'm thinking about potty training my 2 year old right now. I'm not ready, but she is. This morning she took her diaper off when she woke up and walked right into the bathroom. She climbed up on the toilet and totally did her potty business! She is ready. So now I need to get ready. I have been wanting a portable potty that folds up and fits in a diaper bag or under the stroller. I found this one. It has its own potty bags and little stand. It seems to be the smallest in size.

You can find it on amazon!

This is another option.

I also found the fisher price version, but it's a little bigger and the reviews say it won't fit under your stroller. You have to carry it around in the case. For me that won't work but if you wanted it for your car or travel it seems a little more sturdy.

You can find it on AMAZON too.

Wish me luck.Gotta love potty training!

I have done some crazy things here in the city in regards to finding bathrooms.

I think this is going to be a huge help!

Should I use Latisse, is it safe?

2012-01-18T09:59:00.000-08:00

These are my lashes with 6 weeks of latisse. I have definitely seen a difference. I can't imagine if I used until week 16, how long they would be! My only complaint, and I'm being picky, is that some lashes grow faster than others. So you can see how my lashes look thicker is more areas and I have a few really long ones. I'm hoping if I stick with it, they will eventually look full and mostly the same length.

Safety concerns with Latisse. If you have sensitive eyes, you need to be careful when using Latisse. The product instructions say to use it every night. I have found that I can use it every 3rd night and still get great results. This will help prevent eye irritation a lot! Make sure you apply it to your lash line right before you go to bed. You need to close your eyes right after you apply it. You want to close them after applying it. If you put it on and then read for an hour, your eyes may get red and you have a better chance of it getting in your eyes.

Latisse, isn't cheap! It's about $120 if your insurance doesn't cover it. I used Latisse last summer and used the same bottle for almost 3 months. I used it every 3rd night. This will save you money because they recommend buying it once a month.

As far as pigment change. I haven't noticed any pigment change in my eye color at all. Every physician is compelled to warn patients about this because it could change the color of your iris. Usually this only will happen if you are putting drops of it into your eye.

I also love the eye lash extensions! They look thick, long and perfectly shaped. A good alternative to Latisse if you want quick, long lashes without having to wear mascara.

This is my beautiful friend Erica. Her eyes are stunning and she loves her extensions.

let me know if you want a set of these beautiful lashes!

crandalldailydish@gmail.com

2012-01-17T15:53:00.000-08:00

Just me and the kids for a couple days. I'm sure lucky to have these 3 munchkins.

I can't believe they are already asleep.

We read this book below, and every time I read it, I feel like I grew up in the
FLINSTONE AGES!

Elva Fields for C Wonder, horse necklace

2012-01-17T15:45:00.000-08:00

Stop Horsing around!
Did those words really come out of my mouth.

Was I really sounding like my parents!?

My kids love to wrestle. They wrestle all day long! That is when I said what my parents always said to me. Stop horsing around! I think every mom eventually says a few things that her mother said to her. It just happens. And its pretty funny when it does. You will feel like your very own mother is in the room, scolding your children.

Anyways, back to horses. I have had horses on my mind lately.

Growing up we spent time at My Aunt's house. They had so many horses. They taught me to ride.

They entered me into my first rodeo doing the barrels, on a horse named, Christmas.

I have a huge thing for horses.

I would love to start riding lessons out here with my girls when they are old enough.

ballet & horses, sounds good to me!

I'm loving all the horse prints out right now.

I guess Santa knew that I wanted to start riding again. He grabbed this at C Wonder!

Juice Time

2012-01-16T22:04:00.000-08:00

Do you see pictures like this all over Pinterest?! I bet you're wondering what is that nasty green drink...

well, it's GREEN JUICE! So good for you and it will make you feel & look like a million bucks!

This is a picture of one of my favorite inventions of all time.

My love for juicing started in San Francisco with my friend Liz.

The more I tried it, the more I realized how good I was feeling.

At first, I didn't love the green juices, but I took baby steps.

You can juice for a couple reasons. Detoxing the body, weight loss, hydration, energy, better skin, etc.

The goal should be to drink 1, 8oz glass of green juice during the day. BABY STEPS!

here is the recipe to my favorite green drink.

1 bunch of Kale

2 apples

1 lemon

1 bunch of kale

1 stalk of celery

1 handful of spinach

2 apples

1 lemon

When my Mom was out here for Christmas I made her take a shot of it after our workout.

She learned to love it.

I love drinking my juice after working out. It will hydrate you and give you a boost of energy!

have fun juicing! I want to know if you try it for the first time! Drink it on ice.

Make IT happen Monday

2012-01-16T06:41:00.000-08:00

Time to work out!

BEST WORKOUT For ABS & ARMS BY

TRACY ANDERSON

Ready to get toned abs & arms!? Beautifully toned arms are every woman’s dream. Well, at least mine. I’ve got the best arm transforming workout from fitness genius Tracy Anderson, known for being an A-list celebrity trainer for Madonna & Gwyneth Paltrow. She’s a tiny 5 foot lady with great tips for weight loss, toning and stretching. Her workout regime combined with my morning walking, are the best toning exercises I’ve ever done, EVER!

Tracy’s exercise series specifically targets women who want to get that tight, toned body by working all the muscle groups with countless repetitions of sculpting exercises. I get this great feeling of being lean and strong each time I complete the workout. I recommend, "Tracy Anderson Method Presents Post Pregnancy Workout" if you have had a baby. She talks about attaching your loose skin back to your muscle so you won't have the skin hanging over anymore, aka muffin top! Also her other 3 DVDs are amazing and really challenging.

From all her routines, I enjoy the arm series the most. Arms were the fastest to see the results for me. All you need is 1 to 3 pound hand weights (I use 2 lbs). You might think that’s not enough weight, but believe me… you won’t say that afterwards! Tracy recommends no heavier than 3 lbs. Instead, use lighter weights combining high reps, like 50-100 reps each, that will result in a sexier, more chiseled definition. Got it? Here is a 5 minute YOU TUBE arm workout with Tracy. Enjoy. Do it twice!

You will love her. On my NYC bucket list I made 2 years ago, I wrote, is to "meet Tracy Anderson and take a class from her." I'm trying to make that dream come true. :)

Now Walking. I hurt my knee from running awhile ago. I started walking to replace my running and I never thought I would get results. I WAS WRONG! Walking is so good for your legs and ~~body~~ booty. Get a Pedometer! My life changed when I started checking how many steps/miles I was walking a day. I started walking at least 3 miles a day to make sure I was in the "maintain my weight zone". When I started walking 4 miles a day I started seeing more results. You will be surprised how many steps you take a day. Wear the pedometer for a week to get your average steps. Then, we can adjust those numbers to help with weight loss.

Now I'm heading out, to get my workout on.....

Oh wait one more thing. I just got an email from Target and......

JASON WU for target!

check out the look book here. Another big name designer, at a Target discount price.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/10/jason-wu-for-target-lookbook_n_1196716.html

I love that navy dress with the stripes. In stores Feb. 5. I'm guessing everything will be sold out in 24 hours, just like Missoni.

check out Zara kids line

2012-01-15T15:27:00.000-08:00

The kid sale is amazing right now.You can get pieces for $6-$10!

The new SPRING collection

zara.com

beauty products at your local drugstore....

2012-01-14T14:47:00.000-08:00

This post is for the lover of beauty for a bargain! When I was 9 years old, I started saving my allowance & babysitting money, so I could go to the local Walgreens and buy beauty products. I loved the Apricot Scrub and any lipgloss my mom would let me wear. I would sit in the bath, with my scrubs and bath salts and think I was the queen of the world. I started young developing a serious love for beauty products. When I was a teenager I chased my brothers around the house until they would let me pick at their skin and wash their faces. I'm telling you, it's in my blood to be a beauty & skin care specialist.

I love drugstore products and you can always count on these name brands to deliver great results at a bargain. Here's to the beauty products you can find at your local Walgreens or CVS that I have tried and tested. Some of these products sit proudly in my medicine cabinet next to my Skin Ceuticals, La Mer or Bliss products.

1. CeraVe, moisturizing & great for sensitive skin. Cleansers & moisturizers. Derm. approved, under $15
2. Maybelline Liquid Mouse Foundation- light & fluffy. great coverage. $5

3. Body Clear, Body Scrub- active salicylic acid helps prevent breakouts. Great for post work outs.$6

4. John Freida-frizz ease - control the frizzy hair! I used this product all the way through high school. It works! all products are $25 or less, some as low as $6

5. Olay Regenerist Rejuvenating Serum- fight aging at a great price. Serums are the key ingredient to young skin. This will improve your skin tone and blotchy spots. This is a must! Under $40.

6. Revlon Lip Lustre - creamy and hydrating, lots of color choices $8

7. St Ives Apricot Scrub - this will polish your skin and make your skin look dewy and fresh. $5

8. Maybelline New York Eyeliner - an eyeliner pencil that gives the look of more dramatic liquid liner. $7

9. La Rosche Posay, Active C Serum - My jaw dropped when I saw this at CVS. This company also carries Biomedic. One of my favorite medical lines. I love all of their chemical peels and medical grade products. Anything La Rosche Posay will deliver noticeable results and help anti-aging. Vit C is essential in your skincare line. Use this during the day. A little bit more expensive but compared to skinceuticals its a bargain! $34.99

10. Essie, Mademoiselle - Yes, Essie is sold at CVS. $8

11. Maybelline Cover up Stick- covers up dark circles & blemishes $4

12. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss - Glossy formula combines sheer color and intense moisture. I love that there is a SPF 15 in it! $8

13. Regenerist AntiAging Night Cream, An anti-aging treatment for sagging skin. Firms & moisturizes. This is amazing. I use this all the time! $20.59

14. 3-D White Strips - these will change your life. Get super WHITE teeth in 2 hours! They really work!

I hope this list will help you when you're out shopping for beauty products. These products are fabulous! Let me know what you use?

Adorama & featured at Someone in Mind

2012-01-11T19:20:00.000-08:00

If you need to make a photo book, use ADORAMA. So quick & easy! They are here in NYC and are phenomenal. I loved the texture and quality of this book. My favorite book so far. I used some of the pictures below and created my own little book. I love how it turned out. The grandparents were given this for a gift last year.

Check out the book here:
http://www.adoramapix.com/crandall/book/crandall-kids-2011

click follow my blog

and enter for a $25 gift card to Adorama

thanks {Someone in Mind} for the feature today!

check her out, her blog is fantastic!

highlights of 2011

2012-01-07T20:34:00.000-08:00

January

Sweet little Chloe was born. My mother in law literally drove straight to the airport to catch the last flight out of PHX so I could have Chloe the next morning. She stayed for 2 weeks and then my Mom came out to be with us, after recovering from strep throat. Kimber came to the hospital and shared the tender moments with us. She captured her birth story here. Watch the video!

February

We celebrated Valentine's Day with a lot of LOVE in our home

and Aunt Kristen came and pushed my double-wide around NYC and took the night shift with Chloe.

March

Chloe was given a name & a blessing by her tender dad. We love our family dearly!

April

Our first warm day! We stayed outside all day long and soaked up the rays of sunshine.

and these 2 love birds came to visit without kids!

My first flight with 3 kids by myself. We stayed at my sister Kristen's and I now am called "the sister wife". We spent Easter with Garrett & Kristen, Crandalls, and Chaffetz.

I was holding Chloe in the ergo in this picture.

Easter morning with these 2 amazing people. They sleep trained Chloe for me. I will always be grateful!

Easter Day at Chaffetz

I spent the month in Utah, hanging out with my sister and my best friend, Summer and her kids.

Easter Egg Hunt with Nana & Papa

I was introduced to SKYE

MAY

We stayed in Utah long enough to go to the Tulip Festival

This sweet guy flew back to NYC with the kids and me.

Dennis turned the big 30!

June

Strawberry Picking with Brinkerhoffs and Mortensens

Brooklyn with friends

July

Back on the plane! We went to Carlsbad, California for the annual Crandall beach week. One of our favorite vacations of the year. We love all the families and friends that stay the week of the 4th. It's a party! Nana's bday is always during Carlsbad week!

Then I flew with the kids back to Utah to see my family and attend the Johnson reunion.

All the cousins were so happy to see each other! Brad & Jaime came, my Mom and we all stayed at Garrett & Kristen's. It was the best. It would have been better if Scott and McCall were there. I had just missed them.

August
My MOM flew back with me and stayed for a week

and Davis turned 4 during his NYC party, check it out HERE

September
Hurricane Irene threatened to hit New York City. We jumped on a plane to AZ!
We had brunch with the Nana's and great grandparents and a mini photo shoot

We went to Kurt and Rachel's games

October

I loved how their costumes turned out. I look forward to Halloween every year!

November

Trapeze School! I'm still shaking!

December

Christmas in NYC with my beautiful MOM!

What a great year 2011 was for us! I hope to have as much family time in 2012 as we did in 2011.

A few of my goals this year (I will share the not so personal ones)

journal writing

field trips with the kids once a week

quality time with each of the kids

teach Davis to read

Teach aerobics again once a week

Start Gwen in a dance class

make Chloe's birthday cake - cake boss style

travel to family as much as possible

more excuses to get dressed up & put heels on

more friend time

establish a logo and website for my own skincare biz

maybe get out my dusty sewing machine

Happy 2012!

when the stroller is your car....

2012-01-06T11:17:00.000-08:00

MOMMY MITTENS! After getting all the kids in their winter gear and ready to go, I have 2 seconds to get my coat & scarf on. Within minutes of being outside, one of the kids needs something. Potty, diaper, snack, water, their hat fell off, pants are too tight, they need a new game on the i-pod. Whatever it is, I have to take my gloves off.
This is the best invention of all time! Strap it to your stroller and your hands will be protected from the outside elements. You can easily help your kids without taking off your own gloves. Half the time, I can't even find my gloves!

Also, another invention that I love is the stroller away hook. I left my stroller out front in our hallway when we first moved into our NYC apartment. Within minutes I received a notice stating that I would be charged $1,500 if I did it again. It's against the fire code! In the winter months, when the kids need all the space we have, this product is genius! I'm going to hang it right on my front door! Our stroller will now be out of our living space!

you can find it on amazon

http://www.amazon.com/StrollAway-Stroller-Storage-Hanger-Chrome/dp/B001GPBJP8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326824662&sr=8-1

2012 skincare & beauty resolutions....

2012-01-05T22:02:00.000-08:00

Clean your make-up brushes! Once a week would be ideal, but monthly is a good start. Make-up & oils sit in the brushes and breed bacteria which can cause breakouts and irritation. I clean my brushes with warm water and baby shampoo. Reshape them and let them dry over night. I found this article on organizing your brushes. I find that I take better care of my brushes when they are stored in jars instead of thrown in my make- up bag. Read it here.

SUNSCREEN! No one wants to be wrinkly before they should be. Also, you are preventing SKIN CANCER! I like the idea of these easy to use wipes. I say at least an SPF of 30.

My all time favorite is Skinceuticals Sheer UV Defense. It comes in a universal tint and is so lightweight. I have clients that have never used sunscreen and will use this. I'm telling you, get it! Start using it. Your skin will thank you for it.

Use an antioxidant for your skin daily! Every morning I wash my face and apply Skinceuticals CE FERULIC. Antioxidants are anti-aging, prevent photo damage, and over all build collagen. If I could only use one product for the rest of my life it would be this. If you are dry CE Ferulic is made for you. If you are oilly it comes as Phloretin CF. The vitamin E is left out.

WASH YOUR FACE EVERY NIGHT! Use towelettes if you have to. Make-up mixes with the oils and causes break outs. You should also be concerned every night with putting products on your skin to nourish it and fight the free radicals from the day. I hate the feeling of waking up with crusty mascara all over my eyes and my skin always feels so dry if I sleep in make up. Plus, my pillow case gets make up all over it. I think its easier to take the 10 minutes at night to wash your face so you don't have to deal with it in the morning. Or wake up to a new blemish!

BRING ON THE WATER! I am so bad at this. I bought a new water bottle that I can strap to my stroller. Hopefully it will work! Also, green juice! This will do wonders for your skin! You will glow!

Treat your hands and neck like your facial skin. You will be thankful you did this when you're older. Even if it's 1 step at night. Use a cream with a AHA. (alpha hydroxy acid)

This will stimulate cell turnover and collagen. Put it on your face, neck and hands at night.

GET ON A PRODUCT REGIME and stick with it everyday! I believe that 80% of what your skin looks like is what you put on it. Lasers, peels, facials, microdermabrasions, etc. are great but will not work to there full potential if you are not using the right products. It's like working out. If you don't eat right, working out will only do so much for your body. You have to eat properly to lose weight. Same with skin, you have to take care of it properly to get the results you want. Can you tell that I LOVE skinceuticals? I have tried tons of products and this line is the best in my eyes. I have gotten huge results from clients.

TRY EYELASH EXTENSIONS!

It is so nice to live life without mascara! S~~ome~~ Most mornings I don't have time to put make-up on. I love having lashes on. I feel like I can be seen without getting the comment, "oh, are you really tired today?" These lashes will change your life!

I work here in the NYC area as a licensed esthetician. Please email me if you would like a consultation or any product advice.

crandalldailydish@gmail.com

Here's to beautiful & healthy skin in 2012!

random post....

2012-01-04T17:03:00.000-08:00

I took this of Gwen in Trader Joes the other day. She is full of personality. Her new thing is to howl like a wolf. She was eating Joe Joes and howling so loud. Everyone was cracking up. I'm hoping on Sunday she will pretend to be a mouse. She makes me laugh out loud a lot! She sits on the toilet at least a dozen times a day now. If Davis has to go, so does she. I have a feeling she will be potty trained by the end of winter. Her little scar on her nose has faded so much. I have used Vit. E, scar guard, mederma and I honestly think the scar guard works the best. I still need to do a post on her accident and the pictures week by week. I felt so much better after seeing pictures and reading stories about other kids in similar situations. I want to pay it forward. Maybe, Gwen's story will help another Mom. I know I needed all the encouragement I could get. It's the WORST when your child gets hurt.

On another note...
I heard Princess Kate is throwing a 80's party for her 30th b-day this year. It reminded me of how fun mine was. She should call my friends to be her party planner. :)

It also made me miss our group of friends in Chi town! These pics make me laugh so hard!

for my Davis boy....

2012-01-03T19:17:00.000-08:00

25 Rules for Moms with Sons

Source: pre-schoolplay.blogspot.com via Tabitha on Pinterest

http://studerteam.blogspot.com
1. Teach him the words for how he feels.
Your son will scream out of frustration and hide out of embarrassment. He'll cry from fear and bite out of excitement. Let his body move by the emotion, but also explain to him what the emotion is and the appropriate response to that emotion for future reference. Point out other people who are feeling the same thing and compare how they are showing that emotion. Talk him through your emotions so that someday when he is grown, he will know the difference between angry and embarrassed; between disappointment and grief.

2. Be a cheerleader for his life
There is no doubt that you are the loudest person in the stands at his t-ball games. There is no doubt that he will tell you to "stop, mom" when you sing along to his garage band's lyrics. There is no doubt that he will get red-faced when you show his prom date his pictures from boy scouts. There is no doubt that he is not telling his prom date about your blog where you've been bragging about his life from his first time on the potty to the citizenship award he won in ninth grade. He will tell you to stop. He will say he's embarrassed. But he will know that there is at least one person that is always rooting for him.

3. Teach him how to do laundry
..and load the dishwasher, and iron a shirt. He may not always choose to do it. He may not ever have to do it. But someday his wife will thank you.

Source: offbeatmama.com via offbeatmama on Pinterest

4. Read to him and read with him.
Emilie Buchwald said, "Children become readers on the laps of their parents." Offer your son the opportunity to learn new things, believe in pretend places, and imagine bigger possibilities through books. Let him see you reading...reading the paper, reading novels, reading magazine articles. Help him understand that writing words down is a way to be present forever. Writers are the transcribers of history and memories. They keep a record of how we lived at that time; what we thought was interesting; how we spoke to each other; what was important. And Readers help preserve and pass along those memories.

5. Encourage him to dance.
Dance, rhythm, and music are cultural universals. No matter where you go, no matter who you meet - they have some form of the three. It doesn't have to be good. Just encourage your son that when he feels it, it's perfectly fine to go ahead and bust a move.

6. Make sure he has examples of good men who are powerful because of their brains, their determination, and their integrity.
The examples of men with big muscles and a uniform (like Batman and LaMarr Woodley) will surround your son from birth. But make sure he also knows about men who kick a$s because of their brains (Albert Einstein), and their pen (Mark Twain), and their words (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.), and their determination (Team Hoyt), and their ideas (The Wright Brothers), and their integrity (Officer Frank Shankwitz), and fearlessness (Neil Armstrong), and their ability to keep their mouths closed when everyone else is screaming (Jackie Robinson).

7. Make sure he has examples of women who are beautiful because of their brains, their determination, and their integrity
The examples of traditionally beautiful women (like Daphne Blake, Princess Jasmine, and Britney Spears) will surround your son from birth. But make sure he knows about women who are beautiful from the inside out because of their brains (Madame Marie Curie), and their pen (Harper Lee), and their words (Eleanor Roosevelt), and their determination (Anne Sullivan), and their ideas (Oprah Winfrey), and their integrity (Miep Gies), and fearlessness (Ameila Earhart), and their ability to open their mouths and take a stand when everyone else is silent (Aung San Suu Kyi).

8. Be an example of a beautiful woman with brains, determination, and integrity.
You already are all of those things. If you ever fear that you are somehow incapable of doing anything - remember this: If you have done any of the following: a) grew life b) impossibly and inconceivably got it out of your body c) taken care of a newborn d) made a pain go away with a kiss e) taught someone to read f) taught a toddler to eat with a utensil g) cleaned up diarrhea without gagging h) loved a child enough to be willing to give your life for them (regardless if they are your own) or i) found a way to be strong when that child is suffering...you are a superhero. do not doubt yourself for one second. Seriously.

Source: simplymontessori.blogspot.com via Terry-Anne on Pinterest

9. Teach him to have manners
because its nice. and it will make the world a little better of a place.

Source: swagbucks.com via Adriana on Pinterest

10. Give him something to believe in
Because someday he will be afraid, or nervous, or heartbroken, or lost, or just need you, and you won't be able to be there. Give him something to turn to when it feels like he is alone, so that he knows that he will never be alone; never, never, never.

Source: theberry.com via Chris on Pinterest

11. Teach him that there are times when you need to be gentle
like with babies, and flowers, and animals, and other people's feelings.

Source: heatherbeadles.com via Heather on Pinterest

12. Let him ruin his clothes
Resolve to be cool about dirty and ruined clothes. You'll be fighting a losing battle if you get upset every time he ruins another piece of clothing. Don't waste your energy being angry about something inevitable. Boys tend to learn by destroying, jumping, spilling, falling, and making impossible messes. Dirty, ruined clothes are just par for the course.

13. Learn how to throw a football
or how to use a hockey stick, or read music, or draw panda bears (or in my case alpacas), or the names of different train engines, or learn to speak Elvish, or recognize the difference between Gryffindor and Slytherin, or the lyrics to his favorite song. Be in his life, not as an observer but as an active participant.

Source: shanna-kaye.com via Shanna-Kaye on Pinterest

14. Go outside with him
turn off the television, unplug the video games, put your cellphone on the charger, even put your camera away. Just go outside and follow him around. Watch his face, explore his world, and let him ask questions. It's like magic.

15. Let him lose
Losing sucks. Everybody isn't always a winner. Even if you want to say, "You're a winner because you tried," don't. He doesn't feel like a winner, he feels sad and crappy and disappointed. And that's a good thing, because sometimes life also sucks, no matter how hard (as moms) we try to make it not suck for our kids. This practice will do him good later when he loses again (and again, and again, and again, and again.....) Instead make sure he understands that - sometimes you win - sometimes you lose. But that doesn't mean you ever give up.

Source: None via Emma on Pinterest

16. Give him opportunities to help others
There is a big difference in giving someone the opportunity to help and forcing someone to help. Giving the opportunity lights a flame in the heart and once the help is done the flame shines brighter and asks for more opportunities. Be an example of helping others in your own actions and the way your family helps each other and helps others together.

Source: wayfair.com via Julie on Pinterest

17. Remind him that practice makes perfect.
This doesn't just apply to performance-based activities (like sports and music) but also applies to everything in life. You become a better writer by writing. You become a better listener by listening. You become better speaker by speaking. Show your son this when he is just young enough to understand (that means from birth, folks - they are making sense of the world as soon as they arrive), practice trick-or-treating at your own front door before the real thing. Practice how you will walk through airport security before a trip. Practice how you order your own food from the fast food cashier. Practice, practice, practice.

18. Answer him when he asks, "Why?"
Answer him, or search for the answer together. Show him the places to look for the answers (like his dad, or grandparents, or his aunts/uncles, or his books, or valid internet searches). Pose the question to him so he can begin thinking about answers himself. Someday, when he needs to ask questions he's too embarrassed to ask you - he'll know where to go to find the right answers.

Source: 1.bp.blogspot.com via Maegan on Pinterest

19. Always carry band-aids and wipes on you.
especially the wipes.

Source: babyhold.com via Katie on Pinterest

20. Let his dad teach him how to do things
...without interrupting about how to do it the 'right way.' If you let his dad show and teach and discover with your son while he is growing up, some day down the road (after a short period of your son believing his dad knows nothing), he will come to the realization that his dad knows everything. You will always be his mother, but in his grown-up man heart and mind, his dad will know the answers. And this will be how, when your son is too busy with life to call and chat with his mom, you will stay connected to what is happening in his life. Because he will call his dad for answers, and his dad will secretly come and ask you.

Source: familyfun.go.com via Kate on Pinterest

21. Give him something to release his energy
drums, a pen, a punching bag, wide open space, water, a dog. Give him something to go crazy with - or he will use your stuff. and then you'll sorry.

Source: bleubirdvintage.typepad.com via Marybess on Pinterest

22. Build him forts
Forts have the ability to make everyday normal stuff into magic. Throw the couch cushions, a couple blankets, and some clothespins and you can transform your living room into the cave of wonders. For the rest of his life, he'll be grateful to know that everyday normal stuff has the potential to be magical.

Source: None via Tabitha on Pinterest

23. Take him to new places
Because it will make his brain and his heart open up wider, and the ideas and questions and memories will rush in.

Source: None via Anne on Pinterest

24. Kiss him
Any mother of sons will tell you that little boys are so loving and sweet. They can be harsh and wild and destructive during most of the day. But there are these moments when they are so kind and sensitive and tender. So much so that it can cause you to look around at the inward, reserved grown men in your life and think, 'what happens in between that made you lose that?' Let's try to stop the cycle by kissing them when they're loving and kissing them even more when they're wild. Kissing them when they're 2 months and kissing them when they're 16 years old. You're the mom - you can go ahead and kiss him no matter how big he gets - and make sure he knows it. p.s. (this one is just as important for dad's too).

Source: smallesthings.blogspot.com via Sherry on Pinterest

25. Be home base
You are home to him. When he learns to walk, he will wobble a few feet away from you and then come back, then wobble away a little farther and then come back. When he tries something new, he will look for your proud smile. When he learns to read, he will repeat the same book to you twenty times in a row, because you're the only one who will listen that many times. When he plays his sport, he will search for your face in the stands. When he is sick, he will call you. When he really messes up, he will call you. When he is grown and strong and tough and big and he feels like crying, he will come to you; because a man can cry in front of his mother without feeling self-conscious. Even when he grows up and has a new woman in his life and gets a new home, you are still his mother; home base, the ever constant, like the sun. Know that in your heart and everything else will fall into place.

Dyker Lights in Brooklyn

2012-01-02T13:25:00.000-08:00

We took a lights & Cannoli tour of Dyker Heights in Brooklyn while my Mom was here.

The houses were DECKED out! I have never seen anything like it.

click here if you want to check it out. Tony is the tour guide

Do you see the Santa below? Biggest Santa ever made. The man that owns the Santa has a microphone & t.v. monitor to talk to all the kids that come by. The tour guide said that most houses spend about $10,000 on their electric bill during December. Also, they spend over $50,000 on props and lights! CRAZY but so amazing to see.

Battery Park City

Eating at our favorite neighborhood spot. Shake Shack

I have wanted to go to Cafe Lalo ever since we have moved here. Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks met here in, You've Got Mail. It was the cutest little restaurant.

Mom needed a bigger coke. they brought her the mini size.

The corner booth is where they met in the movie.

The Met

New Years Eve in CT

2012-01-01T15:36:00.000-08:00

The kids LOVE going to Aunt Julie's house! We took the train up to CT and had such a fun New Years.

You can see how happy he is!

Chloe was the talk of the train. So many questions about her football helmet & how cute she is!

2 hours later, still ready to party

Julie & I got some treats for the kids for our little party

Everyone in their 2012 countdown glasses

homemade pizza

All the cousins

fondue!

Julie had sparklers & fireworks for the kids. We had quite the show.

Me. Gwen. Julie. Sadie

SiLlY StRInG Fights

all over mine & Juls camera

Heading home to NYC. We loved the warm weather too. Can't beat 50 degrees in January.
Thanks Brinkerhoffs! We love you!

These 2 pictures are my favorite. Izzy and Gwen playing around together. Such cute & sweet girls.

I'm excited for a new year. This past year was quite the adventure for us. It was a challenging year for sure, but also filled with adventure. I can't believe Chloe will be 1 this month! I have never been more proud of anything in my life. Getting through those first few months when Chloe was born will always make me a little teary. What a blessing to have her. I'm so thankful that I have been given my 3 beautiful children. They have taught me patience and what really matters in life. They are truly my biggest accomplishment. I am so happy to begin a new year with more adventures with them & Dennis. Hoping for a wonderful year, with a little change, new goals, and as much family time as possible.

Happy 8 my love!

2012-01-01T15:34:00.000-08:00

Talk about romantic, right!?

8 years, 3 kids, 4 states, 1 dog, 3 parakeets, 2 schools & A LOT of LOVE!

Christmas Morning

2011-12-30T19:51:00.000-08:00

Chloe's 1st Christmas!

Christmas Breakfast

It was a little tricky pulling the kids away from their new toys to go to church. We had a few tears. I'm sure most of you with kids know what I'm talking about!

We are so thankful for our faith and for this season. We are so thankful for our Savior. We are thankful that he gave his life for us.

We have 2 nativity's in our home (thanks to Nana) and they are visual reminders to the kids everyday. They play with them all the time. I'm sad to put them away. They have loved celebrating Jesus. Christmas is so magical to these little kids.

We had a very exciting and fun NYC Christmas!

Mom's first day in NYC

2011-12-28T07:27:00.000-08:00

Shopping in Herald Square, Macy's on 34th Street

My mom has always wanted to see Macy's Santa & the historic escalators before they are renovated.

Davis of course loved this outing. We went up to the 8th floor to Santa's Wonderland.

we mailed off our wish lists to Santa

We took Davis to Lion King! He loved every minute of it!

Times Square

cutest pair

We had a couple hours in Soho to do last minute shopping for Christmas.

FRYE opened their first store location in NYC. It is amazing!

Dean & Deluca had the prettiest Christmas flowers &cakes

We loved all the windows and corner booths

Mom was craving Max Brenner's chocolate lava cake

NY Stock Exchange

Christmas Spectacular & The Rockettes

2011-12-26T17:52:00.000-08:00

All smiles before the show

Gwen was more fun to watch than The Rockettes. She kicked her legs and danced around whenever the music came on.

She waved hi to every performer. We didn't know how she would do but she watched the entire show!

inside Radio City Music Hall

We had such a fun Christmas Eve.

just believe.......

2011-12-25T20:40:00.000-08:00

This morning at 3am, I heard Davis running to our bed. He had to tell me that he heard Santa's footsteps! Mom, "Santa was just here!" "He got my letter and he found me!"

Pure magic in our home today. He was so happy.

My favorite part of the day was hearing him play. He had his super-heroes surrounding our Christmas Nativity. He had his imaginext toys protecting baby Jesus. He told the super heroes " be prepared, baby Jesus is coming to earth!"

Merry Christmas! We are so thankful for our faith, friends & family.

I can't forget Chloe! She is 11 months today!

Chloe's doctor allowed her to take a break from her helmet Christmas Eve.

She was happy to be free!

Chloe loves to sing

She crawls everywhere

She sleeps from 8:30 to 7:30

She prefers to sit in a hurky position while playing

she loves baby dolls & little people

she smiles all day long

Chloe is HAPPY

loves splashing around in the bath

she is our smiley, yummy little munchkin

loves sucking on french fries, yogurt melts, mum mums

she adores Davis & Gwen

Merry Christmas Eve!

2011-12-24T17:46:00.000-08:00

2011-12-21T12:34:00.000-08:00

We are so excited for Nana to come tonight!

Yay, Christmas is this weekend.

We needed a few more Christmas ornaments. The lower half of the tree was looking sad.

Gwen couldn't resist the sparkly snowflakes.

I was so excited to find Jamali Gardens. This store always has festive supplies and amazing decorations. The best thing is that it only takes me 10 minutes to get there.

Felt (child proof) Ornaments

You can't see the glitter and sparkle but the elephant & reindeer were very sparkly.

I found some keepers. Count down until Nana arrives!

2011-12-20T12:30:00.000-08:00

Dennis and I have always lived in an apartment. We have loved the urban life! We have ~~loved~~ mastered small living spaces. Davis was born in the San Francisco area, Gwen was born in Chicago and Chloe was born here, in New York City. Sometimes, Dennis thinks I will never leave the city life and go back to my roots. I love walking everywhere, I love being surrounded by people. Even if they are strangers. It makes me feel safe. I love the energy of the city. There is always something going on. However, we really need more space for our family of 5.

I have a secret little folder I keep when I daydream about having a big beautiful house. Here are a few of my favorites that I just added. perfection.....

On another note, MUST TRY these homemade butterfingers. I was picturing myself making them in that beautiful kitchen. :)

some things we have been up to....

2011-12-18T13:27:00.000-08:00

We made the hike to the New York Botanical Train Show this week. I say hike because we rode the train for 45 minutes and then walked about 25 minutes to get to this beautiful gem in the city. It was worth it for sure. I still try and do a date with each of the kids and it was Davis' turn. He can't pass up anything with trains. We met some of our friends and headed out on our little train adventure.

The trains weaved in and out of all of the NYC buildings. It was amazing. We did this same train show in Chicago and I didn't know if it would be as good. It didn't disappoint. I thought the Brownstones were very clever and Davis loved the Yankee Stadium.

After the trains, we went over to the Gingerbread Adventures.

We decorated cookies and ground up cinnamon. Davis & Hannah loved reading the ginger-boy books.

Davis wanted to try his ground up cinnamon. Not so good without the sugar.

I took the girls to Davis's classroom to take pictures for their school scrapbook.

Davis's friends at school LOVE Chloe!

Davis learned what Mistletoe is all about. Muahhhhhhhh!

Hanging out at the Seaport

We are so excited for next week! We can't wait for nana to be here for Christmas.

Have you tried the SOCK BUN?

2011-12-17T17:39:00.000-08:00

disclaimer, end of the day. a bit messy but still in place after the kids tugging and pulling at me.

Sometimes the bun is on top of my head, sometimes it's a bigger bun, sometimes it's lower. For a smaller bun I use Davis' sock and for a bigger bun I use Dennis'. Everyone is wondering where their socks are going. It's so easy and now I do it a couple times a week. Try it, you will too.

Here is the video- thanks Courtney for the beauty tip!

love this idea....

2011-12-16T19:49:00.000-08:00

go here to download your own copy

favorites this week...

2011-12-15T10:31:00.000-08:00

The dough is made and ready to make pepparkakors and sugar cookies.

Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing......

we love our hug mugs

SantaCon happened last weekend. We were out and about. How do you tell your kids the reason for SantaCon. All of Santa's helpers dress up in their Santa outfits and get totally wasted. lovely...

We said the Santas were going to FAO Schwarz to get all the toys wrapped up with big red bows.

Davis liked that. I love how Gwen is looking at them. She's a little confused.

It's quite the sight to see all the santas!

Breakfast with Santa

2011-12-10T19:27:00.000-08:00

We had such a MAGICAL morning. Davis & Gwen are still talking about it.

Breakfast with Santa & his Elves

Iceskating at Rockefeller Plaza

Davis's first time in ice-skates

Window shopping & Christmas windows
We are doing more of a destination Christmas this year instead of toys for the kids.
We are focusing on all the fun events that NYC has to offer during Christmas.
It should be a fun month! Mom, we can't wait to see you in a couple weeks!

To my NYC friends. This is worth every penny & even the 6 AM wake up call. yikes!
We were up so early we saw the camels walking down Rockefeller Plaza getting ready for their part in the Christmas Spectacular.

This will definitely be a new tradition in our family.

Handel's Messiah

2011-12-10T16:41:00.000-08:00

We were so excited to listen to Handel's Messiah this year. It was absolutely amazing at Carnegie Hall. The choir was so talented and the soloists were unbelievable. It is definitely goosebump worthy!

2011-12-07T17:41:00.000-08:00

A date with my friend Jenny to see Breaking Dawn.

I feel like I'm still recovering from last weekend. I always know when December hits.

I enjoyed every second of my popcorn, milk duds & laughing all the way through it.

I can't wait until my next movie. I realized that I haven't been to the movies in a LONG time!

Until next time....

Thanksgiving

2011-12-02T09:09:00.000-08:00

very thankful.....
The Whiting's made the most beautiful turkey & were so nice to have all of us over. I wish I had a picture of the turkey. Davis won't eat Turkey because there is a wild turkey in Battery Park that he has become friends with. He stuck with the ham this year. :)

I love my friend from highschool, Christy. She has the blog, the girl who ate everything. I made almost all of her side dishes this year. The stuffed mushrooms were a huge hit. The pecan pie bars are delicious too! Thanks for posting the Lion House Roll video. We had fun flipping them.

London sitting with my Aunt Fern ( My Grandpa Randall's sister)

The girls hanging out before eating

The Stoten's joined us with their beautiful new babe & kids

Scooter time for the kids at City Hall Park

Pies at the Komenda's

my fav, hot berry pie. yum...

Pies at Brett & Kimber's with her fun family in town.

We spent the weekend in CT, visiting my Aunt Julie & Uncle Adam. We had a fun adventure at Mystic Aquarium.

These Beluga Whales are so much fun to play around with.

We had a really fun Thanksgiving. We are so thankful for our family & friends. We are so thankful for our kids. I am so thankful that Dennis didn't have to work this year!

CYBER MONDAY

2011-11-28T12:08:00.000-08:00

Okay friends...my brother in law has created a great way to see all the sales online. Check out his website to check out all the deals of the day.

He was also mentioned on the TODAY SHOW for his cyber Monday app. AMAZING!

http://www.tgicybermonday.com/

HAPPY SHOPPING! I just finished my Christmas shopping and it feels so good!

2011-11-22T14:36:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, we met some friends for breakfast after we did family pictures. We were up taking pictures by 7am! It was nice to get it over with. We are lucky to have the picture above with all of them looking at the camera. Gwen was in the middle of a fit but at least she looked for a second. I love these 2 pictures of Gwen dancing with Daddy in the park. Thanks Nichole for the great pictures. We love them. :)

Bubby's! We finally made it to the famous, Bubby's. We were not disappointed.

The Wellings joined us too. :)