Top 3 Cafe's to Visit

If you're a coffee lover and fan of cute Cafe's then you might want to stick around for this.

My sister and I have contracted "Cafe fever" recently. We love finding new coffee shops for our coffee pleasures (and pictures). We've found a few that I've totally fallen in love with.

I've collected 3 of my favorite Cafe's we've visited and you don't want to miss this!



ROOTED COFFEEHOUSE

This cafe is charming, and if you love all white backgrounds for your Insta feed; this might be the place for you! Their Mocha Latte was delicious and a great size! They also have beautiful coffee art! We thoroughly enjoyed some "down time" here. Rooted Coffeehouse is located in Evans GA, so if you're a resident, live close or just visiting; I suggest trying it out! I can proudly give 5 stars for this beautiful Cafe! And Check out the amazing pictures we got!

ICRAVE CAFE'

I loved the vintage details of this place! It's cozy. The couches were a perfect color, matching every detail of the room. A very lighted area, once again great for Instagram photos. My sister and I snapped more than a few photos of this awesome place. I purchased a yummy Iced Caramel Macchiato and for my little one she enjoyed sipping on a Strawberry Banana Smoothie (her go-to on every cafe visit). Tucked away in a small little town on Main St, in Leesville, SC. I wouldn't want you to miss it!

JUMPINGOAT COFFEE

     

   
A cafe on wheels? That's right, this cafe is actually on wheels and so far it's my absolute fav! It's authentic. Something I've never seen before! Unique. Also it's family owned. How cute? Did I mention it's on wheels? The decor made it so inviting (see photos of some of the decorations below). While I didn't get to enjoy any coffee (because I already had some before hand) the family and I really indulged in a tasty Strawberry Banana Smoothie. I honestly cannot get over this place! You can find this amazing Cafe located in Destin, Florida! If you're in the area or on vacation; swing by and pay them a visit. You won't regret it! Very friendly service. I believe I'll be visiting Florida and this cafe again!

Lastly, I'd like to thank the sweet owners of ICrave Cafe' for allowing me to use their beautiful photo as my title picture! Also to @gaw_photograpy for some of the pictures displayed above.

I hope you guys will visit at least one of these beautiful coffee shops and if you do, leave a comment!


Ally,
xoxo

Surviving Road Trips With a Toddler!

Okay, so we did a thing. Florida bound for 3 days which was an 8 hour drive! Did I mention we have a toddler? 

So basically you're thinking there's absolutely no way you could take your toddler on an 8 hour road trip right? It took my husband and I a few months to actually figure how we would be able to pull it off. We did though! 

I have a few tips and tricks for a tantrum free road trip to your destination, making it a little less chaotic.

○Portable DVD Player 

This was a total life saver! It won't hurt to drop more than $60 on a DVD player for your car. Moana and Frozen on repeat! I still have the songs playing my head.. Not kidding.  

○Snacks,Snacks and more Snacks! 

Yes, you've probably heard this tip a lot and it's one for the books, because it really does work. Snacks of all sorts. Fruit loops, gummies, chips (Yes I'm aware it's all unhealthy) rules don't apply on long road trips. Don't judge. 

○Human Interaction 

Aubree needed my company. And while sitting in the back seat can be uncomfortable for an adult riding long distances, it made her feel content being able to see mommy's face. Having someone to hold hands with and play peakaboo. 

○Rules Are Meant For Breaking! 

When on long roads trips one must know, rules do not matter! Throw them out the window! Yeah, you read it right. This means the constant snacking, naps, screen time. None of it matters when your toddler is restless from being in their sit for long periods of time. Trust me on this.

○Naps on Top of Naps 

She took lots of Naps! It's important to let them sleep almost the whole trip, this way you have less temper tantrums along the way. 

Leave in The Middle of The Night

At first this seemed like a very bad idea. I thought "her sleep schedule will be messed up", "she'll wake up and never go back to sleep, this will be a disaster". After thinking about it, it's actually genius! She slept almost the entire trip and when she wasn't sleeping she was probably thinking about sleeping. We thought it be easiest to load everything in the car first, change her diaper and head out, with pajamas and all. Hey, it worked!  

Necessary Stops 

Bathroom, breakfast, lunch, diaper changes, gas. We used any one of these reasons to get our toddler out of her car seat, letting her stretch her legs. She loved the freedom of being out of that dreaded car (I think we all did). 

Music

My child loves music and gave us an excuse to play the radio full blast when she'd get fussy. Girl loves to dance.

Toys 

Of course you should pack a few of their fav' toys! Why not? Even if it is the noisiest one of them all. This gave Aubree a variety of things to do, between movies, music, naps and snacks, she was all set and ready to roll! 

Before we knew it, we were there! An 8 hour trip never went by so peacefully! Our daughter doesn't even like 1 hour car trips. I'm convinced all of these things really helped 100%. She was a perfect little doll! 

Overall the trip was a success! One in which I'm really glad we took after all the procrastinating.  

Ally,
xoxo

How You Can (Do) 4th of July at Home!

Happy fourth friends!! I hope everyone had a blast this weekend celebrating "The land of the Free"! We had a blast spending the weekend at the beach, topping it off with my little family.

On today's blog I'll be sharing a short, but sweet list of things we did in the comfort of our own home to celebrate the 4th. 

□PIZZA AND WINGS!
One of the easiest things to buy for any day! And my husband is crazy about pizza so it's a win!

□SPARKLERS! 
This is Aubree's second 4th of July, but this year she actually knows what's going on and loved the sparklers. Also, these things are pretty traditional. As a kid I remember my Grandpa having these every year for our annual cookout! We also added a some silly string (she wasn't so crazy about it). 

□EASY TO MAKE, STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE! See what I did there? 

These things are amazing and makes for a great dessert after pizza!

□MOVIES AND PJ'S! 
A little down time to end a perfect day with your family. So grab a blanket and your favorite movie/snacks. 

Happy 4th of July, 
xoxo

SUMMER VACATION FAVS !

Hello, all my Summer lovin' friends! I know you're so excited to be in the midst of a season for vacations (I know I am) and I'm celebrating by sharing some of my most fav items I'll be packing in my suitcase for Florida this weekend! 

I'll be listing where I purchased everything underneath the photos, with the link that will redirect you to the website!

 1.Vintage floral lace kimono $29.90 found at Love, Peace & Boho

2. Mad Love Keava Footbed Sandal $22.99 at Target

3. ELF BB Cream with SPF 20 $6.00 found at Target 

4. EOS Lip Balm $2.99 at Walmart

5. Floppy Visor Hat retails for $11.99 at Cato Fashions

6. Crochet Triangle Bikini Top $19.99 at Target

7. Crochet Inset Cheeky High Waist Bikini Bottom $22.99 also found at Target

8. Relaxed High-neck Swing Cami retails for $24.99 at Old Navy
I love this tropical top, it's perfect for the beach! 

9. Sally Hansen Airbrush Sun Instant Tanning Mousse $11.74 purchased at Walmart. A little info. This instant tan really does work! It goes on evenly and I love it! 

xoxo, Ally

DITCHING THE PACIFIER COLD TURKEY!

My daughter was 14 months old when I knew it was time to take my her pacifier. I dreaded the thought. I almost bailed on the idea all together! I wasn't mentally prepared for how badly it would probably go. 

I do want to point out that pacifiers aren't all bad. In fact it can prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and best to let your baby use them until 6 months old!

There does come a time however, the binky MUST go! They can't keep them forever, though I will admit I thought once or twice about letting Aubree have her pacifier for as long as possible, but quickly realized how silly it was to entertain that thought. I couldn't bare the agonizing feeling of taking something my baby was so dependant on for so long. 

If your child is anything like mine was, she insisted on having her pacifier during nap and bedtime. Without it I'm afraid she would not fall asleep! This made the process very difficult for the both of us. 

I googled and googled. Read other mom's blog advice on how to go about taking her pacifier. Thought hard about taking the "weaning" direction, but the more I read about weaning her, it seemed to be more trouble than it was worth. 

The mommy instinct was gravitating more toward doing this cold turkey. Believe me it wasn't easy. She screamed bloody Mary the first day I laid her down for a nap. It was the single most heartbreaking thing I've ever done.

Yes, just like most moms, I almost cracked! I wanted to give the pacifier back and forget everything. As if all the screaming and crying never happened! "So why didn't you"? You might ask. Easy. I threw all those prized possessions in the trash, because I knew I'd want to "just start over tomorrow" (no such thing). I kept two for her baby box and that was it! 

Here comes the "aah, I can finally breath again" part. After a week of no pacifier, she was perfectly fine with nap and bed time! Whew. I could finally relax when these times rolled around. I did it! I still feel pretty victorious about it. This mom never budged! It takes consistency to do something like this. Never give up, even through the chaos! Remember the old saying, "it gets worse before it gets better".

In the end, I'm so glad I took the cold turkey method. It was quick. Not easy, but quick! Maybe this method won't be best for you and your baby, but nevertheless I am rooting for the mommy's out there!

Dear Teenage Me.

Father's Day is Sunday and with it come many blogs about "Father's Day Gift Guides", but I'm taking a different approach.

My brothers and I are going on 5 years without our dad, so Father's Day isn't really celebrated with us anymore. We've put it on the back burner and haven't
looked back.

As I thought about what my blog could be about pertaining Father's Day, it came to me. A letter to my teenage self on all the things I wish I would have known before he died. It was hard to reminisce on this stuff to say the least, but it's a way to honor my dad on yet another Father's Day spent without him.

Teenage girls, if your dad is still well and very much alive listen up!

Dear teenage me:

Watch your words. I understand hormones are raging. You're 14 and think you know everything. Every time he says "No", you "hate him." He's looking out for you. Someday you'll understand. 

Dear teenage me:

When he hugged you and said "I love you", you pulled away, not saying it back. You thought you were too old for dad's hugs. He responded with, "one day I won't be here and you'll wish I was." Wow, he was right. 

Dear teenage me:

Tell him thank you every chance you get. After all, he has always been there like a dad should be. Providing and making sure food was on the table every night. 

Dear teenage me:

You're 15 now and a boyfriend seems more important than he does. I'm begging you to please break up with this guy and spend all the time in the world with your dad. Boys can wait. Unfortunately time spent with your dad can't..

Dear teenage me:

You're 16. Through tears I ask you to please answer his call. He leaves a voicemail, because you in fact did not answer. You were probably mad about some crazy adolescent thing. 

P.S. you will hold onto to that voicemail for the rest of your life.

Dear teenage me:

The last night you see him.... Hug him tight. Don't let go. I'm screaming to you from the top of my lungs to please, please hold onto him for as long as you possibly can. Tell him you love him over and over. Even if he is wondering why you sound like a broken record. He doesn't know why, but I do...

Dear teenage me:

Do not, under any circumstances hang the phone up on him!!! You did.. There you go again with that awful teenage attitude of yours. You think you know everything. If you did, you would heed my warning.

Dear teenage me:

It's the night of July 15th 2013 and you're in your room watching a movie. You are just a 16 year old teenager without a care in the world. Still a child. I don't know how to tell you this. He's already gone...

Dear teenage me:

I'm not going to sugar coat anything. The weeks following will be really, really tough for you and your family. Stay strong. God will see you through this trial. 

                                               

For my dad. Happy Father's Day ❤

5 Reasons to Have Another Girl!

As I talked about in my initial blog post, my husband and want another baby. Not at the moment. But, that doesn't mean I can't ponder the pros of having another girl.

It's no secrete with my first pregnancy how badly I wanted a little girl! I practically prayed for her since I was a child (not kidding) I always knew I wanted a daughter! 

There's so many reasons for wanting another baby wrapped in pink. The frilly outfits, bows, beauty pageants! I could go on all day, but we don't have enough time for that! 

I do have time for writing 5 reasons to have another girl. Stay tuned!

1. We Already Have Everything We Need

I pretty much kept the essentials and while that wouldn't stop me from going shopping for baby #2, at least I can say we have the necessities. Things Aubree either wore once or didn't get to wear at all. 

2. Aubree Would Have a Best Friend for Life 

Yes, of course you have a best friend in siblings brother or sister. However, brothers tend to go their own way as you grow into adults, but sisters are another story. You have a long term friend in a sister. Someone you can share clothes, secretes, laughs and tears with. 

3. Cute Girly Things 

I love, love, love dressing Aubree up! The big bows, frilly socks, painted toes. The whole shebang! You name it, I love it! 

4. Tons of Girl Names 

It's extremely hard finding boy names, or is it just this indesisive couple? I love having things planned way ahead, so therefore I wanted to be prepared by having names chosen for both genders, but would you know. We couldn't agree on any names for a boy! Thank God Aubree was an Aubree the entire time. Phew! 

5. Bonding 

You can bond with your son, true. I've learned that it comes easier with daughters though (after the teenage angst years). My hope and prayer is to have that distinct bond with Aubree as I do with my mom and how awesome would it be to have that bonding experience with two girls? 

Summer Must-Haves for Toddler!

Summer is just around the corner and you know what that means. Trips to the beach, poolside and mini vacations! I can't believe Aubree is old enough this summer to run around the beach and play in the sand! Making memories is what it is all about after all! And there are some essentials we can't live without when summer approaches.

● COPPERTONE WATER BABIES SPF 50

This is a big one! I leave sunscreen in the diaper bag at all times being that her skin is sensitive to sun rays. Coppertone Water babies is also my fav' choice of sunscreen for my toddler. 

●SUN HATS  

They're so cute, but also keeps our baby's heads from blistering.

●SUNGLASSES 

I am a huge fan of the cute sunglasses even if my 16 month old only wears them for a few seconds. My advice is that if your baby will wear the glasses, let them! It's also a nice touch for summer outings with your little ones.

●ROMPERS

Sporting rompers are the cutest fashion for summer and one of my favorite outfits to pair with sandals for Aubree! We get so many compliments with this choice of style. I'm sure this keeps her pretty cool as well in 90 degree weather.

 ●EOS LIP BALM 

Okay, this one may or may not be more for mom (it totally is), but it's a summer necessity if you're planning on being out in the sun for a few hours.

Side note: My little diva loves putting on lip balm! 

●SWIMWEAR
Cute, stylish bathing suits are in every summer! Of course I had to buy a few for Aubree. 

●WATER, WATER, AND MORE WATER  
Our babies have to stay hydrated. Keep those sippy cups near this summer and every summer! I GOT mine from Target

What's on your list? I'd love to hear some of your favorite summer essentials for Summer 2018! xoxo

We Want Another Baby!

Beside God sending his Son to die on the cross for us, having babies is the second greatest gift God could have given women. I absolutely love being called "mama", by my 16 month old daughter, it makes me feel superior knowing that someone so small looks up to me for her every need. I LOVE what I do! 

My husband and I have often talked about having another baby and the list of reasons why could go on forever! 

We Want Aubree to Have a Sibling:

I often reminisce on all the fun times my siblings and I had growing up. They were my first best friends! We did so much together. Depriving her of all the adventures she and her siblings could have doesn't seem fair. And oh the love they will have for one another! Personally, I couldn't explain how much I truly love my siblings.

Starting Over: 

That doesn't sound very appealing to every parent, but we would love nothing more! 

Being in awe all Over Again:

OH BABY! The teeny outfits, the new baby smell, sweet little baby feet! The unimaginable feeling when you hold your baby for the first time! Don't get me wrong, we're still in awe over our little girl. She gives us new reasons to be every single day! 

Having the Knowledge we Didn't Have With Baby #1: 

Obviously we're human and first time parents can't get everything right. Having baby #2 gives us the perfect opportunity to brag about how much we already know and saying things like "oh don't worry we got this. Been there, done that"! 


More to Love:

We have all the love in the world for our daughter and there's definitely room in our hearts for another baby! 







While a sibling doesn't look to be in the near future for Aubree, we would love the blessing of not just one, but two little blessings when the time is right! As of right now, we want to spoil our little girl with love and hugs while she's still so little. She deserves mommy and daddy's undivided attention. I'm sure she wouldn't argue with that statement! 

The Truth About Stretch Marks

It took me awhile to come to terms with my body. And by awhile I mean a year.  Pretending to be the perfect mother who didn't have stretch marks. Trying to cover them up every chance I got, because I was seriously terrified about what someone might be thinking. Well, I'm through with that noise! And here's why.

They are not going anywhere! Face it. It's the hard truth. I've spent money and time lathering oils and lotions all over my stomach in hopes that in a few months they would slowly fade, but they didn't! They won't! In time they will fade. That is true. But completely? No. Immediately? Nope. I know this isn't what you want to hear, but bear with me, I promise I'm getting somewhere with this.

If I waited until they're totally gone to show my face at the beach again I'd be waiting a lifetime. That's a lifetime of stress wondering what others think of me. It's a losing battle. I'm dropping the weight but the stretch marks are here to stay! I'm taking pride in them and you should too. We are the real deal. We carried and gave birth to another human being. 

Let's recoil from this dark place we've placed ourselves in, scared of what others are going to say or think. Our stretch marks have a story. Our baby's story. Would we ever feel ashamed of our children? Of course not! Why should we be ashamed of our stretch marks? That's where their story began. 

You are beautiful! 

Whats in your Hospital Bag?

When I packed a hospital bag for my daughter I honestly had no idea what I'd actually need. So, what did I do? Packed her bag completely full of course! And newsflash! I ended up not using half of what was in there. I wish I would have known what I know now. So, what will you actually need? Stay tuned!

●Warm Blanket(s)

This one is important. Your baby wants to feel surrounded by warmth. This gives them that "safe place" feel. Bringing your own baby blanket also beats the heck out of using the thin blankets from the hospital. 

●Baby Hats

Baby hats aren't just the absolute cutest on newborn babies, but they also keep them warm and cozy!

●Pacifier 

I know this is a personal preference and some parents would much rather stay away! However, some parents introduce the binky as an extra comforting tool. I must note that I myself did not pack a pacifier (completely forgot), but totally would have if I remembered. The hospital did provide us with one. But... pacifiers from the hospital didn't exactly scream clean to me. 

●Socks 

This is something the hospital did not provide us with. I wanted our little angel to be as warm as possible and socks were a must have! 

●Mittens 

(Should have seen this one coming after the socks). Once again, I wanted to keep her warm. A bonus mittens have are that they can be extremely helpful when you have visitors, just so they won't feel obligated to touch your newborn's bare hands.

 I may be be a little OCD, don't judge. 

●Burp cloths

Newborns tend to spit up. Like a lot. Need I say more?

●Car Seat 

Please, do not forget about this one, very important thing! Obviously you will not be able to leave without a proper, working, infant car seat. 

●Gowns 

You have no idea how awesome gowns are until you have to change your newborn's diaper. Adding to that, they go on so easily! Sure, you can pack the cutesy outfits for picture purposes. I did! 

●Going Home Outfit 

This one doesn't have to be fancy or anything unless, you know. Picture purposes.

●Baby Book

You don't want to forget about the baby book. Making sure you write down everything immediately before forgetting. From baby's weight, height, eye color, birth story etc. 


                         

 Did I miss anything? What would you add to the list that is an absolute must have item for your newborn's hospital bag?

Loving Yourself Again.

After giving birth we're left with the uncertainty of what might happen to our bodies. I'm going to be perfectly blunt here, we feel ugly and fat. It's the absolute truth. The baby weight lingers for months, being tired is the new normal, messy buns are your only choice of hairstyle, the jeans you use to put on effortlessly will not go over your thighs anymore. And makeup... Well, when was the last time you actually had time for that? With these new responsibilities it seems as if the old us has transformed into someone totally different. Entering into this whole new world gives us an awful perspective of ourselves. We discover somewhere along the path that we no longer have self love...

Pregnancy is one of the most authentic things we'll ever do as women. We accomplish so much in nine short months, but the aftermath it has on our bodies can be difficult. I'm talking about a week after giving birth. You've had a long day of feedings, diaper changes and naps. Literally the same routine for hours on end. As the night draws to a close you FINALLY get the "mommy time" you've been craving all day. So what do we do? Hot bath of course! You're about to jump in, ready to wash the day away, with spit up (and God only knows what else) when you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror. You come to a complete halt. You notice for the first time.... The loose skin where your baby use to be, extra weight, stretch marks, dark circles underneath the eyes. THE HORROR! Everything that pregnancy left you with sticks out like a sore thumb in this particular moment. The women in the mirror is a total stranger. For weeks we pity ourselves, asking are we still enough? Our bodies have changed. It seems as if feeling beautiful will never happen again. 

IT WILL!

Slowly. You slowly start to love your body again. As your baby starts sleeping considerably better, we finally get the sleep we've missed out on for weeks. Our jeans are fitting again, makeup has made a reappearance. We actually feel like doing our hair! Looking in the mirror is now bearable. We feel beautiful again! It's miraculous what sleep and a little weight loss can do. Time is truly key! 

5 Things You Should Never Say to a New Mom!

News moms have heard quite a few things. Some pleasant and others not so much. Lets hop into the 5 things you should NEVER say to a new mom.

1. You're doing it wrong..
Wow! You're a few months into being a new mother and someone (family, friend or stranger) tells you that you're "doing it wrong". What nerve! Whether the diaper changes aren't "fast enough" for their liking or you're holding the bottle the wrong way (don't think we could mess that one up) someone, somewhere will have a very unwanted opinion about how you're handling motherhood. When it's all said and done, you're the parent! The opinions of others doesn't actually matter. So take it with a grain of salt. We all parent differently. Whatever works for you. Right?

2. You're not as small as you use to be.
Well of course I'm not! I just birthed a human being 2 months ago! Remember? How selfish can one person be? We are going through so much at the moment. Sleep deprivation, depression and crazy hormonal imbalances all wrapped up in one. It's something that we're struggling with behind closed doors. We know that we're not as skinny as we use to be. You do not have to remind us.

3. Stop holding your baby so much. You're going to spoil him/her.
Telling a new mom to stop holding her baby so much are a very poor choice of words! I've waited nine long, nauseous months carrying this beautiful baby. Longing to have her in my arms for oh, so long. This is my moment! I want to soak all of this in for as long as I possibly can. I don't plan on putting her down anytime soon! After all, they grow up so fast and before I can blink she'll be all grown up. So let the "spoiling" begin. From one mom to another, hold your beautiful babies! In my true opinion you can never hold your newborn "too much".

4. Get some rest.
okay. This is very nice advice. However, I can't exactly "get some rest," I'm a new mother and my baby wakes up numerous times every night! Sure, I could nap when she naps, but even doing so I go to sleep tired and wake up even more exhausted than before. This is apart of new mom status. It's easier said than done.

5. When are you going to have another baby?
Seriously, why does it seem like we all get asked this question just a few short months after having a baby? Listen,We may be a little groggy from the no sleep thing, but believe us when we answer "no time soon" to your question fairly quickly! It's not exactly an LOL moment for us when you ask this silly question. But, if you insist, prepare yourself for a snappy comeback from one tired momma. We are sure to take every precaution necessary before we "have another."

Living with PPD after baby!

New mom. Ahh, those two words sound so beautiful, but is it really? Actually it's the complete opposite. Nobody ever warns you about the ugly side of it and by ugly I mean postpartum depression! That's right you heard me. You've just brought this beautiful tiny angel into the world that you love so much. However you don't feel so happy.

Four days into being home you start to feel this strong sensation of despondency and dejection. You cry over spilled milk, literally! This is suppose to be the happiest time of your life. You're in this whirlwind of emotion. Thoughts run wild. "Why do I feel so depressed?" "Why do I look so gross?" "Will my husband ever find me attractive again?" The very thought of starting your day alone with a newborn baby as your husband prepares to go back to work is terrifying! It's okay to cry about it. In fact, Please do! So much is going on. Hormones are running rampant, your body doesn't look the same, the stretch marks look horrid. You no longer recognize the person starring back at you in the mirror. How do we as new mothers prepare ourselves for this? Well, we don't. We could never prepare ourselves physically or mentally for PPD. We're stronger than we think when we have no choice but to go through this.

This is totally cliche, but I'll say it anyway. This will get better! I know what you're thinking, "no it won't". Right now you're in the midst of the storm and it will clear up. Your sunny days of baby giggles and the pitter patter of small feet are just ahead. You will feel "normal" again. Whatever that means... You will feel sexy again, you will fit into your jeans again. And trust me your husband still finds you attractive! He loves you! Most important, you will learn to care for your baby the way you should. You will be a pro at it in no time. So, in the meantime sleep when you can and accept help from family and friends. Relax momma, you are doing amazing!