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Carolina Charm

Five on Friday!




Happy Friday!

one. Cue the mommy guilt — my first work trip with my new job fell over “Muffins with Mom” this week at daycare. So on my way back into town I scooped the kiddos up from school and took them out for ice cream with “extra extra sprinkles.” They were pretty pumped and forgave me for missing the event!

two. My new Scout Tote arrived just in time for my girl’s beach trip next week! Isn’t she pretty?! I am a huge fan of Scout bags and their new summer collection prints are so cute. These totes hold SO much and are super durable — perfect for the beach! You can find the full collection here!


three. Yesterday was Caroline’s three year check up! I was a tad bit worried she would be scared during the doctor’s visit but that absolutely was not the case. She arrived fully prepared with her doctor’s kit and had the best time giving both Thomas and her pediatrician a full check up! Caroline checked out completely healthy (ALL THE PRAISE FOR HEALTHY). Thomas on the other hand…not so much. Thank goodness we were running too late to take Thomas to daycare before Caroline’s early appointment because our sweet doctor agreed to peek into his ears and immediately diagnosed him with a nasty ear infection in the ear his tube has already fallen out of.


four. Here’s to hoping this little trick of logging our doses on the bottle will help us keep up with Thomas’s medication! And this one is a full 10 days — eep! 

five. We are having the exterior of our house painted — grey! Or gray? Anyway, I couldn’t be more excited! The last decade of bird holes weren’t patched correctly in the stucco and the paint wasn’t matched to the house so there are literally little patches of different shades of grey alllllll over the house. But not for much longer! The painter is really on me to pick a color and I caaaaaaaaan’t! So I polled the internet and y’all apparently couldn’t decide either because the votes came in dead even for the lightest and darkest color!

Also, this is the house color I am obsessed with. I reached out to the owner but she wasn’t sure what the color was so I’m on a mission to match ours as close as possible!





Happy weekend y’all. I’ll be sitting in my driveway staring at my paint swatches…


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Comments

  1. Unknown says

    Paint your choices on some posterboard and carry them over??? I think #3 will be closest! #1 is pretty but will show dirt faster and may also go more "silver" in bright light.

    Reply

  2. Heather @ Heathers Hurrah says

    I vote # 3!! I think it's closest to what you are looking for. Sorry to hear about the ear infection! Hope he heals up quickly. Love the ice cream faces 🙂

    Reply

  5. Erin (No Bohns About It) says

    Girl I FEEL you on missing muffins with mom. I always say my worst mom ever moment is when I was unable to attend a mother's day event for my then 8 year old. The kids had all written surprise mother's day poems which they then read on stage to their moms. When it was my son's turn to take the stage his teacher had him read his poem to an empty chair!

    Reply

  8. June Pope says

    Dark gives you better contrast to the trim. Then paint your door a fun color, if you haven't already.

    Reply

  9. Sara says

    So….we're literally having our house painted gray right now and it took me forever to choose a color as well! Sherwin Williams was so helpful. They told me to paint a sample on different parts of the house and then check on the color throughout the day to see what it looks like in all shades of light. That definitely helped me! We went with Light French Gray for the house, Grizzle Gray for trim and Cityscape for our windows. I'm loving it! Good luck!

    Reply

  10. Amanda @ That Inspired Chick says

    I love the darker gray (grey?) contrast with the pop of white! That's my vote! And that tote is so cute!! I want one!That Inspired Chick

    Reply

  12. Emily says

    I think that house is Agreeable Gray or Stonington Gray. I like the top color the best because it's the brightest, but it's warmer than the other two and may look a little beige.

    Reply

  13. Sarah Shaneyfelt says

    I love a painted exterior! I really wanted to paint our brick white when we built, but our neighborhood restricts white homes…so crazy! We have to stick to a "natural" palette aka browns. I love #2!Sarah at MeetTheShaneyfelts

    Reply

  14. sara [at] journey of doing says

    3 looks like the closest one!! So glad that Caroline got a clean bill of health! Hoping Thomas is feeling better soon, too! Love the dose tracking!!! 😉

    Reply

  16. Ashley says

    I vote #3. Love the higher contrast with white trim. And then a BEAUTIFUL door! I personally love teal, but yellow or navy would be pretty too!

    Reply

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Five on Friday!

Happy Friday! Thank you all so much for your blog and post suggestions!!! I always enjoy hearing from my readers and am really excited about all of the ideas you gave me! Keep an eye out for some new posts coming your way! Also, I can’t wait to check out your favorite blogs to my reader!!

one. Let’s talk dinnertime, shall we? In our house dinnertime can be a bit of a battle with two toddlers. Unless it’s takeout no matter what we cook for Caroline she takes two bites and exclaims she is “all done!” We’ve found that the dinner setting is key to our success. This includes changing up where and how we eat. It’s like she gets distracted with excitement over something different and actually eats! So to switch things up at dinner we sometimes watch Sesame Street, some nights the kids are side by side in high chairs, sometimes they eat sitting on the counter top, sometimes outside, etc. etc. Most recently we added a The First Years Mickey Mouse Helping Hands Feeding Seat to our collection and let the kiddos take turns eating in it. And for some reason it’s miraculous. Whichever mini doesn’t get the chair gets to use our new Mickey feeding set and Mickey sippy cup!

 

Clearly it wasn’t Caroline’s night to sit in the Mickey Seat. Or Thomas’s night to have the Mickey cup.

two. PSA for fellow mamas of picky toddlers: Annie’s Pea B&J Pockets are a huuuuuge hit at our house and are a great way to trick your minis into eating some peas! FYI, I can only find them at Target.

three. If you haven’t already tried Trader Joe’s Avocado Oil you need to add it to your shopping list! I just picked up a bottle two weeks ago and it is hands down the best oil for cooking I’ve ever used. I am obsessed.

four. In non-food news, I have a question for you all. I need help with sunscreen! I am almost certain that I have a sun (or possibly an SPF) allergy. It only affects my face but anytime I apply sunscreen to my face it breaks out into an itchy rash that turns into blotchy redness and then dries out my face and flakes for weeks. So truthfully, I try not to even use sunscreen on my face (I know, I know!!!) and usually wear a hat instead for short bursts of sun exposure. However, the best sunscreen for EXTREMELY sensitive skin that I’ve used so far is Josie Maran’s Moisturizer with SPF 47. I just ran out but before I reorder for Jamaica I wanted to check with the fellow sensitive skin ladies to see what y’all use. (And hopefully it’s cheaper.)

Also sun related, I just ordered Heliocare after doing some research. I haven’t tried this before but I’m excited to see if it helps reduce the nasty side effects to my face from sun exposure.

five. A few of you emailed me from Monday’s post asking where Caroline’s dress is from. It’s from Old Navy and we have it in two colors (navy and light red)! The back is SUPER cute too. Currently on sale for $13 but is only left in warm stripe (pictured above).

—-

Wanna join April, Natasha and I on the Friday fun? You can link-up on any of our four blogs every Friday! All you have to do is…

1.) Write your post about five things you’re lovin’ this week (or any five things you want to share!).

2.) Share the logo on your blog and link back. 

3.) Link-up at the bottom of the post so some new readers can check out your five things and say hello!

THE GOOD LIFE BLOG


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Comments

  1. Adelyn V says

    Love your blog! 🙂 I have EXTREMELY sensitive facial/neck skin (weirdly, the rest of my body is less sensitive). I have tried probably everything out there re: sunscreen as I have Irish/Scottish ancestry and the super fair skin to match. Josie Maran SPF 47 is probably the only sunscreen I've ever used that has yet to irritate my skin, particularly the area around my eyes. It is expensive but I look at it as an investment in my skin that's cheaper than the alternative. One tip–check QVC from time to time as they do deals on Josie Maran products on occasion.

    Reply

  2. KGD says

    You might be allergic to PABA! I have to deal with this and you just need to make sure your sunscreen is PABA free. Most child friendly sunscreens are.

    Reply

    • Carolina Charm says

      Which sunscreen do you use? I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case because I can't even use lots of types of makeup (that contain SPF)!

      Reply

    • Christi says

      I'm super sensitive especially on my face but can use the Clinique city block which I put under aveeno moisturizer with spf but I can't have anything near my eyes.

      Reply

  3. Julie says

    Our little does the same with food 🙁 She will literally just look at it and say all done. Unfortunately that means our meals have been less than exciting lately.

    Reply

  5. Julia says

    I have the same problem with sunscreen on my face, the only thing I have found that works for me is my son's babyganics sunscreen!

    Reply

  6. Robbin Writes says

    Strangely enough, I just blogged about sunscreen in my five! I'm allergic to the zinc oxide in most sunscreen, so I use Neutrogena Ultra Sheer. It works well for me, and it's like $10. Bonus: you can get it at Ulta (with a coupon!) and return it within 30 days if it breaks you out.

    Reply

    • Alexis Fetterman says

      Another Bonus…I don't know anything about this sunscreen, but I do know when my Mom saw a dermatologist they recommended Neutrogena products for the face. 🙂

      Reply

  7. Alexis Fetterman says

    Aww man I am loving all the Mickey sruff. My son loves Mickey. I may have to try the spout less cup for vacation!I will also have to look for the Peace B and J!! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  8. Maggie says

    I never use "real" sunscreen on my face because it's in the BB cream I put on every morning. Have you tried makeup containing SPF or does that cause a reaction as well?

    Reply

  9. Sarah says

    I have a similar problem with sunscreens on my face! I LOVE the Josie Maran kind- it just FEELS so nice on your skin! I also got a tube of MDSolarSciences MD Creme Mineral Beauty Balm, SPF 50 that I really enjoy. It's not much cheaper than the Josie Maran, but I like that it gives enough of a tint that it doesn't make your face white as a ghost!

    Reply

  11. Bama Girl in TX says

    Not to be a Debbie Downer….but all those distractions at dinner just to get her to eat are not going to translate well to her eating dinner well at friends/family/restaurants. I say this out of experience with my now almost-13 year old. It's ok if they don't eat dinner. But coaxing them with all the stuff will backfire.

    Reply

  12. Candace says

    My son used to have the same issue with the sun/sunscreen. We switched to Babyganics this year and he's had no issues at all. Plus, it's only $9.99 at Target! My hubs and I use it to and it's great.

    Reply

  13. ababygrowsinbrooklyn.squarespace.com says

    Have you tried Acure brand sunscreen? My toddler was reacting to EVERYTHING but we finally had some luck with Acure brand. They also make a great bug repellent stick. ababygrowsinbrooklyn.squarespace.com

    Reply

  14. Mary Leigh says

    Littles are funny with their eating needs. Very creative to take turns with the mickey chair/dinner set. Sometimes you just do whatever you can to get food in their little tummies!

    Reply

  15. Robin says

    There are so many sunscreens on the market. Check out colorescience. They make a mineral brush on SPF50 sunscreen with zinc and titanium dioxide. It's paraben and fragrance free and great for the minis too. Sephora will be carrying the line soon. Also look into vanicream. That is a great line of products for people with sensitive skin. These are some of the things i recommend to my patients as I work in dermatology. Hope this helps and hope you find one you like and works for you!!

    Reply

  17. amandamatou says

    These are my favorite face sunscreens.Both neutrogena….clear face spf 30, healthy defense moisturizer with spf 30.Also the Annie's pea b & j, are they in the frozen section?

    Reply

  18. Kristen Henderson says

    Have you tried neutrogena clear face? I am sensitive to sun as well and I swear by neutrogena sunscreens!

    Reply

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Five on Friday!




– ONE – I seriously cannot thank you all enough for the prayer and encouragement you all blessed me with after learning the news of my dad’s cancer battle {post}. So many of those emails and comments met me in some of my most broken moments and uplifted me. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I know that God uses every circumstance to bring us to our knees and draw us closer
to him and that we will get through this. So many of you have experienced or are currently experiencing similar battles and I am humbled to learn of your stories too. I wanted to share my story in hopes that any of you facing a similar situation could relate and not feel so alone. Or maybe something else big is happening in your life – you’re loved one is sick, you recently experienced a miscarriage or are battling infertility, you’re going through a divorce, you lost your job or are struggling in some way. If there is a way I can pray for you please let me know. This community is powerful and I am so thankful for you all.

– TWO – I am anxiously counting down the days until we can get down to sunny Florida to be with my family! This will be Caroline’s first flight and I am a bit nervous, not so much about the actual 1.5 hour flight but carting suitcases, strollers, baby, carry ons, formula and more through the airport. It should be interesting. If any of you have any tips on flying with a 7 month old, please share!!

– THREE – Earlier this week my girlfriends surprised me with such a thoughtful gift – the snuggliest blanket, a delicious Christmas candle and the prettiest mug. Even Charlie was jealous of my coziness.

– FOUR – Last night Matt and his partner Bryan hosted their first firm event and it was such a success! Guests were invited to a mini holiday party at the office where tons of Chick-fil-a nuggets and a variety of beer was provided. At the end of the event each person was given a branded six pack holder to stuff a variety of beers in to take home. It was a hit and I was so happy to help! Proud of these guys and how far they’ve come in their business!

– FIVE –  This weekend is going to be a busy, festive one! Tomorrow I am working my firm’s annual Nutcracker event. I always enjoy this event. It’s so fun to see all of the little girls arrive in their fancy dresses, so excited to meet the ballerinas, take a backstage tour, eat sugar cookies and watch the Nutcracker. And on Sunday I’ll be attending Mel’s annual cookie exchange! Thank you all for the recipe ideas. I am definitely leaning towards the “pour everything in one pan, bake, cut into 4 dozen pieces” route!



Wanna join Darci, April, Natasha and I on the
Friday fun? You can link-up on any of our four blogs every Friday! All you have
to do is…



1.)
Write your post about five things you’re lovin’ this week (or any five things
you want to share!).

2.) Share the logo on your blog and link back. 

3.)
Link-up at the bottom of the post so some new readers can check out your five
things and say hello!


THE GOOD LIFE BLOG




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Comments

  1. P!nky says

    Still praying for you, lady! So glad everyone's lifting you and your family up in prayer. So powerful!That nutcracker event sounds amazing. Do you work at a theatre?!?!

    Reply

  2. Meagan Hofer says

    Still sending lots of love and prayers your way!! That blanket looks amazing…girlfriends are the best 🙂 Enjoy your festive weekend!!

    Reply

  3. Caitlyn {Home Sweet Ruby} says

    That was so thoughtful of your girlfriends! I have no advice for flying with a baby but with your hubby to help carry things and Caroline's sweet smile, I'm sure y'all will do fine! 🙂 Have a fun weekend!

    Reply

  4. Sydney Hale says

    Prayers going up for your dad and the rest of the family. My father had 3 different types of cancers at different times in his life and it was hard seeing him go through all the treatment!!! I'm sure a Florida trip is just what you need. Enjoy your trip!Sydneyhttp://raisingsoutherngrace.blogspot.com/

    Reply

  5. Julie says

    I can't wait to hear how the flight goes. We have a trip planned with our little one next year and I am already a tad nervous about it.

    Reply

  6. LHWinstead says

    So sorry to hear about your Dad – I am praying for you & your family!! I completely agree with what you said, He uses everything to draw us closer to Him!

    Reply

  7. Jess Scott says

    Still praying for you, girl. We are going to Florida in February, too! We are leaving Cam behind and enjoy four days in Naples…we flew with Cam when he was 8 months old, and he did so much better than I anticipated. I brought one carry one with his stuff: extra clothes and pajamas, blanket, toys and snacks. We rented a car seat, so we didn't have to lug that. We brought our BOB and used it to either carry Cam or our stuff!! 🙂 Bring lots of sanitizer…LOTS! Seriously, though…you should look into renting baby supplies when you land. It saved us so much time and hassle and didn't cost too much. Have a great weekend!!

    Reply

  8. Jessica says

    Definitely keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers, and am so glad that you are finding comfort and support during this time! Congrats to your husband on his first official office event:) And hoping you enjoy yours as well:) Happy weekend, sweet friend!

    Reply

  11. Paige @ Reasons to Come Home says

    So very sweet of your friends! And the event this weekend sounds like every little girls dream come true!

    Reply

  12. Tiffany {A Touch of Grace} says

    SOOOO much love and prayer coming your way for your family. Big virtual hugs!Beer is always a good way to employee's hearts. :)Have fun at the event tomorrow! Sounds like a good time!

    Reply

  13. Alicia Rowland says

    Just got home from our first flight with a 6 month old (just me and her.. ah!). Here's what worked for us: You can check a car seat or stroller for free. We bought this cover from Target and checked out car seat. ((http://www.target.com/p/jl-childress-gate-check-bag-for-car-seats/-/A-10630170#prodSlot=medium_1_2&term=gate+check)) Also, we only brought an umbrella stroller and it was SOO nice. You can push the baby through the airport with it, and they take it at the airplane door. For this we just brought a garbage bag and threw over it so it wouldn't get dirty under the plane. I checked everything but her diaper bag so I only had that, her, and the umbrella stroller. I brought a few small toys, extra change of clothes, and then the normal diaper bag items. Also had 3 bottles of water for formula and the little Enfamil single pouches (that look like crystal light single packs). These are life savers on saving room. Our flight was on an hour and 15 minutes too, so not bad. She slept most of it. Our first flight didn't have a changing table in the bathroom, so try to change her at the last minute before you board. I also had my mom (where we traveled to) to buy her wipes, diapers, and formula for me so I didn't have to travel with it. Saved tons of room! I also bought an extra car seat base and shipped directly to her since it was only $30 and she could already have it installed when we got there. Sorry for the novel, haha, but all this helped us so much!! 🙂

    Reply

    • Alicia Rowland says

      Sheesh, typing too fast and had some typos. I also made her bottle for the plane before we boarded, so I wouldn't be worrying about getting it ready on the plane. I brought a big blanket too, but it got in the way on the plane because it was so hot and we didn't need it. A small blanket in your diaper bag should be plenty. Short flights go by so fast, I wouldn't worry about bringing a ton of stuff. My baby was happy staring at everyone or sleeping! 🙂 Good Luck!!

      Reply

  15. Stephanie says

    I have two boys (3 & 7 months) and we have flown a lot (my family is in St. Louis and we are in California). First I will say that it really isn't that bad! I don't find flying with little ones to be too stressful. I just go in with the mindset that we are going to take a little extra time to do everything and that we'll make it whether there is spit up in my hair or not! Also, everyone tends to be SUPER helpful when you have a little one in tow. TSA is so kind (most of the time) and the flight attendants tend to take pity on you as well. My few tips:1. Bring a ziplock back with everything you need for 1 diaper change (maybe pack a couple) so you don't have to bring the giant diaper bag into the teeny tiny airplane bathroom.2. Have Caroline eat when taking off and descending…it helps their ears. (pacifiers work too if she will take one)3. The baggage people are rough on car seats and strollers even when gate checking…might be worth getting some kind of bag to throw them in (we got some at babies r us…cheap but protect the seats from gunk and grime). 4. TSA will pretty much let you bring any amount of liquids (formula, baby food, medicine, etc.) through security as long as you have a kid with you. They might want to test the liquids but I have never had to throw anything out when traveling with my kids. 5. I always pack baby tylenol in my carry on. I figure if, heaven forbid, someone has a minor ear infection (or is just generally uncomfortable) we didn't catch before flying and seems uncomfortable we have the means to make the problem go away. I'll stop now but those are some of the big ones for us. Good luck and I know you guys will do great!

    Reply

  16. April of A. Liz Adventures says

    Such great flight tips above, I need to pin this post just for that! Hugs and love to you, sistah!

    Reply

  17. Jennifer Miller says

    Keeping you & your family in prayer this Advent season…. God indeed cam to be with us, through it ALL. Enjoy the special time in Florida! Honestly, traveling with a baby is easier than with a toddler, I think…. Nursing helped so much when taking off & landing, as did keeping her comfy, cozy & warm on the breezy plane. Less is more with packing…. Ie: buy diapers there. And less to lug around! Thanks too for your prayer for our families as well. Grateful for your sweet blog!

    Reply

  18. meg- made says

    Much much love to you all. Once you've done your first flight you'll be an instant pro, but nerves are normal for anything new when it comes to babies! I did a really long post about our travel tips after we'd done about 50 flights, so if you still want a little more reading on the topic, head here…Babes on a Plane.Sending extra hugs to you all xx

    Reply

  19. Well Hello! says

    Stephanie covered most of what I would say about traveling with a little but there is a few things I would add:1. If you have any sort of carrier bring it, and use it in the airport. TSA won't make you take her off and you now have your hand(s) free to help with luggage, tickets, etc. 2. Leave your stroller at home. I have the same stroller as you, and while it is a great help when tooling around town it is not worth the hassle of getting it through the airport. Also I've seen many a stroller get broken (even being gate checked). Once you get to Florida you can pick up a cheap umbrealla stroller new for 20 bucks. You could get your family to start looking for a gently used one for less. And you only have to do this once because it can just stay there with them when you leave. 3. I would second feeding while taking off and landing. The paci didn't help my little guy when we were landing, and I think that is because swallowing is the key to getting their little ears to pop. Once he started eating he was fine.Everyone really is exceptionally nice when you have a baby in tow. Just make sure to leave extra early so you don't feel rushed/frazzled to begin with. Good luck and happy holidays!

    Reply

  20. Allison Cronin says

    Prayers to you and your family! I agree with all of the flight suggestions. I tested with the Bjorn one way (checked the stroller) and then keeping the stroller on the way back. I think Abby was happier on the plane after being in the stroller until boarding. Definitely use a bag for your stroller. One of our car seat adapters was lost and then the stroller was useless! Also keep in mind smaller feedings with a short flight. I had issues with the bottle for landing since she was already a little full. And finally, I just read about a woman who handed out treat bags to passengers around her that included ear plugs and a note: "Please bear with us, it is our first flight." She said it changed the mood around her. Good luck and happy holidays!!

    Reply

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