Small Fry

best boy wardrobe tips!

All my best tips for creating a wardrobe both you and your boy will love! Filled with all my opinions — take it for what it’s worth!

My #1 tip is to fill their closet only with pieces you both like. So when they start flexing their decision-making muscles you won’t cringe. I don’t take my kids shopping, ever. It’s not fun for anyone! At least yet. So I shop online and I pull my favorite items, items I know they’ll like that I like, too, on separate tabs and I show the boys all the tabs at once and let them pick from those items. That is the end of my control. They dress themselves everyday and I have learned over time to love seeing what they come up with!

Start with: fun tees. I avoid Nike type slogan tees “This is my house” ;), character shirts, and trendy saying tees. I think a wardrobe goes farther without them. I’m also a big believer in dressing how you want to feel, and how you want to be perceived! My boys are so much more than those labeling tees and I feel they’re just distracting. (I grew up wearing uniforms so I think lots of my opinions stemmed from that experience!) I also stock up on solid color tees in their favorite colors and good neutral basics! Like this two pack!

Add on: I can’t count how many times I’ve heard dressing boys isn’t as fun as girls. It can be! Layering always helps! Top it with a button-down, stick a long-sleeve tee underneath. Just takes a little extra thought but it pays off in the final result!

Tropical Tee $8 and comes in 12 options! // Chambray button-down // Splatter Tee $15 // Tiger Tee $7 // Striped Long Sleeve // Colorblock Shorts 40% off // Khaki + Denim long pants (50% off!) // Bento Box that fits a sandwich (why do so many not??) Patches (lots on the site!) // $18 Galoshes // $10 Navy Slip Ons // Striped Socks $5 for 3! // Neff Watch // Beanie in every color // Neon Windbreaker 40% off // New Balance Sneakers // Raglan Zip Up Jacket $18 // Skate Hoodie // Windbreaker in perfect colors! //

Pants + Shorts have to be moveable and breathable. I’ve already expressed my love for the Sweatpant Stretch. I also love the Built-In Flex line at Old Navy. Both lines move with them, but wear really well and hold their shape all day! I also love looking for interesting bottoms like these color block shorts.

Slip-ons: My kids get up so freaking early yet we’re always running out the door. The last push to get to the car is always stressful and shoes just happen to be the last thing. So they cause a lot of issues around here. I like to have slip-on options galore right by the door. Also make sure you have a waterproof option like these gollies for rainy days or snowy days. And of course you’re gonna need the world’s fastest sneaker selected from a carefully curated list of options by mom. 😉

Accessorize: Yeah sure girls have SO many more options, but if you pay attention you’ll start to see lots of fun items for boys, too! Fun socks (I’ll link a bunch below!), watches, hats, little things they carry with them like water bottles and fun lunchboxes. I love this super simple backpack that they could make their own with these $1 patches!

Jackets: I send them with a jacket everyday. Brisk mornings, weird weather, something soft to bunch up under their head on the bus. Windbreakers, light sweatshirt-like jackets, hoodies, can all add to the look!

A BUNCH OF DEALS BELOW!!

SOCKS!

White Stripe // Logo Tube Socks // NYC Tube Socks // Rainbow stripe //

h&m

I’m sure you all already know H&M is my first stop for fashion for myself and my kids! Their new arrivals always excite me and seem to land right with what I want to be wearing each season.

HAYES: Sweatshirt // Socks // Shorts

CALLUM: Pants // Sneakers // Jacket // T-shirt

EMILY: Blouse // Sandals // Jeans // Earrings

abercrombie kids!

This post is brought to you by Abercrombie Kids. All opinions are my own.

Abercrombie Kids sent my boys the greatest back-to-school care package and I wanted to share what my kids picked and a few of my other favorite items from their Fall Arrivals! One thing to note about Abercrombie Kids, the clothing quality is truly next level. Russ has commented on clothing maybe three times in his life said how soft, yet durable the t-shirts felt! As I’ve been shopping for my kids for Back to School, Abercrombie Kids is sort of in a class of its own as far as quality, feel and fit. So, so impressed.Caught him fixing his hair in the mirror. Stop growing up!! Wearing this checkerboard tee, with this classic button up underneath and the Straight Leg jean.I asked to smile how they would for school pictures — back to the drawing board! 😉See what I mean about the fit? SO stinking cute. This pant is from their line of “Sweatpant Stretch” jeans. They look just like regular pants, but feel like soft, stretchy sweats. They are crazy amazing and I wanted to show them after being worn for several hours — in water no less. I think they still look amazing, they haven’t lost their shape at all! They’re so comfortable and I will be buying these solely for the boys as they complain about jeans daily. As we keep rolling through our week of Back to School fashions, I 100% recommend Abercrombie Kids. Try it out and tell me I’m wrong. A+ all around! Luckily, Abercrombie Kids is having an awesome sale: get 40% off select jeans, hoodies and more until August 15th!

LINKS:

Hayes: Checker Tee ($9 and so many rad prints!!) // Button Up // Straight Leg Jean

Cal: Logo Tee ($12 and comes in several colors!) // Sweat Pant Stretch Jeans // Backpack

girl’s back to school fashion

BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING DEALS FOR GIRLS!

Where to look: Abercrombie Kids 40% off denim! // Cotton On – Deals on Jeans + Tees // Forever 21 – always low priced // Gap — 40% off right now // H&M – Back to School Deals galore // Old Navy — Most BTS items are under $10. $8 jeans for instance // Pepper Kids — small trendy shop priced just right! // Target – Deals + 1 Year Guarantee on Cat & Jack // Zara – best bang for your on-trend buck in my opinion.

Beatles Tee $13 // Leather Jacket $25 // Ribbed Pants – $20 // Sneakers – $10!

When things get colder I love this long reversible jacket ($60!) with a plaid blouse, interesting jeans $15, perfect casual sneaker/booties and a beret to cap it all off. Literally.

My all-time favorite Fall look is plaid shorts or a mini with thick black tights and classic Chelsea booties. Top it with a sweatshirt to keep things feeling casual.

The fit on these pants is glorious and this tee comes in every color and pattern that matters. Mix the patterns for an undone look with these windowpane gum sole sneakers. Girls get all the accessory fun I love these little scarves for a headband, around the neck, a belt. Whatever!

More cute pieces below!

best of: backpacks 2018

Backpack season is upon us! So many darling options out there! I broke it down for boys + girls and there’s a mix of preschool size on up to youth. Nothing TOO big though because I got your back and your kiddos. Literally.

Let it be said so many of these would be great for either gender, so be sure and check out both and know that I hate deeming LEGOS just for boys, or a pink unicorn backpack girls only. You do you!!

GIRLS:

Hard Shell Egg Pack $14 and several bright colors! // Hello Kitty Pack // Soft Red Adidas Pack // Watermelons // Dusty Rose Red All Over Patterned Adidas // Unicorns // Gingham (this pack set comes with 3 pieces and is $30!) // Colorblock Pack (all the colors are SPOT on) // Pineapple Rucksack – $7 // Mustard + Hot Orange, greatest color combo ever. // Skateboard pack // Tote + Backpack combo! Looks so handy for school or dance class – $22// Fjallraven striped handles! // Not sure why this multi colored toddler pack is $9 + amazing reviews, but it’s darling. // Kitty Rucksack // Striped (also part of the 3 series set. So many options in this to check out here! // Clear Pack. I know it’s bittersweet since some schools demand it for safety reasons, but I still think it’s fun!

BOYS

Burgundy Adidas Lunchbox // LEGO lunchbox // Show team spirit, these are Herschel and under $30! They have every team imaginable so keep searching til you find yours! More here and here. // Orange Reptile under $20 // LEGO backpack // Hardshell Bee // Reptile Tail in Green // Mario pattern that I don’t hate. // This color combo is epic. By Vans. // This monster pack has a front with lego-like beads for keeping busy while on the bus etc. // Window Pane in blue // Upside Down bat – funny!! // Olive + Navy Toddler pack, great deal – $10 // Another team option, super slick $26. // Prism pack // Starry Sky pack // Classic Hunter pack // Smiley Face Pack // All black Vans pack //

Back To School Shoes

DIY Reading Fort

This post is sponsored by Kellogg’s. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Currently my boys share a room and both of them have been known to yell to the other “I just need some space!” so I knew it was time to create another option for them if they need to get some alone time in! A good ol’ sheet fort on my bed (since I’m never in there until way past their bedtime anyway) is just what they doctor ordered.

We’ve had an ongoing incentive at our house that they can earn different rewards for every book that they read. Happily for all of us, they are plowing through all our books! Dollar General has this amazing deal right now that has made it even easier to get our hands on more books.

RiRight now with every participating box of Kellogg’s products you buy, you can cash it in for a book! You can view the book options here, but we picked up Rules, Diaper Baby and a couple Clifford the Big Red Dog options! On top of that, Kellogg’s products are 3 for $6 AND I have a $1 off coupon for you right here. Christmas in July!!For your at-home fort there are lots of ways to make it happen. I did ours over our bed so the reading nook is extra cozy!All you need is a sheet, rope and push-pins. I like push-pins because you can hardly notice the holes in the ceiling! If you want a no hole option just put some stools parallel to each other and put the sheet over top!

My big boys love to read the Clifford the Big Red Dog books to Raleigh, so we made a DIY Trail Mix or “Puppy Chow” for them to snack on! (I totally realize it’s going to be crumb central on my bed, so they also get armed with my handheld vacuum to take care of that afterward!)

Here’s how we do the DIY Puppy Chow Bar! Just set out bowls with several options that taste good together. Then give them a small cup, and they can layer on their favorites!
The worst part of trial mix is that you have to pick out your favorites, leaving the raisins to go to waste (just me?). So by them making their own, they can get their favorites, and I don’t have as much clean up. We did Kellogg’s® Froot Loops® Cereal and Kellogg’s® Frosted Flakes® with gummy fruit snacks and cashews! If you head to Dollar General for the deals I mentioned, these cereals were front and center! Super easy to grab and go!Head here to grab the $1 off coupon, and you can find your nearest Dollar General location here.

weekend deals

Summer clearance + Back to School deals are starting to roll out and now is a great time to stock up!

JCREW has an insane additional 50% off sale. New Balance Leggings $23?? // Stripe slides $24!

Resin Circle Earrings // Tippi Sweater // Pom Earrings // Jeans (so many more on the site!) // Straw Hat

OLD NAVY has up to 50% off jeans + tees for women and kids have $5 deals galore! Uniform clothes all under $10

TARGET is doing spend $50 save $10 spend $100 save $25 — but there are markdowns already going like $100 off this rug. Good way to stack deals!

GAP as up to 50% + an additional 20% off everything LOTS of cute pieces!

best of #nsale accessories

My favorite Spanx, those incredible black and white earrings, and the bra with 400 4-5 star reviews!

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pickleball summer

This post has been sponsored by Danone Waters of America. All thoughts and
opinions are my own.

So my husband is weirdly good at tennis and LOVES playing in the warm months. Trouble is, I am not so good! He’s asked for years and years for us to spend time playing, but I never seem to get better– ha! A few years ago we tried out Pickleball, have you played? It’s essentially a mix of tennis + ping pong, and it is so fun! I feel like I was able to pick it up and improve so much faster! The differences are: it’s a smaller court, and it takes a lot less force and skill to hit the ball where you want it to go. Let’s just say there’s no such thing as Pickleball elbow 😉 You know you’re in the right place when the other couples on the court are all grey-haired and possibly retired! It is such a great workout and we’re both winded, chugging water and so sweaty after! Since I can actually keep up with him and get a good game going, it’s been such a great way for us to be active together! We’ve even made it a part of our vacations with friends — making sure a court is nearby or on the property where we’re staying — and the boys are getting on the action, too!evian® is packed with natural electrolytes If you buy this evian six pack at any Kroger Store, you’ll see there are sweepstakes to win two tickets to the U.S. Open! You can also just text ‘winevian’ to 24587! This is basically Russ’ dream so we’re guzzling evian like crazy. He watches every year, how fun would it be to go?! We get these at Kroger which is the very closest grocery store to our home. Kroger is my go-to, so it’s been fun to team up with them so much over the past year or so!What do you guys do to be active with your significant other? Always looking for new ways!