We took a long weekend trip to visit our old stomping grounds of Springfield, Missouri this weekend. We lived in Springfield for a long time (me 12 years and Todd for 15) so we had quite a list of food places to hit and check off all our food cravings and it was so fun to take Lola to all our favorite spots as well. I also hadn’t been to the newer A Beautiful Mess/A Color Story offices since we moved, so we took Lola up there to check it out and she decided to help them out by rearranging their pens and markers and rotating some of the big rocks in their planters—HA! Here’s what else I’m loving this week …
1. I’m thinking about getting something like this for Lola to grow into over the next few years. While she’s definitely too young to pretend that she is cooking (or really know what that is), she does enjoy all things pots and pans, play food items, and cabinet doors, so I think there’s still a lot of fun that she can have as she realizes what it is. I’ll probably just start her with this and this and add more items as she grows.
2. Such a good vacation bag! And I would to use this as a pool bag for all my lounging essentials.
3. We used to make this kind of frozen pie every summer growing up and while I usually don’t do much dairy/sugar, it sounds so good to me this week. Using strawberry or key-lime yogurt is my favorite way to make it!
4. It’s been so fun playing with the new Hologram effects pack that I helped create for the A Color Story app and using it on my instagram photos—pastel rainbows and iridescent glitter are a bit of an obsession for me, so it’s definitely a look that’s right up my alley (I used the Aurora Borealis filter on the photo above)!
5. Like I said, we were visiting our Springfield friends last weekend and it was so heartwarming for us to watch Lola interact with all the other kids that have been born into our extended family of friends. A lot of them aren’t too far apart in age so it’s kind of amusing to watch them all practice learning to be gentle and use “soft hands” with each other (i.e. basically, they all take turns bonking each other on the head at some point in between playing sweetly). It’s really helpful for me to watch other parents/nanny friends kindly interact with kids so I can pick up tips to use in our house as well. I mean, I’m certainly no expert at this parenting thing, so I’ll steal all the tips I can!
6. Love the ruffles and rainbow stripes on this look.
7. I started reading this book this week and while I’m only about 1/3 of the way through, it has so many good thoughts that I think a lot of mothers need to hear. My husband loved her book on the father/daughter relationship so I thought I’d give her book for moms a try and I’m really glad I did. Moms need so much support to do such a difficult (yet rewarding!) job and she really helps show how to sift through what is and isn’t important and how we can enjoy parenting to the fullest while maintaining as much sanity as possible along the way.
8. ERMAHGERD, this bed!!
9. Easy summer dresses are great to have on hand for an easy way to look put together without much effort—just add sandals and go!
10. Thinking about getting something like this so I can do some laps at the park after work with Lola in tow and try and get some exercise back into my life! I’m not a very fast runner and I usually combine it with speed walking to vary the pace, but just getting outside and moving more at the same time has been a goal of mine that I’d like to actually accomplish this summer. Anyone else have a jogging stroller they love?
While traveling is fun, it’s also a lot of work so we’ll just be getting back into our usual rhythm this week and hopefully finding time for some relaxation as well. Make the most of summer while you can! xo. Laura
16 Comments
Thanks for this Sunday’s links, Laura!!
I’m in love with the hologram pack for your app as well, it’s beautiful! 🙂
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Oh man, that yellow summer bag brought me straight back to the 80s!
My barbies had a version of this bag in red and it was their beach tote I’d pack for them when I took them to the beach as a kid.
Oh and that bed! I bet you could make a killer diy from that design Laura.
Would you mind sharing where the lucite chess set is from? That is SO COOL!
Hi Alayna! It’s from Urban Outfitters but it’s no longer in stock.
I ventured into the comments to ask about this as well.
I’m a preschool teacher and have worked with 1-2 year olds for a few years and their favorite thing is always the kitchen! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed at all if you get one for Lola! My 5 year old is really starting to role play well with others, so you’ll have some time before that, but it doesn’t take long for them to enjoy opening and closing the doors and pretending to eat and drink. As for strollers, someone gave me a hand me down Jeep and I’ve used it for 4 years and LOVE it.
I have the Joovy stroller and highly recommend it for running or walking anywhere that has bumpy sidewalks. My 6 month old loves it!
My toy kitchen was my absolute favourite thing when I was little! I love the vintage feel of the one you’ve linked too. I’m sure she’ll love it, especially as she grows into it! ????
I couldn’t open the link to the jogging stroller, but hands down I recommend a BOB. We have the single and double and they are so easy to push with one hand while running. My daughter has always loved running with me.
Love your choices as always. Does anyone else in Canada have trouble seeing the ASOS links? They never load for me. 🙁
I haven’t tried a Joovy, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE our BOB jogging stroller! I found it used at a local kid-stuff consignment store (check there and your local ads/online for a good deal! They pop up often!) and it’s hands-down one of my most used/cherished parenting items. I’m sure any version of a jogging stroller will work. I love running, and being able to get out with my daughter has been beyond helpful in maintaining my sanity. We also now have a weekly tradition that I LOVE of Saturday morning runs around campus (college town) and then down to the farmer’s market for some more fun. They’re so much smoother of a ride than regular strollers, and handle so nicely. SO worth it. Mabel loves it. I love it. It’s our special time together. <3
I LOVE our BOB jogging stroller so much! It’s such a smooth ride and lasts for years. We have friends that have had their bob for 10+ years and still use it!
My daughter got a play kitchen for her first birthday, and we all watched in surprise as she crawled over, pulled herself up, and immediately started “cooking.” Pouring cups of coffee for everyone, “cutting” play food with the little pretend knife and cutting board, etc. I’ve always involved her in kitchen projects, and at 3.5 she can legitimately follow a recipe start to finish, if I read it aloud to her. A play kitchen is a great investment–so many options for play (she plays restaurant, coffee shop, cooking for her dolls, washing dishes, etc.). She also eats EVERYTHING, which I credit partially to all the real and pretend cooking she does. And at 8 months, her little brother is constantly trying to play with it. Never too young!
Laura, I usually love everything you post but the fathers and daughters book… yikes. I bought it for my husband thinking it was positive and innocuous. To each their own, but I’m surprised you liked it so much. It’s not very progressive and actually bummed me out many times, sneaking anti choice and regressive politics in under it’s happy patina. I returned it. No need to post this comment, I still think you’re awesome and will still be a gummergal fan. I was just surprised to see that book on your list. Best to you and beautiful Lola.
Laura, sorry this comment got chopped up. I hit submit too soon. I suggest a great fun book, the book of feminist saints. Again, no need to post this comment or reply. Still a fan.