Campbell's Birthday Party

Last Thursday we celebrated Campbell turning six years old! His birthday party wasn't quite what we had imagined it to be when we first began planning for it but we did our best to make it as fun as we could with just our little family of five!! I told Scott that I am glad I know how to make balloon garlands because they automatically make your space feel so special and festive!! I made it as soon as Campbell went to bed on Wednesday night so when he would wake up on his birthday, it would feel decorated and exciting for him!

Campbell wanted to open his presents first thing in the morning and he played with them all the rest of the day! His favorite gift was his new bayblades and he was really excited about his new Pokémon cards too. But he gasped and was SO excited the most about his new big dinosaur we got him...as if he needed another.
I offered to take Campbell to go hiking or something like that but he just wanted to be home all day and play with his new toys so that's what we did. We had so many sweet surprises throughout the day from his friends. So many of his sweet friends sent him happy birthday videos and some of them even dropped off presents on our porch. Campbell loved his videos and presents from his friends and it made the day exciting because it seemed like every hour there was a new video or present from his friends!!

Later that night we ordered a pizza then had cake!! I had ordered this cake for Campbell for his birthday party. I told Scott I was going to cancel and just get us a smaller cake. But Scott insisted we keep the big cake and I'm glad we did. I think it's the coolest cake I've ever seen and I'm super sad no one else got to see it but us. Campbell loved it and was so surprised by it since we kept it hidden until after dinner!!

We ended the day with a pinate, something Campbell has always wanted to have at a birthday party! When I tucked Campbell in bed that night, he asked me if I would sing happy birthday to him one last time which was just so sweet to me.

We made the most of our day and Campbell seemed to be happy with how the day went. He didn't claim it was the best day ever like he has his other parties in the past but that's okay. He did say he had a great day and I could tell he felt really special that day! We did all we could with what we had to work with. I honestly felt a little sad for him because this is his first year (since he's in school now) that he's had really good friends that he knows so well and spends so much time with. I was so excited for his birthday celebration with all of his friends. It's okay to be sad over what we're missing out on right now but important to keep things in perspective too because if we have our health and each other, truly nothing else matters. We will always remember our pandemic birthday party that's for sure and the only thing I really care about is that we have our sweet Campbell to celebrate!

Campbell is Six!

Today our Campbell turns six years old!! He is an amazing little boy and we are so proud of him! Campbell has had a wonderful year in kindergarten. It is incredible to see how much he has learned in school this year and has been so fun to watch. He can read and he loves math. He also loves all of the friends he has made this year and his teacher is so amazing. We have been blessed with a fantastic first year of school and hope we get to go back before the year is over.

Campbell is still such a huge fan of dinosaurs!! He can tell you anything and everything you want to know about them. He has library almost every week at school and every single time he's had library, he has come home with a different dinosaur book. Aside from dinosaurs, Campbell has recently gotten into Pokémon, Ninjago, and Star Wars--thanks to our recent trip to Disney. Campbell also loves watching YouTube much to my distaste but whatever.

A little less than two weeks ago, Campbell finally decided he was ready to try riding his bike without training wheels. He picked it up that same day and now he rides his bike like a pro! He is always asking if he can go outside and ride his bike so if it isn't raining outside, that's what we're doing!

Campbell has changed SO much this year. I knew he would but it's so crazy to think about. He is a different person in a lot of ways but one thing that hasn't changed is his sweet spirit. I am always getting told by the different teachers at his school what a sweet and precious boy he is. He was given a special award at school in November for always having positive behavior, being on task and offering help to anyone in need. These awards are special to receive and I was and am so proud of Campbell for being such a sweet soul. He doesn't have to be the smartest or most athletic but if he is always kind then that makes me more proud than anything else in this world.

Campbell's favorite food is pasta, his favorite snack is candy (not chocolate) and his favorite color is rainbow. He loves playing with his dinosaurs and he really enjoys doing arts and crafts and playing board games. Campbell's favorite sport is baseball and he can't wait to play again this spring.

Happy 6th Birthday Campbell!! We love you and are so proud of the sweet boy you are. We cannot wait to celebrate you today and hopefully give you the best day ever!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Activities For Your Kids During Quarantine

A lot of people are having to juggle the extremely difficult job of working home while also trying to manage their kids. This is hard. Or maybe you're a stay at home mom but you need something to occupy these kids so you can have a mental break. Either way, I've got you. Here are some of my favorite things for my kids to do so I can have a minute. Linking everything with Amazon Prime!!

Kinetic Sand -- Kinetic Sand is so great. It honestly isn't very messy--way less messy than Play-Doh. There are so many different kinds of kinetic sand kits and they entertain my kids for soooooo long. I actually find playing with it to be quite therapeutic for me as well. You may want to consider buying extra sand because at the end of the day you'll be vacuuming several pieces of it off the floor and before you know it there won't be much left. Well, if you're kids are anything like mine that's how it will work.

Water Beads -- Water beads are so fun to play with. There isn't much to them but something about them is really fun. 

My Little Sandbox -- Campbell got this for his birthday one year and it is still so loved by he and Bennett. We do this outside because it can accidently get messy. There are so many different kinds on Amazon for girls and boys so browse them all! 

Play-doh -- I have a love hate relationship with Play-doh. I love it because it keeps my kids endlessly entertained but I hate the mess it makes. And my kids leave it out for hours and it goes dry. But, when I'm desperate, I will totally throw Play-doh their way and let them go for it. I have learned that the simpler sets are better, for us anyway. My boys enjoy rolling and cutting more than anything. I linked one of our favorite sets but couldn't find it on Prime. 

Pony Beads -- This is something my kids have always done in pre-school and they love it. They make bracelets using pony beads and pipe cleaners. It doesn't require any assistance and it keeps them super entertained. I always have them separate the beads out by color first before they start making their bracelets. It's 100% unnecessary but it makes the craft take longer so just take my word and make them think they need to separate the colors. Click HERE for pipe cleaners. 

Crayola Color Wonder -- I'm a big fan of the mess free coloring. Bennett still makes me nervous with markers but he loves markers so much. This is a great compromise! It looks like a marker and I don't have to get stressed about it ruining something.

Aquabeads -- Campbell was so obsessed with Aquabeads at one point. They kept him soooo busy.

Where's Waldo Books -- We love Where's Waldo Books in our house and they definitely keep my boys entertained and occupied!

Puzzles -- Puzzles are some of our favorite things to do in our house. We love the Ravensburger puzzles and they come in pieces anywhere from 24 to 5000!! Try challenging them with a puzzle that you think they can handle but will take them a while.

Cosmic Kids Yoga. Not on Amazon but Netflix and so fun and entertaining! 

Day 10.

Day 10 of "self isolation" for my family. Last week Scott and I would take turns getting out every 3 days to pick up food from Fresh Market. We both noticed we were getting a lot of anxiety when we would come home and kept having anxiety for the rest of the day. I am not someone who normally feels anxiety. I may get stressed from time to time but not anxious. For the last week I have had so much anxiety it's made me feel sick--heavy chest, stomach in knots, headache.....true anxiety all throughout my body. I had to reassess and figure out what I could do to help me not feel so anxious and I landed on two things: 1.) plan ahead to do delivery or pick-up grocery orders so we don't have to go inside stores anymore 2.) limit the news to twice a day. I already feel better.

I am so over this virus. It's terrible. I hate that so many people are getting sick. I hate what it's doing to our economy. Everyones lives have been turned upside down in a matter of days. I had to tell Campbell over the weekend that we were going to have to cancel his birthday party on Saturday. He turns six on Thursday and we were so excited about his birthday party this coming weekend. All of his little kindergarten friends were going to be there. We were going to have it at an art studio and learn how to paint a dinosaur. When I told him, he bawled his eyes out. It broke.my. heart. I would have loved to tell him we were going to simply reschedule it but honestly, who knows when this thing is going to be over. No time soon, I can tell you that. I promised him we would make his birthday so fun and special and I mean every bit of it. I am going to do everything in my power to make it an amazing day. I've never not had a birthday party for my kiddos. Every year I give them an option to do something fun or get something big vs having a party but they always want the party. They love celebrating with their friends and I can't blame them. I'm so sad that this is happening for so many reasons but this week especially, I'm mourning the loss of so many special moments in our life that we will miss out on. These things may be trivial but they are things that bring me joy like spring musicals, kindergarten graduation, Easter, birthday parties (I doubt Bennett gets to have one either in early May), soccer, baseball, last day of school pics. I miss our routine of going to school and church and seeing our people that we love to see. It's just a sad time.

However. All of that means absolutely nothing if we don't have our health. Missing out on these things is sad and it's okay to be sad about it. As of day 10 we are healthy and happy. We honestly aren't going crazy yet!! This is spring break and it was much needed. Last week was very overwhelming and stressful for me with our new online learning routine. I am so glad for a week off so I can mentally prepare myself for what is to come for the next month or two. I'm actually looking forward to the week ahead of us. I'm trying to come up with fun things for the boys and I to do together and we are going to make it fun, from the comforts of our home! Everything is going to be okay!!

Surviving the Quarantine

I've never been good at staying inside for long periods of time. The cabin fever gets real, real quick for me. However, this time feels different. I pretty much don't want to go anywhere right now. I've gotten out of the house a couple of times this week for necessities but otherwise, we're staying put. I'm ready for this virus to stop spreading and I'm nervous about what could happen to my family if any of us were to catch it. It's easier to just stay home, where it feels safe.
That doesn't mean that I don't have my moments of really wanting to get out of the house though!! We've been pretty busy since apparently I'm a home-school mom now (and will be until at least April 17. Hold me) so we haven't had a whole lot of chances to go stir crazy quite yet. Last night the whole family (including the pups) took a walk around our neighborhood and it was so great to get some fresh air. Today I drove through Chick Fil A for a tea and some cookies. It felt good to get out and feel normal for a minute.
I thought I'd share with all of you some things you can do to survive this quarantine. Some of my recently watched favorite shows, movies, books, etc.

TV Shows
-The Morning Show is SO good and there's only one season which is nice. I get overwhelmed when someone tells me about a good tv series but there's like, 14 seasons. One season, definitely binge worthy, and a show you and your husband would enjoy together.
-The Crown is my favorite show on television right now. I have absolutely LOVED this show and highly recommend it.
-Homeland. Best show on Television. Scott and I have been watching Homeland since pre-kids. They are currently in their final season (season 8). So yes, if you haven't ever watched one of these episodes, that feels like a lot to watch BUT Y'ALL. It's the best show on television, not being dramatic. The Crown is my favorite show on TV (because the Royals, what's not to love?) but this is hands down the BEST television series. The stories and plot lines are SO good and suspenseful. Every time an episode ends you basically feel as if you have no option but to go right into the next one. Claire Danes is so good and has won the Emmy for her roll countless times. Scott and I are obsessed with Homeland and I'm so sad they are in their final season. This is the perfect show to watch during social distancing. You will want to binge so hard.

Disney+
-The Imagineering Stories is my favorite thing on Disney+ right now and it was pretty much the first thing I watched when we got Disney+. I LOVE The Imagineering Stories. I've watched each one at least a dozen times and not many people I know have seen it but when I talk to someone who has, they all rave about how good and interesting it is. Your kids would probably get bored but you will love it.

Documentaries
-Three Identical Strangers
-What The Health
-The Bleeding Edge
-Cheer
-Super Size Me 1 & 2 (I liked the 2nd one best)
-Fyre
-Inside Bills Brain

Books
-I just finished reading Melanie Shankle's newest book, On The Bright Side. I adore her books. They're quick and easy to read, they make me laugh so hard and they're lighthearted and uplifting. If you haven't read her books I highly encourage you to do so. Start with Sparkly Green Earrings.

*I am about to start working on a 1000 piece puzzle. My kids can actually help with this. I will gather up some pieces that I know go together and let them work on it. They love helping and seeing the final result finally come to life after several days of working on it! Ravensburger puzzles are my favorite!

*Next week I think I'm going to start working on some photo books for the kids. I've started then stopped several times but no better time than now to get it done!! I love Artifact Uprising books. They look like coffee table books. I'm going to make it really simple and do one photo per page and start from birth. I'll do a separate book for each kid so they can have them one day. I'm just going to use my very favorite images and not flood it full of photos. Simplicity will be key for me. I haven't decided if I want to do one book per year or maybe first 3 years or first 5 years. Either way, it's been one of those things on my to-do list for a solid 5 years now so I may as well get started!

Happy Quarantining!!

My Nordstrom 25% Off Sale Picks

I shopped the Nordstrom Sale for myself and I'm excited about the items I got. I am in need of a summer wardrobe refresh. It seems like for the last 6 summers I've either been pregnant or postpartum. I'm ready for a wardrobe update. This summer, I'm being practical with myself when it comes to shopping for new clothes. I love the beautiful blouses and pretty dresses but let's be honest, I rarely wear those. I need clothes that are perfect for being in the driveway pushing a Cozy Coupe. Something that works well for when my kids ask me to get in the bouncy house with them. An outfit that is comfy to wear to the park, Chick Fil A, and to throw on after a long day at the pool. This is what I searched the Nordstrom site for and what I ended up putting in my cart. I have not received these items yet so I have no idea how they fit but the good news is--free shipping and returns!

1.) Zella Drawstring Dress - This dress looks really comfy and practical. I love Zella and this looks like the perfect little casual summer dress.

2.) Colorblock Acetate Earrings - I love a fun earring and these rainbow acetate earrings are great! I have these and several others that look like it and I love them. They're so fun for summer.

3.) Madewell Tank - This looks like a great tank. I love the shade of pink and I think it will pair perfectly with just about any color short I have. I have a lot of hope in this tank--I hope it doesn't let me down!!

4.) Zella Shorts - I really hope I love these on as much as I love the stock photo. The length looks good and I love the color. These look so perfect for hanging around the house with the kiddos.

5.) Free People Lace Bralette - I have this and love it. I wear it all the time and it's especially great in the summer under tanks or cami's.

6.) Free People Tee - I can never have too many slouchy tee's in the summer. This color is a staple in my closet. I think I wear any version of the shade of grey more than any other color. Free People tends to be see through which is also why I went with a darker color.

7.) Surf Shorts - The reviews on these shorts said they ran really big so I ordered an XS. I'm worried they'll be too short but I loved the color and they look so comfy. We shall see! Thankful for free returns but crossing my fingers these work.

8.) Lou and Grey Plush Dress - They had this dress last year in blue and I snatched it up. I wore it so much that I'm thinking a simple black dress might be a necessity. It will be the most comfortable dress you ever own and it's a great length.

9.) All In Favor Button Back Top - I actually own this top and I love it. I wore it to Disney. It's really flowy and breezy and perfect when you're wanting to be comfortable but not too loungy looking. I wear the bralette under it and it's a really pretty look! I paired with jean shorts and these sneakers for Disney! I've talked about how much I love those sneakers before and forgot to include them in my photo collage but they're on sale and so great year round!!

10.) Madewell Pendant Necklace Set - I love layering necklaces and this delicate set of three is so pretty. I'm excited about this piece!

11.) Lou and Grey Plush Shorts - Lou and Grey never lets me down. These shorts seemed like a good length (lou and grey shorts are usually not very short on me--I'm 5'4") and they look super comfy! I also loved the other colors these came in, especially the pink, but I knew I would be more likely to wear grey the most.

12.) Madewell Pull On Shorts - Relaxed fit, elastic waist--yes please.

13.) V Neck Pocket Tank - I love this tank! The fit looks so good and I love a black and white stripe.

Nordstrom 25% Off Sale

Nordstrom is having a 25% off sale! I wanted to round up some of my favorite items for kids that are on sale. Save on these awesome items while you can!!

Stride Rite Sandals: I loved these sandals for my boys last year. They were the perfect every day casual sandal. They Velcro and are super easy to slide on and go. These are perfect for your boys that need a little more of a big boy sandal but they're adorable on toddlers too. There is a strap in the back so they stay on well and they literally go with everything. We wore. them. out. last summer and are planning on doing the same this summer! These run true to size.

Dog Applique Shirt | Chinos | Whale Graphic Tee | Undies| Romper

Mini Boden: We love Mini Boden. Boden is one of my go-to brands for my boys and these are some items I've purchased from their spring collection. Boden is perfect for school and every day wear. The quality is fantastic so I know I'm able to pass these clothes down from Campbell to Bennett to Wells. The shirts are fun and my boys enjoy wearing them. I love their chinos (it's what Campbell has on in the photo above) and we get several colors every year. They're a nice, tailored fit and always fit us true to size. They can be adjusted in the waist, which is great. I got the little romper for Wells to have this summer and it's adorable but definitely runs large so size down! Finally, we love Boden undies. These are the underwear both Campbell and Bennett wear and they fit really well. 

1.) Rabbit Stacking Toy 2.) Bunny Ballerina 3.) Balancing Stacking Blocks (we love these!) 

4.) Shopping Trolley 5.) Magnet Carrot Rocket 6.) Noah's Ark 7.) Bunny Night Light 

8.) Garden Board Game

Natives: Natives are our second most go-to shoe in the summer. They are perfect for every day life. They're easy to slip on, they can get wet and dirty, and when I need them to look good as new, all I have to do is take a magic eraser to them. We own nearly every color of the rainbow because we love them so much and they hold up so well, they can just go from little brother, to little brother. Grey goes with everything and are a color we get every year. Bennett's favorite are red and this year they released a beautiful new sky blue color that I couldn't resist. These are all gender neutral and run true to size for us.

Some random items that are on sale and are all things/brands I love: 1.) This Kissy Kissy Romper is so precious. I love putting my babies in Kissy Kissy because the material is so soft and the outfits seem extra cozy. This would be a great baby gift. 2.) Campbell wears button downs to church and these Vineyard Vines ones are so nice. I always have to size down in Campbell's button downs. 3.) I adore Little Unicorn and every time Wells lays down for a nap, I zip him up in this sleep sack. We have the puppy one and it is so adorable!! 4.) The newest line of Kickee's are on sale at Nordstrom. Kickee's newest releases never go on sale. I'm surprised they agreed to this. Snatch some up! 5.) We have this Patagonia tee and it's super cute. It's currently on sale for just $14.25!

Salt Water Sandals: Another shoe that ranks in the top 3 as most worn shoes in the summer. We wear these to church every Sunday. They make teeny tiny sizes so even Wells was able to wear them last summer. We have a lot of different colors and these can get wet (hence the name Salt Water Sandals). They are seriously the perfect summer sandal for kids. If you don't like having to do the buckles on the Salt Water Sandals, try Footmates. They look identical but they velcro!

Ivy and Madison Turn 8

Ivy and Madison are celebrating their 8th birthday today! It's hard to believe our girls are eight years old. They are still just as vibrant and spunky as ever and I'm thankful that neither of them has started to slow down.

I write about my girls a lot. How Ivy is the alpha queen but loves her people and is super protective of her brothers. Madison is my free spirit. She's perfectly comfortable with her rank in the pack and lives for playing with toys and a good belly rub. Ivy is my dainty, delicate super skinny dog and Madison, if she were a human, would be like an insanely fit Olympian who would win the gold for her athletic skills.

I have a lot of favorite things about my girls but my current favorite thing about them right now is how predictable they are first thing in the morning. Without fail, as soon as our alarms go off and we're out of bed, Ivy goes and gets in her bed in the living room and Madison gets on the back of the sofa--in the exact same spot every time. Madison chills there for close to two hours and Ivy, as soon as I get everyone fed and settled, gets in my lap the moment I'm able to sit down with my coffee and watch Good Morning America. We all three stay this way all morning until someone needs us and duty calls. Then the rest of the day, the three of us are on the move. I say the three of us because where I am, they are two steps behind. My little shadows.
Happy 8th Birthday Ivy and Madison! You two are my sweet little nuggets who I adore and love with all my heart!

Quarantine

My goodness what a crazy time it is in our world right now. I sometimes don't even know what to think about all of this. Are we going overboard? Are we doing enough? So many unknowns. It's sad what's happening and scary too.
I started getting alarmed before the mass hysteria began. I'm a news junkie. It's what my TV is on 95% of the time and I've been following this story closely for a while, mostly because I've been intrigued (for lack of a better word). My mom was up here a few weeks ago and we watched a 20/20 special on the coronavirus. After it was over, we went to Walmart at 11:00 at night to get some essentials. I didn't go crazy--I didn't even buy toilet paper (however now I'm kind of wishing I had since it's nowhere to be found and I have about 2 weeks worth left) but I got some things to have in my home in case something happened. Just a little over a week later and the rest of my town decided to do the same. It's crazy how full the Walmart parking lots are and also how empty the shelves are.

Campbell is officially home from school. Tomorrow we start online learning. 1.) I had no idea Campbell had a laptop....he's just in kindergarten so this seems super fancy. 2.) I have a little anxiety about this at-home learning. Can I do this? Will Campbell be disciplined to do this at home? Will Bennett lose his mind that he doesn't have a laptop too? Be with us Lord. 3.) I really hope we get to go back to school after spring break.
Scott asked me if I had considered the fact that Campbell might not go back to school this year. I have, and it's heartbreaking to me to think he may not go back, so I pray that isn't the case. He loves his school, his teacher, and his classmates and we definitely need a proper, end of the year, goodbye.
Bennett and Wells are not in preschool/MDO as well. Even our church canceled services on Sunday and I'm almost certain they will do it again this coming week. Obviously, I'm on the side of doing what is best for our town, state, country and even world. My hope is that in two weeks this gets more under control and we can go back to our normal lives. I'm probably looking at best case scenario there.

I feel like the actions being asked of us are appropriate and our house is doing our part to flatten the curve. We are staying home, getting out only when necessary. I had to go to the post office today and Scott went to Fresh Market yesterday. We're going to the grocery store about every 3 days to get fresh meat, fruit and vegetables. Other than that, we're just staying home. For Scott and I, it isn't a whole lot different than our normal lives anyway. He works from home and I'm a stay-at-home mom. I know some families are having to go through major adjustments right now and my heart goes out to the ones who are really affected negatively by all of this. My daily prayer is that all of the actions our country is taking will have a positive impact on stopping the spread of this virus. I pray we can resume our normal lives sooner rather than later. The unknown is unsettling but prayer gives me comfort so for now, all I can really do is stay home. And pray.

Your Guide To Buying, Selling And Trading Your Childrens Clothing

I love BST (buy, sell, trade) groups on Facebook. I never really knew these were a thing until two years or so ago. I mean, I did, I've been a part of some (one for Kickee Pants and one for Freshly Picked Moccs) since Campbell was a baby. But I really wasn't interested and I had no desire in selling since I knew I wanted more babies. So I kind of snoozed them and didn't pay much attention to them.
However, shortly after I got pregnant with Wells, I was determined to sell some of my boy clothes. I already knew Wells was a boy and I also knew I would want to buy new clothes for him so I needed to do a major purge to make room! I asked on Facebook what would be the best way to go about selling some of these nicer clothes. I didn't want to donate them because I had a big investment in these pieces and I wanted to be able to get some of my money back from it. A lot of people suggested I make my own group on Facebook, add friends, and sell that way. Which I did (more on that later) but another friend suggest I get on some BST Facebook groups. She added me to several really great ones and after observing for a bit, I decided to give it a try. I was shocked at how much I was able to get for my pieces (50-70% of my money back) and suddenly I was hooked! I was also finding some incredible pieces at amazing prices so not only was I selling, I was buying and trading too!

People get super overwhelmed with how BST groups work and I totally understand--I was the exact same way. I frequently get asked how the best way to go about selling clothes is so today I wanted to do a guide on how to Buy, Sell, and Trade your baby/kids clothes. And also attach some photos of my boys wearing outfits I've purchased off the BST Facebook groups I'm in!

Rules: These groups have very strict rules and you will be removed from the group if you don't follow the rules. I actually really love all of the rules. It makes the groups very professional. Each group has different rules and they're usually pinned at the top of the group for you to read. Common rules are that you must claim an item with your Paypal. If you claim it, it's yours. No changing your mind. If you are sent an invoice via PayPal you must pay it. You cannot ask the buyer if they will take less for an item unless they state up front that they're open to offers. The first person who claims gets the item. Sellers must disclose if the clothes are from a smoke free, pet friendly home or not. Sellers must include shipping into the cost of their item and ship the item ASAP. Any stains, flaws, etc must be disclosed. It's also nice to inform people if you've dried an item.

Abbreviations: There are a lot of abbreviations on BST pages. They're used to explain the condition of the item. Each article of clothing must be marked accordingly. Abbreviations are NWT (New With Tags) NWOT (New, Without Tags) EUC (Excellent Used Condition) VGUC (Very Good Used Condition) GUC (Good Used Condition) PLAY (Play condition aka stains//holes etc). How a seller sees the item is at their disgression. I consider something to be EUC if it looks brand new, even though it's been worn. VGUC for me would be that it still looks really good but you can tell it's been worn. GUC would be that there aren't any stains or holes but it definitely has some wash/wear to it. HTF is something that's hard to find--a treasure in the children's boutique clothing world. Haha!

Buying: I cannot even begin to tell you how many incredible items I've found off of these BST pages. I have found NWT clothes at a 50% discount. I've scored some HTF items that I paid full price for (or more, oops) but it felt like a score since they're hard to find! What would make them hard to find would be that they were a really popular item that the brand sold out of almost immediately. Other items that would be considered HTF would be items from several seasons ago that are a hidden gem and people want! Whenever you are buying, you always claim with your Paypal. Paypal offers buyer and seller protection which is why Paypal is the payment method on BST pages, not Venmo.

Selling: Selling is very easy. You can sell a single item or do a purge. You post a photo of the item you're wanting to sell with the condition of the item and how much you want for it. The first person to claim with their Paypal gets the item. You send them a Paypal invoice or money request, they pay, you ship. If you have a lot of clothes you're wanting to purge you can lay them all out, take a photo then post something like "Lot of Spring Clothes Sizes Newborn-24 Months. Smoke Free, Dog Friendly. Purge Starts at 8:30 PM CST." This gives plenty of time for people to see your purge and they can "follow" the post to be notified when the purge starts. You then post individual photos in the comments of each item and the first person who claims gets the item.

Shipping: Shipping is probably the part that feels the most overwhelming but it's really easy! Shipping through Paypal is without question the cheapest way to ship. Paypal has it set up where you can create shipping labels through them. Once you receive payment from your buyer, you can click on a link that says "create shipping label." A new link opens and you select First Class Mail 2-5 days then Package/Large Envelope. You then have to weigh your package. I use a food scale to do it. You put in how many ounces your package weighs, then hit a button that says "calculate shipping cost." It pulls up the amount, you hit confirm and then print shipping label. A label prints out with the buyers address already on it (because it's connected to their paypal), you tape it to your package and stick it in your mailbox for your mailman to pick up. Easy peasy! You don't have to do it this way but it's the easiest and most cost effective way to ship. I save $2-4 when shipping through paypal vs taking to the post office. If you're purging several items, that really ads up! Before you sell you need to get on Amazon and buy poly mailers. THESE from Amazon are the ones I always use. It's not required but very appreciated if you double bag. A lot of people put the clothes in a ziplock. I always save the plastic bags that clothes come in that I order online. You could also double bag using the poly mailers. Again, not a requirement but definitely appreciated (and probably expected) by your buyer!

BST pages are such a great way to get some of your money back from your nicer, boutique brand clothes. It's also a fantastic way to shop! If you love boutique clothes but they aren't quite in your budget, shop via BST pages! I love nice, classic children's clothing and knowing that I'm able to get 50-70% of my money back (I've often gotten 100% of my money back) when I'm ready to sell them is such a nice thing.

If the BST pages seem entirely too overwhelming for you but you would still like to sell some clothes, create a Facebook group. Post on your regular page that you've created a group and invite your friends and tell your friends to invite friends. I have a Facebook group called Campbell &  Bennett Closet Purge. I typically only sell items twice a year. A spring purge and a fall purge. I usually tell everyone the day before that I'm planning a purge, what sizes I'm purging, and post a photo of some of the items so everyone can get an idea of what I'm selling. Everyone claims the same way as the BST pages and I prefer paypal but cash works just as good too. I have learned that my mall clothes are the best clothes for my page. No one ever seems to be interested in my boutique clothes but I always sell nearly every Gap or Zara piece I have. This works out so perfect for me because I can't sell these clothes on Facebook BST pages (there are groups for gap, etc but I've never had any luck on them). Most of the people I sell to are local and they do a porch pick up. I'm always happy to ship to anyone who isn't local, but I ask them to cover the shipping cost. No one ever cares that they have to pay shipping and depending on how many items there are, I usually just charge a $5 flat rate shipping fee.

Okay so I've given you the lowdown on how to participate in BST groups so which ones should you join? My favorites are:
-Snips and Snails Upscale Boys' Resale
-Properly Purged
-Little English BST (Little English brand clothing only)
-The Beaufort Bonnet Co. Resale B/S/T (TBBC clothing only)
-Boys Rock Smocks
-Mini Boden Boys Resale (and now Hannah too!) (Boden and Hanna Anderson only)
- Kickee Pants B/S/T (Kickee Pants only)
-Freshly Picked B/S/T (Freshly Picked only)
-Jetson Cubbington Samples & BST (Jetson Cubbington clothing only)

These are the groups I've had the most luck with. There are some others that I'm a part of but they aren't very active. These groups are constantly having buyers and sellers.

If you aren't sure how to price your items, simply follow the pages for a bit to see what others are pricing similar items for. Purges can be a lot of work so start slow by selling an item or two then once you get the hang of it, go for a big purge! Big purges seem to get more attention than a single item post.

I hope this was helpful for buying, selling and trading your clothes! I love the BST world and it may seem silly to say but I have had a lot of fun in these groups!

What's New Here

Tap Tap. This thing still on? I feel super flakey with my blog these days. Scott sometimes asks me why I'm not blogging. I certainly have the time to right now and because I have so much time on my hands, that means I have zero content. Plus I always like to include photos in my posts and I'm not taking photos with my camera much right now. I was so busy taking family photos during the fall that I just needed a big break from taking photos and editing photos. Plus there's nothing pretty to take photos of in the winter. Everything is blah. However, spring is SO close and flowers are beginning to bloom so I know I'll be pulling my camera out soon and wanting to share my images on here!! I thought I'd give a little life update since I haven't done much of that on here in a while.

Wells is 13.5 months now! He is walking with a walker like a little pro. He pulls up on everything and at the beginning of the month we finally lowered his crib to the lowest setting because he was making us nervous that he would fall out! He is super busy. I caught him halfway up the stairs which I had no idea he could do. Nearly gave me a heart attack. This little nugget seems to be much more of an explorer than his older brothers were at this age. He is still just as yummy as ever and the biggest mommas boy I've ever raised.

Bennett is two months shy of hitting that golden age of four. And I can tell. He has seemed a little more grown up to me the last few weeks and I'm really enjoying this sweet boys company while big brother is at school. Bennett can buckle himself into his car seat now and also work Netflix. #momwin. He can write his own name with zero help which I think is so awesome! He also really impresses me with his drawing skills. He drew a picture of The Hulk one morning while I was getting dressed and I was truly impressed at how good he did!! Totally saving that drawing forever. Bennett is still incredibly into Peter Pan and he still loves Captain America too. He loves this taste of spring the weather is bringing us and wants to play outside on nice days--and I don't blame him one bit!

Campbell turns six two weeks from today. He's all grown up on me these days. He's either at the neighbors house after school or they're playing at ours. He is currently into Pokémon and Ninjago but still nothing tops his love of dinosaurs. Campbell is learning to read and I got so happy and emotional one night last week while he read Go Dog Go. Reading isn't his favorite subject though--math is. Campbell loves math (which he did not get from me)!! Campbell calls people "dude" now and uses the word "actually" a lot. He is slowly becoming less attached to me because he is growing up. A friend told me at the beginning of the school year that I would be amazed at the growth Campbell would have in kindergarten and he would basically be like a different person once the year was over. I didn't like hearing it but knew they were probably right and, as it turns out, they were.

As for me, I'm doing the same things I always do. Last week I completed my 200th ride on the Peloton. It was a big milestone moment for me and something I'm proud to have accomplished since I first started riding the Peloton late last summer. I also PR'd on my ride and it felt awesome. I really push myself weekly to get stronger and each month I see my hard work pay off. I do strength training in addition to my rides a few times a week and it feels nice! I like that I'm getting stronger and building endurance. It feels good to do something good for myself every morning. The Peloton has been such an awesome, uplifting thing in my life and I'm super thankful for it!! I'm currently doing a Bible Study that I'm really, really enjoying. I love the small group of women that I have studied with the last several years and that they are people I feel safe being honest and vulnerable with. I love what I'm learning in my study and it's made me do a lot of deep thinking, which sometimes I don't love getting into that space for fear of what it may bring out (ha!) but actually I really do love what that space reveals and teaches me. I'm reading a new book that I'm enjoying, I'm doing pretty good at keeping my Lent sacrifice of only 2 hours on my phone a day, and I'm getting to know some of my neighbors a lot more now that this spring weather is bringing us all out of hibernation and to the park to congregate. I have always loved winter but I'm officially ready for spring and my yard is in the very beginning stages of looking spring-y and it's currently making me very happy!

Wordless Wednesday

Peter Pan

I have a major Peter Pan lover on my hands. Bennett is recently OBSESSED with Peter Pan. He fell in love while we were at Disney World. He watched the movie right before we went (I made it a point for the boys to watch ALL the Disney movies before we went to Disney) and he kind of watched it, kind of didn't. Peter Pans Flight is my absolute favorite ride at Disney. On the last day of our trip, we were getting ready to ride Peter Pan--our last ride before we went home. Scott, Campbell and Wells rode in a pirate ship together and Bennett and I rode together, separate from them. As the ride came to an end, Bennett looked at me with starry eyes and said in the softest, sweetest voice "I loved it." I will never forget it! There was true awe in his voice and he is never soft spoken, so I could tell he was truly taking in what he had just experienced.

Ever since, our life has been about Peter Pan. Bennett watches Peter Pan almost every day. He has a Peter Pan costume and a Captain Hook costume (but he makes Campbell be Captain Hook and occasionally Campbell obliges. Haha!). We listen to "You Can Fly" every time we get in the car and Peter Pan is all Bennett wants to "play" and talk about. His love of superheros is still strong but it has definitely taken a back seat to Peter Pan. And he no longer wants a superhero party, but a Peter Pan birthday party instead.

My little Peter Pan asked me if I would take his picture in his Peter Pan costume. This boy LOVES costumes and literally wears them daily and has for 15 months now. I will forever remember Bennett's love of costumes and I'm not sad one little bit that he has a Peter Pan obsession. It is such a wonderful movie and I love that he is taken by a classic Disney film (somewhat related: Campbell loves watching Pinocchio and I love that he is entertained by one of the classic Disney films as well!). The only downside to Bennett loving Peter Pan is that there are zero Peter Pan toys. He asks me to get him a Peter Pan toy all the time and there are none out there! Thankfully, Disney came to my rescue with the Peter Pan costume, which really, is all he could ever dream to have!

Wordless Wednesday