enJOY it

our trip to maui with a toddler in tow.

May 12, 2015

We spent the first week of May in Maui. It was absolutely wonderful to get away, though I am always humbled to re-remember that traveling with a toddler is not "relaxing." This was a special trip because both sets of grandparents were able to come with us! We were very lucky to have them.

Paul's parents have a time share at the Marriott Maui Ocean Club and so we spent most of the week there in Lahaina. It's absurdly kid-friendly and perfect for families. Despite the fact that we live in San Diego, this was Ellerie's first experience with the ocean and swimming pools (I know) and she was pretty excited about both.

The pool especially. We hopped in the first afternoon and she was like a little fish.

We held her in the pool but she also wore this a lot. We're excited to get her into some swim lessons now that we're home.

All of the pools seemed kid-friendly but there was a special small pool with slides and fountains that was perfect for her (until we tried to get her to leave).

There was also shaded playground equipment that she LOVED. There is a slide at daycare that she spends most of her day on but this was triple the size. By the end of the week she could climb to the top by herself and I was wondering where my baby girl had gone.

Our biggest challenge was keeping her sunscreened and covered (we did well! No burns! This hat helped a lot) and getting a nap in. I wish I could just be That Cool Parent that says "hey! We're on vacation! No naps, no schedule, no problems!" but then it's 4pm and the toddler has lost her mind and you've forgotten what having a mind is like. So naps, even short ones, are key. We found that if we took her on a long walk around 11am she'd conk in her stroller for a good 90 minutes to two hours and that made a HUGE difference in the quality of our afternoons.

Ellerie was NOT into sleeping in her pack and play so Paul and I learned what co-sleeping is like. (#hmmmmm) This meant bedtime for all three of us was between 7-8:30 PM and we were awake between 5-6 AM. But the good news is we got a ton of sleep and we stayed decently on a PST time table. (The transition back to San Diego sleep wise has been so wonderful, I can't believe it.)

So that's toddler! Let's talk food!

The plus side of staying in a condo situation is that you have a kitchen. Maui has a (very busy) Costco and so the grandparents went there and stocked up and Paul and I visited the (24 hour!) Safeway so we had plenty of food. We ate breakfasts in the room, had sandwiches for a few lunches and BBQed dinner a few nights. This was also ideal for the 700 snacks Ellerie (and I) ate throughout the day.

We were also impressed with the food at the resort. We ate lunches and mid-afternoon appetizers at the pool bar few times and were impressed with everything we had. (The burgers, fish tacos and coconut shrimp especially.) The drinks, both virgin and according to Paul, boozy, were great too.

In the area we loved Leilani's (the fish tacos were great, best I had) and Ellerie and the grandparents went to Roy's where everyone had a good time and Ellerie enjoyed a cheese quesadilla.

We drove into Old Town Lahainia (fun shopping and a beautiful banyan tree!) and ate one dinner at Kobe which is a chop-chop place where they cook the food in front of you on the hot stove. We thought Ellerie would be super into it (dinner AND a show!) but she was a little startled and then that threw off her night. The food was good though. Get the garlic fried rice. Get the beef. Get the lobster.

We go out to dinner about once a week with Ellerie when we're home and so she's pretty used to it. The first "secret" to success is to make sure she's hungry. Then eating sort of distracts her from the fact that she'd rather be climbing on her high chair instead of sitting in it. The second "secret" to success is to make sure she's not so hungry that you want to strangle the waiter for a two minute delay on food service. We generally order as soon as we can. No "let's order drinks first" crap and then we make sure we have snacks (those dried peas are a hit) and water. When all else fails, taking her for a walk until the food arrives works.

That's food. Let's chat entertainment!

The cheapest, best entertainment is of course the pool and the beach. And long walks. Our hotel had a long paved path and we walked both ways many, many times a day. My step count was awesome. The views are great and the people watching is excellent. We walked and walked.

On Monday morning, my Mom and Aunt Kristen stayed back with Ellerie and the rest of us headed to Molokini on the Four Winds II to go snorkeling. I asked my dad why he picked this boat and he said "Yelp said it was the most fun." Yelp was right. It was a great crew. It was also, apparently, the only boat that serves beer on the way out to the coral. 😉 The food (which they cooked and served up while we were at Molokini) was GREAT.

I tend to get a little claustrophobic while snorkeling but every time I try I get a bit better and this was a good time. We were out on the ocean for about four hours and loved the trip. This was probably the most relaxing part aside from when Paul and I snuck off for a few nights (more on that later). There were kiddos on the boat but Ellerie would have been too young for sure. I'm glad we had the option to not take her or I would have lost years of my life keeping her safe on that boat.

We also visited the Maui Ocean Center and that was really cool (albeit small). Again, Ellerie is just a touch young to get it. We're like "look at the pretty fish, Elle!" and she's like "Are there more stairs around this corner, Mama?" so we're getting there. Probably ideal if your kiddo is a little older OR a little less into climbing. She did LOVE the jellyfish ("Bubbles!!!!!!") and was moderately entertained by the scuba diver she saw in a tank ("Daddy???") It's a short trip from Lahaina.

Last, downtime! Sometimes Ellerie would be wandering the hotel room sort of whiny and unsettled and I'd think "what's wrong?" and then I'd remember it had been go-go-go since 5AM. She needs to sit on my lap and chill for 15 minutes. So we'd sit. Sometimes with an iPad and youtube videos and sometimes with a book. Kids need downtime as much (if not more) than adults.

Whew! It was such a great trip. I haven't touched on the two nights that Paul and I were very lucky to take to celebrate our five year anniversary and so I think I'll do a separate post on that early next week. Let me know if I can answer any questions and most clothing links are below.

Sidenote: all of these photos are from my iPhone 5s and most were processed with the VSCO app. I didn't even bring my big camera and every time I snapped a quick photo I thought "I'm so glad I didn't bring my big camera."

Clothing sources I have links for … Ellerie's swimsuits here, here and here. Elise's swimsuits (similar) and here. Elise's hat. Ellerie's hat. Ellerie's sunglasses. Elise's sunglasses. Ellerie's sandles. Elise's sandals (similar). Ellerie's blue sneakers are MiniBoden. Elise's gray maxi dress is Z supply. Ellerie's mint top is Wildly Co. Ellerie's green jumper was Lily Pulitzer for Target and ditto my outfit in that last photo. Most of Ellerie's clothing is Old Navy or Target including those little white espadrilles. My white dress is last summer from Madewell. This is our stroller.
happy monday!

May 11, 2015

I'm not sure WHAT I thought when I said I'd be back with a post Monday 5/11. What was I planning to do? Spend a jet-lagged Mother's Day drafting an epic post about our trip? Hmmmmmm. That sounds…like the worst.

So instead I'll REALLY be back in the saddle after a full work day on Monday (we switched up our daycare days). I've got some fun posts coming this week including MAUI (with and without a toddler), April on film, Day in the Life, and probably a short novel on what I thought about The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. (Plus, next week : how to mix and match patterned fabrics.)

We got back to San Diego very late Saturday night and sighed with glee.

It's good to leave but wow, is it great to come home.

Happy belated Mother's Day to all the caretakers of every shape and form. You are loved.
see you in a week!

May 1, 2015

We are headed out on our first big family vacation and the first week long break I've taken from the blog since our honeymoon in 2010. To say I've been looking forward to this would be like saying Ron Swanson is amazing (a gross understatement). Paul and I have spent the spring talking about what's most important to our family and the answer always circles back to time. More time together. That's really the only goal. That's the goal right now when our jobs feel all consuming and insane and that's the goal eight years from now when we will be in the position to make real decisions about career paths and ladder climbing.

Time. What a gift. I'm so looking forward to soaking it up. I'll be back here 5/11 and in the meantime I'll be overgramming palm trees, tropical drinks, maxi dresses and Ellerie's first Hawaiian adventure.

Cheers and happy May!
wedding table number cards + anniversary cards.

April 30, 2015

I have blogged about this before. Twice actually… before our wedding and then around our one year anniversary, but when I shared our 5 year card on Instagram last weekend and there was a lot of interest so I thought I'd stick it on the blog as well for future or current brides who are looking for an inexpensive, easy and SUPER sentimental idea that will last much longer than just the wedding day.

The table number cards at our wedding were simple 10×5 pieces of gray cardstock that I folded in half to make a 5×5 card that would stand on the table. I stamped each side with an orange number stamp (super old from Martha Stewart for Michael's) but these look similar.

They served their purpose at the wedding (told the guests which table was theirs) and then during the reception turned into anniversary cards.

When my dad spoke, he told the guests to write a note inside the cards at their table to be opened on our corresponding anniversary. So table 10 would be opened on our 10th. Depending on where you sat you got to drop us a note some odd years in the future.

It was a sweet idea at the time. But at the time you have no real concept of "the future." You don't think about what your marriage will actually look like in three years, five years, 16 years. So now, as we open the notes each year (my mom mails them our way), it transports us back to that day in a way that photos cannot. The words are so kind, so hopeful, so (depending on the table) drunk. It's hilarious and overwhelming in the best way.

Of all the things we did, this was by far my favorite even though I didn't realize it would be. I would recommend this to any couple planning a wedding. I would also recommend just ignoring all suggestions and doing exactly what you want.

wedding photos by The Goodness, formerly Lisa Welge. See all of our 2010 DIY wedding posts here.
one year with the fitbit.

April 29, 2015
I have been wearing my Fitbit Flex for one full year. And by wearing, I mean I have worn it nearly 24 hours a day, seven days a week for one full year. Today I wanted to share a "review" and why I think this fitness tracking method has worked for me.

First some basic details:

I got a Fitbit in April 2014 because I had seen a few folks using them and sharing on social media. "That looks…addicting." I thought. And placed my order.

When I started wearing it, I was a few weeks out from quitting pumping breastmilk for my (then) 10 month old daughter and felt like I might as well spend all that extra time I'd be saving walking plus I wanted to get my body back to "normal."

When I first wore it, I was shocked to find that even with my long daily walks I was only clocking in about 7000 steps, not the "recommended" 10k.

I have gone through weeks where I hit my 10k goal everyday and weeks were I feel glad to just get that star one day out of seven.

I have lost ten pounds in the past year without changing my diet or doing any other exercise other than working for those ten thousand steps everyday. This point needs some clarifying though… I think the first few pounds dropped off quickly when my post-breastfeeding hormones regulated. (Everyone experiences hormone changes differently, but my body held onto extra weight while I was producing milk.)

Without a doubt, though, at 30, I feel the best in my body and clothes that I ever have. I seriously thank the fitbit for this. I have tried a lot of different exercise routines and even more crazy diets in my life and this one (walking!) is the easiest on my body by far. Plus! I'm happy and never hungry!

Technical details:

I charge my Fitbit every 3-5 days while I sleep. It plugs right into my USB wall charger and takes probably an hour and half to go from empty to full. You get an email reminder when the battery is low.

I have had a few different color plastic bracelets and also have a Tory Birch rose gold one that I love for fancier days. Before I got the fancy bracelet, if I had to go some where nice (like a wedding in the photo above) I just tucked the tracker into my bra. Worked great.

I find the tracker to be very consistent. And remember, what matters isn't that it's perfectly accurate but that it's consistently inaccurate.

Twice in the past year, my tracker has stopped charging properly and both times after trying to troubleshoot myself, Fitbit sent me a replacement free of charge within two days (I emailed their customer service and it didn't matter that I had purchased through amazon). I am not sure if this is just because it was in the first year? But if it happens again and I have to buy a new one myself, I would for sure. $100 a year is cheaper than a gym membership (and I don't have to drive to the gym).

Who is the Fitbit for?

Despite the fact that my experience has been so positive, it would be insane for me to blindly recommend the Fitbit. I actually bet this sort of tracking wouldn't work for most people. It takes a sort of uniquely obsessive personality to really click with this constant feedback.

If you're considering one, these are the questions I would ask:
- Do you want to be "healthier"?
- Do you not already have a workout plan that's working well?
- Do you feel like you don't have time to exercise?
- Do you actually like walking (or running)?
- Do you feel motivated by goals and statistics?
- Would you seriously wear a piece of plastic around your wrist every day?
If you answered YES to all of these questions then I would say it (or other similar workout tracker) could be a great fit for you. If you answered no to one or more, I'd say "ehhhh, might not be worth it" but would still try out a pedometer app for your phone and see what you think. (If you carry your phone all the time, you can just skip the bracelet all together and use an app like Health for free!)

The most important thing to keep in mind is the Fitbit doesn't work. YOU WORK.

It's like buying weights or signing up for an exercise class. That's just a step in the right direction. The actual improvement comes from the consistent use of those weights and repeated visits to that exercise class. That's the hard part. And only the hard parts make real change.

But as far as the Fitbit goes, it's not really hard. For most people, the physical act of walking isn't hard. It doesn't take special clothing or shoes or equipment. It's not expensive. But finding time to walk is hard. Getting up from the couch after dinner to do laps through your house is hard. And those two things are hugely vital for me to actually hit my numbers.

My success has come from GETTING UP off the couch at 9pm when I am still 2000 steps to goal. I walk laps from my bedroom to the kitchen and listen to podcasts or read a book – yes, while walking. That has been the real difference. Of course, if I didn't have a Fitbit, I could still get up and walk. But when I don't have that number looking at me it doesn't feel as concrete or "worthwhile" (but we've already established I am a bit obsessive).

I think my best piece of advice if you recently purchased one and are having trouble (or bought one months ago and felt discouraged) is to switch your goal. If you normally get 3000 steps a day, set your goal to 4000. Don't shoot for 10k and be bummed! Go for something reasonable that you can hit consistently. When I was first pregnant and felt like a hungover garbage can, I dropped my goal to 5000 steps for two weeks and focused on reaching that instead (I still didn't, btw). Keeping things manageable is always the key.

You can also switch your focus. Maybe getting those 30 active minutes everyday is much more important to you than 10k steps. Awesome. Change it up and make that your daily goal instead.

Like anything, this is about finding what really works for you. Good luck! Happy stepping!

This post is NOT sponsored but links are affiliate.

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And speaking of one year, this week on ELISE GETS CRAFTY, I am chatting with Hayley Morgan of Wildly Co. about one year in business. Listen to our first episode about getting started here and then catch this week's here.

Other posts you might enjoy:
april book report (part 2).

April 28, 2015
So I did a book report at the beginning of the month…but then I read five books. And I'm not sure what it was but this was a REALLY good reading month. I couldn't put these down. More than twice I skipped post Ellerie bedtime TV watching to just sit on the couch and read.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart / okay, this was the slight fail of the bunch. I wrote down the books as I finished this month so I wouldn't forget and without that list I would have for sure forgot this one. It was Young Adult which I never really connect with but somehow still find myself reading (I should do a better job vetting books that I add to my library queue). It wasn't BAD at all, just (for me!) not something I would recommend over and over.

The Likeness by Tana French / I really enjoyed this. It's a murder mystery with a twist… woman turns up dead and happens to look just like a local detective who used to work under cover. There are no leads in the murder and so they pretend the victim didn't die and the detective pretends to be her to gain insight into the life of the victim before she was killed. Far fetched? Absolutely. Interesting? For sure. Couldn't put it down.

I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes / again, another win. This is a thriller in the truest sense. It starts out a little crazy but settles into a great groove. My only issue is I spent the first half of the book confused on what was "real time" and what was flashback. Even now, I am not sure how long after 9/11 the book was supposed to take place (relevant because the events of 9/11 play a role). But it was interesting and horrifying (I spent a lot of time telling Paul how we are going to be attacked next) and a crazy page-turner (like the kind where you're scanning the right page while you're reading the left page).

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty / this was my third book by this author and it proved just as interesting as her others. I love the links she creates between her characters. I think if I was picking favorites, I would stick this below Big Little Lies, but still, it's a fun (not sure if that's the right word, but it's what comes to mind) and quick read about a heavy topic. Just what I needed after the intensity of I am Pilgram.

Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan / this is a memoir about the important mother/daughter relationship and of course it hit all the right notes for me as both a daughter and a mother to a little girl. All the feelings with this one. Unlike most memoirs that tend to read more like short stories, this one tells one full story of her experience nannying for a family that had recently lost their mother to cancer. Quick read, good read. Recommend for mothers OR daughters (so basically, everyone who reads this blog.)

I am almost done with Reconstructing Amelia and then I have a long books on my list to take to Hawaii. What are you reading? Have you read any of the five I mentioned? Thoughts?

see all book reports (and the comments sections filled with great recommendations!) here.

Other posts you might enjoy:
E&e in April

April 27, 2015

I will be documenting Ellerie's second year by photographing some mama and baby favorites each month.

This is what Elise and Ellerie are doing in April 2015.

WEARING : patterned dress | an apron made by Aunt Krissy

READING : I Am Pilgram | The Jolly Postman

LOVING : my first garden cucumber | her new monkey

WORKING : on GTWB packaging | her art

EATING : grilled cheese and ham sandwiches | apple slices

See all these posts here.
weekend links / 63.

April 25, 2015

I love the Internet. Here are some favorites I found this week…

so fun to read this post about taking a kiddo to Maui! A week from today this will be us!

a Full House spinoff. I'm intrigued.

the best part of this hilarious skit is how calm and kind they are throughout.

super cute way to document a first year.

Disney's radical plan to modernize its cherished theme parks.

beautiful paintings.

how fun are these for spring.

a 23 minute speech that will encourage you to enter the arena.

Tara, your home (and those plants) are just beautiful.

nailed it.

why people misunderstand each other.

if you missed this week's Elise Gets Crafty episode about the Fringe Hours, listen here!

thank you for the quote, Aunt Carol.
five years

April 24, 2015

photo by the Goodness

Five years ago today, I was waking up in a hotel room with my mom. I had a pounding headache, thanks to a tremendously fun rehearsal dinner where an un-mentionable amount of wine was consumed. I tried to eat breakfast, popped some Advil, put on my red heart headband and favorite shirt and started turning orange roses into centerpieces. Later that afternoon, I married my best friend and best match. My trapped on a desert island necessity? It's not a pocket knife and it's for sure not mascara. It's Paul. If he's there (and he packed some sunscreen), I'll be okay.

Four years ago today, I was living in Little Italy in San Diego. I had feathered our little nest with DIY projects and was working for myself, trying to figure out exactly what I wanted my business to be. My marriage, it seemed, was struggle-free, with a heavy emphasis on good home cooked meals, long runs through the neighborhood and twice weekly visits to our favorite bar for happy hour. That evening, I put on my rehearsal dress (and a sweater) and we walked to dinner to toast one year.

Three years ago today, I was living in a townhouse by the beach. We were still adjusting back into life as two. What they don't tell you about deployments is that everything gets screwed up. Not just the time that your partner is gone. But the time before as you wait in limbo for them to leave and then the time after as you wait for normal life to settle back in. It sucks. Communication, which for so long was via email and bad skype connections, sucks. That night, we drove up the coast to get dinner. We sipped drinks awkwardly. And then, around appetizers, something clicked back into place and we talked like normal humans who understood each other. A few days later, we transitioned into what will always go down as one of the best summers of my life.

Two years ago today, I was back in San Diego again. Alone, but not really since I had a 30 week baby Ellerie growing in my belly. Paul and I chatted a few times that day via facetime and each time I marveled at how much better our connection was this year compared to last, despite the 6000 miles in between us. I am not sure what I had for dinner. Most likely something low-carb as my current foe was gestational diabetes.

One year ago today, I woke up with both Paul and my sweet baby girl home. I spent the day reading Ten Little Ladybugs, spooning applesauce, pumping milk and asking Ellerie to show me how big she was. I was still a bit underwater in my new mamahood role. We were in a month of tough night shifts and I was looking forward to another shot at finding normal. I'm pretty sure Paul worked that evening. We celebrated four years the next weekend when family was in town.

Today, I'll wake up with a smile on my face. The past five years feel like a lifetime (and they are for one of us) but also like a moment. This life we have built is made up of moments. Some hard, some amazing, some tender, some awkward. There have been mountain top moments and crashes back to earth. There have been tremendous successes and spectacular failures. There have been so many tears and so many heartbeats. Thankfully, there have been more victories than battles. Tonight, we will hug and kiss Ellerie and leave her with our favorite baby-sitter. We'll go to a restaurant and sit down at a table. We'll relax when the waiter takes forever. We'll discuss which cocktail will lend itself best to a mocktail (the one that has berries). We'll talk and laugh about work and life and Ellerie antics. We'll imagine this baby that's joining our family. We'll wonder where our family and our careers will be in the next five years. And all the years after that.

I love you and I like you, Paul. You're my best friend. You're my best match. Happy Anniversary. FIVE YEARS DOWN, SEVENTY TO GO!
GET TO WORK BOOK : it’s becoming real!

April 23, 2015

I was so excited to get some behind the scenes photos from Jolby + Friends who did press checks up in Portland on Monday. GET TO WORK BOOK™ is in production. Covers are being printed this week, insides next week and then a there will be few weeks of binding and they'll be out the door to be carefully packaged up and headed to YOUR front doors.

Quick refresher…the books are being printed and assembled in Portland, Oregon. The paper and chipboard covers are 100% recycled from post-consumer waste and milled in the USA. This first batch will be freight shipped down to me in San Diego and then shipped out from here. (Long term, I will most likely be cutting out myself as the middle man and having them shipped from a distribution center in the PNW. But one big step at a time!)

Anyway, logistics aside…I loved seeing the production photos and thought you might too.

First thing, as you can see the covers are being printed on a double width stock (two to a page as well, but that's not the important part). One of my issues with the prototype was that the cover was a little thin. To print the way we wanted AND to keep that great tan colored cover, we needed to stick with the thinner chipboard, BUT to get around it, we are folding the cover in half (back on itself) and creating a double thick stock. (See below.)

I have a sample of the new cover and it looks (and feels!) great! Producing it this way will create a sturdier cover, give more support at the binding and cover up any embossing that comes through the backside from the check mark. (It's a triple win and I'm so glad we were able to come up with this solution.)

Second thing, LOOK AT ALL THAT PAPER. LOOK AT THOSE PRINTERS. I sort of want to be there just to…smell it.

Third thing, remember, the illustrated calendar pages (see them all here) are printed on a thicker paper stock and will be perforated to pull out from the book and hung on your wall. So yes…you get a day planner. You get goal setting and project breakdown pages. And you get 12 unique art prints. (Sometimes I feel like an infomercial. "But wait! There's more! Order now and I'll throw in some heart eye emojis!")

Fourth thing, it's so fun for me to see this become real. It feels legit (I mean look at the size of those printers) in a way that nothing I have ever done (except recite a full episode of Friends) has. It's hard to explain and I probably will never be able to put it into words – though I tried on Tiffany's podcast. I am just awkwardly proud and really excited to get this out there. And then I'm ready to continue working on making this brand something special and motivating and worth your continued investment.

Thanks for letting me share some behind the scenes today!

Haven't see the video walk through yet?! Watch it here! Ready to hop on board and get to work?! Pre-order your 2015-2016 GET TO WORK BOOK™ here! And yes, there will be a just as amazing 2016 version. Look for more details on that in early September.

ps. all my thanks for your excitement over our announcement yesterday. We're shaking things up as much as possible around here in 2015 and it feels pretty great.