Hello Black Friday, We're feeling Yellow.

Since we missed our Wednesday "On Wednesdays we wear..." segment, as promised, here is my outfit of the week:

 [skirt (Only $13!), top, stockings, wrap, scarf (in mustard and on sale now!) Lu's shoes c/o Freshly Picked] 

Happy Black Friday Friends! I hope you had a glorious Thanksgiving filled with good family, good friends, good food, good football, good pumpkin pie and all that's good on my favorite holiday! Did you gobble til' you wobbled?! We did. I am still full from yesterday & last night I slept like a baby with my beautiful baby sleeping next to me aaand he slept in until 8:30 this morning! Oh happy day! I am so grateful--for everything--for my life, for those in my life, and for the love I have. 

On Wednesday a podcast I was fortunate to guest on released and I am so happy to have been part of Plug In with Avi & Kyle's Thanksgiving special! If you'd like to watch it for yourself, I've posted the video below, while the episode is also available to listen to as an iTune's podcast (search OC digital Studio, and you can find me on episode 9!).

All of that aside, today is Black Friday--and if you were wondering, no, I absolutely did not go out to hit all the crazy black friday deals, and I have no regrets. I've been posted up cozily in my house bumming it up with my Lu and we've been watching reruns of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood and shopping a couple deals online and that is the extent of excitement for our black friday! The husband had to work the black friday sale for his company's store at midnight last night and so I'm hoping we can throw together something HEALTHY, yummy, and light for dinner tonight so he get's a good home cooked meal as I'm sure he's exhausted. What do you do on black friday?! Do you have any tips or techniques? Please share! Here are some of our favorite cyber deals going on today:

• Anthropologie has some great black friday savings today only! offering 25% off EVERYTHING in stores and online with code HOLIDAY25 at check out!
• At Ink 361, where you can blow up and creat beautiful prints from your instagram photos, you can receive 40% off everything with code BLACKFRIDAY at check out!
• Madewell has some adorable jewelry, and is offering 25% your total purchase with code GIFTON at checkout.
• Rifle Paper Co. is offering 30% off their phone cases now through Monday! (Discount already applied)
• Asos is offering 30% everything and free shipping on orders over $40 with code TGIBF at checkout!
• Khol's is offering 15% off entire store online only with code THANKS15 at checkout!

Happy Shopping and may you find the best deals yet! 

xo

Freshly Picked Moccasin Giveaway!

Yesterday I launched a Freshly Picked moccasin giveaway on Instagram and, in the chaos of it all, I forgot to post it on here! Yesterday was my beloved's birthday and so I tried to keep my phone/computer aside and, rightfully so, focus on him. So, I apologize for the delay, but worry not, you still have plenty of time to enter! Here are the deets:

The winner will receive one pair of Freshly Picked Moccasins in the size and color style of their choice! The contest will run from 11/25-12/1. If we reach 1,000 followers by 12/1 I'm throwing in a little something extra (to be announced on day of results!), so spread the word! The contest will close & the winner will be announced on December 1st!

The rules are as follows:

1:: You must follow @thelittlesprig on instagram (find my post with the picture shown above)

2:: Comment on the photo stating why you'd like to win!

3:: Repost the photo tagging @thelittlesprig and a friend and hashtag #thelittlesprigthankfulcontest

Simple right?! 

Good luck to each and every one of you and I'm pushing my "what we wear on wednesday segment" to friday, so look for it then! Have a wonderful & blessed Thanksgiving tomorrow filled with yummy food and all those special people who you love so! 

xoxo 

On Wednesdays we wear...

I love fall. You know I love fall because I've informed you of this love at least once per post. Last year my sister so wonderfully coined the term "FALLELUJA!" I said it a bunch last year and I'll say it again now! FALL-E-LUJA! One of my favorite things about fall, aside from the smells, the changing of the leaves, the cooler weather, the food, the holidays, bundling up, building fires, I could go on forever, but what really tops my list of fall favorites is my wardrobe. I could be caught stalking pinterest at any given moment compiling outfits that involve scarves, chunky knit sweaters, boots and of course pom beanies! I'll be leaving for New York in a few weeks and I cannot wait to bundle up not just to look cute, but out of necessity! Luca is going to be my little snowman and I already got him a parka. A baby puff parka, does it get any cuter than that?! Nope, I don't think it does. Just to give you a visual, picture the michelin man with Luca's face and chunky cheeks. Now I am not claiming to be DVF (Diane von Furstenburg), but I love little comfy secrets and when I get I give. 

With that being said, I'm so happy to share with you the details of the most comfortable outfit I have compiled for fall. I love layers because in Southern California because you just never know when your going to have to strip it all down and call it summer. Now, I know most people think of J.jill as a grandmother's store, but I wouldn't care if they sold moo-moos, I would still shop there. I love their petite section because never do I have to hem my leggings or roll my sleeves. I promise you, you will find something here (the place is dangerous). There are so many little gems hidden amongst all the granny-chic turtlenecks & one of those diamonds in the ruff is this mixed textures open cardigan. I am wearing the sweater in "wheat heather." If you need one too, be sure to take advantage of the limited time discount code for 25% OFF all full-priced items. Just use the code COZY2 when ordering! (*Offer valid October 27, through November 19, 2013 on all full-priced, in-stalk items, excluding markdowns. Offer valid in stores (outlets excluded), at JJILL.COM or via catalog. Offer cannot be combined with any other offer, except the J. Jill credit card. For retail store purchases, this coupon must be presented. Limit one coupon per person for one-time use only. Certain brands & styles excluded. Discount not valid on previous purchases or gift card purchases and is exclusive of sales tax and shipping fees. No cash value).  

I love this sweater because it fits over flannels without making your arms look huge. I actually like being able to have my arms at my side whiteout feeling like there is a roll of toilet paper under my armpits. This sweater does the trick. The flannel I'm wearing under this super soft sweater is a boyfriend fitted plaid oxford from Gap, and you can find it in a variety of colors here.

Necklace (old) similar here, Shoes from here. Sunglasses here.

What are some of your favorite fall trends? I'd love to hear! 

Happy Hump Day! We're almost there! (To friday I'm mean!) with wednesday brains I figured I should specify! 

xo

Happy Veteran's Day: Honoring our soldiers

What a beautifully gloomy Tuesday which most of you have "off" in honor of our wonderful Veterans! My job took off Monday in lieu of Tuesday so we could enjoy a three-day weekend, and I love them for that. The rest and family time were much needed and seeing as we are already mid-way through our week when it has only just begun makes me want to jump for joy.

I feel so inclined to reflect upon our Veterans today. I think we too often take for granted our precious freedoms & country and in stark contrast think far too sparsely about the price those freedoms hold. Today I have been thinking heavily about the brave women & men who risk their lives, their most precious gift, courageously defending our liberties that we so often forget we are fortunate to have. For the families of our soldiers--everyday is veterans day, some days for better and other days for worse. With that being said, I was sad to I find the overall vibe surrounding Veteran's Day was excitement for all the wrong reasons. People simply seemed happy to take a weekday off regardless of the occasion. One thing I've learned thus far is that people will take freebies in observance of absolutely anything, especially when those "freebies" are in the form of days off work. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I enjoyed my three day weekend very much, I'm just trying to keep the reason relevant within the holiday--remembering those who have gone before us and celebrating those who are still with us.

 What brought all of this to the surface for me & stopped me dead in my tracks was a "Food City" commercial. Don't ask me why, but I broke out into tears while watching it. I think it was the emotional music and the generational connection, but regardless, it touched me. I've posted it to share

below! Okay, well enjoy the rest of your snooze day!

How to beat a cold with oil of oregano.

I know no one wants to hear about snot and kleenex again, but bear with me on this one because I have some very valuable information to share with you. Where do I begin? Well, if you're a routine reader of mine, you know I was sick two or three weeks ago, and if you are new here--welcome, and to fill you in, I was sick two or three weeks ago...It took a long time, but I recovered and was back in the game after a solid week and a half. And then, the unthinkable happened...Last Monday came & I found myself feeling like death once again. There was something all too familiar about the way I felt, yet one thing was different. I knew about something I didn't know two weeks ago and that my friends was when oil of oregano came strutting in like Beyoncé singing "Drunk in Love" [and Lord knows we all love Beyoncé].

I'll give you a little  background as to how I most likely became sick again. I have my theories. I actually started to believe the idea that my cold was a result of my attendance to a hot yoga class I took on Sunday (yeah, that's it, I think I'm allergic to working out). It could have also been the fact that I work in close contact with 100 teenagers day in and day out. I'm thinking it was my body detoxing from sweating profusely in yoga. My friend Sara convinced me to go with her and I went from a total lack of working out to a two and a half hour level 2-3 class (which I like to compare to never having practiced karate to to challenging a black belt). Maybe I'm just hungry, but I was looking like a Wetzel Pretzel...a salted pretzel with a muffin top. Why does everyone hate on the muffin top?! I love muffin tops & it's ok, I know you do too. I even know of a bakery in NYC called "Baby Cakes" that sells muffin tops because let's be real, the muffin top is the best part! Anyhow, somewhere along the way muffin tops got a bad rep and went out of style before I could even finish my maple bar for breakfast. I had to get rid of the donut around my hips and I did so doing the only logical thing I knew for certain would kick my behind back into its original perky position. So I entered a sauna and did vinyasa over and over again until my heels reached the ground in downward dog. It was torture, but it hurt so good. With a post-baby bod gravity can feel like your worst enemy & so when you feel like things are lifting and tightening, you keep at it girl! For those of you reading pre-baby bod, go get naked, look at yourself in the mirror and thank the sweet, sweet lord for those perky boobs, flawless skin,  and for not having to own a pair of Spanx. 

I regress. 

I woke up on Monday and I felt horrible. I suffered through the work day taking dayquil around the clock and still heeded no relief. I thought about calling in sick on Tuesday, but with an upcoming trip to NY planned I didn't want to use any more of my sick days if it wasn't completely necessary. I was feeling pretty low and pretty desperate at the same time. I remembered some barefooted, hippie-ish woman I had met at Trader Joe's a few weeks ago. She started up some small talk as I stared at the long shelf of soups and broths trying to decipher which one Luca would most likely eat. As I went to reach for the ginger miso, this woman nearly smacked my hand telling me to ditch the soup & buy a bottle of "oil of oregano." She swore up and down by the stuff and advised me to to put a few droplets in Luca's humidifier. I honestly spaced, forgot, and by the time I remembered & bought the goods, Luca was well again.

So on that brutal Monday, a lightbulb flashed atop my pounding head and I thought about what that beatnik had told me. She said, "Oil of Oregano, it's nature's antibiotic." I had nothing to lose, so I  scavenged it out of my cluttered medicine cabinet to put it to the test. I was so eager to see what all the rage was about. I first decided to do a little research on the stuff, to see what others were saying about it, make sure it was safe & to ensure I wasn't doing something totally stupid like the cinnamon challenge (if you don't know what the cinnamon challenge is, you tube it & waste 5 minutes of your life). I also had to make sure I wasn't gonna fall into some hypnotic state cause let's be honest, ain't no mama got time for that. What I did next was drop 4 droplets on my tongue and ZING! Holy Moly! Was this acid or oregano? The tincture is extremely strong and outrageously spicy. You'd better have a glass of water on standby because your tongue will feel like it is on fire. This stuff is no joke. It isn't the most fun thing to do, but the results are phenomenal. I kept at it and within 24 hours I was feeling 100%. I am so happy I gave it a shot, pun intended, and I am so happy I am able to share this amazing new life hack with you! On that note, I'd better get out of your hair so you can get your sniffly bottom into your car and head over to your nearest natural food store (If you'd prefer to buy it online or don't live near by a health store you can buy it HERE). 

Get feeling better quickly! But before I go I'll give you tips in regards to what I learned after using this oil myself and experiencing first hand my new favorite cold remedy.

•  Use 4 drops 2-3 times daily when you feel a cold coming on, and continue to use until your symptoms subside.
•  Have something other than water to chase it with. It tastes disgusting, I can assure you, but it is totally worth it!  (to put things in perspective: It feels like someone poured acid on your tongue and you can't rinse it off, but then 24 hours later you're a new person!)

•  Do not overuse it. It is extremely potent and considered a medication. It should not be abused.    You should also consult with your doctor before using oil of oregano especially if you are taking other medications, nursing, or are pregnant/trying to become pregnant. The information expressed in this post is solely my opinion &  experience and should not be taken into consideration as if I were a licensed medical practitioner  No information within this context should be substituted or replaced in lieu of your family doctor's instructions and/or advice.
• Expect to pay between 20-32 dollars for a small bottle. I know the price is a bit steep BUT it will last you a long time and I promise it's worth its weight in gold.
• Are your babies sick? Put two drops of oil of oregano mixed with distilled water in their humidifier on night one, and only one drop on night two. Continue with the single drop until their colds are gone.
• Oil of oregano isn't just for colds, it can be used for a plethora of issues. Read more about it HERE.

Have you ever used oil of oregano before? I'd love to hear about your experiences or trials with it, so share & comment below!

Apple Picking & Welcoming November

 Last weekend we got up bright and early and headed up to Oak Glen, a cozy little mountain town famous for their apple orchards. I was loving the crisp cold air and colorful leaves scattered about (which is just what I needed to help me get out of the heat wave funk that had overtaken my beloved October). Usually things start to cool down around here by the end of September, but October had climates ranging from the mid to high 80s all the way into the high 90s. Summer was hanging on like grim death and I was ready to hack it with a bat. But the heat never stopped me from dressing up "fall-like," I just had to wear extra deodorant because my scarf had me sweating. 

My little sister came into town and went with us to Oak Glen before she took off to Italy for the week. I know, I'm jealous too. At the orchard Carlie helped Luca climb over pretty much anything not level with the ground (which is his current favorite activity) & she walked him through the pumpkin patch so Miles and I could have a little time together trailing behind. We mostly just watched the two of them interact and my heart melted.
Later in the morning, Luca found a cat along the trail and proceeded to yell "a-WOOF! a-WOOF!" at her. He sometimes forgets dogs and cats are different species. He knows what the "doggy" says as you can tell, and he knows what the "piggy" says to which he scrunches up his nose and breathes quickly in and out, but I suppose "kitty" and "piggy" sound too much alike because "meow" hasn't quite registered. Speaking of Luca repeating sounds & words, Miles lit up a fire in our fireplace tonight for the first time and then said to me, "Make sure Luca doesn't go anywhere near the hearth," to which I replied, "Duh!" Luca chimed in after me, "Duuuuuhhh!!!"--- Oops.
 Luca is communicating so much more often these days. His personality is blossoming more and more everyday and he continues to amaze me with how much he is learning day in and day out. He surprises me with the words he is saying, and the connections he is making. He hums the ABC's & he loves airplanes. Whenever he hears the hum of a plane's engine he points to the sky. He'll go to his bookshelf and pick out which book he wants to be read to him. Lately his favorites include Julia Donaldson's "Room on the Broom" and Jack Wang's "Huckleberry Finn." Both have been read at least 100 times now. What can I say? Lu's a creature of habit and he loves him a good story. I highly recommend both to Mamas looking for new books to add to their collections. "Room on the Broom" rhymes and has the cutest storyline while "Huckleberry Finn" is a word book with adorable illustrations and is an obvious classic. Lulu is searching for ways to become more and more independent which is totally beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. As cliché as it sounds, time is going by way to fast and I often find myself wondering how I can slow it down. All I know is I need to remain in the present, I need to be here now, and more often than not, I need to live on purpose.
Here's to a wonderful first week of November, my favorite month, hosting my favorite holiday, my favorite human's birthday, and also some wonderfully big news I have to share with all of you. I can't wait to show you what I have up my sleeve!
November constantly reminds us to be thankful and speaking for myself I couldn't be more grateful. I hope you're feeling grateful too ;) 

A Happy Belated Halloween!

I know, shame on me, I'm a few days late, but after all the halloween activities, pumpkin carving, packing up the all hallow's eve decor, and then balancing life in between I am just now having the time to sit down and wish you all a very happy belated Halloween! I hope it lived up to all your great expectations and I hope you trick-or-treated enough candy to last you the rest of the year like we did :) 

Our neighborhood had maybe a grand total of 5 trick-or-treaters and I am happy to announce 4 of the 5 kids were dressed up like Disney's Frozen Princesses as predicted & promised by many news stations. I'm not sure about all that hype, but Luca stuck with the Disney theme and dressed up as Carl Fredricksen from the Pixar movie "Up." And let me tell you, he was a show-stopper! The people loved him! The struggle I came across, however, was snapping a photo. I did indeed get one, but please excuse its being a tad bit blurry, it was nearly impossible to get Lu to keep the hat and glasses on. As the saying goes, beggars can't be choosers so I took what I could get & what I got was pretty darn cute! We made a good round about our block and people were shoveling handfuls upon handfuls of candy into Luca's bucket. They apparently had a sparse amount of trick-or-treaters themselves & didn't want to be stuck with butt loads of candy. If they only knew we were in the same predicament...I, at one point, had to run home to grab a pillow case to hold all the candy Luca was getting. We ended up with pounds of candy & my students will be very happy come tomorrow morning as I let them take all that sugary temptation off my hands! 

My wonderful father-in-law came out to spend Halloween with us and he brought with him tons of treats & played with Luca while I finished putting together Luca's costume. I love watching their relationship evolve. Miles doesn't have very much family and the little he has lives clear across the states with the exception of his dad, so we are always so so happy to have him here & we are extremely grateful for his living close enough to have that amazing relationship with Lu.

Welp, that was about it for Luca's second Halloween! Don't forget to set your clocks back or you may show up an hour early for work! I'm loving the time change and the cooler weather--Now let's just hope the cold is here to stay!
Signing off, Mr. Fredricksen and Mr. Fredricksen's smitten mother