summer bucket list.

welcome summer solstice! the longest day of the year and also father's day! happy father's day to all the wonderful dads out there who make raising their children a beautiful priority, and especially to all the dad's pulling both roles, i have more respect for you than you know. i am so lucky to have such a wonderful father, father-in-law, and husband who constantly show me what hard work and love can do. celebrating dads is something we don't do often enough, so it's especially nice to have a special day set aside to celebrate what they mean to us.

with today being the first day of summer, i thought it would be fun to compile a short list of little activities i want to complete before summer kicks the bucket. i really tried to write only attainable things because let's face it, between starting my own business & towing a toddler, one can only take on so much!

i've had my eye on this anne of green gable lemonade recipe for some time, and now with the heat rising in temperature, i finally have a reason to get squeezing!

i'm planning a bonfire at moonlight beach in encinitas sometime this month, and upon that fire i'm going to attempt these take em and go s'mores i found on food gawker.

my reading load has taken a seat on the back burner lately, but i'm feeling motivated to read these four books by summer's end: you are a badass, rich bitch, crush it, & overcoming under earning. <<all self-motivating & business oriented books (as if you couldn't tell from the titles!).

i've not the slightest idea as to how i will make this garden thing work, but this diy makes it seem doable. still, i'm not feeling too confident...

last year, i bought this popsicle maker on amazon, but never ended up using it, so i'm hoping to make some healthy frozen treats soon!

the long beach flea market was referred to us a long time ago by my dad's interior designer, and i really want to attempt getting lucky with some unique pieces & good buys!

when i was a little girl, it was a summer ritual to take the metro link down to L.A. lu is obsessed with "choo choo" trains, as all two year old boys seem to be, and i think he'll have the best time getting to ride in a train & i won't have to drive in that traffic!

my picnic will be inspired by little baby garvin's blog from a post dating a few years back. i've been an avid reader of jessica's for quite a few years now, and this girl is the queen of entertaining so following her picnic tips shouldn't lead me astray.

puzzles! oh lord! this is a pastime i don't know if i should be proud to admit i love! but anyway, with all the boys in my house, i need my fix of pink. i found this charles wysocki puzzle called "confection street." i'm such a puzzle addict, i actually have favorite brands & artists i cling to and wysocki's art is one of them! ha!

lastly, i'd like to take a mini road trip. the destination has yet to be decided, but i'd love to trek up to big sur or the redwoods and camp for a few days!

what are some of your favorite summertime activities? what am i missing out on?!

our favorite apps for the babe in your life.

miles and i try and keep screen time, whether tv, iPad, or iPhone to a minimum, as do most parents. in small doses though, we don't see any harm. something we do try to incorporate into anything electronic is trying to pick & choose apps or television programs that are interactive & educational. before L was first born, we read all types of articles that said "absolutely no screen time before the age of two!" yeah, that one went out the window real quick...we were so peculiar, and, at times, completely ridiculous about the types of activities we would never let our child partake in. as time went on, and we became a little more seasoned, we loosened up a bit, and found that some things are simply unavoidable. now, i'm not advocating you use the television as your babysitter, but a little bit of the tube here and there, under your supervision, certainly isn't going to ruin your children. i remember taking lu to his 20 month appointment and reading a questionnaire that asked "do you put your child in front of a tv or any other electronic device?" i felt so guilty, i'm ashamed to admit, but i lied checked no! and then i pulled the whole "so i have a friend who let's her kid watch a little tv sometimes & even play with an iPad, but she is totally cautious & frugal about it, is that a total no-no?" she looked at me, half laughing, and said "chelsie, it's totally fine if luca watches a little sesame street, just don't overdo it." "oh, ok, i'll let my friend know, thanks," i said sheepishly & annoyed.  i was so embarrassed! i was also completely relieved, but mostly just embarrassed. but i got over that little bind, and stuck with the "everything in moderation rule," and it hasn't proved me wrong yet. if something changes, i'll let you know, but in the mean time i've listed a couple of our family's favorite apps below.

peekaboo barn: this game is a perfect game for an introductory app. it teaches children the names and sounds of animals all the while playing the timeless favorite game for babies, peekaboo! it's been so amazing to see luca grow with this app. he was only able to tap the barn doors when we first downloaded it, and now he can identify & say each animal by sound or name. it's grown with him & we even purchased the expansion pack (the safari edition) because lu so enjoyed the barnyard version. 

sago mini toolbox is one of the newer apps i've purchased. i took a risk in buying it since the description wasn't super informative. i thought the little photo was cute, and that ultimately swayed my purchase, but we're happy about it because it's such a fun & colorful little app that has your little one cut with scissors, hand sew, use measuring tape, and so much more! i like that at the end of the activities, you get to see what you created whether it be a boxcar or a seesaw. luca is still getting the hang of it, but he has the drill and hammer down! the rest, he just hands off to me, but luckily i think it's pretty fun too! i'm really happy we stumbled upon this little gem.


drawnimal is a really fun interactive hybrid app that brings together art & education. lu loves watching me draw all the animals of the alphabet onto a paper turning my phone into a cat or elephant. this is a great app for involving both the parent and child while using fine motor skills. i find myself doodling around with this app when i'm at work sometimes & six or seven animals in, i realize luca isn't even playing with me!


storybook rhymes (volume 1) if your little one is into music, you have to download the free storybook series! there's a couple different volumes, although lu likes the original volume best which includes "the itsy bits spider" & "one, two, buckle my shoe." i like that he can have the app read to him, while he flips the pages, like a book, or have the app sing to him the original tunes. the adorable fisher price dog makes an appearance throughout, and short animations illustrate the different sections of the song, helping your baby to better understand what the lyrics to the song mean. the wood family loves us some music, even if it falls in the form of nursery rhymes!

are there any children apps that you love? do you have any favorites i should know about?! do share!

HOLY MOLY, WHOLE 30.

whole 30, otherwise known as the double-edged sword of "starving" & "feeling better than ever," is what i have been up to lately. i was feeling sluggish and uninspired after working out consistently and not seeing any less of my "thunder thighs" (i know i sound dramatic, but i'm having a personal crisis here, bare with me).  the sun had come out & so did my shorts (that, by the way, fit uncomfortably snug). i started thinking about how i would soon have to slip on a bathing suit and, in that moment, i immediately regretted all those sweater season decisions i had made--decisions such as donuts, seconds, and loving carbs as much as they love me, a lot. more than physically, i needed a drastic lifestyle change as i was feeling sluggish and tired and irritable and even more tired (which i am starting to think is unavoidable). i was feeling pretty blah when whole 30 hopped into my lap via the advice of a good friend. i wasted no time saying yes to a process which promised so much in return. so, you can google it and get all the details & more fluff than you could ever want, along with an endless amount of resources, but to me whole 30 is this: it is everything & nothing. it's liberating, yet controlling. you hate it almost as much as you adore it, almost. in the literal sense whole 30 is this: cutting out all processed foods of any type from your diet. no sugar (real or fake), no dairy, no grains, no carrageenan, MSG, or sulfites, & no legumes/soy. the idea seems hard, but i'm on day 14 and i have a high that is addictive. as much as i miss pasta, beans, and sugar, i haven't felt this good in a really long time. yeah, sure, sometimes i want to burry my face in a pile of churros, but mostly i just want to keep up with all that i've benefited from this. i'm thinking on day 30, i'll indulge in my most missed sweets, but in reality, i hope to keep with the whole foods and nibble on things only like my sweetest lu. i've included some of my favorite recipes from my trials below, i do hope you enjoy!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts
preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
take a package of trader joe's shaved brussel sprouts and sprinkle them across a baking sheet (i like to line mine with tin foil--less mess later).
drizzle extra virgin olive oil & sprinkle with salt and pepper.
pop in the oven for 10-14 minutes & remove once slightly blackened & crisp.
toss with lime juice, garlic powder, and annie's dijon mustard.
serve immediately.

Zucchini Fritters
take 2 medium sized zucchinis and use a vegetable peeler to remove the skins.
take a cheese grater and grate them over a colander.
let sit in sink for about 10 minutes, then take a kitchen towel and wring out excess liquid.
transfer into a mixing bowl and add 1/2 tsp of salt, pepper to taste, half a chopped onion, 3 tablespoons of chives, sprinkle of onion powder, 1/4 cup of almond flour, and 1 whisked egg.
mix well.
coat a medium skillet with avocado oil and turn burner up to medium high. 
once oil is heated through spoon about 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan & flatten with a spatula. repeat. 
allow to cook until golden brown and then flip, cooking the alternate side through. 
remove from heat & place on a paper towel-lined plate allowing excess oil to collect.
serve warm.

Dill Dressing
combine 1/2 cup of full fat canned coconut milk, 1 cup of light oil, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 3/4 tsp garlic powder, and 3/4 tsp onion powder in a blender.
mix on medium high speed for 1 minute. 
add a handful of dill to the dressing and pulsate until herb is well combined. serve with fritters above, or keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.

WEEKLY ROUNDUP & SOME FRIDAY FAVORITES

guyyysss, how are you?! long time no talk. how are you?! great i hope? i mean it is  friday after all! thank the lord. I headed back to work after a wonderful spring break and i am happy to see my "kids," but miss being home with my baby. does that make any sense? being so close to summer, i am literally becoming delusional. i feel like my response to everything is "why not?"  "mrs. wood, can i sit under my desk and do my work?" "why not?""can i practice my headstand in the corner?""why the heck not?!" it's getting ridiculous.
 it is becoming crunch time over here because there are only five weeks left in my school year and then i'm off for summer, which also means no pay for me. you could say i'm feeling a little stressed. somehow, i know things will work out aka i'll hustle it out, but i wish i could see into the future as to the whole "how it's going to work out" is gonna go down. i'm a planner, and not knowing where my future paycheck will be coming from or how my bills will get paid has me feeling super anxious. thanks for bearing with me through this entire journey, and as promised, i do have some really exciting news, in regards to this little blog of mine, to share with you really soon! i hope i can keep my mouth shut! soon enough, soon enough... 

well there you have it, our weekly roundup and here are a few of our favorite things from this week: 

i'm loving this article about how to snack responsibly by the coveteur. my family and i have been trying to maintain healthier eating habits as well as staying active. with all the calories were burning, we need to make sure to have small meals throughout the day. this article spells it all out for you, and makes eating responsibly seem far less intimidating and much more doable, and i like that. 

in talking about healthy lifestyle choices, have you checked out simple green smoothies' website yet? they share an abundance of green smoothies that will keep you feeling energized and less sluggish. if you sign up for their mailing list, they'll send you recipes and challenges accompanied by grocery store lists and all that jazz. i'm a mom, i like need easy & tangible! you'll have to check them out!
in wrapping up all this food talk, we ate brunch last sunday at the mission inn. it was by total coincidence. i had found a gift card to the hotel when going through some of my mom's old things & miles suggested we try it. i was born and raised in this town and somehow this little secret had escaped me! it's probably for the better considering i may or may not have eaten multiple waffles. breakfast is welcome morning, noon, and night, so brunch is just pretty much my favorite invention of all time. if you're ever in my area, you must check it out! brunch buffet. seriously, what more must i say? and if you go on a saturday, be sure to hit the local farmer's market afterward! fun stuff!

ok, so before you gain five pounds from reading this, i have to talk about this podcast i stumbled upon.  have you heard of serial? oh em gee. this is too much, i became totally addicted to the series and finished all the episodes within a week. it's a murder mystery, and i cannot say anymore except comment me when you get into it and we can talk it up!
hope you have a wonderful weekend! i'll try to get our easter photos up this weekend! well, you'll see them before may, that i can promise!
xo

TACO NIGHT, VEGAN STYLE

so i promised a recipe for the beer-battered avocado tacos we enjoyed for dinner & as tired as i was, i stayed up to until the recipe was posted and ready to go for you to enjoy this weekend. trust me, even if you aren't vegetarian, these are a hit with both vegans & carnivores alike. 

my sister and her boyfriend came out & i knew we wanted to eat in, but didn't know what to make. i feel like when you have guests, you always go to the same two or three dishes to really showcase your best chef's hand. tacos are a favorite around here, and while we usually go half-ass and cook up some pre made trader joe's soyrizo, i decided to try and imitate a recipe from one of our favorite restaurants in orange county. i would say they were a total success, based on the lack of leftovers. 

my sister, carlie, and i got busy in the kitchen while the boys played in lu's teepee. it was so nice to have an extra set of hands for once! now, don't be intimidated, even though there are quite a few ingredients, the recipe is a cinch to prepare, but tastes like you slaved away for hours.

 quick notes: if you are new to the frying world, make sure you use vegetable or canola oil. 

this recipe is for 4 servings. if you need more than four tacos, just double up on the avocados (you won't need to make any extra beer batter or cilantro sauce, you'll have plenty).

ingredients:

1 hass avocado

1 cup panko bread crumbs

beer batter (recipe follows below)

cilantro lime sauce (recipe follows below)

8 corn tortillas

shredded green cabbage

diced red onion

fresh lime wedges for garnish

beer batter:
2 cups of mexican beer (i like to use carona brand)
2 cups of all-purpose flour (i use unbleached)
2 teaspoons of salt
2 teaspoons of sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons of Siracha
combine all of these ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. you may need to take a spatula to scrape the sides and get all the flour blended in. place in a bowl when finished.

cilantro lime sauce:
1 jar of veganaise (i like to use the purple colored jar/the grapeseed kind, but the original will do fine)
1 large handful of fresh cilantro
2 jalapeños (seeded)
pinch of salt
4 cloves of garlic (peeled)
juice of 2 limes
combine all ingredients, with the exception of the veganaise into a food processor and process until combined. next, add veganaise and pulse until your sauce comes together. pour about half into a jar & into the refrigerator to save for another day, and pour the other half into a bowl and place on the table with a spoon to allow guests to ladle their own sauce over their tacos. 

• fill a medium sized pan with 3-4 inches of oil and heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches a temperature of 375 degrees.
• cut your avocado into sixths.
• toss your avocado pieces in the panko breadcrumbs.
• dip your coated avocado into the beer batter and (carefully!) drop into hot oil. fry your avocado pieces in batches, for about 4 minutes. you'll know they're done when they turn golden brown in color. use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and drain them on a paper towel lined plate. 
• preheat your oven on its broil setting and wrap up your corn tortillas in tin foil. two tortillas per foil wrap. then place your foil wrapped tortillas in the oven to warm them (so they are pliable) until you are ready to assemble your tacos. 
• lastly, assemble your tacos. layer two warm tortillas per taco and place two to three pieces of fried avocado on your tortillas. sprinkle with shredded cabbage and diced red onion & drizzle your cilantro lime sauce all over (I personally like a lot of sauce, so be as conservative or liberal with it as you'd like, that's the beauty of these tacos). plate two to three tacos per person and garnish each plate with a few fresh lime wedges. serve your tacos immediately and enjoy!

UNDER THE WEATHER

it's been a craaazy week! i've been on spring break (from my job), and all it has done is made me realize how much i want to be home with lu. we've been hanging really mellow starting before easter break because lu was recovering from a cold, and little naive mom me didn't think babies were contagious. i thought we all had super mom immunity (which i was totally wrong about) & kissing all over little L gave me a crazy cold. i lost my voice completely & i'm finally starting to feel like myself again other than the hoarse man voice i'm still sporting. then to top things off, tuesday night luca was just rolling around like he couldn't get comfortable, and in the midst of me rubbing his back, he sat up and started projectile vomiting. i'm usually the biggest baby when it comes to these types of situations, but it's so true what they say, when it comes to your own children your motherly nurturing instincts kick in & all you care about is making sure your little one is ok. luckily it was just something he had eaten, and all was fine yesterday, even though i still kept him on a bland diet & we hung low around the house. i'm happy to announce he's back to his perky ol' self today and we are ready to take on the last few days of this vaca starting with beer battered avocado tacos tonight (recipe to follow) and fun in the sun for the weekend. i'm happy my only plans for spring break were to have no plans, and that is what we've stuck to. i needed this r&r more than i knew & i'm really proud of myself for actually taking it (of course, by default, i had a little guilt, but nothing i couldn't get over). hope your spring break was, is, or will be fabulous, and i promise to get our easter photos out by this weekend! i wish you each a wonderful rest of your week! & if you live in southern california, slather on that spf, you're gonna need it! 

xx

A LITTLE EASTER FILM

here's a little film i threw together of our easter yesterday! i'll post more photos soon, but until then, we hope you enjoy!

hope each and every one of you had a blessed easter filled with lots of love, family, & of course a boat load of chocolate eggs! 

love and hugs,

The Wood Family

date night, snow cones & why i love my husband.

hello friends! it's been some time, but last week was filled with a plethora of non ideal events and i was totally consumed by what was happening. i'll get into a little bit of that next time, but i don't entirely feel like reliving it, so i hope you'll understand my brevity. also, i apologize for the quality of the photos, the lighting, although romantic, was not ideal for the iPhone and i had forgotten my good camera at home (bad blogger! i know). anyhow, miles and i went on a long overdue date with a few friends of ours, jake and abby. we decided to try a restaurant in west hollywood i had heard about on the local news called gracias madre. if we're being honest here, i really wanted to go because i heard they had adult snow cones. i don't even drink, but i made an exception for this occasion because, well, i love snow cones. if you are ever in the L.A. area, you must try "the quinceañera" at gracias madre. my theory on why it's called "the quinceañera" is because you it makes you giggle like a fifteen year old and it calls for a celebration. even if you aren't celebrating, a few of these and you'll be celebrating something. a boozy snow cone, i mean, come on! it just doesn't get better than that, especially when you've had the week i've had. i had only about one and a half (so a quinceñera and a quince), but that was about all i needed to drift away, just ask my husband, i was floating on cloud nine for the rest of the night. alcohol isn't really my thing--i don't judge anyone who likes to drink, it's just something i've let go over the years. while, for me, alcohol is a habit of the past, sometimes you have to let loose a little, especially with all the chaos and calamity in this crazy life, and if there is ever an excuse to let loose, let a boozy snow cone be your cause. plain and simple. 

anyway, to wrap up this extremely long post about a snow cone, dinner and the food was amazing (it's vegan mexican food) so you know my veggie-self loved every bite. miles (who didn't order the waitresses suggestion like i did), said he liked our other vegan hang out (seabird's in orange county) better, but i'd say they are two different restaurants, but equally delicious. maybe the snow cones helped?! miles and i have both been running around like chickens with our heads cut off, and when there is stress like that in your life,  it tends to spill into your relationship. the best analogy i can think of is marriage being like a garden. you have to water your plants or they will slowly start to shrivel up-- overwater them, and they will drown. there has to be a happy medium, with lots of sunlight and, of course, lots and lots of love. marriage, like a garden, requires a lot of attention as well as continuous work. you have to manicure your hedges and pull out all the weeds. the work you put in, determines what you will get out of it.

 miles read an article the other day which explained why so many marriages fail. and to my surprise, it was because each party becomes self-consumed and no longer yearns to learn  about and become involved in the interests of the other. it's true what they say, "the family that ________ together stays together" (insert interest in blank). when one person feels as though they aren't being heard or tended to, they begin to feel insignificant. their interests feel boring and that seems to be when people begin to grow apart or look for what they're lacking elsewhere. this was so eye opening for me. when i sat and really reflected on what interests of miles i've really taken part in lately, my list was looking grim & that made me sad. miles likes to birdwatch (oh yes, you read that right. he likes to birdwatch. he bird watches like that old man at the park staring out into the abyss--the one you think is a total lurker/weirdo--yeah, that's my husband). anyway, he gets all into buying special feed to reel in some exotic species & gets a total kick out of watching them eat. he's the peeping tom of birds. he once named a couple of the regulars neiman & markus. i'll walk into the kitchen and catch him staring through a crack in the blinds, not blinking, with a huge grin draped across his face. then, i'll go in for a peep and the sucker flies off, and i'm left with my husband totally annoyed at my lack of disguise. to be honest with you, i couldn't care less about birds and the watching of them, but my husband loves birds and the entirety of the bird watching experience, and so i'm taking an oath in which i will do my absolute best to be a little more engaged (with the watching & the birds & being more incognito) and i'll be more mindful in showing some interest in his interests.

i love that miles longs to learn, and i love that he shares these things with me--that he cares enough to read articles about how relationships thrive, and i love that i chose to make this intelligent man my husband. anyway, since miles' reading & my reflection of the article, i've felt like both of us are really taking it upon ourselves to really try and engage in each others enjoyments. it feels good to feel heard, and even better to feel like something you love is being appreciated by someone you admire. whatever it is that's been happening, it's been working. and i think marriage is that way. I think it is a constant ebb and flow of ups and downs. and in this great companionship, you'll find yourself falling in love over and over and over again, for different reasons, at different times...and in this season of our lives, i'm falling in love all over again. this candid photo of us, reminds me of that. this is what survival looks like, what hard work and an abundance of love look like. and i like it. 

sonnet james x the little sprig

i have such exciting news! the little sprig has teamed up alongside sonnet james and we're over the moon about it! now, if you're sitting there in your chair thinking, who on earth is sonnet james? well friends, you are in for a real treat today. you know that "aha" moment when you fall in love with a product and you wonder how on earth you ever got by without it? uh huh. yep. that's about to happen, right here, right now. 

when the fabulous jen over at sonnet james told me sonnet james would love to work with me, i squirmed in my seat. and to think that was only the beginning! sonnet james has launched their spring 2015 line for pre-orders & all dresses will ship out next week, and i'm telling you this dress doesn't fall in the "want"  category, this is a need, must-have, can't live without, staple kind of piece. the splurge is minimal when you consider cost-per-use. so if you must know what all the hype is about, i'll share with you my experience. when i first slipped on my pricilla pink marni dress (which gives back to mothers in Uganda who suffer from birth injuries, just see here--warning: completely heart-wrenching), i took in the smell of its fresh fabric, and as the material clung to me in all the right places--i, in that moment, knew what a game-changer this would be. 

my motto since motherhood (or since my pants felt far too snug to button during pregnancy) has always been: i want to look mod & sophisticated, but i want to feel like i'm wearing pajamas, so much so that i've coined this desire into term (read on). is that so much to ask for?! apparently so, because until now, nothing, other than a solid pair of leggings, had me feeling like i could keep up with luca & actually exhale (all the way). the struggle was beginning to get real, people! until this sweet package was delivered to my doorstep, i was honestly debating with myself whether or not leggings were a plausible form of clothing to wear daily if i dressed them up enough. i was weeble-wobbling somewhere in between yes & absolutely, but there, in this dress, i had found my "sophistajamas!" sophisticated clothing fitted like your favorite pair of pjs. 

i understand, full-heartedly, the struggles of a mama trying to hold onto her identity, yet desperately wanting to be in something comfortable & durable. i've been that woman, and i'd find myself wondering, why is it so difficult for comfort and style to intersect?! that question must have been exactly what whitney, mama & founder of sonnet james, had in mind when she thought up this delightful little company. she found a void in the market & decided, not only to patch up the hole, but to do so with elegance & love. i was already planning on purchasing a few sonnet james dresses, and after working with the brand, i feel privileged to be representing and supporting such a smart mother & her company. i love the feeling of being feminine, free, and unrestricted to get right on the floor with my lulu, no stitches or threads holding me back. i'm wearing one of sonnet's more simplistic pieces, but with a bright pop of color, it's subtle yet eclectic. a playful mama doesn't have to be a boring mama, am i right?

 i'm just smitten over their spring line. it's beautiful, colorful, and well, spring-y! with the warm sun out keeping us company all week long, it makes me long for the near days of tulips & sticky popsicle hands. lord knows those sticky hands will find their way onto my dress like i'm a dishcloth. this might sound silly, but i'll be lu's napkin anytime, if only i could keep those tiny dimpled hands little forever...

i want to give a huge thank you & congratulations to whitney, jen, and the whole crew over at sonnet james. thank you for allowing my family and i to be a small part of your beautiful story. here's to a successful spring line & more success than you could ever wish for in the future!

happy monday & happy shopping! 

comforably playful,

this post is brought to you c/o sonnet james. all words, thoughts, and opinions, are my own.

TODDLER TALK // LU LATELY

i haven't done a recent luca stat post in some time & i just have to share with you some of the funny things that have been coming out of this little man's mouth lately. it's so astonishing to me what a world of difference six short months make for. i dropped lu off at the gym's childcare the other day & as i was signing him in i spotted the cutest little boy wobbling around trying to steady his sea legs. he must have been about one year old. he was so squishy and itty bitty. i couldn't help but reminisce to the days when L was that small. little L looks nothing like a baby anymore, and with a heavy heart i confess we have officially entered the toddler phase. please hold for a moment as i grab myself a tissue to wipe my tears. motherhood is so so bittersweet.

i've collected myself, ok deep breath, back to the point...

lu and all his new unique little mannerisms rule the roost over here. if it's ok with you, i thought i would compile a list of some of our best moments lately. i'll try to keep it short and sweet, but this is a mom talking about her child, so i'm not making any promises.

the latest stats of luca lennox wood:
age: 19 months
height: in the 97th percentile, at 37 inches (aka 3'1")
weight: in the 97th percentile, at 29 lbs
favorite toy: bouncy balls and cars/trains
favorite book: "little blue truck leads the way" by Alice Schertle
favorite shows: mickey mouse clubhouse, tickety tock, jake & the neverland pirates, and zou
favorite movies: the grinch (original cartoon), any of the "wee sing" collection, but his favorites are the marvelous musical mansion, the big rock candy mountains, and wee sing together. these are older films from when i was a kid, but i assure you they stand the test of time. if your little loves music & loves to dance, i highly recommend them. and bonus, they are embedded with tons of good lessons for your baby with themes like sharing, friendship, and kindness!
favorite activity: dancing
favorite food: cheese (this is a wood family thing)
favorite songs: the itsy bitsy spider, "hot dog" from mickey mouse clubhouse and "snuggle puppy" by eric stoltz
favorite word: more! or "mo!!!!!" with mouth in the shape of an "o"
favorite ipad app (yep, went there): Peekaboo Barn (i'll do a post on our favorite apps soon)

the many quirks and peculiarities of mr. luca lennox:

we have a mini decision maker in the house, although miles and i often question the democracy over here.
the inevitable "no" has made its way into lu's vocabulary...
me: "lu, do you want to eat dinner?"
luca: "NO!"
me: "do you need a diaper change?"
luca: "NO!"
me: "want to read this book?"
luca: "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!"
sometimes theres an "uhhhh...(long pause)....no!" which makes me feel slightly better knowing that at least he gave it some thought, right?

we also know "yes," although this word is used more sparingly.
me: want to watch mickey mouse clubhouse?
luca: "yaaaaaa!"
me: "want some snacks?"
luca: "yaaaaaa!"
me: "want to go to granny's house?"
luca: "ya ya ya yaaaaa!"
are you seeing the trend of what he answers yes to?

i always swore i wouldn't be a mother to bargain with her children. well, this mama recants. it's a continuous barter system over here at casa de wood. when lu becomes upset because of a diaper change or whatever, i'll say, "bath time?!" to which L  screams "baaaaa!" (bath!)  in approval as he starts shedding clothes and running to the tub. & when he's livid about bath time coming to an end, i'll come in with "how about we read "little blue truck!" & just like that, the pout concludes.

lu can now count up to four, although his favorite number is "theee!"

while watching one of his favorite shows, 'jake and the neverland pirates,' lu sings along with the theme song (the best to his ability). you'll hear him humming along and nodding his head with approval, and then he'll chime in right at the end. the end of the song sings, "jake and the neverland pirates and me!" he'll bounce around with anticipation, and then finally he'll hop in & scream at the top of his lungs, "and meeeeeeeeeee!" and of course he knows the pirate password, do you? well i'll let you in on a little secret it's, "yo ho ho!"

lu's favorite thing in the world is skateboarding. he loves watching skateboarding, any apparel with skateboards on it, going to the skatepark with "daaa," i could go on and on. but the cutest thing is how he says skateboard.  "duboard."

while holding lu in my arms he'll point to me "mama" and then point to himself "bee bee." and then he'll come in with puckered lips for a big smooch. my heart melts away and everything is right in the world.

lu is really into mickey "mouuuu," not mouse. and he loves his mickey stuffed doll. he tucks him into bed, he tosses him in the air like we do to him.  he hugs him and loves on him, and since lu was never into stuffed animals before, this is the cutest thing i've ever seen. when i think about having another baby in the future, this just confirms to my heart how great of a big brother lu will be.

manners are a must & thankfully luca is polite as can be, always asking for things with a "peas" and upon his receiving, he'll sign thank you (which looks like he's blowing you a kiss) and he'll hum the sound of thank you in a "hmm hm."

miles taught lu to say "peace!" with the coordinating peace sign. it's so freakin' adorable, i cannot stand it. luca will throw up two fingers into peace and with squinted eyes and a smile overtaking his face, he'll utter "peeeeaaaaaas!" not to be confused with "please" aka "peas."

lu knows every animal sound in the book, and loves to yell "wuff wuff" at any dog we see, but miles and i agree that our favorite is his imitation of a kitty cat which is a squeal in some form of meow. i'll upload a video soon, so we can share in this hilariousness.

this is where i'll end (for now) because, like any other mother, i could go on & on. i'll share more soon, but hope you enjoyed a small snapshot of lu lately.

FRIDAY FAVORITES

hooray, hooray! it's finally friday! 

"you're off to great places. today is your day! your mountain is waiting...so get on your way!" 

- dr. seuss

i thought it was more than appropriate to end the birthday week of dr. seuss with a quote from one of his beloved books. he was such a wonderful writer who wrote so many wonderful things, and "oh, the places you'll go," like many, is one of my absolute favorite books of his. luca and i have been reading "hand, hand, fingers, thumb" nightly, and i love discovering some of the less popular books of seuss (if there exist such a thing). i never read "hand, hand..." as a kid, and in essence it's a short, sweet book with fun rhymes, lots of onomatopoeias, and adorable, crazy monkeys! lu recently learned what the monkey says, so he loves watching the monkeys drumming along singing "dum ditty, dum ditty, dum dum dum!" do you have any book recommendations for little ones? we've mainly been sticking to board books because, well, you know what toddlers are capable of doing to to paper pages...although, luca loves the paperback, "tap the magic tree," and we don't have any rips or tears as of yet, just a couple of cheese snack finger stains. 

with easter just around the corner, i've been searching for some fun crafts L and i can do together and i've fallen in love with this easter bunny & chick fingerpaint craft from the chickabug blog. i also cannot wait to try this coconut cupcake recipe with rave reviews from ina garten. ina always has good eats, so i doubt these will disappoint. 

photo from food network.com

my heart goes out to those in colder weather. i seem to always be reading about how gloomy and blue-ridden all my east coast friends and family are feeling. groundhog day usually doesn't mean much to us here in southern california, but i know when the groundhog predicted a longer winter, he wasn't greeted with excitement to put it nicely. we, here in california, were probably the only ones who jumped for joy. it's been beautiful over here, not too hot, not too cold, just right, but we've been desperate for rain. we did get some long overdue rainfall recently, and everyone was giddy with excitement. i'm hoping april will bring us her notorious showers because the drought is becoming a huge issue, and we need water! we, in the wood home, are trying to be as mindful as we can with our water usage, although many california residents aren't taking it seriously, which is posing a huge problem. in this instance, ignorance is not bliss, and i found the funniest article about the new law enforcement tactic of "water school." it's the equivalent of traffic school, but it teaches those in violation how to conserve water. so hysterically smart! i give law enforcement a high-five on this one. 

here are some of the things we've been doing as a family to conserve water in our home, maybe this will help you or a neighbor too: we're watering our grass only at night & in the early morning, taking shorter showers, turning off the water while we wash our hair, bathing lu every other day--and sponge bathing him in between if needed, planting more drought resistant plants (such as succulents), not allowing the water to run while brushing teeth or washing dishes, and were contemplating installing an instant water heater. what types of things are you doing to conserve our water? 

and speaking of water, i'm loving this new trend of infusing your water with fruit! miles calls it "spa water" haha. it does feel like you are at a spa especially if you put it in a fancy glass, and garnish the rim. get fancy at home, because why not?! you deserve it! the honest company has a great article about infusing water & they provide a handful of fun recipes to try! check it out, you may just find something you'll love and therefore end up drinking more water, double win! 

photo via honest blog

wishing you all a fun-filled, water mindful weekend!

peace, love & big hugs,

WAY TO GO CHELS, WAY TO GO.

i ask that you give me a nice slow clap once i finish sketching out, for you, the following story. why, you may be wondering? well, let me tell ya. if you were suffering from the typical monday blues, i assure you this will make you feel a little bit better. ok, it's 6:00 am and i finally decide i'll get out of bed. this is fifteen minutes past the usual time i rise, so take into account i'm feeling extra tired. i brush my teeth, i brush my hair, i put a light coat of foundation on. i've decided it's a mascara only type of day, so i totally surpass all eyeshadow. i reach for my eyelash curler and curl my right eyelashes. I go to curl my left side and as i'm holding my clamp, my hand totally slips and suddenly my curler isn't attached to my eyelashes any longer. and my eyelashes are no longer attached to my face. yep, you read it right, i tiredly ripped off half of my beautiful, long, lush eyelashes. that's right, slow clap it out. the funny thing is i didn't react like i thought i would. normally, i would have cried my poor bald eye out. i didn't shed a tear. i just kind of stared in the mirror for a good chunk of time thinking to myself "oh my lord." i then proceeded to see if i still had the pair of fake lashes i used on my wedding day two years ago (can you tell i was tired?). i then googled "do eyelashes grow back?" from what i read, i think i'll be ok. after that mini heart attack passed, i took my brown liner and quickly filled in the hairless gap. i for certain styled my bangs today, and also thanked my lucky stars i currently have bangs. i hope this little ridiculous story of mine adds some light and laughter to your monday! it's definitely safe to say i will be purchasing a pair of fake lashes. so, if you are wondering in my future photos why i've taken on a new habit of wearing falsies, please pardon me and my poor lashes. also spare me if you are some false lash expert, my experience is totally lacking. here's to a fast-paced work week and an even faster, fuller, longer, and thicker paced eyelash growing session.

think of me next time you're applying mascara, maybe even double-coat because you can,

until next time,

Easy like sunday morning.

 ah...more than midway through february. i'm not going to even ask where it went. is there some magical time curse that occurs to you once you give birth? when your pregnant, or at least when i was pregnant, it felt like time would just stop. i know must people count down weeks, but i used to literally count down the days of the weeks, one by one, until i were one week further along. i couldn't wait for my pregnancy to end. it felt like an entire lifetime bottled up into nine months. then in the blink of an eye, in the brief moments between one big breath & one last push, time actually stops. they set that little baby on your chest and all you can think about is how this indubitably is the happiest moment of your life. you wish you could jar up that moment forever and relive it over & over & over again. and as time resumes, it begins traveling faster than ever. that's what these photos remind me of, time-traveling. you were just a baby having a baby, and now you have a toddler on your hands. mines only about to turn two, tack on a five to that two & i can only imagine how my dad must feel. i wish i were a sponge sometimes, wish i could soak it all up and not miss a beat, you know? no sleep for the rad, right? well, i'm quickly losing cool points *yawn*

sundays seem to always come and go too fast. but as of right now, everything feels like it's falling into place just right even if we are in fast-forward mode. i'm on to something, i think. something i cannot share quite yet, but to quote the fabulous lourde, i'm "never not chasing a million things i want," and that's how it should be. 

heres to more many more adventures to come.
ooooh & also to the oscars. i cannot wait to see NPH host. also, i rented "boyhood" and found myself pleasantly surprised. (research it a bit before you watch it--it was a 12 year project, and an interesting story). i'll bet it wins something.
 signing off...

a post-valentines post.

hello again! how was your v-day? ours was perfect. we laid low and escaped the crowds by choosing to cook at home. i love to cook & i've been feeling really guilty lately about not doing so much of it. miles made me feel a little better when he said "even though we don't cook as much anymore, when we do it feels like something we do all the time & i love that." phew, i was thinking all the finger pointers were looking down on me in a way only judgmental eyes can. i'm always my worst critic. i listened to a podcast recently about the glorification of busy & how we need to stop paying homage to the idea that being busy is a good thing! busy isn't good. productive & present & hardworking are great, but to be busy to where you are in tears over the frustration that you cannot no matter how hard you try add more hours into your day, that type of busy isn't healthy. so lately i've been re-prioritizing my life and trying to escape this busy mindset. podcasts are my jam these days. you can learn so much from these free little segments & the good news is, there are podcasts out there on just about everything. everyone can find something of interest. you name it, it's been done & if it hasn't you should totally get on it because i'm sure there is someone out there who would love to listen.

 lately, we've been hitting the gym. i'm not going to lie, i totally hate working out...unless it is a structured hot yoga class, i absolutely dread the gym. i'm totally out of shape these days and i'm ready to get the last of this baby weight and additional holiday weight i packed on top of it off. i'll go to the gym and hop onto the elliptical and feel like i've climbed mount everest to see i've only burned maybe 10 calories and buried 5 minutes. it's awful. so lately i've been doing what i totally hate and listening to a podcast while i do it. now i'm taking the elliptical by storm and i'm totally addicted. i'm even more addicted to listening to all the new podcasts. so my tip to my fellow gym haters is to find yourself a rad podcast and i swear, before you know it you'll have an hour under your belt when you planned to do 30 & you'll have learned something. win, win. 

try it out and let me know what you think! also can you recommend any good podcasts for me? i'm currently listening to "the lively show" by jess lively and love it! 

well, that's all i got for you today! 

until we meet again...

from our bookshelf to yours.

happy day before friday friends! below is a list of our favorite books on love for the month of february. i usually will try and rotate out books on lulu's ledges each month, and these are his current faves on rotate. 

1:: romeo & juliet by jennifer adams. first off, we are huge fans of jen adams' baby lit series over here. she has an entire series of board books dedicated to priming children who are learning colors, numbers, sounds, etc. romeo & juliet is a counting primer and has the most adorable illustrations by alison oliver. i'm not quite sure if we're reading this for the romance (it being february) or because luca just likes to do his favorite things over & over & over. he likes r & j and so we keep reading r & j. the english literature nerd in me isn't complaining. i'm also happy L isn't allll miles after all. he's a little book lover & i'm over the moon about that. the book gives a brief overview of the classic romantic tragedy but leaves the unfortunate ending up to imagination. the book signs off with the classic line, "parting is such sweet sorrow"--and the author leaves it at that, because let's be real, two lovers killing themselves by drinking poison and taking a sword through the chest because they cannot live to be apart is a little much for a small child. overall, great series, and a perfect classic to read during this month of love.

2:: love you forever by robert munsch. if you have not read "love you forever," and you are a parent, drop what you're doing and get yourself a copy now...i should also mention you will need a box of kleenex to with you or your pages will become crinkled from dried up tears (i may or may not have had this issue in our previous copy). i cannot read this book without ugly crying my eyes out & luca just becomes puzzled as to why i am hyperventilating my way over each word towards the end. our copy is "loved" to say the very least. my mom used to read it to me as a child and now i'm reading to my baby & it's bittersweet. i used to crawl into lu's crib with him when he was a baby to help him fall asleep & despite miles telling me i was totally breaking the crib's weight restriction, i used to think of myself as the mother in the book. i'd whisper to my chunkiest little L, "i'll love you forever, i'll like you for always, as long as i'm living, my baby you'll be." i'm about to cry now!!! but i digress, this is a great book about unconditional love and a parent's love for their child, what more could you ask for in children's literature?!?!

3:: wherever you are: my love will find you by nancy tillman. you may know tillman for her most known children's work, "on the night you were born," but i personally like this one better. i like her beautiful rhyme schemes and even more so i like the themes she presents. it's a perfect bedtime book & luca loves the romantic illustrations. he growls like a bear every time he sees the cover!

4:: the day it rained hearts by felicia bond. luca loves the little girl in this story. her name is cornelia agustus and L is enamored by cornelia's dotted eyes. one day it rains hearts and cornelia catches them, crafts them, and sends them off to special friends. L seems to only be interested in the part where it rains hearts and after that the book must be closed and put away, so i had to read the ending one day during nap time because the suspense was killing me!

5:: somebody loves you mr. hatch by eileen spinelli. this is a big favorite of ours right now. i'm not sure how, but lu actually sits still through most of it. hands down, best v-day book of all time! i randomly ordered this one off amazon because i thought the title was cute, and low and behold, i hit a pot of gold. i've been recommending it to all of my friends with children & when i tell anyone the gist of the story, they all respond "awwww." mr. hatch is a man with a mediocre life and he's stuck in his humdrum routine until one day he receives a package from mr goober the postman with a note saying "somebody loves you." the note has no signature and so mr. hatch spends the rest of his valentine's day in search of his secret admirer. you'll be surprised at what he finds in his journey and even more pleased with how it ends. L always paints me with kisses at the end and to be honest, i'd read it a million more times just for that. but really, this is a must read!

love is such a wonderful theme & i love celebrating love all year, but especially during the month of february when it seems to be everywhere. what are your favorite children's books on love? do you have any "must read" books on your list? please comment & share! we are so close to friday i can almost taste the weekend! and better yet, no work on monday! thank you president's day, and thanks for reading!