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.