Coffee Bar Favorites

Hi, Hilary here. Yes, I'm alive. Things have been pretty crazy around here and I honestly don't know how often blogging will fit into my schedule during this season. But it is something that I still love to do so hopefully most of you will stick around for those times that I do get a post up. 

Last week I took a photo of one of my favorite little spaces in our home. The coffee bar. I posted it on Instagram and pinned the photo. And people apparently love it. Who woulda thought?! While I absolutely love having a space dedicated to all things coffee...and a diffuser of course, I had no idea my enthusiasm about it would be shared by so many. 

So here's the deal. Our kitchen is kind of small. But we have a room in the front of our house that is supposed to be a formal dining room. We aren't formal dining kind of people so after we welcomed Fallon the obvious choice was to make it a playroom. And then the REALLY obvious choice was to make it a playroom/coffee bar. Everyone is happy, right? Yup. My coffee bar shares a home with a zillion toys. But having all things coffee in a dedicated space, one that I can keep looking nice among all the chaos and decorate for the holidays, it's really so special to me. So I thought I'd round up some cute coffee things that maybe my fellow coffee lovers will appreciate too! Can you even handle the cute stir spoons and swizzle sticks?!

Gift Guide: For Baby Boys

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7

Go Pod - We took this collapsable baby seat on our beach vacation a couple months ago and it's the perfect baby gear item for traveling! It folds down and comes with a bag just like a camping chair, easy to clean and great for pre-walkers.

Fruit Feeders - Ax man will have a set of these waiting for him Christmas morning! They have great reviews and sound like a winner with the fruit + teething combo.

Push Car - I have seen so many kids on walks with these little cars and thought it would be the perfect big gift for our outdoor loving boy.

Mittens - We have cold winters here in Northern Kentucky but mittens are tough to keep on wild baby hands. These have magnetic closures so they stay on and are super warm!

Shape Toy - Nearly all of Axton's toys have been passed down from big sis so he should get a few of his own, right? I love the colors on this one and the fact that it's meant for playing and chewing.

Trapper Hat - A cute, cozy hat is always a good gift idea for babies who live where it gets cold. They usually still have to be on the go and keeping their little heads warm is a must. 

Furry Booties - Parents everywhere rave about this brand and how well they stay on baby feet. I think they will keep our little man's toes nice and toasty all winter long!

This wooden walker with interactive features will also make it's way into Santa's bag for the chubby cheeked baby boy who lives here. He's going to have to learn to keep up with big sis! Cozy boots that pair with all the stylish outfits keep little feet warm and keep handsome boys up to stud status. Loving this neutral growth chart that would look so cute in any nursery and is a must have for growing babies. A soft, cuddly rattle is always a great baby gift and this raccoon rattle could be a long time friend. This truck touch and feel book could fill the "something to read" category or just be a nice addition to a growing little library. We had these reusable food pouches when Fallon was a baby and used them all the time! Fill them with purees, applesauce or smoothies and save on buying them at the store. We love this soft hooded towel that is big enough to go right into toddlerhood!

Gift Guide: For Toddler Girls

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7

Dump Truck - Fallon has had this girly toy dump truck for over a year and it continues to be a favorite toy. Every single time it makes an appearance in an Instagram story I am asked where it's from!

Magnadoodle Travel Size - This one has amazing reviews, is the perfect size for traveling or tossing into a drawer and the price point is the best part! 

Tassel Poncho - I keep coming back to this because it's just so dang cute but also very functional for the colder months, not to mention super stylish.

Frog Bath Toys - I love that these are great for developmental skill building + practicing colors and come in a container to store.

Scooter - This was an easy choice for Fallon's big gift this year. Amazing reviews both online and from lots of parents and she will love to join the other kiddos in our neighborhood when she gets hers!

Camera - Monkey see, monkey do. Mama is always taking pictures so of course Fallon wants to and this is the perfect way to let her join me! It actually takes photos but is a much better option than mama's DSLR!

Barista Set - For the kid who has been using her tea set to "make coffee" for months. 

Hunter Boots always make an amazing gift, bonus points because toddlers can put them on solo and they are nearly indestructible. A pom hat, sherpa pullover and fur hooded vest would be a perfect cozy gift set or great individually for that "something to wear" category. Unicorn slippers are kind of a no brainer for the little ladies who love these sparkly magical creatures. Fallon sleeps with her on her furry heart pillow every single night and it looks so cute when I make her bed! This adorable bamboo feeding set will also be under our tree for a certain toddler who wants all foods separated and appreciates pretty little things.

If your daughter is a little bit older, check out my girl Arin's gift guide for girls ages 5-10!

Thanksgiving Mini Style

The big feast is just one week away and I am determined to get a family photo before we stuff our faces. I have loved dressing a baby girl the last two years but this year I get to dress a boy too! Family or just sibling coordinating looks can be so easily done with a simple color palette and a complimentary print or two. I've linked up all my faves for little girls and baby boys and I own most of these items for my kids!

Warm & Cozy

There are few things I love more than being warm and cozy. And it's the time of year when, here in the midwest(ish) we spend a lot more time inside than outside so we may as well embrace it. Hot coffee always tastes better from a cute mug and I live in leggings with comfy sweatshirts. Slippers cover my feet about 90% of the cold weather months so a cute print means it's fine if I forget to change before I leave the house. Right?! The softest scarf would look super cute with flannel pjs for holiday pictures...or just to bake cookies in. Not that I would do that or anything. And our family's most favorite sweater knit blanket that we love so much we have it in three colors had to be on the list. I linked up several other warm + cozy things I'm currently loving too!

Cold Weather Favorites

Its been chilly for several weeks in our neck of the woods so I've broken out all of our cold weather accessories. The kids needed a few new things and mama too! Pom hats never get old and I can barely handle Fallon in an infinity scarf. I'm grabbing my favorite cozy puffer vest in another color this year because they are just so perfect for a mom on the go. And I mean, you've got to have a little fun with your winter accessories so why not rock a light up unicorn hat or put antlers on your baby?! I've rounded up all of my favorites for 

mama + minis and they won't disappoint. 

Baby Jogger City Select Review

This post is sponsored by Buy Buy Baby. I was compensated in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions stated are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

Looking for a stroller, whether it's your first time or you are ready to upgrade, can be so overwhelming. I did a lot of research when I was pregnant with Fallon. We also visited our local Buy Buy Baby store to ask questions and to test drive some of their floor models in person. It was such a great experience and we left very confident in our decision to purchase the Baby Jogger City Mini single stroller. We've now had it for over 2 years and it's managed to go on all of our adventures but remain is great condition!

After welcoming Axton into our family I knew we would want to get a double stroller but I was in no hurry. I wore him in my wrap for months while Fallon rode solo in our trusty City Mini. But toward the end of the summer I knew it was time to upgrade and was SO excited and grateful to have the chance to work with Buy Buy Baby. We've been so impressed with the Baby Jogger brand and knew that it would be compatible with our Britax infant carseat. I had tested out the City Select with the second seat, asked tons and tons of mama friends and even embarrassed my husband by approaching strangers in public who were strolling with this model to ask them how they felt about it! When I was finally satisfied with my rock solid research, we went forward with our choice and waited excitedly to receive it. 

We have now had the Baby Jogger City Select in onyx with silver trim and the second seat kit for a few weeks and have taken it so many places already! Our family is fairly active so it's been to the park, the zoo, all around our neighborhood, a few pumpkin farms and even apple picking. All the reasons we chose the stroller have been justified and we are so happy that we went with this model! 

Obviously a double stroller is heavier than a single. It has support much more weight! But this one so light compared to many I've tested. The seats lift off with the click of a button and the frame is so easy to fold, just hold + push and it collapses for easy trunk storage. I especially love that the adapter pieces are so simple to take on and off and there are L and R markers to know which side to put them on at a glance. They can also stay on while the stroller frame is collapsed! One of my favorite features is the hand break. That may sound silly but wow does it make quick stops to put a pacifier back in or toss the toddler a snack so easy. The storage basket is spacious and can be accessed from both sides and the front when the stroller is only being used to seat one child. The handle is adjustable to suit all heights and both seats are the same size so there will not be any arguing over who gets one over the other! Did I mention that the fabric is removable and machine washable?! If you have a third child or just want the capability to stroll with three kiddos there is a glider board attachment. Lastly but arguably the coolest feature of all, drumroll please......with the Baby Jogger City Select there are 16 possible configurations for this stroller!

We are thrilled to have a stroller to push around both of our babies in on all of our adventures that meets all of our requirements and has so far lived up to our standards. Most importantly, the Baby Jogger City Select is Fallon approved, and she can be quite tough to please. The day it arrived she was so excited that she sat in it in our living room for so long that we thought she had fallen asleep! Now that my friends, is a stroller success story!