Honestly Posted

HA, you like that play-on-words title, don't you?

Seriously though, we honestly posted to the The Honest Company Blog again today. We love their products, we love their new diaper patterns, and we'd love it if you'd head over there to see how we like to refresh our hand-me-downs! Do it...

HAPPY FRIDAY.

Here's what I recommend for you to unwind this weekend.

Go bake some cookies. MMMM.

Read the fall issue of Delighted Magazine.

Try to whip up a DIY Halloween costume... oh wait, you still have weeks to procrastinate on that one... (like me)!

Actually, just get outside and enjoy the beautiful crunching leaves and orangey red trees, and some apple cider. Enjoy!

XO,
Kate

Momma Must-Haves

The diaper bag is one of the most important things for new moms, so I want to outline a few essentials I carry with me everywhere. 

Baggu. Folds to tiny proportions, then unfolds to carry 50lbs. Brilliant.
Love the Sugar Lip Treatment from Sephora. Added bonus: it has SPF.
BKR water bottles are the prettiest, they're SAFE, and they don't leak. Love them.
iPhone Case. Essential to keep my phone safe.
Le Pens are my favorite. Glide easily and come in pretty shades.

Love,
Erin

Cozy October

October has arrived, whether weather reports say so or not! The good news is that no matter how hot the heat wave, the leaves ARE on the ground, and the pumpkin spice lattes ARE still available (you just may prefer to get them iced if you're in California this week).

One of my favorite fall trends this year are the vests. How easy it is to spruce up an otherwise VERY plain look with a chic little vest... and more importantly, how easy it is to make a child who is a little cold a bit warmer ! I love the denim and the green cargo style vests too, but my ideal right now is the fur. :)

Thanks to Pictilio for doing amazing things with a camera.

XO,
Kate

Zara Vest, Target Tank, J.Crew Skirt, Target Boots, Homemade Necklace

Great Baby Gifts

My neighbors had a baby last week, and it gave me a tiny bit of baby fever (not too much, mind you!). I'm not sure I'll ever tire of scouting out new baby gifts and fun teeny, tiny baby clothes! There are some things that are actually as cute as they are good, quality products. I thought it'd be fun to give you ideas for the next time you need baby gifts! 

1. Lifefactory Glass Bottles: I LOVE the look of these bottles. I actually used plastic for both my girls, but if one day we decide to have another baby, I'll invest in a couple of these instead. They're glass, but safely covered with a silicone sleeve for protection. I only needed two bottles for each of my babies at my house, really. The more you have, the easier I think it is to lose them!

2. Petit Collage Mobile: The deluxe bamboo is so delicate, yet durable. Maggie loves her elephant version floating above her, and they're neutral enough to use for boys and girls' rooms.

3. Haba Max Clutching Toy: Adorable, easy to tie to the strollers, and safe for chewing! All equal one great first little toy for babies.

4. Aden and Anais Swaddles: Amazing. I can't say enough good about these. I got one from a neighborhood baby store where they sold them separately, and I used it every day with Maggie. When it needed to be washed, it meant an immediate trip to the laundromat because it was absolutely essential her first three months of life. Maggie's preference was for the classic muslin version (zebras!), but all are cozy and breathable... and beautiful, of course.

5. Favorite Organic Booties: Both my babies used booties in this shape with ties more than any other shoes or socks their first couple months. I like these basic grey stripes because they'd go with nearly everything, boy or girl. The ones we had were great too- they were hand knit light pink. Booties are the way to go because you can tie them and they actually stay on.

XO,
Kate

In the City: Palace of Fine Arts

It's Monday, which means we have a late post for you. I love to stay off technology as much as possible on the weekends, so I can enjoy family and relax. Sometimes the old-school way is just refreshing.

Today, the girls and I spent most of our morning outside. We visited the Palace of Fine Arts... also known as my favorite landmark in the city. We used to live three blocks away and could see it from our windows. Sophie and I would do our laundry together at a laundromat, then walk to get coffee and a pastry or bagel, move the laundry, then spend an hour at the Palace while our laundry dried. We did not want to ever leave that apartment in that amazing location, but we realized that four of us living in a one-bedroom apartment (Sophie's room was technically a "closet") was only really fun for a short time... oh, and doing laundry at a laundromat is only charming for a short time as well.

It's not so close to us anymore, but today seemed like the perfect day to get over there. It's my favorite in the morning. It's so empty and gorgeous and fresh, with morning shadows cast on the water. This morning we even saw some ducks sleeping! I don't know if I've ever seen that in all our visits there. Maybe I just wasn't paying any attention? Sophie couldn't get enough of staring at them. We love searching the water for turtles and looking for different types of ducks and swans. 

On another note, yes, it is time for Sophie to switch to the next size up. This dress is much shorter on her than I realized. :) They grow SO fast!! Maggie was there with us too, but she wasn't interested in being photographed this morning. All she really wanted were the crackers and cheese I brought.

Try it: Smitten Ice Cream

Hayes Valley has always been that area of San Francisco you drive through on your way to almost anywhere, but rarely stop. Through the years, driving through has made it look more and more appealing. A little cafe here, a new little playground there... definitely worth a deeper look. People have been starting to hype it up more too, like "ooh have you tried this or that place? No? Well it's in Hayes Valley" conversations.

Okay. Sunday we pulled in. And in every way we were pulled in. Cafe after boutique after cafe of appealing food and goods. I could spend a few hours perusing the shops, sampling the food, and settling in to read a good book on the grass. Obviously, this didn't happen since it was a family outing for us, but what we did do was stop at the much-loved Smitten Ice Cream. The line was forever with good reason. Visiting the website made me wish I had tried the strawberry, but my chocolate lavender shortbread didn't disappoint. I guess I just have to go back and try more flavors!

The only tricky part was the menu only really being viewable from the cash register. And perhaps not quite as clear as I would like it to be. On the other hand, a huge perk is having the sweet little climbing park across the street to occupy the little ones while my husband waited in the line. 

Similar Dress, Sweater, Toms Shoes