shopping – Modern Notebook

Holiday gift guide: Bringing California to you

I have been meaning to write a gift guide for a few months now but couldn’t nail down what I wanted it to focus on. I wanted it to be relevant and accessible to people who read this blog.

I had several ideas that I didn’t get to this year, but might some other time. Gifts for moms? Small children’s shops? Shops in my town of Claremont, CA? Well, I am finishing up an Instagram guide to some of my current favorite shops in Claremont and I’ll give some a shoutout here too.

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Current favorite toddler toys and books

Life & Adventures, motherhood

These are some of the toys and books my 18-month-old daughter has really been enjoying lately. If you have a toddler, especially a child between one and 3 years, I hope this list gives you some ideas on what toys he or she may enjoy.

Bubbles – Maggie absolutely loves bubbles. I am pretty sure all one-year-olds are thrilled about bubbles. In the past few months, we have purchased this 6 pack of bubble solution, a big bottle of bubble solution and a mini bubble gun. We also do near-daily bubble baths.
Wooden egg shakers – I got these for Maggie for Easter. They’re the easiest instrument for young kids.
Food truck – It’s like a play kitchen, except it’s a food truck theme. I like that it came with fake food and a few utensils.
Little People toys – We have the farm set and a few more small items. Target doesn’t have that many Little People toys listed online right now, but I think I have seen more in the store.
Baby doll and accessories – Maggie loves to pretend to feed her baby. It’s a little funny to see because it hasn’t been all that long since she stopped drinking bottles, but it’s cute.
Magnetic sketch board – This is recommended for 18 months and up, so we just recently gave it to her. She got it for her birthday, but I had it in storage.
Baby Faces board book – Maggie has enjoyed this book since about 6 months old. It shows a variety of emotions, which I like.
All are Welcome book – Toddlers tend to be very interested in books with photos or drawings of people. This book has a lot of pages, but it doesn’t have a lot of words. I also like that it has a poster included.
My Best Book and Bashful Dino – This book features a dinosaur with a matching stuffed animal. This set is great for infants, as well as older babies and toddlers. Did you know books with matching objects may be able to help children learn the connection between photos and objects from as young as 9 months?

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5 ways to save money at Sprouts Farmers Market

Food + Drink

Originally posted on February 3, 2020. Updated on December 6, 2020.

Sprouts Farmer’s Market weekly ad

The other day when I was at Sprouts, I heard a middle-aged woman say something like, “It goes as low as $2.99 so I’ll wait until the price drops.” I thought that was so interesting and it made me wonder how she keeps track of prices. I’m not sure what item she was referring to, but I have to assume it’s something she has bought often enough to remember the sale price of. That’s smart shopping!

Today, I’m sharing some of my tips and tricks for saving as much as possible at Sprouts Farmers Market.

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My 10 favorite newborn products

Life & Adventures

My sister Mary is exiting the newborn stage with her beautiful baby Elena. Thinking about that, I started reflecting on my time with Maggie as a newborn recently. It was an exciting time, but like all new parents, Paul and I had a hard time figuring out how to care for our new baby. Maggie was adjusting to a whole new way of life too, being outside the womb.

In addition to the invaluable support of family and friends, there were some products that I found especially helpful in the newborn stage. I thought I would share my top 10 list with you all.

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The shirts I have in multiples

Fashion, Style

Gap striped ballet back shirt.png

I got one of these Gap modern stripe ballet back shirts, then within a month I ordered another one. It’s that good. I ordered the first in my current size but it fit loose, so I sized down for the second one. I have it in “coral & blue stripe” and “yellow stripe.” Unfortunately, it’s on final sale now and running low.

I like that it’s 3/4 sleeves because I feel like that’s perfect for fall days when it’s cold in the morning and warm in the afternoon.

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3 cold weather beauty problems + solutions

Beauty, Style

As the weather cools and the air becomes less humid, I need to switch up my skincare and hair routine. If I’m not careful, my skin will become so dry it flakes or cracks and my scalp will get dry, especially when the Santa Ana winds are in full effect.

Over the years I’ve realized what typical problems come up for my skin and hair during the fall and winter months, and I’ve come up with a few solutions. I have some favorite products for dealing with dry skin, chapped lips and hat hair.

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Shopping for new glasses with Warby Parker

Fashion, Style

Last month, I visited the Warby Parker store in Venice to pick out a new pair of glasses. My old pair had broke so I decided it was the perfect opportunity to try out a new brand of eyewear. I’ve seen Warby Parker online for a while. They’ve got that hipster look going on that I love so much. Warby Parker is within my budget and has a brick and mortar location within walking distance of my apartment, so it only made sense for me to try it out.

As a book lover (who doesn’t read nearly enough), I love that the stores are made to look like bookstores. It makes the idea of picking out glasses more fun. It felt less medical.

I ended up going with the Wilkie glasses in Greystone and I love them.