The weather has been beautiful the last couple of weeks and we have been spending many days at the park. If you are a mom of a little boy, you know why! 😉 Days that we stay at the house can be a little… crazy. I like to get out with my kids as much as I can, even if it is running to the grocery store for something. Sometimes that one little errand makes all the difference in keeping them from going stir crazy.

We have been to the park twice in the last week and we love to pack our lunch and enjoy a picnic while we are there! As you know, park days are better with friends, so we met our friends their one day and played with the cousins another day. There are just a few tips I also remember when packing a picnic for a playdate:

• Make sure none of the other kids have food allergies. If they do, don’t pack those things in your child’s lunch – just in case.
• Pack plenty for everyone. I always overpack, but I’d rather do that than not have enough for everyone to enjoy. If another child wants some of our yogurt or fruit, I want to have plenty.
• Take extra liquids – especially on a hot day.
• Pack healthy foods and snacks.

So, what foods are my go-tos for picnic lunches? Well, your basic peanut butter sandwich (or turkey and cheese if a kid has a peanut allergy) crackers, fruit and Annie’s Organic Yogurt. I also like to bring juice and water so that we have both options for Hamp. When he is running around a lot, he likes to drink water.

My family has been enjoying the adorable cheese bunny crackers by Annie’s for a long time now, so when I was at Publix the other day, I was excited to see that they make organic yogurt! Hampton loves yogurt and eats it almost every day, but I have noticed lately that a lot of other brands put artificial flavors or sweeteners in theirs. No, thank you! Annie’s yogurt tastes amazing and I feel so good about giving it to my kids (and myself). This is now a staple in our home. This organic yogurt comes in two new flavors – Summer Strawberry and Berry Patch. It has no artificial flavors, or sweeteners and has no hormones.

Publix is currently offering 2 Annie’s Organic Whole Milk Yogurt for only $5, so stock up! I am giving away $15 paypal cash to one lucky person who comment on this post to try this organic yogurt for yourself!

What do you pack in your picnic?

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #EffortlessPies #CollectiveBias

I have two toddlers in the house and things can be a little crazy and hectic sometimes. Especially when we are cooped up in the house for an extended period of time. I learned very quickly after my son was born that having a daily routine makes all the difference. Once my daughter was born, that routine became our lifestyle. My kids are not the same people when they have missed a nap or go to bed two hours later than their bedtime. So, we do everything we can to stick to our routine so that everyone is happy and healthy.

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Now that it is warm and sunny and perfect outside, we are always looking for ways to be out there enjoying the weather. Hampton loves to play outside and if he had it his way, he’d live out there. Here are a few summer activities that will keep your little one busy and allow you both to enjoy the warm summer months:

Splash Pad
Zoo
Water Park
Pool Day
Park
Picnic
Get Messy with Chalk
Slip n’ Slide
Turn on the Sprinkler
Bowling
Water Table
Play ball – baseball, basketball, soccer etc.
Lemonade Stand
Make Popsicles
Dance Party
Ride Bikes
Wagon Rides
Make S’mores
Fly Kites
Read a Book

Also check out these Toddler Playdate Ideas!

ONE.
Hampton and I went on 2 playdates this week. It has been so nice to get out and enjoy the weather. We go on walks almost every day, but it was fun to do something different. Tuesday we went to the zoo and Wednesday we had a picnic at the park. Did you catch my toddler playdate ideas I shared yesterday? Get out and enjoy the weather!

TWO.
I am giving away a pair of Ralph Lauren Sunglasses from Sunglasses Shop! Be sure to stop by and enter. Everyone needs a new pair of sunnies for the summer!

THREE.
My baby turned 17 months old earlier this week. I can’t believe how grown he is. He is talking so much more and acting so much older. He is still very into Thomas the train and I am so excited to surprise him with tickets to ride Thomas and meet Sir Topham Hatt next month.

FOUR.
I will be 35 weeks pregnant tomorrow. What? I literally can’t believe it. It feels like yesterday that I told Ryan I was 30 weeks and we only had 10 more to go. Now, we are down to 5 weeks. I still have so much to buy. I don’t know if it’s the 2nd child or what, but I have not been as prepared this time. PLEASE help me out and list all of your baby gear you couldn’t live without! Specifically for a baby girl. Any Etsy shop recommendations? Must have items? 


FIVE.

SC Johnson is holding a sweepstakes where you can win a $200 Visa Gift Card, Bose System and Tons of cleaning supplies. All you have to do is take this quick quiz! You also get free coupons at the end of the quiz! It’s definitely worth checking out! Click here to take the quiz!

I hope you all have a great weekend! Don’t forget to tell me what your favorite baby gear and shops are in the comments!

Linking up here and here.

Planning activities for toddlers can be stressful. Playdates are awesome for toddlers. All kids, really, but toddlers are tough. They are learning how to play and interact with others and what better way to learn than on a playdate? Hampton and I love playdates because it gives him time to play with other kids and gives me time to socialize with other adults. I love that time with friends because it is our time to swap stories about our kids as well as feeding off of each other for advice. It is so nice to have that support all while Hampton is being socialized. 😉 I wrote down a list of spring activities for toddlers the other day so that we could start checking some off of our list. These are also great ideas for playdates.

We love to host playdates at our house or go to other friend’s houses, but sometimes it is nice to get out and about and do something a little different. We have been out on two playdates just this week and it has been really wonderful. Here are a few playdate ideas to get you out of the house and out on the town.

Playdate Ideas:

• Park
• Picnic
• Zoo Day
• Make a Craft
• Building Blocks
• Playing Ball
• Swimming at your neighborhood or local YMCA pool
• Play in the sprinkler
• Children’s Museum
• Aquarium
• Play center (like Pump it Up)
• Pizza Restaurant or Chuck E Cheese’s
• Host a Toddler Olympics (with races, toss game etc.)
• Reading play date at your library (or someone’s home if you’re nervous about noise)
• Sensory activities (sand boxes, boxes of beans, rice, etc. that they can play in)
• Take them to a ball game
• Slip ‘N’ Slide
• Play with Chalk