1. First things first…AWESOME news. We got Alex tested again for strep earlier this week and we found out yesterday evening that his test was definitely negative, so he is NOT a carrier! I was nervous all week thinking about it, and am just so glad we’re in the clear (at least for now!). <3
2. Okay, I’ve gotta know…parent to parent…does anyone else kinda sorta dread bath time???
I always seem to hear others talk about bath time as if it’s a fun part of the nightly bedtime routine, but ours is inevitably a complete disaster just about every bath night (we usually do every other night in the winter/spring before it gets too hot/sweaty/dirty). Maybe it’s just our kiddos, but man…there is always just some sort of drama and it’s pretty much a guarantee that someone will wind up crying.
Tell me we aren’t the only ones?!??! OR, tell me your secrets to making bath time fun again with more than one kiddo (it was never eeeeeasy, per se, with just Lucas, but now having both is a complete whirlwind!) : )
3. Hey spring, did you hear the news? You’re supposed to be here by now!
4. Did those of you who follow on Instagram check out the new light we installed in our mudroom? I am in looooove.
I finally purchased this light from Birch Lane after eyeballing it for months (similar to what I did with our kitchen light!) and I’m so glad I went for it. Now I’m actually trying to figure out where else we can put another one in the house!
5. If there ever was a more fitting shirt for our sweet Alex…
I found this one on Old Navy a few weeks ago and immediately had to snag it. SO fitting.
6. I bought a different type of lettuce mix this past week, and it feels weird saying it but…it just tastes too…plant-ish? Leafy? I don’t know, there’s just something about it where some bites make me feel like I’m gnawing on something from my back yard.
Okay, maybe that’s a little excessive, but do you guys know what I’m talking about??
7. I need a new purse. Okay, I want a new purse. Something maybe in a rose/blush color that will coordinate well with browns or blacks or navy. I also think I’d want a tote, or maybe something with a strap that could easily convert it to be cross-body, too? I sort of like the look of this one, but I think I need more pockets inside. So I’m leaning a bit towards this one and this one from Target – what do you guys think??
8. So we had a HomeGoods open up about 5 minutes down the road from our house a couple of weeks ago (haaaalp) and I just got there for the first time yesterday. SO many fun things on display!
Here are just a couple that I sent to Jay telling him I wanted…
Ultimately, I left with new salt/pepper grinders (ours broke), a new soap dispenser, and a small wreath. I really wanted pretty much every faux plant I saw because, for whatever reason, I am always drawn to them. Maybe it’s because I can’t keep real plants alive…?
9. Okay, I’m curious about something…how are you guys spending your time on the internet these days? Are you reading a bunch of blogs (the fact that you’re reading this right now means I must say THANK YOU for choosing to come here!!!)? Are you scanning social media sites? Are you falling down the black hole that is Pinterest? Are you shopping?
I feel like not only has the internet really changed since I first started blogging (holy crap, this month marks EIGHT YEARS?!?!), but obviously with that, the ages/interests/priorities of those who were reading so many blogs back in the day have really changed, too.
So if you feel like chatting and leaving a comment today, I’d love to hear from you!
And with that, I’m off for today – I hope you all have a fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend ahead, whatever you may be doing <3
Brittany says
Try color drops for bath time!!
And wonderful news about the strep <3
heather @Lunging Through Life says
Love the crossbody larger one from Target. Do you have Walmart nearby? I was just there yesterday and they had some really cute blush colored purses. I was shocked but also sort of wanted them all, ha! I’m happy to hear Alex is better! That’s great news. Have a wonderful weekend!
Courtney says
We do have a Walmart – good to know! Thanks, Heather!
Emily McDougall says
I read blogs and shop but don’t participate in social media. I love the crossbody bags from Target! And bath time is always drama.
Emily says
I am mostly on Instagram stories – there are some bloggers/“influencers” that I follow on Instagram
But have never been to their actual websites.
But! I check in daily with a handful of blogs I have been following along with for years, including yours, and I still get my daily Bloglovin email.
Courtney says
Gahhhh, Instagram stories…my black hole of social media!! :)
Caitlin P says
I have a handful of blogs I read daily on my train ride to work through Feedly. I think most of them I have been reading for over 5 years! The number has reduced as bloggers have stopped posting and I haven’t added any new ones. I find many people starting now are focused so much on monetizing or such a niche and I truly enjoy the lifestyle/parenting/day in the life content!
I also love Instagram. It’s my happy place full of beautiful home designers, food, positive and funny moms! I very much know the content is curated and use the source as inspiration or encouragement rather than comparison. Facebook I’ve been hating (every time I get “lost” on it I find myself feeling crappier and crappier).
I LOVE the light in your mud room!
Courtney says
Isn’t it funny how you get hooked on certain blogs and just keep reading/following along? I’m the same way with a number of them! Thank you for choosing to read HERE, Caitlin! :)
Christy says
My coworker got me hooked on therealreal.com for purses. If you want name brand for less, that’s the place to go.
Congrats on the strep test. That’s great news. I wish we had a local home goods. Gahhhh, that would spell trouble for me though. Lol
Julie says
1.) Love those light fixtures! I am still in an apartment, but once I move to a house I plan to have a modern farmhouse vibe so those would be perfect.
2.) I’m 28 (going on 29) and loyally read a small handful of lifestyle/food bloggers – yours being one of 3 or 4! I love how real you are and it’s fun to follow along with the changes in your life. :) Other internet time is recipe searching (web/Pinterest), shopping (not a ton) and keeping up with the news. I’ve recently deleted Instagram/Snap to try and limit my Internet time!
Courtney says
Good for you on deleting Instagram – I don’t know if I could do it, haha!!
Missy says
I hear ya on bathtime–that, followed by brushing teeth, is one of the most stressful parts of my day! We did recently receive a few of the color bath bomb things that change the water colors and that was fun and kept him occupied but i can’t see it being a regular thing that we do…
Over the past several years my feedly has gotten smaller and smaller as people quit blogging or their lifestyles no longer match up with my own. I still read your blog, a handful of other lifestyle and a few food blogs. Mostly I’m hanging out on Instagram and love to see people’s instastories! I deleted FB recently from my phone because it seemed to be so negative and never left me with a good feeling but I check it out once in awhile when I’m at my desktop (usually when I’m procrastinating at work–ha!)
Courtney says
Gahhh, the teeth brushing! Alex is the WORST and screams the whole time. I keep saying “one of these days he’ll snap out of it…” ;) And I’m with you on Facebook – it can be a bit too hostile for me at times, too.
Natasha says
No, you aren’t the only one that dreads bathtime. I swear those that say they love it are lying 😉.
I typically use the internet to research, shop and for social media. You are the one and only blog that I continually read! You have always been honest, share great recipes, stories, etc. I truly enjoy your blog!
Oh and btw…purses are a need!!!
Courtney says
Awwww, that is SO cool to hear! THANK YOU, Natasha!! <3
JenG says
I have the Campbell Crossbody Bag – Universal Thread and LOVE it. It’s a great size. I can fit in a few snack and small toys. have even put in a pull up and a small pack of wipes.
Lauren says
I used to read a ton of blogs but most either have moved on to other things or they are at a point where they just don’t have new content. You and Janae (and Heather at LIL now that she’s blogging more regularly again) are the only ones I read faithfully anymore because I genuinely like you guys and your families so I just have an interest in your lives :) (is that creepy LOL)
i like the hobo crossbag best!!
Courtney says
Aww, thank you so much, Lauren!! I truly appreciate you reading (and I’m honored to be alongside your other favorites of Janae and Heather – they’re great!)
Kayla says
So glad the strep test came back negative for Alex!! Have you ever tried bath crayons or dye to color the water? My sister has tried both of those things…and while it doesn’t work ALL the time (she has two boys right around the same age as Lucas and Alex!), it seems to work most of the time. She definitely dreads bath time though, so just know that you aren’t alone in that! Having two young boys isn’t easy!! I am laughing out loud at that shirt Alex has on from Old Navy, I am going to have to buy that one for my nephew Enzo! Haha!! Have a great weekend, Courtney!! Xoxo
Courtney says
Hahaha I love that you’re getting the shirt – it was too funny to not get for Alex! :)
Nikki says
I still read blogs – but less than I used too. The blogs that seem overly “commercialized” and “monetized” just aren’t worth the time anymore. I check social media too – just facebook and instagram. TJMaxx always has good purses too!
Ellen @ My Uncommon Everyday says
I get to move into my first apartment (that I furnish… my school provided furniture in my apartment there) in August and I’m so excited for all the HomeGoods/decorating. I’m also afraid I like too many styles of interior design and won’t be able to choose anything cohesive.
And my internet time is so weird and spread out these days. I used to pretty much exclusively read way too many blogs, but while I love the million blogs I’ve read forever, I find my Feedly getting backed up and “marked as read” week after week, as I pick and choose posts to read. I tend to hop on Twitter for news and sports stuff, scan blogs to keep up with lives and maybe find recipes, scroll Instagram because it’s pretty and I like Stories, and maybe most often check out Facebook groups from bloggers I like. Facebook groups definitely changed my FB experience for the better, especially since I’m kind of in the generation where people started considering FB as being for our parents, etc. (I’m 22). Facebook groups feel friendly and supportive, whereas most of Facebook feels hyper-political or like a brag-fest/comparison trap.
Also, for context, I have way too much internet time at the moment because I graduated in December and my job doesn’t start until August, so I’m in this awkward in-between stage right now where all my friends/fam are in school or at work, and I’m just hanging out.
Courtney says
Enjoy this time as much as you can, Ellen!! And best of luck to you on your job starting up in August! :)
Becca says
Still read a handful of blogs. I’m not on social media, and I really don’t spend time on anything that doesn’t involve actual reading (not into the photos, memes, or videos that dominate social media at all). Hope you keep WRITING! The more writing there is in a post, the more likely I am to read it. It’s the posts that are sparse, sponsor-based, or just pics that I tend to skip.
Lauren Murray says
Oooh if a Homegoods opened near me I’d be in SO much trouble lol!
Kristin James says
Our family despises bath night. We do the same thing – every other day. I don’t like those nights :) But I think for me it is more because it is one more thing to cram into an already busy night. #workingmom :)
I still read a handful of blogs that I have been reading for years… such as yours. I don’t seek new blogs though but I do love instagram and on it more than I care to admit. I follow some new individuals that do have blogs but I don’t read anyone I haven’t already been reading. Internet and social media has changed so much – especially in the past two years (at least to me!)
Courtney says
Haha WOO HOO for non-bath nights!! ;) And seriously with the Instagram…I get so caught up in those darn stories!
Koryn says
Glad to know I’m not the only one who does the bathtime routine every other day, lol! Sorry for jumping in on your post but I totally agree – I somewhat dread those nights “because it is one more thing to cram into an already busy night.” Well, that and the fact that my now super independent toddler likes to protest baths at times. So, it can take a good 15 min. just to convince him to get in the bath. Oy. He’s usually a happy camper once he’s in there though. So yes, WOO HOO for non-bath nights! ;-)
Colleen says
Hi Courtney! I hardly ever comment but just wanted to let you know I am one of those diehard originals who have been reading your blog for…the entire 8 years! haha! I am about to turn 30 in June. I initially started reading blogs wayyy back in the day (2008-09ish) and yours is one of a handful that I still consistently follow. I just enjoy that you are very up front and honest, and you aren’t solely focused on making money from your blog (although I certainly don’t blame you for wanting to make a few extra bucks with partnerships/products you love).
As for social media, I have had an on-again off-again relationship with FB and all social media. I got rid of social media altogether for a couple years, mostly because I was going through a divorce, and nobody wants to scroll through and see all their friends getting married and having babies when you are dealing with the implosion of your own marriage lol. Now that I am past that, I use instagram and snapchat as my main source of social media, and I honestly hardly ever go on FB. It changed so much in the past 5 years and I just don’t enjoy it as much. Other internetting includes working (I work in HR/Recruiting), online shopping, and reading news articles.
Anyway, just wanted to say HI! I will absolutely continue to read your blog. I feel like I’ve watched your boys grow up and it’s so much fun to share a part of your life. You are an awesome mama!
Courtney says
Colleen!! Your comment is so, so amazing. Thank you SO much for not only taking the time to comment, but for following along for the ENTIRE 8 YEARS!! That means so much to me! <3
Lauren says
I started doing separate baths and now separate showers because of bath time drama, one right after the other. I still follow several blogs on Feedly but don’t always read them all.
Courtney says
I’m the same with following blogs – just not enough hours in the day to keep up with them all anymore!!
Trisha says
I also dread bath time and know exactly what you mean about the lettuce. Home Goods is a very dangerous place in which I almost never leave with what I went for, but instead $100 worth of something else. I spend most of my internet time scrolling Instagram stories & that is mostly how I keep up with bloggers I once followed religiously too. It is RARE that I go to my feed to catch up blogs, but I clicked this link from a Facebook.
And while I’m so glad to hear about Alex, I will let you know that I am a strep carrier and test negative for it nearly every time I’m convinced I will test positive. I’ve never fully understood the “carrier” thing, except that the type of strep I carry is seldom contagious to others, I rarely test positive for strep, and I have inflamed tonsils. All the time. Having a sore throat is, essentially, my normal. But because of that, it hasn’t really impacted my life in any way. :)
Courtney says
Hahaha SO true on the HomeGoods situation! And thank you for sharing that about being a strep carrier – the whole thing truly has me so confused still, even though he did test negative. I guess it sounds like it’ll be a guessing game?!
Mellonie says
Firstly – lol on the salad. I love vegetables, I totally know what you mean. We partook in a CSA last summer and every week we would get a ton of kale. By the end of the summer, I just couldn’t with the kale.
Bath time – We’re hit or miss. It’s usually a struggle to get our 4 yr old into the old, the a struggle to get him out. Our almost 2 yr old loves the tub in general. They like to be in the tub together, but like you said, inevitably someone ends up crying.
Internet habits – Been a long time reader. Before I had kids, I’d read a few blogs every night. Now with kids, I usually just look at instagram during the week, and then I read certain blogs, like your’s, on Friday/Saturday. That’s about all I have time for… Oh yeah, and browsing-shopping.
Courtney says
I hear you – kids certainly do change how you spend your free time, don’t they?! Thank you so much for choosing to read here, I truly appreciate it, Mellonie!! :)
Jessa says
Yay for the news on Alex! Such a relief! The colored drops for the tub make it more fun for my kiddo – and bath “finger paint” – available in the dollar section at target. Washes off super easily too! I love reading blogs, scrolling Instagram during down time (waiting for appts, etc.) and love catching up with Vlogs too! Have a great weekend!
Courtney says
I’ll have to check out the colored drops for the tub, thanks!
Leighanne says
Bath night used to be a hit or miss in our house, but lately it has been getting better. My 4 year old is finally allowing us to wash her hair without a fight, but now my 2.5 year old son is the one resisting. We have found it much better to bathe them separately, one right after the other, and carry on with the rest of their bedtime routines separately. I completely agree about the spring salad mix… too earthy for my tastes. I have been a long time reader of your blog… around 6 or 7 years. At that time I was reading so many blogs nightly; oh, the differences marriage and children make. Your blog is now 1 of 3 that I read on a “regular” basis in my once a week binge/catch-up. I truly enjoy how genuine you are in your blog. I find many similarities as our children are around the same ages and it is refreshing to see someone I don’t know going through the same things. I now spend more time on instagram, following stories, than any other social media platform. I infrequently check facebook or pinterest. I shop online way too often!
Courtney says
I’m thinking separate baths may be the way to go – just seems like so much more “work” haha! Side note, THANK YOU so much for reading the blog and for your super kind comment! Us mamas are in it together ;)
Lindsay says
Courtney, I have been a reader since the beginning. I am pretty sure I was 20 when I first started reading the blog. Where has the time gone? I am so glad that you have kept to your “regular” blogging style and haven’t commercialized your blog like so many others have. Yes, I understand that you do promote certain products but I appreciate the fact that this isn’t a daily occurrence on your blog. Here’s to many more years!! :)
Courtney says
THANK YOU, Lindsay!! I cannot tell you how much that means – 8 years is a LONG time! <3
Melissa says
All of the purses you’re considering are great! I’m in the market for a new purse, myself, and have been looking for the ideal light pink crossbody! Lots of options out there, but it’s challenging to figure out the best one for me.
Courtney says
I ordered the smaller cross body but I’m actually thinking it might be too small so I think I might exchange it for the large LOL
Jamie says
HI Lauren! So happy Lucas is ok. I mostly read blogs and peruse pinterest on the internet. I rarely shop online except for dog food, not sure why since I think it would make my life easier. Sometimes I check facebook too but try to limit that.
Hope Spring heads your way soon!
Kristin Q says
Check out Thirty-One if you want a cute new crossbody purse. They recently launched a new line called Studio 31 and you can mix and match the straps, purse body and flap. They are adorable.
Courtney says
Oh, cool! Thanks for the tip, Kristin!
Fiona MacDonald says
I had to laugh at your bathtime confession, I HATE bathtime, more because I find it boring! My husband is so good at it, gets in there with the toys and having races and I”m like scrub scrub and let’s go.
I’m totally with you!
Courtney says
Haha, so glad I’m not the only one!! :)
Shawna says
My office is literally across the street from that Home Goods and I cannot wait to attack it! So stoked for the TJ’s coming there also!
Courtney says
Really?? I didn’t realize you were so close?! :)
Laura says
My kids starting taking showers (with assistance) at about 5 and 7. Just getting them to shower over a bath cut down on the time and mess. No more falling asleep on the toilet while they played until the water went ice cold !! No more cleaning up the splash zone & disinfecting moldy ducks! Lol … They are now 8 and 10 and pretty much 100% independent for showers and it is one thing I don’t really miss about when they were smaller !