Blog - Page 13 of 94 - Nesting Story

5 Summer Hairstyles Moms Need To Try

If you are anything like me, having your hair down sounds nice in theory, but about 5 minutes in you are ready to put it up. I am running around all day, with a baby who LOVES to pull anything within his reach (e.g. my hair) and I can’t stand having things in my face. It drives me nuts. Especially with the warmer days upon us, the last thing you want is a full head of hair on your neck and falling into you face.

I used to just end up wearing my hair in either the mom bun (you know the one you threw up without a mirror with an elastic band you found in the couch cushions) or a basic ponytail. Neither of these hairstyles made me feel I had fully put myself together that day.

So, instead of a basic ponytail, here are 5 easy to do summer hairstyles you can rock this summer and still feel put together!

I love doing the wrapped ponytail because it’s so easy to do but looks so professional. It’s one of those summer hairstyles that will have people wondering how you did it yourself! Just take your pieces and wrap it around the ponytail and pin it with a Bobby pin. All you need is a hair elastic, some Bobby pins, and a little bit of hairspray to smooth the fly aways if you want.

This hairstyle is a little more complex, but can be quick once you are comfortable with it! I feel like a braid can make any style look more intricate. If you’re like me and are going through the wonderful postpartum hair loss (peep the bald spots in the photos) you can hide your sparse areas with some eyeshadow that matches your hair colour! Just fluff some into the spots with a makeup brush and set it with some hairspray. All you need for this style are 2 elastics and Bobby pins. This look can be done with straight or curly hair.

This style is my favourite for days when I need to look really put together but my hair isn’t washed and I’m too tired to do anything about it! All it takes is an elastic, a few bobby pins, and 5 minutes. Once you’ve mastered this style, you can even do it without a mirror!

This hairstyle is going to my go-to for the summer months, I can already tell. It’s quick, looks best when it’s done messily, and it keeps all my postpartum hair regrowth tucked away and in place! All you need are 3 elastics, some bobby pins if you have shorter pieces that need to be kept in place, and you can wear this style with any hair texture!

The low ponytail is, hands down, the one I do the most. For a sleek look you can leave your ponytail straight, or for a more beachy feel, curl your hair from root to end and leave some texture at the roots. All you need for this hairstyle is a hair elastic, Bobby pins, and a comb to tease your ends.

Getting through the summer heat shouldn’t mean sacrificing your good looks! These summer hairstyles will keep you feeling cool and looking great!

If you want to learn more quick beauty tips that you can add to your everyday routine, check out www.elysemorency.com. You can also find Elyse on Instagram at www.instagram.com/elysemor/ where she talks about the highs and lows of motherhood and makeup!

Summer Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

When summer rolls around and berries are finally in season, this Summer Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp recipe is my go to dessert.

Raise your hand if you have a specific food that when you smell it, it immediately brings you back to your childhood days.

Smells trigger memories for me…turkey on Thanksgiving, pasta sauce simmering, but my most favourite is the smell of strawberry rhubarb crisp It screams summer to me. So light, so fresh, and oh so delicious. It takes me back to my carefree (before having kids)…summer days.

But wait …it’s healthy too!! My love language is definitely food, eating it yes, but more than that, preparing it for my family.

So when summer rolls around and berries are finally in season, this Summer Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp recipe is my go to dessert. I even requested my mom plant rhubarb in her garden this past summer and it grew like crazy!!

Lets bake.

Summer Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Filling:

6 stalks of rhubarb, cut into ½ thick pieces

2 cups of strawberries, hulled and sliced

¼ cup of sugar (optional, I actually cut out the sugar because the sweetness of the strawberries is enough)

Topping:

1 cup of all purpose flour

½ cup of rolled oats

⅓ cup of sugar (again optional, i deleted the sugar here too)

⅓ cup of firmly packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon of salt

½ cup of butter, melted

Instructions:

Heat your oven to 350 degrees and use a 9 x13 baking dish (if the baking dish is smaller that’s ok, it will be a thicker slice of heaven)

In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together using a fork. Then slowly add in the melted butter creating a crumb like mixture.

Spread the crumb mixture over the berries

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until you see the berries bubbling. Bake it a bit longer if you like the crisp even crispier.

Best served warm with vanilla bean ice cream

Another yummy way to enjoy this is with vanilla Greek yogurt. My kids have been eating it cold for breakfast with yogurt all summer long

A delicious fresh strawberry crisp is the perfect summer dessert.

Enjoy!!!

Tip ** buy the rhubarb in bulk and freeze it in batches of 6 stalks, that way it’s ready to go for this recipe

Lori is a thirty something year old mom of four, living in the little town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Her passions include her family, fashion, and food. She loves preparing simple and delicious recipes that both kids and adults will enjoy.

Little girl’s nursery – Location inspiration!

Since September is the most common month to have a baby, that means many near due baby bumps are living loud and proud right about now. It also means that many mammas have the “decorate nursery” bullet on their to do list nagging them constantly. Knowing where to begin can be the hardest part, and for you here’s some inspiration for little girls rooms (one if my own) where geography inspired the design direction.

Now let’s be honest, when you’re planning your baby’s nursery you don’t know what that kid’s personality, aspirations and interest will be so the room will instead reflect that of your own. Once you have an idea in mind think about what natural elements, imagery and animals you can include – then don’t overdo it. You can still have a big theme but let it live tastefully in the room.

Pink mountains location inspiration baby girl nursery decor

This first space belongs to parents with a boatload of Canadian Pride, they are avid skiers and love the mountains. They loved the Canadiana concept, though they felt it to be a bit masculine and wanted a sweet girly quality to be reflected.

The mountain theme is bold in with the wall motif but I like that it’s not overdone. Otherwise the décor is fairly simple with some sweet framed prints on the walls, stuffed bears and deer throughout and (my personal favorite) the subtle white rug that represents the snow. It’s just the right amount of mountain reference and visual balance having the bold accents paired with simple white walls and furniture.

The second room (and sorry in advance, I may be biased cause it’s my daughters nursery) is inspired from the opposite side of the world with a safari theme. My husband and I are (or we’re, pre baby) big travelers and it was important to us that we encourage life outside these walls for our little one. This was planned as a gender neutral room so the pop of color comes in the yellow.

Again, you’ll notice that I did not want to overstate the theme. Aside from some stuffed animals and one image on the wall natural materials and texture are the driving force here. Continuity is achieved here with white, wicker or a walnut stained furniture. The back wall is cut MDF in a herringbone pattern painted white (which FYI was low cost but labor intensive).

Much like everything in life it’s all about balance! You want white, but not too white. Themed but not too themed. My take is don’t be afraid to make the statement you want, but be sure to counterweight that with natural materials and neutral tones.

Happy nesting mamas.

Lara Young is the Principal of Lara Young Design, and also a new mom. Like many of us Lara is trying to find that quintessential work/life balance. Being her own boss is bringing Lara one-step closer to her dream. You can read Lara’s full bio, or contact her to help with your next design project here.

Summer Fashion Haul: Dressy Shorts, Cute Overalls and Casual Dresses

As the first couple weeks of summer passed by filled with braving the heat and humidity and then switching to bundling up, working at my desk in our air-conditioned house, I observed a pattern occurring… I would jump from super slouchy shorts and t-shirts to oversized sweats. When it came to date night I was constantly opting for my dressy sweatpants, (still too warm), but my super dressy sundresses were overdressed for our favourite date night outings: dinner or a movie.

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I didn’t feel amazing about myself to be honest. I watched other mothers drop off their kids at camp before heading to work in the cutest outfits. I’d look down at my dull, super casual outfit, in what looked more like I was going to go home to garden, than the reality; heading home to run my company that I built from the ground up.

I definitely had some wardrobe holes that needed filling.

Although I knew I could have done all of this shopping online, another work-from-home-mom-truth was nagging at me; I needed to get out of my house and spend some time around people. So I headed out the mall on a summer fashion mission and scored big time.

First up… casual sundresses that can be worn all day.

Shop Gap summer dresses here.

I found these three dresses at Gap and I am thrilled with the fit and comfort level. The black and pink dresses are a beautiful knit and the lime green dress is airy and fun. I bought each of them in a size small (I am 5’2″).

Shop this dress here.

Okay, so I’ve wanted overalls for a long time. For some reason I got it in my head that I couldn’t pull them off after having kids and birthing my twins via c-section grand finale. I almost walked out of Gap eyeballing a cute light-washed pair without trying them on but thought, “ugh, let’s just see.”

Gap overalls for a casual summer fashion look

Ahhhh! I am in love with my new overalls. They are so cute and so comfy and I don’t think they scream mom tummy at all. You will never catch me lounging around my house in a pair of jeans, but these babies are so cozy and loose in the tummy area. Hands down my favourite score of the day. I bought these overalls in a size small.

Shop Gap overalls here.

Last year a bought a bunch of dressy joggers from Dynamite and have been obsessed with them ever since. Could it be possible that I could find a shorts version of this wardrobe essential?

Spring 2018 style - black tank — Dressy joggers I bought last year from Dynamite.

Yes! They do exist!

Shop Dynamite belted shorts here.

I bought two beautiful pairs of dressy shorts (size medium) from Dynamite and paired them with another summer fashion favourite of mine… thick tank tops (size small). I basically live in these double layered, stretchy tank tops from Dynamite and Zara. I love them because they smooth out lumps and bumps, hold everything in and create a beautiful shape.

Dynamite shorts perfect summer fashion find

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about my body type it’s that I suit having tight clothing on the top and loose on the bottom, or vice versa. It creates balance and give the illusion of height.

My last find was a couple of big fun t-shirts from Zara, perfect for jeans and jean shorts.

My little summer fashion shopping spree was a huge success and I have been living in these outfits ever since. You can watch as I share my haul and try on everything here…

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Parenting and The Comparison Game

More often than not, this parenting comparison game sends us into research, with Google becoming our favourite friend, determined to find the way to do it all “right”.

Raising Kids the easy way, forget the comparison game - Lindsay Fricker for Nesting Story

You’ve stopped attending those Mommy and Me groups. You made fast friends with the other mama’s and loved an excuse to get out of the house, but you couldn’t help noticing the other babies. They were all moving through their milestones quickly, some even skipping milestones altogether. Was your baby behind? They aren’t alike at all. You began to worry and decided it would be easier to avoid these meetings. You don’t want to play the parenting comparison game.

Maybe your baby was the one hitting all the milestones – and it wasn’t until your second child came along that you noticed things were different…why weren’t they progressing like their older brother? The anxiety builds.

You attend your scheduled doctor’s appointment, only to see your baby’s measurements slide off of the carefully plotted curve. You take it on as if it is your fault – you can’t produce enough milk. Why can’t your body do what it’s supposed to? (Side note – this is NOT your fault).

Then there is the guilt you may find in the safety of your own extended family. Everyone has an opinion on how your child should be raised – “Co sleeping is a bad idea. They will never be able to sleep on their own.”

You somehow make it through the infant year, but are struggling your way through toddler-dom, you have “that child” in the preschool play. Or, you find yourself into the school-age years before their struggles in math class have you worried they won’t be able to be “whatever they want” when they grow up.

Looking for Answers

These feelings of worry, guilt and anxiety exist for most parents – in one way or another. When it strikes – we can easily panic. More often than not, this parenting comparison game sends us into research, with Google becoming our favourite friend, determined to find the way to do it all “right”.

But this is what the “right” way to parent looks like –

Hopefully, this makes it clear. If you’re looking for an easy guide to parenting, there isn’t just one to choose from. Parenting is HARD. There isn’t a one-sized-fits-all answer to any of our questions. There can be answers if we put in the work, holding fast to a series of trials and errors.

We are the Experts of Our Children.

It is so important that we take action against these feelings of anxiety and worry. They can prevent us from seeing our children clearly. They can rob us of the precious time we have with them, or even keep us from providing our children with what they need, when they need it.

Our first step in being the expert of our children, is going to be in taking care of ourselves. We’ve all heard the adage, “you can’t pour from an empty cup”.

As soon as we begin to harness these feelings of worry and guilt, we will be able to see the comparisons for what they are – comparisons. There is no “better”, only different. Being an early walker does not necessarily mean you will be winning gold medals in the Olympics for track and field, and being a late talker does not discount you from winning awards for Public Speaking.

In tracking milestones and making comparisons, keep your focus clear. What is the purpose? If it’s to feel some sort of satisfaction or sense of hierarchy, you are doing it wrong. Parents, stop playing the comparison game.

As every child is unique, so is every family. When it comes to raising our children, only we know what will work best for ours. By being able to take the concerns of our doctors, along with those of our extended families, and make healthy comparisons between our kids and others their age, we will ultimately be able to understand what our child’s needs are.

Even more, as we keep reading these articles handing out advice on child development, we will be able to pick and choose the strategies that will ultimately work for us – ensuring our ability to help our children to grow and learn where their strengths and interests lie, which is ultimately all we could ever ask for.

Lindsay Fricker is a mom of four – two plus twins. Kindergarten teacher by day, Lindsay enjoys helping others find ways to navigate the ugly parts of parenting, while keeping their sanity and positively supporting their children. You can read more from Lindsay here or follow her on Instagram @serendipity.six.