Summer 2012 Memories

We have been planning our summer beach trip and 

I came across my favorite pictures of John Ryman. 

His first trip to the beach was so special- can't wait to take Bauer! (taken in Rosemary Beach, FL)

Grove Collaborative

 So for the past several months we have been trying out a new company called Grove.

I used to buy my cleaning supplies and home products from mainly Target and Honest Company and then I would of course forget something and pick up extras at the grocery.  Knowing that our shopping cart was about to get a lot fuller (baby-wearing is really the only option- how else do y'all fit 3 kids and anything else in a cart at one time?!) I started looking into the most cost effective, time saving & practical options for our family.  Thanks to The Nester sharing a coupon code, I thought I would try one order and then cancel once I received my $10 off, but I ended up loving the new products, customer service & free gifts on my doorstep!  It's been several months now and I don't buy cleaning or laundry supplies any other way! 

I still get our shampoo & some toiletries from Honest because it works best for our sensitive skin & I can bundle for a good price our favorite shave oil & healing balm (Have you smelled their new shampoo scent- Apricot Kiss?! Delish!)  Every other household product from Grove gets shipped for free to our door whenever I want!  You can do recurring shipments if you prefer if you know how long certain products last for your family (they offer text reminders that I found very helpful) but I usually just do a few orders a month in no particular rhythm when I notice we are running low on something.  The free shipping makes that super helpful because with Honest I felt like I would do a monthly order and forget one item and have to make a trip to the store again- defeating the purpose of home delivery!

I have found that I spend less money on household items since I started using Grove! For example, Mrs. Meyer's cleaners may only be 25 cents cheaper on Grove than Target, but we all know we pick up extra stuff that is not on our list when we run into an actual store!!  Extra cart space when at the grocery & no Target dollar bin additions that aren't really a dollar make it totally worth it for me. They also give free items & credit for friends that sign up- I've received a glass bottle, large hand sanitizer, chapstick and lots of $ credit just in the last two months!

If you want to try it out and get $10 off this month plus a free gift of your own... {CLICK HERE}

My top favorites:
Mrs. Meyer's Basil Dish Soap
Grove Candle in Eucalyptus & Spearmint
Grove Kitchen Towels- the best!
Acure Facial Scrub


A few ideas...
-If you use essential oils, I love their glass spray bottle mixed with Thieves (or any oil!) to clean the kitchen.
-I just ordered a set of my favorites for a wedding shower (you could do baby shower items too!)  and I got $10 off and free shipping.  Wrap it all up or put them in a cute basket and its the perfect gift!
-When their candles are on sale, add an extra to your order because they are the perfect gift to have on hand when you need something last minute. And they smell amazing!
-Follow The Nester on Instagram because sometimes she will post free gifts for an existing Grove member or a new scent she recommends!

Mother's Day & End of the School Year

Vera made the cutest flower pot in her Mom's Morning Out class!  The flower has already died but I'll treasure that colorful art forever :)  And I hadn't even seen her gift to me when I dressed her that morning- maybe it was her inspiration for the art haha! (This is our favorite reversible pinafore from {junebugtennessee})

JR and Vera were both in MMO one day a week this past year.  Even though JR started out pretty quiet and observant & Vera struggled some days during drop-off, they always came home with lots of fun stories wishing they could go back the next day!  They both had the sweetest teachers and learned so much this year!  It's amazing to see how much they have grown since their first day in the fall. 

 (above) first day right after getting home from Sadie's Wedding!

(below) last day of school...

John Ryman painted me a beautiful pot with a handmade flower- I just don't have a photo.  He also filled out this classic paper that I especially loved :)

Mini Photographers

On our way home from Mom's Morning Out, we pulled over into a field and hopped out to take some photos.  I happened to have my "real" camera in the car, it was a little overcast & Bauer was asleep in the carseat!  After I snapped a couple, John Ryman asked if he could take some of Vera and then of course she wanted to take a few photos!  All I did was adjust the camera settings & stand close so the camera didn't fall -they did the rest, including telling each other where to stand :) We were all so excited to get home and see how they turned out!  Can you guess who took which photos?

1, 6, 7, 9 - Me
2, 3, 4, 8- JR
5- Vera