Welcome Spring!

Bauer- Extra Baby Snuggles

This baby turns ONE on the 24th!  I'm in denial to be quite honest. So when he wakes up late from a nap and is moving a little slower, I give a few extra snuggles... and capture those growing curls and eyelashes.

(Our favorite sleep bag from WeeUrban- feels like the comfiest hoodie!)

Bring the Green Inside- Simple Cheap Spring Decor on St. Patrick's Day and beyond!

I love this quote and a bouquet of flowers, but I can't afford fresh flowers each week. Spring is the perfect time to snip a few flowers or branches from your yard (or a kind neighbor's yard) and bring the blooms inside!  The only plants purchased in these photos are the kale plants & the mini fern (from Aldi).  Perfect pop of green for St. Patrick's Day! ;) The rest I clipped from our backyard.  If you are a flower lover, start planning an outdoor area for a "cutting garden" so you can grow your own fresh bouquets! {Here} is a great article with some flower garden ideas.

... and you can always bring spring indoors with the new Peony or Lilac scent from Mrs. Meyers!
Grab your free gift of soaps and cleaning supplies ($30 value) with your first $20+ order from Grove. If you already use Grove for your household shopping, then you can get 50% off their glass spray bottle in your next order.  More info in this post {here}.

How are you bringing the outdoors in? Bunny decor? Bowl of Lemons? Fresh bouquets? Share with us in the comments below.

Favorite of the Week- Telula Juice from Aldi

I'm thinking this should be a weekly thing...  a post with healthy, kid-friendly recommendations.  Well, more like an "Aldi Favorite of the Week" post because we all know that's my store ;)

I saw this new juice, Telula, the other day at our local Aldi.  While I was a little hesitant about the taste, I couldn't pass up the low price tag for cold-pressed organic juice.  Guess what? Both of these juices (Blackberry Chia & Green Fusion) were delicious! Even better, my 5 and 3 year old approved and asked for seconds of both.  Win-Win!

Check back next week for a new healthy favorite that is kid-approved.  And please comment below with your favorites of the week so we can all help each other out!

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Free Spring Cleaning Kit from Grove Collaborative

What motivates you to do a spring cleaning? For me, beautiful cleaning products in a fresh scent make it feel like less of a chore. Add some good music and I might even say I enjoy it!


If you’re like me, then you’re going to love this offer from Mrs. Meyer’s and Grove Collaborative. When you place your first Grove order of $20, you’ll get a free seasonal kit to help you get a jumpstart on your spring cleaning. Here’s what’s included:

• Free Mrs. Meyer’s Spring Hand Soap
• Free Mrs. Meyer’s Spring Dish Soap
• Free Grove Collaborative Walnut Scrubber Sponges
• Free Grove Collaborative Glass Spray Bottle
• Free Shipping & 60 Day VIP Trial

If you’re already a customer, you’ll receive a Grove Collaborative Spray Bottle for 50% off - perfect for making your own fresh scented cleaner!

The Mrs. Meyers soaps come in two limited edition spring scents, peony and lilac. Thanks to the blend of essential oils and plant-derived ingredients, they don’t smell artificial — just light and pretty. Along with this beautiful spray bottle and amazing sponges, you’ll be feeling inspired to clean in no time.

To get your kit, sign up for Grove Collaborative here and the offer will be automatically added to your cart. You’ll answer 4 quick questions about your current cleaning routine, which Grove will use to recommend products for your first basket. You can customize your order by adding or remove items, the items in your basket are just suggestions— as long as your order is a minimum of $20, you’ll qualify for the offer.

One of the unexpected benefits of my Grove subscription is that I’ve discovered so many great natural products. The Acure Skincare line is a new favorite, as well as, the Grove Candle! It's nice to try new scents or products knowing there is 100% happiness guarantee. Plus, their customer service is hands-down the best.

Want to know what’s in my basket this month? I’m stocking up on spring cleaning essentials like a new set of Grove Kitchen Towels (for cleaning with my new spray bottle), Acure Rosehip Oil, and my usual order of Acure Facial Cleansing Creme and the Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent. And I'm going to add the Acure Facial Wipes in my bag when I'm traveling this month. Since I started using Grove to deliver my monthly household supplies, I’ve saved so much money compared to my usual grocery store runs going in for one item and coming out with 10 extra! Not to mention, I don't have to juggle 3 kids inside the store. :)

My Grove VIP membership helps me save even more with free shipping, price matching, exclusive sales, and free full-size gifts. When you submit your first Grove order, you’ll be signed up for the free 60 day VIP trial. I highly recommend taking advantage of the free shipping and personal service that comes with this membership so you can see if it’s right for you. I have placed an order and the next day realized I forgot to add detergent- nice to have free shipping!

Ready to get started on your spring cleaning and streamline your household shopping routine? This offer ends March 19, and supplies are limited. (Last time I had an offer on my blog like this, one of the scents ran out so pick what you like quickly!)

1. Sign up for Grove Collaborative {here}. You will receive the {Spring Cleaning Kit} for free when you sign up!
2. Answer 4 quick questions about your home that Grove Collaborative will then use to customize your first basket -- this takes under 30 seconds!
3. Once you’ve answered the questions, you can finalize your basket of products to suit your household needs by adding or removing items.
4. To receive this offer, your order needs to be a minimum of $20. Choose the combination of products and scents you love and receive in your first box.
5. You made it! Click Finish & Pay and place your order.

Kids in front of the Camera

Not all kids love being in front of the camera.  Some get shy or giggly making it hard to capture natural expressions.  Or for you photography mamas, do you want your kids to learn about photography and get excited about what you love?

Having children has definitely made me think outside the box when it comes to photography!  A good way to start is to ask your child or client to do the opposite of what you would normally recommend. Do you always pose them on their bellies with their hands propped under their chins?  Maybe have them lay on their back and wiggle their hands and toes in the air.  Sit in a chair upright? Kick those legs on the armrest or try upside down!  It may not be your favorite photo, but it will help to get you thinking creatively.  The kids will have a lot more fun, especially when it's something they typically aren't allowed to do in a posed family photo session :)

Try to put yourself in the mind of a toddler and what would make them laugh.  When I was photographing my daughter, I noticed the plant in front of her gave her a green mustache.  Of course when I told her this she couldn't stop laughing and I got some of the cutest expressions from her. (above photo).

Try handing over your phone and letting your child photograph their siblings.  Let them pose or get them to laugh in their own ways.  You might just learn a trick or two ;)

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Garden Party 2017- Spring Seed Planting

"I must have flowers always and always."

-Claude Monet

Starting a garden from seeds can seem a little daunting.  Honestly, most of the time it's probably not any more expensive to go ahead & buy the $2.50 Home Depot plant, rather than hassle with peat pots and seedlings hoping they survive to be transferred to your garden.  Most people do not have a garden large enough to use up all of the seeds in one packet.  So that's why I decided to have a seed planting party- to learn from friends who had done this before and share the rest in my seed packets that would have been wasted!

Last year, we had our first seed planting party {here} looking a little different than this year's brunch without kids and forecast for snow flurries :)  While I'm hoping for successful seeding again this year, truly it's more about spending time with friends and meeting new ladies in the community.  My friend, Deanna, and I invited a few friends and then they invited others... I highly recommend mixing up party guests like this.  I love watching two friends connect with each other that might not have ever met.  Or looking around my home seeing lots of new faces and everyone laughing and eating and planting!  They might have thought I was crazy serving up brunch on a mix-match of my grandma's china and then passing buckets of soil inside the house, but cleanup still was faster than lunch with my 3 kids!

I highly recommend finding a sweet friend to host parties with you! Makes it more fun and enjoyable, but it's also a major plus when she can bake like a professional :) How cute are these cookies?!

Want to host your own Seed Planting Party? Text all of your friends, have everyone bring a snack and get to planting.  Here is a good list to get you started...

-Seed Starter Soil & Spoons/Scoops
-Peat Pots or have each person bring a dozen empty egg shells in a carton
-Popsicle Sticks & markers so you can remember what you planted!
-Spray bottles (so you can mist the soil as you plant)
-Seeds! (We had each person bring 2 packets and we assigned categories like herb, veggies, etc.)

Also Kari Jobe's new album The Garden is the perfect background music!

Now we will wait and see how many of our seeds actually grow well enough to plant in the garden, but at least we had a fun ladies' brunch!

Let me know if you have a garden party with your friends & send me some photos at everydaypitpat@gmail.com. I would love to see your party and garden ideas!

Perfect for Spring- Scarf Accessories

There is one women's scarf left in the shop from the new Spring Collection! It's silky soft and lightweight with the perfect amount of color...

Head on over {HERE} to the shop!

Gardens Past & Color in the Future

The past few days I have been scrolling through old photos looking at our garden and backyard.  These are from our old house, but I'm finalizing and planning the garden at our new home and needed some ideas.  I have a seed planting party this weekend (looking like it might be moved indoors- darn!) and these photos have me excited to add some color to the yard soon!  This rainy day makes me want all the spring colors!

and here's to hoping for some bunny friends in the garden again!

Senior Session with Parker- Evansville Photography

There are a few things I always keep in mind when photographing seniors... What are some of the mom's must-have shots? What talents or hobbies does the senior want to show off in the photos?  Are there any local spots that are significant to the senior?  This last one is especially important if the senior is headed out of town for college.

Here are a few photos from Saturday's Session that capture a few of Parker's many talents and a glimpse of Evansville too! ;)   Local friends, can you name these spots?  If not, you're missing out on some amazing coffee & good eats!

(Barber Bistro Coffee, Alhambra Theatre at Haynie's Corner, Dapper Pig)

Stay tuned for some more senior sessions and ideas of how to celebrate senior year with a group of friends! Email me if you want to book a session or have any questions: everydaypitpat@gmail.com