So, I love it when bloggers answer my burning questions….which is what I’m going to do today! I’ve received a lot of fun questions lately so here you go. Spilling all the details on the stuff you want to know….
Q: “Where is your necklace from? “
A: I have two that I love and wear all the time. My bar necklace is from Betsy Farmer Designs. I have the double sided bar, but she also makes a single sided one that’s less expensive here. Everything in her shop is gorgeous! Shop all her necklaces here.
The second one I wear all the time is from Bip and Bop. I had this one made with an “H” when I had Hudson, and then when each of the girls were born we just added additional initial charms to the necklace. First “S” then added an “A”. I love it!
Q: “How do you find time to clean your house?” “Do you have a cleaning service?” “How do you sneak in cleaning?”
A: No, I do not have a professional cleaning service…I wish I did! When I just had Hudson and worked full time we did have a cleaning lady that came in every other week. It was awesome. But now that I’m home full time it’s just not in our budget. I mostly just clean my house a little bit every day. I detailed my cleaning routine in this post. My house is mostly clean….but rarely ever is every room clean at the same time.
Q: “How do you get it all done?”
A: Every time I put it out there to send me your questions, I get this one. And the short answer is, I don’t. I try and keep it real with all of you, but most of the time my photos make it seem that I have it all together. Trust me, I’m just like you. Some days I’m on top of things, organized, and don’t loose my temper. And then other days I forget Hudson’s school bag, miss doctor’s appointments, leave my grocery list on the counter, spend way too much time on Facebook, and loose it by the end of the day.
Q: “Where are the kid’s art trays from?”
A: They are called “That Trays” and you can find them here! We LOVE these and use them all the time for art projects. They keep the mess contained and are easy to clean. At the time of writing this they are not on sale, but when I got them they were $8.99 for a set of 4. I am always watching them so if I see them on sale again I will for sure post on my Instagram story. Make sure you are following me @girlintheredshoes
Q: “How do you get your kids to pose for photos?”
A: I get this one a lot…and the answer is I don’t! I basically never have a photo of them all looking at the camera and smiling. Unless I hire a professional. Most of the time I take more lifestyle type photos where it’s okay if they aren’t looking at the camera. To get them I usually have to bribe the big kids. Depending on Hudson’s mood, he usually asks for 2 quarters or a lollipop. Sadie ALWAYS asks for a lollipop….and you’ll often see her holding in the photos. I’m not above bribery. I do prompt them to jump, dance, or sometimes kiss each other. Giving them something to do in the photo helps them stay in one spot (often that’s the hardest part! It’s like herding cats). I also take approximately 150 photos to get one good one. Most of my photos end up like this one.
Q: “What camera do you have?”
A: I have this Canon with this 35mm lens. The lens is what makes the photos so great. It’s my FAVORITE lens of all time.
Q: “What color is your kitchen/bedroom/living room/Sadie’s room?”
A: All of the paint colors in our house are by Benjamin Moore. Our living room, hallways, kitchen, dining room, and Belle’s room are all Grey Owl. The master bedroom and bathroom are Mount Saint Anne, the downstairs bathroom is Black Pepper (my favorite!), Hudson’s room is Comet, and Sadie’s room is Sugarcane.
Q: “What kind of flooring do you have in your living room and kitchen?” “How do you like your flooring?”
A: All of the flooring on the first floor of our home is laminate! It looks like hardwood but it’s WAY easier to maintain and perfect if you have kids or pets. The brand is Timberline and the color we have is Trailing Road.
Q: “Where did you decide to send Hudson to kindergarten?”
A: Hudson is currently in a young fives classroom and LOVES it. If you follow me on Instagram stories, a few months ago I shared we were considering sending Hudson to a Spanish Immersion school within our school district next year. Everything from kindergarten through 6th grade would be 100% in Spanish, and then partially in Spanish for junior high and high school. We toured the school and liked it, but it didn’t feel right. He wouldn’t be going to the same school as the neighbor kids…but we don’t really know the neighbors all that well because we live in the woods and basically never see them…so did that matter? Also, the school bus situation was complicated. If he went to our district’s local school the bus would pick him up right in front of our house. If he went to the Spanish Immersion school, we would have to drive him to the bus stop and he would have to switch busses. Finally, Hudson said he didn’t want to go to a Spanish school. We were already a little worried about the adjustment to full-time school, and it just seemed more complicated. In the end we went with our local district school and feel like we made the absolute right choice! I attended kindergarten kick off last week and it just felt like the right place. Hudson is SO excited to start school!
Q: “Where do you get the kid’s mason jar smoothie cups?”
A: Right here! They are our favorites! We have the 16oz size and they are perfect for the kids. Hudson and Sadie have 3 each….and I need to order Belle some too because she’s always begging for a smoothie in the morning.
Q: “Where do you get Belle’s clothes?”
A: Everywhere! The majority of her clothes are from Gap, Old Navy, June and January, and Carter’s. I love a good deal and usually only buy things when they are on sale.
Q: “I remember you mentioning Belle went on a breastfeeding strike. How did you resolve it?
A: Around 11 months old, Belle all of a sudden refused to nurse. It happened out of the blue and I have no idea why. I pumped for each feeding and gave her a bottle. Props to all the pumping mamas out there…it’s hard! I kept offering the breast at each feeding, and when she would refuse she got a bottle. It lasted about 36 hours and then all of a sudden she was cool with nursing again. If this happens to you, hang in there!
This was fun! Let me know what other questions you have and I’ll answer them in another post
