Already August and Back to School

Posted on August 17, 2016 by llpitlwp

August and Back to School…Already?

I don’t know about you all but my summer has flown by with many changes happening at a whirlwind pace in my home.

Change is never easy and some are much more emotionally draining than others. Because of the turmoil in which I found myself posts on this blog have been few and far between.

As most of you know I am very close to my granddaughter who is now 8 years old. I welcomed her into the world 8 years ago this month. She was the inspiration of Parenting in the Loop. She and I have a very special relationship for which I am ever grateful. What a breath of fresh air she is and it has been God’s blessing for me to be able to watch and share in her life. As my first grandchild, she introduced me to the joy of being a grandparent. Words do not measure up to the feelings of this stage of my life.

Last year, my younger daughter had a little boy. He will be one in a few short days and I have recently shared an extended visit with him which has been joyful.

The huge change that has taken place in the last week is that my older daughter and granddaughter have relocated to California and my younger daughter, grandson and husband have relocated to Chicago and are staying with us while they settle into their new home away from the Rhode Island that they love.

Sending my daughter and granddaughter off to California was an emotional rollercoaster for me. She and I talked about moving and watched the Disney film “Inside Out” several times, which helped us share our happy and sad feelings in a very real way. My granddaughter surprised me with the ease that she was able to relate to the movie and express her own feelings concerning her move to California. She understood that she would be sad as would I but that we would have “The Invisible String” keeping us attached even though we would be a 4 hour plane flight away from each other.

When a child moves, changing schools is usually an anxiety producing experience. Leaving family is one thing but leaving friends and their school along with the familiar teachers and staff can really play havoc with a child’s adjustment to their new environment.

My granddaughter’s new school will be similar to the one she leaves behind. It is a small Catholic school with uniforms so fitting in with the fashion code will not be an enormous issue. But there will be back packs, lunch boxes and various sundries to choose which will help her individual personality showcase itself.

We love “Cool Mom Picks “Back to School Guide 2016“ and rely on it for quality and consistently great choices for these “BTS” necessities. I am always amazed at the wonderful changes in lunch boxes that encourage parents and kids to pack some really healthy and interesting lunches and snacks.

I loved helping my daughter with lunch decisions and back to school choices for my granddaughter over the last couple of years. Because she has a nut allergy food choices are VERY important. We enjoyed Planet Lunchbox which kept everything fresh and reduced our carbon footprint. Momables from Laura Fuentes provided seemingly endless variety to my granddaughter’s lunch choices and rotation.

We’ve found 34 of the coolest lunch boxes and bags for kids — whether you love packing them every day or not.

Source: 34 of the coolest lunch boxes and bags | Back to School Guide 2016 | Cool Mom Picks

Summer and Pregnant…No Sweaty Feet for this Mom-to-Be

Posted on June 11, 2015 by llpitlwp

Summer and Pregnant

Thanks Tory!…

My third trimester is during the summer. This very pregnant mom-to-be needs to make sure that she has a comfortable pair of flip-flops.

I live in a beach town so they are a must!

I found that Tory Burch’s flip-flops are the most comfortable pair. I recommend them for anyone who is pregnant to get them through the summer looking chic! A black pair can be perfect for the beach or can be dressed up for a night out.

Vanity Fair Gives to Women

Posted on May 13, 2015 by llpitlwp

Vanity Fair Gives Back

As I told you all, I attended a wonderful meeting of mom bloggers, MOM 2.0. in Scottsdale Arizona a couple of weeks ago. While there I enjoyed visiting with great sponsors one of which was VF Lingerie

As a thank you they are offering you a discount with purchase from their online site until May 18 2015.

Thank you to Vanity Fair for this opportunity.

We’re partnering with Dress for Success® to support women who are overcoming obstacles and finding lasting careers and happiness. Because all women deserve a chance to succeed in life, love and the pursuit of whatever they dream.

Source: Inside Vanity Fair

This post was not sponsored.

TGIF- Weekend Reading

Posted on February 27, 2015 by llpitlwp

Weekend Reading:

Another cold week here in Chicago with a fresh covering of snow. The weekend is warm and welcoming inside our home. We use our time to relax a little, along with catching up on some reading and napping with each other and our furry friends.

Saralyn Richard, the author of Naughty Nana, is my cherished friend, who has written a charming children’s book about her dog Nana. It is a favorite of mine and I hope it becomes a favorite of yours. Enjoy an interview with Saralyn from Dogster.

I think dogs are wonderful teachers of patience, compassion, loyalty, trust, responsibility, and love.

Unfortunately, a lot of children do not have consistency and stability in their lives. A dog is always steady, consistent, reliable, and predictable. A dog will always greet you the same way, and treat you the same way whether you are bad or good. Whether you got a good report card, are smelly or clean, whether your room is a mess, a dog is going to love you unconditionally and the same way all the time.

via We Chat With Author Saralyn Richard About “Naughty Nana” | Dogster.

For me children and rainbows go together, like rain and running in puddles on a rainy day. Here is an activity from Kristina at Toddler Approved, which helps me share my love of rainbows with my grandchild . I think you will find Kristina’s blog something you cannot stay away from…it will bring out the child in you this weekend.

Easy Preschool Cutting Craft: Paper Rainbows

One of my favorite parts about St. Patrick’s Day is that it is associated with rainbows. My kids love singing songs about the colors of the rainbow all year long and there is just something that makes me happy whenever I see a rainbow!

This week my preschooler wanted something to do while her big brother (my 1st grader) did his homework. We got talking about St. Patrick’s Day and she assigned herself to make a rainbow.

This easy paper rainbow craft project is a super simple way to practice scissor skills and cutting straight and curvy lines!

Kristina is the founder of Toddler Approved. She is a mom of three (ages 6,3,1), as well as a National Board certified teacher. Kristina taught for several years and then worked part-time as a curriculum specialist, new teacher coach, and crisis intervention trainer once she became a mom. She retired in Fall 2011 and now loves being full-time mom and teacher to her kiddos. She loves chocolate, running, taking pictures, and party planning. She is also currently the creator of the Virtual Book Club for Kids.

via Toddler Approved!: Easy Preschool Cutting Craft: Paper Rainbows.

Pregnancy has been a theme on Parenting in the Loop during the past 11 weeks. Fashion and pregnancy can be a challenge right from the beginning. A few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Amy Tara Koch at a luncheon. I was taken with her style and her book Bump It Up. She has some wonderful suggestions for the fashionista momma to be, spiced up with Amy’s sense of humor. Please enjoy!

FIVE FAST FERTILITY FIXES

1. When your jeans or trousers still fit everywhere except the belly, a SIMPLE RUBBER BAND can offer an additional breathing room. Leave jeans unfastened and loop the rubber band around the button and button hole. This sartorial trickery is easily concealed with a hip length tee shirt, some sassy, dangly scarves or a cute scarf worn as a wide Kimono belt.

via Bump It Up – The Official Website.

Enjoy the weekend everybody!

Kiss Goodbye to Holiday Stress

Posted on November 25, 2013 by llpitlwp

Kids and the Stress of the Holidays…

I know, what stress is it when you are a kid and looking forward to gifts and toys and all kinds of stuff that comes along with Christmas and Hanukah and other gift giving holidays?

The best way I think we can go about figuring out what might bother our particular children is to look at what bothers us and look back at what we “hated” about the holidays when we were their age.

Looking back with empathy…

Here are some of my memories…

I hated leaving my own house on Christmas Day to visit relatives…Christmas Eve was okay but leave me alone with my gifts and my grandmother’s, who lived with us food on Christmas.
Now my parents were divorced so it was somewhat contentious when I did not want to go visiting on Christmas. I was made to feel guilty for not wanting to dress up and go to my father’s family.

I hated some of the awful presents that I received year after year from relatives who will remain nameless. Usually they were “regifts” like gloves that were too big and other awful stuff.
I also hated having to kiss and hug various relatives that I hardly ever saw except for the Holidays.

Now granted I am a grandmother and I imposed some of my family rituals on my own kids but not many …we always had Christmas at home.

However, Christmas Eve was another story…we spent many Christmas Eves with a family that has adopted us since our own family is across the country.

Here are some holiday simplifying suggestions from our Montessori school, for you and your children…the kids may actually thank-you with their good behavior.

Keep your television off as much as possible- your house will be quieter and the advertising will be less. Hopefully it will decrease how much you here these words…”I want…”
Try to simplfy your own holiday expectations which might lighten your mood which is a wonderful gift to yourself and your family.
Consider saying the word “No” more often when it comes to traveling…going to other homes for Christmas Day…no, to too many parties, decorations, too much food, too many presents. If there is something that you don’t like…try saying, “NO”.
Consider being more “Green” when it comes to wrapping paper, cards and food. It is a good thing to teach your children and it is a way to limit some of the “stuff” that is just not important and that may just be driving you crazy.
Gifts take on a life of their own during the Holidays…try asking for gifts to your children’s college fund instead of a gift that your child does not really need.
Family traditions…you might want to begin some of your own traditions…you do not have repeat the traditions that you grew up with and those that your partner grew up with…how crazy does that get? Develop some of your own traditions that can combine what you both like best and that your kids like.
Now about those holiday hugs and kisses…your child should not have to hug and kiss all relatives and friends that he does not even know or remember. What is this telling him…it is telling him this, when he is uncomfortable with certain people touching him…it is okay for him to just say hello and nothing else. Consider the message that we are teaching our kids and then leave the hugging and kissing up to them.

Do You Wish Your Baby Had Hair?

Posted on July 23, 2013 by llpitlwp

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored.

Your little girl does not have to be “bald” any longer.

I don’t quite know why but I find this a very cute idea for parents to actually get a glimpse of what their little girl or even boy might look like with hair.

What do you think about this?

Am I being ridiculous here, isn’t it just a whimsical thing that should not be taken too seriously?

Our patent pending HAIR+band accessory combination allows baby girl’s (with little or no hair at all) the opportunity to have a beautifully realistic HAIR style in a SNAP!!

It’s quick, easy and baby barely knows it’s there.

Each Baby Bangs! HAIR+band has been made using only the finest ribbons and fabrics, PLUS our Baby Bangs! come to you pre-customized & size appropriate, cut, styled and ready for immediate wear.

The wispy hair strands have been arranged in the cutest most adorable elfish coiffure!

Silky strands of Monofiber Kanekalon are used to create our Baby Bangs! Hair Strands. Kanekalon is the most realistic man-made hair fiber available.

via Baby Bangs! | BabyBangHeadBand.com.

http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/16/bothered-by-your-bald-baby-girl-enter-baby-bangs/

Women, Do You Know Your Size?

Posted on June 3, 2013 by llpitlwp

A New Step in Wrestling With the Bra – NYTimes.com.

They are the measurements that many American women (and not a few American men) know so well: 32A, 34B, 36C.

On they go, the canonical brassiere sizes, up to at least a 50N. They have been around since the 1930s, maddeningly unconventional standards, varying from brand to brand, from demi-cup to strapless — a kaleidoscopic vision, in lace and elastic, of fashion, culture and the enduring power of marketing.

But is anyone ready for measurements like 1-30, 7-36 and 9-42?

I thought about not posting this but then again….

The other day, while walking through Nordstrom, I decided that I needed something new so I went to Lingerie…specifically “foundations” as they are sometimes called.

While browsing the sale rack… a lovely sales women around my age asked if I needed assistance.

It had been awhile since I had any assistance when it came to “foundation fit” so I said, “yes, please”.

I have to admit that I find it funny to need assistance in “foundations”…to me it is like not knowing your own shoe size!

I explained to her that I was interested in something that fit properly and did not make me look like my mother or an “earth mother” nor was I trying to look like my daughter.

Did they have bras that were called, “Not Your Daughter’s Bras”…to go along with NYDJ…”Not Your Daughter’s Jeans“?

She assured me she could help with my dilemma…I also told her that I appreciated the fact that as age takes its toll, proper foundation is important.

I purposely forgot to tell her about the young stylist on Kathie Lee and Hoda the day before…who was showing women how to “push-up” and try to make themselves look like a Victoria Secret model.

Needless to say, I was wearing the wrong size and style.

After she was done helping me ….I felt like I had been exercising and in top shape from the waist up.

What a relief to have new fancy, fitted foundations!

Then, this morning I came upon this article in the New York Times.

I then realized that I was not alone in being baffled by bras and the new sizing in the “foundation” department.

With us, baby boomers wanting to look our best, what better place to start than with our bras to make us feel like we are just getting better with age…

So much better,

that they had to redesign the “foundation” sizes

to confuse us even more.

Bra Fit Guide.

Fashion Made Easy…How to Dress your Child for a Special Occasion!

Posted on April 2, 2013 by llpitlwp

In your Easter ~~Bonnet.~~..Dress!

Easter really crept up fast at our house and we had not really thought about our little one’s outfit.

Borrow Baby Couture came to our rescue…

I shopped online on Wednesday.

Friday…the box arrived at my door.

Inside was one of the most beautiful dresses I have ever laid eyes on…

Versace knows design, color and fabric for little girls

and

Borrow Baby Couture offers these gorgeous fashions at a fraction of the cost if you were to actually purchase the same dress.

It was lovely from the back

and

Simply elegant from the front.

Our little one felt sweet and special in her Borrow Baby Couture.

She even knows that it is a one time wear and then it goes back to the wonderful “lady” at BBC…who will send her another dress for Mother’s Day….our next Holiday.

Hopefully, I will plan ahead as it is just a little over a month away but if not, I know that Borrow Baby Couture will be there to help.

Disclaimer:

This was a sponsored post.Thank you Borrow Baby Couture!

What is in a Face?

Posted on April 1, 2013 by llpitlwp

What legacy are you leaving your daughters and granddaughters when it comes to fashion and skin care?

Perhaps, this is not even an important legacy in your eyes but I find it fun to observe mothers and daughters and even grandmothers and their affects on each other when it comes to fashion and beauty.

My own mother was very devoted to good skin care and she was fortunate to have beautiful skin and coloring.

She was born in 1911, so for most of her life there was no such thing as “sunscreen” or SPF but she knew to stay away from too much sunbathing since she had very fair skin which did not tan…it just burned. Also, she grew up in NYC, so getting to the beach meant a trip to Rockaway or Jones Beach, which was not that easy for her.

As a young girl, I watched my mother carefully as she got ready for work every morning. She washed with soap and water using a wash cloth…she then applied a liquid makeup foundation and dusted her face with loose powder. She then applied some pink lipstick, blotted it and she was done. She used no eye make-up. In her purse, she carried a compact of loose powder and a lipstick. It was a very simple routine!

Every once in awhile I would visit our neighbor, who also worked everyday. I was intrigued by her make-up routine. It was very different from my mom’s morning ritual.

Alline would wash her face and begin with foundation…it was heavier than my mother’s, she then spent quite a bit of time on her eyes, using wax on her eyebrows, eyeliner and mascara. Her eyes were blue and gorgeous.

Alline was black haired with blue eyes…to me, she looked like Elizabeth Taylor, very glamourous. While my own mother was beautiful…I did not think of her as glamourous. As I grew older I wished to see my mother explore her beauty with a touch of glamour.

So, I took her for a make-up session to New York’s Fifth Avenue, Best & Co. A wonderful make-up artist transformed my beautiful mom into a glamourous one. Mind you, she did not have to do very much. She added a touch of eye make-up, some mascara and some color to her eyebrows and then brought out her blue eyes with the lightest of blue eyeshadow. And just like that my dear mother went from beautiful to glamourous.

My mother was pleased and I was over the moon.

That very day,

I realized something…

a little make-up goes a long way.

My mother had a saying….

“never gild a lily”….

I finally understood what she meant.

Make-up was just that…gilt….

and

My mother was the Lily!

My post was inspired by the following:

My Nana was frugal but her face was her luxury item and her spending inelastic on all items of skin care. A veteran traveller, she had her routines. “Unpacking her face” was ritualistic. She would lay out the hotel washcloth upon which she would arrange her creams, brushes, liners, mascara and tweezers.

via Felice Shapiro: High Fashion: A Good Face And A Black Turtleneck.

Where to find Unique Baby Gifts…

Posted on March 12, 2013 by llpitlwp

I have fallen in love with another blog for babies and kids… Strange Birdy

I hope you like it.

A funny coincidence is that the blogger is from Stockbridge MA. I used to spend many summers there with my own grandmother. Those were simple times but so meaningful!

Strange Birdy

What are some of your favorite blogs?