Santa Monica Pier

We're still recovering from our travels to Los Angeles with two small children, but we had a blast and can't wait to go back (maybe without the kids or when they are a little older). Traveling on a plane with little ladies who are not fond of sitting still is rough, y'all!

Traveling to a different timezone is rough too. Jet lag + long car drives (hello! LA traffic) meant my girls took many naps in the car. Completely acceptable when it gives momma a chance to relax in the parking lot while the little ones sleep.

This trip was all about the wedding (my sister-in-law got married to a great man that my oldest daughter just adores), but we still had plenty of time to explore the city and eat lots of great food. Seriously, LA has some super delicious restaurants. You might have to search for the good ones (I think there are more restaurants than there are people), but Esther from Adventures with Esther & Jacob has a fantastic list to start you out.

I'll give details about our eating adventures in California next week. Esther's list definitely came in handy and one of the restaurants we dined in was unexpectedly featured in Food Network Magazine this month. We're so on trend. Lol.

Before stuffing our bellies with that trendy restaurant, we drove to the beach… which I could have lived without. This was our second time to the Santa Monica pier. The first time was a couple years ago, in the fall. The summer season brought lots of tourist, as expected, but also lots of trash on the beach. I was not a fan.

Neither was little bit. Ellington, on the other hand, had a blast. We only coaxed her to leave the beach by offering up a trip to the amusement park on the pier. She had a blast riding rides as well. As we stood in line for the ferris wheel, I had a brief second where I thought we just might be crazy for taking our 1 year old and 3 year old on a rusty old ferris wheel. Once we all jumped in an saw the amazing views, I knew it was worth it. Winsley didn't really appreciate the awesomeness (we later discovered that she had been sick the entire weekend… oops), but Ellington requested 5 more rides on the ferris wheel. She is definitely my little adventure seeker.

You were good to us, LA. We will surely be back to enjoy all that Los Angeles has to offer and continue eating our way through California. Any suggestions for food or fun around LA are welcomed and encouraged!

A Trip to the Strawberry Patch

Last week we had a little fun picking strawberries and even more fun filling our bellies. Our trip was not without toddler tantrums and strawberry stained clothes, but we still left happy with lots of strawberries.

Winsley ate half her weight in strawberries right there in the field. That's the real  reason to pick your own strawberries, right?

We ended up with a few bruised strawberries and I will definitely go earlier in the season next time to get the best of the batch (This is the last week for strawberry picking in our area).

It is truly a joy to share this experience with my little ladies and I am so happy that we live so close to so many farms. We even discovered that this very farm (Page Farms) will be growing blackberries soon.

My tummy is already growling with anticipation.

What grows in abundance where you live? I am so eager to check out other farms in our area after discovering that blueberry season starts next month!

A Stay-At-Home Mom's Weekend Survival Kit

Did you have a long and relaxing holiday Memorial Day weekend? Maybe you are a stay at home mom like me and rejoiced in the fact that you would have an extra hand around to wrangle the little monsters children.

Unfortunately, I did not have that luxury. My dear husband ditched us and flew off to California for the weekend.

Okay. So, maybe he had my approval and maybe I pushed him out the door after the hundredth time he asked "Are you sure it's okay?". I mean, this is what I do for a living. I raise our girls. I'm with them 24/7, so I think I can handle one weekend without the extra hand.

Only, I was kind of dreading it. That week had been particularly hard with both kiddos waking up in the middle of the night and a toddler acting like she was, in fact, a toddler (you know what I mean moms). I really just wanted a weekend to sleep in and trust that my husband would care for the girls.

Turns out, my husband was feeling a little guilty about the weekend too and snuck around to plan an incredibly sweet survival kit for the weekend. Little does he know that I am now expecting this sweetness every time he leaves on a trip without us.

Everything was spot on with what we needed for the weekend. It actually kind of felt like we were on a mini-vacation and led to a much more relaxing weekend than I had anticipated. Preplanned meals are always a plus, especially if I don't have to plan and shop for the ingredients.

If you are leaving your spouse for the weekend, I highly suggest you take my husband's idea and leave a survival kit! Super easy to recreate and customize. Plus, you just might win spouse of the year for this thoughtful gift.

1. A Pre-planned meal with all of the ingredients ready to go. Sometimes it's just easier to function when you don't have to think about what's for dinner, especially when you are battling toddler tantrums and baby sleep regression. Just one pre-planned will make all of the chaos of the day seem like nothing. It's the little things that get you through the weekend.

2. Gift Cards. A few gift cards will make going out to eat feel more like a little treat for your spouse and the kids. Add a gift card just for mom (or dad) and you'll rack up major points. My husband got me a Lowes gift card because he knows how much I covet new power tools more than a new pair of jeans. Although, a Target gift card would have been fab too (for all you guys without a Lowes lover in your life).

3. Snacks. I'm not even a little embarrassed to admit that my kids had one meal that consisted solely of snacks. It was the weekend and sometimes you just have to throw all of the healthy meal rules out the window.

4. Bubbly. Not a necessity, but surely appreciated, a little adult beverage to help your spouse relax after a day spent entertaining your little ones.

Super easy and it doesn't even have to cost tons of money either.

It's all about the hair!

Like so many others out there, I watched the Oscars last night. Unlike all you other people, I did not see one movie nominated for an Oscar. Not. One. That's the price of motherhood. Of course, we very well could have hired a babysitter, but there really wasn't a movie out last year that I just had to see. Instead of waiting on the edge of my seat to hear the next winner, I participated in Ellen's epic selfie retweet and admired the amazing fashions of the night.

I especially noted hairstyles of the night. If my hair would only curl like that on it's own. A girl can dream. Well, it's been a year (maybe 2) since I have gotten my hair cut. Not because I don't have the time or the funds, but because I haven't really found a great salon. Does anybody else have this problem? You should trust the professionals, right? I mean, they went to school for this. I know nothing about what haircut looks best with my face shape, so I always walk into a salon and ask for a cut that fits me. Then, I always walk out with the same haircut, but much shorter. Maybe that's the style that fits my face? I doubt it. Forever and a day I have gone through periods of chopping off my hair and spending the next year growing it back out only to shop it off again right before summer.  Well, I have finally made an appointment at a highly recommended salon where I hope they can work their magic. I love the Oscar hairstyles above, but not sure if they're right for me. I know you're all eager to see the new do', so don't forget to follow me on instagram for a first look at what I decide to do with my hair. Maybe I'll just get fed up with it all and cut it real short like Lupita Nyong'o. Then again, I could never pull off that dress, so I probably wouldn't be able to pull off that hair either. Anybody else fall in love with her over that speech? I would love tips on getting a great haircut. And just because I'm so relieved that my 3 year old finally let us cut her hair, I'll leave you with her fresh new do'. She was seriously afraid to cut her hair for months (she thought it would hurt), but she suddenly decided that she wanted to chop it off over the weekend.

Now, I see that she did look just a tad bit scraggly with hair that long + keeping all that hair tangle free was quite a chore. It's crazy how much a simple haircut can change your whole look. Happy Hairday Monday! What was your favorite Oscar hair style?

Let Life Surprise You

It is a moment like this that makes all of the rough days of motherhood fade away. Yesterday, was one of those perfect days when nothing can bring you down.  We were all up early + I got lost on the way to get breakfast + the baby didn't take a morning nap + the house remained a mess… but it was an amazingly perfect day. Warm spring like weather in the middle of February kept us outside soaking up the sun all day and I found myself free of worries, just enjoying the moment. Somewhere along the journey into adulthood, I forgot to live for today. I often worry and stress over what tomorrow's schedule brings, carrying burdens that don't really have any merit instead of enjoying the life that is going on with or without my presence.  I strive to be more like these two little ladies living for the now and forgiving freely. We should all strive to be a little more present today. A little time outdoors (with the technology put away) can do a world of good, lift your spirits + rejuvenate your soul.  So, put down that smartphone and spend at least 15 minutes today really connecting with the people around you. Listen, really listen. Oh, and BE AWESOME TODAY.

How the Kiwi Crate saved my sanity!

My aunt did one amazing job with Christmas gifts this year. Seriously, her various gifts have been true sanity savers in the short time since Christmas. 

This month has been filled with rainy days and the bone chilling Polar Vortex. In mommyhood terms this means TOO MANY HOURS spent indoors. My bag of tricks is quite large, but even I was on the verge of a meltdown after spending too much time inside. That's when the Kiwi Crate from my Aunt Shelia that had been hidden away for a rainy day made it's appearance.

So thankful. Ellignton had the best time decorating the kaleidoscope with colored stickers. If you don't have a toddler, you should know that stickers are kind of a big deal in the land of toddlers. A seriously BIG deal.

The best part about it all - everything you need for each craft is in the box. No extra parts to buy. No searching around for markers to us. It's all included! If you need a gift for a toddler, just send them one of these Kiwi Crates. Bonus points if you sign them up for more than one box! Parents will love you forever.
Hours of fun were had and my sanity was restored. I even got these neat looking photos of the kaleidoscope images from my iPhone.

Who knew making this little craft would be so much fun for adults too?!
I was not paid or compensated in any way for this post, I just really like the product.

We've Lost Our Marbles

No, we haven't gone crazy… or maybe we have. Kids tend to make you go crazy no matter how hard you try to hold on to your sanity, but it's all worth it! Some of my favorite people are crazy. Hi, Mom! :) Just kidding. My mom is actually the normal one of the family. We decided to brave the weekend crowds and head to our local children's museum this weekend, aptly named Marble (I wrote about our first visit to this museum here). But first, we headed to a favorite Charlotte lunch spot that has made it's way to Raleigh! 

Love the food! Love the atmosphere! Love the name: Cowfish! I can't get enough of this place and Ellington certainly enjoys the delicious food. After eating, we headed to the museum where Ellington acted like a kid in a candy store museum made just for kids. We practically had to pry her fingers off of the walls to get her to leave.

Winsley, however, was not very impressed by the place.

How was your weekend?

Weekend Recap

Super short post today because I have lots to do before an upcoming family wedding.
This weekend was filled with home improvements, friends and family, and a heck of a home decor deal. Ellington's aunt came in town for a wedding with her fiancé and we had a friend stay with us Friday night, so Ellington was busy showing off in front of our guests.

This picture has nothing to do with the weekend, but I love it. E started dance class a couple weeks ago. She is a little performer and has loved every minute of her ballet class. She starts practically every day off with 'I go to ballet class, mommy?' Then, we have to count down the days until she has class.
I finally got around to putting shelves up in the girls' closets (sorry, I forgot to get pics). While on an outing to Target, I also scored a fabulous rug for the girls' bathroom.

Isn't it wonderful?! I saw it on sale for $13 last week, but I resisted (mainly because I was on a mission and had 2 cranky kiddo in my cart). It was meant to live in my house because I went back this weekend and snatched it up when I saw that the price had dropped down to just $5… FIVE DOLLARS. Swoon. The only thing better than a beautiful addition to your home is knowing that you paid a quarter of the retail price.
Hope your weekend was filled with similar bargains and happy moments.

Doggonit

So, I know it's been a while since I've posted anything… life has gotten in the way once again. For the past month, my 6 month old seems to think that she should wake up every hour to play and practice standing. If it weren't for the gloriousness of a good cup of coffee (or five) and Winsley's late night giggles as she amazes herself with her new skills, I might have puled all of my hair out already. Winsley is a big trickster - It's hard to get frustrated with a little girl who smiles and giggles so much. Anywho, I'm back! Lots of updates to come, but for now I'll leave you with some cuteness from this past weekend.

We were dog sitting for my little sister and Ellington loved every minute of it. After the first few hours, she acted as if Birdie (the dog) had always lived with us. 

Winsley didn't really notice that Birdie was there most of the weekend. Whenever she did catch Birdie in her eyesight, she giggled and smiled like crazy.

Birdie was rescued from the local animal shelter and I don't think my sister could have found a better dog. She is the sweetest! And she could not have been more gentle around my girls. We spent lots of time outside and I just let her roam around with out a leash on most of the time… well, she didn't really roam. Birdie is the type of dog that would rather stay glued to your side than run off to explore.

Such a blessing to have this sweet little lady join our family for the weekend. I cannot image why anybody would have abandoned her at the shelter, but I'm glad that they did and she found a home with my sister. :)

Bridal Shower Fun + a Freebie

This past weekend, I helped to celebrate a lovely bride-to-be. The location was perfectly located in Charlotte's artsy neighborhood and the food at Amelie's French Bakery was incredibly delicious + it was so nice to actually enjoy a morning meal without the kiddos around. Who knew that chewing and tasting your food could be so relaxing??

Anywho, I was in charge of setting up the games for the bridal shower. I love a good game, but I am more familiar with toddler games, so I had to dig a little to come up with some fun games for this group. I also had a small challenge of coming up with games that would include the few non-English speakers that we would have in attendance. I came up with the following 3 games:

I apologize for the bad iPhone picture. My eyes are hurting already from looking at it, but it's the only photo I have since my real camera was left at home. Sad face. 

Toilet Paper Dress Game If you've ever been to a bridal shower which included games, then you have most likely played this game. You divide the guests into groups and each group chooses one person to be the 'bride'. Next, each group dresses their bride in their own designer bridal gown using ONLY toilet paper. The bride then picks a winner for best wedding dress design and that group walks away with a prize. The prize I chose was an oven mitt filled with supplies needed to make cupcakes since the shower was kitchen themed.  This game is also a winner when it comes to preparing for the game. The only supplies needed are: 3-4 rolls of Toilet Paper for each group Prizes for the winning group Name that Herb Sticking to the kitchen theme of the bridal shower. I gathered 10 spices from my kitchen (in actuality, I left my spices at home, so I had to borrow some from my mom). Cover the labels of each spice and write a number on each jar. At the shower, pass the spices around and have each person write a guess to each spice or herb down on a piece of paper. The person who has the most correct answers wins a prize.  Supplies needed: 10 Spices or Herbs  Numbered Paper to cover labels of spices Pens + Paper for guests to write their guesses A Prize (s) for the winner Bubble Gum Game Also known as 'How well do you know your Groom?' This is a fun game to play to see how well the bride really knows her groom. Simply email a list of random questions to the groom and ask the bride what she thinks the groom answered during the shower. To make things more interesting, make the bride chew a piece of bubble gum each time she gets an answer wrong. Questions can be anything from 'How does he like his coffee?' to 'If you could be any animal, what would you be?' Supplies needed: Question + Answers from the groom (obtained ahead of time) Bubble Gum
In addition to the games, I had a little printable set up on a side table with recipe cards for guests to fill out with advice on marriage or suggestions for future date nights. I had so much fun making it, that I decided to turn it into a free printable for you girls! Click here for the free download. 

Enjoy! Linking up with Chits & Giggles and Little Bit of Class, Little Bit of Sass for Wedding Wednesday today. 

Our Weekend

Because I'm being a little lazy today and I'm working on a little side project at the moment, I'll let you see a few glimpses from our weekend. We celebrated the 4th of July with my in-laws and we, of course, had a mainly Korean meal with a few American additions (not pictured).

This spread is typical of most of the holidays I spend with my in-laws. It was a little strange to me at first (like the time my mother-in-law brought a rice cooker to a cookout), but I have gotten use to it.

Winsley spent a good bit of time traveling in style on the back of her Halmoni. This is the way that my mother-in-law carried her kids around when they were babies.

Meanwhile, I got to relax and enjoy a meal not cooked by me. This is Bibimbap served in a hot stone bowl. A great introduction into Korean food if you have never tried it.

And we had the most amazing few days with my grandmother. Her mind is not what it use to be and she is often confused by the present. This visit, however, she was exceptionally lucid and I loved every minute of her normal craziness.

Someday, I'll tell you all about my grandmother and her crazy comments - like when she told Ellington that she is lucky that she is so pretty because 'Pretty can get smart, but smart can't get pretty'. I could probably fill a book with funny comments like this, but that is a post for another day.

Hope everybody had a fantastic weekend with family or friends and took a little time to relax!

Weekend Recap

1. Lots of block building was included in our weekend happenings. This masterpiece was created when I had to run upstairs to change the baby. I came back down to find an incredibly tall block tower and an incredibly proud little architect. 

2. Another moment in mommyhood where I was focusing on the baby and the toddler took the moment to sneak away. When I finally found the key to unlock the toddler locked door, I found one mischievous little lady who was covered head to toe in aquaphor (if you have no idea what that is, think vaseline). It took THREE shampoos + TWO shampoos with dish soap to get all of that greasy stuff our of her hair. 

3. I had to do it. I caved into the trend of 'cupping'. And I'm not sorry in the least bit. I'm not guaranteeing that this will be the last 'baby cupping' you will see in my instagram (@kimchisweettea) feed. 

4. Exciting happenings in the neighborhood! We were apart of our very first block party in our new neighborhood. It was glorious! Plenty of kids for my girls to play with and we met all of our neighbors.  Ellington was so worn out that she passed out right in the stroller. I cannot tell you how happy this makes me -  knowing that there will be many many more of these community events in our sweet little neighborhood. 

5. Unfortunately, our weekend ended + our week has started with rain. Lightning, flooding, and more rain to come. 

How was your weekend? I hope all of my East Coast friends had some fun before the rain came and all of my West Coast friends found some way to beat the heat.

Linking up with Sami and Rachel today. 

Korean 100 Day Ceebration

We not only celebrated Father's Day this weekend, but we got together to celebrate Winsley's 100th day. It sounds funny to celebrate less than 4 months here on earth, but it was a big deal back in the day in South Korea. You see, back in the day, the survival rate for children was very low and mothers would keep their newborns indoors to prevent any illnesses and increase the baby's chance of survival. On the 100th day after the child's birth, the mother would finally take her child outdoors and finally meet the neighbors, friends, and relatives. 

Traditionally, rice cake would be served to 100 people - a little superstition thought to help protect the child's life. We celebrated with rice cake, but we certainly didn't share it with 100 people. Hmmm. Maybe that's why Winsley is starting to catch a cold that I was sure was out of everyone's system last week. Back to the rice cake - I'm not a fan. It's literally cake. . . made out of rice. Rice flour, sugar, and salt. That's it. Where's the icing?! And I am certain that there is only a dash of sugar. My husband claims it is sweet, but I just taste bland rice. On the other hand, all of our Korean relatives aren't big fans of American desserts - they think they are too sweet. :)

Weekend Recap

Starting with the top row, from right to left, our past week in pictures during our visit to Charlotte. 

1 I spent more time than I wanted to in this gem. I actually learned to drive in this bus of a car. . . 15 YEARS ago! It's still running, but barely. No a/c. No Power Steering. Blinkers don't work. This car has about had it. 

2 + 3 Ellington found a tutu and the rest of the week was dedicated to the ballerina. She demanded that everyone play ballerina with her (including Winsley). Did I say everyone? I meant everyone but me. Apparently, I didn't make the ballerina cut. 

4 + 5 + 6 Before all of the rain and all of the heat, we spent a little time on the playground at my mom's work (she's a preschool director). Love this place!

7 The beginning of a wonderful sibling friendship. 

8 Winsley slept. In the crib! If you knew what we have had to deal with in the sleep department with Ellington, you will understand how happy / excited / relieved I am that Winsley likes the crib. 

9 Monkey grass is the devil! Fortunately, all of the monkey grass that you see in that picture is GONE now. 

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

A Week at the Beach, Part 4 of 4

Okay, people. This is the last of the pictures from our beach trip. I was hoping to get a family photo on this trip (it's on my summer bucket list), so we headed to the beach for a short photo session and enjoy the feeling of sand between our toes for the last time.

I cannot believe how much our annual beach trip has changed over the past 3 years. Ellington was so little the first time we headed to the beach with the same awesome couples that joined us again this year. The second time (here and here) at the beach, Ellington was still an amateur beach goer and a little weary of getting her hands covered in sand. This year (here, here, and here), she was a true professional. I even had to bribe her a few times to get her off of the beach.

Next year's beach trip will be even more fun! I just know it. We started out with 3 couples and a baby. Now we have 3 couples and 4 babies. I foresee many more crazy times at the beach!