Spring Stylin' Pt. II

For my second spring style post I picked up some amazing accessories and bags that are practical and perfect for spring and beyond. Zappos has so many incredible brands and items to choose from and I went a little crazy (in the best way) picking out some faves.

Backpacks are a moms best friend and I previously had a really large one that was annoying to lug around. I found this one from Roxy and it's petite and the perfect size, big enough to carry diapers, snacks and my wallet but not so big you lose everything inside. I also got this gorgeous Prana tote and an amazing woven cosmetic bag for my upcoming trip to NYC in 2 weeks! For the tote, I needed something that was big enough for my plane carry-on but cute enough to carry around the city all during my stay. Bingo!






I've been on the hunt forevvverr for the perfect black hat... I'm super picky and had yet to find the one that matched all the criteria. Zappos has sooo many to choose from and the perfect one was in there! I ended up with the brixton wesley and Josh liked it so he got one too! I also got (and am now obsessed with) these round john lennon sunnies too but I forgot to bring them along when we were taking photos (wahhh).




And last but not least, I wanted to pick out something "springy" to wear that was a little outside my comfort zone (aka all black clothes) so I got this woven free people poncho and it is amazing!! Super comfy and versatile. It'll also be good for a beach cover-up this summer.


Thanks zappos for always having the best selection of clothes and accessories for my choosy self to choose from and of course, the best customer service on the planet. Any time I've ever had to make a return its the most simple, straight-forward process.. no questions asked and the new things are on my doorstep before I've even sent back the thing I'm returning. Customer service that good is a rare thing these days.



And hello, I'm the most indecisive person in the world so I'm back to red and cut a bunch of hair off. Both of which I'll probably regret tomorrow. :)

This post was created in partnership with Zappos. As always, all opinions and words are entirely my own and I'm super grateful to have the opportunity to work with a company I love. 

Allergies and spider repellent, oh my!

Just popping in to share a couple essential oil stories! I started an account for all of my essential oil talk and other health things awhile back that you can follow if thats your thing or you're wanting to just learn more about them. Its instagram.com/vanillaandlace.essentials :)




Anyway: Here's an all-natural Spider repellent that has worked amazing for us! 

I've been meaning to share this tip... Because it's crazy. I have a very very large fear of spiders...any size, anywhere. And lately we were seeing/killing 1-2 A DAY (!!) in our house, little nasty white sac spiders. Then I read spiders hate peppermint and won't go anywhere near it. Neat! So I made a spray bottle with 5 drops of peppermint and 8oz water and sprayed it in every room around the windows and where the walls meet the ceiling. I do this once a week now. And lo and behold: over a month later and we haven't seen a single spider. So when I say buying this oil kit was worth every cent... I mean it! And more! And since what you're spraying you could also be inhaling, I would suggest using super high quality essential oil, not the health food store kind. I use Young living exclusively and they are the bomb.

Also, allergy season is hitting hard this year! And these three little beauties work WONDERS for allergy symptoms. I have a little roller bottle made up for easy application (10 drops of each plus 30 drops of almond oil), apply to temples, wrists and back of neck. Or for more severe allergies, you can put a drop of each on a teaspoon of honey and take it internally (or put in a capsule). Josh's allergies have been out of control this year and a drop of each of these in a capsule knocked them out quick. Peace out Claritin.

You can read more of posts about essentials here and here! Or if you're wanting more info on what you can use them for, how we use them, how much they costs, ect... you can leave your email and I'll shoot you a lengthy email including all that jazz.

Make it: Cashew Milk!

So, making cashew milk is my latest obsession. Now, I've never been one to drink a glass of milk... I just can't do it (even soy or almond milk) so when I made this and couldn't stop gulping it down I knew I hit the jackpot of milks (weird phrase..). It's over the top creamy but not thick in a gross way, it tastes like heaven and is amazing added into oatmeal or on top of cereal.
Mine and Beck's favorite breakfast lately is bran flakes with this on top. We're a simple folk I suppose but it's like dessert or something!

It's super easy to make and is loaded with protein and healthy fats. Have you ever tried cashew milk? If you haven't, try this!

Cashew Milk

1.5 cups raw, unsalted cashews, soaked and rinsed (soak the cashews in water for 2-4 hours before)
3 cups filtered water
1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and nutmeg

1. Combine all of the ingredients in the order listed into a high-speed blender 

2. Starting on the lowest setting and working all the way to the highest setting blend the ingredients for 2 minutes. 

*If you're not using a vitamix or something similar, you'll want to add a minute to the blending time and strain through a fine mesh strainer and cheesecloth. 

I usually stick in in the fridge right away and drink within a couple a days. You can also heat it up and drink it warm.