So many of you asked who plans my vacations...I asked my Disney Vacation Travel Agent (and sister) to share her tips. You can see more of her posts here. Or like her on Facebook Here.
One of the most common things I hear as a travel planner from people who are planning a trip to Walt Disney World is how confused they are with the process and that they don’t know where to start. I can totally understand how a novice can get completely overwhelmed with this since there is so much involved in a Disney trip nowadays! Gone are the days of just packing up and heading to The Magic Kingdom and expecting to get on every ride, see every character or dine in any restaurant of your choice without advanced reservations. We now live in a world where you really need a minimum of 6 months (180 days) to get your place in line for the most recent rides & attractions, character experiences, and top dining venues at WDW. Disney understands this hence the reason they train vacation planners such as myself to guide vacationers along so that they don’t get consumed by details but rather enjoy the experience.
These are my top 10 TIPS for Planning a Disney vacation
#1 Get an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner (ADVP)
One major myth people believe when they begin toying with the idea of a vacation to Disney is that they will get a better deal by booking their vacation by themselves online. DO NOT DO THIS!!! I REPEAT….. DO NOT BOOK YOUR VACATION ON YOUR OWN!! Like I mentioned in the previous paragraph, Disney trains and pays individuals like myself to assist you with your planning process. What people don’t realize is that even when they go online and search for the best possible rates from any one of the travel websites and think they are getting the best price they actually are forfeiting one MAJOR service that is included in the price they are paying….A personal travel planner. Yes, in every package you might find for a Disney Vacation both on and off Disney property includes the service of a Disney Vacation Planner. They don’t tell you this when you are getting a quote because they are in hopes that you don’t know this and then are basically getting paid for a service that isn’t provided. So my very first piece of advise is to get an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner to assist you with your planning. I personally never charge any additional fees to use my service when booking a Disney vacation. Make sure you find a planner that doesn’t because some do.
Another benefit of having a vacation planner is that not only are we capable of making all of your resort bookings, dining reservations, ride & attraction Fast Pass+’s and customized itineraries but we also can monitory your reservation for additional promotions that Disney releases. What does this mean? Well, if you were to book your vacation on your own through any one of the travel websites you would be locked into that plan/rate and wouldn’t know if any future promotion or discount became available. When you book with a ADTP (Authorized Disney Travel Planner) we notify you if/when a savings may occur and then apply the savings to your existing reservation. We can do this up until the reservation is paid in full.
Lastly, another extremely helpful benefit of having a ADTP is that we can book your vacation with a minimal down payment and set you up on an affordable monthly payment plan. Now this is more or less a “Disney Vacation Layaway”. There are no fees for this and we don’t run your credit since it isn’t a financed vacation (although if you want to finance it you can apply for a Disney Visa and use that to make your monthly payments but it’s not necessary). The amount of your monthly payment is determined by the total cost of your package and amount of time before your travel dates. All packages must be paid in full 30 days prior to check-in.
#2 Start Planning 1 year in advance
There are many factors that come into play when deciding on a time to visit Disney. Weather, School breaks, Holidays, Special occasions are just a few things to consider when picking a time of year to go.
Summer months (June through August) are usually very hot and crowded. Winter months (December through February) can be cooler than you’d expect, not swimming weather, and can get extremely crowded around the holidays. Spring and Autumn (March & September/October) are my personal favorite times to travel to Disney. Smaller crowds, great weather, and some special events such as Flower & Garden Festival, Food & Wine Festival, & Not So Scary Halloween Party.
One year in advance might seem a little excessive but its not when your destination is Disney. In order to grab one of the coveted dining reservations at the most popular restaurants you (or your ADVP) will need to be setting those up on the 180 day mark. Also, the further away you are from your travel dates the longer we can stretch out your monthly payment pan.
Whatever time of year you choose you should seek out a professionals help about 12 months in advance.
#3 Determine a Budget and Stick to it.
Lots of people think that Disney is just way too out of their price range. With the help of a good travel planner it can be affordable for just about anyone. Shorter stays in a value resort off season can be the most reasonable while longer stays during peak or Holiday seasons in a deluxe resort can get pretty pricey. Have a realistic price point that is attainable for your family and don’t stray from it. A good ADTP will also be able to give you some money saving tips to help you out as well.
Opening up a Disney Savings account is a helpful tool. Disney offers their own savings accounts or you can open one up at your local bank or credit union specifically for vacation. Deposit into it every week consistently. Use those funds for in park spending or dining if you don’t get the dining plan.
#4 Do your research & make a list of questions to ask a pro.
Its a really good idea to “get to know Disney” even if you have been before. Things are constantly changing at WDW. I have been going to Disney just about every year for the past 8 or 9 years and then on and off ever since I was a young child. People always say “don’t you get sick of it?” and my answer to that is “No Way!!” Things change so frequently that each time my family goes back we see and do different things that we hadn’t seen or done before. Visit the Official Disney website www.disneyworld.go.com and explore. View the different resort tiers and options. Read up on different rides and attractions that your family might enjoy. Research restaurants that you might want to try out. Become familiar with all of your options at WDW and make a list of questions you might have for your ADTP. Pick up Birnbaum’s Official Walt Disney World Guide http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1484720326?keywords=official%20walt%20disney%20world%20guide&qid=1458143798&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1 and bring it with you everywhere you get a chance to read. I spent many nights soaking in the tub reading up on my upcoming Disney vacation.
#5 Make the planning process a Family Event
Unless you are going to surprise your kids at Christmas with a Disney trip its a great idea to get the whole family involved with the idea of going to Disney. To this day every time we book our vacation to WDW we set up some sort of countdown calendar. Sometimes its as simple as a printed out calendar that we stick to the refrigerator and mark of the days with a marker to as elaborate as a different Disney project each week until we leave for vacation. There are many ways to get the whole family hyped up about your trip. Take a virtual vacation by viewing POV rides and attractions on Youtube. I have many posted on or channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTRYYbwQN6m4xhDj8-fx72Q/videos . Order a Free Disney Planning DVD and make a movie night out of it with popcorn and snacks. https://www.disneyvacations.com/destinations/
If you have young children include them when you are doing research. Some of my daughters favorite memories are of us reading out of the Birmbaum’s Book before bedtime or watching our favorite Disney Youtube Vloggers cuddled up on the couch. This is a great way to raise the excitement of your trip and also helps them understand what to expect if this is their first experience with rides and characters that might be a bit overwhelming for younger kids.
#6 Set realistic expectations of your vacation
Now that you have picked out your resort and decided on how many days you will be visiting Disney your enthusiasm is running wild with excitement. After viewing all the travel books and youtube vids it is very easy to have a list a mile long of “to do’s”. One thing I always remind each and every one of my clients is that “DISNEY IS HUGE”!!!!!!! Unless you are fortunate enough to spend an entire month on holiday in the parks it is ver unlikely that you will be able to do and see everything that is on your “must do” list. On average my family stays for 9-10 days at Disney and we still don’t accomplish everything we originally plan. It is much less stressful if you take on Disney with a relaxed attitude. Don’t stress if not everything can be done this time around (there’s always next time). I always suggest that when you are making your “must do” list that you put a *star next to 1/3 of the attractions/rides that you really want to do the most. Those will be the attractions that we book Fast Pass+’s for and you will accomplish first. If there is time left for the remaining its a bonus. I also urge my clients to include an “OFF” day where you can spend some time at the pool or exploring other areas such as Disney Springs or the Boardwalk. Going Gung-Ho in the parks can be exhausting especially with little ones and breaking up your time between parks and leisure activities can be the make or break of a successful vacation.
#7 Include a Character Dining Experience in your Planning
As a kid I remember walking through Disney World seeing the Characters just walking along interacting with people throughout the park. Sadly this isn’t the way anymore. Thanks to larger quantities of guests and less respect for other people, Characters are now located in in specific areas where you have to get in line to interact with them. Sometimes the lines can be as long as a 70 minute wait, which in my opinion is a complete waste of precious time. The best way to get that beloved photo op with your or your childs favorite disney pal and skipping the long lines is at a character meal. If you are not on the dining plan opt for a character breakfast, its more reasonable and you get a better bang for the buck. The Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom or Tuskerhouse at Animal Kingdom are favorites of our family. Other good options are Ohana at Polynesian for breakfast, 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian, or Garden Grill at the Land Pavillon in Epcot.
Character meals are a hot commodity so you want to make sure that you or your travel planner are in line to make a reservation right on the 180 day mark in order to get a prime dining time at the highly sought after spot.
#8 Pick a Disney Hobby
What is a Disney hobby and why do I want one? Over the years of my family traveling to WDW we have found that visiting Disney is more than just riding the rides and viewing the shows. It is an immersive experience that allows every family to create their own personal experiences. Doing a disney hobby is a way for the whole family to interact with each other and work towards a common goal which in turn creates lasting memories that are not only mental but physical. There are lots of Disney hobby’s to choose from, Pin trading, Coin pressing, collecting stamps or candy from around World Showcase in Epcot (see one of our previous vlogs on our Youtube channel), Playing Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, or becoming a Wilderness Explorer in Animal Kingdom. There are more that I’m not even mentioning but as you can see there are a lot. Many of these “hobby’s” are either Free or cost very little to start but allow you and your children to have something physical to hold on to and take home reminding you of your adventures.
#9 Start a packing list as soon as you book your vacation
This is one of those tips that I get grief for all of the time but I stand by it! I am a planner by nature and I am usually all packed for vacation a month in advance however many of the people I speak with say they don’t start packing till the week of their check-in date. All I can say is that this is a disaster waiting to happen!! At least start a packing list so that you can add to it as time goes along with things that might just pop up in your mind. Too often I hear that people forget the sunblock or phone chargers, or forget to buy a SD card for their camera and then get to their resort only to be forking over an excessive amount of money to replace things. Especially if you have children or multiple people to pack for its an extremely helpful tip to start your lists early and keep them handy to add to up until you actually start putting things in your suitcase.
#10 Prepare to Re-book before you check-out
There are a lot of benefits to booking your next Disney vacation before you check-out of your existing vacation. If you travel within the same year you can upgrade your current park pass to an annual pass for a significant savings on park admission plus many other perks that go along with annual membership. Very often your resort will offer what they call a “bounce back” offer. This is usually posted in the packet of information that housekeeping leaves in your room when you check-in. If you don’t see any information on discounts for your next stay ask concierge and if they do have an offer get the offer code but DO NOT book directly with them. Contact your travel planner with the offer code and be prepared to re-book with them before you check-out in order to get the savings. Most reservations require a $200 deposit to book so include that in the budget if you wish to return to Disney within the next year.
Today, I wanted to share with you a blog that I have been loving lately! Alycia captures the most beautiful photos, has an adorable little boy, Kyler, and makes amazing dream catchers. No really...you should check them out here. One of the best things about blogging is meeting wonderful people and getting the chance to work with them. I was lucky enough to get one of these awesome catchers that I will be adding to Scarlett's room and sharing with you later this week.
I'm super pleased to have such a sweet and talented blogger here today!!
Hello! I'm Alycia of Wildflower Blog, and I am so excited to be here today guest posting !
I live in San Diego, California with my husband and son Kyler. I love spending my time taking care of our sweet little boy, taking pictures of everything we do, thrifting and decorating our home!
My favorites posts to do are photos from our week, I love taking pictures of the beautiful little details of everyday life, so I thought I would share some pictures of our week here !
We had a great week last week! I drank lots of coffee as usual, baked some banana apple breakfast bread, bought a beautiful print, enjoyed some quiet time while the baby napped, went to the beach and soaked up some sun and than spent some time over at the beautiful flower fields looking at everything in bloom while eating a sundae!
I would love for you to stop by my blogand say Hi ! I will be giving away one of these beautiful Kelli Murray Poppy Prints later this week so be sure to enter for a chance to win =) Thanks for reading and thank you Lauren for having me !
xo
Alycia
I am undoubtedly, a sucker for stories of love, even the heartbroken ones.
I am such a passionate person, myself when it comes to these subjects that it really hits home for me.
Bre from Oh Pish Posh, is one of my favorite bloggers to read. She is immensely talented in more than one way. Her writings intrigue me and have such incredible insight; like this one here. I can relate to her writings. I just had to have her here to share something with you all today....I asked her to share something along the lines of love/heartache.
She was gracious enough to share with us a very personal & raw topic for her....
Please meet Bre.
Every one of us has felt heartache at some point in our lives. Some more than others. There are different types of heartache you can feel. Recently I've experienced a heartache like none other I've felt before. Before diving in, I am not looking for sympathy. I don't feel depressed or unhappy. I feel a little lost, yes. A little sad, yes. But I'm not dying. You'll notice I try to downplay the situation by being as funny and lighthearted as possible. But I'm also known for being dramatic, so brace yourselves.
I've felt a lot of heartache when relationships end (let's just call it what it is, when guys dump me) and I'm still 'so in like' with the guy. But this heartache is so different. This is the feeling of wanting so badly for it to work out with someone but knowing that, at least right now, it can't. Are you with me?
Timing really is everything, isn't it? I used to think that was just something people said to soften the blow. "Maybe it's just timing." But now I'm not so sure. The hardest part about this kind of heartache is not wanting to move on. I don't want to move on. I don't want to get over it. I'm still hanging on even though there's really nothing to hold onto anymore.
I keep trying to remind myself of the reasons I didn't want to be with him. But there weren't any. I love everything about him. But something was missing. Something was always missing. Something completely unidentifiable and intangible. We both knew it we just didn't want to believe it.
And then it was over and I don't think I've ever cried that hard in my life. Sobbing is a more appropriate word. Add hysterically. Sobbing hysterically is more like what happened. It was like my best friend who I love so much was just taken from me. Well, it wasn't like that happened. That literally happened.
What are we supposed to with that? "Hey, we've been best friends for months but...see ya never!" It's not okay. But what's the alternative? Being just friends? In what world. Am I right? I'm not trying to be depressing here. In fact, I'm laughing as I type because I sound so pathetic. I'M PATHETIC, OKAY?
I'm not crying in mybed every night. Which is quite the feat considering that stupid gold shoe box full of everything about our relationship is just sitting in my closet staring at me while I read. And I can't bring myself to open it but I can't bring myself to throw it away. (It's not a stupid box. It's a nice box. I'm sorry for insulting you, box.)
It's also a feat considering the amount of white landcruisers in this town. Did you know that all white landcruisers somehow look like they don't have a front bumper from far away? Talk about heart palpitations. And I also get to drive past that tree every day on my way to and from work. Yes, there is another route but I don't want to move on, remember?
And then there's all of those things that remind you of him. Aren't they the worst? And most of them are such general things that there's no escaping them! Like, stop it radio! Why are you on such a Sting kick right now? Oh everyone is going sledding? That's just great. You're from California? You like the Lakers? You surf? You play football? Rugby? Sports in general? STOP THE MADNESS. It's so unfair.
But here's the thing that we all forget sometimes. Everything will work out eventually. Right now it seems like I'll never understand why it didn't work out. But I just keep reminding myself that someday it will all make sense. One of two things will happen. I'll find a man somewhere that will make me realize why it didn't work out with anyone else (stupid, cheezy, Pinterest quote) or it will work out with this guy that I miss so much. And all will be well.
For more of my depressing/pathetic/sometimes funny relationship writings, go here.
This past week, I met the most remarkable and sweet woman.
Her name is Hanna and she is one of those rare people who does kind things for people, just because.
I was blown away by Hanna's wonderful outlook on life, positive attitude & also her amazing weight-loss journey!! You simply must meet her.....
HI THERE!!!!!!!
I'm Hanna!!!!
I blog over at bouffe e bambiniand I am so excited to be here with you today guest blogging for Lauren!!!
THIS IS ME!!!!!
I'm going to do my best not to be too much of a chatter box but let's face it,
I TOTALLY am!!!
I love my life and I try very hard to be humble and grateful every single day for the little things!!!
F*U*N Outfits
AND Healthy Pregnancies!!!!!!
I guess I should probably tell you a little bit about myself, huh?
I am the mother to a 3 year old named Milton, a very spirited 22 month old named Ginger and am currently 7 months pregnant with my third baby (most recent pic above)!!!!!
I am a full time critial care nurse and have been for 5 years, before that I was a waitress for 12 years.
This is my husband and I!!!
He is the most wonderful man in the entire world, TO ME that is!
We've know each other for 17 years, been dating for 10 and married for 5 and I'm not even sick of him yet!!!!
Till Death Do Us Part.
We couldn't be more opposite. I am a type A personality ALL.THE.WAY. and my husband......well, not so much!!!
He's actually a very accomplished musician. We have a music studio in our house that records and teaches out of. He also works for the world famous Santa Fe Opera and a prestigious School for the arts!
Here he is doing what he does best
This is my beautiful Family!!!!! Chowing down at a crawfish boil. It doesn't get any better than that folks! My husband was born and raised in New Orleans and we lived there together for a number of years until hurricane Katrina took us for all we had, house and belongings included. But, we love that city and go back often to visit!
So, I also LO*V*E......L*O*V*E.......L*O*V*E to cook and bake!!!! My hubby is also a chef so as you can imagine we are a little food snobby.
I only give my children organic dairy and meat and try to give them organic fruits and veggies as much as we can afford.
My husband and I believe in staying home with our children until they are old enough to go out on their own and for us that means pre-K or Kindergarten so until then our budget is VERY tight as one of us is always home.
We are a one car family. We don't have cell phones or cable TV. No we're not Amish just slightly CRAZY!!!
Back to my point, I COOK A LOT!!!!!!
One of my all time favorite splurge foods in Nutella. I am terrible and I eat it straight out of the jar so I decided one day that I had better learn to make it myself, cheaper and healthier.
It came out AMAZING!!!! In fact I have to be careful because every time I make it I eat all 5 jars in a week. AHHHHHHHH
In fact I used to be a size 22. Yup I weighed in at a whopping 235 pounds!!!
Yowzers!!!!
I wasn't obese my entire life but after I had 2 babies back to back that's what happened to me!
I was MISERABLE to say the least!!
I am a fashionista. I love my skinnies and my heels and there was NO WAY I was going to continue to live that way. SO I lost it all plus more. I started running and training for marathons and in my thirties I now feel better than I did when I was 18.
Read my weight loss story {HERE} and read about my first half marathon {HERE}
I promise I'm telling the truth, just look!!!!!!
Okay........enough is enough........ I told you I was going to be a chatter box!
So sorry!!!
It was so lovely meeting all you lovely readers. I am very friendly and love new readers. I post a lot and always have TONS going on in my life so come see me anytimeyou want.
I will welcome you with open arms!!!! And Lauren, I already adore you, your family and your blog so C*H*E*E*R*S to that my new friend!!!!!!
In light of Black Friday and this shopping weekend, I have been supporting some small businesses that I am fond of.
Let me just tell you, that I am absolutely in love with Franchesca's Celebrate Life Shop.
These awesome collages are on my wish list, for sure!
I am so excited to have the lovely, incredibly talented and kind-hearted,
Franchesca here today, with a great discount for my readers!!
Hi beautiful readers! It is a pleasure to be here on Lauren's blog. My name is Franchesca and I blog over at Small Bird Studios, mostly about picking up the pieces and our new life, and how it has transformed over time through incredible loss and love. I hope you'll stop by, I love to encourage others to live life to the absolute fullest.
When I decided to open up an art shop, I wanted to convey the message that life should be celebrated, lived, loved. I make these pieces from my subway art shop called"Celebrate Life". They can capture any quote, and any picture :) Instagrams work perfecto, but any pictures will do! I have had the pleasure of making pieces for people all over the world, including Australia, Hong Kong, Canada, Oman and many many more places across the United States.
Today I'd love to share an exclusive discount to all Lauren Rebecca readers.
Save 15% off your entire purchase by using LR15 at checkout, good through midnight tonight.
Thank you so much Lauren, for having me on your gorgeous blog.
If you want to meet a real beauty with an awesome sense of style and a fun blog, I suggest Kristal, author of Sincerely Arizona.
I am so excited to have her here on my blog today!!
One of the things that intrigued me about the lovely Kristal's blog, (besides her chic fashion posts)
were her wedding photos. Since she recently had a gorgeous wedding, I asked Kristal if I could ask her some advice on wedding planning.
I welcome great wedding advice since I'm getting married next year.
Kristal graciously agreed. Want some wedding advice? Read on....
When was your wedding date, location & how many people attended? Our wedding was Saturday, May 26th 2012. We were married at a winery in Florence, AZ (about an hour south of Phoenix.) We had 160 (incredible) guests attend our wedding.
What was your dream or inspiration for the wedding? My dream was to have a celebration of our love with all of our closest friends and family. We wanted our wedding to reflect us and be intimate. We didnt want anything over the top or stuffy. Gosh, I had so much inspiration! To be honest, you can definietly get caught up in inspiration overload with planning a wedding. Especially with Pinterest and blogs. I guess my main inspiration was rustic and real, I wanted cozy and true happiness to surround us. I wanted pretty things throughout the venue, I wanted the rustic wood to be complimented with sparkly chandeliers. The barn, the twinkling lights the green grass and gorgeous weather made up my dream setting. Not only did I want to look around and see beauty, I wanted to feel it.
I, myself, got a little caught up in the stress of wedding planning in the beginning. How did you eliminate stress? Well I think I have a naturally laid back attitude and people always tell me I am calm, so I have that going for me! haha I think the biggest thing is to just stay organized, whatever works for you, get things organized and get a system to planning. Next, warn your future hubby that you might be more stressed during this time. To everyone around me I was fine, totally calm and great and I didnt let things get to me. But Bryce got the truth, he heard the little worries and petty things that I stressed about. He should be the one though, he is the one I am spending my life with. Men might not understand the planing and they may think we're crazy but they have a good insight and will help you keep things in perspective. Lasly but most importantly, remember how lucky you are to have found love. You get to plan and wedding and you get to have this amazing experince. Some people wait their whole lives for this so just remember to appreciate the person and the experience you are getting to have. It goes by so quickly.
Picking the dress can be a huge process. How did you pick your dress out of hundreds of others!? This part was simple, I actually found a dress online WAY before we were engaged. It was my little picture of my dream dress. I smiled everytime I looked at it. Once we were engaged, I hunted for that thing, haha I researched and finally found it. It was the first dress I tried on. I feel like a lot of women say that, so my advice is go with your gut and don't over think it. You'll know when you have found it.
What are some ways to save some money but still make the wedding beautiful and chic? Shop around! When you see something you love, start googling it or looking on pinterest some more. Sometimes you can buy things for much lower prices or in places you wouldn't expect. Oh and if you are crafty, do stuff yourself. I did so much on my own, mainly becuase I love doing DIY stuff and also becuase it is that much more unique to you. I would also say to list out things and their importance to you. For example, I love wedding cakes and I think they are so important but I didnt want to spend a lot on ours. It was becutiful and just what I wanted but I was not about to pay thousands of dollars for cake that 1/2 the guests don't even eat. A phototgrapher on the other hand was something that is super imporatant to me. Place the money you have in the areas that mean the most to you.
What was your biggest obstacle in the wedding planning process? My biggest obstacle was probably comparing, I would look at so many other weddings and get countless ideas so sometimes I had to just slow myself down and choose what I wanted and what was perfect for US.
Your best words of advice or tips for those planning a wedding? It's so typical but I would say just enjoy the process. Enjoy chosing invitations, enjoy tasting cake, enjoy time with your bridesmaids, and enjoy the excitement of being engaged. That day and night will fly by, I promise you. There are no words for how fast it goes. Just make sure you have everything in order and then the day of your wedding, drop it all and just take it all in. Dont worry, don't stress, dont plan anymore - just be. Be in the moment soaking up all the love and all the special moments you'll have.
Looking back, what was your favorite part of the wedding? Honestly, the whole thing. All the moments are incredible. The moment walking down the isle with my Dad was amazing... take time to stop and look around as you start that walk, its increaible to see all the faces of people who love you. Take in the moment that you are walking up to you future husband, your first kiss, your first dance, etc.
If you could do it all again, what would you have done differently, if anything? I wouldn't have done anything differently. It was so perfect, perfect for us and a day that I love remembering. Good luck in all the planning Lauren, it will be wonderful. Pace yourself and enjoy the next 7 months of planning. If you need anything at all, even to run a question by me, please do, I mean that - I'm here if I can help at all.
Thanks Kristal. I'm soaking in this advice & looking forward to wedding planning.
I am so happy to have Isobel here today to talk about styling little boys! As you can see, her little lad is one stylish boy. Without further ado, Miss Isobel. And don't forget to stop by her blog, Holdenonbaby to see my take on styling Mini-gals.
hello lauren rebecca readers! i'm isobel, the voice behindholdenonbaby, a personal style and lifestyle blog that follows a family of wanderlusting dreamers. i'm a first-time mama to a little wild child named holden and we spend our days exploring, adventuring, and imagining. i'm here today to share a few of my secrets for dressing little boys.
i always say that my pregnancy made me get creative with my style. i suddenly found myself more self-assured, confident, and experimental with my style choices. my style tends to change from one day to the next, depending on how i am feeling, and holden and i often leave the house in coordinating outfits, unconsciously dressing us both in my mood of the day.
holden's style is a laid-back, sometimes polished, california style. we mix and match a lot of different brands with varying price ranges and often use fun shoes and accessories to spice up the basics.
as are most children, holden is full of curiosity, originality, impulsiveness, and fantasy and i like to dress him accordingly. i like to choose clothes that lend themselves to imagination, inspire inventiveness, and nurture a creative spirit. and although i get a lot of basics from h&m and zara, i am always on the hunt for fun and unique brands. below are a few of my favorites.
Lauren:Isn't it crazy how much we rely on technology now days? I actually have to tell myself to leave it all behind at times. It's easy to get wrapped up in. But like you, I just want to capture all the moments and document them. How cool would it have been if our mothers could have done blogs or made little videos for us?! By the way, I love your newest iMovie video!
Wow, 10 years! I love stories of people who have been together for a long time. It's rare these days. Same as you, I want more children. But we have some other things that we need to take care of first, like getting married next year! I have only been with Ty for 2 1/2 years. We met jogging and I finally understood what people mean when they say, "When you meet the perfect one, you just know it." I was in a previous relationship for over 10 years and never felt the way I do about Ty.
As for traveling, I have never been off the east coast and it is on my bucket list to see a few places. I used to be intimidated by traveling. I don't know if that was because I am from a small town? Maybe. But now that we have been brought here to New York, my perception on that has changed a whole lot. I am more open to that now. In fact, I don't want to go back! Ty's job offers us potential to travel if we like, so that is a possibility in the future.
I really hope that someday, we get a chance to meet. Here's some questions that I'm curious about: Where is your favorite place to shop for Stella? Where is your favorite place to shop for yourself? What is your favorite movie? And What is your favorite hobby/activity?
Amanda:The love you have described between you and Ty is so wonderful. A love like that is one of those things in life where mere words are not good enough to describe it's beauty. And congratulations bride-to-be! Wedding planning is so much fun. Are you just loving it? OK. Tell me, what are your colors, have you found the dress...I need details, girl! Maybe for your honeymoon you will get the chance to hit up a beach somewhere exotic with your hubby. If you ever need any recommendations, let me know!
And if Ty gets an opportunity through work to go somewhere new, grab the chance and go! For me at least, travel has helped me better appreciate and understand where I came from by redefining the word "home." By getting to know other cultures and by seeing other people I think I have figured out more of who I am and what I enjoy. Andrew and I went backpacking a few years ago throughout Europe and I fell completely, head-over-heels, in love with Paris. I think I left a part of my heart there, as sappy and cliched as that sounds. But it's true. So now I tend to gravitate towards things that remind me of our travels there. It gives me a hint of that amazingly inspired feeling. Watching movies like Two Days in Paris and Amelie {my all-time favorites} cannot but help put a big ol' giddy smile on my face.
Certain activities, like picnicking and drive-in-movies have the same nostalgic effect. But let's get onto shopping. I really only shop at a few places but my wardrobe go-to's would be anthropology {especially the sale rack}, j. crew, and modcloth. For miss Stella I adore H&M and baby gap. Over the past few years I have found that it's better to have a few quality items rather than a whole bunch of trendy items. It is a hard concept to grasp on a teacher's salary, but over time it just makes so much more sense. I've used this philosophy with everything: Stella's toys, our furniture, kitchen essentials, everything really. Except for books, we have a ton of those lying everywhere on a daily basis. That is baby girl's favorite game: empty the bookshelf. Stores we shop at for home goods would be a combination of west elm for classic comfort, cb2 for modern and colorful, and anthropologie for a vintage vibe. We have a clean and simple yet eclectic and colorful thing going on over here and it feels like home. It's been so much fun creating this little haven of ours. What shops are you crazy about and what how would you describe your style? And I'm curious, what roles do you play in your marriage and in parenting. For example, does your hubby like to cook? Who puts the wee one to bed?
Lauren: Thank you, thank you! I am very excited about our wedding. The wedding is actually going to be very simple. I don't want to put a ton of pressure on myself or put expectations on the wedding itself. In the beginning, I really started to get frazzled over where it was going to be, who would be able to come, yadda yadda. Ty was in the midst of job location switches and we didn't know if we were going to be here in New York, Massachusetts, Arizona or in California. It became stressful and I started to dread doing anything with wedding plans. That was when I decided that I wanted it to be a simple affair. It's not about all the hoopla that people make it about. It's about me marrying the love of my life. It is me telling him, that he is my soul mate. I want that to be the focus. So I'm actually keeping a lot of the details to myself but I will tell you that it is an outdoor wedding in New England with a very vintage/classic feel to it. I haven't picked any colors yet but I need to get on the ball as it is a year away!! Yikes! I would love for it to be a small, intimate wedding but I'm not sure how small it will be as Ty's family is quite large.
I am a little jealous that you have travelled to these wonderful places! I feel that I should have squeezed some trips in before I had my daughter. But I'm sure she would love to do some sight seeing with us, too. Paris, oh my! What a wonderful opportunity. I agree with you, if we get the chance to up and leave again, we will probably take it. We love the eye opening perceptions that it has given us.
This is too funny though. Your store picks, are my favorites also. Almost down to the T! I adore Anthropologie, J Crew and Modcloth!! (But who doesn't) My last 3 purchases were from those stores. I don't always like spending the money so sometimes I find great treasures at places like Old Navy, Delia's , H&M or even vintage items from Thrift shops. And I seriously just bought Scarlett some H&M clothes last night when I forced my fiancé to the mall for new clothes. He is rather stubborn about buying himself new clothes. Ha.
I'm pretty frugal, although I agree with you about having a few quality items. House items are a different story. We have 2 homes that are scattered with our belongings. I buy a few things here or there. I am waiting until we are permanently settled in one place to do any major decorating. Our current home, in New York, is already furnished anyway. But if I could start decorating my house now, I would definitely go with an eclectic vibe. It would match my clothing style. I love everything from a hippie look to a polished dressy look. If you were to look on my Pinterest, you would see that I love bright colors and bright whites for home decorating. I have a crush on retro and vintage mixed with modern and a dash of bohemian. To sum up my clothing and house style= eclectic through and through.
What toys can you recommend? I always want to buy Scarlett some good quality toys but have a hard time finding them. She has a baby grand piano that my mother found somewhere for her. She is over the moon about it. Scarlett is such a book baby, too. She spends hours flipping through them. Wow, even our babies have a lot in common!
So, here's the deal with roles. I hate cooking. Not only do I hate it, I'm not very good at it. I grew up vegetarian so I have no clue about meat cooking. Ty tries to teach me but it's a losing battle. I do try to cook since after all, I do stay home all day with the baby while he works long hours. On the other hand, Ty loves to cook so that works out good. I do all the cleaning and laundry. (Ty flooded our washing machine for the last time!) And we share the parenting role 50/50. I know that I am the one who spends the most time with Scarlett, but he sucks up as much time with her as he can. He comes home from a long day at work, plays with her, watches her so I can do some things for myself, and feeds her supper. He does this everyday, whiteout a doubt in his mind that this is how it should be. Every morning, he gets up early so he can change her before putting her back to sleep for a bit longer. I pretend to be sleeping while he kisses her good bye and tells her that he'll miss her at work today. It melts my heart every time. I do bath time since I'm just better at playing with bath puppets, and we both put her to bed while we recite prayer, "Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep". Like you said about you and your love, Ty and I compliment each other in every aspect of life, including parenting. It's remarkable that I found him! And what about your roles? That was a great question.
Amanda:Girl, you are so smart. We had such a big {and beautiful} wedding, but if I could do it all over again I think the word "simple" would be my motto. We both have large families so I know what you mean when you say you are not quite sure how small it will be. I know big families do love themselves a good ol' wedding, that's for sure! A mix of vintage and classic sounds absolutely dreamy! If your wedding is anything like Scarlett's 1st birthday, it will be stunning. :)
Aren't those stores just the best! We literally live a skip and a hop away from Anthropologie and I find myself taking Stella for walks there to just smell their candles. I adore the smell of that place. The first time I walked in to one of their stores I think I muttered out loud, "This...now, THIS is what I want our home to look and feel like." Everything in that store just speaks to me. Now Andrew on the other hand, is into the super clean look with hardware exposed and very simple/efficient decor, so we met somewhere in the middle where eclectic meets minimalism. Goodness, decorating is so much fun! Too bad it can be quite pricy. We, too, are quite careful with how much we spend and try to not make impulsive purchases. But it never hurts to look!
Speaking of saving some money, let't talk toys, shall we? All of Stella's favorite toys currently come from IKEA and they saved us a lot of pretty pennies. IKEA makes gorgeous, classic toys that are both colorful, wooden, and timeless. Baby girl has fun stacking rings and building things with her blocks. Scarlett's mini grand piano sounds like a blast! I can just picture her jamming away and bopping to the beat. You should get some video of that.
(Stella's Toys)
Ty sounds like one heck of a dada. He reminds me of my husband in that he plays a very active role in his little gal's life. He seems so gentle and kind, just what a baby girl needs. Our roles seem very similar to what you and Ty have. Andrew and I do everything together, really. He likes to vacuum and clean the floors, strange I know, so that's his main "job," if you will. And as for me, I love to cook and am always tinkering around in the kitchen. So mealtime is my thing. When it comes to the little things, like laundry and dusting, we split that 50/50 on the weekends to get it done as quickly as possible. As for taking care of miss Stella, we switch off doing everything, except for when it's time for her to go to bed. That's pretty much all Andrew. She prefers him to rock her and he loves that time to bond before putting her to bed. We are both so blessed to have a relationship where we both help one another out.
Dada's & Their little girls
Lauren:Awww, that is so sweet that Andrew puts her to bed every night. Isn't it funny how they have preferences and interests at such a small age? I find it so amazing. Thank you for the toy tips. I don't know if we have an IKEA around here but I'm going to do some researching on the nearest location! Can you believe I've never been to one?! Speaking of Anthropologie, I was completely in love when I found a shop that sells their items for a discounted rate! Sheer bliss! I love a sale.
Well Amanda, I am so happy that I got the chance to chat with you. It was so much fun to get to know you, and have a little adult convo. I don't know about you, but I definitely want to chat with you again in the future. You seem like a lovely person with such a sweet family. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me. Can't wait to talk again!!
Amanda: I totally agree, Lauren. This conversation was wonderful and much appreciated. And I would take that chance to chat anytime with you, mama! I hope you and your beautiful family have a great rest of your summer and have fun splashing around in the pool!
If you haven't been by her blog, you are missing out!
Lauren: Hi Amanda, I am utterly smitten to be able to chat with you, today. How are you!? I wish we could visit in person, but since you are in Kansas City and I am in New York, this lovely conversation will have to do.
I feel that we have so much in common. Your stunning Stella and my beautiful Scarlett both turned one in May, we both moved from small towns to cities and we both love writing, to name a few. I know it was not easy for me to move from the town I had lived in my entire life, to an new, urbanized home. Quite frankly, I hate change. How did you adjust to moving from the cornfields of Iowa to the large Kansas City?
Stella's cake eating on left, Scarlett's cake eating on right.
(Stella beach ready on left, Scarlett pool ready on right)
Amanda: Hello Lauren! It's a pleasure to chat with such a lovely mama as yourself. I am doing wonderfully because my summer break just started, which means I get to spend every day with my little gal, Stella. Now onto your question about moving to a bigger city and adjusting to change. We love our home here in Kansas City, but to be fair, I had a hard time adjusting to life here at first. It was scary moving to this seemingly large city from the homey and green "everyone-knows-everyone town" of Cedar Falls, Iowa. I had many "yikes" moments, and there were times when I felt uncomfortable and lonely, or so it seemed.
Here's the backstory. I had always wanted to live in a bigger city while growing up. Don't get me wrong, I had a fabulous childhood making forts in the wilderness and spending summers on my grandparent's farm, but I always craved something, shall I say, more urban. I yearned to live in a city where I could walk to get my groceries, visit multiple museums on a rainy afternoon, and people watch at an outdoor cafe that went outside the realm of chain restaurants. So after college and getting married, my husband Andrew and I moved from our quaint, closet-sized, one-bedroom bungalow on Main Street, to an industrial loft apartment lost in the jungle of tall office buildings and lots of concrete. We were both eager to try something new. Despite our desire for change, it was daunting to be in a space called home that was so different and unfamiliar from what I was used to. I had never moved in my entire life, and Iowa had always been home.
Now, three years later, I realize that all I needed to fully acclimate and enjoy our new home was time. Over the course of the past three years, I have slowly broken out of my shell and have really allowed myself the opportunity to connect to this city. Once I opened my eyes and lifted the veil of discomfort, I was able to see beauty all around me, in all of the little things...like colorful frescos that grace our downtown buildings, and eccentric little signs that greet strangers in quaint, unknown neighborhoods. I am proud to call it my home, no longer feeling like an outsider.
Change has the tendency to put up walls and turn even the best of possibilities into cloudy frustrations. As I have found out, once that change is recognized as being a positive thing, that change can do wonders. You can't push someone into feeling comfortable, they just have to find that balance on their own in able to appreciate it more and to cultivate its presence. Change is one tricky animal. It feels so good to fully embrace our home here in Kansas City.
Lauren: You unknowingly just gave me some great advice. I moved from a small town in Massachusetts to New York about 9 months ago. I completely get what you're saying about "once change is recognized as a positive thing, it can do wonders." I am starting to see that now. Although, it took me a few months to realize that. I'm a bit envious of your industrial loft apartment! How awesome is that!? Maybe someday, I will get the chance to experience that.
My fiancé's job allows us to travel if we choose, so we will probably get to see a few more places before we settle down. I want to be settled by the time Scarlett starts grade school. But that won't be for a few more years, since she just turned one in May! We had a Vintage Carnival themed Party for her. (View HERE) And I was looking at the beautiful photos of Stella's first birthday party. (View HERE) You did an awesome job decorating! How was her first birthday party? She looked like she had lots of fun!
(Stella's 1st Birthday)
Amanda: I am happy you are getting settled and are adjusting to your home in New York. We absolutely love where we live. It's got everything on our happy list: tons of natural light, hardwood floors, and a a very open floor plan. The whole glass walls and no door thing took a few months to get used to, but on the up side, we never really need to use a baby monitor! I know what you mean about wanting to settle down before little Scarlett goes to school. We want the same thing for Stella, and where we are currently is temporary. For how long? Who knows. We are going with the flow, but we do hope to have more children and so another room would be nice.
(Amanda's Loft Apartment)
I absolutely adored the photos of miss Scarlett's 1st birthday you posted! Your attention to every detail was perfect and simply beautiful. Thank you for your sweet compliments about Stella's party. I enjoy entertaining and so I made sure our little lady's special day was all decked out with things we love: french macarons, jones sodas, fresh flowers, and balloons! We all had so much fun that day. It was a small gathering but sometimes I think the more intimate the better. We had some local bbq, angel food cake, and lots of presents. Her dada and I started a tradition where we will each get her our own gift for her birthday, something special that we pick out on our own. This also made it fun for us because we did not share with each other what we got adding the element of surprise! Andrew got her the most darling stuffed elephant rocker that she is beyond smitten with. We finally decided on the name Humphry. So. Mister Humphry is now a member of this little family. I got her some children's books about other countries and fun art supplies. Go figure...but the English teacher in me could not resist!
Lauren:I agree that sometimes the more intimate the gathering, the better. I went a little over the top with Scarlett's first Birthday Party! It was a bit overwhelming but we still had fun. Those touches you added to the party were beautiful! If we collaborated, we could definitely pull off party planning. Haha. What a sweet idea to give Stella a gift from both of you.
English Teacher, huh? I suddenly feel the need to go over my grammar. ;) What grade do you teach? Was this your dream as a child?
(Scarlett's Party)
Amanda:Too bad we don't live closer, otherwise I think we would make a great decorating team! And don't let my English teacher title freak you out. I am probably the worst speller I know and am constantly having grammar issues. I teach 8th grade...yes, infamously emotional 8th graders English, but here in Missouri we call it Communication Arts. it's the same thing, really. It was always my dream to teach but as far as what subject, that was always hard to narrow down. I could have just as easily gotten into history or art. What about you? What was your dream job as a child? it's so fun to think back to those days when we were so innocent and carefree when it came to what we wanted to be when we grew up!
Lauren: Well, since I was little, I have always wanted to be film director/editor. I can remember making my little sister and her friends practice scripts and perform them while I taped them with my dad's old 80 lb video camera. I would boss them around and make my friend carry a huge cassette player behind me for soundtrack. Oh those days....Thinking back on this makes me chuckle. I could have chased this dream, I guess, but I would have had to move to California or New York to really pursue it. My itty bitty town was hopeless for that type of career. Sometimes, I wish I had followed my dreams, but somehow, I landed in banking instead. And now, I chose to stay home raising Scarlett. Although it's not a permanent job, it is the best job I could possibly ask for until she starts school. She walked for the first time today and I got to see it!! It was precious. Melted my heart. So what about your hubby? Where did you two meet? And do you want more babies?
Amanda:That is so neat you have always been drawn to film. I love {in a crazy obsessive kind of way} experimenting with and taking photographs. My husband is always reminding me that it's ok to just "be in the moment" and that I will survive a day without technology. We are good for each other like that. And I am just thrilled for you that you got to see, first hand, in the moment, your little Scarlett walk for the first time! I am sure that is a moment you will never forget and always hold close to your heart.
More kiddos, you ask? Absolutely! Andrew and I have been together 10 years having dated since freshman year in high school. We have literally watched each other grow up and have built this amazing bond along the way. He is my best and closest friend, and I look up to him in so many ways. One thing we have always enjoyed talking about together is what our future will look like, and that picture always has lots of children in it. By lots, we mean around 4. Ideally, we would love to have them relatively close in age so they can grow up together and be buddies. We both love the idea of having a large family to go on many traveling adventures with. Traveling is one of our passions and we hope to cultivate that passion within our children too. This year we have many trips abroad in the works, and we are quite excited! What wonderful traveling experiences have you had or hope to have in the future? Have you been abroad?
