Back to School Mix & Match Style with H&M

H&M is one of my favorite places to shop for the kids, especially Savannah. Sav loves wearing dresses to school and H&M has the perfect solution for a dress lover like my little lady.

When your daughter pretty much demands to wear a dress everyday you have to come up with ways to please her but also make sure she dressed appropriately for the days events. Searching for cute dresses on a budget is how I found these steals at H&M.

Each dress is priced anywhere between $4.99 and $9.99. A steal! H&M offers these cute little numbers in a tank top style and long sleeve. That's not the best part though - the best part is that you can also snag matching leggings for the dresses too!

Moms of little girls know how important a matching legging is. It's your circle time and playground must-have. They are also perfect for layering when the weather gets cooler.

When Fall and Winter roll around I layer Sav's dresses with cardigans, denim jackets, long sleeve shirts and cute pull-over sweaters. Having mix and match pieces on hand makes it easy for my big girl to dress herself.

I'm still on the hunt for some cardigans and she lost her denim jacket during a day out in Seattle so I'll need to grab her a new one. Other than that all she needs for back to school is new shoes!

To get a better idea of the dresses I'm talking about check out our latest YouTube video.



H&M's clothes wash and wear over and over again very well. Be sure to follow the instructions on the tags to properly care for your little one's garments. What's your child's favorite thing to wear?

Carter's Back-to-School

“I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Carter’s. I received a complimentary gift card to facilitate my review and thank me for my participation.”

Today is the big day for our family! It's the official start of the school year! The Summer has come and gone and we are gearing up for all things Fall. Over the Summer Savannah and I had so much fun shopping for her back-to-school wardrobe. Her size hasn't changed much since last year but her legs are getting longer by the minute.

One of my favorite places to shop for the kids (all of them) is Carter's. We headed there to get started on our wardrobe update. Carter's now offers sizes up to a size 8 so I knew we would have no problem finding pants that fit her long legs. Adjustable waist bands help keep her pants up and that's another reason I love Carter's.

Carter's has a cute and colorful variety of easy outfit sets. The Fall collection was full of well coordinated outfits that I know my PreK kid will have no problem putting together on her own. She loves picking out her clothes in the morning before school. That's one of the fun things about going back-to-school. I remember being so hype about my back-to-school clothes as a kid and teen!

As a Mom, these days I'm more excited about the value I'm getting for my money. Quality is important to me and it feels good knowing that the items we get from Carter's will wash and wear over and over again with no problem. Savannah plays hard so I need clothes that can hold up.

I would describe Savannah's style as fresh, happy and modern. We were both so happy to see that the Fall collection matched our style. She loves leggings, dresses and floral prints and that's exactly what we got during our trip.

Here she is in some of the new items we picked for back-to-school...

This blue dress was her favorite item from our shopping trip. She loves a dress!

Floral print leggings are adorable on her. When I saw these as part of the doorbuster sale I had to get her some. They are so cute with the matching lace inset tee.

Another school wardrobe staple for us is a super cute warm-up suit. I absolutely love this one. 

How cute is she? I know her first day of school is going to be filled with so much learning and fun! It makes me feel good when I know she feels good about herself. Confidence is key when going back-to-school and I know she has that.

Now what kind of friend would I be if I didn't help you save money while shopping too? I know you guys love Carter's just as me! Their doorbuster deals make getting ready-to-play outfits so easy. Use this coupon to save while you shop!

Save BIG during these upcoming sales!

Count Me In Preschool Sale (Up to 50% Off): 8/5 - 8/31:

- Doorbuster 2 or more: $6 leggings, long sleeve tees, boys terry pants & slogans

Labor Day Weekend 50% off Entire Store or More: 9/1 – 9/7:

-Doorbuster $12 5-pack bodysuit, $9 2 pack pants, $10 turn me around sets (9/3 -9/7 only)

How was back-to-school shopping for you? Share your little ones Carter's Back-To-School style online using the hashtag #CountMeInCarters. 

Back to School Fashion Haul (VIDEO)

School starts for Savannah on Monday! Check out her back to school fashion haul featuring apparel from Journey Kid's, Kohl's, Old Navy, H&M and Carter's.

I'll be sharing more on our visit to Carter's next week along with a coupon for your own shopping trip! You know I love a sale and a coupon so I'm in heaven when the two collide. Don't miss out on those savings next week!



What's your favorite item from Savannah's back to school wardrobe? I'm still on the hunt for some black hi-tops for her.

Back to School Fashion Haul

I finally got a chance to film and upload Savannah's back to school fashion haul. We got some really great deals by using coupons, our military discount and taking advantage of tax free weekend.

She got some really cute stuff. I wish some of it came in a mommy friendly size. How was back to school shopping for you? Get any good deals?

Back to School Tips & Hello Fresh Giveaway

Back to school season is in full swing. Savannah's teacher called me last week to schedule our meet and greet before school starts in a couple weeks. We met her once before during the PreK Kinder event they had for all of the new students back in April.

The event was informative and gave all of us a chance to meet the teachers and get a feel for the school. I'm so excited for the upcoming school year. Savannah grew up so much during preschool last year and I know she's going to handle PreK like a boss!

Over the Summer I made sure that we kept learning. I didn't overdo it though because my other mission for the Summer was to make sure the kids played outside as much as possible. Now that we are about two weeks out from the start of the school year I have been transitioning the kids back to our regular schedule.

I thought it would be helpful to share how we're getting ready for back to school season as a family.

Get back to bed on time - Over the Summer I allowed the kids to stay up past their bedtime a few times a week. The weather is so hot here that they can only play outside first thing in the morning or later in the evening. Playing in the evening was great but it did put them in bed much later than they are use to. Last week I started implementing their regular bedtime. My goal is to be out of their rooms with bedtime stories and prayers done before 7:30.

Plan your meals - The evenings go so much smoother when you don't have to figure out what you're having for dinner. You know I'm a fan of planning my meals for the entire month. If that seems overwhelming for you start by planning your meals a week or two at a time.

Implement quiet learning time - If you haven't been having some type of focused learning time over the Summer create some time for it before school starts again. 

Attend Open House - This one is a must if your little one is heading off to school for the first time. Before school actually starts Savannah would have had three different meetings with her teacher. If your child's school is offering an open house or "meet the teacher" event, go! It will make everyone more comfortable on the first day.

Join the PTO - Okay, so this one is optional but since I'm all about being involved I'm going to suggest joining the PTO. You don't have to be President or hold a position on the board. Sign up to be a member and when your schedule allows volunteer at your child's school. There are also opportunities for behind the scenes volunteer work too. For example, Sav's school is holding a luncheon for all the teachers and they have asked PTO members (and parents who want to help) to bring in different items for the luncheon. I signed up to bring drinks because I'm not available to volunteer in person that day.

Create a family calendar - I know most of us plug appointments and places to be into our phones but I love the idea of a family calendar that everyone can see and have access to. It doesn't have to be fancy at all. It's a great way to share doctor appointments, extra curricular activities, school functions and family events. I also use this calendar with the kids everyday during our morning routine, they love it.

Be consistent with routine - Try to be consistent with your daily routine the week's leading up to school starting. Whatever your family's regular schedule is try to stick to it as much as possible.

Back to School/End of Summer Party - I love giving myself a reason to throw a party for my family. Have you ever thought about celebrating back to school season? We plan to make a big deal out of it by going out to dinner as a family and letting Savannah choose the restaurant. We'll talk about going to school and what she's excited about learning the most. We'll also give her a little back to school related gift. It'll be something small like a school supply kit with her favorite characters on them.

So, those are some of my tips for getting ready for the back to school season. I wanted to do something special for my readers because I know how hectic back to school season can be for Moms. I am giving away this Hello Fresh gift card to one lucky Mama. As you might remember from my Mama Boxes unboxing I received this gift card in my second trimester box but I want to pay it forward and give it to a Mom that might need a little help getting a healthy meal together for her family.

If you have never tried their service this giveaway is for you! (please read the giveaway details in the box below) Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Clorox Disinfecting Wipes for Back to School

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. 
#BackToClean #CollectiveBias


Summer is quickly coming to an end and that can only mean one thing, it's time for all things Back to School. If you've been reading my blog lately you know that I have been on a cleaning rampage around here. I have been reorganizing, decluttering and coming up with new ways to make keeping our house clean and germ free as easy as possible.

I had promised Savannah a trip to Target. She earned a shopping trip for being such a good girl this past week. While we were there I picked up my favorite go-to cleaning product, Clorox Disinfecting Wipes. 

I absolutely love how Clorox Disinfecting Wipes make cleaning so easy for me. When you have a almost five year old, two year old and you're 19 weeks pregnant you need cleaning to be fast and easy. I'm all about effortless housekeeping so I make sure we never run out of these.

I get several packs of these wipes at a time because I keep them all over the house. Each bathroom gets a container and of course I keep them in the kitchen. I also have them in the kid's play area, the laundry closet and in the arts and crafts closet. Having wipes all over the house keeps me from making a mad dash to the kitchen whenever I need one.

Clorox Disinfecting Wipes clean and disinfect at the same time. When I use these wipes I know that 99.9% of germs including viruses that can cause colds or the flu are wiped out. (see what I did there) Another great thing about Clorox Disinfecting Wipes is the clear-drying formula. I absolutely hate filmy wet surfaces so the clear-drying formula is probably my favorite thing about the wipes.

Here are  all the many ways I use Clorox Disinfecting Wipes to keep my family happy, healthy and germ free during the Back to School Fall season. 

In the kitchen:

• Disinfects sink & countertops
• Daily cleaning of fridge door, oven door and dishwasher door (i call this "little hands zone")
• Stovetop & range
• Clean & disinfect inside of fridge
• Cleans microwave inside and out
• Cleans & disinfects finished hardwood kitchen table
• Highchair 
• Cabinets
• Pantry doors
• Garbage can in & out

Arts & Crafts area:

• This easel... (wait until you see the after photo)
• Floor in paint area
• Walls in paint area
• Arts and Crafts apron

In the bathroom: (Super easy daily cleaning while kids are in tub)

• Nightly cleaning of shower and tub between big cleans
• Sink - goodbye leftover toothpaste
• Potty Training seat for toilet
• Actual Toilet seat

General germ-free uses:

• Doorknobs
• Light switches
• Back to School gift for teachers
• Grocery store carts (put some in a little zip bag for your diaper bag)
• Cars - because spills happen there too. (always get a lid for your kid's milkshake)
• Outdoor water tables and toys

So that's how I use Clorox Disinfecting Wipes to keep my house germ free! Gearing up for back to school has been so much fun. I can not believe my first child will be off to school in a couple weeks. I'll be sure to send her to school with some wipes to keep the spread of germs at bay in the classroom too!

Are you staying germ-free as you send your little ones back to school?