BABY LOVE Josie and Indi's Tips

If being a mom has taught me anything, it's this:  there's always something new to learn about parenting. My daughters—and my feelings about my daughters— never stop surprising me, which is a huge part of the wonder of motherhood. Discovering what works for your kids is always a work in progress, and mommy blogs are a great source of tips. Sometimes I try one of those tips and it backfires—screaming baby! But sometimes you get a gem, like these two:

Teething Treat: I mix breast milk with water and pour the mixture into an ice cube tray, using binkies as the "popsicle sticks." Once the "binkie pops" are frozen, I can pop one out when Indi's new teeth need cool relief.  

Diaper Game-changer: I can't believe it took me two kids and a mountain of diapers to learn this trick! I put the clean diaper under Indi before taking off the dirty one. It prevents messes and makes diaper-changing extra quick when we're out and about.  

With lots of baby love,

Josie

WORKOUT WEDNESDAY Postnatal Exercise

Can you believe that my little Indi Joon is already 3 months old? She’s already smiling and cooing, and has even had a few rather adorable cases of the hiccups. While breastfeeding has helped me lose a lot of my baby weight, I’m still struggling to find time to devote a few minutes to exercise. So, I’ve been doing some reading up on postnatal exercise to find a few tips and tricks that I can fit in to my schedule. By now, I’m all healed and ready to go, but you should always check with your doctor to make sure your body is ready to jump back into your exercise regime (especially when it comes to workouts for your abs.) Enjoy these tips!  

Try Some Gentle Yoga: Yoga can be a soothing way to get back in the game and get your body pumping. You may want to avoid some poses, especially inversions and intense ab work, but you can probably do most of the poses in a beginner class. Let your instructor know that you’re a new mama, and she’ll guide you to the right poses for your body.

Play with Baby (and break a sweat): This is a great tip for moms with babies who can already hold their heads up (3-4 months). Try dancing around with your baby. Put on some rockin’ tunes and keep your abs drawn in as you hold baby close. Or, if you’re good-to-go on working out your abs (ask your doc!) do a few curl ups with your munchkin sitting on your lower belly as you lie on your back. Lift your head, neck and shoulder blades. It becomes a fun way to play peek-a-boo and work out your belly.

Join a Mommy Group: Having the support of other moms can be so helpful with getting back into shape, not to mention all the good advice you’ll get. A few of my best girlfriends just had babies too, and we’re constantly sharing tips and tricks, even when we can’t always be in the same city. Try a postnatal yoga class or a group like Stroller Strides to find some friends with little ones.

With lots of mama love,

Josie

Images via: Fit Pregnancy

DO GOOD World Rivers Day

“The land is our mother, the rivers our blood.” –Mary Brave Bird

This Sunday is World Rivers Day, a global event dedicated to celebrating and protecting the world’s beautiful waterways. The event brings attention to a wide array of issues surrounding rivers, including the decline of fish population and the construction of dams that harm wildlife.

DO GOOD

Volunteer or donate this Sunday! There are great organizations that support rivers in the U.S. such as the American River Conservancy and the Western Rivers Conservancy. No pennies to spare? There’s a ton that you can do to protect your local rivers. For starters, avoid washing your car near storm drains or pouring any kind of chemical or pollutant into the drains. If you live near a river, organize a cleanup crew for its banks, or work with a local group to plant vegetation to avoid erosion.

ECO TIPS Fab Floras

Fact. Fresh flowers actually improve your mood and chase away anxiety and depression. Plus, nothing instantly brightens a room like a beautiful bouquet or a pretty plant. Here are our tips for doing flowers the eco way!

Buy Local: Did you know the majority of flowers in the US are imported? That’s a huge carbon footprint for a few tulips! Ask your fave flower shop if they buy local. Chances are, they might have a mix of domestic and imported flowers at different times of the year. Buy what’s local and in season to keep your arrangement earth-friendly.

DIY!: Who cares if your flowers aren’t perfectly clipped, snipped and sorted. Pick your own favorites from what’s growing in your backyard and throw it in a vase! Or, if you don’t have a bunch of blooms in your yard, ask your florist for some of the leftovers from her arrangements. You might get a few crumpled petals, but you’ll have an eclectic mix of colors and textures that looks perfectly bohemian.

Be Creative: Don’t limit yourself to roses and ranunculus. What else do you have on hand? A few sprigs of dill or rosemary add delicate bursts of green to your arrangement and smell so yummy. Or fill a vase with kumquats before adding your flowers. Just don’t forget to compost your leftovers.

Images via:

Style Me Pretty

Oh Hello Friend

Delightfully Engaged

A DAY IN THE LIFE Indi's Growing Up!

Can you believe how big Indi Joon is already? She’s still such a little girl, but I’m already feeling like time is passing too quickly! Soon she’ll be in school like Rumi. I’m taking lots of pictures to document her early life—I know she’ll want to look at them later. I’d love to hear what the other mamas out there do to hold on to their kids’ early years. Scrapbooks? Albums? Please share!

With love and lots of baby pictures!

Josie

BABY LOVE Decals + Dolls

Now that we’re all back and settled in L.A. together, I’ve been looking for ways to decorate my daughters’ rooms in a way that will inspire their imaginations. I recently discovered Blik Wall Decals, which seem like a nice way to add some whimsy. They come right on and off the wall, so I can easily switch them out as the girls get older and their tastes change. I’m loving the mix of prints they have—everything from delicate butterflies to goofy giraffes. Plus, the Venice, CA based company gives back to local and national charities like Boys and Girls Club of Venice and Manifest Equality.

Another recent find is Tane Organics. At first, I was drawn to Tane’s cute baby clothes. But they also have some pretty stuffed animals that are wrapped in organic cotton and machine washable—a must have as little ones like Indi Joon start going through their drooling, teething stages.

With love,

Josie

ECO TIPS Flea Market Treasures

This weekend, our Marketing Coordinator, Annalise, took an expedition to the Rose Bowl Flea Market and snapped some pics of the all the awesome wares.  People come from far and wide to Pasadena to visit the Rose Bowl Flea Market in search of a deal on everything from vintage boots to antique chandeliers to hand-woven rugs from Tangier. If you’ve never visited a flea market, you’re missing out on some seriously cool vintage goodies. Here are our tips for amateur flea market-ers.

Haggle, Haggle, Haggle: Don’t be afraid to bargain with the vendors. This is a flea market, not Neiman Marcus! If it’s the end of the day—bonus! Chances are, the vendor would rather give you a good deal on that vintage mirror than pack it back into his truck.

Do a Lap: OK, so you see a vase right at the entrance of the market that you can’t live without. DO A LAP! If you aren’t familiar with the items being sold, you might buy something that really isn’t as unique as you think it is. Once you do a lap of the market, you have a better sense of what is really one-of-a-kind and what is well, everywhere.

Take a Second Look at Ugly Ducklings: Oftentimes at flea markets, you’ll see a whole lot of outdated furniture that makes you cringe. But don’t run away too fast. Try to look beyond the chipping paint or the polyester upholstery. Does it have a good structure and design? You can get “ugly” pieces at amazing prices and turn them into gems with just a coat of paint or a trip to the upholstery guy. Plus, you’re creating something totally unique with a great story.

WORKOUT WEDNESDAY Splish Splash

This summer when we were in Pennsylvania, Rumi Joon and I spent a lot of time running through the sprinklers and swimming in our friend's pool. There's nothing like a dunk in cool water to chill out on a hot day—and I also got some great low-impact exercise in the pool. After watching my JMC coworkers boogie boarding and body surfing at the beach this weekend, I'm in the mood to try some fun water sports. What are your favorite ways to splish, splash, and work that body of yours?

With love,

Josie

Images via: 

CherryBow Shoot-Me-Now Pinterest

JOSIE'S PICKS for a Boho Home

My mom has a great eye for design. In fact, she picked out most of the cool décor at the JMC offices! She even gave us some amazing prayer flags that she made from vintage fabrics she’s collected throughout the years from estate sales and hole-in-the-wall fabric stores. We have them draped from the beams in our lobby. Here are few picks from Etsy and beyond, inspired by the style we both love.

With love,

Josie

Stitchinnetka Prayer Flags

Studio 180 Turkish Kilim Rug

Crate & Barrel Raj Candleholder

Abundancy Middle Eastern Tray

Pillowstore Woven Pillow

A DAY IN THE LIFE Last Days in PA

With Rumi Joon's school starting soon in L.A., we will have to say goodbye to our farm in Pennsylvania for a few months. While I'm excited to see all my friends and family and get back into my California routine, I can't help but feel a little sad. It's been so nice to be out in the beautiful countryside, watching my older daughter play in our backyard, and my baby daughter get bigger and bigger against the backdrop of growing sunflowers and ripening tomatoes. It's been a summer I'll never forget—and I can't wait to spend more time with my family later in the year here on the farm. 

With love,

Josie