We are officially one week into no school and I'm slowly running out of ways to entertain my little people.  The real kicker is that they wake up earlier and stay up later so there is literally several more hours worth of keeping them occupied.  I thought it would be fun to let them come up with their list of things they want to do this summer.  Not exactly the bucket list of Parents Magazine but it's cute to see what they said.  I'm going to do a follow up post with things to do with kids in the area.  I know it's always helpful when you travel (or even for locals) to be reminded of fun things to do.



I get a lot of questions about Tagg's blue shoes (the only thing besides his boots you'll see him wearing // and his orange pants found here) and I have to say they are my favorite three season kids shoe ever.  Of all time.  They are made by Native and are a cross between a croc and a tennis shoe.  Hands down the best thing I have found for kids.  So good I've been debating ordering myself a pair.  They have a super thick sole that is really durable and the holes make them breathable.  I bought Tagg a pair last Spring and he wore them daily during the Spring, Summer and Fall and they are still like brand new.  He wears them in mud puddles, on playgrounds, neighborhood walks, backyard races, and even in at the beach or in the pool.  I can hose them off, Clorox wipe them, and throw them on the top shelf of the dishwasher.  I kid you not.  They're hip and go with trendy clothes and I personally think they look equally adorable with a classic john-john or smocked bishop as well. 

I've also rounded up all of my favorite shoes for my kids.  This is basically the complete list of what is lying on our front hall closet floor at this very minute.  Be sure to check out the full offering for girls or boys.  Thankfully Nordstrom offers free shipping and free returns because some of these brands run smaller or larger than others.  For instance, the natives run big and the salt water sandals run small.  I've found that hunter boots and keens will still work if they're a size too big so you get double the wear out of them.



Get the deal on my favorites below:





*affiliate links used

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 And now just a quick up-date on the babes.  Who are officially no longer babes of any sort, for that matter.  The days are slow but the years sure go by so fast.  I'm sure most of y'all aren't super interested in this but the grandparents and extended family love this stuff.  And it's nice to document for us too.

Wells is turning five at the end of the summer.  I can't even begin to describe how sweet and thoughtful this child is to others.  She feels deeply and fully.  She is also shy and sensitive.  An observer.  Cautious.  She'd rather sit on my lap than run and play with a large group of kids.  In small groups and one-on-one settings she shines.  Shines!  She can make you feel like you're the most important person on Earth.  She loves animals and has a gift with handling them.  She's an animal whisperer.  She can't get enough of the water.  She truly believes she might get to meet a mermaid one day.  She has an incredible gift for building things and creating things.  She likes to pick out her outfits each morning and will only wear a headband.  She's headed to Junior Kindergarten in the fall (more on our decision process later) and I think this next year will be tremendous for her confidence and ease in new situations.  She's so bright and articulate and I love our closeness and how much time she still wants to spend together.


 Tagg.  Dear Tagg.  You will be 3.5 soon and I'm having a hard time not thinking of you as a baby.  Maybe it's because you still aren't sleeping through the night regularly and you haven't shown any need for independence like your sister.  ha!  I truly don't think it's possible for you to be more loving and snugly.  All day long you want to cuddle and snuggle and give hugs and kiss.  You are always quick with a smile and a compliment.  Your laughter is contagious and should be bottled up.  Still obsessed with Thomas the Train but quickly letting the fun of playing Jake and the Pirates sneak in.  He is calm and chill and makes you feel like a million bucks.  He reminds me so much of his Daddy in this way.  In a crowd you will find him front and center and leading the way.  Telling jokes and whispering something funny under his breath (Much more like your grandfather!).  He is brave.  So brave.  He loves to play in mud and puddles and get dirty and sit in creek beds and build construction sites.  We recently had his allergy levels tested and his numbers are quite high so it's still a bit frightening navigating his world.  More still when I'm not with him.  He did amazing in the Two's this year at school.  We've finally gotten his asthma under control and we've watched an entirely new child emerge these past few months.  It's exciting to finally meet the real Tagg.  His eczema this time of year is horrible.  I'll try to discuss that in another post as well.  I love watching him run and climb and do "boy fings" and then turn around and climb into my lap, "the snuggle section" for love.


I love posting little snippets of our life on instagram but sometimes it's fun to have a chance to share more about these two little cuties on the blog as well.  Thanks for letting me indulge in their cuteness!  And a big thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post.