TRANSITIONING TO FALL WHEN IT'S STILL HOT

OUTFIT DETAILS: 

ON ME: OLD NAVY DRESS (wearing size medium tall)  ||  OLD NAVY DENIM JACKET  ||  OLD NAVY BOOTS  ||  BAG

ON B: OLD NAVY TEE  ||  OLD NAVY JEANS

ON FOS: OLD NAVY TEE  ||  OLD NAVY JEANS 

ON SAN:  OLD NAVY ROMPER

It's about this time of year that I start thinking about Fall. The cold weather clothing is starting to hit the stores and it makes me itch for cool days. Buuut it's still 80 degrees everyday (and we have no air conditioning), so we're not quite ready for scarves and coats yet....

But there's a little style trick for helping you transition to Fall while still staying nice and cool: Boots and Dresses!

Ankle boots are my favorite style of boot, and they're the perfect transitional shoe to help you feel like cool weather is coming, but won't make you overheat. Pair them with a lightweight dress and you have the best transitional outfit. I love this dress from Old Navy -- I bought it in a medium tall so it was long enough for me, and it's just the right length, so breezy and loose, and so comfortable. I also snagged these super cute ankle boots that are basically the most versatile ankle boot you'll ever own.

I'm also loving this dress in burgundy, this one in orange, and these ankle boots. So many good choices. I'm also obsessed with San's knitted romper that's technically for boys, but would be so cute on boys and girls.

All regularly priced items at Old Navy are 30% off and sale items are 20% off TODAY ONLY with code "ENJOY", and all their jeans are up to 50% off! So go snag a couple of things for back to school, or just because you're itching for Fall too!

photos by rad and happy

created in partnership with Old Navy

THE BEST BOOKS FOR READING TO LITTLE BOYS

MY OUTFIT DETAILS:  MERONA TOP via SCHOOLA  ||  J.CREW SKIRT via SCHOOLA

ON B: VINTAGE GINGHAM BUTTON DOWN via SCHOOLA  ||  SHAUN WHITE PANTS via SCHOOLA

ON FOS: OSHKOSH B'GOSH BUTTON DOWN via SCHOOLA  

Education is such an important part of my life and my parenting, and I do everything I can to teach my boys as much as I can. We're constantly playing math, memory, spelling, and quiz games, or looking up online to learn about a planet we saw the night before, or a species of animal we saw in a book. And my favorite way to teach my boys is by reading to them.

Reading aloud not only improves a child's comprehension and listening skills (both of which are hugely important), it also accellerates their reading level because you, as a parent, can read books to them that are several grades higher. It teaches them to focus, they learn bigger words, and they grow to understand more complex plots.

I love companies that have similar values and goals to mine as a parent, so I was instantly impressed by Schoola, who sells second hand women and children's clothing, and turns the money into programs for your kids schools. Hooray for brands that focus on our children's education!

Schoola sells gently used items from tons of the brands I already shop, so I can get great pieces for amazing discounted prices while simultaneously helping the schools. And they're constantly adding new pieces so their inventory is always fresh and changing.

Get $20 off plus free shipping on your first order right here!

So today we've teamed up with Schoola to share ten of our favorite read aloud books for little boys!

Below are our favorite books we've read. Many of these are targeted to children older than mine, but like I said above, you can read way higher above their reading level and I've read all of these aloud to my boys, ages 3 and 6. (note: my three year old doesn't catch everything, and occasionally gets bored, but I do my best to explain concepts and characters, and he does pretty great at following the story and listening. And he gets better with every book).

1. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM. This was our most recent read and every night B would beg for one more chapter. It's about a sweet little mama mouse, Mrs. Frisby, whose family lives in the garden of a farmer. Spring is approaching and although they usually move to the nearby creek during the summer when the plow comes through the garden, her youngest baby is ill and can't make the move. So to help solve her problems, she's told to ask the rats for help. She soon discovers their secrets and why they're such a mysterious group of creatures. I was on the edge of my seat for a lot of this book, and even read ahead a few times because it was too stressful to not know the outcome right this second. 
2. Farmer Boy. The Laura Ingalls Wilder books are typically geared toward girls, but Farmer Boy is such a good choice for little boys. I love reading books about children with good manners and good work ethic (hoping it rubs off on my boys, haha), and this is just that kind. Almanzo is just the kind of boy you hope your little girls will marry. 
3. Boxcar Children. I started reading these to B when he was five, and we breezed through the first 19 books in the series in a few months. This is another good example of books with well behaved and well mannered children. Those Alden children are so kind and sweet, and I had just as much fun reading them aloud as B and Fos had listening. Also, the first 19 are the originals, written by Gertrude Chandler Warner until her death, but several other authors went on to write about a hundred more. B has read a ton of those on his own, but I read just the first 19 to him and Fos. 
4. A to Z Mysteries. I haven't personally read any of these, but B absolutely loves them. They're pretty short chapter book mysteries about three little friends who always find some problem and then solve it together. 
5. Geronimo Stilton. These are silly little mysteries about a timid mouse who ends up getting mixed up in all sorts of wild adventures with his family members. We just recently heard about these so B hasn't read a ton of them, but they're cute and easy reads. 
6. Roald Dahl: George's Marvelous Medicine, Fantastic Mr. Fox, James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. You just can't help but love Roald Dahl. His outlandish stories are classics, and both of my boys love them. They typically don't have very complex plots, so it's easy for even my three year old to follow, and the silly stories (especially George's Marvelous Medicine) have us bursting with giggles. 
7. Hank the Cowdog. I read these ones growing up and remember listening to them in the car on several road trips. My parents thought this goofy dog was so hilarious. We just picked the first one up from the libary so we're starting it this week and I can't wait! 
8. Nate the Great. These are little easy-to-read mysteries that B loves to read and Fos loves to listen to. And even though they're pretty low level, they usually have some clever situation that solves the mystery so I like reading them and trying to solve the mystery before we get to the end. 
9. Charlotte's Web. Such a classic, and good for both boys and girls. B's kindergarten teacher read it aloud to them this year in class, and when they finished I asked B if his teacher had cried. He said "no, but my eyes got a little watery so I put my head down so no one could see." This kid gets it. 
10. The Indian in the Cupboard. Anything involving cowboys, indians, and little boys is an automatic winner in our house. My boys loved this book, and we're already planning on reading the sequel. 
11. Magic Tree House. These little adventure books about a brother and sister have all sorts of history lessons in them and I love that B learns about the Revolutionary War, or about the Knights of the Round Table. 

To help you prep your kids for summer, or back to school, Schoola is providing $20 in free credit, PLUS free shipping for all my readers! Go right here to get your credit!

thank you to schoola for partnering on this post  ||  photos by rad and happy 

6 WAYS TO CONNECT WITH YOUR KIDS

As a working mom of three busy boys and a schedule full of appointments for both me and the kids, it can be tough to find time to really connect with my boys every day. With twenty four hours in the day, it seems like there would be tons of time to sit and talk or read or connect, but it's easy to let the days slip away in between laundry, playdates, and doctor's appointments. I guarantee those of you with kids feel the same!

But having a great relationship with my kids is a high priority for me, and I'm sure it is for you too, so I've teamed up with Baskin-Robbins today to share six things we do to make sure we really connect with our kids every day. Because there's no better way to connect than over ice cream, right?? ;)


1. Set aside time every day for each child. It doesn't have to been anything fancy or even lengthy, but a little time to connect every day goes a long way. Although it varies day to day, right before bedtime is when we do most of our connecting. Philip wrestles with the boys, or cuddles them and chats with them to calm them down before sleeping, I read aloud to the older boys, I play with San and nurse him before he goes to sleep, Philip builds one last lego creation with one of the boys before bed...whatever it is, that hour or so before bedtime is our connecting time. And as parents, we alternate who is taking care of whom so we both get good time with each boy.

2. Eat dinner together. I've heard a million things about the positive effects of family dinner, and we try to sit down at the table and eat together every single night. Philip is just getting home from work around this time, so it's a good time for us to all be together and for all of us to share about our day.

3. Family dates. Philip and I aren't super great about consistent date nights, but we're really good about family dates. It's an easy way to get out of cooking dinner for the night, and a great way to get your family out of the house and spending time together. We went out to Baskin-Robbins the other night to try out their new Warm Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich, and it was the perfect family date night together. We all built our own sandwich, choosing our ice cream and cookie flavors, and then "sandwiched" all together while eating our sandwiches ;) I love ice cream sandwiches, but when they're warm and gooey, they're about the best thing in the world. You have to go try them.

4. Family Travel. There's no better way for me to unplug than to be on vacation. I put my phone in the stroller and then ask for "two hands" -- one boy in each -- and then we play. We let them stay up later, we spoil them a little, and we give them as much undivided attention as we can. When they have that undivided attention, they open up and talk and share and we connect more than ever.

5. Find things you can do together. There are certain things I like to do as a mom, and other things I really don't like to do. I like to go to the beach, have a picnic at the park, take them to the library, read aloud to them, travel, and cook in the kitchen with them. So those are the things we do together so it's fun for all of us. Then I let them do on their own the things I don't love to do, like play legos, build forts, or play on the playground. You'll connect so much more if your activity is fun for both of you!

6. Be on their team. I think one of the things children carry with them the most is their parents attitude toward them. I talk about being a team a lot in our home, and always want to make sure my kids know that I'll stand up for them and support them no matter what!

It's hard to implement all of these at once, so start with one and work your way up. I recommend starting with family dates...because you guys need a Warm Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich right now!

thank you to baskin-robbins for partnering on this post  ||  photos by rad and happy  

THE BEST PLACES TO BRUNCH IN ORANGE COUNTY, CA

Since I work during the week, Saturday's have become our special family days. We have a weekly tradition of brunch, and have spent the last year trying out a bunch of different spots in an effort to find our very favorite.

And even though we really try to dedicate our Saturdays to just family time, I have to admit that I'm always tempted to turn them into errand running days -- a chance to get everything done before the week starts again.

But Target, Costco, and grocery store runs are basically the last thing my kids want to do, or want me to do, on a Saturday (when we could be eating donuts), so they were maybe happier than me when we discovered Google Express. It's the best site that lets you shop your favorite stores all from the same app so you can buy the products you want from the stores you love, all from one place. It's pretty genius if you ask me. We have a specific kind of face wash and cream we use, specific Target diapers I like, and bulk toilet paper we always buy, and being able to shop for all of those at once and having all of them delivered for free the next day is a mama's dream come true.

All Saturday errands done with the click of a button? Check. Time to get back to our very important work of finding the very best chocolate croissant within a 5 mile radius ;)

So now I have two good things for you --

1. Google Express and I teamed up to give my readers $15 toward your first Google Express purchase now through July 31.* Use code MERRICK.

2. A list of our tried and true brunch spots in Orange County! If you live in the area or are traveling here during the summer, you must try them out.

C'est Si Bon bakery. If you're looking for an unbelievably amazing French bakery, this is it. Their fresh baguettes are out of this world, and they come fresh out of the oven every few minutes. If it's getting close to lunch time, get a make-your-own baguette sandwich and make sure to toast it! You also must get a chocolate croissant, because these are the best ones we've found. 

The store is almost always packed, and there are very few tables, but it's one hundred percent worth it to wait around for a few minutes. 

Anepolco. I'm typically more of a sweet brunch kind of girl (french toast, waffles, smoothies, donuts), but this place knocked my socks off. It's a Mexican French fusion cuisine, which is so unique, and every single dish I've tried has been unbelievably amazing. The Perdidos is my favorite, but the chilaquiles is also unreal. They also have dessert crepes that are super good if you finish your brunch and need something sweet to top it off. This one is close to Disneyland if you're staying around there!

Crema bakery cafe. It took us three tries to finally get into this place, but once we finally did it met all my expectations and then some. It has a restaurant and a bakery, both of which are so great. The restaurant tables are tucked in between two buildings on main street in Seal Beach (which is super pretty!), so you get a nice shady spot to eat your brunch. Get the breakfast crepe and get a pastry for dessert -- you won't be disappointed!

Rose bakery cafe. This is the cafe we go to probably the very most. It's down in Corona Del Mar, so it's probably the very farthest from us, but it's so worth the drive. Their breakfast burritos are better than any I've ever had -- my favorite is the country burrito, just make sure you sub out the potatoes for hashbrowns (because they're crunch and crispy and amazing). They're also pretty big, so you could definitely share and then have room for a pastry or one of their super good smoothies. 

Sidecar donuts. I'm such a donut lover and since we moved here 3 1/2 years ago I've been on the hunt for the best donuts. I'd heard about Sidecar for months, but finally got around to trying it a few weeks ago. I've had a lot of donuts in my life, but these were far and away my very favorite. They have monthly specials, and this month I'd definitely recommend the raspberry and the salty caramel. Also, expect a little bit of a line, because they're crazy popular. 

Bread crumb ohana cafe. I went here a few months ago for my friend's birthday brunch and with a table ten women, every single one of us got their North Shore french toast on Hawaiian bread. It's very best with strawberries, macadamia nuts, and coconut syrup. I'm drooling just thinking about it. Also, it's always packed, so make sure you plan accordingly!

Black market bakery. We happened upon this place randomly, but it was so so good. It has a fun, trendy vibe, and although seating is limited, they also have some places outside to sit if the weather is nice. We definitely recommend the scones!

La Petite Sourie. This place actually started our brunching tradition. It's a little hole in the wall in a grocery store shopping complex, but it's so yummy. It's not quite as amazing as C'est Si Bon Bakery, but it's still very authentic French. I recommend the french toast (it comes on sliced Baguettes), and then grabbing a box of macarons on your way out. 

Now go use that $15 to Google Express, get your Saturday's back, and start brunching!





*Applies only to 1st purchase (even if it’s less than the coupon value). Valid until 07/31/2016 while your account’s active. Alcohol, gift cards, membership costs and shipping & service fees excluded. For complete terms and conditions, see g.co/express/trial.

thank you to Google Express for sponsoring this post || photos by rad and happy

FAMILY BEACH DAY

OUTFIT DETAILS:  MY ROMPER   ||  SANDALS  c/o CROCS  ||  SIMILAR SWIMSUIT 

PHILIP'S SWIMSUIT  ||  JACKET  ||  SANDALS c/o CROCS

B'S SWIMSUIT  ||  TEE  ||  SANDALS c/o CROCS

FOS' SWIMSUIT  ||  TANK ||  SANDALS  c/o CROCS

SAN'S ROMPER

HAT  ||  SIMILAR TOWEL  ||  SIMILAR BEACH CHAIRS  ||  STROLLER  ||  CARSEAT

Growing up I never really appreciated any holidays besides my birthday and Christmas...obviously cause those were the holidays that I got presents. But the older I get, I've realized that my life is happier when I find any and every reason to celebrate. It just makes my life feel happy and more special.

So for Father's Day this year, since we love celebrating the most important guy in our lives, we decided on a beach day, and teamed up with Crocs to take us down there. I take the boys to the beach a lot by myself during the week, but we haven't found time to go as an entire family very much lately -- in fact, I think we'd only gone one time so far this year. The boys love it when we take Dad because he builds sandcastles with them, chases them down in the water, and runs around with them. Way more fun than me...

Since we live only a mile from the water, we love piling up the kids in the stroller and walking down to the beach as a family. We let the boys bring their scooters, or we throw them all in the stroller, and it gives Philip and me a good long stretch to just talk as we walk. It's important for me to have shoes that are comfortable enough to walk a couple of miles in, but also work for the beach, and these jelly sandals from Crocs are perfect for both. I remember having jelly sandals when I was little and they were so cool, but also not very comfortable -- the plastic was stiff and they rubbed my feet as I walked. But these are so incredibly soft and flexible, and are probably the most comfortable sandals I own. Crocs also sent Philip and the boys each a pair of sandals, and I cracked up when they all put them on individually and each said, "whoa, these are SO comfortable."

Crocs has always been known for their super comfortable shoes, but their classic clogs have never been my style. So I was super excited when they came out with a whole new line of updated styles that are really cute but also insanely comfortable. I love these jelly flats, but I'm also obsessed with the pair of wedges from their summer line I've been wearing non-stop for the last few weeks.

I never thought we'd be a Crocs wearing family, but with a line this cute, and shoes this comfortable, we're all over that. You have to check out all their new shoes right here, grab some for your dad or husband for Father's Day, and then leave a comment telling me what adventures you're going to have to celebrate those dudes in your life!

Thank you to Crocs for partnering on this post  ||  photos by rad and happy