Still a Carter's Baby: Spring Edition + $50 Giveaway!

I don't know about you, but I am SO over winter and SO ready for spring.  We haven't even had that cold of a winter, but I am just dying for longer days and warmer weather.  

Rash Guard // Swim Trunks // Sunglasses // Shoes

And so is Ethan.

If you recall...Ethan is a Carter's baby through and through, which is why I am excited to partner once again and let you know that Carter's is having a huge spring sale...up to 50% off!  It includes baby and kid items, now through March 4th.

And this sale couldn't come at a better time because we're taking a long weekend to travel to some fun in the sun in Scottsdale.  So, Ethan clearly had to get geared up accordingly.

The new collection includes adorable items for babies and young kids, including graphic tees, polos, woven shirts, shorts, cardigans, tunics & leggings, cotton dresses—just in time for spring!  You can check out the girl and boy collections to see how best to mix and match your little's one spring wardrobe!  ;)

And get this: they're offering all of you an extra 20% off when you spend $40 or more in store.  To find your local store, click here. 

Even MORE cool is that one of you can win $50 to Carter's!

Simply visit the Carter's website and let me know what your favorite item is!  Make sure to enter in the widget below.  The winner will be chosen by March 26th.

Good luck!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

xo natasha

Thanks to Carter's and The Motherhood for sponsoring this post.  Ethan can't wait to test out his new trunks this weekend!  And as always, the thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own. ;)

Roasted Cauliflower & Garlic Naan Pizza

For those that follow me on Instagram {@schuelove} you may have noticed this picture I posted from over the weekend.  It's sinful...definitely a cheat meal, but it is SO worth it.  Take roasted garlic and cauliflower PLUS goat cheese...and a creamy sauce.  So good.  SO GOOD.  Plus, the pizza is made on naan bread, which is perfect for individual servings.  Serve with your favorite vegetable on the side...you know, to try and make make it a bit healthier, and I guarantee that this will become a new favorite.

Recipe via

Ingredients:

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 rosemary sprigs

5 ounces goat cheese

8 cloves garlic

1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon minced rosemary

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 package Naan

1/4 cup parmesan

Method:

1. In a small sauce pan, bring heavy cream just to a boil. Add rosemary springs, cover and remove from heat. Allow rosemary to steep in cream for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3. Toss garlic cloves and cauliflower with olive oil, minced rosemary, salt and pepper. Roast in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender. Remove from oven and set aside.
4. Return cream to medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add goat cheese and whisk until smooth.
5. Spread sauce over two naan. You will have sauce left over.
6. Sprinkle parmesan over two naan. Top with roasted cauliflower and garlic, breaking up the garlic with your fingers. Bake pizza in the oven 5-10 minutes until naan is well browned and cheese sauce is bubbly. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

xo natasha

A Good Night's Sleep + Every Little Bottom Deserves a Diaper

You know that late night wake up call that occurs every once in a blue moon?  It's a particular cry that makes you decide to get out of bed...a cry of discomfort that makes you think {despite your dazed state of mind} that there could be something more behind the cry.

Ethan has these every now and then and we always moan and groan, but ultimately decide to check in on him {and forgo the "cry it out method"} to see what's going on.  The usual culprit?  A diaper fail.  Or sometimes...the worst: a diaper blowout.

I know, who could sleep through wet clothes?  Certainly not Ethan.  And we've been experiencing more of this incidents as of late.  So when we were contacted by Huggies to test their Snug & Dry Diapers...I was all ears.

Speaking of ears, Huggies Snug & Dry diapers feature vibrant, modern Mickey Mouse graphics, which is just too perfect for Ethan since he recently started to become more enthralled with the Mickey Mouse Club show in the mornings {and I cannot get that hot dog song out of my head!}.  More importantly though, they provide up to 12 hours of leakage protection and they have definitely held up to this promise.  We are happily back to sleeping through the night...and Ethan seems much more comfortable now too.  Even my husband noted that these diapers fit better than the ones we were previously using.  I call that a win-win in my book.

Perhaps the biggest win is what Huggies is doing to give back to babies in need.  They're asking all of us to visit the Huggies Challenge website to take the Huggies® Challenge – complete challenges and win prizes.  This is the cool part...for every new challenge completed, Huggies Every Little Bottom will donate diapers to a baby in need.  Pretty awesome right?  And if you need more incentive, two lucky Testers will win Huggies Diapers & Wipes for an entire year!  Drawings for these prizes will take place on May 12th and August 25th.

Hey, if we can help out other babies by playing these fun games...that is certainly the least we can do, right?  So what are you waiting for??  I challenge each of you to do your good deed for the day and take a minute and hop on over to take the Huggies Challenge today.

xo natasha

A special thanks to Huggies for sponsoring this post and asking us to take part in the Huggies Challenge.  Not only do I thank you for allowing us to sleep through the night once again, Ethan thanks you too for keeping him nice and dry!  ;)

Design Showcase: Nursery Turned Big Boy Room

Ahhh!  I am so excited to start sharing some of the spaces that you've so graciously asked me to help with.  Again, I can't thank you enough for the lovely comments and emails I've received since asking if any of you wanted help updating your home.  It's been SO much fun hearing from you and getting glimpses into the places you call home.  

First up, is mama Elizabeth...mama to her 19 month old son, Mason.   Elizabeth shared some pictures of Mason's nursery and asked to have it updated to make it more of a big boy room.  Some words from Elizabeth:

When Mason was first born, we lived in an apartment and I had set up his nursery with an owl theme - specifically owls from Dwell Studio. Then we moved into a townhouse to have more space but I never fully re-did his nursery. Now that he is getting older (he is 19 months now) I would like more of a "big boy" theme but have no idea where to start!  The pictures are of what his room looks like now. Except the book shelf with the owl pictures above his dresser/changing pad are not there anymore...because he pulled the shelf down the other night! Boys! I do still love the owl prints though so if they could be incorporated still, that would be awesome, but if not, I will totally use them elsewhere. That "M" is one of those zinc letters from Anthropologie that I think you showed in one of your collages and I love love love it. I would totally be open to buying more to spell out his name.

I loved the sweet owls and the fact that the space is basically a blank canvas.  The room was craving a bit more color and personality, but the good news was that all of the nuts and bolts were in place.  Add a fun rug, whimsical curtains and a couple additional "forest-friendly" pieces, and voila...we've got a fun boy room for Mason!

Gallery Wall: Owl Prints // Owl Mirror // Deer Head // Squirrel Clock

Curtains {only $21} // Basket // Owl Sheets // Rug // Pillow {love this one too}  // Zinc Letters

As I said above, I love the Dwell Studio inspired owls that already hang on Mason's wall so I thought it would be fun to incorporate them more into a gallery wall layout.  The cute owl mirror, deer head and squirrel clock round out the forest theme while also adding a mature touch.  Of course, if Mason has the owls on his wall, he must have them in his bed too.  The Dwell bedding is too cute to pass up and will really add a special touch to his room.

Since there are already blinds on the window, a light curtain will the trick and this Land of Nod version  is a steal for $21 per panel.  I also love this striped rug to add some color and interest into the room.  

Last, a couple decorative pillows, colorful baskets and those adorable zinc letters {Elizabeth can even decide to spell out his initials instead} will pull the room together and make it feel complete.

I had so much for reimagining this room for Mason {and it got the wheels turning for Ethan's big boy room too!}.  I hope he loves it and can't wait to see the updated space.

Next up will be a family room update, with a unique wall color.  Can't wait to share!  :)

xo natasha

Weekend Happenings

First of all...you guys cracked me up with all of your toddler stories from my last post!  It also made me feel better that I was not alone with that experience, so thank you for opening up and sharing.  You all are the best!  ;)

We had a super mellow weekend which turned out to be pretty fun.  The weather was super nice...so we spent as much time outside as possible!

 Ethan snuck away to play his beloved iPhone games in his tent on Friday night.  

You can see some of his favorite apps here.

 On Saturday, we walked a new path out by the lake and had lunch at Edgewood...our favorite spot!  You can't beat the view.

 And this could very well be my new favorite picture of Ethan.  He loved play in the sand and wanted to run into the lake.

Love these two!

 Totally had a cheat meal on Saturday night...this is a naan pizza with goat cheese, cauliflower and garlic with a side of brussel sprouts and wine.  Super rich but SUPER good!

 Sunday morning, I gave into another obsession that Ethan has as of late...he LOVES playing with the water int he faucet...

{Proof we live with a toddler...look at those countertops!}

And gets super upset when you tell him playtime is over...notice the tears in his eyes?  

Later that morning, we met up with a friend and went to our neighborhood park.  Ethan had so much fun climbing and going down on the slides.  We'll definitely have to do that again soon.

Sunday night, we made Ina Garten's Winter Minestrone...it's SOOOO good!  Perfect for a chilly Sunday night.  

How were your weekends?

xo natasha

The Time My Toddler Locked Me Out of the House

Oh yes...this is a major Mommy Fail moment...get ready for it.

{photo to display stinker tendencies}

So yesterday morning, Ryan had to go to work early {he normally goes to work after me} and so I was left to get Ethan ready for the day, as well as myself.  We were doing great until I noticed my windshield was frozen over and that I better start up the car so it could defrost.  Now, I am not normally one to leave Ethan unattended, but it was literally a total of maybe 20 seconds in and out.  So I run out to turn on the car and rush back to the door, only to find it locked.

F.

My little stinker of a son has been known to turn the lock on this particular door knob {and only this door knob} and he had done so in the mere seconds I was gone.  So I did what any rational parent would do and start knocking on the door and rattling the door knob...hoping that Ethan would somehow magically figure out how to unlock it.  All I got in response was some jiggling of the door knob back and some giggling.

So I thought, ok, don't panic, you can always just open the front door.  We have a key box right next to our door, so I got the key out and unlocked the door knob...only to realize that the deadbolt was on.

Double F.

Panic started to set in.  OK...so I am outside {thankfully already dressed for the day!} and I don't have my cell phone or any keys to unlock the house.  And Ethan is inside, by himself {well, if you don't count the cat and dog}.  I figured he would start figuring out his predicament {toddler separation issues} and would surely start to panic himself.  He quickly proved me wrong!

I jiggled the door some more to the garage but realized I had to come up with plan c.  I remembered letting Wilson out to go potty and thought maybe...just maybe... I had left the back sliding door unlocked.  When I got to the back sliding door and peered in, Ethan was happy as a clam, pushing his wastebasket around the living room.  Stinker.  I tried the sliding door...no dice.

In the past, Ethan has also figured out how to pop the sliding door lock open.  This lock has a spring and even the smallest push can pop it open.  So I knocked on the glass pane, coaxing him to come over. and ask him to open the lock.  He is all smiles...of course he thinks this is a game.  And Wilson {our dog} is not helping by getting in Ethan's way with the hope of breaking out.  Ethan tries pulling the handle several times and then just like that, his little finger hits the lock and it unlocks.

THANK GOODNESS!

Boy do I have a clever baby...he not only locked me out of the house, but also let me back in.  Phew!

It all lasted maybe a total of 10 minutes and no harm was done.  But I quickly called Ryan and we agreed that we definitely had to get a key to our deadbolt ASAP as well as think about changing the knobs in our house STAT.

Eek!  I swear, it was the perfect storm this morning...I am just so happy he unlocked the door for me or else who knows what I would have done!!

Ahh!  Tell me I'm not the only one who has experienced a total mommy fail like this before!!

With all of that being said, I hope you have a great weekend {that hopefully does not involve toddler lockouts!} and that you can relax and enjoy {ie: have a glass of wine, like I surely will tonight!}. 

xo natasha

Thoughts for Thursday

First things first, I have to say THANK YOU for all of your kind comments and support on my last post.  I am overwhelmed by the response I've gotten and I'm so excited to partner with many of you on your spaces.  I was a little worried that there may have been crickets in response to my offer, so it has been super fun hearing from you and the challenges you face with certain rooms in your home.  I was especially surprised to learn that several of you said you would actually pay me for my help...which is really awesome.  We'll see how this goes!  I love that it's something I can do for fun, but I am open to the idea of making something more of it down the road.  In the meantime, I'm going to try not to stay up too late each night working on your projects...I started two last night and am having so much fun!

In other news...

I finally got around to cleaning out Ethan's kitchen drawer.  I removed all the bottles and used these IKEA bins to store away his sippy cups, food pouches and other snacks.  It also allowed more room for his dishes and bowls.  It feels SO much better to have things organized in there.  PS...you can see a peek of our new West Elm rug...love!

Tahoe has really been representing at the Sochi Olympics!  Jamie Anderson won gold and is the new sweetheart of Tahoe...everyone here is so proud of her!  And it's been especially cool to see her featured on Ellen and The Late Night Show.  Woot woot!

My new favorite breakfast is scrambled eggs with spinach and sweet potato...SO good!

I am kind of obsessed with these Gap jeans.  They're a super super light wash, almost white, but the slight tint of color makes me think they're probably a little more figure friendly.

How cute are these decorative matches from Lulu & Georgia?  I am loving all the cute covers...and they're only $12 for a set of six.  Pretty cute, if you ask me!

Ok, now off to put together more mood boards!!  ;)

xo natasha

Let Me Design Your Space {for FREE!}

Hi Friends!

I've thought more about what I enjoy doing on this blog and coming up with fun interiors is definitely top of the list.  I loved designing Ethan's nursery and evolving my home over the years.  And then there are the design boards I love putting together, just because.

Of course, it would be even MORE fun if there was an actual home behind them.  So I thought I'd test the waters and see if any of you {or anyone you know!} would be interested in having me design a room for you.  Something like this...

This is totally free and ideally, I would post one design board a week.

All you need to do is email me at schuelove at gmail.com and tell me the following:

The room you have in mind...a couple pictures of the current space would be even better!
Your style preference {if you have a Pinterest board or inspiration photos, let me know!}
Color Scheme
Budget {if applies}
Any other details that apply to the space

And that's it!  Let me know if you have a room that you've been struggling to design or needs an update.  I'm not an expert {by any means!} but I love design and would be happy to help you.

I'm so excited to meet some of you and help put some ideas together.

Chat soon!

xo natasha

Ethan's Admirers

Ethan got so spoiled with love across the country this past Valentine's Day.  A group of us bloggers agreed to putting together a handmade Valentine exchange and it was so fun getting the mail each day to find a new surprise.

The kiddos that participated were: 

Ashlynn and Kenley at Strawberry Swing and Other Things

Hudson at The Girl in the Red Shoes

Blair at Nat Your Average Girl

Harper at Veronika's Blushing

Lex at Hello Erin

Owen and Claire at Dear Owen

Owen at Meet the Sullivans

Arden at Sunflower State of Mind

Sofia at Hello Newlywed Life

Caroline and Carson at Hello Happiness

Mac at Running from the Law

It was especially nice getting a little gift from fellow mama, Emily of Dear Owen!  This personalized mug with Ethan's cute "mug" on it will be my new favorite way to enjoy my morning latte.

And totally unrelated to the blog swap, but my sweet friend Darcy dropped by my work on Valentine's Day and brought me flowers, a cute Minted card and a balloon for Ethan.  She said that they choose one friend each year to surprise and this year it was me!  Such a sweet idea and made me feel so special!  :)

On top of all of the love, hubby and I got to celebrate by going to dinner and a movie on Friday night...which is such a treat these days!  ;)

I hope you all had a great Valentine's Day!

xo natasha

PS...the winner for our winter giveaway was announced...was it you?!

Be Mine

I mean, can you even stand the cuteness?

I know I can't!

And to think he looked like this just a year ago!

I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day and get to share it with the ones you love most.

xo natasha

PS...last chance to enter our winter giveaway!  Winner will be announced on Monday!

A Book Review: Tiny Beautiful Things

For those of you looking for a good read, you must pick this book up.  My friend gave it to me to read and once I started reading, I honestly couldn't put it down.  Tiny Beautiful Things is a book comprised of letters and responses written to an online column called Dear Sugar.  Sounds like an advice or self-help column {like Dear Abbey} right?  Not quite.  The once anonymous "Sugar," now revealed as Cheryl Strayed, responds in a way that you would never expect.

While most advice columns respond with a generic answer, {because how authentic can an answer really be when it comes from an anonymous writer?}, Sugar digs deeper...must deeper.  She relates to the letter writers with her own personal and revealing stories...she shares and she replies from a genuine place.  She does not offer answers as much as she reveals more about the deeper issue.  She hashes things out...honestly...sometimes brutally, but always from a place of compassion.  She seems to have an innate ability to peel back the layers and figure out what the letter writer is really asking...what the core of the issue really is, and then respond in profound way.

I related to so many of the letters...at least on some level, and I marveled over Sugar's responses.  It's like she really knew these people and somehow had a life story to relate back with.  She covers all topics, from love, marriage, death, breakups, and almost everything in between.  Whether you read this book a couple stories at a time or down it in one big sitting, it's beyond intriguing.

I would highly recommend reading it...or picking it as your next choice at Book Club.  And for those of you who are not in a book club...check out this new site my friend launched..leebri.  It's a cool site where you can connect with other readers and share your thoughts on any book you read, while also discovering new books.  Kind of like a virtual book club!  

Have you read this book yet?  Thoughts?!
And...what book would you recommend I read next?

xo natasha

Kale Ceasar Salad with Homemade Dressing

You guys...this is one tasty recipe!  I've always enjoyed caesar salad but we all know it's the not the healthiest of options.  However, this kale version really kicks it up a notch...I don't know that I'll ever be able to enjoy it any other way again!

Not only did we use kale for the lettuce, but hubby used his homemade dressing AND made the croutons as well!  Yum!

The key to kale is to buy the full leaves...devein the center stalk...and chop as finely as possible.  Be sure to make the dressing in advance and dress the kale for at least 30 minutes before serving.  It helps to break down the kale and make it a bit more tender and delicious.

The thing I love about this dressing is that it's tangy and a little bit lighter than the stuff you buy at the store.  Besides, fresh is always best, don't you think?

For the Dressing:

1 TB Dijon Mustard

1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Juice of one lemon

2 egg yolks

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup parmesan, grated

Pepper to taste

For the Salad:

Kale, finely chopped and de-stalked

Sourdough Bread, cubed

Half Stick Butter, melted

Garlic Salt

Paprika

Pepper

Pine Nuts, handful

Avocado, half to full

Parmesan, handful

Preheat the oven to 350.  Stir the dressing ingredients together and dress the kale lettuce in advance.  Let sit for at least 30 minutes.  In the meantime, toss the sourdough cubes and melted butter together in bowl.  Spread the bread in a single layer on a sheet pan and sprinkle with the paprika, garlic salt, and pepper.  Roast for 15-12 minutes...turn at least once.  Remove once the croutons are golden brown.

Once the croutons are cool, toss the lettuce, croutons, pine nuts, avocado and parmesan together.  Add some bacon for a little extra bite, if you like! 

And most importantly...enjoy!  We served along side a flank steak and it was perfection!

xo natasha

PS...be sure to enter our Winter Essential Giveaway!

A Thoughtful Tour

The lovely Courtney of A Thoughtful Place asked me to guest post today!  Have you two been introduced?!

If not, you must keep reading...

Have you ever come across a blog and just felt right at home?  Like, curl on the couch with a glass of wine and stay awhile, kind of feeling?  That's how I felt the first time I read A Thoughtful Place.  Not only is her home stunning, but you can just tell she's a super cool chick.  She's got a beautiful family, impeccable style...and a fun sense of humor too!  Can you say #girlcrush much?

Just take a look at some of my favorite spaces from her home...

Her dining room is one of my favorites with those striped curtains and gorgeous chandy.

I loved how she redid her son's room...that gallery wall, those curtains, and the cutest reading nook {not pictured}.

I also love their family room, which doubles as a game room and study area.  It has the perfect blend of whimsy and class.  

You can see her entire home here.

Gorgeous right!?  And as gorgeous as she is on the outside, I know from experience what a genuine and lovely person she is on the inside.  She has become one of my closest friends...and I'm so glad that this blogging community brought us together.

So you can see why I'm especially honored that Courtney asked me to guest post on her blog today!  I'm sharing how my fashion sense and home decor style compliment each other.  Be sure to check it out here and say hello!

xo natasha

PS...don't forget to enter our winter essentials giveaway!

Winter Favorites + A Giveaway!

It's finally starting to feel like winter around here...we've had a ton of rain + snow this past weekend...it was the perfect excuse to curl up inside and relax.

Polish // Polish // Necklace // Perfume // Scarf
Slippers // Eye Shadow // Lip Balm // Mugs

Some of my favorite things during winter include cozy slippers, pretty scarves and a neutral color palette.  I'm especially loving navy this winter...it's dramatic and yet, a perfect basic.  And gold is always a favorite...especially this time of year.  It's rich and luxurious.  Speaking of, it's nice to have a "heavier" scent for the winter and Flowerbomb is my absolute go-to.  It's full-bodied and opulent...I always get compliments every time I wear it.

I'm excited to announce that I'm partnering up with Megan of Hello Newlywed Life for a fun wintery giveaway!  My items are below and you can check out her post today to see her goodies.  One lucky winner will win both!  Be sure to enter the widget below for a chance to win.  The winner will be announced next Monday, February 17th!

Dainty gold necklace // Gold Coasters // Essie Nail Polish // Scarf // Makeup Brushes

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

xo natasha