The best baby registry and what to add to your registry

3 / 9 / 203 / 10 / 20

Things sure have changed in the gift-giving game with baby registries – and by gifts I’m talking about the free gift you get when you start your registry, mama!

I have a lot of experience with this as I used to be the local marketing specialist for Babies “R” Us in the Rio Grande Valley. Even in the last 4.5 years since Jericho was born, the swag sure has gotten better!

When I started doing my research for baby registries for Baby Canaan this time around, I was pleasantly surprised to see the amazing free gifts and perks I received, and today I want to focus on the awesomeness that is the Amazon Registry.

10 Valentine’s Day gifts for your toddler that don’t involve sweets

1 / 28 / 193 / 10 / 20

10 Valentine's Day gifts for your toddler

I absolutely love any excuse to buy gifts (it is totally my love language!) so there is no forgetting Valentine’s Day. And while I will gift my hubby something thoughtful, I love including my toddler in gift giving.

Growing up, my parents always gave me a box of chocolate and another small gift. I want to always show my love to Jericho, but without sweets. We are a sugar-free family, after all!

Last year’s gift guide was a big hit-including in our house! This year I wanted to share some of our current top favorite gifts that would be perfect for a Valentine’s Day gift for your 3-year-old. I’ve broken it down my category just for you, mama!

Toddler fashion: The cutest duds for your dapper 3-year-old dude

12 / 31 / 1812 / 30 / 18

It is no surprise that fashion is priority, even for my little family. I married a man who likes to look good too, so it is always important to us to dress our toddler accordingly!

Boy fashion is hard. There isn’t nearly as many options out there, and they tend to all feature the same superhero characters. It takes additional effort to put an outfit together. But, I love it!

I’ve written two more posts similar to this featuring toddler boy clothes and the looks I love, and I couldn’t resist doing a new, fresh post for winter wardrobes.

So sit back, relax and enjoy a little toddler retail therapy!

The Best Christmas Children’s Book

12 / 14 / 1812 / 18 / 18

I have always been a lover of all things Christmas. It is the most exciting time of the year for me. Even before I was a Believer, it was the holiday I looked forward to January through November.

Now, as a mom, I have a whole new outlook on this amazing holiday. We take in all the local events, share the story of Jesus and enjoy shopping for gifts. Our three-year-old is beginning to love the season, too!

Here are a few traditions we hold dear to our hearts, and I hope it helps inspire you to build memories with your kiddos.

Lisa’s Loves: what I heart in October

10 / 31 / 184 / 25 / 19

Can y’all believe it is already going to be November? This year has flown by – but I also look forward to this month for a few reasons! If you have hung out with me on Instagram or Facebook, you know I absolutely love the fall. So much to celebrate: the leaves changing, the quiet outdoors, cool breezes, pumpkins, light sweaters (hopefully – I am in Texas!) and it is my anniversary month!

We had an exciting October, although none of it went as planned. I had pumpkin patches and fall festivals scheduled for every weekend in October, but we were sidetracked along the way. After our 3-day trip turned into 2 weeks, our plans were set aside. But, the most amazing silver lining is I was able to get in a lot of online courses. I am a total nerd when it comes to personal development. Always a fangirl of conferences, I love that there is a plethora of information on the internet. It can be information overload, but when you find the best coach for you and your brand, it is like getting front row seats to your favorite concert! Goals, goals, goals here I come.

While I mostly include fashion, beauty and mom-stuff on this list, I want to kick off my October loves with this amazing online course & coaching…

Affordable kids’ clothes: Where I find the best deal on Toddler clothes

10 / 20 / 1812 / 18 / 18

Affordable Kids Fashion

Fashion means everything to me, and keeping my toddler hip & cool can come at a pretty penny!

I love finding awesome deals and still have some retailers for toddler boy clothes I totally dig, but after discovering Kids on 45th, my life will forever be changed…for the better.

Y’all, I know subscription boxes are all the rage. But, let me tell you why this one is SO MUCH BETTER. You’ll thank me soon enough.

Toddler fashion: The cutest duds for your dapper 2-year-old dude

6 / 13 / 1812 / 28 / 18

This is an updated post from February 5, 2018. New season, new style and new deals! Some of the links on this post are affiliate links, and you can read more about that here.

Okay, boy mamas, let’s talk about something that weighs on my heart every time I go shopping for my 2-year-old BabyCoolJ: the lack of cool clothing for boys! As I stroll by all the pink, tutus and bows I can’t help but feel bad that all that I can find in the boy-corner is boring outfits.

So, I am here to help. Since shopping is my ‘thang, I take a lot of pride in dressing my (in my opinion) super hip tot. I’ve done the work for you, scouting out the cutest duds to make your little guy one dapper dude. Read More

I’m Not Scared: new children’s book will help your kiddo face their fears

5 / 11 / 185 / 10 / 18

This is a sponsored post with Blessed Coast Books. All content and opinions expressed are my own. Affiliate links are used, and you may read my full disclosure here.

I decided to take a few days off from blogging to concentrate on my sweet boy. At only 2 1/2, BabyCoolJ has been such a trooper with our move. From staging our home, to running out the door, to living out of boxes, it has been such a great change being planted and building roots in our new community. We are now almost 3-weeks-in! And every day he says “I love our new home.”

For every season and change, I turn to books for my toddler. A good book can really speak to children, and it is amazing how a story can help them get through anything. Before we began packing, we read him Boomer’s Big Day on a daily basis. It really helped the transition of moving.

7 thoughtful & practical gifts to give a new mom

4 / 27 / 1812 / 5 / 18

7 thoughtful and practical gifts for a new mom — First time Tia Ray Ray and BabyCoolJ met, circa 2016

This week my oldest and dearest friend had her first baby! I received the news yesterday, so I immediately did what any long-distance girlfriend would do: ordered a few must-have items on Amazon Prime.

What’s in my diaper backpack: toddler edition

4 / 4 / 184 / 4 / 18

I’ve fought this whole diaper bag thing for a while. I totally embraced it when my kiddo was an infant, but just didn’t see the point in investing in another bag after he was running around and soon-to-be toilet trained.

My last diaper-friendly bag broke and I was using a regular handbag…which is just not good when you frequent the park.