Our playroom and homeschool room is finally complete and gosh I could not be more excited about this… the kids too. Every since we re-did this space a few months ago, so much has changed in such a positive way over here — The kids play in here, create in here and read in here all the time, like hours a day. Which makes me so dar happy because I really thought about each and every single detail when putting it all together and this has proven that I did a good job for them. Playroom Links Organization has helped tremendously - there’s a space for everything so this makes it super quick and ..read more

I’ve always loved mommy and me swimsuits (duh!) but there are a few things that are new to what I look for when it comes to swimwear for myself: high waisted bikinis (I very much prefer belly button level as it feels the most flattering on me) butt coverage (I’m chasing kids around when I’m at the pool and beach and this is just a personal comfort thing for me at this stage in my life) mommy and me swimsuits (you know how much I LOVE my mommy and me outfits and swimsuits are no different!) We had the chance to try out a variety of Coral Reef Swimsuits - you may have seen Ava and I tryi ..read more

The kids are going back to school in a month and a half (booo). Luckily we DO homeschool but the kids go in one day a week to see their friends, go on weekly field trips, craft and have some fun! All of their back to school essentials arrived and of course, they’re asking daily when they get to go back to school because they’re just so excited but me? I want them to be home with me forever. Summer forever and ever… with a side of snow of course. You know my love for snow! But oh my gosh, we found some of the most darling kids backpacks, matching lunch boxes, nap mats (we use these for outdoor ..read more

Last year I discovered Sezane and absolutely fell in love. I’m the type of girl who doesn’t really gravitate toward basics like if I’m in need of a black tank, give me a black tank with some flare, some fun and unique fabric and maybe a little bit of subtle ruffles in there (see the cutest black tank below). My wardrobe is filled with textures and prints and colors and I just love owning unique pieces. And Sezane is just that. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jenn Hallak (@jennhallak) If you’re anything like me and want your basic tees and tanks to have a little fun flare, then he ..read more

If I’m being honest, I’m usually one to purchase high quality, long lasting items that I know will stay in my wardrobe for years. For so long, OI focused exclusively on the more inexpensive items and began realizing that they got traded out of my wardrobe far quicker than the other items I had in there. I think it’s a combination of impulse buying due to the price? Who knows. But whatever it is, I’ve slowly but surely been creating a smaller wardrobe with higher quality items that I know won’t go out of style and I know will last for years to come. But with that being said, I still love to sho ..read more

About once a year at the start of summer, I try and spread some water safety awareness. I’ve spoken for years on ISR and our experiences with Franky and Ava taking ISR as babies/toddlers and this year, we went on a vacation to Newport Beach and in just the four days we were there at the pool, there were two instances where water safety came into play and so this year, I wanted to share those stories. I posted this on my Instagram as well so I’m copying it here for those of you who may have missed it over there: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jenn Hallak (@jennhallak) “Before I t ..read more

Last week we headed to Newport Beach for my best friend’s baby shower - she’s having her first baby girl next month and I can barely contain my excitement!! So in true Hallak fashion, we took the whole family and made a beach vacation out of it. We stayed at the Hyatt Huntington Beach and we loved staying there - such a kid friendly Orange County hotel. They had multiple pools (a baby pool and a few other larger pools), super large hot tubs, water slides for the kids (even Mac who is only 1 went down one), it’s just a short walk across the bridge to get to the beach and they even provide beach ..read more

If you follow me then you already know this but my favorite place to shop is Free People. It’s fun and unique and it’s just totally my style! Now I love the occasional Amazon find, I love Nordstrom and Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters but Free People forever has my heart. Well, I guess for the time being ;) I found the most gorgeous lacey Free People top that just so dainty and beautiful and it sparked an idea for me - what are all the ways I can wear this shirt. Like how many outfits can I really pair this shirt with? Okay so I stuck to four summer outfit ideas because too many more just wo ..read more

Ava and I haven’t done mommy and me outfits in so long - like months. If you’ve been following us for a while now then you know how much I love matching with Ava and with the boys - I’ve been showing off mommy and me clothes since Ava was born so eight years now… basically for forever. And Ava still loves twinning her mama which makes me so darn happy. And yes, I know that these days are numbered but I’m soaking it all in while it lasts. Moral of the Story: Ivy City Co. dropped their mommy and me summer dresses and of course, I had to create some reel magic with my sweet girl. This was a fun o ..read more

I had a bit of a dry spell with Amazon where I really wasn’t finding any styles I loved but recently I’ve been hitting the jackpot on there and I think this week’s order was an all time favorite. If you love Free People as much as I do (but want Free People at a lower cost) then this round-up of Summer outfits, styles and trends is going to knock your socks off. (I’ve never said that phrase in my entire life but it just sounded like it fit there) I finally tried the barrel jean trend (and they were keepers!) and I also tried the new boxer short trend and while I think they’re very cute and com ..read more