My friends and I were looking for a fun way to have a kid-free girls trip with great drinks, food, and views and Napa just stood out as the most obvious choice. When planning a trip to Napa or Sonoma the first thing you will probably do is google “Best Winery in Napa” and find 100s of articles telling you every different winery in the area is best and why. I scoured through dozens of these myself as well as recommendations from friends as I planned our trip. There are spots I would hit again, some I would skip, and some I would do differently.  First off, where to stay? Almost just as ov ..read more

After living in Europe with access to thousands of Christmas markets, I am always on the hunt for where I can find the biggest sites of Holiday Spirit in the US. This year I found my answer in Enchant Christmas – a magical maze of lights, a search for “lost toys,” delicious food and drinks, shops and an ice skating rink! If you are in Tampa, Dallas, Las Vegas, or Washington D.C., add this to your holiday plan this month! Book Ahead Like most things these days, there are timed entrances (although you can stay as long as you want once inside) so book your tickets online in advance and add parki ..read more

A list of my top picks for the toddler (or toddler parents) in your life!  I will continue to add items to this as the season continues and I find new items! Turn on your JavaScript to view content The post 2021 Toddler Gift Guide appeared first on Love.Laugh.Explore ..read more

I know I previously covered tips for Flying with an Infant, but after 4 round-trip flights with just me and my 15 month old, I think it is time for a new post because things change fast when your little one is mobile! Bottom line – traveling with a toddler is way harder than traveling with an infant – so fly as much as you can with that little baby and don’t sweat it! Plan Ahead This was first on the Infant post so I want to mention it first here. When traveling with a baby, planning around nap and feeding time when able was a huge help. With a toddler, it doesn’t make as much of a difference ..read more

Lets be honest, a toddler will look cute in ANYTHING. Seriously, there is nothing that an adorable little kid can’t rock, which almost makes it THAT MUCH HARDER to pick what they should dress as!! Personally I like costumes that are timeless – something that is still just as likely to be a costume in 20 years as it is now. For that, I turn toward classic cute animals and classic movies. Here is some inspiration as you plan your Halloween costumes this year! Cinderella and her Mouse-Footman Belle, Beauty & the Beast Cruella & her Dalmations You can’t go wrong with any of the Disne ..read more

Ok, so I am publishing this post about a year after I wrote this…but it still deserves a place on the blog! (so read it like I am 3 months post partum, not with a 15 month + old lol) You may be thinking, “Fourth Trimester? I thought we were done with these recaps?” I had never heard of the “Fourth Trimester” either until I was halfway through my pregnancy.  So what is it? The Fourth Trimester is the first 12 weeks after your baby is born. You know,  when your baby is adjusting to life in the “real world” and you are adjusting to life post-pregnancy and as a new parent. Historically ..read more

Did you know that April is C-Section Awareness month ? Neither did I, but after having one last year I noticed an article mentioning it this year and decided this is the perfect time to share our birth story. I would generally consider myself well educated and well prepared when it comes to a lot of medical decisions. I have a science degree background and regularly read studies on hot topics. However when it came to birthing studies, I was never fully interested. A few years ago I read an article about how C-sections were becoming so common because hospitals get paid more for them and they a ..read more

There is always a new reason to take photos of your kids, but sometimes paying professionals for every event can really start to add up. Instead of spending almost $300 on a cake smash photoshoot, we chose to set up our own at home! Here are my tips to ensure the best results for your DIY cake smash!   Buy a backdrop One of the things that make studio photos so professional are the clean backdrops. I have a backdrop holder that I always use for at-home photo booths but you can use a sheet and hang it on something or tape it to the wall as well. I ordered these solid black and white back ..read more

Spring may be my favorite time of year to travel. The temperature is warming up, all the flowers and plants are blooming and bringing color back into the world, and the crowds haven’t quite reached their summer time packed craziness. That being said, traveling in spring can also be the most unpredictable season as temperatures can suddenly swing and that perfect sunny weekend you planned for can end up with those “April Showers” we know so well. These things don’t deter me from traveling but they do influence a few of the things I pack. Here are the 4 pieces you need when traveling in Spring ..read more

My husband and I have always been a fan of suggestions and learning from other people’s experiences. Before we were even pregnant we were asking friends about different parenting tools and techniques they used so once we were pregnant, you can only imagine how our questions went into full throttle. One of the biggest questions we had was about sleep. How do we get through the first year and sleep? How do babies sleep? What is sleep training? Can we get a baby on our own schedule? Basically a million questions along those lines. We were sitting with friends who had 4 children one night and ask ..read more