#MomCrushMonday

Can you believe it is already Monday? Grab a good cup of coffee and get ready for another inspiring Mama!
This week I am featuring Stephanie - she is the brains behind the blog The Inspired Mommy. If you haven't checked out her blog - follow the link - you won't be sorry! She is creative, healthy, organized and has TONS of ways to keep your kiddos entertained. Stephanie also takes breath taking portraits and I wish I lived closer to her so she could capture my sweet girls in such a special way. Here is her story: 



Hi, I'm Estella, Max, Leo and Augustin's mommy...but you can call me Stephanie. I am the voice behind the blog, The Inspired Mommy. My husband, Joshua, and I are raising our four children (ages 6,3,2 and 10 months) in Los Angeles. As a family of 6, we love to travel, take day trip adventures, have crazy family dance parties in our living room (somehow the limbo is always involved!), host parties but mostly just spend the time together. I personally have a photography obsession and I love to write, drink good wine and watch Shark Tank (😂). 

To be honest, I never expected to be a mom to four kids...I always adored children but I couldn't imagine even having one, let alone FOUR! But the second I met Estella I knew that I was born to be a mommy and I was born to love her (and her little brothers). The deeper I travel in this journey of motherhood, the more I realize how much I have to learn. You see, just when you think you "know" your child....they grow a bit older on you and morph into something totally new. Not to mention every single one of my kids couldn't be more different! 

Estella,age 6,  is my leader, my first born....she's impossible to sum up in a simple paragraph but I will say she's more than I ever imagined my daughter would be. She lives to give gifts to others, she is a beautiful ballerina and a rockstar drummer, she loves all things princesses but loves to search for bugs and worms. She's the best big sister I've ever known.

Max, age 3,  is reasonable and peaceful....he is wise beyond his years. He doesn't say a lot but when he does have something to say...it's definitely worth listening to. He always has a smile on his face and he tells me he will always be a mommy's boy.

Leo, age 2,  is pure fire and I love it. He is confident and so bright. The wilder he gets the curlier his hair gets. The other day I discovered that he knew his ABCs so I would say a couple of letters and then let him fill in the blank. One time in particular he wasn't interested in this game so I said "MNO..." And Leo looked at me with his signature smirk and  said "NOT P". He idolizes his big sister and brother and will do anything they ask of him...with the cutest little smile. 

 and Augustin, age 10 months, is the sweetest, chubbiest, most cuddly baby boy. We didn't expect to have a fourth child...a third son...but we are so grateful he is ours. He has all of our hearts!

So that's a little about me and my family. It's not always easy raising the "Fab Four"....they exhaust me beyond words at times...well most of the time BUT as I navigate my way through mommy hood....as I strive to mold them into the best versions of themselves...they are helping me find the best version of myself. I am so proud of them and I am so proud to be called "mommy."

Friday Favs - Travel Edition!

As moving day approaches I am getting slightly anxious about flying with my 8month old who hates to nap and a very active four year old. I have been trying to prepare for our cross country travel without taking too much or too little. I've come up with a few of my travel essentials. Now I don't have too much experience traveling by air with these two, the first time I did was last Christmas! But Gracie and I have made the road trip from Seattle to Portland many times to see my Grandma when she was alive, so I've got a little experience keeping her attention for extended periods of time. I put together a list of my travel essentials with little ones. After our big trip I'll update you and let you know if any of these "essentials" turned out to be BUSTS or truly ESSENTIAL! 

Ergo Baby Carrier - When traveling with a babe I think wearing them is a must. A Mama needs both her hands to make her way through an airport. I love this carrier because it is so comfortable! It also really helps with balancing out baby's weight - which is nice if your baby is a CHUNK like mine. It is also easy to get baby in and out of the carrier which makes diaper changes and everything else a breeze. 

Kids Luggage - We like to refer to Gracie as Miss Independent. Investing in children's luggage is a good idea if your little one is willing and able to cart their suitcase around the airport. Remember to not pack the suitcase too heavy if they are going to be in charge of it as this could slow them down. Gracie has a FROZEN suitcase from her Granny - but there are so many options there! Check out this one from Skip Hop! Skip Hop is a reliable company and their products last FOREVER!!

Snacks - Of course snacks are important. I always pack extra snacks because you never know when your travel plans will be delayed at the last minute. Trying to avoid tons of candy and sweets can be hard when airports have these options at every turn. Our family likes to use the Annie's brand! So yummy, organic and I never worry when giving these to my kids. Find more Annie's options here. Gracie also loves her Anna&Elsa Snackeez cup. The girl sees ONE commercial for the thing on TV and is hooked! This crazy creation does do a great job of keeping snacks and drinks safe in an all in one container and passes the spill test so I really can't complain. 

Activities - Well this is a no brainer. What child could sit through a five hour flight with nothing to do? I am bringing a few work books for Gracie because she loves tracing her letters. She has the Color Wonder pages and markers too, I love these because they are mess free - YAY! We also have some plastic finger puppets to keep her imagination occupied! My Mom got her a game called Find It! that we haven't played yet, but I imagine will hold her attention for at least a little bit. When all else fails I have my iPad loaded with movies and a cute pair of Frozen headphones - Can you tell we have Frozen fever?? 

For Baby - Good barrier cream for baby bottoms is important. Claire has sensitive skin and is prone to breaking out if her diaper isn't changed immediately. I also invested in disposable table tops (i didn't even know these existed!) so baby can eat off airplane trays without my germaphobic fears going crazy! Hand sanitizer and hand wipes  are always in my diaper bag and will be restocked before our big adventure! 

Wish us luck on our journey and pretty please let me know if there are any products or tips you guys have about traveling with little ones! 

#MCM - Mom Crush Monday!

I always see spammed all over the internet #MCM - as in Man Crush Monday. If I participated in that you would see my husbands face every single Monday, but that could get a little boring so I decided to change it up with: 

Mom Crush Monday ! 

Mamas deserve more than just one day throughout the year! Every Monday until Mothers Day I will be doing a special feature on Moms with all different stories. Every Mother has her own story and her own challenges but we all have the same basic instinct to LOVE and NURTURE. 

If you would like to share your story please Email me at: bloggingwithwitz@gmail.com 

My very first #momcrushmonday goes to one of my closest friends, Annalise Marie

This Mama to the sweetest pup (Aspen) is also SECOND Mama to my two little girls. She has been there since day ONE. Annalise has been my first phone call for each pregnancy and has always been my number one supporter. When Gracie was born 4years ago she rushed to the hospital to meet her. Annalise's summers throughout college were spent being Gracie's second Mama and helping give me a much needed break. When Gracie's Dad stepped out she had no problem stepping in and I will be forever thankful for that. The bond these two share amazes me daily. Every family picture Gracie draws has an extra stick person with blonde hair representing Auntie Annalise. She spent weeks at my house this past summer just waiting for my second girl to be born. Annalise and her husband coordinated their summer plans so they could be right there to watch Gracie when I went into labor. She never passes up an opportunity to spend time with my daughters whether its babysitting or having a weekend slumber party. We are devastated to be moving so far from our second Mama in the next couple weeks. I guess more traveling and a lot more Facetime will be in our very near future. My girls are so lucky to have a second Mama in their lives!

National Animal Cracker Day!

One of my favorite snacks as a kid was animal crackers. Chocolate flavored, sprinkle coated or the original - I loved them ALL. Now that I'm a Mama myself I still love these tasty treats. & My kids love them too! My preferred brand has changed a bit but eating these still makes me feel like I'm five years old. Imagine my delight when I recently discovered Animal Crackers have their very own holiday! Seriously everything now days has its own holiday - but still, we celebrate!! In the spirit of this crazy holiday we made our favorite peanut butter dip! Baby is too small for peanut butter but my four year old Gracie is addicted. She would eat an entire jar of peanut butter in one sitting if I let her. You guys know I am a fan of all things QUICK & EASY and this dip is delicious and simple. Equal parts peanut butter and Greek yogurt mixed until smooth and creamy. Let the dip sit in the fridge at least 30mins and you have yourself one sweet treat. 

Peanut Butter Dip pairs well with strawberries, apple slices and of course ANIMAL CRACKERS! So yummy and I don't feel TOO guilty after indulging. If you guys have any easy & delicious recipes PLEASE share! I am always looking out for new foods to try :)

BAUBLEBAR Review & Wedding Festivities

If you guys follow me on Instagram (@ashtonwitz) you can probably tell that Gracie and I were in a BEAUTIFUL wedding over the weekend. Gracie was the flower girl and one of her very best friends, Aiden, was ring bearer. These two melted my heart the whole night. They were hand in hand, dancing and so full of love! This was extra sweet to see since they have been friends since they were in the womb! Aiden's lovely Mama was the blushing bride. If you didn't know Jerica was also my doula during my birth with Claire - if you haven't checked out her doula page you can find it here! 

www.jeriyogimama.com

We had so much fun dancing the night away & witnessing all the love! 

Like I said earlier I was part of the wedding party and traditionally we all had matching dresses, nails and EARRINGS. I had never heard of the BAUBLEBAR before the bride used them to glam up the wedding party. I didn't see our earrings until the day of and I was so surprised. These earrings are not only adorable but they are durable too. Most earrings I've bought from stores fall apart within a few months. I used to have that fear when buying online but these earrings are high quality. I also have pretty sensitive ears and these after wearing these I didn't break out at all! Baublebar earrings come in so many different styles that it won't be hard for you to find something that suits you. I will definitely be a returning customer and can't wait to expand my Baublebar collection!! 

Find more earrings at www.baublebar.com

360 Ergo Baby Carrier - A Product Review

When my first daughter was born we wore her only a handful of times. I knew with my second daughter Claire I wanted wear her as much as I could. Let's face it - it's just fun! Being that close to your child AND having two free hands - that's the dream. My husband bought me the sling of my dreams and I couldn't wait to use it! Claire did fine in the sling when she was a newborn but I was never comfortable with it. The thing dug into my shoulders and I'd be sore after carrying her. No matter how many YouTube tutorials I watched I never got it right. I wanted to love my sling so badly but it just wasn't happening. Fast forward a couple months and baby Claire has grown into quite the chunk! Girlfriend was almost 20lbs at 6months old!!! After flying with the kids over Christmas I knew I needed to invest in a good baby carrier. I did quite a bit of research and settled on a brand that generally got positive feedback - Ergobaby. I decided to go with the 4 position 360 carrier because of the versatility and the fact it carries up to 33 pounds. When I first opened the box I was happy to see what good quality material its made of. I never fear that Claire is going to fall out of this carrier! Her weight is evenly distributed and even after carrying her for hours I've never had a problem with soreness or discomfort after. The best part is Claire LOVES being in the carrier too! I love having options of how to wear her too. We have been dealing with some separation anxiety in our household lately and the Ergo baby carrier has saved my life. I just put her on my back and problem solved! This product gets a 4 Star review in my book for being comfortable, reliable, durable and above all it looks so cute on! Worth every penny. 

Get your own 4 position baby carrier here! 

This review was in no way endorsed and is the sole opinion of the writer. 

Bunny Bait

Happy Saturday guys! I can't believe Easter is tomorrow - we are so excited! The kids spent the morning Easter egg hunting and now we are munching on some afternoon snacks. 

Our family loves any reason to incorporate themes into our daily lives. With that said, our snack of the day is BUNNY BAIT! We mostly used ingredients that we already had on hand in the pantry. Pretzels, marshmallows, bunny crackers and pastel m&ms. The pastel color makes it feel really festive for Easter! You guys could use anything you have on hand or whatever you'd like to snack on: peanuts, raisins, almonds. The possibilities are endless! 

What are your guys favorite Easter treats? 

20 Facts About Me

1⃣ I am a follower of Jesus
2⃣ My daughters are the light of my life 
3⃣PNW Native 
4⃣My husband and I have been living on opposite coasts for the past 4months 
5⃣But this month I'm moving to FL to be with him 
6⃣ I love being a pediatric nurse 
7⃣Taylor Swift is my spirit animal 
8⃣i'm a HUGE bachelor/bachelorette fan 
9⃣ I don't mind doing laundry but DON'T ask me to fold it 
🔟the weather has a big impact on my mood 
1⃣1⃣prefer to cook in my crockpot 
1⃣2⃣i am proud of the fact i was a single parent for so long 
1⃣3⃣someday I want to be a Labor and Delivery nurse 
1⃣4⃣ i love reading 
1⃣5⃣i'm a little bit of a coffee snob 
1⃣6⃣never make my bed 
1⃣7⃣ i'm a hopeless romantic at heart 
1⃣8⃣i love talking about baby names 
1⃣9⃣This Fall i'm going back to school to get my bachelors 
2⃣0⃣ I am a brand new blogger & love all the new people i've been able to connect with!