family

Year in review 2018

 in General Fashion  tagged 2018 year in review / chicos / family / SOMA Intimates / travel by

black white scarf dress

The end of 2018 is almost near! Last year, I made separate posts for my favorite moments, nail polish, and outfits. I thought this year it might be more efficient to condense everything into one post. It was a fun, and crazy year! There were a lot of fun moments, trends, and styles. This post will reflect on my favorite post from each month. Why remember the tough times from the 2018? Let’s focus on the fluffy and fun!

Without further ado, here were my favorite moments from each month during 2018.

January

san jose style bloggers

Twinning with Dawn! This was such a fun post. We had a blast running around Santana Row taking photos. My daughter played photographer and she had so much snapping our pictures. She even told us where to stand, and what to do! You can see the original post here.

February

Braving the cold weather in February at New York Fashion Week with my friends! This photo was taken on National Pizza Day, I mean, why in the world would fashion week get in the way of pizza? I hope we can celebrate this delicious day again in 2019; at the same place! You can see my NYFW antics here.

February was more than just fashion and work, it was family fun time! OK, so that means I have TWO favorite moments from February, can you blame me? This snow-filled family vacation in Tahoe was a blast! You can read about it here.

March

round bag trend spring 2018

I went a little crazy in March, and accumulated a few new bags. My favorite was this cute little round one from Brahmin. I wore it all spring and summer; I still reach for it despite the warm weather color! I can’t wait to rock it again this spring. You can read about it here.

April

In April, Dawn and I hosted a fun-filled event at the Chico’s store at Santana Row. It was so much fun! You can read about it here.

May

May was a fun, fashionable month. That being said, attending the Go Red fundraiser with my friend Laura was definitely the highlight. It was fabulous to learn more about heart health, while giving to a great cause. Plus, I won 49er tickets in the silent auction! Love! You can read about the event here.

June

soma cool nights summer pajamas

This family vacation was so much fun! When school was over, my family went up to Tahoe for a few days to unwind. While in Tahoe, I worked on a blog post which included my daughters. We had so much fun working together; it felt like a game instead of work! My girls were so happy to be part of the blog, plus, they fell in love with SOMA pajamas and keep asking me to get them more pairs. SOMA gained two new fans through this collaboration, and I gained a valuable bonding experience with my daughters which helped teach them about work ethics. Thank you SOMA! You can read the post here.

July

ten sushi seattle things to do in seattle with kid

July was a crazy month! While a lot of sadness clouded July due to a death in the family, I am forever grateful for this family trip to Seattle which took my mind off things, and gave our family a much-needed form of relaxation. You can read about our favorite places to eat here, and fun places to go here.

August

August was so much fun! While there were many personal and professional moments to reflect on, the Chico’s trip to Florida was definitely the highlight of the month, if not the year. I met so many fabulous women on this trip, and I learned so much about the design process at Chicos’s headquarters. This was such an amazing trip, please take a moment to read about day one, and day two, here.

September

fall outfits ideas

These photos were taken a couple weeks after my surgery. I love all of the colors, and remembering how I powered through the day to visit with my friend Dawn, and snap a few photos. You can see the original post here.

October

personalized gift ideas special gifts

My favorite post in October had to be this beautiful pendant. I love how it is personalized to reflect my children. You can read the original article here.

November

One of my favorite things to do with my children, is teach them the importance of giving back to the community. It was so much fun working with my daughters and adidas to bring my love of volunteerism to you. You can read about it here.

December

grey faux fur coat san jose street style

It’s a little hard to pick something from December considering the month is not over yet, but I decided to go with this soft and cozy faux fur coat. I wear it all the time, and my daughter took these photos; which turned out amazing! You can read about it here.

That was it! What were your favorite moment in 2018?

Thank you for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

The season of giving is here

 in General Fashion  tagged adidas / family / lifestyle by

wearing: blue hoodie sweatshirt / black long sleeve tee with “21” on the back c/o adidas / black and pink long sleeve tee c/o adidas / blue tee / pants c/o adidas / Superstar Shoes /

My children are growing up in bubble. I will admit it. They live in a comfortable home, with plenty of food on the table. If they want a new dress, or a new pair of shoes, I can buy it for them. My older girls have their own phones, and all three of my kids have their own iPad’s. They are privileged, and it is hard to tell them that they are privileged, because they don’t understand what that really means.

When my kids turn on the television, they see sitcom’s with families living in nice homes, with plenty of food and fashionable clothing. They don’t see kids who live in homes where the power has been turned off because the parents don’t have enough money to pay the bill, or worse, they don’t see kids living in tents because their family doesn’t have enough money to put a roof over their head.

In order to help my kids understand that what they have, and that they should not take it all for granted, I ensure they are exposed to the community at large. I need to make sure they understand the importance of giving back to the community.

Once my daughters entered middle school, I started doing volunteer work with them around Silicon Valley. I thought it was important for them to understand how many people are in need, and that if we work together, we can help them. You don’t always have to donate money, donating time is just as important.

My daughters have learned a lot through volunteering for the community. We have put together care packages for deployed troops, made corsages for Mom’s with children who have cancer, assisted with an event at a local museum, worked in a food pantry, harvested food for a food bank (yes, we picked fruit from trees!), worked on school fundraisers, and much more! They have learned that not everyone has their health, people put their lives on the line for the freedom of others, and there are people who don’t have money for food.

Volunteering has opened their eyes to the world outside their bubble in our affluent, suburban town where many people are concerned with buying new cars, remodeling their homes, and investing in the hottest new start-up. Through volunteer work, my daughters are seeing the big picture; not everyone has access to things we take for granted which are basic needs; food, clothing, and shelter.

When we are working hard harvesting food, making things for people in need, and more, we need to be comfortable! Thankfully adidas supports people giving back to the community, and they create the perfect, comfortable clothing to help use be as efficient as possible. I love their comfortable pants which help me bend down and move around when I am volunteering. It would be hard to work in anything else!

The holiday season is during the coldest part of the year. Many people are freezing and in need of more help than ever. Please take some time to find a place in your community this holiday season that could use your time. There is no greater gift, than the gift of time.

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

 

*thank you to adidas for sponsoring this post

Things to do in Seattle with kids

 in Travel  tagged city guide / family / seattle / travel tips by

things to do in seattle with kid

Planning a vacation to Seattle, and wondering about things to do in Seattle with kids? Well, look no further! My family and I recently traveled to Seattle and found a few fabulous things to do in Seattle with kids which are sure to be a hit with your family too!

Seattle is a really fun city filled with history, a chill vibe, and a family-friendly atmosphere. We found the activities, and the people, to be friendly and welcoming. This is a great trip to plan as a family! Without further ado, here are the activities my kids loved; and us adults enjoyed too!

Things to do in Seattle with Kids: Argosy Cruises

things to do in seattle with kids

We took a 1 hour cruise with Argosy Cruise Line. They have several types of cruises available, at varying time lengths. We found the one hour cruise to be perfect with kids. Anything longer, and they may have grown restless. The kids enjoyed being on a boat and taking a tour; but they did get tired, so one hour was perfect. You can get advance tickets here.

Things to do in Seattle with Kids:

Chihuly Garden and Glass

things to do in seattle with kid things to do in seattle with kid

My middle child is very artistic, and really wanted to check out the Chihuly Garden and Glass. I was a little bit concerned that my other two children would find it boring, but I was wrong! All three of my kids thought the glass sculptures were really cool, and they enjoyed seeing both the indoor and outdoor portions of the exhibit.

There is a cafe attached to Chihuly, but understand it is on the pricey side; although the food is good. If you are looking for more affordable food, there is a food court across from the cafe, and there are also a handful of food carts. You can find advance tickets for Chihuly Garden and Glass online here.

Things to do in Seattle with Kids:

Museum of Pop Culture

things to do in seattle with kidthings to do in seattle with kid

My kids don’t normally enjoy museums, so I was a little bit concerned when we purchased five tickets to the Museum of Pop Culture. I was pleasantly pleased to find they had a special exhibit for Marvel, which we eagerly purchased the extra tickets for. My kids loved the Marvel exhibit, as well as the other exhibits in the museum. Above you will see a smashed guitar from a Nirvana performance, and Jimmi Hendrix’s carry-on bag. There was something for the whole family at the Museum of Pop Culture-loved it! You can find advance tickets online here.

Things to do in Seattle with Kids:

Klondike Gold Rush Museum

things to do in seattle with kid

The Klondike Gold Rush Museum in Seattle is both educational and fun! Plus, it’s free because it is run by the National park Service. Love that!

Being from California, my kids already know about the gold rush, so it was fun for them to learn a little more then what they learned in school. They enjoyed seeing the exhibits and also watching a movie onsite about Seattle’s part in the Klondike gold rush. This is a must-see when visiting Seattle with kids. It’s great to see your children learn history, and have fun while doing it. Plus, it’s free! Yay! You can learn more online here.

Things to do in Seattle with Kids:

Seattle Great Wheel

things to do in seattle with kid

The Seattle Great Wheel is a lot of fun. It goes around roughly three times, and you can see a beautiful view of Seattle from the top. It is a bit pricey for what you get; so if it doesn’t fit your budget, it’s something you can skip. On the pier, there is also a carousel and a few boardwalk-style games which are great for keeping the kids busy. You can learn more about the Great Wheel online here.

Things to do in Seattle with Kids:

Bill Speidel’s Undergound Tour

things to do in seattle with kid

Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour was so much fun! My kids loved learning about Seattle history and going underneath the sidewalks to explore Seattle’s past and present. Our tour guide was entertaining and kept our kids interested. They learned a lot about the local history and had fun while doing it! It’s the first thing they tell their friends about when talking about their trip to Seattle. This is a must-see!

With kids, I recommend going in the morning and getting in one of the first tours of the day. There will be less people in the group and you can see everything without sorting through a large group. It’s easier to be in a small group with kids too. This was our favorite activity during our trip. Be sure to check it out, it’s worth every dime! You can learn more online here.

Things to do in Seattle with Kids:

Seattle Space Needle

things to do in seattle with kid

The Seattle Space Needle is an iconic monument to see while in Seattle. You can see all of Seattle from the top, and my kids thought it was really cool. If you have small children, keep in mind that the lines are long, so try to go when they open in the morning. Also, it can be pricey, so using the Seattle City Pass might be a good idea. You can find one online here.

Seattle also has a zoo, and a Museum of Flight. We missed those attractions on our trip, but I have heard they are good too.

The Seattle City Pass is a great, money saving option if you plan to see multiple locations on this list. You can learn more about it online here.

These were our favorite things to do in Seattle with kids during our recent trip. Check out our favorite, family-friendly restaurants here. If you have family-friendly recommendations, feel free to leave them in the comments below!

Thanks for stopping by, and safe travels!

XOXO

Cathy