Ok, guys... the topic of skincare. I've always taken my skin seriously since an early age. I've tried and tested all kinds of products and love the search and discovering process. I'm new to Vichy. Anybody, anybody?! Vichy is actually a real town in France. Not that you care... but the brand was born in 1931 when a doctor used this ever-so-special French volcanic water and created Vichy, which has became Europe's leading anti-aging brand.

This Mineral 89 is a hyaluronic acid face moisturizer and it's AWESOME! It is made from 89% mineralizing thermal water. WHAT'S THIS? Mineralizing thermal water is 100% untouched and pure French volcanic water. The GOOD NEWS is, I've learned, this water is infused in all Vichy products. It can be used alone OR can be the first step to your skincare regimen. If you're low maintenance, this is a great option for you! The powerful ingredients, rich in antioxidants, help soothe skin and protect against pollutants and weather. This special volcanic water contains minerals such as iron, potassium, calcium, and manganese, which are gathered when rainwater is pushed through this volcanic rock 4,000 meters under the surface.  It helps rebalance your skin's pH. THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE...maintaining your skins pH helps minimize problems with eczema, psoriasis, chronic dry skin and other skin problems.

Era Oragnics writes on the IMPORTANCE OF BALANCING YOUR SKIN'S PH:
"It’s important to balance your skin’s PH to the correct level because this slightly acidic environment is essential in protecting you from infection and disease. The acidic environment on your skin’s surface is your bodies first line of defense agains the environmentand is designed to keep your body’s largest organ in good shape.
When skin pH gets out of balance, your body’s ability to resist bacteria and germs lessens. This means that the skin is more prone to a variety of irritations, blemishes,  and dermatitis-related problems. If you suffer from these problems or are concerned that you’re going through premature aging, it’s important to know how to restore the natural pH of skin.
Keeping skin in good pH balance means knowing how acidic or alkaline different products are and choosing them based on whether they will help skin’s pH come close to the 5.5 ideal."

"Hyaluronic acid is a lubricating, clear substance that’s produced by the body naturally. In the human body, hyaluronic acid is found in the greatest concentrations in the skin, inside joints, within the eye sockets and in other tissues where it helps retain collagen, increase moisture, and provide elasticity and flexibility."
Read more about the benefits of hyaluronic acid HERE

I wanted to share this great article with you from Psychology Today because it really nails it on the head on the topic of PARENTING and the pressure we sometimes put on ourselves as parents and affects they way we react to our children that can have a negative impact on them. Let us know your thoughts by commenting below the article. We'd love to know what has worked/not worked  for you!

Hey babes! So I got a chance to to do a Q&A with Erica Ziel, creator of Knocked Up Fitness. Some of you may have watched Ila's Q&A with her a couple months ago or may have seen her on our Instagram. We are honored to work with her and know ya'll will fall in love with everything she offers in her Knocked Up Fitness programs. The below Q&A mainly features Erica's Core Rehab Program and her Knocked Up Fitness Membership.

Erica was actually my pilates instructor when I had Kai, my firstborn, five years ago. If I remember correctly, I believe I was literally searching the internet and came across her, and of course, her brand stood out because of her brilliant name and logo. Erica has taught me so much about my body and was the first fitness pro I trusted when it came to being pregnant. I don't know about you, but I found it very difficult to find anyone to help guide me in the area of fitness that was confident in prenatal exercise. But Erica was a wealth of knowledge and gave me the tools and confidence I was looking for to continue the proper exercises during my pregnancy and beyond. 

SIGN UP HERE for Erica's amazing CORE REHAB PROGRAM!

The below Q&A video with myself and Erica Ziel from Knocked Up Fitness addresses the following:

• Why is it important to have a strong pelvic floor and what does that mean? min 1:45
• What is a kegel and my pelvic floor?/Is it ever too late to strengthen my pelvic floor? min 2:45
• What are the type of issues that can occur from having a weak pelvic floor? min 3:45
• Is it possible to have TOO STRONG of a pelvic floor? min 5:00
• Can you hurt or grip your pelvic floor when working out? min 6:00
• I lost my butt (GLUTES) during my pregnancy and WHY. min 6:25
• WHO is the CORE REHAB PROGRAM FOR? min 7:00 AND min 27
• Are kegels SAFE right after you give birth?/How do I "wake up" my pelvic floor? min 7:20
• How do I do kegels properly? min 8:25
• What exactly is my "DEEP CORE"? min 9:50
• How and WHY is it especially important to do kegels and strengthen my pelvic floor during pregnancy? min 12:45
• Will I hurt my baby if I strengthen my core when I'm pregnant? min 16:50
• How does strengthening your deep core and breathing affect your baby? min 18:50
• Can activating your pelvic floor help decrease hip pain? min 22:50
• When is it SAFE start exercising after having baby/what your OB might not be telling you? min 29:45
• Can working out more frequently possibly make me hold on to more baby weight? min 36
• What can be the potential differences from my first pregnancy from my second?/What does it mean if I have obliques during my pregnancy the second time around?  min 36:45
• How quickly can I strengthen my pelvic floor and what if I'm nervous to jump rope or sneeze? ​min 40:00
• What is the dark line on my stomach from pregnancy? min 41:30
• When is it safe to have sex and will it harm my healing? min 42:40
• What if I'm still bleeding a little or my uterus hasn't completely shrunk back? min 44:20​

OTHER RELATED TOPICS:​

1. How do I create a stronger foundation for my body?
2. What is diastasis recti and how do I heal it? ​

WHO and WHAT is the CORE REHAB PROGRAM for?

• Postpartum and beyond

   This program is designed to rebuild and boost your body, mindset, energy, get rid of aches and pains, digestion issues, pelvic floor dysfunction, diastasis recti, poor posture, and more!
​
WHO and WHAT is the KNOCKED UP FITNESS MEMBERSHIP for?

• Pregnancy

   This program is designed to help you properly strengthen your core, improve how you feel physically and emotionally, boost your confidence, have a speedier delivery {which means less stress on baby}, and easier recovery postpartum!

Hey guys!
Along with back-to-school, I took an extra step and decided to revamp the boys' wardrobes. Well, truth-be-told, my mom was in town and took us all shopping. Same thing, right? Anyways, with LeLe in town, we made some amazing purchases at Nordstrom (Thanks, LeLe!). This included some back-to-school clothes for the boys and what I am featuring today -- some new "jammas", or PJ's. 
​

Nordstrom has one of the best, all-around selections of kids clothes - in my humble opinion. I have tried to shop for the boys at Target and other "discount" retailers (to save on clothes), but the selection and quality really isn't up to par. Often times, the fit is off and the clothes don't last... talk about a waste of money. And now that I have TWO boys, I need clothes to last from one brother to the next. On the other hand, when shopping at Nordstrom, the quality of clothing is incredible. Not just that, but the variety and quality of selection the store carries is abundant! 

Some of my favorite brands from Nordstrom (for babies and toddlers) are Tucker + Tate, Nordstrom Baby, Mini Boden, Peek, and Tea Collection (to name a few). The quality of fabric is top-line; the fabrics withstand washing/drying and wear/tear, which is key for needing to sustain these clothes for multiple siblings. Not to mention, who wants their kids in dingy clothes after one wash?

Anyways, back to these adorable PAJAMAS! When my mom and I selected the PJ's for each boy, we went after quality of fabric and the cute design on the front. It wasn't until after we got to the register that we realized that both sets of PJ's featured raccoons. So cute.
To check 'em out... Linc's pajamas are Tucker + Tate. You can find them here. And V's PJ's are Nordstrom Baby. You can find them here. Or click the buttons below  to get their PJ look from Nordstrom!

Happy shopping, mamas! Hope your kids are well-rested from their first weeks of school.
x, ILA

​Hi ladies!
Hope your summer is coming to a nice close; I still can't believe that we are back-to-school already. Not sure about you, but summer came and went for us! Much of that time was filled with getting to know the newest member of our fam, V, along with an adventurous family trip to California and Kauai. Summers with my babies are priceless, but I will say that I am looking forward to the school year starting and having a bit of a routine back in our lives. 
This year will mark Lincoln's first year of school, ah! He will be attending a "Mother's Day Out" program two days a week. While I weep inside that this day has finally come, I also look forward to having time to myself and one-on-one time with V.
Not going to lie, having two kids under the age of three and spaced so close in age has kept this mama busy, busy busy. The laundry is never done, my coffee is never hot and I'm lucky to get a moment to myself. With school starting, I'm confident that I will get my groove back! Yes, I felt a little guilty initially sending my first baby off to school at such a young age. I mean, he is so little and my mind was warped with all of these concerns... "Should I be letting him go to school this young?" "I don't want to miss any precious moments" "I can handle two kids without help." etc etc etc. Despite all of my concerns, I got to a point in which I had to let go of control. I knew that if I didn't seek help through school and/or via a nanny, I would burn out. Not only that, I found that I wasn't enjoying my kids as much as I could be. Dad became the fun one and mama became the burnt-out one, the chore doer and the errand runner - can anyone relate?
At the verge of a break (literally one night breaking down to my husband), we made the joint decision that I needed help and I needed it ASAP. What I ultimately decided on was two days at school for Lincoln and one morning of both kids with a nanny. The two days Lincoln was at school would be my easier days with V; then the one day both of the kids were with the nanny would be my personal couple of hours to work on my blog and whatever else MY heart desired. Sometimes a little time away is good for a mama's soul, providing solace and rejuvenation.
With all of this said, school is such an exciting new time for our family! The first day of school is a big "first" for all of us, and with that, we have not shorted on back-to-school preparation. Wow, there are so many cute items to capitalize on this school year. From backpacks to environmentally-friendly sandwich bags, below I detail some of my favorite back-to-school finds. Hope you enjoy BTS shopping and sending off your littles to become the future leaders of the world :) xoxox

A few of my fave backpacks above. Nordstrom has the best all-around collection, while Pottery Barn Kids is an obvious, solid choice. Linc's "Mooma" (Grandma) got him the Mackenzie Navy Sport Camo Pottery Barn Kids Backpack. It is adorable and only $23!
Be sure to pay attention to the SIZE of the backpack. If you have a 2-3 year old toddler, you'll want to ensure that you order either a Pre-K or Small by double-checking the measurements. You'll also want to consider what your teacher/school recommends your child bring with them each day; this will likely dictate the size of the backpack. For instance, the Pre-K size may fit your little one perfectly, but you might not be able to fit his lunch, blanket, change of clothes, diapers, etc. in there.  
Last point, a lot of the brands offer personalization. While personalization is cute, I often worry about the safety of having my child's name on a product for outsiders to see. While the event is unlikely, I always air on the safe side and proceed with caution when choosing to imprint their name on a clearly visible product. If you are set on monogramming, I would opt for using their initials "RLR" rather than their full name. Paranoid mama over here.

Above are my favorite lunch bags from both Nordstrom and Amazon. Personally, I think you can find just as cute of bag on Amazon and for a fraction of the price. We ended up getting Lincoln the Skip Hop Zoo Lunch Bag from Nordstrom, courtesy of LeLe (my mom). For the quality and price, you can't beat it!
Another thing to consider: at Lincoln's school, the teachers encourage us to pack ice packs in their lunches to keep the food cold. Thus, you'll want to find a bag that is either insulated or that is able to get a little wet.
​

Lunchskins (pictured above) is a brand that I am super excited to share with our mama followers. While getting my MBA at Georgetown, I worked with lunchskins on a consulting project and fell in love with the product. What I love about the company is their mission: to replace everyday plastic with a sustainable solution. As such, lunchskins is a company that produces reusable and recyclable lunch bags. These are the perfect alternative to plastic ziplock bags, which are terrible for our environment. Not only are the bags environmentally-friendly, but they are also stylish with fun prints to make you child's lunch eating experience fun and enjoyable.

About a month prior to Linc starting his Mom's Day Out Program, I was antsy to get organized. I needed a day-planner that would somehow start in the month of August and that could ship quickly. I went on Amazon.com and impulsively pulled the trigger, purchasing this Blue Sky Day Planner.  
In true Brooke fashion, if I had the time, I would have perused 500 day planner options until I find the PERFECT one, but in this case, I purchased hastily on Amazon. In this situation, it certainly worked out. This planner is everything that I could have wanted in a day planner. The dates are organized for the academic year, it is the perfect size, and also has a cute design. Lastly, you cannot beat the price. I was going to provide more options, but I believe this is the best day planner for the price and function.