tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51470222382406418642024-03-05T03:48:28.505-06:00stormieariellife + style blogstormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.comBlogger275125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-44659382780463761372022-08-24T10:00:00.001-05:002022-08-24T10:00:00.224-05:00 Learning Through Play | Our Favorite ToysSophia started showing interest in puzzles around 9 months old and as every excited parent would do, we shared videos of her completing puzzles and showed enthusiasm for wanting to buy more. However, we were told eventually children will get tired of a puzzle and lose interest so the advice was to not buy many puzzles as it would be a waste of money. Well, if you know me very well, I don't listenstormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-86112418376720409572022-08-18T20:28:00.000-05:002022-08-18T20:28:35.631-05:00Homeschooling the Early YearsThis post has been two years in the making..I often get asked about our worksheets or curriculum we use whenever I share stories on Instagram of my kids working on something or a new academic skill they learned.I first want to start off that we are very relaxed when it comes to any "schoolwork" and I try not to force anything on my kids since they are still young. The only reason we started "stormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-50365045698410239492021-01-01T23:49:00.005-06:002021-01-01T23:51:57.630-06:00I Quit Nursing SchoolAs I played with the words to share my decision, I realized this may be a very unpopular decision especially in our modern society with high value for career minded women. However I want to be very clear:I am not JUST a stay at home mom. I CHOOSE to be a stay at home mom. We make sacrifices in our lifestyle that allow me to spend this time with our children and I wouldn’t want it any stormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-64314019496133470932020-06-15T15:40:00.002-05:002020-06-15T15:40:46.193-05:00Father's Day Gift GuideWell hello, its me again. So soon ya'll may come to expect me to be a consistent blogger, haha. I was inspired last night as I was ordering Anthony's father day presents. I found out about this Chimney Charcoal Starter thing a few months ago from Preston Perry so I knew it was something I wanted to get for Anthony. I just never bit the bullet and as father's day is approaching and seeing stormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-66572019221987043312020-05-20T22:32:00.001-05:002020-05-20T22:38:15.240-05:00Top 5 Books for Your Baby/Toddler (0-3)Well hello whoever is still hanging around. I thought I would start posting more often after my last post but alas I have been preoccupied with house projects and adjusting to a new routine here at the house. We have been in such a good rhythm the last few weeks even amidst the current circumstances.I have arrived to the thought that my blogging will remain inconsistent as I only want to blog stormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-70532505866721168282020-01-09T15:21:00.000-06:002020-01-09T15:36:53.991-06:00Diaper Pail Comparison | Ubbi vs Dekor PlusAbout two years ago, I shared all about our diapering station for a newborn and the difference of how I disposed of diapers between Sophia and baby Anthony. Since then, our diapering needs have changed dramatically. In that time, we started cloth diapering both kiddos, the eldest is now potty trained (besides nighttime) and the toddler has very stinky poop. We currently have two diaper pails for stormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-16263821330198638422019-02-07T15:37:00.000-06:002019-02-07T15:37:25.199-06:00Let’s Chat! | Growth During StrugglesIf your new around here, you probably don’t know this but I’m not the typical blogger. I randomly take breaks from blogging because, well life happens. Real life. Don’t get me wrong I love blogging. I love writing. I love forming the connections I have made through this digital life but I have priorities. Or at least I try to because let’s me honest we all get sucked into the scrolling mindlesslystormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-5540996279386082018-09-03T23:00:00.000-05:002018-09-03T23:00:21.077-05:00DockATot Deluxe vs. DockATot GrandThis post was created in partnership with DockATot but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.
If you don’t know my love for DockATot yet, where have you been? Haha, since we discovered it and started using the DockATot Grand with Sophia at 9 months we saw a night and day difference in her sleeping habits (read more here). We were determined to start our next baby with the DockATot right after stormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-34580590929626665342018-07-25T18:02:00.001-05:002018-07-25T18:02:08.977-05:00Modern Farmhouse Bathroom Mood Board
Vanity Lights | Curved Shower Rod | Copper Bucket (old Target find) | Turkish Hand Towel | Antique White Pitcher | Jute Rug | Tile
It has certainly been awhile since I shared my last home decor blog post and the only reveal I have ever done in this house was Sophia's Nursery. We have lived here for 4 years already and if you have been around the blog for awhile you will remember how stormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-56876260156731240132018-06-20T19:15:00.000-05:002018-06-20T19:15:52.931-05:00Cloth Diapering 101 | All in One (AIO)Last month, I started a new mini series on the blog Cloth Diapering 101 sharing the All in Two diaper system. After taking a poll on Instastory, I went with the majority vote and am back to share all about All in One diapers. We currently only own one All in One in our entire stash and I do love the convenience and trimness of it.
An All in One diaper comes in, you guessed it, one piece stormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-56132038550378355092018-06-13T13:02:00.000-05:002018-06-13T13:24:34.623-05:00Baby-Led Weaning + 6 Month UpdateThis post has been a very long time coming for both topics, haha. I have been promising a Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) update since we started the method with Sophia two years ago and baby Anthony is about to be eight months. EIGHT. I figure I need to start this with a disclaimer as all parenting decisions seem to be controversial. This is our personal experience doing BLW with our children and we lovestormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-71342655405659261412018-06-04T13:52:00.002-05:002021-08-11T15:41:57.005-05:00Learning Through PlayThis post was created in partnership with PicassoTiles but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.
I absolutely love learning and am a huge advocate for early childhood education except I don't think learning has to mean sitting down doing worksheets or flash cards at the early age of two (and this is what they do in most day cares even before two, trust me I have worked in quite a few of them)stormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-82900377093565300312018-05-17T15:03:00.001-05:002018-05-17T21:03:27.938-05:006 Ways to Help a Family in NeedAs y'all know Anthony and I have been on this yo-yo unemployed/underemployed life for 10 months now and we have had so many people in our life help us along the way to make this time a tad easier although the only thing that would make this easier would be a stable income (just being honest). Often times people do ask how can they help and maybe it's pride or maybe it's not wanting to be a burdenstormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-77982244717389398742018-05-07T22:36:00.001-05:002018-10-02T14:10:48.700-05:00Cloth Diapering 101 | All in Twos (AI2)This post was created in partnership with Lil Helper but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.
We have been cloth diapering for a full month now and I have learned so much so I decided to start a new mini series on my blog, Cloth Diapering 101 (see my New Moms Survival series here and my Nursing Bras series here). Every few weeks or so, I will go into detail about the different types of clothstormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-76463097928534106062018-04-25T16:36:00.001-05:002021-08-11T16:03:55.957-05:00Tot School with PicassoTilesThis post was created in partnership with PicassoTiles but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.
If you have been following my Instagram (I update that more frequently and it is "real time" whereas my blog posts are general lagged), you may know that I have intentionally started focused play with Sophia as a form of tot school. If you are unfamiliar with the term tot school, you can readstormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-86359529451967617842018-04-10T20:05:00.000-05:002018-10-02T14:13:33.439-05:00Unemployed Life + Five Month UpdateThis will probably be one of the most vulnerable posts I write. I have debated sharing this part of our life in my public social media life because I do not want pity at all (pride much?) however the longer we are in this season, the harder it is and if I can help just one other person or family who may be on this same journey then it would be worth sharing. I briefly mentioned Anthony was back stormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-43711700533112760242018-03-29T14:41:00.000-05:002018-03-29T14:41:44.842-05:00Shopping with Two under Two + Four Month UpdateThis post was created in partnership with Binxy Baby but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.
For about four months, I had two babies under two and now that my oldest turned two not much has really changed, haha. It's still the same craziness over here but I did figure out some tips and tricks to make shopping with two kiddos under the age of two easier.
Go shopping after naptime
The stormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-38219627041486148682018-03-12T10:28:00.000-05:002018-03-12T10:28:17.490-05:00Why I Love Baby-wearing + Three Month UpdateThis post was created in partnership with LILLEbaby but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.
Have we been spoiled with daddy's presence these last seven months (for those of you unaware, Anthony was laid off back in July and while it definitely was stressful financially, it has been a blessing as well). Daddy started working again a few weeks ago though so that leaves this momma outnumbered stormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-65392392613487773412018-01-24T15:58:00.002-06:002018-02-21T22:38:08.886-06:00Why We Won't Let our Children Cry It OutI figured since I shared some sleep tips that help make bedtime easier with a newborn I would go into detail of why we won't do cry it out (CIO) with our children.
Note: this is in no way of judgement for families who use the CIO method. Do what works best for your family and your sanity. We are all just trying to stay afloat with this parenting gig.
We did briefly try CIO with Sophiastormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-15513032884838593212018-01-17T17:43:00.000-06:002018-02-21T23:19:24.793-06:00Sleep Tips from a Second Time Mom + Two Month Update
This post was created in partnership with The Ollie World but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.
Well guys my big guy turned two months old on Christmas Eve. Like where has time gone? It feels like only yesterday that I brought this sweet baby home and was a hormonal mess about missing out on Sophia yet it also feels like that was so long ago. Funny how that happens.
Since we have stormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-60282326627237617352018-01-04T16:36:00.001-06:002018-02-21T23:17:43.006-06:00New Moms Survival Bins | Diapering StationThis post was created in partnership with PinkBlush Maternity but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.
As I mentioned in my breastfeeding kit post, I don't have a portable diapering kit because we actually utilize changing tables. We have a Labrador retriever who sheds like crazy and brings in a ton of dirt into the house. I don't know what his obsession is but he always has to find mud and stormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-63622347926949136292017-12-07T18:04:00.000-06:002018-01-17T15:43:26.247-06:00Adjusting as a Family of Four + One Month Update
Has life been different since adding our sweet baby boy to our family. This past month has been so hard mentally and emotionally but oh so good. The first two weeks I really struggled in balancing my attention between Sophia and baby Anthony and it really tore me up inside that I could not give my all to either one. When I was taking care of this sweet new baby, I couldn't help but remember stormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-10803134731832458082017-11-22T17:33:00.001-06:002018-02-21T23:19:12.396-06:004 Uses for the DockATotThis post was created in partnership with DockATot but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.
By this point, I am sure the whole world knows about my love for DockATot. It truly is an amazing product that has made the biggest impact in our parenting lives. We first received the DockATot Grand when Sophia was 9 months old (read that review here) and the Grand also helped make our hospital laborstormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-37263198387227318722017-11-21T13:25:00.000-06:002018-02-21T23:18:52.016-06:00Holiday Gift Guide for Him featuring JORD WatchesThis post was created in partnership with JORD but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.
As I have mentioned in previous gift guides that I have done, Anthony is very low key when it comes to the type of gifts he likes. He is a big gamer and music lover but this year I wanted to do something a little different for him.
A few years ago (when we were in our early 20s), I bought him stormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147022238240641864.post-42004774703924669822017-11-15T21:02:00.001-06:002018-02-21T23:21:04.147-06:00Nursing Bras Every Breastfeeding Mom Needs | Sleep Nursing BrasThis post was created in partnership with Kindred Bravely but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.
Hey guys!! I was finally able to sneak in some time to share the next type of bra in my nursing bra series - to see my favorite everyday nursing bras check out this post.
Today I wanted to share my favorite nursing sleep bra and this one isn't a bra per say. It is actually a nightgownstormiearielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10688092866709469306noreply@blogger.com0