Yesterday was the first day back at school for Ava and Lola.
The Summer flew by so quickly. I swear we only just finished up school for last year, but here we are at the end of August and the start of a new school year already.
Wednesday, 30 August 2017
Sunday, 20 August 2017
Space Goodies for the Solar Eclipse
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.
Thanks for supporting Little Hiccups by shopping with out sponsors.
Tomorrow's solar eclipse has got everyone in our home excited about all things space related. Or rather, more excited about space than usual. We're already big fans of rockets, astronauts and the solar system!
To celebrate the solar eclipse I thought I'd share some of my favorite space related goodies for kids: clothes, books, toys, room decor, hair accessories and even tasty cookies. As if we need an excuse to eat Trader Joe's Half Moon Cookies!
Click the links to shop:
Duns Mother Earth T-Shirt * Trader Joe's Half Moon Cookies * NASA Logo Sweatshirt
Here in the Bay Area we should see about a 75% eclipse. The kids and I are super excited to see what it looks like and just how dark the day becomes. We have our eclipse glasses ready to protect our eyes and we'll be heading up to our roof deck with friends (and plenty of Half Moon Cookies!) to check it out.
Will you see the eclipse where you live? I can't wait to see everyone's photos from tomorrow - just remember not to point your camera at the sun!
Tuesday, 15 August 2017
Back to School Shopping
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.
Thanks for supporting Little Hiccups by shopping with our sponsors.
Summer! Where did you go?
I swear I blinked and the Summer vacation was almost at its end.
We've got two more weeks left of Summer break here in Berkeley and then all three of my girls will be back at school. Or in Mathilde's case, starting pre-school.
While the girls are pretty excited about going back to school to see their friends, I'm finding myself frantically trying to squeeze in as many outings and fun activities as possible. Oh, and shopping for back to school. That too. Luckily, all of our back to school shopping has been done online. Hooray for the internet!
Today I'm sharing some of my favorite back to school items with you. Here's a look at what has been on my shopping list.
First, the big girls...
Elementary School
Click the links to shop:
Scotland Garden Backpack * Camelbak Edy Kids * Tea Collection Pocket Play Dress
Tea Collection Japan Panda Tee * Argyle Socks * Somersault Shorts
Tea Collection Belladrum Pleated Skirt * Tea Collection Heather Leggings
Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Sneakers * Elaphantito Booties * So Young Lunch Box
While the weather stays relatively warm for the start of Fall here in the Bay Area it gets pretty cool in the girls' classrooms so light long sleeved tops are always a good idea. Ava is obsessed with this sweet panda tee from Tea Collection. Isn't it cute? My girls are all about dresses and skirts, but because they love to play on the monkey bars at recess, bike pants or leggings are always a must underneath. Leggings are such a simple way to layer when the weather starts to get a little cooler, and because it never gets overly cold here they allow my girls to wear the same dresses pretty much all year round. I love these little ankle boots from Elephantito. Isn't the color sweet? Ava likes to look a little edgier than Lola, so the classic Converse Chuck Taylor high tops add a touch of cool to her look. Backpacks, lunchboxes and water bottles are, of course, a must for back to school. I love the sweet pattern on this Tea Collection backpack. It's a great sized backpack for elementary school kids with enough space for for lunch and books, but without overwhelming small backs. The Camelbak Kids Edy water bottle is one of the best ones I've found as it just doesn't leak. The So Young lunchbox has been a great addition to my girls' backpacks. Ava has had one of these for a few years and it still looks as good as new. It's also big enough to fit big kid lunches.
Preschool
Click the links to shop:
Tea Collection Little Citizen Tee * Tea Collection Overalls * Mitz Accessories Rainbow Dress
Tea Collection Plaid Skirted Dress * Hello Shiso Pencil Hair Clips * Striped Socks
Veja Sneakers * Fjallraven Kanken Mini Backpack * Wild Side Lunch Box
Boo Anti Lice Shampoo * Boo Anti Lice Spray
Mathilde is all about bright rainbow colors so while I went with a more muted color pallet for Ava and Lola I've gone for bright colors for her. Mathilde will spend a lot more time outside playing than her big sisters so sturdy clothes are a must. I love these sweet overalls from Tea Collection. They're perfect for outdoor play but the little details make them a little more dressed up than regular overalls. Ava actually has a pair too, so they're not just for little kids. Colorful dresses with skirts that go out when you spin are Mathilde's favorites so these two dresses from Tea Collection and Mitz Accessories are sure to be favorites. Plus they'll look super cute when paired with stripey socks and the cute Veja sneakers. The Fjallraven Kanken Mini backpack is just the perfect size for pre-schoolers. It can be hard to find nicely styled backpacks small enough for the little ones. This Fjallraven backpack is sure to stand the test of time. I chose bright yellow not just because I knew Mathilde would love it, but also because it's so vibrant that it will make her more visible when she's wearing it. This is super important as we'll be walking or bike riding every day. The colorful lunch box will be the perfect accessory to go with Mathilde's new backpack. How cute is that little bear on it? Speaking of cute, check out those pencils hair clips! Perfect for school. One last thing, and it's an essential, is the Boo anti-lice shampoo and spray. Let's face it, head lice can be an every day part of school life. An icky part of school life. Ava and Lola have been washing their hair with Boo shampoo and conditioner once or twice a week and using the spray daily for the past few years, and so far they've been lice free. Even when there has been an outbreak in their classrooms those little creepy crawlies have stayed away.
What does back to school shopping look like for your family?
Do you buy a new backpack and lunch box most years?
Do you need to buy stationery items? Our school provides pencils, notebooks, crayons etc so we don't need to buy them (although I do buy classroom items like these and cleaning supplies in bulk for the class so they don't have to come out of the teacher's pocket).
Ok, back to having fun with the kids and not counting the days until Summer ends!
Thanks for supporting Little Hiccups by shopping with our sponsors.
Summer! Where did you go?
I swear I blinked and the Summer vacation was almost at its end.
We've got two more weeks left of Summer break here in Berkeley and then all three of my girls will be back at school. Or in Mathilde's case, starting pre-school.
While the girls are pretty excited about going back to school to see their friends, I'm finding myself frantically trying to squeeze in as many outings and fun activities as possible. Oh, and shopping for back to school. That too. Luckily, all of our back to school shopping has been done online. Hooray for the internet!
Today I'm sharing some of my favorite back to school items with you. Here's a look at what has been on my shopping list.
First, the big girls...
Elementary School
Click the links to shop:
Scotland Garden Backpack * Camelbak Edy Kids * Tea Collection Pocket Play Dress
Tea Collection Japan Panda Tee * Argyle Socks * Somersault Shorts
Tea Collection Belladrum Pleated Skirt * Tea Collection Heather Leggings
Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Sneakers * Elaphantito Booties * So Young Lunch Box
While the weather stays relatively warm for the start of Fall here in the Bay Area it gets pretty cool in the girls' classrooms so light long sleeved tops are always a good idea. Ava is obsessed with this sweet panda tee from Tea Collection. Isn't it cute? My girls are all about dresses and skirts, but because they love to play on the monkey bars at recess, bike pants or leggings are always a must underneath. Leggings are such a simple way to layer when the weather starts to get a little cooler, and because it never gets overly cold here they allow my girls to wear the same dresses pretty much all year round. I love these little ankle boots from Elephantito. Isn't the color sweet? Ava likes to look a little edgier than Lola, so the classic Converse Chuck Taylor high tops add a touch of cool to her look. Backpacks, lunchboxes and water bottles are, of course, a must for back to school. I love the sweet pattern on this Tea Collection backpack. It's a great sized backpack for elementary school kids with enough space for for lunch and books, but without overwhelming small backs. The Camelbak Kids Edy water bottle is one of the best ones I've found as it just doesn't leak. The So Young lunchbox has been a great addition to my girls' backpacks. Ava has had one of these for a few years and it still looks as good as new. It's also big enough to fit big kid lunches.
Preschool
Click the links to shop:
Tea Collection Little Citizen Tee * Tea Collection Overalls * Mitz Accessories Rainbow Dress
Tea Collection Plaid Skirted Dress * Hello Shiso Pencil Hair Clips * Striped Socks
Veja Sneakers * Fjallraven Kanken Mini Backpack * Wild Side Lunch Box
Boo Anti Lice Shampoo * Boo Anti Lice Spray
Mathilde is all about bright rainbow colors so while I went with a more muted color pallet for Ava and Lola I've gone for bright colors for her. Mathilde will spend a lot more time outside playing than her big sisters so sturdy clothes are a must. I love these sweet overalls from Tea Collection. They're perfect for outdoor play but the little details make them a little more dressed up than regular overalls. Ava actually has a pair too, so they're not just for little kids. Colorful dresses with skirts that go out when you spin are Mathilde's favorites so these two dresses from Tea Collection and Mitz Accessories are sure to be favorites. Plus they'll look super cute when paired with stripey socks and the cute Veja sneakers. The Fjallraven Kanken Mini backpack is just the perfect size for pre-schoolers. It can be hard to find nicely styled backpacks small enough for the little ones. This Fjallraven backpack is sure to stand the test of time. I chose bright yellow not just because I knew Mathilde would love it, but also because it's so vibrant that it will make her more visible when she's wearing it. This is super important as we'll be walking or bike riding every day. The colorful lunch box will be the perfect accessory to go with Mathilde's new backpack. How cute is that little bear on it? Speaking of cute, check out those pencils hair clips! Perfect for school. One last thing, and it's an essential, is the Boo anti-lice shampoo and spray. Let's face it, head lice can be an every day part of school life. An icky part of school life. Ava and Lola have been washing their hair with Boo shampoo and conditioner once or twice a week and using the spray daily for the past few years, and so far they've been lice free. Even when there has been an outbreak in their classrooms those little creepy crawlies have stayed away.
What does back to school shopping look like for your family?
Do you buy a new backpack and lunch box most years?
Do you need to buy stationery items? Our school provides pencils, notebooks, crayons etc so we don't need to buy them (although I do buy classroom items like these and cleaning supplies in bulk for the class so they don't have to come out of the teacher's pocket).
Ok, back to having fun with the kids and not counting the days until Summer ends!
Thursday, 10 August 2017
Glass Beach at Fort Bragg
This Summer has flown by and we haven't taken any big trips like we normally would during the long break. While we've been home for much of the Summer, we have taken a few short trips around the Bay Area with friends and family visiting from Australia.
Once such trip we took was to Fort Bragg, a small coastal town three hours north of San Francisco with my parents. The highlight of our visit was Fort Bragg's famous Glass Beach, a beach covered in colorful sea glass. I remember reading about the Glass Beach when we first moved to California and I've been keen to see it for myself ever since.
While the Glass Beach is rather pretty, it's origins are not quite as romantic as one would imagine. All those pretty pieces of glass? They didn't wash ashore from a ship, nor are they the remains of letters sent in bottles. Nope. Between 1906 and 1967 the shoreline along the Glass Beach was used as a dump! All those rounded pieces of glass are the result of sixty years of the town's trash. Various clean up efforts over the decades removed all of the large items and the metal for scrap, while the biodegradable waste degraded over time. What remained after the clean up effort was beautiful glass pieces worn smooth by the waves.
Sunday, 6 August 2017
Color Factory
If you're following Little Hiccups on Instagram you would've seen a lot of color in my posts and stories over the past few days. This past Thursday the girls and I visited Color Factory in San Francisco and it was one of the most amazing places we've ever been. They say that Disneyland is the happiest place on earth - nope, it's Color Factory!
Color Factory is a little tricky to explain. It's a 12,000 square foot pop up installation full of colorful delights for the senses. It's visual, it's hands on, it's delicious and it's full of memories. Created by the super talented Jordan Ferney from Oh Happy Day in collaboration with some amazing artists, Color Factory is an installation that needs to be seen to be believed. So let's take a look...
Thursday, 3 August 2017
Pedalfest 2017
A few weekends back we spent the day at one of our favorite local festivals: Pedalfest at Oakland's Jack London Square.
If you're not familiar with Pedlafest, it's a whole day dedicated to bike riding fun. There are all sorts of crazy bikes to try out, fun rides for the kids, tasty food, amazing stunt shows, markets, a bicycle powered stage and a ton of other bike related fun.
If you're not familiar with Pedlafest, it's a whole day dedicated to bike riding fun. There are all sorts of crazy bikes to try out, fun rides for the kids, tasty food, amazing stunt shows, markets, a bicycle powered stage and a ton of other bike related fun.
