F is for Family

Family, home, travel, life

Archives for March 2015

Review of MM.LaFleur Bento Box

I’m sure by now many people have heard of Stitch Fix, a website that creates custom selections of clothes and ships straight to your house. You receive, try on and return what you don’t want and pay for only those pieces you keep. I’ve never tried Stitch Fix but have seen a number of reviews. The looks are more casual, everyday looks, not much that would be work appropriate if you have a business attire work environment. MM.LaFluer is the response to that gap. In my first bento box, I received a dress, collarless cropped blazer, an asymmetrical navy shirt and a plum colored pencil skirt.

First, the clothing in the box comes in a great zippered protective bag with a card that explains what is in your bento selection and how to keep/return the items once you’ve decided. Each item had a great weight to the fabric and was wrinkle free despite being folded in the box. I’m certain they would be perfect for work travel and hold up well in a suitcase. My only complaint about fabric would be that it was a little too heavy for this time of year in Florida, however, being a NYC based company, I can understand how this might be an over site.

Item #1: Emily dress, Black
Review: The dress fit great in the shoulders and waist. It was a bit long as I’m petite. This dress had pockets and because it wasn’t tailored for a petite frame, they weren’t laying quite right. I passed because it wasn’t a “perfect” fit, would need to be tailored and the fabric was a little too heavy for spring/summer in Florida

Item #2: Noho Skirt, Plum
Review: This skirt was extremely comfortable with just the right amount of stretch. Again, not cut for petite so, it cut at a strange area on my leg. I also really wanted it to be more tapered at the bottom. I passed because of fit and the weight of the fabric, same as the dress.

Item #3: Ephron asymmetrical shirt, Navy
Review: The fabric seemed great for travel. Other than that, I was NOT a big fan of much else on this item. I paired it with black ponte pants but the cut of this shirt was not flattering for these pants or any other pants. The slit up the side of the shirt came above waist line meaning that a small amount of skin would show just on one side. Because of the stretch in the fabric and the cut of the slit it hugs the tummy. Which if you have had kids or don’t have a completely flat tummy…you know is not a god thing. This went back without a second thought.

Item #4: Sant Ambroeus Cropped Blazer, Black
Review: Again, great fabric for travel. This is my single regret…I loved this piece. It had quite the price tag attached which was my sole reason for sending it back but this one will probably haunt me and gives me non-buyers remorse! The cut was fantastic, it was cropped in back and comes forward a bit in the front. I threw this on with a grey shift dress I already owned and it looked perfect. This is a piece that could be added to a number of items. It could be worn with jeans, short enough to flatter a work dress and the neutral color would compliment any work wardrobe. This should have been a keeper!

Review of MM.LaFleur Bento Box

I’m sure by now many people have heard of Stitch Fix, a website that creates custom selections of clothes and ships straight to your house. You receive, try on and return what you don’t want and pay for only those pieces you keep. I’ve never tried Stitch Fix but have seen a number of reviews. The looks are more casual, everyday looks, not much that would be work appropriate if you have a business attire work environment. MM.LaFluer is the response to that gap. In my first bento box, I received a dress, collarless cropped blazer, an asymmetrical navy shirt and a plum colored pencil skirt.

First, the clothing in the box comes in a great zippered protective bag with a card that explains what is in your bento selection and how to keep/return the items once you’ve decided. Each item had a great weight to the fabric and was wrinkle free despite being folded in the box. I’m certain they would be perfect for work travel and hold up well in a suitcase. My only complaint about fabric would be that it was a little too heavy for this time of year in Florida, however, being a NYC based company, I can understand how this might be an over site.

Item #1: Emily dress, Black
Review: The dress fit great in the shoulders and waist. It was a bit long as I’m petite. This dress had pockets and because it wasn’t tailored for a petite frame, they weren’t laying quite right. I passed because it wasn’t a “perfect” fit, would need to be tailored and the fabric was a little too heavy for spring/summer in Florida

Item #2: Noho Skirt, Plum
Review: This skirt was extremely comfortable with just the right amount of stretch. Again, not cut for petite so, it cut at a strange area on my leg. I also really wanted it to be more tapered at the bottom. I passed because of fit and the weight of the fabric, same as the dress.

Item #3: Ephron asymmetrical shirt, Navy
Review: The fabric seemed great for travel. Other than that, I was NOT a big fan of much else on this item. I paired it with black ponte pants but the cut of this shirt was not flattering for these pants or any other pants. The slit up the side of the shirt came above waist line meaning that a small amount of skin would show just on one side. Because of the stretch in the fabric and the cut of the slit it hugs the tummy. Which if you have had kids or don’t have a completely flat tummy…you know is not a god thing. This went back without a second thought.

Item #4: Sant Ambroeus Cropped Blazer, Black
Review: Again, great fabric for travel. This is my single regret…I loved this piece. It had quite the price tag attached which was my sole reason for sending it back but this one will probably haunt me and gives me non-buyers remorse! The cut was fantastic, it was cropped in back and comes forward a bit in the front. I threw this on with a grey shift dress I already owned and it looked perfect. This is a piece that could be added to a number of items. It could be worn with jeans, short enough to flatter a work dress and the neutral color would compliment any work wardrobe. This should have been a keeper!

Day Out With Thomas

Sofia is a huge Thomas the Train fan so, when I heard that “A Day Out With Thomas” was being held at the Florida Railroad Museum we knew it was a must. We surprised her with the trip and even thought it was almost 2hrs away but definitely recommended if you have a Thomas fan. Check out tip #9 below for a link to Love Laugh Create’s Facebook page where we got our amazing matching tees.  

The event was set up with a bunch of tents with different activities, train sets, gift shops and a scavenger hunt to get a “prize”. The prize was a little bit of a let down, it was basically a mat that showed all the characters and their names. But all in all Sofia had a blast. 


I’m not sure what I was thinking but I didn’t think about a “museum” being outdoor. But it was and other than inside the tents, there was little to no covering. With a long wait to actually ride the train, this was an issue for our little dude who overheats easily.

These are my tips for surviving A Day Out With Thomas:

  1. Water…tons of water
  2. Be prepared for a port-a-potty visit if you have a potty trained little or stop for a bathroom break just before you arrive
  3.  SUNSCREEN I’m not sure how but this is something I forgot
  4. Hats for the kids
  5. Stroller fan or blanket (if you are in colder weather)
  6. Snacks
  7. Camera, don’t forget the camera!
  8. If you see a break in the picture line for Thomas…RUN TO GET THERE!
  9. Get Your Thomas tees from Love-Laugh-Create on Facebook, I love her tees!!!
  10. Enjoy all the chaos…there is plenty of it!
My only regret is that we missed getting a picture with Thomas because to was extremely hot and required standing in a long line with no cover. I highly recommend this event if you have toddlers. 


Day Out With Thomas

Sofia is a huge Thomas the Train fan so, when I heard that “A Day Out With Thomas” was being held at the Florida Railroad Museum we knew it was a must. We surprised her with the trip and even thought it was almost 2hrs away but definitely recommended if you have a Thomas fan. Check out tip #9 below for a link to Love Laugh Create’s Facebook page where we got our amazing matching tees.  

The event was set up with a bunch of tents with different activities, train sets, gift shops and a scavenger hunt to get a “prize”. The prize was a little bit of a let down, it was basically a mat that showed all the characters and their names. But all in all Sofia had a blast. 


I’m not sure what I was thinking but I didn’t think about a “museum” being outdoor. But it was and other than inside the tents, there was little to no covering. With a long wait to actually ride the train, this was an issue for our little dude who overheats easily.

These are my tips for surviving A Day Out With Thomas:

  1. Water…tons of water
  2. Be prepared for a port-a-potty visit if you have a potty trained little or stop for a bathroom break just before you arrive
  3.  SUNSCREEN I’m not sure how but this is something I forgot
  4. Hats for the kids
  5. Stroller fan or blanket (if you are in colder weather)
  6. Snacks
  7. Camera, don’t forget the camera!
  8. If you see a break in the picture line for Thomas…RUN TO GET THERE!
  9. Get Your Thomas tees from Love-Laugh-Create on Facebook, I love her tees!!!
  10. Enjoy all the chaos…there is plenty of it!
My only regret is that we missed getting a picture with Thomas because to was extremely hot and required standing in a long line with no cover. I highly recommend this event if you have toddlers. 


Day Out With Thomas

Sofia is a huge Thomas the Train fan so, when I heard that “A Day Out With Thomas” was being held at the Florida Railroad Museum we knew it was a must. We surprised her with the trip and even thought it was almost 2hrs away but definitely recommended if you have a Thomas fan. Check out tip #9 below for a link to Love Laugh Create’s Facebook page where we got our amazing matching tees.  

The event was set up with a bunch of tents with different activities, train sets, gift shops and a scavenger hunt to get a “prize”. The prize was a little bit of a let down, it was basically a mat that showed all the characters and their names. But all in all Sofia had a blast. 


I’m not sure what I was thinking but I didn’t think about a “museum” being outdoor. But it was and other than inside the tents, there was little to no covering. With a long wait to actually ride the train, this was an issue for our little dude who overheats easily.

These are my tips for surviving A Day Out With Thomas:

  1. Water…tons of water
  2. Be prepared for a port-a-potty visit if you have a potty trained little or stop for a bathroom break just before you arrive
  3.  SUNSCREEN I’m not sure how but this is something I forgot
  4. Hats for the kids
  5. Stroller fan or blanket (if you are in colder weather)
  6. Snacks
  7. Camera, don’t forget the camera!
  8. If you see a break in the picture line for Thomas…RUN TO GET THERE!
  9. Get Your Thomas tees from Love-Laugh-Create on Facebook, I love her tees!!!
  10. Enjoy all the chaos…there is plenty of it!
My only regret is that we missed getting a picture with Thomas because to was extremely hot and required standing in a long line with no cover. I highly recommend this event if you have toddlers. 


Toddlerhood Times Two

Like all working Mom’s, I have a huge load to pull with juggling my full time day job with my full time life job of motherhood. With that responsibility, I also get the privilege of getting out of the house and gaining a little perspective on my situation when work offers some down time. Hence, my reflection on life with toddlers…
It’s my observation that people are either all about the “baby phase” or all about the “toddler phase”. I fall into the latter. Tiny babies are adorable and all but the lay-there-and-be-cute thing gets old, quick. Toddlers on the other hand…now that is what I call FUN! Admittedly, there are those times that make you want to pull your hair out and chug wine straight from the bottle but it’s definitely interesting and much more fast paced once they are on the move.
I’m currently living with a threenager and a brand new toddler. The 3’s are quirky little stage that sneaks up on you. Everyone warns about the two’s, you make it through that and the three’s just smack you in the face like a ton of bricks! The sass and the meltdowns and the attitude and the whining just comes at you in epic proportions.
The one year old, oh yes, the new toddler. They are just learning how to make a ton of noise and nothing is more fun than making the biggest mess on the planet. Surprisingly, this is when they start to get a little bit of an opinion but they don’t have words so, redirection is a little easier. However, if they are set on something and you can’t seem to understand them…you’re in a world of hurt.
This is what went down recently to spur this mommy rant. The little dude decided that he wanted into a cabinet that I had determined was off limits. The negotiations started out tame, “no , no Jackson. Mama says no”. This progressed to a minor power struggle which ended with me getting bit (yes, he bit me!)  and the little dude in tears of frustration.  This scuffle parlayed into an equal test of wills, moments later, with my older toddler about turning the TV off. At this point it dawned on me that “communication” as I know it has ceased to exist in my household. 
This was further confirmed while I changed a baby diaper and heard “can I play Playdoh?” yelled from the other room. My retort, “no Ma’am, we are getting ready for bed”. I continue to hear very familiar noises of Playdoh “tools” being laid out and offer up a warning shot, “no Playdoh, it’s bedtime”, only to come out and see every Playdoh utensil sprawled out on her play table. Clearly, I must speak another language or in a decibel that can’t be heard by small children or dogs.
While getting them both ready for bed, I start pulling out jammies for both kids and realize they have outgrown almost everything they have. Earlier that morning, it became clear that new shoes will also be on the shopping list coming up. It’s getting hard to keep these two clothed while retaining any semblance of a paycheck…sigh.
Post bedtime, I almost always watch TV with my husband and play on Pinterest. It’s both fun and depressing because so many of these Pinterest activities and mommy blog suggestions seem like amazingly good ideas if I had the time or cooperation from my children. But I feel like it’s a place where I can sort and dream about all the fantastic things I could do and occasionally it inspires something great. It’s a must do for the toddler Mom because it can be done in the wee hours of the morning with coffee in hand or late at night with glass of wine…both necessary staples in the life of toddler Moms! Good luck surviving to all you fellow toddler Mommies out there. Send me your best typical toddler moment stories!

Toddlerhood Times Two

Like all working Mom’s, I have a huge load to pull with juggling my full time day job with my full time life job of motherhood. With that responsibility, I also get the privilege of getting out of the house and gaining a little perspective on my situation when work offers some down time. Hence, my reflection on life with toddlers…
It’s my observation that people are either all about the “baby phase” or all about the “toddler phase”. I fall into the latter. Tiny babies are adorable and all but the lay-there-and-be-cute thing gets old, quick. Toddlers on the other hand…now that is what I call FUN! Admittedly, there are those times that make you want to pull your hair out and chug wine straight from the bottle but it’s definitely interesting and much more fast paced once they are on the move.
I’m currently living with a threenager and a brand new toddler. The 3’s are quirky little stage that sneaks up on you. Everyone warns about the two’s, you make it through that and the three’s just smack you in the face like a ton of bricks! The sass and the meltdowns and the attitude and the whining just comes at you in epic proportions.
The one year old, oh yes, the new toddler. They are just learning how to make a ton of noise and nothing is more fun than making the biggest mess on the planet. Surprisingly, this is when they start to get a little bit of an opinion but they don’t have words so, redirection is a little easier. However, if they are set on something and you can’t seem to understand them…you’re in a world of hurt.
This is what went down recently to spur this mommy rant. The little dude decided that he wanted into a cabinet that I had determined was off limits. The negotiations started out tame, “no , no Jackson. Mama says no”. This progressed to a minor power struggle which ended with me getting bit (yes, he bit me!)  and the little dude in tears of frustration.  This scuffle parlayed into an equal test of wills, moments later, with my older toddler about turning the TV off. At this point it dawned on me that “communication” as I know it has ceased to exist in my household. 
This was further confirmed while I changed a baby diaper and heard “can I play Playdoh?” yelled from the other room. My retort, “no Ma’am, we are getting ready for bed”. I continue to hear very familiar noises of Playdoh “tools” being laid out and offer up a warning shot, “no Playdoh, it’s bedtime”, only to come out and see every Playdoh utensil sprawled out on her play table. Clearly, I must speak another language or in a decibel that can’t be heard by small children or dogs.
While getting them both ready for bed, I start pulling out jammies for both kids and realize they have outgrown almost everything they have. Earlier that morning, it became clear that new shoes will also be on the shopping list coming up. It’s getting hard to keep these two clothed while retaining any semblance of a paycheck…sigh.
Post bedtime, I almost always watch TV with my husband and play on Pinterest. It’s both fun and depressing because so many of these Pinterest activities and mommy blog suggestions seem like amazingly good ideas if I had the time or cooperation from my children. But I feel like it’s a place where I can sort and dream about all the fantastic things I could do and occasionally it inspires something great. It’s a must do for the toddler Mom because it can be done in the wee hours of the morning with coffee in hand or late at night with glass of wine…both necessary staples in the life of toddler Moms! Good luck surviving to all you fellow toddler Mommies out there. Send me your best typical toddler moment stories!

Toddlerhood Times Two

Like all working Mom’s, I have a huge load to pull with juggling my full time day job with my full time life job of motherhood. With that responsibility, I also get the privilege of getting out of the house and gaining a little perspective on my situation when work offers some down time. Hence, my reflection on life with toddlers…
It’s my observation that people are either all about the “baby phase” or all about the “toddler phase”. I fall into the latter. Tiny babies are adorable and all but the lay-there-and-be-cute thing gets old, quick. Toddlers on the other hand…now that is what I call FUN! Admittedly, there are those times that make you want to pull your hair out and chug wine straight from the bottle but it’s definitely interesting and much more fast paced once they are on the move.
I’m currently living with a threenager and a brand new toddler. The 3’s are quirky little stage that sneaks up on you. Everyone warns about the two’s, you make it through that and the three’s just smack you in the face like a ton of bricks! The sass and the meltdowns and the attitude and the whining just comes at you in epic proportions.
The one year old, oh yes, the new toddler. They are just learning how to make a ton of noise and nothing is more fun than making the biggest mess on the planet. Surprisingly, this is when they start to get a little bit of an opinion but they don’t have words so, redirection is a little easier. However, if they are set on something and you can’t seem to understand them…you’re in a world of hurt.
This is what went down recently to spur this mommy rant. The little dude decided that he wanted into a cabinet that I had determined was off limits. The negotiations started out tame, “no , no Jackson. Mama says no”. This progressed to a minor power struggle which ended with me getting bit (yes, he bit me!)  and the little dude in tears of frustration.  This scuffle parlayed into an equal test of wills, moments later, with my older toddler about turning the TV off. At this point it dawned on me that “communication” as I know it has ceased to exist in my household. 
This was further confirmed while I changed a baby diaper and heard “can I play Playdoh?” yelled from the other room. My retort, “no Ma’am, we are getting ready for bed”. I continue to hear very familiar noises of Playdoh “tools” being laid out and offer up a warning shot, “no Playdoh, it’s bedtime”, only to come out and see every Playdoh utensil sprawled out on her play table. Clearly, I must speak another language or in a decibel that can’t be heard by small children or dogs.
While getting them both ready for bed, I start pulling out jammies for both kids and realize they have outgrown almost everything they have. Earlier that morning, it became clear that new shoes will also be on the shopping list coming up. It’s getting hard to keep these two clothed while retaining any semblance of a paycheck…sigh.
Post bedtime, I almost always watch TV with my husband and play on Pinterest. It’s both fun and depressing because so many of these Pinterest activities and mommy blog suggestions seem like amazingly good ideas if I had the time or cooperation from my children. But I feel like it’s a place where I can sort and dream about all the fantastic things I could do and occasionally it inspires something great. It’s a must do for the toddler Mom because it can be done in the wee hours of the morning with coffee in hand or late at night with glass of wine…both necessary staples in the life of toddler Moms! Good luck surviving to all you fellow toddler Mommies out there. Send me your best typical toddler moment stories!

Week 2: Letter B!

This week I introduced Sofia to the newest worksheets that I pulled from1Plus1Plus1Equals1 and Education.com. We moved from “A” to “B” and chose the color blue. We skipped a shape for this week because I’m adding in a unique project on Friday to sub for the shape. Last week she loved all of the sheets. When we got home every afternoon from picking her up after work, she’d ask for her “project” and sit and complete her sheets quietly.

This week…it’s a completely different story! She is asking for the sheets but isn’t as interested in sitting down to complete the activity for more than a few minutes. 

She woke up sick Monday and Tuesday, it’s possibly the reason for the disinterest. Yesterday she just wanted to snuggle and watch TV. We are trying again this afternoon and we’ll see how it goes. Oh, the best laid plans…

Week 2: Letter B!

This week I introduced Sofia to the newest worksheets that I pulled from1Plus1Plus1Equals1 and Education.com. We moved from “A” to “B” and chose the color blue. We skipped a shape for this week because I’m adding in a unique project on Friday to sub for the shape. Last week she loved all of the sheets. When we got home every afternoon from picking her up after work, she’d ask for her “project” and sit and complete her sheets quietly.

This week…it’s a completely different story! She is asking for the sheets but isn’t as interested in sitting down to complete the activity for more than a few minutes. 

She woke up sick Monday and Tuesday, it’s possibly the reason for the disinterest. Yesterday she just wanted to snuggle and watch TV. We are trying again this afternoon and we’ll see how it goes. Oh, the best laid plans…

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