Beach Vacation 2021 & Family Photo Tips

 

Greetings! 

When I was younger my family used to go to the beach every year. I loved that tradition

 so much that I knew I wanted to adopt it for my own little family. Three years ago the tradition began for us and its held firm ever since.

Where We Stay

 I can't remember how I stumbled upon it but I found this amazing resort in Hilton Head, SC called Palmetto Dunes. I am obsessed with it! The grounds and landscaping are immaculate. They have tons of communities, hotels, condos and amenities. From onsite bike rentals, restaurants, convenient store, canoe rentals, tennis, pools and beach access. It is perfect! Each time we have stayed here I purchased our lodging through Vrbo.com previously known as Homeaway.com. Very similar to airbnb. The process has been seamless from start to finish. Hands down the best experience with booking was with our most recent rental. The owner of the condo is who I had the pleasure to communicate with and she was so hospitable and accommodating. The condo was updated and spotless! I highly recommend this property. 

What We Did

This trip we basically took it easy the entire time. We spent a lot of time on the beach. The tide was pretty low most of time which was perfect for Langston. On Sunday we did a family photo shoot with an amazing photographer named Rodney. I got so lucky because about 2 months prior to booking the trip I went online searching to Hilton Head photographers. I found Rodney  with One Moment One Shot Photography on Instagram! Yes, Instagram! I can hardly believe it myself. His work on Instagram and his website is breathtaking. His booking process was so easy too. Correspondence with him the entire time was professional and quick. Because we were familiar with the Palmetto Dunes property and because of how beautiful it already is there it was a no brainer to do the photos right at the resort.  This made everything very easy for everyone. Rodney was even able to do our shoot early to dodge the rain! I will definitely be booking him again in the future!

Tips and Tricks for Family Photos

1. Timing 

    I try to book all of our family photo shoots at least 1 to 2 months in advance. This gives you time to prepare your wardrobe, gather inspiration and it helps your photographer as well. Also the time of day you pick for your photo shoot is key for several reasons. First and foremost if you have a child or children in your shoot you need to make sure it is not during their cranky time or nap time. This is going to save you so many tantrums y'all! There is nothing a toddler hates more than changing clothes or posing when they are exhausted. If your doing photos in nature the time of day is important in regards to lighting. 

2. Picking a photographer

    Do your research! Extensive research. Many photographers specialize in certain types of photos. Studio, family friendly, portrait, maternity, etc. Its up to you to select a photographer that specializes in the photos you want. Ask them questions, check their socials and website. Even check yelp for reviews. There are a lot of scammers out there so be careful. Professional photos can get very pricey so just be careful that the  price you pay is going to deliver the quality it reflects. 

3. Find Inspiration 

    I get lots of inspiration from Pinterest. I literally just searched "family beach photos" and take note on the wardrobe, the poses and the scenery. There is no new idea under the sun. Some photographers even ask you if you have inspiration photos you'd like to share with them.

4. The Wardrobe

    Stay away from matchy matchy outfits! For a studio shoot I think matchy matchy family photos can look nice but for a natural setting I think its best to stay away from every person in the photo wearing the same exact outfit. Cohesive colors? Yes! Even the same color in different hues looks awesome for outdoor photos. I usually pick about four different outfits for myself. Then I run them by my husband so he can pick something out for himself and our son. Luckily, I am the most difficult to style so this makes the process easy. If you are doing more than one look for your family photos its best to try to pick two contrasting looks. A dressy and casual look or dark colors and bright colors, etc. Keeping it simple is something I like to keep in mind as well. This applies to everything. Outfits, makeup, hairstyle everything! Keeping it simple also makes changing clothes between looks quicker and easier. A lot of times different colors and patterns can be a distraction in the photos anyway. 

5. Recruit Some Help

    Pretty much every family photo shoot we have done I have been able to have either my mom or my sister come help us. This is going to be life saving if you are taking photos with children, pets or a large party. For this photo shoot my sister was a God send. She was able to not only get Langston dressed for me but she also made sure he didn't get sand everywhere prior to shooting. She was able to be make him simile, distract him when he wasn't in  the photo and change his clothes when it was time for the second look. Mamas this is going to make your family photo shoot that much more seamless. Again one to two months notice should allow you time to recruit some help from a family member or friend. 

I bought this cute set from Zara online and it turned out perfect. Also there were tons of black ants crawling on my feet in this photo. Watching all the ANTM in high school paid off lol.

Rodney understood the assignment y'all! With the photo package we purchased he edited 30 photos! Turn around time for edits was about 1 week. 

 Making memories with my family is one of my absolute favorite things to do. Time is precious y'all! Spend quality time with ones you love, put your phone down, work can wait. Play in the sand, take the photos, and relish in the memory of it all. 

"A strong black family is one of the most impactful forms of resistance."

Love, 

ALW

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Boredom Strikes Look Book

Hi Everyone!

I was a little bored and I convinced my husband to help me shoot a lil look book! I can't lie, I have still been doing some online shopping and just wanted to share some cute date night outfit inspo. I have been a bit paranoid to actually go on a dinner date due to Covid. But we have had a few movie date nights at the house. Did I wear any of theses fits? No, but hey I'm a work in progress.

I am thinking of doing a staycation at the beginning of September for my husband and I.
So if you see these looks again, just mind your business! lol

Look One: 
These shorts were designed by one of my favorite bloggers Sai De Silva. She designed these shorts with Amazons' The Drop campaign. Basically, Amazon got a bunch of fashion influencers, youtube personalities and bloggers and had them create pieces for their site. I think its a short 2 day limited edition sale, so the shorts are no longer available. I purchased two pieces from her drop.
-Black body suite
-High waisted paper bag shorts
-Simple black sandal

These black and white heels are from ASOS. They literally take a simple black and white fit up a notch! I love them but they are sold out ladies. Sorry!

This wig is from a youtuber named Terri. I used to watch her weaver hair reviews years ago. Now she makes amazing quality wigs for a pretty reasonable price. 

Look Two:

I really love this top. It is from Urban Outfitters and I saw another one of my favorite bloggers Nikki with it on. I just had to have it too. Reasons it's a must have; You can dress it up or down, it is the perfect matcha green color and it has every cute detail a shirt could have. It is cropped, wrap around and has puff sleeves! I will take every color please! Honestly, Nikki could wear a trash bag and make it look bomb. I love her style so much! Check her out! 

-Green puff sleeve criss cross crop top

-Grey denim mom jeans

-Clear funky heels

These jeans run a little big. I plan to get them altered. I recommend sizing down.

These shoes are about 2 years old. I got them on clearance at Nasty Gal. I love that site! They have cute quality clothes, great prices and they are always having a sale. 

Look Three:

I purchased this dress from Pretty Little Thing. After this purchase I vowed to never purchase from them again. The quality and price point appears to be that of Forever 21 but every time I receive items from them they are Citi Trends quality at best. I have received items from them with holes in them and with threads hanging. Take it from me and don't waste your coins sis. 

-Mini Dress

-Nude Clear heel

If you are part of the itty bitty titty committee then just throw on some pasties like I did. 

One thing I can appreciate bout this dress is that it comes with a black slip sown into it. I guess PLT got that right at least. 

Look Four:

This look is a little relaxed to me for a full on date night. I would wear this out for drinks or maybe even a concert. I think the little peek-a-boo detail turns a simple white crop top into a sexy one! This entire outfit is from Nasty Gal and I love it. The pants again are a tad bit too big and long but such is life for a petite gal.

-White Crop top

-High wasted black jean

Personally I love the under boob cleavage. For small chested girls like me cleavage is hard to come by. lol

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Langston's Quarantine Birthday Bash

Welcome back y'all,

We celebrated Langston's birthday Saturday and had so much fun! I planned my sons 2nd birthday about a month and half ago. He loves cars so it was a easy decision to go with a race car theme. Of course, no friends or extended family came due to the Rona but lil man still had a blast. 

First things first, when planning a kiddos party refer to pinterest! I am obsessed with pinterest, I have been for years. The color scheme was simple, traditional car themed party colors. This made it really easy for me to use items I already had in my arts and crafts kit. And yes, I have a huge arts and crafts bin. I made the invitation on a website called Canva. I have used it several times to make invitations and borders for websites and flyers. I love the website, it is user friendly and fun for me.

The major DIY project for this party was a balloon arch. They are inexpensive, cute, festive, and they  make the perfect backdrop. Langston loves balloons. I purchased everything for the arch on amazon., back when prime was up and running like a well oiled machine. Then I went to Youtube and did some research. After taking some mental notes and saving some videos for future reference, I swindled my husband into helping me.

I purchased a ballon arch kit similar to this one on Amazon. I gathered up all my balloons and got to work. First I blew up about 40 ballons in various sizes. 

Using an electric ballon pump was so clutch! I highly recommend this one!

My husband blew up the ballons and I tied them! It was a good lil system.

This little tool was so great! I was getting frustrated with tying the balloons. Then I did a quick search on youtube on how a ballon tie and it worked like a charm. It allowed us to blow up the balloons and tie them very fast!

After that we followed this youtube tutorial and began building our arch. There are tons of tutorials online you can follow. 

We found that initially that skipping a hole on the strip, then going back and filling it in was the easiest approach. 

I know party planners that charge $120 to $150 for ballon arches. So doing this yourself is a pretty significant way to save. It was not hard to do, somewhat tedious, but not hard at all. I will definitely be doing this again in the future. I think it came out awesome for our first attempt. 

We wrapped his gifts and used some black sticky felt letters on the outside of the gifts. I was able to use a coupon and print the Canva invitation through the Walgreens photo app, then put it in a black frame we already had. We ordered some pizzas from Mod Pizza, made a salad, and popped some fresh popcorn (which is Langston's favorite snack) and set up two round tables. All of the accessories I ordered from Oriental Trading and Amazon. 

Black felt sticky letters are from Michaels! A must have for a arts and crafts kit. 

We used a checkered plastic table cloth from Amazon for a back drop.  We just pinned it up over the window with two thumbtacks. 

I ordered Langston's cake over a month and a half ago. It is from a small black, woman owned business and I did not want to cancel on her due to the pandemic restrictions. I plan on sharing the cake with my co-workers.

Cake topper is from Amazon. 

My tights and my husband's hat were both purchased from  Amazon.

I reuse this white bow for every holiday and birthday! Just throw some double sided tape on the back and boom! Like new every time lol

Even though no other family or friends could attend this year, Langston still had a ball at his birthday bash. We saved some money and I learned how to make a balloon arch. I know he may not remember his 2nd birthday party but I will gladly remind him every chance I get.

Langston's costume is from, you guessed it, Amazon! The hat has #1 on it so we just turned it around backwards. He wears 2T clothes but the pants did run big on him.

I hope this helps someone! 

Love,

ALW

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Homemade Snow Science Project

Hi!

I hope everyone is well at home and trying to enjoy quarantine life! We've been doing lots of cooking and enjoying family time and this awesome weather.

I saw Sai De Silva do this easy DIY homemade snow craft project with her children and thought we could try it out.

WARNING! Do not leave your child unattended while playing with this. 

My son tried to lick his fingers a few times lol.

What you need:
- a large bowl
-baking soda
-Gillette foam shaving cream
-clean flat surface

Instructions:
1. In a large bowl mix 1 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of foam shaving cream in a bowl with your hands
2. Empty contents onto a flat clean surface and mix thoroughly until it starts to clump together and get colder.
3. Enjoy your homemade fluffy snow!

My son had a blast with this! He played with this for about an hour!

He was a little apprehensive at first but it wasn't long before he was hands on a loving it. 

Of course the paw patrol was able to rescue all the cars from the snow avalanche.

Easy clean up outside. We literally just sprayed everything down with water hose when we were done.

We grabbed some beach toys and cars too!

 Enjoy & cherish time with your love ones y'all!

Love,
ALW

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6 Weeks Postpartum: 1 Month Update

Hi Everyone!

Time flies! I can't believe we have a six week old! Wow! Sleep deprivation are the two words that first come to mind when I think about the past six weeks but its getting easier every day. Our baby boy is thriving! Every week we notice him hitting another growth milestone. Its amazing to watch your child grow! To say that its been all rainbows and butterflies would be a lie but we wouldn't change a single thing in this journey thus far.

Baby Gains
Langston has grown so much. He was born tiny at 5 lbs. At his one month pediatrician appt he was 8 lbs and 14 oz! Our little milk monster. We were so happy! He has double chin and fat little cheeks now! Adorable! He also grew two inches in length since his birthday. He is developing great! He is very alert too! His neck and spine are really strong.  At 4 weeks he was lifting his neck on this own. During tummy time he lifts his neck and turns his head from side to side with ease! Now he loves when you talk to him. I have even been able to get him to smile at me! It literally melts my heart! He's on his way to being active and fat! Yay! I love fat babies!

Here he is 6 weeks and 4 days old. We were leaving his urologist appointment yesterday morning with a perfect bill of health! 

This was Langston on his birthday!

2 weeks old

3 weeks old

5 weeks old

Nursing
I'm typing this while he is asleep in his swing. "Sleep when the baby sleeps," they say. Like you don't have other things to do besides sleep. There's laundry, there's the making of dinner if you want to eat, there's your bathing, the list goes on. I have always been the type to cherish my sleep before I became a mom. Surprisingly, I've adapted pretty well to not sleeping as long or as soundly as I used to.  The first three weeks were really hard for me. Langston was exclusively breastfeed then. He would wake up every 2 hours to nurse. Mama was tired! We didn't introduce him to a bottle until week three. This was a specific instruction we followed from our lactation nurse. She recommended this to ensure that his latch was perfect and that he was accustomed to my breast. His dad started off feeding him once a day with the bottle. Each day we would change the nipple to allow him to get comfortable eating from different bottles. He adapted really well. God must have heard my prayer. Now he gladly takes breast milk from the bottle or from me. Some nights, when I am exhausted, his dad will take him out of our room and feed him with a bottle while I sleep. Score!

I am so glad I was determined to breastfeed. Its been tough at times but knowing that he's getting a milk made precisely for him makes it worth it. Our bodies make milk specifically for what our child needs. You cannot get that from formula. Not to demean any moms that formula feed their babies, its just a scientific fact. 

It was really important to me start him on a bottle sooner than later to get him fully accustomed to it prior to me going back to work. I've heard horror stories of babies refusing bottles while mom was away. The thought of going back makes me sad but momma gotta make some money too. 

Body Changes
I have honestly felt amazing since giving birth naturally. The first two weeks I had some common issues with my breast. My left breast was engorged, radiating heat and really painful. I think I had a clogged milk duct. With the help of our lactation nurse and our doula it resolved itself.  Vaginally I have had no issues. I had purchased numbing creams, extra large pads, aloe, witch hazel, a sitting donut, hemorrhoid cream. I mean, you name it, I bought it. If you couldn't guess I'm the momma thats always over prepared. Well, I didn't use or need any of it! I am going to gladly return it all and get a refund. At my six week OBGYN appointment I had my pelvic exam and pap smear and I was cleared to workout again. This made me soooo happy. Since then I have done some form of exercise every single day. And believe it or not it has given me more energy and really lifted my spirits.

Here are my workouts this week thus far:
Monday: 30 min youtube work out which I shared on my Facebook page.

Tuesday: Gym workout at Club Fitness.
                1 mile on the treadmill at 5.6 speed
                15 min ab workout
                15 min butt workout
                15 min arm workout with 5 lb weights

Wednesday: Slow Flow Hot Vinyasa yoga with my mom at Yoga One.

I still eat a vegetarian plant based diet like I did when I was pregnant. I do have to remind myself to drink more water throughout the day. I will be tracking my journey to getting back 100% snatched on my Instagram page. I am so excited to workout again. I love working out!

The image on the left is from a year and 6 months ago. I was 108 lbs. The image on the right was taken on Tuesday at 118 lbs. Our bodies are amazing! If we take care of our bodies, they will take care of us! 

All in all, we are just winging it. We are new parents.We don't know and won't know everything there is to know about parenting. We don't pretend to either. Every other day we are on our apps or on google looking into things, reading articles and asking questions. As a mom,  I just follow his cues. My life revolves around when he eats, sleeps, pees and poops and I wouldn't have it any other way. I have just recently started to care for myself a little more again. I paint my nails. I take a nap. I workout.  I can't give him 100% if I don't care for myself as well.

Welp, I guess I'll end this post here. We are experiencing the 6 week growth spurt right now! Pray for us lol! Little man just woke up hungry per usual ttyl!

Love and light,
ALW

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