Summer Must Have #2- Kangaroo Carrier WeeRide

My first priority this summer is spend a lot of time outdoors with my little guy.  Our summer will be full of these opportunities.  We will be camping in Yosemite, taking several trips to the Morton Arboretum, many bike rides along Lake Michigan, and lots of park time.  To help us live it up this summer I present to you the Kangaroo Carrier from WeeRide.

Right when the weather started to warm up I began daydreaming of long bike rides with my hubby and little one.  I pictured our little family biking for a few hours on the weekends, my husband pulling our little one along in a bike trailer while I rode beside it.  Our little guy may even fall asleep in it and while my husband and I would continue our ride.  I spent hours reading reviews on bike trailers.  In my research I found that there are a lot of great bike trailers on the market but my research ultimately led me in a different direction.  It led me to the Kangaroo Carrier from WeeRide.

Kangaroo Carrier from WeeRide

The carrier offered one very important feature that the bike trailers did not, it allowed us to be close to our little one during the bike ride.  Unlike with a bike trailer, our little guy would be right up there with us.   Luckily for me, a coworker was looking to sell his.  Score!

We have now had the WeeRide for more than a few months.  We have been using it a few times a week.  Sometimes for short rides to the park, others for weekend rides around Chicago.  Last weekend, we took our longest bike ride around the Morton Arboretum.  What I love most about the WeeRide is how I am able to interact with him as I ride.  If I want to talk to him, I just lean in and whisper in his ear.  I am able to hear and see how he is reacting during the ride.  I learned that he gets scared and lets out a whimper if he feels we are going too fast.  When he is having fun, he’ll yell out ‘weeeee!’  Sometimes, when he’s feeling grown up, he’ll grab the handle bars and try to steer (which as he gets stronger I could see becoming an issue).

The start of last Saturday’s bike ride.  Our little guy is strapped in, excited and ready to go.

Other aspects of the WeeRide I like are:

• It is stable and secure.  The WeeRide securely attaches to both my bike and my hubby’s bike.  We have two carrier bars, one for each of our bikes.  We can easily remove the kangaroo carrier and transfer it between bikes without worrying about the loss of structural stability.
• Our little guy is very comfortable.  Once we buckle him in, he sits in the carrier as if he were sitting in a chair.  He’ll looks around.  He’ll rest his hands on his knees.  He’ll point at things that catch his interest.  He’ll point to my  husband and yell, “Ba!” (which means dad in Vietnamese).  If he gets tired, he could even rest his head on the headrest located between him and the handle bars.
• The leg rests are adjustable.  One of the major differences between the WeeRide and other kangaroo carriers I researched was the adjustable leg rests.  Thinking long term, it was important that if biking were to become a big part of how we spend our free time, our little guy needed to be comfortable.  Some other kangaroo carriers do not offer the same degree of comfort the WeeRide does.
• It fits into my attachment parenting style.  I love that I can have my little guy right up there with me.  It’s like babywearing while biking.  We are in constant communication and I am able to read his cues.

Here we are a little further into our ride.  He is looking comfortable and has been having a good time.  My mister was able to get him to look at the camera in this shot.  I, of course, kept my eyes on the road. 

For parents looking into biking with their toddler, I highly recommend a kangaroo carrier.  My mister and I are very happy with the WeeRide.  Later on down the road, we may eventually get a bike trailer.  But, the WeeRide will last us a few more years.  The WeeRide website states that the maximum recommended age is 4 years and weight is 40lbs.   Great news for us because this means a few more years of  ’weeeees’ and ‘woo hoos’ from our little one.

If you would like to see the WeeRide in action, check out my video:  We put the ‘Wee’ in WeeRide.

When riding with your kids, you must always have them wear  a helmet.  For our little guy, he is wearing a Giro helmet in size xsmall.  We purchased the helmet from REI.  My helmet happens to be on incorrectly.  My ponytail was too high for the helmet.  A helmet tip to those with long hair:  you want a low ponytail when wearing a bike helmet.

*I was not compensated for this review.  I purchased and own the Kangaroo Carrier WeeRide.  All opinions, ideas, images (except first image of the Kangaroo Carrier WeeRide.  That image is from the WeeRide company website), and videos are my own and property of yellowlovesgrey.  They cannot be used without my written consent. 

A summer ‘treat’

Tomorrow is my last day of this school year.  It has been a year of many wonderful new relationships with students and colleagues.

To end the year, I made these Pinspired treats for my students.  I think the final product looks great!  I am very happy with them and am excited to give them to my students tomorrow.

The idea intention of these treats is to let my students know I have enjoyed my year with them and to wish them a great summer.  I chose colors and graphics that I thought  represented Summer.

If you are interested in making these here’s how I made them.

1. Gather your supplies.

2. Attach the straws to the individual rice crispy treat.

3. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments and dip the individual crispy treats into the chocolate.

4. Sprinkle the rainbow sprinkles on the bar.

5.  Allow to dry.  Now this step took a few tries before I could get it right.  At first I laid the treats on their sides to dry.

It looked so pretty, but the sprinkles on the bars did not keep and got pushed into the chocolate.

Next, I tried to have them all propped up during the chocolate drying process.

Again, it looked pretty up until the rice crispies got too heavy and started to fall off the straws.

Finally, I figured the best way was to lay the treats upside down.

5.  The final steps were to individually put the bags on each rice crispy treat, then to tie a ribbon with my note that says, “Its been a real ‘treat’ being your teacher.  Have a great summer!”

I think this project can be used for many different occasions.  I can see it for Valentines Day with a cute note that reads, “It is a ‘treat’ having you as my friend.”  I can see it for birthdays, holidays, and as thank you treats.  What do you think?  Is this as versatile as I think?

*All photographs and images were taken by and are property of yellow loves grey.  These images may not be used without the my written consent.

Wedding Wear Reworked

This post is dedicated to getting the most out of your wedding clothes.  It has been three years since my wedding, but I still wear items from that day.  I think the key to wearing your wedding items after your wedding, is first, figure out a way to tone the formal down.  My second tip is to pick the right occasion for the clothes. My third tip is be willing to take risks.

This picture was taken last Sunday, while I was leaving my apartment to attend my school’s graduation ceremony.  This outfit consists of three (yes THREE!) items that were worn on my wedding day.  Pretty good right?

Can you guess which three items? Let me give you some time to figure it out…

The three items are the dress, the necklace, and that big white flower.  Following my tips above, let me explain what I was thinking when I put this outfit together.

Tip #1:  Figure out a way to tone the formal feel of the items down.

You may have already guessed that this dress is actually one of the bridesmaids dresses from my wedding, it is not my actual wedding gown.  (For those of you that have bridesmaids dresses just hanging in your closet, maybe this will inspire you to rework it.)  To tone this JCrew Chartreuse bridesmaids dress down, I relied on a casual short sleeve navy GAP cardigan and some white canvas Steve Madden wedges.  The casual texture of both the sweater and the shoes helped minimize the formalness (is that a word?) of my fancy dress.  I also added the white  Anthropologie flower to my sweater  and my JCrew gold and pearl necklace to act as a neutral medium to the contrasting blue and bright yellow in my outfit.  The result is an outfit centered around just three color blocks:  white, yellow, and blue.

Tip #2:  Pick the right occasion.

As I stated earlier, I was on my way to my high school’s graduation.  This was the perfect occasion for my dress because there is a range of attire during a high school graduation.  It can be as formal as a floral sheath dress with pearls to as casual as jeans and a sweater.  There is such a range in apparel at this event that it gives a lot of wiggle room for how one would dress.  I did not look or feel out of place when I arrived in this outfit.  Other occasions you can consider wearing your wedding items to are other weddings, formal dinner parties, holiday parties, charity events, evening shows such as symphonies, plays, musicals,  and dinner dates.

Tip #3:  Take a risk.

This tip doesn’t just apply to reworking your wedding items.  This tip applies to dressing yourself period.  It is important that you feel good in your clothes but to also keep yourself from being stuck in a rut.  That’s why it is good to  take risks and put yourself out there.  I admit, this dress is a loud color.  The color seemed even louder when I walked into the arena for graduation and saw mostly black and white.  But that  is ok.  I wanted to represent myself and how I was feeling.  I felt happy, cheery, and ready for summer.  When I wore this outfit I felt it was the perfect representation of those feelings.  I got a lot of compliments about the color, which further ‘brightened’ my mood.

So what do you think?  Did I successfully transition my wedding wear to the ‘real world’?

Here’s a picture from my actual wedding day.  It was such a great day, I smile each time I think about it.  The wedding colors, yellow and grey, are actually the inspiration for my blog title. I hope your wedding brings lots of good memories back to you too.

Have you reworked any of your wedding items? If so, how? I would love to get your tips and tricks.

Summer Must Have #1 the Boba Carrier

I am less than a week away from summer break! That means I will be outside enjoying all the free concerts, eating al fresco, and taking advantage of the many family friendly activities Chicago has to offer. We will also be traveling quite a bit. We even plan to do a family camping trip at Yosemite!

In the spirit of summer, I have some summer gear must haves to share. My first summer must have is the Boba Carrier 3G. I have owned this carrier ever since my little guy was 3 months old. I LOVE IT and highly recommend it.

 This is my little guy at 6 months.  I happen to have won a Baby Cargo 300 Series stroller at this moment.  My little guy is so comfortable, he didn’t even wake when I squealed in excitement. 

Why do I love it so much? First of all, I love ‘wearing’ my little guy. Before the Boba carrier, I used the Moby Wrap, which I also loved. Once my little guy was 5 months old, the weather in Chicago was warming up and unlike the Moby, which could get hot with all the fabric, the Boba carrier allowed for babywearing without overheating. Now, my little guy is almost a year and half and when he is in the Boba  carrier I can have him in both front or back position. The Boba carrier is lightweight and extremely comfortable to wear. I find that I can comfortably wear the Boba with him in it for a few hours. The shoulder straps are wide which help distribute his weight comfortably, the waist strap fits well around my waist. Both my husband and I like to use it.  It is always quick and easy to switch the Boba carrier between us.

Why is the Boba Carrier 3G a summer must have? Well, actually it is a yearlong must have. I use the Boba all year long, but for my special summer activities, I especially like the Boba. We do most of our traveling during the summer. Each time I do air travel, I bring the Boba carrier. Before boarding the plane, I wear my little guy onto the plane. That leaves my hands free to fold and check in the stroller, to carry the diaper bag, and to deal with carry on luggage.

At our travel destinations we use the Boba carrier often.  Due to the nature of traveling, our little guy is in the stroller more often than usual. I bring the Boba along for either my husband or I to wear him. He loves that he can see the world and interact with us at our level.

The Boba carrier is great for hikes. During our last vacation to Washington D.C., we hiked some trails at Great Falls National Park. The hike was more than two hours and covered a few miles. My little guy slept almost the whole hike! He was that comfortable in the Boba carrier. It is common for him to fall asleep while I am wearing him. The closeness to me and the walking really helps to lull him asleep. The Boba carrier will definitely be joining us during our summer and fall hikes and on our trip to Yosemite.

If you’re a fan of babywearing or are considering trying it out, I highly recommend the Boba Carrier 3G. The carrier is lightweight, very comfortable for parent and child, packs compact for easy travel, and comes in a variety of colors and patterns.

 Enjoying our spring hike along the Potomac River.

I spy with my little eye a babywearing momma and her little guy (in a Boba carrier).

Doesn’t this picture ‘rock’?  Look how great the Boba carrier is.  I can even rock climb while my little one sleeps in it!  Just kidding! I’m actually kneeling on the rock below pretending I am climbing a rock while my little guy is in his Boba carrier.  By the way, he’s so comfortable he stayed asleep despite my moving around, adjusting,  and shouting to my sister photography directions all to get the best ‘rock climbing’ angle. 

He’s awake and he’s a moose on the loose.  His whole outfit including his moose hat is from Gap Kids.   

Do you babywear? What’s your experience?

*The Boba Carrier 3G was a gift for use and review.  My blog content reflects my true experiences and opinions.  All ideas and opinions  written by me are strictly my own.

*All images are original Yellow Loves Grey content.  These images may not be used without my written consent.

Gifts for the Second Time Mom

What do you get a mom expecting her second, third, maybe fourth child? I recently put together a gift basket for a friend expecting her second little one. After some thoughtful consideration I assembled a gift that included infant toys and a variety of outfits for the first year. For the clothes, I took into consideration the child’s age and corresponding season. I placed all the items in a basket that could also serve as storage for toys, clothes, or diapers.

What items do you get second, third, fourth, etc moms?

Toys and basket purchased from Target. Clothes purchased from Costco.

Food Smart: Nutrition Labels

This week, I revisited my healthy lifestyle goals and I went to workout for the first time in a year (gasp).  The workout got me thinking about what I eat.  I have to be honest with myself, I don’t know much about nutrition. With a toddler, I am more thoughtful with food.  I meal plan, stay away from processed food much more than I have before, but that doesn’t guarantee a balanced diet for our family.  I don’t really know what a true balanced diet would look like.

I have decided to get my food act together.  I am determined to get myself food smart.   To start, I need to understand those darn labels on the back of food packages.  Now, at least, when I’m munching on my Pirates Booty, I will know what I’m doing to my body.  Good or bad.

I found this helpful video explaining how to read nutritional labels. Take a look. Maybe you’ll learn something new. I did.

Alice in Wonderland Baby Shower

“How puzzling all these changes are! I’m never sure what I’m going to be, from one minute to another.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

A few weeks ago I cohosted a baby shower for my dear friends. The theme was Alice in Wonderland. We held it at a local venue, Cafe Ciao. The food, service, and atmosphere were perfect for our celebration. The Alice in Wonderland tea party theme brought a whimsical feel to the shower. Our color theme of red, turquoise, black and white tied everything together, providing a cohesive look. All the decorative elements were DIY. We DIYed the photo backdrop for our Polaroids photo station, photo props, a buffet table, diaper cake, tea bag favors, and table decor. It was a great baby shower.

Civil Rights for all

I am appreciative of our President and his statement supporting marriage equality for all. I have always believed the right to love and marry is a human right.

I am especially moved by President Obama’s statement because I have just returned from a family trip to Washington D.C. We visited the White House, national monuments, and several museums, including the Holocaust museum. I left inspired and even more committed to equality and fairness for all.

In the meantime, my posted photo is a merging of my love for photography and my passion for social justice.

Pineapple Fried Rice for International Food Day

Tomorrow my little guy’s daycare is celebrating their own International Food Day. Parents were asked to contribute something for the kids to try. Although pineapple fried rice isn’t Vietnamese, it is Southeast Asian so I figured it was good enough. More importantly, most of the babies and toddlers love pineapple so I figured it had a better chance of being eaten by the little ones.

To make this dish I did a quick google search for ‘pineapple fried recipe’ and used a combination of recipes and what I had on hand. Not a good idea. It turned out just okay.

This is a dish I will be working on in the future and once I get a recipe together worth sharing I will definitely post. For now, I am enjoying the whimsical presentation.

What is your ethnic and cultural background? Do you have a special dish you usually make to celebrate your heritage?

OOTD: Leopard Pants, Black Sweater, Chambray Shirt, and Black Flats

I have been staring at these pants for a few days now and today I wore them! Here’s my outfit. It includes the pants from Ann Taylor Loft, black sweater from Old Navy, chambray shirt from Old Navy, and Mossimo flats from Target. What do you think? Did I pull it off?