back to school style

Hendrik starts school this week - 5th grade! This is seeming really old to me because this summer we kept reflecting on how we moved into this house a few months before Hendrik turned 2, and then we had Freddie turning 2 in August. Fun to think of what they've both been like in terms of personalities and activities in this same space (suffice it to say, we basically didn't have to childproof the house the first time around, but this time...). But also wild that the redheaded toddler I keep thinking about is now this long legged chatterbox (ok, that part hasn't changed) with braces. 

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Speaking of long legs, he's been outgrowing the shorts and pants and shoes again, so a good time for a little closet refresh - and since it will be hot for a while (+ elementary schools around here generally don't have a/c), a great time to grab some summery items on clearance. I always like Primary.com for both kids, but JCrew Factory is a favorite of mine for good sales and/or clearance kids stuff in classic/basic styles, and I've also been actually finding a bunch with Gap Factory - the "pull-on" jeans are key with the beanpole body shape...

Also, I know I'm not alone in this since something similar definitely got mentioned by the ladies on the Girl Next Door podcast once: I just feel like I can handle the antics or annoyances of a kid better if he's looking a bit more put together (and if his nails are trimmed, much to both of my children's dismay), so I really prefer he dress in "regular" clothes like solid/striped tees, polos and button-downs, and chino shorts, rather than sweats or character tees. And I feel like I should extend this courtesy to the woman who has to spend every weekday with a classroom full of 9 and 10 year olds... am I right?  

Luckily we have a pretty good understanding with each other that I can lay out H's school clothes, and he picks his day off clothes. So I still get to pick out the styles I like, and inspired by these great New Balance sneakers, I went for some more fall-like colors in items that will get us through the dog days of summer + back-to-school combo.

gearing up for summer break

While I've got to size up on all of Hendrik's footwear and clothing as always, gearing up for summer still feels a little different from usual this year - no outside camps or babysitters scheduled at the moment, no library or farmer's market entertainment for us either as we continue to stick to our little bubble. So we still need to be prepared for the heat and the sun and the playing outdoors - but also need a little more in the way of entertainment supplies than usual to keep us both sane.

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For clothes, we just went for new versions of our old favorites: quick-dry shorts, easy-on and easily washable) crocs, plus tops in wicking fabrics, like this polo from Target's new athletic line that is really good. (And I encourage as much golf as Peter wants - because he takes Hendrik and therefore leaves me with several glorious solo hours - so golf shirts are a necessity!) He also needed some new short-sleeved pjs and just loved this stripey version. Hendrik may be growing up, but he's not too old for cute pjs.

As for entertainment: no pool at the moment, but we do still have the lake, as well as the hose in the back yard! So it was time to upgrade the swimsuits that were too small, and of course replenish our sunscreen supply - spray-on is my favorite because it's so quick and easy. Add in a few new options for back yard games, like the velcro catch variety, and a stock of Hendrik's favorite types of granola bars for snacking.

And then workbooks are always a summer must here. Not necessarily for the learning, but mostly for the keeping him quiet for a while, and in a more edifying way than screentime (though there is plenty of opportunity for that too - his summer break excitement was getting to download an Animal Crossings game on my phone to try out). And new books are always good for some quiet time too! We were reminded recently how much we enjoyed this Zoey and Sassafras series - about a girl who uses evidence-based science investigation to figure out how to care for magical creatures that show up on her doorstep (and happens to be illustrated as a girl of color - which I am so happy to see, as we try to ensure diversity on our shelves) - so we are ordering some more in this series.

Some other things we already have around that are going to be essential for getting us through this summer:

• Micro kickboard scooter + helmet for our daily outings
• Rash guard with long sleeves, because when your heritage is as pasty-skinned as ours is...
• Online summer camps!! Our local college has amazing science camps, which were all cancelled of course, but they are offering one via Zoom for which they dropped off all the supplies on our doorstep; we also signed up for several free online camps on Varsity Tutors - have never tried their services before, but they have tons of great camp topics, and they are free!
• Sprinkler-hookup for back yard fun instead of going to the pool
• Brains On (or other favorite kid podcast) to entertain him during lunch while I get more work done (this has been a daily quarentime tradition that we're definitely keeping as we both love it!)
• Subscription boxes - we've been doing the monthly Booster Bricks Lego club and have really liked it, but Hendrik got into the idea of Kiwi Crate (thanks to podcast ads), so we might switch to that for a hands-on activity this summer
• Chores, which currently include helping empty the dishwasher and feeding Ginger, will probably increase to give me some help and him something more to do. Thinking garden watering and vacuuming will be good places to add on
• Grandparents?! Hopefully it will be safe for this as that together time will make everyone happy

How are you gearing up for summer? Any great ideas for keeping kids entertained while parents work??

mini me Monday: cool kids' clothes + Sailor Janes giveaway

You know how you sometimes just get totally bored with your wardrobe? Turns out the same thing happens when you're dressing a kid... After a long winter, I was feeling tired of the options in Hendrik's drawers, which put me in the mood for finding different places to shop for him. Enter Sailor Janes, an online shop with some cool kids' clothes and several new-to-me brands.

And how cool is my kid now? These hippo and life is wonder-full tees are super soft, organic cotton, and I love that they mix easily into his wardrobe while making things feel new and fun for spring - and for a little guy who is much more kid than baby now! Or maybe more mini blogger. How well does he have some of those style blogger poses down?

Hendrik definitely agrees that these are cool too: the first time we got out the hippo tee, he almost had a meltdown over the fact that we couldn't put his sweatshirt on first - he was rather proud of his hippo and clearly didn't want it covered up (we compromised on an unzipped hoodie for the chilly morning).

In the market for some kids' fashion? Check out Sailor Janes for some great options (I love the play graphic tee too, and for little girls just adore the popsicle tank and strawberry onesie), and free shipping, which is also a must for me with online shopping... Or, enter below for a chance to win a $50 credit!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


I was provided with a shop credit to Sailor Janes for this post, but all opinions are my own.