There’s just something about fall that makes it my absolute favorite. Maybe it’s the crisp air, the warm drinks, or just the excuse to slow down and savor the little moments.

Here are my fall-time favorite activities:

1. Sipping on a cup of warm apple cider or hot chocolate
2. Getting cozy by the fireplace with a comfy blanket
3. Watching Hallmark movies once the kids are in bed
4. Enjoying a bowl of warm, delicious soup
5. Spending the day apple-picking with the family
6. Taking the boys to the pumpkin patch
7. Baking some yummy cranberry muffins
8. Bringing out all of our Fall decorations to make the home feel extra festive

What are your favorite fall traditions or must-do activities? Let me know in the comments!

Sincerely,

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Sincerely,

During those moments, I’m not concerned about the laundry piled on the bed waiting to be folded or the stack of dirty dishes in the sink. It’s about being outdoors as a family and doing what we love. Besides getting to enjoy time as a family, there are many additional benefits to spending time outdoors:

1. Being outside can help to reduce stress and eliminate fatigue.
2. It helps your body to get Vitamin D just by being out in the sun.
3. It can help reduce anxiety, raise your energy and calm your mood
4. Promotes better sleep as being outdoors helps to set your sleep cycle
5. Makes you feel better about yourself. As little as 5 minutes of outdoor activity can help improve self-esteem, especially if you are near water or green space
6. The “greenness” of the outdoor space helps to improve focus
7. Spending time in nature can also boost your creative problem-solving abilities

After reading all of these benefits do yourself a favor, take your family out for a quick walk outside, you won’t regret it!

Sincerely,

Information sourced from WebMD:
https://www.webmd.com/balance/ss/slideshow-health-benefits-nature

This is a topic I’ve been wanting to discuss for a while now and one I feel is often neglected. If you don’t know what self-love is, it means having regard for one’s own well-being and happiness and the belief that you are a valuable and worthy person.

As women, our relationships evolve throughout our lives, beginning initially as a daughter and sister to becoming a wife, daughter-in-law, a mother, and many others sprinkled in between. As these relationships grow they become more complex and taking time out for yourself can often be neglected. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago when my self-love journey began. Amidst the complexities of all the different relationships I mentioned above, I went through a moment of self-realization. I realized that if I do not take the time to prioritize myself, no one else will. I alone know what I am going through, how I am feeling, and what I need and it is important that I listen to my body and soul and find what makes me happy.

After this realization, I made some simple but important changes in my life that I want to share with you below:

– Be confident: You are a strong, amazing, and beautiful woman.
I often had the need to seek approval from others to justify my thoughts and opinions. I wanted to receive compliments that would make me feel like what I did was worthy and when I didn’t, it left me feeling lost or incomplete. One thing my husband would often tell me is that “You can please some of the people some of the time … but you can never please all of the people all of the time”, this challenged my previous beliefs and led me to grow as an individual and find validation within myself instead of seeking it from others.

– Make time for yourself:
This can include self-care, meditation, relaxation, exercising, pursuing your hobbies, etc. Honestly, it can be anything that makes you happy. As easy as this sounds, it is important that you block out this time for yourself on a regular basis to help avoid feeling burnt out.

– You are human, it is okay to make mistakes:
To grow as a person you have to realize that you will make mistakes. The important thing is that you learn from them, forgive yourself and move on. Things aren’t always in your control but it’s up to you how you work past them.

– Be thankful, be humble, be gracious:
You are unique and no one else brings what you have to the table. Surround yourself with positivity, give thanks for whatever you have; however little it may be, and be the beacon of light that attracts others towards you.

Sincerely,
Sana

For the past year, I’ve switched back to a tote bag mainly because I like the option of carrying my son’s diapers and other essentials in my purse so I don’t have to lug around the heavy diaper bag every time we go out. That being said, I thought I’d share with you what I carry in my mom bag, so let’s begin.

First off, I recently got a new bag and I am absolutely loving it! It’s the Kate + Alex Cuffaro Nylon Tote from DSW* and it’s style is very similar to the Longchamp Le Pliage bag. What I love about it is the nylon material since it is incredibly lightweight so it doesn’t feel too heavy with all my stuff inside. I purchased the bag in the color “light mauve” and it is a beautiful shade of pink that I can see myself using for a long time.

*It seems like this bag is no longer available at DSW, I’ve linked some similar looking ones from Amazon here:
1. TCHH-DayUp Women Waterproof Zipper Tote Bag
2. Women’s Stylish Waterproof Tote Bag
3. Sunny Snowy Laptop Tote Bag

Wallet
The next item I include in my bag is my wallet. I’ve used all sorts of wallets in the past, but I’m currently using my Michael Kor’s Wristlet as a wallet and am loving the size and how convenient it is to carry especially if I have to make a quick run to the grocery store and don’t want to lug around my entire purse. It has six card slots and one pocket that I use to hold my change. The main pocket is large enough to fit my phone as well as some tissues, a lipstick and a small tin of Altoids.

Diaper Pouch
I keep a medium-sized pouch that holds Shahzaib’s diaper essentials. This pouch contains a couple of diapers, baby wipes, diaper trash bags, diaper cream and a cap for Shahzaib in case it gets cold. Storing these items in the pouch makes it really convenient when I have to change Shahzaib’s diaper on the go because everything I need is in one place.

Antibacterial Wipes/Cleaning Wipes
Along with the diaper wipes that I keep in my diaper pouch, I also carry a packet of antibacterial wipes to use to clean a shopping cart or wiping a table at a restaurant. I also keep a packet of face and hand wipes to clean Shahzaib’s hands or wiping his face after he eats.

Spare Pacifier
The spare pacifier is a must-have for us and although we try to limit the amount of time Shahzaib uses this pacifier, there are certain occasions when he’s constantly putting his fingers in his mouth to soothe the pain from teething and at these moments we prefer he takes the pacifier instead of his fingers which may or may not be clean. So if for some reason we forget to take his pacifier before leaving the house or the one he was using got dirty, I like knowing I have a back up one in my bag.

Jacket/Cap/Bib
The weather has been so unpredictable lately, the mornings may start off cold but by the time it’s the afternoon the weather may be nice and warm. Since it can be hard to predict how the weather will change throughout the day, I like keeping a light jacket and sun cap for Shahzaib. I also keep a spare bib just in case we need it since Shahzaib is teething and gets a bit drolly.

Essentials Pouch
In my essentials pouch, I keep some bandages, facial tissues, glass cleaning wipes for my glasses, lactose pills for my husband, $20 in case I need it as an emergency, a portable phone charger, ibuprofen, some mints, and a sanitary pad.

Sunglasses/Prescription Glasses
I keep a pair of sunglasses in my bag in addition to my prescription glasses and a spare contact lens case. I have the spare contact case in case my lenses start to bug me and I need to remove them while I’m out.

Makeup Pouch
I keep some basic makeup with me so I can refresh during the day if necessary. My pouch contains my Rimmel Eyeliner in Blackest Black, my all-time favorite mascara from Tarte, several different shades of lipsticks and liquid velvet lipsticks. I keep a compact mirror and some lotion in this pouch as well. I also have a small stick of Baby Bum sunscreen for the times Shahzaib and I go to the park. I really love this sunscreen since it comes in a deodorant like container which makes it easy to apply.

Snack Pouch
I like keeping a pouch with a couple of different snacks for Shahzaib for when we are out of the house and he gets hungry. I purposely use a green-colored pouch to keep these items in since it is his favorite color and will keep him busy when he starts to get fussy.

Headphone Case
I got this cute pink headphone case from DSW that I use to keep my headphones in to prevent them from getting tangled and lost in my bag.

Spare Battery Pack
I keep another spare portable phone charger in case both my husband and I need to use it.

Pouch with Loyalty Cards and Gift Cards
I like getting a good deal which is why I end up signing up for loyalty cards with almost every store I go to. So to keep the cards from getting lost, I store them in a pouch along with any gift cards I may have.

Reusable Shopping Bag
So in California, you need to carry a reusable shopping bag with you otherwise you’ll end up paying $0.10 per bag, and yes, I know that doesn’t seem like a lot of money but it adds up and then the bags accumulate at home and I end up having to use them as trash bags. So to be environmentally friendly, I simply prefer taking my own bag. I purchased the BAGGU Large Reusable Shopping Bag from Amazon and love how large it is and the amount of groceries it can hold. You just have to be careful to not load it with too much groceries otherwise it will get really heavy.

Hopefully, I haven’t overwhelmed you with all the items I carry in my bag. Do note that I slightly modify what I keep from season to season as well as what Shahzaib needs based on his age range but the three items that always remain are the essentials pouch, my makeup bag, and wallet.

I wanted to thank you all for taking the time to read this long post and please let me know what essentials you carry in your bag, I’d love to hear below.

Sincerely,
Sana