Adding a Third Baby to the Mix

by SimplyHollyJo on December 17, 2021 , No Comments

I’m currently three months deep in the baby phase with our third baby. It’s a stressful and exciting phase that has me thinking back to my previous baby phases. I almost feel like a first time mom with the amount of information I feel like I’ve forgotten. Not to mention how much temperaments change from baby to baby. First Time Mom Life With my first baby, I lounged around at home, watching Call the Midwife (SO much crying), and attempting various tasks around the house when I could get a moment of baby free time, unless I could somehow do […]

Pact Dream On Me Kids Pajamas | A Review

by SimplyHollyJo on June 4, 2021 , No Comments

I have been eyeing Pact clothing for years. I simply never pulled the trigger. When I saw the Dream on Me Kids pajamas on MomsMeet, I was thrilled! I’m always looking for good pajamas for my kiddos. I am one of those moms who isn’t really a big fan of character, well, anything, and I prefer my kids pajamas to be more on the simple side. Not only are these kids pajamas, just that, but they were also good quality, and created by a quality company. A Few Things About Pact Pact is an apparel company full of beautiful options […]

Remember to Savor the Everyday Moments

by SimplyHollyJo on November 20, 2020 , No Comments

There’s a lot to be stressed, worried, and frustrated about this year. But there’s also a lot of wonderful things happening as well. Some of them are on smaller levels, and not as often spoken about, but important, nonetheless. So the topic of “savor” is perfectly fitting for this season.  Finding Inspiration When I first started reflecting on this word, a lot of things came to mind. Thanksgiving is coming up soon, so there’s people, food, and celebration, and honestly, there’s a lot of love and happiness around me in general. But what really stuck to me in the end, […]

Stocking Stuffers for Kids | Holiday Gift Guides

by SimplyHollyJo on November 3, 2020 , No Comments

It’s that time of year again. Everyone is thinking about the upcoming holidays and what to give their loved ones. Not only do Mom and Dad need help getting ideas for their kids sometimes, but I personally have to come up with ideas to give to Grandmas and Grandpas as well for stocking stuffers. So today I’m sharing some of my favorite ideas for stocking stuffers for kids. Arts + Crafts Stickers – You can NEVER go wrong with stickers. Stickers of their favorite characters, or you could do numbers, letters, shapes, or plain dot stickers. My kids actually like […]

Lazy Days and a Love of Learning | Unexpected Joy

by SimplyHollyJo on October 23, 2020 , No Comments

I feel as though I’m constantly talking about “this crazy time we live in.” I suppose it’s just going to be the running theme for some time. The world has been flipped upside down for most of us and we are all navigating some form of uncertainty and anxiety. It’s a time of great divide AND bonding. I have been doing my best to think of the good things happening in life right now, and the topic of Unexpected Joy is the perfect way to reflect. Lazy Days There has been a lot of laying around and relaxing, watching movies […]

Remote Control Helicopter for Kids | A Review

by SimplyHollyJo on September 22, 2020 , No Comments

Come, let me tell you about the love/hate relationship I have with this helicopter for kids. It all Started with a Birthday Wish Once my oldest got to about age 4, he started actually asking for things for Christmas and birthdays. Some times that was EVERYTHING in a toy aisle. But When he started asking for one thing over and over, I would make a mental note. The first one was a blue and green light up yo-yo. That was pretty easy. It was also pretty destructive in the hands of a 4 year old! For his 5th birthday, he […]

The Nugget, The Original Play Couch | A Review

by SimplyHollyJo on September 8, 2020 , 1 Comment

I’m not really sure I need to convince anyone of the awesomeness of the Nugget couch, but I thought I would share our experience with getting one last year. It’s what many parents talk about, especially because they are hard to snag during their random releases that sell out in minutes. I was thankful to snag one myself last December less than two minutes after the restocking went live. And despite what my husband says, no, I did not stay up until midnight to get it, I simply set an alarm on my phone for 5 minutes until the 11 […]

Favorite Supplements for Kids | Family Wellness

by SimplyHollyJo on July 14, 2020 , No Comments

The health and wellness of my children a definite priority in my life. I am always trying to find the best ways to help their bodies stay healthy and function well. Sometimes I have to get creative because kids can be averse to things like eating vegetables every day, or eating more than their favorite vegetable. Over the last few years as a mom, I have found our current line up at supplements for kids. Below are ones that I keep on hand and use when I can convince my kids to take them, or when we need them in […]

My Boys | A Snapshot of Daily Life

by SimplyHollyJo on June 22, 2020 , 1 Comment

It was a normal weekday morning. My husband and I had woken up, gotten ready, made breakfast and coffee, and released the kids. The weather was unusually cool and outdoor play required light jackets. Mainly because quarantine had kept me from dressing my boys most days. Why fight them to get dressed when PJs make great play clothes? The cool weather had me craving more hot drinks and maybe a blanket. It really wasn’t that cool, low 60’s, but my body was craving the sun from all the low moods being induced by the current life circumstances. I was beyond […]

Capturing Quarantine | Cardboard Houses Photo Shoot

by SimplyHollyJo on June 1, 2020 , No Comments

Early on in the shelter-in-place phase of life this year, I began thinking up a studio shoot focused on capturing quarantine. I wanted something fun, but themed to this time. I debated toilet paper and leaning supplies for a while. But I mean, who wanted to waste toilet paper at the time? And I also didn’t have any clorox wipes or lysol or anything. So it just seemed empty and lacking. I had always thought the “white box” collage images I had seen around were fun. But I didn’t think that it was something print worthy, I guess, so I […]

Another Year Older | My Boys’ Birthday Photos

by SimplyHollyJo on May 26, 2020 , No Comments

Both of my boys are another year older! I am now the mother of a 3 year old and a 5 year old. What?!?! Every May I plan out a shoot for each of the boys. With their birthdays only 8 days apart, the month can get hectic. Every year they fight me tooth and nail (at least to do it exactly the way I want them to), and inevitably I love the final product anyway. My mother use to comment how she couldn’t believe I could get such great shots of my boys when they were little. Then she […]

Why We Love Our Water Table | Outdoor Toys for Kids

by SimplyHollyJo on May 18, 2020 , No Comments

We are currently on our second water table, and we love it. It gets so much use and the boys ask to fill it up daily. So I thought I would give some information on our water table for mamas on the hunt. Years ago, when my first turned one, we were gifted a water table similar to the Step2 Duck Dive table. It was round, simple, and had a crank in the center to turn the water. I was hesitant at first and I don’t think I opened it for a while. I could only imagine the destruction my […]