i came across the environmental working group's website last year. after about fifteen minutes reading through it i went on a rampage through my house tossing bottles of shampoo and cleaning supplies. there is always more we can change to make our homes healthier (i'll get into that a different day) but it really doesn't take much to change what we put on our skin. the rule of thumb is if you wouldn't eat it, it shouldn't go on your skin. i haven't gone that far but there are a few products that are pretty well rated on the ewg's skin deep i've been using for the last six months or so that i thought i'd share.

i grew up in california and was never really told (sorry mom) how important it is to wear sunscreen. my friends and i would ride our bike to the beach after school and douse ourselves with hawaiian tropic. i'm definitely paying for it now! i've used many sunscreens but a facialist recommended the suntegrity line. it smells delicious and has no oxybenzone. for elodie, i use badger baby sunscreen. it takes a bit of elbow grease to rub in but that means it's working, right?

it's scary what is in a normal deodorant and i am definitely one of those people who need it. after a lot of trial and error trying crystals, lush natural bars, and sprays i have found the best deodorants are alba botanicals, tom's and hugo's natural. i am still partial to weleda's sage deodorant which doesn't have the biggest culprit, aluminum, but it still is a bit questionable.

i made the switch a long time ago to the dr. bronner line for bath washes. it is a southern california company (he lived down the street from us growing up) well known for his eccentric bottles of castile soaps. during the winter i usually get a big bottle of the eucalyptus wash and during the summer i'll get rose, peppermint or lavender. you'll end up reading the bottle for many other reasons besides the ingredients. i also love burt's bees milk & shea butter body wash.

for elodie's bath we use california baby (and sometimes burt's bees) especially the calendula bubble bath and calming shampoo. i also highly recommend dr. bronner's baby wash. it's still pricy but less than the california baby line.

my favorite body moisturizers are monoi tiare tahiti coconut oil and organic coconut oil (which i also use as a night cream!)

the upside to researching what you use is that you won't be tempted to buy things randomly in sephora. knowing what you are putting on your body, really understanding that it can affect you in the long run, can help you from having the drawers upon drawers of half filled bottles of shampoo, lotion, and makeup (or at least this is what i tell myself.) so far it's working!

recently, i've been drinking espresso rather than my typical americano or cup of tea. it's such a delicious little ritual. you wait while the barista lays out the saucer, spoon and a small glass of seltzer. next, they pour a perfect creamy shot of espresso into a lovely little cup. you might decide to take it at the bar if you are alone and make conversation with the employees or take it back to your table and enjoy it with your friends. my friend mona, whom i met while living in france, always said that if sugar took a while to penetrate the rich top coat that it was a good shot of espresso. she was something of a coffee snob even way back then. i normally don't take sugar with it but every once in a while i pour some in just to see.

picture taken at proof bakery in los angeles. the pastries are incredible (as is the espresso!)

nothing makes you feel prettier than a little ban.do (or a lot!) and i can't think of anything sweeter than giving your valentine a heart or two. and this tote? pretty much. i hope someone sends me a valentine!

leigh of marvelous kiddo just wrote about we live young and i could not resist sharing. reading matt & nirimi's birth story and the moment they met their daughter alba gave me chills and reminded me so much of elodie's birth. but most of all their photography captures love, beautiful love, adventure, and the vastness of life. namaste to this sweet little family.



































images here

we are transitioning elodie out of the crib and into a "big girl bed" this weekend! a lot of her friends have them and she has been talking about it incessantly...still, she doesn't crawl out of her crib and sleeps through the night so it's been hard to not selfishly savor the guaranteed sleep. we went a few weeks ago to get the mattress and let her pick out the sheets (pink polka dot of course) and plan on talking to her about it tomorrow. i'm not sure if it's better to go cold turkey but we are leaving the crib up so she has the choice between the bed and her crib. i'm still on the hunt for the perfect twin bed frame so we are starting her off on the floor. i'm excited for this next phase and look forward to storytime every night in her bedroom. wish us luck!

a quick list of some of my favorite cafés, restaurants, and things to do on capitol hill and downtown seattle. this list is just the tip of the iceberg. i could seriously go on and on about the revolution that is happening in ballard and on 15th ave and might in a future post!