Its a Hero

clothes

Maplewood Boutique Fashion Show 2019

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I am zero percent fashion blogger, but I must say I thoroughly enjoyed @maplewoodboutique’s Spring/Summer Fashion Show on Sunday!

All of the outfits were super cute (SO many jumpers! ?) and I was obsessed with every single accessory (I’m looking at you, amazing purse that I had to physically stop myself from purchasing —  but only ‘cause I’m still in the diaper bag season of life, y’all).

EXTRA bonus?? Incredible brunch fare from the @squarescullery and donuts + cronuts from Crest Bakery.

It was so great getting out of the house for a few hours and enjoying the company of friends while supporting our local female-run businesses.

We sipped, we brunched, and we shopped! The Trailhead at Cascade Lofts is GORGEOUS! The event space is incredible and if you’re looking for a local place to have a wedding or shower, this is IT!

How was your weekend?! What Cleveland or Akron spot did you visit??

Happy 2nd Birthday Remy Bea // PLUS a Baby Gift Card Giveaway

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Oh, my spirited little girl… Admittedly, I did not quite understand what ‘other parents’ meant when they said they had spirited children. I thought, “Spirited?! You just mean misbehaved??”

I can honestly say, I was one-thousand percent WRONG.

Spirited children are just that… full of a wild, untamed, spirit!

That is exactly my Remy Bea. And on her second birthday, I will celebrate her wild spirit.

Because she is also so silly. Her laugh is contagious. And her smile is electrifying.

She is way smarter than I could imagine a child being at her age. And she understands way too much for her own good.

She may be tiny (weighing in at a ‘whopping’ 23 pounds at 2 years), but she truly is a force to be reckoned with.

Looking back, I should have known from her labor and delivery that she would be a spitfire. Making a bold entrance was kind of her thing. Turns out it still is.

It’s hard to believe that in a few months time you’ll be a middle sister. It’s a role I think you were made for. And one you will thrive in.

But for now — well, for the next 20 weeks — I’m going to just going to bask in your presence, Remy Bea. I’m going to continue to be grateful that I’ve had two years of you as my ‘baby.’ Our road has been troubled but beautiful — just like you.

PS. Isn’t her outfit from The Picket Fence in Pittsburgh the absolute cutest?! No worries — you don’t have to be in Pittsburgh to order. Check out their full line of baby, kids, and womens items here.

BONUS! Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter to win a $50 Gift Card to The Picket Fence, which can be used either online or in-store!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

 

This post was sponsored by Nakturnal. As always, all opinions herein are my own.

 

Elevate, Play with Lark, SOAK, and Eat Local! // Embracing the Chaos

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We’ve been so crazy busy lately that we’ve hardly had a chance to slow down. It’s my own fault, really. I’m a chronic over-scheduler. It’s a blessing and a curse, friends. It really is.

See, I thrive on the crazy; I need the busy days. I need them because they make me feel accomplished. And slowing down just isn’t in my vocabulary. At least, not in this current season of my life.

So here’s what we’ve been up to as of late:

Lots and lots and lots of playing with the kids. Lucky for me, we have a standing playdate at the YMCA every day but Sunday (because, well, I’m there for 4-6 hours a day). So both kids really love (and need) this time with their friends.

But it’s been HOT, friends. Like, hot and crazy humid. Which has truly limited our outdoor play. However, I have felt a bit more comfortable playing outdoors with the kiddos knowing that Miss Bea is wearing moisture-wicking baby clothes from Lark.

If you haven’t heard of Lark, their mission is to make quality baby clothes that can easily endure the daily life of an active infant or toddler. They have developed a proprietary natural, eco-friendly moisture wicking fabric. Safer for babies sensitive skin than some of the synthetic wear that adults wear when outside or working out! Awesome, right!?

Well Miss Bea is truly comfortable in her rompers and bodysuits from Lark. And I breathe easy knowing the fabric is not only breathable, but free of synthetic fabric and chemicals, and is made in the USA!

And you can get free shipping on any order using this code: SHIPPING. Go support this awesome business, friends!

Living in my SOAK sandals. So I am weird about shoes. See, when I find shoes I love, I live in them. Like, I wear holes in my flats because I wear them every day and literally nothing else. So when I was offered a pair of slides from SOAK, a company right here in the United States, I truly didn’t know what to expect.

See, I have super high arches in my feet and it makes wearing anything slip-on quite difficult (and sometimes painful). But I’ve worn these every single day for the last 30 days and I’m in love.

A post shared by Rachel L (@itsahero) on

They’re comfortable, incredibly stylish, and crunchy-mama-friendly! Yep, not only are they made in Maine, but they are made from BPA-free recycled materials!

And so versatile! I’ve worn them with dresses and to my yoga classes! Seriously the only shoe I’ve needed (well, except for my running shoes to, well, run!).

Check out their full line of slides here and use code CHIC15 to save 15% off!

Yoga. Not quite #yogaeverydamnday, but my fire for yoga has been reignited, thanks to a couple of amazing yoga classes.

Last week I went to Elevate Akron, an annual outdoor yoga event here in my amazing city. It was powerful, friends. So powerful! I realized that all of the cycling, running, and strength training I’ve been doing has totally made me more physically fit — in ways I didn’t even realize before! I am so much stronger than I’d recently given myself credit for.

Oh, and I’m certain that the stretching and conditioning alongside the gymnasts I coach doesn’t hurt!

But then I decided to go, solo, to my first Yoga on Tap/Balance and Brews event. See, here in Northeast Ohio, we’ve been on the beer + yoga train for a long time — at least the last 4 years! But, sadly, I’ve never been able to actually make a class.

Well, that changed yesterday. I was elated to find out that Melissa of Balance and Brews was teaching a class right here in my own town, at HiHo Brewing Co.!

It was a great class and ended with a complimentary beer (the Smash Smash Pilz Pilz double pilsner was the bomb!).

So many markets! Guys, I’m a sucker for a good farmers market. Throw in some hand-crafted goodies? Double-sold.

Between the Cleveland Flea, the Akron Honey Market, and the Countryside Conservancy Market in Highland Square? We’ve been biz-zeeee! Busy getting delicious food, ya’ll!

Cycling. Kickboxing. and Gymnastics, Oh My! I’ve been working out non-stop and, like I said, I’m feeling so much stronger! One thing that’s truly been helping is how much I’ve been trying to remain committed to my schedule of workouts. At times it’s been a struggle, but it’s also been a saving grace during the crazy moments. As much as, in those moments, I want to just hide or cry or sleep, I find myself working out all of my frustrations and it’s helped me tremendously.

Sure, we’ve been busy. But it’s been perfect. Perfect chaos! So tell me — Do you thrive on chaos, like me? Or do you prefer to have unscheduled days and relaxing weekends!?

 

 

 

P.S. I Love JORD (and my husband) // GIVEAWAY

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In keeping with my commitment to be as open and honest as possible here on my blog, I have to say that I had no idea how having children would change my relationship with my husband.

See, Chad and I had dated for four years before we decided to get hitched! So we certainly didn’t jump into anything. Naively I assumed that our relationship weathered enough in those four years to survive babies.

Guys. I am here to tell you. Having children. changes. EVERYTHING. Sure, they are wonderful little mini humans with unique and awesome personalities; but there is no storm like children. Not even close.

We haven’t had an easy road with either child. Honestly, as soon as we got the hang of Ari, we decided to have another. Remy Bea has been extra difficult from the very start. Especially over the last year — with two children, both difficult in their own ways, we’ve lost sight of what truly matters most — being present with each other.

Shortly after this Valentine’s Day, Chad and I will celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. It honestly baffles me that the last 5 years have flown by this quickly; but somehow we’ve weathered this storm together. And our time together, especially our time spent together without kids, is so incredibly precious.

As corny as it sounds, the most precious gift I can give my husband is the gift of time. And to celebrate our upcoming anniversary a tad bit early, I gave him the gift of a beautiful and unique wood watch from JORD! There’s no time like the present, am I right?!

This man. This men’s watch. This struggle. They don’t even begin to show my love, affection, and appreciation for our journey.

And, believe it or not, this cool watch isn’t just a way for him to monitor how many minutes are left in a timeout! Ha! This watch symbolizes the days, the months, and the years that we have put into each other and into our relationship.

This beautiful and unique wood watch comes in a variety of styles and designs. I chose a classic round-faced men’s watch — the Frankie — with Koa wood! It’s sized accurately for the most perfect fit on my husband’s wrist!

This Valentine’s Day, reconnect with your partner by giving them a beautiful wood timepiece! Thanks to the wonderful people at JORD, one lucky reader will win a $100 gift code to use over on the JORD site!

To enter, head HERE.

Bonus? Everyone who enters will receive a $25 gift code to use at JORD at the close of the contest! It’s a win-win!

Contest is open through 11:59 on 2/5/17. Winner will be chosen at random and contacted by JORD directly with gift code. I received product for my honest thoughts and review of JORD. As always, all opinions are my own!

Luxury Wooden Watch

etsy pregnancy wish list

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I am so excited winter is on it’s way! I know, I know… I’ve said that a lot recently. But even saying it ONCE, for me, is completely out of character! I told Chad that the sole reason I’m so excited this winter is knowing that I won’t have to drive in winter weather often [thanks, Baby Girl + maternity leave!]. But also because that means I can stay bundled up at home, complete with hot chocolate and Netflix, on the couch. Oh, no… I know it won’t be a vacation. I realize that I’ll also be responsible for keeping TWO children alive. But still. In those moments when Moosh is asleep and I’m nursing a baby, I’m going to enjoy that Netflix and hot cocoa!

I’ve also comprised a “Holiday Etsy Maternity/Postpartum Wish Lists” of sorts… [for anyone looking to buy me something — LOL!]

A non-traditional nursing cover/infinity scarf.
Like this one from etsy shop Kismet Love Collection.
Seriously. They are adorable. And they are scarves!
Gah! I’m in love.

kismet

Baby Girls’ Coming Home Outfit.
I realize absolutely zero people will see this in real life,
but lord knows I’ll be posting it on instagram, right? Ha!
This one from Adorned Baby Boutique is adorable.
I’m not big on pink, but gold? Heck yes. Give Baby Girl all the gold!

itsahero_cominghome

A Birthing Gown for the hospital.
I know it seems super shallow, but I honestly got one for my L&D with Ari.
And it was way more comfortable than the hospital gown.
It was plain black, but perhaps I want to go a little bit more frilly for Baby Girl? Ha.
This one from Stork Apparel is cute, but not overly girly.

itsahero_birthgown

Super Comfy Warm Socks.
‘Cause January is going to be mega cold, y’all.
And even though I’ve been hot-blooded this pregnancy,
I know that as soon as this baby comes, I’ll be cold. Again.
And these socks from Fir Tree Knitwear are adorable AND wool!
Swoon!

itsahero_warmsocks

Reusable Nursing Pads.
With Moosh I used these silicone reusable nursing pads.
They were horrible. If my boobs leaked, they would itch uncontrollably.
So this time I want fabric reusable pads.
And these handmade nursing pads from Marleys Monsters are cute and inexpensive!

 

itsahero_nursing

A Giant Warm Robe.
Cause, winter + nursing.
And this robe from Wrapped In A Cloud looks SO warm and cozy.

itsahero_robe
 

An Oversized Sweater.
Do you notice a theme here? Big, comfy, and warm?
Yep. Give me all the big, comfy, and warm.
I wish I could afford this giant sweater from Rose Unique Style.

itsahero_sweater
I’m just loving all of this stuff. And I know none of it is necessary to have, but gosh would it be nice to be warm and cozy after Baby Girl is born! ♥

 

Key to the Cure // Wrap Up

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Before I get into this wrap up I wanted to very quickly give a shout out to one of my favorite local charities, Shoes and Clothes for Kids (SC4k). The mission of SC4K is to provide disadvantaged kids in Greater Cleveland with brand new shoes and clothing. What might surprise you is that two of their most requested items are socks and underwear. It’s so easy to take simple things like these for granted, but many kids in our community are wearing hand-me-downs, giveaways, throwaways – and some just go without.

To get people to think about this topic, they created a catchy video. Take a quick minute and check it out:

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdgGqUKW9nA#t]

Right now they are running a crowdfunding campaign to help increase sock and underwear donations! Even better? They’ve received a challenge grant of up to $15k! That means your donation will be MATCHED!

If you are able, please consider donating to the campaign here.

Alright, so, a few weeks ago I had the privilege of attending another charity event, the Key To The Cure event at Saks Fifth Avenue at Beachwood Place! My girlfriend, Carli, and I decided to say buh-bye to our boys for the evening and head out for a night of fun.

keytothecure
Saks Fifth Avenue of Beachwood Place teams up with the Cleveland Clinic each year to host a shopping extravaganza! It’s a chance to give shoppers the opportunity to support women’s reproductive and breast research by offering a percentage of their sales go to the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center from October 15th to October 18th.

Guests were encouraged to purchase presale tickets to the event kickoff, which was the event we attended on October 15th, for $75 per person. Included in the event ticket was a $50 tax deductible write-off, a $25 Saks gift card, live entertainment, and food and drinks supplied by the amazing local talents from the Taste of Cleveland restaurants!

Carli and I arrived and were a tad bit overwhelmed at first. There was a LOT of food. Like, a lot. And, even though I knew I would be sick later, I wanted to eat all of it. We did a quick circle through Saks to check out all of the food offerings (duh. I’m pregnant), before diving in.

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The food was amazing. Many of the offerings were from restaurants I have already been to; others I was experiencing for the first time (though we had meant to try them… that whole toddler thing keeps us home a lot as of late). Society Lounge provided cocktails for the evening (and I may have sipped on the most delicious Moscow Mule I’ve ever had), and wine was also provided for guests. I honestly can’t even remember who had the best food (but it was probably Lago).

Oh and I made sure to eat as many delicious donuts as my belly would hold, thanks to Peace, Love and Little Donuts. 🙂

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At the end of the night, we waddled our way upstairs to the childrens department (because let’s be real — when a mom is given $25 bucks to spend, she chooses to spend it on her kids, not herself). I bought baby girl an adorable sleeper (that I would have normally never spent $25 on… let’s be real). So thank you, Key to the Cure, for the “free” $25!

Overall, it was an awesome night. I would love to experience the evening again, but this time not pregnant (Umm, HELLO Moscow Mules and see ya next year!)! If you missed it this year, keep an eye out for it October 2016! And see ya there!