WOW Me Wednesday: Evie Edition

So this month, in lieu of Talent Tuesdays, I’m switching gears a bit and sharing some of our favorite items in a blog series called WOW me Wednesdays. Since Evie runs things in our house, I thought I’d give her top billing.

HAIR
Little Miss Rapunzel is not loving her hair right now. “It’s crazy” she tells me. CRAZY. 🙂 I’ve found these items to be very helpful:
1. WEN by Chaz Dean

Found at QVC.com

This is an amazing cleansing conditioner. It doesn’t suds or bother her eyes and it smells heavenly. You know how some kids products (ahem – Dora bubbles) smell like vomit??? This doesn’t. I assure you! I actually use their grown up products (Pumpkin Spice!!!) for my less than glorious mane.

2. Goody spin pins.

Found at Target or other drug/super stores
I don’t know about you but I am completely useless with a regular bobby pin. These spin pins keep Evie’s sock buns and chignon’s in place and they are super easy to insert and remove. Easy hair = a happy child.

CLOTHING/SHOES

1. Naartjie

http://www.naartjiekids.com

Naartjie is my go to spot for super unique clothing that is well made and different than what everyone is wearing. I love their attention to detail and their layered ruffled leggings. They are much more affordable than other brands that look similar, in my opinion (ex. Persnickety, Mustard Pie, etc.) Every time Evie wears this brand people compliment us on what she’s wearing. And…best part…it sells for almost what you paid on eBay when your little one outgrows it!

2. TOMS

http://www.toms.com
I love TOMS for so many reasons. I love that they come in lots of super fun patterns. I love that Evie can put them on herself thanks to the velcro style. And lastly, I love that for every pair you purchase, they donate a pair of shoes to a child in one of fifty participating countries. Amazing product with a humanitarian element. Doesn’t get better than that.

REWARDS/FUN
1. Sweet Frog
Ok…gotta be honest here. I eat like total crap. Some days I have to stop and think if I ate a single vegetable. Evie, on the other hand, eats like a champ. She loves her fruits and veggies and hummus!!!! So, when I’m craving ice cream (when aren’t I craving ice cream????), we head to sweet frog for 0 calorie frozen yogurt that she tops with tons of fruit. She feels like she’s getting an amazing treat and I’m happy that I’m not filling her with a billion ice cream calories. Plus, she totally loves the whole pick your flavor thing.

2. Critter clinic
Found at Barnes and Nobles and Amazon.com
If I was a betting woman, I’d bet that Evie will work with animals when she gets older. She loves them all from the super scary Rottweiler that barks his head off while she’s riding her bike, to the camel at the zoo, to the giant snake she held at a birthday party recently. This critter clinic is a-dor-able!!!!! It all packs up nicely and allows me to take it any time we travel. She removes splinters from “Patches” the kitty and listens to “Biscuit” the dog’s heartbeat and lungs.

3. Lush Bubble Bars
Found at http://www.lushusa.com
Like her Momma, Evie really enjoys her bath time. These Lush Bubble Bars come in a variety of scents, last for-ev-a, smell like heaven and fill the tub with just enough bubbles and color for her to enjoy. At Easter they had carrot shapes but this butterfly rose scented one is her favorite. She likes the wave the wand under the faucet and takes great joy in watching the water turn pink!

3. The Maryland Zoo at Baltimore
http://www.marylandzoo.org/
Every year my Mom gets us a Zoo membership for Evie’s birthday. Our Family Plus membership ($125 for 2 adults, 4 children and a guest) more than pays for itself. We go all year round and actually enjoy the winter visits the most; we’ve found a lot of the animals to be more active then. Evie rode a camel there, fed a giraffe, attended a puppet show, rode the train and the merri-go-round, attended ZooBoo and the annual Luau….The list goes on and on. The volunteers at the Zoo are super informed and we always learn something new. The reciprocal membership benefits are great too. Last year we used our membership in the Outer Banks to go to their Aquarium, free of charge!

4. The National Aquarium at Baltimore
http://www.aqua.org/
This year for Evie’s birthday we got her an Aquarium membership. It’s a little more pricey than the Zoo ($125 for a family, no guests) and you do pay for parking (make sure you park in the garage affiliated with the Aquarium and show your ticket stub for a discount) but it’s the perfect rainy day outing. The dolphin show is different every single time we go. Sit in the splash zone for an extra fun surprise! Evie loves the dark shark area and I’m such a sucker for the jellyfish.