Beach days

I plan on soaking up every last minute of our beach life before our trip to the Chicago-land area.

  

I love visiting my hometown.  My family, friends, the food!  But I did move away for one reason.  The beach.  Now, I can hardly imagine my life any other way.

Leila will grow up knowing this as her backyard.  I'd say she is one lucky girl!

Which sunscreen is best? {The winner is...}

In my opinion, nothing beats a protective clothing.  Leila happily wears a sun hat outside (unless I take it off for photos) and a swimsuit with decent coverage. Last summer we had a long sleeved swim shirt and I'm still looking for one I like this year. 


Although we have more sunny days than not, the temperature by the San Diego beaches rarely reaches 80 degrees.  This allows me to dress Leila in protective clothing, long sleeves and pants, even on some of the warmest days.

On the other hand, since it is mostly sunny in San Diego, we wear sunscreen all year round.  It's important to me to find the perfect sunscreen: safe, effective, and affordable*.

Here's the breakdown of the products I tried:

For information about WHY I chose these three products read part one of my search for the perfect sunscreen. 

1. Adorable Baby SPF 30+ Sunscreen Non-Nano Zinc Oxide UVA/UVB    

I love how easy this sunscreen is to apply and re-apply.  It goes on clear and rubs in with little effort.  It is greasier than chemical sunscreens, and I wouldn't use it on my face.  Cost: $22 for a 4.3 oz bottle ($5.12/oz).

2. Badger Chamomile Baby Sunscreen SPF 30+ 

This option is less greasy than the other two I tried.  A little goes a long way!  Be sure to knead the tube before using it.  When it is applied it goes on white and takes a while to rub in, which Leila doesn't like at all.  The smell is a too strong (and wrong) for my liking.  (Chamomile just doesn't remind me of the beach!)  I would consider trying it in an unscented formula because it is the cheapest of the three.  Cost: $16 for a 2.9 oz bottle  ($5.52/oz).   I found it on sale at Sprouts for $13 ($4.48/oz)   

3. Loving Naturals Clear Body SPF 30+ Sunscreen

I bought this one in a 2.5 ounce bottle.  I love the travel size for my diaper bag.  (I will refill it when it is empty).  For some reason this size bottle is the best to use...it just comes out easier.  It turns out that Adorable Baby (#1) and Loving Naturals Clear Body are made by the same company.  This sunscreen is also easy to apply and re-apply.  It goes on clear and rubs in with little effort.  Cost: $13 for a 2.5 oz bottle ($5.20/oz) 

*Yes, these sunscreens cost more than Coppertone, Neutrogena, and other common drugstore brands.  One bottle costs about the same as a pedicure, a hardcover book, or a bottle of wine.  Hopefully the sunscreen lasts longer than the wine!

The winner is... Loving Naturals Clear Body SPF 30+

What I love about it:
It is 100% natural and I can pronounce all the ingredients.  It goes on clear and makes my skin feel moisturized, not dehydrated by the sun.  Because it is easy to apply, I can re-apply it often, even on an ever-moving toddler!  Although it differs from Adorable Baby by only two ingredients, those two ingredients feel less greasy and tacky on my skin.  (I am still not sure I would use this sunscreen on my face.)


Next up...I'll be searching for the best face sunscreen.  Suggestions are welcome (and needed).  What do you recommend?

Oceanside on Dwellable

Is your sunscreen safe? {The perfect one}

I never thought about whether or not the sunscreen I bought was safe. Heck, I assumed I was being safe just by using my SPF 30+ sunscreen daily, a vast improvement from my tanning oil days.

But after reading a blog post written about a local mom's sunscreen stresses, I too got a little stressed out.

I read through the Environmental Working Group's Sunscreen guide, and apparently my stress was warranted. Their "Hall of Shame" list convinced me to ditch the sunscreen I was using on Leila, sunscreen full of hormone-disrupting chemicals.

That was only the first step. Next up was more reading and eventually choosing some sunscreen products to test out in this San Diego sun.







The Environmental Working Group posted this on their Facebook page:

EWG researchers assessed about 1,400 products with SPF, including beach and sports lotions, sprays and creams, moisturizers, make-up and lip balms. The 39 beach and sports products that earned EWG’s coveted “green” rating for safety and efficacy all contain the minerals zinc or titanium. We could find no non-mineral sunscreens that scored better than “yellow.”

So what does it come down to?

Pick your sunscreen "poison": nano-materials or potential hormone disrupters.

I chose three chemical-free sunscreen products to try, based on the EWG's 2012 rating, affordability, and availability:






1. Adorable Baby SPF 30+ Sunscreen Non-Nano Zinc Oxide UVA/UVB 

2. Badger Chamomile Baby Sunscreen SPF 30+ (purchased at Sprouts) 

3. Loving Naturals Clear Body SPF 30+ Sunscreen Non-Nano Zinc Oxide UVA/UVB

Each sunscreen I chose scored a rating of 1.

They all ranged in price from $13-$22 depending on the size.

All three sunscreen products are available on Amazon and one can be picked up at our local grocery store.

In search of the perfect sunscreen (if there is such a thing), I have been using these products on Leila and myself for the past two weeks.  


Click here for the results.  


Do you have any sunscreen you would personally recommend?     

Quality time

Once a week Jeff and Leila head out on an adventure together, just the two of them. They hop on my very girly pink bicycle, cruise down the boardwalk, and walk to the end of Crystal Pier.

This weekend I decided to tag along.

(I spaced on bring my camera, so these phone photos will have to do.)

She was Daddy's girl the entire morning. I don't blame her though.

He's the one that let her sip from his soda...

Look! They both make the same "I just had a sip of Diet Mountain Dew" face.
Climb up the railing...


Pick her up when she asked...


...and made it fun!

Quality Daddy-daughter time.

Budget-friendly toddler adventures

I have said it before, and I will say it again, I LOVE where we live. Jeff and I have lived in San Diego for nine years and we can still feel like tourists any given day.

Who wouldn't love living in a sunny beach town?!

(Honestly, I could do without the high cost of living and underfunded public school system.)

Now that I entertain a toddler on a daily basis, I have begun to see San Diego with a new set of eyes.  The possibilities for fun on a budget seem endless.

A new picnic spot, a local bake sale, a free concert at the library...fun, fun, fun!
Leila with my mom and Aunt Carrie
Watching the local elementary school kids rock out

After seeing this list posted on one of my favorite local blogs last year, I was inspired to make a list of my own.

Here's what I have so far...



It's time to take advantage of your hometown! Start your list today.

I plan on adding activities that are not specific to San Diego like bubbles, sidewalk chalk, nature walk, and pet store to mine after reading the posts linked up here...


Please share your favorite budget-friendly activities!

Mission Bay on Dwellable

This is for real.

The Elmo Gang (est. 2012) has three members. Leila would like you to believe that she is in charge.

She's probably right.



My dad (aka Grandpa) and my uncle Pat are the other two members, and yes, they also wear Elmo tattoos.

Don't worry. You can tell by their age that they are not dangerous, a menace to society, or taking over your town.

You may spot them near a bus stop,

or near the marina

trying to recruit new members.

They spend their days picking flowers,

walking the streets,

and rocking the good life

in a neighborhood near you.


Yes, Leila is clearly in charge and loving every minute of it.



You can be sure that "the Elmo gang rides again". -Grandpa

Looking forward to the weekend

It doesn't matter if you work outside the home, from home, or not at all. The weekends (Friday included!) are always worth the wait.

Today I am kicking off my Friday right...alone.

It has suddenly hit me that my parents (and aunt and uncle) will be leaving May 1st after their two month visit to San Diego.

No longer will I be able to enjoy a "day-off" from Leila, have my laundry washed and folded, or have dinner prepared and cleaned up by someone other than myself.

No more shopping trips with my mom, afternoon beers, or chances to go to the grocery store by myself.

I am going to soak up my freedom and make sure that Leila can spend as much time with Grandma and Grandpa before they head home.

It's a win-win situation for everyone involved!

Wishing you a relaxing weekend!

Toddler activities {Water play}

All you really need is a bucket, a cup, and some water.
It is that easy to keep my child entertained.



Of course it doesn't hurt that there is a bay just across the boardwalk from our local park. (Remember...the one that we practically call our backyard.)

It took me a while to warm up to the idea of impulsive water play at the park. But compared to all the bags needed for an "official" day at the pool (or beach), it seems worth it to be impulsive. It's not like I ever leave the house totally empty handed and unprepared.

...Except for the one time Leila's diaper leaked onto her pants and she hung out at the restaurant in her diaper.

We both survived today's impromptu water fun at the bay. Leila did run around in her sandy diaper for a while, but only a six year old boy noticed enough to say anything about it.

She ran into the water, filled a cup or two, and ran out to dump it on the dry sand. Over and over, and then again.

I plopped myself down in the dry sand with no towel and just watched.

Sometimes she would go a little to far out into the water.
She wants to be just like the big kids!

It was cute to watch her pick up globs of wet sand like they did and throw them into the water. She thought she was doing it just like them.

When it was time to go, I wrapped her up in a receiving blanket I found in the stroller. On the ride home she was quiet, tired, and completely worn-out. Another successful "adventure time"!




I'm hoping for a long nap this afternoon. Leila is not the only one worn-out from water play!

Tour de France

Tour de San Diego is more like it!

Weekend getaway {San Francisco}

Living in California has shown me that this state has something for everyone. From sunshine to celebrities, and everything in between, the city of San Francisco was no exception.

On our trip we had plenty of sunshine (it was freezing for us SoCal folks!)...


And celebrities (Could this be George Clinton?)...


And everything in between!

Sightseeing


Live music at The *iconic* Fillmore


And more jams on the street (the drummer was adorable!)


Bizarre shops


Unique bars


Crowded Farmers' Markets


Ghost hunting (We stayed at a haunted hotel!)


And of course, good beer.




Thanks for the memories SF!