I’ve been mighty quiet around these parts lately. I could pretend it was because I’m busy getting ready for our annual mini vacation next week, but that would be utter bullshit. The truth is, I haven’t even started thinking about getting ready for it—which is making me itch a little now that I am thinking about it.

Luckily for me (and you?) I just put together a guest post for the thredUP blog where I shared a printable list of ten pieces that can get you through an entire week’s worth of fun and sun (yes, really). I even made it printable, for anyone who wants to feel all official and physically check off their list.

For more info and a sample wardrobe that’s completely interchangeable, head over to the thredUP blog… and then come back here and tell me what you think! 😉

Is it doable or have I gone straight up cray cray?

Don’t get me wrong. I love my feisty little five-year old. She’s one of the funniest people I know, a lovable little mushball and smart as a whip (whatever that means).

She is also the ultimate drama queen (we’re talking about the stomping off to her room and composing songs about how no one loves her because I told her she couldn’t have an Oreo at eight thirty in the morning kind of drama queen).

Because of the drama and the fact that I had another little girl at the end of March, this summer has felt incredibly loooooong. We can’t do as much as Sam is used to and my attention is a bit diverted. This is the perfect recipe for drama soup, which just so happens to be my sweet pea’s specialty.

Samantha is totally fine if she has some sort of project to work on, which is why I was thrilled to come across a helpful article in this month’s Disney Family Fun magazine. The story was about a family who had this special jar that they filled with scraps of paper that had fun activities written on them. From baking cookies to berry picking, it sounded right up my little lady’s alley.

So we decided to do our own version…

We grabbed an old oats container and scraps of paper Sam had cut up the day before. She meticulously colored all of the scraps (it was so tiring she had to “take a bweak” when she was done), glued them to the container and added jewels (all while mommy magically got some writing done!).

We then added things we like to do: from spa day (where I give her a mani-pedi while she has a homemade facial) to garage sales (which she also happens to call antique or thrift shops).

So far it’s worked out great. She feels like whatever she picks is her idea and not something I came up with, which is always a bonus (hmm. sounds a little like her father…). She also likes that it comes from a pretty container, which automatically makes it cool.

Now I just have to remember to think up new activities before the next vacation…