7 Unexpected Items You'll NEED When You Adopt a Dog

This post is sponsored by Bona but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

I just realized, I never officially announced some big news, but I think it's worth sharing - we got a new dog last month & he's basically the bee's knees. We're now a two-dog family and while some may think our house feels like a zoo, I think we all love our new addition.

The funny thing is, we actually had decided against adopting another dog... but when I saw those googly eyes, I fell in love and said I wanted him - the rest is history. I'm excited to say, he is a perfect fit for our home, with just the right amount of crazy pup left in him to keep up with my toddler. We aren't 100% on his breed, but we're thinking a Dachshund and King Charles Cavalier mix - some day maybe we'll do a doggie DNA test. Regardless of his breed or his history, Dax is the perfect dog for us.

The one thing that I had forgotten about when adopting a new dog is all the ways your family has to adjust.

From teaching Delainey proper dog manners to keeping our house clean with two fuzzy mutts running around, we've all had to learn something from the new furry family member.

Wondering what unexpected items you'll need if you decide to adopt a dog?

Here's my list of must-haves after recently bringing Daxy-boy home:

1. Training treats - Pretty self explanatory, these treats help initiate a bond with your animal and form trust from the get-go, especially if your pooch is a food oriented pup. We used itty bitty treats and "bribe" Dax to do anything from sit & stay to showing him how to use his puppy stairs. We've always loved using these to practice tricks with Miley and highly recommend them for all dog owners, they literally motivate our old doggy to learn new tricks!

2. Bona Hardwood Premium Spray Mop - Speaking of tricks, my Bona Spray Mop is literally the only reason I'm able to kick back and relax with my mutt-ley crew. Between two adorable, but CONSTANTLY shedding dogs, my wild child, and their crazy adventures, my house and these beautiful vintage wood floors are constantly screaming for a cleaning - luckily I can quickly sweep & mop in one swoop with my Bona Hardwood Premium Spray Mop.

This quick and easy gadget comes ready to use & easily picks up the dust & grime that seems to accumulate when you add kids to your home. If you're a fellow mom (or mama to furr babies), you'll need a Bona Spray Mop to keep your floors clean.

3. Leash & Collar Ready-to-Go - I'm not sure this one is so unexpected, but it's not something everyone thinks about when heading to the pound to adopt an animal. I highly recommend bringing your own leash and collar when picking up your new friend. I feel like our pups treat their collars like it's their way to "claim" a spot in our pack, so I made sure Dax had a collar that suited him immediately.

4. The same dog food - Speaking of things suiting our furry friends, making sure you transition their food is important. It can cause upset bellies if you suddenly switch foods, especially with the sudden switch in homes causing anxiety too. We actually HATE the brand of food Dax's previous owner was feeding him but we transitioned him to his new food by feeding him less and less of the "bad" food while introducing him to the food we believe is best - simply because it's better for him to adjust like this.

5. Clothing that has your 'scent' - We actually have "couch blankets" we let the dogs cuddle with when we leave, because they are spoiled. If you don't have said blankets, adding a t-shirt you slept in to their crate or putting it on a decorative pillow before you leave could tremendously help your pup.

6. New toys - Another way to help your pup adjust is buying the new furry friend new toys. We had PLENTY of toys before Dax's arrival but making sure he had some toys of his own was really important, in my mind. I wanted Miley to feel as though she still had control over her toys but to recognize that he had his own. So far, they both understand that and get along just fine.

7. Air Freshener - Last, but not least - You're certain to want a quick way to freshen the air - especially if you're pup loves to get crazy as much as ours.

So tell me, have you adopted a dog before? What items do you consider must-haves when bringing home a new canine companion?

10 Super Fun Dr. Seuss Inspired Activities

**This post may contain affiliate links.**

I've always been a bookworm, so it probably comes as no surprise that I'm also a HUGE Dr. Seuss fan and while I can't force Delainey to have the same likes as me, I will say that I have taken the time to read Cat in the Hat, One Fish, Two Fish, & Green Eggs & Ham about once a week - just to be sure she knows them, by word. Haha.

All jokes aside, Dr. Seuss and his gift for writing have always been a true inspiration to me -  lessons like "a person's a person - no matter how small" just don't come from books now-a-days.

On that note, I wanted to put together a list of super fun Dr. Seuss inspired activities & crafts in honor of the creative genius' birthday-

1. Green Eggs & Ham Letter Recognition printable from StillPlayings.com

2. One Fish, Two Fish Counting Game - with free printables to create it! from mamamiss.com

3. Dr. Seuss Shadow Puppet Printables from ThePinterestedParent.com

4. Dr. Seuss Cat in The Hat patterning Hat (or Math Hat) from JDaniel4sMom.com

5. Easy Thing 1 & Thing 2 Hand Print Craft from intheplayroom.co.uk

6. Easy Cat in The Hat Hand Print Craft from KidsCraftRoom.com

7. Lorax Windsock Craft from NonToyGifts.com

8. Thing 1 & Thing 2 Recycled Planters also from NonToyGifts.com

9. The Cutest Little Cat in The Hat Photo Keepsake

10. Dr. Seuss Bingo Printables from aSparkleofGenius.com

Need to add to your Dr. Seuss collection?

How to Create a Flat lay with Your Phone!

You've seen those posts on Instagram, right? You know the ones - perfectly placed items, all laying together, glowing on a white surface - enticing you to buy whatever small shop item you happen to be scrolling by.

Flat lays are seriously gold to me as a small shop owner, they look amazing as a way to break up a "brand rep" feed, and they are a great way to show off your favorite small shop items as a customer and gain recognition from the shop!

But here's the thing, we don't all have the perfect accessories to build the most epic flat lay each time - I have the solution to that issue - the "photoshopped" flat lay or you can also call it a digital flat lay!

Want to master the art of sharing your favorite toddler fashions, capture product photography that makes companies seek collabs, or maybe you're hoping to up the quality of your fashion blogger instagram feed? Here's how I make our digital flat lays in just a few steps.

Let's start with the apps, you'll want to download both the "PhotoLayers" app and the "Background Eraser" app - as an android user. Both are fairly basic apps, but they obviously pack a lot of power when it comes to a achieving a clean & beautiful "digital flat lay" look!

Next, you'll search for your products you'll want to include. I went with a romper I found on the Macy Kate Boutique, a pair of denim from Roses in December, a bracelet from TR tidbits, a pair of Baseball Moccs from Monkey Feet and lastly, a bow made out of a real baseball from my shop - Bloomology!



The one thing that's most important when selecting items to include is the lighting and the angle of the photo. Backgrounds will be erased but bad lighting won't be. If you have trouble finding items to include check out a hashtag on instagram that is similar to what you are seeking such as 'baseballbracelet' or search on facebook! If you are a member of Together We Rep, I highly suggest searching in there for items to include as well!

Once you've selected what items you want to include in your flat lay, go ahead and start erasing all the backgrounds in the background eraser app. You start by loading your image and then cropping, then your on the page to begin erasing. This is the most time consuming part of creating a flat lay but I promise it's a skill you'll pick up quickly!

I've found a recent love for the "magic" setting, I just go around the edges of whatever I want to crop out and then going back through and touching up any areas I accidentally erased with the "relief" tool. You can also use the manual tool to go over the edges of your items or use the auto tool whenever you see it'll be an "easier" crop (this tool works amazing on white background photos).
Be sure to thoroughly go over each edge on an item, then when saving I usually save as a level 2 smooth edge blend! Select whichever looks best for your edit! Repeat for each item.

Now that you have all of your items 'cropped', it's time to assemble them in the 'photo layers' app. You'll want to find a "plain white background" or whatever you prefer to use to upload first. Next you'll 'add photo' and include each item, first 'cropping', then placing it on the white background!

While clicked on each item, you can adjust size and even edit the photo some(notice the bottom bar - select color or shadow).

Situate each item where you think it looks best and save!

Now your flat lay is ready to go, it's that easy!


After making this tutorial, I've actually found other apps that work just as well!

Check out PicsArt, it's one that actually combines both apps abilities and works perfectly! The idea behind creating a flat lay is still the same but you only have to use one app to do it!

What My Morning Routine Looks Like - Become a "Morning Person" with these 4 Easy Steps

This post is sponsored by Bioré, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

"Every morning is a new start, a new beginning, the day that could change the world" - or so I keep telling myself, as I'm struggling to open my eyes and get coffee made. It's not that I don't love each and every day I'm given, because I truly do, I'm just NOT a morning person, but this year I'm really trying to work on that.

Since I've been trying to change my ways, I've found that starting each morning out with a regular, rejuvenating routine is the best way to make sure my days start out on the right foot. My morning routine is fairly simple but the benefits it brings to each day are huge.

Interested in changing things up and starting your day out bright and cheery? Here's how I suggest you wake up & start your day:

Step one - Kisses and Cuddles - It's that simple. Each morning as my eyes open the first thing I like to do is embrace my loved ones. Whether it's my handsome significant other, my darling little daughter, or my little canine companions, I love feeling loved first thing in the morning and luckily I have a ton of it surrounding me. I suggest you start this routine with your family, a few minutes snuggled talking about what the day holds with your kiddos or spouse, then it's time to wriggle your way out from under the covers and start cleaning your self up for the day.

Step two -  Get Clean and Feel Refreshed with Biore - Believe it or not, making sure I have a clean face is one of my favorite ways to make sure I'm ready to face a new day. Why Biore? Well, because they get me and because it's a brand that I can stand behind, for the past decade I've been a fan and I imagine I'll continue using their amazing prodcuts. Biore is a pore obsessed face-care brand on a mission to make high quality and affordable skincare products that help and benefit our skin in so many different way. Everything they do revolves around deep cleaning and refreshing our 20,000 pores!

Recently I added the Biore Witch Hazel Ultra Deep Cleansing Pore Strips to my routine (these I actually only use about once every few weeks, but I already notice a huge difference). They work like a super magnet, lifting out the most stubborn deep down dirt and oil that can lead to complexion problems.

I mean, goodbye annoying nose pimples - now that I'm almost 30 I'm so glad I'll never have to deal with that nonsense again and can we just take a moment to address how amazing (and disgusting) it is to clean out your pores and see the results!

Why these strips vs others? Well, these are specially formulated with Witch Hazel, known to tighten pores and deep cleaning abilities. Try these tried & true, trusted, dermatologist tested pore strips and you'll notice cleaner pores seconds after taking them off! Crazy... and somewhat traumatizing when you try them your first time - LOL! I mean, ewwww, who had any clue I was carrying around that much ick on my nose? Not me... but I'm glad Biore fixed that problem for me in minutes!

Not only have I added the strips to my routine, I've added a daily touch of Biore too. With the Biore Witch Hazel Pore Clarifying Toner I've already noticed a more balanced complexion and less blemishes - what more could a girl ask for?

Step Three - Get out - That's right, we step out with the dogs and get some fresh air. Sometimes that just means heading out to the backyard to play for a bit and occasionally that means we go for a walk with our wild bunch. Either way, that fresh air and Vitamin D is always a welcoming start to each day.


Step Four - My favorite: Dance, Espresso, & Get The Party Started - Yep, once I'm so fresh and so clean and everyone is feeling fly after a walk , I hop on out to the living room "dance floor" with my mini me and we get our groove on. Soon after that she helps mama load up the espresso machine and we get some caffeine in my system. Once I have that little pick me up boogie and beverage, I'm ready to start my day. I highly suggest you check out the kids music channels when you're looking for some songs to boogie too, we always get down to our favorite princess songs or some clean renditions of popular songs - which makes for hilarious moments and sweet memories. After I sip my coffee and have another little dance party, then it's time to sit down & get the party started... and by that I mean, it's time to get to work.

That's it, just four simple steps on how I've gone from grump to great each morning. Tell me, are you a morning person already looking to spice up your routine or are you a fellow night owl hoping to change your ways? Either way, I highly suggest adding all of these fun ways to brighten up your morning to your daily routine.