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Family

Our first week in California

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

We left Georgia on a dark Thursday morning and arrived in SoCal on Monday. It was an intense 3 days of driving and one day of resting with family in Nebraska. What a journey it was! Thankfully we missed hurricane Hillary and drove straight to the house. We’ve been unpacking, waiting for furniture, internet, and having friends over to swim. No complaints here.

I thought it was interesting that the same friends who have been over to swim said that we were the only family they knew who moved away and then returned. To be honest, we like being the forerunners. We are predicting more boomerangs to come.

To those asking about school, before we left, the kids had a slow start to school in Georgia. We will place them back in charter like they were when we left two years ago. I’m praying for a smooth transition back.

I feel like we were blessed to have a second chance coming back to California where we thrived for almost 6 years. 

For those of you wondering why we moved and why so fast, read all about it HERE.

Tomorrow, movers move in our furniture and I’ll be posting a house tour shortly.

Hope you have a lovely weekend. Follow the blog and socials for updates!

xx Shalice

@Shalice Noel

@shopshalicenoel

shalicenoel.com

Family

Our Exciting News

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

While my account was gone, you may have missed this

Remember the old Sandra Bullock movie, While You Were Sleeping?  That’s a bit how I feel right now.  We’ve had a lot of life changing events going on the last two weeks and you might be shocked now that my account is breathing again.  I couldn’t share all this exciting news until now.  Boy, that was a stressful 16 days. Read about it HERE.  Thank you for all the support and community you provided while my account was in jeopardy. 

Here is the backstory to catch you all up.

My last post on @shalicenoel was finding moments to teach your children to find the silver lining in all circumstances.  I was majorly tested on this one.  The day my account was taken down is the same day we signed a lease for a new house.  Yes, a new house!  You might ask, but you just built a house in Georgia?  True and technically it’s still our house.  (Let me know if you are looking for a house in Georgia). Reid and I loved the design process of the new build in Georgia, but our work has always been in California.  Namely, Reid has been working remote, traveling back and forth and our clothing label Shalice Noel, needs to be based in LA again.  As you might remember, we almost moved back to California fall of 2022, but our kids were not on board, and our housing search ended up flat. So, Reid and I held back on the move. Meanwhile, we made some dear friendships in Georgia that we will miss greatly!

Read more about that decision HERE.

To our surprise, the kids’ hearts began to change.  The girls and I had made a trip to LA last spring, and we all realized it felt like home to us.  We can’t explain it.  Memories flooded back of me being pregnant with Levi walking the streets of Old Town Pasadena and the girl’s excitement over our favorite restaurants, beaches and shops was thrilling to hear.  It was at that time that we decided that LA was home.

As you can imagine, the search for a place for a family of 7 + dog is quite the feat. Read, “IMPOSSIBLE.” We never stopped looking for a house in the Pasadena area and dreamed of getting our old house back. It almost took a year, but we finally found a house and we can’t wait to show you. We’re praising God for opening doors, literally. While I was away for 2 years, I missed my “team,” aka Felicia my photographer and Morgan, my make-up artist who I was never able to replace. I am thrilled to be back with artist who inspire me, close to work, business partners, and areas to shoot. I don’t think I can communicate enough how excited we all are and what’s to come.

I guess you can say, this is the part of While You Were Sleeping when Peter wakes up engaged. Next week I’ll be back to posting our California lifestyle.  Hello, culture shock!  Rural north Atlanta is a whole different culture to Los Angeles, but I think we will jump back into the rapids just fine.

We appreciate your love and support!! I’ve missed you all so much.  We look forward to being back in our old stomping grounds.

In the meantime, subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss out on anything. Follow my back up account @ shopshalicenoel and check here for any updates.

Who wants a house tour when we arrive?

Family

POV: my experience with poison ivy

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

Some of you know that last week, we unknowingly burned poison ivy in our fire pit. We inhaled the smoke and within 24 hours my face swelled to double its size. I could barely see through my right eye. My three children also showed signs of a severe allergy but thankfully not as bad as my reaction. It was scary. I’m sharing this to caution you to first inspect the wood that you use before you use it. My kids usually love to throw sticks and vines into the fire. Unfortunately, one of those vines was poison ivy! I’m sad because our fire pit times was one of family bonding and laughter.

I didn’t want to take the steroid shot due to awful side effects, so I treated it naturally. I know some do not have that choice especially if your throat swells too (pharyngitis). I treated it with homeopathic, and drank lots of liquids. Topically, I used Zanfel, Tecnu, baking soda and fresh aloe from our little plant. If you have it currently, I encourage you to seek your health practitioners advice. It’s not something to mess around with.

As I write, I’m on day 7, and thankfully feeling and looking more like myself. My face is peeling and very dry, but I’m thankful that me and my kids are on the road to recovery and way better than we were a couple days ago. Progress! However, we are itching like crazy still on our stomachs, arms and legs. I read that you have a severe case if your skin feels like leather, and ours does.

Have you or someone that you knew experienced an allergic reaction to poison ivy? I’m feeling brave so I’m sharing my before and after picture below. I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

xx

Shalice

Family

Update and New children’s pjs

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

My dress (small) // The kids pjs are gifts from Janie and Jack // Toddlers // Pine tree forest pjs

Atalie’s skirt // Atalie’s top

We’re working on a BIG (hard) project I can’t wait to share more later. The kids have been awesome in the midst of this transition. I’m loving these new comfy pjs from Janie and Jack. All that’s missing is a Christmas tree.

Hope your week is going well!

x

Shalice

Family

Life tip: take your Christmas pictures now

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas card season all around the beach.  The families are dressed in their perfectly matching shades of white.  It’s a hustle to get those Christmas card pictures just right, so I recommend getting started now.  The weather is still warm, the kids are happy, and you will be the first card in everyone’s mailboxes for sure like that superstar mom you prove to be daily.  Just kidding.

But in all seriousness, here are my Christmas card strategies to help you enjoy some calm in the crazy.

First, save money and don’t use hire out photography.  We purchased a tripod and use the self-timer function on the camera.  It reduces a lot of stress hiring someone and then you can work with your own schedule.

We timed our photo just before sunset and was fortunate to have amazing light.  Make sure to face the sunset when taking your picture just at the right time.  Right after sunset is perfect even light and then the kids won’t be squinting.  We then use Light Room to filter the image and brighten it up if needed.

Secondly, we order our cards through Minted. They can easily be personalized, are quality and I like their designs.

Thirdly, match your outfits however you like.  Our family has been loving Vineyard Vines lately, so we all wore our favorite Vineyard Vines outfits.  The colors all coordinate nicely.  We let the kids pick out what they wanted, and a touch of gingham really adds to the style of the scene. What do you think? Don’t sit on this idea, schedule your family photo this weekend, order your cards and give yourself a big pat on the back. Now, only if ordering the bay leaf wreathes, my dad’s gift, and decorating was this easy.

Maybe next year.

Click to shop our outfits below:

Boys Bleeker pants // Boys White Oxford shirt // Boys Stripe Shirt // Toddler Canvas Pants // Toddler Oxford Shirt

Shalice’s White Dress sz 4 // Shalice’s Stripe button down in Medium // Reid’s canvas pants in gray // Reid’s gingham shirt // Straw hat // “H” Sandals

Girls Stripe Tunic Dress (she wore medium age 12) // Girls teen gingham dress (age 14, xxs)

Family

6 Big Family Budget Hacks

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

Some say that having a big family is too expensive. We think that it just takes more creativity.  Here are 5 big family budget hacks that we practice.

Family Ice Cream

Going to Ice Cream Parlor Regular Cup is $5.99 x 7 People = $41.93 plus tax and tips

Going to Grocery Store and buying 2 gallons of Ice Cream

Our Favorite Ice Cream is 2 for $10

Saved $32

Tip:

We find we often go to the ice cream parlor as an excuse to get out of the house, so take your gallons of ice cream to a nearby park and enjoy.

Meal Plan

“WHAT IS FOR DINNER?” Who else hates that question? We try and save time and money each week by subscribing to HelloFresh. We get meals that we pre select online, sent straight to our door. While it will takes time to create the meals, I love not having to think about it. When I have the HelloFresh meals, I go to the grocery store less and therefore less prone to impulse buys. I see you start sweets gummy bears by the checkout line . . .

Family Dinner

Going out to dinner

Nice meal at a modest sit-down restaurant is approximately $15 x 7 People = $105 plus tax and tips

Going to Chipotle

Burrito $10 for mom and dad.  The older kids order 2 pointers for $5.99 and we order Levi side of beans and rice for $2, for a total of $46

Saved $59

Haircuts

Going to the Salon

Kids haircuts cost $25 x 5 = $125 plus tips

Home Haircut

We bought clippers from Marshalls for $24, 10 years ago.  That was a great ROI (return on investment). 

Saved $125 / month

Tip:

The boy’s hair is super simple to cut.  In fact, I have cut Reid and the boys hair for years.  I still go to the salon regularly and the girls go occasionally to get washed and trimmed, but that’s it.

Movie Night

Going to the movies

New Release movie tickets cost $12 for kids and $14 for adults and that’s a matinee.  $12 x 5 + $14 x 2 = $88

Home Movie Night

Amazon Prime Movie Rental $3.99

Saved $84

Tip:

Pop some popcorn, get some cola and plopped down on your couch for a cozy movie night at home.  From what we saved in movie tickets, I bought us a new sectional for our media room!

Car Wash

The car wash cost $8 for the standard wash.

Home Car Wash

1 hour of free entertainment!  (Almost free, yes, we still have a water bill, but the entertainment is worth it)

Saved $8 per week

Tip:

To save water, fill a bucket of sudsy water and give them a sponge.  The kids love washing the car and it usually turns into a water fight.

It’s your turn, what are you money saving tips/hacks? I’d love to hear.

Shalice@shalice-noel

Family

15 Family Friendly movies

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

It’s 4 days till Friday, it’s time to get prepared.

Family night can get complicated beyond what to flavor the popcorn with. Can you relate? I asked you — my readers what are your favorite family friendly films and BOOM, I got great responses. Obviously, use parental caution and common sense as you know what your kids can handle in terms of movies and adults themes like funerals and death like we saw last night when we watched Fried Green Tomatoes. Reid and I have enjoyed making family night special with popcorn and nacho seasoning. I included the recipe below.

Add any of your favorites in the comments.

ET

Sound of Music

Mary Poppins

Newsies

Soul Surfer

Forever my girl – my kids say “this is mommy’s favorite movie.” Very sweet.

Cheaper by the Dozen

Sandlot

Because of Winn-Dixie

Snow Dogs

The Railway Children

Annie

Swiss family Robinson

Fried Green Tomatoes

Sky Captain and World of Tomorrow

BONUS:

A HUNDRED FOOT JOURNEY – whole family loved this one!

WHALE RIDER

BLUE MIRACLE

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

For family night:

This Nacho Cheese Seasoning is perfect for popcorn, chips, and french fries! Or anything you want to sprinkle it on. It’s also vegan because I used nutritional yeast to give it a cheesy flavor.

NACHO CHEESE SEASONING INGREDIENTS

½ tablespoon nutritional yeast

1 ½ teaspoon of chili pepper powder (use more if you like it extra spicy)

1 teaspoon of onion powder

½ teaspoon of cumin powder 

½ teaspoon of sea salt

½ teaspoon of smoked paprika

Mix together, add on top of popcorn and drizzle with avocado oil.

Enjoy!

Family

5 Tips how to buy a car right now

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

1.Don’t go to a third party, I wasted $100 going to a used car website to “hold” a car and never was able to talk to a person. Go to the manufacturer of the car, in our case, the official GMC website.

2. Go to available new cars, input your zip code. It showed us cars available within 50 miles.

3. I scrolled and scrolled and scrolled. Our car was at a dealership about an hour away. YAHOO!

4. Be on it. Call right away to confirm the purchase price and provide the deposit to hold the car.

5. PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE. In the past, I’ve just put up with what was on the lot. Gold, white, silver, etc. I WANTED A BLACK YUKON! I was SO happy to wait for the car I wanted in my favorite color. It’s worth the wait.

Friends only tell friends the good tips.

MAJOR TIP: use coupon code “Psinergy” to receive 10% off Vivobase car which blocks yucky EMF. You’re welcome!

Read THIS BLOG POST about my 16 year old dream to own a suburban and have 6 kids haha!

This is the car we got: Yukon XLT black leather with tan trim. We LOVE the bucket seats so its easy for the kids to move around on long road trips.

Good luck on your car journey, let me know if this post was helpful.

xx Shalice

Family

Top six list of our favorite books for Levi

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

I love a house that is full of books. 

But it can also be a clutter disaster.  Therefore, I try not to waste our time and storage space on junk books.  I think of our library as I do our pantry.  If there is no nutritional value, don’t eat it.  If the story lacks good content, don’t bother.  Here is my top six list of our favorite books for Levi.

1)    Good Night Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown

2)    Caps For Sale, by Esphyr Slobodkina

3)    Little Bunny Follows His Nose, by Katherine Howard

4)    Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, by Sherri Duskey Rinker & Tom Lichtenheld

5)    Henny Penny, by Paul Galdone

6) Corduroy, by Don Freeman

Here is what I look for in a good book to read

1)    Plot.  Yes, even a book for toddlers should have a plot.

2)    Repetition.  It is important at this age.  Find books that rhyme, sing, or repeat phrases.  I like to read in funny voices and it makes him laugh.

3)    Illustrations.  I’m a sucker for great graphics and Levi loves pointing out objects he can identify.  Like the burch in Good Night Moon and Goodnight and the teddy bear in Goodnight Construction Site.  These two stories are especially genius.

As I often say, the days are long, but the years are short.  If your kids are already past the toddler stage, you can catch up the snuggle time with grand kids.

Have a lovely weekend,

XO

Shalice

Family

Saving time and money with Walmart+

by Shalice Noel
written by Shalice Noel

Why I use Walmart+

We moved into a house with a pool at the end of February, and honestly, it’s been great! We find ourselves outside so much of the time because of it, and doesn’t every mom want that? Due to all this outside time, I’ve been branching out, trying to find different things to eat, play with, and do outside. And if the doing coincides with the eating, then all the better!  Enter the snow cone machine and syrups from Walmart! They absolutely love snow cones after our trip to Kauai two years ago, but I definitely didn’t like all the sugar and coloring usually found in snow cones. Surprisingly, the syrup I bought from Walmart doesn’t have the common red #40 or sugar. So far it’s been a huge hit, and is always a favorite at any party.

Also, to my friends with kids still in diapers, Walmart is a great go-to in a pinch! We were out of diapers this week and Walmart+ came to the rescue with a 2 hour delivery. Same with groceries and produce! Walmart+ always gives the option for same day delivery, and since “same day” are two of my favorite words, Walmart has quickly become a favorite. Don’t forget to sign up for Walmart+ HERE, free shipping, no order minimum. 

For groceries:

Check your address to see if free delivery from your store is available at your address.($35 minimum. Restrictions apply.) I checked, and my address qualified, yay! 

Non-grocery items:

As for everything else like this rad snow cone machine, enjoy free next day or 2-day delivery. Don’t forget to sign up for Walmart+ HERE, free shipping, no order minimum required (excludes freight & Marketplace items). Sign up and let me know what you think. If you’re on the fence, start a free 15 day trial to try it out!

Big thank you to Walmart for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.

 

Click on the images to shop:

Snow cone machine // Syrups // Reusable straws // Similar white dress // Faux Fur slippers // Shatterproof tumblers

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