1. Screen time for kids. How do you manage it? Do your kids have iPads? It’s so hard to navigate as a mom!
Brooke: I agree, it’s hard to navigate! I bought the girls Amazon tablets for Christmas two years ago, but quickly regretted it. I felt like all they were doing was begging to use the tablets. I was over it. Both of the tablets stopped working, and I didn’t try to get them replaced. As a parent, I want to be able to take my kids to dinner at a restaurant, have them order, hold conversation, etc and not just sit on an iPad/iPhone. If we are traveling, 100% I will download movies/games for them to watch on the airplane. They do watch TV, and we have movie nights on the weekends. I’m not saying what we do is the “right/only” way, but it’s what’s right for our kids, and I’m sure it will change as they get older. But for now, they don’t need the screens in their everyday life. I know everyone has different opinions on this, and you have to do what works best for you/your fam! Hope that helps!
Meggan: Cam doesn’t have an iPad and never let him watch ours unless we’re on a flight. Honestly it’s not a battle I want to fight with him and he’s just fine without it (I’ve seen some kids go crazy when they take them away and that would 100% be Cam). We always get so many compliments from waiters/people sitting around us saying how he’s so well behaved when we’re at restaurants (this is obviously not every time #toddlerlife lol). I think it’s because when we go out we put our phones aways and try be an example for him on how to behave. But with the TV, I’ll let him watch a show in the AM if I need to get ready or tend to Mila or at night if he was a good helper/listener that day! He also plays really well on his own so it’s easier for me to not give in. He’ll go play in his toy room for hours which is amazing! But obviously there’s different circumstances – when Mila was a newborn he watched a lot of TV.

2. I’ve been on the hunt for a living room coffee table and tv console for months now! Would love to see what you have in your homes and/or other options you like.
Some coffee table options we like: here, here, here (in Meggan’s living room), and here!

3. What are your favorite podcasts?
Meggan: The Morning Toast and The Skinny Confidential. 
Brooke: I just started To Live And Die In LA yesterday, and I’m hooked! It’s so good! I need more true crime recommendations for when I finish this! I also love The Skinny Confidential podcast.

4. You guys are so great about sharing and responding on insta stories! Thank you! But I’m curious, how much of your lives do you feel you share on insta stories? Would love to see a day in the life!
Brooke: It depends on the day/week, but probably only about 10% of my full day. I always struggle (and go back and forth) on sharing my kids/family, but I know a lot of people like to see that, so trying to be better about it! There are a lot of creeps in the world, so that’s what scares me. I don’t really story when I’m with my kids, friends, or out to dinner with people because I try to stay off my phone during those times. There are bloggers who use instastories like a reality show, and that’s just not us/our personalities to film 24/7, but we try to keep it a good mix of content – real life stuff, what we’re eating, what we’re wearing/shopping, etc. And thank you! We do try to respond to everyone if we can, but it’s getting harder lately! I’ll def do a day in the life post, I love reading those!
Meggan: Yeah I’d say about 10% maybe. I try not to have my phone out when I’m with my kids which is basically 24/7 lol so that’s hard to balance. I feel like we share just the right amount and mix of things (hopefully!).

5. This question relates to something that Meggan recently went through but if Brooke has any experience or advice I’d love to hear too! I’m currently breastfeeding my 3.5 month old and we’ve run into some issues with nursing recently so I’m considering switching to formula. We worked so hard to breastfeed so it’s a bummer to be done already and I’m feeling the mom guilt. Although there’s benefits of formula feeding so that makes me excited. Did you regret stopping? Any advice on mom guilt and being confident in your decisions?
Meggan: I exclusively pumped with Camden (he had latch issues) for 6 months and felt soo guity when I stopped. I wanted to stop around 4 months because it was so much work and making me unhappy BUT I kept going because of the guilt. After a week or so I felt so relieved and free lol. With Mila, I knew I needed to do what made ME happy (I had PPD with Cam and didn’t want those feelings coming back) and was getting burn’t out around 3.5 months so I stopped. Don’t listen to other people and just do what is best for you and your baby (can’t stand formula shamers!!). As long as your baby is fed, you’re doing a great job. I was in a foster home when I was a baby, was formula fed, and turned out just fine 😉
Brooke: With both of  my girls, my milk supply completely dropped at 3 months, so I started supplementing with formula then. I tried everything, but nothing would bring it back. I remember feeling so guilty with Sophia, I was sure people were judging me when I pulled the formula out to make a bottle at a restaurant! Looking back, it’s so ridiculous and I know nobody was thinking that, but remember feeling so guilty in the moment. Once I made the full transition to formula (around 5-6 months), it was great – no regrets! I think breastfeeding is great obviously, but there is so much pressure (which is especially hard if you’re struggling for any reason), and it seems like everyone has an opinion! At the end of the day, you have to do what works for you and your baby! I have friends who have exclusively breastfed, and some who have exclusively used formula, and all of their kids are great! Also…here’s a laugh for you ;).

6. I love H&M lately but haven’t been able to narrow down what to get! Could you do a round up for summer?
I’ve been finding so many good things at H&M lately! Love this dress (perfect for casual days/errands), this tee, this wrap dress, this jumpsuit (love wearing it when I travel), this leopard headband, this skirt, and these sandals.

7. Wondering how you ladies lost the baby weight and how long it took? It took about three months after I had my daughter. I just had my son a few weeks ago but already feel like it’s taking longer to come off this time.
Meggan: Omg my weight melted off with Cam and now Mila is 7 months and I feel still soft lol! I just try to eat healthy (80/20 rule), work out 3-4 times a week, and try to stay active (walk to park, take stairs instead of elevator – small things like that). I also did Orange Theory for awhile and that really helped!
Brooke: With Sophia, I felt like it came off so easily, probably about 3 months like you said. I was only 24 when I had her, and all I craved that pregnancy was fruit. With Avery, it was much more difficult and took longer. Don’t put pressure on yourself! They say it takes 9 months for your body to gain that weight, you should give yourself at least that same amount of time to get back to where you feel good!

8. I’m moving across the country from all of my friends/family and feeling so sad about it! I know you’ve both moved away from friends as well. Worried about it all and making new friends. Any tips?
Brooke: Same, it’s so hard! I really miss my family, and now all my friends live in different places too (San Fran, Nashville, Idaho, and Iowa), so that’s even harder. We do Marco Polo (fun if you haven’t used it before), text, and visit each other when we can! Luckily, a few of my friends are heading out here this summer – can’t wait! I usually go home 2-3 times/year to see my family, and they come here 1-2 times as well, but it’s not enough! In terms of making new friends – try to get out there and meet new people once you move! Finding quality friendships takes time, but even having acquaintances (you may not be best friends with) to meet up with is so nice when you’re far from family & friends. It took 3 years for me, but I finally have a group of amazing girlfriends, and am so thankful for that because they become your family away from home! If you’re working in an office, I think that’s a big bonus because you automatically meet people! But if not, try to put yourself out there right away! Good luck with your move! xx
Meggan: Ugh it’s so hard! I miss my family and friends 24/7. Text, facetime and plan trips! Love all the tips Brooke gave & I’d also add see if your college as an alumni club (we met a few friends through that) and join some local Facebook groups!

9. Do either of you use Olaplex 3 (the at home version)? If so, have you seen results? I’m not blonde but have been using it to prevent damage from styling products and haven’t been able to tell a huge difference so far. Would love your thoughts!
Brooke: I do not have it, so I can’t speak from experience but I’ve heard great things!
Meggan: No but it’s on my wish-list to try!

10. If you could pick one home decor trend to stay around forever and one trend to stay away forever (other than popcorn ceilings bc hopefully those are gone good) – what would they be?
Brooke: I’m not a fan of any kind of textured walls/ceilings, but since you kind of already hit that with popcorn ceilings, I’ll go with vertical blinds, glass blocks, and word art (like on the wall or big wooden sayings/words). Trends that I hope stay around forever are bright, open spaces & light wood floors – love both!
Meggan: I loovee wallpaper and wouldn’t be mad if that never went away! And I agree with Brooke about the glass blocks. They were in our master bath and we took them out when we renovated! Also, shaggy carpet – I just love wood floors.

11. My husband’s work is taking us to Vegas to an Aerosmith concert in Vegas! Would love any outfit suggestions you might have! Thinking a bodysuit and jeans?
Yes! Some bodysuits that would be fun – one, two, three, and four!

12. Meggan – where do you get your nails done in Dallas?
Hillcrest Nail Spa and Castle Nail Spa.

13. So I have a dilemma as to what to get my best friend and her boyfriend as a little thank you gift. They have helped me so much this year and are so generous and I want to get them something to thank them. Problem is, they basically have everything and anything. They’re huge foodies and winos but I don’t feel comfortable getting them wine since they literally have a cellar full. They are also very well off but I’m gifting on a teacher salary budget 🙂 Preferably gifts under $100. I need help!
A thoughtful thank you note goes a long way, and we are sure they would really appreciate it! But if you really want to get them something you could do their favorite coffee with a cute french press (like this one) and mugs. A gift card to a cooking class (like at Sur La Table) would be a fun date night for them!

14. Interested in some must haves for your home that you still use (if any) off of your wedding registries?
Meggan: I really only registered for kitchen items – our dinnerware, wine glasses, knife set, KitchenAide mixer, flatware (got it in gold too), and this food processor.
Brooke: I still use quite a few things from our registry – top three are our dishes, flatware, and Vitamix!

15. How was it for both of you to go to city life to burb life?  What was the hardest thing? What was the easiest?  Any advice on how to do the transition easiest?
Brooke: At first I was excited, because I was pregnant with Avery and couldn’t wait to get out of the city. The hardest thing was feeling so isolated since my husband works in the city, and I work from home. I felt totally alone at first – Sophia was only 1 so she wasn’t in school or anything, I was pregnant with Avery, and knew absolutely nobody. Looking back, I should have joined a gym or done something to try and meet people, because after a while I started getting depressed. We did baby music/gym class once a week which helped a little, but I should have done more. We also picked the wrong neighborhood the first time! We didn’t do enough research, there were no kids in our neighborhood, and our street was very hilly/winding with no sidewalks, so we couldn’t ride bikes/go on a walk (something to think about!). The easiest was having a backyard, getting to drive again, and running simple errands like going to the grocery store or Target! The transition could have been much better, so learn from my mistakes! Here are my tips: Research the area/neighborhood – make sure it fits your wants and needs, esp if you have a family. If you don’t know anyone where you’re moving, get involved in something/join a club or a gym so you have a way of meeting people. Really, finding the right burb and neighborhood is 100% the  most important part for a smooth transition! Good luck!
Meggan: I really miss city life but I love the easiness of being in a burb! I remember the first time I drove to get groceries and unloaded them in our garage I was like OMG this is amazing! Lol. So yes things like grocery shopping, Target runs, going to UPS, etc. are all so much easier. I miss being able to walk outside and have everything at our finger tips though! My advice is to wait until you are fully ready to transition. I could’ve stayed in the city a little longer (but Dallas made more sense for us) which made the move extra hard.

16. We are redoing our master bedroom and need new bedding. We got new furniture, it is big chunky walnut distressed please help with bedding suggestions! Bedding is the hardest I think!
We love simple bedding! Some pretty options – here, here, here, and here! You can always switch up your pillows and throw at the foot of the bed as well to change the look!

17. I’m going on a bachelorette weekend and the bride wants us all to wear animal print one night. So not my style, but whatever she wants! Any suggestions for some pieces that aren’t over the top?
Love this bodysuit (on sale for $20!), this dress, this cami, this skirt, and this dress.

18. Brooke, you had 2 nail polishes you just bought. Where did you find them online?
I bought them from Beyond Polish!

19. What do you guys do with all the art work and papers your kids bring home from school? It sounds terrible but I hate clutter and almost always throw it away.
Meggan: I throw a lot of it out (oops!) but I saw this idea and want to do it!
Brooke: You’re speaking my language mama lol ;). I mentioned the same thing in this confessions post ha! 

If you don’t see your question you sent in, it will be added to next week! You can leave them below or email them to us at brookeandmeggan@somewherelately.com with #coffeetalk in the subject!