S T E P H A N Y ' S C H O I C E

Chefs For Farmers, Celebrating Food + Wine in Dallas!

Written by Stephany Bowman / Autumn, Chefs For Farmers, Season / November 06, 2017

Stephany Bowman, Courtney Watkins, Jessica Lantos, and Denise Brown, supporting the Chefs for Farmers, Dallas food festival

How sweet is little Miss Ella McCallister? Helping her mother distribute water before heading out moments before the doors opened to the public!?

This was the big Bite Night event on Thursday evening!! It was so much fun, we ended up dancing to old high school classic beats, haha!! ??❤️

Chefs For Farmers is the most fabulous food and wine festival in Dallas, and beyond!

I was so thrilled to break out my cowboy boots, round up my favorite moms and head out for some fun music and food- right here in our backyard.

On Thursday evening, we attended the famous ‘Bite Night’ event, and it absolutely blew me away.

When we walked up to the entrance all the little lights were sparkling above us. There was a beautiful display of fruit and vegetable baskets, and the music indicated a fun night of upbeat vibes!

We sampled various wines, and then walked around, stopping at different food stations along the way.

I really enjoyed meeting the different chefs, indulged in their tasty bites, and admired their beautiful dish presentations. Every single chef I met had a lovely spirit, a big smile, and was so enthusiastic to share a taste of their craft.

People were laughing, and enjoying the night.

Towards the end we placed our little “pig” voting chips in our favorite chef’s bucket. Winners were announced, and everyone felt like a winner.

We even broke out a few dance moves ourselves, and I’m not going to lie, it was really nice to just let loose and have some fun.

A few days later, on Sunday, was the ‘Main Event’ at Lee Park.

My dear and special friend Iris Midler (founder of Chefs for Farmers) invited me be one of the judges for the afternoon’s big AWARDS!! I was so excited to select the winner for the team with with the “Best Display”!!

It was a tough decision but after carefully walking through a few times I chose FT33 as the winner!!

Congratulations!! ?

FT33 WIN for BEST DISPLAY!

it smelled smoky good!

the chefs working the booth were personable + had great energy

the wagu beef tacos with radish were pretty, and very tasty

the overall feel of the stand was earthy; It felt like we were out in the woods and not under a tent

Congratulations to all the winners, and everyone who made it so hard to choose!!

I cannot wait till next year, the CFF team knocked this one out of the park!

Thank you again to the incredible Iris Midler and the whole Chefs For Farmers team for an impeccable event and a lifetime of wonderful memories!!

Cheers + till next year, CFF!!

XO,

? Stephany

Special shout out to my sweet friends

Iris Midler (+Little Ella McCallister), Rachel Carter, Courtney Watkins, Jessica Lantos, Denise Brown, and Robin Hufsey!!

Love you ladies!!

?

Happy Halloween from the Batman/ Bowman’s!!

Written by Stephany Bowman / Alexander, Angelina, Annabelle, Autumn, Children, Family, Kids, Mom Life, Motherhood, Season / October 31, 2017

Stephany BOWMAN editor of Stephany's Choice wears black and white Batman themed halloween costume with the whole family

Unmasked!! The superheroes are showing their faces, hehe!

Happy Halloween from the Batman family!! As much as dressing up in coordinating costumes can be daunting, the final result is so rewarding!

We love to match up in similar outfits, and this was super easy to put together-most of this look was already in our own closets!

Therefore, I’ve put together a list that includes a few basic pieces you’ll need to complete this simple family look.

The Bowman/ Batman Halloween costume recipe

Boys

White shirt

Dark suit

Black tie

Dark shoes

Girls

Black body suit ( ballet or gymnastics suits are perfect!)

Black tutu

Tights ( if it’s a cold day!)

Black shoes

Secret ingredient: BATMAN MASK!

I guess you could say that we are pretty big fans of superheroes! Check out which Superhero Disney family costume we wore last year right here 🙂

I love the special and fun magic that’s in the air when we all put on our costumes.

The first thing the kids do is look at Michael and I and laugh! They love to see us all matching and in something playful like them. Next, they’ll start showing off their superhero poses, and check out the adult superhero poses too.

It’s so sweet.

I know one day they won’t want to dress up with us since they’ll probably just want to coordinate with friends, but until that day comes, we’ll keep matching as long as we can.

Now that they are getting older, it’s fun to hear suggestions and input from them.

So, if we are considering wearing Trolls, or Grease inspired looks, they’ll have feedback on which they’ll prefer!

I think Halloween is going to be one of our favorite family traditions, most of all, I hope we can do this for many more years to come.

Stay safe! + Happy Halloween!

XO,

? Stephany

Matching pajamas for everyone?

Written by Stephany Bowman / Alexander, Angelina, Annabelle, Children, Family, Kids, Matching, Mom Life, Motherhood / October 29, 2017

Stephany Bowman Editor of Stephany's Choice and all three of her kids wearing matching Hanna Anderson Yellow striped pjs

I found the cutest matching pajamas, and you know that we love a good family coordinated look!! Hanna Anderson has these adorable pjs, and they come in a rainbow of colors, with some really fun ones for the holidays.

I bought these yellow ones at the beginning of the summer so that my kids could match when we were traveling to France. They loved them, very soft, and unisex.

There are many benefits to having matching pajamas

no one’s pajamas are better than anyone else’s

pajamas that match are unisex and can be handed down from an older sibling to a younger one

convent when traveling so that they are easy to spot when they are part of a “group”

effortlessly coordinated when capturing family pictures (birthdays, Christmas, vistiors,etcs..)

The kids also get a kick when Michael and I match them too-feels like we are all on the same “team” or something! Like a fun treat.

In fact, today was unusually chilly for Dallas in October. So, we were all pretty happy to have a sleepy afternoon at home… Once we put on these matching pjs, everyone wanted to pick out a family movie and indulge in some good old fashion popcorn!!

It was a date!! After a jump on mommy’s bed must, we watched Angry Birds- Alexander’s pick ( it was surprisingly funny, I found myself laughing out loud at times!) .

After a busy and hectic week, sometimes the best things are simple little pleasures like a family pajama party. Matching is an easy way to feel festive. A chilly day is the perfect excuse to say close to home and cozy up with my favorite little people.

Last year in October we were getting ready to celebrate Halloween, read here to see what we dressed up as!!

XO,

Stephany

All RED everything ❤️

Written by Stephany Bowman / Angelina, Autumn, Children, Fashion, Kids, Season / October 19, 2017

Stephany Bowman Editor of Stephany's Choice in Red red, blazer and suede high heels. Angelina Bowman in Red Minnie Mouse dress and hat from Disney, socks and shoes from GAP

All red everything! There is only one color that matters this fall season and it is RED! I bought this entire outfit from a shop in San Remo, Italy this summer with my mom. We noticed that everything in all the stores was this bright red color, and we loved it.

I wore this look to a friend’s birthday a few weeks ago and this girl came up to me and said, “wow I love how the whole outfit is one color including the shoes, I never would have thought to match EVERYTHING”

That was a big compliment, and I was really flattered that someone noticed the detail of having everything coordinated. But you don’t have to fly all the way to Europe to get this style!

All you need are these basic pieces

Blazer

Dress

High heels

That’s it, super easy. Now you have a full look that you can wear throughout the season and into the holidays. I loved wearing red on Christmas Day last year with this cute outfit here! If you want to pop, and make a statement choose a fun color like red, cobalt blue, or even bright white!

If you want to appear more classic and prefer to choose something that you can wear repetitively without making as much of a statement choose black, navy, cream or even a deep green.

This is a fool proof look you can wear to meetings, dinners, or even running errands.

I love to wear my high heels when I’m not with the kids, but I have a pair of red ballet flats I can trade my high heels in for, when I’m hanging with my little ones.

My little Minnie, Angelina, hasn’t miss a beat either! She rocked her red look with her little ruby Mary Janes and would have loved to have worn red lipstick too!

Now she takes a little purse with her everywhere she goes! Trying to be just like mama!!

Shop the look here

❤️

XO,

Stephany

Soft hair, with Ultimate Moroccan Argan Oil

Written by Stephany Bowman / Beauty, Ultimate Moroccan Argan Oil / October 17, 2017

Stephany Bowman Editor of Stephany's Choice, with ULTIMATE MOROCCAN ARGAN OIL hair care system

The ULTIMATE Moroccan Argan Oil Sulphate Free Series, includes hydrating shampoo, conditioner + Instant Repairing Mask ?

On days when my hair feels really brittle and needs extra conditioning I leave the Argan Oil Instant Repairing MASK for several minutes ?

I love love love Moroccan Argan Oil products for my hair! That’s why I am a fan of the Ultimate Moroccan Argan Oil Sulphate Free Series.

One of my most frequently asked questions is about my hair and how I maintain the color, length and strength.

My two main tips for keeping my hair strong and healthy

a deep conditioning mask used weekly if not daily, like this one

no heat or hot styling products used on hair- my hair would just break off if I used any electric styling tools

Read more about my best hair practices here

These products can be used on all hair types, are Sulphate and Paraben free.

They gently clean your hair with Argan oil, and I would use the hydrating conditioner generously. I absolutely always use hair conditioner after I shampoo.

When I was younger I would sometimes skip putting on conditioner because I was always in such a hurry and didn’t want to take the time to leave it in for several minitus and then rinse it out. As a result I feel like my hair was harder to manage, had more tangles and broke easily because I was impatient and aggressive when trying to manage it.

Today, I know just a little care in choosing the right products and taking the time to nurture your locks goes a long way.

After I get out of the shower I’ll gently comb my hair and then tie it up in a big clip to ‘air dry’, naturally.

My hair is stronger now than it has ever been and a lot easier to manage.

Thank you to ULIMATE Moroccan Argan Oil for this wonderful haircare system ?

XO,

Stephany

Special moments, Annabelle’s Birthday?

Written by Stephany Bowman / Alexander, Angelina, Children, Family, Kids, Mom Life, Motherhood / October 15, 2017

We wanted to share a few special moments from Annabelle’s birthday at the park. Annabelle was born on a beautiful sunny day in London, England. Every year on her birthday I remember the magic that was in the air on that wonderful morning.

Annabelle, picked out her little pink outfit, wings, and balloons. She was dancing to “walking on sunshine” which was her song for this year’s tap recital. Everyone got in on the fun with a few silly props and dance moves.

Read more on Annabelle’s special day right here

Thank you so much to The Retro Penguin for putting together this darling little clip of our family. May there be many more happy years dancing in the sunshine together ?

XO,

Stephany

Library day with the Kiddies!

Written by Stephany Bowman / Alexander, Angelina, Annabelle, Brand Collaborations, Children, Kids, Mom Life, Motherhood, Toddler / October 06, 2017

We love being around books and that makes the library and the book store a popular destination for us! All the kids love to go, and since it’s been raining on and off this past week, being indoors has never been easier.

I love being around books too. It’s so fun to see what kind of reading material each child is drawn to, and how it changes over time.

Alexander is 4.5 and he loves the Bernstein Bear books and a few of the Dr. Seuss ones too.

Annabelle also enjoys the Bernstein Bear books ( she reads them to herself now!) and all stories Princess, Barbie, and Pinkalicious. I love it, really sweet and girly.

Angelina is almost 2!! ( read here for more on when I was pregnant 2 years ago!!) She LOVES to read and is really into everything we cover.

Last week I read a “learn to potty” book and she really absorbed it! So much so that 2 nights ago she used her potty successfully for the very first time, all on her own initiative !! I was so shocked. I thought we were going to spend days and weeks covering the “concept” of the potty together, so I really think the book helped a lot. Probably doesn’t hurt that she’s been watching her brother and sister go too. I guess those are some of the benefits of being the youngest of 3 kids!

Thank you to Kute ‘n’ Koo for this adorable diaper bag! So modern and pretty, with a really cute aqua changing mat inside, tons of pockets too! Great for a trip to the library! Treat yourself or a mom you love!

Another thank you to our longtime parters TWISTSHAKE bottles for these beautiful beakers that are made for kids as little as Angelina, to as “big” as big sissy, Annabelle.

Don’t forget to use my discount code: STEPHANY40 + get 20% off your entire purchase!!

We love their high quality products, since Angelina began the weaning process a few months ago, click here to read more about that transition!!

Thanks for reading along, happy Friday!

XO,

Stephany

Sunnies for a cause // DIFF Eyewear

Written by Stephany Bowman / Accessories, Brand Collaborations, DIFF Eyewear, Fashion / September 27, 2017

Love these new sunnies from DIFF Eyewear. It feels great to spread the positive and charitable message behind this company ; for every pair of sunglasses you buy, they send a pair of reading glasses to someone in need.

I absolutely adore this message and business model. What a great way to treat yourself, and someone else. I hope that it catches on and becomes even more “trendy” to work with businesses like this. Not only that but these sunglasses are super cute, come in a bunch of really pretty colors, and are super flattering on the face.

Sometimes I feel so rushed and flustered in the morning when I’m taking Alexander to school and then start running my errands the only thing that I feel I can hide behind are a cute pair of sunnies!!!

Am I the only one?!!

This gold shade is darling and matches everything, the color feels new and sophisticated, and the price is really reasonable.

Thank you DIFF Eyewear for my newest Fall accessory!

Use discount code: STEPHANY 25 and get 25% off!!

You’re welcome- don’t forget you’ll have extra good feels, because you’ll be treating someone else in need to a pair of reading glasses ?

XO,

Stephany

New Fall Jeans with Mott and Bow

Written by Stephany Bowman / Baby, Brand Collaborations, Mott and Bow / September 20, 2017

Angel with her baby doll that she takes EVERYWHERE with her!! I love this age so much. She also picked out this outfit 🙂

Stephany’s Choice: JEANS || TOP || SHOES

Angelina’s Choice: DRESS similar || SIMILAR HEAD PIECE

Love my new jeans from Mott and Bow! So excited to have something I can move into when it starts to get too chilly for my denim cutoffs I’ve been wearing all summer.

My friend asked me the other day, “do you wear jeans”. I guess the answer is “of course!” but then again, I haven’t worn jeans I feel really happy in, in years. Angelina will be two in November and ever since I became pregnant with her, until this point I’ve been living in stretchy pants, dresses, or shorts.

These skinnies are a really comfy and soft, the motto of the company is “affordable” and “high quality”. I say it hits both of those marks. I picked out this black color because I loved the slits on the thighs but my second choice would be these skinny grey ones.

If you’re looking for cute jeans for fall and want quality at a fair price, I urge you to check out MOTT AND BOW. You’ll be happy you did.

PS. Jeans are true to size and if you are between sizes , go down a size because they will stretch a little 😉

Hope you have a fab week, don’t forget to take it easy on yourself, and remember- you got this!!

XO,

Stephany

In the Garden // Saint Paul De Vence, France

Written by Stephany Bowman / Alexander, Angelina, Annabelle, Children, Family, Fashion, Kids, Mom Life, Motherhood, Season, Summer, Summer in France, Travel / September 08, 2017

Stephany Bowman wearing a MANGO gingham Bardot dress, straw boat hat . Annabelle Bowman wearing Dolce and Gabana dress, Alexander Bowman wearing DISNEY pajamas in Star Trek print

Stephany’s Choice: DRESS || HAT

Annabelle’s Choice: DRESS SIMILAR

Alexander’s Choice: Star Trek PJS

Sometimes the best times are when we stay around the house, especially if it’s as gorgeous as the one we stayed in at Saint Paul De Vence ! How dreamy are these gardens though?!

We loved smelling all the roses and lavender in the garden. The children even gathered some lavender and put them into little cloth pouches to keep under their pillows to make them smell good. It’s so grounding to keep things simple sometimes and just play with the kids out doors.

Most days we would go out and explore, but since the grounds here were so lovely we found ourselves really enjoying staying close to home.

It also feels like the focus is 100% on the kids and they just love that. Looking at what they want to show me, and carrying them around. Annabelle loved smelling the pretty roses, Alexander enjoyed riding on my back and little Angelina running with her toes in the grass. Playing little games and laughing at their jokes. It’s so simple and quiet, and I think kids need that everyone in a while. I know I do!

Don’t get me wrong, shortly after “decompressing” and our little “exploration” we were once agin ready to hit the town and find a new adventure in France 🙂 ?? We ended the night with some tasty gelato and a walk through Nice.. ahhhhh, love the South of France..

Thanks for reading along,

XO,

♥ Stephany