I’m in search of a happy medium with my winter shoes. I’ve got plenty of cute sneakers and plenty of 3-4 inch heeled booties. I’m wanting something a little more in between. More of an all-day shoe than booties but chicer than sneakers. What would you suggest?

Hmm…maybe something like this, this or this? I feel like you need a flat bootie or something! If you want a little more of a splurge, I’m obsessed with these. 

My 6-month-old is teething! (Screams for help!!!) Ugh, I’m exhausted from all the research. I’ve tried frozen washcloths, rubbing his gums, and teethers to no avail in an attempt to stay away from meds. BUT I am desperate for any and all ideas that you might have. What worked for Charlie and Jack? 

Frozen waffles? That’s my only other idea! We gave both boys Motrin if they were really in pain and it would help so much!

I look forward to “Coffee with Liz” each week. It’s so fun to read your answers. I have a different kind of question. I love hearing other people’s answer to this. It was especially helpful when I was online dating, haha. If you could have dinner with any three people, dead or alive, famous or not, who would they be and why?

My grandfather on my dad’s side who passed away 6 months before I was born and I never got to meet!

Ellen Degeneres.

Princess Diana. 

Long-time listener/first-time caller. I love the dress that you wore back in this post and am scouring the internet for something similar. Any suggestions? Thanks so much! 

Oh, I love that dress, too! This Ulla Johnson dress is similar, so is this dress, this one, this one, and this one. (All of those are perfect LBD options for holiday parties!) Finally, this dress and this dress are the same brand and I’m OBSESSED with both.

I am going on my honeymoon in a few weeks to Mexico and am struggling with packing for the trip! Any suggestions on what to pack for a romantic beach vacation?! Or anywhere that still has great warm weather clothing?!

So much fun!! My Vacation Favorites post from last year should be a good starting point for you in terms of a packing list. A few new favorites that I wish I could buy for a vacay: this dreamy dress, this tiered maxi dress, these cute beach pants, this chic one piece, this bow one piece, these wedges, a cute beach tote and I have and love this beach dress and this fun tunic!

I am recently married, living in Chicago and turning 27 shortly. As someone who has always wanted to be a working mom, I find myself making decisions about my career now (i.e. the company I work for) that will give me the flexibility I want when I do become a mom, even though I am not planning on having kids for a couple of years. I guess I am wondering about your opinion on this approach. Have there been moments in your career when you have taken the “safer” path or didn’t pursue an opportunity because it wouldn’t give you the work/life balance you hoped for?

I think that’s amazing! And honestly, I’m sure there is a shift coming where we will see this happening more and more. Personally I think my situation has always been a little different.  I had been working for myself for 5 years before having Charlie…but I definitely prioritized my projects and made the rest of my year heavy so I could enjoy time off and not stress about money coming in. I do have friends who have been in similar situations and are trying to be strategic with their career paths. For example, my girlfriend who is a teacher always planned (as best she could) when her babies would be born so she could take maternity leave and then piggyback summers right after or right before. I hope that the majority of companies allow for a more flexible schedule for moms or those starting families. It will be interesting to see! I think as more women are taking on higher roles in companies there will be more options for women to advance their careers without feeling guilty about starting a family! You go girl. 

Help! I never know what kind of fall coat to wear over a long cardigan. If I wear a moto jacket, it looks silly! Can you suggest a few options that aren’t parkas for winter but rather something chic for fall?

This, this and this would make great options!

I have two boys, 3.5 and almost 1, and I am already starting to dread the cold winter. You always seem to do such a great job of getting your boys outside even when the weather is cold. Any tips? What are your must-haves for keeping them as warm as possible?

I mean I totally agree that it can be a pain to get them all bundled up only to be outside for 30 minutes. But we rely on some heavy coats (we love this and this), warm hats, snow pants and we bought this pack of gloves on Amazon. We also have these sherpa stroller blankets (they are so warm!) which would make a great gift for new moms!

Just got engaged and we are going to be doing an engagement shoot this winter (in the Midwest). Any suggestions on what to wear? Would it be better to not do an outfit change and maybe just do some with our original outfit and some with cute coats on scarfs on? Suggestions for indoor places if the weather is bad?

I would do one outfit and do some shots bundled up in cute outerwear and then some cute ones with your outfit. I always recommend keeping it casual so you feel like YOU. I feel like the super dressy engagement photos are just a little too staged. You can’t go wrong with an outfit like this, this or this! It’s always fun to browse my Outfits tab for inspo!

I’ve read your post about your favorite double strollers, but I’m wondering how you make it work when you go jogging. Do both boys always go in the stroller for a run or sometimes only one? Do they like going for jogs or is bribery sometimes involved? I’m trying to decide if I should ask Santa for a jogging stroller for Christmas. 

We have the BOB jogger and love it! Our boys have always been pretty okay in the stroller. Jack usually always falls asleep and sometimes we bribe Charlie with a cake pop from Starbucks at the end or he can watch our phone if he is really antsy. I think if you want to incorporate running outside with them then ask for it! You kind of figure it out and not every run is perfect but it’s so fun to include them in the activity!

I work at one of the big-4 accounting firms and am looking for affordable, yet thoughtful Christmas gifts to give to my team! Do you have any suggestions?

So is this multiple gifts or a group gift? Mark & Graham has some really fun tech gifts that you can personalize. 

I am naturally always cold and was wondering if you have any recommendations for good blankets to keep in the office! Corporate life can be CHILLY and I’m struggling to find a good blanket that is warm but not too bulky to keep at my desk for the work day. Any suggestions?

Everyone raves about the barefoot dreams blanket and I honestly don’t feel like their fabric is too bulky! We also have a few of these around our house and they are a good size. You could get a cute basket from Homegoods to store it under your desk!

We are new homeowners in the burbs, and I want to get my husband a cool new “toy” for our new house—in the power tool or large outdoor tool realm. Is there anything Dave loves? We already own a lawnmower and 5 different grills!

A snowblower! Or Dave has this gadget is obsessed haha. 

How do you incorporate the eating clean “adult” dinners when the kids don’t want to eat the same thing? I struggle with this and end up cooking one meal for me and my husband and another “kid-friendly” one to appease their younger tastebuds.  Needless to say, this takes a lot of time and energy!

Yes, I agree! I think it’s a season of life where we are trying to introduce as many food choices to our kids and they are learning what they do and do not like. I agree that it is a pain in the butt but it kind of is what it is right now. We aren’t at the age yet where eating a full family meal every night is an option. Our kids are usually hungry before we are and sometimes they get quick dinner options instead of eating what we are eating. I find that I try to focus on 2-3 quality family meals a week where we all eat a version of the same thing (tacos, pasta, burgers) and the more we eat together, the more interested they are in trying new things! 

Submit your questions for next month by emailing carolyn@helloadamsfamily.com with the subject line, “COFFEE WITH LIZ!”