38 Weeks and Counting

I have partnered with Burke Decor for this post. All expressed opinions are 100% my own. Full disclosure.

On Sunday, I hit the 38 week mark in this pregnancy. This baby seems pretty content to just stay where she is. My first baby, Hazel, was born premature at 31 weeks and Owen was born at exactly 38. It looks like I might get to know what the 39th and 40th weeks of pregnancy are like with this one…maybe even beyond?

I am definitely nesting these days and spending as much time and energy as possible (which is fading fast) getting things ready around here for our baby girl.

Trick-or-Treat Halloween Mantel

Happy Halloween! My kids are so excited to dress up today as a pink fairy and Iron Man for their school costume parade and then head out trick-or-treating this evening. I hope I can keep up with them! I'm 38 weeks along now, just waiting on Baby Girl to make her appearance. 

A few weeks ago, I finally got the "Halloween decorating bug" and did up our dining room mantel. Hazel and Owen had fun helping me and making their own decorations too.

Mainly, I used items we already had, decorations from previous years, and some crafts we worked on together. The only new purchases were all of the pumpkins and gourds.

Here is what we put together…

Although I MUST WARN YOU!! Before we venture ahead…

Hazel’s Wolf Birthday Party

At the end of June, my sweet daughter Hazel turned five. Her favorite animal is the wolf, so for months she had been telling me she wanted to have a wolf themed birthday party. I knew it would be a tricky one planning and finding decorations for, but I was up for the challenge!

Even though this party happened months ago, I still wanted to share how we celebrated here with you. Better late than never right? (I'm pretty sure I say that about all of my kids' birthday party posts!)

Making Room for Baby in a Small Space

As some of you may know, I am expecting our third child this November. Five year old, Hazel and four year old, Owen can't wait to meet their new little sister this fall. It is a very exciting time in our home!

Hazel begged me to have a baby for quite awhile before I got pregnant and desperately wanted a little sister "to play Barbies with" and basically be a little mom to. When we found out it was a girl, she was over the moon thrilled. She would follow me around everywhere and say she just wanted to be close to the baby. Owen was just glad he wouldn't have to share too many toys.

Dollhouse Living Room Plans

Hope you aren't sick of hearing about our dollhouse yet! It's basically the only thing I have motivation for these days. Forget the real house…this little one is wayyy more fun! And this is month two of our #DollhouseTherapy challenge. It has been so exciting to see everyone who has joined in with us for these mini makeovers! Today, my co-hosts Cassie, Emy, Anu and I are all sharing our plans for this month.

I had hoped to get the living room done in March, but it didn't happen. I shared some of the original plans in this post, but today, I am sharing more details on how I hope to finally get this room done by the end of this month.

From Living Room to Family Room

My living room has gone through so many rearrangements and decor changes in the short five years that we have lived here. Guaranteed, if you come over one week, things will be different if you come back a few weeks later. I am a perpetual rearranger. I love to switch things up. It keeps life exciting (well, at least for me).

I recently decided to do another room switch and decided to move all of the "family room" furniture out of the smaller space it was in and back into our main living room. I did all of the following rearranging in one day and by myself (cause I'm crazzzy? Maybe a little!). My husband was a bit surprised when he got home that day. But let's be real…not that much…he has been married to me going on ten years now and this is nothing new.

Girly Wolf Den: Little Girl’s Bedroom Inspiration

My four year old daughter, Hazel, loves wolves. She has a growing collection of stuffed animals and even proudly sports a wolf hat to school every morning. So, as I have been racking my brain, trying to figure out how to combine all of her interests into a cohesive bedroom design, I decided it might help if I pulled together some themes to see what she loved best. Today, I am sharing my first one…a girly wolf den inspired bedroom. 

I know that getting her to fall in love with some of these items (like the bedding) is a long shot. Her favorite color is magenta…sigh. But I am still going to see what she thinks of it all pulled together. She told me just so long as it had wolves she would love it. In fact she already has some of the items on this list including 6 and 8. Number eight is her beloved wolf, Aspen, whom she can't go to bed without!

Choosing a Rug for the Transition From Toddler to Big Girl

I have partnered with Rugs USA for this post. All expressed opinions are 100% my own. 

My daughter Hazel will be five this summer. I can't believe how fast the time from toddler to preschooler went by. Her brother, Owen, was born when she was 15 months old, so she only had her own room for a very short period of time. For the past few years they have shared the smaller of our two bedrooms, but just recently, we moved them into the master bedroom to give them more space for toys and creating their own individual sides.

Hazel is so excited to have her own "big girl" room and we have been planning together how to decorate it. Today, I am sharing the first piece of the puzzle…her new area rug.

Here are some important facts about Hazel: she's a total girly-girl who loves pink and could play Barbies all day long. She tells me she wants her room to be "all pink and purple with Barbies and unicorns and rainbows and hearts and stars…" etc. etc. etc. She has a lot of ideas. Let me tell you.

Organizing Winter Gear without a Closet or Mudroom

Even though this winter has been a mild one for us, there have still been plenty of cold days requiring getting all bundled up before heading out. Unfortunately, without having a coat closet on the first floor, we are limited for storage of all of our gear. Today, I am sharing some solutions that have worked to help keep it all organized.

Our home, thankfully, has decent sized closets upstairs, but not even one downstairs! We do have a small "mudroom", that leads to the basement, off the back of the house, but we never use that entrance. The space is in pretty rough shape and it's very tight, so it's not practical for our daily use.

Nostalgic Christmas Tree & Making Memories

  Christmas is almost upon us! Which actually gets me a little sad that this magical time will soon be over, but before it is, I wanted to share more details of our nostalgic Christmas tree and some of the memories we have been making this holiday season. 

I shared my full holiday home tour last week, but our tree is pretty special to me since we received several of my grandparents' ornaments. Both of them passed away earlier this year (my grandmother in January and my grandfather in March), so it has been a time of loss and remembering. I am grateful to have these small mementos to keep their memory alive in our home.

Holiday Home Tour 2015

This Christmas season has been special for me. With a three and four year old, it is absolutely the best time of year, so I have been taking things slow to savor all of the sweet moments and create lasting memories. I decided to hold off on doing a holiday home tour post for just that reason, but I'm happy to share it with you today.

I was invited to two large group tours and was a bit sad to turn them down, but I knew it would cause me a lot of stress getting our home all done up the week after Thanksgiving. I wanted to take my time and not get lost focusing on what everyone else would be impressed by, but what would make every day magical for my little ones. So that is what I am sharing today: our kid-centered, real life holiday home. I hope you enjoy the "visit"…

DIY Advent Calendar & Festive Holiday Mantel

I have been sponsored by Command Brand and received product for this post. All expressed opinions are 100% my own, and all additional products selected were chosen by me. This post also contains affiliate links*. Read my full disclosure. 

Decorating for Christmas has always been a favorite pastime of mine. Some years, however, I let the pressure to have a "perfect holiday home" get to me, and lose the joy the season brings trying to get it all done. This year, instead of trying to tackle decorating our entire home and going over the top everywhere, I decided to focus on what would bring my children joy and fill their little hearts with wonder. What better way than a homemade advent calendar?

Today, I hope you are inspired by how I made it with some simple materials and I'm also excited to give you a glimpse of our festive mantel.

Creating a Personal & Cozy Home for Fall

Fall is in all its glory here in Western New York right now. My favorite time of year! The leaves are reaching their peak colors and just enough of them are falling off for the kids to jump and play. I shared my fall home tour last month, but today, I wanted to share with you how I strive to make this season personal and cozy for my family. I am joining in with some of my best blogging friends for Seasons of Home: Fall Edition. Be sure to visit them at the end of this post to see what fall inspiration they have to share!

Even just as a hint of this season is in the air, my whole spirit is lifted in a way I can't describe in words. I become alive all over again…my senses are awakened and my focus shifts to what matters most…enjoying every minute of this fleeting time.

Boho Eclectic Fall Home Tour

Welcome to the second installment of my fall home tour for 2015! I am so honored to be joining Kelly from Eclectically Vintage for her 'Eclectically Fall' home tour this year! There is so much inspiration in this group of talented bloggers!

You’re a Hoot {Owl Lover’s Gift Guide}

This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission from any sales made through them, but the cost to you does not change. Full Disclosure.

We all know someone who loves owls don't we? I mean seriously…who doesn't? They are amazing creatures. I have quite a growing collection of owl decor around my own house. Today, I have a fun round-up of quirky products found online that would make awesome gifts for any owl lover. Or why not treat yourself if it's you?

Say Yes to the Messiness of Childhood & a Free Printable!

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Wet-Nap®, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #ConquerTheMess http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Kids are the most creative beings on the planet. Always surprising us with their ideas, imaginative play, and the wonder they embrace as they navigate this world. Sometimes their creative ideas come at a cost though…a huge mess. Many times as a mom, it can be easier to say no to these activities. After all, we already have a bazillion messes to clean up, don't we? The dishes, the laundry, the toys strewn about. We can find ourselves eventually in a rut of saying no more often than we ever imagined we would. I know, because it has happened to me.

I used to imagine the kind of mom I would be. Always laid back and coming up with creative fun. Always willing to let them use their imaginations to do wild and crazy things. Then real life sets in. And you realize all of that is a lot of work.

Hazel’s Frozen 4th Birthday Party

I seriously never thought I would do character parties for my kids, but as they have gotten older and have their own interests, it would be pretty hard not to, right? So the challenge for me then? Still make it as creative and unique as possible, while keeping with the theme they love. For Hazel's fourth this year, she knew for months what kind of party she wanted. A Frozen party. And not just any Frozen party: an Elsa party.

I guess I just had to let it go about my hopes and dreams that she would choose a unicorn party (her second choice), and go with the flow of the Elsa Frozen party. 

Moments in Real Life {Using Photography to Find Beauty in the Every Day}

Sometimes I think there is just too much "put together perfectness" on the internet. And then we can start believing our messy, real life lives are less than. Not as good. Just don't measure up. I do this. Often. Too often.

I remember telling my sister-in-law awhile back that when I look at my stove and it's dirty, all that I hear inside my mind is "Failure!" As if it were a measure of judgment on my character. I feel that way when I see laundry piled up, toys strewn all over the living room, dishes overflowing in the sink, etc. A failure because every moment of my life doesn't look picture perfect like the photos I scroll through on Pinterest and Instagram and blogs.

Her response to my messy stove, "I think it means you're normal."

Don't get me wrong. I love those pictures. Heck, I even share those pictures. I am often very inspired by seeing those pictures. But after awhile…something else happens. I get off of my phone or computer, look around and feel disappointment. That this life I have here isn't "all together" like it appears to be for others through those images. Those seconds when, an often staged, photograph was taken. Not real life.

This has inspired me to try something different. Something real.

Hazel’s Sheriff Callie Inspired Cowgirl Birthday Party

My daughter Hazel is coming up on her fourth birthday (hard to believe!) and if there is one thing I am terrible at as a blogger, it is getting my kids' birthday posts up around their actual birthday. Today, I am finally sharing Hazel's third birthday party which was a Sheriff Callie inspired cowgirl theme. Even though this post is near a year late, I hope you enjoy seeing how we celebrated and get some inspiration if you are planning a similar party soon!

When we were deciding on a theme, Hazel kept coming back to Sheriff Callie, an adorable show on Disney Junior that we would watch from time to time. She was fixated on being a cowgirl like the main character. 

Living Room Redo with a New Leather Sofa

I have received product from Raymour & Flanigan in exchange for this post. All expressed opinions are 100% my own. Read my Full Disclosure Policy. 

I am so excited to share our mini living room makeover with you today! I have been working on it for awhile, ever since our new furniture from Raymour and Flanigan arrived. Then my grandfather died, and I lost all of my momentum. Life will do that to you. Right when you are going along thinking everything is just so…it changes. Your heart can be broken. And then needs time to mend. My grandpa was so special. Many days I still have a hard time believing he isn't here anymore. It has gotten brighter, even though I am still missing him every day, but I am able to find joy again in simple things like rearranging and decorating. I say this is a "mini" makeover since it doesn't look too different from the last time I shared a full tour of this space last fall, but there are several new things that I am excited to show you today!

As I mentioned, last Friday, I have been dreaming of a chesterfield leather sofa for ages, and can now say I am the proud owner of Raymour and Flanigan's Saddler Leather Sofa. I am in love with it! When the delivery men dropped it off, I was semi freaking out inside. It's one of those things I thought I would always dream of but never really have.