Our growing family and where I have been…

I know…I know…it has been forever since I have posted on this little blog of mine! I decided at the beginning of the summer to make some transitions in life, mainly being to take a break from the computer and social media. It has been a very refreshing time and exactly what I needed.

I have been free to spend every day focused on Hazel and Owen: having fun, exploring, creating, playing, using our imaginations and building lasting memories.

Easter Basket Gift Ideas for Toddlers & Preschoolers

This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission for any sales made through them. Full disclosure.

It's hard to believe Easter is next weekend! I am always so last minute getting my kids' baskets made up. If you are in the same boat, and have a toddler or preschooler in your house, I have a round up of some adorable gifts to fill their baskets.

We always have an egg hunt for the kids first thing (outside if the weather cooperates and inside if not), which we fill with little candies, stickers, or small toys. And then eventually the trail of eggs leads to their baskets. 

DIY Monster’s Inc. Birthday Party

This post contains some affiliate links. I may receive a small commission for any sales made through them. Full disclosure.

One of the things I am notoriously bad at here on this little blog of mine, is posting my children's birthday parties relatively soon after the event. My son Owen turned three last September…and we had a fun Monster's Inc. party for him. He is obsessed with Monster's Inc. and Monster's University! I wish I had shared this sooner, but alas…better late than never, right?

I must admit, I completely missed sharing his second birthday party here, which was a super cool car party. {Insert embarrassed emoji face here} Maybe one day I still will. Till then…here is how we did it up for him turning the big three!

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.

Goodbye Summer

Summer is almost over, and I am sad to see it go. But then…fall is my favorite, so I am definitely ready to sink right into it. Here is one last hoorah to summer with some random shots I captured these past few months and a look back on some of our adventures.

Overall, it was a busy, but relaxing summer. We were able to get away, spend time with extended family and most of all spend time with each other. With Hazel turning four and Owen on the verge of turning three, it feels like these little years a slipping right through my hands. Before I know it Hazel will be leaving me all day for kindergarten and Owen will follow along soon thereafter. And I'll just be sitting here wondering where the time went.

DIY Pet Rock Monsters {Crafting with Your Kids No. 3}

Once nice weather hits, I am all about bringing my kids outside to do art and craft projects. For this installment of Crafting with Your Kids, I have a simple and fun tutorial on how to turn ordinary rocks into "pet monsters." My youngest, Owen, is pretty obsessed with the movie Monsters, Inc., so I knew this would be right up his alley.

When I was little, I loved painting rocks, so I was pretty sure my kids would too. And the cool part about this project is, afterwards, they have a fun little "pet" to play with and display on a shelf in their room.

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.

DIY Felt Deer Antler Headband

When my daughter Hazel turned two, she was so fascinated with deer that we threw her a whimsical, woodland themed deer party for her birthday. I made her a sweet little felt antler headband to wear that day and always intended to share how I did it here. As life goes, it didn't happen, but I am finally sharing it now. Two years later…

I receive emails from time to time from other moms who want to make a similar antler headband but don't know how. If you are one of them reading this…my apologies for the delay in this post (bad blogger!). I have tried my best to explain how I made it in reply emails, but pictures always help, don't they? It is really a very simple diy project that only requires minimal materials. I am including a free antler shape template at the end of this post to make it even easier!

Moments in Real Life No. 2 {a photography challenge}

Last week, I began a new series called "Moments in Real Life." This series is all about using your camera to find beauty in the every day all around you. Not staging the scene, but looking deeply at the one in front of you, to see if you could find a moment worth remembering. Something beautiful in it. Something real. Since my life is pretty deep down in the real these days, I thought I would pop in here and share round two already and challenge you to join me…

I encourage you to start your own journey if you are a person like me, who struggles with comparison from time to time. We are bombarded with the picture perfect all the time. Why not take the time to find the perfect in the picture? The real perfect. The perfect love. The love of your family, your life, the glorious every day details all around you. The stuff that makes you you. And your family special. That is my hope to accomplish as I embark down this road. And at the end of this post, I have a fun challenge that allows you to join in and share with me.

Summer Days. Sun Filled Days. The Longest Days.

"Some day these will be our old days, let's make them worth remembering." -Kacy Crowley

Summer is flying by. I kind of hate that. Some days are long, though. Not only does the sun stay out longer and make the daylight hours last, some days as a mother with little ones can feel like an eternity. If you are in a similar situation, you probably now what I mean. This post is for you…

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. 

DIY Abstract Art “Masterpieces” on Canvas {Crafting with Your Kids No. 2}

Well, it's no secret I love art. All kinds of art. And I love sharing this passion with my children. Today, I have a simple and fun project that my two littles ones (Hazel & Owen) worked on with a little bit of help from me. We collaborated on these pieces to make abstract art masterpieces (in our humble opinion) to decorate our home.

I love coming up with projects or artwork that both parents and children can work on together, to create new decor for the home. This is one such project and is the second "official" post in my Crafting with Your Kids Series. This has been a long time coming, as my kids and I made these at the end of the summer. I used them in our decor in late September as part of a mantel vignette. They have moved around our home since then, but are special pieces that I love displaying.

How I Keep My Decorating Style with Young Kids in the House

Is it possible to keep your personal decorating style with young children in the home? This is a question I pondered for a couple of years after my first daughter was born back in 2011. Eventually, I found the answer was YES! You absolutely can. You will, of course, have to compromise in some areas for matters of safety and mess making, but overall, it is still possible to have a stylish home that you and your children can enjoy.

Last summer, I shared a guest post over at Yellow Bliss Road with 5 Tips for Kid Friendly Decor. Today, I am resharing portions of that post, along with more thoughts and ideas on how to keep your own style and make your home inviting and safe for the little folks.

14 {Non-Candy} Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Kids

This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.

Valentine's day is just around the corner, but there is still time to get some cute gifts for the little ones in your life! Today, I have compiled a list of gift ideas inspired by my own kiddos, Hazel, age 3 1/2 and Owen, almost 2 1/2. They would love all of these things or already do as they have a few on this list. All of these items are under $25 each and come from Amazon.com*. Most are available with free Prime shipping if you are a member (more details below). 

I hope you enjoy these and find some inspiration here!

Protecting Little Feet and My Floors {with Eco Friendly Rug Pads}

I have partnered with Rug Pad Corner for this post. All opinions are my own.

In the past several months, I have acquired a couple of new rugs for our home, including a brand new shag rug and a vintage kilim rug. Our house has laminate flooring downstairs and painted pine flooring upstairs, so rugs are a must, especially with two little ones. Since we have a rug in every room, and young children who love to run around, I knew that I should eventually get pads to keep the rugs in place. But which ones?

Back in the day, I used to nanny for a family with two small children. I would also do household chores for them, like vacuuming the hardwood floors and rugs. There was one of those thin, plastic pads under every rug, which always stuck to the floor. And while the pads stuck to the floor, the rugs always slipped anyways. I hated moving those rug pads and rugs and then getting them lined up again just right. Ugh.

Boho Woodland Animal Collage Art {Crafting with Your Kids No. 1}

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® Elmer’s and Wet Ones, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #CraftandCleanUp http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Today, I am starting a new series called Crafting with Your Kids, which is of course, one of my favorite things to do as a mom! This series will consist of projects that parents and children can collaborate on together to make unique works of art or decor for your home.

Up first, are these "boho style" woodland animal collages that my three year old daughter, Hazel, and I made for the playroom. 

Since being a mom is busy, I don't have a lot of time to make my own art the way that I used to, but I have a deep need to be creative. Working together is a great alternative.

The Best Potty Training Books for Kids

If you have a child of potty training age, here are six books that he or she is sure to love. Hopefully they will bring some encouragement to the process. My three year old thinks they are the best!

My daughter, Hazel, just turned three back on June 30th. If you had asked me a year ago if I thought she would be potty trained by now, I would have thought, definitely. 

But…I would be wrong. So wrong. 

Most days we don't even seem close. Other days, I get glimpses of hope. Like last week when she went for the very first time. But that has been the only time.

I never imagined that I would have a child who would be so resistant to "going on the potty", but that's my girl. Has to do things her way. In her time. 

And I am okay with that (because…I am pretty sure she gets that from me.)

When Your Child is in Pain

There is almost nothing worse as a parent than watching your child endure pain. I always want to take it from them. 

Let me take the pain instead, Lord. That is my prayer whenever one of my little ones is hurt or not feeling well.

Simple Banana Bread {without baking soda}

This simple recipe for banana bread without baking soda is one of my post popular posts on this blog!  After you check it out and learn how to make yourself some yummy banana bread even when you don't have baking soda, I hope you will check out some of my other posts including diy tutorials, home decor and ramblings about my lift with little ones… 

You know when you start making something, only to realize you are missing one of the ingredients?

This happens to me, well…..a lot more than I would like to admit.