Happy Easter!

In honor of Easter, our Sundays at Home link party will be postponed until next week. I hope that you are all enjoying a beautiful weekend with your loved ones! The weather is still cool here and it might even be a white Easter 🙁 but I hope it is sunny and warm wherever you are.

(This photo was taken a few years ago and gives me hope for spring's return).

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.

Sundays at Home will resume next week…

Hi Friends! Sometimes life feels like one big roller coaster ride doesn't it? I had hoped to start up my Sundays at Home link party again this week but am holding off for one more week. So much has been going on around here and between the death of my grandmother on Tuesday and all of us being under the weather around here for the past two weeks, I still need a rest.

I will get it back up and running next weekend but please take note of the new start time: 8 pm Saturday. I haver been starting at 4pm on Saturdays, but am pushing it back till later in the evening to keep things a little less stressful for myself.

Merry Christmas and Glad New Year!

The month of December is flying by, and Christmas will be here before we know it. Which is why it is time for me to take a much needed break from blogging (and time spent on social media) to unwind, unplug and plug fully into my family and home life. So many great things have happened for me this year with this little blogging "gig" but so many more important things are happening here in our home as we raise two beautiful children.

I have a couple of posts scheduled that will go live during my break, but I will be spending my days getting lost in the wonder with my little ones, enjoying cozy nights cuddled on the couch watching Christmas movies (not gonna lie…this oneis my absolute favorite*) and striving to keep in my heart what this season is all about.

Vintage Inspired Hot Chocolate Station

If you recently came to take my holiday home tour, you would have seen the hot chocolate station I set up in the kitchen. If not, I am sharing the full details of it here today! I went with a vintage inspired theme and my whole family loves it. Although, I keep catching my kids stealing the marshmallows 🙂

This was the first year I set up a hot chocolate bar, but I think it will become a holiday tradition now.

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.

DIY Homeschool Preschool Daily Activity Calendar {with homemade magnets!}

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

Getting prepared to start homeschool preschool can be a daunting task, but with a daily activity calendar and some fun magnets you can keep on track!

When I recently made the decision to start homeschool preschool with my three year old daughter Hazel, I felt a little overwhelmed. The reasons for going with homeschool preschool included Hazel not yet being potty trained, the cost, and the fact that she just turned three this summer. I felt another year at home would be good for her (and me!). We will venture into sending her off to preschool next year.

Thoughts of Fall on My Mind

I don't know about you, but fall has been on my mind for awhile. It always happens once August hits: I begin dreaming of those beautiful autumn days that are on their way.

We are approaching my favorite time of year, and I can't help but get excited. I can hold off, of course, on the winter's cold for quite awhile, but oh, how I wish I could make fall stay longer.

When Hope Can’t be Found {personal thoughts on depression and suicide}

Have you ever lost hope? Ever looked in the mirror, with tears streaming down, wishing it could all be over? Ever felt the weight of the world closing in on you? That there might not be a reason to go on?

Well, I have. 

A Visit to a Country Farm

Last week, the kids and I had the opportunity to visit a friend of mine down on her farm just over a half an hour away. Hazel and Owen were so excited to go and see "all the animals," and I was excited for some adult chat with my friend Julie while our children played.

Julie and I went to high school and college together and had plenty to talk about since both of us are stay at home moms with two kids, and she recently joined the blogging world. I was also looking forward to photographing some of the beautiful surroundings and farm animals, but alas, children can foil some of those plans. Owen was pretty shy and insisted I hold him all throughout our tour of the barn.

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.)

Gifts for Difficult to Shop for Men {and a Review}

I received the cocktail shaker featured in this post, from My 1st Years, in exchange for this review. 

All opinions are my own.*

Do you know a guy who is difficult to buy gifts for? Well, I do. That would be my husband. And not because he is picky or anything. Precisely the opposite. He is neither here nor there about gifts. Actually, he usually says he doesn't even like gifts. I can't even imagine that sort of life. I always love a present!

Well this past Father's Day, I finally got him a gift that he not only loves, but will put to good use.

Happy Birthday to My Mom {& a review}

This post contains affiliate links, and is brought to you by Cardstore.com.* All opinions are my own.

My wonderful mother's birthday was back on June 17th. She celebrated it with Hazel, Owen and me at our house. They love a birthday party, so we had fun coming up with some "surprises" for her before she came, including the kids' homemade cards, streamers and balloons.

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.

DIY Outdoor Water Table for Kids

Summer is just around the corner, and the little ones will be wanting to play all day outdoors! If yours are anything like mine, they already do. Even on the rainy days.

Cabin Dreaming & Summer Wishes

Lately I have had a serious case of cabin fever.

Not the kind where I have been stuck inside.

I have been getting out plenty.

Owen’s First Birthday: A Football Party {a look back}

My little man, Owen, turned one on September 26, 2013. I never got around to sharing a birthday post back then, but decided with the draft coming this week, I would share it now! If you aren't up on the NFL draft, well let me tell you…it is a very big deal. At least in my house it is 🙂

Life Out Here {Enjoying the Pleasures of a Simple Country Life}

For many years, I dreamed of living in Manhattan. I felt such a pull inside of me to be there after I visited it the first time, and every time thereafter. I looked into going to NYU for a Master's degree in Art Therapy. I have a BA in Psychology and always wanted to work with children in a therapeutic setting. 

It's such a cliché, I know, but I imagined my tiny apartment, a cool job, riding on the subway, walks in central park, and being surrounded by an energy that can be found nowhere else on earth. 

5 Rainy Day Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers {Volume One}

With spring comes many rainy days around these parts. That means we need to get creative on the days we stay inside. Those of you who care for young children during the day will understand this. Today I will be sharing the first "volume" of activities that I have done with my own little ones on days we played indoors. I will be sharing later volumes in the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned! (And even if you don't have young kids…you might just enjoy seeing some personal pics of mine throughout these posts!)

Whimsical Woodland Deer Birthday Party

I began this post last summer and I am ashamed to say I never finished it! Until now that is. I guess I did better than with her first birthday which had a "country fair" theme. I never finished that post at all. Maybe I still will…hopefully before she moves out of the house 🙂

If you have a party to plan this spring or summer and are looking for whimsical, woodland inspiration, you have come to the right place. The whole party came together with lots of help from extended family and turned out beautifully. I have left what I had originally started writing, only added on to it. 

Hope you enjoy (even though it is so late!)