[the good life blog]

A Quick Hello + A New {Chubby} Face

2016-07-19T14:49:00.003-05:00

Hello, sweet friends and long lost blog world!! It has been AWHILE. A year and 3 months to be exact. Wow!!

I think that it's safe to assume that not a single soul drops by this little space anymore, but after some encouragement from friends and a fun guest post idea from the one and only April at A. Liz Adventures, I'm swinging by to say HELLO! More soon over at April's .... I think it's clear by now that me and my sweet crew aren't alllll that interesting. But life has changed a great deal since my last post (see that squinty eyed cutie on my hip?), so let's catch up! More soon!!

- Darci

..........like how I signed my name, like this is a letter? Yep, I'm officially old and out of touch. I might need a blogging refresher. ;)

Five on Friday

2015-04-24T09:03:00.003-05:00

Hey all.... long time no see! I've taken a little bit of an unintentional blogging break the past few weeks. It's not news to anyone that this whole mom-ing, wife-ing, working thing is more than a full time gig! Trying to juggle it all and squeeze in time to blog has been a little laughable here lately. But, I found time for a quick "Five on Friday" for today .... it will be the last one for me for a little while as Christina, Natasha and I are taking a summer break from Five on Friday. We'll be following along and probably joining in every now and then, but for the most part, April is going to be keeping things running for us over the summer!! Simply linkup with her HERE every Friday over the summer if this is a day of the week in blog land that you don't want to miss out on! :)
So let's get to it.....

[ONE]
Jackson and I had a fun little morning yesterday .... a trip to Starbucks + breakfast on the patio and then to registration for Prek-4. I can't believe my baby boy will be 4 in late June. Where does the time go? Anyway, we are thrilled about the new school he'll be going to next year. It's a Christian based program and just feels like a much better fit all around than the school he's at right now.

[TWO]
Easter 2015 - it did actually take place over here, but I'm just getting around to sharing a few photos. Poor J was up sick the night before Easter and had a fever, so we didn't make it to church service... he was feeling much better later in the day so we had my brother and sister-in-law over for dinner and an egg hunt. Look at this boy. Love him so.

[THREE]
The West Coast. Any suggestions on a great hotel / resort in the San Diego (ish) area? Our 10 year anniversary is coming up and we've narrowed it down to this location..... now, to find the right hotel and a great itinerary (heavy on relaxing though!).

[FOUR]
I saw this "Summer Fun List" on Pinterest yesterday and pinned it.... whether it be this one or several other great ones I've seen, I really want to print something out and have a list of fun, different ideas of activities / adventures to do with J over the summer.

[FIVE]
The fact that it's Friday!!!!!!!! We don't have much on our agenda for this weekend (another reason to celebrate), so I'm excited to lay low and relax with my boys. Hopefully we can make brunch happen on Sunday and I can find a dress for a week-day wedding next week! Wishing you all a wonderful Friday and a great weekend ahead!!!

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN TO JOIN US FOR FIVE ON FRIDAY:::

If you're new to all things "Five on Friday" and want to join in on the fun, here are the details:

Post about any five things!

Link-up at the bottom of this post.

Make sure to include the Five on Friday logo (shown below) in your blog post.

Link back to one or all of the hostess' blogs!
[darci, april, christina + natasha]

Bloglovin' // Instagram // Feedly

A dapper mini, He is Risen & Easter eggs!

2015-04-03T07:59:00.002-05:00

Happy [Good] Friday, all!! We are kicking off Easter weekend the right way .... eating donut holes + making Spider-man Easter eggs. ;) The rest of the day will be spent hanging out with my boys and hopefully a nap for me and J both!

So, without further rambling.... my Five on Friday::::

[ONE]

I haven't had my act together this Easter and actually just ordered Jackson's Easter Sunday outfit yesterday (no new dress or outfit for this girl unless I find something today). Anyway, I think he's going to be the most dapper little guy on Easter Sunday. Can't wait for church and an egg hunt!!

[Note: my brother stumbled upon this cute outfit yesterday when he was at the mall..... that's his hairy arm in the photo, not mine - ha!]

[TWO]

We typically have my brother and sister-in-law over for a nice Easter brunch, but have decided to keep the meal simple (hello, Killen's BBQ with yummy mac & cheese!) and are just hunting eggs over here after church. Since I typically go ALL OUT for Easter brunch, I felt like I needed to contribute in some way!! These amazing cookies from Miss J's Cookies [and mimosas] for the win!

[THREE]

Cason is working until noon and then headed home to dye / decorate Spider-man Easter eggs! Jackson is beyond excited!!

I might even attempt to decorate a few like this..... not as fun as Spiderman ;), but gorgeous nonetheless!

[FOUR]

I'm the proud owner of this shirt. Can we all agree that naps are one of the best things in the world? It's not even debatable.

[FIVE]

Every Easter I seem to share this gorgeous print by French Press Mornings. It's such a perfectly pretty reminder of WHY WE CELEBRATE EASTER!!!!

And just a reminder that yesterday kicked-off the Easter Basket linkup --- linkup anytime this weekend or over the next few weeks! You can linkup and read all of the details HERE. So many precious baskets already!! My favorite so far is this cute "Garden Easter Basket" that Leah of Leah with Love put together for her sweet daughter, Avery.

Sorry to keep things so short and sweet today, but I'm hoping to enjoy the rest of the day with my guys. Wishing you all a wonderful, beautiful and blessed Easter weekend ahead!!

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN TO JOIN US FOR FIVE ON FRIDAY:::

If you're new to all things "Five on Friday" and want to join in on the fun, here are the details:

Post about any five things!

Link-up at the bottom of this post.

Make sure to include the Five on Friday logo (shown below) in your blog post.

Link back to one or all of the hostess' blogs!
[darci, april, christina + natasha]

Bloglovin' // Instagram // Feedly

2015 Easter Basket Blog Hop

2015-04-02T08:15:00.000-05:00

Today I'm kicking off [the 3rd annual, I believe???] Easter Basket Blog Hop / Linkup! It's so very simple to join and always fun to see the creative + clever ideas that so many of you come up with! Details on how to join in on the fun (via blog land or IG) are at the bottom of this post.

But let's get to the good stuff..... here's the Easter basket I'm sharing for today. I put this cutie together for one of my very best friends, Lacey! She's a mama to two sweet girls and I was so tempted to put together a few cute baskets for them, but instead decided that she needed to be spoiled a little for once (don't we always put ourselves second)? Her basket is full of all kinds of goodies --- popcorn, chocolate galore, a fun notepad + pens, spring brownie mix (that she can make with her girls), more chocolate, "la jolla lemon" jelly beans, gold stripey straws, confetti, watercolor thank you notes and more candy! It's nothing grand, but gifts are always fun!

I'm still finishing up Jackson's SPIDER-MAN Easter basket and plan on sharing photos of it tomorrow!! My sweet little guy is going to go crazy on Easter morning .... it's filled with anything & everything Spider-man! I never knew my days would be filled with superheroes, but I sure do love it.

Okay, so get to it .... LET'S SEE THOSE BASKETS! :)

The Details:

You simply share the ridiculously dorky, yet cute egg logo above in your blog post along with a few photos of the basket you put together...... whether that be for your mini(s), husband, pups or whomever!! Link-up starting today, Thursday, 4/2 - 4/15 here in the blog world or on Instagram with the #EasterBasketHop hashtag. Easy, right?

Here Lately --- Home, The House & The Wild One

2015-03-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday friends!! I've been off the radar for a few weeks and have missed this little space. Jackson and I took a trip home over Spring Break to see my parents and we had a ball. Lots of ongoings and updates to share! Let's get to it.....

[ONE]
A sneak peek at the progress in our living room --- my new pillows and coffee table arrived this week and it's getting very close to being finished. I still need drapes, woven shades and accessories for the coffee and side tables. It's getting there though! And yes, the colors are bright --- it needed color with ALL of this white! I'm not sure what pillows I'm doing in the chairs shown there on the left... those are just fillers for the time being. I have a long tufted bench that's not shown here on the right. It's going to be upholstered in a pretty indigo colored fabric next week! Can't wait to see this space finished. It's been a work in progress since we moved in, but I feel like it's finally taking shape.

And a close-up of the pillows. Surprise, surprise... I have pink in my living room. Good thing my husband loves me. ;)

[TWO]
Here are just a few photos of our trip to West Texas to see my family (and spend an afternoon with Cason's family too)! Jackson was in little boy heaven --- four wheelers, horses, cattle, dirt and new boots galore --- he had a blast and was spoiled by both sets of grandparents!! I'm still not sure who had more fun - my dad or Jackson?!

I was a little nervous about the flight. He hasn't flown since he was a baby and he's just SO BUSY. Thankfully he was really well behaved. He actually befriended an older woman and chatted with her on the flight. When we were getting off the plane, he told her "Bye, Grandma!" I almost died. Look at this cutie.

[THREE]
Back to house progress (aka, all I blog about these days besides the Wild One).

Here are a few other updates....

I added this custom cushion for the mini mud bench area and feel like it makes it a lot more cozy.

And more pillows.... (you can never have enough!).... this one was obviously for the ghost chair at my desk. I love it!

[FOUR]
I can't believe that Easter is almost here!!! Had to share these photos from J sporting his Easter jams a few weeks ago. So much personality in such a little person. I swear, he is pure joy wrapped up in a little cowboy boot wearing tornado!

[FIVE]
I took this photo this past weekend because I feel like it's such an accurate glimpse of life around here these days. Take that all in... the whole get-up. ;)

AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST.....
Because this has become somewhat of a tradition, I'm "hosting" another Easter Basket Blog Hop again this year. It's so ridiculously nerdy that it's adorable... I know. The linkup will start here in blog-land and Instagram next Thursday (the day before Good Friday). You can linkup that day or any day between then and 4/15. Can't wait to see the fun and thoughtful Easter baskets y'all put together. I'm amazed every year at how creative so many of you are!!! Several girls on Instagram mentioned that they already have their baskets finished and have taken photos. Let's pretend I'm one of those people. Deal? I haven't even thought about the contents of this imaginary basket that I've yet to purchase, but I have genuinely considered buying a pre-packaged and pre-wrapped SPIDERMAN Easter basket (you've likely seen some.... they are filled with ALLLL things SPIDEY). Jackson would be over the moon ... and that is all that matters! We'll see what I come up with --- would love for you to join in on the fun and share your basket(s) here or on Instagram starting next Thursday! :) Check out past link-ups here and here!

The Details:

You simply share the Easter egg logo above in your post along with a few photos of the basket you put together .....whether that be for your minis, husbands, pups or whomever!! Link-up beginning on Thursday, 4/2 - 4/15 here in the blog world or on Instagram with the #EasterBasketBlogHop hashtag. Easy, right? :)

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN TO JOIN US FOR FIVE ON FRIDAY:::

If you're new to all things "Five on Friday" and want to join in on the fun, here are the details:

Post about any five things!

Link-up at the bottom of this post.

Make sure to include the Five on Friday logo (shown below) in your blog post.

Link back to one or all of the hostess' blogs!
[darci, april, christina + natasha]

Bloglovin' // Instagram // Feedly

Frenchie for Sale, A Giveway + Such

2015-02-27T08:00:00.004-06:00

FRIDAY. Beloved Friday, so glad it's here! Jackson has been a fan of waking up at 6 a.m. this week, so we've been "up and at 'em" (my dad says this and I can't help but smile when I say it) for awhile already this morning. Here's my random Five on Friday for the week and a fun little giveaway that's not to be missed! Wishing you all a great weekend ahead. :)

[ONE]
This is the really good one. I bought this adorable "good things come to those who hustle" tee from Designs by Nicolina yesterday and thought it was too cute not to share. She was the mastermind behind the cute back-to-school printables I shared a year or two ago. She's creative and has some really fun things in her shop! Anyway, I decided this shirt was too amazing not to share with someone else, so I'm giving one away! Yep. All you have to do is leave a comment and I'll pick a random winner at the end of the day.

[TWO]
If you see this listing on Craigslist you'll know who posted it. This nugget refuses to stay off the furniture. And you might remember the WHITE sofa I said I ordered awhile back.... well, it gets here in the next week, so this piglet pup better figure things out and fast. Feel free to email me with your best offer .... we'll figure out shipping details. ;) ;) I kid, I kid... mostly.

[THREE]
Too soon for some Easter cheer? Perhaps, considering it's still February.

[FOUR]
Does anyone else have a Starbucks addiction? My k-cups have seemed so lackluster as of late. So without fail, I will make coffee at home only to stop 2 minutes into my commute to grab a skinny vanilla latte from Starbucks. First world problems indeed! All this to say, do you have any stellar k-cup recommendations??? Is there something spectacular out there that I've been missing? Because I'm pretty sure the money spent on my daily Starbucks coffee would send Jackson to college in 15 years. ;)

[FIVE]
We finally got the correct hardware installed in our master bathroom and it was perfectly clean yesterday (this is rare!!), so I snapped a few photos with my trusty iPhone. The lighting in there is awkward and I use our good camera about 3 times a year, so excuse the subpar photos.

And a close-up of the sconces.... those and the pivot mirrors were a little more hassle than we expected when building (had to put blocking in just the right spot for the pivot mirrors and get the electrical just so because of the tile going on the wall). Anyway, all of that to say, the extra work was worth it because I really LOVE how it turned out!

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:::

If you're new to all things "Five on Friday" and want to join in on the fun, here are the details:

Post about any five things!

Link-up at the bottom of this post.

Make sure to include the Five on Friday logo (shown below) in your blog post.

Link back to one or all of the hostess' blogs!
[darci, april, christina + natasha]

Bloglovin' // Instagram // Feedly

we heart valentine's day.

2015-02-13T08:33:00.000-06:00

Finally, another Friday has arrived. I'm scurrying around this morning trying to get myself and Jackson ready for his Valentine's party at school. Can you think of anything better than a v-day party for 3 year olds? Well, maybe.... like a week long vacation in Bora Bora. But, nonetheless, I'm a nerd and love this kind of thing, so I'm really looking forward to his class party and seeing him handout his Valentine's.

Since Valentine's Day is tomorrow, I thought I'd share some photos of the past several holidays... I've always loved going over the top a bit for holidays and once Jackson arrived it gave me even more of an excuse to get away with such insanity. Anyway, so for today's "Five on Friday", here's a hodge podge of love day goodness........................

[ONE, TWO + THREE]
Please take a look at all of these photos. And then tell me how it's all gone by so quickly. How about that squish in the first collage. I mean. He was the sweetest, happiest baby. I would have to say 6 months and 3 years have been my absolutely favorite stages. It's all been joyful and so much fun, but those ages / stages certainly stick out. Love this boy. He makes everything more fun.

THE PAST 3 YEARS WITH THIS SWEETEST BOY IN ALL THE LAND......

[FOUR]
Since J has his school party late this morning, I thought I'd do a little (early) V-day breakfast at home before we head out the door. He's going to freak out over the Pete the Cat book and doll.... and the donuts! :)

[FIVE]
These are J's class Valentine's this year..... they've been learning about dinosaurs over the past few weeks and this seemed perfectly fitting. Let's pretend he didn't eat 2 of them when I wasn't looking.... crossing my fingers that he has enough for all of his friends. Stinker.

And to my #1 guy..... I love you most. This busy, wild, not at all perfect but absolutely perfect LIFE we have created is a dream come true. And it doesn't hurt that you are easy on the eyes. Maybe we'll be super romantic and eat at Subway tomorrow --- deal? ;) ;)

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:::

If you're new to all things "Five on Friday" and want to join in on the fun, here are the details:

Post about any five things!

Link-up at the bottom of this post.

Make sure to include the Five on Friday logo (shown below) in your blog post.

Link back to one or all of the hostess' blogs!
[darci, april, christina + natasha]

&nbsp

Bloglovin' // Instagram // Feedly

House Updates, A Question + Love Day

2015-02-06T08:29:00.002-06:00

HAPPY FRIDAY, Y'ALL. I'm a little late to the game today as I've been fighting some cold / flu nonsense for the past 24 hours. Hoping it doesn't last long because who has time for that? Anyway, here's a quick rundown of ongoings around here this week. :)

[ONE]
The living room. Slowly but surely I'm making some progress in here. The sofa I ordered won't arrive until mid-March, so I'm trying my best to have some patience! I did find a fun white / blue garden stool from HomeGoods (I refer to these as "nuggets", not garden stools - ha) and that pretty blue lamp you see there arrived this week. I'm on the lookout for the perfect painting to go above this console table, but the framed quote will work for now.

[TWO]
Raspberry Moscow Mules - did you know they are absolutely amazing??? I bought this Raspberry Vodka for no other reason than I liked the pink bottle to style my little butler's pantry / bar area [absurd, I know], but it ended up coming in handy. The bottle is now empty --- the hubs is a big fan of Raspberry Moscow Mules apparently. They are dangerously good.

[THREE]
Check out these cuties. And is it just me or does J look like he's 7????

[FOUR]
I'm a total nerd when it comes to Valentine's Day.... which is funny because Cason and I are really low key about it and typically order take-out and just stay home. But, I love to send some fun goodies to my best friends. I got everything in the mail on Monday, so they should have made it to everyone by now. :)

***That "Happy LOVE Day to the one I text the most" box of chocolate was too fitting for my best friend, Kallie.

[FIVE]
This is a big one. What are your thoughts on blogging these days? In all honesty, I feel like Instagram has almost become the more efficient and fun way to share things. It seems like less and less people are really blogging. I think it's a combination of things ... the first being the lack of time to truly devote to it. If you've been blogging for long or have really made an effort to be consistent with it (I swear, there was a time when that was me!), you know that it's a true commitment. Just this post alone, which one would assume was fairly quick and easy to write has taken me about an hour and a half to put together (photo editing, writing it, proofing, etc. etc.). I'm on the fence. Part of me wants to call it a day and just share via Instagram and then part of me loves this space an awful lot. SO, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? Do you blog and have you felt the same way??? Please chime in because I've been thinking a lot about this one!

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:::

If you're new to all things "Five on Friday" and want to join in on the fun, here are the details:

Post about any five things!

Link-up at the bottom of this post.

Make sure to include the Five on Friday logo (shown below) in your blog post.

Link back to one or all of the hostess' blogs!
[darci, april, christina + natasha]

Bloglovin' // Instagram // Feedly

Mama + J Day

2015-01-30T08:15:00.001-06:00

Fridays are typically a "Mama + J Day" around here --- I rarely work on Fridays (well, I always catch up on emails and work a little over nap time, but very rarely am I in the office). Jackson woke up bright and early at 6 a.m. this morning wanting to "talk about Mama + J Day".... he has a long list of fun things planned on this fine Friday. So, please pardon my absence here as the cutest little 3.5 year old wants allllllllll of my attention today. And I'm completely okay with that. :)

First top - Target to look for a Spider-Man watch like his friend Evan. Ha!

Next up - ride his 4 wheeler to Uncle B's house.

And then - ride his bike down the street to see his friend Timothy.

His last request - a trip to the park.

Reciting the agenda that he shared with me this morning makes two things extremely clear:::
1.) I have no time for my normal "Five on Friday" post. Mama has a full day ahead.
2.) When did my child become more social than me? No lie, he has far more friends within a square mile radius of our home than I do! And we've only lived here for 2 months?!? Everywhere we go he sees someone he knows from school or swim class!

Okay, all this to say - happy Friday and hope you have a great weekend ahead! I'm skipping out today, so drop by and linkup with april, christina + natasha. HAPPY FRIDAY!

All over the place.

2015-01-23T07:59:00.005-06:00

It has been a crazy busy week over here in our little world. Juggling "all the things" trying to mom / wife / work / keep a relatively clean and calm home is no joke. To all of you sweet mamas out there who are giving it your best --- I applaud you. It is not for the faint at heart.

Anyway, that was a random intro, no? Let's get to the normal Friday routine around here....

[ONE - OUR MINI MUD ROOM]
Things are very slowly starting to come together around this little casa. I "styled" (I don't feel qualified to say that, because I don't know if this is true "style"....but whatever) our mini mud room this week and love how it turned out. I've ordered an upholstered cushion for the seat that I think will really tie it all together. Such a useful space to hold "all the things" that we have in our hands each day when we walk in the house.

And a close-up.... one day, likely 6-12 months from now, those frames will have photos in them. Currently, most all of the frames in our home are filled with photos from a year and a half ago. J will forever be 2 years old in photos around here unless I get to printing some new ones. ;)

[TWO - I'VE LOST MY MIND]
Pottery Barn had a 25% off everything sale through yesterday, so I acted like an absolute lunatic and ORDERED A NEW....***WHITE*** SOFA ---- SIGHT UNSEEN. As in they don't have it in the store yet, so I was unable to sit on it obviously and try it out. Let's hope it's amazing. If not, let's not talk about it. Ever again. I ordered the York Square Arm Slipcovered Bench Cushion Sofa (say that 10 times) found here. Stay tuned...stay tuned. It will be covered in the ivory fabric swatch below and the throw pillows for the sofa will be that indigo velvet and floral - I think.

[THREE - THE MINI]
He's not looking so many any more, is he? This was yesterday at Starbucks. I really wish you could all meet this character in person --- such a ham! He flirted with the high school girls sitting by us like it was his job. Lord help me.

[FOUR - VDAY PREP]
Jackson apparently LOVES the "Pete the Cat" books .... we don't have any at home, but his teacher said he is obsessed with thema at school. So, I did a quick search for them this morning and found this Valentine's themed Pete the Cat book on Amazon.... he saw it on the computer screen and freaked. Needless to say, that along w/ the matching stuffed doll is on it's way to our home. Ps - is it weird to order your 3.5 year old son a "plush doll".... because it sure sounds like it when I say it out loud. Whatever.

Pete the Cat - Valentine's Day is Cool --- BOOK and DOLL

[FIVE - A HUGE SALE!]
Now is the time to stock-up on fall / winter clothes for next year .... no seriously, it is. Once a season ends and clothes go on sale, I always stock up for Jackson for the following year. Major, major savings. Stop by [sugarbit's] huge sale today and see if there is anything your little one(s) need for next year! My dear friend Natasha of Hello Happiness! is the mastermind behind this precious shop and I'm so proud of her.... love supporting her and her business!

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:::

If you're new to all things "Five on Friday" and want to join in on the fun, here are the details:

Post about any five things!

Link-up at the bottom of this post.

Make sure to include the Five on Friday logo (shown below) in your blog post.

Link back to one or all of the hostess' blogs!
[darci, april, christina + natasha]

&nbsp

Bloglovin' // Instagram // Feedly

Five on Friday - All the Things Edition

2015-01-16T08:01:00.004-06:00

I'm afraid if it weren't for Five on Friday, I might not make the time to blog but once a ~~month~~ year. The glory of it is that you don't have to have to many cohesive thoughts, which is right up this busy mamas alley. ;) Thank you all for hanging with me and stopping by to read up on our random ongoings. Today is no different.... sharing a little bit of anything and everything that comes to mind. HAPPY FRIDAY - hope you all have a wonderful weekend ahead. I'm trying to keep our schedules clear so we can have some low key time at home. I'd happily wear pajamas all day Saturday & Sunday if I could get away w/ it.... we shall see. ;)

Here we go::::

[ONE]
January 14th hit and my priorities immediately shifted to Valentine's Day (in my mind, you can start getting excited / ready for holidays a full month in advance --- I'm certain there is a written law somewhere stating this). Anyway, Valentine pjs are a family tradition around here. How about this cute round-up of mama + mini V-day jams?

stay in bed ♥ heart of gold

cutie pie ♥ perfect gentleman ♥ i'm with cupid

[TWO]
J's room was looking a little neglected after I took down all of the Christmas cheer, so yesterday I reworked a few things and added this fun OH MY DEER I LOVE YOU print. I love how his room came together and I think he does too. :) Yesterday after school when he walked into his room for a nap he said "Oh, mom - you gave me more decoration!" Love him.

[THREE]
Our butler's pantry / mini bar / faux bar cart got a small makeover this week too.
Side note: is 8:30 a.m. too early for a cocktail? ;)

[FOUR]
I found this little gem on my phone last night. Where has the time gone? Was he not the chunkiest little nugget? Three is SUCH a fun age and I wouldn't trade it one bit, but I sure do miss this stage too. Nothing [nothing!] like having a sweet babe on your hip! He was all smiles, all the time.... and *mostly* still is!

[FIVE]
Some quotes worth reading.... again and again. :)

HAPPY WEEKEND AHEAD.... it's almost here!! [finally]!

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:::

If you're new to all things "Five on Friday" and want to join in on the fun, here are the details:

Post about any five things!

Link-up at the bottom of this post.

Make sure to include the Five on Friday logo (shown below) in your blog post.

Link back to one or all of the hostess' blogs!
[darci, april, christina + natasha]

Bloglovin' // Instagram // Feedly

Home, Dallas, Updates & Other Nonsense

2015-01-09T07:34:00.001-06:00

Well hello, friends. I took an unplanned, yet amazing break from blogging over the holidays and have so much to catch up on [and I also hate ending a sentence with a preposition, but it's Friday, so no judgement - deal?]. We've had a lot going on, so I thought I'd cover the last few weeks in photos. Happy Friday to each of you --- hope you have coffee in hand and something fun on the books for this weekend!!

Now, let's catch up.....

[ONE]

I'm very slowly making some progress around the house.... the biggest project we have ahead of us is the living room. Our almost 10 year old couch and well loved pillows just aren't in our new, super WHITE space. Here's a little design board I put together so I could see all of my ideas and vision in one place. Crossing my fingers it all comes together!!

See also:::: I don't even know who I was before Pinterest. Do you?

[TWO]

Christmas. Obviously, this deserves a post all it's own .... which is on the agenda for next week. Completely normal to blog about Christmas in January, right? Here are a few photos from my iPhone. I need to get the photos off of my real-deal camera asap. In all honesty, this was my favorite Christmas yet. It was so low key and just FUN. Jackson truly "got it" this year and we had the best morning with my brother and sister-in-law over a yummy brunch, playing outside with all of J's new toys and then naps for all. It was perfect.

[THREE]

On New Year's Day I flew to Dallas to meet my best friend's new baby boy, Harrison (finally!!!). It was freezing cold the entire trip, so we laid low and cuddled at home with that sweet babe. We got out a few times to do some Home Goods shopping, but that was about it. This little collage cracks me up.... primarily the first (large) photo there. We walked to a cute coffee shop / bakery just around the corner (they are way cooler than us and live in the neatest neighborhood in Dallas where you can walk to trendy restaurants and such). Anyway, as I mentioned, we lounged ALLLLL weekend, so that photo of us is sans makeup with 2 day hair while sporting yoga pants and a hoge-poge (sp?) of cold weather clothes because it was so dang cold. We joked that her neighbors were going to mistake us for homeless people.

Am I wrong or are some of the best times spent doing low key stuff and not getting dolled up and running around constantly? So glad I got a lot of quality time with that angel babe and got to hang out with Kallie and Jeff. Proof that we're best friends --- we wore yoga pants for two days straight and never put on makeup. I love it. Also, I tried scotch for the first time ever (please observe that cheese and crackers plate put together by her husband --- how amazing is he?). Back to the scotch - it's just not.for.me. Not even a little.

[FOUR]

This little gem is actually from last night. We had dinner with my brother and then went over to his house to get in the hot tub. This photo is everything. They are taking a selfie while drinking champagne and Jackson said "cheers" and put his glass up to my brother's. And no... just no....he didn't really have any champagne. We're just awesome parents and allowed a photo such as this. ;)

[FIVE]

This sweatshirt is my new favorite thing for days when I'm running errands and mom-ing it. I may or may not have bought it in 5 different colors because they were on sale for $15. Well played Banana Republic.

How was that for a random round-up of ongoings over the past few weeks? Thank heavens for iPhones to take all of these photos. And best friends. And champagne. And sweet baby boys. And great memories. The past few weeks were wonderful and full of some change -- more on that next week!!

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:::

If you're new to all things "Five on Friday" and want to join in on the fun, here are the details:

Post about any five things!

Link-up at the bottom of this post.

Make sure to include the Five on Friday logo (shown below) in your blog post.

Link back to one or all of the hostess' blogs!
[darci, april, christina + natasha]

Bloglovin' // Instagram // Feedly

2nd Annual Christmas PJ Party Linkup [mini edition]

2014-12-22T05:51:00.000-06:00

I know of few things that can help cure Monday blues better than sweet little kiddos decked out in their favorite Christmas jammies! Pretty perfect timing I suppose to kick-off our 2nd Annual Christmas PJ Party Linkup!

So come on and join us for this fun and festive virtual pj party! It's super easy --- here's a quick rundown on how to go about joining in on the fun:::

Take a few photos of your cuties sporting their Christmas jams. [they don't have to be semi-professional photos.... I assure you. All of ours below are courtesy of my trusty iPhone!]
Join us here in the blog world on Monday, December 22nd at 6 a.m. CST through New Years to linkup and see all the other darling minis and their festive pjs! Make sure to share the graphic below and link back to our blogs (Natasha, Ashley, Jenny and Julie)!
Share your photos on Instagram as well using #HollyJollyPjParty

And with all of the logistics out of the way, here's the sweetest, wildest, most ornery boy in Texas sporting far too many pairs of Christmas pjs! Ha! Thankfully I've been snapping a few photos here and there over the past month when he's in his Christmas jams, so I had all of these little gems ready to go!

And before I mislead you in any way ..... I promise this wild one isn't always camera-ready and flashing great smiles. For instance.... these outtakes [aka - kind of my favorites]:::::::

I know those are hard to beat, but here are the rest from this past month when he was his smiley, cooperating self!

We decorated gingerbread men in our Christmas pjs a few weeks ago .... J had a ball!

Mama + Mini house shoes.

And what would a pj party be without Winston, our nugget of a French Bulldog? This too is his 2nd annual Christmas PJ party.... you may remember he joined us last year?

I SWEAR, THIS MAY BE MY VERY FAVORITE PHOTO OF ALL TIME.

Winston was just a baby last Christmas and those same jams didn't quite work this year, so he got a new pair too. Look at him sporting his new duds. Told you, such a nugget.

Last, but not least.... a video of Jackson sharing his Christmas wish list just before bed one night. He may or may not state that he wants a motorcycle like James Bond. And for that, I completely blame my brother.

That's all, friends [in unison, let's all close our eyes and pretend that I'm not outrageous for having 82 pairs of pjs for my son....and a pair for the dog .... it is what it is]. We all have our vices and I suppose mine could be far worse, right? Right?? ;)

I hope you all have a wonderful week ahead celebrating the true meaning of Christmas!! I absolutely cannot wait for Christmas morning this year --- I know one little 3 year old that is going to truly "get" it this year and I can't wait to see his face!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y'ALL and many blessings to you and yours!

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Place Your Vote, Jingle Bells + Cocktails

2014-12-19T07:57:00.001-06:00

Happy, happy Friday friends!! You know the drill around here every Friday [and if you don't, details are at the bottom of this post about "Five on Friday"]. Let's get to it!

- ONE -
Now that we're somewhat settled in our new home, I'm ready to start tackling a few things that I've had on my wish list .... first up is the powder bathroom. Here are a few photos of it.... it's near the front door / by Jackson's playroom and I really love how it turned out. I just need to get some paint or wallpaper on the walls!! SO, SO WHITE. Ha!

So anyway, HERE'S WHERE I'D LOVE YOUR VOTE.... which of the two options below do you like best ... the design on the left or right???? And for anyone curious, the trellis pattern is actually a stencil found here and the wallpaper is Thibaut's Tanzania Black on Cream. So what do you think - which one is the winner?? Or do you have any other suggestions?

- TWO -
J's preschool class is having their Christmas party today and he's so excited! They get to wear their Christmas jammies, watch Polar Express and have a Christmas book exchange. He woke up this morning saying "PARTY DAY!" and then asked his dad why he wasn't wearing jammies to work today! Ha! :) If I can get my act together and get these cute gift tags cut out this morning, I'll be adding them to some Christmas tree shortbread cookies for a little gift for his buddies.

- THREE -
I FINALLY ordered this print! I'm such a homebody, so this is perfect! :)

- FOUR -
We decorated gingerbread men last weekend .... Jackson had SO much fun and Cason was hilariously intent on decorating one really well. His was the clear winner, for sure!

- FIVE -
We're going on a horse drawn carriage ride to look at Christmas lights tomorrow night and I'm packing a winter cocktail or two for our crew [yah, I'm pretty sure it's frowned upon, but I don't care - not even a little]!! Anyway, Natasha shared this on IG earlier in the week and I immediately took a screen shot and knew I had to try it!! Can't wait!

And this little gem of a video is icing on the cake for today..... Jackson's rendition of Jingle Bells. THIS HAS MADE ME SMILE NON-STOP!!

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:::

If you're new to all things "Five on Friday" and want to join in on the fun, here are the details:

Post about any five things!

Link-up at the bottom of this post.

Make sure to include the Five on Friday logo (shown below) in your blog post.

Link back to one or all of the hostess' blogs!
[darci, april, christina + natasha]

Bloglovin' // Instagram // Feedly

A Christmas home tour..... of sorts.

2014-12-17T05:30:00.000-06:00

I know I've already shared a handful of photos of some of the Christmas cheer going on over at our house this December, but Annie over at Home of Malones is hosting a Christmas link-up party and I thought I'd share a glimpse of the few rooms we've decorated. Since we just moved in, we decided to forgo a huge Christmas tree this year and just stuck with Jackson's in the play room. And I finally hung stockings this past weekend....... all this to say, this might not be my best Christmas yet on the decorating front, but thankfully.......... no one cares and it's not about that anyway!!

Here's a look at Jackson's cheerful room. He LOVES it. I mean LOVES his Christmas decorations. I think we might leave them up all year. And here's a link to his "nursery" last year .... be still my heart... he was still in a CRIB. Which translates to he was pretty much a newborn baby.... that or he was almost 2.5 and just really loved the crib. Whatever. I'll take it. Just seeing that crib in his rooms makes me heart hurt a tad!

Besides Jackson's room, we just have touches of Christmas decor here and there .... primarily in the butler's pantry, my planning desk, the playroom, etc.... nothing major, but it seems like just enough to make it feel Christmas-y, ya know?

Below is the tepee in J's playroom that I decided to throw some lights on. He's obsessed with this and said "mama, thanks for my decorations!". Melt my heart. The Ikea chalkboard stand is one of my favorite things in this room --- love the verse and that we can keep his holiday books front and center in here so he can easily grab one when playing (we change them out for Halloween / Easter, etc.). The photo of us making gingerbread men is the only photo I have with a glimpse of our stockings and fun birch wood in a basket. That's as festive as the kitchen / living room gets this year!

Just kidding --- I found a photo on my phone of our fireplace / mantle.... clean and very simple this year!

So do tell, did you go as "big" this year with decorating as you have in year's past or no?? Although it may look in photos like I did quite a bit, it really wasn't much and took little effort.... and 99% of we already had! I am kind of missing having a big, gorgeous tree in the living room, but we'll do that next year once we're not so insanely busy and still getting settled in at the new house!

If you shared some photos of your Christmas decorations, let me know.... I love seeing how everyone else adds some festive cheer to their homes. Granted, it's a pain sometimes to put up and take down, but it's SO WELL WORTH IT. I love the cheery spirit of Christmas in our home right now and kind of want to keep it all up for 2 more months. :)

OH!!! And just a a reminder about the upcoming Christmas PJ Party Linkup!! You're invited!! See you here on Monday at 6 a.m. CST through New Years! :) It's going to be fun! Here's a look at last year's linkup!

Linking up today with Home of Malones & Evolution of Style for their Christmas Home Tours Linkups!

2nd Annual Christmas Pajama Party Linkup [mini edition]

2014-12-13T08:40:00.003-06:00

'Tis the season.... for Christmas jams!

I hope you'll join us for the 2nd Annual Christmas Pajama Party [mini edition]! All of the details are on the invitation below, but here's a quick recap!!

Take a few photos of your cuties sporting their Christmas jams.
Join us here in the blog world on Monday, December 22nd at 6 a.m. CST through New Years to linkup and see all the other darling minis and their festive pjs! Make sure to share the graphic below and link back to our blogs (Natasha, Ashley, Jenny and Julie)!
Share your photos on Instagram as well using #HollyJollyPjParty

Here's a look at last year's link-up ..... all kinds of cuteness!

We hope to see your little one's faces soon!! I'm pretty sure we need to come up with some sort of prize for the best outtakes.... those are my absolute favorite!

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Five on Friday - Christmas Talk & Surprises

2014-12-12T08:00:00.001-06:00

HAPPY FRIDAY ALL!! We've tackled the flu and a million other things over here this week, so needless to say, we're ready for the weekend. Relaxing it will not be, but I'm just glad it's here!

My five things today for "Five on Friday" is going to be a little all over the place.... well, because that's kind of how my mind works! ;) Let's get to it!

[ONE]
Christmas gifts for the mini. I'm not even going to pretend that I've been on the ball w/ regards to Christmas gifts this year. In fact, I ordered 75% of Jackson's gifts via Amazon yesterday. And quite frankly, I think that's amazing.... no crowds or running from store to store. No thank you! Here's a quick round-up of what the mini is getting this year. I attempted to do the whole one thing they want / need / will wear / will read thing, but it ended up being 2 of each. Next year. I will do better next year.

Camoflauge 4 Wheeler / New Balance Tennis Shoes / Texas T-shirt / I am Abraham Lincoln

Bruder Mack Dump Truck / Campfire Night Light / Lodge Cap / Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site

[TWO]
A meeting ran late yesterday and I didn't get on the road (for my crazy long commute home) until a little later than I expected. That resulted in an hour and a half (plus!) commute. By the time I got home I was absolutely beat and exhausted. Much to my surprise, my sweet friend Emily had dropped off a package of Christmas goodies on our porch while I was at work! Mind you guys, this is Houston and although Emily and I live in the same town per say, we actually live almost an hour apart now. WILD. I know. Clearly, she is the most thoughtful person and this sweet surprise absolutely made my week! There were goodies for me and J both --- and homemade cookies!! Ahhhhhh. Heavenly. And I love how his fur throw blanket turned out. It's going to go perfectly in his "little adventurers" room! Thank you sweet friend - you are the very best around! Brunch at Tiny's ASAP!

[THREE]
I may or may not have had three glasses of wine after said long commute yesterday. Don't judge. And by that I mean the THREE glasses or the cheap wine. ;) I'm all about the cheap wine w/ great branding / packaging.

[FOUR]
While on the topic of wine and while my mother-in-law is likely ready along thinking I'm a wine-o.....here's our butler's pantry area setup for Christmas cocktails!! We have a Christmas Eve tradition of Christmas Cocktails & Pjs! We all have our pjs and this fun space is ready to go... any great Christmas cocktails out there that I need to try this year???

[FIVE]
This wild angel boy. ;) I'm going to end with these because you're crazy if those faces don't make you SMILE!! Happy Friday guys!

Now it's your turn.............

If you're new to all things "Five on Friday" and want to join in on the fun, here are the details:

Post about any five things!

Link-up at the bottom of this post.

Make sure to include the Five on Friday logo (shown below) in your blog post.

Link back to one or all of the hostess' blogs!
[darci, april, christina + natasha]

Bloglovin' // Instagram // Feedly

All I care about....

2014-12-10T05:30:00.000-06:00

I have to admit, some mornings this is the God's honest TRUTH.

And then shortly after a cup of coffee I start liking the world again. Unless it's a Monday and then it takes far more time. ;) Ironically, I didn't even start drinking coffee until a few months before I found out I was pregnant with Jackson. Great timing to fall in love with a heavily caffeinated drink, huh? Actually it was -- per my doctor's advice, I didn't jump on the "no coffee" bandwagon when prego .... I joyfully had a full cup every day when pregnant. But I digress, the point is that I love coffee something fierce and can almost guarantee that I've had at least one cup a day for 4+ years. I like my coffee. :)

So, when building our new home, the hubs had the brilliant idea to add a coffee bar / appliance garage in the kitchen. It's a thing. Did you know? If not, let me tell you this - it's a magical, brilliant invention. I seriously smile every morning when making my cup of coffee in this little space. And that smile is likely due to a combination of things.... 1.) the upcoming cup of coffee and 2.) being so pleased that something we put a lot of thought into planning turned into a well functioning, awesome space.

So enough rambling, a few photos of my beloved coffee bar. And a big thanks to my husband for suggesting we do this - smart man, I tell ya.

And here are larger, individual pictures, because I know you are just begging to be inundated with too many photos of this 4 foot by 4 foot space! ;)

And last, but not least, I feel completely compelled to share this goodness with you.... hands down this is the best coffee creamer I've ever had. Likely because it tastes just like the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. It appears to be a limited time holiday edition, so I'm about to google whether or not you can freeze coffee creamer because if so, better believe I am stocking up!

Now, someone PLEASE tell me that you too are equally as in love with / addicted to coffee as I am. I just realized I wrote an entire post devoted to the space we built for COFFEE. And that doesn't seem normal.

Best Christmas Books for the Minis

2014-12-05T08:25:00.003-06:00

Happy Friday y'all!! I have some awful virus on my computer, so getting this simple post ready has taken almost two hours ---- so my apologies for showing up a little late to the game for the linkup!!!

As I'm sure you know if you've read here for long at all, I am big on holidays and love having some festive books for J to read as he's learning about the meaning behind each holiday and really getting to celebrate / enjoy them for the first time this year (I'm telling you .... 3 is a whole lot of fun). Read my post from yesterday though and you'll call me a liar. Anyway, I thought I'd share some of Jackson's very favorite Christmas books today as I know many of you are looking for some for your minis or might want to order a few as gifts. I can vouch for all of these. Hands down, Jackson's new favorite this year is Little Blue Truck's Christmas.....he's always loved the Little Blue Truck books, but this has been a huge hit! The tree lights up at the end and he LOVES reading it with his dad every night! I have two of these wrapped up and ready to send to two sweet little boys as Christmas presents. I think they'll love it too! )

So here's a round-up of all of his favorites.... and yes it's move than "five" for my Five on Friday, but I'm sleep deprived, so I'm giving myself a pass - deal?!

Thomas's Christmas Delivery / Olivia Helps with Christmas

God Gave Us Christmas / Little Blue Truck's Christmas (J's favorite!!)

The Gingerbread Pirates / Santa Duck

Danny Dozer's Perfect Christmas Tree / Merry Christmas, Stinky Face

And because these photos are too cute not to share ....

Jackson and his dad reading before bed courtesy of J's "headlight".... he's just so helpful. ;)

And this is where I found him the other day after wondering what was up because he'd been completely quiet for more than 2 minutes. I keep all of these books in his playroom so he can sit down with one in the midst of playing and "read" in there too. :)

And this.... nothing to do with his fave Christmas books, but I'm telling you ---- if I could freeze him I would.

If you're new to all things "Five on Friday" and want to join in on the fun, here are the details:

Post about any five things!

Link-up at the bottom of this post.

Make sure to include the Five on Friday logo (shown below) in your blog post.

Link back to one or all of the hostess' blogs!
[darci, april, christina + natasha]

Bloglovin' // Instagram // Feedly

SEND HELP - I HAVE A NEWBORN AGAIN.

2014-12-04T10:36:00.001-06:00

If you happen to follow me on Instagram [darci05], you may have seen my early morning plea for help! Since moving into our house 2 weeks ago Jackson has had a very rough time with sleeping in his bed throughout the night. For the first time ever, he's SCARED and is getting out of bed every 3 hours or so and coming into our room bawling {it's truly the saddest thing ever} and telling us that he's too scared and needs us to lay with him. Typically, we're pretty strict when it comes to him staying IN his bed until we come and get him (when he wakes up he usually says "hey mom.... hey dad... I up... you come and get me?" We hear him over the monitor and head that way. Well, those days of him sleeping 11+ hours a night and staying put are apparently long gone. Our new normal appears to be taking him back to bed every 3 hours and laying with him until he falls asleep only for this to repeat 3-4 hours later. I'm a super, horribly light sleeper or I'd gladly just sleep in his room with him for a week until he hopefully adjusts to the new scenery / new routine.... but, I'm worried that would just create a horrible pattern AND he is such a wiggle worm that I'm getting absolutely NO sleep. I feel like newborn days are upon me again --- but worse! My best friend, who has a 6 week old, slept far more than I did last night. Yikes!

Anyway, I asked the moms of Instagram (smart group, I tell ya) for suggestions and got some great recommendations. The main thing that stuck out and the item that I ordered within seconds of reading a few reviews was this this.....
"Onaroo OK to Wake Children's Alarm Clock and Nightlight".

And I just have to add .... God Bless Amazon Prime. Seriously. If I could kiss Amazon I would. I overnighted this bad boy and it will be here tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed it's as amazing as all of those (796!!!) reviews make it appear to be!

I'm hopeful it's an answer to our prayers and will help J understand that he has to stay in bed until the light turns green in the morning. I know we have some more rough nights ahead of us and more than anything, I just want him to feel totally safe in his new room... I'm certain it's a phase and I can't blame him, there has been a heck of a lot of change over here in the past month!!

Anyway, all of this to say..... have you ever heard of this product before or used it yourself? Or do you have any tips for me that will save my sanity and get this precious boy back to his normal, awesome sleeping habits??? In the meantime, please send prayers and virtual coffee. With a triple shot of espresso.

Thanks in advance y'all for any feedback...... my little fam appreciates any helpful advice we can get!

Thanksgiving, 32 + The Past Week

2014-11-28T08:02:00.001-06:00

Happy [day after] Thanksgiving and happy Friday ...... I know many of you are likely out and about, shopping like mad for Black Friday! We're cozied up at home celebrating our #1 guy!!! My sweet hubs is 32 today!!! We're about to sit down to a yummy breakfast of cinnamon rolls and mimosas --- yes please!

Anyway, here's a little Thanksgiving recap, birthday plans for my handsome husband and a glimpse at our past week as we've been moving in!

[ONE]

We had a relaxing and SUPER laid back first Thanksgiving here at our new casa. It was just the three of us, which didn't sound too festive initially, but it was just what we needed after a big move and crazy schedules. Jackson fell in love with pumpkin pie and I gained 12 pounds. Awesome.

[TWO]

Laundry..... WHY OH WHY is it never ending??? Guess it would have been smart to have been all caught up before moving, huh?!

[THREE]

This is my new favorite spot in all the land. Well, it's a close second to Rosemary Beach, Florida. Love this space!!!

[FOUR]

As I mentioned above, this handsome guy is 32 years old today. Which is mind boggling in a lot of ways.... we started dating at 19 and were married at 22. We've celebrated 13 birthdays together, which means I'm beyond blessed..... and we're getting old!!! ;)

And a little glimpse at the breakfast table for the hubs.... not pictured are yummy cinammon rolls that are baking away in the oven! :) YUM.

[FIVE]

I love supporting small businesses and two of my very favorite friends (bloggers turned real-deal friends), Emily and Natasha have the cutest shops full of adorable bedding, crib sets, nap mats, clothes & accessories for your minis! They have teamed up and created this amazing e-magazine Christmas gift guide!! I mean really, how clever and precious is this?! So proud of you girls!

Stop by their Instagram accounts (@shopsugarbit and @dearowenco) to learn about their big LOOP GIVEAWAY where tons of these amazing small businesses will be giving away items from this precious gift guide. I'm entering NOW... so much cute stuff!!!!

Okay, must run ..... birthday cinnamon rolls with my favorite boys await. :) Happy Black Friday to all of you shopping gurus out there!! Happy day ahead!

If you're new to all things "Five on Friday" and want to join in on the fun, here are the details:

Post about any five things!

Link-up at the bottom of this post.

Make sure to include the Five on Friday logo (shown below) in your blog post.

Link back to one or all of the hostess' blogs!
[darci, april, christina + natasha]

Bloglovin' // Instagram // Feedly

Jackson's new room - with some Christmas cheer!

2014-11-25T07:09:00.002-06:00

Hi friends!! Please excuse my week-long blogging hiatus .... we've been packing and working ... and moving... and unpacking....and organizing .... and trying to stay sane! If you haven't moved recently, I'll be the first to remind you that it is a heck of a lot of work! The good news is that we are officially moved in and most all of the hard work is behind us! I'm back to work today day (and then off for the rest of the week .... cue the confetti) and Jackson starts at his new school this morning. We moved about 20 minutes away and it only made sense to have him closer. I've heard amazing things about his new school and really think he'll be happy there! But, because I'm a mama and we fret over these things... will you please say a prayer for a smooth transition today? He's a total people person, so I think the change will be easier on him than most would expect, Just SO much has changed recently in his world that I'm praying this will be as easy on him as possible. He's so excited to meet his new "buddies" today .... I think it's going to be a good day!! :)

Anyway, all that rambling to now finally arrive at the entire point of this post. I wanted to share some photos of the ONE AND ONLY room in this new casa that is 100% decorated and doesn't need one.more.thing .... and it's bedazzled for Christmas. I love celebrating holidays with this sweet boy and I swear, he loves all of the over-the-top decorations (if you could only hear him say the word decorations!). So, here it is....

This adorable station wagon with a Christmas tree on it may be my very favorite Target find ....ever.

Happy Tuesday and if we don't "talk" before then, I hope you all have a wonderful, relaxing and blessed Thanksgiving spent with those you love most!!

These are a few of my favorite things

2014-11-18T06:14:00.000-06:00

Some of my sweet friends, April, Elise, Katie, Zelle, are hosting a "These are a few of my favorite things" holiday linkup party and it kicks-off today with sharing your Christmas list. While Cason and I typically don't go overboard with Christmas gift giving (at all, in fact I kind of protest it....but that explanation is for another day), I thought this would be a fun way to put together a list of a few things I've had my eye on. Ask a girl to put together a quick list of a few things she wouldn't mind to find under the tree [or in her stocking], and ta-da, a list appears overnight! ;)

Eat Cake for Breakfast Mug | Gilded Plates | Let's Stay Home Print

Press for Champagne | Gold Flatware

Beach Cruiser | Drawing of our 1st Home | House Shoes

This clever linkup continues for the next few weeks, so check out the other topics each Tuesday --- a great way to find ideas for Christmas gifts!

Five on Friday - Winter + S'mores Edition

2014-11-14T08:01:00.000-06:00

Happy, happy Friday friends!! It's been wonderfully cold here the past few days, which has almost [just almost] made up for the rough week we've had. Jackson has had a pretty bad ear infection and my car decided to stop wanting to be a car?? I mean what, it's only 2 years old.... it should still want to be a car .... right? Let me explain - it decided not to go over 25 miles an hour on my drive to work on Tuesday. Awesome. The good news? All that is behind us .... the car is fixed and the mini's ear infection seems to be going away. And it's freezing cold outside and we have a fire going. And it's Friday --- I'll take it!!!

So let's get to it.....

[ONE]
After a full day at work, a trip to check out the progress at the new casa and a super healthy dinner at Chick-fil-a, we decided that this cold weather called for a fire and s'mores. Jackson stayed up far too late, but we all had so much fun. And do you know what he asked for first thing this morning??? A fire and s'mores! Ha! Cason started a fire before leaving for work and promised that s'mores would happen again tonight. Love these boys. And please check out the personality on this child. My word.

[TWO]
I have no intention of wearing anything other than yoga pants and a comfy workout top today (don't worry, no plans on working out)..... but, let's pretend that I'm going to be decked out in this perfect fall / winter ensemble. And that my legs are that skinny.

[THREE]
This is perfectly fitting - might have to check a few of these out and get creative with our s'mores this evening.

[FOUR]
We move on Thursday - as in less than a week. Ekkkk. Who wants to come help me decorate this little lady???? Or can I just leave it like it is because I love it already?

[FIVE]
Isn't this fireplace pretty perfect? I love the idea of "styling" the fireplace with firewood --- might have to try this at the new house!

WISHING YOU ALL A WONDERFULLY COLD, COZY WEEKEND AHEAD!

If you're new to all things "Five on Friday" and want to join in on the fun, here are the details:

Post about any five things!

Link-up at the bottom of this post.

Make sure to include the Five on Friday logo (shown below) in your blog post.

Link back to one or all of the hostess' blogs!
[darci, april, christina + natasha]

Bloglovin' // Instagram // Feedly

Let's Stay Home

2014-11-07T08:18:00.001-06:00

Hey y'all! Friday is finally here [insert extreme excitement and glee..... except for the fact that we have to pack all.dang.weekend]!!

You know the drill by now on Fridays, which I also refer to as "the only day I blog". Sad truth, I know. But, let's catch up via some photos for Five on Friday......

And yes, that's 6 photos, but let's just pretend I'm following the rules okay? ;)

ONE - those barstools. They are on their way and will soon be bedazzling my new cozy kitchen! I cannot wait to see them.... hoping they are as gorgeous in person as they appear in photos!

TWO - love that quote (and the colors of course)!

THREE - my boys. Love them so! We went to the new house last night to check out a few things and on the way home stopped for a yummy treat at a cute cupcake / cookie shop nearby.

FOUR - I need this for the new house. I swear, growing up I thought this was my dad's motto. We'd want to go to the mall [or wherever] and I remember him frequently responding with "let's just stay home".... and now as a parent with 82,000 obligations and always running at 90 miles an hour, I totally get it. I love staying home.

FIVE - me + my main [little] man. He's getting so big and is too funny. Side note: he's wearing wind pants, a t-shirt and boots in this photo. Love his style. ;) ;)

FIVE (again, because I'm a rule follower and this is "Five on Friday") - my view at the moment. Cute mug in hand w/ some good coffee and about to work alllll day from home. Lots to knock out today!

HAPPY FRIDAY, Y'ALL.... HOPE IT'S A GOOD ONE!

And if you're new to all things "Five on Friday" and want to join in on the fun, here are the details:

Post about any five things!

Link-up at the bottom of this post.

Make sure to include the Five on Friday logo (shown below) in your blog post.

Link back to one or all of the hostess' blogs!
[darci, april, christina + natasha]

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