Three Boys and a Girl

Weekending

2018-04-23T06:57:00.000-04:00

Hi friends! We had a fun and busy weekend for the first time in what seems like awhile.

Friday |

Early Friday morning I hopped in my friends car and 3 of us girlfriends headed to raleigh to Umstead Resort. We had a spa day planned followed by dinner out and staying the night. We spent the whole day relaxing at the spa. I had a massage and pedicure. It was wonderful not worrying about feeding anyone, changing diapers, breaking up fights, listening to whining..I thoroughly enjoyed the day!

That evening we got dressed and headed out to dinner in Raleigh. We ate at the Capital Grille, it was wonderful! Such a yummy steak and time with girlfriends.

We were back in our hotel in our soft clothes by 9:30, and I couldn't have been happier!

Saturday |

I enjoyed an uninterrupted nights sleep followed by a yummy brunch before we headed back to our families.

It was a much needed night away to relax and rejuvenate. I am so thankful for good babysitters and a sweet husband who let this happen!

Jack had a soccer game that morning so by the time I got home the boys were dressed and playing in the driveway. We had lunch outside before everyone taking naps!

After naps I took the boys to a birthday party where they played and played outside. The weather was gorgeous!

We had family pizza night followed by our new neighbors (our dear friends) walking down to play outside. We parents sat on the screened in porch while the 4 boys ran around playing. It was amazing and something I look forward to many more times to come over the next several months!

Sunday |

We went to church followed by lunch and then all came home for naps!

After naps we went to ride the little train at our local rec center. This is a staple of our little town and the boys are so excited it backs up and running for the season.

We then played outside until dinner time. I didn't realize I had two real life Power Rangers living with me!

Whew, it was a busy but super fun weekend!! I love weekends like this and hope for more to come as the weather continues to warm up!

*Linking up with Biana and Lindsay

Weekending

2018-04-16T06:53:00.000-04:00

Hey friends! Clearly I'm slow going on this back to blogging thing! I'm just taking it at my own speed and have decided that I'm no longer trying to "keep up". I'm just going to blog what I want and when I want! We had a fun weekend!

Friday
We met up with friends at our local farm and went strawberry picking and got to play at their play area. It was a lot of fun! The strawberries weren't quite ripe yet, but the kids didn't mind and had fun hunting to find them. Graham was a pro and found tons, I think he was at the right eye level.

After naps the boys and I went to a birthday party for our sweet Tate. She was turning 9 and was so sweet to invite the boys. She was having a slime party....note to self, slime is a mess! I wouldn't let Jack bring it home (mean mom!) After the party the boys went to a sleep over with their grandaddy and Patrick and I went to dinner with some friends. I failed to take any photos of any of these events after the strawberry patch!

Saturday
Soccer started back today! I was a little worried about Jack not being on the same team as all his friends like in the fall so I prepped him over and over about the possibility of not knowing anyone on his team and how he can make new friends. He did great! He knows two little girls on his team from school. He scored his first goal (and one for the other team ha)

We took a trip to lowes and grabbed lunch after soccer followed by naps and working in the yard for those that didn't nap (Jack)

Post naps my wonderful babysitter came over to take some pictures of the boys. She is so good and quick! She got some great shots. I'll share all of them in a post later this week.

Since the boys were so good during pictures I took them to Pelicans to get a snowball, Jack has been begging for one for weeks. We enjoyed it on the porch!

We went to our friends for dinner that

Sunday
After my MIL passed away we started going to church with my FIL. We have been attending that church regularly since then and decided to join (or re-join for Patrick). Yesterday was the day we became official members. I love that my boys will grow up in the same church that their dad did. Several people came up to us yesterday telling us how they remembered 2 little red heads sitting in the pew just about 35 years ago. We enjoyed our previous church a lot but are happy with our change.

We all took afternoon naps and then my mom came to town for a visit!

I really am failing as a blogger at taking pictures, I guess I've been trying to "be in the moment" rather than having my phone out at every moment.

*linking up with Biana and Lindsay

Wrapping Paper Orginazation

2018-04-12T07:04:00.000-04:00

I am the worst about buying wrapping paper/tissue paper/bags/ribbon every time I need to wrap something. Probably because I have never had a good way to store all of this and it ends up in random places in my house. All my Christmas paper and ribbon was in this one disheveled container, birthday paper and bags were in another place and I just couldn't figure out a way to get it organized. Until I saw Andrea post how she did hers and I thought..this is genius! So once rainy day Patrick and I were going to Raleigh for a State game and had some extra time and ventured over to the Container Store . Got all of the things we needed and voila, instant wrapping paper/gift wrap station!

This whole set is super easy to install and very customizable. It can be a bit pricy but we caught a great sale and shockingly Patrick didn't grumble at the price. I love that you can pick different pieces to suit your needs. I have it in our play room closet which has become a bit of a craft closet for me. I love that everything is in one place and I now don't have to search all over for it!

I love that all of my ribbon is in one place now.

This little section is great and you can buy different pieces that fit into the board for whatever needs you have! I have scissors, tape, extra ribbon.

And of course, a place for all that wrapping paper!

I also keep tissue paper and party bags in a basket in the closet. Its a one stop place for all my wrapping needs!

Bonus, I just checked and the Elfa closet systems are 25% off! This is your time to buy!

*linking up with Owen

Remember Me?

2018-04-10T05:30:00.000-04:00

Well hello there! Remember me? Gah, I really went MIA for awhile there. I'll be honest, I needed a break. Part of me was ready to give up blogging but I missed it and my dad gave me some words of encouragement last week when we were visiting so I'm back and ready to get back to it! Life has been chaotic, fun, and crazy with these 2 little boys of mine. We had spring break last week and I failed to take many photos but we had a ton of fun over the week of Easter and I'm going to take you back to two weeks ago and share all about or Easter!

The boys had Easter parties at school. Graham had 2 egg hunts because he goes both M/W an T/Th

We went to our friends beautiful house for a fun afternoon with the Easter bunny. Complete with a bounce house and egg hunt!

Easter Sunday the boys woke up to treats from the Easter Bunny!

We then went to church

My sweet MIL is buried in the columbarium at our Church and every Sunday we walk right past her on our way to Sunday School and the boys stop and blow kisses. I just happened to catch this on this day and it is so sweet. Even if no one says anything Graham will run up and say "hey nana!"

After church we came home and had brunch with our dear friends followed by a little egg hunt to round out our week of Easter fun!

Friday Favorites- Shoe Dupes

2018-03-23T05:30:00.000-04:00

Hey friends! Once again it's been far too long since I've been on here. The winter is dragging out and my creative juices are just not what they used to be. But I am slowly starting to come up with some great topics for spring, so stick with me!

Today I'm sharing with you some amazing shoe dupes! Target has been killing it lately in the shoe department and I have to say I am loving their prices!

O N E | I have been wanting a pair of open toe booties but just couldn't seem to pull the trigger, so you can imagine how excited I was when I discovered these at Target and realized they looked identical to the Vince Camuto ones at Nordstrom.

Target: $34.99

Vince Camuto: Originally $149.99 on sale for $89.96

T W O | Wedges are always popular this time of year and The Marc Fisher wedge is back again this year. I was shocked when I found these online at Target and realized they were almost identical!

Target: $32.99

Marc Fisher: $159.95

T H R E E | Another cute pair of wedges! The Michael by Michael Kors has been around for awhile and these Target ones are very similar!

Target: $29.99

Michael by Michael Kors: Originally $98.95 on sale for $74.21

F O U R | Block heels are the latest trend this season and I have been on the hunt for a pair for church. You can find this style pretty much anywhere these days and I thought the Target version was so similar to the Same Edelman version

Target: $29.99

Sam Edelman: $119.95

I have tried on both the bootie and the block heel and both are so comfortable. I can't wait to start wearing the booties! We don't have much planned this weekend other than a fun little Easter Egg Hunt party at some friends house on Sunday. I think Patrick and I have a date night planned and other than that we will just be with the boys. I am sure its going to rain given our track record lately!

*linking up with April and Andrea

Easy St. Patrick's Day Happy for Teachers

2018-03-15T07:22:00.002-04:00

I don't know about you, but I love being able to show my boys teachers how much we appreciate them any chance I can get. Gift giving is my love language and so I jump at the opportunity to throw something together to make someone smile.

Since St. Patrick's Day is this week I decided to put this little goodie bag together. It was so simple and doesn't cost much. In the bag there is a scratch off lottery ticket (they range in price from $1 to $10 depending on which one you pick) some 100 grand fun size bars and a few chocolate gold coins. Tie it all together with a cute tag and boom, a simple but cute way to say " I appreciate you!" And maybe if they win big they will share some of the money with me, (ha!)

*linking up with Owen

My 10 Minute Makeup Routine

2018-03-14T05:30:00.000-04:00

Hey friends! Can you believe that it's the middle of March? What's even crazier is that we had SNOW on Monday...do what? I swear NC weather is so bipolar come this time of year.

I'm coming to you today with my easy make up routine. I hate to admit it but since turning 30 things went down hill with my skin. I used to be able to leave the house without make up and honestly only wore a little bit most days unless I was "going out" with friends or something on the weekend. But into my 30's and 2 kids later that is not the case anymore! My dark circles are out of control and my skin just doesn't look as young as it once did.. ha! So I've been putting on a "full face" most days. But my focus is fast..I don't want to spend a lot of time doing it. So I have compiled my favorite makeup products that I use most every day. I've got a good mix of brands and often like to change things up after several months.

1. Color Correcting Tinted Moisturizer (CCTM) - I am loving this Sengence product. It really evens out my skin tone and adds just enough coverage for me for day to day use. I don't really love to use foundation on the reg so this is a great alternative.

2. Shape Tape- This concealer has a cult following and I understand why. Its the best!

3. Becca Soft Light Blurring Powder- I had never used a setting powder until recently and I love it now. This one was recommended by several other bloggers!

4. Hamptons Weekender Contour Palette- This is great for beginning contour. I love the bronzer and the highlighter best!

5. BlushSense- I love this product, my blush stays put all day. Terra-cotta is my favorite color!

6. Tartelette in Bloom- The best eye shadow palette! So versatile and its mostly neutrals which are my go to.

7. Tarteist Lash Paint Mascara- A great go to mascara

8. Gimmie Brow- This is my favorite brow filler by Benefit but I heard they recently took it off the market, hoping they bring it back soon!

9. LipSense- I love lipSense, I have several colors and different glosses. My go to gloss is sand and praline rose is my favorite neutral color!

So there are my favorites and it literally takes me less than 10 minutes to throw this on. Now I'm going to show you a before and after...the before is quite scary but you will see just how great these products are!

And if you are in the market for any of the lipsense or SenGence products that I linked be sure to look up April (@smoochbyapril) or Emily (xoxobyemily) on IG. These girls will hook you up and are so sweet!

*Linking up with Lindsay and Jenn

Friday Favorites

2018-03-09T05:30:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends, happy Friday! I am sorry for my lack of posts lately. I'll be honest, blogging has been the last thing on my mind lately. I feel like my boys are in a stage where its so fun, but so so hard. Melt downs/temper tantrums happen on the reg. Jack has stopped napping so by the time I have silence in my house its 8:30 pm and the last thing I want to do is sit down and write a blog post. I also feel like because I am so drained I am struggling with authentic posts, and for me I'd rather not post than pull some crappy post out of my hat just to post! So bear with me right now and I promise I'll get back into my groove!

But for today I've got some favorites!

O N E | I am meeting sweet Owen for lunch today and I cannot wait! Owen is such a wonderful friend and I can't wait to squeeze her neck and that precious Vivi!

T W O | I thought that last summer would be my last year to have a sweet babe wearing bubbles, but I was wrong! Graham is such a petite peanut that I ordered one of my favorite styles to try on and lo and behold its perfect! He looks so sweet so despite what my husband and I'm sure mom will say, bring on all the bubbles!!

T H R E E | Nail Color... I love dark polish in the winter but come spring I'm all about some light neutral! I have always been a mod about you pastel girl but I got OPI's new color "Lisbon wants moor OPI" and I love it! It's the perfect light pink and it will be on repeat through the spring/summer! I love the Gel version but it also comes in regular polish too!

F O U R | Podcasts..I am like lightyears behind most normal people but I have finally discovered podcasts and I love them! I've been listening to them when driving by myself, or doing random things around the house. So, send me all your favorite podcasts!

F I V E | Spring Clothes.. Even though we are back to having winter temps here in NC I've got my eye on all things spring. I recently ordered a few pieces from Old Navy and I can't wait to see how they work. I think they will be total staples in my closet! I'll report back once I get them and try on!

S I X | I just wanted to say thank you for all your kind words on my post last week! I got the biopsy results back from the mole I had removed and it was all good! They had told me they weren't worried about it but of course I was worried and nervous until the Dr. called me with the results!

We have no plans this weekend! Hoping maybe a date night Saturday night! It's supposed to warm up Saturday so hopefully we will be outside most of the day. I hope you have a great weekend!

*linking up with Andrea, April and Katie

TBB Asks- March

2018-03-05T06:35:00.000-05:00

It's time for another link up with The Blended Blog! This months questions are all about beauty!

1. Eye Last Curler Yes or No? No, I've never used one. I tried once and couldn't figure it out.

2. Favorite Nail Shade? I love Taupeless Beach by OPI in the Winter and Mod About You Pastel in the Summer.

3. Favorite Lipstick Shade? I've really been into lipsense lately so my favorite color there is praline rose and sand gloss over top!

4. Blow dry or Air Dry hair? Lately I've been all about blow drying my hair. I find that it lasts so much longer than if I air dry it. I don't have to wash it as much.

5. Artificial Nails: Yes or No? No, but I do get gel manicures!

6. Foundation: Yes or No? I love tinted moisturizer. I've never loved how thick foundation is, but as I'm aging I may need to work it back into my rotation.

7. Hair Up or Down? I'd love to say down, but more than likely it's in a pony tail most days.

8. Bar soap or Body wash? Body wash for sure!

9. Bath or Shower? Shower, I have taken maybe 5 baths in my adult life.

10. Favorite Body Lotion? I don't use lotion, I am so weird and can't stand the way it makes my hands feel.

11. Do you Wear Perfume? No, I tried to get into it years ago but never could.

12. Do You Shave Your Legs Daily? Heck no! Who has time for that? Although in the summer I do it way more frequently than in the winter.

13. Favorite Lip Balm? Carmex is my favorite for chapped lips.

14. How Old Were You When You First Started Wearing Makeup? I think I was in sixth grade. I had much older sisters and wanted to do what they did. It was nothing much though, maybe some blush and lip gloss? It could have been earlier but I vaguely remember something about sixth grade. Now I think girls are wearing make up in like third grade, which is crazy to me!

Friday Favorites

2018-03-02T06:41:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! This week has surprisingly gone by so fast!

My favorites for the week:

O N E | Headphones..I ordered the boys these wireless headphone and they are great! The boys love them. Highly recommend and a great price point.

T W O | Old Navy...They have some great spring pieces right now! I have several things in my cart including this dress. I think it will be so perfect to throw on and wear!

T H R E E | Yesterday I had my biyearly skin check and got a great report! I am always so anxious about this check and was relieved to be in and out very quickly. You can read all about why I'm so passionate about this here.

F O U R | Jack and Patrick are headed to their first NC State basketball game together on Saturday night. Jack has been talking about it all week and I know they are going to have so much fun together.

F I V E | We had one last family birthday celebration for Patrick the other night and Graham was feeling those cupcakes. These pictures were cracking me up.

Have a great weekend!!

*Linking up with Andrea, April and Katie

Friendly Reminder

2018-03-01T06:51:00.000-05:00

Hey friends, can you believe it's March 1st? January went at a snails pace but February flew by! March to me brings the official start of Spring, although I am sure we will have another frost at some point.

I am headed to Chapel Hill today for my bi-yearly skin check. So I thought today would be a great day to share my post from last year where I went into detail about my journey with skin cancer and remind all of you just how important sun screen and early detection is!

Click here to read my post!

While you are doing that I'll be at the doctor having multiple people mulling over each mole on my body and deciding if they can stay or go! Fingers crossed I don't have to have any removed this time, but usually that's wishful thinking!

*Linking up with Owen

What's Up Wednesday- February

2018-02-28T06:59:00.002-05:00

How is it the last Wednesday of the month? I haven't participated in a What's Up Wednesday in awhile so I thought I'd join in today and answer these questions!

What We're Eating.... Italian Chicken and broccoli (I didn't love it), Empanadas made by my house keeper, BBQ out tonight for a late birthday celebration with Patrick's family, Enchiladas tomorrow night and out for pizza on Friday!

What I'm Reminiscing About... This week marks six months since my sweet mother in law, Donna, passed away. I cannot believe it's been six months. Some days it feels like a lifetime ago and others it seems like yesterday. There have been lots of little things this week that have let me know she is here with us in spirit! Our hearts still ache daily at the huge void she left but we have learned to push on and live with the memory of her in our hearts!

What I'm Loving... The spring like temps and flowers blooming!

What We've Been Up To.... We've been doing a lot of playing outside! This time of year is the best to meet friends at the park and run out the kids energy post afternoon naps! We Celebrated Patrick's 39th Birthday. The boys and I went to a mommy and me tumble class. We went to Church on Sunday and Patrick and I went to a State game!

What I'm Dreading...I have to go to the dermatologist tomorrow for my bi-yearly skin check. I always dread it and get super anxious.

What I'm Working On...I am still working on organizing! Getting each room organized and decluttered one step at a time!

What I'm Excited About.. Getting to use our screened in porch. Before it gets too blazing hot and humid I love using our porch. This year I feel like it's going to get so much use with as much as the boys want to be outside, which is all day every day!

What I'm Watching/ Reading... All things bravo! I am loving Summer House right now. Of course This Is Us and TGIT on ABC.

What I'm listening To... The Greatest Showman soundtrack! On repeat!

What I'm Wearing..Time time of year is so awkward for us clothing wise. It's cold in the morning and hot in the afternoon. I've been living in my athleta leggings and my zip up Lilly Pulitzer popover jacket from last year.

What I'm Doing This Weekend... Patrick and I are going to get pizza Friday night and Saturday he and Jack are going to the last home State game!

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month... Spring! March always feels like the official first month of spring to me! Bring it on!

*linking up with Shay

How Do You Know When Your Family Is Complete?

2018-02-22T05:30:00.000-05:00

Hey ya'll! Today I am getting personal and pretty raw with you. I have had this drafted in the notes section of my phone for the past month and I have not had time, or the want to sit down and write this out. I feel like this is such an easy question to answer for some and for others its so much more complex.

When you first get married people start asking when you're going to have a baby. When you have your first you immediately get asked, "when are you going to go for number 2" and then you have two of the same gender, boys in my case, and you get asked on the regular "when are you going to try for that girl?" which to me, all of the above questions are so rude and none of anyones business!!

So to answer the question "how do you know when your family is complete?" simply put...I don't know! Prior to having kids if you would have asked me how many kids I wanted I would have said without a doubt 3 or 4. And frankly that answer did not change until very recently. This topic of conversation has been one of the biggest sources of disagreement in our marriage. Patrick is happy and complete with our two perfect boys. He has no desire to have another baby and would happily sell every baby item we have in the attic tomorrow if I said so.

I on the other hand have not felt that sense of closure and finality. I've always said that Grahams birth was so quick and unexpected I don't think I ever fully had time to think "Gosh, this could be my last baby". Life is quickly growing easier and easier with each passing day so for me, the thought of going back to sleepless nights, sleep training, endless years of diapers and that general hard baby stage doesn't exactly sound like a piece of cake to me.

To be completely honest, if we had a boy and a girl I think I could say "we are done!" But when you have two of the same gender you always wonder "what if" My girlfriend and I, who also happens to have two boys who are my boys best friends, always say that if we could guarantee that our third would be a girl and we wouldn't be sick during pregnancy we would go for it. But knowing both of us, we would end up with a third boy! Which of course would be so fun, but man I'm not sure this mama can handle 3 boys!

As the days become easier and easier and we get further away from that baby stage I am beginning to feel content. I love my boys and they are wild and trying and keep me on my toes but raising them in the greatest joy in my life. Of course there is a part of me that will always long for a girl. That mother/daughter bond is like none other. I also would be lying if I didn't say that the thought of my boys not needing me anymore, not wanting to hold my hand or kiss my cheeks or sit next to me puts a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. But I am beginning to believe that our family, our sweet little family of four is complete. I believe that there will always be a part of me that wants more babies, I loved each pregnancy and the thought of not experiencing that again makes me sad but there is so much joy in the days and years ahead of raising 2 boys.

So while the answer is very clear for some on if their family is complete, for me, it's not a straight yes or no. But for me, right now, on this day and in this month I feel good. I feel that my hands are full and my heart is even fuller and I'm okay with that!

I'd love to know if you had a clear yes or no to this answer or if you also felt like I do and wonder if you will ever truly know the answer.

*linking up with Owen

Random Questions

2018-02-21T06:37:00.002-05:00

Hey friends, I hope you are having a great week! We have had some unseasonably warm weather and it's been so nice. Yesterday we spent the afternoon at the park and it was lovely! I'll be honest, I am in a major blogging rut. Life is busy right now. Jack has dropped his nap so that takes away time to write a blog post and then by the time we get the boys to bed I am spent and just want to sit on the sofa and veg, or fall asleep which is what usually happens. I have so many post ideas that I need to sit down and work on.

So for today I am answering some fun random questions. My sweet friend Sarah posted them on Monday and I thought it was a great idea. I love finding out random facts about others!

1. What is your favorite smell?
Fresh clean babies straight from the bath! Also baby laundry done with Dreft.

2. Last time you cried?
Yesterday morning. I was watching the Today show and they did a segment on the school shooting last week interviewing a teacher and student and I lost it. I was sobbing. Here's a fact about me, I cry all.the.time. We're talking certain commercials can bring the water works. I am super tender hearted and there are so many things that just get me and I start tearing up. Patrick laughs at me every time.

3. What is your favorite pizza?
I really like cheese. But if I was going to pick toppings it would be ham and pineapple.

4. What is your favorite flower?
Hydrangeas! I have always loved them. My dad has the most gorgeous ones planted at our lake house in Michigan. We also purchase new plants each year and put them in pots on our deck and then plant them in the beds the following spring. My goal is to have huge flowering hydrangea plants!

5. What is your favorite dog breed?
I grew up with standard poodles so I love them. Patrick had a sweet lab Roscoe who we had to put down last spring and he was the best. I want to get some sort of doodle when we decide to get a dog. Especially for the non-shedding reason!

6. Do you untie your laces before taking your shoes off?
Rarely

7. Do you like roller coasters?
It depends, I am super scared of heights so I don't think I could ever do the big loop ones anymore but I do love some roller coasters in Disney World!

8. Favorite ice cream?
Chocolate chip cookie dough

9. What are you listening to?
I'm loving The Greatest Showman soundtrack. The boys and I have been listening to it on our Alexa and they love dancing around the kitchen.

10. What is your favorite food?
Pizza. hands down.

11. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas!

12. Night owl or morning person?
I'm really neither! Ha. Although I'm becoming much more of a morning person since having kids. I am usually asleep on the sofa by 9-9:30 nightly so I definitely wouldn't say I'm a night owl. I'd say I'm a mid day person haha

13. Favorite day of the week?
Saturday!

*linking up with Lindsay and Jenn

Friday Favorites

2018-02-16T06:48:00.000-05:00

This week has totally crept by so I am glad Friday is here! The weather is definitely spring like and it has me all kinds of excited for the warmer weather!

My favorites for the week...

O N E | I purchased this dress from Loft yesterday and I can't wait to get in in the mail. I am hoping its a cute fit so that I can wear it on Easter as well as to a wedding we have in March.

T W O | Yesterday while I was at Target I was browsing the shoe aisle and found these tennis shoes. I've been on the hunt for a cute pair that I can wear around casually, or even go on a walk with the boys. They are super comfy, I'll report back once I wear them for awhile.

T H R E E | I think this may be my summer! Yesterday we were outside playing and the boys were able to go on the swing set and I didn't have to watch them like a hawk. Graham has mastered the stairs from the porch to the yard. I texted one of my best friends who has two boys and told her this may be our year where we can actually sit on the porch and chat while our kids play! Oh how I've waited four years for this day! haha

F O U R | Yesterday we were on our way to the club for dinner and saw this sunset. It took my breath away and I just knew that spring is coming. I have always loved a sunset but they always make me think of my sweet MIL now. I love thinking that she's up there in heaven and it's a little sign from her!

F I V E | Did you catch my other posts this week. I shared a yummy valentine's mix which you could easily make any time, and also a life lately post!

We have zero plans this weekend and I plan on watching the Olympics most of the weekend! Have a great Friday!

*Linking up with Andrea and April

Life Lately

2018-02-15T06:54:00.000-05:00

Hey friends, I hope you had a great Valentine's Day! The boys each had a party at school, and came home hopped up on sugar. They then continued that binge until bedtime. Patrick and I cooked a steak and baked potato and actually got to eat in in peace. The boys sat and watched a movie and not one of them got up to ask us for something the entire meal...it was a Christmas miracle!

Today I'm bringing a photo dump of life lately! I haven't done one of these in awhile and while our life has been pretty routine we've had some fun things going on.

We celebrated Valentine's Day a little early with a cookie decorating play date.

Patrick and I went to watch the NC State/UNC game.

We spent all day in our jammies on Sunday. It was rainy and gross, so we skipped church and the boys changed out of one pair of jammies into another to go to bed!

Patrick and Jack woke up with the exact same hairstyle. They are twins through and through. Their hair is stick straight and sticks out each morning. I had to get a picture because it made me laugh so much.

Jack got silly with his Valentine's treats for friends.

We made a Valentine's Snack for our favorite teachers.

The boys celebrated Valentine's Day with cute outfits and sweetness

I got this sweet picture from Graham's teacher!

Graham and I had a lunch date yesterday while brother was at lunch bunch!

and that's some life lately for you!

*linking up with Owen

Valentine's Day S'mores Snack Mix

2018-02-13T06:31:00.000-05:00

Hi friends! Last night I met some girlfriends to go see the new Fifty Shades movie. I know some of y'all are probably anti-fifty shades, which is fine but I really enjoyed the movie. Aside from the kinky stuff its actually a sweet love story. A fun reason to get together with girlfriends!

Today I'm bringing you an old post. Last year I made this yummy Valentine's Day snack mix to give to Jack's teachers and since tomorrow is Valentine's Day I figured I would share with you! We are planning on making this and giving it to teachers again this week. It's super easy and the boys really love helping do it since all it involves is dumping things into a big bowl!

You can find the full recipe here. Also notice how sweet and little Jack was last year. Time you are such a thief!

Friday Favorites

2018-02-09T07:07:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday! This week has seemed long for some reason. But the weekend is here and that deserves a happy dance!

My favorites for the week.

O N E | Tobacco Basket - Last Friday I schlepped my kids to a local garden center to get my hands on a tobacco basket. I saw on FB that they got a shipment in and I knew they would go fast so we were there right when they opened. I had my pick of which one I wanted. I have been wanting one for awhile now and I love that this is a real one. Patrick wasn't thrilled about having to hang it but we made it work and I love where it is!

T W O | Park Weather- This week we've had some warmer days so on Tuesday we met some friends at the park to play! It definitely got me excited about warmer weather not to mention both my boys were actually easy at the park. I was able to have a conversation with my girlfriends and know that my kids weren't about to cowabunga off the jungle gym!

T H R E E | The Olympics- I don't know about ya'll but I love the olympics! I am so excited that they are starting today and can't wait to watch the opening ceremonies!

F O U R | Valentine's - Did you catch my post on Wednesday? I shared several great ideas for Valentine's for your kiddos!

A short and sweet post today! I am off to get ready to have some kiddos over for a little Valentine's Day cookie decorating! Have a great weekend!

*Linking up with April, Andrea, and Katie

What's Hap-pinning Wednesday- School Valentines

2018-02-07T05:30:00.000-05:00

Hi friends! If you've been reading my blog for any amount of time you know that I love any excuse for a cute tag and gift for my boys classmates. So it should be no surprise that Valentine's Day is no different. I know one day soon there will be a time when they want to pick out their own Valentine's and they will be those cheap box ones from Target. And that will be 100% okay, it will make them happy and that's all that matters. But for this year, I'm picking and letting them help me put them together.

So of course I wanted to compile a few of my favorites for you all in case you are stuck wonder what the heck you're going to do for Valentines for your childs class. I tried to do a mix of some food/candy and others non food related.

1. I Dig You- Cutest Little Things Blog

2. I Wheelie Like You- First Grade With a Cherry On Top Blog

3. You Make My Heart Glow - First Grade With a Cherry On Top

3. Sip Sip Hooray- Kinzie's Kreations

4. Orange You Glad- Thirty Handmade Days

5. Have An A'Doh'Able Valentine's Day- Primary Punch Blog

6. You Blow Me Away- The Girl Creative Blog

7. I'm Cereal-sly glad- SoapBox Creations

8. Same Troop- Armelle Blog

Hope this gives you some ideas or inspiration! I'd love to hear what you are doing for Valetnine's if you've already picked them out!

*Linking up with Jenn and Lindsay

TBB Asks- February

2018-02-05T06:56:00.003-05:00

Hi friends! A new month means a new set of questions from The Blended Blog!

1. Kisses or Hugs? Both!

2. Candy or Flowers? I love a reese's cup and m&m's, but getting flowers happens so rarely for me that it's always a great surprise!

3. Baking or cooking? Baking for sure! I asked for a Kitchen Aid mixer for my 23rd birthday because I enjoyed baking so much!

4. Do you remember your first kiss? Yes, but it was nothing special.

5. Favorite color of Roses? Hot Pink

6. Conversation Hearts, Yes or No? No! In the words of Graham "Yuck!"

7. Do you leave love notes? I wish I did it more, but its rare!

8. Do you decorate for Valentine's Day? Yes! I don't do a ton, but I have a few cute pink and red things out.

9. Red or Pink? Always Pink

10. Milk, White, or Dark Chocolate? Dark

11. Do you believe in love at first sight? Patrick is convinced I fell in love with him on our first date..

12. Do you give humorous or serious Valentine's cards? I like to give one of each.

13. Favorite Chick Flick or Romantic Movie? There are so many that I love, but The Holiday ranks in my top 5.

14. Stay In or Go Out? On Valentine's Day stay in for sure. But I enjoy going out for a nice dinner sometime around the date!

*Linking up with TBB

Friday Favorites

2018-02-02T06:46:00.001-05:00

Happy Fri-Yay!! We have a low key weekend planned and I am excited about it. Patrick and I are heading to a basketball game on Saturday and other than that we really have no plans. I think the boys are spending the night one night with their grandaddy so Patrick and I will probably go do something fun, maybe I can talk him into a movie!

My favorites for the week..

O N E | Letting Go Of Leo- My dear friend Simi wrote this book and ya'll, it is so good! I can't tell you the last book that I read and I finished this in 2 days. If you are a woman who has ever struggled with body image or trying to keep up with everyone else this book is for you. (hello 99% of women!) Its a series of short stories about her life and it had me rolling laughing at some points and wanting to cry at others. She is a great writer and you really could sense exactly the picture she was trying to tell. Highly recommend!

T W O | Shape Tape- I finally joined the cult. This concealer is amazing! I ordered the wrong color but the second time around I found the right one and I love it. It definitely only takes a very small amount and works wonders!

T H R E E | Becca Setting Powder- I have never really used a powder before but when I saw Lindsay talk about it in her IG stories I knew I needed to try it. I love it, it's pricy but well worth it!

F O U R | T3 Wand- I have always used a traditional curling iron but over Christmas I had a gift card and decided to get the T3 wand I had heard so much about and I am a total convert. I love it! My curls last for days and its super easy to use. I especially love that you can change out the barrels. Some times I want a tighter curl for a dressier look, but most days when I'm just casual I want a loose curl with some body. The wand comes with 3 barrels and there are others that you can order, including a traditional curling iron barrel with a clamp! It's an investment but look at it as 3 different curling irons/wands in one!

F I V E | Did you catch my post on Wednesday? I shared 2 recipes that I had been asked about by several. Definitely try them both out, and let me know what you think!

*Linking up with April, Andrea and Katie

Valentine's Day Books For Kids

2018-02-01T05:30:00.000-05:00

Hey ya'll! Happy February 1st! Is it me or did January feel like the longest month ever? I am so glad to see a new month! I really love February, it's all about love and the end of winter.

I love a holiday themed book and often give the boys one on Valentine's Day morning. So today I'm sharing with you some ideas for books! We have some of them, and some we don't. But I know my boys would love to get any of these!

one / two / three / four / five / six / seven / eight

*linking up with Owen and Lindsay

Recipe Round Up

2018-01-30T05:30:00.000-05:00

Hey friends! I am sharing with you today two recipes that I have recently shared on my IG stories that have been majorly requested. I figured having them typed out would be easiest for everyone. I'm sorry I don't have any photos to go along..blogger fail. But I promise they are both super yummy and worth making. They also happen to be very easy!

Both of these recipes come from a recipe book that my Mimi gave us years and years ago. Back when computers were few and far between. I remember my mom sitting there typing every hand written recipe and trying to figure out formatting them. My aunt illustrated the sections and then they printed them all and gave them to us grandchildren as gifts. It is truly something I will cherish forever. My mimi hand wrote a note inside each of our books.

First up: Alice's Cabbage Chicken Salad (no clue who Alice is haha)

Buy:
2 diced cooked chicken breasts (I use rotisserie to make it extra simple)
2/3 head of cabbage thinly sliced (I use a bag of store bought cole slaw..again simple!)
4 T toasted sesame seeds
1 package ramen noodles (uncooked and broken up)
4T toasted almonds (optional)

Dressing:
3T sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3T Vinegar (I use apple cider)
season mix from ramen packet

Directions:
-In a large bowl combine your chicken, cabbage, sesame seeds, almonds and ramen noodles
- Mix together the dressing and pour over salad.
- You can eat it right away or I like to put it in the fridge and let it marinate and eat later. I will eat this for lunch for several days. It just gets better with each day I think.

Notes: I use less than 3T sugar and have not noticed a difference in the flavor.

Next I'm sharing Apple Sauce Muffins (my mom has been making these since I was a little girl and now all of the grandchildren are obsessed with them)

Buy:
2 sticks butter
2 cups sugar (can use less, or even a sugar substitute)
2 eggs
16 oz apple sauce
4 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp. cloves
2. tsp. allspice
3 tsp. cinnamon
3 tsp. baking soda
1 cup chopped nuts (optional..i leave out)

Directions:
-cream butter and sugar
-add eggs and vanilla
-In separate bowl sift together dry ingredients (leaving out baking soda)
- add the baking soda to the apple sauce and mix up
-alternate adding apple sauce and dry ingredients to butter mix
-pour into cupcake tin
-bake at 400 for 15 minutes
- will keep for several weeks in the fridge once cooked
-makes about 3 1/2 dozen muffins

There you have 2 easy recipes. My boys love the muffins and Patrick enjoyed the salad as well. I hope you enjoy! Let me know if you have any questions!

Five Things Bringing Me Joy

2018-01-26T06:35:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! We have a low key weekend ahead of us and I am excited about it. Hopefully the weather will be nice and we can get outside and play!

Changing up my Friday Favorites this week and sharing what is is currently bringing me joy.

O N E | Organizing all. the. things. - I have been on a kick of trying to simplify and get rid of. I have almost hit every room in our house. Yesterday I did the bonus room and the storage closet in there. Two trash bags full and about 3 bags to donate and I'm back being organized. I am also going to create a little work space for me up there. I got a small desk and plan to give myself a little bit of an "office".

T W O | Hearing the laughter from the boys coming from the other room. They may be wild and crazy but they love to play together and are always making up silly games, most of which make me hold my breath that one of them doesn't knock the other out! But that laughter brings me such joy.

T H R E E | I.G. Stories - If you follow me on IG you know that I recently upped my stories game. I had been super nervous to talk on stories/share things other than photos and with the encouragement of a lot of my favorite blogger friends and real life friends I did it. And it has been so much fun! I love all the sweet messages people keep sending me saying that they are enjoying it too. So, fear over come!

F O U R | Get aways with Patrick. I blogged about our trip to Savannah yesterday. Getting away with him no matter where we go always brings me such joy!

F I V E | Getting up and getting a workout in. I am not a morning person but I have tried hard a few mornings a week to get up and ride my peloton bike before anyone is up. It's so nice to be done for the day by 6:30. It truly brings me joy and starts off my day on the right foot!

*linking up with April, Katie, andrea and Beth

Our Trip To Savannah

2018-01-25T05:30:00.000-05:00

Last weekend Patrick and I headed south for a weekend away to celebrate our 6 year anniversary. The boys stayed with my FIL while we were gone. We packed up early Friday and left for the 5ish hour drive there.

We arrived about 2:00 and checked into our Inn. We stayed at The Presidents Quarters Inn. I had never stayed at a Bed&Breakfast but this one had come recommend to us from a friend. We had a great corner room. I loved the decor and the king bed was super comfy. The bathroom was spacious and very nice. Overall I was very pleased with the Inn and would stay there again and recommend it!

Once we settled into our room we decided to walk to down to the river and check out our surroundings. we were only about 5 minutes from the river so it was a short walk. We went in a few shops, got a piece of fudge from the cutest candy store and then headed back to our room to get ready for dinner.

We took a rickshaw to city market and had a drink at an outdoor bar before heading to dinner at Garibaldi. We both thought that the meal was so so. Patrick got the flounder which he didn't care for. I had lasagna which was good. The goat cheese balls on my salad were the best part! The atmosphere at the restaurant was great and Patrick really enjoyed his Old Fashioned before dinner. We had a great waiter who was a local and gave us some great ideas of places we needed to go.

After dinner we walked to a really cool bar called Alley Cat. They had an unbelievable selection of liquor.

We left there and walked over to LuLus chocolate bar for dessert. Patrick had a mocha brownie and I had a warm chocolate chip cookie with ice cream and a latte. We were both pretty full from dinner so we didn't eat much.

Saturday we woke up and had breakfast at the Inn. We had scheduled a trolley tour for that day so after breakfast we headed to do that. It was very informative and cool to get an overview of the historic district of Savannah. We got off and walked around Forsyth Park and then caught another trolley to finish the tour.

We had lunch at Treylor Park and I thought it was fabulous. It puts a crazy spin on traditional meals, like PB&J wings. I had an apple pie sandwich. It was fried chicken with baked apples, bacon and cheddar. Super yummy! I could tell at lunchtime Patrick really wasn't feeling well, he hardly touched his lunch so I suggested we go back to our room for a bit.

Patrick got a nap in and I did some reading. He seemed to perk up some after a rest so we walked down to Leopolds for an ice cream cone and then to walk around a bit. We walked through an old old cemetery and then to see St. Johns Cathedral. After this we called our awesome rickshaw driver from the night before and he came and gave us another tour. It was fun to get his perspective on things versus the Trolley Drivers.

We had dinner reservations at Vic's on the River that night. I thought Patrick had perked up but I knew as soon as we got to dinner that he wasn't feeling well again. As soon as our meal came he went pale and I knew it was time to go back to the room. I rushed to try and eat some of the yummy steak I had ordered and we got the check. Patrick was in bed asleep by 8:00.

We had reservations to do a ghost tour that night but cancelled it. I did some reading before also going to bed pretty early.

Thankfully he woke up Sunday morning feeling much better and we grabbed breakfast before hitting the road back to our babies!

Despite Patrick being hit with a little tummy bug we had a great time. It's always so nice to get away and relax and hit the reset button.

*linking up with Owen