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Christmas1
12.19.13

Our Favorite Toys! (2013)

Sharing a few favorite toys today!  Mostly because I am just now ordering a lot of our Christmas so toys are on my mind!  I thought this would be my year to get back on top of things and have everything Christmas related done by now, but apparently next year will be “the year”.  :)  A lot of odds and ends to finish the new house have kept me so busy this month so I’m doing most of my shopping on-line.  At the LAST minute.  Lovely!

I have to admit that while I love shopping for extended family and friends, these three are the most fun to surprise!  I love finding that perfect gift for each of them that I know will have them squealing Christmas morning.  TOO much fun.

This pic is from our family photoshoot last month and I adore Kole’s little face he pulls when we say “smile!”  Not quite his natural smile but at least it’s better than this…

 My little buddy gets as excited about family pictures as his daddy does.

:)

Time to share my kids’ favorite things!  Some of these toys we have and love and some of these things just may pop up Christmas morning!
 
MY GIRLS’ FAVORITE THINGS (ages 7 & 9)
1.  Goddess Girls  – My girls are so into these books.  They read them so fast we can’t keep them stocked!
2.  My Little Pony Equestria Girls DVD – Anything My Little Pony is adored around my house and this DVD has been played more times than I can count.  My Little Pony has come a long way since I was a little girl!  They’re like totally cool pre-teen ponies now.  Kinda sad!  But my girls love it.
3.  Justice jewelry –  Addie (who loves all things fashion) is a huge fan of Justice jewelry.  She especially loves “best friend” charms and usually gives the other half to her sister.  :)
4.  How to Draw Books – we gave several of these “How to Draw” books to the girls for Christmas last year and they have loved them!  They keep them busy for hours at a time and have really helped improve their art skills.
5.  Doll Robe – We pretty much love pj’s and robes more than life itself around here.  I figured it was time for the girls’ dolls to join the pj party!  Now that it gets dark so early we are usually all in pj’s by 5:00.  Kenny would argue that this happens regardless of how dark it is outside.
6.  Razor Scooter – My mom bought these for my girls and they’ve hardly been set down since!  One of our favorite toys HANDS DOWN.  They inspired my backyard bike/scooter path.  :)
7.  Rainbow Loom – Chances are if you have a daughter you’ve heard of Rainbow Loom!  Very popular gift this year.  It’s on Addison’s wish list!
8.  Thea Stilton – Another series of books my girls can’t read fast enough.  Darling stories.  They can’t wait for reading time when they are into a Thea Stilton book!
9.  Beenie Boos – Oh my word.  My girls are obsessed with them.  Have been for over a year.  Our growing collection is driving me crazy!  Of course they are asking Santa for one yet again!
10.  Karaoke System – Can’t wait to see my little singers on Christmas morning when they open this fun gift!  Should be a good time for the whole family.  As long as mom doesn’t steal the show.  ;)
11.  Panda fleece pj’s from Justice – My panda lover has had these pj’s from Justice for a while now and pretty much LIVES in them.  Not my favorite pair, but my El is so in love with them.  I couldn’t share her favorites and not include them!  Great gift if you have a panda lover in your life too.  :)
12.  Head Banz – My girls LOVE playing this game!  They play it with each other or invite friends over to join the fun.  Great gift for Elementary age kids.
13.  Guess Who – Another game my girls play non-stop.  I remember loving this game when I was their age too.
MY LITTLE BUDDY’S FAVORITE THINGS 
(age 3)

1.  Rudolph Memory Challenge – Getting this because we are obsessed with Rudolph around here and memory/matching games are always a hit with Kole.

2.  Pete The Cat Books – Kole LOVES Pete the Cat books.  He discovered them in preschool and they have become fast favorites.  Darling stories.

3.  Melissa and Doug Car Carrier – This was a Christmas present from last year that my little buddy  has played with over and over.  Wooden toys are the best and Melissa and Doug toys hold up so well.

4.  Go Away Big Green Monster – I think we’ve read this story over 4,629 times.  Or more.  We talk a lot about monsters at our house so I ordered this book for Kole last March for his birthday.  I had no clue he would love it as much as he does.  It’s a simple book that would be great for even a 1 or 2 year old.

5.  Maxbox Mega Rig Shark Adventure – I just ordered this because I know it will be a fun toy in and out of the tub!  Sharks rank right up there with monsters (basically anything scary that could “gobble you up” is a hit with Kole right now).  Plus I just thought the ship looked like fun.  Anything that encourages imaginative play is a good thing.

6.  Wooden Digger –  You can’t go wrong getting a digger or truck for a toddler boy!  I just bought the wooden digger from this set at Pottery Barn Kids because the wooden Melissa and Doug cars were such a hit last year.  A bit of a splurge for one truck, but all of the parts are so movable like a real digger.  Perfect for scooping pretend dirt!  Or even better – real dirt if mom’s in a good mood.

7.  Assorted Dinosaur Set – LOVE our dinosaur toys around here.  The gobble you up thing again.

8.  Go Away Monster Game – Kole has played this game in therapy and loves it so much.  I want to buy it for him but it looks like they aren’t making it anymore!?  I haven’t seen it for less than 50 bucks used.  Yikes!  Still working on this one…

9.  Plasma Car – All three of my kids have loved their plasma cars for years now!  I can’t recommend these enough.

10.  John Deer Tractor – K I haven’t ordered this yet but I’m dying to get it for Kole!  He would love it!  But I’ve already got several things for him for Christmas and I’ve found with kids (especially toddlers) that too much at once is just too much.  I love for my kids to really play with and enjoy each of their toys so I don’t like to give them too much at one time.  So one of you need to get it for your little boy.  It will make me feel better.  :)

11.  Zingo – Another favorite of Kole’s.  Zingo is just a fun way to play Bingo.  Toddler style.  If Kole has a willing playmate (thank you Ellie!) he’ll play this game all evening.

12.  Mindscope Neo Tracks – Kole has played with these at a friend’s house and loved them so much.  The tracks bend and flex and can be put together in so many different ways.  I know this will become a favorite!

13.  Jenga – Such a fun and simple game.  Kole loves it.  There is such a joy he finds in crashing things that I’ll never understand.  But if it makes him happy, it makes me happy.   :)

Hope this post gave you a few fun toy ideas if you’re still scrambling like me!  Like I said – next year.  Christmas cards will be ready to mail by September!  Gifts will be bought by October!  Decorating will be done in November!

Or not.

And just like every year during this crazy, busy month it will all eventually get done and work out.

:)
*affiliate links used
xoxo, Erin
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Christmas1
12.16.13

Favorite Things 2013!

Favorite Things 2013 baby!  This year Melissa at 320 Sycamore (love her and her blog) invited me to join her annual Favorite Things blog hop.  SO FUN!  So after you read all about my favorite things this year make sure to check out the next fun blog on the list!  All sorts of great gift ideas for those of you still doing some Holiday shopping!
Two of our all time favorite things at my house – books and pajamas.  :)  My mom bought Kole these fun pajamas that match one of his favorite books.

He loves them both so much!  He has been wearing the pj’s and wanting the dinosaur story every night since.  So I checked Amazon for more books and matching pajamas and found so many darling options!  My kids will definitely be seeing more matching books and pjs in their future.  :)

My two favorite cleaning supplies right now:  Bona for my wood floors and Meyer’s Lavendar spray for my countertops.  Love them both.  (Meyer’s has so many good scents – I’m just really enjoying Lavendar at the moment!)  A cute basket full of good cleaning supplies would make a great gift.  Especially for someone who doesn’t mind cleaning.  We do exist.  :)

 This stylish trellis pattern dish dryer mat makes me smile every time I use it!
Plus it folds up so nice when I’m not using it.  I couldn’t find the link for it, but you can find it at Bed Bath and Beyond.

I got the Epson LabelWorks Label Maker last Spring for my birthday.  My husband knows me well.  :)  I’ve only used it a few times to practice labeling, but come January I know the two of us will be inseparable.  I’m in love.  This is a fabulous gift for the organizer in your life!

I’ve shared this candle as a favorite before, but feel the need to mention it again because I just can’t imagine a better scent for this time of year.  It will fill your house with the smell of fresh pine and I have one burning round the clock come December!  In fact as you can see from this picture, I recently stocked up when they went on sale.  :)  The color and label on the candle change each year but the heavenly scent is always the same.  Bath and Body Works Fresh Balsam candle.  A long time favorite and one of my favorite gifts to give this time of year.

HGTV magazine has become one of my all-time favorite reads.  So many fun decorating ideas.  I find that by the time I’m done reading through an issue I’ve torn out half of the magazine!  A subscription to this fun read is on my Christmas list this year.  :)

While I haven’t been able to spend as much time scrapbooking as I would like to, Project Life albums and accessories still make my favorites list.  Now that our new house is finished I’m anxious to start catching up the kids’ albums.  Or at least attempt to anyway.  :)

 I’d be lost without my camera and my all time favorite lens is my 28 mm wide angel fixed lens.  It is my go-to lens 90% of the time.
My Nikes from Nordstroms are a favorite for sure.  These shoes come in so many fun colors and are a great reasonably priced running shoe.  Along with my label maker, I’ll also be seeing a lot of these shoes come January.  :)  While I attempt to work off the damage from our latest Christmas tradition – our hot chocolate station.  (Totally worth it though!!)

You all know I love nothing more than for things to be organized so organizers that help me make that possible are always a favorite of mine.  A lot of people want to organize their homes in January which is why I think organizers make great Christmas gifts!  {My desk calendar from Target and files and bins are some of my favorites!  You can see more in my “back to school organization” post and in my “oh the organizers” post.}
These fun “dream drawer” dividers are also favorites of mine.  I use them in SO many places to divide drawers and create more space.
 Enjoy hair straightener and Moroccan Oil are still my all time favorite hair products.  Perfect for getting your hair silky smooth!  You can see all of my favorite make-up here.
 And I can’t pass up a favorites post without including my all time favorite OXO clear containers.

I use mine in my pantry (just setting them up in the new pantry now!) but you can use them for so many different things.  Really fun gift idea.

One last current favorite of mine.  My girls have been busy making cards for EVERYONE we know.  Makes me smile seeing them around the tree.  And filling up every other nook and cranny throughout our house.  :)  Santa will need to bring some new paper and markers to replenish our stock!

You can check out more fun gift ideas in my Favorite Things Gift Ideas Round-up post.
You can also see past toy ideas here.
Soon I will be sharing more recent toy ideas for those of you who (like me) still have lots of shopping to do!
I love you Amazon Prime.
Happy Holiday Shopping everyone!
:)
(affiliate links used)
xoxo, Erin
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Christmas1
12.10.13

Our favorite Christmas Movies!

Christmas is in full swing at our house!  Decor is up (what little I’m doing this year), holiday music is playing, my favorite candle is burning, and thanks to our bright and cheery hot chocolate station, we are knocking it out of the park in the calorie category of the season as well!  Ha!  :)  (Kids will be fine, I however will be at the gym working off that new little tradition well into March or April at least!)  Another thing that ALWAYS goes hand in hand with Christmas at our house is movie nights filled with our favorite Christmas movies!  And sometimes movie afternoons and on weekends even movie mornings.  :)  Like many of you I’m sure, we have a fun collection going of favorite Christmas movies that we pull out every December.  The kids always get a new Christmas DVD on Christmas morning.  It’s fun for them to watch after they play with their new toys while Kenny and I doze on the couch in recovery mode.  I thought I’d share our collection with all of you in case you need some gift ideas.  Or just a quiet moment from the kids a little Christmas cheer on the TV this month.  :)
What’s Christmas without the classics?  I’ve had these since I was in highschool.  I remember earning money to buy them myself!  Some cartoons just never get old.  :)

Then after Kenny and I were married, my mom gave me this set as a Christmas gift.

The same movies – just in an ever so fancy carrying case.  I’m not ashamed to admit that I watch these with or without my children, although having the kids around makes me feel a little more legit.  But really, it just isn’t Christmas without a plastic looking Abominable Snow Monster.  Or without a cute toddler trying to pronounce “Abominable.”

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Frosty the Snowman and Frosty Returns

Christmas Classics – full gift set (all included)

If you have little girls, here are a four movies my girls have LOVED.  They loved them when they were 2 and 4 and at ages 7 and 9 they still love them and get excited to watch them every year.  Thank goodness.  It will be a sad day for me when they are too cool for the Barbie movies!

Barbie in A Christmas Carol

Barbie A Perfect Christmas 

Angelina Ballerina Nutcracker Sweet

Care Bears Nutcracker

Barbie in the Nutcracker  (Which isn’t photographed because it has been playing over and over in the playroom this week.  Lots of music and a “scary mouse King” so Kole loves this one too!) 

K these next two movies are a bit on the cheesy side, but my girls LOVE them.  Really fun for Elementary age kids who love dogs!

Santa Paws

Santa Buddies

We are also big fans of all of the Mickey Mouse Christmas movies.  So much fun for little ones.  Aside from “Mickey Saves Santa” (more for toddlers) my girls still love all of these too.

Classic Holiday Stories  (my personal favorite – I adore all 3 of the cartoons on this DVD)

Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas

Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas

Mickey Saves Santa

Mickey’s Magical Christmas Snowed in at the House of Mouse

Holiday Celebration with Mickey and Pals

These are a few other random favorites that the kids look forward to every year.
 
Alivin and the Chipmunks – A Chipmunk Christmas (we are HUGE fans of the Chipmunks and have been playing their CD since mid November)  :)
A few others Kenny and I look forward to.  “Elf” we’ve just seen once, but the other four we’ve been watching every December for years.  I love “Miracle on 34th Street” (this newer version and the original – I love old movies!).  And what’s Christmas without “It’s a Wonderful Life?”  BEST movie ever made.  I’ve usually seen this four or five times by the time Christmas rolls around.  It’s my favorite gift wrapping movie.  Kenny and I adore “The Family Man”.  We always call out to each other in random places “We have a house in Jersey!”  I know.  We’re dorks.  And while I think “Fred Claus” is a bit cheesy, it’s Kenny’s all time favorite.  I tease him for laughing so hard while he watches it each year but then at the end when all the elves watch the snow globe of families on Christmas morning I always cry!  Then he teases me.  :)
 
 
 
 
Nothing like a fun Christmas movie to put you in the mood for the holidays!  Then in January there’s nothing like a messy pile of Christmas movies to put you in the mood to organize!
:)
Do you and your family have a favorite Christmas movie that isn’t on my list?
*affiliate links used
xoxo, Erin
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Christmas1
12.09.13

Hot Chocolate Station

There are so many things to love about this time of year!  The holidays help remind us of all that we have.  It’s such a special time to think of others and to spend quality time with the people we love.  One way that I try to bring our family closer together during the holiday season is by setting up new family traditions.  I’ve found that the little things our family does together each year are the things that I cherish the most.  Nothing elaborate or fancy.  Cozy nights by the tree reading favorite Christmas books, an afternoon spent making our annual Christmas Pretzel Hugs for neighbors, or an evening spent driving around in pajamas looking at Christmas lights.  These are the moments that I look forward to and cherish each December.  
This December I decided that I wanted to set up a hot chocolate station in our house.  My kids all love hot chocolate (I’m a fan as well!) so I knew this would be a fun new tradition to start.  
It was so easy and fun to set up!  My butler’s pantry was a perfect spot in my house but this really could be done on any table.  I’m sure I’ll mix things up and move it around each year.    
I mostly used things I already had.  Mugs and bowls from past kitchen displays.  

I wanted to elevate the aqua pitcher a bit so I grabbed a baking pan and some red wrapping paper and that did the trick.  :)  I filled the pitcher with water but haven’t used it much because we’ve all decided we like our hot chocolate better with milk!  
I used these cute non-breakable cups and with lids and straws for the kids.  

Small glass bowls were perfect for the toppings.  If I was setting this up for a party I would have used bigger bowls but these small bowls have been just right for the kids.   My girls know that they can’t sneak into the treats throughout the day but I have had to set them up higher a time or two because of a certain 3 year old.  To be expected.  :)  
At our house we believe that one needs marshmallow options and that one can never have too much chocolate.  :)

I put the hot chocolate powder in a clear glass jar with a tablespoon in it so that we can easily measure portions.  2-3 scoops per mug!

Simple candy canes in another glass jar add a festive touch.

I’ve sprinkled these small poinsettias throughout my house this year and I’m loving them!  Having real plants that bring color and warmth is always a good thing.

I love coming around the corner of my kitchen and seeing a brightly colored hot chocolate station all set up and ready to go.

The rest of my shelves are still bare, but the kids and I don’t mind.  We are too busy sipping our hot cocoa to care.  :)

This has been so much fun.  Some days we’ve had a cup right after the girls get out of school.  We make our hot chocolate and sit down at the counter together and talk about how their day went.  Other days we’ve waited until evening when homework and baths and dinner are done.  A special treat we all enjoy together each day during the month of December.  Like I said, it’s the little things.  Simple family traditions.  Quiet time spent together that make this time of year so special.  That and lots of chocolate.  Chocolate makes everything special too.

:)

xoxo, Erin
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Christmas1
12.07.13

Past Christmas Posts (weekend reading)

I have to thank you all!  Such sweet comments and e-mails about my new kitchen!  Your kind words and encouragement mean so much to me.  It really has been so fun sharing our new home with all of you.  I feel so fortunate to have such wonderful people reading my blog!  I’ve loved getting to know some of you.
K.  Enough sap.  For now anyway.  :)  Is anyone else just a tad behind this year when it comes to Christmas?  Oh my word December snuck up fast!  I used to be so organized when it came to all of my holiday planning/shopping/decorating but this year is just like last year for me.  I’m feeling very unprepared.  The move and getting the house finished has occupied any extra time I’ve had.  But now time is running out!  Just over two weeks and Christmas is here!  You all know that every year I round up my past Christmas posts.  Everything from my Christmas wrap station, to decor ideas, to gift ideas, to how to organize your Christmas decor once it’s all said and done.  This year I’m posting this for me as much as I am for you!  I need a few reminders to get my act together.  :)  So here is some weekend reading if anyone else out there is in my boat and needs a little motivation and a few ideas before the 25th smacks us in the face!  




xoxo, Erin
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Home Decor
12.04.13

My new kitchen!

So excited to show you my new kitchen today!  {Squeal!}  Ok.  First I have to tell you that the reason you haven’t seen more of my kitchen is because it still isn’t finished yet.  There were a lot of loose ends with our cabinetry when we moved in and now that all of that is finally wrapped up I have painters in my house for the next two weeks doing touch up work.  I could seriously write 100 posts on this kitchen alone.  All of the decisions made in the planning stages, all of the sources for appliances, sinks, fixtures, hardware, paint, and of course loads of posts about what’s going on inside the cabinets – the magic details that are helping me to keep things organized.  FUN stuff.  I could also tell you exactly how many hours of planning went into this kitchen along with how much sleep I lost over this kitchen (more than I want to remember!).  But for now this post is just a picture dump of what my kitchen looks like.  I’m so excited to show you!  Are you ready?  Me too!  :)

I’ve been dreaming up this white kitchen in my head for years!  I know this look isn’t everyone’s taste, but like my house, it is a combination of everything I love.  It seems surreal to finally have it finished.  We still don’t have a light over the kitchen sink (ordered that yesterday) and these barstools are temporary.  I bought them before I decided to paint my islands grey and now it’s a bit too much grey!  I have new kitchen barstools on the way and these grey barstools are going to go in my office.  

I ended up going with double islands and I’m so glad I did.  One acts as a prep area and the other a serving area.  I love that my kids can spread out their homework and snacks away from where I’m making the food.  I tend to be messy when I cook!  Probably a lot of the reason I don’t enjoy it much.  :)
Carrara marble subway tiles for the backsplash.  I know marble countertops on my islands would have looked so good!  But I just couldn’t go there.  I’m so happy with my quartz.

 My oven hood went through multiple transformations.  It was hard for me to explain exactly how I wanted it!  So happy with the end result.  I’m excited to find something fun to display on the shelf.

We have our old dining room table in the nook and I’m looking for a replacement for that too.  This table has been great – we’ve had it for years – but the kids have beat it to death! 
The ceiling treatments were so fun for me to design.  I just ordered the light fixture for this space yesterday too.  I was so overwhelmed with the new house towards the end of building that I waited on a few light decisions until I had more time.  Plus it helped to live in the space for a bit to decide what would work best.  

This side nook was one of the first things I told our architect I wanted when we sat down to plan the house.  In our last house our dining table was in between the kitchen and family room.  It was a tight space and we were always bumping into the table and chairs.  I wanted the table off to the side so that it was out of the way of the kitchen/family room traffic flow.

I originally had a banquette here – built-in bench seats but then decided to take them out.  I think they’re so fun!  But I didn’t want everyone to have to slide in and out for one person to get in and once we decided to put french doors on the right side of the nook instead of a window I thought a table and chairs would work better.

When we entertain outside we can open these doors and have food spread out on the table.  

I always pictured a round table in this spot, but after we put our old temporary table in we started thinking a rectangle table might work better after all.  I’m excited to find a fun rug for this space to cozy it up!

 I decided to make our kitchen counter and cabinets wrap around and into the nook.  Creates some extra storage and it will be a fun space for a pop of decor.  I adore the three little drawers in the middle.  :)  Perfect for random things like napkins.

 If you look back to the far left of my kitchen you’ll see one of my favorite parts!  

This is the butler’s pantry.  It connects my pantry (on the right) and the formal dining room (on the left). I love this space!  I had so many ideas for it that I had a hard time choosing how it should look.  Originally it was just closed glass shelves.  But then I decided to go with open shelving.  And of course in my opinion everything is more fun with some wide planks behind it.  :)  I’m also a huge fan of corbels (they are on the outside of the house too) so I added some under the shelves.

The bottom section is just cupboards and drawers for more storage.  You can see our pantry door to the right.  Pantry is a post for another day!

I’m so excited to decorate these shelves!  I haven’t had time yet, but I know they will be a fun place to bring some color into the kitchen.  Want to see one more thing I did that makes this my favorite spot?  
 Lights inside the shelves!  It looks so pretty at night all lit up.

I will share more details soon!  Most likely in January when the paint work and Christmas are behind us.  SO so excited and grateful for my kitchen.  I know we will enjoy many happy years in this space.  I wish I could have you all over!  It would motivate me to use my new ovens.  

They intimidate me just a bit.

:)

xoxo, Erin
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Uncategorized
12.02.13

Thanksgiving re-cap

Sharing a few pics I took from our Thanksgiving vacation because it’s a lot more fun than unpacking and cleaning which is what I should be doing right now.  :)  We went to Utah.  I love going to my mom’s for Thanksgiving.  Lots of family and fall leaves and no stress about being in charge of the meal.  I can just be a helper.   I’ve found I’m a much better “helper” when it comes to cooking. 

I was a good helper raking leaves this year too.  We don’t rake leaves in San Diego so this is actually fun for us.  

Although I use the term “helper” very loosely.   

 We’d rake a few leaves and then instead of hauling them in the wagon the kids started giving each other rides in the wagon.

And of course I had to take a break to take pictures of them.  My dad came out in the yard to see how things were going and just shook his head.  What would he do without us?  :)

This was a nice attempt to take a picture of all of us roasting marshmallows over the fire pit.  Kids were playing in the leaves.  I took this and then decided I needed a different lens and my tripod.  Then I also quickly decided that I’d rather just eat some chocolate and stay warm by the fire instead of going to all that work.  So this is the beautiful picture I’m left with.  Photography is not for the lazy.  
My girls had a blast with their cousins.  
We tried out a few new hair styles.  

My girls sang and my niece played her violin for a little impromptu performance for some friends of my mom’s.  My girls have such pretty voices.  They did not get this from me.  But I do sing a lot.  While I clean.  When I drive.  So I’m taking credit.

I took the kids on a little run after Thanksgiving dinner to burn off some of their endless energy.  
All of the adults were thinking it was so great of me to do this but really it was just my secret way of getting out of doing the dishes.  I’m tricky like that.  

 And we spent LOADS of time drooling over this little guy.  Oh my word.  My nephew Finn is the CUTEST.  And getting so big.  I think I held him for a total of 268 hours.  Or more.

I bought him the little outfit he has on.  I feel it’s my duty as his favorite Aunt (sorry Carly – you know it’s true) to keep him looking stylish at all occasions.  The two of us are tight.  I know he misses me right now.  I sure miss him.

Back to unpacking and cleaning.  Bummer!
Or maybe instead of cleaning my new kitchen I’ll edit the pics I took of it.  
And post them tomorrow.  
WAY more fun.
Hope you enjoyed the holiday too!  And are being much more productive than I am today.

Wouldn’t take much. 

:)
xoxo, Erin
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Uncategorized
12.01.13

Happy December!

I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving!
We are traveling home after a fun week with family but I wanted to pop in to say hi.  
(me & my sister)
And to share my all time favorite Christmas picture that I post every year.  
Because it’s tradition.
And because it’s my all time favorite Christmas picture.  
Did I already say that? 
Happy December friends!   
:)
xoxo, Erin
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Uncategorized
11.28.13

Happy Thanksgiving


Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  So grateful for all of you this year.  Hope you are enjoying the day with the ones you love.  And eating as much as we are.  :)
xx
Erin

xoxo, Erin
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Favorite Things
11.27.13

A few of my FAVORITE THINGS (re-cap)

Is everyone thawing the turkey?  Preparing for a cozy holiday at home?  Packing to travel?  Gearing up for pj’s and football?  Or for braving the crowds on Black Friday?  Thanksgiving is the best.  A time to be with family and reflect on all we have with the anticipation of December and Christmas right around the corner.  I’m SO excited to spend some time with my family!  Many of you have been asking if I’m posting my favorite things this December.  My friend isn’t having her annual Favorite Things party this year (like me she just built a home and moved – totally get why throwing a party right now would be a bit much!).  But I will definitely be sharing some of my favorite things for gift ideas like I have done in the past.  So fun!  For now, I’ve rounded up all of my past Favorite Things posts.  Click on each link below for LOADS of great gift ideas to get you started on your holiday shopping!  After the turkey of course.  :)

ENJOY!









xoxo, Erin
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Christmas1
11.26.13

Favorite Holiday Books

I thought it would be fun to share some of our favorite holiday books today!  I’ve shared them before, but I love them so much they’re worth sharing twice.  :)  Reading Thanksgiving and Christmas books with my kids is definitely one of my favorite parts of this season.  They get so excited when I pull them out every year.  I get excited too!  Nothing better than snuggling with my kids in bed and reading a fun book together.  It’s part of our nightly routine and one of my favorite parts of the day.  This time of year reading together feels especially special.  Hmm.  Especially special.  Did I just say that?  I like it.  :)  Holiday books also make great gifts this time of year!
Thanks for Thanksgiving is our all time favorite Thanksgiving book.  Kole and I have been reading this every night all month.  He loves it.  It’s a great book to start a fun discussion about all we are grateful for.
Love this book’s simplicity and gorgeous illustrations.
I’ve been thinking about a fun way to display our Christmas books in the new house.  In my previous house I always put them in a basket in front of the fireplace.  I always think about wrapping them individually each year (a fun idea I’ve seen on several blogs) so my kids can open one to read each night.  But then I think about how much time (and wrapping paper!) that will take and I never do it.  Much easier to toss them all in a basket!  :)  These have been our all time favorites for years!


Fancy Nancy – Splendiferous Christmas written by Jane O’ Connor – if you have little girls I’m sure you know all about Fancy Nancy! This Christmas book is just as “fancy” and fun as the rest of the series.

Olivia Helps with Christmas written by Ian Falconer – I LOVE the Olivia books. They are hilarious! Olivia the pig is a crack up and these books are humorous for kids and for adults.

The Elf on the Shelf written by Carol V. Aebersold and Chanda A. Bell – This is the book that came with our Elf and was our new Christmas book and tradition we started several years ago. Some of you asked where you can get the elf. Aside from the North Pole, I have also seen him hanging out at Barnes and Noble, Hallmark and Pottery Barn Kids. :)

Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect written by Richard H. Schneider – One of my all time favorites. This story really illustrates Christs’ love for all of us and the true meaning of Christmas. I tear up at the end every time I read it and have to explain to my girls that I’m not sad – my tears are happy tears.

Santa Mouse written by Michael Brown – favorite Christmas book from my childhood. Santa Mouse is Santa’s tiny helper and he too visits each house on Christmas Eve. The story ends saying “And so this Christmas, if you please, beneath the tree that’s in your house, why don’t you leave a piece of cheese? You know who’ll thank you? Santa Mouse!” We always left cheese out for Santa Mouse with Santa’s cookies and milk when I was a little girl. Now my little ones do the same.

(cookies and cheese from Christmas 2009 along with letters and pictures for Santa)

A Christmas Dress for Ellen retold by Thomas S. Monson – a gift from my mom. We especially love this book because it reminds us of my grandma Ellen who Ellie was named after. The illustrations are beautiful.

I Believe In Santa Claus written by Diane G. Adamson – I gave this book as a gift to friends and neighbors a few years ago. It’s a special story that shows similarities between Santa and Jesus (he wears red, he loves little children, he wants us to be good, etc.) It’s so simple and shares such a powerful message. I love it and it is now the book we read each Christmas Eve.

The Tale of Three Trees retold by Angela Elwell Hunt – Another special book that illustrates God’s love.

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey written by Susan Wojciechowski – darling story – it’s a bit long though so I always just tell it to my girls instead of reading it. :)

Christmas Oranges retold by Linda Bethers – same as above – darling story that is a bit long to read so I summarize. Another book with beautiful illustrations.


Frosty the Snowman retold by Annie North Bedford – gotta have the classics!

Rudolph Look and Find – my girls LOVE hidden picture books and we are total suckers for anything Rudolph.

Merry Christmas Big Hungry Bear! written by Don and Audrey Wood – This book is just as fun as the original The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear. One of my girls’ favorites!

The Night Before Christmas – one by Jan Brett and one by Mary Engelbreit – We have two versions because I love the illustrations in both of these!


Favorite Christmas Stories – Rand McNally & Company – another fun book from my childhood.

Look Alikes Christmas by Joan Steiner – hidden pictures – my girls love hidden picture books and the illustrations in this are so colorful and fun.

Dick and Jane A Christmas Story – Ellie’s loves this book because she can read it herself. :)

Bear Stays Up for Christmas written by Karma Wilson – a cute rhyming story that is my little Addison’s favorite.

Santa Mouse Where Are You? Part two of the original Santa Mouse.

And then just a few of the classics. We love little golden book stories and we are huge fans of Mercer Mayer’s Little Critter books.

The Story of Christmas by Patricia A. Pingry – a little board book that does a great job explaining the reason we celebrate Christmas.

Those are some of the books we love and are enjoying this time of year!  Do your kids have a favorite holiday book I need to add to our list?  Do tell!

Happy Reading everyone!
*affiliate links used
xoxo, Erin
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Home Decor
11.22.13

The Playroom

Happy Friday everyone!  Thanksgiving is right around the corner!  This post has nothing to do with that.  But so exciting that Thanksgiving is right around the corner!  :)    Sharing a few pics of my new playroom today.  In our previous house we had a small office/landing over the stairs that we added onto and converted into a playroom for the kids. 

It wasn’t a large space, but it quickly became our favorite room in the house.  
A fun place to lounge on the couch.  A place to store all of the kids’ toys.  
A place to display artwork and pictures.   
 A place to watch the classics.  

And of course… a place to enjoy a nice hot cup of tea.  With a pig and a bear and a bunny.  
And some ice cream on the side.
I took pics of the new playroom a few days before we moved in.  Now we have furniture in the room and toys are EVERYWHERE so I need to clean it up a bit and take some more recent pics.  Or maybe I’ll take some scary pics and show it as is.  Even better.  :)  But first let’s look at a nice clean slate!

We put wood floors in our upstairs hallway.  

But decided on carpet for the playroom.  I wanted it to feel really comfy and inviting.  I chose a grey, short carpet for this space.  I didn’t want anything too shaggy for two reasons.  I want to eventually put a fun, colorful rug in this space (rugs work great on short carpet!) and also because my kids play on the floor so much.  I needed carpet that Thomas the Train wouldn’t get stuck in and that Polly Pockets wouldn’t get lost in.  :)

When you walk in you see another door on the other side of the room (post on that space later) and wainscoting along the wall.

These are actually huge pull out drawers!  I need to take more recent pics.  They have hardware on them now.  More on how I’m utilizing those babies later!

On the opposite wall are two windows and a TV.  For the classics.  :)  

But my favorite part of this room is to the left of the TV.

See that?
Let’s take a closer look…

TOY STORAGE!  I can’t begin to tell you the joy this closet brings me.  (This is not organized yet and only a fraction of our toys – I started bringing a few over the week before we moved.)  During the framing stage I started thinking about our current playroom (the pink one).  And how my least favorite thing about it was that there wasn’t enough toy storage.  I called my architect and told him I needed some storage in the playroom quick before it was all framed out and too late!  We talked about built-ins around the TV but I knew that wouldn’t be enough.  I said “what about a big closet?  With just open shelves for games and bins?”  My architect moved things around a bit and said he could take some space out of the upstairs laundry room to make it happen (the laundry room is on the other side of the playroom).  I said perfect!  Do it!  So the laundry room shrunk a bit and we designed a simple closet for the playroom.  
I decided to put accordion style doors on this closet because the rest of the doors in my house are big and heavy and I knew these would be open most of the time anyway.  This solution was perfect!  Like I said, most of the time the doors are open but if we want to close it to hide the mess we can.  Although I don’t plan on this closet becoming too messy.  Just give me some bins, labels and an hour to myself.  I’ll have it whipped into shaped in no time.  :)

This closet is stuffed to the brim now but it was nice for a few days to enjoy some empty shelves.

 I need to do another toy purge before Christmas.  Preferably when my girls aren’t around to tell me that EVERY doll and stuffed animal is their absolute favorite and they will be devastated without them.  
Really?  Even the purple teddy beat that has sat untouched under the bed for two years that you wouldn’t have known was gone?  He’s your all time favorite too huh?  

Nothing like a blank space to decorate and organize.  Oh the possibilities! 
I think I’m going to have more fun in this space than the kids.  
:)  
xoxo, Erin
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