*affiliate links used

Happy Sunday!  Quick post today with a little weekend catch up!  A few random pics of a few random things going on around here. :)  I keep meaning to share this earring ladder jewelry stand I got for Christmas because I’m in love with it for earrings!

I hinted to Kenny that I wanted it and he accidentally bought me this medium earring ladder.  Beautiful, but it doesn’t have the little holes for earring that don’t have hooks on the back.  I ordered the ladder I wanted and took the other one back but thought I’d share both options.

I still use my little bowls to organize hoops, studs and smaller earrings, but I love having the ladder stand for my long earrings.

You can see more details on my jewelry organization HERE.

{Stetson Table Lamp}

I ordered two of these grey table lamps in October and they finally arrived!  They were backordered so long I almost forgot about them completely.  Such a happy surprise when they showed up on my front door!  Lousy cell pic right after I opened them and hadn’t even taken the plastic off of the drum!  I’m still trying to figure out where to put them because they look good in several places.  Thought I’d share in case anyone is looking for some good lamps!  They were a bit of a splurge but are gorgeous in person.  Backordered again though!  I’m obviously not the only person who is smitten with them. :)

A recent hike to the beach.

Love these three. :)

{Time Marker Water Bottle}

Getting exercise hasn’t been a problem around here because with everything still semi shut down and my girls doing school from home we make an effort to get outside and move every day.  Drinking my water is another story!  It’s so hard for me!  I bought this water bottle at the beginning of the year and it has been helping.  I don’t necessarily stick with the time slots on it, but just seeing them is a constant reminder to keep drinking water.  I also like this water bottle because it fits in my car – easy to grab and go! I’ve found I do best with my water goal when I get up and exercise first thing in the morning.  I drink one full bottle then and it starts my day off on track and is easier to get my ounces in.  When I don’t exercise first thing I don’t drink much in the morning and then by late afternoon I’m really craving a Coke Zero and usually cave and bag the water!  I want so badly to make the water drinking a habit that just happens without thinking about it but so far.. I’m still thinking about it. :)

{Chunky Wool Jute Rug}

Speaking of Coke Zero.. ha.  This is why I never have a lot of coffee table decor!  One small tray and a few items in the corner and then I always leave the rest of the table empty because this is what it looks like every night.  Coke Zero and pretzels are staples.  Always some sort of math/homework on a clip board.  Ad got The Hunger Games trilogy for Christmas and read them so fast.  Then we had fun watching the movies together.  Kole has been into Narnia.  I’m reading Shea’s book and always have my planner and a stack of papers I’m carrying around with me.  I came across this pic on my phone from January and it made me smile because it’s so us right now.  :)

I also found this pic on my phone that perfectly sums up Kole right now.  He goes to school in person, but the week after a vacation they always have the kids do on-line school.  His beloved checkered robe, retainer case, space water bottle, organized school supplies because he likes to keep things neat like his mom.  Funny how one picture can tell so much about a person.  Age 10 for my sweet boy. :)

He finished reading Hatchet in school and had to build a hut.  We used pretzels (of course) and he said it was a hit because it was the only hut made out of food.  Ha.

{Jeans/Crossbody Bag/Black Masks}

One thing I will always remember about this time (and be grateful for) is spending so much time with my girls.  We eat lunch together every day and then we take a break every afternoon when they get out of school and go on a little drive.  Usually just to get some groceries or we make a Starbucks run or we just run to pick up Kole from school.  A lot of times Ellie drives us (still so crazy to me that she is driving!).  Ad lives for her pink drinks and does chores and babysits to earn money for them. Remember the cute little crossbody bags I got them for Christmas?  Huge hit. :)

The Super Bowl is here!  Always an exciting day for my husband.  We’re just having a family day so I’m going to make some treats to make it more fun for me and the kids since none of us care too much about the actual game.  These pics are so old!  From a blog post YEARS ago (anyone remember?) :) but I’m sharing them because they are simple game day snacks that everyone loves!  The football cheese and cracker platter is always my favorite.

And of course you can’t go wrong with chip dip on game day.  This 6 layer refried bean dip never lasts long at our house!

I recently shared my skin care routine and some favorite products and just realized they are all 15% off this weekend!  This discovery collection is on sale for such a good price and is a great way to try out a lot of the best selling products to see how well they work for you.  Would be a fun Valentine’s Day gift for a friend/family too!

Also the extreme recovery cream is on major markdown and is the best moisturizer I’ve ever used!  So lightweight, smells amazing and is incredible for dry skin.

Ok guys.. last but not least.. we’ve made some progress in Addison’s bedroom!  Here is her main bedroom wall before.. and (drumroll please) here is the wall today..

Ta-da!  We’re so excited about how it turned out!  We need to paint still of course, but we are both IN LOVE with this simple molding!  We really debated what look to go with (thought about everything from wallpaper to herringbone shiplap) and at the end of the day Ad just kept wanting something more simple.  She loves our guest room wall with the grid so I sketched out this which has a similar feel and she loved it.  It pretty much looks like the molding all throughout our house so at least we’re consistent!  Ha.  I can already see it with a new headboard and paint and something fun on the wall above her bed.  Can’t wait!

Now we’ve checked off her desk area, organized her closet and finished the wall molding.  Time to paint and decorate!  I’m excited to start looking on-line for a cute rug.

And now you’re not only caught up on what’s been going on around here, but you also know what I’ll be doing while I’m munching on cheese and crackers and “watching” the Super Bowl.

;)

{POST SOURCES}

*affiliate links used

Happy February!  I’m sharing a few Valentine’s decor ideas and other recent loves today!  Last year I went all out with Valentine’s decor but honestly I’ve had a harder time getting into it this year.

I decorated the powder bathroom..

{faux pink peonies/gold vase/scalloped cake stand options here/here/here}

and added some fun touches to my kitchen, but other than that I’m just kind of ready to move on to Spring!  Although last year I wasn’t really feeling Valentine’s Day decor either until about Feb. 5th.  Then on a whim I decided it was the best holiday ever and added hearts to EVERY ROOM in our house.  Ha.  I’m tricky like that.

Here’s a few ideas from last year if you are feeling the love and want to add hearts to EVERY ROOM in your house too!

{be mine banner/kitchen rugs}

{Details on how we made the heart tissue banner HERE}

I mentioned a little styling tip last year when I shared this festive shelf!

If you aren’t quite ready to put away your Christmas trees, toss some heart banners on them, add a cute mat and call it a Valentine’s Day porch!  This took me a whole 15 minutes last year and we loved it so much I’m doing it again. :)  You can find lots of great options for heart banners HERE.  I combined two to make the banner across my door.

Our cute winter coats and boots are in stock!  Ad and I love them!  If we’re lucky we’ll get to wear them more than twice this year, but we aren’t holding our breath.

I added this simple banner to our mudroom lockers.  They would be so cute hanging down any door or even in a window!

You can also just add single hearts to a door and write love notes to each other on them.  Always a favorite activity at our house.  I’ve saved all of these love note hearts through the years in my kids’ keepsake boxes. :)

Here’s a couple of simple Valentine’s Day tablescapes!

{similar red dishes/wood chargers/gold flatware/striped napkins/tea light candle holder/hyannis lanterns/glasses}

{favorite wool jute rug/navy sideboard table/wood dining chairs/similar end chair/brass taper candle holders/Sunken Treasure Framed Canvas/similar black pendants}

This is one of our favorite February treats.  Really we love this all year and just switch out the m&m colors depending on the holiday.

Because I’m tricky like that.

I haven’t taken pics of my family room this year but I thought I’d share how it was looking last February.  Lots of pinks and blues!

You can see more pics and all family room sources in this post.

And this has nothing to do with Valentine’s Day but since I’m beyond in love with these sweats I had to mention them again!  I shared the pants not long ago in this post but got the matching sweatshirt in the mail and seriously.. this outfit is heaven on earth!  The softest material!  Such a flattering fit!  I immediately bought the same set in black after the sweatshirt came.  They are almost sold out at Nordstrom but I also found them HERE and HERE.  Seriously don’t hesitate if you are looking for comfy sweats!  You can thank me when you put them on. :)

–

Below are a few other favorites that are on sale!

1 – cowl neck sweater   2 – genuine shearling boot   3 – knit structured tunic 

4 – hadley pendant necklace  5 – wide leg jumpsuit

I ordered the cowl neck sweater (in green of course!) and the black jumpsuit is so cute!

I have it in navy and love it.

1 – wood snowflake wall art   2 – cambria handcrafted dinnerware  3 – large serving bowl 

4 – cable knit throws  5 – faye wall hanging

A few fun things for your home on sale too.  Number one didn’t show up very well so click over to see it.  I’m tempted to get it for the holidays next year!  I have the dishes and bowl (#2 & #3) and use them daily.  Also such a great deal on PB cable knit throws!

Also ignore the title “Weekend Sales.”  I was planning on this post going up Sunday and hello.. it didn’t make an appearance until Wednesday.

I’m tricky like that too.

;)

*this post is sponsored by Walmart and affiliate links are used. All product selections and opinions are my own!

{similar bedding}

I have so many home projects on my list for this year and priority #1 at the top of my list is Addison’s bedroom!  We had it decorated so cute for Christmas and I ran out of time and didn’t get to share it.  Blog story of my life. ;)  We finished building and moved into our home over 7 years ago which is so hard to believe!  Addison was 7 years old when we moved in and she wanted a pink bed with blue walls. :)  Her blue and pink bedroom has served us well, but she is now 14 years old and ready for a change!  Time for a more grown up look for my sweet teen.  Her favorite color is still blue, but she wants blue accents instead of blue walls and she is very much over the color pink.  So.. time for a bedroom makeover!  We have a general idea/direction for this room and will be taking it one step at a time.  I will share progress as we go.. we are off to a good start!

I took this pic on her first day of school this year.  My girls have been doing school from home in their bedrooms since March and I have to say that I have strong love/hate relationship with the whole situation!  I could write an entire blog post about just that so I’ll move on for now, but let me just say that when I put desks in their bedrooms I had NO idea they would get the kind of use they are getting!  Because she spends so much time each day in this little corner we decided to tackle it first.  I originally had my carpenter make the desks for my girls’ bedrooms because I couldn’t find desks that fit in the small corner of their bedrooms.  They both have little corners I wanted to use for desks but regular sized desks wouldn’t fit.  Addison really wanted a white desk so I was planning on just painting her pink desk white and then a few weeks ago it broke!  Ha.  That bottom piece between the legs came off!  An easy fix, but I decided it was a sign so I pulled up my computer to see if I could find a white desk.

{parsons desk/plush velvet office chair/gold table lamp/gold pencil holder}

I honestly jumped for joy when I came across this white desk from Walmart!  It’s simple with clean lines, was a great price and the best part.. it was JUST the right size!  I kept searching and also found her a more comfortable chair and a cute little desk lamp.  Walmart for the win!  They always have great options for kids’ spaces!  (Check out Kole’s organized bedroom and closet for more ideas too!)

This fun snowflake art has been up in her room since November. :)  We are going to switch it out for something else in the Spring OR when we re-paint.. whichever comes sooner!

Isn’t this the cutest little gold lamp!?  I didn’t want anything that would take up a lot of room and this small lamp packs a lot of style.

She loves her new plush chair!  So much more comfortable than what she has been using and it will be fun to bring more gold into this space.

I have a fun way to hide that black lamp cord that I’ll share too, but I’m going to wait until after we paint the walls.  We are off to a good start with a new desk space!

Absolutely perfect for this little corner.  Below are other desks I saw and loved!  They are too big for this space but would be beautiful in a bedroom with a little more room than we have for a desk!

Next up for her room was to get it clean!  Addison always keeps her room clean, but her closet is another story.  Ha.  It was looking pretty rough and I knew we needed to clean it out but I had been putting it off!  When kids’ closets get really bad they usually need some help because it’s so overwhelming for them to even know where/how to start.

I always start by pulling every single thing out other than the clothes.  I’m always surprised just how much can fit in kids’ closets!  I had Addison start going through books and told her to just keep the books she really loves or wants to read again.  Time to pass the rest on to someone else to enjoy!  While she sorted books I took some soapy water and cleaned off all of her shelves and closet rods.  We cleaned and sorted and purged for hours!  All of the random stuff first and then we moved on to clothes.

About 4 months ago I also installed these silver hooks in her closet!  The white wood was already there and I knew it would give us some vertical storage.  After we had gone through everything in her closet (and made many Goodwill piles) it was time to put it all back!  My forever favorite part of the organizing process. :)

Ready to see the after?  We honestly got rid of SO much!  It just feels CLEAN.. the best!  We have absolutely nothing on these top shelves.  I added these cute blue storage bins (I also have them in navy in Kole’s closet) for anything she wants to store in the future so her shelves don’t look like they are full of clutter again.

Then we were ruthless when we went though her clothes!  We only kept what she really loves/wears.  Dresses are on the far left with the few books she kept on the shelf on the top.  We also have her yearbooks on that shelf.

Then we hung jackets/robes on the left top and sweaters/long sleeved tops on the bottom.

On the top right we hung all of her hoodies and on the bottom we hung tanks/short sleeved tops.  I always just go from lights to darks when I’m organizing clothes in closets.  The drawers are organized too with all of her pjs, exercise clothes, skirts, socks, etc.

{natural seagrass and rope baskets/woven storage baskets}

Then we tackled the open shelves and I’m so excited about how this wall turned out!  I used these natural seagrass and rope baskets (2 large on the bottom and 4 medium above them) on her shelves.  One of the large baskets on the bottom is her laundry hamper and the other one holds all of her Bearded Dragon supplies (we have one pretty pampered lizard at our house). ;)  The other baskets hold seasonal items like Christmas pjs and all of her swimsuits  They also hold things like sewing items, etc.  Stuff she wants to keep but doesn’t use all the time.  We also put 4 of these cute woven storage baskets on the top shelves and they hold keepsakes and other miscellaneous items.

The hooks are fabulous and I can’t believe I didn’t think to add them sooner!

Her purses are on the top.

We are using the bottom hooks for accessories – things like scarves, belts, masks, ribbons, etc.  We gave so much away that she doesn’t have too many accessories at the moment!  These would also work great for necklaces/jewelry.

I’m so happy to have her closet organized!  Feels so good!  We both just keep going inside and staring at it.. ha!  I know it will be easy for her to keep clean now that we set up a better storage system for her.

Her desk area and closet were at the top of my list of to-dos for her bedroom and I’m so happy to have them checked off!

Stay tuned for what’s coming next in her bedroom.  I’ll give you a hint.. it involves my carpenter and BFF Chuck! :)

{SOURCES}

*affiliate links used

{faux pink peonies/gold vase/scalloped cake stand options here/here/here}

Happy Monday!  It’s a new week and we are getting so much rain!  I’m thrilled.  We need it so badly.  I don’t even mind the gloomy clouds.  My pink peonies in the kitchen are cheering me up immensely.  So is this gorgeous gold vase!  Fun little Valentine’s Day touches. :)

{woven tray/eucalyptus wire wreath/white marble & wood round board/marble & wood small board/large rectangle board/marble & gold tray/gold mirror}

I really haven’t done too much decorating since Christmas because I’ve been working on getting certain spaces organized.  I did spruce up my kitchen though.. just a few little things!

{woven tray}

Picked up this beautiful woven basket/tray for fruit.

{faux eucalyptus wreath}

Also added this cute little eucalyptus wreath because I was missing the greenery from the wreath I had hanging here through the holidays.  Just the touch of green I was craving. :)

Have you made a Target run yet this year?  Or two or twenty?  I feel like they have had so many cute home items lately!  That store is downright dangerous.

1 landscape framed wall art   2 woven seagrass basket  3 resin table lamp

4 braided basket  5 round wood and wire tray  6 faux eucalyptus wire wreath

7 seagrass woven tray   8 dark gray striped napkins   9 braided straw basket  

10 magnolia bath towels   11 stripe throw pillow  12 decorative ladder

13 wood & steel accent bench  14 woven seagrass basket with handles  15 marble box 

I rounded up a few favorites after my last trip.  So many great baskets for organizing and fun accessories!

Then the next week the new Studio Mcgee items came out and I wanted to snatch up one of everything!  Seriously so many beautiful home items at great prices!  My friend bought several of the pillows, this beautiful vase and this cute plaid rug for her living room so I snapped a pic to share.. looks so good!  Below are my other favorites from the new collection.  Some of the items have sold out, but you can add your email and get a notification when/if they come back in stock.

{multi stripe bath towels}

These cute striped towels I’m using in my powder bathroom were part of my last Target haul!  Also we’ve been using this set of towels in our master bathroom (I shared them in December in my self care post) and really love them.  They wash well and are so comfy and absorbent (I hate towels that don’t absorb water well!).  I ordered another set for us and one for my girls bathroom too.  I love finding good towels that don’t cost too much because I like to use them for about a year and then get a new set.

Last time I went to Target I asked Kenny if he wanted to come with me to pick up a baby gift for a friend.  Of course I walked in the store and headed straight to the planner/school supply section.  Then I wandered into the home decor section.  Kenny was like “what are you doing.. why are you looking at that.. that’s not a baby gift.. do you really need another notepad and basket.. how much longer are you going to be!?”  Ahhh!  Just let me enjoy my Target run browsing and buying ALL thing things!  Ha ha.  What a rookie mistake asking him to come along!  Won’t happen again.  Luckily a client called him for work and he had to step aside to talk so I was able to enjoy some me time in the store and pick up all sorts of fun things that weren’t on my list.  #saved

{chunky wool jute rug/everygirl planner/sugar paper products}

Always fun picking up a cute new planner, notepad and binder for the year.  Just never gets old to me!  Plus I plan better and am more productive with cute supplies.  Anyone else?  :)  I’ve always really liked the simplicity of the everygirl planners/notepads and sugar paper products.  More than anything I just need a good to-do list!

1 booty resistance bands  2 12 week fit journal  3 precise fine point pens 

4 cards and stationary   5 exercise yoga mat  6  8lbs dumbbell  / 5lbs dumbbell / 3lbs dumbbell

7 everygirl planner  8 resistance bands   9 dry erase calendar

Target also has the cutest gold dumbbells and fitness accessories if you are working on health/fitness more this year.  I’m debating buying those gold dumbbells!  If I plan better with a cute planner would I lift weights better/more with cute dumbbells?  Seems like a question I need to explore. ;)

Of course if you don’t want to buy anything I have all sorts of fun, free planning pages in my printable library!  I’ve updated my calendar pages for the year and they come with monthly to-do pages.

This is a favorite printable I fill out every January.  I always feel overwhelmed this time of year because I have so many projects around the house I want to tackle!  I love having a place to brain dump and organize all of my ideas.

This was my list last year and I did most of it!  But not everything so I’m adding a couple of these things to my list this year with what feels like 200 more to-dos!

This current projects printable is another long time favorite because I love breaking overwhelming projects down into manageable steps.

I also have all sorts of planning page options so you can find one that works best for you!  These are all free for my e-mail subscribers (thank you to all of my loyal readers.. so grateful for your support!).  You can sign up and get access to all of my free printables HERE.

{color block turtleneck sweater/AG jeans/booties}

Totally switching gears and ending my post with a few fun things I’ve been wearing lately!  This sweater is CUTE.  Longer in the back and so cozy.  I’m happy it’s cold enough to wear it again this week!  Last weekend we had crazy warm weather for January.. 80 digress on the coast!  It was fun for a weekend but I’m honestly not ready for the heat again.  I love our mild winters.  Cold enough to cozy up at home by the fireplace and wear a sweater but not TOO cold to really alter life much!

My kids certainly enjoyed the weather last weekend though!  Lots of pool and beach time.

Now back to my fire. :)

{tie dye hooded sweatshirt/AG jeans/similar adidas sneakers}

This cozy tie dye hoodie is perfection!  Slouchy and fun.. perfect for running around with jeans or days at home with sweat pants.  Which let’s face it.. is still most days right now.

{lou & grey signature sweatpants/ugg slippers}

Speaking of sweatpants.. if you want a really good pair look no more!  DYING at how perfectly perfect these sweats are!  The fit/cut is really similar to my all time favorite Vuori joggers, but the material is thicker and warmer like sweats.  They are a flattering fit and so comfortable that I’m getting them in black too.  And I ordered this plush matching sweatshirt to go with them.  Score because I’m living in stuff like this right now!

{velvet stripe pajama pants}

These velvet stripe pj pants are also cute & comfy and are on sale!

{cloud jersey heart sweatshirt/AG jeans/similar shoes here & here}

I’ve also been wearing and loving this cute heart sweater.  It’s such a great fit and warm but not too hot.  I thought it looked cute on-line but I like it even better in person.  Comes in other styles too!  I linked a coupe of similar shoe options (I’ve loved these black shoes for running around!) and also how cute are these black boots!?  On my wish list!

Last but not least my cute heart two-tiered tray is back in stock!  Fun for Valentine’s treats in the kitchen in February and then in the bathroom to hold perfume and nail polish during the rest of the year. :)  (This PB tray is cute too.) I also think this three heart platter would be fun to use the same way.  Could hold jewelry after you use it for Valentine’s candy!  I linked them all below in this cute Valentine’s Day collage.  Sharing it again if you need gift ideas!  Two years ago I bought Ellie this heart ring for Valentine’s Day and she loves it and still wears it. :)

1 – lucky brand sweatshirt   2 – bobeau flocked V-neck  3 – ari heart pendant 4 – ryanne heart ring

5 – heart shaped sunglasses   6 – ceramic heart shaped plates 7 – something sweet pajamas  8 – big heart crew socks 

9 – heart leather tassel pouch  10 – emile ruffled heart dish  11 – wood and marble heart cheese board 

12 – decorative word object  13 – tulip wreath   14 – watercolor heart tiered stand  15 – xoxo doormat

16 – honeydew lounge set  17 – love lumbar pillow cover 18 – floating heart pillow   19 – faux fur heart pillow 

20 – two tier heart server  21 – three heart platter  22 – xoxo print  23 – heart server  24 – heart appetizer plates

{POST SOURCES}

*affiliate links used

Happy Sunday!  I’ve missed you all!  I’ve been busy working on all sorts of random things that I’ll share at some point.  As soon as I finished working on them. :)  I’ve done my usual and started 6 projects and now everything is started and in motion and my brain is fuzzy and nothing is finished.  Remember that book I read and loved and highlighted every other page?  The One Thing?   Yeah.. clearly I didn’t learn much from it.  Ha.  Thinking I need to read it again.

When I finish my 6 things. ;)

Today I’m sharing my powder bathroom because it’s looking all sorts of festive for Valentine’s Day!

I found this pink heart shaped rug on-line and couldn’t resist.  Isn’t it cute!?  This little bathroom gets the most use in our house because it’s right off of our family room so it’s a fun space to update with each season.  It’s also a small space so it doesn’t take much to give it a whole new look!

I pulled out some of my favorite faux flowers that you’ve all seen before.

{chevron vase/faux pink peonies (on sale!)/similar faux white flowers}

My faux pink peonies always pull me out of my usual post holiday slump.  I know it’s a little early to bring out Spring decor, but in my defense it has been 80 degrees on the coast this week!  We’ve been enjoying a random week of warm weather so I’m feeling totally justified bringing out all the bright colors.  I also felt totally justified ordering a few more because they are on sale.  And well.. the weather.

Hmm.  what else can I blame on the random heat this week?  It’s definitely why I ate all of those tortilla chips yesterday.  And why I keep putting off organizing my closet.  Sadly that space is not one of the 6 things I’m working on, but it really needs to be.  I’ll start it tomorrow.  Here we go!  Project #7 in the works with no end in sight!

Darn weather.

{multistripe bath towels/pink tassel towels}

I added some cute new striped hand towels to my ladder along with my long time favorite pink towels (still obsessed with that hand-knotted tassel fringe!).

Then I just filled this clear soap pump with pink soap.

And there you go.. Valentine’s Day in the powder bath!  My girls both quickly noticed and loved the cute heart shaped rug and Kole told me “I like that new soap mom.. it smells good” so I’m calling this mini makeover a success!

Like I said.. it doesn’t take much. :)

I shared these pics last year but this is how our little powder bathroom is organized.  Seasonal towels in most of the drawers.  Summer..

Christmas..

More options for Spring.

Toilet paper, extra soap and larger towels underneath.

Then in the top right drawer we keep extra tooth brushes for busy mornings when the kids need to brush quick before they head out the door!  The girls and Kenny haven’t had to head out the door in the morning since last March.  Ha.  So this drawer isn’t getting the use it once was.  I still use it every day to get Kole ready though.  I do his hair quick and have him brush his teeth in this bathroom.  So much easier to just keep him downstairs once he’s down!

I came across this pic the other night from our previous house and it made me smile.  I was doing the same thing years ago when my girls were little!  Keeping extra toothbrushes and tooth paste in a kitchen drawer for those busy school mornings when I didn’t want to send them back upstairs to brush their teeth.  Their dolls were too big of a distraction!  They would just need to tuck this doll in and dress that one and next thing you know we were 20 minutes late for school.  Seeing the Dora toothpaste and Kole’s baby bibs/spoons brings it all back like it was last week. :)

Do you decorate for Valentine’s Day?  Some years I don’t do much and other years I go all out.  Just depends on my post Christmas mood!  For now I’m just enjoying this festive space and a few small things in the kitchen.  I do love to see all of the fun things that come out for Valentine’s day and I always get my kids and Kenny a few fun surprises for the 14th. I ordered this cute heart shaped rug for my girls’ bathroom for one surprise.  It’s so cute and I love the reminder on it!  Below are some other Valentine’s Day favorites!  Lots of cute ways to bring this fun holiday into your home and life.  I’m thinking we can all use a little extra love right about now.. so why not?  I’ll share some of the new items I ordered in the collage below and a few other fun things popping up around here soon!

Darn weather made me do it.

;)

1 – lucky brand sweatshirt   2 – bobeau flocked V-neck  3 – ari heart pendant 4 – ryanne heart ring

5 – heart shaped sunglasses   6 – ceramic heart shaped plates 7 – something sweet pajamas  8 – big heart crew socks 

9 – heart leather tassel pouch  10 – emile ruffled heart dish  11 – wood and marble heart cheese board 

12 – decorative word object  13 – tulip wreath   14 – watercolor heart tiered stand  15 – xoxo doormat

16 – honeydew lounge set  17 – love lumbar pillow cover 18 – floating heart pillow   19 – faux fur heart pillow 

20 – two tier heart server  21 – three heart platter  22 – xoxo print  23 – heart server  24 – heart appetizer plates

{POST SOURCES}

*affiliate links used

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you all had a nice holiday break and survived this week getting back in a routine!  We had a great Christmas and really enjoyed the time off.  It was the first time ever that we haven’t traveled right after Christmas and I was a little worried that we might all go crazy with boredom but I have to say.. it was really nice!  I guess we’re getting used to a slower pace, enjoying the outdoors and just staying home more.  Goodness knows we’ve all had plenty of practice with it over the last year. ;)  I took this pic on Christmas Eve.  Kole is 10 and right at that “suspicious” stage when it comes to Santa but just to be safe he left a last minute note in case Santa didn’t know what he wanted.  “All I want for Christmas is headphones (sorry I was kinda rushed).  Love,  Kole.  PS  thanks for coming.”  Ha ha.. I laughed when I saw it.  The girls helped him get the plate ready for Santa and then he wrote that quick when they had already gone upstairs and were waiting for him to start a movie.  Hence the “sorry I was kinda rushed” explanation at why he wasn’t writing a more thoughtful letter.  I love kids. :)

Santa remembered his headphones.  And also threw in some hot wheel race tracks.  I snapped these pics quick a few days after Christmas.  Kole is so close to outgrowing toys like this, but I’m in the business of keeping my kids young as long as possible so if he’s willing to still spend some time each day with cars I’m going to help make that happen.  Especially while we are spending so much time at home.  Santa also left a note with the headphones about sensible iPad time monitored by his parents which Kole wasn’t as excited about.  Ha.  Thanks Santa.  We owe you one.

I noticed after I snapped these that I caught the “Stay-At-Home Order Update” on the news.  These pictures will definitely mark a year to remember!

{Theatre Room details and sources HERE}

I have been busy getting my Christmas put away and my house clean and back in order.  You all know I put up a crazy amount of holiday decor each year so it’s always a good time taking it all down.  Ha.  It’s so much work, but I do have a system that makes it easier.  I put my 3 kids to work helping me bring everything upstairs to our theatre room.  Then I sort, purge, categorize and organize everything and put it all away in my attic.  I snapped this pic after I had finally put everything away other than my holiday throws and pillows.   Felt so good to see the floor in this room again! ;)

And yes.  I recognize that this is an unhealthy amount of Christmas pillows to own.  But I give myself a pass because Christmas decor brings me joy like nothing else!  Plus I share decor for a living.  So while my motto is usually less is more, I allow myself a few exceptions. ;)

In the past I’ve stored my holiday pillows and throws in black garbage bags but I wanted a better system.  I searched on-line and finally decided to give these Jumbo Storage bags a try.  They came in the mail yesterday and I’m in love!  So perfect for pillows.  I have 6 smaller pillows in this bag (4 stacked in the back and then 2 in the front).

Or I can fit 4 of my large pillows.  (2 stacked with one on the side and one long lumbar pillow in the front.)   Some of my favorite Christmas pillows are more than half off by the way!  I know.. not as fun to buy holiday decor at the end of the holiday when it’s time to clean up, but definitely when you can score the best deals.

{storage bags/souk wool rug/roll arm sectional/arc floor lamp}

I’m so excited about these storage bags!  (I got the largest jumbo size.)  They stack on top of each other nicely and have handles on the sides so they are easy to lift and carry.  But the best part is that I can see what’s inside of them!  So much better than the garbage bags I was using.  I never knew what I was pulling out of my attic until I had pulled the sack out and emptied it.  These 4 bags are holding all of my Christmas pillows and then I ordered one more (they come in a set of 2) for my throws.  These would also work great for storing comforters or other large blankets.  If you are short on space my recommendation for pillows is to re-use the same inserts over and over and store the pillow covers folded nicely in a drawer or bin.  That’s what I did in my previous home with limited storage.

This door off of our theatre room leads to our attic.  Our theatre room and this attic weren’t in our original house plans when we designed the house.  We had extra space over our garage and when our architect told us it would be easy and inexpensive to add an extra room and an attic space for storage we jumped on it!

I’m very glad we did because this little inside storage space has come in so handy.  It was supposed to be an unfinished attic, but I decided to add drywall and paint and cheap carpet and I’m so grateful for it now.  This is where all of my holiday decor lives and I feel like I live in this space from about September through January.  Ha.  I always get asked how I store my Christmas trees.  I just keep them in their original boxes!  I know it’s hard to smash them back in, but I’ve found that’s the easiest way for me to store them.  I can stack the boxes on top of each other and fit quite a few in a small space.  I keep them at the back of my attic (behind and to the side of our outdoor reindeer).

Addison was a huge help with the trees this year.  She was just the right size to sit and smush!  Ha.

I use a lot of clear storage bins and ornament bins.  They are hard to see in this picture because they are tucked in the back.  Trees and reindeer I just store out in the open on the right side of my attic.  Things don’t get very dusty in this space because of the carpet so I don’t feel like I need to cover them.

On the right side where my attic ceiling slopes I lay all of my garland.  I just stack it carefully!  The brown trunk holds stockings and tree skirts.  I’ve also been asked how I organize my bins and if I organize them by rooms.  I don’t because every year I decorate my rooms differently so I organize them in themes.  All of my snowflakes are in a bin, small reindeer, gold stars, small wreaths, greenery, pink ball ornaments, silver ball ornaments, etc.

On the left side of my attic I have all of my Fall decor.  Just a few clear bins with wreaths/swags on top.  Then all of my faux flowers for Spring!  I store them upright in vases and baskets.

I stack art and signs along the inside wall.  4th of July decor lives here too!

Half of the attic is Christmas and then the other half is everything else.  Christmas decor makes me happy.  Did I mention that already?  So does organization.  So organized Christmas decor?

I’m here for it.

:)

Below are some of my personal favorites and a few other great solutions for organizing/storing holiday decor.  Happy 2021 everyone!  I’m so happy you’re here.  We’re going to have fun together this year. :)

1 –  Holiday Plate Box  2 – Christmas Wreath Bag  3 – Storage Bags

4 – Ornament Storage Box  5 – Clear Plastic Container w/ lid  6 – Clear Storage Box (6 pack)

7 – Christmas Tree Storage Bag  8 – Underbed Ornament Storage Box  9 – Gift Wrap Organizer

*This post is sponsored by Walmart. All product selections and opinions are my own!

{Wellness Gifts & Decor}

Talking self care today!  If ever there was a year for it, right!?  I remember reading once that self care isn’t just taking care of your health.  Self care is doing something that you truly enjoy.  Something that fills you up and brings you happiness or peace.  Something that centers you and makes you feel like a better version of yourself, which then helps you take better care of the people you love.  That has always stuck with me!

I really struggled as a young mom when my girls were little.  I missed my career as a teacher, I had no help (my family wasn’t close), I hadn’t made many friends in our area and my husband worked pretty much 24/7.  I learned a lot about myself during those difficult years and about what self care meant for me.  I learned small things that I could do each day or week to help me not just survive but thrive in my new role as a stay at home mom.  Even though motherhood in general is easier for me now and my life looks very different today than it did 12 years ago, there are still difficult days and the self care routines I worked on establishing then still save me today!  It was during those difficult years that I started my little family blog.  A place where I could share things that brought me joy (my form of self care!) – decorating, organizing, fashion and family.  A place for all things “sunny” because frankly I needed to cheer myself up daily.  Guess what?  It worked. ;)  12 years later this blog and everything I pour into it still brings me immense happiness and is my #1 form of self care.

Another form of self care for me is getting some exercise outside.  I don’t have to even work up a sweat, but this year especially I’ve tried to get outside (even for just a 30 minute walk/hike) every single day.  It makes a HUGE difference in my overall mood and sanity.

I’m a bath person!  If you’ve been with me for a while you know this already.  Many people have tubs that sit unused most/all of the time.  That is not the case at my house!  I LOVE taking long, hot bubble baths.  I wish I had time for one every night!  Nothing relaxes me like a bubble bath does.

Years ago I started a little weekly routine of taking a bubble bath every Friday night and I still do it!  I rarely miss my Friday night bath and have even scheduled things around it.  That’s how much I look forward to it!  Now that it’s cold I love going on a walk or hike Friday evening and then coming home to take my bath when it’s dark outside.  I’m always freezing from being outside and it feels so good to soak in hot water!  I dim the lights and light my candles and Kenny always shakes his head and thinks it’s so funny.  He teases me about my candles and my little routine and he can’t believe that I can sit in such hot water (I make my water HOT.. love it that way!).  But after he gives me a hard time (his routine!) he leaves me alone and makes sure the kids don’t bother me for 30 minutes.  That’s all I ask!  Leave me alone in my tub for 30 minutes every Friday night.  Moms need to squeeze in self care whenever possible, right!?

*Funny sidenote.. I had a clawfoot tub picked out for this space when we were building (love the look of them!) and then I tried laying in one at the store and it just wasn’t comfortable.  (Yes I actually laid in tubs to try them out.. important decision!  Ha.)  When I laid in this tub I knew right away it was perfect!  My dream tub was delivered early so I had it sitting in my garage in my previous house for months.  Sometimes when I was having a long day and the kids were acting crazy I’d sneak into the garage and hide in it.  Seriously!  Once or twice with a bowl of ice cream.  Since the day I bought this tub it has been a major form of self care for me.

;)

I recently bought this beautiful Acacia wood serving tray and it’s perfect to hold my candles!  Walmart has so many fun bath/spa essentials.

{dove bath salt/dr. teal’s epsom salt/dr. teal’s lavender epsom salt}

I always soak in bubbles and some type of bath salt.  These are three options I love and rotate often.  (Obviously I’m a fan of lavender.) :)

{anchor hocking glass storage jar/smaller glass storage jar}

I’ve been keeping my bath salt in simple glass jars on my tub shelves.  Easy access!  I designed the small drawers below these shelves to hold all of my bath essentials –  bubble bath, candles, wash cloths, etc, but I love also having most of those things set out around my tub so that my cozy setting is ready to go the second I am!

I’ve also been using this set of twisted lattice baskets and couldn’t love them more!  Seriously beautiful baskets for such a great price!  I was thrilled when these showed up on my doorstep and I saw them in person.  I also love this set of herringbone baskets, but decided to order the lattice baskets because they are so unique (love the round shape) and perfect to hold bath towels.

I picked up these diamond drop bath towels and the matching hand towels too.  We’ve had this similar set of towels in our bathroom for over a year now and they are still favorites so I have been looking for another good BHG set.  Love the grey criss cross pattern on these!

The smaller basket fits perfectly in the corner of my tub and I added this beautiful Acacia bowl to hold washcloths and soap.

The best part about this little self care routine?

Is how magical it feels at night!  I added some simple string lights around my window for the holidays and don’t plan on taking them down anytime soon!

{small apothecary jar/dove lavender salt/acacia wood tray}

It’s such a cozy space with my candles going!

Self care: doing something that you truly enjoy.  Something that fills you up and brings you happiness or peace.  Something that centers you and makes you feel like a better version of yourself, which then helps you take better care of the people you love.

Done and done. :)

This year has been a difficult year for everyone in one way or another.  It’s so important to help others, but we can’t really help others and be there for our families when we aren’t in a good place ourselves.  I’ve learned this lesson over and over throughout my adult years!  As difficult as it can be to make time for self care, I promise that it’s worth it!  You will 100% be a better mom, spouse, sister, friend, daughter, etc.  Put yourself on your calendar.  Find whatever it is that fills you up (it’s different for everyone!) and do more of it.

My wish for you all in 2021! :)

If you need some last minute gifts (or you want to kick off your own self care routine for the new year) below are some of my favorites!

{POST SOURCES}

*affiliate links used

Happy Monday!  Fun and busy week ahead! :)  So I’ve only shared about half of my Christmas decor.. ha.  I seriously had the best intentions of getting everything decorated and photographed early and the “decorated” early part happened but all of a sudden it’s almost Christmas and the photographed part is another story!  I think we’ll all live.. I mean – there’s always next year. ;)  And I’ll be sharing more decor when I have time this week, but really – didn’t Christmas week sneak up quickly!?  It always does!

{woven ottomans/red merry pillow/home pillow}

Here’s what my shiplap display wall is looking like at the moment!  I added garland (attached it like I did in my kitchen) and put up our beloved Santa pics we’ve had taken through the years.  I made them in the shape of a Christmas tree like I did last year and then when the amount of pictures didn’t work out perfectly I added a star ornament to the top to improvise.  Same stars I used for my family room tree.  I just attached it to the wreath!  A simple solution that added some 3D sparkle. :)

These Santa pictures are so special to me!  They show my kids growing up through the years right in front of my eyes!  One of the first things I would grab in a fire.

After my actual kids of course.

And some cherry ice chapstick. ;)

On my stairs I doubled the two garlands I used throughout the rest of the house and then I ran out of garland before I could do the top!  I had big plans to add lights and maybe some ribbon or something else fun and then never got around to it.  I’m calling it my 2020 stair garland and am making peace with the fact that it just won’t get done like I planned.  I’m very used to this feeling (as we all are this year!) so I’m not too phased by it.  I still might get wild and crazy and add some lights.

Show 2020 who’s boss. ;)

{Mumbai Rug}

I kept my mudroom decor really simple too!  Just added more of my beloved jeweled snowflakes to my baskets.

And then this adorable HO HO HO pillow to my bench!  I usually jazz up my 1 2 3 hooks with Christmas ornaments but I’ve loved using them for our masks.  So convenient!  So the masks are staying put.  Hopefully that won’t be the case next year!

I hung the other tree scroll wall hanging (from this set I bought for my family room) on my mudroom basket hook.  I love it next to the black door!  So moody.  Kind of like the lighting in this room.  Which was horrible when I finally found a few minutes to snap these pics!  But like I said.. it’s 2020 and I’m just rolling with whatever comes my way.

I added some garland to my little hobbit closet door and loved it off to one side!

So I did the same thing around my door casing for this room.  Makes a perfect backdrop for my Christmas cards!  I’ll share a pic when they are all up!  I’m still waiting for our family Christmas cards to be delivered.  They were backordered and are coming late of course.  Whatever!  You do you 2020.  Thanks for teaching me to become as chill as Crush the turtle on Finding Nemo.

Before 2020 I was a Marlin.

Last pic on my camera!  I moved our dining room bench in the hallway to make room for the tree I have in that room.  I added another HO HO HO pillow (just love them!) and some garland above the bench and our hallway is feeling festive!  I tried attaching garland to my arched hallway mirror and it didn’t go so well.  Epic fail!

But DUDE.  It’s all good!

Ok ok.. I’ll spare you more Crush impersonations.

Even though I like so totally rock at them.  ;)

In other news.. I’m happy to report that I actually finished up my Christmas shopping tonight!  YEA,  I’m usually done so much sooner in the month (Marlin – remember?).  I’ve been very behind this year but thanks to Amazon I’m now set. ;)  While I was finding a few last minute gifts I rounded up favorites for anyone who (like me) has surrendered to the chaos and is still pulling things together this year!  I found so may fun things and love everything on the two gift guides below!  Random gifts for anyone on your list and they all come highly recommended.  Most of them are favorites of ours and a few things I picked up this year.  They all ship quickly before Christmas but that might not be the case for long!

1 – portable charger  2 – crayola light up tracing pad  3 – hilife steamer

4 – magna – tiles  5 – coasters  6 – phone tripod selfie stick

7  – make up vanity mirror w/ lights  8 – weekly planner pad / weekly meal planner

9 – microfiber quick drying hair towel wrap  10 – champion sweatshirt

11 – adidas duffle bag  12 – beats solo3 headphones  13 – le creuset dutch oven

14 – weekly and monthly planner  15 – fujifilm instant camera  16 – Disney 3D jigsaw puzzle

17 – flip slide game  18 – portable sit or stand desk  19 – the life-changing magic of tidying up

20 – best selling high waisted leggings

{hand sanitizing holders}

I also rounded up some fun stocking stuffers because that’s usually what I’m still throwing together at this point in the game!  Aren’t these hand sanitizer holders cute!?  Perfect to clip on your purse, a backpack, key chain.. whatever so that it’s always with you!  I have a feeling that even when all things Covid are behind us the hand sanitizing habit will stick!  I know it has definitely become a routine for us that we don’t even think about anymore.  I love that these come in fun floral pattens and in a more sophisticated brown/black for whatever you prefer.  Below are 15 other fun stocking stuffers!  All tried and true favorites except #12 that I keep hearing are amazing and #15 that I just ordered for myself to try. :)

1 – Melissa and Doug water wow   2 – makeup sponge beauty blenders   3 – gold layered necklace

4 – 4 pack cooling towels (exercise)  5 – Mario Badescu facial spray   6 – slinky

7 – Buxom plumping lip gloss  8 – hand sanitizer holder  9 – playfoam snowman

10 – handheld head massager  11 – metallic scrunchies  12 – gel heel socks

13 – sports headbands  14 – tire pressure gauge  15 – makeup brush cleaner sponge

*HERE is a link to last year’s Amazon gift guide post if you need a few more ideas!

Have a great week rolling with whatever comes your way!  I know that’s the plan around here.

;)