Category Archives: Holidays

Easter Best 2018

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With the promise of ice cream after, I got my little men dressed in their Easter outfits for some festive Easter pictures. I had wanted to do the photos earlier this week but last weekend we had a random snow storm (not very springy) and this week we had quite alot of rain. But today the sun popped out nicely for us to get some cute pictures. And of course we got ice cream after! They did very good and I was happy how cute the photoshoot ended up. The Art and Design District of Carmel Indiana is just such a cute place with tons more photo opportunities I can’t wait to try out.

IMG_0088IMG_0090IMG_0091-2IMG_0095IMG_0099IMG_0101IMG_0104IMG_0139IMG_0147IMG_0165-2IMG_0165IMG_0168IMG_0174IMG_0185IMG_0192IMG_0198IMG_0208IMG_0268IMG_0274IMG_0292-2The boy’s plaid shirts are from The Gap this year. I cannot resist little boys in pink 🙂 Jake’s shoes.  Liam’s shoes.  My white tee is perfect for so many different outfits, soft and not at all see through! And these shoes are actually really comfortable. My skirt is from last year but here and here and here are similar. This black version of the skirt is on sale too.

Jake is excited for the Easter bunny to bring him a basket this year as well as going to church and having Easter dinner with his Granny and his Grandpappy. Liam just likes to do whatever Jake likes. Liam does love anything that has candy involved so he will be excited. I always love seeing the look on their faces when they are sooo excited for all the different Holiday’s fun. I hope you all have a most wonderful Easter weekend.

Until next week, XOXO.

Post Valentine’s Day Candy Hangover!

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Valentine’s week has def been a cheat week for us here. We had scallops and pasta, cookies, candy, cheesecake, french champagne, and even more candy. We might have gone a little overboard this year but what the heck?! I think we were all feeling really happy this year. I try to maintain a healthy menu each week but I wanted to let you all know that its totally ok to cheat. Just not all the time. I feel like without indulging every once in a while, it just becomes too hard to say no to your cravings when they come.  Most importantly to me, why do we live if we can’t enjoy things occasionally? This weekend I’ll be right back on it again … my goal is 4.5 miles this weekend. I am slowly working my way up. Then probably a cookie. 😉 If you haven’t tried this sugar cookie recipe yet (I already posted it around Christmas time) do it now! I am sooo addicted. The most delicious sugar cookies ever.20180214_16091020180214_160938

My new favorite Champagne…I only get it when it’s on sale! 20180215_144154

The boys were sooo excited for their own Valentine’s we got for them.20180215_144213

Some more of our Valentine’s goodies overload.20180215_16155520180215_16170220180215_161858

And finally for some laughter because we all need some… some “take a Valentine’s Picture for mom” outtakes.

20180214_170837^My favorite because Liam is just a blur. Such a true to life pic! 😀 ^

I wish everyone good luck recovering from your Valentine’s sweets overload… or maybe its just me. Oh well!

Until next week, XOXO.

Valentine’s Day Outfits: Toddler Boy Style

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Just a little glimpse into behind the pictures type post today. I had gotten the boys and I cute Valentine’s Day shirts and wanted to share some pictures of us wearing them with you all. Of course, after I get a little photo backdrop set up and camera ready to go, Jake only wanted to wear his firetruck shirt. I had to bribe him to even wear his heartbreaker shirt. My hubby had gotten me a remote for my camera to help me take better tripod pictures, so as I am sure you can tell from the photos, Jake then only wanted to push the camera button. And he was mesmerized by it. haha. Anyway, thats real life.

Liam’s cute doggy Valentine’s shirt is an old hand me down from Jake. I got Jake’s Heartbreaker Tee from the Gap. I thought it was something fitting for Valentine’s Day but would work any other day as well. I found this anatomically correct heart sweatshirt on amazon for myself and I thought it was just too perfect. IMG_9774IMG_9775IMG_9778IMG_9779^OBSESSED with the camera remote!^

He’s so mesmerized by it and would not let anyone else push the button. haha. At least he did a pretty good job. IMG_9800IMG_9784IMG_9785

Boy mom life seems to always end in my boys getting rowdy… no exception here.

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At least my only little girl Emma is always up for kisses and cuteness. ❤

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Next week we plan on making some cute heart shaped cookies and some special Valentines for our friends. I got them their own special Valentine’s Day chocolates to surprise them next week too. I can’t wait to see their excited faces. What are all your Valentine’s Day plans? I hope they are good ones! Until next week, XOXO.

Cookies for Santa

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On our list of many preparations before Santa comes down the chimney is always baking some sugar cookies and decorating them for Santa. When I was growing up, we made a big deal of this every year. I always remember being so excited to decorate cookies. Many wonderful memories were made along with many very creative Christmas cookies. Since this was one of my favorite traditions, I wanted to continue to do it with my boys. This was the first year Jake could really do anything. Liam is still young but enjoyed helping bake and then eat quite a few cookies… hey its Christmas; it’s ok to indulge. At least thats what I tell myself. I saw and tried this new Velvety Soft Sugar Cookie recipe. OMG is it good! Delicious.

The boys always love helping me cook anything so the baking part was pretty fun as well.IMG_9324IMG_9336IMG_9348

 

Then its the cookie cutter time which Liam enjoyed throwing them on the floor but Jake really liked cutting the cookies out. IMG_9401IMG_9402And finally the decorating…IMG_9413IMG_9419IMG_9420

 

We only had the patience to decorate maybe a third of the cookies but thats is ok . They are delicious just plain too. Here are Santa’s cookie plate cookies as well as some other awesome cookies.IMG_9424IMG_9425IMG_9426IMG_9427It is an awesome activity for little guys even if it’s not Christmas. This Dump Truck and this Bulldozer cookie cutters could make for a fun cold and snowy January afternoon I am thinking.  And I definitely recommend trying this sugar cookie recipe. I am eating one right now! haha.

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays all around. Until next week, XOXO.

Hot Cocoa and Family Jammies

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My best friend threw a Christmas Pajama themed Friendsmas party and I was sooo excited to get all my boys matching Christmas jammies. There were tons of cute family pajamas everywhere but I really love the classic buffalo plaid look so I got us these. They turned out so cute all together. We even got Emma a little doggy bandana… sorry Tiny cat but I didn’t see any matching cat shirts. IMG_9171IMG_9176IMG_9182IMG_9186I was a little sad after these festive pictures turned out so well that I already made and sent out Christmas cards. I will just have to remember this when doing Christmas cards next year.

I had made some snowflake marshmallows for some winter hot cocoa too. It seemed like a perfect thing to sit in front of the fireplace and sip hot cocoa in pajamas. The boys loved it. It was just a small thing to do that seemed so fun and special to them. I used this Martha Stewart recipe I found and they turned out really cute. While the marshmallows where sitting, I sprinkled some christmas sprinkles on some of them to make a little extra fun.IMG_9213IMG_9201IMG_9205

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IMG_9313It was very fitting that we had a hot cocoa day since this past Wednesday was national hot chocolate day. We just had so much fun. Today we are working on making some cookies for Santa and planning a fun week before Christmas full of Christmas activities. Cheers some hot cocoa and snuggle someone you love while relaxing and remembering the Spirit of Christmas this coming week.

Now where is my snow??!

Until next week, XOXO!

Winterlights at Newfields

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This past weekend we visited the Indianapolis Museum of Art or what is now called Newfields (a little has changed since I last lived in Indy). They are showing a pretty awesome exhibit called Winterlights which we loved! Some very amazing decorations hard to capture in photographs. Everyone loved the over 1.2 million lights that made up the exhibit.  If you are in the Indy area, I totally recommend checking it out but make sure to buy tickets ahead of time online. Especially on weekends as they have been selling out. I have read that Santa is there on Tuesday evenings for the little ones or us forever kids as well as free cocoa and cider for kids. 20171203_20024720171203_19482720171203_19323920171203_19310520171203_19181120171203_191856Not only were the lights amazing that night, but it was a beautiful full moon too.20171203_195433^No not Christmas lights, but the moon!^20171203_19245420171203_192858The best of the family shots we could get…20171203_19394220171203_19385020171203_19381220171203_19381820171203_193751A couple selfie shots because why not.

They had this crazy cool giant tree made out of recycled plastic toys such as kiddie pools, sleds, etc. I personally thought that was so awesome since I have worked with repurposing used materials into artwork.

Throughout the lovely stroll through the lighted garden, are hot chocolate stations and girl scouts with smores at the end. Jake somehow heard about smores and demanded smores the whole time. He did not take a nap earlier that day and was Mr. Super Grump at Winterlights… you just can’t win them all. He did really enjoy it overall though.

Yummy!20171203_201349-220171203_201349I think these floating trees with the dangly snowflakes were my most favorite. How cool are those??!! Total Christmas Tree goals right there for me. Love it! Winterlights is such an amazing exhibit and lights display incase you haven’t realized how much I enjoyed it by now. I know I was way more excited to go then the boys… hopefully it’s an yearly event!

I have just been in heaven with all the fun festive Christmas events going on. Hoping to check off a Santa visit here soon and some Zoo lights too. Hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas season too. Until next week, XOXO.

*Meanwhile I am the one person praying for snow 😉 *

Thanksgiving…Thankful and Blessed

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This Thanksgiving I feel so thankful for all the wonderful family and friends in my life. I am thankful to be close to most of them now and in a wonderful area to raise my boys. It has been a year of change (although isn’t every year?) and I will be missing my Grandfather this Holiday season, but I am thankful he is no longer in pain and depressed but up in heaven. I am blessed everyday with my wonderful boys and hubby. Sometimes I wonder when I am going to wake up from the dream because I certainly do not deserve them. I am thankful to be able to host a big family Thanksgiving this year. I love to host parties and I am just beyond excited. I have the decorations set, menu planned and boys outfits picked out 😉 … always important to me. I hope everyone is as excited as me to get all together. Family is everything.

I did a little mini trial of my place settings to make sure my chalkboard placemat craft looked as cute as the idea in my mind. I can’t wait to see it all together now. I thought I’d share some of the pics and a few other Thanksgiving ideas that I love. (I did forget to put silverware in my mini trial but you guys get the idea)IMG_8948I used these placemats I found on amazon and these chalkboard markers also from amazon to design the placemat boarder. IMG_8950IMG_8953IMG_8957Simple, easy and cute!

Here are a few of my favorite Thanksgiving ideas I have seen that I maybe planning on doing as well.

This Thankful Tree decoration.5213117410_789aba8b48_o

This incredible looking appetizer tray.1448293915-cdc346866f73dbc781c27cf0933cabae

and this boy’s Thanksgiving tee.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving and a chance to reflect on all we have to be thankful for. Until next week, XOXO.

Halloween Time!

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20171017_165739-2Down the street from our house are the most adorable wooden Pumpkin decorations on the fence. I love it! What an awesome Halloween decorating display. Everyday that I had driven past them this month I had been thinking how cute it would be to walk down and take some festive Halloween pics. They even have a cute black cat right in the middle. (I did not get a picture of the whole set up unfortunately.) So of course, one very nice afternoon we walked down to take some pictures in our matching Halloween shirts. It was the perfect back drop. 20171017_165616-220171017_165617-2

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It is so hard to get them to cooperate for pictures sometimes but I do love these fun crazy pictures. It’s pretty much the most accurate depiction of my life. haha

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As many of my readers already know, I love Halloween! I don’t think I will ever outgrow the excitement of getting to dress up as a character I enjoy. We did Game of Thrones last year but we didn’t get much of a chance to show off our costumes so this year we decided to do it again (and get daddy to go along too)… and hopefully more people will be as excited as I am!

^such adorable little dragons 🙂 ^
20171027_191254^Family Hayride!^

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I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe time Treat-or-Treating or whatever Halloween evening activities you have planned. I am currently enjoying a bit of Stranger Things binging while writing this post 🙂 . Until next week, XOXO.

Happy Fourth Of July 2017

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IMG_8605IMG_8607IMG_8608IMG_8617IMG_8620IMG_8621Anndd there goes the hat…IMG_8623IMG_8625There it goes again…IMG_8626IMG_8627^Caught him standing by himself!^IMG_8629IMG_8630IMG_8631Since I have been enjoying photography, I have liked to have little mini holiday photo shoots. I staged this little 4th of July mini shoot with the boys on the front porch. I realized that I didn’t get Jake a patriot t-shirt for the 4th this year when I was changing their clothes right before the pictures. I could have sworn I did too! But I figured what is more American than Cubs baseball anyway. So perfect. I had found some cute little decorations at Target and thought it would be fitting to have the little rocking chair on the front porch. This holiday photo shoot was a bit challenging with wiggly and moving Liam but I think I got some cute pictures.

Since we are finally in a nice schedule and sleeping all night regularly now, I have challenged myself to learn something new. I have decided to try my hand at editing some Go Pro videos. I have been interested in learning how to work with videos and recording some fun video memories with my family. So if anyone has and advice or suggestions on what software to use or which works best or some books or tutorials that are informative, feel free to leave any comments for me.

Hope you all get to watch some fireworks and celebrate our country’s Independence this weekend. Until next week, XOXO.

Father’s Day Painting

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For Father’s Day we painted a cute little beer crate. I know painting can be super messy but with these Toddler Finger Paints, clean up is a breeze. Liam is still a bit small to enjoy the paints or use them without trying to eat the paint. Thankfully it is nontoxic. Jake really gets into the painting and all the different colors. He was so proud he painted all the screws in the beer crate for dad. IMG_8567IMG_8569IMG_8571

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After Liam failed at painting, he got put in charge of coloring the card the boys picked out. He also tried to eat the crayons too. IMG_8575IMG_8576IMG_8556IMG_8554

We got some balloons and Jake was sooooo excited about them. He even asked me to take his picture with the balloons. I knew he would be too excited about them to keep it a secret. 20170616_113218The Father’s Day pool party I planned got rained out but everything the boys and I made for dad was a big hit.20170618_153138Delicious mini cuban appetizers. 20170618_19462620170618_161543^It was starting to storm and Jake has been so scared of thunder lately. This ended up the best daddy and boys picture we could get.^20170618_185059

It was so much fun celebrating such a great daddy. Until next week, XOXO!