Thank you for your sweet comments/e-mails after my last post! I’m so grateful to each of you for spending time with me here. I feel such a strong connection with all of you (even if we’ve never “talked!”). I know that’s strange but I do. If you read this blog chances are we have a few things in common ;) and you know me well. If I haven’t scared you off yet I have a feeling we would be pretty tight if we knew each other in person. Thank you for your support and for always making me feel safe to share bits and pieces of my life with you. I’m incredibly grateful for this kind community!

Summer goals! I’m keeping it simple but I’m definitely excited to get a few things done around my house over the next couple of months! Because it’s always a little crazy with the kids home I’m going to focus on 15-20 minutes of organizing each day vs. attempting major overhauls. I’ve found that if I really commit to organizing just 15 minutes a day I can make a lot of progress. Join me! I’ll share my progress in IG stories and try to do some round ups here too. I have a cute printable I’m using to keep me on track! Of course I do. You can download it too! Of course you can. :)

I have this printable with double lines and one with single lines if you need more room to write. Whatever you prefer! You can download my 15 minute organizing printable HERE. *If you are already a Sunny Side Up subscriber just enter your info. again to get the printables.. it won’t add you twice!  Also, if you sign up and don’t get an e-mail soon after check your junk mail!  Once in a while it lands there first.

This is what my list looks like at the moment. Just a few spaces that need a little re-fresh! I’m also working on my husband’s side of our closet so I’m breaking that down into sections I can tackle in 15-20 minutes a day. His office needs some help too.. I started it in January and never finished!

*affilliate links used

{free people you rock t-shirt/AG skinny jeans/madewell transport tote/similar sandals here/here/here}

More on staying on track this summer at the end of this post! I’m excited to share my cute new phone case with you! Not long ago I shared the cute floral phone case above..

Walli cases released a few new patterns for summer and I couldn’t resist picking up this fun sun kissed pattern! Nothing like a little ombre in the summer time. :) I also picked up this cute yellow rose case for my mom. She has yellow roses all over her yard – they are her favorite so when I saw that case I had to get it! I love these cases because aside from the fun patterns they also have a finger loop and a slot for cards. They also have some cute matching card pouches and lanyards. Love them! Use this link and the code SUNNY when you check out for 15% off!

Father’s Day snuck up on me this year and I’m sorry I’m a horrible blogger for not sharing gift ideas two weeks ago! Ha. I’ll make it up to you buy sharing Kenny’s favorite gift EVER. A new pair of Vuori Banks shorts. Clearly he’s a fan! I get him a pair for every holiday/birthday/special occasion which is why we basically own them all now! But really it’s all he wears. Especially now that he’s working from home most days. He’ll throw on a dress shirt with a pair of these shorts for zoom meetings and then put on a Vuori tee after work with these shorts. Regardless of what is happening he’s always in these shorts! They are so soft and comfortable and look great. You can get them HERE or HERE.

My husband also lives in Van shoes. The kids and I all just get Vuori clothes, a pair of vans, chocolate chip cookies and a hand written note any time we need a gift for Kenny. We’ve learned what puts a smile on his face. :)

1- slip-on   2- stanley tumbler   3- vuori henley

4- crossbody backpack   5- vuori crewneck

6- vuori hybrid shorts   7- old skool  8- personalized photo map

9-  large toiletry bag   10- electric pressure washer

A few more of my husband’s favorites! The small backpack I just ordered for summer travel and the map I landed on and thought was such a cool gift. You put a picture from each state after you visit. A perfect gift for someone who loves to travel!

{faux fern potted plant}

I ran to Target last week and found so many cute things!

{rattan bedside table}

{distressed ceramic vase}

{cotton striped placemat}

{framed canvas black art}

{chunky knit bed blanket}

I love these quilts to lay at the end of a bed!

{Christmas bedroom sources}

Picture of my room at Christmas but I still have this knit blanket (natural) at the end of my bed. :)

{woven tray with handles/large fern/handheld vintage vase}

This woven tray with handles is so cute! LOTS of ways to use it.

{woven planter/cream vintage vase}

Thanks for joining me on a little Target run! Fun right? That store is downright dangerous. You think so too?

Told you we were tight. ;)

Sine we’re talking about getting organized this summer here is the one 15 minute organizing project I have checked off my list. A go-to drawer for Kole when he’s bored! I just cleaned out one of my office drawers and filled it with some activity books I know he likes to do.

I also added a few more things to this “fun things to do when you’re bored” list I started for him a few months ago. I’m keeping this list in the drawer too. Now if he’s board and needs a little direction this summer I can just point to the drawer! I’ve seen jars where you pull out items to do too – lots of fun ways to do this! I decided a list would be best for Kole so he can just scan it and pick something he’s willing to do. No excuses with two pages full of suggestions!

If you want other options to keep kids motivated and productive (in-between fun) this summer these Daily Expectations charts worked great for us for years. One version is for younger kids with fewer tasks, behavior and a reward. The other version is just a task list for older kids.

We also use and love our Zone cleaning charts. Well.. I love them. The kids not so much, but they get the job done. ;)

When you download these they are a PDF that you can type on and personalize. Add things you want your kids to get done daily..

and then fill in the Zone section. This is for the main living spaces that need to be cleaned every day. I wanted each space to have a detailed list so my kids wouldn’t forget anything. We rotate the zones each week or month so they have a chance to clean different spaces. Cleaning their Zone is one of their daily tasks.

I also have my HOME PROJECTS printable if you are working on specific projects you want to break down.

And my beloved CURRENT PROJECTS printable if you have a lot of individual tasks for certain projects!

Last but not least is this fun habit tracker. Just write the habits you’re working on in the empty boxes and check off each day of the month that you follow through!

You can download any of these printables in my library when you join my e-mail list HERE. Whether you want to keep your kids on track or keep yourself on track (both for us please!) I hope they are helpful this summer.

:)

*affiliate links used

{screen mom screen cleaner/weiman quartz & stone countertop cleaner}

It’s officially summer at our house (finally!) and we are so looking forward to a low key schedule after a crazy end to the school year! I’m so behind on things I want to share! There are a few personal pics/thoughts at the end of this post, but first I figured I better get my April and May Amazon Buys up before it’s June! Ha. Like I said.. we are a little behind. :) April was a fun Amazon month! I picked up some essentials we were low on like our screen mom cleaner for computers (my favorite!).

{spring arrangement}

I got these fun new olive branches. Never met a faux olive branch I didn’t like. :)

And Kenny ordered our bike mounts so we could finally get our bikes off the ground! A few other fun items include my favorite every day mascara, some beautiful marble chain links, elastics I discovered that are JUST like the elastics at Nordstrom my girls love (for less!) and a Gilmore Girls cookbook for Addison’s birthday. Ad and I are big fans of Gilmore Girls and have watched the entire series more times than I care to admit. All linked below. :)

1- Q tip holder   2- screen cleaner kit   3- olive branches

4- white marble chain link   5- razor hair trimmer   6- capri blue hand cream

7- maybelline mascara   8-bike mount   9- lounge float

10- hair ties   11- Gilmore girls cookbook   12- microfiber makeup remover cloth

This May was so packed with activities! I only ordered about 6 things on Amazon so I added a few Amazon favorites I’ve had for years to my collage like our First Aid kit! We just had to use this last night for one of El’s friends! He fell off a scooter (they were riding them in our front yard) and cut up his arm pretty bad. Our first aid kit to the rescue! It’s a good one. :)

I also noticed that my bedroom mirrors and lamps are back in stock! Both so beautiful and a great price. I need to take a current pic but I haven’t changed too much in this space. Missing my black reindeer. :)

{let’s go outside graphic tee/roxy linen beach pants here & here/flip flops/similar straw bag}

You also might remember I bought these same pants in green! They are just like the Roxy pants at Nordstrom and they come in so many fun colors! They do run a little longer so I’m going to wear the green pair with taller shoes. I haven’t taken a pic of them yet but will the next time I wear them.

A few other May favorites include two white dresses I ordered for Addison for end of the year events (they are both so cute!), my favorite self tanner, some fun potted plants, more of my favorite mesh zipper pouches I use to organize items, and an x stool that I have my eye on! All SO good.

1- mesh zipper pouch   2- 3-pack mini potted plants   3- dermaplaning tool

4- gray round pot   5- first aid kit   6- loving tan mousse

7- brushed metal wall mirror   8- mini dress  9- skater mimi dress

10- Roxy oceanside pant   11- table lamp   12- modern x stool

Below is a quick kid/motherhood catch up because we recently hit a few milestones at our house! This blog is 90% home decor/organization/fashion but 10% of it will always be a bit of a family journal for me. That 10% is the part I know I’ll cherish the most when I’m too old and grey to share cute throw pillows with you all anymore. ;)

At the end of May Addison turned 16! A milestone birthday and we had such a fun weekend celebrating. She had parties with different friends all week, went to Disneyland with her boyfriend and his family (yes.. we’ve entered boyfriend territory with both of my girls!) and then our family spent her birthday weekend in Palm Springs. For years she has dreamed about going to a spa. Ad loves everything to do with skin care and we usually do our own “spa nights” on the weekends. We steam our faces, paint our nails, watch a fun movie. I knew she was finally old enough for a real spa day and booked this trip a year in advance!

I booked half a day for us at Spa La Quinta and I would highly recommend this spot for a special occasion if you’re ever in Palm Springs! I had been one other time for an event with Kenny’s work and remembered how beautiful it was. They had a “teen massage”  option for younger girls so I booked that for her, a regular massage for me and then facials for both of us.

She was seriously giddy! We begged El to come with us too but she is the exact opposite of Addison (of course..ha). She hates stuff like this! Doesn’t like getting her hair/nails done. Doesn’t want anyone touching her face. Ad and I could get pampered for days. ;) Kenny, Kole and Ellie went to breakfast and hung out while Ad and I had our spa day.

The grounds at La Quinta are stunning and we had the best time!

The two of us can talk for hours and we had so much fun relaxing together. I’ll always remember spending her first REAL spa day with her. :)

{cloth & stone tie front dress}

The following weekend El graduated from high school! Moms who have been there know.. it’s just surreal. I was pretty emotional all week leading up to it but I made it through most of the ceremony without crying. How is she 18 and done with highschool!?

Wasn’t she just taking care of all of her “friends” in fuzzy pajamas?

And leaving me little notes like this after I tried doing her hair in a new side pony tail?

“I do not like the new hair style. I hate it. But I do love you mom.”

One of my favorites. :)

Didn’t she just lose her two front teeth? And wasn’t it just yesterday that she was carrying around her favorite panda stuffed animal and saying “are you so happy mommy!?” El used to always say that to me when she was little if she could tell I was getting stressed out or tired. It was her way of instantly making me happy again. I’d always smile and say “yes Ellie.. I’m so happy” and just like that – I really was. :)

El is my night owl bestie. We love to stay up late and we always watch Lord of the Rings together while I blog! It’s kind of our thing. We’ve seen that series so many times and just keep picking up where we left off. She does an amazing Gollum impression that makes me laugh until my sides hurt! El is a neat freak like me and we just shake our heads at Kenny and Addison who leave a trail behind them everywhere they go. We shake our heads and then we hurry and clean up their mess because everything has a place and we are happiest when things are put away where they belong! I really can’t think about waking up and not seeing her beautiful smile in the morning while we eat breakfast, laughing with her throughout the day when she’s home in-between activities and I especially can’t think about walking passed her empty bedroom when I’m upstairs. Tears are flowing again now so I’ll stop other than to say that I love this beautiful girl so much and this Fall will be hard for me.

I’m really going to miss all of her friends too! Especially these 3 who feel like family. The graduation ceremony was perfect and the only glitch we had was El losing the cords around her neck! They fell off at some point during the ceremony and we looked all over after but couldn’t find them. Luckily she was too happy to care. :)

We wrapped up graduation weekend with lots of parties and celebrating and then it was Kole’s turn this week!

My baby is done with Elementary school and heading to Junior High. (Cue the tears again!)

We just had his graduation ceremony yesterday and I was so nervous! Each of the 6th graders had to perform a talent for the entire school and all of the parents for graduation. Kole recently discovered Weird Al songs and has been singing them non-stop. (There’a peek into my world for you.. ha!) He really wanted to sing Weird Al’s Ebay Parody. I wasn’t sure because everyone else was doing a speech or a violin or piano solo or something serious like that. I knew Kole singing and dancing to Weird Al would either be hilarious or a disaster! Ha ha.. I told him he would have to really ham it up if he wanted to pull it off and he definitely did! We were all laughing so hard. It was a high energy number and added a little humor to the show!

It fit his personality so well. Kole keeps us all laughing! I’m cherishing this summer with him before he starts middle school and becomes too cool for mom.

Luckily we aren’t quite there yet. :)

Life is full of change and change can be hard (especially for people like me who just want things to stay the same!). But I know that change is beautiful too and every stage of life (and motherhood) has so much to offer. I’m setting a goal to embrace the changes coming up and enjoy life as much as possible! And carry tissues in my purse. And thank goodness for FaceTime.

Yes Ellie.. I am SO happy.

:)

*affiliate links used

Happy Sunday! We’ve had such a great weekend with my beautiful Ellie graduating! It has been a whirlwind of tears and excitement and I will share more soon! Today I’m chatting about some ideas for summer outdoor dining. I recently worked with Anthropologie and had so much fun putting a summer table together with some of their beautiful products!

You all know how much I love my minka pot. :) I used the medium size as a centerpiece and then just arranged some pretty flowers from my grocery store. The cute cheese board it’s sitting on is another favorite I’ve had for a while (I need to share how I use it in my kitchen as decor!). Perfect for a centerpiece or to hold cheese and crackers.

I like using a runner with this outdoor table and fell in love with the fun colors in this runner. It’s short for my long table but I love seeing the tassels on top! Still a fun look even if it isn’t hanging off the sides and I like having something to set decor and food on in the center. This exact runner sold out but this nectar striped table runner and this tesse table runner are very similar with the same fun peachy color for summer.

I placed two of these glass bud vases on the sides of the pot with a few roses for a little something extra. They are so beautiful and summery! Is summery a word?

For this table it is. :)

This stunning raffia glass jug is perfect for lemon water. Just like my recent rattan glasses this will be beautiful on a kitchen shelf as decor when I’m not using it to entertain.

Speaking of all things rattan.. how fun is this flatware!? A bit of a splurge but I know that I will use this over and over for years. Rattan is perfect for summer but also spring and fall too! I’ve never met a rattan item that wasn’t love at first sight.

I used my long time favorite jute chargers (perfect for outdoor dining!) and then a simple white plate with these pretty green side plates for salad. They come in a few colors and green won me over. So did these fruit napkin rings! Seriously are they not the most adorable summer table accessory ever!? I mean look at that lemon! We can pretty much just state that if it’s green or rattan or a lemon it’s going to win me over and I’ll be sharing it and we can end this blog right now.

No surprises coming from me. Ha. ;)

They come in a set of four and I have to show you every individual napkin ring because I couldn’t love them more. Here’s the strawberry.

And the pineapple.. are you in love yet!?

If not you are now after seeing the watermelon! SO good for a summer table right!? I love these napkin rings so much I am willing to COOK just so that I can entertain with them. I probably won’t. I’ll get take out again for my guests because I like my friends and want them to come back.. ha. But we can say that I cooked. That’s how much I love these napkin rings.

I used these moroccan glasses because the design on them adds a fun pattern and whimsical look to the table adding to the “summery” vibe.

I also picked up two sets of these hayes pasta bowls. Aside from pasta they will be fun for soup or dessert. They are nice and heavy (such good quality!). Of course they come in lots of colors. Of course I chose green. They match my salad plates and help pull my table together. I would call them a need. My husband would call them a want.

He isn’t invited to this dinner. ;)

All joking aside it was a dream to create this tablescape! I love Anthro home decor. They carry items that add the perfect amount of whimsy and fun to any space.

Of course they have fabulous clothes too. If we’re pulling out the green dishes we might as well add a matching summer dress!

{somerset linen maxi dress}

This linen maxi dress is beautiful! The style is so flattering for any body type and it’s very comfortable. It has pockets and comes in seven colors! It’s a popular item and is selling fast. I probably should have tried petite for the length but it was sold out in my size so I’m wearing a regular xs for size reference (I’m 5’3 and a half).

I have no doubt that this dress and this tablescape will be on repeat this summer!

There’s something so special about sitting around a table with friends and family outside in the summertime isn’t there? Talking and laughing and watching kids play. It’s one of the things I look forward to most about this time of year. What you serve to eat doesn’t matter and really the table decor doesn’t either. Spending quality time with loved ones is always the goal.

But cute fruit napkin rings never hurt.

;)

{POST SOURCES}

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

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend! We are gearing up for my girls’ last week of high school this year with El’s graduation on Friday. While I’m dreading her leaving in August for college I am definitely ready and excited for summer! School burn out always seems to hit this time of year doesn’t it!? For both the kids and the moms! We are ready for a break from the schedule and all things MAY! Ha. Moms understand. :)

I recently ordered 3 things I’m excited about from Walmart and I can’t wait to share them with you today! The first is this beautiful round marble end table.

{marble end table/ceramic plant pot}

We used to have a table in this spot by my couch and ended up moving it to another room. I’ve missed having a place to set my drink and book in this corner ever since! This table was a steal and it’s beautiful in person. It has a marble top and I love the open wood shelf below to hold a few decor items. That’s my first Walmart score.

{3 piece luggage set}

Second is this beautiful luggage! Addison turned 16 yesterday! We had such a fun weekend celebrating. With her birthday and Ellie’s graduation I wanted to get them both something fun. They needed new luggage and I thought this would be a perfect gift to represent future adventures for both of them. So proud of my girls and all they are doing and becoming. :) Addison loves blue and El always goes for pink, beige or black so I choose these two colors but they come in LOTS of options.

My 3rd Walmart find has a little something to do with this mess. I’m so excited to share the start of some recent office organization going on at my house! Honestly my office has been a mess for a while now. Half of it is organized but the other half.. not so much as is evident by the above cupboard. :) It had become a catch all for random items. The wooden boxes below my shelves have always held our school/office supplies but it was never a great solution because it was hard to see what was inside. I tried to keep them organized, but we were still always searching through every box and digging for items when we needed them.

{8 piece multipurpose storage system/5 piece laundry modular storage system/5 piece pantry modular storage system/10 piece bath storage system}

I was so excited when these clear bins from The Home Edit landed at Walmart! I knew they would be the perfect solution for this project! Really they are a great solution for any project. I wasn’t sure what I would need/use so I ordered a few different sets (linked above) to play around with. They have set names for the bins (for certain spaces) but you can really use any of them in any space! They are so interchangeable.

I ended up doing most of the organizing on my family room floor watching Friday Night Lights (recent Netflix obsession). Kenny’s like um.. you won’t watch much football with me but you’ll stay up all hours of the night watching a show about football?

Yes babe. That is correct. Actual football is about the game.. not the real life drama with the players. Ha.

A few shows and one hard earned state championship later this is what I ended up with..

{8 piece multipurpose storage system/5 piece laundry modular storage system/5 piece pantry modular storage system/10 piece bath storage system}

Ta-da! SO MUCH BETTER right!? Oh my word.. I’m obsessed with this solution! Aside from looking great these bins are going to make finding what we need a breeze.

I love that the bins are clear and I can see exactly what’s inside. No need for labels and everything is stackable!

The bins are different sizes so it was easy to customize and create exactly what I needed.

The bottom bins obviously hold the smaller items and the top larger bins hold things like my furniture swatches, paint swatches, notebooks, camera manuals, etc. Odds and ends! The types of random items that can really make a space look and feel cluttered. The Walmart Home Edit bins are so good! I have some left over and can’t wait to use them for other projects around my house.

I wish I could tell you that the rest of my office is also organized but this is what it looks like at the moment..

Yup. If you give a mouse a cookie.. I started with one cupboard and ended up pulling apart everything!

Wish me luck this week getting it put back together. Looks like a few more episodes and another state championship is in my future. Go Panthers.

For now I’ll just keep staring at this space and listening to the angels sing. One cupboard/game at a time right!?

Until we score.

:)

{POST SOURCES}

Checking in after a hard, emotional week. Like so many of you my heart is broken for the families of the beautiful children whose lives were taken after another school shooting. It’s just devastating and I can’t even begin to imagine the suffering. I’ve cried so many tears thinking about it that my eyes are puffy. Add that to the end of the school year madness and emotion with our oldest graduating from high school next week and my youngest graduating from Elementary school and I’m honestly just drained! We are celebrating Addison’s 16th birthday this weekend and are also trying to rest and spend time together as a family. I hope that you are all able to do the same!

{seagrass glasses/salt & pepper shaker/seagrass pitcher/seagrass salad bowl/*also sold here/collins cheese board/madewell white dress/paily sandals/bracelets}

On a lighter note I’m sharing some May favorites today. Things I’ve been loving lately! Not long ago I shared this fun seagrass set of dishes (on sale this weekend!). They are so beautiful for summer entertaining.

I love the salad bowls! I’ve been making my favorite salad a lot for lunch lately so I thought I’d share it although it’s about as basic as you can get! I just toss in:

pre-washed spring mix

strawberries

sliced almonds and walnuts

feta cheese

sometimes I add chicken (if I have the time/energy to pre-cook it!) and sometimes I add grapes.

This Briannas poppy seed dressing is my favorite and so good with this simple strawberry salad! Toss in other fruit or whatever you have on hand. I always have strawberries cut and washed in my fridge so this salad takes two seconds to make.

Isn’t this little cheeseboard the cutest!? Perfect for summer entertaining or just to use for decor in your kitchen.

We also love raspberry lemonade with fresh raspberries around here in the summer. I can’t wait to get my kids out of school so that we can stay up late and sleep in! That along with raspberry lemonade and popsicles are true signs of summer for me.

Speaking of fast lunches.. a while ago I asked who could remember my go-to for lunch and so many of you nailed it! Pretty impressive because I think it has been a while since I shared that little tidbit. You all have good memories. :) A turkey sandwich with cheese, baked lays, strawberries and a Coke Zero. I’ve been eating this for lunch most days for honestly over 20 years! Dinner is all over the place but at lunch I just want something quick and easy that I know I like. I’m lazy like that. :)

{free people you rock t-shirt/AG skinny jeans/madewell transport tote/similar sandals here/here/here}

Another summer favorite.. this free people you rock t-shirt. I’m honestly embarrassed about how much I’ve been wearing this! At least 3 times a week if not more. I love the length, I love the way it hangs and I love the casual sleeves. Here’s proof that I worship this tee. I have it in white..

I have it in black.

And I have it in green. Of course I do. :) Once in a while if I love a top I’ll get one more in a different color, but this is the first time I’ve bought 3 of the same tee! I’m wearing it with jeans in these pics but I also wear them a lot with my Vuori performance joggers.

I love the thick collar too. Really cute with a little initial penance necklace. :) It comes in other colors too. Nordstrom has so many fun things marked down for their half yearly sale! I have my eye on the CeCe tops on sale (love them for a dressy look in the summer!), Natori bras (my favorite), and I always go through the best sellers to see if there is anything else I love marked down. So crazy that the Anniversary sale is right around the corner! Another fun sign of summer. :)

My carpenter Chuck (who many of you know well!) came by my house last week and gave me this box that he carved by hand and painted himself. Isn’t it beautiful? He wanted to thank me for the help I’ve given him and clients I’ve sent his way. We had a teary exchange because I feel like I owe that thanks to him! He is my right hand man around my house – has done all of my woodwork and continues to help with hanging pictures and fixing odds and ends. He is truly a family member at this point and I’m so grateful for him. I had to share this among my May favorites because it is something I will treasure forever!

A while back I went in to buy some new eyeshadow and the lady helping me at the make-up counter noticed that my skin was dry (I have really dry skin so I wasn’t shocked she noticed!). She suggested this vitamin nectar glow water and sprayed a little on my face. I fell instantly in love and bought it faster than I bought the eyeshadow! It’s a face mist that smells amazing! It instantly re-freshes your face and gives your skin a glowy, dewy look. I’ve absolutely loved it and I spray in on every day. You can use it with or without make-up. If you have dry skin (especially this time of year) I would highly recommend it! I love it so much I started exploring other best selling fresh products and am trying this vitamin nectar face serum that has great reviews.  I’ll let you know if I love if after I’ve tried it a while!

Speaking of beauty favorites my beloved Colleen Rothschild Quench and Shine hair mask is finally back in stock! I have been patiently waiting for it for a while now. It’s one of my favorite products – makes your hair look and feel amazing! You can use it as an every day conditioner or a deep conditioner once a week. I’ve done both but not a week goes by that I don’t use it! Colleen Rothschild products are on sale this weekend! Other favorites I use daily are the extreme recovery cream and the complete eye cream and retinol supreme eye serum. They make a huge difference with the wrinkles around my eyes and my dark circles. Both from late night blog post writing no doubt. ;)

I recently bought this gorgeous large terra cotta vase from CB2 (I think it’s sold out because the link keeps taking me here and I can’t find it on-line anymore!) I’m having a love affair with round vases like this at the moment and rounded up some favorites below!

1- ophelia large black vase    2- deco black vase   3- terracotta vase

4- short round vase   5- quin ceramic vase   6- artisan vase

All so gorgeous right!? Add faux or real greenery/flowers for a beautiful summer display in your home. I’ll take one of each please. ;)

This Ayla black bowl is simple but I love the shape and size! Perfect for fruit in the kitchen..

In other fun news my antiqued metal tray is also on sale this weekend!

My black bowl also looks great on a shelf stacked on some books. Lots of ways to use a simple decorative bowl!

If you are shopping the sales this weekend check out my previous post if you missed it! Sharing so many fun things I’ve been wearing and everything is marked down!

Also most items in my family room are on sale! You can find all sources for this room HERE.

Below are a few other favorites that are on sale this weekend from Mcgee & Co and Pottery Barn. Serena & Lily is having a sale too and you can find my favorites HERE.

Take care everyone! I’m sending you all a huge hug after last week from my family to yours. XO

1- woven counter stool   2- paper mache bowl   3- hand towel

4- glass vase   5- wood pedestal

6- arched mirror   7- guthrie cabinet   8- counter stool

1-round wall mirror   2- wood gallery frames   3- dardan rug

4- brass indoor/outdoor lantern   5- dinnerware set

6- three striped doormat   7- metal lantern   8- jute rug

9- dining table   10- fluted planters

*affiliate links used

Happy Friday! I hope your week has been a good one! I’m sharing my spring/summer porch to kick off the weekend. Bring it on! The porch and the weekend. I’m ready.

{faux eucalyptus trees (similar options linked below)/faux raspberry peonies (on sale!)/

faux hydrangea stems/ceramic planters/coiled baskets/jute rug/stripe sage rug}

Remember in the fall when I decided that faux trees were the way to go? Best decision EVER. So I took it one step further this spring with faux flowers too.

Because I’m tricky like that. :)

Don’t get me wrong.. I love real flowers on my front porch this time of year! But I’m limited on what plants will work since this porch gets full shade and every summer my plants die a slow death when we travel. I always think I’ll remember to ask a friend to water my plants while we’re gone and then I always forget to ask a friend to water my plants while we’re gone.

I usually return home from summer travels to dead plants and a sad looking porch.

But not this year!

You’ve all seen these beautiful raspberry peonies in my home. I’ve had them for years and love pulling them out every spring! I placed them in these textured ceramic planters and love the way they instantly brightened my porch. (*Sidenote – The peonies are marked down right now! Also these planters look more white in person than they do on-line.) 

I’ve had these beautiful faux white hydrangea stems for years too and bought a few more to have enough to fill my coiled round baskets. I have 7 hydrangea stems in each basket and I could easily fit more, but the leaves on these faux stems are thick and and bushy and I like the way these flowers look a little spaced out!

Beautiful, realistic and ZERO maintenance!

I’m using the same jute rug I used in the fall and added this fun sage stripe rug. Needed my green fix. :)

I’m very happy about this new development!

Will I go all faux on my porch from now on?

That I don’t know.

What I do know is that this is one summer my porch will look just as good at the end of our trip as it did at the beginning.

Because.. say it with me..

I’m all sorts of tricky like that.

;)

Enjoy your weekend!

{POST SOURCES}

*affiliate links used

{lemon dish towel set/lemon planner/lemon notebook}

Very excited about today’s post! I’ve rounded up so many of my favorites things to give you lots of fun ideas for Mother’s Day this year! This is a long post FULL of ideas so sit down and grab a snack. :) I’m kicking things off with lemons. You all know I’m a fan. I have lemons at the top of my blog, lemon trees in my back yard, lemon planning pages and notebooks and dishtowels and lemons in my kitchen year round.

Do you know why I love lemons so much?

They remind me of my mom. :) My mom’s favorite color is yellow and she is a true “yellow” personality on the color test (fun loving, happy, optimistic and ready for a party). Her favorite thing in this world aside from her family?

Lemons.

I get the yellow extrovert side of my personality from my mom. The other side of my personality – the peacemaker who is happy at home and needs to have all things in order I get from my dad. :) Aren’t my parents the cutest!? This is an older pic (I think Ad was in 4th grade!) but I had to share because of my mom’s yellow purse. She always has something yellow on or around her! Every Mother’s Day my sister and I try to get creative with a new fun LEMON gift for her that she doesn’t already have. We know if her gift has to do with lemons she’ll be happy.

Mom – this lemon collage is dedicated to you! Let me know what you want this year. ;) Thank you for all of the happiness and sunshine you bring into my life. I couldn’t ask for a better mom and being a mom myself has made me realize time and time again how much you sacrificed for us and how lucky I am to have you. Can’t wait until we are together again this summer  – swimming, shopping and eating garlic bread at Pizza Factory.

Like always, you bring the Diet Coke.. I’ll bring the lemons. :)

1- lemon wreath   2- notepad   3- lemon tree 

4- lemon art   5- lemon mug   6- muraglia olive oil

7- bath mat  8- lemon towels   9- lemon pasta bowls

10- yellow citrus doormat   11- lemon gift crate

Next fun gift ideas are for all of the moms who love the sun and are ready for days spent at the pool or beach! We’ve had these beach towels for years and they have held up so well. Really large, nice quality!

{textured summer hat/half moon bag/paily slide sandal}

I shared these recent summer favorites not long ago. This hat is so cute and perfect to keep the sun off your face!

These linen pants are go-tos for me in the summer and I lived in them on our Kauai trip! Perfect to throw on over a swim suit for the pool or beach but also nice enough to wear after to lunch. This straw bag is a favorite too! You can find this year’s version here.

This cute maxi cover-up dress is also back in stock. Great for vacations and another great option to throw on after the beach to head to lunch. Below are my summer favorites!

1- straw hat   2- supergoop sunscreen   3- circle tote handbag

4- maxi cover-up dress   5- striped beach towel   6- sunglasses 

7- loving tan  8- flip flops   9- linen beach pants   10- pop up organizer

For mom’s who love to exercise and be active I couldn’t love Vuori more! Seriously anything from their website would make a great gift!

I shared lots of my Vuori favorites in this post.

{zella light crewneck sweatshirt/everywhere belt bag/lulu high-rise aligns/swift run sneakers}

My belt bags would also make fun Mother’s Day gifts! If you want to go one step further put a gift card to her favorite store/restaurant inside.

{vuori halo crewneck/resourced convertible belt bag/here too/lulu high-rise aligns/swift run sneakers}

{long sleeve performance tee/zella live-in joggers/swift run sneaker}

Long time favorites for running around/exercising. Below are more of my favorites for moms who love to be ACTIVE!

1- track jacket   2- long sleeve t-shirt   3- dry shampoo

4- the healthy meal prep   5- air zoom pegasus shoe   6- ponytail holders

7-  convertible belt bag   8- daily leggings   9- high waist leggings

10- high rise pant   11- water bottle   12- running water waist pack   13- belt bag

I bought these beautiful dishtowels in the fall and they are seriously so good. Beautiful and thick – I love the texture and how soft they are! They would make a great gift and I wouldn’t mind a few more for Mother’s Day this year!

{olive branches/black terra cotta pitcher/spectrum pitcher/handwoven serving tray/anthro candle}

This round woven serving tray I recently shared is perfection and would also make a fun Mother’s Day gift because it’s such a staple – works everywhere!

Below are more fun gifts ideas for mom’s who love to entertain! Most are personal favorites I’ve loved. :)

1-marble serving board   2- white marble lazy susan   3- serving set

4- seagrass pitcher / seagrass glassware / seagrass cage bowl / seagrass salt & pepper set

5- wood serving bowl   6- graze   7- acacia wood cheese boards   8- utensil caddy

9- serving tray   10- dish towel   11- serving platter

My celine throw is on sale and comes in lots of colors! This throw looks beautiful draped over a chair or couch.

This antiqued metal tray is another favorite that works all over the house and can be styled so many different ways. It comes in two sizes (mine is the large) and would make a beautiful gift your mom could use for years!

{down to earth/made for living/live beautiful/patina farm/simplicity/AD at 100/wool jute rug}

These are all beautiful home decor books that I love and would also make great gifts. Below are more favorites you’ve seen in my home for mom’s who love to decorate! I tried to include the items that I use again and again and again – tried and true favorites!

1- capri blue hand soap & lotion   2- decorative boxes

3- decorative bowl     4- ceramic vase   5- wood charcuterie board

6- decorative metal tra   7- striped tassel pillow   8- made for living book

9- celine throw   10- knit pillow   11- artisan vase

12- serving tray   13- jasmine in basket   14- pitcher

We can’t talk Mother’s Day gifts without including a few of my favorite cozy items. Barefoot dreams blankets have become not just mine but also my family’s most requested gift! Pricey I know.. but wow. The coziest! A gift that keeps on giving and we use ours every single day – even in the summer! I’m always cold from the air conditioning and this blanket is never far. :)

My beloved Vuori performance joggers will always have my heart and I can’t talk cozy without including them. A perfect Mother’s Day gift! Hands down the most worn item in my closet. (You can also find them here.)

Older pic but I’m wearing them here with my favorite summer house shoes. Linked below – another fun gift idea this time of year!

1- barefoot dreams pajamas   2- performance jogger   3- short pajama

4- throw blanket   5- spa thong flip flops   6 – wrapped seastone candle

These are my favorite travel bags for mom’s who love to travel! Closed..

{travel bag with hanging hook/large cosmetic case/electronic organizer travel case/travel makeup organizer}

and open! I use this large make-up bag the most and gave it as a gift at one of my favorite things parties this year! You can see the extra pocket on the top and more details in this post.

Below are other favorite products for moms who love all things BEAUTY! I’ve used and love everything here.  (The detangling primer is amazing!)

1- vanity mirror   2- brush set   3- body lotion   4- sponge applicator

5- detangling primer   6- waterproof mascara   7- travel makeup bag

8- eau da parfum fragrance spray   9- eyeshadow palette   10- mac brow set

Ok.. I saved my least favorite gift collage for last. I mean.. the gifts are fun! The cooking.. eh.. not so much. ;) This pic sums up how I feel when I cook too perfectly. A combo of tense, annoyed and just waiting for the fire.

I know making scrambled eggs isn’t technically “cooking” but in my house it totally is.. so much so that Kenny has taken over all of the egg scrambling around here since I can’t be trusted to do it. This egg spatula is one of our favorite things! I love that it doesn’t get egg all over the counter when we aren’t using it (Addison is allergic to eggs so we have to be especially careful).

Kenny loves the way it scrambles eggs so perfectly every time. I eat his eggs all the time so I can attest – they are perfect. :) Below are some fun gifts I rounded up for those of you who love to cook! I will never understand you, but I will say that cute mixing bowls and aprons and dish towels do make it more tempting. :)

1- nonstick 6-piece set   2- mixing bowls   3- knife set   4- apron

5- always pan set   6- smart waffle pro   7- vegetable chopper

8- non-stick ceramic cookware set   9- cooling rack   10- spatula

11- set of 4 stripe towels   12- le creuset stoneware set

I hope this round-up was helpful and you are able to find something special for the mom/moms in your life who deserve to be celebrated! This post took a hot minute to put together so I’m off to celebrate myself and enjoy a Coke Zero.

With a side of lemon.

:)

*affiliate links used

Happy Sunday! I’m popping in to share a couple of fun spring arrangements today! I guess these could really be summer arrangements. Or even fall for this first one. But since it’s spring at the moment let’s call them spring arrangements shall we?

We shall. :)

I added these pretty olive branches to my kitchen and love the look. They are similar to these olive branches I usually decorate with minus the olives and with straighter leaves. Fun for a semi change. :)

I’ve had this black terra cotta pitcher for a while and absolutely love it. It looks great with flowers or greenery in it, but also just on its own on a shelf. It looks especially good next to my beloved spectrum pitcher, but that little jewel goes with everything! (Both pitchers are on sale at the moment!) I set it all on this beautiful handwoven serving tray. Round woven trays like this are my favorite. No surprise there because I have them all over my house! I love that they work in every room – kitchens and bathrooms and living rooms and bedrooms. They look good on coffee tables and console tables and on islands and in all the corners. Staples! Candles are staples for me too so I added a candle to make a nice little grouping of three.

{kitchen sources}

That’s option one!

My second spring arrangement is all about these beautiful faux cherry blossom branches you might remember from last spring. They are STUNNING! And take no effort to style. I literally just plop them in a vase and the branches bend and land every which way and look amazing instantly. I love them on my black cheese board – the white and black are a fun contrast.

I use this artisan vase over and over every season because I love both the size of the vase and also the size of the opening. It tappers in a little at the top so you don’t need a crazy amount of stems to make a nice arrangement. I have six of the faux cherry blossom branches in it now and could probably get away with just four or five. This cute little woven fruit basket is a recent find.. perfect for summer! You can never have too many lemons in my opinion. :)

Which arrangement is your favorite? I don’t think I can choose so one is going to land on my dining room table. :)

I’m sharing a few fun Mother’s Day gift ideas below from Anthro that are all on sale this weekend! Most are items I have and love and all would make great gifts. I also added a few seasonal favorites! In other fun news Studio Mcgee’s latest collection at Target released today and there are some beautiful options for spring/summer there too. Such a fun time of year to get our homes clean and organized (who is working on my list!?) and then add beautiful spring decor for the cherry on top. :)

Happy nesting and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

1- hand cream set   2- pitcher   3-monogram necklace

4- pacifico pot   5- wood serving board  6- decorative bowl

7- beaded jute garland   8- apron   9- capri blue hand soap

10- bracelet jewelry stand   11- brush set

1-pacifico pot   2-maxi dress    3- half moon bag / large akimbo bag

4- chenille pillow   5- dining bench   6- navy striped beach towel

1- dish towel   2- floral scarf   3- floral doormat

4- indoor/outdoor rug   5- headband   6- rattan wrapped stool

{POST SOURCES}

I hope you all had a nice Easter weekend! We ended up going to a friend’s house for Easter dinner so I got ham instead of pizza after all! I was on salad duty. Easy and done. Good things come to those who slack off.

Kidding!

Kind of. ;)

We’re getting back into the swing of things around here after a fun week in Kauai for Spring Break. Not a bad view right!? Take me back! We met my sister and her family there and it was so nice getting away and spending time with family. I was supposed to be going in for knee surgery as soon as we got back from our trip, but because of a few other things that came up I ended up having to re-schedule my surgery. I’m kind of bummed because I was ready to get it done and behind me, but also happy that I’m not spending this spring/summer on crutches. Silver lining for sure! I’ve decided that I’m going to make the most of this extra time I have (that I thought I would be spending in bed!) by wrapping up some organizing and other un-finished projects around my house.

I know you’re all very surprised by that decision. Ha.

I did two things today that instantly made me happy. First, I planned out our summer. I always print out my June/July/August calendar pages (in my printable library.. you can download them here). We use our on-line calendars for every day things, but I like to visually see what’s going on during the summer months. We finalized all of our travel plans snd I signed Kole up for a few summer camps. It feels good to have that done because it will be a busy summer for us and all of the things going on during those months were swirling around in my head. Now it’s organized and written down on paper and planned and I can forget about it!

The second thing I did was print out my “20 Easy Ways to Spring Clean” list. I shared a Spring Cleaning list a few years ago and I’m sharing it again with a few inspo. pics! If you want to instantly feel better about your home print my Spring Cleaning list (link is also at the end of this post.) Then pick one item to tackle each day! It’s so easy and fun and you will feel amazing when this list is complete and checked off!

Here we go! 

20 EASY WAYS TO SPRING CLEAN

1 – Toss any old medicine in your medicine cabinet.

2 – Clean out the glove compartment in your car.

3 – Wipe out your fridge and freezer.

4 – Clean out and donate any clothes you didn’t wear over the winter or last spring.

5 – Organize the apps on your cell phone (delete any you can!).

{bathroom organization post here}

6 – Wipe out and organize your make-up drawer.

7 – Buy a new throw or pillow to brighten up your couch. My recent favorite pillows are all linked in this post and several are on sale!

8 – Toss cleaning products that are expired or that you don’t use anymore.

{madewell transport tote/madewell canvas transport tote}

9 – Clean out your purse and buy a new one if it’s old/dirty. I wrote a post on purse organization here. Nothing like a clean purse! If you’re looking for a new purse of course I love Madewell totes! Here are a few others I’m crushing on at the moment..

{balloon sleeve peplum blouse/half moon bag/ag jeans/similar booties here & here}

Also my cute half moon bag is still in stock in green!

10 – Splurge on flowers. Real flowers..

{large gold planter/small gold planter/faux pink peonies/larger faux peonies – I added a few in the larger vase!}

or faux! In my opinion faux flowers make a better splurge because they are a gift that keeps on giving! (Table details are in this post.)

11 – Pick a closet that’s driving you crazy and clean it out.

12 – Sweep your porch and add some plants, flowers, a new rug and/or a wreath.

I swept my porch last week! I’m using my same faux Eucalyptus trees and jute rug this spring. Still working on my porch and I’ll share it as soon as it’s done!

I rounded up some fun spring doormats if you’re working on your porch too. They are all so happy!

1-yellow citrus doormat   2- hello script doormat   3- three stripe doormat

4- floral greeting doormat   5- knot weave doormat   6- window pane jute doormat

1- bloom doormat   2- sunny days doormat   3- vertical stripe doormat

4- hello spring doormat   5- hare & there doormat   6- rise and shine doormat

13 – Organize a junk drawer. 

14 – Print new pictures to display around your house. (I’m working on this one now!)

15 – Toss/donate/replace old bathroom rugs.

16 – Clean out your bedroom nightstands.

17 – Organize your computer desktop and folders.

18 – Donate old blankets you never use. 

{new furniture details in this post}

19 – Spray off and clean your patio furniture. I wrote a post on how I clean my outdoor furniture cushions here!

{ziploc bag organizers are linked in this post}

20 – Last but not least.. organize a kitchen drawer or cupboard that is usually a mess. 

You can print out my Spring Cleaning checklist HERE and get started today! Feels so good. :) Below are some of my go-to favorites for cleaning and organizing. Bring on spring! We’re all going to have the cleanest houses on the block!

Just in time for kids to get out of school and destroy them again.

;)

1- quartz countertop cleaner   2- portable handheld vacuum cleaner

3- bona multi-surface floor cleaner &  bona hardwood floor care kit

4- high pressure washer   5- dyson vacuum  6- power scrubber

1- purse storage organizer   2- drawer dividers   3- garage organizer

4- wood letter trays   5- mop & broom holder   6- drawer organizers