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.
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!
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!
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. :)
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 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.
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.
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! :)
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. :)
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!
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.
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.
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
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!
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. ;)
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.
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.
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.
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!
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. :)
*Excited to partner with Colleen Rothschild on this post! All product selections and opinions are my own and affiliate links are used.
How is your January going so far!? Feeling productive? Lazy? Ambitious? Overwhelmed? I feel all four things daily lately and it’s funny to me how quickly I can snap from one feeling to the next. Did you set any goals this year? After coming off of the year we all had in 2020 I completely understand if you decided to bag that little ritual. Ha. I did set a few personal goals. Nothing we haven’t heard before and all health/self-care related. For starters I’m trying to eat better and drink more water. I feel like the exercise part of staying healthy I have down just because I love to exercise (mental sanity for me!) and it’s part of my daily routine. BUT my diet has been horrible the last few months (my tight jeans tell the tale!) so I’m working hard to change a few bad eating habits. I’ve also been prioritizing my skin care (something that has always been a hit and miss thing for me) so I was thrilled when I was asked to partner with Colleen Rothschild on this post! I started using her skin products last September and have already mentioned a few times how much I love them. She is having a huge anniversary sale this week and all of her products are 25% off! *Use the code 7YEARS at checkout.
I love them so much that I’ve added a few new products to my arsenal. :) To be honest I don’t have great skin. It’s not horrible and I’ve never had to deal with major acne problems (a few random zits here and there), but I have really dry, dull, uneven skin with redness and lots of fun new wrinkles popping up daily since I turned 40. Good times! ;) Since I’ve been using these products the dryness is gone, my wrinkles are a lot less noticeable (especially the lines around my eyes!) and my face looks hydrated and re-freshed. This is going to sound so silly but I honesty get excited to see my smooth skin when I wake up in the morning! It just looks so much healthier than it did before I started using these products.
I’ve been trying different combinations and this is what my routine looks like right now. In the morning I wash my face with this Radiant Cleansing Balm (smells like spa time!) and then I apply the Vitamin C Treatment Complex. Very excited about this because it helps with sun damage and improves radiance.. definitely something my skin needs! I let it dry for a minute and then I put on this Sheer Renewal Cream. LOVE this cream! It’s so lightweight and a great moisturizer. It feels so good on my face and keeps my skin hydrated. Then I apply sunscreen (a daily must in southern Cal) and my make-up. It feels so good to actually have a morning skin routine because until now I’ve never done much for my face in the am other than splash a little water on it! These products are newer to my routine so I’ll follow up, but after just a few weeks I can already tell they will be staples for me. I also just got this Intense Hydrating Mask and I’m excited to try it this weekend! Thinking I’ll paint my nails with my girls and try out my new mask and have a little at home spa time. :)
In the evening I wash my face again with the Radiant Cleansing Balm and then I put on the Matcha Tea Treatment Toner. For me the Matcha Tea feels like it gets my face 100% clean. The Cleansing Balm takes off my make-up and feels/smells so good, but the Matcha Tea absorbs any extra oil/dirt on my skin and makes it almost squeaky clean. I’ve actually stopped using my beloved Clarisonic because I don’t feel like I need it after I’ve used these two products. The Matcha Tea also helps minimize pores and redness which my skin desperately needs.
Ad snapped this of me a few nights ago when I was taking off my make-up. I really look forward to my evening skin routine! :) Remember my trick for consistent skin care!? Do it earlier in the evening when you’re home for the night. I always do it right after I get Kole in bed (around 8:30-9:00) when I put on pjs. I used to wait until right before I’d go to bed (which is always too late!) and then I would get tired and decide to bag it for the night. One night would lead to two or three and then the inconsistency made it hard to see results. Consistency is key with skin care! And all other healthy habits right?
Work in progress over here. :)
After I wash my face I put on a few serums. My absolute favorite is the Retinol Supreme Eye Serum. I can’t believe the difference this has made for the skin around my eyes! My wrinkles are so much less visible and it really helps with the dark circles/bags I often wake up to. Lately I’ve been using the Retinol Supreme Night Oil and the Mandelic Acid on my face. I just got the Age Renewal Serum and am excited to try it too. It felt strange to me at first to use oily products on my face and I thought they might make me break out, but they really do the opposite for me. My skin is so much more hydrated and smooth! After the serums I put on this Extreme Recovery Cream. I know I sound like a broken record but I love it too. Read the reviews! It’s lightweight, smells amazing and makes your skin feel so smooth. Perfect way to hydrate your skin before bed.
I mentioned in a previous post that I’m also obsessed with this Quench and Shine Restorative Mask for my hair. I use it once a week on my hair in the place of my regular conditioner and it makes my hair so shiny and smooth! I was about to run out so I hurried and ordered another jar and soon after it sold out! I’ll definitely share when it’s back in stock again because it is GOLD and a great price.
Added bonus? My new skin care products work great in my organized bathroom drawers. ;)
I’m motivated to look my best as I get older so that I can keep up with this beauty. She turned 17 on Tuesday! I honestly can’t believe it.
The two of us were watching The Wiggles together snuggled on the couch while Addie napped just last week weren’t we!? Time needs to slooooowwww down. I will die a thousand deaths when this girl leaves for college. Get ready. You will all need to pick me up off of my floor and mail me tissues for months. Blog posts might not be so chipper for a while. I honestly can’t imagine my life without seeing her happy smile and hearing her sweet laugh every day. Thank goodness for FaceTime! I will drive her crazy. :) I couldn’t be more proud of all she is becoming.
Thank goodness this cute girl isn’t going anywhere for a while! My two girls truly are my best friends. So grateful for them! We always laugh about what my life will be like when they both move out and it’s just me with the boys. Well.. they laugh. I cry! It will be a rude awakening for me for sure! ;)
The older I get the more I realize that taking care of my body and skin and working to look my best (because let’s face it, as we get older.. it’s work!) is so much more about how it makes me feel vs. how it makes me look. When I take care of myself and look good.. I feel good. That positive, feel good energy spreads into my overall attitude every single day. My attitude absolutely affects my family. I work hard to look my best because I know that it helps me be my best self in every area of my life.
Plus it doesn’t hurt to look my best for this guy too. At least once in a while. ;)
Poor Kole got left out of this post, but I have a feeling that good skin care doesn’t interest him as much as it does the rest of us so I think we’re good. Ha.
I would love to hear your goals for the New Year! Anyone else nailing down a good skin care routine? Any tips for how to drink less Coke Zero?
Actually ignore that last question. I’m working on attainable goals this year and I’m not really interested in attaining that one just yet.
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.
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!
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!
Happy Sunday! Talking organized wrapping paper today! As soon as I got my Christmas decor put away and my attic organized I was left with Christmas wrapping paper. A lot of it. All over my house. For the past few years I have kept it with my every day wrapping paper but I was running out of room in my office cupboard so rolls of it were popping up here and there and pretty much everywhere. It was time to consolidate!
I love that word.
I ordered this gift wrap organizer, wrote Christmas Wrapping Supplies on the label and got to work!
And before long I had this beauty to behold.
Love this organizer! You can adjust the little box at the top to be larger if you don’t have any extra long rolls of wrapping paper. The pockets on the sides are perfect for gift sacks and tissue.
I had extra Christmas ribbon and bows so I put them in Ziploc bags..
and just set them on the top. There is room to spare!
It zips up easily and is so easy to store! It would fit nicely under a bed if you’re short on storage space and would be perfect for every day wrapping paper too. (Lots of fun options HERE on Amazon!) It also comes in red or black. I’m going to store it in my attic with the rest of my Christmas decor. Next year holiday wrapping will be a breeze! I can just pull this out and get to work. Hopefully in early December. This year I was NOT on my wrapping game and was up until 3:30 am wrapping gifts on Christmas Eve. Good times when your excited kids wake you up 3 hours later! #nothappeningagain
I felt so good after getting my Christmas wrapping paper organized that I decided to clean out the bins in my office cupboard that hold every day wrapping supplies. I still use one of them for Christmas ribbon that I haven’t used yet.
They were overflowing before. Felt so good to get rid of supplies I was never going to use!
Now that my Christmas wrapping paper has its own happy home I have so much more room for wrapping paper I need for birthday parties and other gifts in this cupboard. A simple organizing project that took little time and felt really GOOD! Small organizing wins like this are the best because they motivate you to keep going and give you the courage to tackle big projects.
Like my closet.
That I’ve started organizing over 20 times and seem to always just end up with a bigger mess than I started with. {Sigh}
Below I’m sharing my Christmas organizing favorites again one last time before we move on! I heard from many of you that the storage bags I used for pillows this year (#3) sold out so I searched for something similar. These storage bags would work and so would these. Also Colleen Rothschild is having a weekend sale on all of her moisturizers and exfoliators! I’ve been using and loving this extreme recovery cream (so good!) and it’s the best price I’ve seen it. I’m also sharing some fun things on sale right now at Nordstrom that I have and love and a few things I have my eye on. Best sales! Clothes spark so much joy for me!
Hence the reason I can’t seem to organize my closet.
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!
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.
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. :)
Just popping in quickly to wish you all a Merry Christmas! I couldn’t let the day end without telling my sweet blog family how much you all mean to me. :) I’m so touched that you let me be a small part of your day! Your support and words of encouragement put the sunny in sunny side up for me. ALWAYS. THANK YOU! Thank you for reading and for being here with me this year.
We snapped this picture today just before kicking off a few Christmas Eve traditions! We have quite a random evening that has been pieced together over the years of things my kids love to do. Gingerbread houses, Christmas stories and discussions about the reason for the season. Starbucks in pjs to get hot chocolate/pink drinks and then a drive through a favorite neighborhood full of lights. Take out from a favorite restaurant and then singing “Sweet Caroline” at the top of our lungs on the drive home. Fred Claus and Yes Virgina, There is a Santa Claus for our Christmas Eve movies. Cookie dough for Santa (our kids know he prefers the dough), cheese for Santa Mouse (a favorite Christmas book) and carrots for the reindeer. Kenny reads Twas the Night Before Christmas and then the kids go upstairs and watch Madagascar and play the game Sorry every year while I wrap and Kenny crashes on the couch with Family Man on in the background. (He’s always a huge help after 10:30 pm.. ha.) Like I said.. so random! Every year we add something new to the mix and then it becomes part of the Christmas Eve tradition. I love the night and these four people so very much. :)
{Sources for my kitchen can be found HERE and HERE and pjs can be found HERE.}
Here are a few random pics I had on my camera that I never shared of my kitchen at night. I added some twinkle lights to my garland over my range and they make the kitchen feel so cozy!
I didn’t get around to sharing all of my Christmas decor this year! The month just flew by too quickly. But the kitchen was my favorite so we’ll focus on that and next year I’ll be more on top of it.
Funny.. I feel like I’ve said that before. Ha.
Happy holidays to you and your family! I love you and hope you enjoy this special time of year. Good things are coming in 2021! I can feel it.
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’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.
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!
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!
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.
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!
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. :)
*This post is sponsored by Walmart. All product choices and opinions are my own!
“Babe will you take a pic with me before I start baking?”
Kenny teases me for a good 5 minutes about my apron and then this is the pic I get. Not really what I had in mind!
I try to not laugh at his jokes (it only encourages him!) and then demand a re-take.
Much better. I guess he’s forgiven for making fun of my Mrs. Claus apron.
This time. ;)
I’ve been in such a baking/treat mood this month and today I’m sharing some of our favorite holiday treats! We’ve always ordered a lot of our grocery staples from Walmart. Groceries are so expensive in San Diego and for years we have saved money by getting certain items our kids love like cereal, pretzels, peanut butter, crackers, etc. through Walmart on-line. Walmart just launched a new benefit, Walmart +free shipping, no order minimum (excludes oversized/freight & Marketplace items) so you can get anything you need that isn’t at your local store with next-day or two day shipping. We’ve been loving it! It’s so nice not having to run to my grocery store every other day for items we always need! Especially now while we are all trying to spend more time at home. Groceries come quickly at the same everyday low prices. I’ve been ordering items for my holiday treats with Walmart + and I love that everything I order shows up on my doorstep and I can start baking! I get excited about anything that saves me time and this has been huge for me that way. You can read more about it here and see if this is something that might help you and your family save time/money too.
Here are a few favorites we’ve been making! Some of these holiday treats I’ve shared before and some maybe not. They are all really simple treats that my kids look forward to every year. :)
First up last week we made our Applesauce Cookies. My mom always made these when we were growing up (the recipe was from my grandma) and I especially love making them in December. We usually give them to friends/neighbors, but this year I’m giving friends something different so we just made a few batches to enjoy at home. :) I know many of you have made them and I love hearing that you love them too! Here is the recipe if you are newish to my blog..
{Applesauce Cookies}
Ingredients:
I cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 cups applesauce
4 eggs
4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 pkg chocolate chips
Directions from a previous post:
First mix together the sugar and shortening. Add eggs, then add the applesauce and soda combined. (I just put the 2 tsp of soda right into the applesauce can and stir away. The applesauce kind of rises and sizzles. That’s my favorite part. :)
Add the rest of the dry ingredients (I love that most of them are 1 tsp. – makes it harder to mess things up. Although one time I messed up big time. I made these and forgot the flour. How do you forget the flour? I don’t know but I did and wouldn’t recommend it.)
Bake @ 350 for 15-20 minutes (time may vary based on your oven)
Five reasons you should make these: 1 – They’re delicious. 2 – They’re easy – if I can make them correctly (most of the time), anyone can. 3 – The cinnamon and spices will make your house smell so Christmassy! It’s the best! 4 – They have applesauce in them so you can pretend they are good for you. They’re not. But it’s always fun to pretend. 5 – You’ll want to see the applesauce sizzle part. It’s just cool.
You all know that we make our Pretzel Hugs in bulk every year! Here are some pics from previous years. This is one of my kids’ favorite traditions and as soon as December rolls around they start asking “when can we make Pretzel Hugs!?” Their friends also start asking “when are you making your Pretzel Hugs!?” I love that they all look forward to it so much!
These never last long in our home! So delicious!
And SO easy to make. We made this sheet on Saturday and by Sunday they were gone!
Here are a few other simple treats we love making in December. Grinch Santas! Just fruit on a toothpick with a marshmallow on top.
You all know I love popcorn! In December I toss holiday m&ms and pretzels in with the popcorn for movie nights. So simple and it makes it feel like a special Christmas treat.
I also love making these cute Santa hats. Just Ritz crackers, cream cheese, strawberries and marshmallows! Eat these quickly after you make them or the crackers get soggy! My family always eats these fast so it’s not an issue, but I once tried to make them for movie night earlier in the day and they didn’t taste quite as good.
These Ritz reindeer treats are Kenny and Kole’s favorites. :) Peanut butter on a Ritz cracker and then add chocolate chips, pretzels for the antlers and a red m&m for the nose. My antlers always look a little different because I get lazy making them and just work with whatever the pretzel looks like when I snap it in two no two reindeer are a like.
Ha. ;)
These treats couldn’t be more simple and that’s what I love about them! Obviously I’m not a food blogger. :) But these simple holiday treats have become traditions that my kids love so much. I thought they would be fun to share in case you need some festive treats to add a little something to your next family movie night this month!
On a side note.. while I was going through pictures tonight I landed on this pic of Ad making pretzel hugs. Addison is the only one in our house who LOVES cooking. She has always been my best helper in the kitchen. She is super short like her mom and always stands on her toes when she cooks! #shortpeopleimprovise
Making Applesauce cookies with dad a few years ago. In a pig onesie of course.
This was taken on Thanksgiving a couple of weeks ago. (Didn’t Kenny’s turkey turn out nice? I’m still in shock we pulled that meal off..ha.)
And I snapped this with my phone quick last night (she was making another batch of Applesauce cookies with me!). On her toes once again. It always makes me smile.
Well.. what do you think of my latest Christmas movie snack!? I got out some of our favorite snacks last weekend and was going to spread them out on a board for movie night. I turned on Michael Buble’s Christmas album and before I knew it I had a Christmas tree in front of me! I was quite impressed with myself (doesn’t take much when it comes to cooking or preparing food.) I was especially impressed with my cheese star because I didn’t have a cookie cutter that size and I had to whittle it myself.
It took me 3 tries.
I ate a lot of cheese in the process. Ha.
My girls came downstairs for the movie and were equally impressed with my Christmas tree snack board (it doesn’t take much to impress them either). Everyday snacks just look tastier when they are laid out like this.. right!? El wanted a pic with the Christmas tree.
And so did Ad. After we snapped some pictures we called the boys and devoured it in no time. My whole crew loved it and I see many more Christmas tree snack boards with Michael Buble in my future. (I can think of worse things!) I ordered this so that I can be a little more efficient next time.
The board I used for my Christmas tree snack is one of my favorites and is back in stock! I actually own three of them I love it so much. It’s just the perfect size for snack boards and for decorating. I’ve currently got two of the treasure & bond boards on my family room shelves behind my reindeer. :)
Cheese boards, serving boards, cutting boards (whatever you want to call them!) are honesty one of my all time favorite things. I use them every single day. They are perfect for every day snacks and for entertaining. I also love getting extra use out of them by adding them to my decor. You can use cheese boards as a beautiful wooden backdrop to special items like I did this year on my entertainment center shelves.
A couple of years ago in the Fall I layered and displayed several boards on my mantel.
Cheese boards always look beautiful layered behind a cook top/range!
I also love displaying items on top of boards on coffee tables..
and kitchen tables. And entry tables and console tables. All the tables are better with a board!
So are all of the shelves. In my humble opinion. :)
The holidays are such a fun time to use cheese boards for snacks. This charcuterie board was one of my favorites! My friend (who is an amazing cook) helped me with this fancy spread for my Christmas pj party a couple of years ago.
When it’s me on my own my boards turn out MUCH simpler. And much more kid friendly. Ha. I love throwing snacks like this together on a board for my kids to snack on. (This is the same board I used for my tree.. perfect size!)
What I love about snack boards is that you can literally use whatever you have in your fridge and pantry! There is no wrong way to do it! Pull together any fruits and veggies and meats and crackers and cheese that you already have on hand and when you lay them out on a cheese board they magically look delicious! Trust me.. your kids will devour whatever you serve when you serve it on a board. I’ve tested this theory with broccoli and it has an 89% success rate. Not bad if you ask me.
One of my all time favorite gifts to give for Christmas and birthdays is a beautiful cheese board with a book! For years I’ve given one of my favorite books, Platters & Boards with a cheese board as a gift. This year I discovered and fell hard for the book Savor which is similar and would also be perfect to pair with a cheese board for someone special.
Or for yourself! Because you owe it to your kids.. right!? I mean.. 89%.. just sayin.
;)
I’ve rounded up some of my favorite cheese boards below! Most of them you’ve seen throughout my home. :)
Enjoy your day and I’ll be back soon! Not sure what I’ll be sharing next, but with Michael Buble’s Christmas music playing in the background..
anything is possible.
;)
xoxo, Erin
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