Christmas movies are on repeat at our house and they are cheering us up immensely. Rudolph is just a welcome sight every year isn’t he!? The best. I recently picked up this cute red hot air popcorn maker from Walmart and we have been having so much fun with it! I’ve always been a popcorn lover at heart and there’s something magical about using a popcorn maker to pop your own. Makes it feel extra special. :) This popcorn maker is small but packs a big punch and is so easy to use! (I got the cute bowls at Walmart last time I was there too but can’t find them on-line! Shared a few similar options below.) We’ve been debating buying a larger popcorn maker for our theatre room and are looking at a couple of these options. It would be so much fun when we can start having parties in this room again! *Hint hint Santa.. :)
Today I’m sharing some fun gift ideas from Walmart! They have such a great selection – something for everyone on your list! I’ve found that my husband is always the hardest for me to buy for so I wanted to share some things I know he would love first. I ended up stealing a few of my own ideas. ;) #jobperk
If you know someone who loves to cook shopping is a breeze! So many fun options. As an anti-chef I’m lucky to have many people around me who are excellent cooks! I am more than happy to support them in their hobby by buying them all sorts of fun cooking gadgets. (LOVE all of the options below!) Then I can insist that they have me over when they cook to you know.. witness for myself how the products are working.
Gifts for kids are my absolute favorite to buy. You too!? I’ll have some fun ideas coming soon for teens, but if you have little ones below are things my 3 kids would have absolutely LOVED when they were younger! A couple of the items are things they would still use/love now. It’s so magical watching little kids on Christmas morning. We were watching some family movies of past Christmases the other night and I teared up watching the look on my kids’ faces when they saw what Santa had left. Magic! :)
I hope these gift guides gave you a few ideas for men, kids and the chefs in your life! If you end up buying any of the fun cooking items I recommended I’ll be waiting for my dinner invite!
I’m free.. hmm.. pretty much any night but Thursday this week.
Thursday I’m popping popcorn and watching Rudolph.
Happy Thanksgiving weekend everyone! I hope it has been a good one so far! We usually travel to Utah to be with extended family over Thanksgiving weekend but stayed home this year. My whole family made the decision a few days before – we just didn’t want to risk getting our parents sick. We were all so sad and depressed about not being together! The kids had really been looking forward to the trip and seeing cousins and were pretty bummed too. Then to top off my sadness I was terrified about the thought of cooking Thanksgiving dinner! My cute husband saw the look of horror on my face and immediately said “don’t worry.. you won’t have to touch the turkey!” He knows how I feel about raw meat.. ha. He saved me! Kenny cooked an amazing turkey and the girls and I did all of the side dishes (on the phone with my mom all morning!) and we pulled it off. We were all so proud. :) We also decided the day before to quit moping around and to think of everything we have to be grateful for and to make the best of being home. Again. ;) After cooking and dinner Thursday we went on a bike ride and then watched a Christmas movie together and it ended up being a really fun day. This year has been difficult in so many ways for all of us. I’m incredibly grateful for this holiday weekend! A perfect reminder for us to focus on the good and remember all we have to be grateful for – despite such a crazy year!
I decided to make it asymmetrical and swoop the garland all over to the right side. Kind of fun to mix it up and do something different! I twisted the two garlands together before I attached them and then used these command hooks and these twist ties to hold everything in place. I hung the bells from one of the command hooks on the far right and added my favorite marble and gold stocking holders and stockings to the left.
To fill in the blank space above my mantel I hung this pre-lit faux pine branch and it is absolutely STUNNING! It’s hard to tell because this fireplace is massive, but the branch is huge and it looks so incredibly real! It would also look beautiful above a console table. Perfect to fill in any big, blank wall space and it’s on sale this weekend! (I just used a white command hook to hold it also.) I kept my gold lanterns up and added these flickering flameless candles. I have wanted these candles for years and finally splurged on them. Definitely worth the price! I have them set on a timer and they are so beautiful when they turn on every evening!
We spend so much time in this room and have loved having this cozy spot to sit by the fire. We haven’t changed out of our pjs much this weekend which has been especially nice since I don’t think my jeans would fit after all I’ve had to eat! I have some fun Christmas pjs to share later, but a lot of them are on sale this weekend and going fast so I’ll link a few of my favorites below!
The best part of this fireplace is at night when the timer turns everything on – so cozy! The candles on the right are real and I’m afraid to light them! Knowing me I would burn the house down with them which is why I’m a huge fan of faux candles. ;) I might add a string of lights to the garland.. still playing around and tweaking all of my decor. I pretty much keep adding to it right up until Christmas Eve when it’s time to wrap presents. Ha. Christmas decorating is just too much fun!
I’m grateful for many things this year and one thing at the top of my list is all of you. I got emotional a few days ago thinking about you all! And just how grateful I am for this community. Every time I get a kind comment or an e-mail letting me know about something random (like someone using my picture without giving credit or links not working in a blog post) I feel so incredibly grateful. You all look out for me and are so supportive and kind. You have no idea how much you cheer me up every day and how much your support means to me. It’s the reason I’ve been blogging for so long. I just love connecting with all of you! My Sunny Side Up family. :) So thank you! Thank you again and again. So very grateful for you all. XO
Post sources and some fun weekend sales are below! Nothing beats shopping holiday sales from the computer in pjs with a Hallmark Christmas movie on. Whose with me!?
See.. I knew you were all my people. ;)
{POST SOURCES}
{WEEKEND SALES}
– These are favorite stores I alway check out and below them are some items I love that are on sale this weekend!
How is your holiday shopping coming along!? To be honest I’m a little behind and need to do some serious catching up with all of the sales going on this weekend! Decorating has occupied all of my free time (and then some!) but I’m finally wrapping things up in my home and am ready to share it all with you and focus on gift giving for this year. I’m so excited to be partnering with Nordstrom for this post to share some recent fashion favorites and holiday gift ideas! It’s no secret that I love organization and one of my favorite things about shopping on-line at Nordstrom during the holidays is how they organize their gift guides. You can hop on their website and easily find gifts for anyone on your list! Some of my go-to categories I always head to are: GIFTS FOR HER, GIFTS FOR HIM, GIFTS FOR KIDS, HOME GIFTS & TECHIE GIFTS. I also love how they break gifts down in price range. I do a lot of my holiday shopping at Nordstrom every year and have rounded up so many fun ideas for gifts under $25, gifts under $50 and gifts under $100. Most of these items are things that I already have and love, things I’ve given as gifts, or things I’m ordering this year for Christmas. All tried and true favorites! I hope these ideas are helpful while you are searching for that perfect gift for someone on your list!
I love every item here and they are all such great prices! You can’t go wrong with a good beanie when it’s cold and my girls LOVE the elastics (great for thick hair). The Nike shorts are Kole’s all time favorites (so was the train set when he was little!). Savor has been on my wishlist (so fun for anyone who loves to entertain!) and pjs and socks and good candles are always a safe staple.
I had such a hard time being selective in this category but these are my top 20! You all know about my obsession with Moroccan Oil, Bobbi Brown lip gloss, Ugg socks, Hydroflasks and pompom throws. All such good gift ideas! The robes for kids are crazy soft (Kole is obsessed with them and gets a new robe every year). I have the Luxie make-up brushes and love them and I’m getting the Adidas pants for Kenny. Also notice #10 – my favorite Bliss throw with tassels!? Yes please!
Some of my favorite clothes, favorite pjs, favorite shoes/slippers (my girls LOVE #18 – the fluffy Ugg slide sandals!) and favorites for beauty. If you are going to splurge on someone.. these are all safe options!
Now for a few fun things I’ve been wearing and loving lately!
This is a closer look at the Madewell wrap dress I was wearing in that first picture. Isn’t it so fun for the holidays!? Dressy in a simple and casual way – my favorite. :) If I’m wearing a dress or skirt in the winter I’m all about over the knee boots! I love the look of them and then I don’t have to worry about wearing tanner or scaring people with my pale skin. ;)
Another favorite Madewell dress! Did you all know I’m a fan of Madewell? Because I am. :) This black textured knit dress is adorable! So comfortable and I love the neck and sleeves. I like wearing it with this pull back leather belt but you could wear it w/o a belt too.
This cute tie sleeve sweater is so fun for the holidays! If you’re looking for a beautiful holiday sweater head HERE! I LOVE Cece tops/sweaters and they have so many fun options! Here are a few of my favorites… showing them all in green (my personal favorite!) but they also come in red and other colors too. :)
Cutest camo hoodie! I’ve been living in this one. It’s perfect for lounging with sweats but you can also dress it up with jeans and a little front tuck. :) Comes in black too!
Zella does it again! I love these joggers so when they came out this season in green I was all for it! This pic doesn’t really show how perfect this Crew sweatshirt is.. it hangs just right and is so cute and comfy!
Love the fit of this pretty white turtleneck sweater. I adore loose, chunky turtlenecks and Nordstrom has so many fun options in right now! Here are a few other cute options I have my eye on.. *reading this Kenny? :)
–
And last but certainly not least my Happy Glamper Pullover. I’ve been a huge fan of glamping my whole life so had to snag this. I love that I can wear it as pjs with joggers or sweats but it’s also cute with jeans. It’s PJ Salvage so incredibly soft. I bought it last month and honestly wore it 3 days in a row! Glamping at its finest. ;)
These are a few gifts I ordered that were just delivered! Isn’t this plaid popcorn bowl cute!? Fun to give with some gourmet popcorn for a gift. My girls are going to love the lipgloss and I think that pretty pompom throw (25% off by the way!) is going to have to stay at my house. You know.. so I can test it and make sure it will make a good gift before I order more. ;)
Another fun category I love to hunt for gifts in is ACTIVEWEAR. As soon as the holidays are over everyone is feeling ready to ditch the endless eating and to get back in shape! Activewear gifts are helpful motivation. These are a few fun activewear gift ideas..
Of course we aren’t at the end of the year just yet. Still plenty of time for endless eating and I’m not complaining about it! Which is why I’m also hunting for gifts in the COZY category. :) Above are my favorite slippers from Nordstrom. I just rotate these three pairs every day! All so soft! And with Thanksgiving just a day away it’s time to pull out the joggers and all things comfy and stretchy. Here are a few cozy gift items that will also help us all feel better about ourselves through the end of the year until it’s time to wear spandex again. ;)
I hope this round up of fun gifts gave you a few ideas! Stay healthy and safe, enjoy some holiday shopping and I’ll be back soon with LOTS of Christmas decor. :)
So excited to share my pink Christmas bedroom with you all today! The rest of my home is decked in traditional red and green, but I love mixing it up with pink in my bedroom. I can’t recommend adding a little Christmas decor to your master bedroom enough. Even if it’s just a small string of lights on a wall or dresser! Holiday lights are so warm and inviting. They just seem to say “come in and get cozy and rest.. you deserve it.” :) This space is on the feminine side but Kenny doesn’t mind at all. It has become a retreat for the girls in our house! You can often find us piled on the bed watching a Hallmark movie or Gilmore Girls (for the 4th time) next to the cozy lights of the Christmas tree. Mission accomplished. :)
*affiliate links used – all sources are at the end of my post!
I could not love this snowy flocked pine tree more! The branches are so unique and it instantly made my room feel like a winter wonderland. Forget the warm weather and pink flaming floating in the pool outside of this window. When we are in this room we are escaping from the frozen tundra!
Make believe has always been one of my greatest strengths. ;)
I kept my decor simple on this tree because it shines so much on it’s own! Just some glossy pink balls, silver ornaments (similar here & here)..
and my beloved Fa-la-la garlands. (They sold out again but this Merry Christmas garland is similar!)
I didn’t put a top on it because the top of the tree is beautiful on its own! Honestly this is a tree that doesn’t even need decorations to shine.
I also switched out the painting I usually have above my bed for this beautiful Christmas Lane painting. Love it so much and it will work through February!
Simple bottle brush trees on my nightstand. (So funny.. I found these trees at Ace Hardware of all places! Ran in to get more command hooks and there they were calling my name.) ;)
I also added two stockings and some fun garland to my ladder. :) My Celine throw is back in stock! I love this throw so much I have 2 of them because I love having one in both my bedroom and living room. The cute pom garlands were from the craft store and I just looped them over the top and bottom leg of the ladder. Easy decorating!
This is a happy corner. :)
Let’s Stay Home. Ok. We haven’t really had much of a choice lately now have we? ;) This corner instantly felt cozy after I added these gorgeous Cable Knit pillows! What you can’t tell in these pics is how HUGE they are! Seriously the largest pillows I own and they are absolutely gorgeous in person! I have one in my family room this year too. So soft and cozy! I love that they work with Christmas decor but can also be used from Fall through Winter.
I cozied up my mantel with favorite blankets in baskets and some garland to match my tree.
I found the garland here and it lights up so beautifully! I went on a massive on-line hunt and was pretty thrilled about finding something that looks exactly like my tree branches. It even has the matching pine cones!
Barefoot Dreams blankets are back in stock and would make perfect gifts! I keep mine in my bedroom because I’m not so good about sharing it. ;)
I keep my pink ginger jars in my bedroom on this table and added a tree and a few more ornaments. Favorite pics of my kids are on my linen pinboard. :)
That wraps up my pink Christmas bedroom tour! I so hope you liked it. :)
I have so much Christmas decor coming your way so stay tuned!
And enjoy your weekend! I’m thinking an extra hike or bike ride might be in order around here to prepare for Thanksgiving.
*This post is sponsored by Walmart and affiliate links are used. All opinions and product selections are my own!
Happy Saturday everyone! Do you like the garland I attached over my butler’s pantry shelf this year!? I hope so because it’s all over my house. :) Making things SO cozy! I’m still styling this shelf and finishing up my decorating this weekend, but I set a few of my go-to’s for holiday baking on the counter to share with you today. With Thanksgiving right around the corner I thought it was a fun time to chat about a few favorites from Walmart that I use in my kitchen often! Walmart has been getting in so many fun things for the holidays!
I always get excited when it’s time to pull out my red KitchenAid mixer! A sure sign that the holidays are finally here. :) I picked up this KitchenAid hand mixer last year too (comes in lots of colors) and what a game changer! It’s SO much better than the other brands I had been using before. I also love this set of 3 plastic cutting boards. We have a pull out wooden cutting board built into our island that we love (you can see it in this post on my organized kitchen), but I tend to reach for these simple plastic cutting boards for the easy, every day stuff like dicing up an apple for Kole. :) They are just so easy to use and quickly rinse clean! This is also a great set of colanders if you need one!
I included a few other Thanksgiving dinner essentials below! My mom does most of the cooking for Thanksgiving every year. My job is usually to entertain the kids, decorate and set the table, and then organize the fridge with all of the leftovers after. No complaints here! I quite prefer it that way. ;) But if I WAS cooking.. below are a few personal favorites.
Bringing you my cozy kitchen window! Because it’s a Wednesday and we need the mid week pick me up. I guess I shouldn’t speak for all of us.. I need the mid week pick me up. :) So step into my snowy Christmas village and relax! It’s straight out of a Hallmark movie and I’m not one bit mad about it.
Honestly this little Christmas scene in my kitchen window has cheered me up immensely this week and it was so easy to put together! I placed 3 command hooks on my window molding (one in each corner where the cabinet starts and one in the middle behind my pendant) and then I just hung my all time favorite faux garland! I used two 6 foot strands on each side for a thicker look (so there are 4 strands total). It looks just like fresh real garland without the mess!
I hung 5 of my beautiful jeweled snowflake ornaments from the tiny nails I have on the backside of my molding and then I added my beloved birch trees and some cozy light up houses. (These exact houses sold out but I linked lots of fun options below!) Last I sprinkled faux snow – the closest thing to snow we’ll get this holiday season. Magic!
I’ll share pics of my snowy window scene during the day soon (didn’t have time to photograph it today!) but I did get a quick picture of the display below my cabinet. I wanted to extend the snowy forest/village look so I added one more little birch tree and a few other bottle brush trees and more faux snow on my antiqued metal tray.
This is the same tray I used to display candles and pumpkins on my table in October and it has honestly been one of my favorite purchases this year. It’s so long and beautiful and the styling options are endless! (I have the large size.)
I’ve been burning my favorite Christmas candle this week and it just makes 2020 blur and suddenly all is right in the world! It’s “fir and firewood” and smells just like an evergreen forest. At Christmas. In a Hallmark movie. Catch the theme I’m going for this year? ;) It’s to die for and soon my friends will be enjoying it too because I always buy extra for gifts! I snapped a pic next to the faux snow I used in my kitchen because I’ve tried lots and it’s my favorite!
In other home news the Christmas decorating is coming along! Some rooms are finished and just need to be photographed. Some rooms are 70% done and need to be pulled together with this and that. And then there are rooms like my formal dining room that are seasonally challenged. *Notice the mix of pumpkins and a tree. But I wanted to share this real time pic with you because this tree is the other flocked tree I bought this year and I absolutely love it! I haven’t even touched it yet other than initial set up so the branches still need to be fixed and fluffed, but I LOVE the look of it! (This pic doesn’t do it justice!) It’s so beautiful at night (the white lights are large and covered in flocking and so pretty). I know it’s behind my table, but I just thought it would be fun to mix it up this year and put a tree in front of our dining room window. We won’t be hosting large parties this year like we usually do (for obvious reasons!) so I moved my dining room bench and set up my tree there instead! It looks so pretty from the outside!
This is the other new tree I bought (so you can compare the two different looks). It’s decorated and I’ll be sharing it soon! I was worried buying two new trees online this year without seeing them first but I love them. Really great quality and exactly what I was looking for. I would absolutely recommend either tree if you are looking for a new faux flocked tree this year! Really happy with them both. :)
Last but not least here are a few RP favorites that were released today! I honestly wanted to order every single thing in this collage! Except the red dress because I don’t look good in red. But it’s gorgeous for someone who does! That green sweater on the other hand has my name all over it. ;) I also ordered the wool wrap coat (I’ll let you know if I love it!) and several of the home decor items and will share how I’m using them soon. I just can’t resist cute Christmas decor! Or green sweaters.
I can think of worse things.
Happy Wednesday everyone! From my Hallmark movie scene to yours.
Happy Monday! I hope you all had a good weekend! We finally got some rain and it felt amazing. I honestly can’t even remember the last time it rained in our area. Too long ago! The rain and cold weather definitely made things feel holiday cozy and it was so fun to light a candle (this is my current favorite!) and work on my Christmas decorating! I’ll have lots to share soon but for now I’m kicking off my annual holiday gift guides with some fun ideas for teachers! After the year we’ve all had it just seems like a good place to start. I am so incredibly grateful for my kids’ teachers this year and for all they have done to keep things rolling with such crazy circumstances! As a former teacher I know how much work goes into everything they do and adding the extra learning curve of all things on-line.. I can’t imagine! So here are some fun ideas to help celebrate all of the amazing teachers out there. If you are one of them THANK YOU!!! Sending a huge HUG your way!
1 – Rifle paper journal / Teacher notepad / Minted personal notepad – A teacher can always use a good notepad (probably why I’ve always been obsessed with them!) and these are three cute options! Add some pretty pens and attach a fun gift card if you want to spend a little more!
2 – Laminator – This is a great gift for Elementary school teachers. Even if they have access to a laminator at their school it’s nice to have your own for smaller jobs at home. Especially this year with a lot of teachers working from home!
3 – Teacher Survival Kit / Amazon Gift Card – This is a cute little zipper pouch that you could fill with all sorts of fun things including a gift card! After the year we’ve had I’m sure you could get pretty creative with “survival items”.. masks, hand sanitizer/lotion, bubble bath and LOTS of Tylenol are coming to mind.. ;)
4 – Cozy Pom Pom Sherpa Throw – I LOVE giving throws for gifts! Who doesn’t love a cozy throw!? These pom pom throws are festive and fun for the holidays and also perfect to curl up with on the couch.
6 – Hydrating Lotion – I’ve heard amazing things about this lotion! I’m excited to try it and pick up a few for gifts this year!
7 – Best Teacher Ever Journal – When I taught school nothing meant as much to me as a handwritten note from a parent or child. I saved them all! This journal is a fun way for your child to share a few words of appreciation with a little prompting and help. :)
8 – Peppermint Bark – I share this as a gift idea every year because it is DELICIOUS! I always give a few as gifts and buy a few for our family. My kids get so excited when I bring it home! This has especially saved me with male teachers because they are harder for me to shop for. Peppermint Bark is always hit. :)
11 –Williams Sonoma holiday towels / Om for the holidays cookie set – I’ve given these two items together for gifts the past two years and will probably do the same for a few new friends again! WS holiday towels are my favorite and the OM for the holidays spatula feels especially appropriate this year! (Breathe deep everyone.) ;)
12 –Candy Cane candle – A beautiful candle to bring some holiday to a teacher’s home!
13 –Best Teacher Ever Tumbler – Such a cute tumbler for teachers on the go! Would be fun to pair with a Starbucks gift card.
I hope that gave you a few fun ideas for the teachers in your life! If you want an easy way to keep track of who you’re buying for and what gifts you’re giving this year give my free holiday planner a try! It’s always a huge help to me this time of year. :)
If you’ve been with me for a while on this blog you know a few things about me. You most likely know how much I love Christmas decor, how much I despise cooking, that popcorn is a favorite snack, that I’m a night owl, that I can’t live without cherry ice chapstick, and that angels sing to me every time I greet an organized drawer. Or cupboard. Or closet. (They really do.) You most likely also know about my obsession with all things Vuori. When I got the e-mail that Vuori wanted to partner with me on a post I was so excited I jumped up from my computer and ran to Kenny’s office to share the good news. He stood up to congratulate me (because he knows how much I love their clothes!) and then we looked at each other and laughed. We were both wearing head to toe Vuori! “I think they found the right person for the job.” He said.
I had to agree. ;)
I honestly can’t say enough good things about this brand of performance apparel! Their tanks and leggings and joggers are my absolute favorites to wear when I exercise because they are so comfortable and flattering. I’m wearing their daily joggers in these pics and am obsessed! They are a true legging/jogger combo.
The fabric, quality and fit are seriously next level. Usually if I exercise in the morning I’m anxious to change out of my restrictive exercise clothes and into something more comfortable to work in all day. I have worked from home for over 10 years now and as you all know I spend most of my time on my computer or doing projects around my house. Comfort has always been a priority!
When I’m in my Vuori clothes I always end up just keeping them on all day. I never get that itch to change into something more comfortable. Plus their clothes are just cute to wear for every day running around. Go ahead and ask Kole what clothes his mom lives in half of the time.
Actually.. my 10 year old son may not be paying attention to such things. But if he was he’d say Vuori. ;) Go ahead and ask my girls instead. They’ll give you the right answer! Ellie especially since she is always sneaking into my closet to borrow my Vuori tanks!
You could say I quickly became a fan! Ha. I know you’ve all seen me wearing these in different fashion posts before because they are hands down my FAVORITE joggers. Which is why I own them in almost every color available (Kenny I’m going to need that maroon pair for Christmas!). You all know that joggers are my thing! I love wearing them and own a lot of different brands and styles. Vuori takes the cake!
Of course who can resist buying a pair in black camo!? Certainly not me. :) I also love these halo essential hoodies! So comfortable and perfect to slip on over my tank after I exercise on cold days. This is a lot of camo going on for some (never enough for me!) but I also wear this hoodie with black leggings or jeans and the camo joggers with a solid black sweatshirt. So many options with these cute staples! (*These performance joggers were just re-stocked and always sell out quickly so if you’ve been wanting to try a pair (or to give them as a gift) grab them before they are gone again! Check the reviews if you don’t trust me yet. ;) I’m clearly not the only fan of these joggers!)
There are so many different fun styles of Vuori leggings! Every type I’ve tried I love. I usually wear these daily leggings or the daily joggers when I exercise. I just noticed that they added a new color.. green camo! (Kenny.. paying attention?) ;)
So many things have been hard about this year, but one thing I’ve been truly grateful for is having more time for exercise. It honestly makes such a difference in my mood each day and has been my favorite way to deal with any stress or sadness I feel coming on. Just spending a little time each day outside in the fresh air instantly changes my mood and makes me happy.
Some mornings I meet a close friend at a local park to run these stairs. We work up a good sweat going up and down the stairs and then walk a few loops around the park and catch up.
Then every evening Kenny and I go on a hike on the trails behind our home. This pic was taken on a hike in Park City. (Wearing my lux performance tank! I have these in several colors and love them.) The past few nights Kenny and I have gone on our hike it has been so dark because of the time change! We took head lamps tonight! Ha. I think we are going to need to figure out a way to sneak out earlier in the evening or start going in the morning. But mornings are rough for this night owl so I’m not really sure how that will work out.
*It won’t work out. Headlamps it is!
We’ve also started biking a lot together this year and love it! Kenny and Kole started biking together every day when things first shut down in March.
Hello hello! I hope you’re all doing well and recovering from Halloween and election craziness. What a week! We have watched so much election coverage that tonight Addison and I finally decided to take a break and turn on Gilmore Girls. I highly recommend that little detour! You can’t listen to Lorelai and Rory banter without instantly feeling better about life in general. :)
One of Kenny’s friends had an outdoor 70’s themed get together for his birthday a few days before Halloween so we made a quick Amazon order and came up with the groovy look above. I about died when Kenny came walking out of our closet in those white pants! He was a little too comfortable dancing around in them. Ha! My kids loved it. They were mortified, but secretly loved it. ;)
(left by yours truly, middle “mom and baby” by Kole, right by Addison, Kenny and El supervised)
Halloween day we spent together as a family carving pumpkins (we shoot for basic at best), making Halloween treats and watching scaryish movies. That night we had teens over – spaced around our fire pit outside so Kenny stayed home to supervise. He was more than happy to take one for the team and watch football while I took Kole trick or treating in a neighborhood that had a few safe options. I loved seeing so much creativity! Candy hanging from trees or coming out of a tube from a top window straight down to the kids’ candy bags. I was worried that Kole wouldn’t have a fun night with things being so different but when I put him to bed he said “did you see all of the nerds I got? BEST Halloween ever.”
So the take away is as long as nerds are involved we’re set. :)
Of course I couldn’t put away my pumpkins and pull Christmas decor out fast enough the next day! Just SO excited to have all of the red and green and lights up again! Especially with the time change. Christmas lights create such a cozy environment don’t they!? These pics are from last year and I’m excited to show you how things are looking around here this year!
If you need me during the next week I’ll be hanging out with my trusty ladder scaling every wall of my home! (Don’t worry mom.. I’m being careful.) Remember my neutral tree from last year? Not happening this year! I missed the red so much! I’m such a sucker for traditional Christmas colors.
I’ve seen so many cute options for Christmas decor this year! Down right dangerous.. I seriously want one of everything and am working hard to restrain. Have you seen the cute stuff popping up in Target this year!? I rounded up my favorites below and then couldn’t help ordering a few things!
I was laughing because the day after I placed an order one of my close friends came by my house. I opened the door and she said “have you seen the cute Christmas stuff at Target!?” She pulled out what she bought to show me and we laid it out. It looked so cute on my bench so I snapped a pic!
I had ordered this cedar hoop wreath too! We just laughed. We do that all the time.. get excited to show each other what we bought and then realize we bought the same thing! I actually love this wreath so much I ordered both the large and the smaller size. And the stockings are full size! When I saw that they were only $15 I assumed they were smaller or not great quality. I was wrong!
These are a few Christmas favorites I found at World Market this year! I didn’t include it in my collage but I ordered these winter tree scrolls (if you remember my Fall decor you probably know where one is going!). :)
And of course we can’t talk Christmas decor favorites without a few things from Pottery Barn. PB at Christmas! Be still my heart. ;) This was a happy mail day at my house! Excited to show you how I’m using it all. The HO HO HO crazy long lumbar pillow! There are no words.
Also my Christmas tree shaped wood cheese board is back in stock! Another favorite I couldn’t love more. Mine is the large size and it’s an absolutely perfect size to set out on the counter to hold holiday crackers and cheese or snacks. Even better it looks so cute in the kitchen for Christmas decor! Excited to make our annual Christmas pretzel hugs yet again this year. :)
Two weekends ago we decided that before we put up our Christmas decor we needed to at least FEEL some Fall air (it has honestly been so hot here the past few months!) so we loaded the kids in the car and took everyone to breakfast. (My cute top is from Walmart.. below are a few other affordable Walmart favorites!)
We went a little later in the morning to avoid any crowds and had hand sanitizer ready! We snapped these pics with the girls.. Kole was sitting on the other side of me and ducked out. :) I made El flash a smile to show off those pretty teeth. Braces finally off for my oldest!
2020 has been a lot of things, but for us it has also been the year of braces. All three! I honestly feel like I live at the orthodontist office. Between the three of them someone always needs to be there!
After breakfast we headed to Julian (a cute little mountain town about an hour away from San Diego). We go every year and it’s usually so much fun. Cool temps and pumpkins and fall leaves and apple cider and pie and fun little shops to explore..
That was NOT the case this trip!
We went from crazy heat to a full on rain storm! It was POURING! And so windy! We got soaking wet. Ad burned her lips on the cider. The line was over an hour wait for pie so we bagged that.
Right after we took these pics Kole’s cute space umbrella snapped in two from the wind!
We took off our masks for these pics, but other than that masks were on and coats were zipped and we were freezing!
Not quite the picturesque fun Fall day we had planned! We were only there about an hour or two. We got back in the car and Kole said.. “well.. that was a disaster!” We all laughed so hard! It was honestly so bad it was just comical. 2020 I tell ya! We have been remembering it and laughing about it for two weeks. Still a great family day with some funny memories we lived to tell about.
AND we finally experienced Fall. Not quite the Fall we were picturing.. but cold weather.. check!
It was enough for me. Back to sunshine and Christmas lights on the palm trees and Gilmore Girls. We can head to Julian again in December to feel and experience snow.
Happy end of October everyone! Can you believe that Halloween is this weekend!? I’m so confused at how this has been the longest year ever but at the same time it’s flying by so quickly. Right!? Ha. Really though.. I can’t believe it’s time for November and the time change! I’m soaking up these pumpkins for a few more days because come Sunday we are in full on Christmas mode! Who is with me this year!? So excited. Our weather finally got the Fall memo and this week has been absolutely glorious. It’s finally cooling off and feeling that crisp Fall air this week put me in the best mood. I couldn’t wait to wear all of my sweaters and Fall clothes! I am so excited to share some Walmart fashion finds with you all today! Seriously.. I found some CUTE clothes for amazing prices and went a little crazy with the sweaters. My favorite! :)
Sam Edelman has always been a favorite brand of shoes (I lived in my SE slides this summer) so I was thrilled when I saw these cute hiking boots! They come in a fun brown color too and are so comfortable. I also love these boots that have a similar look and I’m thinking I’ll order these cute snow boots for El. She needs a new pair for any Utah trips we take this winter. Here are some other cute shoe options I found..
I love a good turtleneck and this one by Free Assembly is so soft and a great fit. Comes in other colors too! I’m also flying high about these skinny jeans! I tried on a few different pairs of jeans and these Jessica Simpson’s skinny jeans were a home run. Really flattering. They are supposed to be more of a cropped look but are full length for this shortie. I’m so ok with it because they come to my ankle and are PERFECT to tuck into cute booties and boots!
This lattice back cable knit sweater is so cute and the back has such a fun criss cross detail at the top! I need to wear it next time with a ponytail to show off the cute back. You can also see in this pic the length of the skinny jeans I mentioned above. (I’m 5’3 and 1/2 (don’t forget the half) for height reference.) ;)
I can’t help myself when it comes to green! Love this long sleeved ribbed henley. I’ve mentioned this before but I really love simple, solid colored tops like this because I wear them with jeans or joggers during the day and then just keep them on with pjs pants in the evening.
My favorite thing about this upcoming time change is that I feel completely justified putting on pjs at 4:00 every day. :)
Cutest chunky crewneck sweater! Another Free Assembly win. That brand at Walmart is a great place to start if you’re looking for cute, affordable fashion.
I have a system when I decorate for a new season. I basically pull everything I might want to use to decorate into one room. That room becomes a total hot mess landing zone (items fly in and out daily) while I’m styling the rest of the house. My hot mess landing zone as of late has been my formal dining room and this week I finally got it cleaned up and put back together. Fall bins are put away and it feels great!
I also brought my industrial shelf in from my hallway and decided to use it for extra storage in my dining room for all of my wooden bowls.
I’m running out of room in my decor closet and I decided they are pretty enough to just display for a while. My shelf fits so nicely in this happy little spot.
Always fun to move older items around and make them feel like new again isn’t it!?
Similar industrial shelves:
For table decor I decided to work smarter, not harder and just stick with the same look I have on my kitchen dining nook table and my coffee table. I still love it so much!
I found this beautiful ivory chiffon table runner for just $10! Isn’t it pretty!? I tied the ends and love how they hang. If you have a shorter table than mine this runner would be pretty hanging down longer and touching the floor too.
I enjoyed this look for a day and then decided to add some dishes!
Just a simple table setting for 5 since we aren’t entertaining much these days. We haven’t been using this table and I decided today that it’s time we start. Why not enjoy a pretty table for regular family dinners with just the 5 of us? Even if dinner consists of takeout or pancakes. :)
I’ve used my wooden chargers for years and still love them so much! The cute appetizer plates say things like “grateful” and “thankful.” They aren’t in stock anymore, but I’ll link to some fun similar options below.
Wooden Chargers:
What really makes this simple table setting beautiful is my Amazon gold flatware! Kenny surprised me with it for Christmas last year. And by surprised I mean that I picked it out for him to order for me.
But it was still a surprise to see whether or not he would follow through. ;)
So nice to have our dining room all clean and dressed up for Fall!
Just in time to start pulling out the Christmas bins.
It’s time for one of my favorite posts of the year! Let’s talk Christmas decor for 2020! Ahhh! Pinch me! Is it really time!? Well no. Ha. For some of you I know it’s a little early and yes.. I promise we’re still celebrating Fall and Halloween around here. But if you’re into seasonal decorating at all then you know that a lot of Christmas decor sells out quickly. Some items are already backordered so really.. what choice do we have?
We simply have no choice but to go there. And while we’re at it, I might as well admit to what happened at my house last weekend. Eek! Ok. Before you roll your eyes (yes.. I can feel it.. I’m tricky like that) please know that this decision (like the decision to write this blog post) was 100% totally justified. I mean I HAD to put up this tree. It’s new! And when it came in the box I immediately realized that the only smart, responsible thing to do was to make sure that it was working properly. What if the tree was damaged and I had to send it back and get another one? Wouldn’t it be irresponsible of me to wait!? Clearly I had no choice whatsoever.
Ok.. the jig is up. I LOVE Christmas! I could have Christmas decor up in my house for 6 months and I wouldn’t get tired of it. The season is never long enough for me. I’ve been like this since I was a little girl. Just ask my dad who would shake his head every year when the Chipmunk Christmas tape (later CD) would start echoing from my bedroom in September. So yes. I start decorating a little early. And some years I’ve left a Christmas tree or two up through February. I sincerely hope that we can still be friends. If not.. I have my Christmas tree lights to console me. ;)
There are so many fun Christmas decor items popping up this year so today I’m sharing all of my favorites! First up are a few beloved items I’ve used in past years throughout my home (some are on sale through the weekend!). Then at the end of this post I’ve rounded up my favorites in several Christmas categories. These items took hours to round up because I wanted to share my absolute favorites and there was a lot of Christmas decor on-line to comb through!
It’s a dirty job but somebody had to do it. I decided to take one for the team and make it happen. ;) I’m sure I will discover other fun items and I can’t wait to decorate and share my Christmas decor with all of you! But after this post I promise I’ll wait until after Halloween.
Mostly.
First exciting news.. my faux cedar garland is back! So is my beautiful faux cedar wreath that goes with it! Many of you know I went a little crazy with this garland in my home last year and I plan to do the same this year. I’ve never before seen Christmas garland that looks so real. It’s absolutely gorgeous and this weekend it’s 25% off! Also this year they came out with it in a longer size. I actually bought several last weekend at full price! Kicking myself I didn’t wait one more weekend! But I didn’t dare because this garland sold out so quickly last year. It is on the thin side (it truly looks just like real cedar garland) so on my mantel I used multiple garlands to get this look. (I think I had 5 layered on this mantel.. but this mantel is huge!)
Here you can see the width of it better around my door. Can’t wait to get out my ladder again! :)
Isn’t it beautiful!? I’m holding the faux Cedar wreath that later went up above my mantel. My potted Cyprus trees are also back in stock! I can’t wait to decorate my porch for Christmas. It’s going to be similar, but I’ll try to add a little more red this year. If you ever wonder what my favorite color is.. this picture might give you a hint. Ha.
Anthropologie is a go-to for me when it comes to good Christmas wreaths and garland. I shared a few other favorites above. Seriously all such a good deal at 25% off! Good garland is one of the first things to sell out every year so don’t wait if you find garland you love! (I linked lots of beautiful garland options below!)
These are a few other Anthro Christmas favorites this year! I love the tabletop trees (I have the trees on the left) and I of course stocked up on the Fir & Firewood candle while it’s on sale. It smells SO good and is perfect for holiday gifts!
This was my kitchen window decor the year before and once again.. my Fa-la-la banner is back! Always a favorite. I know some of you have it and love it as much as I do. :)
Last year I added the Fa-la-la banner to my living room tree.
And to my living room mantel. No doubt it will be popping up somewhere new again this year. :) I also found knitted stockings similar to mine on-line! I have the same set in red..
Last but certainly not least.. my gingham plaid pillow covers are back in stock! The cool thing about this pillow is that the back is a beautiful grey faux fur so you can use either side and get two totally different looks. They also sold out quickly last year.
Ok friends. Can I still call you friends? ;) We all know that I could go on sharing Christmas decor favorites from my home for much longer, but I’ll wrap it up because I’ve linked everything I’m loving so far for you below!
Now back to my pumpkins for the rest of the month!
(If you are already a Sunny Side Up subscriber just enter your info. again to get the calendar.. 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.)
Happy early holiday planning!
xoxo, Erin
Share
Join the Sunny Side Up
Community!
The best way for us to stay in touch! Sign up for my newsletter so you’ll never miss a post! You’ll also gain access to all of my home and organization printables.
