Erin, Author at The Sunny Side Up Blog

Food and Cooking...or lack thereof

01.17.19

5 Healthy Snack Ideas

Hello friends! A whole lot of organizing has been going on this week. Which means my house is a mess! But it’s a happy mess that’s about to be a very clean, organized, not mess. :) Since I’m still chipping away and don’t have anything quite ready to show you yet I thought I’d share 5 healthy snacks that I often have on repeat. I know.. I’m totally switching gears. But also not, because it’s January. And in January we all try to organize our homes and eat healthy, right? See how I tied those two things together? I’m tricky like that.

So healthy snacks! I use the word “healthy” loosely. I’m not sharing anything too fancy.. no organic tofu surprise. Just simple things I like to eat that are on the “healthyish” side. We all know I’m not a food expert by any means. And I have so many things I’m trying to work on when it comes to eating healthy and exercise.

Like how I need to eat healthy and exercise. Ha.

But all joking aside, one thing (maybe the only thing) I have figured out is how to maintain my weight. I’ve weighed the same weight (within 5 pounds) for the last 20 years (aside from pregnancies). Like a lot of people I struggle to lose weight! But I’ve got the “maintain” part down. I’ve managed to do that a few ways and one of them is by finding things I like to snack on during the day that taste good to me and don’t pack on the pounds. I thought I’d share a few of my favorite snacks to give you some ideas if you are also trying to eat healthy in 2019!

*affiliate links used

One of my favorite breakfasts/snacks has always been blueberries and strawberries with Vanilla Greek Yogurt. (Light & Fit is my favorite brand).

If I’m getting really crazy I’ll add granola. I’m sure there are healthier granola options out there, but this Quaker Simply Granola is quick, easy and delicious and since I’m just sprinkling some over the top I’m not too worried about the extra sugar.

So good and really filling!

A friend of mine introduced me to these Balanced Break snacks about a year ago and I’m obsessed with them! I’ve seen them in the grocery store, but I always get these larger packs at Costco for a lot less.

It’s just cheese and nuts and cranberries.. something I’d fix for myself but I love that they are portioned so that I don’t over eat.

Each one is 180 calories and they always seem like they are just filling enough to get me by until the next meal.

If you’ve read this blog for longer than a hot minute you know that I’m a popcorn lover. I have been my whole life! Most blog posts you read have been written while I munch on popcorn. Fun fact you probably didn’t care about. :)

We always have these Skinny Pop bags of popcorn on hand. This isn’t the most filling snack, but they are so tasty and perfect for those times that you just want to eat something to eat something. I seem to have a lot of times like that. ;) For a mere 100 calories you can snack away hungry or not!

My kids love them too and take them to school a lot! (You can see my organized pantry here.)

I know that it’s winter and most of you are more in hot chocolate mode than popsicle mode, but as soon as it’s warm enough in your neck of the woods you have to try Yasso bars if you haven’t yet! SO delicious! My girls and I are obsessed with them and couldn’t get enough last summer. They have so many yummy flavors (the mint chocolate chip is my personal favorite!). They taste way too good to only be 100 calories.

Ok.. this is something else I often do since I am trying to be more adult like and eat my vegetables. I know myself well and if healthy snacks are prepared and in my fridge ready to go, I’ll eat them. If not, I won’t take the time to wash and chop and dice. So once a week I try to prepare these little snacks that I can keep in the fridge and then I have no excuse not to eat some vegetables each day.

I like to use these Ziploc containers, but you can use anything that has compartments. They don’t always look the same – I just toss in whatever vegetables/fruit I have on hand. I do always add turkey (because I love turkey) and I always put a hard boiled egg in a few of them. (Addison is allergic to eggs and my girls eat these too so I leave some eggless.) I haven’t been putting cheese and pretzels in them as much lately because I’ve found that they only stay fresh for a couple of days in the fridge and then the pretzels get soft and don’t taste as good.

These have been perfect for busy afternoons when I’m driving my kids around to activities. I can grab one and take it in the car with me to eat on the go! They are nice for when the kids are rushing too.

So those are 5 healthy snacks ideas for you! Things you can usually find to eat at our house. :)

Another thing I started doing about 6 months ago that has helped me and my girls drink more water is keeping these glass water bottles in the fridge.

They come in a pack of six and you can order them here.

I labeled them and gave each of us two bottles. The girls know these don’t leave the house. They are just to have at home and we are each in charge of re-filling our own two bottles when they are empty and putting them back in the fridge.

They keep the water nice and cold and so many times I go to my fridge for a Coke Zero and then open it and see these bottles and say “ok.. ok.. water instead.” Of course sometimes I open my fridge and say “no.. not today” and drink the Coke Zero, but life wouldn’t be fun if we did what we’re supposed to do ALL the time right?

What goals would we have to set each January?

;)

Aside from eating healthy snacks and exercise, one thing that has helped me maintain my weight is my 5 pound rule. I just don’t let myself gain more than 5 pounds. Sometimes I don’t worry about it and eat what I want, but then as soon as my jeans start to feel too tight I kick it in high gear and start eating better. If I know I’m going to dinner at night I always eat a really light breakfast and lunch that day because I like to enjoy myself when I eat out! I’m just constantly managing it and don’t let myself get too out of control.

When my jeans are tight and it’s time to kick it into high gear I snack on the things I shared above and then I eat a lot of fajitas. (I shared the recipe here.)

And chicken!

Now that I know how to cook PERFECT chicken it has definitely been on repeat around here.

I mean just look at that!

And don’t I look so confident!? Ha. This picture right here sums up my life long experience with cooking! But despite my insecurities, the chicken is good. Maybe not perfect.. but good. :) And it helps me keep my AG jeans fitting how I want them to.

Always a bonus. ;)

Enjoy your day everyone! May it be full of organizing and Skinny Pop.

p.s. If you have a favorite healthy snack that’s always on repeat at your house I’d love to hear about it!

xoxo, Erin

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Home Decor

01.13.19

Boy’s Bedroom Update!

Do you love how my last post was like “let’s take on the world and organize all the things!” And then radio silence for a week? Turns out I had to push pause on taking on the world. ;)

I started the week with so much energy and got the last of my Christmas put away. Which is no small feat because as you all know.. I had a lot of Christmas up in this house! These reindeer were the last to head up to our attic. I didn’t want to keep them in the garage because I want to finish off that space this year and I really didn’t want to take them apart and have to put them back together again next year so up they went fully assembled!

Of course.. when you give a mouse a cookie. :) Bringing the reindeer up fully assembled meant I needed to move things around to make room for them which sparked a ~~minor~~ major re-organization of my attic. I was feeling so energized! All things January and Marie Kondo! I decided I could get rid of at least half of the things I was hanging on to in our attic.

After just a few hours in the attic I had filled my laundry room and a good part of my mudroom with things that could go to Goodwill. I was feeling so accomplished! Then Kenny left to San Francisco for work for the rest of the week and our schedule got busy and Kole came home sick and then Addison came home sick. By Thursday I was sick, the attic was still a hot mess, stuff I was purging was all over the house and I couldn’t remember when I last washed my hair.

I wasn’t feeling so Marie Kondo anymore. All sparked joy had left the premises. ;)

But it’s a new week! My back-up support is home and this week is a fresh start with kids on the mend and hopefully some antibiotics for me. I have lots of projects I’m excited to kick off this year starting with getting a few bedrooms finished. El’s bedroom is getting a major makeover (more on that soon!) and Kole’s bedroom got a fun Christmas update that needed a few minor tweaks to look more like a boy’s bedroom again and less like the North Pole. :)

(Boys Bedroom Update)

Getting Kole’s bedroom put back together was my one accomplishment from last week before we all hit the couch and the cough medicine! One of my favorite places to get bedding (The Company Store) is having their semi-annual white sale. Everything for the bedroom and bathroom is marked down – sheets, comforters, pillows blankets, towels. I have shopped at the Company Store since my girls were babies and love their products so I’m thrilled to partner with them on this post and share a few fun things I got from the sale for Kole’s bedroom and bathroom!

First up.. new sheets and pillows! I brought back his orange lamps so it was time for the red sheets to go until next year. These 450 thread-count solid sateen flat sheets are so soft! This color is sliver and looks great in his bedroom against the white, navy and darker grey. Plus they are wrinkle free (always preferred!). I also picked up two of their Best Down Pillows.. so soft.

I got this washable wool blanket in dark grey to add some contrast to his bedding and to throw over him on these colder January nights. I feel like we are actually having a winter this year in southern Cal! Exciting stuff! We are really enjoying our fireplaces and sweaters for a change.

His comforter under the bear duvet cover was an older one we’ve had for years so I updated it to my favorite comforter from the Company Store. The Legends Luxury Royal Baffled Comforter – medium warmth.

It’s the same one we have in our master bedroom and is so comfy! I talked more about it in my post on 5 Tips to Create a Relaxing Bedroom.

I also picked up this cozy cotton fleece blanket in light grey because my kids love sleeping in our playroom/theatre room sometimes on weekends and I knew it would be perfect for slumber parties.

But I liked it so much it’s currently on my bed under our comforter and now I have no plans to move it. Sorry kids. Maybe next time. ;)

Nothing like crisp, clean, new sheets!

His bathroom got a little re-fresh with some of my favorite white Chevron towels and these cute gray stripe bath accessories.

You can see more pics of Kole’s bathroom here.

I love white towels. When we all use white towels it’s easy to toss them all in the wash together and knock them out in one load! A little productivity tip. :)

These are the same towels I use the most in our master bathroom that I first shared in our Evening Routine post. I love the look and how quick drying they are!

I put Kole’s duvet cover back on his new comforter and love it with the new sheets and blanket.

So sophisticated I had to put a few stuffed animals out or I’d cry!

My baby is growing up. (tear)

I have a few more small things I want to add to his room and then I can check this space off as done and move on to the next project. So many fun things I’m excited to work on this year!

And just like that, I can feel my sparked joy coming back.

;)

*All of Kole’s other room sources are listed at the end of my Year Review post HERE.

Huge thank you to The Company Store for sponsoring this post and for one of my favorite sales of the year!

xoxo, Erin

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Organization

01.07.19

Organizing Thoughts and Tips for the New Year!

Hello friends! I hope you’ve all had a great start to 2019! My kids are going back to school tomorrow (today when you are reading this!) and we had such a nice break. I’m really sad to see it end this year! We spent Christmas at home, then went to Utah to visit family, came home for a few days and then spent a day in Julian followed by a few days in Palm Springs. My husband and I set a goal this year to take more short, weekend trips with our kids. We all love to be home without plans, but we’ve found that when we have a free day Kenny ends up working, watching sports or napping, El ends up in her room talking to friends on the phone, Ad is off on her own creating a new type of slime, Kole is on the xbox and I’m in a closet organizing something. :) All nice outlets and we love time to do our thing, but we aren’t spending quality time together. Getting away from the house for a quick weekend more often creates some fun family time that we all love and need to prioritize more! We didn’t have major plans for Palm Springs.. just took the kids on a hike, ate out together, swam and used the hot tub (it was cool but the pools were heated!), and then we stayed up late watching movies. The best! I came home feeling so relaxed and energized and ready to hit the new year running! Or at least walking at a swift, steady pace. ;)

I’ll share a few pics from our trips soon, but today I want to share a few thoughts and tips that are on my mind about organizing because I know so many of us are working on getting our homes more clean/organized for the new year. (Love that about January!) I shared a round-up of some of my favorite organizing projects on IG a few days ago starting with this picture of our organized playroom closet and it brought up so many great comments and questions.

(Organized Playroom)

So here are my random thoughts to address and answer some of those questions and also just some basic tips I’ve learned throughout the years that help me keep my home clean and organized!

First I just want to stay that I think it’s really hard to focus and be productive and creative and on time and healthy and happy and ALL the good things when your surroundings are a mess. Most of us would agree that a clean space does wonders for our sanity! For that reason alone it’s important to prioritize getting our homes in order! But our homes are here for us to live life in them. They aren’t perfect and perfection isn’t the goal. A lot of times when I share perfectly organized, clean spaces on IG I think people assume my home always looks perfect. Please! I have 3 kids. My home isn’t always perfectly clean. I finish an organizing project and snap that perfect picture and then we get on with life and my kids have 10 friends over and rooms are a mess in minutes. My spaces are organized and work well for us, but things don’t stay Pinterest perfect lined up all the time. Those of you who follow my blog know that. But what is true about my home (and I feel like this is key!) is that it doesn’t take too much work to get my home clean again. By clean I don’t mean floors and showers scrubbed (that is a lot of work and I have help when it comes to the deep cleaning!). By clean I mean everything picked up and put away where it goes and looking presentable with closets and drawers and cupboards mostly tidy. The reason I’m able to do this without too much effort is because of a few reasons..

1 – I don’t keep things we don’t use/love. I know.. it can be so hard to get rid of things! But you won’t have an organized home until you can learn to purge and get rid of excess. Also purging isn’t something to just do once every few years or once every January. Especially if you like to shop like I do. ;) We have to re-assess what we use/need and let go of things we aren’t using often. The good news is that the more you do it, the easier it gets!

*Here’s a tip on getting rid of sentimental items that are hard to part with (I struggle with this too!). Focus on what you want to keep, not what you’re saying good-bye to.

(Organized Blankets and Towels)

When I was organizing this hallway blanket closet I really struggled with letting go of some of my kids’ small baby blankets. I had so many and they all reminded me of such a special time and lots of late nights rocking and cuddling. I looked at the huge pile of baby blankets and I pulled out my favorites. The blankets that I really love the most and had the most meaning. The rest I quickly put in a bag for goodwill and told myself that they would make another mom and baby happy. I didn’t focus on the blankets I gave away, but instead I focused on the baby blankets I kept and thought about the memories associated with them and how happy I was to hold on to them. It was hard giving the rest to goodwill at the time (I felt like I was saying good-bye all over again to that stage of life with my kids) but do you think I’ve missed them since? I haven’t thought about them once until now because I’m writing this post! And this closet has stayed organized because it’s not overflowing with blankets we never use.

2 – Everything I do keep has a place. I’ve worked hard over the years to establish a place for everything. If you find that you are constantly putting things in different places and can’t find something when you need it, it’s time to stop and think about what location makes the most sense for that item. Group it with similar items and give it a permanent HOME.

I remember after we moved into our new home never having a place for my camera. I kept setting it in different closets/drawers/cupboards and spent way too much time looking for it when I needed it. I finally cleaned out a pull out drawer in my office, rounded up other camera equipment and similar items and decided this was their home. This picture was taken right after I organized this drawer. Everything isn’t this perfectly lined up right now! But the same items are there and my kids know where the stapler is if they need it and I can easily find my camera and put it away when I’m done using it. GIVE ITEMS YOU’RE KEEPING A SET HOME. Everything you own! Give it a place to live and show your family and tell them that’s where those items should always be put away.

3 – I never let my home get too out of control. I always get asked “how do you KEEP your spaces organized?” It’s one thing to get motivated and purge and organize a closet. It’s another thing to keep it organized and clean. The secret I’ve learned is setting up habits (things you just do without even thinking about doing them!) to keep your home clean. These are a few things I do often that are just habits I’ve formed over the years by doing them again and again.. and again!

I don’t go to bed at night with a messy kitchen. Other spaces can be messy but I always load dishes and clean my kitchen counters and sink after dinner and again before bed. Waking up to a clean kitchen starts my day off better!
Every time I get groceries (usually twice a week) I do a mini fridge/pantry clean out. Before I put new items in I quickly toss expired items, wipe off a few shelves, etc. This doesn’t take more than 10 minutes and it’s how I keep my fridge and pantry always clean and organized!
After a trip/vacation I always wipe out my bathroom make-up drawers before I put my make-up back in them. I seem to travel somewhere every 2-3 months so my bathroom drawers get a mini clean-out often enough that they stay clean and organized. If you don’t travel as often, just set a reminder on your phone to give certain drawers/spaces a quick clean out every 2-3 months!(Organized Bathroom Drawers)
Whenever I’m on a long phone call I wipe out and straighten a junk drawer or small drawer in my kitchen.
I always place items my kids need to put upstairs in their rooms on our stairs and they know that means they need to take them up and put them away.
I involve my kids often and most afternoons we do a quick 15 minute clean-up of main rooms. They have become good helpers because I have involved them in the cleaning since they were little. They also know that their rooms need to be cleaned each day. Before they can hang out with friends or play the xbox or anything like that I always ask “is your room and bathroom clean?” They keep their rooms pretty picked up most of the time because they don’t want to have to do a major overhaul every night!
I have a routine for laundry. (I’ll share more on that in a separate post!)
I have a main cleaning day once a week when all of the deep cleaning happens and every other week on that day I wash all of our sheets.
I put things away after I use them. This seems so obvious but we don’t always do it! It’s easier to just set something on a counter than to put it away where it goes. But once you get used to always putting things away where they belong it becomes a habit and you don’t have to remind yourself as much. (Same with reminding kids and spouses – do it enough and they will start putting things away just so they don’t have to hear you ~~nagging~~ reminding them!) ;) I’m working on this in my closet this year. Do you ever wonder why I haven’t shared that space? It’s the one area I struggle to keep organized because I just can’t make myself consistently hang my clothes back up instead of laying them on the counter.. or the floor.. or anywhere but the hanger. Ha. :) #2019goals

So that’s it! Get rid of things you don’t use or love. Give everything an organized home. Work hard to keep things clean by establishing habits that are part of your routine. (I have something coming soon that will help us all with establishing good habits!) Don’t strive for perfection – leave that for bloggers. ;) .. strive to have a home that is well organized and functional and full of only what you use and love. A home that you can clean quickly after the daily messes. That has always been my goal! We live in our home and it can get messy, but if I suddenly found out people were coming over in 20 minutes (which happens all the time now that I have a teenager!) I love that our home can be whipped back into shape quickly without too much effort.

I hope that answers some questions, gives you some ideas and helps kick things off if you are working on home organization this year! I have so many organizing projects on my list and can’t wait to get started! 2019 is going to be a good, well organized year for us all.. I just know it.

xoxo, Erin

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Home Decor

12.29.18

Sunny Side Up 2018 Year Review

I was hoping I’d have time for one more blog post before Christmas so that I could wish you all a wonderful holiday and then things got so busy I only had time for an IG post! So happiest holidays to all of you! I hope that you’ve had a nice break with loved ones and are ready to ring in 2019! We had a great Christmas and are loving this in-between down time (um.. what day is it?). :) Such a nice break from the routine to just relax, focus on family and think about priorities for a new year. Today I’m sharing my SUNNY SIDE UP 2018 YEAR REVIEW! I love these year reviews because they help me reflect on everything I’ve shared and think about new content for the next year. I’m so excited! I just know 2019 is going to be a fabulous year! 19 is my all time favorite number (it has been since I was a little girl) so the new year is off to a great start before it even gets going. ;)

Ok.. a few quick things! First of all.. I get so many questions about my floor plan (which we haven’t shared on the blog) so on Christmas Eve I took a little IGTV home tour of the layout of most of our main floor. I wasn’t planning on doing that, but I had the house all clean for Christmas and found myself with a few quiet minutes alone downstairs so I filmed a quick tour! The lighting wasn’t the best so sorry about that. And if I’m being honest, video has always intimidated me so I’m trying to branch out and work on that more! I hope it answers some of your floor plan questions! And I hope I don’t sound like a complete idiot and make you dizzy. ;) You can watch it HERE or find me on IG HERE if you’re interested.

Next thing! I’ve included sources for Kole’s bedroom at the end of this post after getting so many questions after I shared his Christmas room update. If you have e-mailed or send a DM or asked me about sources on IG or the blog and haven’t heard back I’m so sorry! Sources are at the end of this post. I’ll be responding to all e-mails after the break so thank you for your patience if you’ve reached out about something! I’m trying to soak up every minute I can with my family while we have this time off. I hope all of you are doing the same!

Next thing! I’ve rounded up most of my blog posts from the past year in this post and I hope it’s helpful! If you’ve missed a few posts OR want to re-read something for new ideas OR if you’re new here and reading for the first time.. lots of fun content to help with all things home decor, design, organization and fashion with a few family moments thrown in-between. That’s how we roll around here and if you aren’t subscribed to my blog already, you can sign up here to get an e-mail every time I post (along with access to my printable library!). That way you won’t miss future content and we can become true besties. ;)

Last thing! There isn’t a last thing. :) Except to say thank you. Thank you for helping to make 2018 such a wonderful year! I never imagined this little blog I started so long ago as a way to connect with family and a few friends would lead to so many other friendships all over the world. My love and gratitude for every single one of you who make this blog a part of your life are bigger than I could ever express with words. If I could reach through this screen and give each of you a hug I would. Thank you! Your kindness and support mean more to me than you’ll ever know.

Click on any link below for the full post on each topic!

HOW TO SET UP A PRODUCTIVE HOME OFFICE

DVD ORGANIZATION (THE BEST SOLUTION!)

ORGANIZED BUILT-INS FOR TOYS

MASTER BEDROOM (THE BEGINNING!)

DECORATED MASTER BEDROOM

FASHION, LIFE LATELY AND VALENTINE’S IDEAS

MY ORGANIZED PANTRY

PAINT COLORS THROUGHOUT MY HOME (FREE PRINTABLE!)

SPRING DECORATING

GUEST ROOM DECOR (PROGRESS!)

SPRING FASHION FAVORITES (AND A MAGAZINE FEATURE!)

SIMPLE SPRING DECOR UPDATES

THREE TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY

10 QUICK AND EASY RECIPES (PERFECT TO BATCH COOK)

KAUAI AND THOUGHTS ON PARENTING (warning.. you might need a tissue for this one!)

CURRENT PROJECTS (A PRINTABLE TO HELP YOU GET THINGS DONE)

HOME AND FASHION FAVORITES (AND AN ORGANIZATION FEATURE!)

5 TIPS TO CREATE A RELAXING BEDROOM

20 EASY WAYS TO SPRING CLEAN (WITH A FREE CHECKLIST!)

MOTHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

FATHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

OUR EVENING ROUTINE

SHIPLAP DISPLAY WALL (THROUGH THE SEASONS)

HOW TO GET OUT OF A PRODUCTIVITY SLUMP

MCGEE & CO SHOPPING TRIP

A WEEKEND PARTY

WEEKEND ORGANIZING (WITH CLOSET TIPS AND GOOD SALES ON THE SIDE!)

POTTERY BARN COMFORT ROLL ARM SECTIONAL (THEATRE ROOM PROGRESS!)

MARRIED TO A BLOGGER: THE HUSBANDS TELL ALL! (one of my favorites this year!)

DAILY EXPECTATIONS – A PRINTABLE TO KEEP YOUR KIDS ON TASK!

4TH OF JULY OUTDOOR DECOR

THIS AND THAT AND ALL THINGS SUMMER

NORDSTROM ANNIVERSARY SALE: EARLY ACCESS – MY FAVORITES – RUGS, DRESSES, JEWELRY, FLOWERS – SALE IS LIVE

ORGANIZED PAPER FILES

HOW I PLAN MY DAY (WITH FREE PRINTABLES!)

LIVING ROOM SUMMER DECOR

ORGANIZING PROGRESS AND GIRLS SCHOOL CLOTHES

FASHION FRIDAY AND A SPECIAL DAY

BATHROOM DECOR (A POP OF PINK!)

ORGANIZED GREETING CARDS

HOW TO KEEP YOUR SANITY THIS SCHOOL YEAR

FAVORITE HOME DECOR

GOOD-BYE SUMMER OF 2018!

WEEKEND POOL PARTY AND SALES

ORGANIZED SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND RECENT FAVORITES

DECORATING FOR FALL – 5 TIPS!

FALL FASHION (RECENT FAVORITES!)

MENS FALL FASHION FAVORITES

GIRLS BEDROOM UPDATE

KID’S BEDROOM PHOTO DISPLAY

LAUNDRY ROOM DECOR

SWEATERS AND SHIPLAP!

FALL KITCHEN DECOR (AND NEW RUGS!)

LIFE LATELY

MY PLANNING SYSTEM

FAVORITE CHRISTMAS DECOR (so many fun things on sale now!)

FALL LIVING ROOM DECOR

HALLOWEEN PORCH AND FALL FASHION

FAMILY ROOM FALL DECOR

I’m not going to share each Nov/Dec post because they were all so recent, but you can see them all by clicking on the links below if you’re interested!

NOVEMBER POSTS

DECEMBER POSTS

Thank you for all of the sweet comments, messages, e-mails, etc. about Kole’s fun Christmas room makeover! Like I mentioned before, I got so many questions about his room sources so I wanted to share them all here one more time for those of you asking! Seems a lot of us are thinking about updating bedrooms this time of year. :)

The rug, letter “K”, dresser, mirror and bookshelf are all from Restoration Hardware Child/Teen. You can find them on their website or I’ll link to similar less expensive options below! You can find his bed here or in a bunk bed version here. You can find his ceiling fan here. This room paint color (and all of the other paint colors throughout my house) are on my paint printable that you can download here.

I hope that helps! Enjoy what’s left of the holiday and I’ll see you all in 2019! Bring it on.

{Similar ROOM SOURCES and a couple of other good deals on bedding!}

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

12.20.18

Boys Bedroom Christmas Decor

Fa-la-la we are getting so close to Christmas! I’m sharing Kole’s Christmas bedroom with you all today! I had so much fun decorating it for the holidays this year! My kids get so excited about Christmas decor (hmm.. wonder where they get that from?). :) I have definitely passed on a love of making our home festive this time of year because my kids always want their rooms decorated! My girls decorated their own this year and Kole kept asking me to make his room “feel like Christmas too.” :)

*affiliate links used

So one day last week while he was at school I completely transformed his room with fun new bedding and decor from The Home Depot! We often visit the store when we’re working on home projects, but I also love ordering things from The Home Depot on-line because they carry thousands of brand name home decor products and they ship for free over $45. The biggest change I made in his bedroom was adding this cute Bear Tracks Flannel Duvet Cover and matching pillow shams. I’m so in love with this bedding for a boy’s bedroom! Especially fun during the winter months. I also picked up these elegant comfort sheets to add a pop of red (they come in lots of colors!). I’m thrilled about how soft they are for such a low price!

I knew I wanted to put some real trees next to Kole’s bed and was so excited to find these beauties at the The Home Depot garden section. They couldn’t come home with me fast enough! After Christmas I’ll add them to my porch or somewhere else fun in the house. We’ll see how long I can keep them living. My husband was shopping for other things and just shook his head when I told him to load these large trees in the truck. He doesn’t even ask anymore. Ha.

I found the tree on the right and it was so perfectly shaped so I kept trying to find one that matched it better, but the rest of the trees were a little more on the shaggy side. I had to remind myself of my favorite Christmas story “Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect.” It’s about a little tree who ends up looking messy when he’s all grown up instead of perfect like the other trees because he spends his life helping animals stay warm, etc. (If you haven’t read the story it’s darling! A favorite we read on Christmas Eve every year.) So the shaggy tree on the left side of his bed stood out and came home with me. Perfectly unperfect. :)

I also got some fun lights at The Home Depot and strung them across his bed and in the trees. I just used scotch tape to hold the string of lights over his bed. You don’t have to get too tricky with a metal headboard. :)

The rest of Kole’s room is also feeling festive!

This brown bark and faux fur tree is absolutely beautiful! Lightweight and really tall. I’m excited to have it for future years to move around my house. I also picked up this fun vintage candy gum ball machine because ours broke a while back and it’s a favorite. I used it as a reward system to potty train all three of my kids. :) No gum in it while it’s in Kole’s room though. When it’s back in our kitchen and I can monitor it I’ll fill it up again. Trying to keep kids cavity free around here!

This small lighted grey Christmas tree is so perfect for rooms with an industrial vibe! I love the way it looks at night. Grinch is also a fan. :)

Admittedly project “finish up Kole’s room” got put on the back burner this year so I never added pictures to his bulletin board or pillows to his window seat (it’s usually covered in toys anyway). All good because it gave me room to add some of my kids’ favorite Christmas stuffed animals.

Kole has loved having new “friends” in his room to play with. :)

I also never got around to styling this bookshelf so I just added these cute bristle pine trees that light up at night and some nutcrackers from The Home Depot we’ve had for years. They are one of Kole’s favorite things to pull out every December so he was excited to have them all to himself in his room this year!

I also ordered these stacking baskets to try in his room and love the look, but I think I’m going to find baskets that are longer for this shelf and use these to organize some things in Kole’s bathroom. Notice his perfectly lined up organized books! Last week’s project because I was feeling stressed. I walked into his room, pulled the messy books off of his shelf and started purging, categorizing, and stacking.

I instantly felt better. :) #mytherapy

This wood tic-tac-toe table decor is another favorite find of ours! Kole has always loved playing this simple game and I like this set for room decor when he’s not using it. I snapped these pics quickly so they are a bit blurry.. I wanted to catch my kids in action before they really noticed and stopped playing!

Can you tell by their faces who won the last two rounds?

And the two rounds following that? Ha ha.. keep practicing buddy! Someday you’ll be running circles around her. ;)

I was especially excited to decorate this space for Kole because he is at such a fun age and so into Christmas. He wakes up every morning and puts on his little robe and Santa slippers and races downstairs to see where our elf is hiding. His excitement is contagious! Because he’s my last and I know how fast these elementary school years go by I am soaking up every minute with him. And maybe admittedly spoiling him just a tad. I can’t help it. :)

I hope you enjoyed Kole’s Christmas room tour!

Not a bad place to spend the night. :)

*Huge thank you to The Home Depot for sponsoring this post! We are long time fans at our house. :)

{POST SOURCES}

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

12.20.18

Christmas Homes at Night Tour!

The Thursday before Christmas! Coming so fast. I can’t wait to get my kids out of school Friday so we can really start the party. :) I’m excited to be joining some blog friends today for a Christmas Homes at Night Tour! I’m sharing lots of night pictures of my home ready for Christmas and at the bottom of the post you can visit my friends’ beautiful homes as well! If you are new to Sunny Side Up hello and welcome! Pull up a chair. Or maybe a couch. We have fun here and I always take way too many pictures so you might want to grab a snack while you’re at it too. (Popcorn and hot chocolate sound amazing right now!) I can wait while you put on pajamas too. Big fan of pajamas. Go ahead and get comfy. :)

(Porch Sources)

Ready? Come in come in! So happy to have you over! I’m going to keep the chit chat to a minimum because I might break the internet with all of these pictures so enjoy the tour and if you have source questions or want to see more pictures of specific rooms (with normal lighting!) click on the links below each room.

(Christmas Gallery Wall)

(Living Room Sources)

(Dining Room Sources)

(Black Stripe Vases/Reindeer/Wooden Bowl/Fa-la-la Banner/Ornaments/Similar Glass Jar/Similar greenery)

(Kitchen Sources/Favorite Christmas Decor)

(Family Room Sources/Reindeer Tree Sources)

A recent favorite picture. :)

(Mudroom Tree Sources)

I haven’t shared my stair garland yet! I decorated the bottom half of my stairs and then wore out before I could do the top half.. ha. :) I used a couple different garlands and then added the mercury ornament garland I used on my mudroom tree. I love the way it looks at night! This picture doesn’t really do it justice.. night photography is still a work in progress over here. :)

(Master Bedroom Sources)

It’s hard to believe that we finished designing/building our home 5 years ago! When we came back from a trip over Thanksgiving break we all walked in the door and my son said “sometimes it feels like coming home is the vacation.” It made me smile. That right there is the reason we all put so much time and love into our homes.

Because our homes are often where the best of life happens. They are safe havens from the world that we share with our favorite people.

Where the best memories are made. :)

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season in your beautiful homes!

p.s. I have one more Christmas room to share with you tomorrow so check back in! Also feel free to sign up here for my e-mail list if you haven’t already so you don’t miss a post! (When you subscribe you will have access to a printable with all of my paint colors along with other fun organizing/time management printables.) Lots of fun is coming in January.. time to organize! Makes me giddy just thinking about it! :)

Enjoy visiting my friends’ homes decked for Christmas below!

Ella Claire | French Country Cottage | Cherished Bliss | Julie Blanner | Happy Happy Nester

Kelly Elko | Rooms for Rent | Love Grows Wild | Boxwood Avenue | Decor Gold Designs

Maison de Cinq | Craftberry Bush | Zevy Joy | Making Home Base | Inspired by Charm

The Lilypad Cottage | Shabby Fufu | Finding Silver Pennies | Blesser House | Sunny Side Up

Summer Adams

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

12.19.18

Christmas in the Guest Room

Christmas in the guest room! Just a few simple touches to make it feel festive.

(Sherpa Reindeer/Lit Birch Tree/Similar Pine Swag)

*affiliate links used

I’ve loved having red in this room! Holiday sheets just make a space happy don’t they!?

So do merry and bright pillowcases.

And Reindeer Sleigh Ride signs. :) This sign was made by Jen at Harper Grayce who also made the Hot Cocoa sign in my dining room! So cute. Without really planning it I ended up with a bit of a reindeer theme throughout my house.

I’ll take it! They make me happy. Just like the holiday sheets and merry and bright pillowcases and Reindeer Sleigh Ride Sign.

Did I already mention that?

I was going to put something fun and Christmas themed in these frames and just never got around to it! I kept putting off taking pictures of this room to share thinking as soon as I get those frames done.. A week before Christmas I finally told myself done is better than perfect. DONE is better than PERFECT. I think I’ll repeat that to myself. Over and over daily.

Because I’m a work in progress.

And because there’s always next year.

Next year.. I’ll have this room perfect.

;)

{POST SOURCES}

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

12.18.18

December Fashion

(Buffalo Check Tie Shirt/Over the knee boots/Kole’s Sweater/Kole’s Shoes/Merry and Bright Doormat/Striped Rug) *affiliate links used

Sharing a few fun things I’ve been wearing this month. And my Christmas porch! I kept it so simple this year because I was doing more inside (I still haven’t shown you some of my decorated rooms.. coming next!). I found these cute sparkly deer at Costco that look amazing at night and they were so cute I just put them on the porch! Added a few presents, a new doormat and our Merry Christmas banner.. done!

Like I said it looks best at night! I’ll share a night picture soon. My little buddy turns on the lights for us and we watch the deer all sparkle. :)

(Puff Sleeve Crew Sweater/AG Jeans/Purse/Lace up Booties)

Ok.. I have so many fun things I’ve been wearing this month to all of the December activities, parties and events and a lot of them are on sale! Like this cute puff sleeve crew sweater. I love the colors and that it has a bit of a sparkle! But my latest obsession are these pink lace up booties. Hands down my favorite thing I’ve bought this season. So comfy and they are a great price for such a cute, comfortable shoe. I get questions about them every time I wear them! They come in black too.

This Madewell mock neck sweater is well.. Madewell. That’s all I have to say. :) And it’s on sale! Kenny asked for Christmas gift ideas for me about a month ago and I told him anything Madewell will be a hit. Love their clothes too much! (And all Rebecca Minkoff handbags..)

I wore this sweater last week to lunch with these cute girls (love them!) and look how tall I am! That never happens. Heeled boots are my friend. :)

This Nike Air Zip Fleece top is another favorite. It’s cute casual with jeans.

Or even more casual with very little make-up, leggings and sneakers. :)

This Drape Front Faux Suede Jacket was an early Christmas gift! I’ve wanted it for so long and finally caved. It’s even more beautiful in person! Comes in lots of colors and I had a hard time choosing between this grey and the olive (pink would be so cute in the Spring!). I like it zipped but you can wear it open too. I’ve worn it casual during the day..

and dressed up with black jeans and over the knee boots for a night out. My favorite tanner bar necklace I mentioned in yesterday’s gift guide looks great with this!

K.. this embroidered puff sleeve top is adorable! Comes in an Ivory too that is so pretty. I know it’s not warm enough for a lot of you to wear this right now, but it’s 40% off so one to consider buying for the Spring! I love puff sleeves. So feminine and they just add something extra.

My necklace is Madewell.. of course. :)

One last cute ribbed crewneck sweater! A soft and cozy staple. :)

We’ve had so many events this month I needed to dress up for so I ordered several dresses weeks ago to try and chose my top two! This Velvet Sheath Dress is gorgeous! It comes in lots of colors. I love this pretty green that you can’t really see in this cell pic with bad lighting Ellie snapped for us on our way out. This dress is SO flattering (hugs you just the right way!). Plus it’s comfortable and warm. I just can’t wear short sleeved dresses in the winter! So many girls do and look gorgeous, but I freeze and I don’t want to have to wear a jacket or shrug all night so I look for sleeves this time of year! I was nice and warm in this all night long. Score. :)

Different weekend. Different dress. Same Christmas tree. ;) This Bell Sleeve Fit and Flare dress is adorable! Also flattering, also comfortable and also warm. I’m a fan!

I wore this again last week to church and snapped a pic on my way out the door. Aren’t the flare sleeves and skirt fun!? Would be so cute for a New Years Eve party too! You might have noticed that both of my favorite dresses are Eliza J. dresses. They have quickly become my favorite brand for dresses because they always have such a flattering fit!

Of course after a night out in a dress and heels I can’t wait to come home and put on pjs. I shared these favorite moonlight pajamas in yesterday’s post.

This is the cute navy sapphire pair and what they look like on. As fun as it is to dress up, nothing beats a good pair of pajamas. :)

Kole would have to agree! I gave him two Christmas gifts early this year because I knew they would be fun for December. The climbing Santa and this crazy soft fleece lined hooded robe! Kole is funny about sleeping in pjs. He’ll wear them in the evening but likes to sleep in shorts and a t-shirt. Quirky.. I know. It doesn’t stop there. ;) But he’s always cold in the morning so when I saw this robe I knew he would love it! He wakes up and puts it on, takes it off for school and then comes home from school and puts it back on over his clothes until bedtime. He has been living in it! It makes me happy he loves it so much. :)

Perfect attire for all of the Rudolph watching we’ve been doing around here!

Love him. :)

That wraps up my December fashion! Fall/December fashion is my favorite. I love it when it’s finally cool enough to wear sweaters and boots! I’d love to hear.. what was your favorite item I shared today?

Quick p.s. I got so many e-mails after yesterday’s post asking about this faux lit garland! I shared it early in the season but for those of you who missed it and were wondering you can find it here and it’s half off! I have two of them hanging over my stove. It looks so close to real and I love the lights. Ok.. signing off now but I’ll be back soon with some fun Christmas decor! Enjoy your day. :)

{POST SOURCES}

{SIMILAR DEER}

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

12.16.18

Gift Ideas for HER

{Recent favorite Moonlight Pajamas/Master bedroom sources}

Happy weekend friends! I can’t believe we only have one more weekend after this and then it’s Christmas! I’m getting so excited to get my kids out of school in a week. I love having the school activities, performances, parties, and projects all behind us and just a few days to soak in all of the holiday fun together as a family. The 3-4 days leading up to Christmas are some of my favorite days of the year! This weekend we have a few fun parties going on and then I’m trying to finish up my holiday shopping. I definitely have a better handle on it this year than I have in previous years because I did more early planning, but there still always seems to be a few last minute gifts I’m scrambling to order/shop for! I’m sharing my last gift guide today! This is my holiday gift guide for HER – all of the women in your life. Holla! It’s a fun one that’s full of things I absolutely love or would love to see under the tree this year.

I hope these ideas are helpful! I have no idea how I’m going to share everything I have lined up for the blog in just one week. I’m pretty much planning on not sleeping for the next 7 days.. ha! So stay tuned!

And no judging if there are more spelling errors than usual. :)

*affiliate links used

1 – Nordstrom Lingerie Moonlight Pajamas – Pretty much obsessed with these pajamas right now! I wanted to buy a pair for someone close, but because I’m such a good friend I figured I better test them out first. You know.. make sure they really are as soft as they are supposed to be. ;) They are so incredibly comfortable! I ordered two patterns to try.. the rose pattern above and the navy sapphire and can’t part with either! They do run a little big (I’m wearing xxs) so I would try one size down, but pjs are meant to be cozy so if you go with your regular size they’ll still look fine. A perfect gift for your mom, sister, girlfriend.. or yourself!

2 – Girl Wash Your Face – My friend Vanessa and I are starting a book club and this is the first book on our list to discuss in January! It has been all the rage for a while now so I’m sure most of you have read it already or heard of it. I can’t wait to read it over Christmas break!

3 – Rapid X5 Car Charger – The perfect solution for parents with multiple kids in the car. This charges up to 5 phones at once and it’s supposed to be FAST. Can’t wait to try it!

4 – Gorjana Tanner Bar Necklace – My long time tried and true favorite necklace! It goes with EVERYTHING and I wear it at least 4 times a week!

5 – Drybar Brush Crush – I want this for Christmas so badly! A friend of mine has it and said it straightens her hair so straight and so quickly! Hoping Santa brings it for me and my girls to share. :)

6 – Advance Night Repair Eye Mask – Another item at the top of my wish list! These look amazing for under eye puffiness, circles, wrinkles, etc. With all of the 2 am blogging I do these would be a game changer for my tired eyes! Of course a little more sleep couldn’t hurt either. #newyearsgoal #again

7 – Victor&Rolf Flowerbomb – My favorite perfume! I used to never wear perfume (could never find a scent I loved) and then Kenny got me this as a gift. It smells SO good and now I wear it daily!

8 – 700 Thread Count Sheet Set – One of my all time favorite sheet sets! The softest!

9 – Bliss Plush Throw – You all know how I feel about this long time favorite throw and apparently everyone else has discovered it too because it just sold out! Throws make such perfect gifts.. something everyone loves and can use. Other favorites: this faux fur ruched throw and pretty much anything on this cozy and knitted throws page!

10 – Shiseido Eyelash Curler – I use a mac eyelash curler but I’m ordering this one to try because it has such great reviews. I love a good lash curler and use one every day!

11. Russel Hobbs Retro Style 4-Slice Toaster – You guys. I found the most perfect toaster. EVER! Russell Hobbs reached out about an IG post collaboration and when I went on-line and saw their toasters my heart skipped a beat! That retro look! That blue color! I couldn’t say yes fast enough.

Are they not the cutest toasters ever!? They also come in black, white, cream or red but this blue! Such a fun pop of color for any kitchen! I was especially thrilled to learn when they got here and we started using one that they are also amazing toasters. Always a bonus.. ha. ;) Kole eats cinnamon toast for breakfast every day and says his toast tastes better. I kind of didn’t believe him.. I mean.. it’s toast. But after using this toaster I have to agree with him. It toasts to perfection every time plus it has a warming rack and timer and other fun features. Worth every penny in my opinion because it’s something we use every single day and will have for a LONG time.

{Kitchen Sources}

Did I mention how cute it looks in my kitchen!? Priorities. :) I usually put our toaster in an appliance cupboard but not this baby.. it’s sitting out on the counter. Couldn’t love it more! Russell Hobbs also has highly recommended coffee and tea makers and they are offering a holiday discount to all of my readers. YEA! You can get 15% off of your purchase by using the code SUNNY15 when you check out!

12. North Face Sport Osito Jacket – I’ve been obsessed with this jacket for a while now because it’s so fuzzy and warm! It has been perfect to wear in the morning over pj’s to run my kids to school or to throw on over exercise clothes or just for an extra layer on cold days.

I got this grayish color but it also comes in white and black! So cute and comfortable.

13. Blow Dry Secret Dry Shampoo – The girls who do my hair swear by this dry shampoo so I had to try it! To be honest I don’t use dry shampoo a lot, but this really is so much better than anything I’ve tried. Smells so good and it will give you a lot of volume! I’m usually trying to de-volume my thick hair (ha) which is why I don’t use dry shampoo as much, but if you feel like your hair falls flat and loses volume when you don’t have time to wash it, you will love this dry shampoo!

14. Apple Watch Series 4 – My husband is obsessed with his apple watch! He loves it for running because he can listen to music and use the Nike Run app to track his speed, progress, etc. at the same time. He also loves using it as a phone when he doesn’t want to carry his iPhone. Now I want one! But not for running. More for speed waltzing. Is that a thing? I’m making it a thing. And I need an apple watch for it. ;)

15. Mac Strobe Cream – This is such a fun product! I’ve always loved using it on special occasions when I’m dressing up, but I have friends who use it daily. It gives your skin such a pretty glow!

16. Slipsilk Pure Silk Pillowcase – One of my friends has this silk pillowcase and swears by it! It’s supposed to be better for your hair and skin than regular pillowcases. Do any of you have it? I’m so intrigued and want to try it!

17. Homebody Book – So excited to read this! Kenny thought he hid it well.. he didn’t. Excited to open it Christmas morning. ;)

18. Travel Jewelry Organizer – So perfect for travel!

19. Mac Brow Set – Dior Lash Primer – Define-A-Lash Mascara – These are my favorites! The clear brow gel keeps your eyebrows in place, the lash primer you put on before your mascara and it makes your lashes so long! And then the define-a-lash is my all time favorite mascara. Use all three and the eyelash curler above for killer eyes. You’re welcome. :)

20. Monogram Key Chain – Such a cute gift! I love things like this that are personalized.

Here’s a round up of all of my gift guides. Happy holiday shopping!

{Gifts For Men}

{Gifts For Kids}

{Gifts for Teens}

{Gifts for Neighbors, Teachers and Friends}

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

12.12.18

Master Bedroom Christmas Decor

So remember in my last post how I was talking about slowing down? Yeah.. that’s maybe happening next week. Ha. :) This seems to be the week with ALL the December activities and parties hitting at once. Are you all feeling that too? It has been so fun but wow.. I’m tired! Although full disclosure, 40 teenage girls just left my home so that might have something to do with how I’m feeling at the moment.

Just Maybe. ;)

But more on that later. I have a Hallmark movie going to keep me awake because I’m excited to share my master bedroom Christmas decor with you all!

*affiliate links used {Rug/Duvet Cover/Bliss Throw/Similar Chairs/Similar Ladders/Pom Pom Throw here and here} *benches/cushion/pillows/drapes were custom made.

You might remember this Christmas tree I got for my master bedroom last year. I kept it decorated mostly the same with silver, white and pink ornaments. I wanted it to have a ‘snowy’ look so I added a lot more quilt batting this time. A fun, inexpensive way to add a little something to your tree!

And to fake snow if you aren’t seeing it out your window. :)

One thing I also love doing when I decorate this tree is doubling up ornaments and putting two of them really close together. It’s the buddy system. Everyone gets a buddy.

(Suddenly I’m on a 2nd grade field trip.. anyone else? Once a school teacher always a school teacher..) ;)

I really didn’t do too much to the rest of the room. I just added cozy throws (this is a long time favorite!) and then some greenery to the mantel.

This garland I’ve had for years. It already had the small silver and gold ornaments attached and then I added the rest of the larger pink ornaments. I didn’t attach them.. just nestled them carefully in the greenery so they won’t fall off!

I love how that simple, inexpensive touch that took all of 5 minutes tied the mantel and tree together and made the bedroom feel so elegant!

{Similar bed here and here/lamps/mirrors/art}

A couple of simple trees on the nightstands.

And one more on the desk. :)

That’s all it took to make this room holiday ready!

And oh so cozy.

Especially at night with the tree lights on! I told Kenny he should be happy that I added a Christmas tree to our bedroom last year.. that having a tree in the master bedroom created an incredibly romantic space.

Absolutely perfect for flannel pj’s, ice cream and Hallmark movies in bed.

Maybe not exactly what he had in mind, but it’s working pretty great for me.

;)

{MASTER BEDROOM SOURCES}

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

12.11.18

How to Make December Intentional and Gifts for Men

Christmas is in two weeks! Can you believe that!? In past years when I would hear that Christmas was right around the corner I would feel stressed about all that still needed to get done.. gifts left to buy/wrap, parties to attend, treats left to make, etc. Now that my kids are getting older and the realization has really set in that Decembers with our little family all living at home together are numbered, I find myself worrying about different things. Are we spending enough time together as a family? Are we making memories together vs. just running around busy trying to do too much? Am I setting a good example to my kids of what Christmas is all about and focusing on service?

So we are sitting down as a family to plan the rest of 2018! We are cutting things that aren’t important and focusing on fun things we can do to spend time together. We are also focusing on small acts of kindness. Simple things we can do each day that don’t take a lot of time, but show others that we care. I created a Holiday Acts of Kindness/Holiday Bucket List page full of fun ideas that was an extra in my Holiday Planner this year and I want to share it with you all today! I also added a December calendar page next to it in my printable library so that you can easily plan out the rest of the month if you want to make sure that you are intentional with your time too. It goes by so quickly. I want to make the most of the rest of this year!

{CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE DECEMBER CALENDAR AND HOLIDAY BUCKET LIST/ACTS OF KINDNESS ALONG WITH OTHER FUN THINGS IN MY PRINTABLE LIBRARY!}

(If you are already a Sunny Side Up subscriber just enter your info. again to get the printables.. it won’t add you twice! Also, if you sign up and don’t get an e-mail soon after check your junk mail! Once in a while it lands there first.)

Ok.. moving on to my next gift guide! Gifts for the guys! Because regardless of how intentional we are being this month, we still need to get a little something for the men in our lives. ;) I don’t know about all of you but shopping for my husband, dad, brother, father-in-law etc. is always the hardest for me! Women/girls are so easy.. I just buy things that I would want! It’s a little harder with men, isn’t it!? But I think I’ve rounded up some fun gifts that will make it easier on all of us this year. These are all things Kenny has and loves or that I would love to get him!

1 – Patagonia Nano Puff Vest – You can’t go wrong with this lightweight but super warm vest. Looks great too!

2 – Wireless Charging Accessory Tray – This tray was on Oprah’s favorite things list this year and looks amazing! The perfect spot to drop a phone, keys, wallet and the best part.. no cords!

3 – North Face Jester Backpack – Every man can use a good backpack! This is a popular option because it’s lightweight but still holds a lot. Can be for the office every day or camping or traveling.. perfect for ALL the things! My husband always has a backpack with him!

4 – Cotton and Cashmere Pullover – One of my husband’s favorites! He has it in two colors and I love it on him.

5 – Carhartt Work in Progress Watch Hat – We don’t wear a lot of beanies in my neck of the woods but this is perfect for cooler temps! I’ve been hearing really good things about these and think my husband would love it for our winter Utah trips!

6 – SpiceBomb Viktor&Rolf Cologne – My husband’s favorite and I’m not complaining about it. :) Smells SO good!

7 – Electric Egg Cooker – I shared more details on this in my eBay post but seriously one of Kenny’s favorite things. He uses it to make our eggs every morning!

8 – Ugg Slippers – The coziest! You just can’t go wrong with these!

9 – DJ1 Spark Remote Control Combo – My husband and son love to play with their Drone! This one has great reviews and is sure to be a hit!

10 – Canon EOS Rebel SL1 – If you have a man in your life looking to up his photography game I have this SLR and love it! If he’s really into photography and ready for the next step this is the camera I use now with this lens and can’t say enough good things about them.

11 – Bindle – I shared this Bindle water bottle on my first neighbor/friend gift guide but it’s so perfect for men too! I know my husband would love taking this to the gym. So handy to hold his keys, wallet, etc. while he works out.

12 – Digital Hanging Luggage Scale – I told my friend about this and she laughed that it’s one of Kenny’s favorite things but it seriously is! He loves his luggage scale! I’m such an over packer and he loves weighing my bag before the airport so we don’t run into problems. Ha! I’m telling you it comes in handy! Except when it means I have to take out one of my six pairs of shoes. (sigh)

13 – Crew Shampoo – This is my husband’s favorite shampoo! He loves and uses all Crew hair products and Fiber is his favorite for after he showers.

14 – Cole Haan Grandpro Tennis Sneaker – My husband’s favorite shoes and this nice grey pair is on sale! I bought them for my brother for Christmas last year and now he’s a fan too. :)

15 – Soft-Wash Crew-Neck Shirt – One of Kenny’s staples!

16 – Foot Massager with Air Compression and Heat – This was on Oprah’s Favorite Things List this year and I want to get it for my husband! So that I can use it for me. :)

17 – Saddle Leather Toiletry Case & Fossil Leather Passport Case – I had to put both of these in because I love them equally! My husband has a similar leather toiletry case and it has been his long time favorite travel companion. I’ve tried buying him more elaborate travel cases with lots of pockets and he always goes back to his simple leather case that he can just toss everything in! I also thought this leather passport case would make a great gift. Both of these are perfect for men who travel often!

18 – Coleman Sundome Dome Tent – The perfect easy to set up tent! Great for any man who enjoys the outdoors. Backyard campouts count too. :)

19 – Ellison Tech Portfolio Collection – This is so nice to keep all things tech nice and tidy! Unfortunately most of the collection is sold out (that happened fast!). This portfolio binder is similar! And this looks like a great cord organizer.

20 – ThermaSphere Max Hooded Running Jacket – The perfect running jacket! Especially great for running in not so ideal weather. Plus it has a good, athletic cut and is soft and warm.

So that’s it! 20 fun gift ideas for the men in your life. I hope they are helpful! Happy shopping and intentional planning. Two of my all time favorite things. ;)

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

12.10.18

Christmas Pajama Party

Christmas Pajama Party *affiliate links used

{All Dining Room Sources/Snowflake Tree Sources/Chunky Wool Jute Rug *for more info. on my rug head to this post}

Sharing a few pics from my Christmas Pajama party I threw right before Thanksgiving break today! I sat down with a few friends to discuss a date for my annual pj party in early November and our December weekends were already so busy that we decided to do it early. It gave me a deadline for getting my house decorated which I loved because without a deadline I’ll just keep decorating right up until Dec. 24th.. ha. :)

The tables were set and candles were lit the afternoon of the party, but the rest of my house was a mess because my family had been home all morning. I finally sent Kenny out the door with the kids two hours before the party because trying to get things clean with everyone living and eating in the house was proving to be a challenge. I know you know what I mean. :)

{Seagrass Rug/Faux Fig Tree/Basket/Table Runner}

I set up extra seating in our dining nook. I love all of the red. So festive!

{Dining Nook Table Sources/my Eucalyptus Berry and Pine Garland is 40% off!}

I was also still doing some last minute wrapping right before the party. Butter socks for everyone! They are my favorite. :)

{Kitchen Rugs/Similar Basket}

I wrote on all of the tags “Happy Holidays Cutie” as a little personal joke. Some of my friends give me a hard time for calling everyone “cutie.” They always say they love it, but they love to tease me about it! Addison has always given me a hard time about it too. She always says “mom.. it’s fine when you call my friends cutie, but when you call your friends cutie it’s just weird.” Is it weird? I don’t know. I can’t help it! It’s just what always comes out of my mouth! Ha ha. So “Happy Holidays Cutie” to everyone out there. ;)

Two of my friends came early to help with the party prep! My friend Katy who is an amazing cook did all of the food. She just took right over in my kitchen slicing and dicing while I was running around fluffing pillows, lighting candles and turning on Christmas lights and music. (The really important stuff.. ha)

We were so excited to try our first Charcuterie board! (I found inspiration in this favorite book.) Katy did an amazing job pulling it all together. I got this farmhouse serving board from Magnolia. Some of the reviews made me a little nervous, but I couldn’t find anything else as long as I wanted. It is really rough! I had to wash and oil it before we used it, but I think after a lot of use it will smooth out. I’ll link other boards I considered and also love below. (Shorter, but smoother boards!)

Katy sent me a list of things she used so I’ll add that in case any of you want to try a board like this with some of the same things. I’ve never heard of a few of the items, but it was all so delicious! {Cheeses: aged roth cheddar black, gouda van kaas red, triple cream brie, humboldt fog goats milk cheese, manchebo sheeps milk cheese. We also added fig jam, dried apricots, spanish marcona almonds, mini toasts, baby sour gherkins, roasted marinated greek olives, pitted marinated green olives stuffed with blue cheese, cheese bread straws, toscano salami, calabrese salami, thin sliced prosciutto, blackberries, green apple slices, and a french baguette!}

A few friends started arriving so I asked Kenny to take a quick picture of us with the spread before it disappeared!

Which didn’t take long. :)

My favorite thing about this party is that it’s so low key. Good friends, good food, lots of time to chat and catch up.

{Dear Santa Shirt/Striped Joggers/Butter Socks}

And of course the fact that we’re all in comfy pj’s. That’s my most favorite part of all. :)

Dinner was delicious too!

Chef Katy is in the black star pjs and I’m making her start a cooking blog! She is so talented when it comes to food. We make a good party planning team because I just want to decorate and organize all the details except the food.

{Farm Fresh Christmas Trees Sign}

We ate, we talked, we laughed, we decided we’re starting a book club, we shared holiday traditions, we laughed and talked and ate some more. Love these sweet friends of mine.

And my sweet Kenny who was such a good blog husband and took both a horizontal and a vertical group picture. He has been trained well and knows. Having options is key. ;)

My friends even all stayed to help clean up! And to eat more cake. We didn’t want the night to end.

Because Christmas pj parties are the best parties. If you don’t believe me, host one! You’ll see.

5 Healthy Snack Ideas

Boy’s Bedroom Update!

Organizing Thoughts and Tips for the New Year!

Sunny Side Up 2018 Year Review

{Similar ROOM SOURCES and a couple of other good deals on bedding!}

Boys Bedroom Christmas Decor

{POST SOURCES}

Christmas Homes at Night Tour!

Christmas in the Guest Room

{POST SOURCES}

December Fashion

{POST SOURCES}

{SIMILAR DEER}

Gift Ideas for HER

Here’s a round up of all of my gift guides. Happy holiday shopping!

{Gifts For Men}

{Gifts For Kids}

{Gifts for Teens}

{Gifts for Neighbors, Teachers and Friends}

Master Bedroom Christmas Decor

{MASTER BEDROOM SOURCES}

How to Make December Intentional and Gifts for Men

{CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE DECEMBER CALENDAR AND HOLIDAY BUCKET LIST/ACTS OF KINDNESS ALONG WITH OTHER FUN THINGS IN MY PRINTABLE LIBRARY!}

Christmas Pajama Party

{Favorite Christmas PJ’s}

{Bread/Cheese Boards}

{Home Decor}

{Table Decor}

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