Erin, Author at The Sunny Side Up Blog

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!?

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.

{Favorite Christmas PJ’s}

{Bread/Cheese Boards}

{Home Decor}

{Table Decor}

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

12.07.18

Personalized Gift Ideas

Happy Friday everyone! We made it through out first week in December! Bring on the weekend. :) I’m excited to share some fun personalized gift ideas from Walmart with you all today! I’ve always loved finding that perfect gift for someone. It’s kind of like a challenge I give myself every December to find things that I know my family and friends will love. At the end of the day we all know the actual gift doesn’t really matter. It’s the thought behind the gift. It’s a way to say “hey.. I know and understand you! I know what you love and it makes me happy to give you something you love. Because I love you.” :) I’m always thrilled anytime I can find something that is personalized in some way or that just has my loved one’s name all over it!

{Red Throw/Fa la la Pillow}

For example.. if you were all shopping for a gift for me you might know that this personalized fa-la-la pillow with Christmas lights is right up my alley. I love home decor (check!). I love Christmas pillows (check!). Fa-la-la seems to be a theme in my house this time of year (check!). Plus you can add your own words to the bottom of this pillow. I thought about putting our last name but then decided “bring it on” is a little more “me.”

Yup.. I pretty much nailed this gift to myself. Ha. ;)

This is another fun personalized gift I got this year at Walmart that I’m giving to Kenny! It’s kind of to both of us really. We love throwing summer pool parties and having friends over to swim and every single time we’ve thrown a party the past few summers we’ve wished we had something better to hold drinks! We keep using our coolers which work, but they are a hassle to pull down from our camping stuff in the garage (Kenny’s issue) and they don’t look very cute (my issue). So I was so excited when I found this cute galvanized beverage tub on a stand!

You can personalize it (love that!) so I just wrote Summer Drinks. I don’t want anyone to be confused. ;) But you could add your family name or have them say anything you want.

Lots of room for ice and drinks! I loved this so much when it came that I hurried and ordered another one so we can have one to hold water bottles and one for soda. (Walmart has lots of fun beverage tub options!) I know it’s more of a practical thing to give my husband, but I also know him well and know that he will love that I came up with a way for him to not have to drag out camping coolers every time we have friends over. (I’m here for you babe.)

This is another fun personalized gift I got my sister this year. I love wood/marble coasters and I know they will look so pretty on her coffee table. This set you can personalize so I added the letter of their last name. It looks like the personalized coaster sold out, but I found this marble/wood set that would also make a beautiful gift.

Another fun gift I got that hasn’t come yet (being delivered next week!) is this cute Santa sack for Kole. They have darling Santa sack options at Walmart and you can put your child’s name on the front. So fun to wake up to this full of presents Christmas morning! I ended up ordering the red sack, but had a hard time choosing from all of these fun options..

I also love all of the fun personalized tree ornaments Walmart has. I have several friends who have the fun tradition of buying their child one ornament each year that says something about them. (Do any of you do this?) It’s a tradition I wish I would have started when my kids were little! So if your child dances a lot one year, you get a fun ballerina ornament or if they love to read you can get an ornament of little books, etc. I love this because when kids move out they have a set of ornaments that bring back childhood memories to take with them to their own home. (If you are a mom to little ones this would be a fun tradition to start!) Walmart has a huge selection of personalized ornaments that would be perfect for this. This one cracked me up and would be perfect for Kole right now! And these ornaments would have been a huge hit for years with my girls. They used to be obsessed with My Little Pony. (When we moved into our house El wanted a My Little Pony themed bedroom so badly! She thanked me profusely a year later for not giving into that one.. ha!)

These are some other fun personalized ornaments I love that would be fun for kids or just to give as a gift for a family! You can see more options here.

This is a special early Christmas gift I picked up for Kole. When I was shopping on-line and came across this climbing Santa I could not stop thinking about him! I just know Kole so well and knew he would LOVE this. It’s a tall ladder that has a pole attached to the top end that you just slide into your Christmas tree to hold it.

It plays 15 different Christmas songs, has a string of lights that light up, and the Santa climbs up and down the ladder. It is too cute and I wish so badly I would have had this years ago when all of my kids were little.

I knew Kole would be obsessed with this so he got one of his Christmas presents early this year!

I was right. :) I was so excited to show it to him when he got home from school! It was a HUGE hit. He’s obsessed and I have to admit.. it’s so darling. I’m a little obsessed with our climbing Santa too!

If you want to know where to find my son in the evenings look no further than our family room tree! He’s listening to the music and watching our Santa climb up the ladder..

down the ladder..

and back up the ladder again. Over and over. It’s keeping him off the iPad so I’ll take it. ;) It makes my day seeing his face light up. I want to freeze him in time right now. This age is too much fun. Especially this time of year!

Walmart has so many fun personalized gift ideas! I’m in love with their cutting boards and think they would make a perfect gift for neighbors, teachers or friends. I’ve linked to the boards I’m considering below along with some other fun personalized gift ideas I love. Huge thank you to Walmart for sponsoring this post and for making gift giving easier this year! Kole thanks you too. Climbing Santa was a hit. :)

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

12.04.18

Living Room Christmas Decor

The holiday craziness has officially begun. Happens quickly doesn’t it!? I can tell it’s December because we have some type of event every single night this week (2 Christmas parties, a band concert, a play, etc.). Honestly this is the first December I’ve felt somewhat calm regardless of our schedule because I did so much prep work ahead of time. My holiday planner saved me this year! I hope some of you are feeling the same. If not, don’t stress! Breathe and take it one day at a time. It will all get done.

Lots of breathing. ;)

I’m excited to share my Christmas living room decor with you all today! As soon as I pulled out the pictures for our Christmas gallery wall it felt like December! I kept a lot of things the same as last year in this room with just a few new additions.

*affiliate links used

Had to add a few Sherpa Reindeer.. I’m obsessed!

{Christmas Gallery Wall details}

I kept my tree mostly the same with red beaded garland, cozy knit ivory garland, red berries, skis and sleds. The only new additions were these cute little snowflakes I found at Target and two of my favorite fa-la-la garlands. I knew those would come in and fly out of stock so quickly! (This garland is similar and still in stock)

I think my favorite new addition to this room this year (aside from the Sherpa’s!) are these beautiful new bowls. (Harrison Serving bowl/Harrison Snack bowl) I know they will be great for entertaining in the kitchen later on, but for now they are perfect to hold shiny ornaments on the coffee table. I have the large bowl on my family room coffee table too. :)

I filled our favorite dough bowl with all of our Christmas books again!

Even though my kids are getting older, they still love to read these every December. Santa Mouse just never gets old. :)

I mixed up our mantel and shelf decor a little bit! Always so fun to play around with styling shelves and mantels.

I moved our striped stockings into the family room so this year I just added some of my lit birch trees, these cute little wool trees and my favorite – the church birdhouse. :) I also added one Ivory pom garland and I might add some real greenery next week. I love the way real garland looks but it’s so messy! Plus it usually dries out in a couple of weeks so I like to wait until a little closer to Christmas to add some.

I left up the books I used to style these shelves in the Fall and just added wooden bowls, greenery, and a few ornaments sprinkled here and there.

Oh what do you know! Another Sherpa reindeer. Merry Christmas little guy. :)

My favorite thing about this room is how it looks at night when it’s all lit up! (I’ll share some night pics soon) It just glows and is such a fun space to greet people who come to our front door.

I hope you enjoyed the tour of my Christmas living room today! We haven’t turned on the fireplace in this room yet this year but after tonight I think it’s time! It’s cooling off and really starting to feel like Christmas. Partly because of the weather.

But mostly because of the Sherpa Reindeer. :)

{POST SOURCES/SIMILAR ITEMS}

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

12.01.18

Holiday Gift Guide for Kids!

Happy weekend friends! I’m so excited to be sharing my 2018 Holiday Gift Guide for Kids with you all today! The “kid” gift guides are always my easiest and favorite to put together. Between teaching Elementary School for 6 years and then parenting my 3 kids the past 15 years I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what a lot of kids love. Plus toys are just FUN! Nothing like surprising a little girl with a new doll house on Christmas morning. Or a little boy with a new punching ball set. Wait… what? Ha ha.. that’s one thing Kole wants this year! Sometimes my kids wish for off the wall things, but for the most part, the toys I’m sharing in this gift guide have been tried and true and tested around here and are hands down our favorites! I hope these ideas are helpful (for you or Santa) this year. :)

1 – Mongoose Expo Scooter 12″ Wheels – Since Kole doesn’t read this blog I think I’m ok mentioning that mom bought these fun scooters for him and his cousins this year! They have absolutely loved their Razor Scooters and ride them all the time so she thought this would make a fun upgrade. Sure to be a hit! I still remember the Christmas me and my sister and our neighborhood friends all got pink scooters. One of our favorite Christmas mornings we always talk about!

2 – Zingo – Kole’s all time favorite game when he was a couple of years younger. If only I had a dollar for all the times I’ve played it with him! I could afford a lot of Zingo games. ;)

3 – PB Kids Dolls (on sale!) – PB Kid dolls are too much fun. So life like and you can brush/style their hair. I miss buying dolls! If my niece was a few years older I would buy this Special Edition Equestrian Doll so fast! And the horse and stable. Maybe I want these for myself for Christmas. I’m not even kidding about that. Ha..

4 – The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs – This looks so cute for kids who are interested in learning to cook! I got it for Addison this year (she knows to stay away from this post!). The recipes look simple so maybe her mom can also learn a thing or two. ;)

5 – Let’s Play House (Dust Sweep Mop) Pretend Play Set – All three of my kids LOVED to pretend to clean with me when they were little! They always cleaned along side of me and I honestly think it helped teach them some basic housekeeping skills and how to pitch in and help at a young age. Our little pretend broom and mop were favorites and we still have them today!

6 – Let it Snow (snow powder for slime) – if you have a child who is still into slime (I’m so sorry.. I’m suffering from the same fate over here!) this snow powder is all the rage.

7 – Harry Potter Hogwarts Great Hall – This looks amazing! Perfect for the child who is into Legos or Harry Potter. And if you have a child who loves both.. this should make him/her very happy. And very occupied! The gift that gives back to parents too.. ;)

8 – Stencils and Drawing Art Set for Kids – Most kids love stencils! And I think they get overlooked a lot. We often get our kids art sets, but stencils are a great addition because they give kids some direction. Kole has never been into art and coloring, but if I place a set of stencils in front of him and he can trace a few things it spurs his imagination and creativity. I’ve always loved stencils!

9 – Personalized Woodwork Bench – Santa brought Kole this personalized Woodwork Bench for Christmas when he was younger and he loved it! I loved that it had his name on it. :) Kids have so much fun hammering and pounding with tools. Kole also had and loved a set just like this one he got for Christmas one year. Toys he played with again and again and again! He still gets out the drill from time to time and “fixes” our cupboards. :)

10 – Incredibles Action Figures – My kids played with small action figures like this ALL the time when they were younger and this set is adorable! Have you all seen the new Incredibles movie? We watched it as a family last week and loved it.

11 – Black Stripe Teepee (on sale!) – If you follow my blog closely you know we have and love this black stripe teepee! Aside from being fun to play inside, it also looks darling in a playroom or bedroom. Because.. stripes. :)

12 – JellyCat Stuffed Animals – My kids all love their stuffed animals. Still today they each have a few that they sleep with and drag around. JellyCat stuffed animals are the softest! Lots of fun, fuzzy options for a child of any age. :)

13 – Lifetime Youth Basketball Hoop – I’m not totally sure what Santa has up his sleeve this year but if I had to guess I’d bet on this lifetime youth basketball hoop for Kole. Or this one. Both look like great options for some easy basketball practice in the back yard. :)

14 – Kids UGG boots – I held off getting my girls Ugg boots for a long time because they are pricey and kids’ feet grow so quickly! But they wanted them so much so one Christmas a few years ago I finally caved. I’ve been pleasantly surprised how much they wear them! They live in them during the winter months even with our not so freezing climate. They have been so cute on them and worth the money! So many fun styles out this year. I especially love these Bailey Bow boots for girls and I know Kole would love these cozy Dakota Moccasins!

15 – Disney Princess Dress Up Trunk – I can’t share a gift guide for kids and not include princess dresses for little girls! Long time readers remember just how many we use to have at our house. :)

16 – Portable Soccer Goal – Perfect gift for any little soccer player! My mom bought one for Kole when he started playing soccer this year and it’s so easy to pop up in the yard for a little kicking practice or a game when friends are over. This one comes in multiple size options too!

17 – Boxing Ball Set with Punching Ball – Kole wants a punching ball for Christmas this year and this is the best I found! I’m actually really excited about this because he has SO MUCH ENERGY and is always walking around punching things like my throw pillows. Hoping he can burn off some energy with this thing and leave my beloved pillows alone. ;)

18 – Latch Board – all three of my kids LOVED this! Such a great little toy for toddlers! It really held their attention and was great for fine motor skills. We still have ours. I’m saving this beloved toy for grandkids! I absolutely love Melissa and Doug and would recommend any of their puzzles, games and toys for young kids.

19 – Barbie Dreamhouse – Probably my girls most favorite Christmas gift ever! Oh the hours they would spend playing together with their dolls and doll houses. Have I mentioned how much I miss that? :) We have lots of favorite doll houses. Aside from the Barbie Dreamhouse (hello elevator, pool and slide!) my girls also loved their Kidkraft dollhouse (this mansion is amazing!) and when they were really little this Fisher-Price My First Dollhouse was a favorite. We still have all 3 dollhouses. None of us can part with them!

20 – Pirate Ship Bath Toys – Kole’s all time favorite bath toys! These fun pirates stick to the side of the tub so kids can build ships on the side of the tub and and then float the rafts while they play. Kole played with these in the tub for years and never got tired of them! My kids also loved these foam letters and numbers in the tub when they were younger. Too much fun sticking things on the side of the bathtub. :)

21 – Princess Castle Play Tent – I think the only thing my girls loved as much as their dolls and dollhouses (and their princess dresses!) was their pink play tent. We had a pink play tent in our living room for years! This Castle Play Tent is such a dream for any little girl.

22 – Radio Flyer Ziggle – Ending on one of Kole’s long time favorite toys. He loved his Ziggle and rode it every afternoon for years!

I usually include 20 items for my gift guides but had these 22 and just couldn’t shave 2 off because I love all of these toys so much! Like I said.. I hope they are helpful! Happy toy shopping. :)

PREVIOUS GIFT GUIDES IF YOU MISSED THEM..

GIFT GUIDE FOR NEIGHBORS, TEACHERS AND FRIENDS

GIFT GUIDE FOR TEENS

FAVORITE CHRSITMAS DECOR

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

12.01.18

Mudroom tree and 12 Days of Deals!

Happy weekend! I’m so excited to share my little mudroom Christmas tree with you all that almost didn’t happen this year! I mentioned in an earlier post that I moved my original mudroom tree into the dining room. I didn’t plan on putting a new tree in the mudroom because well.. our house is quickly becoming a Christmas tree farm. While I couldn’t love that more, my husband seems to think we have reached our “tree max” as he likes to call it.

But really.. what does he know. ;)

So there I was.. about to go treeless in our mudroom (my favorite spot to have a happy tree greeting us when we walk in the door off of our garage every day!) when Wayfair reached out to me and asked if I would like to help spread the word about their amazing 12 Days of Deals.. starting with day 1 – CHRISTMAS TREES.

Oh happy day. Fate!! It was fate I tell you. That’s what I told Kenny too. I mean how could I possibly help spread the word about Wayfair’s amazing deals on Christmas trees without getting one myself!? I really had no say in the matter.

And the best part.. neither did Kenny. :)

#victory

{Red Knitted Christmas Tree Skirt} *affiliate links used

Of course I couldn’t buy a new Christmas tree without getting a cute new tree skirt too!

And a back up for future use. :)

(This cute snowflake skirt sold out but this snowflake tree skirt is similar and I didn’t see this grey snowflake tree skirt.. LOVE it! I might need two back ups for future use.)

But my favorite Wayfair score (besides the new tree!) is this beautiful mercury garland that’s on sale. I can’t believe the quality of this garland.. beautiful mercury ornaments! The type you would pay $12 or $14 for just one. I put 5 garlands on this little tree..

and then hung one in front of the door. A coset door that we won’t be using much this month. Kinda like we don’t use our black dutch door much in December.. #priorities ;) The garland is heavy so be careful hanging it! I used two strong command hooks.

I put mine on the tree, but I can think of so many fun ways to use this mercury garland every December! Hanging across mantels, on stairs, laying across garland. It just adds such a beautiful sparkle.

{Christmas tree (similar option)/Tree Skirt/Mercury Ornaments/Similar Ski Lift Sign/Similar Star}

I decorated this tree yesterday and just used ornaments I’ve had for years for the rest of it.. all ball ornaments and I’ve linked to a few similar options below. I’m so happy to have a tree back in our mudroom! It just doesn’t feel like Christmas without it. :)

Like all Christmas trees, it especially steals the show at night.

If you don’t shop often at Wayfair you are in for a treat! They seriously have EVERYTHING you could imagine when it comes to home decor (and Christmas decor for that matter!). I order things from Wayfair all the time and am always happy with the product quality and service (my beautiful new dining room table is from Wayfair!). Truth be told I would be telling you all about their 12 Days of Deals even if they hadn’t reached out to me. I’m so excited about it! Each day for the next 12 days they are offering some amazing deals.

Here is the schedule below if you are looking for something specific..

Wayfair 12 Days of Deals Dates: 12/1/18-12/13/18

12/1-12/2: Christmas Trees
12/2-12/3: Top Kitchen Brands (Up to 70% Off)
12/3-12/4: Multifunctional Furniture (Up to 70% Off)
12/4-12/5: Sheet Sets
12/5-12/6: Discounted Design Services (25% Off)
12/6-12/7: 3 for $30 Storage & Organization (3 for $30)
12/7-12/8: 8×10 Rugs (for $99)
12/8-12/9: Top Vacuums (Up to 50% Off)
12/9-12/10: Ornament Shop (5 for $25)
12/10-12/11: Seasonal Finishing Touches (From $11.99)
12/11-12/12: Eddie Bauer Throw Deal (50% Off)
12/12-12/13: Gift Card Promo (Buy $100 gift card, get a $20 gift card)

If you have been waiting to get a Christmas tree for a certain room in your house, today is the day to pull the trigger! Wayfair has so many cute trees (I’ve linked to some favorites below) and they are on major markdown! Trust me.. it’s fun to have a tree farm inside your house. Christmas lights galore!

A tree max? Really Kenny? I don’t think it exists.

At least not in this house.

*Huge thank you to Wayfair for sponsoring this post and for giving me an opportunity to get my mudroom tree! My husband thanks you too.. even if he won’t admit it.

{POST SOURCES and GOOD DEALS}

xoxo, Erin

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Home Decor

11.29.18

How to Cook Perfect Chicken (and kitchen favorites!)

I’m so excited about today’s post! I have a few small kitchen appliances to share from eBay that are making my life in the kitchen so much easier and I am seriously obsessed. They have so many fun things to get your kitchen holiday ready! I’ve been shopping through eBay a lot more lately because most of their items are new (something a lot of people don’t know!) and 69% of their items ship for free. Love that.

*affiliate links used

First up.. this Copper Chef perfect egg maker. You might remember from last year’s “day in the life” post I mentioned that I boil an egg for breakfast every morning. Many of you reached out to me after that post and mentioned using an egg maker so I did a little research and have been using this Electric Egg cooker to boil perfect eggs. It’s SO easy to use, makes up to 6 different types of eggs and they come out perfect every time!

We took it to Utah because I knew my parents would love it too. This pic was the morning of Thanksgiving (my mom was dicing celery for the stuffing). :) Kenny used it to make hard boiled eggs for me and my mom for breakfast.

You can use it to make up to 14 eggs at a time (genius!) or less. We usually only make 4-6 at a time.

Then he used it to make poached eggs for him and my dad. He was so excited to show my parents how cool it is! Now they want one too so we added that to their Christmas gifts this year.

We get pretty fancy for breakfast.. ha! Nice plates were being used for Thanksgiving so paper plates for breakfast it it! Seriously though.. the eggs were delicious! It even makes omelettes. Any type of egg you want.

I’ll take mine Sunny Side Up please. ;)

Second favorite from eBay is this beautiful three-tier dessert stand. I’m so excited to have this for the holiday season! I made our favorite pretzel hugs for my pajama party and loved having a fun way to display them. This stand made it so easy for everyone to pick up a few to munch on! Perfect for any holiday entertaining – cookies, cupcakes.. so many cute little treats you can display with this.

Plus I love the way it looks on my kitchen counter. :)

Little back story on my next favorite – When I was growing up my mom worked full time. She taught Elementary school so most days we went home late with her or went home right after school with a sitter (I was the sitter as soon as I was old enough!). But her school was on a track system so she would work a certain amount of weeks and then have three weeks off. I LOVED it when she had those three weeks off. I have the best memories of coming home from school to a clean house and cookies baking in the oven. She was always in a good mood (time off will do that to you!) and she would ask me and my brother and sister about our day and we’d hang out in the kitchen chatting and eating cookies. Not that things weren’t great when she was teaching (I loved that she taught at our Elementary school), but the cookies didn’t happen. ;)

So every now and then after I clean the kitchen, I bake cookies (usually easy pre-made cookies because I work from home.. ha) and I light a candle. I pick up my kids from school and they are always so excited when they come home to a clean house and cookies.

It’s the little things. :)

These stainless steel baking and cooling racks are long time favorites! Perfect to hold cookies and other desserts while they cool off. I’m giving some as gifts this season. Tying a bow around them to give with our favorite homemade applesauce cookies. :)

I feel like these racks are something everyone can use.. especially friends who love to bake!

Ok.. I’m most excited to share this next favorite eBay find with you all. I mentioned a while ago that a friend of mine needed help with paint colors. I introduced her to my favorite grey paint colors and to pay me back.. she taught me how to cook chicken! I have NEVER been able to figure out how to cook chicken. I mean I can cook it, but it doesn’t usually taste that great. I always just want Kenny to make it on the grill because it tastes so much better.

That was until this Cast Iron Grill Griddle came into my life!

So here’s how to make perfect chicken! Either be an amazing cook (not in the cards for me) OR use the griddle and Santa Maria Style Seasoning. I’m telling you.. the secret is in the griddle and the seasoning! You can get this seasoning at most health food stores. Look in the meat section! It’s so good. The only other things you need are chicken breast tenders and olive oil.

Put your chicken tenders in a bowl and pour in some Extra Virgin Olive Oil and then sprinkle on the seasoning. Be generous with the seasoning making sure there is plenty on each piece of chicken. You really can’t mess this part up (which is what I love and why I can make it.. ha) so just put in enough to really cover the chicken.

Mix it all together with your hands. Wash you hand first. And after.

See.. some cooking rules actually stick with me. ;)

Then you set the griddle on your two front burners and turn them on medium heat. Lay the chicken tenders across the griddle.

Cook them for a few minutes and then flip them all on the other side. Keep cooking and flipping the chicken until you can tell it’s done! (I can never tell so I always cut inside and just make sure it isn’t still pink.)

This outtake made me laugh. It’s how I really look and feel when I’m cooking.. a mix of total stress and anxiety with an inner dialogue going on in my head saying “it’s ok.. you can do this. Sort of.”

But cooking the chicken on this griddle pretty much guarantees success! Look at that! perfectly grilled chicken by yours truly.

This picture shows how my burners were on medium heat the whole time. The best part is that the chicken tastes even better than it looks! My family is so impressed and proud. :) The only down side is that you have to clean the griddle, but I’d rather do that than scrub my stove (I make a massive mess cooking chicken in a pan) so I’ll take it!

Stress and anxiety gone. Inner dialogue saying “it’s ok.. you really CAN do this. Sort of.” :)

Overall I’m feeling pretty chef like with the help of these small but mighty kitchen appliances. If I keep finding helpful eBay finds like these you all better watch out! You’ll wake up one day and this blog will have morphed into all things cooking.

Crazier things have happened!

Or have they?

;)

*Huge thank you to eBay for sponsoring this post! And for offering so many affordable new products and appliances that make life in the kitchen less of a struggle.

{POST SOURCES and OTHER EBAY FAVORITES}

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

11.26.18

Christmas Table, Utah Pics and Cyber Sales

Thank you for the love on my new Christmas dining room! So fun sharing it with you all! (You can find details and sources here if you missed it!) I had two tables set up for my pj party last week and thought I’d quickly share how I decorated my dining nook table too.

{Faux Fig Tree/Red Seagrass Rug/Similar Table/Red Stripe Table Runner}

*all other table sources are in this post (affiliate links used)

Everything was the same as my formal dining room except I used older Target placemats. (They always have the cutest Christmas placemats every year!)

Another look at my perfect look-a-like red rimmed plates because I didn’t have enough of my original set. I was so happy when I found these!

One other difference! I picked up these fun tealight candle holders and red tealight candles for this table. They look so pretty lit up at night.

But other than that everything was the same as my formal dining room set up. I laughed when I saw this pic.. looks like I snapped it when I was starting to set out silverware but hadn’t quite finished. I never do very well at taking pics for parties when I’m entertaining because I’m so scattered getting everything ready!

Sharing a few random pics from our trip to Utah for Thanksgiving that are currently on my phone. We threw a quick surprise family birthday party for my sister because she is turning 40 in December! My mom and I were cracking up. Getting this party ready was one of those things where everything that could possibly go wrong did! But we all made it there and pulled it off. She was surprised, my mom and I couldn’t stop laughing and the kids had fun “helping” with everything.

So happy she’s joining the 40 and up club.. I was feeling a little lonely there without these two. ;)

Shopping post party. Don’t even think we wouldn’t dare.. 40 just means more fun. And being old enough to wear a snowman dress if it makes you happy and not care about what anyone thinks.

Although if I sport this dress in my next Fashion Friday post I have a feeling I might lose a few of you.. ha! But maybe if I add some cute over the knee black boots? Not so bad? ;)

Lots of blanket forts for the kids. This one had a secret entry that only certain people had access too. I was lucky to be among the chosen few.

Ad’s recent favorite sweatshirt from grandma. So her! This girl needs to join a debate team. She is too much like her daddy and can ~~argue~~ explain her way out of any and everything.

I had the best time hanging with my sweet niece! The two of us are thick as thieves and it is seriously so hard for me to say good-bye to her. Especially when she runs up and gives me hugs and kisses when it’s time to go. I cry every time! I miss having a little one this age so badly.

I bought her this cute red bodysuit and striped sweater pants and matching striped beanie (I clearly have a thing for red stripes!). Too much fun! I had to make sure my baby girl was decked and ready for December. :)

{Jeans/Similar Uggs/Purse}

I know I’m ready for December! Fun afternoon shopping with my mom. I picked up a few things to finalize my Christmas decor. Not that it’s ever really final. And yes.. that’s a Santa hat keychain hanging from my purse.

Bring it on. :)

I found a few more favorites on sale wrapping up some shopping this weekend. Black Friday/Cyber Monday did not disappoint! Have you all been finding some good deals on gifts!? Below are a few more ideas. I also shared fun things that are on sale a few days ago here, a teen gift guide and gift ideas for neighbors, teachers and friends. I’m working on a few more gift guides for December. I’ve been so happy to hear from some of you that they have been helpful! I also have my Favorite Things parties coming up and those parties are always full of great gift ideas. So more good gift ideas are coming! Wishing you all the best of luck getting back into the routine this week. I’m not really ready to be done with turkey and pjs. But lots to look forward to.. so there’s that.

Hopefully it will be enough to pull me out of my turkey coma. ;)

{CYBER MONDAY DEALS}

xoxo, Erin

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{POST SOURCES}

{POST SOURCES}

{SIMILAR DEER}

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

{MASTER BEDROOM SOURCES}

{Favorite Christmas PJ’s}

{Bread/Cheese Boards}

{Home Decor}

{Table Decor}

{POST SOURCES/SIMILAR ITEMS}

PREVIOUS GIFT GUIDES IF YOU MISSED THEM..

{POST SOURCES and GOOD DEALS}

{POST SOURCES and OTHER EBAY FAVORITES}

{CYBER MONDAY DEALS}

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