Erin, Author at The Sunny Side Up Blog

Christmas

12.15.17

Christmas Kitchen and a house full of girls!

Well! This week was a total blur. Yours too? I’m going to assume so. December always is, isn’t it? The one month I want to SLOW down and last a long time and it always seems to fly faster than ever. Someone serioulsy needs to fix this! It’s going to have to be one of you because I have a lot of pictures to post. ;)

In my last Christmas home tour you saw a lot of my home decked for the holidays, but I still have a few spaces left to share! No room left behind when it comes to Christmas decor, remember? Today I’m bringing you into my kitchen! It’s Christmas ready. :)

It’s also pretty similar to how I usually decorate it for this time of year. I just doesn’t feel like Christmas at my house without my It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year sign over the stove. Ahhh tradition. :)

You all know that keeping my kitchen clean (or attempting to anyway!) is high on my priority list, so I usually keep holiday decor in this space pretty simple.

A small wreath on the pot filler and a Christmas bow tied around the wooden spoon holder.

Red popcorn bowls on the counter.. because Christmas movies are on heavy rotation this time of year which means so is the popcorn. :)

I always get asked where I get my greenery – usually at Home Depot but this year I was so happy to find some in a local grocery store. It usually lasts about 2 weeks so I put it up at the beginning of December and then switch it half way through the month. It makes a total mess when it comes down and every time I switch it out I think that I’m SO done with it for good! But then I put up the new greenery and fall in love all over again.

And end up going back the next year for more. :)

Fa la la la la.. one of my favorite finds last Christmas! It was from PB Kids (they always have the cutest banners!) but they didn’t bring it back this year. Sometime I need to take a picture to show you how I got it perfectly attached inside of those upper cabinets. You’ll think I’m SO tricky. Even more tricky than usual. ;)

Simple ornaments in a wooden bowl always look festive! And can we just talk about how I’ve kept this plant alive for over six months!? YES! You heard that. A total record for me. And can we just not talk about how it happens to be one of the easiest plants to keep alive ever because it hardly needs any water. Seriously we ALL need this plant in our lives! Don’t be surprised if you see one popping up in every room in my house this Spring.

My Santa Magnetic Advent Calendar has been such a fun addition! I love seeing it in my kitchen window every morning and moving the snowflake to remind me of how I have very little time left to accomplish A LOT more things. ;) It’s marked down.. half off right now!

I usually add a lot more to this shelf but decided to keep things simple there too. I added a deer and some candy canes and called it a day.

Speaking of deer..

These beauties needed a little extra something on this table so I put them inside of my new magnolia wreath. A fun, unexpected way to use a wreath that doesn’t involve any holes in the wall. ;) On a side note I stored my rug all folded up after Christmas last year and now it has bumps in it! I’m going to store it flat this year. Covered in Kenny’s law school books to flatten it out!

A little more Christmas cheer in the butler’s pantry. You can never have too many red stripes in my opinion. :) (Favorite dishes here.)

I always try to take room shots like this when my kids are in school because it’s SO hard to keep my house “photoshoot clean” with my family home, but I had to take these pictures last Saturday because my week was so busy. Addison was being so patient and then finally couldn’t wait one more minute and had to sneak something to eat.. ha! In case you’re thinking my kitchen always looks this clean let’s be reminded of what it has been known to look like in December..

I believe this was Christmas day a few years ago. At least it was a happy mess.

Kind of. ;)

{KITCHEN SOURCES} *Affiliate links used.

On Tuesday night this week I hosted our annual Christmas party for the Young Women in our church (girls ages 12-18). Having this party at my house every year is one of my favorite Christmas traditions! I got a lot of questions about what we do at this party after I posted a few minutes of the party on Instagram Stories so I’ll quickly explain our favorite activity!

{Team Santa/Red Flannel Plaid pj’s/other favorite Christmas pj’s here}

First of all.. we always wear Christmas pj’s. Because it’s at my house so.. of course we do. :)

After everyone chats and gets comfortable it’s time for our annual sock exchange! Every girls brings a pair of socks wrapped. They can be any kind of socks – really comfy, fuzzy socks, crazy unique socks, Christmas socks.. whatever! Then each girl gets assigned a number (#1 through however many girls are there). #1 goes first and picks a present and opens it and keeps the socks. #2 picks a present and opens it and can choose if she wants to keep her new socks or trade them for the socks #1 chose. Every girl from then on can choose if she wants to keep her new pair of socks or trade with someone else for their pair. One pair of socks can only be traded twice so once it has gone through two people it stays with its new owner for good.. is this making sense? Ha.. :) Anyway.. it’s always a fun because there are usually a few pairs of socks that everyone wants! The girls get laughing over the sock trading and who knows what else and it’s always a good time. Fun party activity if you are hosting a group of girls! I also think it would be fun to try a Favorite Things party with this crew. You can read more about how that party works (and see some fun gift ideas from our last Favorite Things party!) here.

Love them all so much! After the sock exchange we serve treats and hot chocolate and everyone spreads throughout my house to eat and chat. :)

Some years we have also also done service activities with the girls in addition to our annual sock exchange. One year we made baby blankets to take to a nearby women’s shelter.

And another year we wrote thank you letters to people serving our country and to people serving in our church. Always nice to make sure people feel appreciated for all they do.

El and some close friends. :)

This pic was from last year’s party. Having these sweet girls in my home just makes me happy! All of our December traditions do. Tomorrow is my girls last day of school! I’m kind of bummed Kole has one more week to go at his school. I get so excited to have my kids home so we can really start enjoying the holiday! Late night drives to look at Christmas lights, delivering gifts to neighbors, making our annual Christmas hugs, picture with Santa, visiting the nativity at the SD temple, hot chocolate station, wrapping wrapping wrapping, Christmas pj movie parties galore, gingerbread house decorating, late night chats in the hot tub, having friends over.. oh my word. We have a lot to fit in! I better sign off and get started.

I think I’ll start with the hot chocolate.

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

12.11.17

Christmas Home Tour (living and family room)

*Details on my cute red skirt and other recent favorite clothes in yesterday’s fashion post. And yes.. I’m using the same porch picture to kick off both posts because it was enough work getting my husband to snap one picture like this.. two was out of the question. ;) *Affiliate links used

Friends! It’s finally here! Our annual Decked and Styled Christmas Home Tour! I’m so excited to be joining a group of my close blog friends to share a peek inside of our homes decked for the holidays. Nothing like a Christmas home tour. :) If you are popping over from my friend Sarah’s blog (Life on Virginia Street) hello and welcome! So happy to have you here! I’m currently sitting in a pair of my favorite pj’s typing this post with a Christmas movie on and my candle burning in the background. Isn’t this time of year the absolute best!? I couldn’t love it more. :)

Today I’m sharing my entry, living room, family room and a re-cap of a few rooms I’ve already shared. I wanted to squeeze a few more rooms in this post, but you’d all be scrolling for an hour and since I know how busy we all are this time of year I decided to share the rest of my Christmas decor in other posts this week. So come back for more! My motto when decorating for Christmas is “no room left behind”.. ha! My husband teases me that I have so many Christmas trees up I’ll be adding one to our garage before long.

Hmm… come to think of it that space could use a little holiday cheer. Not a bad idea. :)

This is our front entry (details on this space here) and I kept it pretty simple this year. You might notice things I moved in for our table from other rooms in our house. :)

{Mirrored console/Similar lamp here or here/dough bowl (size small)/cheveron vase/similar flowers}

Some greenery, ornaments in a favorite dough bowl and red flowers. Easy Christmas cheer.

ENTRY SOURCES:

The lighting in our formal living room was so awful the day I took these pics! This shot turned out a bit yellow looking but despite that, I’m loving this room.

The pops of red just make me happy.

I kept our tree in this room similar to how I had it last year. The main new addition was this cute knit ivory garland. I love it so much! It adds instant coziness. :) I almost bought the knit ivory tree skirt to go with it (also so cute!) but then remembered I had a blanket with the same look so I just wrapped that around the bottom of the tree. :)

I became obsessed with these lit glitter birch trees and first shared them in this post about all of my favorite Christmas decor. I knew they would sell out fast! I added them to my mantel with some fresh greenery. They look especially cute with the lights turned on a night.

My large dough bowl was perfect to hold some of our Christmas books. My kids read on the couch in this room a lot because it’s away from the main busy loud areas of the house (kitchen, family room) so this was a perfect place for our books. Nice and quiet and a great spot to curl up next to the tree with a good book. Something I hope to be doing very soon. :)

These fabric reindeer are too cute. I’ve been buying one a year of the smaller deer for a few years and then was in PB a few weeks ago and they were marked down on their way out so I picked up several more. This one on my table is the larger deer and I just have one of him. He steals the show. ;)

I totally spaced taking a picture of this side of the room with my O Holy Night sign and the top of my Christmas gallery wall so a few of these pics are from last years’ tour since the gallery wall is the same. Just telling you in case you were wondering why my table decor changes in a few pics.

I’m all sorts of tricky like that. ;)

These are all PB Christmas pillows and you can find the throw here.

Another shot from last year of our Christmas gallery wall.

I was excited to have these favorite family pictures on display again. :)

LIVING ROOM SOURCES:

And now on to our family room!

If it looks the exact same as how I decorated it for Christmas last year, that’s because it is. :) My kids love tradition and so do I and this room has a lot of decor that holds special meaning for us all so we don’t mix things up too much in this space. (For those of you who are new to my blog, all of my paint colors are listed in this post and I wrote all about this Chunky and Wool Jute Rug (natural) that’s a long time favorite in this post. I tend to get a lot of questions about those two things so I’m throwing that out there early. ;)

Here are lots of pics of our annual family room Christmas decor that my kids help decorate every year. :)

FAMILY ROOM SOURCES:

I’ll share our kitchen decor next! :)

If you missed my office I decked it for the holidays and shared pictures of it here.

The girls and I decided we work much more efficiently in this space now that it’s ready for Christmas. :)

I also shared my mudroom Christmas decor in this post.

My favorite room in the house.

And for the first time I decorated a tree in my master bedroom! Next year I’ll share my Christmas decor in the rest of this space. I have to first share this room with you in January.. I tend to get ahead of myself sometimes. ;)

If you are still working on your gift list and are feeling the need to get organized with what you already have and who you still need to buy for, there is a place at the bottom of this post to sign up to get my free Christmas gift list printables! I have LOVED using these this year. Such a huge help keeping track of all the gifts I’m buying and wrapping this year. You can see how my kids and I are using them in this post.

And speaking of gifts, if you still need ideas you can check my annual FAVORITE THINGS post OR yesterday’s post where I shared some new fashion favorites for the holiday season. So many cute things I’m loving!

But let’s be honest. Most days I am just counting down until I can put on favorite pj’s. :)

Christmas cards are coming each day in the mail and I’m so excited for the shiplap wall in our hallway to be filled with favorite faces! One of my favorite things about December.

Thank you for touring with me today! I’ll be sharing more throughout the week. Wishing you all the HAPPIEST holiday season this year.

Next stop on our tour is my sweet friend Shana (The House of Silver Lining). She is building a new home so this is her last Christmas in the home she is sharing today. I remember our last Christmas before we finished building and moved into our current home four years ago. A bittersweet and special Christmas for sure. Also be sure to check out the rest of my friends’ blogs and their beautiful homes! I know each one of these girls personally and can promise you that aside from being so talented they are also kind, down to earth, wonderful people. I’m grateful for their friendship this holiday season and I’m so incredibly grateful for all of you!

But I’ll save the sap for a post on Christmas Eve because it’s late and I’m too lazy to grab a box of tissues. ;)

The House Of Silver Lining

Style House Interiors

Life On Virginia Street

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xoxo, Erin

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Fashion

12.10.17

December Fashion Favorites

Wait. Are you comfortable? Sitting in a cozy spot? Do you have at least 3 minutes to spare? (Although 10 would be better.) Is there a snack nearby? No? K.. I’ll wait. Go ahead. Get comfy and grab the pretzels (that’s what I’m munching on at the moment). Things have been busy and my fashion selfies are piling up! It’s time for a major picture dump of favorite things I’ve been wearing. SO many cute things you guys! And a lot of them are on sale! It’s a Christmas miracle. Well… not really.. but it’s December so we’re going with it. ;)

{Partnering with Nordstrom on this post! Affiliate links used.}

{Side Ruffle Skirt/similar Bell Sleeve Sweater/similar Boots/similar Necklace}

First up – I found the cutest skirt to wear this month! I’m so in love with this side ruffle pencil skirt. It has such a great fit.. not too clingy and I love the higher waist and length. It’s just comfortable and FUN. Perfect for holiday get togethers that aren’t formal, but you still want to dress up a bit for. I’m excited to wear it to church on Christmas Eve. :)

Cutest side ruffle right? I loved it so much I bought it in black too!

Part of my Christmas came a little early this year. I’ve mentioned before that everyone in our family always gets a new pair of shoes for Christmas. I’ve had the same pair of Uggs that I wear over and over since before Kole was born! They aren’t looking too hot as you can imagine (Kole is 7 1/2 – he always makes me add the 1/2) :) so it was time for a replacement pair. Or two replacement pairs. Even better. ;) There are so many fun new styles of Ugg boots in Nordstrom this year! I had a hard time choosing but went with these Dae Sunshine Boots and the Kiandra Boot. During this time of year I wear my older Uggs every single day. Most days I put them on in the morning to run my kids to school, then I’ll change into something else for the middle of the day when I’m leaving the house, then I put my Uggs back on in the evening when I’m playing taxi driver. These new Uggs are so cute that I don’t think I’ll want to change them mid day! I might never buy another pair of shoes again.

That would be a Christmas gift to my husband that isn’t really going to happen.. :)

Aren’t they cute in the back too! Love them. (And to my husband, thanks for the fun Christmas gift babe! I know you don’t know you got me these, but you did and I love them. You are SO good to me.) ;)

CUTE UGGS I’M LOVING:

This J Crew Buffalo Plaid Shirt is a newish favorite! I bought it just a few weeks ago and have already worn it about four times. I love button up shirts with my tanner bar necklace (an older long time favorite). So cute! Jeans are my all time favorite AG raw hem ankle skinny jeans that are still on sale and were re-stocked in all sizes! So if you missed them the first time they’re back! Such an amazing steal. I’m wearing them in every picture in this post.. they are my go-to every day jeans.

I actually just wore this J Crew shirt again tonight to a play and dinner with these two crazies. Kenny took El to a dance competition so the three of us had a fun date night. Clearly we need to work on our selfie skills since Kole is cut out and half of the picture is my hand.. ha!

This Metallic Trim Flare Cuff Sweater is another newish favorite. Just a bit of sparkle around the bell sleeves. So fun. Comes in lots of colors.

It’s a great sweater to wear with a scarf! This plaid scarf has been my favorite so far this season.

Bubble Sleeve Sweater – I love the green but it comes in other colors. It’s on the shorter side so I wear a tank under it. The sleeves are my favorite. These over the knee boots are still marked down!

Flare Sleeve Utility Jacket – you all know I love jackets like this!

Aren’t the sleeves fun? This looks so cute buttoned up or unbuttoned with a top under it. I’ve worn it a few times with graphic tees under it too and it’s a really cute combo!

This Cozy Ribbed Pullover is exactly like it looks and sounds – COZY! It’s the type of sweater you want to throw on every day when it’s cold outside. It’s warm and so soft. I have it in the cream color too. Love this!

Wore this Zigzag sweater a few weeks ago to see Cinderella with friends. I’ve had this sweater in black for years and it’s such a good fit (Vince Camuto sweaters always are!) so earlier in the Fall when it came back I bought it in the green. It’s on sale right now! (You can find Ad’s t-shirt dress here – it’s one of her favorites. And kids’ Uggs here – this new pair is darling isn’t it!?). :)

A cute striped Madewell tee I love and have worn a few times lately that’s probably not warm enough for most of you. ;) My Tory Burch bracelet is a favorite and a cute gift idea!

I couldn’t resist picking up this Lush Tunic for only $27! Dressy and longer and a fun change from the type of tops I usually wear. :)

I love it with these cute ball drop earrings. They are so cute, light weight and just $14!

Are we doing ok? I told you you’d need some pretzels! This post is a marathon, not a sprint. We must pace ourselves. ;) CUTEST camo Venice Hoodie and it’s 40% off! I was giddy when I found this!

Slouchy and comfortable – such a cute fit – I know it will be on heavy repeat! Want to know my favorite thing about sweatshirts like this? You can wear them all day..

and then switch your jeans and boots to a favorite pair of jogger pants and Ugg slippers and BAM.. comfort! In for the night. :) (My Ugg socks above sold out but these Ugg socks are so cute if you like wearing shorts or nightgowns!)

Speaking of being in for the night.. :) If I could be a pair of pj’s I would be these Flannel Girlfriend Make and Model PJ’s. Seriously. They don’t get any cuter or more comfortable!

My husband always teases me about my pajama obsession but commented that he likes these a few nights ago so aside from being crazy comfy, these are also husband approved. ;) There might be a few people on my Christmas list who are also get these pj’s soon! Cute for the holidays and also long after.

I’ve also been wearing this cute Merry Kissmas pj top a lot around the house this month. It comes in a set with shorts, but I don’t love the short shorts – maybe if I had the thighs for them? ;) – so when I buy a set like this I keep the top and give the shorts to Ellie. She loves PJ Salvage shorts so it’s a win win! I much prefer my favorite jogger pants. :)

And of course I’ve been living in my Team Santa sweatshirt I picked up in October. They have one that says Team Rudolph too! Love it. I honestly can’t think of much I love more than Christmas pj’s. They make me so very happy. Everything about this beloved time of year makes me happy. My girls are out of school in a week (Kole goes a few days longer) and I can’t wait to get my kids home so we can really start enjoying the season! I have a lot to get done this week before they’re out (hard to process all that needs to get done right?) but it will all get done.. it always does!

I hope you’re still with me! I know that post was a long one. Maybe you added some hot chocolate with your pretzels? That is sounding really good to me right about now. I’m off to make some. :) Come back on Monday for a Christmas home tour! Or at least part of one! We’ll see how much of my Christmas decor I can squeeze into one post. This post was good training so I think you can handle it.

Just bring a snack. :)

POST SOURCES – all things I’m loving this month:

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

12.08.17

Christmas porch, home updates, and an epic tale :)

Oh my word.. is it really Friday!? LIMPING to the finish line around here. What a week! December madness has definitely hit. But the house is decorated and it makes me so happy to come home from a busy day or evening to this Christmas porch. It just seems to say “welcome home.. come inside and put on your Christmas pj’s and enjoy the tree lights and rest.”

At least that’s what I imagine it tells me. :)

I usually clean and decorate our porch with Kole – it’s kind of our thing :) – but he has had activities in the afternoons and I wanted to get it done so I just did it quick by myself one morning. So earlier this week I picked up the kids from school and pulled into the garage and told Kole I decorated the porch for Christmas. He went running over to see it and came back and said “no defense mom (which always makes me smile because he says no “defense” instead of no “offense” – it’s so cute I never correct him..) – no defense mom, but the porch looks the same as last year and the year before that. I mean.. you added a couple of new things, but it’s pretty much the same. It’s nice, but I like it when you do something different and EPIC. The porch isn’t EPIC mom. I’ll help you next year.” Then he went skipping into the house. Oh my word.. that kid cracks me up! So friends.. today I start this post with a very boring, very un-EPIC Christmas porch. We’ll cross our fingers and hope for better next year. ;)

To be honest, I do use a lot of my Christmas decor the same way every year. Mostly because well.. I like it the way it is! It’s familiar and tradition and since it’s only up for a month or so I don’t get tired of it. Plus I just LOVE these little trees lit up at night so much that the thought of doing something instead of the trees bums me out. But! Like Kole noticed.. I did add a couple of minor new additions. :)

Santa hats on both of the trees, a few new presents (which have all of my cookbooks inside of them holding them down – they are getting more use this way than ever before)..

and my favorite new addition – this cute red and gray sled. I’ve always wanted a sled for the front porch and I’ve found a lot of them on-line, but nothing I liked as much as this. Plus it’s on sale right now! Personally I think it’s pretty epic.

But that’s just me. :)

And random.. when I decorate I don’t like things to be too symmetrical. That’s why I put two lanterns (and now a sled) on one side of my door and only one lantern on the other. I don’t know why, but when things are too symmetrical it bothers me. Little tidbit about me you didn’t care to know but I told you anyway. ;)

We have a lot of Christmas trees throughout the house this year all with different looks. Several people have asked me what we do with the special ornaments made by my kids. Sometimes they put them on the tree in our family room, but the past few years the kids have decorated a little tree in our stair landing with all of their homemade ornaments. The tree I used to have on our stairs bit the dust last year (wouldn’t stand up straight anymore!) so I replaced it with this cute Burlap Base Tree and I love the look of it (plus it’s also on sale)! This is an all kid tree so I try really hard to not move things around after they put them on. That can be difficult for me, but I don’t let myself touch it. :)

Kole added more decorations to the stairs by pulling out the nutcrackers. Then he played with that little nativity set on the right for an hour and then laid them all down to go to sleep and made me promise not to move them. Which is why they are in this picture and laying down. I can’t wake a sleeping nativity set.

These are the little Christmas touches throughout our home I love the most. :)

I also hung my kids’ little school gingerbread houses next to the fridge and have their Christmas art displayed in our office. Favorite Christmas decor. :)

A few more new updates throughout my home from Nordstrom! This cute wooden tree is the centerpiece on my dining room table this year. So cute.

And this throw! I know.. I have so many throws and love them all. I can’t help it! Throws (and pillows!) are a major weakness for me. But this faux fur throw is heavenly to curl up with and I love it draped over a chair!

I’m so excited to show you my progress in our guest bedroom in the New Year! Lots of bedroom posts are coming. :) But I couldn’t wait to show you all these Opal Tassel Lamps! Aren’t they stunning!? So funny.. after I got them unwrapped and plugged in I couldn’t stop walking by this room to look at them. I just love them so much. My husband was laughing at me… that lamps could make me that happy.. ha! But they really do. I love everything about them and because they are so neutral I think they would look good in any space around the house if I ever want to mix things up.

I got a few new Kate Spade Towels for my girls’ bathroom. These larger towels above sold out, but the hand towels I ordered in this same color pattern are still in stock. Nordstrom has a great selection of really nice towels and towels are an easy way to instantly spruce up a bathroom!

Last summer when I shared our powder bathroom decor I got so many questions about where I got the cute striped soap dispenser!

You can find it here. Also in the home department at Nordstrom. Can you tell it’s a happy spot I like to hang out in? :)

I wrapped up my favorite Bliss Plush Throws this week to give out as gifts! I shared these in my recent Favorite Things post because I think they make a perfect gift! Another Nordstrom Home department obsession.

Alright friends.. signing off! I have some cute clothes to share with you over the weekend and then Monday is Christmas Home Tour day! So I’ll be back soon! And trust me..

it’s going to be EPIC.

;)

Huge thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post! Your HOME department is a long time favorite. :)

{POST SOURCES}

{OTHER FUN GIFT IDEAS FROM NORDSTROM HOME.. so many of these things are on my wish list!}

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

12.05.17

Eclipse Charger – say good-bye to messy cords!

*In collaboration with Native Union – all thoughts and opinions are my own! Affiliate links used.

If you were to ask me what our nightstands look like in our master bedroom right now at this very moment I would show you this picture above.

But then I would remember we’re all tight friends around here and I can be real. :) So truth.. the picture above is what the nightstand on my husband’s side of the bed really looks like most days. And it drives me CRAZY.

Does this mess of cords look familiar to anyone else!? Please tell me I’m not alone! We charge our two cell phones and our family iPad on this nightstand each night and the mess of cords has been a frustration for me for a long time now. I’ve thought of so many solutions (including drilling holes in the back of our dresser and hiding this mess in the drawer!) but just I haven’t done anything about it yet.

So when Native Union reached out and asked if I’d be interested in trying out their new Eclipse Charger I seriously couldn’t say yes fast enough! Someone had heard my frustration and found a solution! I was giddy when this box and three cords came in the mail.

First of all.. these cables. I couldn’t have designed something more perfect if I had dreamed about them! Black and white stripes? With a cute leather tie that holds it all together in a clean and organized fashion? YES. These are the little things in life that just make my day. :)

This Eclipse really is so cool you guys. I had it set up in minutes! You just plug it in, tap the top twice and it opens up. You string three cords through it and then tap to close the lid again. You can pull as much of the cord out as you want to charge your devices. There is a cool video HERE that shows you how easy it is to set up and use. You can even mount this on your wall if you wanted to!

Kole loves tapping it and watching it open and close. We did this for a long time the other day and I kept having to pause taking these photos so he could play with it. Open/close.. open/close. :) It also has a light at the bottom that comes on with one tap which is so nice for late at night or early morning.

And when everyone takes their devices and leaves for the day? This is what my nightstand looks like. For real. The Eclipse looks like simple decor. And there isn’t a cord in sight! THIS I can live with. :)

I loved it so much I tried using it for a few days in my office and now I want another one! This is another spot in my house that is usually full of cords because the girls and I sometimes charge our phones here after they get home from school.

Cords are hidden and out of sight! Such a happy well functioning little spot now. :)

The cord on the Eclipse also has a nice leather tie so you can easily wrap up and hide the cord. You can take the leather ties off and use the small cords in the Eclipse, but I just used our regular charging cables and plan to use the small cords when I travel.

Time to say good-bye to messy cords once and for all! I’m in! I think this Eclipse Charger would make a great holiday gift. It comes in different colors and styles and is so functional! It’s something I would have totally bought to give to me from me. :)

Fun Gift Ideas From Native Union:

Bedroom Sources:

I hope your week is off to a great start! I’m trying to wrap up my decorating this week and keep asking myself how I’m still working on it when I got started so early!? I’m blaming it on the week of travel for Thanksgiving (travel always throws me off and takes a while to catch up after!) but really I think it’s just because I love the decorating so much I don’t want it to end. Ha. :)

xoxo, Erin

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Fashion

12.03.17

Men’s Clothes – Gift Ideas for Him

*affiliate links used below

Friends. We’ve created a monster. You might remember in October when my husband was a good sport to help me with my first post for Nordstrom sharing his favorite Fall clothes. Per his usual sarcastic self, he titled himself “the new face of Nordstrom” and made my life slightly difficult as I attempted to take pics of him.

So when Nordstrom sent me an e-mail a few weeks ago asking if we were up for another men’s post I just shook my head and thought.. oh boy.. here we go again.. :)

I e-mailed my husband and this was our back and forth:

Me: “Guess who is the new face of Nordstrom.. ha. Are you up for another one? Or should I say.. am I up for another one?”

Him: “Let them know I’m in, and that I’m so dedicated to my art that I’ll go ahead and model their boxer briefs in this post. We can have a picture of me in the kitchen in my underwear taking cookies out of the oven. I think I might need to hurry and get a tattoo to increase my edgy appeal. And I need to shave my legs. Crap! Being the face of Nordstrom is a heavy burden to bare. Is it too early to buy a loft in New York City? I’m sure they’re going to need me there about once a month for future shoots.”

Yup. This is the kind of stuff I deal with on a daily basis. It doesn’t matter what question I ask.. I get responses like this back ALL DAY LONG. Like a few days ago when I sent him a text and asked “did you remember you’re picking up Addison from band today?” And he answered “who’s Addison?”

Oh my word. It’s exhausting. And the reason I love him. He’s totally annoying and keeps life interesting all at the same time. :)

So without further sarcasm from our model, (who will most definitely NOT be in the kitchen in his underwear taking cookies out of the oven) here are a few more of our favorites from the men’s departent at Nordstrom.

{Him: thermal tee/lace up sneakers (on sale!) — Me: similar Rails shirt/jeans/over the knee boots}

My mom snapped this pic of us over Thanksgiving break. My husband loves these Rail Notch neck thermal t-shirts. They are lightweight and casual.. fitted but not tight. He lives in them and right now they are on sale for under $20! Great every day staples.

Here is a better pic of the maroon and blue. He has most of the colors.

Apparently “the new face of Nordstrom” doesn’t have to shave. Even when his wife begs him to.. (sigh)

My nephew smushed my brother’s hat down seconds before this pic and clearly got a real kick out of himself. :) Kenny’s fleece zip hoodie is another favorite this time of year. So comfortable and it comes in 4 colors.

{Him: Slim fit check sport shirt/lace up sneakers — Me: Ribbed Pullover/Jeans/Boots}

Nordstrom has a great selection of men’s flannel shirts. We like the men’s flannel shirts that are slim fit and taper a bit at the bottom like this Trucker Check Sport shirt. Here are a few other recent favorites that may or may not be showing up under the tree..

Just home from picking up Addison wearing a favorite crewneck sweater .. looks like he remembered who she was after all. ;)

{Him: Robert Barakett long sleeve polo/Non-iron straight leg cotton pants/sneakers — Me: bell sleeve ribbed sweater (on sale!)/jeans/boots/sunglasses/similar purse}

I really like Robert Barakett shirts for Kenny for work. Really nice quality shirts. They can be pricey, but I watch for sales and right now there are good deals on some of them! El snapped this pic of us on Friday. We were touring high schools for her next year. I can’t even type that without wanting to cry! My baby is going to be in high school next year. I really don’t know how that is possible. Especially since Kenny and I just graduated high school a few years ago ourselves. Ha. :)

{Cotton Cashmere Pullover/Sperry Gold Cup Sneakers (his favorites on sale!)}

{Kenny’s colorblock sweater/shoes — Kole’s sweater (40% off!)/Chino pants/shoes}

A favorite recent picture of my boys in favorite Nordstrom sweaters. Love them. :) You can see more of our favorite men’s clothes in this post and find other fun gift ideas from Nordstrom for everyone on your list in this post.

Huge thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post and for great clothes we love and live life in. Also a huge thanks to my babe and other half for being a good sport in his “new face of Nordstrom” adventures.

I’ve always tried to be a supportive wife so New York City.. here we come.

;)

{POST SOURCES}

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

11.29.17

Mudroom with built-in cabinets decked for Christmas!

Sharing some Christmas cheer in my mudroom today! I shared my little tree a few posts back. I have quite a few trees in my house this year and I have to say that for some reason this little tree with my new fuzzy tree skirt is my favorite.

affiliate links used

You can see more info. on my Container Store gift wrap (and my decorated office!) in this post.

Here are a few pics I took of the rest of the room! (You can see how all of our mudroom built-ins are organized in this post.)

{Pom pom knitted throw/plaid pillow/stag pillow (on sale!) – similar stag pillow/boxwood wreath}

Don’t you love how you can toss a different throw and pillow over a chair/bench/couch and have a totally new look in your room? I do. I love this stag pillow! I found this similar stag pillow that’s also on sale and so cute! I’d buy it, but after decorating my living room yesterday I’m officially putting myself on a Christmas pillow buying freeze. I have a problem and admitting it is the first step to recovery.

I bought a few of these cute little boxwood wreaths this year and just switched out the ribbon on them. I love small wreaths like this to put in little places throughout my home. They look especially cute on the back of chairs in the kitchen or dining room.

I’ve been making my kids keep this room extra clean. Nothing can be tossed and left on the floor this month! We walk in and out of this room so many times during the day and it just makes me happy to see everything clean and decorated with the tree lights on. A bit of calm and peace during hectic, busy days! Moms don’t ask for much right!? :)

I added ribbon to our mudroom baskets again but decided to use the same snowflake ribbon I put on the tree for a fun change. Because I’m wild and crazy like that. I just love snowflakes! They seem to pop up in one way or another in every room in my house this time of year.

That wraps up the mudroom Christmas tour! I’m trying to tie up loose ends in other rooms throughout my house and get them finished but I have to admit that I’m in a bit of a slump! I felt like I was so productive before Thanksgiving but that break made me just want to stay in pj’s and eat all day. Anyone else feeling like that? Not a good mindset going into one of the busiest months of the year. I need to snap out of it!

Maybe if I buy another Christmas pillow..

Ha ha.. just kidding!

Kind of. But not really. :)

{MUDROOM SOURCES}

xoxo, Erin

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Family

11.27.17

Thanksgiving and Cyber Sales

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving break! It went by so quickly didn’t it!? We had such a fun trip to Utah to visit family.

My girls ran their first Turkey Trot with their dad! I’ve been dealing with knee issues and have to have surgery in January (boo) so I was bummed I couldn’t join them. But I went along for moral support/cheerleading anyway. Bright and early! If we look half asleep in this picture it’s because we were. :)

Their cute cousin and my brother-in-law joined them.

Proud of my girls! It was such a fun way to kick off the holiday.

(affiliate links used below)

Then back to moms to cook the turkey! My mom and brother do most of the cooking and I make a great assistant. In my flare sleeve sweater that’s a total fire hazard around the stove. Ha. My family knows I’m good to peel a few potatoes and then find other fun jobs.. set the table, play with the kids, tidy up the living room. Anything but cook. Some things never change. :)

The weather was beautiful so the kids spent a lot of time in my parent’s yard and treehouse. (You can see more treehouse details in this post.)

And what did I do for four straight days other than avoid kitchen duty?

{Hanna Split neck top/Tanner Necklace }

I held my new niece! Meet Quincy. Isn’t she a doll!? I couldn’t be more in love.

{Varsity Stripe Tee/Camo Jeans}

K – I promise I won’t bore you all with baby pictures. After this post. ;) But I seriously couldn’t get enough of this sweet girl! She is absolutely perfect.

And btw.. my favorite cardigan is not only incredibly comfortable, but also doubles to make the coziest baby blanket. ;) Is she not the most precious thing!?

My mom snapped this last picture of us. We both fell asleep in the chair one evening. I couldn’t put her down! There is just something about a new baby and I miss this stage with my kids so much. Quincy and I totally bonded and when I said good-bye I got such a huge lump in my throat and couldn’t help tearing up. Sometimes not living close to my family is hard. My brother wanted to know why I never cry when I say good-bye to him. Ha. ;)

Back in the swing of things now that we’re home and I’m so excited it’s almost December! I can finally listen to Christmas music without getting any grief! (I’ve been playing it since mid October.) :) I have lots of fun decorating to share with you all. Isn’t getting the house ready for the holidays the best!? I’m almost finished with my Christmas shopping and am so excited about the great sales going on right now! I linked some of the fun things on sale for Cyber Monday below. Stuff that I love and already have or am buying today. These are my favorite stores that I’ve been stopping by tonight! On my couch and in my pj’s with the TV on and a bowl of popcorn next to me. Best way to shop. :)

{Favorite frames on sale/Vintage wood oval tray on sale}

CYBER MONDAY DEALS

ANTHROPOLOGIE – I love this store and things rarely go on sale. YEA for 20% off of everything!

NORDSTROM – Extra 20% off of things that were already on sale! Crazy low prices. I linked my favs (yea new Ugg slippers at a great price!) and a few things I got for my kids too!

For the kids:

My favorites:

GAP – 50% off of everything! Ahh! Use code CYBER. Couldn’t resist getting a couple of new sweaters at that great price!

BANANA REPUBLIC – Also 50% of of everything! I haven’t had time to check BR but will definitely be doing that the second I get a free minute today! Love BR.

WEST ELM – Up to 70% off and free shipping! I buy so many fun things for my home from West Elm! I linked my favorites below!

POTTERY BARN – Also up to 70% off!

I picked up this pillow, and these cute plates I’ve had my eye on. You can see my other PB favorites in this post. I already own half of their Christmas decor. Ha. ;)

AMAZON – I’ve got a list of things I’m looking for to finish up my gifts on Amazon. So many great deals! Headphones, a few toys for the kids, I need a new toaster because mine is dying.. random fun stuff. :)

GOOD sales. Happy on-line shopping friends! I’m excited to finish up with my gifts and get things wrapped and under the tree so that I can enjoy the next month with my crew. Best time of the year. :)

xoxo, Erin

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Favorite Things

11.23.17

2017 Favorite Things!

Friends! It’s time for my annual round-up of favorite things! One of my favorite posts to write every year! Before we kick things off I’m so excited to announce the winner of the Container Store gift card! I have to say.. reading about the things you are all excited for this holiday season was just.. special. I don’t know how else to describe it! So much love and warmth in all of your responses. So much to be grateful for and love for family and all we celebrate this time of year. I’m sorry I didn’t get the chance to respond to each of you, but I read and loved every single thing you said. There are a lot of good people in the world and my readers are at the top of the list. If you’re in the mood to just feel good.. go read the comments on this post. They definitely made me feel good! So. Winner of the gift card! Drum roll please..

Noreen who said “Everything about the Christmas season is wonderful and magical. From hanging the first decoration to the piles of wrapping paper on the floor when all the gifts are open! There is not one thing I can say that excites me, it all does from beginning to end! There is really something special about the whole holiday season.” 🎄

Congrats Noreen! I couldn’t agree more. :) I’ll be e-mailing you soon to get your address!

(affiliate links used below)

{Luggage/Adidas sneakers/California Love Sweatshirt/Black jogger pants/similar Rebecca Minkoff purses here and here}

On to the favorites! I always write this beloved post from my mom’s house because we always spend Thanksgiving in Utah with family. I’m more relaxed here than I’ve been in months! One cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie down, 23 recorded and waiting. ;) Nothing like coming to moms! My mom snapped this pic of me when we pulled in and it’s full of favorite things so it’s perfect to kick off this post! I’ve absolutely loved this luggage set this year! So cute, nice and roomy and I love the way it’s organized. I’m wearing my favorite California Love hoodie in Utah.. that way I have a bit of both of my homes with me. ;) And these joggers are long time favorites – SO comfy.

Starting with all things I love for the HOME! When I shared the Christmas tree in my master bedroom a lot of e-mails came in with questions about items you can see in this pic. All room pics and sources are coming in the new year, but because they are all favorites of mine below are links to our bedding (love this comforter!), my favorite sheets (just ordered a new set – so soft!), the rug (which shed like crazy for months and then finally stopped!), and below are links to similar chairs (high and lower price points) since my exact chairs are sold out.

Some of my favorites this year were on last year’s list because well.. they are things I still really LOVE. Like these memory foam bathroom rugs. Funny thing I’ve noticed about me with rugs. When I find one I love, I keep duplicating it in my house. Ha. These crazy soft memory foam rugs are in my powder bathroom..

and in Kole’s bathroom.

Of course these black and white striped rugs are long time favorites. I have two of them on my front porch, three of them in my kitchen..

and one in my upstairs laundry room. I get questions about washing these rugs. I have washed my kitchen rugs (laid them out to dry) and they did wash nicely except they shrunk a bit! They still look fine, but heads up about the shrinking if you are going to wash them.

I can’t have a favorites post and not include our beloved family room rug – PB’s Chunky Wool and Jute. I know.. snore for all of my regular readers I’ve talked about this rug so much, but it’s crazy you guys. I get e-mails about this rug every single day! This rug and my paint colors are my most asked about things. So for newer readers, I wrote a post with info. about this rug here.

A close-up when it was brand new.

I have it in my dining room too I love it so much. :)

And just for fun here is a pic I found from last December when the new rug came in and we moved the older same rug to our dining room. (Btw.. this is the natural and the largest size.)

We moved our furniture into the kitchen and when we went to move it back it was occupied. Ha. :) And yes.. my kitchen was a mess. It typically is this time of year because there is so much going on!

Favorite rugs:

My fiddle leaf fig is a long time favorite. Still. :)

And baskets! I was thinking the other day how much I LOVE baskets. For decorating and organizing. I have them in every room and closet in my house!

Below are my favorite baskets I have throughout my home! You’ve seen a lot of them.. some will be popping up in posts next year. :)

Love these cutting boards! Kitchen staples. And this marble and copper beauty is on my Christmas list this year. Because Santa knows I don’t have enough cutting boards in my life. Ha. And these snowflake marble and copper coasters would make a darling gift!

I first discovered these Bliss throws during the Nordstrom Ann. sale and just can’t say enough about them! Perfect to me because they are fuzzy and warm, but not too hot. They are just the right length and come in so many fun colors.

Plus they look so pretty draped over a chair or a couch corner! My #1 gift to give this year. :)

My second favorite throw (that also makes a perfect gift) is this one I’ve shared before. Love those poms! I have the pink and the Ivory. Of course you can’t go wrong with Pottery Barn throws (I have more of them than I want to admit) and they are all on major sale! Woot woot!

Favorite Throws:

Of course any and all PB Christmas decor has to be on my favorites list. I shared exactly what I have and love in this post!

I’m so in love with this Alpaca Faux Fur tree skirt I got this year and it’s on sale!

Goes without saying I love PB Christmas pillows too. I just bought these pom pillows in red and love them! I have to store my PB Christmas pillows in a few separate places because if my husband sees how many I have all together I’m in trouble. ;)

Some of my favorite PB Christmas decor:

Ok. Let’s talk purses! My all time favorite purses are Rebecca Minkoff handbags! I just couldn’t love her style more. So many RM handbags were just marked down and always sell so quickly (my purse above was marked down and sold out before I could even share the news!). Here are some of my favorites that are on sale and a few new handbags that just came in that I adore!

My second favorite style and brand of handbags is Tory Burch. You just can’t go wrong with Tory! This Tory bracelet has also been a favorite jewelry staple. I love it in the pink too! My favorite Parker Leather Tote is on sale (yea!) and so are a few other styles I love. Any of these bags below would make a great gift.. (are you reading Kenny?) :)

With my girls yesterday. I’m wearing a favorite top I’ve had for two years and still love wearing! It’s this Hanna split neck top. Love it! And love these over the knee boots.

This cute J Crew sweater that has been on repeat for me is another favorite that’s on sale.

And it’s hard to see how cute this scalloped sweater is but it has been one of my favorites this Fall! Comes in lots of colors. Below are other favorite sweaters,cardigans and a favorite blouse!

Kenny snapped this last night of me and Ad. My coat is a favorite and while it’s sold out, this coat is so similar – a longer version that is so cute and on sale! It would be perfect for chilly weather! I’d buy it for me except I only get to wear my short coat a few times per year. I also found a darling version for girls that I want for Ad. She’s still young enough to think it’s cool to twin with her mom. Her sister.. not so much anymore.. ;)

Let’s talk PJ’s! LOVE LOVE LOVE a good pair of pajamas. Definitely high on my favorite things list.

I’ve mentioned this before on the blog – I have two favorite brands of pj’s that I just don’t think you can go wrong with. Make and Model AND PJ Salvage.

Both brands are the softest coziest pj’s! I’ve linked favorites below!

I’m more of a jeans and boots or sneakers type of girl, but if I do have to get dressed up, these shoes and this dress were hands down my favorites this year. Both on sale!

I also started wearing tall black over the knee boots for the first time this year (I always thought I was too short and had too big of thighs for them!). I was wrong.. they work for short people and bigger thighs and actually help both of those situations appear better. ;) Plus they help the whole “it’s winter and I’m white and not in the mood to shave my legs” situation. I’m a fan! This exact pair sold out but here are two other pairs that are similar and on sale..

Adidas sneakers! Favorites this year for sure. I got to my mom’s house and she was so excited to show me that she bought my pink pair and loved them so much that she then bought them in mint and a similar pair in grey! Love all of these shoes so much!

On a side note.. isn’t her back porch cute!? Pillows and rugs from Target and this table is still one of her favorite things.

Let’s talk skin care. I have two must haves for healthy skin. A good sunscreen is one of them and this Elta MD sunscreen is my all time favorite. I gave it out for gifts a few years ago and wear it daily. I think of it like make-up! It’s tinted and helps even out your skin and goes on so smoothly. I love it!

Second favorite thing (that I forgot to photograph) is my Mia Clarisonic! I swear by this and use it every night. It scrubs your skin so clean. I’m getting one for my girls so that I can teach them good skin care early on!

Bobbi Brown make-up is my all time favorite make-up and I’ve linked to my every day favorite make-up below! (I love BB brushes too!)

Two new favorites this year. Flowerbomb perfume (oh my word.. love the smell so much!) and Baublebar earrings. This tassel fringe pair is my all time favorite I have in three colors!

Hydro Flasks. These are the first set we had.. now we all have new styles/colors. We use these every single day and love them. They keep your water so cold! I gave them as gifts a couple of years ago and still hear how much everyone I gave one to loves them!

I have a few recent favorite scarves I’m loving and a few favorite necklaces that would all make great gifts (how cute are these fun state necklaces!? Love them!)..

And here are a few things I have and a few more that are in my cart that are marked down BIG time this weekend!

Alright friends! Those are my tried and true favorite things from 2017! I know a lot of them are repeats I’ve already shared, but they are just the things I really use and love!

I’m incredibly grateful for all of you this year. For all of your kindness and support. It truly means the world to me that you make stopping by my blog part of your routine or down time. (I know how precious down time can be!) You all top my favorites list each year and bring the sunny to Sunny Side Up. :) Wishing you all the best Thanksgiving! I hope you are able to spend it relaxing with loved ones and eating lots of good food. My make and model joggers will be on major repeat for the next few days. ;)

xoxo, Erin

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Home Decor

11.20.17

Fake it, don’t bake it: stress free holiday hosting!

Hello friends! I’ve got quite a treat for you all today! Literally.. ha. :) Anyone starting to feel some holiday stress creeping in? With Thanksgiving this week and Christmas right around the corner it’s easy to start feeling overwhelmed with all there is to do. Today I’m joining five other bloggers to share one simple way that you can eliminate some stress this holiday season! Each of us have taken a store-bought food item and dressed it up to look beautiful and homemade. Yes.. this little blog hop is right up my alley. I’m the queen of store-bought meals and wear that crown proudly as you all know well. ;) The truth is.. we can’t do it all! If cooking isn’t your thing we’ve got you covered! You can still pull off a beautiful meal with no work or stress involved.

If you’re popping over from KariAnne’s fun blog Thislewood Farms hello and welcome! I’m so happy to have you here! (Isn’t KariAnne a doll!? Love her!) We have a good time here at Sunny Side Up too so I hope you’ll stick around. :)

Before we get started, I have a confession to make. I’m not into pies. (GASP!) I know.. my husband thinks it’s an absolute crime and that I should be tried and sentenced. But I just don’t love them. At all. Now cheesecake! That’s a different story. Because of my undying love for cheesecake today I’m sharing a fun way to dress up a store bought cheesecake and not only make it beyond delicious, but also make it look like you spent hours putting it together instead of minutes! All you need is the cheesecake – right out of the freezer section of the grocery store, mini Reese’s Peanut Butter cups (lots of them!), nuts – already chopped or you can chop them quick yourself, and fudge.

Is your mouth watering already? Mine too. :)

Take the cheesecake out of the box and put it on a plate. Because you just slaved over it for hours, remember? Then chop a few handfuls of mini Reese’s Peanut Butter cups into halves and thirds. Chop up some peanuts if they aren’t already chopped. (I just used the bottom corner of a cup to chop them quick!)

Then heat up the fudge in the microwave. I like to heat mine in a measuring cup like this so it’s easy to pour on after.

Pour on the fudge letting it drip all down the sides – the messier the better! ;) Then add your Reece’s to the top middle of the cheesecake and sprinkle the chopped nuts around them. DONE. Takes about 10 minutes and this dessert is a total crowd pleaser! Plus it looks like you spent a lot of time in the kitchen. When everyone praises you and asks for the recipe simply smile and thank them and tell them it’s a well kept family secret.

I won’t tell a soul. ;)

Now for a quick and easy Thanksgiving tablescape to go along with your store bought dessert! Because for me THIS is the fun part. :)

Remember all of the pumpkins I had on my Halloween Porch? Kole washed them all so nicely for me. ;)

And all of the pumpkins I had sprinkled throughout my family room this Fall?

I had a lot of them. :)

With Christmas decor taking over most of my house the pumpkins needed a new home!

I put my faux Fall branches underneath, added pumpkins on top and then candles here and there. So pretty! So festive for Thanksgiving!

So done in 15 minutes. :)

I laughed when I went to decorate this table and pulled out my gold silverware only to remember that I was going to buy the rest of the set and never got around to it last year (story about my airhead moment decorating this table last year here). Ha ha.. they are on my Christmas list so that I won’t run into this little problem again! ;)

The candles add such a nice touch during the day but look even more beautiful at night!

So warm and inviting.

Enough to distract your guests from whatever you are serving that you ~~haven’t~~ have slaved over in the kitchen all day. ;)

I hope my easy dessert and tablescape gave you a few ideas of how to ease some stress this holiday season! Really.. we can’t do it all so keep things simple and stick to what you enjoy and do best.

I’m so thankful this year. For my family.. for my health.. for all of you sweet friends!

And for anything that takes the baking out of meal prep. :)

Thanks again for stopping by today! If you missed the new Frosted tree I decorated in my bedroom this weekend you can see it HERE (such a fun color change for me!). There are also lots of fun gift ideas for everyone in the family HERE and you can see my office decorated for the holidays and still enter the Container Store giveaway HERE. Yea! Fun things going on. I’ll announce the gift card winner in my next post. :)

{POST SOURCES} *affiliate links used

Next stop on the tour is a real treat! My amazingly talented friend Kelley at Kelly Nan is sharing her secret to simple mashed potatoes! Plus she is the queen of beautiful tablescapes (and will no doubt have ALL of her silverware.. ha.). ;) After you visit her blog make sure to stop by the rest of the amazing blogs on this tour! Lots of talent and fun ways to simplify your holiday meals. :) Happy Thanksgiving prep everyone!

Kelley Nan

The Lettered Cottage

Driven by Decor

ZDesign at Home

Thistlewood Farms

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

11.18.17

Frosted Christmas Tree – 12 Bloggers with Balsam Hill

Friends! I’m so excited to show you my new Frosted Christmas tree today! I’m joining Balsam Hill’s 12 Bloggers of Christmas and sharing my new tree along with a peek of my master bedroom. I know. I’ve been promising master bedroom pics for a while now and I’m so sorry that post hasn’t happened yet! (My head is hung in deep shame in case you can’t see it..) I actually tried to get that post up last week before I shared this tree, but after four hours of working on it and realizing I’d only made a small dent I knew it would have to wait until after the holidays. So it’s coming in the New Year! Right now you’re saying to yourself whatever Erin.. sure it is. And at this point I don’t believe me either. Ha. But it is! I think. We’ll see. ;) In the meantime, here are some of the windows in my master bedroom! Windows just perfect for a frosted Christmas tree. :)

This is Balsam Hill’s Frosted Frasier Fir 9′ with clear lights and oh my word. To say I’m in love would be an understatement! I’ve had my eye on this tree for years. It’s so beautiful and I love the frosted look! It’s my attempt to bring a touch of winter to San Diego. Never mind the sunshine blaring through the windows. I can close the blinds, turn on the fireplace, turn on the Christmas music, turn on the tree lights (maybe turn on the air conditioning to balance out the fireplace) and BAM.. I just turned on winter. :)

Now you know I’m all about RED during the holidays, but my bedroom color scheme is softer so I thought it would be fun to mix it up in just this one room and try something different. I was thinking frosty glam! Or something cool like that. :)

I used lots of Balsam’s essential medium white glossy and essential medium small glossy ornaments. They are such nice quality and I love their simplicity. Plus check out the boxes they came in! Perfect to store them in all year long. The boxes were a happy little organizing surprise. I get excited about things like that! But you all knew that didn’t you. :)

I placed some of the medium sized white ornaments close together in pairs.

Because I’m wild and crazy like that.

Then I went equally crazy with Balsam Hill’s French Country Ornament Sets. I’ve always LOVED this style of ornaments. They are so beautiful. I used the Etched, Crackle and Foil ornaments on this tree. Next year I’d love to add some of the Ombre to the mix!

I also sprinkled in this beautiful Antiqued Snowflake Ornament Set. I love how the snowflakes are so different and unique.

Then I used this stunning antiqued snowflake tree topper for the top. I love the way it shines!

I added a little quilt batting to complete my frosty glam look and a few pink ornaments from the craft store. A new favorite soft pink throw over my chair also adds a pretty touch. (Throw source in this post with gift ideas for the whole family.)

To complete the look I used Balsam’s Mongolian Faux Fur Hexagon Tree Skirt. It’s so fuzzy and soft and blended right in with my rug. I love that there is plenty of room for presents under the tree too! Hopefully Kenny and Kole won’t mind if some of their gifts have pink bows. Ha. I’m seriously wanting to bring the Christmas morning party to our bedroom I’m so in love with this tree! And the best part?

This frosted Christmas tree looks AMAZING at night! Oh I so wish I could have you all over to see it in person! My pictures don’t do it justice. All of those beautiful lights give off such a warm glow.

Christmas perfection.

I always get lots of questions about this tree in our family room and it’s also from Balsam Hill. This is their Silverado Slim Tree. Just like my Frosted Christmas tree it’s also 9 feet with clear lights. The Balsam trees are full of beautiful lights and are amazing quality. Plus you can’t beat their trees for easy set up! I’m a fan.

I have a feeling I’m going to be spending a lot more time in my bedroom this next month! In fact I’m thinking it might become my new office for December.

Because I could stare at this pretty tree all day long.

And because I’m wild and crazy like that.

Lost of Christmas tree inspiration is coming your way with the other 11 bloggers joining Balsam Hill’s 12 Bloggers of Christmas! What a party. They will be sharing throughout November and I’ll add links as their posts go up each day so make sure to check back to see them all! Balsam Hill is also running a daily giveaway that you can enter if you’d like to HERE. Huge thank you to Balsam Hill for partnering with me on this fun post!

French Country Cottage

Z Design at Home

Rooms for Rent

Nest of Posies

Pink Peppermint Designs

Tidbits

Burst of Beautiful

11 Magnolia Lane

Love Grows Wild

Christinas Adventures

Inspired by Charm

Happy Christmas tree decorating friends!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. :)

xoxo, Erin

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Christmas

11.16.17

Holiday Gift Ideas for Everyone on Your List!

How is the holiday shopping going friends? Have you started? Are you done? Haven’t even started to kind of think about going there? Ha. :) I hope my Gift Giving Printables have been helpful! (You can snag them here if you haven’t already.) I’m not there yet, but I’m still hoping to have my Christmas shopping mostly done before December hits. So far I’ve bought most of my gifts on-line and that has made things so easy! What did we do before there was on-line shopping!? On my list of things I’m grateful for this Thanksgiving. ;)

Today I’m partnering with Nordstrom to share holiday gift ideas for everyone on your list! I have spent a lot of time rounding up my best, favorite items for the whole family! One thing everyone in my family gets each year for Christmas (and they always have!) is a new pair of shoes. Because #1 – I’m a shoe lover. :) And #2 – because my kids are usually due for a new pair this time of year. Their feet grow so quickly! I’ve rounded up my favorite shoes (a lot of them are on sale right now.. YEA!) along with other fun favorites I have and love. I’m also sharing a few things I’ve already bought this year to give to others.

So if you’re on my Christmas list, stop reading NOW.

I mean it.. I love you but stop reading and go away. :)

Ok friends.. let’s do this! I divided my favorites into gifts for the women in your life, the men, and some fun ideas for the kids. I hope my round-up of holiday gift ideas for everyone on your list gives you a few ideas this year!

*affiliate links used

Favorite shoes for women that would make great gifts..

So many of my favorite things..

Favorite shoes that would make great gifts for the men in your life..

Other favorite gift ideas for men..

Favorite shoes that would make great gifts for the girls..

Other favorite gift ideas for girls.. (younger and older!)

Our favorite shoes for boys..

Other favorite gift ideas for boys..

Huge thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post! And for carrying such an amazing selection of gifts for the whole family. You are making my holiday shopping SO easy this year. Bless you.

xoxo, Erin

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