christmas

Holiday Cards with Tiny Prints

November 28, 2016

Thanksgiving weekend is one of my favorite times of the year. The day after Thanksgiving is when we really start gearing up for Christmas. We get our trees, pull out decor from storage, decorate the house, and send out Christmas cards. Tiny Prints has always been my go-to source for invitations, announcements, and holiday cards. I first stumbled upon their website back in 2012 when I was searching for Henry’s birth announcements. Over 4 years and countless cards later, they haven’t let me down. I am SO excited to partner with them this season for our Christmas cards! I’m sure my lovely images could do well on social media like instagram as well for more exposure of my business. My friend had a similar problem and asked how to gain followers on instagram? Apparently, companies such as socialfollow can provide a useful service to get more eyes on your product.

I try not to make a big fuss over our holiday pictures. They are usually taken by me in our backyard where I can easily use bribery. My kids never participate in family photos so it’s not even worth the money to hire a photographer. Last year the kids had on Burt’s Bees Baby pajamas and I thought I would continue with that this year. Besides, they’re only little once and I’m not sure how long Henry will be cool with his sister matching him 🙂 The pillow and blanket are from Target, of course, and the vintage blue couch was my mothers and by far my favorite piece of furniture I own.

Tiny Prints has so many wonderful Holiday cards to choose from. If you are looking for simple or extravagant, they’ve got you covered. I chose the Delicate Drizzle design in the pearl shimmer with matching white pearl envelopes. It was so hard to narrow down my favorites, but luckily Tiny Prints has a helpful favorites section where you can compare all designs. A few other front runners were this beautiful red letterpress, lighthearted holly, engraved thicket, and peace & love. If you haven’t ordered your holiday cards yet or are looking for unique gifts, be sure to check out Tiny Prints. They are having 50% off everything today for Cyber Monday!

Thank you so much to Tiny Prints for sponsoring this post! As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

The Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide for Toddler Boys!

November 21, 2016

Henry will turn 4 1/2 three days after Christmas. He loves what most boys love at this age: Ninja Turtles, Robots, Hot Wheels and make believe. For Christmas this year I have tried to only select things which I know will last him a while and that also don’t have 1,342 pieces (since they will be lost within a few days!) I’ve rounded up something unique for every toddler boy in this guide, so let’s get shopping!

1. Magnetic Farm Truck – Like most boys, mine loves anything that moves. This wooden, hand painted truck is simply adorable. I love how all the pieces are magnetic so they don’t fall off when your child is pushing it across the floor. I cannot tell you how many times Henry has been frustrated when his people fall off their vehicles. Anything that can prevent toddler meltdowns is a win in my book! $40

2. Space Station Tent & Tunnel – This is going to be a special Santa present to Henry. Since it will need to be opened and set up prior to Christmas morning, it’ll already be ready for him when he comes down to the living room. What most attracted me to this were the four tunnels attached to the space station. I love that the kids will be able to enjoy this together and Henry and his friends can use on playdates too. $139

3. Robot Backpack & Cup – Come January, Henry will be in desperate need for a new backpack. The one he has been using since August is getting so ratty and worn. Since he loves Robots, this backpack and matching cup will be perfect for school and lunch. $33, $25

4. Crayola Emoji Maker – Can I just put it out there that I have enjoyed this as much as Henry has. From mixing the colors to assembling the markers and stamps, it was so much fun to make all the emoji stamps. We got to spend some one on one time together playing with this while Evelyn napped. It is the perfect rainy day activity too. And you can’t beat the $15 price tag.

5. Barked Tree Building Blocks – When Henry was around 16 months old, he really started showing signs that he was a child who loved to stack and build. I am so glad that this still interests him. These wonderful handmade blocks are perfect for gross motor skills and expanding their imagination and creativity. Definitely a must for all the future architects out there! $30

6. Space Plush Toy Set – Just like the Fairy Cottage and Castle featured in my girl gift guide, this one is from the same amazing brand, Oskar & Ellen. Henry is learning all about space and planets in school and this set will really let his imagination run wild. $40

7. TMNT Battle Truck Construction Set – You may remember that Henry had a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle themed party for his 4th birthday. He has been obsessed with all things TMNT for nearly a year now and is going to flip his lid when he opens this. If you have a ninja turtle lover in your life, this is the gift for them! $33

8. Wooden Parking Garage – I showed this to Henry a few months ago and he literally spent 30 minutes staring at the pictures and watching the video. I’ve probably said the phrase “You better stop hitting your sister or else Santa is not going to bring you the parking garage!” over two thousand times in the past few months. Since he already has so many different cars, this will be the perfect addition to collection and I know he will love lining them all up in their parking spaces. $109

Do you have a favorite toy I’ve listed above? I would love to hear what you would get for your little man! Let me know in the comments!

Unique Holiday Gifts for Toddler Girls

November 17, 2016

Evelyn would be totally happy if I put 1000 stuffed Minnie Mouse dolls under the tree. Since clearly that would be idiotic, I wanted to find some gifts to stimulate her imagination. I love searching for unique toys that don’t take up a lot of space, like those Personalized Stuffed Animals by Lavington Designs, and today I’m sharing with you my top 5 favorites. They all happen to be under $40 as well!

1. Monsieur Lapin (The Stuffed Bunny) – Evelyn is not into baby dolls whatsoever – perhaps in part due to her older brother’s influence. She has taken a liking to stuffed animals over dolls and bunnies are quickly making their way up the totem pole of favorites. This adorable bunny is 13 inches tall and suitable for birth+. How cute would this little guy be in a babies stocking too? I cannot wait for Evelyn to see him Christmas morning!

2. Bla Bla Kids Doll, Rattle & Book – We are long time lovers of Bla Bla Kids dolls. They are an Atlanta based company with commitment to fair trade practice. Their dolls are the best of the best and are so unique. The recently launched their board book collection featuring two of their dolls. I love the idea of turning their beloved dolls into characters in a book.

3. Mini Farm Rollers – Evelyn has just started showing an interest in things that move. She is currently playing with her older brothers Hot Wheels and I think it’s time for me to get her something more age appropriate. These Farm Animal Rollers are so adorable, gender neutral and great for learning. She is definitely in an animal phase and can’t get enough of cows and horses. I have a feeling Henry will be playing with these too come Christmas morning.

4. Fairy Cottage – This plush play set is perfect for getting your little ones imaginations flowing. The cottage comes with a unicorn, carriage and two fairies. Oskar + Ellen is a family owned business in Stockholm who created soft toys that were easy for traveling and transporting (so they wouldn’t disturb fellow passengers on an airplane). I’m sure many parents can agree with how peaceful plush toys are, especially during those evening witching hours! I love that the small pieces easily fit into the cottage so they don’t get lost.

5. Pink Medieval Castle – Another amazing plush set from Oskar + Ellen. This cheerful and colorful set include a prince, princess, horse, dragon, witch, and treasure chest. Like the Fairy Cottage, all items store easily within the castle to avoid missing pieces. I love that these toys are self containing and can easily be carried by kids since they are so lightweight.

What Christmas ideas do you have for your kids this year? Have they started asking for anything in particular? I can’t wait to hear your answers!

Stocking Stuffers for Moms

October 28, 2016

I know that Halloween isn’t even behind us yet but I feel that as soon as November 1st hits, the holiday season seems to come and go so fast. It’s never too early to get a jump-start on your holiday shopping. I usually start selecting gifts around September to save for Christmas so that I don’t feel overwhelmed. I am currently loving these small items and they would make great stocking stuffers for moms or any lady in your life.

Baitx Made Soy Candle – I have a slight obsessed with amazing smells and always have a candle burning in my house. This new line out of California offers hand poured, phthalate free soy candles. They come in 2 sizes: 12 ounces or 4 ounces. If you have a candle lover in your life, this is the shop for her!

Nail Polish – Most moms are often too busy to enjoy a manicure, trust me. I think I only get my nails done 3 times a year. I often do them myself in the car on the way to dinner or once the kids have gone to bed. Shop Wrenn is known for their jewelry but has recently added some wonderful polish to their line. I love that it dries fast and is 5-free which means they left out the most common ingredients found in nail polish that has been linked to cancer: Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin and Camphor. buy celexa online https://blackmenheal.org/wp-content/languages/new/celexa.html no prescription

Lip Balm – This Rose Albeit Lip Balm has a sheer, floral scent and is blended with argan and marula oils. It is perfect for moms on the go who don’t have time to fuss with heavy makeup. Grab a couple so she can keep one in her diaper bag purse and car!

Fashionable Teething Necklace – I love how talented moms are turning teething accessories into fashionable jewelry for moms to wear. I love when an item can be functional without losing its style. The Mama Tribe Designs offers the most adorable, modern necklaces for your babies to chew on. They have a wide variety of shapes and colors and the silicone beads are perfect for soothing your little one’s gums. buy desyrel online https://blackmenheal.org/wp-content/languages/new/desyrel.html no prescription

Desk Accessory – Everyone needs a little reminder that they are doing okay, especially moms. Mom Guilt is a legit worry since we’re responsible for raising decent humans that the world will have to live with. I love these inspirational paperweights from Sugarboo Designs, especially the Dalai Lama verse which I keep on my nightstand table as a reminder: There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live. buy diflucan online https://blackmenheal.org/wp-content/languages/new/diflucan.html no prescription

Christmas 2015

December 28, 2015

Our Christmas was a whirlwind experience this year. I feel like it crept up on us even though we had things ready for weeks. It was definitely the most fun holiday my husband and I had in our seven Christmases together, mostly due to the fact that we had two kids to set up for this year. I love that we have a son and now a daughter so we can experience baby dolls + strollers as well as police cars + fire trucks. Once kids reach the age of two I think that’s when they can finally start to understand Christmas. Last year with Henry was super fun but he didn’t really understand the story of Santa and how he “works.” This year was much better and he finally grasped how he brings toys, puts kids on the nice list, lives at the North Pole, etc. He named our Elf on the Shelf Noddy and loved finding him every morning (even though a lot of nights we would forget and then throw him someplace fast in the morning when he asked … like the couch, the tree or the kitchen table).Christmas Eve was pretty low key at our house during the day. It was pouring rain so we watched holiday movies and ate marshmallows until nap time. buy priligy online https://cpff.ca/wp-content/languages/new/priligy.html no prescription

We went to my moms house for dinner with friends and family. My brother is in town from Boston and the kids love him so it was really special. The food was excellent of course and included stone crab claws, shrimp, baby potatoes with caviar cream and endives, brussels sprouts apple salad with walnuts and blue cheese, honey baked ham and mushroom marsala on toast points.

The best part of Christmas Eve though is setting up the living room for the kids. We cleared out some of the furniture and pushed the couches back so we could really maximize the space and so the kids could play with their toys in the middle while we sipped coffee and watched “A Christmas Story”. We vacuumed and dusted and made sure everything was clean and perfect for them, mostly Henry since Evelyn is still too young to understand what’s going on. Next year we may even let them fall asleep next to the tree. buy bystolic online https://cpff.ca/wp-content/languages/new/bystolic.html no prescription

Christmas morning went off perfectly. The kids woke up around 7 and Henry could hardly contain himself. I always record his reaction to his Santa toys because those are the things he wanted the most. You can see this years video here. Evelyn just kind of wandered around playing with boxes and chewing on wrapping paper, which was to be expected. We made sausage balls and coffee crumb cake and unwrapped presents well into lunch time. Henry enjoyed a nutritious breakfast of cookies. We love how long the morning lasted and really got to appreciate every gift that was opened and every smile and laugh as our family of four.

shirt // mug

the kids Christmas loot!

We went to my moms again for Christmas dinner which was another buffet of yumminess. My husband helped cook while the kids opened more presents and played with their new toys. Dinner consisted of a mushroom burrata lasagna and veal meatballs with marinara sauce. Dessert was a trifle tiramisu and I could have eaten the entire thing.

romper // headband // shoes

It was nearly 75 degrees so both the kids wore summer attire since it was too hot and muggy for my planned holiday outfits. Such a bummer because they were super cute.

We did things a little different this year and took all our decorations and trees down the day after Christmas. Usually we leave everything up until January 1 but with two kids, all their toys, a new kitten and Evelyn’s first birthday coming up, we needed to clean so we could think straight. Henry was super sad and kept saying “But I don’t want Christmas to be over” which was super cute and we explained to him that if Christmas was year round then we wouldn’t appreciate it as much. Our four day weekend was filled with lots of family, play time and togetherness. 2016 is right around the corner and next Christmas will be here in a blink of an eye for sure. We’re really trying to savor every moment we have together!

Shopping without Kids

December 24, 2015

We fully took advantage of our last shopping weekend before Christmas and the weather could not have been better. It has been raining non stop for the past 48 hours and will continue through the weekend. So much for a chilly Christmas morning with a fire going and bring on the humidity and wetness. After dropping the kids off with my mom, our first order of business was to get some Starbucks of course since I haven’t had many of their holiday drinks this season nor have I drank from the controversial Satan Sipper.

After our morning coffee we headed to Ponce City Market. It was my first time there and it did not disappoint. The atmosphere and vibe remind you you’re not in the suburbs anymore, Dorothy. There’s a great selection of shops including Sugarboo & Co, Anthropologie and Citizen Supply (which is a marketplace for curated artists with the best local ATL goodies).

For lunch we stopped at H&F Burger which everyone has been raving about. The buns alone are worth going there for. I’ve always been a true Bocado fan but this has them beat. I chose the classic cheeseburger with a fried egg since I add eggs to just about everything and a side of fries. All the restaurants are located in a food hall, cafeteria style, which was great for people watching. H&F is right next to Williams Sonoma and I was eyeing their Christmas decor and goodies the whole time we were having lunch. They always have the best treats and baking gear around this time of year. buy plavix online https://cpff.ca/wp-content/languages/new/plavix.html no prescription

It’s funny how having a few hours to yourselves without the kids can rejuvenate you but being gone more than three days is like torture. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, which I can’t even start to comprehend and it is still raining here in Atlanta. We stocked up on some peppermint bark hot chocolate but it feels more like Spring then Winter so I’m not sure when we’ll be able to enjoy it. I am envious of all the snow pictures I’m seeing in my instagram feed and have major wanderlust! <3 buy bimatoprost online https://cpff.ca/wp-content/languages/new/bimatoprost.html no prescription

Christmas Gift Guide for Mama’s

December 9, 2015

Without further delay, my favorite roundup of gifts for all the mommies! A large chic tote bag to carry everything from lip gloss to diapers. Lounge pants because who are we kidding? Moms LIVE in lounge wear. The most comfortable socks to hide your in-need-of-a-pedicure feet. Fingerless gloves so you can still text your friends telling them what obscenity your toddler just yelled in the grocery store. Rain boots aka easy shoes to slip on when you’re wrangling kids and rushing out the door. A candle to make your rushed 5 minute shower feel like a spa day. A festive coffee mug for your sixth second cup of joe to keep you going until bedtime. Fun headphones for the gym (HA) or to block out the sound of a crying baby. A hair brush designed for thinning hair since having kids makes you go bald. And last but not least, a classic red lip pencil for the 3 date nights you get a year 🙂 Merry Christmas to all the mama’s out there. May Santa bring you lots of sleep and champagne. buy premarin online https://salempregnancy.org/wp-content/languages/new/premarin.html premarin no prescription

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