Our growing family and where I have been…

I know…I know…it has been forever since I have posted on this little blog of mine! I decided at the beginning of the summer to make some transitions in life, mainly being to take a break from the computer and social media. It has been a very refreshing time and exactly what I needed.

I have been free to spend every day focused on Hazel and Owen: having fun, exploring, creating, playing, using our imaginations and building lasting memories.

Dollhouse Kitchen Reveal

I have partnered with Miniatures.com for this post. All expressed opinions are 100% my own. This post also contains some affiliate links. Full disclosure.

I'm so excited to share our dollhouse kitchen reveal today! It's the first fully finished room in the house and both the kids and I love it. I hope you enjoy the "tour" today and if you are participating along with us for Dollhouse Therapy, be sure to link up your own posts with our link party below. I can't wait to see everyone else's miniature transformations!

Be sure to visit my co-hosts as well to see all of their room reveals today. Check them out at Primitive & Proper, Nalle's House and Semigloss Design. Now on to the kitchen reveal!

Dollhouse Therapy Challenge: Kitchen Plans

I have partnered with Miniatures.com for this post. All expressed opinions are 100% my own. Full disclosure.

Dollhouse Therapy officially kicks off today! I am so excited for this challenge and all of the people who have already jumped on board to join Primitive & Proper, Nalle's House, Semigloss Design and myself. The four of us are sharing our first room plans today and will be revealing the afters the last Tuesday of April. Today, I am showing you the room I plan on working on: the kitchen!

Last month, I tried to get a jump start and get the living room done, and while I did make a lot of progress, I am sad to admit the room is still not finished. Thus no room reveal as I had hoped in March. Soon though, I promise.

Even though that room isn't done, I am eager to work on the kitchen and have some fun plans for it along with some new additions via Miniatures.com.

Easter Basket Gift Ideas for Toddlers & Preschoolers

This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission for any sales made through them. Full disclosure.

It's hard to believe Easter is next weekend! I am always so last minute getting my kids' baskets made up. If you are in the same boat, and have a toddler or preschooler in your house, I have a round up of some adorable gifts to fill their baskets.

We always have an egg hunt for the kids first thing (outside if the weather cooperates and inside if not), which we fill with little candies, stickers, or small toys. And then eventually the trail of eggs leads to their baskets. 

Girly Wolf Den: Little Girl’s Bedroom Inspiration

My four year old daughter, Hazel, loves wolves. She has a growing collection of stuffed animals and even proudly sports a wolf hat to school every morning. So, as I have been racking my brain, trying to figure out how to combine all of her interests into a cohesive bedroom design, I decided it might help if I pulled together some themes to see what she loved best. Today, I am sharing my first one…a girly wolf den inspired bedroom. 

I know that getting her to fall in love with some of these items (like the bedding) is a long shot. Her favorite color is magenta…sigh. But I am still going to see what she thinks of it all pulled together. She told me just so long as it had wolves she would love it. In fact she already has some of the items on this list including 6 and 8. Number eight is her beloved wolf, Aspen, whom she can't go to bed without!

Choosing a Rug for the Transition From Toddler to Big Girl

I have partnered with Rugs USA for this post. All expressed opinions are 100% my own. 

My daughter Hazel will be five this summer. I can't believe how fast the time from toddler to preschooler went by. Her brother, Owen, was born when she was 15 months old, so she only had her own room for a very short period of time. For the past few years they have shared the smaller of our two bedrooms, but just recently, we moved them into the master bedroom to give them more space for toys and creating their own individual sides.

Hazel is so excited to have her own "big girl" room and we have been planning together how to decorate it. Today, I am sharing the first piece of the puzzle…her new area rug.

Here are some important facts about Hazel: she's a total girly-girl who loves pink and could play Barbies all day long. She tells me she wants her room to be "all pink and purple with Barbies and unicorns and rainbows and hearts and stars…" etc. etc. etc. She has a lot of ideas. Let me tell you.

Nostalgic Christmas Tree & Making Memories

  Christmas is almost upon us! Which actually gets me a little sad that this magical time will soon be over, but before it is, I wanted to share more details of our nostalgic Christmas tree and some of the memories we have been making this holiday season. 

I shared my full holiday home tour last week, but our tree is pretty special to me since we received several of my grandparents' ornaments. Both of them passed away earlier this year (my grandmother in January and my grandfather in March), so it has been a time of loss and remembering. I am grateful to have these small mementos to keep their memory alive in our home.

Sundays at Home will Return Next Week!

Life sure does get busy once summer is over! I know that most of you are popping in right now to link up to our Sundays at Home link party, but due to lots going on for both of us and myself being under the weather, Susan and I are postponing the party until next week. We apologize from the bottom of our hearts for any inconvenience, and hope you will understand!

My sweet little Hazel started Pre-K last week (insert crying face here!). It was a huge change, but honestly, it has been a wonderful one for all of us.

Goodbye Summer

Summer is almost over, and I am sad to see it go. But then…fall is my favorite, so I am definitely ready to sink right into it. Here is one last hoorah to summer with some random shots I captured these past few months and a look back on some of our adventures.

Overall, it was a busy, but relaxing summer. We were able to get away, spend time with extended family and most of all spend time with each other. With Hazel turning four and Owen on the verge of turning three, it feels like these little years a slipping right through my hands. Before I know it Hazel will be leaving me all day for kindergarten and Owen will follow along soon thereafter. And I'll just be sitting here wondering where the time went.

DIY Pet Rock Monsters {Crafting with Your Kids No. 3}

Once nice weather hits, I am all about bringing my kids outside to do art and craft projects. For this installment of Crafting with Your Kids, I have a simple and fun tutorial on how to turn ordinary rocks into "pet monsters." My youngest, Owen, is pretty obsessed with the movie Monsters, Inc., so I knew this would be right up his alley.

When I was little, I loved painting rocks, so I was pretty sure my kids would too. And the cool part about this project is, afterwards, they have a fun little "pet" to play with and display on a shelf in their room.

Say Yes to the Messiness of Childhood & a Free Printable!

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Wet-Nap®, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #ConquerTheMess http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Kids are the most creative beings on the planet. Always surprising us with their ideas, imaginative play, and the wonder they embrace as they navigate this world. Sometimes their creative ideas come at a cost though…a huge mess. Many times as a mom, it can be easier to say no to these activities. After all, we already have a bazillion messes to clean up, don't we? The dishes, the laundry, the toys strewn about. We can find ourselves eventually in a rut of saying no more often than we ever imagined we would. I know, because it has happened to me.

I used to imagine the kind of mom I would be. Always laid back and coming up with creative fun. Always willing to let them use their imaginations to do wild and crazy things. Then real life sets in. And you realize all of that is a lot of work.

Hazel’s Frozen 4th Birthday Party

I seriously never thought I would do character parties for my kids, but as they have gotten older and have their own interests, it would be pretty hard not to, right? So the challenge for me then? Still make it as creative and unique as possible, while keeping with the theme they love. For Hazel's fourth this year, she knew for months what kind of party she wanted. A Frozen party. And not just any Frozen party: an Elsa party.

I guess I just had to let it go about my hopes and dreams that she would choose a unicorn party (her second choice), and go with the flow of the Elsa Frozen party. 

Moments in Real Life No. 2 {a photography challenge}

Last week, I began a new series called "Moments in Real Life." This series is all about using your camera to find beauty in the every day all around you. Not staging the scene, but looking deeply at the one in front of you, to see if you could find a moment worth remembering. Something beautiful in it. Something real. Since my life is pretty deep down in the real these days, I thought I would pop in here and share round two already and challenge you to join me…

I encourage you to start your own journey if you are a person like me, who struggles with comparison from time to time. We are bombarded with the picture perfect all the time. Why not take the time to find the perfect in the picture? The real perfect. The perfect love. The love of your family, your life, the glorious every day details all around you. The stuff that makes you you. And your family special. That is my hope to accomplish as I embark down this road. And at the end of this post, I have a fun challenge that allows you to join in and share with me.

Summer Days. Sun Filled Days. The Longest Days.

"Some day these will be our old days, let's make them worth remembering." -Kacy Crowley

Summer is flying by. I kind of hate that. Some days are long, though. Not only does the sun stay out longer and make the daylight hours last, some days as a mother with little ones can feel like an eternity. If you are in a similar situation, you probably now what I mean. This post is for you…

Moments in Real Life {Using Photography to Find Beauty in the Every Day}

Sometimes I think there is just too much "put together perfectness" on the internet. And then we can start believing our messy, real life lives are less than. Not as good. Just don't measure up. I do this. Often. Too often.

I remember telling my sister-in-law awhile back that when I look at my stove and it's dirty, all that I hear inside my mind is "Failure!" As if it were a measure of judgment on my character. I feel that way when I see laundry piled up, toys strewn all over the living room, dishes overflowing in the sink, etc. A failure because every moment of my life doesn't look picture perfect like the photos I scroll through on Pinterest and Instagram and blogs.

Her response to my messy stove, "I think it means you're normal."

Don't get me wrong. I love those pictures. Heck, I even share those pictures. I am often very inspired by seeing those pictures. But after awhile…something else happens. I get off of my phone or computer, look around and feel disappointment. That this life I have here isn't "all together" like it appears to be for others through those images. Those seconds when, an often staged, photograph was taken. Not real life.

This has inspired me to try something different. Something real.

Hazel’s Sheriff Callie Inspired Cowgirl Birthday Party

My daughter Hazel is coming up on her fourth birthday (hard to believe!) and if there is one thing I am terrible at as a blogger, it is getting my kids' birthday posts up around their actual birthday. Today, I am finally sharing Hazel's third birthday party which was a Sheriff Callie inspired cowgirl theme. Even though this post is near a year late, I hope you enjoy seeing how we celebrated and get some inspiration if you are planning a similar party soon!

When we were deciding on a theme, Hazel kept coming back to Sheriff Callie, an adorable show on Disney Junior that we would watch from time to time. She was fixated on being a cowgirl like the main character. 

DIY Abstract Art “Masterpieces” on Canvas {Crafting with Your Kids No. 2}

Well, it's no secret I love art. All kinds of art. And I love sharing this passion with my children. Today, I have a simple and fun project that my two littles ones (Hazel & Owen) worked on with a little bit of help from me. We collaborated on these pieces to make abstract art masterpieces (in our humble opinion) to decorate our home.

I love coming up with projects or artwork that both parents and children can work on together, to create new decor for the home. This is one such project and is the second "official" post in my Crafting with Your Kids Series. This has been a long time coming, as my kids and I made these at the end of the summer. I used them in our decor in late September as part of a mantel vignette. They have moved around our home since then, but are special pieces that I love displaying.

How I Keep My Decorating Style with Young Kids in the House

Is it possible to keep your personal decorating style with young children in the home? This is a question I pondered for a couple of years after my first daughter was born back in 2011. Eventually, I found the answer was YES! You absolutely can. You will, of course, have to compromise in some areas for matters of safety and mess making, but overall, it is still possible to have a stylish home that you and your children can enjoy.

Last summer, I shared a guest post over at Yellow Bliss Road with 5 Tips for Kid Friendly Decor. Today, I am resharing portions of that post, along with more thoughts and ideas on how to keep your own style and make your home inviting and safe for the little folks.

14 {Non-Candy} Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Kids

This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.

Valentine's day is just around the corner, but there is still time to get some cute gifts for the little ones in your life! Today, I have compiled a list of gift ideas inspired by my own kiddos, Hazel, age 3 1/2 and Owen, almost 2 1/2. They would love all of these things or already do as they have a few on this list. All of these items are under $25 each and come from Amazon.com*. Most are available with free Prime shipping if you are a member (more details below). 

I hope you enjoy these and find some inspiration here!

Making Spirits Bright in the Playroom {with Holiday Wall Decals}

I received product from Wallternatives™ in exchange for this review. All expressed opinions are 100% my own. Full Disclosure Policy.

If you recently stopped by for my holiday home tour, I mentioned some new additions to the playroom that are bringing all of us some Christmas cheer. I love adding lots of whimsy to my children's playroom, especially at Christmastime. When I happened upon the Boy Meets Girl Reindeer Removable Christmas Wall Decal Set available from Wallternatives™, I knew it would be the perfect touch. This set is from their new Jennifer Rizzo Designer Wall Decal Collection. You all know by now how much I love Jennifer Rizzo, right? Seriously, she is mega talented.
When I first saw this set on the website, I knew that my children had to have them. Okay, maybe I was a teensy bit excited for them myself. At Christmas time, I am still just a kid inside.