Acadamy Awards 2012 Favorites

Best dressed in my opinion?

Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton

And, if I could have my make-up look perfect everyday, it would look like this:

Rooney Mara in Givenchy

All photos taken from Oh No They Didn't. Check them out, here.

20% off and Free Shipping at The Children's Place

The Children's Place is having a Leap Year sale. 20% off and free shipping with code: R4G2012.

I got the big brother long sleeve tee shirt for David for only $3.19 shipped.

I also use ShopAtHome.com for all my online purchases and receive cash back for every order I make. It is like an extra bonus! The Children's Place cash back is currently 3%.

Joss & Main Preppy Notebooks & Agendas

Joss & Main featuring May Book notebook designs after my own heart! I love the meal planners!

My day is always better when I have dinner planned. Even better if I have dinner ready to go or prepped in the morning. My Mom told me how much time and effort it saves to have your meals planned out for the week. I feel so much more footloose and fancy free when I know what we are having for dinner because I don't have to worry about it all day!

Baptism Party Decor Highlights

Our Baptism party this weekend was a success!

 

 

 

Where to find some of the elements found in my party?

Dessert:

1. Plates & Napkins

2. Cake

Flowers:

1. Sunflower Stems

2. Ribbon

3. Vases

4. Paper Table Cloth: (found in the $1 section in-store)

5. Tea Lights

Beverage Table:

1. Water Bottle Labels

2. Beverage Napkins

3. Beer Tub (not pictured)

Buffet:

1. Cutlery Roll-Ups

2. White Napkins

3. Paper Products

4. Forks

A Little Something

1. Inspiration from Pinterest

$4 BabyLegs Sale!

BabyLegs is having a huge sitewide sale. All BabyLegs are $4 with only $4 shipping for your order! This includes organic and newborn styles, as well as, 3 pack socks!

We love BabyLegs at our house!

Flower Delivery Spawns Impromptu Photoshoot

I had one of those you know your a stay-at-home Mom, when... moments this morning. Our 100 small sunflowers for James' Baptism party arrive this morning. After opening the package, I was unsure how to care for them as the party is on Saturday. My Mom gave me a quick ring with detailed instructions but wanted to see the flowers right away. I told her, as I usually do, I will text her a picture.

An hour (and 50 photos of the boys) later I sent her a massive sunflower photo shoot I took in my kitchen. The boys (I think) and I had so much fun!

I bulk ordered the flowers from Sam's Club. The flowers are very inexpensive and I could pick what day I wanted them ordered by. Hopefully, I don't kill them before Saturday!

Hayden-Harnett Sale & Codes

Hayden-Harnett, home to ultra chic handbags, accessories & scarves has a few codes for scoring some good deals through the end of the month.

10% one-time-only discount for people who join our email list.

Like their Facebook page can get a one-time use coupon worth 20% off:

I follow their Twitter and they occasionally put secret sample sales and clearance events up where I scored some 'Green is Good' totes last year.

Drool worthy HH items?

HH for Paule Marrot Editions, Guermantes Scarf

Kiki Frame Satchel, Nude/Phantom

Circles, Mascara Black

Number Necklace

Happy Valentine's Day, Free Pattern from The Single Mom(oirs) & V-Day Memories

Happy Valentine's Day from me to you! I was clicking through my reading list this afternoon and found the cutest heart Photoshop pattern from Kendra at The Single Mom(oirs)!

Photo Credit // The Single Mom(oirs)

The pattern is perfect for making last minute cards or crafts at home!

I know Valentine's day is a made up holiday.  I am sure half the people in the world either hate the holiday or don't want anything to do with it. There is so much talk about how commercialized Valentine's day has become and it is a seemingly money-maker holiday.

However, Valentine's day was always a special day in my house growing up. We had dinner as a family. We often got sweet gifts that were sentimental. I remember getting little puppy figurines, another year a jewelry box, or candy I liked.

We even put my first dog, Eddy, to sleep on Valentine's day one year. Sniff. It might seem silly, but we all loved that dog so much and my parents knew we would all be together that day. I still remember sitting on the couch in the living room with my sister, crying. I remember seeing his bed under the window and Eddy not being there. I still think of him every Valentine's day.

One year on Valentine's day, my Dad picked each of us kids out a CD of a band he thought we would like or appreciate. My brother, sister and I grew up listening to Sesame Street and classic rock. I have always been thankful to my Dad for exposing us to some amazing bands like ELO, Queen, Alan Parsons Project, among others. Some evenings you could find all us kids laying on the basement floor, with the lights turned off, as my Dad played 'The Whale" by ELO. Or on a Saturday afternoon, we would be running around the basement while he blared Queen's 'Bicycle' track.

My Dad bought me Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon album on Valentine's day and, I swear, it changed music for me, forever.

These are some of the memories I attribute to why I love my family so much. I love Valentine's day because it is another reminder of how important it is to love one another. Even if we have to buy a expensive card or overpriced flowers to remind someone else how much we love them.

Our Valentine's cards this year.

I had three cards waiting for me this morning from each one of my men. Pete wrote a special note in each one to remind me how loved I am or what a good Mom I am. David opened cards from his great-grandparents this morning and we made a big fuss over putting the $2 bills in his 'puppy bank'. We went to the meat market by my house and I let David pick out his own flower for his great-grandma. He paraded that sweet flower throughout the whole store, knowing it was for her.

My boys are so little but we are already creating sweet memories and moments that will carry us through our life as a happy family. I hope my kids can realize, as I have realized, just how much family can love you.

Thrift Store Glassware & DIY Table Decorations

I have been looking for colored glass for James' Baptism party at the end of the month! It is so hard to find at a reasonable price, I have decided to buy dollar store vases and paint them with transulcent spray paint. If I can find it in the right color, that is.

I did have some luck finding a plethera of vases at my local thrift store. But they cost anywhere from $1.99-$12.99 (really? $13 bucks for a donated vase?? ok.) and that is out of my decorations budget.

Local thrift store glass.

Here are is my inspiration for the vases and flower arangements for our 8+ tables:

Photo Credit // Stephanie Williams Photography

Because I need quite a few flowers but not enough to order in advance, I am hoping to luck out with buying the flowers a day or two before the party. Hopefully, they will have what I am looking for.

7 Days of Love via The Dating Divas

I went to my Grandma's this morning, as we do every Tuesday, and the ladies and I were chatting about a new dollar store in town.

Yes, this is exciting. There are few things in life that make me as happy as a dollar store. My Auntie was sharing her new dollar store adventure from earlier in the week. I was just drooling at her describing each row and its contents! I totally believe her when she says, "it has everything you could hope for!".

My Grandma, hearing this new dollar store has everything, was sure to tell my Aunt to pick her up a 7 day pill box next time she went.

Since Valentine's Day is approaching, and I already have my card for Pete ordered, I was searching for some cute and inexpensive ways to celebrate the holiday. How appropriate should I find this cute tutorial for creating Seven Days of Love by The Dating Divas.

Photo Credit // The Dating Diva's

All you need is a dollar store pill box and their free printable Seven Days of Love .pdf file. I think it is the cutest idea! Thanks, Dating Divas!

What to feed the kids?

David will be two next month and I have been trying to mix up his meals a bit. David is a great eater but is having a "drinking" phase. I nearly have to hide his milk to get him to eat his food or else he will just gulp away. He will even fake drink out of an empty cup.... goof.
This is what David had to eat today:

Breakfast
French Toast Sticks
Berry Berry Kix Cereal
Strawberries
Milk
Note: I had to bribe him with a strawberry to get him to eat his french toast!

Lunch
Chicken Tenders
Peas
Apple Sauce
Milk
Note: He had about 2 peas...

After Nap Snack
Apple Juice
Pretzel Sticks
Note: "More juice, more juice, more juice." Nope. No more juice, David!

Dinner
1/2 Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
Corn on the Cob
Blueberry Yogurt
Milk
Note: This was his first peanut butter & jelly sandwich and he absolutely loved it.

I did some googling for other ways to do similar meals in a different way. This is what I came up with:

Breakfast: Strawberry French Toast

Photo Credit // Taste of Home

Lunch: Ultimate Bisquick Chicken Tenders

Photo Credit // Betty Crocker

Dinner: Grilled Peanut Butter & Jelly

Photo Credit // Chow.com

I would love some other kid friendly recipes!

The New JCPenny

JCPenny has launched their new site and new prices. I found their ad while clipping my Sunday coupons this morning and it looks very interesting. Their prices are now listed with the amount and an "everyday" after it.

The new marketing scheme features always low prices versus the use of coupons or sales to get a good deal. I don't know, I like couponing and sales. It makes the shopping experience more enjoyable for me.

I visited their women's department online and they have a nice feature of clothing and accessories using this winter's color blocking fad. Prices seem reasonable to me but nothing out of this world or anything.

$20

$25

$30

$40

$50

I have never been much of a JCPenny fan. It was really overwhelming in store as racks didn't seem to be super organized. The quality of the clothing never seemed very good to me either. However, I usually just looked at clearance racks and shouldn't judge the whole store by only being cheap!

Also, my JCPenny store is farther for me to get to than Kohl's. I am used to shopping at Kohl's and have a system when I go there, to get in and out, in the quickest time! So, when I go to JCPenny's I feel a little lost.

It will be intersting to see if JCPenny changed the quality of thier items or just adjusted the price.

$10 off $10 at Vitacost

Vitacost is offering $10 off a $10 purchase.

They have thousands of products like vitamins, organic food and baby items. They also have a Proffessional Lines section that is offering free shipping on select items.

Burt's Bee's Kit $11.34

Seventh Generation Training Pants $11.84

Earth's Best Shampoo $5.53

This Burt's Baby Bee Kit is only $5.98 shipped and includes 4 items.

$5.98 shipped with coupon.

What did you find a good deal on?

Target Bridesmaid Dresses

Since getting married in 2008, I still find myself getting mildly obsessed over wedding stuff. I am no expert but I had so much fun and poured so much energy over my own wedding, I get curious about what is going on in the wedding biz.

I got an e-mail from Target introducing their new (I think?) line of bridesmaid dresses. All for $69.99 and available (for now) in sizes 2-28W, they seem to satisfy that classic bridesmaid look for a great price.

Maybe a teensie-weensie homecoming-ish,  My worry? They seem awfully short. This is usually what keeps me out of the junior dress section past 22 years of age. I will be 30, I have two kids, I have a butt... I need something that covers.

If I could do it again, picking a Target dress, I would consider these:

One-Shoulder Rosette Chiffon Dress in Cement Gray

Ruffle Neck Shantung Dress in Bayou Teal

One Shoulder Shantung Dress in Black

See how I picked the dresses with some sort of sleeves? Not sure I would trust many of the dresses in the chest area if you, well, have any chest...
Thoughts?

DIY Cutlery Roll-Ups for a Party

James' Baptism and party are coming up at the end of the month so I thought I would start getting the little decorations done now!

Here is a very simple, everyone should know, tutorial for cute cutlery roll-ups. I think it is really nice to have a fork, knife and spoon wrapped together for guests if you are serving food buffet style.

I plopped down on a quilt during nap time and cranked out 50 sets or so. I hope to have 100 done in the end. This project really took me back to my serving days!

I used the following supplies (a special thank you to my God Mother for giving me the paper wares after I told her my colors were blue and yellow!):

Scissors

Tape

Yellow Scroll Paper Napkins

Fork, Knife & Spoons

Ribbon

I found laying the silverware with the knife on the bottom, then fork, then spoon made the roll-ups easier to roll.

 

To make things go faster, I folded all the napkins ahead of time and stacked them on top each other. I also pre-cut all the ribbon.

Here are a few other links for napkin design ideas!
Napkin Folding
Carrot Cutlery for Easter
Napkins with Name Tag