Merry Christmas!

And a happy New Year!  See you in 2014!

Last Minute Sports Fan Gift: Team Printables!

Okay, so luckily my husband NEVER looks at my blog so I can show you a surprise gift I made for him this Christmas.  This is the first time I have made my own printable- I feel so grown up :)  Anyway, as I am trying to decorate the basement, I am trying to keep in mind that technically it is my husband's domain- hey I get the whole upstairs and he has let me do pretty much whatever I want, so I can't complain.  I have been having a hard time figuring out how to make it look good and not tacky with all his sports paraphernalia.  So, I created my own wall art to display all of his favorite teams in one place!  I am really excited to give these to him at Christmas!

These are his 5 favorite sports teams:

Clothes I'm Crushing

So I just have to say that I am SUPER grateful to be pregnant.  But, I am SO not a happy pregnant person.  I can't wait to fit into normal clothes again!!  Here are a few things I've been wanting to wear right now:

The Most Wonderful Time

It really is the most wonderful time of the year, isn't it?! 

Holiday Gift Guide: Balboa Baby Giveaway!

Some of you may remember the post I did on Balboa Baby last year for their high chair/shopping cart cover.  I still use it ALL the time!  So, I was really excited to work on another review and giveaway post with their nursing covers!

The Perfect Clutch

For one of our last Holiday Gift Guide posts, I have to share this fun new online shop:  The Perfect Clutch.

I was sent the Alex- Studded Oversized Clutch in Khaki from The Perfect Clutch.  It is so perfect and so pretty! 

Crio Bru for the Holidays

You know those people that just have everything and are so hard to buy for?  I have a few of those in my family...and I always think that the gifts I give them are things they don't really want.  Well, lucky for you I have the perfect gift for just about anyone on your list that is hard to buy for.

I am not a coffee drinker for religious reasons, but I SO wish that I was sometimes.  I love the smell, the taste of coffee-flavored everything, the idea of getting a jolt of energy from a warm drink.  So, when I heard about brewing cocoa beans I was quite interested to say the least.

I then found out that Crio Brü was local and was so excited to go meet with their CEO to learn more about it.  I couldn't believe the long list of health benefits that come from Crio Brü and the extensive research, travel, and preparation that went into creating it!

Let me just break it down for you:

Cocoa beans are jam-packed with antioxidants - which will help your immune system keep your body healthy.

One of my favorite products from Crio Brü was the chocolate covered cocoa beans:

Monday Funny

Holiday Gift Guide: Little Adventures Giveaway!

I am really excited about the company I am talking about today, as I have a daughter that LOVES playing princesses and dress up and I just can't fork out $60 for a Disney branded dress...

In comes Little Adventures to save the day...

Basement Preview

So, I am finally getting going on decorating the basement.  So far I have just been planning what pictures I want to hang and where, so I still have quite a ways to go :)  But, I thought I would share our TV room so far so you could have a little preview. 

Holiday Gift Guide for the Glasses-Wearer

For the glasses-wearer on your Christmas list, or if you are looking to get some new stylish eyeglasses for Christmas this year, look no further than GlassesUSA.com.

My Birthday Buys

Having my birthday close to Christmas is good and bad.  It is good, because I know that at the end of the year I will be able to get those things that I have been wanting for so long, or I can also combine my birthday and Christmas present to get something more expensive (like an iPad)  Its bad because I can't spend much on myself at all the whole year, then when it is my birthday and Christmas I feel like I am spending too much in myself and feel guilty haha.  But, this year has been perfect so far, and I wanted to share the things I have gotten with my birthday money- especially because some of them are GREAT deals!

To me, iPad cases are like handbags.  I like to switch them up every once in a while for fun.  So, I bought 2 new cases this year and it only cost me just over $20:

 Grey swivel case

Holiday Gift Guide: Little Duck Organics Giveaway

One of the biggest factors of my "mom guilt" often comes from the food I give my kids.  I really do try to get them to eat healthy, whole foods, but it is so hard some days.  Especially during the holidays.  Which is why Little Duck Organics snacks would be the perfect addition to your holiday shopping list!

Holiday Gift Guide: Burt's Bees Baby

What is cuter than a baby or toddler dressed up in bright reds for the holidays?  Not much...which is why I am really excited to share the Burt's Bees Baby Holiday Line with you today.  You know from my previous Burt's Bees Baby posts how much I love their clothing for softness, quality, fit, style, and price.  What would be better to give your cute little ones to wear during the holidays? 

Just look at how adorable their items in the Holiday Line are!

Wooden Moving Toys: Part Two

For the second part of the Wooden Moving Toys this week I would like to share a shop with the most charming little pull and push toys you've ever seen.  Giggle Tree Toys has everything from dinosaurs to grasshoppers and they are just so cute!

Wooden Moving Toys: Part One

This week I am excited to share with you 2 shops from Etsy that specialize in wooden moving toys.  The first one today is Wooden Toys Northwest on Etsy.  Karl, owner of Wooden Toys NW makes amazing trucks, cranes, cars, and trains that would make any little (or big) boy giddy.  Karl sent me a crane and it is so well-made I was very impressed.  Macsen is going to play with it for hours.

Macsen & Baby Boy!

Well, I guess now is as good of time as any to tell you we found out we are having another BOY!  I am super excited, as I really wanted Macsen to have a little brother close to him and now they can share a room and make things easy for me! :)

I will leave most of the room the same, since it is already a boy's room.

I might add something like this faux throw (H&M) for some softness:

Wooden Learning Toys: Part 3

Today is the last post for wooden learning toys series.  apple n amos has many toy options for kids of all ages to learn and play with.

Dining Rooms

With Thanksgiving just around the corner I have dining rooms on the brain.  I LOVE having a little kitchen nook in my house for now, but if we ever move to a bigger place it might be nice to have a formal dining room where all the family and future grand-kids can gather.  I thought these were all gorgeous:

Wooden Learning Toys: Part 2

As part two of wooden learning toys week, I would like to introduce Mama May I.

Four Score Media

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address!

Wooden Learning Toys for Christmas

I am a HUGE fan of wooden toys for the kids.  I love Melissa and Doug, but if I can I would rather support a small business like ones found on Etsy.  This week I am going to share 3 adorable Etsy shops with you that provide quality, wooden toys that also help your kids learn.

Mooiio Cardboard Dollhouses

Today I am featuring a very original and fun Etsy shop called Mooiio: Cardboard Luxury.  They have amazing dollhouses and a couple other items that are just adorable!  

Master Bedroom

First of all I have to start by saying that this room is not done!  There are so many things I still need to get or change about it, but since I don't see that happening in the near future, I thought I would share what we have so far...

Mirror- Ross $20

Just Had to Share

So I JUST paid for this great deal and I had to share because I think that these are SUCH great gifts for the grandparents. 

Every year I make a new calendar and photo books for our family- calendars for the grandparents and a yearly photo album for our family.  I LOVE Picaboo, so when I saw this deal I was all over it!

Hurry and today you can get it 10% off with code VETERANS10 so it end up being about $31 for $100 of credit to Picaboo!  Plus, the other thing I LOVE about Picaboo is shipping is free.  Every other single photo book I have bought online has cost 10 bucks to ship, so this is awesome.

Just go HERE to get the deal!  Its on for a few days, but the 10% off is just today.  Even withouth it, $35 is a steal for $100 of credit there!

Bijuju Gifts for the Holidays

I am super excited to share this online accessory boutique with you today!  They seriously have the BEST selection and their accessories are a really really great quality and really great prices!

Let me introduce you to Bijuju:

Friday Giveaway: Clarks Kids Shoes

Well, I am super excited to be working with Clarks Shoes on this giveaway today, as I start off the Holiday Gift Guide for a Few of My Favorite Things.  I have always loved their shoes and they are my husband's VERY favorite brand- he will for SURE be getting a pair as a Christmas gift this year.

Since we get a lot of snow here in Utah, I was really excited to get Allie her very own pair of Clarks Kids snow boots and in her favorite color purple!  She was over the moon when she saw them and has worn them on days that were even a little warm for snow boots :)

Looks I'm Loving

Right now I am obsessed with big comfy tops- including sweaters.  Probably because that is my favorite thing to wear when I'm pregnant...and some comfy leggings or other bottoms.  Yes, I know leggings aren't really pants, but you know what?  When you are pregnant you are allowed to wear whatever the heck you want!  :)

Guest Post: Bathroom Wallpaper Idea

Hello! I am Amber Hash and I blog over "The Vanity Room"

The bathroom is a practical and functional place that promises – and generally delivers – privacy. This does not mean that you cannot let your creativity loose in the bathroom; on the contrary, the very smallness of the space should encourage you to indulge your wildest whimsy! Bathroom wallpaper is becoming increasingly popular, especially now that manufacturers can promise that waterproof paper and paste will keep your bathroom décor looking as good as new for years.

Mix it Up

Go for partial wallpaper coverage, using a mixture of paint and wallpaper to create a panelled effect. You can make your bathroom seem taller or wider if you are careful about the placing of these panels, effectively using extremely broad stripes to enhance or diminish the room's proportions!

Image Source

Monday Funny

Entryway Organizer

How many of you have a little spot on your counter that is always covered in mail and papers?  I am guessing most?  I LOVE my counter-tops, so I am always trying to take things off of them and declutter so I can look at them :)  But, there is always that pesky mail spot that just keeps coming back.  See what I mean?

Well, why not make another place for all of that and hang it on the wall?
Martha Stewart knew what to do:

Dressing The Baby Bump

So, I have a little story about maternity clothing...this pregnancy has by far been the hardest for me.  I have been feeling nauseous most of the time (and I am 22 weeks!) and the only way I feel good is if I keep eating ALL THE TIME.  It is super annoying because I still don't feel great that way and have gained more weight than with the last 2 pregnancies.  I can't complain too much because I am just really grateful to be pregnant and to have pretty easy pregnancies.  But, this is becoming a problem when I try to get dressed in the maternity clothing I have already had that is fitting me like I am 7 months pregnant. 

So, the other day I was trying to put a cute outfit together for a date with my husband and thought I had found a pretty cute and pretty flattering outfit.  Then, the Fed Ex guy surprised me with a package from Miccimo.  It was like Christmas- I went in my room and pulled out all of the goodies they sent and put everything on.  One after the other I was shocked at how much better their clothing fit and looked than the "cute" outfit I had just spent 15 minutes putting together.  I even kept the dress on that they had sent for an hour so that I could show my husband how cute it made my awkward body look. 

Miccimo KNOWS pregnant bodies.  They are SO good at dressing them- trust me.  So, I hate to even show you my awkward fashion blog pictures I attempted, because they really don't do the clothing justice.  I am still trying to get the posing thing down- you'd think I would be good at that since I'm a photographer, but I am just not good at posing myself.  These are three pieces they sent that worked well together. 

The blazer is so comfortable and works well with almost anything.  You can wear it open or close the clasp in the middle:

I'm Ready...

Monday Funny