Mothers Day Gift Inspiration

Mothers Day is just around the corner and this holiday above all others never seems to go by without humbling me and reminding me of how grateful and fortunate I am for the mothers in my life. I have been blessed over and over, generation through generation with the most courageous, bright, loving, caring women that I am privileged to call my mother, my grandmothers, my aunts, great grandmothers...

Now that I am a mother I even more so realize how wonderful it is to take that one day to tell the women around "Thank You" and "I Love You". The gifts and flowers are completely unnecessary but lets face it, Mother's Day is the flower industries biggest grossing holiday and who doesn't like to receive a token that states, "I appreciate you Mom". So here are a few of my picks and hopefully they may bring inspiration to your wish lists or purchasing decisions.


1) This Midland Canvas Satchel from Anthropologie would be the PERFECT diaper bag now that my little lady is a toddler. No more need for the extra pockets and places for bottles. Just a nice throw-over-the-shoulder bag full of snacks, toys, diapers and a change of cloths!

Midland Canvas Satchel

 

 

2) This mom's FAVORITE Lip Balm Ever! EOS Lip Balm comes in a variety of flavors and colors and who wouldn't love a cute little dish for your makeup vanity filled with one of every flavor. I would, I would! (These can be found at most drug stores, Wal-Mart, Target etc.)

 

EOS Lip Balm

 

 

3) This list would not be complete without some sort of jewelry. I have been telling my husband from day one that he could never go wrong with a simple band. Doesn't have to be diamonds and anyone that knows me knows that most of my daily jewelry I wear is Gold but the color and style of metal is not all that important either. Just the fact that every time you look at that piece you will remember, that was given to me on my second mothers day, or my fifth anniversary, the birth of my third child or our 20th Christmas Eve together. I love the idea of stacking these different bands throughout the years... Gorgeous!

 

 

 

 

4) These Farmers Market Baskets from Anthropologie are to die for! How cute are these for keeping washed fruit ready to grab and eat in the fridge?! Even though the refrigerator has a door doesn't mean that you shouldn't dress up your food in these stylish baskets for little toddler hands to grab their own pre-washed strawberry! 

 

Farmers Market Basket

 

 

5) I love anything and all things Sugarboo, but I would LOVE love this pillow for our master bedroom. My husband calls me Darling all the time so it just fits. <3

 

Sugar Boo Designs - Hello Darling Pillow

 

 

What is on your Mother's day Love List?! Besides I big kiss from your little one!? :)





Easter Weekend 2014

Good Monday Morning All,

If you are all still comatose from all the yummy food, treats, and extra activities we are in the same boat! Recapping our amazing, crazy, fun Easter weekend for you....

Friday night we kicked off the Easter weekend coloring eggs, eating treats and even got to bottle feed baby cows!

Saturday we slept in until nearly 8am! That is close to a record for baby Kelti! We all got up, made some quick pancakes and started the day. I had to run to town for some last minute groceries while Kelti got to help her daddy mow the lawn and clean up around the yard.

I got home and put Kelti down for her much needed nap and I got to work making my pastel colored deviled eggs for the afternoon festivities.

 

We headed out to Kelti's first ever (participating) Egg Hunt! She was such a trooper, picking up all the eggs she could find, yelling "More, MORE!" and carting around her basket around until it was too heavy and mom and dad had to step in and be her helpers.

 

The afternoon was filled with duck races, make-your-own boat races and a potluck, concluding the evening was a fire and snuggle time.

 

Sunday morning I was up bright and early ready to play Easter Bunny.... well a shower and dishes later Kelti decides again to wake up at nearly 8am, what a sleeper!

She browsed through her basket and helped us make breakfast for Luke's family.

A huge breakfast and no nap later... we walked through the orchard to my parents house were we had our traditional Easter Dinner and Egg Hunt.

 

 

All in all, Kelti was such a trooper throughout the whole weekend. She was continually teething and off and on running a low grade fever but you would have never known it. We can't wait until next year, so now we just have to pass 365 days to do it all over again! :)

Kelti's Easter Basket Goodies

Morning Morning!

I can honestly say that Easter is probably up there in my top three favorite holidays. And now becoming a mommy and having a little one makes the festivities all that more special. Last year Kelti's Easter basket consisted of her "baby" aka her pink giraffe that she now carries everywhere, and I believe an outfit or two. Nothing to spectacular since she was only three months old. This year I went crazy and filled her basket with lots and lots of cool stuff! (I broke down and already gave her the bubbles, I know, I'm bad.)

 

 

1) Gold Jelly Shoes - Old Navy

2) Recycled Pastel Plates - Wal-Mart

 

3) Veggie Cup and Plate - Target Similar

4) Easter Slippers - Rite Aid

5) Eggs (Target) which I filled with Stickers

6) Minnie Mouse Bubbles (not pictured because we used them..oops!) and Egg Shaped Sidewalk Caulk.

 

A Weekend Full of Firsts

Happy Monday All!

Well I am going to spare the stories this morning and just load you up on pictures. We had an amazing weekend! I continue to be in awe of how big Kelti is getting. I swear every morning I wake up she is an inch taller, her hair is longer and she has learned some new eye roll or phrase that just cracks us up!

Saturday morning we woke up and the three of us went out to the local donut shop for Kelti's very first donut. I filled her little belly up with yogurt before we left the house hoping that she would be too full to indulge in the entire sugary treat. We let her pick out her own donut and let her go to town.

(The donut still intact)

(What was left...)

 

After our late morning nap we headed out to the local paintball field for some friends, fun, food and drinks. Luke partook in the paintball war while momma and baby played with bubbles and enjoyed the warm spring sunshine.

(Sporting Auntie's glasses)

(Paintball Mascot, Kelti loved the BIG doggy!)

(The drive home)

 

Have a fabulous week!



"The Binks"

The Binks. Binky. Pacifier, Mute Button. This little lifesaver has many different names for many different folks. Before Kelti was born I swore up and down that I would not let my child use a binky let alone be completely and utterly dependent on it. (I also swore that she would never sleep in our bed, eat sugar or drink bottles after 12 months of age.)

So back to the story... it all started with our stay in the hospital after Kelti's birth. Because she was born at 11pm we had to stay two nights at the hospital. The first night was a breeze, she slept, I kind of slept and we started the bonding process outside of the womb. It was beautiful. The second night was a different story. I was having a hard time getting her to latch on, she was upset and that made this new mom upset. Me and the hubby tried for hours to calm that new little baby down and with no success we were scared that we were doing something wrong. I pressed the nurse button and she came strolling in. "I was wondering if you were going to need something, I could hear that little girl all the way out in the hallway", the nurse so sweetly comments. She reaches out for Kelti and I gratefully lay her in her knowledgeable arms. First she tries to help Kelti latch (with no success), tries to stroke her back, comfort her, swaddles her, tries to ease her worries and mine. All the tricks these nurses keep up their sleeves was simply not working for this new sassy little girl of mine. So the nurse leaves the room with Kelti still screaming in my arms and tears streaming down my face. Thirty seconds later she pops back into the room, and removes a pacifier from the plastic wrapper. Without hesitation or asking if I was OK with using it she nudges the little green pacifier towards Kelti's lips. Kelti roots around and quickly sucks it into her mouth and swiftly falls asleep. We all take a deep breath and release any frustration we had twenty seconds ago and calmly wipe the tears from our eyes.

It was over from there. Kelti was a huge fan of the pacifier and we were not complaining. It soon became known as a binky in our house and we had one in every room. Kelti only used it when she was tired, so in the bed, her swing or in the car mostly. I then changed my plans on using the binky and decided that on Kelti's first birthday I was going to take away both her bottles and her binky. By this time Kelti knew that during a car ride she would get a binky or laying down for her naps we would place one in her mouth and she would quickly fall into dream-land. It was just such a comfort for her and a convince factor for us. Well we are a couple days shy of Kelti's 16 month birthday and within the last four months the binky situation as escalated to a whole new level.

She will walk around the house and if she finds a binky she will put it in her mouth. When she is tired or cranky she will scream, "BINKS!". If she sees her baby (her stuffed giraffe that has to go EVERYWHERE with us) she demands her binky as well. And the worst... if the binky falls out of her mouth while she is sleeping she will wake up, eyes still shut, and scream "BINKS". I swear I wake up 6-12 times a night to put the binky back in her mouth.

WHAT HAVE I DONE! Why did I let Kelti take a binky in the hospital, why did I give it to her for comfort for 12 months and why didn't I take it away when I had planned to. Well, I had to the face the music and realize that I did it all for my sake. For my sanity, my ease, all of this was my parenting.

 

So now I come to you as mothers, grandmothers, aunts, caretakers, what do I do? Do we take the binky away cold turkey? Do we only allow it in certain places or situations? Oh man, I am open to any suggestions that will be the best for my little bumblebee, even if I go without sleep for a solid week. Oh the joys of mommyhood. :)

Happy Thursday! (Note... the giraffe is in every picture ... and these pictures were completely chosen at random!)

Moments Caught on Camera

As I randomly scan through my iPhone pictures on this beautiful Friday, as I tend to do quite often, I can't help but notice the attitude this little gal has in so many of my pictures. I swear, our little Kelti has changed in so many amazing ways since her first birthday and it has only been just a few short months. Her vocabulary is incredible, she can copy almost anything you ask her to say. She has got her manners down to a tee, saying thank you after receiving something, please when she wants something and even sorry when she bumps into you! Amazing I tell you! Then we have the newly acclaimed attitude. If this little girl wakes up on the wrong side of the bed, is hungry or tired, WATCH out! So I thought I would share a few pictures off the old camera that caught some of these "precious" moments. Enjoy!

Well time to drink after that! ... Green tea paired with dark chocolate of course! Happy Friday. :)