Countdown Days 11-14

I'm posting this a day early in case you're still looking for an idea for tomorrow. I probably went a bit crazy with the treats and gifts, but it was so much fun!

Day 11: Valentine, you color my world! - Trolls came out on DVD and Blu-Ray this week, so I decided it would be perfect for family movie night! I think they've watched the movie five or six times since opening it Saturday morning, so I'd say it was a hit!

Day 12: We go together like.....cookies & cream, peanut butter & fudge, strawberries & bananas... There is a frozen custard shop in Grapevine, so we took the kids out after Sophia's soccer game. So yummy!

Day 13: You Make My Heart Pop - Both kids love bubbles, so I decided to pick up these fun Bubble Stackers for the countdown. I thought about buying them a bubble machine, but decided to try the stackable bubbles instead.

Day 14: Valentine, I Don't Want to Lego of You! ~ Both kids love Legos, so I decided to get them each a Lego set as their final gift. I got Carter a LEGO Architecture set and I got Sophia a LEGO Elves set.

We had so much fun with the countdown! I'm already thinking about what I'll do for our Christmas Advent Calendar and the Valentine's Day Countdown next year!

XOXO,

Countdown Days 8-10

Day 8: You're the Missing Piece to Our Puzzle ~ I found these color-in puzzles at Michael's and thought it would be a fun way to show Sophia & Carter how much they mean to us. I used Sharpies to write words to describe them and then had them color and decorate them.

Day 9: You're the 'Swedish' Fish in the Sea ~ I forgot to take pictures yesterday, but I purchased these from Target and put them in their mailboxes.

Day 10: We're not playing games, we're so glad you're on our team! ~ We love having family game nights (post plan soon with some of our favorite games), so I decided to pick up a few new games as a part of the countdown. I wrapped these so the kids would have something to open when they got home from school. I mean, who doesn't like opening presents? This one is more of a single player game, but it really makes you think and it's small enough to bring with you, so it's perfect for keeping them entertained during dinners out. I also got this one. So. Much. Fun! I was a bit concerned about sharing the mouthpieces, but the game comes with ten, so there was no need to share. But they are so uncomfortable, so be prepared for that!

Carter was more interested in playing Rush Hour than Watch Ya Mouth, so I only got pictures of Sophia and I playing ~ not our best looks. ;)

I can't believe there are only four more days to go until Valentine's Day!

XOXO,

Countdown Days 3-5

Day 3: I Soda Love You ~ Last year I attached the note to a mini can of root beer and we made root beer floats, but Carter isn't a fan of root beer ("too spicy") so I decided we'd try this recipe for Cupid Floats. We used Strawberry Sunkist instead of the Cherry 7-Up. Carter still claimed it was a little spicy, but ended up finishing it so I guess he got over it. I didn't end up using the Red Vines as straws - I had cute black & white paper straws that worked just as well (and were free!).

Day 4: You're the Apple of My Eye ~ There is a gourmet apple store in Grapevine so I took Sophia & Carter there and let them pick out an apple. We also ended up picking up some chocolate covered strawberries ~ I couldn't resist! So yummy!

Day 5: We don't have words for how much we love you! ~ I decided to create a word search on Puzzlemaker for them to work on using Valentine themed words.

I hope they're loving this countdown as much as I am! I'll share the next few days later this week.

XOXO,

Valentine's Day Countdown

Instead of doing a standard Friday Favorites post, I thought I'd share how we celebrate one of my favorite holidays: Valentine's Day! My #oneword for 2016 was love, and I seriously considered making it my word of the year for 2017 as well (I went with joy instead), so Valentine's Day is definitely one of my favorite holidays. I just LOVE love! Today I thought I'd share what I'm doing to spoil my littlest Valentines!

Love Banner

Several years ago I purchased Valentine's Day Mailbox Chairbackers for Sophia and Carter. A few years ago they decided that Michael and I needed to leave them "mail" every day leading up to Valentine's Day, and last year I decided to step up my game a little and leave them little treats along with the notes. I decided it would be fun to share each day with you in case you want to join in the fun! I was originally planning on making cute printables for each day, but ended up just writing them notes on cute Valentine's paper I found in the Target dollar spot. If you Google the phrases you can probably find some cute printables, or you can just hand write the notes like I did.

Valentine's Day Mailbox Chairbacker

Day #1: We Couldn't Love You S'more - Both Sophia and Carter love making snack bags, so I thought this Valentine's S'mores Snack Mix would be perfect. I purchased Vanilla Cupcake Goldfish, mini marshmallows, Valentine's M&M's, and these fun Cupid's Message M&M's. I found these cute treat cups to hold their snack mix. It was the perfect treat for working on their homework!

Day #2: We Go Together Like Cookies & Milk - I found these adorable cookie stamps at Williams-Sonoma and knew that they would be perfect for some Valentine's Day baking! Unfortunately I bought premade sugar cookie dough just to save time, and I really wish I hadn't. The dough was really sticky even though I took it out of the refrigerator right before we used it and kept sticking to the non-stick cookie stamps. I ended up dipping the stamps in flour to prevent sticking, and it did work, but then when I baked them the cookies expanded and the stamps disappeared! Oh well. They still tasted good and the kids had fun with them. This just gives us an excuse to try it again with homemade dough! What's your favorite sugar cookie recipe?

I'm having so much fun coming up with new and different ideas to celebrate each day, and Sophia and Carter are loving it! Each day they run to their mailboxes to find the note for the day. It's funny because both days I've had the table set up and they don't even pay attention to what's there - they want to see the love note! I'll be sharing the next three days on Monday, so be sure to check back!

XOXO,

Valentine's Day Wish List

Last year I shared both Christmas and Valentine's Day gift guides for the men in your life, so I thought it would be fun to share a wish list/gift guide today!

Venus ET Fleur Roses Flowers are an obvious choice, but the flowers from Venus ET Fleur are different because they last a year! They are more expensive than your average floral arrangement, but when you consider how long they last, it's really not that outrageous a price. 

Apple Watch I have gone back and forth on whether I want an apple watch or not, but I think now that they have a rose gold watch I'm finally on the bandwagon. Love it!

David Yurman Earrings Michael bought me the most beautiful diamond earrings for Christmas, so I've been going back and forth on whether or not I really NEED these earrings, but I love the combination of the pearl and diamonds. So pretty!

Kindle Paperwhite I mentioned possibly wanting an e-reader in this post. I just think it would be so convenient to be able to throw it in my purse and have a book with me whenever and wherever I find the time to read.

Pink Wallet / Black Wallet I have this wallet in turquoise and I love it, but I had a lipstick open up in my purse and it's now stained so I want a new one. The practical side of me is saying I should get the black one because it won't show wear as quickly, but the pink one is so pretty and fun! The compromise might be me buying this one and letting Michael buy me the black one. There's no rule saying you can't buy yourself a Valentine's Day present, right? Problem solved! *Editing to add that both the black and pink Lacey wallets are part of the Kate Spade Secret Sale and are over 50% off! The sale ends tomorrow (2/9) at midnight, so now is the time to buy!

I've linked some other fun options in the widget below. What's on your Valentine's Day Wish List?

XOXO,

Holiday Gift Guide for Him

I don't know about your husband/dad/brother, but I always have the most difficult time figuring out what to buy for mine! The men in my life never want anything, so when you ask them the answer is always "I don't know." Here are some ideas for the men in your life! 

Drinkware/Barware

Beer Flight Sampler Set / Gift Basket / Food & Beer Cookbook /

Wine Club / Wine Flight Set / Moscow Mule Mugs / 

Decanter & Whiskey Glasses / Whiskey Rocks

Tech Gifts

Battery Pack / Noise Cancelling Headphones /  Bluetooth Speaker / 

Apple TV / Apple Watch / Tech Accessories Case

For the Runner/Athlete

Lululemon is my go-to when it comes to running clothes for Michael. Their Silverescent Technology really works - his clothes don't smell after a long run!

LS Shirt / Shorts  / Beanie /  SS Running Shirt /

 Fitness Watch / Pants / Running Shoes

All the Rest

Jack Black Gift Set / Cologne / Wallet / 

Money Clip /  Dress Shoes / Flannel Lounge Pants / 

Briefcase / Slippers

Hopefully this will help give you some inspiration! Happy gifting!

XOXO,

Holiday Gift Guide for Kids

I can't believe it's already November! Thanksgiving is just three weeks away, which means that, if you're like me, you might be starting your Christmas shopping. Target is having some pretty good sales on toys (20% off with code KIDSGIFTS) and games (buy two get one free) right now, so I thought I'd start with a Holiday Gift Guide for Kids. Not everything on the list is from Target, but most things are.

1. Bend a Path Track - my sister ordered this for Carter two years ago, and last year she got it for our nephew. They both love it! I love it because it's easy to set up and clean up! This year I'm getting Carter the additional 6' track and firetruck as well as the accessory bundle.

2. RC Battle Copters - When I turned on the tv last weekend for some reason it was on HSN (this is seriously weird because I don't think I've ever watched it before) and they were showing the Bend A Path track. I was sucked in (the reason I ordered the additional track and accessories) and ended up continuing to watch while they showed the battle helicopters. I think the reason I like this so much is that it comes with two copters in two separate boxes, so you're getting two gifts in one. I think Sophia and Carter will really like these!

3. Anki Overdrive Starter Kit - We saw this demo'd when we were in NYC a few years ago. I like that you use your smart phone to control the cars, so you don't have to worry about having extra batteries on hand for the remotes (just remember to charge your phone!). And I love that the starter kit comes with two cars, so both kids can play at the same time!

4. Lego Minecraft Crafting Box - This is one of my favorite Lego sets Carter has gotten because it comes with directions to build multiple things. In other words, once he's finished building one thing, we don't put it on display to never be touched again, he enjoys it for awhile and then can take it apart and build something new. Even if your child isn't a Minecraft fan, this is a great set to buy!

5. Lego Elves - Sophia loves these sets! Of course, with these she does just build them and then put them on display, but she has fun while doing it! 

6. Magna-Tiles - These magnetic shape tiles are so much fun! It comes with directions on how to build several different three-dimensional figures, which Sophia and Carter love, but they also enjoy getting creative and building new and different things.

7. Kapla Blocks - These building blocks remind me a little of Jenga pieces.

8/9/10. Dash / Ozobot / Ollie - If your child enjoys coding, these three coding robots are a lot of fun!

11. Pottery Cool - Sophia got this for her birthday, and I was surprised at how easy (and not ridiculously messy) it was to create pottery. 

12. Qixels 3D Maker Set - We have the original Qixels, which was recommended to me by Carter's Kindergarten teacher as a great way to work on improving fine motor skills. Both kids love them, and Carter was pretty excited when he saw they now have this 3D maker set.

13. Aquabeads - These remind me of the Qixels in that you need water to "glue" the beads together and create different designs.

14/15/16/17/18/19. Blokus / Trouble / Hedbanz / Skip-Bo / Bellz / Sequence - We love having family game nights, and these games are some of our favorites.

Happy shopping!

XOXO,

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Mother's Day is May 8th! That's just a little over two weeks away! With that in mind, I thought I'd share some gift ideas with you.

Jewelry

I'll start with the obvious. Pay attention to whether the mom you're shopping for wears silver or gold (or a combination of both) and make sure that you stick with that metal when shopping, unless she has specifically told you otherwise.

This is probably one of my favorite necklaces. If you purchase it, make sure to use her initials (First Last Middle).

Jennifer Zeuner

These rings are incredibly unique and fun. They have single, double, and triple stack rings depending on the number of children. If there are more than three kids, you can put multiple names on one ring.

Nelle and Lizzy

Charm bracelets are always fun, and it's the gift that keeps on giving, because you can continue buying charms. James Avery is having a charm event right now that is a pretty good deal: buy two charms and a charm bracelet and receive $49 off.

James Avery - Dillard's

Here are some mother's charms from James Avery:

Source List:

Mother's Love

Boy Silhouette Charm (engrave with son's name and birthday)

Girl Silhouette Charm (engrave with daughter's name and birthday)

And just because I'm banking on Michael looking at this blog (or maybe my dad or mother-in-law will look and share this with him), I'll share a few that I'd like to add to my charm bracelet.

Source List:
Engravable Dog Bone Charm 
Eiffel Tower Charm

Perfume

Perfume is a good gift if the mom you're shopping for wears perfume. If she has a signature scent, repurchasing that scent is a good idea (unless she has a full, or nearly full, bottle). Maybe there is a specific perfume she wants. It doesn't hurt to ask! If you'd rather surprise her, or buy something new, here are some of my favorites.

Source List:

1. Chanel Allure
2. Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey Summer
3. Hermes Jour d'Hermes Gardenia
4. Tory Burch
5. Ralph Lauren - Ralph

Handbag

If you're going to purchase a new handbag, don't buy one from Target (unless she's specifically asked for one). Buy her something special that she wouldn't normally buy for herself. Here are some ideas.

Source List:

1. Rebecca Minkoff Isobel Hobo
2. Kate Spade Hawthorne Lane ~ Ryan Tote
3. Tory Burch Small Britten Leather Slouchy Tote
4. Clare V. Genuine Calf Hair Leopard Foldover Clutch

Tickets

Concert tickets, game tickets, show tickets, airline tickets, any tickets! Is there a Broadway show coming to your city? Better yet, fly her to NYC to see a show! Is there a concert that she'd like to see? Or maybe a sporting event....does she like baseball? Golf? Surprise her with a trip to the wine country in California! She deserves a vacation, and so do you! Be creative!

Appliances

I can't speak for every mother, but most women would prefer not to get an appliance as a gift. However, there are a few appliance gifts you can get away with giving (provided the mother you're shopping for actually enjoys cooking), so I'm sharing those. Since this isn't every woman's idea of a gift, please make sure you are POSITIVE she wants the appliance before you buy it! I have the mixer, but I still need a white Le Creuset Dutch Oven (hint, hint).

KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer

Le Creuset Signature Dutch Oven

Mother's Day is about showing the mom(s) in your life how much she means to you. Buy her a card (and not just the first one you grab off the shelf ~ read it!) and something that she will love. Hopefully my list inspires you! Please post a comment and share what you buy her!

XOXO,

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas {for Men}

I don't know about you, but I always have the hardest time buying gifts for my husband Michael. This usually means that I buy him something totally random and hope he likes it. I love giving (and receiving, I'm not gonna lie) gifts, and I want to know, not just hope, he'll like it, so it's always a struggle.

Lately I've done a lot better with his gifts, so I thought I'd share some ideas:

1. Tickets. Movie tickets, concert tickets, sports tickets, any tickets! Michael loves all sports, so tickets to a game are always a good choice. For his birthday I got him tickets to an FC Dallas game, and for Christmas I bought a three game mini-pack to see the Texas Rangers. For both the soccer and baseball games I purchased four tickets so we could go as a family.
2. Grooming products. Michael basically has a five o'clock shadow the minute he shaves, so a good shaving cream makes a big difference. I discovered Jack Black Supreme Cream Triple Cushion Shave Lather about a year ago, and it's the best shaving cream! 
3. Cologne. 
4. A nice briefcase. This is what I think I'm going to get Michael for Valentine's Day. He has a Tumi expandable laptop briefcase now, but it's been well-loved and he could use a replacement. I'm thinking this time we'll skip the expandable one because he ends up sticking way too much in there and it weighs a ton!
5. Tools. 
6. Gadgets. 
7. Athletic wear. Michael runs, so a good pair of running shoes, shirts (love Lululemon's running shirts - they don't smell!), shorts, etc are always a safe bet.
8. An experience. Think about what your significant other loves to do. Fishing? Cooking? Hunting? Adventure? In Michael's case, he loves to cook. Central Market offers couples cooking classes, so I purchased a Lobster Dinner Couples Cooking Class. 
9. A good book. This is important if you have children, especially if you have a son. Kids need to see both parents reading, and not just the Twitter feed on your phone! I purchased a few books for Michael over the holidays and now he's hooked. 

I'm always searching for new ideas, so please comment below if you have something different!

XOXO,