20 Things That Make Me Happy...

1. Spending as much time as possible with my kids and husband!
2. Watching my kids play with each other and knowing they get along so well
3. Having my sister and her family visit.
4. Spending all day at my parents house by their pool.
5. Going to Disney with my family and letting the kids plan whatever we do.
6. Wine
7. When Chad picks up Sushi and brings it home to eat while we watch a movie. (this happens several times a week)
8. Getting voice messages from my kids if I am not home when they are going to bed.
9. Pumpkin Swirl Bread that my mom makes! I have yet to attempt it because she spoils me every fall and makes it for us!
10. Going shopping all alone! I just take my time, and purchase what I really want strictly because I like it!
11. Watching old movies that my sister and I loved as kids.....with my kids!
12. White Sheets.....I will never own sheets that aren't white! They just feel so clean and cozy to me!
13. Same for White Towels. LOVE THEM!!!!!
14. Bleach (because I love everything white)
15. When Chad falls asleep on the couch and I can catch up on my shows that I have recorded.
16. Picking my kids up from school and they are just as excited to see me...as I am to see them.
17. I have loved the color turquoise before it was even fashionable.
18. Having sushi and wine nights with my girlfriends
19. When the power goes out and we sit around and play board games with candle lights.
20. This chilly weather we are having in Florida! LOVE it!!!!!

Start a New Tradition

I have MANY traditions that I hold onto and make sure that I get my kids excited about them as well.......but the Tradition of Advent is BY FAR my favorite!!!!!!!!!

I can't remember when we started this in our family...but I know it will stick around forever!

I have just added to my etsy shop a new Advent Calendar and I am VERY excited about it! I wish it was December already!

An Advent calendar is a special calendar which is used to count or celebrate the days of Advent in anticipation of Christmas. It is a great way to give the kids little Christmas goodies that they can actually ENJOY during the month of December! I always hated it when they would get a cute Christmas shirt, hat, hair bow, or anything Christmas related ON Christmas and it would have to wait an entire year in the attic for them to enjoy it!

We use the advent Calendar to give the kids little goodies, crafts, candy, or decorations that get them excited about Christmas!

Start a new tradition in your family!



The pockets are deep enough for holding the gifts!

You could also use a little Christmas Elf or Santa and just have the kids move it each day while counting down the days until Santa comes!!!!!




HOPE YOU ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!

xoxo

My little man is Growing Up!

This weekend we celebrated my little Collin's 4th Birthday! I am in shock that he is 4!!!!!!!!!! I absolutely LOVE everything about him! He is the sweetest, kindest, sports loving, gentle boy!
I spend every day with him....and couldn't imagine spending my days any other way!



This picture is how I remember him as a baby....happy and chunky! Such a sweet baby!

Ha! I LOVE this picture of him on his 1st birthday!

Turning 2 Rocked! ha! He has always been such a relaxed little boy!

I remember being in shock that he was 3......I imagine that I will feel the same way EVERY year!

This past year has been amazing! Collin scored 10 goals in only 5 soccer games.......LOVES going to the driving range to hit golf balls with his dad.......caught his first fish..........goes to preschool for a few hours a week.........writes his name...............and has just made me fall more and more in love with him each day!

One of his birthday requests was to fly a kite! THEY LOVED IT!

His face melts my heart!

My little man is growing up.....and I couldn't be more proud of him!

Halloween Pics....late

We had a WONDERFUL Halloween!!!!!! The day before we celebrated Collin's 4th birthday with a Halloween Costume Party....and had a total blast!

This year we went Trick Or Treating at my parents neighborhood. They are always so festive for every holiday and it is totally geared towards kids! My neighborhood has so many small kids that nobody really stays at their house to pass out candy....so it isn't nearly as fun!





There are long driveways so most of the people set up shop down at the bottom so that they can hang out and pass out candy! so cute! this is where my mom passed out candy for the night.


ha! I am one of the crazy people that lets my kids eat as much candy as they want on Halloween!


Chad and I were..."where's waldo". ha! It was SO much fun! I always dress up, I think my kids love it too!

Collin the Halloween Bat! He was super proud of the costume we made!


The night started with Trunk or Treat at their playground where the kids trick or treat at the golf carts and then had a fun halloween dinner! My dad was too cute with the kids!

My little Fashion Fairytale Barbie. She designed, picked out all of the fabrics, and instructed me on every step of making her costume! so cute!


Grammy the Witch and Kacey at Trunk or Treat!



ha!!!! Trick or Treating in the Golf Cart! They had a blast!!!!!!!!!!!

xoxo

CANDLE TUTORIAL!!!!!!

I WAS SERIOUS WHEN I SAID I LOVED THE CANDLES IN MY LAST POST!!!!!! AND I WAS BEYOND EXCITED WHEN KAREN LEFT ME A MESSAGE ABOUT HER COUSIN'S BLOG AND HOW SHE DID A TUTORIAL ON HOW TO MAKE THE CANDLES THAT I WAS ABOUT TO PURCHASE!!!!!!!!

THIS SERIOUSLY MADE MY DAY....WEEK.....MAYBE EVEN MONTH! I WENT RIGHT OUT AND PURCHASED CANDLES FOR UNDER $1, PACKS OF TISSUE PAPER FOR UNDER $3, AND GOT TO WORK!!!!!!!!!

JUST CUT THE TISSUE PAPER TO THE SIZE THAT FITS YOUR CANDLE......LAY IT OUT OVER CANDLE AND USE A HAIR DRYER TO MELT IT ONTO CANDLE (I HAD TO HOLD IT REALLY CLOSE TO THE CANDLE TO GET IT TO MELT THE WAY THAT I WANTED IT TO)

I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER WITH THE CANDLES THAT I MADE!!!!!!!!!!

******
BUT DO NOT BURN THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THESE ARE FOR SHOW ONLY! ******




I SET THESE OUT THE WAY THAT I WILL SET THEM OUT AT CHRISTMAS! IS IT TOO SOON TO DECORATE FOR CHRISTMAS NOW?!?!


BROWN AND CREAM FOR THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!

CAN'T GO WRONG WITH BROWN POLKA DOTS! THESE ARE FOR THANKSGIVING...AND I WILL PROBABLY PUT THEM BACK AFTER CHRISTMAS AGAIN! LOVE THEM!

I AM SOOO THRILLED THAT I SERIOUSLY SPENT UNDER $10 TO MAKE 6 CANDLES.....AND I HAVE ENOUGH TISSUE PAPER TO MAKE MORE OR WRAP GIFTS!

I HAVE CLEARED UP ROOM ON MY WISH LIST TO ADD MORE! ;)

XOXO,
KATIE

Taper Love

I love taper candles....and I NEVER burn them! I have a few places in my house where I display them, and I just enjoy looking at them. I have always wanted a good striped candle...and this morning I FOUND THEM!!!!!!!! I have a huge list of "i really really really wants"!

Ana Designs Taper Candles.....found here






love how the colors pop!!!!!!! I have picked out my faves for each season!



They are a bit higher than I would like to spend for taper candles.....BUT.....I have been looking for good striped candles for years and since I never burn them I can justify it! :)

xoxo

Halloween Birthday Party

This past weekend was FULL of fun, friends, family......AND SUGAR!!!!!!

We Celebrated Collin's birthday a week early with a Halloween Birthday Bash...and he loved every min of it!!!!!!


Collin as the "Halloween Bat". We made his costume and he couldn't have been more proud!

He is not really into being the center of attention, but he listened to the Birthday song if it meant he could have his cupcake.

So proud of my little man!!!!!

We played the toilet paper mummy game.....it was so cute! and funny!

Decorated pumpkins that they picked from our little "pumpkin patch" we had set up in the corner of the yard. They were SERIOUS about pumpkin designing. ha!

FREEZE DANCE to Monster Mash! This was funny!

Chad and I dressed up as Where's Waldo! ha!

Fashion Fairytale Barbie and The big Halloween Bat

Collin wanted to be twins with his Grampy! They are too cute!

The tower of cupcakes!

We had a blast!!!!!!!
15 kids......loads of adults......lots of sugar.....and it was a total success!!!!!!!!!!!

Collin is already talking about his halloween party next year! yikes!!!!!

xoxo