Family

Outdoor Inspiration

April 17, 2020

We have been spending a TON of time outside these days. I’m trying to put a positive spin on the ongoing situation by thinking about how lucky we are to have had some beautiful sunny days in the midst of this quarantine time. Getting the kids to play outside 1-2 times per day helps keeps us all sane.

I’m so glad we put in a pool and backyard entertaining area last summer/early fall. We have been using the space so much – eating outdoors, swimming, watching movies outside or just bringing some puzzles out on the patio for a change of scenery. When we designed our outdoor space, our goal was for it to feel like an extension of our home. It’s certainly has lived up to that.

Below are some of my top outdoor picks. All of these items we have, and we’re using them a lot these days!

Outdoor furniture and accessories

We have two spaces in our backyard. The existing patio space is more of a dining area. We added this table, which we purchased last year. Ours seats eight (and I think you an squeeze in a few more) but this newer version has an extension. I would highly recommend protecting any teak furniture with teak oil and getting a cover for it in the off season or just for an added layer on rainy days. We have the table in the “natural” color. I’d love to get this little matching console table at some point.

As soon as I saw these chairs last year, I knew they would be perfect for our space. I waited for a 30% off sale to pull the trigger. For things that are a little more of an investment, I know it’s time to move forward when I find myself going back to the item over and over again after doing exhaustive research. I have the arm chairs on the ends of the table and the side chairs to fill the rest of the table. They’re great quality, clean really easily and are stylish. I have the light blue version called “Atlantic.” They’re 20% off right now with the code ATHOME.

I have a few other accessories like these pillows (although I have a nearly identical pair I found at HomeGoods), this rug near our outdoor fireplace, this rug under the outdoor dining table, and these lanterns in antique bronze. Outdoor lanterns are usually pretty pricey and I love these but couldn’t bring myself to spend that much on something that might deteriorate with Houston humidity. We’d love to get some outdoor string lights soon.

Kid-friendly entertaining pieces

Melamine plates are great for outdoor eating and perfect, non-breakable options when you have young kids. I recently purchased these glasses which are perfect for having in and out of the pool. I also have two sets of these coasters I bring out when we have people over.

Pool accessories & games

Everyone always gravitates toward these pool noodles. I have wanted this large Connect Four game for awhile and it’s been on my list of #thingsthequarantinemademebuy. The color way we have isn’t available anymore but there are other options like this one. I recently purchased these inexpensive beach towels to have on hand in our pool bathroom. Ben recently bought one of those little outdoor play houses and we customized it with some paint and hung this sign on it. The door was painted a greyish blue color we already had, and the kids have been playing pretend restaurant quite a bit!

Inspiring images that influence my home style

My home style skews on the traditional side and am consistently inspired by the South. I have been reading and flagging pages in Southern Living since I was 10. (It was a career highlight to travel to their test kitchens a few years ago and meet with editors, peruse the many kitchens they test recipes in, and see the massive amount of china, plates, napkins, etc. they use for recipe styling!) While a lot of Southern things catch my eye, I will often gravitate to coastal pieces, hence my love of all things Serena & Lily. Perhaps that’s because I grew up on the Gulf coast, but I love things with a beachy vibe. I am still inspired by my bucket-list girls trip to the Amalfi coast last year. I traveled to Positano, Capri, Tuscany, Florence and Venice with some of my best friends and I would transport myself there again in a heartbeat if I could! Positano and Capri were definitely my favorites, and I’m thankful for the memories of sitting on little outdoor patios and rooftop terraces while drinking wine and eating carbs! Maybe that was the ambiance I was going for when we designed our space. I love having books that have meaning and I bought this Italy coffee table book because it captured many of the beautiful places I visited last year. The Color Teil also has a lot of happy coastal images to peruse.

I’m a planner by nature, and I always love having a trip to look forward to. However, there are too many unknowns right now to move forward with any travel plans. So, for now we sit outside daydreaming about our next adventure while enjoying and sometimes just surviving in the chaos.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

0 Comments

Gifts kids Motherhood Shopping

Gifts for the Construction Loving Toddler & Teaching Kids to be Grateful

December 20, 2018

construction toys, toddler boy gift guide, construction toys for boys

1 | 2| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

I know everyone is scrambling to fulfill the random gift requests our children ask of us ( I just Amazon primed a whoopie cushion), so I thought I’d share a few gift ideas perfect for the little boy into all things construction. I think we have nearly all of these items, so I can honestly say they are all great gifts a toddler boy will love. These gifts fall more so into the 2-4 age range. Nearly all of these are available on Amazon, so they’ll get here in time for Christmas. Most of the others are at retailers where you can do in-store pick-up or pay a minimal amount for shipping to get here in time for Christmas.

My top 3 picks from the list:

If you have a little finicky eater, buy this NOW. It was gift we received last year when Braden was starting his selective eating phase, and it made eating so much fun for him, and he would eat a lot more because of this plate and utensil set. We still use it to this day.
This book has been heavy rotation in our house. We’re a big fan of the series, and we have the original, Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site and the second one in the series, Mighty, Mighty Construction Site as well. I know it’ll be a Christmas book we will read for years to come.
We received this crane as a gift when Braden was 2, but he probably was more into it around ages 2.5-3. He still plays with it all the time, and it’s such a well-made piece since it’s made out of wood, and also functions as fun decor for his room.

With all the gift giving this season, I’m sure there might be some parents who are also experiencing a child who seems to have a lot of wants…I know I’m not the only one after talking to a few friends, so I thought I’d also share a note about encouraging kids to be grateful. See below for more details.

Some thoughts on encouraging kids to be grateful

My kids occupy all my time these days so making sure the season is special for them is pretty top-of-mind for me. I’ve tried to manage Braden’s expectations this year, letting him know he will only be getting three gifts from us because Christmas is not really about gift giving but rather spending time with family. Why 3? Because that’s what the three wiseman gave Jesus, and I just don’t want more stuff in our house/playroom. I know he’ll get other gifts from grandparents and friends, and that’s fine, but from us, he will be receiving three items. And, I told him our family vacation next month is our big gift for us all.

I’ve found that even at the age of 4, there is a lot of FOMO going on. Braden has come home from school recently telling me that a kid at school has a snowman shirt and he wants one, too…or that someone is going to LEGO land and he wants us to take him. I’ve really made an effort to explain to him that not everyone has the same experiences or gets the same toys. Does anyone else struggle with this? Per the norm, I’ve been googling a lot of articles for tips and came across this one, which includes 10 Ways to Raise a Grateful Kid.

Two weeks ago, I encouraged Braden to draw cards for troops overseas. My chiropractor’s office does care packages to troops, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to try to teach him about giving to others. I’m not perfect, and neither is my child, but it’s important to me to at least try to instill gratitude in him so he doesn’t have a sense of entitlement and is compassionate to others. Braden insisted on coming with me to the chiropractor to drop them off, and he was so proud of what he did and excited to show them to the person at check-in and tell the dr. about them. Sappy mom moment…but it nearly brought me to tears. He’s currently working on making some cards for his school teachers (to include with some gift cards!). We also made some homemade cards for grandparents and mailed them a couple of weeks ago. I’m a big believer in handwritten thank-you notes, so I want him to understand that something like that goes a long way.

So, maybe it’s writing thank you notes, or drawing a card to give to someone else as a gift, but there are some really easy ways to teach kids to give back a little this season.

0 Comments

Holiday kids Kids clothing Shopping

Holiday Pajamas for the Kids and Family

November 5, 2018

holiday pajamas, christmas pajamas, holiday pjs

It seems like when November hits, a light switch goes off and there’s a mad rush to get decked out in holiday gear. Unless you’re Hobby Lobby — they start around October 1 or late Sept. which is basically crazy town! I am one who feels like Thanksgiving deserves a little love, so I don’t think I can get the Christmas tree and other holiday decor out quite yet. But, I can appreciate seasonal pajamas, especially for kids. Here’s a post of Braden and his cousin from last year to help remind you of my love for seasonal sleepwear. I’ve found that you pretty much have to buy them now to get the good ones in the sizes you want. And, if you have high hopes of getting a matching set for your whole family, then you definitely need to jump on that.

I have already purchased a few pairs of PJs for this year now I can fulfill my cheesy mom dreams of dressing my two kids alike. I’ve linked some adorable and affordable options below, especially with some really great deals for 30-50% off right now at some of my favorite retailers to pick up PJs for kids. I got these onesie PJs with cats for Emmaline, and I actually picked up this festive PJ set for Braden and Emmaline last year and they have them again. I also think this firetruck set is so, so cute for boys. If you have nieces, nephews or friends with kids, these make great gifts to give now when you see them for the Thanksgiving holidays!

I put together one widget for the kids, and one for adults and family sets. I think this might be the only set I might be able to coerce Ben into wearing, or perhaps a pair of pants only in this pattern. Don’t be surprised if you see me documenting Braden and Emmaline’s matchy-matchy ways soon. 😉 Happy shopping!

PJs for Kids

Family PJ sets

0 Comments

Family Pregnancy

Adjusting to a Family of Four

July 17, 2018

Hi friends! It’s been a whirlwind the past few weeks. I sort of threw in the towel the last month of my pregnancy because I was pretty uncomfortable. Weeks 36-39 were marked by discomfort, insomnia, sciatic pain, nesting, cramming in work and spending time with Braden before we added our baby girl to the mix.

On Wednesday, June 27, 2018 at 7:49 a.m., we welcomed baby Emmaline to our family. Weighing in at a surprising 8 lbs. 12 oz. and 21 inches, she has been a really good baby so far, sleeping 80% of the day. Braden was 8 lbs 1 oz. and 20.25 inches, so I was shocked when the nurse said her weight. I was exactly 39 weeks when she was born and Braden was born at 39 weeks 4 days. I gained 35 lbs. with this pregnancy, which is a couple more pounds than with Braden, but I guess being 5′ 10, I’m just destined to have bigger babies. And, I ate a lot of ice cream this go-round.

So, my sweet Emmaline has been a good eater and sleeping like a champ. At one week, I googled if it was normal for a baby to sleep 20 hours a day because Braden was pretty alert from the beginning. He was a good baby overall, but he had longer periods of alertness. We didn’t see much of her eyes the first week, but she is starting to stay awake for longer pockets now. She has blue eyes like her brother did, which I absolutely love. Braden’s changed around 5 months. She also looks more Asian than I anticipated but again, that’s something I love. I adore mixed babies. 😉 At our 2 week pediatrician appointment, the pedi warned us that she might start a period of fussiness at three weeks since babies tend to go through a growth spurt at that time. She was 9 lbs. last week at this visit, so she’s doing really well overall. I think I am starting to see this three week change already (she’ll officially be three weeks in two days) but it’s still very manageable. Ben did leave today for a work trip, which does stress me out a bit because he truly is hands-on, particularly at night, which makes the night feeds and pumping easier on my end, but I will just have to adjust. My MIL is here to help since I need to be getting back to work and need support during the day.

I thought I’d do a quick Q&A of many of the same questions I keep getting from family and friends.

What’s her full name and how you’d come up with that?

Emmaline Felicity Lucas. Emmaline is pronounced “Emma-lynn.” I always knew I’d likely make Felicity her middle name as that is a name I’ve loved for years. Not going to lie…it’s partially because I loved that name because of the American Girl doll, but also because Felicity, the show that ran from 1998- 2002, is my all-time favorite show. Emmaline was pretty much the only name Ben and I could agree on. Per the norm with most guys and with Ben, I would suggest something and he would crap on most of my ideas. This name, not so much, so it was the winner. Also, growing up, my parents called me Lynn. Not sure why, and they are the only ones who called me that, so I liked integrating that into her name since it’s a part of me. We also asked Braden and he said he liked it. For now, we are trying to stick with using her full name, but I am not opposed to her being called “Emma” later if that’s what she wants.

How was your delivery?

I had a scheduled c-section this time around based on my medical history, per the recommendation of my OB. I ended up laboring/pushing for 5+ hours with Braden in the hospital (after pretty much starting labor at home 10 hours prior to that which I didn’t realize until I called my dr at 4:30pm in a Friday describing my painful cramps- ha! ) I had no idea what labor felt like andhad it in my head that I was going in for an induction on Monday, so was sort of in denial when I went into labor on Friday. Ultimately, my first pregnancy resulted in an emergency c-section because he pretty much got stuck. Also, I learned during my second pregnancy after extensive testing and procedures that I have a tilted uterus, so it’s sort of an uphill battle for me to deliver a baby. TMI, but that’s the easiest way to describe it. With Braden, I got to the hospital dilated at 7.5 cm so everyone thought it was going to happen quickly, but because he was trying to come out forehead first (which is wider than coming out head first) he got stuck despite all my efforts. I stayed up all night trying to push, but because his heart rate was going up, my heart rate was going up, plus I was getting so tired that I needed oxygen, so a c-section was the best way to get him out. Looking back, I was a bit surprised at my outcome and even a tad disappointed that I couldn’t have a “regular” vaginal birth, despite me being in pretty good shape. I worked out about 3-4x per week while pregnant with Braden. But, you just never know how things are going to turn out despite your best intentions and plans. I am very happy I got a healthy baby boy out of it, and I don’t view my deliveries as failures by any means.

Words of advice for anyone who wants to give their opinion about birthing via c-section

A c-section is not the easy way out. When someone tells you they have a c-section, don’t say, “Aww, I’m sorry.” There is nothing to be sorry about. The appropriate thing to say when someone has a baby no matter how the baby got here is “Congrats!” Yes, I know it’s major abdominal surgery. I have two healthy babies, both delivered via c-section and it’s all worth it. A scheduled c-section is 10x better than an unplanned one. Recovery for my first was pretty brutal since I labored for so long then went into surgery. I didn’t get out of bed until day 3 after having Braden. My dad was in tears when he saw me after I had Braden because I was exhausted and in pain. A friend recently told me I looked like I was in a car accident the first time, but looked so much better this time. Ha, gotta love friends who can just speak the truth so freely.

How did an unplanned c-section for your first differ from a planned c-section for your second baby?

Second time, it’s not nearly as bad. I am nearly 3 weeks post-delivery now and experiencing some nerve pain now from the nerves reconnecting, but I’m done with all my prescribed pain killers and have some abdominal soreness. Overall, it’s all pretty manageable. Also, the first week or so, I think I would start to feel better so I would get up more and walk the stairs a couple more times, and then would be really sore the next day. I have learned that I need to take it a little more easy. It’s definitely harder with a nearly 4-year-old running around, and I’m the type of person who is constantly trying to multi-task by throwing in a load of laundry here and there, or get out of bed a few times to go get the baby in the middle of the night. I’ve had to be more mindful and just cut back on these things. I can also tell that I get worn out easily. I went to three parties on Sat. and was on my feet more than normal so I was definitely sore the next day.

My incision is in the same place, and maybe a tad bigger now by an inch, but it’s not that bad and healing pretty well. I wore a bikini after Braden and it was easy to cover up, and I hope I can get there after this pregnancy, too (with some sweaty spin and gym sessions!). Again, I have no regrets. I think so many women are so hard on themselves post-baby, lamenting on what their bodies once were and feeling ashamed of a little pooch or stretch marks from birthing a human or two. I’m fortunate in that I didn’t have any stretch marks, but I’m also realistically giving myself a little grace as I know my abs will likely never be what they once were. I’m okay with that.

Are you nursing and how’s that going?

I am pretty much exclusively pumping for Emmaline. I tried multiple times to nurse her and met with 4 different lactation consultants in the hospital who all said the same thing. I was approaching things correctly, but Emmaline did not have a good latch, and I stopped trying after about a week and a half at home. She would get so fussy and was sort of lazy when I tried to nurse her. Also, I will spare you the details of damage she did to me the first few days, as I tried to get her to latch. Not going to lie — I’m not the biggest fan of breastfeeding. I found it very time-consuming with Braden, and I switched to exclusive pumping after about 7 weeks with him because it was so much more efficient. Pumping can be a lot of work, but I want her to have the nutritional benefits for at least 6 months, which is what I did for Braden. I also have given her 2 oz. of formula here and there since she was in the hospital and my milk was slower to come in. I did this because she was a little jaundice and formula can help with this.

I think it’s so sad when people are so judgmental about how you feed your baby. I think we all know there are definite benefits to breastfeeding but for some women it’s incredibly difficult to the point of having an emotional breakdown or some women simply can’t do it. A happy mom is best in my opinion. Plus, I’m not sure why it’s anyone’s business to give you advice on what to do with your boobs. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on any special bonding with my kid because she is breastfeeding. I find bottle feeding to be more efficient, and it allows my husband to be more involved, too.

How has Braden been with having a baby sister?

Honestly, he’s not that interested. He’s displayed some jealous tendencies. He has pretty much been an only child for 4 years, so for all of this attention to be on the the baby is probably hard on him. Ben has taken on more of Braden’s caretaking, particularly with bedtime, but Braden pretty much prefers Ben anyway. They have such a special bond and Braden is such a mini engineer/builder just like his dad already. We’ve tried to make Braden feel special the last few weeks by having some one-on-one time, getting him treats to celebrate his big brother status. He is starting to get more involved with feeding her or fetching things for us that the baby needs. Braden is also a a bit more whiny than normal, but I think it’s because he senses the change in our family so he’s sort of acting out a bit. I don’t think anything we’re experiencing is out of the ordinary, so we’re just trying to figure it out one day at a time.

Is it so much harder with two?

I think we’re still trying to figure it out, but I don’t think it’s that much harder. Perhaps we just feel more relaxed because we know what we’re doing now after having Braden.

How has maternity leave been this time around?

With Braden, I took a full three months off where I didn’t check email or do any work since I had some maternity benefits and that is what FMLA would allow me to do. Now that I work myself and have my own company, I can’t really do that unless I hire someone to do all my work for me, which I don’t want to do. I do have someone helping me with some client work on a part-time basis so I don’t have to feel so tethered to my computer and can enjoy my time with Emmaline. But, I pretty much took less than 2 weeks off from most work this time and I still read and responded to some emails in the hospital. I started getting back into the swing of things last week when Emmaline was two weeks old. I’m not working 40 hours, but I still have to do work. I wouldn’t change my work situation at all because I love that I have a flexible schedule where I can work from home.

This picture was taken at 37 weeks. I took maternity pics at 31 weeks in my last pregnancy, which I would probably recommend to anyone. I felt huge and looked more swollen than I would have liked, but I am glad we have a few pictures of our family before Emmaline entered this big world. I’m still so amazed she’s here and at the miracle of childbirth. I’m so thankful for this little family of mine!

1 Comments

Family

Gender Reveal: We’re Having a…

March 30, 2018

atascocita family photographer, houston family photographer, gender reveal, eagle springs photographer

We are over the moon to be welcoming a little girl into the world! People closest to me know that I have only ever wanted two kids, ideally one of each. I joke all the time that we built a house with 4 mudroom lockers, so that was going to be the size of our family. Ben and I are very much in sync about most things in life, including how many kids we wanted. We discussed this when we were dating in college actually. All that said, any baby is a blessing and a healthy baby is all one can ever hope for. However, we all have wants… and in my heart of hearts I knew I wanted a girl one day. So, I am SO happy to be able to even out our little family and give Braden a little sister.

After losing a baby girl in Dec. 2016 and having complications in this pregnancy, I was so anxious to even share I was pregnant much less the gender of this baby. Family members have been trying to get it out of us for weeks, but we wanted to wait even though we’ve known since early Dec. And no, we will not be sharing the name until she is born. Frankly, I don’t really want anyone’s opinion unless we ask. It’s surprising how people can be so judgmental about names!

I’m now 26 weeks, and I’m feeling pretty good. I’m officially off of all my activity restrictions so I can now exercise if I want to and not live this sedentary lifestyle anymore. I exercised 3x a week in my first pregnancy, and this is probably the longest I’ve ever gone with such little exercise. My schedule has been a bit hectic lately so exercise has hard to squeeze in, and let’s face it — after being on bedrest for six weeks and having activity restrictions and so much anxiety, it’s hard to get started on an exercise program at 24 weeks, which is when I got the ‘ok’ from my dr. I really want to do what I can over the next few weeks before this little girl arrives, but I’m not going to stress about it. I definitely prioritize sleep over exercise, so if I can get back into yoga and lifting weights ( my main activities when I was pregnant with Braden) over the next three months, I’ll give myself a pat on the back for trying.

Gender reveal photos

We took these gender reveal photos back in December before I had my big scare and visit to the ER. For awhile, I was too nervous to share them for fear of something terrible happening again in this pregnancy. Thankfully, that’s not the case, and I’m so glad we took these photos. I want to give a shout-out to Tiffany Harston for capturing these special family photos for us! She has been so understanding about me being hesitant to share, and I appreciate that immensely.

If you are in the Houston area, please consider working with her! She was easy to work with, great at providing feedback to all of us during the photoshoot and very personable. She has the capability to create some beautiful photo galleries for your home as well through some of the software she has. Decorating our home is such a work in progress, so I’m not quite ready to pull the trigger on that yet but if you’re wanting to explore something like that, she can definitely guide you through the process. During the photoshoot, Tiffany was so great at wrangling Braden and capturing some of those cheesy little smiles of his. I just love this kid so much, and I can’t believe he’s growing up so fast! It’s wonderful to have these precious memories before we welcome one more to our little family.

More soon!

All photos c/o Tiffany Harston Photography

atascocita family photographer, houston family photographer, gender reveal, eagle springs photographer

pink bell sleeve dress, atascocita family photographer, eagle springs family photographer, Houston family portraits atascocita photographer, eagle springs photographer, pink bell sleeve dress,

0 Comments

Family Holiday kids kids decor

Easter basket treats perfect for toddlers

March 28, 2018

I had good intentions of sharing this post several days ago, but my intentions seem to be really conflicting with what real life has to offer me lately. I’ll save that for another day or we could go down a rabbit hole. Speaking of rabbits, Easter has seemed to creep up on us. This weekend will be pretty low key for our family: we’ll have an Easter egg hunt with our neighbors and attend church. I think we have a birthday party to attend as well. I’ll be REALLY happy if I get to take a nap or two. The past week has been crazy busy around here, and I know I’ll be ready for a little R&R in a couple of days.

I’ve been collecting items for Braden’s Easter basket for awhile thanks to my impromptu visits to Home Goods and Target, so I thought I’d share a few of those items and other ideas that make the holiday festive. Keep in mind, I have a toddler boy who is 3 years 7 months. How the heck did that even happen, by the way!? Some of my suggestions are catered to his likes, but I think many of these items are perfect for both boys and girls.

I recall my parents doing an Easter egg hunt for us growing up, giving us Easter baskets full of treats and peppering the front yard with colorful eggs filled with candy. We’d collect them in the yard while dressed up in our new church outfits and pose for pics. I appreciate that my mom did that for us, and I love creating little traditions for Braden that hopefully he’ll remember one day, too. I still have to supplement his Easter basket with some candy because I got into that the past few days. #pregnantladyproblems But for the most part, many of these items are easily found on Amazon, which per the norm, is how I roll. My neighbor told me that we’re definitely winning the package game on our block since we get a ton of stuff everyday. I can’t imagine life without the convenience of online shopping!

I have a basket from the past two years that I will pull out once again for all the treats, but I also picked up another basket because it was just so soft and cute. I’ll probably fill this one with smaller treats and let him bring it to school for his spring party and Easter egg hunt. The other bucket is much larger and I got at Target two years ago. I’ve linked a a couple below plus all the treats I have currently hid in a closet until later this week.

Easter basket essentials

Baskets: cute white bunny basket and larger basket with liner that could be used year after year
Books: We have a few of these from previous years (God Gave Us Easter, I Love You, Honey Bunny, Happy Easter, Mouse! and Llama, Llama Easter Egg.) We’ve been reading this one, The Story of Easter, a lot lately which, of course, helps give some context to the holiday that is much more meaningful. I ordered this little set of four books, which I should be receiving in the mail tomorrow. And, this Blaze an the Monster Machines obsession continues, so I found this book that I know he’ll love.
Spring/Summer essentials: I got Braden a pair of swim trunks and new sunglasses. This kid has more sunglasses than I do!
Playdoh eggs – We’re all about the playdoh lately, so these cute little eggs are perfect.
Artsy items – coloring book, paint, and dry erase markers or colors to use on the art easel are always a hit. I also have a random stash of things I pick up at HomeGoods like this model car kit for him to paint.
Plastic Easter eggs – I have a ton leftover from last year but I would go to the Dollar store if I needed more.
Bunny ears – $1 in the Target One Spot section. I pretty much have a whole cabinet with seasonal items from this section. Target created this section for suckers like me.
Items that fit into the eggs:
- Dinosaurs
- Bandaids – lately, they are basically stickers. I picked up a ton in the One Spot Target section and tons of options on Amazon are available like this pack.
- Stamps – One Spot at Target finds
- Stickers – One Spot at Target has a ton. Here are some cute eggs and bunnies.
- Edible items – I have hoarded some candy that I like (and Braden likes as well) because I pretty much deserve it for all my crafty mom Easter basket shenanigans. Fruit snacks like Annie’s Bunnies are always a hit, and the small boxes of vanilla yogurt raisins, which are Braden’s version of crack that I just buy at the grocery store (much less expensive than Amazon.) are always a winner, too.

We are so fortunate to have built-in playmates on our street, so we’re doing an easy potluck Easter breakfast after the kids do their Easter egg hunting. I picked up some Easter egg hunt signs from Target for the yard. Cute signs linked here and here. Getting paper plates and cups for them is another fun way to make the morning a little special for them. I picked up some at HomeGoods weeks ago because I go to HomeGoods and come home with a bag of random things every time. Tell me I’m not alone! I’ve seen the meme that basically says: I go to HomeGoods so it can tell me what I need not vice versa.

Cupcake toppers to put on muffins (store-bought or homemade) are super easy and I have Peter Rabbit ones I picked up at HomeGoods ( are you surprised?) and also saw these cute toppers the other day, too. I bought Braden a few things for his kids table that we’ve already been using like this plate, cup, napkin and utensil set. I bought a set of two so we will have for family breakfasts in the future because I’m a cheesy mom who likes to set up a kids’ table for holidays. Ben – don’t hate. We’ve been using these items the past week or so. I did a Thanksgiving kids table as well, which I shared in this post.

I have a feeling I’ve probably bought too many things and some items will end up getting saved for later. The good news is many of these items are perfect for using over and over again like the baskets or the books, so don’t feel too guilty for buying all this random stuff.

Let Amazon Prime be your friend and make your life easy if you’re still working on putting together baskets. Otherwise, I have seen plenty of cute items at my local Kroger, HomeGoods, Target, World Market, and Pottery Barn Kids. William Sonoma and Nordstrom have festive items, too.

My MIL gave me a Easter bunny cake mold recently, which Ben and his sister told me they remember as children. It’s 3D, sort of like this one. Honestly, this looks like something I could easily turn into a Pinterest fail. This looks really intimidating and sort of gives me anxiety to think about making it. Can you imagine how long it would take to make this? This link say it’s a weekend project. Um, no. If I get a big wave of energy, perhaps I will share my efforts.

If you have any other fun treats or Easter traditions, I’d love to hear!

0 Comments

Home Design + Decor kids kids decor

Kid’s Room Inspiration: Chalkboard & Magnetic Wall

March 6, 2018

I’ve wanted to create a chalk wall for Braden for awhile, so of course I turned to Pinterest for inspiration. I have two boards saved with playroom and kid’s room ideas here and here. Give me a follow on Pinterest while you’re there! https://www.pinterest.com/laureenloves/

We have a space upstairs that doubles as a playroom and game room, and I debated whether or not I wanted to create this space in there, but ultimately, I landed on putting this space in Braden’s room instead because:

1) We are in the process of shifting him to a new room that’s just a tad farther from the master bedroom that’s more of a “big kid” room. His current room that’s closer to the master will be for the new baby. In B’s new room, there’s a wall that needed something on it, so the chalkboard idea made sense here.

2) I wanted to create space that made him feel special and excited about the transition. We have a queen bed in his new room. When we made the transition to him being out of the crib, I didn’t think he would be ready to go straight to an adult size bed since he likes to move around quite a bit, so I thought easing into a toddler bed in his current room, which feels familiar to him, before moving him to a queen would be best.

While it’s been nice having this room double as an extra guest room, we’re not living in a McMansion with multiple guest rooms; we’re making one guest room downstairs,which is actually my new office — also a work in progress. I hope to share that soon! I’m definitely in nesting mode since I’m now in my second trimester and am no longer on bedrest, so I’m trying to maximize this time to get things done around the house. For me, this means it’s time to purge, organize and make some decisions when it comes to home decor. While on bedrest, I had a lot of time sitting, staring at blank walls, empty spaces and even boxes that still needed to be sorted through. Eek, I know. We’ve been in this house for almost a year, which I can’t even believe. While one would think you’d edit and purge before you moved to a new house, we did not because – well, because life. Building a house and moving while two people work full time jobs wore us down. I don’t think I ever want to move again.

Anyway, back to home decor. I think decorating is a marathon not a sprint, and I don’t have the budget or the decisiveness to pull the trigger on things and complete the transition from new house to new home. I love a curated home, and I’m definitely taking my time with picking up pieces here and there so I feel like our home has a personality. All that said, I’ve made quite the honey-do list for my handy husband and have prioritized rooms, with Braden’s being at the top of the list since he’s here and all. 😉 I don’t have the head space right now to think of the baby’s room yet (total second child problems already!).

So, that brings me to the chalk wall. I’m lucky in that I can show my husband a picture, and he can usually build what I want or tell me if it’s worth it to buy it. He’s my Ben of all trades!

Chalkboard and Magnet board details:

I wanted the chalk wall to also have a magnetic element to it. Braden is doing such a good job of learning his letters and our kitchen fridge is not magnetic. At our old house it was, and he was so good with learning all the different animals when he was younger while were in the kitchen cooking. Playing with magnets kept him entertained while we made dinner, so I would highly recommend these animal magnets for kids ages 1-2 and these letter magnets for kids ages 2.5 – 4.

I came across this chalkboard and magnet board, and I knew it would be perfect for B’s room. I love the barn door element. If I had my way, I’d have multiple barn doors around my house but alas, the hardware for barn doors is a little pricey. So, what a fun way to bring this element into the home and not break the bank. (I have a spot for a barn door in my house that we left open that we’ll put in one day. Don’t you worry, sweet husband. It’s on my list. 😉 ) I think this chalkboard is meant to be in a kitchen or mudroom, and I think hanging in these rooms would be fabulous, too! I’ve been finding some great things at this retailer lately. I bought this beautiful brass light fixture for our playroom/game room and I’m really happy with it. I’ll share more on that soon, but if you’re looking for a cool brass fixture, I highly recommend this one! And, good news — there’s a great sale going on now for up to 30% off, plus free shipping if you spend 100+. This sale ends on 3/6. Use code STOCKUP to take advantage of this amazing sale! I don’t think I’ve ever bought anything from this site without at least a 20% off coupon, so sign up for their email alerts so you know when the good sales are happening (which are pretty often!).

Details on the benches:

I have been a fan of navy buffalo check print for awhile and love that it has made a resurgence lately, probably due to Caitlin Wilson’s impeccable taste and design talent. I want EVERYTHING in her store and as soon as I win the lottery I will be buying tons of her rugs, throw pillows, and wrapping every room in grasscloth wallpaper, etc., etc., For now, her style serves as serious design inspo for me. So, when I saw these ottomans online, I knew I had to find a spot for them. I originally thought they would be great in front of B’s bed but I like them better in front of the chalkboard. B sits on them while he draws or plays and he can kneel on them if he needs to reach a little higher.

I plan to share more of Braden’s room once I get it a little more squared away. Same on my office! I’m sort of working in chaos right now. I hope you enjoyed this little peek into B’s room, and check back for more home posts soon!

Chalkboard & magnet board | I like a couple of others as well – Farmhouse chalkboard or Gray Chalkboard | Buffalo check ottomans | Galvanized Metal Letter

Animal magnets | Alphabet magnets | Eraser| Eraser & Chalk set

The links in this post contain affiliate links, and I will receive a small commission (AKA pennies) if you make a purchase after clicking on some of them. This is a mandatory FTC disclosure, which a lot of bloggers/influencers don’t follow, but I’m trying to follow the rules and be transparent. It takes some time to source things and share the things I love, and I’m happy to share the great things I come across, as I’m sure you might just love them as well. Thank you for your support and taking the time to read my blog!

0 Comments

Family

Family Update: Lucas Party of 4 Coming Soon

February 27, 2018

We feel blessed to be adding to our little family! I’ve been a little quiet online because life has been a mix of the eventful and uneventful the past few weeks. Adding another child to our family is something we’ve wanted for awhile. I know Braden will be the best big brother, and he has already been setting aside some broken toys and books with ripped pages for this little baby (how generous of him!) after telling him that he will have to share some of his things. 😉

I’ll hit the 22-week mark tomorrow, and I’m due July 4th. I’m genuinely happy and feel so, so thankful to be pregnant. However, I have to be honest and say that this pregnancy has not been all sunshine and roses for me. I’ve experienced a lot of anxiety this time around, and although I’m feeling so much better about everything, I still have my moments where I go down the rabbit hole of “what ifs” almost waiting for something bad to happen because I’m scarred from my last pregnancy. Part of the reason why I’ve been a bit quiet about this pregnancy has a lot to do with fear. I mentioned here and again in this post, but we lost a baby girl in Dec. 2016 when I was pretty far along in my pregnancy. I pretty much have PTSD from that experience, and I was definitely anxious the first trimester this time around. And, nauseous. Oh my gosh, the nausea and food aversions are so much worse this time. Bless my husband for being a trooper through it all and for being the most hands-on dad imaginable.

At 13 weeks, at the end of December, I had a scare that landed me in the ER that made me even more anxious and put me on bedrest for almost six weeks. I don’t use the word “blessed” very often, but I don’t really know how else to describe how I feel to be expecting a baby after everything we’ve been through.

Here’s my story that’s led me to where I am today, which is on my way to expecting a healthy baby. This is something both Ben and I don’t take for granted.

I went to the Texas Bowl game in Houston at NRG stadium at the end of Dec. with friends. I visited my OB that afternoon and all looked good with the baby, and I heard a strong heartbeat. I even had the conversation with her about how my chances of miscarriage at that point were pretty slim. I had no symptoms and no pain. I felt a sense of relief to be moving in a positive direction and to almost be in the second trimester. This wasn’t my first visit with my OB, as I was very honest about my anxiety after the way my second pregnancy turned out. That evening while in a crowd of thousands of people waiting to go up an escalator, I felt something strange. I was with my sweet friend Jeanette and thank goodness I was, as I don’t know what I would have done if I were by myself. I basically starting hemorrhaging. It’s a very scary feeling to look down and realize you’re standing in a puddle of blood and you’re covered in it. We rushed against the crowd so I could find a bathroom. I had never experienced anything like this, but I thought for sure I must be having a miscarriage. I was a bit in state of shock. I went into a bathroom and kept telling my friend I felt certain I was having a miscarriage and she called 911. Strangers were seeing the state I was in, the puddle of blood I was standing in and the mess I was creating. People were handing me paper towels and trying to offer comforting words all while my friend was on the phone with 911. We had taken an Uber there, and it was so crowded since it was about 15 minutes to the start of the game, so taking an ambulance to the hospital was really my only option unless I wanted to try to get an Uber and basically ruin someone’s car.

While in the bathroom, I was trying to call my husband who was out of town for work. I accidently dialed my mother-in-law instead since she was one of my recent Facetime calls. I Facetimed dialed my MIL while I was in the bathroom freaking out. I hear her voice start talking asking if I’m ok. Pretty sure most people do NOT want to Facetime with their MIL during that type of situation and told her to hang up because I was not ok and couldn’t talk. Of course, I scared her and she called my husband who then called me, and I told him I thought I was losing the baby. He was trying to calm me down and told me he would call my OB office emergency line and he’d call me right back. My OB happened to be on call, and he spoke with her, and she called me within a minute or two and she instructed me to get myself to the ER. She told me that if I was having a miscarriage, there was probably nothing that could be done to stop it, but with all the blood I was losing, I needed to get myself to the ER ASAP. Thankfully, NRG stadium is close to the med center, and my friend already called so it was just a matter of us getting to the ambulance. This was a crowded environment, but I felt fine to walk so we found the ambulance and they drove us to the ER. On our walk to the ambulance, I called my husband back and told him to get on a flight and come home, which he was already making arrangements to do. He was able to leave work quickly and catch the last flight out of Midland at 8pm to get to Houston by 9pm.

We rode to the hospital, and I was admitted really quickly and they immediately did an ultrasound. We saw the baby moving around and heard a strong heartbeat. I was so emotional at this point, crying out of relief and shock because I had convinced myself I had lost the baby at that point. After some of other testing and about 2.5 hours in the ER, the bleeding seemed to finally slow down and the ER doctor said it was a subchorionic hemorrhage. Basically, blood was collecting between the uterine wall and chorionic membrane. Some people have this and it’s why some women spot during pregnancy; my situation was different in that it sort of just collected and released all at once. Before leaving the ER, I had another sonogram to see the baby and hear the heartbeat. The doctor said he was surprised the baby was fine considering how much blood I lost. I was so relieved, but at the same time, still very emotional about the situation. My other good friend Katie skipped the game and came to the ER to be there with Jeanette and me. At that point, Ben had landed and it made sense for him to go home since we were about to leave the ER. We had a sitter for Braden that night, so Ben just ended up going straight home to relieve the sitter, and Katie drove me and Jeanette home. I am so grateful for my friends for being with me that night.

I was told to follow up with my OB the next day and instructed to stay on bedrest. After about a week on bedrest, my doctor said I could get up a bit more, but still take it easy. So, about a week after my ER visit, I had another episode of bleeding – much less severe, but still concerning — when I was out and about shopping with Ben, so at that point, I had to go back on strict bedrest. At my 15 week visit when I was doing an ultrasound, I guess the baby was getting big enough so more things could be seen. At that visit, I was diagnosed with placenta previa. This occurs when the placenta partially or totally covers the mother’s cervix – the outlet for the uterus. I am not a medical professional so I won’t get into all of this, but it causes severe bleeding for the mother, and depending on the severity of it can impact the pregnancy and delivery differently and put me at risk of hemorrhaging. After discussing best and worst case scenarios, bedrest at home became my new focus all to avoid hospital bedrest and danger for me and the baby.

There’s no rhyme or reason to why this happened, but pretty much just bad luck. I was told to stay on strict bedrest until the baby grew bigger. Bedrest means being in bed or sitting. No walking around, doing chores or standing for long periods. When you have 3.5-year-old and a husband who is typically gone half the month, this isn’t ideal by any means. I had to stop lifting Braden and adjust how I interacted with him because I couldn’t lift anything (or anyone) heavy, so no more picking up my 32 lb. baby to snuggle when he asked. Ben was home for three weeks right after it happened taking the best care of our little family. My mom came and stayed with me as well once Ben went back to work for two weeks. I was on bedrest for a total of 6 weeks.

At this point, my restrictions have recently been lifted to be on “light activity” since having a recent sonogram that showed the previa seems to be shifting. A partial or marginal previa often goes away or doesn’t cause the complications that a complete previa does. So, I will continue to be monitored a little more closely, but the MFM (maternal fetal medicine) doctor I saw believes the previa will go away or continue to be a partial previa, which is a much better scenario. So, things seem to be moving in a positive direction, which is a huge relief.

Bedrest was hard for me, as I am not a sedentary person, and I just got achy sitting around all day. I haven’t been able to exercise at all during this pregnancy, which is atypical for me. Bedrest has given me a lot of time to think and worry, which isn’t healthy, I know. I even bought a heartbeat baby monitor so I can check the baby’s heartbeat regularly for more peace of mind. I’ve prayed a lot during all of this, hoping for a healthy baby, and I know that has helped given me some peace about the situation. I’ve had a lot of family and friends praying for our family, and I appreciate it immensely. I truly feel blessed that we are moving toward having a healthy baby.

Now that I work from home, I was still able to continue with my work, but I did have to pull back on some things and cancel some meetings. This was frustrating for me as someone who is working to start up a business, but I knew it was for the best. I had to live day by day for a while or I would get too far down a rabbit hole of fear and anxiety. I am so glad I transitioned to working from home as I am much less stressed with the environment and schedule I now have, plus it gave me the flexibility I needed to stick to bedrest.

I don’t think I’ve been able to enjoy this pregnancy yet since I’ve been stressed, but I am starting to get there. We really are so, so happy to be adding to our family. Both Ben and I dreamed of a future with two children, and I feel grateful we’re on our way to completing our family. We do know the gender, but we’re keeping that to ourselves for a bit longer, but we’ll reveal soon. I’ll try to provide more updates as things progress.

More soon!

Photos by Katie Hill Photography

4 Comments

Family Holiday kids

Holiday Pajamas for Kids

December 18, 2017

christmas pajamas, holiday pajamas for kids, matching PJs

matching holiday pajamas, Christmas Pajamas for kids

Jack is a little skeptical of Braden’s affection.

matching holiday pajamas, Christmas Pajamas for kids

Kids in matching pajamas might be one of my favorite things ever. We had some family visit a few weeks ago, and I couldn’t resist getting some matching holiday PJs for Braden and his cousin Jack. They’re both at such a fun age right now where they can start to play together. Gifting matching holiday pajamas for siblings or cousins is a tradition I hope to continue!

Honestly, kids in matching clothing is sort of the best thing ever. I used to wonder why people did it all the time, but I get it now. I tried to get matching family pajamas for us this year, but Ben refused. I will have to be content with mommy and me outfits for now.

I’ve linked a few more that are super cute and still available that you can get in time for Christmas! All the ones below I’ve linked are unisex and would look great on boys and girls (the ones I picked up for Braden and Jack are only available in one size, so snag them if you need a 3T. They’re from Old Navy, and they were really affordable!)

Red and green fair isle unisex PJs

Red and white bear fair isle PJs

Santa sleepwear

matching holiday pajamas, Christmas Pajamas for kids, toddler Pajamas

0 Comments

Family Holiday Home Design + Decor kids

Thanksgiving Kids’ Table & Tips for Entertaining Kids During the Holidays

November 10, 2017

I just love the holiday season, and Thanksgiving might be one of my favorite holidays because it’s a great time to get together to see family and friends. Because of the season of life we’re in, it means we are often accommodating to feeding and entertaining children who come over for these family and friendsgiving get-togethers. Eating is still hit or miss for us with a toddler, so keeping him occupied while food prep is happening is key. I love putting crayons and stickers out for the kids to get a little crafty with before they eat dinner!

In my head I’d like to think I can create amazing Pinterest-inspired tablescapes, but in reality, I’m barely getting by, so this Thanksgiving kids’ table setting is very accessible for anyone using some basic festive items you can get at Target or Amazon. Some of my decor like the chair backers and plates I picked up on sale from Pottery Barn Kids in previous years, but you can find pretty similar pieces out now like these backers and plates that are adorable. I found some other kids’ table decor items that are on sale like these plates, bowls, placemats and napkins.

I’ve included a few tips below for keeping the kiddos happy and occupied while the adults are mingling or doing food prep.

Tips for Keeping Kids Entertained during Thanksgiving

Crayons with built-in coloring placements are perfect for the kids’ table, and it also gives you the opportunity to talk to your kids about what they’re thankful for this season so you can write down those memories. I’m a sucker for my my kid’s homemade art, so having him color a place setting every year and seeing how they progress over the years is something I plan to do for the next few years. We are having our second annual Friendsgiving ( pot luck get-together with all my yummy holiday favorites) so I’ll probably use this tablecloth for a larger kids’ table.
These cute pumpkins are festive and are great way to bribe the kids to eat some veggies. These little jelly pumpkins are delicious, too.
Give them some things to keep them entertained after dinner, too. I’ve filled the chair backers with fall stickers, playdoh and bubbles, which are all some of Braden’s favorite things right now.
Make things personalized. I love the little place card settings, as it makes each child feel special and causes them to know they have specific spot claimed at the table which, in turn, might make them stay put for a little longer than usual. 🙂

I feel like I’m learning new tips all the time about being a mom and dealing with toddlers. If you have any secrets for making the holidays fun and stress-free for the whole family, I’d love to hear them!

This table and chairs are my husband’s from his childhood. He can remember eating at this table with his siblings during the holidays, and I just love that we have it now and Braden is using it everyday. I have dreams of B and his cousins eating together at this little table! We did repaint it to make it feel a little more modern.

0 Comments

Older Posts

Instagram