Perhaps you’re like us, and you don’t have an actual office in your home. We don’t have the need for a full separate office- but we did need a dedicated space to work for small amounts of time, while still being centrally located with the children. I know kitchen desks are supposedly “outdated”, but for us it was exactly what we wanted!
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Hiiii friends! October is one of my favorite times to get out our old books from the Halloween bin & find a few new ones…. so many gems. I have Halloween book recs for you from baby all the way up to middle schoolers, since those are my children’s ages. Hopefully something for everyone- and I tell you my very favorites too!
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Disclaimer: I confess something in this post that I'm certain none of you have ever done.
1. Start your child's day off with a 20 second hug right when they wake up. I read somewhere (heres a link) that hugging for a minimum of 20 seconds triggers a release of the neurotransmitter oxytocin. Oxytocin is a hormone in our brain that makes us feel connected to someone and safe and cared for! All those warm fuzzy feelings you want your child to feel. So when they climb out of their beds all cute and sleepy in their pajamas, bend down and give them a 20 second squeeze!
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*My review is not sponsored in any way by Serena & Lily*
If I could only pick ONE place to buy everything in my home from, (and money was endless 😝) without even skipping a beat I would pick Serena and Lily. Their cool, refined California style-- upscale but totally livable- it makes me want to jump inside their catalogue! Like most good things in life it comes with a price, so I always buy something during their family & friends sale. It is going on now and they are running 20% off everything (code HOMELOVE) through October 15th.
I’ve compiled all my favorite picks at the bottom of the post, but first I am reviewing all the items I own and have in my home!
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My kids have been begging to decorate for Halloween since I accidentally roamed the Target aisle in September and had to decorate our mantel early! I did hold off on pulling the Halloween bin down from the attic until last week, and the kids got SO into it. This post is picture heavy with a tour of all our decor- I hope it gives you inspiration as you decorate for fall in your home! And if nothing else, slap down a pumpkin and a few plastic spiders and call it a day! 😉
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Whether you are a new mom with your first babe or a mom with your 4th newborn like I was not long ago, convenience remains top priority in those early days. IncrediBundles is a diapers and wipes subscription service that makes it easy to always have diapers and wipes on hand!
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Every year I want my kids to look creative with non store costumes but I also want the least amount of work on my end. I like to have my cake and eat it too, ya know? For this post I dressed my kids up in 8 different costumes only using items we have in our home, just a few things out of my craft box, and not spending more than 15 minutes putting each one together.
Consider this… the Lazy Mom’s Guide to Halloween:
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Today I am giving you a sneak peek of the playroom I have been working on, which is not quite complete. Our playroom is on the 3rd floor of our home; we finished off the attic and turned the whole space into a playroom with a small full bath attached (in case it is ever needed as a bedroom). There is a game closet and in addition to that darn TV, most of the kids’ toys and crafts are all kept up here- so it is the first place they head to when they wake up on weekends!
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In my mind Halloween decor goes one of two ways: impressively over-the-top and perhaps a bit grotesque, or toned down and adorable. Since my kids are still small, I like to use Halloween decorations that are cute and adorable, instead of spooky or grotesque. I am also fairly minimal.
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Instead of admiring that pretty fall porch across the street this year, pretty up your own porch! It shouldn’t take a lot of money or ‘stuff’ because fall colors pack such a punch- a little goes a long way.
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I used to only shop at Gap, Nordstrom and Old Navy Kids for my daughters' dresses religiously because they always had the best dresses that I could find. I still shop their girls department frequently, but in the past few years I discovered some online shops that I shop from all the time!
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Our youngest two, Camille + Leo, started preschool today and I had some fun with their first day of preschool pictures!
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Decorating for fall… my house is so summery with all the blue and shiplap, I feel like it’s a must to bring in some fall tones this time of year! I am rounding up a handful of my favorite fall things you can bring into your home to feel all those fall vibes.
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Drop zones or mudrooms can be simple or elaborate- but they all have two must haves: hooks and a bench. Our previous home was built in the 1970s and we had 1 dark, cramped closet that served as a drop zone for the 6 of us. Because of that I made sure to put a window in this room! I kept the design fairly simple though; my priority was on creating as much space as possible. I did give each child a few cubbies and put in a small mail zone for us by the garage door!
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After living in our home for 9 months with an empty dining room, we are ready to tackle Project Dining Room!
The project goes like this: I talk to my husband about the pros and cons of a million different ways I could style the room, show him pictures of various ideas and ask questions without waiting for his answer. He says things like "hmmm" over and over and stares at his phone. Once I make up my mind, I tell him the price of everything, wait a few days for him to absorb the shock, and then he says Ok babe, just do it already.
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(This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market. This is the 3rd + final post; part 1 is here and part 2 can be read here.)
Sprouts of Durham is open to the public as of this morning. I got the grand tour last night, & left with 2 bags full of groceries!
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This is a total mom thing to say, but I think our family's traditions will be the secret sauce that keeps our family ties strong over time!
Whew. Ok, I said it. I'll just be over here putting on my mom jeans and my old Reeboks now.
Today I'm talking about real life ideas for little traditions that you can easily put into action with your own crew. Sometimes the kids will whine or it won't go as planned, and that's ok, your tradition is not ruined. It is not about everything-was-perfect-with-magical-matching-outfits-and-instagram-worthy-pictures (although I do love those so much!!). It's about simply repeating something - together with your people - in a positive way, just like you did last year and the year before, and building on those memories.
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Annnnd I have a new favorite room in my house! Too bad it's not my own room... and too bad the 4 year old owner of the room just smiled and shrugged when he saw the transformation. But, Leo has been pretty vocal about his indifference the whole time. Boys... what can you do?
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A few weeks ago I wrote a post listing the most stylish backpacks for elementary aged kids... but mini backpacks might be even cuter! Because everything smaller is more fun, right? They are more affordable because of their size... and that is a way I tell my husband I saved us money! 😆 All of these are under $60, but most fall far under that cut off.
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When we built our home, we squeezed our guest bath just a little bit smaller than we originally planned so that we could put more room in the pantry. As a mom, I wanted that pantry to have SPACE. I knew in order to keep my sanity I needed room for food (lets be honest, snacks) on hand at all times. There is nothing worse than 4 hangry kids and you haven't gone to the store in a week so all you have to offer is stale crackers and a can of beans! Not that I would know anything about that! 😉
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