Our Home: The Playroom, From Preschoolers to Teens

Chrissy Serrano March 21, 2019

In our previous 1970s home, we pulled out the chandelier from our unused dining room and turned the room into a playroom for our 4 little ones. It worked out so well! Right off the kitchen, our children played and colored and got into their toys close by, toddling into the kitchen to show us this or ask us that.

But when we built our forever home, we were building for our present family, and also our family’s future. Robbie, our oldest, is now almost 11- a playroom close by to Mommy and Daddy just doesn’t have the appeal it did when he was 5. I used to beam with pride over our centrally located playroom we created, but at this point a playroom right off our kitchen wouldn’t be ideal for our family. That served its’ purpose beautifully, but it is not the stage of our life we are in anymore with our kids getting older (and louder) and more independent.

The Look For Less.... Or More!

Chrissy Serrano March 15, 2019

Who doesn’t love a good dupe? Today I’m showing off some dynamic duos and terrific trios that are all quite similar, but with prices that are decidedly different. I’m also reviewing my kitchen table that looks very similar to a table 4 times the cost of what I paid.

Our Home: The Pantry + How I Organized My Kitchen On a Budget

Chrissy Serrano March 14, 2019

I was so excited when we built our home to make my pantry my dream pantry! I didn’t exactly have a specific plan (mistake number 1), so I just asked for built in shelving, a built in spice rack, an electrical outlet and plenty of space.

One thing I did RIGHT was install the overhead light on a motion sensor! I didn’t want to be reminding the kids (ok and Jose) to turn off the light every time they went into the pantry for a snack 928974 times a day. One thing I WISHED I did was have the pantry door on a swinging hinge. It’s always left open and I would just prefer the door stayed shut. A future rainy day project perhaps….

An Honest Holiday Toy Guide Of Our Most Played With Toys, Part 2

Chrissy Serrano December 2, 2018

Hello! This is Part 2 of my Honest Holiday Toy Guide, focusing on our most beloved and well loved toys we already own, particularly for kids ages 1-7. If you are looking for older kid’s toys you will want to take a look at Part 1.

A quick run down on why this toy guide is different from other guides and why it is so helpful:

ALL of these are toys we actually OWN, that my kids have loved for years!

All of these toys can be found on Amazon or Target, with ONE exception

What Your Holiday Party Is Missing: The Boozy Hot Chocolate Poptail

Chrissy Serrano November 27, 2018

Looking for a rich after dinner treat to serve your guests this holiday season? Offer up these indulgent spiked hot chocolates for something they will remember through out the coming year! Or better yet, simply set out the hot chocolate, the toppings, a choice of spirits, and let your guests assemble these Poptails for themselves!

Styling Guide: Refreshing or Creating a Bar Area At The Holidays!

Styling Guide: Creating a Bar Area At The Holidays + Beyond, and Some Fun Wall Decals

Chrissy Serrano November 26, 2018

I am refreshing our bar area just in time for the holidays! No actual bar? Dedicate a small you counter space in your kitchen, or use the top of a low cabinet near or in the kitchen, or some of you lucky ones out there have a full wet bar (ok, jealous). In my last home I found a bar cart at the thrift store that I cleaned up. (On actual wheels! This was before Target came along and started selling bar carts. Does that make it any cooler?)

The Lazy Girl's Guide To Easy Holiday Entertaining

Chrissy Serrano November 24, 2018

When it’s my turn to host, what food to serve my guests is an after thought. I am just trying to put pants on all my kids, okay? And get the counters cleared off if I’m lucky. I am not above asking my guests to pick up some take-out on the way here!

We entertained some friends this past weekend and with the holiday mood, it was the perfect opportunity to try out Sprout’s Catering Trays and some of their other easy to prepare foods! Lazy Girls of the world, I got you. It’s not all or nothing. I have a some great time saving hacks for you to mimic at your holiday get togethers and feel like a success!

How I've Documented Our Family Memories For 6 Years with A Blurb Family Year Book

What I've Done With Our Family Photos For Going On Six Years

Chrissy Serrano November 19, 2018

As a mom of 4, I question my own abilities to be a good fit for this mom job daily. I am unorganized, overwhelmed, I yell when I’m mad, my kids probably watch far too much tv, the list goes on.

One thing I am completely on top of though is making sure our family memories will not be forgotten! I am not doing all this for nothing! My kids need to KNOW, they need to SEE their childhood and how much we loved on them. At the end of each year, I create a large hardcover family photo book. Now that we are wrapping up 2018, I am about to create my 6th family year book! So I will forget it’s show + tell day and I will be late almost everywhere we go, but I will never, EVER miss printing out that darn family year book!

All Your Holiday Pajama Favorites In One Place!

Christmas + Holiday Pajama Favorites 2018, and a PBK Photo Shoot

Chrissy Serrano November 15, 2018

All my favorites holiday pajamas in one place! If you saw my stories on instagram I was sharing a few good deals of Christmas jammies ($10!) and I knew I needed to put these all together. So here are all the holiday pajamas speaking to me this Christmas!

The Best Faux Garlands For The Holiday: From Budget On Up!

The Best Faux Garlands For The Holidays: From Budget On Up

Chrissy Serrano November 12, 2018

Last year over Christmas we had just moved into our home. Decorating felt crazy when we had barely unpacked. I bought a faux garland from Costco right after Thanksgiving to liven the house up. Gosh it was pretty. I had it around my stairs and above my fireplace. Well thanks to all the heat from the fireplace and the sunlight that tends to drench our stairs, it was dried and crispy to the touch 2 weeks later. I tried misting, but it was so dead and depressing- I tossed it just before Christmas. Of course some homes will do better than others, but this year I am going faux!

An Honest Holiday Toy Guide of Our Most Played With Toys! PART 1

Chrissy Serrano November 7, 2018

Not only do I have 4 kids but sometimes I feel like I have owned every toy ever made at one point in Mom life. That makes me an adult toy expert, right? Being a toy expert is actually good for nothing…. except when someone needs gift advice!

Why this list is so helpful:

ALL of these are toys we actually OWN, that my kids have loved for years!
ALL of these toys can be found on Amazon
This is not sponsored or a list of toys I am getting paid to promote.

A Round Up of Little Girls Holiday Dresses for Every Style + Budget!

Chrissy Serrano October 25, 2018

Yes! It’s here! I have been so excited with putting this post together. Every year I like to pick out my girls’ Christmas dresses early. I am always afraid the ones I want will sell out. The girls wear their dresses to a few occasions throughout the season- we take them to go see the Nutcracker, we try to hit one touring Broadway show a season, and Christmas mass. I haven’t ever done matching but I do prefer similar prints and styles.

The Secrets to an Efficient Kitchen Desk You Actually Use!

Secrets to an Efficient Kitchen Desk You Will Actually Use

Chrissy Serrano October 20, 2018

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!

Best Children's Halloween Books 2018: Baby - Middle School

Chrissy Serrano October 11, 2018

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!

6 Tricks for Happy School Day Mornings

Chrissy Serrano October 8, 2018

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!

A Review of My Favorite Serena and Lily Pieces

Chrissy Serrano October 5, 2018

*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!

A Fall + Halloween House Tour

Chrissy Serrano October 1, 2018

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! 😉

Best Gifts for New Moms

Chrissy Serrano September 26, 2018

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!

Quick and Creative Halloween Costumes For Kids Using What You Have

Chrissy Serrano September 24, 2018

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:

Making A Playroom Pop

Chrissy Serrano September 18, 2018

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!