The 4th of July is quickly becoming one of my favorite holidays thanks to an annual tradition started by a some great friends of ours. It pays to know people in high places and as a result we get to spend the 4th of July with a private seat at a local country club’s fireworks display. No crowds. No traffic. Just friends.
For more Wordless Wednesday, head over to 5 Minutes for Mom!
I feel like it has been forever since I blogged. But things around here have been crazy. Which is just par for the course. But I have this hilarious story about how I have scarred my children forever because of a practical joke gone wrong. And I swear I’ll tell it later this week. You won’t want to miss out on it because, honestly? It is even funnier than the time I terrified a whole class of preschoolers with a runaway hen. No kidding.
In the meantime, let me tell you about Easter. And my quest to sew the kids’ Easter outfits.
I’m taking private sewing lessons from the nicest & most talented seamstress ever. She puts up with my incessant babbling & teaches me how to make cool things while I’m at it. And it was her idea for me to sew the kids’ Easter outfits which turned out to be brilliant because they were adorable. (I only sewed Trav’s tie, but still? So cute!)
Here’s proof:
Doesn’t Traveler totally look like a mini version of Orville Redenbacher? I think so. And I love it.
We spent Easter day going to church, hanging out with family, planting in our garden, & hunting for chocolate filled eggs. Doesn’t get much better than that. It was wonderful.
We’re back to real life now and though I think life is so much better when it is a four day weekend, I’m ready for reality again.
How about you? How was your Easter?
Can I just say that Christmas gets better with each passing year? I think that our Christmas experience is better a) the more kids we have and b) the older these kids get. I am loving Christmas more and more.
This post is one of those posts I write so that my kids will have a recap in 20 years. So, bear with me a moment as I recap the Loving family Christmas of 2009:
Christmas WIN:
Sending out Christmas cards.
Christmas FAIL:
Sending out Christmas cards on December 23rd.
Christmas WIN:
Keeping our Christmas Eve eve tradition alive. Per the usual, we had a sack of Krystal burgers in a picnic on the floor while watching cheesy Christmas movies. It’s why the girls call Krystal burgers “Christmas burgers.” And it is one of my favorite Christmas traditions.
Christmas FAIL:
Planning to make delicious homemade bread and butter as gifts for friends & family and then coming down with the plague the weekend before Christmas. That will teach us to wait until the last minute to do those things.
Christmas WIN:
Our church set out on a mission to encourage the congregation to commit “Intentional Acts of Christmas” throughout the holiday season. It made Christmas so amazing and it is a habit we’re planning to continue throughout the year. Our Intentional Acts of Christmas were as follows: provide 3 days worth of food for 6 families who are suffering from food insecurity, pay for the food of the stranger in the drive-thru behind us, leave a tip for our server equal to the amount of our bill, bring doughnuts to our local fire station. By the end of the month, the kids were looking for ways to help people all around us and it caused them to think of everyday places and experiences differently. It caused us to look at the world around us with potential kind deeds in mind and I we’re going to turn this into a tradition of committing Intentional Acts of Kindness throughout the year.
Christmas FAIL:
Feeling guilty about finally having the “simpler” Christmas I’ve been wanting for years. We finally had a Christmas with fewer presents and less waste. And while I should have felt relieved not to have extra crap all over the house, I mostly felt like I didn’t love my kids enough to buy them tons of stuff they didn’t need in the first place. Which should show you how deeply entrenched I am in the whole commercialized/materialistic/presents=love mentality. And that is a little scary.
Christmas WIN:
My kids on the other hand? They didn’t notice a thing. The only thing on their Christmas list (I kid you not) was a snow globe so when they had piles of presents under the tree they were thrilled. Then they discovered Santa brought them kittens and, well, it was the best Christmas in Loving family history. So, go us.
Which brings us to…
Christmas WIN/FAIL:
Kittens. On the one hand, it is nice to have snuggly warm kittens playing all over the house. On the other hand, more animals?!?!?!? And also, they started climbing the Christmas tree two hours into Christmas and I can’t imagine what insane hijinks they’ll be up to next. I think Thomas secretly thinks I agreed to kittens because I realized that it could potentially provide tons and tons of good blogging material.
So, was it the best Christmas on the books for the Lovings? I think so. It was simple and peaceful and filled with good friends and family. And, really, what more could you ask for?
The first Christmas is the hardest one for me. I look forward to it. Shop like crazy. And build it up in my head as the best Christmas ever. Inevitably, all of my children have ended up sleeping through the present opening and being completely disinterested in everything I got them. So, this year I’m trying to think a bit simpler about Trav’s first Christmas. I’ll be picking up a few little toys and some more practical items and hoping that I can actually get the combo right. And in case you’re interested in what a total non-expert is picking up for her baby’s first Christmas, here is my guide to (my) baby’s first Christmas presents:
1. Something to sort, play with, and chew on. Aren’t those a baby’s three most favorite playtime activities? It’s definitely my baby’s three favorite playtime activities. So, here a few of the chewy, sorty playthings he’ll be getting this year.
Playskool Wheel Pals Racing Fleet, $18.99 — I got the chance to try the garden themed version of these out a couple weeks ago and Traveler loved them. They’re simple and chunky and perfect for little hands. Plus, I love that they feel very boyish since this is the first time I’ve ever gotten to buy boy toys!
Toss ‘n Play Crazy Ball, $26 — I love this ball! It’s soft, colorful, and made by a momprenuer. What’s not to like? I think it’s going to be a great little toy for Trav to play with!
Egg & Cup and Peg & Cup Montessori baby toys, $10 — I love these little toys. They are so simple and are great for developing fine motor skills.
2. Something to sip on. When I did a totally informal Twitter poll of what other moms give as a baby’s 1st Christmas present sippy cups were high on the list. And I think it is a pretty great idea and I’m totally stealing it for this year. I’ve been researching good BPA-free cups and here are a couple that look like they’d be good for a transitioning baby.
NUBY BPA Free Flip-it Straw top sippy, $6.99
3. Something to wear. Babies (my babies, at least) are always in need of cute clothes. And for the 1st Christmas I like to take advantage of the limited time period when I can able to buy them clothes as a present without them complaining. So, Trav is getting a few cute things to wear this year. Etsy has a ton of great sellers who have the most adorable baby clothes. Not the least of which is this cowboy onesie from bambinamia. You have to check out their store because they have the most adorable things for babies and toddlers!
Yoda hat, $25 — Okay, so Trav already has this, but if you’re looking for an adorable hat for your little one you have to check out this Etsy store. It is hands down my favorite! Not to mention, every where we go people stop us and tell us how much they love this hat. And if you’re little one is more the Princess Leia type she’s got one of those hats, too!
So that’s it. My not-so-revolutionary gift guide to a baby’s 1st Christmas. Stuff to chew on, stuff to sip from, and stuff to wear. We’re keeping it simple this year. And I like it better already.
(Dear FTC, all items in this list are things I have picked out on my own for Trav’s 1st Christmas. I did receive Playskool Wheel Pals to try beforehand and have since purchased a set on my own. I was not paid for any reviews in this post. Love, Me.)
Our Thanksgiving Warm-up preparations are still very much underway. And with 40 guests descending on our house this weekend, I have so much to do to get ready. Especially since we always try to entertain as well as we can without breaking the bank. Which means we have double the work to do since we’re not paying to have caterers, florists, or other trained professionals help us get things ready.
So, I thought this week I’d share my favorite tips for saving money when hosting a big dinner party or other event.
1. DIY. My philosophy when it comes to party planning is why pay someone else to do it when we can do it ourselves? That means baking cakes, cooking food, arranging flowers, and prepping all on our own. I actually once created an entire sushi themed cake by finding a how-to online and dyeing, rolling and shaping my own fondant. It was so much easier than I thought and saved me a lot of money. I know DIY seems like a no-brainer, but there is plenty out there that you can pay people to do for you and if you’re looking to save money it’s totally possible to do them yourself. I’ve had my share of parties where I delegate these things to knowledgeable (and expensive) professionals but I know that if I’m trying to save $ then I can always hit the web and find easy tips for DIY solutions.
2. Get creative. Sometimes saving money means finding solutions in strange places. For instance, this year we are putting two 60″ round tables outside and converting the carport into a really fun outdoor room. Seeing as how I don’t have extra 120″ table cloths laying around and dressing a table well can be expensive we got creative. We found that canvas drop cloths (the kind you find at Lowe’s for painting) actually make a pretty nice looking table cloth. And since we could buy one super huge one and cut it into two we saved a ton of money. We even bought a couple and converted them into outdoor curtains for our carport since actual outdoor curtains are so costly. I can’t wait to share pics after the event because they really are going to be pretty. And afterwards I can use them when we paint our kitchen cabinets!
3. Garage sales and thrift stores and Goodwill, Oh my! Never underestimate the value of these places! We’ve been making stops for the last month and a half at thrift stores in the area looking for the extra seating we knew we’d need to accommodate 40 guests. We’ve managed to get almost all the folding chairs we’ll need for less than $4 each because we’ve taken our time and gathered them every time we saw them at thrift stores. This works for other entertaining essentials like platters, pitchers, etc. It helps if you have a kind of eclectic sense of style to begin with. we’re what you might call…quirky. Or tacky. Whichever. But, if you look hard enough you can find things to fit any style or taste level. People give some beautiful things to thrift stores when they’re done with them.
4. Potluck. My favorite thing about our Thanksgiving Warm-up is that we do the turkey and a few other sides and then leave it up to the guests to bring their favorite recipes. The whole point of our party is to try new recipes and have a kind of practice run for everyone so it works perfectly. But, it also makes the party itself much less expensive to host. When you’re only providing one or two foods for guests and not the whole spread it makes a huge difference.
5. Procrastinate. I fell into this one by accident a couple years ago, but it has served me well. One year I put off picking up Thanksgiving Warm-up decor until the week of the actual party and was happy to find that all of the Thanksgiving decor at Joann’s Fabric was heavily discounted. This year I bought all of the floral pieces we needed at 70% off because I waited until last weekend to pick it up. Now, I suppose you could plan ahead and buy clearance Thanksgiving after the fact and save it for next year, but since there are very few lists that actually encourage procrastination I thought I’d throw that out there. Besides, where’s the adrenaline rush in actually doing things early?
So, here’s where you get to play along. What are your best tips for saving money on Thanksgiving or other big events? I’d love to know your favorite money saving moment from hosting a party!
Before I was married Thanksgiving was hands-down my least favorite holiday. I called it an “old people holiday.” I thought it was boring, depressing, & dull. But something happened after I got my very first casserole dish at a wedding shower. I fell in love with the potential that it held. Thoughts of french fried onions and cream of mushroom soup danced through my head. I longed for a chance to use that dish.
Fast forward 8 years (has it really been that long??) and Thanksgiving has become one of my favorite holidays.
And one of my favorite pre-Thanksgiving traditions we have is our Thanksgiving Warm-up party. Every year we have a party for friends & family to come and practice their favorite dishes before the big day. It’s a Thanksgiving pre-quel of sorts. Thomas usually cooks two turkeys trying out different recipes while everyone else brings salads, sides, breads, & desserts. It’s a full fledged Thanksgiving dinner. Because our theory is that the only thing better than celebrating Thanksgiving is celebrating it twice.
This year I’m extending Thanksgiving Warm-up to my blog. From now until Thanksgiving I’ll be posting recipes, tips, & various guides to all things Thanksgiving. Not to mention, I’ll be asking for some advice, recipes & entertaining tips from you guys as well!
Bear with me while I shamelessly share pictures of my kids. Sometimes I have to be one of those moms. I can’t help myself. It’s just that Halloween is one of my all-time favorite days of the year. I mean, who doesn’t love dressing your kids up so you they can get free candy?
Raggedy Ivy
Kitty Cat Kai
Yoda Traveler Was
Our little Fortune Tellers
The girls gave Halloween a trial run the other weekend at a local Halloween fair. Should I be embarrassed that Fortune Teller style garb seems to be a staple of our everyday wardrobes?
This weekend was one of those rare perfect weekends where time with friends and family have a way of reminding you just how blessed you are to have so many incredible people in your life.
I could write a whole post about how much we love our friends and how blessed we have been to be a part of many wonderful small group Bible studies. But, I won’t because my friend, dewde, already said it better than I could.
Plus, he has an awesome video from this weekend to prove it.
Check out his post here. It makes me teary eyed every time…
I am two-years-old, rosy cheeked and sitting nestled on my mom’s lap. I am surrounded to the right by my Mimi (grandma) and to the left by my Grandma Glady (great-grandma).
It is a cocoon of motherhood with me nestled into the middle. The collective wisdom of this council of motherhood drips from the washed out photograph in my mind.
Being a mother is the hardest job I know. I mean that not as a way to disparage other jobs or to exalt mothers above all others. I simply mean, for me, being a mother is not a naturally easy thing. Most days I feel more like the unqualified babysitter for these amazing creatures who have been entrusted into my care. I feel like an imposter. A pretend mother. As if I came straight out of a booth on Canal Street and was marketed to a tourist looking for a cheap imitation to fool everyone around her.
But these women? Surely these women have never felt this way. These women parented through the Great Depression. Or persevered through disease. Or built businesses while they grew families.
And most days I am lucky to get dressed.
In my heart, my mother, my grand-mother, and my great grand-mother are perfect moms. Moms who always knew how to respond to their children. Moms who were strong enough to keep trials and obstacles from stealing their children’s innocence. Moms who had the answer to every parenting question I could ever have.
But, though my heart finds them perfect my mind knows the truth. These mothers, the ones who’s collective mothering shaped my being in a domino effect of parenting, were mothers just like me. Flawed. Imperfect. Uncertain. But, ultimately, mothers who poured their hearts into their children. Mothers who loved. Mothers who got up every morning and tried again to be a better mother than the day before.
And that is all their children could ask for. It is all anyone can ask for.
Today I celebrate Mother’s Day as a mother and as a child. Today I will hug my mom and tell her how much I love her. Just like I did yesterday and the day before.
Because mother’s day is not just about loving or being loved for the sake of one greeting card holiday a year. It is a celebration of the unsurpassed love that mothers and children have for each other. It is a celebration of our best efforts and the efforts of all those who have shaped us.
Today I celebrate my mother. And her mother. And the mother before her.
And I will remember to celebrate them every day because of who they made me and how they shaped me.
LandofLovings | 
07 6th, 2010| 
