How To Use Toys In Your Home Design

I'm hardly a home designer! However, I am a mom to two wild & crazy little boys and I don't love clutter. It stresses me out. Chaos is just a stress trigger for me so when I can cut down on things triggering me, I always try to.Toys can be so hard to contain! My first piece of advice is always to purge, purge, purge. I used to really struggle with getting toys for great prices at yard sales or…

Our Trip To Magnolia!

If you've followed me for any period of time, then you probably know I have a deep love for all things Fixer Upper! I've wanted to visit Magnolia Farms in Waco, Texas for years now. On our cross country trip, it worked out perfectly to stop in and spend two days with some friends we have in the area. They were so gracious hosts, and it was so NICE to have space to spread out after sleeping in hotels four…

Simplified Hosting & Gifting With Lobstergram! [+an exclusive promo!]

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Lobstergram.  All opinions expressed are my own, and I only work with brands that I trust & know will be relevant for my readers' family! Two of our favorite things in our household are simplicity and seafood.  To have those things combined would be a dream scenario for our family! So, when Lobstergram reached out to tell me more about their product: I was stunned to learn these things existed together already! I knew…

How Shutterfly Is Simplifying Christmas!

Disclosure: Thanks to Shutterfly for sending our family these beautiful cards!  All opinions expressed are my own. Every year, we get our cards from Shutterfly.  I have loved the quality of all their products for years, but fell in love with their accordion style cards a few years back.  I love to talk about our year, sharing the highs and lows.  My husband was in the military for years, so we've collected friends across the country.  No, the world!  Try as…

Holiday Focus: Cheap Decorations and Traditions!

I have said it countless times on this blog of mine, but I love the holidays.  I fully admit to being one of those people. As my children get older and our season of life begins to shift a bit, the holidays just keep sweeter around here.  With that said, I just don't think it is acceptable to break your bank for holidays.  You can make your home beautiful and festive, you can have special traditions, and make amazing memories…

Do Something Good Advent Calendar: 25 Days Of Good Deeds!

We're a Catholic family, and we tend to take advent quite seriously.  I love to think about preparing my heart for Jesus to be born, but over the years I haven't felt connected to the candy advent calendars so we've always done an activity advent calendar.  So, for example, we'd watch a Christmas film together or drive around and look at lights.  What I realized is that we weren't doing anything we wouldn't do anyway, and we certainly didn't have…

Gift Guide For The Next Generation Of Harry Potter Lovers!

Disclosure:  We received some LEGO products and the Kano Harry Potter for free for consideration.  Most of the LEGO sets featured in this post are actually from Liam's birthday presents!  [There are no affiliate links in this post.] I'm keeping it short and sweet today, because I know a lot of us are shopping today and don't have a ton of time for reading. Here are my gift suggestions if you have an aspired Hogwarts pupil in your home. Liam has…

The Honest Christmas Card Challenge

The winter before I launched this blog to go beyond friends and family and a creative space to organize my photos and recipes.  I stood on the cold lament flooring in our 1940s ranch home in the Midwest, I was feeling particularly grinchy this year.  My son, then three, had recently had four minor surgeries and the recovery was going very, very, very badly.  It felt as though I hadn't slept in nearly eight months, and I wasn't sure I…

Tips For Simplifying The Holidays As A Family!

This post is sponsored by Red Baron but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. This holiday season for me is all about re-centering our family and our priorities.  I told you guys over on stories the other day that I am done being on the stressed out, rat race of the holidays. It happens to the best of us, right?  Usually, a series of GOOD things, derail us and wreak havoc on our hearts.  We will find…