Easter 2020

Hello again, it's been a long time since I have been on this blog! I'm not sure why I stopped blogging, I guess life got a lot busier when I had my second baby. I've been telling myself for awhile now that I need to just do it. I love looking back at my old blog posts when Nolan was a baby and reading the details behind the pictures, as the years go by its easy to forget the small things. So, I'm going to slowly start adding things from the past few years and new things. I love looking at other blogs and Pinterest for inspiration and it would be so fun to maybe inspire others with my blog, even if it only reaches a few!

So first lets start with Easter from last year. Easter is my favorite holiday. I love the pastel colors, all the florals and making Easter baskets is SO fun. If I could, I would make an Easter basket for everyone in my family. Here are 2020's baskets with links to most of the items, some are no longer available or slightly different since it was a year ago. 

Elle's Easter Basket

Rapunzel doll // Umbrella // Water Wow Activity Book, // Sandals (similar) // Hunter Boots // Unicorn Day Book // How To Catch A Unicorn Book // Ballerina Book // Ice Cream Lip Gloss // Mini Disney Princess linked here but I buy them in the checkout lines at Meijer or Walmart, they are around $5 and the perfect size for Elle's dollhouse. // Lace Romper // Rainbow Necklace // the sunglasses, bubbles, ladybugs and bandaids are from target dollar spot. 

Nolan's Easter Basket

Umbrella // Cup // Shark Lego // Water Wow Activity Book // Shark Pants // Hunter Boots // We Are The Gardeners Book // Sharks Book // Baby Beluga Book // Sea Animals (Similar) // bubbles, frogs and bandaids are from the target dollar spot. 

They each got one gift from me after they found all the eggs the Easter bunny hid. Then, I took a few pictures of them in their Easter outfits and we went to my mom's house. It was a peaceful day with just a few people, covid style. 

I can't forget to add coloring eggs and crafts. We do the shaving cream or whipped cream method. Shaving cream is better if you don't want them eating the dye! You just spread the cream out, add drops of food coloring all over, swirl with a toothpick then let them roll the eggs around in it. Elle loved just playing in it more than dyeing the eggs. 

Aaaaand the Easter bunny pic, 2020 style. 

Happy Easter!

DIY Footprint Art for Father's Day

Every year I have the same problem.. What do I get my dad (the man who has everything) for Christmas, birthday, Father's Day? Well, now that he's a grandpa I have the perfect solution: homemade gifts from Nolan. 

Grandpa Joe's birthday was this past weekend and we made him a salt dough stepping stone with Nolan's footprint. I think it would also make the perfect Father's Day gift, and we will be making different variations of it for Nolan's other grandpas. My dad loves boating, so for this one I went with a nautical theme. 

Supplies: 

2 cups flour

1 cup salt

1 cup water

Rolling pin

Toothpick or skewer

Paint

Craft spray sealer 

Small paintbrush

In a large bowl mix water and salt until dissolved. Gradually add flour until it forms a soft dough, I just used my hands for this part. Roll it flat onto a baking sheet with rolling pin. Shape into desired shape, I used the lid from a large pot to make a circle. 

Put a little flour on child's foot so it doesn't stick, then gently press into dough. Form anchor design around footprint with your finger. Write letters with a toothpick, or skewer, which I used since it was thicker and made bigger letters.

Bake the piece at 250 degrees for 2-3 hours (depending on thickness) until dried out. Let it fully cool then place on nonstick paper and paint it. I used acrylic paint. If you plan on your artwork being outside you'll need to seal it. Krylon makes a good spray sealer. All done! 

I think it turned out cute, not perfect, but grandpa didn't mind. :)

Next, I'm going to try making one out of cement and a cake pan! 

Mother's Day

We finally had our first barbecue at our house! Mother's day Sunday everyone came over for some steaks on the grill, and it was so much fun!

(I ran out of time to actually write on my chalkboard, so instead I draped a banner that I had made the night before over it).

My dad bought me a patio set for my birthday last month. I never got up the energy to go put it together, partly because I wasn't confident that I could do it by myself. So, all of the men pitched in the day of the bbq and got it put together pretty quickly. We have a huge porch and I'm so excited to have some furniture on it!

Along with the steaks we had some bbq chicken, corn on the cob, baked potatoes and taco salad. Yay for summer food! I also made a couple of different dips (one of which everyone is a HUGE fan of and so I will be posting the recipe soon), a cake, cupcakes, and some momaritas. 

That was my first attempt at making a cake banner. The cake was german chocolate, my mom's favorite.

I found some Mother's Day decor here, and printed some off for cupcake toppers. 

I also saw some momosas on pinterest and loved the idea, but since I wasn't having a brunch I opted for some momaritas instead. I thought it was cute. :)

Mother's Day to me has of course always been all about my mom, so it felt pretty weird when everyone showed up handing me flowers and cards as well. I got pretty spoiled. Someone must of read my post and seen that I love orchids. :) 

While I was trying to be a good hostess I totally forgot to take the 500 pictures that I wanted to get. 

But... I did at least get a mom's day related photo shoot in the week before...

Stevie's sister Ciara is moving to Georgia this week, so we decided to get some cousin photographs taken for their mom's gift. Nolan and his cousin Gavin were both being little stinkers that day, and the weather was not cooperating. So I was pleasantly surprised when we got the photos back and there were multiple adorable ones! I love that you can see their little personalities in them.

Gavin found a baseball and was NOT going to give it up for a picture.

We had bought them matching shoes and glasses but were never quite able to get both of them to wear either at the same time. 

White shirts, tan pants // Striped shirts // Jeans // Rocking Elephant  // Sunglasses

Photography by A&H Photography

As difficult as they were to get, I love the pictures. ..And so did grandma.:)

My first Mother's day was awesome. I can't wait to find many more excuses to have barbecues this summer!