happy friday. happy weekend! what are your plans for the weekend? my kids have all of next week off from school and i could not be happier. they are looking forward to sleeping in a little later than usual and i am looking forward to being at home together. plus, an extra bonus, we have no sporting events or practices on the calender next week, so we truly will be at home. i actually thought we'd get away to the beach for a few days, but now being at home sounds so much more enjoyable.

whatever your plans i hope you have a great weekend too!

heart touching story that made me really cry

transform your kids art into this

had to share some true sweetness

how simple... a bracelet bottle

stamps made from wine corks

loving this entire line, now at target

happy weekend.

my heart is happy.

there were no tears from this little girl this morning as she crossed the street and got onto the school bus.  after she found a seat, her little face peered through the window and as the bus drove slowly away she waved goodbye with a slight smile.

it made my heart happy.  it was a true moment of my little one's growing independence that i never want to forget.

happy friday + the weekend.

i am happy it's friday! are you?  it has been a busy first full of week of school and i am happy we are finally at the end of the week. my sweet little sia is still adjusting to a full day of kindergarten and i know she will be happy that she doesn't have to go tomorrow. and, i will be happy to see her sweet smiling face in the morning instead of tears as she gets on the school bus.

i am looking forward to making pizza tonight and we have no true weekend plans besides savoring some family time together.  whatever your plans i hope you have a happy friday and great weekend too!!

making these sweets this weekend

hmmm... interesting article

sweet vintage schoolhouse party, perfect for back to school {image above & below}

giant photograph diy

very cool metallic nails

and, loving this bleached shirt technique

  

have a happy weekend! 

 {images via, hwtm}

i'm a lucky girl.

i am such a lucky girl to have the most amazing husband. truly i am.  exactly ten years ago today i married a man who is much more than i ever dreamed of. 

happy 10th anniversary to my compassionate, loving, kind and sweet husband!!

i am so in love with you!! and... thank you for making me one lucky girl!! 

change is okay.

today is a better day. i have never really been good at saying goodbye or with any type of change. however, i am accepting that change is okay. change can be good. and, that the unsettling feeling of letting go and saying goodbye will ease with each day. i know it will.

back to school.

 

this morning slade, elle and sia were all up very early getting ready to go off to school for their first day. i loved their excitement for another school year, as they were all beaming with bright smiles. especially sia, who is riding the school bus this year and going to kindergarten at the elementary school.

i truly tried to hold it all together. i tried to smile as much as i could. i tried not to be nervous. yet seeing all of my children leave me this morning, getting on a school bus (with no seat belts) and leaving home for an entire day was not easy. i know they will all do great and they will have a fantastic day. school is wonderful place to be. but truthfully and honestly, i am sad. they are all growing up so quickly and right before my eyes.

during the past few weeks, so many people have asked me, "what are you going to do now that all of your children are in school?" i do know what i am going to do- i will continue being a mom. the mom i always dreamed about as a little girl. the mom who loves her husband and children immensely. the mom who loves being at home taking care of her family. the mom who loves to bake and cook. the mom who doesn't mind cleaning and laundry and actually enjoys organizing drawers and closets. the mom who has a passion for creativity. the mom who enjoys volunteering at school. this is what i've always dreamed about- being a wife and a mother.  this is what i will continue to do, even now that all of my children are in school all day. perhaps, i will be a little more organized and have a few more quiet moments alone, but truly what i am going to do is not going to change.

and so, although i am a little sad today, i was very happy to see all of their smiles and excitement as they started back to school this morning. i truly do look forward to seeing my children grow and flourish and learn throughout yet another year.  happy first day back to school!!

bento box lunches.

tomorrow marks the very first day of school for us. and, as my children are extremely excited with anticipation of their first day back, i am keeping myself busy prepping and packing lunches. i have found some inspiration here at another lunch and at bentobloggy.

i have one very picky eater heading off to kindergarten this year and i'm trying to find ways to make lunch fun, while hoping she'll try some new things. i love the idea of packing bento box lunches.

 

{images via another lunch}

happy weekend.

do you have any fun plans for the weekend?

this is our last weekend before school starts. so, i think we will savor some pool time. this evening, we have plans for a fun get together with our neighborhood friends. our next meet up will be at the bus stop on wednesday!

i am in love with the idea of having a little cottage in my own backyard

build a picnic table with a built-in cooler

super long candles for your next celebration

add some sparkle to little girl sneakers
 
vintage olympic tees 

a bushel basket lantern ( i think i could make one?)

hope you have a really fun weekend!!

{image via pinterest, rebecca peragine}

numbered chairs.

inspired by my love for typography, a few months ago i decided to update our dining room chairs with a little number typography.  the whole process only took me a little more than an hour.  it really was a quick update! and i am loving the way that they turned out.

what do you think? 

would you ever paint on the seat of your dining room chairs?

washing the car.

taking a break from a day at the pool, my children were very excited when i suggested that they wash my car.  as for them, it didn't seem like work at all, but a good reason to make lots of bubbles in our driveway and a really good chance to use the hose to spray one another.

 

or, as it ended up, slade taking great pleasure in spraying his sisters every chance he had.

 

but, in the end, they all worked very hard, my car was very clean, and they had lots of fun!  it was a great day!!!

the weekend.

 

what are you doing this weekend? now that we are settled back in at home from some time away, i am ready to start thinking about heading back to school. my kids go back in just a week and a half. and so, i'd like to spend some time this weekend stocking up on needed school supplies and putting together some back to school outfits. i really don't want the summer to end whatsoever. but, i think my children are anxious and ready to get back. even as i type this i can hear them all playing school together. slade being the teacher and the girls are teenage students. that makes me smile.

whatever your plans are for the weekend, i hope you have a good one. here are some things i have seen recently that i thought i would share with you-

love online shopping here for my girls
cookie dough treats for the kids
love, love, love ikea's new rustic collection
sweet bridesmaid gift
stamps
create lighting from recycled whisks

happy weekend!!

{cute girls' outfits, via garnet hill}

cousins.

 

we don't see them often enough, but it's always so much fun to get together with cousins for a day of fun at the annual family picnic.  thanks mom & dad for a great day by the pool celebrating the fourth of july and family!!

the jersey shore.

 

we just returned home from our annual summer visit to new jersey and spending some of our days by the shore. it is definitely a place i love and a time i look forward to every year. although i have lived many places in my life, somehow the jersey shore always feels like home. and i couldn't be happier to share time together there as a family.

the evening hours, when mostly everyone has gone home for the day are definitely the best

 slade sporting a summer mohawk and relaxing with jeff while the girls enjoy treats from the ice cream man- chipwiches, screwballs and choco tacos are their favorites.

countless hours spent digging holes and building sand castles

 

until next year, i will so miss these simple days of summertime that i love so much and bring me joy. 

 we'll see you again next year!!!!!

happy weekend + some things.

what are your plans for the weekend? jeff and i would like to finish painting our master bathroom. we started the project earlier in the week and have only been able to work on it a few hours each evening. so, hopefully this weekend we will be able to complete the painting phase of our mini bathroom makeover. i'm also hoping we can spend some time outside and by the pool. it is suppose to be very hot!!

whatever your plans, i hope you have a happy weekend and here are some things i've seen that you might enjoy too-

old school house is now this home...(wow!)
my kids would love this orange pushup smoothie
nine jewelry projects to make
these bites look delicious
silly bandages 
you're my forever art

happy weekend!!

rustic + gray and white.

i am loving this image of gray and white tones with a touch of rustic elements.  exactly the colors and the vibe i am dreaming for our master bathroom.  which, is the next room in our home that will be getting a mini-makeover.

{image via pinterest}

first day of summer.

this evening marks the official first day of summer!! yay! it truly is my most favorite season of all.

i hope your summer is filled with lots of ice cold treats! especially ones that are messy and fun!!  today was the perfect day to celebrate with homemade frozen fudge pops!

 

i found the recipe in the latest issue of everyday food. it is definitely one i will be making all summer long!!

happy summer!!

today.

happy flag day!

we celebrated our stars and stripes today!

happy summer.

although it is not officially summertime according to the calender, summer is in full force here. i can hardly believe my kids have been out of school for almost three weeks now.  we've been so busy playing with friends and going to day camps. however,  i am determined to sit down today and write a bucket list of summer goals and things we'd like to do before summer comes to an end!

how about you? is it summertime where you are at?? do you write a list of things you'd like to do during the summer? or is it your goal to just have fun!?


p.s. sia and i made this banner to welcome slade and elle home from school on their very last day... here is the summer banner we made last year and the banner we made the year before!

happy summer!!

elle turns seven.

  

my sweet elle belle turned seven over the weekend. it still is very hard for me to grasp the idea that she is really seven. how is she growing up so fast?

this year, at her request we celebrated her birthday here at home. in recent years, we have been in new jersey and by the shore. but, she really insisted on being at home this year.

and so, we celebrated on our back deck with some singing and dancing and a simple family dinner. country music is their favorite right now and jeff and i took lots of pleasure in watching them sing and dance and giggle together.

and then, we invited some friends to stop by for cupcakes. also at her request this year- vanilla vanilla cupcakes and cupcakes with an espresso buttercream (one of my very favorites too).

happy, happy birthday my sweet elle belle!! 

 i hope you enjoyed celebrating your birthday here at home!!

celebrating, thank you's and goodbyes.

life has been anything but quiet and calm. i knew the month of may would prove to be busy and hectic. but, when i look back at what we have been doing lately, it's been a lot of celebrating, giving thanks and goodbyes.

during the first week of may, we showed teachers our appreciation with a whole week of thank you's and gifts. followed by preparation for slade's first holy communion, which occurred during mother's day weekend. we celebrated here at home with a big party of family and friends. we were very thankful that so many of our family members traveled to share such a special day with us. and lucky for us, timing proved perfect, as it allowed us to celebrate both of our mom's for mother's day and with all of our siblings and children too.

then came sia's preschool graduation and a week of end of the year festivities. for me,  it was a very emotional week. we said goodbye to a school that we have been a part of for seven years.  i can hardly believe my baby is all done with preschool, but so proud and happy of the little girl she is growing up to be.  she is so ready for kindergarten.

the baseball season also came to an end. slade is loving baseball these days and i love to see his passion and ambition for the sport. we celebrated last week with an end of the season team party and came home with an awesome trophy. and so, we said goodbye to a great team of boys and coaches.

and, then this week. it has been a week of elementary school award ceremonies, parties and saying thank you (and goodbyes) to all of the teachers we love. elle earned the young artist award and wrote an award winning autobiography. her sense of creativity makes me smile with joy and i couldn't be more proud. and slade earned an award for outstanding excellence. it brings me such happiness to see how much they enjoy school and strive to excel.

and so, during our very busy month of may, i am a very, very proud mother, who has much to celebrate. i have so much gratitude for the family, friends and people that surround our lives. and although we have said many goodbyes, memories of the people and places will never be forgotten but a part of us forever.

teacher gift + printable tag.

 

originally i posted this "mint to teach" teacher appreciation idea here and it was also featured on tip junkie right here. but in honor of national teacher appreciation week, i thought i would share it again today. 

and because i have had so many requests for a printable of the tags, this time i've included one here too.

  

"mint to teach" printable tag

happy weekend.

what are you doing this weekend? our family has been invited to a low country boil party this evening that we are planning on attending after slade's baseball game. i made my favorite cookies and cream cupcakes to share with all of the kids. other than those events, i plan on savoring the very last weekend of april. i can hardly believe that the month of may is upon us, which according to our calendar is already a busy, busy month.

whatever your plans, i hope you enjoy the last weekend of april too! here are some things you might also like-

simply made from paper towels + food coloring

our next project made from pallets

made these artichoke toasties for the first time this week
(and loved them!)

sweet video - birth to 12 years in minutes

this printable i need!!! -especially for the month of may

make your own marbled glassware

happy weekend!!

p.s. i made these flowers for a luau-themed event at the elementary school and i love the way they turned out!! who knew paper towels could be so pretty!!