breakfast with daddy.

i was so happy to see the excitement in sia this morning as jeff took her to school. today was the annual breakfast with daddy event at the preschool. for the past few years, jeff has not been able to attend. so, this was a very happy morning for one little girl.

hello monday.

today i'm just thinking, how much i love us...

and... how lucky i am to be so loved by an amazing husband and three sweet children. hope you are having a happy monday and perhaps are feeling very loved too.

pictures are from our front foyer. the i love us downloadable print can be found here.

the weekend. a few things.

how is your weekend going? i just returned from a quick, overnight trip to north carolina. and after spending many hours in the car, i am feeling a bit lazy today. actually i am trying to clean up my desk, while making my weekly to-do list, while thinking about baking some simple chocolate chip cookies, while watching the kids rides their bikes outside. it's a little chilly out there for me, so i think i'd rather stay right here and warm up the kitchen with some sweetness.

whatever your plans include, i hope that you are having a good weekend, here are a few things that i thought you might enjoy too-

 {images via mignon kitchen co.}

a new and sweet little online shop with pretty packaging

i'd love to make these with my girls

who wouldn't love a cupid's arrow cupcake?

or, chocolate pot de creme to celebrate valentines day?

a different type of art

mini crepe-paper flower favors 

hope your weekend is happy!!

{image via oh happy day}

inspired: stencil a pillow.

i think this will be a upcoming weekend project. i found the supplies and directions for this pillow at  wit & whistle. what a great idea.

{image via wit & whistle}

especially when i saw this stenciled pillow at vivaterra for $159. at that price, i definitely prefer to make my own and customize it with a favorite quote of mine too.  wouldn't you?

{image via vivaterra}

100 days of school.

on friday, slade and elle celebrated their 100th day of school. i don't remember it ever being a big deal when i went to school. do you? but now, mostly in kindergarten, the 100th day of school is a big deal. and although slade and elle are now in 2nd and 1st grade,  the day is still celebrated.  this year, i agreed to bake cupcakes for each of their classes. a couple of years ago, i made these for slade's kindergarten class. 

how about you?? will you be celebrating the 100th day of school this year?

sweet valentine snack mix.

within 30 minutes time, i made this very sweet valentine snack mix yesterday. it looks really pretty in a big glass jar on the counter too!! i got the recipe from betty crocker.

{image via betty crocker}

readjusting.

i know it's been some time a really long time since i've posted anything.. more than a month to be exact. it's not that i forgot any of you. seriously, i have thought so many times of so many things i wanted to share, but i never took time to actually sit down to write anything. and, then the holidays came and went and yet i still shared nothing at all. really, forgive me.

when i first started this blog, right here,  it was because i was feeling a bit consumed by my daily life as a stay-at-home mom while jeff went to work more than 800 miles away from home. honestly, i was missing him tremendously. it was hard for all of us. the situation was not ideal, but it was what was necessary at the time. and so, i decided to blog to fill some of that void. i thought it would give me a reason to take some time each day for "me". i really wanted to focus on everyday simple happiness and i also wanted to share the things that bring me joy. what i didn't realize is how much i would love blogging. and, how i would find a love for following other people's blogs too. for me, i truly felt connected. i came across so many amazingly creative people and i found an outlet where i could share what inspires me, while also being inspired.  awesome, i know. 

fast forward, a couple of years later. this happened. it was really, really great news. actually the most wonderful news in a very long time. finally we would be together as a family. the happiness was overwhelming. but i also knew that there would be some readjusting for each one of us too. and so, that's where i've been- readjusting. it use to be after the kids were in bed, my mom duties of the day were complete and the house was extremely quiet that i would spend time writing a post or catching up on my google reader.

but now, very happily i have my husband back at home and my alone blogging time is now the time i absolutely love spending with jeff. and, i guess the busyness of the holidays, the kids being out of school, throw in a back surgery (for jeff) and a family trip too that i just fell completely out of sync. really, i felt very unorganized in my days. although, a part of me wanted to pull away from it all and get back, i just never made the time.

and so, while i am sorry i missed out on sharing so much, i am so thankful our family is all under one roof again. christmas was a very special time for us and we happily went to new jersey to celebrate the new year. it's gonna be a great new year. i vow to be more organized this year and focus on the things that matter most to me.  so, thank you for being patient as i was readjusting over here. but, finally i am back. i am ready to share my everyday simple happiness and the things that inspire me. i hope you'll find some happiness and inspiration too!! happy new year!