Show and Tell Tuesday...Favorite Vacation

Happy Tuesday Girls!

 

Today I am linking up with Andrea for "Show And Tell Tuesday"...and today we are telling about our favorite vacation.  Be sure you grab the graphic and link up too!

 

 

I have taken lots of great vacations, and every year we do a trip to the beach, and usually go to Michigan to see my step-children.  My favorite trip would hands down have to be our trip to the mountains 3 years ago when we got married at the drive thru wedding chapel.  There was nothing totally glamorous about this trip, it wasn't some beautiful white sand beach or anything like that, but it was perfect!  It was perfect and my favorite because I was marrying my best friend, and all 5 of my children were there with us!

 

It was only a 5 day trip, and it was full of fun and wonderful memories.  We stayed in a gorgeous cabin high in the mountains.  The cabin itself was amazing, luxurious, but cozy, if that even makes sense. 

 

 

 We loved our cabin! 

 

 

 

Drive -thru wedding....BEST THING EVER

 

 

The movie theater room was a BIG hit with my crew.

 

The 6 people who I love most...all together!

 

AJ....just being AJ

 

They were so little

Harrison was LOVING a chocolate covered twinkie

 

Dance Party

 

Sweet!

 

How I love these 3

Crazy AJ

 

I miss her being this little.

 

Our views were breathtaking!

 

Beautiful.

 

This trip is what officially made us a family, and it was perfect from start to finish.  We spent 5 days together, hanging out, playing games, watching movies, going for walks, and eating lots of yummy food.  I am pretty confident that there is no trip I could ever take, that could ever top this one!

 

I can't wait to read about everyone's favorite vacations today! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Weekend Wrap-Up

Happy Monday Ladies!  Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!

 

 

We are very happy that we are on Spring Break over here!

 

The kids had no school Friday, so it was so nice to sleep in and move at our own pace!  After we all woke up I ran to Target and the grocery store...I should have realized with school being out, and it being the Friday before a holiday it was going to be insane!  After my craziness at the store, we just hung out the rest of the day.  The kids played outside almost all day, so I was able to catch up on LOTS of housework!

 

When Mark got home we grilled burgers and just all hung out and watched TV...it is very rare these days that all 7 of us are home at the same time, so I truly treasure it when it happens!

 

With it being spring break, we did not have baseball this weekend, which was a nice change.  Mark had to go into work for a few hours, the boys played outside with their friends and I took Olivia with me to run a few errands.

 

I always enjoy spending time with Olivia, I hate that she is in school all day long...I miss her so much!

 

After Mark got home, it was time to color eggs...and I am going to admit that it is not one of my most favorite things to do!

 

 

 

After all the eggs were colored, we watched some basketball and chilled out the rest of the night, and it was so nice!

 

While we were watching TV Olivia thought it would be so fun to use up the extra stickers from the egg kit and put them all over Mark...I don't think he thought it was as much fun as she did:)

 

My kids are sleepers, they are not the type of kids that rise at the crack of dawn, not even on a holiday...thank GOD!  Sunday morning they woke up about 10, and of course raced downstairs to find their Easter baskets!  Major mom fail....I did not even think to take a picture of their baskets after the Easter Bunny dropped them off!  After they went through their baskets, they went through the house finding all the eggs the bunny left, and yet again, not a picture was taken of this!  After all that fun, we got dressed and headed to my mom's for lunch.  And it should come as NO surprise that I did not take one single picture of us all together.  I am so bad about remembering to take a family pic every now and again.  I snap them all day long of the kids, but that is about it!

 

This was NOT my choice of what I wanted Olivia to wear for Easter, but she has a pretty strong opinion, and insisted she wanted a dress-up dress to wear...she is only going to be this little for a bit longer, so what the heck...let her wear what makes her happy!

 

Ready to find eggs!

My sweet girl.

 

 

Olivia and London

Cousins looking in the woods for stuff...

Jack looking awfully grown up and not thrilled I was taking his picture

 

The grandkids (minus Harrison)...my mom is truly the BEST!

 

This picture is probably my favorite...just the way they are looking at each other...precious.

 

After a fun afternoon of playing with cousins we came home and spent the rest of the day playing outside with friends.  It really was a great low key weekend!

 

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!  Happy Monday!!

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 



Friday Favorites

Happy Friday Ladies!

 

Today, like every Friday I am linking up with Andrea , Erika and Narci and sharing my Friday Favorites.  Be sure to grab the graphic and link up too!

 

ONE

Today starts our spring break, and having to not pack lunch boxes, sign agendas and do homework for an entire week is definitely a big favorite of mine!

 

TWO

I got this new necklace in the mail this week, and I am loving it.  Anything from Stella & Dot is always a favorite of mine!

 

THREE

I had the best time reading about everyone's favorite nail polishes earlier this week, I am always on the hunt for a great neutral, and someone recommended Sugar Daddy by Essie, I went right out and bought some....and I love it.  If you like a neutral color, you should definitely try this!  Fabulous nail polish is always a favorite!

 

FOUR

 

I am a HUGE fan of Tory Burch shoes, they are bit on the pricey side, but I have quite a few pair, and I have had them for YEARS, so in my opinion it's definitely worth the money.  I got this pair this week, and they are the perfect little flip flop for the beach and pool.  The rubber pair I had before this one, I got three years ago, they lasted me three years!  I am loving these new ones, just a basic little flip flop.  If you need a great beach or pool flip flop, be sure to check them out!

 

Hope everyone was a wonderful Easter.  I hope you are all spending it with the ones nearest and dearest to you!  Be sure to check back Monday for our weekend wrap up!

 

Happy Easter!

 

 

 

 



 

 

 



A Few Things That Will Be In Our Easter Baskets This Year

Happy Wednesday Ladies!

 

I cannot even believe it is April already, the time is just flying by!

 

Hope you all have a Happy April Fool's Day.

 

Seeing how time is just flying by, Easter definitely snuck up on me this year!  As I am typing this post I have literally not gotten so much as a jellybean, and have put up ZERO Easter decorations.  Life has been crazy busy lately with the kids, sports back in full swing, and the little flood damage situation we have going on over here. 

 

I will be heading out on Thursday to get everything I need for Easter, nothing like waiting until the last minute!  I was thinking the other day back to Easters past, and I really was such a fool what I would do for the kids.  Back when I had only Brooke and Harrison, and they were little, Easter was like a mini Christmas for them, I mean forget baskets with a few small things and some candy, it was gifts, big ticket items...bad mom move for sure!  Now that there are 3 more children, I can assure you we don't do that anymore.  First of all, Easter shouldn't break the bank like Christmas tends to do, and it is in my opinion, just not necessary.  The last thing I want to do is raise spoiled rotten kids. 

 

Brooke is 22 and Harrison is 19, they both still live at home, so the Easter bunny does come for them also, the two little kids still believe (I dread the day when none of them believe anymore), so we make sure the Easter bunny comes for everyone. 

 

It's Easter, and what is Easter without a chocolate bunny right?  Each of them always get a chocolate bunny, funny because my kids don't really even like chocolate, but every year without fail, they get one, and I usually eat it.  I prefer to not fill their baskets to the brim with candy, they are plenty hyper enough without added sugar:)  I will usually buy a few of their favorite candies, and then just find a few little inexpensive things to throw in there as well.

 

Olivia is super easy, if you follow me on Instagram, you know she is addicted to Shopkins, they are the absolute craziest little toys I have ever seen, but she loves them.  My Target can't seem to keep them in stock very long, so when I see them, I grab them. 

She is going to be happy to have some new Shopkins to add to her collection.

 

Lately, she is obsessed with riding AJ's skateboard, and she whines and cries when he won't let her use it.  So I will be picking her up an inexpensive, girly skateboard from Target, she is going to be thrilled.!

 

I am hoping to find this one, or something similar for her. 

 

She will get some new sidewalk chalk, some bubbles, and a few pieces of candy, nothing major but I know she will be happy and love it all.

 

The little boys tend to be a bit harder, it's hard finding them something small and inexpensive!  I don't know about the other mom's of boys out there, but my boys are OBSESSED with Nike Elite socks!  Personally I think they look ridiculous walking around in shorts with high socks, but so many boys do it, and well I guess it's the "cool" thing to do.  I also think it is ridiculous that one pair of these socks can cost $18, just plain crazy.  Well, the Easter bunny will put a new pair for each of them in their basket, with some of their favorite candy also.  And I am thinking maybe an ITunes gift card so they can buy some music or games.  I miss the days of my boys being little when I could fill their baskets up with $1 matchbox cars and army men!

 

When it comes to Brooke and Harrison, they each get some of their favorite candy and I'll put a Starbucks gift card in for Brooke, and for Harrison some type of gift card also.

 

I think back to years ago, when I was young, had a ton of energy, and only two kids, and all the time and effort I put into their Easter baksets, now here I am running out 3 days before to get what I need.  I have learned over the years that I don't need to stress myself out to the max over stuff like this, and that they are just happy to get a few new things and to find the eggs the Bunny hid.  As fun as it is to get Easter baskets filled with treats, I really want my children to know the meaning of these holidays, so I am trying now to focus more on teaching them that, than making myself crazy making sure they have the world's best basket.

 

Would love to hear what y'all put in your kiddos baskets.  Be sure to check back tomorrow, I am sharing my thoughts and experience on being a step-parent.

 

Have a great day.