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Friday, October 30, 2020
A Spooky Charcuterie + Happy Everything
Monday, October 26, 2020
Join the Fur-Ever Bad Kitty Read-A-Long {Giveaway!}
FUR-EVER BAD KITTY READ-A-LONG
BAD KITTY BOOK GIVEAWAY
Thursday, October 22, 2020
Home Sweet New Home: One Year Update
It's been one year. ONE. I can't even believe I'm writing this - but it's been one year today since we purchased our new home.
We didn't really have a plan other than we knew we were going to renovate it, and it would be some time in 2020 when we moved. If you had told me on October 22, 2019 what the next year would have been like I would have laughed and laughed and laughed at you. Here's why...
New House Thought #1: The bulk of the renovations will be done by end of January, so we will move February Winter Break.
Reality: We moved in June. Into an unfinished house.
New House Thought #2: Our current home will sell quick. What will we do about the kids schools?
Reality: A major pandemic hits the world and we need not worry about things like schools.
Or homes selling too quick.
New House Thought #3: It will be so nice having a GC (that is not us) taking care of all the details.
Reality: "Hi. We're GC Mr. Magnolia, his assistant Jen, and our three tiny foreman. Welcome to our remodel!"
New House Thought #4: We can't wait to go pick out all the new shiny home things!
Reality: Is it available on Amazon? (See pandemic comment above.)
New House Thought #5: "Hey kids grab your masks! Mom's painting something."
Reality: "Hey kids grab your masks! Mom's talking to the contractors, picking out flooring, grabbing new towels at Target, standing in the driveway with the landscapers..."
In short, the things we were most stressed or worried about never came to fruition. Things we weren't even thinking about became the largest hurdles. However - and I'm in the minority of this thinking - I actually think the slower pace and limitations we faced actually made it a more enjoyable process.
2020 cut out a lot of extra in our lives for a few months. So that freed up a lot of time that Mr. Magnolia and I normally wouldn't have to concentrate on the remodel. Granted lead times, shipping times, and quarantines dragged out the process in some portions of the build (especially towards the end), but having the time to focus on it all made it less stressful.
It also gave us more time to stare at the house and add an extra project. Or ten.
All that extra free time allowed us to tackle projects we didn't think we would have time for until next year or the following.
So pandemic remodeling...honestly not that bad.
From start to finish, construction/remodeling took us about nine months. We still have a few small things to tweak and a few outdoor projects that seem to be dragging, but otherwise we're done!
Out of all of us, I was the most hesitant about moving and doing a major remodel. In the end, I think it was one of the best decisions we could have ever made. It was fun to do as a couple and as a family. It has been a dream to let our kids have so much space to run around and play. And it has been a much easier transition in terms of schools/activities/lifestyle than I could have ever planned.
I'll try to share some fun before and afters soon of all the different rooms. It's amazing how much some of the spaces have changed!
Monday, October 19, 2020
Fun 2020 Advent Calendar Options for Kids
Okay, so we know this post is a little early. We know it isn't even Halloween yet, and it's crazy we're sitting here thinking of Christmas. But... as we were going down a rabbit hole online to avoid the baseball loss that happened last night (we don't want to talk about it), we stumbled upon the fact that our favorite Advent Calendars we get each year were on major sale.
Needless to say we clicked "add to cart".
But also saw some other fun options as well. And most on sale!
We're tempted to change things up this year and get one for each child. Do you do that? Or do you just do one option for all the kids together?
Here are some of the ones we found...
1: Disney Storybook Collection Advent Calendar - This book themed calendar contains 24 fun stories from the kids favorite Disney and Pixar characters. Each book is individually wrapped and contains a 24 page holiday themed story.
2: Lego Advent Calendars - This is the calendar our kids have loved the most over the years. Each day they open a mini-figurine or small build to do. We've done the City version over the last few years, but there are also Lego Friends, Harry Potter, and Star Wars holiday themed Lego Advent Calendars as well. It's the perfect countdown for any Lego lovers!
3: Thomas & Friends Calendar - We remember when our kids were obsessed with trains and Thomas. We would have loved this back then. This fun calendar has 24 mini train figurines, including 6 exclusive holiday themed designs.
4: Nickelodean Storybook Advent Calendar - Similar to the Disney version, but with the kids favorite Nick shows. Twenty-four individually wrapped books featuring Paw Patrol, Dora, Butter Bean's Cafe and more!
5: Crayola Christmas Countdown Calendar - If you have a craft loving little one - this is the perfect calendar! Each day opens a new window to a craft, art supply, modeling dough, or coloring page.
6: Purple Cow Countdown to Christmas with Science - Of all the calendars we thought this was unique and so fun! Each day contains a new science experiment for kids to do. The box contains 24 individual experiments and detailed instructions. Recommended for ages 8+.
7: Charm Bracelet Advent Calendar - This is a calendar we might actually steal from the kids for ourselves. Comes with a bracelet and each day opens to a new charm for kids to create their own Pandora style holiday themed charm bracelet. This would be a great option for tween/teen girls!
8: Hot Wheels Advent Calendar - Oh how many Hot Wheels did we own back in the day?! Our boys would have loved this calendar! Contains 24 cars and accessories. We love the holiday themed car-sleigh!
9: Wire Puzzle Advent Calendar - Have older kids? This one is for you! Our older elementary schooler has just gotten into these wire puzzles, and we can't lie - we find them fun/difficult too! With 24 different puzzles (ranged from easy to super tricky) we think this is a calendar the whole family could get into.
10: Barbie Dreamtopia Calendar - Barbie obsessed little ones will squeal in delight. Contains a Dreamtopia themed Barbie and each day opens to a new accessory or part of an outfit to dress Barbie for the big day.
Thursday, October 15, 2020
Affordable Fall Fashion {From Walmart!}
The past few weeks we have experienced much cooler temperatures and it makes me SO excited for Fall. Don't get me wrong...I love summer. We so enjoy the lazy days of hanging at the lake, swimming with friends, and soaking up the hot sunshine. However, that first day when the weather starts to turn cool and crips, the leaves start to change, and you can walk outside without breaking into a sweat I remember just how much I love this time of year.
I also love dressing for the fall. Lots of layers fun patterns and cozy styles. I recently ordered a few things from Walmart and was SO impressed with the quality, comfort and style. Even my label obsessed 13 year old saw the items and was said, "Walmart has stepped up their game!"
Camo Sweatshirt (from Walmart)//Leggings//Sneakers//Earrings |
The best part of all of these items is you don't have to stress about a big price tag. It's no secret that I am a Walmart lover, especially for adding a few fun pieces to your closet without the guilt of spending too much! If you check the reviews on many of these items you will see that I'm not alone. Tons of great reviews and lots of praise.
Wednesday, October 14, 2020
Kitchen Confessions: Cream Cheese Bacon Cheddar Dip
A few weeks ago I shared about few easy dips that were my new go-to recipes when I needed an appetizer. The Black Bean, Corn & Feta dip is delish and literally takes minutes to make. Bonus, it's relatively healthy, too. Today's dip is still easy to make, bakes in just 20 minutes, and not healthy, but in the yummiest way!
It's the perfect dip for watching football, it's always a crowd pleaser, and you can make it ahead of time and just warm it up when you are ready to serve it. I made this on Saturday when it was raining and we were happy to be stuck at home watching football. It was the perfect comfort food for that kind of day.
Cream Cheese Bacon Cheddar Dip
Ingredients:
- 1 package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup shredded cheddar
- 3-4 green onions, diced
- 8 slices bacon, crumbled
- hot honey (optional)
- Mix all ingredients and spread into pie plate.
- Top with crumbled bacon and sprinkle a little extra cheese on top.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
- Drizzle with hot honey (optional).
- Serve with an assortment of crackers.
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
Amazon Prime Days 2020
Okay people - the holiday shopping season has officially begun! Sure we might not even be to Halloween yet, but this is 2020 and all the rules have been thrown out the window. Today kicked off the greatest of all shopping events - AMAZON PRIME DAYS!
Really this event has happened the last few years, but this year it kicks off the holiday retail season. We can't even begin to think about where to start this year, and have browsed briefly through some of the deals. And a lot of them are really great deals.
We noticed that a few a lot of our all time favorite products are on major discount right now. We own them already and have gifted a lot of them too! Otherwise, we'd be priming with the best of them today and tomorrow.
We keep all of our Amazon favorites in one spot. We keep these lists on hand if we ever need to re-order something or to keep track of something we want to purchase later. But they might be helpful to you too - especially since a lot of them are on sale right now.
Also, we have a few Amazon posts we've done that might be helpful. Things we've purchased lately, gifts our kids have loved, or decor we've found that coordinates well - all with the click of a button, and brought to our doorsteps in two days or less. You can check some of them out here:
Amazon Wall Organization Systems
A bonus of Amazon Prime Days occurring...other retails have followed suit. Here are some other major retailers hosting their own deals or matching Amazon's:
DSW - 30% off with code FALLIDAY
Target - Online Only
Macy's - Free Shipping + 30% off with code THANKYOU
Nordstrom - Up to 60% off, plus an extra 25% off select items.
GAP - 40% off with code OCTOBER
Old Navy - 50% off everything.
IT Cosmetics - 25% off site wide.
Rack Room Shoes - 15% off with code GREATDEAL. (This one works through 10/31.)
Happy Shopping Friends!
Monday, October 12, 2020
Book Club: September
Today is Book Club Day! Some of you are super excited, and some are all "Meh. Just give me the home decor or the yoga pants I never knew I needed in my life."
To those of you we wish we had a few new Netflix shows to offer up to you. But sadly, watching Selling Sunset or Schitt's Creek in car pool line is generally frowned upon - so book reviews it is.
And we aren't mad about that one bit.
Especially because in September we read some good ones. Like go ahead and get your Kindle fully charged good.
WHAT WE READ...
CARRIE BETH
I'm the reason this blog post is happening in the middle of October instead of at the beginning like it normally would. I was really trying to finish my second book so I would have something that I loved to share because my first book this month was just so-so.
The first book I listen to this month was Kevin Kwan's Sex and Vanity.
I had really high hopes for this book because I loved the Crazy Rich Asians series, but for some reason I just couldn't get into this one. I don't know if it was because I was listening instead of reading it, but the first half felt very long, drawn out, and never ending. I did enjoy the crazy lavish settings and the outlandish characters made me laugh. The second part of the story had me rooting for certain characters and kept me very interested to see how things would turn out, but unfortunately I could have passed on this book all together.
My next book this past month was a recommendation from my mother-in-law and it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
The Last Flight by Julie Clark is a suspense thriller about two different women who want to escape their present lives and for very different reasons. They end up switching boarding passes at an airport and what happens next changes everything.
This book had a lot of unexpected twists and chance meetings that kept me guessing how things would turn out. I really enjoyed it!
JEN
WHAT'S UP NEXT...
CARRIE BETH
I just downloaded One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London and can't wait to get started on it. I always take Jen's suggestions and am excited about this one!
JEN
Bring on any suggestions because the carpool/mom-taxi life only increases this month with added activities and our area opening up even more from all things COVID. Pass along all the entertaining goodness you have in your arsenal - we'll need it!