Tips to Make Sure You are Ready for Easter + Casabella Spring Finds

Can you believe Easter is less than 2 weeks away?!?! Have you done all the things? Decorated for spring, prepped your Easter table, stuffed eggs and filled baskets...lots of fun things to do this time of year.  We're sharing a few tips to make sure you are ready for Easter and all of the activities that come along with it! Plus, check out all of our favorite spring finds from Casabella! 

Furniture for Family and Friends 

You might be checking out your dining room table or seating options right now and wishing you had spruced things up for spring.  So many people are discouraged with buying new furniture because of the long lead times, but if you are in the Atlanta area you are in luck because Casabella has a ton of furniture IN STOCK and ready to take home TODAY! 

That is a rare thing these days, but one of the best kept secrets when it comes to furniture shopping. Whether you are looking for a new dining table, a pair of chairs for a living space, or even just some wall art or lamps to spruce things up a bit, be sure to check Casabella's in stock inventory! 

Set a Pretty Table 

There are so many options when it comes to Easter centerpieces and table settings. Do you love pretty pastels or sticking with one color like beautiful blues? 

We love strolling through Casabella because all of their tables are set beautifully and share lots of inspiration and ideas no matter what your style is. 

Spruce Up with Spring Scents  

What better way to welcome guests than for them to be surrounded with a spring scent when they walk in your home.

Candles are our favorite way to fill our homes with sweet and fragrant aromas, but also using seasonal scented hand soaps can be a wonderful way to enhance the smells of spring! 

Bunnies, Baskets and Blooms

One of the easiest ways to decorate for a new season is by mixing in seasonal decor to the pieces you already have. There is no need to start from scratch, but a few touches here and there can really transform a space. Place some ceramic bunnies on side tables or add some bunny pillows to your seating areas! 

A quick swap to fill vases with beautiful faux blooms for a pop of color or even just adding greenery will brighten your space and make it feel like spring.

Casabella has THE BEST faux florals. We've looked everywhere and they really can't be beat. So many beautiful and realistic options! 

Don't forget filling those baskets. Maybe you are buying for children or maybe you want to fill up an adult basket. No matter who's basket needs filling you'll find so many adorable options at Casabella! 

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Cocktail Confessions: The Sassy Leprechaun

St. Patrick’s Day is such a fun, and dare we say sassy, little holiday. From the green attire, to the sparkly gold accessories, green beer, and those mischievous little men running around town pinching people — St. Patrick’s Day provides the perfect excuse to throw in a little fun on the march to spring. In the essence of joining in on anything resembling a celebration we’ve crafted our very own cocktail,  The Sassy Leprechaun. After drinking this tasty green concoction, the only one doing the pinching this holiday will be you!

A little sassy. A little sweet. This Sassy Leprechaun cocktail is a yummy blend of simple flavors that are most likely already in your pantry. One quick sip will leave you and your guests wanting to celebrate the lucky Irish long beyond St. Patrick’s Day. As an added bonus to this sassy drink: it’s low in calories (less than 70cal/per serving!)!       

THE SASSY LEPRECHAUN

Serves: 3 to 4
Prep Time: 5 mins

Ingredients
– 1 bottle of Kiwi Strawberry Sparkling Ice sparkling water
– 6 oz. of tequila
– 1 oz. of triple sec
– 1 teaspoon of sugar
– 1 teaspoon of sprinkles (We used gold mixed with white, but would look just as fun with rainbow sprinkles.)
– 1 lime

Directions
1: Mix sugar and sprinkles onto a small plate.
2: Cut lime in half and set one half aside.
3: Use other half of lime and use juice to wet the rim of your glass. Dip wet glass rim into sprinkle mixture.
4: Mix kiwi strawberry water, tequila, and triple sec into a pitcher.
5: Take the remaining half of lime and squeeze juice into the pitcher. Stir lightly.
6: Serve over ice, and try to keep the pinching to a minimum.

What green cocktail recipe will you be serving this St. Patrick’s Day? Share with us!

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Casabella Spring Open House 2023

For our local ladies, we have a fun event for you this week! If you aren't local there is still a ton of home decor eye candy to enjoy!

Our friends at Casabella in Marietta are having their annual Spring Open House this weekend. And do you know what that means??? 

It means major savings on furniture and home decor! (Plus a ton of gifts, Easter items, art, lamps, florals, textiles, and so. much. more!!)

Here's the official info... 

And here's a little sneak peek at what is currently in stock (spoiler alert: we now want to redecorate our entire houses. AGAIN!)...

They have THE BEST florals in stock. They are gorgeous and look/feel so real too! 

The even have a great selection of local high school and college graduation items and gifts! If you are party planning now for a graduate, it might be a great time to stock up!

Also warmer weather means warm weather sports. And what's more fun than themed drink ware and gifts for your tennis or pickleball teammates?!

There are so many great things in stock in Casabella's huge space, our tiny blog post doesn't even cover a quarter of it. It's an event you won't want to miss!

Now that we've got your weekend plans covered, we can't wait to see you there!

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Book Club: February 2023 Reviews

 

Here we go - book club day! Our favorite post of the month!

And....

If you are ever looking for a wide range of book reviews in one of our book club posts, this would be it. This one has a little bit of everything. All we are missing is a biography and we might have completed every genre possible. And with Spring Break reading on the brain, we might have you covered. 

WHAT WE READ...

CARRIE BETH

First up for me this month was Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. This one got tons of reviews so I wanted to see what the hype was all about.  A widowed woman who also lost her son in a tragic accident years ago befriends an octopus at the aquarium where she works. I know...it sounds kind of far fetched, but I've read weirder things. It was really a heartwarming story and I loved hearing the octopus' point of view as he worked to help point his friend in the right direction to finding out the truth about her son's disappearance all those many years ago. It was a heartwarming story! 

Next up for me was Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan. A fellow baseball mom friend recommended this one to me. It was a cute, quick read! Nora writes love story scripts for a living and is recently getting over a divorce. When one of her movies comes to life in her backyard she finds herself falling for the actor. Their unlikely connection quickly comes to an end and she is left wondering what went wrong before the truth finally comes out. This was just as my friend told me...quick and easy read (or listen) and a sweet story that was wrapped up nicely by the end! 

My last book this month was the latest from Jojo Moyes, Someone Else's Shoes. I LOVED this book. It had a girl power vibe, celebrated relationships of women and showed how important it was for us to support one another. 

A mix-up with a bag in the gym locker room leads to some major havoc for two women.  Both of their lives are falling apart for completely different reasons and a custom pair of Christian Louboutin red bottom shoes ends up bringing them together.  One super wealthy wife and mother looses her shoes and the same day finds out she is about to loose her high powered lifestyle as she knows it.  Another woman is dealing with a depressed husband, an unreasonable boss, and dealing with the stresses of being the only one keeping her family afloat. When her only option is to wear the heels she finds a confidence she didn't know she had and realizes she has to make a change. 

This story was funny, sad, heartwarming and really great. Definitely recommend it! 

JEN

Since it was the month of love, I kicked it off with a rom com. A Guide To Being Just Friends was the perfect way to start out the month. It was a little predictable, but the story had some unique tie ins that made you feel like it was fresh. It follows the friendship of Hailey and Wes. Both moved to the area to get a fresh start. One from a break-up to follow their dreams, and one to escape an overbearing father to work with his brothers. The two have big goals, and a relationship isn't one of them. They vow to just be friends, and instantly become the best of friends. 

I won't divulge more - so no spoilers - but it was a super cute and quick romance novel. If you are looking for a light and easy read with fun banter this one is for you!

I switched it up for my next book. The Last House Guest popped up and I had to read it. I loved reading Ryan novels last year. She definitely knows how to write a good psychological thriller. And this one is all sorts of twisty turny crazy. 

You meet Alyssa as she is on the brink of a nasty divorce. Big money is in play and her soon to be ex-husband knows just how to always get what he wants. Then Alyssa meets Bree, who is also having her own relationship troubles. Soon they realize they might be able to help each other. But when a third person gets added to their trio, Alyssa wonders what is really going on. 

This was a page turner for sure. I enjoyed it and it kept me guessing the whole time. The ending is a doozy that I did not see coming, and while a little farfetched, I can also totally see something like it happening. 

Colleen Hoover. Rarely can you go in a book store or online without seeing her name. And with good reason. I guess I heard that she had a new novel coming out with her best friend and I pre-ordered it because Never Never  showed up via Amazon on my doorstep the day it published. After reading some things online I realized this is an older novel of theirs that they are re-releasing. Originally it was split into three smaller novels, but it now released as one.

Right from page one this one is intriguing. Charlie and Silas are a couple. Or so they are being told. They both get amnesia at the exact same time, and have to figure out everything from who they are, where they live, and why they suddenly lost their memories all while battling feelings that pull them together even though they are now strangers. 

This is definitely more of a young adult novel, but it was still a fun read. It's a cross between a romance and a mystery with a little bit of fantasy thrown in. I read it in just a few days and it is different than anything else I've read by Hoover before. 

A friend and I want to watch the new show Dear Edward on Apple TV. We heard there was a book and decided to read it first. Oh my,  Dear Edward gets my full tissue warning. This book was so good, but also so heartbreaking to read. It follows Edward who is in a plane crash as a child and is the sole survivor. You get a peek at his life and feelings following the crash. Some parts of it were a little redundant to me, but all together it was a story I really enjoyed. I kept thinking what I would do or feel if I was in a similar situation (which I hope never ever happens). I just can't even imagine! If you are looking for a heartbreaking yet heartwarming story - this one is for you! 

WHAT'S UP NEXT...

CARRIE BETH

A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole randomly popped up on my Amazon when I was searching for a new book.  After reading the reviews a lot of people were kind of divided on this book, but most said what a heartbreaking love story it was.  Tears, emotion and heartbreak are some of my favorite books, so I'm going to give this one a try! 

JEN

Our golf club hosts an in person Book Club and this month I plan to join in the fun. They chose Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow . I've seen a wide range of reviews for it, so I am curious to see how I feel about it myself. It definitely covers a different topic than I am used to reading, but it will be good to read something out of my comfort zone for a change. 

WHAT WERE YOUR BOOKS FOR THE MONTH? ANYTHING WE NEED TO ADD TO OUR READING LISTS?

BOOK CLUB 2023

| January |

Follow along with us on Goodreads!

HAPPY READING! 

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Travel to Paris with Kids {Paris in 24 Hours}

I'm excited to share the final part of our Europe trip today.  If you missed it, you can find the details of our time in London linked...Part 1 HERE and Part 2 HERE. 

Day 6: Eurostar to Paris, The Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe

We spent a whirlwind 24 hours in Paris to round out our trip and I wasn't sure if we would be able to see and do everything that we wanted in such a short amount of time, but we packed it in! Obviously, if we had more time we would have been able to do so much more, but being so close in London we felt like we just had to at least hit the highlights in Paris. 

We took the first available train to Paris on the Eurostar. The kids were fascinated to learn that we would actually be traveling under the ocean and I think my son pictured being able to see fish out his window. In reality, most of the trip is dark through a tunnel, but when you come out the other side seeing the French countryside was beautiful. 

When they called for boarding on the train, it was sort of a free for all.  No organized boarding by groups or anything like we are used to. I've never been so happy for everyone's backpack and small carryon that they could manage themselves. 

When we arrived the first thing someone needed to do was use the restroom. Which you have to PAY for in the train station. That was new to me! So we walked across the street to a little cafe where you also had to be a paying customer. I bought a croissant and the woman was not thrilled that I wanted to pay with a credit card. Our time wasn't starting off great. We decided to get a taxi to our hotel to drop our bags and then got a quick nearby lunch. By this point in the trip everyone was tired from our long days, hungry from the early morning travel and a little frustrated that they couldn't even read the menu to order because it was all in French.  It was their first real dose of being in another country and not being able to speak the language. We had downloaded the Google Translate app on their phones and there is a feature that you can hold over a menu and it translates it into your language right before your eyes. That was very helpful! After refueling everyone was in a better mood and ready to start exploring. 

First up was The Louvre. I'd booked tickets ahead of time and after our museum experience the day before I wasn't sure how this would go, BUT we all enjoyed it. We followed the signs to see The Mona Lisa and found ourselves in a crowded room with everyone else who had the same idea. The kids were excited to take selfies with it and were surprised by how small and unassuming it was. 

We spent another hour or so walking around the museum and then got turned around trying to find our way out!  It was kind of like a maze, but we eventually made out outdoors to the famous Louvre Pyramid for photos. 

I could have spent all day walking around The Louvre Palace and surrounding gardens. It was so enchanting and you forgot that you were in the middle of a big city. 

Our next stop was the Eiffel Tower and we could see it from where we were. We walked along the river to make our way close to the tower. It was a LONG walk, but lots of fun photo ops! 

I had originally wanted us to go up into the tower, but they were doing maintenance the day we were there. We actually we really just enjoyed spending time on the lawn, taking photos, and experiencing something up close and personal that you've only seen photos of your entire life. 

Another thing on the kids' to-do list for Paris was visiting a French Cafe so we found a nearby one to stop in. It was the perfect mid-afternoon snack break. They got macaroons and pastries! 

After that we walked over to see the Arc de Triomphe and walked down the famous Avenue des Champs-Elysees. 

It was storefront after storefront of high-end, luxury fashion brands and people lined up out the doors just to get in and shop! 

After a nice dinner with a lot of pointing at menu items because we speak very little French and our waitress spoke very little English we walked back over to the Eiffel Tower to see it all lit up at night! It has sparkling lights for 5 minutes on the hour and we timed it just right. It was magical to see and the perfect way to end our night! 

We rode the train back to our hotel and all crashed for a few hours before waking up to head back home. 

It was an incredible trip. So many amazing memories and experiences for our family and we can't wait to pick our next adventure!