Special Dates ~ Penny Art

I finally did something crafty and thought I would share with blogland :)

A while ago, I saw this pin and knew this was something I had to make! I am working on a gallery wall for our master bedroom and this is going to go perfectly.

This was super easy to make - and literally cost me only the frame, so about $10 from Hobby Lobby. I could have used a frame I already had but I wanted a rustic looking one. For the pennies, it didn't take as long as I thought it would to find the years I needed, but I did spend some time looking for pennies of different shades.  I just wrote up everything else on word and printed on white cardstock. I used super glue to attach the pennies to the paper. Like I said, super easy.

So here it is - our new penny art highlighting some special dates in our lives

It's kind of hard to see the writing so here is a close up

This was something I put together in less than an hour on a Friday night. I can't wait to hang it up with everything else!

*linking up with Jessi

A little about me

I thought it would be fun to do a little random about me post -it's been a while since I've shared some of my quirks :)

I am 32 (yikes that sounds kind of old)

I live in the suburbs of Chicago

I have 3 small children; Brayden (6) Ella (4) Avery (2)

I have been married 8 years

My husband I dated in high school when I was 14 and he was 16

We broke up when I became a senior because I wanted to have fun with my friends (so selfish but that was a good thing!)

We reconnected when I was 20 through a very random/crazy way (I'll spare the details) and we knew right away we were in this for the long haul

I worked full time until my youngest was born. Now I stay home and LOVE it so much

I love to do anything craft related

Planning parties is a favorite too

I am obsessed with watching Dateline and I don't think I'll ever let my kids leave the house alone

I love funny/romantic movies the best but scary ones are right up there, I just usually don't watch those because my husband won't and I don't like to watch them alone

I can eat like a (large) man if I let myself

I am a terrible housewife - I do the laundry and let it sit in the baskets for days, I don't clean as much as I probably should


There you go, a few more fun facts about me!


*linking up with Our Pretty Little Girls

Weekly Recap {9.19.16}

Happy Monday!

I need to first say Happy Anniversary to my hubby! 8 years ago today we got married and it was the absolute best day! We are going to show the kids our wedding video tonight since the older ones might actually be into it :)



We had such a great week - here's what we were up to


We had some awesome weather which meant park time! These girls love to swing!

Ella and I flew a kite in our backyard and girlfriend had a blast! We need to do this more often

Ella looks so darn adorable on school days (well, every day duh) I just have to snap a pic!

We went on a playdate with my SIL, nephew and new niece and the kids had a blast! This place is awesome, it's an indoor play area for kids all based around firefighters - so fun!

After our playdate we headed to the mall to pick up my wedding band that was fixed and we stopped at the Garrets stand to get popcorn for 67 cents! Their popcorn is AMAZING and we were happy girls

Ella got this guitar from my in laws for her birthday and she loves to play and sing - be still my heart

Friday after school we got outside for a walk - well the bigs scooted around the neighborhood

I love this view

At night we went to our local sports center for Family Fun Night.  Our park district puts it on about twice a year and it's free for residents. They have the soccer fields open, baseball going on, football, basketball, tons of little ride on toys for smaller kids, dodgeball, bingo and an obstacle course set up in the gymnastics area.  The kids had a freaking blast and were so wore out when we left

 

Saturday during our garage sale, these 3 had their first lemonade stand. Brayden and Ella were so cute asking everyone "would you like some lemonade?" I thought they would be sad when people said no but they weren't and thankfully not too many people did. I mean how could you not buy lemonade from these cuties!!

Saturday night was date night for the hubby and me to celebrate our annivesary. We started with dinner, then hopped over to another restaurant for a drink then went to a comedy club that is in our mall (sounds lame but it's so fun and you enter and exit outside of the mall which helps LOL)

should not have drank this, ha!

We ubered home around midnight and I hit the bed hard and didn't wake up until 2:30am when I heard Ella throwing up.  Again we think it was because she was having a bad coughing fit. We cleaned her up and put new sheets/pillowcases on and she passed right back out and woke up fine.  So weird!


Sunday we relaxed most of the day and stopped by my MIL's house where she was having a garage sale too.

Later in the day I headed to the city to meet up with my friends for dinner.  My friends Mom got us reservations at this pop up diner that is an exact replica of The Max (if you don't know what show this is from, I'm sorry but we can't be friends) and it was AWESOME.

The place looked identical to the show and we were totally living our childhood dreams right there!

I got home around 8 just in time to give kisses to Brayden & Ella before they went to bed and I pretty much collapsed on the couch.


Have a great day, I'll see you tomorrow!

Friday Favorites {9.16.16}

Hello Friday!

I'm kicking off this weekend with a garage sale in hopes to get rid of so much stuff we have accumulated! We are finishing our basement next month so I want all the extras gone! Whatever doesn't sell is going straight to Goodwill - I already feel lighter.

The hubby and I are also celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary this weekend with a super fun date night and I am beyond excited!

Oh and I'm also over at Sparkles and Lattes guest posting on potty training today - go check it out!



{ONE} - New Ring

I am loving my new x ring so much! My same one is out of stock but this one is similar

{TWO} - New Dress

Thanks to my girl Lindsay, I snagged this dress the other day. Originally I loved the red, but then I saw Lindsay in the green and thought that one was better for me - when I tried them on I was at a stand still, so I snapped some pics and sent them to my sister who didn't get back to me in time so I made the decision on my own to get the green.  Immediately after buying it I wanted the red! I think I just need both in my life.

 

{THREE} - Halloween Books

In case you missed it, I highlighted some of the best Halloween books out there for kiddos (I'm sure there are more and I would love suggestions!) We have most of these and they are all hits in our house

{FOUR} - Scarves

It's almost Fall which means I want all the scarves

I would love this one

I have this one in taupe but could totally use it in several other colors!

{FIVE} - Favorite Video of the Week

Have you guys seen this? I was DYING! #it'sfunnybecauseit'strue





Happy Weekend!

Linking up with:

Momfessionals

Hello Happiness

September Farm

Confessions {9.15.16}

Phew this week has been a doozy! The girls have had these colds for what seems like forever (and it's only the beginning of this, I know), I went to check on Avery the other night before I went to bed and I immediately smelled throw up, yep she threw up all over herself while having a coughing fit (I'm assuming) and that obviously meant waking her up to bathe her and clean/change her sheets, I had a touch of a sickness that I think I was able to fight off and I just want it to be the weekend.  Although I committed to having a garage sale and I'm not nearly ready so maybe I don't want it to be the weekend?


Ok now that I got some whining off my chest, we can move on to confessions....

I confess.....


I still watch Teen Mom - the original ones and the other girls. I feel a connection to that show because I was pregnant with Brayden when it first started airing and also, it makes me feel like a spectacular Mom

I have been watching all this coverage on the 20th anniversary of the JonBenet Ramsey case and it's all so crazy. I feel like someone in that house had to have done it but I will never understand why - and I hope I'm wrong

After school time is probably my least favorite time of the day. Brayden comes home, the girls are just getting up, everyone wants a snack and then there's the whole going through the backpack fiasco. Oh, and trying to help Brayden with his homework with 2 little girls who are always interrupting, fun times I tell ya :)

I drink way too much coffee but I don't see that changing anytime soon

We are not going to Disney World until next October and I am already started to do some initial planning #obsessed


Alright - enough confessing and complaining, I'm off to have a great day! See you tomorrow for Friday Favorites


*linking up with Annie

Best Halloween Books for kids

With Halloween around the corner, I rounded up some fun Halloween books for the kiddos! We have several of these and I just ordered a few new ones. I hope you find something you like!

The Night Before Halloween

Room on the Broom

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

I love you, Little Pumpkin

The Spooky Smells of Halloween

The Spooky Wheels on the Bus

The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat

Pete the Cat Five Little Pumpkins

Pinkalicious Pink or Treat!

Ten Timid Ghosts

Apple Picking 2016

We've gone apple picking for the past few years and it's something I hope we continue forever :)

This year we checked out a new orchard and we loved it!  Usually the places we go to have fun activities for the kids, but this place was just apple picking. They also had a little store where you could buy apple cider donuts, jams, soups, mixes, etc and also a little stand with food. Even without the extras for the kids, they had the best time, they even said so :)

We first started out to the fields to get our apples

These 3 - they are my everything!

My hubby is always the one to put the kids on his shoulders to get the *best* apples 

Brayden snapped a pic of me and the hubs :)

Avery loved picking an apple, taking a bite, then throwing it on the ground. Thankfully there were plenty of apples to go around.

  

We spotted trees with those tiny cherries on them and the hubby had the smart idea of saying "you know what those are good for?" The kids said no, and he pegged them with some, and that started our little cherry fight which was the highlight of the day for the kids!

When we were all done, we enjoyed some apple cider donuts and watched the kids climb the hay. We had the best time just being together, I love days like this!


You can see other apple picking posts here:

2013
2014
2015



*linking up with Our Pretty Little Girls for Tuesday Talk