Sterling's 1st Birthday!

It's hard to believe that our little man is 1 year old already. Actually, when you factor in all the sleepless nights, it feels like he should be 2. Regardless, it has gone by so. incredibly. fast.

I really wanted to do something special for Sterling's birthday, being conscious of the fact that he is the second child and his birthday doesn't fall within the week of a national holiday (like his sister's). I can't orchestrate a sky full of fireworks, but I'll do my darnedest.

We've been working hard this summer to transform our backyard into a spot for entertaining. So after constructing a makeshift fire pit from some concrete blocks, we figured a s'more party would be perfectly appropriate for the occasion.

I also couldn't resist going with a mustache theme for our baby man. Thank you, Hobby Lobby!

Ooey, gooey goodness...we are so looking forward to many more backyard celebrations like this one in the future!

And a Happy, HAPPY Birthday to our darling boy!!

Dearest Sterling - You really put us through the ringer this year, but you could not be any sweeter. Your smiles & snuggles make it all worthwhile. I pray that the LORD will bless your life, that you will have a pure heart, and you will grow to love & serve Jesus. This Mama loves you so ridiculously much...xx

Happy 3rd Birthday, Ruby!

I can & can't believe we have a 3 year old now. It feels like just yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital...but it's also hard to imagine a time when Ruby (or Sterling) wasn't around. Just one of those weird, parental time-space continuum sort of things. Like the whole thing about life flying by even faster when you have kids...? Well, it's true.

We thought it would be super fun this year for Ruby to go on a camel ride at the zoo for her birthday. Our family has a membership this year, so it's not uncommon to swing by to see the animals for a bit. We don't always partake in the extra special, paid activities though.

As I look a this photo, I see a Mom setting the birthday bar a little high. Admitting it is the first step, right?

After the zoo, we had a small birthday dinner & celebration with our immediate families at home. We decided that until Ruby is old enough to invite her own friends, we'd avoid the drama of forgetting to invite somebody.

I was fortunate that Sara's baby shower was just a few days prior, so my house was still relatively clean and I was able to carry over some of the party decor.

Happy Birthday, dear girl. You make our lives so very sweet. Hope this is your best year yet! xx

Sara's Beautiful (& Inexpensive) Baby Shower!

I had the honor of hosting a baby shower for my sassy friend, Sara, this past weekend. Sara loves all things quirky & whimsical (see here & here), so I wanted throw her a party that was uniquely her.

For the months leading up to it, I scoured the secondhand stores for brightly colored knick-knacks & vintage pretties. Seeing it all come together at the end was just as exciting for me as it was for Sara—and she loved it!!

On the menu, I bought a bulk jar of Caramel Cashew mix ($10) from Target and separated them into these little nut cups ($3) from Hobby Lobby. This worked out great for the guests in that all the little pieces weren't sliding around their dessert plates.

The little girl in the background is one half of a set of vintage bookends I scored from Goodwill ($4), which I included as one of my gifts for the mama-to-be. This actually worked out perfect since books for baby girl's library were requested in lieu of cards.

My pink lemonade cupcakes didn't look as amazing as I hoped, but the mini flags ($2) from Hobby Lobby most certainly redeemed them.

And would you believe I scored that lovely 3-tiered serving tray for $3 at a thrift store? If you know me, I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise;)

Some of the additional mini flags I used as labels for my cheese tray. I took the easy route and purchased a pre-cut selection ($4) from Aldi's. We've been doing a lot more grocery shopping there and have been pleasantly surprised by the savings we've made as a result of it.

The table runner is actually a piece of vintage scrap fabric I found for less than $1. I am so looking forward to what Sara crafts out of it someday!

Mama Sara by the entire spread. We also snacked on crackers, bing cherries, blueberries, cantaloupe, and fresh cut pineapple. The flowers in the thrifted milk glass vases were picked from a Trader Joe's summer bouquet ($4). The pink pom pom banner was from a kit I also purchased at Hobby Lobby ($5). It took a little while to assemble, but the finished product looked so pretty and I'll be using it again this week for Ruby's 3rd Birthday (!).

I didn't get a great pic of our drink station, but the ladies sipped on strawberry/ rosemary/ lemonade mocktails through pink striped paper straws ($3). We also played the same corny shower games that were featured at my sister-in-law Nicole's baby shower.

Overall, I thought the party was a success! Sara received lots of wonderful things for "Lil B" & I got the impression that everyone was having a nice time (if not, they did a great job faking it).

Throwing a baby shower can feel like a bit of an overwhelming task when you factor in the details & cost of every little thing (especially as a one income family), so I wanted to share how easy & inexpensive it was to put together something thoughtful & pretty.

Also, you may have noticed that the interior of our home got a face-lift since the last time you checked in (Hello, gray walls!). I'm planning on a living room/ dining room remodel post, that is, if I can keep it clean long enough to photograph it! Someday...

Ruby's 2nd Birthday Party!

The 4th of July has become an extra special day for us since it's the day we celebrate Ruby's birthday with our families. This year, we partied in Union Park which, minus the stress of finding a picnic area on a major holiday, was the PERFECT location.

The birthday girl has recently developed a penchant for all things ballet so, naturally, she wanted to wear her dance costume for the occasion. 

This might be my favorite picture ever of Ruby & "PeePaw". 

Heritage Carousel in Union Park.

I only made box cupcakes for the party, but they turned out pretty good. Ruby even helped me put the sprinkles on them and that was super special. 

We really couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. The weather was amazing, we had a great spot in the park, and the kids enjoyed all the fun things Union Park has to offer. 

We are SO thankful for all the people in Ruby's life that love & care for her so much. I'll never forget the smile on her face when everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to her. Warms this Mama's heart:)

Hope this was the best birthday yet, sweet Ruby Jayne! xx 

Nicole's SPECTACULAR Baby Shower

This past weekend, I had the honor of hosting a baby shower for my sister-in-law, Nicole. Our babies (& future cousins/ buddies) are due a month apart and like us, Nicole and her husband decided to opt for suprise in waiting to find out the gender.

Since I didn't have a pink or blue palatte to work with, I was inspired to keep it natural, neutral, and classy. Much like the Mama-to-be:)

 Our dessert selection included:
- Dark chocolate Neopolitan layer cake w/ Nutella, strawberry, & vanilla buttercream frosting
- Neopolitan spritz cookies with marshmallow buttercream frosting
- Rice Krispy treats made with sea salt and browned butter

All credit for the food & fanciful spread goes to this lady—Leslie Poyzer—one of the most talented homemakers I know. A self-taught baker & crafter, Leslie heads up wedding production & desserts for The Wedding Format in addition to being a regular contributor for Meredith publications like D.I.Y. Magazine.



Crackers served with Englishwhite Stilton cheese w/ peaches, Cotswold Double Gloucester w/ onions & chives, and Honey Gouda from Trader Joe's.

The Mama-to-be, Nicole!

No baby shower is complete without playing some corny shower games. I searched for some good ones and settled on Mad Libs, "What's in Mommy's Purse, Celeb Baby Names, Scattergories, & Wishes for Baby.

I'm pretty sure Nicole left Iowa feeling super blessed by all the goodies, gifts, & girlfriends in attendance. We are super excited to meet your little one!!