Summer’s dwindling lazily to fall, and soon school will be back in session.  As I write this post, teachers across the nation are working in their classrooms to prepare for the coming school year.

As a former teacher, trust me when I say they are hard at work. They are moving furniture, creating cute bulletin boards, examining student records, looking at curriculum updates,  planning instruction for the coming days, attending workshops to make sure their credentials are up to date, and SO MUCH more!

Then, in just a few days or weeks, they’ll welcome our babies into their classroom and heart for the coming year.  I could literally write an entire post about the struggles of teachers these days  but chances are you’ve encountered that narrative on your social feeds already and know it’s true.

Heroes don’t wear capes these days.  They walk among us disguised as everyday people, roaming the halls of your local school.

So if anyone deserves a gift, it’s a teacher.

I love to start the school year with a sweet back to school teacher gift to remind our teachers how much we truly appreciate them.

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Summer is winding down, and we are NOT ready.

We’ve spent a ton of time enjoying the sun and the pool, but haven’t really made time for our traditional summer excursions to museums and parks.

Recently, we decided we needed to amp up the fun before school’s back in session.  We decided to go BIG and planned a trip to one of our favorite theme parks that we are fortunate to live just a couple of hours from, Carowinds.

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Last year, my then four year old fell in love for this first time.

“He is dreeeeaammy,” she would purr.  “Oh, Adri-kins.”

Luckily, her “Adri-kins” wasn’t real, rather a character on her favorite TV show.  The character Adrian doubles as a superhero who saves the world with a pig-tailed super girl named Ladybug. Their true identies are unknown to each other and Ladybug’s daytime persona, Marionette, secretly pines for Adrian, unaware that he is her akuma fighting accomplice.  My four year old watched her being in love, and decided she was too.

This anime style cartoon was apparently a hit with every girl in my life, and when my sweet niece turned 6 last year, she only wanted a “Miraculous” party.  My youngest was a little upset at first because she didn’t want to share her beau, but she reluctantly agreed so long as her cousin agreed that she would not marry him.

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If you’re like me, your thumb is so NOT green, it’s practically black.

Therefore, keeping any plants alive is problematic. Since plants are a decor staple in most households, this can make dressing up your home’s vibe a little difficult.

However, all is not lost.  There are in fact options that can make your home look super cute, all while not requesting much in exchange from you.   It’s the ultimate porch hack and it’s so easy!

Instead of buying plants seasonally to torture and kill, just invest in some nice faux flowers!

This fun little project took me about 15 minutes and I’m THRILLED with the results. The best part?  Aside from maybe dusting them off and switching them out seasonally, I’ve done all I have to for these beauties!

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Teacher Appreciation Week is approaching and let’s be real…teachers deserve ALL the gifts.

I don’t have to tell you how difficult this pandemic has been for parents, but can you imagine being a teacher right now?

So for this fist week of May, we really need to pull out all the stops and shower them with love! Luckily for you, it doesn’t have to add more to your probably pretty full plate. I’ve created some gift sets teachers are sure to love, and even made you some pretty printables for FREE!

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I know it sound super cliche, but I kind of love Valentine’s Day.

My hubby and I don’t get a lot of nights off, but pre-Corona, we tried to least celebrate with a nice dinner with the kids.

Additionally he steps up his game with the expected flowers and usually a card. I obligatorily fulfill my duties to buy his favorite candies and write him a sweet, slightly mushy note.

But aside from the  rampant commercialism that is Valentine’s Day these days, I still  believe it is an important holiday.

It’s important because if for only one day, we are reminded to stop, offer  love and appreciation, and briefly honor the relationships in our lives.

From my kids, to my super supportive friends and family, to my amazing hubby, I have so much and so many people to show appreciation to.  So I love the extra opportunity to bring a little joy to them.

This year, I’m starting with the oodles of sweet little girls in my life! What better than a  super cute “Your Friendship is my Favorite Accessory” Valentine!

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If you’ve have daughters, and haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve probably seen or heard about Matilda Jane Clothing before.

Most women go through phases when looking at Matilda Jane clothes.

The first stage is noticing it’s uniqueness, maybe even being a little bit smitten with the styles. You might find yourself thinking it’s kind of cute, but you’re not sure it’s for you. You also might go through a little sticker shock, when you see the prices aren’t quite on par with your Old Navy and Target style budget. I mean when you’re used to buying from less expensive brick and mortar stores, is Matilda Jane worth it?

Fair enough, I started there myself.

But inevitably, you’ll begin to notice how incredibly cute and unique it is, and the growing popularity in your area and your curiosity will be piqued.

The tipping point? Probably your first piece of Matilda Jane Clothing.

Because once you get these beauties in your hands, and see first hand how incredible these clothes truly are, chances are you’ll be hooked.

But just in case you’ve got your doubts, or haven’t yet borne witness to the cuteness firsthand, I’ve got a whole slew of other things to love about MJC. So if you aren’t obsessed yet, let me help lure you into the world of Matilda Jane by sharing all the reasons these darling clothes are worth every penny and then some.

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So 2020…Enough said, right?

This has been a YEAR like none other for all of us.

I went from working a part time job, with a toddler in half day preschool and a school ager in full time kindergarten to a full on Homeschooling Mom. I’m talking with my kids TWENTY FOUR/SEVEN with little to no breaks. It’s a blessing and a burden both at once.

We are very fortunate in that we were able to make the switch, but man do I mourn the loss of life as I once knew it, and sometimes even more so for my kids.

Our frequent field trips and playdates came to a screeching halt. Running into stores at a whim, or eating out at our favorite restaurants, are things that almost never happen and only when strategically planned. Softball, gymnastics, girl scouts, all those things canceled or suddenly switched to virtual. They miss their friends.

Corona has taken so much from us; I couldn’t let their birthday be another thing they lost.

So instead of letting this virus steal one more thing, I put on my party planning hat to start planning a party for my two little horse lovers. The result is the cutest horse themed birthday party any quarantine has ever seen.

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All my adult life I’ve been searching for a way to organize the chaos that is my life.

For a long time I thought it was planners.

The money I spent on planners is absurd! I had Lily Pulitzer and Erin Condren planners; I spent hours making a bullet journal. And I still have a brand new $40 Law of Attraction Planner I never even opened.

And if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you share in my shame.

I needed something quick and predictable. Something that I didn’t spend a fortune in TIME and money to accessorize and make pretty meanwhile distracting myself from the whole purpose of planning. I wanted something that covered all the bases, yet didn’t leave me feeling like a total and complete failure if I didn’t accomplish everything I’d planned for that day.

Maybe it wasn’t that I was a failure at planning, but failing because I OVER-PLANNED.

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I mean let’s be honest…

Is my playroom white and pristine and Pinterest perfect?

No.  But, it’s really cute (check out my recent redecorating adventure) and super functional.  It’s a space where my daughters can imagine and play and just be kids.  In a couple of weeks it will also dually function as a virtual learning space and a place to create fun art.

Are my kids special little snowflakes who live for order and tidiness and never wreck havoc on my playroom?

Not a chance!  I’ve got two rough and tumble wildness, one of which who’s known for her tendency to be a total hurricane leaving a wake of mud and destruction in her path.

My kids aren’t perfect.  My house is far from perfect, but it’s manageable and usually at least relatively clean and largely in part to the playroom organization  and toy rotation system I use.

I’ve tried a hundred different ways to create a system that actually keeps our playroom looking like less of a disaster zone and I FINALLY found something that works!

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