{christmas spirit}

We have been in such the Christmas spirit lately! Christmas music, movies and books and spruce scented candles abound when you are near me around the holidays. Here are some signs that we are in the Christmas spirit:

My son is also loving this time of year as evidenced by all the festive books he checked out from the library....

That he carries his Rudolph stuffed animal around like it's his BFF.

And the fact that he woke up saying "Mommy, I want my Santa Clause jammies on!!!" You got it, buddy! He wanted the hat/beard combo and all!

I literally went through and recorded every single Christmas movie I could find yesterday on our DVR! Prancer, Frosty the Snowman, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas {Landon is obsessed with the short cartoon version but I want him to see the long movie too!}, A Christmas Carol, Elf {which kicks off the 25 Days ofChristmas on ABC & starts tonight!!}  the list goes on and on.....

Our elf, Clark, has officially made his debut this year, due to Landon's recent behavior ;) Every morning when he is somewhere different, Landon screams "MY ELF! MY ELF!!!" once he spots him. Here's where is showed up this morning. 

 

Annnnd red cups are back. I had to have a Peppermint Mocha when I went out to my dads to celebrate his birthday a couple weeks ago! You know we're in the BEST season when the red cups make their appearance! Have you tried their Chestnut Praline Latte? Yumm....

These festive glasses came from the dollar spot at Target! It never disappoints! These were what Landon picked from there! Great choice!

I saw a DIY advent calendar on Pinterest & was so excited to already have the materials for it. Mine is a little different and fun with the red & washi tape.

 I normally buy a chocolate filled one at World Market but this year I want to do a sort of bucket list advent calendar and on the last day, give the kiddos their matching Christmas jammies & start that as a tradition. 

I can't wait to complete some of the crafty fun stuff on the calandar! I will save the really fun stuff for when my husband can be there :) here's some activities on our list. I haven't put them in because let's be honest, I don't want to be surprised at what we're doing that day. Landon will never know...

We officially have the Christmas songs on repeat in the car. Along with baby lullabies because our daughter HATES the car and her car seat. Sweet.

Here's a couple pics that I've snapped as of late of the little turkeys just doing their thing.

My pretty pretty princess

Landon already wrote a letter to Santa at Macy's he asked for trucks, racecars and dinos, for those wondering. 

In other news, my Etsy shop should be opening soon. I am just trying to finish some more items for the grand opening and tie up some loose ends as far as thepackaging  goes. Here is a sneak peek of the items that will be available! All hand made by me!!! I am also really excited about it and custom orders that may come! I love being creative in my free time. If that's what you want to call it....

I will be sure to post the link when it finally opens! And expect a Christmas Home Tour collaboration with some other bloggers in the near future ;)

{home tour: upstairs}

Let's begin with our room which is still a work in progress.  I just bought window treatments for this space for $4.50 a piece recently at Lowe's and I think they are perfect! My hubby has been so busy with projects around here, I almost feel bad asking him to do anything else, but he also wanted to get something up on the bedroom windows. 

I also plan to hang 3 of my favorite Target frames {which I already have & are in the bottom left of the top photo} above this bed with black and white pictures of the kiddos sleeping in them. Already framed just need to be hung .

This is a very calming and peaceful space and we plan to keep it that way, by not adding many knick knacks.  I love the simplicity of our bedroom.

This is the Ikea Hemnes dresser, & an Ikea Lack shelf that the box is sitting on.  

These are our nightstands. It is also Ikea Hemnes to match the dresser.  I'm normally not crazy about matchy matchy but I love the simplicity of these.  They are very well built too! Thanks Ikea {and my husband....}

My favorite part of the nightstand? This little shelf that's the perfect size for a little diaper changing station, because the kids love to hang out in our room. And a space so that my earrings/necklace/chapstick will not get lost in the mix! Plus how cute is the pattern on the bottom of the drawers? 

Our bathroom is pretty basic, but I love the layout.

We love having a jacuzzi tub, a lot of people say they don't use theirs, but we have quite a bit!  Landon LOVES IT!

To the left is jacuzzi, right is the vanity, straight ahead is our closet, next to that on the right is a toilet and in front of that on the left is our shower. 

Next stop - and in really no particular order, is the playroom.

Obsessed.  

If you ever have the chance to have a playroom, do it! It is totally baby proofed up here, and the room is right at the top of the stairs, I have no worries leaving Landon up here by himself, if we are downstairs.  There is nothing that he can get hurt on.  We do have a TV in this room as well, and the dresser is attached to the wall. 

I am in love with the Ribba photo shelves from Ikea, I got these same ones for Harper Kate's room and Landon's books are in a basket next to his bed. We love books!

Moving onto Landon's room

And lastly upstairs, Harper Kate's room.  

We also have a bathroom in the hallway upstairs, but I haven't gotten around to decorating that room, and we really only do Landon & Harpers bathtime in there sometimes. Most of the time we do it in our jacuzzi tub in our bathroom with the both of them. 

{stay-at-home mom: first days}

When this post goes live, I will have been a stay-at-home mommy for about 2 months although not officially until recently! My first couple of days of being a stay-at-home mom, I wanted to document.

My husband stayed home for 2 weeks after our little girl made her appearance, and so I technically wasn't doing it all by myself at that point....

My son is endless entertainment and I am so glad I am not missing these moments! They are priceless! He drives me crazy and keeps me sane at the same time. The first day of me at home by myself with 2, he fell asleep over his lasagna lunch on the kitchen floor:

Having mommy at home is exhausting!

The next day, he walked into the kitchen with my rainboot on. It looked like he was coming and going at the same time. I had to sit down I was laughing so hard. 

A few short days later, this is how I caught the little rascal. In his sisters car seat, with her binky and her blanket....is someone a little jealous of the baby? 

We typically start our days to dance parties to get out that beginning of the day energy, the most recent one to "I Like Big Butts" by Sir Mix A Lot at 8:15 in the morning, I might add.  GMA was doing a special on people enhancing their assets and we both looked at each other and knew it was dance party time.  We are the same person.....

He also helps me make all the beds after Mike leaves for work.  I love having the beds made because it makes my head clear for the day and he loves to help me with that. 

This child has more personality than anyone I have ever met. If I'm doing the laundry or busy, he says "Mommy, nee hep?" {Mommy, need help?}. He even was there to help when we got our security system installed.  He went and got his "tools".  He is getting a Little Tikes Workbench for Christmas and I know he will LOVE it.  He loves to help and learn.

If we ask him to do something he says one of two things: "No, I can't, I too strong" or "I busy!!". To which I always say, "Landon, you are two, what are you so busy doing?" 

He also walks into a room and says "What doin' daddy?" or "What doin' mommy". 

If he doesn't want something he says "I no yike it, it's dirty" no matter what it is. What?! Where did he even learn that?!?

Also he has started "I do it MYYYSEF!", which pulls are my mommy heart strings! 

He was playing with my favorite Stella and Dot earrings that he found in my nightstand the other day and I said "Landon Thomas, bring those to mommy right now!" He said "I put it riiiiiiiggghhht there, don't touch it!" and placed them just out of my reach. Never a dull moment. I currently only can find one of those earrings by the way, because he uses them as a "crew" {screw} to fix "Yightning A Queen" {Lightening McQueen}.  Perfect. 

Added into the mix is a sweet snuggle muffin girl named Harper Kate that always wants to be held so this is how I normally am during the day! This face was because my husband wanted a pic {probably of the kids} and this was a fussy morning for Harper. 

Landon loves his new sissy so much and I cherish every single moment that I get to spend watching them grow together. When he sees her first thing in the morning he says "Hi Harper Kate, whatcha doin'?" or "Hi Pincess!!" Or he tickles her. I swear she smiles when she sees him! Or cries, one of the two...

I just told my husband, the hardest part is figuring out how to get everyone showered/bathed. When my husband gets home, I like to have dinner ready and then relax as a family and not have to worry about it, so I like to do it during the day :). It's near impossible. I swear. Any tricks? 

We have gone grocery shopping every week and I wear her in my Infantino Mei Tai wrap and put Landon in the cart.  I must look like a hot mess because almost everyone wants to stop and help/talk.  One lady stopped me at the grocery store and said "Do you stay home with your babies?" I told her I do, she said "I think that is so wonderful, you can't get that time back, and your babies need you home."  That really made an impact on me and told me that I made the right decision with the help of my husband. Of course grocery shopping always requires a selfie :)

We have gone to our playground {we are lucky to have a playground, sand volleyball, pool, fitness center, tennis court in our neighborhood} more times than I can count but with the weather starting to get cold, it won't be possible. Because in the winter we won't be able to go to our normal places, I am trying to be creative in what we will do all day long.  Gymboree at Zona Rosa has been a hit & the indoor playground by Marshalls. I have given some Christmas ideas for Landon for Christmas of swim lessons and things like that.  

This is my life now as a stay-at-home mommy and I couldn't love it more. The days are long but the years are short!