Here’s a little of our Easter celebration with family. I made and Italian lunch, lemon risotto, chicken parmigiana and caprese. Molto Bene.
This Galentine’s was hosted two years! Brought such sweet memories of times we could gather inside and near each other with out the worries of Covid! Praying for more of those days in the future.
I’m always down for a fiesta and this Cinco de Mayo we got our fiesta on at home. Fred made his famous margaritas, we bought over priced carne asada from the carniceria, heated up the grill, busted out the loteria and danced to mariachi music! We ended the celebration with smoke bombs left over from 4th of July last year. It was a blast breaking the mundane of our everyday quarantined life.
A fun simple way to celebrate love and friendship with littles!
Bake cupcakes.
Buy candy.
Let them go crazy.
Last summer I hosted a baby shower for one of my best friends Sonya, her baby Harper is now 7 months! This is one of my favorite showers I have ever thrown! I loved working with this color scheme of muted warm tones, it was perfect for this modern chic mama! The table was decorated with a combination of dried, wooden and fresh flowers along with dry wheat grass, gave the table so much depth with all the different textures. Loved it! The menu consisted of fresh fruits, brunch finger foods and sweet pastries like mini pavlovas. Those mini pavlovas were a hit! I need to post a recipe soon! We painted decorative wooden blocks in modern patterns for the nursery. It was such a sweet shower for my sweet friend!
Our Easter this year was bittersweet, it’s one we will never forget as we spent it quarantined and away from those we love most celebrating the one who loved us most. We’ve been so used to seeing friends at church on Easter Sunday then gathering with family and cousins for lunch and egg hunts but we made the most of it with our party of five.
We all got dressed in our Sunday best, let me rephrase, I dressed all of us in our Sunday best, they groaned as I made them change out of pajamas for once but they indulged me. We sat on the couch for our online Easter service and rejoiced at Christ’s sacrifice for us and thanked him for our many blessings through this time.
Then of course mom had to have her annual Easter family picture, we found the perfect spot at the trails down the street from our house, nature declaring what was once barren and lifeless now bloomed with life echoing the celebration in our souls.
After they indulged me and were slightly annoyed because they can barely stand still for two seconds to snap a picture it was time for baskets and egg hunt! I don’t know what’s more fun, being sneaky and hiding all the eggs or watching the boys thrilled, running around and desperately searching for them, I love it!
For dinner Fred made us homemade ravioli, it was amazing! I made carrot cake from scratch with cream cheese frosting and went all Pinteresty on it and made the cutest bunnies! And if that wasn’t cute enough our friend Amy surprised us with her beautiful decorated Easter cookies at our door!
It was a sweet day that brought about lots of gratefulness, I was able to slow down and remembered to soak it in and rejoice! HE IS RISEN, HE IS RISEN INDEED!
Rang in the New Year in Roaring 20’s style!
I have to brag that Fred and I’s attire came mostly from my favorite thrift store! Found my dress for 8.99 and black heels and a little fir coat for $3 bucks each! We spent about $30 dollars and headed to the party looking like a million bucks! Gosh I love thrifting!
We also got to celebrate our friend Nick turning 32! It was a lovely night full of fake cigars, Old Fashions, French 75’s and cake! We played a murder mystery game and laughed hysterically at each others attempts at a classic 20’s accent.
I kissed my handsome tuxedo man at midnight and got a feeling that 2020 is going to be fabulous.
Last week we had a fun cousin sleepover!
With an upcoming camp trip and a brand new tent we had never set up, we decided it would be a good idea to practice setting it up beforehand and take advantage of the set up by having an indoor camp sleepover.
We made it Halloween theme and invited cousins over for a night of pizza, pumpkin carving, s’mores, star gazing, dancing and late night movie watching. First one to fall asleep would get whipped cream on their face!
They had a blast, Fred and I really teamworked to keep the fun going and the mess contained! He also took one for the team and pretended to fall asleep so the kids could put whipped cream all over his face! I love him! I loved seeing the joy on their little faces, they had a blast, we might have to make this into one of our Fall traditions!
Hey there! It’s been a while!
Hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day.
My boys treated me to all my favorite things, carbs, shopping and picnics!
Saturday I got treated to coffee and delicious chocolate croissants at Tulla, a French inspired patisserie and cafe. It was my first time there and if I could have I would’ve tried every pastry they had in sight. I went basic and ordered a chocolate croissant but this croissant was far from basic! My mouth is watering as I type! A buttery, flaky pillow from heaven filled with chocolate goodness… Yum!
We then stopped for a quick Target run and of course I had to pick out something for myself since it was Mother’s Day weekend and it was only appropriate. Our run turned into a marathon as it usually happens every time I walk into Target. Out of a billion things I tried on I found a cute top and romper on clearance, $20 for both, score!
We then hit up a Frisco Festival, and forget photo booths, Magnolia Terrace a local event venue had the cutest bike set up for photos, and you don’t have to tell me twice! I’m adding a beach cruiser back on my wishlist if I get one it will most definitely have flowers hanging out of the basket just like theirs!
We ended Saturday with dinner at Outback Steakhouse, last time we went I was pregnant with Nate! I had prime rib, medium rare, the only way to eat a steak… For dessert we checked out a new snow cone place in Denton Square, Gnome Cones! It was an amazing experience, super thought out down to every detail, the sound of squeaky gnomes calling out your name when your order is up! I need to do a post on this place alone because it’s truly magical, check it out!
Sunday Fred made me avocado toast with his homemade jalapeño cheddar bread! We headed to church and I wore my Target find from the day before. We came home for lunch with family and afterwards I was ready to just relax and wait for Game of Thrones to start but Fred surprised me with a picnic and homegirl is always down for a picnic! Fred made us yummy sandwiches and we spent the evening at the park.
Grateful for my sweet husband who is so thoughtful, goes above and beyond for me and makes every celebration extra special. I love you with all my heart, you make me a better mommy grateful for you and our crazy boys! Love you!
So let me tell you how I almost ruined Valentine’s Day yesterday or at least ruined it for part of the night…
Fred made the evening so special for our whole family. He got home from work kicked me out of the kitchen and made us his version of “happy meals” but called them “love meals,” with delicious homemade burgers, fries, and just like a traditional happy meal comes with a special toy he had a special gift for each of us.
Isn’t he just the sweetest? Gift giving and making others feels loved is his specialty, mine, not so much.
I struggle with gift giving, I don’t like to buy Fred gifts, I’ve sadly done it through the years mostly out of obligation, not just with Fred but with the boys too. Christmas shopping is a nightmare, everything I pick out I buy with hesitation and with the thought in my head that this will only bring momentary happiness and will end up in the trash or collecting dust sooner or later.
While yes that may be true, and it makes sense according to my minimalist ideology; I’ve selfishly been missing the point and have made the excuse of being a terrible gift giver so that I don’t have work at it or better yet not spend money. I’ve sadly missed opportunities to bless Fred, my boys and others in the name of sticking it to consumerism. Oh but when it comes to shopping for me I’m all for supporting Capitalism… Such a hypocrite!
So about how I almost ruined yesterday, I wasn’t planning on buying Fred anything for Valentine’s Day but because he had already given me 2 other gifts earlier in the week, I was like, Oh crap, let me head to the store, the guilt was real ya’ll. So in my “thoughtfulness” I bought Fred an oven mitten and a pot holder because he’s been getting really into this baking bread thing and we don’t own oven mittens, which is why I have a thousand burn scars on my wrists… Anyways he opened the gift and he kindly said thanks, he opened the card I picked out which I though was hilarious because I have the best sense of humor and all he did was smile and say, “Thank you.”
How dare he not laugh or express gratitude in a more dramatic way, does he not know how I went out of my way (last minute) to buy him this gift and express my love for him… So I was angry. After dinner we sent the boys to bed and how a typical Valentines night should go between lovers did not.
Instead we laid in bed, I expressed my hurt for him not being excited about the gift, like many of our conflicts I made this all about me, me, me, you hurt me, you don’t appreciate me, etc… My selfish anger completely blinded me of how thoughtful he had been to make the night special for all of us, cook for us, lavish us with gifts, the date from the weekend?
And then he dropped the bomb on me that left me at a loss for words and left us both in tears.
Fred had seen right through me all these years, how thoughtless I had been over and over when I’d buy him anything, and called it a gift. Ouch. I’m sure I have bought a good gift here or there or at least what I thought was good but I realized I had to change and I had to face the fact that I’ve been lazy in this area and I had to apologize.
Fred was gracious, I asked how he did it, how does he know how to get me the perfect gift every time. He said he studies me, he takes notes of what I say, what I point out when we’re out, what current things I’m into. He also said around the holidays he’ll sometimes drop hints for me here or there to give me ideas on what to buy him, sadly anytime he’s shown me something he wants I’ve inwardly given him the eye roll or just zoned it out…
So I’m making a vow to be a better gift giver, to do it out of love and consideration and not obligation. I want to work on making Fred feel loved and special because he does that with me over and over and not just with gifts.
After a long night and a hard conversation, I was able to see my wrongs, ask for forgiveness and move forward with a practical way to put what we talked to into practice. I’m realizing these moments are what people mean when they say marriage is hard work, these moments are what bond us and make us stronger. Thankfully because we were able to work out our conflict we were able to end Valentines night the way it should between lovers…
On Saturday Fred treated me to an early Valentine’s Day Date. He knows me too well and planned it just right.
Dallas, Food, Duh.
While a girl can eat a big meal, trust me… I’m more of the tapas philosophy, small bites so I can try a little of everything and take my time. So Fred decided to take me out to eat small bites at a few different spots.
We started our date at Jimmy’s Food Store, the best Italian market in Dallas. Italian cuisine and culture is so near and dear to us and being in Jimmy’s Food Store makes me feel like I’m there though I've never been but I like to pretend while i’m there! You can buy a glass of wine to sip on while you shop. You’re completely surrounded by every imported Italian ingredient you might ever need along with local goods. I found the perfect pasta noodles for my Galentine’s Party coming up and we bought our meats we needed for pizza night from the deli, the deli!!! At the deli you can buy sandwiches, the most amazing sandwiches in town, Fred and I split a prosciutto caprese sandwich, soo tasty!
We then headed to Deep Ellum, one of my favorite spots in Dallas. We walked around the outdoor market, hit up a few shops like Jade & Clover and Archer Paper Goods, seriously adorable shops!
Then came our second food stop, Revolver Taco. We had authentic street tacos with wagyu beef carne asada, cilantro and onions! The best part? There’s an abuelita in the kitchen making your tortillas, (insert tears of joy here) and you can actually see her throwing it down in a cute Mexican apron. You won’t find your typical Texas “fajita meat” tacos here, just the real good carne asada.
We ended our date with dessert at Emporium Pies. It was my first time checking out the Deep Ellum location so I was really excited to check out their floral mural, insta worthy. They have their seasonal “Valenpies” I had to go with the Dr. Love pie, a gooey brownie with red velvet cream cheese, need I say more?
Though it was a chilly 30 some degree date, my super hot Valentine kept me warm, like literally, my thoughtful Fred even bought me hand warmers to put inside the pockets of my coat. Thank you Fred for always loving me, caring for me, spoiling me. I love you my dearest Valentine.
I’m throwing my very first “Galentines” party next week for the ladies in my community group from church. They are such a blessing to me in so many ways that I wanted to celebrate them and make them feel loved and appreciated in return. What better way than to host a Galentine’s Party?!?
I am a boy mom who loves pink, it’s one of my favorite colors, I dyed my hair pink, my wedding was even pink, but these days I find myself throwing Paw Patrol parties, Pokemon parties, Star Wars parties… Did you see my last post? No pink to work with. Except on Valentine’s Day! Give me all the pink!
I knew I wanted to incorporate pink in my Galentine’s Party since it’s my fave but I also wanted to break away from the traditional bright red hearts and kisses vibe while keeping it soft and feminine.
I went to Jo-Anne’s for inspiration, walked through the store and found myself in the scrapbook aisle. Suddenly this fun paper caught my eye, this sheet with a marble dip design in dark teal, maroon and coral but I kept looking for the Valentines theme paper and nothing really stood out, my eye kept coming back to the marble dip design. I was captivated and knew I had found my color inspiration for my Galentine’s Party.
I paired the scrapbook sheet with a rose gold sheet and my heart about burst! Then I went to the fabric section in search of a table runner and in the pile of clearance rolls found a velvet teal bolt that complemented the colors so well and added beautiful depth and texture.
I’m super excited to work with these beauties and show you what I come up with next week and show you how my Galentine’s Party goes! Have a great weekend!
Last summer we had an epic Star Wars party. Seriously, it was epic, I think it was one of my favorite birthday parties we’ve ever thrown. Light saber party favors made out of pool noodles, ice pops, cupcakes, piñata and a house full of wookies…
As with every event that we host in our home, I always try to implement my personal style into it while keeping it budget friendly.
So for this party I kept it neutral but funky with pops of bright shiny silver. Silver tablecloths and tinsel backdrop came from 5 Below, Star Wars plates from Target, paper cups, cutlery, party favors and black balloons from Dollar Tree, silver number 3 balloon from Hobby Lobby, cupcake liners and toppers from Williams Sonoma (which I got on clearance a few years back, but they’re available on Amazon. So I spent about $100 max, that’s typically how much I spend on decor for a party.
For food we kept it simple with hot dogs, mac and cheese and of course homemade cupcakes and a double stacked frosting cake that my kids are so tired of but I keep baking because I love them!
So that was it! Simple, laidback, epic.
October is one of my favorite months. The orange tones, the fall flavors, cooler weather.
It’s also jam packed with festivals, parties, patches and candy, lots and lots of candy. This October we visited a pumpkin patch, as per tradition, we went to the Texas State Fair and once again asked ourselves, “why did we come here?” We’re Texas State Fair haters but we go every year because Fred gets free tickets, were also emotionally attached to the LA County Fair because its where we shared our first kiss and got engaged… So really every other fair doesn’t compare.
This year we were also invited to a Fall Painting Party! One of the highlights of my Fall. We painted as a group al fresco under twinkling lights with a brush in one hand and a glass of pinot in the other. All the feels, right?
We ended October with a giant pan of homemade lasagna, trick or’ treating and of course stealing all the Twix and Kit Kat’s from my boys candy bucket!
Coffee + Crumbs is a collaborative blog about motherhood. A few weeks ago they encouraged women to gather and celebrate Motherhood! The best part? They provided all the goodies for you to host! Invites, place cards, question cards for the table, even a Spotify playlist! My friend asked if I'd host this with her and of course I was delighted! We divided up the food list, she opened her home and I made the floral centerpieces and decorated the table! Had the sweetest morning with these ladies, the discussion cards opened up a lot of great conversations and the outpour of mama talk refreshed my soul! Thank you Coffee + Crumbs! Happy Mother's Day everyone!
A few months ago we were asked by some sweet friends at church to join their Supper Club. I told my friend Selina how much we enjoyed it and she was inspired to start a Supper Club of her own! This was her kick off dinner! A fun Cinco de Mayo Celebration!
So what is a Supper Club?
It sounds a little fancy right? Really all it is, is a bunch friends getting together at someones house for dinner once a month. Every month you rotate houses and the host provides all the food and beverages so the guests can just show up without having to worry about bringing something! That's one of my favorite parts about supper club, you just show up and dinner is covered! Some Saturday's can get really busy for us now that the boys do sports so not having to worry about prepping a dish but still getting to hang out with friends is amazing!
If you have 5- 6 couples in your supper club you only end up having to host and provide food for the whole crowd twice a year and the rest of the year you get a fun monthly night out with friends, free of responsibilites... Score!
So how do you start a Supper Club? Super simple!
My favorite part of Supper Club is being committed to a group of people! Getting to know them more over a period of time and deepening friendships over a meal. Supper Clubs are a great way to build community! Do you have supper club? Id love to hear more about it and if not I'd encourage you start one!
