The Foreman Fix Up- House Remodel Reveal- Before & After

It's my greatest pleasure to welcome you into our remodeled home and show you around.  It's been years in the making and 19 months since we had our first design consultation.  Living through a complete renovation was nearly impossible and had its share of challenges that tested our family in every way.  Seeing these photos almost takes that sting away!!!  I almost can't believe the transformation and it's a safe bet that you won't believe it's the same house.  Come take a peak....

Halloween Crafts & Treats

I'm a lover of all holidays and I'm always talking about how much I live for traditions.  To this day I remember traditions from my childhood and I just love creating new ones with my kids.  I hope they carry some of them on with their families.  One of our greatest traditions is making treats and enjoying them during a movie night.  Especially this time of year we love camping out in front of the tv and enjoying food and family.

A "charcuterie" board always make food that much more fun so I've been having fun creating different Halloween boards.  My first Halloween Treat Board consisted of mandarin pumpkins, candy corn & pumpkins, Halloween Oreo's, Moose Track Ice Cream, and Spooky Spider Popcorn.

Making the popcorn couldn't be any easier.  You can pop popcorn or you can do what I did and just buy Skinny Pop and then melt orange chocolate and drizzle on top.  I added Halloween sprinkles and set in the fridge for an hour.  In the meantime I made the spider plate for the popcorn which consists of cutting black pipe cleaners to the desired length and hot glueing to the bottom of a black paper plate.  Then 3/4 of the way down the pipe cleaner you bend at a 45 degree angle.  Lastly, hot glue googly eyes to the top of the plate. 

To make the mandarin pumpkins you peel a mandarin and then slice a very small piece of celery and insert in the top.  Plain ice cream isn't nearly as fun as ice cream with sprinkles so sprinkles were added to the top.  I put it all together on a board and let the fun begin!

4th of July Breakfast- Firecracker Pancakes

I live for a holiday breakfast and coming up with new ideas every year.  The theme for this 4th of July breakfast was firecrackers.  I made firecracker pancakes and also a DIY firecracker craft.  I also served red, white and blue parfaits.  Red and blue milk topped everything off.

Hosting an Outdoor Easter Brunch

We host Easter nearly every year at our home and I just love hosting a party.  Due to the pandemic we obviously couldn't host our extended family but I wasn't going to bypass the festivities because it was just our immediate family.  I decided to create an outdoor Easter Brunch so that we could get outside to enjoy the beautiful weather but more importantly so that we could share in our neighborhood celebrations!

Easter Bunny Brunch

There isn't a holiday that goes by that I don't do a special breakfast.  The surprise element is long gone but there isn't any less excitement from the girls and now Jack wants in on the fun.  I keep everything simple and affordable so it doesn't take a lot of time or money. I use many things over and over in order to accomplish that.  Most of the time I use our colorful RePlay tableware but I had these supplies left over from a party so I decided to use them.  I made the garland years ago from paint sample cards and the only other decor was some fresh tulips and our letter board.

How to Throw an Easter Lunch with Bunny Sandwiches

I take holidays very seriously; I'll take any reason to celebrate!  This year especially called for extra fun and festivities (thank you Corona) so leading up to Easter we had lots of fun moments including this Easter lunch.  I love doing stuff like this because it doesn't take much effort but it means so much to my girls.  I hope one day they look back at all these memories and want to continue these traditions with their children.

A Bright & Colorful St. Patty's Breakfast

St. Patrick's Day has become one of my favorite holidays because who doesn't love bright colors, rainbows, magic and a little luck?!?!  I always enjoy our holiday breakfasts but this one was extra fun to put together.  It was just the joy and light we needed in this crazy time.  We also got to enjoy it a bit more because we didn't have to race off to school (hello quarantine bonus).

How to Make Lucky Leprechaun Snack Mix

This St. Patty's Day treat was so simple and quick to make and added lots of fun to our holiday brunch.  It stores well in the fridge and can be enjoyed for many days.

Ingredients:

• Lucky Charms (2 Cups)
• Rice Chex (1 Cup)
• White Melting Chocolate (Two Squares)
• Pink Sprinkles

Directions:

Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave in 30 second increments.  Dump in Lucky Charms and Chex and mix.  Top with sprinkles and lay on parchment paper.  Put in fridge to harden.  Once set crumble up and put in an airtight container.

How to Plan the Best North Pole Breakfast with Elf on the Shelf

The Christmas season doesn't truly begin until our North Pole Breakfast.  We may have visited Santa and the decorations have been going up over the past few weeks but it doesn't feel real until Jingle the Elf returns from the North Pole.  

How to Create a Birthday Breakfast Tradition

Since Emily was very young I've thrown a small birthday breakfast to celebrate the day and it's become such a fun tradition.  It's very simple but makes the girls so happy and feel very special.  I almost always use our Re-Play tableware to add the pop of color to our kids table but sometimes I use paper goods.  In the past I've done a donut cake but this year I did a pink pancake tower with chocolate drizzle on top.

How to Throw a Bright Rainbow Roller Skating Party

Emily paints a rainbow wherever she goes!  She lights up any room and she finds the silver lining to any cloud.  I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate her 8th birthday than with a Rainbow Roller Skating Party.  She is now of the age where roller skating is doable and would be fun for her and her friends so we picked United Skates Clovis for her party.

How to Create a Cute Construction Birthday Party

Jackson's Blessed Baptism

I'm so excited to share the pictures from Jackson's baptism so get ready for overload!  There are just so many amazing shots.

I think because Jack is our final baby his baptism was extra special.  I was able to really savor the sacrament and truly appreciate it.  We were so lucky because his baptism was private which made it so intimate.  It made my heart so content to have our family surrounding him on such a beautiful day.

For anyone that knows me you know how much I love throwing a party, bringing a theme to life and sharing all the details.  As much as I love entertaining I also like to keep things simple because I don't have endless time or money.  For Jack's baptism I wanted a natural theme that included succulents and eucalyptus.  

I used metal rings and wrapped eucalyptus around them.  I didn't use anything to attach them to the ring just wrapped several strands around the ring.  I found out the hard way that you can't do this ahead of time.  I first did it about 36 hours prior to the party and they wilted so I had to get fresh eucalyptus the day of the party.  The wreaths hung above a table with a bible and a sign.  The bible is intended as a gift to Jack on his confirmation when he is a teenager.  All of our guests signed the bible and highlighted their favorite verse.  I warned everyone ahead of time to find their favorite verse and keep it in mind so that people were prepared.

How to Create a Fun & Colorful Unicorn Birthday Party

Madison's birthday was in May and we had Jackson's baptism scheduled for the beginning of June so we decided to combine the festivities.  The main reason was so we didn't have to ask guests to come to back to back to celebrations.  Everyone is very busy and we felt like it was asking too much.  Also it was a lot easier on me to only have to throw one party at our home. 

Even though I was adding Madi's birthday party to Jack's baptism celebration I still wanted her to feel special so I still did a small table for her with a unicorn theme (and let's not forget the endless fun of a bounce house).  For the first time I attempted a balloon garland which has been on my party planning wishlist for a long time but I've always been intimidated by them.  I read that a Balloon Decorating Strip was a game changer so I picked up this super cheap one from Amazon.  Another game changer was a handheld Balloon Pump.  After doing this I CAN NOT imagine doing a balloon arch without one, you would for sure pass out!!!  I suggest setting aside plenty of time to blow up the balloons.  I did it over two nights; it's not hard work but just time consuming.  I also want to note that the balloons lasted over a week so you could do this ahead of time.  Blow up the balloons at different sizes, tie them off and then insert them in the strip.  I was putting two balloons to a hole and found that it was too full.  Start with only putting one balloon in each hole and then when you hang your garland you can see if there are any spots that need more.  I found hanging the garland was a little difficult.  We ended up using fishing line to hang it because tape wasn't strong enough to attach it to the wall.

When it came to dessert I enlisted the help of the super talented and creative Kaja of Kaja's Kreations.  She has done several parties for me and she blows me away every time.  I told her I wanted a unicorn cake and that we were doing the baptism at the same time so she added a few succulents to the cake to tie everything together.  It was such a nice touch and super cute.  Kaja has several flavors and everything we've ever had was delicious.  I picked strawberry for this cake so that it would be pink.  Kaja also did a few unicorn sugar cookies for us and the details were amazing!

For the paper goods I found Geese & Ganders and they offer the cutest selections.  The patterned pink dessert plates and napkins added the perfect pop of color.  For party favors I picked up rainbow popcorn from a local spot called Grandpa's Popcorn & Sweets.  Each color is a different flavor and they are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. 

Our absolute favorite photographer who has now become a dear friend, Melissa Gotelli took Madison's 5th birthday photos.  I'm embarrassed to say that I haven't taken her birthday photos since she was 2!  I never missed any of Emily's birthdays but hey second child.  I can't imagine what will happen with Jack, lol.

We can't believe our baby girl is already 5.  The years have flown and yet I don't remember life without her.  She adds laughter to our lives every single day.  She is the sweetest, most sour, and ultra spicy little girl you have ever met.  She's way beyond her years and is too smart for us.  She's super excited about starting kindergarten and I know the school years will just fly by.

Madi is fairly small but mighty and built solid.  She is obsessed with music and dancing (like her mama) and has a song request during every car ride.  Her favorite foods are mac & cheese, cheese pizza, and quesadillas.  Her favorite desserts are ice cream and cookies.  Her favorite things to do are eat donuts, get toys, ride her bike and swim.  Her favorite movie is Frozen and her favorite shows are Elena and Fancy Nancy.  Her favorite songs are Old Town Road, Champion, Whose That Chick, Ain't My Fault, Red, I Miss Me More, Runaway Baby and Youngblood (see I told you she loves music). Her best friends are Hayden and Tinsley.  (These were all answered by Madi.)

Thank you to everyone who made Madi's birthday so special including all her guests as well as all the shops.  We are very blessed!

How to Survive Summer when School's Out

I am so ready for lazy Summer days with no alarm clocks and having to rush out the door.  I won't miss packing lunches or racing from school pick up to after-school activities.  However, it will be two days into break and I'll be sick and tired of sibling fights, whining, begging for the 437th snack of the day and hearing, "I'm bored."

We have to fill our Summer with activities, play dates, vacations and more to survive the "lazy days" of Summer.  At the end of each Spring or school year we enjoy writing out a Summer Fun Bucket List.  Each year there are many similarities but we usually add something new every year.  At the tail end there's usually something we don't get to but it's fun to check things off and have things to look forward to.

Every year I kick off Summer with a fun breakfast.  This year I did a pineapple theme because they always remind me of sweet Summer days.  If you follow along with me you know I am all about affordable and simple ideas.  These breakfasts that I do are not over the top nor do they take a lot of my time or money.  I think the impact for my kids is the same no matter what amount of money I spend.  My goal is to mark milestones and create memories for my girls.

As always I used tableware from Re-Play because they add just the splash of color that I need.  I also used napkins from Geese & Ganders which provides the CUTEST tableware for all your party needs (You'll see more from them coming up on the blog.).  The breakfast was super simple with yellow and green fruit served with a round glazed donut.  I cut out a pineapple stem and stuck it on the top to make them look like pineapples.

The pineapple banner I found HERE and I got really lucky with the balloon garland.  I just used the leftovers from Madi's birthday party.  The gifts I give at these breakfasts are always things I was buying anyways.  I don't suggest buying gifts just because and spending extra money.  They got things like new shoes for Summer (which they desperately needed) and outfits for 4th of July.

Check out my previous POST for Seven Fun Summer Activities to keep the family entertained.  On top of checking off our list a schedule is key to surviving Summer boredom.  Check out my schedule and ideas HERE.

Find a Summer Bucket List from the past as well as TONS of several local stops you want to hit up this Summer.  Happy Summer!

How to Throw a Sweet Bunny Brunch for Easter

My girls anticipate their holiday breakfast at this point and they get so excited about them.  I like to make holidays just a bit extra special because they are only little for so long and one day they will care less about the magic of holidays.  These breakfasts that I put together don't take a lot of money or effort so I want to share them with you in case you've ever thought about doing one yourself.  Creating memories isn't about being over the top, it's just about be present and making your little ones feel special.

How to Throw a Colorful St. Patrick's Day Breakfast

I was just chatting with a girlfriend about how these are the most precious years to celebrate all the holidays.  Our children are at the perfect age where they light up when the elf moves, the Easter bunny poops in the toilet or the Leprechaun leaves little footprints through the house.  I live for my girls excitement, giggles and smiles when they find a special surprise and as someone who has always loved all holidays I take advantage of any opportunity to capture these moments.  

For almost every major holiday I create a little special breakfast for my girls as a way to celebrate.  Sometimes the girls get a little gift but not always but either way they always are so elated.  I like to keep these breakfast parties simple but fun.  Kids do not care how much money you spent or how many hours you needed to prep; they just want the joy and the special attention.  I share these with you so that you can be inspired and tackle it yourself.  I promise it is easy peasy.

Sharing Our Sweet & Fun Valentine's Day Traditions

If you know me you know I live for traditions and all holidays.  I will seize any excuse to decorate, buy cute matching outfits and celebrate.  I'm sharing our traditions for the season of love however time is flying so I'm not sure how it's almost the end of February.  I feel like Valentine's Day was just yesterday. 

How to Throw a North Pole Breakfast & Elf on the Shelf

It's the most wonderful time of the year!  Jingle our elf returned last weekend and we celebrated with a North Pole Breakfast.  I look forward to throwing this breakfast nearly all year long.  I try to come up with a bit of new decor and new breakfast ideas.  The girls love it and I love seeing their joy.  This year I made Santa pancakes and Jingle brought snow covered donuts.  I found the vibrant placemats from Target.

Every year Jingle brings the girls a few gifts and I'm always looking for new ideas to give him.  This year I passed along the new magical Christmas books from Hooray Heroes.  They are the cutest personalized books which the girls got a total kick out of.  They immediately compared their avatar on the front of the book and then started thumbing through the pages.  Not only can you customize the hero you also can choose ten stories to include in the book and write a personalized inscription on the inside.

I love the idea of the elf but my gosh I struggle with remembering to move him.  I can't tell you how many times I've just settled into bed and then I remember he hasn't moved.  Even worse is when I completely forget and the girls wake up and say, "Mom can we go look for Jingle?!?!?"  I have a mini heart attack in that moment.  In order to help myself and hopefully a few others I've created a calendar (below) to take all the guess work out. They are simple ideas and easy to execute.

Wishing everyone a very magical Christmas season.  I'm hoping to slow down and enjoy time together making memories.

See our North Pole Breakfast from other years:

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.  Thank you for supporting the brands and companies that have received my stamp of approval.