All you need is love

I received such a cool gift for Christmas a year of wishes candles. First of all, I love the packaging. So simple, they remind me of pantone swatches. You burn one candle every month and focus on that word. This month we burned love. So, I bring you love inspired blogs!

I was 4 months pregnant for Valentine's Day last year and not in the mood to deal with crowds at a restaurant. So we planned a special evening at home. We had an indoor picnic! It turned out to be so much fun. We spread out a blanket, I downloaded an app that had chirping birds and outdoor noises for a little background "music" (my husband thought that was hilarious), ordered a pizza and had a special dessert. We toasted (with sparkling apple cider of course) to our love! It was a night to remember and so much more meaningful then any restaurant we could have gone to.

 I asked our fav pizza place if they could make our pizza in the shape of a heart. Turned out pretty good!

I LOVE Nothing Bundt Cakes. Seriously, the most moist cake ever and the best frosting.

Resolutions

Happy New Years Eve! With 2014 on the horizon I want to focus on what I would like to achieve for the new year. Becoming a new mother has flipped my life upside down. Old routines are a thing of the past. I find myself looking for the balance. My goal for this year is to find what works for me and my family. I really liked this quote and plan on looking to it for inspiration. I don't have time like I used to and I resolve to hold on to the things that are important in my life and let go of the ones that are not. Cheers to a fantastic new year!

Very Merry

My first time hosting Christmas and I have to say I pulled it off! I had so much fun decorating the table and making a festive breakfast. My cinnamon baked french toast was the hit...and they are still talking about it, recipe here. My favorites part of the day was seeing everyone so excited for Sawyer's first Christmas. He seems to put a smile on everyone's faces.

The bottle is turned, but on the right is Trader Joe's Short Stack Pancake Syrup. This was a total impulse buy. Normally I love me some maple syrup, but short stack makes me want to stray!

I have a thing for salt and pepper shakers. I bought these on my first get away with Derek. He surprised me with a romantic trip to a bed and breakfast in Northern California. We went shopping in the small town nearby and I scored these. It's not the things that matter it's the memories behind them.

I love infused water. It's an easy thing to do, tastes great and it looks super fancy. I used cranberries (which sunk to the bottom) and sliced cucumbers. I washed the berries and sliced the cucumber the night before and put them in the freezers so they doubled as ice cubes.

Me and soy soy aka my little man on Christmas.

4 Months Old and Some Christmas Cheer

Yesterday it felt like Thanksgiving and tomorrow is Christmas Eve. What the heck happened? Having a baby and getting into the spirit has been difficult for me this year. I have been so caught up in the day to day I forgot about enjoying myself and this magical time of year.

This weekend I finally got into the swing of things (better late then never!). We started a new family tradition and went Christmas light hunting. I found a place close by where the entire community decks out their homes Griswold style. We strapped Sawyer in the car, grabbed some gingerbread and eggnog lattes, cranked up the Christmas music, and hit the road for a Christmas light extravaganza! Sawyer slept the entire time and we got a dose of the holiday spirit.

Next we build a gingerbread house. NOTE: You have to build the house, let it dry for HOURS, and then decorate. I seriously thought I could knock this out in a night. It took two days, but I'm pretty impressed with what we created and I plan on using it as my centerpiece on our dining room table. Next year I will buy a kit again, but I am also going to add some of my own candy in to make it more unique.

This year are hosting Christmas morning breakfast for Derek's family. I plan on making Cinnamon Baked French Toast (you can prep this the night before and bake it in the morning), Best Breakfast Potatoes Ever (the recipe calls for red and green peppers just perfect for the season), Spinach Quiche (it's a take on this recipe except I don't add bacon and I use cheddar cheese. I like to keep this vegetarian. I'm also having fruit and bacon on the table along with a few extras. Stay tuned for pics!

Movember is in full effect!

My goals for November Movember

1. Eat and drink as much pumpkin as humanly possible.

2. Make soup 

(I've been all about chicken noodle, but now I am trying to find the perfect baked potato soup.)

3. Host a friendsgiving potluck complete with an apple cider bar.

4. Get lots of family time.

5. Plan an indoor date night for me and the hubs once the baby goes to sleep. I'm thinking a fun dessert we can make together (something pumpkin of course) and a fall themed movie.