Easy Corn Napkin Tutorial

It’s corn-on-the-cob season y’all! I always get so excited when I start to see the fresh corn arriving at the grocery stores. Nothing says summer and pool parties quite like a beautifully charred piece of corn right off the grill (of course slathered in butter too). Or, my new favorite, this Mexican Street Corn recipe. The hubs has already requested this twice since I made it the first time a few weeks back – get on it! With all of this corn happening in our lives, these corn napkins are the perfect way to roll your silverware and dress up your table.

Garden Brunch Tablescape

Brunch is definitely different with a kiddo. Those days of sleeping in until 11am, stumbling to our favorite brunch spot and indulging in bottomless mimosas are long gone. These days it’s more like rise and shine at 6:30, down our coffee, scarf some food down (I suggest Southwestern Breakfast Muffins :)) and then have our friends over to the house to indulge in the second breakfast of the day before putting the little one down for her nap so I can enjoy a couple mimosas. Ya…it’s definitely different but I gotta tell ya…I love my new style of brunching. Partly because I love being able to eat breakfast twice in one day but mostly because it allows me to stick to my 8pm bedtime…I am not ashamed.

Banana Bread & Gift Wrap

I have a confession y’all…I hate bananas. Even more odd…I love making banana bread. Right? Such a contradiction. Here’s the deal: from a very young age I would complain to my parents that bananas made my mouth itch. However, this weird itching thing didn’t lend itself to showing up on an allergy test so my parents chalked it up to this little girl being her dramatic self and just not liking bananas. So be it. But I still stand by my complaint – bananas make my mouth itch and I will not eat them. As much as I personally despise the fruit…my little girl has given me a new appreciation for them. They’re natures easiest food – soft for the early eater, loaded with nutrients and no packaging required. And thanks to banana breads, I can always get the most out of my bananas without ever having to eat them. I’ll take it…just don’t make me eat it.

Strawberry Hearts

I know it’s not quite strawberry season just yet but nothing can stop Valentine’s Day from covering fruit in chocolate to convince everyone they’re getting a healthy goodie right? See …it’s not me…it’s that tricky Hallmark holiday, Valentine’s Day. Regardless, Trader Joe’s has my strawberries and I had an idea I just HAD to try. And now I just HAVE to share it with yall! I present to you…drumroll please…strawberry hearts!

Table for Two: Valentine’s Day

If you haven’t been told this already – date nights are a bit more challenging when you have a kiddo. 🙂 I won’t go on about the reasonings as I’m sure they’re pretty obvious (if you’re curious just google it…you’ll be inundated). What I will say is when you become a parent just because date nights are harder to do, DON’T STOP DOING THEM! The hubby and I make it a point to do at least one date night a week. Now, let me clarify, that does not mean finding a babysitter and spending money at a nice restaurant. What it does mean is showering and putting something besides active wear on (the struggle is real here), waiting until after the babe has gone to sleep, not sitting in front of the TV and setting the table – for two. Thus, the Table for Two series. This series will follow me on my date night tablescape journey and what a perfect time of year to start – Valentines!

Party Game: Super Bowl Squares

I will be the first to admit I’m a fair-weather fan…of any sports team really. Now that doesn’t mean I don’t like a good party or a chance to spend time with friends. You just won’t catch me paying much attention to the actual game until the last 5-10 mins. I know this will all change once my kiddos are playing but until then – I will be over here creating other fun games to do in conjunction with the football game to keep myself entertained 🙂 And so I give you Super Bowl Squares! Super easy to create (or download at bottom!), scalable, gets everyone involved, you don’t have to know anything about football to play and includes a little gambling – how does that not sound like a winner?

Creative Diaper Shower Gift Wrapping Ideas

So you got invited to a diaper shower huh? If you’re not a female over the age of 25 you probably don’t know what the heck a diaper shower is. And that’s ok! My husband finally just kept calling it, “that thing you’re going to.” So let me explain. Not to make you feel stupid but diaper showers are pretty much exactly what they sound like; you shower a person with diapers. The reason it’s not a baby shower is most likely because someone else is already throwing one of those for the mom-to-be so they’re diversifying or it’s not their first child and have the baby necessities. So, there goes the element of surprise with, “what could this gift be!?” If we can’t have that, why not have, “OMG! How cute!” Yes, that can be the reaction with diapers and wipes, I assure you 🙂

Kids Christmas Cookie Decorating Party

You know those celebs that sign up to do bikini photo shoots like three months after having a baby as “motivation” to get back in shape? And we all think they’re crazy? I mean they are…let’s all be honest. Well, I kind of had a moment like that when planning a kids Christmas cookie decorating party this year. I had had it in my head for a while and thought, “oh it can’t be that hard!” And then in looking at the dates was like, “ya! Let’s do it super early in December like right after Thanksgiving.” And then it hits me that that means the whole house would also need to be done and decorated before I even started on party prep – mind you we would be gone until the Sunday after Thanksgiving on a two day road trip with a 14 month old and a dog…motivation right? 🙂 But this adorable party was SO WORTH IT! And truly, the party prep was nothing. Especially when you blast Christmas tunes the whole time.

DIY Pumpkin Snowman

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…ah, nothing like getting back fat and happy from Thanksgiving so you can crawl around in the attic and lug boxes down or get into a screaming match with that ball of Christmas lights that you swore you would wrap up nice and tidy last year 🙂 Sound familiar? I think that song should really be, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year after the house is decorated.” But alas, it sure does feel magical once it’s all said and done so it’s worth it right?

DIY Thanksgiving Leftover Bags

Get those leftovers out of my house!! Ok, maybe I’ll keep a couple of cookies and some stuffing 🙂 But seriously, we all know Thanksgiving is even better the second day around – a roll, some turkey, top it with some stuffing and a dab of cranberry? Forgeddaboutit. But if you’re having the typical American Thanksgiving, there will be enough food to feed five times the amount of people you actually have…that just means you’ve done Thanksgiving right in my book…NO SHAME. So on top of everything else you’re doing to host (or attend!!), snag some Dollar Tree bags, an armload of Chinese take out boxes from Michaels or drop down the tupperware aisle at Target and make these unforgettable Thanksgiving leftover bags to entice those guests (and yourself) that you CAN fit just ONE MORE piece of pie in there.