The Best of the Best Crafts of 2017

 

I love going back through my posts at the end of the year and seeing which ones you loved the best.  But I thought it would be fun to see the top craft posts of 2017 from a bunch of other awesome craft bloggers!  Seriously, you do not want to miss out on these great posts.  Get inspired by over 30 of the best of the best craft projects of 2017!

7

5-Minute DIY Magnetic Glitter Clips

This post originally appeared on Design Dazzle on December 6, 2017 written by me as part of the 2017 Christmas Wonderful series.  I have received permission to repost it to Sunshine & Munchkins in its entirety.

Every year since my husband and I got married, we’ve been sending out Christmas cards to family and friends.  It’s such a fun time of year and I love going out to my mailbox and seeing a Christmas card.  We display them in our home all month (and sometimes into January) and I figure that many of you do the same, so I’m sharing these sweet and simple DIY magnetic glitter clips with you today!

7

Dressing Up Your Holidays with Metallic Accesories

"Silver and gold.  Silver and gold.  Everyone wishes for silver and gold..."  (Name that old claymation classic Christmas movie!)  'Tis the season to wear everything sparkly and shiny!  Amiright?  Many of you saw the dress I wore to my husband's work Christmas party last weekend on Instagram and it got me thinking about just how much fun it is to wear things that sparkle and shine.  I've always been a lover of all things silver and that is most of what I wear when it comes to jewelry, but I've slowly started adding more gold to my wardrobe and accessories and I have to say that I'm loving it!  With all the holiday parties and get togethers this time of year, I thought it would be fun to share some of the pieces that I'm drooling over!

6

Rustic Paint Stick Snowflakes

When my husband and I got married, we were still in college and so we lived in a handful of apartments before we graduated and settled down into our home.  My decorations were really more of a collection of things that had been given to me or that I'd made or picked up from the dollar store and didn't really have any kind of cohesiveness.  So a few years ago, I started sifting through my Christmas and winter decorations and getting rid of anything that I didn't love, which was actually quite a bit.  I love decorating for different holidays and seasons but it can get a little tiresome to only have pieces up for a month or so before taking them down and starting all over again.  That's why I'm totally in love with these rustic snowflakes I made!  I can keep them up all winter long, plus they match the style of my regular home decor.

17

Why Christmas Cards Are Important {Plus Our Family Pictures!}

It wasn't until my husband and I got married that I sent out my first Christmas card.  Even then, it was just a picture of the two of us with the words Merry Christmas and a short note about wishing the receiver the best in the coming year.  It was nothing fancy and I felt a little silly sending it out, but the flood of Christmas cards we got in return honestly filled my heart with happiness.  There is something about going out to your mailbox and opening it up to find mail that isn't an ad, bill or junk mail that can put a smile on your face.

4

Two Year Blogiversary + A Giveaway

Happy 2 year birthday to my blog!  Or as we bloggers like to call it: our "blogiversary".  These past two years have flown by and so much has happened.  When I started Sunshine & Munchkins, my goal was to share my thoughts, advice, projects and recipes with others in the hope that I could spread a little bit of sunshine and happiness.  But the truth is, as much as I love blogging for blogging sake, it really wouldn't be as fulfilling without you: the people who read my posts, take time to comment and go on to share them with others.  I also recently hit just over 1K followers on both my Facebook and Instagram!  And that is why I've decided to express my appreciation in a couple of ways: first, by sharing what I've learned; and second, by doing a giveaway!

12

Apple Pomegranate Fruit Salad

One of the first things I learned about my husband's family when we were dating is that they were very serious about two things: pies and his mom's fruit salad.  Because we started dating in the late fall, I was around his family a lot during the holidays so I got to taste both of these "food groups" first hand. *wink*  I remember sitting at the kitchen counter helping my future mother-in-law de-seed a pomegranate for the fruit salad she was making.  I had already helped prep the rest of the fruit and the pomegranates were the last bit to go in.  Even as I was about to take my first bite of the completed dish, I was nervous that I wouldn't like it.  How was I going to be a part of this family if I didn't like their legendary fruit salad?  The good news: I loved it.  The better news: I got the recipe.

11

Gift Guide: Men

If you ask my husband, he thinks that guys are really easy to buy for.  I tend to disagree.  When it comes to trying to figure out what to get him for a gift (whether it's Christmas, birthday, Father's Day, anniversary), it usually takes a lot of thinking on my part to come up with a gift I think he'd really like.  Thinking back on the types of gifts I give him, I realized they generally fall into three categories: practical, interest-based and sentimental.

13

Orange Creamsicle Cake with Orange Zest Cream Cheese Frosting

This cake almost didn't happen.  Between sick kids and feeling a little under the weather myself, this week completely slipped by and before I knew it, it was Thursday night and I realized that I had nothing, nothing, that I could share with you for this month's Year of Color theme of orange.  But my husband saved the day by running to the grocery store at 9pm last night and grabbing me some oranges and orange soda.  All so I could make this absolutely dreamy orange cake for you.  You're welcome. *wink*

14

October In Numbers

Friends, October was one crazy busy month!  Sometimes I look back on these month in numbers posts and I'm shocked at how much happens in such a short period of time.  As I reflected on the month of October, I thought it would be fun to use single numbers to share just a few of the things that were a part of my month.  (Plus, I share a fun announcement that you may have missed!)

9

DIY Box Frame Sign

Two days ago, I messaged my husband a picture and asked him how hard he thought it would be to make the frame pictured.  "Not hard," he told me.  "Good," I said.  "Can we make 5 of them tonight?"  And that's what's led to me spending pockets of time working on said frames over the last two days in between getting the kids to school, running errands, cleaning up the house and every other thing on my to-do list for the week.  But I absolutely love how they turned out!  Box frames are simple, classic and versatile.  Their clean lines make them perfect for framing both pictures, quotes and images.  They are modern and traditional.  Combine all this together and it's easy to see why they've become so popular in recent years.  With a little help from my husband, I was able to make five of them for less than $1 per frame!  As Christmas approaches, I'm always on the lookout for simple DIY gifts I can give family and friends and these box frame signs definitely fit the bill!

21

How To Make A Thankful Tree

On November 1st, the Halloween decorations come down and in their place pop up fall and Thanksgiving decor.  One of my family's favorite decorations is a thankful tree that takes up a good portion of the wall in our family room.  It's giant.  I have to use a stool to reach the highest branches.  It takes a little bit of time to put together.  But we are going on our third year doing it and every year I love it even more.  My kids get excited when I tell them the thankful tree is going up and it warms my heart to see them so happy to share the things they are thankful for each day.  It's become one of our favorite Thanksgiving traditions and today I want to share with you how to make your own.

7

7 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Buying A Car

I never wanted to become a van mom.  Growing up we either had cars or SUVs but never a van.  After my husband and I got married, we went through a couple of cars that got us through college before purchasing our first used SUV about four years ago.  Our daughter was about 15 months old and when we got pregnant with our second child a couple of months later, we felt even better about our purchase.  Fast forward to last month when my husband started having problems with his car (the first car we bought nine years ago).  We knew we were going to be adding to our family (although no one else did) and had been discussing purchasing a new car to replace our SUV.  We just expected that we'd have a few more months before we needed to make a decision.

15

Deeds of Gratitude: A New Thanksgiving Tradition

When I was growing up, the dictionary was one of my best friends.  It wasn't because I loved looking up words and their meanings.  No, it was because whenever my mom used a word I didn't know and I said, "What does that mean?" that she would say, "Go look it up."  I had kind of a ridiculous vocabulary for an elementary student as a result and even got questioned by my teachers a few times because they thought my mom had written a paper or done my homework for me.  A desire to understand the meaning of different words has stuck with me throughout the years and as we approach Thanksgiving, I've been considering the difference between two words: thankful and grateful.

6

DIY Owlette and Cat Boy Masks (PJ Masks)

"Bedtiiimme...is the right tiiimmme...to fight criiimme!"  If your kids are PJ Masks watchers like mine, you've probably heard this song more times than you can count.  And maybe your kids want to dress up like the characters from the show, complete with masks.  And maybe you don't want to spend $12 on a mask.  I try to keep things pretty simple when it comes to Halloween costumes for my kids and I like to DIY them when possible.  If you have a little time, a desire to save some money and the DIY spirit like I do, then you've come to the right place!

11

My Favorite Black Home Decor Pieces

When I was in college, I briefly considered going into interior design.  I took the introductory class and while I enjoyed learning about it, it definitely wasn't where my passion was.  A lot of what I learned has stuck with me though and I've tried to incorporate it into my home as I choose pieces for different rooms.  As it turns out, black is a great choice when you want to ground a room and using it for larger pieces, such as furniture, is very common.  You don't want to overuse it, otherwise you end up with a space that is, well, dark.  But used wisely and in moderation, black is a great color (or neutral if you will) to add to your color scheme.

11

$10 @ Target: 50/50 Split

While I'd like to think the majority of my Target runs are pretty successful when it comes to bang for my buck, my most recent trip was definitely in the minority.  I bought just two items: a Halloween bowling activity for my kids and a pack of plain white t-shirts for my son.  Super fun, right? *wink*

9

Halloween Popcorn Box Party 2017 + Marshmallow Popcorn

I will be the first to admit that Halloween is not my favorite holiday.  I could easily do without the stressing about costumes, buying treats for kids I don't know and scary, creepy things that pop up (sometimes literally) this time of year.  Maybe it goes back to the year my dad took me to the neighbor's "spook alley" which completely freaked me out and gave me nightmares and which I still remember to this day over 20 years later, thank you very much.  But give me pumpkins and cute witches and I'll be content to make my way through another Halloween season.  *wink*

6

Embroidery Hoop Pumpkins

About a week ago, I woke up early in the morning and the thought that popped into my head: pom poms.  Why pom poms?  Well I'd been trying to decide how to finish off my most recent project and the solution had eluded me until early that morning.  This is literally what goes through my brain sometimes when I'm working on a project that I've been thinking about a lot.  And you know what?  Pom poms were the perfect finishing touch. *wink*

18

5 Ways To Give Service (When You Don't Know How To Help)

I've felt a little overwhelmed lately with how many disasters, both natural and man-made, have plagued our world in recent years.  I feel like every time I open a news website or scroll through my Facebook feed, there is always something else that has happened: earthquakes, mass shootings, hurricanes, flooding, kidnappings, beatings, car accidents, bombings and the list goes on.  I'd like to think that maybe I just wasn't as aware of them when I was growing up because access to technology was so much more limited.  But I'm scared and I'm sad, because I think the truth is that those things are becoming more frequent, as much as I want to believe otherwise.  So many faces and names and tragedies and hardships that it's easy to feel helpless, or even like what little I could possibly do doesn't matter.  What can I do when I feel like the world is falling apart?  How can I help others?

11

3 Inexpensive Ways to Pamper Yourself

By the time I was in my junior year of college, I had three years of living on my own under my belt.  Where my money went was completely up to me.  I remember when I first started buying the foaming hand soap from Bath and Body Works. It was more than twice as expensive as the other stuff from Walmart, but I didn't care.  Why?  Because it was a small indulgence that wasn't going to break the bank, but it sure as heck brought a smile to my face.  As I was studying and had my hand under my chin trying to understand a new concept or review for an exam, the soft smell of coconut lime verbena would drift up to my nose.  You know the saying "money can't buy happiness"?  Well, I think that it should be changed to "money can't buy happiness, but it can buy back a little bit of your sanity".  Too long?  Maybe.  But still truthful don't you think?

10

September in Numbers

I looked up at the mountains near my home the other day and was shocked to see them bursting with color.  I thought, Can it really be this time of year again?  So soon?  Obviously the answer is yes, although it's hard to believe time has flown by so quickly.  I love fall for many reasons, including the changing of the leaves, wearing hoodies and crisp afternoon walks around the neighborhood.  Summer left much sooner than I was ready, but we had a lot of fun things happen as it finished up and fall began.

6

August In Numbers

Wow, it's hard to believe that we are almost into October!  This month absolutely flew by for me, which would explain why I'm getting my August in numbers post up during the last week of the month instead of the first week...  But even though I'm a little behind, I still wanted to make sure that I got this post up and shared this fun summary of my month.

6

$10 @ Target: Halloween, Pens and A Mousepad, Oh My!

It's been a couple of months since I shared my $10 at Target finds (since we did a giveaway last month), but I am excited to share what I found this month!  When I first started co-hosting this link up, I thought that spending $10 or less at Target was going to be so hard.  But you know what I've found?  That there are tons of great finds at Target (and not just in the Dollar Spot) and you don't have a spend a lot to bring them home.  Don't believe me?  See what I found this month!

11

Blueberry Peach Cobbler Cake

The week started out warm enough but today it's been cloudy and windy and rainy.  Fall is shoving its way in which means that's my cue to start wearing hoodies every day and feeling like I can bake more often since my house won't turn into a giant oven. *wink*  Truthfully, it's been a while since I shared a recipe and it's about darn time, wouldn't you say?  I've been keeping this one hidden up my sleeve until this time of year because it uses peaches, which are in season right now, and blueberries, which are delicious in desserts and especially with peaches.  I got this recipe from my sister in law who passed it along to me.  Every time I make it, I am never disappointed in the flavor and texture.  It's sweet without being overbearing and the fruit adds a nice burst with each bite.

13

Easy Fall Burlap Sign

As I've walked my daughter out to the bus the last couple of mornings, the weather has definitely taken on a cooler edge.  Fall is coming and while I love summer, I'm excited for a new season.  (Not to mention hoodie weather, amiright?)  I've packed away my summer decor and started pulling out all the fun fall decorations that bring a smile to my face.  A couple years ago I spotted a cute framed burlap sign at a local store and considered buying it until I saw the price.  I knew I could make something similar without spending a lot and I'm happy with how it turned out!

17

A Letter To My Daughter: Share Your Light

My sweet girl,

Two weeks ago you started kindergarten.  Somehow, in those two weeks, you've gotten bigger and I'm not sure how I feel about it.  I'm torn between being excited for and proud of you as you grow and learn and experience new things, and wanting to turn back time to the days when you still needed my help to pull your shirt over your head or do the zipper on your jacket. 

11

5 Ways To Be More Mindful

With all of the things that occupy my mind day to day, it can be so hard to find the time to step back and be mindful of ourselves.  As a mom and wife, the needs of others are constantly coming first.  A lot of the time I don't mind this, especially since I recognize that my kids literally could not survive without someone to take care of them.  And my husband obviously could survive without me, but serving him by maintaining a clean home and having dinner on the table are ways that I show my love.  But after a long day of demands on my time and energy, I often don't feel like I have a lot left in me for myself.

14

$3 Back To School Wreath

One week.  That's how long I have left until my oldest child starts kindergarten.  I'm feeling conflicted between trying to to happy for her and not to think about it, but it's hard NOT to think about it when I'm being reminded by her every. single. day. because she's so excited.  I was one of those kids who actually really loved school (including college) so I'm glad to see her feeling positive about this new part of her life.  And with all the school supplies on sale, I decided to grab a few things and turn them into something fun: a $3 back to school wreath.

13

Make Your Own Cards Using Paper Scraps

Summer is coming to an end but that doesn't mean that you have to put away those bright colors yet!  I love wearing neon pink, yellow, coral and blue all spring and summer long and it makes me a little sad when I have to pack my clothes away for the fall.  (Neon doesn't go well with pale winter skin...)  Even if wearing bright colors isn't your thing, you can still make up some of these fun cards to have on hand when you just want to write a quick note to a friend or to include with a gift.

9

How To Convert An Old Crate Into A Bathroom Shelf

In the six years since we moved into our current home, my design style and preferences have evolved and room by room, I've been making changes: towels, sheets, lampshades, pillows and so on.  Last month when I was at the thrift store picking up a piece to makeover for our Inspire My Creativity challenge, I also found an old crate that was sturdy and big, but it had dowels running through it and it was half painted.  I picked it up for $4 and brought it home with the desire to transform it into a shelf for our main bathroom.  I thought it would be pretty straightforward, but I ran into a few snags on the way.  See how I converted an old crate to a fun and functional bathroom shelf.

16

July In Numbers

Hello, hello!  It seems like it's been forever since my last post.  I decided to take a couple weeks off from my blog and just hang out with my family but I'm back and I'm excited to share how my July was.  It was one of those months were we did a lot, but most of it was in single digits so no crazy made-up numbers this month. *wink*  Let's take a look!

8

30 Minute Shoulder Tie Dress

Happy Fri-yay!  I've been looking forward to this weekend all week because we've got some fun family activities planned, including a local rodeo.  The rodeo is actually what inspired today's post: a simple girls dress that ties at the shoulders.  This dress took me about an hour but I think I could have done it in about 30 minutes if I hadn't had my little "helpers" with me. *wink*

9

$10 at Target: Summer Fun Edition

Is it just me, or is anyone else in disbelief about how quickly summer seems to be passing by?  School starts next month and with my first child going into kindergarten, I'm not sure that I'm ready for summer to be over.  However, I'm trying to embrace each day as it comes and that includes coming up with fun activities, wearing bright colors and eating lots of popsicles.  I took my daughter with me this last weekend when I went to Target and we found plenty that caught our eye.  I am a co-host for this challenge and it's been fun to see if I can stay right around the $10 limit.  Do you think you could do it?  See what we got below as part of this month's edition of $10 at Target!

14

Thrift Store Makeover: Message Board

I walked into the thrift store with a purpose: find a piece I could makeover into something practical for our family.  At any given moment I have 3 or 4 projects in progress, but that doesn't stop me from looking out for future projects, especially when I go to the thrift store. *wink*  I picked up one piece in particular that I thought was kind of ugly, but looked a little closer and found that it had some really great features and I knew what I wanted to do with it: a mini message board.

13

How To Make Disneyland Affordable For Your Family

One of the biggest problems I run into when it comes to planning and booking a vacation is how I'm going to pay for it all upfront and still get the best deal.  How many times have you been browsing deal sites or get an email about a great vacation package only to realize that you have to put down a huge deposit or pay in full in order to lock in the price?  In most cases, this isn't a realistic or affordable option.  If you're anything like me, I like to research the heck out of everything when it comes to planning and booking a vacation, but in the search for the best deal, sometimes I actually miss out on it thinking there might be something better along the way.  BUT, I've got some great news for you and it's called the Layaway Lock-In Program by Get Away Today.  My friend Lexi works there and has offered to share the details on this amazing program.  Read below to find out more!

16

June In Numbers

Okay, seriously the summer needs to stop going by so quickly!  I thought May went by fast, but June felt even faster.  It was so much fun and I'm excited to see what July brings.  (Besides fireworks, that is.)

4

What To Avoid If You Want To Raise A Problem Solver

I was first introduced to Mariah a couple of months ago when I saw her post in a Facebook group about a free webinar she was doing on helping our kids become creative problem solvers.  The idea intrigued me and as I listened to the call I knew I wanted Mariah to come on my blog and share her amazing insights.  She does a great job of sharing real life examples and empowering parents and caregivers to teach their kids that they can be creative problem solvers.  But first, there are some things we really should be avoiding if we want to raise problem solvers.  I'll let her take it from here!

6

15 Ways To Play With Glow Sticks

When I think about the things that remind me of summer, I can't help but have glow sticks come to my mind.  What is it about glow sticks that make them so much fun?  Maybe it's that they glow in the dark.  Or it could be that just wearing them makes you smile.  Whatever the case, I really don't think you are ever too old to enjoy them with your family and friends, so today I'm sharing a round up of my favorite glow stick activities!

6

Crock Pot BBQ Country Style Ribs

Using my crock pot in the summer is one of my favorite ways to save time, conserve energy and beat the heat.  A couple of years ago I found a recipe for BBQ crock pot country style ribs and after a couple of tweaks, it quickly made its way into our meal time rotation.  Country style ribs are a great meat alternative to chicken or beef/turkey and they are generally inexpensive and not very fatty so you get more meat for your money.  We've use this recipe for our own family, but it works equally as well when serving larger crowds.

12

$10 at Target: Pretty Paper Edition

Hello and happy Monday!  I hope you all enjoyed your Father's Day weekend!  Our family went to a local theme park on Saturday and wore the kids out, then spent Sunday relaxing with family.  Just before the weekend got started, I had a chance to visit Target all by myself and it was a lovely hour and a half.  I didn't have anything specific I was looking for, but knew I could only spend $10 for this month's $10 at Target challenge.  I am a co-host for this challenge along with a group of lovely ladies and it's been fun to see how close I can get to spending $10 or less at one of my favorite stores.  Do you think you could do it?  Let me show you what I found this month.

16

3 Ways To Raise Happy Kids

Before starting college, I had some ideas about what I'd like to study, but it wasn't until a couple years in that I found what I wanted to commit to: marriage and family studies.  I knew that what I was learning could be applied to both my current and my future relationships, especially my future family.  Growing up, I would say that I was generally a happy kid.  I got along with my parents, I had good friends, did well in school, was involved in extracurricular activities and active in church.  But if you had asked me then how I became that way--happy--I don't know that I would have been able to nail it down.  However, through my coursework, and now through practical application (aka parenting), I've seen three ways parents can raise happy kids: building connections, setting limits and encouraging independence.

8

15 Minute Patriotic Wreath

My husband always groans when I come home with supplies to make a new wreath, but I love how easily they can update a room or brighten our front door.  With Memorial Day just a couple of weeks ago and the 4th of July coming up soon, I decided to pick up a few simple supplies from JoAnn's to make a patriotic wreath that I can use in my decor.  One of my favorite wreath forms to use are grapevine wreaths because the wreath itself is part of the decor and you don't have to do a lot to add a little extra something to it to make it your own.  The best part is that it only took 15 minutes to put together from start to finish!

14

Hiking In Pioneer Park In St. George, UT

Last summer, my family and I did a big family vacation with my husband's parents and all his siblings and their kids to St. George, Utah.  With kids ranging in age from 17 to 2, finding an activity that everyone would enjoy was a bit of a challenge, but ultimately we decided on hiking.  St. George and the surrounding area is famous for its beautiful and unique red rock formations.  I've visited St. George more times than I can count, but hadn't spent much time hiking the trails found all around the city.  However, we did find an awesome little place called Pioneer Park.  We had so much fun that we visited two days in a row and it was a real hit with everyone in the family.

6

May In Numbers

Whoosh!  Did you hear that?  It was the sound of May rushing past! *wink*  But seriously, I feel like I just wrote last months summary.  A lot of fun things happened in May, but most of them happened in single digits.

14

7 Tips for Hiking with Kids

This last week we went hiking as part of our Memorial Day activities.  We live close to the mountains and there are a lot of canyons and hiking trails to choose from, so we are always finding fun new places to explore.  My kids especially love hiking and it is one of mine and my husband's favorite activities as well so we do a lot of it.  With this being the case, I've learned a few tips along the way that have helped make hiking a more enjoyable experience for everyone.

44

Recognizing Joy in the Small Moments

My day to day life is pretty ordinary and often consists of fixing food, cleaning up the house, running errands, playing with my kids and other household tasks.  At a glance, it doesn't feel very glamorous and there are days when I can't wait for my husband to get home from work so I can turn the kids over to him while I escape to the bathroom by myself or go for a short walk around the block.  A break from everything I have to manage and be responsible for.  Does anyone else hear themselves in my words?

11

7 Creative Father's Day Gift Ideas

Father's Day is coming up in a few weeks and I've had gift ideas on the brain.  While giving my dad or husband a new shirt or tools is nice and useful, sometimes I like to try and be a little more creative and unique.  So I've done some thinking and asking and have put together a list of eight gifts you might not have considered or even known about until this post.  I hope they give you some ideas or at least a jumping off point for a gift for the guys in your life.

16

A Letter To My College Self

With the end of another school year, I keep seeing high school and college graduation pictures popping up all over my social media and can't help but think about my own time in college.  I graduated in 2010 with a BS in Marriage and Family Studies after changing my major a few times.  It took me six years to graduate rather than four but then again, if it had only taken four, then I wouldn't have met my husband.  Funny how things work out, huh?  So in remembrance of my college years (pre-marriage), I'm sharing with you a letter to my college self.

11

Summer 2017 Reading List

If you've been following my blog for a while, you know that I regularly post reviews of all types of books: children's, young adult, biography, self-help and the list goes on.  I love reading and I always tend to read more books during the summertime.  Last year, I put together a summer reading list and I loved the challenge of reading new books and discovering new genres and subjects.  With summer coming up so soon, I decided to create a summer 2017 reading list.

7

$10 at Target: Gearing Up For Summer

Hey friends!  Happy Monday!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed Mother's Day.  Today, I'm super excited to share a new series I am co-hosting called $10 at Target.  It is a monthly challenge where you have to try and spend...you guessed it: only $10 at Target.  Now, as we all know, Target is a wonderful lovely place where we go in for one thing and come out with 20 things way more items than we planned. *wink*  So spending $10 or less can be a real challenge!  Are you ready?

17

Best Snacks to Pack for Disney Parks

School's getting out soon and that means vacations for a lot of families.  Time to get away from the stresses of life and spend time together creating memories.  Of course, some of the most popular places to vacation are theme parks, such as Disneyland and Disney World.  Everyone wants to know the cheapest place to buy tickets, the best place to stay, which rides to go on first, and the list goes on.  About a year and a half ago, my family went to Disneyland for the first time and it was so fun!  I learned a lot about planning and what I wish I'd known before going and the next time we go, I will be even more prepared!  However, one question that I see asked all the time in groups and on Facebook is "what food can I bring into the park?"

18

Mother's Day Dinner Menu 2017

Ever since my husband and I got married, we spend at least half of our Sunday evening meals each month at a family member's home.  The family hosting plans the meal and then asks those who are coming to pitch in and bring something to share.  It's been a great way to both save on the cost of food and enjoy time with family.  With Mother's Day coming up, I know many people, including my family, are going to be getting together to celebrate mothers, wives, sisters, aunts, grandmothers and other special women in their life.  This year, my husband and I will be hosting Mother's Day dinner at our house, which means we get to plan the meal. 

8

One Pot Taco Pasta

One day I was browsing through my saved recipes on Pinterest and found one that looked promising.  It was a one pot dish that only took 30 minutes to make.  If you've been following me for long, you know that those two things are like magic words.  I love cooking, but don't usually have a lot of time to devote to it so the majority of meals I make take about 30 minutes or less to prep and then leave all day in the crock pot or take 30 minutes from prep to table.  This new one pot taco pasta I'm sharing today will have you jumping for joy because it's quick, easy and delicious.  Plus it uses basic ingredients that I always have on hand.

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9 Lessons Learned In 9 Years of Marriage

9.5 years ago: It was a Monday morning and I was heading into work at my on campus job when I made a quick detour into the bathroom to put on some mascara.  Another girl from a different department was in there doing the same thing and we chatted briefly before she asked me a question that would literally change my life, "Do you ever go on blind dates?"  I was a little taken aback since we'd only been talking for about two minutes, but answered with a "yes" before she explained that she wanted to set me up with her younger brother.  Three days later he called (after much pestering from his sister) and we set up a date for that weekend.  To make a long story short: our first date was a huge success, we started dating exclusively a week later, got engaged two months later and married four months after that.  Today, we are celebrating our nine year wedding anniversary (yay!) and I wanted to share some of the lessons I've learned during our time together.  (Plus you get to see cute pictures of me and my hubby. *wink*)

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April In Numbers

Happy May!  May has always been one of my favorite months because the weather finally (hopefully) starts becoming a little more consistent and a little warmer, which makes me a much happier person.  It's also the month my husband and I got married, so I'm a little biased. *wink*  But before we can get into May, I want to share my April month in numbers with you.

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DIY Laundry Room Sign

The summer after my husband and I got married, we drove out to Buffalo, NY, where he sold security systems.  Towards the end of the summer, his office got moved to Philadelphia, PA.  Thankfully, there were many wives who were out with their husbands so we became good friends and did some sightseeing here and there.  While in Philadelphia, we decided to drive out to a little amish town and do some exploring.  In one of the little shops we visited, I found a laundry room sign.  This sign has been with us for almost 9 years and when I first bought it, I thought it was the cutest thing, but as I've grown into my own personal style of decorating, I found that it just wasn't working anymore.  So I decided to do a little DIY laundry room sign makeover and share this easy tutorial with you!

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5 Reasons I Didn't Say Anything About My Miscarriage

A few months ago, I wrote about my experience with miscarriage.  It was a hard post to write, as I felt like I was reliving each one of my three miscarriages all over again.  I cried.  I was mad.  I doubted.  I felt hope.  And then, healing begin to happen.  I received text messages, phone calls, messages on Facebook, comments on my post and notes from both friends and people I've never actually met in real life.  It was truly amazing how sharing something so personal and vulnerable made me feel so much love.  Since my most recent miscarriage in January of this year, I've talked to a lot of women about it.  Some expressed their sympathy but couldn't relate having never gone through it.  Others opened up to me about their own experience.  We've hugged, cried and bonded over our losses.  And almost everyone I talked to about it asked me the same question: Why didn't you say something?

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Parenting Lessons From Moana's Mother

If you have kids, you've probably watched the movie Moana, seen clips or heard the music.  I took my daughter to see it in the theaters not long after it came out and I loved it.  We've watched it a few times since then and it's a movie that we can all enjoy together as a family.  Soon after the movie came out, I started seeing different people post about their favorite scenes or lessons from the movie.  And each one I read never mentioned the one thing that struck me most as a parent: Moana's mom.

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Why You Should Start A Joy Journal

Lately, I've been feeling like I'm caught in a rut.  The day to day routine of life has been getting to me.  My kids have been driving me up the wall and I find myself annoyed by my own voice some days.  By the time my husband comes home, all I want to do is push the kids towards him and lock myself in a room.  Little things the kids do that might have been funny if I were in a better mood just come across as irritating.  I haven't liked the grumpy person that's been taking over my life and I came to the realization the other day that I needed to do something to stop the cycle.  No one else was going to be able to change my attitude.

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8 Colorful Hands On Activities for Kids

If your kids are anything like mine, they are very hands-on.  They love to do whatever I'm doing, whether it's gardening, baking, crafting, building, etc.  This is why I try to come up with activities that they can do most, or all of it, by themselves.  It's exciting for them to create something and it builds autonomy which is an important skill as they get older and need to figure out problems for themselves.  Over the last couple of years since my kids were old enough to appreciate and enjoy it, I've done a handful of really fun and colorful activities.  These are tried and true and my kids ask to do them over and over again.

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Font Friday: 10 {Free} Spring Fonts

Happy Friday!  I hope the end of the week finds you well and ready for Easter weekend.  I always look forward to spring and Easter and what it represents to me.  Easter is easily one of my favorite holidays and having kids to celebrate it with makes it even more special.  And springtime is always a wonderful time of year, even if the weather is a bit fickle.  At least there's no snow, right? *wink*

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Planning a Day at Disney's Hollywood Studios

When my husband and I were planning our trip to Orlando, almost everyone we talked to asked us the same question, "Which park are you going to?"  I would have loved to hit up all of them, but time didn't allow for that so we had to choose just one park.  If you didn't know the title of this post, you might guess that we went to Magic Kingdom or Universal Studios. *wink*  But instead, we chose Disney's Hollywood Studios.

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DIY Disney Shirt: Dinglehopper Hair, Don't Care

One of my favorite parts of going to any Disney park is wearing Disney themed clothing.  It makes me feel like I am part of Disney in some small way and it's just a lot of fun.  When I was planning my trip to Orlando and I found out that a friend of mine and her family were going to be able to come down at the same time as us, the wheels in my brain started spinning.  I knew I wanted to make some kind of a t-shirt for the two of us so we could match.  (Yes, we're those people.)  I started browsing ideas online of cute Disney quotes, made a list and sent it over to her to see what she thought.  We both picked the same two as our favorites and so I got started planning the designs.

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What I'm Reading: 3 Books in 3 Weeks

I've always been a reader.  According to my mom, I learned to read before I went into kindergarten and before that I was memorizing books so I could read them to myself.  In 7th grade, I was reading at a 12th grade level.  But it wasn't until I hit my junior and senior year of high school when I really started getting interested in books other than fantasy (like Harry Potter) or sweet and clean romance novels.  When I was in high school, I took an AP Literature and Composition class, which introduced me to different genres and I found that I actually liked a lot of them.  Since then, I've branched out and read YA fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, classic literature, sci-fi, distopic and others.  My brain gets bored if I read too much of any one genre so I try to pick up a variety of books when I stop by the library.  In the last three weeks, I've read three different books and all were about different topics.

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