Deck The Halls!

Can you believe Christmas is only 2 weeks away?!? I can't!  This year went by so quickly, and the busyness of the holiday season is making Christmas approach rapidly!

It's our family tradition to begin decorating the day after Thanksgiving. We like to fully celebrate Thanksgiving, let the excitement build Thanksgiving evening, and get started on Friday.  We usually put the tree up, including lights,  on Friday or Saturday, then decorate it on Sunday. 

We didn't stray from tradition this year.  The decorations started going up on Friday, and the lit tree went up on Saturday. On Sunday evening, after dinner and baths, we all gathered in the living room to decorate our tree.

Over the years, we accumulated quite a collection of ornaments.  Some are from my childhood, some are from Grant's childhood, some belonged to grandparents, some are from ornament exchanges, some are lovingly handmade (my favorite!), and each child has their own set of ornaments. Every ornament on our tree has a story.  I love it!

We take our decorating roles seriously!  Grant sits on the couch, carefully unwraps each ornament and hands it to the person it belongs to or chooses a person to hang it on the tree if it doesn't belong to one particular person.  He also hides the pickle ornament on the tree (a German tradition!), and lifts the child who is putting the star on the tree.  I of, course, take pictures, and I help the kids by putting breakable ornaments on the higher branches. Each child participates..even Liam! The kids look forward to decorating our tree every year. It's a fun, memorable night for all of us!





















By the time we finished, the kids were exhausted.  Especially the littlest elf! We decided to skip putting on the ribbon, and chose to admire our tree instead.



We turned off the lights, and the room fell silent.  After a few seconds of quiet admiration, the kids went over to the tree and pointed out their favorite ornaments.  They were so proud of their hard work!

The Christmas decorations really have a way of making life seem happier, cozier, and more perfect! We enjoy this view every night!



This time of year is so magical and beautiful!

We just need to protect our tree from Liam!  It's wrapped in ribbon now, and it's a Liam magnet. He is on a mission to take that ribbon DOWN! Hopefully our tree, and the rest of our decorations, can withstand Hurricane Liam!

Anchored Arrow Co Bandanna Bib Review and Giveaway

After having three children, I thought I experienced it all.   Then Liam came along, and he sure proved me wrong!

I never had a baby who drooled ALL THE TIME.  Until Liam.  Every single day, his shirt ended up getting soaked at the top.  It was driving me crazy, and I'm sure it didn't feel too comfortable!

During a meetup with several other moms of children who have Down Syndrome, I noticed one of the boys wearing an adorable bib.  The mom told me it was a bandanna bib and that her son wore them all the time.

I recently came across Anchored Arrow & Co on Instagram and I fell in love with her adorable bandanna bibs!

In addition to bibs, Anchored Arrow offers leggings, infinity scarves, and skirts.  Everything is very affordable and stylish!

I am so excited to partner with Anchored Arrow & Co for a review/giveaway!

Eliza sent me a bandanna bib to review, and is offering a bandanna bib to the winner of this giveaway!

When Liam's bandanna bib arrived, I loved it at first sight!  I was very impressed with the quality.  Not only was it cute, but it was incredibly soft! I loved the pattern and the extra touch of the anchored arrow label sewn onto the edge.

I couldn't get over just how adorable Liam looked while he was wearing his bandanna bib.  Cute, stylish, and functional, all in one!








By the end of the day, Liam's bandanna bib was damp with drool, but thanks to the soft, absorbent layer sewn onto the back of the bib, his shirt stayed completely dry.  I was so impressed with the bandanna bib after our first use, and couldn't wait to put it on him again!

During the second wear, Liam put the bandanna bib to the test.  I'm happy to report it passed his teething test and raspberry blowing test.  His shirt stayed dry!





We think Anchored Arrow bandanna bibs are #1!

 

One feature I love about the bandanna bib is the snug fit around the neck that doesn't allow any drool to get trapped underneath like every other bib I tried!  Plus, it's so soft that it doesn't irritate Liam's sensitive skin.  That's a win in my book!




I love handmade items, and I love sharing a great product, especially when it comes from a small business. I would never recommend a product to my family, friends, and readers that I don't believe in. This bandanna bib is a quality product.  Whether you use it as a fashion accessory or as a drool catcher, you won't be disappointed!

There are so many cute options to choose from!



Eliza is super sweet, and so easy to work with. I especially love the fact that one of her brand reps has Down Syndrome like Liam. Thank you for seeing and showcasing the beauty of everyone, Eliza!

Please consider shopping from small businesses this holiday season!  Anchored Arrow can be found on Etsy, Instagram, and Facebook.

Our bandanna bib is one of our new favorite items!  We can't wait to get more!



Anchored Arrow has graciously offered to give one of my readers a bandanna bib of their choice.  Enter the giveaway below on rafflecopter.   Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



*Disclosure: I was given a bandanna bib in exchange for my honest review.

Holiday Wishes

Now that Thanksgiving is over, I'm officially in the Christmas spirit! This time of year is so magical. Listening to Christmas music definitely adds to the magic of the holiday season!

I recently had the chance to review Idina Menzel's new album through One2One Network.  Idina Menzel won the hearts of many after she was the voice of Elsa from the popular movie Frozen.  I, however, was a fan of Idina Menzel long before "Let It Go" became a huge hit!  

I saw Idina Menzel in Rent years ago, and I was thrilled when she was on Glee.  When my daughters fell in love with Frozen and began listening to "Let It Go" over and over and over again, I was just thankful someone I loved was singing it!

I was so excited when I was offered the opportunity to review Holiday Wishes!  Holiday music and Idina Menzel?  It was already a winner before I even listened to it!

This album did not disappoint!

The album includes many holiday favorites!  The songs on the album are "Do You Hear What I Hear," "The Christmas Song," "Baby It's Cold Outside" (Duet with Michael Buble), "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," "All I Want For Christmas," "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?," "December Prayer," "When You Wish Upon A Star," "Silent Night," "River," "Holly Jolly Christmas," and "White Christmas."

My personal favorite is "Do You Hear What I Hear."  It's a beautiful rendition of the hit Christmas song. Idina Menzel's voice is flawless, so it's fitting that it's the first song on the album. It draws you in and makes you want to hear more!

I  really liked "Baby It's Cold Outside," which is a duet with Michael Buble.  It's fun and playful, and the vocals are smooth! Idina Menzel and Michael Buble are a perfect match for this song!

Another favorite is "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas."  Idina Menzel doesn't stray from the melody, and instead, chooses to showcase her beautiful voice.

My entire family, including my husband, enjoyed Holiday Wishes! My 3 year old, who is a Frozen fanatic, immediately recognized "Elsa's" voice.  She now requests to hear the "Elsa Christmas Songs" and said she loves every song.  I happily oblige, because I do, too!

If you love Idina Menzel as much as I do, you can find her on her website, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. 

From the first song to the last, this album will captivate you! Holiday Wishes by Idina Menzel can be purchased on iTunes and Amazon. Trust me, it's worth it!

*DISCLOSURE: I participated in the Idina Menzel Holiday Wishes album review program as a member of One2One Network. I was provided an album to review but all opinions are my ow

Ten Fifteen

My friend Steph and I have so much in common! Obviously, the name. We both have a Lily.  We were pregnant together with our last babies. We both have a 1 year old.  Everyone in our families have birthdays close to each other or on the same day.  We definitely lead parallel lives, which is one of the reasons we get along so well!

Another similarity is that our oldest children are boys. Dylan and Andrew are 5 years apart in age and their birthdays are 5 days apart.  Dylan turned 10 on the 22nd and Andrew turned 15 on the 27th. Instead of having separate parties for our friends (we share the same friends anyway!), we decided to do a combined birthday party!



On Saturday night, we gathered at Steph's house with some of our closest friends and celebrated our two wonderful boys!

We had snacks, cake, ice cream, and lots of fun.  The noise level was through the roof, which was a sign of everyone having a great time!

We played with friends.



We dressed up and ate lots of goodies.



Someone played so hard with his friends that he couldn't even stay awake for cake and ice cream.



We sang Happy Birthday to the two best big brothers around.



The boys were very happy with all their gifts!



We stayed up really late with our friends.  One little boy got his second wind around midnight and was ready to party! (I can't get over the cuteness of how tiny yet big he looks standing at that kitchen!)



We partied until 2:30 in the morning! Even though we planned to stay over, I could feel a migraine coming, and I knew I had to get home and go to bed. 

I'm really glad we decided to have a combined party for friends this year.  We had a great night!



Happy Birthday, Dylan and Andrew!  You are both awesome and so loved!

Thanksgiving

Every year, Thanksgiving sneaks up on us.  I think it's because Dylan's birthday is always around or on Thanksgiving, so we stay busy celebrating.  This year wasn't any different!  Before I knew it, Thanksgiving was here!

Even though Thanksgiving Day is chaotic and busy, I love it.  I love the time spent with family, the delicious meal, and the excitement about the upcoming Christmas season that builds throughout the day!

Our family's Thanksgiving tradition is to sleep in, then have a cinnamon roll breakfast while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  I love the relaxing morning with just the six of us, before we start making our rounds.

I am so thankful for my four beautiful kids.  On Thanksgiving morning, they were so full of energy and excitement.  Liam chose that day to start getting into everything, but it was okay.  It's age appropriate for him and that's what we like to see!!!



Our first stop of the day was at Grant's Grandma's house for an early Thanksgiving dinner.




We stuffed ourselves full of delicious food.  I think this is the perfect "I'm stuffed" Thanksgiving picture!



After we ate, Liam spent some time with his Grandma and Great Grandma, and the kids played with cousins they only get to see a few times a year.  They all had a great time!




I hate the fact that we have to rush out every year, but we, along with everyone else, had other places to go.

Our second stop was at my sister's house, so I could see a few members of my family.  I really miss seeing all my siblings on Thanksgiving, but it just isn't feasible for all of us to get together on Thanksgiving anymore.   I really wish we could.

Dylan, Lexie, and Lily had a great time playing with their cousin, Aubrey, and we had fun talking to my parents, my sister, Sharilyn, and her family.   Rather than have two Thanksgiving dinners like we typically do, we just joined them for dessert this year!





We didn't stay too long.  My parents headed home early because my mom had to work the next day, my sister and brother-in-law wanted to go shopping, and my niece and her family were leaving for a trip at 3 AM.  It wasn't a long visit, but I'm so glad we got to spend time with them!




Lily always has fun playing dress up with Aubrey's outgrown clothing.  She ended up swapping her clothes for a fancy Easter dress, a sweater, a hooded fur vest, and one boot.  She ended up leaving that way!

Our final stop of the day was at Grant's Nannie's house to see relatives that were in town.



We all sat around and chatted, Liam snuggled with everyone, and the older kids fell in love with a relative we met that day.  They ran around playing hide and seek with her for hours! I felt myself really getting into the Christmas spirit.  We all had a really good time!

I'm not quite sure why we always wait until the end of the day to take a family picture, but we did it yet again!  We always look exhausted and disheveled, but I guess that's real life!!!  The five of them are my world!



We returned home, had a quick snack, then all four kids fell asleep in Dylan and Liam's room while Grant and I watched "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles."  It was a good end to a good day!



The Thanksgiving spirit continued on Friday.  Grant didn't have to work, so we slept in and had a relaxing morning and afternoon at home.




We went over to my friend Amber's house to hang out with friends at 4:30 and had a great time spending a few hours with them.



That evening, my dad came over to watch the kids so Grant and I could go to a 90th Birthday dinner for Grant's Nannie.  Nannie will be 90 on December 12th, and she is a wonderful lady. She's Grant's grandma, but she's mine, too! She is still so sharp and races her beloved Camaro around town.  I hope I'm just like her at age 90!  Grant's Uncle Scott decided to have the party the day after Thanksgiving because all her relatives were already in town.  We had a great time celebrating such a special woman!




I am so thankful for Grant, our kids, our families, and our friends.  I'm glad we got to see so many of them over the past few days!  We are surrounded by love and we have a lot to be thankful for!