I have found spray paint to be my best friend and favorite tool when it comes to transforming home decor. I know I’ve talked about being on a limited budget and therefore transform a lot of inexpensive pieces with paint, but you don’t have to be on a limited budget to save money. I think we all want to spend less when it’s an option. I love how this Spray Painted Wall Art turned out and that it now fits perfectly in my bedroom.
I don’t know about you but the last thing I want to do in the Summer is spend hours preparing meals in a hot kitchen. Our Summer days are pretty unstructured, but we try to stay active with swimming, hiking, biking and spending a lot of time exploring our city. I’m tired when we get home and I don’t want to spend a lot of time on meal prep, but since eating is a necessity I have to plan something. Menu planning for the week ahead and displaying it for the family to see has kept me in check and kept the “what’s for dinner” question at bay.
There are parties, barbecues, picnics, and other events hosted this Summer by friends and family. Do you get stuck trying to decide on a gift for the hostess? I was reading this last week that one of the top 5 hostess gifts this Summer are flower pots. Purchasing already painted or decorated pots can be very expensive so why not create them yourself. I gathered a few of my favorite Decorative Flower Pots to give you inspiration for creating your own beautiful, unique gift. Of course, make sure to add a beautiful plant or flower to the pot.
I have decided I really love scavenger hunts and I really like watching my kids look for things, it’s much better than watching them play video games or stare at the TV. I think about being outside in the Summer and don’t think much about inside activities, but with all the rain these last few days I’ve adjusted my thinking. I thought a Rainy Day Scavenger Hunt would be in order to take a little bit of time away from the TV.
Printables are the quickest and easiest way I know to decorate for a holiday. Just print, slap in a frame and you’re good to go. It’s like instant art. Use one or use many to create a wall full of art. Need some last minute party decor? I’ve got you covered. I’ve gathered some of my favorite Patriotic Printables to share with you. I hope you’ll find a few you want to use.
The 4th of July is my favorite holiday. What’s not to love? There’s parades, barbecues and picnics, carnivals, swimming, hiking, fireworks, family, and the weather is awesome. I love decorating for the 4th too. There’s just something about decorating with red, white, and blue that makes me happy and sentimental. Every 4th of July brings back memories of the past Summers celebrating with my family and friends. We’ve had a busy Summer so far so I’m just getting around to decorating the house. I had to start with the Patriotic mantel first.
My husband is only home 2-5 days a month which leaves me in charge of the kids and home most of the time. Carving out a little “Me Time” can be difficult, but with Summer here I am determined to find some time just for me. I would love to take a tropical vacation and escape from it all if only for a day or two but being realistic means taking some time to look through my favorite magazines might be the only escape I get. I found some alone time and drove to Target to pick up PEOPLE StyleWatch® and InStyle® magazines for a mini escape. But what would a little escape be without a little indulgence? I am sharing my favorite 3 Quick and Easy Summer Treats to snack on while enjoying a little “Me Time”.
It’s that time of year again. All the hard work of the last 13 years is finally paying off for all the graduating Seniors. I don’t know about you but I can remember exactly how I felt leading up to the last few weeks of my school life. It’s so exciting thinking about the end of an era and all the possibilities that lie ahead. I love seeing the excitement and relief on their faces as they receive their diploma. I’ve always wanted to give a gift that was worthy of their accomplishments. I think the novelty gifts are cute but I like giving something a little more thoughtful. Every graduating senior needs money whether they’re heading off to collage, starting a new job or even taking a little vacation. I have rounded up some awesome Money Gift Giving Ideas for that special Senior in your life. They’re going to think you’re the best gift giver ever!
Who doesn’t love a trip? We decided many years ago that we would rather create memories than buy a lot of things. Sometimes it’s been harder than others to have the time or money it takes to travel so we have even taken little weekend trips to explore and create family memories.
Traveling with kids can be a little trying at times so I have a few suggestions:
Travel as light as possible. One piece of luggage per person is our rule, even if you’re a teen girl. Did you know that rolling the clothes instead of folding saves on space? You would be surprised how much more you can fit in a piece of luggage. Lay out everything you want to take on your trip, then put back at least 20-30%. Don’t pack unnecessary things, if you have 3 girls you don’t each need to bring a hair dryer. I love my Atlantic Luggage and how much I can fit in each piece.
Have your kids help. I made a packing list so the older kids can pack for themselves and the younger kids can help gather their items to be packed. You can print it off for your own use below.
Kid Packing List
Use the SkyCap for curbside check-in. It’s only a few dollars per bag and when you’re traveling with 6 kids it is so worth it. Take my word for it, I am speaking from experience. They can take care of car seats and strollers too.
Everyone has their own backpack for the flight. Fill the bag with age appropriate things to keep each of them busy. Include a change of clothes in each backpack in case a piece of luggage gets lost. I also put in little snacks for waiting on flights so you don’t have to buy things at the airport.
Do as much on line as possible. Little people can be impatient, so can big people for that matter.
Choose good luggage. Atlantic Luggage has some awesome features such as the Link2Go system, which allows you to connect multiple pieces of luggage together for easy one handed rolling. Or the 360-degree 4-Wheel Spinners which means you can easily guide and steer your way through busy airports. It’s also lightweight and has room for everything you need.
Have medications available. I have a few kids that I didn’t know had motion sickness and ear aches. Be prepared for that, it will make your trip much more pleasant.
Be flexible. Things probably aren’t going to be perfect, in fact I can pretty much guarantee they won’t be. It’s okay, you are creating some awesome memories with your family.
The school year is coming to an end and my son and his friends came up with an idea of what to wear the last day of school. They wanted to wear matching shirts they had found on line, but the shirts were a little to pricey and there was a chance they wouldn’t make it here on time, so we came up with another plan. We decided to make Personalized Vinyl T-Shirts that we could customize ourselves.
