Friday Favorites

You guys, it is the last weekend of February! I always think this is the longest 'shortest' month of the year. Seriously, there is a reason why, when whoever created the calendar sat down to design the months, they made February shorter than the rest. Bring on March! I have been loving see the sunrise on my drives to drop my kiddos off in the mornings lately. It makes the days so much happier when you aren't leaving and returning home in the dark every day!

We have a pretty low-key weekend ahead of us, with not much of anything on the agenda. Which is fine by me. I am thinking of giving up alcohol for lent #crazymomidea, so I am definitely planning on picking up one last bottle on white wine and enjoying that!

1. Instagram Giveaway

You guys, this week I won another giveaway on Instragram! Kristi is the sweetest blogger, and is a fellow Minnesotan so I enjoy reading her content even more! I won the cutest baseball tee from Magnolia Market, and am so excited! Is it weird that when I received the tracking number, I got all excited because it departed from Waco, TX? Haha I would love to see the silos in real life!

2. Old Navy

As per the usual, Old Navy is KILLING IT with their new spring apparel. I mean, these shorts have pineapples on them! I die a thousand deaths! I also tried on this jacket in the store and oh my gosh, the pictures online do not do it justice. The way it hangs and the asymmetrical zipper are so perfect. I have also been swooning over this floral sweatshirt I keep seeing in all of the ads! This striped swing dress is the summer version of my favorite from this winter, and I am already thinking how cute this would be for all of the holiday weekends this summer!

3. No Snow

Okay, so I have spent the past few weeks with a definite favorite being the weather. You guys, we sat in consistent highs in the 50s for over a week. That is unheard of in Minnesota in February. Sadly, or hot streak has ended, but we are still above normal for temperatures in the 30s and 40s, so I can't really complain! They were predicting a pretty big snow storm for today, but it is now completely off of the forecast! So we went from looking at up to a foot of snow to literally nothing. Which is just the best. Snow is fun for Christmas, but come February cabin fever strikes pretty far, and I am beyond ready for spring!

4. This sweet face

I had a bit of a 'slap in the face' moment this week when I was at work and my mom sent me a bunch of pictures of Lincoln.

 I have not sugar coated the first six months of his life. They were hard. He cried constantly. While I bonded with him, a lot of days I honestly wished so badly to escape and just have some time to myself. We were building a house. My toddler was beginning the terrible twos and was adjusting to life as a big brother. And Lincoln just cried all of the time. I wanted so badly for time to pass as quickly as possible until we outgrew the stage that we were in. And then I got these pictures. And I about lost how. How in the world did my precious baby become a toddler, practically overnight? Why is he so big? Am I enjoying him as much as I should be? Many days are often still so busy that I find myself going through the motions, but he will never be as deliciously sweet as he is in this very moment. I love him more than words, so much that it hurts. I say it often, but he is truly the sweetest little soul and such a blessing in my life.

5. Steve Madden Dupes

I have seen these Steve Madden shoes around, and am so obsessed with the design of the heel. And then I saw these at good ole Tar-jay and about died. They are amazing, and at less than half of the price! Having #tallgirlproblems, they also have this pair that is a lower heel and comes in the most gorgeous blue color! I think I am going to scoop them up because they are gorgeous!

I am off to enjoy a cold, but hopefully snow free weekend! I cannot believe it is already the last week of February!

Five on Friday // Oh Hey Friday! // Friday Favorites // Friday Favorites // High Five For Friday

*affiliate links used

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What I Wore Wednesday

It has been awhile since I have done a round up of the things I have worn lately! I figured today I would join in for 'What I Wore Wednesday' and do a bit of an instagram recap!

 Sweater (local boutique) // Jeans // Boots // Necklace

 Top // Vest (similar) // Jeans // Boots // X ring

 Sweatshirt

Jacket (old, similar here) // Top // Jeans // Boots

 Sweatshirt // Leggings

Sweater (sold out, similar here) // Jeans // Boots // Necklace

 Sweater // Jeans // Boots

 Top // Jeans // Boots // Necklace

Tee // Necklace

 

The Pleated Poppy // Life in the Green House // Sydney Fashion Hunter // Pumps & Push Ups // The Mummy Chronicles // Classy Yet Trendy //  Going the Distance 

 

*post may contain affiliate links

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Organic Fashion For Your Baby

Since becoming a mama, anyone who knows me can likely tell you one thing about me; I am obsessed with baby pajamas. My boys have more than we can cycle through, honestly. I just cannot help myself. I don't know if there is anything more precious than a baby tushy in a pair jammies after bathtime and before bed. The smell of baby soap on a freshly washed baby as I rock my drowsy babies to sleep is one of my absolute favorite things.

Being the lover of baby jams that I am, I was absolutely thrilled when I was given the opportunity to try out some Finn+Emma pajamas for my  boys. They are made of organic cotton, and truly are buttery soft. They have been featured in People magazine, Vogue, and have won awards on The Bump. These pajamas are pretty much incredible!

I opted to go with different prints for my boys, and both are so precious. Jackson's pair has little sailboats on the top, and let me tell you that he is SO excited to remind me when he puts them on that there are boats involved. That kid, I tell ya. All boy! Lincoln has a tribal print, and he is so darn adorable in them I can barely handle it.

These sweet brothers melt my heart every single day. While I may also do lots of yelling and breaking up of fights, their daddy and I are more and more often rewarded with them sharing giggles, Jackson doing any silly thing he can to make his baby brother laugh. Something about all of these little moments is just so much sweeter in cuddly, super soft jammies.

Seriously. A baby tushy in cozy jammies trying to raid the refrigerator. These are the little moments that turn into precious memories.

If you want to try out a pair of these pajamas for yourself, you can receive 15% off of your order over $50! If you want the best for your little ones, look no further than Finn+Emma.

*This post is sponsored by Finn+Emma. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Stang&Co.

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Friday Favorites: Heat Wave!

Hooray for it being Friday again! I have spent all week feeling like we were a day ahead, so needless to say that makes the work week feel even longer! We have a pretty low-key weekend ahead of us, but I am excited to spend some time outside and just relax. And drink wine. Definitely drink wine.

1. Gray Anchor Sale!

You guys, last week I shared my 'Tired As A Mother' tee from Gray Anchor Apparel, and got so many comments on it! Well, there is a flash sale going on and right now code CELEBRATE will get you 15% off of your purchase! Sales are not offered very often, so if you were thinking about buying up a shirt, today is the day to do it! I shared my tee last week, but this sweatshirt is from there, too, and I am O.B.S.E.S.S.E.D!

2. This Weather

Okay. I know I talked about the weather last week. But this weekend is basically blowing last weekend out of the water! We are looking at highs in the mid to upper 50's. I am so excited I don't even know what to do with myself!! If the weather gets anything above 50, you can find me outside, on a run, wearing shorts. And working on my tan. Okay, probably not the tan part quite yet. I know this is just a tease because our extended forecast is obviously showing snow (womp womp), but when you deal with frigid and snowy winters, there is something so magical about the first big 'heat wave' of spring!

A little throwback pic to last February when we also had unseasonably warm weather. You bet your bottom dollar I went for a run in shorts. And then watched the snow melt ;-)

3. Striped Tee

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I ordered this tee from the Gap, and it 100% is living up to my expectations, you guys. It is ridiculously soft, long, and the sleeves have a wide cuff at the bottom that make it a little different and fun!

Striped tee // Pants (and similar) // Vest (similar) // Boots (similar, similar) // Lipgloss

4. Blush sneakers

You guys. I am so obsessed with blush everything. And Target just rolled out their spring sneakers and I am dying. This suede pair is adorable, and so are these lace up ones. I am living in a blush world, and I am loving it!

5. Sippy Cups

We are starting to prepare for Lincoln starting daycare in a few months, and one of the things on our list is to get him drinking out of a sippy cup. We have been using the First Years brand bottles (read my review here), and have had such luck with them that I figured I would try out their sippy cups. And Lincoln really seems to like them! The spout is soft and easy for baby to work with. I cannot tell you how many sippy cups I threw away after buying with Jackson because the spout was too hard or not shaped right. Lincoln didn't have to do much maneuvering before he figured out how to drink from it! And, the handles make it easy for baby to hold and drink on their own. I highly recommend them!

With that, I am off to drink copious amounts of coffee, truck through the work day, and enjoy as much grilled food and sunshine this weekend as I can possibly manage. Happy Friday, friends!

Five on Friday // Oh Hey Friday! // Friday Favorites // Friday Favorites // High Five For Friday

*affiliate links used



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Ask Me Anything!

I have noticed I have some new readers around here lately, which I absolutely love! One of the absolute best things about the blogging community is having the ability to connect with other ladies all over the country! I hope you enjoy getting little bits and pieces of what is going on in our world. I thought about it for a bit, and realized that, while I try to be candid in this space, there is a lot about me I have not shared! So, I would LOVE to do a little Q&A with those that follow along! Whether it is about my career, being a mom, marriage, our home, I am happy to talk about those topics that likely don't make it onto this space, not intentionally, but because I simply don't think to include them!

SO, ask away! And as always, thank you so much for reading! This blog is something I have grown to love over the years, and I am so happy to have you all as a part of it!

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Milestone Baby

These days, there is not much slowing down around here. Our little guy is constantly on the go, and we can barely keep up! Some days, he masters so many new skills that I cannot remember it all. Any other mamas feel like they blink and their newborn is suddenly walking, talking, and doing all of the toddler things?
I will be the first to admit, I am not perfect and miss documenting a lot of these 'little' things. I keep on top of monthly updates through the first year, but the rest of those little milestones? I try my best to commit them to memory, but I often fall short.
Enter Milestone Baby. These amazing little cards really help you to remember and celebrate those little moments that make you smile.
  

 

Not only do these cards highlight your baby's most recent milestone, but the bottom of the card provides space to write down the date! I for one absolutely love having exact dates to reference back to remember these things. I have caught myself looking at the date, wondering what else we had going on that day, what the weather was like, and just what life was like for us when that special little moment occurred.

I have the original baby cards, but there are other options, including a toddler set, and a set to track your pregnancy, too!

I plan to put together our cards into a booklet in the future, and am so glad I will have this detailed keepsake to look back on! Do you have any favorite ways to track your baby's milestones?

 

*this post is sponsored by Milestone Baby. All thoughts and opinions expressed are solely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Stang&Co!

 

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Friday Favorites: Valentine's Weekend

Is anyone else just amazed that Valentine's Day is only a few days away? I am pretty darn happy about it, because that means we are not only well past January, but also halfway through February. Yes, I wish away our winters. And I'm not one bit sorry about it. The high today is in the low 40's, which in Minnesota means I am considering going for a run in shorts! I am so excited to soak up some sunshine, grill dinner, and enjoy some weather. We are treating this as a tropical heat wave, you guys!

1. Gray Anchor Apparel

You guys. If you are a lover of graphic tees, look no further than Gray Anchor. Michelle is so different from other online boutiques, in that she allows you to choose your design and print color, and then the shirt you want it on. Your items are totally custom, which is so much fun! Her site is open on select days, this week it is today and tomorrow! Most of the time, you are able to shop Thursday through Sunday. The stuff is just amazing, and I am obsessed.

2. Spring Fashion

Speaking of warmer weather, it has me getting all sorts of exciting to start wearing bright, cheery colors and fashions. I am loving the bright, vibrant color of this tank, and am also so in love with the high neck style that is on trend right now. Perfect for us nursing mamas! ;-) And my favorite top of all time has some gorgeous colors out right now, perfect for spring! I am loving the quail and the pink peacock! I don't know if anything makes my heart happier than a pair of mint skinnies. And these sunnies are about the most adorable and fun find I have seen. Gimme all the pink things!

3. Holiday Looks

Ever since having kiddos, I live for holidays that I never used to care about. We are not even a touch Irish, but there is something so cute about a little man in a 'lucky' shirt! Old Navy is always my go-to for these picks, just look at the Lucky Charms shirt! Those were, and still are, one of my favorite cereals! I also love this classic and simple shirt.

4. Sugar Cookies

Another one of my favorite things to do for all of the holidays is whip up some sugar cookies. As I mentioned yesterday, I announced Jackson's pregnancy with cutout heart cookies, and since then it has kind of become a thing for me! I always look forward to it, and cannot wait to make some this weekend! My goal is to frost at least half of them before my husband and son steal them!

5. The Walking Dead

This is a favorite by default. The Walking Dead returns from its mid-season break on Sunday! I am still heartbroken and recovering from the premier last fall (sad, I know. But so, so true). Is anyone else as addicted to this show as I am? The return was on Valentine's Day last year, so Mike and I will likely be continuing our tradition with the most epic ice cream cake of all time:

Yes, my husband surprised me with this cake last year. Yes, this was the message he asked they write on a cake on Valentine's Day. And yes, it was one of my favorite and strangely romantic gestures the man has done. Be still my zombie loving, ice cream craving heart. Happy weekend, friends!

Five on Friday // Oh Hey Friday! // Friday Favorites // Friday Favorites // High Five For Friday

*affiliate links used

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Our Valentine's Traditions

I am so excited today to be participating in a link-up that a few of my favorite bloggers are all hosting! On the second Thursday of every month, we will be writing on a different topic, and this week, it is our Valentine's Day traditions!

I will be honest, I have never been huge into Valentine's Day. Back in my high school days, I had a boyfriend who took me out to eat, and I hated it! The lines were outrageous, the menu items were cut down to accommodate the busy kitchen, and we were rushed in and out so the next people could have our table. I found nothing about this to be romantic, and since have always stuck around the house for the holiday!

Due to our constantly changing family and housing dynamics over the past few years, we don't really have any hard and fast traditions for Valentine's Day. There are a few things I try to do every year, especially now that we have kids.

My absolute favorite thing to do during Valentine's Day is to create cutout heart sugar cookies. A fun backstory, I found out I was pregnant right around Christmas of 2013. Of course, the news was fresh so we kept it to ourselves throughout the holidays, minus our parents. But, I hit that 12 week mark right on Valentine's Day, so I figured it would be the perfect time to let the cat out of the bag! I frosted all of the hearts and made them look like sweetheart candies, and put a big white letter on each individual cookie before snapping a pic to share with our family.

Since then, I really look forward to making these every year, and cannot believe the time has flown so quickly and we will be able to start making our cookies with that little baby we didn't even know yet in this announcement!

For other little traditions, when our kids and schedules allow, Mike and I have cooked meals together, which can be so much fun. Of course, we really aren't in that season of life this year, so I am leaning towards perhaps a heart shaped pizza for dinner ;-)

For the boys, I bought each a little gift and plan to give that to them on the day. Nothing big or crazy, but I did grow up always having even the little holidays recognized in some way, and I think it makes those little moments so special!

 

I can't wait to see what everyone else does as their Valentine's Day traditions!

 

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Sound Sleep with Dockatot

I have been pretty open and honest about life since we welcomed our second baby boy back in May. I love my life and my boys, but we had many long and hard days, followed by long and sleepless nights. Not only did Lincoln hate naps, but he also tended to wake up consistently throughout the night. None of us were getting any sleep.

Finally, about two months ago, we decided to pull the trigger on doing some sleep training, and boy oh boy am I glad that we did. In a matter of days, my baby who had never had a night where he didn't wake up fewer than twice was sleeping through the night. All night. Every night. It was absolutely amazing. And despite the difficult moments, it was truly worth every tear and moment of sadness to know that I am now giving my baby the conditions he needs to get solid, sound sleep so that he can fully recharge and continue to grow and thrive.

While we seem to have finally gotten some control over the sleep in our house, one consistent struggle has now become getting Lincoln to nap anywhere besides his crib. With the exception of his pack n' play at grandma's house, he has become pretty particular about where he snoozes. And, he is pretty darn particular about how he drifts off to sleep, too. He really prefers to put himself to sleep most of the time, even if it requires a bit of fussing. No rocking or cuddling for this guy!

I was so excited for the opportunity to have him sleep in a Dockatot.

My very first thought was how perfect this would be when we didn't have access to his crib. I cannot tell you how uneasy it always makes me when we end up having him take a nap on a bed when we are at the homes of others. I had gotten into the habit of stacking about fifty pillows around him and checking on him obsessively to ensure he hadn't rolled to a dangerous spot. Not only do I hate this uneasiness, but trust me when I say that I know that this is incredibly unsafe. Thanks to Dockatot, we can throw it in the car, and when he starts to get sleepy, rather than trying to create a safe sleep space when the conditions just do not lend themselves to be, I can be confident that he is laying in a safe, secure place that will keep him in one spot while he sleeps!

 

Dockatot is not only designed with the comfort of your baby in mind, but their safety as well. The fabric is 100% breathable, which provides so much relief and ease of mind for mamas of young babies. It is also non heat absorbing, meaning regulated temperatures and, again, comfort for baby. It is hypoallergenic, and a great transitional tool for babies moving from cribs to toddler beds. To have found a piece that is 100% safe for my baby, while also providing an environment where he feels comfortable and secure, is such an awesome feeling. He has napped in multiple locations that I would never have been able to get him to remain sleeping had it not been for Dockatot.

The docks come in two sizes, the Deluxe and the Grand. The Deluxe is perfect for newborn-8 months. The Grand is for 9-36 months, great for continuing with babies who have outgrown the Deluxe, or who are ready to transition to a bigger bed by providing extra comfort and security. Lincoln is a big guy, so at 8 months we went right to the Grand, and it is the perfect size for him. Of course, big brother (who is 30 months old) thinks the Dockatot is pretty cool, too, and has stolen it out of his brother's room more than once! It's a total hit in our house, all around!

 

Want $10 off of a Dockatot of your own? Shop with this code, and check out all of their adorable designs.

*This post is sponsored by Dockatot. As always all opinions are solely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Stang&Co.

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Lincoln: 9 Months

Nine months old. Doesn't that seem so much older than 8 months? Just me? Regardless, this has been a big month for Lincoln. He is officially mobile and is T-R-O-U-B-L-E. He is the reason that people baby proof. He is a danger to himself, because he is absolutely fearless and is into everything, all of the time. Overnight, he has discovered the stairs, all of our furniture which is perfect for climbing on, every scrap that the vacuum missed, and of course, the dreaded electrical outlets. His big brother honestly never even noticed the outlets, but you best believe Lincoln has already been caught trying to stick his fingers into the holes or chew on lamp cords. Despite being a complete and utter wild man, he is also the sweetest, happiest little guy. He is so much fun, and is determined to do all of the 'big kid' things that he can!

Age: 9 months
Height: 31 inches or so. Still sitting at the 100th percentile.
Weight: 24.5 pounds. 98th percentile. He is still up there, but already seems to be leaning out a bit. He may be big and sturdy, but there really aren't many rolls on him!
Milestones: This month has been HUGE for this guy! He started crawling mid-January, and since then has probably given me a hundred gray hairs. He started pulling himself to standing within days of crawling. He also has started cruising furniture a bit, and can climb the stairs. He can make it up our entire story-and-a-half staircase, and often is a few stairs deep before we even realize what he is doing. Needless to say, the baby gate has made its return. He babbles all of the time, and is just an absolute blast to have around, even when he is giving us panic attacks!

We also switched him over to a convertible carseat, because he is so tall we really had no choice. He was at the maximum height limit, so while it was the last thing I wanted to do during the darkest and coldest month of the year, he seems to be tolerating his new seat. He was pretty unsure at first, but seems to be enjoying having more of a view now!
Sleep: He is still sleeping through the night pretty consistently. He occasionally will wake up around 10-11pm, usually on nights where he fell asleep early or didn't eat enough before bedtime. Often giving him his nuk will put him back to sleep, and very rarely I will give in and nurse him as long as it is before midnight. He is, however, waking up by 5am most days, which has this mama feeling pretty tired. Both he and his big brother are almost always both awake by 5:30am, so we get lots of morning time in before the work day begins!

Best Moments: Watching him crawl really has been a lot of fun, even though he is getting into SO much trouble.
Worst Moments: He escaped our sight, made a dash for the stairs, and fell down a few the other day. Not fun at all! He got some sort of gash/wound on his upper lip, and a scratch on his head, but nothing major. That is what really prompted the return of the baby gates! He also loves to climb under and through things, so often gets stuck underneath the kitchen table, and he manages to wedge himself under and into our end table, which usually results in him getting pretty scared. This kid, I tell ya.
Eating: All solid food, all of the time. I have started keeping as many fruits and veggies on hand as possible, to make sure he is getting a good variety. He loves blueberries, string cheese, PIZZA, rice and noodle casseroles, and of course, anything sweet. He about loses his mind whenever he sees the container of puffs come out of the pantry. Really, he will eat absolutely anything. The greatest tragedies in his life occur when someone has food and doesn't give him any.

He is still nursing, and receiving bottles of pumped milk when I am at work. Since starting solids, he seems to be taking in less milk, which is totally normal. He nurses right away in the morning, gets a few bottles throughout the day, and gets one final nursing session before going to bed. We have quite a bit of milk stored, so I am thinking I will be cutting out my pumps at work in the next 1-2 weeks!
Teeth: Still just those bottom two. It has been a few months, so I wouldn't be surprised if we see the top two soon, but from what I can tell they aren't there yet!
Likes: Any and all food, climbing the stairs, climbing under things, picking up and eating everything he finds on the floor, getting thrown in the air, taking baths and splashing in the water, his pacifier, watching football (seriously!), laughing at his big brother, and using the end table as a jungle gym.
Dislikes: The most ironic dislike of Mr. Lincoln is his hatred of being taken OUT of the bath. If you go back and read his first 6 months or so of updates, you will notice he despised taking baths. He would scream bloody murder, and I truly dreaded bath night because he (and everyone else) were so miserable throughout the process. Now, he and Jackson often take their bath together, and when it is time to get out Lincoln comes out first. And he screams and throws a fit! I guess we just will always see tears during bathtime one way or another ;-) He also doesn't like being pushed by his brother, not getting fed fast enough, and when mom walks by without holding him. He also hates the baby gate. This week he sat at the bottom of the stairs and cried because he wanted to climb and couldn't figure it out!

He is giving us a run for our money, but life is so much more fun and entertaining with Lincoln in it! I continue to be amazed by how independent and determined he is. I love watching him become his own little person, with what is definitely a mind of his own! I wouldn't mind if this next month was slowed down just a bit, but knowing this baby boy, I have a feeling we won't be slowing down anytime soon! We love you so much, Mr. Lincoln!

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Weekending: Superbowl Party!

As always, the weekend flew by WAY too fast. We decided to test out our new smoker and throw a Super Bowl party yesterday, and can I just say that weekends go by MUCH faster when you spend them prepping!?

On Friday after work, we had a lazy night of pizza and a glass of wine. We knew the weekend was going to be busy, so it was about as low key as you can get!

On Saturday, we were up bright and early, because for whatever reason our kids think 4:45 is a great time to wake up lately, and made a Target run with the boys. We loaded up on stuff for Sunday, and got a diaper stash, because #momlife. Jackson cried when we left the store. A child after his mama's Target loving heart! The rest of the afternoon, I ran more errands. Has anyone ever noticed that when you have a party, it takes at least three trips to a store that you could have gotten everything at once. You always forget something! #becauseweneededkleenexesandforgotthemonthreeseparatetrips

Saturday night, we had about zero desire to cook because we knew Sunday would be spent in the kitchen, so we had shared dinosaur chicken nuggets with our toddler for dinner. We were parents of the year this weekend! The boys had baths, we got them off to bed, and I passed out on the couch. We are wild!

Mike was up at 4:30am on Sunday to get the meat put in the smoker, and the boys followed shortly after. I 'slept in' until Lincoln decided to join in on the fun at 5:15am. My 6am, I had already vacuumed the entire main floor of our house, so I guess there are some perks to waking up at the crack of dawn.

Likely due to sleep deprivation, Mike mentioned that TVs were on sale yesterday, and I finally gave him my blessing in buying one. Our mantle is huge, but our old TV was sitting on it because we knew we would eventually replace it and didn't want to waste our time mounting it. And there is no better time to buy a new TV than on the day you are having company over! Mike took off to the store, and I did some prepping in the kitchen. Once he got home, we realized quickly that the wall mount he bought wouldn't work, as our outlets are on the wall above the mantle and the mount didn't stick out far enough. SO, I loaded up Lincoln and took off to Sam's club for a different mount. Nothing like a whirling morning of TV buying!

Once I got home, Mike and his brother worked on getting the new TV set up, and I got the boys down for their naps. And we went to work prepping the rest of the food!

That rock candy is leftover from Jackson's FIRST birthday party. It's sugar, and the colors matched the cupcakes, so I figured they were still good. Probably gross, but they still tasted good!

The meat Mike made was a barbacoa pulled pork, so we decided to do a taco/burrito bar! We had fresh guacamole, cilantro lime rice, corn salsa, and a bunch of other toppings. And, because you can't do a football game without it, we had some buffalo hot dip, too! The cupcakes were courtesy of my mama (and Sam's club!)

Was anyone else just BLOWN AWAY watching that Super Bowl!!? I was kind of rooting for the Falcons, because I always want to see the underdog win. And, as our Vikings have never won a Super Bowl, I felt like I was cheering for a team that was similar. And, in true Vikings fashion, the Falcons lost what seemed to be a definite win! So heartbreaking, although fun to see the Patriots rally like they did. WOW.

We had such a fun day with family, and despite all of the work, are really loving being able to finally entertain in our own house! Now, if anyone is looking for a jumbo tub of nacho cheese, feel free to give me a call! ;-)

Linking up with Biana today!

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Friday Favorites: First of February

Happy Friday friends! I don't know about you, but I am not one bit sad to see January go. I am ready to see the days get longer, enjoy the pink and glitter of Valentine's Day, and maybe even get a unicorn day in Minnesota where the temps get into the 40s. I have high hopes for February! As always, I am linking up with my favorite ladies for some Friday fun!

1. A little sparkle

 

Mug (Target Dollar Spot) // Nail Polish
Last week, I saw this ring was marked down to $7, and decided for that price, I couldn't pass it up. I am really hesitant to try new jewelry, especially rings, but I got it in gold and am OBSESSED. It is so sparkly, and such a dainty addition. And the criss-cross design really make sit stand apart from my other rings that I wear every day. It was such a fun way to change things up a bit!

2. New Markdowns

Nordstrom just marked a bunch of new items on sale this week, and some are things I have been eyeing up for awhile! I ordered this mixed media top the second I saw it in the oatmeal color. This mock neck sweater is very similar to the one I scooped up over Christmas, and just got marked down! How adorable is this moto jacket!? We have a lot of cold days ahead of us still up here (womp womp) and would get a ton of use out of it. This v-neck sweater has been so popular, and the red color was just marked down! And while I wouldn't be wearing it anytime soon, this draped tank (from Nordstrom Rack) is absolutely gorgeous, and would look amazing paired with some white jeans come spring!

3. Reading

 

We are just touching the tip of the iceberg with potty training, but decided to approach it first by getting some books on potty training. We picked up 'Duck Goes Potty' and Jackson LOVES it. He has been waking up first thing in the morning asking to read it. And, for the first time, I have found him sitting down with the book, having memorized the words on each page and reading it to himself. Be still my mommy heart. He is growing up so fast, and while I wish I could freeze him in time, watching him learn is truly one of the greatest joys I have ever experienced.

4. Smoking

No. Not cigarettes ;-) We received a smoker from Mike's parents for Christmas, and are using it for the first time on Sunday to make some pork barbacoa for the Super Bowl! We are kind of homebodies, especially after living out of town in a very small house followed by a year of not having our own space. But, we really want to make our house a place that people are welcome, and are so excited to have both of our families over on Sunday to enjoy some food, watch the game, and crack a beer or two. I am just so excited to start making memories in our home!

5. Brothers

We had a pretty easy time adjusting Jackson to a baby brother, but he really was indifferent to Lincoln for the longest time. Lately though, every day it seems my sweet boys are loving each other a little more. Jackson has been caught giving Lincoln toys, sneaking him bites of his snacks, and oh when they giggle together. Cue all of the sappy emotions. They are really starting to act like brothers, and it just might be one of my favorite things I have ever witnessed. Those two are always my favorite!

 

I hope you all have a great weekend. Who is watching the Super Bowl?! I basically watch it for the puppy and Budweiser commercials! That one still makes me cry ;-)

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