Adventure Awaits Baby Shower

This past weekend, I was able to host a baby shower for my sister in law. They are expecting a baby boy in June, and are planning a nursery with a travel theme. We thought sticking to that theme would be a great way to provide some décor that could possibly be transferred over to the nursery, so Adventure Awaits became the theme, and we were so happy with how it turned out!

 Invites from Etsy

The banner was an Etsy find, and was way bigger than we expected it to be! The original plan was to hang it on the mantle, but I kind of fell in love with hanging it from our two story windows! We threw in a ship that my mother in law had, and to be honest I am kind of missing having the extra décor up there!

I used my kiddos easel from Ikea in the entryway as a welcome board. The vintage luggage belongs to the mom-to-be, and the globe was a borrowed item from my parents. We ended up being able to use a lot of items that people already had on hand and it was fun to pull it all together!

We found vintage postcards, and they were used as 'advice' cards for the parents to be. People wrote their note on the back for Jeff and Laura to read later on!

My sister in law made the diaper cake, and I am kind of obsessed with how it turned out. I was wondering what she would manage to pull together with the travel theme, but it was seriously so cute!

The globe is a Target find, isn't it cute!?

These hot air balloons were a DIY. We spray painted some old plant pots, used kabob skewers to hot glue to the paper lanterns, and strung little triangle string that I found at Target around them. We threw in some old teddy bears and had the cutest little pieces.

 These mason jars were another DIY project. We printed off vintage maps on regular printer paper, and used Mod Podge to secure it onto the glass. The hydrangeas are dried stems that my parents never got around to cleaning up from last year, but I loved the rustic look of them.

The shower was at 11am, so we stuck with a brunch theme. Fruit and yogurt parfaits, egg bakes, and lots of muffins and breakfast snacks!

We had a coffee and juice station, too. What is breakfast without some OJ!?

We had powerpoints to help with games, and they were so cute and fun.

Laura and her niece. Before ever meeting my husband, Laura and I were on dance team together, and my husband was very good friends with Laura's older sister. In fact, Mike has gone on trips with their family before we ever knew each other, and before Jeff and Laura dated. Such a small world, and so much connection between all of us and our families!

Two of the four sisters are expecting. For once, I am not one of them ;-)

 I can't wait to meet this little man and snuggle him up!

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Lincoln: 11 Months

Our little man is 11 months old. We are officially on the final countdown to one year old, and my heart can barely handle it. I swear he was just born yesterday, and really cannot wrap my head around how time can go as quickly as it does. Lincoln is so darn sweet you could just eat him up. And two seconds later, he will be knocking over a table or chewing on the cord of a lamp in the corner. He has us on our toes every second of every day, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Okay, maybe I wouldn't mind if he didn't knock over furniture, but then I guess he wouldn't be the Linky that we all know and love!

Age: 11 months

Height: Somewhere between 31-32 inches. Pretty much impossible to measure him because did you know having someone try to gauge your height is the equivalent of cruel and unusual punishment? Just ask Lincoln ;-) So this puts him anywhere between the 95th-99th percentile. His growth seems to have slowed a bit, but he is still huge! Wearing mostly size 18-24 month clothing, size 4 diapers, and size 4 shoes.

Weight: 26ish pounds? To be honest this one is a total guess. Our scale died and I haven't gotten around to replacing the batteries, but with how he eats I would venture to guess 26 is a pretty accurate number!

Milestones: He can walk behind his push and go puppy, but only if he wants to. Just this week I kind of put him behind and pushed him off, and he walked clear across the room, hit the wall, dropped to the floor and then crawled away like nothing had happened. He also has been waving 'buh bye' and gets so excited when he does it! Sometimes it requires both arms :-) Not much for talking quite yet, but we are working with him on mama and dada, and are pretty positive he has said buh bye.

Sleep: He is still our good sleeper. He goes down pretty much like clockwork at 7pm every night. He will often wake up crying around 9pm or so, which usually just requires us giving him his nuk and he goes right back down. He is still an early riser, up between 5-6am typically. Overall though, we still can't complain about our nights. He also still naps twice per day, usually a 2-3 hour nap in the morning, and another 1-2 hour nap in the afternoon.

Best Moments: He is just a little ball of sweetness lately. He has a smile that immediately turns me into a puddle, and his giggle is so sweet and innocent that it almost makes me sad. Maybe it is because I know he will grow so quickly, and I am recognizing how fleeting these days really are. We have gotten to spend good amounts of time outside, and it is good not only for Lincoln, but for mom and dad, too. He would sit outside on someone's lap all day just soaking in the sun and feeling the wind on his chubby little cheeks. We spend a good amount of time just daydreaming about this summer and how fun it will be watching Lincoln really start to discover the world around him and being outdoors. 

Worst Moments: The general act of keeping him out of trouble has been a source of frustration lately. He knows how to open the cabinets and drawers now, so he is constantly trying to pull out glass bowls, grabbing and pizza pans and cookie sheets, and trying to pull out makeup in the morning. He manages to get across the entire house and to the toilet to flush it in a matter of seconds, so fast it is scary. He is constantly trying to climb around everything meaning sharp edges. He has knocked over our end table numerous times, because he just can't crawl around the thing when it is so much more fun to crawl through it. Sigh, I know these phases are short lived, but he really is so dangerous right now!

Eating: Food is his love language. It is still a little early to tell, but I have a feeling he is going to be my better eater. He loves any and all things sugary, and will pick up any scrap he can find on the floor. He loves fruit, lately we have been eating lots of blueberries, grapes, and strawberries. He will eat pasta until he is about to burst, and tried sloppy joes recently and seemed to eat quite a bit. Pizza is a favorite, which is no surprise considering that is a staple food group in our household. He does have a few things he does not like. Cheerios are just the worst, and he won't touch them. He is somewhat picky with vegetables, however he loves steamed cauliflower! He isn't the biggest fan of deli meats, and if it is offered he will take a few bites but then will leave it alone. 

Teeth: Six teeth! He did finally cut his front two teeth. His side top teeth are still much more grown in, but I am thinking in the next few weeks his silly little teeth will finally be balanced out a bit.

Likes: Food. Getting into all sorts of trouble. His favorite things to do are climbing over and under things (rather than around, which is the practical option), flushing the toilet, splashing in the toilet, climbing the stairs when mom and dad look away for two seconds, and carrying around the new plastic golf clubs that we bought for Jackson. He is really starting to enjoy playing in the toy room, and it is so nice to be able to put him in there and know he can keep himself entertained, even if it is only for a minute or two because he always gets distracted by things he SHOULDN'T be doing.
He is much more aware of what is on the television lately, and just like his big brother, he loves Wallykazam. Mickey Mouse clubhouse has become a big deal in our house lately too, both for Lincoln and for Jackson. It really never piqued much interest with his older brother, but lately that darn hot dog dance will cause Lincoln to stop dead in his tracks.

Dislikes: Diaper changes are his least favorite thing in the entire world, followed closely by getting dressed. We have started pinning his legs down during the process, which infuriates him, but it is literally the only way to get his diapers on. He isn't a huge fan of being touched by his brother. Lately Jackson loves to give him hugs, insists Lincoln sit by him on the couch, and tries to hold his hand when we go on walks. And Lincoln wants none of it. Maybe it is his way of getting payback for all of the times Jackson pushed and hit him when Lincoln was little and defenseless?
Overall, this little guy really does not have many dislikes.

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Old Navy/Gap/Banana Republic Weekend Sale!

I don't usually blog on the weekends, but this morning I received a few e-mails notifying me of a sale that is just too good no to share. Today, everything at Old Navy, Gap, and Banana Republic is 40% off, no exclusions! This sales happens fairly often at the Gap, but it is not often for Old Navy or Banana Republic. And, they are offering free 2-day shipping on orders over $75! For those of you that don't shop these stores way too frequently like I do, that total is your pre-discount total, so as long as you hit $75 before taking 40% off, you will still get free shipping and have it in time for Easter baskets! And another bonus in case you didn't know, the three stores share a shopping cart, so you could, for instance, spend $25 at each store, but it will all go towards your grand total for free shipping! These are reasons number 500 and 501 why these are my go to stores! I rounded up a few deals that are too good to pass up. So grab that cup of coffee, curl up on the couch, and indulge in a little Sunday afternoon retail therapy!

 

For Her

I love the wrap detailing on this shirt dress, it really stands out from the rest. I still think these chinos are just the cutest. My favorite pair of white jeans that come in around $15 right now, you just can't beat. You know I couldn't create a shopping list without throwing in some pineapple. I love this army green dress and have already rocked it at work. This gingham dress is so cute and would be adorable to wear to church. Finally, the flutter sleeve on this top is SO pretty! And if you are looking for a cute cognac purse, this drawstring option is the cutest.

 

For Him

We can't forget about those men in our lives! I love guys in a classic poplin shirt. Every guy needs a canvas belt, and I love the fun stripes on this one. This mock neck jacket is so sharp, and for the casual days, these active wear fleece hoodies are great, my husband actually owns a few. For Easter, these pants are at an unbeatable price, paired with this button up and sweater.

 

For the Kiddos

My pajama obsession is no secret, and with the summer months coming up, I have been reminded that short options need to be added to the rotation. These are perfect because Mickey Mouse is the newest 'thing' in our house. This pair will be a hit, and this three-piece set is already on clearance, and is literally a steal! At The Gap, their organic collection is already 40% off, and then you get to take another 40% off on top of that, and as a pajama collecting champion I can tell you this is the best price you will get your toddler pajamas at Gap! These and these are both in my cart and will be on their way for Easter baskets.

For little ladies, of course there are plenty of options, too! This bunny set is too cute, and I wish I could get these in my size! And nothing beats my favorite princess on a pair of PJs!

If you already have a deep enough stash of jammies (I mean, is that even possible?) these jeans are the cutest to wear on Easter. Every lady, no matter how old, needs a pair of blush skinnies. This little dress is beyond precious, and I don't know if anything screams EASTER more than a precious little shirt and sweater for boys.

 

I hope you find some goodies and are able to take advantage of this sale. Happy Sunday, and happy shopping!

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Friday Favorites

Whew. What a week. I have no idea why, but I have felt so out of it all week. Between a few big announcements at work, being out at trainings, and maybe just the longer days, I feel, just, not with it. We have a packed weekend ahead, so I am hoping to snap out of it. I think pizza and a glass or four of wine will help. Cheers to the weekend! As always, I am sharing a few of my favorite things from the week before welcoming Friday with open arms.

1. Blush Jacket

I scooped up this twill utility jacket recently and am IN LOVE. It is such a pretty color and so perfect for spring. It is such a fun twist on the darker color options you usually see for these jackets. I received my V-neck tees this week too, and they layer under the jacket perfectly!

Jacket // Tee // Necklace // Similar pants

2. Bridesmaid

I am pretty sure I already shared this, but my brother is engaged! Last week, they ended up booking their wedding for THIS JULY! Disclaimer: the only reason for the quick engagement was a great deal on the reception venue they couldn't pass up ;-) Moving on from my disclaimer..she asked me to be her bridesmaid this week and I am so excited! I love me a good wedding, and I cannot wait to be a part of their special day. I honestly cannot believe my baby brother is getting married, but Jenny is seriously the sweetest thing. Our family dynamic has changed so much over the past few years. We went from four single kids to three being married in such a short time, my kiddos have been added to the mix..it is just so different. Not all of the changes have been easy, but overall I am so happy with where my family is at right now and I feel blessed to have all of my family members in my life, both new and old!

3. Pottery Barn Chair

You may have caught this on my Instagram stories (follow me @stangandco) a few days ago, but if you didn't, the My First Anywhere Chair finally had the sale I was waiting for last week. They were marked at 25% off, and then there was a coupon code for another 20% off that could be stacked. These chairs are so often excluded from sales, so I knew once I saw it that now was the time to buy! My grand total, with shipping and custom embroidery, came to $90! If you are rolling your eyes at what a baby chair costs..go put it in your cart and see what it comes out to at full price. These were some major savings, and these keepsake items are so much sweeter when I picture both of my boys sitting side by side in their little chairs. I am so obsessed with the fact that I have a pair of brothers in my house. Some days I still have to remind myself that this is our life, and I also cannot believe how much I love being a boy mom. What I never knew I wanted, but is exactly what I needed.

4. Birthday Crafts

You guys, Lincoln turns one in less than a month. While I truly have no idea how that is even possible, I have been keeping myself from dwelling on how quickly he is growing by planning his birthday party! I did a little DIY project for him, and while I am not sharing the final project just yet, I have to say I love how it turned out! Here is a little sneak peak. I may be a boy mom, but you know I sneak a little glitter in wherever I can ;-) I will definitely show how I made this item after his birthday! And on the note of him being eleven months old, I do have an update post in the works. I was so on top of those with Jackson, posting to the day of when he hit his monthly milestones. With Lincoln, I figure as long as I am within a week or so, it still works, right?.. #secondchildproblems #imalsoasecondchildsoitsokay

5. The perfect dress

It's blush. It's off the shoulder. It's flowy. And it's from Target. How cute is this dress!? I saw it and immediately fell in love. And, with all of the upcoming showers, parties, and wedding festivities, I am thrilled to have a few occasions where a new dress is actually warranted ;-) The negative reviews say the sleeves are really long, which may deter most but is kind of perfect for me. I just love it!

This weekend is filled with baby shower festivities, so today and tomorrow will be lots of decorating and food prep. I am looking forward to spoiling my future nephew, I can't wait to add another little one to the cousins! :-) Happy weekend friends!

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

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BizyBelle: The Ultimate in Baby Cozy

Soft, sweet, and snuggly. One of the best things about little ones is all of those sweet baby cuddles. Is it strange to say I live vicariously through the coziness of my little ones? I remember when I first found out I was pregnant, and as I started to buy baby items, I just could not get over how soft all of the pajamas, blankets, and clothing were. What I wouldn't give to spend my days wrapped up in a precious fleece pair of jammies.

Between two babies and lots of gifts, we have been given plenty of blankets. And, of course, we love them all. Warm and cozy does the trick, every time. We were lucky enough to receive a blanket from Michelle at BizyBelle, and I cannot rave enough. To be honest, I was mostly just drawn to the adorable design and style of her custom blankets. They are absolutely precious, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on our teepee design that would go so perfect with the color scheme of Lincoln's room.

While I anticipated getting plenty of use out of this blanket, I just have to share that I did not expect my boys to fight over it. But they have truly done just that. Lincoln loves to nuzzle into the faux fur backing, and whenever he is able to get his hands on it, you can safely assume he is holding it up to his cheek, playing peekaboo, and enjoying the comfort that only the perfect blanket can bring.

On another note, there is Jackson. Pretty much since day one, this little boy has preferred to kick off the sheets, stretch out, and enjoy the cool air on his little legs. Even now, at 2.5 years old, he will usually get upset and fight us if we try to cover him. He just does not like blankets. Our BizyBelle blanket was fully intended for Lincoln, because after numerous failed attempts, I figured Jackson just wasn't a blanket type of kid. Upon seeing this one though, Jackson declared it as his own, and gets giddy when he is covered with it. I think it is because he loves the faux fur backing, but regardless of what it is, my blanket hating child loves this one. When he is tired, he will rub it against his cheek. In the mornings, my little boy who has never, EVER had a comfort blanket, has been walking out of his room with his new blankie in tow. Never did I imagine my boys would be fighting over a blanket, but I guess they both know there is something special about this one. Maybe Michelle sprinkled it in magical baby dust? Whatever it is, this blanket is without question the new favorite in our house.

There are so many adorable styles available in this shop, you guys. I am obviously a #boymom, but my heart seriously skipped a beat when I saw all of the baby girl options. They are so very precious, and beautiful. These blankets also come in a variety of sizes, and can also be purchased for twin beds or as adult throw blankets! I cannot sing enough praises about BizyBelle. As a mom herself, Michelle goes above and beyond. The service is incredible and personal, and I just love supporting small shops and those girl bosses out there! If you are looking for yourself or perhaps as a baby gift for someone you know, these blankets are the perfect choice! And, if someone wants to send this one my way, I wouldn't say no ;-)

If you want a BizyBelle blanket of your own, use code FLASH15 at checkout for 15% off of your purchase!

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Tuesday Outtakes [Linkup]

Welcome to the first week of 'Tuesday Outtakes'! On the first Tuesday of every month, link up with Danielle and I as we share the outtakes of the previous month. Share some pictures, share a story, whatever didn't quite make the cut. Because those are often the best stories anyway!

We were taking selfies, and he managed to get my lipstick all over his chin. Fortunately he doesn't seem to mind!

One of Lincoln's favorite things is to hang out upside down. He thinks it is so fun and hangs his mouth open wide every single time. I couldn't resist snapping this sweet photo. What a little ham!

We have struggled getting Jackson to drink out of an open cup. For the most part, he has just outright refused for the past few months. I decided to give it a try to give him an open cup with a straw. He complied and drank his water, but not without throwing me a little side eye.

This kid loves his snacks. If we would let him, he would live off of snacks and totally skip meals and not mind one bit. This trail mix is already out of stock at Target as it was seasonal, but it was called 'bunny bait', which I started calling 'bunny crunch'. Jackson now loves to ask for his 'bunny bunch', and it is so darn cute!

He is just so darn cute sitting in the backseat. What a guy.

This stare. I don't know many kids that can throw down a stone faced stare better than Lincoln can. And those baby blues are sticking around I think. If someone can tell me how I ended up with a blonde haired, blue eyed kiddo, that would be great!

Earlier in the month, Jackson randomly got sick at daycare and so I had to pick him up and spend the day at home with him. We had a picnic in the living room of meatballs and some fruit that he had already cleared off of the plate. Two bouts of sickness and he was back to 100% by lunch time.

Showing off his bunny. I stole that bunny back and it is going in his Easter basket. SHHH, don't tell!

I picked up donut holes the other weekend, and Lincoln ate SO many. I had to cut him off. Kid loves to eat.

The kid also loves to climb the stairs. His brother likes to knock down the baby gate giving him access that I am unaware of. Ask me how quickly my heart starts racing when I realize my baby is up half a flight of stairs!

Grocery shopping with his own personal cart and doritos. Of note, he tried to fill his ENTIRE cart with doritos, but I limited it to the one bag ;-)

And last but not least, we buzzed Jackson's hair this month! It is SO thick and I was reaching the point of not knowing what to do with it. Washing it was so much work! He hates haircuts so much, but we need to start doing them more consistently because his hair grows so fast. He is not crying in this picture because we bribed him with chocolate. Whatever it takes, right?!

I can't wait to see all of your outtakes-I just love getting a glimpse into what 'real life' looks like for everyone!

Also linking up for Tuesday Talk today!

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Weekending

Another Monday, another 5am wakeup call by the kiddos. While I hate to see the weekend go, this one was a good one!

On Friday, I got some news over my lunch that my younger brother and his fiancé had picked their wedding date, and it is four months away! I had already known they were entertaining a fall wedding and would likely have a shorter engagement, but apparently a deal came up that was too good to pass up, the pastor was available, and that was that. SO, our family is in total wedding planning mode now!

Aside from the excitement of the wedding date being set, on Friday afternoon my brother and sister in law came over to get food prepped for Saturday. My husband and BIL both have smokers and decided to make their own recipe for ribs. And for those of you with smokers, you know it is a labor of love ;-) So while they prepped I got to hang out with my SIL for a bit, which is always fun. The kiddos played and by the time Jackson finally was put to bed, he was so tired from a day spent at grandma and grandpas and playing that he closed his eyes and was out before I even laid him down all of the way. Now if only he would do that every night!

On Saturday, we were up and at em and made an early grocery store run for dinner. On the menu was ribs, potato salad, corn bread muffins, and homemade banana pudding. If you have ever had Famous Dave's, they sell their corn bread in the stores, and it is SO good. Lincoln was just along for the free paper crown.

Once we got home, two of my sisters in law came over while the guys started up the smokers. And you guys, they totally took over and cleaned my house! Katie literally disassembled my couch and vacuumed every last nook and cranny of the thing, and Laura organized the toy room, which is already back in shambles (sorry Laura!) You just can't keep that on clean for longer than thirty seconds. But still, I think I need to invite them over more often because I don't know if anything is better than someone else vacuuming for you ;-)

The banana pudding custard took SO long to make, I honestly declared I would never make it again. I swear I stood there stirring it to thicken for almost an hour. But then I tasted it at dinner, and it was that good. So good that it is worth standing over the stovetop for an hour. The recipe is out of one of our books, but I will try to share it soon!

After dinner, we all hung around, we took a walk around our little neighborhood, it was just so nice out! Mid sixties, and we had all of the windows open while the kiddos ran around outside pretty much all day. These are the spring days that we dream about all winter! We eventually got the kids to sleep, and were so exhausted, we watched a little bit of The Chapelle Show and were down and out early.

We woke up to a cloudy and raining morning Sunday, so most of the day was spent inside. I made an early grocery store run with Lincoln, to get some breakfast items and stock up on some things for the baby shower I am hosting at our house next weekend!

 

My sister in law called shortly after, and we ran into town for some party supplies, and we came back and worked on some projects for the shower! I am really excited to pull all of the little pieces together, I think it is going to turn out so great!

After she and my nephew left, we lounged around the rest of the day. Our kids were having one of those days, so it was basically a countdown to bedtime. We watched The Office, which I was just told is going off of Netflix next month!? I have no idea how I will survive. Buy the entire series on Blue Ray I suppose. We have watched the entire series through three or four times, and I don't see us stopping any time soon.

We went fancy and threw in frozen pizzas for dinner, and finished off the night with the season finale of The Walking Dead. You guys, if you watch it, IT WAS SO GOOD. One of those finales that is just insanely gratifying and has me dying for it to be October so we can watch again.

Don't forgot, tomorrow is the first day of the Tuesday Outtakes linkup! Join in and share all of the photos from the month of March that didn't quite make the cut :-)

 

Linking up with Biana today.

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