Spooky Mantle

We are in full blown Halloween mode over here! I love decorating my fireplace mantel...especially for the fall and winter holidays. 

Here's a look at my mantel decor this year. All products courtesy of Oriental Trading Co.. 

The lanterns are my favorite! They're really well made I'm going to get a lot of use out of them! 

Here's a list of everything I used:

Bats

Lanterns

White Pumpkins 

Leaves 

Banner 

All products courtesy of Oriental Trading Co. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Crockpot Chili!

Fall is my favorite time of the year. There's so much to look forward to. Cooler weather, pumpkins and football just to name a few.  In the spirit of fall, I thought I would share one of my favorite fall time go to recipes. Crockpot chili! It's super easy to make, and its great for weeknight dinners or having people over to watch the game! 

Ingredients: 

-1.5 lbs of ground meat. (I usually use turkey, but this recipe works well with beef and pork too)

-1/2 of a white onion chopped

-1 16oz can of diced tomatoes with the juice

-1 6oz can of tomato paste

-1 16oz can of kidney beans 

-2 cups of vegetable broth 

-1 Tbls. of salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika & chili powder. (If you're wanting this chili really mild then I would only use 1/2 Tbls. of the pepper & chili powder.) 

Directions:

Throw it all in the crockpot, mix and turn on. It's that easy. 

It will be done in 2.5 hrs on high, then switch it to warm to serve. Or you can cook it on low all day. I've done it both ways and it's turned out great either way. 

Labor Day Brunch

Here's what you'll need:

Pineapple Cups
Paper Straws
Paper Horns
Inflatable Flamingo Coasters
Tropical Leaves
Flamingo Yard Ornaments

All products courtesy of Oriental Trading Co.  All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Desert Themed 2nd Birthday

I recently teamed up with Oriental Trading Co to create a desert themed spread for my sons 2nd Birthday. 

Here's what you'll need to create a desert themed spread of your own:

Inflatable Cactus 

Fringe Garland 

Mylar Balloon

Cactus Picks

Cactus Napkins  

Wooden Lizards 

Mini Pots

Tumbler Cups 

Chalkboards 

Palm Leaves 

Straw Mat 

RV Table Tent

All products c/o Oriental Trading Co,  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Adventures in strawberry picking!

Tanaka Farms recently had a late harvest of Strawberries so we were able to take part in one of their strawberry tours. I highly recommend it! The tour comes with a wagon ride around the farm, lots of free veggie samples, and a container to fill with strawberries you pick! My son was in his element. (3yrs and under are free but do not get a separate box of their own to fill) 

                                 

                                 

                                  

                                 

Alternative Valentines Day gifts for your little ones

Here are some of my favorite go to alternatives to candy for the little ones on Valentine's Day, because hey they're already sweet enough right?! :) 

Get outside and explore!

I've never been a believer in New Year's resolutions.  However as a Mom and business owner I often feel like I'm being pulled in many different directions at one time. Laundry, errands, play dates, making romantic time for my husband, cooking, cleaning, family functions, the blog just to name a few.  And with my husbands crazy work schedule it all seems to go by so fast. So one thing we've discovered as a family that helps us slow down and live in the moment, is simply to get outside and explore. We started last year making it a priority to go somewhere at least once a week, the beach, a park, the mountains (doesn't have to be a big trip) and just take it all in as a family. And so this year we have resolved to do more of the same. Get outside, explore, reconnect, relax and recharge.