Oahu Update

When you get home from a l o n g day of travel with a 2 year old at 2:00 in the morning you are allowed to have a late blog post. Rule #65 in my book of blogging. ;) Actually Blair was a pretty great traveler. She loves all things that "go." Airplanes (She actually whined when our 6 hour flight was over. What?!), busses, cars...the girl likes to move.

However now it's 11 am here and she's still in bed. No way she's napping at 1pm. I'm thinking I better go wake the beast so with that here's a couple pics from our trip! More details later. :)

SO thankful for our awesome trip from Gramma and Grampa!

Lovin her little death grip around my neck

already missing you, Oahu!

Congratulations to Gramma and Grampa who celebrated 35 years of marriage! Grateful they decided to bless US by taking us on a trip to Oahu! We will never forget all the fun we had. :)

New Knick Knacks

 Remember when I asked you for advice on what rug to get for my living room? Well I decided to go with the last rug option since it was the overwhelming winner of the bunch. I think it looks great! Well done, girls. Now I just need to head over to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and pick up some curtains to complete the space (although is it ever really done?).

it complements the entry way rug well

And something has to be done with the bright game boxes. I'm thinking maybe wrapping them in kraft paper? Totally anal, I know, but I hate how bright they are in such a neutral room.

In the meantime I've added a couple other things around the house...

this tray from target and rustic jar that my mom surprised me with!

this ladder i moved from the upstairs guest bedroom to fill an empty space downstairs. also the creamy rug that our friends didn't want anymore found a new home in our family room

a cute lamp from target (we have no central lighting)

and one more for our mantle (also from target and on sale!)

Rug
Large Lamp
Small Lamp
Tray

Have a fabulous weekend! If you haven't noticed we have been in Oahu all week but our vacation is soon coming to an end. Can't wait to give you updates!

Bag it Up

Oneword Designs Winner...

{COURTNEY GEOGHEGAN}

My friends over at ApparelInBags sent over a cute tote that I have deemed one of our "Beach Bags" for the summer. I had the opportunity to use this cute navy bag last Saturday while at the beach with my girlfriends. It is actually the perfect sized bag for Blair's beach stuff: sunscreen, shades, hat, flip flops, extra clothes etc. I don't love taking her diaper bag to the beach because the sand stays in there for an eternity. Check us out below!

crooked shades don't care

The bag has a vintage look with worn handles and brass clasps. They had tons of colors to choose from but for once I turned down pink for a more masculine color (M thanks me for this since he ends up carrying half our stuff anyway). However, eventually I would love to get a cute iron on glittery heart to add to the front of this bad boy. Sorry, M, you just can't win.

The darling Kimberly over at OneWord Designs is giving away one silver iron on heart to a lucky reader! These iron ons can be used for bags (like Blair's), backpacks, onesies, or toddler tees. Be sure to check out her shop...it's adorable!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nat Your Average Party {Berkeley Bound}

It's hard to believe that it has taken me this long to post about my first party I designed for real actual money (!) but here we are! I had the opportunity to help a friend plan a party for her son who just graduated from high school. He is very talented in water polo and is playing for Cal Berkeley in the fall. We went with a "Berkeley Bound" theme and incorporated all things "Cal." Take a look!

guests were greeted by a chalkboard sign (of course!)

then guests were immediately prompted to grab a prop and snap a pic!

we had to test drive my photo booth backdrop of course ;)

a large mantel displayed Thomas in all his glory :)

the dessert table was just awaiting the cake

i'm considering the water polo balls a masterpiece...M used a toothpick to do the detailing!

the cutest cake by "Creme de la Creme" bakery

yellow water polo balls lined the patio dining area

outdoor dining centerpieces

There is no way I could have done this party without the help of my trusty sidekick, Matt. The guy is a wizard I am convinced. It sure helped that he knew how to draw waterpolo balls since that was the theme of the party. Thanks again, boo, for all your hard work!

And if any of you are interested in NYAP then please email me! Unfortunately right now this would only be feasible for local parties.

4th of July Recipe Link Up {Sprinkled Ice Cream Bars}

Before we talk about 4th of July treats I wanted to announce the winner of the Mulberry Crate giveaway!

{BROOKE HARTSOCK}

It is your lucky day! Please look for an email from me regarding the giveaway. Thank you to all of those who entered and don't forget that they are extending a promotion to NYAG readers that book a Mulberry Crate Craft Party. Book a party in the month of July and hostesses will receive a free crate after 5 guest purchases rather than the usual free crate after 10 guest purchases, so this is a great deal! Grab some friends and get crafty! Moving on...
 

Remember how we made homemade popsicles (ingredients here)?  
Well today I'm teaming up with some lovely ladies in hosting a 4th of July recipe swap and we decided we wanted to get everyone involved and do a festive recipe swap to celebrate! Today we are introducing the Fourth of July Linkup!!! I really can't even call this a 4th of July recipe since it only requires two things: pre-made ice cream sandwiches and sprinkles. BUT it is still a tasty festive treat and who hates ice cream? Lactose intolerant people don't count. ;) 

get your ice cream sandwiches HERE!

Now check out these ladies below and their awesome 4th of July recipes...

Sara @ Running From The Law

Natasha @ Hello Happiness

Colleen @ Meet the Sullivan's

Erinn @ Strawberry Swing and Other Things

Christina @ This Woman Cooks

Leah @ Everyday Love

Alyssa @ Love and Life Simplified

Ashley @ Words About Waverly

Here's how it works: Each one of us is sharing a Fourth of July themed recipe and we are including a link up below for anybody who would like to join! Post your recipe on your blog and link up by next Tuesday, July 1. Entries will close and everybody will be matched up to another blogger's recipe on Wednesday, July 2. Then, recreate the recipe making it your own and share your results of the swap by Wednesday, July 9. 

It's About Time Life was Fresh and Easy!

Thank you for voting for Blair's party! With your help you bumped her party from last place to second! But of course we're going for the gold. ;)If you don't mind help us get party of the month on Project Nursery! Thank you in advance! VOTE HERE. 
Are you hot yet? It is definitely summer time over here in southern California and the perfect weather to whip up a cold, healthy treat! Blair knows a good treat when she sees one so I was excited to make our own healthy popsicles to enjoy by the pool on these warm days (now if the pool re-model would just hurry up we would be set!).

We stopped by our local Fresh and Easy store located literally less than a mile a way. They have tons of convenient locations in CA, NV, and AZ. We could have walked, but I had already ran that morning and it was too hot to walk home with cold groceries. 

the perfect bananas!

sweet juicy strawberries

so nice to have help unloading my cart

strawberry yogurt for a healthy smoothie!

I love going to Fresh and Easy with Blair because they have a great selection of organic items for less money. Plus she adores getting stickers in the checkout line. While we decided to make a quick and nutritious summer treat, they also offer hundreds of meal solutions for dinner that make it so even the can’t cook, won’t cook, too busy to cook, but really want people to think you can cook, can cook! :) And if anyone knows me they know I can't cook worth a darn. Good thing we have M around!

Take a look at what we found at our local Fresh and Easy store.

Making fresh smoothies was easy... I added strawberries, banana, and yogurt until it tasted just right to me. No measuring cups needed! I borrowed my friend's Zoku Popsicle maker and the pops were done in ten minutes!  Then we enjoyed our pops on the front steps of our walkway. A total summer night!

Blair liked the popsicles so much that she gave me kisses and hugs afterwards! If that's the case I'm feeding her popsicles morning, noon, and night! :) Go check out the closest Fresh and Easy near you if you live in CA, NV, or AZ!

*This post was sponsored by Fresh and Easy but all the opinions are my own.

Don't forget to enter the Mulberry Crate giveaway! Winner announced tomorrow! 

{Freshly Picked} Winner!

Before you read any farther I need some help! Blair's donut birthday party is up and competing for party of the month on Project Nursery! Please do me a favor and be a doll face and vote for her party. She's currently in last place. :/ Thank you in advance! VOTE HERE. 

Drum roll please! The lucky winner of the Freshly Picked moccasins is...

{Leslie Miller}

Do you feel like a rock star or what?! And for all the other people who entered out there...thank you! AND you have another shot to win some sweet moccs if you read this post before 9:45 am. Go HERE!

 A HUGE thank you to Freshly Picked for supplying a pair of moccasins, or as Blair calls them... "moccashoes."

And speaking of "moccashoes" the kind girls at Freshly Picked sent us over a pair to enjoy! I'm loving the raspberry color to take her into fall since we already have the neon pink for summer time. On Father's Day she rocked her raspberry moccashoes like a boss...

blouse: Juicy Couture, velvet pants: Joes, moccs: c/o Freshly Picked

I love Freshly Picked moccasins...there's no other comparison! The leather is SO soft and they stay on her busy toddler feet with no problems. They are also by far the easiest shoes to put on her chubby feet. Any time she is wearing one of her FP moccs she gets complements on them without fail. They're such a hit fashionably and she loves wearing them...win-win! 

Plus with all the beautiful colors to choose from it's impossible to choose just one pair!Which brings me to cost...yes they are pricey for toddler shoes but they hold up so well and go with anything from pants to dresses so you really only need one pair of shoes! I've definitely kept all her old moccs and plan on using them in the future if she has a sister...so price per wear isn't so bad!

I enjoy supporting FP because it started as a stay at home mom business making moccs in her kitchen and has now graduated to Shark Tank! It's exciting to see someone become so successful and to be a part of that. 

Don't forget to enter this awesome giveaway too!

Mulberry Crate

Hey Babes! I wanted to introduce a fun new company I stumbled upon (with the help of a friend!) called Mulberry Crate. The girls who run the shop create pre-made "craft boxes" and ship them to you so you can get crafty either on your own or with a group of girls.

They have different themed crates for you to choose from and were kind enough to send me their "Liberty" crate...perfect or the upcoming holiday! It took me about 2.5 hours to finish my crate during nap time but I was also doing other things (laundry, blogging, dishes etc.). It was a great way to be crafty but not have to do all the running around of gathering supplies and dreaming up something in my head. The hard work was done for me! Their instructions were very clear and all the items I needed were provided in the box. Take a look...

And a few images of the crafting process...

Thanks again to the girls at Mulberry Crate for making my mantel more festive! I can't wait to add a little more flair to the mantle for my upcoming 4th of July party!

Now it's YOUR turn to get crafty! Mulberry Crate is giving away a free crate of choice to one lucky reader! Along with that they are extending a promotion to NYAG readers that book a Mulberry Crate Craft Party. Book a party in the month of July and hostesses will receive a free crate after 5 guest purchases rather than the usual free crate after 10 guest purchases, so this is a great deal! Grab some friends and get crafty! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Stay tuned to see who won the Freshly Picked moccasin giveaway tomorrow!!! Eeeek!