Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!
What an amazing year it has been.. we moved, we had a second baby, my etsy shop & blog grew..we've shared lots of fun times with family and friends...
 life has been chugging along and i'm loving every minute of it..through the ups and the downs.
Thank you to all of my amazing readers and followers. I love sharing this blog with you. It's been such a fun, creative outlet and a wonderful way to discover some 
pretty amazing women and mama's who blog (and leave nice comments! :)
I'm thankful for all the blessings in my life and look forward to another amazing year!
 whatever that might entail! :)
Have a fun & safe new years eve! 


Stop on by to read my first post of 2011...
i'll share my new years resolution, which
 a lot of you will relate to i'm sure...
 oh and there will be plenty of cute sophie and sienna pics. 
i'm in a few..but we all know you enjoy the photos cause of their adorableness. :)
they are the real stars of this blog. hehe.

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New Years Eve Party Inspiration

I came across this amazing shoot from Pepper Design Blog love her.

She found it on Style Me Pretty.

 although i'm not hosting a party this year...i still enjoy looking at pretty party ideas! this kate spade holiday shoot could easily be turned 

into an amazing new years eve party.

so many gorgeous details to work into your party. 

I love posting pretty party posts to get you feeling creative and save you time 

for when you are out at the store.. you can remember these lovely ideas to help you out!

 I just bought some sparkly silver birds from joanns that would be perfect touches for a party like this.

Go to their clearance christmas isles right now!! you won't be disappointed. but hurry..because they already put out valentine's day decor. it's crazy. stop by target's clearance too.. 

it's the best time to get stuff for next year's festivities and for perfect entertaining/party details!

enough about buying clearance holiday decor..

lets just take a minute to ooo and aahh at the pretty photos. :)

Kitchen Bridal Shower-Inspiration Board & Ideas

I put together an inspiration board for all things...
 'Kitchen Bridal Shower'


row 1: source, source, source
row 2: source, source, source
row 3: source, source, source
row 4: source, source, source
Have you ever heard of a 'Stock the Pantry' Bridal Shower theme?? 
It's similar to a Kitchen or Recipe Bridal Shower.....they pretty much are all the same idea! :)
  i saw an episode of WEtv’s “Amazing Wedding Cakes.” 
The CakeGirls were hired to make a cake for a “pantry ” themed bridal shower. 

pretty amazing right??

for a 'pantry shower,'... guests bring the bride items that

 will fill her pantry such as: flour, sugar, aluminum foil, soups and cake mixes. 

With the ingredients, guests also tell the bride the recipe of a happy marriage. 

recipe showers are fun! You mail the recipe cards
 with the invitation and ask them to fill out the cards with their favorite recipe and bring the non-perishable ingredients, such as pantry items. some even have the guests 
bring the items needed to make the recipe such as wooden 
spoons, oven mitts, mixing bowls, etc.. 

On the day of the shower you can take all the recipes and create a Recipe Book or Recipe Box!

found this great example over at theweddingchicks.com

 

Decor Ideas

A 'Domestic Diva Bridal Shower' Inspiration Board

via The Party Dress

 A Cooking Shower

via navy and lavender

filled with practical & perfect details!

"Spatulas with seating assignments greeted guests as they walked into room.

Mini rolling pins held guests’ seating cards (another take home favor – they are meant to be recipe holders!). Mini shopping carts were the centerpiece of each table, holding pantry

 goodies and cooking utensils for the bride to take home."

I think this type of party is perfect not only for a bridal shower but even for a girls' night-in party! 

make it a saturday afternoon event for you and your girlfriends. 

if you threw one i would come! ;)

Elegant New Year's Eve Party

The fabulous Chris from Celebrations at Home designed this Holiday-Glam table

 for The Party Dress' Holiday Table Challenge.

Although she created it as a Christmas Party, She made it neutral and glamorous enough 

that you could use her ideas for a New Year's Eve Party!

You could easily use this same look for a Engagement party, adult birthday party, anniversary, small wedding or any special sophisticated event!

She used touches of White, Silver, Black and a little Shimmer to create this Stunning Party!

The Dessert Table

click here to get all the delicious details

she used the acrylic beaded curtain as a backdrop

(she also used them as a table runner.... "a great way to tie two areas together

 is to use the same elements but in a different way.")  

The Table Settings

click here to get all the gorgeous details

A mirrored centerpiece is filled with silver pillar candle holders, ornaments, and fluffy hydrangeas.

Each napkin is tied with ribbon and attached to a black balloon to

 raise the eye and create a party atmosphere.

Each plate is topped by a mini martini glass full of shimmering bonbons by Bedazzle My Bonbons

The edge of each glass is rimmed with edible glitter by Sweet! Baking Supply, 

Great job Chris! always impressed with your work.

Be sure to visit her over at Celebrations at Home!

Christmas 2010- Photo Recap

I thought I would share some photos from our fun day!

It was a great Christmas and even though my little sophie was
 sick she was a trooper and smiled through her sniffles! ;)

We spent Christmas Eve with all the cousins and aunts/uncles in the area...then went to Christmas Eve Mass. Sophie woke up around 7:45 and the opening of presents/destroying of the house began! 
I made our usual Sausage Egg Strata for breakfast! mmm delicious.
(a tradition we've passed on to friends over at imanimama. ;) 
we made it for them last christmas morning!)
after playing/nap time/skyping with family we went over to our friends' house
 for an early Christmas Dinner. It was a great day. 
We are thankful for all of the blessings in our life..especially for tiny baby jesus. ;)

everyone had fun opening presents..

them middle one is a present from gramma! she sewed sophia a princess dress with a cape that can snap on and off..and a little crown of flowers and bells with ribbons from the back.....ADORABLE! i'll post the whole outfit soon. it's a work of art.

Sienna loved anything she could chew on. :)

Dress up Clothes were a hit this year!
We snagged some up after Halloween at Target.
She would try one on...dance...and then ask to try on another one. this went on for quiet a while.

I wrapped up in a basket a bunch of my old beanie babies from when i was younger.. Sophie loved her "babies"
what made me laugh was finding all my little accessories i had crocheted them!!
i'll have to post photos of them later because they are hilarious. i had the craft bug even then! (i found a mini crocheted messenger bag with an outer pocket...that i just crocheted up as i went!

I hit the jackpot this christmas!
I was given a sewing machine, my first dslr camera:canon rebel T1i!! a fondue pot (funnnn) and some pretty jewelry from each of my girls. oh and santa loaded up my stocking with socks and hairbrushes since i can never find them. haha. thanks santa.

  

Sienna did a lot of lounging while sophia opened presents.

One of Sophie's favorite presents were her blocks. 
she was busy all morning building things! Today she requested for me to build her a helicopter..i did my best.

ben got an eagles blanket, coffee cup a few other little things and a heated neck massager..you know you are old when you think that is sweet. haha.

Overall..i think everyone had a fun morning Celebrating Jesus' Birthday. :)

 

I've been having so much fun checking out your blogs to see

 your christmas day celebrations! Thanks for sharing!


If you missed the Christmas Day Video we posted
click here to watch!

Merry Christmas! 2010 Video Greeting

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Happy Birthday Jesus!

wishing you a blessed Christmas and Joyful New Year!

Love,

Ben, Natalie, Sophie & Sienna

 


Our way to be connected to family and friends far away.....Here's Christmas Morning in our house!
 
some of our favorite recent Sophie and Sienna moments.

 
I'll share more photos/videos from Christmas Day soon! 
Hope you are having a wonderful Christmas...God Bless.