2013-2014 Erin Condren Life Planner

I am so excited to be able to share my new planner with everyone! It is a 2013-2014 Erin Condren Life Planner.  I LOVE it.  This is my third time ordering, and each time I get more impatient waiting for it to arrive!

 

 This year I went with the Candy Lace design. The colors are customized, I chose Lime and Lavender.  I am so happy with the way it turned out.  I scoured their Pinterest Page to find inspiration for my new cover.

I got the cover customized with our names as well. 

The inside of the book has a lot of small changes, but nothing extremely major.  I talk more about the inside contents in my youtube video. 

The coil is also the same as last year.  The aluminum coil is very strong and sturdy.

The tabs are also a favorite of mine.  They are once again laminated, and a few new tabs have been put on as well.  A tab for special dates, a 2013/2014 tab, and a Contacts tab.  all of which I love!

Lastly, the stickers!  The planner comes with 2 sheets of labeled stickers, and 2 sheets of blank.

I also ordered the add on of extra stickers.  This is a new option this year and I love it!  I only did one sheet for now, to see how often I use them, but can see myself ordering more.

I love this planner so much, and having used it for 3 years now, that really says how much I like it. 

**I am just a very happy Erin Condren Customer, I have never been given anything or discounted to give rave reviews about her products, I just want to share with everyone how amazing the company is!

52 Weeks of Blogging- Week Two - 10 Things I Live For

Today I am starting a wonderful series hosted by one of my favorite blog reads, From Mrs. To Mama. 

You can read more about the link up Here.  

Today's Show and Tell - - 10 Things I Live For.

This photo is the best image for the things I live for.

10.  Holidays spent with family.

9. Snuggling up on a rainy day watching a good chick flick

8. Vacations

7.  A nice hot day spent by the pool.

6. Hearing my kids laugh.

5. Time away from "real life" to just relax and spend time together

4. Joshua.

3. Lillian.

2. Matthew.

1.  My Husband.  My Best Friend. 

This week we are back in our favorite spot, relaxing, and not only soaking in the sun, but also all the time we get to spend together.  No School, No Work, No Housework, No Sports.  Just us.  Family. Sunshine. and Beach Air.

I am loving every minute.

Lilly's 4th Birthday

 Yesterday we celebrated Lilly's 4th Birthday (yes a day late, it happens).  We started off with a candle muffin for breakfast.  We went to a bounce house for the morning, our original plans were our local spray ground, but it was very cloudy. 

After we came home because Lilly was in desperate need for a nap (yep, my 4 year old still naps everyday, you can be jealous!).  Anyway, Matthew and I decorated the house for when she woke up.  She wanted a Cinderella theme.

I also did cupcakes this year instead of a cake.

  

 Then there were the presents, of course!  Her big gifts were a LeapPad/accessories and a backpack for school in the fall.

And just look at all those blue eyes......love them!

 We had a great day, and am pretty sure the birthday girl was a happy princess!

Our Summer Schedule.

With Summer finally here, I took the time this past weekend to get everything in order.  Last year I did a summer bucket list.  This year I went with an ABC's of Summer, along with a Daily 5 and Weekly 5.

{Our ABC's of Summer is filled with fun things we hope to do this summer.} 

{Our Daily 5 is 5 things that are to be completed everyday}

{Our Weekly 5 are things that we hope to do once a week}

Lastly, this summer we challenged our 5 year old to read 100 books.  These must be independent reads, and cannot include our regular bedtime stories.  After completing a book he has to fill out a paper where he puts the setting, characters, and what happened in the beginning middle and end of the story.  

Happy Summer Everyone!!

Happy 4th Birthday Lillian!

Happy Birthday to our beautiful, amazing, happy, opinionated, vibrant, pretty girl!

These past 4 years have been wonderful and we can't wait to see what comes next.  It is hard to believe in just a few short months you will be off to preschool.

Mommy and Daddy love you so much!

 

**P.S. - If you are reading this years from now, we may have lied to you and told you that your birthday this year was on the 19th not the 18th.  Daddy wanted to be home to celebrate too, so we just skipped the whole thing on the 18th.  But I promise we made the 19th extra special.  You'll get it one day.  Sometimes you just gotta do what works. :)

52 Weeks of Blogging - Week 1 - Who Am I

Today I am starting a wonderful series hosted by one of my favorite blog reads, From Mrs. To Mama. 

You can read more about the link up Here.

52 Weeks of Blogging With A Purpose / Week 1 - - Who I am.

 Three words, seems simple right.  Find a photo and describe who I am.  But this is anything but simple. 

I went from being a kid in high school, practically right into marriage, motherhood, housewife.  Yes it is exactly what I wanted and who I want to be, and I wouldn't change any part of my journey so far, but it does make it hard to really know who I am.  I never had time to figure that part out I guess.  

Here is what I do know.....

I am a 20ish wife, who loves her husband and best friend even more every day.

I am a mother to the three most wonderful children anyone could ask for.

I am a daughter who has amazing parents, and a sister who has a big brother and sister who have always been there for me.

I am completely Type-A everything has to be perfect, planned, and a list must be made.

I am forever grateful for the wonderful opportunity I have to stay home to raise my children.

I am the first to admit that I don't have it all together.  

I am a person who loves a good nap.

I am not afraid to say what I think or feel.  

I am a big believer in everything happening for a reason.

I am lucky.

I am thankful for the life I have.

I love life.

I am happy.

I am really happy.

** I am also a person who does not have 1 photo from the past 6 years that is just me.  It is kind of a metaphor for my life. **

On To First Grade!

The End of the year, it's finally here.

  Although this also just feels like yesterday:

 It really was such a wonderful year.  Matthew now reads, writes full paragraphs, does double digit addition and subtraction (without regrouping), and is the most respectful, kind, happy kid. (a bit bias here, I know)

Wednesday was his "graduation" celebration.

 {How sweet is his teacher, to participate in the obligatory silly face pic after the good one}

Today was his official last day.  It was an early dismissal, so after we headed to the library for awhile, and then to sweet frog, because who doesn't love some froyo!

And now we relax, attempt to sleep in, soak up the sun, and read read read.  

In a few short months we will be back at it, because......

Hall Closet Organization

So yesterday morning I went to grab some shoes, and BAM, 10 things came falling out of our hall closet.  It was time to clean.  Luckily it is a small space, so it didn't take too long.

 I started by cleaning the top shelf.  I pulled anything that wasn't summer related and stored it in another location.  Now along the top shelf is a basket of miscellaneous items, a tote bag for the beach/pool, a basketball, and a picnic blanket (this is a spare, I also have a waterproof one that stays in my van)

During the summer we don't need a ton of things hanging, so I keep it simple, a hood for each child, and some jackets for me.

I also have some storage bins for items.  This keeps them nice and neat, and from gathering all over the floor.

Shoe storage was the most difficult for me to tackle, so I broke down and got an over the door shoe organizer.  I really dislike this form of organization, but I will say, that for the kids shoes (and a few other items) it is working well for us.  I still don't like them though :)

What I'm Loving Wednesday

It's Wednesday and today I am linking up with Jamie to share what I'm loving today!

Here We Go!

1.  I am loving that it is the last week of school here!  Today is actually Matthew's Kindergarten Celebration and I can't wait to see it!  This has been a wonderful school year and has us all looking forward to more.  It went by so quickly though.....

{on the first day of school September 2012}

2.  I am loving watching Matthew play tball, with that said I am also loving that week get like a 2 week break between the spring season and summer instructional practices, this kid would live at the fields if we let him.

3.  I am loving preparing for Lillian's 4th Birthday {man we have a ton of milestones going on over here!}  The gifts have been bought and wrapped, and I have some decorations.  All that is really left is the cupcakes.

4.  I am loving how much I am getting done lately.  I was having major issues with my anxiety lately, which makes me so unproductive, but I have pushed through many overwhelming feelings and am finally making progress in getting ready for vacation!  9 Days!

5.  Lately I am loving these You Tube Channels, Organized Like Jen, It's Judys Life, and Tha Saccone Joly's 

6.  I am also loving that I only have to pack 2 more lunches!!!  And only 2 more days of having to be out of the house by 8:20 every morning! 

7.  Lastly, I am loving my sweet baby boy, although teething has made the beginning of our week a bit rough.