February 14th is right around the corner so I came up with this quick and easy Valentine’s Day manicure I could do at home. I am not a big manicure person. I hardly ever paint my nails because I just don’t have the time to keep them up. The only free-time I have to paint…
I can’t believe my baby girl is turning two next month! Time really does fly by. I’m still deciding what theme to try for her second birthday, so I’ve been searching all over for girl birthday party ideas. For Gigi’s first birthday, we had a simple party with a funfetti smash cake and rag-tie banner…
I’m really looking forward to 2016 and my 36th year on this planet (my birthday is this week). The next 360-ish days will definitely include a lot of travel, thanks to my awesome day job. I also look forward to the end of diapers! Rocco learned to potty train in 2015, and I am sure…
As I reflect on 2015, I realize it has been a year of a lot of transitions. We moved back to Phoenix and slowly settled back into our lives here. I reconnected with friends and former colleagues. We explored some of the fun things to do around the valley with toddlers and visited some of the…
My mom posted this cute DIY handprint Christmas ornament on her Facebook page and I thought it seemed like a really fun activity to do with the kids. So last weekend, we set out to try this DIY baking soda clay to create handprint ornaments the kids could hang on our tree. I used this recipe…
Finding cool gifts for my husband is usually my biggest Christmas shopping challenge. I tend to give him sweaters or other clothes, which is just so boring. To find some inspiration, I searched all over to find unique gifts for men under $50. The list I developed has a wide range of options including things…
I love the holidays for many reasons — spending time with family, decorating our tree, finding the perfect gifts for my loved-ones — but one of my absolutely favorite parts is finding and trying new Christmas cookie recipes. This past week at work, they hosted our annual holiday coffee event. They set out trays and…
I love December—full of holiday baking, parties and decorating. I also love the opportunity to buy a flirty and feminine holiday dress for Christmas parties or New Years Eve. At the same time, I try to find reasonably priced party dresses because I hate spending a ton on something I’ll probably only wear once or…
During the holidays, I always search for Italian-inspired recipes to try, as a way to connect to my heritage. Last year, it was Italian wedding cookies and Florentine lace cookies. This year, it’s homemade chocolate peppermint biscotti.I’ve never made biscotti before, and honestly, I was intimidated. It seems like it must be difficult to make,…
Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away. I can’t believe it. As most of us are planning what we’re going to cook or bring to your family’s dinner, it’s about time you think about what to wear on Thanksgiving. If you’re meeting your in-laws for the first time, or doing a less-traditional ‘Friendsgiving’ or hosting…
For me, Thanksgiving dinner is really about the sides. The turkey gets all the hype, but I could not care less about the bird (even though my hubby has a magical ability to make it really tasty). I’m a side dish gal all the way. As a kid, I would fill my plate with mashed…
My husband and I don’t eat very much candy. Our kids don’t eat much candy either — not just because we limit it, but mostly because they don’t like it. Crazy, right? This lack of candy-eating means that trick-or-treating yields a ton of leftover Halloween candy that we don’t really want around the house. Are…
Why would as busy woman like myself take on the task of making a homemade lion costume for my son? Making DIY Halloween costumes is a for our family. In mid-September, my hubby and I started brainstorming ideas of what the kids should be for Halloween this year. Since Gigi is old enough to walk…
When October rolls around, I’m so ready for fall and all the flavors fall brings — especially all the pumpkin spice recipes I can find. I like me some pumpkin. I’ve shared my favorite pumpkin spice cookies, pumpkin nutella bars, pumpkin scones and pumpkin pancakes before, but I’m always on the hunt for different pumpkin…
I feel bad. I feel like the worst mommy in the world because I wasn’t in town for my son’s third birthday. I wasn’t there to wake him up, give him a giant hug, or wish him a happy birthday. I feel worse that we had to celebrate it on a day that fit better into…