Whimsical Wednesday - Fourth of July bunting and a Farewell

Before I head out tomorrow for our much needed family vacation to Newport Beach and Disneyland I thought I would bid you adieu with some Bunting eye candy for my Whimsical Wednesday post. I love bunting.  I adore bunting.  I love bunting for party decor, for a babies nursery, even for a mud room to add a bit of happiness and a touch of whimsy.  With the fourth of July only days away I wanted to post a few inspirational photos of some fourth of July bunting ideas. 

Here is one made from fabric found at the Bella Dia website HERE It comes complete with a free downloadable pattern.



This lovely Pinwheel take on bunting is found over HERE at Simplified Bee.

This one can be found on Etsy from SpringChick.  Love it!

Even though this is not fourth of July in design, how adorable is this?!  I couldn't not post it!  I want this on my patio NOW!



You are now inspired so get get decorating and Bunting!  I will be taking a short impromptu break while away at the beach with my loved ones, but check back on Tuesday July 5th, for a Tasteful Tuesday Post from yours Truly!  Enjoy your week Babes!

Tasteful Tuesday - "Lemon Zester Cookie"

I have a love affair with paradise Bakery's Lemon Zester cookie.  It's true.  I eat there every night with my kiddos when my hubby is away on business which is weekly.  I stop in JUST for a cookie all the time, and I Can not get enough of the seasonal Lemon Zester cookie. It is SUBLIME. In fact I attended a wedding that featured these babies on the dessert bar.  I ate 5, in place of wedding cake which I usually die for.  Actually I go to weddings for the sole purpose of indulging in wedding cake... so that says A LOT that I chose the cookies instead (I did however nibble on my son's cake also, just keepin in real people).  I digress... My amazing and beautiful friend Kelly came back from California today and lovingly brought be a huge bag of real homegrown California lemon that are stunning, huge, and sooo fragrant.  I immediately decided to make a batch of "Lemon zester cookies".  After much research, this recipe looked the best to me.  I hope you enjoy!  Get the recipe HERE

NOTES*****
I used my cookie scoop and got 2 dozen. 
It took 2 large lemons to get 1/4 cup of the juice
I added 4 drops of yellow food coloring for eye appeal. 
I baked the cookies for 10 minutes because I prefer a very soft cookie, I would set the timer for 10 and keep checking them until you reach the full 12 minute cooking time.
I didn't think these turned out like Paradise Bakery's however they are good.

Momma Monday...Travel Trays

With our family vacation to Newport Beach and Disneyland coming up this week I have been thinking about the dreaded seven hour car trip.  I actually have been stressing about it. No one wants to be in a car for that long, especially two boys whom have more energy than the energizer bunny times 100.  Of course we have dvd players, Nintendo DS, and other electronics but I don't want the boys locked into a dizzy spell of portable electronics for 7+ hours. The solution? Cookie Sheets!  Yep!  That's right a plain old cookie sheet. They are magnetic, have sides and are the perfect travel tray for little laps.  Cover the bottom of a cookie tray with magnetic chalkboard paint and little kids have a portable chalkboard they can play connect the dots, tic tac toe, and hangman with their siblings.  Use the tray to hold coloring books and crayons because of the sides, color utensils won't roll off!  For little itty bitty guys, magnetic letters are a fun way to pass the time of the tray.  You can also glue magnets to paper dolls, stickers, and many other items so kids can create scenes on their boards and use their imagination! Storage couldn't be easier as you can stack the trays on top of each other and slide them under the seat.  Voila!  Other tips for traveling with kids I have compiled over experience are as follows:

• Pack a separate "My Snacks" bag for each child so their is no fighting.  Include homemade treats, and healthy options as well. 
• Plan ahead.  Go to the library and stock up on dvd's, and books to keep kiddos occupied. They will have fun picking these items out for the trip
• Keep a baggie in the back of each seat for trash and also keep wipes in easy reach for clean up.
• Keep a pillow and blanket on hand also for an impromptu siesta for tired kiddos.

Go to HERE for free printable travel game boards such as tic tac toe, bingo, scavenger hunt, even battleship!
Hopefully these tips will help us all enjoy our summer vacations a little bit more!

The Daily Blog Round Up

I am ready to dive into all things that are wonderful about Blogging.  There is so much creativity, deliciousness, inspiration, and beauty out there that just must be shared!  Here is the round up for my blog.  Daily I will have a new post in a specific category by day.  Please come back daily for your fix, or if you prefer on the days a favorite subject is featured.  Here is the Lineup:

• Monday - "Momma Monday" (Every Monday will feature an idea, craft, or simplifying tip, too name a few, for those moms, or any woman out there who loves frugal tips and awesome clever ideas)
• Tuesday - "Tasteful Tuesday" (Every Tuesday I will feature a new favorite recipe for your collection)
• Wednesday - "Whimsical Wednesday" (Every Wednesday I will feature an inspirational idea for interior design, or party decorating)
• Thursday - "The Beauty Bag Thursday" (Thursday will be devoted to beauty junkies who love their beauty tips, tricks, and award winning products)
• Friday - "Fashion Forward Friday" - (Every Friday will feature fabulous fashion finds, and great tips for your wardrobe)
• Saturday - "Sublime Saturday" - (On Saturdays there will be a random post of anything that is catching my eye from a recipe, a new website, a new designer, or even a journal entry, this will randomness at it's finest)
• Sunday - "Spiritual Sunday" - (Sunday will feature an inspirational quote, story, or other media to uplift your day and the upcoming week, and hopefully help us all strive to be the best individuals we can be)

All American Past time...Baseball!



When I think of Baseball I think of all American, hot dogs, warm weather, and summer evening.  With the fourth of July coming up I thought it would be appropriate to get everyone in the patriotic spirit.  My Husband used to play for the Toronto Blue Jays so baseball is huge at our house.  My boys love it and my hubby lives it.  For fathers day we took my Dad and Momma to the "old ballgame".  We enjoyed hot dogs, popcorn, and a beautiful summer evening.  Play Ball Y'all!



This is a vintage baseball wedding, and the crackerjack favor is just adorable.






The boys being...well BOYS! And having fun with Grandma and Grandpa.









I love the simplicity of the sandwiches for the kiddos, and those umbrellas are just too precious!

A perfect Patriotic tee for my boys via JCrew

A fitting dress for the Fourth from Anthro. Lovely

The Hubbs and I enjoying the Game.

K Moss is the Only woman who could pull these pants off.

The water, cute Pooch, and Espadrilles... Ah...Love!



A few of my latest Favorite Finds... and Father's day DIY ideas!

I adore this beautiful hue of pink on a simple metal bistro set!  Find it HERE

How about THIS from Ms. Daisy of WHEATFEILD hanging in the Hall? Perfect!

These three cousins who can't get enough of each other! Courtesy of Brittany Williams Talent HERE

THIS adorable idea for fathers day is easy enough for kids to put together by themselves!

And THIS is definitely going to be a DIY project at our house this week for our Hero Hubby/Dad!

THIS limited finishing powder/bronzer gives the ultimate glow and always guarantees compliments!

A white eyelet Maxi..comfy and classic summer





Little bit of simple bliss...

Don't you love when you have a moment when you stumble across something so beautiful or happy that your stomach does a little flip flop and flutters?  That happened to me this week...numerous times.  I made a pledge to myself to "be in the moment" no matter whom I'm with and where I am.  In other words, if I'm playing a board game with my sweet boys I'm THERE with them.  I'm not thinking of the dishes, or what to make for dinner, or if I called my friend back about tomorrows play date.  I'm 100% engaged to them.  With this new pledge I have also gained beautiful moments I will always treasure.  Every morning the boys and I make smoothies to go along with our breakfasts and for daddy. He adores them.  On Wednesday when we finished the delish blended fruit Ky gave me a huge hug and said "thanks for taking care of us mom"... YEP! Butterflies of happiness in my tummy.  Or how about on Saturday as we were at the pool as a family and all four of us were on our towels in a row eating PB&J and licking the cold watermelon from our chins? YEP!  Happy flip flops once again.  Everyday is filled with pure excitement and bliss if we consciously engage ourselves in each and every moment and don't try and be 100 places in one second.  One of the best moments of the week? When our wedding song came on Pandora radio and my sweet hubby danced with me in the kitchen... It's these everyday simple moments of bliss that make everyday so sweet.

Maureau Morning Smoothie:

• 4 large frozen Whole Strawberries
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup of  Greek yogurt (vanilla, plain, or strawberry)
• handful of crushed ice
• 8 ounces of fat free milk (or soy)
• 4 ounces of Orange Juice
• 1 TBS of Honey or agave nectar
• 1 tsp. of vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of frozen yogurt (we like vanilla)
• 1 large scoop of vanilla soy protein.

Mix in a blender until pureed then pour into cold glass cups and serve with straws.