Valentine’s Day Treats

Thought it would be fun to discuss Valentine's treats for the children in your child's class and for the teachers!  

This year I'm going to do these little fruit pouches for the other children at Ms. Becky's.  I was going to do a book for each child but that added up quickly and sometimes Becky invites past children she has kept or siblings and I didn't want to do that for 15 children ha!  I ordered the tags from here.  Tags are more expensive than the pouch but I could never make them!






For the teachers!  

Last year I got Ms. Becky this Swell bottle which was super cute and Valentine's Day -ish!

Voluspa Candle

Starbucks Gift Card

Lollia Lotion - Wish is my favorite scent

 Williams Sonoma Striped Towels

And I couldn't forget my girl.  I got her this adorable placemat from here! 

Four New Shirts

I needed some new shirts.  I feel like all of mine are either worn or just too short.  I haven't wanted to wear anything I have other than some new Lilly Elsas that my friend Sarah gave me.  Molly Anne and I set out on Saturday morning to go to Loft and Banana, two places I never shop but thought they'd be good to check out.  

I wanted shirts that were:

reasonably priced

would get me through Spring

would be good for work and casual

So for $115, here are the four shirts I got!

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

Playground and Cowfish

On Friday afternoon on our way home I was on a work call and Molly Anne was silent.  We've been working on stay quiet while I'm on the phone.  The millisecond I hung up she said, "I was a good girl Mama, let's go to the playground!"  I said wellllll, okay!  So off we went, straight to the playground!  


Kevin had his friend Benjy over that night and they went out so it was nice to chill and go to bed at 8:30pm!  


Saturday morning, Molly Anne and I went to Blakeney to go shopping.  She was so excited "to go shopping with Mama!"  It was cute!  We wished Nannie was with us because we like shopping together!


The fountain and throwing some coins in it was the highlight!  I got three shirts from Banana and one from Loft.  I'll try to remember to post about those this week.  


Then Margot texted and said they were on their way to the playground and asked if we wanted to join so of course we did!  

Emme kept catching Molly Anne as they called it.  So adorable!

Last week I FINALLY ordered my child some shoes.  She's been living off her boots and these mary janes.  She needed some closed toed shoes for playing!  I got her these and these, both were about $30!


Saturday afternoon Molly Anne and I organized her playroom now that all of the cabinets in there have been fixed.  We put everything in plastic bins instead of plastic bags (safety first!) and organized by type of toy.  It was so accomplishing to have all of that done and her playroom looks so much better!  

For dinner that night we ordered pizza and it was so good.  Just normal ole Papa Johns but we never order pizza like that so it was something different.  After bed time, I got to work undoing all of our frames.  For about 18 hours, I thought one of my most special framed pictures of Molly Anne was missing but I found it on Sunday (in a box that Kevin randomly put in our guest room).  Now, we have to figure out what we are going to put up and what we are going to do without.  I don't want our bookshelves bombarded with pictures like our last house.  

Sunday was rainy so we played inside a bunch!  Before and after nap we worked on figuring out Molly Anne's spring and summer clothes.  We sorted through two huge bins of clothes that my SIL gave us.  Molly Anne tried on so many things and almost learned how to put her own shirt on so that was good!  Later, she said, "I loved playing dress up today!" ;)

We ended up getting out for dinner and went to Cowfish.  It was Kevin's first time there which I couldn't believe!  He loved his bento box and I had to document the occasion of my husband eating sushi!

Molly Anne loved the chopsticks and that's how she ate some of her mac n cheese!  Ha!


Mills was ready for bed and wanted me to come on up!  He's so sweet.  I love this bubba so much.

Monday morning and ready to go!  She told me she didn't want me to go to work today!  I guess she had a really fun weekend too!  And I'm trying not to think about how I want to go pick her up this instant and play all day.  

Of course, she had to wear her Frosty dress that she found yesterday from Sarah and Anna Kate!  I apologized in advance to Ms. Becky for how many times she may have to hear the Frosty the Snowman song today!  Oh and she's wearing her new shoes that I talked about in this post!

Happy Monday!

Five on Friday

ONE:
Since we have quartzite now, we can't put hot dishes on the counters.  I only had one trivet and needed one more, especially for when we entertain.  I ordered this one from Williams Sonoma  (under $20!) and got it yesterday.  Love it! 

TWO:
This little boy is finally settling into our home.  He loves Molly Anne's pillow and blankey's cousin.  She was so sweet to share with him! ;)

THREE:
New recipes.  We tried Mix and Match Mama's Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas this week.   I wouldn't put this on your list to make any time soon.  Just being honest eek!

Last night I made Natalie's Baked Brie Bites to take to neighborhood bunco and they turned out really good.  Watch the baking time because I only had to cook mine for less than 10 minutes and I think they were still too toasty.  

FOUR:
A HUGE shout out to Anna's Alterations.  I've gone to them for the 13 years I've lived in Charlotte but Anna is truly amazing and has such a heart for Veterans.  She knows Sarah and how much she does and she knew I was going to the Vetty's with Sarah.  Anna altered our dresses complimentary.  What an amazing surprise.  There are such nice people in this world.  So, local Charlotte girls - go support Anna and have your alterations done there, she is a sweet lady AND does alterations the right way!  She has altered my wedding dress and a million things in between!

(link to my dress)

FIVE:
Instead of rushing out the door every morning before 7, I've been hanging around some mornings.  And I just love that time with my Molly Anne.  This morning she was all about the chapstick ha!

She got really tickled when we both had zippers and pockets on our Lilly Popovers this morning! ;)  She wears her popover almost every morning because it is "car seat legal" versus a heavy coat.  

Happy Friday!

Random

1.  I’ve been in Pennsylvania for work yesterday and today. It’s the first time I’ve spent the night out (for work) in a longggg time.  I’ve been doing so many day trips out west the last year.  I have decent airline status on two airlines but no hotel status. Kinda funny.

2.  I feel like things are finally calming down on the house front.  We are working on the punch list and honestly I’m getting tired of people being in our house but we are trying to schedule the vendors to all be there the same day each week. That’s helping.  We still need grass but the weather is not cooperating for irrigation first.  The snow really got us - it’s a lot worse than rain.  

3.  We’ve had expensive issues with our old house (which we never had when we lived there for 5 years) which I won’t get into on here but I’m so over it.  

4.  I need to get out all of Molly Anne’s spring and Summer clothes to see what I have accumulated for her during the end of season sales last year.  The shop I get a lot of her things from in Raleigh sells out of basics quickly so I need to get on that. 

5.  Speaking of things I need to do - I need to figure out Kevin’s birthday which is coming up and Valentines Day. I think I already know what we are getting him.  And I think Molly Anne will love Valentines this year judging by how excited she got to help me hang the Target dollar spot banner!  

6.  I have a bunch of new projects starting for work and they’re all at the same stage right now.  I think I have 6 in the hopper which is a lot at once but I’m figuring it out.  Three in Texas, one in Tennessee, one in Pennsylvania and one in Georgia.

7.  We had no internet or TV on Monday night so I didn’t get to watch the Bachelor so I’d love to catch up on that sometime between now and next Monday. We’ll see.  

That’s all I’ve got today.  What have you all been up to?

Christmas Card Pictures and Our Card

I never shared the cute Christmas pictures of Molly Anne that I took for my parent's Christmas card.  I was honestly a little jealous that they turned out so cute and they got to use one!  You'll see our Christmas card at the bottom of this post.  We like to do our big thing as a family that year and our new house was obviously that for us in 2017!  

Possibly my favorite picture of all time!

Front...

Back of it...

Vetty Awards

Saturday morning Kevin and I had an early start.  We took Molly Anne to my in laws and Mills to Camp then we headed to the airport and cruised up to DC for the night.  We went for the Vetty Awards where my friend Sarah received an award for leadership in the Veterans community nationwide.  If you know Sarah, you know how much of a heart she has for Veterans and how big of a difference she's made in SO many lives.  This was well deserved and then some.  She is simply amazing!  

Good shot of the monument from the plane window.  

Kevin and I played tourist during the day after we checked in at the Mayflower Hotel.  This is also where the event was taking place!  We walked over to the White House.  

We went to see it from the North Lawn first, then the South Lawn.

Then we stopped in for Brunch at Old Ebbitt Grill.  It was amazing.  We started with the crab and artichoke dip then Kevin had a crab cake and I had the Chesapeake Bennie and a Bloody Mary!

We went in the White House Gifts store to pick up a few things for Molly Anne and since we were over a certain dollar limit, they give you a coupon to get a free picture of you like you're sitting in the oval office or talking at the White House.  It was funny!

We walked around some more then ended up in this museum for a quick tour through.  

We headed back and met up with Sarah and Mike and walked around the City some more.  Then we scoped things out as they were setting up.  

Sarah had made us appointments to get our makeup done so I went to her room and we did that.  We felt like it was her wedding day that she got to do over again, this time together!  

We sent this picture to Molly Anne and told her we were Elsa and Kristoff haha!  

We met up in the lobby.  Doesn't Sarah look amazing?  This is her dress.  This is my dress.  These are my earrings.  And this is my wrap.   I carried an old Lilly clutch and wore gold strappy sandals I've had forever.  

I did not deserve to be walking on any red carpet but Sarah said do it so we did it!  Pictures to follow by Lindsay Hart of Hart to Hart Photography!  I'll post those when we receive them.  

Sarah and her sisters!

She was interviewed!

The President's Chief of Staff General Kelly and VA Secretary Shulkin were there and spent a lot of time talking with Mike and Sarah.   Incredibly special.

We even got to say hello to General Kelly.

And get a quick picture with him.  

And Montel Williams!  He said ladies in the middle, he wouldn't be in the middle for our picture!  

The ballroom.  

Sarah's acceptance speech was incredible.  I know I'm biased but it truly was the best of the night.  She got several huge rounds of cheers and a standing ovation.  

SO PROUD OF HER!

We continued the celebration and went out to The Hamilton for a drink and then called it a night around 1am!  It was such a special and meaningful occasion.  Montel Williams said that he's going to make sure it's covered by a large network next year because out of all the awards shows going on right now (Golden Globes, Grammys etc.) NO ONE deserves to win an award more than the people in the room that night.  And he is so right!