20 of the Best and Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes

My heart is full. FULL you all.

Let me explain…

A few months back, I was invited to speak at the Pinners Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. Sharing my passion for throwing parties & entertaining, was on the agenda, and I couldn’t WAIT to get to the mountains.

First Night in Camp

First day in town, we spent cruising around soaking in all that Salt Lake had to offer. Shopping ladies… TONS of shopping in Salt Lake.

I propped my computer open, and was along for the ride, working & scouting out where I was headed the next day, for a little retail therapy. 😉

We broke for lunch at the Market Street Grill, and I had to celebrate with a martini that was TO DIE FOR…

and a pound of shrimp cocktail. Yes, I shared with my hubby and friends… but I could have tackled this glorious pile of deliciousness on my own.

Our waitress was fabulous, and the food/drinks were superb. If you’re ever in the area… go. eat. here.

Change of Seasons in Minutes

My mind is STILL blown. After lunch, we headed out, and up the mountain to see the white stuff…

In just minutes of starting in beautiful, colorfully Fall leaves…

we were on top of the mountain, covered in snow. HOW? How in the world can you be in a warmer, colorful surrounding… and then minutes later, be freezing… surrounded by all the makings of Frosty the Snowman’s?

It was ABSOLUTELY beautiful.

Trip Outtakes

Hungry for a local pizza, we decided to order a “little,” take out… while we were there. I don’t know about you, but my hubby and I LOVE having a pizza delivered when we are visiting somewhere, trying new styles & flavors. Well… not looking closely at the menu, my husband orders:

Just bring us the biggest one you got. Pepperoni.

I must say, we learned our lesson of double checking pizza-size in the future. A 36 inch pizza {think about how big that is for a minute. There are typically ONE of those little white stands, in the center of a large pizza. There were 6.} shows up at the front door. I’m pretty certain the box had to be turned sideways to fit through the front door. We never finished the WHOLE thing, but did put a hurtin’ on it at least.

Checking in on the blogs Facebook page on Day 2 of the trip, I noticed Fantabulosity’s FB page reached 5,000 followers!!! I celebrated with another martini. 😉

A bit of “window shopping,” was on the agenda in Park City, and we found our inner snow bird “look.”

But they were $500 hats. We gently sat them back down after the photo opp., and ran out of the store, afraid we would be stuck with paying for something if we broke it. 😉

On day THREE, I visited Home Goods and scored the cutest little table for my Party Styling 101 Class, and decided that I wanted to give it away as a BIG thank you for attending my class. Have I ever told you how much I love Home Goods?

On VIP night at the conference, I popped in for a bit, and ran in to Gloria from Simply Fit Board, and my hubby and I had seen her on Shark Tank the week before! I love success stories, and had to get my photo with her immediately.

I gotta say… if we ever move to Utah, I’ll have a FABULOUS time, playing with fashion. Those Utah girls KNOW how to style it up, and if I could have packed more back home… I wouldah. My new faux vest and gray boots were my favorite purchase of the trip!

Party Styling 101 

The day arrived, and I was more excited than ever. I opened my class up by admitting to them all:

I seriously thought there would be like 2 people in my class, considering I didn’t really know anyone in Utah.

I was ridiculously flattered…

Party tips, party tips, & party tips! I spoke for an hour, but could have talked all day.

If you weren’t able to attend, I’ll fill you in on one little secret I told them.

Adding “garnishes,” to your drinks can add fabulous “umph,” to your party decor.

Dip the ring of a glass, in to white Kayro syrup. Then dip the glass in to glittery sprinkles. The look is not only fabulous…. but it adds a “sweet,” touch! 😉

I created a “mini,” tablescape for the audience, to show examples of how to stagger and add height to a display table…

“Think Outside of the Box,” is a common phrase of mine, and using this table that I scored from Home Goods, gave a great example of how you could utilize what you may already have at home, to create the perfect party tablescape.

I have a new love of party goody supplies: Alexis Maddox Design let me use this cake topper for my class, and now I’m HOOKED! It added the exact “look,” that I was going for.

I bought a few store-bought cupcakes, and added little party flags for an easy cupcake topper idea.

While standing in the checkout at Home Goods, I saw yellow macaroons, and KNEW they’d look darling on my dessert table example. They fit perfectly in the little polka dot cups that I’m obsessed with.

In my class, I gave the attendees a quick and easy way to add some pizzazz to party favors. I hope you’ll attend one of my classes one day, so I can teach you this little trick too! 😉

So I’m back there… behind those people. After my class, person after person came up to chat & ask questions. I was so caught off-guard by the sweetness of everyone. You all are too incredibly sweet, and now I feel like I have a lot of friends in Utah. 🙂

No matter where I am, or when it is… It makes my DAY when someone comes up to me and says,:

Hey! It’s me! I follow you!

My heart skips a beat when someone makes a special trip to say hello. We both share a love for Stitch Fix, So I made her take a photo with me. 🙂

The special lady standing by me, won the little table that I gave away at the end of my class. She was so happy to receive it, and I was sooo happy to have her and the gals with her, to come up and get a photo!

I don’t know how I got so stinking lucky, to have met Toni with Design Dazzle. I had posted in a private FB group before heading out to Utah, that I was coming by myself, and didn’t know anyone. Toni took me under her wing, and made me feel right at home. Much love to her, and PLEASE visit her blog, because she’s not only the sweetest, but you’ll LOVE what she shares. {Especially her home decor ideas. OMG}

If you haven’t attended a Pinners Conference, you MUST! Good news… they’re expanding to Dallas Texas, and Phoenix Arizona in 2016! I can’t WAIT to go, and support Pinners in the new locations. Ticket… booked. 😉

After my class, I browsed around the expo at all of the different booths, and ran in to Lisa Bearnson… like the host on HSN… Lisa Bearnson. Yes, really! Guys… she’s as sweet and welcoming as you imagined!

I’m getting crazy excited for what she and Anthology has planned ahead. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you posted on what fabulous things she has up her sleeve too!

Literally on cloud 9 at this point… on my way home from Salt Lake City, where the mountains are breathtaking, the pizzas are HUGE, the shopping is PERFECT for a gal like me, and the people are incredibly wonderful.

Thank you SOOO much to everyone who came to my class, to the Pinners team, and to all of you for your support leading up to this point and the future. Without you all… I wouldn’t be living my dream.

It’s a DIY Christmas with this easy Let It Snow Ornament! Each ornament is filled with sparkly snow and mini snowballs and sports a stamped tag with a cute baker’s twine bow!

Make them alongside these gingerbread ornaments and you’ll have a full holiday season of DIY and Crafting!

Let It Snow Ornament

I love handmade Christmas ornaments – there is just something about hanging those hand print reindeer and popsicle stick frames alongside with my rustic wooden nativity ornament and wood slice snowman. And this year, I’ll add a few Let It Snow ornaments to our tree … since that is the only snow we’ll ever get in Florida 🙂

Supplies

• Plastic ornaments
• Winter Snow (*see notes below)
• Faux snow (*see notes below)
• White card stock
• Black ink pad and letter stamps
• Small hole punch
• Blue/white bakers twine
• Ribbon for hanging

*The Winter Snow is from FloraCraft – it is basically shredded foam that has a little sheen/sparkle. You should be able to find this or something similar at your local craft store. The Faux Snow (mini foam balls) was at my local dollar store.*

Cut a thin piece of white card stock and stamp “Let It Snow” on the tag. Use a small hole punch to add a small hole at the top of each tag.

Carefully remove ornament hanger and separate the metal hanger from the collar of the fastener and slide the tag onto the hanger.

While the ornament hanger is removed, fill each ornament about ⅓ – ½ full with the Winter Snow and Faux Snow. If you have a small funnel, that will help corral the snow as you fill the ornaments.

Replace the ornament hanger. Tie a bow with blue and white bakers twine around the ornament hanger. You can use a different color of twine to match your tree, but I love the blue, white and silver combo for these ornaments!

Finally, add a length of ribbon through the ornament hanger to hang the ornament. Easy right?

A romantic weekend with your husband may be just what you two need. But are you ready for it? Here are my 5 ways to prepare for your alone time!

Disclaimer:
Mom… I told you about half way in to my post “5 Simple Ways to Make Your Husband Want to Come Home,” to stop reading, because I was going to say some things you may not want to know about your daughter. Well… don’t even read this post. Ain’t nothing in it that you’ll want to see. 😉

Ok, now that my mom  has been forewarned…

5 Ways to Prepare for a Romantic Weekend with your Husband

Oh snap! You have a sitter for a whole weekend?  (Babysitter, Dogsitter, Housesitter, whatev… you got a sitter.)

Let’s make it a good one, shall we?

My husband and I try to go away for at least a night, I’d say about once every 2 months. There’s nothing like getting away from home, out of the normal every day routine, and makin’ it happen. A whole weekend away doesn’t happen too often, but when it does… I wanna prepare for it. (I like to prepare for the one nighters too… but there’s something special about a whole weekend or even WEEK away.)

Let’s face it. When you go away for one night…

Going to bed by 9pm sounds exhilarating, with the thought that you won’t be woken up by a screamin’ baby in the middle of the night. You MAY get to dinner, but after that… it’s off to sleep. Ahhh… a full night.  But if you’re gone for more than one night, you can leave the next night for the good stuff.

A Romantic Weekend with Your Husband

Mom… you’re reading this aren’t you? Stop it.

Go Shopping. (For the right things.)

You know, the funny thing I’ve realized, and heard from others, is that some men don’t really care about the fancy-schmancy lingerie outfits. They really only care about what’s underneath.

So you’re telling me, I just spent $70 on this white lacy piece of fabric, (that is so small, it should be a “swatch,” for a larger version available in stores)… and you don’t even care about it?

Nope.

Crap.

But… I don’t know about you, when I have a pair of new underwear, and bra… I’m feelin’ better than ever. Plus, you can wear and wear and wear those again. That leather-strapped babydoll teaser onesie thing, isn’t going anywhere but the back of your undergarment drawer, when you get home. But if you’re like me, go buy that new underwear and bra, because if anything… it will make YOU feel good.

So in my experience (and research) a lot of men like what’s underneath…

Which brings me to my next point:

Groom Thyself.

In the Ways to Make your Husband Want to Come Home post, I suggested you may want to tend to your female upkeep. Trust me… I need to practice what I preach. Grab a new razor (If you’re like me, you’ll need a new one. Because an old one’s not gonna cut it. Literally.)  Get to shavin’. (Or even see my tips for getting laser hair removal like I did, and that’s even better!) Put on some of that smelly good lotion, and pack it in your bag, so you can reapply and reapply while you’re gone.

Some of my friends even go get waxed. (And I mean WAXED. I haven’t been brave enough to do this yet. I may, or may not have gotten about 5 minutes away from my Brazilian wax appointment, and chickened out. No lie. I called them, & told them I was sick to my stomach-thinking about how my hair was about to be ripped out of my special place), and went shopping instead.

Save the tough talk.

You know those conversations that you and your husband have every once in a while, that ALWAYS cause a fight, or extreme tension? For years, I would think…

Oh good. We won’t have the kids, so we can maybe finally talk about the finances. Or how he decided on that huge life changing decision, without me.

Oh please no. If I’ve learned anything, there’s nothing worse than preparing for an entire romantic weekend away, to have it go down the crapper in the first 30 minutes. I know it’s alone time, and you don’t get that often to talk about the important things… but this weekend is about romance. If it’s not crazy important… do yourself a favor and wait. Enjoy each other’s company, not attack each other.

 Drink some caffeine.

Don’t let a second night get away from you, where you just end up wanting to go to sleep right after the early bird special at the restaurant down the road. Do whatever it is that gives you energy and makes you want to stay awake past your toddler’s normal bedtime. For me? I drink coffee at 4:00 in the afternoon. That seems to keep me up to at least 11:00. 😉

Do something he loves.

I can’t talk about The Five Love Languages enough. What is it? It’s a book, written about how everyone has a certain “love language.” (Read more about it here: The Secret Weapon in my Marriage)

1. Acts of Service

2. Touch

3. Quality Time

4. Gifts

5. Words of Affirmation

Find out what your husbands love language is, and pick something that “fits,” what that is, and act on it, on your romantic getaway. If you’ve been together for any time, you may think you already know what his is. You may be surprised, after you read the book… or he may have more than one. If you don’t have time to read a book before your weekend, no worries. I’ll see if I can help and give examples:

Disclaimer:  I’m using my own words and definition of these. PLEASE read the book if you can. It was a total life changer in my marriage.

5 Love Languages

1. Acts of Service – Do something for him, that he hates to do, or that he likes for you to do.
   (Example: He’s not in to details or super busy…so plan and book the hotel, so that’s one less thing he has to do.)
2. Touch – He loves the physical touch that you can give him. Hugging, kissing, etc.
   (Example: Give that manly man a massage. Grab massage oil and get to work. WARNING: This may lead to something else, so scroll up and read “Groom Thyself,” again if need be.)
3. Quality Time – Spending time together as a couple, alone. P.S. This is mine, so I feel like I can explain this one well.
   (Example: You’re already spending time alone together on a romantic weekend, so that should be a huge quality time “love deposit,” but take it even further if you can. Schedule a couples massage. Or if you go shopping, shop together in the same store. Don’t drift off to Sephora, while he’s in Dick’s Sporting Goods.)
4. Gifts – Buying/Making something and giving it to him.
   (Example: It could be something HUGE, like tickets to his favorite sporting event while you’re on your romantic weekend… or something small like his favorite candy that he never eats at home.)
5. Words of Affirmation – Telling your husband all the good stuff that he likes to hear.
   (Example: Tell him multiple times – in different ways – how he’s the best husband for taking time to get away with you for the weekend. Go one step further and brag about him on your Facebook status. That MAY just get you bonus points. 😉 )

I hope you have a FABULOUS time with your romantic weekend with your husband! Really… you deserve it. I’m DYING to know if you did any of these. Let me know,

Until next time.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone, promise! #MARVELSnackBar #CollectiveBias

Sometimes I wonder what in the heck we were thinking when we decided to go out to eat with two little boys. Forcing them to sit still for a long period of time, is almost a cruel joke.

Since the majority of the time, we decide to eat out at the last minute, I may not have time to round up toys & snacks for a restaurant trip. So the new trick up my sleeve, (thanks to Blue I Style) is my “Restaurant Kit.” My toddler busy bag is always ready to go, whenever we decide to head out the door.

Restaurant Kit

The restaurant kit is FULL of goodies that I think will help keep my children occupied. By only bringing out the kit during… you guess it… restaurant trips, the toys, and goodies are “new,”(since they haven’t played with them already that day) and they can’t wait to see what’s in it.

So what do I use for the bag?

A makeup bag! It has a handle and little compartments. Perfect to store the goodies.

What do you Put in a Toddler Busy Kit?

• Small Figurines. I don’t know what it is, but my children LOVE playing with small figurines. Probably because it’s easy for their little hands to hold on to.

• Plastic Eggs. The small figurines usually end up going inside the small plastic eggs, and the constant open and shutting of the plastic eggs, REALLY hold their attention span… quietly. Buy plastic eggs HERE!

• Triangular Crayons. (Buy them HERE!) Have you ever heard of these? Yes? Oh… I guess I’ve lived in a cave. They’re triangular crayons, so they won’t roll off of the table at the restaurant, and since they’re larger… my youngest child can grip on easier. (Not like those itty bitty crayons the restaurants usually hand out.)

I usually keep a small notebook in the restaurant kit too, because even though some restaurants give my children a coloring sheet, it’s like there’s never really anything to color? It’s all crowded up with menu items, pictures of characters, etc. A blank sheet of paper is a free for all!

• Play Dough. (Buy the small containers HERE!)I’ll admit. I’m totally that mom that tries to do everything from having to entertain with play dough. It’s messy, get’s all over my floors at home, etc. But it DOES hold their attention span really well at a restaurant, and totally worth it sometimes.

(I will try and pick any up off of the floor before we leave because I don’t want to be “that,” customer, that makes the restaurant workers have to clean it up.)

• Sticker/Coloring Book. Stickers are a FAVE in our house. I think I have stickers on every chair in my house, at the moment. Peeling each sticker off, and sticking it on to a sheet of paper requires concentration for those little hands. (A.K.A quiet time.)

• Utensils. (Buy my favorites HERE!)There are times we visit a restaurant, and the spoons for the kid meals are gigantic! In case that happens, I like to keep an extra set of utensils in the restaurant kit for a backup.

• Bib. (Buy the thin bibs that fit well inside, HERE!)Let’s get real. Kids menus are full of dishes that contain red sauce, ketchup, and other messy colors. Plus, when we are going “out,” my kids are usually wearing their “better,” clothes. Nothing irks me more than to see a big red stain on a new little toddler shirt. Keeping a bib in the restaurant kit comes in VERY handy. Wipe it off with my next item below, and it’s good to go for next time.

• Wet Wipes. (Buy the small individual packages HERE!)Oh wet wipes can serve so many purposes. Clean those little hands. Wipe off the table of the germies. Clean the bib after use. Wipe up the spill on the table. They’re super handy for everything. Stock up. You’ll use them.

• Granola Bars.  (Buy them HERE!) I also always keep a “bar,” (what my children call it), in the restaurant kit, in case the food takes a little long getting to the table… so they can have a snack to hold them over. If a snack wasn’t needed… they are the PERFECT dessert, that I can negotiate with, so they’ll eat their veggies.

Take it from a mom that knows… get your restaurant kit put together today. You won’t regret it!

Pro Tip:

Did the kids have good behavior while at the restaurant? If so, maybe think about rewarding them with a “Caught you being good” ticket! We love using this at home.

Even if your kids aren’t toddlers anymore… if you need a way to keep them from getting bored while out, and so you don’t resort to letting your kids watch YouTube, yet again, try a busy bag!

Now, although this is specifically for a restaurant busy kit, there’s no reason it couldn’t be beneficial for a road trip with a toddler too!

WHEW! There are some brutal people out there! Ever since I published this post, it has gone crazy viral and some of you are NOT afraid to speak your mind. So I feel I must explain my intentions with this post, to explain where I’m coming from.

My husband is very good to me, and does extremely nice things for me. So in return, and out of respect, I like to do nice things for him.

Have you ever heard someone say,

Be the wife your husband can’t wait to come home to at night?

No? Yes? I’ve heard it a million times, and I always try to keep advice in my head. As I would hope my husband would think the visa versa. Right?

So I began to think,

What are some things that he would love, to really make him feel special?

and this post was born.

No people, I’m not saying rewind 60 years and be a Stepford Wife. I’m just saying what I like to do for my husband to show my appreciation, and I would very well expect respect in return. Right?

So let’s carry on with this post, and maybe all of the bullies will stop “hating,” on this post. If not… sorry. This is something that works well in my marriage, and I hope it can give someone else great ideas too! If not, I’d LOVE to hear what works in your marriage. Every marriage is different.

You May Also Love This Marriage Talk:

• 29 Tips on How to Be a Good Wife
• How to Respect Your Husband
• What to do When Your Husband Doesn’t Come Home

Back to the post:

It may be a husband who is in the military and is coming home after a year stay overseas, a husband that has only been gone for 3 days, or a husband that is coming home after a long day at work.

  (P.S. You gals that have husbands gone for a super long time, I COMPLETELY adore your strength.)

A little behind the scenes…

My husband owns his own company, and like many other professions, those days as a CEO of a large company, can be excruciating. There’s nothing more that I want to do when he comes home, than to show him my appreciation for working hard. Don’t hear what I’m not saying. I’m not saying I don’t work hard.

I’m a stay at home mom, and I run and operate THIS… my blog. But I AM saying that I want to make our home a place that he’s excited to come home to, every night. ESPECIALLY when he’s been gone for a few days.

How to Make Your Husband WANT to Come Home:

So how do I do this so-called, “making him happy to come home,” thang?

Just don’t ask my husband, because he may tell you different. Haha! Kidding. Only kidding.

• 
  

  His love language.

  
  

  Every husband is different. If you read my post on the secret to a marriage, then you know that everyone has their “language,” that speaks to their heart. (Some husbands, may have more than one.) Read up on what your husbands love language is, and think about something that would fulfill that language that he speaks! 😉  You can buy the book “The Five Love Languages” HERE!

• 
  

  Be positive.

  
  

  Yes, I know real-life happens, and sometimes life throws us some curveballs. The kids were acting awful, the lawn-mower chucked a rock at the dining room window, or the bank account is in the red because it’s been a rough month. But keeping a positive attitude when he walks through that door, can really help for the later part in the evening when it’s time to have a conversation about the not-so-fun things. So when he walks through the door, maybe wait just a bit before you throw up all of the “uglies” at him.

• 
  

  Send him love notes.

  
  

  Once a day, I will try to remember to send him a love note, through text. Yeah yeah yeah… I could get up early, write him a sweet note, and stick it in his coffee cup sleeve… but that’s not going to happen. So when breakfast is over, the kids are playing on their own, I’ll send my hubby a little love note, through a text. “How did I get so lucky to deserve you?” Or something like, “I can’t wait to see you when you get home.” That little “surprise” with something nice can really make his day.

• 
  

  Ask him.

  
  

   In the evening after the kids are off to bed, many times, I’ll ask him:

I’m grabbing something to drink, do you want something?

Or before he leaves for work, I may ask him:

I’m pretty free today. Is there anything you need help with?

Not only are you doing something nice for him by offering to help him… you may also figure out some of the types of things he likes for you to do for him. He may say something like:

You wouldn’t have time to take my truck for an oil change would you? Or I’ll have to take it on Saturday, and miss the little guy’s soccer game.

What?! Who knew? I thought he liked getting out of the house on Saturday mornings by himself to get the oil changed.

• 
  

  Get fancy-schmancy.

  
  

   Now Mom, (my mom), you may want to stop reading here. I may say some things that you don’t want to read or know about your daughter.
  
  (Mom… you’re still reading aren’t you? You’re such a rebel.)
  
  As a mom, I’m usually jumping in the shower as quick as I can, while my kids sit in the bathroom floor. So tending to my female upkeep, can be considered a rare and special occasion. 🙂  Shave those legs. Don’t forget the armpits, and whatever else you shave. Paint those toe-nails. Put on that lotion that’s supposed entice your hubby in to the sheets. (But like he needs a lotion from Victoria Secret to put him in the mood.) Put on that “Woah Baby,” outfit you bought at the mall a year ago that you’ve been dreading, putting on. And surprise him with a raring and ready to go attitude. Every man may be different, but I have a feeling most would appreciate this one. 😉

Wrap Up.

I so hope I didn’t offend you, but rather give you some ideas to try and show your husband that you love and care for him. I’d love to hear what you think below! But please remember, I’m human. I’m not a computer. So although I want you to be honest, I would love for you to also be kind. XOXO

Just remember…”Be the woman your husband can’t wait to come home to.”

As a mom, wife, sister, friend, employee, boss, and whatever else society calls you… we sometimes need to be reminded what it is that makes us happy, so we can fulfill our duties with the best intentions and the way we choose and want.

DISCLAIMER from the owner/founder: “I fail each day, trying to be the “best,” mom, wife, sister, and friend. But if I can be intentional & recognize one LITTLE thing that I accomplished that day… I can be “happy,” with that, and should celebrate it.”

I call this my hangover kit idea because even though some of the snacks and goodies can be enjoyed during the party day, these will come in so handy the morning after too!

It’s rare when a large group of us can get together for a girls night out. Make it a “couples night out,” and it gets even rarer.

We are known for having an abundant supply of wineries at our fingertips. So when we all get together, we know a winery tour, MUST be on the agenda.

What to Put in a Hangover Kit

The minute I knew all of us were getting together for a winery tour, I started getting the “itch,” to do something creative for them. All of these people are so special to me, so I wanted to show them a little love by giving them a small little, “Got ya covered,” items, in their winery day favors.

You can get the cutest kraft favor boxes on Amazon.

You see, we are all fairly new moms and dads, and I had a feeling we were going to be “go hard,” and make the best of it.

 So each couple received a Hangover Kit!

If you’ve never been on a wine tour, you may not know that the wine “tastings,” can get a little fuzzy after the first stop. 🙂  So I knew that I wanted to fill the boxes with small snack foods, that would pair well with wine & would be a great service after the wine tour. 😉

• Chocolates, beef sticks, & cheese crackers.

• Water to rehydrate (that wine can really make you thirsty!)

• Mini Muffins & granola bars for breakfast the morning after.

• A small container of pain relief meds for that pounding headache the next morning.

• and a special little somethin’ somethin’ for the couples who may not be ready to add a new addition to their family any time soon, that’s hidden in that little white bag. 😉

So what’s in that little white bag you ask?

 I think my friends were a bit shocked when they opened the bag. (But I’m sure the husbands were secretly grateful.) 😉

I bought the super cute little white bags from Shop Sweet Lulu too.

Winery Snacks

Remember my White Chocolate Lemon Puppy Chow?  I made a big batch of this for the whole group to snack on, while we transitioned from winery to winery. I already had these boxes in my (ahem) craft closet, or… craft throw-up closet.

Transportation Ideas for Wine Tour and Party Bus

How did we transport to each winery? This is possibly my fave-o-rite part…

Our friends offered up their RV, so we could hire a designated driver, and all transported together! THIS… my friends… is the way to do it.

 One of my cuter, than cute… friends, opening up her party favor for the day.

We are also super lucky, that most of the wineries around here, also brew their own beer. So the people who aren’t the biggest wine fans, and prefer the brew… can kick back, and have a drink too.

I even got to hang out with THIS guy (my hubby) all day, and that wasn’t too shabby.

“Let’s Party,” “Party On,” & “Cheers”

If you’re going on a wine tour soon, and looking for party favors, I totally recommend this Hangover Kit. But don’t forget to make yourself one… you’ll need it. 😉

My kiddo will be starting his second year of preschool this year, and we are BOTH looking so forward to it. He loves going, and I love it for him for a couple of reasons:

•  I love it, because HE loves it

• He’s making friends and being social

• I get to have one on one time with my youngest for a few hours a day

Although he only goes for only a few hours, his teacher plays HUGE part in his life. So I wanted to tell her “thank you,” and help her survive the school year with a little treat.

Teacher Survival Kit

I’ve heard before that teachers are overwhelmed with homemade gifts every year. The DIY coffee mugs, framed art made out of crayons, homemade cookies, etc. always seem to be an abundant supply.

 So I wanted to create something that the teacher could put to good use. I hear a lot that teachers spend a lot of their own money on school supplies, and I wanted to help ease the pain.

What’s Included:

• Desk Organizer {to hold everything}

• Scissors

•  Small Notebook

• Notepads

• Hole Punch

• Stickers

• Glue Stick

• Hand Sanitizer

• Highlighters

• Dry Erase Markers

• Tape

• White Out

• Pens

• Pencils

• Gift Card to an Office Supply Store

• Head Ache Medicine

• M&M’s

Now… the beauty of this teacher survival kit, is that you can totally downsize this gift if you need to.  Please understand my little guy is in preschool, so he has ONE teacher. I know that when kiddos start elementary school, they’ll have their primary teacher, music teacher, art teacher, P.E. teacher, etc.

Downsizing this same gift is so easy to do!  Grab a small little basket, and only put 3-4 goodies in it, and it’s STILL the cutest…useful gift!

Another money saving idea: You can also head to your dollar store, and grab the gift goodies more affordably, than probably an office supply store.

TIP: Any time I create a “gift basket,” type gift… I try to take as many things out of the package as possible. Big, bulky packaging can really take away for the contents inside of the gift.

Free Printable – Teacher Survival Kit

As you know, I wouldn’t create a printable, and not share it with you! Besides, I’m here to make your life a little easier… right? 😉

Download the “Teacher Survival Kit,” printable here —-> Teacher Survival Kit

Make sure you ‘”scale,” it down to the size you need. With the setting I have it on, it will use a whole 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper

I asked you all for feedback on my Facebook page, and I LOVED all of the teacher gift ideas! I couldn’t believe all of the creative and fun tips that you had. You all are brilliant, and that’s just ONE of the many reasons that I adore you all!

More Teacher Gift Ideas

If you missed the incredible list of teacher gift ideas, that real-life teachers provided, where they shared their favorite gifts to receive, then you’ll want to check that out for sure.

Or, if you’re more of DIY gift giver, you’ll love these DIY Bath Salts that are specifically packaged as a gift for teachers.

 My boys love… I mean… LUUUUV… hanging out with their paw paw. Hanging out with their paw paw means there are TONS of fun things in store.

You see, “Paw Paw,” lives (and operates) a beef farm, and a short trip to see him, usually includes seeing big, four-legged creatures that say “moo,” a tractor ride, and a “wade,” in the spring.

So the other day, we set out on an adventure and headed to Paw-Paw’s with a surprise in store for him. A Coke. It’s his favorite and we knew it would make his day.

In his own words:

I drink a Coke every morning for breakfast. There’s nothin’ better.

When we arrived at his house, as always… he was working outside. (He’s the hardest worker I know.)

Pulling in the drive, my boys shouted with excitement,

There he is! There’s Paw Paw!

Farming + Grandkids + Coke = Paw Paw’s Day is Made

Up on the tractor they went, handed Paw Paw his Coke, and “Mom” was no longer there. Who needs mom when you have your paw paw, and a farm anyway, right?

I sat back quietly as the boys went about their business, and got the “work,” done.

There is something absolutely heart-melting, watching your own kids, “light-up,” when they’re spending time with someone that makes you “light-up,” too.

Let’s go boys, time to feed the bulls…

I forget how little they are until I see ’em like this. Such precious babies they are. 

My dad’s big “pet,” he calls it… this bull did NOT get the memo of the photoshoot. I mean… he could have taken a dip in the creek or something before I came.

Break Time

You know, that farmin’ is hard work. It was time to take a break, and head to the creek and grab a drink…(and skip a rock or two).

No words needed… (insert this momma’s heart-melting).

Sharing a Coke with Grandpa… it just tastes better. Apparently.

Although we’ve made this trip to Paw Paw’s, a thousand and twenty-three times,  (ok not that many surely) I’ve never just grabbed my camera to capture memories of it. I’m so incredibly thankful for these simple moments that we tend to take for granted.

But now… it’s time for Mommy to enjoy hers. 😉

Until next time,

XO!

My sister and her husband are the most creative people that I know. With her creative brain, and his mad handy-man skillzzz… the two of them together, blow my mind.

If you saw the crawfish boil party that I had for my son, you already know how awesome my sister and brother-in-law are. Seriously… go look if you haven’t —-> Crawfish Boil Party

Turning a Crib in to a Dressing Room

I can’t exactly remember how the conversation came up, but when I found out that my sister and her husband took a crib, and transformed it in to a “dress-up,” area for my toddler niece… I told her that I HAD to see a picture of that. {Mainly because I couldn’t picture in my head what in the heck that they were talking about.}

After they sent this first picture… I TOTALLY knew where they were going with it. How cool is this? But just wait…

Second photo that I received…

{Isn’t that adorable? You can tell that my niece couldn’t WAIT to start hanging up her princess dresses.}

So do you see what they did there? They used the “spring,” part of the crib, as a place to hang the dresses and play clothes. BRILLIANT.

But just wait…

Umm…. Yeah. They told me that it’s still not finished {mainly because I think they are just perfectionists}, but I am FLABBERGASTED at how fabulous this turned out.

{Ahem… I bought the pink net for my niece for Christmas. Hey… I had to get a little credit for something in this DIY project, right? Ok ok… my sister even told me to buy that for her.}

So as you can see, by the perfect little model herself… she LOVES how this dressing room turned out.

I SERIOUSLY want one of these in my room. I wonder if my sister and her husband can turn my bed in to a dressing room? Here guys… here’s a tour of my master bedroom

take a look and see what you can come up with —-> Master Bedroom Tour  😉

Now you KNOW this DIY project doesn’t have to be just for girls. My sons would LOVE this, so they could put their superman and batman costumes on… anytime that they want.

 Are you dying to know how they did this transformation?  Let me know in the comments below, and I may be able to sweet talk them in to telling us… 😉

Pin it like a crazy person:

How to Get Beach Waves: A quick 7 easy steps on how I get beach waves with a curling wand, and the hair products that I use!

I couldn’t be more than excited to share with you, How I get beach waves in my hair! I’ve had so many people ask recently if I’d do a tutorial, and since I’m FAR from a hair stylist, I was like, “Whaaaat!? But I don’t know what I’m doing!” But then I realized you may want to see someone do their hair, that’s not a professional, so you can relate! 🙂

How to Get Beach Waves

I’ve provided photos of the step by step instructions of how to do beach waves, but I’ve also included a video tutorial at the bottom of this post, in case you’re a “watch and learn,” kinda person. 🙂

Step 1:

Grab a top layer of hair, and clip it up at the top. You’ll begin curling with the bottom layer.

Step 2:

Spray the entire bottom layer with a heat thermal spray. I use “Chi Iron Guard.” After trying a lot of brands, even being guilty of trying to get by with the generic Sally Beauty brands… Chi Iron Guard is faaar better, in my opinion.

Step 3:

I start by grabbing a one inch section, and brushing through that section, just to remove any tangles or frizz, so I’ll get a “cleaner,” curl.

Grab your pre-heated curling wand. I recommend the Bed Head Curlipops Curling Wand. It’s so easy to use, and even comes with a glove if you want to use it! 🙂

Buy the Curling Wand HERE!

*Note: You will take a different approach when working with the strands that are around the face. So when we move on to the next strand, I’m going to give you a different technique. 

Starting with the first strand that’s by your face:

   About half way up (Not all the way at the top, next to your head) you’ll place your curling wand on top of the hair at an angle, and start wrapping the hair around the wand, in an “outter,” motion. (You will be switching back and forth between each 1-inch section.)
When you’re wrapping the hair, don’t overlap the hair. Each time you wrap the hair, make sure it directly touches the wand…not rest on top of the previous wrapped-around hair.

Step 4:

After about 10 seconds, pull the curling wand straight out of the hair, while cupping your other hand underneath the curled hair, holding it for about 5 seconds, allowing the freshly curled hair to cool while it’s still in the “roll.” Gently remove your hand, and let your hair go.

Yeah! Just like that! See that first curl!?

Step 5:

Ok! Very good! Now let’s move on to the next 1-inch strand of hair, and you’ll do it a bit different this time.

Starting at the TOP of the hair (right by the head), place your curling wand UNDER the strand, and wrap the hair around, in an “over,” motion. Keep your wand “straight” in a horizontal position, and not diagonal this time.

Here’s a side view of the way it looks when you’ve wrapped the entire strand around the wand. (I did overlap a bit in this one, and I’ve slapped my hand for that. Ooops.)

Now you have two curls! Look at you go!

Step 6:

Ok! Now… on the third time, go back to curling it, and place the wand on top of the hair and wrap it around in an “under,” motion. So what you’re doing is changing back and forth after each hair strand, mixing it up, so you’re not doing ever strand in the same motion.

• • Continue on, going about your business, and finish curling out the entire bottom section of hair.

• When the bottom layer is complete, unclip the top layer, spray with your CHI Iron Guard, and begin curling the top layer of hair, remembering to ALTERNATE going over/under with each strand.

Step 7:

All curled? Excellente! Now… grab a “polish,” like the CHI Pliable Polish that I use, and put about a marble size dab of it in the palm of your hand. Rub your hands together, mixing between the fingers, just to evenly coat,

and start running your hands/fingers through your hair, breaking up the “tightness,” of the curl, and to give your hair a more “pieced,” look, rather than a curled mass of hair. 🙂

This is where I also kind of “flip,” my hair around from side to side, and add volume with my fingers by “teasing,” the hair at the crown of my head, etc.
(You may laugh, but each day, my hair decides if it wasn’t to favor the “left,” or “right,” side of my face; no matter how I style it! So, I let it determine which side it prefers that day, and run with it.)  🙂

(Now don’t look closely below, because I’m sure you can see my “grays,” starting to show up in this “30 something,” head.)

There they are! You have successfully created beach waves in your hair!

Now I do use hair spray to lock-in the beach waves on my hair. You obviously don’t HAVE to have hair spray to create beach waves, so I didn’t want to make that a step. But… it does hold the wave longer for me, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE using the Big Sexy Spray and Play, because when I “poof,” up my hair with my fingers, when I’m running the Pliable Polish in, I like to “freeze,” that volume that I’ve created.

You like that “hair spray,” action shot? Yeah, my helper Brandy was good like that. You should have seen the excitement on her face when she realized she caught that “moment,” in her photo taking process.)  😉

Are you more of a “watch and learn,” kinda person?

Well then I’ve created this video tutorial just for you!

How to Get Beach Waves Video Tutorial

I soooo hope that this was helpful for you, and that you are ready to create beach waves in your hair!

TIDBIT: You may have to reference this a couple of times, before you get the “hang,” of it. So “Pin,” this image below, so you can always reference it!

Thank you for coming by!

Take it Easy Relaxation Gift Basket Idea for Men or Women: This simple gift idea is perfect for any man or woman for ANY occasion! Who wouldn’t love a basket with an excuse to relax!

My sister’s birthday was in December, and she’s one of those, “My birthday is around Christmas, so everyone forgets about it,” kinda people. Do you know someone like this too? 😉

This year, I’m pretty excited about her gift. Not only was it so EASY… not only is it a concoction of things for relaxing…not only is it gender neutral and perfect for those men & women that are hard to shop for  in your lives… IT’S something that can be used over and over again!

Relaxation Gift Basket Idea for Men or Women

What’s Included?

I’ve done a little research for you, and found similar items to create this gift basket idea for men OR women, at the bottom of this post! So all you have to do is go snag them, and put them in the canvas basket when it comes in! 

Fur Throw:

Well I found this one at Restoration Hardware the other day, (here’s a similar fur throw) along with “down” slippers (get similar slippers).  I’m telling ya…it’s like slipping your foot in to a little slice-o-Heaven.

Coffee Mug & Tea Towel:

Then I added in the “Good Morning,” coffee mug from World Market. I also added a little tea towel from H&M, just for a little pizzazz, and in case she makes a little spill while sippin’ her coffee. Oh … coffee. That would be a really nice little addition to this gift basket too. 😉

Storage Tote:

Now we can’t forget about the adorable “storage,” tote that I found at H&M Home, to put it all in!

This gift basket idea is spot-on for any other kind of event that you’ll need a gift for.

How about:

• Valentine’s Day Gift Idea (Or you may also love this Gift Idea for a Boyfriend!)
• Mother’s Day Gift Ideas (Or see what mom really wants for Mother’s Day?)
• Father’s Day Gift Ideas
• Best Friend Gift Ideas
• Gender Neutral Secret Pal Gift

Now no worries. You don’t have to have this same tote, blanket, coffee cup, or slippers. Just find any container, and throw any kind of patterns/colors together. But I did find similar items below that would work perfect to create this gift…

We had our sons, “Woodland Friends,” first birthday party, and it was a real “hoot.”

(No pun intended. Ok, maybe a little.)

Considering this was my second kiddo’s first birthday, I wanted to make sure that we did the same type of celebration for him, that we did for our oldest sons, first birthday. {See that party here: Airplane First Birthday Party}

So that meant inviting friends and family, extra sweets, and fun little “extras,” to make it super special. (That you’ll see below.)

Woodland Friends Party

When I decided on the Woodland Friends party theme, I knew that I better start off by contacting someone for my invitations. “Perfect Printables,” came to my rescue!

Not only did Megan run with the theme when I told her my ideas, the customer service, and production turn-around time, was impeccable! She knew I had kinda slacked, and waited until the last minute to order them, but she totally made it happen for me. “Perfect Printables,” will definitely be on my contact list for party invitations in the future!

TIP: If you’d like to design your own birthday invitation, see how you can make your own birthday invitation in Canva!

(I smudged out the address and phone number for photo purposes. I assure you that they were spot on, and “perfect.” No pun intended. Ok.. maybe a little again.)

Aren’t they adorable!?

For my oldest son’s first birthday, we asked the guests to forgo bringing a birthday gift, but if they insisted on bringing something, we would love to donate goodies to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

This time, we did the same, and donated goodies to “Operation Christmas Child.” What a wonderful organization it is, and what a great feeling imagining boys and girls opening gifts on Christmas that they may not have received otherwise. (I had Perfect Printables create a small card to include with the invites, explaining the details for the guests!)

Keeping with tradition, we like to create a time capsule for our kiddos, so guests can write a little message for the birthday boy, that they can open on their 20th birthday and read what everyone had to say! We lock it away, and he will wipe the dust off in 19 years, and see what’s been said. 🙂

Ok guys… seriously… this was the easiest party I have ever thrown. Adding in “stuffed,” forest animals, created such an easy, adorable touch to the dessert table. So if you’re planning on throwing a woodland theme party, I highly suggest grabbing stuffed animals for décor!

So let me say… I now have a major crush on The Pretty Paper Studio’s Etsy shop, and I can be pretty particular when it comes to printables for one of my parties. When I searched Etsy, and found them, I immediately fell in love. It’s almost as if they are in my brain, and know what my taste is exactly.

The Birthday Party Mega Pack, was ABSOLUTELY perfect for the direction I was going in! Water bottle covers, cupcake toppers, signs, food tents, and so much more! Fantabulous customer service, and precious designs…. make a combination that automatically adds them to my “go-to” list for party printables, and you should too! See why:

The backdrop of any dessert table is always a highlight, and I couldn’t think of a better place for the “Happy Birthday,” banner. Seriously… the colors, and modern look to the printables are just too…stinkin…cute!

Such a sweet little welcome sign, creates a warm welcome to any dessert table… don’t you think?

Let’s get in to the dessert table details, shall we?

I found the wood cake stands at Hobby Lobby, and I’m so glad that I did. I was so already preparing to head to my mom and dads farm, and “sweet talk” my dad in to becoming a lumber jack. 🙂

Ok, woodland friends or not… I still had to throw in a white porcelain cake stand {or two}. I have to squeeze in a little “girly,” in this house full of boys!

Eeeeek! The cupcake toppers were the perfect addition to the cupcakes. {I’m no baker, let alone cupcake decorator… so when I could count on The Pretty Paper Studio’s cupcake toppers, I knew I was saved!}

I can’t throw a party without having Sweet. Sassy’s cake pops. I sent over a picture that I found on Pinterest, asked if they could do it, and they were up for the challenge! So excited with the way they turned out. Delicious… as always… too!

The night before the party, I shared on my Facebook page that I had found a new love, in the sweet-snack world. I seriously cannot keep this in my house, like, EVER. Its amazingly easy to make, and even more delicious. If you’re ever looking for something quick to throw together for a party, look no further than this trail mix. Yumm-O.

S’mores Trail Mix

To make this, I simply combined a box of Golden Graham’s Cereal, a bag of miniature marshmallows, and a bag of milk chocolate or semi-sweet, chocolate chips. Of course you could adjust the quantities of each item to your liking, but I found it super easy to just use the whole box or bag of each! 🙂

I found little “S’mores,” candy, during my search for party treats. When they arrived, I saw they were a “round,” shape, and thought it would be cute to call them “stones,” to carry on the woodland {outdoor} theme.

Yep, I totally can’t take credit for these adorable little hedgehogs. I found the idea on Pinterest, AND my friend Brandy made them for me, on party day. She said they were super easy, and I couldn’t get over how stinkin’ cute they were. Right?

Was this an easy way out for a quick dessert? You bet. Hey… who doesn’t love a Kit-Kat?

I’m such a sucker for color coordinating straws. But how could I resist birch straws, for this party? Add the straw flags from The Pretty Paper Studio, and it just made perfect sense.

If space allows, I always try to incorporate an area for guests, and create a “guest central.” For this party, I had the drop off basket for gifts that were being donated, the time capsule station, and the favors for the guests to grab on their way out. This little set up worked perfect, and took out any confusion, or “missed,” items of the party.

So what were the favors? A Pinterest find of course! Smore’s-To-Go! Wrapped in “treat bag,” plastic, and tied with a party favor label, made the perfect woodland friends party favor!

No matter how good the cake pops are, how cute the decorations, how much fun my son had, or how many friends & family came by…

there is NOTHING better than the feeling of helping other boys and girls out, that may not be able to have blessings in their lives, such as birthday parties, and even a Christmas gift.

Our hearts are full, looking at this photo of all of the goodies from friends and family that will be sent to the “Operation Christmas Child,” organization this year.

It’s never too early to start teaching our children to think of others, right? 🙂

More Birthday Party Ideas for Boys

If you’re throwing a birthday party soon, our boys love fireman theme parties, nautical parties, indoor camping parties, and even a party based on their favorite food… “A nacho bar party!” Or if a slumber party is on the agenda, these boy slumber party ideas are so fun!

Vendor Credits:

Invitations: Perfect Printables

Party Printables {Banner, cupcake toppers, straw flags, sign, etc.}: The Pretty Paper Studio Etsy Shop

Cake Pops: Sweet. Sassy.

Surprise 30th Birthday Ideas for Him: A trip full of little surprises, and secret missions for my husband’s 30th birthday! A celebration we will NEVER forget!

When it comes to gift ideas for your husband’s 30th birthday, this was the ULTIMATE gift for my husband.

After visiting all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, quite a few times, and falling in love with them, I planned a surprise trip along with other fun secret surprises, so you’ll want to keep reading about what I did to surprise the special guy!

You may find it hard to believe that I kept all of this a secret for a year.

Surprise 30th Birthday Trip for Him

We LOVE to travel. Even though we recently visited Avon Colorado, and now live in Montana, we have a major love for warm tropical places. So when my husband’s “dirty 30“, was starting to approach us, swimsuits and flip flops were on the mind.

My husband turned 30 over the weekend, and I’ve had a 30th birthday surprise trip planned for him, for over a year. Yes, I kept a secret from him for over a year, and it was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done.

The trip wasn’t the only surprise. There were little surprises along the way that made this trip extra special!

Planning the Trip

First, I told my husband two months ago that he needed to block off his schedule between certain dates, because I was planning to take him somewhere for his milestone of a birthday. His response?

“Are friends going with us?”

“Nope, just a trip you and I are taking together.“

Well… I know my extrovert of a husband, and his love for being around people, so that was a total lie. (It’s ok to have a white lie if it’s for a birthday surprise, right?) If he only knew I had invited friends a year ago, and he was about to be in for the surprise of his life.

The day came, and my husband knew we were leaving town. “Are we flying? Going by train? Are we going out of the country?” Those were the major questions I kept hearing him repeat to me. However, my answer to all of them were, “Well… we’ll see.”

#1 Surprise: Friends are coming too!!!???

That evening before we had left, I had arranged to have our friends show up at our house, right before we were to head out of the door.

“Surprise!  We’re going with you!”

Our friends totally shocked my husband, as he opened the door thinking the babysitter had a pizza delivered, only to see our friends standing there toting some serious luggage.

Driving or Flying?

We all got in the car, and my husband with a puzzled (yet excited) look on his face said,

“Ok… where we going?“

“Sorry babe, not ready to tell you yet.”

Now… me, the planner and organizer in the family, would probably be freaking about not having control in this moment if the roles were reversed. But my husband’s a trooper and loved the suspense.

About after an hour and a half of driving in the car, we stopped at a hotel that was near the airport, and my husband immediately knew we were flying out somewhere the next morning.

#2: A “Yearbook” T-Shirt Gift

The next morning we all woke up early, and I surprised my husband with a custom shirt that I had made for him, that had

“Warning: Matt’s 30th Birthday in Progress,”

printed on the front; then on the back,

“Matt’s 30 Year Old Yearbook,”

with “one-liners,” 30 friends and family had to say about Matt.

This was absolutely one of the most hilarious, and interesting things I could have done. I learned nick-names that my husband had, and I heard stories about what my husband had done in the past that were hysterical!

Most importantly, my husband felt the love from 30 awesome people. (Totally recommend doing something like this for someone that you love.)

It’s time to fly!!!

We shuttled to the airport, and it was time to check-in for our flight. My husband was so excited to find out where we were going. Ohhhhh… but only if it were that simple. I made him hand over his drivers license (only to throw him off, because I already had, and only needed his passport) and made him stand back, as I whispered to the flight receptionist,

“Ok, it’s my husband’s birthday, and he has no idea where we are going, and I’d love it if you could help me out by not telling him.”

To my surprise the receptionist was totally cool, and played along. (God bless that man for being friendly and fun at 6:00 in the morning.)

Boarding passes in hand (hidden in my purse) we proceeded to our gate. Arriving at the correct gate, my husband sees “Dallas Texas,” on the TV screen at our departure gate.

“Really honey? Dallas?”

I wanna say I had him fooled for about 10 minutes that we were actually taking him to Dallas to celebrate his big 30th. Nothing against Dallas, but the poor guy couldn’t get his mind wrapped around celebrating there.

So then started the “Hmm… where would Dallas be a layover for?” His mind began to wonder.

Then… almost like I had planned it myself, on our flight, the stewardess  announced the connecting cities for our layover.

“San Francisco, Honolulu, Miami, Cancun, Cabo,”

and the list went on. This was absolutely perfect. My husband all of a sudden knew that a layover in Dallas meant NOTHING, as the connecting cities were so scattered around the world. PERFECTION!

MEXICO!!!???

As we departed the plane in Dallas, we neared the connecting gate, and there it was on the big screen, “Departing to Cancun, Mexico.” My husband was ecstatic! Totally caught him off guard, and the wheels were turning.

“How did you arrange this? Do you have my passport? Where in Mexico are we going? Is it an all-inclusive?”

We arrived!

He was excited. I was excited. Our friends were excited. It was one of the most awesome feelings. I then looked at my best friend, and said,

“You know you love someone, when you get complete joy out of his own happiness.”

One More Surprise

When we arrived to the resort in Mexico, we walked in to the lobby and my husband couldn’t BELIEVE it when he saw the backs of what looked like more friends there waiting for us!

Other friends had arrived on a different flight and were ready to party… all with matching shirts!

An Incredible Weekend

We spent my husband’s actual birthday, celebrating with a special dinner on the beach, right next to the water. Sure wish I could have gotten a better photo in the dark, but I wouldn’t have traded seeing the sunset while drinking a pina colada for anything! 😉

The next 5 days were some of the most awesome, crazy, relaxing, days we had-had in a loooongg time.

We couldn’t imagine spending his 30th anywhere different, nor with anyone different. I HIGHLY recommend getting “away,” with the one you love if you can. What an experience, and what an amazing man… father… husband… and person.

If you’re looking for 30th birthday ideas for your husband, fiancé, or boyfriend, but aren’t quite ready for a trip, then you’ll LOVE my post on 30th Birthday Ideas for Him, where I surveyed and polled a ton of men to get REAL ideas and those that they’d absolutely love!

Thinking of planning an all-inclusive vacation for a special day? I’ve compiled all of my favorite tips for staying at an all-inclusive resort, that you DON’T want to miss, along with a Mexico packing list that will help you know what to take with you!