I will be the first to say that none of our boys are truly wanting anything this holiday season (still too young).  Below is a list of items we came up with for under the tree.  We broke it down into five categories.

Want

 Need 

Wear

Books

Local memberships & activities

We also share our big secret on how to score those big ticket items for less!

WANT -bring on all the toys

Picasotiles: We discovered these from our daycare and currently have two sets because our boys CANNOT get enough of them! Seriously worth every penny! This is the set we have at home but these seem like a better deal with great reviews.

Tumble Train: If your little is usually bouncing off the walls and loves trains add this to your cart! Plus it is under $15.

My parents have always said that you will not remember the gifts we give, but the memories of family traditions will last us a lifetime.  My boys are just now getting old enough to start a few fun family Christmas traditions.  One of them being early morning breakfast along with opening stockings.  This year I decided to make a classic country club breakfast casserole to enjoy while opening stockings at the table.

With Great Midwest® flavored Cheddar and Jack Cheeses, you can let these Wisconsin-made, artisan cheeses inspire you to think outside the box.

• Hand-crafted in small batches, using only the purest, certified hormone-free milk for a smooth, natural flavor worthy of any dish.

Before kids, I used to spend hours at the gym doing mostly cardio and a few weights.  Now my mind set has changed, and I realize if I want to workout it’s got to be quick and efficient.  Being a mom is hard, messy, stressful, busy, and AMAZING all at the same time.  Working out for me has always been my HAPPY medicine.  It’s where I can listen to kid my music and not get told to play the itsy-bitsy spider for the 10th time.  After my first was born, I found it hard to leave the home (more on that later) but knew I needed something to get my endorphins pumping.  I began searching the internet for workouts that I could do at home while the littles napped.  They only equipment you’ll need for some of these exercises is a yoga mat, mini ball and free weights (3-5-8lbs).  Below are some of my absolute favorite 10-minute workouts that will leave you sore and satisfied!

• Popsugar Instant Booty Burn– great tush toning workout

It’s time to layer up ladies, so today we are bringing you all our favorite vests! One thing we love about vests is that they never go out of style and you can continue to wear them year after year!

I cannot get enough of all the olive green & camo right now! I snagged a similar vest last year (at Sam’s Club ha) This one is only $24.00 and the cinched waist is perfection!

The Patagonia Los Gatos Vest is one of my favs its so soft & warm. Plus it come in two other colors!

It’s Friday after work at 5 o’clock, you walk through the door with screaming children and your hubby looks at you and says, “Oh btw I invited a few friends over to watch the game and they will be here in an hour!”

Well stress no more because this quick easy feta dip can be prepared in minutes and is a huge crowd pleaser.

Ingredients

• about 1/3 cup of olive oil
• 3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 4-5 green onions, sliced thin
• 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 2-3 teaspoons Cavender’s Greek Seasoning
• fresh baguette, sliced thinly
• drizzle with balsamic vinegar before serving

It’s hard to believe that my youngest turned two a few months ago.  When it comes to party planning I love to think of fun creative ways to celebrate.  Parker loves all things Mickey so I decided why not throw a Mickey Mouse 2nd birthday party!  We generally keep it small by just inviting family and a few friends.  As soon as I figured out the theme, I was on it to find invites.  Below is the invitation I sent out found on Etsy.

Its that time of year to put on your fav booties, vest and snuggle up by the fire with some apple cider.  I am always looking for something fun to bring to parties and this year its going to be fall cider!  While taste testing I came up with 3 different variations you can try. They are each only two ingredients so they are super easy!

Halloween is right around the corner and we couldn’t be more excited!  We’ve rounded up some of our favorite goodies to hand out to your trick-or-treaters, at trunk-or-treat, or to bring to school.  These won’t give the kiddos such a sugar rush.  Plus they are all allergy safe for those of you that want to put out your teal pumpkin.

But who are we kidding, it will be healthier stuff for the parents to eat because we are usually the ones eating all of their candy!  Any other parents with me on this?

Halloween Bubbles – I don’t know any child that doesn’t love bubbles.  These party size bubbles would be perfect to handout. 

Stickers– Add these fun Halloween stickers to any goody bag for a sugar free treat!

We tried on everything at Target last week to bring you our favs since this BOGO event is too good to pass up!

We love the longer length on this plus the lace up detail in the back- this pretty much screams cool and casual!

If you read our holiday book guide then you already know, we are book obsessed!

Every birthday, shower, and celebration you think, “What can I buy that they do NOT already have?”  The answer: MORE books!  My boys love reading together every night before bed.  It’s a great chance for us to sit together and wind down before the end of the night.

Save your money on cards and give a book instead. Write a note inside to make it extra special!

UNDER 1

Yes, you can start reading to your little ones at any age.

Where is Baby’s Belly Button? -This book is a quick read with big easy flips that my sons loved. Karen Kratz has a few other similar books that are so cute too!

Peekaboo Sophie- I have yet to meet a child that doesn’t own a Sophie or like to play peekaboo!  Why not read about it.  This book allows babies to lift fun flaps and reveal what’s behind.

Love You Forever- This book.  Amazing and a classic but don’t attempt to read without tissues close at hand.

Everything is Mama Even if we bought the dada version- Your Babys First Words Will be Dadda– first this one is going on our list!  Its just as funny and by Jimmy Fallon!