I've Been Shopping (Target & Amazon)

I've been doing a little shopping for Valentine's Day as well as just for a few other things so I thought I'd share some finds with you.
  

The dollar Spot at my local Target is hit or miss, but I did fairly well this week. I found this hot cocoa sign along with these sweet dishtowels..both around $3.00.
 

The mug was not in the dollar section but it was only $4.00.

   My oldest son is studying in Illinois and I plan on sending him some homemade treats for Valentine's Day. These tins are perfect for the goodies. Again..dollar spot find. $3.00 each.
   

We can't go to Target without picking up some snacks. These pretzels are always a favorite in my house. I always buy them around Halloween when they are shaped like bats and pumpkins. Found these cute X and O shapes that I couldn't pass up.
  

My son Mikey loves lollipops and gummies so these fit the bill. I try not to buy them often(we want to avoid cavities), but for Valentine's Day, I'll make an exception. The fact that they are organic is just an added bonus.
   

I also did a little Amazon shopping this week. I saw these bags on this blog and thought they were adorable. They make great snack or lunch bags for little ones, but I think I am going to use them to leave sweet surprise treats around the house for my boys. So cute!
 

Using a lot of plastic is always a concern for me so when I saw these recyclable bags, I ordered a box. They are self adhesive, made of glassine and aren't bad for the environment. Did I mention how cute they are? They come in different designs and are made by the lunchskins company.
  

We love hot cocoa around here, so when I read about  this snowman from Kate Weiser chocolates, I had to get it.  I bought one for the boys for Christmas, but since I shared it on my instagram page, so many people have asked about it. I'm sharing the link for anyone interested. It is a bit pricey, which is why I gave it as a special gift, but it was definitely fun and delicious. If you enjoy real,dark, rich cocoa, then you will like it .
 

Well, those are a few of my recent finds.If you are dealing with frigid temperatures,please stay safe and warm! Don't forget about elderly neighbors and outdoor animals!

Houseplants For a Healthy Home Environment

January is typically the month when my son and I start planning our spring vegetable garden. We pick out and order any seeds we might need and decide what will be planted where. Gardening is a hobby we started quite a few years ago, and it has just grown into a wonderful thing for our entire family. Along with our outdoor garden, we started purchasing a variety of houseplants as well .Today, I want to share some information about them and why having them in your home is a great idea.

   Houseplants are a wonderful way to improve your home environment. Not only do they look nice and add to the decor of a home, they serve an important purpose as well. Many plants actually improve air quality. This is extremely important during the winter months when our windows are shut throughout most of the country.  They absorb gases through both the leaves and roots, which is called phytoremediation. Without getting too scientific, they can help in the removal of some toxins from the air. Now, houseplants certainly aren't going to completely transform the air quality in your home, but they help a bit and can improve health in other ways. Caring for plants has been shown to lower stress levels, make people happier,and have a positive effect on moods overall. In fact, some studies have suggested that  that the smell of soil may ease some symptoms of depression.

   I've compiled a list of plants for you that are considered healthy for the home environment.

Golden Pothos:

Spider

Snake Plant

Philodendron

Boston Fern

Dracaena

Peace Lily

Rubber Plant

Fiddle Leaf Fern(not to be confused with fiddle head ferns)

Garden Mums

Aloe

Garden Mums are considered one of the best air purifying plants, and the Fiddle Leaf Fern is all the rage right now. These are just a few common houseplants that can easily be found at your local nursery or even on Amazon. With the exception of the Boston Fern,which can be tricky to grow, these plants do not require a tremendous amount of time or care, but can add both beauty and benefits to your home.    Many people claim they do not have a green thumb, but I promise you can grow some of these. A little care goes a long way. Don't be afraid to try ...you will be happy you did! The addition of plants to your home is a great way to start the New Year!
   

Christmas

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Maybe it is just me, but I feel as if Christmas came and went quickly this year! It was a quiet one for us, with a few visits from friends and relatives,which was very nice. Today I am sharing a little bit of our holiday and favorite goodies with you.

   Earlier in the week I went to Costco and picked up these beautiful floral arrangements.

 

 I also stopped by our favorite bakery to pick up a few things, including these bell shaped gumdrops that my boys love. I set them out with some flameless candles and candy shaped ornaments  on my new tray( a gift) from Hearth and Hand.

Christmas Eve was a day filled with baking and eating.Naturally,cookies were on the menu.I made quite a variety of treats because I was assembling platters to give as gifts.Here are a few of them..

 Wreath cookies about to go in the oven.

Peppermint sticks

A cookie board for us to nibble on.

Lights,mittens and assorted goodies.

I had to stop myself from eating these crackers from Trader Joe's while I was baking...so addictive! Fortunately, they are a seasonal item, so now I won't need any will power when I go shopping.

These seasonal themed ice-cream flavors from ecreamery were a hit in our house as well.

When it comes to giving gifts, I always try to find something fun and different and I love to give edible gifts..This year, I gave my son Timmy this gift from Butter, Love and Hardwork in Beverly Hills. It was a bit of a splurge to say the least, but he never really asks for anything and he loves all things gingerbread.It was made of chocolate and came with a mallet to smash it open. Inside were gumballs,peppermint candies and handmade truffles. He and my son Sean had fun smashing and eating it. One thing to note..when I originally ordered,I received one that was scratched and broken. When I contacted the company, they sent me another immediately . The customer service was excellent!
 

It was a nice, quiet night, filled with family,sweets and loads of gift wrapping! My only complaint was that it was over in no time at all. I hope you enjoyed your holiday as well!

Gift Wrap and Tags

 

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is all of the pretty gift wrap. I love to wrap a gift beautifully..I think it really lets the recipient know you took the time to present him/her with something special. I have a hard time resisting all of the pretty papers,tags and ribbon! Today,I wanted to share a few of my favorites with you.
   I'm the girl that likes all of her gift wrapping items to match. I also try to match the wrap with the person I am giving the gift to..for example, if that person is a dog lover, I try to go with that theme. This year, I found the cutest tags on Etsy . You have to visit this shop..such  beautiful tags and cards. I plan to go back and purchase more to put away for next year! Here are a few of the tags in my new favorite shop..
   I purchased the reindeer tags for all of the little ones in my life .

These lab tags are perfect for my dog loving sister and my son.

These sleigh tags add just the perfect touch of nostalgia to any gift.

Who doesn't love a red truck at Christmas?

Little girls would likely love these kitten tags.

Visit  and see all of the beautiful items she has available for all holidays! Love this shop!

I also love festive gift wrap. Every year, for many years, I've ordered wrapping paper from Current,and have always been happy with the quality of the paper as well as the price point. It is definitely my go to for gift wrap, and they have an assortment of other seasonal items as well, such as coordinating tags,ribbon and cards. They have great sales after Christmas,so be sure to check that out.

Every so often, I splurge a little bit on fancy paper. This year is no exception. I found this gorgeous paper by Caspari on Amazon.

This paper is from Jenni. The quality is excellent, and it comes in sheets rolled up in a tube. It is a bit more expensive,so I save it for those extra special gifts. The matching tags bring it all together.
I'm really loving this nutcracker/gingerbread paper. I tend to favor all things red,white and green around the holidays,but this pink is a nice change.So sweet.

The trees and trains are beautiful as well. I'm definitely a fan.

I hope this helps a bit if you are still looking for gift wrap essentials or plan to purchase some on sale after Christmas.I will share more of my wrapped gifts before the holidays. Enjoy your day!

Holiday Happenings

In my mind, Halloween was yesterday, so the fact that Christmas is 10 days away has me a little stressed. I've finished a good portion of my shopping, started meal planning and have wrapped most of what I've purchased, so that is good,but it feels as if the past few weeks have flown by! I've slowed down on my baking orders this year in an effort to focus more on the boys and the actual holiday. Here is a bit of what we've been up to this month.
   My son Sean wanted to see the new Grinch movie,and I happily tagged along. It really was sweet and we definitely enjoyed our evening out together. He insisted we go to IHOP for Grinch pancakes, and I obliged. He ate,I watched him eat..haha. Since that day, we have been on a Grinch pancake kick at home.My favorite buttermilk pancake recipe,a little green food coloring, topped with a cream cheese frosting and some fresh whipped cream. It makes him happy, so why not? If all of that is too much for you, try my apple cinnamon pancakes recipe,topped with just a little whipped cream or simply syrup. You'll love them.

Sean and I also spent a nice afternoon together enjoying a local production of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Special moments with one of my boys.
  

One evening, a local cooking school was hosting a gingerbread decorating party. Timmy and I happily went,and had a great time together decorating our house. He loves all things gingerbread, so this was a perfect night out for him, and he wore his pajamas, so it really doesn't get better than that.
 

We also spent an afternoon visiting Dee's Nursery. It's a great place, filled with plants ,all things Christmas,holiday treats and their own dogs ,which my son Timmy loves. We were greeted by this fine gentleman playing a variety of carols near the entrance.We spent some time wandering around enjoying all of the decor and petting the pups.
 

Speaking of pups, if you follow me on instagram, then you know our dog Gigi has a love affair going on with the dog Doc who lives across the street. It seemed only fitting to buy them matching dog bone ornaments for Christmas this year. Doc's family sent me a picture of theirs...so cute. I purchased them here.
  

I also gave a way one of the signs from our Etsy shop to a great lady!Giveaways are always fun!
  

I've been decorating a few cookies when I have the time. I found this design on the Semi Sweet Mike Design page website and ordered the cookie cutters to make this Santa scene. I love it! I made five sets and sent them out as gifts, along with some other goodies.
 

I also made some of my favorite Chocolate Chip Madeleines to give to one of my husband's co-workers. Trying to spread some holiday cheer!
  

Well, that is it for today. Check back in this week for gift wrapping ideas,ornament collection and more Christmas fun! Enjoy your weekend!