We celebrated our twins' third birthday with a retro, whimsical, neutral Toy Story theme and the 90s kid in me was so giddy. Read for Toy Story party ideas and Toy Story themed food ideas!
Read MoreFrom start to finish, here's how I bake sourdough bread each week. I've fallen in love with this hobby and have tried to make the process as simple and streamlined as possible!
Read MoreRecapping my favorite buys throughout the year – I had some specific items and categories I wanted to focus my shopping efforts on in 2023, and some unexpected wins too. Here’s what I loved the most!
Monica Vinader oval pendant + Amazon adjustable gold chain | after getting rid of a LOT of old/outdated jewelry (looking at you, Kendra Scott earrings), I was on the hunt for a few gold jewelry staples. This engraved oval necklace is my new everyday necklace and after searching high and low for a gold pendant I could do 3 lines of engraving on, I love how this one turned out. They include 2 sides of engraving, so I did our wedding year + the kids’ birth years in roman numerals on the front and home team on the back in script – it’s so special to me! With the 14-24” adjustable chain I can move it so the pendant hangs at just the right spot no matter what I’m wearing.
Brinker + Eliza heart necklace | I’ve loved this statement piece (stacks well too) – it would also be a great piece to engrave!
Julie Vos Savoy hoops | Became a big Julie Vos fan this past year. I’m eyeing more of her pieces but wide gold hoops like these had been on my wish list for a while and these fit the bill. Lightweight and good backings so they stay tight against your earlobe.
Joyspun t-shirt bra | A $13 Walmart find — no wires or seams but makes ‘em look alive without being a push-up. A winner!
Banana Republic wide-leg jeans | If you have wider hips/bigger thighs like me, these are worth a try. Not too tight, not too baggy. I got the black wash and this dark wash denim pair – love the raw hem and the pocket placement is perfect. (BR does come in Petite and Tall but I’m 5’10” and their talls are too long on me, FYI).
Revision Brightening face wash | Magic. It truly does brighten your complexion immediately! A little goes a long way – it took me several months to finish a bottle using this every single morning.
Alpyn BHA Liquid Exfoliator | Added this to my routine in the spring (a bottle will last you 6+ months) after reading the insanely good reviews and have zero regrets. It’s helped with texture and tone so much! I rotate between this and my beloved Luna Oil.
Merit makeup | I’d been wanting to try a cream based makeup routine and liked that Merit had cleaner ingredients, but I was impressed by how smoothly it glides on and how glowy it makes my skin look. I got the Minimalist (complexion corrector) in Bisque, Flush Balm (blush) in both Stockholm and Beverly Hills, Day Glow (highlighter) in Cava, Bronze Balm in Clay, Tinted Lip Oil in both Au Naturel and Jeté, and their brush. I wouldn’t put it in the longwear category, but for a daytime routine that looks incredible natural or a glowy, pigmented nighttime look, it’s worth a try!
THE tortoise sunglasses | These are all over Instagram but dangit, they’re a classic look and for $30, feel really nice. I got rid of every pair of sunglasses I owned except these and my favorite aviators from two years ago – they’re all I wear!
Let’s Love to Cook | I could not stop talking about Larson’s resources all year long because they truly have changed my life. Sounds dramatic but really, using her cookbooks has helped me to ENJOY cooking with confidence and not be intimidated by the process of making from-scratch, hearty, healthy meals for my family. Cooking with my kids became a regular thing in 2023 thanks to LLTC. And the pre-made meal plans and grocery lists are just a no-brainer. Can’t say enough good things!
Silpat reusable baking sheet | Eliminates the need for cooking spray, parchment paper, etc. With all the things I’ve been making and baking (see above) this was a must.
Label maker | A tiny but mighty winner for my home organization efforts in 2023. Works with an easy-to-use phone app.
Locket frame | As soon as I opened this frame, I immediately bought another one for another room. Gorgeous! Comes in antique gold too if that’s more your vibe.
Karaoke set | This thing is so fun! Has bluetooth so you can play any song from your phone, and it’ll turn down the artist’s voice so you can sing karaoke, or you can just play it like normal and sing along (comes with 2 mics). Our kids have loved it but it would make an awesome gift for any age or great to have if you’re throwing a party.
Tangle teezer brush | So good I bought two to have on hand. Frizzy + fine little girl hair has met its match.
Personalized dry erase board | I bet Steele wrote her name 487 times this past year thanks to this. Bought a few for gifting, too!
Raising Emotionally Strong Boys | One I’ll read again and again as the boys get older. So much wisdom and practical advice for all age groups (lots of validation and answers for moms of toddlers) but especially relevant for mamas of elementary-age boys. I really enjoyed this one.
Still loving everything on my 2022 list, too – there’s some good ones on there. I’d love to hear if you have any of these and love them as much as I do!
Another year, another book-themed birthday party for our boys. Last year, it was one of my favorites – this year, it was theirs! They’d been requesting to read every book from the Little Blue Truck series (we now own all of them) so much throughout the summer that we had to put them away for awhile (IYKYK). But when it was time to start planning, I knew they’d love a Little Blue Truck theme and knew it would be an easy one to DIY!
You can shop everything from this Little Blue Truck party all in one place HERE on LTK.
I found the sweetest watercolor Little Blue Truck invitation template on Etsy, along with matching milestone posters that I thought would be cute to hang and let guests read a little spotlight on each of our boys. Both templates were super easy to edit online and I had everything printed at Office Depot. Click below to shop Little Blue Truck party invitations and designs!
I’m a sucker for some punny party food labels, so for our Little Blue Truck themed party food, we served:
–Cow patties (chocolate cookies)
–Truck tires (Oreos)
–Hay bales (Rice Krispie treats)
–Chicken feed (Chex mix)
–Pitchforks & shovels (forks & spoons)
–Fresh produce (fruit tray and burger fixin’s)
and a fillin’ station (drinks).
I saw the dump truck full of chips idea on Pinterest – a little sticky tack rolled up in a ball held the bin at just the right angle and voila! And if you’re wondering why the dump truck – there’s a very grumpy dump truck that Little Blue Truck ends up befriending in the original story.
We ordered a lemon blueberry cake from a local baker (my husband’s idea – he said “lemon blue” for “Little Blue” just made sense lol) and I had her keep it simple on top so I could use a few of our farm animal toys as cake toppers. I love how it turned out!
The big hit of the party was a surprise we saved for after burgers and cake – our guest of honor! I thought it would be a long shot to find someone local with an old blue truck they’d be willing to bring over for the party, but knew if anyone had the connections to make it happen, it’d be my father-in-law. Sure enough, he knows a classic car enthusiast with the perfect “little blue truck” who was more than willing to drive it over from the next town for us for the afternoon. So kind of them.
The boys were starstruck – Shep was nervous to sit inside but Hayes was SO pumped. They got to go for a ride around the culdesac in the truck bed and “drive” in the driveway and had the biggest time. The adults enjoyed checking out the ‘58 Chevy, too!
Felt like this was a little glimpse into my future – I’ll need every bit of the 14 more years before they’re actually driving to mentally prepare!
Their personalized Little Blue Truck shirts were another Etsy find – the seller was so great to work with and I was really impressed with the quality of the design and the screen printing. I love that they’re not necessarily “birthday” shirts, and I sized up, so they’ll be able to wear them quite a bit! They also got these Little Blue Truck pajamas – such a hit.
Such a sweet day celebrating our big two-year-olds with family and friends. Time sure has flown with these boys and the days only get more fun! We love you, brothers!
Keeping things organized is just part of my nature. Always has been. Keeping things clean… not so much. I’ve never cared as much about cleanliness as I have about edited and simplified spaces, but as a mom with three little ones and a big dog running around creating messes all day long, clean is a higher priority now.
Of course we have our daily cleaning routines — running the dishwasher, doing a load of laundry, sweeping, wiping down surfaces. Other tasks I’ll do as needed - vacuuming, cleaning toilets, etc. But when it’s time for a deep clean – when I want things to feel CLEAN clean, I’ll set aside a bigger chunk of time. I’d rather clean a space from top to bottom all the way than doing a little bit here and there.
I was inspired by Francie Outlaw to create a set of deep cleaning lists for our home. When she first shared hers, admittedly, I didn’t get the hype. I thought “Who needs a checklist for cleaning? Just clean!” But the more she shared them, I got on board and appreciated having a checklist for each area of our home to make sure I’m really being thorough and not forgetting anything.
While she has physical notecards, I realized I prefer the lists as a Note/checklist on my phone, so I can mark things off as I go, easily add a notation for when that particular deep clean was last done, and I don’t have to worry about cards getting dirty. Plus, I can edit the lists as needed, as our kids grow and things look different, and as the items in our home change. So far it’s worked great!
For my lists, I grouped certain spaces if it made sense to knock them out together. From start to finish, each area takes about 1-2 hours and I’ll complete them as needed. I’ve made it a goal to get through the entire list a few times a year: early summer, pre-holidays, and hopefully once more. Feel free to copy these lists and tweak to make your own set!
clean sink + bar keepers friend
clean window + lights + mirror + decor
clean shower
clean toilet
disinfect tub
disinfect counters
wipe down cabinets
wipe out drawers
baseboards
empty trash + clean trash can
sweep + mop
wash bath mat
wash linens
refill soap
inventory
wash sheets + pillowcases + duvet cover
all dirty clothes in hampers
dust furniture + fan + shoe shelves
wipe down decor + TV + mirror
clean windows
clean under furniture
vacuum curtains
baseboards
tidy dresser + nightstand drawers
make bed
sweep + mop
dust shelf + decor
tidy cabinets + inventory
wipe down washer + dryer
clean inside washer + lint trap
clean window
clean toilet + stool
clean sink + bar keepers friend
refill soap
wipe counters + decor + mirror
baseboards
empty trash
sweep + mop
iron clothes
clean appliances inside + out
purge + wipe out fridge
dust all lights
clean + disinfect sink
soak silverware
wipe down coffee area + refill machine
refill canisters
refill soaps + clean soap dispenser
refill centerpiece candles
clean windows + blinds
clean trashcans
wipe out drawers + cabinets
wipe down cabinets + backsplash
tidy + disinfect countertops
wipe down table, chairs, buffet + decor
disinfect booster seats
wipe pantry shelves + inventory
wash linens
baseboards
sweep + mop
tidy + rotate toys
wash pillow covers + blankets
wipe down coffee table
dust lamp, decor, mantle, tv
wipe down picture frames
clean + vacuum out fireplace
clean windows + blinds
vacuum curtains
vacuum couch + under cushions
clean + sweep under couches
sweep stairs
sweep coat closet, tidy + wipe down shelves
baseboards
sweep + vacuum + mop floors
wash Ruggable
wash linens + make beds
tidy bookshelves + baskets
dust furniture + decor
dust fans + lights
clean under furniture
tidy closets + dust shelves
baseboards
vacuum drapes
clean windows + blinds
vacuum floors
empty + clean vacuum
sweep upstairs hallway
dust hallway frames + windowsill
clean sink + bar keepers friend
disinfect bathtub + tidy toys
disinfect non-slip mat in tub
clean toilet
dust lights
wipe down counters, mirror, decor
wipe cabinets
wipe out drawers
refill soap
baseboards
empty trash
vacuum rug
sweep + mop
wash linens
inventory
tidy toys
rotate seasonal things to/from attic
tidy + wipe down counters + cabinets
wipe down workout bench
wipe freezer + fridge inside and out
put donations in car
break down boxes + take out trash
inventory
sweep floors
leaf blow
pick up dog poop
wipe down chairs
clean windows
clean grill
shake out and sweep around door mats
sweep porch + patio
sweep doorframes + cobwebs
clean dog bowls
disinfect patio table
wipe down tv
water plants
A quick note on cleaning products — at the beginning of 2024, I started fresh with all new cleaning products. We now use Branch Basics for everyday cleaning, wiping surfaces, etc., and Force of Nature as our disinfectant. Both are completely non-toxic and fragrance-free, and I’ve been so impressed with their effectiveness. The Force of Nature link above will get you 40% off and earns me extra capsules for sharing. I recommend the Year’s Supply — it’s a really great value and should last you closer to 2 years or more!
Hopefully this was helpful to you, even just to articulate what exactly it takes do a true reset in each area of your home when it comes to cleaning. Whether you’re frequently hosting or in the thick of motherhood with young kids, it feels good to know that even as the daily messes pile up, your home functions at a baseline of cleanliness, with an extra fresh slate when you need it.
