My little Emily turned 1 on Saturday! Her party could not have been more perfect.  We celebrated with a few close friends and family and the birthday girl reveled in all the attention.  Her party colors were pink and gold accented with florals.  The decor came out just as I imagined. (Thank goodness).  Time truly flies once you have children.  I still remember the moment(like it was yesterday) it was confirmed that we were expecting a girl.  We literally could not stop smiling. The boys were being babysat by my in laws while we attended the ultrasound.  We struggled to keep a poker face intact when picking them up because we weren't going to announce it until the reveal party! We managed to keep the secret and everyone was ecstatic when the cake was cut to reveal a pink filling.  She is the first girl on my Dad's side of the family.  The ratio of boys to girls across both sides of the family is dramatic.(Very few girls).  Which was the opposite when I was growing up.  It was mainly girls and only a few boy cousins.  I remember waking up the first morning feeling like I was in a dream. We feel so lucky to have been blessed with such wonderful children! The boys are fantastic big brothers to Emily.  

Every girl needs a 1st birthday tiara and sash! 

Purchased at Marshalls.

This made for some memorable pictures! She did not try to remove her crown once!(because she is a queen)lol I put it on and she just smiled. She actually carried the wand for a while too!

Daddy's Girl ♥

Pink sassy straws

home made Kate spade inspired confetti

Gold confetti garland

(Gold circles punched out of paper sewn together.(By my lovely grandmother!)

Rose cakes

Gold mason jar holder

Smash cake!

Pink ombre cake ♥

BTW the roses on the cake are not real(Everyone at the party thought they were!)

I'm so grateful everything went as planned! Then again I did take a whole week off beforehand to prepare. lol

♥

Valentines' day favorites!

Here are some of my favorite picks to celebrate Valentine's Day, from romantic clothing styles, to home decor. I love Valentine's day mostly for all the heart inspired products that are available.  I am a sucker for anything with hearts!

This looks super cozy. Leggings and a sweater/ tunic are my winter go to.

Super cute lace skirt from Free People.

Pretty pink lace dress

Lace LBD!

Adorable heart print by Made By Girl

Would be perfection in a little girl's room, or a pop of pink for a gallery wall.

Another sweet print by Made By Girl.

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Foil gold heart pillow

(I am dying to own this one day!)

Girly floor bin for play room storage! Bins are the best for quick clean-ups.

I am obsessed with these garlands from Land of Nod.  They are such a fun way to add a whimsical touch to  room.  I have a multicolored one draped over our teepee in the kid's play room.  Every time the Land of Nod catalog arrives I swoon over everything!  I am in love with every item I've ever purchased there for the boys.

Have any big Valentines's day plans? Share in a comment  ♥

Motivational Monday!

So Be Kind

♥

Pretty in PINK Pants!

 Why do I not own pink pants yet? 

I am in love with this look(and Lauren Conrad)!
I'm also a sucker for nude shoes, and her dainty pearl bracelet = perfection.

I am majorly influenced by her style.  It is the perfect mix of chic, feminine and classy.

I firmly believe every girl should own a bright pink bottom of some sort.

Whether is be pants, a skirt, or shorts.  It is a girly girl closet essential.   

Here's a cute pair by J. CREW

Better yet they are on sale!
They would be great to own in time for Valentines day, and would carry well right into Spring!

The queen wearing her pink pants!

Who btw is turning ONE on Saturday!! Which means there will be some fab DIY party decor posts on the way!  Her party colors are pink and gold (accented with florals).  Girl parties are way too fun to plan!  

 ♥

little doll

Every girl should own pink pants!

soon to be birthday princess

Oriental chicken salad!

The easiest oriental chicken salad you will ever make! (Inspired by Applebees)

This salad is superb!  It is wonderful for lunch, but also substantial enough for dinner.  I love how super simple it is to throw together.  All you need is:

Chopped lettuce, a bag of pre-done coleslaw, chopped sweet onion, crispy chow mein noodles(I used La Choy), Perdue breaded chicken strips (found in the refrigerated section).  To finish the salad you will need Kraft's creamy poppy seed dressing.

I use about two parts chopped lettuce to one part coleslaw mix. Then I add in the onion and sprinkle the chow mein noodles over top.  Last I lay on the sliced chicken strips(I used the whole grain version.)  Complete the salad by drizzling with your poppy seed dressing and Enjoy!

As the warmer months approach I am always on the look out for salads and lighter recipes, so feel free to share any of your favorites! 

Happy Tuesday!

Motivational Monday!

It absolutely does

When all else fails...

 ♥

Honey barbecue chicken salad!

Honey barbecue crock pot chicken salad!

This is one of my favorite salads to prepare for lunch(and dinner!).  The barbecue sauce, cheese and tomato provide enough flavor to allow you to skip the dressing, but it is heavenly with ranch! I always use this scrumptious recipe from stick a forkinit.blogspot to make my barbecue chicken in my crock pot.

It is the best BBQ chicken recipe I have ever used. I make it often and my boys love it which solidifies it as a staple meal in our home!(They are some finicky children if I may add)

You will need:

For the chicken

One bottle sweet baby ray's Honey BBQ sauce

4-6 boneless chicken breasts

1/4 C vinegar

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 C brown sugar

1 tsp garlic powder

Whisk the sauce ingredients together. Place your chicken in your crock pot coat with sauce and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

For the salad I used a combination of romaine lettuce, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, chopped fresh tomato, sliced sweet onion and topped it off with chopped up honey barbecue chicken.  

I prefer to serve the chicken over the salad while it is warm.

It is delish with ranch dressing, so make sure you try it that way!

What are some of your family's favorite meals?

Kid friendly meal suggestions are always welcome around here. : )