Currently

I've been inspired by all the "currently" post I've seen lately, 
so after weeks of wanting to join in, I decided to finally do one of my own!

Currently | 09.30.14

Watching | Modern Family from last Wednesday.
(Thank you DVR for keeping this in a safe place 
so we could finally watch it after our little man fell asleep.)

Reading | the Hunger Games, Mocking Jay.
I'm obsessed with the first two books AND movies,
however I'm not only behind on TV- but reading as well. 
I'm taking a week to start AND finish Mocking Jay so I can finally watch the trailer 
and start counting down the days until part one comes out.
*SO NO SPOILERS PLEASE & THANK YOU*

Listening To | Pandora's Toddler Radio 
I really try to limit the amount of TV I let my little one watch, so for most of the day
we have Toddler Radio streaming on Pandora.
Some days after I get him down for a nap, it will be a good 20 minutes before I 
realize I am still listening to "If Your Happy & You Know It."
So either I really enjoy the music, or it makes me so crazy I just tune it out. 
I still haven't decided which one it is. :)

Working On | The Simply Sweet Prints Holiday Collection.
It's no secret that I am absolutely obsessed with Christmas, 
so I am over the top excited about my first collection of Holiday Cards. 
I'm just starting to make notes of what direction I want to go, and hope to 
launch the collection towards the end of October. 

Feeling | Stressed. In almost every aspect of my life right now. 
I'm just trying to keep my head on straight and be thankful for the things that I do have, 
and know that everything happens for a reason.

Planning | With my little man's (gasp) second birthday party just a couple months
away I'm already in planning mode. 
Right now I'm focusing on the invitation and decorations.
I seriously can't believe he is going to be two. It's weird even typing that.
With a few breakdowns the week before his first birthday, 
the day of I was able to keep my mama composure together.
Fingers crossed for year two! 

Loving | It is officially fall, and the weather in AZ is finally starting to cool off.
Well, at least in the early mornings and evenings. 
I'll take what I can get for now. :) 

My Favorite Photo | My favorite little man, in mama's favorite jammies.
(Can he please stay this size for the rest of his life!) 

New & New

Before we get the weekend started,

I wanted to share two new additions to the Simply Sweet shop.

The first  new addition is the "Gold Glitter Birth Announcement".

It's been forever since I've added a new announcement, 

so I was so excited to work on this one. 

It's so easy to get inspired when you have the most adorable little models!

And the second addition, a new wall art print. 

Anyone that knows me, knows that I am a huge fan of the Beatles,

so this "Love Is You" wall art print is one of my favorites.

I knew I wanted to keep this print simple,

I think it's such a short but powerful message. 

And how perfect is this for a gallery wall or your bedroom?!

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts below. :)

I hope everyone has the best weekend, 

see you all in a couple days for Simple Things Sunday! :) 

Michelle Dwight Designs

I'm so excited to share this post with y'all today.

I have been drooling over the pillow covers over at 

Michelle Dwight Designs

for some time now. 

Seriously. They are so unique and fun!
Here are just a couple of my favorites.

If you've never visited her Etsy shop,
you are definitely going to want to head on over.

Michelle Dwight Designs provides you with 

"fun and modern home decor and accessories."

She not only offers pillow covers but screen prints

 

& hats! 

And let's stop here for just a second to talk about

these holiday pillow covers! 

I'm just throwing it out there.

I'm obsessed with Christmas. Like in a kinda crazy way.

So these holiday pillow covers were literally love at first sight.

I am in love with each and every one of them. Seriously.

What a great way to add a touch of the holidays to a couch, entry way, or bedroom.

I was beyond excited to get a few of Michelle Dwight Designs brand new baby products 

in the mail and could not wait to share!

Let's start with this ADORABLE pillow cover that is absolutely

perfect for your little ladies room.

It not only works great in a nursery, 

but how perfect is this for a teenager girls room?!

This is definitely a great item that she can use throughout the years.

(Just in case you needed to justify purchasing one, your welcome!) 

Okay, now as cute as the pillow cover is, 

I could not even handle these next two items when I saw them!

Please tell me these are not the most adorable toddler hats you've ever seen!

Now, just in case you are going to try to disagree with me, 

let's let my handsome little model show you just how cute they look on! 

I was beyond impressed with the quality of these products,

and I will definitely be a customer in the future. 

We can not thank Michelle Dwight Designs enough, 

Jackson absolutely adores his hat, and so do we!

Now for the best part, 

for all you mama's with little ladies, 

I'm giving away the "It's all about me" pillow cover

AND the pink "Every Day I'm Husting" hat!

(For size reference, my son is 21 months and the hat fits him perfect,

and the back of the hat is elastic, so there is room to grow!)

This is a short and sweet Instagram giveaway.

The Little Lady Giveaway will run 09/25-09/28 (midnight).

Winner will be announced Monday morning, 09/30.

Winner will receive both pillow cover and hat. 

To enter visit and like the Simply Sweet Prints Instagram page HERE

you will need to like both Simply Sweet Prints & Michelle Dwight on Instagram

THEN

Share the above image tagging #littleladygiveaway

You can enter once, daily. 

Good luck! :)  

Baby Book Review #003

I can't believe this is already the third week, 

and the third book I'm sharing.

Thank you all for stopping by again! 

So, this book, of course, is another one I absolutely love.

I had never heard of this book prior to seeing it,

 but the second I stumbled upon it at Pottery Barn, 

I knew it was a keeper. 

This week I want to share

I'll See You In The Morning

Written By: Mike Jolley

Illustrated By: Mique Mariuchi 

(Yet another book where I absolutely adore the illustrations!) 

This is such a perfect book to read to your little one while getting ready for bedtime,

I read it to my son while he drinks his bottle, before his official bed time story.

I think it delivers such a sweet and gentle message about falling asleep at night.

It also reassures your little one

that there is nothing to be afraid of once the night gets dark,

and that you are always there if they need you.

This book starts off letting your little one know that it is time to go to sleep

but that "I will stay and watch a while, till you are counting sheep."

(One of the lines that makes my mama heart melt.)

I love this line, because I still rock my son to sleep nightly, 

so this is a very true message in our home!

I know as my son grows older and more aware of the world around him, 

there will be times he will be afraid at night

and may not want to go to sleep. 

This book reassures them that there is nothing to worry about, 

and that the 

"night is just a blanket, that helps the earth to sleep."

 

It lets them know that it is okay for them to relax and close their eyes, 

and that "you'll see them in the morning, in the light of the sun."

However, my absolute favorite part of this book is below. 

"I'll be here if you need me, I'm only steps away"

Due to not being a "cry it out mom"

my son definitely knows that if he wakes and needs me,

I am there. 

Yes, I am aware that is most likely why he is not consistently sleeping 

through the night, 

but it works for us, and our family, and I love it. 

I'll See You In The Morning ends in a perfect way with 

"Good night, Sleep tight,

I'll see you in the morning."

This book is described as a 

"kiss and a hug goodnight" and I think it is just that!

Does your little one have this book in their collection?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

&
If you missed out on the first two Baby Book Reviews 
you can find them here & here!

Simply Sweet Prints | Giveaway

Today is the last day for the Simply Sweet Prints Giveaway

that Lisa is hosting over at Stilettos and Diaper Bags. 

I am giving away two wall art prints (of your choice) to one of her readers,

and I don't want you to miss out! 

I started making wall art prints because I am obsessed with 

quotes, positive messages, cute sayings for your little one

and what a better way to display them! 

Simply Sweet Wall Art prints are very versatile. (I promise!) 

They are super adorable in your little one's nursery, bedroom, or playroom

OR you can use them as some sweet inspiration for your home office

or gallery wall. 

Not to mention they also make a great personalized gift! 

You can view all Wall Art Prints in the Simply Sweet Shop! 

(& I'd love to hear your thoughts, and which one you like best!)

___________________________________________________

Today is the last day to enter, 

so head on over to Stilettos and Diaper Bags

by clicking on the link below.

ENTER HERE

___________________________________________________

Review: Citrus Lane / September

Citrus Lane did it again this month.

I was beyond impressed with the quality of the products we received,

and although there wasn't much in the way of toys for my little man, 

it was a home run in my book! 

Our box for September

Long-Sleeved Graphic Tee from Tea Collection $24.50

Links 3D Foam Bath Pieces from Boon $11.99

Adhesive Bandages from Ouchies Jr. $5.00

Snack Bag from Bumkins $4.95

I'm going to start off with my absolute favorite item this month. 

My little man's brand new Tea Collection shirt. 

The Tea Collection is 

"Globally inspired children's clothes, for little citizens of the world."

So each shirt from the Tea Collection is inspired by the designer's

travels around the world.

Seriously... How fun is that?! 

We received the Baumhaus shirt.

"Baumhaus (bow-m-house) means "tree house."

This graphic is inspired by the story of a tree house in Berlin

that was built out of garbage, but is now a garden center for kids."

A cute little story to go along with each shirt, yes please! :)

And yes, fall is officially here as of tomorrow.

However it's still hitting 100 here in Arizona. 

This shirt came in a size "2" and I am so thankful.

I already tried it on my little man 

and it is going to be a PERFECT fit for the winter. 

This is one of the softest shirts in my son's wardrobe, and also one of the cutest. 

I mean seriously, look at the detail. :) 

Next, we got the Mickey Mouse snack bag from Bumkins. 

We have a couple waterproof bibs from bumpkins and I absolutely love them,

so I was super excited to get this in our box. 

Bumpkins snack bags are reusable bags made from a waterproof fabric

 which makes them super easy to clean, just like their bibs.

They are machine washable and dishwasher safe

(although I've yet to find a reason where I'd want to throw it in the dishwasher!)

They are also eco-friendly and a GREAT 

alternative to plastic bags.

Not only does my son love Mickey Mouse but he is just months away from his 

very first peanut butter and jelly...

which I'm already assuming he'll love,

(waiting on the two year introduction to peanuts) 

and just how perfect is this large snack bag for a delicious sandwich on the go!

I was also very excited about the next product we got, 

the Links 3D Foam Bath Pieces from Boon. 

About a year ago, we received the Dive Bath Appliques from Boon

and they are one of my son's favorite bath toys.

So I was so excited to see these new Bath Appliques, but with a twist.

These Links 3D Foam Pieces fit together

to create five different sea animals

which is not only fun, 

but also makes this product great for problem solving and motor skill development.

An added bonus:

Boon products don't absorb water (really!) 

so there is no chance of mold or mildew buildup (great news to any mama!) 

And last, we received a lead-free tin filled with some adorable bandages

from Ouchies Jr.

This tin came with 20 bandages, and although they are not 

Mickey Mouse, or Thomas The Train, 

I'm sure if my son got hurt and needed one, he would absolutely 

not complain about having to use one of these.

I didn't open any of them, because let's be honest

I have a little boy, wasting bandaids is not something I want to be doing

but judging by the tin, they are super adorable, colorful, and fun.

I will definitely be keeping in the diaper bag just in case! 

Summary:

Monthly Box Subscripton Cost: $25.00*

(locked in rate, subscriptions are now $29.00)

(Approximate) September Box Value: $46.44

This was the second month in a row that I was very happy 

with my box, and that hasn't happened for quite some time. 

I came out ahead by $21.44 and loved each and every item.

And in the almost two years since I've been a Citrus Lane member,

we received an item of clothing, which I absolutely loved

and hope they add more items like these in the future.

I look forward to being a continued member of Citrus Lane, 

and can't wait for the next months ahead!

This post was not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.

Simply Sweet Halloween Collection

With Halloween being just about a month and a half away

I wanted to share another new addition to the Simply Sweet Halloween Collection. 

I'm a huge fan of black and white stripes with a pop of color, 

as well as simply stated designs.

This card gives you both!

I know not everyone sends out cards for Halloween, especially with the cost of

bigger holidays around the corner.

But that is the great thing about Simply Sweet Prints

all orders are for a high resolution digital file, which is perfect for 

emailing to friends and family as well.

A great way to send a personalized greeting on a budget! 

Here are the three other cards in the Halloween Collection.

I'd love to know your thoughts! Which one is your favorite?

Simply Sweet Prints | Halloween Collection

Be Spooky | Boo To You | Happy Halloween Chevron | Halloween Wishes

Baby Book Review #002

Okay, so I couldn't wait for this time of the week!

Last week, I launched a brand new series on the blog

titled "baby book review" and if you missed it, no worries, just click here!

This week I wanted to share

Ten Tiny Toes

by Caroline Jayne Church

We are a HUGE fan of Caroline Jayne Church in our home.
Her books send some of the sweetest messages to little ones,
they are super fun and easy to read
NOT TO MENTION the art work is seriously the most adorable!

Ten Tiny Toes is one of our favorite books to read, 

and we use it in an educational way too. (Bonus!) 

My son has a short attention span with anything other than playing with his cars and trains, 

but that is the great thing about this book.

It's a short and sweet read. 

The book starts off with just pointing out body parts

"mouth, ears, eyes, nose"

and then continues to add some movement as well as short commands

such as "touch your ears, make them wiggle" and

"touch your toes, bend down low | touch your legs, up you go."

We really have so much fun with this book.

Jackson is now 21 months old, so can follow along, and point out all the body parts

as they mention them in this book, 

but even when he was much smaller

I would read this book to him, and show him where MY "mouth, ears, eyes, and nose" were.

I promise I'm not some "my son needs to learn every second of the day" mom's 

however when you can incorporate both a love for reading AND learning into one book-

you've won me over! 

Here are a few of the other books by Carolyn Jayne Church.

(And yes, we have and love them all!)

Do you have Ten Tiny Toes in your baby book collection? What are your thoughts?

Moments: 21 Months

Little Man,

Today you are officially 21 months.

Another month added to the best years of my life. 

At 21 months, I think the hardest thing for me to accept is that
although you are still very much my little baby-
you are slowly starting to change and grow into my little boy. 

Your little personality is SO big
that sometimes I can't even believe it. 
My whole world continues to light up every time you flash that BIG smile of yours
and the amount of "just because" hugs and kisses I get, grows by the day.
You are so silly, and now you will do things just to make us laugh.
Simply put- you are the sweetest most handsome boy I've ever laid my eyes on.

At 21 months
you want mommy and daddy to go everywhere with you. 
You take our hand in yours, 
and will drag us around the house to wherever it is you want to be.
Then, no questions, we must sit and play! 

You absolutely love "helping" us cook,
and in the mornings when we wake up before Daddy leaves for work-
helping Daddy make his lunch is one of your favorite things to do.

This past month, you've grown so attached to Daddy, 
and you ask for him all the time when he is gone at work. 
It breaks my heart that you don't fully understand why Daddy leaves everyday,
and that you don't get to spend more time with him.

You love forts, playing outside, and blowing bubbles.

You love going to the library, helping mommy water the plants outside,
and you love looking for snacks in the pantry. :) 

You love to color- however it's more like you love watching us color for you.

You love anything cars, trains, trucks, and planes.
And if the TV is on, most likely we have Thomas the Train or "choo-choos" on.

You love your babies (stuffed animals)
and love wrapping them up, rocking them, "feeding them" and 
and taking them for a walk in the stroller aka shopping cart. 

Your favorite meals consist of macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese,

and spaghettios.

A well balanced diet for sure. :)

You still love helping with the dishwasher, and always tell me when things are "dirty."

You also love telling Mommy and Daddy when things are "hot" and "cold."

You love reading, "helping" mommy on the laptop, 

and taking pictures with Mommy's camera. 

You love looking at yourself in the mirror, and making silly faces.

(You are your father's son, for sure!)

We are not pushing the potty training issue, 

but we do have an adorable Mickey potty in your bathroom that you

use at least once a day. 

My attempt is to slowly warm you up to the idea,

and then like magic one day- you will just want to use it all the time.

:) 

You can say about half the letters of the alphabet, 

and your vocabulary is growing by the day.

You love playing in your playroom,

and building "block roads" for your cars to drive on. 

Obviously I'd be writing for days if I put on here each and every little thing that makes my heart soar with you at this age.

And as expected, along with all the great moments, come more and more challenges.

The past couple months you have really been learning how to test my patience, 

but at the same time teach me patience.

(Like fighting me on diaper changes, and learning the art of stalling at bedtime!)

And because you are at an age where we don't always understand each other

 feelings of frustration creep up on the both of us quickly.

But I truly try to remember to take a deep breath, and take it all in.

Yes, even those not so great moments.

I try to remember

 that as much as I don't understand what it is you are wanting or needing sometimes, 

I know there are also many times you are not understanding 

what I am trying to communicate to you as well. 

I know know day, I will look back, and will want to give anything to be here

in this moment with you all over again. The good and the bad. 

So here we are just three more months until you are 

officially two years old.

You fill my days with more fun, 

and my heart with more love than I ever thought was possible.

As sad as I am to see this time passing-
I look at whats ahead, and can't wait for another holiday filled season with you,
with so many new moments to love and share with you
and so many new memories that we will create together.

Bubba, always keep that bright smile shining.
I love you with all my heart, forever and ever,
Mommy