Boy or Girl? Make your guess!
Our Labor Day Weekend Away In Pictures!!
NEW:
Hi there! Happy Wednesday!
We had a wonderful long weekend with my parents and I want to share some of our favorite pictures! Almost all of these pictures are from our day at the zoo, but we also had a great time boating, swimming, and relaxing at our lake cottage : )
Hailey ready to get her sunscreen on (if you don’t want to shell out almost $20 at the giftshop, don’t forget sunscreen like we did! oopsies!) so we can explore the zoo!!
Mandatory picture by the entrance to the zoo ; ) Next year we will have 3 little ones…one for each letter…in this pic!!
Ready to go!!
Riding the train!! Choo Choo!
Train selfie!!
Voting for the conservation project! We all voted for the penguins…Hailey’s choice : ) : )
SOMEWHERE there are picures of me with this same drinking fountain (ahem…mom!! haha) …I GEEK over tradtions like this!!
Safari guide!!
Oh no big deal…just Connor LIVING HIS DREAM and feeding a giraffe! His favorite animal, by far! 
We weren’t sure he would recognize them or even like them in person…he was IN LOVE!! It totally made my weekend to see that joy on his face!! 
Zuri the giraffe : )
Hailey loves music of any kind so this was a fun moment for her!! 
My little loves!!
Hailey LOVED when the animals were nice and close!! She talked to this Orangutan for a bit!!
We worked hard to get her the exact animal she wanted!! It had to be the panda WITH the bamboo ; )
If there aren’t any giraffes I guess this kitty will do ; )
My mom is the bomb.com at getting pictures like this in the perfect spot on rides!
Meet Connor’s newest giraffe friend, Zuri ; )
Morning boat ride with my girlie!!
Hailey was packing for school! One more week till pre-school! AHHH!
Connor picked the giraffe, and Hailey opted for the pink penguin : ) We named her Icee because Hailey had her first taste of an ICEE at the zoo ; )
Do you enjoy these picture posts? I love showing off my family with you : ) Stay tuned for a *GENDER REVEAL* coming up pretty soon!! So get excited!!! Please subscribe and share! Have a wonderful rest of your week and don’t forget to check out my Leah’s Friday Five on the Pearls and Pastries Shop Blog this Friday!!
Surprise!?!
Hi there! Happy Monday!!
We feel so blessed, nervous, and excited to welcome our third child in early 2015!! If there is interest in maternity fashion, baby hauls, etc… please let me know and I will be happy to include some posts as we prepare for our little miracle. I do plan on having a gender reveal blog post coming up soon ; ) For those who want to stick with the regular posts, no worries becasue those posts will continue to be the focus of Leah Tackles!! Let me know your thoughts in the comments!!
Manchester United vs. Real Madrid Record Breaking Game!
Hi there! Happy Monday!
Back in February I read that Ann Arbor, MI was rumored to be hosting Manchester United vs. Real Madrid for a game in the Guinness International Champions Cup. I knew if it was true I wanted to nab tickets because my husband is a big fan. Finally it was confirmed and I was able to snag tickets on Stub Hub for an inflated price (of course!!) for the August game!! Tickets to this once in a lifetime game were the *perfect* gift for my husbands August birthday.
Earlier this summer I was asked to participate with Fanatics.com initivate called “Family Fanatics” by sharing a time when sports helped bring my family together. I knew that this game would be the perfect thing to write about, and I’m so excited to share our amazing experience with you all! Fanatics.com has a huge selection of sports gear and I was amazed at the choices! I have my eye on an adorable pom-pom Manchester United Hat for winter. I am not affiliated with Fanatics.com and as always all opinions are my own. I have NEVER accepted money in exchange for a positive review.
My husband, Stephan, and I were lucky enough to have my parents who live close by avaliable to watch Hailey and Connor, and also to drive us downtown for the game. We arrived to Ann Arbor early and were able to walk around before heading to the stadium. Cheverolet, a big sponsor, hosted an invent where you could interact with their new 2015 cars to win prizes, get your picture taken, get your face painted, and participate in soccer drills. We took advantage of all of the fun and had a great time : ) After that we headed to the stadium, got some food and drinks, and headed to our seats at “The Big House”!
Leaving for the game…super excited!
Strike a pose!
Face Painting was necessary.
My new ride (ha-ha!)
I’ve never seen UofM Stadium look so good (::Cough go state! Cough::) ; )
Enjoying a Guinness before the game ; )
Game time with my babe!!
Soccer is awesome! You could actually clearly see every play!!
Our seats : )
Breaking records! Highest attendance for a soccer game in the U.S: 109,318!!
This game was such a special experience! Manchester United, the team we were rooting for, won! But the game was so much more than that!! The game Stephan and I the perfect opportunity to have quality couple…and anyone with young kids knows that this can be rare! Having “us” time is an essential part of bringing our family closer together because investing in us makes us a stronger couple. We want dates for our sanity ; ) But we also want dates for our children! Plus, they got quality nana and grandpa time: Win, win! If you get the opportunity to attend events like this with your significant other or friends, do it! It doesn’t matter if it’s a sporting event, music fest, whatever…they create amazing memories!
I hope that you all had a great weekend! Did you attend any fun events? Let me know : ) And please, subscribe to my blog to really make my day!! Thank you so much for taking time out of your lives to read my little blog!!
Pre-School School Supply List?!
Hi there! Happy Wednesday!
My daughter Hailey is 3 years old now, and will be beginning pre-school in a 3 year old classroom this fall. Her school supply list just went up online and I thought it would be fun to share with other mamas out there who may be curious as to what a 3 year old needs to bring to school! If you or your kids are in school tell me about the most random thing on the school supply list you had to pick up : )
PRE-SCHOOL (3 Year Old Class) SCHOOL SUPPLY LIST:
24 Count Pack of Crayons (no Rose Art brand!)
1 Pack of Paper Plates
1 Box of Kleenex
1 Box of 3 oz. Cups
Clorox Wipes
Gallon Ziploc Bags
Sandwich Ziploc Bags
Baby Wipes
Stickers
2 Rolls of Paper Towel
Large Googly Eyes (the craft items were split up alphabetically by last name, so other kids had to get Play-Doh, etc)
Regular Sized Backpack
Lunchbox (for kiddos who have a full day)
Hailey, myself, and my mom got to go on a date to Target to pick up most of the supplies which was a LOT of fun! I couldn’t find the large googly eyes, so I need to grab those the next time I am by a Walmart. Hailey helped pick out this butterfly backpack from Pottery Barn Kids (this just happens to have “Hailey” on it..how funny! But we will be opting for her initials). She will have one half day and one full day of pre-school each week, so we will probably get her the matching lunchbox from Pottery Barn Kids…I just have to make sure I don’t get tempted by all the *adoreable* accessories!
I know this is a really random thing to blog about, but having a kiddo old enough for a school supply list?! Blowing my mind!! I hope that you’re having a fantastic week and be sure to comment to let me know if you like posts like this : )
*Note: I will be contacting the winner of the Ell and Emm bracelet giveaway today so be sure to check your emails!! : )
Our 4th of July Weekend in Pictures!
Hi there! Happy Monday!
I hope that you all had a wonderful 4th of July weekend! Lately I have been enjoying posting more pictures of my family, and if you’d like to see my recent posts you can see them under the “Family” tab at the top of this page. My most recent family post, Our Trip to Mackinac Island, has some of my favorite summer pictures so far : )
Captain America, an eagle, and a mom : )
Captain America was a *HUGE* hit at the parade!
Our Hailey doll won queen : )
She said “Just like Elsa” (from Disney’s Frozen) ; )
Happy Birthday U.S.A!
Getting creative and using a dresser drawer for nap time for Connor!!
Hailey found a sled in one of her Gigi’s garages and decided it was a perfect carriage ; )
Thank you for reading and be on the lookout on Wednesday for a GIVEAWAY!!! If you have any questions or comments, comment by clicking the link by the title of this post : )
Our Trip to Mackinac Island 2014!
Hi there! Happy Monday!
My husband and I were lucky enough to get married on Mackinac Island (if you live anywhere in the midwest…or anywhere really, I *highly* suggest trying to visit!) and now we go back every year with our kiddos. Today I want to share some pictures from our trip…so fair warning this will be a PIC HEAVY post! If you enjoy pictures like this, please comment and let me know : )
LINKS TO OUR MACKINAC ISLAND FAVORITES:
Butterfly House and Insect World
This was a LONG picture post…but I hope that you enjoyed it!! Have a wonderful day and thank you for reading!!!
5 Great Summer Hostess Gift Ideas!!
Hi there! Happy Friday!!
Whenever you are invited into someones home for a party or over to dinner it is kind to bring a gift to show your appreciation.Today I want to share 5 ideas for hostess (or host!) gifts that will make sure you’re always on the invite list! My column, Leah’s Friday Five, on The Pearls and Pastries Blog today will also be featuring 5 more ideas for hostess gifts!
#1 Pie or Other Dessert
A pie is such a nice gesture, and something that can be shared at the dinner or party. It would be so sweet to include the recipe, or to bake it in a pretty pie plate! My favorite pie plates are the ones with the recipe written on the plate…so retro and cute!
#2 Serving Plate
A decorative serving plate that can be displayed or used is also such a nice gift! The one shown was a gift and I adore it! Along with that, I think everyone likes pretty much anything that has their schools mascot or logo on it…I know I do!
#3 King Cube Tray or Other Cocktail Trinket
I have talked about the King Cube Tray before, and that is because I love this thing! It can be used for cocktails, but it’s also great for lemonade and iced tea!
These are SO awesome! I think anyone would appreciate these because they are so unique and would be perfect for a picnic or out on the boat.
#5 A Candle
I am a big fan of the 3-Wick candles from Bath and Body Works, but I finally got a Diamond Candle from a sweet sweet friend which I’ve been wanting to try for a loooong time now.
What do you like to take to parties to thank your host or hostess? I would love to hear your ideas! You can click the link by the title of this post to leave a comment : ) Have a wonderful day!!
Our 4 Year Wedding Anniversary!!!!
Hi There! Happy THURSday!
I just wanted to do a quick little post today to say…
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO THE LOVE OF MY LIFE, STEPHAN! Thank you for making my life my dream. I love you so much!!
Cheers to many many maaaaany more years together!
Have a wonderful Thursday!!
Traveling With Toddlers!
Hi there! Happy Monday!
Last week was our first of several trips this summer where we are taking our 18 month old and three year old on long car rides…yikes! This trip was just over 200 miles, which isn’t bad, but 200 miles with diaper changes, feeding, a new-ish potty trained kid, naps, entertainment, fits….ohhh, it can be bad without being prepared!! The other trips we have coming up are even longer, so this was a great trial run for us. Today I wanted to share some links to products that helped us on our trip and products that I will absolutely be taking with us next time! I hope that this is helpful and please feel free to comment with your own suggestions as well : )
Travel Potty Seat:
We have this Primo Folding Potty With Handles. This is so much more sanitary for little ones to hold onto and also a lot less scary! Also, they won’t fall in ; )
iPad (or other device to play movies):
We FINALLY caved and bought this iPad Car Headrest Mount Holder for our oldest for long trips.
Snacks:
The best thing I did for the trip was to seperate out snacks ahead of time so we could just grab a bag when we needed one. I really like these Munchkin Snack Catchers.
Insulated Bottle and Snack Carriers:
We use these for bottles, food that needs to be kept cold, and sippy cups. I like this one by Dwell Studio, this one by Skip-Hop works for everything, and a bottle bag like this is a must-have for us!
Dish Soap for Bottles and Sippy Cups:
I figured out pretty quickly after not packing this essential the first few overnights post-kids that this is a MUST HAVE! Just a little travel size bottle of dish soap like this or pouring some soap into a travel container for the hotel room to rinse out sippy cups and bottles easily! Also a dish towel or two is nice to have on hand.
Small Toys and Loveys:
I like to bring a few small toys that easily fit into my purse or diaper bag just incase the kids need some quick entertainment! I also always bring their loveys/any comfort item they may want. And while on the subject of the lovey, buy a backup! I am ashamed to admit how much we paid on eBay to buy a backup of our daughters “Baby” (of course she picked a limited edition 2011 small Christmas bear! hehe) but we have had so many times when we have been thisclose to loosing it….that money was well spent for our sanity!
Toddler Travel Bed:
Our youngest is still in a pack-n-play like this one and it works great for us. Sometimes hotels will provide you witha pack-n-play, but use your own judgement on if they’ll have up-to-date and safe ones. I also always take our own pack-n-play sheets. Our oldest now uses this amazing self-inflating travel toddler bed. It is AWESOME!
I hope that this post was helpful to anyone out there who is planning a trip with their little ones soon! I think the biggest thing that works for us is trying to keep the routine as normal as possible (especially naps and nighttime!)…and lots of snacks! Don’t forget to let me know what you’re favorite tips and tricks are for traveling with little ones by commenting!! Have a wonderful day!