Family – Page 9

Christmas Pictures Post!!!

December 29, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a WONDERFUL Christmas if you celebrate and a wonderful holiday season no matter what you celebrate!! I lovelovelove Christmas and our tree will be up until the Epiphany on January 6th…even though this year that is making me a *little* nervous since baby boy is due January 9th! We saw Stephan’s parents on Christmas Eve, spent Christmas Day with just our little family, saw Stephan’s extended family on the 26th, and finally on the 27th we celebrated with my parents! We also had a small co-ed “Sprinkle of Love” for our baby boy over the weekend and that was such a great time! We are blessed!! Today I want to share some pictures and send love from my family to yours!! On Wednesday be ready for some of my favorite gifts of Christmas 2014!!

*Note: My Christmas Eve Outfit (pictured in the first photo at the very top of this post) is from Preppy Pink Shop! I did an entire blog post gushing on about her skirts, which you can find here, because she absolutely deserves it! She is fabulous, her work is fabulous, and I can’t wait to wear more of her skirts once I’m back in non-maternity clothes!!

Thank you for being a part of my life! Please subscribe and share! I am so excited for 2015!!! I want to take leahtackles places…starting with Etsy and Youtube!! MUUUUUAH!

MERRY CHRISTMAS (EVE)!

December 24, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday! And more importantly, Merry Christmas Eve to all those who celebrate! Thank you so much for supporting me and my little blog!! It means so much to me!

I hope you have a WONDERFUL day tomorrow with loved ones!!

I’m off to create some Santa magic ; )

LAST MINUTE STOCKING STUFFER IDEAS VIDEO!!!!

December 22, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a great weekend!! There are still a couple of shopping days before Christmas and I want to share some last minute stocking stuffer ideas for those of you who may not quiiiiite be done yet. As I said awhile back, I am going to be launching both an Etsy store AND a YouTube channel in 2015….eeep! I am very excited, but also nervous! Today I decided to film a quick video on my phone showing you what I have in the stockings for Connor, who just turned 2, and Hailey, who is 3 1/2.

*Note: I almost did not upload this! I am a perfectionist and I apologize for the low quality of this video! Just after filming it today I’ve already discovered a few things to do for next time, but I think that by putting this up I will force myself to research, practice, and learn to make what I hope to be very high quality and enjoyable videos. I have been researching and learning as much as I can, and there is so much to learn, but I know by posting this first video I will be eager to get my channel set up, and start filming NON-iPHONE videos in the future : ) So, watch this quickly because I’m sure I’ll eventually put this craptastic video on private ; ) Thank you SO much for all of the support, and please please please go watch and subscribe (if you have a gmail email, you have a YouTube! Just click the red subscribe button)!!

CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS 2014:

FIRST YOUTUBE VIDEO-LAST MINUTE STOCKING STUFFER IDEAS

Connor-2 Years Old:

Hailey-3 1/2 Years Old:

Phew! A video up before 2015!! That was my brave thing for the day ; ) What will yours be?! I hope you have a fantastic Monday and good luck with any Christmas prep you have left to do! I have lots of baking and wrapping to do still…annnnd I really need to get on packing for the hospital since baby could be here any day now!! Talk to you Wednesday!! XOXO

PICTURES OF OUR SWEET 2 YEAR OLD!!

December 18, 2014 & 7 Comments

Hi there! Happy Thursday!

Today is a bonus post because I really wanted to do a special post for our son, Connor, who turned 2 last weekend!!! He is the sweetest little man and oh so busy! We are so proud and can’t wait to see where the next year takes you Prince-C! We love you so!

Enjoy some picture cuteness : ) Thank you for reading!! XO

Easy Reindeer Candy Cane DIY and Elf On the Shelf Ideas!

November 26, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday! And Happy Thanksgiving Eve (that is SO a thing! promise) : )

My 3 year old, Hailey, and I have so much fun making crafts together, and during the holidays it seems extra special. Today I want to share a very simple and very fun craft that we did last week together on one of her snow days home from school.

Because Thanksgiving is TOMORROW (already!!!), I know a lot of homes will have their Elf on the Shelf returning to visit on Friday or soon after, so I have enough Elf-y ideas for Black Friday through Christmas Eve to get you ready! Our elf, McJingle Toes, was VERY popular in our house last year, and now that our oldest is really into it, we have to up our game this year ; )

EASY REINDEER CANDY CANE DIY:

What You’ll Need:

Candy Canes

Pipe Cleaners

Tiny Googly Eyes

Small Red Pom Pom

Glue

Step 1:

Wrap the pipe cleaner around the top of the candy cane and shape into antlers.

Step 2:

Glue on the googly eyes and red nose.

Step 3:

Enjoy your cute little craft! These make great add-ons for holiday gifts or baked goods, and you can really make them your own! I think next year we will add some ribbon, brown noses for some of the reindeer…who knows what else!

ELF ON THE SHELF IDEAS:

1) “I’m Back” sign with door decorated like a present or balloons and if it’s your first year doing it have your Elf ask for name!

2) Elf head first into a holiday M&M bag

3) Googly eyes on fruit with “I’m watching you” sign that Elf is holding

4) New toothbrushes as gift with a note or smile written in toothpaste by Elf

5) Red noses drawn on picture frames with dry erase markers or small pom poms

6) Mustache on frame with dry erase marker and paper mustache on Elf

7) Elf hanging off Keurig or coffee pot to help make mom or dads coffee

8) Elf in a rocket ship made out of toliet paper tubes

9) Elf making a micro marshmallow (in hot cocoa section of grocery stores) or mini marshmallow snow angel

10) Make “Elf Milk” with green food coloring in fridge

11) Sled going down the coffee table

12) Elf playing Candy Land or similar game with “friends” like Barbie or stuffed animals

13) Make “Super Elf” with cape and badge

14) Elf inside a “snowglobe” made from Pyrex bowl and mini marshmallows

15) Elf hanging from a slinky

16) Elf with supplies to make Jesus a birthday cake or birthday party

17) Elf with directions for a shoebox donation or similar charity project for kids

18) Elf making a snowman scene out of marshmallows, frosting, tooth picks, etc

19) Elf being a pointsettia in a flower pot with construction paper around face to make him the flower

20) Elf setting up a fun craft project for kids like a gingerbread house kit

21) Elf making a pancake breakfast! This one is great for weekends. Make snowmen pancakes with bacon scarf, blueberry eyes, marshmallow snow, etc

22) Elf on a sleigh made out of 2 DVDs and 2 plastic candy canes filled with candy

23) Elf sitting on canned goods and a note to take them to a food bank or collection center

24) Elf with paper to write a letter to Santa

25) Elf laying on the beach with sunglasses, sun, and water made out of paper and sand made out of brown sugar

26) Elf in sink with water dyed blue with food coloring and aluminum foil boat or fishing in the sink for Goldfish Crackers

27) *Note: If you started the day after Thanksgiving and did it everyday this day #27 would be Christmas Eve

Put Christmas Eve PJs into a box with candy, popcorn, and Christmas DVDs to watch as a family that night and a goodnight note or sign from your Elf.

As always, if you have found this post helpful, interesting, or liked it PLEASE share it and “pin” it to your Pinterest account! All the buttons you need are at the bottom of every post!! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with loved ones! Please travel safely! Oh, and be kind to people on Black Friday, especially the retail workers!!

MUAH!

THANK YOU AND ANNOUNCEMENTS!

November 12, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

Some days I really want to just pop on here and chat with you guys…and today is one of those days : ) I was talking with a friend and felt so insprired and motivated after our conversation that I felt compelled to write her a quick snail mail note to tell her how fantastic I think she is! And with that being said: I want each and every person reading this to know that I apprecaite it! Thank you to my subscribers who have been so sweet and so supportive!!

I have been working behind the scenes on two exciting new things for Leah Tackles. The first, my own Etsy store! This will be launching soon after lots of tinkering!! LOTS of tinkering! And second, a bit further down the road in early 2015, a YouTube channel!! As most of you know, I am 31 almost 32 weeks pregnant with our 3rd baby, and some of this timing will be to work around the arrival of our newest little man right after the holidays. I cannot wait to start these new ventures, and hope that you will be just as excited as I am!!

Thank you, again, as always for reading my blog and *please* subscribe if you haven’t! It’s super easy to do, just enter your email into the subscription box on the right side of this page and then you will get a confirmation email. That’s it! If a friend or loved one inspires you, motivates you, supports you, or just loves the heck out of you RIGHT NOW is the perfect time to send them a little snail mail love! Plus, it’s a great excuse to whip out your cutest stationary you’ve been saving! Don’t let it sit in drawer forever, use it to make someone’s day!

P.S! Stay tuned next week for holiday makeup set reviews!! I will also have a new Leah’s Friday Five up on the Pearls and Pastries Shop blog this Friday.

FAMILY CLOTHING HAUL!!

October 22, 2014 & 5 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

A couple weekends ago my mom came to spend a few days with us and we got to do one of our favorite things to do together: shop! My mom has, and always has had, this knack for picking out an outfit that ends up being perfect for me. I remember in high school I would think NO WAY she could pick something I would like, and then I would try it on and usually end up buying it. We found some great things, some good sales, and had a fun time : ) I *do* feel bad that my poor hubster didn’t get anything! However, the holidays are coming and I know some of the things I want to pick up for him! And babe, if some of your old jeans accidently catch fire and new ones replace them? You’re welcome ; )

MOM/MATERNITY HAUL:

MOTHERHOOD MATERNITY:

Bump In the Night Henley Nursing 3 Piece Set:

I have never had a set by Bump In the Night, but I have had two PJ sets from A Pea in the Pod that I have LOVED both during late pregnancy and definitely in the first few months after baby comes especially! I picked this set because I thought the legging style pants would be great in the winter months, the tank will be easy for nursing, and the long sleeve cardigan is great to throw on when I’m chilly or when I want to cover up a little bit more. This set is no longer on the website, but there are many that are similar.

Long Sleeve Printed Thermal Henley Tee:

This isn’t something I would normally pick out, but it is SO comfy! I think this will be adorable during the holiday season for getting cozy with a cup of cocoa or making Christmas cookies with my family. I already wore this once on a rainy day, and it’s so perfect for days like that!

TARGET:

Liz Lange Maternity Long Sleeve Casual Tee:

I love this! I think it’s much cuter on and in person than it appears online. I love the longer length, it juuuust covers my bum and I am about 5’6 or 5’7. I think this looks adorable with leggings and a big statement necklace or scraf to dress it up a little.

Liz Lange Maternity Long Sleeve Tee Shirt Dress:

I would have never picked this up if it hadn’t been for the marketing showing the adorable (probably not actually pregnant) model, but I’m so glad I did because it’s really nice on. I think that I will get a lot of use out of this during the holiday season and love that it can be dressed up or down so easily!

Mossimo Open Layering Sweater:

This isn’t maternity, but it works perfectly for me now and I think it will also work beautifully for breastfeeding. The constrast edge looks a little bit like leather trim and I love that! I think that the way to make this work is to layer, layer, layer! I like pairing this with faux leather trimmed leggings, a tunic length tank, a wool peacoat, great boots…the more things layered the better and it will stop you from looking frumpy.

White Tunic Tank (*Similar):

This isn’t maternity but I love long tanks like this for layering! Target is great because they are very affordable. I want to get this in black also!

HAILEY’S HAUL:

Eiskristalle Skate Dress by Tea:

Hailey LOVES to wear dresses and this style of dress is perfect for fall and winter! I love that she can wear these with leggings because leggings are much easier than tights for her to do by herself.

Twinkle Stripe Leggings by Tea:

I don’t usually like to pick white, especially bottoms, for the kiddos but these looked too cute with the dress above to pass up.

Nele Stripe Dress by Tea:

Hailey looks sooo sweet in this and she ended up wearing this for her *first ever* picture day! I love the soft pink with the gray and again it is perfect for this time of year.

Polka Dot Leggings by Tea:

These polka dot leggings paired with the striped dress mentioned above is pattern mixing perfection! These are such nice quality, really hold up well, and thankfully these should fit her for quite awhile.

The Elf on the Shelf Festive Nightgown and Doll Gown Set from Kohl’s:

Hailey LOVES our elf, McJingle Toes, and is super excited about Christmas (nooo idea where she gets that!!) this year. She also loves that her teddy bear can wear the matching doll gown.

CONNOR’S HAUL:

Rocky Cozie Baby Combo Top by Zutano:

I love the fleece on this top, it just adds a cozy little touch and how sweet does this look on him?! Zutano is a fairly expensive brand, but everything we have purchased from them has been very high quality.

Chocolate Candy Stripe Baby Pants by Zutano:

I *adore* these pants! We have owned several pairs and they are comfortable, durable, and oh so sweet!

Infant Toddler Boys’ Plaid Puffer Jacket from Target:

This jacket reminds me of a snowboarding jacket and our sweet little man looks soooooo cute in it! This is his first “real” winter coat, and I was pleasantly surprised to find it at Target.

Infant Toddler Boys’ Snow Overalls from Target:

These are a FANTASTIC deal! Definitely warm enough for playing outside, basic, and easy to get on and off.

Infant Toddler Boys’ Long Sleeve Striped Henley Tee:

Adorable, soft, and basic! I really need to shop Target more often for the kiddos clothing.

“Santa’s Helper” Pajama Set by Carter’s:

Connor’s blonde hair looks so cute with this little red set. I love Christmas jammies : )

Phew! If you got through all of that, thank you : ) I hope that you enjoyed this haul! To those who are subscribed, thank you so much you are amazing and if you haven’t yet, please do!! It’s easy and harmless, promise : )

Leah Tackles CHRISTMAS! Series Intro!!

October 8, 2014 & 4 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

Okay, I know, it’s only October, but I want to introduce my Christmas series now so that if things I share interest you, you’ll have plenty of time to do them before the holiday season really creeps up on us!! I want to share gift guides, how I plan, DIY projects, how I budget, how I put aside extra money for the holidays, Elf On the Shelf ideas, holiday fashion, holiday traditions…the list goes on! If there are things you are interested in or would like to suggest that I post on, please let me know! I want to do what you want to read : )

Today I want to share where I start every year with my holiday planning: lists!

#1 iPhone Notes (or similar phone app)

I use the notes feature on my iPhone all year long and if I see things that the kids love, if they mention toys to me, or if I randomly think of something it goes onto a note on my phone. I don’t do anything fancy with these notes, but they a good basic that I start with every year as I begin to shop.

#2 Paper Lists for EVERYTHING

*Note: These pages are EXAMPLES and I have not included all of my lists or my lists in their entirety.

I use a large legal pad or notebook to write out a list the old fashioned way for EVERYTHING Chirstmas you could imagine. Here are some of the things I like to make lists for:

-Gift ideas

-Who we need gifts for

-DIY projects I want to do

-Recipes I want to do

-Elf On the Shelf ideas

-Decoration ideas

-“To-Buy” list for Christmas items we need that are not presents (ie: lights, decor, cookie cutters, etc)

#3 Buying Timeline List

I know some people buy a year in advance, some do it ALL on Black Friday, and some people do it the last shopping days before Christmas…and none of those are wrong! There is no wrong way to shop, you just have to figure out what works for you, your budget, and your family. For me, I like to slowly pick things up as I go but do the majority closer to the holiday. I also will store gifts that the kids may have recieved for birthdays or the Christmas before but weren’t quite ready for, because those make great gifts as well.

#4 Christmas Outfits List

I like to begin planning our Christmas outfits in fall so that I have plenty of time to gather what we need and it doesn’t break the piggy bank. I may do a seperate post on Christmas fashion, but for the most part in our family we do this:

-Christmas Eve Outfits (these are our dressy outfits)

-Christmas Outfits for Santa and other holiday events

-Christmas Jammies…oh yes, we are those people!

And just for fun, here are some pictures of some of our projects AND memories from Christmas 2013 : )

I hope that you don’t think I’m *too* crazy for titling a post about Chirstmas already and that you enjoyed this : ) Please don’t forget to let me know what you’d like to see for Christmas or holiday posts by commenting (click the link by the title of this post!).

September Favorites!

September 29, 2014 & 5 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope you all had a great weekend! One of my good friends visited, and we had a wonderful time with beautiful weather! And my alma mater won big at our homecoming game : ) I am combining my beauty favorites and lifestyle favorites into one post this month. Let’s get right into it…

September Favorites:

1) M.A.C Paint Pot in Bare Study

This isn’t new to my collection, but I have been using it a lot lately and have fallen back in love. I love this as an eye shadow base or on days when I want a super natural look, alone.

2) Wet n’ Wild Coloricon Bronzer in Reserve Your Cabana

This is definitely NOT a bronzer, but it is part of the Coloricon Bronzer collection from Wet n’ Wild, and what it is is a *OMG* gorgeous highlighter. The price cannot be beat, and it comes with a huuuge amount of product. Love it!

3) Maybelline “The Nudes” Palette

I had been holding off buying this because I have so many neutral palettes…but when I saw it was buy one get one 50% off at Walgreens, I went for it because I needed some other Maybelline products. If you do not have this yet and you love neutral eye makeup, or if you have been holding off getting the Naked palettes by Urban Decay or other neutral palettes from high-end brands, YOU NEED THIS! It has had some mixed reviews, but I absolutely love it! I have worn it more than any of my other eye shadows this past month, and think it is definitely worth the $10-12. On the back it shows how you can break it up into quads, trios, and duos which is super helpful for people who maybe don’t know where to start with an eye look, and I find the quads especially to be fantastic! The pigmentation overall is good, although I will say that they wear and swatch much better with an eye shadow primer used first. The packaging is simple, not bulky, and very sleek for drugstore, but my one complaint is that there is no mirror. I could gush on and on about this, and if you’d like more information please let me know because this palette really could have its own post!

4) The Balm Shadow/Blush in Down Boy

This is a perfect baby pink blush! I love this because it looks great with so many eye shadow and lip combos! You can’t go wrong with it, but it is HIGHLY pigmented, so you only need a tiny bit!

5) Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder in Porecelain Ivory

This is my go-to everyday pressed setting powder ever since the Dream Wonder line replaced the Dream Matte line. I like that it gives an ever so slight coverage in addition to any foundation or BB cream you might have on.

6) EOS Lip Balm in Pomegranate Raspberry

I love the EOS lipbalms! And so does my 3 year old ; ) I like to apply these while I’m doing my makeup so that my lipsticks have a nice base…and this lipbalm is even thin enough that my matte lipsticks still appear matte but have a little moisture underneath.

7) Dual Ended Brow Brush with Spooli

Brand really doesn’t matter too much here, there are great low cost options as well as more high-end brushes, but I have been using powder for my brows lately and loving a dual ended brow brush with spooli.

8) NCLA Los Angeles Nail Polish in Rodeo Drive Royalty

I adore this nail polish! I mentioned it in my “Leah’s Friday Five” on the Pearls and Pastries Shop Blog, and it has been on my nails almost all month! I keep re-applying it because I can’t get enough of this gorgeous color!

9) Bauble Bar Arc Pendant Necklaces in Rose Gold

I have been loving my plain rose gold arc necklace layered with my pavé rose gold arc necklace! So simple and beautiful! This necklace from Bauble Bar is similar.

10) Gorjana Viceroy Necklace in Yellow Gold

This is such a beautiful simple piece! It goes well with everything!

11) Minnie Mouse Coffee Cozy

I found this adorable crochet Minnie Mouse coffee cozy from LNRCrochetDesigns on Etsy! The seller is super helpful and shipping was very fast. How cuuuute is this?! Seriously! Cute!

12) Name Bubbles Small Contact Clothing Labels

This is mostly for all the moms out there! Or maybe if someone is stealing your jacket off your chair at the office or your food out of the fridge at work, you too ; ) These labels are WASHER AND DRYER SAFE! And just STICK ON! Amazing. And they come in really cute designs, too. I was able to use a coupon code “B2SNB” for 10% off as well.

13) “Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids” by Laura Markham on Audible.com

This book is amazing! Stephan and I are only halfway through listening to this book, and it has changed our relationship with our kids (and eachother!!) for the better. I don’t think you need to be struggling or think there is a problem at all to gain a great deal from this book! I really think this book would be benefital to anyone, with grown kids, or without kids at all! We plan to pick up a paper copy as well to highlight our favorite parts. Seriously, READ THIS IF YOU HAVE KIDS!

Phew! That was pretty long! If you read all that, thank you so much! What things have you been reaching for and loving this past month? I would love to know! I hope that you have a great start to your week, and don’t forget to subscribe!! : )

BABY #3 GENDER REVEAL!!!!!!!!

September 15, 2014 & 12 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

Today is the day…are you ready?!?!

We are SO thrilled to officially announce that we are welcoming a BOY in just a few months!! I was SUPER surprised! I thought for sure that this baby was a girl…but we are over the moon to be having another boy!! Hailey is excited to have two brothers, and she has been calling them her “minions”…she is a big Dispicable Me fan ; ) And Connor will make such a sweet big brother!! Thank you to all of you who have congratulated us and participated in my gender guess poll!! 23 +3 weeks down and 16 +4 weeks to go!!!

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