Five Favorites on Friday: Chidren's Books

To welcome Baby Axel to our family, we got such a sweet gift from Shannon at The Scribble Pad, her son's favorite book, The Little Blue Truck.

We love it and we're excited to get more boy things in our life!  Of course Olivia loves the book and thinks it's hers, but we're also glad to introduce some sharing into our little girl's life!

So I wanted to share our five favorite children's books, mostly according to Olivia and what she requests before bed (and about 50 times all day long!)

Wheedle on the Needle

This was one of my favorite books as a kid and Adam's as well!  When I read it to Olivia I summarize because its kind of long for a toddler, but Adam has magic and can get her to sit through the whole thing!  She loves it and she asks for the Wheedle pretty frequently.
 

Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street

Olivia loves Elmo and we actually had to hide this book for awhile because we each had to read it four or five times.  When we brought it back out, I started leaving out words and letting Olivia fill them in, she knows it that well!

My Dad Loves Me!

I love hearing Adam read this book to Olivia.  They have the sweetest relationship, melt my heart!

Belly Button Book

This book is the reason Olivia refers to her belly button as a bee bo.  So silly!  But she loves it.

Five Little Lady Bugs

Adam's been reading her books before bed since she was three or four months old and this was the first book she started recognizing and bringing to us to read again and again.

What books do your kids like to read?

Five Favorites on Friday: Little boy names

I'm having my baby on Tuesday!  And even though my husband can't keep a secret and spilled the beans about the name to our families, I haven't told you guys.  I think that's kind of fun :)  So here are my top five baby boy names, and I'll let you know which one we picked when I blog about his birth.

1. Charles: My grandpa's name.  I think Charlie would be such a cute nick name for a little boy.

2. Andrew: My brother's name.  I can't help it!  I love those strong classic names!  I asked my sis-in-law (Andrew's wife) if we could use it and she gave me the green light.

3. Christian: My husband's middle name.  His mom really wanted it to be his first name, but his dad wasn't a fan.

4. Axel: My husband's cousin from Sweden.  He came to visit the states for the first time this past summer and he was so cute and blonde.  I just love Scandanavian names.

5. Cole: A name that Adam has loved since before we got married (I think) and we've always talked about using it.

I obviously love family names!  And to be fair, Robert (my second brother) isn't on the list because I'm considering his name for a middle name.  And Kenny (my youngest brother) isn't on the list because I want to use his middle name (Hans) and he wont let me :) 

So, which is your favorite?  And which do you think we'll be using?  Hey!  If you know the answer, no giving it away!

Five Favorites on Friday: Movies

I was going to title this post "Five Favorites on Friday: Postpartum Movies" but that sounded like I had five favorite movies about post pregnancy. . . stuff.  And that would be weird to even like one of those, let a lone five.  But one thing I love about taking care of a newborn is all the time you have to spend feeding them.  Sounds crazy, but its the perfect excuse for mid day movie watching.

When I had Olivia, my super awesome sister-in-law brought me a stack of DVDs to watch.  A lot of them she loved because they made her cry, which of course you're already prone to do in the days and weeks following a birth.  But that's not how I roll.  I like me some comedy, something to lighten my mood.  And so, for today, these are the five movies I'm most looking forward to watching during the days following Jan 22 (my induction date!!)

Stranger Than Fiction

Favorite Quote

Harold Crick: No, no. It's not schizophrenia. It's just a voice in my head. I mean, the voice isn't telling me to do anything. It's telling me what I've already done... accurately, and with a better vocabulary. 

The Importance of Being Earnest

 

Favorite Quote

Lady Bracknell: To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose both looks like carelessness.

School of Rock

Favorite Quote

Dewey Finn: No you're not hardcore! Unless you live hardcore! And the legend of the rent was way hardcore!

This is It

 Favorite Quote

Michael Jackson: Love, L-O-V-E love.

Nacho Libre 

(I can have two Jack Black movies on the list, it's my blog!)

Favorite Quote

Nacho: Chancho. When you are a man, sometimes you wear stretchy pants in your room. It's for fun. 

Okay, what movies do you want to watch in the middle of the day?

Five Favorites on Friday: Blogs

Guys I feel like I got hit by a train!  Sinus infections are horrible.  I'm so glad I'm not working, but I'm stressed because I should be packing to move!  Instead I've just been sitting on the couch reading blogs.  Do you want to know my five favorite blogs?  The blogs that I check first thing when I turn on my computer?  Of course you do! (in no particular order. . . )

1. The Daily Tay is pure comic gold.  Every time I read it, I think, "Oh man, I'm totally that funny!"  But obviously I'm not or else you would be laughing right now.  And you're not.  Don't ask me how I know. . .

2. Motley Mama makes me think more than any other blog I read.  She has a great way of discussing taboo topics in a non-threatening way. 

3. MADE is my favorite crafty/sewing blog.  So often craft blogs are hard for me to get into.  I still love them, read them, but the crafts have to be awesome and the author's voice needs to shine through for me to really connect to them.  Dana does an awesome job of that, but since she has like a million followers I'm probably preaching to the choir.  I bet you already follow her!

4. E-Tells-Tales is an extremely well written blog.  I love her pictures of everything, but especially her little boy.  Elizabeth is one of the most genuine people in the blog world and she inspires my writing often.  I can't wait until she get a book deal!

5. Alisa Burke is my go to for creativity inspiration.  She is the most creative person I know (although not personally.  Bummer), I can not believe some of the stuff she comes up with, and its all gorgeous of course! 

What are your favorite blogs?

Five Favorites on Friday: Etsy Shops

This year I've done quite a bit of my Christmas shopping on etsy.  But you have to start early if you want handmade, so I should have done this list back in November.  Oops!!  Better late than never I guess :)

Feet on the Floor
This is where my friend sells her vintage thrift store finds.  So if you're like me and you think vintage is cool (or you have friends/family that love it) but you suck at thrifting, you can buy her amazing finds here.  I got two of my Christmas gifts from her shop this year and I'm so excited to give them!!

Awesome earrings still for sale.  Wish I could show you what I bought, but since its a gift it will have to wait!

IvieBaby
This shop is obviously for babies.  Most of the stuff would be for new moms, but if you have a baby on your Christmas list, the PolkaSpot or Albert would be fun gifts to give!


Dream Catcher Baby
Again, this one is just for babies!  Can you tell I have one?  :)  I think her big bow dresses are just darling and would make a great gift.

The Rusted Chain
This is not technically an etsy shop, but it is handmade and I had such a great experience ordering from them I can't not mention them.  I received the wrong necklace by mistake and they handled it with amazing grace and fairness and still got me the right necklace in time for Mother's Day.  Both my mom and mother-in-law love their necklaces and they both have totally different styles!

Firebird Bath and Body
I love so much about this shop, where to start?  I love that they have scents for both men and women.  I'm a chapstick addict and I would love their tin with five lip balms soooo much. I love their packaging. . . the list goes on.  Check them out.

Do you have an etsy shop?  Or one that you just love?  Do tell!!

Five Favorites on Friday: Christmas Songs

As a child I had an on going battle with my dad.  He probably doesn't even remember it, but to me it was a big deal.  When can I start listening to Christmas music???  (This was before the days of iPods and I certainly didn't have my own CD player, I had to listen on the stereo in the living room so it did affect the whole family)  And I felt like every year the answer changed.  Sometimes it was after Halloween, sometimes I had to wait until Thanksgiving.  One year I wised up.  I asked my dad and the answer that day was after Halloween.  So I wrote a quick contract and had him sign it.  I hope its still around.  I hope I can find it someday.  So funny.

I love all the classics and the religious Christmas songs, but these are the songs I like to jam to on my way to work.  Today I'm counting backwards, bottom to top.  Favorite to favoritest.

5. Mavis Staples: Christmas Vacation.  I loved this song before I ever saw this movie. 


4. Paul McCartney: Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime. I don't know why this song gets so much hate, but I love it (synthesizers and all!)  If you've never seen the video, the angels with sunglasses singing in space it worth a watch, even if you hate this song.  I heart Paul forever!!!


3. The Waitresses: Christmas Wrapping.  Once I had a roommate who told me this song did not feel like a Christmas song.  I said "Maybe not this year, but wait until next year.  You'll learn to love it and when you hear it again it will bring back awesome Christmas memories."  A year later she facebooked me to tell me I was right!  (PS the video to this song is pretty weird, but it was better than the one that just had the lyrics.  LAME)


2. Tran Siberian Orchestra: Carol of the Bells.  This is not the whole song, but I seriously love this montage from The Office, because that's what this song feels like to me: CHRISTMAS!!!!


1. Bing Crosby and David Bowie: The Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth.  This song is just so beautiful, and the intro is just cute and touching.  Plus I just love David Bowie. 



And for fun, some of the worst Christmas songs off all time: 

Elton John: Step into Christmas.  I will change the station.  I love me some Elton, but this just went so wrong.

Band Aid: Do They Know its Christmas.  Pretty sure snow in Africa has nothing to do with poverty and every thing to do with climate.

New Song: Christmas Shoes.  If I was dying I would not want my child running around town buying shoes, just sayin'.

What songs do you love or hate?  I'm sure I've forgotten some good/awful ones!

Five Favorites on Friday: Gift Wrapping

When I was a kid I loved wrapping gifts.  I would even wrap them for my dad.  I folded the edges over, used double sticky tape, made perfectly mitered corners. . . the works.  Now I have a bit more to wrap and so I'm not quite as meticulous, but I still love new ideas and making the presents look pretty.

Brown Paper
Just ask for paper instead of plastic next time you're at the grocery store and you can save a lot of money on wrapping and still look chic.  Here are some fun ways to doll it up!

Source: mondocherry.blogspot.ca via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: ideasmag.co.za via Kimberly on Pinterest

Make Your Own Bows
As a kid I pretty much stuck to curling ribbon or stick on bows, but these homemade bows and pompoms are super simple and add a little more creativity. (I know, I know both of these examples also use brown paper, but they could go with anything.  The above two pictures not so much)

Source: nicepackageblog.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: craftycpa.blogspot.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Cute Gift Tags
I love finding free printables on the internet.  And I love older more traditional looking gift tags.  These are some favorites I used on presents last year.

Source: mygirlthursday.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: domestifluff.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: domestifluff.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Charms
Use small inexpensive ornaments in addition to a bow to add a little something special.  I found some snowflake ornaments at Target two years ago that I like to add to presents.  Its almost like a little extra gift that they can keep and add to their tree.  This year I plan to use these as well as left over snowflakes (A few ornaments go a long way because you don't want to add them to every present, that diminishes the uniqueness)

Great photo, I know!  I'm sure the questions about my camera will come flooding in.  NOT.

Ribbon Alternatives
Just like with bows, don't feel stuck with your same old same old.  Try something new or unusual.  I love these solid red and white wrapped gifts tied with rick rack or wired garland. 

Source: readjame.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

So what's your trick for fun and different gift wrapping ideas?  I better get on board with my wrapping.  Gifts this pretty deserve to be displayed for a while!!

Five Favorites on Friday: Thanksgiving Recipes

Here are five recipes I LOVE that you can use for Thanksgiving dinner.  I'm not usually allowed to bring the most important parts of the dinner so I haven't tried recipes for turkey, stuffing, rolls, that sort of thing, so they aren't your usual stars, but these are recipes I have made and love and wanted to share.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts 
I brought these to Thanksgiving dinner last year and they were a HIT!  I thought I hated brussels sprouts until I had them roasted and it changed my mind, so maybe give these another go if you're feeling adventurous.

Recipe Here

Savory Sweet Potatoes
If your family is down with trying something new, give these a shot.  But just to be safe, don't replace your traditional sweet potatoes with this recipe!!  Make both, duh.

4-5 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2-3 T butter
salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne (if you're feeling frisky!) to taste

Boil sweet potatoes until soft and drain.  Add butter and mash them however you like (hand mixer, stand mixer, old fashioned potato mixer, what ever floats your boat!)  Add seasoning to taste.  (sorry if you're like my mom and want exact measurements, but I'm doing this from memory and I've never measured before.  Plus sweet potatoes can come in such a variety of sizes it would be hard to know exactly the volume we're working with here.)

Sweet Potato Casserole
This is a little more traditional take on the sweet potato.  If you're used to the marshmallow kind, try this just once PLEASE.  You will be converted.

Recipe Here

Cranberry Sauce
I remember one year my dad and brother were in charge of cranberry sauce for some reason.  Where was my mom?  I don't know.  The point?  They didn't follow tradition and made cranberry sauce from scratch.  Why not?  The recipe was on the package.  Hot dang!  It was good and seriously easy.  It never hurts to try new things (disclaimer: not always a true statement)

Recipe Here

Hot Turkey Sandwiches
This recipe is for the day after.  My husband had never heard of such a thing and so maybe you haven't either.  This works best with homemade bread, whole wheat or whole grain if possible.  You just don't want to be dealing with a wimpy little piece of store bought bread, it will never hold up.

1 slice of bread per person (or more if you're a second helping type)
Leftover gravy
Leftover turkey, shreded

Mix turkey and gravy together and heat over medium low until hot.  Pour over your bread and enjoy!

What are you in charge of bringing to Thanksgiving dinner?  This year I'm in charge of the sweet potato casserole.  Mmmmm, so hungry just thinking about it!