So at Melody’s preschool, we send in a small Valentine for each of the kids. I wanted to send in something other than candy and something not store-bought. I decided to send in some sort of “party favor” with a cute note. I opted for small rubber ducks. I mean what kid doesn’t love a rubber ducky for the bathtub!
So we made a “resolution” last year to help treasure the memories of the year that we tend to forget. I think Brad thought I was crazy at first but it was fun and became part of our routine. So once a week we would write down our favorite or most memorable moment(s) from the week. Then I would put it in a jar. On New Year’s Day we read them all together as a family. It was so much fun to look back at things we forgotten or moments that really made us laugh. I can’t wait to do it again this year!
As with all trips, we try to do a little happy for Melody. Our trip to Disney in October was no different. I already had all of these things on hand. I try and buy random small things like this throughout the year and save for trips or random small gifts.
We had such a great Christmas this year. It was our very first Christmas in our new home. I love getting to make new memories here. It really makes it feel more like home as we continue to live here. This was also the first year Melody actually understood and liked Santa. No tears this year!! We also did a lot of traveling and visiting family, and we continued a lot of our traditions from years’ past.
One of the things I find hardest about planning any event is what kind of food to serve! It really can be hard because you want to have plenty of food, a variety for everyone, but not also not spend a fortune. The same can be said about the baby shower I had for my best friend a while back. I mainly tried to serve food that I knew she liked, and I also shopped BOGO sales at Publix to help keep the cost down.
Last week my mom suggested we have a mani-pedi day. Melody loves getting her nails done at home and saw my mom getting a pedicure and was intrigued. My mom was off work, so we decided to go one morning. Melody seemed to really love it except when they “separated” her toes. She has a toe on each foot that is sort of twisted/curly. We have seen a doctor about this, and he thinks it is just fine since she doesn’t really hurt from it. I think it is just uncomfortable for her when someone is physically separating them. Anyhow, she loved it, and she said she can’t wait to do it again. And how adorable does she look?? I mean they even massaged her little leg and feet, ha!
We started Melody’s second year of dance back in September. It is still the thing she looks forward to the most every week, sometimes every day. She is constantly asking to go to dance. We have a new teacher and new dancers and dance moms too. It is a bit more chaotic, but I suspect it is just a glimpse of her future in dance, ha! Check out some of my favorite pictures so far from dance!
Last year I went all out for both Christmas and end of year teacher gifts. And by all out I mean I made things. I made cookies and picture frames, mason jars full of candy, and a tutu mason jars. But this year was a busy one. Between moving and recently going back to work temporarily, my time isn’t as readily available to craft. Plus its the holidays! This are crazy and we are traveling nonstop it seems.
While at Disney back in August, we had lunch at Pinocchio Village Haus at Magic Kingdom. We have eaten here on past trips too. It’s a great place to cool off, and if you time it right, it isn’t very busy at all. They have a variety of food for even the pickiest eaters too!
I have made many diaper cakes at this point for various baby showers/sprinkles. But this was my first diaper cake for a little boy! My best friend recently had a baby boy, and I hosted a baby shower for her a while back. It was so much fun getting to use lots of blues instead of all the pink we are used to! I kept the diaper cake simple, but it was definitely all boy!
When mom and I took Melody to Disney World back in October, we stayed at a new (to Melody and me) hotel. Melody and I would be spending a few days at the hotel alone during the day, so we picked this hotel because of the amenities. Mom had stayed there before, so she knew there would be plenty for us to do.
One of the pieces of decor I used at Emily’s baby shower was a onesie banner. I placed the banner over my fireplace, and it was sort of a centerpiece to the living room where everyone would be sitting. I made the onesies using my Silhouette Cameo of course.
On our way to Disney back in August, we stopped at Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers in Orlando. It was about a 5-10 minute drive from Disney itself, and it is next to one of the outlet malls. We had time to kill until my mom could meet up with us, and this sounded really good based on reviews online.
So last year, Melody attended her very first football game. It was a local high school game where my alma mater was playing. Well this year we decided to take her to her first college football game. My husband is a graduate of Ole Miss, and we continue to have season tickets there. They were playing a smaller game in November, so we decided that would be ideal for her. A friend of ours that has season tickets behind us let us have one of theirs for this particular game.
Back in August we went to Disney very last minute, and we had to throw together a stroller tag. While it isn’t necessary, it is truly easier to find your stroller with something that makes it stand out.
While at the beach this summer in Destin, we stayed next door to a restaurant called RedFish Tacos. We never really had the opportunity to go inside and eat there (Brad’s parents did), but one afternoon Brad did go get us lunch there and bring it back to the condo.
Thanksgiving 2019 was one for the books. We celebrated in our new home, and we also able to spend the entire holiday home rather than traveling. It was so relaxing and fun!
My best friend, Emily, recently had a baby boy! It is the first boy for both sides of their family and for the both of us. As you may have noticed throughout my blog, we spend a lot of time with Emily and her daughter Lydia. Lydia and Melody are just two weeks apart in age, and I suspect over time, her new boy will end up just like a little brother to Melody too! I hosted a baby shower for her back in October. I plan to go into more details of the crafts I did for the shower in the future, but follow along today to read all about her shower in general.
Melody received magnetic tiles for her birthday this year, and she has loved playing with them. She is always wanting to build crazy new things. So I wanted to share a few of the things we have come up with the last few months. Oh, and she has the most fun when she gets to knock it all down, ha!
