Giving Thanks!

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Just wanted to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

We have so much to be thankful for this year and I am blessed to have a wonderful family to celebrate with over the holiday weekend.

I'm taking a short hiatus from the blog for the next week, but rest assured I will be back in action early December! 

I hope you enjoy lots of turkey, stuffing and family quality time over the next few days!

Camden's 1st Birthday Party

We made it a year people!

My little monkey was just the perfect little angel at his 1st birthday party!

We were a little worried about the turn out since it was a cold, rainy day and an OSU football home game day (which is big around these parts), but we had a full house of family members and friends! A lot of our friends brought their little ones too so it really felt like a birthday party!

I had so much fun planning and decorating for his party. At one point I thought "do I have enough sock monkey things?"

Ha! I think I bought everything I could find online that had a sock monkey theme. It was such a fun theme to work with and so easy to pull off. We even had a little sock monkey decorated smash cake! As you can see from the last few photos, Cam was not shy about digging into his cake. He was a little cautious at first, like "Are you sure I'm allowed to have this?"

After his first mouthful of icing, I think he was hooked! We got so many great gifts and toys from everyone too! No duplicates or anything we already have which is amazing! I can't wait to share with you some of the new toys Cam received. 

I didn't get a great photo of the food spread, but I made this pizza monkey bread that was so good! I also served "monkey meatballs" (just regular Italian meatballs in the crock pot with chili sauce and grape jelly). My mom made "monkey tail" pasta salad (spiral pasta) and a tropical fruit salad. My mother in law made a banana chocolate cream trifle that was to die for! 

My best advice to give to those of you starting to plan a 1st birthday party (or any party for that matter), don't try to do EVERYTHING! I had so many ideas of what I wanted to do, but decided to pair down to a few cute ideas that would really stand out and make an impact. You can get so lost in on the etsy and pinterest sites until you get dizzy! I picked a theme and tried to stick with it. I made a few decorations myself, but also relied on vendors for the more detailed items (like cookies, cake, balloons, etc). Know what you're capable of and do what you know are your strengths. At one point I thought "I could totally make his smash cake?!" Boy am I glad I wised up! I actually ordered his smash cake from our local grocery store and the price was not bad at all! 

All in all, it was such a fun day and I'm so glad we got to celebrate with our close friends and family!

Sources for decorations and party items below:

'Happy Birthday Camden' banner | DIY (supplies from Michael's)

circle garland | DIY

'ONE' high chair banner | DIY

sock monkey stuffed animal | amazon

candies in vases | Party City (vases were my own)

sock monkey wrapping paper table runner | zazzle

silver '1' balloon | amazon

red polka dot balloons | birthday express

monthly photo frame (so many compliments on this one!) | Pottery Barn kids (gift from my mom)

sock monkey cookie favors | Nanny & Weebs: cookie by occasion (local vendor)

sock monkey smash cake | Giant Eagle (local grocery store)

'1' candle | Party City

Dr Seuss Happy Birthday To You! book | amazon (find the free guest book printable here)

sock monkey knit hat | etsy shop cozycutecrochet

sock monkey personalized tee shirt | etsy shop mimisbabies

invitations (not pictured) | etsy shop PNArt

And that's a wrap people!

I'm still recovering from exhaustion, but it was oh so worth it!

Fall Basics || 3 Thanksgiving Outfits

Can you believe we are a week away from Thanksgiving?

This month is moving along entirely too fast! 

I'm here with my final installment of my Fall Basics series. This week it's all about dressing for my second favorite holiday of the season... The great feast of turkey, mashed potatoes, casseroles, stuffing and pies!

When it comes to dressing for a great feast, like Thanksgiving, you want to have comfort in mind. Particularly in the lower half/pants region. Enter the leggings. My friends, if you do not own a comfy pair of leggings and boots this season, you must get to shopping stat before next week!

Below I have 3 Thanksgiving outfit options for you that each include leggings, boots and my favorite plaid scarfs (#basic).

Outfit #1

comfiest tee shirt swing dress || plaid blanket scarf || leggings || boots || socks

The swing dress is one of my favorite trends currently. Not only are they flattering, but they help hide the middle section which is perfect if you are planning to over indulge. 

And I know you are thinking, "short sleeves?"

Yes, short sleeves. Think about being in a home full of people with an oven that's been cooking a turkey all day. You'll get hot. And if you're chilly, that's what the scarf is for! Or, you can have this adorable cardigan on hand just in case. 

Outfit #2

chambray shirt dress || plaid scarf || leggings || boots || socks

This chambray shirt dress is a recent random purchase that turned out to be a winner! It is loose and comfy and still makes me feel put together when I put it on.

Outfit #3

striped long sleeve tunic || puffer vest || plaid scarf  || leggings || boots || socks

I love the layers of this one. The tunic is long enough to wear with leggings (it's even longer in the back). I suggest sizing up in the shirt, it runs a bit snug up top (of course, I'm a bit top heavy), but is loose at the middle.

There are my top 3 outfit picks for Thanksgiving!
Now, which one should I wear?

Shop this post below:

I've been super busy this week with getting ready for Cam's party this Saturday!
Hopefully, I will get around to posting a party recap early next week!

I'm linking up with Natalie and Annie for Thoughts for Thursday.

*affiliate links used.

Baby Favorites || Baby Boy Clothes

I still can't believe my baby is turning 1 this week! I keep hoping that time will stand still for a few days, but I know the rest of the week will fly by and before I know it Cam will be smashing cake and frosting into his face (or throwing it on the floor for Charlie our dog).

When it comes to dressing baby boy the past 6 months, we've definitely stuck to our basics. Old Navy, Target and Carters are our go to for comfy and classic baby boy clothes. I have to say that I've actually had a lot of fun dressing Camden over the past year and even though he still hates outfit changes, the boy looks so sweet in those little duds!

Old Navy typically hits it out of the park when it comes to baby boy clothes. We love their plaid/flannel shirts that are available now. We also love ON's baby jeans! I love this pair that is dark wash and has an elastic band on the back for more comfort. ON always has the cutest graphic onesies! Their onesies are also the softest, stretchiest ones we've tried. Another ON favorite are the baby leggings! These are great for just play time during the day. I like that they are a little snug so he is able to move around a bit more than other pants. 

Of course, Target is another go to. That baby section always gets me! We found this adorable sweater (ps - it has elbow patches!) recently, that I'm pretty certain will be his Thanksgiving sweater! I also just bought these PJs and they are so cozy feeling! It's been so hard to find the footie, zip up PJs in his size (currently wearing 18mo), but Target has a great selection of them right now. 

Carters has always been another favorite baby shop. I got this pack of long sleeve onesies and he practically lives in these and baby leggings during the day. It's just so easy and comfortable for him. I also love these little sneaker socks! They're perfect to throw on him if we are running errands. If I try to put shoes on him, he always takes them off! Speaking of shoes, we are in need of a good pair of winter boots. I saw this pair on the Carter's website and may have to get them. How cute would they be with baby jeans and the flannel shirt?!

Shop Camden's favorite clothes below:

What are your favorite stores/shops for baby clothes?

Week in Review

It has been one busy week over here! Busy, but so fun! We had an amazing anniversary dinner on Monday. I also enjoyed a day of shopping and a movie date for my birthday on Wednesday. Bill gifted me a new pair of boots (when I say he gifted me, I mean we went to Nordstrom and I picked them out ;) )! I absolutely love them! I really wanted to try on a few pairs while we were at Nordstrom, but as soon as I tried this pair I knew they were perfect. They are so comfortable and go with everything! I know they will last for a long time and are definitely worth the money (not to mention they're on sale right now!).

boots | swing dress | similar scarf

I also picked up another color (burgundy) of my favorite long sleeved shirt and this really cute tee shirt swing dress! I can just picture wearing this dress with a long cardigan, plaid scarf and my new boots. Perfect fall outfit!

The rest of the week I just took it easy and spent some QT with my baby who's so close to turning one! I've started on the party prep and making some decorations. The sock monkey theme is very addicting and now I feel the need to buy everything that has a sock monkey on it! Trying not to over do it. Is that possible? :)

I'm headed out for a girls night tonight! I feel like it's been forever since I've gotten together with my girls without our babes or husbands. It will be nice to have some wine and girl talk!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Fall Basics || Tailgate Ready

This past Saturday, I attended the OSU home football game against Minnesota Golden Gofers. The fun part was that my husband was the OSU mascot in college (Brutus Buckeye) and they were honoring Brutus' 50th Birthday! He was invited down on the field at half time along with over 50 other past Brutuses to help celebrate. We had amazing seats only 5 rows from the field!

I always loved tailgating. In my 20s I would have made it a point to go to campus every home game, even if I didn't have tickets just to tailgate and socialize with friends. Now that I'm a bit older, I have to be honest and say I enjoy watching the games from the comfort of my home a bit more. But, it's always fun to get to go to at least one game per season. There is nothing like the energy and excitement felt at an OSU home football game!

It was pretty chilly that night so I made it a point to layer up. I wore a heavy OSU sweatshirt, puffer vest (that I recently found from h&m!), leggings, my new Sperry quilted rain boots and warm socks. I also brought along a heavier puffer coat just in case it got even colder (which it did). 

The outfit I put together above is not only perfect for tailgating, but for any crisp, chilly fall evening! 

I'm loving these funnelneck sweatshirts from j.crew factory. They look so cozy! Of course, I'm also a big fan of the puffer vest and they help to add an extra layer of warmth. I wore these leggings, but I recently found these fleece lined leggings on nordstrom's website that I may have to add to my legging collection! Duck boots are my new obsession and Sperry has a great line of them available right now. I bought these quilted rain boots that I've been wearing non stop. I also love this shearwater flannel boot option from J.Crew! 

This is the second to last post in my Fall Basics series. Next week I'll be sharing Thanksgiving outfit options. November is going by so quickly already! 

What do you typically wear to tailgate?

Shop the post below:

Side note: Bill and I had an amazing anniversary dinner Monday night! Thank you all for commenting and wishing us a happy anniversary!

Also, it's my birthday today! I'm spending the day off work shopping and eating with my favorite people... my mom, Camden and Bill later in the evening! The perfect birthday day! :)

2 Years!

Just wanted to pop in quickly after our whirl wind weekend to post a little ode to our anniversary today! Its been 2 years since we said I do and we've been through so much since! Most importantly, bringing the most beautiful baby boy into the world! 

I have to say I got completely lucky in the spouse department. He is so driven in his career and is an amazing father. He is my rock and my best friend. I could not imagine spending life with anyone else! 

We are going to dinner at the fancy restaurant M at Miranova tonight. We had our wedding reception at the Ivory Room at Miranova, so we are going to make it a tradition to have our anniversary date there. 

If you have vasts amount of spare time today, feel free to take a look at all my past posts about our wedding here. 

Happy Monday!

My {Birthday} Wishlist

I can not believe we are just about a week into November already?! The rest of the month is quite busy for us. It's our Anniversary on Monday (the 9th), my birthday is the 11th and Cam's is the 20th! Oh, and we end the month with that big feast called Thanksgiving! Although it is such a busy season, it truly is my favorite time of the year.

I told Bill that we need to take it easy on Anniversary and my birthday gifts because I really want to focus all the gift giving attention on Cam for his birthday and Christmas. However, a girl can dream! Here's what's on my current (birthday/Christmas) wishlist...

Shop all items by clicking the images below:

Which is your favorite? 
What's on your wishlist?

PS - Nordstrom is having their Fall Clearance Sale! You can save up to 40% off clearance items now through November 15th! Shop all women's sale items here.

This weekend we are going to the OSU football game on Saturday night! It's been so long since I've tailgated and can't wait to cheer on our Bucks!

Happy Weekend!

Baby Favorites || Walking/Movement Toys (6 - 12 mos.)

I'm back with round 2 of Camden's favorites series in honor of his upcoming birthday (the 20th)!!

Ever since Camden started sitting up, crawling and pulling himself up onto things, it's like he didn't want to sit still. The toys/entertainment centers/walkers above have helped to keep him busy and release some of that energy!

1 || VTech Sit to Stand Learning Walker: This thing is great because he was able to sit and play with it before he started pulling himself up to a standing position (he's just now starting to push it standing up!). There are so many little buttons and gadgets to keep him occupied. I will say, it does have the most annoying barnyard animals sounds and music. BUT, Cam now dances to the music when it comes on and it's the cutest, so we will let that slide...

2 || Baby Einstein Discovering Music Activity Table: I bought this shortly after Cam started pulling himself up onto things. He loves the music and the big buttons. Mom and Dad also appreciate the soothing music and sounds of this one as opposed to the one mentioned above.. :)

3 || Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo: This one was a favorite from about 5/6 months to about 9 months. Cam used to love this thing and would jump and jump and jump! All the little animal toys, lights and music kept him occupied while I did dishes or just watched him entertain himself! Now that he's more into forward movement, we've already packed this one away in the basement for now.

4 || Babies R Us 2 in 1 Walker: I know there are some concerns with these traditional walkers these days, but this one is probably Cam's favorite thing at the moment. Of course, we never let him out of our sight when he's in it (I think that's the main concern) and the small amount of space we have for him to run around in doesn't really pose too much of a risk. He loves chasing us down the hall in his "car"! :) And I think he likes the freedom of movement and the fact that he can maneuver his way around by himself.

There you have it! These were the big 'toys' that have been cluttering up our kitchen/family room for the past 6 months! Hey, if it keeps the kid happy, clutter away! 

Shop the post:

Moms - what are some of your favorite big ticket item toys for your tots?

I'm linking up with Natalie and Annie for Thoughts for Thursday!

Fall Basics || October Round Up

If you've been following along with my Fall Basics series, you know that I am currently working on bulking up my fall wardrobe 'capsule' if you will. In the month of October, I purchased a lot of what you see above as an 'investment' (that's what I'm telling my husband). Some items are on trend, and some are just classic pieces that I know I will wear again next year.

Here's a round up of my Fall Basics staple items from last month:

1 || This long sleeved striped tee is a staple in my weekly outfits. I currently love the stripes and plaid combo, so it pairs perfectly with my plaid scarves. This striped tee is so comfy and it's less than $10!

2 || THE perfect tunic. I wore this for our family photos and I've worn it a few other times last month as well. It's perfect to pair with leggings or you can tuck it in for a more polished look. I love this tunic so much, I'm seriously contemplating getting it in white and a few other colors. This really pretty blue color is on sale for less than $26!

3 || The quilted vest is a must have for fall. The one I got from Old Navy is a bit less bulky than the puffer vests from J.Crew factory, so it's more just to polish your look. This puffer vest from J.Crew factory is on my wish list for this month now that it's getting a bit colder!

4 || A cozy blanket scarf. If you follow me on IG, you know I am a big fan of the blanket scarf! This particular one is still out of stock, but I've linked to several other similar ones below...

5 || A good pair of leggings is also another must for fall. I love layering tunics and over sized sweaters with leggings and boots! Nothing better!

6 || A neutral tote/satchel bag. I bought this one from forever21 with the intentions to 'try out' the satchel style bag to see if I liked carrying it before I splurge on the one I really like. I'm so used to shoulder bags and crossbodys that I was afraid I wouldn't like this style. However, I've been using this one almost everyday and I love it! I like the structured feel and look. And the price tag is very friendly (less than $30!). 

7 || Red crossbody bag. As soon as I saw this bag on forever21's site, I knew I had to get it! It is almost an exact dupe of the Rebecca Minkoff 'mini mac' crossbody bag and I love that it gives my dull fall color outfits a pop of red!

8 || Leopard clutch (on sale for $15!!). Of course, I would love to own this leopard clutch, but this one is a more budget friendly version. It's the perfect date night clutch!

9 || Leopard pumps. I've wanted a pair of leopard pumps for a while and when I saw this pair at target, I had to snag them. I love the fit and style of these pumps so much and they go with so many different outfits!

10 || Hunter boots. It's almost embarassing how often I wear these. It's been a bit rainy and chilly recently, so I have loved having these to run errands, grocery shopping, etc. Definitely an investment that is worth the money! (PS - Apparently, Nordstrom is price matching them to Costco's price of $79 for the original tall boots. I am not a Costco member, so I am unable to buy them at this price. I believe you have to be a member of Costco and they have to have the correct color and size you want. But, then why not just buy them at Costco?!)

The items I already had in my closet were the Hunter boots, leggings, tunic (bought in September) and the quilted vest (also purchased in September). The rest were all new purchases this month. I'm working on a November wish list of items I'd like to add to my closet (and because my birthday is coming up!) that I will post soon! 

Shop all the items above plus similar items here:

Happy Fall Shopping!

PS - Can you believe it's November already??

Weekending

Well, Cam's first Halloween is in the books! He was the cutest Elmo I've ever seen! We had our trick or treat in our neighborhood on Thursday, so that's when he spent most of his time in the fury costume. Surprisingly, he didn't mind it at all! It was a bit chilly, so I'm sure it kept him warm!

I also had the guts to DIY a cookie monster costume for our dog, Charlie. Although, you may not want to look too closely, it was just enough to get a good photo of the two muppets together.

Cam had a fun time watching the other kids in costumes come to our door. I think he was very curious about this fun holiday! We didn't actually take him to any houses, but we did stop by my parents' house and they gave him a few pieces of candy for his bucket. :)

One of my good friends had a day time costume party for all the kids on Saturday. There were 10 babies/kids there all under 4 (the oldest being 3 year old triplets)! It was so fun to see all the babes in there little costumes. We reminisced about how just a few years ago we were having costume parties for ourselves and going to bars downtown for Halloween. Boy, how times have changed!

On Sunday, we completed a few house chores and took a little family outing to Babies R Us. I have been wanting to get Cam a new convertible car seat since he's pretty much at the max high for his infant carrier now. We ended up buying the newest version of the Graco 4ever All-in-1 convertible car seat. We debated over several different ones, but we liked the safety ratings, reviews and the fact that it comes with a booster seat attached. 

While we were there, we also picked up this eye sore for our house...

It is totally worth it! He kept himself busy for a good 30 minutes while I did dishes and cleaned the kitchen last night. And we opted for the play mat that looks like hardwood and it almost matches our floors exactly!

Yes... this is the most exciting thing about my weekend these days... How was yours? 

Please tell me you went to some awesome costume party and sipped on cocktails and rubbed elbows with someone famous...

I'm linking up with Biana for weekending!