Giving Thanks & Winner Winner Turkey Dinner!

This has been one incredible year for us and there are so many things to be thankful for. Topping the list though would be our baby girl who greeted us in January. Followed by our new home that we broke ground on in August. It's been a long road that we wouldn't have been able to weather without the help of my parents who have also been down the home construction road. Things have been wild and crazy but I wouldn't have it any other way... well maybe but I guess I'm just getting used to the chaos now. I'm so thankful for our tight-knit, loving, supportive family, amazing friends, and for all of you. As much as I enjoy blogging, I have to be honest it's the comments and the blog "friends" that I have made along the way that really keep me going. So thank you for your support, advice, comments, and readership.

In other exciting news--- We have a winner for the Willow Crowns Holiday Headband Set!

Congrats! Hope your little enjoys her new stylish headbands! 

Thank you to all who entered!

Aubrey's 8 & 9 Month Favorites

Fisher Price Stride-to-Ride Lion
Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Stride-to-Ride Walker
We introduced these toys to Aubrey at the beginning of her 9th month when she started showing an interest in standing and holding onto things. She mostly sits on the lion and car and tries to scoot right now but she absolutely love both of them. Both are musical.

She loves touching the lion's nose to make the music turn on. The seat on the lion flips up so she can hold on a walk behind it but at this stage of the game she is more interested on going for a ride. We will help her hold onto the handle while standing but she pushes forward and gets a little hesitant and reaches out for us to help her so this is toy that she will grow into in the next month or so.  

The car is awesome! It also plays music- it has two modes: learning mode and play mode. It plays "the wheels on the car," sings the alphabet, teaches numbers, and plays music. There are different noises when you turn the steering wheel, use the blinker, beep the horn, turn the key, etc. and there is a shape sorter in the hood! The seat separates so she can stand behind it and use it as a walker as well but for right now she is mainly using it to sit on and scoot. She has a little more stability on this car as opposed to the lion but she loves both. If you were to pick just one, I'd go with the car because it has all of the bells and whistles. 

1. Hello Kitty McDonald's toy- This is seriously her favorite toy. Go figure, a free toy is her favorite. Also among her favorites- good ol' brown moving boxes! Who said you need to spend a fortune on toys?
2. Owl Washcloth/Sponge from Target (similar)- We aren't using this as a washcloth but as a teething aide. It is one of the most helpful things for her sore gums believe it or not. I keep it in the freezer and she sucks on it while she waits for the tylenol to kick in. It seems to be the only thing (along with the grape teether) that gives her relief from the painful teeth that are breaking through.
3. Infantino Cart and High Chair Cover- This is the best cart cover! I had another one by this brand that totally didn't work for us because it didn't cover the sides well enough. The sides on this cover have velcro so they stay in place perfectly and this is SO important because my child will put her mouth on anything these days and the last place I want her mouth is on a dirty cart. Unlike many other covers, this one comes with it's own child strap that wraps around the cart for a secure hold. In other words, this is your safest best if you are looking for the best possible way to keep your baby germ free while out shopping or dining. Another plus- there are several fabric loops to attach toys to so they don't fall out. This is a total must-have if you're a germaphobe like me.

Willow Crowns Holiday Headband GIVEAWAY!

I recently stumbled across Megan's blog, Willow Way and I instantly found myself reading through past posts, totally loosing track of time. No laundry was put away that night. Ever find yourself doing that when you find a really good blog that you can relate to?

I was so excited when Megan announced the opening of her etsy shop, Willow Crowns so naturally I was thrilled when she contacted me in regards to a giveaway. Megan was kind enough to send my little Aubrey a few handmade, totally adorable headbands. They add just the right amount of sparkle to any outfit and they are so versatile. We're having a lot of fun wearing them. No, I didn't make a typo. We are now sharing headbands. Well kind of, I may or may not have worn the red bow headband around for a full day. 

I'm delighted to be hosting not just any giveaway, but my very first baby-related giveaway!

Megan is giving away a Christmas gift set to one very lucky little lady. The winner will receive a white, black, and red bow headband (as pictured below). The headband sizes are 16'', so they should fit a 6-12 month old little girl.

You have 5 chances to win. 

Contest opens today, November 19th and closes at 12am EST on November 25th. 

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Weekend Review

I finally wore my necklace! I ordered this in the beginning of the summer from Groopdealz. It was an impulse buy. I knew I loved it but I wasn't sure how I would like it on myself. I spent the whole summer putting it on and taking it off because I just didn't feel right wearing it. I looked in my jewelry drawer the other day thinking- well, that's it for this necklace, summer is over. Then I decided to try it on with this blue J.Crew top on Friday and-- Bam! I loved it!

Little Aubrey at the end of our TarJAY FriDAY trip- sick of watching me look at makeup. And yes, every Friday is TarJAY FriDAY for us; think of it as a momma/daughter date. She seriously loves it there, I don't know if its the bright red carts or what but as soon as we step in that store she is smiling, laughing, and acting silly.

BTW how adorable is Aubrey's headband? Megan, the designer at Willow Crowns made this. Check out her shop which is filled with all things pretty and cute. 
A very exciting giveaway is coming up later this week so stay tuned...

Speaking of Target, if you haven't hit their dollar bins lately, you should. There are so many great finds in there right now including these labels, gold alphabet stickers, and silver glittered tape. I have no idea what I'm labeling but I'm sure I'll find something.

I picked up a holiday dress for Aubrey so I was looking at tights and I found these cuties (at Target, or course). Either pair will match her dress perfectly- I'm so excited for her to wear these!

Friday was a good mail day. I got this beauty from Very Jane. Can't wait to wear it- it's such a pretty, versatile piece.

My mom broke out a photo album from when I was Aubrey's age to show me how much I looked like Aubrey. She tells me all the time how she never thought she would be able to see me again as a baby but she feels like she can now when looking at Aubs. Pretty cool feeling. I hope I can experience that one day too.

I have a drawer filled with nail polishes but I'm kinda sick of them all so I picked up a couple new shades. Sally Hansen Grey Area and Coin Flip. 

I finally found the time to give myself an at home mani and I am loving Grey Area- exactly what I was looking for! It's holding up great too. I painted my nails on Friday night and there are no chips so far- after washing a whole lot of baby bottles and painting a room!

Yes, you heard that right- we painted Aubrey's room in our new house. We're hoping to paint a few more rooms before we move in while everything is covered in plastic and there's no furniture to worry about. It's starting to become real.

Disclaimer: Willow Crowns sent the headband pictured here. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own and are not altered in any way.

 How was your weekend?

Style

As most of you know I'm in a packing frenzy over here preparing for our move. I came across this little ol' book while I was packing things away the other day. 

Kate Spade -Style-

I totally forgot I had it so it was a nice surprise. I picked this book up when I was in college so it's by no means new. It was published in 2004 but the book is timeless. That's what I love about Kate Spade- her style, her collections- they're all relatively timeless classics but with a fun flair.  

If you haven't heard of this book you should totally check it out. It offers style advice that is helpful no matter what the decade, century, or season. In this book, Kate talks about her style inspirations and how to find inspiration yourself. There are clothing care tips, organizational remedies, pairing suggestions and there's a nice big section on accessories too. If you know me at all you know I love my accessories and so does Kate.

Kate Spade is one designer that never disappoints. I can always find a handful of things that I adore from her collections and I've felt this way for years now. A lot of designers will adopt a new style or trend along the way but Kate always stays classy, classic, and feminine. Here are a few things that I'm loving right now:

-Top to bottom, left to right-
Sedgewick Place Paige, Flatiron Sophia Grace Diaper Bag,
Nylon Karen, Park Avenue Beau

-Top to bottom, left to right-
All that Glitters Clutch, Cayman Flats,
Catcher Flats, Beacon Court Jeanne

Krysta, Netta,Carlton, Charm