rain, rain and more rain

So far, I think we've had only 2 or 3 sunshine-y days this January! So.much.rain!!!

We leave some of our Christmas stuff until 3 Kings Day or until Lance can't stand it being out any longer - ha! Apparently the UPS man accidentally knocked my chalkboard too far out. Grace said, "Oh mama, don't look!" She knew how hard I had worked on this sign!! It was my first time to try some chalk art. I just looked at Pinterest for inspiration and gave it a go. So fun! Can't wait to give my chalkboard a valentine message.

And speaking of...pink + red...Yes, please! Can't wait!

The Target dollar spot just got cuter!! I wanted some chair backers for the littles to leave little love notes all month long but didn't want to pay $56 at PBK, so when I spotted these for $1/each, I may or may not have done a little happy dance right in the middle of tarje'!!

Add a monogram and some cute ribbon and voila! Love how they turned out!!
{sorry for the flashy pic - like I said RAIN!}

And because it's been raining and raining and raining...and we've been cooped up inside for far too long...

A VIP invitation to the Pink Frosting Spa & Bakery?? Why, yes please! What more could a girl want??!

Feliz Dia de los Reyes!

Growing up in Puerto Rico, we always celebrated "el Dia de los Reyes". As the Wise Men traveled through the night on their way to meet baby Jesus, little boys and girls would leave grass + water for the Wise Men's camels...to help them along the way...

...and the Wise Men would often leave behind a little gift under the children's beds!  The camels sometimes made a big mess because it's hard for them to get to that grass tucked away in shoe boxes under tiny beds!!

Check out that bed head!!! *love*

The Wise Men even stopped by Noonie's house!

And left us new games for Family Game Night!!

So happy that my mom has helped continue this tradition with Grace & Hudson!

good morning, sunshine!

First things first, 2 out of 4 of us are not morning folks around here. I'll give you a hint, both of us like shoes a whole lot...and glitter. So to make the transition from winter break back to school a little easier, I decided to add a few pretties and move breakfast from our usual nook to the dining room.

Of course, there's no good lighting at 6:30a, but you get the idea...add a little chalkboard and some scrapbook placemats and the littles get h a p p y!

Food was super simple, just cereal + strawberries and a little hot cocoa...with marshmallows, of course!

You win some, you lose some...and sometimes mama is just too tired to say no, so cereal with a side of Poptart it is. One happy little boy on the first day back, makes it all worth it in my book! Bedheads and kitchen towels are just bonus.

Hello, Spring Semester! 
{and why, oh why, must they grow up overnight once those baby teeth start falling out???! *cue the tears*

Hope you had/will have a great first day back!

Nashville!

Lance and I spent the last three days of 2014 in Nashville for the Music City Bowl - such a fun mini vacation for us! Thank you Mimi & Pop and Noonie & Papa J for keeping the littles! I know they had 
F U N!!

Nashville is such a fun city! I love their downtown.

I have to record this for posterity... 
Let it be known that on this day, the 30th of December two thousand fourteen, I, Jessica, was ready BEFORE my husband! hahahaha

A little shopping before the game - my kind of tailgating - ha!

Geaux Tigers! Even if LSU lost by a field goal in the very last seconds, it was still a great game. Perfect Christmas gift for Lance. LSU and Notre Dame are his #1 and #2 favorite teams.

Enjoying the Gaylord while licking our battle wounds...

My sweet friend Diane recommended the Pancake Pantry and oh my, it didn't disappoint! We tried to eat there Tuesday morning - game day - but this was the line! Like 50+ deep!

Since Lance doesn't like to wait in lines, we ended up at Bruegger's Bagels, which was yummy (Pastrami, Egg & Swiss on Pumpernickel...M'mmm), but it was not PANCAKES! We went back Wednesday morning a little earlier and we were able to go right in!

I ordered the pecan pancakes...YUM!

A quick stop at Huey's in Memphis for lunch and then we were on our way.  We made it home just in time to give these two cuties their wAcKY hATs and ring in the New Year!

Grace's was a pink bLinKIng cowgirl hat... 
{pic from video}

And Hudson's a wACkY "spaghetti noodle" one!

We had our very own video countdown, which consisted of the littles making "the ball" - a la Times Square - out of magnaforms and smashing it into the ground after their own 10 second countdown. Exciting stuff - ha!

We were so worn out from all the traveling, I fell asleep before midnight and woke up a few minutes after. Boo!

Here's to a great 2015!

North Pole Breakfast 2014...Grinch Edition!

Ending the year sharing our most favorite Christmas tradition...our North Pole Breakfast!

We held it the first week in December but computer and server glitches kept me from posting right away and then, well, life. You know how December goes. Better late than never!

This year with Grace performing in Grinched, we were all about the mean green guy, so I rolled with it. Grinch pjs, Grinch stuffed animals, Grinched North Pole Breakfast...

We started out reading - what else - How the Grinch stole Christmas!

I love opening books and finding sweet sentiments! This one was from my dear friend Segi when Grace was still in my belly!

And then I made the littles close their eyes and tip-toe into the dining room...

And this. This right here is what it's all about! These sweet smiles and eyes full of wonder...

Our elves may not do a lot of fancy tricks while they're here, but they sure know how to throw a fun breakfast!!

Super Belly & Cookie Rooftop always bring some fun goodies for the littles - movies, ornaments and cotton candy this year - but the most important thing they bring every year is a sweet letter reminding Grace and Hudson what Christmas is all about...

And then it was time for the feast!

As you can see the littles wasted no time going for their favorites!!  Grapes and strawberries for the little pumpkin...

And S U G A R for Hudson!!

That silly old Grinch messed with our North Pole treats this year!!

Not even the Grinch repellant (maple syrup) could keep him away!

We had Grinch Pills (peppermint Milano cookie halves)...

Double Your Heart Paddles (red velvet cake ball halves)...

Who Pudding...

Green pancakes + Grinch hats...

Even our milk went green!

That Grinch even put his signature color in our C H E E S E!!

About the only thing he didn't mess with was the Snow-Covered Donuts...the North Pole's signature food. Whew!

But the littles didn't mind. They were in heaven! Sugar heaven that is!

Sugar high and silly shananigans topped off our morning!

And that's a wrap!

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” 
~ Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Indeed it does!

Thanks for visiting our little corner of blogland this year! I wish you God's blessings of love, peace and joy in the New Year. May you find big and little reasons to celebrate this beautiful gift called LIFE!