Little Monsters

If you know me, you know that I am Halloween OBSESSED! I get really into holidays in general but Halloween might be my favorite!

I always like to keep things super fun and festive for the kids so I try to plan fun things on the weekends when they aren't in school.

This year started off a bit rough bc of my lovely boob infection (#breastfeedingprobs) but I'm feeling much better now so I've been trying to cram everything in that I had planned before Halloween is over! Seriously, can October be a little longer?

Last weekend we took a little mini Fall trip to Dallas, I'll be doing a separate blog post on that but the weekend before (while I was still in the early stages of getting over the boob issue) we kept the fun at home!

On Saturday we did our annual pumpkin painting party! Loren was off on a hunting trip so it was just the kids and myself. We always carved pumpkins every year which was always a pain bc when you have young kids they have a hard time so you usually end up doing all the work. It's super messy, exhausting, and then your pumpkins turn to stinky mush a few days later. About 3 years ago I decided to try painting pumpkins instead and I was SOLD on it! The kids can do it without help, no stinky pumpkin guts or fruit flies, and the pumpkins last for weeks! 

 

We normally do it outside but it was still in the 90s here that weekend so I just set the kids up in the house. You can cover the floor with plastic and use a disposable table cloth and you are all good!

 

We started as it was getting dark so we incorporated glowsticks bc who doesn't love those? As far as the paint goes, I just go buy a bunch of acrylic paint at the craft store and a couple bags of assorted brushes.

 

Scarlett got in on the action too, I just gave her a brush with some water on the end.

 

On Sunday we did haunted gingerbread houses! The kids always love this bc they get to eat them afterwards! The gingerbread house kits were from Trader Joe's and I think they were only like $8 each.

 

Here is Leila's 

 

This is Ayden's 

 

Since Scarlett couldn't really partake in the gingerbread house decorating, she got to have a bath party!

 

To do this I just bought 2 packs of glow stick bracelets (each pack had 15 sticks). I bought non-toxic ones just in case they leaked for any reason and I'm careful not to let her chew on them (she does try lol) and other than that it's super easy and she loves it! 

I will be posting about our trip to Dallas in the next few days! If you have questions feel free to comment below! 

-xo-

Danielle 

Treat Yo Self Tuesdays!

Let's be honest, this is a totally appropriate blog title. I think "Treat yo self" is like my motto.

I'm gonna drop some pics of our fave snack places below just to make you hate me, or so you can go check them out!

This past weekend the kids and I went to Cocohodo & Sweet Vivian's for some liquid nitrogen ice cream!

I love this place bc they have an awesome variety of coffees and teas PLUS they do latte art which for me is like....yasssssss! You know I'm all about presentation!

 

This place is super cute, it's in this random shopping center that is half deserted and doesn't look like much from the outside but it's adorable and they have a new patio that I will definitely be spending some time once this Fall weather rolls in!

 

When someone orders ice cream they put on quite the show and all of the kids run over to watch!

 

Then there's the fact that the ice cream is insanely good!! They use real ingredients and it shows!

 

We got Nutella, peanut butter, and strawberry! They were all amazing but the Nutella flavor is TO. DIE. FOR. 

Oh and my green tea latte was incredible too! 

I don't think they have more than one location but if you are around the Katy area I definitely recommend it! They have food too, I think crepes and such but I have yet to try anything but dessert! When I do, I'll let you know!

   Now to a very important topic: DONUTS. There's this little hole-in-the-wall donut shop here in Katy called GLAZE! It's in Old Katy which I don't venture to often but this place is worth the trip!

If you are a donut snob like I am (sorry fellow Houstonians, Shipleys is garbage) you will love this place!

 

On this trip we tried Strawberry Shortcake, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Birthday Cake, (and not pictured) the Bananas Foster Fritter, Sausage Kolaches, and Breakfast Tacos (bc this girl never passes on tacos!)

Everything was SO good! The kids were bouncing off the walls for 3 days...seriously.

Oh and since we are practically on the topic of CAKE...sending love to my fave cupcake place SMALLCAKES!

 

Most of you know, I'm like the queen of cupcakes! I have tried probably every cupcake place in the Houston area and when I travel I always look for cupcake places wherever I am!

There's a lot of competition out there and a lot of argument over who is the BEST but in my opinion SMALLCAKES wins, hands down!

They always have an awesome variety and great flavors plus the cake and icing is perfect! Not too dense and heavy, not too light and fluffy, perfect!

Last but not least, just a little shout out to my long time love Starbucks! 

The Pumpkin Spice Latte is back and the basic white girl in me is loving it! However, since it's still 100 degrees here, in the afternoon I like to get a Chai Tea Latte on ice and I ask them to add the pumpkin spice syrup and it's AHHMAZINGGG! I shared this tip on FB and everyone went nuts!

Also, because I'm festive, I am loving that they turned the birthday cake pops into Mummies for Halloween!

 

That's all for now! Next post will be Halloween themed!

-xo-

Danielle

It's Fall Ya'll!

My favorite season is here!! Although, here in Houston, Fall is just a state of mind bc it's still 100 degrees. lol

If you follow me on FB you know that I've been a bit under the weather, I'm still nursing my 18 month old and I started having extreme pain on one side that I thought was a plugged duct and kind of brushed it off and though it would go away if I did what I usually do when I get one. After 2 weeks, no luck so I saw a doc and was diagnosed with having Mastitis. I questioned if it really was bc I've had it before and this seemed different, the pain was worse but I never got a fever like I did before. I was treated with antibiotics and after 6 days there was no improvement so I was put on a different antibiotic. After 8 days on that I was still in severe pain and found out that it most likely wasn't even mastitis to begin with but a different type of infection. So anyway I started a new prescription now that seems to be helping after 5 weeks of being in pain 24/7!

So anyway with all of that going on I haven't been as festive this year, I've been stuck on my couch with a heating pad or an ice pack trying to move as little as possible. I have been keeping most of our Fall festivities at home for that reason. Whomp whomp whhooommmp. 

Here are a few pumpkin pics from grocery stores bc that's pretty much the only place I've been since all of this started! We will get out to a real pumpkin patch soon!

 

First pumpkin pic of the year at Sprouts!

 

Next we went to Whole Foods where sitting on a pumpkin seemed like a good idea to Scarlett!

 

Here was another trip to Whole Foods!

 

Actually talked all 3 of my kids into a group pic! Anndddd they all smiled! #ParentingWin

 

and of course we couldn't leave out this one from Trader Joe's!

I will be doing a few Halloween posts ASAP! We spent this past weekend painting pumpkins and making haunted gingerbread houses! Post coming soon! 

-xo-

Danielle