Halloween 2014...

A teenager, a soccer player and Princess Anna...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Filing System...

The filing system might be my favorite organizing system in our entire house.  When the kids leave ANYTHING out (homework, permission slips, church papers, flash cards, library books, etc.), it goes straight in their file!  This way they know where to find things and my counter stays clean.  It has saved us countless times when we are scrambling to get out the door! 

Front Door Decor

 I love having my front door decorated...especially for the holidays.  I use this boxwood wreath year round and I change out the ribbon for each holiday.  I don't have space to store multiple holiday wreaths so this solves that problem, but I'm still able to have a festive entry!

 I use these topiaries on each side of the front door year round as well.  I can add lights to them and change the ribbon out for holidays!

Party Prep...

I'm working on an upcoming party  that I'm throwing at my house.  I'm loving how all these colors, textures and pieces are coming together.  I'll be sure to post more as it approaches!

Girls Night

I hosted a fun girls night at J Crew factory tonight.  If you are looking for a fun way to shop for picture outfits, holiday parties, gifts, or for yourself, this is definitely the way to do it!  Plus, you can save 20% by scheduling a shopping party.  It was so fun and I loved spending time with these girls!

Family Pictures...

With the holidays just around the corner, family pictures seem to be a common topic of conversation with friends.  This photo shoot was just the kids and I wanted to make sure that they wore something that was comfortable and represented their personalities, but that also looked good.  I try to choose traditional colors that  I won't get tired of having on my walls.  I've also found that if I pick things that they feel comfortable in, they are more relaxed and act more themselves.  

This picture completely represents my boys and their relationship (and leaves my heart feeling like it's going to burst)...

Choosing a photographer and a location can be tricky.  I prefer more candid shots where I can see my kids personalities through the pictures.  I love the beach for multiple reasons, but one of them is that I don't have to worry about shoes in the pictures! 

I love everything about these pictures...the personality, love and character they represent and they were captured perfectly!

I let the kids help decide what they were going to wear.  If I made the boys wear long pants, tucked in their shirts and a belt, it wouldn't represent them.  So I meet them in the middle and even let them wear their baseball hats...because it is who they are!

Since Ellie is the only girl, I prefer a skirt or a dress.  She is still a bit young to where I can help guide more.  I picked a few things and gave her options.  This is the dress she chose...

 {picture credit: Jamie Hammond}

Ball Mason Jars...

Ball Mason Jars are one of my FAVORITE things to use...for anything and everything!

This is a wine carrier that I picked up at Home Goods.  I added the wide mouth ball jars, filled them with different coloring items and tied a bow on it...TADA!  Perfect for Ellie's desk in her room!

I use Ball jars for salsa and salad dressings.  They store really well in the refrigerator and take up little space.  I found these lids at Target.

This is a gallon size jar that I painted with Annie Sloan chalk paint, sanded and tied some twine on.  It is the perfect vase for our house!

This jar has become my favorite glass to drink out of!  I found the lids at Target as well...added a cute straw and some of my favorite Diet Coke!

I use the smaller sized Ball jar on my desk.  I tied a piece of my favorite ribbon on and put my pens in it...

We also use Ball jars as every day drinking glasses.  They look cute, are durable and inexpensive...the perfect combo for life with kids!

Pearls...

Pearls are one of my very favorite things to wear!  I wear them every day in my ears and on my wrist!  They can be worn casually or formally...by themselves or stacked...they can be small or large.  It doesn't matter how or what you wear them with, they always look good!  

Halloween Decorations

 To say I LOVE Halloween is an understatement!  I hang witches and spiders from the light fixtures and I tie ribbon on anything possible!  Ribbon is an inexpensive way to decorate with holiday colors and it looks cute.  I knot it, tie bows and I love to use wired ribbon and bend it to make it look a little spooky.  Halloween can be so much fun and the kids love when I put it up!  

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Corporate Office of PJD

I love a simple and clean work space.  I have a few of my favorite things sitting on my desk...mostly pictures.  I love the gold frames, the topiary, my initial (that I found at Nordstrom of all places), and a picture that says "families are forever" that one of my best friends made for me.  I use a ball jar with my favorite ribbon tied around it as a pen holder.  My favorite thing about this work space is the wall above it where I get to look at my 3 favorite people!  My work space is small, but it is full of my favorite things that represent me and everything I love!

Piper Jack Design...