Jordan & Co

Category: holiday

  • Father’s Day 6.0

    Father’s Day 6.0

    It’s that time again…

    Each and every year I search the house for that same old blue and brown striped tie of Ryan’s, that old Tom Ford bowtie he wore only once, and the ratty old American flag hat that happens to be his favorite. Every year I promise myself that I’m going to hide these items away in a safe spot so that the next year I won’t need to have a panic attack and go hunting for them again. But, I never do. So every year, this year no different, I scramble to get this shot executed, edited, and ordered before Father’s Day. And every year Ryan pretends not to know what’s in the feather-light, cream colored box tied with a fancy brown ribbon. And then he pretends like his eyes are not tearing up when he flips open the tissue paper and see a full year of growth in a single snapshot. Every year.

    It’s quite easily my favorite tradition of all times. I swear I’m doing it forever & ever and then I’ll cry when the shirts are no longer baggy and the hat fits Max’s head perfectly (which, let’s be honest, might be next year) #largeheadedchildrenproblems

    Anyways, here is this year’s shot along with our collage of years past, for pinterest-ing (or bawling) purposes. 😉

    Happy Father’s Day to all!

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  • “Sponge Cakes”, Tea Cups, and Bunnies…Oh my!

    Ready for the cutest little bunny-filled craft idea EVER? Read the steps below for a simple “sponge cake” recipe for your little one’s next tea party! (bunnies optional)

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    • Step One: gather your supplies. You will need:
    1. sponges of all different shapes, colors and sizes (you can always buy a big one and cut it into different shapes!)
    2. scissors
    3. craft glue (I prefer hot glue gun)
    4. paint
    5. kitchen supplies to use as paint brushes (cake scrapers, mini spatulas, tiny butter knives make your little crafter really feel like a chef!)
    6. trimmings: think cute pom-pom ribbon, red poms for cherries, glitter that resembles sprinkles, rosettes, etc.
    7. plastic to-go boxes for your guests to carry home their goodies!
    8. optional: Anything to help set a festive mood. Think tea set, doilies, flowers, and don’t forget some REAL edibles! 😉

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    • Step Two: Invite some of your best buddies over for a “crafty tea party”.  Then, allow your crafters to get, well…crafty! Guide them if need be. I had a few “sponge cakes” pre-made for inspiration. Tell them to pretend they are making real cakes for a real fancy tea party! Show them how they can glue sponges on top of each other to create “layered” cakes, how to make roll-ups, etc.

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    • Step Three: While the glue and paint is drying, serve some real snacks. We went with cupcakes, macarons, and “pink lemonade tea”. We also had little bunny visitors for the girls to play with.
    • Step Four: wrap the girl’s sponge cakes up in a plastic to-go box and send them on their way! Q keeps her sponge cakes with her fake kitchen food and to this day they are some of her & Ardyn’s favorite play food items!

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    Flower headbands from Fancy Free Finery

    Images originally posted in Momazine Magazine: Issue 17 | May 2016

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  • Easter & Spring Books

    Easter & Spring Books

    Spring & Easter Books are some of my favorites! All the pastel colors, the cute baby animals! Remember, think outside the box and don’t stress about building your collection overnight. Choose a few fun Easter books that catch your eye and then fill your Spring/Easter book nook with other books about warm weather, new beginnings, April showers & May flowers, gardening, ect. Short on those books too? Scour your book bins and set out any books that your kiddos haven’t had their hands on in a little while…bonus points if the covers are pretty pastels! 😉

    I’ve included a few different categories for this post so I hope you’ll find the perfect book- whether it’s for your library collection or for your kiddo’s Easter baskets!

    2020 FINDS

    EasterBooks2020

    The Great Egg-scape | E is for Easter |Easter is Coming |We are the Gardeners | The Honeybee |Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring |Wish |Eggs are Everywhere

     

    2019 FINDS

    Remember The Little Reindeer book I brought you in December and The Bad Seed I introduced a few Octobers ago? Well both authors have NEW books out for Spring this year. They were my two new purchases this spring and I think you’ll love them too! Too Many Carrots is another fun one we discovered this year!

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    The Little Rabbit |The Good Egg|Too Many Carrots

     

     

    Easter Specific Books

    I’ve included some cute newer releases as well as some Easter CLASSICS that I remember reading as a kid.

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    • Rechenka’s Eggs– When I taught third grade, I taught a whole unit on Patricia Polacco. She is a superb storyteller!!
    • The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes – And old classic! Tells the story of how a new Easter Bunny is chosen once it is time for the old Easter Bunny to retire. Anyone can become The Easter Bunny- even this hard-working mama rabbit with 21 baby bunnies!
    • The Story of Easter – One of my favs, if you are looking for a religious tie-in. The illustrations bring me back to my childhood!
    • Wolfie The Bunny – A newer, sillier book- but super adorable!
    • The Easter Bunny’s Assistant– poor little skunk wants to help Easter Bunny get ready for Easter, but he just keeps getting a little TOO excited…will it result in the stinkiest Easter ever?!
    • The Biggest Easter Basket Ever – While trying to compete for the title of “Biggest Easter Basket” at their town festival, these two cute mice (from The Biggest Pumpkin Ever) learn a lesson in cooperation
    • The Easter Egg – It’s by Jan Brett, you guys!! This story is a beautiful classic!
    • The Golden Egg Book – A classic by Margaret Wise Brown (Big Red Barn, Goodnight Moon, etc.) about a sweet little bunny who just cannot rest until he finds out WHAT is inside an egg he finds.
    • The Easter Egg Artists – An old classic about an established bunny family of “easter egg decorators” whose son is discovering just what kind of artist he wants to be.

     

    Books with Bunnies

    (not Easter specific)

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    • The Tale of Peter Rabbit – I don’t think I need to explain this one!
    • Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present– Such a sweet story about a bunny who helps a little girl who is trying to find the perfect gift for her mother.
    • Home for a Bunny – Another Margaret Wise Brown classic, from 1956, about a little bunny’s journey to try and find the perfect home!
    • Marshmallow– Do you even care what this story is about?! Look at how CUTE the cover is!!! Ok fine, it’s basically about the cutest, most charming, most irresistible bunny ever. Seriously- that’s what it’s about.
    • Yoga Bunny – I mean, who DOESN’T do yoga these days? (me.)
    • The Runaway Bunny- Let’s just go ahead and call this the Margaret Wise Brown book list!  But seriously, this is the SWEETEST classic about a mama bunny who will find her baby bunny no matter how many times he runs away (while playing hide-and-seek) *Also fits in the “Baby Book” section below*
    • The Black Rabbit – super cute little book about a rabbit who is being “chased” by his shadow
    • Bunny Roo, I Love You – A sweet, sweet story about a mama’s love for her new baby! *Also fits in the “Baby Book” section below*
    • And perhaps, my very very VERY favorite Bunny story of ALL TIMES:

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    The Velveteen Rabbit

    I have my original edition and my brown bunny rabbit (that I truly believed was magical) from my childhood sitting on the bookshelves in our current playroom. LOVE this story so much!

     

     

    Springtime Books

    Since Easter is so early this year, we needed some non-Easter specific books to get us through the rest of the month once we’re feeling all Easter-ed out!2018-02-22_00032018-02-24_00042018-02-28_0002

    • Blueberries for Sal – a classic story that I always bring out for Spring/Summer
    • Make Way for Ducklings– another classic! And perfect for Springtime.
    • When Spring Comes – Kevin Henkes (author of Waiting) is such a wonderfully simple storyteller. *Buy this in the board book version and it fits perfectly in the “Baby Book” section below*
    • You Belong Here – a richly illustrated book that reminds children that they are right where they belong!
    • The Blue Songbird A beautiful book, written in prose, about setting out to find your destiny. An empowering and sweet story!
    • The Carrot Seed – From the creator of Harold and the Purple Crayon. A cute story about patience.
    • Hatch, Little Egg – EVERYONE is going to see the little egg hatch…but they’re all in for a little surprise. Filled with satire & humor.
    • Up in the Garden, Down in the Dirt – Got this at the kids book fair in the Fall and I’ve been waiting for Springtime to put it out! Love this book that take a look at a Garden from above & below!
    • A Walk Through the Woods – Poetic text and beautiful paper-cut illustrations
    • Florette- The story of how one little girl finds nature in the big city!
    • Bloom– Apparently this is the story of fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, who “dared to be different” UPDATE: While I LOVE the look of this book and may use it as decoration in my library- I didn’t love some of the messages and ideas for young children. I feel like maybe none of the editors had children?! The girl plants flower seeds in her ears, nose, and mouth “trying to be beautiful” and her imagination leads her to get a little carried away at times. An uplifting story for adults or older “fashion students”, etc. but in my opinion it is not really a great read for little children…especially little children with big imaginations! 😉
    • Be Kind – oh this book is so sweet about a little girl whose mother taught her to be kind. She goes out of her way to help another child feel better. LOVE!
    • Everything Spring– a great non-fiction option for your library! You know I always love to include some non-fiction.
    • Egg – Kevin Henkes, back at it with another “graphic novel” type picture book- great for preschoolers, with comic-book like panels, wordless pages, repetition, and surprises
    • The Big Book of Bugs – Another book I’ve been hoarding from the book fair back in November…October? Can’t Remember. But nothing says springtime like some creepy crawlies!
    • A River– A sweet book about a little girl who allows her imagination to take her on a journey, out of her home in the city and into the wild…on a river.
    • Morris Mole– Poor little Morris is always misunderstood- but he finally gets the chance to save the day….can he do it?
    • **Lola Dutch is a Little Bit Much – one of my FAV new books for Spring. I bought this the day it was released and loved it so much I thought about trying to plan Cub’s birthday around this book- it’s THAT adorable!
    • The Pink Umbrella– a beautiful book about friendship and “giving back” to those that are always going out of their way to make others a little bit happier.
    • The Digger and the Flower – “When Digger discovers something growing in the rubble, he sets in motion a series of events that will change him, and the city, forever.”

     

     

    Non-Story Nature Books

    Although I never like to put an age on a book (my 6 1/2 year old still enjoys board books!) these are probably more suitable for older, school-aged children (I’d say ages 5/6+. Q will love these because she’s SO interested in learning “allthethings” and especially loves nature and animals!)

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    • Nature Anatomy: This book is GORGEOUS & full of fun facts and info. I’m putting this one in Q’s Easter basket. She will love looking through it all year long!
    • How to be a Wildflower: A Field Guide. Stunningly illustrated little gem of a book for your nature-lover. Note: this is not a story book, it is a “field guide”!
    • Nature’s Day -This book walks readers through nine different locations through each of the four seasons. Also has an activity book that goes along with it.
    • Bees: A Honeyed History an encyclopedia style text all about the history of bees, with the most beautiful illustrations!

     

     

    Perfect Books for the Tiniest Listeners

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    Hope you find something you love!

    LoveJordan

     

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  • Easter Baskets

    Before I get started let me just say that Easter baskets are my favorite! They are so fun to put together & shop for without the stress that comes with Christmas. Growing up, I remember a few things that my Easter baskets ALWAYS contained, year-after-year without fail. They were:

    1. Something cozy (like new pjs, slippers, or socks)

    2.  A new VHS or DVD (obviously these are kind of irrelevant these days so I like to replace these with some books!)

    3. Toys that encourage outside play

    4. Fun knick-knacks like hair ties, bows, small toys, new crayons, etc.

    5. Candy ( a chocolate bunny and haribo gummy bears were a must!)

    So, once I had kids I always tried to keep within the same 5 themes when shopping for Easter basket goodies. I’ve categorized my picks below!

    Please note this is a list of ideas I complied, not a list of everything my kids are getting!! Some are items they’ve gotten in years past & loved, some are items Ardyn is getting for her upcoming birthday but I thought would also make great Easter gifts! Anyways, Happy Basket stuffing!!!

    BASKETS

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    First off- Baskets! THESE are the baskets we use. I like to get the big size since some of their little gifties take up a lot of space. I’ll get them new liners every few years but I also love the look of them without liners! This year I’ll be getting Max THIS basket for his first Easter! I also make sure I have some cute smaller baskets for when they go to egg hunts, etc. I love THIS Bunny ONE from Pottery Barn and THIS Simple White basket for $6!!!!

     

    EGGS

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    Next, let’s talk eggs! I usually put a few pieces of candy inside plastic eggs but this year I am using these adorable paper mache eggs from the Target:Magnolia line. As far as egg decorating goes, I love this Natural Egg Dye (must easier than making your own…which I tried one year). And last year I was way too pregnant to deal with real eggs so we painted wooden eggs and it was actually WAY more fun- plus you can use them every year. Here is a cute Wooden Egg Kit.

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    While decorating eggs, here are some of my favorite books to read: Rechenka’s Eggs, The Easter Egg Artists, The Easter Egg, and The Golden Egg Book

     

    Girl’s Baskets

    ART

    2018-02-21_0004rock crayons |gel crayons |  Dollhouse Book

     

    COMFIES

    2018-02-21_0006rainbow pillow |new slippers | pjs

     

     

    JEWELRY

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     I always like to get them a special piece of jewelry that they can store in their jewelry boxes and wear on special occasions. This year I’m doing these precious silhouette charm necklaces from VonJet Silhouettes! And a jewelry box is always a great Easter gift! This one from pottery barn is my favorite- both girls have one!

     

    OUTDOOR

    2018-02-21_0014Pool/Beach Towels| Flamingo Float (Cheaper version) |Rainbow Sprinkler (This sold out last year!) |Fairy House book & Fairy Garden Starter Kit, or THIS is a cheaper option |Water Beads & Fine Motor Tools |Bubble Blaster |Gardening Kit |chalk & stencils

     

     

    TOYS/FUN

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    100% Natural Bath Bombs with surprise toy inside (are your kids as obsessed with these as mine are?) |Wooden Wagon Rainbow |Camp Castle Mini Play Mat |Non-Toxic Nail Polish |Little Cosmetics (100% fake makeup) |Blue Tooth Microphone |Disney Emoji Journal of Quizzes |sushi play food |Pretend Lunch Box Set– my girls love playing school, so they will think this is super fun! |Tea Set &Breakfast in Bed Set |LOL Dolls– My girls are currently obsessed with annoying little surprise packs and they happen to be sold out everywhere. I linked some on Amazon, but here’s a little hidden secret, you can get them HERE on Ali Express for under $5 (but the shipping will take a long time!) Just FYI!!

     

     

    WEARABLES

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    Rainbow Backpack (I feel like this is going to be a hot item- GRAB IT NOW!) | Nailmatic water-based, non-toxic nail polish set! |Tennis Racket shaped bag (obsessed!) |New Mini Melissa Shoes (these are great to wear to dance class!) and THESE jellies are perfect for all Spring/Summer long! |Ryan and Wren Clips how cute is this set I’ve dubbed “The Mermaid”?!|Fun Hair Pom-Ties |Rose Gold Rain Boots (um hello. I want these in my size!!!)

     

    DOLLHOUSE FURNITURE

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    Doll House furniture (for the Magnolia dollhouse from Target that we got for Christmas. The dollhouse is no longer available at Target. I did find it on Amazon from 3rd party sellers at a more expensive price HERE  but HERE is another sweet favorite, as well as this THIS one from Pottery Barn.) Ok, Favorite Furniture Links: Living Room, Kitchen, Bedroom, Bathroom, Kid’s Room, Playground, Car   If you’d rather just buy one complete set: THIS one from Land of Nod is super cute! Also, Ardyn plays with her Peppa Pig figurines in her dollhouse which I think is so cute! Here is a cute set: Peppa Pig Family Figurines & this cute Peppa and Friends Set

     

    BOOKS

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    I also always include a few books in their Easter Baskets. This year I chose more “Spring Themed” books as opposed to Easter books so that they can enjoy them for the next few months!  For a complete list of fun Spring Books see Easter & Spring Books . These are a few of my favs: Nature’s Day & the accompanying Collecting & Activity Book , Bees: A Honeyed History Book, This book is also stunningly beautiful: How to be a Wildflower and I’m eager to get my hands on this new book: Bloom  (UPDATE: Please see my Easter Book post for an updated review of this book. In my opinion, it may not be appropriate for young children. BUT, it is a beautifully illustrated book and will LOOK pretty on a shelf! It may be one to save until your children are older. )

     

    Boy’s Baskets

    I’m keeping this list a little shorter than the girls only because I feel like lots of the items in both categories can be gender neutral! Also, because…I’m still learning boys! 😉

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    inflatable basketball hoop | shark kite | chalk paint | magnifying glass | Ferry Boat pool/bath toy |Wooden Tool Set |Rock, Paper, Scissors Card Game |Magnetic Slime |Mash’ems Mystery Packs |Harry Potter Illustrated Edition -um, I also bought this for my girls. I’m hoarding the whole set in my attic until they get a little bigger!! | Adventure Design Kit |Terry Hooded Cover Up |Babiators – 100% rubber, flexible and 100% UV protection | Skateboard jams – come in other colors/designs |racetrack playmat – ps- also bought this for Cubby! Pair with some matchbox cars and you’re all set! |Travel Lego Case – yep, also got this for the girls! Pair with a mini version of your kiddo’s favorite  lego set!

     

    Baby Baskets

    Goodies for your baby boy OR girl!2018-02-21_00112018-03-07_0009

    rubber duck |ride on bike with basket  |dinosaur sprinkler (I’m stashing this one away because it’s so flipping cute!) |Water Buckets |Wooden Camera Toy |Puzzle |new pjs (and a cheaper, almost identical option HERE) |new rash guard & swim trunks for our June vacation |Pantone Box of Colors Board Books| Treats- since Max can’t have candy, I’ll throw some of these Yogurt Melts into his basket. The Happy Baby brand is our favorite! |A new lovey- THESE from Milk Barn are Max’s fav. Plus I don’t need to worry about the safety hazard of sleeping with a full sized blanket. |Carrot Teether | Bunny Puppet – my kiddos LOVED puppets and this one reminds me of my pet bunny Kitt’ny I had as a kid! | Sweet Pink Chicken Bubble perfect for summer! |BANANA pjs!!!! | Sand Toys come in different color sets for boy or girl!| The Secret Garden Baby Lit Book

    I can’t wait to see what you put in your Easter baskets! Tag me in a photo on IG- I’ll post some of my favs on my stories!  @jordan.and.co

    LoveJordan

     

     

     

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  • March Books

    March Books

    Don’t ask me how in the world it’s time for MARCH books already, but it is! Maybe we spent so dang long in January that now the rest of the months are just trying to catch up?!

    Anyways, I know St. Patrick’s Day isn’t the biggest of holidays for everyone, but WE are Irish (& Italian- thanks Dad!), so in our house it’s a green-wearing, leprechaun- trapping, Lucky Charms-eating kinda day.

    So, that being said, you know I have a stockpile of St. Patty’s Day books ready to hit the Library shelves! Here is a little round up of some of my old and new favs!

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    Fiona’s Lace (on the longer side, but Patricia Polacco might be one of my favorite story tellers EVER so it’s ok!)| How the Crayons Saved the Rainbow | The Story of the Leprechaun | Light Makes a Rainbow (you know I always like to get a good non-fiction in there!) | Mixed: A Colorful Story | Anne of Green Gables (a babylit board book) | The Night Before St. Patrick’s Day

     

    MARCH BOOK NOOK PICKS:

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    1. Leprechaun in Late Winter: (a MTH novel) perfect for your monthly read-aloud or for your older readers.

    2. How to Build a Leprechaun Trap: Just got this one and I’m SO excited to get crafty & build some traps with the girls this year!

    3. This is Ireland : a simple book, highlighting the best/favorite traits and places of “ye old country”

    4. Emeraldalicious: for your girls-girl. Cause green is cool, too.

    5. How to Trap a Leprechaun: I linked it on Amazon but when I wrote this post it was already SOLD OUT there. If it’s still sold out, here is a link to Barnes and Nobles.

    6. The Leprechaun Who Lost His Rainbow: …give me all the rainbow books! I mean, the leprechaun’s name is Roy G. Biv. Need I say more?

    7. How to Catch a Leprechaun: A cute little book, written in verse

    8. The Luckiest St. Patrick’s Day Ever: Another cute little rhyming story.

    9. St. Patrick’s Day : the story of St. Patrick…cause we’re Catholic and I used to love learning about the Saints as a kid!

    10. Too Many Leprechauns : I’ve had this book FOREVER! It’s a cute story about the trouble the leppies get into during the other 364 days of the year!

    11. Lucky Tucker : Not gonna lie, the title got me on this one! I’ll have to make sure I read carefully to the children…wouldn’t want any slips of the tongue! A cute story of one pup’s rise from having nothing to being the luckiest of them all!

    12. St. Patrick’s Day: A cute little book about how the kids in one classroom celebrate the holiday

    13. Jamie O’Rourke & the Big Potato : Ireland is all about folklore and this is the perfect little folk tale! I love this story about a man who’s wife gets sick and he needs to (gasp…) fend for himself! Plus, it’s by Tomie dePaola you guys! (Have you heard of Strega Nona? yeah-him!)

    14. That’s What Leprechauns Do : A story about what Leprechaun’s do best: get into mischief! Plus, Eve Bunting can do no wrong in my book! 😉

    15. St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning: Another tale by Eve Bunting. I swear, you guys- her story telling is just phenomenal. This isn’t a quick rhyme and play book, its a beautifully written STORY. My favorite kind.

    16. Tim O’Toole and the Wee Folk: It starts “In a little cottage, on a little hill, at the end of a little lane in Donegal…” Sign me up, I’m already hooked.

    17. O’Sullivan Stew: The story of how one young lass uses imagination to save her family from trouble. A great read, but a bit on the longer side. Maybe for older readers or if you’re feeling really invested in bed-time stories one night! 😉

     

    Happy Reading, friends…and good luck trapping those Leppies, this year! If I come across any more gems I’ll add them here:

    LoveJordan

     

     

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  • Family Stationery

    Family Stationery

    Ok, so remember when I did the post on thank you notes and I talked about the importance of having personal stationery? Well, friends. The search for cute stationery is OVER…I’ve found the best, cutest shop EVER and I’m sharing it with you here… along with an awesome custom listing and exclusive discount code for YOU GUYS! So be sure to scroll to the bottom!

     

    I recently received this family starter kit of goodies from the talented Stephanie over at Joy Creative Shop and seriously, you guys…it’s the most beautiful stationery I’ve ever owned! I’m not even kidding. I’m obsessed.

    Here’s what I got:

    1. “Gift tag” stickers, a set for each girl and one set with all three kids’ names on them. These will come in SUPER handy for the 18,000 birthday parties we go to every weekend. I love the ease of a sticker and Stephanie’s designs are just SO fun! 😉

    2018-02-09_00012. I also got a set of cardstock gift tags (non-sticker form) with all of our names on them. They come pre-punched with tiny holes and a bag of gorgeous twine perfect for finishing off any gift.  In the pictures below you can see the tags with just our first names but those were mostly just for pictures. The real tags that we’ll be using have our last name (which I’ve blocked out of our stationary for privacy purposes) in script font at the bottom. They are seriously so gorgeous!!!  I LOVE them and I feel like the script font last name really ties the cards together!

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    2018-02-09_00053. The last thing I got was a set of stationery/envelopes for everyone! Each kiddo got his/her own stationery with their first name in big, bold caps and our last name in script below. We also got one set of family stationery that says “The M____ Family”.

    2018-02-09_00022018-02-09_0004Everything from Joy Creative Shop was absolutely BEAUTIFUL; from the paper quality, to the color combinations, to the packing! Honestly,  the pictures don’t even do the products justice- they are THAT good in person!

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    So, if you’ve been on the hunt for a quality set of family stationery- I’m telling you- RUN over to Joy Creative Shop and order! She has SO many fun options in her shop, but this set that she designed for us just fit our personalities and our family so well.

    She is truly talented! And also, she doesn’t just do stationery! She has a full-range of paper goods including weekly meal planners, notebooks, cards, notepads, and even glitter font!! So be sure to check those out too!

    And, just for you guys, Stephanie created a special Family Starter Kit listing- a perfect one-stop shop with all the goodies you need to get started. Shop it here: Family Stationery Set

    AND, also just for you guys, she’s offering 15% with the code JORDAN15 !

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    I cannot wait to use our stationery, and I will 100% be reordering when my stock runs out! And just for fun- I’ve also linked some of the other “office/stationery” items I love having on hand!

    -Address stamper, I got this one pictured above from Ink Me This on Etsy. Love their designs so much!

    -A polaroid camera, to add that “extra fun” touch to thank-you cards and other correspondence

    –Fun washi tape for envelope sealing

    –My fav FERN stamps from Amazon!

    LoveJordan

     

  • Class Valentines

    Class Valentines

    *Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom for a fun giveaway!*

    Don’t have Valentine’s yet? Don’t panic! Here’s what we did this year, along with links for everything to make this as painless as possible! 😉

    For the girls:

    OB-sessed with these clips in general…but giving them out as Galentines? Genius! You can still order in time for V-day, so hurry over!

    Ryan and Wren Clips

     

     

    Gender Neutral:

    ZDOUGH: We gave this Zdough as favors at Q’s birthday party this summer and it was a hit! Each batch is handmade and is scented. We got strawberry flavored, custom stamped with a heart & I found these perfect “berry much” cards to go with them over at Minted. I linked them both below! Ardyn is giving these to her whole class.

    ZDough   |  Berry Much Cards

    COLOR MY WORLD: Since I did the clips for the girls in Q’s class, I needed something for the boys. I loved these cards I found on Minted and taped some crayons on the back to complete the gift. I added the “tic-tac-toe” option to the back of the cards to give the kiddos a little something extra to color! Linked below!

    Also, how cute is it that I was able to find two completely different companies/cards for the boys and the girls with the SAME sayings? Love it!

    Color My World Cards | Crayons

     

     

    Teachers:

    I opted for some personalized Initial stationary from Paper Source for our teachers this year. I went with their FIRST name initial so that they could use the set outside of the classroom! I bought the cards and envelopes and then bought a bunch of fun trimmings to wrap them up all cute. I then had the girls write a quick note to their teachers on the little red heart cards, stuck them in the pink envelopes they came with, stuck an xoxo stamp on the envelope and then slid that into the back of the stationary bundle. I linked everything below. 🙂

    Letter Stationary   | Colored Envelopes

    (You can go as crazy or as simple with this as you want with decorating the stationary bundle. I linked everything we used below!)

    Colored Twine |Paper (similar)  I bought one sheet and cut it in thin strips to wrap around the stationary bundle for a pretty pop of color |Gold Foil Trim (Similar) | Valentine’s Day Stickers |Gold Heart Doillies |Red Heart Cards |XOXO stamp

     

     

     

     

    And here are a few other ideas that we’ve done in years past:

     

    “I heART you”

    (I love this one! Completely handmade cards- we used index cards, I wrote out the words in sharpie and let Q go to town with her paints. Then I tied on some cheap water color paints, you can buy them HERE. This was one of my favorites for sure!)

     

     

    “Main Squeeze”

    Super easy: bought the applesauce pouches at target and had the cards made at Love Lucy Design

     

     

    “Thanks a Latte”

    Last year I ordered these cute cards, you can get a free printable HERE, glued on a cardboard coffee sleeve and stuck a Starbs GC inside each. A Teacher hit, for sure!

    free-printable-for-coffee-lovers.jpg

     

     

    “Anything Goes”

    Looking for super sweet & simple Valentine cards or stickers that could go with ANYTHING? Check out Joy Creative Shop  I adore her stuff!!

    il_570xN.1402169538_kxpc

     

    “In My Heart”

    Two years ago I actually gifted Q’s teacher one of our favorite books, In My Heart. She wrote a message to her teacher inside and we wrapped it up all cute with supplies we found in the Target Dollar Section! This is a great (and sentimental) Valentine idea.

     

     

    Thanks all I’ve got for now…so many cute ideas out there! I’d love to know what YOU are doing! Let me know in the comments below.

    AND if you are interested in winning a shop credit to ZDough and RyanandWren (why wouldn’t you be?!) head on back to my IG page to enter!

     

     

    Good luck, friends!!

    LoveJordan

  • New Year, New Books

    New Year, New Books

    It’s that time again! I can hardly believe 2017 is over; is it just me and my baby haze or was that the fastest year EVER?

    Well, ready or not…it’s 20-18 and when Christmas is over I like to strip the house of all things red & green, purge every closet and cabinet, and start the year from scratch! That, of course, applies to my book nook as well. See ya, later Christmas, we’ve got a new year and some great new reads in front of us.

    Here are a quick few of my favorite books for this January!

     

    Happy New Year, and Happy Reading friends!

     

    January Books

    I always like my book nook to have a good theme for each month and since January is all about The New Year and MLK Jr. Day, I’m going to focus on the following categories with my kiddos:

    Inclusion, Acceptance, Perception & First Impressions

    All of these books cover one of the topics above. They all carry one common thread: don’t be so quick to judge others. Which is a thread I love!2018-01-03_0002

    1. We’re All Wonders- Remember that little book called Wonder?! Kidding…OF COURSE you know about that book, and movie. Right? Please say “right!”. Anyways, they made a picture book and it is so very sweet! We read it at bedtime tonight!

    2. You’re all Kinds of Wonderful– Quinlin picked this book out all on her own at her book fair which just warms my heart. This book is by Nancy Tillman who is just one of my favs. The book starts “We’re not all the same. Thank goodness we’re not.
    Life would be boring, and I mean… a lot.” How can you not love it?!

    3. I Will Not Eat You- Theodore the dragon thinks everything is potential meal until he meets a pesky little boy who teaches him a “funny” little lesson about life. Don’t always judge a “dragon” by its “cave” 😉

    4. Gaston- Please tell me you have this book. If not, go get it immediately. It’s easily one of my top 10 pictures books! I love this story about two pups switched at birth and the true meaning of family.

    5. Horrible Bear! This angry little spice of a girl gets all pissy with Mr. Bear until basically she has to eat crow. A great story about forgiveness, undeserved reputations and gasp…making mistakes!

    6. This is How we Do it– LOVE this book! It basically tells the story of one day in the life of seven different children from around the world! Such a great eye-opener for my girls…and beautifully illustrated! Also, who else is still singing the song?! “…South Central Does it like Nobody Does…”

    Change, Growth and Self-Love

    2018-01-03_0001

    1. I’m Gonna Like Me- “The key to feeling good is liking yourself because you are you!”

    2. I Will Never not Ever Eat a Tomato- We could all afford to be a little more lenient toward veggies in our diets this year, no? New Years resolution to get your kids to eat more healthy stuff? Give this book a read!

    3. Julia, Child- Who doesn’t love to cook in the winter time! I bought this book as a Christmas themed gift for the girls to go along with some kid-friendly cooking utensils. It’s the cutest picture book about Julia Child as a, well, child.

    4. I Like Me! We’ve had this cute little book forever and it’s still a favorite to read along. This cute little piggie likes everything about herself…and that just makes me like her even more!

    5. Miss Rumphius- One of my ALL TIME favs!!! This is the story of how one lady attempted to make the world a more beautiful place. Absolutely LOVE!

     

    Weather/ Winter Themed Picture Books

    These are all short, simple, and sweet little winter picture books so I’ll skip the long blurbs!

    2018-01-04_0001

    1. Hibernation Hotel- just picked this cute book up when I was in Vail. I love it! Mr. Bear gets annoyed with all of his annoying friends so he checks into a fancy hotel to hibernate…only he just can’t get to sleep. (Ohhhh what a problem to have, Bear!)
    2. Over and Under the Snow- part non-fiction in the back! Love!
    3.  The Snowy Day- A Classic!
    4. Snow– another classic, verse book!
    5.  Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter– if you didn’t get this in my Christmas book round-up, it still applies!!
    6.  Bear Snores On- you know I love me the Bear series!!
    7.  Winter- super cute pop-up book of the seasons

     

    Non-Fiction

    These non-fiction books focus on self-growth and expanding horizons! Of course, we had to end with one of my favorite MLK books!

    2018-01-03_000451kj6kPHswL

    1. Little People, Big Dreams: Maya Angelou– I LOVE this biography series, and why not Maya for the month of January. Her words and poems were so empowering!
    2. City Atlas– this BIG book is gorgeous! Perfect for expanding your little one’s horizons! Plus, there’s “search-and-find” games on every page! My girls love this one!
    3. Curious about Snow– this is such a great non-fiction book! Contains The Smithsonian’s famous Wilson Bentley snowflake photos and “looks at the science behind snow, and the history of record-setting blizzards and snowstorms—plus how people have fun in the snow!”
    4. Nat Geo Weird But True- My kids LOVE these books that my sister got them for Christmas! They went RIGHT into our Non-Fiction bin in our library. Love filling that bin up! Quin even told me the other day when I was in a bad mood that I should chew some gum “because studies show that chewing gums makes us happier!” Bahaha! Thanks, Nat Geo! 😉
    5. Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.– OF COURSE we’ll end with a Dr. King book! This month has his namesake day AND his lesson is always a great one to teach young children! This story is told in such a beautiful narrative and the illustrations are stunning. Such a quality book!

     

     

    LoveJordan

  • Holiday Outings with Mini Boden

    When the calendar page turns over to December, it seems most of our time is spent at Holiday Outings. I come out of my “couch-in-pjs hibernation” and join in on all the fun: Santa parties, get-togethers, ornament exchanges, tree lighting ceremonies, and– of course, the theater! From The Nutcracker to our local children’s theater’s production of A Charlie Brown Christmas, we want to see it ALL! (And by “we”, I mean ME!)

    Seriously though, isn’t experiencing Christmastime with kiddos just so magical (you know, when it isn’t exhausting and overwhelming?). There’s something in the air that just makes every thing and every outing feel so festive and special…so, of course, we like to dress festive, too! Since I know we’ve got a full calendar month ahead, and I’m sure you do too- I’ve partnered up with Mini Boden to bring you some Holiday Outing outfit inspiration.

    What I love about Mini Boden is that their clothes are so easy to mix-and-match (I had SO much fun pairing up these outfits…but then I wanted to buy them all. Oopsie!). Another thing I love about these clothes is that, although they may look fancy and festive, they are still PLAY clothes that kids can be comfortable in! (Cubby is now wearing some of Q’s old Mini Boden favorites and they still look good as new!)

    So whether it’s a daytime kids’ party or a fancy nighttime show you’ve got on your calendar- I’m pretty sure you’ll find one (or 10) perfect outfits below!

    Plus, they are having an “Up to 40% off” AND “10% off NEW IN” SALES, right now!!!

    Click HERE to start shopping now!

    GirlsDay(Click HERE to shop these & more holiday outfits NOW! I love the idea of the plaid dress with the pink tree sweater over it, as pictured above. Turns the dress right into a cute skirt…two items for the price of one? Sold! And do not even get me started on those yellow boots!)

    BoysDay(Click HERE to shop these & more holiday outfits NOW! When it comes to the boys, I’m all about the layered look. Pop that red plaid collar under any of the sweaters above and you’re golden!)

    GirlsNight(I got Q that soldier/nutcracker dress, because…Nutcracker. Obsessed with all of these items though!! How about that sweet little red velvet number up top and that sequins collar city scape dress?! yasssss.Click HERE to shop these & more holiday outfits NOW!)

    BoysNight(Little boys in blazers have my heart. How adorable are these looks? With a dapper little scarf? I’m dead. Click HERE to shop!)

    baby(Click HERE to shop these & more holiday outfits NOW! Baby clothes for the win, always. Two words: Fair. Isle.)

    Update: More perusing ensued and now it’s time for round two.

    Hold my coffee, I’m going in for more…

    dead, dead, and more dead. I need it ALL!!!

    Click HERE to shop NOW before they’re all gone!!

    And for another one of my FAVORITE Christmas traditions, click here:

    Making Reindeer Food

     

    For more Holiday Traditions with Mini Boden, check out how my friends are celebrating:

     

     

    LoveJordan

  • Holiday Gift Guide 2017

    {Scroll to the bottom for a big SALE items that you have been asking me about… AND some fun blog shares!}

    So I mentioned not wanting to buy a lot of toys this Christmas. Howeverrrrr, call me a softie,  but I still want Christmas morning to be exciting for the girls, with presents to open. (Fine- I’m a glutton for punishment…and for spoiling my kids on holidays!)

    With that being said,we are making an effort to GIVE more this year and I’m also trying very hard to suppress my shopaholic tendencies and buy the kids items for Christmas that:

    A. They actually need

    B. They will actually get good use out of.

    You know what that means? Less of those giant space sucking toys that light up and cry and sing and pee and bark and god only knows what else, that the kids play with for approx three seconds and then get buried in the abyss of “toys never played with”. Yeah, those. I will probably cave and get them each one thing that they really WANT (that I cringe over) but that will not be the majority of the toys under the tree, like in years past. I cleaned out out the playroom pretty seriously recently and only left the girls with 5 “toy” categories:

    1. Blocks/Legos
    2. Barbies
    3. Dolls/Doll accessories
    4. Kitchen Set
    5. Dress Up/Pretend

    These are the things they play with the most, so I basically got rid of everything else. I guess I don’t include books, games, or art in those categories, but I’ve made a drastic change in the items we buy for THOSE categories as well. Only classics games are allowed…no more “Trolls Chutes and Ladders” or “Princess Candy Land”. Nope, it’s classics or bust. I make exceptions for card games and other newer QUALITY games I come across (most are educational).

    Quality is our theme this year; items that will be cherished, will last, and items that already have a need and/or a place they can fit into in our house. There is no space left to create “new homes” for more STUFF!

    So, here you go…some of the quality items I’ll be getting the kids this Christmas!

    (Note: These are ideas and wish lists. The kids will not be getting ALL of this stuff!)

    big gifts
    I like doing one big themed gift for the girls this year. This year its a new bike for Cub and some gymnastics equipment for Q. They are both going to be so surprised and excited!

    1.Public Bike | 2. Rainbow Streamers (I got this cuuuute idea from my friend Lee’s Gift Giving Guide. Her site Do Say Give has SUCH great ideas. Definitely check it out!)| 3. Bike Bell | 4. Helmet |5. Basket | 6. Handstand Practice Mat (goes on the back of the door and then folds out to be a cartwheel mat as well! | 7. Gymnastics Mat | 8. New Leo from Remie Girl | 9. Balance Beam (in case you are wondering, gymnastics equipment will live in the walk-in attic that opens directly from the playroom…perfect placement and storage option!)

    cooperative play
    I like any toys that encourage DOING, especially the DOING of something TOGETHER. These are great items that will encourage your kids (and you!) to spend time together learning and playing!

    1.Julia Child Book (to go with the cooking equipment theme) | 2. Family Scavenger Hunt (how fun?!) | 3.Cooking Kit (my girls LOVE helping in the kitchen!) | 4. Children’s Cook Book | 5. Moulin Roty – Another sweet cooking kit option | 6. Kid’s apron | 7. All Natural Spa Day (how fun to save for a sleepover?) | 8. Time Capsule (I’m excited for this one!) | 9. School Time |10. Fort Building Kit

    educational
    It’s no surprise that as a former teacher, educational gifts rank high on my list. These are a few I love!

    1.Rhyming Sound Sort (I did an IG story on this game, once!)| 2. Me: A Compendium (like an “all about me/baby” book but for older kids!) | 3. City Atlas (a gorgeous giant book- thought it’s be fun to have for all our travels!) |3. (The second number three, since I put it up there twice and was too lazy to fix it -haha!) The First Big Book of Why | 4. And Then, Story Starter Cards | 5. Allowance Game (like Monopoly for littles!) | 6. Domino Set (Q learned to play this summer with her Aunt Britt-Britt so I told Britt these would be a great idea to get for her! | 7. Smarty Blocks (looks like such a fun game that both girls can play!)

    quality toys
    Actual “Toys” that the girls want and that I don’t hate!

    1.Spirit horse and girl figurines (Did you watch the movie Spirit? They now have a show on Netflix and the girls LOVE it!) | 2. Melissa and Doug Horse Mat | 3. Hearth and Hand Dollhouse (I thought Cub would love this in her room since Q has a little Pottery Barn one in hers.) | 4. Q is obsessed with her American Girl Bitty Baby, named Autumn so she wants some cute AG Accessories and | 5. I found an Etsy shop that makes the cutest handmade doll clothes! | 6. Pottery Barn Lock Box (they are obsessed with “hiding and storing their treasures” lately. And, it’s personalized! | 7. Little Cosmetics (fake makeup!) | 8. Rainbow pillow (bc, rainbows!)| 9. New craft box (we get a new one every year- they use it every day!) | 10. New clothes for Cub’s Hazel Village doll | 11. Wooden Wagon Dollhouse (we keep our collection of wooden blocks/toys in a basket downstairs so I thought this would be an adorable addition. This one is sold out, but I linked a similar one! | 12. Some furniture and dollhouse people

    electronics
    We are always looking for great quality toys for travel/restaurants

    1.Roll up piano (obviously not for restaurants but cool for the girls to bring to their rooms/playrooms when they “perform shows”, etc.) | 2. Tiggly (a great educational game/app for Cubby’s ipad | 3. Build a Cupcake magnet game | 4. Joke Books |5. Pink Etch-a-sketch | 6. Lego on-the-go case | 7. Osmo (a great educational game/app for Q’s ipad!)

    Babytoys
    Some things for Baby Max this year!

    1.wooden cars | 2. Gathre Car Mat | 3. Shape Puzzle | 4. Tool Work Bench (I know Max is too young for this but I HAD to get it from the Hearth & Hand Collection before it was gone…and I’m sure the girls will play with it in the meantime!) | 5. Skiphop Play house book | 6.Cactus rattle | 7. June and January pom beanie hat

     

    stocking stuffers
    Some fun ideas for the girls stockings

    1.iRig microphone | 2. Rainbow Maker | 3. Magnetic Slime | 4. Kid friendly nail polish | 5. Whatchamadrawit card game | 6. Flashlight projector | 7. Rubix Cube

     

    Other
    Some other ideas that we aren’t getting this year but thought these were great gifts!

    1.Push car | 2. Magnetic alphabet practice | 3. Slime Making Kit | 4. Solve the Mystery Books | 5. Rainbow Blocks | 6. Cutest little poodle plush | 7. Crayon “Rocks” | 8. Science Myths Kit | 9. Instrument Set | 10. Wooden Marble Run

     

     

     

    AND A FEW FUN EXTRAS:

     

    Jump Rope Rhymes Book | Double Dutch Jump Rope

     

    cam
    My girls LOVE these!

    polaroid camera

     

    art
    nothing better than new crayons!

    Art Set

    blanket
    all three of my kids have one! Coziest ever!

    personalized blanket from Highway3

     

    ramp-racer-c
    So adorable…and I love the wood!

    Car and Ramp Set

    walker
    for when Max learns to walk (waaah!)

    cutest walker from Hape

    doll-carrying-backpack-c
    Because Q’s “Baby Autumn” must come with us everywhere!

    Doll Carrying Backpack

    abigail-jewelry-box-collection-gray-o
    Q loves hers and I think it’s time Cub gets her own! We personalize the lid with the girls’ names!

    jewelry box

     

    NEW Additions to the Gift Guide and on SUPER SALE!!!

     

    SB2
    Bought these for the girls’ “tent sleepovers” in the playroom! BONUS: they are originally $189 and are on a ONE day sale today 11/28/17 for $89!!!!

    White Fur Sleeping Bag

    tent
    Super Similar to our “out of stock” tent from Land of Nod. This one is from Anthro and I might like it better than our own!! (unfortunately, not on sale…)

     

    Tent

     

    playhouse
    from my playroom tour, we used this over the closet/playhouse door! 20% OFF Sale!  PROMO CODE: SAVE 20 (today only 11/28/17)

    Land of Nod Play House Door

     

    treehouse-play-set
    From our piano room. Cub loves this and I can’t wait to pass it on to Max! 20% OFF Sale!  PROMO CODE: SAVE 20 (today only 11/28/17)

    Tree House Set

     

    the-smore-the-merrier-campfire-set
    From our playroom tour: we have this in our “Christmas tent”!  20% OFF Sale!  PROMO CODE: SAVE 20 (today only 11/28/17)

    Plush Camp Fire

     

    Spreading the LOVE:

    Since my gift guide is mainly for my own kids, and therefore isn’t all-encompassing, I’m sharing a few other Mama Blogger’s Guides with you! For some more Christmas Gift Guides, check out these fabulous ladies linked below! There are six of us and between us all, we have a total of 13 kids, ages 3 months to 7 years… so I’m sure there’s something for everyone!

    Check them out:

    Hello Tiny Love |Steph Pollock |The Love Designed Life |

    Occasionally Perfect Style |Cultivate Motherhood

     

     

    LoveJordan