While it’s no secret that things have been a little crazy over here since our move, we are getting very Christmas-y over here! Presents and officially started being wrapped, I’m 2 small gifts away from being through with my Christmas shopping (I hope), and we have been baking up a storm these last two weeks! I even took the kids to see Santa yesterday! Finally!

Why is Hamp not pictured you ask? Well, this Santa (or should I say “Ho Ho”?) loving boy was so excited to wear his special Christmas outfit, and cowboy boots to meet the big man himself! He talked about it the whole way to Bass Pro and he was giggling while we waited in line. When it was our turn to sit in Santa’s lap, one of us freaked out and started screaming and crying. I’m not pointing fingers at anyone but…

SR loved Santa! He held her for a long time. She stared at him and grabbed his beard a few times (bless him) and he just giggled and giggled. Santa told us all about his 10 month old granddaughter and how much SR reminded him of her. Who knew Santa had grandchildren? Not I!

Hamp did get really excited to take his picture with the snowman. I love how cute Bass Pro shop always sets up their “North Pole” for the kids. It is seriously adorable. We like to go there for Santa because they give you a free picture and allow you to take your own. I love that!

Hamp and SR helped me hang their new ornaments for this year (from Pottery Barn Kids) and it was pretty precious. Tonight we are getting ready for our family’s big Christmas party happening tomorrow! As always, I’ll be sure to Snapchat the event, so follow me (logancan)! Have a great weekend and I hope you get all of your shopping done!

Do you have any holiday events this weekend?

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MinionsAtTarget #CollectiveBias

My son and nephew love the minions, so on Tuesday, I made sure to run to Target and buy the new Minions movie Blu-Ray/DVD pack and to my surprise, it came with a $5 Target gift card! Talk about a score. Happy son and happy mom. I call that a win-win! 

I also picked up a few supplies so that we could make a minion craft to get the boys excited for their movie night! They loved helping me make these cute little popsicle minions and I must admit, I loved it too. It was the perfect kid-friendly craft to get them in the mood for the movie and we had so much fun making memories. 

Here is all you need for this simple, fun Popsicle Minion Craft:

-popsicle sticks
-glue
-yellow and blue paint
-black permanent marker
-googly eyes (varied sizes)
-black cotton balls (for the hair)
-optional: Santa hats

I thought it would be fun to add little Santa hats to a couple of the minions since the boys are getting so excited for Christmas. They loved them!

Directions:

I prepped the popsicle sticks the night before so the paint would be good and dry by the time the boys got a hold of them. If you have older children who can handle paint, you can definitely let them do that part, but for my 2-year-old, I thought I’d better go ahead and paint them myself.

Once the paint is dry, glue the googly eyes on the popsicle stick and draw a smile and belt with your black marker. Then, you can glue hair or the Santa hat on, or leave it bald-headed. It is totally up to you! We made a mixture.

This craft is so simple and perfect to do with the kids, although I do recommend being present and helping younger kids. Target, once again delivered big time! I was able to pick up all of my craft supplies, Minions movie and even scored the gift card all in one stop! The metal Minions Blu-ray and DVD deluxe pack is a Target exclusive and includes 40 minutes of bonus content. While I was there, I also perused the toy section to get some Christmas ideas and noticed they had so many minion toys that were perfect for gifts for the kids! They also have all kinds of minion apparel, books, etc.

We ended the evening with popcorn and the movie which was adorable and hilarious! The boys loved it and I did too! It was such a fun day and I’m so thankful for the time we got to spend together as a family.

Have you purchased the new Minions movie at Target?

This year, I thought Christmastime was the perfect time to take new family pictures. H just turned 2 years old and SR was 6 months, plus we really needed photos for our Christmas cards! It was a no brainer who to call. Allison has done all of our family pictures since Hamp was born and she has a way of capturing beautiful photos that are so simple and natural. Here are a few of my favorites:

Photography by Allison Hilyer

Last weekend, we celebrated Ryan’s big 30th birthday! A birthday party was a given because this was a big one. Ryan didn’t want a huge production, he just wanted a few of our closest friends to come over to cookout and watch football. Priorities. We are on a tight budget right now because we are saving money for a new house and trying to pay off our cars. I needed to plan a fun party that everyone would enjoy while also being budget friendly. Here’s how I did it:

What to Think About When Planning Your Party:

Choose a theme – for Ryan’s party, I mixed fall decor with 30th birthday decor. A lot of the decor I found in stores was girly, so I didn’t implement much. Our house was already decorated for fall, so this themed saved us a ton of money and time. I purchased balloons, a cheap banner and confetti and it turned out cute!

Focus on the Guests – You ultimately want to make your guests happy and ensure they have a good time. Invite people who are fun and don’t bring down the mood and make sure to keep the night moving along smoothly. For example, if there is a lull, it may be time to serve food, sing “Happy Birthday,” etc.

Plan Activities for the Kids – If you are panning on having kids over, you definitely need to have some activity for them so they won’t get bored and can be entertained while the parents visit. For us, this was easy. Our house is already set up for kids and the weather was so nice outside, so we let them slide, play golf, play with chalk, bubbles, etc.

Party Budget Tips:

Save Money on Invites – This day in time, there is no reason so waste tons of money on invitations. If this is a laid back party, invite them via email or Facebook! I do not recommend this method for weddings, obviously, but when you are just getting a few friends together, there is no reason to spend all that money on an invitation that will end up in the trash in a couple of days.

DIY Decor – I have a lot of fall decor throughout the house that I made myself to save money, however, I didn’t have time to get too crafty with 30th birthday decor this past week. Instead, I went to Party City and found a very affordable banner, confetti and balloons that I spent less that $50 on. If you have time to make decor yourself, you can probably make it for a little bit cheaper.

Shop at Dollar Tree for Napkins, Plates, Forks, etc.

Make Your Own Cake – I normally make our cakes, but I did not make Ryan’s this year. I wanted it to look good, so I ordered a cake from Publix and it was delicious and so cute! He is a 30-year-old man, so he didn’t want anything too cutesy, but I thought they did a great job incorporating fall and birthday! Best of all? It was only $23! Not bad at all!

Cook the Food Yourself and Scratch the Caterer – Again, there is no need to hire a caterer or purchase prepared food for a party! It can be very expensive. We kept it very simple and grilled hamburgers and hotdogs with chips and salsa. It was a hit with the parents and the kids loved it, too!

Use the Ibotta app to earn money back on the groceries you buy. This is something Ryan and I have been doing for about a month now and it has saved us about $10 so far. We haven’t used it every time we have shopped, but it will definitely add up over a year’s time. Don’t forget to also use coupons! Doing both of these together will save you a lot on groceries.

After it was all said and done, we threw a fun little party for around 20 people for under $125! Not bad at all!

Do you have any party planning or saving tips?

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group®, Birds Eye®, and Farm Rich® but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #FullnRichFlavor  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Now that kids are back to school and heading back to soccer practice or dance classes, it is difficult to schedule that quality family time that is so important. Growing up, dinner time was our family time. A lot of that has changed in today’s culture because everyone is so busy and constantly on the go. No one takes the time to sit down every night for dinner anymore. My husband and I are trying to establish dinner time as our family time at a young age for our children. I want them to grow up knowing that dinner time is sacred. It is a time when we come together as a family to pray, enjoy a wonderful meal and discuss our lives with one another.

During the busy back-to-school time, it can be difficult to get into a routine of making dinner and still having time to spend with your family. Cooking a full meal takes a lot of time and energy. Why waste all of that time and effort when you can opt in for an easy dinner recipe that is still just as delicious and doesn’t sacrifice nutrition or flavorful taste?

Growing up in the south, BBQ was something we did every time our church came together for a big meal, or our entire family got together to celebrate an occasion. BBQ was what everyone wanted. I love that I can carry on this southern tradition with Farm Rich® Smokehouse BBQ Pulled Pork. It is so easy to make and really quick. When paired with Birds Eye Flavor Full Vegetables, it is the perfect meal. While shopping at Walmart the other day, I grabbed these products because I was running short on time and desperate for a quick and easy dinner. It is really important to me that our meals not just taste good, but be healthy as well. That is exactly what these products offered me. I saw the Birds Eye Teriyaki Broccoli and was immediately intrigued. My son and my husband are not broccoli fans, so I thought that the Teriyaki flavor would get them to eat their vegetables, and it was a success! I guess kids and husbands will eat anything when it is smothered in Teriyaki sauce!

Here are some ideas for spending more time with your family during the busy school year:

– Save time on dinner by using quick and healthy dinner recipes from Farm Rich® Smokehouse and Birds Eye!

– Lay the kid’s clothes out for the entire week on Sunday.

– Schedule time for homework and keep it all very organized. Work with your kids on their homework. They will appreciate the help and you will be spending time with them.

– Plan something fun for the entire family on Saturday mornings like going to the farmer’s market together or going to the pumpkin patch this fall.

If you enjoy saving money and you use Ibotta, you can earn $0.75 on Birds Eye Vegetables and unlock $1.00 off one Farm Rich® Smokehouse product for a limited time while supplies last.


If you haven’t used Ibotta, all you have to do is:
-Download the app available on iOS and Android. 
-Unlock the rebates for both Birds Eye Vegetables and Farm Rich® Smokehouse. 
-Buy the products that you’ve unlocked at major retailers. 
-Verify your purchase by scanning your bar codes and submitting a photo of your receipt!

How do you schedule time to send with your family? Have you tried Farm Rich® Smokehouse and Birds Eye Vegetables?

Last week, my family took a week long vacation to Florida and then on a cruise to the Bahamas! The Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas cruise ship did not disappoint. We had so much fun! I was so worried about Hampton’s cast getting wet or worse – sand in it. Luckily, my husband is a Jedi Google Master and found an amazing cast cover at a surgical supply store in Jacksonville! Hampton was able to swim, and take baths. He was so happy and it made the trip really enjoyable!

How is everyone feeling about this tank top weather? I’ll be honest, I am kind of over it and ready for fall. If you think I’m nuts, you obviously don’t live in Alabama. Seriously, it is SO hot. It doesn’t help that I have been running in this 95+ degree weather every other day trying to lose weight for our cruise next week!

I have been living in tank tops and shorts and I am still hot 99% of the time. This tank has been one of my favorites because of the message it spreads. I am a Christian first and foremost and always want to represent Christ in everything that I do. I fail more times than not, but if I can turn someone’s head by the shirt I choose to wear and make them google a bible verse or ask me a question about my faith, I am going to take that chance to minister to someone. Even if it is in a really small and subtle way. After all, that is our purpose, isn’t it?

I am so excited for our cruise next week and honestly can not believe it is finally here. This trip has been planned for a year (before I ever even knew I was pregnant) and while it felt like it took forever to get here, these last couple of weeks have definitely snuck up on me. I am hustling trying to get packed and ready to leave. This tank is definitely coming with me. It is perfect for throwing over my bathing suit in the Bahamas!

Once we get back from our cruise, I am going to be ready for fall weather. Unfortunately, that doesn’t come here until around late October. It is my favorite time of year and I can’t wait for some heat relief!

If you noticed on Instagram, my baby boy broke his ankle over the weekend. He was jumping in the kiddie pool I bought for him (which has been renamed “the pool of broken dreams”) and he twisted his ankle and landed on it really funny. He immediately grabbed his foot and stated screaming. It was one of the worst moments as a mother. I did remain calm because I didn’t want to scare him or make things worse, but it was not a fun night. After 5 hours in the ER, we got home around midnight and he couldn’t sleep. He was hurting so much. It was awful. I really hate he is going to be in a cast in this miserable weather, but even more so because of our cruise. It is breaking my heart. I keep reading this verse and it is comforting. I am praying for healing for my sweet angel and I hope he will feel much better by the weekend.

Do you have any last minute vacations planned before school starts? Have you ever broken any bones?

This past weekend was so busy, but a fun kind of busy. Friday afternoon, I bought Hamp a little pool for our backyard for $5 on clearance at Walmart! I just couldn’t pass up that price or the chance at making my son’s day! Sure enough, I spent the rest pf the afternoon and Saturday morning in the pool with him! We even got fancy and put his little slide in the pool! I’m a cool mom! haha

Saturday afternoon we enjoyed time at Target…and when I say “we” I mean me. Ryan always dreads going to Target because he claims we can never leave without buying things we don’t really need. I have no idea what he is talking about! I needed those 2 new books that I bought!

After our Target run, we headed to my nephew’s 3rd birthday party! It was so much fun! Everything was decorated so cute. He is very into Paw Patrols right now. I am new to this because it is apparently a little over Hampton’s head right now, but he loved playing with the Paw Patrol toys, so it may not belong before we are in that phase, too. I wouldn’t mind a break from Thomas the Train.

Sunday, after church, I went to one of my childhood friend’s baby shower! She is having a little girl this October and I couldn’t be happier for her! She is going to be a wonderful mommy! It seems like so many friends are getting pregnant again! I can’t wait to meet all of these precious babies!

My best friend is finding out the gender of her baby this morning and I am going to lunch with her today after her appointment! I Can Not Wait. She has a little boy that is a few months older than Hampton and they are kind of adorable together! Now I just can’t wait to find out if SR will have a BFF or a boyfriend!

So many exciting things are happening right now. I’m so excited for all of my friends and I love celebrating and rejoicing in their happy news!

What did you do last weekend? Have you noticed a lot of preggers lately?

Last summer, I experienced my scariest “mommy moment” to date. My son (9 months at the time), fell off of a float and into the pool at my parent’s house. My siblings and parents were in the pool when we dropped by to say hi and they wanted me to prop Hampton up on a float so he could float around with them for a bit. My dad decided he was ready to get out of the pool and he didn’t notice Hampton on the float. He pushed the float out of his way and Hamp went tumbling off and sank to the bottom of the pool. 

Without even thinking, I jumped in (fully clothed) and scooped him off the bottom of the pool. It was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me and Hampton. Luckily, he was okay, but I was so upset with myself for allowing this to happen. I’m supposed to protect him – always. It was so upsetting. This situation could have had a really different outcome. We were lucky. 

One thing I have learned with kids is accidents happen – whether a parent is there paying attention or not. Pools are so much fun, but they can be very scary. Thankfully, Aflac offers Accident Policies for these situations. Had Hampton been really damaged or hurt from this, it would have been terrible to not have insurance that covered accidents. 


I want to share some pool safety tips with all of you because it is always good to refresh our memories on how to stay safe while we enjoy our summer.

Pool Safety Tips:


1. Don’t run close to a pool.
2. Keep your children away from drains and other openings to avoid them getting trapped.
3. Watch your children at all times.
4. Teach your kids how to swim and basic water safety tips.
5. No diving in shallow water.
6. Keep riding toys (like bikes) away from the pool area.
7. Keep your pool clean so the water is clear.
8. Don’t swim alone.
9. Don’t push people in the pool.
10. Keep electronics away from the pool.
11. Teach children how to float as early as possible.
12. Make sure young children wear floating devices (arm floaties, life jacket, etc.) at all times.


Please be safe this summer! For more information on Aflac’s Accident Policies, please visit their accident insurance page.


How do you practice water safety?



I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.