Halloween Survival Guide

Halloween is my least favorite holiday.  Always has been, and probably always will be.  But ever since we had kids and moved to the suburbs, I have had to acknowledge the holiday more than I have in the past.  In the burbs, people celebrate Halloween for basically two weeks leading up to October 31.  There are a minimum of three parties per child, or at least 3 separate occasions to wear costumes.  You can count on a few sugar-induced meltdowns and / or nap strikes. Overall, its a tough holiday to enjoy, but when you have kids and live in the burbs, you suck it up and pretend like you love it.

Below is my Halloween Survival Guide.  It helped get me through my first suburban Halloween!

Only buy/trade gently used costumes...
Why spend $30+ on a brand new costume that is going to look like rags at the end of the month.  The kids wear their costumes into the ground. I find dried buttercream frosting inside the sleeves and candy corn stuck to the side like a piece of gum.  Don't waste your money! Your child will probably never want to look at the costume ever again after Halloween is over anyways.

Buy multiple costumes...
This year we have SIX reasons to dress up, SIX! I know, its insane.  Similar to last year, I have two costumes that I rotate on and off, depending on whichever one smells the best.  I am always afraid to wash the costumes since you never quite know how it will look coming out of the wash.  And god forbid you accidentally ruin a costume mid-season, you are so screwed.  Just have two ready to go, and you are good.

Clear your calendars...
Don't plan any activities the month of October as you are sure to be booked up with nonstop parties, parades, fairs, you name it. If you aren't dressed up as a pumpkin, you are probably out picking one.

Minimize candy consumption...
Trying to maintain your healthy diet during Halloween is a challenge, and anyone who says otherwise is lying.  The best tips for not going totally off the rails is to wait until the day of Halloween to buy Halloween candy.  You are much less likely to raid the pantry when you only have enough candy to give out to trick-or-treaters.  I also tend to buy the candy I don't like so that I am not tempted to eat it. 

Trick-or-treating is super anticlimactic...
I had visions of Blake waddling up to our neighbors porch and saying "trick-or-treat!" Ha, boy was I wrong.  Instead, Blake was screaming and crying as we neared our neighbors lawn.  When we finally convinced Blake to walk up to the door, he recoiled as their dog came running towards him almost knocking him over.  Our neighbors weren't quite prepared for us either.  We came home with a few pieces of candy and a Fiber One bar.  I am hoping that this year we make it to at least two houses, but not getting my hopes up.

Toddlers scare easily...
Who would've thought! I took Blake to Party City and thought it would be funny to put on a mask and chase him around the store.  Guess what? He didn't find it funny at all.  I guess we don't have the same sense of humor.  He also got spooked out by a man dressed as a pumpkin that started chasing me.  I thought it was fake and had no reason to think otherwise until it stepped off its platform and all hell broke loose.  Now Blake is completely on edge when he sees any type of Halloween decoration.  His new favorite words are, "Spooky" "Creepy" "Scared". 

As much as I hate Halloween, I do love seeing my kids in their costumes.  Who knows, maybe the holiday will grow on me over time.

Hello Fall

In my little suburban bubble, a new season means a new opportunity to decorate around the house. 

While living in Manhattan, I had to be very selective of which holidays and seasons I decorated for, mainly because I didn't have anywhere to store all that décor off-season.  Well, I can say that one major plus about owning a home is the ability to stash all your décor in a basement where no one (aside from you) will ever go.

Fall is definitely my favorite season too, so I couldn't be more excited to start decorating and get the house smelling like pumpkin.  While I tend to gravitate to the blue and white family, Fall just isn't Fall without sprinkling some oranges and reds around the house.  Since I didn't own any Fall items, I took to HomeGoods where the magic began!

I started with 2 tablecloths, one for the deck and a runner for our farm table.  I went a bit more vibrant for the deck decor, and kept it more subdued indoors.  Every great table needs candlelight so I scored two wine cup inspired candle holders with coordinating pumpkin candles. 

The next matter of business was to bring the "idea of nature" indoors with some fake pumpkin-scented pinecones.  I tossed these in a white bowl to bring some elegance to the space. 

I then topped it off with 4 mini pumpkins that I picked up at an orchard yesterday.  My plan is to let Blake decorate the pumpkins as we get closer to Halloween, hoping to start a seasonal tradition for years to come.

I am considering decorating for Halloween, but it's just not one of my favorite holidays so I may pass and save our money for Christmas/Hanukkah décor.

Also, I have been pretty absent from blogging lately but I have a pretty good reason!  I used to do all my DIY projects and writing during Blake's naptime.  The past 6 weeks I have been so exhausted from the pregnancy and trying to keep up with Blake.  I have been using his naptime as my naptime as well.  I love to write and stay connected to my friends and family, so you will definitely see more posts in the future...just maybe not as frequent.  Hope anyone who is reading this has a wonderful Fall season!

Months later, and I am still obsessed with our chandelier!

The house smells like pumpkin!

Beautiful candleholder from HomeGoods, only $12.99!

Getting the table set-up for a S'mores night, hosted at my house

S'mores spread under the candlelight!

Burb Life, A Year Later

This time last year, we were putting an offer on our first home.  I sometimes can't believe that its been a year, so I thought I would document how life has been out in the boonies (LOL ok its only 50min to Grand Central).

I knew life would be different out in the suburbs.  I would need to improve my driving skills, get used to shopping in strip malls, start a new routine, and make new friends.

The first few months out in the burbs were tough.  We didn't have a routine which I desperately craved.  I would wake up each morning and not know what to do.  I often ended up at Target or HomeGoods as an excuse just to get out of the house.  I was also in the process of decorating our new home, so those stores seemed like logical places to spend my days.

Believe it or not though, Target does get boring after awhile.  And so I began the hunt for a gym with daycare services and mommy and me classes.

My first stop was the only gym within 5 miles of my house.  They have an nursery there and will watch Blake for 2 hours.  They even have a spa which I have taken advantage of once.  I began taking Blake to the gym 4 times a week allowing myself a few hours of alone time and a place to burn off some energy.  Blake absolutely loved it there from the start, often running thru the doors without even turning back to say bye.  The daycare services have been amazing at helping him socialize with other kids and to get comfortable with the idea of being away from me for a few hours.

I didn't expect the gym to be anything more than what it was.  But within the first few weeks, I met a girlfriend at one of the group exercise classes.  We immediately hit it off and exchanged numbers.  I remember coming home and being so excited to tell Brooke that I got a girls digits! We both got a kick out of that because she said the same thing to her husband. 

I also joined a few different Facebook groups that helped connect me to the local community.  Thru the groups, I have organized a couple of different ladies-only dinner dates, playdates at my house, and even met some of my closest mommy friends through it.  One of the moms and I have recently started a new venture hosting craft nights for moms in the area.  It's brand new, but we are excited to see how our first event unfolds later this month.

Once I got my gym situation settled, Blake and I began taking trial Mommy and me classes all around town.  I was looking for something very specific -- structure, animated coaches, high energy, and lots of other kids.  After probably 5 different places, we found MyGym.  It's a bit of a drive from my house but it is very much worth it.  The gym floor changes weekly, allowing kids to explore their surroundings and test their skills while building their confidence. The classes are built around various skill stations, and each class begins and ends with circle time.  They even have "Separation Time" where the kids play in the circle while the parents sit on the sidelines. I use this time more wisely to grab coffee or use the bathroom.  Blake absolutely loves going to MyGym, and the best part is that it tires him out so much that he sleeps for at least 2 hours after class.

Outside of the summer, we found a great music class that we go to once a week, and weekend swim lessons that my husband gets to take our son to.  He has been going since he was 7 months old, and desperately wants independence in the water, only he cant swim on his own just yet!

I also reserved one day a week to explore our neighborhood -- parks, museums, random playhouses, etc.  This ends up being just as fun for me as I get to learn about the various towns all around us.

Overall, suburban living has been pretty great.  I do miss aspects of Manhattan, especially my old neighborhood Battery Park.  I miss the ease of seeing my old friends and walking to wherever I wanted to go.  But, as we get older, our priorities change and now its all about giving our son the best childhood possible.  I look forward to getting even more involved in our local community in the years ahead, and continuing to build a new foundation out here.

My New Hobby

I'll admit it, I know absolutely nothing about gardening.  It's not for lack of trying, its just that every time I went to a gardening shop or nursery, I have been made to feel like an idiot for asking simple questions.  Sadly, it really put me off to the whole idea of gardening.

Just to give you a sense of the responses I would get, I asked one salesman to point me in the direction of the lowest maintenance plant he would recommend.  His response, "You should look for a fake plant if you don't want to do any work".  He missed what I said, I said "low maintenance" not that I was unwilling to roll up my sleeves.  I left completely deflated (and embarrassed) after a few additional degrading responses he gave me to other questions I had.  I ended up buying a single houseplant from him, and I regretted it the moment I got in my car.

I held off on going to any other nurseries because I was scared I would run into another salesman like him.  Finally, I decided I wasn't going to let this man ruin what could potentially be a really fun new hobby.

I stopped by a nursery in the next town over.  The lady there saw the overwhelming look on my face as I browsed the outdoor aisles of beautiful and lush plants.  I didn't really know where to begin, and was scared to ask.  She ended up asking me how she could help and basically told me everything I needed to know in about 5 minutes.  We mapped which flowers I liked, and then the pots they would fit into.  She even explained to me the difference between the Potting Mix vs. fertilizer and didn't make me feel like a moron while doing so.

I decided to start slow with just making basic planters for our stone stairway.  Now that I have this under my belt, I may think about ripping up some dead flower beds, and planting some new blooms. 

Check back in to see if I have a green thumb or not! Either way, I am definitely digging (no pun intended) this new hobby!

Room Revamp: Playroom

Its hard enough to revamp one room, but even more challenging when that one room needs to serve three unique purposes.  We needed the finished basement in our house to be a playroom, a place where Brooke could practice piano, and a place where I could unwind.  Luckily, we had good bones to start with, and a great contractor!

The first thing we did was paint the whole room a crème color.  We decided on crème to keep the space warm and bright.  It is the basement after all (albeit a walk-out basement), so we had to be careful not to pick a color that had any dark undertones.  I tested 3 different paints on various walls of the room and at different times of the day/night to be sure the crème we selected was the right one.  We painted all of the walls, including a full size chalkboard wall. I didn't like how it took over the entire room, especially since Blake wouldn't be able to use it for a few more years.

The next thing we did was tear down the built-in wall unit.  The built-in must have been a decade old as the space was not wide enough to fit a flat screen TV.  Since we were going to rebuild it, I decided to remove the doors to the top portion of the built-in, and use the space to display pictures, plants, and candles.  My main priority for this space was to feel very open and airy.

Lastly, it was time to furnish, decorate, and hang some DIY projects.  The majority of the design centered around wanting a denim colored sofa.  I found the perfect sofa fabric that was both rugged yet casual, perfect for a kids playroom.  I choose red as the main accent color, and green as a secondary color to tie in some of the outdoors that surround the room.  I found the perfect bookcase from Restoration Hardware that had this really unique industrial feel to it.  I also scored a denim ikat wood piano chair from Ethan Allen for half off since it was a stock piece that they weren't using.

The DIY projects I did include the crayon art, the PLAY letters, and the window garland.  We also had our contractor build a frame to house my alphabet wall, which is definitely my favorite part of the room. The only artwork purchased came from Capture Wonders.

The best part of this room is that it's safe for Blake, and I can even sneak in some Netflix while he is playing! 

BEFORE

AFTER

Repurposed Blake's rug from his old nursery

Throw from Pottery Barn, Pillows custom made by my mother-in-law!

Plants from Terrain, my new favorite store

Wouldn't be complete without the Wiggles represented

The most fun room in the house

Personalized Toy bins from Pottery Barn

FUN blocks from Michaels

Both of these are DIY projects

Antique Shopping

I spent the morning browsing this really unique antique shop called United House Wrecking in Stamford, CT.  This truly one-of-a-kind antique shop got its start as a family-owned demolition company, stumbling across unique finds in the homes and churches that they demolished. Click here to see some of the antiques they have for sale.

I went there on the hunt for intentionally old & worn window panes.  Sadly, they didn't have anything close to what I was looking for, but if I had a spare $9,800 in my back pocket, I would have definitely been the proud owner of an 8ft. stained glass arched window.

I was really hoping to have my Joanna Gaines moment.  I have to say that moment didn't come.  But I didn't walk away empty handed.  As we were about to call it quits, something caught my eye.  I saw this beautiful silk floral centerpiece inside a mercury vase.  I love silk flowers, but its really tough to find nice ones that aren't hundreds of dollars. This one was only $32 and the owner gave me 10% off just because I asked if he could do any better on the price.

I decided to do one more lap before paying just in case I missed anything.  Its a good thing I did because I found this beautiful vintage cut-crystal pitcher that was screaming my name.  I knew it would come in great use as a floral centerpiece, playing off of the glass chandelier we just put up.

I put the blush colored silk flowers against the crystal pitcher to create a very romantic feel.  I added a wood slice base to bring in the rustic feeling of our dining room.  And to top it off, I layered it on top of a baby blue paisley print tablecloth to tie the blues and the blushes together.  This is a very different look than what I traditionally go for.  I gravitate towards daisies and sunflowers for a more country look.  But I have to say, this centerpiece combination of mercury and crystal feels very serene, romantic and feminine.

If you happen to be in the tri-state area, I definitely recommend making a stop at this special antique shop.

light it up

When we first moved into our new house, I knew right away that I wanted to swap out all of the light fixtures.  Many of them were just old and worn.  A few screamed "old lady", and others were just simply not our style.

During feedings, I would go online searching for the perfect light fixture, and overtime, I replaced them one by one.  The first ones to get replaced were the nursery, living room, stairwell, and office.  I found these ones fairly quickly and had them installed in the first few months.

I had 2 more to go: the dining room and front porch.  Both of these fixtures were bigger decisions since the porch one dictates curb appeal, and the dining room one would require a more substantial investment.


The Dining Room
I found a dining room fixture at Pottery Barn and was almost ready to pull the trigger, but decided to sleep on it.  I then happened to be at Ethan Allen ordering the arm chairs for our dining table, and spotted this beautiful fixture.  It was hung above a chest of drawers, not even a table.  But I knew right away it would look perfect.  I waited for it to go on sale (25% off!!) and then I ordered it.  It took about 8 weeks to come in, but it was worth the wait.  Below are a few of the other fixtures I was considering.  They are all really pretty, but each with a different feel.

Ethan Allen - the one

Ethan Allen - runner-up

Pottery Barn - runner-up

Pottery Barn - runner-up

Here is a snapshot of our dining room.  I don't love the 3-mirrored circles on the wall, but until I get inspired, they will stay up.  Otherwise, this room is pretty much done!

The finished look

A dangling beauty

The Porch
A few weekends ago I had the afternoon "off".  Sadly I ended up going grocery shopping instead of doing something fun.  But I passed a local lighting shop on my way home, and decided to pop in.  I had milk and eggs in the car so I knew I didn't have a lot of time to make a decision.  I was a salesperson's dream customer.

I really wanted a dangling lantern pendant but the ceiling height is too short and could only accommodate a flush mount.  I saw this beautiful cut glass & iron fixture that felt very modern country.  That was the quickest decision ever made, I was in and out in under 10 minutes.

Definitely added some good curb appeal

I love how the light reflects on the ceiling

If only I had a before picture!!

I am finally done replacing all of the light fixtures, and now on to the next project!!  We are planning to redo the stonework on the deck, the pathway to the door, and the platform Sammy is sitting on above. 

Room Revamp: Stairwell

Stairs may not seem like a top priority to renovate when moving into a new home, but to me it was critical.  There were by far much bigger fish to fry (like a kitchen gut), but I couldn't stand to look at those awful stairs any longer. 

THE BEFORE:
Each stair was painted a different color. There were Harry Potter phrases glued to the walls.  The "built-ins" were clearly a DIY with the bannister on the wrong side of the wall, crossing through the built-in.  The built-in was lined with cardboard picnic style paper that was peeling. There was only 1 light, and the casing for it was cracked and the light was exposed. 

THE AFTER:
The first matter of business was to get rid of the colored stairs.  I wanted to do a graphic carpet that had rough treads so that Blake wouldn't fall down the stairs when he is able to walk down alone.  I then had the walls painted a light crème to give the stairwell a little bit more warmth. We then added 1 additional pocket light at the bottom of the stairs, and had the broken light fixture redone so that the light was tucked in vs. exposed. We then had the DIY built-ins torn down and rebuilt.  We tossed the red cardboard paper, and had everything painted white to give it a contrast against the new wall color.  We then moved the bannister to the other side of the wall so that it didn't cross through the new built in.

I love the graphic print

Pocket light added; Had small mat made for bottom of the stairs

New built-ins properly done

Bannister moved and shelves decorated

This renovation took about 1 week to complete, with the most complicated part being how to fix the light fixture without breaking through walls.  Even though this is such a small space in the whole scheme of things, I love that it reflects our style now. 

Check back in for more room transformations in our new house!