Life is Beautiful

Motherhood, Sewing, Family

Sunday Best

~ Etc.

Dress: H & M | Heels: Choies | Mini Crossbody: Isaac Mizrahi c/o
This dress is sleeveless but I paired it with a black top I had. Black is very forgiving so even up close, you can hardly tell I am wearing a shirt under the dress, it just looks like a short sleeve dress! I’ve been obsessed with mini handbags lately and this mini crossbody from Isaac Mizrahi is the perfect size. I have this in black also(I told you I’m obsessed!) and the only problem with these handbags is my girls think it’s the perfect size for them too so the handbags keep switching from room to room on where we should keep the bags at. They keep saying, “But mommy! All your handbags are too big for us. But this one is our size!!! So you have to let us keep it!” So currently, both of the bags are stored in their room. And I’ll probably have to ask them for permission to “borrow” it whenever I want to use it. This is the mom’s life, isn’t it? And I still can’t complain, it’s a small price to pay for being the mother to my wonderful, funny, opinionated little fashionistas. 

My son’s photo-shoot that was supposed to happen a year ago

~ Etc.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Stride Rite for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

My son was supposed to wear this Korean traditional outfit called Hanbok for his one year birthday. But we never threw him a birthday party(I explained more on this post), mainly because I was feeling overwhelmed as a mother of 3(yes, even a year after I had my 3rd child) but what tipped the steam was not being able to find his Hanbok after looking for it for hours. But luckily, his Hanbok still fits him! I had to bribe him with several pieces of candy to get these pictures done but it was worth every piece of candy he ate! 
In Korean tradition, on the baby’s first birthday they throw him/her a huge birthday party. It’s like a wedding guys, they rent a venue, a photographer, the parents and the baby all dress up in hanbok, they set a feast on the table with fancy backdrops for pictures, invite lots of people, the works. The reason why they throw such an elaborate and expensive(in $10,000+ up range) parties is because back in the day, many of the babies born in Korea died before reaching their 1st birthday. So once you turn a year old, your chance of dying lowered significantly, thus the reason to celebrate this huge, happy milestone. 
Another tradition they have is they set up a table with a variety of items for the baby to pick from. And the first item the baby grabs is what his/her future will behold. Each item represents something and there are many items you can choose to put on the table but here are the items I chose and what each means.

  • Book: Intelligence and wisdom.
  • Shoes: Strength and speed. Shoes are Surprize by Target.
  • String/thread: A long, healthy life.
  • Pencil: A gifted writer, eloquent speaker, 
  • Money: Wealth and prosperity. 

So while we didn’t throw him an extravagant party, we did set up a table with the items he could choose from, thus “fore-seeing his future”. And guess what he chose? 

Can you tell I had to bribe him with candy in order to take pictures?

Money! That was the last thing I wanted him to grab but we will make sure to teach him to not become greedy and be giving of his wealth. 😉
Now, here are more pictures of him because I don’t know about you, but I just can’t get enough of him in his Hanbok!

He is saying, “Wow, really mom? You are letting me eat more candy than usual!”
chocolate-covered mouth and as happy as can be.
He makes me so happy. I mean, just look at him! 
I got these boots which are the new Shop Surprize by Stride Rite brand, available exclusively at Target stores & at Target.com.  They’re for boys 2T-5T and I am a huge fan of Velcro closures for my little boy’s shoes, since it’s easy to put on and I’m not frantically trying to tie the shoelaces while he’s kicking and trying to run away from me. Surprize guarantees comfort with memory foam footbeds, fit with their flexible outsoles, and durability with the rubber toes.
My favorite Surprize shoes are these adorable snow boots for baby boys. I wish they made bigger sizes for my son! Which one is your favorite?
Check out their Surprize for girls & Surprize for boys
Stride Rite Instagram and Twitter

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Visit Sponsors Site

Family Field Day

~ Etc.

This post is sponsored by JELL-O brand. I am excited to share this fun, easy recipe with you today that the kids are sure going to love! And think you’re the coolest mom ever. 😉

If you remember my Fun Family Day Inspirations post, I talked about counting down the days until school starts for the sake of my kids and myself! I also talked about the games I’d play and the snack we’ll eat afterwards to get out of this Summer-rut. We had a fun family day right before school started and it was so fun. Nothing extravagant but very simple easy games and snacks you can make with the items you already have at home. I always say it’s not the extravagant or expensive outings that the kids will remember, it’s the simple moments and the relationships you’ve built with your children that they’ll remember the most. One of the many things I love about little kids is that they take such delight in such simple things! It helps me to appreciate the simple things in life more and not take it for granted.

I made Jupiter Fruit, also known as “Jellin’-Melon” Snacks and it was a huge hit with the kids. But I do have to admit that I messed up and didn’t cut the melon lengthwise and I didn’t scrape off the melon to be only 1′ inch thick, so it doesn’t look as pretty as it’s supposed to be. Haha, mommy fail! But it happens to all of us once in awhile right? And luckily, the kids didn’t even know I messed up the recipe, they thought it was the coolest thing! Mommy win! 🙂

Jupiter Fruit
  • 1 honeydew, cut lengthwise in half
  • 3/4 cup boiling water
  • 1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Lime Flavor Gelatin
  • 1/2 cup cold water

1. Remove seeds from melon halves; cut thin slice from bottom of each half. Scoop out melon flesh, leaving 1-inch-thick shells. Place upside-down on paper towels to drain.
2. Add boiling water to gelatin mix; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water. Refrigerate 15 min. or until slightly thickened. Pour into melon shells.
3. Refrigerate 3 hours or until gelatin is firm. Cut each melon half into 4 wedges.

Would you try this recipe? It’s sure to be a hit with little children, they’ll think it’s the coolest thing! I love having little kids that remind me that it’s the simple things that bring you much happiness. For more inspiration visit Krystal’s Kitsch and http://jello.com. And share the JELL-O-v-e to win a $100 Visa gift card, follow the instructions below and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

One thing I do get jealous of when I am on Instagram

~ Etc.

This post is in partnership with James Hardie and 100% written by me.

 

 

Doesn’t this green house in the midst of tall trees make you wish you were there sitting on the porch with hot chocolate and a blanket wrapped around you?

 

I don’t know about you, but one thing that I do get a little envious on social media is when I see new, beautiful homes of people I follow. Other things I don’t get jealous or compare myself to really, but with homes, I get so envious, there, I said it! Having a DIY king who can build and fix everything and has a hobby of flipping homes is awesome and so useful and handy, and there are way more positives than negatives but one negative thing is we will never buy a brand new house and will live in an out-dated, old home. The fact that we can afford a newer, nicer home makes it a little harder too, because it’s not just a dream, it could very well be a reality right now. I am very grateful for the house that we live in, it is a big house in a very central location but it’s definitely not my style and very outdated. We have carpet in our kitchen and bathrooms! So I have no sentiment towards it, it’s just a place we happen to live and sleep in and I have no emotional attachment whatsoever.

 

So I love looking at zillow or drive around nice neighborhoods or look online and kind of day dream about the day when we will live in my dream home. So let’s take a look at some of these beautiful James Hardie homes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So beautiful, right? Jay did promise me that the last house we end up in will be brand new and my dream house. So I think it’ll all be worth it!

 

James Hardie, a fiber-cement business that was established in 1888 is a fiber-cement business that provides residential siding and trim products. They pride in durability, strength and quality in all the products they sell. Their website has many resources including Home Color Tool, design and color FAQs. My favorite resource is the “Design your own home” where you can play around with the color palettes to build your dream home, you should try it, my girls loved making their own design home too.

 

Which if these homes is the closest to your dream home? Mine is this one:
Some day…. 😉

Come Party With Me!

~ Etc.

Hi guys! I’ve never hosted or co-hosted a link party before but when I linked my Men’s Leather Jacket to Fringe Totes DIY to The Creative Muster, my project was picked to be featured and I’ve been invited to be the co-host and I thought why not? It sounds fun! So please link up any posts you have that inspire people in any way, I’d love to see all the talents you guys have!
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Welcome to week 137 of The Creative Muster!
We’re thrilled that you’ve chosen to party with us.
The Creative Muster is home to some of the most creative bloggers, so we spend a lot of time sharing on our social media sites. If you’re looking to get exposure, find some inspiration or meet new people then you’re in the right place. Grab your favorite family friendly posts, share them, then sit back and check out some of the other amazing things that are being shared, there are a ton of great ideas to be found here!
{Party Begins Every Tuesday’s at 6pm EST}

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A Look Back at Creative Muster Features
August 19, 2014 – Get the Hair Cut You Want by Gingerly Made
August 20, 2013 – How to Never buy Menstual Products Again by A Life Unprocessed
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