Today’s post is kind of like a church potluck meal- a little bit of everything! But personally, I love those! When else can you eat a bit of casserole with lasagna and chips and dip all at once?! ha. Today I’m chatting 5 things I’m currently loving!
Maxi’s Halloween Basket
We do Easter baskets with gifts for Maxi, so I was a little stumped thinking about any little traditions I wanted to start for Halloween with Maxi. I decided that the morning of Halloween, I’m going to fill her trick-or-treat basket with books. This year I did some really cute little Halloween books because she doesn’t have any yet! I’m going to make her these Monster Pancakes for breakfast and then read her some of the books while she eats breakfast. Do you have any Halloween traditions with your little ones?
Halloween Basket {sold out} | Spooky Pookie | Ghosts in the House! | Vampirina Ballerina | Gilbert the Ghost | Trick or Treat
Pant Hangers
I feel like I have solved a mystery! I have always struggled to store my denim in my closet. Should I fold in a dresser? Should I keep folded on a shelf? Do I hang them? Well, then they get a little bulky? I found these hangers on Amazon and all my problems are solved. This has helped my denim look really neat and tidy and thin enough I can fit more pairs in. My closet organization blog post will be up very soon!
The Perfect Jacket
When it comes to jackets, I typically stick to the jean jacket route. However, I was looking for a jacket that could be worn with workout clothes as well as denim. I wear my jean jackets with dresses, but I wanted something that worked well for athleisure, travel, and denim days. This jacket by MICHI fits the bill perfectly! I’m wearing the XS and it isn’t overpowering with jeans and a tee but feels cozy with leggings.
Michi Dusk Wrap Jacket | Shoes {size down half a size}
Fall Candles
I’ve been really picky about candles lately. I think I busted the fall candles out a bit too soon {early August} and so now a lot of pumpkin and fall scents seem way too strong to me. I ended up giving away a few of the fall candles I purchased because it just smelled too sugary or fake to me. My girlfriend Amy Beth said she feels the same way with fall candles this year, do you?! Ideally, I love to have this candle burning through Thanksgiving and then I switch to this for Christmas. Colleen Rothschild candles are also some of my favorites. They are really luxe, last forever, and the packaging makes it the perfect gift. Right now I’m burning Le Balm in our master. I also love the Kendra Scott candles! I burn the Malachite in our kitchen or master. I haven’t tried her Tigers Eye one, but those notes look like something I would love. I love my diffuser, but it just doesn’t smell my house up the way a candle does. Do you have any fall candles that you go to that aren’t too overwhelming?!
Mentorship in Motherhood
Sometimes I feel like it can be hard to find a mentor in motherhood. We have mentors in college, in work, and a lot of times in churches or bible studies. Maybe I wasn’t looking in the right places, but I kept thinking, “Why can’t I find someone 5-10 years ahead of the motherhood game that can help share wisdom and encouragement?” But one of my friends, Sheridan, has done just that for me the past few months. She has 4 little ones all under 9, and she has made so much time for me! She has a fashion line and blog and she put those on pause when her kids were little. But I LOVE that she really gets my job. Anyways, we both go to the same church so it’s just been nice to have someone provide spiritual, theoretical, and practical advice. She hosted a small group at my house on Monday for some of my mom friends {we are all in the baby/toddler years} and she made the most amazing packet. I’m hoping she shares it soon, so everyone can see it! But I wanted to share a few amazing things I took away from it:
- Our role as parents is to be an ambassador for God, not to be in control of our children. If our tone of voice could deliver our children from self-rule, Jesus and his work wouldn’t be necessary.
- We have to embrace motherhood, not our entitlement. We need breaks, but we aren’t entitled to selfishness.
- Relationships with children are built in the pause of life. If Satan can’t make you bad, he makes you busy.
- She also recommended this book and said it completely changes how you see parenting.
I know that applies to my personal beliefs, but I hope any parent can find some encouragement in this! Do you have a mentor in whatever role you have in life?
Are there any random things you are loving right now?!
Potlucks are my favourite too 😉 and so are posts with a little bit of everything! 🙂
I never knew pant hangers existed. They sound like life-savers!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
I love the flannel scented candle from bath and body works. I also love the spiced chai scent from Scentsy.
Oooh! I have never tried those, thank you so much! xo, Katey
They sometimes have those pants hangers at Homegoods. They are bomb. I always get my hangers at Homegoods, they have the best prices.
Oh my gosh- you just made this Homegoods lover’s day! I had no idea, thank you for sharing! xo, Katey
I am for sure making these pancakes for my son on Halloween! He loves pancakes and I never thought of putting spinach in them! Also, we have the Spooky Pookie book and love it! If you don’t have them, look into the night before books. We have the night before Halloween, night before Christmas, Mother’s Day etc. They are scholastic books and I make the tradition of reading them to my son every night before a holiday! I always try and take a picture and have loved looking back at these!
Hi Leah! Oh I love that!! I don’t have those and will have to get to start the tradition! Thank you so much! 🙂 xo, Katey
Love this post!! I’ve noticed in other posts that you re-use your candle jars for make-up brushes, etc. (which I love). Question – how do you get the jar so clean, or do these candles burn clean with no wax residue? Silly, I know – but purposeful to me. Going to order pants hangers NOW (and probably give some as Christmas gifts to my daughters. I’m a practical mama – what can I say?)
You are the best kind of gift giver! My mom gives me practical gifts for Christmas and I love it! When the wax is down pretty low {say you only have maybe 30 minutes of burn time left} I put the candles in the freezer. I leave for a few hours and then you’ll be able to hit the bottom of the candle and the wax will pop right out! If it is a clean-burning candle then I typically can just rinse the jar out with a bit of soap and water and the residue is all gone. If not, then I’ll let a mixture of windex, water, and dawn dish soap sit in the jar overnight. Wipe and rinse in the morning and your candle is good to use. 🙂 I love to repurpose them. They are far too pretty {and expensive!} to not recycle.
I saw your story about your mom mentor and I can’t stop thinking about it! I’ve been at this mom gig for 5 years and having support from other women is sooooooo crucial! My ahah moment was if Satan can’t make you bad he’ll make you busy. *Cue holy spirit conviction. Thank you SO much for sharing that part of your life! ?
I love Spooky Pookie! My toddler loves Easter Eggs so much I do them year round – so I will hide Halloween Eggs for her to find!
I really hope you share that packet! Sheridan sounds like a wonderful friend and mentor. ”Mom Enough” is a book that totally changed my perspective on parenting, and I can’t wait to check out your book recommendation.
I am a huge fan of cinnamon cider and pumpkin spice candles by aromatique! They burn well and are not to overwhelming and sugary! They are truly a fall candle. I like burning pumpkin spice till Halloween and then cinnamon cider till thanksgiving when I switch to Christmas candles!
Hi Erin! OOh! I have never tried those, thank you SO much! I will order! 🙂 xx, Katey
Girl, you MUST try the Sand + Fog candles. I always get mine at HomeGoods. For Fall I get the Pumpkin Harvest, Mulled Wine, and Chai – so good but not overwhelming.
I’ve never heard “If Satan can’t make you bad, he makes you busy” – but how true is that! Being busy robs me of the true little joys in life!
100% girl!! I think the hardest part for me is being a people pleaser and knowing if I cut things out, I ultimately let people down. But I think Satan puts that in our mind to steal our joy! We can be a slave to him or the opinions of others! xx, Katey