Mother's Day

I have to work on Mother's Day this year, so we celebrated with my mom a week early. I invited everyone over for a day "All About Mom."  My dad and I collected a list of some of my mom's favorites and made the day consist of all of them! It was so much fun to plan something just to make her feel special.

My first step was to use some Sharpies, butcher paper and vintage frame (side note: I got this from my grandparents before they moved recently and LOVE it!) to make a sign that said "These are a few of mom's favorite things"

I used Adobe Illustrator to design labels for each individual favorite she had. I went with a plum color scheme since purple is her favorite color. 

Mom's Favorite DRINK: Diet Coke

If you know my mom at all, you know she loves her Diet Coke. I put it on a pedestal because I think in her heart that is where she has it. 

Mom's Favorite TEAM: USC

My Dad got his bachelors and masters from SC so she married into it!

Mom's Favorite GAME: Nertz

This is a game her family plays often. Nate and my dad typically don't play because it can get a little too competitive and they end up with nail marks in their hands. But we played at the end of the night and it was so much fun!

Mom's Favorite MUSIC: Country

I not only had some CDs out but I had my country Pandora station playing before dinner.

Mom's Favorite FLOWER: Yellow Roses

My Dad grows roses and I always remember him cutting them for my mom especially the yellow ones. 

 

Mom's Favorite APPETIZER: Chips and Dips

We always tease my mom because she likes her chips so salty. We got salsa from Fresh and Easy that we LOVE and my dad made homemade guacamole from avocados off his tree.

Mom's Favorite MOVIE: Sound of Music 

(which was kinda the inspiration for the theme all together)

I was planning on just having the movie playing in the background while we talked or got dinner ready but we all ended up watching it. My mom kept saying "I don't remember the last time I watched this" and my sister and I were singing along. 

Possibly one of MY favorite parts (and my mom said it was hers) of the day came during an intermission from the movie before we put dinner on the BBQ.  In honor of the "Favorite Things" theme, I re-wrote the song from my mom's point of view.  It was so much fun to write, a little nerve wracking to sing (cuz I don't do that).  I think Lindsey was crying from laughing so hard. So here you go...

Sunny days tanning and Princess’ Cruises

Finding a great deal, when UCLA loses.

Browsing through facebook on my laptop screen

These are a few of my favorite things

Cake pops and cupcakes and hosting a party,

Jeopordy makes me feel like a smarty,

Strolling through Kohls and the way Urban sings,

These are a few of my favorite things

When the joints ache, or a long wait,

When my pictures from low,

I simply remember the great life I have,

And then I don’t feel so bad.

Tacos on Tuesdays with Tim and some friends,

Family laughing in tears it will end

Oh and my girls and the joy that they bring,

These are a few of my favorite things.

Mom's Favorite FOOD: Mexican

This worked out nicely since it was Cinco de Mayo and it went well with the chips and dip appetizer.  Nate barbecued carne asada and pollo asado and we had all the toppings for tacos. I also made spanish rice in my rice cooker. 

Mom's Favorite DESSERT: Creme Brulee

My sister made us a fabulous creme brulee with different flavors of sugar caramelized on top.

I think one of my mom's favorite things is being our mom! She is just so good at it.  I know all daughters say it when they are little but I know more now than ever I want to be like my mom when I grow up! I love my family and it was such a fun and special day together.

Valentine's Day

I love Valentine's Day! I love being in love with my husband and how awesome is it that there is a day to celebrate that!  I decorate mid-January and usually do something daily starting February 1st. 

So with this special day coming soon, I wanted to show you what I did last year.  I went to the Dollar Tree and bought small gifts to give him each day with a super cheesy note. I hope it encouragement to some of you that my tags are not fancy AT ALL and took me only a few minutes to write out. 

There are SO many options!

The car is the one he remembers the most. It is still on his desk.

I left them in all different places each day...lunch bag, windshield, desk, fridge, sink, etc.

The best thing was how he looked forward to finding them each day! I have said this before but I love showing my husband love!

Mom's Birthday Pots

I love lovin' through personal, thoughtful, diy gifts and I love lovin' on my mom!

For my mom's birthday, my family was staying down at my uncle's beach house in Newport Beach.  We don't get a lot of exclusive family time so it was very cherished.  I was scouring Pinterest trying to come up with an idea for a gift and came across leaning pot tower.  

http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/2012/03/diy-garden-planter-birds-bath.html

I had the brilliant idea to turn it into a family craft, each of us decorating our own pot. 

So I went to Lowes and bought one 12" tera cotta pot for Mom and four 10" pots for Dad, Lindsey (sister), Nate and I.  Michaels had sponge brushes and outdoor acrylic paint. I brought pencils and paints I had at home as well. 

Really couldn't beat the view for craft time!  And except for sunburned shoulders everyone really had a blast, even some who are self acclaimed "not artistic."  Every pot is so unique to each person which makes the completed project so perfect!

My sister decided to splatter paint hers.  She painted the bottom white and the rim with chalkboard paint in hopes to write messages on it.  Then she picked a few colors and flicked away.  It was quite fun to watch.  It turned out so great!

I did a watermelon pot.  It is so nice not being a perfectionist because with those sponges I couldn't be too precise.

My husband (who IS a perfectionist) did a robot portrait.  This was only a couple weeks after his grad party if you saw that post.  I am so jealous of his ability to be great with both sides of his brain!

Birthday girl (mom) did greens and whites with hearts. Beautiful job!

Since we were staying at the beach house my dad decided to go with a lighthouse theme. It took one of the decor pieces and then sketched it onto the pot.  He even got into the details with birds and clouds and the ocean.  Very impressed.

Here is the completed project in my parents' backyard.  I bought a 6 foot piece of rebar at Lowes and put it about a foot and a half in the dirt. The large pot (mom's) went on the bottom with the rebar going through the center hole.  My dad filled that one with potting soil and tilted the next pot.  He figured out the if he filled a little bit of the bottom corner of each pot with rocks it helped with the water flow.  For the rest of the pots, simply put the rebar through the bottom hole and lean it to the side.  I was so excited to see it completed.  It turned out exactly as I had hoped. My mom put it in front of the window above the sink, so she will smile while doing dishes.

I love you mom!