Hey girlfriend!

I am blessed with the BEST group of girlfriends. Or should I say group(s).

When I moved to Ohio in 2006, I left behind not only my family, but also all of my best friends. Granted, we were all in different cities in different colleges, but we had all gone through high school together, and remained the best of friends through our college years. We talked every day and spent most weekends together. And the summers? Summers were the best. We lived at the beach where we spent our days soaking up the sun, and our nights at beach bars. We lived the life. 

Even though it's been almost 8 years since I left NC, I still think about all of these girls all of the time. When we get together for a wedding, party, or baby shower, it's like no time has passed. Our group texts make my day. And when we talk on the phone, it's like we were just together yesterday. These are the friends that you can always count on, no matter where you are or what's going on in your life. You know they'll always be there. "It's not goodbye, it's see ya later."

I miss each and every one of you more than you know, and I am so excited for all of the upcoming events! 

They made the long trip to Ohio for our wedding!

They were there the night we announced we were expecting Tinley! 

NC meets OH at my Bachelorette Party!

I moved to Ohio not knowing anyone. Literally, I knew Justin and his family, and that was it. 

How I landed the best girlfriends is beyond me, but I am so grateful I did! These girls are the girls I talk to on a daily basis; that I can count on for anything; and vent to if I need to. And, these are the girls that have become our family. And now, we're all raising our kids together. It's so fun watching your kids grow up with your friend's kids. It's the best really. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for us, and make so many more wonderful memories with these ladies.

I don't know how or why I was blessed with 2 AMAZING groups of girlfriends, but I am so thankful for each and every one of them. I love you girls!

Little Things Wednesday

 

Happy Hump Day!

I'm excited to link up again for one of my favorites, "It's The Little Things." Thanks to the fabulous co-hosts, Ashley from Words About Waverly and Jess from Sadie Sky Boutique. 

We've been spending lot's of time outside lately enjoying the warm weather, finally! Is it just me, or did everyone else feel as if summer would never arrive?!

Anyway, our days and nights consist of lot's of time on the swing set, the sand box, the bounce house, on riding toys, blowing bubbles, and eating popsicles. Lot's and lot's of popsicles. T isn't a fan of ice cream, but the girl can kill a popsicle! And her favorite part? Showing you what color her tongue is afterwards! She makes me smile. 

Thank goodness for sweet summertime. And green tongues. 

roar.

Okay mama and mama-to-be friends, you're gonna wanna see this! My good friend, Dawn, has started an Etsy boutique for her fabulous baby items! 

Some of you might have seen this post on my Facebook and Instagram:

In case you missed it, she delivered 2 of the cutest blankets and a set of 3 burp cloths to Crew and I, and we absolutely LOVE them! The blankets have the softest minky material on the back of them, and Crew loves wrapping up in them. And the burp cloths? They're lined with terry material, so they soak up even the biggest "spit-up" messes! And, did I mention the fabrics are adorable? I've washed them all several times and they hold up so well, so you know they're great quality. 

Any of her products would make excellent baby shower gifts. Or, if you're just looking for a good product for yourself, this is it! Check out her Etsy shop here. 

Here's a look at some of my favorite items:

Set of 3 burp cloths in coordinating fabrics

Little girl's owl minky blanket

Yellow chevron minky blanket

She also makes these adorable bibs, perfect for a teething babe or messy toddler. You can choose any fabric!

Look at all that precious fabric! I love it all! Send her a message for a custom order! :o)

And, did I mention she can also make birthday party favors? 

Remember Tinley's Minnie and Mickey Mouse ears?

Or Gray's capes for his 4th Super Hero Birthday party?

What about the super cute tool belts for Coen's 2nd construction-themed birthday party?  

Look at this adorable dinosaur hoodie!

And this tent? So fun!

Yep, all thanks to this creative mommy! I'm convinced she can make anything!

So, what's the story behind this crafty mama? I asked her why she decided to start her shop, and where she got the name from. 

"I have always loved sewing, and actually started tinkering around on my mom's machine when I was just a 'lil gal. After having my first babe, I knew I wanted to start making him things. I started off making him a mobile for his crib, bibs, a tool belt, and a halloween costume. I then started making blankets for him, and started making baby gifts for friends and family."

"I love being a full-time stay-at-home mom, but I also want more, and want to be able to help out financially. So, after many years of contemplating this, I finally got brave enough to open an Etsy shop and go for it. So far, I'm loving it! My biggest challenge is finding the time to sew. My house and cleaning has gone on the back-burner so I can sew during nap times and when the lil' guys are off to bed at night. My Etsy shop is small, but is growing (yay!), and I love when people contact me for custom orders. In the next couple of months, I plan to add more fabric options for blankets, an assortment of bibs, pacifier clips, and bow ties (for our cute lil' boys)." 

Can I just add that I CAN NOT wait to get Crew man some bow ties! :o)

Where did the name roar. come from?

"Two years ago, when I was really thinking hard about starting an Etsy shop, I started playing with shop names. I couldn't think of anything that really fit; or anything that I was in love with. At the time, my two boys were really into dinosaurs, and would ROOOAAAARRRR all day long. Then, finally one day it clicked- my shop name should be roar! A shop for ALL little ones, but a shop where you can find AWESOME STUFF for boys!"

So, GO check her out! And, if you're local, make sure to send her a message for a coupon code for FREE SHIPPING! Trust me, you will love these sweet baby items as much as I do! 

Hapy Tuesday! ROAR!

Visit with Da

Happy Monday! I hope everyone enjoyed their weekends! 

My Dad came up from North Carolina to stay with us for a long visit last Wednesday. It was his first meeting with Crew, and I was so excited to see him. He hasn't been up since January, so needless to say, Tinley has sure changed a lot. 

It amazes me how good her memory is. As soon as he walked in the door, she was attached to him, like she had just seen him yesterday. But, I don't blame her. He is the best. :o)

We had such a fun visit. My dad loves to be on the go, and we didn't stop the entire time he was here. A trip to the movies, playtime at the mall, dinners out, a night of bowling, fun at Soak City Water Park, an outing to an Indians Baseball game in Cleveland, and lot's of outside time was what our visit consisted of. Needless to say, I'm worn out, but it was so worth it. He left this morning, and we miss him already. 

Here's a look at some pictures of all of the fun we had!

 What kind of fun did you have this weekend?