love it

I think this is the funniest pet costume ever, maybe it's just me but I'm dying over it. Will someone please buy this and take their dog trick-or-treating?

a little sad

I'm not going to lie, I'm a little bummed. I just REALLY realized that I am going to miss out on Fall fashion this year, my FAVORITE time for getting dressed. Of course having a baby is worth it, but I feel sad that I have to wait a whole year to dress up and buy new tights, coats, shoes, etc. I really love Fall clothing and I won't be going out and purchasing any crazy maternity wear for my last few months. So I guess it will be jeans and sweaters for me. By the time I am back to my pre-pregnancy size, it will be time for Spring fashion, which just isn't the same.

Today is the last day to enter my giveaway! Don't forget!

browsing anthropologie

I have a gift card to my happiest place on earth... Anthropologie! Here are some pretty things I found while on my quest of how to use that gift card best!

Mirror

Candy Jar

Vase

Cheese Tray Knife Set

Notions Necklace

(would be cute with a plain white tee, jeans & a simple cardigan)

What to pick??

the best gift

I joined the Children's Book-of-the-Month Club before Brody was born. I honestly believe that there is no greater gift that you can give your child than the gift of books and the love for reading. Not only will your child do better in school, but having good reading skills will help them throughout their life. My dad had me reading out of the womb and sharing the joy I have for reading with my kids is priceless. I joined the club so that I could easily get all kinds of classic and new books for the kids at good prices. In fact, I have done the club three times over. Best part is that they have made it easier for you and less intrusive to get your books and fill your commitments. Our children's book library is amazing and I plan on making it grow even more over the years.

*Side note: I do love taking the kids to the book store to pick out whatever book they want too! It's so cool to see them look at all the books and pick out which one they like best.

don't forget

Don't forget to enter my giveaway a few posts below for a custom address stamp. You have until Wednesday night!

fall clothes

I am loving the new Volcom flannel we bought Brody for Fall, we can't wait until he can actually wear it (since it's still so hot here). In fact, I can't wait to buy both my kids their Fall clothes. I love sweatshirts, pants, sweaters and tights for Piper. Hopefully Fall weather is right around the corner for us, I noticed Fall leaves on the ground tonight (too bad they were so dried up from the heat). But, the gigantic spiders are out which means October is almost here. My favorite time of the year!

fall recipe

I have no nutritional content on this meal, but hey, comfort food is good for you, maybe just not every day. Mark LOVED this new recipe and next time we are going to add some carrots and peas to it. Yummy.

Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings

Serves 8

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 tablespoons butter

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup

1 onion, finely diced

2 (10 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces

Directions:

1. Place the chicken, butter, soup, and onion in a slow cooker, and fill with enough water to cover.

2. Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on High. About 30 minutes before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.

It's a GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!

Since the response for these custom address stamps have been so great, I am giving one away! You get to pick one personalized stamp (options seen here) and I will send it to you free of tax and shipping. It's a $50 value. And for anyone who doesn't win but comments, I am offering a 15% discount on all orders.

How to win? Just leave a comment, make sure you leave your name & email address if you don't have a blogger account. You have until midnight on Wednesday, September 30th. A winner will be chosen at random and I will announce it on October 1st!

Good Luck!

in my inbox this morning

I get a daily devotional from my church that I read every morning. Sometimes it really hits the spot. I think today's daily devotional applies to everyone, religious or not.

The title of the devotional is "Quit Trying to Please Everybody."

The main facts were:

1. You cannot please everybody

2. It's not necessary to please everybody

3. Rejection will not ruin your life

It goes on to say that you need to "quit trying to please everybody. Remember that nobody can make you feel inferior unless you give them permission."

"It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you." (Proverbs 29:25)

Just a little something to pass on. I think we all worry way too much about what others think of us, I know I do!

good eating

I love the placemats at Pottery Barn Kids, I have the polka dot ones (you can only get them in store). I love that I just throw them down and all gobs of food are easily cleaned up off the placemat instead of my table. It was becoming an issue.

I also love all the kids plates I have collected from Pottery Barn Kids. They all have compartments that are easy to keep food separate, but it also reminds me to serve them full meals at every meal. I try and add a vegetable and a fruit with whatever they are eating.

Happy eating!

Do not watch if you do not feel like crying

I saw this video on Perez Hilton.... gave me a good cry. Beyonce sang her ballad Halo onstage at her Sydney concert this weekend with this adorable little girl Chelsea. Chelsea suffers from Leukemia and as Perez said, "the lyrics to the song took on a much deeper poignance as Beyonce sang them."

Sometimes celebrities remind me that they know that they are human too, you never know with the way so many act these days. I like that. God Bless Beyonce.

thank you

I love Children's Orchard, I was able to sell some of Piper's baby clothes and use the money to buy her a dresser.

excited

I just bought this pillow from Pottery Barn Teen for Piper's toddler bed. I love it!

cute blog

My sis sent me a link to this blog, Tiny Decor, which is about creating a naturally modern nursery. However I found that it had more than ideas just for a nursery. If you have time read through! It's really cute. Thanks Whit!

i love you

Dear Staples,

I love you. Thank you for allowing me to organize all my business needs in hot pink & electric blue binders, polka dot folders and an adorable composition book. Big bonus, everything was affordable. I really do love you, you make me feel more creative, even when filing away invoices and bills.

xo,

Amanda

my etsy halloween favs

Here are my picks for favorite costumes on etsy! To be fair, I only got through 131 of 483 pages so I missed a lot. I may be picking up the bumblebee dress so no stealing that from me if you live in a 5 mile radius :)

Wild Things Wolf Pajamas - $75.00

Girl Scout Costume- $95.00

Candy Apple Cocktail Hat- $79.00

Bumblebee Dress- $36.00

Lady Divina- Victorian Goth Top Hat- $229.00

Charlie Brown Shirt- $19.99

Pirate Girl Tunic & Bloomers- $39.50

Sushi Baby Halloween Costume - $25

Itsy Bitsy Spider Headband- $10.95

Day of the Dead Gypsy Mask- $11.50

Candycorn Dress = $68

it's time again

Season 8 started tonight and oh, how I cried! If you didn't watch it, start next week and I'm sure you'll be able to rewatch tonight's episode online soon. I'm telling you, it changes your life! For more info about this season go here.

Stamps

Since I'm already getting interest in the custom address stamps I put them up on my Creative Nest Designs Blog (click on the stamp icon on the right side of the blog). I will have more to add later, like holiday stamps but this is so I have something to show you.

If you want to see all the styles and get style numbers go here!

Email me at amanda@creativenestdesigns.com if you want to order one.

trick or treat

I have this thing about personalized Halloween treat bags, I love them! Brody has one from Pottery Barn Kids from about 4 years ago. They don't make the same kind, now they are the bucket kind. I don't feel like the bucket ones can grow with your child because they don't hold as much candy. On the other hand I'm okay with Brody NOT filling up a whole pillow case of candy. So here's what I found this year at Chasing Fireflies and I am sooo happy because they are larger than a bucket but not gigantic like a pillowcase.

They are $28 each and I can't wait to get Piper one!

new things

I'm excited, I'll be adding these custom address stamps (in a variety of styles) to my Creative Nest Design offerings! More info to come soon. Want one now? Email me at elhajs@aol.com, otherwise you will have to wait until I roll out my debut of Christmas cards and more. So excited!

not always equal

Sometimes generic brands can be just as good as the name brands. But lately I am finding the exceptions to where it's not! Here are two of my recent discoveries.


1. Equaline Foaming Hand Soap is not equal to Dial Foaming Hand Soap - the generic Equaline never foams right and comes out watery





2. Target up & up Continuous Spray Sunscreen is not equal to Coppertone Continuous Spray Sunscreen- the Target brand sprays out like a water-hose and is so greasy. My kids hate it.





Sometimes name brand is better!

my obsession

Look what I found at Target today....... Halloween Oreos are the best.

coupons, coupons, coupons

There is nothing better than having a coupon when shopping online or going into Joann's. I save coupons for stores when I get them in the mail and keep an envelope in my purse. I try to use them all the time, but sometimes I lose one or just don't have one. Here are 3 sites for coupons that I visit but I bet you have some great ones, so please comment if you do! I haven't started clipping coupons for groceries yet, but hopefully soon!

I got to Mommy Saves Big to get my Joann's coupons. They are always updated, I print them out and they always work. There are a ton of places on here so make sure you visit it before shopping online or in-store.




Look here at freeshipping.org to see if you can get a code for free shipping online. NOthing I hate more than paying for shipping!

I want to use Coupon Mom more, it seems like she has a lot of grocery coupons. But she does have restaurant and online coupon codes too!

back to school

You already know that NieNie's blog is very inspiring to me, more-so, it is a daily affirmation of what is important in my life. But I do love other things about her blog that were included well before the plane crash. One of them is the "Family Back to School Feast." Man, she has it down, so this year I decided (very last minute) to add it to my yearly ritual. I mean, education is so important to me and I want to instill that in my kids. So anyways we did our own little feast tonight. We had decorations, hats, food, little gifts and some crafts afterwards. Just the perfect way to start Brody's school year and to let him know how special I think he is. I can't wait to do this every year and to add traditions to it!

love you ellen

Another reason why I love Ellen! Watch her dance with the Top 10 Contestants on So You Think You Can Dance. Too bad I never get to watch her during the day, but I think she rocks! Watch her rock below.

stuff

Anyone else having trouble getting back into the swing of things now that summer is pretty much over? I don't want to pay bills, do laundry or do anything in fact. I'm sure I can blame part of it on pregnancy, but I think I'm just dragging my feet and trying to keep the freedom of summer at bay. However, I do love that it is back-to-school time and that may be one of my favorite feelings of the year. I loved it when I was in school and now I love it for Brody. That's the best part of preschools at actual elementary schools, you get to feel it even earlier!

Here are two things I'm not dragging my feet on. Oh's cereal and Paradise Bakery cookies. Random right? I guess they could fall into the category of pregnancy cravings, but I think I like them all the time.

This has been a crazy week for us, so I'm behind on my posts. Expect a bunch of new favs next week! Enjoy your holiday weekend!

xo,

Amanda