We're Going to Disney World!

In the very near future, we'll be heading to Florida!!  We can hardly wait, and we've been busy getting ready for the last week or so. 

I had a really fun time putting together a fun travel bag full of kid activities that Lucky and Charm can use on the plane and on car rides.  I thought I'd share some of my sources for kid travel fun on the cheap, so here goes:

 

I found these fun Highlights books in the dollar bin at Target:

 

 

These coloring books and stickers were in the Dollar Spot as well: 

 

 

I found these fun story books in the Bargain Section at Barnes and Noble:

 

 

These books were in the clearance book section at Marshall's.  They were $3 and $1.

 

 

These pens and fun pockets were from Tuesday Morning and were an additional 20% off!

 

 

This Crayon Town set was from Tuesday Morning as well and was marked down to $3.99 and was an additional 40% off.

 

 

I found these Color Wonder Sets in my 'gift closet'.  I picked them up on sale and with a coupon a long time ago.  Mess free airplane fun sounds good to me:)!

 

 

While staying at Bill's parents home or visiting my parents, I thought Charm and Lucky might have some fun with a few Hot Wheels and painter's tape. 

 

 

You know....we might make a little race track like this:

 

via

 

 

I also picked up a couple treats for the week. We really like the Unreal brand of chocolates around here. (I like that there are no artificial colors or flavors used and they are readily available at Target!) I also picked up a small container of Organic Lollipops from Marshall's.

 

 

While we are in Florida, we will also be spending a couple days at Disney World, and the kids can hardly wait.  Bill and I thought ahead and picked up some Disney gear locally to save some money over Disney World prices.  We found these organic cotton t-shirts at the Disney Store for $8 each on sale:

 

 

We're packing two costumes each for them to wear at the park if they feel like it.  Lucky will have a Cinderella costume and a Minnie Mouse costume:

 

 

Charm will be able to dress as Woody or Buzz Lightyear.  We found a plastic Buzz Lightyear helmet that lights up.  It is awesome.  I wonder if Charm will want to sleep with it on:).

 

 

 

 

Bill also wanted to get Lucky and Charm each a set of pajamas, so they could stay in character at night:).

 

 

We also will be making individual sized jars of 'Pixie Dust' using glitter we picked up at Joann's:)!

 

 

 

Games, toys and costumes aside, I had so much fun packing spring clothes for Lucky and Charm for the trip.  I actually took the time to lay out their outfits.  Here are Lucky's:

Lucky has worn this shirt for forever.  It used to be a dress on her actually:).  It was a gift from Oma.  Shorts: Target, Shoes: Target

 

Grey Sweatshirt Blazer: Gift (from Target), Dress: Target, Tights: Target, Shoes: Target

Notice a Trend?:)  I should probably be writing Target Clearance because that's the section I shop in 90% of the time.

 

T-shirt: Disney Store (Charm has a matching one), Skirt: Target, Shoe: Target

 

Hat: Gymboree, Shirt: Gymboree, Skirt: Marshall's, Shoes: Marshall's, White Leggings: Gift

 

Gold Coat: Marshall's, Dress: Marshall's, Shoes: Target

 

Shirt: Old Navy, Skirt: Target, Shoes: Old Navy

 

 

This is Lucky's favorite outfit:

Sweater: Children's Place, Shorts: Target, Hat: Target, Yellow Flower: Michael's Felt Clip

She'll also wear a pink t-shirt underneath, but it was in the dryer when I took this picture:).

 

Cardigan Sweater: Target, Dress: H&M, Shoes: Target

Here is Lucky's traveling outfit:

Hat: Target, Flower: Michael's, Dress: H&M, Leggings: H&M

 

 

Here are a couple of Charm's outfits:

 

 

 

I didn't do such a good job packing for myself.  I picked up a few new springy clothing items for the trip.  I'm loving patterns and bright colors right now.  Here's the best glimpse I can provide while my clothes are drying:).

 

 

I hope you all have a wonderful spring break!! 

A Great Room Rug Dilemma

I need some help choosing a new rug.  Here is our great room:

I happen to think the space is lovely...a little on the small side, but lovely nonetheless.  When we moved in three years ago, we needed a rug for our great room because our previous great room was carpeted and we didn't have a rug for the space.  We went to Home Goods and picked one out.  We always knew it was on the small side for the room, but we also knew that finding a bigger rug would be a huge expense, and we really just loved this rug. 

We obviously kept it and now we have a new use for this rug in our office, which we are in the midst of redo-ing (I'm a bit behind in posting about the office, stay tuned for that:).)  By transplanting our current great room rug into the office, we'll have to fill the rug-less hole left behind.  We definitely want a bigger rug, 10' x 13' or so would do the trick nicely, even up to 10' x 14'.  (Our current rug is 7'6" x 9'6".) 

Finding a rug this big is not an easy task.  Home Goods doesn't typically stock rugs this size, and most stores like Pottery Barn, West Elm, World Market, and Crate and Barrel only go up to 9' x 12' rugs, and we'd really like to go bigger.  Ordering online can be tricky too, as I've experienced before.  Colors aren't always true to the pictures, and rugs are not cheap to return.  Still in order to find a rug in the size we need and within a budget we feel comfortable, we will most likely resort to an online order.  I fluctuate between wanting a thick, wool, neutral rug (like our current rug) and trying a rug made of natural fibers like jute.  Here are some inspiration pictures for the natural fiber option:

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

Part of my indecisiveness results from the fact that we don't intend to change out our great room furniture any time soon.  My style has changed a bit since we purchased our couch and chairs, and the room would benefit from smaller scale furniture, but the fact remains that the current pieces are high quality and are extremely kid friendly.  It would be hard to justify making a change anytime soon.  That being said, I'm not sure how great the texture of our couch would work with a jute/natural rug, even though it's the look (especially combined with a nice light colored cowhide) that I'd really love for the space.  So what I'm saying is I need some help with this decision.  My mind has been so close to the issue for a long time as I've poured over every rug source I can think of...help a girl out:).

Here are some potential rug options:

Dark Natural Diamond Jute

Home Decorators

9'6" x 13'

$320 shipped (on sale with free shipping)

Morocco I Area Rug

Home Decorators

9'9" x 13'9"

$765 shipped (would wait for a better sale:))

Zig Zag Chenille Hemp Rug

Home Decorators

9'6" x 13'

$390 shipped

(The reviews all say that the pattern of this rug is more apparent than the picture shows.  The chevron alternates between a creamy white chenille and a natural jute, much like this rug from West Elm, which I LOVE.)

Premium Jute Braided Area Rug

Home Decorators

9'6" x 13'

$454 shipped

Exeter Wool Rug

 Home Decorators

9' x 13'

$769 shipped

Allure Flat Woven Rug

Home Decorators

9' x 13'

$625 shipped

Handwoven Mandara New Zealand Wool Rug

Overstock

9' x 13'

$880 shipped

Handmade Majestic Beige Wool Rug

Overstock

9'6" x 13'6"

$620

(This has a green cast to it, that I don't think I love...if it was straight brown/beige, I think it'd be in our great room already:).)

Moroccan Brown/Ivory Dhurrie Rug 

Flat Woven

Overstock

10' x 14'

$600

(Our hardwood floors are dark cherry colored, so I don't know if this one would provide enough contrast.)

Hand Hooked Alexa Moroccan Trellis Wool Rug

Overstock

9'6" x 13'6"

$610 Shipped

(In my opinion, tufted wool rugs hold up better than hand hooked wool rugs.  It's not a deal breaker necessarily, but it's something to keep in mind.)

I included some blue rugs, which I love, but I tend to prefer a beige rug which would allow me to switch our great room colors whenever I feel like, which historically is quite often (ie: I'd like to decorate with red and green for Christmas if I feel like it, without needing to incorporate blue because our rug is blue...does that make sense?)

Basically, I'm asking you to pick your favorite (or suggest a rug not on this list!) that you think would work best.  I'm especially interested in opinions regarding the first four rugs listed:).  Although prices vary greatly on my list, you know I'll be waiting for the king of sales, and I'll use a coupon and probably ebates too, so knowing that, we're comfortable with purchasing any of the rugs listed.

The Countdown Is On!!

 

The first day of spring is officially 16 days away, and we can't wait for the both the calendar start of spring AND for the weather to cooperate accordingly!  This winter has been a doozy, so we are especially eager for warm weather and no snow!!  In the meantime, we've started a little chalkboard countdown.  We've also been getting a bouquet of fresh greenery every week at Trader Joe's.  During the entire month of January, I purchased white tulip bouquets that I just loved, and February was the month of pink tulips.  Last week we switched to yellow daffodils, and this week I picked up a bunch of eucalyptus.  It was a pretty big bouquet for $4.99, so I ended up putting it in a big owl vase that I picked up awhile back at Marshall's for $12 on clearance. 

 

 

 

We've also been busy planning a few room updates, one of which includes this pillow from Home Goods which screams 'Spring!' to me!  I love that it includes the blue and green colors that have become standard in our house, along with a pretty plum color and bright yellow.  Yellow happens to be my favorite color, but I've struggled with decorating it in the past.  I think this year, yellow is where 'it's' at.  Our house needs more yellow.

 

 

Finally, my nails have taken on a spring look in recent weeks:

Zoya Polish

Color: Wednesday

I took advantage of a little promotion a couple months ago and purchased 3 bottles of Zoya polish for $10 shipped.  I just loved this spring color, and received so many compliments when I wore it!!  Zoya nail polish is toluene, formaldehyde, DBP and camphor-free!  (I had tried Scotch Naturals in the past, which is similarly 'chemical free', and loved it!  It smelled like chocolate to me.)  Zoya still had a distinctly strong nail polish smell, but the price was right and so were the colors!

 

 

A countdown, flowers, a pillow and bright blue nails....we're ready spring.  Did you hear that snow clouds?  You can stop anytime now:)!

 

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend!