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My Favorites: Cozy Season Essentials.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ Leave a comment

One season I always get excited about is Fall. Especially in Michigan, it is so beautiful.

Colors everywhere, the weather cools down and suddenly being cozy inside is all I want to do.

Football and hockey on the TV with a batch of chili in the crockpot. Just thinking about it gives me the warm and fuzzy feelings even if it comes with my husband yelling at the TV in the background ;).

Although I did join a fantasy league with the girls this year so maybe I will be just as into it when the football games are on.

I love finding new things for the house to get me excited for rainy Fall days inside. Creating that cozy atmosphere is so important to me and I feel like this is my best haul yet, I can’t wait to share it with you all.

Oh my goodness, you have no idea the excitement I had starting this. Fall/ Winter I dive into my Romantasy reading and if you are a book girlie like me then I can only imagine your excitement for the upcoming Fall reads. BUT let me tell you, THIS BOOK WRECKED ME. What a way to kick Fall reading off. I was absolutely blown away by this book. Have you read it?

Speaking of books, I recently purchased this duet and I cannot wait. I have been eyeing them up for years and I finally decided to dive in. I have heard so many good things about them and they seem like the perfect type of atmosphere for some gloomy day reading.

It wouldn’t be Fall without a new coffee cup and Gilmore Girls! I re-watch it every year and it is just so soothing for the soul. I was so excited when a friend bought this coffee cup for me. It’s perfect and so cute.

One of my favorite indulgent drinks lately has been finding Diet cherry coke! I have only found it a few times in store but I love it!

If you haven’t noticed I love soothing things. Mainly I try to find things that does not have me doom scrolling constantly. I thought these were adorable and I am really excited to have them for when I just need to relax and wind down without being sucked into a book or a show.

Also the colored pencil set? The colors are so beautiful, it came with two trays of different shades of color. This is the first nice set I’ve bought for myself.

A new candle is a must. Give me all the pumpkin smells. I love it. Also this candle warming is such a game changer. I feel so much better about having candles going in the house since I’ve has this lamp. Defiantly recommend if you are a candle lover like me.

I wanted to add one more book in here, not only is the cover absolutely gorgeous but just in case you aren’t into fantasy type readings. I have this on my reading list for Fall and it sounds like it’s going to be a great one!

Jean and shacket season is upon us! I went to a consignment shop near where I live the other day and scored both of these. I’ve been on a hunt for a good jean jacket for so long and I swear old navy is always such a staple. My son plays hockey so I am especially excited to have both of these to wear over sweatshirts at rinks that aren’t frigid.

What are some of your Fall essentials? Pick up anything cute lately? Or any favorite activities you can’t wait for? Share with me!

I am a basic chick so of course I’m excited for my first pumpkin spice latte’, strolls around an orchard. It’s such a fun time of the year.

Wishing you all the best! Thanks for hanging out with me.

Lazy Lasagna Perfect For Busy Evenings.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 7 Comments

If there is one recipe I love the most now that we are gearing up for back to school, it’s an easy one!

I am always looking for quick but delicious dinner idea’s and this lazy lasagna is defiantly one of them that your kids will love too which is always a win for me as mine can be pretty picky.

Obviously you can customize however you want but I like to keep it pretty simple with ingredients.

This also makes really good leftovers so even better in my opinion.

Let’s get started and gather the ingredients!

Ingredients:

1 (24 oz) bag of frozen cheese ravioli

1 lb ground beef

1 (24 oz) jar of pasta sauce

2 cups shredded mozerella

1/2 cup shredded parmesan

1 tablespoon of garlic powder (optional)

1 tablespoon of onion powder (optional)

salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Instructions:

  • Preheat your oven to 400 F and grab a 9×13 pan
  • Brown and drain your ground beef
  • Add your pasta sauce to the ground beef and season to your liking
  • Spread a thin layer of your meat sauce onto the bottom of the pan (about 3/4 cup)
  • Arrange half of the frozen ravioli into a single layer over the sauce
  • Top with half of the remaining meat sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese.
  • Repeat the layers starting with what’s left of the ravioli. Finish by topping with the remaining sauce and cheese.
  • Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if you would like.
  • Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and conitune baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese starts to brown.

I served mine with garlic sticks but you could do a side salad, favorite vegetables or whatever you prefer and enjoy!

Let me know what your favorite easy dinner is, I am always looking for ideas!

Just A Mom Who Isn’t Ready For Summer To End.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 4 Comments

I swear each Summer goes by faster and faster now that I have children. This Summer though? I feel like this has been the fastest yet. My kids are getting older, even if they are still so young I just feel time being a thief more lately and it’s making my emotions go haywire.

I am not ready to let go of the carefree Summer evenings, the later than normal bed times even though they still wake up early as ever ;), the lazy pool days, slip n slide fun and heading out the door on a random weekday just because. I’m not ready for the ice cream smeared faces out on the back porch to come to an end or the scent of grilling in the air to be done for the season. I’m not ready for bikes and scooters to be used less and less as the chaos of the school season starts.

Summer to me is where I feel like my kids get to be kids the most. Where you really see the childhood magic and imagination light up and it honestly soothes me.

Even though it might be nice for it not to be WWE smackdown in the house on the daily because my kids are in each other’s spaces too much, I still feel not ready for the new school season to start. My oldest is about to conquer 2nd grade and my youngest starts pre-school (don’t mind me crying thinking of this). I swear they were just babies laying on their blankets kicking their chubby little feet around and babbling at me in the Summer sun.

I sure do love watching them thrive though. Taking on each new adventure with confidence and learning independence more and more as they go. I know my son is excited to see his friends again at school and I can tell my daughter is just as excited to make some friends of her own. They are excited for their Fall sports to start up and new activities to try but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t going to miss all the extra time with them.

For now though, I am going to soak up all the Summer day’s we have left and make the most out of the warm weather until the cooler days start. Crossing off more Summer bucket list items and relishing in the days we get together where we don’t have to share each other with school, work or activities.

My biggest hope for all of us as Summer break is coming to an end is that this new school year is a great one and that our kiddo’s thrive and learn and are happy and that we keep our sanity along the way! I don’t know about you but I sure know my coffee intake will be going up, maybe even my wine as well ;).

Cheer’s mama’s!

As Mom’s, We Should Normalize These 5 Things More.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 8 Comments

I’ve been over here thinking a lot lately…

And that means my thoughts hit paper, or in this case my blog 😉

But really, in the midst of the chaos that is life lately, I feel like we forget what normal life can look like. What ordinary motherhood really is…

Not the picture perfect Instagram pictures that we feel like “should” be normal and idolized. Even though I am sooo guilty of scrolling and thinking I should have or do what other’s do.

I am talking about normalizing a fridge full of homemade pictures, little fingerprints and sticky notes for important things you need to remember because if you’re anything like me, everything needs to be written down or it doesn’t exist.

Sipping your non fancy coffee from your coffee maker and sitting down to get some reading done or just enjoying the morning sitting outside.

Leaving the toys and the mess of a fun filled day full of imagination on the floor because let me tell ya, your “me time” is just as important as having an immaculately clean house.

Having plans that just include getting out of the house and getting some fresh air or visiting your local attractions, even just grabbing an icecream cone instead of always needing a big vacation planned.

Enjoying home cooked staple meals because if your kids are anything like mine and mostly live on chicken tenders and cheese pizza every time we visit a restaurant let’s just cook it at home and maybe throw in a family movie after while we are at it.

I feel like we feel we have to constantly rush to the “next big thing” but we don’t. Living in these moments of our children’s childhood is the biggest thing and it’s so normal to feel like you always need to “do more” but you are doing just fine and trust me when I say these are the day’s they will look back on even if it’s the simple things.

Best thing we can do when the scrolling makes you think you always need to do more and the anxiety sets in for what you think is “normal”…

Go ahead and get right off your phone’s.

At least, that’s what I am telling myself these days.

As always, we’ve got this mama’s!

What I’ve Been Reading this Summer.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 4 Comments

This Summer, my goal as an avid reader was to step back and take a break from long series and it’s been so fun to get back into reading a variety of books again.

I have mainly tried to stay within a fun Summer type of feels books but of course I have to dabble in some in depth emotional reads and can’t ever forget about my sport’s romances because if you know, you know.

It’s been the best sitting outside while the kids play and reading in the fresh air and I can’t wait to share with you what I’ve been reading. I myself love going in blind when picking books so I will have the links to them on goodreads but I will just provide what my thoughts were and you can decide what you think! 🙂

Just for the Summer

Such a perfect, cute Summer romance and it had so much depth to it though which is a huge plus. I adored Justin and Emma.

Mayluna

I will never ever forget this story.

My heart. These characters are so special. Evie and Carter. I was so sucked into their lives.

By the end of this book I was sobbing not going to lie.

Devastatingly beautiful is how I would describe this and you need to read it.

Birthday Girl

Oh goodness, talk about a spicy, spicy slow burn. I ate this up and loved every second of it!

The Five-Star Weekend

This was such a great, entertaining, drama filled Summer read. You really feel like you are included on this five-star weekend with the girls and it’s so fun!

Locked In: Season One

I don’t know what kind of crack was put in this book but I absolutely devoured it and could not put it down. What a wild, wild ride. Defiantly a fun read to get lost in.

Next Life Duet

Talk about emotional damage and missed opportunities, my cup of tea! Absolutely loved the ending of this duet.

Skate The Line

I just finished reading this and the way I felt CONSUMED by this book let me tell ya. Single dad hockey romance? Can’t get any better than that. Sooo spicy and fun. I absolutely adore Rhodes and Sunny.

Tattered Tides

Talk about emotional! I loved Willow and Weston. Tattered Tides has such depth but also a good level or spice and I was all about it!

Do any of these catch your eye? Let me know in the comments!


I would also love to know what you’ve been reading this Summer? I love finding a new read so give me some book recommendations below as well. Along with blogging of course, reading is defiantly one of my favorite hobbies, I love escaping to different worlds or just towns all the time and meeting different characters.

Let me know if you want to see more book content! I defiantly could do that for you.

I Am Most Definitely An Autumn.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 8 Comments

It really is here again, Autumn. Oh it makes me so happy just writing that.

The crisp cool mornings, I truly feel more alive when I am not sweating every time I step outside. The fact that it is the season of long walks in leggings and a sweatshirt is more than enough to have me feeling giddy.

Fall to me is like a hug. My favorite sweatshirts come out, pretty decor goes up, a warm cup of coffee makes you feel all fuzzy inside and my favorite cozy blankets and best of all? My reading gets all the more fun. AND!? Yes, there’s more. Gilmore Girls goes on in the background.

The kids and I were outside this week and I glanced up and noticed our tree’s changing. I know it happens every year but it just takes my breath away every time. Anyone else? Nature truly is beautiful and I am so happy I live in a place where I experience all the season’s.

What are your Fall plans?

I’ve been thinking of mine and I really want to try to make it to all the small festivals around here for the kids and even for myself. Make lots of cozy delicious crock pot recipes. There is also a book event in October that I am extremely looking forward to.

Anything you are excited to read?

I have a lot of romantasy and regular fantasy on my list for the cooler weather, plus some thriller’s as well and of course have to throw in a couple cutesy reads. My big one I think I am going to start though later in the season and attempt to read is the Zodiac Academy series. I am so nervous about it but I think it will be worth it in the end! Has any one read it? Let me know!

I just hope we all have a lovely new season. I know life can be overwhelming at times, but I just hope you know you are never alone and just try to enjoy the little moments as much as you can. When you are walking, look up and enjoy the beauty around you. When you are at home, crack open a book you’ve been wanting to read lately and make yourself a nice warm drink. Enjoy the presence of your loved ones. Enjoy all the joys your kids bring you. Just enjoy it all.

Let me know what you are most looking forward to for the Fall season, I’d love to chat with you! As always, thanks for stopping by and hanging out with me.

Fall Tiered Tray Idea’s.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 16 Comments

I love tiered trays.

In my opinion they are one of the greatest things to come out for decorating.

There are so many different things you can utilize them for and I just love it!

September is upon us and it’s finally that time of year where I just get “the look” from my husband when I start to bring my seasonal decor out.

So I am showing you two Fall tiered tray’s I have put together because at least I can tell him “It’s for the blog.”

I love using traditional Fall colors, all the oranges and burgundy’s I think are so beautiful.

Tiered tray

My tiered tray is new this year and I am obsessed. I used to have a 3 tiered one but I love the look of this double!

Adding a bed of leaves to the bottom is such a nice filler especially when you have a lot of space to cover.

Most of my filler pieces are from Hobby Lobby, they usually have 40% off their holiday decor.

The back is not as full but like I said adding leaves really helps make it look that way!

I also made a small lazy Susan type tray for next to my coffee pot. I kept it a lot more simple but it still gives that cozy Fall feel.

The lazy Susan and small coffee blocks are from Target dollar spot last year.

Adding warm LED lights to any of these also gives such a soft glow and feel, I usually do that as well!

I hope these tiered trays gave you some inspiration for your own home this Fall!

Dear Coaches Wife. An Open Letter To You.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 6 Comments

Dear Coaches Wife,

I see you.

What a lonely but rewarding title it is to be a coaches wife.

The other day I got really frustrated. In all dramatic glory, sometimes it feels like the game is a mistress.

There will be days when the only proof of your husbands existence in your house will be his things scattered about.

There will be weekends alone with the kids when there’s a tournament and two days a week where your dinners will be late because of practice.

Sometimes you will be far down in the priority list.

It’s definitely a complex relationship with the game. It’s a love/hate relationship.

But in all the negative, there’s also so much positive.

The nights when it’s you two alone and all he needs is a listening ear.

The pride you feel when you watch him doing what he’s truly passionate about.

The way those kids look up to him.

The people you meet along the way, the friendships made and the feeling of a different type of “family” with the team.

The way family time is so much more special when you have the time together.

The trust built up in your relationship.

Knowing you are strong enough to handle it all. The housework, the kids activities alone.

God made you a coaches wife for a reason.

No matter how alone or the sacrifices being made, know it’s for the love of the game.

To help those kids learn the best they can.

Know that you are a coaches wife and you should be proud.

So the next time you see a coaches wife, probably standing off to the side or in the middle of the parents on the bench, give them a smile.

It’s a tough title and it’s needed more than you know.

Love,

A travel hockey coaches wife.

Five Valentine’s Day Family Ideas.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 31 Comments

Although you still have your occasional date nights, Valentines Day sure does change once you become a parent.

The best part though? It’s still so much fun, but instead of romantic quiet dinners as a couple, it can become a loud family date night.

I’m here to give some great ideas to celebrate Valentines Day as a family. It is after all, a day full of love and what better way to spend it than with ALL the people you love the most?

Let’s check out some fun ideas for the family below 👇

Ice skating/ roller skating night out.

How fun does this sound? Ice skating is such a fun winter activity in general but I feel like it, along with roller skating if that’s what you prefer could be such a fun Valentines family date. I wish my kids were just a bit older so we could do this as a family this year!

Family game night.

These are always my favorite type of nights. Game nights are so fun for any type of night but it would be a great Valentines Day family date! Order a heart shaped pizza to go with it and you’re all set.

Movie night in or movie at the theatre.

There are finally good movies coming out again and movie nights are such a great classic family night idea.

A trip to the bookstore.

Grab a hot chocolate, a heart shaped treat and hit the book store! Pick out a good book and have a cozy family reading night.

Family karaoke night.

Along with game night, I think karaoke is so much fun even if I do have a terrible voice. Get creative and have fun! I’m sure the kids will love it as much as you do.

There is so much you can do to have a great Valentine’s Day while including the kiddo’s.

I hope some of these ideas helped you out and as always, thanks for reading!

Quilted Gifts: What Makes Patchwork Patterns a Highly Popular Gift Item?

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 10 Comments

Did you get an invitation for the marriage anniversary of your dearest friend? Then, you must present something special to that person. Isn’t it? If you are bored of the old fashion of presenting showpiece, jeweler, and all; then it is high time to switch on to something different. How the idea of quilts comprising patchwork patterns will be? Want to know the specialty? Here it is.

 

Few Words About Patchwork Patterns

 

Patchwork, as clear from the name, refers to a technique that includes sewing several small fabrics to create large geometric designs. It includesmixed patterns, textures, and colors that make up an exceptional piece. Traditionally, a wide number of needlework was required to developincomparable patchwork patterns for quilts. However, in today’s time, such quilting patterns have become a highly popular technique in theclothing industry.

 

When coming up with an exclusively stitched quilt, the patchwork is the topmost layer, and the batting and backing form the middle as well as bottom layers, respectively. Either a machine or hand is used for stitching the outline. Finally, an exclusively designed quilt serves to be the product ready to be sold and used. 

 

What Does The Pattern Of Patchwork Include?

 

Whenever it comes to patterns, you must be wondering about the specialty, isn’t it? Regarding the pattern of patchwork; it can be either of the two things:

• Decorative design

• Flat template

In the case of decorative design, the design repeats over a fabric multiple time. Conversely, the flat template refers to pattern pieces that are joined all together. At the time of calculating the fabric for patchwork patterns, the tailor traces the fabric as required and cuts pieces of cloth to come up with a final fabric. 

Benefits of Using Patchwork Pattern Quilts

 

Quits comprising exclusively designed patchwork patterns comprise a wide range of benefits. Firstly, they provide a high rate of warmness that serves the dire need, especially during winter. With a wide range of sizes available, you will be able to make a choice that offers highly relaxed sleep. The frills and laces help enhance the luxury statement of such exclusively manufactured quilts. 

 

Such exclusively stitched quilts are preferred in homes. Bing available for both single and double beds, you will be able to go with the most required choice. As the stitching takes place using fabrics comprising variable colors, they will undoubtedly enlighten the room. The unique pattern created reflects a blend of artistic and contemporary design.

Where Do You Buy Patchwork Patterns From?

 

Are you impressed by the specialty associated with a patchwork pattern? If yes, it is high time to browse through the variety of quilts comprising patchwork patterns with traditional touch. You may start by browsing the famous online shops for such exclusive quality quilts. Making the right choice will be no more difficult with a plethora of choices available. 

 

One of the greatest facilities associated with shopping from e-shops is that you will come across a detailed description of items. This will help in easy comparison followed by shortlisting of the items that fit your choice and budget. Also, you may carry on with your shopping any time of the day as these shops remain operative round the clock. 

 

Final Words

 

Quilts comprising exclusive quality patchwork patterns will undoubtedlybe among the greatest gift items. You may expect the receiver to appreciate the gift at its best. There will be pillow covers included that will make it a complete set for the bed in some cases. 

Thank you so much to Alyssa at My Aussie Hub for guest posting! Check out her blog or follow her on Twitter as well for more of her writing!