Showering the Bride & Gettin' Crafty

My best friend Holli is getting married.

My best friend, of 22 years, is GETTING. MARRIED.

We are in the home stretch now and all of the festivities have come and gone. In fact, the Bridal Shower that I got to take part in was just this past Sunday. I feel like I've waited a long time to be able to do all of this for my best friend. I wanted everything to be perfect.

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When it came time to plan the shower I was all kinds of excited. I wanted so much out of it! I wanted it to be classy, and pretty, and all the things that I think of when I think of Holli. The first step is always the venue, and I had been to a shower at the Little Hills Winery in St. Charles before, so it was my first thought. Low and behold the prices were reasonable, so that’s what we went with. *We did check a few other places as well and this one ended up being the least expensive for what we got.

Since the food was catered by the winery, we only had to worry about the cake. One of the bridesmaids offered to order and pick-up the cake from a small local shop called Midtowne Market). It was marble with white icing and dainty little flowers on it. And boy was it yummy!

I absolutely love playing games at showers, so we had a couple small ones to play that I thought might be fun (I am the least crafty person, but I "pinterested" some ideas and made these all by myself!). We played “He Said, She Said” and “What’s in Your Purse?” They went over pretty well and some people got some good laughs out of them. And another bridesmaid offered to purchase the prizes for the games, and she did so great! Wish I would have gotten pictures of them because you’d agree with me 100%. I wanted each and every prize for myself.

Another thing I had done, was I put “Advice for the Bride” cards and blank recipe cards in with the invitations for the guests to fill out ahead of time. I had been to a shower previously that did these two things and I thought it was so clever! It’s always great to get a recipe or advice from a friend that you know rather than a stranger. I hope Holli gets a lot out of those. We also picked one of each at random to win a prize.

Then, since everyone can’t go home with a prize, I made up some cute little favors for each person to take home. This was actually a Pinterest idea that I found, and I used an app on my phone called Rhonna Designs to create the tag. I tied each tag around a small bottle of wine, and voila! I thought it turned out so well!

All in all the shower was a success. We did wind up with a lot of leftover food to take home since we had so many no-shows, but it was still a great turnout and Holli got lots of great gifts, recipes and advice from lots of women who love her.

Now, I can’t wait for the wedding!!!

Hip Hip Hooray it's .... Vacation!

Well, here it is. Friday. The last day of my vacation. Oh, you didn’t know? Yep. I was on vacation this WHOLE week. And get this… I had no plans!!!

Usually, my vacations are so jam-packed and hectic that it’s actually a welcoming relief to go back to work, but this time, it was nothing but relaxing and easy-going so it’s depressing to think about going back to the daily grind. Why-oh-why can’t I win the lottery and stay home each and every day doing nothing but watching Harry Potter and eating toast with cherry jam?

Even though I didn’t have plans and I managed to relax and be lazy, I still got done SO MUCH around the house. I hired a contractor to redo the bathroom in the basement for one. It’s nice and new and works perfectly. No mold either! Woohoo! It took four days because there was only one guy doing the job, but it got done and that’s all that matters. I also printed pictures, hung them up, cleaned the house (including Emma’s messy room), organized some toy storage, and so much more.

I picked the walls and the floor. I love it!

I'll put my vanity over in this corner (there's a shower roughed in here).

I wanted to take the time to take Alice somewhere special, or let Emma play hookie for half a day to do something fun, but that didn’t happen because of the bathroom construction. Luckily though, neither are any wiser and they still had a great week. In fact, Alice and I had a great time Tuesday and Wednesday hanging out at home playing and then making a Target run. I love her more than ever and I hate the thought of losing that one-on-one time next week.

See how I cleverly hide the toys behind the chair?  ;-)

The wagon was in the back of the van, but right now it's holding "lovies."

And here it is Friday. I am all alone in the house, drinking coffee, watching Harry Potter and writing to you - my readers - to let you know how this Average Momma spent her vacation. Yesterday I was without kids as well, but the construction finished around noon and then I had some Maid-of-Honor duties in the afternoon so I didn’t get much alone time after all. But today is different. I plan on eating up all the time I can to be alone. It’s nice when it’s quiet in the house; I can think and actually collect my thoughts. It’s SO nice. If only I could get a day like this each and every week; I don’t think I’d be so spastic come Friday.

New wall décor in the living room.

So, I guess I’m going to sign off now. The movie is getting good and I’m going to stretch out on the couch a bit before I get up to do some much needed laundry (the washer and dryer were unhooked for four days so our piles are growing). Thanks for taking the time to read, and I hope you find some rest and relaxation soon as well!

Groupon Local - Convenient, with Money-Saving Powers!

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are mine.

As most of you I’m sure already know, I bit the bullet and bought a minivan at the start of the year. The conveniences of having a minivan are aplenty, but unfortunately, I think I may have bought an unlucky one. Figures, right? If I didn’t have bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.

Let’s just say that by the 7^th month of ownership, I already needed a new windshield, a replacement mirror, and I maaaaaaay have been a few THOUSAND miles over for an oil change. I know, I know, the oil change isn’t the van’s fault.

Anyway, the hubs hooked me up by going to the pick and pull to find the little piece needed for the mirror to be repaired, but I was on my own for the windshield and oil change. What’s a frugal Mom to do, but scour the internet for deals, right?

Low and behold, my go-to (Groupon) was able to help me out.

In Groupon Local, you can search for anything you’re in need of. I searched for “windshield replacement” and there were four options to choose from. I picked one, bought the Groupon, then called them up and booked the replacement for that same week. Same goes for my oil change too! Had two options, and I picked the one closest to me for a quick pit stop one morning. Love it!

The other awesome thing about Groupon Local, which I think most people overlook, is the “Things To Do” part of it. If you don’t have plans this Saturday, and you want to do something that maybe you’ve never done before, but you’re not sure what that might entail, just check out Groupon Local. Just this morning when I checked out the Groupon App, the very first page alone was filled with so many options – Haunted House (already?!?!?), Distillery Tour, Sand Volleyball League, Foot Golf Package, Regular Golf, Mini Golf… and so many more! It’s like a never ending list of things to do.

An added bonus – They have so many things for kids too! There’s even a filter on their site just for Kids Activities.  Jumping at Sky Zone, Go Karts, Dress Up Packages… any time you have nothing on your agenda, you’ll have to check out all the fun stuff going on locally. There’s no need to drive hours just to wear your kids out playing. 

So if you’re living under a rock, and you haven’t heard of Groupon, you’ll have to check it out. If me and my husband use it, then you know it’s packed full of great deals! And it’s only a click, or an app away.

You can also follow Groupon on Facebook and Twitter for even more money-saving deals!

Money Saving Link: https://www.groupon.com/local/st-louis/things-to-do

The Average Momma was compensated for this post, but all opinions are 100% honest and completely her own. She wouldn't even bother posting anything that she didn't find to be useful and/or helpful to other Mommas out there. ;-)

Pre-K... Already?!?!?!

You guys…

I am one emotional Momma. My Emma, who just turned four years old, is getting ready to officially start Pre-K. That means that I have one more year until she’s in “Big Kid School.”
Duhn, Duhn, Duhhhhnnnnn.

I’m having a very hard time dealing with my emotions on this big event.

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Last week, when I picked her up from school, there was a letter to all the Moms and Dads of the kids who were allowed to move up to the Pre-K class; Emma’s birthday allowed her to go into Pre-K this year instead of going into the 4’s room. How crazy is that?!?! She will be a younger kid in her graduating class.

The letter indicated just a few things that all Pre-K kids would need… a fitted sheet and blanket for nap, a water bottle of her own, and most importantly (and this is the one that killed me), a backpack. Yep. A backpack. Often referred to in my day as a “book bag.” This one item tugged at my heart and I cried, right there in her old classroom. I cried because she’s not a baby anymore. I cried because she is going to be in the big kid class of her little daycare. I cried because we can never go back in time to see our littles when they were actually little.

This deep dark cloud has been following me ever since then. If I let myself think about it for too long, I’ll cry big alligator tears. Even when people ask me about Emma going back to school, I try not to dwell on it and I give short, to the point answers. So, if you know me in person, beware of my mood this weekend and next week… I’ll be an emotional wreck!

I was eager to prepare for this big transition. I ordered her water bottle on Amazon (Camelback of course), and a decal for it on Etsy. I was going to take her to buy her a backpack but Grandma tackled that over the weekend. It stung a little that I didn’t get to do that piece with her, but Grandma is her favorite in the world, so it didn’t really bother me in the end; now if Daddy would have stolen that from me, he’d be in the doghouse for sure. We have her usual blanket for school that has worked perfectly thus far, but I might buy her a new sheet… all of her old ones are dingy (which is perfectly fine for at home, but I’m not too sure about sending it to school).

I got to check out her new classroom for all of one minute, but let me tell you, that what I saw was wonderful! It’s a real classroom! Oh my goodness, I’m about to cry just thinking about it. Tables and chairs, cubbies, educational posters on the walls… it’s hard to describe, but it’s like “real” school instead of daycare now! If I ever get the time, I’ll try to get some pictures or a video tour of it.

So, as you can gather, I’m a big ball of sad and excited all rolled up. I’m ready, but I’m not ready. I’m happy, but not really. I just want to get next week done and over with so that I can grow up and move on. You know, put on my big girl undies and deal with the fact that my little girl isn’t as little as she once was.

Nobody told me that it would be this hard.

If you’re a Momma out there going through the same thing, I feel for you. I’ll be thinking of you too.

She's more excited than I am!

Tell Me a Story

Are you an avid reader? I’m not, by any means, but I am a passionate one. When I get into a book, I really get into it. I walk around for days thinking about the story, the plot, and I contemplate what will happen next or what the ending will look like. I even compare my life to the story and I daydream what life would be like if the story was about me.

Photo courtesy of milestoneseducation.com

I’ve learned over time that I like love stories. No, not like romance novels; frankly I could do without all the dirty bits. I’m talking about genuine love stories. They can be off-the-wall ones too, so long as they have a great story about falling in love. I think that’s why Twilight stuck with me; it was a lovely off-the-wall story about an innocent girl falling in love with the “bad boy,” who turned out not to be so bad after all. Love it.

Sometimes, I’ll think I found a great new book to read by reading the back cover, but then it’ll turn out to be garbage. Oh, I hate when that happens. I’ll start reading and I can’t even get past the first chapter. Yes, I’m one of those people… You know, the one that needs to be sucked in within the first 30 pages. I’m also the type to never put it down once I start; I think I finished reading New Moon at 4am one night (like, I read all night long until the following morning).

My friend Cayla is always ready with some good book suggestions for me; she keeps a long list of her favorites that usually fit right into what I’m looking for. But, I’m also curious to see what everyone else finds captivating (maybe it shows me a bit more about who YOU are).

So, tell me, what book(s) do you think I’ll love?

Vacation, Birthday, and LIFE

Wow, you guys, it’s half way through July and I haven’t even posted yet! Have you missed me? ;-)

As you may know, Emma’s birthday falls in July. It has been a whirlwind of birthday prep, party prep, and then everything in between. Back-to-back birthday months for the girls is killer! My brain is mush with everything I need to remember. Mind you, I also had a week vacation at the beginning of the month and I’m not any more relaxed, refreshed, reorganized, or anything “RE” related.

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Vacation Recap: 

I took off the four days following our Independence Day holiday. I had plans, sure, but not many. Tuesday I would hang out with my Mom and run some errands with her, Wednesday I would have a pamper type day complete with massage and haircut, Thursday I would get stuff done around the house, and Friday my Mom was coming over for us to work on the house as well. Let me tell you, that aside from hanging out with my Mom and getting my massage and hair cut, I didn’t get anything done that I wanted to. And I didn’t even relax or have fun! It was all a bunch of chaotic, impromptu things that popped up out of nowhere to take up all of my time. Yuck! So, I went back to work the following Monday with a stiff neck and no more relaxed than when I left.

Emma’s Birthday Recap:

My little girl is growing up so fast. I can’t believe it was four years ago that she was plucked from my belly and brought into this world. She weighs in at 40 pounds, 4 ounces and she is 41 inches tall. We upgraded her to a booster seat in the car, so, it’s official… she’s a big girl.

She got loads of good presents from her grandparents as well as from Gene and I, and she has been playing with all of them non-stop. Books, toys, dress-up clothes, shopkins, Ray-Ban sunglasses, and a few more things. We also took cupcakes to her school on her actual birthday for her and her friends to eat to celebrate. She picked out the cupcakes herself. 

She has been talking about her birthday and birthday party non-stop. Poor girl has no concept of time. When I try to tell her that her party is in three days (on Sunday), all she says is “When I wake up from nap?” All the conversations in the world could not explain to her how time works.

My Life Recap:

Oh, you know, I’m still falling apart. I’ve had a stiff neck for ump-teen days now and it’s not getting any better. I also still have some sinus issues going on… if you remember, I had some sort of sinus bug for a little over 4 weeks; Alice had the same thing for at least 5 weeks! I also have some swollen glands that kind of ache. Is this what getting older is like?!?!

A co-worker, a good friend at work, found her dream job and left us for bigger and better things. It was sad. She became a confidant to me. She was one of those people that saw the good in everything. She is going to make a ton of new friends at her new job though, so she will be totally fine. Me? We’ll see.

My Mom is a wonderful painter. Not like recreational painting, but like painting a living room. Haha. I recruited her to repaint our living room wall. It went from being a tasteful lime green to light beige. It’s so not me. But, if we are ever going to sell the house, we need to make it as neutral as possible. We ran low on paint though so we didn’t get to do the second accent wall; I need to buy a second gallon. Too bad I don’t remember the name of the color I chose. Oy vay.

I am OBSESSED with my kids. When they’re around, I can feel myself get frustrated and I want a break (all they do is fight with each other), but when they’re not around or they're out of my sight, I miss them so much. I stare at their pictures while I’m at work, I text my Mom way too often to check in on them when she has them, and I give them way too many kisses when they’re with me. They probably think this is the way all moms act. Haha. I just love them so much, and I can’t get enough of them. Am I the only one out there like this?

Bridal shower crunch time is upon us. We have officially booked the location, so all that’s left are the details; the invitations, the games, the cake, the food… easy peasy. I’m actually starting to look forward to it now that it’s getting closer and it’s becoming a reality. I’m also trying to keep it minimal stress for the bridesmaids. With two bridal showers, a bachelorette party, dress alterations, and everything in between, it can be very stressful. So I’m doing a little DIY here and there as I can, and hopefully it will all just come together in the end and be the perfect bridal shower that we all had in mind.

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So, that’s pretty much my first half of July in a nutshell. I have a couple things going on in the background that I can’t really talk about yet, but maybe one day soon.

Leave a comment, don’t be shy! Let me know what you think.