Hello friends! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!! I am enjoying this week unplugged with my family but I just had to pop on to share a few pictures of a special present that showed up under our Christmas tree this year.
December 27, 2015
December 22, 2015
A Christmas Weekend at the Cabin
It's beginning to look a lot like....April? We spent last weekend at our family's cabin in the mountains and the weather was balmy and not at all winter-like. If there is anything this year has taught me, it is not to get upset about things outside of my control. So we went with it and enjoyed the spring-like weather. But that didn't stop us from adding a few holiday touches to the house.
December 17, 2015
Our Outdoor Christmas Spaces
December 9, 2015
A Book Lover's Christmas Tree
First and foremost, thank you all so much for all the love on our Holiday Home Tour. I took so very many pictures, many more than could fit in that one post, so I will be sharing a bit more in the coming days. In our home tour last week, I referred to the flocked tree in our living room as a "tree of my own". Christmas has always been about our kids, as I think it should be. But, this year, in addition to the tree in the family room with all of our collected ornaments, I decorated the tree in our living room with some of my favorite things. I try not to follow too many trends in home decor. Rather, I like think about things to add to our home that reflect who we are. So, with that in mind, I thought about one of my favorite things, books.
December 4, 2015
Holiday House Walk 2015
Welcome! I am so excited to be included in Jennifer Rizzo's Holiday House Walk this year!! Since even before I started my own blog, Jen's House Walk has been my absolute favorite week of the year as a blog reader. Yours, too? I am thrilled to have found others who are as
December 2, 2015
Target Dollar Spot Kitchen Paper Dispenser
I think the Target Dollar Spot has a new name, but I will just keep referring to it as the Dollar Spot anyway :) Many, actually most, of the items now cost more than $1, but there are usually great values to be found in that little gem of a spot. It's my favorite part of the whole Target shopping experience.
November 30, 2015
Easy Plaid Ornaments & Our Family Room Christmas Tree
It's the most wonderful week of the blogging year! Jennifer Rizzo's Holiday House Walk is always amazing and it starts today!! I have been busy decorating our home for the last couple of weeks and I can't wait to share our Holiday Tour on Friday. Today, I am sharing how I made some plaid ornaments for our family room tree and you just may get a few glimpses of our mantel too!
November 27, 2015
Winterizing Our Gallery Wall
'Tis the season to change our gallery wall back to holiday/winter theme. When we added the planking to this wall in our family room last year, I had a winter theme in mind and this is still my favorite season to decorate this space. I think the loveliest gallery walls are those that reflect the interests of the people who live in the home. We enjoy spending time in the mountains, especially in the winter, and I love how this wall reflects our lifestyle.
November 25, 2015
Holiday Gift Ideas With JCPenney
Have you started your holiday shopping yet? I like to start early in the season so I can put some thought into each gift, but not too early that I am not yet in the holiday spirit. I enjoy shopping when the stores are decorated and the holiday music is playing. JCPenney challenged me to create a few gift ideas for some of my favorite people. I was happy to learn that I could buy a few of our most trusted brands at great prices.
November 23, 2015
The Smells of the Holiday Season & A Giveaway
*I am teaming up with Air Wick® for this sponsored post. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.
Even though it isn't quite Thanksgiving yet, we are in full holiday decorating mode in our house this week. I look forward to this season all year long and I have been planning our decor for weeks. Even before we bring that first box of holiday stuff from the attic, I begin adding scents to our home with holiday candles and wax melts. Nothing gets me into the holiday spirit quite like the smells of the season do.
November 21, 2015
Our New Sofa {Birch Lane Montgomery Slipcovered Sofa}
I had planned to wait until after the holidays to post my review of our new sofa, but a few people have asked if I could give my opinion sooner. So here it is! It is the Montgomery Slipcovered Sofa from Birch Lane. We absolutely love it. It is always a bit scary to order a big ticket item like a sofa without actually sitting on it. I have learned that the most important thing to do when ordering online is research. I read all of the reviews, ordered fabric swatches ahead of time and measured. I also exchanged a few e-mails with Birch Lane gathering more information regarding care of the fabric choices. Then I placed the order and crossed my fingers.
November 11, 2015
Sweet Forrest
November 9, 2015
Picking A New Sofa
I finally pulled the trigger and placed an order for a new sofa for our upstairs living room. We have needed to replace the old Ikea sofa that is currently in here for years. I know it doesn't look terrible in most of the pictures on this blog, but believe me when I say that that is just magical blog photography smoke & mirrors. Here is what I can get it to look like after adjusting ALL of the pillows and then giving it a bit of help in Photoshop.
November 4, 2015
November Changes
I don't know what it is about late October & early November, but it sparks lots of projects around here every year. Last year, we added a some planking to a wall in our family room. And this year we are adding some more to the kitchen level of our split level home. We love how much character it adds instantly.
October 22, 2015
Living & Loving Fall
I came across this poem recently and it spoke to me so I thought I would share it here along with a few more foliage pictures. The colors are so beautiful up in the mountains this year and we have gotten to enjoy some gorgeous days.
October 7, 2015
A Fall Weekend in the Adirondacks
October 5, 2015
A Few Fall Favorites & Finds
Last week, I found myself in Marshalls with the intention of looking at shoes. I was on the hunt for new boots for fall. On the way into the store, I told myself that I should not/would not go near the home stuff because I DO NOT need another throw pillow. Or mug. And yet I somehow ended up at the register with this pillow in my cart. And no boots. I spotted the pillow out of the corner of my eye and it was just so perfect that it had to come home with me. Plus, it cost significantly less than the boots I considered. And throw pillows just make me happier than shoes. I am weird that way. And that very same day, I also brought home yet another mug from Target. I love the "warm and cozy sentiment".
October 1, 2015
Caramel Apples (and a giveaway!)
September 30, 2015
Fall Front Door & An Update
I added a few fall touches to our front entry. This is our first fall with the black door and I am loving it. Our fall wreath really pops against it. 
September 23, 2015
Fall Home Tour Part 2 {Kitchen and Living Room}
Happy first official day of Autumn! Today, we are upstairs in our open floor plan kitchen/living/dining space. I lightened up the look in here with some color. I brought in lots of yellow to cheer up the space this year.
September 21, 2015
Fall Home Tour Part One {Family Room & Entryway}
Fall is always my favorite season and our family room is my favorite spot to decorate for fall each year. Welcome!
August 26, 2015
Pond House
Way back in the beginning of the summer, we rented a cabin on a private pond in the Adirondacks. We were excited for a week of kayaking, fishing, and relaxing by the pond.
August 19, 2015
Our Summer Kitchen
I am really trying to get back in the swing of things here on the blog, and I just realized that I never published this post of our summer kitchen. I realize that everyone is focused on back to school and fall, but I thought I would share these summer kitchen pictures anyway. Better late than never?
June 23, 2015
Summer Changes in our Living Room & Entryway
My boys will finally be beginning their summer vacation tomorrow. Thanks to a rough winter, there were several days tacked on to the end of the school year and they have definitely not been happy about that.
June 18, 2015
Summer Cottage Garden Party: Pool & Patio Ideas
Today, I am joining in with a Summer Cottage Garden Party, hosted by Brenda at Cozy Little House. I am going to share some pictures of the most used area of our yard during the summer months, our pool area. We always start by power washing this entire patio right after we open the pool. It is crazy how much dirt collects over the winter and it all looks so much better after the washing.
June 10, 2015
Summer Changes in our Family Room
I recently changed things up in our family room for summer and added some cabin style decor to remind us of our favorite place to be in the summer, the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate NY. I like to spread the furniture out in this room when we aren't spending as much time around the fireplace. It isn't quite as cozy, but this room always feels so much larger arranged this way.
June 8, 2015
Mixing Colors and Patterns in the Bedroom with JCPenney & A Giveaway!
When it comes to home decor, mixing colors and patterns is just about my favorite way to add personality and my own unique stamp to a room. This week, our master bedroom got a whole new look. Lately, I have been loving the color combination of deep blue mixed with a bit of orange and I decided to make that the inspiration for our new bedding. When I spotted the Adana bedding from The Eva Longoria home™ collection at JCPenney, I knew it would be the perfect starting point.
June 2, 2015
Outdoor Patio Ideas
Our family loves spending time on our outdoor patio. It is a covered space so there is shade from the hot sun and a fan to provide a cool breeze.
May 22, 2015
Life 'Round Here - Lilacs, Allergies & A Few New Gray Hairs
Hello! It feels like it has been so long since I blogged. I wasn't planning a break but life just seemed to get in the way. I have been battling a terrible spring cold that I am still not quite over. A spring or summer cold always seems more offensive than a winter cold to me. In winter, it seems almost expected but when the weather is warm there are so many more things to be DONE!
May 21, 2015
Making the Most of Summer with Kellogg's & $100 Walmart Gift Card Giveaway
Summer is an exciting time filled with vacations, staycations, trips to the pool, and loads of fun! It lasts just a few months, but the memories made will last a lifetime.
May 10, 2015
Happy Mother's Day
My mother and I spent a lovely day together in Clinton, NJ this week to celebrate Mother's Day.
May 4, 2015
Taking a Moment with Pepperidge Farm® Milano® Cookies & $100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway!
I am all about the simple little pleasures in life that make a huge difference in my day. As the mom of 3 growing boys, and wife to a police officer husband whose work schedule changes from day to day, I have learned to carve out a few minutes to myself during the day to re-charge. Because life sometimes gets overwhelming. And we deserve a break, right? Simple things like fresh flowers, a good book and a sweet treat can go a long way in reducing stress. Taking a little break just makes the whole day better.
May 2, 2015
Spring!
I am not sure I remember ever enjoying a spring as much as we are this year.
After the long winter, we are just so happy to get outside. We have been enjoying our evening walks in the woods. I often take pictures when we are in Upstate NY, but I am trying to appreciate more of the beauty right here in NJ so I have been bringing my camera along.
April 23, 2015
Revisiting the Master Bathroom & Our 2 Year Blogiversary
It's hard to believe that our DIY master bathroom is now two years old. I count the day that I posted pictures of our bathroom reveal as the official start of this blog, so today marks two years of Golden Boys & Me as well. Phew, that went fast!
April 21, 2015
Living with Ikea Chairs (Real Life Review)
I think it's probably clear from our many references to Ikea on this blog that we are huge fans of the store. We love that we can customize their items to give them our own personal touch (Kitchen Island, Mudroom, Coffee Table), all while staying within our limited home design budget. Today I want to talk about something I get asked about frequently, the Ikea chairs we have in our home. Our very first Ikea chair purchase was the Ektorp chair, about 8 years ago. Truth be told, we didn't have high expectations for the chair. We had just moved into our current house and we needed an affordable chair for our small family room.
April 17, 2015
Adding Curb Appeal with New Shutters
We are so excited about the new facelift our house has gotten just in time for spring! After we painted our front door a few weeks ago, the rest of the house was looking a bit shabby. As with so many of our home improvement projects over the years, we fix one thing and that leads to many more projects. When The Tapco Group contacted us about working together on a project, it could not have come at a better time. Discosure: The Tapco Group sent us the shutters for this post. We received no other compensation and we always give our honest opinion.
April 15, 2015
Connecting Families with HomeTeam™ & A Giveaway!
Growing up, my grandmother lived just upstairs from me, in the same house as my family. I have such wonderful memories of the time spent with my grandma. Whether we were playing card games, board games or reading a story together, it seemed that my grandma always had time for me. I am positive that I wouldn't be the avid reader I am today if it weren't for her. But times have changed. Even though my kids' grandparents live a little over an hour away, I want them to have the same sort of relationship that I had with my grandma. Thanks to the wonderful technology available today, my kids keep in touch with their grandparents mainly through texting. Which is why I am so excited about Panasonic's new app, called HomeTeam™.
April 9, 2015
Spring Master Bedroom
We lightened up our bedding for spring in our master bedroom. It felt so good to pack away the flannel sheets and we look forward to sleeping with the windows open soon.
April 4, 2015
Happy Easter!
Signs of spring are finally everywhere. We have been excitedly preparing for Easter Sunday. Our Easter preparations always include a trip to the neighborhood near where I grew up. I received a chocolate Easter bunny from Genevieve's Home Made Chocolates in Garfield, NJ every year and now my kids do too. It's a holiday tradition for us and I hope this store never closes. The chocolate is, by far, the best I have ever tasted. Godiva? No thanks. For us, it's always been about Genevieve's and I love supporting a small family business. The shop is always filled with customers from miles and miles around who, like us, return to the old neighborhood for their holiday chocolate.
April 2, 2015
Kitchen Dish Towels Turned Kitchen Curtains
March 26, 2015
DIY Project: Industrial Stool Turned Side Table
This corner of our living room is my favorite place to sit. I keep my laptop and iPad charger just behind this oh-so-comfy Ikea chair along with whatever book I am currently reading. I guess you could call this "my spot". But I was missing a side table here. A place to rest a cup of coffee and such. I had my eye on a cute little industrial table from Target, but the online reviews were awful and when I went to see it in the store, I realized why. The top was made very poorly. So there in the furniture aisle at Target, I spied this industrial stool on sale for $50 and I knew that there was a $10 off coupon code for furniture online that week. The stool looked just like the bottom of the table I liked and I knew that we could build a much better top, for much less than the $80 table I had come to look at.
March 20, 2015
Spring Living Room
Happy first day of spring! We are expecting a few inches of snow this afternoon and they have already called for an early dismissal from school today. So I am focusing on the inside of our house, where there are many signs of spring. And hopefully any snow we get today we get today will melt tomorrow when some warmer temperatures return.
March 18, 2015
March 16, 2015
Spring Family Room
Welcome to our spring family room. This is the lower level room in our split level home. I made a few changes to lighten things up in our family room for spring. I like this room to feel warm and homey whatever the season. I added a quilt (from Marshalls last year) and some new throw pillows to the sofa. Over on the mantel, I added a window pane mirror that I had in my basement and painted the letters to make up the word "bloom" with spring green craft paint.
March 14, 2015
A Day Trip
We had our first 60 degree day this week. After the cold winter we just had, 60 degrees felt like summer! Seriously, we saw people in shorts and flip flops walking around with all the snow melting into huge puddles. Billy happened to be off that day (there are some perks to his crazy schedule), so we took a ride to Putnam County in Upstate NY in our convertible. We crossed over the Hudson River on the Bear Mountain Bridge, a picturesque bridge over a narrow portion of the river. The day started out cloudy and cool and I was beginning to think they were wrong about the forecast.
March 13, 2015
Spring Entryway
We have officially enjoyed some spring-like temperatures in NJ this week, so I thought I would add a few spring touches to the very first place our visitors see, our entryway.
March 10, 2015
Spring Dining Room & New Tablecloth Curtains
On a recent trip to Target (I wonder just how many of my blog posts start that way? :), I spotted new fabric tablecloths in some fun, spring-y fabrics. I have been craving Spring so badly that 2 of them just sort of jumped in my cart. I stopped at the grocery store on my way home for some tulips and I came home and added some Spring to our dining room.
March 8, 2015
My Target Dollar Spot Addiction
As I write this post, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and at least a little bit of snow is melting away. Oh happy day! Today, I wanted to talk about my latest addiction, the Target Dollar Spot. I have to admit that I used to walk quickly past the Dollar Spot with, perhaps, a quick glance over, on my way to the end caps in the home decor department (still my favorite spot in all of Target). But, Instagram has made the Dollar Spot more of a destination for me. My Instagram friends are always posting their fabulous Dollar Spot finds. So I decided to join the party.
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