Siblings sharing style {Nautical room inspiration}

Woo whoo! We made it back to Texas and we said goodbye to our cruise ship and the beautiful sunsets and the swaying of the sea. I wanted to share highlights of my trip with you all today but I must say that was a little ambitious. I have over 1300 photos to sift through and some to edit before I share with you crazy kids. So I promise to fill you all in as soon as I am able.
I must say, I missed you guys bunches! And I realized while I was gone that even though it was nice to unplug for a while and enjoy my family...I love this blog so much that it hardly feels like a job. So thanks for being amazing while I was gone.
Today I wanted to share my June ideabook that I created for the lovely Houzz.com. I thought it seemed perfect to share because I focused on nautical inspired design for a child's space this month. I am often asked how to merge decor for siblings who share a room and this ideabook does just that. I hope it helps and I hope you guys like it. Here is a little sample.

For the rest of the room inspiration board hop on over to Houzz.com.

It also got me in the mood to celebrate the 4th of July. I can't wait! I hope you all have an awesome Monday. I am off to the Houston Zoo with the little man where I spent many of my own childhood days. I just hope I don't pass out from all of the heat. It's 30 degrees cooler at home *womp womp*

We b crsuin'

Hey guys! I'm traveling on our big trip! I won't be posting for the rest of the week because I'll be without Internet. I also need to unplug my technological brain for a few days and recharge. I know you lovelies understand and I'll miss y'all! Can't wait to see you on Monday!

Secret Father's Day DIY {getting sneaky with it}

Since I am officially out of town and out to sea I thought I could share a fun father's day DIY with you since the hubs can't see the post. Sneaky, sneaky right?! Since I had to pack his present this year I knew it needed to be small and fit inside a box. So I bought him some Jcrew men nautical inspired bracelets (because it's something he would never buy himself) and I made a fun box to put them in using items I already had. Here is what I came up with.

I used sticky letters to create an "embossed" look and filled them in with gold paint pen. I thought it came out really cute and I loved being able to play around with the box. I made one box for Olly's gift and one from me (hence the stud box). 

What tricks do you guys have up your sleeve this Father's day?

oh the places they'll go {& blabla's instagram contest}

Well we all made it to Friday and I must say I am loving the idea of this weekend. Family pictures, catching up, eating chips and queso and getting ready to embark the Carnival Magic... It doesn't get much better. I hope you all have just as much of a lovely weekend planned so we can enjoy this time of year together. The Hubs and I are so over the moon about this vacation because it's our first real vacation in over 9 years together. Crazy, right?!  One of the passengers on board this cruise is Olly's new pal, Sardine the cat.

I also was able to bring along Harmony the mermaid for my sweet 6 year old niece. During the trip I will be capturing all the places they will go via Instagram. I wanted you guys to be able to get in on the fun blabla Instagram action because they're hosting an awesome contest this summer. You seriously need to check it out. And just a little secret between you & me....there may be a blabla or two up for grabs when I get back from vacation because blabla is such a giver...but shhhhh, don't tell anybody.

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend. Make it count!

One step closer {My new must haves}

Sooo...we made it! One peice of luggage short, but we made it! We got in really late last night but we are so glad to be in Texas. In the spirit of taking this vacation I was dying to get one or two accessories for myself that felt like summer. So I found these two little gems and I was so excited they were able to make the trip with me. I worked really hard to make some extra money (through the blog) in order to buy them without cutting into our normal monthly or our allotted trip/travel budget. I couldn't wait to share them with you. Check out these summer beauties.

I got the backpack at DSW and I love its simple blue stripes, as well as the fact that it can go with both brown and black. I packed a cross-body purse for our daily outings and trips to restaurants, but thought this little over the shoulder number would be perfect for trips to the beach, days at the zoo, or for traveling on the plane and ship. I got the nautical inspired bracelet at Jcrew. I thought it was the right amount of bling while staying casual. My favorite part is how versatile it is. I can where it in the evening with a nice flowy skirt or during the day with my swimsuit and cover-up. It makes me just love being a girl.

So what are your must haves this summer? Do any of you like to add new accessories to your rotation like I do?

Cute kids Travel pack {it's vacation time}

We are officially off to the Lone Star state today. Where in a few days we will be boarding a ship that is going to whisk us away to sandy beaches and clear blue waters. This is the first plane ride the little man is actually aware of what is happening and he is very excited. So I decided we needed to have a travel fun pack ready for his big trip (and to help momma out...I ain't gonna lie). And I'm such a cornball I decided to make it vacation & crusin' the seas themed.

Here is what the little man is going to be surprised with today as soon as we board our plane.

I was really proud of my "goldfish & ahoy" snacks and totally wanted to do flips in the bookstore when I saw "The Night Before Summer Vacation". I know it's completely silly but these are the little things that make this gal excited about being a mom. The Hubs is also putting "Shark Tales" & other sea inspired movies on his new Innotab 2. And what can I even say about a shark backpack (from Gap) and Sardine the cat blabla?! I really have no words. I hope the little man is as excited as I am. Wish us luck and I'll see you tomorrow.

Old house love {this ones for our first home-y}

This week is such a bittersweet week for me. On one hand I am super excited about our trip and spending some time in the sun with my family and sipping on some umbrella drinks. Not to mention being unplugged for a while, waking up a bit later, and eating meals I don’t have to cook or clean up in my own kitchen.  But I am also a little saddened because this week (two years ago) we loaded up our U-Haul truck and made our cross country move from Baltimore to California. We were so sad to say goodbye to our friends, our favorite local eateries and hang out spots, not to mention the fall trees and spring time cherry blossoms. But mostly, we were heart broken to drive away from our home that we put so much love into over a short five year time period.

When we first became homeowners we were only 23 years old. We were just babies taking on an adult task….so green around the edges, so proud, and so excited about this new grown up decision. We were fortunate enough to qualify for a 203k loan. We were buying in a not so great area that was “up and coming” which allowed us to afford a home in our price range, as well as, fix up a part of the community at the same time. With every wall we painted, every slat of hardwood the hubs laid, and every picture hung on the wall, we became more and more proud to call our little casa, home. We watched the street we lived on shift a little towards making the city a better place. We watched new neighbors move into the Charles Village area of Baltimore. We watched investors and families purchase the vacant houses on our street with Homepath loans and soon a street that seemed run down became inhibited and full of possibilities again. It was a really cool thing to be a part of. Unfortunately we were told by the Coast Guard that we had to move. It was before our house was finished to our liking, and we did not get to see a full transition of the street. So you can imagine why I feel a little “unfinished” or somewhat “unsatisfied” when it comes to our Baltimore house, but so thankful for the experiences just the same. We lost our DIY virginity to that house…we let it teach us what truly makes four simple walls into the home you bring your first child into. And because of that, it will always hold a special place in our hearts. 

So today, in honor of our awesome Baltimore home which inspired me to start a blog, I send thanks to it and for all of the loveliness it brought to us. East 27^th street you rocked our worlds.

Do any of you have a crush on your first home? Or am I the only one that got swept away by the lure of weekend projects and fell in love with a stack of bricks?

Popsicle paradise

Over the weekend I grocery shopped the heck out of my fridge, pantry, and freezer. I was trying to get rid of and use up anything and everything that would go bad over the next few weeks while we are gone from the house. So while starring at an overripe banana and some frozen fruit, I decided to make some popsicles with the little man. He seriously gets a kick out of the blender and I thought it was convenient because I already had everything on hand. So I played around with my ingredients and made two different kinds of all natural & delicious cold treats.

I combined in the blender frozen strawberries, blueberries, and raspberry's with some orange juice and added a layer of vanilla yogurt.
I also used some bananas, frozen peaches, fresh pineapple and almond milk, which was my absolute favorite.  
I eyeballed everything and just had fun with it...tasting my way through each blend until I was happy with the flavor. I bought my Popsicle mold at Joann's with a coupon and paid less than $5. It was worth every penny for six homemade treats which were frozen in no time (and ready to be devoured by Olly after his afternoon nap). 

Do any of you have a favorite Popsicle recipe? I must say I am now hooked and will never be buying store bought again.