Getting Organized!!!

Our annual community garage sale is right around the corner and for the first time in 7 years I am going to participate. I have always sworn off garage sales, going to and having. I was on one of my MOST FAVORITE blogs, Just A Girl and she was featuring Aby Garvey of Creative Organizing. Can we say I am hooked! Check out some of these amazing ideas about organizing our kids toys.

Or how about her ideas on how to stay organize your closet.

I have been at the computer all morning making up my list.  If the above doesn't inspire you how about this:

Simplify 101 is offering two seats in their upcoming online workshop:  quick + simple clutter control through Just A Girl Blog. Head over there and put your name in, I did.

Family Photos!

My sister came into town with her three adorable kiddos. A quick phone call to Vicki of Vicki Lynn Photography and here we have adorable pictures for grandma and grandpa.

Yes that is a baby in her arms!! Too cute. That is my sister in the middle with her kiddos. She didn't believe me when I said we need to get ideas together for the photos. Besides taking AMAZING photos, Vicki offers wonderful advice on how to prepare and dress for  a family photo session. Here  Vicki gives pointers on what to wear and how to coordinate the whole family. Thanks Vicki, your advice is much appreciated!!!

Absolutely Adorable!!!

My latest and greatest obsession comes in the form of 'hair wraps'. I just can't get enough of them. They are popping up everywhere. Here are a few of my favorites:

Vintage Rose wraps by Katie 

Photo Courtesy of Vicki Lynn Photography

A friend of mine Jenna of J LaLa Designs created these darling hair wraps for my daughter and her friends to celebrate NFL day at school.

Sophie's Spa Party

I am so excited to share Sophie's Spa Party with you today! 

Photo Courtesy of Vicki Lynn Photography

As I mentioned earlier, Kim from TomKat Studio Studio designed the invitations. Upon entering the house the girls were greeted with a sign welcoming to a day of pampering.

Photos Courtesy of Vicki Lynn Photography

The Decorations:
I loved what the girls at HowDoesShe? came up with for ruffled streamers. Of course we all LOVE our poms, so a few of those hid the ugly dinning room chandelier. Again Kim from TomKat Studio designed a darling Happy Birthday banner. I also used tulle to tie around the chairs giving them an extra little bit of glamour.

Photos Courtesy of Vicki Lynn Photography

I was able to wrap the metal frames in wrapping paper and added a little more color to the room. At each girls place setting there was a washcloth with a handmade hair tie, a makeup mirror, trinket tray (courtesy of Magnolia Creative) adorned with each guests name, a darling nail polish kit from hopscotch kids, adorable cupcake soaps from Milk and Cookez, and goodie bags that Sophie and I put together.

Photos Courtesy of Vicki Lynn Photography

Activities:
One of my favorite parts of party planning is coming up with things for the kiddos to do. So, Sophie and I put our heads together and came up with a chocolate facial mask. This was so much fun!! I altered a recipe to make it more kid friendly:

Photos Courtesy of Vicki Lynn Photography

Photos Courtesy of Vicki Lynn Photography


What is a spa party without getting your nails done??? Thank you hopscotch kids!!!

Photos Courtesy of Vicki Lynn Photography

Photos Courtesy of Vicki Lynn Photography

All of the girls also decorated their own flip flops.

Photos Courtesy of Vicki Lynn Photography

We also played hot nail polish (spa version of hot potato) and musical chairs, who doesn't love Taylor Swift being boomed through the house?

The Food:
We kept it simple, they are only seven years old after all. Sophie and I made the cupcakes and used cupcake toppers from Kim at TomKat Studio. One little secret on my cupcakes is I use the frosting from the bakery at the grocery store, it is so yummy!

Photos Courtesy of Vicki Lynn Photography

Photos Courtesy of Vicki Lynn Photography

Goody Bags:

I used clear vinyl from Joann Fabrics to make the goody bags. They held the hairbrush, loofah, and hair clips (courtesy of GeorgiaBlue).

Photos Courtesy of Vicki Lynn Photography

As if the girls didn't get enough loot, Sophie and I also made each girl homemade bath salts and had a bath towel embroidered with their names. The party was so much fun and Sophie and I had a blast doing it together!

Photos Courtesy of Vicki Lynn Photography

Vicki from Vicki Lynn Photography  provided us with beautiful pictures through out the day. She also created a slideshow of the party that Sophie will always treasure.

Check it out here.

Absolutely Adorable!!!

So Halloween is almost upon us and I am feeling the need to have a few additions to our household, decoration additions that is. While looking for a decorating idea for Sophies Spa Party I came across a tulle wreath from BabyRabies for Halloween.  I gave it a try and it is Absolutely Adorable!!!

Think I may look for some little poms to put on there to add some color, but I love it and it was sooo easy to make.

A Posh Mom Must

Before I became a "Posh Mom" I was a Kindergarten Teacher and as the old saying goes "Once a teacher always a teacher"! With that said, I have found the single most exciting back to school find for both the boys and ME! The new lunch Containers at Easylunchboxes.com have made packing my preschoolers lunch a SNAP!!! Both the teacher and mommy in me LOVE the fact that my little guys have only ONE item to open in their lunch box!! No more little baggies and digging around to see what to open next!! They are a perfect fit for little lunch boxes!!!

Love Love Love

I get excited over a lot of things; birthdays, parties, clothes, a good cup of coffee, a cupcake on tuesday, the list goes on and on. HOWEVER I currently love, love, love 

Juicy Couture Couture Roll on Perfume.

This is the perfect size of perfume. It fits neatly in your makeup bag and is allowed by the airlines. Everyone needs one!!! 

Sophie's Spa Party

What to do what to do for my soon to be seven year old daughter, Sophie's, birthday.

 Ahhh a Spa Party!! Perfect. First step, ideas. Lets see what I can come up with.......

Thinking???? 
Facial masks for sure. Kind? Chocolate.

Nail Polish Station,of course. 
Craft - Make ribbon wrapped flip flops

On to Kim at TomKat for party colors and of course her lovely cupcake toppers. After a quick email she sent me this as her color palate inspiration. This is for a Colin Cowie Barbie Party. How wonderful are those colors?  Hot pink and a cool pool blue, can't go wrong.

Time to get started. 

We are going to throw the party in the dinning room and kitchen. Decorations!

Absolutely doing the darling streamers that I saw on HowDoesShe?. I have been waiting for the perfect time to use these.

Poms are a must, just like for Tallie's Party.

Fire Truck Party

Custom Cut Out of Nelson in his firefighter outfit

The first batch of "themed" cookies made all by ME!

This face says it all!

A photo taken at the Oviedo Christmas Parade I had enlarged and made into "sign" quality
(now proudly hanging in the playroom)

Dinosaur Party Tabletop Idea

Construction Party

Little boys and their love of trucks!!! For Tal's 2nd Birthday he had a construction themed party! When you look at these photos you are probably going to think what I am thinking! I should do what Ariana does and have a "real" photographer at my party!!

Birthday Fever strikes the Kanistras house!

Nelson's "Jungle Animal" 1st Birthday Party

With Tal's 5th Birthday right around the corner, both boys are having major birthday fever! Mommy on the other hand is finding it a little hard to swallow that my little guy will be turning 5! So, with the first week of pre-school coming to an end why not make it even more sappy and look back at pictures of the boys first birthdays! I would love to post pictures of Tal's 1st birthday...BUT...I was 4 months pregnant with Nelson AND enjoying morning/noon/night sickness AND we have not been able to find any pictures of his 1st birthday! So, this one is for Nelson!

Real grass covered the table and the cupcakes sat on graham cracker crumbs

The Birthday Boy

Each child got to take home a "jungle animal" lunch box and placemat custom made by Express Signs and Graphics in Orlando.

          

Best Carmel Corn EVER!

We are getting ready for a long weekend in sunny San Diego and I was trying to think of what to bring the kiddos to snack on while at the beach and remembered the carmel corn for Tallie's party.

Yummy Carmel Corn Recipe

Courtesy Vicki Lynn Photography

Courtesy Vicki Lynn Photography

3 bags plain microwave popcorn
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup light corm syrup
1 tsp baking soda


Combine first four ingredients and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda.


Pour into a roasting pan over popped corn. Bake at 200 degrees for 60 minutes stirring every fifteen.