Inside our Advent gift box.

November 29, 2015

Every year as my children grow, Gabe and I are trying really hard to be more intentional about the traditions we start with them. There were so many for me growing up that I really loved and carried with me, and now I get to pass those along to my little ones as well as start a few new ones.

Since today is the first day of Advent (which means ” coming”…cool right?), we decided to start a new tradition of giving the kids an advent box the night before. Since Advent gives us four whole weeks to prepare for Christmas, I wrote down a bunch of ideas to encourage them to have giving hearts this season and focus on the significance of the Christmas Story. It’s also an awesome opportunity to teach them about patience….waiting for something great. And while my four year old can barely wait a whole 60 seconds for me to give her snack when she requests it, a whole 4 weeks is not in her realm of understanding. I keep having to remind her that no, Christmas is not tomorrow morning. I totally get her in that regard. I don’t want to really wait either and I’d rather party and celebrate now and all four weeks rather than wait for the 12 days of Christmas, but I know I need this time. I really need this time to learn from the journey part. The part of the story where there is a lot of waiting and hoping and praying for the newborn king.

Here is what we put in the advent box:
Ornaments to decorate their little tree
Lights to string across the mantle
Garland
The Giving Manger
Unwrapping the Greatest Gift (One of the best ways to unfold the story of Christmas. We read this and light an advent candle each night. And here is the book I am reading.)

The Giving Manger comes with the wooden creche, baby Jesus, hay pieces, and a book. For every giving good deed that they do during advent, they get to put a piece of hay in the manger to keep baby Jesus warm. This is a tradition my own mother started when I was young so it holds a lot of nostalgia for me and I was so happy to find the set.

I wasn’t sure how they would respond since there was no sweets or toys involved, but to my surprise they were a few notches above amused and just one or two notches below ecstatic. I’d call it a win.

Here are the items I wrote down for them to choose to do each day:

Write someone a Christmas card and put it in the mail.
Make your brother or sister’s bed for them in the morning.
Donate some coats to the homeless coat drive.
Make baked goods to bring to our neighbors.
Say Merry Christmas to someone you don’t know.
Make some friends at the local nursing home.
Hold the door open for a stranger when we are out and about.
Bring somebody special a Christmas tree.
Make something for the mailman to say thank you.
Buy and wrap some toys to donate or give some of their own.
Gather supplies for a Christmas meal to give to the food bank.
Make a thoughtful gift for their teachers.
Let someone go in line before them.

Any ideas to add to the list? We are all ears. Also, if you are of a different faith, what are your holiday traditions? I really enjoy hearing about them.

Happy Advent to those who celebrate and cheers the start of the most wonderful time of the year!

P.S. A good advent playlist and how I fought for more peace and less chaos last year.

Items featured:

My kind of Black Friday…

November 27, 2015

(Wearing: Similar: Coat, Boots, Scarf)

I have a phobia of long lines, malls, and pressured decisions so black friday and I don’t mix well. So if you are like me, avoiding the hype at all costs, and shopping from the comfort of a certain cozy couch this year, here are some helpful hints. I am a big advocate of shopping small, so there are a lot of shops below I love to support as well as a few just to good to be true sales.

Ladies:
Everlane – Not a sale, but a really cool Black Friday Fund
Henry and Belle – 25% off sitewide
ASOS – 30% off sitewide
Gigi Pip (just launched today!) – 20% off sitewide
Nena and Co. – 30% off everything
Anthropologie – 25% off everything
Boden – 30% off + Free shipping
Albion Fit – 20% off sitewide (and we have a gift card giveaway ending tonight.
LillaP – $30 off $125 or more
Nordstrom – up to 50% off + free shipping
J. Crew Factory – 50% off everything

Home:
Waiting on Martha – 20% off code
Moorea Seal – Up to 70% off

Gents:
Huckberry – site wide deals
Steven Alan – Up to 60% off

Children:
Darling Clementine – Discount codes on site
Dream Catcher Baby – 25% off
June and January – Up to 60% off
Native Wilds – 25% off
Shop Bitte – 15% off sitewide + free shipping
House of Mia – 25% off sitewide

As an alternative to a gift guide this year I am sharing favorite gift ideas throughout the month on instagram. (You can check out#IHODFaveThings) I am hoping if I get all my shopping done now, I can maintain a peace filled advent season come December.

Hope this helps!
Anna

P.S. I curated a gift basket of local artists for Anthropologie at Lenox Mall. If you stop by today you could possibly when the whole kit and caboodle.

Happy Thanksgiving to You and Yours.

November 27, 2015

For the beauty of the earth

For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.

For the beauty of each hour,
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon, and stars of light.

For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind’s delight,
For the mystic harmony
Linking sense to sound and sight.

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild.

Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise.

-F.S. Pierpoint

I have been parked in my kitchen for the past two days, but there is something grand about cooking a meal that you know is in community with your country. I will never feel deserving of each of this family that filled my very full table. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, with love from ours!

Easy Ways to Update Your Home for the Holidays

November 24, 2015

*This post is in partnership with American Signature Furniture.

1. Camelot Accent Chair
2. Birchwood logs
3. Cableknit Pillows
4. Camelot Storage Ottoman
5.,8., and 9. Lindbergh Candles
6. Pour over coffee maker
7. Sheepskin
10. Darling Magazine

When the evenings start to get dark early and the temps start to drop, you start to feel all the best holidays coming up. For me, I immediately want to make the house feel cozy, warm, and welcoming. There are actually simple ways to do this without a complete overhaul. Here are a few easy ways to update a room for the holidays to welcome guests.

Move your furniture around! You can push your furniture against the wall and direct it around the mantle or Christmas tree. You could parallel your chairs against the wall or pull them back to open up the room. This makes for a more conversational environment and feels less crammed when you have guests over.
Change out your pillows — The most inexpensive way to change the look and feel of your furniture pieces is by switching out the pillows. I just have a few pillows I like to trade in and out of our family room that make a big visual difference … and I have a soft spot for cableknit!
Work in a sheepskin throw — These are generally inexpensive options to add some cozy pieces to a room that are neutral in color and can make you feel like you want to kick off your boots and stay in for the night.
Add some seasonal aroma — Light ’em up! Oh what a good candle can do, right? Completely lifts the mood of a room and oftentimes cues up some nostalgic memories of the best time of year. A few fire logs don’t hurt either. In our house, the fireplace becomes what we focus the furniture around in the winter!
Change up your bar cart — I love to add some hot drink options like coffee or cocoa to have on hand to serve your guests. A good pour-over coffee option is easy on the eyes too. 😉
Have some good coffee table reading material — A good stack of magazines or books is a great way to update your space as well as leave some options for your guests as the day winds down.

What are some ways you like to update your space for the holidays? I am really looking forward to the coming weeks and the chance to spend more time with loved ones we don’t get to see often. But for now, you can find me in the corner cozy chair with a good mag, pillow, and a fire going.

Thanksgiving Brunch

November 23, 2015

I’ve always enjoyed making brunch more than dinner, and this year I wanted to get some family and friends around the table that we wouldn’t get to see over Thanksgiving. So it was a brunch I was motivated to get up early and make. I won’t lie, it took hours. All morning to be exact. But as a wise woman told me, “Food is always worth if it brings people around the table in peace.”

Brunch Menu:
Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus with poached eggs
Orange Cinnamon Rolls
Sausages
Mimosas and coffee bar

(Mini casserole dishes are from Martha Stewart Collection at Macys)

You can prepare the casserole the night before, so the morning of you aren’t scrambling like I was! If you time your dishes right, you have plenty of time to sit and visit with company.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus and Poached Eggs:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Separate your asparagus into even bunches and cut off ends if needed.
Wrap each bunch with two pieces of uncured bacon, and set in 9 x 13 casserole dish. Bake for 15 minutes.
While those are baking, poach your eggs. (Great directions here.)
They take approx. 4 min. for each egg.

I tell ya what, that bacon flavor seeping out of the asparagus is the only way to eat it! Its a really good savory compliment to the french toast casserole.

I wasn’t counting on my pumpkins to whither just in time for Thanksgiving week, but luckily had a few flower bunches to work with for a bold color centerpiece. It looks complicated, but actually pretty simple!

Thanksgiving centerpiece and runner:
Bowl vase (mine is from an antique store)
Cedar Incense
Pomegranate
3 Artichokes
Greenery bunches (They sell them pretty inexpensive at whole foods)
Deep purples and orange flowers

– Place a styrofoam piece in the middle of your bowl vase.
– Layer your cedar incense bunch (one bunch from Pike’s Nursery was all I used) 3/4 around the bowl.
– Place your pomegranate and artichoke side by side since they are your largest pieces.
– Add in your bold toned flowers (cut the stems shorter).
– Finish with a few fresh greenery stems to fill out as needed.
– Stack the rest of your greenery branches along the table in opposite directions till you reach the end of your table. Stick the stem ends underneath eachother so it flows well. That’s it!

Alright, now to plan the Thanksgiving menu. Phew! I’ll be in the kitchen till Thursday if you need me! 😉 Any dishes you would like to share for Thanksgiving? I am always up for some new ideas!
X, Anna

Items featured:

DIY Cape Vest

November 20, 2015

Okay, as promised, here is the how-to guide for a DIY cape vest. I saw these in stores and loved how lightweight and fun they were to layer. It is shockingly easy, and if you don’t want to sew, you don’t have to. It’s been forever and a day since I have done a DIY, and may be another year before I try again, but this one was to easy to keep to myself..

DIRECTIONS:
– Pick out your fabric of choice (wool is easy to cut and doesn’t fray).
– Measure 1.5 yards of fabric. Most fabric from fabric bolts are double folded. You will need this to get the right width.
– Using a fabric pencil, mark the measurements of your semi-circle and arm holes as seen in the visual above.
– Carefully cut along the lines with a fabric scissors.
– Edge stitch all edges with a sewing machine. However, if you don’t have one or don’t want to sew, you can leave an unfinished edge if it is wool/felt. This won’t fray easily. You can add fray check to make sure and prevent any fraying.

*You can adjust width and length per your height. It’s always easier to start bigger and go smaller than cut too small the first time.

I have already made a few with different fabrics I have found because these make a really easy layer to change up an outfit, and they are also fun gifts:) Let me know if you have any questions!

Items featured: Fringe Bag, Chambray, Denim, Boots, Sunnies: Ditto (Use code IHOD for free month)

Chai Spice Muffins with Pecan Crumble Topping

November 18, 2015

Today’s post is from Lauren of Love Lola blog. Really love her recent post about gathering around the table and why it’s important:) She’s onto something! Thank you Lauren, for today’s recipe. I was needing a rainy day fix!

Chai Spice Muffins with Pecan Crumble Topping

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cardamom

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. cloves

3/4 tsp. ginger

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup milk (any type – almond, soy, 1%..)

Pecan Crumble Topping:

2 tbsp. butter

1/3 cup sugar

5 tbsp. all purpose flour

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 F and prepare a muffin tin by spraying with cooking spray, or lining with cupcake liners.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk until combined.

3. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.

4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until fully incorporated, being sure not to over mix.

5. Next, make the crumble topping by cutting the butter into the flour and sugar. Add the pecans and cinnamon. Use your hands to mix it all together until crumbly and combined.

5. Spoon the dough into each muffin compartment, about 1/2 way full. Sprinkle the crumble topping on top of the dough in each muffin compartment.

6. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Remove, let cool, and enjoy!

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