Posted on | December 18, 2011 | 25 Comments
on Harper >> hat: target // sweater: sprockets, thrifted // jeans: gap // boots: carters, thrifted. on Mandy >> shirt, boots & jeans: target // scarf: h&m // jacket: f21 // bag: tribe (photo by Kat!)
so we actually stepped out for this fun afternoon on friday, but you know, details. Harper and i headed to seattle for an afternoon of holiday fun with some local bloggers and their kiddos and it was awesome!
first we swooped up Kat (she really is losin’ it) and the three of us headed north to downtown seattle to Macy’s santaland. we met up with a few amazing ladies – Jenny (you know, on the spot?), Marie (make and takes), allison (no time for flashcards), lyndsey (the stationery place), tammy (tammy’s two cents) and louise (momstart) – where our kiddos got their photos taken with santa (Harper’s 3rd time this year – ha). we even all hopped in for a group photo. it was so cute – all the reindeer were there and everything!
after that we headed out to grab some coffee and cocoa and treats. if you want to see some people try and burn you with their eyeballs alone, take a gaggle of kids into a downtown seattle coffee shop and order drinks for them and their mamas. i couldn’t help but giggle. sorry kidless patrons of seattle’s best – but we had fun!
when we were all set with our cups of holiday yumminess (the kids cocoa had whip cream, white chocolate shavings AND a chocolate stick – Harper was in love), we headed over to ride the carousel! Harper had never been on one, and watching her experience it was awesome. first she was realllly excited, then half way through she got a little unsure, then at the end she was back to having a BLAST. so much so that she threw an absolute tantrum when we got off – she wanted to go again soooo badly.
kat talks H down from the ledge about the carousel – man, she was INTO it.
a huge thanks to Jenny and Macy’s for putting together such a fun afternoon. H had a blast! and for being a total sickie, i had a lot of fun mahself.
what did you guys do this weekend?
Snag the Code Here:
Posted on | December 14, 2011 | 28 Comments
this past friday we hosted our 5th annual holiday party at our house. historically, it’s been one of the most fun nights of the year, with the people we love the most in our house, dressed up and acting like hooligans. there is yummy food, yummy beverages, and lots of laughing. with a side of inappropriateness. we’ll grow up someday.
we always try and do a main drink. a few years we had hot buttered rum, made by my mom (helllllo), one year we had candycane martinis. this year we wanted something easy and festive. Scot found a recipe on good old Martha Stewart and we made it with a few tweaks. it ended up being a huge hit. but the name Martha gave it? Christmas Rum Punch? sorry Martha, too boring for us. so we renamed it.
A Christmas Punch in the Face.
y’all ready for this?
two days before the party, we filled a bundt pan with water, frozen cranberries and mint to make a huge solid FESTIVE AS F@#K ice cube. it worked perfectly to keep the punch cool and looked pretty to boot.
|shop|
3 3/4 cups dark rum
2 1/4 cups grand marnier
1 1/2 cups amaretto
3 3/4 cups apple juice
3 1/2 cups seltzer water
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups lime juice
Freshly grated cinnamon, for garnish
lemons, limes and oranges, sliced, for garnish
|do this|
>> in your big ol’ punch bowl, mix the sugar and lime juice until the sugar is dissolved. add ALL THE BOOZE, mix and put in fridge until your guests arrive. to serve, place your giant festive ice cube wreath and all the sliced lemons, limes and oranges in the bowl and garnish with cinnamon.
>> scoop into the mason jars you’ve collected like a hoarder and adorned with the names of your guests using paper tags and martha stewart stamps because you have a problem.
>> DRINK!
i didn’t take many photos this year because we were too busy being jolly and stuffing our faces, but here are the few i managed to snap!
get festive!
Posted on | December 13, 2011 | 11 Comments
1. cake pop! 2. bobbi & Harps 3. knit necklace from my friend Suzanne 4. snow in the mountains 5. sipping cocoa 6. the best spider drawing ever 7. sleepy pug 8. leg lamp! 9. peppermint oreos – RESPECT 10. um, i’m not sure? 11. cozy naps 12. mini jambajuice 13. mason jar glasses 14. party dress! 15. party table 16. baking helper
things have been pretty good around these parts. minus the fact(s) that the little lady has had a cough going on 2 weeks now, Scot was sick and now i’m the lucky one sniffling and wishing my sinuses to take a flying leap. i was sick last year ON christmas, so i guess i’m happy i got my ickies out of the way a few weeks before? yeah, let’s look at the bright side.
besides all that, we’ve been Christmasing like woah and enjoying the season. the PNW has been chilly but not rainy like usual which is pretty nice to know you’ll stay dry, but holy cow you need to bundle up and leave time to warm up the car in the mornings. Scot, the king of christmas cheer, is hoping for snow. i feel like if it’s gonna be this cold, it may as well!
here are some links for you to love on that i’ve been enjoying as i sit on the couch with my kleenex and theraflu:
this blog! loverly.
i think it’s amazing that my friend Elizabeth went on a cross country trip in her brave. she wrote a post on how to do it!
one of everything in this shop please.
Spunky Stork is offering a discount code to my readers: use HARPER for 20% off!
i’m judging a little (read: huge) contest over at my friend Jill’s blog. the entries are hilarious so if you have a sense of humor (you’re here so you must), head on over and enjoy (and vote for your faves!).
the Ruche winter lookbook is gorgeous. per usual.
you still have time to enter my Tribe Bags giveaway!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
i’m off to take some mucinex (i’m so glamorous it hurts) and take a nap when H does. happy tuesday! if it is tuesday.
Posted on | December 9, 2011 | 708 Comments
this giveaway is now closed – Rachel Albert was the winner! Thanks to everyone who entered!
i’m so excited! today, Tribe Bags has generously offered up an amazing giveaway for my readers and one of you will win big. let’s get our jumpkicks and air punches out of the way right now, shall we?
(go ahead, i’ll be right here. doing mine.)
ahem.
so this past monday i shared my weekend mama style with you guys, including my new Tribe Bag, which i adore. we are attached at the hip these days, and i don’t see that changing anytime soon. all of Tribe’s gorgeous bags are genuine leather (it smells amazing, if you’re into that sort of thing WHICH I AM), and as we discussed the other day, the inside is a vast ocean of places to put things. it’s so organized though, that i have had no trouble finding things, which is awesome because the last thing i need to be doing as Harper REALLY needs her winter nose wiped is digging around for kleenex. which i absolutely was doing with my regular purse (see also: trying to find snack while toddler melts down, trying to find chapstick, trying to not curse while sippy cup leaks onto all of my belongings. you know, etc and all that).
now, these are diaper bags. we kissed diapers goodbye a few months ago (the glorious, it hurts) but i dub them also to be toddler bags. i think you get at what i’m saying: i love my tribe bag. and you will, too.
so let’s get to the good stuff, that you’ve undoubtedly scanned over my rambles to get to: the giveaway.
Tribe is giving away a bag of your choice to one very lucky reader of The Haps (a $400-$530 value, depending on which you choose). there are a few ways to enter, so here is the dealio:
>> first entry (required): head over to Tribe and comment here telling me which bag you’d get if you were to win (don’t worry you won’t be held to it).
>> second entry (optional, for an extra chance to win!): like Tribe on the Facebook, and leave a SEPARATE comment here telling me you did so.
{logistics: this giveaway is only open to US residents. entries will be accepted here until Thursday December 15th and the winner will be announced on Friday December 16th. Tribe sent me a bag for review, and all opinions are my own. no compensation was otherwise received.}
ready? go!
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