Things Finn Says

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Finn is 2.5 years old, and he has been talking quite a bit recently. I thought it would be fun to share a few of the things he's been saying recently.

Giving me a big hug, he says, "I'm so proud of you, Mama." It's pretty much the sweetest thing ever.

If I'm frustrated about something, "It's ok, Mom. Just take a calm break."

Three of my favorite pronunciations of his right now—

Bobbyberry instead of Strawberry

Bubbyfly instead of Butterfly

Biraffe instead of Giraffe

"I love Stevie sooooooo much!" as he gives Stevie the sloth a big hug. He will also say, "Stevie is my best buddy." (Stevie is a sloth toy I got for Finn when he was only a few weeks old. They are pretty much inseparable.)

My parents gave us a bunch of beanie babies, so Finn frequently can be heard asking, "What's it's name?" Conveniently, the beanie babies have a tag with their name on them. Otherwise I would never remember the names we had given the animals, and Finn totally remembers if they are the same name I used before or not. Another common phrase is "What does the _____ say?" as he holds up an animal.

Finn loves animals and knows most, if not all, of the animals in our bins (of which we have many). One day he held up an animal to our friend and asked him, "What is it?" Our friend replied, "a monkey" to which Finn replied, "No. It's a baboon." Our friend was a good sport about it, but we laughed pretty hard about the exchange.

Do your kids have any funny things to say recently?

A Quick Fireplace Mantel Refresh

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Our dining room has a fireplace in it, and I love that it adds a lot of character to the space. There was one problem, though, that has kind of bugged me all along. The fireplace mantel was a very dark wood that ended up standing out more than I liked. I felt that it made the space look a bit choppy and disjointed next to the white and gray fireplace surround and the tan walls.

Eventually, I would like to paint the room because the tan color isn't my favorite; I honestly have no idea what color I would paint it, though. But, in the meantime, I found a gallon of white paint in our basement, so I decided to do a quick refresh for the fireplace wall.

One afternoon, I taped off around the mantel and got to work! I painted three coats of white paint onto the mantel itself, and I also painted two coats of white paint on the wall above the mantel. I decided to tape it off so the white matched the dimensions of the fireplace box below since there wasn't a clear ending place otherwise.

It took a couple of days to get used to it, but I am really liking how it turned out. I like the way the white paint highlights the fireplace as a whole now, rather than it being three distinct parts between the tile fireplace box, the dark wood mantel, and then the tan wall above.

Here are a couple of before photos so you can see what I'm talking about, and then keep scrolling for the after photos.

BEFORE

AFTER

It's funny how such a simple project can be so satisfying! It definitely goes to show that a little paint can go a long way in changing a space.

3 Christmas Gift Wrap Ideas

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December is upon us...and those Black Friday/Cyber Monday packages have started arriving...which means it is time to start thinking about wrapping presents. Here are 3 ideas I came across that look great and are easy to execute.

Star Garland and Kraft Paper

Image via Pottery Barn

I am pretty much the worst at tying ribbon for presents, so this Star Garland DIY from Pottery Barn really appeals to me. First of all, it is simple. Second of all, I like the casual vibe of the white garland paired with the brown kraft paper. Third of all, it doesn't involve tying a bow. So, it's pretty much a win-win-win in my book. (Here's a small star punch from Fiskars that would work well for this project.)

Hexagon Gift Tags and Pink Paper

Image via The Home Depot

I love the modern vibe of these presents with the bright pop of pink from the paper, the simple gold ribbon, and the playful hexagon tags. The image is via the Home Depot and includes an elaborate DIY for spray painting the paper and tags. I personally would just find a pink wrapping paper, some gold paper, and purchase this hexagon paper punch to recreate the look with a lot less effort.

Glitter Letter Tags and Simple Paper

Image via Boxwood Clippings

I really like how simple and yet beautiful these presents look. The oversized chipboard letters are really fun without much effort, and I think you could play around with the color combo of the wrapping paper, letters, and ribbons to fit almost any style. (I found some Glitter Chipboard Letters from Michael's that come in a variety of colors.)

Cheers to your present wrapping efforts, and happy December!

Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas If Pumpkin Pie Isn't Your Thing

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Pumpkin pie is often the first dessert that comes to mind when making a Thanksgiving menu. I, for one, really like it, but I also know many people who do not. So, if you are looking for some alternatives to the traditional pumpkin pie, here you go!

1. Apple Butter Oatmeal Bars 

2. Maple Custard Pie (and Candied Bacon) 

3. Blueberry Crisp 

4. Chocolate-Caramel Pecan Pie 

5. Dark Chocolate Mousse 

6. Caramel Apple Cobbler 

7. Maple Baked Pears with Coconut Cream

P.S. Here's our favorite Cheesecake recipe, which makes a great Thanksgiving dessert. Also, if you are looking for other recipes for Thanksgiving, check out my post with Thanksgiving Menu Ideas.

Our Favorite Cheesecake

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It would not be Thanksgiving for my husband if we did not make his favorite cheesecake. That being said, this would make a great dessert for the holiday season in general or for a dinner party where you want to impress your friends and family with a dessert that seems complicated but is pretty simple to put together. Plus, it always turns out absolutely delicious!

Cheesecake with a Graham Cracker + Gingersnap Crust

Ingredients

1.5 cups ground gingersnap cookies

1.5 cups ground graham crackers

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3 8-ounce bars cream cheese, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 cups sour cream

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

Heat oven to 350° F.

Add graham crackers and gingersnap cookies to a food processor, and pulse until well-ground.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.

In a medium bowl, combine the ground gingersnaps and graham crackers with the melted butter. Using a straight-sided dry measuring cup, press the mixture into the bottom and 2 inches up the side of a 9-inch springform pan.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and 1 cup of the sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in ½ cup of the sour cream and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla.

Pour the mixture into the crust and bake until just set, 40 to 45 minutes.

While the cheesecake is baking, combine the remaining 1 ½ cups of sour cream, ¼ cup of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla in a bowl. Set aside.

When the cheesecake is just set, spread the sour cream mixture over the hot cheesecake and pop back into the oven to bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let cool in the pan, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

When ready to serve, run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake before unmolding from the springform pan.

Recipe slightly adapted from Real Simple.