Erin Akin Carroll

Inspired to Entertain

Jun62014

*This post is sponsored by Aladdin, but as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

It’s no secret that I love to entertain. One of my resolutions for the year was to show hospitality and I have a recurring monthly goal to invite friends and family over to our house for supper.

I love summer entertaining because we can spend time dining outside, I can leave the doors open while I fix supper and let the sunshine in. I love the fruity drinks and being able to cook something on the grill and have low fuss meals.

We have plans to have a few people over to our house over the next couple of months, and I had some fun ideas to make a little more exciting with different drinks and desserts. I was invited to pin to the Aladdin Entertaining board on Pinterest, and I have found some fantastic ideas for summer entertaining.

I love using the Aladdin Mason Jar tumblers as party favors that double as a drinking cup for a party. And these are so cute, they almost triple as decor! via MomSpark

This is one of my favorite summer entertaining ideas of all time! This is just so cute and so smart. My kids would absolutely love eating their watermelon like this. via Bells and Boards

I am such a sucker for a caprese salad. Just ask Todd… if it’s on the menu, I’m ordering it. And it’s really so easy to make and is the perfect appetizer for a small gathering of friends! via Laylita’s Recipes

One of the best things about entertaining in the summer is the ease of preparing meat on the grill. It smells amazing and it’s just so much faster and easier to use the grill. These shrimp skewers are absolutely perfect for those nights when you want to impress with a great meal, but you really want a low fuss meal. via Gimme Some Oven

Now that we’re settled in at our house, I’m looking forward to getting to know the neighbors better and hosting some of their families at our house. I adore this wagon full of movie snacks. It would be so much fun to do an easy “drive-in” movie theater for the neighborhood. Or just for our kids! via Your Home Based Mom

Are you planning to do any summer entertaining? For more inspiration, follow Aladdin on Pinterest!

Happy 5th Birthday, Hudson!

Filed Under: Every Day, Family, Hudson, Motherhood

Jun52014

Dearest Hudson,

Five years ago, at 4:38 a.m., you made your grand entrance in this world. We really thought you were going to be born on June 4 because that was the day of my induction, but you had other plans. You arrived sunny side up with the biggest cheeks any of us had ever seen. All 9 lbs 6 oz of you were sweet baby boy perfection.

Now, you are fifty pounds, fifty inches tall, and a vocal, smart, energetic little boy. You’re heading off to kindergarten in August and, yet, there are times when I look at you that I can still see that sweet baby that was first placed in my arms five years ago.

You are such a fun-loving boy. You always want to dance and sing and you want everyone to do it with you. We’ve always had music playing throughout the house during the day, and I love that you love music as much as I do.

You have the most tender heart of anyone I know. You feel things deeply and are such a joy to be around. I’m still trying to figure out your love language, but I think you show love with words of affirmation. You’re constantly telling everyone that you love them and how you feel about them. It’s such an encouragement, and you will meet many people in your life who love this about you.

You have grown and matured so much in this last year. You are reading everything and you love to write. You love your friends so much. We sometimes have to take a little break from too much time with friends because we’ve already entered the season of “friend spats” but you do love your friends.

Your favorite color is blue. You love Frozen. You love “Life is a Highway” and the song “Carry On” by Fun. You love being outside to play with sidewalk chalk and ride your bike. Your best friends are John, Dolan, Heyward, Brennan, and Witt. You really love Mommy and Daddy’s friends, too. You love being around babies and trying to make babies smile. It’s pretty sweet.

You want to read and color all the time and you are obsessed with The Octonauts an Ninja Turtles, even though you’ve never seen an episode of Ninja Turtles.

Hudson, this day is my favorite day, too, because it’s the day I became a mommy. It’s the day that I first looked in your big brown eyes and realized for the first time how special our relationship would be. It’s the day that we looked at each other and I knew that you were going to teach me so much about love and grace. It’s because of you that I know what grace looks like and feels like. Thank you, sweet boy.

My life completely changed the day that you were born, and I can’t imagine my life without you in it. Everything is exciting because you’re a part of it. Everything is new to me when it’s new to you.

I’m so excited for you to turn five. You’ve looked forward to this day for a long time. You’re going to kindergarten and you’ll be away from us more. We’re just so excited for you and this next year.

We love you so much, buddy. Happy birthday, Hudson!

Love,

Mommy

What's in my beach bag?

Filed Under: Favorite Products, Travel, vacation

Jun42014

We are on the Gulf coast this week with my family and extended family. We’re celebrating Hudson’s birthday this week and just having a great time with cousins on the beach and in the pool.

I thought this would be the best time to share what’s in my beach bag this year. And I’d love to know what’s in yours!

Hayden Reis Diddy Bag- I have a new beach bag this year and it’s this Hayden Reis Diddy bag. I love that it’s made out of sailcloth and can be totally hosed off and wiped out. And it holds four beach towels plus everything you see here. I love that it’s cute and big enough to carry my stuff and the boys’ stuff!

Sunscreen– My two favorites are both by Neutrogena. I love their sunscreens. My cousin is a dermatologist and she’s been with us on our trip this week, and she recommended these two sunscreens to us. The Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby
is what I use on our faces, necks, and shoulders, and the Neutrogena Beach Defense is what I use on arms, legs, and backs.

Aveda Brilliant Damage Control – This is my favorite detangler and it helps me to comb through my curly, tangly hair after I get in the pool or the ocean. And I love that it helps protect my hair from sun damage.

Mophie case for iPhone– I never leave home without my Mophie and I absolutely have to have back-up battery power at the beach. My battery just drains when we’re at the beach.

Aladdin Mason Tumbler– I love these so much and have one with me almost every day. And they’re perfect for the beach or pool.

Beach cover up– I am obsessed with finding the perfect cover up because I practically live in cover ups during the summer. This summer I love my Kelly’s Kids cover up. It’s long enough to wear to the store if you have to make a run before going to the pool, and it’s loose fitting and super flattering.

Beach Read– I finished Emily Giffin’s The One & Only this week and now I’m on to Panic by Lauren Oliver. But every beach bag must have a great book.

Hayden Reis accessory bags– I absolutely adore all of these smaller bags. I use one as a wet bag for wet swimsuits, swimshirts, etc., I use another bag as a dry bag for spare clothes, clean diapers, and sunglass case. I have the wristlet that I use for my cell phone, keys, and credit card. And then I have a sunscreen bag to keep leaky sunscreen separate. I also love the mesh bag for collecting shells. The boys have loved this on the trip.

Not pictured:

Four big towels

Goldfish, fruit snacks, and drinks for the boys

The boys’ water toys

Spare clothes, diapers, and everything we need to survive a day away from home

What’s in your beach bag?

June Goals

Filed Under: Goals

Jun32014

I have loved sharing my monthly goals with all of you, and love the accountability that comes with it. This summer feels a little different because I just want to soak up my time with the boys, but I also need to be intentional about a few things. I need a schedule and structure, but I also need the reminder to do things that are good for me and things that are fun for us. Goals that bless our friends and family. So here’s a look back and then a look at May.

A Look Back At May’s Goals:

~~1. Invite another family over for supper at least once~~– The Soong family came over for supper on May 24, and we had such a relaxing night having supper and watching the kids play. I am so thankful for sweet friends in the same season of life.

~~2. Read three books~~ – I did this again. This has become a standard monthly thing and I think in a few months it won’t even make the goals list. I have loved reading. It calms me and keeps me from getting anxious from too much TV and too much social media “noise.”

3. Catch up on my Bible in a year plan- No. I am still behind. I know that checking the box is not the most important thing here and that spending time with God is the most important thing. So a couple of verses a day, or six chapters a day, the time spent in communion with Him is where my focus should be. But I would love to complete this goal this year and I do want to catch up.

~~4. Continue to eat clean, unprocessed foods-~~ This is something that I’ve been doing for the past 45 days. I feel so good! I have had “cheat” moments and when we’ve eaten with friends, I’m not as dedicated. But every day that goes by, this becomes more a part of my life.

~~5. Send three notes in the mail to friends “just because.”~~– Done!

~~6. Celebrate our anniversary and Hayes’s birthday~~– We celebrated our anniversary by eating supper at home and then going to see Draft Day with Kevin Costner. It was low key, but it was nice to get out. We celebrated Hayes’s birthday with a birthday party at home with some of our closest friends.

~~7. Get started on Hayes’s big boy room-~~ We have a mattress and box springs for Hayes, but still don’t have a bed. It has been a sweet little transition. He loves sleeping on his mattress and thinks it’s a big boy bed. I have a lot of the artwork for his room. We just need to get the bed and the bedding.

Goals for June:

1. Stick to a paleo lifestyle. Really no sugar.

I’ve had a few little slip-ups and sometimes it’s not as easy to stick to it, but I feel so much better when I’m not eating sugar, dairy, or processed foods.

2. Read three books.

I’ve already finished Emily Giffin’s The One & Only, and it would be great to read more than three books month.

3. Invite friends to dinner at least once

This has become more of a habit, and it is one of my favorite parts of every month. We’ve loved filling our home with friends and family and look forward to doing it a couple of times a month if we can.

4. Walk Boudreaux every morning

Boudreaux and I have started going out early in the mornings while Todd gets ready and the boys eat breakfast. It’s a nice time every day to get out of the house for a little quiet alone time and then Boudreaux is worn out for the rest of the day.

5. Do one activity out of the house with the boys every day

We’ve been spending a lot of time at the pool and at the zoo. And some days I know we may just be outside for a couple of hours playing in the yard or the driveway. But it’s good for us to break up the day and get out of the house.

6. Send three letters in the mail

7. Schedule dentist and dermatologist appointments

I’m good about going to the dermatologist, but I need to make an appointment for Hudson. And I really need to schedule dental appointments for Todd and me.

So these are my goals for June. What are your plans for this month?

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