Cass Christmas Recap // Blessed

Playing catch up with ya today from our Christmas festivities……….

It has been a great holiday season for our family, but we also have been slammed with lots of sickness since Thanksgiving…. hence, my lack of posting….been tending to the girls. Still sick here and struggling with fevers and colds…… but, overall we are really blessed.

Zion had a preschool program for Christmas! I loved seeing her sing and perform on stage. She is such a gem.

My fam came over for Christmas cookie baking as well! YUM! Kiyah ate more frosting than actually frosted! Surprise, Surprise….. ;)

Cass Traditions….. Read a lot of Christmas books! We love adding to our collection every year. We have a advent book that we read everyday from December 1-24 as well ;) The kids love it.

Our church as a great tradition of having a "Christmas Unwrapped" service, where our pastors open gifts and share stories behind why it has meaning to them. The kids sing during that service as well! Zakiyah will be old enough next year to participate ;) My family came to celebrate with us! This is my awesome Grandma Cherie sitting with my girls…. one of my heros…..

The chaos!

Our church serves cookies and cocoa and has a photo booth for everyone! (note- the Hus' sweater….)

 4 generations. (my sister is half way through her first pregnancy right now)

We started a tradition of delivering homemade bread to our neighbors for Christmas! The girls loved participating with us to do this! We are trully blessed by all of our neighbors…….. ;)

Pre-delivery pix!

After a crazy month of lots of overtime- Zion and I went on a mommy date. Dunns and Pedis! Love her!!! Her love language is Quality Time for sure! xoxoxoxo

Cass tradition of taking Sunday's Best pix every week! I hope to put together a album of this collection for our coffee table! Do you think they have much personality? I love their outfits! they are from H&M.

Sunday's Best // Christmas Eve edition. The outfits are H&M again…. (Vests are Target)  My little reindeer….sigh

 Z and Z with their buddies! (Kiyah itching away…nbd)

My sister Cara and I 

The girls giving each other love during story time…..

Christmas Eve night, we come home from church and have a family dinner with the nativity scene on our table. We open new jammies and celebrate Jesus' birthday. I made a chocolate bundt cake with eggnog ice cream!

After Andy and the girls go to bed….. I "nest" for Christmas on Christmas Eve. I love that time to finish up gifts, clean, reflect and make it perfect. I stay up way too late (2am) listening to holiday music with the fireplace glistening and soaking in my blessings. I love Christmas. I love what it represents. I love the excitment of my girls and teaching them to give and be generous. I get just as excited as them for the morning……..

 This year, we made a puppet show theater out of our church organ parts. (It got hit by lightning and didn't work anymore) We have used the parts for our dollhouse and our dining room bench. We had the girls start with opening puppets and then had them open the big purple box in our living room!

The signs are chalkboard, so that they can change the name of the show and such. The fabric for the curtains is what we had on hand. I loved this theme for gifts this year, it kept me focused and didn't let me go overboard.

Out of left field, Zion was asking for a barbie house for a month. 3 letters to Santa, and told everyone… I really wanted to surprise her with it, and I scored one for a killer deal used. We hid it in our dining room and the girls followed the string off the tree branch to the big present. ;)

Christmas day we skyped/ facetimed family and put on shows!

Zakiyah holding her monster…

Andy and the girls gave me art supplies…. my fav! Zion and Zakiyah picked out beads for us to make mommy/daughter bracelets. Priceless.

Family selfie in our comfys

embracing the snow…..

coffee and art in my kitch.

love this picture of the girls taking a bath. so cute……..

Happy New Year.

Coffee lovers // gift guide

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 /  5 /  6 /  7 / 8 /  9 /  10 /  11 / 12

1. My dream is to have a collection of cute mugs/ saucers. I love the vintage look of this one.

2. Chemex -- need I say more. pour over for lots. Pretty and functional.

3. Love Etsy art for coffee- I swear, I could have 1/2 of my kitchen dedicated to coffee! 

4. This sugar and creamer is so presh. Yellow & Blue too----- my favs

5. Pour over coffee is bliss. Andy and I have the walnut one. This is company is top notch. If you like pour over, and a rich/nutty/smooth taste- go for it.

6. We love french press! I think a tumbler would be great for the on-the-go mornings! 

7. How cute are these for an ornament?

8. More cute art---- keeping the focus -- coffee and Jesus! HOLLER

9. 4 bags for cold brew // cute and fun.

10. Spyhouse Coffee is a fav of ours. I love the cup/saucer for MINNESOTA represent, yo!

11. I love iced coffee and this vanilla bean syrup infused coffee looks divine. love the packaging.

12. The typography on this towel is fun for a kitchen or coffee cart. 

Now, go make a cup of java! 

Gift Guide for HER 2014

1. I love how classy globes can be. Timeless. This one is spendy but gorgeous.
2. The cass fam loves brekkie! All things with maple syrup, butter and the goodness. I love this waffle iron! We tend to avoid making waffles because it is too time consuming making one a time.
3. Salt + Pepper shakers would be fun to collect……. not like I want dozens but a half dozen would be fun! I love this one, "peas pass me the salt"
4. I have been lusting over Frye boots for 5+ years now. I have yet to take the plunge on these timeless, gorgeous, goes with everything boot! I love this pair on a fabulous discount site. I mean, can't you just picture me wearing these year round for the next 20 years?! RIGHT!!!!!
5. Watercolor pencils- I love the idea of using a colored pencil that you can get wet! This is great for kids and adults! I think it would be fun to do more hand lettering and sketching with these.
6. I love to bake. like in a few times a week…. it is a huge stress reliever for me. I love all things pretty when it comes to my bake ware/ serving ware. this muffin pan would be such a upgrade to my current rusty metal one.
7. Kantha anything is my fav! throws and pillows. so soft and colorful!
8. Double-sided studs. Need I say more? I love the versatility of these!!!!!!
9. Calendars should be art in your space. Rifle Paper Co. nails it every year with their vintage and nostalgic take on everything from bees, flowers or a city scape. I love this one!
10. We still haven't joined the Cast Iron Pot Bandwagon. Mainly, because of the large amount of money for one. But, man I think we would use one all the time with all the stews, casseroles, soups, dishes we make. Someday….. then there is the deciding on our fav. I love this royal blue one!
11. Rose gold. Lets just pause and reflect at how gorgeous it is. I love stacked rings and would rock this buddy all the time! Etsy has amazing options for rings………

Thanks for virtually shopping with me today!

Christmas Cozy Decor Guide

Tis' the season for talahairlife gift guides! I heart Christmas decorating so much! I had some virtual fun creating some cozy items I would love to have in my home for the holidays! The ideas are everywhere / flannel, plaid, glitter, shimmer / love this season so much! 

1.  I love the nostalgia in vintage postcards! Check antique shops, ebay or etsy for these and frame away! I have one from a family member and love bringing it out! 

2.  Oh my word, I would love a fresh wreath someday! This one is eucalyptus and orange! BLISS! I love boxwood too ;) 

3.  I love how West Elm displays such simple items and makes it art. I think using paint stir sticks would be fun to make a tree! I love the natural elements and the 2-D design! 

4.  Scripture / Hand Lettering / Red is PERFECTION. I love this artist's work! 

5.  Switch up your tree base! Use a basket or in this case a basin! Love! 

6.  I am super excited to follow along with these awesome advent cards with this devotional from 12/1-12/25! I have my 25 cards over our fireplace! 

7.  Who wants a old school station wagon with a spruce on it? ME! I would settle for this beauty of a pillow! 

8.  I love BIRCH! Please, if you have any…. send them my way! Oh the possibilities…..

9.   Nothin' like a good wool and plaid blanket that is made in good ole' Minnesota! I grew up having Fairbault wool blankets and love this one for my living room! 

10.  I hope to get my family Christmas flannel sheets someday! It would be divine! I love this pattern!

Have you decorated yet? Are you loving this holiday season? Have a lovely day!

starting this season off with a bang

Tradition.

decorating. hot cocoa in kid mugs. dancing in the living room. sledding on our hill (me watching from window). christmas music playing daily on pandora…. mariah carey christmas and disney christmas for kids…. making ornaments. baking cookies. advent….cuddling watching Elf and other classics. playing with little people nativity set. eating popcorn. fire on…….christmas jammies. hosting lots of gatherings. driving around our culdasak just to peak at my lights on at our house :) … target lines….. red cup (starbux)……. laughing… and so much more….

It has begun. 

and we are loving it. 

The chaos and the joy of having a family to celebrate with! 

Every year, we decorate the weekend before thanksgiving. I get just as excited to decorate as my daughters every year. I love pulling out our family decor and admiring the history of some of the pieces. As we were decorating, Zakiyah and i danced to holiday music. Love.

Zion is very focused when we decorate! As for her sister, she just collects and walks around, occasionally just throwing a bulb at the tree ;)

Thanksgiving morning --- We make a big breakfast (cass cakes and burnt bacon that ended up in the snow bank) and got ready to head to Red Wing to celebrate with my family. I promised the girls that I would style their hair and they were thrilled. Squealed---- actually! ;) It was Zakiyah's first time having me curl her hair!

Zion loves when I "wound brush" her hair. Zakiyah waiting for her turn……

I mean, how cute is this picture. this moment captured!

Zakiyah's famous kisses, showing me she loved it.



cass girls photo sesh.

My mom started making homemade gingerbread houses for the grandkids on Thanksgiving. What a great tradition to have! They love working on their houses!

What a great way to kick off the season!!!!