A Room Fit For A VGK!

For Nolan's fifth birthday, I decided I would revamp his room to the ultimate Vegas Golden Knights getaway, since he literally lives, sleeps and breathes all things VGK.  His room theme was still baseball, which was his nursery, then turned toddler room, and it was definitely time to switch it up to a more "big boy" appropriate aesthetic.  While we do love our VGK in our home, I definitely didn't want his room to be themed-out and logo-overkill, so I tried to keep it a little more simple and minimalistic, with VGK/hockey details thrown in.  The end result came out great, and although we would have loved to get new furniture to really pull the room together, I worked with what was within our budget and came out with something that not only I was proud of, but that Nolan absolutely adored.

{See bottom for all details on where his accessories and etc. are from!}

The main focal point of his (very small) room would be the bed!  I initially intended on purchasing a whole VGK bedding set from Bed, Bath and Beyond, but knew with the accessories I had, it would just be too much logo for one small room, for my liking, at least.  So, I kept it simple with solids as a bedspread and sheets, and super affordable from Target which allowed me to splurge on the accent pillows, instead.  Both VGK pillows were found at Bed, Bath and Beyond, and the throw was gifted to him for his birthday, made by Grandma.

The prints above his bed are ones I spotted at McKenzie River Pizza at City National Arena.  I love the patent prints and knew once I saw the Zamboni one, that it was the route I was going to take in making a "Hockey room" rather than solely VGK everything.  The felt ball garland is probably one of my favorite parts of his room, and gives that little pop of themed color needed with all the muted grays and solids.

His side table houses his okay-to-wake clock and an extra bed lamp, plus a bucket below full of his VGK Oyo players.  You can always find one of his five Terrible Herbst's Knights cups by his bed, too (and if anyone has a heads up on where we can get a Schmidt cup, he's the missing one to our six-cup collection)!

His closet system has been open since we transitioned from a nursery to a toddler room, and I love having his doors off to make the room a little more roomy.  In Nolan's case, half of his shirts and wardrobe are all Knights related, so it runs quite well to the theme!

We love housing all of our books in both kids' rooms, so the majority of Nolan's favorites are found in his wall shelf.  I kept the pennants to a limit of two in his room, although Nolan would choose to have about 50 if he could!

I love a simple letter board, and when I saw that Target had one in black and gray, I knew it needed to be an addition in his room.  Now that it's Playoff time, I need to make an update with, "WE WANT THE CUP!"

Behind his door, I hung pictures and little memories that Nolan loves to look at on a gold photo hanger from Ikea.  Before, he had a clothespin display, and I like that Acelyn can't rip these off on the daily.

On top of his dresser, Fleury and Engelland watch over him, while his autographed pucks are kept in safe keeping in a jar we reused from his old baseball themed room.  As far as all his other VGK memorabilia, I created a portfolio book for him to keep all his game posters, tickets, and any VGK related "thing" he's collecting in that book to keep from ripping.  He loves flipping through to see his collection on the weekly.

He received two VGK posters between birthday and Christmas gifts, so we framed those and kept the rest of the wall simple, while hanging his jerseys to display.

And, because he's still five, he does have random toys kept in his cubby in his closet, as well as his fire house in the corner to play.  Simple is best and we love how this system works for us!  See below for all the details and feel free to ask about anything I may have forgotten!

Comforter: Target, but no longer available online 
Sheets: Target
VGK Pillow (large): Bed, Bath and Beyond, in store only
VGK Pillow (smaller): Bed, Bath and Beyond, in store only
Birth Stats Pillow: PCB Home
VGK Throw: Made by Grandma
VGK Puppy & Sweatshirt: Build a Bear
Chance Stuffy: Vegas Sports and Hockey
Wall Prints: Gatto Stamps
Felt Ball in VGK colors: The Fickle Felt Tree 
Letterboard: Target
Gold Lamp:  WalMart
Great Day for Vegas Hockey tee: Threads of eNVy; use code Kelton10 for a discount on anything in the store!
Knights to Remember Inaugural Season Book: Gifted to us, but can be found HERE
VGK Portfolio Book (VGK Sticker added by us): Amazon
Z for Zamboni Book: gifted to us, but can be found HERE
Posters: Gifted, but can be found at The Arsenal or The Armory 
Marc Andre Fleury figure: Gifted to us, but can be found at The Arsenal or The Armory
Gold photo hanger:  Ikea

Inchbug Labels for School Days {a&n Share It All}

Well, as you'll tell from the pictures below (and how it's Christmas in February, obviously), we've been on a blogging hiatus over here, between holidays and family in town, fighting winter germs and sickness, and surviving single mom-status and balancing work life plus Momming life plus keeping a household up... needless to say, it's been busy!  BUT!  We're back at it and I'm trying to make this a New Year's Resolution of getting some nightly me-time by blogging!  So here we go!

Global Winter Wonderland

After the craziness of the holiday hustle and bustle, we were able to finally check out Global Winter Wonderland, located at the Rio Hotel and Casino parking lot, and were pleasantly surprised with how much bigger it was than we expected!  We met up with our friends Jess and Scarlett, and let the kids explore "around the world" before letting loose on the carnival rides.

A Day at ABC Kids Expo '18

The month of October kicks of the start of holiday festivities for us, but before all that goodness, the ABC Kids Expo is another exciting perk of the month!  I looked forward to attending the expo again this year, and applied for a media badge early on.  With our family dynamic changes and my start of full-time work, I was bummed to think I'd be unable to attend the show this year.  Fortunately, some days in my schedule switched around, and I was able to attend- even if it was just one day!  I packed up the kids and we prepped for a full day there... because last year was 2.5 days of craziness, and I knew I was about to pack in all of that in just a few hours!

A New Holiday Favorite - Operation Halloween

With the arrival of fall, my planning goes into overdrive for seasonal and holiday activities around town to do with the kids.  It's probably one of my favorite times of the year, because there are just SO many fun things to see and do from the start of October all the way until the end of the Christmas season!  So, as October comes upon us.... my planning begins!

This year, we were lucky to be able to preview the newest indoor Halloween experience in town at Tivoli Village... Operation Halloween!  We were invited to their media night preview, and we were totally impressed with their festive, hands-on activities for the whole family, and the kids had the best time in each of their five themed rooms and over 55 minutes of imaginative fun!

From Instagram to Chatbooks: How We Save Our Kids' Artwork

When Nolan was itty bitty and our one and only, we did lots and lots of projects, crafts and in-home "tot school", which led to lots and lots of papers and crafts hanging out around the house.  As Acelyn came along and grew, we continued our projects, but not nearly as often, but then Nolan started Preschool and was bringing home 4-5 crafts and fun worksheets a week.  I absolutely adore these handmade things and would keep every piece of it, if we had the space.  But, coming from a family who kept all of my own artwork when I was small, and then having boxes of it to go through as I was older, I knew there had to be a better way to store all of these handmade goodies without losing the special memories from them.

New Sandals Launch from Freshly Picked! {a&n Share it All}

It's no secret that our favorite in footwear for Acelyn is Freshly Picked, hands down, so when we heard of the new sandal product launch coming up, I knew I had to try them out!  We passed on last year's initial sandal release, so I was interested to see how we would like them compared to our typical summer sandals.  Even better, Freshly Picked released three all new colors and four new styles... making it hard to choose exactly which one we wanted since they all look amazing!  

Easy Bath Time Fun with Nuby Bath Crayons {a&n Product Review}

As the kids grow older, especially at the ages and stages we're currently in (ages 4 and 1.5), bath time becomes more challenging and quite a bigger mess, with larger splashes, louder yells and extra fighting over toys... a peaceful bath typically turns into chaos and myself cleaning the kids as quick as I can just to get them out ASAP!

Fortunately, the Nuby Bath Crayons turn bath time into the complete opposite experience, which is AMAZING! A once crazy, intense bath time vibe suddenly transforms the tub into a fun art studio, where the kids actually sit, draw and color all over their surroundings, allowing their creativity to flow.  I love that I can wash them up while they play and doodle, engage in conversation with Nolan about what he's creating and review the vibrant colors with Acelyn.  

ABC Kids Expo 2017

Over the past two years, I've always swooned over the ABC Kids Expo that is held annually here in Vegas, and every year, I was envious of everyone that had the priveldege to attend and be surrounded by all the new gear, product releases and overall just awesomeness of the baby gear world.  It is a private convention that is only open to trade, so this year, I decided I would try my best at applying to attend as a blogger, and to my absolute surprise and delight... was accepted in their media badge category!

ABC (All Baby and Children) Kids Expo is a huge convention held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and literally brings thousands of baby products, gear, toys, feeding and nursery accessories into one space... you name it, if it is baby, kid or mama related, it's there!  Whether it's an established brand or a new and up and coming one, the expo is the place to be if you are a baby gear nerd like me!  Getting to see the latest products, browse the latest trends and meet face to face with the owners/creators/inventors of the each brand is an amazing experience of the ABC Kids Expo world, and one I enjoyed a million times more than I expected (which is a lot, because I knew I would love it to begin with)!

The estimated attendance for this year's show was 14,000, which had me prepared for chaos, especially since I was bringing both kids!  Tuesday was the first day the trade show opened, and because Nolan had PreK in the morning, we weren't able to attend for the opening ceremonies.  Instead, we decided to head down for a couple hours after naps in the afternoon.  When we got there, we headed to print our media badges, and Nolan felt super official that he had his own, while Acelyn couldn't really care about hers much and wanted to just hang in the stroller and take in the activity around her. 

On the Go Snackin' With Nuby {a&n Product Review}

If one thing is for sure, running errands and being on the go with my kids isn't an easy task.  Both my kids love getting out of the house, but they also love running the aisles of Target like madmen or asking to be "in" then "out" then "in" then "out!" of the shopping carts... it's true chaos when I'm not prepared.

Luckily, I've learned a few tricks to keep things at a minimum level of chaos while we're out, and snacking is one of those secret distractions.  

August Happenings

The kiddos started the month off by coloring in their PJs and watching Daniel Tiger. 

Why and Whale Monthly Surprise Pack {a&n Product Review}

One of the kids' favorite times of the day is that moment after their afternoon snack, where Nolan jumps up and asks, "IS IT TIME TO CHECK THE MAIL!?!?!"  This kid is all about the mail... probably because he shares Mommy's excitement of receiving packages (multiple times a week), and he's started to get his little sister amped up about the afternoon routine, too.  After he announces that it is, in fact, mail checking time, Acelyn darts to grab the mailbox keys and we take a stroll across the street to find our treasures.

One package that is totally worth the daily hype of mail-checking is the Why and Whale Monthly Surprise Pack.  This is a monthly subscription package that features handpicked apparel, toys, books and more for little ones ages 6 months to 6 years, and the goodies inside do not disappoint!  

Bath Time Necessities with Nuby {a&n Product Review}

Bath time with two kiddos is no joke, especially now that Acelyn is independent in the tub and goes where she wants and splashes when she wants!  And although most nights are filled with more soaking the floor than there should be, it's definitely one of the best bonding times for these siblings during the day and a routine that's looked forward to every evening.  Anything that helps bath time a little less chaotic is a "yes" in my book, and our Nuby bath time accessories are just that!

The kids love the Nuby Octopus Floating Bath toy, and it's one that gets pulled out at every bath.  I love that this is a toy that both kids can play together, as it floats above the water and each of them can toss one of the three rings onto the Octopus' arms (or in Acelyn's case, mostly chew on the rings before Nolan steals it away from her).  Not only does it help with learning to share and take turns, it helps develop hand eye coordination and stimulates their senses with fun shapes and colors.  Nolan's focus and ability to toss onto the arms has improved so much just over the last few months, so it really does help in those fine motor skills!  We love taking this toy with us to the pools we've been frequenting with the start of summer, and they love using it as a fun floating toy next to them as they swim!

While they play, I'm getting down to business scrubbing and sudsing them up!  Nolan is very sensitive when it comes to water... he's particular about the temperature and extremely delicate when it comes to bubbles or water in his face or over his head.  I love that the Nuby Tear-Free Rinse Pail can ease his anxiety with rinsing the wash out of his hair with the tear-free comfort edge.  It simply sits directly onto their forehead/top of the head and washes away the bubbles with limited water dripping into his face, if at all!  This is a game changer for us and has reduced our fits and screeches due to his sensitivity tremendously, and makes life easier with rinsing a younger child's head, like Acelyn, too.

Watching these two make memories together splashing and playing is worth all the water on the floor, and although I can't exactly sit back and relax during their bath time, I feel good knowing their bond is growing and the products I'm using are quality- BPA Free and durable, just like always with Nuby!

Each product can be found at these retailers: 

Octopus Floating Bath Toy: 

www.amazon.com

www.kohls.com

www.bedbathandbeyond.com

www.buybuydirect.com

www.walmart.com

www.buybuybaby.com

www.babydepot.com

Tear-Free Rinse Pail

www.buybuydirect.com

www.amazon.com

www.idealbaby.com

www.cookieskids.com

www.babyhaven.com

ww.babiesrus.com

www.kmart.com

www.meijer.com

Nuby sent these products to review, but did not compensate me to write this post.  All opinions and thoughts are of my own.  

You can find Nuby and all of their great products by following their social media sites here:

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest 

Dancin' & Dishes: Nuby Easy Clean Soap Dispensing Bottle Brush with Suction Base {a&n Product Review}

As we mentioned in our last Nuby post, our family has a nightly tradition of dance parties after dinner... because what better way to let out all that energy before settling down for our bath and bedtime routine!?  While the kiddos get their wiggles out in the living room, I'm often found jamming to the same music in the kitchen, while cleaning up from dinner and washing down dishes, one of my least favorite chores to do. Luckily, Nuby's Easy Clean Soap Dispensing Bottle Brush with Suction Base is one tool I've learned to love when it comes to doing something I hate!

The strong suction base of the brush is really, by far, much better than other stand-up bottle brushes we've had experience with.  It really is that strong and keeps the brush upright and away from germs at all times, whereas other brushes are often flimsy and fall over almost every time I do the dishes.  I also love the structured and strong bristles of this brush, much different than the sponge type bottle brushes we've used in the past.  It is engineered with two different types of bristles, to ensure thorough cleaning, even on irregular surfaces.  Before, our brushes would last only a few weeks to a month at the most, and the Nuby Easy Clean Brush is going on month #3 for us with no issues and looks as good as the day I received it!  Plus, with no sponge-like material, I feel comfortable knowing there's no leftover food, germs or whatever else the kitchen sink holds, sitting and making the brush so nasty like most sponge related cleaning products do.  This brush is totally good for my germaphobe soul, and as always with Nuby products, is BPA Free!

The main highlight of the Nuby Easy Clean Brush is the one touch, simple push button to dispense the perfect amount of soap, rather than creating a huge, dripping mess of dish soap all over your counter (like time and time before).  I will say, I've had a difficult time using the push to dispense the button seamlessly, but after a few pumps with my thumb, it does the job.  I've never been any good at these types of devices, no matter what the kitchen tool... maybe it's just me!?  Either way, this brush is still top quality over the others and I would still choose to dabble a bit of soap over the top of the brush quickly to do the job just as well.  We also use larger size bottles and cups for the kids, now that Acelyn is a little older, so fitting in a tiny space is never an issue, but because of the sturdiness of the bottle, it does run a bit large and may be more difficult to squeeze into smaller spaces.  For me, the bristle strength, sturdy base, and soft textured handle to allow for a comfortable grip are a better trade off for those small imperfections!  

The Easy Clean Soap Dispensing Bottle Brush with Suction Base can be found at these retailers: 

www.buybabydirect.com

I love knowing that the Nuby Easy Clean Brush makes my dish-doing chore quick and painless, with plenty of time left to enjoy our nightly dance parties with my babies! 

Nuby sent these products to review, but did not compensate me to write this post.  All opinions and thoughts are of my own.  

You can find Nuby and all of their great products by following their social media sites here:

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest