Parent/Child Painting Night at Olive's Mud Puddle

Our kids are very well loved emotionally, but also spoiled with material items. Every Christmas, birthday and just because our home seems to adds about 10 square feet of new toys. Our playroom runneth over, and I end up having to picketh it all up...

So, for S's 7th birthday I tried to focus on getting her gifts that were experiences to create memories instead of things that would pile up on our floor. She's a fan of crafts and so I thought a painting class would be a fun activity to try together. 

We talked with Debbie at Olive's Mud Puddle in Fort Mill, she created an adorable holiday interactive painting to create for our Mother-Daughter night out. S really enjoyed the experience, so much so that she said, "This is the MOST FUN night I've had for a girls night out - like ever!"

 I really enjoyed myself too. Debbie took us step through step and I was impressed how S was able to focus her energy and go slowly as the painting developed. We used teamwork to build our "masterpiece" I created the outlines of the larger items and she colored them in. She chose the colors for each of the birds and ornaments and even decided to explore her artistic license and added eyelashes to our reindeer. 

It was a positive experience and all the girls and moms who attended seemed to enjoy the experience as well. In addition to painting Olive's offers family clay/pottery classes.

{Sneak Peek!} Baby+Company Boutique Birth Center

Calling all women, moms and parents-to-be! We've got a {sneak peek} of a luxurious addition to uptown Charlotte. Baby+Company, a boutique birth center, is excited to celebrate their grand opening this Saturday, November 21st from 12-4pm at 131 Providence Road.

Baby+Company's grand opening will be fun for the whole family with refreshments, kids activities, giveaways, tours and a chance to ask their certified nurse midwives questions about the Baby+Company birth experience. Discover more about the only deluxe birth center in the Queen City, and register to attend their event here.

I was lucky to get a preview tour of Baby+Company and they have taken birthing centers to a new level of bliss. Their reception area is inviting with plush couches for families to relax and connect on as they await the arrival of their new bundle of joy. The fully equipped kitchen with farmhouse sink is at the client's disposal during their stay. The birth suites - lets talk posh. During my tour I felt like I was walking through a four-star hotel instead of a birth center. The large beds appointed with lush linens are a far cry from the cold, uncomfortable hospital beds I gave birth on.

After having three babies and three long labors, I was drawn to their oversized showers and giant deep soaking tub where moms can labor and give birth with the comfort of hydro-therapy. All their medical equipment is tucked away behind the home-like facade. They work in collaboration with Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center which is just a block away, allowing Baby+Company to offer seamless care, whatever their client's needs.

Baby+Company is more than just an top-notch birth center, they also offer pre-natal care, well-woman care, fertility counseling and prenatal and early parenting education. Check out our Periscope tour of Baby+Company's birth center using the Periscope app by clicking here, and join Baby+Company for their grand opening on Saturday, November 21st!

This is a sponsored post, but as always all opinions are my own. My promise to my readers is that I won't promote anything that I wouldn't recommend to a friend or use myself.

Matching Holiday Pajamas for the Family

It's not even Thanksgiving yet, but Christmas has already arrived at every Target store near us. I was happily sipping on a controversial red cup of Starbucks the other day as little bits and I made our way though the aisles when I saw them. Matching holiday family pajamas! They had them in all sizes from infant to 2XL, they even had them in pet sizes for our imaginary dog.

I had searched online for this sort of dorky holiday happiness but the price tag was too high to justify. Target's prices ranged from $8.49 to $24.99, and they are buy 1 get 1 50% off now! Bullseye at Tar-jay my friends. The oldest two think it's hysterical to match Mom and Dad and have been asking that we wear our matching jammies every night. I'm going to enjoy the fact that they still think we're "cool" enough to match with.

You can see the full collection of matching family PJ's at Target here.