A few years ago we began making a scrapbook of all the photos and videos from Christmas and putting them into collections here on the blog. It has been a really special practice that has turned into a tradition for us. Of course, the work is done mostly for us, but I hope that this glimpse into our family is encouraging to you in some way…
Read MoreFor me, so much of Halloween and Christmas are all the traditions that happen before the actual day. When I think of fall, I instantly think of Halloween. It all connects naturally in my mind. We wanted to make this Halloween extra special for the boys with it being 2020…
Read MoreIn spite of 2020 and all that has happened this year, there is so much to be thankful for. Yet, when our minds slow down during quiet moments the future can feel uncertain and scary. I hoped there would be moments of quiet and reflection over the Thanksgiving week. But in addition to finding ways to quiet our minds I wanted to provide opportunities for us to consider and enjoy all of the things we have to be thankful for…
Read MoreMost people enjoy Halloween because it provides an opportunity for everyone to dress up and act silly together. If that is true, then my boys must think that every day is Halloween…
Read MoreI've been wanting to launch an Amazon storefront for a long time. Over time, I've found some products and resources that have been helpful and made some areas of life a little easier. So, what better year to launch a storefront than 2020…
Read MoreWe celebrate another wonderful year with Abner in our lives. Even though it's only been two years, it's hard to imagine life without him. This boy makes us laugh and is so full of love. We had the best time celebrating him this weekend.
You never know what things your children are going to attach themselves to. Abner has grown a love for construction vehicles, Thomas / trains in general, and good food. We themed his birthday around trains and spent the day playing on his new train set, painting, driving around on his new digger, and eating lots of food…
Read MoreEaster 2020 was unique and special. We spent our time at home together like so many others this year…
Read MoreThis year Emet was even more aware as his birthday got closer and asked for a specific theme and decorations - which was super fun. We threw Emet a Planes themed party this year…
Read MoreIn many ways, this day reflected the messy craziness of life we were walking into. Life rarely goes the way we’d want it to and at times feels like someone else is at the wheel. But in the end, the things that matter are the moments you make with others and the lessons learned along the way…
Read MoreAs we close out 2019 and another year of blogging at JacinthaPayne.com, I thought it would be fun to put together a list of my favorite posts from the year…
Read MoreI love Christmas cards. Each day I get a card from a loved one during the holidays, I can’t wait to open and hang it. I try to find a place to keep my cards displayed throughout the year. It makes me feel like those special people are near…
Read MoreHere are 10 last minute gift ideas that are all available on Prime and under $30. Happy shopping!
Read MoreThanksgiving is another opportunity for reflection and looking at life through a specific lens. A lens that helps us see both the enjoyable and the difficult, the sweet and the sour, for what they are. Understanding Thanksgiving correctly helps us see how the things we've experienced shape and grow us into the person we are…
Read MoreEach year we have a “go to” dish to help usher in all of the feels surrounding Halloween. It’s none other that Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese…
Read MoreGetting to celebrate Abner’s birthday is something we’ve been super excited about. We are so grateful for his precious little life…
Read MoreThere are many different types of showers. My favorite are the showers and events that are small enough to allow for sweet conversation and where you’re able to get to know your guests. Where an atmosphere for cultivating relationships is present…
Read MoreThese are some of my favorite highlights from our weeklong celebration. We started the week by waking Emet to a fully decorated house. We put streamers on his door and filled the rooms with balloons. We wrapped all his gifts separately and allowed him to pick a different gift to open each day throughout the week…
Read MoreI will always remember Emet’s 2nd Birthday. We were still in the middle of transitioning back to Louisville and in temporary housing - which made things a bit more challenging than a normal year. We were set on making his day special and making the most of our situation…
Read MoreAs we close out 2018 and another year of blogging at JacinthaPayne.com, I thought it would be fun to put together a list of "reader favorites" from the year. Here are 10 of the most read blog posts. Enjoy!
Read MoreWe wanted it to be unique, and each of us friends had already done our traditional Thanksgiving dinners, so we were able to brainstorm different fun themes, and ended up settling on French cuisine as our inspiration for each course of the menu…
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