On Mother’s Day this year, I found out I was going to be an aunt! “Grammie” sure is blessed…as she found out last year on Mother’s Day that I was pregnant with her first grandbaby! It was so sweet…my sister took our son Gabriel in another room to “play” during our Mother’s Day gathering with my mom…and when she came back to the room, check out what he was wearing to share the news…
And guess what is even greater news??? Baby Yost is due around Christmas too (just like Gabriel was!) Cousins! One year apart! Isn’t this amazing news?
I immediately offered to host a “gender reveal” party for my sister and brother-in-law. If you’ve never heard of these before, it’s a newer concept to me too! Basically, you get your gender scan, and wait to open it up in front of your closest friends and family. Together, you all find out the sex of the baby at the same time! Emily and Brett would find out in July!
Since Brett and Emily would have Baby Yost’s gender scan in July, we decided on a patriotic theme–but instead of Red, White & Blue…we would ask people…Blue, (White), Pink? What do YOU Think? He or She? What Will Baby Yost Be? Guests had to show up wearing the color that guessed the gender of the baby! Can you believe my sister waited until this day to open up the results of the scan?!
On the menu was a dessert bar, or as we called it “Emily’s Cravings Bar”! We chose to stick with sweets since it was later in the evening to showcase the fireworks. We did a sundae bar, popcorn bar, and s’mores bar…that included many sweet treats to top off their snacks!
People brought gifts for each gender (one boy gift, and one girl gift–or a gender neutral gift!) You could always return the other once you found out it was a girl or boy! I had so much fun finding the “perfect diaper bag” that I stocked up with all of the essentials, that they could throw in the car for their trip home from the hospital! Here is what it included….
Stain stick & sanitizer, diaper cream & diapers, wipes & wash bag, bibs & bags for diapers, pacifier & pacifier clips, blankets & burp rags, bottles & bottle holders, cover-up for nursing & clothes, diapers & a diaper bag, and of course–a toy for baby & a cute Tory Burch bag for mama! G got his cousin a gift too–teal and pink (since we didn’t know boy or girl)…a little “Rockin Robbin” baby toy from our little Robbins!
We headed outside for the big reveal of baby Yost! Pop! Pop! Pop! The firework was…BLUE!
Can you believe it?! I am going to have a nephew…and G is going to have a cousin exactly one year apart! We are all so very excited! Congratulations Brett and Em!
OH BOY! It’s a…
We can’t wait to meet our little nephew (and G’s new cousin/bestie) around Christmastime!
Here’s more pictures and details from the special day…
(*feel free to click on any pics if you desire to view them bigger to check out details!)…
PS. if you missed my gender reveal last year, you can view it by clicking here!
XO, Sarah
Credit where credit is due: Food by my little sister, the super famous Dashing Dish. Pro pics by my sister’s bestie Dayna Mae Photography (along with a few amateur ones taken by me, scattered in!) And to the cute parents Brett and Em who are making us all another beautiful baby to celebrate!
Hippity Hoppity Easter Is On Its Way — Easter Decor and More!
Hippity Hoppity Easter Is On Its Way!
We are gearing up for Easter here at the “Robbins Nest”…it’s our first with “baby G”, and I couldn’t be more excited!
On the menu will be: food catered by my sister Katie Farrell, of Dashing Dish! We are deciding between a spring lunch like grilled shish-kabob skewers, rice pilaf, and greek salad…OR doing brunch with frittatas, gluten-free pancakes, and turkey bacon. Of course there will always be one of her famous fruit trifles for dessert!
For a fun treat, I am preparing adult Easter baskets with some of my favorite beauty products for the gals…and yummy chocolates for the boys (pictures to come, as I don’t want to spoil the surprise!)
Here is last year’s tablescape…I can’t wait to see what I create this year! (*If you know our family you know that I LOVE to entertain and decorate, but am a TERRIBLE cook…but my sister is actually famous for cooking! So between us three girls, we have the best holiday gatherings!)
What are YOU doing for Easter? I would love to hear your plans below! Happy Easter from “The Robbins Nest” and our cutest little EB, baby G!
Sources: I got the napkins, and napkin ring holders from Pier 1 last year!
One Month With Gabriel David Robbins
One month ago I was awarded with the greatest accolade… MOM. My greatest achievement…YOU.
Dearest “Baby G”, “G”, “Rooster” (you have so many nicknames already)…my boy…you are the greatest answer to prayer! Grammie prayed for a baby under the tree this past Christmas, and what a blessing to your momma…I found out on my birthday that I was pregnant with you, and due on Christmas Day! But much like your momma, you decided to arrive fashionably late, on the Epiphany (the 12th Day of Christmas! 1-6-16) It will forever be the “best day of my life” (besides marrying your handsome and hilarious daddy of course!)
I know most mommies think their babies are brilliant…but you had a LOT of Dr appointments your first 3 weeks (all is well now). Every medical professional who saw you said “what an alert baby!” and “I can’t believe he’s really smiling! Those aren’t accidental smiles!” You “coo” in your crib. You recognize our voice…as we talked to you, prayed for you, and sang to you faithfully…every day when you were in my belly.
No one could have prepared me for how much I love you. You’ve challenged me to become a better wife, daughter, sister, friend, leader, and mother… because you deserve the best of me.
Your daddy…he truly is a “Good Good Father” (this is the song we sang to you and played for you every day when you were in my tummy. Now when we play it, and sing it to you..it calms you). Watching him become a daddy to you has made me love him even more (and I love him an awful lot!) He cherishes his time with you…making you smile, and even making you laugh! He sings to you, plays with you (sometimes I have to remind him you’re 4 weeks old, not 4 years old!)…and he prays over you every single day. He calls himself your “Body Guard”…which is a lot better than the nickname he gave to me… the “Dairy Queen”! LOL! (I told you he would make you laugh with all of his #Philisms!)
Our greatest achievement together is being your mom and dad…
Oh by the way…you do have one more body guard, and that’s your puppy Bella! She followed my every step faithfully when I was pregnant with you…and now she follows you around instead, carefully peeking in your bassinet and barking (and coming to get us if you even make the slightest peep!)
You’ve brought so much JOY to the “Robbins Nest”! I can’t imagine life without you…
Happy “1 Month” my son! This past month has been the greatest month of our lives! I can’t wait to see what our future holds, together…
P+S +Baby G= Robbins Party of 3…finally <3
A special thanks to Jean Smith…who somehow made this tired momma, fresh out of the hospital (just one week post-delivery) look and feel her best for this photoshoot! You’ve captured our greatest memory beautifully. View more of Jean’s work, and Gabriel’s 1 week newborn photos, by clicking a photo below to start the slideshow:
And last but not least, a tribute to our boy…
Bringing Baby Home
On the 12th Day of Christmas my true love (Mr. “Rockin Robbins”) gave to me…little baby Gabriel!
Meet Gabriel David Robbins–Born on the Epiphany (the 12th day of Christmas!) 1-6-16!
…our Christmas angel….due on Christmas, but who decided to show up fashionably late (like his momma) on the 12th day of Christmas!
We truly had the most amazing pregnancy, and the most incredible labor. If you read my previous posts here ,you now that is exactly what we prayed for! After 5 minutes of pushing (ladies, don’t hate me)…we welcomed our angel into the world! We are finally home now…P+S+ baby G= Robbins Party of 3 (finally!)
Little Gabriel is loving his new home (as you can see from the pictures below)…he is quite the happy baby!
It was so incredible to be welcomed back home to incredible meals, flowers, and fabulous messages from friends and family who prayed for our little miracle.
I feel especially grateful for these bouquets (seen below)…not just because they are beautiful, but because of what they mean. Let me tell you why…
I’ll never have to miss a baby smile…
I’ve been married for almost 12 years…and we waited a very long time for our precious angel, our firstborn son. He is the result of an answered prayer–a promise from God. We prayed for him for a very long time. We were so blessed to find out on my birthday that I was pregnant, and that he was due on Christmas day! Everything worked out so perfectly–we even found out he would be a boy on our anniversary day (the exact day we were allowed to find out!)
We prayed for the most perfect pregnancy (and it was). We prayed for a speedy and safe delivery (and it was–only 5 minutes of pushing!) With all of the excitement, we didn’t get an ounce of sleep since labor started Monday, so it was so nice to be welcomed home to these beautiful bouquets, and a really special phone call…
The beauty of our business…
As I walked into our home, with my beautiful boy in my arms….I stepped in to find the most gorgeous bouquets of flowers I had ever seen. Many from friends and family…and 2 from my “Rodan + Fields family”…one bouquet from our CEO and President Lori Bush, and the other from our executive team at Rodan + Fields.
It is so awesome to be a part of a company that recognizes us well, and celebrates us well! These flowers were so special to me because they reminded me of our journey–they allowed me to reflect on how thankful I am that I don’t have to take a maternity leave, and instead I get to celebrate every little smile…
I started my Rodan + Fields home-based business part-time 8 years ago, so I could do for my family what I did for so many others as a kindergarten teacher. Since then, it has been more than a blessing to us– providing us the time and resources for both Phil and I to be home with our son and allow us to retire…but also for us to give our time and resources to children in need all around the globe– in fact, a few short weeks ago, we opened up a brand new orphanage in Gabriel’s honor. You can see the dedication below. This is the second we opened (the first was last December for 117 boys in India), which you can see here.
As I was marvel at the beauty of these gifts, I find myself marveling at the meaning behind them…
More than the money…
The moment I stepped inside my home returning from the hospital, I got a phone call from our Chairman Amnon Rodan, congratulating me on becoming a mom…and also congratulating me on becoming our company’s very first “10 million dollar circle achiever”! I was humbled and grateful…and while the accolades are nice, what is truly marvelous is how this business has allowed us to LIVE MORE and be home with our baby, and never miss our baby smile. And also how we are able to GIVE MORE–as we are able to give our time and resources to children in need, so we can make these precious babies smile…
That is the beauty of what we do–it is a vehicle to live a life we truly love, and help others do the same!
What is YOUR “Why”? WHY are you here on this earth? What is your purpose and plan?
If there is one thing I wish for each of you–is that you define your “why”…and find a vehicle to help you achieve it, and passionately pursue your dreams! There is nothing like seeing your reason “WHY” in action! You deserve to LIVE more, GIVE more, and LOVE your life so much more–that is my wish for you!
Thank you all for your warm wishes celebrating baby G, and 10 “MDC”! (<=and to be really honest, this little boy has rocked my world…the accolades don’t matter at all..what matters most is how much more we can give….to our family, and to those we are able to bless. My family IS my greatest accomplishment!)
We are thankful and grateful.
We believe we are blessed so that we can be a blessing! XOXOXO
Phil, Sarah, and baby G! (*more baby pics and posts to come! I’m one proud mama!)
Recall His Provision. Stand on His Promises.
We are in the home stretch…counting down the days until we meet our firstborn son, baby Gabriel…
These final days have been filled with so many emotions…excitement and exhaustion–anticipation and anxiety for what is to come.
And as I try as hard as I can to foresee into the future, the Lord continues to remind me to be still in this moment, and to recall his provision, and rest on his promises.
I am thankful. I had a truly supernatural pregnancy. Today was the last of my weekly checkins with my doctor (which by the way, if you are in the metro Detroit area, and need a good one, I have one of the best in the US! He made this pregnancy so peaceful for us, and works with most of our friends and families we trust)…and even our doctor said “you guys this was the closest you could get to a perfect pregnancy!”….it went without a hitch. But that didn’t surprise me–we believed for that. We prayed for that daily. And still my mind skips ahead to the labor/delivery/recovery…
Quickly my type A logical mind tends to stray away from all of the things that went well, and tries to quickly jump ahead to all of the things that “could” happen…”How will labor be?” “How quickly will I heal?” and “How in the world will this child eat every two hours?” and “Will I ever sleep again?” And each time that I tend to sway this way, I am reminded that Christ uses our “unknowns” to create a complete dependency on him, so we may KNOW HIM more.
2 Corinthians 12:9 says: ““My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.”Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me.”
When we are weak, He is made strong in us…
Sarah 39 Weeks – Pregnant With a Promise
One day, as I found myself frantically fearing the unknown (don’t judge…LOL…I was overly exhausted that day, and of course, my 9 month preggo hormones are raging)…I felt the Lord speak to my heart and say “Sarah, have I not provided for you so far? I need you to focus on me. Focus on now. Recall my provision. Stand on my promises. You’ve had the best pregnancy, and I’m not going to abandon you at the finish line.”
He reminded me of the story of the Israelites, who were journeying to their promise–the Promised Land. Although they knew the blessing was at the end of the journey, they would constantly block their blessing when they faced fear and the unknown….yet we see all the way from Exodus through Numbers the times the Lord provided for them, even in the midst of pressure (He parted the red seas, eradicated their greatest fear–the Egyptian army–before their very eyes, the manna that came down from heaven, he made bitter water sweet to drink. He faithfully provided in the midst of pressure. He never left them in their journey). Yet the Israelites always erred toward the fear of the future…forgetful of what the Lord had done up until this point. In fact when they got to the end of their journey, literally bordering the promised land, they sent spies into the land. 10 of 12 came back with a negative report. And instead of recalling God’s provision and standing on His promises, they believed the naysayers and most didn’t make it into the promised land because of their ultimate disobedience and lack of faith in the Lord. I thought “Lord, don’t let me be the Israelites! This child is a promise. You have been on the journey with me this far! You certainly won’t leave me now!”
Immediately I knew that I had to get in a place of peace. I played worship music. I sat down with a notebook and pen. I began to recall all of the ways God provided for us throughout our lives. I wrote down every answered prayer.Then I wrote down his promises…. I wrote down scriptures I found in God’s word such as:
-He will never leave me nor forsake me.
Deuteronomy 31:6Amplified Bible (AMP)
6 Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble in dread before them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not fail you or abandon you.”
-He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it.
Philippians 1:6Amplified Bible (AMP)
6 I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].
-He has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7Amplified Bible (AMP)
7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].
-My sleep will be sweet (and even baby Gabriel will be a sweet sleeper).
Proverbs 3:24-26Amplified Bible (AMP)
When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
-Gabriel will be a blessing, and not a burden (like many moms make motherhood feel for first-timers!)
Psalm 127:3-5Amplified Bible (AMP)
3Behold, children are a heritage and gift from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
5 How blessed [happy and fortunate] is the man whose quiver is filled with them;
They will not be ashamed
When they speak with their enemies [in gatherings] at the [city] gate.
God will continue to exponentially multiply and accelerate our business even while I am taking time to focus on loving my newborn (enlarging our borders, expanding our territory).
1 Chronicles 4:9-10Amplified Bible (AMP)
Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that You would indeed bless me and enlarge my territory, and that Your hand would be with me, and You would keep me from evil so that it does not hurt me!” And God granted his request.
-We will have a Psalm 91 atmosphere in our home, and in the hospital.
-We will have a supernatural delivery and recovery (just like our pregnancy)!
You see, the world wants us focused on FEAR. And the Lord wants us focused on FAITH…complete reliance and dependence on the Lord. He wants us returning to the Word, speaking the Word, and believing the Word, because it will never return to us void. (Isaiah 55:11) He is faithful to watch over His word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12). If we believe that we were created in His image (which I do), then we must believe our words have creative power and therefore carry forth substance. After all, when He said “let there be light”…didn’t light follow? We MUST be seeking and speaking God’s Word.
What words are you speaking over your situation? Words of FEAR of FAITH? Both require the same amount of energy–belief in what we cannot see.
We all face fear in our life–fear of failure (in my case first time parenting)…fear of the unknown…but God’s perfect love casts out all fear.
Feeling uncertain about the unknown is not necessarily a bad thing (as long as you don’t remain in fear)–it’s simply a reminder that we need to stop being so self-reliant–and instead be completely reliant on God…the “unknowns” keep us seeking God’s peace and getting in His presence. Recalling his provision. Standing on his promises.
Jesus loves you my friend. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He’s brought you this far, and will not leave you now.
He is THE ONE who will stick closer than a brother. So cast all your cares upon Him, for He truly CARES for YOU!
XO, Sarah
If you know someone who is facing the “unknown”…send them the link to this post for encouragement. Have them write down every way that God has ever answered their prayers or provided for them. Then, have them write down at least one scripture verse to speak / pray about their situation. For example, If they are in need of healing…google “healing scriptures”. Find one that resonates the most and put it on a note card…and any time they face fear, have them speak it aloud. God’s word brings peace…and even better, God’s word is a promise and brings forth provision. It will not return to us void!
~* And if you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or know someone who is, I recommend this book. It’s the ONLY thing I read (besides the word) during the past 9 months of pregnancy. It is full of stories of provision (miracles) of many momma’s, including my pastor’s story. It is also full of promises (scriptures and prayer) to speak over your pregnancy journey.
~* One more thing–I shared how my baby started as a prayer, and how I had the most supernatural pregnancy in this post. ENJOY! XO
Hopefully I’ll be meeting my little “promise” this week! We appreciate your prayers for a safe–speedy–supernatural– delivery and recovery!
Baby Robbins “Nest”…the Robbins Nursery Tour
As we anxiously anticipate the arrival of “baby G” (e.t.a. Christmas Day!) we thought we’d take you on a little tour of his “nest”…afterall, this momma’s been nesting, and preparing for our little one!!!
I want to give a heartfelt shout of appreciation to Cheryl Nestro of Tutto Interiors (who by the way does work all over the US if you need her services for interior design in new construction, or complete home makeovers like ours!) She transformed our entire home…but the most special space of all was baby Robbins “nest”, of course!
The only direction we gave Cheryl was to “create a neutral and beautiful space that can accommodate baby Gabriel and a future brother or sister!” We only want one nursery….so if we can get away with alternating pink or blue accents in the future, we’d be thrilled! Because Cheryl knows our vision and style after a complete home renovation with us, she took it, ran with it (which I trust her completely to do)…and this is the finished product!
I love to decorate, so Chery’s idea of these beautiful shelves was absolutely breathtaking!
We don’t have a “theme” in mind, but we did find the cutest little lambs, and ended up with one!
A reading corner was SO important to me, as a former kindergarten teacher with a reading major! I taught young kindergarteners (at 4 years of age) to read early….it’s my specialty…so I just can’t wait to teach my baby boy how to read!!!
Isn’t this a beautiful space?
The only thing that will make this space more beautiful is having our baby boy in it! I just can’t wait!!!
Since we LOVE Cheryl’s work, we decided to have her do a playroom too! Even though baby G will be too young to enjoy it at first, if you know us well, you know that we have about 15 couples we are BEST FRIENDS with…who all have kids or who are having kids, and we need a place for them to play! So when everyone is over visiting baby, we can’t wait to welcome our “little friends” to this new space…our playroom! Take a peek…
It includes a mini-theatre for the littles…(a TV loaded with pre-selected child-friendly and approved movies only! Beanbag chairs, and a cozy couch)…
And another reading nook, of course! 🙂 And a table for crafts, and a teepee for cuddling! Plenty of space for memories made!
I can’t wait to fill these spaces and places with LOVE and LAUGHTER!
For more images on the nursery, closeups, and lifestyles shots with P+S, baby G, and our pup Bella click on the images below to view them full-size and to start the slideshow!
If you missed our main home tour of all of Cheryl’s beautiful work, click here.
If you missed our pregnancy announcement, gender reveal, maternity photos, click here.
Thank you again to Cheryl Nestro of Tutto Interiors for this beautiful nursery and playroom!
(Photo cred: Jim Carlson for the main blog images. Jessica Gliesman for the gallery images, closeups, and lifestyle shots!)
Thanks for stopping in! XO P+S and baby G!
Baby G’s Gender Reveal– What’s Poppin’ Party
What’s Poppin? This momma!
As we celebrate the joyful journey to “Baby G” I thought it would be fun to reminisce about the joyful memories that lead up to his arrival!
One of our best memories was the day that we celebrated his daddy’s birthday/ and baby G’s “gender reveal party” (I hadn’t heard of these til recently)– by hosting a backyard movie night with family and friends…we popped popcorn (and balloons too!) to celebrate Phil’s birthday and baby G’s gender reveal too!
Here’s the invite:
Since it was an outdoor event, and we wanted to truly enjoy time with family and friends (and not be cooking) we hired a food truck that was a big hit! On the menu were: salad bar, fresh fired pizza (gluten-free for Phil and I), and handmade gelato for dessert! YUMMMMMMMM!
Dessert was a POPcorn bar of course! Complete with many theatre-style treats!
We chose movies with baby themes, like “Mom’s Day Out” which everyone enjoyed! We had a bonfire going, and lawn chairs to watch on the big screen (which we rented)! The movie started with a “SPECIAL PREVIEW” which revealed the gender of “Baby G”, which you’ll find below!
Here’s how we did the BIG REVEAL (our movie preview for our friends…) We played the following “movie preview clip” on the big screen as everyone gathered around…it was the first thing to play right before the movie.
Press play to see our movie preview our friends saw that night:
As you can imagine, everyone cheered with excitement! An amazing time was had by all! Thanks to everyone who has celebrated the anticipation of “Baby G” from near and far! POP by for our next post–as I write this I am ready to POP at #38WeeksPregnant! Hopefully the next post will be to tell you–he’s here! HOW EXCITING!
Thanks for “POPPING” in! XO, P+S and baby G!
Missed our pregnancy announcement post, maternity pics, or baby shower blog?
CLICK HERE and scroll down to check out “all things baby!”
A Bun In The Oven–Our Pregnancy Announcement
There’s a Bun In The Oven, and it’s just about done! 🙂
As we countdown the days til we meet “baby G” (I’m 38 weeks today–due Christmas day), I thought it would be fun to reminisce about the joyful memories that lead up to his arrival!
One of our most memorable experiences leading up to baby G was telling our friends we are expecting! After being married for 11 years, you can imagine they were beyond surprised! We called them together for what they thought was a “cooking class with friends”, hosted by the fabulous Dawn Bause of Cooking with Dawn Tours.
We hosted it at our home, and told our friends if they missed it, they would die (LOL–just kidding…but we seriously told them not to cancel…and they still didn’t have a clue of what the night was truly for….)
On the menu was…
Appetizers (prepared for guest arrival):
Caprese Salad on a skewer
Sautéed Shrimp with Honey Mustard Sauce
Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Bisque
For the interactive dinner and cooking class we prepared as a team:
First Course: Asparagus Risotto
Second Course: Classic Lemon Chicken Scalloppini
Warm Asparagus Salad with Pancetta, Leeks and Pine Nuts
Dessert: Fresh Strawberry Parfait with Fresh Ricotta Cheese and Homemade Dark Chocolate Shavings
A fun time was had by all…but I think we all agree…dessert was the most memorable part of the night!!!
Here’s how we told our friends we were expecting…. (Play the video clip below) Watch Phil’s face!
We seriously have the best friends ever. I watch this and cry as I see their excitement for us! It was like someone won the super bowl!
The cake was in the shape of the bun, and on the tray it read “There’s a (BUN) in the oven!”
Thank you to all who’ve celebrated the anticipated arrival of our little “bun”! We seriously cannot wait to meet him!
XOXO, P+S and “baby G”!
PS- If you missed our maternity pics and baby shower post and pics, here they are! (<= click on this link and scroll down to the bottom of the page!)
These Are a Few of MY Favorite Things!
It’s my FAVORITE time of year!
The holidays bring about my two favorite things: Friends & Family and Entertaining!
Each year I host a “Favorite Things” party for my “favorite peeps!” And although I’m 37 weeks pregnant, I couldn’t go without hosting my “favorite” event!
Here are the details of the day…come on in…
As guests entered, the fireplaces were roaring, Christmas tunes were blasting, trees were lit…and I greeted them with a big hug (baby bump and all!) I thought it was a nice touch to try to have as many of their pictures displayed as I could, since the night was to celebrate my “favorite” friends!
Dinner was simple this year–Mediterranean food catered in (my friends are healthy eaters!) But in parties past (where I wasn’t preggo) one of my favorites was a salad bar where they could choose their “favorite” toppings…
We washed it down with some of our “favorite drinks”… champs & sparkling cider!
There were 24 girls, and I’m 9 months preggo, so I decided to keep things easy on myself, and do disposable place settings. There are so many beautiful sources I’ve found online to make disposable place settings look beautiful! The theme: “Brown paper” dishes, utensils “tied up with strings”…and as they sat down, they were gifted one of my “favorite things” as a favor…
The favors this year…one of my “favorite things”–initial mugs topped with mini-gingerbread houses, to use with the coffee bar we served after dinner!
After dinner the guests brought their mugs (one of my “Favorite things” as their favors) over to a coffee bar to find coffee of different flavors, seasonal creams, sweeteners, and of course…whipped cream!
Across the counter in my butler’s pantry was a dessert bar set up. A “favorite” of all of my guests in parties past is a dessert bar by my sister (and celebrity blogger/ chef “Dashing Dish”!)
This year she hosted a trifle bar..with gluten free cakes (healthier versions, which is what her cookbook and blog are known for), lighter versions of fillings, and toppings (some naughty, some nice–your choice!) The instructions–get a glass, layer it up with your “Favorites”, and enjoy!
Because there were 24 girls this year, we had to break up into two separate dining areas…
After dinner and dessert, we headed to our lower level for our annual “favorite things” gift exchange!
Here’s how it works… each guest brings 3 gifts wrapped (this year we did a contest for who had the most creative wrapping!) We each put our name in a bowl 3 times, and picked 3 new names (not our own). The 3 names we picked were the 3 people we got presents from. Each person got to share why they were gifting that item as their “favorite thing”! It is so fun to learn of each other’s favorites, and leave with 3 new “favorite things”! This year I created a “cozy Christmas” gift as my “favorite”–complete with a Christmas mug, Christmas candle and matches inside, and a Starbucks card hanging off the handle…
Although I didn’t win the wrapping contest, here was my theme: “brown paper packages tied up with strings!”
and now, for the wrapping winners…one of my besties Hannah (who also had an adorable “favorite things” theme), and my sister Katie (who went the distance buying cute items and making DIY snow globes with these items from Etsy! ) The girls won some of my “favorite things”!
An amazing time was had by all! I so love my “favorite” peeps!
Wouldn’t this be an amazing party to host this month for your “favorite” peeps and/or team???
Try it out…I promise, it will end up being one of your “Favorite” events too!
Want to see more holiday decor and ideas from me???
For a full holiday home tour with decor and more, click here!
Holiday Home Tour of the Robbins Nest
Welcome to the Robbins Nest, Holiday Home Tour! I have to admit, I am a lover of all things Christmas! I decorate early (first week of November this year, in anticipation of our firstborn, due Christmas Day)! And to be honest, I will probably enjoy these decorations until February (along with cuddles with my sweet baby boy!) If I could leave it up all year I would! I adore all things Christmas! Now, with the freshly fallen snow (we got near a foot, after a beautiful fall)…it’s time to pipe in the Mariah Carey Christmas playlist on Pandora, light my Nest Holiday Candle, and enjoy!
Welcome to our home…
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Olive, The Other Reindeer
Meet Bella! (There’s a cute kid’s Christmas book today that features a Jack Russell Terrier who thinks they are a reindeer, called “Olive the Other Reindeer”)! Our JRT thinks she is a human! As you tour our nest, I want you to keep a look out for baby Bella…we laugh so hard, as this little gal loves to pose for pics (I wonder where she got that from?! LOL!) We don’t invite her into the pictures or pose her on purpose…we seem to just “find her” in our pictures…kind of like the kid’s book from my time “Where’s Waldo?”…see if you can spot Bella in our pictures!
Oh, Christmas Tree!
I love Christmas trees, and try to incorporate one in every room! My goal for baby G (and any future Robbins-to-be) is to allow them to have a tree in their room that they decorate each year! We have one grand tree that we invite two lovely ladies to decorate each year (we adore them). We only wish we had a trap door to lower and raise it each year so we never have to take it apart…
I love to decorate too, so I reserve the right to our kitchen tree! 🙂 This year, per the advice of my momma, I got a flocked tree which was so much fun! I decorated it with big, dramatic bulbs…inspiration from my holiday Horchow catalog this year!
Every year we do a real tree in the lower level, but this year, we know it simply won’t be possible with a baby that’s due on Christmas Day…I had to settle with a little tabletop tree this year…but I compensated with finding fun decor that would contrast against the white. And even found a way to sneak in my pretty Christmas tree skirt! But I truly can’t wait to have a real tree back in the lower level in years to come!
For smaller spaces, I use small tabletop trees…like this fun one that I found for my office!
The Stockings Were Hung By the Chimney With Care…
Another “must” for me…sweet stockings above every hearth. I think it’s my subtle way of sneaking more “bling” into the home. If it were up to me, my home would be decked out in all things girly and glittery. Thank goodness for my husband who definitely balances me out! Here’s our living room stockings…
I even have stockings in my office to match the decor…(originally I was going to use these in our lower level, but we ended up not making a mantle after our renovation down there)…
These will be the stockings that Santa actually fills up. One for P+S and baby G!
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer!
One of my favorite objects to decorate with are reindeer! I have to admit, I fall toward the girly, glam look. So for now my Santas are packed away…and I am loving incorporating beautiful reindeer into every room as well! Here are the sweet ones that greet people in the entry…
Reindeer perched upon the buffet in my dining room….
I spy with my little eye…baby Bella, as I take a quick snapshot of the reindeer in our living room!
These little guys are temporary fixtures around my temporary little tree in the lower level….
And because a girl can never have too much bling…these ones are my absolute FAVORITE to pull out each year (this year I even found the matching stocking holders!)
Reindeer seem to make everything more magical….
Rockin Around The Christmas Tree
Every year I like to add a little treat to my Christmas collection! This year was Christmas ornaments! I treated myself to a special little treat–trimmings for my Christmas tree, imported from one of my favorite destination places…Harrods of London!
“I like big bulbs and I cannot lie!” LOL! I was so inspired by a picture of interior designer Jan Shower’s flocked tree with big, oversized metallic bulbs that I decided to try this look on my DIY tree myself! Shortly after ordering these beauties of all sizes from Horchow, they put out their holiday catalog, featuring a GORGEOUS tree with oversized bulbs! I guessed that confirmed my choice! I added dainty little bulbs to balance things out!
Deck The Halls
I try to sprinkle special touches in every space! Holiday decor doesn’t have to be traditional…I like to find fun and festive ways to spruce up every space…
From antlers and jingle bells on my table runner…
Christmas candles and matches in every space…
Beautiful bibles to read the Christmas story…
Cute little items I find along the way, like this little guy…
Decor doesn’t have to be traditional holiday…beautiful flowers go a long way!
Lovely vases…
Stacked books and bowls…
And my favorite piece to deck the halls all year long, a sculpture called “The Offering”…from my late mentor, father-figure and friend, Christian Diaz!
Garland is always gorgeous…
Photo displays framed by Christmas trees (I am working on a “Brides” table here)…
I even sprinkle in the holidays in each bathroom!
It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!
It truly is the most wonderful time of the year! And something tells me that it will be even more magical as we celebrate our baby boy’s birth, and future birthdays each year here! I can’t wait to welcome him to the Robbins Nest! We plan to fill each room in this place with love and laughter–with future to plans to even adopt! We have a lot of love to share!
Before I go to prepare for baby G, here’s a few last sneak peeks & a room by room tour…
Our lower level (quite the transformation from last year’s rustic “man cave”! Tutto Interiors of Northville worked their magic and completely renovated this space!)
My Office
Our Entry
Our Dining Room
Our Family Room
Our Formal Living Room
An Aerial View From Above…
Somehow Bella snuck in (again….)
For a room-by-room tour of our entire home (all year round) CLICK HERE
Thank you so much for touring our nest! We wish you a happy, healthy holiday season!
XO, Phil, Sarah, and baby Gabriel (and of course, baby Bella too!)
PS- this was our first time taking pictures after a quick tutorial from our friend Jessica! What do you think? Be easy on us–we are newbies!