My blogging friend Pree and I recently decided to do a food swap and it was so much fun! I’ve been following her in the blog world for several years and always love keeping up with her life, especially since she has been living in Italy!
She was missing some American food and I was eager to try all things Italian. She sent along Pan de Stelle spread, cereal bars, Kinder chocolate, nougat, and all sorts of goodies. I had to fight with Jimmy and Sadie to try the Kinder chocolate 😜
If I’ve learned anything from blogging, it’s that you absolutely can make lasting and amazing connections with people from all over the world. The internet is pretty amazing and I’m so happy that I’ve made friends with countless bloggers over the years.
Let’s talk about decorating for Valentine’s Day! I feel like the holiday is a bright spot in the middle of winter and I’ll use any reason to celebrate loved ones.
We made a trip to Hobby Lobby and Dollar Tree to grab a few items to decorate for Valentine’s Day and it has been so much fun to see the cheery pink and red-hued signs and garland.
The house was definitely looking bare after taking down Christmas decor. I think my favorite piece of decor is the cupcake recipe sign below. So cute!
We strung garland around the house, put faux flowers in a flower pot on our front porch, hung signs, got pink pillow covers, and even made some homemade art.
Sadie is our little decor queen. She rearranges our couch pillows, blankets, and any decor (and even non decor items… think strainers, pans, towels, etc.) to make “homes” and “scenes” multiple times a day.
Imagine her delight when I asked her if she wanted to help me make a special piece of art for the walls. I had previously painted the watercolor art pictured below (in 2017!).
For an inexpensive switch up, I bought heart-patterned scrapbook paper in pink and red and put it in the frames. For the middle frame, I asked Sadie to draw a picture!
I love her drawing so much! She said it was me, and I think she also mentioned I was holding Mordecai?! I wouldn’t be surprised 😂
Living My Full Life 
I love that you keep in contact with all your blogging friends- and I feel like you always know so many random facts because of your blog buddies 😎
Your decor looks so cute- and I LOVE the wooden heart that Sadie painted and decorated for my front door!!!
Love you
It’s the best! And you are so right about the random things I know. I think I learn something new every time I read a blog, lol.
The wooden heart looked great on your door! Love you!
Sadie is way to cool!
Tell her pap pap said that.
Love 💕 You!
Dad
🙂
Hahah I will! I love you!
I’m so happy you and the fam enjoyed all of the 🇮🇹 goodies! It really was a lot of fun to put together and I love everything you sent me… even the pasta 🤣!!
Hahaha, even the pasta!! That makes me so happy! Sadie eats the pan de Stella spread on graham crackers every.single.day. and I might cry when it runs out haha. That was so much fun!
Yes! Those blogging relationships can become very real friendships! You know I totally get that. ❤
And so fun to decorate for Valentine's! I love that you got Sadie involved with this and hung her art. I know she loved that!
Yes!! 100%! I cherish our friendship and look forward to many more years!
She was so on board with doing art work for the decor. I think I may have to do it for each holiday now!
Ahh I love this post so much. How fun to get an Italian care package from Pree. I so badly wanted to meet up with her while I was living in Germany, but the timing never aligned. She is such a sweet spirit. I love how easy it is to spruce up a room with some fun decorations, it can immediately lift your mood. The drawing Sadie made between the heart papers is such a cute touch. My blogging pals are some of my favorite people, I do miss when blogging first sort of came around – long before the modern social media, but I am thankful some of us are still at it!
She is awesome!! I totally didn’t think about how you were both in Europe at the same time! I totally miss those early days of blogging, too. They were so special! The people that have stuck with it are an awesome community 🙂
You two are literally the only bloggers from the early days I still follow 🥲! But I am so glad we have all been able to stay connected!
And Britt, you’re next! I plan to return to the US soon as soon as a job lines up, but I can make sure to bring back all the goodies you want/miss from Europe :)!
Aww, no way?! I feel pretty special!! Can’t wait for Britt to enjoy allll the European goodies again. You two are the coolest 😎