“So I will dance with Cinderella . . . “

This heart-wrenching Stephen Curtis Chapman song ran through my head more than once watching Gracie twirl around in flower girl dresses.

<I’m not crying, you’re crying.>

Zach is a groomsman, I’m the Matron of Honor, Gracie and Lily are flower girls, and Caleb is the ring bearer in my sister’s wedding, and it is so special! By the way, these pics are from my sister and as you can imagine, none of these dresses is the one (spoiler alert).

Kindly ignore whatever strange face I am making here.

She legit thought at first that the basket was a hat. Might need to clarify her flower girl duties…

It was surreal at times watching my sister try on wedding dresses with my mom and the mother of the groom who is also my husband’s aunt. If that made your head spin, don’t worry the family tree should still result in normal children. <should>

Um, who doesn’t want blue sequins when they walk down the aisle? Emily didn’t say yes to a dress yet, but she will look stunning in whatever she wears.

I have to capture the mornings like this where my kids act like they love each other and will be best friends for life.

Because in the hustle and hassle of mom life it is easy to mentally capture the frustration, exhaustion, and overwhelm.

Like a morning such as the one above where I had to remind Caleb 286 times he was missing a shoe (shoes which we can’t find now, I might add), coats go on our back, not in your backpack (it was 40 degrees out), and that it would be prudent to wait to put the backpack on until after breakfast and donning said coat. <sigh> Please tell me this gets better.

Don’t forget to enter to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card for the 100th imPERFECTly emPOWERed podcast celebration! It is super easy to do! Click HERE or enter below!

On the podcast this week, I shared some simple and easy dinner menus for the upcoming holidays. Whether you need Thanksgiving dinner or a Christmas menu idea, use these 6 dinner meal plans with recipes for a less stressed holiday season!

I also chatted with travel agent Bridget Scotti – CEO of Whym Travel to learn how you can experience the thrill of a surprise vacation without the hassle of planning.

Are you ready for some weekend baking? I have TWO delicious recipes from the blog this week.

This easy sugar cookie bar with whipped icing is a delicious alternative to the traditional sugar cookie for decorating recipe.

Made with easy bread machine crescent dough topped with a dollop of homemade whipped icing, this is the BEST cinnamon rolls recipe.

Let’s check out more inspiration from this week’s Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop!

If you’re looking for the perfect Thanksgiving side dish, this easy sweet potato casserole is perfect for those of us who are short on time (or energy).

Have you seen those butter boards? What about a big board slathered with yummy tangy goat cheese and various toppings? Such a great appetizer for the holidays or getting together with friends!

Have you started decorating for the holidays? Learn a super-easy way to add a tiny entryway Christmas crate to your home.

Dried orange slices are perfect if you want to add a pop of natural color to your holiday decor this year.

These Spiced Apple & California Walnut Cookies are so festive, and would make great gifts for neighbors, teachers, family, or friends this holiday season.

These simple gluten-free pumpkin cookies with cake mix only require a handful of ingredients, and no one will believe they’re gluten-free!