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I’m back with the basement reveal!!

January 15, 2019 by Abby Thome

I’m back, bitches.

Did you miss me??

It’s hard to believe it has been over six months since my last blog post. My social media detox went deeper than I had ever anticipated, and it feels fantastic to be back!

Speaking of social media, I need your help … Come follow along. I relaunched my Facebook page, and my Instagram is getting a total reboot – so if you want to join along for the ride make SURE you are following me! More day to day life, home updates, giveaways, Insta-stories and more … you won’t want to miss it!

Facebook: follow me here

Instagram: follow me here

So what have we been up to in The Thome Home for the past six months?

THE BASEMENT!

It’s hard to believe that we have officially finished the family room part of our basement renovation, and that it was all DIY by Dan and his father. The counter top and carpet were the only two items we called the pro’s for. When we purchased this house in 2014, Dan and I were well aware that the basement issues were the key as to why the house was not selling. And if you know Dan and I well enough after blogging since 2011 – we jump for joy when we see something falling apart. The crappier the house, the bigger the smiles we have. Before it was hip to purchase fixer uppers, we were taking the plunge with our first home in 2011.

Jump to our current money pit, the basement took a huge chunk of change out of our pockets immediately upon purchasing. Steel beams to support collapsing walls, waterproofing, replacing the sinking front porch … the list goes on and on. It took a little over four years for us to gather the courage and funds to enter this space. To create the basement of our dreams for our wild little boys to enjoy.

Take a look at this beauty before. Sure, after a few cocktails she may look a little better. Once the lines are blurred. But the second the morning sun shines down on her, you are faced with a basement that not even the best face tuning could improve.

When creating the concept for this space we knew that it had to be a room that could grow with us as a family. Sure, we have a toddler, but we also have a nine-year old, and seven-year old. And if how fast they have grown is any clue to how quickly well blink and have teenagers hanging out in this space, we knew we had to not only hurry, but make it a basement that could accommodate everyone.

If you take a look at the ‘before’ pictures, you may see one of the best qualities of this space. We had two giant rectangle sections to work with. Our basement, before the stair case is a giant open area. Minus the poles, which are only a minor road block. Dan wanted to maintain the area “behind” the stairs to be dedicated to two different uses. 1. A full bathroom (we are starting next month!) and 2. Storage – if you’ve seen my obsession for pillows and home decor you know this girl needs somewhere to shove it.

We decided to add two “closets” to the corner of the room to have easy access to the electrical and sump pump. Thank goodness for the tech nerd in Dan, because he thought of every last drop of electrical we would need for this space. Those hideous steel posts started to look so nice once they were framed out too! Drywall is like putting concealer on the worst under eye bags you have ever seen. Suddenly, this space did not feel like a dungeon, but a space that we were starting to see the light at the end of a long renovation tunnel!

Are you ready to see the beautiful basement we created?!!?

The Tenille Chesterfield Sofas stole every drop of my soul the second that I spotted them on Wayfair.

These two pieces have become my absolute favorite furniture addition to our home – Sleek, tufted and comfortable beyond words – they set the tone for this basement and gave it the fresh look I was longing for!

Two darling armchairs were added for additional seating – believe it or not even with two large sofas and four bar stools we need more spaces for our guests to get cozy! The large woven basket and storage cabinet are both from Target! I am SUPER picky when it comes to picking furnishings for any room in my home. I cannot stand buying a piece of decor/furniture if it turns out to be flimsy or a total piece of crap. The armchair cushions are so substantial and cozy! The storage cabinet is actually quite heavy and solid! And the basket, if I had a dollar for every time I attempted to bring home another basket I’d be rich. This beauty is thick and strong. Any toddler bum could try to take a seat on it and it will not smoosh (that’s a win, fyi)

The bar was by far our number one “must have” for the basement. If you’ve hung with us before you know we love to entertain. Any night of the week you can find us extending invites for drinks and dinner. A full house is a house full of fun in our minds. So, this bar was an essential piece. Dan and John created this gorgeous, massive bar all on their own. Custom shelving holds a plethora of snacks for guests, and an over-sized counter top acts as an island. The brass pendant lighting is from Wayfair. I also have four new boyfriends that are tall, slender and have the most delectable leather touches.

These bar stools , from Wayfair too, are so freaking comfortable you guys, I think I recall getting a little choked up when we put them together, and I wish I was trying to be funny. I am a firm believer that every single space in your home should have these three elements :

1. Wood 2. Metal 3. Multiple Fabrics

Late one night when neither Dan or I could sleep, he texted me a picture of this cabinet posted by one of our favorite thrifty stores and you bet your sweet muffin top I was there the second it opened to purchase it. We bought a basic tv stand from Wayfair before we hosted Christmas Eve and I gagged every time I walked into the basement. It did not fit the space at all. I know I wanted one more wood element, and searched high and low for a quality wood cabinet with brass pulls that would not cost $1,500. No such luck. Until my stud of a husband saved the day. This cabinet gave the basement the touch old that it needed to balance all of the new pieces we bought.

Another fun piece of decor we got are these prints! The maps of the three cities we have made love in, I am kidding. We have LIVED in, they are a sentimental reminder of all the different places we have called home.

You guys, I’ve said it before, and I will say it again ….

YOU can do anything YOU want to your home. Big projects or little projects, high-end or thrifted, YOU are the owner, YOU are the one who lives there. Regardless of the hottest trends that make you feel like you have to jump on board and replicate so other people “OoO” and “aah” over your home DO NOT SWEAT IT – YOU DO YOU.

Our basement once was a total death trap, and now it is the heart of our home. Endless hours are spent relaxing, entertaining and playing down here! It took us four years of complete patience to live with it the way it was to get here …

the best things come to those who wait 🙂

What projects do you have on your radar for the new year??

I am so happy that you have all continued to follow along on our journey, and I know 2019 will be the best year yet!

Family friendly furniture!

July 23, 2018 by Abby Thome

this blog post is in collaboration with Wayfair! Thank you for supporting the brands that bring so much joy to our home!

The room that put our signatures on the purchase agreement for our home, the family room. It has taken over four years of rearranging, painting, and purchasing to find the right mix of furniture for this space!

We have gone through 3 sets of couches for this family room, THREE. Each year we changed our mind, or learned a lesson in purchasing the wrong furniture for the space.

The one piece that always remained the same was our craigslist coffee table – I loved it. It had six drawers for hiding all of the kids junk, and was SO heavy it would take two adults to move it throughout the room. Alas, Max turned into a toddler, pulling at drawers and ripping them off of their tracks and bopping himself in the face repeatedly …. It had to go!

I turned to my peeps over at Wayfair to help me find the coffee table that could live up to the stamina of our craigslist coffee table. I needed it to be substantially heavy – sturdy – and large. We are always hosting parties and a girl needs a place to lay out all of her appetizers for her guests.

And there she was …. the Lewisburg Coffee Table. She was everything I could have hoped for, more than I had ever wanted. Chunky, heavy, and huge.

That’s my girl.

This coffee table bridges the gap between our 3 couch set up. I know 3 couches is a bit over the top, but if you saw how often we host you would not be surprised as to how fast this pieces fill up on a day-to-day basis!

Dan put this table together in under 15 minutes. Just screwing the legs into the base and top is all is takes to put this beauty together!

Did you know it took me 3 orders to get the right coffee table for this blog post? Yep, I ordered 3! Remember when I surveyed all of you and asked which one I should choose? Well, I was not pleased with any of them.

As a family of 5, 3 of which are boys who will use any surface as a launch pad, I struck out multiple times until I discovered this table that could stand the test of time!

I adore how it bridges the gap between the sofas. And that is blends into the space. I did not want to go light again, because, alas, kids.

Speaking of munchkins, and responding to a few questions from my social media. YES! We still have the play area behind our couches. This awkward void was screaming to be filled but I could not wrap my head around putting another piece of furniture in our extensively large family room. So, layering rugs and giving the munchkins a place to dump their toys seemed like the perfect solution to keep both mom + kiddos happy!

You see, when it comes to picking the right pieces for your family you have to understand one thing. YOU ARE A FAMILY!

Your home décor has to work for YOU!

Just because someone else decorates a certain way, or there are pieces that are beyond trendy and you feel like your home would be empty without it …

fight that urge!

Pick the pieces that you know you will love and enjoy for years to come!

Because if you really love it, you’ll never tire of looking it at!

Barn Door, BIG difference!

June 6, 2018 by Abby Thome

The barn door craze is hot and heavy – have you jumped on the band wagon, yet?

Trends like these always have me on edge. Let’s face it, trends are trends for a reason. They come and go. So as an owner of a fixer upper I am always thinking of ways to improve our home while making a sincere attempt to not fall under the spell of trends that will disappear faster than a screw goes into the drywall.

You’ve seen them on HGTV, Chip + Jo usually always have one tossed into their designs, and now you can pick one up at your local hardware store even. Leave it to Wayfair to make sure that they to can be your one stop shop to adding style and function to your space.

Dan and I have a love/hate relationship with our master bedroom. We love the ample amount of space. We hate the layout. It’s been lovingly referred to as the 70’s hotel room. The vanity/sink is in a separate nook from the toilet/shower and it is wide open for all to see.

Just check out baby Dan hanging in the nook when we started re-finishing the space. “What the heck are we going to do here?” – He was definitely thinking!

So until we have the pockets deep enough to gut our master and do our addition on our house, utilizing a barn door to add separation, yet maintain an airy feel in our master was an absolute must!

This white barn door caught our eye immediately. We knew it would not close off the room with its bright white, keeping the lines of the room flowing and not feeling too choppy.

You can shop this exact door, HERE.

Dan put this beauty together in about an hour, and the second he called me upstairs I said “Why did we not do this sooner??” Truth be told, trends may come and go, but sometimes you’ve got to take the risk and just do it. Take the risk, and if all else fails and you hate it, try something else!

It is so nice after showering that I can slide this door to provide myself a little bit of privacy. With three boys always screaming my name and looking for me this barn door gives me a little hiding space!

The master bedroom has been on the back burner for a long time. I want to paint, and add art work (etc) and with other projects trumping this room I was so happy to see the dimension and coziness the barn door added to the space!

You can find many more door designs, HERE –

Here are some of my favorite ways to incorporate barn doors into your home ….

(source)

As you can see I think adding new hardware, and perhaps painting our door might be in our near future. But, for now, I will relish in the fact that I have privacy and peace when I get ready in the morning!

#momwin

Let’s Move the Party OUTSIDE!

April 20, 2018 by Abby Thome

The Thome Home residents are a glutton for throwing bashes. From Monday to Thursday we chat about our weekend plans, and it never fails that somehow we find a few hours that we can get people over to our place for drinks and good eats. There is something about gathering up friends and family that just fills me up and brings me such joy! Making Mondays easier because I’ll just start to plan another get together all over again.

It has been a bit harder the past few months here in Hudson, though. The end of April is nearing and the row of winter jackets hung on our coat rack is the first sign of the lack of spring creeping into our hood. The days that hit 40* everyone on the street are outside, and it is so funny to see how we have learned to celebrate every notch of upward moving degrees. Pathetic? Maybe. Appreciative? Definitely!

I could not bare to let another 30* week in April hold me back from getting our front porch rockers clean, and adding our throw pillows to give our porch a sunnier disposition. Heck, if we are going to head into May freezing our buns off I might as well decorate for summer and fake it until we make it there!

These outdoor wood accent tables caught my eye from Wayfair!

They were SO simple to put together, and the combination of black against the natural wood grain just makes these tables pop all the way from the street as you drive by!

With the weather fluctuating so dramatically, I decided fake plants were the way to go until we are guarantee the life span of our potted plants will go the long run. It surprised me that this little faux green could really fake someone out as they stroll by!

So let’s all face these winter blues and start adding those gorgeous pops of color to our house again. Before we know it, we will all be able to plop into those rocking chairs and enjoy a glass of wine with our friends and family!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

March 19, 2018 by Abby Thome

Did you know that Panera delivers? I know, so yesterday right? BUT we jumped on board one night for dinner because sometimes its just easier to order in than to make a mess in the kitchen. Much to my disappointment, it was crazy expensive for tiny portions. The only thing we were happy about was the soup. Lord have mercy, their chicken and wild rice soup left us with warm bellies and wishing there was more than a tiny cup in front of us.

Leave it to me. The obsessive-never-let-an-idea-go-girl who just had to recreate this soup.

And my loves, I did it. I more than did it, I made an even better soup.

If you’re a fan of a thicker soup, and find yourself always day dreaming about your moms sunday suppers – this soup hits every taste bud and will leave you spooning faster than you can swallow.

The recipe is not measured, as good old-fashioned cooking should be. Here is what I use, and how I do it!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Author: Abby Thome

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts, roasted
1 head of garlic
1 1/2 bags of carrots, chopped
1 bunch of celery, chopped
1 large onion
1 32oz chicken stock, low sodium
1/4 cup heavy cream
32 oz water (use empty chicken stock container)
few tablespoons of flour
seasoning: salt. pepper. garlic powder. poultry seasoning.
2 bags Uncle Bens ready whole grain medley (wild rice + brown)

Instructions

Roll up your sleeves hungry hippos, lets cook!

Preheat your oven to 350*

Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder. Set on baking sheet. ALSO on the baking sheet : take the entire head of garlic, chop off the top. On a small foil square, place garlic head and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap it up like a present and place it on the pan to roast away with the chicken.

Roast chicken for 25 minutes, or until cooked all the way through. Pull chicken out of the oven and set aside. Let the garlic roast for additional 30 – 40 minutes. Once done, set aside to cool as well.

CHOP all the veggies (onion, carrot, and celery)

In a dutch oven, or large pot – drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil, and toss in all of the veggies. Season with salt and pepper, and continue to cook over medium heat for 20-30 minutes.

When the veggies begin to soften, and flavors develop sprinkle the veggies with a few tablespoons of flour and a drizzle of olive oil. This will later help thicken your soup!

Stir for 2-3 minutes to let the flour cook off.

Pour in the chicken stock and water, season with some salt and pepper and add about 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning.

Simmer this for 2-3 hours.

Once the soup has simmered for a few hours, chop the chicken breasts and add them to the pot. Squeeze those sweet garlic cloves out of the head and add them to the pot too!

Continue to simmer for another 30 minutes. Adding salt and pepper to taste!

Allllllright alright alright. We’re nearing the end loves, hang in there! It is worth every single minute.

Last, but not to be forgotten. In a bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons of flour with the WARM heavy cream ( I just put it in the microwave and add it to the flour) Stir it up for the flour to dissolve, and add it to the pot.

Dump in the two bags of rice — Within 15 minutes or so, your soup will thicken!

That’s it! It freezes beautifully. Let it cool, pour into gallon zip lock bags and lay flat in the freezer

This soup will change your life, and impress any dinner guest you may have. Kick it up a knotch and serve it with a baquette, because we all know bread makes everything better!

SIDE NOTE: I usually double this batch, one to freeze and one to enjoy right away. Having said that, even if you make ONE batch — you can add as many veggies as you want. I love carrots, so I tend to put 2 or more 1lb bags of carrots into the batch. Remember to season as you go along, a pinch or two of salt at a time. Pinch of pepper – taste as you go. The flavors will develop over time and you will be amazed how delicious this soup is on day one!!

CLE Social – Arcade

March 7, 2018 by Abby Thome

This post is in collaboration with CLE-Social Arcade. Thank you for supporting the brands that help support our blog!

Brody turned NINE last week and I can hardly wrap my momma brain around it all! Throwing a birthday bash for your kids can prove to be SO challenging! Especially if the birthdate is during the colder months. With his March birthday, we are always faced with the inevitable – are we crazy enough to invite a ton of wild boys into our home and somehow keep them entertained? Or find a place that is suitable for their age group to throw the party?

When I heard neighbors talking about CLE-Social Arcade in downtown Hudson – I knew it would be right up Brody’s alley. Brody + Owen are obsessed with anything “old school” these days, and if you’ve happen to watch the movie Pixels with Adam Sandler than you will know exactly why these boys went bananas the second we entered CLE Social’s doors!

CLE Social is an arcade, tucked underneath a sub shop in downtown Hudson that transports you into a state of pure nostalgia! This underground gem is packed with 25 classic arcade games that you pay a general admission fee for to play unlimited for X amount of time. GENIUS! No coins, no tickets, just pure old school fun that every age can enjoy!

I told Brody + Owen to hold tight and let me take a few pictures before the guests rolled in, but they dashed straight to their favorite games and I could not peel their eyes off of the screen. It is amazing what the owners, Dan + Mindy have created in this new Hudson hot spot! A space where the young and old can gather and enjoy video games from when things were FAR simpler, and in my personal opinion FAR superior!

10:00am struck and the birthday boys guests piled in, anxiously handing off their presents only to zoom directly towards their favorite games!

For two hours it was pure excitement pouring from this group, not a single second of boredom!

Brody’s personal favorite games were Pac Man, Super Mario Brothers and the Simpsons.

Dan and I were on cloud nine the entire time. We brought dozens of doughnuts, and just sat back and watched the kids bounce from game to game. Truly the easiest, most hands free birthday party we have ever thrown.

That’s the face of two completely relaxed parents who planned the ultimate birthday party that our kids are going to talk about for a long time to come!

Whether you are have an hour to kill before going to out dinner, or looking for a new tradition for Friday nights with your family – CLE Social is the perfect spot to stop in at and get completely lost in these amazing arcade games!

Dan’s wheels kept turning dreaming about adding one of these amazing games to our basement renovation.

Did you know that you can rent or buy these very machines?? HOW COOL!!

The passion Dan + Mindy (owners) have for this arcade is truly contagious and it shows in every detail.

This birthday party was the ultimate birthday present we could have ever given Brody! Spread the word, come check it out with your kids yourself and you are sure to have a blast from the past!

A HUGE thank you to CLE Social for making all of our birthday boys wishes come true!

Coffee Table Toss Up!

February 12, 2018 by Abby Thome

They simply don’t make things like they use to. That’s a fact!

So when both of our coffee tables busted, I started to panic. Our family room table was a Craigslist find worthy of streaking down a highway. Over 4 1/2 feet long, four drawers, and heavier than all three of my kiddos put together and was only $75. It was a substantial, well-built piece of furniture. Unfortunately, the drawers have had their fair share of being played with over the years and now they are hanging on like a loose tooth seconds before being pulled. Simply said, it just is not safe with a little one to be tugging on.

A few years back, as Wayfair Homemaker, I was given the opportunity to pick a piece to review on our little slice of internet and Dan and I were both astonished to see our choice in person!

This gorgeous, massive leather tufted ottoman showed up at our door step and I was jumping with joy. She gave us two amazing years until a little rascal at our Christmas Eve party decided to body surf on it and break the hinges and hydraulics. I do not want to part with it, but it lacks purpose now and is a giant chunk of broken furniture. And yes, I called to see if we could get replacement parts to bring this beauty back to life, but they discontinued this piece so I have to let it go.

Letting go of well-built furniture gives me the same depressing feelings I had when my hamsters died as a kid. Sure, I was going to get another one in a few days. But THAT one was SO good to me – Haha.

So lets let it go together, and look forward to the next! Here are a few of the coffee tables I am eyeing right now. We are ordering our new one this week and need your help voting!

We’re starting with our family room –

Now this coffee table has been on my mind for over a year now. Saved to my ideas boards on Wayfair’s website, and if I said I did not constantly click on it just to get another glimpse I would be lying. At over 55″ long, and 65 pounds, I know this would be able to stand 3 obnoxious little boys and their wild antics. The open storage is appealing to me as well, because the drawers in our current coffee table just hoards all of the crap I cannot find a place for – I am not proud.

Shop this coffee table, here.

Everything good must go eventually, and this coffee table is currently sold out. Whether my patience will hold tight until May 7 is a sure NO. BUT, if you like it and do not currently have a busted coffee table to replace, put this beauty on your wish list!

Dan does not want to acknowledge this option. And for reasons I can already read his mind for. “You can’t Clorox this – can you imagine the boys boogers dried up on the side?” “The dog hair that is going to cling to this will cost us more in lint rollers!” Yes, both valid reasons, but something, something about this ottoman is jumping out at me. I love the idea of a plush ottoman to kick your feet up on, and enough space to place a tray or two for cocktails and munchies. The kids can play Spider-Man and I will have zero fears of them jumping from couch to coffee table and back. AND you can buy a 3 year warranty for just $21.99 !! I am not one for warranties, because there is always a catch. BUT, this one covers accidentals. Which is insane, because my life and what my day consists of is pure accidents. So, maybe, just looking at this one has me feeling like it’s saying “I got your back, babe.”

What is your vote??

Help a girl out!

Date Night with Wayfair

January 26, 2018 by Abby Thome

Date Night.

A term parents shutter to utter.

Sure, we all want to get away from our kids, get a table at the new restaurant in town and gaze for three hours into each others eyes – in peace.

BUT.

Reality is you have to shower, get ready, pray that your kids don’t get sick on the 1 night you choose to leave in the last 100 days, pay a babysitter a ridiculous amount of dough to sit on your couch – only to go out to eat and talk about the kids – or even worse – nothing at all because you’re so freaking tired from getting everything ready to leave your house.

Sometimes, and by sometimes I mean ALL the time, I prefer to stay at home. The hustle of arranging a sitter, and the probability that one of our kids will decide to spike a fever at the last-minute is just far to great of risk for me to go out in public and act like I want to be social on after a long week balancing life at home with work and my spawns.

This is exactly how I think our date night would pan out …

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aspBKFz2dBI&t=1s)

So let’s skip the date night out, and do what we do best in The Thome Home

DATE NIGHT IN!

There are only a few things you need (in my books) to make an ordinary night at home with your loved one and kick it up a notch.

1. WINE. lots and lots of WINE.

2. Yummy food – finger foods if possible. No one wants an overstuffed belly on the night they may get lucky.

3. Netflix – cuddle up to binge watch a new series that will give you something else to talk about other than the 10 poopy diapers you changed that day. Trust me, you’ll thank me.

I turned to Wayfair in their kitchen department to pick out a few gorgeous pieces to dress up our evening together!

These stemless wine glasses caught my eye immediately. I am always running out of wine glasses when we have guests over, and I adore the circle thumbprint pattern along the bottom. Check out all of the rest, HERE.

I decided to fill ours with a red wine sangria, and it was delish.

And don’t even get me started on these marble serving trays I found – you guys, they give me life.

The hubs and I love to just munch at night, even if it counts as our entire dinner. Slowing down when the house is finally quiet and enjoying a meal together is our ultimate idea of rest and relaxation.

I made a simple caprese spread : sliced mozzarella, tomato, basil – sprinkled with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil

Also a delicious green apple + gouda bite : sliced green apple, piece of gouda cheese, spicy candied pecans and a drizzle of honey

Take a French baguette, slice is in half. Drizzle a warm pan with olive oil (we use avocado oil) and a sprinkle of garlic powder. Place the bread face down to get all toasty and warm. Yummmm

A delicious combination of sweet, tangy and savory. The olives were placed in these darling wooden bowls – you can find so many more dining bowls, HERE! Sure to please any palette!

These marble serving trays are HEAVY guys. Real deal, gorgeous pieces that you will keep and adore for years and years to come. I picked up two for future gatherings and can see using them for so many different things! There are SO many options for cheese boards, take a look HERE!

I’d say our date night at home was a total success, and thanks to Wayfair – I was able to make it extra special!

How Wise Apple changed the way we lunch!

December 5, 2017 by Abby Thome

This is a sponsored post with Wise Apple. Thank you for supporting the brands that help support our blog!

When this adorable box shows up at your door step two things will happen. 1: Your kids will go racing, ripping open the package and spend 15 minutes planning out which day they are bringing which meal. 2: You, my loves, will feel the greatest sense of relief knowing your school mornings just got a heck-of-a lot easier. These days you see a ton of subscription meal boxes that come to your door to “make your life easier”. But, please. Someone tell me what is easy about opening up a ton of ingredients, cooking it, and then cleaning up the mess? The geniuses behind Wise Apple must have read my worn out mother mind.

Wise Apple is a lunch subscription service that delivers healthy, perfectly portioned meals directly to your door. With 10 lunches that vary each and every week, you can pick your own or simply be surprised. Just look at how fantastic these lunches are!

Owen and Brody could not get enough. I have to admit, I was extremely weary of trying it. I hate seeing food go to waste, and we all know the dreaded 4:00pm lunch box opening – only to find that the yogurt was not eaten, or that warm cheese stick you have to now toss in the trash. It never fails that when I pack the boys meals that I think they will love, their little stubborn minds just reject 1/2 of it on a daily basis. I was fed up, and when Wise Apple came into my life it changed the way we do lunch around here. The boys were actually excited to try the lunches, swapping certain ingredients with each other to create and customize a lunch that was gobbled up every single day.

It literally blew my mind, you guys.

Check out all of the lunches they have to offer, HERE.

Wise Apple has changed the way we pack in The Thome Home. No longer do I stick to the same boring “play it safe” food selections. Goodbye pb&j, a yogurt, cheese stick and a bag of chips. Wise Apple taught me that it was not my kids that were in an awful rut of being picky, it was me. Playing it far too safe, packing what I’d hope they were devour. Introducing new options, in smaller portions, where they felt as if they had the control of what they wanted they day changed everything for them.

The Thome boys would hop into the car after school and rip open their lunch boxes to reveal an empty sac each and every day. It felt so good to know that in the morning I did not have to shuffle around and toss junk into their lunch boxes and that they had a healthy delicious meal ready to go!

Here are a few of the boys favorites, the ones that brought out a brotherly fight in the wee hours over who got what that day

Pita Pizza – there were tears shed over who got to bring this meal to school. Oh kids!

Owen loves tomatoes, so this Presto Pesto was right up his alley!

And what kid doesn’t love making their own cracker sandwiches?!

I am forever grateful to Wise Apple for opening up these tired momma eyes, and making me realize that it is okay to take a risk and have your children switch up their lunch routine. Not a single crumb in the garbage for two weeks, folks.

Now that’s a mom win!

You want to feel on top of your mom game, too? Wise Apple is offering $20 off of your first week order with code THOME

Hop on over to TheThomeHome on Instagram for a giveaway tomorrow, for your chance to win a FREE WEEK!

Christmas Window with Wayfair

November 30, 2017 by Abby Thome

Hi, my name is Abby and I am a Christmas super fan. If I had the opportunity to come back in my next life as an elf at the North Pole – I would. This is the best example of what I look and act like while preparing our house for the holiday season…

This time of year is pure magic for my boys and I cannot help but see it all through their eyes. The houses that glow at night, lining the streets in a parade of pure magic. The smell of Christmas cookies cooling just waiting to be covered in frosting and sprinkles galore. The restlessness on Christmas Eve, when our entire house tosses and turns in anticipation to get the green light from Dad with the video camera to come running down the stairs.

And the shrieks of pure surprise that come from my boys mouths while mom and dad rub our eyes and cover our yawns because we got only 2 hours of sleep after hosting our late night Christmas Eve bash. The tea-pot whistles as we tell the boys to let us get our caffeine poured and to sit anxiously with their stockings. 3…2…1….. Let the chaos begin!

Each year it amazes me how those little hands can tear through dozens of presents that took those sweet little elfs months and months to build, and even longer to wrap in just half an hour. 30 minutes of pure unfiltered happiness that results in days and days of not being able to wipe the “Santa came” smirk off of their sweet little faces.

When it comes to The Thome Home’s holiday décor, I try my best to collect different pieces each year so that the next we have a few more pieces to sprinkle throughout our rooms. I have to hold myself back through November to not jump ahead and decorate too soon, but this year, I just could not help myself. Our decorations were up the week before Thanksgiving and I have enjoyed having our home for the holidays a bit earlier this year.

Wayfair has always been my one stop shop for home décor, and their current line of holiday pieces did not disappoint! We found the most gorgeous “PEACE” sign to set above our fireplace this year and it is even better in person!

You can buy it here!

It comes in 5 different sizes, we chose the 24H x 36W and it fills our fireplace mantel perfectly!

On a chilly winter night while the fireplace is roaring, this PEACE sign balances this space perfectly!

I think this wall art will be one on constant rotation each holiday season, one that our kids will remember and we look forward to bringing out each and every year!

Check out the amazing wall art Wayfair has to offer!

Happy Holidays!

xoxo, Abby