Celebrating Family and Sunday Morning Coffee

This weekend, we are celebrating family and a special milestone in Northern California—our grandson Graham’s second birthday!

It’s hard to believe that sweet little Graham is already two years old today. Thanks for joining me for Sunday Morning Coffee. This is a place to share, learn, explain, dream, and have fun.

A woman and a child sit on a patio sofa. The child holds a popsicle stick. A phone, toy, and sunglasses are on the table in front of them. — “Say Cheese!”

Season 5 Volume 14

About Me

Adult and child smiling while sitting on grass in a backyard with a small playhouse in the background.

Celebrations are wonderful and family celebrations are the best. Today, we are celebrating my grandson’s 2nd birthday!

A child and an adult sitting inside a colorful inflatable bounce house; the adult is drinking from a cup.

Time has truly flown by, and watching him grow, learn, and develop his charming personality has been such an incredible joy. We feel incredibly blessed to gather with our children and their significant others for this wonderful occasion, making memories we’ll cherish for years.

There’s nothing quite like celebrating the birthdays of our grandchild—he brings the whole family together and reminds us of how much we have to be grateful for. Today, we get to watch Graham blow out his candles, open presents, and giggle in delight; our hearts will overflow with love and gratitude.

Three wrapped gifts with a custom photo and dinosaur pattern, tied with blue ribbons, next to a roll of the same wrapping paper and a loose ribbon.

Patterned wallpaper with alternating photos of a child in a blue shirt and outline drawings of dinosaurs.

I made this special wrapping paper and spent only $15 to wrap eight gifts! Be sure to check back later this week for all of the easy details in my blog post, “How to Make Personalized Wrapping Paper.”

Life’s greatest gifts are precious moments spent with family, full of laughter and hugs. Happy birthday, Graham—we love you more than words can say!

Favorite Toddler Gifts

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Blue speaker with an animal face design and an American flag sticker, surrounded by five toy figures: a lion, a bear with a pot, a cowboy on an apple, a dog with a red ball, and a race car. — Toniebox Audio Player Disney Starter Set

Colorful bubble lawn mower toy with orange handle, blue body, and green wheels. Produces bubbles, with three purple wands and three bottles of bubble solution included. — Bubble Lawn Mower

Two children sit on a blue convertible sofa reading. Below, the sofa is rearranged into a play fort, slide, and lounge setup, with children using each configuration. — Betterhood Play Couch Sofa

Children's white balance bike with black tires, a black handlebar, and a brown seat. The frame displays the word "KRIDDO. — Toddler Balance Bike

Children's plastic T-ball set with a blue and yellow bat, red stand, four white balls, and a blue base. — Little Tikes T-Ball Set

Toy projector with a yellow handle, red dial, and blue base. Displays book covers: "The Saggy Baggy Elephant," "The Poky Little Puppy," and "Tawny Scrawny Lion," alongside a dog figurine. — Little Tikes Story Dream Machine Starter Set

My Latest Project

It is hard to believe, but I have spent a lot of time installing a hardware floor this week!

Needlepoint canvas depicting a Christmas stocking design with gifts, a teddy bear, and holiday decorations in progress.

However, this one is easier than most. I started a new needlepoint stocking for my grandson, Graham, and my first task was adding the “hardwood floor.” I love this decorative stitch—it actually looks like a wood floor, don’t you think?

Needlepoint design featuring a festive scene with cakes on a red table, colored bows, and holiday greenery.

This stocking is from a company called Strictly Christmas, which I bought at A Stitch in Time. It’s a fantastic needlepoint store near our home that also offers classes.

I hope for a miracle and that I can finish his stocking in time for Christmas. That means I have to be done by September for the final finishing process, which is only five months away.

That is a very ambitious goal!

Wich me luck.

A Christmas stocking cross-stitch featuring a decorated tree, staircase, gifts, and a teddy bear, with red trim and the name "GRAHAM" embroidered at the top.

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My Biggest Challenge This Week

Residential street scene with a large house in the background, tall trees, utility wires, and orange traffic cones. A small crew is working on equipment nearby.

This past weekend was filled with excitement and just a little chaos as we filmed a commercial for Macy’s at our home!

Watching our home transform into a bustling film set, with crews moving swiftly, equipment everywhere, and scenes unfolding in rooms we know so well, is always fascinating. Everything went smoothly, and it was such a thrill to see the creative vision come together, though I must admit it’s always a whirlwind experience!

Interior view of a room with open double doors, a white sideboard with decorative items, and a dining table with chairs. The room has carpeted floors and is lit by wall sconces.

While I’d love to share behind-the-scenes action photos, we must wait until after the commercial airs, likely next month. I promise I’ll share plenty of details and fun photos as soon as I can. We’ve filmed many commercials, TV shows, and movies over the years, but each new production brings unique energy and excitement.

Two portable generators on a residential driveway, surrounded by cables and wires, with a white house on the side under a blue sky.

Stay tuned—I can’t wait to show you how our home looked in the final production!

Finalize plans for relandscaping the front flower beds of our home.
Finish all of my Easter crafts.
Prepare a plan for my Mother’s Day DIY gifts.

A slice of lemon dessert sits on a white plate with a fork, with the rest of the dessert in a dish in the background, garnished with lemon slices.

This easy Lemon Tiramisu recipe is a must-have. It’s perfect for Easter, too!

Two printed questionnaires titled "All About My Dad" and "All About My Grandpa" on a clipboard, with blank spaces to fill in details, and a pen placed diagonally across the papers.

This Free Father’s Day Questionnaire – A Special Keepsake for Dad– is adorable!

A person organizes clothes into tote bags on a wooden table next to stacked books.

Have you Discovered the “40 Bags in 40 Days” Decluttering Method?

Pink fabric basket with gray bunnies and butterflies, featuring striped edges. Background shows other similarly designed baskets. Text reads: "Super Sweet Bunny Baskets.

These DIY Easter Baskets: A Fun and Creative Way to Celebrate Spring are adorable!

A neatly set table features a decorative plate with an embroidered napkin, tied with blue string, and adorned with a yellow flower. Two forks are placed on the left side.

You are going to love How to Stencil Spring Napkins.

Four pink flower-shaped plates are arranged on a light blue background. — Lenox Butterfly Meadow Floral Accent Plates

A fabric basket with "O is for Olivia" printed on it, featuring a rabbit illustration. Two folded blue cloths are placed inside. — Personalized Easter Baskets

Four white cocktail napkins with scalloped edges outlined in blue, arranged in a staggered stack on a light gray background. — Scalloped Embroidery Cloth Napkins

And what a week it was!

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