[BOY MOMS] Della from Della Devoted

Hi Everyone, I'm Della and I blog over at Della Devoted. I left the working world to be a stay at home mom. Best decision I have ever made! I'm a Christian, a wife and a #boymom to a 10 month old. I love to bake, read and a good DIY project. On my blog you can find anything from devotionals to DIY projects as well as recipes and of course baby posts.

After going through such a hard time getting pregnant, then getting pregnant with twins that ended with a terrible miscarriage, my husband and I were finally going to have a baby...We were having a precious baby! I just couldn't believe the miracle that was taking place in our lives.

I had secretly hoped that I was having a boy. I grew up around all boys and I just knew more of what to expect from them. In my head I had it planned out that I should have a little boy first, that way he could protect his little sister.  Justin thought for sure that we were having a girl, but i just knew in my heart that our baby was a boy. We found out early at 16 weeks, that in fact, we were having a boy--Raylan

After waiting through 38 weeks and 2 days of my pregnancy, 22 hours in labor and a C-section, Raylan was finally here...

It was the happiest day of my life. I knew right then and there that I was always meant to be a mom. I would spend the rest of my life being a protector to Raylan and being the best mom that I could possibly be.

If you find out that you are having a boy, here are a few things that you can expect:

• Little boys are always momma's boys. I can't get out of Raylan's sight for 5 minutes without him wanting his mom mom

Photo credit of Precious Moments Photography

• They will be your best friend
• They give the best hugs and kisses
• They are mischievous and are always into everything but what boy isn't
• They love to make messes and get dirty
• You will need to take extra precautions anytime you have that diaper off!
• You can still dress little  boys just as adorable as little girls

Photo credit of Precious Moments Photography

• There are so many things that you can do with little boys. For instance, my husband races so naturally he will want to take Raylan to the races when he gets a little bigger
• You can guess that his nursery is done in cars as well....

So If you are having a little boy, don't think that it will be boring. I have not had a dull moment since the day Raylan has been born. Raylan keeps me on my toes but I truly wouldn't have it any other way. I'm so thankful that God chose me to be his mom.

Photo credit of Precious Moments Photography

I'm the one who is blessed! Raylan has taught me the true meaning of love and what it truly means to be happy. Every morning when Raylan wakes up, he is always smiling at me. He is such a happy baby. I love to hear him laugh. It melts my heart. This little boy is my whole world. He is my miracle. I couldn't thank God enough for him. So I may be biased, but I think little boys are the best.

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If you would like to share a post about you and your son, email me at chasinmasonblog@gmail.com .

I would love to feature you! You don't have to have a blog to participate!

[Five on Friday] Instagram Edition Part 3

Happy Friday!

Here's my totally random, five things I'm loving on Instagram this week...

ONE.

@thewisebaby

I love everything about these special, easy little gifts.

Love the washi. Love the Starbucks. Love the cute saying.

How perfect are these little gifts for teachers or co-workers or just someone you want to say a little "Merry Christmas" to?

TWO.

@ecards_for_you

I'm currently LOVING Taylor Swift's newest CD and while I am playing it on repeat about 10 times a day (Seth is soooo happy!), I came across this ecard. I laughed for a good minute, took a screen shot, and laughed again about how true this really is.

THREE.

@hrgranados

Friend and fellow boy mom.

I'm LOVING this! I think I may like the Go Go Smart Wheels more than Mason because I TOTALLY want all of these and to build this master piece.

FOUR.

@mixandmatchmama

If you don't follow @mixandmatchmama on Instagram or read her foodie blog or family blog, you are missing out. I just LOVE this idea of a recipe exchange party and I just LOVE how gorgeous her house is!

FIVE.

@flutterby_33

I met April through the scarf exchange that we did a couple months ago and have been following her on Instagram ever since. She posts some of the cutest things and I absolutely love this idea as a fun craft with Mason. Simple, easy, festive. Right up my alley!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

PS if you didn't catch my post about the fun Christmas Desserts and Tacky Sweaters link up that I am co-hosting next week, click here to find out how to join in on the fun!

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Linking up with these lovely ladies!

[Christmas Fun] Blogger Holiday Gift Exchange.

A couple months ago, Meghan emailed me about co-hosting a holiday blogger gift exchange with her. Being the holiday lover and gift giving lover that I am, I was totally onboard! We brainstormed a little, sent out some invites, and operation spoil our kids for Christmas commenced.

Mason and I were lucky enough to be spoiled by Laureen, Tyson, and Harper. I'm not gonna lie. I was pretty excited to see that our present was from them when it arrived on our doorstep!

Tyson and Mason are only a couple days apart in age so of course Tyson and Laureen had amazing taste in gifts and Mason LOVED them. The present arrived during the week and I saved it to open on the weekend when I knew Mason would have time to enjoy it and play with it.

Of course he IMMEDIATELY went for the goldfish.

He was obsessed. I had to open one and give him some to get him to move past the goldfish and move on to opening the presents.

After a wardrobe change and a snack, we were ready to open the gifts.

He got The Goodnight Train and a Melissa and Doug Decorate-Your-Own-Train ...

 (please note... the goldfish were always nearby!)

... and a Green Toys Helicopter. Mason was SO excited!

Laureen was SO SWEET and even included a little something for me. Even though we've never met, she picked the most perfect present for me. I absolutely love the note cards and pens (and the mint color!) and the EOS lip balm is my favorite flavor.

Thank you SO much Laureen, Tyson, and Harper! We LOVED our presents!

Mason and I were lucky enough to get to spoil Scarlett with some super fun presents. Head on over to Tawnya's blog to see what we got Scarlett for Christmas!

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Want to see what everyone else got?

Pop around, say hi, and check out everyone else's gifts too!

Ashley and Waverly at Words About Waverly

Erin and Lex at Hello Erin

Sara, Mac, and Mim at Running from the Law

Laura and Liam at tiny toes, little nose

Tara, Declan, and Calem at A Tale of Four Maples

Tawnya and Scarlett at All of Life's Little Adventures

Laureen, Tyson, and Harper at Chateau Deveau

Megan and Olivia at Willow & Co.

Meghan and Noah at The Adventure Starts Here

Elizabeth and Mason at Chasin' Mason

[Countdown to Christmas] 25 Days of Christmas Books

The 25 days of Christmas books is one of my favorite traditions. We started it last year with Mason, but I think he was really to young to full grasp what was going on. It was more me wrapping the books and then having fun opening the books in front of him and the reading him a different book each night before Christmas.

Why did I start so early if I knew he wouldn't really understand? I wanted to start his holiday library early to maximize the use of the lower reading level books.

But, if I'm being honest, I think one was still too young and two is a lot better.

This year he has been way more into opening the presents! In fact, he was so into it, that I once left him unattended for a couple minutes to get his bath ready and walked back in to find him opening more than his one book for the day.

Sweet boy. So excited about his books!

Speaking of being excited about his books... I had left them out on the stairs to be able to take a picture of them when I had an unexpected visitor. Mason climbed all the way up the stairs to find me and walked right in on my attempt to organize.

Can't say that I blame him for being so excited though. I would be too given all the Mickey books that I got him!

Clubhouse Christmas

Bear Stays Up for Christmas

That's Not my Reindeer

That's Not my Snowman

A Christmas Carol

Snowmen at Christmas

Curious George : Curious about Christmas

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer (Little Golden Book)

The Little Christmas Elf (Little Golden Book)

The Night Before the Night Before Christmas

Woody's White Christmas

A Very Mater Christmas

Curious George : Christmas Countdown

Mickey Saves Santa

A Very McStuffins Christmas

Little Blue Truck's Christmas

A Cars Christmas

Olive, the other Reindeer

Duck & Goose : It's Time for Christmas

Llama Llama Holiday Drama

How Do Dinosaurs say Merry Christmas?

Mickey's Rockin' Christmas (from Costco)

(I just realized I only took a picture of 22 of the books... oops. The others included in the collection 

are : The Polar Express, Jingle Bell Doc, and Pete the Cat saves Christmas.)

This year I set up our little, fake, pre-lit tree in his room and put all of the books under neath. Each night I ask Mason to pick a new book and we open it and read it. It is SO cute watching him unwrap the presents as he rips the paper off and then tosses it behind him - totally unknowing of the huge mess he is making. He also hates when he gets the paper stuck to his hand and he shakes it until the paper falls off.

We usually read at least two stories per night so we usually read the one new one as well as one that we have opened in the past couple days.

I just LOVE the way the whole thing turned out this year and am so happy that Mason has been so into it. He has thoroughly enjoyed opening a present each night and I'm hoping the excitement pours over into Christmas. I'm so excited for Christmas with him this year because I know he is going to be so excited about his presents and I can't wait to see the joy on his face!

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Linking up with Beth.

[Link Up] Christmas Desserts & Tacky Sweaters!

I don't know about you but this link up just brings a smile to my face. When Jamie, Courtney, and I got together to host something this Christmas our original idea was Christmas Cookies & Desserts, but we knew we could make it just a little bit more fun, so...

 the Christmas Desserts & Tacky Sweaters Link Up was born! 

Honestly, it has been making me laugh ever since we landed on it. Just look at those fabulous sweaters above! If that doesn't put you in the Christmas spirit then I don't know what will.

The details of the link up...

Get in the kitchen and whip up one of your favorite Christmas desserts! Don't have one? Don't worry! Find something that looks fabulous and new to try or even go the semi homemade route and decorate some store bought sugar cookies. Anything goes!

Take lots of pictures to share and if you are up for it, snap a picture of you in a delightfully tacky Christmas sweater showing off your dessert as well. Write up a recipe post so we can all try it for ourselves, and then come link it up with either Jamie, Courtney, or myself on December 23rd & 24th. The link up will open at 5am est and close just in time for Santa to make his rounds at 11:59pm est on Christmas Eve. 

Don't forget to leave a little of your Christmas dessert out for Santa to try too!

Not sure if you feel like finding a tacky sweater? All three of us doctored up sweaters we either already owned or nabbed at Goodwill for a few bucks. It doesn't have to be anything complicated, the point is to have a little random Christmas fun with it. But, not to worry about if you'd rather not, you can absolutely link up just a Christmas dessert recipe - no silly sweaters required! 

Not sure what dessert to make this year? Try one of these: incredibly easy oreo cookie truffles, grasshopper mint chocolate bark (I made this last year and it was a BIG hit), white chocolate topped soft gingerbread cookies, colorful swirl cookies, or reindeer food. Or there's always dipped pretzel rods and dipped strawberries!

We hope to see all of your Christmas treats next week!

[BOY MOMS] Holly from Holly Atwood Land

Let me extend a warm "Howdy" to all you Chasin' Mason blog readers out there!

I was so excited when Elizabeth invited me to post for her #boymoms series.  So many ideas for what I should write about popped into my head.  

Firstly, let me tell you a little about myself.  I'm 31 years old, wife to Daniel (10 years last July), I work full-time and I also happen to be the mother of two rowdy boys, Jack and Dylan.  Aged 8 (9 years old next month!) and 7 years old, respectively.

My little hams.  Nothing like their mother, no Sir. ;)

I grew up in a house full of babies.  My mother babysat for a living my entire childhood and now helps out with our boys too.  I've always loved babies and couldn't wait to have my own.  I even had a list of names since a young age.  Thank God that I didn't use any of them though...  I believe one was Pacey Dawson.  Wonder what could have inspired that one?  And thank the Lord I didn't have a girl.  Buffy Aaliyah anyone?  Sheesh.  When I was young I wanted 4 kids too.  Bahahahahahaha! Hahaha!  Ha! *sigh*  Ah, youth.

Truthfully all I ever wanted was a little girl.  I am a girly girl so I was looking forward to ribbons and curls, tutu's, pink walls and all of that other junk.  My friend Tara jinxed me though.  When I was pregnant with Jack I told her that I was hoping for a girl to which she replied,

"I dunno, I kind of see you with a couple of boys first..." 

Jinxed.  Now I am nothing but grateful for my two little rascals.  And if I'm being honest, for some reason I feel like I would butt heads with a girl.  Two divas... *shudders*  No thanks.  One of the best things about my boys is the things they say that are unintentionally hilarious.  They crack me up all the time.  For example, the other day they were asking me about mine and their dad's relationship and Dylan asked,

"What made daddy want to plop the question out?"

Another gem was when I heard them talking to each other down the hall and Dylan said,

"I wish I was a girl so I could have a baby already."  Jack replied with his big brotherly wisdom,

"You don't want to be a girl.  They have to cut open your body."

Maybe I shouldn't have told them about my C-Sections...

It's easy to make them laugh too.  All you need to do is make a fart noise... Or actually fart.  Gets 'em every time.  And this may go for all children, but if they're in a bad mood we just give them our most serious face and say in our most serious tone, 

"Don't smile.  Don't...  Don't do it." 

Smiling always ensues and bad mood/tantrum, etc. is forgotten.  Too easy.

I love their individual personalities.  They are so different.

Expanding on that, Jack is the studious and more serious one who hates vegetables.  Dylan is our little goofball who hates school and loves to eat raw tomatoes like it's cool.  He did not get that from me, thank you very much.  Yuck.

Not that they never drive me up a wall or anything but for the most part we are all buds.  Nothing warms my heart more than the fact that they LOVE to snuggle with mom and dad.  It's their favorite, seriously.  It'll be so weird when they're teenagers.  Gonna have to get a bigger bed...

Kidding.

I love having boys and I couldn't even imagine life with a girl now.  And I'll never have to find out since my husband got that procedure done...  Muhuhaha! (that's my evil laugh)

I love to watch them play sports.

I love that they love to watch cartoons that I adore like Frozen or Beauty and the Beast.

Well, thank you for reading!  I hope you all enjoyed my post and I hope you come visit me over at Holly Atwood Land.  Just a warning, I'm a classic over-sharer so there's that.  You never know what you're gonna get with me ;)

♥ Holly ♥

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If you would like to share a post about you and your son, email me at chasinmasonblog@gmail.com .

I would love to feature you! You don't have to have a blog to participate!

[Five on Friday] Holiday Home Tour

Happy Friday all!

I, for one, am SO HAPPY it's Friday! One day closer to the weekend and less than 2 weeks until Christmas left! Eeek!

Last week, Jenny, Beth, and Courtney announced a holiday home tour link up that I thought was so fun! I love to see everyone's houses decorated for the holidays especially around my neighborhood. I've been working late the past week so when I come home from work around 8pm, it's so fun to see everyone's houses all lit up with lights. I feel like it just makes driving around at night that much more fun. The neighborhood across the street from us usually goes all out (as do some in a couple of other cities) so if time permits, I'd love to go walk around and just take it all in. I know Mason would LOVE it.

Since I know I love to see everyone's decorations, I thought I would share mine today in a true Five on Friday style.

ONE.
The table display and window display.



In the past, I've had a more elaborate set up, but this year, I didn't really know where to put it all, so I opted for a smaller set up on our dining room table. One of my favorite decorations is the ornaments in the hurricane vase and I knew I had to find a place for them.



We don't put any lights on the outside of our house (mainly because we are too lazy (and I'm also slightly scared Seth would fall off the ladder) but also because we are not allowed to where we live now (I think they are afraid of people falling off ladders too lol))

TWO.
The Christmas Cards.

Once upon a time I actually used this chalkboard as a chalkboard. Then it graduated to be decorative and I put a paper garland on it. And now it's graduated again (at least for the season) to be a Christmas card holder.

THREE.
The stockings.

We don't have a fireplace so we hang our stockings from the stair case railing. I used to hang them from our entertainment unit but now I need to get them a little higher and out of the reach of little hands.

FOUR.
The tree.

We've had quite the variety of trees over the years. When it was just Seth and I, we had a fake tree, maybe 6 feet tall. It served its purpose and we liked it. Then we moved to our current place and we didn't have much room. We opted for not setting up our fake tree last year and I got a felt tree from Target that I pinned to the wall in the corner. We put our presents under it and Mason got to play. It was perfect. And then this year... this year we went to the Christmas tree farm and I fell in love with this beauty. Poor little 4 foot tree was just calling to me. I fell in love and had my heart set on it. Thankfully for me, Seth is incredible, and told me that whatever I wanted, we could do, so this little baby came home with us. I haven't yet regretted that decision once!

And then just above the tree, I set up a little menorah that I bought on super sale from Pottery Barn online the day after Thanksgiving last year.

We also have Hanukkah ornaments on the tree.

FIVE.
Mason's room.

We are doing the 25 Days of Christmas books again this year and since Mason is older and could be more interactive with opening the presents (books), I really wanted to make his room a festive space for that.



I am SO happy with how it turned out. It is just so cozy and welcoming and Mason LOVES to sit there and open and read his books.

...so much so that he sometimes opens them on his own when he wants to.

So, our house might not be the most decorated, but it is the most festive and welcoming for us! I just love the little details that I've created and how happy it makes me to see our tree lit up every night. I'm going to be sad to take it down come January!

Happy Friday!

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Linking up with all of these lovely ladies.