spring baskets + gift guide

Happy Saturday and Happy Spring!! We have been staying busy getting settled in to our new house and it feels so good to be in a routine in a fresh new space. This will be our first Spring here and Olivia & I already have big plans for a garden and planting lots of flowers together. I am dreaming of hydrangeas like we had at our first home and big lilac bushes alongside the house. As we were unpacking, the girls found garden hats from last Summer; they loved wearing them in the house and playing pretend. I cannot wait to see them wearing them in the backyard under a sunny blue sky!! 

 In the spirit of Springtime, I am so excited to share the post you have all been asking for - Spring Baskets!! 

I went with a Gardening theme this year for our girls' baskets and it is has been so hard to keep them hidden cause I am just so excited for them to see and start using everything! 

one / two / three / four / five / six / seven / eight / nine / ten / eleven / twelve

thirteen / fourteen / fifteen / sixteen / seventeen / eighteen / nineteen / twenty

I think I say this every time I share a Gift Guide on here but you guys, shopping for three girls is just so. much. fun. Every year I am honored to partner with my absolute favorite brands to bring their Spring Baskets to life and this year was no exception. 

I love finding a mix of things the girls will use & wear daily -- the prettiest metallic clips from The Splendid Bow {7}, the cutest strawberry pigtail set from Fancy Free Finery {15}, our favorite ever leather sandals from Adelisa & Co {11}, ballet dresses from Alice + Ames {9} and the most darling nightgowns and Spring & Summer clothing from Tea Collection {16, 19} -- and then adding in some fun new books and toys for them too!

One of my forever favorite boutiques, My Sweet Muffin, is my go-to place to find Maileg Mice for our girls, along with one of a kind gifts and toys so I always add in something from there. I often find the girls quietly playing with their mice in our living room or at our kitchen table, making up stories and using their imagination. They are the kind of toy I would have played with as a little girl, and certainly something we will pass down to our daughters' kids some day. I love that you can just buy a few each year for birthdays or holidays and build up a collection over time. 

Olivia and Penelope share a room so I picked out new pillows from BlaBla Kids for each of them for their beds - Olivia is getting the butterfly {1} and Poppy is getting a rainbow. Even though they could each have their own rooms, they requested to share like they did in our first home, which just melts my heart. I am going to enjoy that as long as it lasts ;) I picked out a Briar Handmade brimmed bonnet for Adaline's basket {4} -- perfect for sunny days in the backyard. We love children's books so much and these two are the sweetest new ones this season to add to our collection {2, 18}.

One of my favorite things to put in baskets each year is the new Tubby Todd Bundle set and my jaw about dropped when I saw that this year's was a Garden Bundle. I put one bottle in each of their baskets and oh my goodness do they ever smell amazing!! Pretty sure I could eat the Lemon Lotion straight from the bottle!!

Other favorite ideas that I always go back to: new bath toys, small puzzles {10}, art supplies and books. I also love putting bubble wands, sunglasses or swimsuits in their baskets in anticipation of warm weather and backyard fun. On the practical side: cute socks or pajamas are my go-to. For a baby, grab a Mini Gathre Mat for under their highchair (and playtime of course) or some new bibs & sippy cups, a rattle or fun wooden teether {20}.

I'll be sharing a closer look at everything in the girls' baskets on my instagram stories so be sure to head over there. AND watch for a huge giveaway coming next week on instagram with over $300 in prizes for you to create your own Spring Basket! I hope this gives you some fun new ideas for your kiddos!! I'd love to hear what you are putting in baskets this year and better yet - I'd love to see! Post a photo in your stories and tag me on instagram @blessednestblog so I can see + share! XO

lemon scones

Hi Friends!! The weather is warming up here and it's almost time to start opening windows. We have been enjoying evening walks after dinner and even some park hopping. Today marks one month since we moved in to our new home and every day we spend here seems better than the last!

One of my favorite parts about our home is baking in our kitchen. Lots of you requested my lemon scone recipe so here it is! Talk about the yummiest pastry I've ever tasted. I used The Pioneer Woman's basic scone recipe and then added a few of my own twists using fresh lemon zest and lemon essential oil. My recipe is below.

What you'll need

SCONES

+ 3 cups all purpose flour (I used Cup4Cup gluten free flour - available at Target & Whole Foods)

+ 2/3 cup organic cane sugar

+ 5 teaspoons baking powder

+ 1/4 teaspoon salt (I use himalayan pink salt)

+ 2 sticks (1/2 pound) butter, chilled (Our fav is Vital Farms)

+ 1 whole large egg

+ 3/4 cups heavy cream (more if needed)

+ Zest of two lemons

+ Young Living's Lemon Vitality Essential Oil - this is essential to creating the amazing lemon flavor!

GLAZE

+ 3-4 cups powedered sugar, sifted

+ Zest of one lemon

+ Approximately 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

+ Young Living's Lemon Vitality Essential Oil

What you'll do

1. Start by pouring heavy cream into a bowl and add the zest of two lemons, plus 8-10 drops Lemon Vitality EO; set aside

2. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt

3. Cut cold butter into pats and using a pastry blender (or your hands), cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles crumbs

4. Add an egg in to the lemon cream (from Step 1) and whisk gently

5. Combine lemon cream with flour mixture; stir gently with a fork until it just comes together (do not overmix); if it seems too crumbly, add a splash of heavy cream (I always need to add a little)

6. Turn dough on to a floured surface and lightly press together until it forms a rough rectangle (mixture will be pretty crumbly but should stay together enough to form)

7. Using a rolling pin, roll the rectangle about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick 

8. Use a knife to trim into a symmetrical rectangle, then cut the rectangle in to 12 symmetrical squares/rectangles. Next, cut each square diaganolly to end up with two small triangles (if you dont get 12 squares, use leftover dough to repeat process)

9. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill in fridge 15-20 minutes

10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

11. While scones are chilling, time to whip up your glaze! In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time while mixer is going. Once it is at the desired consistency, add 8-10 drops Lemon Vitality essential oil. If glaze needs to be thinned out, continue to add lemon juice. I don't measure anything when I make the glaze, I just eyeball it until it is thin enough to easily coat the scones but flavorful enough without being too sweet.

12. After scones have chilled, bake for 14-17 minutes depending on size, removing them from the oven just before they start to turn golden. Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely.

13. Once they've cooled, dip each scone in to the glaze on one side, then the other, to fully coat it. Transfer to parchment paper (I use the parchment I baked them on and flip it over) or wire cooling rack. Allow the glaze to set completely, about an hour. 

14. Store in sealed glass container for 2-4 days. I usually take half my batch and freeze them that night in a freezer bag and then leave the rest out to enjoy! 

our new home

Hi friends!! As many of you have probably seen on instagram, we moved!! We found our dream home in mid-January and put in an offer the night we saw it. We found out the next day it was ours and then listed our home a week later. Fast forward to end of February and we closed on both homes last week and now we are getting all settled in at our new one. 

We had been on the search for several years casually and about two years more seriously. We had quickly outgrown our previous home, which was Dustin's Bachelor Pad before we were married. I don't think he had any idea within a few years of buying it, he would have a wife and three little girls running around ;) 

As any of you who have experienced it know, the buying & selling process - and especially the house-hunting process - is quite the rollercoaster. We are just feeling so so thankful that God led us to the perfect home for our family and of course I am having so much fun decorating and getting settled in. We are going with a "coastal farmhouse" theme which is totally a thing, just trust me on it ;)

The girls are having a blast exploring all the space and finding new hiding spots, places to play and things to do. Can't wait to share more soon!!

Have a restful weekend!! We are expecting to get lots of snow tomorrow so it will be movies & popcorn, new puzzles and games with the girls by the fire and staying extra cozy inside. XO