Kisses + Caffeine

Sharing my journey as a mother, wife, homemaker, Jesus girl, entrepreneur and all things in between!

Katum is One in a Melon!

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A friend of mine asked me this summer to do a cake and cookies for her sweet girl’s first birthday party. I about died at the theme- One in a Melon! I had been itching to do a watermelon set and this was the perfect opportunity!

She provided the topper (you can get one just like it HERE!) and I provided the rest! She loved the way that I did the cascading rosettes on Addilyn’s Donut Cake, so we just replicated the idea with the watermelon color palette. How sweet did this come out?!

As for the cookies, those were a blast to do as well! I’ll drop links to the cutters that I used at the bottom of the post! 

Cutters used for this set (click for links):

Watermelon Slice (cut in half)
Number 1
Placques
Banner

 

A Little Pumpkin Baby Shower!

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One of my very best friends is having a sweet baby girl in January. It’s a tradition amongst our group to celebrate one another, and my friend Brittany and I had a blast putting together this sweet Pumpkin shower for baby Elliana! 

Entry tables are my favorite part of shower decor for some reason! Maybe because it’s the first thing you see, and therefore is your greatest shot at creating a welcoming atmosphere? Or maybe I just love the entry table that my sweet husband built me and a good excuse to deck it out! Either way, this came together so well with a lot of things we had on hand!

Brittany made that adorable diaper cake using LUVS diapers since they are Lauren’s favorite! Typically I design little “Wishes for baby” cards that coordinate with the theme. But this particular week life just happened and I was a bit over-stretched. I stumbled upon that precious little guest book (GET IT HERE) on Amazon and Prime’d that baby right to my door! It matched our theme perfectly and had all sorts of features! I love that each guest got a whole page to write out wishes for baby and predictions, but it also has a handy section in the back for photos and a gift log. Now Lauren has a sweet keepsake book with her shower details all in one neat place! The quality is top notch and I highly recommend it!

These cute little onesies, I custom made as part of our gift! You can grab them in my Etsy shop!

And would it be a party at Katie Lee’s without some custom sugar cookies?! These are some of my favorite I have done, and they made the perfect favors for guests to take! 

The sparkly curtains, I have had for a while now! But I got them on Amazon for a great price, if you are looking to replicate the look! (Grab them HERE). Most of the other decor was simple- balloons, some poufs and pinwheels I had on hand in my party stash, and a sweet pumpkin banner that I made with my Cricut! (If you don’t have one, you should! They are amazing for party prep!)

The food was low key: veggies and dip, poppyseed ham biscuits (I’ll have to get ya’ll the recipe! They are a family favorite!), a homemade cheese ball, crock pot meatballs and some simple Katie Lee cupcakes!

You can make even the most simple cupcakes pop with Fancy Sprinkles! I LOVE this brand not only for their looks, but also for their taste! Use this link to get a discount on your first order! 

This first picture is from Elliana’s shower! The one below is from 3 years ago when we celebrated her sweet first baby boy on the way! (We missed you this time, Sara!). It is so fun to see these friendships grow over the years. Love you all so much!

Morning Sickness Must Haves

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As someone who will avoid getting sick at. all. costs. the lovely side of early pregnancy that includes morning sickness is not my fav! I honestly have been pretty fortunate to mostly deal with only nausea, and I know some women have it so much worse than I have with any of my pregnancies. No matter what, this part is not fun! It was particularly more difficult this time with a toddler to chase around, and I have found a few tried and true things that were super helpful for me with with both pregnancies! I wanted to share them with you all in hopes that maybe a few of them can help a few of you survive! If you are in the thick of it, hang in there! For most of us, this will pass in the second trimester. Also, Make sure you clear any medications with your doctor, too! Everyone is different!

1. Unisom & B6 Combo

This was the MOST helpful thing for me! My doctor suggested this and I have had to stay on it with both pregnancies, all the way through! I tried to stop in the second trimester with Addilyn and the nausea was so bad that I couldn’t function. He told me to get these 25 mg tablets and take a half in the morning and half at night, mixed with a half of a B6 tablet (I used these because they are affordable!) as well. It has worked like a charm, and been a true lifesaver for me! If your doctor is okay with it, start here!

2. Emetrol

Another serious life-saver for me! My doctor told me that this was safe during pregnancy when I was pregnant with Addilyn and it got me out of a pinch quite a few times! I tried not to use it every time I felt a little nauseous (see #3 for what I did the most!), but in those moments when I was overwhelmed by it and about to lose it, Emetrol saved the day! Helpful tip- it is a bit pricey in the stores…Amazon has a multi-pack for a better deal! Grab it HERE. I kept it on hand at all times! 

3. Preggie Pop Drops

I HATE anything ginger flavored. I think it comes from some childhood stomach bug trauma and being forced to drink it, but the taste makes me gag. Which is very counter-productive when you already want to gag! A friend gave me a tub of these little babies with my first pregnancy and they saved me for every pregnancy moving forward! They work great in a pinch and help to stave of that nauseous feeling very well! They can be really hard to find in stores, so I kept a stash on hand from Amazon! In my nightstand, in my purse, in the car…I have had these everywhere!

4. Earth Mama Morning Sickness Tea

I discovered this tea during my current pregnancy, and while it does have a slight ginger taste, it is balanced with other flavors and not overwhelming at all! I have loved sipping on a warm, soothing cup to help settle my stomach! I definitely recommend it, and at $5.99 for 16 bags, it really isn’t too pricey either.

5. Pink Stork Magnesium Spray

I used this a lot during my pregnancy with Addilyn! I didn’t really need it this time because the other things I have mentioned worked great! But it was nice to have on hand. I simply spritzed it on my wrists once a day and it really was helpful! I know a few other mamas that swear by it, too! 

6. Sea Bands

These are awesome if you are looking for a drug-free alternative, and things on your wrists don’t bug you. I wore them with my first pregnancy as well as Addilyn’s pregnancy, and have used them on cruises, too! The acupressure really does help ease the nauseous feeling! They may not work as well if you have severe nausea, but if it is mild they can be a fantastic alternative!

When all else failed, I found it was super helpful to keep a bag of salty soup crackers and ginger ale on hand. The crackers helped when nothing else sounded good, but I needed something on my stomach to settle it down a bit. If I felt a wave coming, I would just grab a handful and snack on them!

Have you tried any of these, or something else, that was super helpful? Share with us in the comments! 

The ALDI Cookies that Broke the Internet

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My mother in law has run an ALDI in a small Indiana town for as long as I have known her. We have always loved ALDI because of it (and their AMAZING prices!), but over recent years they have really grown in popularity and numbers. I had no idea the true following that was out there, though, until this week!

See, my sweet Mom-in-law’s store was up for a major remodel this month, and to celebrate, she asked me to make some ALDI cookies for her employees and bosses to enjoy at their grand opening. A true cookie-lover, I was so excited for the task and we set to planning something fun and unique right away!

Well let me tell you, I finished them and posted them on social media, like I always do, and they went viral! Apparently there are a lot of ALDI Nerds (they call themselves that…check out their group HERE!) out there that take this sort of thing very seriously. If you have never had a post go viral, it can be a bit overwhelming but also really exciting! So, all that to say, CONGRATS ALDI on your ever-growing popularity, and congrats Mama Debbie on your fantastic new store and famous cookies! 

If you’ve never shopped at ALDI, find your closest location HERE and go check it out! You won’t be sorry!

(Since so many have asked, to achieve that metallic look on the quarters, I used THIS AIRBRUSH and THIS SILVER DUST diluted. I highly recommend!)

Cowboy Cactus Cupcakes

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Sharing these from months ago! (Prego life! I’m so behind on…everything). A friend had me doing some western themed treats for her kids’ vacation bible School (see the others here and here), and we decided to do some Cactus Cupcakes! I’ve been wanting to try them forever, and this was the perfect excuse. We did vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting again, but I dipped them in graham cracker crumbs for a sandy look. Then I simply piped buttercream cacti in groupings on top and added a few little details to some. Easy peasy and so sweet! You will def be seeing more cacti from me!

Delicious Homemade Sandwich Bread

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I’m a serious sucker for some good homemade bread! Turns out, you don’t need a bulky bread machine to make delicious sandwich bread at home, and it’s actually way easier than you think! I have had this recipe for…forever. I honestly don’t even remember where I got it from, but its a go-to favorite around here. Not only does it taste fantastic, but there is the added bonus of saving money and cutting out preservatives that you would find in store-bought bread! 

I’m dropping the recipe below. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Homemade Sandwich Bread

  • Servings: 20
  • Difficulty: easy/moderate
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Ingredients:

  • 2 packets active dry yeast
  • 2 cups warm water
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup oil (I use vegetable)
  • 6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in the water. (you could mix by hand but I prefer to use my Kitchenaid Mixer with the dough hook attachment).
  2.  Add the sugar, salt, eggs and oil and mix just until combined.
  3. Add 3 cups of the flour and mix until smooth.
  4. Add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough.
  5. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
  6.  Place the dough in a greased bowl (I use my mixer bowl, washed of course), and cover with a towel. Put in a warm oven* and let rise for one hour.
  7.  Remove the bowl, punch down the dough and divide in half.
  8.  Place one half of the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll like you would a pinwheel. Pinch the ends together and place into a greased loaf pan (as a baker, THESE are my favorite!). Repeat with the other half of the dough. 
  9. Place these back in the warm oven (you may have to re-warm it a little), cover with a towel and let rise for another hour.
  10.  Once your loaves have risen, bake at 375 degrees for approximately 25 minutes.
  11. Remove from the oven and brush the crust with melted butter to keep it soft.
  12. Slice and enjoy!!! We love it with fresh apple butter in the fall!
 
*To “warm” the oven, I usually will preheat it to 200 degrees while I am making the dough, but turn the oven OFF before placing the dough in to let it rise!

Real life pic- trying to photograph fresh bread with a hungry toddler nearby! 

A Promise We Can Stand On

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I don’t know where you are in life, friend. But I personally have been in a pressing season. There are days when I have wondered if things would ever get better, or if God would ever say “yes” to the pleas of my desperate heart. 

And then I read this truth in 1 Peter, and it is a promise that we can stand on. God WILL restore. He WILL confirm. He WILL strengthen. He WILL establish. We just have to wait, as hard as that wait may be. I have felt this through fertility struggles, financial struggles, friendship struggles, broken seasons in my marriage, the list goes on. And time and again I can recall His faithfulness. Things will get better if we can simply cling to this truth, look for the lesson in the pain, and wait on the Lord. 

I needed this reminder today. God is not dormant and His timing is perfect.

Father’s Day Tool Set Cookies

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I know Father’s Day is long-gone but I NEEDED to share these with you guys! I wanted to do something extra special for the dads this year. A good dad is truly the unsung hero of parenting and they deserve the best! After lots of brainstorming, I decided a realistic tool set was the perfect dad gift! My own daddy is not local, so I couldn’t send him a tool box, but you better believe he got tools! 

The boxes are hand cut using a template that I designed, and then finished with a woodgrain effect done in royal icing. 100% edible!

I had so much fun creating these little masterpieces! 

Supplies used for this order:

Tool set cookie cutters
Silver Luster Dust
Royal Icing
No Spread Sugar Cookies

We Have Some News!

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We posted these images on our social media a few weeks ago, but life has been so hectic that I hadn’t gotten to share with the rest of you! We are right about 14 weeks with our newest little love, and we are over the moon excited! This time around was a total surprise, and adjusting our home and family to two (briefly) under two will be a whole new journey. But we are so thankful that the Lord is blessing us with another to love. Check out our sweet announcement!

Sprinkles are from HERE!

Bun and Oven cutter are from HERE!

How precious is this Big Sister?! You can order this shirt at my Etsy shop!

Pumpkin Banana Bread with a Cream Cheese Swirl

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We’ve had our first glimpses of fall this weekend, and this mama is SO ready! I love summer, but I am looking forward to pumpkin and apple everything, football, cool weather, leggings and boots! It is my favorite! 

I’ve had my FALL Candles burning for the last few days, and decided on a whim yesterday that the can of pumpkin in my pantry was begging to be used. So Addie and I settled in to create a new recipe. And you guys…this stuff is GOOD. You need to make you a loaf or two ASAP. It is super moist and flavorful, without being overpowering. Try it! You won’t be sorry!

Pumpkin Banana Bread with a Cream Cheese Swirl

  • Servings: 10-12
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

For the Bread:

  • 1 Cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
  • 2 Large Eggs
  •  1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  •  2 over-ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (I just used canned!)
  •  1 tsp baking soda
  •  3/4 tsp salt
  •  1 tsp pumpkin pie spices
  •  2 cups all purpose flour
For the swirl:
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  •  1/8 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg yolk (yolk only!)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
  1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees and grease a 9″ loaf pan.
  2.  In the bowl of your mixer, combine the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla until well incorporated.
  3. Add the banana and pumpkin and mix well.
  4. Add the baking soda, salt and spices.
  5. Last, add the flour, gradually, mixing to incorporate as you go. Make sure you scrape the sides of your bowl! 
  6. Pour batter into your prepared loaf pan.
  7. In another bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the swirl and mix well. I used a small mixing bowl and my handheld mixer (mostly because I didn’t want to wash my mixer bowl just for a topping! 🙂 ) 
  8. I took the back of my spoon to create a little “well” the length of the loaf in the top of the pumpkin mixture. You could skip this step, but I felt like it helped me to swirl better. 
  9. Pour the swirl mixture over the top of the bread mixture, and then use a butter knife to create a swirl. It’s totally okay to dig down just a little!
  10. Pop that sucker in the oven for 60-80 minutes and enjoy your house smelling delicious! You will know it is done when you can insert a toothpick into the center and it comes out clean! 

 

 

 

Slice and devour! I had a piece while it was still hot because I couldn’t resist. I also had a piece for breakfast this morning, cold, and it was equally as amazing! I like to put a tiny bit of butter on mine, but it was so good by itself too! 

“Pot” Party Cookies!

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Confession…when a client asked me if I could do toilet themed cookies to celebrate the completion of a friend’s bathroom renovation, I scratched my head a little. It was definitely the most unique request that i have gotten to date. But once I got my wheels turning, I was inspired! 

I had a custom cutter made (the toilet) and she suggested we add some tools. (Grab the tool set cutters here). A touch of glam and some funny bathroom quotes and voila! A set that I am stinking in love with! Who knew toilets could be so pretty?! 

I actually want a set of shiny gold and pink tools! How pretty did those turn out?

I love a good challenge, and these were just that! My client loved them, and I had a blast doing it!

Easy, Cheesy Spinach & Black Bean Enchiladas

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Hello, my name is Katie and I am addicted to Mexican food. I’m not joking…I could eat it 5 days a week. I have been wanting something a little different though. And in my efforts to sneak more veggies into our toddler’s diet, these seemed like a great idea! 

They seriously came together in minutes and had so much bang for your buck as far as taste is concerned! You could add some shredded chicken to up the protein, or sub wheat tortillas to make it a bit more healthy. I was working with what I had on hand. 🙂 I took the original recipe (here) and modified it to work for our family!,

Spinach & Black Bean Enchiladas

  • Servings: 5-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

Sauce:

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup salsa verde (I bought mild in a jar, but you could use hot or be fancy and make your own!)
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Filling:

  • 1 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can corn, drained
  • 8-10 oz. fresh spinach (I actually added a few extra handfuls because I wasn’t using chicken)
  • 6 green onions, chopped
  • 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon cumin
  • 8–10 large tortillas
  • 1 1/2 cups Cheddar or Fiesta Blend cheese.

Instructions:

  1. Preheat Oven to 375.
  2. Spray a 9×13 dish with cooking spray.
  3. Heat 2TBSP olive oil over medium heat in a small sauce pan. Add the flour and cook for about a minute, stirring constantly. Add your broth and simmer until it thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in the Greek yogurt, salsa verde and cilantro and set aside.
  4. In a pan, heat the remaining TBSP olive oil and cook your spinach until wilted. 
  5. Combine the corn, beans, onion, cumin, spinach and 1/2 cup of cheese and mix well.
  6. Pour enough sauce in the greased dish to cover the bottom. 
  7. Fill each tortilla, roll and place tightly in your  dish. I was able to fit 10 enchiladas in a 9×13 pan.
  8. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and top with another cup of cheese (or get crazy with it…its up to you!)
  9. Bake for about 20 minutes, until your sauce is bubbling and your cheese is golden and crispy.
  10. Let them stand for a few minutes before serving.

 

These were a legit plate licker!! The toddler even approved, with all of that veggie! And they were excellent reheated for lunch the following day.

Have you tried these?? Let me know in the comments!

“Giddyup” Western Cookies

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The same client that had me do these adorable cowboy hat cupcakes, was gifted these cute little cookies by her sweet mom to take for another VBS dessert! I pulled several different “Giddyup Junction” elements and was able to whip these right up! 

I absolutely LOVE doing detail work! The boots are probably my favorite part!

Materials Used:

Silver Luster Dust

Cactus Cookie Cutter

The rest came from this set. 

The HorseShoe is just a “U” letter cutter!

 

Taco ’bout some cookies

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Tacos are basically life, right? I mean who doesn’t love Tacos?? If you don’t, you’re a monster…kidding! But really how cute are these taco cookies? They are the perfect dessert for any fiesta party!

These are just simple sugar cookies using my No Spread Sugar cookie recipe, and all decorations are royal icing! 

Hadley’s Pool Party

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I had the most fun doing these cute pool party cookies for Hadley’s birthday! Her mom made sure to let me know that Hadley doesn’t love pink, so we focused on bright, summery colors for a fun look! I’ll drop a link to the cutters used for this order at the bottom of the post!

Cutters used:

Sun: Get it HERE

Life Raft: Get it HERE

Plaque: Get it HERE

Beach Ball: Get it HERE

The bubbles are just the middle piece from the Life Raft!

Cowboy Cupcakes

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Okay  but really…how adorable did these turn out?? A client of mine requested some “cowboy” themed dessert for her kids to take to VBS. We needed something relatively simple due to the quantity and turn around time, but that still packed a wow factor! Their theme was Giddyup Junction, so naturally cowboy hats were the perfect go-to! 

We kept the cupcakes simple- vanilla with vanilla signature buttercream (all kids like vanilla!). But the hats? You guys want to know the secret here? A Pringle dipped in chocolate, topped with a Rolo! Seriously?? Seriously! I piped some red royal icing around them to finish them off. Just look at them, like a cute little army of cowboys ready to take on the world!

The Cares of this World

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“And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.”- Mark 4:18-19

I have read the parable of the sower for as long as I can remember. And to be honest, most of the time I like to think that I am the seed sown on good soil. I hear the word and I accept it. But am I bearing fruit? In some seasons, yes! But in other seasons, if I am being completely honest with myself, I am the seed sown among thorns.

As I was having my quiet time this morning, I saw a note that I had written in the margin of my bible (I have this journaling bible and I love it!) – who knows how long ago- that simply said “Don’t let the cares of this world choke your faith!” Wow! How powerful is that thought? I realize now that I spend a lot of time like those seeds. I fill my cup with sermons and quiet times and try my best to take in the word of God, but by lunchtime I have allowed those cares to creep in and steal my joy. Sometimes through the desire for things that are not for me, but all too often just life getting in the way. And I feel like by the posts that I see on social media day in and day out, so many of you can relate! 

So how do we fix this? How do we stop letting the cares of the world choke our faith and steal our trust in God? This is a journey that I, myself, am on…starting today! I think recognition is the first step. I want to be fruitful for Christ. I want my life to spill joy. But sometimes life is just HARD and the cares of this world are demanding. I am learning to remind myself that this world is not my home, and that my God is greater than any of my circumstances. I am also surrounding myself with accountability in other Godly friendships, to refocus my eyes when they are looking out the small window instead of seeing the big picture. 

I hope that you will join me on this road, friend! 

A Letter to My First Baby Girl

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My sweet baby girl. My first born. My precious rainbow baby. I have so many emotions about you and I as I go through this season of growing your younger sibling. They will be every bit as loved and cherished and celebrated, but you will forever hold a special place in my heart. 

I know this addition will grow us and change us. There is a part of me that is so excited and there is a part of me that is breaking and sad for you. It will no longer be just you and me and daddy. And I worry that you won’t understand. I worry that you will think mommy doesn’t cherish you as much, but sweet girl I will. You have been the best teacher, gracious and sweet and patient while Mommy figures it out. You have allowed me to grow and learn so much not just about motherhood, but about myself. And I just know you will be the most amazing big sister, and the best little helper.

So I won’t rush this time that we have left, just you and me. We will savor and cherish every day. Every moment. Every bedtime snuggle and every good morning kiss.  I will eat up your smallness and take it all in, because I know in just a few short months you will seem so big. I will do my best to soak in every moment of you being my tiny baby. Thank you, my girl, for being the best that Mommy could ever wish for or imagine.

Love,

Your Mama