Kisses + Caffeine

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

There is No Shame in Asking For Help!

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I did something brave this week.

It wasn’t easy to do. It made me feel silly and nervous and like a failure.

But you see, after 5 months of trying to hold it all together and pretend that things were much smoother this time around, I hit a wall this week.

A week that followed a series of weeks, stuck in quarantine and away from my family (ahem- help, free baby sitting, a break, whatever you want to call it). 

A string of weeks where laundry piles have been never ending. I finally get a load folded and put away, only to replace it with the next load of thousands of tiny pieces of laundry needing to be folded. (Which the toddler promptly scattered about the living area)

A string of weeks where I realize as I am cooking dinner, that I am still in my pajamas and haven’t washed my face. Not in like…a cute “PJs all day” kind of way. Like in a “I’m a mess” sort of way.

A string of weeks where I struggled to get a single blog post written, deal posted in my deal group, a huge backlog of people requesting me to find things for them…my work list could go on.

A string of weeks where I realized I hadn’t sent a ministry partner update in two months. That’s a long time y’all! Not to mention the women I have failed to check in on.

A string of weeks where my baking orders made my kitchen look like a bomb went off. And I just didn’t have the energy to fix it.

A string of weeks where the 4 month old wouldn’t sleep unless she was touching me. And even then sometimes wouldn’t. Where we gave up and started bed sharing, despite my will to not do that this time around. Where the two year old woke up constantly at all hours of the night crying for us. 

A string of weeks where I haven’t gotten any one on one time with my husband, because typically the only time he isn’t busy, he’s helping me with the kids or I am trying to get the baby to sleep.

A string of weeks where I have had virtually no quiet time to sit with Jesus and fill up my cup.

And do any of these feelings mean I love my family any less?? Of course not! But there is only so much “feeling like a failure” that a person can take.

As I sat, frustrated with my baby for not doing what I wanted her to do…I had a realization. My postpartum depression is rearing it’s ugly head. As much as I don’t want to admit it, my short fuse with my family would say otherwise. And the most loving thing that I can do for my kids is to give them the mama they deserve and get help.

So I reached out. I talked to my nurse and then spent 20 minutes on the phone with my OB. We set up a treatment plan. I picked up a prescription. There is ZERO shame in this!

I share this really raw moment, mama, to encourage you. I know I am not alone. And I know that even if you aren’t in the postpartum depression stage (your kids may be teenagers!). This season is hard, y’all. Things are weird. The world is weird. 

If you feel off, talk to someone. Get help. There is NO shame! We are all in this together! I’d much rather you inbox me than go it alone. 

The Most Delicious Bacon Cheeseburger Quesadillas!

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Do you ever have that moment of panic when dinner time rolls around and you realize that you have nothing to make?? I had that this weekend, and had to get a little creative. We were supposed to get our Grocery Pickup the next morning (side note- if you aren’t using Walmart Grocery Pickup..you should be! Save $10 with this link!), and it was just a total failure to plan on my part. 

I started digging around in my fridge and pantry and found a few things: a half used pack of fresh bacon that needed to be cooked, a pound of frozen beef, a stray white onion, a half used pack of tortillas….it got my wheels turning! Why not try out a new quesadilla recipe? We love quesadillas around here, and they are super easy for the toddler, too! After a little further inventory of my spices, I landed on a bacon cheeseburger flavor!

I have to say, the end result turned out to be something beautiful! It is officially in our intentional meal rotation! With some planning, next time I will have more of the burger toppings on hand for those that want them (mustard, pickles, etc). Read on to get the recipe!

First, you will want to cut up your bacon into small pieces and fry it until it reaches a crispy state!

Add in diced onions and sautée until translucent!

Next, the ground beef! Cook until it is browned through.

My favorite way to toast quesadillas is actually under the broiler, not in a pan! Sure, they are yummy in a pan, but this allows you a perfect restaurant crisp texture and you can achieve it with far less grease (and flipping!).

Simply spray cooking spray (or you can butter) a tortilla and lay that sprayed side down on the pan.

Next, it’s time for your filling ingredients! I actually smeared mayo on these shells prior to adding the beef/bacon mixture, but I forgot to take a picture of that step! Totally optional, but added that burger taste.

Then you lay your top shell on and spray that! The spray allows it to get toasty without being hard.

Place them under the broiler until they reach a toasty brown, and then flip and repeat for the other side!

Last, just cut them into triangles and serve with ketchup! (Or you know…whatever else you like on your burgers!)

Bacon Cheeseburger Quesadillas

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 4-6 slices of thick cut bacon, diced small (I do this pre-cooking)
  • 1 small white onion, diced
  • 1.5 tsp garlic powder
  • Olive oil cooking spray
  • Approximately 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese (you can put as much or as little as you like! I even used a slice of American cheese instead for my 2 year old)
  • Mayonnaise (to taste- optional)
  • Ketchup (for dipping- optional)
  • 8 medium sized flour tortillas
Directions:
  1. Pre-heat your cast iron skillet to medium while you cut up your bacon (you can use a regular skillet too…but cast iron adds SO much flavor!)
  2. Add your bacon and cook until crispy, stirring well. I bought good bacon, so there wasn’t a ton of grease. I didn’t bother draining off what little there was and just let it add to the flavor.
  3. Add in your diced onion and sautée until translucent.
  4. Add the garlic powder and stir for a few minutes to bring out the flavor. You could totally use fresh garlic here…but again…this meal was born out of necessity for me! 
  5. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned through.
  6. While your beef mixture is cooking, preheat your broiler and set up your pans.
  7. Spray one side of 4 of your tortillas and put them on your pan, spray-side down ( you can also butter them if you want that flavor added! I just use cooking spray most of the time).
  8. Spread with a thin layer of mayo (optional). I may attempt making Big Mac sauce sometime to use here instead!
  9. When your beef mixture is finished, divide it up between your 4 tortillas. You will likely have some left over. Stick that in the fridge for lunch tomorrow! 
  10. Top with cheese. I went big on the cheese because we love us some cheese! 
  11. Place your top tortillas on and spray those as well. I pressed down on the tortillas before spraying, just to make sure the cheese was smushed in there a bit!
  12. Place one pan at a time under the broiler and heat until the top starts to brown a little, but not burn. Watch them closely…this happens really fast! Once one side is browned, take the pan out and carefully flip them over. Brown the other side and then remove them from the broiler! 
  13. Let them sit for just a minute, and then slice with a pizza wheel and serve with ketchup! 

Create Your Own Round Nursery Sign! (A DIY Tutorial)

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I am absolutely in love with the round nursery sign trend! Since my sweet Lillie doesn’t have a nursery of her own, I really wanted to pretty up her corner of our room (I’ll be sure to share her full “nursery” space on here very soon!). It totally would have been easier to just order her a name sign ready made, but after the labor of love that was Addilyn’s nursery, I felt like I owed it to my Lillie to create something just for her, from Mama. From start to finish, this project took about an hour…maybe an hour and a half! So in case you are like me and have been eyeing these up, I’m outlining how I did it below!

First, you will want to prep your work space! I just threw a trash bag down on our patio table, gathered my brushes and stain, and laid out my wooden circle.

Using even strokes, I applied a thin layer of stain to my wood. I wanted a weathered wood look, so I only did one thin coat. After it dried (which only took a little bit in the sun) I gave it a light sanding to allow some of the wood color to show through.

*Side note- This Varathane Fast Drying stain is the bomb! Smooth coats, rich color and it dries so fast for those who are crazy impatient like me! I use it for all sorts of projects, and this teeny can goes a long, long way!

Next, you will want to use your Cricut to make a name stencil. (While I highly recommend getting one, if you don’t have a machine, you can message me on my Etsy and I can create a custom listing and make one for you!). I used Orcal 651 vinyl here because it is a bit thicker and sticks down better, to help achieve those clean lines. The color of the vinyl doesn’t matter, because you are going to peel it off anyway. Have fun with fonts and make something that you LOVE! Make sure when you are weeding your vinyl to remove the negative space, not the outside!

Use transfer tape to transfer your stencil onto your wooden circle, making sure to smooth out any bubbles. They happen really easily, as you can see in my picture! I also suggest laying it down on your circle to get an idea of placement prior to removing the backing, or you will wind up having to make a whole new stencil if it is crooked!

Using craft paint (I chose white) paint thin layers over the stencil until your lettering looks as opaque as you want it.

Before the paint dries fully, carefully peel the vinyl off.

You should be left with a nice, clean name! You may have to do some small touch ups, especially if your edges weren’t sealed well (so make sure you seal them well!), but otherwise should have something similar to this. Allow this to dry fully before you move on!

Play around with the placement of your greenery and florals prior to glueing them down. I couldn’t find the exact greenery that I used, because I have had it on hand for a while in my florals stash, but the eucalyptus stems here are gorgeous! Same goes for the florals, but I use THESE all the time and the quality is fantastic! Not to mention you get a bunch for other projects and there are a lot of colors to choose from. Once you have the look you want, just use some basic hot glue to stick them in place!

I initially was going to leave it with just the florals on top, but once I glued them, I felt like it needed balance. In hindsight, had I placed the name a bit lower I would have left it. But I absolutely love the way that It looks with the lower bunch, too!

I used to have a photo of Addilyn hanging above those pots in our room (I get asked about those ALL. THE. TIME! Get a set HERE!), but since we put Lilliana’s crib under it, I have been dreaming of this sign. Now that it is finally done and hung, I could not be any happier with the look! I feel like my sweet tiny girl finally has a little place to call her own, and it makes my mama heart happy!

Did you try it out?! Post on social media and make sure to tag me on Insta!(@Kisses.and.caffeine)

Katie’s Top 10: July 2020 Edition!

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It’s that time again! I absolutely love bringing you my top picks each month, and this one was super fun because it is all products that I used for a much needed vacation! We met my family at the North Carolina Coast for a week of R&R and it was so good to get out of this house! Sure, we had to social distance and eat in instead of hitting up our favorite restaurants, but I was just thankful for a break from the monotony.  Read on to see why I love each thing, and as usual, click the pink links to shop!

1. Banana Boat Light as Air Sunscreen

My biggest issue with sunscreen is that greasy feeling. I absolutely detest feeling slimy! We discovered this stuff a year or two ago and I really prefer not to use anything else! It goes on smooth and dries well, leaving you feeling soft but not that gross sticky feeling.

2. Cute (Cheap) Sunglasses

My two year old loves to play with my stuff, especially my sunglasses. After having her lose a pair and seeing her track record with her own sunglasses (RIP), I decided that a cheap pair was the way to go! I found these ones and was very pleasantly surprised! They are actually a great quality, and they came with a cloth and bag to keep them safe!

3. Burt’s Bees Baby Powder

I hardly use baby powder with my kids (for it’s intended use), but we absolutely love it for the beach! Mom hack for sandy hands- and everything else- is to dust with baby powder and then it will wipe right off! I prefer the Burt’s Bees brand because it is much better for babies and it smells wonderful!

4. Waymaker Graphic Tee

This is one of my absolute favorite songs- and truths! This tee is super soft and a great quality. I’m all for comfortable and cute these days!

5. Makeup Brush Dry Cleaner Sponge

I have tried just about every makeup remover spray out there, and even the ones that say they won’t, leave my brushes feeling junky! A friend recommended this little sponge to me, and it has blown me away how clean my brushes are after using it! And at $6.99, it’s a steal deal!

6. Tree Hut Hair Minimizing Body Butter

I truly am a sucker for all things Tree Hut brand, as you all know! The scent of this alone is to die for! But since giving birth, all of the hair on my head is falling out, meanwhile my leg hairs grow at breakneck speed! I decide to give this stuff a shot and it has allowed me an extra day before needing to shave! Which in my book is a huge win!

7. Tree Hut Bath Bomb

As I said, Tree Hut fanatic over here! Their bath bombs do not disappoint!! This particular one detoxifies and leaves you feeling super hydrated, which is great after being out in the sun!

8. OPI Nail lacquer in a bold pink hue!

I love a bright pop of color on my toes in the summertime! This one is perfect for sandal weather, and OPI brand holds up great at the beach! Which I need considering I only paint my toes once a month most of the time! (mom life)

9. Tree Hut Brown Sugar Lip Scrub

I don’t know about you, but my lips stay super dry, even though I drink like a camel! Especially in the summer time when I am out in the sun. This little tub of scrub tastes amazing (you lick off the extra sugar!) and leaves your lips feeling awesome. I am allergic to most lip products, so I was super excited to find something more natural that didn’t break out my mouth!

10. Old Navy Flip Flops

Tried and true, these are comfy and easy! Plus they come in TONS of colors and don’t cost a fortune. My summer go-to shoe!

Italian Chicken and Vegetables on the Blackstone (2B Mindset Approved!)

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If you’re looking for a low-carb meal idea, go no further- this is IT! Great for 2B Mindset/low-carb eating plans (Gestational Diabetes, too!), this dish packs a super flavorful punch.

One of my favorite Italian restaurants back home makes a dish very similar to this, and my little sister perfected the recipe on the stove top (which you can totally do!). After having it on vacation, Michael and I decided that we needed to try it out on our Blackstone when we got home! We absolutely love cooking on it, especially with that view!

Seriously, you need to try this in your next meal rotation! It comes together in minutes and makes plenty for leftovers, too!

Italian Chicken and Vegetables

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb chicken breast, cubed
  • 1 16oz bottle of traditional Italian Dressing (you could go light here!)
  • 1 yellow onion, cut into small pieces
  • Two medium heads of Broccoli, cut into florets
  • 2 good sized Zucchini, cubed
  • 1 container of cherry tomatoes
  • 1 jar of roasted red peppers (I like the already sliced kind, but you can slice them yourself, too).
  • 1 container of baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 TBSP minced garlic
  • Olive oil (for cooking)
  • Feta Cheese crumbles- as desired!

Directions:

  1. Place your cubed chicken in a bag and add just enough dressing to ensure that your chicken is fully covered. Allow it to marinate in your fridge for at least 2 hours!
  2. While your chicken is marinating, go ahead and cut/prep all of your other veggies to make life easier when cooking time rolls around!
  3. Heat your griddle (or skillet if you are doing stovetop) to medium-high and add a drizzle of olive oil.
  4. Add your chicken and onions, and cook until about halfway done. Drizzle a little extra Italian dressing on it as you cook.
  5. Add in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring well so it doesn’t burn.
  6. Add in the broccoli, zucchini, red peppers, mushrooms and the remaining Italian dressing and cook until your veggies are tender.
  7. Lastly, add in the tomatoes and cook until heated through.
  8. Remove to a serving dish, or plate it directly, and top with Feta cheese crumbles! (We go heavy on the Feta!)

In case you were wondering, this dish is even toddler approved! Yay for mama getting more veggies into my sometimes picky eater!

Comforting Gifts for Loved Ones Going Through Miscarriage and Child Loss

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Losing a baby is hard. It is something that unfortunately, so many go through, and there really isn’t any way around it but to just grieve through it. (I’ve been there myself, and with my ministry I talk to so many women who are in that place, too!). 

When someone you love has lost a baby, it can be hard to know exactly what to do to help. I wrote this post to help with what to say, but if you are like me, gift giving is my love language. I absolutely love to send something tangible. And while “things” can’t erase the pain, having something to hold (or lift your spirits) can go a long way to making things a little easier! My sister gifted me a beautiful necklace after our loss and it was one of the most meaningful things anyone has ever given me!

I have rounded up a list of things that I love to gift, just in case you need some ideas for how to help your loved one, too! (Click the pink links to go to the item!)

The Loved Baby Devotional

This one is so beautiful! It contains great words of healing, to help work through the pain and refocus their heart. It is super well made and a great gift!

Jeremiah 29:11 Journal

This verse is so comforting, especially in a season of loss. It may not feel like it in that moment, but God has a plan for every painful thing! With a blank inside, this is great because it can be used as a prayer journal, bible study journal, or just a space to mentally dump burdens onto paper! 

The Miscarriage Journal for Mothers

This is one that I just recently discovered, but will definitely use all the time! Not only is it a beautiful gift for a friend (or yourself), but it is far from a basic journal. It has areas to write to the baby (this was super healing for me!) and add any other memories that you want to cherish. It also has worksheets for emotional support and grief to help work through special or difficult days (like the due date), gratitude prompts, and devotional prompts. It really is a beautifully thought out journal!

It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way by Lisa TerKeurst

If you know me (or read me often) you know I love me some Lysa T. She hits the nail on the head with this one, for so many different reasons. She really helps refocus the heart on what to do when God’s timing and purpose seems doubtful. It’s a great book for anyone to read!

From Father to Father

It is so easy in our hurry to care for the mom, to forget about dad and his heart, too! This beautifully written collection of letters brings some solidarity and comfort to the guys. Make sure you don’t forget them!

God Gave Us Heaven

This book is so sweet for families that have other children. Many times, parents choose not to tell their kids about a loss. But often, especially in later term losses, the conversation has to be had. This precious book helps to explain the complexity of the topic to little minds in a way that is very healing!

My Story Isn’t Over Yet Ring

I have to admit, when I first saw the price of this one, I wasn’t sure about it. But once I got it in hand, I am SOLD! This ring is so beautiful, and could be given to anyone going through something hard. It has the words “My Story Isn’t Over Yet” inscribed on the inside of the ring, which is an awesome reminder of hope through the hard. This one is especially sweet if she has been trying to conceive for a long time. It comes in a beautiful gift box with a silver cloth, and is perfectly dainty and sweet!

A Mother and Child’s Love Necklace

Another one I am sorry I ever doubted! This is a beautiful piece, packaged so nicely with a silver cloth, too! It is a more subtle way to honor a child (in that someone looking at it wouldn’t know specifically what it was for) and is really neat gift for those who don’t want to be public about their loss. It can also just be a sweet mother and child gift, with a gorgeous crystal in the center! 

“I carried you” Miscarriage Cuff Bracelet

This one quote was my favorite after my loss. It is a beautiful reminder of the love that I gave my baby and will continue to give until I take my last breath! So of course when I saw this bracelet, I loved it! It is a great quality, and again, the inscription is tucked privately on the inside, just in case they don’t want to tell the world!

“A Piece of my Heart is in Heaven” Ornament

This little ornament is so beautiful and makes a sweet gift! They may tuck it away for the tree, so that their little one can be with them at Christmas time, but many choose to display it! I have seen these on book shelves and even hung in memorial gardens. Such a special way to honor loss of any loved one!

Her Favorite Snacks!

Ok so what woman doesn’t love a little chocolate when she’s feeling down? Picking out a snack or two to include in their gift is a fun way to just bring a smile! (If you don’t know it, that’s ok! I love to gift Ferero Rocher because they are pretty!) 

Self Care Items

Sometimes just taking a minute to relax and care for themselves is just what the doctor ordered! I absolutely LOVE Tree Hut products! Some Nail Polish, a bath bomb…you get the idea! A few minutes of relaxation can go a long way!

Willow Tree Angel of Remembrance

Last but not least by any means! This is such a beautiful gift for anyone! I love the simple charm of a Willow tree, and it can serve as a beautiful memorial piece. The perfect gift if you truly don’t know what else to give, and you can give it to anyone grieving a loss!

I hope this list is helpful! I know it can be so hard to know what to do when you see someone that you care about hurting. Like I said, I have gifted each of these items multiple times and they have all been received with extremely thankful (and emotional) hearts! You can’t go wrong with any of them.

Last Minute Father’s Day Gift Ideas!

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Father’s Day 2020 is almost here! If you’re like me, your husband has done so much through this quarantine and deserves to be spoiled a little bit! My hubs got his gift early this year, but if you are running a little behind, I’ve rounded up a few finds for you! Most of these are Prime shipping eligible, so you should have them by the weekend! If they aren’t, they are worth the wait!

36″ Blackstone Griddle

This is what Michael got! We have cooked on it so much in the three weeks that we have had it. Worth every cent! Amazon has the fancy one with the cutting board, etc in stock. Or you can grab the basic with hard lid at Walmart right now! 

Non-Stick BBQ Grill Mats(6-pack)!

These are Prime eligible with great reviews! Get them by Friday! And if you click the link above, you can get them 50% off today! (Promo will apply automatically at checkout!)

Mens Slim RFID Genuine Leather Front Pocket Bifold Wallets!

These are also Prime eligible with great reviews! Get them by Friday, just in time for Father’s Day! Click the pink link above for 50% off! (Promo will apply automatically at checkout!)

Coleman Portable Camping Quad Chair with 4-Can Cooler,  on sale 38% off!!

Cuisinart 3-in-1 Stuffed Burger Press, on sale for $12.99!!

I love a good burger! These look AMAZING! Grab one to go with those grills. 😉 

The Weber 44070001 Spirit II E-210 2-Burner Liquid Propane Grill is on sale $100 off today!

Maybe gas grilling is more your dad style?! This is a GREAT grill! It may arrive a little late, but he will love it!

Solid Wood Cornhole Sets (Easy to customize!)

All dads like Cornhole right?! This is an awesome set, and super easy to customize!

Coleman 100-Quart Xtreme 5-Day Heavy-Duty Cooler with Wheels

This is an awesome cooler! And it’s on sale 40% off!

The JBL Charge 4 – Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker

This is an awesome speaker, and it is on sale $50 off today!! The best dad gift!

Apple Watch Series 5 

Grab one for Dad, $100 off today!! 

Tile mate key finders

For all of those lost keys!

Crescent 170 Pc. General Purpose Tool Sets

Handy man?? Grab him this awesome set of tools, 37% off today!

CRAFTSMAN Air Compressor (6 gallon)

On sale 21% off today!!

Guided Dad Journal

Last but not least (except if we are talking price!!). These sweet guided journals make a super special Dad gift that your family will treasure for years to come!

Hopefully that gave you a little inspiration!! What are you grabbing for Dad this year? 

Design Consult: Livingroom Built in Styling!

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I’m so excited to share my first Design Consultation with you guys! My friend Lizzie contacted me because she needed some help decluttering and styling the built-in area in her living room. Bookshelf styling is my favorite, so I couldn’t wait to jump right in! The budget was $100, so we were trying to work with things that she already had. Here is the before:

Prior to finding any items, I always like to sketch out what is in my head for a few reasons:

  1. It helps me to see what elements are needed to fix the space.
  2. It helps my client with the placement of the elements so that they can achieve the vision!

Once the vision is laid out, I go shopping for items to link to my client! For her space, here is what I chose:

1. Costa Farms Fiddle Leaf Fig

I love these in the white ceramic pot to brighten the room! The pot is sometimes available directly from the grower which helps. I have a few Costa Farms plants and they are fantastic! 

2. White washed picture frames

Because she did not want to paint her shelves, switching out the frames for brighter ones helped to break up the dark wood! She actually opted to spend some of her budget on pillows, so she painted her current frames instead. I love how flexible these can be!

3. Wire storage baskets

Leaning books in these can help break up the continuity of books on a shelf, and adds some visual interest! This set from Amazon is a major bargain buy, and I use them often in designs!

4. Small succulents in simple white pots

Again, anything that adds brightness and greenery to dark shelves is your friend! This little set of four is an awesome group and easy to split between your shelves! My client actually found some that were similar but slightly larger and went with those. That’s the fun thing about my digital consults! I make suggestions, but ultimately you can wing it and achieve the look with what you find if you want!

Ultimately, she pivoted a tiny bit and went with white chicken wire baskets, cotton stems (her cat eats plants, and fiddles aren’t good for cats!) and some clear jugs she found at Target. Either way, the shelves look much less cluttered, much brighter, and what is most important is that my friend loves her new space!

Want your own digital design consultation?

Request one here! 

Philly cheesesteaks on the Blackstone!

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I gave my husband a 36″ Blackstone Griddle as his anniversary/Father’s Day gift from us a few weeks ago. Ladies, buy your husband one! It was basically a gift to me. He offers to cook almost every day that it isn’t raining and he makes good food!

In the height of the COVID19 panic, I stocked up on Steak-umms. Yep! Cheap ol’ Philly steaks! Simply because they were one of the only meats that my Walmart had available. In the interest of using up what I bought, I put them on the menu a couple of weeks ago. My intention was to make them the way we had them growing up: on toast with cheese and ketchup! A true 90’s delicacy! Michael had other plans…

In comes our fancy griddle! He whipped these up and they were SO good! Like I’m serious, you couldn’t even tell we weren’t eating at some fancy restaurant. And it was a bargain meal that cost less than $10 to feed our whole family! I am a huge fan of cheap meeting delicious! Read on to get all the deets on how to make these for yourself! And if you don’t have a Blackstone, go ahead and order you one! You will not be sorry. We haven’t missed our traditional grill for one second!

Philly cheesesteaks on the Blackstone Griddle- The Cheap Way

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: Very easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 10 pack of Steak-Umms
  • 2 Green Bell Peppers, seeded and diced
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Garlic powder to taste
  • Onion Powder to taste (it would be extra yummy to do a white onion, we just didn’t have one! If you do that, dice it and add it in with the green peppers. You could go crazy here: Red peppers, sliced mushrooms, etc)
  • Good quality Hoagie rolls
  • Sliced Provolone Cheese
  • Butter 

Directions:

  1. Preheat your griddle on medium heat.
  2. Put a drizzle of olive oil down, and then sautée your veggies until tender. Add a spritz of Worcestershire sauce here for flavor if you want!
  3. Once your veggies are cooked, slide them over to a “warm” burner.
  4. Break up your Steak-umms and cook them thoroughly in a drizzle of oil. Add a heavy pour of Worcestershire sauce and your spices to them as they cook.
  5. While the meat is cooking, heat a pat of butter. Slice open your hoagie rolls and place them insides-down on the butter to toast them.
  6. Add the vegetables back to the cooked meat and stir well.
  7. Divide the meat/veggie mixture between your rolls and top with two slices or provolone cheese (or whatever tickles your fancy! There’s no such thing as too much cheese!)
  8. Enjoy! 

We have eaten these twice now, and I think I may just make them a regular! It’s been so nice living in our outdoor spaces with all of this nice weather, and we are loving our new outdoor kitchen staple! 

Katie’s Top 10: June 2020 Edition!

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Summer is finally here, and the quarantine is starting to lift! I’ve been testing out a few things to bring to you guys as we emerge into seeing other people again, and decided that these are all needs for the warmer weather! I have so much fun doing these posts and trying new things. Without further adieu, I bring you your summer kick-off must-haves! As always, click the pink links to shop!

1. Cute Swimsuits!

I personally love CUPSHE! The black ruffle sleeve one is one of theirs (this one). Flattering and stylish, but also functional for a nursing mom who is chasing a toddler! The animal print one is actually this one from Tempt Me. Also tons of CUTE flattering styles that are high quality, but carry an affordable price tag.

2. OGX Coconut Coffee Scrub & Wash

I just love this stuff! It smells so good, and it helps get that healthy summer glow to your skin, but leaves you feeling super clean! It is great for scrubbing off sunscreen after laying by the pool or on the beach!

3. Glam Up Sheet Mask Set

I am obsessed with these masks! They are an awesome value at less than $1/mask, and they leave your face feeling so relaxed and refreshed! That aloe one feels fantastic after getting a little too much sun, too. 

4. Dead Sea Mud Mask

I don’t know about you, but I personally don’t wear much makeup at all when I am at the pool or beach. I can’t stand the feeling of sweating with makeup caked on. If I am going to show my natural face, clean pores are a must more than ever! This Dead Sea Mud Mask works wonders for clearing out the impurities and leaves your face feeling cleaner than ever!

5. Jade Roller

These are amazing for relaxing your facial muscles! Chill it in the fridge before using, and it feels even better after a sunny day! Plus, they reduce puffiness, and mama can pretty much always use that in my eye-region these days.

6. Druzy Earrings

Druzy jewelry is the perfect way to add a hint of sparkle! These are so cute, and at less than $1/pair, you can afford to risk them while you have your summer fun!

7. Tree Hut Sugar Scrub

My favorite self-care item right now! I love how it nourishes and buffs, especially on my feet! It feels like a fancy pedicure upgrade, but the whole tub costs less than one treatment would. Winning!

8. Epoch Sole Solution

I gave my honest opinion on this stuff in THIS POST. It is a miracle worker if you get dry, cracked heels! You can order yourself some HERE or message me on Facebook and I can hook you up!

9. Sunright InstaGlow Sunless Tanner

I am a fair-skinned redhead. I am either white as a ghost, or burnt, for the first month of summer. This little magic tube works wonders! No streaks and stains, just a fantastic, even tone! And it doesn’t smell like cat pee like most do. Wanna try it?! You can order yourself some HERE or message me on Facebook and I can hook you up!

10. A GOOD Bottle of Wine (delivered right to your door?!) 

Ok but seriously, who needs some wine delivered right about now? We have used Nakedwines for a few years off and on and have loved everything we have gotten! We actually just got a case and they have all been fantastic! Super affordable and supports small wineries that are struggling in our current economy. I love to unwind after a long day of mommin’ with the occasional glass! 

If you use this link you can get a $100 Voucher to spend on your first case. (Make sure when you check out that you are on the NakedWines website! I had a friend wind up on a third party somehow 🤷🏻‍♀️)

https://us.nakedwines.com/invite/katie-lee5248

Perfect Baked Tacos

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We love tacos around here. Tacos in any and every form or fashion. Taco Tuesday is very much a thing in this house! Typically, we go soft-shell. But there is something to be said about a good crunchy taco! My main beef (pun not intended, but I’m rolling with it!) is that the shells always fall apart! Which is super annoying, especially when you are typically holding a baby while eating. #momlife

One day, I discovered this handy little trick that is SO easy and will dramatically improve your crunchy taco eating experience. Not really a recipe, but rather a tweak to the way you prepare them! Try this out and let me know what you think!

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grab your favorite 9×13 baking dish and stand your taco shells in it. I was able to fit 8, but it just depends on the shells you buy!

Brown 1lb of ground beef and add your taco seasoning. Spoon beef mixture into your shells!

Sprinkle fiesta blend, or Colby jack, shredded cheese into each shell.

Bake approximately 10 minutes, until cheese is fully melted and starting to brown just a bit.

Add your favorite toppings and enjoy! The baking process makes the shells juuuust chewy enough that they don’t fall apart! But they still maintain that yummy crunch! The melty cheese holds all of your beef in, so that it doesn’t go everywhere. This is the only way to eat a crunchy taco! Try it and you will never turn back.

Introducing: Digital Design Consultations!

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I am so excited to finally announce a new service that I am going to be offering: digital design consultations! As many of you may or may not know, I have a design degree. I also have a passion for making over spaces and interior decorating! Tie that in with a bit of an online shopping addiction, and this new project was born!

Here’s how it will work:

  1. You fill out this form, and then send me a few good photos of the space you want to makeover (can be indoor, outdoor, garden, patio, etc) either via email or Facebook.
  2. You give me a budget that you are trying to keep your makeover under for each space, including supplies and decor.
  3. I send you a detailed list, complete with links, of items to purchase for your makeover. Furniture, decorations, supplies… I can even find you paint (yes, I order paint online and its phenomenal!).
  4. I will also send you a sketch of your space, with the updates we discussed. This will help with placement, etc!

Your only obligation is my design fee. Anything else, you buy as you want, leave things off, etc! That’s it! Make the changes and love your new space!

Design fee is $50/space- paypable by Venmo, PayPal or CashApp and will be due up front. I will get everything to you within two weeks of payment (to allow time for sketching and finding products). Space will be limited each month, so contact me ASAP to get on the list! <3 Designs may or may not be shared on my blog (I can leave your photos out if needed!)

Check out below for some examples of work I have done! I have a major bathroom makeover in the works, too!

Mini Quiche Florentines

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When I planned Addilyn’s Tea for Two birthday party, I knew I wanted to add a few light but savory finger foods. Being 9 months pregnant, I didn’t really want to fool with anything too complicated, and large quiches can be finicky! 

So I set out to create a recipe for super easy mini quiche, and these fit the bill! All ingredients that you can grab quickly if you are in a pinch! You could totally make your own pie crust, and wilt your own spinach. But who has time for all of that?! They taste just as fantastic this way! Whip up a batch for a fancy tea party, or just a casual brunch. They are a crowd pleaser and make you look like a gourmet chef!

Mini Quiche Florentines

  • Servings: 24
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 2 Refrigerated Pie Crusts
  • 3/4 cup half and half
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Sprinkle pepper
  • 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1-1.5 cups thawed frozen spinach (depending on how “spinachy” you want them to be! Squeezed so its not soggy!)
  • Cooking spray

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 
  2. Spray a 24 cup mini muffin pan with cooking spray. 
  3. Unroll your pie crust, and cut 24 circles using a 2.5-3″ cookie cutter. Press the circles into the bottom and up the sides of each mini muffin cup.
  4. Sprinkle half of your cheese into each well, and top with spinach.
  5. Whisk together your half and half, egg, egg yolk, salt and pepper.
  6. Pour evenly into each well and top with a sprinkle more of parmesan cheese.
  7. Bake 20-25 minutes, until filling is set.
  8. Remove from oven and allow them to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

These can totally be made a day before and stored in the fridge! Simply heat them in a 300 degree oven until they are warmed through! That’s what I did for Addie’s party, just to make life easier the day of!

Must Haves When Trying to Conceive

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Trying to conceive can be a super stressful time, especially if you are struggling with infertility. We had our fair share of hiccups, including the loss of our sweet first child, to get to our Addilyn. Over the course of our few years of trying, I found a few things that were truly helpful, both physically and mentally/emotionally! I am here to share those with you today, sweet friends, in hopes that it can help in your season of wait! (Click the pink links to shop!)

1. Ovulation strips

These are a major must-have, I promise!! When you are trying to conceive, it is easy to spend a small fortune on ovulation and pregnancy tests at the store. They are so dang expensive! Which only adds to the sting when you get that dreaded negative. These tests are incredibly accurate, and are actually what most medical facilities use! And at pennies on the dollar, you won’t feel bad about obsessively taking them!

It helps so much to figure out exactly where in your cycle that you ovulate. We had been trying around the standard window of when “most women” ovulate, without any luck. I started using these strips and found out that even when I have a normal 28 day cycle, my body didn’t actually ovulate until Cycle day 18-19 most of the time. This helped us so much with timing, which as you know is literally everything when you are TTC! 

2. Pre-seed Fertility Friendly Lubricant

I won’t go into the details, but ya’ll this stuff works. It just does! I had so many ladies recommend it to me due to their success when TTC. I know it wasn’t the only factor involved, but I firmly believe that it helped!

3. Basal Body Thermometer

Just temping did not work for me, but it was so helpful to compare with my ovulation strips! That being said, I know so many people that tracking patterns in their Basal Body Temperature worked perfectly for! Either way, it is a great tool to have! A lot of time I would look at the patterns in my BBT and then confirm my suspicions with a strip! This particular one has an app where you can log everything, as well!

4. Wait and See by Wendy Pope

This book was the single most transformational part of my journey while trying to get pregnant with Addilyn. It helped my heart find so much peace. It gave me a purpose during my season of waiting and took so much of the sting out of it! I would recommend it to literally anyone, even if you aren’t waiting on a baby. Grab it- you won’t be sorry!

5. Fertility Log book

I am a pen and paper kinda gal, personally! I used a plain, boring notebook back then, but I WISH I had had a pretty tracker journal like this one!! It helps so much to see it all mapped out!

6. Some Good Massage Oil!

Relax! Keep it fun! Its so stressful anyway, and if you are obsessing and stressing your partner out, it can make things harder!

Please know, sister, you are not alone! This is a hard season, and I am always here to listen! Shoot me a message on Facebook. I would love to hold your hand through your struggle!

“Too Blessed to Be Stressed?” How About “Blessed and Stressed…”

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Why, so often, when a mom says she is stressed about XYZ in life, do we so often say “you are too blessed to be stressed!” Why can’t we just acknowledge that feeling overwhelmed or stressed out is a part of raising little humans? That feeling stressed or overwhelmed is not in any way negating that we know how very lucky we are to have our family!

Why do we shame for feeling the need to clean or work, telling her to just ignore it and enjoy the moments? I know for me personally, the sentiment evokes an extreme sense of guilt. Like I need not feel the things I feel, because that means that I am taking my life for granted. I am sure that I am not alone in feeling this way, either! It’s no wonder that postpartum depression is on the rise. You can enjoy the moments and still feel like you need am minute to clean your house and get your act together! 

Mamas! It is absolutely okay to be blessed AND stressed at the same time! There is not one single thing wrong with feeling the pressure, and that does not mean that you love your family any less. If anything, I think it means that we love them more. 

I am here to cut the guilt game. Your feelings are valid. My feelings are valid. We simply need to lay those feelings at the feet of Jesus and allow Him to lighten our burdens. Allow Him to help you make imperfect progress, day by day. Let go of feeling guilty for feeling! 

And if you are someone who typically echoes the “too blessed to be stressed” sentiment, cut it out! Instead ask, “How can I help?” Or if you are not close by, “How can I pray for you?” Let’s band together, ladies! We are not alone! (Even if this quarantine makes you feel like you are!)

Easy (Cheesy!) Shepherd’s Pie

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Shepherd’s pie is one of my favorite comfort foods. It is also a great way to use up random ingredients that are about to go bad! We stocked up on ground beef a few weeks ago and some of it was on the verge of freezer burn, so I whipped this little recipe up. To be honest, it is one of my favorite recipes I have ever created! Super simple!

First, I sautéed my carrots in olive oil to soften them up a bit. Then, I added the ground beef and cooked it until fully done. I love making dishes like this in my cast iron skillet, since it easily goes from stovetop to oven! 

Add salt and pepper to taste! Once the carrots are soft and the beef is fully cooked, add the frozen peas and carrots! If you don’t have fresh carrots on hand, a big bag of frozen mixed veggies works great! I was just trying to use up my carrots. 

Mix the flour in very well and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add in the beef broth, garlic powder and onion powder.

Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the gravy thickens.

Top with mashed potatoes. I used a family size package of Bob Evans brand, because I had them on hand and was being lazy. You could totally whip up a batch of your own mashed potatoes and put them on top.

Stop for five minutes to get the baby to sleep. just kidding…that’s only for me!

Top with the cheese and pop that bad boy into the oven!

Bake until your cheese is all melty and just slightly browning on top.

This was absolutely delicious! My toddler loved it, and I am always game for things that help get her to eat veggies!

That’s it! A super easy weeknight meal that is savory and comforting!

Easy (Cheesy) Shepherd's Pie

  • Servings: 8-10
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 1.5lbs ground beef
  • 1 cup cut mini carrots*
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 1.5 cups beef broth
  • 1 family size container of Bob Evans Mashed Potatoes
  • 2 cups Colby jack cheese
  • 1tsp garlic powder
  • 1.5 tsp onion powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
* you can use a large bag of mixed frozen veggies in place of the 3 veggies if that is what you have on hand!
Directions:
  1. Heat your oven to 350, and heat a drizzle of olive oil in a cast iron skillet on your stovetop.
  2. Add cut carrots and sautée until they are starting to soften.
  3. Add ground beef to carrots and cook until beef is no longer pink and carrots are soft.
  4. Add frozen veggies and cook for a couple of minutes, until they are starting to thaw.
  5. Stir the flour in very well and heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
  6. Add beef broth and spices and then simmer 3-4 minutes, until your gravy thickens.
  7. Spread mashed potatoes over the top of the meat mixture.
  8. Top with cheese and place into the oven.
  9. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, until your cheese is melted and just starting to brown on top
  10. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Katie’s Top 10: May 2020 Edition!

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You may remember last month when I announced my new top picks for each month! (See April HERE) Well, it’s time for the May edition!! I have found some pretty awesome stuff to share with you guys this go around! Some self-care, some beauty, some fashion- all make awesome gifts. Browse the list, just in time for Mother’s Day! Just click the pink links to shop.

1. Primitives by Kathy Farmhouse Bathroom Sign

I am in the process of re-doing our master bath and am going with a farmhouse look. I saw this sign and thought it was adorable, but also hilarious given the current state of our world! I will never take my TP for granted again! Grab this cute, cheeky sign for your bathroom to commemorate surviving the COVID19 pandemic!

2. EOS Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream

I am legit addicted to this stuff! Short on time? Just use it on your dry skin! No nicks and your legs are super smooth. Literal life-saver for a new mom! 

3. Essie Lady Like Polish

A true neutral nail girl- this speaks my love language! If you have never tried Essie polishes, the wide brush and smooth application is second-to-none. This shade is a must-have for spring 2020!

4. OGX Brilliant Brunette Shampoo

I have naturally auburn hair. I love shampoos that bring out the caramel undertones, and this brand does not disappoint! Plus it leaves your hair super smooth and shiny!

5. Maybeline Dream Fresh BB Cream

I’ll be honest, a full face of makeup is just not a priority for me every single day right now, being stuck at home and chasing a toddler with an infant in arms. I absolutely love this stuff because it gives you quick, lightweight coverage that doesn’t feel cakey. I apply a hint of moisturizer and then this BB cream and am good to go! 

6. Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Highlighter in Rose Gold

This stuff is so creamy…if you could call a powder that! It is a bronzer and highlighter in one, and the rose gold hue is perfect for the season! It smells heavenly, is hypoallergenic, paraben and gluten free. If you need a little something to add dimension and glow to your makeup routine, this little tub is it!

7. Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla Coffee

Would this even be a Kisses + Caffeine must-haves list if I didn’t recommend a coffee to you guys?! This stuff is so good, and a huge bargain on Amazon! You can get a whole bag for what one cup costs in the store! (Side note: I LOVE making iced coffees with this in our Ninja coffee bar!) 

8. Galaxy Bath Bomb

I was dying to try this after hearing so many people rave about this brand…it did not disappoint! Fun and fizzy with a little surprise inside! 

9. I am Enough Bar Necklace

A sweet friend gifted this to me as a beautiful daily reminder, especially on those hard days! I have it in rose gold, but it’s so pretty in gold as well! Grab one for yourself and for a friend to remind her that she is enough!

10. Genuine Leather Storehouse Flats

The shoes are a new favorite!! If you are familiar with Tieks, these are every bit as great, but with a much smaller price tag! Genuine leather, soft soles, and they fold up easily to stash in your purse! I am absolutely obsessed! You can purchase them through my online store!

 

There you have it! My May picks! Shop them below! What are you loving right now?! 

Homemade Cotton Candy Ice Cream!

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What better treat is there when it is warm outside than home made ice cream?? And how much more fun to do it with your kiddos? Addie absolutely loves to make ice cream with us and it is a great way to keep her entertained for a couple of hours. Some of my absolute favorite childhood memories are of our family sitting on the back porch cranking ice cream. Thankfully for me, now that I am the parent, we have motorized ice cream makers! 

This recipe is for cotton candy ice cream, because that is her favorite. It’s a great base recipe though, for many, many other flavors! Simply leave out the cotton candy flavoring to make a delicious vanilla (that tastes like the creamiest soft serve you have ever had!). Mix whatever you fancy into your vanilla base! Cookie dough pieces, brownie pieces, chocolate chips….I could go on! 

So go on, mama! Throw those ingredients on your Walmart pickup list, and make some sweet summer memories with your babes! 

Cotton Candy Ice Cream

  • Servings: 10-12
  • Difficulty: very easy
  • Print

Ingredients

Directions:

  1. Read your manufacturer’s directions for your ice cream maker. Most will say to chill the canister for a little bit prior to making your ice cream.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until sugar is mostly dissolved. If you can make it and allow it to sit in the fridge for a few hours, that rocks! But if you are doing this on a whim, like we usually are , it is totally fine just to stir it all up and go! The mixer will mix it more!
  3. Freeze up according to the directions on your ice cream maker! 

That’s it! An incredibly easy summer treat for your family! As you can see, Addie is a fan!

Easy Chicken Pesto Pasta

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You guys want the literal easiest meal in the universe?? I am bringing it to you today! You can even double (or triple!) this and stash away some in the freezer for a rainy day! Just assemble and place into gallon freezer bags and freeze flat! When you are ready to eat, just thaw in the fridge overnight and cook as directed!

You can either cook this meal in a skillet, or place it in the crock pot on low for 4-6 hours! And you could totally whip this up for a dinner party and look like a fancy Italian chef! It is quickly becoming a favorite in our house! Not just because it’s easy, but it is so delicious, too! 

Spinach Pesto Chicken

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 1.5-2lbs chicken, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 cup (8oz jar!) of your favorite pesto. I love the Classico brand!
  • 1 small white onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 4-5 cups fresh spinach
  • 1tbsp minced garlic

Directions:

  1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet.
  2. Add all ingredients, and cook until chicken is cooked through.
  3. Serve over your favorite pasta, cauliflower rice or zoodles! Toss a sprinkle of parmesan on top, just for fun!

Our Little Family: A Lifestyle Shoot

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Our sweet Lilliana Grace joined our family on March 2nd! A week later, my beautiful friend Mandie Joy Dowling Photography came to our home to do a lifestyle photoshoot. It turned out exactly how I had imagined and the pictures are so dreamy! We will cherish these special moments in our home for life! I simply have to share them with you guys!

This little pumpkin was an absolute champ for the entire photoshoot! She was born for the camera!

She could kiss Lilliana all day long and never get sick of it! 

And this pretty much sums up sister life. 🙂 

My girls think their daddy hung the moon, and it is the absolute sweetest relationship ever. I am so, so proud of the #girldad that he is!

They both definitely have a healthy dose of “mama’s girl,” too! I am so blessed to be their mom.

That little newborn smirk!!!

Told ya. All the kisses, all the time!

I already miss her being so tiny. It breaks my heart how quickly babies grow!

3 generations! These next few pictures are so special to my heart! My sweet mama was here helping us when Mandie came out. I was super excited when she asked if she wanted to join in on the fun. I know we will cherish these for a lifetime!

My precious sugar baby. You are everything I never knew I needed. All of the struggles to bring you here (Thanks, Gestational Diabetes!) were worth it! 

Lillie’s “nursery” is in our room for now! I will have to do a separate post showing that off! Simple but sweet.

I didn’t think that I wanted breastfeeding pictures, but I am so glad that I said yes when she asked if I did! We grabbed a few more “personal” ones, but I just think this one came out so special!

Literally pure sweetness!  

The sweetest, tiniest little hands! SMUSH! I wish babies stayed this tiny for much longer than they do!

Totally thought the session was done and threw my mom bun on, but then Mandie saw an opportunity for some sweet shots and we couldn’t resist! Turns out, they are some of my favorite from the session. In my most natural mom look! 

She even captured a little kiss attack with my sweet big girl! 

I could not be more in love with my precious little family! I don’t even remember what it was like not to love two baby girls. They are so special to us and I am forever thankful to Mandie for capturing these moments for us! 

Savory Sour Cream Pork Chops

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Somehow, our toddler loves pork! It’s a pretty random thing for a kid to love, but she does. So I try to incorporate pork chops into our meal rotation pretty regularly! Anything to not have to fight her to eat…

I created these delicious pork chops while trying to make something a little different to switch it up. They have been a huge hit with both her and the hubs, and we have them quite often! 

Serve them with mashed potatoes, roasted little potatoes or your favorite roasted veggie (Asparagus is great!). The sauce is so good on potatoes!

Savory Sour Cream Pork Chops

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 4 pork chops (I prefer boneless, but that doesn’t matter!)
  • 1 cup chicken or beef broth (it doesn’t matter which!)
  • 4 TBSP Sour Cream
  • 2 tsp (plus a little extra) Thyme (dried or fresh!). You can substitute Rosemary here and still get delicious chops! 
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Olive Oil

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees and heat a generous drizzle of olive oil in a cast iron skillet on medium-high.
  2. Season your pork chops on each side with salt, pepper and a dash of Thyme.
  3. Place your chops into the skillet and sear about 1 minute per side. 
  4. Carefully move the skillet into your preheated oven and cook approximately 10-15 minutes, until the chops are cooked through. 
  5. Remove skillet from the oven and move your chops to a plate to rest.
  6. Place the skillet onto a burner heated to medium and add your broth, scraping the pork drippings and oil from the bottom of the pan. Do not pour them out! They add the flavor!
  7. Add Thyme (or rosemary), garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer until liquid reduces by half.
  8. Once liquid is reduced, remove the pan from heat and add your sour cream, stirring until well incorporated.
  9. Add chops back to the pan, turning them to coat in the sauce, and heat on low just until warmed.
  10. Serve and enjoy! 

A Fairy First Birthday

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Months ago, a friend contacted me to do a fairy themed first birthday cookie set! She gave me relative free reign, but knew that she wanted silhouettes! I decided some edible moss (dyed graham cracker crumbs!) and florals would give them that forest whimsy. And what is a fairy without pixie dust? Thanks to Fancy Sprinkles for edible glitter!

After flooding and allowing the main plaques to dry, I freehanded the fairies onto the cookie (Had I had it yet, I would absolutely have used my Miroir mini projector to outline the fairies! Total game changer!) And then I filled them in with a food safe marker! 

To get the mossy effect, I dyed graham cracker crumbs green and allowed them to dry overnight. Then, I flooded the cookies with green icing and dipped them into the crumbs while still wet! Super simple and creates a really neat effect on the cookies that looks like real moss!

These were so fun and whimsical! Looking back at them makes me want to do all the moss cookies all the time!

Cucumber Dill Tea Sandwiches

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Addilyn’s Tea For Two birthday party was my favorite gathering I have done yet! And it wouldn’t be a proper tea party without tea sandwiches, now would it?! We had quite a few men coming to the party, so I wanted to make sure these were a bit more on the savory side, but still light enough to be true “tea sandwiches.” Everyone raved about them, so I would call it a hit! The perfect blend of fresh cucumber, soft whole wheat bread, cream cheese and spices, you could totally just make these to have for lunches, too! I may have eaten more than my fair share…

Cucumber Dill Tea Sandwiches

  • Servings: 15-20
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 1 loaf bread, crust removed (I used whole wheat)
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 3 tbsp Mayonnaise
  • 4 tsp chopped fresh dill
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • one English cucumber, sliced thin

Directions:

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine mayo and cream cheese until well incorporated (a hand mixer is super helpful here!).
  2. Add in your dill and spices.
  3. Spread half of your bread slices with a layer of the mixture.
  4. Top with your slices of cucumber and then place the other piece of bread on top.
  5. Cut into 4 triangles (or whatever shape you want!) and serve!
  6. You can store these in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Just make sure to wrap them tightly so that your bread doesn’t dry out!

Katie’s Top 10: April 2020 Edition!

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Introducing something new I want to start on here: my top 10 picks for each month! They may be beauty items, self care or just things that make me smile and I know that you would love! I’ve been testing out products so that I can recommend with confidence, and here are my picks for the month of April: 10 things to spoil yourself a little bit! You are my favorite people, so I have to share my favorite things! 

1. Coconut Oil Ultra Moisture Body Wash

This stuff is AMAZING for dry skin. It smells super good, too!

2. Not Your Mother’s Dry Shampoo

Would I even be a new mom if I didn’t rely on this?! It’s my favorite because it doesn’t leave your hair feeling junky, and it smells great. The perfect quarantine hair solution! Amazon has it on sale $5.98 for two!

3. The Blushed Nudes Eyeshadow Pallete

Okay first of all, this palette is just pretty! I will admit that I initially wanted it simply because I liked the way it looked. Once I got it on hand though, I was hooked! I love a simple eye and nudes are my go-to. These shades are beautiful for any skin tone, go on smooth and last throughout the day. 10 out of 10 recommend! 

4. Saltwater Flats Sandals

Fresh from RISE Apparel, these sandals do not disappoint! They are so versatile you can wear them really for any occasion. Made with 100% genuine leather, they come in a variety of cute colors, they’re waterproof (in and out of water wear), non-slip rubber sole, rust-proof brass buckles. These shoes are high quality and durable! 

5. AP 24 Whitening Toothpaste

I admit I have been hooked on this product for a couple of years now! I absolutely love that dentist-clean feeling every time I brush! Not to mention that my teeth are so much whiter (no thanks to you, coffee…) and my sensitivity is almost totally gone! You can order some HERE or by messaging me on Facebook! 

6. Civago Tumbler

We all know about YETI. But YETI cups are not cheap! Plus what girly girl doesn’t want a pink tumbler to sip her coffee out of?! #Momlife usually has me reheating my coffee like 10 times, but not since I got this little lovely! I can sip all morning and still have hot coffee! Total bang for your buck here!

7. Maybeline Hyper Easy Liquid Liner

I’ve never liked liquid liner. Mostly because I either couldn’t get it right, or I looked like a raccoon a few hours later. This stuff is my new FAVE! It is incredibly easy to apply, gives you that sharp wing tip and lasts all day without smudging! Plus it’s only $6! Major bargain!

8. E.L.F. Poreless Face Primer

I’ve used a lot of the more expensive face primers, and I have to say I am perfectly happy with this one! It gives me a great smooth foundation without feeling cakey! You can’t beat $6, either.

9. Tree Hut Cocoa Colada Scrub

This stuff smells like vacation! Which is perfect since we are stuck at home and only dreaming of the beach at the moment. Natural oils and gentle exfoliation leave your skin feeling so soft! This is the perfect way to end a self-pedicure or just pamper yourself a few times a week! 

10. Sally Hansen Hard as Nails  XTreme Wear

I am a chronic nail biter, especially when I am bored. When I am actually able to get my nails to grow out, they rend to break pretty easily. This stuff is awesome!  A few coats and my natural nails feel strong like I have acrylics on! I cannot stand the look of chipped polish, so I don’t always have color on my nails. This may just be the answer! If you are a biter or your nails break easily, you need to try it out!

 

That’s it! my April top 10! Do you have a product that you absolutely love?! Tell me so I can try it out!

Gestational Diabetes Breakfast Round-up

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My diagnosis with Gestational Diabetes was a bit overwhelming at first, I’ll be totally honest! I will also be the first to tell you that I very quickly got sick of eating eggs…especially for breakfast! (you can read my takeaways from that whole experience HERE!) After a lot of trial and error, I found some tried and true breakfast options that gave me fantastic sugar levels, so I rounded them all up to share with you, my fave people. And hey, if you are new to this whole thing, go grab yourself a FREE downloadable sugar tracker HERE.

So, without further adieu, let’s eat breakfast!

1. Greek Yogurt

I think I ate Greek Yogurt for breakfast 5-6 days a week, not even kidding! I grew to love it. While I had some success with the flavored ones, I got my best results buying plain and flavoring it myself! Remember, protein offsets carbs. But the lower you can keep the carbs, the better your numbers will be. 

Most mornings, I fixed myself a big fat bowl of yogurt, added a couple of packets of Splenda (or whatever no calorie sweetener you prefer) and some vanilla extract . It tastes amazing but has no sugar! This is also a great addition to a more carb heavy meal to help offset. 

 

2. Egg and Cheese Omelettes

These are way easy to whip up quickly and taste far better than just boring ol’ scrambled eggs! I love this recipe over at Mr. Breakfast. Delicious!

3. Hard Boiled Eggs

I typically made up a big batch of these at the beginning of the week so that I had them on hand in the fridge and was set up for success. On mornings when you just don’t feel like making something fancy, or don’t have the time, grab and go hard boiled eggs are the answer! Jessica Gavin gives a great tutorial for the ways to make them over on her blog!

4. Almond Crusted Quiche

This one requires a bit more planning ahead but it is so worth it! In fact, we had it for dinner a few times, too! You could make a couple of these up in the evening and keep them in the fridge for a quick re-heat in the morning! The almond crust takes out most of the carb content, but it tastes so good that you hardly miss it! Grab that recipe HERE!

5. Protein Shakes

These are a life-saver for when you are in a hurry! Or when you make a bad choice and have too many carbs and need a quick fix to bring your sugar down! (Been there, done that!) They are especially delicious if you freeze them and then eat them with a spoon like ice cream! Premier Protein were my favorite and this variety pack gives you options!

6. Protein Bars

Just like the shakes, these are great for grab and go mornings! I almost always took one of these on OB appointment days, because I had an hour drive and was usually in a hurry! They are a tiny bit more carb-filled, but always still gave me great numbers. Plus you feel like you are having a treat! Here are a few that were my favorites!

7. Bacon, egg and cheese on whole wheat toast

I found that if I put enough protein in my sandwich, I could get away with whole wheat toast! The Incredible Egg has a great recipe, but you can totally keep it simple here! Try it and see how your numbers do!

There you have it! A breakfast option for each day of the week! My biggest recommendation: Find what you like. Keep it simple, but vary it up as much as you can!

 

Hang in there, mama! You’ve got this! And it will be SO worth it when you hold that little one for the first time!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies

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As I will tell you time and again, I am a firm believer in galactagogues! And also in cookies! 🙂 They work very well for me in terms of increasing breastmilk supply and have been a staple in my establishing this time around, especially! (Check out my post about increasing supply HERE) Fenugreek does terrible things to my supply, so I have gotten creative. I came up with this recipe when I was nursing Addilyn, and after having a lot of success with them, had a few batches frozen and ready to go when I came home from the hospital with Lilliana.

I tried my hand at quite a few different lactation cookies, but most are dry and honestly just gross! I tried the expensive ones that you order online, but with our budget that was just not a sustainable option for me. Once I perfected these delicious milk bombs, I have never gone back! I keep them on hand and eat a few a day (sometimes for breakfast…) and can definitely tell on the days that I don’t.

Soon to be mama? Do yourself a favor and make about 5 batches before you have your baby! Struggling with supply? Make some today and enjoy a few extra! You will thank me, I promise!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies

  • Servings: 20-25 Cookies
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  •  5 tbsp Brewer’s Yeast 
  • 4 tbsp ground flax seeds
  •  1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Directions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, Brewer’s yeast, flax seeds, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars.
  4. Add eggs and vanilla, and mix until well incorporated.
  5. Add in the dry ingredients a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  6. Stir in the chocolate chips with a spatula until well distributed.
  7. Roll into balls that are approximately 1 inch in diameter.
  8. Place on your cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the bottoms are golden.
  9. Let cool on a wire rack and enjoy!
You can totally stop at the “roll into ball” phase and freeze these! I typically double the recipe and freeze (at least) half. Simply place them on a cutting board, close together but not touching, and freeze for a few hours. Once they are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months! Then you can just pull out a few (or a dozen) at a time and bake. It is also super handy when dropping a meal to a new mom to gift her a bag of dough balls to bake when she wants them! 
 

Vindication or Sanctification?

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I spent a lot of time this past weekend reflecting on the sacrifices that Jesus made for us, as I’m sure many did. In fact, Friday afternoon I was reading in Matthew about the events leading up to Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion, which I have read so many times in my life.

Then just Friday night as we were putting the kids to bed, tensions came to a head and my husband and I did not show the best versions of ourselves. (Hey, we are human!) He went on to put Addie to bed, and I stormed off to our bathroom to fume over it a bit more. As I stood in front of the mirror, I asked Jesus to give me some strength because I was at the end of what I felt like I could handle in that moment. Then I remembered a sermon on marriage that we had listened to recently.

See, marriage is not meant to be sunshine and rainbows. In fact, it’s not meant to be easy. Marriage is meant to sanctify us and teach us to be more like Christ. It is actually a place where the ugliest parts of us so often arise, and I don’t think that is by mistake. We can choose to peace out when things get hard, or we can choose to see that exposure for what it is-a call to pray for help and work on that area of ourselves.

In that moment of frustration and conviction, I prayed “Father, Instead of the vindication that I feel entitled to, may I seek the sanctification that you have called me to.” Instead of storming back into the room once it was just us and making sure that my point was made and everyone acknowledged that I was right and he was mean (hah!), I needed to follow the example of Jesus in the garden the night of his arrest. 

“Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?””

Matthew 26:50-54 ESV

Jesus was entitled to vindication, far moreso than I ever will be. It was His right to see that servant’s ear struck off. But He chose sanctification and grace over vindication. And if the purpose of marriage is sanctification, then I ought to do the same, right?!

Marriage is not the only avenue to practice this discipline though. We are wronged by people every day. The car that cuts us off. The keyboard warrior that gets us riled up on social media. The friend that ignores us or says a hurtful word. Our bosses and co-workers. The person who fights us for the last roll of toilet paper. 🙂 

In every facet of our daily lives, instead of the vindication that we feel (and may very well be) entitled to, may we seek the sanctification that Christ has called us to. 

Tea for Two Sugar Cookies!

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Addie’s Tea for Two Birthday Party was easily one of my favorite get-togethers that I have ever thrown! Even more-so because I pulled it off the day before my induction with Lilliana. Nothing like a good crunch time party to kick labor off with a bang!

When your mommy is a cookier… you simply cannot have a party without fancy cookies! Creating this set for my sweet girl was so much fun and they made her so happy. They were the perfect addition to her special day!

I added the little tea bag cookies as an afterthought, so I hand cut them using a rectangle cutter and a coffee straw to punch the hole!

They looked so pretty sitting on the tables! Pink and florals are the epitome of a girly tea party! A plate of cookies everywhere you turn is every little girl’s dream. 🙂 

Want to try your hand at them?? Grab my Sugar Cookie recipe HERE, and my Royal Icing recipe HERE! 

Four Ingredient Dill Chicken Salad

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When we threw Addilyn’s “Tea for Two” Birthday party, I decided last minute that I needed another substantial food item. I had plenty of light snacks and sweets, but with it falling at lunch time I knew I needed something else.

After digging around a bit to see what I had on hand (this was literally at like 8pm the night before!), I decided some chicken salad was the answer! My mother-in-law was bringing croissants anyway so I had all that I needed. If you are in a pinch and need a quick idea, this recipe is for you! I had several party guests (hubs included!) tell me that they typically don’t like chicken salad, but thought this was fantastic. Major win, for a thrown together meal!

Four Ingredient Dill Chicken Salad

  • Servings: 24
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs chicken breast, cooked and shredded (I did mine in the slow cooker with broth for 6 hours)
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 4 tbsp fresh chopped dill (you could use dried but the flavor won’t be as strong)

Directions:

  1. Shred your cooked chicken. I did mine in the slow cooker the night before and put it in the fridge overnight. You could totally do it in the InstantPot if you are in a pinch!
  2. Chop your fresh dill. I typically just cut with my kitchen shears because it’s quick and easy. Feel free to add more or less dill to taste!
  3. Add your Mayonnaise, onion powder and dill to your shredded chicken. Adjust the amount of Mayonnaise to your preference! If you like it more creamy, add a bit more! 
  4. Chill and serve! That is literally it! SO easy and quick!

 

 

Bacon Cheddar Scones

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Back at the end of February, just before Lilliana was born, we threw Addilyn an early “Tea for TWO” birthday party. As a true baker, my menu was loaded down with sweets- chocolate covered Oreos, macarons, custom sugar cookies and of course cake! But planning a tea party, I knew that we absolutely needed scones in the lineup as well! In the interest of not adding yet another sweet, I started researching savory recipes and landed on creating a bacon and cheddar scone. Let me tell you guys… these did not disappoint! 

Not only did they taste like heaven in your mouth, but check out how pretty the look, just hanging out on that plate! They absolutely completed the overall look I was going for and made it feel like a proper tea party! 

Because I love you guys, I am going to share the recipe below! I was so intimidated by scones, but it turns out they are incredibly easy! Even if you don’t have a fancy tea party planned, you need to try these. They make an awesome breakfast and can be stored for up to a week! 

Bacon Cheddar Scones

  • Servings: 16
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 3 Cups Flour (I used all-purpose!)
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  •  1 Tsp Salt
  • 2 Tsp sugar
  • 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
  • 12 Tbsp butter, frozen and grated with a cheese grater
  • 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 12 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 & 1/4 cup of heavy cream (you will likely need more to bring the dough together, up to an additional 1/2 cup!)

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400.
  2.  Cook and chop your bacon. I cooked mine to crispy texture because I cannot stand chewy bacon. You do you, though! 
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients. (Flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, garlic powder).
  4. Using a pastry blender (far less messy, but if you don’t have one, your hands work too!), work your frozen butter into the dry ingredients. A crumbly dough should start to form.
  5. Add the 1 1/4 cup of cream to the mixture, and work until large clumps of dough begin to form.
  6. Add in the cheese and bacon and work until everything is incorporated. It is at this point that you may need to gradually add more cream to bring everything together. You don’t want it to be super sticky though!
  7. Once your dough comes together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
  8. Divide your dough in half, and work each half into a 7-8 in round that is about 1 inch thick.
  9. Slice each round into 8 wedges.
  10. Transfer the rounds onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. (I love these pre-cut sheets! They make life so much easier!). You want the sides of each wedge to be pretty much touching so that they rise up instead of flopping to the side. 
  11. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the tops with heavy cream. 
  12. Bake for 20-23 minutes, until golden brown.
  13. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes if serving immediately! If you are making them ahead of time (I did these the night before), store them in an airtight container. When you are ready to serve them, you can warm them in a 300 degree oven until they are heated through. They are also great at room temp! 

Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

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We are on a serious banana kick over here! Maybe because we are stuck at home, or maybe because the toddler decided one banana into a bunch that she is temporarily over them. In the effort of not wasting, I have been trying to come up with new ways to use them and we have had a blast! 

Addie LOVES baking with me. The other day, she requested to make cupcakes, so I set out to create some super moist banana cupcakes. And what better frosting to pair it with than a smooth cream cheese? Still sweet, but not as sweet as buttercream and the perfect match. 

The over-ripe bananas added just the right amount of sweetness, and look at how perfectly golden those cuppy cakes come out?! 

These stoneware cupcake pans are my favorite. They cook things more evenly and are less prone to burning! The ones I have are Paula Deen and are discontinued, but I have also tried this set that you can get on Amazon and they work just as well! 

Of course, when you help mom in the kitchen, it’s a rite of passage that you get to lick the beater when the frosting is done! I think more special than the treats we make are the memories. If you have a toddler, bake with them! Sure it may take a little longer and make a bit more of a mess, but the joy my girl has spending time with me is worth it all!

By the way, she thoroughly approves of the cupcake itself, too! Ignore our mix-matched PJ’s…she wanted to be “wacky!”

I hope that you love these as much as we did! Which I suppose is a good thing since we are quarantined and will be “forced” to eat all 24 by ourselves…

Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Servings: 24
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 Large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed over-ripe bananas 
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

For the Frosting:

  • 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tbsp milk, to thin as needed

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line your baking pans with cupcake liners (you will need 24).
  2. Cream the butter and sugar for the cupcake base together in your stand mixer until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition.
  4. Add the vanilla and banana and mix until smooth.
  5. Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder together in a separate bowl.
  6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until well incorporated.
  7. Fill each cupcake liner and bake for 15-18 minutes, until your cupcake is set and firm when you lightly touch the top. If you are using a metal pan, they may cook a bit faster, so keep an eye on it!
  8. While your cupcakes are baking, go ahead and make your frosting! Using the whisk attachment on your mixer, whip the butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. 
  9. Add in the vanilla and mix to combine.
  10. Gradually add the powdered sugar a cup a time, mixing well after each addition.
  11. If your icing is too thick, add a bit of milk to thin it to piping consistency. I like my icing firm enough to hold shape, but not so firm that I can’t squeeze it out!
  12. Once your cupcakes are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool to room temperature.
  13. Frost* and enjoy! Store the extras in the fridge!

I prefer to use these piping bags and tips to pipe my icing on for a bakery look! you can totally use a bag with the corner cut off if you don’t have them, though!

Must-Haves for Newborn Life

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With your first child, it’s super easy to get caught up in the registry check-lists, cute little socks and hair bows for days. There is so much out there that it can be hard to figure out exactly what you truly need, and what you can live without. Honestly, after our first I felt a little overwhelmed by some things, and opted to keep things simpler this time around. 

We did not have the space to give Lilliana her own nursery, so I truly have kept things very minimalist for her and honestly, it has been refreshing! So if you are feeling a bit overwhelmed and unsure where to start, I am here to help! I have compiled a list of all of the items that I feel we have absolutely needed for our girls. Add these to your Baby Registry and you will be all set (and then add fluff as desired 😉 ).

 

Side note- we LOVE the Amazon Baby Registry Program! I have used it with both babies and been extremely pleased! We live in a small town without many shopping options, so people love the selection and ability to direct ship! Plus you can find literally anything on Amazon, or add items from external sites, too! They send you an awesome welcome box filled with full-sized products, samples and coupons. And maybe one of my favorite things- once your registry hits a certain amount, you get a discount on diapers for your baby’s first year! They also give a generous registry completion discount to tie up any loose ends before baby comes! We used this discount both times, coupled with gift cards, to buy some of our more expensive items such as the Owlet, our baby monitor, etc.

Anyway, the list… (click each pink link to go to the exact item!)

1. Diapers and Wipes

This seems like a no-brainer, but seriously bulk up your registry with these! They are literally the most essential thing you can get! We love Pampers Swaddlers for when they are tiny, but Huggies are good too! I also prefer the Huggies Natural Care wipes, because they are gentle on little bottoms! If you choose the cloth diaper route, I have heard great things about these Mama Koala ones! They are affordable and fit very well!

2. Swaddle Me Velcro Swaddles

These truly are a must-have! Trying to keep a squirmy baby swaddled is tricky. If you are a first time parent that has no clue how to swaddle, even more so! Michael hated trying to get them wrapped properly, and then we had to worry about her working it loose and getting the blanket over her nose and mouth. A friend introduced me to these, and they are a total game changer! Go ahead and stock up on a few packs! We use them every night and every nap!

3. Owlet Smart Sock

I have no idea why I didn’t make this number 1, because it honestly has been my favorite item that we have gotten for our girls. It may be a bit spendy, but it is worth every single penny and then some! I have no idea how people sleep with a newborn without one of these, and it has done wonders for my anxiety. Heck, I didn’t sleep the first few nights even with the Owlet! Not to mention I have several personal friends that have had the Owlet alert them to serious issues with their babies and save their lives. Don’t believe me? Just hop on the reviews! Thousands of SIDS deaths have been prevented. Again, if you are able at all, find a way to get one! Use your completion discount if you do an Amazon registry. Save up gift cards. It will be the best investment that you make for your baby. 

4. A Good Video Monitor

While we are talking monitors, another must-have for us! We tried a different brand with Addilyn, and it crapped out on us about a year later. After doing a ton of research, I landed on this Motorola one because it has all of the features that we wanted and great reviews! Some people that use the Owlet don’t use a video monitor, but I would never have been able to move Addilyn out of our room without being able to lay eyes on her. And even with Lilliana in our room, I keep her camera on so that I can see her from our bed in the dark. Night vision is a powerful thing!

5. Baby Sleepers

People love to gift blankets and clothes. It can be easy to wind up with far more than you really need, especially in those newborn days. It was honestly sort of stressful to me with Addilyn, trying to make sure that I got her in every outfit at least once (and grabbed a picture!). In all honesty, if you are anything like us, your baby will spend most of their first months either in swaddles (see number 2!) or in sleepers. Stack your registry with these! Add some staples (Onesies, pants, socks) that can mix and match and a few fun outfits and you really will have all that you need. Go ahead and expect to do laundry almost every day. Babies poop a lot. 

6. Boppy 

This is one of those things that you will hear people on both sides, but for us it’s a must! Even if you are bottle feeding (it’s absolutely necessary for breastfeeding) you can use this to keep your arm from dying while holding your baby. You can order a cover in all sorts of prints to match just about any nursery, too!

7. White Noise 

For as long as I have been with Michael, we have slept with white noise. We were told that it also helps newborns to sleep better because it mimics the womb environment. We have used it with both of our girls from day 1 and it really does help! Simply turning the white noise on signals it is time for rest and helps them switch their gears, but it also gives a little more grace for house noise! This is a tried and true white noise machine (we haven’t had much luck with the “fancy” ones that do ocean waves, etc. It just isn’t the same). When they are teeny tiny, a Baby Shusher is also a game changer! We discovered these at our newborn session for Addie and I had Prime’d one to the house before we left the studio! 

8. A Car Seat Cover

Our big world is so germy, and newborns are so teeny tiny. I wanted to do the best I could to protect our girls in any way possible (and discourage strangers from touching!). Not to mention taking your 3 day old into the germ-infested pediatrician’s office! A good carseat cover is the perfect way to do that! We prefer these stretchy ones that can double as nursing covers and make it virtually impossible for unwanted hands to reach in. Grab a couple if you plan to nurse with them- spit up will happen! I have a pretty floral one and a striped one for the hubby!

 

9. Cloth Diapers

No, I am not telling you to cloth diaper! I don’t have the stomach for that (hey, sister, if you do then go for it!). But let me tell you, boring white cloth diapers are the BEST burp cloths. The cute little ones that they sell in sets are not absorbent, and are usually very small. Your baby will likely launch far more spit than you are prepared for with those. Do yourself a solid and buy a few packs of these. 

10. Probiotic Drops

I truly hope that you are lucky enough to not have a colic baby. Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing until you are in the thick of it and totally sleep deprived. We had the hardest time with Addie’s tummy her first few weeks of life. Her Pediatrician suggested getting her on a probiotic to help. Desperate to help her out (and get a few minutes of peace), we ordered these and tried them out. It took about a week to see a major difference, but once they kicked in she was a different baby! She felt better and we felt better. (By the way, they are way cheaper on Amazon than in the store!)

 

Armed with this knowledge, I went ahead and stocked up on a few bottles to have on hand for Lilliana’s arrival on our registry. Heck, I even used that completion discount to buy a couple more. We started them from the day we came home this time and so far, we haven’t had as many tummy issues! Get a bottle before your babe arrives, just in case! 

Other things you will be glad you had on hand:

  1. Gas Drops
  2. Rapid Relief Desitin Rash Cream
  3. Gripe Water
  4. Buckets of Hand Sanitizer!
  5. Baby Bottles (We loved the Dr. Browns for gas reasons. I breastfeed, so bottles are just occasional)
  6. Bottle Brushes
  7. Steam Sterilizer (This one is the best! Super easy and does the trick)
  8.  Pacifiers (We like the soothies and NUK pacis!)
  9. Pack N Play (we used one like this with the bassinet built in so that we didn’t need an extra piece of equipment! Addie slept in this the entire time she was in our room)
     
  10. Backpack Diaper Bag- Sure, the purse styles are cute, but the hands-free is what I fully recommend! We use this one and it has so much space!

I hope that this helped give you some guidance! I made sure that I put anything we used daily on here. If it isn’t on this list, we did not find it absolutely mandatory! Sure, there are all sorts of convenience items but these should cover the necessities to get you by. Good luck, and congratulations!

Other posts you may like:
How to have a super smooth quick labor!
Addilyn’s Birth Story
Lilliana’s Birth Story
Morning Sickness Must-haves
Breastfeeding Must-haves
Postpartum Must-haves
Bedtime Must-haves

10 Ways to Be a Light During the COVID 19 Quarantine

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We are all stuck in quarantine right now, thanks to the spread of the Coronavirus (read some encouragement here!). There seems to be endless amounts of negativity floating around social media and it got me thinking- how can we find ways to shine light and be positive in our current culture? And what can I do that I can involve Addilyn in to teach her about spreading kindness when life is hard? 

I made a list of 10 ways that we can share a smile right now, from the safety of our homes (for the most part). I would love to hear any other ideas that you may have! 

  1. Text or call someone just to check in on them!
  2. Write encouraging letters or thank you notes to friends or family members. Like with a pen and paper and good ol’ fashioned snail mail!
  3. Send something special to those that are working so hard right now. Healthcare workers, truck drivers, first responders, grocery store employees…the list goes on! While we are all stuck at home “relaxing and refocusing,” they are out there putting themselves in harm’s way and working their tail off! Send a cookie basket, or pizza, or donuts, or maybe just encouraging notes! This is a great project to involve your kids in! If you have a reason that you need to go to the doctor, etc, take a little blessing bag with you and give it to someone that is working! It will likely make their day.
  4. Check in with elderly/sick/pregnant neighbors and family members. See if there is anything that you can pick up for them or help them get access to.
  5. Send cards, puzzle books and snacks to your local nursing homes for the residents that are not able to receive visitors right now. 
  6. If you are able, collect basic necessities and food items and set up a table where people can come and take what they need. This is an awesome kid project as well! If you live in a secluded area, find a ministry that you can donate items to and let them get those items to the people that need them most.
  7. Grab a box of sidewalk chalk and write encouraging messages or scripture on the road for others to see! I have seen people do this outside of hospitals and doctor’s offices. But remember, stay home if you don’t have a reason to be out! If you are already out, do this and then go home! 🙂 
  8. Make a gratitude list with your family and focus on all of the things that you are thankful for!
  9. Post on social media asking how you can pray for others. And then sit down as a family and actually pray for them! 
  10. Join this Pay it Forward group and send random acts of kindness to strangers! We have been doing this so much lately. I will warn you…it is addicting!

Easy (and Delicious!) Banana Bread

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I love me some banana bread! This recipe is super delicious, quick and easy! We have been cooped up in the house pretty much since Lilliana was born. Add in the Coronavirus quarantine and I’m not sure there is an end in sight! (I kid, I totally know there is an end, it just feels like forever!). I have been needing to come up with new ways to entertain Addilyn, and myself. I noticed we had a few bananas that were borderline black and needed to be used and my girlie loves to bake with me, so I figured banana bread it is! 

This recipe makes two loaves, but you can easily halve it to make just one. We went ahead and made both to freeze one, although who am I kidding? I will probably thaw that in a couple of days. Banana bread doesn’t last around here! 🙂

This is a fantastic recipe to do with littles, by the way. If you get the measurements just a hair off, it’s okay! And for some reason, Addie thought throwing bananas into my mixer was hilarious. Add nuts, chocolate chips, a half cup of peanut butter…there are so many creative things you can do to spice it up! 

I hope this gives you a little something to do while you are locked in your homes. Let me know what you think!

Easy Banana Bread

  • Servings: 20
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

  • Cooking Spray
  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 5-6 over-ripe bananas
  • 4 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup optional add ins (walnuts, chocolate chips, etc)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Line two loaf pans with parchment paper, allowing the excess to hang over the sides and then spray with cooking spray.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  3. Add the eggs and mix until smooth.
  4. Add the milk and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
  5. Add the bananas one at a time and mix until they are well incorporated. I prefer a smoother bread but you could leave it chunky, too!
  6. Last, add in the flour, salt and baking soda. Mix until just combined and no more dry flour is visible. Stir in any optional add-ins with a spatula if you are using them.
  7. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for approximately 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean.
  8. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, and then lift them out of the pan and cool an additional 10 minutes on the counter.
  9. If you want to freeze one, wrap it carefully in cling wrap and then in foil or a freezer bag. You can freeze for up to 3 months!

The Lord is in This Place

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We are living in the midst of the most uncertain times that our generation has ever seen. The power of the media is strong, and for the first week or two after the news of Coronavirus broke, I was filled with anxiety. I focused on the fear that was being stirred up. Unknown exposure and reactions. Uncertainty about food and basic necessities. Worry over exposing my newborn or my toddler. Worry for my parents. Fear over loss of income. My head was swimming constantly as I scrolled my social media feed. 

One evening though, the Lord spoke to me extremely clearly. I was singing the song “Here Again” by Elevation Worship to Addilyn as I rocked her for bed. (We love this song, and it was literally what got me through the hard part of my labor with Lilliana!)

There is a lyric in this song that says “Not for a minute was I forsaken. The Lord is in this place.” For a long time, I had thought of “this place” as a physical location, but a few months ago I had a revelation that “this place” may be our circumstances more than anything else. 

We are at a place in life and in our world where there is a lot of uncertainty and fear. The Lord is in this place. 

We are at a place in our world where we fear contacting other people because quite literally, it may kill us or someone we love. The Lord is in this place. 

We are isolated and cut off from community and fellowship. The Lord is in this place.

We are at a place in life where we aren’t sure if we will be able to pay our bills this month. Or next. The Lord is in this place.

Not for one minute are we forsaken.

So I have chosen faith over fear. Sure, we are being smart about limiting exposure and are staying home and cooking in. We are honoring the urging of our physicians and authorities to help keep things from spreading and making it worse. But rather than wallowing in fear and loneliness, we are taking time to rest and recover. We are enjoying time with our family. We are finding new ways to connect with others and to give back to the greater community around us. We are soaking in a slower pace to life, and quality family time. We are embracing the giggles (and the fussing). We are taking time to teach our big girl new things. To bake. To watch cartoons and snuggle. To enjoy the smell of a newborn. To play outside and pick flowers and draw with sidewalk chalk. To read the bible and sing worship music and be thankful for all of the good things that God has given to us.

I will never again take for granted the warm hug of a family member. A drop in visit from a good friend. Play dates and time at the park. Stocked shelves at the grocery store (and stinkin’ toilet paper…for crying out loud). Or a full meat counter. I will feel differently about strolls through my favorite store (holla, Target!) or sitting in a movie theater with my husband for a date night. It won’t be lost on me how special that it will feel to gather with my brothers and sisters in Christ to worship again. If nothing else, I have learned gratitude.

You know what I have concluded? This quarantine thing is a huge blessing. It is the Lord forcing us to slow down and refocus our hearts on what matters. 

 

If you have a few minutes, take some time to listen to our pastor Josh’s message from this past Sunday. He points us to the truth of how we can find peace in the storm, and certainty amidst uncertainty!

What I Learned from my Journey with Gestational Diabetes

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I’ll be honest, I had a hard time accepting my gestational diabetes diagnosis at first. I threw a huge pity party and felt like my life was ruined (even if temporarily). I have come a long way since I wrote this post back in December, and I have so much clarity and a totally different mindset!

See, I was not off to the healthiest start to my pregnancy. When we conceived, I was about 15 lbs lighter than where I started my pregnancy with Addilyn, but I was not eating great. Sure, it could have been worse, but I just felt very swollen and not so good about myself. I did not want to take any “bump” pictures and my clothes felt weird on me. When I took my glucose test, my weight gain was up a bit from that point with Addie’s pregnancy ( I gained about 40 lbs by the time that one was all said and done). I was anticipating being worse off by the time that I gave birth to Lilliana at the rate I was going. 

After my GDM diagnosis and adjusting to the new way of life, I immediately started to feel so much better! Within a few weeks, I lost about 12 lbs of the 18 I had gained, and I never did gain them back! The day that I gave birth to Lillie, I was only up about 15 lbs total which was mostly baby, etc. So I left the hospital feeling amazing! I did not deal with the back pain that I had during my first pregnancy and I had zero blood pressure issues, which were the cause of my induction with Addilyn. At the end of the day, it was all worth it for so many reasons! 

In the picture on the left, I was 34 weeks pregnant with Addie. I don’t remember feeling swollen, but looking back I sure do see it especially in my face! The picture on the right, I am 38 weeks pregnant with Lillie. I am wearing smaller clothes and noticeably healthier!

I snapped this photo a couple of days before giving birth! 

And this one less than 24 hours postpartum. Compare that to the pic below where I was 48 hours postpartum with Addie and you can really see a difference!

I tell you all of this not to brag. Honestly this was some of the hardest times in my life adjusting to everything (and watching people around me eat yummy things while I couldn’t. Hello, Christmas week diagnosis!) and it was not through my own strength but rather necessity. I tell you this to encourage you and show you the silver lining! I had virtually zero heartburn after making the switch, when I had been eating 6 TUMS a day. My labor was so great, and my recovery has gone incredibly well. I have had so much more energy and felt much better physically and mentally. At 2 weeks postpartum, I am about 5 lbs from my pre-baby weight and I am so happy with that progress. 

As someone who was weathered the storm and come out the other side, I feel compelled to share the things that I learned- some the hard way- to try and make your life a little bit easier! If you are reeling from a new diagnosis, or just struggling to make it to baby day, I truly hope that these few little nuggets will help you. Please always feel free to reach out to me on Facebook or Email Me. I would love to help in any way that I can! 

*I must add, I am not a medical professional. These tips are based on my experiences and that of others that I know. Please consult with your doctor before making nay major changes!

1. Get over it.

I say that with the most love. I had to tell myself that for quite a while! There’s no point to wallowing in misery. Mourn it for a day or two and then accept it, learn, and move forward! There is nothing you can do about it so you might as well enjoy it! Outlook is everything.

2. Get a good support system!

My husband was so encouraging throughout the whole thing. He ate my low-carb meals and never complained or asked me to make him something different. Sure, he snacked on some things that I couldn’t have, but overall I was so thankful for his help. My mom also is a diabetic and was super helpful in teaching me how sugar checks work and helping me figure out what foods may affect me negatively. If you don’t have a supportive partner, ask a friend if maybe they would be interested in trying a low-carb lifestyle with you. It is a very popular thing right now and a “person” can make a huge difference!

There are so many great groups on Facebook, as well! This group was hands down one of the very best things for me, especially in the beginning! I learned so much and those ladies were so helpful! I was able to skip meeting with a nutritionist and simply go off of the advice in here and from my OB since I was able to control my numbers.

3. This whole thing is literally trial and error!

Not everything affects everyone the same way. You have to learn what works and what doesn’t for YOUR body. It took a few weeks of numbers that were a little bit all over the place to learn what my body processes well and what it doesn’t. I learned super quickly that simple carbs like crackers, white rice and white bread spiked my sugar very badly. Whole wheat pasta was even a no-go, but I could get away with Protein Pasta just fine!

4. Protein is your best friend!

I did have to watch my carbs far more closely than some. I was unable to eat anywhere near the suggested amount that a lot of nutritionists recommend. If I would go anywhere near 30-40g of carbs in a meal, it would put my numbers way over my maximum. However, I did find that balancing my carbs with high protein made a huge difference and virtually negated the carb ratio. For example, if I had a meal that was 20g of carbs, if I ate 15g of protein it was essentially like I only had 5g of carbs. My numbers would be great! Knowledge was power for me on this, and I always made sure my meals were high protein. This was why I liked a lot of the Keto recipes, but made sure to have some carbs in there. And hey, if I knew that I wanted to cheat a tiny bit and have a few French fries, I would just make sure I chased them with a protein shake and it seemed to help. (the chocolate Premier shakes were my go-to, but they have TONS of flavors!).

5. Speaking of- you may come to dread eggs.

Yep. I always was someone that loved eggs! Hard boiled or scrambled were my favorite. And in the beginning I told my husband that I really didn’t understand why people hated on eggs so much in these groups. Until about month 7.5. I got to the point where the thought of eating eggs literally made me gag some days. This was when I started eating more Greek yogurt and cheese, as they both really helped with the protein intake in a non-egg way. 

6. The finger poke is not all that bad. Wash your hands every time!

I hate needles. I was dreading having to stick myself four times a day. But once I got used to it, it really wasn’t that bad. Just make sure to change your lancet often to keep it sharp, and rotate which fingers you stick. Also- Wash your hands! Every time you check. I did not take that seriously and one day I checked my sugar after eating a large salad packed with protein. My glucose monitor read 193 and I freaked out. I thought something was seriously wrong with me. So I stopped and washed my hands and rechecked immediately, and my monitor read 91. Turns out, I hadn’t considered that I had been feeing Addie a donut with that same hand and the sugar was all over my fingers. Residue really does affect your readings! 

7. Its not the end of the world if you need to go on medication. 

After about 2 months of being diet controlled, my doctor wasn’t happy with my fasting numbers, which are truly out of your control most of the time. I had tried everything and they were still a little high. So we decided that I would start on Metformin to help bring them down. At first, I was super disappointed in myself for not being able to manage things, but my doctor gently explained to me that none of this is my fault…it’s the placenta. And there is no shame in needing medication. So I took my meds and my numbers came down into range easily. Inconvenient? Sure! But it was all worth it to make sure baby girl was safe.

8. The extra ultrasounds are fun!

At first I was not a fan of having to go to the doctor twice a week for the last two months of my pregnancy (our OB office is an hour away), but once I got used to getting to see my sweet girl all the time for her biophysical profiles, I started to look forward to the visits! Addie loved seeing sissy, too, and I think it helped her excitement to meet her!

9. Your baby will be just fine, 98% of the time!

I know, the biggest concern is worry for your baby. I promise you, if you follow the diet and do what your doctor says, the overwhelming majority of the time, your baby will be perfectly fine! The scary stories that you hear are typically because people don’t listen to what they are told. Lilliana passed all of her post-birth tests and checks with flying colors, and this seems to be the norm.

10. It’s all worth it!

The literal minute that my doctor laid that sweet baby girl onto my chest, it was like all of this never happened. I totally forgot about the struggle. Every finger poke and pill and skipped cookie was worth it to ensure her safe arrival!

Moving forward, I will be taking steps to help my entire family eat better and be healthy to reduce the risks of Type 2 Diabetes. (I will say though, that piece of cake after she came out was fantastic 🙂 ). I hope that this helps give you some hope as you work through this journey yourself. You’ve got this, Mama!

Foods that worked great for me:

  • Protein Pasta (This one and this one gave me some of my very best numbers! Balance with meat and cheese). Stock up, they will be your best friend! Especially if you are feeding a husband and other kids!
  • Greek Yogurt. I loved buying plain, unsweetened and sweetening it myself with a zero calorie sweetener and a splash of vanilla.
  • Protein Shakes! Like I said, these are a magic bullet to help bring your numbers down quickly! They are also super yummy if you freeze them and eat them like ice-cream!
  • Carb Smart Ice Cream Bars. Super good and easy to find at most grocery stores! I loved these as a bedtime snack 🙂 
  • Peanut Butter. I just used regular ol’ PB. If I had whole wheat bread, I could get away with a PB sandwich. But it also works in a pinch when you need a sweet to just eat a big fat spoonful! I literally ate about a jar a week.
  • Protein Bars. These were fantastic for breakfast when I just could not eat another egg or was in a hurry. They also make a great afternoon snack! A few favs:
  • Trail Mix: Find one that is more nuts and fruits, and less candy. High protein, low carb is the game here! (I liked this one!)
  •  Almond Everything! I made all sorts of things using Almond Flour. It’s great to keep a bag on hand. (see my recipes archive for some great ideas! Also, my Pinterest Board). Salted Almonds were also great to have on hand to help with chip cravings!
  • Quest Pizza! This was a life-saver! Some days yo just don’t feel like making a big, involved meal. I kept a few of these in my freezer and made them for myself when I fixed a normal pizza for my family. I ate the entire dang thing and consistently got my lowest post-meal numbers to date! They used to be hard to find, but most stores carry it now.

Addilyn’s “Tea for Two” Birthday Party

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If you’ve been with me for a while, you probably remember Addilyn’s Donut First Birthday Party. Her second birthday is quickly approaching, and we had decided that we wanted to throw her a party before her little sister made her arrival. Being that I was 9 months pregnant and we planned this little gathering the day before my induction (I like to live on the edge!), my orders were to keep things simple and easy on myself, and to keep the guest list small. Try as I may, I literally do not know how to not be a little extra when it comes to celebrating this little rainbow baby girl. So as you can see, I did not keep it as simple as I probably should have. But it was worth every second of work to see the joy on her face!

The entry table is always one of my favorite things to decorate! I used my Cricut to cut out the “Tea for Two” banner and teacups, and glued them to this fun green vine garland. All of the florals were things that I had on hand to use for various parties and entertaining that I do! I just pulled from my stash.

We started a little tradition with that box off to the left. Each year at Addilyn’s birthday, we have loved ones and friends write her letters to put into the box. They will remain sealed until her 18th birthday, and then we will give them to her to open. My hope is that it is incredibly special to her to read about how loved she has been her entire life. We will be doing this for all of our babies! 

Of course, every tea party needs a teapot! I had actually wanted to order this one, but I forgot (pregnancy brain!) and ran out of time. Thankfully, TJ Maxx had this ADORABLE polka dot one for a fantastic price, so I was able to snatch it up quick!

A little pink tulle goes a long way to add some sweetness to the overall look! I tied it around vases, the lamp and the chandelier over the kitchen table.

Mama couldn’t help but make a batch of custom cookies too! These little Teacup and Teapot cutters were the perfect addition! 

These teacups were another last minute TJ Maxx score, but Amazon has some gorgeous options if your local TJ Maxx doesn’t have any!

I had every intention of making fancy petit fours. But…mama was out of time and energy. I opted for these gorgeous Chocolate Covered Oreos and they really added some sweetness! Seriously, SO easy! All you need is this mold, Oreos, candy melts, and fancy sprinkles! I made these about 4-5 days ahead and they were perfect on party day. I’m all for things I can do ahead of time!

I love doing custom cookies in general, but there is something special about making them for your baby that makes you want to put a little extra love into them! I was so happy with how these came out and Addie loved them! See all of the details on those HERE!

Her cake was a vision that I had in my head and sketched out. I spent weeks trying to perfect macarons for just this reason. Apparently they hate gas ovens, so that was a bit of a headache, but I finally was able to make a batch that worked! This is easily my favorite cake that I have ever made! Even more than her first birthday one, which I was incredibly proud of! The little teacup on top was another TJ Maxx steal!

A local coffee shop here in town makes bacon cheddar scones, and a friend of mine has been raving about them and telling me I need to try them out. With a lineup chock full of sweets for this party, I wanted to make some savory foods and this seemed like the perfect occasion! Tea and scones go together, after all. Grab the Scone recipe HERE! Let me tell you…they were GOOD! Like, it killed me not being able to eat them with my Gestational Diabetes.

Working within a budget, I decided that I wasn’t paying $15 for a tiny box of frozen quiches. I did some homework and figured out how to make my own Quiche Lorraines. Super easy, super yummy and the perfect tea party finger food! Grab the recipe for those HERE!

The little tea stands were a major Amazon score! I got both for just shy of $12, and they are reusable so I can have tea parties with my girls as they get a little bigger! Plus they will be nice to have in my stash for entertaining.

Chicken Salad croissants were a last minute addition, and I made up the recipe with stuff that I had on hand! Turns out, my made up chicken salad was a giant hit!! Grab the recipe for that HERE!

For the grown ups, we had some cucumber dill finger sandwiches. The little people had their own PBJ variety! (Grab the sandwich recipe HERE!)

Since we are being fancy, I couldn’t just do boring paper plates! These gorgeous pink plates completed the food table, and they are incredibly sturdy and nice! I wound up washing and keeping them to use for tea parties in the future! 10 out of 10 recommend!

Sigh…. I seriously love this cake!

I couldn’t help myself when I came across these sweet little paper tea cups! The littles loved them, and they were cute and fun for the adults too! (Disclaimer- they cannot hold hot liquid. But they were perfect for the water, pink lemonade and sweet tea that we served! And just right for little hands!)

The little people were happy with the sweet options for drink, but I wanted some hot tea for the adults! This variety pack of Bigelow teas was perfect! We had plenty left over, too, which I am not mad about! We like hot tea around here.

Plus, a tea party was a good excuse to bust out some of my fine china that I haven’t used much since we got married 10 years ago.

Behind the food table and mixed into the balloon garland, I made these little strings of teacups and pots. I just used my Cricut to cut the shapes out of some pretty floral papers that I ordered on Amazon. Then I hot glued them to the greenery vines. Easy peasy and super cute!

I sure do love a good balloon garland! They are a very inexpensive and relatively easy way to add a major statement to your event! (Check out my post here with a detailed tutorial!). Usually, I just buy balloons at the store and work them into a garland, but in the name of ease this go around, I ordered this kit off of Amazon. It was perfect, with a good mixture of sizes and colors. Huge bonus that it includes everything that you could possibly need!

Sweet girl had so much fun and loved being the center of attention!

Our last family photo with Lillie on the inside!

Last but not least, here is the invitation (with our personal info marked out, of course!). If you would like your own to print or use as an evite, email me and I can create a custom for you! I charge $15 and you can use it however you want!

Here’s a handy supply list if you would like to create your own beautiful tea party! Just click for direct links!

Green Vines

Tea Pot

Pink Tulle

Tea Cup and Pot Cookie Cutter

Tea Cups

Oreo Mold

Lilliana’s Birth Story

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Lilliana Grace joined our family this week, and I am finally settling in to write out her birth story! It was a whirlwind, but went absolutely perfectly, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

I know I am probably in the mass minority, but I have decided that I love induction. I love the idea of planning ahead and being prepared. I loved being able to get our family into town to be a part of the birth. I love being already at the hospital when contractions start, just in case things progress quickly (which they did!). And this go around, I loved being able to settle my big baby girl in and make sure she was in the best hands possible prior to going into labor. 

After a busy weekend throwing Addilyn an early 2nd birthday party, the plan was to head to the hospital on Sunday just after dinner time to start the induction process. Sunday morning, I was feeling a little unprepared. Our parents took Addie to church, and I opted to stay home by myself to get ready, pack and tie up a few loose ends. I took a long hot shower…like the kind where the tank runs out of hot water. Without having to listen for a baby monitor. I haven’t done that in two years! And it was so nice. I packed, picked up, wrote a letter to Addilyn for her birthday and wrapped up a few gifts for our nurses and our OBGYN (we LOVE him!). All in a quiet house. It was so relaxing and helped me feel more mentally prepared. 

We had lunch together, and while Addie napped my mother in law took me for a last minute pedicure. Not totally necessary, but boy was it nice! And it’s always fun to go in for labor with cute toenails!

When we got home, we spent a little time as a family, got Addilyn settled with our friend that was keeping her and then Michael and I set off for the hospital! We made the hour drive, got stuck in traffic and grabbed a quick bite to eat. And then we did the fun stuff like checking in and filling out paperwork.

Finally at 10:15pm, my first dose of Cytotec was placed. I was not dilated at all, so we settled in to try and rest a bit after our parents came by to check on us and drop off a few things that we forgot. We both were able to grab a couple of restless hours of sleep before the nurse came back in.

At 2:30am on Monday morning, my second dose of Cytotec was placed. Still no dilation at all, so we tried to rest a little more.

At about 4am, I woke up starting to feel cramps and mild contractions, which I worked through on my own using my labor techniques that I used with Addie’s labor (I will NEVER not drink Red Raspberry Leaf Tea before labor! I only drank it the day before and day of and it helped so much!), so that Michael could rest a little more. By about 4:45am, I had to wake him up to help me get to the restroom because I felt like I needed to go very urgently. While I was up, I was pretty sure that my water broke, which was new for me! With Addie, my doctor had to break it and I was already numb so I felt nothing. I called the nurse in to test for amniotic fluid, and she said I was dilated to a 2(ish). The test came back positive that my water had, in fact, broken. We went ahead and called our parents to come back to the hospital at that point.

Contractions picked up in intensity and I went ahead and asked for my epidural because they were getting pretty painful. With my history of going quickly, the anesthesiologist came pretty much right away.

At 6:20am, my epidural was in and starting to work. My doctor got to the hospital about 30 minutes later, checked me and found that I was already dilated to an 8. Our parents arrived and got to visit for a few minutes with us, and then I realized that I felt a ton of pressure and we had to kick my poor dad out of the room. My epidural just barely numbed me in time! Things went very quickly from here.

At about 7:15am, my doctor checked and said her head was pretty much all the way through the canal and told me I can push when I am ready. I pushed through 2 sets of contractions, so for about 10 minutes. And then little Lillie just came shooting right out! Easiest. Labor. Ever! If they all go that way, I’d have 200 babies!

We did some skin to skin and took about 1,000 pics while Dr. Jackson got everything handled from there. It was such a beautiful moment filled with so much love and joy!

Seriously, we hit the jackpot with this man. Everyone deserves an OB that listens to them, knows them well, cares about them as a person and not just a number, and most importantly to us, loves the Lord. I mean how often does an OB deliver a baby and then come back to pray over the family and the little life that just came into the world?? I would venture to say that it is rare and we are so thankful for him and all that he has done for us over the last 4 years. 

As a thank you to our fantastic labor nurses for all that they do, I took them a batch of custom cookies. I mean, they do the dirty work! They take care of needy, scared moms during labor, they clean you up after, they make sure you adjust to life with your baby. They truly are heroes and deserve all of the thanks!

I will say it again, I cannot sing the praises of Red Raspberry Leaf tea enough! I drank it religiously before having Addilyn, hoping it would start labor. It did not, but my induction went incredibly quickly with her. 

This time around, I did not start drinking it early because I didn’t want to go into labor until we had done Addie’s birthday party. I started drinking it the day before my induction, and drank a strong brew on Sunday afternoon. My labor with Lilliana went from no dilation at all, to baby on my chest in less than 9 hours! With about an hour of laboring pre-epidural and only 10 minutes of pushing. I could say this was just my personal results, but I have recommended it to a few friends and they have seen very similar results! I am a believer! If you are expecting a baby soon, definitely order you some! (Here is the best brand that I have found!)

Almond Crusted Quiche Recipe

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A few weeks ago I was feeling quite in the Gestational Diabetes rut. I swear we have been eating the same meals on a short rotation, and I was desperate for something new. Everything that I had on my meal planner for the week sounded blah, so I took to the web and scoured the pantry to figure out what I may be able to whip up!

The answer to my craving was quiche! Quiche is typically easy, and most of the time we have everything needed on hand! The one problem? The crust. Way too carby for what I needed. So I decided to try my hand at an almond flour crust and you guys…it did not disappoint! This quiche came together super easily and tasted delicious! I almost did not miss the normal crust at all. And major win? The toddler loved it! 

The first piece, the crust stuck to the pie plate a bit. Next time, I will pre-grease it a little to help with this. Subsequent pieces, however, came out much cleaner. 

If you are on a low-carb or Keto diet for any reason, you MUST try this! It was so good and you can easily customize the filling to what you are craving or what you have on hand. 

Ham and Cheese Quiche with Almond Crust

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

Crust:

  • 1 ½ cups almond flour
  • ¼ cup olive oil 
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Filling:

  • 6 eggs
  • 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese
  • 1 package of deli ham
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

  1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Prep your ham by cutting it into slices, and then cut those slices into smaller pieces. (You can literally fill this with anything you want! Add veggies that you have on hand, swap out the meats, chopped mushrooms…whatever you are feeling! I just wanted ham and cheese so that’s what we went with! If you add veggies, make sure to sautée them a bit first to pre-cook them.)
  3. Combine the ingredients for your crust and knead it until well mixed and a ball forms. You can add a bit more oil if you need to. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9″ pie pan.
  4. Bake your crust for 20 minutes and remove it from the oven.
  5. In a large bowl, mix together your eggs, ham, seasonings and 1 cup of your cheese and stir well.
  6. Pour your mixture into the crust and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. 
  7. Bake an additional 15-20 minutes until the center is set and firm. Remove it from the oven and allow it to stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

    The Promise in the Wait

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    Have you ever longed for something so badly that it caused you physical pain? I know I sure have. For me, it was a child. After we bought our current home, I used to sit in the floor of the tiny spare bedroom and cry out to God to give me the desire of my heart. And one day He did, but then that child went right back to heaven as quickly as it came. Again, I would find myself sitting in that room, wailing and praying even harder. I just did not understand why things did not change. Why God would allow my prayer to be answered and then allow it to be taken away. Why He was allowing things to go so slowly with getting pregnant again.

    Now that I have two beautiful little girls (one here with us, and one arriving any minute now!), I don’t find myself wailing in a tiny spare bedroom, but rather reflecting on God’s abundant goodness as I rock my Addilyn in a pretty floral nursery and feel sweet Lilliana kicking away. But I do find myself begging God to change other areas. To reconcile relationships, to fill my heart with friendship, to change my financial situation, I could go on…

    Some days, it’s really easy to get bogged down in the wait. It can feel like you are in a permanent season of unanswered prayers. Prayers for a child, for reconciliation in a broken marriage, for a break financially…whatever it may be. I personally have been through many different seasons of hurting and waiting. And I can promise you, I get it. It is such a lonely place to be. 

    I think a lot of times, the comfort that we are given is that this life is temporary, and even if our wait doesn’t come to an end here on this earth, it eventually will when we move on to heaven. This is a beautiful truth, and yes it does comfort me very often! But there is also great encouragement in this verse that is in Psalm 27.  

    While it may not always look like the answer that we have in mind or have planned, you can rest assured that if you wait on the Lord, you will see His goodness in the land of the living (i.e.- this life). He is faithful, and we can take heart in that promise! Not one minute of our waiting goes unseen or uncared about, and far too often I have learned that If I simply wait on His timing and open my hands of my sense of control, the goodness that He brings is far sweeter than what I was begging Him for in the first place!

    So, friend, if you feel stuck in a season of waiting and wondering, I encourage you to take heart, because you will see His goodness in His timing if you can just hold on and wait for Him. 

    Wait and See by Wendy Pope is a fantastic resource for your season of waiting, too! This book helped me more than words can even express and I highly recommend it!

    McKenna is Off!

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    A very good friend of mine’s daughter was leaving for New Mexico for dance school last year. They wanted to throw her a surprise going away party, so she asked me if I could come up with a cake and cookie set that incorporated her passion for dance, but also New Mexico and hot air balloons. 

    The catch? McKenna doesn’t love icing! So I had to keep the cake light with a whipped frosting and we did fresh fruit between the layers.

    What’s a hot air balloon without clouds? 

    Or New Mexico without cacti?!

    The cake seriously came out so cute! Sometimes simple really is more fun! (sometimes 🙂 ) *I used my Cricut and some shiny gold card stock to cut out her name and personalize it a bit more. 

    For the cookies, we went with cacti and balloons too, but also added some plaques in with her name and silhouettes of her dancing (These are from actual photos of her!).

    I absolutely loved the way that these came out, and thoroughly enjoyed creating them for her. What a special way to send off!

    Cutters used in this set:

    Hot Air Balloon

    Cactus

    Plaque (this set is VERY similar!)

    I also HIGHLY recommend the Miroir projector or PICO Projector for detail work (like the dancers!)

    Fondue Date Night (with a delicious recipe!)

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    To be honest (as I am sure is the case for many of you!), it’s just not always in our budget to do extravagant date nights and pay for baby sitters. Last year for our anniversary, I wanted to do something special at home that we would enjoy after putting Addilyn to bed. I had gotten a new fondue pot for Christmas and hadn’t had an opportunity to use it yet, so I decided that this was JUST the occasion!

    That afternoon, I  went to the store and grabbed various things to dip: Pineapple, marshmallows, strawberries, bananas, rice Krispy treats and pound cake. You could totally do any number of things, these are just all things that we like!

    Just after putting the baby to bed, I whipped up this delicious chocolate fondue recipe and set it all up on our back porch. We have an awesome IKEA dining set out there, and some fun cafe lights strung up which make it the perfect spot to spend a warm May evening!

     

    That’s it! A super simple, low key date night that you can put together in minutes. We really loved spending some quality time together just enjoying the view and each other’s company.

    (Keep scrolling for the fondue recipe!)

    Easy Chocolate Fondue

    • Servings: 8-10
    • Difficulty: easy
    • Print

    Ingredients:

    • 10 ounces chocolate (whatever kind you want!)
    • 1/2 – 3/4 cup whole milk or heavy cream (depending on how thick you want your fondue)
    • 1 1/2 TBSP unsalted butter
    • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp salt

    Instructions:

    1. Start by preparing all of the ingredients/treats you will be dipping in the fondue. The preparation of the fondue goes quickly, so you want to have all of the treats ready to go!
    2. In a small bowl, combine the chocolate, 1/2 cup milk or cream and butter and heat in the microwave for about 2 minutes at 50% power. (You may want to stir half way through).
    3. Remove and stir until completely smooth, heating more in 30 second intervals if needed.
    4. Add more milk if desired and then stir in the vanilla and salt.
    5. Pour into your fondue pot if you have one, or serve immediately in a bowl. If you are serving without a pot, your mixture may thicken as it cools. If this happens, simply heat it in bursts of 15 seconds in the microwave and stir well in between until it thins back out.

    3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

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    I love me some cookies. But my gestational diabetes has forced me to look for less-sugar-filled alternatives. To be honest, now that I am adapting to this lifestyle, I will likely keep cooking some of these recipes just for the benefit of my little family!

    I have heard all sorts of rave about easy peanut butter cookies, and decided that since peanut butter is one of the best things I can have, I needed to try and whip some up! So one night after dinner, my sweet kitchen assistant and I did just that. 

    I mean, how cute is she?! Okay so I will put the full recipe below. But since I am a visual person, here’s a little step-by-step for ya! After mixing to combine your ingredients, you will roll the dough into one-inch balls and place them on parchment paper lined baking sheets.

    Use a fork to smash them down to about 1/4 inch thick, making a criss cross pattern. The dough is a little sticky, so you will probably need to wipe the fork every other cookie.

    Bake them for about 12-13 minutes for a chewy cookie, or 15ish if you want them a bit more crunchy!

    That’s it!! They are a little more powdery than your traditional peanut butter cookie, but my goodness they sure do satisfy the craving! Next time I am going to dip half in melted Lily’s chocolate! I’ll be sure and update when I do!

    3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

    • Servings: about 20-24 cookies
    • Difficulty: easy
    • Print

    Ingredients:

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
    2. Combine all ingredients in the bowl of your mixer and mix until a soft dough forms. This may take a few minutes to accomplish, so don’t worry! 
    3. Roll into 1″ balls and place on your lined cookie sheet.
    4. Using a damp fork, press each ball down to about 1/4″ thick, in a criss-cross pattern.
    5. Bake for 12-13 minutes for a softer cookie, 15 or so if you prefer them a bit more crunchy!
    6. Allow to cool completely before removing from the baking sheet.

    Unloved on Valentine’s Day

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    This verse was part of my quiet time today, and it speaks to me for various reasons, but I am fairly certain that it was also for me to share. Today is a day of love, and our social media streams will be overloaded with grand gestures, special gifts, candy, flowers, poems, dates…you name it. And this is beautiful because we SHOULD celebrate those we love, and I don’t think there is a single thing wrong with a special day to do so. Heck, I have special treats and surprises for my people, too.
     
    BUT on that same token, today can be soul crushing for others. Today may be a reminder of how lonely you feel. A reminder of a failed marriage, the end of the relationship that you thought would be your forever, a lost family member, a broken home, empty arms and no child to buy candy for, the relationship where you feel completely unseen, uncelebrated, unappreciated and unloved….I could go on.
     
    Friend, if you are the latter today, know that you are seen and loved. The Lord is near to you, and you are never alone. Rest in His arms and allow HIS love to fill you up, rather than relying on the frail love of another human. And know that your pain is also seen, recognized and cared for as well. And I see you too! <3

    A Kate Spade Boutique Party

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    Our small little town has the most fabulous upscale consignment boutique called Sassy Girls! The sweet owner, Celeste, works hard to curate the most beautiful collections and absolutely adores all things Kate Spade. 

    Recently, she was throwing a party to celebrate the anniversary of her ownership of the business and she asked me to design a cake and cookies for her customers to enjoy.

    In true Kate Spade fashion, we went with gold, stripes and florals! I have been dying to try the “fault line” cake trend and this was a great opportunity to practice it. 

    For the cookies, I grabbed up this PERFECT Ann Clark cutter set and went to town, keeping with the same color scheme throughout.

    Am I totally crazy for envying a fake cookie purse?! Seriously love this black quilted handbag!

    And here is the precious owner, proudly rocking her gorgeous goodies! If you are local, you must go check them out!