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Kisses + Caffeine

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

Archives for December 2019

When Life Steals Your Sugar

December 31, 2019      Leave a Comment

Living with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, I have always known that I was at a higher risk of developing Gestational Diabetes. I passed the 1-hour glucose test during my pregnancy with Addilyn. And I started my pregnancy with Lilliana at a lower weight than I started my first one, so I truly believed that I was good to go! 

Was I ever wrong! I, apparently, failed my 1-hour test in a pretty big way. So the last day before we traveled for Christmas, mama got to go to the hospital and sit through the oh-so-pleasant 3-hour glucose test. I was SURE that I failed the 1-hour as a fluke and would pass this one with flying colors. Also wrong! I failed this one pretty badly too.

To be completely honest, I cried my entire one hour drive home from the hospital. I felt like such a failure. Like my body and my eating habits were just junk and I took the word FAIL extremely personally. That I had done something wrong and this was somehow all my fault. I was embarrassed and did not really want the world to know. Not to mention I was heading into Christmas vacation with strict orders to dramatically cut my carbs and check my blood sugars 4 times a day. How in the world was I even supposed to enjoy myself?? Why this week?? Not to mention the fact that my side gig is a home baking business and I am around sugar literally constantly…

Over the last two weeks, however, I have come to find some acceptance in it. Yes, your lifestyle can affect the test. But a lot of it is very much out of your control. I found a fantastic support group on Facebook and joined. I began learning all that I possibly could and absorbing so much information. I spent the week with my diabetic mother who was able to give me some tips and tricks, as well as help explain how things work to me. And I will be seeing my doctor this week to discuss my plan moving forward.

I also felt like God was telling me that He would not give me a struggle without giving me a purpose! I am, after all, in full-time ministry working with women who are having pregnancy and loss struggles. I chose to see this as a new layer to how I can help others, sharing what I learn and helping them to accept and overcome as well! If this is you, I encourage you to subscribe to my blog. Email me. Follow me on social media. Let’s connect and do this together! I also created a Gestational Diabetes Pinterest board that you should totally follow! I plan to pin all my faves there!

I am hoping that I will be able to cope in a completely diet-controlled way and not have to go on medication or insulin. I plan to share as I figure this thing out, so stay tuned for tons of recipes and snack ideas, as well as anything that I am able to learn to keep my levels in check! While I was sad about this diagnosis, now I am actually excited to finish this pregnancy much healthier than I started, and to share it with the world! 

My FAV Chicken Salad Recipe!

December 20, 2019      Leave a Comment

I am a serious chicken salad lover! When I first got pregnant with Lilliana, I was craving it so badly that I almost couldn’t stand it. But our tiny town has really no good place to get it, and the store-bought kind wasn’t doing it for me! So I set out to create my own perfect blend, and you guys, it is SO good, and SO easy! 

To make things go even more quickly (yay!) and get the perfect tender, juicy chicken, I took about 1.5 lbs of chicken breasts and cut them in half. Then I cooked them with a little broth on high pressure for 20 mins in my Instant Pot. If you don’t have one, you NEED one! Game changer and a huge time saver! The chicken literally falls apart.

Grape & Walnut Chicken Salad

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Time: 15 mins
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

  • 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (breast meat)
  •  1 cup mayonnaise (give or take…I’ll explain in the directions!)
  •  1 cup red grapes, quartered
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
Directions:
  1.  If you use rotisserie chicken, you can skip this step! If not, cook your chicken in the Instant Pot (or however you choose to cook it), allow it to cool a bit, and then shred it.
  2. Add grapes, walnuts, salt and pepper and stir well.
  3. Add mayo, a little at a time! I found that it took right at a cup to get the creamy consistency that I like, but you can do more or less depending on preference! Also feel free to add more grapes, nuts, salt or pepper! I love how versatile this recipe is. It provides you a springboard and you can adjust to your taste preferences!
  4. Chill until cool and then serve either on a sandwich, a salad, or just eat it with a spoon! I shamelessly do all three! 🙂
This recipe is a fave around here! It is the perfect blend of sweet and savory!

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Pancake Party Cookies!

December 12, 2019      Leave a Comment

Okay honestly, this set made me crave pancakes for WEEKS (thanks, pregnancy hormones!). I was commissioned for these by a friend of mine for her niece’s birthday party, and given pretty much free reign! All she asked was for the theme, and the colors pink and white. She also requested that we work bows and monograms in!

I didn’t really have time to order a “Pajama” cutter, so I simply used my handy rectangle cutter  and made it look like pants with the royal icing! For the shirt, I used my go-to onesie cutter and just cut off the bottom! Perfect and super easy!

The pancake? SUPER easy! I just used my fav Ann Clark circle cutter and detailed away!

Seriously, how fun?! I love all of the new birthday party theme ideas! I’ll definitely be filing this one away to use with my girls someday. 🙂 

Cutters used in this set:
Pajama Pants HERE
Pajama Top HERE
Pancake HERE
Plaque HERE

Positive Affirmations for Little Girls

December 5, 2019      Leave a Comment

One of my most cherished parts of my day is settling Addilyn down for the night. It is a special time for us, and one that I hope I can protect when Lilliana arrives in March. We still pretty much stick to this bedtime routine, but with a few modifications (we don’t do a bottle anymore, but she does do milk in her cup, she has outgrown her Owlet sadly, etc). 

Sometime around her first birthday though, I added something that is truly special to me. After her daddy kisses her and I say prayers with her, before I turn on her white noise, I love to spend a few minutes intentionally speaking into her with some positive affirmations. I believe that we all would sleep a little better if the last thing that we heard for the day built us up and spoke love into us, and it is something that I really enjoy doing with her! My hope is that as she grows, she will be grounded in who she is and how adored she is, and will become a strong, compassionate young woman. 

Here are a few of my favorites, that are simple enough for her at almost two! I would love to hear some more in the comments, though! Especially that would be applicable as she grows!

  • Jesus loves you so much and He wants you to know Him!
  • Mommy and Daddy love you so much!
  • We are so proud of you!
  • You are very kind and caring.
  • You are a good friend!
  • You are so smart!
  • You are very brave!
  • You are very important and you will change the world someday.
  • You are so beautiful. You are wonderfully made and are just right the way that you are!
  • You can do anything you set your mind to!
  • You are going to be the best big sister!
  • You are the best helper, and it makes mommy very happy when you clean up!
  • You are a sweet, gentle girl and I love your spirit.
  • You are very creative and make beautiful artwork!
  • You are a daughter of the King, who is not moved by this world! You don’t have to fear because He goes before you and He is with you. You are His. (this is a quote on some artwork on her wall. I absolutely love it!

Lumberjack Baby Shower Treats!

December 4, 2019      Leave a Comment

I sure do love a good lumberjack party! Buffalo plaid is one of my favorites, and not much says “fall” like a woodsy theme! Two of my sweet friends work together and contacted me about a shower they were throwing for a co-worker. I have been itching to try some plaid cookies, so this was the perfect chance! 

There are literally TONS of ways to do the wood slice look, but I decided that edible hand-painting was the most feasible for me with a bit of a time crunch! (Make sure you grab my royal icing recipe if you are wanting to try your hand at these!)

Acorns and leaves were a great accent to the slices and onesies…and you guys! Acorns are SO easy! Chocolate sprinkles are a life-saver and add a great texture! 

I whipped up a batch of my signature s’mores cupcakes to go along with them and they turned out to be the perfect pair! How cute are these?! (I’ll drop a list of cutters down below!).

Cutters used:

Onesie: HERE

Log Slice: HERE

Leaf and Acorn HERE

Stencils HERE

 (I wound up tracing the plaid using these edible markers rather than airbrushing, for a more clean edge! Time consuming? yes. Worth it? Yes!)

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Would it be faster to do it myself? Sure! Would it Would it be faster to do it myself? Sure! Would it be done better? Absolutely. But what I would be doing is robbing my sweet baby of the blessing of serving and the joy that it brings her. 
⠀⠀
My prayer as her mama is that I would always put her spiritual development over my own convenience. That I would let go of my pace and perfection and give her the space to learn. Kids will become what we foster in them! Teach them Responsibly. Teach them life skills. Teach them to serve, not because they are less than but because that is what we are called to do. Teach them Jesus 🤍
Cast iron bakers ain’t just for cookin’! Total Cast iron bakers ain’t just for cookin’! Totally the perfect dessert serving dish! 🍰 🍌 🍓
Slow your growin’ 🌱 baby girl! 🤍 Slow your growin’ 🌱 baby girl! 🤍
That will preach all day long. It’s so easy to That will preach all day long.  It’s so easy to get caught up in “throwing stones.” Justifying our sins and short-comings with the “at least I’m not as bad as she is” mindset. Comparing ourselves to others. Allowing jealousy and discontentment to settle into the achy places of our heart. Gossiping. And yes, even the things we think in the quiet places and may never say out loud. 
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The Bible calls us to put our eyes on Jesus and Jesus only. Our main purpose for relationally interacting with others should be to love and serve so that they might meet Jesus through knowing us. When Jesus knew His crucifixion was coming, He wasn’t worried about enjoying the final moments. He chose to wash feet, one of the most basic and honestly nasty ways to serve others. A beautiful act of humility. 
⠀⠀
I admit this is an area that I am working on in my own life, and Jesus is taking me on a journey with it. My prayer is that I would look at people and see the need for their feet to be washed. To seek practical ways to love and serve. Because if I am focusing on serving, I’m not focusing on judging. 
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Tell me, is this an area of struggle for you too? I’d love to pray for you and your journey! 
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“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”- Mark 10:45
I just finished up this 5 week study and it did no I just finished up this 5 week study and it did not disappoint. If you have ever struggled to see the big picture of scripture and how it all connects, especially if the Old Testament has been an issue for you, I would highly recommend this one. Even as a seasoned believer, I feel like I learned so much and was really brought deeper into the heart of God. I needed this peace in the midst of our crazy time, and I’m betting sister that you do too (shout out- they even have a men’s version...and you can get them as a bundle!). 
This particular study and tons of others are on sale for just $5️⃣ right now! Skip a #starbucks trip and invest in your spiritual life. I promise you won’t be sorry. #selfcare at it’s finest! 😌
Head over to the #linkinbio to grab your copy!
We had the most fun busting into this awesome box We had the most fun busting into this awesome box from Kong Box and spoiling our sweet girl! She’s such a good dog and deserves some new goodies!

What’s even more fun?! They fully customized to her based on her age and mannerisms! Grab the #linkinbio to curate one for your own baby 💖 [check my IGTV for a full video!] #ad
In case you need a smile this morning 🥰 In case you need a smile this morning 🥰
Better late than never, right? #MealPlanMonday on Better late than never, right? #MealPlanMonday on a Tuesday! Grab your full week of recipes at the #linkinbio!
Seeing their friendship develop makes my mama hear Seeing their friendship develop makes my mama heart burst. Gosh, I love them so much. 🤍🤍
If you know, you know. I know I’m not the only p If you know, you know. I know I’m not the only person who did this. After a year of not going anywhere that I couldn’t wear leggings and a T-shirt to, a closet full of clothing that I haven’t worn in almost 2 years (pregnancy + pandemic) and a body that has been changed by my second pregnancy and postpartum depression medications, it took everything in me to find something I felt like I could wear to church. If I’m being honest, I was frustrated. There was a big part of me that wanted to say “forget it,” & watch church on the TV instead. Everyone was going to be in their Easter best, and all I could find that fit right was a cute T-shirt and a cardigan. I was tempted to let my anxiety and self-consciousness win. That’s what the devil wanted for me yesterday.
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But let me tell you about Jesus! He knew that I needed to see my community. He knew that I needed to hug my Brothers and sisters in Christ. He knew that I needed corporate worship. He knew that I needed to listen to a live sermon. He knew that my kids needed to get back into church now that that was an option. So He spoke to me through my three-year-old. Every time I tried on a shirt, she would say “you look so beautiful, Mommy!” And eventually I decided that I would listen to that small voice that Jesus was using. It may have been 30 minutes later than planned, but I loaded up my girls and took them to church. And I’m so very glad that I did! It was exactly what my soul needed, and I could feel a burden lifting as I stood in that barn and worshiped with my family.
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Maybe you can relate. Maybe your closet won and you stayed home yesterday. Maybe your anxiety over what the well-dressed people at church will think of you has been keeping you at home for years. I get it, even as a pastor‘s wife it can be a struggle. I’m here to tell you, go to church anyway. Even if it’s in a ratty T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. Go. And if the church that you choose makes you feel anything less than precious and valued, it’s time to find a different church. Jesus does not care one bit about the clothing you have on! He died for your heart and that is the only thing that matters. 🤍 #youmatter #jesus

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