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Kisses + Caffeine

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

Archives for February 2020

Grove Collaborative: An Honest Review

February 27, 2020      Leave a Comment

I have to be honest, it took months of scrolling past friends posting about Grove for me to give them a try. I am a skeptic at best when it comes to subscription companies, and I totally thought my chemical-laden Walmart cleaning supplies are working just fine, thank-you-very-much.

But I have always struggled with keeping our granite counters as clean and shiny as I like them, until I gave Grove a try! The Method brand granite counter cleaner is my all time favorite cleaning product! It smells amazing and keeps everything super sparkly (it is awesome on stainless steel and our glass table, too!). Plus, getting it delivered straight to my house is a huge plus! One less thing I have to worry about while lugging my toddler through the store!

To sweeten the pot even more, Grove gives all new subscribers (use this link!) a fantastic welcome gift! At the very least, they always give away a beautiful Mrs. Meyers gift set, but they almost always give away extra goodies, too (like the glass spray bottle and beautiful white stoneware tray below)! We keep the Mrs. Meyers soap on re-order because it smells fantastic and is way more gentle on your skin. The room spray is another hit around here.

Like I said, the Method granite cleaner is my BFF. I use it on literally every surface of our kitchen. I love that they offer this giant refill bottle that I order once every 6 months. I use it every day and it lasts! If you are considering a product to try, start here!

I am also a huge fan of the microfiber multi-use cloths. At just about $3 each, I stocked up on them and they have lasted me for months already! They are great for using with the granite cleaner, dusting, wiping out sinks, you name it! Super soft and gentle on your hands, and they hold up really well in the wash.

Honestly, having my Grove subscription has taught me that I am a big fan of pretty much all Method brand cleaning products! The wood polish sold me on my first use. It smells like almonds and leaves our furniture and cabinets super shiny! 

We use the Method floor cleaner (also smells like almond! it is fantastic!), Heavy Duty Degreaser, anti-bacterial spray, bathroom cleaner, toilet cleaner and laundry detergent, too! Told you, I am hooked! I 10 out of 10 do recommend!

Now you may be asking, “This all sounds great, Katie, but have you ever run into any issues?” The answer is YES! A couple of months ago, we picked up our shipment to find it wrapped in a plastic bag and soaking wet. Upon opening the box, everything was covered and sticky with my beloved Method laundry detergent. Womp. Womp. Womp.

But the story doesn’t end there! Grove also has a handy texting service for subscribers. I simply texted in the pictures of what happened and they made it right immediately! Fantastic customer service, for the win!

I have absolutely adored about 95% of the products that we have gotten from Grove! I will say, these “tree free” rolls of toilet paper and paper towels are a hard pass for us. We accidentally got them once and then I forgot to take them out, so we got them a second time. You better believe I did not forget to remove them after that! Think, gas station toilet paper mixed with a fin grit sand paper. And then imagine wiping your lady parts with that. Do yourself a favor and skip this one, no matter how eco-friendly it sounds! 

Lastly, I will say that I am just now dabbling into their personal care lines. But after doing a lot of research into the toxicity in most tampons (Do yourself a favor and google it. Hello, huge rise in fertility issues!) I made the switch to these organic cotton ones with Grove and I love them! They are far more absorbent, too, which offsets the cost difference! 

To summarize, I have nothing but fantastic things to say about Grove! (Other than that their organic toilet paper stinks!) We love getting our products shipped right to us on our own schedule, the prices are at or below that of the same products in a store, and I feel so much better about the chemical reduction! The customer service is top notch, easy to reach and quick to resolve issues. Plus it helps me tremendously to keep our house more clean, knowing that I have my supplies on hand. If you have been considering it (or even if you haven’t yet!) I would definitely say to give it a try! 

Claim your FREE Mrs. Meyers set now by clicking this link! Its a good one! (I seriously love that metal caddy for storing and carting my supplies around!)

The Promise in the Wait

February 24, 2020      Leave a Comment

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!

February 22, 2020      Leave a Comment

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!)

February 20, 2020      Leave a Comment

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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!

 

Need a fantastic main course for your date night in?? Try my Copycat Ruth’s Chris Steak recipe! 

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
  • Time: 5 mins
  • 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.

Need a fantastic main course for your date night in?? Try my Copycat Ruth’s Chris Steak recipe! 

Ruth's Chris Copycat broiled filet
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3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

February 17, 2020      Leave a Comment

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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.

4 Week Keto

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
  • Time: 30 mins
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 1 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3-4 teaspoons Splenda (or other non-calorie sweetener of your choice!)

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.

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Unloved on Valentine’s Day

February 14, 2020      Leave a Comment

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
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They are always playing so nicely until we try to They are always playing so nicely until we try to take a few minutes, right?! Mama’s don’t get quiet time 🤣🤦🏽‍♀️
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#momhumor #momlife #motherhood #parentinghumor #parenting #funnymom #momsofinstagram #mommemes #motherhoodunplugged #momproblems #sahm #parentingmemes #momjokes #toddler #parentinglife #funnymoms #momquotes #parentingmeme #parentingtips #funnyparents #parenthood #explore #momlifebelike #momstruggles #sahmlife #toddlermom #motherhoodquotes #explorepage #dadjokes #newmom
Those little smiles are worth every penny. If you’re adding a new baby to your family, I 10 out of 10 recommend planning a special date for your bigs before baby arrives 🤍🤍
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#bigsister #sisters #babymoon #pregnancy #pregnant #growingfamily #holdthemoments #makingmemories #memories #chuckecheese #barnesandnoble #buildabear #dateday #babygirls #mommysgirl #daddysgirls #staylittle #explore #explorepage #mom #momma #mommy #momlife #momlifeisthebestlife #motherhood #motherhoodthroughinstagram #momsofinstagram #momlifeunfiltered
Especially being pregnant 🤰🏻 🤣 . . . #pre Especially being pregnant 🤰🏻 🤣
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#pregnancy #pregnant #thirdtrimester #tired #tiredasamother #mom #momlife #momlifeisthebestlife #momlifebelike #momlifeunfiltered #explore #explorepage #motherhood #funny #relatable #momsofinstagram #momsover30 #motherhoodquotes #motherhoodrising #motherhoodslens #motherhoodjourney #parenting #mommemes #momminainteasy #mommy #sleep
Your most asked question answered! Check out our l Your most asked question answered! Check out our little RV nursery tour! Two weeks from today, we will be adding a #newborn to our crazy #rvlife and I finally feel mostly ready! 😅 
I created a list of the items we used on my Amazon storefront which I’ll link in stories and my bio!
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#baby #babygirl #babylove #babiesofinstagram #babies #newbornbaby #rvlifewithkids #instababy #babyshower #rvliving #camping #camperlife #travel #rv #nursery #rvlifestyle #campervan #fulltimerv #homeonwheels #wanderlust #explore #adventure #explorepage  #campinglife #tinyhome #outdoors #fulltimerving #momlife
My precious girls. Honored to love them. Blessed t My precious girls. Honored to love them. Blessed to raise them. My greatest gifts 🤍
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#lettertomydaughter #motherhood #motherhoodunplugged #honestmotherhood #motherhoodbook #connectedinmotherhood #welcometomotherhood #monday #momlife #mom #mommy #momanddaughter #momsofinstagram #momsofinsta #momsover30 #snuggles #holdthemoments #thebestofme #sweetgirls #girlmom #babygirl #memories #explore #explorepage
Love those babies to pieces but shew! 😅 Those m Love those babies to pieces but shew! 😅 Those meltdowns over the impulse aisles (thanks, Walmart) are brutal! Moms…ya feel me?? 
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#momhumor #momlife #motherhood #parentinghumor #mommemes #funnymom #momstruggles #motherhoodunplugged #momproblems #funnymoms #parentingmemes #parenting #momlifeunfiltered #momtruth #sahm #girlmom #motherhoodlife #momsofinstagram #realmotherhood #mom #dailymotherhood #parentingishard #momjokes #honestmotherhood #parentingmeme #explore #boymom #parentinglife #explorepage
🦁 Lion King Party!🦁 Our little loves came ba 🦁 Lion King Party!🦁
Our little loves came back from #disneyworld absolutely obsessed with the Lion King! They insisted that we had to change their party theme and I love the way that it turned out. I had fun putting it together for them and they had the best time at their party! I’ll link all of the supplies we used in stories as well as my Amazon storefront (which can be found at the #linkinbio )
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#disney #lionking #lionkingparty #birthdayparty #birthday #party #happybirthday #babyshower #decoration #explore #birthdaygirl #balloons #events #balloon #balloongarland #explorepage #cake #balloondecor #eventplanner #birthdaycake #event #partyplanner #balloonart #balloonarch #partydecorations #partydecor #balloondecoration #birthdayboy
They don’t come truer than this one. Love you so They don’t come truer than this one. Love you so much, sweet friend!
@claudiamoorehowell
Ah…the struggle of motherhood 🤣. (This is ton Ah…the struggle of motherhood 🤣. (This is tongue in cheek, but so true 🤦🏽‍♀️)
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#momhumor #momreels #parenting #coffee #momlife #kids #baby #love #family #children #kidsfashion #pregnant #fun #cute #babygirl #instagood #kidsofinstagram #photography #babies #instakids #mom #photooftheday #explore #explorepage #birthplan #pregnancy #homeschool #unschooling #parentinghacks
Happy 5th birthday to my most precious rainbow 🌈 baby girl. 5 years of loving you and watching you grow into the most beautiful little soul. We are blessed to be your parents and so proud of you. Love you forever, my baby girl! 
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#happybirthday #happybirthdaytoyou #birthdaygirl #5thbirthday #myheart #rainbowbaby #mommysgirl #daddysgirl #mom #birthday #birthdaycake #birthdayideas #momlife #momlifeisthebestlife #motherhood #motherdaughter #momsofinstagram #explore #explorepage #cute #precious #adorable #baby #babygirl #instagood #firstbaby

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