Baby yoga! ↓
Oh my goodness, the sun is shining and I’m feeling better then I have since, well, the last time the sun was shining! Sure, snow is potentially on the horizon this weekend, but for now I’m focusing on the 50 degree day at hand, the 70 degree one on tap for tomorrow, and a whole afternoon of childcare. Can I get an Amen.
This has been the toughest winter (there, I said it) I can remember in a really long time between this miserable weather, virus after virus, planning for the arrival of a new baby (exciting of COURSE but so many things to work out between potentially buying a new car, stroller, figuring out bedroom configurations, etc in just over 3 months – holy $@!&) and well, just really missing the dang sun! This Type A has to remind herself to stop and smell the roses which, as I’ve mentioned, I’ve been doing a much better job at lately. More time with friends, solo Saturday morning errands, and baking lots of these cookies. Best you’ll ever have.
Anyway, here’s what else is currently going on!
Time and place: 12:36pm in my office/photo studio/Ben’s hobby room/guest room/baby girl’s bedroom. Like I said, we’ve got some rearranging to do!
Researching: 16 personality types. I took the 16 personalities quiz earlier this week and the results were SPOT ON. Have you ever taken? I’m an ISFJ personality – aka “The Defender” – it’s been so exciting reading the results and nodding along as though someone finally understands me, ha!
Sniffing: Capri Blue Candle. The little boys and I walked into Anthropologie a couple months ago and almost immediately turned around because of the stares we were getting from employees (I get it – two baby bulls in a china shop) but the scent that was wafting our direction from a lit candle encouraged me to press on. This candle you guys – so lovely! I’m not a floral candle girl – actually, I’m not really a candle person at all. Up until that point I owned zero – but the scent smells just like Anthro (yum.) I actually haven’t lit it since buying as simply leaving the lid off still provides a ton of scent.
Craving: Crispy Chicken, Bacon and Pesto Gnocchi Skillet. One of the most difficult experiences as a recipe creator is sharing a recipe that you know in your soul is a winner, then having few people actually try it (or at least letting you know they tried it, I guess!) Thankfully that hasn’t been the case with Crispy Chicken, Bacon and Pesto Gnocchi Skillet. You guys are not only making this recipe but LOVING it, too. I’ve been making it once a week since posting – so quick and delicious.
Loving: Tuxedo Teeth Whitening Activated Charcoal Powder. I bought this product based on a review from a fellow blogger and it’s truly a miracle worker. It lifts surface stains in one use, is pregnancy safe, and a little goes a super long way. Using the powder is a bit messy so I only brush with it before my regular toothpaste maybe once or twice a week, but it’s so great to have on hand for a quick pick-me-up.
Avoiding: social media. Maybe it’s amplified by this never-ending winter, as I’m already feeling kind of blah, but I’ve just been feeling worse and worse after spending time on social media lately! Can you relate? Constantly being bombarded by vacations I’m not taking, workouts I’m not doing, crafts I’m not making, recipes I’m not creating, etc. Snarky Mom memes are about the only thing keeping me on there, ha! While a social media presence is required for my job as a blogger, I’m thinking about taking a one or two week hiatus from using social media for personal use. There’s just no time in anyone’s life for spending even a minute feeling bad about themselves based on what others are doing. Will share my thoughts after making it happen.
Living in: Ingrid & Isabel Maternity Leggings. I’ve been pregnant three times and thus feel I can speak confidently to good and bad maternity wear. Trust me when I tell you that through three pregnancies I have not owned a SINGLE pair of maternity leggings or jeans that don’t need to be tugged up 1,000 a day (without spending $200+ that is,) until I purchased these leggings. Tell your friends, tell your sisters, tell your co-workers – anyone who is pregnant needs to own a pair. I have them in black and wear them at least 5 days a week (not kidding!) Incredibly comfortable, no sheerness, adorable zipper detail on the ankle and, as I mentioned, they do not budge.
Wondering: What are you eating? I know half the country is still in spring limbo, including us here in the Midwest, but I’m so ready for lighter, springier foods. You too? What kinds of recipes are looking for right now?
Making: Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bars. I feel like maybe I’ve only told Facebook this recently, but we are still going strong baking Maple Cinnamon or Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars every Sunday. I cannot stress to you enough how low-stress they make breakfast time. Pair with a few links of Jones Dairy Farm Sausage and/or yogurt, then boom, onto the next thing.
Reading: Pigeon Wants a Puppy. I guess I’m not reading Pigeon wants a puppy, rather, Lincoln is! The “pigeon series” of books have been a huge hit with my little man, who is 4.5. He’s always loved books but this particular series has encouraged him to not only try reading on his own, but illustrating and writing his own pigeon stories (and when I say “writing” I mean he writes out letters to make “words and sentences”.) Truly they have just brought out an entirely new enthusiasm for reading and writing that I didn’t know we were potentially missing! Plus they’re really fun for parents to read too…an important element when you’re reading the same book aloud for the 400th time. ;)
Swiping: Counter Cloths. A friend recently hosted a Norwex Party and I snagged a set of Counter Cloths, among a few other things. I appreciate their size, which is that of a single sheet of paper towel, and they’ve been great for small jobs like wiping up the floors after the boys are done eating (my Lord, the crumbs!) or wiping down windows and appliances. Best of all, they only use water to remove 99% of bacteria on surfaces. My paper towel usage went down drastically after starting to use e-cloths earlier this year, and these are helping us further reduce the amount of trash coming from out of our kitchen. Love them!
Laughing. Like I said, God bless parenting memes!
Watching: Will and Grace. I didn’t watch W&G when it originally aired back in the late 90s/early 2000s but am so glad I picked it up now – SO FREAKING FUNNY!! The first couple of episodes felt so-so because 90% of the plot line would never happen in real life, but after deciding to appreciate it for what it is – truly hilarious 90s-esque comedy – it’s been 30 minutes that I look forward to every week.
Pick a “Currently” category and fill me in!
For archiving purposes, thought you might want to know the title/cover image of this post says 2017 instead of 2018! I was going to re-read something & went to search thought hmmm…i think that post is more recent! Or as a toddler mom I’m losing my mind which is also possible!
Oh my gosh, I literally cannot get it together with the 2018 thing. Almost 6 months in and it still feels weird to write (and type, apparently!) GAH! Thank you so much for the heads up!
If you’re enjoying personality stuff, I recommend taking the Enneagram — it’s my newest “conversation obsession.” I find it to be better/more enlightening/more accurate than the Myers-Briggs. You can have Ben take it and figure out what “Type” you each are and it has accurate descriptions of your potential conflict areas and how you work together well. Just food for thought! https://enneagramtest.net/ (i’m a 7)
Be careful with that tooth whitener. I had questions about that type of product so I asked my bestie from college, who is a hygienist now. She said she has spent HOURS cleaning it out of people’s gumlines, and it can even go as far as to seep even farther into your mouth, basically on your bones. It may not feel abrasive, and it may not hurt or be unpleasant, but it can scratch your enamel and do real long-term damage to your gums.
Ack – that’s no good! I use it sparingly so I think I’m ok, but good to know not to overdo it!
You should have Ben take the personality quiz… then google yours and his together. I’m an INFP, and my husband is nearly the exact OPPOSITE -although we share the “N”. Its true opposites attract. The descriptions provided here are uncanny!
It is on his honey-do list!! ???? Also I have been meaning to respond to your cast iron question for about 2 weeks – I’m glad your magazine came at just the right time! I personally don’t use a “real” cast iron because I just can’t NOT wash a skillet with soap and water – weirds me out. I use this enameled Le Crueset so I can give it a good scrubbing when I’m done using it:
In lieu of a full social media detox, I have considered unfollowing specific people, as really there are only a couple that seem to bother me. My favorite page for snarky memes is Mommy Needs Vodka…. Lots of swearing, but soooo relatable. I have definitely felt jealous at times of your vacations and close relationships with family/friends! It’s hard not to compare ourselves to others.
I’m on day 6 of my detox right now and if/when I go back that’s exactly what I’m going to do – whittle down my “follow” list!
I’m a defender too! That was really interesting. I love analyzing myself like that.
Chalk me up to a ISFJ Defender personality as well…seems like a good club to be a part of :)
In regards to the charcoal teeth whitener, funny that it was a part of your post as I just ordered my first container yesterday but went with a slightly cheaper (but really good reviews) version. Hopefully it works well! Here is the one I bought:
They make a really cute pigeon activity book. My 5 year old loved it!
Hi fellow ISFJ!!!! Also The Pigeon books are some of my favorite from my time working with kids!!
I got my CD diagnosis two days ago and as a self-proclaimed foodie and longtime reader, your site was my first stop to meal plan. It is overwhelming to say the least, but thank you for helping me realize that I can do this. I’d love to see another favorite products post if you have anything new that you would recommend!
I’m in the middle of a social media detox as well and I may never go back! I deleted IG and took FB off my phone and iPad a few weeks ago and I feel so much lighter! I considered deleting my Facebook account completely but I do like having access to my neighborhood page and my moms group page, so now I just check my notifications every few days and log straight back off if there’s nothing important. I find that having to actually go to my computer to do it keeps me away the rest of the time!
Feel free to not answer this question as it’s kind of broad and a little personal, but I am in a similar place as you with pregnancy (pregnant with my 3rd and my 2nd will only be 19 months when #3 is born). My first 2 were a comfortable 26 months apart, and I am freaking out a little about my soon-to-be middle child. Do you have any thoughts or have you received any good advice about how to help a barely-toddler through the transition to having a baby sibling? I just feel so bad that his world is going to be totally rocked and that he won’t understand why! Plus I guess I still have a little guilt about him already not getting as much attention as his older sister did. I know lots of people have big families and my kids will be fine, but we weren’t really planning to have #3 quite this soon, so it feels overwhelming!
My thoughts are, it’s going to be hard no matter what, unfortunately. :( Personally, with Cameron, I just don’t think there’s a great way to prepare him for the arrival of another human being into the family – he’s just too young to understand. All that said, I am comforted by the fact that he has Lincoln and they play together really well, AND that he will never remember life before baby sis comes along. So while it might be hard for awhile, he’ll also be just fine. Let’s just put it this way – my youngest brother and I were 15 months apart and I was the happiest girl in the world having a playmate so close in age!
It’s comforting to hear that about you and your brother! I am an only child so I have no context for thinking about sibling dynamics, but my husband is one of 3 and he is totally not worried at all. I should probably trust the people who actually grew up with siblings and relax ;)
I love your currently posts! I haven’t made your bacon gnocchi recipe because I’m a vegetarian, but your chicken sausage, gnocchi, and vegetable dish is a regular around here. I add extra veggies since I leave out the sausage but the sauce is what makes it!
Have you heard of the book There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather by Linda Åkeson McGurk? It may help change your mindset about the weather :) I committed to getting my 2 year old outside every day starting last June (unless it’s a hurricane, blizzard, etc.) and some days we only last ten minutes but most times, once we get through the hassle of getting dressed and out, we’re out there for an hour or more and end up having so much fun. Plus I never have to entertain her if we’re outside. Why buy toys when she will happily play with mulch and a worm for 45 minutes? haha
I’m with you on the weather….Ohio weather has been horrid and cold and dreary and I am OVER it! I appreciate you keeping it real. There’s a blogger I read, I enjoy her hair and makeup posts. BUT she is very materialistic. She is also expecting her 3rd, they already bought a new van, she buys clothes constantly, buys EVERYTHING constantly…I get so weary of it. Yet, I still read, watch, listen. Ugh. Anyway, very best of luck to you, and that chicken gnocchi recipe looks fab!
I’m an ISFJ, too! Love the insights from that personality test. Definitely going to try that Tuxedo product!
I live in Mississippi, so it is mostly springtime here already (sorry :)). That being said, I’d love some crockpot recipes that aren’t super heavy. I like to use mine at least once a week (working mom here), but I feel like most things I cook in it are more winter-esque meals. I know any recipes you could share would be amazing!
It’s funny you mentioned lighter crock pot recipes – I was inspired earlier this week to create a few “warm weather” crock pot recipes to make this summer. Stay tuned – and enjoy that warm weather for us!
Question? Have you stopped doing “email” posts? I love your blog but I’m not crazy about the ads that break up the page when I have to click on the link to read it. Just curious.
Unfortunately I had to shorten my post emails to accommodate being an Amazon affiliate (inadvertently including affiliate links that were in my blog post in an email is against their terms of services.) That said, my developer and I are looking at a solution that will strip out the affiliate link from emails so the long form posts can still go through without any violations. More on this soon!
Hi! So I was interested about the charcoal toothpaste as well. I asked my dentist about it and she said that it doesn’t truly work. Only whitening gels/trays or crest strips over long periods of time work. Also she said she has recently had to buff the charcoal out of several of her paitent’s gum lines. Just thought I’d pass it along for info!
I 100% wouldn’t have believed the results if I hadn’t seen them myself! I’ve never had much luck with whitening toothpastes, and the strips hurt my sensitive teeth. If you have questions, definitely consult your dentist, but I personally love this product!
Are we long lost cousins? Same personality profile, also never had luck with whitening toothpastes and have sensitive teeth that are awful with the strips…man alive :)
We are still in spring limbo in Virginia so, don’t worry, it’s all over the place. I was craving tuna noodle casserole the other night and made it for the first time in years. It was just the basic recipe from the Campbell’s soup can, but I think with the addition of a few more veggies besides the peas, it could really be a lightened up springtime comfort dish. After all, April showers still call for comfort food. :) I’d love to find a recipe that’s not so heavy, but still has the same flavors.
That is a wonderful idea – tuna noodle/spring veggie casserole. Love it!!
I know Facebook is a must for bloggers, but I felt so much better when I deleted my account. It was one of the best things I’ve done for myself.
I hope you enjoy your hiatus.
Thank you! 12 hours in and loving it so far – I’ve already read half a book on my Kindle app!