Every Month I’m going to showcase some of me and kids book picks!
This month here is a few that Pella and I enjoy flipping through and reading
Current Read List
May 1, 2015
Washington & Oregon
April 29, 2015
We had such an amazing time on our trip, we drove up from Somis to Orcas Island, Eastsound WA. we also visited Seattle, Portland, Klamath, Eureka, Sausalito, Redding and had a few stops in between.
Easter 2015
April 5, 2015
Here is a peak of what the Easter Bunny filled the kids baskets up with year!
No nasty easter Candy! NO chache! NO fake grass.
ORLA GRACE:
Pez, Window Gel Pens, Washable crayons and colored pencils, Giddy Giddy felt hair clips, Strawberry (broken) cookie (I hope she’ll eat it!) Chick mini grass growing thing, Tweet Tweet board board, and Farm Animal bath squirties
NICHOLAS FRIEDRICH
Tucker + Tate jammies, Small World blanket and rattle, Skip hop activity book, wooden motorcycle toy.
PELLA JAMES
Pez, Mini grass growing thing, Giddy Giddy Hair clips, Crayola Washable URRRYTHANG, Gel paint pens, and a Giddy Giddy Hair clip holder.
Also got each kid a custom name embroidered JELLY CAT BUNNNAY!
I want one so bad! purchases from PeekaWhoo
Disconnected
April 2, 2015
I’m approaching 30 here very very soon, and at first I thought not much of it. As it gets closer I feel a sense of sadness like, “dang I’m 30…. and I don’t feel good in my skin, I feel not an ounce of “desirable or sexy” like how much could my husband look at me today and find me honestly attractive?! Covered in stretch marks, loose skin and a double chin I loathe! Yes I made humans, yes I carried and brought 3 perfect healthy babies into this world with my body! You can give me the “give yourself some credit” talk till your blue in the face. For now my body is a work in progress.. Progress that lets be honest, when –“keyword”– ‘WHEN’ I have free time the last thing I want to do is work out! I’m suffering from a disconnection, a disconnection of reality, who I am, and being content and comfortable with me NOW. I look at photos of me pre kids.I want to jump off a cliff! Lol. I took photos back in January bc I wanted to feel pretty, and cute, and little and clearly DELUSIONAL . I wanted my husband to have photos that he could look back on and think “dang!” All high expectations on my end. All non realistic optimism, I’m not a model, I don’t want to be a model, why did I do that? I feel stupid! I didn’t feel an ounce of liberation or confidence I was hoping for! I swore I would never share these photos…and I’m still not going to with the exception of this one. I chose this photo in particular because it’s the area of my body I’m MOST insecure of.I know my husband loves the shit out of me, he tells me every single day….I just hope that one day I can see what he sees. 30 is just a number, and I’m told 30s we’re some of the best years of people’s lives! Pfft! I doubt anyone who says that were wiping 3 asses and driving a mini van! But hey, I will continue to push. I will Continue to strive for happiness in my own skin. Being a mom is tough shit…. We carry so much weight on our shoulders and on top of all that finding the time to actually put some makeup on and a dress with some heels ceases to exist (at least in my world), and so does the thought or reality of being that “pretty mom” for now. I’d rather take the “good mom, than the “pretty mom” any day, at least my confidence in how my life is with my kids is sky high! At the end of the day, how I view myself on the exterior is such a small part of me, the interior is what I should look too for confidence and liberation. I sure hope Im not the only one who has felt this bittersweet feeling when turning 30!
Boy Picks
April 1, 2015
The world of “BOY” is a new world for me, even when I had my Childrens’ store “boy” stuff was always difficult, it was either too ‘baby’ too ‘sporty’ too ‘old man PJ’.
So when I found out I was having a boy, of course I struggled with sourcing what I thought to be cute, so here are my picks!
1. Muenster Kids tee and shark pants
2. Gray Label playsuit
3. Finn + Emma sailor teether
4. Lucky Boy Sunday Balthazar plush
5. Cotton On kids ‘X’ shorts
6. Harper Loves Little motorcycle infant snap back
7. Vans Sk8-hi’s
8. Cotton ON kids Buffalo zip up PJ’s
9. Sueno Shop Jasper baby blanket
10. Regualtors Tee- Etsy
11. Carters Gym socks
I don’t know what prompted me with this FABULOUS idea to have the kids photos taken in this “whimisical setting” by a professional photog…but I went ahead with the idea. As horrifying as it was to watch my middle child, Orla Grace throw tantrums in the dirt, and eat rocks…. I figured “Wellp that was a waste of my time, my kids time, my money, and the photographers time” Little did I know they would turn out to be JUST PERFECT. Jennings was able to capture the personality of my kids in the good split second moments to the bad teary eyed and runny nose moments!
So here they are !
Pella age 5, Orla age 15 months, Nicholas age 4 months
photography by: Jennings Paige
Mini hidden veggie meatloaf muffins
March 12, 2015
Mini Turkey Meatloaf – Perfectly portable and pre-portioned for ease and calorie control! Protein pack as well!
Ingredients:
2 lbs lean ground turkey (or chicken)
3 egg whites
1 cup quick cooking oats
2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. low sodium worchestire sauce
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp sweet chili powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp garlic powder (2 cloves minced)
½ cup cilantro finely chopped
1 small onion (finely chopped)
½ orange (or red) bell pepper finely chopped
1-2 Zucchini grated and strained (pat dry)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray 12 muffin pan with non-stick canola or olive oil spray.
3. Mix all your ingredients together in one large bowl.
4. Roll the mixture into balls and place in muffin pan. Muffins should be about the size of a racquetball.
5. Bake for 40 minutes.
Makes 12 muffins.
thank you Alexa for the recommendation!
recipe via: Alexa Fit
Pizza Pockets!
February 23, 2015
A Frozen Celebration
February 9, 2015
I bit the bullet and executed a simple yet NOT simple Frozen party for Pella’s 5th Birthday Party.
Resource’s:
Cake by MJB cakes
Blue frosted Petzel Wands
Anna & Elsa princesses provided by Smile and a Song Princess Parties
Anna and Elsa Wooden cake toppers by Mosey
Adios 2014
December 31, 2014
Talk about a crazy year!!!!
Some 2014 highlights:
January
-We found out I was pregnant (unplanned) in the end of January, that alone was a whirlwind of emotions.
– We took the family to Disneyland for an early birthday present for Pella
February
-Pella turned 4!
April
– I turned 29
– Found out I was pregnant with a baby BOY!
May
-Got myself a new minivan!
-Got a bunny for the kids
June
– Nick took his motorcycle to Born Free 6
August
-We took the kids to San Diego for a family vacation
-Pella started Transitional Kindergarten
September
-Nick turned 36
October
– Had to say goodbye to my French Bulldog Lola, she was 10 years old.
– Gave birth to Nicholas
November
-Orla turned 1
– Had our first Thanksgiving in our home with family
December
-Nick completed the construction of his new shop in our back yard
I tried to pick 12 photos 1 for every month, but that was impossible so heres some of my favorites photos of 2014
2015 Goals
I am looking forward to getting back in shape this year, and push myself to stay motivated and healthy. I am also making it a point to not use my cell phone/social media as much, and give the kids more one on one attention. I want to work on myself, and my lack of patience I have at times. Looking forward to having Nick home a few days a week, so definitely going to make it a point to sit down and have dinner as a family on those nights. I want to give back more this year, whether it be via donations or my time. I want to blog and write more this year. I feel like these all are realistic goals, and may seem like a lot, but I think I can tackle these….
Happy New Year everyone, I wish everyone the best year ever!
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