back to blogging. and, Amazon links

Ahem.

There's no easy way to jump back into blogging after six months. I don't have much in the way of an explanation, except that 1. I don't want to add to the noise that often IS the internet, so I found myself at a loss for (written) words, and 2. the blogger app is terrible and doesn't work on my phone or ipad, which are the only two devices we use regularly at home.

So, there we have it. Explanation done and done.

Well... also, I have two kids. And another on the way. (Yes, that is my way of announcing that Baby 'Berts #3 is on the way. Most readers probably know already, and somehow, sadly, the third child doesn't end up with as much fanfare as his/her siblings. Healthy dose of reality for us all. :) ) I will share more about this new little life sometime in the near future, but for now let's just say that though he/she gets forgotten in the chaos of life with other kids, he/she was very much hoped and prayed for, and we are absolutely delighted to be adding another bean to our bunch.

Now, on to the second bit from the title of this post. I've signed up to be a part of Amazon associates, which I hope will generate a (teeny, tiny) bit of income from this hobby of blogging. I think that if I post links to things that we love, or that I would recommend, through this blog, I can earn a little bit of money back if those items are purchased by any of you. I haven't tried yet, and I really don't expect this endeavor to be at all lucrative, but I wanted to be upfront about that right away. At no cost to you, Amazon might give back a little bitty bit to me, and to my growing family. We use Amazon A LOT, and expect many of you do as well, so let's all benefit from this part of the system.

Stitch Fix: February 2016

Today's blog post brought to you by overlapping naps for the baby AND toddler! I got to try my clothes on, take awkward photos using the camera timer, and start typing a post to review my Fix. Amazing!

I feel like this was probably my best Fix yet! Though I only plan on keeping one item, my stylist (Shelby) got the closest to my actual style that Stitch Fix has come so far. Since I still have some credit from referrals, I scheduled another Fix to come soon and requested some brighter colors for spring. 

Here's a photo of the style card and note from my stylist, in case you are curious. :)

The item I plan to keep is the navy blue tie-back knit top, shown below. I wasn't that enthused when I pulled it out of the box, because I already own a lot of navy clothing. Once I tried it on, however, I realized it was super cute!! The fit is really flattering and the tie-back gives a little bit of flair to an otherwise understated shirt. I also like that the material is soft, and that it's made in the USA. 

This striped shirt was a near miss. The feel and fit are really good. I like that I can pull it up easily for breastfeeding, and it's really soft. The length is very flattering, too. Plus, stripes! BUT, the colors just aren't great for me, especially the light pink that's lining the collar closest to my face. Like I said, really good in theory. But I'm sending it back.

If I didn't spend my days wrangling little kids (and carrying their stuff all over creation), I might have kept this clutch. The colors are really fun and it has a lot of inner compartments. Since I do spend my days wrangling little kids, though, it's not worth keeping. I don't use the reversible tote bag that I got from Stitch Fix last spring nearly as much as I'd hoped, so I can't justify keeping another cute bag at this stage in my life.

Something I seriously considered keeping was this navy blazer. I asked for a blazer in this Fix, and the one they sent was very soft and had a cute flowy part in the back, which I loved! However, the material pulled at the front when buttoned, and was a bit short on my long torso. 

The worst item in this Fix, which I couldn't even fit over my baby-birthing hips, was this pair of pants. My stylist specifically mentioned them, and apologized that she couldn't meet my request for a pair of white skinny jeans. This pair of pants was her alternative, but I wasn't impressed at all. Couldn't even get them on, plus they look old-fashioned and frumpy to me. 

Still on the fence about Stitch Fix? I think spring is the perfect time to give it a try. If you are concerned about not liking anything in the Fix, send me an email. I can connect you to a Facebook group where people sell stuff they don't plan to keep, in hopes of not losing their $20 styling fee.

Like I said before, this was definitely my best Fix... I've gotten five over the last 18 months and they seem to be closer to my actual style and preferences each time. If you're ready to take the plunge, please use my referral link, and let me know how you like your items!

"I wish someone had told me": new blog series

As a new mom, I received a whole lotta advice--- some good, some bad, some just all around silly. :) Fortunately, I have some awesome friends and family who helped prepare me for parenthood and gave wanted and supportive input. In many ways, I felt equipped and ready for the challenges of growing, birthing, and raising babies.

But then there were things that left me completely dumbfounded. 

I would think, "Why didn't someone warn me?" Or "How come they didn't tell me about this?!" 

I bet it's safe to say some of you felt (or feel?!) the same... 

So, I'm starting a new blog series, with 3-5 posts in mind already. I've been in touch with some guest bloggers, who I think will really hit it out of the park with their topic choice and writing style. I hope you love their posts! 

If you are interested in writing a guest post, please get in touch. If there's a topic you don't want to write about, but would like to see covered in this series, leave a comment below. 

Coming soon: the first post, Lindsay's experience with twins!! 

Guest bloggers and topics needed!

Friends!

In less than a month, Joel, Charlotte, and I will pack up our van to start our drive west to Everett. 

While on the road (for about three weeks) it will be difficult for me to post regularly in this space. I would LOVE to have a few guest writers who can post content during that time. I'd also be grateful for input about what kind of things you readers would like to see. If you have a blog post idea, I might be able to think of a guest blogger who could cover that topic... 

So! Leave a comment below if you are interested in writing a guest post and/or if you have something you are interested in reading here on the blog as I move across country. 

Some ideas: great children's toys, travel locations, family traditions, more weekly meal planning, capsule wardrobe inspiration, etc. etc. 

Winter capsule wrap-up

I've been inspired by one of my new favorite bloggers to do some kind of summary, wrap-up, re-cap of my winter capsule wardrobe.

Now that spring is (finally!) here to stay, I'm boxing up some of my heavier sweaters and putting away my boots. I'm not throwing anything away, and many of my capsule items are also going to be part of my spring capsule (more on that soon!). I'm also not planning on donating much- my current pile for the thrift store is mostly junk that we had hanging around the house, not old clothes that I'm tired of. I consider that a real win. Maybe in future seasons I will be able to keep this capsule idea going and not immediately purge all sorts of un-wanted and un-worn items at the end of every season. 

 Alright-- on to my re-cap.

Favorite items: chunky gray sweater from Everlane, light red T-shirt from GAP, dark Levi skinny jeans, low black boots. 

Least favorite item: gray v-neck from Everlane. I am really disappointed with this T-shirt. The fabric has not held its shape well at all, through a winter of wash and wear. The v is also too low, even with a tank top underneath. Bummer. 

Favorite outfit combinations: 1. skinny jeans, t-shirt of any kind, black boots, and chunky sweater; 2. Khaki cords, black boots, black long T, with fun, colorful jewelry or scarf. 

Lessons learned: 1. add a bit more color next winter-- the grays and blacks got a bit tedious with the dark, gloomy winter weather. 2. Also-- accessorize more! 3. Take more photos! I don't have documentation of the outfits I wore, so I think it will be harder to remember how things worked together when I pull all my winter clothes out this coming fall. 

Things to remember for future capsules: pay for quality pieces from companies I trust and whose styles match mine. Everlane was a new-to-me company this past fall and though I'm very happy with my chunky sweater from there, it was a risk to purchase two t-shirts when I wasn't familiar with the way they would fit. This is a significant downside of purchasing clothes online. 

Overall, I am very pleased to have experimented with a capsule wardrobe this winter. It was interesting to pay attention to my personal "style" and having some staples I could mix and match made it much easier to put on real clothes, even when I was hanging around the house with kids all day long. :) 

Family meals 7: guest blogger Emily

This family meals series continues to be great fun! Today I'm sharing meals that were planned and prepared by my friend Emily. We haven't been friends in person since many years ago (we met at summer camp!), but Facebook has kept us in touch from a distance. Her second daughter is just a tiny bit older than Charlotte, so I love to see what's new in their house so I can prepare for what's to come in our own house :)

Here's Emily....

Working full time and also being a mom of two young girls makes evenings very hectic. I honestly don’t think that we would ever eat a “from scratch” meal if I didn't plan ahead! I am an RN and recently transitioned from working 12 hour weekend shifts to a weekday desk job, and overall it has allowed more family time with my husband and our one and three year old daughters. It has added the expense of daycare to our budget, which makes menu planning all the more important. 

Living in Maine, we totally take advantage of our short grilling season, but the rest of the year I use my crock pot like it’s going out of style! I do grocery shopping and some meal prep on the weekends when my husband and I are home with the girls. 

I did a gluten free trial 2 years ago after learning a lot about the paleo diet, and I have stuck with it due to weight loss, mental clarity, and increased feeling of well-being. The rest of my family does not eat strictly gluten free, but our dinners are always gluten free. I find that this mostly means we eat less processed foods. My girls both have broad palates for toddlers, including plenty of fruits, vegetables, and meat, and some grains. I like to have on hand a few meal options for when I don’t plan ahead: hot dogs, frozen burger patties, ground beef (for making tacos or taco salad), kielbasa, ham steaks, cans of tuna fish, just to name a few. 

This is what our menu looked like last week:

Sunday: Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup  Our 3 year old loves soup and she will eat it as is (albeit messily at times). For my 1 year old, I strain the soup and give her the beans, tomatoes, and chicken. I didn't add jalepenos because the kids don't enjoy too much spicy. 


Monday: Chicken Wings
About once a month we take out our deep fryer and do a couple of meals with it. Chicken wings are super easy. After they are cooked through, we just pop them in a mixture of Franks Red Hot Sauce and melted butter for the adults and do plain wings for the girls. Our 3 year old will eat them off of the bone with supervision but we pick the meat off for our one year old. I usually do carrot and celery sticks on the side. 

Tuesday: Pepper Steak I love this because it isn't super involved as far as prep goes, but it tastes amazing and everyone likes it! I cut the black pepper in half since our littles don't love spicy, and serve over rice. 

Wednesday: Kielbasa with Peppers and Onions (and sometimes potatoes)
We do kielbasa as an easy weeknight meal in the biggest frying pan we have. In the summer we stick it on skewers with onion and peppers and grill it! 

Thursday: Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Wrapping chicken breasts, thighs, or tenders in bacon adds awesome flavor and moisture to the chicken. Seriously who doesn't love bacon?! Sometimes we stuff chicken breasts with a little pesto sauce and shredded cheese before wrapping with bacon! Yum! We bake at 350 until they are cooked through, 20-40 minutes depending on what kind of chicken cuts we use. I love serving roasted asparagus, brussel sprouts, or broccoli tossed in EVOO and salt. I cook those at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking.

Friday: Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin Here comes into play the crock pot I love so well! I was never much into pork roasts but this method comes out awesome. My friend suggested using apple cider vinegar or apple juice if you don't cook with wine. 

Saturday: Crock Pot Chicken Fricassee This is a super easy "throw and go" kind of recipe that is really a crowd-pleaser. It's comfort food for me. A little messy as a finger food, so I usually strain out meat and veggies for my one year old before I add the roux. Leftovers freeze really well, so sometimes I double this for easy lunches. Admittedly, it is harder to thicken this with gluten free flour than wheat flour, so I have used corn starch to thicken to my desired consistency. 

And there you have 7 gluten free, family friendly meals!

Thanks so much, Emily! I'm inspired to use my Crock Pot in all sorts of new ways!

NOW! Who wants to share their family meals next? 

Stitch Fix 1

A few months ago I blogged about starting my first capsule wardrobe. Though I'm now tired of my "winter" capsule (and am dying for spring!), I was really content with the things I included and was very satisfied by the creation of my capsule. Read more about my capsule here & about the woman whose ideas I followed here.

(Note: I'm sorry to say taking photos of the outfits I created with my capsule just didn't happen. I haven't used my real camera much recently. Hopefully that will change now that the daylight is sticking around longer...)

Anyway, since I created my first capsule, I've been on the lookout for high-quality basics that can be mixed, matched, and worn over and over again. Since the weather is starting to change, I'll be wanting to create a spring capsule soon and I'm looking everywhere for sources of inspiration. In addition to Pinterest and online retailers, my biggest source of inspiration is other bloggers, many who use the company Stitch Fix.

I finally decided to take the plunge and try Stitch Fix for myself this week. I filled out a very simple profile on their website, linked to a Pinterest board I'd created, and chose a date to have my 5 items delivered. The cost up front is $20. If you don't keep any of the items, you are out 20 bucks, but if you want to purchase any of the items from your fix, the $20 is credited to your account and goes toward whatever you buy. I'm really impressed with the company, their website, and their attention to detail.

Want to see what I got in my fix? Want to know what I thought of everything? Keep reading! (And please please please ignore the horrible overhead lighting in my bedroom! Ick!)

My first fix was really in tune to my usual style! I was impressed that my stylist, Jen, gave me multiple options with stripes and lots of neutral colors. Looking back, I felt like my winter capsule was really neutral and I'm getting a bit antsy to add some color to my wardrobe. However, the fact that my stylist got so close to what I usually wear makes me VERY impressed with her and with Stitch Fix overall. Nice job, Jen!

Okay, let's talk about item 1: this black and white striped sweater.

This was immediately my favorite item in this fix. I LOVE the black and white stripes and I LOVE the weight of the sweater! It was loose and soft and a really nice texture for spring (layered with just a basic tank underneath). What made me decide against keeping the sweater is the material: it's lightweight, but also sort of fragile-feeling. The neck had a pill in it, right out of the box. I quickly realized it's not going to work for me with my toddler toting lifestyle. Bummer!

Items 2 & 3: dark wash skinny jeans and a black/gray flowy cardigan.

The jeans were totally off. They were my usual size, but were loose in all the wrong places, plus they were way too long. When I give feedback about my fix, I'm going to ask for any future pants to be "ankle" length or "short" because my legs are often too short for regular sized jeans and pants. I know this, but failed to mention it in my style profile. Big oops on my part!

The black and gray sweater was REALLY soft and really cute. It would be a great layering piece for spring and would also work over tank tops on cool summer evenings. Ultimately, though, I decided not to keep the sweater because I already have some similar options AND because it's black. I don't really need more black in my wardrobe right now :)

Item 4: another sweater: solid black

The material of this sweater felt really weird. If I wore colored jeans or lots of colorful skirts in the spring, I might consider keeping it, but that's just not my reality. Plus, black. I'm over it right now. Sending it back.

Item 5: gray and white striped sweater (VERY soft and light weight!)

I THINK I may keep this sweater. I tend to have a lot of gray in my wardrobe, but I feel this would be easy to wear with fun earrings and a solid colored scarf this spring. The fabric is AWESOME-- so soft and flexible and light. I felt super comfortable wearing it and could move around easily. Charlotte was sleeping so I can't be sure, but I imagine the sweater would be perfect for carrying her around and reading books on the living room floor. :)

Something cool that Stitch Fix offers is these little cards with ideas for how to style each item in your fix. It's great inspiration and helps you think outside the box.  I realize now that I should have tried everything on with shoes/boots, not my goofy black socks. Oh, well.

If you are interested in trying Stitch Fix (and you definitely should try it!!), please use my referral link. I get $25 credit for each person who orders a fix using my link. I'd love to try another fix some time soon and having some company credit would make me more willing to take the plunge.

Also-- if you want some great tips on making the most of your fix, read this post. Such great ideas!

Family meals 4: guest blogger Melanie

Wow! This family meals series keeps getting better and better. I'm not going to want to share my own meals any time soon, because our guest bloggers have some awesome ideas. They are so inspiring :)

Next up is my friend Melanie. She's from Alberta, Canada, and is living nearby while her husband is in graduate school. I have been so blessed by her friendship and am thrilled to let you hear from her today.

My name is Melanie and I'm currently on a maternity leave as a junior high humanities teacher from Western Canada. My husband and I moved to the suburbs of Philadelphia seven months ago with our then five week old daughter. We moved so my husband could go back to school, now studying to be an optometrist. I love music (singing & playing the piano), reading, fitness, and caring for our beautiful daughter. It's been a crazy half year, but we're enjoying our 'quaint' American life here! 

I've never been huge into cooking, preferring to bake because it's less pressure than hungry tummies everyday. But sitting down at the beginning of the week before a grocery run with a calendar and grocery list makes it a whole lot less stressful and even enjoyable. I'm pretty formal with cooking, preferring to stick to a recipe rather than experiment (although I'm always looking up substitutions for spices/ingredients I don't have). I do cook with a few things in mind: my husband is sensitive to dairy and although my seven month old is eating most of our food, I try to keep large chunks for her to eat. I sometimes cook for my in-laws who also have a number of food sensitivities (including tomatoes, apples, MSG, corn) and also are gluten-free and semi-vegetarian).

For my husband I can basically sub out milk for a variety of alternatives (I prefer almond milk because I've been aware about some concerns with soy). I usually buy a 'fake' cheese, which I can find locally for a reasonable price (unfortunately this alternative is soy as there don't seem to be as many options). I avoid recipes with yogurt because I haven't found a good substitute. When preparing food for our daughter I cut a few large chunks of tomato or sweet potato for example, toss it in with the rest of the dish, and find it for her later when we serve the dish. This is no exact science... LOL

One aspect that has really gotten me more excited about cooking is finding really tasty & healthy recipes I know I'll use over and over again- this is one recipe book I swear by! I also have a binder with slip covers where I collect recipes that I rip out from magazines or print out from the computer. During the week I try to vary meats (chicken, beef etc), vary serving meat and meatless dishes, and I serve fish at least once a week. I've also tried to avoid the 'dirty dozen' by buying organic food from this list. I can find a lot of organic produce for an affordable price at Walmart and of course Trader Joe's (I struggle to pay the $ at Whole Foods). I can buy more organic food in bulk now because stores like Costco offer it (like tomatoes and applesauce). I'm also trying to do a better job at adding healthy fats etc. to our meals like flax and chia. 

Over the past year and a half I've started to buy dry beans, cook, and freeze them in can-size portions. Not only is it cheaper but it avoids the dangers of BPA in the lining of canned food. I don't do it all the time and for things like canned tomatoes and tuna I can't avoid it, but I try to do what I can. I find meat out here a lot more expensive (I come from a province known for its beef) and I'm also trying to find other ways to supplement protein (ie beans) so I usually reduce the meat portion a bit and trying to serve at least one or two meatless recipes a week. My husband looooves meat but I'm slowly finding more meatless recipes that he enjoys almost as much as dishes with meat- that's a success! He would also love to have pasta everyday... but that's a whole other endeavor.

I'm also a bit of a cheater: With just two adults in our house I can often cook one day and serve leftovers the next day, especially because the recipes I use often make large quantities. I really value having an 'off' day and frequently end up baking that day instead. I usually prefer one-dish recipes where I can toss everything together. If I do serve sides it's usually with fish or a whole chicken in the crock pot. I have been trying to include more varieties of plain vegetables (as opposed to in a dish, but still served with things like lemon, garlic etc) because we're trying to introduce to our daughter to them one at a time. 

Monday: Leftover jambalaya. This is an easy dish I usually just serve with shrimp. This time I also had kielbasa (extra happy husband!). It's got lots of kick. The recipe uses canned diced tomatoes, celery, bell pepper, onion, lots of herbs and is served with rice. You can make it in a crock pot but often I just toss it together and let it simmer for 20 minutes or so.

Tuesday: Ate out with in-laws (a rare treat and success with our seven-month old!)

Wednesday: Roasted Vegetables with rice (I would usually serve it with whole wheat couscous but it's not gluten free. Also this recipe has no tomatoes). This is not the exact recipe I use but it's easy to mix and match veggies. The recipe I use includes zucchini, sweet potato, portabello mushroom, carrots, red onion, bell pepper, chickpeas all in a balsamic vinegar/olive oil with rosemary. Add feta cheese for me!

Thursday: Leftovers. I'm pretty predictable with leftovers. Heat on stove or microwave and serve. Easy as pie! 

Friday: Baked salmon with lemon juice, garlic powder, parsley, and a bit of butter. Cook for 20-25 at 400; Served with quinoa salad with red onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, and feta cheese for me. 

Saturday: It was Valentine's Day so I made butternut squash (roasted and then served with butter), ribs (cooked in the crock-pot with an easy sauce from epicure saved for a special event), green beans (boiled) and rice (cook half white and half brown). My husband LOVES ribs, so it was a special treat.

Sunday: Leftovers

Monday: Moroccan Stew. This website (same as Roasted Veggies from Wed) is put together by the Canadian sisters who wrote the cookbook I love so much. This recipe is slightly different online than in my recipe book. The online version includes kale and coconut milk which I'll have to try next time! 

But don't be fooled- my easy meals when I haven't planned or I'm tired include shrimp stir-fry with frozen veggies from Costco, pasta with a veggie tomato sauce, or scrambled eggs & toast! If I have extra after a meal (or two with leftovers) I try to put some homemade chili or cooked meat in the freezer for a fast option later.

Thanks for letting me share some of my journey with cooking. I'm always trying to improve my approach and I'm inspired by others' stories. Bon appetite!


Thanks so much for sharing, Melanie! These are some yummy sounding meals!

Family meals 2: guest blogger Laurel

Please welcome our first guest blogger... my friend, Laurel!

Here's her intro and a list of meals her family ate last week. ENJOY!

My husband Josh and I have four children, ages 1 to 8 years old. We live the suburban life outside of Philadelphia. My husband loves football, basketball, and baseball, and I love reading, music and more reading.  We both love the outdoors though.  We have had many dates hiking in state parks, ice skating, skiing and swimming.

I stopped working at a pharmaceutical company after our first baby came along.  I can remember when my husband and I were newlyweds and thought "Hamburger Helper" was serious cooking. Once I stopped working I was able to slowly gain confidence and experience with ingredients and recipes. Now that we have at least three pretty good eaters, meal planning has become necessary... especially when they are always asking "what's for dinner?"!

We have a whiteboard in our kitchen with the week's activities and schedule, and I began adding the menu two years ago as our first kindergartner learned to read.

My husband is a big salad eater, and no one in the family enjoys cooked vegetables too much, so we have salad or raw veggies with dinner almost every night. In the summer we grill almost every night.  Josh does the grilling and I do everything else.  In the winter I typically cook all of the meals. Sometimes I prep the dinner in the morning, but I usually don't have my act together to do this! I can barely get the morning breakfast dishes cleaned up!

I love reading recipes and cookbooks.  I try to make most things from scratch, although my bread machine died a few years ago and I never replaced it, so supermarket bakery bread is usually on the table.  We also keep the freezer stocked with Trader Joe's meatballs! No shame there.

I typically plan the meals sometime Sunday or Monday.  I keep our pantry and freezer stocked with standby ingredients for the days that I don't have a plan going.  On Tuesdays I usually head to Giant Supermarket, but often go out again Thursday or Friday to a different type of store like Trader Joe's or Whole Foods.  About every six weeks I try to hit Costco and stock up on our favorite items (salsa, salmon, berries, kielbasa...).

Last week's meals were not planned very well, as the baby was getting over an ear infection and boycotting naps.  I only had two nights planned out by Monday morning.  But this is real life, so here's what ended up getting on the table!

Monday: (a hard day!) baked ham, cheese and spinach wraps (honey mustard on ours; the kids eat them dry), baked sweet potato wedges, raw veggies.

Tuesday: Taco Tuesday! Tuesday is piano lesson afternoon, and my mom babysits for the littles and then stays for supper.  She loves tacos! We all do actually! I typically have both crunchy and soft shell tacos.  We do ground turkey or chicken.  I fried up peppers and onions and also put out lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and some pineapple salsa and guacamole from Whole Foods.  Sometimes I have rice and beans.  I did have the beans, but no rice that day.

Wednesday: a CRAZY day. Six kids by 3:30 pm. Baby did not nap. Two cousins were over for the afternoon, and I drove one of them home at 5pm (round trip is about 35 minutes).  This put me up against dinnertime on Kids' Club night at church (Josh drives them and stays for boy's club).  Before I left to take my niece home, I put two Trader Joe's chicken pot pies in the oven, and when I got home Josh was serving the kids leftover tacos.  I thanked God for freezer meals, and gratefully sat down and ate that pot pie!

Thursday: A quieter day...only one outing.  By the afternoon I was craving soup since it was so cold outside.  This was a day that I had not planned dinner, so I made a soup with San Marzano tomatoes, veggies and orzo, and served rolls from the freezer, plus salad with lots of seeds and nuts since the soup had no meat (and Josh prefers meals with meat!).  I made homemade ranch dressing -- it makes soup and salad more special!

Friday: the favorite meal of the entire family: salmon.  We almost always bake it with a rub made of dijon, garlic, brown sugar, coriander, ginger and s&p. I made orzo with chicken broth and stirred in 1/2 cup of fresh Parmesan before serving.  It was serious comfort food.  Vegetable was salad.

Saturday: Valentine's Day! My sister was babysitting for us so that we could go out to dinner at 8pm. I baked the rest of the salmon for her and the kids, with sweet potato wedges and sugar snap peas.  Then we gave lots of kisses, walked out the door and drove through the snow to our favorite restaurant!! :) Bliss.

Sunday: Takeout!

Thanks so much, Laurel! I am so inspired by your honest, flexible approach to meal planning! 

If you are interested in sharing what your family ate as part of our family meals series, let me know! I'd love to have your perspective. 

Jumping on the (capsule wardrobe) bandwagon

Back at the end of the summer, I stumbled upon the idea of a capsule wardrobe. It was an intriguing concept because (1.) I hate clutter and (2.) I tend to regularly get rid of clothes that have been sitting, untouched, in my closet. BUT! I also tend to be a sale shopper and sometimes come home with clothing that was a great deal but isn't all that cute or high quality or good for my body type/personal style. Oi!

I used some of Caroline's free wardrobe planner sheets to help me think through my lifestyle as well as the items of clothing I wear over and over again. I got rid of a few things, bought a few things, and tried to unofficially start my own capsule. Since then I've kind of been muddling along, keeping the idea of a capsule in my mind but never really solidifying things in my own closet and dresser drawers. 

Here are some more resources about the concept; others can explain it far better than I can, so I'm going to let them do the dirty work while I just share my own experience. Rachael; Elise.

My experience so far has been a bit strange, but also kind of fun and definitely eye-opening. I had a few key things to consider, as I sort through how concept this will play out in my life.

• My style has always been pretty casual. I like to dress up occasionally, but I'm most comfortable in jeans and a casual shirt. However, I hate feeling sloppy and I rarely leave the house in sweatpants and a hoodie. 
• I'm mostly at home, with Charlotte (and the little guy I'm now watching 3 days a week). My clothes need to withstand spit up, messy breakfasts, baby wearing, sitting on the floor, and making several trips out the door with a car seat over my arm. 
• I have very few formal occasions; I only get slightly dressed up for church and dates with Joel.
• For the last 11 months, I've been nursing Charlotte multiple times a day. My wardrobe has to reflect that reality. (This means I basically NEVER wear dresses any more because dresses aren't breastfeeding friendly; I also wear a tank top under my shirt every day for easy access and some tummy coverage.)
• I'm hoping to have a couple more kids in the years to come. No capsules I've found really deal with pregnancy and/or maternity clothes, so I'll need to sort through that if I get pregnant again some day. 

So! Here are the items I'm wearing now, in this winter season. Many were also my favorites in the fall and I'm betting a few will carry over into spring, as well. I'm pretty sure I have about 25 items (not including pajamas, underwear, tank tops, or the cozy/ugly workout pants I wear on chilly mornings before showering). 

4 pairs of shoes: black boots, tall brown boots, winter boots, and Merrels 

4 pairs of pants: khaki cords, dark skinny jeans (mine are Levi's), black skinny pants with zipper legs, and navy cords (handed down from my mom; I paid $20 to have them hemmed by an excellent tailor in town!)

4 t-shirts: two from Everlane (gray & brownish purple) and two from Gap (navy and light red)

3 long button up shirts: all from Gap (white, blue/white striped, chambray)

4 miscellaneous shirts: black long sleeve shirt (Gap), red flannel shirt (from the men's section at Target), dark green tissue tee (from Target), dark blue/flowered thermal I bought while pregnant last winter (Target clearance rack). 

4 sweaters: gray chunky knit sweater from Everlane, navy button up from Gap (men's section!), chunky black cardigan from the GAP outlet clearance rack (I paid $5!!), and a light blue cardigan that I bought at TJMaxx last spring.

[Edit: as I was working on this post, I took a trip to the outlet mall. On that trip that I got the black cardigan on super sale at the GAP outlet that I mentioned above. And though I didn't need it, I impulsively bought a light purple T-shirt that I have been wearing a lot lately! Guess I better add that to my official total...]

#iloveblue

In the near future, I'll be posting a couple of outfits I've made from these combinations. Anyone else jumping on this capsule bandwagon? As far as bandwagons go, it seems like a pretty good one :) 

Everlane

This is not a post about growing baby 'Berts, just a shameless plug to promote a brand I like.

My friend gave me a lovely, soft V-neck T-shirt from Everlane for my (30th!) birthday last month and I'm so very impressed with it. The quality is excellent, the color is exactly how it looked online, and I can't believe how well it's holding up to frequent washings (and even the occasional drying in the dryer, which I try to avoid! oops!).

I would LOVE for you to find something on Everlane that you could wear over and over, for years to come.

I'd love even more for you to purchase using my referral link here, so I can get company credit for more amazing T-shirts. And maybe for this beautiful sweater that keeps going out of stock...

Friday favs

In the course of Charlotte's two hour afternoon nap, I've made two separate batches of cookies for our church's 40th anniversary celebration on Sunday. I've also checked Facebook multiple times, read a bunch of blog posts, and sampled more than my fair share of aforementioned cookies. Ahem.

I figured I should pass along some of the awesome reads I've found lately. So, without further ado:

1. This blogger's baby is just a bit older than Charlotte and she's doing a great job documenting their journey with baby led weaning.

2. What a beautiful, breath-taking account on bravery, parenthood, and faith. Wow! This site often knocks it out of the park, but this post in particular... wonderful.

3. One of the cookie recipes I used. Delicious!

4. Tucking away these tips for taking kids to the grocery store. Right now my only tip is to switch Charlotte from the cart seat to the ring sling if she gets antsy partway through. Well, that, or just leave her at home asleep with Joel while I go shopping alone :)

And now for some Friday favs that aren't blog posts. Just photos of my beautiful babe.

5. The photo below (Things to note: the death grip on her play gym, the surprised/slightly nervous expression, the stretched neck of a onesie she JUST started wearing, the high-waisted-diaper-bootylicious jeans...)

6. This photo: ever so curious!

Hope y'all have a gorgeous fall weekend <3 

we're famous!

Charlotte and I were featured on The Wise Baby blog this week!

Check out our list of favorite baby products!

What would you add to our list?

Things I'm reading

With a relaxed summer schedule and a babe who's at least trying to nap regularly, I've spent a few minutes at my computer screen lately (basically it's right next to Charlotte's room so I can go help her turn over when she gets stuck on her tummy during nap time!).

Here are few fun things I've been reading:

1. Trader Joe's recipes link-up via my friend Julie's blog
2. This amazing post about postpartum depression anxiety/rage. Can't.stop.reading.it.
3. A sweet little guy rode a bike for the first time. Before his third birthday!! (I think the balance bike helped!)
4. These guidelines and this cookbook. SO excited for solids-- Charlotte is pumped!
5. My friend Meg's blog. I love seeing what her little guy is up to.
6. Eight tips (and some great perspective!) on camping with kids.
7. I tried her recipe, but adapted it to add some lactogenic ingredients. The cookies tasted good, but turned out flat. Not sure whether to blame the heat or the oatmeal/brewers yeast/flax I sneaked in. Next time I'm just making the cookies without worrying about boosting milk supply. Ha.

FAQs

How far along are you?

14 weeks as of this past weekend! Hello, second trimester!

My calculations perfectly matched with the size and heartbeat we saw at a 6 week ultrasound. At my 8 week checkup, the doctor said the “size of my uterus” showed 8 weeks, too. Man, I’m good. That makes our due date around January 26^th, but we are not holding loosely to it… I’ll be happy if we get to meet the baby by early February… I was over three weeks “late” to be born, so that trend may continue with the next generation. 

How are you feeling?

Depends on the minute! Amazingly, I felt better last week in Spain than I’ve felt in a while. When we first found out I was pregnant, I was feeling nauseous OFTEN. I quickly figured out that nausea strikes me at any time of the day (“morning” sickness is a LIE!), but it’s the worst when my stomach is empty. I’ve started eating less at meals, but having small snacks every couple of hours. 

I like taking naps now and need a lot more sleep than ever before. I have some general achiness, but overall I have been very blessed with good health so far. 

Is it a boy or a girl?

Ha! Everyone in Spain asked us this question. We won’t be able to find out until late August or early September, but we do plan to find out. We are planners and want to know if our blue-ish purple guest baby room will be accented with gray and green or more feminine colors. We truly don’t have a preference for boy or girl, but Joel seems to think it’s a girl… father’s intuition, as he says. 

But what about your new teaching job?

Another big question. We were so so so surprised that I got the teaching job just 3 weeks after finding out we are expecting a baby. I was like, “Seriously, God?! I’ve been asking all year for a baby or a teaching job… I really would have been happy with one and now you’ve given me both within the span of a month!!”

I am beyond thrilled to be pregnant and to have a full-time teaching job. Figuring out childcare for the end of the school year will be a challenge, but we are surrendering our fears to God and asking him to care for us in this particular way. We trust in his goodness. 

Where are you going to have the baby?

This hasn't been completely set in stone yet, but we are leaning towards delivering at Valley Birth Place.   I'll do at least one, but probably many more posts on this particular topic. 

What other bloggers are you following during your pregnancy?
Okay, really, nobody has asked this question... BUT reading blogs is one of my favorite past-times and my absolute favorite bloggers have been great resources so far. Here are a few of the best:

Meg, of Kent Park. (Meg is my dear friend and has documented her pregnancy so far. She's due soon- early September- so I'm basically following her lead on a lot of things baby-related!)
Melissa, of Dear Baby Blog.   (Back when she was pregnant and raising newborns, she wrote a lot about choices in childbirth and the challenges of raising great kids while working full-time. Great stuff!)
Rachael, of Kincaid Parade. (She JUST gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. I'll reference this blog in a later post about childbirth and labor/delivery.)
Joanna, of Cup of Jo. (Joanna also just had a new baby, and I love reading her thoughtful words on motherhood and parenting in NYC.)
Eric & Kelsey, of Words of Williams. (I was lucky enough to be a guest blogger for these guys last year and I check their blog every day. They write great stuff about money and faith, but my favorite posts are about raising their cute young daughter. Kelsey also has a style blog which has helped me as I begin to navigate maternity clothes. Zoiks!)

a new blog for a new chapter in life

With the big baby announcement over and done with, let's move on to some nitty gritty details!

I've created this new blog to be more baby-focused. It will chronicle our journey to that first positive test, week-by-week stats as the pregnancy progresses, issues and questions we consider, baby registry ideas, and so much more. In these early stages of the new blog and in pregnancy, I will attempt to write chronologically, but it won't be perfect. Show me some grace, wont ya? :)

My desires for this space are three-fold:

1. That I can look back here and remember how I felt, the way my bump grew, what I feared, and lessons I learned.
2. That Baby 'Berts can someday look at these photos and read these words and know how much he/she is loved.
3. That readers will have a glimpse into my heart and my faith; that I will point to Jesus who is my Lord.