We've done it. We made the jump from pajama wearing moof-muffins to functioning members of society waking in time for school, work and other commitments! 😂
Showing posts with label favorites. Show all posts
Showing posts with label favorites. Show all posts
Friday, January 10, 2020
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Trader Joe's Favorites
We have a Trader Joe's in our area that we make it to about once a month or so. The boys love going along with me because they can push the little carts and pick up a few of their favorite items!
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Super Easy French Toast
I love French Toast. It is one of my favorite things to order when we go out for breakfast. When Mom and I were on vacation in PEI, I ate french toast every morning and was in heaven! For some reason I had it in my head that it was difficult and time consuming to make. I'm not sure why because I'm fairly certain my mom used to make it for us growing up. 😂 I remembered her using Pepperidge Farm Swirl bread once and then it was on!
Friday, January 23, 2015
The Mac + Cheese Cookbook {Give-a-way!}
HOORAY TO JESS & KENNA!! THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED!
On a whim, I put The Mac + Cheese Cookbook on my wish list for Christmas. Benjamin and Winston both like a good macaroni and cheese. Well, really who am I kidding? I love a really good macaroni and cheese! It was one of the gifts I opened on Christmas morning and as I read through the recipes got really excited about trying to make {almost} all of them!
{image}
All of the recipes call for making the cheese sauces from scratch. I hardly ever cook anything from scratch so this was a new adventure for me. And I had a lot of fun doing it! The book teaches you how to make béchamel sauce, or Mac sauce as the authors call it. I will promise you this - you will use lots of pans, it will be an arm workout and it will be awesome!
The first recipe I made was as a side for our New Year's Day meal. The Trailer Mac. It was macaroni and cheese with hotdogs and smashed up potato chips. I mean. It was delicious! And it warmed up well, which is always a bonus!
The second recipe I made was the Shepherd Mac. Now, I really like Shepherd's Pie. My mom made it quite a bit when I was younger. The idea of using macaroni instead of potatoes just made sense to me! Stepping out of my norm again, I purchased Aged English Sharp Cheddar because that's what the book told me to do. Who knew Kroger carried that kind of stuff?! I served it as a main dish and it was a delight to the tastebuds! Even though it took a while, it is a repeater for sure!
The book has other gems I am looking forward to try such as Chili Mac, Smoky Bacon Mac, Breakfast Mac, Mexican Mac, Mac and Blue, Mac-Cakes. The book also contains recipes to side dishes and desserts.
So, why did I just go on about this cook book and how yummy the recipes are? Because I'd like to give you, friends, the opportunity to win one of your very own! We will be giving away two cookbooks to two lucky readers! Follow the instructions below on how to enter to win. Be sure to use the Rafflecopter to let me know you have participated. Good luck! Winner will be announced on January 31st!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Donut licious for reals!
I keep seeing picture of fabulous gourmet donuts on instagram and other blogs. I thought to myself, surely Houston has a few of these places as well! So in my Google searching, I came across this article by Houston Press on 2013's Top 10 Donut Places. While all of these places are now on my list to try, Donut licious caught my attention because it is just minutes down the road!
Tucked away off 45 Southbound and 2920 right by a UHaul rental place, a simple "Donut" sign is on the building. Inside the shop is well decorated, clean and has plenty of seating for people who want to dine in. All of the staff was very friendly, greeting guests like old friends asking regulars about family members and discussing weekend plans. It makes me happy when small business owners and their staff make people feel like part of their family!
Benjamin ordered an Oreo donut and an Old Fashioned. The vanilla frosting on the Oreo donut had a strong resemblance to the cream filling of an Oreo cookie!
I had a Strawberry Cheesecake donut and a small sausage and cheese kolache. The Strawberry Cheesecake donut was a delight to my tastebuds! Not too overwhelming with the strawberry flavor - a perfect mix and a definite repeater! The kolache was exactly how I think kolaches should taste which was very exciting to me because it had been years since I had one this good! Donut licious also serves good coffee - an extra bonus in the "we will return here" bucket!
Winston had colorfully sprinkled, chocolate covered donut holes. He was in heaven!
He was saying "cheese!" while enjoying his second breakfast. You know a donut is good when you have chocolate all over your face!
All in all we had a very successful and enjoyable trip to Donut licious and will go back often if I have a vote! Make sure you look them up for a yummy treat if you're in the area!
Donut licious
1535 Spring Cypress Road
Spring, TX 77388
Oh! Another neat thing about Donut licious is that they also do special orders on donut letters to spell out messages! Storing that away for a fun treat in the future!
Monday, March 3, 2014
App-solutely Fantastic: Cartwheel by Target
In this segment, Benjamin and I would like to share with you apps that save you money, keep your organized, or are just plain fun to have!
First up: Cartwheel by Target.
By a fluke, I came across the web-version of Cartwheel a few weeks ago and was intrigued by it. Then two weeks ago, at the suggestion of a Target employee Benjamin downloaded the app and was able to save an additional $50 on a TV that was already on sale! The next shopping trip I had at Target, I was able to save $12 and the next time an additional $14! On top of my coupons, on top of my 5% on the Target card! I love the Cartwheel app!
When you log into the Cartwheel app, this is the front screen. You get a bar code and it keeps track of how much money you have saved! Starting out, you get 10 spots that you can add coupons into.
When you go to the Main Menu, there are different options to find the coupons on the Cartwheel. You can search through all of the offers.
They are listed out by categories. Or by Trending, New, or Expiring. Or you can use the Scan feature. The last time I was in Target, I scanned every item in my basket (looking like a crazy person in the aisles) and ended up finding extra savings I hadn't considered! Once you have found a coupon you'd like to use, simple save it to your Cartwheel by clicking on the face of the item and pressing "add."
The more that you use your Cartwheel app, the more spots you get for coupons! When checking out, simply tell the cashier that you have a Cartwheel and present your phone to be scanned. Cha-Ching! As a note, many of the deals have a limited number of scans so make sure you use it often as you might find that offers you have saved may be expired.
If you are a Target frequenter, I highly suggest that you download this app today and enjoy extra savings! The app is free for download in the iTunes store.
Happy Savings!
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
The Right Formula for Us
I have been thinking on how to write this for quite some time. How you feed your baby seems to be a subject that ignites a great deal of passion within folks. I feel that there are a lot who speak out for breastfeeding and I want to do the same for using formula. Like most things in life this is a personal preference.
I view choosing to breast feed or to use formula one of the first big parenting decisions a couple makes. For us, it was a simple decision to make: we were going to feed Winston with formula. Benjamin and I were both formula fed, and to be honest, the idea of breast feeding kinda weirded me out. I knew that I would be returning to work and I wanted my time in the evenings to be spent enjoying my family. I also knew that with the use of formula, I'd be sure that Winston was getting all the necessary vitamins he needed along with an amount that would guarantee he was full up!
This choice, for us, was a huge blessing. With the unforeseen outcome of the C-Section, formula feeding allowed Benjamin to do many of the night time/early hours feeding while I was laid up in the hospital. It allowed our family and sweet friends the ability to feed and love on our little man so that Benjamin and I could rest and watch them experience our little miracle.
In the hospital and for weeks after, I did have to be conscious to take cool showers and wrap myself to keep the milk from coming in. I also used cold savoy cabbage as a way to "dry up the milk" as they say. The coolness felt amazing, but after 20 minutes or so I wasn't very attractive smelling!
Using formula to feed Winston guaranteed we always knew how much he had eaten and along with a few other factors ensured that he was sleeping through the night early on. With Winston in daycare, formula makes it easy to prepare his food for the next day and I don't have the pressure of remembering to pump at work.
I have heard that people who do not breastfeed do not bond as well as those who do. I call baloney on that. The first time Winston heard my voice outside of the womb, he turned and just stared at me. We snuggle just as close when we bottle feed and he is always eager to see Benjamin and me. If anything, using formula has more easily allowed Benjamin to have sweet treasured moments with Winston from the very beginning. Now, four months later, one of Benjamin's favorite times is the last feeding of the day, after I've gone to bed, where he gets to have time with just him and Winston. Feeding occurs once every three to four hours, and what happens in between is just as important.
I know that once a Mom starts pumping, some of the things I talked about above happen and I think that is fabulous! I celebrate the fact that we are allowed the flexibility and options on how to raise our children.
There are some people who will insinuate that you less of a mom, don't love your baby as much, and are dooming your child to fail in life if you don't breast feed. I like to refer to them as "Teet Nazis." I felt it important to post this in support of moms who may have wanted to breast feed and couldn't for one reason or another and for the working moms who may not have the type of job that allows them to pump at work. This isn't meant to persuade anyone to formula feed or say that breast feeding is wrong. It's just what was right for our family!
Below are the items that we use every day when feeding Winston. {Note: Most or all of these items can be found at Amazon, Target, BabiesRUs, Walmart and other places that have a baby aisle!}
1. Playtex Nurser Drop-in Bottles and Liners
Made in both 4 and 8 oz sizes, these bottles have been the easiest thing since sliced bread to use! The drop in liners make it super easy to pre-fill with water for daycare and outings. The drop in liners make clean up nice and easy as you just throw the liner away and insert a new one for the next use. Playtex also makes bags for breast milk that can be used with these bottles as well.
2. Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature bibs
Are these bibs cute? No. Do they work like magic? Yes! Bought on a whim, these bibs have been the best thing we've used with Winston when feeding. There is a plush ring that fits snuggly against baby's neck to keep milk from running into their adorable neck folds. They are incredibly soft and I highly recommend getting two or three packs. They come in packs of two and Target has the best price on them.
3. Similac: Sensitive
Benjamin and I were both on a sensitive brand of formula when we were first feeding, so we figured our kid would need it to!
4. Anti-gas Drops
These have been a God send! When mixing the formula, many tiny bubbles form and the gas drops magically take out all of the bubbles. To this day I am still amazed at how every bubble disappears! There are a few different brands of anti-gas drops, Little Tummys being one of them. The store brand versions work just as well and are normally half the price. You can put the drops into the bottle or directly into baby's mouth. When applied directly to baby's mouth, it neutralizes the gas bubbles in their tummy - also good for either breast or formula feeding.
5. Babyganics Foaming Dish & Bottle Wash
This wash is fabulous and we use it every day. It leaves no residue on the bottles and I personally like the pump feature. Refill liquid is also sold. Another use is for washing spit up out of baby's clothes.
6. Boon Drying Rack
Who doesn't love cute items to sit out on the counter? I do! This drying rack is not only great for propping up bottles, nipples and passies, but also good for bowls, sippee cups and favorite teething toys that need a good rinse!
I view choosing to breast feed or to use formula one of the first big parenting decisions a couple makes. For us, it was a simple decision to make: we were going to feed Winston with formula. Benjamin and I were both formula fed, and to be honest, the idea of breast feeding kinda weirded me out. I knew that I would be returning to work and I wanted my time in the evenings to be spent enjoying my family. I also knew that with the use of formula, I'd be sure that Winston was getting all the necessary vitamins he needed along with an amount that would guarantee he was full up!
This choice, for us, was a huge blessing. With the unforeseen outcome of the C-Section, formula feeding allowed Benjamin to do many of the night time/early hours feeding while I was laid up in the hospital. It allowed our family and sweet friends the ability to feed and love on our little man so that Benjamin and I could rest and watch them experience our little miracle.
In the hospital and for weeks after, I did have to be conscious to take cool showers and wrap myself to keep the milk from coming in. I also used cold savoy cabbage as a way to "dry up the milk" as they say. The coolness felt amazing, but after 20 minutes or so I wasn't very attractive smelling!
Using formula to feed Winston guaranteed we always knew how much he had eaten and along with a few other factors ensured that he was sleeping through the night early on. With Winston in daycare, formula makes it easy to prepare his food for the next day and I don't have the pressure of remembering to pump at work.
I have heard that people who do not breastfeed do not bond as well as those who do. I call baloney on that. The first time Winston heard my voice outside of the womb, he turned and just stared at me. We snuggle just as close when we bottle feed and he is always eager to see Benjamin and me. If anything, using formula has more easily allowed Benjamin to have sweet treasured moments with Winston from the very beginning. Now, four months later, one of Benjamin's favorite times is the last feeding of the day, after I've gone to bed, where he gets to have time with just him and Winston. Feeding occurs once every three to four hours, and what happens in between is just as important.
I know that once a Mom starts pumping, some of the things I talked about above happen and I think that is fabulous! I celebrate the fact that we are allowed the flexibility and options on how to raise our children.
There are some people who will insinuate that you less of a mom, don't love your baby as much, and are dooming your child to fail in life if you don't breast feed. I like to refer to them as "Teet Nazis." I felt it important to post this in support of moms who may have wanted to breast feed and couldn't for one reason or another and for the working moms who may not have the type of job that allows them to pump at work. This isn't meant to persuade anyone to formula feed or say that breast feeding is wrong. It's just what was right for our family!
Below are the items that we use every day when feeding Winston. {Note: Most or all of these items can be found at Amazon, Target, BabiesRUs, Walmart and other places that have a baby aisle!}
1. Playtex Nurser Drop-in Bottles and Liners
Made in both 4 and 8 oz sizes, these bottles have been the easiest thing since sliced bread to use! The drop in liners make it super easy to pre-fill with water for daycare and outings. The drop in liners make clean up nice and easy as you just throw the liner away and insert a new one for the next use. Playtex also makes bags for breast milk that can be used with these bottles as well.
2. Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature bibs
Are these bibs cute? No. Do they work like magic? Yes! Bought on a whim, these bibs have been the best thing we've used with Winston when feeding. There is a plush ring that fits snuggly against baby's neck to keep milk from running into their adorable neck folds. They are incredibly soft and I highly recommend getting two or three packs. They come in packs of two and Target has the best price on them.
3. Similac: Sensitive
Benjamin and I were both on a sensitive brand of formula when we were first feeding, so we figured our kid would need it to!
4. Anti-gas Drops
These have been a God send! When mixing the formula, many tiny bubbles form and the gas drops magically take out all of the bubbles. To this day I am still amazed at how every bubble disappears! There are a few different brands of anti-gas drops, Little Tummys being one of them. The store brand versions work just as well and are normally half the price. You can put the drops into the bottle or directly into baby's mouth. When applied directly to baby's mouth, it neutralizes the gas bubbles in their tummy - also good for either breast or formula feeding.
5. Babyganics Foaming Dish & Bottle Wash
This wash is fabulous and we use it every day. It leaves no residue on the bottles and I personally like the pump feature. Refill liquid is also sold. Another use is for washing spit up out of baby's clothes.
6. Boon Drying Rack
Who doesn't love cute items to sit out on the counter? I do! This drying rack is not only great for propping up bottles, nipples and passies, but also good for bowls, sippee cups and favorite teething toys that need a good rinse!
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