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Valentine Gift Guide for Kids ($10 and under)
We always like to get the kids a little something for Valentine’s Day. But it seems like every year we wait until the last minute and find ourselves scrambling to the store the night before. If this is also you, we’ve got ya covered this year with the cutest gifts from Target and Walgreens. And the best part, each item is under $10! If you’re wanting one of the items from Target, do yourself a favor and go ahead and order online for Drive Up pick up. I did it a couple weeks ago for the first time and it. changed. my. life. Like 99% of Target shoppers, I fall…
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Eat, Pray, Love Gone Wrong – My Journey to Single Motherhood, Part II
I called him. He was unusually and particularly calm. The conversation did not go as I’d hoped. The specifics of the conversation can’t really be shared here, but what I can tell you, is that he made the decision to not be involved, as in doing so “would ruin his life.” Now what? I’m pregnant. Alone. In a foreign country. And completely and utterly heartbroken. I’m not sure where to go from here. This adventure that I had spent months planning had suddenly turned into something else entirely. How do I tell my family? Do I go home now after only five days? What will people think of me? Am…
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Eat, Pray, Love Gone Wrong – My Journey to Single Motherhood, Part I
Friends, I’ve decided it’s time. Time to share my story — the story of my sweet girl and me. While I’ve been particularly private over the last four years about how my little love came to be, I’ve reached a point within my heart to share. To be honest, I preferred the “rumor” that it was a result of a steamy Italian love affair and wanted to own that narrative over the truth. Even still, I know people were and are curious. It’s just human nature! However, in setting out to write this, I asked myself, “why do I want tell this story? Why does it matter?” I wanted to…
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January Whole30 Recap (2019)
Back in December I decided that I was going to participate in the January Whole30. And I’ll tell you why (I have no shame). It wasn’t because my eating was out of control or because I desperately wanted to lose more baby weight (although that’d be greaaat). Truthfully, it was the alcohol. During the holidays, especially, there is just so much to celebrate. And we often choose to celebrate with the glass of wine, or two or three. Mix 9 months of not drinking and the holidays. Woah Nelly. Not to mention, my sisters boyfriend spent the holidays with us and got us HOOKED on some South African wine (he’s…
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My Journey with Infertility
I originally started this post March 2017. When I revisited it January 2019, I balled. I could feel the pain I had almost two years ago in the words I wrote then. Two years ago. It seems like an eternity when waiting for something as precious as a baby and it blows my mind how much my story has changed since then. More hurt, more struggle, but a lot more growth as well. So here it goes. After dating seven years, my husband (Alex) and I got married in 2013. Shortly after, we began talking about growing our family. When I say I never thought I would be one that…
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January Favorites
Anyone else feel like we’ve reached January 856th? Why is this month lasting so long?! In an effort to make it a little more enjoyable, we thought we’d share some of our favorite things right now and also because hey, we like you. These are items that we have come across / use on a daily basis that we are absolutely obsessed with. Each month we will feature a few of our favorites and why we love them so much. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do! 1. Clean Pits In April of 2015, our mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Thanks to the good Lord and…
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Dairy-Free Pesto (Whole30/Paleo)
Let me introduce to you, my all-time favorite pesto. It’s dairy-free, super easy to make, and it’s full of flavor. This recipe takes no time at all and will take your meal up so many notches — whether you are doing a Whole30, cutting out dairy, or just sticking to your usual diet and want to try something different. Anytime I’m at a loss with how to season something, I always turn to this. On top of salmon or tossed in some veggies — voilà! At the end of my pregnancy I meal prepped all the things. Meals were one less thing I hoped to worry about after we brought…
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Why We Should Stop Labeling Food Good or Bad
This topic is near and dear to my heart. It’s something that I, myself, have struggled with in the past. Good and bad are the descriptive words for food that I hear people using all around me. All too often, we tell ourselves that we shouldn’t eat something because it’s “bad”. With this, my question is, but why? Why is it bad for you? Do you mean it is not fulfilling to you? Or is it because society has told us that [said food] is bad, for whatever reason. Things like too much sugar, too many carbs, processed, not organic — the list goes on and on. And the truth…
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Bedroom Refresh on a Budget
Alright, I’ve got a weird secret. I absolutely refuse to buy anything at full price. Not even toilet paper. It either has to be on sale, have a coupon, or be a weekly Target Cartwheel offer. And for things that aren’t deemed “necessities”, if it’s over $10 (even on sale), I think about it for days before actually taking the leap. My boyfriend thinks it’s the strangest thing, to which I respond, “I’m thrifty! Count your blessings, man!” Where the struggle comes in, is when you couple my cheapness with my decor ADD — yes, that’s a thing lol. Every now and then, I get tired of the vibe I’ve…
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Turkey/Spinach/Sweet Potato Egg Bake (Whole30/Paleo)
There are few things better in life than a morning where you don’t have to think about what you’re going to have for breakfast. For me, preparing breakfast options ahead of time is much easier than being creative with other meals. Now, that being said, I love eggs. So my go to’s almost always include them. This recipe is no exception, but with the other wholesome ingredients, there is so much more to look forward to when eating this turkey/spinach/sweet potato egg bake. You may be thinking, “I’m not Paleo” or “I’m not doing a Whole30”, but I promise this recipe won’t disappoint. And if you are sticking to Paleo…