.:around these parts::summer is wrapping up:.

hey there kids!

i cannot believe that our summer is wrapping up so soon! these sunny days went by in a blink! i'm sure as with many of you... so much we didn't do, but so much that we did! i'm thankful for every moment i spent with my wee guy {who is rapidly growing!} and am excited for the last few weeks of our more relaxed routine.


some of my faves...

+ having slow days at home with my baby boy. every few days i would make sure we didn't have any plans for the day so we could just play at home.

+ reconnecting with some old friends - i went to a college friend's baby shower and hosted an oily class that some of my junior-high school girlfriends attended.  it was super fun to catch up and hear how everyone is doing. plus, whenever i see my ol' buds it reminds me to keep better tabs on them for several months to come. i think this is so valuable and needed as our current season is so busy, even just a quick text is so happy.

+ my baby's sleep roller and lullaby spray - ah, yes. we're teething. so i -L O V E- our sleepy roller {1 drop of Gentle Baby, 1 drop of Lavender and all the rest fractionated coconut oil in a 10 ml roller - not everyone is comfortable with babies + oils, so you'll have to decide if a little plant magic is okay for your younger babe} and we use a lullaby spray in the car for longer road trips back home in the dark - so refreshing for the car too!

+ our 6th wedding anniversary - oh yes, we had a date night and it was all the heart eyes! loved having a few hours to tuck away with a delicious drink and my adorable, sweet hearted husband.


how is life on your end? hope y'all are enjoying every August day to the fullest!

hello, may.

good morning friends!

just popping in to send a happy springy greeting! i've decided with all the excitement of our final month of the school year that i'll take a few weeks away from this space. you know, balance...

much love + see you in june! 

around these parts {+ my unscheduled break}

hey friends!

i've been missing my time around here. but spending my time doing all good things. here's what i've been getting into...

+lots of family time - daily life with my little guy in tow has been so great lately. lots of extended family visits, working on some homestead projects while keeping the baby entertained and even going outside {because end of winter in Ohio}

+getting active in issues that matter - not planning to get too political on this blog, but a lot of my screen time has been dedicated to researching bigger issues and supporting those who have less of a voice than i do.

+discovering an interest in yoga - i've always wanted to start a practice of yoga, doing a few DVDs and such, but recently i've been attending classes to learn poses and even took little j out for a Momma + Baby series! so fun! it was a good excuse to get out of the house and meet a few other moms in my area.

i hope you all are doing great and thanks for checking on me! happy start to the week!

my 16 in 2016 {end of the year update}

these days are moving fast! really, 2016 has flown by! just dropping in today to post a little 16 in 2016 update...

these last few days will be full + happy.  hope you are enjoying some time with friends + family.

My 16 in 2016

1. Grow. 

2. Improve.

3. Read.

4. Taste.

5. Rest.

6. Photograph.

7. Save.

8. Appreciate.

9. Make.

10. Move.

11. Plant.

12. Do.

13. Share joy.

14. Learn.

15. Create.

16. Simplify.

have a great day, folks!

my postpartum meal prep {recipe links}

as i mentioned earlier this month i decided that making intentional food plans for the start of our fourth trimester would be a solid way to prepare for our new little one's arrival.

i had decided that 6 weeks of meals + snacks would be a fine amount of prepared and saved food to plan. i figured that this would actually stretch longer (8 weeks was my estimation) as there are always the unforeseen evenings of family bringing over dinner, a pizza night in, and maybe actually cooking a meal (i'm sure i'll want a fresh salad, to feel normal and cook dinner, or eat a warm bowl of oatmeal at some point). who knows, if we are really feeling frisky we might venture out one night to grab a quick bite to eat! plus when one considers how many meals + snacks a young family might consume... oh boy that is still a lot of pre-cooked nourishment!


::i planned::

3 meals/day for 2 adults for 6 weeks... which meant:
84 breakfasts
168 lunches/dinners

and approximately 3 snacks/day for 1 breastfeeding mama for 6 weeks... which totaled:
126 snacks

and it broke down roughly like so {click on food item for direct link- thank you to all the bloggers and recipe sharers that helped me with this ultimate food prep!}...

Breakfast Meals
(4) Freezer French Toast
(20) Mini Breakfast Bakes  {i just used my silicone muffin tin to make them individualized}
(4) breakfast sandwiches {i did some bagel + some english muffin for variety}
(12) Bacon, Egg + Potato Breakfast Casserole
(12) Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
(10) Greek Yogurt Banana Bread
(10) Greek Yogurt Zucchini Bread {obviously i had some greek yogurt + produce to use up!}
(12) Bread slices to thaw for toast + homemade jam in the cabinet!!


Lunch/Dinner Meals
(6) Sweet potato chili
(12) Crockpot Mexican Chicken Chili {i omitted the cornbread topping and thought if i'm really up for it i can make cornbread muffins before serving}
(12) Crockpot Beef + Lime Chili
(6) Mexican Chicken Soup {this one i cooked in the crock pot while prepping other frozen meals, cooled it then froze the already cooked dinners in ziploc bags}
(8) Crockpot Beef Roast + Carrots
(12) Crockpot Garden Veggie Soup with Beef
(12) Chicken Fajitas
(12) Slow Cooker Sausage Spinach Soup
(12) Italian Sausage Soup
(8) Spicy Sausage Gumbo
(8) Turkey + Noodles

::Protein to be added to noodles, salad or buns::
(5) Shredded Chicken
(12) Crockpot BBQ Shredded Chicken
(8) Turkey Burger Patties {just grilled burger patties}
(24) Turkey Breast Slices {just oven roasted}
(5) Meatballs

:: I also splurged for some variety and bought 6 Trader Joe frozen meals to round out our supply::


Snacks
(24) Granola Bars
(12) Oat Cakes
(12) Gluten Free Strawberry + Pecan Muffins
(8) Blueberry Oat Crumble Bars
(16) Strawberry Oat Crumble Bars {i actually used the Blueberry Oat Crumble Bar recipe from Averie Cooks but swiped the blueberries for strawberries - it turned out great! i think i do like the blueberry ones better!!}
(36)Chocolate Chip 'Lunch Lady' Bars
(18) Homemade Salsa + Tortilla Chips

i'm hopeful that this pre done cooking will be a huge support in our upcoming sleepy days... any tips out there for a major food prep?

a few {current} favorites...

i'm just loving...


+ planning ahead on my Grove Collaborative order - so nice to know that even in the tiredness of new mama hood i will be less likely to run out of toilet paper and dishwashing soap. i've already got a few of my most often used consumables saved in the cabinet for that fourth trimester. here's to hoping that late night target run won't do me in...


+ my Baby List registry - our family is throwing us a co-ed baby shower and i'm very excited! when j and i got married we decided to keep things fairly small, so when it came to having a bridal shower we decided not to make everyone drive again to see us just a few weeks before our wedding. but now that we're talking about celebrating our baby we decided that a shower would be very fun. you know, a good excuse to have everyone that we don't see nearly enough gather for some delicious cake + conversation.


+ doing a bit of baking - we've been enjoying a lot of muffins {using this recipe lately} for snacks the past few weeks and of course a few cookies here and there. I love {this} no bake recipe for when the days are too hot for the oven.  And I have {this recipe} to try next.


hope your week will be full of your current favorites!

snow day enjoyment

that's right - our first snow day from school!

as a teacher i actually really enjoy having snowy days with my students at school. they are so excited about the weather, they will typically play outside and really enjoy the snow, and experiencing each season is something i think is really important for kids to get to do with their class.

however, sometimes driving conditions are not safe - and i like having a special, unexpected day once, twice... okay, just a handful of times each year to sleep in and have everyone enjoy the snow at home their own ways.

yesterday we had that snow day! i slept in {just a bit, like an hour!}, baked blueberry muffins {using this recipe}, read, did some work and drank a cup of chai. it was a beautiful morning!

and then i got the bug - the SORT ALL THE SEEDS bug... so much fun to do some garden planning on my day off!

i even did some work setting up my new studio space at our new house, while listening to the updates for season one of serial {did you listen to Adnan Syed's Hearing update? click here to learn more}

and it was a wonderful day. simple, at home and just what i needed and didn't even know i needed it.

whoa, february!

hey there my friends!

what in the world? how did february get here in such a rush? i cannot believe how quickly we are into this month!

things are pretty happening around here! we are...

moving the last {guilty} few items from our old house + setting up for future renters

seeing loads of the oscar-nominated movies {okay, okay, I only saw about 90% of The Revenant... because, BRUTAL bear attacks can only be "viewed" when i'm hiding behind my coat watching my husband saying 'wow! that is so realistic! really, wow!' and things of that nature... however the rest of the movie is some of the most gorgeous movie scenery footage i've ever seen}

rocking the Whole30 compliant lunches everyday since the Whole15 wrap up

and playing fetch with my pup almost daily {because february has been bringing the sunshine!}

how is your month shaping up?

january {cold + gray}

it has been january around here. sometimes cold, sometimes bitter cold and the sun likes to tease us from behind the clouds.

i'm beating the grays by taking down some late christmas decorations and making some serious chili in the crockpot for dinner later this week!

really, try this recipe from kristy at boys ahoy. you will love it!

happy Wednesday. try to stay warm!

oh dear, december...

hello friends,

december has been quite the month!

visiting with family and friends, preparing for the holidays, celebrating my favorite guy's birthday... oh and how can i not mention - we are still settling into our new house!

but things are moving along, i even sent out holiday cards! it is all kinds of pleasant around here.

hooray for our dear, december! tomorrow is winter solstice! i cannot believe it is here. may the ohio weather not be rain and maybe we can enjoy some chilly fresh air without getting wet on such a magical day of the year.

have a lovely monday. only a few more sleeps until christmas...

holiday season preparations

good morning my friends! are you still living that thankful-happiness-feeling?

i hope everyone had a joyous holiday and weekend full of giving thanks with friends and family. we did a bit of driving around to see many of our dear ones. thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays... just food, loved ones and staying present in the moment of festivities!

as part of my thanksgiving week work i made food to take to two different family dinners and i began to really focus my upcoming winter gifting and fun lists and plans. i cannot believe it is less than one month from christmas!

we have begun to simplify our gifting traditions with slimming down our purchasing list (yes, yes, those family gift exchanges where only the kids receive presents from everyone - which our nieces + nephews list has grown by three baby girls this year! how lucky we are!). however, sometimes i still enjoy making a little something for the mommas +poppas even if they are not the name we pull from the basket.

i guess that's it from me today. what about you? big thanksgiving hang-overs? or feeling powerful, thankful and ready to head right into the winter holidays?


big monday hugs!

.:take a breath:.

this morning i need a moment.

a moment to just take a breath.

i thought maybe someone else did too.

so this is your reminder to take a few deep breaths and be present. right now. 

welcome to the new week. 

i'm going to keep breathing deeply with my eyes closed and then live my day with my eyes wide open. 

 i hope you enjoy the same.

around these parts {back to school edition}

okay, so we've been back to school for about a month. it has been a good month.

a few weeks of getting to know new classmates and routines.

feeling out those boundaries and limits. making friends and enjoying time with old pals.

finding moments for togetherness and fall fresh air. it is a great time of year. 

happy monday to you. 

around these parts {+ on my bookshelf}

well, i've got a few books to recommend today...

i recently read...

The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman and really enjoyed it. there were several chapters that had me teary-eyed and two afternoons where i couldn't put the book down.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro and man i got sucked in! just after a few chapters i was hooked into the story and wanting to learn more about the characters.

i've been requesting books from a few "books you just can't put down" lists {like this one from buzzfeed + this one from Modern Mrs. Darcy} and other titles at the library that just look entertaining or inspiring. where do you find titles that you plan to read?

a little mugswapping

good morning! if you've been clicking through my instagram recently you might have noticed that i participated in this year's mugswap hosted by cuppakim! {thanks Kim for your hosting awesomeness and for making sure everyone had the opportunity to give joy to someone else!}

this was my second year joining the mugswappin' goodness. and this year i felt moved to say a few words about the experience. 

i really super-enjoyed my mugswap experiences. lots of people love mugs and lots of those people love coffee or tea. so already we're off to something great, right? but the really cool thing is that the mugswap is all based on the idea of surprising and giving to someone else. the best and biggest surprise is for the family who gets the donated dollars toward their upcoming adoptions. but of course you get to surprise your mugswap buddy too!


so both years i had a great time pulling together a little coffee themed care package for a momma living in a different state. my first year i surprised a great gal from Texas! and this year my mugswap partner resides in Michigan! just by sharing a little gift, a virtual mug of coffee (if you will), a couple personal touches, and a handwritten note makes for fast IG friends. happy mail day for the win!

so if next August swings around and you are looking for a fun way to send around some cheerfulness check out cuppakim's IG for when you can sign up and get in on the fun! if all goes well i think i might be up for a third year!

happy muggin' ;)

An Exceptional Fourth Wedded Anniversary

over the weekend my husband and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary! 

on friday we drove to bloomington, indiana for a visit! 

just relaxing... a few treats, some shopping, a couple of breweries and an art museum. the kind of weekend where nothing needs to be planned out - but a lady can wear a dress if she likes!

{some of our favorites from the weekend}

FARM Bloomington - serious brunch on saturday morning. 

the walk thru Indiana University's campus was BEAUTIFUL!

SOMA Coffeehouse was a nice quiet stop for us to grab drinks after a long walk thru campus 

{and not over-the-top-sweet beverages either}

a wine tasting at Oliver Winery - they have the cutest little pond + picnic area. 

we had the best burgers + fries at Upland Brewing Co.

we sampled several great brews at Function Brewing

we hit up Hopscotch Coffee on our way out of town for cold brews to go. 

i was so thankful for the time to just hang out with my favorite guy - hand in hand strolling thru the bloomington entertainment and arts district {BEAD}.  i'm a lucky mrs. for sure. 

all the happiest anniversary wishes to you, dear j. you are tops on my list and i'm ready to start up our fifth wedded year! xo ;)

some of the links in this post take you to the shops + businesses that we enjoyed over our visit - just simply sharing the love. if you'd like to read about our past anniversaries click away for our first, second, and third. 

around these parts {midsummer vibes}

it is getting to that part of the summer... where i'm slightly worried it will slip away from me just a bit too quickly.  it might have something to do with how fast my chicks are growing into chickens... 

i'm loving all the fresh summer produce, and long walks through the neighborhood and town

i'm also pretty proud of how much running i've been able to put in our routine!

it might be my pup's favorite part of this summer. 

 okay, july please don't fly like june did...

happy Wednesday friends!

Interrupting this Whole30 to bring you a Whole15

that's right. i've felt so good {+ so good, so quickly} this third round of the Whole30 that i've decided to make it a 'Whole15' instead. ever since my first Whole30 a goal of mine has been to work my way thru resets until i'm only needing a Whole15 every so often. and i think i'm there!

i have so much energy behind eating well right now i've decided to head off {slightly} from the strict Whole30 guidelines and just add back in small amounts of dairy. that really is all i'm working with now. a serving of cheese or a glass of milk each day. my plan is to only eat quality dairy ingredients that are really worth it to me. i think to keep some sort of balance i will not eat cheese as a snack - i've learned in the past that snacking on cheese seems to increase my sugar cravings.


as for everything else, i guess i'll only splurge when i really feel something is worth it. but my hope is to keep treats and all sugar to a minimum. gluten is such a bother to me that i think i'm steering completely clear of that situation if possible.


i'm hoping that with this early end to my reset that i will continue to make these healthier choices and begin to establish new routines which will rarely include the foods that make me feel the least like myself.

around these parts {June 2015}

Hello there! It is really starting to feel like summer around here. I've started my break from school. Which of course means lots of classroom tidying and a list of summer-to-do's about a mile long.

There have been lots of walks. To town. On the bike path. 

Wherever we decide to go.

We went to see our niece play some softball this week- she is really coming into her own. So athletic, but still loves to play around with her uncle and a couple of friends after the games.

I'm plugging away on my third Whole30 reset. Things are going great. Only a few stomaches + a few headaches. I'm being diligent about my water intake and regular eating. The only thing that is new this time is my major vinegar cravings... as in I want all the olives and pickles. ALL. This happen to anyone else?

Our cherry tree is dripping with little treats for us. And the birds. 

So, things are pretty swell. I think I am liking this sweet June 2015. 

Around these parts {nowhere to be expected}

A little spring holiday - that was what we decided we needed. To run away from it all. We both had vacation days scheduled, no need to head in for work.

Made some plans for the pets - a few friends and family members taking care of our four-legged roommates.

Us, the tent, our gear, + the car - no major plans, a few possible destinations, just get out-of-dodge...

So when we got out of the house... we found ourselves in our old town. {Let's just stop for dinner and a coffee} Favorite brewery, throwing darts, teasing + laughing. Nowhere to be expected. Why not just stay the night?


And just like that - our needed holiday was over. We jumped in the car and went right back to dodge. One night away was all it took.

And friends, that is how we ended up with a construction zone in our guest bathroom. Starting the project that we hadn't planned. A whole week's worth of time... that's right, nowhere to be expected.

We may just up + leave dodge for one more night... we'll see how the tile work goes.

Happy Spring Break.