10.30.2015

Hunter Boots On Sale for $80

Happy Friday and almost Halloween!

Last night was trick-or-treat for us in our neighborhood, and honestly it gave me all the {good kinda} feels that come along with parenting. Yes, Camden is too young to remember his first Halloween but the enjoyment and pictures we got from it was enough to last us for the next year until we do it again. We've always loved Halloween, but this year it was just so special with our little man. He brings us so much joy I could just burst. Or eat him up...whichever comes first. Pictures to come on Monday! (including me in a giant banana youth sized costume...)

Anyway, the point of this post. THERE IS A POINT. A BIG ONE...

(back during the bump days! scarf is from Target last year but this one is identical)

Last night I was persuing Twitter and heard about how for a limited time Nordstrom is price matching these Original Tall Hunter Boots to Costco's price of $80!! That's almost HALF OFF! I had to share with you guys because hello, deal obsessed over here! and I know the normal price of $150 isn't ideal for rain boots. Everyone always ask me if they are worth it (they are), but now is the time I would definitely buy them if you've been on the fence!

I wear mine all the time in the fall/winter (like every week) and they make the most adorable socks for them now, so your feet will be extra warm.

I never knew Costco sold Hunter Boots but apparently they do (you go Costco!) so Nordstrom is only offering this special price for the colors/type that are available on Costco's website. This includes the Tall Original Hunter Boots in Red, Navy, Hunter Green, and Black (in gloss or matte!) and also many of the Short version as well. Just make sure the ones you want are available on Costco's website (view them all here) before purchasing with Nordstrom.
Also, I did look into this just to make sure it was legit and it is! I "live chatted" with Nordstrom last night and they confirmed to me that all you have to do is place an order and send them the order # and they will adjust the price. If you feel more comfortable, you can "Live Chat" yourself on Nordstrom's website and they will give you the full instructions on what to do.

Update: If you want to know what sizes/colors Costco still has in stock to quality for the price match, I would highly recommend asking a rep in the Live Chat section on Nordstrom's website (shown on this page) - it only takes a minute and they will verify if the pair you want is available in your size / is eligible. :)

Hope everyone has a spooky Halloween weekend! My cousin Natasha (the one from my adoption post) is in town from Colorado so I will be hanging out with her tonight and tomorrow which has me excited! xo

10.29.2015

Feeding The Littles: Zucchini Parmesan Crisps


It's time for the second installment of Feeding The Littles!

These zucchini parmesan crisps could not be easier...minimal ingredients and a short cooking time are my kinda things. They are such a yummy little snack for your little one! I fed these alongside some applesauce and fruit! Camden approved. ;)

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps:
+1 zucchini (use 2 if you want to make a big batch of them)
+1 tablespoon olive oil
+1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan 
+1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
+salt and pepper to taste 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Slice the zucchini into 1/4 inch rounds. In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with the poil. In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Dip each zucchini round into the mixture so that you're coating it on both sides. Place on baking sheet. Cook for 20-25 minutes until they are browned and crisp   

Don't forget to steal some for yourself, too. 
     

Enjoy this recipe? Spread the love and share it! xo

10.27.2015

The Power Of Adoption

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Wendy’s for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

If there is one thing that most people don't know about me, it's that I was adopted (you can read the full story here, if you'd like.) Unfortunately, my Mom was never able to have kids herself but they knew they wanted to have a baby and expand their family so that's when they turned to adopting. And I couldn't be more thankful that they did! I love reading my Mom's letters back from when they first found out that they got selected and would be welcoming me into their family...I can only imagine the happiness and excitement that they felt. Supporting those who choose to adopt, or who have been adopted themselves, has always been so important to me. Parents who adopt not only have some of the biggest hearts, but they open their home to children who come to them from all over the world and I think that's pretty darn incredible.



Living in Columbus, I've always been a big fan of Wendy's (apple pecan chicken salad on repeat) and of the founder Dave Thomas, who was actually an adopted child himself! It was only until recently did I learn of the foundation he started in 1992 called the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. This foundation works to find permanent, loving homes for more than 130,000 children waiting in North America's foster care system. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption worked with Wendy’s to establish the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Program to focus on children who have been waiting the longest in the foster care system. How wonderful is that? It's truly amazing what they are doing.

Dave Thomas believed that children in foster care “aren’t someone else’s responsibility, they are our responsibility.” Wendy’s continues to support that belief through fundraising and collaboration with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. 

Through November, Wendy's is doing something really special to highlight the power of foster care adoption through a child's eyes. They are showcasing the artwork of four children who have been adopted through the Wendy's Wonderful Kids Program on cold beverage and specialty drink cups. The illustrations that the children do are of special "Family First" moments, such as a day spent at the park and so forth.


So, next time you order your beloved diet coke make sure to take a look on the outside of your cup for one of these stories! The family first videos can be viewed here (on Wendy’s adoption pageand will certainly melt your heart! I know that, for me, they also serve as a great reminder to not take the little moments with your family for granted. 

Does you or someone you know have a special adoption story? I would love to hear it! And be on the lookout for these family stories on your Wendy's cups

Visit Sponsors Site

10.26.2015

Weekend Recap

Such a good, Fall weekend in the books!

On Friday the weather was beautiful so I decided to take Camden to the Zoo. It's all decorated for Halloween right now and most of the animals were out being active, so it was a great time! The last time we went was back when he was around 6 months old, and I think he was much more into it and just more aware this time around. Sometimes I take for granted that I'm home with him two days each week (every Tuesday & Friday) so I typically try to get out with him and do something different to create lots of memories just the two of us. He might not remember them, but I do and the time spent with him is so special to me. Plus, I can't wait to show him pictures of all the fun things we did together when he's older (literally the only positive to always having my phone attached to me!)

 


On Saturday Billy's family came into town to visit! They were so happy to spend time with him. We just hung out at the house for the most part but later in the afternoon all the girls (me, Billy's mom, sister, and Billy's brothers fiance) went shopping while the boys did some work at our house and then we all went to dinner together before they headed back home.


On Sunday we ran a bunch of errands and went to my parents house for lunch. Camden also got his very first haircut! My stepmom used to cut hair so she offered to give Cam a little trim just around the ears and back. It looks super cute!

At night we took Camden to our city's "trunk or treat" Halloween event...and oh my gosh...we had so much fun! We loved it and Camden seemed to as well. I'm convinced there is NOTHING better than a baby in a Halloween costume. It's too much cuteness-plain and simple. I plan to share the pictures later this week with his trick-or-treat pictures! (but here's a little sneak peak of his costume & you can see more on my instagram-I posted a few pics on there :))


I also signed up yesterday to help build a home for Habitat for Humanity in a few weeks! I've wanted to do this for a couple years now so I'm really excited that I will finally have the chance to do so.

Ended the weekend relaxing on the couch watching Blood & Oil, looking at our fall family photos we just got back (LOVE them-will share soon!), and eating my son's Halloween candy from the trunk or treat event. Is anyone else addicted to this show?! Billy was the one who actually wanted to start watching it and now I'm the one who's hooked. Of course..

Happy Monday!

10.22.2015

Loving Lately

Every baby deserves their own travel bag with their initials on it...right?

Especially one that is as cute as this one (it's only $28! I'm also pretty obsessed with this herringbone weekender) This duffle is going to get a lot of use from here on out - from weekend road trips to longer trips, I can fit all of Cam's things in it and then some. Love it!



Going on a hike with my boys in this gorgeous fall weather!


Spending time with my girlfriends / cheering on the Buckeyes against Penn State last weekend, even if I only made it until halftime...

That Pump Rules is starting up next month! Who's with me?



 The most perfect turtleneck (love all the colors) and this plaid top which is only $44! 



My days home with this little guy...he is so active, so curious, and really enjoying reading books lately.

These gorgeous boots. I WANT!


Cam's new football romper (new halloween and christmas shirt designs available too! love this one...so cute)  

What are you loving lately?

10.21.2015

New Design + Recipe For The Littles

Hey everyone!

Notice anything different around here? I hope you guys like the new design, just as much as I do!

I was craving a more simplistic look and I'm really happy with how it turned out. What's new? For starters, I updated the pages at the top which really should have been done like, two years ago. Seriously, I've got no excuses for that one. There is a Pinterest widget added in the right sidebar, which should make it easy to follow along with what I'm pinning these days. My instagram feed can now be found at the very bottom! There is a new type of "topics" section - you can click on any of the labels to find posts in that particular category. I added all the topics that I write about most often, so if you're looking for a certain post I'm hoping it's easy to find! You can also see that there are now popular posts and my favorite latest finds found in the sidebar as well.

Please let me know if you see any problems/have any complaints about the new site - it's important to me that it functions well for you guys!

Moving on - I've decided to start a new series of posts called Feeding The Littles! Inspired by my one and only little man...Camden! :) Ever since Cam has started eating real food (he wants all the food, all the time), it seems like I'm always trying to find creative meals and foods for him to try, otherwise I get stuck in a rut with feeding the same things over and over. I think it's really important to expose babies to a large variety of food, but at the same time I don't have a ton of time to be spending in the kitchen. For this series, I will share recipes that are all baby/kid friendly and that can be put together pretty quickly. For those of you without kids, these posts might not be helpful for you (unless you want to plan for the future) - so I'm sorry about that. I'm really excited about these posts, though, and hope that some of you will enjoy them!

First recipe up for Feeding The Littles...


Carrot and Broccoli Orzo  
+1 small garlic clove
+1 cup baby carrots, chopped
+1 cup broccoli florets, chopped
+2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
+1 cup white or whole wheat orzo
+1/2 teaspoon salt
+1 cup water
+1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

Chop veggies. In a large stock pot, heat 2 tbsp of butter or olive oil and saute the veggies, raw orzo, and salt for 2-3 minutes stirring continuously. Add the salt, water, and broth to the pot and cook over medium heat for 12-15 minutes, until the mixture thickens.

This recipes makes a lot and is a perfect side dish for us adults too! You can also add chicken and cheese to this, which I plan to do the next time around. Camden absolutely loved it...he kept wanting more and more. It's great for lunch or dinner with some fruit on the side! He isn't using a fork yet so I just put small handfuls on his tray so that he could feed himself (he prefers it this way) but I also spoon fed him small amounts too. Yum yum!

10.15.2015

A Simple Kitchen Upgrade



Happy Thursday everyone!

We were actually supposed to be in Boston right now spending the next 4 days with friends and family, but due to an unexpected death in our family we obviously ended up cancelling the trip. So, that's why you won't see me posting about Boston this weekend! We really hope to reschedule the trip, but due to everyone's schedules we just aren't sure yet when that will be. 

Anyway, I wanted to share about a little kitchen upgrade we did recently (remember our kitchen makeover? that feels like forever ago!) replacing our old semi-junky faucet, sorry previous owners, with a fancier new one! 

If you're looking for a simple way to give your kitchen a fresh look, upgrading your faucet would be a great option. In fact, I really wish we would've done it sooner. It might not be the first thing you think of when wanting to take your kitchen up a notch, but this little and inexpensive fix can make a big difference! Plus, it gives me a little bit more motivation when it comes to cleaning the {what feels like hundreds} of bottles and dishes on a daily basis.
 
We installed our new Phister Lita Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet last weekend and immediately knew it was the right choice. Phister makes very high-quality products so we felt confident that we would love it. This faucet is far more practical and functional for us. The design gives us more space in the sink, which makes it much easier to wash off our dishes. The pull-down feature is great because it's long enough to reach both sides and you can choose between soft stream, spray, and pause with a simple push of a button on the sprayhead. Not to mention, it just looks so pretty...

 

Super sleek and modern...exactly what we were looking for. If you're worried about the installation of a new faucet, don't be. This took under an hour to swap out our old one with this one!

I know talking about a faucet isn't the most riveting topic for me to write about, but I really like when other people share home projects and seeing the improvements they make from time to time. I'm nosey like that! How do you think our new faucet looks?!

Sidenote..that little gold and cream pumpkin? $3 from Target. Loving it.

Here is another one of my favorite house projects and here's more of our home looking festive for fall!  

PS: Currently getting a new blog design so bear with me until it's all finalized! Thank you! 

Thank you to Phister for gifting us this amazing faucet. All opinions are my own.