My Perfectly Pretty Mess - Page 4 of 5

Happy August

August 1, 2017

Ya’ll!! How is it already August? We have 17 days left of summer! I feel like we need to cram all the things into those 17 days!

Do you set goals? I typically don’t. I feel like I have a running to-do list, but never sit down and write down my goals for the month. I think I will change that now!

Here is a list of things that I am going to (at least going to try) to accomplish this month:

Print and send Millie Cate’s birthday invites. That really needs to be done like yesterday! I will send them to get printed TODAY!! At least they’ve been ordered and I have the pdf, right?

Establish our new routine. With Brynlee going to pre-k full time and Millie Cate going to preschool two mornings a week, things are going to change. Let’s not forget about dance for each girl and gymnastics for Brynlee!

Complete Emily Ley’s 30 Day Simplicity Challenge. You can find the details here: THE EL SIMPLICITY CHALLENGE: 30 DAYS OF SIMPLICITY. I started it December and failed horribly! I WILL stick to it! I’d love for you to follow along with me! Drop me a note in the comments if you’re interested!

Workout 3-4 times per week.

Stick to my Weight Watchers plan.

Organize girls closets/playroom and guest bedroom. We are having a yard sale in a few weeks and I need to get my hiney in gear!

Those are probably enough goals, right? Do you have any goals for the month? I’ll report back and let you know how I did!

This and That

July 31, 2017

It’s Monday…again! Why do the weekends go by so quick? We had a pretty lazy weekend, which was nice after all of the traveling we have done this summer! I’m personally ready to get back to our routine! The only thing on the calendar was brunch with my Bunco group- and I didn’t take one picture because we were too busy chatting, eating yummy food and drinking mimosas!

We’ve had such a busy morning, which is the reason the post is going up so late! I had my alarm set to get up and go to Pure Barre this morning, but some random person kept calling the house phone in the middle of the night and after that I had a hard time getting back to sleep! (I know, we are probably one of the few people left that still has a house phone!) Good thing I choose to sleep in, the girls slept until 8 and 8:30! I’m sure not going to complain about that! Their treat for an easy Monday morning was making purple pancakes with sprinkles mixed in! They love to help in the kitchen. Am I the only one who cannot make a pretty pancake? Maybe that should be one of my new goals!

After getting dressed aka the girls trying on 45 outfits, we headed to the library for story time and new books! Why are they so opinionated at such a young age! SO thankful for uniforms for Brynlee next year!

Next was the Target and the mall, we had to run into Ulta to make a return! Well…one kid left with red lipstick and the other left with hot pink glitter gloss! These girls and their makeup may be the death of me!! I know I probably shouldn’t let them wear it, but it’s not like they wear it every day! Just around the house! Judge away. Last but not least was Chick-fil-a and the indoor playground! Momma is tired!

Today started my new Emily Ley Simplified Planner and I could not be more excited! There is nothing like a clean planner and new pens!

I’m off to do laundry and clean the kitchen aka catch up on the latest episode of Below Deck Med! The next two days will be filled with cleaning out and organizing the girls closets and tackling our disaster of a playroom! Be sure to follow me on Instagram for the fun!

Happy Monday!

Friday Five

July 28, 2017

TGIF!! We made it! Most people think that SAHMs do not care when the weekend is, but that is just not the case! We love when daddy is home for extra family time and an extra set of hands! Let’s get into my Friday Five.

One: Pool days with my girls are the best! I feel like we don’t go enough, but you know packing lunches and sunscreen can be a chore. Also, lets not forget all of our trips this summer! We’ve been a busy crew! We plan to spend the last few weeks of the summer pool side!

Two: Traditions are one of my favorite things! We have loosely been following pizza and family games on Friday nights. It was much easier in the fall/winter but we will start back! It will also be easier once Millie Cate gets a little older! This is one of our favorite games! What are you’re favorite family traditions?

Three: What did you order from the Nordstrom’s Anniversary sale? I posted a sweater on Tuesday that I ordered and got an email on Thursday that said that they couldn’t process the order. I found it again and tried to order it, fingers crossed that I don’t get the dreaded email again. I wasn’t able to re-order in the right size, but figured I could exchange it for the correct size later! I also snagged the Live In High Waist Leggings for $35! Just too good of a deal to pass up…sorry Bill!

Four: Do you use Ebates? If not, you need to start now! Since we have been using it, we have earned $64.82 on things we would have purchased anyways! You can use this link, Ebates, to join now!

Five: I’ll be honest, I don’t love reality TV! All of the fights make me a little uncomfortable! However, Below Deck Med has changed that forever! It is my FAVORITE! Are you watching? You need to start if you aren’t! It comes on Bravo!

Today I am linking up with April and Christina for Friday Five.

Hope ya’ll have a wonderful weekend!

Thoughts for Thursday: Bachelorette in Savannah, GA

July 27, 2017

Good afternoon! I’m going to let you in on a little secret! I was hoping to do a long post about how much fun we had and all of the details of every second of our long weekend but….that’s not going to happen!

Instead you’re going to get some good photos and maybe some not so good photos that will show we had the best time! I’ll be happy to give you suggestions based on where we stayed, ate and played!

Enjoy!

It was an amazing and much needed weekend!

I’m linking up with Natalie and Annie for Thoughts for Thursday!

Whip It Up Wednesday: Cheeseburger Egg Rolls

July 26, 2017

Well friends, we have made it half way through the week! I don’t know about you, but I am already ready for the weekend. We don’t really have any plans, but sometimes those are the BEST weekends!

When I was previously doing Weight Watchers, after I had Brynlee, I used to make a lot of recipes using egg roll wrappers. I have been in the mood for a cheeseburger (when I am not?!? ha.) So I was thinking I would try to incorporate the two. I always like to try new recipes and Pinterest is usually my go-to. I jumped on Pinterest, but nothing was really catching my eye. This is where my Cheeseburger Egg Roll recipe came to life!

Ingredients:

1 pound of 93/7 ground beef

Steak Seasoning

2 teaspoons of mustard of choice- I used yellow.

2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons of dill relish (use whatever flavor relish you like and however much you’d like)

1/2 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese (picture below shows a cup of cheese)

12 egg roll wrappers

Coconut oil spray

Assembly for these is pretty easy!

Brown hamburger. Once hamburger is done, add Worcestershire sauce and steak seasoning. I would add as much as you’d like to give it flavor, just remember it can be salty! Let that cook for a few minutes until most of the liquid is out and add your mustard. Stir until everything is combined and add it into a mixing bowl.

Next add your cheese and relish. Stir to combine.

Now you’re ready to start wrapping! Lay out your wrapper and grab a little dish of water. Place two heaping tablespoons of your mixture into the center of the wrapper. Fold up the bottom corner so your mixture is completely covered. Then dip your finger into the water and dampen the three remaining sides of the wrapper. Fold the left side in, fold the right side in and roll into an egg roll shape. (If this is confusing, just ask and I can help or just google how to roll an egg roll!) Place roll onto a greased baking pan. After all 12 are wrapped, spray them all with coconut oil.

The final step is to cook them and you can do that one of two ways. We used our Air Fryer. I cooked on 400 for 5-7 minutes flipping half way through. You can also cook them in the oven on 425 for 12-15 minutes flipping them half way through. Once they’re done, you can dip them in ketchup, mustard, BBQ, Ranch or really whatever you’d like!

This is SUCH an easy weeknight meal or would be perfect for get togethers! For those of you that follow Weight Watchers, these came out to 3 points each!

I think you’ll love these once you give them a try! Tomorrow I’ll be sharing pictures from our trip to Savannah!

Five Favorites

July 25, 2017

I’m back! I was really hoping to hop on here yesterday, but true life- I just couldn’t get myself together! Momma can’t hang like she used to be able to! We had such an amazing weekend in Savannah, GA! I’ll share more this week!

Time to share some favorite things of mine!

One: This ended up in my cart on it’s way to me once it comes off of backorder!

Barefoot Dreams Cozychic Lite® Coastal Hooded Cardigan

I mean, how cozy does that look? I will go ahead and apologize to those that see me on a regular basis, because I will be wearing this 24/7.

Two: A little over a year ago I discovered Beautycounter and I quickly became obsessed! Not only are their products wonderful, but their mission is too! You can read more about their mission here: Beautycounter’s Mission

These are the products that I CANNOT live without- Essential Nourishing Collection, No. 3 Balancing Facial Oil, Charcoal Cleansing Bar and No. 3 Balancing Facial Mask

**Full disclosure- I am a Beautycounter consultant. I started because I LOVED the products that much. I’m happy to answer any questions and I promise the blog will not be about Beautycounter all the time!

Three: Stop what you are doing and go buy the Power Air Fryer XL right now! It has been life changing for our family!

Not only can you make dishes healthier by using this, but cleanup is so easy! The recipe that I am sharing tomorrow is cooked in our AirFryer!

Four: Last week I picked up a PopSocket and so far have really liked it. Brynlee is in love with it because it makes watching her makeup tutorials on YouTube easier! She is just too much! I couldn’t find the one I have online, but you can find several color options here: PopSocket

Five: I’m probably one of the last people to here about these, it usually works that way!

Embarrassing confession- I heard Despicto for the first last this week! Hey- its not my fault that it isn’t on the Trolls sound track! Anyways- Spiked Seltzers are AMAZING and my new favorite summer drink! I couldn’t tell you how many cases of these 13 girls went through this past weekend!

In my opinion this brand tastes the best, but it is the highest in Weight Watchers Points (5 smart points) so I probably wouldn’t continue to buy it! I will probably go back to White Claw when I run out of these!

Well, thats it! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Thoughts for Thursday: Brain Dump

July 20, 2017

Hi Friends! This morning I am jumping in the car with two of my besties and we are headed out of town for our friend Cameron’s bachelorette party! Be sure to follow along our fun on Instagram!

I’m linking up with Natalie and Annie for Thoughts for Thursday!

Today I am just going to share with you the randomness that is going through my head!

How many of you are friends with girls(and guys) that you grew up with? My closest friends are my oldest friends. Right now I am drinking wine with one of my first friends from kindergarten! (Obviously I am not writing this post Thursday morning, it is Wednesday night and we are having a sleepover before hitting the road in the morning!) I love these girls more than life itself! Excuse my pregnant face in the picture! And no, not pregnant it is just an older picture!

Speaking of friends, why is it so hard to find “mommy friends”? I have a few friends that I have met since having the girls and have felt instantly connected with, but man it’s hard! I posted this picture over on Instagram this week, it is too true not to share!

Which is worse: packing for vacation or unpacking? I think I hate both equally! I have found a few tips that make unpacking a little easier. For one, put all of your dirty clothes in a bag and when you come home put them straight in the washer! Also, anytime we go somewhere that has a washer and dryer- I go ahead and knock out some laundry so it is clean and ready to put away when we get home!

I was in desperate need of a new makeup bag and picked this up today! How cute and functional is this? It is such a good size and so many pockets! And it was $9.99- can’t beat that!

And last but not least, I already miss these two and can’t wait to see them on Sunday!

Have a fantastic Thursday!!

Whip It Up Wednesday

July 19, 2017

A topic that commonly comes up when a group of moms are together is “what are you cooking for dinner?” or “how do you come up with your meals?” Personally. I have a few ways that I come up with meals to keep my family fed (and by family I mean my husband and I, because my kids love a “cheese plate”). I typically turn to Pinterest, cook books or family recipes.

With that being said, I’ve decided to start Whip It Up Wednesdays! I’ll share recipies that you’ll love and add to your meal rotation! I have a 4.5 year old and almost 2 year old, so you can bet your bottom dollar that they’ll be recipes that can be cooked with kids hanging on your legs!

This week I found a recipe on Pinterest that I was able to change up a tad and make a little more healthier. We had grape tomatoes from our garden that I needed to use up, so I started there! I’ll share the original recipe and also tell you what I changed! Here is the link for the recipe I loosely followed: SPAGHETTINI WITH ROASTED TOMATOES, FRESH BASIL, AND TOASTED GARLIC BREADCRUMBS

INGREDIENTS:

Roasted Tomatoes:

2.5 lbs small heirloom tomatoes or large cherry tomatoes I used three Roma tomatoes and maybe 15ish grape tomatoes from our garden.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil I cut it down to 1 tablespoon.
6 large cloves of garlic, smashed I used two teaspoons of minced garlic from the grocery store (what mom has time to deal with fresh garlic)
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Crispy Garlic Breadcrumbs: So I completely skipped this step!! Not on purpose, but I forgot about it until the end!

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Spaghettini:

3/4 lb dried spaghettini pasta (otherwise known as ‘thin spaghetti) I used whole wheat spaghetti.
2 ounces fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnishing
extra virgin olive oil
parmigiano-reggiano cheese, for serving We decided to skip this and mix in a package of Fat Free Feta Cheese (we had it and it was about to go bad).

DIRECTIONS:

Roast Tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring a large pot (8 quarts or larger) of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Rinse the tomatoes and pat them dry. Place the tomatoes and smashed garlic cloves on a large baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Spread them out on the baking sheet. Roast the tomatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping them every 5 to 10 minutes or so, until they are soft and have just begun to collapse. Meanwhile, prepare the breadcrumb topping.
Prepare Breadcrumb Topping: In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the chopped shallot and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the shallots have softened and become translucent. Add the panko breadcrumbs and chopped garlic. Reduce the heat to low and toast the breadcrumbs for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the breadcrumbs from burning–or until they are golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and place the breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.
While the tomatoes finish roasting (and the breadcrumbs are prepared), boil the dried pasta until al dente. In the last minute or so of cooking, add the fresh basil leaves to the pasta water. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water (avoid any basil leaves), and drain the pasta. Place the pasta (with basil) back into the pot and drizzle with olive oil. Add the warm, roasted tomatoes and toss gently. Add reserved pasta water as necessary.
Garnish each pasta serving with basil (torn or sliced into thin ribbons), a generous sprinkling of toasted garlic breadcrumbs, and serve with freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese.

What I ended up doing was draining the pasta and mixing it with the basil, tomatoes with garlic, feta cheese and about 1/3 cup of pasta water. It would be FANTASTIC with grilled chicken on top!

**This was around 11 smart points for Weight Watchers- I didn’t measure, but next time we make it I will measure everything out and update the points!

I hope you enjoy this and please let me know if this is something you’d like me to continue!

Bye Bye Baby Weight

July 18, 2017

Hi friends! Happy Tuesday! This week is a short week for me because I am leaving Thursday morning for a secret destination for a friend of mines bachelorette party! This momma is ready for some girl time!

This weekend, I posted about the mom funk I am in. Part of this is getting rid of the last of my baby weight. I guess this baby weight from Millie Cate is stubborn just like she is!

Some of you know that I lost around 60 pounds after I had Brynlee with Weight Watchers. I have been doing Weight Watchers off and on since Millie Cate, but I am seriously lacking in motivation! You can see in the photo above that I skipped my meeting this past Sunday- oops! Here is where you come in- I need you all to be my accountability partners! So if you can make my ass get in the gym, stay out of the wine and stop indulging in my girls snacks- that would be fantastic!

Here is my plan:

I am going to actually stick to my Weight Watchers daily points. I get 30 points per day. To give you an idea, a glass of wine is 4 points. So….. at least 8 of my points go towards that, which leaves me at 22 points for the rest of the day! Most fruits and vegetables are free. Snacks are what get me. I’ve always loved a snack! I’ll do a post next week going into more details about Weight Watchers if anyone is interested?

I really wish I could say that I am going to wake up at 5:25 every morning and go to the 6am Pure Barre class Monday-Friday. Is that even realistic? So maybe next week we will say three mornings and work up from there? That seems doable!

I have an Apple Watch, which I love BTW. I do track my activity on there but never get 10,000 steps? It must not be right because I feel like I never stop moving! Do you have one? Is it correct and I am just a slug? Next week I am going to be more mindful and try to get in my 10,000 steps! I just noticed you can now share your activity and do challenges with friends that have apple watches. Does anyone have one and want to do it? **Edited to add: there is an app called Stridekick where you can use any activity tracker, let me know if you want to be added to the challenge group!

So that is my plan starting Monday and I AM GOING TO STICK TO IT! Maybe I’ll take some before pictures and measurements. Heck, maybe I’ll have one too many glasses of wine and post them here for the world to see. I have to stick to my plan now that I shared it with the 3 followers I currently have, right?

I hope you all have a fantastic Tuesday! We are off to the pool so I can lounge poolside and sunbathe! Just kidding, I will be one of those moms one day! For now, I will enjoy every second of fighting over pool toys and “mommy, watch this!” every 5 seconds!

Routines

July 17, 2017

Well the lazy days of summer are coming to an end and we will be back into the swing of things before we know it! Actually in one month from today, Brynlee will be starting full time pre-k at a new school that we absolutely adore! Millie Cate will also be starting preschool two mornings a week! This will be my first year with two in school!

I am pretty sure that next month will be a rude awakening for us -aka- me! We will have to be dressed and out the door by 7:30am to get across town and to get her to school! Pretty sure Millie Cate will still be in her jammies on days that she doesn’t have school! As for me, lets be real- I’m always in “athleisure”!

We are still working on a schedule that we will start next month, but in the meantime I thought I would share a few tips on things that I have discovered that make being a mom a tad easier!

Planning is my number one tip. I currently use an Emily Ley Daily Simplified Planner to keep our family organized! I also have a big calendar in our kitchen too! I put everything in here, including our meals. I keep a running to-do list here too!

Meal planning. On Saturday’s or Sunday’s, I plan all of our meals for the week! Wether we stick to them everyday is a whole different story! After I plan our meals, I make our grocery list for everything we will need for our meals and life in general. I go to a variety of stores depending on what we have going on. This weekend we tried Wal-Mart’s free online pickup and it was fantastic! Not sure I would buy everything from there, but for everyday essentials it is CHEAP and this momma likes cheap! They also gave me a cute little goodie bag! If you want to try it, feel free to use this link for $10 off your first order: http://r.wmt.co/fUPNv.

My least favorite household chores are dishes and laundry! Too bad those are the two chores that are never ending. I have found that if I start a load every morning and go ahead and fold them and put them away, it makes it much more manageable! Same thing with the dishwasher. I start a load every night before bed and unload it first thing in the morning! I don’t know about you, but I cannot go to bed with a dirty kitchen and this helps keep dishes out of the sink!

I would love to hear everyone’s tips on their school routines! This momma needs all the help she can get!