Coated + Colored Denim…

I had about 10 minutes before I had to leave for a shoot this past weekend, so we ran outside for few quick pics.

I’ve mentioned before my love of coated denim. I scored these purple ones off eBay and I’m in LOVE!! One of the many great things about them is that muddy little footprints wipe right off! Teaching her the blogger pose hahaha. 🙂 “Look Mommy, I’m like a backpack!” 🙂 My father in law stopped by to pick something up “Hi Papa!! HIIIIII!!”Sometimes I capture a look that is so her. This is one of them. I could just eat her up!I said “Maya! You stay on that curb til I come get you!!”Um…On me…

Sweater- Sweet Romeo (from Nordstrom Rack, similar here)

Scarf- Thrifted, similar here.

Jeans- Helmut Lang High Gloss Cropped Skinny Jeans in Violet sold out, similar here.

Shoes- Converse (thrifted, similar here)

On Maya…

Jacket- Osh Kosh (thrifted, but similar here)

Top-Mini Boden (thrifted, but similar here)

Jeans- 7FAM (ebay but similar here)

Shoes- Converse (thrifted)

Keeping it Real…

I’ve been slammed with work, and have had some stuff going on in my personal life. All that to say, I’ve been a tad overwhelmed. Once again, this blog has been a nice creative escape and a reminder to get out and have fun with the Peanut. So, thanks again for reading and following along 🙂

(all pictures taken with a self timer and tripod, except ones of Maya :))

Baked Acorn Squash Stuffed with Quinoa, Apples, and Chicken Sausage

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I’m an equal opportunity gourd lover! I’ve been itching to make an acorn squash meal, and when I saw them at Costco when was there earlier this week, I pulled the trigger. I honestly just made this up as I went along with ingredients that I had on hand. I ended up adding the Craisins and avocado in at the end because I wanted more color for the pictures haha. BUT…it tasted amazing, so I’m so glad I did!Ingredients (feeds 4)

3 Teaspoons Coconut Oil (half for the squash/half for the quinoa mixture)
3 Teaspoons Organic Pure Maple Syrup (half for the squash/half for the quinoa mixture)
2 Acorn Squash
1 Cup uncooked quinoa
1/2 medium size sweet onion
1 medium apple- I used HoneyCrisp because they’re on SALE at Costco for 1.27 per lb!!
1/2 Teaspoon crushed garlic
Sea salt and Pepper to taste
4 Aidells Chicken and Apple Sausages
1/4 Cup Craisins
1 Small Avocado

Directions

For Squash

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Fill baking pan with about 1/2 inch of water
Cut Acorn Squash in half, and lightly coat each with 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil, 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup, and freshly ground sea salt/pepper
Place in oven for an hour

For Quinoa Mixture

Place the uncooked quinoa, 2 1/2 cups of water, 1 tsp coconut oil, 1 tsp maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic, diced apple, and 1/2 diced onion and a few grinds of sea salt and pepper all in a rice cooker (I tend to use my rice cooker like a “fast” slow cooker-dump a bunch of stuff in and voila haha.) Start it cooking, and dice up the Aidell’s sausages. Towards the end of the quinoa cooking (about 20 minutes), dump the sausage in as well as the 1/4 cup craisins.Enjoy!

Fall is in the air…

1 Reply

Fall really is my favorite time of the year. The leaves changing, the weather is still somewhat nice (at times), but still chilly so that you get to cozy up with loved ones in layers.I kept telling her. It’s NOT a swing! Well, she found out the hard way 😦 Doesn’t mean she didn’t get right back up and try again though haha.After looking at this picture, I realized that my hair was NOT so happy with the wind and humidity. Might be the last of my straight hair days til the spring :{ Her face in this next one kills me! SO CUTE! For every 20 of these we do, I capture one of them perfectly 🙂 Who needs to go to the gym, when you have a toddler that loves to be thrown in the air?? Here I am telling her “Ok, you can jump in the puddle, but WAIT first!!”“Now, Mom???!” 🙂Sure…why not. 🙂Hahaha. This next one cracks me up. It’s a little blurry, but could she be any more excited??On me…

Jacket- StyleMint (old, similar here)

Swing Tee- Zara (old, similar here)

Jeans- DL1961 “Emma” in Bloom (C/O)

Shoes- Converse (thrifted, but love these)

On Maya…

Sweater- Gap (thrifted, but similar here)

Top- H&M (purchased from ThredUp, but similar here)

Jeans- DL1961 “Harper” (C/O)

Shoes- Converse (thrifted)

Keeping it Real…

Here’s one of the 20 that didn’t turn out haha. This one was literally right before the shot I got perfectly. A little kick to the chest doesn’t deter me!

“If at first, you don’t succeed, try, try again!” 🙂

OMG, I just looked up this quote to make sure I had it right. Don’t think I’d ever heard the last part-HA!

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There’s no point in being a damn fool about it.”

BAHAHA. Good thing I didn’t know the rest of the quote… 😉

Blog 2 StyleMint Green Parka Zara Swing Tee DL1961 Emma Bloom Pink Converse-34

(all pictures taken with a self timer and tripod, except ones of Maya :))

Taco Scramble

Moto Inspired…

4 Replies

I’m a sucker for anything “moto” inspired! Leather jackets, jeans, boots, and don’t even get me started on coated and leather pants! However, I like to balance it out with something a little feminine, so people aren’t’ looking around for my Harley 🙂 Enter a flowing layered polka dot tank, and the perfect pair of black skinnies…

These are the 2nd pair of DL1961 jeans I go to try, and of course I love them. If there is one thing every woman should have in their closet, it’s a perfect fitting black skinny jean. You can read more about why I love this brand so much here.When Zara had these sweaters on sale, I scooped them up in just about every color hahaha. I LOVE the button up back-or unbuttoned in this case 🙂 LOVE this next one!!! I really never know what I’m getting with the self timer and tripod, but this…this is so us, and I am SO glad I got it!!

Maya- “Tickle me??!!!” This is another darker pair of the Harper. The skinny boyfriend cut is so flipping cute!!And, Maya’s moto faux leather jacket?? I almost died when I found it at the thrift store!! She balanced her look out with candy heart Vans 🙂Then she saw some other kids and a dog…and…they kept on going 😦 It always makes me so sad when she gets excited about seeing older kids and wants to play “Hi kids, HI!!!” and then they don’t want to play with her…Not giving up though. LOVE HER!Here she is trying to “Freeze” me when I told her it was about time to go home haha Where’s Maya?? I have no idea where she could be… 😉On me…

Sweater- Zara (Old, but very similar entire layered open back look here)

Top- Audrey 3+1 (thrifted)

Jeans- DL1961 “Emma” in Denver (C/O)

Boots- Fiorentini + Baker 7040 Boot (purchased via an Instagram acct)

On Maya…

Jacket- Amy Coe (thrifted, but similar here)

Top- Tea (thrifted)

Jeans- DL1961 “Harper” (C/O)

Shoes- Vans (thrifted, but these are fun)

Keeping it Real…

I made a promise to myself when I started this blog that I wouldn’t Photoshop myself, as tempting as it might be. WELL….I’ve broken that rule a few times. A) When the gray hair/roots are OUT OF CONTROL (yeah, I spare you that!) B) when I take pics in the morning or after maybe a night with not much sleep-I might diminish the bags under BOTH Maya and my eyes, although usually I just shoot from far away ha! 😉 C) If Maya gets mud on me or herself, I clean that up. That was DEFINITELY the case on this shoot!!

So there’s the “not so real” keeping it real 😉

(all pictures taken with a self timer and tripod, except ones of Maya :))

Happy Halloween! A day late…hope you recovered from your sugar coma ;)

7 Replies

Ok, so I’ll admit it. This is the FIRST Halloween that Maya really participated in. (insert horror emoticon that I can’t yet do via my computer :)) It’s the busiest season for me (workwise), so up until now, I just talked myself into thinking she really didn’t care, so…why stress myself out trying to do all the “stuff” that goes along with HALLOWEEN! Now that the day has come and gone, and her complete JOY over the 2 day festivities has really hit me. I realize, it’s such a fun day for her, and I will absolutely treat it as such going forward!

All that to say. I still bought her main outfit at Goodwill for a few dollars haha! When we were there and looking at all the stuff (insert CRAP), I pulled this one out and asked her

“How about this one?”

She said “I don’t like it!”

“But it’s a Pumpkin PRINCESS!?”

“Oooooooh, OK!!”

And so I made her a crown to go with the outfit and all was right in the world of Maya 🙂I didn’t get creative with my look…all black works for Halloween, right??These were before her preschool Halloween Party. I asked her to “curtsy” and showed her how (I mean, how cute, right?!) She bowed and said “Your Majesty” hahaha

I’ll take it!!! This just shows you that I woke her up about 30 minutes before it was time to go to school. Dazed and confused…yet so cute. On me…

Jacket- Matty M (via Instagram similar here)

Top- Collective Concepts (thrifted, similar here)

Jeans- Dl1961 “Amanda” LAX (ebay, similar here)

Boots- Born (thrifted, similar here)

On Maya…

Outfit- (thrifted)

Crown- DIY (Instructions here)

Boots- Kenneth Cole Reaction (thrifted)

Keeping it Real…

The above pics were taken over a two day period. Thursday Maya had her Preschool Party, and then Friday was actually Halloween. This next picture was us going trick or treating. She woke up late from her nap because I had a shoot that went late. I rushed her into her costume and gave her turkey jerkey before we headed out. Since it was our first venture out, I thought that we might only be gone for 30 minutes MAX. Mother of the year? I’m thinking no. Maya? She’s thinking YES!! Because she ran from house to house for an hour and a half on a relatively empty stomach, and would have gone more if I hadn’t dragged her back for a late dinner before one piece of candy 😉

I call this “completely dark FLASH face 🙂

Blog Halloween 2014 Pumpkin Princess-KIR

(all pictures taken with a self timer and tripod, except ones of Maya :))

Sweaters that feel like old friends…

6 Replies

My favorite part of fall is rediscovering old favorites from last fall/winter. It’s almost like going shopping…in your own closet! 🙂 Right about now, it totally started raining all of a sudden. I’m like “Maya! We have to GO!!” Then, as we were driving back home, I saw this! Yeah, I had to pull over! On me…

Sweater- J Crew (eBay, similar here or turtleneck option here)

Belt- Old

Jeans- Blank NYC (ebay, similar here)

Boots- Boots- Cafe Noir (thrifted, but similar here and less expensive version here.)

On Maya…

Top- Mini Boden (thrifted)

Overalls- Old Navy (thrifted, but similar here)

Shoes- (thrifted, but similar here)

Keeping it Real…

Literally 2 minutes after I took the images of the two of us, Maya went and jumped into a GINORMOUS puddle. So….it totally looked like she peed her pants haha. Thankfully, she started dancing and struck poses that hid her wet pants 🙂

(all pictures taken with a self timer and tripod, except ones of Maya :))

Pumpkin Cheddar Muffins

9 Replies

Wonderful golden cheesy muffins with pumpkin, cornmeal and cheddar! Not paleo, but gluten free and perfect with soup or chili for a cold fall night!

Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin puree
3 Tbsp whole milk yogurt or coconut milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 Tbsp minced shallot
11/2 cups gluten free flour (or wheat flour if you’re not making this GF)
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp turmeric (optional – it’s not enough to add flavor, but it does add beautiful golden color and turmeric is good for you!)
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
dash salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds

Directions

Preheat oven to 400° F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper liners.
In a bowl, whisk together pumpkin, yogurt, eggs, butter and shallots. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, thyme, salt and pepper. Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir until just combined. Fold in 1 cup cheese.
Evenly divide batter in the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle each muffin with remaining cheese and pumpkin seeds.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and muffins are golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool in the tin 10 minutes before cooling on a wire rack. Best served warm.

Thanks PCC Natural Markets

Cashmere + Boyfriend Jeans

2 Replies

When we get into fall and it’s raining and windy (which it absolutely was when I got dressed this particular morning!), there’s nothing cozier than a super soft cashmere sweater and worn in boyfriend jeans. I’ve had this pair for 4-5 years, and they are so soft with all the washings. To avoid looking too sloppy with a baggy sweater and baggy pants, I wore some comfy booties. Just enough of a heel to add some polish to the look, but low enough that I easily ran after Maya when she took off and wore them all day running errands. Total win. On me…

Jacket- StyleMint (old, similar here)

Sweater- Joie (ebay but here it is in gray)

Jeans- Rich & Skinny “Super Studly” (old, but similar here, and less expensive here)

Boots- Nine West (thrifted, similar here)

On Maya…

Dress- Gap (thrifted, but similar here)

Tights- Gap (thrifted, but similar here)

Shoes- Sanita (thrifted, but similar here)

Keeping it Real…

I was SWEATING like a pig at the end of this. I kid you not. It was raining when I walked Maya to school in the morning, chilly and overcast when we walked home, chilly with blue skies when we left the house, blue sky and RAINING right before we took these pictures, and then super sunny 5 minutes after we started taking them. This bipolar weather is killing me!!

(all pictures taken with a self timer and tripod, except ones of Maya :))

Happy Little Ghosts Kid Craft

2 Replies

Looking for a super cheap, super fun Halloween craft that you can involve the kids in? My soon-to-be 4 year old and 18 month old had a blast making our “Happy Little Ghosts” craft. All you need is a box of tissues, cotton balls, thread and a needle (you do the thread and needle part, kids can do the tissues and cotton balls part)! 🙂

Supplies (makes 10 ghosts)

10 tissues
10 cotton balls
Spool of white sewing thread
Needle (for sewing thread)
Scissors (for cutting thread)

Directions

Thread needle with 2 feet+ of thread, and center the needle in the middle of the thread
Tie the ends together in a knot, so that you now have a double thread
Lay a tissue on a flat surface (kid activity!)
Place a cotton ball in the center of the tissue (kid activity!)
Gather edges and pick up tissue, holding it so that the cotton ball is completely covered and cinch up the tissue where the ghost neck will be (kid activity!)
Stick needle just below covered ball and make two circles around head and cinch up (parent activity here and rest of craft! :))
Stick needle into ‘neck’ and up into cotton ball, so that it comes out on the top of the head
Pull upward, cut needle off string, tie strings together with a knot
Voila! One done! On to the next one! Ava was running such a little ghost craft factory that I could not keep up. Anders meanwhile was having lots of fun pulling tissues out and tossing cotton balls all over.

Tip: You get a different effect if you wrinkle the tissues a bit (which is why this is such a great kid craft) and you can do this at the first step or even after the ghosts are hung! 🙂

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