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Chirag Diyora
We’re dancing and celebrating as warmer temps are on the way! Sofia’s romper is a total deal at $12.99 – but I’ve included a couple others that are just as affordable and SUPER cute! Heads up that for Sofia’s romper – I sized up and would recommend you do the same since it pulls on.Â
I’ve gotten lots of questions about our new planter and plants – and they are FAUX! Yes – I am all about faux plants because they don’t die, my kids can’t pluck the flowers and leaves off, and I don’t need to water them. #winning You’ll find our exact plants and plater linked below. Let me know if you have any Q’s – and have a wonderful rest of your week!Â
Twinning with the fam is a lot of fun! Some folks aren’t into it – clearly I am a person who loves it! Ha! 🙂 Today, I’m sharing Spring and Summer finds that will have you swooning and in a matchy matchy mood. If you are excited for warmer temps, have plans with your little ones, nieces, nephews, or maybe even a friend vacation – this is for you! My exact white dress with tassels is linked below (I’m in a Small and Sofia is in a 5/6). I linked lots of options, including beachwear for the entire fam – not just the girls! Comment below w/ questions – happy to help! You can also DM me on my Instagram anytime! Enjoy and have a great week! xo
Anyone else always on the hunt for easy weeknight recipes? Raise of hands! Well, I sure am! 🙂 This is a very easy recipe that can be pulled together quickly with items that are in the pantry and fridge. I try to pick up chicken thighs with my regular groceries each week, even if I’m not sure what I’m going to make with them yet.Â
The flavors in this recipe go really well together and make for a family friendly meal. I served this Sesame Ginger Chicken over white rice (easy to sub out for brown rice), and steamed edamame. My kids loved it and it took almost no time to prepare. I would normally add some sesame seeds and green onion as a garnish, but my little one’s like it without. No matter what – this is a big win! Let me know what you think! xo
Ingredients
- 2 lb Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 Tsp Minced ginger
- 3 Cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 Tsp Sesame oil
- 1/4 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp Honey
- 1 Tbsp Brown sugar
- Water
Instructions
In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, honey and brown sugar together. I used a fork to mix it together, though a whisk works just as well.
Press sauté on the Instant Pot and pour in your mixture. Let it heat up for a minute or two so that the honey and brown sugar can dissolve. Once it’s combined well, you can hit the cancel button.
Next add your chicken thighs to the pot. They nestle nicely into the sauce. Add the water on top of the chicken, which helps the Instant Pot to have enough steam to pressurize.
Put the lid onto the Instant Pot, close, and ensure that it’s on sealing (not venting). Pressure cook on high for 7 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, I usually steam some edamame and rice. Something I love is organic edamame from the frozen section of the grocery store. It’s fast, easy, healthy, and my kids love it! I can also control the salt level, which I add once it’s steamed. I keep frozen organic white and brown rice on hand as well, which speeds things up when I’m low on time.
Once the chicken is done, quick release the steam (venting). Be careful to guard your hand/arm when moving to venting – the steam is very hot and comes out fast. I usually use a dish towel or something to move it to venting.
Use a slotted spoon to take the chicken out of the Instant Pot. If serving it all that night, you can put it on a nice dish. I put the chicken into an airtight container as part of my meal prep, and take out a couple of pieces for the kids to eat right away. Hit the sauté button and reduce the sauce for 5-7 minutes. Pour over the chicken for additional flavor and deliciousness.
Serve chicken with rice, edamame or your other favorite side dishes. Enjoy!
Optional garnish: sliced green onions, sesame seeds
Sleep deprivation…one of the many things parents have in common. New parents are basically like zombies, muddling their way through life with ta new bundle that is super cute but needs a lot of attention. Toddler parents still have zombie moments – so don’t be fooled – even if you have a great sleeper! My pumpkins have been fantastic sleepers from early on. Not bragging – juts saying that this sleep deprivation thing still applies to me – even with good sleepers (no bueno).Â
There are the normal things that come up, like sleepless nights because of bad dreams, a wet bed, or a sick kiddo. Yes, our little ones have those moments and they are unpredictable. But what about those early risers? That is a whole other thing! I have one child who will sleep until 7am without an issue, and one child who is up at sunrise (or before), ready to take on the day! If you’re in a similar boat with an early riser (or child who won’t stay in their own bed) – keep on scrolling!Â
Meet my friend – the Hatch Baby Rest. First off – this is NOT at all sponsored. In fact – I purchased the 2 we have in our house on my own because another mom told me about it. This is a share from parent to parent – because I know how tough it can be when littles won’t stay in their room or bed – and wake you up well before it’s time! So, let’s dive in! The Hatch Baby Rest is amazing! It’s a nightlight, sound machine, and sleep trainer all in one! It has several sounds, several colors, and you can create a schedule that meets your families needs including nap, bedtime, bath time and wakeup time. My kids don’t nap anymore, so our schedule is music during story time, water sounds for sleep time, and birds chirping at wakeup time (7am).Â
There’s an app for your phone which is how you can schedule and control everything. It’s been amazing for changes in schedule, like daylight savings, because I was able to easily adjust the times. The Hatch Baby Rest team even sent out an email with advice on how to set it for daylight savings – which was super helpful! It’s also great because there is a child lock that you can set through the app. If you have kids who like to touch everything (like mine) – then a child lock is huge! They can touch the Hatch but they won’t be able to mess up the settings. Huge win!Â
As you can see from the images above, there are lots of custom settings, but the app makes it easy. My sons favorite colors are green and blue – so I have set his Hatch to use those colors for bed time and wakeup time. Sofia loves pink and purple, so I’ve set her Hatch to use those colors.Â
As for sounds, you can see some of the options in the middle image, which you can select for your various needs. You can test them out and then decide what is right for your kiddo(s). Gabe and Sofia are old enough that they were able to help pick out their own sounds. It was really cute and made it more personal – which helps the whole process.Â
Lastly, you can set the noise level. I love this because my kids are very different and one wants their noise machine louder, the other wants it softer. If it seems too loud or too quiet after your child goes to sleep, you can adjust the level from the app without going into their room. You just need to be close enough for it to connect (near their door). Another win to not have to go into their room and risk waking them up!Â
Lastly, you can pick a coverlet that matches your decor. They come in sets of 3, so you can make them feel like a true part of your home. We didn’t get a coverlet for ours (yet), but I do think they are super cute and am thinking about the moon walk set for our kids. Gabe would love the rocket ships and Sofia would love the stars. They are in the same pack so it’s a win! The Alpaca Adventures set and Into the Woods set are both really cute as well!Â
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Now lets talk about how it works. I had my kids help pick the settings for their new Hatch. If you have a child too young for this, you know what they like and can pick for them. 🙂 We talked about what the birds chirping meant, and then we talked about what would happen if they did stay in bed until the birds chirped on their Hatch. We used this as an opportunity to celebrate our kids victories. We use a marble jar to reward our kids for good actions, like staying in bed until 7am (birds chirping). They get a marble in the jar for good things that they do throughout the day (not everything, but it’s a great tool). Once the jar is filled up to the top, they trade in the jar for something special, and then we start over. It works well in our house, and I highly recommend it for kids who need a little bit of instant gratification.
In any case, we used the marble jar to help us with our new Hatch routine. It took a couple of weeks to really get good at it for Gabe. He is my early riser, and it is really hard for him to stay in bed. For Sofia, she stays in bed no problem. We celebrated both kids when they stayed in bed until 7am, making it fun and really positive! When Gabe was still getting used to it, we would have him go potty (always good if kids wake up early), and then we brought him back to his bedroom. If it was too early, we would tuck him into bed and talk through the routine one more time. If it was close to wakeup time, he had the option of playing quietly in his room with the light on (as long as he stayed in his room and didn’t wake up his sister). Though it took a little time, he got used to it and now our kids are great about staying in their beds until 7am! It’s rare when they get up before that, and it’s usually because of something normal, like having to potty or not feeling well (stuffy nose, etc).Â
Click HERE to check out the Hatch and to get your own. It’s a little pricy compared to others that we’ve tried, but honestly, we tried several others that didn’t work and spent all that money on them for nothing! Had I gotten this one first, I would have saved a bundle of $$$, had less random kid alarms in my house (that don’t work), saved all that effort, and I would have gotten more sleep a long time ago!Â
I need sleep – I just do! I’m not a happy person when I don’t get enough rest – so this was worth every penny! And when you think of it as an alarm clock, sleep trainer, noise machine and night light (with an app) – it really does make sense why it costs more than your run of the mill alarm. Now if only it had a baby monitor in it – man would that be great! Haha! Enjoy, I hope this was helpful, and that getting more rest is on your horizon (or that of someone you know)! xo
Spring has sprung, vacations are in full swing, and people are getting ready for Summer temps and swim season. It’s funny, but I was never a one piece swimsuit kind of person. My mind has totally changed and I’m not sure why?!? Maybe it’s because my body is not the same as it was in my 20’s, I’m a mom now, and I totally appreciate that everything stays in place for swim fun with the kiddos! I also love that I can have a pool day with friends and have a touch more coverage, while still feeling sassy, giving me a little confidence boost! 😉
I still love a good bikini (don’t get me wrong), but there are so many flattering, sassy, classy and really gorgeous one piece bathing suites out there these days! I just got two from Target during their BOGO sale (which fit TTS) – and wanted to share my top finds so you can get your own for a deal! I’ve thrown in some accessories to get you Summer ready as well – all without breaking the bank. Scroll down for my roundup and comment with any Q’s! You can also head to my Instagram to DM me or for more of my faves!Â
There’s something to be said about shoes that you can really rock it in! I’ve always been a bit of a shoe fanatic – (possible understatement) – but workout shoes were never a huge focus for me. I like them, they serve a purpose, but the look is hit or miss for me. That all changed for me recently. Let me take a quick step back before I dive into my new fave workout shoes.
A few months back I shared 2 pairs of beautiful shoes by SAS Shoes. If you’re new to SAS Shoes, definitely take a look! They have a wide selection of beautifully designed shoes that not only look fantastic but are very comfortable. If you want to read my post about their gorgeous silver flats click HERE, and for my fave sandals click HERE! I traveled with both pairs – using them in the Bay Area all the way to London. So comfy and stylish!
Now let’s dive into these amazing athletic shoes! Meet the TEMPO – my new workout BFF. These shoes have been expertly designed to be breathable, comfortable, durable, and give you the support needed to hit your workouts hard! Oh – and they look cute too! Yes, there are a ton of flashy shoes out there, but these strike my fancy because of how sleek they are! I love the look AND the feel – which is so important! The Tempo is luxuriously handcrafted in leather, mesh, and other performance materials to help you stay active in both comfort and style. Basically – I’m smitten!Â
Something I’m more aware of than ever is how my feet feel after walking (or chasing kids) all day. Even in some flats, if they aren’t made well, my right foot really hurts. Maybe it’s #momlife catching up with me…maybe it’s something else. I will say that wearing shoes with proper support, like the TEMPO, makes a huge difference!Â
As mentioned above – I love how sleek the design of these shoes are in black. They also come in white/silver (which I definitely want), and blue/turquoise which are super fun and perfect for those who like a brighter shoe. They fit pretty true to size in my opinion. There are times when I’m between a 6.5 and 7 (depending on the brand) and found the 7 to fit perfectly. Given the three color selections, there’s something for everyone, yet they all have the same amazing support!
SAS Shoes makes other active shoes in a variety of styles – which you can see by clicking HERE. For your Spring and Summer needs – I would highly recommend checking out all of their super cute sandals. Snagging yourself some TEMPO shoes and sandals will make your feet happy and prepare you for some active fun in the heat! I LOVE their selection and the fact that I don’t have to compromise my comfort for style!Â
Something I’ve been particularly excited to share is that the SAS Shoes new TEMPO is inspired by the performance shoes that they created and are producing for the US troops! They are the first activewear shoes being given to troops so that they have properly made footwear for working out. We all know that troops train and workout hard – and they deserve shoes that really take care of and support their feet. SAS Shoes makes these active shoes (and other amazing styles) for women and men. My grandfather, great uncle, sister in law and brother in law all served – so knowing why these shoes were designed makes me really happy!Â
To learn more about the TEMPO – click HERE! You’ll see the other colors, and can even order your own! I hope you enjoy these as much as I do – and don’t forget to take a look at their full selection! They makes boots, booties, sandals, flats, heels, and more – so take a browse and enjoy! I can’t wait to pick some transitional footwear for my hubby (I love the Weekender) now that Spring has Sprung! Even the men’s selection is great! 🙂 I have sandals, flats and now the new TEMPO – so if you have any questions about their shoes – please don’t hesitate to comment with questions. I’m happy to help if I can! Big thanks to SAS Shoes for the complimentary shoes! I have to say – I absolutely love writing about things I truly love! Happy Spring everyone! xo
Yesterday was a very special day – it marked the 10 year anniversary of Daniel and I meeting. Not our first date, mind you, but the first time we actually met. It’s funny how much has happened since then! We went on our first date not long after meeting, got engaged a year to the day of our first date, and got married a year to the day from our engagement day. It was a whirlwind and filled with so many special memories! 10 years later, and 2 kiddos later, I’m celebrating with my best friend and true love.Â
I’m honor of this milestone, I’m sharing 5 Anniversary Ideas for Couples! Keep scrolling for ideas and some fun photos. If you have other fun or sweet anniversary ideas to share – please add them into the comments! Sharing is caring! Have a lovely week my friends! xo
1. Revisit the place where you had your first date. First dates tend to be more casual, but after years together, that spot is also very special. Take the time to head back to your first date spot and enjoy the memories. For us, it was a little restaurant in Palo Alto, CA. We had fish tacos and margaritas, laughed a lot, and talked about some of our favorite things as we got to know each other better. We haven’t been back in years, but it would be such a treat to go back together!
2. Go on a mini road trip. We used to love hopping in the car and hitting the road for some alone time! It’s a little harder to do now that we have the kids and dogs, but we still make time for mini road trips when my folks can watch our critters. 🙂 Look for local attractions and fond something new as a way to celebrate your anniversary! Remember, new doesn’t mean newly opened, but new to you – making is extra special! The mini road trip can also be a day trip and doesn’t need to be a big expensive overnight. Take advantage of what is around you and enjoy!Â
3. Picnic at the Park. This is a very fun thing to do in the late Spring, Summer and early Fall. Look for a park with a large garden, pack favorite foods, some wine, a big blanket, and enjoy the relaxing pace of a picnic. It’s funny how easy a picnic can come together, but how so many of us don’t actually go on them. It’s a great way to celebrate an anniversary, especially if you want to keep it low key and not too expensive!Â
4. Take a class together. There are so many fun things to do for couples, like making cheese, learning how to roll sushi, wine tasting classes, cooking classes, painting classes, and more! Think about what the two of you would enjoy doing together that is new and fits in with your interests. A class is a really fun way to spend an anniversary and make new memories! We took a sushi making class for one of our anniversaries (our 1 year wedding anniversary) and we still talk about how much fun it was!Â
5. Go to a comedy show. Smiling is a wonderful way to celebrate an anniversary! We happen to love comedy shows and watch them on TV now that we have kiddos and can’t make it to live shows as often. That being said, finding a new comic, or even someone you both already like, and heading to a live show is such a treat! Truthfully, seeing any show live (a play, the ballet, etc.) is special and a lovely way to celebrate! Dedicated time together at a show, while having a blast laughing and relaxing – that is a win!
I hope you enjoy this short list of ideas for your own anniversary or other special day! Yes, dinner is always an option, but keep an open mind and look at what the two of you enjoy most! There are a million ways to celebrate, so make it your own. xo
This is a very special post that I’m excited to share with you today. I recently learned about an amazing organization called Books That Heal – and they do incredible work! Before I dive into what they do, I want to stress how much my family loves to read. We keep screen time to a minimum for our kiddos, which means looking for other activities and things to do throughout the week. Sofia and Gabe both love books, which is such a gift! Snuggling up to read is one of our favorite activities.Â
Kids learn a lot through reading, so picking books that have positive messages is key. Books That Heal are unique for many reasons (which I’ll get into below), but they also have a positive message and lots of pictures that capture the attention of the whole family. You can see me reading one of the books to my sweet Gabe in a short video clip below.Â
Now let me tell you a bit more about Books That Heal. They are a 501(c)(3) organization that was founded by a man by the name of Michael Flatley. They work with pediatric patients battling with chronic illnesses to write and illustrate their own books. Sounds pretty amazing huh? It gets better! Once the books are published, they host book signing events to celebrate each child’s story and to help raise funds for the family or their foundation. Could they honestly be more amazing?Â
We have 3 of their books and my kiddos love them! They want to understand more about the children in the stories, which is a great thing to discuss. We’ve been able to talk about how strong and brave they are, and why. A lot of the illustrations in the books are by the children in the stories, which my kids love! The colors, positive message, and amazing reason this books are being created is something worth sharing with others if you ask me!
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You can see Gabe and Sofia in several images throughout this post, paging through the books on their own. We have Nathan Strong, Just for You, and Hurrikanen Fights Back, and love them all! Because we’ve already read them all, they know the stories and pretend to read them to each other. It’s really beautiful to watch them talk about each book in their own way. They talk about who the hero of the story is, pointing out little things that are meaningful or stuck out to them personally. Gabe is 5 and Sofia is 3, so it’s always interesting to see things through their eyes.Â
They currently have 6 books to choose from, which you can view and purchase HERE. Take a look at the amazing titles and what the messages are. Know that if you purchase a book, the proceeds are really going to helping these incredible, strong, brave families.Â
You can also learn more about Books That Heal by clicking HERE. My personal favorite part of their website is the authors section. You can see who actually wrote and illustrated these special books – which is truly inspiring! My kids love knowing that the books were created by kids and their families, and it has inspired them to write their own stories. Whatever the takeaway, know that these books would make a beautiful gift or addition to any home library.Â
If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to me via my Instagram, you can click HERE to reach out to Books That Heal, or you can comment on my post and I’ll do my best to answer your questions about our personal experience reading the books to our little ones. I truly love the Books That Heal mission and am inspired by what they are doing. I hope you check them out, add to your personal library, and share with others! Enjoy! xo
Are you a meal prepper or maybe just aspiring? No matter where you’re at with preparing meals, this is a super easy chicken recipe that is sure to please! Let me start by saying, I don’t eat meat. I know! Funny that I’m posting this chicken recipe – huh? Well, my hubby and kids love chicken and this is a very simple way for me to make them happy and reduce the amount of time I spend cooking all week long.Â
Scroll down to see the extremely short ingredient list, and super simple steps. The best part of this recipe is that you’ll have 3lbs – 4lbs of shredded chicken that can be used in chili, soups, tacos, burritos, on salads, in sandwiches, with pasta or quinoa and more. It’s fast, easy, healthy, and kid approved. Talk about meal prep heaven! Give it a try and let me know how it goes!Â
Ingredients
- 3 – 4 Lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (You can mix thighs and breast meat if you prefer)
- 1 Cup waterÂ
- 1 tsp Veggie BouillonÂ
- 2 Tbsp All-Purpose Seasoning (salt free)
Instructions
- Put 1/2 cup of water into your Instant Pot and add 1 tsp bouillon.Â
- Hit the sauté button and let the water and bouillon heat and dissolve for 3 minutes. It’ll become a quick and easy broth. If you have broth on hand, you can sub that out for the water and bouillon.Â
- Add all of your chicken into the pot.Â
- Sprinkle 2 Tbsp of All-Purpose Seasoning on the top of the chicken.
- Pour another 1/2 cup of water on top of the chicken.
- Secure the lid of the Instant Pot, then ensure the pressure valve is on sealing and not venting.
- Push the Poultry button and cook for 15 minutes for 3 lbs (add 2 minutes for each additional pound of chicken).
- Once the timer goes off and the Instant Pot is done cooking, hit the cancel button, and move the pressure valve to venting.Â
- Once the pressure is fully released, open the lid and use 2 forks to shred the chicken in your pot.Â
- Use a slotted spoon to take out the chicken. You can serve it immediately, or put into an airtight container as part of your meal prep (we do both in our house).Â
TIP: You’ve just made some flavorful broth – so don’t let it go to waste! Toss in some noodles or quinoa to make a side dish! I used veggie noodles and made quick and delicious pasta for my kids. I poured the pasta into the broth (a little less than one package to make sure there was enough liquid to cook it), closed the lid again, and pressure cooked it for half the cooking time listed on the box.
For pasta, if the package tells you to cook for 8-10 minutes, pressure cook it in the broth (or water) for 4 minutes. It’s a great way to reduce waste, continue your meal prep, and make a side dish that has the same flavors as your protein. Enjoy!Â
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Sugar and spice and everything nice…that’s what little girls are made of. It’s so true – and so much fun! When we moved about a month ago – one of the best parts was getting to surprise my kids with their new rooms. I got to design their new space and really think about what they would love and be able to grow with. I’ve gotten a lot of questions about Sofia’s room in particular, so I pulled together this post with the items most requested. I hope it’s helpful, that you find some items your littles will love, and enjoy surprising them as much as me! xo
