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Nov 27

A Night with Hillsong United

Are you guys ready for a brain dump? I’m not sure why, maybe it’s the endless hours on the road alone with my thoughts (marathon training does that to you), but I have been doing a lot of soul searching lately. I think it’s good timing with Thanksgiving being tomorrow though. I feel like I want to change a few things about myself and this blog. Maybe it won’t seem like much of a change on the outside but I’ve been working through a lot of stuff. We went to a Hillsong United concert a few weeks ago. I will be honest and say I had my reservations about going. I like their music a lot but it’s been a while since I’ve gone to an all out christian concert. Maybe it was the countless youth rallies and soulfests that I’ve been to, but over the years I had decided those just weren’t for me. I let the idea of being cool, guarded and “it’s too cheesy” harden my heart. However, we went and let me tell you it changed me. If you haven’t listened to Hillsong United before I challenge you to listen to a few of their live cds (or their new acoustic cd). There are a lot, I mean A LOT of cheesy christian bands out there. I feel like you can tell when they are on stage and they are just saying what they think they should say and sining what they think they should sing. “Amen” here, “praise jesus” there. It is a lot of fluff. I don’t like it. It makes me uncomfortable. Hillsong is NOT one of those bands. They are the real deal. I feel like everything they had to say was honest and from the heart. I went to the concert and I couldn’t help but feel the spirit in that arena. My heart was soft. I let myself feel vulnerable. I forgot the power of being surrounded by so many people singing with hands high to a God who loves unconditionally.

Now this post may make some of you uncomfortable and for that I am sorry. I know not everyone shares the same beliefs as me. I respect that. I hope you will respect me as well. But I’ve felt convicted over something lately. This blog that I’ve written on for over 7 years has a big whole in it when it comes to talking about my faith. I feel like I need to be more open. More honest. I am who I am because of my faith. It won’t be an over abundance but I’d like it to be a little more present in my posts. I’ve been really struggling lately with feeling whole in Christ. I let the everyday stand in the way. A LOT. I look for my self worth in feeling successful, accomplished and well, in just all the wrong things. Especially when it comes to this blog. There will always be someone better than you- better pictures, better content, better opportunities. It’s a hard world to live in when you constantly compare yourself to that. You will be left feeling like crap. Comparison really is the thief of joy. Joy is something I want my life to be full of. I want to live a life full of joy and thanksgiving. I truly feel like you can find true joy- the kind of happiness that has nothing to do with circumstances with being thankful. I have so much to be thankful for. How silly is it to go to bed feeling overwhelmed over not being able to find time to post some super awesome blog post, because you were busy giving your time and attention to your kids. I will be honest and say I do that a lot. I will always choose my kids but that doesn’t mean I am not left with a mind full of comparisons to blogs who seem to have it together better than I do. I want this place to be a place of joy not comparisions. I want to share what I feel lead to share and I want to share when I have time to share. When it doesn’t take away from my family or friends. The internet can be a big time suck… yes. i just said time suck. I get way to addicted to all outlets of social media. I don’t need to be tweeting every 2 seconds of the day. I want to be fully present with my kids. They are really only little for a short amount of time. I don’t want the kids to go to bed and then pull out my computer and work all night either. I want to be with Kev. A marriage doesn’t continue to work with out putting the time in. Besides I LOVE hanging out with him. Don’t get me wrong I love this blog too. I do. So very, very much. I love you readers as well. You have meant more to me than anything. I am just really trying to find the balance in this stage of life. 2 kids really changed things. I don’t need this blog to become a business. I am so happy that option is available for a lot of women out there to help provide income for their families. At this stage of life I have to accept that that is not the path I am suppose to go down right now. I do make some money from this blog and I will continue to work with companies that I see fit. But I need to be ok with saying no, with pulling back and finding my true self worth in something bigger than the blog world.

I am not quite sure how to end this post. I don’t have some life changing ending statement. I just wanted to share what I have been thinking about lately. In the end it doesn’t change much around here at jenloveskev. Some weeks I may blog a lot and some not so much. I hope that is ok. And I hope we can all really focus on being thankful. Well past thinking about being thankful just tomorrow. Let’s say we are thankful but really, really, really feel thankful on the inside. Let’s be happy for one and other. Let’s build each other up and share in each others triumphs instead of feeling jealous. Let’s be supportive and kind. Let’s not judge others circumstances and think we have them figured out. And in the true spirit of a Thanksgiving Day post here are 5 things I am thankful for this evening…

1. For a Savior full of grace and who’s mercies are new each day.
2. For Kev. I wish you guys could know him. He really is one in a million. I feel so blessed daily by him. The way he loves our girls- ooooh it just kills me.
3. For all of you. For all the love and support you guys have showed to us over the years. It never goes unnoticed.
4. For the friends in my life. God has brought some ladies into my life over the last few years that have been such an answer to prayer. I can’t stress enough how important they are to me.
5. and for the strawberry rhubarb pie (I couldn’t keep this post all serious) that I will eat all of tomorrow with no shame. Kev and I have to run 20 miles in the morning and I can’t wait to get back and eat everything. I.MEAN.EVERYTHING on the Thanksgiving table. Mmmmmmm

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone.

Nov 27

The Lula

Nov 27 | My Everyday Style

Oh man! This is a really exciting post to write. A while back Brandy, Melissa and I started talking with Nicole from Theit to design their new camera bag. We each sketched out what our ideal bag would look like. I went with a brightly colored, satchel type bag. Then we put it to a vote for all you guys to vote for your favorite. Do you remember? Everyone’s designs were AWESOME but in the end my bag ended up winning the most votes. I was shocked! I have anxiously awaited the day it would show up on my doorstep as a finished product. I have never done anything like this before. It was so fun to open that box and see my sketches come to life in a beautiful, beautiful camera bag. I have been toting it around with my camera all week. There is so much space in there! Totally lets me carry around even a few of my necessary diaper bag items as well. Without further ado… Let me introduce you to The Lula (umm how cool is it to have a bag named after you!).

OUTFIT DETAILS:
Wool Cape: Vintage from Lantana Vintage
Cashmere Sweater: Cynthia Rowley
Jeans: Target
Boots: Wanted
Fur Hat: H&M
Camera Bag: Theit

Head on over to Theit if you would like to pre order the limited edition (once they’re gone, they’re gone!) Lula bag. Bags will be ready around mid January.

Use Code: BLACKFRIDAYLOVE25 to get 25% off all THEIT bags starting this Friday till Monday December 2nd

To see how the lovely Melissa styled up the chestnut color please stop by Dear Baby. Also, Brandy and Melissa are holding giveaways on their blogs for you to win your very own!!

and just for fun here are my original sketches that I sent in over a year ago…

Nov 24

Brand Spankin’ New!

Nov 24 | Lifestyle

Hey! Welcome to the new Jenloveskev. Yay!!! It’s been 6 years in the making (well, sort of). You would think with a husband who owns his own web design company that it wouldn’t have taken so long. I will be the first to admit that it was mostly all me. I kept changing my mind and then would put it off so I wouldn’t have to make any actual design decision. I’ve had the same EXACT design since the day I started this blog. ha! So embarrassing. Guess what? You can search stuff now! And there are categories to find things!! I just need to go back through and tag and categorize about 1,900 blog posts. I hope to have that done before another 6 years pass. Just Kidding. Or am I? I also need to find my most favorite posts to add to that link over there on the left. How about this one?

I love the new simple design. I love how the archive works. I like that you can look through archive posts in either list mode or full post mode. I’ve even found myself searching back through very, very, very old posts. Like Livejournal old. April 2007 was a particularly good month to go view. I dare you to go. Don’t we look like babies? But you know what is really, really cool? It’s totally responsive. I love how it looks on my phone.

I also need to update that little blurb under my picture there to the left. Isn’t it the most generic written intro ever? Thanks Kev (loooove you). I just haven’t come up with anything better, I mean wittier yet. As you can see there are still some kinks and work to be done but we’ve come a long way.

Hope you guys enjoy!
Happy Monday!!

p.s you can all now see that I was searching for vacation rentals when I took this screen shot and that I am pretty obsessed with pumpkin cheesecake ice cream.
p.p.s if you click the little heart at the very bottom it brings you up top. It’s cute.

Nov 20

Everyday Style | 11.19.13

Nov 20 | My Everyday Style

A few things about this outfit…
1. I like wearing scarfs bandana style. It makes me feel like I’m still 17 going to a hardcore show.

2. Growing your bangs out sucks. And will always be the worst.

3. I love the color of this skirt. Also, I swapped it with Julie and when I wear it I think of her and that makes me happy.

4. This skirt is still a little tight in the waist (baby weight. grrr). Not the right choice when I had to sit most of the day yesterday in the car or at moms group. #suckingitin

5. This shirt is amazing. Go buy it now. It’s on sale and I promise it will go with EVERYTHING

6. That is all. We are off to ikea today. Let’s hope this 3 hour drive is worth it.

OUTFIT DETAILS:
Green Military Button Up: J.Crew (On Sale!)
Wool Skirt: Swapped (similar)
Scarf: Thrifted (Similar)
Dylan Glasses: c/o Bonlook
Tights: Spanx
Ankle Boots: Madewell (Similar cheaper version)

SHOP THE LOOK:

Tagged

Nov 18

Mmmm Friendsgiving!

Nov 18 | Do It Yourself

Last week I had the honor of sharing a recipe with Modcloth for a series of Friendsgiving Day recipes they posted on their blog. I decided to share a side dish that I have been eating a ton of lately. Although, I eat it as a meal over some quinoa most of the time. So tasty! I bet even if you don’t like brussels sprouts you will like this recipes. Brown sugar makes every thing better!

Brussels Sprouts & Sweet Potato Hash

INGREDIENTS
1-2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
10-15 Brussels sprouts, sliced
1/2 of a red onion, diced
1 clove of garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup almond slivers
3-5 tbsp brown sugar, depending on sweetness preference
2 tbsp soy sauce
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

1. Peel and cube the sweet potato, set aside.
2. Soak and rinse the Brussels sprouts in water, trim the stems off and cut into quarters, set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion, cooking until onions are translucent.
4. Add the sweet potatoes. Stir regularly, cooking until they just begin to soften, about 6-8 minutes.
5. Add the Brussels sprouts, cranberries, and almonds, stirring to combine. Add the brown sugar and continue to cook â€” stirring regularly â€” until everything is soft and caramelized, about 6-8 minutes.
6. At the very end, splash in a bit of soy sauce, and salt and pepper to taste.

Tagged

Nov 13

Our Ultimate Baby Guide

Nov 13 | Motherhood

I am not an expert by any means, but 3 years have passed since I first became a Mom and we have tested, used, returned, and fallen in love with a lot of baby products. When you are pregnant with or adopting your first it’s so over whelming with all the things you “think” you need. See the key word there? Think. Babies really don’t need a lot. Don’t let the hype of buying stuff take over. You will spend way too much money on items that will sit in your closet and clutter your home. A tip I learned is to ask for gift cards for your shower other than some of the basics items. Then once the baby arrives and a need presents itself, you can go buy the item. That way you know you will really use it. I thought I could share the items that we can’t live with out in our household. Over the past 3 years a few of these items have be gifted to us, but I want to make sure you all know this is NOT a sponsored post. I did not have to write about any of these products. They are what we truly use day in and day out. We really do own and love everything pictured in this post.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

TOYS: I am a simple toy kind of Mom. I don’t like all the hoopla out there. I am a big, big fan of all Haba toys. About 90% of all our baby toys are Haba. They are bright, mostly wooden, cute and well made. We have some great silicone teethers that Finley has loved. Especially the one up there that looks like an empty diamond ring. As soon as she could hold things it was nicknamed “her favorite toy”.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

COZY THINGS: I LOVE Aden and Anais. Best products ever. I mentioned before in my nursing post my obsession with their swaddle blankets. They are the #1 item I would recommend for a new mom. You can’t have enough. I seriously use them for everything- burp cloths, nursing cover, swaddle, blanket, etc… They are soft, light weight and perfect. Aden and Anais also has other great products. We love like their Dream blanket and crib sheets. I don’t think there will ever be a cuter doll for kids than blabla dolls. We have quite a few and every time they make new ones I want those ones too. Rowan was obsessed with “hootsie” when she was younger. She lost it and we had to quickly replace it with a copy before she noticed. I know everyone and their mother has the Pia Wallen cross blanket but truth be told it really is a great blanket. The perfect weight for cold weather and don’t get me started on the adorable patterns over at Little Hip Squeaks.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Carriers: We love baby carriers. We have a good assortment because some are better than others for different situations. We love our Deuter Kid Comfort hiking backpack. This thing is legit for hiking. We have 2 Ergos. They are the best all round carrier. You can hike with them (the performance one) or travel easily with the travel series. For slings you can’t get anything better than a Sakura Bloom sling. So awesome! When Finley was little she lived in our Solly Baby wrap. So comfy for both you and baby.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

BATH TIME, SOAPS & LOTIONS: There are a lot of baby products out there. Not all are created equal though. Our hands down favorites are The Honest Company, California Baby, Burt’s Bees and Mum+Bub (made by Aden and Anais). All of them smell great, work great and have ingredients you can feel good about putting on your little one. I am particularly fond of the tooth paste and sunscreen from Honest, the bubble bath and hair conditioner from California Baby, and the soothing ointment from Mum+Bub. 4 Moms has this awesome faucet cover that tells you the water temperature as it comes out. At first I thought it would be totally novelty, but it actually is really awesome and we use it every time. I have found numerous occasion where it was quite helpful in keeping the girls safe. Such a great safety item to have in the bathroom.

1 | 2 | 3

STROLLERS: I’ve become mildly obsessed with strollers. In my mind you can never have enough but obviously you don’t need your garage looking like a stroller parking lot. The first stroller we bought when I was pregnant with Rowan was an Uppa Baby Vista. I still to this day LOVE this stroller. My favorite part is hands down the basket. It is HUGE! Like you could go grocery shopping with it. The child seat can go forward or backwards. There is a basinet and you can add a double seat or scooter board. It’s a tad wide in the back wheels but it turns and moves so well- it’s totally worth it. We now also have the 4Moms origami. Man, Oh Man this stroller is great. The convenience of pressing that button and having it open and close on it’s own it pretty darn awesome. It also charges your phone and has lights on it. For running we have a Bob Reveloution Duallie and it’s pushes like a dream. We have logged countless miles running with that thing. We have survived pushing 13 miles runs with the kids sitting comfortable in there. That says a lot. I am still on the look out for the perfect lightweight, compact double stroller. I am thinking either a Phil & Ted Dot, Maclaren Twin Techno or Twin Triumph. We need something that travels really easy.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

OTHER ITEMS: Here are a few other things that have gotten a lot of love in our house. Our 4Moms Breeze Playard is so easy to set up and travel with. Great for trips to Grandparents house. We also LOVE our Angelcare video monitor. It comes with a movement sensor helping relieve those “oh my gosh are they still breathing?” panics you have with newborns. Finley slept in our 4Moms Mamaroo for weeks when she was first born. Whatever works right? We also love our glass Life Factory bottles.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

CLOTHES: We aren’t all that fancy with clothes. Babies grow fast and are kind hard on clothes, especially when they start crawling. I do like what I like though. I think both our parents would call me picky about what I like to put the girls in. I don’t like overly girly, covered with cheesy animals, carter’s matching playsets kind of things. No offense to anyone else, it just isn’t for me. I love mixing and matching from all different stores, from both the girl and boys sections. My favorites are H&M, Target, Old Navy and my hands down most favorite is the Gap. Oh, Baby Gap can do no wrong in my book. I kind of hoard their velour one piece jammies. Seriously, these are the best. They are thick, warm and oh so cozy. BEST PJS EVER! I am a really good Gap sale shopper. Their regular price items are still hard to swallow sometimes for a baby. Other than basics from those stores, I like to support our friends who have online shops. Our favorites are Of One Sea, Hello Apparel, el Sage Designs, Mamacase Prints and of course Little Hip Squeaks. I am one of those people that think baby shoes are silly on babies. They are adorable and all, but they never seem to stay on and end up being more annoying than anything. Have you tried a pair of Freshly Picked moccasins though? AMAZING! They stay on, keep socks on, don’t have hard soles so they don’t look weird on a baby and the color choices!! Oh, the color choices!! Other than socks, they are the only thing I will put on Finley’s feet.

Tagged

Nov 11

6 Pictures, 6 Things…

Nov 11 | 6 Pictures, 6 Things

1. Rowan went to visit her Grandparents for the weekend. All last week I was looking forward to the down time we would have with just one little one at the house. Isn’t it funny though, that as soon as they are gone (or fallen asleep) you are dying to see them again? I missed her so much all weekend. I did get to sit and actually watch Hart of Dixie in the middle of the day on Saturday and that was AWESOME, but I don’t like being away from my kids. It’s so hard. Yet awesome. Yet so hard. Yet so awesome. Anyone else? Awesome probably isn’t the best word. It’s not awesome to be away from them. It’s just a nice break from time to time.

2. Kev had corrective eye surgery on Friday. It went very well. He is already seeing 20/20. Isn’t that crazy? The whole procedure is like 2 mins and then you can see. Man. I should totally get it done. I am blind as a bat. Anyway. Finley and I waited out in the waiting room for about 2 hours for him. I don’t know why but it made me really nervous. I know that it was something pretty routine and it was elective but still. It was really the first time that I’ve ever had to wait for something like that. We have been blessed with health thus far in our marriage and with our families. I can’t imagine having to wait for a surgeon over something very serious. My heart breaks for parents, spouses or families in those situations. I felt like I was going to burst out in tears when the doctor came to tell me he was doing good and would be out soon.

3. OK. This is embarrassing. I have loved that stupid Miley Cyrus song (although the video makes me feel very old- I don’t get it) since I first heard it during the summer. I kept hearing people talking about it’s drug references. I thought, Sure! They must be in there, she is talking about partying. Then last week, I heard it on the radio and they were bleeping out part of the chorus. It was a weird part to block to me, all she was saying was “dancing with Miley”. haha. Oh I am so naive. A friend told me she was saying “molly” and that Molly was the drug reference. I don’t even know what drug that is referring to. Whoops. Also I don’t know what twerking is and I refuse to look it up.

4. You know what 2 songs are the best pump up jams for running? Brave by Sara Bareilles and Roar by Katy Perry. Totally helped me get through one of the most terrible 16.5 miles runs ever yesterday. I was the crazy person half crying, half running, belting out the words by myself on the side of the road. What are your favorite songs to workout to?

5. Have you guys tried Stitch Fix before (pictured above)? It’s super fun and awesome for Mom’s who don’t have time to go shopping for themselves. You fill out a style profile and can even link to a pinterest style board to share your style. Their stylists will then send you a box of 5 hand picked items for you to try on. Keep what you like, send back (for free) what you don’t. You can set up a recurring monthly fix if you want. So fun! (This is not a sponsored plug. I just like using them)

6. As Finley gets older it’s so much fun to see her and Rowan play together. She is finally at an age where she can interact with her on her own. The other day they sat together in the morning sun and played with some toys for like 20 mins. I just watched from afar as I got to drink some hot tea. It was so cute. Oh man. I am so glad they have each other.

6.5 Kev looks like a ghost buster blowing leaves.

Nov 06

Being a Kid.

Nov 06 | Family Adventures + Travel

sometimes a girl’s just got to jump in a giant pile of leaves. ya know?
enjoying the last few days of autumn around here before we hit that no turning back winter shift. isn’t being a kid so fun?

Tagged

Nov 05

Seeking Adventure

Nov 05 | Family Adventures + Travel

There are many things I want to teach our girls, but something that is really important to me is to instill in them a sense of adventure. I know I have mentioned this before and it most definitely will come up again. It’s something we strive for on a large scale, but also in our day to day with them. I want Rowan and Finley to see the world with wide eyes, to see it’s possibilities and to charge ahead ready to explore. I want them to see the best in things, to make the most out of every situation, to be adaptable, and easy going. I love bringing them to experience new things. As I was doing a little research about where to go on vacation last week, I came across some message boards of people debating about bringing kids on certain vacations. They wrote “they wont remember”, “it’s a waste of money”, and “it’s not worth the hassle”. For a moment I wondered if this was something I agreed with. I decided that for our family (hear my when I say OUR FAMILY), these statements are so far from the truth. Yes. I agree that my kids may not remember a lot of the adventures we take them on at this point in their lives. However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t shaping their little minds into who they are growing up to be. I see Rowan soaking up information like a sponge now a days. Why would I not want to fill her little mind with art, culture, and new experiences. Is it always the most fun, most memorable experience? Ha! Far from it sometimes. But bringing them to do and see new things helps us live out those attributes we want to teach them. To see that sometimes things don’t go as planned. To see it’s worth the trouble of doing something outside of your comfort level and to make the most out of something when it goes wrong. It also helps teach Kev and I to be more easy going as parents, to go with the flow better and to laugh over ridiculous situations. Because when kids are involved of course things get crazy sometimes. Our kids health and well being are always first and foremost, but that doesn’t mean we have to be tied ball and chain to their schedule. This also doesn’t mean you have to plan some extravagant vacation. This is not just about vacations. It can be small. We look for opportunities in our small town daily life. You will be surprised at how many things are out there to go try and share with your little ones.

A few weeks ago Kev was away on the Men’s Retreat with our church. It was the same weekend as the Adirondack Balloon Festival. I’ve always really wanted to go, but have heard you have to leave by 3am if you want to get anywhere near where they take off for the sunrise launch. I debated it all night. It was going to be just me, and the kids, at 3 am… Was I crazy? Anyway, 1 hour of sleep later I woke up, bundled the kids up, packed lots of snacks and blankets and made our way up north. Honestly, it was the cutest thing ever. Both girls stayed awake the entire ride up. Rowan sang me songs and we talked about hot air balloons. There was something kind of magical about being up at 3am on the road headed on an adventure. We waited around for the balloons to take off but the overcast weather and rain kind of put a damper on the situation. At first I was super bummed and than that turned into frustration. I was tired, had woke the girls up super early, and only 3 out of the 100+ balloons that were suppose to take off were even blown up. Here is where I learned my own lesson. We were sitting on the blanket, just the three of us and I looked at Rowan. There she was smiling ear to ear. She was watching the sun rise and in awe of the 3 balloons being blown up. She didn’t know the difference and in that moment neither did I.

Here is a little video I made of our early morning…

Tagged

adventures

Nov 04

My Everyday Style | 11.03.13

Nov 04 | My Everyday Style

Hi Friends! Happy Monday. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. If you live in the northeast, wasn’t Saturday just beautiful? It was so warm. My mom was here so Kev and I got to run our 15 mile long run together instead of apart and it was awesome. Well, as awesome as a 15 mile run can be. We are moving full force ahead with training. We just signed up to run our next marathon. I couldn’t be more excited because it’s the Honolulu Marathon! Yep. We are packing up the kids and flying the 12 hours to our first home together as a married couple. I am bursting at the thought of having the girls there with us. Dedicated family time in the sun! I will be honest, I am little scared about the flights but they are through the night so they could go 1. extremely awesome! Lots of sleeping or 2. HORRIBLE! ahhhhh!!

also…
It’s officially hat weather and I am pumped.

OUTFIT DETAILS:
Jeans: MNG @ jcpenney
Coat: Pea in the Pod (similar– more below)
Button Up: Old Navy (similar below)
Ankle Boots: Madewell (cheaper version below)
Necklace: Zulily (similar)
Hat: Target
Sunglasses: Ray Ban

SHOP THE OUTFIT:

Tagged

Nov 04

Friday Favorites

Nov 04 | Uncategorized

Our Halloween was pretty rainy and cold, but that didn’t stop us from trying to make the most of it. Rowan was not only one Princess, but two Princesses on Thursday. Cinderella for her school party and then Princess Peach for Halloween night. I will admit that she didn’t know who Princess Peach was and thought she was a lalaloopsy Princess instead. Ha! It was a lalaloopsy dress from target- I just added the medallion in the center and made the crown to match Princess Peach. I wanted her to match her little Super Mario friends. Shhh don’t tell her. Wasn’t it so fun to see everyone’s kids dressed up on Halloween on instagram? It made my whole night. I loved it. So, so cute!!

Here are some of my favorite things and blog posts from this past week!
1. Almost everything over at the LOFT is 50% off!!! Umm hello! This green wool moto jacket is calling my name!

2. My 3 favorites halloween posts from around the blogosphere. 1 | 2 | 3 So dang cute!!

3. This dress is blowing my mind!! I want it so badly. I better start saving my pennies.

4. I get so excited when I see someone following their dreams and doing something exciting. So very happy for Jentine. Can’t wait to go visit her store next time I am up in Canada.

5. The cold weather is here and we are deep into marathon training. Time to get some new warm running gear! Love these cozy runnings pants, this headband and this awesome running hoodie.

6. Lesley has such a wonderful heart! Love this honest post from her.

7. Hands down my most favorite shoes for Finley. Nothing stays on her feet better or looks cuter than these shoes. I have a hard time not buying every color.

8. I’ve been on a mad search for a compact double stroller. I don’t want a side by side stroller but I want both seats to lay back- and I am pretty sure I found the perfect one!! LOVE this one!! Any one have this one? I’d love to hear reviews.

9. Such a great post and such beautiful pictures. Love Anna and her family.

10. How perfect is this little purse? Love the plaid!

11. Stocking up on cold weather gear for the kids too. Ordered a cute little North Face jacket for Finley and I don’t know why but I think these boots for kids are 1. totally acceptable 2. super cute and 3. practical. I just ordered a new pair for Rowan since she grew out of the ones she had last year.

12. Love this time of year beacause it means it’s 50 DIY Days of Christmas over on The Paper Mama

13. Absolutely swooning over this necklace. The colors are just too beautiful!!

14. Have you checked out Little Hip Squeaks lately? Oh man, there are some crazy cute things right now!

15. This lamp is pretty awesome. Love those Edison bulbs.

Tagged

Nov 01

Let’s Make Homemade Baby Food

Nov 01 | Do It Yourself

I’ve been mildly obsessed with making Finley food lately. I really enjoyed it when Rowan was little, but since Finley started eating solids I had just been giving her those organic packets. They are pretty darn convenient on the go (especially when your little one learns to suck them out themselves!). Anyway, they are sort of pricey when you think about it. I decided I would just make some food a few weeks ago and I totally forgot how much fun it is. I have the Beaba Baby Cook, which I LOVE so much!! I think it’s so fun because anything goes. You can really come up with any combination you want. Fruit, veggies, spices, grains, the possibilities are endless. All you need to do is fill the streamer basket full and you are on your way. I try new combinations each week. I make a ton and then freeze them all in these containers. Perfect to bring with you on the go.

Here are a few of the ones I made this week…

Add ins:

Apple & Cranberry: Just add some multi grain oatmeal to it as you blend. I also added some chia seeds, cinnamon and blended with coconut milk.

Quinoa, Cauliflower & potato: Add already cooked quinoa when you blend. I also added some parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Blend with formula or breast milk.

Sweet potato, apple & carrot: I added some ginger and cinnamon to this mix. I always want to eat it when I heat it up for her.

Nothing is an exact recipe. I just cut a bunch of stuff up and throw it in the steamer. Don’t be nervous! Just have fun!

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Hi, I'm Jen!