one mama's truth, sprinkled with giggles
Last week on Instagram I came across the account of a new local baby shop, Wee Bee Baby Boutique and was excited to see that they're just a skip and a hop away in Chamblee, GA. While you all know it's important to me to celebrate Christmas simply, I also realized there are a few [...]
Stocking stuffers are always an afterthought on my Christmas shopping lists, and I usually find myself scrambling to buy them at the last minute. The challenge is that so many items marketed as stocking stuffers are gimmicky junk. (Yup, I said it.) And if they're not gimmicky, they're usually too expensive for my remaining gift [...]
Let me start by saying how grateful I am for grocery delivery, because that's how the story of this recipe began. Granted, it started with a bit of a mishap! Last week we added four bananas to our online shopping cart and when they arrived... well, there were a lot more than four! Our shopper [...]
December is here, so you know Christmas music is playing all day long in my house! While I'll always love the classics, sometimes I need to change it up just a little with some modern covers, acoustic versions, and newer originals. But you better believe I'm picky about these replacements! Any "O Holy Night" won't [...]
There's no place like home for the holidays! Since we'll be bunking up at home this winter more than ever before, I'm planning to transform our space into an oasis of comfort. I'm thinking something along the lines of boutique spa meets cozy cabin in the woods... sounds lovely, doesn't it?! When I started brainstorming [...]
Alright, guys- I'll admit it.... This is basically just my own Christmas wishlist. Thinking of getting me something? (*wink wink) And yet, I still believe there's something on this list for everyone... and every budget. I've broken this holiday gift guide for The Woman on the Go, The Chef, The Homebody, and The Adventurer. I [...]
Don't get me wrong- I love pie as much as the next person, but this Praline Pecan Pumpkin Cheesecake (We'll call it PPP for short), is always an unexpected showstopper! Move over pumpkin pie, there's a new dessert in town! I can't take full credit for this recipe, though. It actually came from my friend [...]
Why are men always so hard to shop for? I always struggle to find gifts for the men in my life, so this year I asked John for his best suggestions. The majority of these gifts are things we already own and love or that we've gifted to others in the past. Now I'm still [...]
What's the 4 Gift Rule? It's simple (if maybe a bit radical)! The idea is that, instead of receiving a heaping mountain of gifts each year, your child receives just four: Something They WantSomething They NeedSomething to WearSomething to Read Why We're Trying the 4 Gift Rule: As John and I are beginning to develop [...]
The Thanksgiving season is a beautiful time to reflect on all the things we appreciate: friends and family, our homes, our careers.... But you know what we usually forget about? Ourselves! This Thanksgiving, I encourage you to reflect on just how wonderful YOU are and to take some time to celebrate yourself! 1. Sip on [...]
November is one of my favorite months of the year because it's a time to stop and reflect on what you're grateful for. And science tells us that gratitude is the key to happiness! Don't believe me? Check out these articles: Psychology Today: "How Gratitude Leads to a Happier Life"The Guardian: "Is Gratitude the Secret [...]
Does anyone else find yourself scrambling to throw outfits together the night before family photos... Every. Single. Time? After a couple of years of regret, I'm finally getting more proactive this year and planning outfits well ahead of time. For this year's holiday photos, I went with a blue and green theme and found some [...]
Holiday Pjs are selling out FAST this year! Maybe people are extra excited about the holidays, or maybe they realize that shipping is taking FOREVER right now. Whatever the reason, family matching pjs are flying off the shelves, so you need to act fast if you want them! In fact, instead of writing this post, [...]
Alden and I had a little outing to The Bunny Hive last week to try one of their newest classes, Art Hour! I won't lie, when my friends share the cute art projects their toddlers bring home from school, I'm always a smidge jealous. The former teacher in me misses coming up with little crafts [...]
There's something about this season that makes me want to cozy up under a fuzzy blanket and settle in for a movie marathon. There are SO many movies that put me in the fall spirit, but now that Alden's in the mix I've been thinking more about the movies I'd like to become part of [...]
John and I had a little Trader Joe's date last week because I was was eager to get my hands on all the fall goodies! I felt like a kid on Halloween and beelined straight for the glorious autumn display. After a thorough assessment of all things "fall", these are the treats we walked away [...]
I still cannot believe that our little firecracker is ONE (and has been for over a month now)! I keep thinking about how just a year ago, Alden was such a tiny, helpless little potato, and- in the blink of an eye- he's grown into our speedy, curious, opinionated, giggly little boy. He's the cutest, [...]
Oh CRAP! Father's Day is on Sunday! Does anyone else feel completely unprepared for the holiday? With our anniversary a couple weeks ago and planning for Alden's birthday at the end of the month, Father's Day really creeped up on me. I'm just starting to get my sh*t together, but I think I've come up [...]
Cheers, y’all. We made it through another week at home. John and I spent most of this week eating strawberries until our bellies hurt and chasing after our little monkey baby, who loves to clamber up anything he can. Alden's most recent obsession is to climb from the couch or the chair to the top [...]
I've been wearing the same two ratty old pairs of leggings since the beginning of quarantine. Imagine major pilling, permanently embedded dog hair, and baby food stains everywhere. Not to mention, when I go for walks, they're constantly falling down. I'm sure all of my neighbors have noticed me hiking my pants up at the [...]
For the first time in a while, this week flew by! Up until now every week in quarantine has dragged on in monotony. I think what made the difference was planning some fun activities and excursions. Alden and I took a socially distant walk in Piedmont Park with some of our mama/baby buddies, and we [...]
Despite the snow in some parts of the country last weekend, the weather is finally starting to warm up. We've been spending more and more time in the backyard, and we often like to take a snack along for a picnic. Homemade popsicles are one of Alden's (and my own) favorite warm-weather treats. They're fantastic [...]
Photo by Diana Lupu My mother doesn't like her hands. I remember the words she used to describe them when I was a child. Words of resentment, regret, reproach. She mourned the loss of their once youthful skin, now wrinkling as a rude testament to her age. She loathed the blue veins, “like snakes”, she [...]
I can't begin to tell you how ready I am for this weekend, mostly because Sunday is MOTHER'S DAY! Alden will have no idea what's going on, but I've been looking forward to my first Mother's Day with him for a while. When I think back on our first 10 months together, I'm proud of [...]
Even though Georgia gave the go-ahead to open restaurants for in-house dining, I am nowhere near ready to take that step. However, I do care deeply about supporting our local Atlanta restaurant workers and have made a commitment to continue ordering takeout when I can. John and I try to order something once per week [...]
Quarantine life is hard. I know you feel it too. In the first few weeks I found myself binging on both Netflix and potato chips, grieving all my cancelled plans and really struggling to adjust to my new "normal". With so many changes coming so suddenly, my life felt out of control, and the Virgo [...]
Featuring this spoonula from GIR Happy May 1st, y'all! Thanks for checking out my very first edition of Friday Favorites! Each week I’ll be sharing a little update on my week along with five of my favorite finds (think skincare, clothes, recipes, tv shows, home goods, toys, you name it). This week, I’ve felt a [...]
Just because we're all in quarantine doesn't mean this Mother's Day can't be special! This happens to be my very first Mother's Day, and I'm really just looking forward to spending quality time with baby Alden and the hubs. The number one item I'm asking for this year is a CLEAN HOUSE along with a [...]
It's been a while since I've attempted to blog because things have been a little wild and crazy over here. Over the past month or so, Alden has grown into a baby dare-devil, speedily inchworming his way into all kinds of trouble, pulling up constantly, and desperately attempting to plummet from every high surface in [...]
Since childhood, reading for entertainment has remained a staple in my life. At the end of a long day, there's nothing better than giving myself time to drift off into another world. For years, I've read almost every night before bed, even just a little bit. And when I'm laying awake, ruminating over everything on [...]