My New Obsession!

Being so busy lately has brought out the online shopper in me, because stress equals retail therapy right? Especially from my couch, in sweatpants, with no makeup on - sign me up! During one of my "therapy sessions" I came across this app called Spring that I just had to share with you because it's amazing. Like, addicting, amazing. Not only can you buy from hundreds of retailers all in one place, but you get free shipping on everything! I mean really, where has this app been all my life? If you don't have Spring yet, you need it, especially for my fashionista friends who are big on up and coming brands and want to #SpringAheadOfTheTrend- this has it all!

That's all the time I can set aside today, duty calls! Just wanted to check in and tell you I'm alive, well, and perfectly okay with my new shopping obsession :)

Friday Flashback! Packing Your Hospital Bag!

A few weeks ago I had a few of my closest girlfriends over for wine night.  Wine night is always fun with the girls because we share stories, talk about the kids, reveal Pinterest success stories (and failures!)  Just the girls enjoying each other's company....and wine.

This wine night was one for the record books as it took shape in a different way.  I don't remember who, but one of my girlfriends mentioned that her husband wanted to bring his X-Box to the hospital during their child's delivery.  Another woman mentioned that her husband brought a football to toss around while he was bored.  The more we talked about it, the harder we laughed at these ridiculous ideas!

I decided to take it a step further and make a collage of what we (the wives) thought to bring vs. what they (the husbands) thought to bring.  The list we came up with is pretty funny, and the descriptions are listed below. I'd love to hear feedback about what YOUR husband thought to bring!

To Make Sense of it All:

MY Must-Haves:

1.  Diaper Bag: I love this color! Source: www.potterybarnkids.com
2.  ID and Insurance Cards: These are a MUST have for the hospital- to ensure they process your paperwork correctly.
3.  Cord Blood Collection Kit: This is of your partner's responsibilities and is important to give to your doctor.  Source: www.viacord.com
4.  Flip-Flops: Many of my friends brought slippers, which got dirty quickly at the hospital.  I chose flip-flops and they were great!
5.  Bathrobe:  It's important to be comfortable and a cozy robe is a perfect choice.
6.  Big Sibling Gift: Making your first child feel involved is very important.  Bring his/her gift to the hospital for their arrival!
7.  iPad: Comes in handy to Skype and e-mail!
8.  Camera:  My husband was able to capture some beautiful pictures with our camera.  These memories are priceless.

HIS Must-Haves:

9.  Some Type of Ball: "To toss around while waiting for labor", was his explanation.  Really?
10.  PowerBars: My husband assured me that he needed to have the proper fuel for delivery.  Source: www.powerbar.com
11.  Our pup, Skip: Okay, this is a stretch and I understand where he was coming from but- no dogs allowed!
12.  A Stop Watch: While my husband thought timing the labor was a good idea, I assured him it would get tossed across the room (by me.)
13.  Pickles and Ice Cream: Doesn't he realize the cravings are gone?  I mean...really...
14.  "Neuralyzer": The "memory eraser from Men In Black"...just in case some of the more anatomical memories needed to be erased.
15.  Comics:  I mean...how many children do I have here?
16.  Give It Your Spin!:  My husband always kept me on my toes and although he tried to help pack for our delivery, my suggestions were a little more practical.  Feel free to share what your husband brought in the comments section below!

Apple Crisp

Fall to me is all about food.  I try to stay relatively healthy but lately I've been OBSESSED with apple crisp.  Something about the fall coolness makes me want sweet apples and crunchy oatmeal with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.  I NEED it.

So I'll share a quick crisp recipe with you all.  Quick crisp.  Say that 10 times fast!!

This recipe is taken from chow.com and it is 1000% amazing.  

• 2 1/2 pounds medium Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples (about 5 or 6), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick

• 2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

• 1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1/2 stick), cut into small pieces, plus more for coating the dish
  
• Pecans or Walnuts (optional)

Here's What's Next...1.  Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle.  Lightly coat an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with butter2.  Combine the apples, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl and toss to coat. Place the apple mixture in the prepared baking dish and set aside.3.  Using the same bowl as for mixing the apples, mix together the brown sugar, oats, flour, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt until evenly combined. With your fingertips, blend in the butter pieces until small clumps form and the butter is well incorporated, about 2 minutes.  Add pecans or walnuts.4.  Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples and bake until the streusel is crispy and the apples are tender, about 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool on a rack at least 30 minutes before serving.

A SAHM's Salary?

Is it me, or is this summer completely flying by?  How could it possibly be August already?  It's been nearly a month since I've posted!!

I have a confession.  I'm slightly obsessed with infographics.  Seeing information broken down in pictures always seems to work for me.  Added bonus if the IG is super cute :)

I came across an infographic last night that REALLY struck a chord with me titled "Mom's Annual Salary."  I ALWAYS think about what a SAHM would earn if someone was paying her a salary and this was an eye opener for me. I would always ballpark the number at around $100K but this infographic took a more realistic approach.

It's interesting for me to see how it was broken down.  I definitely feel that I play cook a LOT- but that's something I enjoy.  Do I enjoying playing housekeeper as much?  No.  Not at all.

Take a peek below if you're lost at this point.  I really think this is an eye-opener!  Do you agree?  Feel free to leave comments!

P.S. Does this double if I have another baby ;-)?

This infographic was created by Credit Card Insider, your trusted credit resource, providing plain-language guidance from seasoned industry veterans.

Heat Wave!

If anyone else is on the East Coast, you know about this unbearable heat wave that has hit us this summer.  Lily and I are lucky to have AC throughout the whole house and my neighbors have a pool that they so kindly offer to let us use.  We also took a trip down to the beach and Lily LOVED it!

Ahhhh

I've stayed out of the kitchen, and many of my craft projects are on hold because of the summer. My husband has taken a bit of time off so he can enjoy the sun (and heat!).

Tuesday Guest Day...

Today I have the pleasure of introducing Nic!  Take a peek at her blog and enjoy the adorable pictures of her kids...you'll be happy you did! :) :)

Hey friends! My name is Mama Nic.  It is so nice to meet you.  Katie was kind enough to have me over today to introduce myself to you all.

That's me with my littlest one.  We love to hike.

I am the blogger behind Embracing A Life Unexpected.  That carefully chosen title, means exactly what it says.  I started writing the blog when I found out I was pregnant for the third time and wanted to share my story.  That pregnancy was a surprise, (a slight understatement!) because I was at the time, using the Mirena IUD.  I made a choice (although it for me was never really a choice) to take the risk and try to carry this wonderful gift.  It wasn’t easy.  I wanted to write and share my pregnancy which was complicated emotionally, and physically.  I scoured the internet for someone going through what I was, so that I could maybe know what to expect and to feel like I wasn’t alone.  I found nothing.  I knew for a fact from being on forums and such, that there were other women going through similar situations, but nobody that I had found, had shared their story on a blog.  My baby and I were at risk the entire time because the Mirena could not be removed.  I carried her (yes, her!  I had a girl! That is her in the above picture.) with the IUD still embedded into my uterus.  So the title to me, beautifully expresses my feelings of embracing my daughter’s life, and along that journey of becoming a mother of three, I was left feeling like I have a brand new life to live as well!  I live with much more of an urgency and gratitude for life now, and will do all I can to live out my dream for our family.  Hop on over to follow our story and to find posts on fashion, pregnancy topics, struggles as a Mama, DIY projects, our plan to relocate a family of five, and more.  I hope these stories are relatable to you in some way, and they leave you feeling inspired.  The point of this blog for me was to make a connection to you.  Maybe I can bring you some peace or at least make you smile.....make you realize that you are not alone.

Other than writing, I am a Mother of three young souls, whom I refer to as Bubba, Marmalade and Chica in my blog. My husband and I try to raise this little tribe the best we know how.  We are still learning everyday.  I think it will always be like that. 

And last but not least, I would like to share that I am the designer behind My Sweet Marmalade.  I sew teeny tiny dresses and find so much joy in doing it.  After my first daughter was born (nicknamed Marmalade), I wanted to get back to my roots of Fashion and also needed an outlet for my creativity.  I kept seeing dresses online and thought, hey, I could sew that.  From there, my Etsy shop was born.  I try to design items that are functional, economical, eco-friendly, and of course high on the sweetness scale.  If you need something for that little lady in your life, click on over to the shop.

Having children sometimes sparks a hidden passion!

Marmalade shows off her one-of-a-kind Birthday dress.

I am lucky enough to have lots of cute models to design for now.

My special boy even gets some custom threads on occasion.

Thanks again Katie, for letting me have a spot today.  I hope to get to know you all a little more.

Love, Peace, and Sandy Feet,

Mama Nic

This post was written and submitted by Mama Nic.  To connect with her click on her blog, Embracing A Life Unexpected, follow her on Pinterest, Facebook, or send off an email at mysweetmarmalade.etsy.com. 

Father's Day Is Coming!

Since Lily was born I find that each year I get really excited about Father's Day.  Possibly even more excited than Mother's Day (kind of weird right?).  I love making my DH feel special and dedicating a day just for him.  His day will most likely involve a round of golf with his father and friends, but as a family we always celebrate and enjoy the day.

I've been trying to find a few gifts that will really top off the day.  Here's are my 2013 Father's Day Gift Ideas:

5. Wood Pellet Smoker

Source: http://www.bbqfans.com

This baby is nearly $1K so I think we'll skip this model, but I've seen others that are much more reasonable.  My husband LOVES smoked pork chops, salmon and chicken.  I think he would smoke his salads if he could.  This would be a great addition to our grill gear.

4.  Artwork from Lily

I saw this piece on Etsy but I swear Lily and I could create this ourselves.  This is actually a greeting card, but I can envision creating it on a canvas.  It would be a perfect addition for his office, and I think he would love it.  

3.  New Money Clip

A new fresh way to hold his money is always appreciated.  I particularly like this one because of the golf theme and it's relatively inexpensive at $79.95 at redenvelope.com

2. Breakfast in Bed

This goes without saying.  My husband will get his favorite- two eggs over easy with raisin toast and extra crispy bacon in bed.  Black coffee and orange juice.  Done and done!

1.  A Hammock

This is a family beneficial gift that we could all enjoy.  We have a fairly large backyard and a hammock would fit perfectly.  My in-laws have a hammock and I've caught them napping when I make visits :)  They're incredibly comfortable and I think Lily would get a kick out of it too.  

Source: http://pawleysislandhammocks.com/

Even thought Father's Day is still a few days away, I hope these ideas help inspire!