Reflecting Back On Pregnancy & Thankfulness:

Reflecting Back On Pregnancy & Thankfulness:

"There is such a sweetness in being able to participate in creation"

I cannot believe this photo was taken almost a year ago. This was the day we shared we were pregnant with both of our families. I was 6 weeks pregnant and it was Thanksgiving day.  My heart is so happy looking back at that "me" and that "him".  We were newlyweds, it was just the two of us, and we had just found out that we were creating life inside my tummy & were able to share our secret with the people we love most. This was  SUCH a special time for us. Reflecting back causes so much emotion to stir within me. I cannot believe our little boy is here. I cannot believe that we are parents and how much pregnancy and being the parents to this little angel has changed us and changed our lives. Im in tears as I write this thinking about the beauty and the joy that God has placed in our hearts for this child,.. thinking about all the change that has taken place before our very eyes.. thinking about who my husband has become.. a father, a man that wants so badly to be a good example to his son.  I look in the mirror and I see a woman of strength, a woman that has learned more now than ever about selflessness and true love. My boys are my world and i am so very blessed and thankful to say and have that. I would give my life for these two humans, I dont know that I could have ever meant that before.  

I love looking back at the joy that we were experiencing in this moment. I remember my sister taking this picture of us, it was the very first picture of us all together as a family of three, little Cash man was cooking up in my belly.  This photo forever documents the moment when we were able to share in our joy and excitement and allow reality to set in.  It was now real, we were having a baby.  

Thanksgiving will forever remind me of how grateful we were that day to be having our first baby. Not knowing his sex at the time and just dreaming of what parenthood would be like. Pregnancy is just such a special gift, there is just such a sweetness in being able to participate in creation with the one you love most in this world.  Today I am thankful for Thanksgiving, for family, for babies, and for my sweet boys. 

What are you thankful for? 

Easy Quick Healthy Meals: What I've Been Eating Lately

Easy Quick Healthy Meals: What I've Been Eating Lately

Here are some of the meals i've made over the past few days.  Im all about balance, I like to aim for healthy but if something doesnt taste right without adding a little cheese or cream here and there then ill go ahead and add it in there.  When I cook i usually try to add in lots of veggies, one starch, and a protein.  

Swedish Meatballs, Brown Rice Pasta and a side of Grilled Zucchini:  These swedish meatballs are from traders and they're super easy to grill up (you can store a bunch in the freezer for lazy nights when you don't feel like cooking from scratch).  I always try to use brown rice pasta to make pasta nights a little more healthy, and then grilled up some onion and garlic in olive oil to add some flavor to Trader Joes spicy Arrabiata sauce (this sauce is great with seafood pasta as well). It has the perfect amount of spice from sweet red peppers and tasted great with the swedish meatballs. 

For grilling the zucchini as well as what the brown rice pasta looks like click here to see my previous quick meals post where i posted pics and talked more in depth about it: Easy Quick Healthy Meals

Chicken Serenada Tacos:

This was another easy meal that tasted so delicious.  I grilled up Traders "Chicken Serenada", its fresh  chicken breast with grilled bell peppers and grilled onion all pre-marinated and precooked, you just need to reheat on the stove. I am not a fan of precooked meals but traders doesnt add any preservatives and you have to eat their food within a few days or it goes bad. Its just as though you made it yourself.  I threw it on an ezekiel sprouted grain tortilla (super healthy and so yum!), with some shredded cabbage, avocado, a little mexican cheese blend, and lettuce.  You can add on tapatio or salsa if youd like but i thought the chicken gave it plenty of flavor. 

Shrimp Tacos with Lime chipotle sauce:

Shrimp tacos are my hubbys favorite and i haven't made them in so long! I decided to give them a twist by topping them with a delicious homemade lemon chipotle sour cream sauce.  I uses fresh shrimp (it cooks fast so be careful), I cooked the shrimp in olive oil with a sprinkle of chipotle, chili powder, garlic, salt, and 2 tablespoons of salsa and a half of a lime.  I piled it onto the same Ezekiel sprouted grain tortillas as above with shredded cabbage, a sprinkle of a mexican cheese blend, and avocado. I squeezed fresh lime on top and then added my homemade sauce.

For the sauce:  you'll need 1/4 cup light sour cream or greek yogurt. Half of a lemon or a whole lime. A 1/4 teaspoon of the following spices: chili powder, chipotle, garlic, cumin,  fresh or dried cilantro salt and pepper to taste. Add in minced jalepeno (i used 4 little slivers from a jar)  You will love this sauce and can use it on fish tacos as well! It makes the tacos!

Filet Mignon with Grilled Zucchini and Onion with a Side Kale Salad:

I am not a huge red meat kinda gal but once in a while I enjoy a nice steak. I grilled up some filets, added a side of zucchini and grilled onion (off the grill instead of grilling it on stove top), and a side of my kale salad that is also one of my husbands favorites!  For the Kale salad recipe go here (at the bottom of the post): Healthy Recipes and Ideas: What I've Been Eating Lately

Eat up & Enjoy Ladies! 

What are some of your favorite easy quick and healthy recipes/ideas?!

What We Wear: Maisie Jayne

What We Wear: Maisie Jayne

Harem Pants and Rompers for little ones & headbands for all! 15% off code at the bottom of this post!

Im just dying over these navajo harem pants! They're my absolute favs!

 These little Owl Harem pants are perrrrfect for this Fall and Winter, they're stretchy and cozy so they will fit him for quite some time and keep him warm and comfortable on the chilly days ahead.

(onesie by H&M)

(Harem pants by Maisie Jayne)

What We Wear: Maisie Jayne

I know I've mentioned it before but I truly love supporting companies we believe in and that this little family of mine enjoys.  Abbie owns the company Maisie Jayne that made these adorable harem pants (above).  She is a software engineer that came back to her crafty roots after having her little girl Maisie last year.  She has been sewing since 15 years old!  I love that she gets to be a stay at home mama working at what she loves being able to share her creations with all of us.  

"I am drawn to bright, unique, sweet and quirky colors and prints. I love the process of turning material into one of a kind clothing for little ones! I take a lot of pride in my work and all pieces are made with high quality, care and love" - Abbie

The moment I got my hands on these pants I was in love.. they're made of the softest material and feel so good when I hold my little one in my arms.  I need 15 more so he can wear them every day (:

Check out Maisie Jayne here: Maisie Jayne Etsy Shop

She sells the cutest retro headbands for adults, kids, and babies in all sorts of colors and patterns!  Go take a peak at her shop and check out all the cute rompers and harem pant selections she has to offer. They're a perfect little gift for your littles this Christmas!  They come in sizes 0-24 months!  She has SOOO many different patterns and colors to choose from, her shop is a must see!

For 15% off use code 15JUSTFORME 

Happy shopping ladies!

Winter Boots: Aldo

Winter Boots: Aldo

Aldo Boots
*Click image for details.


Who doesn't love a great boot for Fall/Winter? Here are some of my favorites from one of my top favorite boot companies.  From tall boots with skinny jeans to short ankle boots with black or printed tights, Im crazy about a good boot for winter fashion.  I even included some motor boots for those days when you just want something casual and edgy.  I love BUCKLES. I love Black because it goes with everything.  And Anything with a heel can be a game changer for any outfit.  Its fun to mix it up but getting at least one solid boot that you can wear with anything is crucial for winter.  FREE SHIPPING if you spend $60+. You also get 10% off all items if you sign up with your email! 

What are some of your favorite brands for boots?


Heres one of my favorite pair and I wear them ALL the time.. they JUST WENT ON SALE!! They're Vincent Camuto and they have great detail up the back of them (i bought them last christmas on sale too!)

Happy shopping & a lovely weekend to you!

Vince Camuto Boots

Love Letters Guest Post: BabiesandBrewskies Blog

Love Letters Guest Post: BabiesAndBrewskies Blog

Letters To Myself, My Son, And From God

Wow, when I was asked to be a part of the "Love Letter" series I have to admit I was beyond flattered and so thrilled to start writing! I read some of the previous "Love Letter" posts for inspiration and a idea of what to write.  In doing so I had the idea to write 3 letters. One to myself, one to my son, and one from God, or rather what i think He'd want me to know. When Kassi approached me about writing a guest post for this series i was really excited and wanted what I wrote to be transparent, honest, and my personal experience of what I was going through at that moment in parenthood. . . Cash was still a newborn and life was crazy to say the least.  

I really hope you enjoy these three letters and can find something to relate to, and I think you would truly like her whole series, so hop on over and check out her blog!  

Heres an excerpt from one of my letters, to my son:

"Your smile reminds me not to worry. It pricks my heart and tells me I'm foolish for caring so much about things that don't matter, when what really matters is right in front of me. Your smile. Your heart. To protect you, love you, and lead you. Daddy feels the same way. We often talk about how you've changed  our lives & how we couldn't dream of  having a child so perfect for us. You make us love deeper, you connected us in a way that isn't possible without you. You are a literal dream.come.true.  It's been a whirlwind trying to figure out this new life with you in it, but these are the memories we'll laugh about when you're older and we've figured out how to balance & juggle everything. Life with you is so sweet, it's tender and delicate, each day brings something new. The simplest of things is so b e a u t i f u l, life with you honestly means so much to me.  I watch you learning & growing from morning to night, day after day & my heart gets so excited.  I understand God's love & how He must see us even more through loving you and being your mommy. It's truly the only unconditional love. There's nothing you could do to ruin or spoil the love I have for you sweet boy. My hope is for you to always feel my love and never question how deep it goes..."

To read on and find the other two letters click below:

My Love letter(s)

Have a wonderful day all! And dont forget to check out my post LuckyPalmTree to get the 10% off coupon code for all organic and adorable baby items!

What we wear: LuckyPalmTree

What We Wear: LuckyPalmTree

Is this not just the cutest?! (Arrow beanie and onesie)

He was so excited to wear his new Coffee Bean Dottie bib

The material is so soft & all organic so I feel great about Cashy wearing it

(Shorts seen here by BabyGap)

The Arrow Swaddle Blanket (matches perfect with this little studs room)

The moment this little rascal got his hands on that teething ring he went to town

Thank you for your sweet gift LuckyPalmTree!

What We Wear: LuckyPalmTree

I am very passionate about sharing companies, products, and clothing that are healthy and safe for my family that match our style and fit in with what we enjoy...and I'm a huge advocate in supporting such companies & can do so my spreading the love via my blog so you can benefit from these great businesses as well! 

This company is named LuckyPalmTree, they are an all organic baby safe and baby friendly business. Kate, the owner is an absolute doll and is a fashion designer wanting to live an organic life and share it with others. She wanted to create styles that are safe for our babies and for our Earth too! 

All items in her shop are handmade with love and are 100% certified. 

Kate sent my little guy a package and I couldn't wait to open it and review her company. Her packaging is very professional and adorable! Each item comes sealed in a package of its own. Her fabric is not only cute but it's so soft and I don't have to worry about cash putting the fabric in his mouth (this kid has his hands or blanket or teething toys in his mouth constantly!). Her wooden teething toy is an absolute MuST for us over here. Cash loved sucking on it the moment I put it in his hands. 

I can't get enough of her cute patterns! He was just so snuggly and too cute not to kiss all day in this little arrow unisex onesie  and  arrow beanie.  (seen above)

LuckyPalmTree is offerring my readers 10% off this week up to next Thursday the 14th of November!

Check out her shop on etsy as well as her website. Both have a variety of items. LuckyPalmTree sells clothes, bibs, mittens, burp cloths, blankets, teething rings, beanies, little girls head wraps (wish we could've tried these but I think Cash would just kill me later lol) and more. 

Etsy shop click here

LuckyPalmTree website click here

To follow or find her shop easier you can find LuckyPalmTree here:

LuckyPalmTree facebook

LuckyPalmTree pinterest

LuckyPalmTree Instagram

Go now and get your 10% off. Use coupon code: TESSARAYANNE

Our Family's Halloween

Our Family's Halloween:

(Its hard to see his little cub ears here but i promise you they're there! Along with a giant red lip stained kiss mark on his hand from his grammy who was dressed up as the Queen of Hearts)

I just had to show you guys this adorable little lion cub all done up! His costume was so easy, so cozy, so adorable, and such a hit with everyone (i talked about his DIY costume in this post here: Happy Halloween: DIY Costume). I couldn't stop myself from cuddling this little fur ball all night... Okay, well, all of the whole two hours that we were out.  Lol, when you have a little one this young (as most of you mamas know) they don't have much awake time and once it's time to sleep you best be heading home to get them to bed! We usually get him ready for bed at 5:30 (this is the time his littl body tells us he's tired and ready) we put him down at 6pm and he self soothes and falls asleep by 6:30. So we went over my sisters house at 5:30 with both of my sisters families and their kiddos & all the grandparents, and then my friend Kelly and her little fam.  We of course took a billion pictures, mingled, and ate pizza. Then we took the littles out for trick or treating around 6:15-6:30, I put Cash in his carseat with his Sleep Sound Lamb (a stuffed animal sound machine that makes noise to help babies fall asleep easier), and draped a cover over him so he wasn't stimulated by all the trick or treaters. We made it to about 5 houses and decided to call it a night.  It was just too loud for my little guy to fall asleep. Kids were running around screaming house to house, as expected on Halloween. He's just at that age where he wants to be part of the party going on outside. He wasn't crying or fussy, he was content all snuggled up in his carseat watching as kids ran by but this mama knows best and I know he would be all thrown off the rest of the night and next day!

So we took him home before he was over-stimulated and had him fed and in bed by 7:15pm. Only 45 minutes past when he usually falls asleep..but this little guy wasn't ready to end the night. So he layed there for another 30 minutes before finally crashing. Poor guy, I try to think of how he feels and be selfless. I know it's fun to take yor kids out and live our lives according to our own schedule but really his well-being is more important to me. He needs sleep to grow and for his little brain to develop & so he is a happy well rested boy! We love how happy he is and how he rarely is ever fussy! And I think we owe that all to sticking to a routine(for the most part).. Babies thrive off routine. This has been a very challenging part of parenthood (giving up our old lives, when we want to go somewhere and have to stay in because its his bed time or because he needs a nap, etc) but its all so so worth it and makes those date days and date nights even more appreciated and so much more fun!!

Im not sure how I managed to turn this post into my parenting guilt (haha), but we had a blast on Halloween and it was so worth keeping him out 45 mins extra so he (i mean WE) could experience his first Halloween together with all of our family.  We are really looking forward to next year when this little guy is walking around!

I hope you had a great time with your families on Halloween as well!