1. 25 Things to Know About Money Before You Turn 25. Solid list, even if you're older than 25!

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2. JOGGERS! Call them slim sweatpants, joggers, or something else. Whatever they are, I'm obsessed! I now have two pairs, a dark gray pair from Marshall's and a black pair from H&M. I bought my brother some for his birthday, also from H&M, and next up I'm thinking Brecken needs a pair. I'm loving the round-up on Hellobee!


3. In September I cooked a birthday dinner for my mom, and a small group of family and friends. I never got around to photographing any of the food, but it would be a disservice not to mention a few of the recipes I made that night because the entire meal was a huge hit. Do yourself a favor and bookmark these--we loved them and I will be making them both again sometime!

• Watermelon, Green Olive, and Pistachio Salad (wait until watermelon is in season again, but WHOA...the medley of flavors here was awesome!)
• Chile-Honey Glazed Salmon with Three Sauce (3 sauces?! Excessive? Not even a little bit--this recipe took a little bit of work but was worth every minute!)

1. 4 Truths About Our Post-Baby Bodies. I've listened to a few friends and read a few blog posts lately where women bemoan (or pessimistically anticipate) the changes they're undergoing in pregnancy or their post-baby bodies. I like the truths this article mentions. While good genes and taking care of my body means I don't feel that different post-Brecken than pre-Brecken, there are definitely things that will never be the same and that's okay! I'm in awe of how amazing our bodies are and I don't ever want Brecken to hear me saying something negative about my body. Women, it's up to us...beauty is where you find it...preach it and live it!

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2. I think I am one of the last people ever to catch onto the awesomeness of Humans of New York. It wasn't until I read through the entire book when visiting our friends Katie and Matt in New York that I became hooked on the premise (and spent the rest of our trip observing each person we passed and wondering what their story was). Bottom line: people are fascinating.

Gratuitous baby photo (now 2+ months ago...CRAZY), unrelated to anything else!

3. 15 Career Tips from Smart Women.

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

4. What are you doing with pumpkin this fall? I've been sticking to favorites, versus trying new recipes lately, including pumpkin cranberry bread (pictured above), the best pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and whole-wheat pumpkin waffles!

One Year Ago: Holiday Cheesecake Trifle with Spice Cake and Cranberry Orange Sauce
Two Years Ago: Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Cauliflower Bisque with Avocado
Three Years Ago: Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffles
Four Years Ago: Pumpkin Spice Roasted Chickpeas

1. We have people over a lot, and at times I feel myself crippled by my inabilities as a hostess. I don't think I'm the only one who feels this way--not only have I been raised by the world's most perfect hostess, but all it takes is 5 minutes on Pinterest to feel inadequate! Thus, I loved this reminder to be a perfectly imperfect hostess! Make your guests feel welcome and you've succeeded!

2. Yesterday was Brecken's first Halloween. She and her cousin Carsten nailed their debut Halloween as Pebbles and Bam Bam, as evidenced in the photo above! Shout out to my sister for making their costumes...without my crafty sister Brecken would have likely been spotted on Pinterest fail.

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3. I loved Katrina's post about A Healthy Sunday. Too often I try to cram five million things into our weekends and by Sunday evening I'm exhausted and stressed about the upcoming week. I'm learning, slowly but surely, that a successful weekend doesn't mean an accomplished to-do list and I feel much more ready to tackle a new week. "Wasted time" with your children isn't actually wasted time!

Green Salad with Spiced Walnuts

4. Need a side salad? I forgot how much I love this super simple green salad with spiced walnuts until we had it again recently. It would be good with apples or pears, cheese or not, but don't miss the spiced walnuts!

One Year Ago: Kale, White Bean, and Potato Stew
Two Years Ago: Cauliflower Penne Puttanesca 
Three Years Ago: Autumn Chopped Salad
Four Years Ago: Oreo and White Chocolate Brownies
Five Years Ago: Marshmallow Muffins

1. Why Fewer Toys Will Benefit Your Kids. I love this, and I 100% agree with the closing line...I am not anti-toy. I'm just pro-child. Yes to everything on this list! Our kids will have their fair share of toys, and that's completely fine, but I also want to raise Brecken and any future siblings to be resourceful, creative, and most importantly, thankful and appreciative of what they have!





2. We make pizza a lot in our house. I also keep some pizza dough on hand in the freezer so that we can throw whatever random ingredients on top and call it pizza whenever the craving strikes. Needless to say, I found Bon Appetit's list of Common Pizza Mistakes to be very interesting. Some of the tips I was already abiding by, such as par-baking the crust and baking the pizza at a very high temperature, but I definitely need to add more salt to my pizza dough and I'm going to experiment with stretching rather than rolling the dough. [Pictured above: Butternut Squash, Spinach, and Red Onion Pizza with Goat Cheese]

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1. 10 Alternative Uses for a Salad Spinner. I use my salad spinner for greens all the time, but loved some of the unique ideas shared in this list from the kitchn.


2. Last October, General Mills sent me their infamous Monster Cereals and I had fun making Monster Cereal Treats and my all-time favorite October STAPLE: Monster Munch (pictured above). This year they generously sent me more cereal and while I had every intention of creating something new, I couldn't stray from my tried and true. We have two weeks until Halloween...pick up your favorite Monster Cereal variation and give one of these a try!

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3. I'm occasionally sent cookbooks from different publishing companies to review, if I so choose, on the blog. They're never paid reviews and I won't even mention a cookbook unless it's something I genuinely enjoyed. Most recently I received Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life. While I'm not trying to lose weight, I do believe the tips in this book are incredibly helpful at addressing many of the bad eating habits that society in general tends to fall into. I was fascinated by some of the research done on how certain changes in restaurants, grocery stores, our workplaces, our homes, and our kid's schools could go a long way in impacting our overall health. It was a quick read, complete with a "checklist" at the end of each section allowing you to see how your own situation stacks up in terms of healthfulness / mindful eating practices, as well as a lot of practical ideas on how to be a catalyst for change.


4. Shine Theory: Why Powerful Women Make the Greatest Friends. I can't remember which blog I read that linked to this article, but I absolutely love the premise behind this idea. Let's do less comparing ourselves (and feeling inferior to) strong, powerful women, and instead befriend them! The picture above is me, my two sisters, and my cousin Ashlyn...three pretty amazing women that it would be very easy to feel intimidated by. Obviously I'm related to all of them, but I would choose them as friends anyway because being around them makes me shine more, just as the article explains!

One Year Ago: Grandma Grump's Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
Two Years Ago: Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Three Years Ago: Curried Cashew, Apple, and Grape Salad
Four Years Ago: Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
Five Years Ago: Amish Baked Oatmeal

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4. Okay readers, help me out! I know a lot of you are dog lovers, and thus probably can't resist this picture of Thor, my dog nephew. He's trying to win a "hangover" contest at his doggie daycare to get some free days in November, right when my sister-in-law is due with my niece or nephew. Do me a favor and click here and "like" Thor's picture. It'll take you 2 seconds (when you'd be on Facebook anyway) and my SIL would hugely appreciate it!
One Year Ago: Caramel Corn with Peanuts (Homemade Cracker Jack)
Two Years Ago: Apple Cinnamon Sticks
Three Years Ago: Apple Raisin Bars
Four Years Ago: Shredded Beef Sandwiches
Five Years Ago: Homemade Sushi

1. Grace and Potatoes. I'm friends with Annie and by friends I mean Facebook friends and friends by association because she's good friends with friends of mine. In other words, I admire her from afar and her aforementioned blog post is a poignant reminder of what grace is!

2. Something else that recently resonated with me? Thoughts on a Striped Baby Gap shirt. I mourn every time I have to pack away baby clothes that no longer fit and I'm always shocked when she fits in something that recently seemed like it would never fit her. I know kids have to grow up and there's so much fun and excitement in it, but boy do I cherish these days!

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3. I am beyond excited for the Into the Woods movie to come out. It's one of my favorite musicals and while I would normally be apprehensive about a movie adaptation, the cast looks fantastic and I have high hopes after loving the Les Mis movie so much. If all else fails, at least I know I'll love the music! Anyone want to babysit for me on Christmas Day so I can sneak off to the movies?! ;)

Thai Chicken Salad Pitas

4. Fellow blogger Kelli recently made my Thai Chicken Salad Pitas and my Salsa Verde Quinoa Bake and said she and her husband loved both! I already have salsa verde in my cabinet just asking to be used in that bake again, but I had totally forgotten about those pita sandwiches and they're officially on my to-make ASAP list!

One Year Ago: Odds & Ends
Two Years Ago: Herbed Sundried Tomato Tapenade
Three Years Ago: Eggplant and Mushroom Veggie Balls aka "Meatless Meatballs"
Four Years Ago: POM Banana Blueberry Popsicles

Fie Years Ago: Chocolate Marshmallow Bars

1. Why It Doesn't Matter How You Feel About Your Friends. Inspiration to go be a good friend! 



2. For the third year in a row, we're in NYC for the weekend visiting our dear friends Katie and Matt. It's technically Brecken's second time to NYC (although last time she was a wee 15 weeks in gestation, pictured above), but her very first plane ride. Follow me on Instagram to check out some of our adventures, and read about past trips to NYC here and here. 


3. Speaking of Katie, this summer she's the one that's pregnant, and I had the privilege to throw her a travel-themed shower when she was in St. Louis last month. Much like the Pop, Fizz, Clink Kate Spade shower, I can't take much credit...my mom and sister made absolutely beautiful decorations & homemade mini-suitcases for favors (that I stuffed with cinnamon sugar pretzels) and Katie's sisters-in-law came up with creative (and non-cheesy) games! See #4, below, for my contribution...unsurprisingly, the food! All in all, it was a wonderful night celebrate Baby G whose arrival we are beyond excited for!

Tijuana Trash Mix

4. I'll be sharing the cake I made for Katie's shower in a future post, German Chocolate fans get excited! I also made the always-popular Tijuana Trash Mix and tried a new recipe for this Rustic Cheese Tomato Tart, which I will definitely be making again and again.

One Year Ago: Lemon Berry Parfaits
Two Years Ago: Extra Crumb Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake
Three Years Ago: Cream Cheese Fruit Tarts
Four Years Ago: Tilapia with Black Bean Banana Salsa
Five Years Ago: Mediterranean Skillet

1. Friday Night Meatballs: How to Change Your Life with Pasta. I absolutely love this idea about creating community through regular, stress-free entertainment. We currently open up our home for a weekly community group through our church, but I love the idea of also doing something like this...maybe sometime in the near(ish) future?!?


2. If you follow me on Instagram then you've already seen this, but if not, let me introduce you to THE best baby giggle in the world! My SIL Kate captured Brecken's giggle on video last week and we have watched this probably 100 times already. B is generous with her smiles but makes us work for her laugh so it was all the more special to film this. We've fake sneezed over and over and over again since then and she apparently no longer finds it funny...little stinker! 

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3. If you're a working mom, or plan to someday be a working mom, do yourself a favor and read Maxed Out: American Moms on the Brink. I liked it so much better than Lean In or any other similar book I've read. Part memoir, part research-based, it's a quick read and will hopefully inspire you to change America's culture as it relates to working moms. 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

4. Are you diving straight into pumpkin season? Whether you started yesterday or are holding off for a few more weeks, put these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies on your must-bake list. They're one of our favorite--if not our all-time favorites--cookies and when September hits at least a few cans of pumpkin go toward making these. I dare you to find a pumpkin cookie with a better texture!

One Year Ago: Sloppy Joes
Two Years Ago: Banana Mascarpone Muffins with Chocolate Chips
Three Years Ago: Baked Black Beans with Chorizo
Four Years Ago: Okra, Zucchini, and Tomato Saute
Five Years Ago: Pear and Blue Cheese Spinach Salad

1. What's the Difference Between Dutch Process and Natural Cocoa Powder? I know there's a difference and even so, I never really paid attention to which was called for in a recipe, usually defaulting to what I had on hand. I've since bookmarked this article and will be referencing it in the future, especially after seeing the pictures of the chocolate cake and chocolate pudding that were made with each--it pays to use the right kind!


2. By far the worst part of my daily routine is packing my lunch. I grumble about the five minute task, which I realize is silly, but it's by far my least favorite chore each evening. Thanks to Babybel, it was a little easier this past week, since they sent me some cheeses and a handy little bento lunchbox to pack in. I loved assembling a "snack plate" of sorts, with Babybel cheese (the original is my favorite!) and crackers, some fruit, and some veggies. It's nice to have one container instead of several although, let's be honest, I eat WAY more than this during the day while at work! My little sister is reading over my shoulder as I write this and we're both laughing about how we love to play with the wax that the cheese comes wrapped in. Food that you can play with? Even better!

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3. I want to give a shoutout to the Nike Training Club App today! It's my go-to app when I'm traveling and want to stay consistent with a lifting workout (I use it at home too, but am more likely to use YouTube or lifting videos I own). I can usually find space in the fitness room at the hotel I'm staying at to plop down a mat, my iPhone, and a set of weights and get to work. Prior to this I would half-heartedly do a few moves I could remember off the top of my head and call it good; I like that there are a ton of workouts to choose from, depending on what I'm looking for, and that they keep me motivated!

4. Yesterday was my mom's actual birthday, but we actually celebrated last weekend while we were home visiting. I cooked a pretty awesome meal if I do say so myself, full of new recipes (some of which I plan to remake and share with you!). For dessert, however, I stuck to an old favorite--my go-to chocolate cake [Dark Chocolate Cake with Hot Chocolate Buttercream]. I have yet to find a more perfect chocolate cake and I made it more special this time by spreading salted caramel sauce between the two cake layers instead of the buttercream. Definitely give this a try if you're a caramel fan!

One Year Ago: Marinated Summer Vegetables
Two Years Ago: Tomato, Arugula, Cheddar Egg Sandwiches
Three Years Ago: Green Salad with Spiced Walnuts
Four Years Ago: Basil Ice Cream
Five Years Ago: Greek Salad