Friday Vlogs

It's Friday.
I vlogged.

I'm linking up with Alissa from Rags to Stitches.
This is my first ever coffee date and like my 2nd vlog so don't make fun of me or judge me for my weird glare and horrible posture (trying to fit myself into the camera- desk angle is weird).

Also, I apologize for all the times I snorted?! I don't know it it's just early morning, or if I'm getting a cold or what but it's gross, so my bad.

Watching the world with Baby Owen

Happy Thursday, guys.

Owen and I just spent the last half hour sitting outside of Starbucks, playing, people watching, yelling at everyone on a motorcycle, "DADDY!!! DADDY!!!", pointing out all of the "Bo"s we saw (every dog is Bo) and watching cars go by.

After dropping the kids off at school, I ran to Starbucks with every intention of getting something and coming home, sitting out back, enjoying the cool air and forcing a blog post out.
Then when we got there, Owen was happy and talking to everyone, an older man said to another as we were walking out, "I wish I was that happy in the mornings". It was just cute! And as we were walking out, Owen said, "Outside" insinuating that he wanted to sit outside for a bit since we'd done it the other day after a gym trip and had a bit of time to kill before picking Maddie up from school.

So, I thought, "what the heck! We can waste a few minutes".... that few minutes turned into 30. Am I mad? NOT AT ALL! It was so nice to just sit there with Owen, no real distractions (cartoons, internet, etc etc). We just sat there doing everything I mentioned above. Then it hit me, "I have NOTHING to do. THIS is what I should be doing! I don't have to rush home and half ass a blog post, it won't kill Bo to sit in his cage for a few minutes, it won't hurt to just sit and enjoy Owen" and that's what I did.

Now we're home, we're out back, he's running around with his apple juice (with the little green plug for my coffee) and his snack bowl (full of MY croissant) and chasing Bo around while cutting the grass with his bubble mower.

Sure I have a million things I should be doing- dishes, laundry for sure, the house is a mess, Maddie's birthday party isn't going to plan itself, etc etc etc.

But this moment... here and now. It's a once in a lifetime kind of deal. I know there will be other days like this, I could literally do this exact same thing tomorrow but it won't be the same. Owen will probably yell, "mom!!" then point and yell "outside!" to me but today, I'm going to enjoy it a bit more than normal.

Below are two little videos from our morning of watching the world.

Yummi Pouch {Review}

I was recently given the chance to test out some Yummi Pouches and was so excited to do so! I've tried out some like this before (you can read that here) and was in need of some new ones after months of Owen using them daily.
I was super excited to get the Yummi Pouch Brights, they were a nice touch of color to add to snack time.

Let me just tell you why these are awesome:

I've taken these EVERYWHERE with us! The gym, the grocery store, longish drives, etc etc. Fin & Maddie have even used them for long road trips! Fill em, cap em, put em in a little lunch box and call it a day! Fin's taken some to school with him and loves when they're in his lunch box!
These are seriously the handiest things ever and the absolute best part IS that they're reusable and dishwasher safe!
It's so much cheaper to buy a whole jar of applesauce then to buy the little individual nonreussable pouch things that are out there. I've put EVERYTHING in these things!
Owen's favorites are yogurts, puddings and applesauces though.
Maddie's used them to carry snacks in like crackers or cookies.
They're just so freakin' handy!

If you're a mom, I truly recommend these bad boys!
I suggest you get this to get you started!
I'm considering ordering this JUST for Maddie sandwiches. David cut her sandwich into little triangles and then formed them into a heart one day and ever since she's requested heart sandwiches and I just can NOT figure out how he did it. Mine NEVER turn out like his did so this would be PERFECT for me.

Calling all inventors!

Has anyone invented a Stop Time remote yet?! Because I'd totally buy one in a heartbeat!
I love that my kids are growing up and are becoming independent children, but it's just happening way too fast!
This is what mornings look like in our house on school days. (On weekends, I cook breakfast).
Fin climbs up on the step stool and then up the shelves to get to the cereal and then Maddie pours them both milk.
It kills me!
They still make messes (notice the cereal spilled on the counter) and if the milk is too heavy, I pour it, but you guys, look at them! They're independent. They're capable of making their own food!
Fin even gets them cups down and puts ice in them while Maddie fills them up with water!
It's the craziest thing to watch and makes me so happy to see them working together but it makes me so sad at the same time.

Seriously seriously guys- they grow up too fast! Enjoy every stinkin' second!
And don't even get me started on all the new words that Owen's recently started saying!
So, let's get that remote invented already!

The Pasta Shoppe {A review & giveaway}

I was recently contacted by The Pasta Shoppe, a pasta manufacturing company in Nashville, Tennessee! When I first read them email, I honestly thought, "I don't want to blog about pasta" but the more I looked into their site and at their pasta, I knew that I just HAD to. I agreeded to do a review and host a giveaway and guys, today is that day!

With it being October, I thought I'd share our Halloween pizza pasta with you!!
The inside of most of the packaging contains recipes for you to use! I decided to add a few other pizza-like ingredients to this one to more suit our pizza tastes.
Let me just say, they kids were THRILLED! They were so amazed that they were eating Halloween shaped noodles!!
Their favorite was the pumpkin. Mine was by far the ghost- it's hilarious and just cute!! They kept asking me over and over how the noodles were made like this and I just told them it was magic. ;)

I used the dog lover pasta the following week and just make some regular ole' spaghetti out of it but again, they just died laughing that they were eating dog bones!

And I absolutely can not wait for it to get a bit cooler here in Georgia so I can make the Wintertime Chili and the Chicken noodle soup. David's been BEGGING for the Chicken Noodle. He's a soup lover, that one.

I also love that they come with recipes printed on the labels. It feels like it makes my life easier! I don't have to over think dinner or really plan anything major out that night. It's perfect for Wednesday nights when Fin has his guitar lessons and Maddie has ballet and we're not home til almost 6pm. Quick, easy, delicious and FUN!

OH! And can we say "Gluten free"?! Because they are!
I'm telling you, the perfect pasta!
Every time I make any pasta now, the kids get bummed when it's not fun-shaped!

They were also kind enough to send me some of these! And let me just say, they did not last very long AT ALL. We all inhaled them, they were so tasty!



The kind people of The Pasta Shoppe have offered to send one of my readers a gift set!
One lucky winner will receive a pasta goodie box ($30 retail value) filled with assorted seasonal pastas.

My birthday. {A very delayed post}

Soooooo.... I'm 28 now.
Do I feel older?! Nope.
Do I look older?! I hope not?!
Did I have a great birthday?! Yes!

So Tuesday night, my friend Jojo stopped by to drop off my gift from her- it was a necklace. It's perfect for these reasons: it's an inside joke on TWO different levels so it's super funny and it's thoughtful because it's got my birthstone mixed in it.
Plus she got a good laugh out of beating David to the birthday punch.

Wednesday, (birthday day!) I dressed up-ish.

Boots and pants from Kohl's.

My mommy sent me flowers. They're gorgeous and they came in a coffee cup- she knows me SO well!

She also sent me a Starbucks gift basket! YAY!

And then while I was at a baby shower Saturday afternoon, David and the kids cleaned up the house and baked me a birthday cake! They even added food coloring, marshmallows and mini chocolate chips and topped it with chocolate and vanilla frosting. It was insane and absolutely perfect because they made it together just for me.

And then Jenny G sent me the bag I named after Miss Maddie. You can buy it here and a matching wallet.

And then I took myself shopping. I bought Owen a few new shirts (he's finally hitting 24 month clothing and the weather here is all over the place so that slightly annoys me because I'm not sure what kind of clothes to buy! haha).
And I bought myself some makeup and some new under garments that make me feel all fancy like. *wink*

Other than that, my actual birthday day was just a normal day. We went to burger king for dinner which was actually perfect because I didn't wanna cook but also was too tired to drive anywhere to actually sit down and eat. Ahh, the joys of mid week birthdays mixed with parenthood.
I actually wouldn't have changed a thing about it.
I was truly blessed with more love and birthday wishes than I could've ever expected.

Eh.... Tuesday.

Happy Tuesday!
Let's do a quick update before I get into anything else.

My contacts are awful. I have an appointment this afternoon to test out a different kind.
My glasses FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY came in.
After 8 days in California where they were supposed to be here September 23rd, they finally got here September 30th.

If you follow me on instagram then you've already seen this, but here they are!