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Me and my main squeeze

Things I’m Loving Right Now

Baking with my Kiddo. It’s such a thrill to watch my little guy embrace cooking. He may not be the most adventurous eater, but he sure loves to make a mess in the kitchen – just like mama! We’ve taken to googling recipes based on what I have in the kitchen. For example, we made these one banana muffins the other night since we had, you guessed it, exactly one banana.

A 3-year old’s sense of humor. Guys, he is SO funny. Knock knock jokes have become a morning ritual. Pranking and practical jokes are his favorite. And he never ceases to amaze me with the stories he tells, the songs he sings, and his ridiculous sense of comedic timing. 3 can be a tough age (SO BOSSY) but it has it’s bonuses too. Endless giggles is a big one!

Magnesium Flakes. I am pretty much obsessed with taking magnesium baths right now. Any excuse to take a bath is welcome, of course, but these quick dissolving mineral flakes soak into the skin and help supplement magnesium. Since lacking magnesium is fairly common, and can lead to headaches, sleeplessness, etc. I’ve become a big fan of making sure I get my weekly dose. I’ve even been formulating with them a lot. You can find three new recipes on The Natural Beauty Workshop that focus on magnesium: Sleepytime Magnesium Spray, Magnesium Rich Mineral Bath, and Magnesium Bath Bombs.

I’ve been working as a brand ambassador lately for Westlab Salts so I can heartily recommend their goodies. They carry magnesium flakes as well as epsom salts, dead sea salts, and dead sea mud. You can pick them up locally at most big box stores or find them online.

The Clean Eating Slow Cooker by Linda Larsen. I’ve made four or five recipes from this book now and so far I’ve loved most of them. The recipes are simple, easy to throw together, and focus on whole ingredients like veggies and meats.

Ceramics. When I got back from Maine this summer I went out and bought myself a fifty pound block of clay. Ever since I have spent free nights here and there puttering away in my sun room, listening to Joni Mitchell and experimenting with the dirty, muddy, deliciousness that is clay work. I am dying to take a class using a pottery wheel. One of these days soon I am going for it!

This quote (and the corresponding art piece I found on Etsy). No explanation needed. This is our year, babes.

Did I mention that I’m having a baby? It’s true! I’m well into the second trimester and all signs point to baby madness come June. Also, she’s a girl! I have loads of feelings about that, and I’ll be sharing them all over on my mama diary as soon as I catch my breath.

Anyway, all of the ridiculously cute baby girl clothes at Target are killing me. Cat & Jack has made Target a much more dangerous place for my wallet.

Etsy isn’t safe either.

I mean, look at this stuff. I don’t stand a chance. (Links, from left to right: gigglethreadsshop.etsy.com, sillyhorse.etsy.com, fawnandsage.etsy.com)

Gummy Prenatal Vitamins. I have a much weaker stomach with my current pregnancy than I had with CC, and keeping my prenatal vitamins down has actually been pretty difficult – even in the second trimester! I finally decided to give a gummy version a try and it made a huge difference. I’ve been using Smarty Pants Prenatal Vitamins, which are full of good stuff and lacking the typical gross-outs. The only complaint I have is that these don’t include iron. That means I have to take it separately. Not a huge deal, but still annoying.

Working in Batches. I have been re-adjusting my workflow lately in an effort to make better use of my time. It will become even more limited once Baby #2 comes along, so it’s really now or never when it comes to getting organized. Over the last two weeks I have started spending whole days either cooking, formulating, or taking photos, then using the rest of the week to process the bulk content into the makings of blog posts.

It’s a change that I’ve meant to implement for some time, but just hadn’t really GONE for it until now. It means spending a straight 6 – 8 hour stretch on my feet working like a mad woman, but it also means having 6 – 8 projects drafted, formulated, and photographed in a single day. So much more efficient than working on one or two at a time. Yesterday was natural beauty day and I ended up working on more than a month’s worth of content for two platforms! It was crazy but it feels great to have gotten so much done.

Usborne Books. My sister started selling these amazing kids books and I can’t get enough. CC loves the non-fiction, lift-the-flap books, and I have even acquired a few titles for myself. The Complete Book of Art Ideas is a personal favorite – packed with fun and easy art projects that bring me back to elementary school art class (aka my favorite art classes ever.)

Battling Baby Names. I’m down to one solid choice for a first name and am in the process of arguing with the hubby over the middle name. My pick is unconventional, powerful, and in honor of one of the most amazing women of our time. I love it and am having a hard time giving it up. His choice is cute, pretty, and sounds nice with the first name we picked.

When I’m not lobbying for my pick I am desperately seeking inspiration for a second choice that actually MEANS something. Cute is nice, but to me, names are so much more. I want something that will give my girl a great story. Luckily, I have several more months to figure it out.