Friday Fashion Diaries

Happy Aloha Friday!
Happy Friday Fashion Diaries!

 Hat: Janie & Jack (similar)

Onesie: OshKosh (similar)

Bowtie: Someplace on IG & I can't remember the shop, but these are all over Etsy!

Shorts: Children's Place (Similar)

 

Hat: Children's Place

Shades: Children's Place

T Shirt: I bought this on IG and it doesn't have a tag...but there are some similar ones at Target.

Pants: H&M

Shoes: Gap

 

 Hat: Janie & Jack (similar)

Onesie: Koala Kids Brand

Shorts: The brand is IZOD (Similar)

Shoes: Vans

 

Onesie: H&M

BabyLegs: Handmade by me, for sale @thedappermister on IG

Meal Planning Monday

Happy Monday! 

This week is a super-busy week for me--

Awhile ago I bought some vendor space at a local craft fair, so I'm up to my eyeballs in sewing trying to get lots of stuff done to sell at the fair...it's not for another two weeks, but I'm getting it all done early because...

One of my dearest friends is coming to visit us on the island this week! We'll get to meet each other's babies for the first time (her son was born three weeks after Liam!) and just enjoy spending some quality time together beaching it up, drinking moscato, and playing with our babies.

Anyway, I'm so glad I already had most of these meals planned out & the groceries bought because I won't have much time to think about dinner.
Since we do have guests coming, we won't likely use all of these this week, but that's the good thing about remaining flexible--we'll just save them for later.

Chipotle-Glazed Chicken w/ Sweet Potatoes
My stomach is growling just looking at it. I looove sweet potatoes and anything spicy, so I'm dying to try this.

Chicken & Veggie Alfredo
(With Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce!)
Chicken Alfredo is what Keith gets every time we go to an italian restaurant, so I love making it at home. I often try to make my alfredo sauce from scratch, but it's sooo fatty! Heavy cream, tons of butter, cheese....So I was excited when I found this lighter version of alfredo sauce!
I always add lots of fresh veggies to my chicken alfredo--broccoli, peas, peppers & onions are my favorite.

Baked Fajitas
The recipe is for chicken, but we eat chicken a lot so I used steak instead. Made these last night & they were delicious!

Enchilada Pasta Casserole 
(Thanks Tessa!)
I've heard this is delicious & can't wait to try it. Oh, and I'll be using ground turkey instead of beef.

Brown Sugar Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin
We've had this several times, it's a winner! Easy & delicious.
I might even throw some sweet potatoes in with it for an easy side.

Friday Fashion Diaries

Happy Aloha Friday, I hope you had a good week!

Bib Scarf-Handmade by me

(For sale @thedappermister on IG!)

Pants/Leggings: Gap (Similar)

Moccasins: @Larnk on IG, or on Etsy.

 Onesie: H&M

Sweats: Gap (Similar)

Cardigan: H&M

Jeans: Old Navy (Similar)

Shoes: Gap

 Onesie: Handmade by me

(For sale @thedappermister on IG or on Etsy here.)

Leggings:  Garnimals Brand (WalMart)

Moccasins: @Larnk on IG, or on Etsy.

Hat: Old Navy (Similar)

Shirt: Circo Brand (Target)

Jeans: Old Navy (Similar)

Shoes: Vans

 

6 months old!

 

Weight: 17.3 pounds

Height: 26 inches 

(He's barely changed at all in height and weight this month. I think his growth is slowing down a bit...*shew!*)

Clothing size: A few 3 month, but mostly 6 & 6-9

Shoe Size: 2, sometimes 3

Diaper size: 3 

 

Feeding: I've just started slowly introducing different purees. A few weeks ago we did sweet potatoes, then broccoli, then carrots. Just today he had an apple / pear puree for the first time. So far he's loved everything he's tasted!

Sleep: We are on a pretty routine sleep pattern now (But I know how quickly that can change sometimes, so fingers crossed it stays this way!) He will sleep normally from about 8:30-5:30 and wake for a very early morning feeding, then go right back to sleep after he eats until 8:30. I'm normally able to place him in his crib awake and he puts himself to sleep with just his lovie in there. He has never taken a paci, but I do turn on a bit of white noise to help him sleep. 

 

Naptimes aren't always as easy! He often will cry in his crib for 15-20 minutes when I put him down to nap. I typically just leave him though, and he'll go to sleep eventually. (Anything longer than 30 minutes and I'll get him out and see if he needs changed/fed/just doesn't want to nap...which definitely happens!)

Milestones: This has been my favorite month for milestones! Liam changed so so much from 5-6 months! He's really started to notice and explore different things, so his personality has started to shine. He's been sitting up for quite awhile and rolled over for the first time several months ago, but this month he's become very mobile! He will roll from one end of the room to the other, and is so close to crawling! He pushes up on all fours and scoots backward, but just hasn't figured out forward motion yet.

This is how ca-RAAZY he gets:

 

And speaking of crazy, the boy is a crazy sleeper.
We had to install a crib bumper recently:

He had his first 'big boy' bath this month. Since he sits up so well, we ditched the baby bathtub and haven't looked back (hallelujah, I hate that thing)

We also got some great belly laughs out of him for the first time! Before we'd gotten small little giggles here and there, but nothing like this:

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-FtcV-nzDs

He's also started to really react when we aren't in the room or when we leave the room, and he's started to reach his arms out to be picked up when he sees one of us. 

 

Adventures: Lots of fun adventures this month! Lots of trips to the beach, we dyed easter eggs, and Liam got to visit the zoo for the first time!

 

 Mommy and Daddy could not get through the month without: 

My KitchenAid Blender! Since he's started to eat purees, I make them all myself and having the blender makes it so much quicker. 

Look how much he has changed!!!

Meal Planning Monday

Good morning & happy Monday!

I hope you've had a glorious weekend.

Some of our weekend highlights included a fun trip to the zoo & breakfast at a place downtown that we've been eyeing for awhile. I had some of the best Eggs Benedict ever! (Eggs Benedict is my favorite breakfast, so this was a good day.)

 If you're ever on Oahu and want a breakfast you won't forget, hit up Mac 24/7! They have a pancake challenge that was on Man Vs. Food....we weren't brave enough to attempt it this weekend, but perhaps someday....

I loved the aesthetic of the restaurant, & their lunch and dinner menus looked great as well. 

Anyway, speaking of food--and now that I've made myself hungry--here's what we're having this week!

 

Cheddar Jalapeno Chicken Burgers

I actually made these tonight. AMAZING. AMAZING. Yes, it was necessary for me to say that twice. The flavors were off the chain. Guacamole, sour cream & jalapenos are three things I LOVE. This will definitely be a 'make again', but I think next time I'll do turkey instead of chicken, and do a little less cumin than the recipe calls for.

Mongolian Beef

I made this a month or so ago and we loved it. (The recipe doesn't call for broccoli, but I always like to add some type of fresh veggie to my Asian dishes). The sauce is soo good & the beef is just the right crispy-ness. I can't wait to make it again this week!

Double Crunch Honey Garlic Chicken

Just the photo makes my mouth water! Haven't made it before, but the site it's on says it's their most popular recipe ever, so we'll see how it goes!

Crock Pot Shepherd's Pie

I've made this once before, another huge hit. It's super easy, and very hearty & filling. My husband is a huge meat eater, & especially loves ground beef. This meal would be perfect for a chilly day or to feed a large crowd inexpensively!

Chicken Tortilla Bake

Have not made this one before. We usually really like Mexican-style casseroles, and I personally love anything with rotel in it, so hopefully we'll like this!

Friday Fashion Diaries

Happy Friday you guys! I hope you've had a fantastic week!

 

Bandana Bib: Made by me

(I'm working on a second Etsy shop for the boy's items I make, but for now I do sell these on Instagram @thedappermister!)

 Shirt: Gymboree (Similar)

Leggings: Garanimals Brand (WalMart)

Shoes: Gap Online (Similar)

Hat: Children's Place

Rash Guard: Bought from @gently_worn on IG, the brand is 'Little 77 for American Eagle'

Swim Trunks: 'Koala Kids' Brand

Plaid Shirt- Old Navy

Striped Onesie- American Apparel

(If you have a Gap Outlet near you, I found a very similar striped onesie for about 6$!)

Shorts- H&M

Converse Shoes

Tank Onesie-H&M

Plaid Shirt- Carters (Similar)

Yellow Cords- Gap (similar)

(side note! If anyone has these yellow cords from Gap in 3-6 month or larger and are willing to part with them, I will buy them from you!! We have officially outgrown ours, and they are my all-time favorites! And yes...I already have the jean version from Gap in a bigger size, but I love the cords!)

Shoes- TJMaxx

Bandana Bib- Made by me

Onesie-Made by me

Leggings-Target

Moccs- @larnk on IG or find them in her Etsy Shop.

Swim Trunks/Rash Guard Set- Carters

Hat- Gymboree

Shades- Children's Place

Monthly Beauty Faves

Happy April!

 Here are my favorite beauty products for this month. Most of these aren't 'new' to me--I've been using them for awhile, but they just happened to make my 'favorites' list this month.

Read on to discover why I chose to share them!

 

1. Sensationail Home Gel Manicure Set
$50
If you've ever had a gel mani or pedi, you know how wonderful they are. They last for weeks! I saw this home gel kit at WalMart last summer and debated on it for a while since it's a little pricey, but I'm so glad I bought it! One Gel manicure in a salon is about the same price as buying this kit, and the kit will get you at least 10 mani/pedis. It comes with everything you need--base & top coat, primer, the LED lamp, and one color of nail polish. Other colors are sold separately for 10$ each.
The kit is super easy to use, with easy-to-understand instructions. One manicure will take you about 20-30 minutes. Mine lasted me about a week because I pick at my nails a lot, but if you don't, it'll last even longer.

2. NYC 24 Hour Lip Stain
$4.50
Favorite thing about this is the price. It's suuuper cheap!  I got mine for about $3 from WalMart. Second favorite thing: the color stays on FOREVER. The first one I bought was one of he darker colors. I wore it one day and didn't really wipe my lips at the end of the night...my lips were still colored the next day! One of the cons of this stain is that it's really dry--it basically feels like you're drawing on your lips with a sharpie, and dries that way too, but once it dries, I put on my favorite yummy chapstick or lipgloss and I'm good to go!

3. Vaseline
$5
 I use Vaseline for so many different things! I actually always keep a tub on my nightstand. I use it nightly on my lips as chapstick and as a cuticle softener. It works great to soften cracked heels, too--just slather it liberally all over your feet and sleep with your socks on. It works great on dry skin anywhere on your body really--I've even used it on my face!

4. Ponds Dry Skin Cream
$9

This has always been my facial moisturizer of choice. It's thick and is lightly scented. It's not greasy, and absorbs into my skin very quickly. It's very affordable, and a tub will last me about 6 months.

5. Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Line 

$10-15
I love everything in the B&B Aromatherapy line, but 'Sleep' in the Lavender-Vanilla and 'Stress-Relief' in Eucalyptus-Spearmint are my favorites. They really are like therapy! I have the body wash in both scents (& sometimes use them as bubble bath) and the little bath crystals. Definitely makes for a relaxing bath!

Meal Planning Monday

Happy Monday!

This week I want to talk about one of my favorite things to do....

Snack!

I. Love. To. Snack. I would choose snack foods over an actual meal 4 out of 5 times. 

I'm typing this with chex mix residue on my hands. My left hand keeps slapping my right hand telling it not to go back into the bag for more, but my right hand is being a total rebel. 

(*crunch crunch*)

I should probably put it away so I'll have some left to eat tomorrow.

In celebration of my love of snacking, I thought I'd share some of my favorite quick & healthy snack ideas!

*Boiled Eggs

I normally boil a dozen, peel them, and keep them in a ziplock so they're ready to eat. PERFECT for when you are really hungry but have zero time to prepare anything. Which is pretty much every day for me.

I add salt, pepper, and lots of hot sauce.

*Cheese wedges

I'm cheap, so I don't usually buy the 'pre-cut' cheese wedges. Just cut up a bunch into bite-sized chunks at the beginning of the week and you'll have it ready to go.

*Cottage cheese & pineapple or peaches

*Wheat thins flat bread crackers

You can top them with anything! Cheese, avocado, cottage cheese, hummus...My favorite is low-fat cream cheese and deli-sliced turkey.

*Bananas & Peanut Butter

*Wine

Any kind with alcohol in it, really.

*Greek Yogurt

I seem to forget greek yogurt exists every time I'm at the store, but when I do remember to buy it I'm so glad I did.

*Make-my-own-trail-mix

I buy the bulk containers of craisins and sea-salted almonds from costco and throw a few handfuls of each in a ziplock along with some mini chocolate chips.

*Chips & Salsa

We go through a lot in our house

*Sweet potato chips

Did you know they made these? I'm not talking about the sweet potato flavored tortilla chips (But those are really good too!). I got these chips that were actual sweet potatoes. Only two ingredients: Sweet potatoes & sea salt. They are delicious!

What are your favorite snack foods? 

I'm always hunting for different ideas!

And while I do love to snack, I also do try to eat at least one cooked meal a day.
Here's what we're having this week!

Zucchini Beef Skillet

I've made this several times. We love it! Hubby and I both love zucchini, and this meal is a perfect way to get your meat, veggies, and carbs all in one dish. I usually serve it over brown rice, and that's it!

Forgotten Chicken

Really yummy! & You can literally 'forget' about it. This would be a good Sunday meal to just start early and leave in the oven for several hours before dinner. 

Since there's rice in it, I usually just throw a salad together or have a green veggie on the side. 

Philly Sloppy Joes

SO good. Seriously. 

I always make sure I have really good buns when I make something like this, though, because I feel like the bun will make or break it!

I personally don't go to the trouble to make the cheese sauce the recipe suggests--I just get sliced swiss or provolone and melt it over the sandwiches in the broiler for a few minutes. 

Crock Pot Chicken & Rice

I've never made this, so we'll see how it goes!

It looks really good and really easy....My favorite!

Monterey Chicken

This is hands down my favorite baked chicken recipe ever. 

The flavors all meld together for the most perfectly perfect blend of deliciousness.

We really like spicy food, so I use the rotel, but if you don't, just use the non-spicy rotel or regular canned tomatoes.

I think this would be just as good with any kind of cheese you want. I used just cheddar last time.

Friday Fashion Diaries

Happy Aloha Friday!

 Hat: Children's Place (Similar)

Shirt: OshKosh

Shorts: OshKosh (Set with the shirt, bought from an IG shop)

Shoes: Gymboree

This entire outfit is from Janie & Jack. A friend got it as a gift for Liam when we found out we were having a boy, and it was perfect that it fit right around Easter!
They have a ton of similar stuff on their website here. 


Hat: Old Navy, bought from IG shop (Similar)
Bowtie: Target dollar bins! That's right...it was a DOLLA!
Shirt: Carter's
Pants: Arizona Brand (Sold at JCPenny & I'm not sure where else)
Bought from @thegirlwiththecurlshop on IG
Shoes: Converse

Onesie: Koala Kids brand, IG Shop

Pants: H&M

(One thing I've come to LOVE about H&M clothes, besides all the other things I already love--they will fit forever! These pants are really really roomy, but they have these adjustable elastic bands on the inside that adjust much more than any other kids' clothes I've ever seen)

Onesie: Bought from an IG shop.

Pants: Old Navy

Shoes: IZOD brand

Striped Shirt: Gap

Plaid Shirt: H&M

Jeans: Arizona Brand

Plaid Shirt: OshKosh

Shorts: Carters

Shoes: Ross

(The hat is the same hat we wore three other times this week.)

Fashion Tip of the week:

Don't be afraid to pair patterns with patterns! If they're both the same color scheme but completely different patterns, chances are they'll still look good together. Two of my favorite things to pair together are stripes and plaid. (See Wednesday's outfit).

Avocado-Feta Quinoa

The first time I tasted quinoa, I was less than impressed. MUCH less than impressed. I hated it. But I've read and read of the health benefits-- it's high in fiber & protein, is a complex carbohydrate and is full of heart-healthy fats--so I was determined to find a quinoa recipe I liked.
Part of the problem was that I couldn't find just plain quinoa at the store. I only found boxes that were pre-mixed with seasonings, and I didn't like the seasonings. I finally found a HUGE bag of plain quinoa at Target, and so I decided to try this recipe that a friend sent me...
It's a winner! I loved it! It's so full of flavor from the onions, lemon juice, avocado, & feta, and it's very filling & satisfying.

Since this is the first recipe I'm posting on my blog, I should mention that I rarely follow recipes. When it comes to something like this, I normally cook by taste, and just throw in however much tastes good to me.
This particular recipe is perfect for just 'throwing in' any amount you'd like to suit your taste--it's very versatile. I'm posting the amounts I used as a guideline.

You'll need:

Plain quinoa (2 servings, so about 1 cup dry)

Lemon Juice

Olive Oil

Feta Cheese

1 medium tomato

1 medium onion

1 avocado

Handful of spinach

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions. For me, it was 1 cup quinoa to 1 1/2 cups water. I brought it to a boil & then let it simmer 15 minutes until all the liquid was soaked up.

 2. Chop up all your veggies while it's cooking. 

I used all the tomato, 1/2 the onion, and about 1/4 cup of spinach.

3. When the quinoa is done, toss in the veggies (except the avocado) and stir.

 4. Add olive oil & lemon juice. (lime juice would be just as tasty in my opinion)

You'll use about 1 Tbsp. of Olive Oil. The lemon juice is really to your tasting--I like lemon juice a lot, so I used maybe 2-3 Tbsp. 

I added some sea salt to taste as well, about 1 tsp. 

5. Once everything is mixed in, plate it up and then add the diced avocado & feta on top, as much as you'd like. The great thing about this recipe is that you can leave out anything you don't like--my husband likes avocado, but only when it's guacamole, (WEIRDO) and he hates feta, so I left both off of his.

ENJOY! All these flavors go so well together--this is definitely a side we'll be enjoying again!

We had this with Honey Mustard Chicken, which was a hit as well! One of my favorite chicken recipes by far.

Avocado-Feta Quinoa

INGREDIENTS:

Plain quinoa (2 servings, so about 1 cup dry)

2-3 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1/4 cup Feta Cheese

1 medium tomato

1 small/medium onion (more or less to taste)

1 medium avocado

1/4 cup spinach

Sea Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions. 

2. Chop up your veggies while the quinoa is cooking. 

3. Once the quinoa is done, stir in onion, tomato, & spinach.

4. Add olive oil, lemon juice, & sea salt to taste. Mix.

5. Once everything is mixed in, plate it up and then add the diced avocado & feta on top.

Meal Planning Monday

Happy Monday! Welcome to another installment of weekly meal planning.

How many love grocery shopping as much as me?
No. Kidding, I hate it. With a million other things to do in a day, I hate to spend an hour or more of my time on the mundane task of grocery shopping, but unfortunately it must be done.

To start the week off, I'm going to share some grocery shopping tips--some things I've found to make shopping for groceries easier, cheaper, quicker & more effective.

1. Make a list!!
I normally shop for two weeks worth of groceries at a time, and I always, always go with a list. Last week, I talked about how I made my list while I was planning my meals. While I'm making my list, I also go over what snacks we might need in the house, drinks, lunch foods, etc. & take stock of my produce. I always look in the fridge/pantry to see whether we have something if I'm unsure. This way, I avoid having too much of something (and having it go bad) or even worse, forgetting an item and having to go back to the grocery store!


2. Make the list organized!
I make my list by category. I always shop at the same grocery store, so I have the layout memorized, and I make my list by order of the sections I go through. The produce section is first, then meats, then dairy, etc. Have you ever gotten to the end of the store and realized you forgot something clear on the other side? Me too. So annoying right?! Organizing your list makes that less likely to happen!

3. Stick to your list!
If you're careful and take a bit of time to plan your meals & make your list, you won't end up wasting money on a bunch of unnecessary groceries.

4. Eat a meal before you hit up the store!
We've all been there. If you shop for groceries hungry, you will end up with much more food than you actually need. If you eat first, you're less likely to make impulse purchases.

5. Go alone if possible!
I try to do my shopping when my husband is home to watch Liam--either on a weeknight after work or a weekend. I find that if Liam comes with me, it either takes a lot longer, or I rush through and either grab stuff I don't need or forget something important. If Keith comes along to the store, we're bound to have a cart full of 'Hey, this looks really good, let's try it!'

6. Get a Starbucks & wear headphones!
Grocery shopping can seem so much less daunting if you know you get Starbucks on the way! But then again...Starbucks makes anything better. I also find that if I listen to my favorite tunes while I'm shopping, it seems more fun.

Here is my menu for the week!

 

Cheeseburger Casserole

Haven't tried it, but I've heard it's yummy!
Also, I normally make my own sweet potato fries from scratch. 

Here is a fantastic recipe I found.

Maple Balsamic Pork Chops

I've made these several times and we love them! Even my husband, who 'doesn't like pork chops'. I normally use boneless pork loin chops, and if we don't feel like firing up the grill, I broil them.

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

This is the easiest dinner you'll probably ever make!

I get canned chicken and a bottle of BBQ sauce. (For two of us, two cans of chicken will do). Heat the chicken & sauce in a skillet (as much sauce as you'd like, depending on how messy you want your sandwiches to be) and that's it! Serve on your favorite buns with whatever toppings you like. 

Calzone

I love making calzones at home because you can put in whatever toppings you like. I always get the Pillsbury refrigerated pizza dough instead of bread dough, and I usually put my sauce inside rather than serving it on the side. Our favorite toppings are ham, sausage, pepperoni, onion & bell peppers.

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

Easiest, most yummy tacos ever! It's like, zero work! The hardest part is getting the toppings together when it's time to eat :)