crackers & carrots

chalkboard birthday poster {diy}

Posted on June 6, 2013 by caroline

This poster was a big hit at Liam’s birthday party! I wouldn’t have done it if it weren’t for the excellent idea of Heather from Tiny Sneakers. Thanks girl!

So, here it is:

First, I found a random chalkboard background online. I used this one:

Then, in my basic ‘preview’ editing program on my mac (downloading the fonts and using the annotate option), I designed the poster! I used a collection of the chalkboard fonts that I was fond of:

Next, head over to your favorite printing store (I used Staples because it was closest to me) and print out an Engineer Print in whatever size you want! It’s black and white already and I bought my 24″ x 36″ print for $3! If I had gotten the jpeg printed as a photo poster the price would have started at $30.

Last but not least, my husband assembled a few 2″x4″‘s to make the cute poster stand for the yard, but feel free to hang it on a wall, a tree or whatever you have on hand.

Happy designing!

Posted in baby, mama | Tagged birthday, birthday party, birthday poster, chalkboard, chalkboard background, chalkboard fonts, decoration, first birthday, free, party, stats | 9 Comments

cake smash {recipe}

Posted on June 5, 2013 by caroline

The moment you’ve all been waiting for…CAKE SMASH!

And if you missed the post on Liam’s first birthday, you can find it here.

Don’t forget to hydrate! We learned that from Liam’s aunt BZ, who learned from experience that the birthday boy will get fussy if he’s thirsty from all that sugar.

Finally…destruction.

Also, if you were wondering, I got Liam’s cute tie and bloomer (a.k.a. diaper cover) at a local children’s store, Little Lambs and Ivy II.

Now for the birthday cake…which I tasted after Liam smashed it and it was FABULOUS! I’m going to have to make it again!

Whole Grain Carrot Smash Cake

adapted from Nuture Baby

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting the pan)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup brown sugar
2 large organic eggs
2 small-medium apples, peeled and diced
1 cup canola oil
5 small-medium carrots, washed, stems cut off, and cut into small chunks
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
(frosting) 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
(frosting) 1/2 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
(frosting) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
(frosting) 6 cups powdered sugar

How-To

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray three 6-inch round cake pans with canola oil and dust with all-purpose flour, discarding any extra flour.
In a large bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer with the beater attachment, beat the brown sugar and eggs until foamy and thoroughly beaten.
Meanwhile, in your blender (I use a Blendtec) or food processor, purée the apple slices and canola oil together. Pour into the beaten eggs/sugar of your stand mixer.
Next, purée the carrots and orange juice together. Pour into the beaten eggs/sugar mixture of your stand mixer.
Add in the vanilla extract to your stand mixer and beat on low until all of the wet ingredients are combined.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients of your stand mixer and stir until just combined.
Equally separate out into your cake pans (about 1 1/2 cups of batter per pan).
Bake for 20-30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool for a few minutes in the pan before flipping out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, to assemble your icing, beat butter, yogurt and vanilla extract together until combined. Add in the powdered sugar until combined.
Assemble the cake and decorate as desired.

Note: I only had one cake pan, so I evenly poured the batter into three bowls and baked them one at a time.

Posted in baby, baby food | Tagged baby food, birthday, birthday cake, cake, cake smash, carrot, carrot cake, first birthday, one, organic, smash cake | 4 Comments

free lightroom preset {first birthday}

Posted on June 4, 2013 by caroline

I made a present in Lightroom 4 to edit most of the photos from Liam’s first birthday party. It’s really happy and bright.

I hope you enjoy it!

Download Preset

Posted in baby, mama | Tagged cake smash, editing, first birthday, free, free present, lightroom, photo, photography, preset | 4 Comments

first birthday party

Posted on June 4, 2013 by caroline

Don’t even get me started. I can’t believe our baby is 1 year old! It’s amazing what he’s learning every day and it’s been so amazing sharing those things with you along the way. Since I couldn’t have all of you amazing friends over for his birthday, let’s celebrate today with a recap of Liam’s birthday party…in photos.

And to finish the party off…a funny-faced photo of Liam’s parents, 5 aunts, 1 uncle, 4 grandparents and 8 great-grandparents! (Pops – Liam’s maternal great-grandfather wasn’t feeling well, so he sat this one out…hope you’re feeling better Pops!)

Now, let’s get to the specifics:

Decorations – from minted. I chose the ‘perfect party pack’ in the Colorful Balloons theme. It came with almost everything I needed to pull off the party, including precious welcome signs that read, ‘Birthday AHEAD’ and ‘Welcome to Liam’s 1st Birthday Party!’ that we displayed up our driveway. The shipping was incredibly fast and even when the signs got damaged in shipping, they sent new ones right away. I can’t tell you how much I’d recommend minted. As a bonus, the designs on minted. are made by indie designers! I just love the thought that someone at home, submitted their designs and now I have it at Liam’s party! So fun!
Chalkboard welcome sign – Come back later for a full DIY one how to make it come alive for CHEAP!
Balloons and blue table cloth – If It’s Paper
Month by Month photo tree – printed at Walgreens
Food and drinks:
- Grilled beef, turkey and veggie burgers
- Vegetarian baked beans – yes, I used canned
- Rainbow fruit skewers
- Pasta salad
- Salad
- Cupcakes – carrot and chocolate with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles
- Flavored water, unsweetened tea, lemonade and sodas
Party Favors – printed wallet-sized photos of Liam at 12 months, personalized thank you note from Liam and ’1′ sugar cookie.

Come back tomorrow to see the CAKE SMASH!

I received the products from minted. All opinions stated are my own.

Posted in baby | Tagged balloons, banner, birthday, birthday party, burgers, cake, cupcakes, favors, first birthday, flags, gift bags, milestone, one, one year old, paper straws, party | 17 Comments

the first year in photos

Posted on May 31, 2013 by caroline

You made me a mommy 365 days ago…days that have flown by. Even though I’m the busiest and most tired I’ve ever been, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been because of you. This year was my favorite yet. I’m blessed beyond words that you came into our lives.

Happy 1st Birthday Liam!

(and Happy 5th Birthday to our first born, puppy, Leland!)

One Month – We were exhausted. You were a night owl. You spit up a lot and were diagnosed with acid reflux.
Two Months – We’re still exhausted, but you started smiling and made it all better. I’m breastfeeding more often to help your reflux. You were crowned the spit-up king.
Three Months – You started sleeping through the night. We also both witnessed your first laugh. We’re so happy.
Four Months – You’re underweight still, but with help from a lactation consultate, we finally found out that it wasn’t milk supply. Your acid reflux is the culprit. Frequent meals are key.
Five Months – You discovered your voice, blowing bubbles and you had your first x-ray to rule out a more serious issue with weight gain. You’re just a small boy and perfectly healthy. We also started solid foods as per the pediatrician’s request.
Six Months – You have us wrapped around your tiny fingers. You clear your throat when you’re excited and you sat up on your own for the first time.
Seven Months – Teething and sitting up are our exciting firsts this month. You’re still the reigning spit-up king.
Eight Months – With lots of food under your belt, pinching fingers, getting on all fours and ‘dada’ it’s the month of firsts and developmental milestones!
Nine Months – You’re on the move. Crawling is your forte. You’ve got more teeth too! Bring on the food.
Ten Months – Talking and crawling are your favorites. You’re now a traveler, having flown on a plane and we started slowly weaning off breastfeeding.
Eleven Months – Mr. Mischief should be your new name. You’re on the verge of walking and getting into everything. No fear.
Twelve Months – You’re walking! You took your first steps at Disney World. I can’t believe you’re 1 year old! Happy Birthday little dude.

Posted in month by month | Tagged 1 year, 12 months, baby's first year, baby's first year in photos, month by month, photo, photos, photoshoot, see me grow, year | 5 Comments

12 months

Posted on May 31, 2013 by caroline

Date: May 31, 2013
Height: 30 inches
Weight: 20 pounds
Sleeping Pattern: Sleeps through the night, usually for 12-13 hours straight. Awesome.
Eating Habits: Finger foods (cantaloupe, bananas, watermelon, grapes, kiwi, mango, strawberries, blueberries, oranges, green beans, broccoli, peas, corn, black beans, whole grain pasta, whole wheat bread, scrambled eggs, yogurt, cheese slices, cherrios, rice krispies, puffs, and whatever we’re eating) all cut up into tiny pieces. Formula bottles (4-5) 4 ounce bottles and sippy cups of water throughout the day. We’re still weaning from breast feeding and we’re down to one feeding per day.
Development: Walking, clapping
Mischief: He is trying to climb on everything and squeeze through any break in our living room pin that we’ve created with furniture. He’ll always go for Leland’s water bowl or even the television.
Cuteness: Liam and Leland play with each other’s toys. What will usually end up happening is Liam will find Leland’s toy and he’ll play keep away from the puppy. Liam thinks it’s hilarious when Leland is trying to get the toy from him. Laughs all around!
Talking: A lot of ‘dada’s, but an occasional ‘mama’ but usually when he’s mad. :-/ Otherwise it’s a lot of babbling, laughing and blowing bubbles.
Favorites: Stroller rides, playing with Leland, anything electronic, and bananas.
Firsts: First trip to Disney World on May 16-20th. First steps at Disney’s Grand Floridian on May 20th.
Concerns: He had his first fever (100F) on May 28th, but it didn’t seem to bother him much…nothing a little Baby Einsteins and cuddling couldn’t fix. We’re still trying to read to him, but he wants nothing to do with books. Any tips on how to get him to enjoy reading more?
A Day in the Life: Liam wakes up now around 9am and has his first bottle. One hour later he’ll have a breakfast of finger foods. One or two hours later he’ll go down for a nap. That nap will usually be one hour long. He’ll have another bottle, followed by finger foods, followed by a bottle, followed by finger foods, followed by a bottle and a bath. Occasionally, there will be an afternoon nap between those meals, but lately that doesn’t happen. We’ll have a little bit more of a bottle and head to bed around 7:30pm.

Happy 1st Birthday Liam and Happy 5th Birthday Leland!

Posted in month by month | Tagged 12 months, month by month, walking | 4 Comments

how to survive 1000 miles with a baby

Posted on May 28, 2013 by caroline

Recently my family and I drove down to Orlando, Florida for a trip to Disney World (lots of photos of our trip here)! To make the long trip bearable and enjoyable as possible, I created a list of tips and lessons we learned as we traveled 1000 miles in the car with an 11 month old.

It’s even more awesome that this great article that I wrote is on What To Expecting! Head over here to see it! Woot.

What are some of your go-to ways to make a car ride with kiddies quiet and enjoyable?

Posted in baby | Tagged baby einsteins, car, driving, ipad, lessons, quiet, road trip, tips, travel, tricks, what to expect, whattoexpect.com | Leave a comment

‘parenting, uncensored’ ebook from babble

Posted on May 14, 2013 by caroline

I have some really awesome news that I’ve been keeping a secret until today! My PCOS success story has been featured in Babble’s new Parenting, Uncensored book series! It’s in the ‘getting pregnant’ eBook that is now for sale.

In this book, the Babble editors have chosen 10 of us to incorporate our stories into this eBook. The stories are unbelievable and you just experience the laughter, sadness and joy found in this book. I hope you’ll pick up a copy!

They will be releasing books on the following topics:

Breastfeeding (released May 14, 2013)
Getting Pregnant (released May 14, 2013)
Pregnancy
Giving Birth
Those First 12 Weeks
Post-Partum Depression
Body After Baby
Sex After Baby
Sleep Training
Discipline
Potty Training
Life After Baby

Please excuse me while I go do the happy dance!

Posted in mama, pregnancy | Tagged babble, babble.com, e-book, eBook, getting pregnant, parenting | Leave a comment

Bumped by BLANQI

Posted on May 9, 2013 by caroline

After seeing Natalie wearing the BLANQI at BlissDom a few months ago, I knew I needed to try it myself. She actually got it shipped straight to the conference from her sister, one of the founders of BLANQI.

The BUMPED by BLANQI is a more affordable postpartum cami intended for everyday shaping of your new mommy body. I’m so excited to show you how I liked it! And go…

I’m wearing shorts and shirt from Target, postpartum BUMPED by BLANQI, shoes from Journeys. Liam is wearing a white onesie with overalls and shoes from Old Navy.

BLANQI makes two types of camis:

maternity cami - $34.99
postpartum cami - $34.99

Both camis come in either ivory or black.

Key points about the BUMPED by BLANQI:

under the bust design – perfect for nursing
high back and low waist – covers the maximum amount of area to help smooth lines
breathable – moisture wicking fabric
stretchy material – nylon and spandex for maximum stretchiness
affordable – $34.99 versus other postpartum support bands

a Rafflecopter giveaway

No purchase necessary to enter. Prizes will only be shipped within the United States. Winner will be selected at random by rafflecopter using Random.org. All entries received after the giveaway closing day and time will not be considered. Entries that do not follow the entry requirements will not be considered. Winners will be notified via email and will have 24 hours to confirm receipt of the email. If the winners do not reply within 24 hours, another winner(s) will be selected. Giveaways will be mailed to the winners’ address. This giveaway has been sponsored by BLANQI. I received the BUMPED by BLANQI to review for this post. All opinions stated are my own.

Posted in mama | Tagged bumped by BLANQI, cami, clothing, maternity, nursing, postpartum, shapewear | 30 Comments

1st birthday invitations {giveaway}

Posted on May 7, 2013 by caroline

I can’t believe almost one year has passed already! It feels like just last week I was holding this tiny 8 pound baby in my arms and now he’s mister independent and on the verge of walking!

With that said, it’s prime to time make Liam’s 1st birthday invitations!

Do you like it?

Recognize that address? Anyone? If you do…name that show!

To make this precious invitation, I used this lovely iPad app:

I’m excited to show you its features and what I did and didn’t like about it. Ready and go!

The app is great for cards, invitations or just something to put in a picture frame. First, you can choose the shape you want your craft to be:

Next, you come to the craft portion of the app. You have all of your tools on the left:

inserting a photo (from gallery or taking one)
stamps
glitter
text
pen
corner punches
paper
stickers
and overall themes of these tools.

When you click on the themes, four themes come with the app (shown here):

You can also click the sticker button and it pulls out the sticker drawer, where each theme has different stickers to choose from:

The stamp drawer works the same way and has a variety of stamps.

Below is the gallery screen. You can view your crafts in thumbnails or close up like you see here. This is also where you can duplicate a project, share (via email, facebook, twitter, or just add photos or create a pdf of your craft), order on snapfish, print or trash it.

Also, do you see the snow globe in the corner above? This is what that does. No idea what for. ???

Since the app is limited to the 4 themes, you can also purchase extras.

The intro to the app has a cute example of what can be done in the app, too:

Okay. So, here are my thoughts.

Things I didn’t like:

Stickers and stamps can’t be sized any bigger than it’ll let you.
There’s no capability of centering things, you just have to eyeball it.
There are 12 other themes that you can buy (with more coming soon) that all have to be individually purchased for $1.99 a piece and that’s after buying the app for $4.99.
To make the stamps solid, you have to layer them on top of each other.
The pen and glitter is all free hand. If you want straight lines, good luck!
There’s no bar indicating the size of the text. You have to either duplicate the text or just guess.

Things I did like:

There are ways to work around the flat text look by duplicating the text, changing the colors of the two and layering them.
It’s easy and very intuitive if you just want something quick.

Overall, I enjoyed using it, especially once I got in the groove…with no baby interruptions (thank you nap time!). It’s fun just to play around! So, do you want to win the app?