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Our Day at Disneyland (In Pictures)

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Jaclyn

This year, my mom asked us if we would be willing to go to Disneyland with her for her birthday. Let’s just say it didn’t take a whole lot of arm-twisting. We knew it would be a challenge to take Luca but it was so worth it! We just took it slow and went with the flow. It was pretty fun to take him on rides and to see his reaction. My favorite ride was It’s a Small World because his reaction was adorable! The other rides (and the parade) seemed to be either boring or over-whelming for him. Thank goodness I had the Beco Soleil with me that day, it was perfect for keeping him cozy and calm. He took a couple of naps in it. It definitely made the day run smoothly. Here’s a glimpse into our fun day!

We went on Luca's 7 Month "Birthday!" Where does the time go??

We went on Luca’s 7 Month “Birthday!” Where does the time go??

My Mom got Luca this Buzz Lightyear onesie and he definitely got a lot of attention in it!

My Mom got Luca this Buzz Lightyear onesie and he definitely got a lot of attention in it!
First Stop: Tomorrow Land!

First Stop: Tomorrow Land!

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The Importance of Self-Care for Moms

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Jaclyn

When I was training to become a Marriage and Family Therapist, I had the privilege of attending a university that emphasized the importance of self-care. In fact, during our first week of class, the director of our program gave us all a good ‘talking-to’ about how we must continue to live our lives despite being in Grad School. “Don’t wait to go on vacations, get married, have babies…Life doesn’t have to stop because you started this program.” She had recently been diagnosed with a brain tumor. The gravity of her diagnosis combined with her words “Don’t wait” will forever remain in my heart. Now, as a new mom, her words are deeply impacting how I view this season in my life.

You see, her speech can influence me in two ways: 1) Don’t wait to do fun things just because we have a baby now. Yes, it will be more difficult and will require strategic planning, but we can find a way to make it happen. 2) I shouldn’t wait to take care of myself and do the things I love because I am now a mom. Is Luca my number one priority right now? In most ways, yes. I knew (sort of) what I was signing-up for when I chose to become a mom. I knew that my priority would be to raise a healthy member of society. However, I still need to take care of myself or I can’t be the mom that Luca needs me to be. Read the rest of this entry →

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4 Ingredients: Gypsy Mama Parfait

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Jaclyn
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Just 4 Steps to Breakfast Bliss

This delightful treat has become my favorite breakfast. I got the idea from the popular local hangout, “Gypsy Den.” They make a similar parfait but it’s a little more complex than this one. I decided to name this the ‘Gypsy Mama Parfait’ because oats are beneficial for increasing milk supply. If you wanted to really make this a lactation booster, add brewer’s yeast and walnuts. Prepare this the night before so that the oats have time to soak. Here it is, just four ingredients to breakfast bliss: Read the rest of this entry →

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Happy National Donut Day! (and Adventures with Meat Pies)

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Jaclyn
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Waiting in line at Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee in Costa Mesa, CA.

Well, it’s National Donut Day so of course we just had to hit up Sidecar Doughnuts. My mom just happened to fly into town this morning so she joined us (actually, if I’m being honest, this was all her idea). The flavors today were pretty tempting… Cinnamon Crumb, Bavarian Cream, Green Eggs & Ham (poached egg with ham, hollandaise sauce and basil), huckleberry, and more. But just for today they released a special Donut day flavor: Peach Cobbler with Cornmeal Crumb & Thyme Topping  and a dollop of freshly made vanilla bean whipped cream! If that sounds like a mouthful, it is, but what a delicious mouthful it was!

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Partaking in the doughnut of the day =)

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How to Apologize to a Baby

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Jaclyn

We’ve all had those moments. You know, when you are a total jerk to your kid. A couple of days ago, I was very determined to get  a lot of things done. Luca has been teething. Two components that don’t jive: Impatient Mama & Upset Baby. The thing that kills me is, I knew he was teething. I knew that he would be in pain and needing his Mama for comfort more than usual. But you know, I can’t let my kid get in the way of me being Supermom. So I decided to try to get all of the things done I wanted… bad idea.

It started with me trying to get all of Luca’s laundry put away from our vacation. He got a lot of new clothes that needed to be washed and I figured that maybe I should sort through the old clothes that are too small. Then, I thought it would be really great to make a Father’s Day for my dad. Which of course, required a YouTube tutorial and arguing with my Cricut. Then, I thought it would be super awesome to put a video of Luca “crawling” on YouTube so that my whole family could see it. Now, to do this I needed to create a “YouTube Channel” which of course took WAY longer than anticipated. Somewhere in the middle of me uploading my profile photo for my new “channel,” Luca began to whine. I tried to pick him up and continue working on my profile. He continued to whine. I tried setting him down to play. He whined louder. I tried to pick him up and bounce him on my knee. UGH this STUPID YouTube Channel won’t let me upload my photo!! Luca whines again. This time, I look right at him and demand, “WHAT?!” He stops. He studies my face. I hold my breath. He bursts into tears. I return my “Mom of the Year” trophy. No, of course I pull him close to me and stand-up. Repeatedly apologizing and swaying. He stopped crying and rubbed his eyes. Poor guy was tired! If I had been paying attention I would have noticed what time it was and seen his cues… he’d be down for a nap and I would have gotten more done anyway. Ah, the irony.  Read the rest of this entry →

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4 Ingredients: Quinoa, Tomato, Goat Cheese & Basil Salad

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Jaclyn
Quinoa, Tomato, Goat Cheese, Basil

Quinoa, Tomato, Goat Cheese, Basil

I have been having such a great time preparing whole food meals this week (I can’t believe I’m saying that!). Ok, so I’m not really a food blogger but I wanted to share some of the tasty treats that I’ve been cookin’ up. I’m all about making things that are easy, healthy, and tasty. Here is a very healthy and delicious salad that uses only 4 ingredients and takes only 4 steps. Read the rest of this entry →

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Magnificent May Finds

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Jaclyn

In May, I celebrated my very first Mother’s Day! You’ll notice that a couple of these items are related to Mother’s Day gift-giving although I’m sure they would work well as birthday gifts too. Here are some of the things I gladly stumbled upon in May:

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Initials and Birthstones are Customizable

 

A Charmed Impression on Etsy

This shop offers sweet, minimalistic, personalized jewelry such as this necklace that my mom bought for me.

 

 

 

 

Audrey Sparrow on Etsy

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Locket by Audrey Sparrow.

I made out pretty well this Mother’s Day. Caleb got me a beautiful vintage locket from Audrey Sparrow’s Etsy shop and then put a photo of Luca inside of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sprig Toys Cone Stacker

Sprig Toys Cone Stacker Made of Reclaimed Wood Chips and Recycled Plastic

Sprig Toys

My sister-in-law found this awesome toy for Luca and I can’t wait to get more of their products! They are made out of “Sprigwood” which is a biocomposite of recycled plastic and reclaimed wood chips. The toy is light weight and easy for Luca to play with. Each piece is a rattle and also has shapes that need to coordinate for stacking. This toy will be around for a while at our house!

 

 

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A Whole Week of Whole Foods (or I Ate Way Too Much Junk on Vacation)

Posted on June 2, 2013 by Jaclyn

English: Fried cheese curds

English: Fried cheese curds (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Awww, Minnesota, you do this to me every time… On second thought, so do most places I visit on vacation. Maybe I need to stop traveling. From Old Dutch Dill Pickle Potato Chips to fried cheese curds to rhubarb crisp to mayo infused “salads”… the list goes on and on. My tummy was happy at times and hurting at others. Either way, I have an extra inch around my waist that’s not welcome here. And, if I’m totally honest, I’m just kinda over it. For me, overindulgence results in a major desire to eat clean for a while. In doing so, I usually reset my palette (i.e. Eliminate my desire for dessert after EVERY meal) and I feel more energy. Read the rest of this entry →

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Minnesota Lovin’

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Jaclyn

We’ve been having a grand old time here inPreston, Minnesota! Preston is a sweet, quaint town in Southeastern Minnesota. This is where Caleb’s family is from. I’ve only been here once before and it’s so nice to be back. I wish that we could come more often.

Luca has been getting lots of love out here in Minnesota from family who hadn’t met him yet. From great-grands to cousins to old family friends- everyone wants a piece of sweet Luca Bear. Luckily, he’s been great about being passed around. I think he loves all the new playmates!

I’ve been eating way too much but hopefully we’re making-up for it with all of the beautiful nature walks.There’s a beautiful bike trail that runs next to the town and into another small town nearby. Each summer the trail brings tourists looking for some country serenity. It really does feel like another world out here. I’ve had spotty cell and Internet service- a nice reprieve from my frequent Facebook, email, and text checking. Here are some photos from our trip thus far…. You’ll see my favorite MN guilty pleasure (Old Dutch, you need to come to Cali!!), a view of the countryside, our trip to Lanesboro, playtime with Gigi & Papa, and Luca with his Great Grandma Hanson. Life is good. :)

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Remembering the Least of These

Posted on May 26, 2013 by Jaclyn

I’ve mentioned before that at times, the state of the world can really bring me down. It seems that the best remedy for feeling downtrodden is to turn to a source of hope. For me, that source of hope is Jesus. He insisted on the importance of bringing light into this dark world. One of the ways that God has brought hope and light into my life is through the organization “Compassion International.”

I have been sponsoring Noyon Roy from Bangladesh for 6 years. It has been such a joy to receive letters from him. Seeing the photos of him as he grows-up are so special to me. Compassion International provides food, schooling, life skills, vocational programs and more for each child who is sponsored. They are also backed by “Charity Navigator” a national charity evaluator.

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The Letter With a Photo of Patti (age 10) in Kenya

Today, I received a letter from the President and CEO of Compassion International. Every sponsor received this letter, I’m sure, but it still touched me. Currently, there are 4,400 older children who are need of sponsors. Either they have been overlooked by new sponsors or they lost their original sponsors.

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