Do you ever get that feeling about mid-afternoon, that dread in the pit of your stomach when you realize you have no idea what you’re making for dinner, there’s no food in the house, and you really don’t want to fork out for takeout again?
Oh yes, that feeling. I know it well.
And while I don’t have the answer to perfect meals every night of the week (or kids who don’t complain about them) I do have some simple ideas for how you can bring a little more zen to the dinner table.
These recipes are featured in my book, 50 Things to Do Before You Deliver: The First Time Moms Pregnancy Guide. Available now: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
A lot of moms completely lose the desire to have an adult beverage when morning sickness sets in. But when those clouds part in the second trimester, some of us really start to miss our happy hour faves.
Whether you enjoyed cocktails prior to pregnancy or not, mocktails are a fun way to treat yourself while pregnant and after–no special occasion required. Here are a few of my favorite recipes.
This is a preview from my new book, 50 Things to Do Before You Deliver: The First Time Moms Pregnancy Guide: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Babies make you hungry, but for most new moms, it’s hard to find time to sit down to three hot meals a day. Snacks are going to become life sustaining, and it’s important that you’re able to eat them with one hand! Why? Because you’re not going to want to put your beautiful baby down, or they won’t want you to put them down. Either way, lots of holding is going to happen, and you need at least one arm and hand for that.
I rarely make it to local influencer events because I live in the burbs, and I have 4 kids, and it can be hard for me to find time to brush my hair most days. But something about an invite to come check out and shop at a newly redesigned Target screamed, “OMG your readers are going to want to see this and you get a free shopping trip out of it, childfree, on a Saturday!” So I made this happen today.
Target gave me some cool swag and a gift card, but they aren’t paying me for this post.
I also rarely blog on a Saturday, but this is a great excuse to hide in the office in silence with coffee while the rest of the family does laundry. (BETWEEN YOU AND ME.)
Enough about me, let’s get to Target. (Literally, you’re going to want to GET to a Target that’s been remodeled after you see this.)
One of the most noticeable differences is that home decor has been moved to the front of the store AND it’s displayed in a way that’s meant to inspire you and give you home decorating ideas. Pillows and vases and everything else is displayed at varying heights, and in a way that makes you have to hunt less for those gems we love to bring home even though they weren’t on our list in the first place. Good news… bad news? I’m not here to judge.
Clothing is also displayed in a more creative way, with mannequins showing off stylish combos, and now you can find coordinating pieces like shoes and accessories all in one spot, making it so much easier to run in with toddler in tow, grab an ENTIRE outfit, and head out in time for that event you totally didn’t have time to shop for.
The women’s plus collections are laid out similarly and have a variety of options as its own, separate section. That’s right! It’s no longer smooshed into a corner with maternity! (Junior’s plus size is still incorporated with other junior sizes because feedback from younger women showed they wanted to be able to shop in the same section as their peers.)
You’ll now find maternity around the corner, between loungewear and intimates.
That placement sounded odd to me at first until they explained that this way they were able to combine maternity clothes with maternity (and nursing) bras, camis, and underwear.
Hooray for pregnant women only having to visit one spot to get what they need! Maybe they can put an endcap here with pickles and Sour Patch Kids, too?
Across the way, in the Kids’ Room Decor section, you’ll find rows and rows of Target’s brilliant Pillowfort line. Again, the displays are no longer just plain shelving. They really want kids to be able to walk through and help put together their own room designs by grabbing what grabs their attention. Unfortunately, for us, I anticipate having to keep little hands from pulling off 10 pillows while I’m not looking. A fair tradeoff for the adorable options at amazing prices, though.
The Tech section takes on a Best Buy vibe, looking very legit, and serviced by employees who know their way in and out of all the tech stuff they have to offer.
Their Circo brand nursery line has been phased out, and in the Baby & Toddler section, Cloud Island is taking its place with on-trend, affordable, natural and/or organic pieces. BACK IN MY DAY 9 years ago when I had my first baby, you had to go to very expensive baby boutiques to get crib bedding this cute. I HOPE YOU KNOW HOW LUCKY YOU ARE, WHIPPERSNAPPER NEW PARENTS.
Also, let’s take a minute to slow clap for this.
All you need is a sheet, friends. Not only is Target not displaying all the unnecessary stuff (that they could make money off of selling you), they literally have a sign to tell you YOU DON’T NEED IT. Man, I just love Target. *sigh*
We dress our kids in Cat & Jack clothes nearly every day. I’m obsessed with their basics and their positive messaging. The quality is incredible for the price.
In the re-design, you’ll see more emphasis on the Cat & Jack line in baby, toddler, and big kids.
I couldn’t help but notice this female-looking mannequin rocking the Nasa tank top in a display between the boys and the girls section. Interesting considering this tweet that went viral this week.
In addition to the Cat & Jack line, you’ll also find Art Class in the big kid sections, which is the line for kids who want to dress and express themselves.
I’m all about dressing in athleisure lately, and I’m sure I’ll be adding a lot more to my wardrobe before we take off in an RV for a year. There are now expanded active wear sections in both the mens and womens sections with a ton of high-quality options at wonderfully reasonable prices (says the girl who spent way too much money on her last pair of compression leggings from another store and is now in love with the ones on that mannequin in the blue top).
Also worth noting, their women’s swimwear section is HUGE! And it’s full of options that let you buy just a top by your specific cup size and whatever style of bottoms suit you best, including some high waisted options!
The grocery section is laid out and lit in a way that makes it feel like you’re shopping at a fancy grocery store, not just some other aisles in Target.
The produce section is expansive and specifically designed to make room to add more produce to the floor when it’s in season.
They are bringing in a lot of local food & drinks, the Starbucks is still there, and this grab and go area at the front is a super cool option for quick snacks and lunches. Also, let’s talk about those lights. They’ve replaced all the fluorescent with LED lighting, which means a 35% energy savings and also makes the store just… look better. I really don’t know how else to describe it.
Finally, I know what you all are worried about. “But Jill, what about the Dollar Spot?!” Friends fret not! Behold! It is still there.
What will probably not be there when you visit is the Target dog. He’s very busy. Sorry! (OMG how lucky am I?)
As of June, 2017 these North Texas/Dallas area stores are remodeled- North Dallas Coit Road, Plano West, Frisco North, McKinney, Fort Worth Central, Addison, Mansfield, Watauga
More Dallas area store remodels are expected to roll out as follows:
July 2017- Rockwall, Burleson, Waxahachie, Euless
August 2017- Love Field, Frisco, Dallas North East
October 2017- Medallion, North Richland Hills, Flower Mound, Mesquite, Hurst, Cityview, McKinney SW, Denton, Allen North, Lewisville
If you’re not in the Dallas area, I don’t have much info for you at this time, but I’ve reached out to see if corporate can provide me with more details about remodels around the country and will update if/when they get back to me.
Wallace is beginning to show all the signs of readiness- he wants to EAT.
You know when you are acutely aware that 4 kids is quite a few kids? When you take them all out to dinner for the first time.
That was our night last night.
This wasn’t just any old dinner out, though. THIS? This was family date night at McAlister’s Deli.
McAlister’s Deli is sponsoring this post.
We are not at a point in our life when regular (or even irregular) date nights happen- like, just Scott and me. These little monsters lovely children go everywhere with us. So last night was a bit of an early Valentines Day celebration, but with the whole family.
I know we’re not alone. All of you who have no chance of sneaking off for a romantic dinner for two on the 14th, HERE’S THE PLAN:
You, your love, your littles…. your little loves- go to McAlister’s Deli on Valentines Day for a #McAlistersFamilyDateNight (and then sign up to win a whole year of family date nights).
Why? Kids eat free on February 14th- up to 2 Kids Meals for every adult entree when families dine in!
Also, because McAlister’s is the kind of place with something on the menu that will make everyone- even the pickiest of toddlers- happy. Lowell devoured his mac & cheese, applesauce, graham crackers, and milk.
A place you can take your (rowdy and still mastering table manners) crew on Valentines Day, and you’ll be treated like family.
And maybe, just maybe, if the kids can easily find something they love on the menu, and if you don’t have to stress about asking them to stop pulling the tablecloth or sticking their finger in the candle, then you might have a shot at a fun, sweet Valentines Day dinner… no matter how many kids you bring with you.
Also? Their desserts are amazing.
What is Valentines Day without great dessert?
It’s pointless. The answer is Valentines Day is pointless without great dessert.
It’s also pretty pointless if you’re not sharing it with somebody, or all the bodies, that you love. So don’t give up on a Valentines Day date night. Just make it a #McAlistersDateNight.
Then, don’t forget to enter to win an entire year of Family Date Nights at McAlister’s. You can enter to win even if, say, your kids get the flu this weekend and you don’t get a chance to actually go to McAlister’s. I mean, I don’t wish that on any of you, but… we know it’s gonna happen to someone because KIDS.
Thanks to McAlister’s Deli for sponsoring this post and our first dinner out as a family of 6.
Sponsored by Very Berry Cheerios
Three things we love- berries, Cheerios, making messes. Okay, I don’t really “love” that last one, but when you’re a mom 0f 4 (so crazy to type that!), you have to learn to at least embrace them. Sometimes #BerriesEverywhere is just a fact of life.
We made this video when I was 40 weeks and 1 day pregnant, and I’m not ashamed to say that not only did I have the dog clean up the mess on the floor, but Very Berry Cheerios were our lunch that day. (Watch for Rosie’s video debut!)
After all, our oldest is kinda a pro at making bowls of cereal for himself and his brother and sister.
Very Berry Cheerios just landed on store shelves, and if you love the taste of real berries in every bite of your cereal, you need to go get you a box or 3. (They’ll go fast if your family is anything like ours.)
Don’t forget to embrace your own mess and share your #BerriesEverywhere moment with us on social media! (And yes, I realize this picture in no way represents any kind of “mess” but if you could see behind me as I took the picture…)
Thanks to Very Berry Cheerios for working with me on this post and video!
Let me tell you a story about the first time I went grocery shopping at ALDI. It began as I’m sure most trips do there- at the grocery cart coral, as I tried to figure out how to retrieve my cart after inserting a quarter to, essentially, rent it. Momentarily, I felt really stupid and a little frustrated. That is until a kind older man approached me with a smile on his face, “You trying to get that buggy out?” “Yes, I’m new here. Obviously,” I smiled back. He showed me how it worked and gave me a knowing “we’ve all been there once” look.
Now, this sponsored post is supposed to be all about my experience in the store, buying, and using the products, and I’ll definitely get to that, but I think it’s worth noting that so much of my first trip through those aisles was peppered with genuinely kind interactions with other customers and store employees. And, no, nobody knew I was there to report back to all of you.
So, as I mentioned in my last post about ALDI, I know a lot of my friends and family and readers are big fans, but despite one opening near us not too long ago, I just never got around to visiting our local ALDI. Safe to say, though, I’ll be going back regularly now.
I mean, you guys, even just for the savings on stuff we pack for the kids’ lunches! We make 13 school lunches a week, and stuff like organic fruit snacks really add up when we shop at other stores.
Who am I kidding? Like these are only for lunches? The kids go through fruit snacks and cheese sticks like water, especially when their friends are over.
I was also so happy to see organic milk for much less than we’re paying for it at any other store in our neighborhood because we go through a lot of that, too.
I wound up getting nearly a week’s worth of groceries for just a little over $100. We already had meat for the week and some produce, so I didn’t have to spend on that, but I did stock up on a lot of pantry staples like sugar and muffin mixes for breakfast. Um, and also some chocolate candy. For me.
Quick newbie note- in addition to needing to bring a quarter to “rent” your cart (you get the quarter back when you return the cart), you’ll either need to bring your own bags or pay to buy theirs.
Per usual, I forgot my own bags because my brain is practically pouring out of my head lately (it’s like pregnancy liquidates the cells), but I was able to buy paper bags for a nominal cost. You do have to bag your own groceries, but there was a convenient area right near the checkout in my store.
A reader actually had a great suggestion to bring laundry baskets with you. I will definitely have to (try to remember to) do that next time.
I’ve said before that I don’t like to sacrifice the quality of our food to save money, and I really don’t think that I have. We’ve been eating what I purchased at ALDI all week, and I haven’t noticed a difference. Their sparkling water is a perfect substitute for my (other fancy name brand sparkling water) addiction! We are going to save sooooo much money.
In some ways, the quality of the food is probably better than the name brands we’re used to purchasing. Their SimplyNature line is free of 125 artificial ingredients, all organic and non-GMO. Plus, ALDI is continuing to expand its organic options and is removing all pesticides and growth hormones from their private label products.
So yes, we will be back! Often. I’m glad I finally got through those doors to give it a try, and that next time I’ll be a pro at renting my cart and bagging my own groceries. Now, if you’re an ALDI fan, you need to tell me what I absolutely have to add to my next shopping list. Go!
This post was sponsored by ALDI, and product was provided at no charge. All opinions are my own, and not representative of ALDI. You can follow ALDI on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
Really excited to be working with General Mills today to talk about how we’re getting ready for the FIRST year we’ll have 2 kids in elementary school, and how we’re hoping to keep chaos to a minimum.
The morning rush before school can get loud and panicked at our house real fast, and that was with only ONE child to get out our door and into the school doors by 7:25 am every day. (Yeah, I’m still bitter about that super early start time.)
Honestly, I’m really scared of how it’s going to be with two of them this year. I don’t want the new normal to be sending them both off to a full day of learning after we all yell at each other and run around trying to find what we need.
Mornings are going to have to change, and mostly that means that Kendall (8 years old, going into 3rd grade) is going to have to step it up and be more self sufficient. He’s 100% capable of doing this.
I think so much of his success will depend on how well we empower him, so we’ve got a three-step morning routine that we’ve laid out for him, and we’re doing everything we can to make it an easy transition.
1. Pick Your Clothes, Dress Yourself
Yes, my 8 year old son will still gladly let me pick out his clothes for him. And this is great sometimes, except when he relies on it. What will be even better is if he can choose what he wants to wear the day before, and then set it out so it’s ready to go.
How we’re supporting him: We hang outfits- shirts and shorts/pants – together on the same hanger so he just has to grab a hanger of clothes and he’s good to go. We also provide the kids a single place in the house where shoes (are supposed to) go, hopefully eliminating the frustrating shoe search. We call it the shoe closet, it’s downstairs under our staircase, and yes, it smells awful.
2. Wake To An Alarm
Probably the BIGGEST change is we’re going to expect him to wake to an alarm clock (and not one he calls mom or dad), get those clothes on, and get downstairs in a reasonable amount of time. We’re simply not going to have the time to micromanage two kids in the morning, especially once baby #4 gets here in December.
How we’re supporting him: Luckily, he seems to be buying my story about how the alarm clock is a huge right of passage and totally equals growing up. For now. We also bought him a basic, easy to use alarm clock with no extra features and big numbers. May possibly move it across the room depending on how quick he figures out the snooze button.
3. Make Your Breakfast, And Help Your Sister Make Her’s Too
Breakfast is not our favorite meal of the day around here. I don’t make hot breakfasts for the kids, and they don’t ask for them. It must be genetic because I have never enjoyed bacon & eggs for breakfast. BUT we do recognize that it’s a very important meal, especially for kids, and we always make sure the kids eat before they go to school.
We love keeping General Mills Cereal in the pantry. I don’t feel any guilt over my kids’ first meal of the day being cereal because kids who eat cereal are more likely to meet daily requirements for key nutrients, and it’s the number one source of vitamin D and calcium.
I am also mega impressed that their Big G cereals contain more whole grain than any other ingredient, and by how hard General Mills is working to remove artificial flavors and colors from artificial sources from their cereals.
“Cinnamon toast crunch uses real cinnamon, Cocoa Puffs & Reese’s Puffs use real cocoa, and Honey Nut Cheerios uses real honey for flavor. For color, Trix and Fruity Cheerios use extract from blueberries, purple carrots, and turmeric.” – General Mills
Plus? Kendall can TOTALLY get a couple bowls, spoons, boxes of cereal, and milk out, and make his sister and himself some breakfast, which is going to be immensely helpful mornings I’m stuck on the couch breastfeeding a newborn and finding the toddler’s favorite Netflix show while their dad is out of town.
How we’re supporting him: We always let the kids each pick out their own favorite box of cereal, and now we’re keeping them in the pantry on a shelf that is within their reach. We also moved some cereal bowls and spoons right next to them.
We’re hopeful Kendall will embrace these three steps quickly, and not only will our mornings be easier because of it, but he’ll feel proud of himself. It’s a little daunting to take that leap where you go from doing everything for your kid (I mean, last year I put his socks and shoes on him while he ate the bowl of cereal I poured him) to expecting them to do it themselves. I think I need to get out of our way here, though. He’s got this.
Big thanks to General Mills for sponsoring this post, and also for making a breakfast option that makes my life so much easier with no guilt attached.
I’m not sure that Disneyland was the highlight of Leyna’s weekend in California. That honor might go to Duff’s Cakemix and Charm City Cakes West.
You know Charm City Cakes, right? Home to Ace of Cakes’ Duff Goldman? My 5 year old daughter is obsessed with Duff… in that she binge watches all his shows and is actively prepping to become the next Kids Baking Champion.
That tongue means serious business, you guys. She. Is. Ready.
Before we left for LA, I reached out to Charm City Cakes West to ask if we could make an appointment just to peek inside their bakery, and I explained what a HUGE fan Leyna is. The staff was so nice, and pointed out that in addition to checking out Charm City Cakes West, we could actually decorate our very own cakes right next door at Duff’s Cakemix.
So we took Delilah, Morgan’s daughter, with us, and the girls made magical, fondant covered creations.
Yup, in addition to a few colors of buttercream frosting (complete with piping bags), and a couple candy toppings, they got to choose two colors of fondant. I can not begin to explain how that word has haunted me the last few months- FONDANT.
Leyna is obsessed with the idea of decorating cakes with fondant. I CAN’T EVEN BEGIN TO FROST THEM WITH BETTY CROCKER VANILLA FROSTING. She was born to the wrong mother. (But she does come from a long line of bakers and cake decorators on her dad’s side so we can blame them.)
I’m telling you, as soon as I saw online that fondant was provided, along with all the tools needed and professionals to help, I was sold. YES, this was a thing we would do in LA, for sure.
Plus, gotta love a place where you make a huge mess there and then someone else cleans it up for you. After they airbrush your cake pearlescent pink.
Of course we splurged ($2) for the Disco Dust. She is so legit now, y’all.
And then?! The fun wasn’t over because we got to pop in next door and check out the bakery!
The girls promised to be VERY good and not touch anything, so they got a little up close with a real-life Charm City Cakes creation, inspired by Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs.
Mark, the manager, was incredibly gracious, and I’m so thankful for the time he took to talk to the girls and show them around. I mean, you can’t really tell here, but they were super happy.
And shortly after that, Leyna and I took her cake (boxed and bagged) through LAX security and onto the plane. It safely made it home to Dallas, and we’ve all had a piece (or three).