Hi, friends! I have an exciting giveaway for you all today. A few weeks ago, I mentioned that the Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleep Suit was one of my must-have baby products for the first handful of months. I wasn’t kidding when I said that it made all the difference in how Ainsley slept. That girl didn’t like having her arms swaddled, and the Baby Merlin was just comforting enough to help her sleep without causing frustration from not being … Read More
30 Minute Meal: French Bread Pizza
Fall is my absolute favorite season. I know I’m going to sound like a total chiche saying so, but there’s something about the crisp air and the leaves falling and the fact that football is back on TV brings back all sorts of good memories. My birthday is in October and my husband’s birthday is in September, and our dogs both have birthdays in the fall, too, so there’s plenty to celebrate. The change in seasons also means I’m thinking … Read More
Mid-Year Reset
In my “When Life Needs White Paint” post, I talked about a mid-year reset to start fresh. Although I’m no longer in school, I love the idea of starting new habits and intentions at the beginning of the school year. There’s something SO much more inspiring about starting new goals and routines in September than in the middle of the winter in January. Anyone with me? Today we closed on our new house. There is more work to be … Read More
Baby Sleep Contraptions: A Comprehensive Review
Alternately titled: I spent way too much on swaddles and sleep products so you don’t have to. There were so many times during the first three or four months of Ainsley’s life when I would have paid almost anything for a good night of sleep. We bought a lot (and I mean, a lot!) of different sleep “contraptions” that promised a great night of sleep for our infant. Some were super successful and others were a total flop. While I … Read More
Help a Momma Out?
I picked up a bunch of cheap little dresses toward the end of the summer to bridge me into fall and have been meaning to put together more of a formal fashion post. Alas, I’ve been spending most of my days working from home and when I’m not working, I’m either tending to a sometimes fussy baby (teething!) or covered in paint as we begin our home renovation project. Ainsley, on the other hand, thinks she looks mighty fine … Read More
Does my body need changing? Or does my heart?
Let’s talk about body image. It’s been a topic that I haven’t talked about much post-baby, but that’s not to say that it hasn’t been on my mind plenty over the past 6 months. Going into pregnancy I was fearful about how my body would adjust and adapt to pregnancy and the postpartum period. I’ve never had a super fast metabolism and have always had to be relatively mindful of what and how much I eat in order to keep … Read More
When Life Needs White Paint
Sometimes I’m guilty of writing without really thinking about what I truly want to say. I’ll look at photos I’ve taken recently on my phone or camera, pick one that looks cute and write up a post without really thinking about the intention behind my words, because sometimes it’s easier to write about the surface stuff than write about the heart issues that lie deep below the shiny exterior. We’re semi-settled into our new small-town life in Iowa. Nine … Read More
Favorites Lately: August 2015 Edition
Old Navy Women’s Jersey Swing Dress $28 My friend Natalie posted about this dress, and I ran out immediately to find one for myself. It’s super versatile and comfortable, and I could see it getting some wear into fall with a great jacket and boots. NYX Wonder Stick in Universal $13 This little stick is great for contouring and highlighting. Plus, it’s available on Amazon Prime! I found it at Target a while back, but haven’t been able to find … Read More
When Breast Isn’t Best
Last week, I posted about breastfeeding (or rather, not breastfeeding and choosing to formula feed instead) on Espresso and Cream’s Facebook page. As I should have anticipated I got a lot of responses, some good and some filled with outrage. Because Facebook is short-form, I’m not sure my intent and thoughts behind my post were conveyed properly and with the clarity that I intended. I thought perhaps it was worth devoting a post to further clarification and explanation. When I … Read More
Big News!
If you follow me on Instagram, you already know that the Hofmeyers are headed to Iowa! We’re moving back to our hometown for Joe’s job and couldn’t be more excited to be closer to BOTH sets of grandparents and lots of family. I’m nervous, excited, and a bit frazzled with all that we have going on. So if things are a little big quiet around these parts over the next couple weeks, hang with me! I’ll be back with lots … Read More
You Light Up My Life
Before I had a baby I was very skeptical about motherhood. I read post after post from moms who talked about how fulfilling and amazing it was being a momma to littles, and I worried that I wouldn’t find it nearly as gratifying and wonderful as others described. I wondered, to be totally honest, if I had the “mom gene.” We walked the road of infertility for two years before Ainsley arrived. Sometimes when you’re in the thick of charting … Read More
Almond Flour + Coconut Flour Coffee Cake
This post is brought to you in partnership with Lavazza. All thoughts and opinions are, as always, my own. Happy Monday, friends! It’s been a while since I’ve posted a recipe around these parts. Truth be told, having a baby has hit my cooking game hard and I’ve been ever so slowly working my way back into the kitchen. Mornings have been all about quick, nutrient-packed smoothies and all the coffee, because Miss Ainsley still doesn’t have that whole sleeping through … Read More