Friday Favorites

Hi friends! I'm so happy it's Friday (I totally just typed Wednesday...#babybraininfullswing) but really Friday is what I've been looking forward to all week.  Today, my sister and I are planning to run some errands and do some last-minute Valentine's Day shopping with the girls.  I've requested that my hubby make this deliciousness for dinner on Valentine's Day because let's face it, we have a toddler and she'll be included too because we didn't make plans early enough.  Have you read this post on Honest Toddler?!  So funny and so true! Speaking of some toddler fun, these are some candid snapshots from this week ;) 

Cheesin' before toddler time

Superbowl at my sister's house - they know how to party #partyhats 

Snuck downstairs while protesting a nap..."Hi, Mommy!"

Now on to some favorites of mine this week...

I cannot wait to try this Molten Chocolate Latte!! I'm sure a trip to Target will be occurring while we're running errands so this will undoubtedly be enjoyed. Even if the toddlers are losing it in the dollar spot. Starbucks + Target are a match made in heaven.

I've been making Valentine's crafts with Livvy all week and she is loving it!  While all of the glitter, paint, and glue can cause slight anxiety (read: everywhere) I know she's really enjoying it and she needs to learn how to use everything before she goes to school.  Trust me on this, teach your kids to use scissors and glue before they start and it will make a world of difference. These are some cute crafts I've seen on Pinterest that would be great for little ones to do: rainbow heart sun catchers, bee mine valentine, heart shaped animals, and a handprint monkey valentine.  

We just ordered the 4moms Breeze and I can't waitttttt to get it!  I did some mystery shopping for 4moms and received a gift card to put towards it so I'm SO excited to use it for the new baby.  I'm a neutral girl through and through so we got the black and grey version and I love that it can fit into our home decor.  I've never been a fan of baby-themed products that are super colorful or pastels unless it was going in the playroom so it'll be so nice to have something that sleek yet totally baby functional. Also, it's amazingly easier to set up than other playards so it's a win win! 

And because I'm 30 weeks pregnant and hungry I thought I'd throw some recipes in the mix that I'd like to try...because #dinnerrut .  This Bruschetta Chicken Pasta looks yummy and simple, Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti - yummmm, White Chicken Chili - perfect for cold nights, and Pioneer Woman Beef Stroganoff would be right up my hubby's alley.  I made homemade Arancini last night and it was so good.  I paired it with lemon-garlic roasted broccoli and we gobbled it up.  For the Arancini: 2 1/2 cups of cooked rice, 1 egg, 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, mozzarella cubes, panko, 2 beaten eggs   Mix together rice, egg, and parmesan cheese.  If it's super loose, add another beaten egg.  Roll rice into balls and stuff with a cube (or two) of mozzarella cheese.  Roll rice ball in egg wash & coat with panic breadcrumbs.  Lightly fry each side and place on baking sheet.  Bake at 425 until cooked through and golden brown.  For the lemon-garlic broccoli: Coat fresh broccoli florets with olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh garlic.  Toss together and roast at 425 for 10-12 mins, flipping once halfway.  Once broccoli is roasted, squeeze fresh lemon over the top.  

{@thebirdsnestblog}

Be sure to follow along on Instagram, Facebook , and Bloglovin' for more snap shots of our week! Hope you all have a great weekend! XOXO

A Weekly Cleaning Schedule (that you can actually stick to)

Cleaning is something that I enjoy doing (most times) and I feel it helps me relax when the house is clean & calm.  Are you like that?! I'm not saying I love scrubbing the toilet, but little things each day make all the difference to have a clean home and clear mind.  It's been really hard to keep and to want to keep the house clean while having a toddler, husband, dog, cat and being 30 weeks pregnant.  Embarrassingly so, I've let the housework go longer than it should have and once that happens it's overwhelming to try to get everything back in order and clean.  My mom has always suggested a weekly routine to keep on top of housework so I created one that I can stick to and hopefully it'll be helpful to you to! Here's so to a little less cobwebs and more joy and peace;)

I'd love to hear if this is helpful to you or if you have tips to keeping on top of cleaning. XOXO

Valentine's Day Round Up: For Kids

Pretzels / Craft / Window Clings /  XOXO /  Book /  Re-Play Plates

Valentine's Day is coming up and I love to make holidays extra special for Olivia.    This year I'm planning pink, red, and heart shaped balloons and fun breakfast of heart shaped pancakes and fruit for her to wake up to! I've also filled her bookshelves with Valentine's Day themed books for her to enjoy all month long. 

She loves to help in the kitchen and I know she'll love to make & eat chocolate covered pretzels! Re-Play plates are our favorite and I can't wait to get her some flat plates in bright pink ;) 

Target always has fun dollar spot finds and these window clings are perfect for her to stick and re-stick (twenty times a day).  I also love that "xoxo" banner...so cute to hang in your little one's room or playroom.  

Crafts are one of our favorite things to do and it's so important to develop their fine motor skills.  Cutting & gluing are great for them to learn at an early age! This bee craft is simple and fun to get in the Valentine's Day spirit ;)  She's super excited to make Valentine's for our family and friends so we'll be making plenty of these.  

Lastly, there are so many cute Valentine's Day books out there.  We normally buy ours on Amazon and also check them out at our local library.  Some of our favorites are: Happy Valentine's Day Mouse,  Ollie's Valentine,  The Biggest Valentine Ever, Clifford's First Valentine's Day, and What is Love, Biscuit?.  

What are some of your favorite Valentine's Day books?  Do you have a favorite craft to do with your little ones? I'd love to hear! 

Pizza Party: Toddler Style

Is there anything sweeter than a toddler pizza party?  On Friday, my sister, mom and niece Brynn came over for a little homemade pizza party.  The girls were so excited to make their own pizzas and although it was messy and they ate more toppings than they used (ahem Olivia) it turned out to be such a fun night.  We used Naan bread, which I looove, and it was the perfect size for individual pizzas.  I whipped up a quick batch of homemade pizza sauce (crushed tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, basil, oregano, and sugar) and chopped up some fun toppings.  Olivia is currently obsessed with pepperoni, which she asks for for breakfast some days...#gag...so olives and pepperoni were the winning toppings for her.  Afterwards, we had a yummy dessert that my sister made - Fastest Fudge Cake and the girls shared a purple bath together.  

Do you homemade pizza night in your house?  I definitely think this will be a regular occurrence in our house! 

Pregnancy Progress: Weeks 17 - 28

I literally can't believe I'm 28 weeks already!  I've always heard that it flies by with your second but wow! Olivia's big girl room is coming together nicely and I can't wait to show the reveal. I'm half excited and half I-really-hope-she-sleeps-so-I-can.   She's been in her crib since day one and while it's bittersweet I can't wait to see her in her big girl bed.  The baby's room is at a stand still until Olivia's is done, so that'll be our next project.  I'm so excited to design her nursery and can't wait to show you some fun collaborations coming up. 

Moving on, here is a recap of weeks 17-28.  Lately, I've been so busy around here I haven't been able to update you and blog consistently so my goal is to get back into it more frequently ;) I love looking back at updates when I was pregnant with Olivia so it's such a sweet way to document this time.  

It's really fun to see the progression of my little baby bump! Sometimes I have little helpers (my niece Brynn was in the last picture) and sometimes it's mass chaos with toddlers running around so it's always fun to remember these picture days ;) Also, can you tell which weeks my hubby has taken the picture? He's a one snap-it looks fine kind of picture taker so most weeks my sister and I take each others updates. My sister and I still have our due date ONE day apart so I can't wait to see when each baby will be born. 

Some days I almost forget there's a little one growing in there because I'm so busy with Livvy and other days it's pretty undeniable when I'm feeling like nothing fits and I'm borderline narcoleptic ;) We have a name picked out that I can't wait to share when she is born.  Follow along on Instagram (@thebirdsnestblog) to see more weekly updates! 

Favorite Recipes || Fresh Cod with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

Hi friends! I wanted to share a new recipe that I tried last night for dinner and it was SO delicious.  Cod is one of my favorite types of seafood and even Olivia likes it so it's a win! This recipe could not be easier and its a great, healthy (ok without the cream) meal that tastes like it came directly from a restaurant. 

Here's what you'll need:

Fresh cod (enough for your family)

12 oz. jar of roasted red peppers, drained

1 garlic clove

Basil (I used frozen cubes)

1 1/4 cups of cream or half & half

Zucchini

Two carrots

1/2 red onion

Fresh parsley

Salt + pepper

I used my Dutch oven, but anything oven safe would work. 

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut veggies into matchstick pieces and set aside.

2.  Roughly chop roasted red peppers and sauté with garlic, basil and olive oil until warmed through.  Puree the mixture and return to the Dutch oven.  Add cream and veggies and stir together.  Layer the cod over the mixture and put in the oven.

3.  Cook at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until fish is flaky and cooked through.

I served ours over jasmine rice and it would certainly work over pasta or egg noodles.  Even alone with some crusty bread...so yummy!  

What are some of your favorite fish recipes?  I love to try new ones! 

Tales from the Crib

Every morning, Olivia hangs out in her crib with her stuffed animals and baby dolls.  She'll read to them or have little conversations, and I love listening to her over the monitor.  Sometimes this can go on for close to half and hour and others, she's calling for us instantly.  Boy, was she on a roll this morning!

(IG @thebirdsnestblog)

She loves to talk to her baby sister and frequently gives my belly kisses, talks to her, and exclaims "she's so cutie tootie!" I think she'll be the best big sister!  This morning started out with her saying "Baby is going to say Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, and me tell her it's ok baby."  Then she proceeded to ask her baby doll some important questions... "You have an "O" for Olivia, Baby Jesus?"  "Oh, oh, oh, ok, ok me hear you."  

One of her newest favorite songs is Shut Up and Dance.  Her version this morning was "Ho, Ho, Ho shut up and dance with me!!" She also has killer dance moves to go along with her songs ;)  

Once she decided she was awake and ready to start the day, she looked into the camera and said "Mommy, you listen to me!  I want to go to Mama's (Grandma's) house!  You listen to me right now! Mommy, you listening to me?!" She is so stinkin funny! A few weeks ago, she looked right into the camera and told me "Mommy, me speaking English!?  Come get me!"  I can't help but crack up! 

I just think this age is so funny...perfect little humans that are so hilarious! Do you have any funny stories to share? I'd love to hear ;)