Here is a quick tip for a cozy room as we head into the cooler months:
Updating a room’s quilt, comforter, or bedding can be pricey. If you go with neutral tones for bedding, you can always work colors in with your blankets and throws. I rotate mine from room to room, and always feel it gives the room a much cozier feel no matter the season. Doubling up your throws also gives a corner or bed space a welcome feel. I stacked a few for our guest room. What do you like to try to give a space a warmer look? Candles? A bunch of books? Maybe just a basket of chocolate?
Also, we are giving away a beautiful hand woven blush Chiapas throw as pictured above. Have you heard of Ara Collective? Sarah travels the globe, and curates items for the shop that employ artisans in these countries and offers them a chance to thrive in their talents. To win a Chiapas throw, head on over.
As much as I love a good pair of heels and jeans, flats are where its at for this phase in my life. My $8 pair have taken a good beating, so I have scoured the web for the best options to commit to. They are a staple in the fall, winter, and spring for me! Which is your favorite?
“And she loved a little boy very much – even more than she loved herself.” – Shel Silverstein
Life with four little ones is as busy as you would expect it to be, and probably more so, but thankfully this new little one brings a familiarity with him as well. A deep rooted confidence takes over as I get to know little Rocco. I know I have been here. It all will settle well. This new life has brought with him that very familiar newborn smell, the tiny sounds and grunts, the long 3AM parties, and the way he fits perfectly into my arms. It’s all a welcome familiarity of the most rich moments of my life. I feel selfish with time wishing the newborn days would linger a little longer, and that I could pause the ages of my children. This time around, I know just how fast it goes. Wasn’t Max just this size?
The new experiences I welcome too. The shift in family dynamics has brought some hair pulling moments, and some exhausting days, but as we all adjust to the change, so has each of our demeanors. A mother’s heart can duplicate another for each child, but I am seeing that happen for my children as well. Witnessing their love for Rocco has been perhaps the greatest of it all. After a cranky first few weeks, they each have suddenly turned a new leaf as it always happens just in time it seems. A little older, a little more mature, and a proud adjustment to their new role as guardian, sister, friend, etc. There are still many squabbles and referee times as I try to feed the baby in one hand and keep Max from the draining the dish soap bottle with the other, but thankfully there is so much more love to go around with it all. I mean….it is obvious Rocco is never left alone…
My children have offered me the gift of seeing life beyond material possessions, wanderlust, and the pursuit of success. They have given me the ability to see the eternal and intrinsic value of our relationships. A mother to her children, a child to its mother, a sister to her brother, a father to his sons, etc.
Since I know how quickly time can pass, I have wanted to just hold Rocco Samuel all day long, or wear him in his wrap, or tote around in his moses basket so as not to miss a thing. These photos will help keep these memories. Lord knows I need the help in the memory department as I just found the milk in the microwave, and my coffee in the fridge….
I’ll give you all that update on life with four kids soon. I am still in a postpartum fog. I am trying to be more patient this time around, and am allowing more room and time for the new groove to settle in. So for now, it’s just sleeping, adjusting, eating, feeding, relying on family, friends, and a whole lot of prayer. Figuring out this grand adventure one day at a time. x
Gabe and I are by no means vegetarians, but with the rise in meat prices, we are looking for ways to cut back on dinners with meat. I brought in the help of my talented friend Lauren of Love Lola to share one of her recipes!
This recipe for vegetarian chili is my absolute favorite meal to make as the air outside begins to cool. Because it uses a lot of canned beans, it’s super easy and quick to prepare. Not to mention it could feed an army! Since there are only two of us in my house at the moment, I love to make this dish for dinner parties, or freeze the leftovers and heat them up when we need a quick weeknight dinner.
I love how this recipe proves that a plant-based diet can be full of the nutrients you need, while also leaving you full and satisfied. Between the protein and the fiber found in the beans and quinoa, there’s no chance you’ll leave the dinner table still hungry. Who knew a meal without meat could accomplish that!? 😉
Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Serves 8-10
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 avocado, diced
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn, frozen
1/2 cup quinoa (dried)
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes and green chiles
4 oz. tomato paste
3 cups low sodium vegetable stock
2 cups water
1 tbsp. cumin
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne
sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded, to garnish
salt and pepper, to taste
sour cream
To start, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a dutch oven on medium low heat. Add the garlic and cook until browned. Add in the onions and continue to cook for about ten minutes, until onions are soft and translucent.
Next, add the bell pepper, sweet potato, and the rest of the olive oil and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring constantly so as not to burn. Once the sweet potatoes begin to soften, add in the beans, corn, diced tomatoes, tomatoes and green chiles, tomato paste, and spices. Stir everything together and immediately add the vegetable stock and water.
Bring the soup to a boil and add the dried quinoa. Let the liquid return to a boil before reducing to a simmer and cooking, covered, for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally as the soup cooks.
To serve, top with shredded cheese, sour cream, and diced avocado. And of course, don’t forget the cornbread! Enjoy!
Lauren Foster is a registered dietitian, blogger, and soon-to-be mama living in Greenville, SC. She is the voice behind the food and lifestyle blog, Love Lola, where she shares how healthy food doesn’t have to sacrifice flavor, and health is more that what we eat, but is a state of mind.
In case you missed the living room makeover reveal, you can find that here. And read on for the Lamp giveaway below!
Our living room had zero wall lighting, so we knew we would have to add in some lighting options to bring back to life its cave man status. Since we rent the home, I didn’t want to install any wall sconces, so floor lamps seemed like the best option. Only problem is, finding floor lamps that were different than the standard salad bowl on a stick is usually a challenge.
We found a really great selection of lighting though that combined my love of modern and Gabe’s love of traditional thanks to Birch Lane. They have a pretty wide selection of all types of light fixtures. After much hemming and hawing, we chose the Chicago Floor Lamp + Linwood Floor Lamp to compliment each other and offer that cozy corner vibe we were aiming for.
Here’s a few tips when searching for the right lighting for a room:
-Be aware of the wall height. If you have flat ceilings like our living room, the height of the wall can help you determine the proportion size of lamp you should aim for. We measured out the wall from top to bottom and took that into account when viewing the measurements of the lamp height. Proportionally, the top of the lamps fell in the middle to upper half of the wall which visually enlarged the space. Cathedral ceilings do much better with hanging fixtures since the floor lamps might get lost in a larger wall space.
– Have your lamp heights compliment or coincide. We have three lamps total in the living room, and they are all different heights (I tend to avoid too much symmetry because I think it makes it more visually interesting), but they are within eye level. It brings them together cohesively without too much visual competition.
-Consider room tones and colors. Since the carpet and pillows had their own bold colors going on, we went for neutral and gold tones to bring in more traditional styles. They are each different colors but there is some elements of gold in all three. You can think outside the box and find lamps that aren’t the same but work together in other ways like color tones or shape.
I hope these tips make sense?! Let me go grab an other cup of coffee and re-read in a bit;) But let’s get to the fun stuff…
Birch Lane is so kindly sponsoring this GIVEAWAY of my favorite Linwood floor lamp ($360 value) to one of you! I cannot wait to send it your way! It has a pulley feature where you can adjust the height of the lamp shade. Enter via rafflecopter below and we will draw a winner next Tuesday!
*The edison light bulb I added to the lamp is from West Elm.
Double Fishtail Braid Stack
Here is the second part to the half crown braid tutorial I shared last week. With a few more fishtail braids, you can create this updo in under 20 minutes.
It is so nice to have a few styles you know how to do on hand for the special occasions, or if you are like me, when you are riding shotgun and have a little time to kill (wink). Hope this video makes it easier to try something new. I’d love to see pics if you give it a go! Also, here is a re-fresh on how to fishtail braid if you need it.
P.S. Leave me any questions you have below or on YouTube and I will do my best to get back to you promptly. I will be sharing a few more fun videos soon. When you subscribe to the channel you will get a notification when a new video is posted:)
Atlanta continues to sprout up some of the best tastes in the food scene and locals are never short on options to visit. However, I think Marcel is current reigning king on the top of Gabe and I’s lists of best tastebud experience of the year. VIEW FULL POST
