Feeding Our Little

It’s no secret that our son, Krew loves his food. We are incredibly blessed to have a good eater on our hands! He eats a pretty good variety of foods, but he definitely has his favorites. If it was his way, he’d eat macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets with ketchup, and oranges all day every day. It could be worse.

Let me start by saying, I’m just sharing what worked for us as far as his eating journey goes. Every baby and family is different and I cannot stress enough to do what works for you, your babe, and your family. I’m not an expert by any means, just a mama sharing what she feeds her little babe. We definitely encouraged Krew to eat well, but he totally took the reigns on some foods and surprised the heck out of us on what he liked and didn’t like! They will let you know, mama.

Eating Journey

Krew started on purées a tiny bit (really just tasting) them around 4 months. He was eating one or two types of purées every day around 6 months with milk being the number one source of nutrition. We didn’t stress about the purées, more like “if he eats it great, if he doesn’t oh well” because we knew the milk was the most important at this point. He got teeth fairly early, which allowed us to start playing with other foods when we saw fit. We tried a puff around 7.5 months, and he wasn’t ready (mama freaked out a little) because he didn’t know to really chew yet. Anywhoooo, that led us to put it off a little longer because we weren’t in a rush. We did start letting him have some refried beans at Mexican restaurants around this time too because they’re so similar to purées. He LOVED them. As he got closer to 8-8.5 months we let him have small bites or bananas, avocados, and eggs, which he didn’t like at the time because of texture (he loves them now.) He was still doing his bottles and purées and eating them very well! We just played around with some soft foods and let him kind of try some things here and there so he could get more comfortable. He did love the rice rusks, cheese crunchies, and puffs around 8-9 months because they all dissolved pretty well but allowed him to learn to chew a little. My top thing I want to say is that all of this was trial and error 100%. And it still is sometimes! He slowly started to do better with real food and around 11 months he was eating a lot more table food (he also had more teeth too). Now he eats so many different things, but just recently in the past 3-4 months has really taken an interest in feeding himself with the utensils. We still use the pouches for snacks or lunch with other things! It’s all been such a learning curve for him and me and Brandon, so we’ve just been totally figuring out what works for us and him together!

I’ve put together a list of our go-tos that Krew eats all the time and loves. We try to keep it simple, easy, get a pretty good variety, and from one mama to another, it doesn’t have to all be perfect all the time! Yes, we do frozen meals, frozen pizzas, uncrustables, instant macaroni and cheese, chocolate milk. These aren’t off the wall suggestions, they are super simple and some are healthy some probably aren’t, but like I said, this is what works for us! Side note: Krew eats what we eat for dinner a lot of nights, unless we’re doing something he doesn’t like, or if it’s spicy, or we’ll just tweak his meal to be similar to ours! There are breakfast options, lunch/dinner options, and snack options. I didn’t place together meals because you can put anything from the list together for whatever your little likes! I hope it can give some inspiration for what to feed your littles!

Breakfast

• Grits (with or without cheese)
• Scrambled eggs (this is where we’ll mix in some things just to add a little more flavor like ham and cheese or things he wouldn’t usually eat by themselves like avocado)
• Cinnamon toast
• Peanut butter toast
• Fruit (oranges, bananas, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, grapes // we’ll also cut some of these up and mix them together at the beginning of the week)
• Waffles/pancakes (he also loves fruit syrup instead of regular)
• Hashbrowns
• Cinnamon rolls
• Yogurt

Lunch/Dinner

• Ham and cheese sandwich or roll ups
• Carrots (cooked)
• Fruit
• Macaroni and cheese
• Lasagna
• Spaghetti
• Butter and Parmesan noodles
• Hamburger helper cheeseburger macaroni
• Any pasta and sauce (he loves the rotini noodles)
• Pizza (totally do frozen sometimes)
• Green beans
• Chicken nuggets
• Fries/tater tots
• Cheesy rice
• Pb&j (uncrustables)
• Cheese quesadilla
• Grilled cheese with pickles (the pickles totally shocked us!)
• Sweet potatoes
• Potatoes
• Chicken casserole

Snacks

• Pirates booty
• Cheese puffs
• Goldfish
• Ritz
• Pouches
• Kids clif bars (z-bars // he likes the iced oatmeal and peanut butter cookie ones)
• Vanilla wafers
• Cheez-its
• Fruit loops
• Graham crackers with peanut butter
• Fruit

Okay so with any of these lists (other than snacks) you can just pick 2-3 and make a simple meal with some variety for your littles! Also, if you have a picky eater, choose something they love and try to put things in it or with it (avocado in eggs, fruit in pancakes or waffles, cheese on some veggies, fruit in yogurt.) Try to not stress about it and just get them to eat what they will of course! And like I said, I’m no expert, just sharing our personal experiences! I hope this was helpful and let me know if you have any questions!

I’m just a mama feeding her little babe.

Let’s Talk Self-Tanner

I feel better with a tan. I don’t know what it is about my body having some color on it, but man does it make me feel better.

• It makes my mood better (because I don’t look in the mirror and feel all pastey)
• It makes my makeup easier with is a win all in itself. Somehow the tan helps with my dark circles because hello it’s not dark circles right next to pastey white skin, but instead beside somewhat tan skin and I can either go without makeup more confidently or use less makeup. Either way, the tan makes it better.
• I can wear shorts/dresses/sports bras/bathing suits without feeling like I’m blinding myself or someone.

It defines the small amount of muscle that I do have and just helps it to look more oomph (you know what I’m talking about.)

So, let me say first, I have absolutely no problem or care in the world with people who don’t care to be tan, or use tanner, or get a tan in the sun (let me be the first to tell you, I LOVE a tan from the sun, with sunscreen of course, but it is too dang cold for that right now.) I’m all about doing what you want to do with your body, skin, hair, whatever it is to make you feel your best.

If you want to wear makeup or not, workout or not, get your nails done, do them yourself, or not at all, get your hair colored whatever way, or not, literally whatever it is, you do you! And for me, it means I like to use self tanner to give myself than “tanned” look year round. To each their own.

Okay, now let’s talk about the self tanner I’ve been using because I love it and it is budget-friendly. That is a major win in itself. I’ve been using the Tanologist self-tan mousse in the shade dark. The tanner is under $20 and worth every penny in my opinion.

How I Apply:

First things first, I shower and in the shower I shave and exfoliate. I’ll link my razor because it’s my absolute favorite ever here. And I also wrote a whole separate blog post all about it here. After I shave, I exfoliate all over using this and the Dove exfoliating body wash.

Once I get out of the shower and dry off, then I’ll lotion my whole body including my face. You can use whatever lotion you like best. Let you lotion dry for a few minutes!

Now you are ready to get your tan on. Let’s do this.

I apply it with a mitt in circular motions all over. I also use this tanner on my face, but if you’re not comfortable with that, there are tanning drops you can mix into your moisturizer/lotion to put on your face. Some people prefer one over the other. Complete preference!

This tanner doesn’t have color to it, so make sure you remember where you’ve applied so you’re not putting too much in certain places or running over the same places multiple times. The mitt really helps it to look even and not splotchy or streaky. Do the bigger surface areas on your body first with the most product on your mitts, then use excess for knees, elbows, hands, feet. Make sure to only go over these areas once or they can get to much tanner on them and not look natural. Also, bend your elbows and knees when running the mitt over for natural and best coverage. Don’t forget your neck area and behind the knees!

When do I apply? I apply at night after Krew goes to bed usually. This tanner takes about 4 hours to process and if you want it darker leave it longer. So, this works out perfect to apply and have it on overnight while you sleep, then rinse in the shower the next morning. After I apply and let dry for a few minutes, I’ll put on dark, loose long sleeves and dark loose pajama pants to sleep it. This helps it to not transfer onto light clothes or my bed! The next morning, I’ll hop in the shower and do a super quick rinse (don’t scrub). This just gets the excess off and gives it a natural, blended look.

If you want your tan to last, use lotion everyday, especially on your dry areas (elbows, knees, ankles, hands, feet).

With this tanner, I haven’t noticed it getting splotchy as the days pass. Even on day 4-5, I don’t see splotches where it’s worn off, it’s more of a gradual fade, which I love. Even though it doesn’t splotch, still exfoliate before using it again, unless you’re doing it a few days in a row to build a darker, more intense tan.

Top Tips to a Perfect Tan

1. Shower, shave, exfoliate.
2. Lotion (especially your dry skin areas)
3. Apply the most product on the major body parts (legs, stomach, chest, arms) then use what’s left on the mitt for knees, elbows, hands, and feet. I promise there is product on your mitt even if you don’t think so. The excess that you don’t see on there is the perfect amount for those smaller/drier areas.
4. Apply at night and sleep in dark, loose clothing.
5. Rinse but don’t scrub.
6. Lotion each day.
7. Exfoliate before next application.

I hope this helps you with your next self-tan, and thank you for reading! Let me know if you have any further questions, or try this out. We’ll chat again soon!

I’m just a mama who loves a good tan.

Valentine’s Day Outfit Inspo

This may be an unpopular opinion, but Valentine’s Day is just a day, y’all. Yes, it’s the day of love and all that jazz, but too much pressure is put on it. It shouldn’t take a special day to celebrate your love, go on dates, get dressed up and go out, do something special for the ones you love. You can get dressed up and go get a nice dinner whenever. I definitely love celebrating Valentine’s Day, don’t get me wrong. But, I want it to be fun. That’s the whole thing I told Brandon this year was that we have Krew and I want to just celebrate together and enjoy our time together (with some Cheesecake Factory takeout.)

It doesn’t matter what you’re doing for Valentine’s Day! You could be going out, staying in, going to a fancy dinner with your person, or going out with friends. But whatever you do, have a good time! And hopefully I can give you some outfit inspo to look good and feel good while you’re doing whatever your plans may be! There are some more dressed up looks, some casual look, and some comfies of course!

I’ve linked the outfits I can in my LIKEtoKNOW.it and you can see those here. Or you can click the link in my bio on Instagram and then “shop my styles.”

Date Night/Girls’ Night

Any of these outfits are super cute and fun for a dressed up night out!

Casual Outfits for the Week/Casual Fun Night Out

All of these outfits are still cute and fun, but just a little more casual. These would be perfect for this week anytime, or going out for something like go carts, games, or something along those lines while still looking cute!

Let’s Get Comfy!

I would wear this outfit to stay in and hangout for Valentine’s Day, run to get takeout and watch movies, or after your date night!

Don’t be afraid to dress outfits how you want them styled! This is the same outfit but styled with heels vs. sneakers and I love both options! It totally depends on the look you’re going for but own your look, girl.

I hope this helped with some inspiration for your Valentine’s Day outfits. Let me know your favorite!

I’m just a mama who loves styling outfits.

2019 Roundup // 2020 Startup

Happy 2020! I cannot believe it’s not only the New Year but it’s freakin’ 2020, y’all…a whole new decade. Also, Happy first Friday of 2020!! I originally wanted to have this blog post up on January 1, but instead, I enjoyed the past few days and took time to really reflect on the past year and lay my goals out for 2020. That’s a big part of 2020 for me…to really take in the special days and soak in the memories.

2019 was a heck of a year in so many ways. It was crazy, wild, fun, adventurous, a lot of learning, hard, emotional, and to sum it up, beautiful chaos. I’m not going to sit here and bore you with all the ins and outs of why 2019 was this or that, but I do want to reflect on how the year went and how excited I am for 2020! It’s gonna be a good one y’all.

January 2019

I was ringing in the New Year in North Carolina with my family and my baby boy who was only 3 months old (he’s 15 months now and I really don’t know where time has went). I stopped working as a hairstylist at the first salon that I ever worked in. That salon took me in and that’s where I grew as a stylist. Thank you to everyone who allowed me to not only work on your hair, but be a small part of your life, and for believing in me as I was just starting out. Studio Thirteen (the salon) will always hold a special place in my heart. I stopped working because my husband would be coming home from deployment soon and we were about to take on an adventure as a family with our little baby boy. Hubby was still deployed in this month, but we were so dang excited for him to come home.

February 2019

I had hopes that hubby would be coming home this month from deployment, but the dates weren’t certain so we didn’t know. I also didn’t know that I’d be getting a surprise homecoming from him on February 13. This was the first day he met our son and we were all three united. You could definitely say this was a highlight of 2019. Our family adventure started this month with a move. Not just any move, this was a big move. This girl has never moved, like ever, so this was huge. My family and I moved from NC to CA on February 26, 2019.

March 2019

Me, Brandon, and Krew go from a living in a hotel for a few days (waiting on our house to be ready) then move in to our first home. Ready or not, here we go! I was scared, excited, overwhelmed, and felt so blessed all at once. This was the first time me and Brandon were going to be living together on our own, and as parents, first time parents. Holy moly!

April 2019

We start making this house of ours a home. We slowly furnish it, decorate it (but is it ever truly decorated enough?), and start to navigate living together on our own, and to anyone who knows me, y’all know that I am insanely close with my family. This move was hard on me. I missed them, and still miss them every single day. We FaceTime or talk on the phone literally all day every day. I couldn’t survive without their support and my husband’s support in this big step of life. I also turned 21 this month, and celebrated with mimosas and my first tattoo!

May 2019

I got to fly home to North Carolina for a little while! I was so excited to come home for a little bit and we also were getting closer to my sister’s due date to welcome her sweet baby into the world! We also started spending more family days on the beach in CA and welcomed our first fur baby into our family, Koda.

June 2019

I went for a dream I had been wanting to do for a while. I started up my blog, Snapshot of Cass. I can’t thank you guys enough for all the support you’ve given me in this. I love having a place to share thoughts, tips, recipes, and just all the crazy in between.

July 2019

Summer is in full force in CA, we’re grilling out more, getting closer with our neighbors, and just enjoying life with our baby boy. Krew started pulling up this month so we know things are about to get real crazy with him trying to start walking. Me and Krew flew back home to NC again this month so we could be here when my sister delivered her sweet baby girl, Maeleigh Grace. She wasn’t due until August, but whew am I glad we came in early, because Maeleigh decided to make her appearance into this world on July 28, 2019. My sister became a mama, I became an aunt, and Krew got a cousin.

August 2019

Krew and I are still in NC and soaking up every ounce of family time. Brandon also got to join us and come home to NC toward the end of this month and we celebrated Krew’s first birthday a little early so we could celebrate with family. It was amazing. I’ve really learned to enjoy the moments while they’re happening because they flash by way too fast.

September 2019

Our baby turned ONE this month! All I want to know is how the heck does time go that fast? And where does it go? I’ve loved every single day of watching our baby grow, but man do I wish I could have a pause and rewind button.

October 2019

We’re doing all the Fall things, pumpkin patches, pumpkin foods, decorating for Fall, and gearing up for some special visitors. My mama, sister, brother-in-law, and niece come to CA to visit!!! I was so so excited for them to see our home for the first time and just to spend more time together, blessed isn’t even the word.

November 2019

Brandon and I attended the USMC Military Ball, and this was the first time we ever left Krew with anyone other than family. Mama was a slight wreck, but it was good for me and hubby to get all dressed up and have a night out to ourselves. We also celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary, and hubby’s birthday. My online boutique, Saltwater Honey was also born this month. This was another dream that I had been thinking on for a while and decided to jump into it. None of my dreams this year could have come true without all of you guys’ support. I cannot say thank you enough. This month was full of celebrations!

December 2019

This month definitely went by the quickest, and I feel like that’s always the case. There’s so much hustle that comes along with December. Christmas shopping, Christmas get-togethers, decorating, and just trying to keep up. Throw in the fact that Brandon got sick, then Krew started to come down with it, then down goes mama 2 days before we fly back home to NC to celebrate Christmas with family. Y’all have no clue how happy I was to get to celebrate Christmas with our families in NC, it literally made my heart burst when I found out we were getting to. We all got through the colds we had, and Christmas was beyond magical. The memories we made this Christmas (and truly from the whole year) will be tucked away in my heart forever. Also, the icing on the cake for December…we were supposed to go back to CA on December 30, but Brandon surprised me and changed mine and Krew’s flights to stay in NC a little longer and spend some extra time with family while he went back to work.

2019, you were a big year.

Here’s the thing, a lot happened in 2019, but I think 2020 will be bigger and better. I don’t plan on changing in 2020. I plan on growing. There’s no need to change when you can grow into a better version of yourself. I plan to grow into a better mama, wife, daughter, follower of God.

How I Plan to Grow in 2020

I like to write out my goals. It helps to get everything mapped out and put in front of me so I can visualize and put the goals into action. Shoot, put them on the front of your fridge so you see them everyday if you have to. You’ve got this. Here is how I want to grow in 2020.

• Spend more time with God. I want to do this by myself, with my husband, and as a family with my husband and son. God is the reason for everything I am and everything I have. I need more time with Him.
• Do better at not sweating and worrying about the small things. I spent too much time worrying about small things in 2019. I’m done with that.
• Be more present. 2019 really taught me to slow down and enjoy the here and now. Time is not slowing down, y’all. The only thing we can do is breathe in and enjoy each moment as they come.
• Make my bed more often in the mornings. Did you see what I said? More often, not every day. I know that I will not make my bed every morning so I’m not even going to set up that kind of failure. By saying it more often, this will help me to be accomplished and have small victories on more mornings. Small victory first thing in the morning = more successful days.
• Read a book a month. I love to read, and I don’t do it enough. This year is different, I am going to do this because it’s something I love, and it will better my mind.

Words for 2020

Present, Priorities, Purpose, Grace

I’m not gonna go into why these are my words, but I plan to live by these words and put them into my daily life. They are special words that I thought about and couldn’t decide on just one.

2020 is a new year, a new decade, and each day is a new day to work toward our goals. No matter how small they are, they matter. You matter!

I pray that everyone has an amazing 2020. I pray that it is a year of growth and meeting goals. I pray that you take time for yourself, your needs, and spend time doing things you love with the people you love. God, let this year be a year full of blessings from you. I am so grateful for another year. Let’s do this!

I’m just a mama with big goals and excitement for 2020!

Halloween Treats

Want to make a simple, yet cuter cute and Halloween worthy treat? These are also such a fun way to get your kids involved because they’re so simple, and they’ll love helping to make them! These 2 treats I made are SO EASY and always a hit! They’re perfect for Halloween parties, school parties for your kids, just for your house during Halloween week, or just if you’re feeling spooky for October!

What You Need

• 1 bag of white chocolate chips
• 1 or 2 tsp of vegetable oil
• Pretzel rods
• Nutter butter cookies
• Mini dark or milk chocolate chips

How to Make

Pour the white chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl with 1 tsp of vegetable oil. Start microwaving, and pause to stir every 20-30 seconds. This will burn easy and fast so watch it!! If your white chocolate is too thick once it’s fully melted, add a little more vegetable oil (up to another tsp).

Next is the fun part! Dip half the nutter butter cookies and use the mini chocolate chips as eyes to make little ghosts! Dip half the pretzel rods, then once they’re all dipped, use a knife to drizzle more white chocolate over them to make them look like mummies! Finish with mini chocolate chip eyes! These are so dang cute!!

Let them all set and cool before storing, but I promise they will be a hit! Add in the fact that they’re simple and fast, SCORE!!

Weekly Startup Oct. 28

Happy Monday! If you haven’t already, grab some coffee!! I cannot believe this week is Halloween!! Time. Is. Flying. I’m writing again from my phone because we still haven’t swallowed the pill of getting the MacBook fixed yet. Krew has his first dentist appointment and his one year checkup this week, which both went good, but boy am I glad they’re over. I hate appointments and I really hate having multiple in one week, but hey we knocked em out! The good thing is that we had a pretty laid back weekend over here! Brandon worked Saturday and Sunday morning then we just ran some errands and cleaned up some. Oh, we did do Walmart pickup for the first time Saturday which was awesome and I highly recommend, except my scatterbrained self forgot to add a few things on the list so we had to go in anyways….fail. It was still cool. Side note: if you like spicy things, try the Mikes Hot Honey. Thank me later! We did chicken tacos Saturday night because they’re such a good go to for us to throw in the crockpot and have leftovers! With Halloween being this week, we’re doing another cute little pumpkin craft with Krew tonight and it’s going to be a blast! We found this craft at Target in the dollar section….SCORE! Anywho, let’s jump into this week!!

Some Quotes to Get You Through the Week:

“Bad vibes don’t go with my outfit.” // I just felt like this was perfect to start the week out, keep the bad vibes off, they don’t match your outfit.

“You’re only limit is your mind.” // Come on, this seriously speaks for itself and it speaks volumes. Nothing is holding you back more than a mindset. Change it and make it happen.

“Remember, growing may feel like breaking at first.” // I love this quote because think about it, trees lose their leaves in Winter, to grow back even more beautiful in the Spring. Also, think of animals who shed their fur, then it comes back thicker. When you workout, muscles tear so they can grow. Growing as a person can cause pain and trouble and feel like you’re crumbling when you’re actually becoming stronger. You’ll get through it.

“A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles.” // Holy moly this may be my new favorite quote. This one hits home because seriously, the more grateful you are, don’t you feel a change in your life??? Man, if this doesn’t just make you wanna dance around then I don’t know what does. I just love it.

“Embrace the glorious mess you are.” // I say beautiful chaos all the time because that’s exactly what life is. We all are messy at times, especially us mamas, life is messy. Just embrace the mess, get through it one moment at a time and flaunt it sista.

Random Thoughts and Tips

Y’all know I love layering, especially with the weather finally deciding to get cooler. Well, this means we can also start bringing out our vests! Vests are great for layering, add a flare to any outfit, simple and warm while still looking trendy, you can wear them casual or dressed up, and there are so many options out there! Puffers, fleece, denim, sherpa, reversible, I mean there are all types! And I love a good vest! I actually did a roundup of different ways to style vests yesterday and will launch that blog post tomorrow, so stay tuned!! PLUS, all my clothing items (and Krew’s and Brandon’s sometimes) are all linked in the free LIKEtoKNOW.it app to make for easy shopping!!

Me and Brandon have our Marine Corps Ball coming up soon, and we’ve never been to one in 4 years, so this year its happening!! This will also be our first time going out in such a long time without Krew so my mama heart is gonna be hurting and stressed out…prayers! I’ll be sure to share my dress, shoes, jewelry and all that jazz as it gets closer.

The best piece of advice I’ve been told lately is that people are going to judge you no matter what you do, so do whatever the heck pleases you! Seriously, judged if your hairs dirty, judged if it’s always clean and fixed. Judged for cooking all the time, judged for going out to dinner. Judged if you dress up for Halloween, judged if you don’t. Judged for what you wear and how you wear something. Judged for how you parent, judged for wearing makeup, not wearing makeup. Y’all the list goes on and on. Let’s stop judging and just do what makes each of us happy.

Random tip for holiday season- if you don’t have a calendar or planner (or use your phone) start doing it to map out when you need to have certain gifts by, and it also helps to keep things divided up so it doesn’t stress you out!

Thanksgiving Ideas

• Mashed potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Green beans
• Pumpkin pie
• Turkey
• Ham
• Cabbage
• Brussel sprouts + sweet potatoes on same pan
• Cornbread
• Corn
• Biscuits
• Rice
• Mac and cheese
• Turnip greens
• Potato salad
• Cauliflower/broccoli
• Pinto beans
• Casseroles
• Pasta salad
• Baked beans
• Cranberry sauce
• Cheese board/dips
• Meatballs
• Chicken stew
• Wings
• Sliders
• Tacos
• Pumpkin cake

I freakin love Thanksgiving. I made a huge list (and probably left out some things because it’s 12:32 am) of a bunch of random items that aren’t all traditional Thanksgiving dishes because Thanksgiving to me is about reflecting on what you’re thankful for and enjoying a meal with friends and family. We haven’t decided what we’re cooking yet but boy I am pumped! Let me know if there’s anything specific your family HAS TO HAVE for Thanksgiving!

Sales/Finds

Abercrombie // 40-60% off coats, hoodies, jeans

Aerie // 50% off bras and bralettes + 40% off sweaters

Joe’s New Balance Outlet // great New Balance shoe deals all the time!

Old Navy // 30% off everything code: HURRY

Gap // up to 50% off everything + extra 10% off online code: TREAT

Fabletics // 2 for $24 leggings when signing up

Overstock // great holiday deals

Wayfair // up to 60% off seasonal decor + up to 70% off kitchen items

Toms // free shipping on all orders

Pink Lily // 20% off order code: THANKYOU20

J. Crew // 35% off code: WEARNOW

Target // so many sales and its Target so it’s always a win

Amazon leopard blanket // great price for a great gift!

As always, thanks for reading and hanging out over here! I hope you have a great week and stay spooky for Halloween!! I’m going to make some Halloween-themed snacks today or tomorrow, YUM!

Happy Monday you guys!!

I’m just a mama sending out good vibes for your Monday.

Weekly Startup

It’s 10:44 pm on Sunday night, I just got Krew down, and I’m sitting down to write this with some ice cream and wine (perfect combo). Plus, I’m writing this from my phone because our MacBook is currently broken, so here we go!

Goodmorning, good afternoon, good evening (depending on when you’re reading this) and happy Monday!!

Krew has Monday vibes on lock. But seriously, it’s a new week with new goals. Make it great.

Holy moly I feel like this week flew by faster than I could blink! Anyone else?? But we’re one week closer to Halloween, then shortly after is Thanksgiving, then Christmas, and before we know it we’re gonna be in 2020! Time needs to slow down, but man am I excited for holiday festivities as a little family! This is mine and Brandon and Krew’s first holiday season together because he was deployed last year. It’s also our first holiday season in our own home, so decorating for Fall was fun and we’re super excited to decorate for Christmas! We’ve decided to decorate small this year and add to it each year!

Brandon worked this Saturday until 3:00 pm, so I did some stuff around the house (and realized how desperately we need to reorganize our drawers and closet when I was putting clothes away). I also received a package from Overnight Oats that I cannot wait to try and let you guys know all about them! We didn’t do anything fancy Saturday night, just some take-out wings and Toy Story 4. We ain’t complaining because we all love low key chill family nights! Toy Story 4 was good, but I personally didn’t think it was as good as the other three, but it was still enjoyable and Krew liked it! What’d y’all think of it? Sunday we ran a few errands and visited a pumpkin patch, so that was a fun “Fall-y” day!

I did get some exciting news at the beginning of this weekend, which was getting accepted into LIKEtoKNOW.it. I’m going to post a blog post or hop in Instagram and show you guys more about how to use this!! This means you can shop all my looks, items I use and love, or Krew and Brandon wear/use all in one place! I linked the photo below to the app for easy access! You can download the app, follow me (cassgammons) and click on photos I post, where I will have all the items in the photo linked for you to be able to shop! I can also post sales and fun things like that, which is perfect for holiday shopping! I’m so so excited and grateful that I get to do this and it’s because of all of you guys’ support. I literally screamed when I got the email that I was accepted! Thank you times a million!! Love all of y’all. Seriously.

This week or weekend coming up I’m going to do some Halloween themed desserts, and another pumpkin craft with Krew. Oh, that reminds me, with holidays coming up, I’m going to be creating a ‘Holiday’ tab under the menu section here on the blog for all things holiday (recipes, crafts, outfits, gift guides, decor). I’ve got some super exciting ideas and things coming for all of that!

So now that I’ve rambled my heart out, let’s jump into this Monday with full force!

Some Quotes to Get You Through the Week:

“There’s always something to be thankful for.” // Seriously, think about this. No matter what the situation, there is always something. Drinking water, able to move, able to shower, coffee in the morning, you have a car/house, food to eat, clothes on your body, laundry to do, dishes to eat off of, a dog that loves you, family, a job, the list goes on and on. Think about what you’re grateful for.

“Visualize your best self. Start showing up every day as her/him.” // This one is powerful because I truly believe in speaking about goals and dreams as if they’re already happening. For example, you can say “I want to start a business.” Or you can say “I’m starting a business.” Whether you are or not, words have power in them and when you speak it, it makes it become more real. Do the same as yourself. Think about yourself in the best way you can and start being that person.

“Be kind, ridiculously, radically, endlessly kind.” // This is a no brainer but has so much power behind it. Be kind. It’s not hard to compliment someone, flash a smile, hold a door for someone. Be a part of someone’s good day.

“Hocus pocus, I need coffee to focus.” // Don’t we all?? I’ll leave you with this quote because approaching Halloween, it is perfect!

Random Thoughts and Tips

So I mentioned how this is mine and Brandon’s first holiday season together, and this tip is saving us! When you’re out and about, start picking up random items you will need for the holidays. This goes for cooking or decorations! Pick up some extra sugar, canned items, butter, extra drinks for the guest, hand towels, candles, decor you like, literally anything that you can randomly pick up, do it! This saves money from taking a hit all at once, and stress/time on you if your decorating, cooking, hosting, or any of it!

I’ve been thinking about Thanksgiving more and more this week and I’m thinking of putting together a cheaper and less fancy version of a cheese board. *cue me spending hours on Pinterest looking at all the cheese board inspo* + I also want to make a fun festive punch for the holidays! I’m open to all the advice and recipes for these!

Today, (and everyday if you want) look in the mirror and say mantras to yourself. “I am kind. I am strong. I am beautiful. I am sweet. I am loved. I am a good mom. I am a good wife. I am smart.” This goes back to how powerful words are. Use them right and they are so strong guys!

The lip combo I’ve been wear so often has been a drugstore combo! It’s the NYX Suede Matte Lip Liner in the shade softspoken topped with the NYX Butter Gloss in the shade creme brûlée.

With the holidays coming F A S T, I have a super important piece of advice. Eat the damn dessert. Yes, I said it. Do not starve yourself or deprive yourself of the yummy joys of the holidays. Also, don’t stress it!! You will probably miss some workouts and eat some bad stuff at this time of year coming, and it’s okay. You’ll get back to working out and eating clean, but don’t rob yourself of enjoying those things in life. Pick back up and get back on track the next day, that’s the key, don’t indulge every single day, but a few days in the holidays won’t make or break you. It’s called balance.

Quick + Budget Friendly Dinner Ideas

• Cauliflower stir fry from Trader Joe’s
• Rotisserie chicken, buns, cheese or toppings if you want // this makes about 6-8 sandwiches for the fridge and you can eat on them for a few days!
• 3 chicken breast, salsa, cheese, tortillas // boil and pull apart the chicken, mix the chicken and a jar of salsa in a pot on the stove, build chimichangas, (sprinkle cheese and chicken mixture in a tortilla and roll them) and bake them! This makes 10-12 and are also good for days!
• Quick spaghetti (noodles and jar of sauce) always works
• Frozen pizza and bag salad // this is simple and could be fun for family or kids if you want to add your own spin to pizza night by adding your own toppings!

Sales and Finds

QVC // different deals all the time + great gift options

Overnight oats // they gave me a code for you guys! code: CASSIDY10

Shutterfly // great gift options, personalized gifts, always running great coupon codes and sales

Billie // not a sale, just a great deal and item I LOVE

Target // 50% off select costumes

American Eagle and Aerie // 60% off clearance, $20 off $75+, $30 off $125+, $40 off $150+ code: NEWNOW

Okay, we’ve got a busy week ahead. Krew has his first dentist appointment today and then his one year check up appointment later this week. Also, I’m going to be picking up ball pit balls, and magnets all day today because they’re in every nook and cranny of this house! If you have a baby or toddler, a ball pit is a great gift option as well!! I can’t believe Halloween is next week!! Whew, time is flying and it doesn’t look like we’re going to be able to slow it down y’all. We might as well hop on and enjoy the ride each day.

I’m just a mama sending out good vibes for your Monday.

10 Mom Truths to Help You Realize You’re Not A l o n e

It’s no secret that being a mom is hard work. But I think that’s the beauty in it. You become this multi-tasking superhero that has tiny humans looking up to you, depending on you, and loving you unconditionally. How freakin’ awesome is that?!

Some days you feel like you’re crushing it and doing everything right, and others you feel like you’re drowning and don’t know what the heck you’re doing. But one thing is for sure, you were chosen to be a mama to your baby/babies. You are equipped to be exactly what your children need and nobody else can be as good of a mama to them as you.

You’re not alone in this crazy journey of motherhood.

1. Your coffee is always cold. // Yes, it’s true, no matter how many times you re-heat the coffee, it’s always getting cold after all the chasing and playing and picking up and feeding and doing all the mom things. Iced coffee is a great option.
2. Half your day is now spent picking up toys. // Embrace the mess, mama. It means playing has happened and memories are being made in your home.
3. You don’t get an award for how you “mom.” There’s no award for having the best sleeper, eater, napper, or how soon your kids walk/talk. // Do what works for you and your kids. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks, you parent and do what works for y’all, even when it feels crazy. (Krew slept with us until he was nine months old. And we did not care one single bit about it. It worked for us, and we transitioned to his crib when it felt right for us.
4. It’s okay to not have it all together. // Dishes will be left in the sink, laundry will have to be re-washed, and probably sit in the dryer for days…and IT IS OKAY. You won’t get out of pajamas some days, and your hair will go days on days of needing washed, and IT IS OKAY. You don’t have to have makeup on, hair fixed, dressed nice everyday to be a good mom. Let the dishes sit some days and spend time with your kids. You don’t want to look back and say you wish you spent more time loving on them instead of doing chores. The chores will be there, the time with your babies will pass.
5. You. Will. Cry. // You’ll probably cry more than you ever have when you’re a mom. You’ll cry happy tears about accomplishments, sad tears about them growing up, stressed/overwhelmed tears. You may cry in your kitchen floor, in the shower, in your closet, let it go mama. It means you care. You’re doing a good job, mama. Keep going.
6. One day your kid(s) will be growing up and doing things you used to only talk about them doing. // This smacks you in the face how fast time got away from you. Nobody prepares you for that feeling.
7. Your camera roll is now filled with all things kid related. // Pictures of you kid(s) sleeping, eating, when they learn walking, talking, videos of them laughing, and 167 shots of the same outfit (gotta get the best one).
8. Hats, dry shampoo, mom buns are your life now. // Seriously, you’re trying to make the last time you washed your hair last as long as possible girlfriend, spray the dry shampoo and pop a hat on. No shame. It’s okay, you’ll wash and fix your hair eventually.
9. Your body is different now. And that’s not a bad thing. // Give yourself some very much needed and deserved grace. Your body carried and helped God make a human or humans. That’s as big of a blessing as they come. Love that body, it’s amazing.
10. Your kid(s) are the reason you’re losing your mind, but also the reason you keep it all together. Crazy, right?

These babies of ours are tiny versions of us that are our built in best friends.

They make life worth living, even in all the crazy moments.

They make your heart explode on the daily (along with your head sometimes.)

Most importantly, your little one(s) need you mama.

Motherhood is a crazy blessing. You’re doing a great job and you’re not alone.

I’m just a mama that knows these 10 truths all too well. I love every single thing about them. •

Weekly Startup

Happy Columbus Day and Happy Monday!

Oh Lord y’all last week was one of those weeks. Whew! It started out fast and great with a bang then kind of came to a screeching halt for Thursday and Friday. Anyone else??

Let me give y’all a quick story about how Friday morning started…I walk out of our room at 7:20ish a.m. because Koda (our German shepherd) was full on barking and whining, which is not usual. Brandon takes him out before work so this was odd to start. As soon as I walked out of the room to check on him, the smell knocked me in my face and I knew exactly what I was about to walk downstairs to. Yep, poop ALL over the crate, some on the floor, on him. *cue me scrambling to get him outside, clean up, light every candle in the house, spray all the smell good stuff I have* I was thinking to myself “come on, this is not how Fridays go…” Oh, but my Friday was just getting started.

I laid back down after I got the dog poop situation under control, and then get up and go get Krew out of his crib around 10:00ish a.m. I kid you not when I tell you guys I walked into his room, turned on the light, and there it was…poop ALL over his crib sheet (luckily not on him and I still don’t understand that one). Y’all, I felt like I was getting freakin’ pranked on Friday morning. It was one of those “you’ve got to be kidding me” moments that you literally don’t think will ever happen, oh but they do.

So there was my Friday morning, and all I could do to try to turn the day around was to breathe through it all and literally speak out the parts I was grateful for through anything that happened all day. Plus, we did go to Target Friday night so that helped too. Target always helps.

Saturday we did a grocery run, and our neighborhood had a cookout with tons of food, a fire, kids running around everywhere, and good company for a Fall night. Fun fact: I never thought I’d like to live in a neighborhood, but the experiences we’ve had here with our neighbors have been great and we’ve loved it! I guess that means we should keep an open mind!

Grocery List for the Week

• Mac n cheese for Krew
• Rice Krispie treat stuff (frosted Rice Krispies, mini marshmallows, butter)
• Chimichanga stuff (chicken breasts, tortillas, cheese, salsa)
• Black beans
• Steaks
• Hashbrown casserole stuff (cream of chicken, sour cream, hashbrowns, cheese, onion, butter)
• Blueberries
• Apple cider
• Lunch meat
• Cheese
• Eggs
• Pancakes for Krew
• Pumpkin donut holes
• Chicken breasts
• Steaks
• Bacon
• Green tea
• Diet Pepsi
• Flamin’ Hot Chips
• Crackers
• Avocados
• Feta cheese
• Bread
• Dishwasher powder
• Italian dressing
• Sugar

Nothing fancy about our list, just some meals for the week + odds and ends

**We didn’t know we needed and forgot to get Pam**

Crafts with Krew didn’t happen during the week through all the chaos, but we did get to do a pumpkin one with him this weekend. We did a little pumpkin painting by the fire (with the wood his daddy found today, picked up, and chopped up). We did his handprints more like hand smears on a little white pumpkin, and let me just say that those moments are gold you guys. Even the one when he tried to eat the paint and laughed when mama kept saying “no.” I swear I live for those kind of moments. The ones that can’t be replicated but will always have a replay button in your mind and a special place in your heart.

Some Quotes to Get You Through the Week:

“Be the same person privately, publicly, and personally.” // This quote goes back to one of my favorite lessons I’ve learned. People are going to judge you no matter what you’re doing, so don’t change depending on who you’re around. Be yourself unapologetically and do what makes you happy, around anyone and everyone. Life is way too short to not.

“Direction is more important than speed.” // Life’s not a race y’all, do your best each day and you’ll get where you want to be as long as you’re heading in the right direction. Focus on where you’re going and how you’re going to get there so that you do it right.

“Think of all you are instead of all that you are not.” // GIVE YOURSELF SOME PRAISE, SISTA! You don’t even know all that you are doing because it’s so much easier to focus on the bad over the good. Focus on the good and see how far you’ve come, how great you are, and it’ll show you how far you’re gonna go. You are your worst critic, so put your hair in a ponytail, drink some coffee (or whatever you like), put on whatever music gets you in a good mood, and work it.

“Why be moody when you can shake ya booty.” // This quote just made me smile when I read it so, here it is! I so desperately needed this quote yesterday because I wasn’t feeling too hot and it made me pretty moody. I definitely should’ve just shook my booty instead. Sorry for the mood, hubs!

“Creep it real.” // In the spirit of Halloween coming up, I had to share this one. It was too corny and funny.

Random Thoughts and Tips

Alright you guys, I don’t care what you’re doing right now. Stop whatever it is, turn on some worship music, and clear your head. Trust me now and thank me later. This always brings me back whenever I’m upset, stressed, whatever the case may be. It works wonders. Next on the random tips is to drink your water. We’re supposed to drink AT LEAST half of our body weight in ounces each day. (Example: if you weigh 120 lbs. you should drink at least 60 oz. of water daily). Drink your water, it helps your skin, helps hair grow, keeps bloat down, flushes out sodium and toxins, and keeps energy levels up.

So Fall is really here now weather-wise and that means we can actually bring out our vests, flannels, boots, and scarves without getting called crazy! One of my favorite things to do in Fall is layer layer layer my outfits. I layer thermals or henley tops under flannels, then maybe a jean jacket or cargo jacket on top of that. Sometimes I’ll do a longer white t-shirt that has some length on the back underneath shorter sweaters/sweatshirts too. Another way I like to layer is a plain sweater, a printed shirt or plaid flannel, then a vest on top. Putting a print between two solid colors is the key to keeping layers look put together (and keep you warm as heck.)

Here comes my “mom hack” that isn’t that groundbreaking for the week but it honestly helps me and may help at least one other person! I always shower for the day right when Krew goes down for a nap (unless I want to shower at night) and then I let my hair air dry while I do my makeup, and clean or do laundry or whatever house work I need to do. When I do this, my hair is almost dry by the time I’m done with whatever else I need to do so I can either style from there or pop it in a bun or a hat, which is almost always. #noshame

I have a question for you guys this week! Are you Christmas shopping yet or waiting a little longer?? We’ve started a little bit and we’re hoping to spread it out so it doesn’t all add up right before Christmas…fingers crossed! But, if you are shopping or are about to start or whenever you start, feel free to reach out and let me know if you need/want help searching for anything specific. My favorite part about blogging is getting to communicate and interact with y’all and I’d love to help in any way I can!

Potato Soup Recipe

This recipe has been much requested and it’s so perfect for this time of year! It’s my sister’s recipe and it is so simple and yummy! Here we go:

• 5 lb. bag Yukon gold potatoes
• 2 chicken broths (32 oz. containers)
• 1 white onion
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 lb. bacon
• 1 bunch green onions (scallions)
• 2 bags of sharp cheddar cheese
• Sour cream
• Milk
• Salt and pepper
• Bread (we use a loaf of Italian bread)
• Butter, Parmesan, garlic salt, parsley (bread toppings) **optional**
• Corn starch **you may or may not need this**

How to Make it:

• Peel, wash, chop potatoes into small pieces.
• Peel and finely chop whole onion. Chop green onions and put them aside or in fridge.
• Put finely chopped onion, potatoes, and chicken broth into a pot with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil until potatoes are tender. (This doesn’t take too long so don’t forget about them.)
• While potatoes boil, cook and shred about bacon.
• Once potatoes are tender, remove from heat. Add heavy cream, 1 bag of cheese, and half of broken bacon bits. Stir together.
• Return to heat on low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes or until thick enough. Salt and pepper to taste.
• If not thick enough, mix 1 tsp. of corn starch and tiny bit of milk to make a paste. Pour into soup and it will thicken it. If soup is too thick, add milk.
• For the bread, lay bread on a pan, butter, garlic salt, Parmesan, parsley, and toast for a few minutes in the over or toaster oven.
• Use scallions, sour cream, cheese, and bacon to top soup when serving.
• Enjoy!!

If you make this, let me know how it turns out! I hope you love it as much as we do!

Quick Workout

• 10 lunges per leg
• 20 squats (squeeze your booty)
• 10 pushups
• 50 jumping jacks
• 25 crunchy frogs for abs
• 30 second – 1 minute plank

Repeat 3x

Sales/Finds

American Eagle & Aerie // up to 60% off everything , 40% off all tops , 40% off all Aerie leggings + free shipping on orders over $50

GAP // 40% off everything + extra 10% off everything CODE: WARMUP (some exclusions)

JCPenney // buy 1 pair of boots, get 2 FREE pairs of boots

Abercrombie // up to 60% off everything

Amazon beauty blenders // great gift for sister, cousins, friends available here

Makeup bag // great gift + you can fill it with goodies available here

Cozy Sherpa pullover // say no more, this gift is a cozy win! Available here

Traveler mug // everyone loves a good cup, and this one is super cute, great reviews, and good price point available here

Honest mascara // I had to include my favorite mascara because it’d be a great stocker/bag stuffer available here

Tarte // 19% off sitewide CODE: 19BDAY (free gift with Tarte shape tape)

Express // up to 50% off everything (faux leather leggings are a must!)

Mondays are for fresh starts. Crush it today.

I’m just a mama sending out good vibes for your Monday.

7+ Ways to Style a Denim Skirt

Y’all know how I feel about good basics. A denim skirt is no different. In a good denim skirt, you feel like you can conquer the world. Am I right, ladies?? You can have so many different looks and feel great in any of them! Wearing a skirt doesn’t mean you have to be dressed up, you can wear a denim skirt in multiple ways and still feel put together.

1. Denim skirt // lightweight simple sweater // sneaker // cute & casual

2. Same look + jacket **throw on a jacket if it’s a little more chilly outside**

3. Denim skirt // off the shoulder sweater // fun belt // over-the-knee boots // girls night, date night, fun & flirty

4. Denim skirt // cute tank, cami, shirt // cozy jacket or sweater // heels // speaking of date night, this is a fun way to wear heels while still having a Fall look with the jacket or sweater **same outfit, 2 views**

5. Denim skirt // body suit, tank // sweater // over-the-knee boots // date night, shopping day, family photos, this look is casual, and flirty without showing too much skin

6. Denim skirt // sweatshirt, hoodie // sneakers // cute and casual for errands or lunch

7. Denim skirt // off the shoulder tee (knotted in front) // cute belt // over-the-knee boots // fun, flirty, casual for shopping, lunch, dinner, girls or date night

8. Same look + cardigan **add a cardigan for a coziness and more of a Fall vibe** dressed up a little for family photos

9. Denim skirt // bralette // plain white t-shirt // sneakers // hat // cute and casual for errands, a mom on the go, sports events, cookouts

This post is not sponsored in any way. All opinions and styles are my own.

I’m just a mama who likes a good denim skirt.