My second pregnancy was a similar but also very different than my first. You can read more about my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimester in their separate posts. As far as the actual birth, that was much, much different than my labor and delivery with my first — the main thing being that I had a home birth this time around compared to a hospital birth the first time. If you’ve come for the home birth details, you’re in the right spot!————————————————The night I turned 40 weeks pregnant, I started having …
Baby #2 – 3rd Trimester
BABY #2 - THIRD TRIMESTER: [symptoms, supplements + Must-haves] It’s crazy to think that I’m already in the third trimester. At times this pregnancy seems to be going fairly slow, but then if I take a step back, it’s also like “dang.. it’s flying by” lol.If you’re new to the blog — welcome! You can check out my first trimester post here, and my second trimester post here. THIRD TRIMESTER SYMPTOMSInsomnia:I feel like I was completely thrown off by this because I never experienced …
Baby #2 – Second Trimester
Baby #2 - SECOND TRIMESTER: [symptoms, supplements + Must-haves] Compared to our first pregnancy, I felt like the second trimester was here before we knew it. It felt Ike the first trimester went by super fast. Now being in the second trimester, it’s starting to feel like things are slowly down lol but I think that’s also because we’re so eager and excited to meet this little one.SECOND TRIMESTER SYMPTOMSConstipation:Initially, I was going to apologize, because who wants to hear about …
Baby #2 – First Trimester
Baby #2 - My FIRST TRIMESTER: [symptoms, supplements + Must-haves] Yep! That's right.. we're having another!Greg and I went back and forth about getting pregnant again. We knew we wanted another, but honestly Bodhi is such an amazing little boy that we didn't know if we wanted to change anything! We half-joked about it, but deep down we also wanted him to have a brother or sister. Some have asked, and no we weren't technically trying, BUT we were also not NOT trying loll. And of course, …
How CBD Has Help Me + My Family!
Before diving into this, if you're unsure what CBD is or want to touch-up, refresh, or learn more about it, you can head to this post. There you will find everything you need to know about CBD!-------------------------------------------------------------------CBD has been in and out of my life, inconsistently, for the past few years. That is, up until a few months ago. Prior to the beginning of this year, I had heard all of the great and amazing benefits CBD has to offer and decided to try it …
Juice Cleanse – 1 Day
Disclaimer: I did not speak with a healthcare professional before doing this cleanse. If you have any concerns whatsoever, I would encourage you to do so prior to starting one. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have. ------------------------------------------------------------- I did a 1 day juice cleanse to reset, …
CBD: Everything You Need To Know
CBD is one of the most talked about health + wellness products on the market today. image from leafly But there are also many questions that come with it:What exactly is it?How does it work?Will it get me high?Who can benefit from it?And so on...Whether you're a CBD expert, have some knowledge of CBD, or have no clue what it is, you're in the right place!Here, I'll give a quick overview of CBD by breaking down and answering most of the commonly asked …
Half Moon Peanut Butter Cookies
Welcome to the land of my new favorite cookie... half moon peanut butter deliciousness (cookies)! Seriously, I was so impressed by the way these turned out. And if I'm being honest, I was initially just in the mood for peanut butter cookies, buttt I usually want chocolate with my desserts, so I considered putting chocolate chips into the batter. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies? Eh, it probably would be scrumptious, and I may try it next time, but I also thought that it might be too much, …
Salted Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Salted BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES So, my friend + amazing (cannabis) chef, Shannon (@chef.shan), is the one who made me aware of this game changing component: browned butter. ((I'm sure it's been around for awhile, but I must've been living under a rock before seeing her post about it.)) Given the fact that I love desserts, especially a classic chocolate chip cookie, (and just eating in general), I knew I had to try and make these. I made a few batches of these because they didn't …
Life Update: 6+ Months with Bodhi
1 day old Now that Bodhi recently turned 7 months old (um what?!) I thought it'd be a good time to share a life update from the last 6 months -- products we've been using (and loving), sleep training tactics, introducing solid foods, his favorite toys, and so on. But first, I just have to say this again, because holy crap what in the what.. our boy is seven. months. old. I mean I look at that picture above from when he was 1 DAY OLD, and it just doesn't seem possible. And I was going …
Easy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread | GF + DF
Usually I'm a cookie or brownie person for my go-to desserts and/or sweets, but lately I had been craving some delicious bread. Of course I had a few bananas that were on the verge of being too ripe, so what better time then to make some banana bread. Throw in chocolate chips of course, because, well, chocolate. This recipe is quick + easy and involves only a few ingredients! It's gluten free, dairy free + refined sugar free. I use almond flour as the base which makes it slightly denser. It's …
Julie’s Real Brownies
Roses are red. Violets are blue. You need these brownies in your life... so go make them! Ok so maybe my little poem didn't rhyme, but it's true. These brownies are so yummy and what makes them even better is that they're so easy to make. I obviously made them for Valentine's Day, hence the festive sprinkles + heart shape molds, but they are perfect year round (duh). The real MVP in these bad boys are the Julie's Real dark chocolate brownie mix that is used. Whole, simple ingredients …
Mom Bod
-- A small Blurb on the 'mom bod' -- I told greg yesterday that I love my "mom bod." He looked at me and said "you don't have a mom bod. you have a hot bod!" Lol bless his little heart. He's definitely a keeper. But I wasn't saying it in a negative way, and I really meant it. I'm still soft, still jiggly, still recovering. My waist isn't as small, muscle aren't as defined, strength isn't the same. And that is more that okay. I love myself and all its' parts regardless. I'm me, and I feel more …
Cinnamon Pecan Balls
These are some of my favorite balls. They are filled with healthy fats and are the perfect snack. Take the on the go, pre/post workout, as a treat or dessert, etc. I love enjoying them if I need a little fuel before a workout or if I'm slightly feeling hungry during the day and don't want/need a full meal.Trust me, you want these balls in your mouth.They are super easy and quick to make - you can't mess them up! You can also add your own touch and switch them up by adding your favorite add-ins …
Cinnamon + Sugar Cauliflower Gnocchi with Vanilla Icing
I think at this point, everyone and their mothers know about Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi. After all it is amazingly tasty and super versatile. I've had it many, many ways -- with pasta sauce, pesto + parmesan cheese, and simply with some olive oil and salt + pepper. However, I wanted to take it up a notch and do something less savory. So I decided to see if I could make a dessert out of it, and let me say, it did not disappoint! I initially just made the cinnamon sugar gnocchi but it felt …
Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
I am a huge sucker for an amazingly gooey cookie. You know, the ones where the edges and outside is slightly crispy but the inside is perfectly chewy and melty. So while I was at home with the last of my previous batch of cookies (or maybe it was cake) eaten, I knew I had to make more.. Plus, just ask Greg, I always have to have some delicious dessert on hand to satisfy my huge sweet tooth. **cue the epic creation of these Chewy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies!** Chewy Peanut Butter …
T W O T H O U S A N D A N D T W E N T Y
2 0 2 0 With the new year, comes new goals. At least that's usually how most people do it. This year, however, I wanted to do things a little differently for myself.You see, setting new goals is awesome, and that is typically what I do. But I also know that looking back through the years, more times than not, I did not complete or fulfill those goals that I originally set for myself. I started the year out strong and determined, but as the year grew closer to an end, so did the space between …
Breastfeeding 101
Breastfeeding 101 [[how to prepare for it, what it's like, what to expect, + products i'd recommend]] Being a first-time mom comes with a mile-long list of unknowns. We have no idea what to expect, but we try to be as prepared as possible. Everyone has different experiences, but I wanted to share my experience and everything that I wish I knew about breastfeeding, both prior to and during. In this post, I dip into how to prepare for it, what it was like (especially in the beginning), what to …
Super Soft Sugar Cookies [Gluten free + Refined Sugar Free + Vegan]
As the holidays were approaching I thought more and more about cookies. Okay, really I'm always thinking about cookies or some other type of dessert, but I was especially thinking about some soft + fluffy s u g a r c o o k i e s. I constantly see them at the grocery store as I slowly walk by the bakery section, but I'm always disappointed when I look at the ingredients - way more processed and refined than I want. Now don't get me wrong, I still eat these types of cookies here and …
Pecan Pie Date Balls
Maybe it's just me.. (highly doubt it) but there are numerous times throughout the day when I want a delicious snack. And usually that entails me wanting something sweet! These pecan pie balls are without a doubt one of my favorite snacks. It takes alll my willpower to not eat the entire batch. Seriously, they are perfect for a quick snack, pre-workout pick-me-up, post-workout, dessert, energy kick, etc. You can't go wrong with these. Plus, they're no-bake and super easy to make with …
The Best Salmon Ever
Whether you're crazy busy because of your job (stay-at-home mom here), your hobbies, or your lifestyle, this salmon is for you.I'm allowed to call it the best salmon ever because it tastes amazing, obviously, but more importantly it's quick and easy. And if you're like me and have a tiny human(s) that relies on you 24/7, then you know quick + easy anything is a dream come true. Alright, no more wasting time. Lets get to it! The Best Salmon Ever[Quick + Easy + Delicious]Prep Time2 minCook …
My Birth Story
MY BIRTH STORY I sit here writing this story, not only for you, but mainly for myself. While the experience and all of the details are still so fresh, I want to be able to turn back to this years and years down the road and share this story with my son. Of course you never forget a day like that - I know I never will - but I also know that some of the details could slip away if they aren’t written down. [[As a reminder, this is my story. And as a gentle warning, I share personal, and sometimes …
My Third Trimester [symptoms, supplements + several must-haves]
My Third Trimester: [symptoms, supplements + must-haves] The farther along I got in my pregnancy, the faster it felt like it flew by... At least until we were at 38 weeks and we knew he could come at any time. And at 39 weeks, I took maternity leave which also made the days seem longer. At this point, you know the drill.. continue reading for all of my third trimester details! 28 weeks! Baby is the size of an acorn …
My Second Trimester [symptoms, supplements + several must-haves]
My second trimester: [symptoms, supplements + must-haves] Getting to the second trimester felt long. I think because we were so excited from the very beginning, which has only increased, that we wanted the days to fly by. Now looking back, especially writing this after the second trimester, it's definitely safe to say that it really has flown by. Man, it is crazy to think that my due date is only a few months away. Craaaazy. So, here we go... all of the second trimester details comin' …
My First Trimester [symptoms, supplements + several must-haves]
My first trimester: [symptoms, supplements + Must-haves] The first trimester brought on many exciting things for Greg and I.First, we were simply so overjoyed with the fact that we were pregnant and that this was really happening. It still felt surreal the entire first trimester and into the second. Every few days one of us would look at the other and say, “Babe… we’re really pregnant” as the biggest smiles crept over our faces.Second, we got to find out the gender of our little babe …
Our Journey to Getting Pregnant
Our Journey to Pregnancy: The Struggle. The challenge. the reality. Before sharing and slightly summarizing Greg and I’s journey to conceiving, I want to start by saying that this is simply our journey and what we went through and experienced. Everybody is different. For us, it did not happen right away, and frankly, our journey was quite frustrating, tiring and discouraging at times. I also want to backtrack a bit and give a few extra details that may or may not have played a part along the …
Colon Hydrotherapy – Everything you need to know, Plus My Own Experience
Colon hydrotherapy: everything you need to know, plus my own experience Disclaimer: Before reading, I just want to again state that I am not a doctor or medical professional. I am simply sharing with you what I researched, learned and experienced along the way. What is it? Colon hydrotherapy -- also known as a colonic, colonic irrigation or colon cleansing -- works to improve the function of your colon, and can help improve a vast majority of digestive issues. Colon hydrotherapy sessions work to …
Dreamy Pumpkin Peanut Butter Pie
Dreamy pumpkin peanut butter pie [gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free] Just in time for the holidays and perfect for this fall/winter weather! This no-bake pie is quick and easy to make, and it will be become a new favorite at your family gatherings. When I first made this pie, it was gone within two days… and it’s only me and my husband at home. No shame whatsoever, it’s so dang delicious! The crust is magical - I’d eat it by itself if I could. Okay, let’s be honest, I did eat it by …
Simple + Easy almond butter cups
You guysssss. These are possible the EASIEST sweet tooth kicker to ever graze this earth. Seriously, only 3 ingredients and they barely take any time to make. Now I can't say that these literally taste like Reese's cups because 1. they're made with almond butter instead of peanut butter (although you could totally do PB instead!!), and 2. they are less sweet, BUT also a hellofalot healthier. If you're into healthy dessert (well, even if you're not) these are for you. Three simple ingredients …
Take The Leap
To be honest, ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a writer. I read hundreds of amazing books, inspired by brilliant writers, and I thought to myself: “One day, that’s going to be me. I’m going to write a book.” But life happens? Or so that’s what everyone says. And sometimes it does (of course it does), but other times, [in my opinion] that’s just a sorry excuse to not chase our dreams. To not got after what we want. “Man, if only ____ didn't happen, I could’ve done ____.” I know you …