This season of parenting little kids can be extremely exhausting, both physically and emotionally, can’t it? I found that with one kiddo, it was still relatively easy to make time for myself as Ainsley got older, but when two kids were in the mix finding pockets of time for some rest, rejuvenation and self care was even harder to come by. Now that they are both getting a little older, it’s a little easier to find some time for myself … Read More
Mind and Body After Baby // 9 Month Update (the second time around)
swimsuit top / similar style/same brand swimsuit bottoms / collins’s suit Well, we are here! Nearly to the point where Collins has been out in the world as long as she was in my tummy. I can’t believe that she is already so big and so far into her first year of life. The second baby’s life goes even faster than the first and I am, as always, equal parts delighted and dismayed seeing this little kiddo of mine grow … Read More
Safer Skincare in the New Year
Happy Friday, friends! As we embark on a new year, I know a lot of you are in the business of making resolutions. Resolutions about health, wellness, family, faith and more. It can be both inspiring and overwhelming, can’t it? I’ve been doing a lot of goal-setting and planning over here, including the following: -Push myself outside my comfort zone -Set big, scary goals -Be consistent and diligent in prayer for others -Work hard at work; rest and fully disconnect … Read More
Tips for Travel with Little Ones
We have recently returned from our first big trip with both girls and man, what an adventure! We had a wonderful time in Florida and I certainly learned that travel with one toddler is not the same as travel with a toddler and a baby. It was good for us to take the trip and learn a little bit about what to do differently the next time we embark on a big trip with these two – most likely this … Read More
let me stay in this season
Last week I was sitting with a handful of moms a few steps ahead of me in the parenting journey – moms who have kids who can stay by themselves for a few hours at a time, who don’t wear diapers or take naps and spend the whole day at school. Who dress themselves and can go to the bathroom without assistance. As I listened to them talk, for a second it sounded really nice. On the hard, long days … Read More
Sausage, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches
This post is sponsored by Tyson as part of the #JimmyDeanSausage campaign. All opinions are my own and I so appreciate you supporting the brands that make Espresso and Cream possible. Breakfast has always been my favorite meal of the day as an adult. Perhaps because it’s accompanied by lots of coffee with half and half, or because these is a level of comfort and ease around our breakfast table that doesn’t exist other times of the day. I wish … Read More
Mind and Body After Baby (The second time around) // 6 Months
I can’t believe we are here, six months postpartum with Collins! I remember thinking about when I would write a six month postpartum wellness/fitness update and thinking it seemed SO far out, but time has passed so quickly. My hope in writing these updates is that I can be an encouragement to those who are perhaps not quite so far along in their postpartum recovery. I remember looking at my body in the hospital and being both in awe of … Read More
Sweet and Spicy Bacon-Wrapped Dates
This post is sponsored by Tyson as part of the #TysonMadeWithLove campaign. As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make Espresso and Cream possible! We’re just starting to get into the swing of holiday parties and events over at the Hofmeyer house. The introvert in me has mixed feelings about lots of holiday engagements, something that is entirely lost on my extroverted husband. Anyway…. With two busy kiddos, general schedule craziness and holiday commitments … Read More
Holiday Gift Guide #1 // Books + Paper Products
In the last year I’ve re-committed myself to reading books. I’ve always been an avid reader, but once Ainsley was born, reading got pushed to the back burner, something I felt sad and a little guilty about. So this year I’ve made a conscious effort to read, even if just a few pages of a book each day, and my life is undoubtedly richer because of it. Personal development, fiction, non-fiction, even books for kids. The list goes on and … Read More
Holiday Snack Mix & Travel with Kids
This post is sponsored by SC Johnson. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make the content on Espresso and Cream possible. #ZiplockHolidayUAI Back before I had kids, my visions of weekend baking projects were pretty idyllic and, I now realize, unrealistic. I imagined my child happily cutting out cookie dough and decorating cookies, mess-free. Of course now that I have two kids of my own I know better than to tackle elaborate or time-intensive … Read More
Cute & Crafty Christmas Gifts
This post is sponsored by InComm s as part of the #SaveMoneyGiveBetter2017 campaign. All opinions are my own and I so appreciate you supporting the brands that make Espresso and Cream possible! Since it’s only November it may seem like I’m jumping the gun a little bit on Christmas, but for some reason this year I’ve felt especially festive. Maybe it’s the fact that my toddler is finally old enough to understand the concept of Christmas, or because it’s Collins’s … Read More
Losing Them, Loving You
Photo: Jessica Bonestroo Photography I’ve been thinking all month about what (if anything) to write this month, seeing that it’s Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. Sometimes, in the thick of parenting two little kids, our losses seem to fade into the background, a sad and heartbreaking circumstance that paved the way for both our girls. Sometimes, when cleaning up messes and disciplining toddlers and trying to grocery shop with both and maintain my sanity it’s hard to think about … Read More