I posed a shorter version of this on Facebook last week, but I thought it was worth expanding on in a post. You can find the original post here. Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of posts about social media. You know, posts about how people are “too perfect” or there is a pressure to feel more put together, to curate and create beautiful content. And on the surface I totally understand. I was having a conversation with someone not … Read More
Slow down, momma!
Like many days before it, one day last week I was rushed. We had been stuck inside for a couple days because of endless rain and cold wind, and I was, admittedly, going a little stir crazy being cooped up inside with a teething toddler who wanted to climb on all the things and a to-do list a mile long. That say, like every other day, I was trying to strike a balance between getting things done and being a … Read More
Mother’s Day Gift Guide // The Products I Love
1. Beautycounter’s Lip Sheer // Twig, Petal and Rose are my favorites! This lip color is sheer enough for people like me who don’t love highly pigmented lipstick while also providing a nice pop of color. I’m convinced that lip color is now a must-have for every woman. 2. Color Sweep Blush Duo // The Bloom/Tulip duo is my new fave Every momma could use a little something to make her look less tired, am I right? This blush duo will … Read More
Building Your Mommy Tribe
This is a sponsored post written on behalf of The Women Bloggers in association with @KendalKingGroup and #SoapboxInfluence; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own. When we moved back to Iowa last year I was a little nervous about finding new mom friends. Sure, I grew up in this small town, but I had no idea what to expect living here as an adult. Thankfully, we got plugged in fairly quickly and I’ve been working on building relationships with … Read More
Pretty in Purple + Tiny Tags Giveaway
Outfit Details // Brixon Ivy Lace Detail Dress (Stitch Fix) // Tiny Tags Mini Dog Tag Necklace // Shoes from my wedding five years ago! The Christmas before Ainsley was born, there was only one thing on my wish list: A Tiny Tags mini dog tag necklace inscribed with Ainsley’s name. I’ve never been a huge jewelry person, but I saw the necklace on my friend Natalie’s blog and just had to have one for myself. Thankfully, my Aunt Gwen … Read More
Sweet Potato and Cranberry Muffins
Now that our family has gotten into a little bit more of a routine and Ainsley is eating more “real people” food, I’ve been trying to think ahead a bit more. Although I’ve never been huge on meal prep or advance planning, it’s become a new part of my weekend reality. Doing about an hour’s worth of prep each weekend prevents me from spending crazy amounts of money on fruit + veggie pouches or feeding Ainsley endless pb&j sandwiches – … Read More
My Every Day Hero
**This post was sponsored by Imprint. All opinions are my own. Last night we were chatting with friends about the first year of parenthood. Guys? I’m not joking when I say the first year is the strangest mix of challenging and wonderful all bundled up together. No matter how many books we read or how many people we talked to, there was no way for us to really prepare for the life-changing reality of adding a little person into our … Read More
What I’m Wearing // Weekday Mommy Wardrobe Edition
When I first transitioned from pre-baby life in the corporate world to my new life as a freelancer and mom, I had a little bit of a style identity crisis. My body had gone through so many changes and sizes, I didn’t have use for all the corporate dress clothes that I wore before baby, and the only clothes I had purchased for the cooler weather were last year’s maternity items. I was more than a little lost! Over the … Read More
Don’t Miss the Point
It’s no secret that Joe and I are a little bit like a 70-year-old couple. We like to go to bed at a decent hour, wake up early, watch the Nightly News after dinner and watch 60 Minutes on Sunday nights. I have no shame in my love for 60 Minutes – it always leaves me feeling a little more informed about current events and is a great conversation started for us as a couple since they frequently talk about … Read More
Easy Baby Eats // Banana Date “Milkshake”
As promised, I have another recipe to share with you in my “Easy Baby Eats” series. I’m hoping to make this a more regular part of Espresso and Cream, because feeding a baby is, well, a challenge sometimes. I’m trying my very best to feed Ainsley healthy foods and encourage good eating habits as she gets older, and at the same time it can be so frustrating when you spend a lot of time making a healthy meal only to … Read More
Only the best for you, baby
If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, then you already know that I can’t stop talking about the new Beautycounter Baby line that launched this week. I’ve said this before, but when I was trying to get pregnant with Ainsley (and having some trouble) I became increasingly interested and aware of the impact skincare products can have on our health, hormones and more. It was around that time that I discovered Beautycounter and started using their skincare, and later … Read More
When Worry Wins
When Ainsley was born, the first thing that the doctor said was “She has such a beautiful little body!” And me? “Oh my gosh, Joe, she’s perfect!” was quickly followed by, “Are her ears funny?” We laugh about that now, but at the time it was anything but funny for a first-time momma. You see Ainsley was born with little skin tags on the outside of her ears; her ears were completely normal, except for these funny little tags on … Read More