10 Go-To Meals

I've been following along with Emily Ley's Simplicity Challenge on Instagram this month. Every day she posts a quick 15 minute FREE activity to do to simplify your life! Last week, one of the challenges was to make a list of 10 go-to meals for simple meal planning. 

I don't know if my list is worth sharing, but if nothing else, this is post for me to refer back to when I can't think of what to make for dinner!!

1. Thai Chicken Enchiladas

This is pretty much the only recipe that Trav requests by name. I make them every year for Selection Sunday in March, but I feel like we should be eating them more regularly than that. They are SO good.

2. Spicy California Shrimp Stack

I discovered these when I was pregnant with Lucas and craving sushi. These are just as good as the real deal, pregnant or not!!

3. Buffalo Chicken Soup

Every Sunday in the fall, I make a soup, and this one is by far my favorite!!!

4. Garlic Shrimp in Coconut Milk, Tomatoes and Cilantro

This is crazy easy, quick and it is SOOOO delicious.

5. Avocado and Lump Crab Salad

This is perfect for the summer, especially when it's too hot to actually turn the oven on. 

6. Spaghetti Bolognese

This is my go-to pre-race meal. I swear it helps me run fast! 

7. Tri-Color Stuffed Peppers

We randomly found this recipe on the back of a bag of Kraft cheese, and it's honestly my favorite stuffed pepper recipe. It's pretty basic, but I do swap out the veggie crumbles and use ground turkey instead.

8. Sweet and Fiery Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salsa

My favorite way to prepare pork tenderloin! This has so much flavor. Trav is not a fan of the mango salsa (he doesn't really like fruit with his meals), but I love it!

9. Crock Pot Picadillo

This makes a TON. You can eat it with rice, use for tacos, put on a salad...it has a distinct flavor that I like much better than regular taco meat. 

10. Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas

My friend Rachel brought us this for dinner when Lucas was born, and it is the BEST meal to take a family! It's super easy to prep and make ahead, and who doesn't like fajitas?! 

There you have it....10 things that even I can make (I'm such a bad cook)! If you have any good go-to recipes, please share!!!

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Boy Clothes Sizing

I find it absolutely hilarious that one of my most popular posts is about girls clothes sizing. People have been emailing me, basically since Lucas was born, asking if I would do one for boys' clothes. I held off because boys' sizing is SOOOO awful. Like, way worse than girls. Boys obviously don't wear the oh-so-versatile dresses (which we have turned into shirts as Ella gets taller!) and their legs are all different lengths. It is so freaking hard to figure out what size Lucas should wear right now, let alone try to plan ahead for the next season. 

So here is my best attempt at the crazy world that is boys' clothes. A few disclaimers:

-At his 18 month check up, Lucas was 32" (35 %) and 26 lbs. 14 oz (83%). So he's kinda short and stocky. 

-Some of these brands are things I have already bought Lucas for this summer, so I did my best to guess what size he would wear now. (I put what size fits him most comfortably in parentheses.)

-The BEST measure of clothing for me is measuring shoulder to stride (STS). 

This obviously only works on jon jons and longalls, but I did my best to include it for whatever we had that I could measure. 

-NONE of this applies to pants! Pants and shorts, I have found, run crazy big. Lucas wears 12 month and 18 month pants right now. 24 month pants are HUGE on him. And from what I remember from last summer, boys' shorts run really big too. 

Ok! So here we go...

ARB Blanks: runs slightly small (2T)

(This is the brand of blanks that my monogram girl uses...another popular one is Blanks Boutique and I feel like they run somewhat smaller as well.)

{this is a 2T}

Baby Boden: runs slightly small (18-24m)

{this is 18-24 months}

The Beaufort Bonnet Company: true to size to slightly small (18-24m) sts 16.5”

{this is 18-24 months}

Bella Bliss: runs small (2) sts 17”

Carter’s: VERY true to size (24m) sts 16”

Children’s Place: true to size (18-24m) 

For Children's Place and Carter's, Lucas can still squeeze into their 18m pajamas...but for everything else (shirts, rompers, etc.) he needs 24 months.

Cherokee: runs really small (2T)

Classic Whimsy: runs big (24m) sts 18”

Eleanor Rose: runs big (2) sts 18”

{this is a 2 and you can see it might even fit him next year!}

Gap: true to size (18-24m)

Hanna Andersson: true to size (80=18-24m)

Lil Cactus: slightly small (2T) sts 17.5”

Little English: true to size (24m) sts 18”

Kelly’s Kids: runs big (18m) sts 17”

Masters Collection: (like, from the golf tournament!) runs pretty big (24m) sts 18”

Mom & Me: slightly small (2T) sts 18”

Old Navy: very true to size (18-24m)

Petit Ami: true to size (24m) sts 18”

{this is 18 months, and you can see it's getting a little short!}

Polo Ralph Lauren: runs really small (2T)


{this is 2T}

Posh Pickle: true to size (24m) sts 17”

Remember Nguyen: runs big (18m) sts 

17” but very wide 

Sassy Lil Sprout: slightly small (24m) sts 17.5”

{this is 24 months}

Shrimp and Grits Kids: runs big (18m) sts 17.5”

I actually debated getting Lucas 18m stuff in this brand for this summer, because some of their 2T stuff was THAT big on him. 

{this is 18 months}

Smocked Auctions/Southern Sunshine Kids: true to size (24m) sts 18”

Southern Tots: runs big (18m) We don't have this brand in anything in Lucas's current size, so I measured the sts on 12m, which was 17” (so it could basically fit him now, haha)

Stellybelly: true to size to slightly big (18m) sts 18”

{this is a 2T and it was huge!}

Tea Collection: true to size but slightly short (2T) sts 16”

Three Sisters: runs big (18m) sts 17.25”

{this is 18 months}

Vive La Fete: true to size (24m)

Well Dressed Wolf: true to size to slightly big (24m)

Zucchini: runs really, REALLY big (24m) sts 19”

Hope that was somewhat helpful for you boy moms! And if there's a brand I didn't list, ask me anyway and I can check my bins of outgrown sizes to see if I can figure out how it runs! 

Also sorry this was another boring post for most of you!! ;) 

Five on Friday!

Happy Friday!! 

1. We got SO much SNOW here on Wednesday!!

I was expecting a dusting, if anything, so we were all so surprised when it kept snowing and snowing and snowing all day Wednesday!!!! 

The kids had an absolute blast the 140 times we went out in the snow. But now that we've had one big snow, I'm ready for it to be gone and spring to arrive!! 

2. This big guys is 20 months old today!!

How we are only 4 months away from his second birthday is beyond me. He loves dogs, books, Paw Patrol and any kind of sports/balls. If I ask him what he wants to wear in the morning, he goes to the sports jersey section of his closet and says, "Ball!" He is so funny....nice try buddy, but I get a few more years of you in smocked clothes before you convert to all athletic apparel!

3. Speaking of cute, non-athletic clothing...the Shrimp and Grits Kids Spring 2018 collection is here!!! And I am obsessed with it. 

My kids went over to our local rep's house to try on a few things a few weeks ago, and I want it all!!

{Shrimp Boat Shortall & Rainbow Scallop Dress}

{Shem Creek Crab Shortall}

{Birdie Golf Shift Dress}

{Sailor James Bubble...I could have literally eaten Lucas up with a spoon while he had this on! 😍}

{Magnolia Eyelet Dress}

{Pink Eyelet Top & Rose Bud Bubble Shorts}

Stuff is selling out super quick, so I went ahead and ordered the golf dress and jon jon for my kids before those were gone! If you'd like to order something, just let me know and I can get you free shipping! :) Or put in my code 70024 at checkout!

4. I finished another book!! 

I flew through The Husband's Secret...it was SO good!! I highly recommend, especially if you liked Big Little Lies (same author) like I did!

5. My friends Dana sent me this soup recipe forever ago and I finally got around to making it on our snow day!

Cheesy Taco Soup from Iowa Girl Eats

It was the perfect snow day meal! Super quick and easy, but it warmed me right up! Definitely making this again!

Also, I need to mention that today is my grandpa's birthday!!! He and my grandma occasionally read here (they're cool!), so Happy Birthday Grandpa!!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

Weekend Fun | Emily Ley & Baby Norah!

We had a fun 3 day weekend over here! 

First things first, I got to meet Emily Ley on Friday!

She was just as sweet as I thought she would be! I was totally starstruck and awkward, but she was like, "OMG, is your shirt Lilly?! I love it!"...so basically we're best friends. Ha!

Afterwards, these girls and I (well, minus Emily Ley!) went out to dinner. Always nice to have some girl time!

So, my friend Kathryn would have totally joined us on this fun little night out...but she {finally!} went into labor!!!!!

Sweet little Norah was born just before midnight on Friday night!

Of course I rushed up to the hospital on Saturday to see her! She is absolute perfection!!!

We also had to keep our 0 Birthday Candle tradition going! Kathryn and I have brought a 0 candle and cupcakes to each other in the hospital for all 4 of our kids! 

Also! Norah was a whopping 9 pounds, 5 ounces!! Kathryn had an ultrasound earlier in the week and they had told her the baby was over 9 pounds. Since they had also told me something similar with Lucas (he turned out to be 7 lbs, 6 oz), I convinced Kathryn there was no way this baby was going to be over 9 pounds. I told her if the baby was, I'd buy her some Lilly! So on my way to the hospital, I stopped at the mall and got her this Lilly top! Hahaha. 

The rest of our weekend was spent getting ready for Ella's rainbow birthday party...

...playing doctor...

....and playing with this new toy I found on a Facebook group for $5! Ella had been asking for one since she had played with something similar at the Y.



Trav also cooked for us every night, and Sunday night he made sushi! It was SOOOOO good! Lucas gobbled it all up (with his peanut butter sandwich...haha).



Hope you had a great long weekend too! 

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5 on Friday

Happy Friday, friends! I am so glad to see this week come to an end...it has been a doozy!

1. I almost burnt my house down on Monday. No, really. My friend came over to borrow some of Ella's old clothes from her 24 month/2T bin. Lucas kept trying to get into it, so finally I just put it on top of my stove (dumb) before we headed out the door to get Ella from preschool. We were gone only about 20 minutes, but when we got back from preschool pickup, our entire downstairs was filled with smoke. Apparently, somehow one of the burners had gotten turned on (I don't know if I bumped it, or Lucas was messing with it?), and smoke was pouring out of the tub of Ella's old clothes. I immediately took the tub and ran outside with it. It was still smoking, and I noticed little embers on the clothes, so I poured a bunch of water in the tub. Ella's clothes are now totally ruined.

The shirt she wore to the hospital to meet Lucas....some smocked dresses that I wore back in the 80s....some of my favorite Lilly print dresses. All totally singed and destroyed. I could just CRY. 

But I am so grateful that it wasn't worse. Our house smelled like burnt plastic for a day or 2, but my stove was not messed up and I still have all my other bins of clothes safely in the attic :) 

2. Once my stove recovered from the fire of 2018 (which wasn't even a fire but just a bunch of smoke), I actually managed to whip up 2 new recipes this week! They were both really good, so I thought I'd share!

Vodka Sauce Chicken Zucchini Noodles

(After the week I'd been having, I may or may not have been tempted to take a shot--or 5--of the vodka before pouring it in for the sauce)

Sheet Pan Balsamic-Herb Chicken and Vegetables

(This couldn't have been easier and my kids actually ate some of it!)

3. I finished my first book of 2018 last week: Present Over Perfect

Honestly, it wasn't as good as I thought it would be. I had pretty high expectations going in, but I thought she was going to explain more of how to get a simpler, more soulful life....instead it was just a bunch of essays about her journey. I guess I should have read the book description more closely?

Anyway, I'm halfway through book #2...The Husband's Secret...and oh my goodness, it is GOOD. I can't put it down! 

I also joined GoodReads (thanks, Rachel!) so find me on there and give me book suggestions! :)

4. Lucas, Lucas, Lucas. This boy keeps me on my toes, y'all. He was watching Paw Patrol in my bedroom while I was putting on makeup (it's the one thing that holds his attention for more than .3 seconds). I decided to quickly run downstairs to throw in a load of laundry while he was occupied. I came back upstairs from the laundry room, to find Lucas no longer watching Paw Patrol. He had snuck into my bathroom, pulled himself INTO the bathtub, turned the water on, and was just having a grand old time. With his clothes on. 

Eiyiyi. This boy. 

5. Surely this yucky week will be turning itself around today because a) one of my best friends is supposed to be having her baby SO SOON! and b) I get to meet Emily Ley tonight! She is going to be at Swoozie's for a book signing and I am so excited to see her!

If you're not familiar, Emily makes planners and writes books about simplifying your life.

I recently organized the apps on my phone by color, per her recommendation and it makes me alarmingly happy. 

Hope you all have had a better week than me!! Cheers to the weekend!
(And don't put large plastic bins on your stove.)