What's Up Wednesday: September

Today I decided to join in with a new group of bloggers on their monthly What’s Up Wednesday.   Without further ado; here’s what’s up with me!
 

What we're eating this week:

I’m not getting too fancy with meals this week due to our schedule.  The two main highlights for dinner will be our family favorite of chicken and sweet potatoes on the grill and chicken pot pie.  I’m not sure if you all have experienced the wonderful chicken pot pie from Costco or not, but it is my hubby’s favorite.  It is a seasonal dish for them, and was just released for the fall and winter months this week.  I’m not joking when I say I had to talk him out of purchasing two.

 

What I'm Reminiscing About:

This is a standard thing for me, but I love looking back at photos of the kids.  They can be from last year or last month and I am always in awe at how much they change and what new things they learn.  Time is just so precious and to be cherished.

 

What I'm Loving:

I’m always loving something.  Every night when I get home I light my Gold Canyon candle in “pumpkin patch.”  I also am quick to jump into a pair of sweat pants I picked up at Costco a few weeks back.  They were $9 and are some of the softest I have ever worn, no joke.  I believe the brand is 32˚? 
 

I am loving how Miss Tess is discovering the world of baking with me and how adamant she is at teaching me the splits (it’s not going very well).  I also love listening to Mr. Brady sing his favorite songs and sharing his love for counting (5,6,7,8,9,10 as fast as he can).  I guess the other numbers before five aren’t important anymore. ;)
 

Finally, I love all things pumpkin flavored (especially coffee creamer), cauliflower dishes, and green smoothies.

 

What We've Been Up To:

Everything, ha!  The weather has been amazing here in Iowa.  We have had some nice summer-like days with cool, crisp evenings.  We have been soaking up all the time outside that we can before that dreaded winter arrives on our front steps.  There have been trips to the apple orchard, the farmer's market, and we made our last big drive up to the lake house.



She's Thrilled; I Promise

 

Our evenings as of late consist of walks to the playground and socializing with our neighbors.  This is my favorite time of year so I am cherishing these beautiful fall nights and using every excuse I have to bake, burn candles, and bundle up in comfy clothes  as I play outside with the kiddos.

What I'm Dreading:

I feel like I have been chatting about this a lot already, but I’m dreading next week when we take Brady to Iowa City for another kidney procedure.  We will spend the morning in Radiology and the afternoon with his specialist.  Brady had an appointment today with his pediatrician who prescribed an antibiotic for us to start using this weekend.  Hopefully that will eliminate any infection from this procedure since we don’t have such good luck in that area.

What I'm Working On:

I feel like turning my house into a home is a constant project for me.  With Brady upgrading to his big boy bed, I am thinking about how to rearrange and/or make his room more fitting for him.  I am also trying to find the right add-ons for our master bedroom and light fixtures for some other areas.  I tell ya what, it’s a process.

What I'm Excited About:

A neighbor of ours has the movie Pitch Perfect 2 and I have been dying to see it.  This Saturday night a bunch of us are getting together to watch.  I hope it lives up to the hype I have created in my mind.  I loved the first one and am certain the second won’t disappoint.  Bring on the music and laughter! 

Side note: I heard they are making a Pitch Perfect 3 to be released in August of 2017…say what?

What I'm watching/reading:

This month has been insanely busy for us.  Needless to say I haven’t watched a single television show or read a book.  I have watched The Princess and The Frog about seven times. ;)  We are also watching Mickey’s Halloween Episode on repeat.  Oh, the life of a mommy.

What I'm Listening To:

With the craziness of this month and the anxiety I have building due to Brady’s appointment, I have switched permanently to our Christian radio station these last couple of weeks.  I’ve blogged about how this music can really lift me up, calm me down, and help put life in perspective.  I know when I need it, and this month has been one of those times.  I do still listen to my country music flare when I am getting ready some mornings.  Every mommy needs some beats here and there!

What I'm Wearing:

I have been living in my Zella leggings as of late.  I purchased a cropped pair and a long pair during the Nordstrom’s anniversary sale a couple months back.  So far they have lived up to the hype.  They are so soft and wash up great. 

Another item I seem to wear nearly every day are my New Balance sneaks.  They are super comfortable, a must for this mommy on the go, and I happen to think they are pretty darn cute. 

What I'm Doing This Weekend:

My sister-in-law and niece (those hot little numbers on the left) are flying in from California for the weekend.  We haven’t seen them since our Maui vacation in May so it will be wonderful to catch up face to face again.  Plus, the kids actually haven’t seen one another since last December (we chose not to bring our little ones to Hawaii).  At their young ages, so much development occurs in such a short amount of time so it will be neat to see how they interact together.

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month:

First off, I can’t wrap my head around the fact that tomorrow is October!  Here’s my list of to-dos for our family.

1.  A visit to the pumpkin patch

2.  Carving pumpkins

3.  Trick –or-treating

4.  Making that darn Cauliflower Pizza that’s been on my to-do list since June ;)

Favorite Halloween Tradition:

I was raised in a family that was a stickler about tradition and I loved it!  We have so many fun traditions throughout the year.  The one holiday where traditions were missing was Halloween as it wasn’t a favorite of my folks.  The hubs really enjoys this holiday, but quite frankly I could take it or leave it.  Needless to say we don’t have any traditions besides your standard carving of pumpkins and traveling house to house for candy.  And well, I don’t think I’m planning anything new for this year either. ;)

Cauliflower Craze

Confession:  I have an obsession with cauliflower.

That probably sounds like a pretty weird thing to be obsessed over, but it’s the truth.  A couple of years back, my mom suggested we make mashed potatoes but replace the starchy vegetable with cauliflower.    We loved it!  The consistency is spot on, the flavor is wonderful, and you don’t have to worry about all the calories either (bonus)!  Have any of you tried this?  If you haven’t experienced the tasty goodness of cauliflower ‘mashed potatoes’, you must make it tonight, it’s so easy!

I take a head of cauliflower and pull off the florets.  Steam them on the stove for about 25 minutes.  After that, pour your florets into a bowl and mash them up.  I usually just use a fork because they mash easily and I like a clumpier consistency instead of creamy; completely a preference.  Then I add a tiny bit of butter, salt, and some pepper.  That’s it!  Add some protein and/or some green veggies and you are set for a meal. 

Last week the hubs and I mixed up our traditional cauliflower and made it into 'fried rice.'  After the cauliflower was mashed, we added spices, eggs, onion, and some diced chicken breast.  It was amazing and super healthy in comparison to what you would order at a restaurant.  I may have to post a recipe on this as well...so good!

5 on Friday: One Year Of The Blog

1.  One Year

Well folks, it has officially been a full year since my first blog post of Faith & Samuel.  In case you are a new reader, or just want to reminisce like me; here are a few highlights from the year.  I tried to pick a variety of posts about all of us and a family favorite recipe.  It’s fun (bittersweet) to see how much the kids have changed in this one year.  I’m glad we got to partake in some pretty special moments.

 

A little background on my babies:Wee-Ones 

Our Son’s Story

Our first trip to Disneyland

Just a weekly 5 on Friday

One of our staple meals during a weeknight: Chicken &Sweet Potatoes  

Our Maui Vacation

Tess Turns 4

A little Get to Know Me

A glimpse of lake life and my parent’s home-Lake Livin

Our summer birthday babies’ celebration at Great Wolf Lodge

2.  Apple

A couple weeks ago the hubs surprised me by reserving me the new Apple i-phone. I have been eligible for an upgrade for over a year and haven’t taken the plunge.  The phone I have (the 4S) works great and to be completely honest I love the small size.  It fits in my bra just perfect; and I’m not ashamed to admit that is where I store it way too often!  Anyway, I have been talking about finally trading it in and today is the day!  Goodbye small phone; hello better camera! 

3.  University of Iowa

In a couple weeks we take Brady to Iowa City for another procedure to check his kidney and bladder function.  I always have anxiety prior to any of his appointments but for some reason this time it is a bit more.  We’ve been through these procedures enough and haven’t had great outcomes, so I am really hoping this time things will change.  I have been telling myself often to not think or worry about the day too much because quite frankly we aren’t in control.  In my opinion I have been doing a pretty good job of that, until yesterday.  I spent quite a bit of time on the phone with Brady’s nurse.  We were discussing/confirming appointment times and verifying that a child life specialist will be there to assist if necessary.  Finally, the nurse brought up the option of sedation.  This has never been an option for us in the past.  However, the more we discussed it and I had a chance to think about it; we are going to use sedation for this procedure.  Brady is at the age to know that there is something going on so he does get quite worked up in clinics and hospitals.  Also, he’s two.  What two year old do you know that will sit still and/or not fight being strapped down to a table.  The down side to this is that he needs to be NPO for eight hours prior to our procedures.  Iowa City is a good two+ hour drive from our house so not having anything to eat or drink in the morning will be very hard.  That being said, I think I have decided to book us a hotel near the hospital; maybe one with a pool.  We can tire the kids out, let them stay up really late, and have them sleep until it is absolutely necessary to leave for the hospital.  Now, this is all good in my mind but…

4.  Costume Ideas

We have been discussing Halloween costumes in our house for nearly three weeks now.  Out of the blue one day, Miss Tess said that she wanted more than anything to be a goldfish.  And no, I have absolutely no idea where that came from.  My only thought is that she and little brother have been fishing up a storm this summer at my parent’s house.  I gave it some thought and realized maybe I could make that work with her idea that “I want Brady to be my fisherman.”  He does have a lot of props already to fulfill that costume and it is his most favorite activity on this Earth.

Then this week we were watching a favorite family Disney movie, The Princess & The Frog.  If you haven’t seen it, you must!  I love this one to pieces and the music is fabulous.  Although I have always believed deep down that I should have been raised in the South so maybe that’s part of my obsession? Well, and let’s be honest; I was certain I was going to marry Prince William for most of my life too. ;)  Anyway, back to my point.  Little man B has a known history of ribbiting to different rooms and up the stairs.  I have videos of Tess trying to catch her brother as a frog.  So, now she thinks he should be a frog and her a princess. 

I’m certain about twenty more ideas will surface from now until Halloween, but I am going to go with one of the ideas listed above.  Any thoughts from you readers on how to make these costumes happen?

 5.  Another Week, Another Recipe

You guys, I just have to post this one.  We made this on Tuesday, had leftovers on Wednesday, and I secretly wish we had more.  The recipe for this week was Korean Beef.  We don’t make a lot of Asian dishes in our home.  I don’t know if it’s because they are so full of flavor or what but they just aren’t “cozy” meals to me.  My opinion on them is completely different from my husband’s.  He could eat Asian food for at least one meal of each day.  Maybe it’s his Indian background?  He’s got quite a bit of Sri Lankan blood in him; and if you need to look where Sri Lanka is on the map, it’s okay.  I had to when I met him. ;)

So, after the meat was cooked, we served it over basmati rice.  I added green vegetables to mine but the hubs just had meat (sound familiar in any of your homes)?  The kids loved the meat too so when it’s 4 for 4 it’s a sure win in our home.  I am ready to make this one again soon!

I feel like I could keep going again today but I'll save some topics for next week.  I hope you all have wonderful weekends.  Ours should be pretty low-key...my favorite type. 
Go Cowboys!

Little Boy - Big Bed

You guys, there was a big milestone in our house this week.  I mean, huge!  One large enough it brings tears to my eyes.  Somehow, some way, sometime (when I wasn’t home actually)…the husband converted Brady’s crib into his toddler bed.

Ugh…it is so bittersweet to me.  I love watching my babies grow and see them change in to the little people they are becoming.  But a part of me wants to hold on to time so much it hurts!

The little guy was pretty fond of his new sleeping quarters.  He even invited big sis in for a little Mickey Mouse show-a-thon that first afternoon; only to fall asleep for the first time in there.  How precious is this moment?

So, there you have it.  We are now a crib free home.  Oh my goodness, I will never have a baby in a crib again…

Cinnamon Sugar & Blueberry Banana Bread

Recipe

Tessa is my little baker.  She often asks me if we can make treats or if she can help me cook.  Yesterday afternoon was the perfect opportunity for some mommy and daughter baking.  The weather was gorgeous.  I had all the windows open for fresh air, football was on t.v., and baby brother was down for a nap.  I had Tess scroll through some recipes and pick the one she wanted to do.  She chose cinnamon sugar and blueberry banana bread.  It seemed like a lot of flavor jammed into one recipe but I was willing to give it a try.  Luckily I had all the ingredients too!

Grandma got this apron for her last Fall.  She loved that it said Boo as she was the one who first started calling Tess that when she was a baby.  Plus, I love that she enjoys wearing it!  Not only does it protect her clothes from a mess, but they are just so adorable on little kids.

 

Family and friends beware as there was a lot of "love" put into making this bread. 

Peeling bananas is always tricky for her.  She hates the "yucky" they leave on her hands.

 

Twirling in the blueberries because mommy wasn't properly folding them in as the recipe mentioned.

So proud of her bread that she nearly dropped on the ground...always an adventure with little Miss.

Here is our final product.  If I’m being completely honest, I think I would give this recipe a B-.  It is quite tasty but each time I take a bite my taste buds are confused.  Am I having banana bread?  Is this a blueberry muffin?  If I had to do it all over again, I would make it as banana bread with the cinnamon sugar layer on top.  But, if you're feeling all sorts of crazy and adventurous, give it a whirl!

 

5 on Friday

1.  Our Little Town

As I’m commuting to work and stuck in traffic, I dread where we live.  Yet, when I’m home; I love every single second of living in our small little town.  I love the feeling of community and I can’t get enough of our backyard view of the countryside.  This weekend is our town festival.  Tomorrow morning the Burns four will be participating in the 5K run, rushing home to shower, and then heading back “uptown” for the parade.  They have jumping houses, dog shows, princess parties, bands, and all sorts of other activities tonight and during the day tomorrow.  This will be our second year attending and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to it!  Keep your fingers crossed we’re all able to finish the race!

 

2.  Rodan & Fields

You may remember me talking about this company a few months back.  I wanted some information, recommendations on products, and reviews from users.  After some back and forth and figuring out what product line would be best for my needs, I finally made the leap to give it a try.  I received my products this week and started using them on Wednesday.  I took some “before” photos and will do an update at four or eight weeks.  I typically have pretty decent skin but after hormone craziness that came with my little ones and the inevitable aging, I could stand a little help feeling comfortable with little to no make-up again.

 

3.  Apple Orchard

Last week I mentioned how I wanted to visit the apple orchard as it was a tradition we started when we were living in Nebraska.  The weather was gorgeous last Sunday morning so we packed up the kids and headed about a mile down the road to visit the one near our house.  The kids had a great time!  I love this activity.  For some reason it’s like an initiation to the Fall season.  We’ve been eating apples like crazy this week (and I’ve been finishing off a pie that the hubs purchased and forgot to take with him to Chicago – and I don’t even like pie- or at least didn’t until now) and hope to make an apple crisp this weekend.  Here are some shots from our adventure.

4.  Chicago Fire

David returns from his weeklong training in Chicago tonight.  He said it’s been educational and physically challenging, similar to his days in fire academy (minus the shaved head, thank goodness).   The hubs sent me this photo from their training on Wednesday.  There's nothing like seeing your husband crawling out of a building, ha! Today they will be doing rescues in a four story burning building-awesome.  Here’s hoping everyone remains safe!

5.  What’s In My Bag

Finally, I wanted to share five of my “must haves” in my make-up bag.  These are the products I can’t seem to live without and are definitely worth a share.

Smashbox Primer

I have been using this for years.  My foundation just doesn't look right if I don't have a good base on first.  I always buy the travel size (biggest bang for your buck) and you need just a tiny bit to notice a difference.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Foundation

When David and I got engaged I started looking for a good foundation for the wedding.  I stumbled across this one; not too much coverage, but enough to hide some blemishes and discoloration.  I've never looked back.  I use the 2.0 most of the year and the 3.0 in the summer.  It's a bit more expensive but I rarely purchase more than one a year!

 

Cover Girl Blush

I'm pretty sure I previously blogged about this blush before.  It's great for all skin tones; not too pink and not too coral.  The color is called "Soft Mink" and will run you about $5 in any local drugstore.

 

Chanel Eye Pencil

I was at a make-up counter about a year ago and got talked into this purchase.  I had never penciled in my eyebrows before.  They are already pretty full and nearly jet black.  However, as I've gotten older they aren't quite as full near my nose.  I started using this pencil in #40 to fill in the inside of my brows.  Boy, a little bit makes a difference.

 

Loreal Double Extend/Voluminous Mascara

Okay, I saved the best for last!  I saw this trick from a few fashion/beauty bloggers and thought I would give it a whirl.  After two months of consistent use I can see a difference in my lashes.  The first step is to use the Double Extend Primer (you will only use the white side of the mascara wand) to coat your lashes.  Just do a single coat, and then apply two coats of the Voluminous mascara.  I tell you what, it's amazing.  The primer has not only helped thicken and lengthen my lashes on a daily basis but I swear it has helped them grow and stay healthier.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Real Life #7

I haven’t done a real life post in a while and I feel like these last couple weeks have really been filled with honest moments.  After a long, looong, LONG day yesterday I was flipping through photos on my phone and found these.  Posed pictures are amazing, but I really love candid moments.  They’re so truthful and really capture life how it was in that glimpse of time.  These were taken last weekend at a local park.  This was a good real life moment; and it’s amazing how seeing images like this can level your mind after a stressful day.  (Anyone else think I need a better phone camera?  Either that or I need to get better about using my actual camera...blurry city, sorry.)

Fast forward to last night and it was a “not so good” life moment.  My mom is staying with me while the hubs does Chicago Fire.  I had such high hopes of tackling projects, doing some shopping, cooking some treats, etc.  This week hasn’t gone quit as planned as Mr. Brady has yet again picked up a virus (I guess I'm naïve in thinking we’d built up a better immune system for this little turkey by now).  Nevertheless, we decided to take advantage of some sales and make our way to the mall last night.  The kids were out.of.control.  You know what I’m talking about; after each other about everything, touching every single item within their view, not listening, speaking yelling loudly….the whole shebang.  I looked at mom and we agreed that going home would be the best option.  Since I’m a stubborn soul, I wasn’t leaving until I had tried on some shoes!  I ask the sales lady to bring back a couple pairs to try.  I’m rushing to make a decision, while at the same time attempting to put back the 10+ shoes Miss Tess needed to try on herself and appease Brady because he cannot possibly seem to hold on to his water cup.  And then…Brady vomits, like really vomits, all over himself.  Here I stand with one flip-flop on and one boot, at least five other shoes in my hand, and one sick baby.  I look at the sales woman and say…”Um, I think I’ll put these on hold.”  I kick off the boot, gather our belongings and head upstairs to the children’s department.  Maybe it was Brady’s way of saying he wanted new clothes? 

Anyway, life is a series of ups and downs.  This morning I’m thankful for a co-worker who brought donuts and candy…right when a gal needs ‘em.

Strawberry Pretzel Dip

If you saw my post on Friday, I had made mention that I was going to make a new recipe, Strawberry Pretzel Dip.  I had sent David to the store earlier in the week for the ingredients and whipped it up on Friday night.  Turns out, it was a hit so I want to share the yumminess with all of you.  You can find the recipe on my Pinterest under Sweet Tooth.

Funny story though, the recipe is titled Strawberry Pretzel Dip.  I am following the recipe and adding the ingredients in the order it says.  I get to the last step of adding in the fruit filling and fold in my cherry pie filling.  It doesn’t even occur to me that the recipe says strawberry and that I am adding cherry.  In fact, I brought this dip to a neighborhood gathering on Friday night (shared the recipe) and to a football party on Saturday (shared the recipe) and it wasn’t until my cousin made the dessert for her family celebration yesterday that I realized I had made the dessert incorrectly!  My cousin, her husband, and I have now tried both versions…the correct way with strawberry (that she made for her party) and the incorrect way with cherry.  And you know what?  They’re both fabulous.  I plan on making this again with blueberry!  Doesn't that sound amazing? 

 

But really, how did I send the hubs to the store for the wrong thing, read the recipe wrong, share the recipe incorrectly, and have to be told days later I did it wrong?  Ugh, I am my mother. ;)

5 on Friday: Random Happenings

Happy Friday everyone!  This week was a good one for us and let me tell ya, it was much needed after the rough go we had last week with our sickness.  And let’s be honest, the four day work week really helped too!  I feel like I have so much to talk about today so hold on to your hats for more than just five topics. ;)

1.  9/11

Do you remember where you were on this day fourteen years ago?  I will never forget.  I was in college and just waking up.  One of my roommates, Kerri K., came running into the room saying there was something happening in NYC with planes and we needed to go turn on the news.  In a matter of minutes, all of us ladies were in the sorority lounge glued to the TV.  Classes were cancelled at my university, with the exception of my five hour Organic Chemistry class.  That afternoon I walked across a desolate campus to my lab.  The professor took a moment to talk to us, we took a moment of silence, and then we completed our lab experiment in an expedited fashion so we could return to our homes, our families, our friends.  It was a somber day, and certainly one I will never forget.  Don’t forget to take a moment to remember those who lost their lives and those that still mourn their loved ones.

There are a couple businesses in town that are hosting meals for the firefighters today.  I thought that was pretty cool that they are recognizing them on this day.  Hopefully the calls will stay at bay so the hubs and his coworkers can enjoy them to the fullest.

2.  NYFW

You guys, another year is here and I am not at New York Fashion week…again!  Someday I will fulfill my deep desires to witness a show first hand.  I don’t know when this will be but gosh darn it, I have to attend.  It has been on my bucket list since I was in my early 20s.  I’m certain my obsession with clothes, shoes, and Sex & the City back then had nothing to do with it. ;)  Anyway, I am filling my void this year by following all the wonderful fashion bloggers who are out there now.  Pure envy has set in.

3.  Apple Picking

When we lived in Nebraska, we started a family tradition of visiting the apple orchard every September.   I have some great memories that we’ve captured in photos of the little ones; some of Brady just weeks old! 

 

There is a small orchard just down from our house.  Even though it isn’t large, I love the idea that it’s right near us and where the kids will grow up.  I hope to take the kids there this weekend to pick our own apples because Lord knows it’s time to start whipping up those apple recipes! 

 I love making overnight apple cinnamon oatmeal, an apple dessert (blogged previously here), and I want to attempt a new recipe for apple chicken meatballs that I saw on Mix & Match Mama.

4.  Strawberry Pretzel Dip

 I stumbled across this recipe a few weeks ago and am making it tonight.  Doesn’t it look like the perfect combination of salt and sweet?  If it is a success, I’ll make sure to share the details next week.

5.  Cy-Hawk

 This weekend is the showdown for Iowa and Iowa State football.  This is my favorite college game of the year!  It doesn’t matter if you’re cheering for Iowa or ISU; you’re excited and the anticipation over the game makes for a fun atmosphere living here.  Neither David nor I went to an Iowa college (my dad and much of my extended family all attended ISU) but we still cheer both teams on.  However, when it comes to the rivalry, I can’t help but cheer for the cyclones!

For the game we are going over to my cousin’s house, a Hawkeye household.  It should make for an interesting and very fun afternoon!  Bring on the rivalry!

6.  Moments

If you didn’t have the opportunity to swing past my blog yesterday, take a minute to read the story.  I tell you what, it was a game changer for me this week. 

7.  “Mom”

I can’t believe that the time has come.  Yes folks, it was as if Brady turning two was the initiation of the hubs and I having to play referee with the kids.  Our two littles either love each other beyond words or they are in a fighting moment.  I’m not quite sure if there is an in-between anymore? 

"Eh, what mom?  I didn't do it."

 I called David on my way home last night and it was so loud in the background.  He was also driving and the kids were in the backseat arguing over who could see more clouds out their window.  Then, Brady told Tessa how he saw a dog in the tree (um, probably not) and she was screaming at him how that wasn’t possible.  Yep, I think this is how the next 18 years are going to roll.

8.  Because They’re Awesome

I have to share one last thing because seriously, I’m still laughing about it today.  Last night we get the kids to bed and I’m indulging in IG and come across a photo that a friend of mine posted.  She comes home only to find that her husband has mounted a deer head in their entry way hallway.  I swear her husband and mine are one in the same sometime!  Gosh, I love that family!

 And to not keep you in suspense, the deer head is no longer there.  ;)