Roasted Rainbow Vegetables

Anybody else love meal prep? Meal prep makes me feel so prepared for the week and saves our family a lot of time during the week. One thing we make sure is on our meal prep to-do list weekly is roasted vegetables. Ever since completing the Whole30, roasted vegetables have been a staple in our home. Roasted vegetables are easy to add to scrambled eggs, quick to toss the lunch boxes for daycare and work, and great for tossing in last-minute dinners.

Many nights during the week we will toss a pan of broccoli or cauliflower in the oven to roast as a side; however, we like to meal prep this colorful pan for a variety of options to use. You can use any type or color of vegetables you prefer, these are our family's favorite five.

Roasted Rainbow Vegetables

Ingredients

Enough vegetables to cover a sheet pan

Directions

1 | Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2 | Chop all vegetables to roughly the same size.

3 | Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and top with any seasonings you like, we typically do salt and pepper

4 | Place pan with prepared vegetables in oven and allow to cook for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender enough for your liking.

What is one thing you meal prep weekly? Share your recipe below!

Kayty

Noobie One! Review

Our sweet baby is ONE! A few months ago we shared about Noobie Box and their awesome subscription box service that celebrates every little life. We reviewed the Noobie Play which is designed for babies 7+ months. Now, it’s time for the next box in the series, Noobie One! In case you have not heard of Noobie Boxes, Noobie makes boxes celebrating the life of your new baby, in 4 different milestones! Each box is dedicated to point in a baby's life when they are learning and exploring new things. Noobie's Nest, Eat, Play, and One, all coincide with the milestones that occur around those ages. Each box contains at least 5 full size products & tips relating to baby's current stage. Spread out to celebrate over the course of a baby's first 12 months these would make a great baby gift for mama's! You can either order the boxes individually or order all 4 boxes as a subscription.

What's Inside Noobie One?

The Noobie One box was so fun to open! Each Noobie Box has a small card with tips for whatever stage your baby is in. When your baby turns one, everyone is thinking all things birthday party. The box had a several great ideas regarding baby's first birthday. As a first time mama, I was so thankful to read these tips! There were also a some party accessories as well as a crown for the birthday girl. Anyone else love Where the Wild Things Are? The crown reminded me exactly of Max's crown!

The products we received were:

1 | Kid Cookbook by Beaba // Lots of simple and adorable recipes for toddlers. I have found this very useful as most baby cookbooks only go up to one year old. The recipes can grow with your child and can easily be used for ideas for the next 5 or so years.

2 | Duukies Beachsocks // Super unique water socks, instead of shoes. Cora is not walking, so we have not had the opportunity to try these yet, but there is a great information on their website. They are easy to slip on, and come in a variety of sizes and fabrics.

3 | PlanToys Dino Car // We love rolling this all over our wood floors and our couches.

4 | Viga Puzzle // A simple puzzle that I can see Cora growing to enjoy. Right now we just like to dump all the pieces on the floor!

5 | Party accessories // A candle, some balloons, and an adorable crown.

Cora's favorite so far is the dinosaur car. We are definitely into wheels these days. The balloons were terrifying to her. Is that a baby thing? I'm not sure. But, we skipped these at her party since she was not a fan of them.

Compared to the Noobie Play we reviewed a few months ago, I feel like this box had a wide variety of goodies. There were different categories of toys that each help develop different skills, something for mom/dad, etc. Also, the toys are things your child can enjoy and grow into. Even though she cannot put the pieces back in the puzzle, she still likes to play with it, and someday she will be able to do the puzzle. I think this box was very gender neutral which can be hard sometimes! Even the beachsocks are definitely a neutral enough fabric for your little dude or little gal. I love that there were some brands we already know and love, and some we had never heard of but got to look into!

We said the same thing last time, and it still holds true! Noobie is a super fun year-long subscription or one time purchase. Buying Noobie boxes for a friend (or yourself!) is a great gift idea!

-Kayty

Thank you Noobie for sending us your Noobie Play box to review. All opinions are 100% our own.

What's in our Diaper Bag?

I've been toting a diaper bag around for about a year now and I think I finally have got it down! The first time we went out and about with the babe, there were no extra clothes in our diaper bag. Unfortunately, the nurse doing her 48 hour check-up put her clothes at her feet when she took her diaper off to weigh her and well accidents happen. Giggles happened all around! Since then we've always keep an extra pair (or two!) of clothes in our diaper bag.

Today we are going to be out all day, enjoying the State Fair.

We do not actually use a standard diaper bag. It is still on my 'wish list,' but that's something I'm saving up for. When Cora was born, we had an extra backpack lying around, and spare money got used up quick on extra little things we didn't expect to need. So, we stuck with what we had, and my Eddie Bauer adventure bag turned into a diaper bag. Since our bag only extremely minimal pockets, pouches make this setup work for us. Let's take a look and see what exactly is in our diaper bag!

What's in our Diaper Bag?

1 | Diaper pouch // This pouch holds 3 or so diapers, a pack of travel wipes, a changing mat, and some travel Super Duper Diaper Doo. What makes this pouch extremely handy is if I'm just running one errand or making a super quick trip, I can just grab this pouch, my keys, wallet, the babe, and we are out the door. No lugging around a bag for a 10 minute trip that most likely will not result in any diaper changes, but you never know!

*Note: I've only ever used this 'pouch only' trick since Cora has been old enough to predict diaper changes. When she was little and you never knew what a poop was going to happen, everything came with us always!*

2 | Toy pouch // We have a few toys that are designated 'busy bag' toys. They are mostly quiet things that keep a little one busy for a while. We keep a teether, tape measure, car, ribbon, foam stacking shapes, links, pipe cleaners, straws, tupperware with holes for putting things into, etc. This comes in handy when we end up in the family room at church or when she is antsy in the car, or we are waiting in traffic.

3 | Clothing pouch // Spare change of clothes (or two!). We rotate these out with each season and size. They generally end up being mismatched outfits, but they're for emergency so who cares!

4 | Snack // No matter where we go we always keep a few snacks handy because sometimes our trips run longer than expected and no one enjoys being around a hangry baby. Easy finger foods make the best diaper bag snacks like cheerios.

5 | Mama's needs // I always keep a coupon tampons, pads, hand sanitizer, and a tube of chapstick handy.

6 | Muslin swaddle // At 13 months old we are way past the swaddling stage, but these work great for wiping up spills, as a changing area, blanket for car naps, and so much more. They are extremely versatile, lightweight, and compact when you roll them up so they're easy to add in to your bag.

7 | Outdoor pouch // This is much more of a summer need and this pouch holds sunscreen, sunglasses, and extra hat, and a lightweight sweatshirt. I like to toss everything in this pouch for our daycare provider to have all in one place, but also for ourselves in case something gets left at home for adventures.

Is there something you think is crucial that I missed? Tell me below! Or share what you think is a great idea!

Kayty

A Month of 30 Minute Whole30 Meals

It is no secret now, the Sheard family loves the Whole30 program. We have completed the Whole30 twice, and in between them we went off the program. It was graduation party season, and we had several birthday parties also. We still made Whole30 choices as much as possible, but we definitely enjoyed cake and non-Whole30 things at parties. After eating unhealthy choices we quickly realized how much of a difference our Whole30 eating had made. We started to feel sluggish, felt extremely lazy in the evenings, had no motivation, and our old cravings started to creep back out.

Once we were able to break away from the parties we did another Whole30 to get back on track again. After this second Whole30 our goal was to stick with the Whole30 eating habits until something truly worthwhile came along. In order to continue our clean eating, we needed to have an collection of choices available. Especially once school starts and Josh starts teaching again, we will not have as much time for daily meal prep.

We've come up with a list of 30 30-minute meal ideas for you (and for us to look back at!). Any of these could be used for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

A Month of 30 Minute Whole30 Meals

1 | Chicken stir fry

2 | Hamburgers & sweet potatoes 'fries'

3 | Chicken & any roasted vegetable

4 | Tuna wraps (compliant mayo available from Primal Kitchen)

5 | Spinach Fritata (available in Whole30 book)

6 | Pork chops & any roasted vegetable

7 | Scrambled eggs, sautéed bell peppers, & compliant sausage

8 | Stuffed peppers

9 | Grilled salmon & roasted asparagus or brussels sprouts

10 | Taco meat, mixed roasted veggies, sliced avocado

11 | Hebrew National hotdogs & roasted potatoes (compliant ketchup & mustard available from Primal Kitchen)

12 | Southwest Scrambled Eggs (available in Whole30 book)

13 | Blackened tilapia & guacamole

14 | Egg bake (eggs, homemade sausage, sweet potato, spinach, bell pepper onion)

15 | Shrimp & steamed vegetable medley

16 | Salad & protein of choice topped with favorite vegetables and Primal Kitchen dressing

17 | Roast beef (30-ish minutes of prep, longer to cook)

18 | Grilled meat & vegetable kabobs

19 | Melissa's Chicken Hash (available in Whole30 book)

20 | Pulled pork (30-ish minutes of prep, longer to cook)

21 | Salmon burgers

22 | Baked sweet potatoes topped with favorite toppings

23 | Grilled steak

24 | Dinner Breakfast (available in Whole30 book)

25 | Cauliflower fried rice

26 | Slow cooker gumbo (30-ish minutes of prep, longer to cook)

27 | Sheet pan roasted onion, bell peppers, and compliant kielbasa-type sausage

28 | Eggs with leftover pork chop

29 | Harvest Grilled Chicken Salad (available in Whole30 book)

30 | Blackened chicken & avocado salsa

What are you favorite Whole30 meals? Share below!

Kayty

18 Birth Affirmations + Free Printable

I shared in my How I Prepared for a Natural Birth post that I used birth affirmations throughout my labor. These simple words were so encouraging to me during this challenging time. Childbirth is so much of a brain thing, just as it is a physical thing! No matter what, I wanted to keep reminding myself that I could do it. In order to do this I needed to be prepared. I knew there were going to be difficult times, painful times, and times when I just wanted everything to be done. So, I wrote these simple birth affirmations down and asked my mom and my husband (my birth team) to read them to me throughout my labor when they knew I needed them.

For all you pregnant mama friends, whether your goal is a natural birth or not, we all need encouraging words during birth! So, I'm going to share the ones I wrote down with you and I've included a free printable at the end for you to print out and cut out and toss in your hospital bag. Speaking of which, inside my hospital bag I had a specific labor bag with my affirmations, essential oils, gum, etc. so it was quick to toss in our hospital bag (we were hoping to labor at home as long as possible), pull out of our bag at the hospital. This was easier than having my mom or husband go through all the things in our hospital bag to find something, since it was all in one bag already.

18 Encouraging Birth Affirmations

1 | It always seems impossible until it's done

2 | You are doing better than you think

3 | I can breathe through this contraction

4 | I relax & release by body, as best I can

5 | But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength 2 Tim 4:17

6 | You are going to feel like at some point you cannot do it...that is when your baby is coming

7 | When I am afraid I will trust in you Psalm 56:3

8 | I am relaxed and calm

9 | It's not pain, it progress

10 | The pain will not last forever

11 | The pain that you've been feeling can't compare to the joy thats coming Romans 8:18

12 | You can do anything for one minute

13 | Inhale confidence, exhale doubt

14 | Everything is going well

15 | I am doing a fantastic job

16 | The pain is powerful, but I can handle it

17 | I accept this pain to welcome by baby into the world

18 | One contraction at a time and at the end of all this I'll have by little peanut

Want to download these real quick so you can take them along with you? Click this link or this link

Is there something you prepared before you gave birth to help you along the way? Share below!

Kayty

What is Whole30?

Our post on our Whole30 experience has quickly creeped into the top 5 most read posts. Additionally, we've been getting lots of questions like, "Whole30, what?" "What do I need to know about Whole30?" "Hey can you tell me more about Whole30?" All of these questions basically add up to: What is the Whole30? So we've decided to answer all your lovely questions in one big blog post!

If we did not answer your question please ask it below, we would love to try to answer any questions you have! Or, head to the official Whole30 website and you should find answers to further questions there. Also, this post is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Whole30 so our list might not have EVERYTHING on it. This is just a general post to give you an idea of what the Whole30 is!

Let's dive in!

What is Whole30?

The Whole30 is like a reset program designed to change your life in 30 days. For 30 days you eliminate certain food groups that could be having a negative effect on your health. Some of these negative effects you might not even know are negative effects until you are finished with the 30 days and the Reintroduction. If you have inconsistent energy levels, skin or digestion issues, unexplainable aches and pains, or a hard time losing weight, what you are eating might be effecting these things! So you cut them out, all at once, for 30 days and then you slowly reintroduce them and pay attention to how food groups effect you. Besides weight loss, there are so many benefits do doing the Whole30. Personally, we have more energy now than can ever remember, we have broken away from several unhealthy food habits we previously felt imprisoned to, and we believe we have a healthier relationship with each other because of all this "Food freedom."

What to avoid?

1 | Dairy // The ONLY exception is ghee.

2 | Grains // For real, none

3 | Sugar // Fake or real, you cannot have any sugar

4 | Alcohol

5 | Legumes // No beans, no peanut butter, no soy, etc.

6 | Carrageenan, MSG, or sulfites

7 | "Recreation foods" // What does that mean? Ok, so you cannot make pancakes out of bananas and eggs. It is not acceptable to take approved ingredients and recreate them into junk food. Think: breads, pizza crust, ice cream, muffins, cookies, etc.

8 | Stepping on the scale // You may step on the scale on Day 1, but then no more for 30 days!

Reading labels is a HUGE part of the Whole30.

There are a few fine print rules, you're more than welcome to continue reading here.

Okay, so what can you eat?

1 | Unprocessed meats and seafood

2 | Eggs

3 | Vegetables

4 | Fruit

5 | Nuts and seeds

6 | Oils

Again, read all your labels first!

What happens after 30 days?

We are not going to go into too many details because everyone does the Reintroduction process a little differently. After 30 days, you can choose to reintroduce the food groups you have avoided for 30 days. Some people choose to do it slowly over 10 days which allows for analysis into how each food group affects their overall health. Others will wait until something "worthwhile" comes up and dig into a bunch of food groups at once.

What results did you see?

Josh // After just 1 round of the Whole30 he lost 20 pounds! But, like we said there are plenty non-scale victories too. He also has a flatter stomach, leaner appearance, and his clothes fit better. He has less bloating, and he noticed when doing the Reintroduction and when eating off the program certain foods make him bloat, a lot. He has been able to improve his blood sugar regulation, something he has been struggling with for at least 5 years. He is happier, more patient, less stressed, less depressed, has fewer cravings, and has an overall healthier relationship with food. Just to name a few :)

Kayty // After the first round of the Whole30 I lost 11 pounds. This put me back at my pre-pregnancy weight after trying for about 8-9 months to lose those last 10 'baby pounds.' I have way fewer migraines, can identify cravings vs. hunger, feel happier, less stressed. I no longer have mid-afternoon slumps where I want a nap, or feel like I need caffeine or sugar to keep me going. I have learned to listen to my body when eating and no longer use food as a comfort or reward. I feel like I am so much more in tune with myself because of my freedom with food.

Can you share some meal ideas?

Yes! Head on over to my Instagram and there is a highlight just for you called Whole30. There are over 30 ideas there for you. 

Did you really not cheat?

For real, promise a million times over, we did not cheat in our first Whole30. This means you can do it too! It is only 30 days. Anyone can do anything for just 30 days! In our second one, we made homemade French fries and then realized that wasn't actually allowed! At least everything was still compliant, but still, it reminded us to check the fine print of the rules more often.

If you are thinking about completing the Whole30 we would recommend you head to the official Whole30 website to check out all the program rules. You can also buy the Whole30 book which has all the information you need as well. We did purchase the book and it has lots of tasty recipes and it is nice to have a hardcopy reminder of all things Whole30.

Anything else you want to know? Share below!

Kayty

A Day at the Lake + WeeSprout Food Pouches Review

Before having Cora, one of our favorite ways to spend a day where we had nothing going on was to head up to the lake and hike, picnic, and swim. Last summer after Cora was born, we made it there once! Adding a baby means brining along so many more things and adds so much more uncertainty to every trip. Are they well rested? Will the car ride go smoothly? Do we have enough diapers? You get the idea. This summer since Cora is older we were determined to make it there more than once so we decided to gather a bunch of things that make summer trips easier with kids.

Our first trip this year was so much fun for everyone. We drove to a lake about 20 minutes from our house. Instead of hiking we went straight to the water because Wisconsin has been so hot and humid. Cora had a great time in the water. When she is in deep water she just wants to cling to you. We mostly just walked around in the water and did some bouncing. After we swam we enjoyed some healthy snacks on the shore. Almonds with an apple for mom and dad and Cheerios with mixed fruit applesauce for Cora.

So what made this trip with a 1 year old easy for us to do? Our top 3 summer trip must haves are WeeSprout reusable food pouches and silicone baby bibs (which I totally forgot to bring!), Munchkin snack catchers, and a Little Unicorn outdoor blanket.

WeeSprout reusable food pouches are a must have with kiddos. You could spend a fortune on pouches from the store, but think of all that waste you are tossing into the garbage. We prefer these reusable pouches! They are a breeze to clean because there are NO CORNERS and they can even go in the dishwasher. We usually rinse ours out in the sink then throw them in the dishwasher. WeeSprout offers 3 different sizes (3.4 oz, 5 oz, and 7 oz) We have the 5 oz. option and this suits us well. Cora can easily eat a full pouch and be full so we haven't needed to go up to the 7 ounce size yet, and I know the 3.4 oz would be much to small. Plus, whatever she doesn't eat in one sitting just goes in the refridgerator for the rest of the day for later. If it isn't finished by the time I load the dishwasher at the end of the night it goes in!

WeeSprout also makes silicone baby bibs which make life so much easier than the cotton bibs we had been using for way to long. We were going through 2+ bibs a day because of this adorable messy eater, but now we can just wipe the mess away after each meal and use just 1 bib a day! The bibs are ALSO dishwasher safe so just toss in at the end of the day with your pouches and you are good to go the next morning.

Our other adventure favorites are the Munchkin snack catchers, which make minimal mess for things like crackers and dried fruit, and a Little Unicorn outdoor blanket, with a water-resistant surface it wipes clean when spills occur and we can sit on it in our wet swim suits without a problem. The blanket also folds up on itself into a carry case. We keep it in our car at all times in case we ever need a blanket.

Look at those wrinkly toes and beach hair. Sweet girl doesn't care, she's just having a blast outside, and boy oh boy does she LOVE the outdoors.

We are actually headed up for our SECOND trip to the lake today. Our goal was once a month this summer so we are happy we're making it work. No matter what kind of fun you and your family have, make sure you have products that make the fun things you do EASIER!

What are your must-have products for adventuring? Share below!

Happy Monday! -Kayty

disclaimer :: this post was sponsored by WeeSprout, all opinions are 100% my own, we do not support brands unless we think they are a great fit for our family so you can be sure this is an honest review

How I Prepared for a Natural Birth

Oh so soon our little girl will be ONE! I usually work on this day but I requested off because even though she won't remember this first birthday, I will and I want to make sure I get to enjoy every moment of it! So obviously on her birthday it will be 1 year from when I gave birth to her, and in lieu of that I thought I would share with you all how I prepared for a natural birth. Even before we got pregnant I knew it was my goal to give birth naturally.

How I Prepared for a Natural Birth

1 | Know your goal // The number one thing I did throughout my pregnancy was making sure I knew this was my goal. I told myself it was 'my goal' instead of 'my plan' because I'm fully aware birth plans can go 100% the opposite way and sometimes you have no control over that. It was my goal to birth this baby naturally, but ultimately what mattered to me was 1) a healthy baby and 2) a healthy mama. Personally, the drugs that are involved in induction and epidurals freak me out. I also did not want to deal with the side effects of those. I wanted to do it without drugs, but I also told myself if I needed medication it didn't mean I wasn't strong, it didn't make me less of a woman, and I wasn't going to feel guilty about it. It really doesn't matter how your baby is brought into this world, just that it happens!

2. Prepare your body // There is plenty of research out there for you that shows pregnant ladies who workout during their pregnancy have an easier time giving birth and getting back into things after the baby is born. I didn't go crazy over working out every single day. Instead, I listened to my body and I worked out when I was able to. Sometimes, I would skip a week at a time, but I told myself, "Hey mama that's ok! You're doing incredible things and every workout your do do is beneficial for you and baby!" I didn't beat myself up over not working out every day, I encouraged myself. I followed my regular workout videos as well as some pregnancy workout videos that gave different different workouts every trimester. Research also shows having a healthy core, and doing squats makes pushing easier so towards the end of my pregnancy I focused more on squats and planks. On the day I went into labor I did 100 squats, and I'm positive these moves helped me push!

3 | Write down birth affirmations // I had a stack of about 20 different motivational phrases and verses written down on little notecards that I had my mom and husband read to me throughout labor. They would read me them during or after a particularly difficult contraction or when I was just so exhausted and wanted to be done. Each one was a reminder of my strength, God's promises, or encouragement. They were so helpful to me that I'm going to create a little printable for you all to have! Come back next week for that!

4 | Communicate your goals with your support team // My husband and my mom we both in the room for our delivery. They both knew it was my goal to birth this baby without drugs. I told them ahead of time everything I wrote in #1 and that I would let them know if I needed pain relief. I also communicated this with the nurse who worked with us when we were admitted. While we were being admitted I made sure to tell her I was not planning on using any pain medication and that if I needed it I would ask for it. She wonderfully communicated this to the next nurses at the shift change that occurred during our labor. The nurses didn't ask me a single time if I needed an epidural and I am SO SO SO thankful they respected my wishes!

There you have it! Those are my top tips to you pregnant mama friends!

Do you have a tip for birth? Share below!

Kayty

Coconut Pecan Date Bars

Halfway through our Whole30 we tried Lärabars for the first time. They were delicious & definitely a dangerous thing on the Whole30 if you don’t watch yourself but they were what I needed to keep at work if I forgot a snack and I’m serious need of some food. Basically, they’re a great thing to keep on hand as an Emergency Food. However, the prices are a little too high for our budget to be buying them all the time. We came home and looked up copycat recipes and there are lots of options out there on Pinterest. The first recipe we made was a winner, but we’ve made some of our own adjustments to make it how we like it. The next task we had was to compare prices to see if it was actually cheaper to make them at home. Fun fact: they are! But more on that later.

We like to keep one box of Lärabars at home because they do not have to be refrigerated like our homemade ones. This makes it easier to take Lärabars on hikes, picnics, and car trips. Plus, there are so many flavors they have created that are Whole30 approved! It is fun to work our way through the flavors.

This recipe is in no way made to try to copy Lärabars! We would never want to take away someone’s hard earned work. These bars are just similar in ingredients and taste.

Coconut Pecan Date Bars

makes approximately 12 bars

Ingredients

2/3 cups raw pecans
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 & 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

10 ounces pitted dates (about 20 dates)

Instructions

1 | Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

2 | In the bowl of a food processor, process the pecans until finely chopped, leaving a few bigger chunks.

3 | Add the shredded coconut, coconut oil, and dates.

4 | Process until well blended.

5 | Press the mixture onto the prepared sheet pan. Cover with another sheet of parchment paper and top with another sheet pan. Press down firmly to spread out bars until smooth. You can also be like my husband and stand on top of the two pans.

6 | Refrigerate 30 minutes before cutting with a pizza cutter.

7. Store in the refrigerator for up to several weeks.

Price Comparison to Coconut Cream Pie Lärabar

Amazon // 16 count $15.97 = $1.00 per bar

Target // 5 count $5.29 = $1.06 per bar

Walmart // 5 count $4.98 = $1.00 per bar

Walmart // 16 count $22.80 = $1.43 per bar

Homemade version // $0.46 = per bar
$1.39 pecans
$1.64 shredded coconut
$0.24 coconut oil
$2.43 dates

Do you have a favorite granola, energy, or snack bar recipe? Share below, it is always fun to try other peoples' favorites!

Kayty

Five On Friday 6.1

It's Friday! It is going to be another PACKED weekend for us. We at least one thing planned every weekend for 7 weekends in a row. It must be summer! Here's a little snapshot of some things going on in our life...

1 | Memorial Day weekend // What a weekend. Baby's first time in the pool, homemade almond butter, a birthday party for our neighbor, cookout with friends, visits with family, whittling gnomes, lots of time to do whatever we want as a family, but most importantly remembering those who have served and have died for our freedom. This weekend was a great one.

2 | Dishwasher // I don't even know how long it has been since our dishwasher broke, at least 4 weeks based on where we were at in our first Whole30. However, our new one is being delivered this Monday! I am so excited to be able to use this little convenience again. If you've completed a Whole30 yourself you know all the dishes that come along with it. I'm seriously impressed we've survived this long hand washing dishes.

3 | Graduation // My little sister is graduating from High School this weekend. She's my youngest sibling and the one who I most remember being born as she is 9 years younger than me. I simply cannot believe all my siblings are adults! We’ll be spending lots of time at graduation parties the. Extra two weekends helping these graduates celebrate this important moment in their lives!

4 | Pool time // Over last weekend we got Cora's baby pool out and let her splash around. Since she is obsessed with bath time it was no surprise the pool was a hit. It hit 90+ degrees quite a few days in a row recently so we've been spending a lot of time on the patio. Do you have any good pool toy recommendations for kiddos around 12 months? Let me know! We've been using cups and tupperware lids but I'd like to have a few designated pool toys.

5 | Nursery // Well, we weren’t expecting to do it this Sunday but we walked into church last Sunday & decided to put Cora in nursery for the first time. At first she was so little she didn’t make a peep during service & then it was cold and flu season so we decided to wait until closer to summer. I got a little testy eyes as we walked away because our girl has hit another milestone. It was no shocker to us that she loved it. She’s  loved daycare since the first day she went. She even had to get moved up into the walkers decimation because she looked to bored in the crawlers. All the kids at daycare are 2+ years older than her so she’s used to playing with bigger kids. She’s pretty amazing & we’re so proud of her!

What have you guys been up to this week and what are your plans this weekend?

Kayty

What's in My Pump Bag?

I'm coming to a close on my breastfeeding and pumping journey. Our sweet girl is going to be one year old next month and slowly but surely she is weaning and my supply is dwindling. Before I my breastfeeding journey with our first baby though, I want to give you guys a peek into my pump bag. Being a part-time working mama means I need to pump on the days I work to provide milk for our babe. In the beginning, I also pumped on days I didn't work to get some extra milk for our stash and because I was dealing with some oversupply but now I only need to pump on days I work. I am so thankful to work in a place that provides me my own private room to pump in and are more than accommodating for plenty of time to pump.

First let me say, do yourself a favor and get a Sarah Wells pump bag. When I first returned to work I had put together a bag for all my pump stuff but it really only held my pump and some milk bags, nothing else fit. For four months I ended up carrying this bag, a lunch bag, a cooler for my produced milk, and my purse. Oh and I also carried the diaper bag and our baby out the door in the morning on our way to day care. In December, I used my Christmas money to buy myself a Sarah Wells pump bag. Buying this bag was the best decision ever. I went from carrying 4 bags to work every day to 1. The bag includes a spot for the pump, a cooler built right into the bag, plenty of room for pumping accessories, my wallet, phone, lunch and other things I kept in my purse. I would highly recommend every pumping mom to invest in a Sarah Wells bag.

What's In My Pump Bag?

1 | Pumparoo // Another Sarah Wells favorite. This bag is a wet/dry bag designed for your flanges, bottles, and all your accessories. It also includes a staging area where you can put all your parts before you start pumping. This works great if you aren't sure how clean the surface you are using is. Everything can be stored in the wet part of the bag and kept in the fridge in between pumps. My favorite prints are the floral and greige.

2 | Water bottle // Staying hydrated is so important!

3 | Hands-free bra // I love to read or watch Netflix or text my husband while I text. It tends to be my only time alone during the day so it's nice to just relax for a several minutes. This bra allows you to use both hands while you pump making it basically possible to do anything while pumping.

4 | Lil'buds // I posted about these breast comfort packs in my Breastfeeding Essentials post while back, but these are also essential for pumping. I pop these in the microwave for a few seconds when I go to the fridge to get my pump parts and stick them in the hands-free bra while I pump. They are great to get milk flowing and have helped with so many clogged ducts I've felt starting. I have ones with lavender in them which helps with relaxing as well. She just came out with some adorable new prints so go check them out!

5 | Milk bags // To save on space, I put all my milk in milk bags. Running out of milk bags would not be a good thing so I like to make sure I have way more than I need. I've tried a few different brands and Lansinoh is the way to go. I've never had any problems with spilled or spoiled milk with them!

6 | Sharpie // The best marker I have found for writing on milk bags. Easy to use and read and it does not smear.

7 | Pump // Obviously my pump is in my bag! I love my Spectra pump. You can read all about the pumps I have tried here. It is still my most popular post to date!

8 | Accessories // Flanges, tubing, backflow protectors, 2 bottles, and valves which are all necessary parts to make a pump work.

9 | Ice packs // Not pictured, but I carry a couple ice packs in the cooler region of my pump bag for toting milk home after work.

10 | Snack // Also, not pictured but I always bring a snack along with me and I always keep a snack bar or two in my pump bag for a rainy day when I'm more hungry than usual. Much like staying plenty hydrated it is important to nourish yourself so you can nourish your baby!

Is there anything I forgot? What are your must haves in your pump bag?

Kayty