Month: April 2022

Shari on Planning Baby Showers

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Last weekend was my first (of several) baby showers. My best friend went all-out to create the “Baby in Bloom” theme that I wanted. She is so creative she even designed the invites, guestbook picture, and games to all coordinate and match perfectly. My parents opened up their home for the celebration and my girlfriends all poured in with huge smiles on their faces with diapers and gifts in hand. To say I was overwhelmed with gratitude and love would be an understatement. The amount of time and energy it takes to put on any sort of cohesive event isn’t lost on me as an event planner by profession (and nature!).

Since I am fresh off the baby shower train and going right into another one this weekend, I am going to share my tips for making sure you are covering all your baby shower basics.

First, start with a theme. Kristin and I used pinterest to share ideas and design elements. This helped her a lot while she was in the design phase.

Pick a date & venue, check-in with any stakeholders besides you and the person you are planning for and make sure that date works with you all. Plan on sending out invites 6-7 weeks prior to the chosen event date.

Next, layout details… decorations (photo area or wall), games (we did gift bingo, pass the prize, and a diaper raffle), special guestbook, activities (Kristin set up a headband making station), party favors, and plan the food/appetizers/desserts.

As you get closer to sending out the invites make sure you are gathering or creating those details and decorations. The sooner you can check those tasks off your list, the less you will be scrambling the weeks leading up to the shower.

Prepare for the set up and flow for the day of. Is there any coordination you need to do prior? Food to prepare, decorations to arrange, etc. Give yourself time to set up. Plan ahead for how long different aspects of the day will take and be flexible.

Day of item checklist: you can make this as simple or detailed as you like

  • Decorations/Signs
  • Food/Drinks (special containers or plates, serving utensils)
  • Plates/Utensils/Cups/Napkins
  • Bluetooth speaker (charged)
  • Games
  • Guestbook/Pens
  • Activity items
  • Party Favors (set up next to the exit so guests wont miss them)
  • Tables/Chairs
  • Extra helpful items (tape, paper, etc)

I hope this is helpful! You can translate it over to bridal showers, bachelorette type parties, birthday parties, you name it… most events are the same in some way. For me, it is always in the details. Cute curated center pieces, dessert to match the theme, or party favors that people actually want (ha)! It is fun to plan and execute a special day for someone you love. It is so special to be the one that someone is planning for as well. Although I love events and being with my friends, it is hard to be the center of attention. I tend to speed through introductions and gift opening to get “all” eyes off me as fast as possible (and I am an extrovert!) but I remind myself constantly to slow down, enjoy the food, take some pictures, visit with people, and relax.

This weekend is my family baby shower with a few friends that feel like family sprinkled in. I am so excited to have my relatives gather to celebrate this new addition to our family. I know my heart will burst with all the love and well wishes we will receive this weekend. My coworkers are putting on a shower for me next week, and a few friends who weren’t able to make it last weekend are gathering together to celebrate later in May. I know, probably a little excessive but I am not going to say ‘no’ to my friends, family, and coworkers who want to join in with us and welcome in this new season of life with a little one. Let us eat cake and prepare to have a BABY!

Photo of the backdrop and banner that Kristin (right) made!

Kendall on “Nesting”

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Nesting as defined by Miriam Webster: “(of a bird or other animal) building or occupying a nest.”

To nest is very human. After all, we want the place we call home to feel good. We want it to be what we want it to be. Clothes put away, the kitchen organized, pictures on the wall, and candles lit are just a few of the different ways that we build our homes. When you are pregnant, nesting is a very real thing… an urge, really. Everyone, I am in hardcore nesting mode.

I am currently 34.5 weeks pregnant. Considering my type A tendencies, I am fairly behind on nesting this time around. BUT I am making up for lost time and getting things done at a pretty good pace now. I view nesting as more than just getting the baby’s things organized and put away. Nesting, for me, is about making the home as a whole is exactly how I want it. Think of my version of nesting as spring cleaning on steroids. I want everything cleaned, organized, cleaned again, and stored exactly as I see fit. When my baby comes, I am going to have a lot going on. Trying to figure out what’s in the pantry is an unnecessary waste of time. Now, if I clean it out this week, what’s in there will not only be sorted and organized but will also give me the opportunity to throw out expired things and/or donate items that I know we won’t use anytime soon. Beyond the pantry, there are kitchen cabinets to be cleaned and wiped down inside and out, crown molding to be dusted, windows and screens to be washed, and spring prep for our yard to be completed. Then there is the nursery. The nursery is done… minus the art work being hung up but fear not! That will be done by Friday of this week.

Nesting is important to me because when my little man comes, I want to be able to focus on him, Rosemary, my husband, and sweet Bella. I want to know that things are under control for what will be a very lax summer season. Don’t get me wrong- the house will still be cleaned weekly but the bigger projects will be under control and therefore, not a problem. If I let things pile up, I risk my OCD itching my brain. I won’t sleep. I will have to finish all of these things before I can potentially relax. I refuse to put myself through that with a new baby, nursing, sleep issues, and all the other transitions that come with adding a family member to our lives. Doing it now is GOOD for my mental health. Below is my personal nesting list that I have been working on for the past few weeks.

Baby’s Nursery:
– Clean out existing closet
– Clean out dresser
– Decide on new blinds or decide to wait?
– Frames for pictures/artwork
– Pick a quote decal

General House:
– Kitchen cabinets wipe down inside and out
– Pantry clean out
– Install window AC units
– Dust floor boards and crown molding (whole house)
– Clean out Rosemary’s closet
– Swap winter wardrobe for spring/summer (Kendall)
– Dust master closet
– Dust under master bed
– Organize bonus room
– Build Murphy bed
– Reinforce stairs
– Text plumber re: boiler
– Paint window sills
– Re-grout master bath shower

Baby Gear Set-Up:
– Crib
– Nursing chair
– Swing
– Pack n’ Play in master bedroom
– Install carseat
– Switch R’s car seat to Marisa’s car at 2 weeks prior to birth
– Baby tub out of storage

Yard:
– Turn mulch
– Raise American flag and Army flag
– Flag pole garden bed planting (geraniums?)
– Utility box flowers
– Email B. T. re: aerating and detaching
– First mow
– Plant herbs (cilantro, basil, mint, rosemary, maybe thyme?)
– Hanging baskets
– Clean out garage
– Pressure wash fence

OK… please note that a lot of this is actually done. This is my actual list that I have had from the beginning. We were lucky enough to have some family members who have considerable handyman/contractor skills come help us with bigger things like building a Murphy bed, stabilizing our staircase, paint, and shower stuff. Thanks goodness for them. If Issy and I had to do all of that, we simply couldn’t. We have neither the skills nor time. To be honest, I DO have the time but not the actual strength or ability to bend… baby bellies will do that to you. Much of the nursery stuff has been done for a few months. What’s left is a bit of the yard list, setting up some of the baby gear, and a few things under the general house list. I would say we are 78% done. I have about 6 more weeks to finish the rest. AND I WILL. Heck, by the end of Sunday, May 1st, I will be about 89% done. We are getting there. It feels really good to know that. Mentally, nesting helps calm down my mind. Nesting will help me to enjoy my last few weeks of pregnancy. I want my last two weeks of pregnancy to be all about resting, being with my family, and eating cake. Bring it on!

Kendall’s Zuppa Toscana

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So the weather has been a little crazy the past few weeks. From sunshine and spring time vibes to snowstorms, it’s been hard to commit to getting excited about spring and summer. We grilled last week and we also made a warm and hearty soup on a colder day. Grocery shopping has been a nightmare… at least for me!

With that all said, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite soup recipes. Zuppa Toscana is a staple at the Olive Garden. You can find many copycat recipes on the internet. I actually firmly believe some of these copycat recipes are better than the OG… but that’s just me! Over the years, I have tried several versions and ended up merging bits and pieces to make my own variation. I like to make this in a big batch so that there are plenty of leftovers for lunches.

Ingredients
– 2 Pounds Ground Pork: You can go with pre-packaged spicy or sweet Italian ground pork to make it easier. I have found that seasoning plain ole’ pork with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, dried basil, and a hint of red chili paper flakes actually tastes better and tends to be a bigger hit. Please note: season to taste based on your personal preference.
– 1 Medium Head Garlic (usually 10-12 cloves): Go ahead and mince this all up. If you have a press, that’s cool too.
– 1 Large Yellow Onion: Mince it up real good
– 7 Small Russet Potatoes OR 5 Large Russet Potatoes: You can totally adjust this depending on how much potato you like. We like a lot. Scrub them real good before cutting up into decent bite size pieces (not too small) that are about a 1/4 inch thick. If you go smaller, you risk the potatoes getting mushy and therefore making your Zuppa more stew like.
– 6 Cups Chicken Broth: Add more broth depending on both taste preference and how much broth you want.
– 3-4 Cups Water: Add more water depending on how much soup ya want.
– Kale: How much? I don’t like to add too too much. I would say about 4 cups, washed and chopped well. Add more as needed. Please note: I have also used Swiss chard in a pinch and it was great!
– 1.5 Cups Heavy cream: I prefer 2!

For Topping
– Bacon: How much? Ok, I tend to do a full 12 oz pack of bacon. But you can definitely do less. Most people like 4-6oz. We like the crunch it brings to the soup.
– Parmesan or Mozzarella: However much ya like.
– Black Pepper: To taste!

Sides
Serve with your favorite salad and a good loaf of crunchy bread

Recipe
I like to bake my bacon. So stick your bacon on a parchment lined sheet and in to a preheated oven set to 400 degrees F. Bake for 20 minutes. Depending on your oven, you may need more or less time, so keep an eye on it. Take it out and transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Let it cool and chop it up into bits!

Pour some of the bacon grease into your soup pot (I use 6 quart or bigger). Throw in your ground pork of choice and cook until it is nicely done. I find this takes about 10ish minutes on medium heat. This is where you would also spice your meat if you are doing plain ground pork. Once that has cooked, scoop it out with a slotted spoon of sorts and set it aside for a bit.

Using the same pot, throw your onion into the yummy grease and sauté for about 3-5 minutes (times vary depending on your stove/pot). When they are nice and translucent, add your garlic and cook for about 90 seconds. Again, if your stove is pipping hot, it may be done sooner. I measure the done-ness of garlic by the look and smell. Chef Tip: DO NOT ADD YOUR GARLIC IN AT THE SAME TIME AS THE ONION. IT WILL BURN.

Once your garlic and onion are nicely cooked, add in your broth and water. Turn your stove up to medium high and bring it to a boil. After the water starts boiling, SLOWLY add your potato in. All of that potato is going to take a few minutes to re-boil. Let it boil again and turn your heat down to medium to let your potatoes soften up. Here is where this can get tricky. You gotta keep an eye out on your potatoes. Test the potato softness every 8 minutes. By 16-20 minutes they should be done- but again, keep an eye on it.

After the potatoes have hit that perfect spot, throw in your sausage and let it cook for 2 minutes. The kale comes next. Let all that goodness come to a boil.

That boil then means you can throw in your heavy cream. Let it softly boil real quick. Adjust your seasonings as needed.

Finally, serve and top with the bacon and cheese. Sit your booty down and enjoy with a side salad and yummy loaf of bread. Bon Appetite!


Shari’s France Recap

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It’s true, I had a whirlwind week in France the beginning of April. The company I work for puts on large conferences all around the world and although International trips are typically not on my travel plan, I lucked out and my boss asked me to join her for our European Conference. It was mostly work and very little play but I can reassure you that I learned a lot about International travel, communicating with people despite their lack of English and my lack of French, as well as what people think or assume about Americans. Fascinating, here it goes…

I knew that travel was going to be long. But 25 hours was a bit more than I anticipated and I will plan better in the future. Those 25 hours included three airports, long flights, waiting for trains, a taxi, and eventually making it to my cozy hotel in Strasbourg, France. Strasbourg is on the border of France and Germany, the town has a healthy mix of French and Bavarian history which makes it unique in it’s architecture and culture. The most memorable parts of my travel were learning that public restrooms cost a euro to use in the airport train station in Paris, finding coins is harder than you’d think so I recommend you have a few with you before you travel, and pack more snacks than you think you’ll need. I learned all three things the hard way. It was easy enough to use the ATM and get cash out but the real trick was finding a place to get coins, especially so that I could use the restroom. Which in fact was really nice and taken care of and worthy of costing a euro, however, trickier than I was prepared for after nearly 17 hours into my travel with very little sleep. Some random girl was kind enough to exchange my bills for change and it worked out perfectly. Also snacks… they didn’t have great options for food at the train station and I immediately wished I had packed more than just granola bars and trail mix as my snacks. Noted for the future.

The language barrier. Most people spoke fairly good English but I did run in with several people who looked at me like a crazy person when I said something in English. I got very good at saying “Pardon, English?” Throughout the week I worked closely with our temporary staff that is hired locally for the event. At the beginning of the week they all spoke slowly and deliberately in English. By the end of the week they were almost all speaking quickly and predominantly in French, I guess they just got comfortable around me and thought my French had improved over the 5 days I was with them, ha! Regardless of the language barrier, everyone was far more friendly than I anticipated. I learned a lot from my the local ladies I was working with and they even gave me some history information on the town since they realized I wasn’t going to be able to explore or be a tourist. It was fun learning about them, their culture and the history of the place I was in. I cannot wait to go back and be a tourist!

The other part of the trip that was fascinating to me was what people think or assume about Americans. Unprompted and probably the most French thing that could have happened to me my first day in France; I was seated on the train from Paris to Strasbourg next to ‘Pierre who works for a company that makes croissants’. I mean, I couldn’t make that up even if I tried. Pierre and I talked about a lot on the train… from politics to social media to our thoughts on covid. We had a great conversation and it was interesting to hear his thoughts and opinions on various topics. He was respectful in the way he depicted Americans as hypocritical, he also said as much about French and their politics too. The context of his accusations were spot on, there was hardly anything I could say other than nod in agreement. Pierre didn’t idolize Americans like a few of my younger local girls that I worked with throughout the week. One girl told me that when she thinks of the United States, she thinks of abundance and access to anything. Her context was romanticized a bit but I understood where she was coming from. It’s as if the only thing I knew about France was from movies that romanticize Paris, then that is all I would assume too. The United States is a lot of things but seeing it from the eyes of a young girl in France was very interesting and something that I can now appreciate. America is beautiful but like France, we have our highs and our lows. Honestly, like anywhere in the world there are great parts and not so great. The reality of it all really comes down to what perspective you want to take.

It’s fitting that this post is being published on Earth Day because this trip to France made me acutely aware of what a beautiful planet we live on. How much energy and effort goes into each day, in so many places across the globe. I know I love to travel but this trip, albeit for work, made me want to hop on a plane again in the near future to explore another part of this huge planet.

Salut 🙂

Kendall: How to Be a Good House Guest

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Photo by Andrew Neel on Pexels.com

So last week, I blogged about prepping for house guests! With the world opening up, gathering together is going to be a thing again! If you are hosting, check out my tips and tricks for preparing for friends and family. IF you are the friend or family member visiting, let me give you some ideas on how to be a good guest… and therefore, be welcomed back again!

The first thing you need to identify is: WHY are you visiting someone? Is it for pleasure? Is there a purpose? For example, are you going to take care of someone who is sick? Visiting a new baby? Hanging with friends? The reason for your visit will dictate much of your trip. Let’s dive in to a few different scenarios and identify some good tips for being not just a good house guest, but a freaking GREAT one.

Trip Purpose: Caring for Your Grandmother, Sick Relative/Friend, etc.
When caring for anyone who is elderly or sick can be difficult. This isn’t always a super fun trip but more a trip of agency. In most cases, you aren’t really the guest but the caregiver. As such, you need to have a full understanding of the person’s situation. Is someone sick with cancer? Elderly? Dementia? Get educated on everything you can. Ask questions. When you get there, jump into helping with meals, cleaning, laundry, etc. Be considerate. Cook nutritious meals. It’s amazing what eating well can do for a person’s health both physically and mentally. Clean up after meals. Maintain order and a routine. While this might be a bit boring, it is most helpful to whoever is sick or in need of care. Get the numbers of all doctors and keep them taped up somewhere in case you need contact them. Know where the local pharmacy is. Ask where they like to get their hair cut or nails done and help them make appointments. This bit of normalcy makes a huge difference when someone has or is loosing a bit of their independence. My last bit of advice here is to NOT ADD TO THE MESS. Set the boundary with yourself that you are in someone else’s space. Respect it. Clean it. Don’t stockpile on things. Keep it simple.

Trip Purpose: Visiting Friends or Family
Excited to actually hug someone you love? Yeah, I think we all relate. When visiting someone, ask if there is anything you can bring. Check to see if they have any plans that might require things like extra cold/warm weather items. Do you need to reserve a spot for rock climbing or can you look into a bike rental? HOW can you help them prepare for YOU! Once there, help out a bit. Take your dishes to the sink, try and keep your space somewhat tidy. Respect the space you are in. You don’t need to go all “me” and clean up everything every day, but you do need to read your host. Are they struggling to get all the dishes washed? Do they need help taking the dog out? A lot of things will depend on HOW long you are staying. If you are only staying a few days, just try to be present and in the moment and ask what you can do on your way out. I love it when guests strip their beds and form a pile of used sheets and towels. This makes it easy for me to drop everything in the washer. My dad (depending on his flight time) will even start the load of linens for me. He understands my OCD heart. If you are staying for 3-5 days, pitch in with dishes. If you are staying beyond 5 days, ask what your host needs. Do they like linens washed once a week? I do. Can you contribute to the grocery bill? Help watch the kids while your host(s) make dinner? Water some plants? Actually make a meal? To put it simply, ask and then be willing to jump in. We usually don’t ask for a lot… maybe watching the kiddo while I cook dinner. BUT I do like to be asked. It shows you are considerate and understand that we are trying to make your trip a fun one.

Trip Purpose: A New Baby
There is a new little human in your life. Whether you are a friend or family, this is a BIG event! It’s also a really beautiful time for a family and they may want to share that joy with you. Remember, this visit isn’t so much about entertaining you… What I mean is, don’t expect your host(s) to be up making breakfast, whipping out some lunch, and creating a Michelin star dinner for you. In fact, you should really be helping out here. Pitch in. The parent(s) do not need you to hold the baby 24/7. Believe it or not, that is RARELY helpful. In fact, this is a time that is so essential for baby to bond with their humans. Start some laundry? Make a dinner? Help with clean up before you go? Play with another kiddo in the household? YES. YES. YES. YES. Something else to consider is (coming out of a pandemic) if the people you are visiting care about vaccines or not. Personally, I do. You may not and that’s fine. But the question you need to ask is if your hosts care and what you can do. Babies have super low immune systems at the beginning. They can get deathly sick from a kiss if you have a cold sore… SO, ask. For example: We care. If you are going to be visiting, I would prefer you be vaccinated with the COVID, flu, and TDAP vaccines. If you are looking to debate me on this- go ahead. I will not be engaging. Are you sick with a bad cold? Reschedule your trip. From my perspective, I have just worked my butt off to keep this baby safe and healthy and that feeling doesn’t go away. With the world opening up again, I do understand that there are still going to be risks and exposures… I don’t need to add to if you are going to be spending multiple days in my home. There is no such thing as full proof… I know. This is just our line of defense in these early and precious days of our newborn.

Whatever you are traveling for and wherever you are traveling to, assess the situation. Everyone is different and has different needs or wants. Do you want to just relax at your friend’s house? Do you want to get out and go leaf peeping (yes, this is a thing)? Be honest with your host so that they can properly prepare for your stay. Notice a cool restaurant you want to try? Mention it! Once there, enjoy seeing whoever it is you are seeing. After two years, we are all ready for a little connection. Also be prepared that people might be a bit changed. Did your BFF usually want to go out and go crazy for a night? Maybe they aren’t ready yet. Don’t pressure them. You can still have a wild night in. Are you all ready to get out and go DO stuff? So are others! See if you need reservations anywhere… for dinner, bikes… a camp spot, etc.

Stay safe and have fun!


Shari Reviews the Oura Ring

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In January I received my late Christmas gift, an Oura Ring. What is an Oura Ring, you ask? Well it is a smart ring that tracks your sleep, activity, and body temperature. Essentially, the ring is another data tracking device that makes you more aware about how your body is functioning and also keeps you accountable on how much sleep and what type of sleep you are getting. It might be surprising to hear that I am a bit of a data nerd, ha! It’s true, I like to see the data from a workout on my apple watch, check my blood oxygen levels, see my heart rate, and track my sleep. I believe that with knowledge comes power and I want to be able to advocate for my health in the most educated way I can.

*Disclaimer, this is not an ad for Oura Ring… I paid for it on my own and genuinely wanted to share what I’ve learned.

I’ve owned the ring for 2 and a half months and have only missed one night of wearing it because I forgot to bring it on an overnight trip, whoops! I have to say I am a big fan of the app and the graph layouts; they are super intuitive and informative. There are videos in the app that go into detail on what you should be looking for when reading your data and what various acronyms mean within the data tracking. I learned a lot just searching around in the in-app ‘explore and learn’ area. The ring tracks your activity, your readiness, and your sleep. It does this through monitoring your heart rate, body temperature, and movement.

Sleep. I used to think I slept terribly some nights because I remembered slightly waking up multiple times to switch sides or what not. Surprisingly even on nights where I think I didn’t sleep well, I can look at the data and realize that I actually went into deep sleep immediately which means my body was recovering right away and the “terrible sleep” was for a short amount of time outside of my deep sleep and REM cycle. The data is fascinating to look at in the morning. I also find that I actually moved less throughout the night than I thought I did. It’s been really eye opening to track my sleep and is honestly the feature I have utilized the most. I typically don’t wear my ring during the day but I think that is going to have to change so I can get more accurate activity and readiness scores.

Activity. My activity score is usually only based on what the ring can find from the health app on my phone which is connected to my apple watch. My goal is to wear the ring more so I can get data from both the ring and my watch to see how it all communicates to show my activity or…. my inactivity (haha) throughout the day. With the ring analyzing my daily movement and how much rest I am getting I am sure it will impact my “readiness” score which never typically looks “good.” Let’s chat about that.

Readiness. This is the feature that confuses me the most because, typically, my numbers are in the red. The Readiness score takes into account how much you and your body can handle based on your sleep, activity, body stress signals (like your body temperature and HRV). Honestly it can show if you are stressed, had too much sugar the day before, ate too late, had a hard workout, if you are sick… so many amazing triggers that you can notice if you are aware of what is “normal” for you. I argue that my number isn’t great because my body is working double-time creating ANOTHER HUMAN but this week as I have been busy and preparing for my upcoming trip, my Readiness score has been lower than normal and I have had to ask myself, “What’s going on?” Well I can physically feel that my body is pushed to the max and needs me to go easier on it. The data only confirms it, which is just wild!

Overall, I love this ring and although I have had it for a few months, I feel like I still have so much I could still learn from it. I highly recommend the Oura Ring if you want more detail about your sleep and heart rate variability. Again, with knowledge comes power so think of this as an investment in your health. I’m so interested to see what my levels look like as I get further along in pregnancy and even postpartum when my body starts to regulate again. The data over time is going to be fun to compare. Cheers to data tracker gadgets! Let me know if you have the Oura Ring or plan on getting one?