Mommin' It Up!

June 26, 2014

Foodie.com – Fresh Summer Vegetables

This post is sponsored by Foodie.com
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I love, love, love shopping at our local farmer’s market! When we come home and cook the produce we buy there, Andy and I often say to each other, “this is how potatoes {insert any other fruit or vegetable} are supposed to taste!” There’s really nothing better.

I’ve compiled some ways I plan to use this year’s purchases in a collection on Foodie.com. It’s convenient to have all my recipes in one place! I find I use my iPad in the kitchen more than anywhere else… anyone with me on that? Having recipes at my fingertips makes life much easier.

I hope you’ll check out my collection above. Here are a few of my favorites:

– Grilled Smashed Potatoes. These are also sometimes called crash potatoes. Whatever they’re called, they are delicious! Basically you boil (or microwave) red or new potatoes until they’re soft, then you put them on a baking sheet, smash them down a little, and season with olive oil and salt/pepper/whatever else, and bake them. This is my absolute favorite way to prepare potatoes.

– BBQ Sweet Corn. Sweet corn isn’t quite ready yet this year, but when it is, I’m going to try this method on the grill.

– Grilled zucchini. Zucchini, squash, peppers… I love to throw all that stuff in a grill basket and have a side dish ready to go in a few minutes!

What’s your favorite way to use fresh produce in the summer?

June 25, 2014June 25, 2014

Things I Learned at iRetreat 2014

I’ve been going to blogging conferences for a long time, but I always learn something. Always. Here are a couple things I came away with after my 2.5 days at iRetreat 2014 in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

1) No matter how much technical stuff you learn, the best takeaway from a conference is the relationships you make. Exhibit A, the amazeballs women above, Joey and Steph. I had the BEST time with these ladies and now I’ve got two new forever friends, FER REALZ.

2) If you want to move forward with your blog or whatever is important to you in life, you need to silence your inner critic at some point and just GO FOR IT. Be willing to fail. This is a hard one for me.

3) Hershey, PA is a pretty cool place to visit. I am really looking forward to bringing my family back one day! Plus, you can’t walk two steps without tripping over a HUGE PILE of this:

4) If you need help, ask for it. If we are talking blogging, there are always other bloggers willing to help you promote or share your stuff if you are willing to do the same. Collaborate. There is POWER in partnerships. I think this holds true for just about every area of life. Struggling with a problem with your kids? Ask another mom. If she hasn’t gone through it, she probably knows someone who has. Reach out. Don’t try to do it all alone.

5) Don’t be a wallflower. You never know who is sitting next to you in a session or at breakfast. Open your mouth, introduce yourself, and be a person! You never know what kind of amazing connection might happen. You can lose a LOT by keeping to yourself.

6) I should never go anywhere without Emily. I missed her A LOT! Also, when I was speaking, it was way too short, because I didn’t have her there to add in her brilliance. At one point I texted her: “I have never wished you were here with me so bad in my life!”

Also, the coffee might be gone after breakfast. When in doubt, get two cups!!

I loved all the people I met at iRetreat! It was great to speak as well – thanks for having me! If you guys haven’t checked out the organizers, the Double Duty Divas – check ’em out. I work with them on the Pampers Baby Board and I LOVE them!

That’s what I learned at iRetreat – have you gleaned any new life lessons lately?

June 24, 2014

Sammy Selfie

Every once in a while, Sam gets a hold of my phone and days later, I’ll find pictures and/or videos that he’s taken of himself. They crack me up! Here are a few gems I found over the weekend.

My favorites this week, though, are a series of instructional videos.

I bring you, “This is How To Wash Your Hands” by Sam Berry.

Note: This method is not approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Note to self: Teach Sam how to wash his hands.

“How to Brush Your Teeth” and “How to Brush Your Hair” are both more than three minutes long, so I’ll spare you – but man they are cute!

I love that boy.