Latest Life Snippets

All photos taken with my iPhone via Instagram (Delightedmomma)

Putting together "fall" outfits.

Sunday night tradition...homemade ice cream. Last weekend we (Max likes to help) made strawberry chocolate chip. Recipe here.

My babbling baby. Seriously this little guy is gonna be a talker.

Max's first trip to the public library. He was on a mission to find all the dinosaur books.

Date night with my man. Yes my teeth look a little purple because we were at a winery. That kind of stuff happens there.

Ah Friday!! We meet again. This week has been crazy hence my lack of blogging. Both boys were in need of a little extra Momma time and I will never turn that opportunity down. Plus a nasty little cold tried to make its way into our house and fingers crossed I think we beat it.

Hope you have a wonderful three day weekend! Yeay for Labor Day! Not even sure what Labor Day signifies...but whatever it is I like that my husband gets the day off.

Flourless Snickerdoodle Cookies (Paleo)

I wish I had a cool story as to why I made these cookies but I don't. I was just craving some cookies and since I am eating Paelo I wanted to make sure all the ingredients used were top notch and Paleo friendly. I also am really wishing fall would hurry up and get here and nothing screams fall like a house full of freshly baked cinnamon snicker doodle cookies (never mind the fact that it was over 100 degrees outside when these were baking). I did a little searching and used this recipe as a guideline with just a few little modifications.

What you will need:

• 1 1/2 cups of almond meal
• 1 tbs of coconut flour
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup of honey
  
• 1/4 cup of melted coconut oil
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon + extra for rolling dough in
  
• 1/2 tsp of nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
• 1/4 tsp of sea salt

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix well.
2. Cover the cookie dough and place in the fridge to chill for one hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   
4. Roll the cookies into small balls and coat in cinnamon.
5. Use the bottom of a cup or jar to flatten them out.
   
6. Place cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
   

The end result is a soft almost dough like cookie that has just the right amount of sweetness and spice. My husband, who is my true taste tester (and not always so nice with his "constructive criticism") said these were, "BOMB." He ended up eating almost the entire batch himself. I would say this recipe was a success.

This recipe makes 14 cookies and each cookie has approx 5 grams of effective carbohydrate.

On a side note: I just googled, "When does fall start?" and it is September 22 just FYI. Wooo just a month away!

Gettin Your Groove Back *Beating Anxiety*

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If you don't keep your fears in check they can take over your thoughts and manifest into something greater. If you have ever had an anxiety attack you know exactly what I am talking about.

I have always loved running. I ran track and cross country in high school and continued to run outdoors up until I got pregnant with my first son. I never worried about a thing. I just ran. Then something changed...

Since becoming a Mom I have let my fears of being type 1 diabetic get in the way of something I love to do so much. I have had such bad anxiety about running outside alone. I worry about my blood sugar getting so low that I become unconscious and pass out. I worry that my phone won't have service and no one will even know where I am. I start thinking if something happens to me my kids won't have a Mom anymore. I know these thoughts are pretty drastic, but they are very real.

I am so sick of letting that dumb little voice tell me I can't do it anymore. This weekend I had a self reflection moment and I told that voice to shut up. I actually might have been a little more violent with what I said inside my head but you might start thinking I'm a crazy lady if I went into all the details. Basically the voice needed to be slapped around a little. I went out by myself and ran and ran and ran. And you know what? I was fine. I didn't pass out and my blood sugars were stable. I was prepared and brought glucose tablets, had my insulin pump and tested my blood before and after running and when that little voice started saying, "You're gonna get low Lindsay, just stop running and go home." I told it to shut up again. It worked. It felt so powerful to beat that little asshole who was taking over my thoughts.

I have decided that I am not going to take baby steps. I am just gonna go for it. As of this weekend, I have committed myself to running a half marathon with two of my friends this January. Talk about jumping in with both feet first (is that how that saying goes?) So yes...that means LOTS of running outside...alone.

I want to show my sons that nothing is impossible, even if God gives you something that might make life a little bit more challenging.

Are you currently letting fears or anxiety hold you back from doing what you have always wanted to do? I have enabled the anonymous comment feature if you want to get it out (hey we all do sometimes) but don't feel comfortable leaving your name.

Things That Make Me Say Yeay + Insanity Update

Ronin meeting Sophie the Giraffe. The best little toy/teether.

Plum colored skinnies and a floral scarf. Two things that I can not wait to wear more of once fall is here.

A glass of wine and a little reading material.

Making skinny spaghetti for dinner

A hummingbird pen, which makes writing to do lists and notes just a little bit more fun.

On a side note: For those of you who wanted an Insanity update...I can barely get through an entire workout without cheating at least a dozen times. It is SO tough. I am completely drenched by the end of it and I may or may not want to puke. They have you do this fit test in the very beginning and according to my results I am not fit ha! Who can really do a million pushups or jumping leap frog suicide squats (something like that) in a minute? Not me. Secondly, with all the jumping and bouncing around I need to invest in a more supportive sports bra. Holy bouncy boobies. And on that note... Have a wonderful weekend!

How to Leaf Stamp and Make Your Own Stationary (no paint required)

Sometimes inspiration can come from the most random things. For example...the other day I was at the park with my boys and Max fell (more like skid) across the grass. It left a pretty gnarly green stain on his new shorts. This little stain sparked a memory of me being in Girl Scouts and leaf stamping. I remember having the coolest leader and all of us girls would run around her backyard picking different flowers and leaves to see which ones, "left their mark."

This is such a simple project and the best part is it is CHEAP and requires no paint. All you need is a little nature.

What you will need to make your own stamped leaf stationary:

• Acid free paper/stationary
  
• Leaves. You might have to experiment with a few before you find one that you feel gives you a vibrant green. I used our NON productive heirloom tomato plant leaves.
• Paper towel
• Hammer

Here is what you do...

Place your leaf where you would like it to go on the paper. Place a lightweight white paper towel on top. You should be able to see the green outline of your leaf underneath.

Gently hammer the spot where the leaf is until you see the full shape appear and the green color begin to soak through the paper towel.

Lift off the paper towel and gently remove the leaf from the paper. Let it dry before touching.

You now have your own all natural leaf stamp! I'm looking forward to doing this again with all the brightly colored fall leaves that will be here soon!

Skin Care Tip *DIY Thyme Clear Complexion Toner*

My goal for starting the skincare series was to share things that I have learned over the years working as an esthetican. I wanted to share useful information, tricks tips and DIYs that you can do at home and you don't have to spend a fortune. I have always believed the more holistic and natural the better. After taking a little break from the series (due to feeling slightly unmotivated) I realized how much I truly do enjoy it and I am happy about starting it back up again.

So I am going to bring it back with a skincare DIY that is probably one of the best skin clearing remedies that I have posted about to date.

Right now skin care companies are scrambling to incorporate an ingredient that you all most likely have access to. Thyme. Thyme is the HOT new skin food at the moment. Recent studies are proving it to be more effective than topical prescriptions containing benzoyl peroxide. Crazy right?! Here is how you can get the most out of this amazing ingredient and incorporate it into your beauty routine...

What you will need:

• Fresh or dried thyme. I used dried which I found at my local health food store in bulk.
• Apple cider vinegar. You can read all about the benefits here.
• Glass container to store toner. I used am empty vitamin E jar.
• Cheesecloth or strainer
• Glass jar. I used a mason jar.

Here is what you do...
Add about 1/2 cup of raw apple cider vinegar into a glass jar and place inside a bowl of hot water to warm it up.  Once it is heated add about 3 tablespoons of thyme.

Let this sit for up to two hours.

Place the cheesecloth on top of the glass jar and carefully pour the liquid into your toner container.
You now have the ultimate acne and age spot fighting toner! You can use this nightly. Apply it with a cotton pad, let dry and then apply your moisturizer on top. To prolong the shelf life of your toner keep it in the fridge. My suggestion would be to only make a small batch at a time and try to use it up within two weeks.

Things That Make Me Say Yeay

My morning ritual...a cup of coffee and a green smoothie.

My best friend sent me the Insanity series. SO so excited to start the workouts! Have you tried it? If so let me know what you think!

Juicy and colorful heirloom tomatoes from the farmers market. These are so delicious that you can actually bite into them like an apple...messy yes but so good.

Max getting his first haircut. I thought he would completely freak out since he doesn't even let me brush his hair but he sat there like a pro.

Covergirl Lipslicks Lipgloss. My favorite cheap go to beauty product.

So happy the weekend is finally here! Lately I have been dreaming about all things fall and I can not wait for the weather to cool down so I can bring out my boots and scarves. Who is with me on that?

A quick little hello...

Hope you all have a wonderful day! We are headed to a play date this morning and then off to Grandpa's house to swim in the pool again. It has been hot hot hot and anything that does not involve water or air conditioning just screams gross sticky back sweat. No thank you. On the swimming note, I think it's safe to say my legs could use a little color. They are off the charts white. Can you even see them under the water? They actually might be a shade of see through.

Zucchini Pasta

Sometimes when I am up in the middle of the night feeding Ronin I browse around on some of my favorite Instagram hastags, such as #Paleo, #lowcarb, #eatclean #cleaneating etc. I love looking there for yummy and healthy meal ideas for my family.

The other night I spotted something that I was so interested in making. Zucchini pasta. The user who uploaded her picture did not have a blog or a recipe so I did a little researching and used this recipe as a guideline as far as how to prepare the noodles.

For those of you who are reading and looking at this thinking "gross," this is far from gross. I PROMISE you will never think of zucchini the same and I mean that in the best way possible.

What you will need:

• 4-5 medium sized zucchini
  
• 3 large tomatoes (I used heirloom)
• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
  
• 1 clove of garlic chopped
  
• 1 cup of spinach
• salt and pepper
• 4 tbs of flax seeds

Directions for preparing zucchini noodles:

1. Cut the ends off of the zucchini and peel off the skin.
2. Use a vegetable peeler to make thin "pasta like" strips. Stop when you get to the seeds.
   
3. Place the zuchinni strips into a colander and toss with a little bit of salt. Let the zucchini drain in the sink for about 35 minutes. (The zucchini is not cooked for this recipe).
   
4. Pat dry.
   
5. Combine the tomatoes, olive oil, chopped garlic, spinach, flax seeds and salt and pepper into a blender and puree until smooth.
6. Divide up the noodles and place desired amount of sauce on top. Top with fresh tomatoes and flax seeds.
7. Enjoy!
   

Okay so zucchini is not the most photogenic food but you will not believe how good this tastes. I wanted to eat bowls and bowls of it. Next time I am going to make a turkey, basil and meat marina sauce...so many possibilities! I might even like this better than skinny spaghetti.

Latest Life Snippets

All photos taken with my iPhone via Instagram (Delightedmomma)

Me and the husband at my beautiful friend's wedding.

K. Slademade clutch, lacy dress and pink nails. I felt so fancy.

Ronin at his 2 month checkup. He weighs a whopping 14.5 pounds! I was wondering why his car seat felt so heavy....it's because he is giant.

Grocery shopping...by myself. Pure heaven. You bet I took my sweet ole time.

Birthday cocktail. Mint mojito.

This is how I ended my birthday. Burp rag, comfy clothes and both kiddos zonked out. It was perfect.

Thank you all for the sweet birthday wishes yesterday! It made my day.

I attempted to bring both of the kids shopping with my Mom and me yesterday while it was 1 million degrees out. This was a bad idea. I couldn't figure out the stroller and had a mild heart attack in the mall parking lot. Max was running around Nordstrom shouting "Wa wa" aka water and get this...Nordstrom has a "conserving energy" thingy going on where they shut off the AIR conditioning during the hours of 2pm-6pm (the hottest hours of the day). STUPID STUPID. Then Ronin decided to have a massive poop explosion all over my brand new dress. How do you get baby poop out of a dress? Anyone know? Sooo...today my husband surprised me with a trip to the day spa! I think he felt bad for me. I am off for a full three hours of alone time and relaxation. Preeeeetay excited about this.

27 Years Old! Ahhhh

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Yep today is my 27th birthday. I feel just as silly giving myself a birthday shout out as I did last year...but hey I'm doin it anyway!

I always crack up when I hear someone say it's their birthday "week" but I have officially decided that everyone needs a birthday week. My sweet husband has planned quite a few special little things for me, including a surprise something tomorrow and wine tasting this weekend. I am taking full advantage of my birthday week and I am completely fine with that.

This morning I am making Max and I skinny pancakes, since I am the only one who knows how to make them and my Mom is taking me shopping...just like the good ole days! I am also getting a new tattoo (one that has actual meaning this time around) in the next few days. Can't wait.

On a side note: My husband just looked over my shoulder and said, "You are actually announcing that it's your birthday on your blog?" Why yes I am :)

Dairy Free Strawberry Lime Ice Cream (Paleo)

If I had to pick one dessert on my blog that I suggest you make as soon as possible it would be this one..oh and this one too according to my husband who just reminded me I have not made them in a few weeks.

As I mentioned yesterday I have decided to start eating Paleo. This means no dairy. What would the world come to if there was no ice cream? It would be a sad place. I don't care what diet your on ice cream needs to be allowed. The good news is, if you are cutting dairy out of your diet or you just want to have a healthier option to regular ice cream this is the solution since it is made with coconut milk.

This recipe is my own creation and right up to the point of tasting it I had no idea how it would turn out. My two year old was anxiously waiting for the whole 20 minutes while it was churning it the ice cream maker, so thankfully it was a huge success. I am not a fan of meltdowns.

What you will need:

• 14 strawberries
• 1 can of full fat coconut milk (14oz)
• 1 tbs fresh lime juice
• 1 tbs of honey (I used raw)
• 2 tsp of vanilla
• 1/2 tsp of sea salt

Directions:

1. Mash the strawberries up in a medium size bowl. Add all the other ingredients and mix them together.
2. Place your ice cream mixture into an ice cream maker. Follow the directions of your ice cream maker and watch the magic happen.
3. Enjoy!

*If you do not have an ice cream maker you can still make this, although the end result will not be as creamy. Full instructions can be found here.
Heaven in a little bowl. This was creamy, refreshing and had just the right amount of sweetness. It reminded me of a delicious sherbet but without all that extra processed sugar and milk.

Gettin Your Groove Back *A new way of eating*

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I would be lying if I said that I wasn't a little bummed out every time I try on my (non stretchy) pre-pregnancy jeans and they wont budge past my butt. I have tried to squeeze myself in them and I end up with that weird butt cleavage that you spot on Glamour's "Don't List." Not a good look. Since you can't suck in your butt I just have to wear stretchy jeggings until they fit again. I refuse to buy bigger clothes.

In an effort to somewhat shrink my larger behind I have gotten really serious about my diet. Because I am nursing I still need to be eating a good amount of nutrient rich foods and cant afford to cut back too much on calories since I know it will lower my milk supply. Eating healthy and low carb is already a priority in my life because I am type 1 diabetic but since I am determined to get back to my old self I recently realized it may be time to make a few changes.

This past month I have decided to go full Paleo. The Paleo Diet aka the caveman diet encourages you to replace dairy and grain with fresh fruits and vegetables. What I love about this way of eating is calorie counting is not encouraged. Awesome right? Basically you eat more (nutritious foods) and weigh less. It really is more of a healthy way of living compared to just a diet that you do for a few months. Since I already do not eat wheat and grain products I figured this would be a no brainier. Yes I do love my cheese and frozen yogurt so this was a little hard, but honestly I have never felt better. If you want to learn a little more you can read this post, which has some really great information.

So far I have noticed I feel less bloated, I have more energy (so important with two little boys) and my skin is the clearest it has ever been. Do I think this is for everyone? Absolutely not. I am just sharing what is working for me.

Are you currently cutting anything out in order to feel a little healthier? I would love to hear what's working for you.