Weekly Lovelies: Currently Clicking Week #3

Here are all of the places I've been clicking this week. I'm sure there's many more, but these are the ones I made sure not to forget.


  1. As a cat owner, I relate to every single one of these.
  2. Since I'm still home on leave, I will be participating in this online conference. For moms! Even though my little one is still young, I think I can benefit from a ton of the classes. I love stuff like this. 
  3. I love this blog. So simple. So perfect. 
  4. A Beautiful Mess came out with some amazing Photoshop actions a few weeks back. Now they are offering a $10 sampler pack to get your feet wet and try them out. You better believe I purchased the Photoshop ones to try out. Super excited. They also are offering sampler packs for Photoshop Elements & Lightroom. 
  5. I find this fascinating: Seeing Famous Places From Above Is Surreal 
  6. I love this online store. Especially these pants. 
  7. Pretty much anything in this store as well. Like this. 
  8. A floor to ceiling spring cleaning guide.

Also, I did a little sprucing up around here on the blog. What do you think? I'm pretty pleased with it for now. It's nice to have a bit of a change every once in a while. 
Happy Friday! 

Bullet Journaling: How I Organize My Chaos


I am currently on maternity leave. My life is chaotic now and will be even more so once I have to return back to work. (Notice how I said "have to?" I haven't quite come to terms yet with returning back to real life in a month of so....baby steps.)

I am an organizer by default and I have been writing in journals for as long as I can remember. There's a box out the garage now that is full of my scribbles all the way back to grade school. It's been a part of my life for a very long time. I like to document. I like to make lists. I like to check of the little boxes once a task is completely and move on to the next. I like to be able to look back and see what I've gone through and how I got on the other side of all of it. I like to see what has been accomplished and what still needs to be worked on. 


About a month ago, I stumbled across Bullet Journaling. I believe I first heard about it here or on this podcast. Probably both. I had to learn more. 

I've been using Moleskine notebooks for a few years now. These pens are also my jam. I have horrible (note: REALLY BAD) handwriting and these pens help a little. I'll take what I can get. I guess it works to my advantage sometimes. If I don't want people reading my notebooks, they can't even if they try because they can't read my scribbles. It's my secret skill: bad handwriting. 


I am slightly obsessed with this way of note taking and to-do list making. (That rhymed.) I have been making my lists daily this way for about a month now and plan to continue doing this for a long time. I usually begin my day by making a cup of coffee and some breakfast (after feeding the little one) and then sit down to make my list for the day. 


Learn all about Bullet Journaling here. You will learn about having an index, a monthly calendar, monthly tasks, and daily tasks. There are certain symbols for certain things. There are ways to make sure you don't lose any points in the process, even if you fail to accomplish that task on that given day. 

I love this stuff. I do. I'm slightly obsessed and I don't care who knows it! 


Baby Marin: Week 5

We are sleeping much better around these parts. The past few nights, we've only gotten up once with Marin around 2:30 or 3:30am and then I'm up with her again in the early morning. This is a joyous change. I should quit talking about it so I don't jinx it.



Smiles are slowly creeping into our everyday around here. Marin responds to us a lot more lately and her little grin is starting to light up rooms everywhere she goes. I love being able to see little snippets of her personality showing through every day.

We are slowly battling a bit of cradle cap and baby acne. I feel like I am raising a little teenager because of her poor little skin. We've tried a few remedies and nothing is really working. Any suggestions out there?  I know it will pass but I feel bad for her little face right now! 

Tummy Time

Last week marked the first time I ventured out to the grocery store alone with Marin. She was so zonked out in her car seat that she probably didn't even realize that we weren't at home hanging out with the cat.



She spent some time with each set of grandparents so we could have a date night and so I could have a pampering day that involved a much need massage, manicure, and pedicure. She also visited her Great Grandparents. We've been doing  a lot of visiting lately. A lot of car trips. A lot of cuddles with every member of our families. That's how it's supposed to be. It takes a village, right?

This past week was a good one.

One final photo from this week. I posted this on Instagram (username: bailyhollen). Be still my heart. 








Weekly Lovelies: Currently Clicking Week #2



A picture of our child. Because, why not? I'm obsessed with the baby photos. I'll admit it. (She's wearing her new beanie from Little Hip Squeaks and I love it.)

Here's where I've been clicking this week.....


Baby Marin's Wish List

It's no secret that there are a million baby things to buy in this world. Some of them you need, some of them you want. I find myself enjoying dressing my child more than myself. Most of my days are spent in yoga pants while on maternity leave. 

Baby Marin's Current Wish List: 
(which really means, here is a bunch of stuff mom wants to get her) 



  1. Baby Jives Silver Star Cloud Mobile
  2. Little Hip Squeaks Onyx Strip Tunic Dress
  3. Hello Apparel Onesie 
  4. Comotomo Bottles 
  5. Freshly Picked Baby Moccasins
  6. Little Hip Squeaks Cozy Romper  


Staying Sane: Date Night

Date night is important, very important. Ever since we became parents, I've realized how even more important finding time as a couple and as individuals really is. Being parents is amazing, but unless we are staying sane in the process, life can get difficult. We don't want life to become difficult. We want to live out extraordinary lives, even in the day to day. That's always been the goal. 

This was right before we left for the date. I didn't know quite what to do with myself! 

Monday night, Grandma and Grandpa Hollen came to our house to watch the lil' one while we went out for the first time since Marin was born. I've been away from her only for little snippets of time: to run errands, to escape to Target for a little mommy break, to actually take a shower and shave my legs. 

This was the longest stretch so far. We were away for about 4 hours and I can't even begin to count how many times I thought about my kid. It was crazy! But, we had a wonderful time away for even just a bit. It is so important to do this: for our marriage and for our sanity. We can get so caught up in caring for an infant, which is important obviously, but we can lose ourselves in the process. I think Ryan and I are doing really well at not losing ourselves as we become parents. It's a process, surely, but we are making strides towards really settling in to this whole parenting gig while still keeping our marriage and relationship strong and healthy. 

For date night we went and saw the Lego Movie. I was skeptical at first but ended up really enjoying it! It was really good! 


After the movie, we went to Old Town to one of our favorite restaurants: Stuft, A Burger Bar. Any place that has sweet potato fries and lets you build your own burger to your liking is a place I want to be at. I want to go to there. 



Monday night also marked the first day I've had a beer in oh, let's see, about 10 freaking months! I've been waiting to have alcohol and read up on how to still be breastfeeding and consuming alcoholic beverages. Sunshine Wheat. Wonderful Sunshine Wheat. It had been so long! 

Hallelujah. 
The last time I believe I had a beer we are were at Stuft Burger (creatures of habit, clearly.) I remember feeling sick to my stomach and couldn't even finish my beer. Little did I know, I was actually pregnant at the time! No wonder I didn't want it. Now though, I gladly welcome the occasional beverage back into my life. It can stick around for a while. 



What do you do for Date Night? 

Here are few other ideas....
  1. Here's a great list at Lovely Venture.
  2. 21 Free Date Night Ideas at Adventures of A Couponista.
  3. 52 Almost Free Ideas at Oh Simple Thoughts.
  4. Stay at Home Date Night Ideas at Imperfect Homemaker.   

Baby Marin: Week Four


Where to even begin.... our little girl is a month old already.  I kind of feel like I've just been in this alternate universe of maternity leave and time passes so differently than before. I keep having to tell myself that it won't be like this forever. I will have to return to work at some point. I will have to face reality. I try not to think about that too much and try to soak in these precious moments while I have them. 

Marin seems to be changing daily, right before our very eyes. Our little newborn baby isn't so much of a newborn any more. Her expressions are becoming filled with more personality. She is becoming more vocal everyday. Her newborn clothes are slowly beginning to become snug. She isn't napping nearly as much as before and our nights are slowly becoming more pleasant due to the fact that she is only waking to nurse once or twice. Hallelujah! 

She still hates baths. Cutting her fingernails is probably the worst task we have been given as parents. Her little fingers. So little. So difficult to trim those nails! She becomes fussy usually later in the afternoon into the evening but is a little angel most of the time otherwise. I am counting my blessings on that one. 

We are just soaking it all in. Our little one won't be so little far too soon. 

Weekly Lovelies: Currently Clicking

I'm on the internet a lot. I feel like I have been on it even more now that I've been on maternity leave. I read a lot of stuff. I want to remember some of that stuff. Here is where I was clicking this past week.....

Early mornings with the baby. I need to clean our keyboard. Badly.
  • 18 Things Highly Creative People Do Differently
  • This post from Elise resonated with me so much as a new mom. It's a healthy reminder to know that you are exactly what your baby needs you to be at this very moment. 
  • I am majorly obsessed with how Shutterbean does Meal Prep each week. Super inspired. I wish my fridge looked that pretty. 
  • A Beautiful Mess has done it again. Their new photography and art journal course look so amazing. Their new photoshop actions are to die for. I would like each and every one please. 
  • There is a movement of tiny houses slowly creeping into our society. I am so fascinated by it. I want to get rid of most of what I own. This couple is doing it right.  Here is another couple and their micro cabin
  • This house tour and this house tour. For someone that doesn't have a white wall in her home, I sure am drawn to them lately. 
  • Doterra Oils have really hooked my interest. I am looking for some classes locally because the essential oil movement seems like something I could really latch on to as a new mother. Have you tried them? 

Baby Marin's Birth Story


3 weeks and a few days ago, our lives were forever changed. We waited ever so patiently for our little girl to make her way into this world. I was ten days past my due date. People were consistently asking me whether or not I had a baby yet. I started to not answer the text messages and phone calls because it felt like she was just going to stay in there forever. (Sorry if I ignored any of you.) I spent many times wondering if this was it. We even had two false starts that ended up at the hospital only to be sent home after blood was drawn, baby was monitored, and ultrasounds were completed. 

I knew she would come when she was ready, but I was impatient. But, at the same time, I didn't want to try any of the old wives tales to try and get her out quicker. I wanted her to come in due time.

And she did. I won't ever be the same.



Our birth plan going into all of this was to labor without medication or an epidural. I wanted to see what my body could handle, to discover a strength I didn't know I had.

Monday night (February 17th), I began to start tracking my contractions with more consistency. What I didn't realize at the time was that these were still pretty wimpy,  Braxton Hicks-like contractions. We went to bed far too late that night because I didn't want to fall asleep but knew I should. I watched too many episodes of the Gilmore Girls before finally drifting off.

Around 3:30am, I got up to go the bathroom only to realize that my water broke. I knew it was game time and went and woke up Ryan.

Our doula, Tamara, came to our house at around 4:15 that morning. I started to experience true contractions. Gut-wreching and painful. They were nothing like the contractions I had been experiencing in the weeks prior. With each new wave, I knew that it would be a long day. I just kept telling myself that this was it. She would be here at some point either today or the next. The process had begun and I just needed to buckle down and face it. These were the hours that would be life changing.

One of the things I will forever remember while laboring at home was the fact that Ryan, Tamara, and I just sat in our living room and watched episode after episode of the show Dirty Jobs. That show will now forever remind me of that day. Tamara made us some eggs early that morning and I promptly managed to throw them all up. That happened a few times.

A bath and shower later, I managed to get some pjs back on and we knew we were headed for the hospital. I never realized how bumpy Mulberry Street is on the way to the hospital. Every. Little. Bump. Prospect has road construction so we knew to avoid it. We arrived at the hospital around 11 am, got into our birthing room, and was promptly hooked up to the monitors to see how baby was doing.


At this point I was 8 cm.

I sat in the bath for a while after we arrived and just kind of took the waves of contractions again and again. The pain was pretty unreal, but I knew it would all be worth it. I sat on a birthing ball for a while after that.

I started pushing around 1pm. I'm not really sure of the time stamp by now. I pushed for 3 hours which was an experience like no other. We tried different positions and tactics. There were so many times where I wanted to give up, the pain was overwhelming. I didn't think I could possibly push anymore. I almost felt like I was experiencing all of this outside of myself.

During one of my checks, the doctor and nurses discovered that Marin was facing "sunny side up." This would explain why she was taking so long to make it through the birth canal. There was discussion of an epidural and even a C-Section. I knew I didn't want that. I hadn't worked this long and hard just to go in that direction. Since I had been pushing for what seemed like forever, we decided to have some pain meds pumped through my IV. I was exhausted. I didn't think I could push any more. I knew I needed to get her out into this world.

So, I had some meds. At first this bugged me, but within about ten minutes after it was administered, Marin made her entrance into this world. It was the final push (pun intended) that I needed to get her out.

She arrived at 4:28 pm on February 18th. 8 pounds 4 ounces, 21 inches long. I heard her cries for the first time. She was rushed off to the side because of her traumatic entrance. Her head was shaped like a cone when she arrived. They had to place her on oxygen. I was only able to see her for a split second, tears forming in my eyes, and then she was taken to NICU due to a running a temperature.


This is the part that I didn't like. I wasn't able to breastfeed my baby right away. Skin to skin. She was away from me for a good 3 hours. I believe that this is part of the reason why we had so much difficulty breastfeeding in the beginning. I didn't get that time.



But, overall, after 14 hours of pain like I had never experienced before, our little girl was here. That was all that mattered.

It was all totally worth it. I will never forget this day. It changed me in so many ways.







Prep During Pregnancy: Freezer Meals


I am planner. Most people that are close to me know this to be true. Most people that aren't even that close to me probably know that to be true as well. I plan. I make lists. I like to be prepared so I don't end looking like an idiot somewhere down the road. It's how I've always been. 




While pregnant, I became fairly obsessed with planning out certain areas of our lives once baby arrived. (I know all of you seasoned parents are probably laughing at that...) I constantly was on Pinterest (follow me if you'd like: here), pinning freezer meals and grocery lists, what to pack in my hospital bag, the minimal necessities for a newborn, etc. The list goes on and on. Seriously, what did we do before Pinterest? 


A few weeks before Marin arrived, I gathered up some recipes from Pinterest and from my normal cooking routine and planned a day where I would create as many freezer meals as possible. I knew that once baby arrived, the last thing I would want to do is cook a bunch of stuff. I also knew that I needed these meals to be decently healthy and clean because I would love to actually fit into my pre-pregnancy pants at some point in the next few months. 


I made a list. Ryan and I went to the grocery store and bought all of the supplies, which ended up being quite affordable. I wish I would have kept the receipt as a reference. 


The next day, we got home from church, and I placed all of my cooking ingredients and supplies out on the counter and went to town. I created freezer meals for about 3 hours but ended up with probably one or two month's worth of freezer meals. 


My feet hurt. I sweat up a storm. I rocked out to Pandora in my kitchen while my cat tried to avoid the kitchen and the crazy, list-making, pregnant lady. 


Here are the meals I made this time around. If I found the meal elsewhere, I will link to the recipe I used. 

Tortellini Bake: (my own creation) 
Jar of Tomato Sauce
Chicken Sausage
1 Bag of Frozen Broccoli
Shredded Mozzarella (Reduced Fat) 
Shredded Sharp Cheddar (Reduced Fat) 
1 bag of Frozen Tortellini
Italian Seasoning to taste

Directions: 
In a glass baking dish, place tortellini in dish. 
Cut up the sausage into bite size pieces, place over tortellini. 
Spread out bag of frozen broccoli, layering over tortellini and sausage. 
Do the same with the jar of tomato sauce. 
Add italian seasoning
Cover with mixture of mozzarella and sharp cheddar. 

When ready to eat: 
Let thaw
Preheat over to 400
Cook for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is melted
Enjoy! 


Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
1 ½ pounds chicken breasts
1 (16 oz) bag frozen broccoli florets
2 (16 oz) jars Alfredo sauce (I use light)
1 large green pepper, chopped

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag and mix together.
When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours. 
Serve with cooked fettuccine noodles and green salad


Hearty Beef Stew
1 pound beef stew cubes
4 carrots, sliced
4 red potatoes, cut into large cubes
1 package dry onion soup mix
2 cans 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (10 oz) package frozen green peas
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix together and zip bag closed. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on LOW for 7-10 hours (or HIGH for 5-6 hours).

Both of these recipes are from Six Sisters Stuff


Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch slices
1 can (28 ounces) whole stewed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup nonfat, low-sodium chicken broth
1⁄4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Combine ingredients minus broth and add to gallon Ziploc bag. Freeze. Thaw add broth and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Serve over hot rice. Serves 6-8 people.
This recipe is found at Loving My Nest. 

Chicken Enchiladas 
3 chicken breasts
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
10-12 flour tortillas {medium}
2 cans of red enchilada sauce
1 can black beans

How to Make It:

Take the raw chicken breasts and place them in a pot of water, boil for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.  
Once the chicken is cooked remove from pot and shred {I use two forks and pull it apart}. Set aside.
Drain and rinse the can of black beans.
Mix the beans, chopped onion, shredded chicken, 1 can of red enchilada sauce, and the shredded cheddar cheese in a bowl.
With a spoon fill each flour tortilla, roll them up, and place them with the seams down in an 8x8 baking dish {don’t forget to spray your pan so you don’t stick!}. There should be enough to make three 8x8 pans.
Pour the second can of red enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle some cheese over it.

Thaw when ready to eat. 
Preheat oven to 350
Bake for 25 minutes.

For the life of me, I can't find the original link to this recipe. So sorry! 

Chicken Taco Chili 
1 can No Salt Added Black Beans
1 can No Salt Added Kidney Beans
1 can Rotel (tomatoes/green chilies) 
1 can tomato sauce (the smaller can) 
1 packet of taco seasoning (try to find one that isn't packed with sodium.) 
1 bag of frozen corn
A few frozen chicken breasts (I use the smaller tenderloins) 
A few dashes of chili powder
A few dashes of Cumin 

Directions: 
(This is the original recipe, not already frozen. Just toss the contents of the freezer bag into the crock pot.) 

Place beans, corn, tomato sauce, and rotel in the crock-pot. Stir in the packet of taco seasoning. Add chili powder and cumin. Stir, stir, stir. 

Place as many frozen chicken breasts that can fit on the top of the chili. Don't stir it. Put the lid on and cook on high for about 6 hours or so. You want the chicken completely cooked. 

Once the chicken is completely cooked, remove the chicken pieces from the crock-pot. 

Shred the chicken. Once that's done, dump the chicken back in the crock-pot. Stir the chicken thoroughly into the chili. Let it simmer for a while longer. 

Serve and enjoy! We usually put a little bit of cheese on top and dip corn chips in the chili.


I blogged about this recipe already. It is adapted from a Weight Watchers recipe. Read my post here

Turkey Burritos: (my own creation) 
Lean Ground Turkey
2 Cans of Pinto or Kidney Beans
2 Cans of Black Beans
1 Can of Rotel
Reduced Sodium Taco Seasoning
Chili Seasing
Whole Wheat Tortillas
Reduced Fat Shredded Mexican Cheese

Directions: 
In a pan, thoroughly cook the ground turkey. 
Once cooked, add cans of beans and can of Rotel
While simmering, add seasoning. 

To assemble burritos, scoop contents of pan into individual burritos, add some cheese, roll up in tin foil and free. 

Let thaw a bit before reheating when you are ready to eat! Add salsa if desired. 

Pre-made Smoothies 
I also created individual ziploc bags for smoothies. 
I added some frozen fruit (low sugar) which included mangos and pineapple. 
I sliced some strawberries and whatever other berries I had on hand. 
Add a few spoonfuls of greek or low fat yogurt. 
Add a few handfuls of spinach.
When you want to enjoy the smoothie, just add a liquid of your choice: Milk, Water, Juice, etc. 
Blend thoroughly. 

This idea was from A Beautiful Mess


Alright then! That is a very long post but now I know that we have quite a stash of meals waiting for us in our freezer in our garage. Good luck! 

Baby Marin: Week Three

I feel like we have come so far already. Am I still pretty dang exhausted, of course! But, it all seems to be falling into place, one day at a time. Today we find ourselves with a three week old baby. Three weeks. Time has flown by. I am always shocked when I look at the clock at some point each day and realize that it is already 5pm. Throw a time change into the mix and all of our hours seem a tad mixed up. 


I can say for once in our little relationship as mom and daughter, that breastfeeding is going so much better. She's latching like a little rock star. Most nights Marin wakes up twice for a feeding. We've had a few fussy nights but overall, things are going far more smoothly than the entirely frustrating first week we were home with our little one. 

She is growing right before our eyes. 

Marin at 3 Weeks: 
  1. She is far more alert this week than the weeks before. 
  2. During tummy time, she is able to lift her head up and move around quite well. 
  3. I can tell that she is able to focus on what she is seeing a lot more.  
  4. A co-worker gave us a baby swing and I would like to tell her "thank you" a billions time over. Thank you, thank you! Life saver. (I'm writing this post as Marin swings and sleeps next to me in the office.) 


Mama at 3 Weeks: 
  1. Even with the lack of sleep, I feel like I am slowly getting the hang of all of this. I have never functioned on this little sleep though in my life, even back in college when I hardly slept!
  2. I scheduled a pamper day next week that I am looking so forward to: massage, mani, pedi! Hallelujah! I seriously can't wait! I am realizing how important it is to take care of myself during this season as well. It's best for everyone that way. 
  3. I am constantly researching baby stuff: bottles, cloth diapering, how in the world I will ever be able to return to work, pumping, etc. 
  4. I made the mistake of trying on some pre-pregnancy jeans....not a good plan this early in the game. I am ready to get back to working out. I need it. And maybe some new jeans for a little while. I can't wear pajama and yoga pants for the rest of my life, unfortunately. 

Dad at 3 Weeks: 
  1. Ryan went back to work on Sunday after being on a family medical leave with us for 4 weeks. I loved having him here with us, but he had to go back to work at some point! 
  2. He is a pro at diaper duty and burping this baby. He has the special burping skills that I just don't. 
  3. He still gets up with me once at night since he's up usually any way. I will be really excited when she starts taking a bottle every once in a while and I can sleep a little longer at night. Soon, someday soon. 
  4. His parents have offered to watch Marin sometime next week to allow us to have a date night. I am also looking so forward to that as well! 



I will leave you with this entry from my journal this past week:  
Until now, I never fully knew what it meant to love someone I hardly know yet, so intensely, my heart aches. I also haven't ever felt this amount of stress, frustration, and confusion, coupled with an elated joy and a purely dumbfounded love that I almost can't put it into words. I have spent most days so sleep deprived yet strangely alright with it. I have questioned every little thing; wondering if my child will come out into this world and succeed fully and beautifully. Or, will her parents mess her up somehow in this process called parenting? 
I feel so connected to this little human. She makes me want to be better, to strive harder, to dream bigger. She causes me to realize that I will never fully have the life I did before I became a mother, but I am completely alright with that realization. She is worth it in every single way.