Career Advice For Newlyweds

July 31, 2019


Today's guest post is all about navigating a career and married life. For us it's so important to not spend time at work that could be spent at home, work hard at work and play hard at home. What advice would you add? 

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It is a strange feeling once the dust has settled after your wedding and you start to settle into married life. There has been so much focus and attention placed on the wedding for so long that it can feel surreal merely going about your normal life and returning to work after the honeymoon. This is the start of a new chapter in both of your lives, and you need to come together to discuss your goals and aspirations. For many newlyweds, it is a time for furthering their career, but it can be hard to know how to go about doing this.



Why Advance Your Career

Many couples find that their career was put on the back burner during the wedding planning so you might feel like it is an area that needs some attention once you settle into married life. Not only this but if you and your partner have dreams of upgrading to a bigger home, starting a family and generally leading an enjoyable lifestyle, then you may want to increase your salary which is likely to require advancing your career.

Consider Your Current Position

The first step to take is to consider your current position and how happy you are. If you like the company that you work for and the people that you work with, then you might want to see how you can advance your career internally. If not, you could look elsewhere, and this can be an exciting yet daunting time.

Think About Your Personal Life

Before you make any major career decisions, you should always consider your personal life particularly now that you are married. Think about if you have plans to move away any time soon, if you plan on having a baby or anything else that could make advancing your career a challenge.

Speak To Your Superior

Speaking to your superior will alert them that you want to advance your career and they will be able to advise you on how to go about doing this. This might include providing training opportunities, introducing you to certain people, and putting your name forward for vacancies.

Look Elsewhere

It is also worth exploring your options and seeing if there is the opportunity to progress with a new job opportunity. These moves can be daunting, but sometimes you need to change company to progress. Do not shy away from meeting with different companies just to see what is out there and to show that you are looking to progress.

Network

Networking can open doors, get your name out there, and help you to develop key relationships in your industry. The internet is a great place for networking for your career, but you should also look to attend industry events and meet people face-to-face, which is much more memorable. Do not shy away from asking people in your network for a favor or an opportunity - if you do not ask, you do not get.

Improve Your Soft Skills

It is hard to get ahead in your career without good soft skills. Identify areas which are your weakness and find ways to strengthen these skills so that you are well-rounded. You can improve soft skills by reading online, courses, and through practice.

Earn Qualifications

You might find that in order to advance your career, you need to earn additional qualifications. A masters in operation management online will teach you everything that you need to catapult your career by providing you with excellent leadership skills and the ability to link people, performance, and workflow processes. You won’t want to have to spend time away from your partner studying which is why it is a smart idea to take this course online which will allow you great flexibility and the ability to juggle your career, study, and relationship.

Make Time For Your Partner

When you are trying to advance your career, this can take up a lot of time and energy. It is vital that you still make the time for your partner, so you need to communicate and use your free time effectively. This should include regular date nights where you can give each other your undivided attention and forget about your career for the evening.

Help Each Other

Leading on from this, you might find that you are able to help each other with your careers. It might involve organizing work shifts so that you can always manage family, chores, and other responsibilities as a team - this is what being married is all about. In addition to physical support, you should also provide emotional support for each other as everyone has times where their work can take its toll.

Look After Your Health

When you are trying to advance your career, maintain your marriage, and manage typical chores and responsibilities, it can be very easy to neglect your health and wellbeing. This needs to be a priority, so make sure that you have ways to relax, that you are eating a healthy diet, getting enough exercise, and getting enough sleep each night.

Set Boundaries

Juggling a career and your relationship can be tricky as you need to give enough time and attention to both areas. The best way to do this is to set clear boundaries - this will involve setting rules about your work availability after hours, not checking your emails while at home and by making your working hours strictly professional. It is, of course, impotent to talk about work with your partner but just make sure that it does not dominate conversations and that there is a clear line between your professional and personal life.

Many newlyweds find that they want to spend tie working on their career once they settle into married life. This can be an excellent idea if you want to upgrade your lifestyle, but it can also be hard to know how to advance your career without it negatively impacting married life. Hopefully, these tips will help you to advance your career while still being able to provide your partner love and attention so that you can enjoy this exciting new chapter.

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The Feature Waze & Maps are Missing

July 30, 2019

I don’t know about y’all, but there are a few places I like to avoid while driving around Louisiana. A few bridges in particular that I’d prefer swimming past than driving over actually.

Blame it on driving back from the beach in an attempt to get home and beat Hurricane Barry, but I’d rather not get stuck on the Atchafalaya Basin. Call it some sort of traffic PTSD from that time we were trapped for 7 hours on it after going to the zoo in Baton Rouge over Thanksgiving in 2017. But now-a-days, I skip that sucker at all costs.



I recently shared what I think Waze is missing, over on the Lafayette Mom’s Blog. I’d so love for you to head over there and read all about the places we should be allowed  to avoid in Louisiana (and I'd love it if you left a comment).
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A Little Bit of Life Lately

July 27, 2019

Month 8 for baby bits has been a rough one. I've finally convinced him to sleep most of the night and only eat once, which is a big win for the baby that doesn't drop feeds on his own. He's also somewhere between busy and needs Mama to hold him constantly. 


I had my annual balayage and Clean Juice splurge. I usually wait until Oct-Nov but with big things on the horizon for us I have had to clean up all loose ends here. We are talking to a church near Birmingham and with school starting in a hot second the end of the process is moving a touch quick. Everyone blame me lol. I would piddle around on the job front and let things drag slower but the seasonal nature of teaching freaks me out. I'm not a teacher who works out of a love of the profession alone, two people going through graduate programs (which actually gathered less debt than undergrad) need to be paid off.

So that's basically a brain dump. While still vague. It's just odd, this could very well be our last Sunday in this town. So I've pushed up a baby well visit, colored my hair 3 months early, and am on a tour-de-friends. Now this is a place we will come back to visit. These people and this church are family. Flat out family. They surpassed friends a long time ago.

One of the hardest parts has got to be that one of our dearest friends is due to have a baby very soon. So if she wanted to make that appearance before Labor Day (wink wink Baby M) I wouldn't be mad about that... and I'd quickly jet here to see her.


This picture serves no purpose except for this mama to compare two kids. I took the same photo of Harrison at this age. Wiggling. Sprawled across my lap. Giggling about nonsense. 


Something odd has happened this summer in Louisiana, we've had a few cooler days at this point in summer that have allowed for daytime outside play. A few days ago we sat outside while Harrison gathered sticks and pretended to be Donnie from the Ninja Turtles.


Okay, the polenta bowl. 

This was more of a grits bowl seeing as I did not have any polenta but a ton of grits already on hand. All I did was make grits, add in butter and I decided to also toss in some cheese. Then I roasted cauliflower, broccoli, sliced red onion, Aidell's Chicken and Apple Sausage - all roasted and topped on the grits. It was really good, even Jeremy approved. 


And that's about it. 
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Meal Planning Monday

July 22, 2019

Another week, another meal plan. What else can I say?


Monday | Poppy Seed Chicken with Rice & Broccoli

Tuesday | leftovers

Wednesday | English Pea and Potato Salad with Roast Chicken

Thursday | leftovers

Friday | Country Pork Ribs, Potato Salad, BBQ Beans

Saturday | leftovers

Sunday | Eating Out

Breakfast | My favorite breastfeeding shake - but really it's a super healthy shake no matter what

Lunch | Polenta Bowls - Our friend who rescued us during the hurricane turned me onto them and it was amazing - Polenta topped with Roasted Kale, Cauliflower, and Red Onions & some Chicken & Apple Sausage/Or Eggs, Kale, & Dave's Killer Bread

I'm also going to make Atlantic Beach Pie at some point in the week - I saw this super easy recipe and am dying to test it out.
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Scenes from the Beach

July 19, 2019

Might I add, in no particular order. 

It is very difficult to stand in water that you full well intend to be washed around like a seashell in. 


While Daddy was away in Brazil I went with my parents to Perdido Key, it was a really nice beach. We are honestly the least beachy people around. I haven't been (aside from a day trip to Biloxi) since 2010. We are more lake/creek/mountain people. 



One of the nights my mother booked a dolphin cruise, it was cut short due to the impending hurricane rolling towards the gulf. But not before seeing a bunch of dolphins jumping around and playing. The boys were enthralled.  Being on the boat made Harrison nervous. He was clutching the side or covering his ears, but it was a new experience and the caution made juggling him and the baby easier. 


If there is any lesson I'm having to learn it is that you can't make decisions for the 4 year old and you better double and triple check that his decision was exactly what he wanted. We went to an ice cream shop (after the disaster of going to one while camping) and after carrying him up and down the counter he picked a flavor I did not expect him to eat. Surprisingly he ate the entire thing and had the best attitude. I was impressed big time. 

It's just such a struggle to move to a place where you have to remember that they want to make decisions for themselves (within reason) and to allow that to happen instead of taking the "easy" route. Easy being totally subjective... because wasted expensive ice cream is never easy. 


You'll see a couple attempts at a photo of these two loons. 

This attempt was the "But I'd rather try to catch a fish than stand here." 


Want to keep Harrison still? Bury him. 

This was the calmest he was the entire time. Older couples were getting a kick out of him and giving me that "we've been there look" as they watched a little boy run like an escaped Lab puppy. 






Being trapped in a small space is great for leaning to play together well. This was towards the end of the week. 


A rare photo of Elliot. He was not here for it. The beach. The sand. The sun. 
He's his daddy's child and was left indoors accordingly. 


If you make it to the Perdido Key area, the kids park is a sight to behold. 


Joshua had a good time at the Naval Museum, Harrison not so much. I ended up leaving early and letting my parents wander around with my nephew. Harry spent the entire time with his fingers in his ears again and when he would look up he would fall to the floor in fear. Had I not already pack the car to the brim I would have benefited from the double stroller. This place was nerve wracking for the poor child. 

Notice he had to have his cousin holding his hand. 


 And that was it.

We headed home in an attempt to beat the storm and had zero fun driving back. The kids did great but mama is not made to drive alone in bad weather with small people.
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Ole Slow Moving Barry

July 17, 2019

I hurried home early from our beach trip last week to beat what was supposed to be a tropical storm. My initial thinking was "No biggie, we've rode our tropical storms before."

What I didn't think about was that I was doing it without another adult in the house. You can pass a lot of time with adult conversation.



Things started out great, we got home late Thursday, Friday I ran to the store before the rain was supposed to hit. Lunch came and still no rain. Afternoon - no rain. This fun little storm was sucking all the moisture it could get and slowly (very slowly) turning into a Cat 1 Hurricane in the Gulf.

Cue all the eye rolls.



But whatever, we were good. The windows at this apartment surely wouldn't bust because there wasn't a huge chance for flying debris. Plus all our electrical cables are underground... just not the part that supplied us.

I spent the day watching the news online and seeing everything starting to build. Slowly people were reporting power outages.

Then out power began flickering.


Finally that evening it went out, right about the time the city had announced that no vehicles were allowed on the roads aside from emergency personnel.

What I should have done was scooped the kids up and went to a hotel in Lafayette, they really didn't get the wind we had.

Instead the sudden cut off from my Lafayette Mom friends that had been chatting all day in our group was suddenly cut off. My only response... I cried. I stood at the window and sobbed.

This was Sunday or Monday, Super 1 was passing out cases of water and ice to residents.
This part of town still didn't have electricity for traffic lights. 


Y'all we had zero damage, I live in a area that doesn't flood. But the prospect of toughing out the outage with a driving ban for who knows how long was just too much to bare after a week of my husband being out of the country.

About that time a friend called asking if we needed anything. In my absolute panic mode I couldn't cover my feelings as well as usual and I busted out crying to her.

Immediately she sent her father-in-law and husband out to rescue us and was so nice to let us stay with them until the power was restored to our area. That evening another friend asked how we were and offered to let the kids play at her house during the day, so we took her up on that offer.

Y'all I've never been more thankful for friends/church family. The heat in our house didn't get warmer than 74 degrees so we could have really toughed it out here fine. What I was really in need of was adult conversation and friendship and that's exactly what was delivered.

I'll say something else too, I had to learn to let go of many thing and allow myself to accept help. I was hard and I probably annoyed all of my hosts with my reluctance to be helped. My personality is to do for others, help, clean, organize. If you need something I'm there. What I don't do well is have other's do for me.

That was a big lesson God taught me. I had to let go and accept help. I couldn't do it myself.

I might have a huge bruise on my legs from fighting a window unit that weighed somewhere over 50lbs. I had to though, it was on top of the camping tubs and I needed the lanterns and flashlights that were stuck in there. I probably yelled at that unit for 15 minutes as I lifted it from above my head to right back in its place above me again. I should have asked for help but didn't.

I can be very pig headed and do it all myself. And to an extent the physical things I can do. It was when the emotional hit that I was done for. I hadn't sat in front of another adult in days and just needed someone else to talk to, so what was a small problem felt very huge.

I don't know how well this post followed a timeline but that was our weekend, a slow moving hurricane, a loss of power, realizing I had to accept help in my loneliness, and bruised knees because I'm too stubborn.

Thank the Lord that our power was restored in 24 hours and we really didn't lose much food. My smoothie bananas had seen better days but many people experience actual loss to property.
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7 Cute and Clever Frugal Wedding Ideas to Keep the Big Day on Budget

July 16, 2019


Another great guest post today that's right up my alley with how we did wedding planning! #3 is definitely depending on your personal preferences - if you want to save even more money go the punch bowl route! 😉
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Your wedding should be the best day of your life, not a source of insane financial stress. The average American wedding costs around $35,000. Which is not a small amount of money.
Every little thing adds up. And of course, most people don't want to "cheap out" on their big day. It only happens once (hopefully!), and you want to do it right. 


Lucky for you, we're here to help. Read on for 7 cute, creative, and clever frugal wedding ideas to keep the big day on a budget. 

1. The Holy Grail of Frugal Wedding Ideas: Be Flexible

Being flexible is the key to saving where it really counts: venue hire. Consider having your wedding right at the beginning or end of off-season.
This can save thousands of dollars in venue hire fees and you can still get the benefits of good weather. The day of the week matters a lot too. Saturdays are ideal for many reasons, but they are drastically more expensive than other days.
The Sunday before a holiday Monday can be a great option. Having some flexibility around the date can be the single thing that saves you thousands. 

2. Consider a Longer Engagement 

Venue prices spike the closer it gets to the time. Plus, most of the good venues get booked up at least two years in advance.
Take your time and enjoy your engagement. After all, you're planning to be together for your whole lives. What's the rush? 

3. BYOB 

This is one of the most repeated words of wisdom by wedding planners: find a venue that lets you bring in your own alcohol. And consider having a limited bar.
Offering beer and wine instead of a huge selection of spirits can save a lot of money (and reduces the risk of over-drinking). Buy in bulk from local breweries, and offer to display their logo. They might give you an advertiser's rate. 

4. DIY Where It Counts

Taking on too many DIY responsibilities can be stressful, but it can also be fun. And a huge cost-saver. Get your bridesmaids together to make centerpieces, bouquets, and invitations. And have fun with it! Who doesn't love a crafts and wine night? 
Stationary can be a surprisingly big cost. Check out these wedding invitations templates by Adobe and design and print your own. Hand deliver when possible, and consider e-invites for those who are out of town. 

5. Rent or Wear Second Hand

Wedding dresses and tuxedos are a huge cost. Especially for something, you're only going to wear once. Consider renting a dress or buying second hand. There are some beautiful gowns that have only been worn once. Who has to know?

6. Fake the Cake

If you're attached to the tradition of cutting the cake, it can save a lot of money to fake it. A lot of bakers will design a cardboard cake with a real top layer. You'll still get the photos. And you can serve a delicious alternative dessert to your guests.

7. Support Local for Dinner

Hiring a fancy caterer can be one of the biggest pieces of the budget. Instead, consider hiring a local mom & pop shop to provide the main meal. They'll give you a good deal and will appreciate the business much more than a big caterer. 

The Takeaway 

There are countless ways to cleverly save on your big day. In addition to these 7 key frugal wedding ideas, just remember one thing: simple is elegant.
Don't go overboard on things that don't really matter. Keep it minimal. Keep it classy. What matters most is celebrating your marriage with your loved ones, not breaking the bank.  
Please don't forget to bookmark our site to never miss any of our latest posts! 

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Meal Planning Monday

July 15, 2019

We made it out of that wonky Hurricane Barry with our sanity half in tack.

I'll write more about that in a blog post Wednesday though! Until then, here's to having power and knowing I gotta have a gas stove again.


Monday | I'm celebrating power by hitting up Saigon Noodles in Lafayette and buying all the ice cream

Tuesday | Grilled Chicken with Sensation Salad and Roasted Artichokes

Wednesday | Chicken Pot Pie from the Misissippi Current Cookbook

Thursday | leftovers

Friday | Eating Out

Saturday | Eating Out

Sunday | Carne Asada Tacos

Breakfast | My favorite breastfeeding shake - but really it's a super healthy shake no matter what

Lunch | Polenta Bowls - Our friend who rescued us during the hurricane turned me onto them and it was amazing - Polenta topped with Roasted Kale, Cauliflower, and Red Onions & some Chicken & Apple Sausage
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Piecing Your Life Together After A Surgery Gone Wrong

July 12, 2019

Today's guest post is all about the healing process after a difficult surgery. If you've had experience with this I'd love for you to comment below! 


When you have something wrong with your health and you prepare to go into surgery, there are high expectations. You never expect that the surgery will go wrong but sadly that can and does happen to plenty of patients who go under the knife.

What do you do after it’s all gone wrong? In this article, we look at various perspectives on how to piece your life together following a medical procedure gone wrong.

Get Compensated for Pain and Suffering

When surgery is not as was reasonably expected or the outcome was poor because of medical negligence on the part of the surgeon and their team, then it’s important to seek appropriate compensation for mistakes made. After all, they’ve just changed your life circumstances and not for the better.

The level of compensation will depend on what the mistake was, whether it can be rectified with a secondary operation or if you’re stuck with the problem for life. The seriousness of the outcome and how it will affect how you live is also a factor. You should seek proper legal advice from a solicitor who specialises in cases of this nature. One good source is the Medical Negligence Experts (www.the-medical-negligence-experts.co.uk/) who’ll know what to do.

How Long is the Healing Process?

If you’ve had one operation and are not expected to go under the knife again to fix the mistake, then you’re then dealing with the healing process.

For instance, with incisions in the abdomen e.g. for a hernia operation, the healing time just for the abdominal incision is around two months. This assumes that you don’t overexert yourself before it’s sensible to do so. You should have been advised about appropriate activity levels in your post-op care too. Follow those carefully to avoid making matters any worse.

Re-Assessing Your Physical Capabilities

Depending on what has actually happened, you may have some physical restrictions on what you’re capable of doing once you’ve healed up completely.

It depends on the post-op advice as to what activity is sensible and those to be avoided. Using the Sleek Technique at this time is not advisable!

It’s important to get the feeling of putting your life back together. Part of this is the sense that you’ve slowly become more capable again, even if you need a little help here and there to achieve that. That’s all good too. Therefore, if you find that going shopping at Tesco and carrying the bags to the car (or bus stop) is too difficult now, make other plans. Shopping online to get food delivered to your door is a great solution. If you still have trouble carrying items to the fridge/freezer, then have a friend or neighbour come over to help you.

Go through a testing phase to see what you can and cannot do now. Then find alternative solutions for things that are challenging or you’re simply unable to do. There is usually always another way to get tasks accomplished if you search for them. Stay positive and focus on solutions, not frustrations. You’ll then feel more empowered and that your life is coming back together again.

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Raising Moody Judy

July 10, 2019

For ages, my husband said that our oldest was a highly sensitive child. It all blew right past me until recently when a friend said she read the book The Highly Sensitive Child
As she talked, everything I had previously ignored my husband alluding to suddenly made sense. 

I recently shared my experience with having a highly sensitive child, over on the Lafayette Mom’s Blog. I’d so love for you to head over there and read all about my thoughts on the biggest struggles we have (and I'd love it if you left a comment).
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Things I Bought & Liked | June

July 3, 2019

June was a good month for new products. Several hits and only one real bust.

Pond's Cleansing Balm | I have avoided the original Cold Cream for ages because it made me break out, but I can get behind this one. I've used coconut oil for a very long time to remove eye makeup and thought I'd give this a try. It touted to be a good dupe for a few products that are a touch pricier. All in all, it removes makeup well and is a good first step if you are double cleansing.

Tarte Set: Blush :: I'm sold on this, it's long wearing, as a good color pay off, and comes in very nice natural shades.

Clay Stick Foundation :: I don't wear a lot of foundation, I'm mainly a CC cream gal. This had been a great addition to my routine for the area around my mouth and lower face that shows a few more veins, it's just better coverage. I still use my It! Cosmetics CC everywhere else.

Maneater Mascara :: I love the mascara but I prefer a more traditional brush.

Eyeliner :: There's a solid chance I'll forgo my long standing relationship with the Bare Minerals eyeliner that is like this one and stick to Tarte. This stuff hold and does not smudge.

Lip Paint in Salty :: I loved the formula of this but I ordered the wrong color. I'll be trying out OG next.

Yeti Rambler 24oz :: Mama won Father's Day and then got jealous. I got this for Jeremy because I adore my 14oz and he has really enjoyed it.

Freshly Picked Olive Classic Crossbody | The Mother's Day present I forgot to post last month. I was in need of a new crossbody that looked nicer than my Kavu bags. This allows me to carry both my own stuff as well as a baby diaper if needed. I got it during their big sale in May and scored a really good price.

ANRABESS Women's Summer Tank Jumpsuit (jogger bottom) | If you are taller I suggest getting this jumpsuit. I'm a touch short so it isn't the best length for me, but it's super cute none the less.

ANRABESS Women's Jumpsuit (shorts) | This is the way to go if you are looking for easy breezy and are shorter. I wasn't disappointed with either of these finds.

Dove Refresh + Care Dry Shampoo | When it came time to go camping I couldn't warp my mind around using my beloved Dry Bar Dry Shampoo that week. Let's be honest my hair ends up in a bun the entire time. (actually it's more like that Target checkout meme because I always looks like death made over). I got this in place of using expensive products while tent living and sweating. Dove wasn't my favorite and it's the best. But! But, when I was washing my hair at night and just needed something for volume that would make me look more human this got the job done. I don't think it works well for second day hair but is perfectly fine for adding volume and texture on clean hair.

10 Things Every Ministers Wife Needs to Know | A pastor's wife I know posted about this book after the SBC Convention this summer. I have to say, as far as I've read it's full of advice you know but need to hear often. Reading 10 Things is very much like sitting down for coffee with a more experienced pastor's wife and gleaming all of her knowledge. This is definitely something I'll hold onto to reread over the years.

American Gospel: Christ Alone Movie | Let me preface this with this... we rented this on Amazon and then ordered the DVD. This 2 hours movie turned into more like 3 after we had paused it to discuss every step of the way. It's a great look at popularity Christianity in America and just how far we've gotten away from the truth in many instances. They're coming out with a second movie soon.


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Meal Planning Monday

July 1, 2019

We survived our camping trip, and if you saw my IG post you'll know I have beef with the Hydroelectric plant situation there. I'm not bitter... I was just sleep deprived.

So here's your warning, Beaver's Bend in Ok is absolutely beautiful, has amazing tree coverage for for tent sites, lovely hiking, the best canoeing... but the tornado/flood siren will send you running for the hills.

Now for this week...


Monday | Hamburger Steak with Green Beans and Rolls

Tuesday | Grilled Chicken with Sensation Salad

Wednesday | leftovers

Thursday | Hanging out with friends on the 4th!

Friday | Breakfast (eggs, breakfast potatoes, biscuits, & sausage) -- I'll get my recipe together for these amazing potatoes!

Saturday | leftovers of some sort

Sunday | Mississippi Roast, Rice, & Broccoli

Breakfast | My favorite breastfeeding shake - but really it's a super healthy shake no matter what

Lunch | Scrambled Eggs with Greek Yogurt and Chives, Dave's Killer Bread with Kerry Gold Butter, and Sauteed Kale
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