Passover is just a couple days away, which means it's the start of seven full days without any leavened bread products. That means no bread, no traditional baked goods, no pasta, no crackers, no cereal... you get the idea. This is symbolic of when the Jews escaped Egypt and didn't have time to let the bread rise before racing out of there... hence why we skip leavened bread and why matzah is everyone's go-to over Passover! But honestly, matzah just isn't my thing... especially when there are so many more delicious things that we can eat during Passover! With all of the incredible paleo desserts out there that are already grain-free, it's pretty easy to find Passover-friendly recipes. Here are 5 of my all-time favorites to keep your sweet tooth satisfied during Passover (and honestly, all year round!). 

I started writing this post before I went to the hospital and had baby Max. Now that I'm back home with him, I feel like it's an even better post because I can share with you everything that I packed, and also what I actually used. So let me first say... you really really don't need to pack all that much. The hospital pretty much has everything you (and baby) will need, but there are a few things to pack that will definitely make your hospital stay more comfortable! This list is a combination of things I brought and used and of course suggestions from friends of amazing things I wouldn't have thought to bring with us. I also recorded a whole video on instagram showing all of the items I packed - you can watch it here! Ok let's get into the details... here's everything I packed, and you'll see a * next to everything I actually ended up using!

We're officially one week out from my due date with baby boy, so I figured it was time to share my top 10 pregnancy essentials from this time around. My two pregnancies were actually pretty similar — luckily I felt pretty good both pregnancies aside from the exhaustion that just comes with being pregnant, although it was on another level this time (especially first trimester) since I was chasing around a toddler every day. What was definitely different was being pregnant during non-Covid days with Noah vs. now with baby number two. Last time I actually made an effort to get dressed in real clothes because we were more social and had way more events and date nights, and this time, we spent a lot of time at home, so I pretty much just lived in loungewear and cozies. So you'll see that most of my essentials were really all about staying comfortable! Hopefully this list is helpful for all of you mamas-to-be who are lounging at home, too!

I'm going to preface this post by saying that I'm definitely not the "Pinterest mom" who is skilled at all things DIY and an expert at whipping up perfectly themed baked goods and birthday cakes. My cakes are always a little uneven and the frosting might not be totally smooth but are they made with love? 1000%! I honestly had zero plans to post the truck cake I made for Noah's 2nd birthday but after getting so many messages about it via Instagram, I  figured I'd share a few tips and tricks and product links for all the other amateur baking moms like me who are just trying to make their kids'  birthday cake extra special for them! Since Noah is truck-obsessed, we went all in on the truck decorations, but you can buy whatever number you need and then pick your kid's favorite thing or character and make that the theme of your cake!

It's officially chili season! Now that we've fully embraced fall and are inching closer to winter, whipping up a big batch of chili just feels like the right thing to do. I'm all about this vegetarian Black Bean & Butternut Squash Chili, which is so satisfying, full of fall flavors, and can be made in either a slow cooker, pressure cooker, or on the stovetop! It's packed with butternut squash, warm spices, and extra bright flavor from Holland House® Organic Red Wine Vinegar, which is crafted from oak-barrel-aged wine and made with 100% non-GMO grapes. It's finished off with a bunch of fun toppings like avocado, fresh herbs, lime, and shredded cheddar... it's truly a big bowl of healthy, hearty fall comfort!