This post is sponsored by HORMEL® but all opinions are my own.

Print your $1 off coupon here!

I love quick and simple recipes that I can throw together when I am pressed for time or just don’t feel like cooking an extravagant meal. Let’s be honest, since I had Sophie, I haven’t had near as much time to cook. Time management has been the toughest adjustment. Especially with dinner time because, bath time and bedtime immediately follow dinner in our house. It is a busy time and there is always a lot going on around here. That’s where HORMEL® Chili With Beans comes in.

This Chili Cheese Macaroni Bake is so simple and quick. It’s my absolute favorite go-to for an easily thrown together meal that still tastes great. It is not the healthiest thing to cook, but it does the trick on those crazy nights.

Ingredients:
1 can of HORMEL® Chili With Beans
Macaroni noodles (about 3 cups cooked)
Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend
Salt

Directions:
Boil your noodles as directed on the box and add salt to taste. Drain noodles and mix the can of HORMEL® Chili With Beans with the noodles. Spread the mixture in a baker and sprinkle as much cheese as you like on top. Bake it in the oven at 350° until cheese is completely melted and is warm through.

It is so simple and quick and will be a go-to recipe your entire family will enjoy!

Also enjoy this $1 off coupon for any 2 HORMEL® products! Be sure to check them out on Facebook!

What is your go-to meal when you are pressed for time?

I seriously forgot how breastfeeding makes you so hungry and thirsty all the time. It is crazy. I thought I was hungry during my pregnancy? It doesn’t even compare! I quickly gathered all of my favorite snacks that keep me full without sacrificing my health. Here are some of my favorite breastfeeding snacks:

Almonds
String Cheese
Yogurt
Granola Bars
Energy Bites
Fruit
Trail Mix
Smoothies
Kind Bars
Raw veggies and Hummus
Kozy Shack Rice Pudding

Kozy Shack Rice Pudding is only 90 calories and is gluten free! I absolutely love eating this as a quick snack especially when I am craving something sweet! My son also loves these. It is great bonding time when we are able to sit down and enjoy our pudding together.

Giveaway Time! Leave me a comment below telling me what fun fact you learned about Kozy Shack from visiting their site HERE. I will randomly choose one winner and Kozy Shack will send you 2 VIP coupons as well as a Kozy Shack Simply Well package! Enter in the rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don’t forget to check out Kozy Shack on Instagram!

Gilmore Mug
Gold Bar Necklace
Happy Place Shirt 
Leather Bracelet
Monogrammed Tote
Monogrammed Converse
Hustlin’ Mama Tee
Headwrap
Boxer Shorts
Essie Polish
Flowers
Gift Card
Kate Spade Wallet
Water Bottle 
Fitbit Flex
Camera Bag
Chocolates
Throw Blanket
Ray Bans
Pillow
Pearl Necklace
Kendra Scott Earrings
Tory Burch Sandals (a girl can dream)
Monogrammed Tumbler

Most of these are very affordable gifts, although I did add in a few splurges. What can I say? A girl can dream, can’t she? Also, be sure to check out my Mother’s Day Gift Basket for a New Mom!

What are you getting your mom for Mother’s Day?

My beautiful little girl, Sophie Raegan, was born on Friday May 1st at 11:43 A.M. She weighed 7lbs. 6 oz. and was 20 1/2 inches long. She is absolutely perfect and we are so blessed to have a healthy baby girl! Big brother Hamton is learning what “gentle” is and absolutely loves her. Just a little too hard sometimes. He is doing great. We are so happy to be home! Here are a few pictures from our first 2 days as a family of 4!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.  #NudgeThemBack #CollectiveBias

Ryan bought me my first puppy for our first Christmas together. We had talked about getting a small dog and found a breeder who had just had a liter of Maltipoos the day before we were married. Ryan contacted her and surprised me with her on Christmas eve. I instantly named her “Pippa.” Why? Because I love the royals and thought that Pippa was the perfect name for this spunky little ball of fur.

Pippa has always been a very loyal and loving dog. She is extremely cuddly and has bad anxiety when we leave her at home. During my pregnancy with Hampton, she laid beside me all the time. This pregnancy has been no different. She is always by my side, even when I go to the bathroom, she follows. Yes, she has prepared me well for parenthood.

Because of her loyal nature, I am always trying to give back to her when I can. Whether it be through a tummy rub, a snuggle or the perfect treat, she deserves the very best. When I was at Walmart the other day, I happened to pick up a few of the new Nudges® Grillers and Sizzlers dog treats. With the new baby on the way, I know she will be going through a lot of changes and adjustments over the next couple of weeks. I did not want to leave her out by not doing anything special for her. These delicious treats are made in the USA with real meat as the #1 ingredient. They offer great nutrition for our sweet girl and they are very flavorful. She loves them so much that I just may have to go get her some of the new jerky cuts! 

Be sure to check out all the new flavors at nudgesdogtreats.com and check them out on Facebook!

Do you have a dog? What do you do to give back to your loyal friend?

Check out the Huggies contest here!

Growing up, our city was pretty safe and very family friendly. While it still is in some parts of our town, our downtown area became pretty rough for a few years. Luckily, our government leaders have been trying to revamp our downtown area and make it more “family friendly.” We now have a minor league baseball stadium downtown, and a splash pad for children to play however, we still have a long way to go. While our community has made leaps and bounds to revitalize our city, there is still a lot of work to be done.

This weekend, we spent some time downtown walking around a.k.a. trying to walk out this baby. We enjoyed time at the Farmer’s Market and stocked up on veggies and enjoyed lots of conversation with some of our local farmers. They are seriously the sweetest people. I love supporting them by buying as many of our groceries from them as possible. Needless to say, it was a great way to spend our last weekend as a family of three.

Shirts: Jumping Jack 

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LongLastingScent #CollectiveBias

I have an eighteen month old child and a second one due any day now. Becoming a “new mom” all over again can be a bit intimidating. This time around, I know what is coming. I know pretty much what to expect, although every child is very different. I have been very busy preparing for her arrival these last couple of weeks. In doing so, I’ve compiled a list of all the new mom essentials I found that I needed the first time around. 

Nutrition Essentials:
Healthy Snacks – Fruit, granola bars, yogurt, etc.
Water Bottle – It’s so important to stay very hydrated while breastfeeding. Make sure you are drinking enough with a water bottle that has fl. oz. marked on the side.

Health Essentials:
Maxi Pads
Tucks
Dermoplast
Peri Bottle
Nursing Pads
Supportive Nursing Bra
Lanolin
Hand Sanitizer


I think these are all pretty self explanatory. The hospital may give you some of these things, but probably not enough. You will definitely want to have these on hand when you arrive home from the hospital.

Home Essentials:
Tissues
Suavitel® Fragrance Pearls™ – You will be doing loads and loads of laundry with a new baby. Picture your normal weekly loads times 5. It is important to be prepared for this before you bring your bundle of joy home from the hospital. I ran to Walmart the other day to purchase some Suavitel® Fragrance Pearls™.  These are in wash scent boosters that hold 5x longer lasting fragrance. You will be thankful for fresh smelling laundry after dealing with all of that poop every day. These come in two scents – Lavender and Field Flowers. I also purchased the  Suavitel® liquid fabric conditioner in Field Flowers and have really enjoyed it. There will be Suavitel® Fragrance Pearls™ samples and select Suavitel® liquid fabric conditioners in your Walmart store!

Disinfectant Wipes – These are so convenient for a quick clean-up.

Beauty Essentials:
Face Wipes – It is important to take care of your skin and wash your face really well, but sometimes we just don’t have time. Face wipes are really convenient and make you feel fresh even when you’re running on little sleep.
Concealer – to hide those dark circles.
Eye Cream – also, to help with dark circles and puffiness.
Lip Balm
Dry Shampoo – because who has time to wash their hair these days?

Entertainment:
Magazine
Book
Netflix and a Remote
Coffee

I made a list of items that I found out very quickly after my first baby that I needed. Unfortunately, I was not as prepared the first time. This time, I have made up a little basket that is sitting in my bathroom ready to go for whenever this baby decides to come on!

What are some of your new mom essentials? Were you prepared for all of the extra laundry that comes along with a new baby?