Hey, everyone!

My name is Leslyn, and I blog over at Leslyn’s Lovely Life! I’m a wife, a new mama, teacher, and blogger! Before I get going, I need to do what any new mom would do and show you a picture of my adorable baby, Emmett.

It’s Creamy, Cheesy, Garlic Pasta (Oh my word…. calories just can’t count when you eat it. Divine).

Creamy Garlic Pasta
2 tsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 cups chicken stock
½ lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
¾ cup heavy cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

In a pot, bring the olive oil to medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir, allowing it to cook for 1-2 minutes. Mix in the butter until melted. Add the salt, pepper and chicken stock. Raise the heat to high and let it come to a boil.

Once it is at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook for as long as the box’s directions indicate. Reduce the stove to medium heat and mix in the parmesan until completely melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream and parsley. Serve immediately.

Cook it for yourself. Your significant other. Your friends. A stranger. Whoever eats this will worship the ground you walk on. Babies will be named after you…. Okay, maybe I’m getting carried away. But that’s the effect this pasta has on me. Sorry.

I would love for us to be friends and for you to follow me on social media! Here’s where you can find me!

Bloglovin
Twitter & Instagram: @leslynjacks
Pinterest

xoxo
Les

I am so so excited to announce that I am partnering up with Leslyn for a new weekly link-up called Mama Monday’s where moms can come and share a funny story, ask for advice, give advice, cry, laugh, and support other moms. This is a place where you can come link up your favorite pictures of your little ones or share about the daily struggles you go through as a mom. Being a mom can be so hard sometimes, but I think we can all agree that it is more than worth it and that the positive moments far outweigh the tough ones.

I can’t wait to meet you all back here next Monday (September 1st) and share a story I’ve been really excited to share with you. I can’t wait to read all of your posts! Bring it on, Mamas!

My baby boy,

I can’t believe you are 10 months old today. This past month has been the fastest one yet. You still aren’t walking, but you are standing up for several seconds at a time before you fall down and I feel like you probably will be before your 1st birthday – but I’d be okay with it if you didn’t. You need to slow down. You climb everything – including me and daddy. You love playing in the kitchen cabinets. You are cutting two more teeth on the bottom, but you still have no signs of any on the top. Thomas the Train and Cat in the Hat are still your favorite shows/songs/toys. Your favorite book is the bible, and I am so proud of that. You go straight to it every time you want to read a story.

You don’t like to snuggle quite as much as you used to, but when you do, it is precious and I treasure every second of it. You love to be cuddled when you are sleepy. You still sleep with your Daniel Tiger and we can’t go anywhere without it. We are going to Me Me’s house for your first time this week! I can’t wait to take you to the beach again. I can’t wait to celebrate your first Labor Day with you. You have started eating more “big people” food. You love bananas, toast and apples the most. You hate carrots and green beans and throw them at Pippa. I can’t believe you have already figured out that trick. You are talking more and more and getting to be quite loud. You have the biggest smile and you are constantly making us laugh. You are definitely learning the word “no” really well and even obey us…sometimes. You roll your cars and Thomas all over the living room floor. I love watching you play. You are over 20lbs now and growing more and more every day. I am starting to plan for your birthday party because it will be here before we know it.

I love you my sweet angel.

-Mommy

Can you believe we are already at the end of August? I mean, what? Where did the time go? My baby is about to be 10 months old. That is not okay. A lot of you or your kids have gone back to school, or are about to start back. Everyone could use a little extra help, right? Right. So I am really excited to be participating in Helene’s Back To School Target Giveaway! Enter in the rafflecopter below:

Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns by Laura Weisberger
May 2014 Simon & Schuster

Pages: 416

Synopsis from Goodreads: Almost a decade has passed since Andy Sachs quit the job “a million girls would die for” working for Miranda Priestly at Runway magazine—a dream that turned out to be a nightmare. Andy and Emily, her former nemesis and co-assistant, have since joined forces to start a highend bridal magazine. The Plunge has quickly become required reading for the young and stylish. Now they get to call all the shots: Andy writes and travels to her heart’s content; Emily plans parties and secures advertising like a seasoned pro. Even better, Andy has met the love of her life. Max Harrison, scion of a storied media family, is confident, successful, and drop-dead gorgeous. Their wedding will be splashed across all the society pages as their friends and family gather to toast the glowing couple. Andy Sachs is on top of the world. But karma’s a bitch. The morning of her wedding, Andy can’t shake the past. And when she discovers a secret letter with crushing implications, her wedding-day jitters turn to cold dread. Andy realizes that nothing—not her husband, nor her beloved career—is as it seems. She never suspected that her efforts to build a bright new life would lead her back to the darkness she barely escaped ten years ago—and directly into the path of the devil herself…


My Thoughts: I read the Devil Wears Prada and this sequel back to back, and I have to tell you, it was like reading about 2 completely different people. I get that the second book takes place 10 years later than the first. Andy has grown up a lot, but she is like a totally different person, and so are all the other characters. Miranda isn’t in the book as much as I would’ve liked, and she isn’t really the bad person in this book. I’m not going to spoil it and tell you who is, but it was just kind of weird to me when considering the title of the book.  She isn’t a saint, but she isn’t the villain of the book either. I liked the story okay, but it was totally different from the first book. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting. Because it didn’t make sense to me, I gave it 3 stars.


For more book recommendations and reviews, heck out my bookshelf!

As a new mom, my time is extremely limited. I’m working, cleaning, organizing, managing everyone’s schedules, and the list goes on and on… Needless to say, I don’t always have time to cook dinner let alone go on a date. We try to budget and eat most of our meals at home because it is healthier and saves us so much money every month. For my birthday last week, we went to Chilis to celebrate. I remember thinking, I wish I could make delicious food like this at home. Well, thanks to Chilis® at Home frozen foods I can! These are some of the best frozen food meals I have ever had. They are so delicious and I have fallen in love with the convenience and big, bold tasty flavors of Chilis at Home. They make my life so much easier.

The Chilis® frozen foods are inspired by the restaurant’s most popular entrees. They are sold at all of the major retailers such as Walmart, Kroger, Food Lion and many more. There are so many options available including Bacon Mac & Cheese, Island Chicken and Rice, Cajun-style Chicken Alfredo and many more. They are offered in single-serve entrees as well as multi-serve meals which are perfect for parties and football games!

Ryan and I picked our frozen meals up at Walmart. We enoyed the Bacon Mac and Cheese and the Cajun-style Chicken Alfredo. They were both delicious. The Cajun-style dish was a delivered a spicy taste that wasn’t too overpowering and the bacon mac and cheese is perfect if your in the mood for some comfort food.

We enjoyed a nice relaxing night at home with great food and best of all – convenience.

Be sure to check out Chili’s® at Home frozen foods and grab your free coupon today!

Have you tried Chilis at home meals? Do you eat at Chilis?

From top Left to bottom right: 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9

I know that fall isn’t technically for another month, but it is my favorite season, so I’m getting started early. Everyone knows that fall really starts as soon as the first Pumpkin Spice Latte is served anyway – which is August 25th, in case you haven’t heard. I am so excited to pull my booties out of the closet and wear the mess out of them this fall season! Boots are by far my favorite types of shoes. I love sandals and everything, but boots are so much prettier. I recently purchased the middle pair from Target and will be featuring them in many fashion posts to come this fall season.  I have been on a mad hunt for a pair of black booties, so if any of you come across a cute pair, help a sister out and leave a link in the comments!

Pictured above are a few of the booties I am swooning over. Honestly, there are so many cute boots out there right now. I had a really hard time picking, but I feel like these go along most with my style.

What are your favorite types of shoes? Are you a bootie (shoes, people) girl?