Five Fab Finds (Plus Some!) - Ikea

Sometimes I forget how lucky we are to live so close to an Ikea! I haven't stepped foot in there since October so it was the perfect naptime getaway for me and the little guy. Visiting Ikea on a Wednesday morning?! HEAVEN. Pure heaven. If you can swing it, do it!

The whole store was practically empty which was good considering that I didn't put any effort into looking 'presentable' haha. This visit was just what I needed thought. I've been lacking inspiration for the rooms at the fixer upper. In particular, I was searching for a living room sofa, a tv console for the family room, kid friendly window treatments, and storage ideas for the kitchen, pantry, and laundry room. I think I found everything I was looking for, and more!

Crispy Oven Fries

Aside from 24/7 Jasper time, my favorite aspect of maternity leave has been the ability to cook a homemade meal every night. Having time to make food from scratch is pretty flippin awesome (just ask my husband. haha!) No more pre-made pizza crust or bagged frozen potatoes in this house.

In addition to my 'tried and true' dishes, I've tried out new things to add to my repertoire. One of our new 'family favorites' are these Crispy Oven Fries. Sure, they take a bit more work than frozen fries but that's to be expected. But the flavor?! Yeah, these are unbeatable. Since I made the first batch, we've had them with dinner every.single.Friday.

An Itty Bitty Introduction

I can hardly believe that two months ago we kissed our little man for the very first time. While I've shared countless updates via Instagram (hashtag #ittybittybabymauras), I'm finally ready for him to make his online debut.

Welcome to the world [wide web], little Jasper Lawrence!