oops!

Ok guys, I am a spaz! 

How embarrassing I was an English major and yet I happened to misspell coffee on my url. 

I forgot one silly E! 

So, here is my new and correct blog address: https://blackcoffeepinklips.blogspot.com 

Sorry! 

Mommy/Baby Breakfast

Mornings are hectic around here, as I am sure they are in many households. However, they still tend to be one of my favorite times of the day. Something about starting fresh. And something about it still being a little dark outside. The sound and smell of my Keruig brewing the 1st cup of coffee for the day. The kiddos are extra cuddly and still in their footy pajamas. (And we all know that footy pajamas are one of the cutest things ever!)

But, as much as I enjoy mornings, I have to say that breakfast is usually a struggle. Mainly because I don't want to make 3 separate meals--one for me, one for baby, and one for my 6 year old. And then this amazing thing happened and it happened by accident--I threw together an egg and veggie fritatta and my baby loved it. Devoured it. And not only will eat every morning with me, but he actually wants to.

So what is this "magical" breakfast frittata you ask? Well, for my friends who only cook strictly by a recipe, you will hate me because I have to say I rarely follow recipes to the T. But, nonetheless its easy and delicious and the best part is that I make a big ol 9x13 dish of it and baby and I eat off it all week. Easy Peasy and did I mention...super healthy!!

Pancetta, Sweet Potato, and Broccoli. 

Ingredients:
2 Sweet potatoes
1 head of broccoli
1 package chopped pancetta (I purchase the chopped pancetta from Trader Joes)
1 TBS coconut oil
8 eggs
1 cup milk of choice (I use almond milk)
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Shred 2 sweet potatoes. Saute them in the coconut oil till tender. Season to taste. Brown pancetta. Meanwhile chop and then steam broccoli till tender. In a 9 by 13 pyrex, layer the sweet potatoes, broccoli, and pancetta. Beat the eggs with the milk and season to taste. Pour broccoli over the ingredients in the pan. Bake for 20- 30 minutes.

The best thing about this recipe is that pretty much every ingredient can be substituted to meet your taste. Add Cheese, if you desire. Substitute a different meat or veggie. Add shredded zucchini instead of sweet potato. The choice is yours. I love recipes that are this versatile. I hope you enjoy too!

March Favorites

I love trying out new products and when I find something I love, I want to share it with my friends. So, friends, here are some of the things that I have been loving for the month of March. Who knows, maybe you will find something that you will want to try....

Beauty Favorites: 

This BB cream has gotten a lot of hype and I have to say that its worth the hype. This has great coverage for everyday use, but it doesn't feel heavy or cakey. When I am in a rush, I even apply it with my fingertips and it still blends beautifully. I purchase mine at Target for around $10.

I picked up this lip balm up at Sephora in one of those tempting bins along the check out line and I have to say that I am glad that I did. Its super moisturizing without being sticky and it smells good. It doesn't tint your lips. but it does leave them super shiny. I love putting this balm on before going to bed.

Now that I am a mom, I love finding makeup that is fuss free and looks good even if you are putting it on when stopped at a traffic light. This is the perfect berry shade (this particular shade is called Heavenly Berry) that just livens up your face and makes you feel more put together. Its super moisturizing and the perfect lip product to throw in your purse and use throughout the day. I love it! I bought mine at Target for around $6.

These moccasins are all I have been wearing this month. They are super comfy and the color goes with everything. I feel like I am wearing slippers...and who can complain about that? They are super cute and only $20 at Target.

Food Favorites: 

I love chia seeds. I put them in my smoothies and make pudding out of them. They are super healthy for you--full of fiber, protein, and Omega-3's. So that being said, I was super excited when I saw these little Chia Pods at Costco. They are portable little cups of chia seed pudding. They only have real food ingredients in them (chia seeds, coconut milk, banana puree, cinnamon, vanilla bean) and no added sugar. Of course, its easy to make chia seed pudding yourself, but sometimes its also nice to have healthy on-the-go options at your fingertips. 

Another great find from Costco is this huge bag of almond flour. I love the taste and health benefits of almond flour, so it was really exciting to find good quality products in bulk. 

Speaking of almond flour, I am super excited to try out some of the recipes in this new cookbook that I purchased on Amazon. My family and I don't exclusively follow a Paleo or grain free diet, but I always feel better when I eat this way, so I enjoy incorporating recipes of this nature into our diet. The lay out is easy to follow and the pictures are beautiful. I am super excited to try out some of these recipes!  

I am a self-proclaimed coffee addict. My current coffee addiction for this month (and probably for months after) is Dutch Bros Coffee. Now that the we have one closer to our house (before the closest one was a half hour away) its so tempting to not drive thru and purchase a coffee on a daily basis. My current favorite drink to order is the CoCoMo (coconut mocha) made with coconut milk. The best part about Dutch Bros is that my husband, who is not a coffee lover, loves them! We like to take little family drives to get our Dutch Bros treats. 

Mommy Favorites: 

All month, I have been loving these organic frozen mini pancakes from Trader Joes. Granted, they are not the healthiest thing ever, but they are awesome for busy mornings. The main reason I love them is because BOTH my 6 year old and my 1 year old them, which means that they make my mornings a little less hectic, which means my 6 year old gets to school on time :) Oh and the best part is that they are only $1.99 for this big ol' box. 

I have been in love with and purchased Mrs. Meyers dish soap and counter spray for months now, but this month I also purchased their all purpose cleaner and I am in love. This radish scent is my current favorite. I dilute it and use it to mop my floors and wipe down walls, counters, baseboards, toys, etc... It works great and makes your house smell amazing! 

1st Birthday Party (Breakfast Theme)

We celebrated our baby boy turing 1 with a backyard breakfast themed birthday bash.

I knew that I would need some easy and fun activities to keep all the older kids entertained, so I set up a cereal jewelry making station. The kiddos loved snacking from the huge bowl of fruit loops! I also set out bubbles and filled our trampoline with balloons. The kiddos had a blast bouncing with all of the balloons! It was easy and cheap and it kept them entertained for the majority of the time, so it was a total win, win.

We decorated the birthday boy's highchair with balloons and handmade bunting. I bought the pre-cut banner at Target and then added the black felt stickers from JoAnn's to spell ONE. It made for cute photos when he was eating his smash cake.

For the food, I did a breakfast buffet. I covered the table in polka dot kraft paper and purchased the tassel banner from Target. The bunting with his name was made the same way as the highchair bunting. And then of course....added balloons! 

 I kept the food pretty simple....hash-brown egg casserole, a big fruit salad, donuts, and mini yogurt parfaits. We also had a coffee bar, mimosas for the adults, and mini chocolate milks for the kiddos. 

I bought the simple smash cake from our local grocery store and then added the "1" candle and 3 mini flags that I made using skewers and kraft paper. 

 How cute are these "bacon and eggs" cupcakes?! My mom made them, copying a picture I found on Pinterest. We used pretzel sticks for the "bacon" and peanut M&Ms for the "egg".

Birthday boy hoping to sneak a donut 

I think its safe to say...he loved his first taste of cake! 

Happy 1st Birthday Emmett! Mommy and Daddy (and many others) love you to the moon, little buddy!! 

Welcome to my little corner...

Writing has always been a release for me. A way for me to de-stress, to cope, to celebrate and to express. I have filled journal upon journal with my scribbles since my bushy eyebrow days of Jr. High. Words are so powerful and as cheesy as it sounds...I have always found myself caught up by and enticed with words. Written words. Thick books filled with creamy paper.  Thoughtful hand written notes. To Do lists scribbled on notebook paper. Tear stained journal pages. The underlined, highlighted print in my Bible. All these, some may say,  are merely words, and yet....are they? Just words? I say, no. You decide for yourself. 

In honor of my love of words, I am starting this blog. Its a simple place where I can share nuances from the mundane activities of everyday life to the seemingly glorious occurrences. In other words, I will be filling this blog with things as simple as my new favorite lip gloss to as meaningful as the finalization of the adoption of our 2 precious kiddos. 

Join me. Will you?