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Mom’s Night Out

Sometimes you don’t know how much you need a night out until after it occurs. As you can imagine, I haven’t spent much time away from Katie recently, other than a quick manicure and a few errands. While I have a husband who often suggests I should take time for me, the mom guilt is very real. Anytime he says he’s happy to watch Katie, I always feel like I’d rather spend the time with them versus go get a manicure, massage, drinks with friends or take a nap.

Thanks to Momtrends, I spent two hours last week relaxing, meeting other mom bloggers, and toasting with bubbly while enjoying a night out and interacting with brands. It’s humorous to both Bo and me that it took a sponsored blog opportunity to get me out the door. Oh well, regardless of what finally convinced me to leave Katie with Bo for the evening, I have zero regrets even though I checked the NEST camera and texted him multiple times. In fact, he and Katie had such a wonderful evening, I’m tempted to enjoy more evenings out in the future.

The event, Mom’s Night Out 2.0, was an event organized and hosted by Momtrends and Meredith Publications (Parents, Fit Pregnancy, and FamilyFun magazines). For two hours, they hosted a lively group of NYC mom bloggers while providing the perfect opportunity to network and mingle with great brands (New Balance, Swaddle Me, Williamsburg, JIF and Munchkin) while sipping bubbly, enjoying hordourves as well as treats like foot massages and pampering!

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During the course of the event, we were able to not only mingle with brands but also interact with them through different events while catching up and getting to know other bloggers. It was so nice to meet and get to know so many different ladies while we talked about the woes of balancing life, children and the chaos that is New York City. Every person I met, including the brand representatives, were so welcoming to this new mom who was clearly away from my baby girl for the first time.

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I started the evening at the JIF table, where I was able to sample some of their delicious snacks as well as talk with the brand about their new campaign, Imagine If. We were each asked to write how we inspire our child on their boards which in turn, prompted some great conversations.

From there, I was able to learn about the Williamsburg region which includes Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown as well as the sights in that area. Growing up I visited Colonial Williamsburg twice but, it’s clear that in the past twenty years the area has grown and evolved a great deal. These days there is truly something for everyone ranging from craft breweries, spas, golf and of course, history.

Next, it was time to get a makeup touch-up from the experts at Glamsquad compliments of SwaddleMe. Their products, which help both baby and parents wake up feeling more refreshed, feature traditional swaddles, as well as more unique and innovative swaddles and products like the SwaddleMe Kicksie swaddle, which allows your baby to feel the comfort of a swaddle and the freedom to kick. Their new SwaddleMe® Footsie™ is a swaddle with pajama-like legs and footies, great for cooler weather and able to be used in a 3-point harness like our swing. I also loved checking out their 3 new gift sets, each of which would make great baby shower gifts for my friends who are expecting!  I’m going to talk more about our experience with these swaddles in a separate post, as they have been a game changer for Katie!

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They highlight of the evening was the New Balance station where we were treated to ten minute foot massages before sliding our feet into a new pair of New Balance Fresh Foam Arishi shoes. These stylish, breathable shoes provide all-day comfort whether you’re on the treadmill at the gym or running errands.

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Last but not least, Munchkin brand, gave us the opportunity to design our own lavendar and wildflower mason jar bouquets. These bouquets allowed each of us to bring freshness and beauty into our home.

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Thank you to Momtrends and these wonderful brands for treating me to a night of relaxation & laughter!

Your turn: What does your perfect night out include? 

This post is sponsored by Meredith Corp., Visit Williamsburg, New Balance, Swaddle Me, Jif, and Munchkin. While this is a sponsored post, as always, all opinions are my own.

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ashleyd /

Caprese Frittata Recipe

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You’d never know, based on the weather, that it’s October. This weekend we wore shorts and t-shirts while running errands and hanging out in Brooklyn. I fully believe there is a time and a place for 80 degree temperatures,  but October is not it. I am yearning the New York fall that people reference in movies like You’ve Got Mail. The cool, crisp days that beckon me to sip warm coffee, wear slippers at night and throw on a sweater before leaving the house.  Our kitchen, as well as the local farmer’s market, reflected the seasonal transition as there was a bounty of fresh tomatoes, corn and the first tastes of pumpkin and butternut squash this weekend.

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When my friends at Cabot Creamery Co-operative and Nellie’s Free Range Eggs asked me to create a recipe using ingredients from these two brands, my mind immediately went to a frittata. These days, things in the kitchen need to be kept simple, especially if I’m trying to cook during the day. Frittatas allow me to enjoy a hearty egg dish with very little mess or stress! They typically only requires one bowl, can include just about any different flavor or ingredient you’re craving, and I don’t have to deal with the stress or mess that comes with quiche crusts. Inspired by our final harvest of basil and tomatoes from our backyard garden, I whipped up a healthy and delicious Caprese Frittata for Bo and I to enjoy this weekend. I love the burst of flavor smaller tomatoes, such as our cherry tomatoes, give the dish while a healthy heaping of mozzarella cheese is enjoyed in every bite. I’ve tweaked this Caprese Frittata recipe a few times over the past few weeks. It has proven its versatility as it is a perfect brunch dish whether it is served with a warm cup of coffee, fruit and bacon or a simple side salad.

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Available at Whole Foods and a number of different grocery stores in our area, I love that Nellie’s Free Range Eggs come from the first Certified Humane® farm in the country where the hens have as much, or as little, access to outside as they want. In addition, both Cabot and Nellie’s are B Corporations, meaning they meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance.

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Caprese Frittata

This delicious frittata recipe brings my favorite Italian flavors to life in the form of a delicious brunch dish. 

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper and garlic powder until well combined.
  3. Gently stir in shredded basil, tomatoes and cheese.
  4. Spray pie dish with non-stick spray.
  5. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, checking frequently and removing when middle is set and edges start to lightly brown.
  6. Serve warm and enjoy with side salad, fresh fruit or other favorite side dish.                                                                                       

 

Disclosure: Thank you to Nellie’s Eggs and Cabot Cheese for sponsoring this post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Friday Favorites–October 6th, 2017

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Happy Friday from me and my little black cate! I hope you all have had a wonderful week. We had a nice surprise earlier this week, when Bo and I realized that he has Monday off due to Columbus Day holiday. We are looking forward to enjoying the three-day weekend together by taking Katie to her first Oktoberfest festival tomorrow, working in our yard and spending a lot of time in the kitchen together! What are your plans for the weekend?

Now, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Friday Favorites, including recipes, articles, posts and other things that caught my eye this week.

I was so in love with these shoes when they arrived that I immediately ordered a second pair!

This surprising vegetable will make your smoothies healthier, creamier and improve your mood!

I’ve loved this new sports bra, which happens to be on sale for less than $40, especially for early morning runs. It easily holds my cell phone and fits perfectly!

Last night I enjoyed a massage in the comfort of our home thanks to Soothe. I decided, last minute, that I wanted and needed a massage after tweaking my lower back yesterday and just three hours later I was relaxing with my favorite candles and playlist while Beverly worked on the knots in my lower back and shoulder area. Available in more than 80 cities worldwide, Soothe (<—click link for $20 off your first massage) allows you to book in-home massages with qualified masseuses!

This chocolate chip pumpkin bread looks delicious and is a new-to-me variation that is just screaming to be made. Good thing I just added the ingredients to today’s shopping list!

Speaking of pumpkin, this pumpkin pie granola is filled with crunch thanks to two different types of nuts!

I fell in love with this soft, cotton rugby pull-over after wearing my mom’s when we were in Vermont last weekend. She has the sea salt and navy color but I went with the indigo and red colors for a different look. Now, if only the temps in New York would get cooler so I could wear it! It’s just $39.99 if you use the code FALL20!

The lace detail gives this white blouse a fresh look and is perfect when paired with dark jeans.

This pumpkin spice candle fills our entire home with a cozy but not-to-sweet aroma and, due to the high quality wax, seems to last forever!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and good luck to anyone running the Chicago Marathon this weekend!

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes lots of beauty and fashion items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links!

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