Happy Sunday!

It’s December and I’m just loving it! It already feels so much more festive and joyful. Even though our house has been decorated since early November.

We started advent calendars with the boys on the 1st. I get the ones from Trader Joe’s. Josh calls them “event calendars” and I don’t really want to correct him because it’s just too cute! I’m not brave enough to do Elf on the Shelf. We did it when Josh was 3 and he got so freaked out thinking that the elf comes to life at night when we’re sleeping. Haha! But it’s kind of nice having 1 less thing to take care of during the holidays. Moving that elf around every day can take a toll!

What’s Been Cooking?

On Monday, I shared my recipe for Keto Roasted Cauliflower Soup. It is so simple and perfect, packed with veggies, and leaves you feeling nourished and satisfied. One of my favorite soups to make after a wonderfully indulgent holiday feast!

On Wednesday, I shared my recipe for Keto Salmon Cakes. These are seriously beyond amazing. And the *easiest* way to get my kids to eat fish. They get so crispy and perfect. My kids call them fish nuggets. This week, I made them and topped with tartar sauce and loved it just as much!

On Thursday, I shared my recipe for Keto Instant Pot Pot Roast. Seriously the best pot roast of your life! Since the instant pot traps all the steam, it never gets dried out. Also share my hack on how to cook the veggies in the instant pot without them turning to mush.

On Saturday, I shared my recipe for Keto Hot Cocoa. Perfect for December! My kids love this hot chocolate a ton. Super easy to make, and way healthier (and tastier!) than a packet of powder mix!

Weekly Menu

On Friday, I shared my keto weekly meal plan. Includes recipe links, a printable menu + grocery list template!

Happening on Instagram

Celebrate GROWING Bodies!

On Tuesday, I shared a post about how we should Celebrate GROWING Bodies! I’ve shared so many photos of my shrinking body in the past, but I also am so proud to share photos of me growing while pregnant!

If you want to feel wonderful about the world and women, head to the post to read my caption but also to read all the amazing, kind and supportive comments from all my followers. It brings me to tears!

This being my 3rd pregnancy, I know that my body is going to change. I’m going to gain weight. Rather than dreading that, I’m choosing to LOVE it! It’s not forever. I’ve lost the weight before. I’ll lose it again. I don’t want the stress about the number on the scale to take away from any of the joy and magic of my pregnancy.

$150 Weekly Cash Giveaway!

For the whole month of December, I’m doing a $150 weekly cash giveaway to my followers on Instagram! I love you all so much, and December feels like the time of year to give back as much as I can.

To enter, you just need to “like” all of my feed posts for the week (Sunday-Saturday.) That’s it! Bonus entry if you leave a comment on each post. The comment can even be an emoji!

Sled In The House? 😂

One of my boys’ favorite toys is a sled. It would take us 3 hours to drive to the snow. Yet, we always have a sled in our backyard. I DON’T KNOW JUST GO WITH IT! Haha! They love to pull each other around on it through the house. And it gives me a few minutes to sit and drink my tea.

Also, please enjoy our mostly sad looking Tiny Tim like fake tree. It has zero ornaments, because ornaments look much too much like toys and my boys pull them off and throw them. It’s also lopsided because it’s already been fully knocked over at least 3 times. Someday when the boys are older it will feel “safe” enough to have a big, real tree covered in glass ornaments. But for now, this tree is just perfect and I love it!

Skincare Favorites

I shared my skincare routine, because tons of my favorites had huge sales for Cyber Monday! I love how many of you took advantage and stocked up too! If you missed it, here are all my favorite skincare products that are toxic free and I love!

If you missed out on the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales, you can still get this Beautycounter Bright Side duo! These are my 2 favorite products from them! They’re little half bottle sizes at a discounted price for the gift set. Great if you want to try before committing to the whole bottle. But I promise, you will get hooked and be a user for life! My skin has never been brighter or more even skintoned!

Butcherbox Free Bacon for LIFE!

​Butcherbox free bacon for LIFE is back! New members will receive one pack of bacon for FREE in every order for the lifetime of their membership! Butcherbox is a monthly meat delivery service, where the highest quality pasture raised beef, organic chicken + pork is delivered right to your door. I love Butcherbox so much. Here is my post where I share why I love them and what I get in my box.

Already a Butcherbox member? You can add bacon to life to your subscription in your Member Deals! It’s just a 1 time fee (I think $25) that you pay just once, then get 1 pack of bacon for free in every future box for the life of your subscription! Such a killer deal! Any issues? Just send a message to their customer service on the chat box on the website!

Magformers Creations

“Look mom! We made a cat!”

I can totally see it! Can you?

They made these with Magformers. They’re like magnatiles. They have magnets on the side, and the boys have tons of fun making creations out of the different shapes. Our most used toys are our magnet toys! Need more toy inspiration for little boys? These are my tried and true favorites!

Babymoon Staycation

We had a weekend from HEAVEN! My mom watched the boys for Friday and Saturday night, and Shawn and I did a whole lot of…nothing. And it was better than I could have ever dreamed!

After this crazy year, having a weekend to just relax and have quiet (and read books and have full conversations and eat a meal warm as soon as it’s ready)…best gift in the world.

But of course, spent almost the whole weekend thinking and talking about our boys. Haha!

We always try and set aside a little relaxation time before a new baby comes. Usually we go away. But this year it felt so much easier to stay home. Our newest boy is due January 20th, so this time to be together and relax and have fun before the holidays and newborn time is extra special.

My mom had the boys over to do Christmas crafts to make for everyones Christmas presents from the boys this year. My boys LOVE going to Deedee and Papas house. She has an entire setup of everything they need, so it’s effortless to get them ready for a sleepover.

Isn’t it amazing how just 2 nights can completely restore you?!

Binge Watched

My favorite thing we did all weekend was binge watched The Undoing on HBO.

OH MY GOD IT IS AMAZING!

If you don’t have HBO, get it for even just a month to watch this series. PHENOMENAL!

Funny Story Of The Week

When you really want your advent calendar that is on top of the fridge, and you’re just 2 years old, but also PART MONKEY! Impressed how close he got to getting the advent calendar, haha!

You guys. Shawn walked by the kitchen and caught Ryan doing this. He pushed the chair there himself. I don’t think anyone understands what a little climbing monkey Ryan is. You really can’t take your eyes off him for a second!

(Nobody panic. He has NEVER FALLEN during any of his climbing adventures. His balance is insane.)

Big Lifesaver of the Week

On Thursday afternoon, our power went out for a few hours during naptime. Thank GOD I have this battery powered surge protector. Every mom needs this!

It’s a surge protector that has it’s own battery. When it’s plugged in to the wall, it charges itself. When the power goes out, anything plugged in to it will keep going! I think for like 8 hours. I have my kids White Noise Machine and Baby Monitors plugged into it.

This summer during all the crazy California wildfires, they kept turning our power off in the middle of the night. When my kids White Noise turns off, they automatically wake up. The monitor for their Baby Monitors starts beeping too to alert that the camera source is down, which means more waking up. It was horrible!

​I got this surge protector, and now even if our power goes out my kids will have uninterupted sleep. Worth every penny!!!

(It’s really meant to save your computer from going off during a break in power, but I think it’s even more useful in a kids room, haha!)

Little Luxury of the Week

I got us these super cute ceramic coffee mugs off Etsy (after the boys broke Shawn’s favorite ceramic coffee mug). I love how they turned out! Makes me feel so special when having my morning tea.

I also love supporting small businesses on Etsy. This mug is handmade and feels like drinking out of an actual piece of art. For our customization, I got the Primary Color (Glaze) in White, and Clay Color On The Bottom Portion Of The Mug in White.

Have A Great Week!

Wishing you another week of good health, and hopefully lots of holiday cheer!

Hugs!
Natalie