The Cutest Halloween Costumes for Babies

2 Oct By Leave a Comment

When I was pregnant with my daughter and I found out that her due date was in October, I was focused on finding the cutest Halloween costumes for babies. She was only a little over two weeks old on her first Halloween. I ended up finding a super cute pea pod costume for her to wear. While I am most definitely done having kids, I still love looking at all the adorable baby stuff. Especially since I have a new nephew to buy all the baby things for!

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Halloween costumes for babies

Image via Pexels by RawPixel.com

I wish I had a picture of Bella in her little pea pod costume. Unfortunately, I got a virus on my computer back then that literally destroyed every picture I had stored. I know…I was (and still am) totally devastated by that. So let this be a lesson to you all…back up those pictures! I have my pictures backed up and I actually want to sit down and start ordering prints for the kids and put together photo boxes for each of them.

Gender Neutral Halloween Costumes for Babies

The best thing about buying Halloween costumes for babies is that YOU get to choose what they wear. You won’t have any kickback and whatever you dress them in, is what they go as for that year. My son went as a monkey for his first Halloween. It was super cute! If they are really little, like my daughter was, for their first Halloween, the bunting style costumes are perfect!

 

InCharacter Costumes Baby's Lil' Monkey Costume, Brown/Tan, 6-12 MonthsInCharacter Costumes Baby’s Lil’ Monkey Costume, Brown/Tan, 6-12 MonthsInCharacter Costumes Baby's Lil' Monkey Costume, Brown/Tan, 6-12 MonthsRasta Imposta Tootsie Roll Bunting, Brown, 3-9 MonthsRasta Imposta Tootsie Roll Bunting, Brown, 3-9 MonthsRasta Imposta Tootsie Roll Bunting, Brown, 3-9 MonthsBaby Plush Pumpkin Bunting Costume - 0-6 MonthsBaby Plush Pumpkin Bunting Costume – 0-6 MonthsBaby Plush Pumpkin Bunting Costume - 0-6 MonthsRubie'szy Cow, Black/White, 6-12 MonthsRubie’szy Cow, Black/White, 6-12 MonthsRubie'szy Cow, Black/White, 6-12 MonthsUnderwraps Baby's Lion Bunting, Yellow/Brown, InfantUnderwraps Baby’s Lion Bunting, Yellow/Brown, InfantUnderwraps Baby's Lion Bunting, Yellow/Brown, InfantInCharacter Unisex Baby Monster Costume, Blue/Yellow/Orange, SmallInCharacter Unisex Baby Monster Costume, Blue/Yellow/Orange, SmallInCharacter Unisex Baby Monster Costume, Blue/Yellow/Orange, SmallBaby Girls' Newborn Pea In The Pod Costume - NBBaby Girls’ Newborn Pea In The Pod Costume – NBBaby Girls' Newborn Pea In The Pod Costume - NB

That little monster costume is so cute! Had I seen that one when my son was little, I would have for sure picked up that one!

Cute Halloween Costumes for Baby Girls

If I knew then what I know now, I would have totally gone all out on the girly costume for my daughters first Halloween costume! Now, at almost 12 years old, she cannot stand anything girly. My favorite costume is the little piggy costume. How adorable is that?!? No matter what you pick you, these Halloween costumes for baby girls are adorable!

 

infant strawberry halloween costume, 0-6 monthsinfant strawberry halloween costume, 0-6 monthsinfant strawberry halloween costume, 0-6 monthsRubie's Noah's Ark Pinky Winky Monster Romper Costume, Pink, 6-12 MonthsRubie’s Noah’s Ark Pinky Winky Monster Romper Costume, Pink, 6-12 MonthsRubie's Noah's Ark Pinky Winky Monster Romper Costume, Pink, 6-12 MonthsUHC Baby's Sunflower Bunting Infant Newborn Fancy Dress Halloween Costume, 0-6MUHC Baby’s Sunflower Bunting Infant Newborn Fancy Dress Halloween Costume, 0-6MUHC Baby's Sunflower Bunting Infant Newborn Fancy Dress Halloween Costume, 0-6MCarter's Baby Halloween Costume Many Styles (12m, Pineapple)Carter’s Baby Halloween Costume Many Styles (12m, Pineapple)Carter's Baby Halloween Costume Many Styles (12m, Pineapple)Rubie's Deluxe Baby Bunting, Lady Bug Costume, 0 to 9 MonthsRubie’s Deluxe Baby Bunting, Lady Bug Costume, 0 to 9 MonthsRubie's Deluxe Baby Bunting, Lady Bug Costume, 0 to 9 MonthsInCharacter Costumes Baby's This Lil' Piggy Costume, Pink, SmallInCharacter Costumes Baby’s This Lil’ Piggy Costume, Pink, SmallInCharacter Costumes Baby's This Lil' Piggy Costume, Pink, SmallInCharacter Costumes Baby Girls' Magical Unicorn Costume, White/Pink, SmallInCharacter Costumes Baby Girls’ Magical Unicorn Costume, White/Pink, SmallInCharacter Costumes Baby Girls' Magical Unicorn Costume, White/Pink, Small

Which baby girl costume is your favorite?

Halloween Costumes for Baby Boys

When I had my son over 14 years ago, I felt like they did not have very good choices in clothes or costumes for baby boys. The boys section was so tiny compared to what they offer now. I mean, look at these adorable costumes! The little baby Elvis costume is so cute!

DC Comics Superman Baby Bunting Costume Superman Print, 0-9 MonthsDC Comics Superman Baby Bunting Costume Superman Print, 0-9 MonthsDC Comics Superman Baby Bunting Costume Superman Print, 0-9 MonthsPrincess Paradise Baby Deluxe Waddle Wings Costume, Darling DragonPrincess Paradise Baby Deluxe Waddle Wings Costume, Darling DragonPrincess Paradise Baby Deluxe Waddle Wings Costume, Darling DragonBarrel of Monkeys Game Infant Baby CostumeBarrel of Monkeys Game Infant Baby CostumeBarrel of Monkeys Game Infant Baby CostumeInCharacter Baby Dinky Dragon Costume, Teal/Green, Medium (12-18 Months)InCharacter Baby Dinky Dragon Costume, Teal/Green, Medium (12-18 Months)InCharacter Baby Dinky Dragon Costume, Teal/Green, Medium (12-18 Months)Rubie's Elvis Onesie Costume, White, 6-12 MonthsRubie’s Elvis Onesie Costume, White, 6-12 MonthsRubie's Elvis Onesie Costume, White, 6-12 MonthsRubie's Baby's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Animated Series Baby Costume, Multi, 6-12 MonthsRubie’s Baby’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Animated Series Baby Costume, Multi, 6-12 MonthsRubie's Baby's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Animated Series Baby Costume, Multi, 6-12 Months

I honestly don’t know if I could choose just one! If I had a baby now, he’d have little Halloween wardrobe changes!

We are finally at October 1st…Halloween month has begun. Which of these Halloween costumes for babies do you like best? Have you chosen one for your little one yet? I would love to hear what you picked up for your little one!

Top 5 Tips for Dieting Success

1 Oct By 11 Comments

Making the decision to make drastic lifestyle changes can be a difficult one. If we’re being honest, it’s WAY too easy to not make changes. However, my about three years ago, my husband and I made the choice to drastically change our lifestyle. We were done being fat and out of shape. Over the course of the last three years, I have learned a lot about my body and what I needed to do for dieting success. These are my tips.

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dieting success

Pre-Plan Your Day

One of the first things I found to help me be successful day after day, whether I was doing the Keto diet or Weight Watchers (WW), was to pre-plan my day. Whether you are using apps like My Fitness Pal, Carb Manager, or the WW app, start your day out right by pre-planning it out. What I do is, I eat breakfast, log that information, and then I input my dinner. That way I know what I have left for the rest of the day. I used to say I didn’t have will power. However, I think that by pre-planning my day, it taught me how to have will power. I never ate something I didn’t have tracked in my app. Try it…it’s a great tool for dieting success!

Etekcity Digital Kitchen Scale Multifunction Food Scale, 11 lb 5 kg, Silver, Stainless Steel (Batteries Included)Etekcity Digital Kitchen Scale Multifunction Food Scale, 11 lb 5 kg, Silver, Stainless Steel (Batteries Included)Etekcity Digital Kitchen Scale Multifunction Food Scale, 11 lb 5 kg, Silver, Stainless Steel (Batteries Included)

Drink Your Water

I know…I know…this is one of those dieting success tips that we are always hearing about, but it’s so true. Not staying hydrated is so bad for us, for so many reasons. If you are like me, you may get bored drinking water. One of the things I do every day is fill my glass water bottle with ice, put a few drops of Young Living lemon oil, and fill with water. I find that drinking the lemon water helps me get my daily intake of water in, and not get bored with plain old water.

Contigo Purity Glass Water Bottle with Petal Sleeve, 20oz, ScubaContigo Purity Glass Water Bottle with Petal Sleeve, 20oz, ScubaContigo Purity Glass Water Bottle with Petal Sleeve, 20oz, ScubaVitality Lemon Essential Oil 5ml by Young Living Essential OilsVitality Lemon Essential Oil 5ml by Young Living Essential OilsVitality Lemon Essential Oil 5ml by Young Living Essential OilsEllo Syndicate BPA-Free Glass Water Bottle with Flip Lid, Purple, 20 oz.Ello Syndicate BPA-Free Glass Water Bottle with Flip Lid, Purple, 20 oz.Ello Syndicate BPA-Free Glass Water Bottle with Flip Lid, Purple, 20 oz.

Take Measurements

This is probably one of the most important dieting success tips. So many times, people (me included) will get discouraged when they are making lifestyle changes because the number on the scale is not budging. The day you decide to make your lifestyle changes, take measurements. Write them down. Once a month, take new measurements. Even if the scale doesn’t seem to be moving, I promise, if you are sticking to your diet, you will see your measurements changing. For almost one entire year, the scale didn’t seem to budge. However, I dropped another pant size and I went from needing an XL shirt to needing a L or sometimes a M. So pick up a measuring tapedieting success and get measuring!

Don’t Worry What the Scale Says

This next dieting success tip goes right along with the last one. You will never hear me say, “don’t step on the scale” because I don’t believe that. I believe we should weigh ourselves. Shoot, when I did the Keto diet, I was so freaked out that it wasn’t going to work, that I weighed myself every single day for a few months. The idea of eating fat to lost weight was one I could not wrap my mind around in the beginning. However, if your scale is not budging, don’t worry. Remember, take those measurements. Plus, at the end of the day, if your clothes are fitting looser, then you know you are doing something right, despite what that scale says!

Tomorrow is a New Day

We all slip up. It happens. Don’t let it completely derail you. At the end of the day, remember that tomorrow is a new day. If you allow a slip up to completely throw you off course, it will be harder to get back on track. Simply finish out your day and start your next day back on track with pre-planning your day, etc. I know you can do it!

Figuring out what works for you takes a little time. These 5 tips are what helps me stay on track. I have one more tip for you. We can call it a bonus tip. For me, paying for a service, whether it be the premium version of My Fitness Pal or Carb Manager, or signing up for Weight Watchers online, has helped me stay accountable. I don’t like to waste money!

What are your dieting success tips?

Blueberry Banana Muffins – GF and WW

28 Sep By Leave a Comment

Since starting Weight Watchers (WW), I have become obsessed with finding WW friendly recipes for all of my favorite things. Being able to make them gluten free too, is an added bonus! Banana muffins are my kids favorite. I swear they make a pact with each other to NOT eat the bananas I buy, just so I then have bananas ripe enough to make muffins. I’m not joking! After starting WW, I wanted to be able to still enjoy a few of my favorites, so I came up with this recipe for gluten free blueberry banana muffins!

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blueberry banana muffins

WW Friendly Blueberry Banana Muffins

If you are following WW’s, you are probably as excited about these FULL SIZE, WW friendly muffins, as I am! They are just 6 points for a full size muffin! My plan was to make them as mini muffins, but I was completely out of mini muffin wrappers. As mini muffins, they would be even less points!

Print

Blueberry Banana Muffins

Delicious recipe for blueberry banana muffins. They are gluten free (though you can make them with regular flour) and WW friendly!

Course Breakfast, Dessert
Keyword banana muffins, blueberry muffins, muffins, smartpoints, weight watchers, ww
Prep Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 32 minutes
Servings 12 people

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Cup Butter softened
  • 1 Cup Stevia in the Raw
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1 Cup Bananas mashed
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 1 TBSP Milk
  • 2 Cups Gluten Free Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 1/2 Cups Fresh Blueberries

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the softened butter and stevia. Mix thoroughly. Add in the eggs one at a time and mix well.

  2. Next add your mashed bananas, milk and vanilla extract. Mix completely. Next, add in your dry ingredients. Be sure to mix this well.

  3. Fold in the blueberries. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for about 1 hour. 

  4. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and prepare your muffin tin with liners. Fill each muffin tin completely (trust me). I like using one of these batter spoons.

  5. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Then lower the temp to 350 degrees and bake for 10-12 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.

Recipe Notes

*If you would like to make these with regular flour, go ahead! Use the exact same amount of regular flour.

blueberry banana muffins

Wilton 2103-1112 Scoop-It Batter Spoons, Set of 3Wilton 2103-1112 Scoop-It Batter Spoons, Set of 3Wilton 2103-1112 Scoop-It Batter Spoons, Set of 3(2 Pack) Standard Paper Cupcake Liners/Baking Cups, 60-ct/Box(2 Pack) Standard Paper Cupcake Liners/Baking Cups, 60-ct/Box(2 Pack) Standard Paper Cupcake Liners/Baking Cups, 60-ct/BoxWilton Multi Baking Cups, Mini, Pink, 150-CountWilton Multi Baking Cups, Mini, Pink, 150-CountWilton Multi Baking Cups, Mini, Pink, 150-Count

These muffins are delicious! Like I said, banana muffins are a favorite in our house, but these blueberry banana muffins are amazing! The blueberries add a tartness to the muffin that is so good! I used Steviablueberry banana muffins in this recipe. Originally, my plan was to use Swerveblueberry banana muffins, but I could not find it in the store. I’ve heard that Swerve is the best zero calorie sugar sweetener. I’d love to find out! I’ll have to order some on Amazon!

As with any recipe that you are calculating points or macros, while these came out to be 6 points per muffin based on the ingredients I used, you will want to add the recipe to your WW recipe builder with the specific ingredients you use to make sure the points work out the same! Enjoy the blueberry banana muffins!

What to Do About Ugly Appliances: 5 Ideas

27 Sep By Leave a Comment

In almost every home, at least one appliance stands out like a sore thumb. While upgrading seems like a daunting task, it’s no longer necessary to invest in new appliances for a kitchen makeover. Old, ugly appliances can get a facelift with a few simple tricks. The following innovative ideas can give a new look to those appliances and bring sparkle and fun to the home.

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Remember, it’s extremely important to keep appliances such as furnaces accessible for repairs. Even with various types of upgrades, you’ll still need to keep major appliances in your home maintained so that they can remain in peak performance condition.

ugly appliances

Image via Pexels by FWStudio

Apply Colorful Paint

ugly appliances

Image via Flickr by myfathersheart-handmade-kitchens

For as little as $20, appliances can get a new facelift. You’ll have a few options for painting appliance, and, of course, painting depends on the type of appliance and individual preferences. Epoxy paint can be sprayed or painted on, and it normally has self-priming built in, which makes it easy to apply. Use regular spray paint and apply a layer of enamel gloss protective spray. If the appliance heats up, such as an oven or radiator, make sure to invest in a specialty heat-resistant product.

Create a Magnet Board

Collect old photos, cartoons, or other images, and grab some magnetic strips to make easy refrigerator magnets. Laminate the pictures to make them last longer, then get ready to get creative. This family activity can enable you to get your kids involved in the fun. What do you do if you don’t have any old photos? Use a Polaroid camera for a photo shoot or order prints of Instagram photos for this design idea.

Use Chalkboard Paint

Available in a full rainbow of colors, chalkboard paint will totally change the look of an appliance and give it a new functional dimension. Go with classic black or white and provide a few chalk options nearby. It will become an accessible option for writing grocery lists, reminder notes, or inspirational quotes.

Hide Them

You can discover plenty of innovative ways to subtly hide a radiator, washing machine, or other appliance. Room dividers can be folded to a 90-degree angle and used to block the view of an appliance. Hanging a sliding door, or track door, can create a beautiful hiding space. This approach works great for exposed water heaters as well. However, be sure not to cover up any of the important mechanics and leave it easily accessible for repairs.

Sticker It Up

Try colorful masking tape or stickers to create a new style. Washi tape (similar to masking tape, but with designs and colors) has recently risen in popularity for home kitchen makeovers. Add stars, polka dots, or stripes for a more geometric design and pop of visual interest.

While you can explore endless ways to add color and flair to old ugly appliances, the ideas presented above are some of the best. Whatever the DIY upgrade, remember to regularly service you appliances. Keeping them safe and well-functioning is more important than appearances alone.

Fajita Ground Turkey Egg Muffins

23 Sep By Leave a Comment

One of the things I do every Sunday night, in order to be prepared for the week ahead, is pre-make some quick and easy foods. One of our favorites are the egg muffins. The spicy sausage egg muffins are a huge favorite in our house, however, since joining Weight Watchers, I wanted to make some that were less points. Today I decided to use ground turkey and make fajita ground turkey egg muffins! You guys, they are so good! Even better…they are low in points. I like that, just as much as I like how they taste! Gotta love low point Weight Watchers recipes!

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ground turkey egg muffins

 

ground turkey egg muffins
Print

Fajita Ground Turkey Egg Muffins

Super easy recipe, perfect to make ahead, fajita ground turkey egg muffins. Only 1 point on Weight Watchers per ground turkey egg muffin!

Course Breakfast
Keyword eggs, freezer recipe, keto, low carb, weight watchers
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 27 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Servings 12 people

Ingredients

  • 1/2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 lb Extra Lean Ground Turkey brown
  • 1/2 packet McCormick's Gluten Free Fajita Seasoning
  • 6 large Eggs
  • 1 cup Egg Whites
  • 1/2 medium Red Bell Pepper diced
  • 2/3 cup Shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 tbsp Minced Onion

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your muffin tin. I use a silicone muffin pan that I really like. 

  2. Brown your ground turkey. Sprinkle half of the packet of McCormick's Fajita Seasoning onto the ground turkey while you are browning it. I purchase the gluten free version, but if you don't need it, just purchase the regular one!

  3. While the ground turkey is browning, dice up your red bell pepper and set aside. Beat your eggs and egg whites and set aside.

  4. Once your ground turkey is browned, place a little bit of turkey in each muffin well. Next add your minced onion, red pepper, and cheese to each muffin well. Slowly pour the eggs over top of it all.

  5. Bake in the oven for 27 mins. Immediately remove the egg muffins from the muffin pan and allow to fully cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, store in an air-tight container in the fridge for 5-7 days. 

Keliwa 12 Cup Silicone Muffin - Cupcake Baking Pan / Non - Stick Silicone Mold / Dishwasher - Microwave SafeKeliwa 12 Cup Silicone Muffin – Cupcake Baking Pan / Non – Stick Silicone Mold / Dishwasher – Microwave SafeKeliwa 12 Cup Silicone Muffin - Cupcake Baking Pan / Non - Stick Silicone Mold / Dishwasher - Microwave SafeMcCormick Gluten Free Fajitas Seasoning, No MSG Seasoning, 1.12 oz (Case of 12)McCormick Gluten Free Fajitas Seasoning, No MSG Seasoning, 1.12 oz (Case of 12)McCormick Gluten Free Fajitas Seasoning, No MSG Seasoning, 1.12 oz (Case of 12)

If you are following Weight Watchers, these work out to just 1 point per ground turkey egg muffin! How cool is that?!? Simply reheat them in the microwave in 30 second increments until they are hot and you have a quick and easy breakfast for those days when you are running out the door. Since I’m up and out the door early to get my son to school (it’s about 40 minutes away), I’m starving and need something quick. These are perfect!

You can customize these fajita ground turkey egg muffins to your liking! Don’t like red bell peppers? Take them out! Add the veggies of your choosing! If you want to make a bunch at once and freeze them, you can! Just make sure you wrap them tightly and I would only store them for about three months. I plan on doing this right before my knee surgery I have scheduled for October 10th. This will help things out a lot in the mornings when I am laid up!