Weekender

Yay, it’s Monday! (not.) Ugh, so not. I crave weekends so hard…and I don’t even know why! Maybe for the slightly extra time with Tyler? Or…yeah, probably that. Here’s to hoping for another good week in the books. Backtracking a few days:

Friday: Spinach pancakes. So yummy. Wes was up before I made them, so I ended up sharing some with him and he LOVED them. I think he mostly loved the maple syrup- which is pretty much my favorite part too.

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It was really great weather out, so I opted to take Wes for a nice long morning walk. The fresh air felt pretty great and he enjoyed all the sights. Even if he doesn’t look overly pleased.

On a side note: If you have a front load washer, I recently found the best way for cleaning the dang thing! Mix 1/4c baking soda + 1/4 c water and pour where the liquid detergent container is. Throw 2c vinegar in the drum, then run a HOT normal cycle. Man oh man, the washer is clean as a whistle and the clothes come out actually smelling like the detergent now! No more mildewy smelling nastiness!

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I gave up coffee *moms around the world gasp* because I was becoming way too dependent on it…BUT, I did splurge and have a New Grounds Food Coconut Mocha coffee bar as a pick me up while Wes had his lunch. (more on these bars later!)

We lounged around the house for a bit and Wes decided to practice a little magic with his rabbit and hat.

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Around 1pm we FINALLY made it out of the house to run some errands.  I returned some stuff and bought some small goodies for Wes’s Easter basket. But mostly, we just had fun walking around all the stores. Wes seems to really love being in the shopping cart, which makes for a much more pleasant shopping experience 🙂

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Last week, Tyler had ordered a carpet shampooer and he messaged me saying he got the confirmation email that it was delivered to our house. I looked on the front porch (we have two doorbells on the front since previous owners used our downstairs space as a separate living suite and often delivery people press the wrong doorbell) and there was nothing. It’s a pretty big expense, so I took Wes around the block checking out our neighbor’s porches and still nothing. Lovely! A few hours later, a woman messaged Tyler on Facebook asking if we were expecting a package and it turns out it was delivered to her- in an entirely different neighborhood. Once Wes went to bed, I went to pick it up. Thank goodness for nice people!

I also picked up another package that arrived for us…from wee nation!

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They totally killed it this month with more of a clothing theme. The beanie from Charlee Dee is super soft (even though it’s not really slouchy on Wes’s head haha), the bandana bib from MawdsleyLoves is super cute and I’m absolutely loving the tee from Vagabond babe– I’m hoping Wes will get to wear it more than once. I’ve used the Sauce for Skin balm on this one tiny little dry patch Wes has on his back, and it seems to be doing the trick! I love that it isn’t sticky either.

Tyler had brought home a new to us beer (good husband). I was excited to try it- but it was entirely too sweet to have with dinner. I think it would be perfect for an outdoor winter fire pit, but not mixed with leftover shepherds pie haha.

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On a bit of a downer note, the button on the side of my Fitbit Charge HR broke off. I started hyperventilating since I seem to be really good at breaking technology lately. Luckily, I was covered under the warranty and they’re sending me a replacement. PHEW!

We watched Amazing Race and In the Heart of the Sea then called it a night. (Chris Hemsworth <—heartthrob).

Saturday: The day started just after 7am and Wes was a whiny mister. All day. Woof. It really is a good thing babies are cute to make up for the worlds most annoying sound!

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We did our usual Saturday Costco trip. With all the wonderful crap that Costco has to offer, how come they don’t sell any bulk baby/toddler snacks? I don’t get it. Maybe it’s just the one we go to? That stuff would fly off the shelves if they carry it.

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We tackled the rest of the afternoon with attempting to keep Wes happy. Thanks to the suggestion by Brie, I even put Wes in the back carry position in the Ergo. He really liked it…until he started pulling all of my hair out, so I had to call it quits. And snacks. Always snacks.

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I lucked out and caught a happy baby moment!

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Can we just stop for a moment and talk about how my 10 month old fits (barely) into size 2T pajamas? Granted, they’re Carter and everything from there runs small. But still!

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PS: Tyler always does home projects/PAITING in his pj pants and pretty much every pair has crap all over them. Oof.

Wes helped Tyler make fajitas for dinner..

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And then I was granted the pleasure of sitting down AT THE TABLE to eat my dinner in peace.

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It was a really early night for me..I was in bed by 8:30pm and got just over 10 hours of sleep!

Sunday: Mornings are SO much better when you’re well rested. Can I get an amen?!

I sorta failed in the photo taking department. Boo. And without photos, I tend to forget what the heck happened. Let’s see…

There was breakfast. And laundry. And a workout. And a walk with the dogs. And we shampooed the carpet! Ahhh life is so exciting.

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The dogs sure can do a number on carpet.

Wes took two naps- a 45 min one in the morning and a 2 hour one in the afternoon. He always has great afternoon naps after taking a bath!

We had skip-its for dinner (that’s what we call it when it’s every man for himself). I took some of the leftover fajita mixture and made it into a quesadilla. So delicious.

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Just before Wes went down for the night, I threw together a batch of no bake protein bars. I’ll share those later this week…assuming they turn out to be tasty 🙂IMG_3073

And that’s it! I hope you all had a great weekend!

 

 

Review: [Manitoba Harvest Hemp Heart Bars]

Hi friends! I hope you’re having a good day so far. I’m typing this on Monday night and it’s been a busy day on our end! Wes is getting his 4th and 5th teeth and he has been handling it like an absolute champ. I think the key is distracting him with lots of stuff- snacks, toys, going outdoors, and a bath. Hopefully the trend continues the next few days, I’d hate to see him get too cranky over darn teeth!

I have a pretty cool snack I wanted to share with you guys today: Manitoba Harvest Hemp Heart Bars.

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What are they? Manitoba Harvest Hemp Heart bars are crafted with the goodness of hemp and other tasty ingredients too. There are three different delicious flavors to choose from: vanilla, chocolate and apple cinnamon. Each 45 gram bar contains 10 grams of plant-based protein and 10 grams of omegas.

Don’t know what hemp is? Click here to read more about it.

As a Sweatpink ambassador, I was given the opportunity to try out these bars and share my thoughts with you! I received 2 sample bars to try- one chocolate and one apple cinnamon. The flavors sounded pretty cool, but I was quick to flip the bars over and check out their nutrition stats and ingredients.

Yeah, they’re a bit calorie dense for a smallish bar, but they have some pretty great ingredients, protein and healthy fats! These are definitely bars I would keep in my bag or in the car in case hanger (hungry anger) ever hit.

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I first tried the apple cinnamon, and thought it had a pretty good flavor. It kept me satisfied between an early light lunch and dinner and didn’t have any nasty aftertaste or cause any bloat. I stashed the chocolate bar in my purse as an emergency snack for the various events I was attending last week and it came to my rescue! The chocolate is pretty good- just short of actual chocolate, but without the guilt.

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Not sorry for the leopard print bra there. ha!

I’m not really a vanilla person, so not sure if I would ever pick those up, but I love the two I received and would definitely purchase them for future use. I didn’t think I was a picky eater until it came to the whole ‘snacking’ thing and I realized I look for quality ingredients as a means to give me the proper fuel I need. Especially when I’ve got a 10 month old in tow and need to keep my energy levels up at all time.

Another factor that makes these a winner in my book? They’re Canadian made! #gocanada

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Want to try these bars for yourself? Head on over to ManitobaHarvest.com and use the discount code hhbarlaunch1015 for 15% off! Expires 3/31/2016

Want a chance to win a box of your favourite flavor of Hemp Heart Bars? Post a photo online and tag @manitobaharvest #hempheartbar #fuelledbyhemp #sweatpink @fitapproach. One lucky winner will be chosen each month! (details here).

Eligibility: open to US and Canada residents

Small Shoppin’- Will & Co.

Hey friends! Boy oh boy do I have an awesome little shop to share with you.

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 Will&Co:  Julia Mathers is the creater of Will&Co. She is an early childhood educator that has been in the field for over a decade and absolutely adore what she does. She started Will&Co after a few friends were after some knit goods for their children.. toques, headbands etc. She has been knitting since she was a child and can’t watch tv without having my knitting with her! The name Will&Co comes from her dad Barry William Mathers and a few other Will’s that have been in her life. 
Her shop is based out of Kelowna, BC (Um I want to move there) so if you’re looking to support Canadian made, this is the place! She makes toques, booties, little boy boy ties and kidfinity scarves. Lots of goodies for the littles.
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Julia sent us twinning the 50 Shades toques and they’re my newest favorite accessory. The name is pretty cool too 😉
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The knit is so cozy and soft that Wes doesn’t even mind his on his head. No itch=no pulling off his noggin! I’m the same way. I accidentally kept it on for a couple of hours even when we got back inside!
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Julia’s focus is mainly on accessories for children, but I am REALLY glad she ventured in to these twinning toques! She also mentioned that she’s getting into Mama Cabin Booties (to match the baby cabin booties.) Well, I guess I’ll need those too 😉
I mean, seriously, how adorable are these?–>
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You can’t tell from the photo, but they have stitched leather soles made from 100% recycled leather. I remember seeing on her Instagram feed that they’re pretty durable, too. Noted for when Wes becomes a littler wanderer.
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The look she aims for is simple, rustic and classic. And she definitely hits the nail on the head. There’s even a small personalized leather WILL sown to each toque. Super cute!
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Julia’s also got a spring line of bow ties and kidfinity scarves which are set to be released on February 28th. Vancouver friends: this is the same day that Little Bean + Co will be launching their mobile shop which will be carrying some Will & Co products! 
Here’s a sneak peak:

The spring Kidfinity scarves are a light jersey knit blend, perfect for layering over tanks and t-shirts.These are priced at $14 CDN. The bow ties are same as the existing, just in three new patterns and they are priced at $12 CDN.

We already have a bow tie for Wes and he likes to rock it out now and then.

Julia has graciously offered a 20% discount to readers! American friends: this is a steal for you with the current exchange rate. Use the code NUTCASEINPOINT at checkout and promo is valid until March 31st.

Thanks Will & Co!

Weekender

Well, this weekend was SUPER low key. Almost did nothing! Tyler has this week off so it’s nice to not feel rushed after the weekend- even if it was a three day weekend!

Friday: Pumpkin pancakes to start the day. I used the last of my maple syrup jug! Sad face. I may or may not have licked the remaining syrup off my plate 😉

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And that is the only photo I took of the day! haha. The rest is just same old, same old–> I worked out, walked the dogs, picked up around the house. Wes napped, ate, pooped, napped, ate, pooped. Thrilling day I tell ya.

Saturday: The day started off pretty darn slow. I ran a couple of errands while Wes took his morning nap then presented him (a day early) with some Valentine’s day goodies. He was super thrilled as you can see.

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We went to Costco in the afternoon then rounded out the day with a delicious pork tenderloin dinner.

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I also enjoyed a beer…with a baby in the background!
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We watched Bridge of Spies then went to bed.

Sunday: Another slow as molasses day. Lots of cuddles with my little guy in the morning and I squeezed in a workout, shower and some breakfast while he was down for his morning nap.

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The sun was a-shinin’ so bright I NEEDED to get Wes out of the house to soak up some good old vitamin D! We walked down the street to the swings for a hot second.

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Boo sported his brand new Will & Co toque and loved it! Know how I know? He didn’t even once try to take it off. #winning

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Funniest part– he looked as if he was falling asleep on the swing for a few minutes. Tyler thought we could get him down for a nap right after, but my mama instincts knew that wouldn’t be the case. It’s so cute though I have to share a small video of it:

Wes on the swing from Jen Linton on Vimeo.

I took the doggies for a long walk to get more fresh air while Wes napped again and wound up with a fresh air headache. Does anyone ever get those? They hurt.

Got some pics of my handsome little Valentine

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posing for the ladies 😉

SOMEONE *cough cough Tyler* didn’t acknowledge Valentine’s Day (the girly girl in me is bummed out there were no chocolates or flowers or even a Happy Valentine’s Day) but he did make pizza for dinner, so that makes up for it. Well, makes up for 10% of it. I still want chocolates. And flowers.

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We watched The Walking Dead (so romantic) and I called it quits. I don’t know how I’m so tired when my fitbit tells me I averaged 8hr 54min sleep this past week!

Monday: Typical morning. After Wes’s nap, we headed to Cross Iron and Tyler’s mom got him a bunch of new clothes. I packed my lunch for the ride!

 We were there for a couple of hours and Wes did really great.

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While he was down for his afternoon nap, I posted his 10 month update and took the dogs for a nice run/walk.   Tyler spoiled us for dinner with smoked steaks. SO YUMMY! (And he did buy chocolates at the mall, so he’s partially excused for the Valentines mishap) We watched The Good Dinosaur then went to bed.

How was your weekend? Have any chocolate? Wait, don’t tell me. I’ll get jealous 🙂

wee nation

Oh my gosh you guys, I have the best [and coolest] thing to share with you.

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Wee Nation is a brand new monthly curated box for baby…of Canadian products! How cool is that? When I first found out about wee nation, I quickly contacted the power mamas behind the brand. I needed to get in on this!

Their idea behind the box is to provide age-specific, gender neutral Canadian goodies (with an occasional surprise for parents). You have the option of subscribing on a month-to-month basis, 3 months, 6 months, or gift a box! While the boxes are comprised of Canadian goodies, they’ll ship to the US. You’re welcome in advance, US friends. 🙂

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Last week, I received their first box and it didn’t disappoint. In the least bit.

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What a beautiful and fun array of goodies! This particular selection was the Big Baby box (for 4-12 months of age). Other options include Newborn (0-3 months) and Toddler (1-2 years). The box also came with an insert that talks about each of the products included for the month.

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I think that’s a super cool idea! It gives you a little info on each company and there may even be a few promo codes for discounts on future purchases. Who doesn’t love a discount? (I totally typed that with an Oprah voice in my head)

PS: There may even be a promo code for a wee nation box at this end of this post!

Included were: a book, stuffed animal, two food pouches, a paci clip, eczema balm and chocolate. FOR ME.

Right away, I loved this collection of goodies because I knew they’d ALL be put to great use. The book has been read 100000x times, the pouches (and chocolate) have been consumed, the balm is in the diaper bag, the pillow is already covered in drool and dog hair, and the paci clip may or may not be gifted…or saved for the next babe…since Wes is paci-free.

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And the info card had me back on social media for a hot minute to find all the shops online and follow them.

But the best part of subscription boxes like Wee Nation? All these awesome things come together in ONE BOX. Which means: less hassle with shipping. Which also means: A way funner (not a word, I know) delivery.

No wait…..Here’s the best part—> The lovely ladies at Wee Nation have offered $5 off your first box with the promo code NUTCASE5.

Sign up here or check out their Instagram and Twitter accounts to see what they’re up to!

Thanks, Wee Nation!

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