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LUNA'S LOVES



  1. Homesick Candle. If you've had a friend move away this is a good gift to remind them of home. They also carry other nostalgic smells like a library, holiday, or Friday night football. 
  2. Moscow mule mugs. My mom gifted these to us one year and even had our initials monogramed. They are still one of our favorites. It becomes apart of our decor every Christmas too!
  3. Mini Fiji poloraid camera. This is a great gift for a teenager or those who like a good old fashion polaroid. 
  4. Vintage Scrabble game set. This game set looks cool and can even become apart of your decoration. There are other game sets like clue and monopoly available too. 
  5. Keychain Charger. We all have someone we know that chronically runs on 10 percent.
  6. Cuisinart air popper. This one is a great deal that looks pretty trendy too! Air popped popcorn is SO much better than the microwaved bag. 
  7. Yeti coffee mug. No one likes cold coffee. No one. 
  8. This cute French press. This is great for the coffee lovers in your life. 
  9. Record Player. This is on an Amazon lightening deal, so you have to move fast. Otherwise, it is not under 50, but it is still not bad overall.
  10. Tex-Mex cookbook. Or maybe any cookbook for that matter. I have this one and highly recommend it. The recipes remind me of the Tex-Mex that I grew up with.
xx
Luna

Full disclosure: when you buy something using these affiliate links, I may earn a small compensation.  
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Parents are difficult to buy for because they have basically spent a lifetime collecting things. Here is a round-up of Amazon finds that are great gifts for parents!
  1. Weighted blanket. Andrew got one, and he loves it! 
  2. This great deal on a vacuum and hand vacuum. 
  3. Alexa dot. Because they need someone to talk to when you are out of the house. LOL jk.
  4. Mini Keurig. If they haven't already switched over to a Keurig, this mini one is a great option. 
  5. 23 and Me Ancestry Kit. This may be a good idea for some, for others it might just stir up family drama. yikes.
  6. Vitruvi diffuser. I love my diffuser and essential oils, this is a great option because it's beautiful and would fit in any home. 
  7. Roomba. This is a game changer, seriously. I turn mine on and its one less thing I have to do around the house!
  8. Knife cheese set. It's pretty and it comes in its own case. It is perfect for the time of parents who are entertainers too. 
  9. Dopp Case. Probably more for your dad, but it's still a great gift option.
  10. Ember coffee warmer. Because no one likes cold coffee.
xx
Luna



Full disclosure: when you buy something using these affiliate links, I may earn a small compensation.  
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I loooove shopping. I mean, love it. Even if it's not for me. My husband does not but he does frequent   Amazon quite often. So if you are like him, I put together a gift guide for children. Some of these items I have already bought for Ryan-Kate and love them, others I just think are a great gift idea.

  1. This yellow corduroy jacket. 
  2. Crayon rocks.
  3. The cutest camera I have ever seen. And already bought, too. It also comes with everything you need to move the pictures over to a phone. 
  4. These pajamas. This year we started the tradition of getting Christmas pajamas. If you don't like the traditional looking Christmas pajamas, these sets are a great option because they come in all sorts of colors. 
  5. This writing tablet. We picked one up at the library and RK loved it, so we decided to actually buy her one. My goal is to get her to do more creative stuff that don't always involve screens.
  6. Shorts lounge set. It comes in so many colors and I just thought it was so cute. 
  7. Amazon Kindle. My niece has one of these, but we have an iPad mini. After comparing the two, I think the Kindle has better kid interaction with games that are more learning base. 
  8. Magna-tiles. These are a creative puzzle/building toy that uses kids imagination. RK played with these at a friends home and it was a winner with her!
  9. Knee-high socks. I've gotten several of these in the past for my daughter. I like to use them with her dresses instead of stockings.
  10. These snow boots. I got RK these at the beginning of our snow season. My problem with kids clothes is that they are so ugly sometimes. I like these because they are fictional and actually pretty.

xx
Luna

Full disclosure: when you buy something using these affiliate links, I may earn a small compensation.  

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Now I am not a baker. I repeat, I am not a baker. So when I was gifted Florida Crystals® Organic Sugar I was racking my brain to bake something that A, I loved, and B, was easy enough for us non-bakers to do. I had a beignet at a foodie event that Andrew and I attended and it was the perfect mix between sweet savory and even had a kick to it. It was so delicious that I went back for seconds and even thought about it for days. This is my interpretation of that beignet but instead of fried, I baked mine. Fried food tends to hurt my stomach if I have too much of it, so I didn't want to go the tradition route. But trust me, nothing is lost in this dessert. Also, you might be hesitant about a cayenne whipped cream, but there is so much sweetness between the honey and powdered sugar that it is exactly what it needed to make this dish perfect. Originally I served it on the side, but then my brilliant husband started to stuff the beignets and our mind were blown just how good it was! Honestly, these really are just as good as they look. 
Ingredients:

Beignets
  • 4 cups flour (plus extra on hand)
  • 1/4 cup of Florida Crystals® Sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup of milk (lukewarm)
  • 1 package of fast activating yeast
  • 1 egg
  • 4 tbs of melted butter
  • 2 teaspoons of salt
  • Extra milk and melted butter for brushing dough
  • Extra powdered sugar for sprinkling on top
  • Honey to drizzle on top
Cayenne Whipped Cream
  • 1/2 cup of Florida Crystals® Powdered Sugar
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tsp cayenne (plus more if you want more spice)
  • 1 tsp paprika 
  1. Place milking yeast in a bowl and let it sit fro 2 minutes. Then mix in sugar, eggs, and butter.
  2. Slowly mix in flour and salt. Place the (sticky) dough on a floured surface and knead until it is no longer sticky. You might need to mix in a little bit more flour. 
  3. Transfer dough in a large bowl with a damp warm cloth and let rise for 15 minutes. 
  4. Preheat oven to 350.
  5. After dough is done rising, remove excess air and roll out. Cut out dough in 2 inch rectangles. 
  6. Place on a non stick pan and brush with milk. Bake for 12-15 minutes. 
  7. While beignets are still warm, brush with melted butter. 
  8. In a medium bowl add powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, cayenne, and paprika and mix with an electric mixer until it starts to look more like whipped cream. Note: keep tasting and adjusting until it is to your likeness. 
  9. Put whipped mixture into a piping bag and stuff beignets (it can also be eaten on the side)
  10. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top and drizzle honey on top.
  11. Enjoy!


xx
Luna
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Kefir. Don't stay away from this one because you don't know what it is. It's a lot like yogurt- it is a tangy cultured milk that is high in protein, calcium, vitamin D, as well as many other added benefits. Meaning it's actually good for you! This probiotic drink is a great substitute to your standard non-dairy milks or yogurt based ingredients. If you are vegan, Lifeway also has plant based probiotic drinks that are perfect dairy free options. My husband actually decided to try all of them and voted his favorite is the Plantiful Probiotic drink in the tropical fruit flavor. This one can be enjoyed on its own or added to any of your favorite smoothie recipes. Lifeway Kefir products available for purchase at Sprouts Farmers Market, Walmart Supercenter, and Safeway. RUN don't walk!
Ingredients:
  •  Colorful Carrots
  • 1 Cup  Lifeway Organic Kefir
  • Juice of 1/2 Lime
  • 1 Tsp of Chipotle Powder
  • 1 Tsp of Paprika
  • 1/2 Shallots, sliced thin
  • Handful Pepitas
  • Garlic Head
  • Salt & Pepper, to taste
  • Handful of Parsley
  1. Preheat oven to 400
  2. Take garlic head and peel off outer layer. Cut the top part in half. Coat garlic in olive oil and top with salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum and heat in the oven for 45 minutes. 
  3. Take carrots and coat with oil and salt and pepper. Cook until desired softness. Usually about 30-45 minutes. 
  4. Take garlic once its cooled off and push out garlic cloves. Mix and mash garlic to where it becomes a paste.
  5. Mix Lifeway Organic Kefir, lime juice, shallots, seasoning, and garlic paste. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Once carrots are done, take the kefir mixture and pour on top of carrots. 
  7. Top with pepitas and parsley.
  8. Enjoy!



xx
Luna

Website: https://lifewaykefir.com/
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 Happy Fall! I am so excited it is finally October! There is something about the fall colors, the warm sun, and the crisp air that is my favorite in Colorado. This past summer Andrew and I (okay, mainly just Andrew) worked on our deck.  Now we are excited to start hosting people this fall! And I honestly love any gathering as long as it has good hangs. I am an atmosphere person, meaning if there is a fun atmosphere with people I enjoy I want to be there. Even if I don't like the activity. It's probably why I like baseball games. I love the energy of the crowd and the food! 
 I got the opportunity to try out Winc which accompanied my cheese and wine party! The process is so easy. All I did was answer a few questions about my taste preference and Winc chose the wines. There is such a big variety and a vast amount about wines that I still don't know that not having to walk up and down the isle of a liquor store was worth it! Winc also gives you to option to switch out anything you don't want and even how many reds or whites you want. It is so convent and easy!
 So now for the fun part! I'm excited to share the love of Winc with you all too. You can get 4 bottles of wine for $39 plus complimentary shipping! How great is that?! To get you started and just click HERE to try. Cheers and enjoy!
Here is what you'll need to host your own cheese and wine party!

Supplies: 
  • 1-2 Cheese boards
  • Cured meats like prosciutto or salami
  • Fruit of your choice- grapes, figs, or any type of berry
  • Jam or honey
  • crackers of your choice
  • Assortment of salted nuts
  • Wine



xx
Luna


$22 Off Membership Promotion


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I knew our baby girl Francis was going to come early. Ryan-Kate was and somehow I just felt like Francis was going to be the same way. She is such dream and these past few days our whole family has been all heart eyes for her. She is peaceful, sweet, beautiful, and so so perfect. Even though I knew she was coming early and had ben anticipated her birth for months, Andrew and I were still both surprised when she made her arrival. 
 On Thursday morning, September 27, I went in for my 38 week appointment. My doctor said I was already 4 cm dilated and 70% effaced. I thought that was encouraging but knew that women can sit there for a while too, so I tried to take it with a grain of salt. On Friday, we went on with our normal routine: getting Rk to school, grocery shopping, and spending some family time. We even started planning out our weekend and work commitments. It's such a strange place to be: in-between expectancy and waiting, knowing that things could change in an instant.
 That night, around 11am I woke up with contractions. At this point, I'm not sure if I am ready to call them contractions. Like once I say it I can't take it back and we are really doing this. I even debated on waiting until morning to tell Andrew. Once I woke up Andrew, we start to track my contractions. 7 minutes apart. So we start making arrangements for someone to sleep over with Rk so we can go to the hospital. On the way to the hospital I feel nauseous and I have Andrew pull over so I can throw up. Not pretty and it was miserable.
 At the hospital, we get set up in the triage room where I am monitored for an hour to confirm that I indeed am in labor. It is now 1:30am and I am 5cm now each contraction only getting stronger. I get transferred to the delivery room, answer questions, get iv's, and request an epidural. My body was shaking so bad because of the contractions and I've about had my limit. At 2:30am and I get an epidural and it works almost instantly. I am now at 7cm and my water still has not yet broken.
 After the epidural, things start progressing a lot slower but I don't mind. I just let me body rest and both Andrew and I try to get some sleep. I wake up around 5am and I remember the room feeling so peaceful and I am overwhelmed with such much joy. I begin to bless my labor, my new baby girl, and the new life that is about to enter this world. Birth is such a beautiful, spiritual experience.   
 At 7am I can start feeling pain despite having the epidural and still pressing to delivery more pain relief. I am 9cm and my water still hasn't broken. My delivery doctor tells me that she wants to wait a little longer then she will break my water and I can deliver. My pain level is increasing and I start to feel so much pressure and I am pretty sure I need to push soon. Around 8am, I ring my nurses and tell them I feel like its time and that I need to start pushing. They seemed surprise but start preparing everything. The epidural is only sort of working and I can feel everything. People are coaching me and encouraging me and I am sure that I won't be able to do it. But then she was here and she was perfect.
 Andrew and I were both so happy and overwhelmed. I remember him being so emotional and I being  so happy. Francis Promise Nemeth was born at 8:26am. I cannot wait to see who she will become. She carries so much peace and joy already and I am honored to be her mother. 

xx
Luna
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One thing I didn't realize during my first round of pregnancy and postpartum was just how much work it took to be successful in the infamous forth trimester. There are so many things that I had wished I had done differently and now this time around I am determined to set myself up for success for breastfeeding and the forth trimester. I think when I find an area that interests me I get sort of obsessed with knowing all I can about that particular subject. 
 So with that said, I have bought books, read blogs, checked out recipes, and have done research to find products, tips, and resources that help make breast feeding and the fourth trimester so successful. I listed a few on a previous post about my Ultimate Amazon Registry Guide. During these last few weeks of preparing and nesting, here is how I am attempting to set myself up for success for when the real work hits: 
  • Prepare freezer smoothies (or meals). It is essential to adequately feed yourself as you are the primary source for your baby. Prepping meals now will come in handy when all the family has left town and its just you and baby. I made smoothies that just need Majka's Lacatation Booster and a non-dairy milk and bam! it's done. 
  • Make or buy lactation snacks (or cookies). As a new mom, I never realized how hard breastfeeding was going to be. I now know that having snacks on hand is extremely useful to help keep me from getting too hungry and keep my milk supply up. A few days ago I made energy oat bites that I have previously blogged about HERE and added Majka's Lactation Booster and chocolate chips (because yum) to the recipe. 

  • Take supplements to help with supply. This stepped could be skipped especially if you are an over-producer, but for those mamas who need an extra little help with their milk supply, supplements like this can help boost for your brand new babe! 

  • Drink lots of water. Most hospitals give you a enormous cup with a straw so you can stay hydrated while you stay at the hospital. Keep it! It is so useful and if its always by your bed its a great reminder to drink up, mama!
  • Create nursing/pumping station. This time around, I prepped an area that has everything I'll need on hand while I breastfeed. It contains items like nipple cream, lotion, leaking pads, pump, and tissues. 


xx
Luna
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With my first pregnancy, I sort of winged everything. I wasn't sure whose advice to take, knowing that every pregnancy and child is different. However, there were somethings that I wanted to really fight for and make sure I had this time around especially. I went in blind, but this time around I know that the birth is not the end. The real work comes in after baby is born. It truly is "the 4th trimester". I had such a love/hate relationship with breastfeeding and just learning to rest when I felt like I should be doing more. I know now that those few weeks and months as it's just me and baby are critical for our wellbeing. So here are a few things I've either collected or on my wishlist for this pregnancy: 

Nursing & Postpartum:




Changing Mat: 

Cute Paci's & Clips: 


Baby Sling:

Reading Material:




Stroller:



Swaddles:


Toys:


Sleeping: 



xx
Luna



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About me

I'm Luna. I'm married to my best friend, Andrew & I am mother of two: Ryan-Kate & Franics. I love to eat, travel, and be creative. Here is my blog about life and other beautiful things that inspire me. Stay awhile why don't cha!

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      • Best Amazon Gifts Under 50
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