Today’s post is sponsored by JORD watches. All opinions are our own.

Good morning, friends! I hope you’ve had a fabulous start to the week! The three of us were able to take a little road trip last weekend, which was such a treat! While we love every second we get to spend with Isla Meline, we don’t get away as much as we used to and miss those times in our old life where we could just pick up and go (after dropping the dogs off with family, of course).  One of our favorite quick getaways is Kansas City.  Over time, we’ve developed our own little routine of things to keep us busy for 2-3 days while we are down there. From Omaha, it is less than a three hour drive, so definitely do-able without taking any vacation days!

You may notice a pretty fabulous watch on Logan’s wrist in some of the photos from our trip. JORD watches contacted us awhile back to see if we’d be interested in collaborating. I had seen some of my fellow blogger babes showcasing these watches in the past, and knew how gorgeous they were! After looking through their watch selection and learning more about the company, I knew Logan would love one of their men’s watches. You guys, this watch is so classy and well-made. If your husband, boyfriend, dad, son, friend’s cousin’s uncle (you get the idea) is looking for a statement piece that will easily transition from work to weekend attire, you HAVE to check out these unique watches. They make such great gifts, too! Logan has worn his almost every day since it has arrived. And don’t worry ladies, there are plenty of women’s styles to choose from as well! I’m loving the styles with the brightly colored faces since you all know I love to add a pop of color to every outfit I wear!

Read through to the end of today’s post for a special contest with JORD watches!

Now, let’s get to sharing some our favorite Kansas City stops:

Legends Outlet Mall

Legends is a great outdoor shopping center with a variety of shops, including plenty of our favorite outlet stores. Since we were on a tight schedule, I only made it to a few stores this time, my favorite being JCrew Factory. There are a ton of restaurants surrounding the mall (we ate at Zaxby’s), and it’s super close to Nebraska Furniture Mart, Great Wolf Lodge and CommunityAmerica Ballpark. Isla loved watching the pretty fountain in the center of the mall.

McGonigle’s Market

I think we first heard about this place from some of the locals and it has become a must on our list of stops in KC! Logan stops here just for the Italian Sausage.  It’s a small, local grocer with a pretty expansive meat counter that leaves you wondering if this is what grocery shopping used to be like.  You just bake the sausage in the oven and serve with your choice of cheese (see The Better Cheddar below) and crackers. They always seem to be having some type of BBQ cookout when we stop by, but we haven’t ever sat down to eat (at least not yet).

The Plaza

If you only have time for one stop in Kansas City, Country Club Plaza has to be it! (Logan may beg to differ though…) The restaurants and retail are among the best in town and the Spanish architecture is so beautiful! My favorite stores to shop on the Plaza are Gap (it’s two stories!), West Elm, Kate Spade, Kendra Scott and JCrew. There are so many awesome restaurants, but more about our favorite in a bit.

The Better Cheddar

This is a cheese connoisseur’s dream. I couldn’t even begin to guess how many different varieties of cheese they have, and the best thing of all is that you can go through and taste test to see what you like! They have other snacks, oils and drinks, but there is a reason this place puts the cheese in their name! Our personal favorite is the Wisconsin Applewood Smoked Gouda. This cheese is great by itself (or with Italian Sausage from McGonigle’s), and we haven’t found a cracker it doesn’t taste good with.  We aren’t usually big on fancy cheeses, but this one is worth the price (or at least worth the free taste test).

McCormick & Schmick’s

While Logan has tried just about every fish on the menu (Halibut, Swordfish, Shark, Marlin, etc.), I usually go with anything stuffed.  And, of course, we always finish off the meal with a Chocolate Bag for dessert (chocolate, fruits, cream).  This place is a little on the expensive side, but it’s great for a fancier date night. We also love Brio (for lunch) and have heard great things about Seasons 52. What are your favorite restaurants on the Plaza? We’re always up for trying something new!

Isla had a great first visit to KC (actually second, but she didn’t get to see much at four weeks old), and we will definitely be going back in the future! What did we miss? Anything we need to be sure and check out next time?

Did you loooove Logan’s JORD watch as much as I do? Well, I have GREAT NEWS! JORD is offering one reader a $100 E Gift Code toward the watch of their choice! Even better, EVERYONE who enters will automatically receive a $25 E Gift Code to use on any JORD watch. Click HERE to enter!

(The contest ends August 27th at 11:59 P.M. Gift codes will expire September 30th, 2017.)

Hope you all have an amazing Wednesday!

XOXO, Jenna

Miss Isla was half a year old on July 21 and I’m just now getting around to posting a little update! I was hoping to get into a more regular posting schedule, but Little Miss is keeping us busy and on our toes (more on that in a second!) I’m hoping to have one night a week to devote to blogging once I get into a more regular schedule when the school year starts, but we’ll see! As most of you know, I’ll be at home with Isla this school year, but am still planning on subbing and working at my retail job a couple days a week. I’m also trying to be open to any other opportunities God has for me during this season of life, while still keeping Isla’s growth and development my primary responsibility. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be at home with our daughter, but know it will be an adjustment for me to be at home and out of the classroom full-time.

Anyway, back to Little Miss and all she is up to! I think the biggest thing I’ve noticed this month is how mobile and curious she is about the world around her! This was the first month we could NOT get a picture of her on her back for her monthly “photoshoot,” so we quickly snapped a tummy pic and went with it since that captures her current stage the best anyway! She has really mastered army crawling and is soooo close to crawling around on her knees. She is quickly discovering that the world is a bigger place than she once thought! She loves to crawl from room to room and look out the sliding glass door in the kitchen. Isla is also so curious about how everything works! She is into EVERYTHING and we can’t take our eyes off of her for a second! We are realizing we needed to baby-proof, like, yesterday, so we’re quickly trying to get a gate ordered, outlets covered and anything breakable or semi-dangerous moved up high. I’m exhausted just talking about how busy she is – can you see how I haven’t had much time to blog lately?? The cutest little “trick” she’s started doing is her “model pose.” If she’s crawling around and hears something behind her she’s interested in listening to, she turns her body to the side and places her arm on her hip – it’s basically the cutest thing ever!

It’s funny how babies’ personalities become evident this early on! We are working really hard on sitting up and I know Isla has the muscles to do it, but every time we “practice,” she’d just rather be moving and exploring. She’s also a pretty serious baby. She’ll smile and laugh from time to time, but it takes a lot of embarrassing silliness on our part to get a laugh out of her! I can already see her being an introspective and inquisitive little girl, who has to figure out how everything works!

Isla spent her first Fourth of July in Okoboji, which is an annual tradition with my side of the family. She had the best time but Mom and Dad were pretty exhausted by the end of the trip! Traveling with an infant is a big change from all of our previous “kidless” vacations even with amazingly helpful relatives, but we wouldn’t change it for the world! Isla was a little sleepier and fussier than usual while we were gone, and sure enough, her first tooth popped through on our last day of vacation! It was quickly followed by her second tooth a few days later. They may be the cutest teeth I’ve ever seen, but we’re already missing her toothless grin!

As you can tell, this little girl brings us so much joy and we thoroughly love watching her grow and develop. These past six months have flown by. It’s hard to believe she’ll be a year  before we know it! Thanks so much for stopping by today and reading about our little love! See you back here soon!

XOXO, Jenna

I hope everyone had an awesome fourth! We spent ours at Lake Okoboji with my side of the family, like we do every year. It was so much fun to bring our little one along this year! She is the first grand baby for my side of the family, as well as the first great niece/nephew/cousin, so she was definitely the center of attention on our trip! Poor babe didn’t know what to do without her fan club around 24/7 once we got home. 🙂

I’ll be sharing a little more about our trip in Thursday’s post, but today I wanted to do a little post about our favorite Okoboji Eats. After almost 30 trips to Okoboji (I’ve only skipped two years ever), we have a definite list of favorite restaurants and food stands that we have to hit up every year, although we’re always discovering new spots as well.

Favorite Breakfast: O’Farrell Sisters, Spudnutz Donuts

No trip to Okoboji is complete without a stop at O’Farrell Sisters for a big traditional breakfast. Serving traditional favorites like pancakes, eggs and French toast as well as brunch items like pulled pork on a buttermilk biscuit, you really can’t go wrong with whatever you choose to order. The restaurant is has been around since 1949 and is open daily from 7-2.

We discovered Sputnutz last year after driving by and noticing an exceptionally long line outside, so we just had to discover what made this place so popular! Known for their potato base, these donuts are sooo delicious and the shop is full of character, located in an old gas station.

Favorite Lunch: Okoboji Store

Our former favorite lunch spot, “The Wharf,” was transformed into “The Okoboji Store” within the last couple years. My favorite thing about The Wharf was the fact that you could eat lunch on the deck overlooking the lake, which is still true at The Okoboji Store, there’s just a different, updated menu! The burgers are salads are absolutely delicious, my favorite menu item being the “Beets Me” salad.

Pretending to take a picture of my cousin and aunt in order to prove to you that Dougie McBuckets (gray shirt) likes The Okoboji Store, too. That’s Doug McDermott’s nickname for those of you who didn’t know, or whose husbands had to tell them, ahem ahem.

Favorite Dinner: Minerva’s

My final bout of pregnancy nausea hit just as the entire extended family was sitting down to dinner at Minerva’s last year, but I was still able to give it a go this year! 🙂 This is definitely a nicer dinner place (t-shirts and swim cover-ups probably aren’t appropriate attire), but not extremely pricy. The restaurant overlooks a beautiful golf course, which provides a great spot for post-dinner photos. The menu is diverse – ranging from burgers and flatbreads, to pasta and steak – and always delicious!

Favorite Ice Cream: Nutty Bar Stand @ Arnold’s Park

No trip to Okoboji is complete without a stop here – and yes, it’s really called “The Nutty Bar Stand.” My family always visits after our annual putt-putt tournament down the road at Pirate’s Cove, since the losers of the round always have to buy the winners their nutty bars. Famous for their nutty bars (duh), the shop also serves a variety of other ice cream treats and has been around for 70 years!

Favorite Coffee: Prairie Chick

I’m not usually up early enough on vacation to scout out the best coffee shops, so I trusted the research my aunt and cousin did and took their word for it! Prairie Chick served up a mean iced caramel latte (with soy milk), and my fresh blueberry/strawberry muffin was soooo good! I also gave Arnold’s Perk a try and loved my caramel frappe!

For those of you who have been to Okoboji before, am I missing any favorites? I’m always up for trying new places! Planning a trip in the future? Let me know what you think if you give any of these spots a try!

XOXO, Jenna

I’m all about easy these days, especially when it comes to dinner. (Who am I kidding, I’ve always looked for the easiest recipes when cooking!) I found this recipe for Sweet & Sour meatballs on Pinterest via Eating on a Dime. It instantly became a post-baby favorite because of how simple it was to prepare and it’s delicious, too! Super easy to put an extra batch in a freezer bag for later, too.

For the meatballs you’ll need:

1 cup brown sugar

3 TBSP corn starch

1/4 cup vinegar

3 TBSP soy sauce

1 package frozen meatballs (I used FarmRich brand from Hy-Vee; they’re Gluten Free!)

Place all ingredients into a crockpot (thawed or frozen) and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Once the meatballs were done cooking, I warmed up two instant quinoa & brown rice packets from Costco (90 seconds and done!) and some frozen stir fry veggies to serve with them.

Give it a try and let me know what you think! I have a feeling this meal might become a new favorite in your house. 🙂

XOXO, Jenna

Happy Fourth from Lake Okoboji!

Isla’s bow & bib: Very Jane

Ruffle bodysuit: Baby Gap

Logan’s tee: JCrew Factory

My white jeans: Gap

Peplum tank: Gap

I’ve been coming here every summer since I was a newborn, so I could hardly wait to bring my daughter here to make memories of her own! We travel with my mom’s side of the family, who have been vacationing in Okoboji since my mom was in first grade, and stay at the same place every year. The “resort” is in a great location and we have so many awesome memories here, but it could definitely use some updates. It hasn’t changed much since 1987 when I first started coming. 🙂 Our favorite things to do are swim in the outdoor pool, hang out by the lake (it’s usually too cold to go in), go on boat rides, shop, play games, and go out to eat all together, just to name a few. Tomorrow night we’ll all watch the annual firework show down by the lake. My favorite tradition though is our annual mini-golf tournament. We pair up in teams and the winners have to buy the losers old-fashioned nutty bars at Arnold’s Park. The competition is always fierce!  I’ll be sure to let you know who wins … as long as it’s me 😉

How will you be celebrating the fourth? What are your favorite traditions?

See you back here on Thursday for an easy-peasy dinner recipe!

XOXO, Jenna

Can time please just slow down?? As I was rocking my baby to sleep for the third time last night, I got a little emotional thinking about how fast she’s growing up! I just want to freeze time and keep her this little forever with her perfectly chubby rolls and adorably innocent smile, but yet I still get so excited thinking about the next stages – sitting up, talking, walking …

Rewarding Moments this Month: Isla is ON. THE. MOVE. She rolls and rolls and rolls and rolls, all day, every day (and night) – on the floor, during diaper changes, while she’s sleeping (more on that in a bit). She desperately wants to crawl but just can’t quite get her arms and legs to coordinate motions. She does manage to army crawl across the room toward an object if it interests her enough. We are going to need to baby proof the house soon!

Isla is really starting to take an interest in her puppies and smiles at them while they play. Sometime I think she believes she’s a dog, too. I’ve caught her panting and trying to lick the dogs after they kiss her.

She is just so fun to interact with! Little Miss lights up when her daddy comes home from work and seems to really “listen” to us when we talk to her. Her smiles and giggles are the best sights/sounds in the world!

Challenges: SLEEP. We are really struggling. I’m realizing that we’ve established some bad habits like rocking and feeding to sleep and now Isla is lacking self-soothing techniques. It hasn’t really been an issue before because she slept in her swaddle and then her Merlin’s sleep suit, which both constricted her movement at night. Now that she’s rolling and sleeps in a sleep sack, she wants to roll in her sleep, too. She wakes herself up every time she rolls to her stomach at night, which is every 45 minutes after bedtime (8:00) until she’s so exhausted she sleeps the rest of the night from about 12-7 A.M. Naps are a huge struggle, too, for this very same reason. She hasn’t napped for longer than 45 minutes in quite awhile and it usually takes that same amount of time just to get her down for a nap in the first place. We’re working on establishing more of a nap and bedtime routine and allowing her some time to self-soothe, even if it means fussing for a few minutes.

In case you missed Friday’s post, read more about Isla’s first airplane ride here. I think I’d categorize it under the “challenges.” 🙂

Despite the challenges, we LOVE LOVE LOVE our little girl and thank God for the opportunity to be her parents. We wouldn’t trade this parenting gig for the world!

Please leave me any and all sleeping tips you have. Or if you want to come hang out at midnight (and 2, and 4 and 6), I’d welcome that as well. 🙂

XOXO, Jenna