Simply Taralynn | Food & Lifestyle Blog https://simplytaralynn.com Food & Lifestyle Blog Thu, 15 Jun 2023 20:32:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://simplytaralynn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/cropped-Blank-250-x-250-32x32.jpg Simply Taralynn | Food & Lifestyle Blog https://simplytaralynn.com 32 32 I Started a Business & Attended My First Farmer’s Market! https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/06/15/i-started-a-business-attended-my-first-farmers-market/ https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/06/15/i-started-a-business-attended-my-first-farmers-market/#comments Thu, 15 Jun 2023 20:23:17 +0000 https://simplytaralynn.com/?p=79974

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I can’t believe I’m finally writing this post. I’ve somewhat kept you in the loop with my career shift (but still blogging when I can, don’t worry!), especially if you follow me on TikTok.

I am officially open for business, and my new company, Little Brittle™, has formally launched! I have been pouring all my time, heart, and focus into this, and I am so excited to be doing this finally! 

Over the past year, I have been working night and day in between being a full-time mom to create a brand, organize my new business, get insured, build a website, dive into marketing, become certified, get my license, and sign a lease for a commercial kitchen space. It has been more work than I expected, but it has finally paid off, and the fun part has started. As a mom, I do most of my work during the early mornings, nap time, and after bedtime. It’ll be easier once we dabble into daycare next year. 

For the past few years, I have been baking for locals on the side. I’ve made themed cakes, cookies, brittle, and sourdough loaves, and I do local cinnamon rolls almost every Sunday. It brought me so much joy that I decided to finally take the next step into doing this full-time. 

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I was incredibly nervous about this career shift, primarily afraid of what others would think, but that’s silly. I’m glad I decided to follow my dreams, and I don’t think I’ve been this happy in a long time. I felt like I was missing something, and I feel incredibly full right now. Before I started this blog, I made cupcakes and cakes for weddings in college. Some of you probably remember those days I used to share on Tumblr. The blogging world took off, and I had a shift in goals.

We just circled back to what I always wanted to do. I love to bake. I will jump to the occasion when anyone asks on our neighborhood forum for a dessert or for somone who can make something for an event. I bake like a maniac when family or friends visit, which I never get tired of doing. During the holidays, I made a dessert board for a client that had over 1000 items on it. I stayed up until 3 am completing it, and baking is the only thing I’ll willingly stay up for (aside from my child.) I’m just so passionate about it, and I would regret not following those dreams.
One day, I was sitting on the couch, and my husband said, “You know, you really should start your own company for your baking and brittle.” that’s how it started. The next day we started talking about names, a plan, the look, legalities, and our goals. About ten months later, here I am! 

I will sell my baked goods locally, offering baked goods for nationwide shipping, creating custom corporate boxes, and selling my brittle flavors online!  During the holidays, I will offer festive gift boxes filled with seasonal treats. I will try to do as many pop-ups and festivals as possible, too! If you are local, follow our social media to stay updated on when we are at a market (like this weekend!) I have spent the past months creating over 65 brittle flavors that I will rotate throughout the year! In the fall, I’ll launch all new seasonal flavors, which are so good! I can’t wait for you to try them. 

Now that I’m in a commercial kitchen space, I can produce higher volumes of brittle, sourdough cinnamon rolls and other baked goods. We are working right now on the logistics of shipping the cinnamon rolls, which will be amazing! 

My recap posts will be so much fun now that I can take you along on this new journey of mine as a mom and business owner! If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments. I will check them this evening! 

Below, I’ll share some Little Brittle™ photos from the past months! 

Thank you all for the support over the past 14 years, I can’t wait to share this new chapter!
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I wake up on cinnamon roll mornings at 3 am. They need a double rise and so much time to prepare, which was no different on the morning of my first farmers market. I wanted the cinnamon rolls to be fresh as can be! I made all of my brittle bags and cookies the night before and woke up early to start the rolls. If you follow me on TikTok, I often share vlogs of the process. 

If you are a fan of peanut brittle or know a family member, that is, you’ll have to try mine! I spent countless hours perfecting the consistency, and after years of making it with my my mom, the recipe is finally in its perfection era.
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It was cool having my son there and showing him that his mom set a goal and went after it. He is what motivates me to do it all. I’m sure his highlight of the farmer’s market was having Grandma feed him pancakes from the Flipped truck. They are some of the best!
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My favorite local coffee shop, Humble Cup Coffee Company, also attends the Fort Mill Farmer’s Market, which is fantastic when I need the mid-morning pick-me-up!
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Our sourdough cinnamon rolls were a hit! They sold out entirely, along with the Nutella cinnamon rolls. This weekend, I’ll have Father’s Day boxes for the rolls. I’ll also be selling on Sunday morning in my neighborhood, which is also super fun. Getting up at 3:00 am on the weekends is tough but worth it! After the coffee sets in, it’s relaxing since the house is so quiet and everyone is alseep. 
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I wanted to eat all of these cookies, and so did my little one.
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I also had classic almond sugar cookies with blue almond frosting, a lemon blueberry cookie with lemon meringue buttercream, oatmeal cream pies, and chocolate chip cookie sandwiches that almost sold completely out!  I made the cookies ginormous!   starting a business, little brittle llc, little brittle peanut brittle, little brittle, taralynn, owner of little brittle, moms starting businesses, how to start a business, my first farmers market, farmers market fort mill South Carolina, working, bakery, peanut brittle company, brittle company, the best brittle ever, maple cinnamon pecan brittle, marketing, business branding, cottage, business aesthetic, South Carolina business, South Carolina farmers market, town of fort mill, fort mill south Carolina, sourdough cinnamon rolls, commercial kitchen, best brittle in South Carolina, starting a business as a mom starting a business, little brittle llc, little brittle peanut brittle, little brittle, taralynn, owner of little brittle, moms starting businesses, how to start a business, my first farmers market, farmers market fort mill South Carolina, working, bakery, peanut brittle company, brittle company, the best brittle ever, maple cinnamon pecan brittle, marketing, business branding, cottage, business aesthetic, South Carolina business, South Carolina farmers market, town of fort mill, fort mill south Carolina, sourdough cinnamon rolls, commercial kitchen, best brittle in South Carolina, starting a business as a mom
I will offer local pick-up for these cinnamon rolls three days a week at my kitchen space and other pop-up locations. You can find out more about that on my website! Hopefully, soon, we’ll be shipping nationwide.
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The Nutella rolls are a game-changer!
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I will also be shipping Little Brittle™ chocolate chip cookies! This recipe has been in the works for almost seven months and is to die for!
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Coming up with the brittle flavor calendar was one of the most fun parts! Executing the recipes was the biggest challenge, but I cannot wait for you to try these new brittle flavors! We have Root Beer Float, Gingerbread, Pumpkin Spice Latte, Citrus Lavender, Mocha, Raspberry Cheesecake, and so many more on the lineup!
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We’ve also been shipping out corporate boxes, which has been incredible!
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Above is the caramel cashew, one of my favorite flavors!
 
  
 
Pistachio almond lovers!
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I can’t wait for you to experience Little Brittle™! I have so much more in the works, and the fun is just getting started.
 
I hope you all browse the website, and let me know what you think! xo

WWW.LITTLEBRITTLECO.COM

INSTAGRAM- @LITTLEBRITTLECANDY

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Good morning! It’s 5 am on Saturday, the house is quiet, my coffee is hot, and I’m ready to sit down and write. I wish I could be a night owl as much as I am a morning person, but by 5 pm, I feel like mush. 

It’s 8:45 am on Saturday morning. As soon as I started writing, my son woke up, my husband and the dogs came trampling down the stairs, and my quiet dream ended. I finished up a walk, planted a few seeds in the garden, and now I have some time to myself to write while the dogs get groomed, and Kyle takes over with Bugs. With starting a new business and being a full-time mom, finding the time to blog has been super tough, but I’m going to keep on trying to hop on here as much as I can, even if it’s a few times a month, or a few times a week. I appreciate all of you who have given me grace during this time!

Today, I’m sharing some photos of our summer and pictures from our trip down to Florida! This was our first family trip together since becoming parents!
 
We are in the toddler phase, where we want to run all over the place and never sit still (unless we are eating or drinking), and it’s hard to keep finding things to do. He does not like to be in the playpen anymore, and I can’t blame him. Thank goodness it’s summer because we spend much of our time at the pool now. 

My mom joined us for a pool day a few weeks ago, and we kicked off the summer season with Chick-Fil-A.
The best thing about Saturdays in the summertime is the farmer’s markets. 

I met up with a friend and went to the Farmers Market in Matthews. It’s one of the best ones in the Charlotte area! They have all kinds of dessert vendors, fresh flowers, fresh produce, and coffee! I can’t wait to attend another one. 

I had an apricot bun from Bun Appetit and a honey wildflower oat milk latte from Good Cup Coffee Co
After popping into several antique stores, we headed to Collective Cafe for lunch. I had the oat milk cortado and a chicken Caesar salad. This spot had so many things on its menu! The food was delicious.

When I got home, I helped put Bugs to bed, and when he woke up, we headed to the pool and then VooDoo Wings for dinner. I had their chicken house salad, and Kyle ordered the spicy peanut butter and jelly wings. I was skeptical at first, but OMG, they were so good!

Right next to VooDoo Wings is an ice cream shop called “Whits.” We wanted a sweet treat, so we bought a peanut butter Whittie. OH MY GOODNESS! This was one of the best-tasting ice cream sandwiches I have ever had. It had the biggest chunks of Nutella in the ice cream, and the peanut butter cookie was soft and flaky. I give it a 10 out of 10!

I still love adding my favorite Amazon items to my storefront, and this singing bubble crab is one of the best bathtime toys I’ve purchased! He is obsessed with it, and bathtime has been a game-changer! It sings songs, spills out bubble bath, and he knows how to turn it on and off. They even make one that looks like a dinosaur. I may have to get that one, too!

I knew waking up and checking the garden would be my favorite part about these garden beds. It’s so exciting watching all of my seedlings turn into big beautiful plants. I can’t wait for all the juicy tomatoes, peppers, and squash! It’s lettuce season, and I’ve been getting all the fantastic lettuce from my garden this past week. 

 
I had a cookie order the day before heading out on our trip! The little Bug was playing fetch in the yard with Leo, and it’s so cute to watch this relationship blossom! Leo usually ignores him, but now that he’s up and walking, he finds him to be a little human he can play with.

Last Tuesday, we left at 4 am to head down to Florida. We wanted to go early, hoping we’d have a sleeper for the first few hours of the drive. He slept for about 45 minutes but then woke up. Luckily, he was pretty good in the car! We played with cups, straws, string, tape, and toys he had never seen. Toward the end, I put on Ms. Rachel, and she seemed to be a hit. 

Since Savannah was on our way, we stopped for a play in the park and breakfast! It has been a while since visiting Savannah, and it made me so happy to be there, even if it was just for a few hours. I need to plan a trip back soon. 
 
Taking a few breaks on the trip helped. Savannah was perfect since it was on the way and had so many cute parks to play or walk in.

After getting all the morning zoomies out at Forsyth Park, we stopped at Collins Quarter for breakfast. Collins Quarter has always been one of my favorite spots to eat in Savannah, but we always went to a different location. I loved that this one was right in the park, and the food was absolutely delicious. I have several Savannah travel guides on my blog if you plan to visit. 
I always order something I can share with Bugs for my meals. I had the avocado toast with eggs, and he helped me devour it. I also had an oat milk cortado, but my only mistake was not ordering one for the road!

This mini-stop has me excited about planning a trip here soon! My little explorer loved it.

We stopped at Mod Pizza for the little one’s dinner in Tampa. He was a big fan of the pesto pizza! We made it to Kyle’s mom’s house around 5 pm! We had dinner (she made my Italian chicken crockpot dish!), and we bathed bugs and put him to bed after a long walk around the neighborhood. We hadn’t visited her house in Florida in almost five years, so we were so excited to be back for the week!

The following day, we had coffee at Black and Gold Coffee! It’s one of my favorites. I ordered an oat milk latte, and it was delicious!

He loves waving at the trash trucks!

It turns out I love pickleball. I’m already a big tennis fan, but pickleball is going to be my new thing. We had so much fun playing, and I want to start playing here! It’s a lot easier than tennis, but the scoring and rules are complicated to catch on to since I’m used to how tennis goes. I’m sure I’ll catch on soon.

We took Bugs to the beach for the first time! He was a big fan, especially of the birds!

He would laugh so loud whenever a wave came to his feet.

Such a special moment 🙂

My little surfer baby!

Before heading back, we stopped at Sharky’s for a plate of nachos. 
Kyle’s mom wanted me to give her a sourdough lesson, so I brought my starter and taught her how to make bread and cinnamon rolls.

Pool day! 

 I could get used to a morning view like this! 
On Saturday morning, we headed to the Venice Farmer’s Market. We first started with a delicious almond croissant.

A Nutella beignet from Croissant & Co!
 We stopped at our favorite Mission Organic Coffee & Cafe for lunch! We come here every time we are in Florida. Bugs got a banana, strawberry, and spinach smoothie!  I had a chicken Caesar Salad wrap and a cold brew!

After Bug went for a nap, I went on a 5-mile bike ride with Kyle!

After playing a long game of pickleball in the morning, we had brunch at Plantation Country Club.

For dinner, we had Crisp and Green! This spot was so good. I had their chicken Caesar salad.

In the morning, I finished the sourdough lessons by teaching Kyle’s mom how to make the famous cinnamon rolls!
 These were the best ones I have ever made! I think making them earlier in the evening made a difference since I wake up so early. They had more time to rise at night. I will try that again today for tomorrow morning’s cinnamon rolls.  YUM!!!!! They were oozing with cinnamon goodness.  We were in a bit of a hurry, so we put the icing on while they were hot, and OMG, what a game-changer. Totally doing this tomorrow as well. It glazed over the top. 
On Memorial Day morning, we headed to the beach before it got too hot and crowded.
 This makes me want to move to the beach since he had so much fun digging in the sand and running around. 
My perfect little beach boy!
YUM!!! We brought our breakfast to the beach.  My entire world! 
After packing up, we grabbed one last dinner at Urban Taco. I had a chicken salad with rice, corn, guacamole, cheese, and tomatoes. Everything was so fresh and delicious.

We left Florida at 5 am and got a three-hour sleeper.
 We stopped in historic Avondale, Jacksonville, Florida, to grab breakfast and play at a park.  We ordered cheese grits, a bagel, an omelet, and coffees at Southern Grounds and Co! Everything was delicious. My son loves grits, so I have to order them whenever they are on the menu.  After breakfast, we headed down the street to play at the park. It’s wild to see him running around. It literally just happened overnight. We headed to Florida with him taking maybe five to ten steps, but now he can walk alone. It’s fun but a bit scary. We grabbed food for dinner at Fresh Market and then headed home! I was proud of how good he was in the car, making me want to do more trips with him in the future!

We jumped right back into our routine the following day. We did a morning walk and then stopped for coffee at the Greenway.

I made a delicious taco chicken dish in the crock pot for dinner. It’s so good over salad with all of the taco toppings!
 I had a pool and coffee date with Bugs the following morning. He tried to steal my oat milk latte from Humblecup, and that’s when I knew he was 100 % my son. The blonde hair throws me off sometimes, but the love for my coffee makes it make sense. 
And when we got tired of the pool, we headed home to swing! Between 7 am and noon, it’s a battle trying to find things to entertain him. He changes daily regarding interests, but he’s happiest when he’s not contained and can walk all over by himself. We plan to do a lot of park trips this week so he can get all his little energy out. 
All the fresh salad from my garden!
 My happy boy!!!!  On Friday morning, I made a Tuscan sourdough bread with herbs from my garden and a Tuscan herb olive oil from Venice Olive Oil Company. This herb olive oil tastes like the Pizza Hut breadstick seasoning. It is amazing! I am going to use it for dressings, marinades, and breads! 
I made a loaf for our house and one for my parents!
 We visited my mom yesterday morning, and Buggy had so much fun exploring their massive garden!
After Bug’s bedtime, we dove into the homemade cookie sandwiches and watched an episode of Love & Death! 

I hope you all have the best weekend. Thanks for stopping by to catch up! This is a big week for me and my new business adventure, so stay tuned on social media & my TikTok! 🙂

Questions for you!

  1. If you have kids, when did you first travel with them?
  2. What are some fun things to do with a 13-month-old? 
  3. What are some excellent crockpot recipes? 

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Farmer’s Market, Strawberry Festival, and Mother’s Day! https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/05/19/farmers-market-strawberry-festival-and-mothers-day-lifestyle-blogger/ https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/05/19/farmers-market-strawberry-festival-and-mothers-day-lifestyle-blogger/#comments Fri, 19 May 2023 18:05:41 +0000 https://simplytaralynn.com/?p=79682

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Long time, no blog! It’s been a crazy few weeks. 

Life has been a whirlwind Between birthdays, visits from the fam, prepping for our upcoming family trip, starting a new business venture, and chasing after our energetic one-year-old. I promised myself I’d squeeze in some time to finally sit down and write this blog post while Bugs took his much-needed nap. I’ve had the layout ready to go for a good two weeks now, but every time I sit down to type, something pops up! I’ll be sharing EVERYTHING on that in early June! I am so excited, and it’s starting to really feel real now that just about everything is finalized. In the meantime, I wanted to share some snapshots from the past few weeks with you all.
Tux has still been enjoying his cozy days on the couch! He has a new stuffed animal he likes to take around the house with him. 
 
I’ve been trying to keep up with the Peloton and my walks as much as possible. It’s been tough with being busy and motherhood, but I’ve tried my best to fit in 15-20 minute rides on top of my daily walks. It’s crazy how much of an impact a 20-minute ride can have. I can burn more calories in 20 minutes of biking than in one hour of walking. 

We are in the phase of loving food one day and hating it the next. This is a fun game! I’ve learned that if I bake everything into a muffin, he’ll eat it. 
 One of my favorite parts of the day is our evening walk after bath time. I like to bring new sparkling water or kombucha to try while enjoying the stroll. I’m usually so exhausted by this time that I count the minutes until bedtime. This is when my brain turns to mush, and I start to wind down. I always tell myself I’ll finish my blogs or work once Bugs sleeps, but I almost always shower and go straight to bed. Trying to work, keep the house clean, feed myself and my family, and watch a one-year-old has been kicking my butt.
He’s at an age where it’s hard to keep him entertained for more than fifteen minutes. We hop from walks, the push car, walking around the garden, the swings, the water table, climbing up the stairs, his playpen, and whatever I can entertain him with. He isn’t the type of baby that wants to sit and watch a show. He’s now on the move! He wants to get into anything and everything, so I have to watch him like a hawk. I’m ordering the baby scenery table from Ikea this week, so if you have any fun ideas for a one-year-old and the sensory bins, let me know (anything he won’t put in his mouth!) 

A few weeks ago, I pulled together some DIY projects for his first birthday
 Flying!!! How is he so big already?

One project I finished last week was painting this dark blue entry table in a concrete color. I was never a fan of the blue, and even though I had 100 other things to do, I grabbed a paintbrush and started painting. It only took about an hour, which was good! I love that it isn’t such an eyesore when I’m standing in the kitchen anymore. 
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If you missed the birthday party photos, check out the blog here! It was a blast 🙂 

On Saturday morning, I prepared all my sourdough starters for Sunday morning’s cinnamon roll sale. 
strawberry festival fort mill South Carolina, fort mill strawberry festival, South Carolina blogger, fort mill mom, fort mill blogger, what to do in fort mill, the best of fort mill, family in fort mill, lifestyle blogger Before it got too hot out that Saturday, we headed down to Fort Mill’s Strawberry Festival with our family visiting from Jersey. strawberry festival fort mill South Carolina, fort mill strawberry festival, South Carolina blogger, fort mill mom, fort mill blogger, what to do in fort mill, the best of fort mill, family in fort mill, lifestyle blogger The most delicious strawberries! strawberry festival fort mill South Carolina, fort mill strawberry festival, South Carolina blogger, fort mill mom, fort mill blogger, what to do in fort mill, the best of fort mill, family in fort mill, lifestyle blogger Bug’s and I split a grilled chicken wrap from one of the food trucks! strawberry festival fort mill South Carolina, fort mill strawberry festival, South Carolina blogger, fort mill mom, fort mill blogger, what to do in fort mill, the best of fort mill, family in fort mill, lifestyle blogger And I came for the coffee! I grabbed an oat milk cold brew from Knowledge Perk. strawberry festival fort mill South Carolina, fort mill strawberry festival, South Carolina blogger, fort mill mom, fort mill blogger, what to do in fort mill, the best of fort mill, family in fort mill, lifestyle blogger My little strawberry!strawberry festival fort mill South Carolina, fort mill strawberry festival, South Carolina blogger, fort mill mom, fort mill blogger, what to do in fort mill, the best of fort mill, family in fort mill, lifestyle blogger My family!
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After cooling down at the house and hanging out, we headed to The Fish Market in Baxter Village for dinner. Bug’s and I split the salmon salad with cheesy risotto.


On Sunday morning, our family headed out to meet some of their friends, and I woke up at 3:30 am to get started on Sunday’s cinnamon rolls! They sold out in one minute and twenty seconds! It was so fun delivering them. I’ve been keeping up with all of my baking ventures on TikTok! so follow me over there if you don’t already. I’m @taralynntiktoks
After dropping off the rolls and cleaning up the kitchen, I headed out on a walk with bugs, and then we swung in the backyard for a bit before nap time.

During his nap, I rode the Peloton, had coffee while writing thank you notes from the party, and baked some chocolate chip cookies to go with the notes!
baby and mommy pool day, pool snacks, what to pack to the pool, summer fun, summer with toddler, mommy and me, pool time, south Carolina, summer fun, lifestyle bloggerWhen our family returned later that evening, we ate a great dinner at Naf Naf. They have the best salads, and Buggy loves the pita bread with chicken.
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Breakfast on his picnic table he got for his birthday 🙂
baby and mommy pool day, pool snacks, what to pack to the pool, summer fun, summer with toddler, mommy and me, pool time, south Carolina, summer fun, lifestyle blogger
It’s officially pool season here! It has been HOT, and I have a little swimmer here. He is obsessed with the pool, and I have a feeling we’ll be coming here all summer long. It’s great for keeping him entertained, and he sleeps like a rock on the nights we go. It’s nice that our neighborhood has a baby pool.
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I’ve been trying to make big meals in bulk for him and me, but I’m running out of ideas. Let me know what some good toddler foods are! He’s just decided he hates pasta, no more eggs, cheese is slimy, and vegetables are bland. I will attempt a veggie chicken nugget this evening, so I’ll keep you posted! baby and mommy pool day, pool snacks, what to pack to the pool, summer fun, summer with toddler, mommy and me, pool time, south Carolina, summer fun, lifestyle blogger
He eats better when we are not in the high chair. He thinks eating in the living room on his picnic table or on my lap is fun.
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He loves his pop-it books!! baby and mommy pool day, pool snacks, what to pack to the pool, summer fun, summer with toddler, mommy and me, pool time, south Carolina, summer fun, lifestyle bloggerAnother day, another afternoon pool sesh. One fantastic mom hack is to freeze sliced oranges before heading to the pool, and it keeps him busy for about twenty minutes on the pool chair. He is a big fan of oranges! baby and mommy pool day, pool snacks, what to pack to the pool, summer fun, summer with toddler, mommy and me, pool time, south Carolina, summer fun, lifestyle blogger
I brought a homemade multi-grain wrap with turkey, bacon, cheese, lettuce, peppers, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, avocado, and mayonnaise.

After I got Buggy out of the bath, I handed him off to Kyle to get my Peloton ride in. So far, I’ve been LOVING Bradley’s pop-punk classes. It brings me back to my high school days. Now that it’s getting super hot here in the mornings, I’ve pushed bedtime earlier; that way, he wakes up around 6:30 am so we can get in an hour’s walk with Leo before it gets too hot here. 

 
Grumples shined down to say hello on his two-year heavenly birthday. I can’t believe it’s been two years without him. I miss him every single day.
 
The morning stroll around the backyard is so peaceful. I can’t wait to see what it looks like in a few more years.
My garden beds are taking off!
 
My little helper.
We headed to Wilsons Garden Center to grab some carrot seeds, and he had so much fun watching the bees buzz around him.  Later that afternoon, we met with his best friend for a pool day. garbage truck The best time of the week, trash truck!!! We always have treats for our garbage, man! This time, we have him a bunch of peanut brittle 🙂  Blueberries from my garden!
you need this cinnamon churros
We skipped our evening walk to the pool and playground for fun.
kale ceasar salad
Once the Bug was asleep, I made a chicken and kale Caesar salad.
Betty buzz peas, garden growing,
One of my girlfriends and I sat on the porch to chat and enjoy a delicious Betty Buzz.
sourdough starter Another Saturday, another sourdough starter prep! fort mill farmers market We headed to the first Fort Mill Farmer’s Market on Saturday morning! We came rolling in style. fort mill farmers market But first? Iced Chai oat milk latte from Humble Cup! fort mill farmers market We tried the breakfast sandwich from Flipped, and it was probably one of the best things I’ve ever had. It had a fried egg, cheese, and bacon wrapped in a flapjack with maple syrup. It was unbelievable!! And the pancake was so fluffy and buttery, and I’ll never be able to eat a regular pancake again without comparing them.
little brittle peanut brittle little brittle, maple cinnamon pecan brittle On Saturday, I got to work on some brittle orders! I made my maple cinnamon pecan and peanut brittle!
little brittle sourdough cinnamon rolls
I was up at 3 am on Sunday to finish all of the Mother’s Day cinnamon rolls!

This is my happy place! This is precisely what I wanted to be doing on Mother’s Day! I love to bake 🙂

SO GOOD!!
 I sold out in 20 minutes! 🙂 

I had 30 boxes of cinnamon rolls to deliver! Again, if you want to see more about this process, follow me on TikTok!
 


I finished by 10 🙂

For dinner, we had chicken enchiladas!

And some very yummy chocolate chip cookies with the help of my Bug!

My morning cuddles! I love him so much!

A playdate with his best friend!

We’ve been utilizing this water table! I put some carrot seeds and zinnias in the ground while he played!

My mom started a few more tomato plants and eggplants for me to add to some empty spots in the garden. I need to get some peppers to replace the strawberry plants this week, and then I’ll be all set! I cannot wait to see this thing grow!
 


He already loves digging in the dirt and touching the leaves!
 
Since Kyle was out of town last week, I took over Tux’s morning walks!

I got a cute new crockpot for Mother’s Day! I made a delicious Tuscan chicken and potato soup with it, which was to die for!
 
We were wiping out more hours at the pool! And there is nothing better than ending the week with THE BEST PIZZA IN FORT MILL!! King of Fire is fantastic. We did a family walk down to the neighborhood clubhouse, picked up our pizza, and sat by the fire since it was chilly. 

I hope you all have the best weekend! I can’t wait to share more about all the fun life changes here! 

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Sprouting to One | Our Baby Boy’s First Birthday Party! https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/05/08/sprouting-to-one-our-baby-boys-first-birthday-party/ https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/05/08/sprouting-to-one-our-baby-boys-first-birthday-party/#comments Mon, 08 May 2023 16:53:24 +0000 https://simplytaralynn.com/?p=79588

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Can you believe my little bug is already one year old?! It feels like yesterday when I brought them home for the first time. Looking back on the past year, I can’t believe how fast it went. People are not kidding when they say time flies when you’re a parent.

But you know what? I’m so grateful for all the memories and experiences that my bug has brought into my life. Seeing him grow and learn has been one wild and fun journey. As much as it can be a little bittersweet watching him grow up so quickly, each new stage of growth brings its own set of joys and challenges. I’m excited to see what the future has in store for him. 

Sprouting to One First Birthday Theme

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To add to the theme, my friend let me borrow her vintage highchair for some adorable photo ops, which turned out precious. I crafted a cute high chair garland out of material and felt veggies, and to top it off, I found this huge wooden carrot on sale for only $7 at Michaels in the Easter section. I flipped it around and painted it to match the theme perfectly. I know he won’t remember much of his first birthday, so I wanted to keep everything inexpensive.

Since we did the balloons early in the morning, they kept popping all day. I think I’ll splurge for a professional next time! But they did the trick and looked cute. baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog
He woke up from his nap 30 minutes before the party. He is always hungry when he wakes up, so I had a feeling he’d be going straight for the cake.


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I had been going in and out of the house to get all the food ready before guests came over, so I forgot to change out of my house slippers. His little overalls are from Zara, and his shirt is from Old Navy. Anytime I see a garden-themed outfit, I have to get it for him.
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baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog I put together a table of food for my friends and neighbors.

The SPROUTING TO ONE menu!

Vegetable tray with hummus, garlic hummus, and avocado.
Colorful Bean Chips with Salsa
Crackers
Fruit Platter
Fruit Snacks
Carrot Cake
Baby Smash Cake
Lemon Mint Blackberry Cucumber Water
Turkey Bacon Club Sandwiches on Homemade Sourdough Bread
Iced Carrot Sugar Cookies!
baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blogbaby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog I did some baking and preparation for the party the night before, including making the cookies, cakes, and sourdough dough. I made a healthier option for the smash cake recipe using bananas, carrots, oats, almond flour, coconut oil, peanut butter, cinnamon, and eggs. I topped it off with a frosting of coconut whipped cream and plain organic cream cheese. If you’re interested, I can even write a recipe blog for it! I will share my carrot cake recipe soon because it was to die for.
baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog
I love that Trader Joe’s has colorful veggies! It made the platter so pretty and colorful.
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baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog
The sandwiches were made with my freshly baked sourdough bread, cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion, white cheddar cheese, bacon, maple turkey, mayonnaise, and guacamole.
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I loved that the little smash cake was a replica of the big cake. I used the colorful carrots from Trader Joe’s to decorate the top and added some chopped pecans to the bottom.
baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog
The little carrot cookies turned out pretty cute! Those were easy to make the night before. I found that cookie cutter for fifty cents at Michaels in the Eater section.
baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog
baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog No one can convince me that Annie’s doesn’t make the BEST fruit snacks. baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blogbaby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog
I’ll be drinking infused water all summer long!
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baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog
These cuties!
baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog
He was SO READY for that cake!
baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog
We sang happy birthday, and then he went to town on the cake.
baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog He was so cute. He kept laughing and clapping the entire time. He was a big fan of the frosting. baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog
He did try to pick it up!baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blogbaby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog

We honestly had the best day, and it was so lovely that our friends and family were there to celebrate!
baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog
baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blogOn my first birthday, my parents surprised me with a delicious carrot cake. I have a photo of me with cake smeared all over my face! I have a feeling my dad might have been the one who picked it out, as carrot cake happens to be his favorite. And you know what? Now it’s my favorite cake flavor too! Not only did it perfectly match the party’s theme, but it’s just hands down the most delicious cake flavor ever! Maybe it will be Buggy’s favorite when he’s older.
baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog

baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blog baby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blogbaby's first birthday, may good things grow, sprouting to one, locally grown, themed first birthday party, outdoor birthday party, garden party, baby first birthday gardening party, baby boy birthday idea, baby boy, cake smash, healthy baby birthday cake, cake smash recipe, healthy cake, party spread, birthday party on a budget, easy affordable birthday party for one year old, first birthday party diy, garden arches, baby's party, carrot cake, carrot themed birthday party, food for party, simply taralynn, baby boy turns one, cake smash outfit, lifestyle blogger, mom blogI want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for helping me navigate my first year as a mom! I’ve never felt more supported by any community before, and it’s amazing how a bunch of strangers you’ve never met can come together to offer words of encouragement and help you keep pushing forward. It just goes to show that it really does take a village. Thank you so much, guys!

Questions for you!

  1. Do you know which flavor of cake you had on your first birthday?
  2. What questions do you have for me about my first year of parenthood?
  3. What is a fun first birthday theme idea you have?

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Happy Monday! Today was one of those afternoons where I just couldn’t resist the temptation of a third cup of coffee. Usually, I’m pretty good at sticking to my two-cup limit, but today I needed that warm, comforting drink to help me power through the rest of the day.

I have 30 minutes before Bugs wakes up, which allows me to focus on this recap blog. Even though I should be preparing the house for our family’s visit this weekend, I work best under pressure and tend to procrastinate until the deadline.

A few Fridays ago, we met up with one of my good friends who has a boy around Bug’s age for an afternoon by the pool. Even though it’s chilly this week, I’m excited that our neighborhood pool has officially opened up. I look forward to early morning swims and coffee by the pool since Bugs loves the water. 
On Saturday morning, after our Costco run, we went to Sunflour Baking Co for lunch.
 I ordered an oat milk cappuccino and a blueberry muffin! 
Kyle and I split a club sandwich on multigrain bread and ordered a grilled cheese for Buggy.
 I still haven’t potted my plants this year or added much to the garden, but look at the roses! I’m taking a little break from adding flowers this year since I wanted to focus on my backyard vegetable garden, which is thriving!
 

Kyle’s mom got Bugs a water table for his birthday, and we put it in his playpen since we had days of rain, and it’s been a hit! I’m thinking we need one just for the playpen. 

On Saturday afternoon, I made a light version of banana cream pudding, which was so good. 

We had roasted vegetables, grilled chicken Caesar salad wraps, and blueberry mint Kombucha on Sunday night.
 

I bought these fun climbing shapes on Amazon! HE LOVES THEM, and swapping out the toys I keep in his playpen has been super helpful for keeping him entertained at home. 
 We went on a super long walk on Sunday evening!  We met up with Lulu and Sam on Monday morning for another long walk! It’s so nice to have a walking buddy a few days a week! It keeps me motivated to keep moving. 
We love the sprinkler!
 

I did four nights of Peloton last week. I’m hoping I can do that again this week. I did 20 min, 20 min, 20 min, and 30 min. I’m trying to ease back into it, but I have a tight hamstring right now. I’m trying my best to rest. I am excited to hop back on for tonight’s ride tho! Once Bugs gets out of the bath, Kyle takes him to play, and I get my workout in before we take a night walk. That has been the routine for the past few weeks. It changes based on his schedule. 

Sourdough French toast for breakfast!!
 

These popsicles have Stoneyfield smoothies, yogurt, and smashed bananas! They’re good! 

Bathtime is the best time!
 

These two are going to be trouble! They are so funny to watch when they play. 
 After doing a live class on Thursday, I headed to our Clubhouse to catch the food truck! I was so hungry and didn’t feel like cooking; so delicious Jamaican food it was!  The guys running this food truck were incredibly nice. I had rice, cabbage, stewed chicken, carrots, and the best french fries! It tasted so good!
  

On Saturday morning, I made snack cookies to take to the Jurassic Quest! They had bananas, peanut butter, cinnamon, and oats! 
 Before we left, I fed my sourdough starter to make the dough in the evening for Sunday cinnamon rolls.  Rainy day boys begging for some eggs! Oh, and you know they got them. Dinosaur, Jurassic Quest, Charlotte North Carolina, Charlotte Moms, motherhood, lifestyle blogger, Charlotte blogger, fort mill blogger, day in the life, weekend recap, weekly recap blog We headed out on Saturday morning to Jurassic Quest because we have a dino lover! 
Dinosaur, Jurassic Quest, Charlotte North Carolina, Charlotte Moms, motherhood, lifestyle blogger, Charlotte blogger, fort mill blogger, day in the life, weekend recap, weekly recap blog  Dinosaur, Jurassic Quest, Charlotte North Carolina, Charlotte Moms, motherhood, lifestyle blogger, Charlotte blogger, fort mill blogger, day in the life, weekend recap, weekly recap blog
He loved it and kept laughing at the scary dinos. I think he thinks they are dogs, which he also loves.

We grabbed lunch at Oh My Soul before heading home, and this spot is always delicious and adorable!
 
 
I had their oat milk lavender latte, which was amazing, the spring rolls, and a Buckeye brownie!
 

When I got home, I started the dough for the cinnamon rolls and the sourdough bread. I absolutely love baking and always have! If you’ve been around since 2010, you probably remember all of the baking I did when first starting a blog.

Recently, I decided to get certified and a business license to start making baked goods to sell since I love it so much. I spent weeks studying my courses and passed my exam. I found a commercial kitchen that I’ll be joining in June, and I’ll keep you all posted on all of the upcoming projects and the big one I’ve been working on since December! I’m just really excited to do something I’m passionate about! I’m selling my baked goods locally for all the sourdough lovers. This doesn’t mean I’ll stop blogging at all; just a fun addition to the blog! More about this later, I promise! 
 I pretty much eat this daily.  The peach roses! 
Cinnamon rolls require a few hours to rise, so I get up around 4:30 to roll them out, fill them, and let them rise. 

I made many sourdough cinnamon rolls, and they sold out in five minutes! 

 
 I need to film a video of all my climbing roses in the back, but these orange ones are more beautiful than they’ve ever been!  
After all the crazy baking on Sunday, I headed to Belmont for lunch with my good friend, Emily! She’s expecting in late summer, and I cannot wait! 
 
We had the yummiest lunch at the Everyday Market, and the quiche was to die for!

Little explorer!

He is a big fan of dogs, and he loved her little ones.
 SO CUTE!!! 

I ended Sunday with a long walk, sparkling water, and unhealthily scrolled through TikTok until I fell asleep. 🙂

I can’t believe my sweet boy turns one this week! I’ll share some photos from his little celebration this weekend in the next recap! xo 

Questions for you!

  1. How was your weekend?
  2. What is one goal you have for this month?
  3. Is it pool season where you live?

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Neighborhood Petting Zoo, Pool Day & Toddler Breakfast Bars https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/04/20/neighborhood-petting-zoo-pool-day-toddler-breakfast-bars/ https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/04/20/neighborhood-petting-zoo-pool-day-toddler-breakfast-bars/#comments Thu, 20 Apr 2023 18:20:42 +0000 https://simplytaralynn.com/?p=79350

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It looks like we’re in for a scorching hot week ahead, with the temps hitting almost 90! It’s rare for us to experience days that are perfect at a mild mid-70s temperature, but that’s just how the South rolls – always dramatic! Can you imagine how much hotter it’ll get in a month or two when the temps shoot up by a good twenty degrees? Summers around here are simply sizzling! I don’t think I’m ready for it. 

Over the last few days, we’ve been hanging around the house, taking multiple long walks, attempting to tackle some work, and doing my best to keep our energetic kid entertained. He’s down to one nap a day now, so my day just flies by! I know I should be fitting work or laundry in when he goes down for his nap, but sometimes I’m so overstimulated that I just want to grab a cup of coffee and stare at the wall. Is anyone else relating? Haha! As he gets older, he demands more attention and supervision, and he’s also learning to express new emotions. His personality is so big that he always makes me laugh with the silly things he does. I didn’t realize I was getting a built-in comedian.

Our day is scheduled. 

We do morning routine, breakfast, walks, playtime, lunch, and then he goes down for his 2-3 hour nap. 

I feel super fortunate that he loves walks. It’s the only time of the day that he’s calm! 

I managed to fit in some lettuce seeds last week, and we finally have some sprouts everyhwere in the garden beds. 

Every day, I try to do a new little activity with him, and I use Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and blogs for ideas. It’s funny that this one was his favorite – I filled a pan with water and added some of his toys. It was such a simple activity, but he played with it for twenty minutes. Usually, if I put him on a blanket, he crawls away within seconds. He’s the worlds biggest wiggle worm.

And yes, his shirt is on backward thanks to my husband lol

On Saturday morning, I went to Riverwalk for a walking date. We walked 4 miles before the sun came up, which was so beautiful! I need to make this a part of my weekend routine.

After our walk, we went to Poppyseed Kitchen for breakfast! I ordered the local breakfast, which came with THE MOST DELICIOUS rosemary potatoes, two eggs, a homemade biscuit, and bacon! I also ordered the savory toast.

On my way home, I grabbed an oat milk cappuccino from Humbl Cup and started setting up some fun outdoor water activities for Bugs! He is obsessed with water and LOVED playing outside before his nap. I always add all of his fun toys to my Amazon shop


My sweet neighbor let us borrow their water table, and Bugs was loving it! He may have one coming for his birthday…
 
He stayed entertained for hours outside with me! I love when he’s having fun. Kyle brought out his lunch, and we hung out before putting him down for his nap. 

For dinner, we made grilled jalapeno cheddar turkey burgers with sweet potatoes! Of course, when he woke up from his nap, we spent even more hours outside playing in his pool area! We didn’t add water since it was a bit windy.

I woke up early on Sunday to work on a few planting projects and took Bugs with me in his car. He LOVES this little car. Honestly, the hand-me-downs from neighbors have been some of his favorite things!

After the rain on Sunday morning, we went to the neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt event. It had been rescheduled since it rained on a Saturday it was initially planned. We took photos with the Easter Bunny and fed the little animals. The donkey was our favorite!
We made homemade pizza and hung out around the house for the rest of the day!

On Monday morning, I made some toddler breakfast bars! I’ll be posting this easy recipe soon! These were a hit! He ate like 5 of them with his scrambled eggs. I’m going to make a zucchini version for him tomorrow. UPDATE – Here is the recipe!
 
We love taking breaks on our long walks for some shade and water breaks.

My first strawberry!


I made yummy sourdough on Monday to eat for the week! I loved all of your feedback on my sourdough recipe! It’s one of my favorite blogs, and I’m so happy you’ve had success! Sourdough can be frustrating when starting, but once you get the hang of it, you won’t stop! 

Water table time has been a MUST every day this week!

My latest obsession is the Betty Buzz drinks. I cannot stop drinking them; they are just so delicious! My favorite flavor is the lemon-lime one.

I look forward to having my daily Betty Buzz, and I highly recommend you guys try them too!
My sweet friend and neighbor have a son a few months behind Bugs, and we love getting them together. They were both so funny in the pool splashing around yesterday.
 Orange break!

I try making dinner that we all can eat, and I try to eat my meals simultaneously with Bugs. 

After dinner, I bathe him, take a long evening walk, let him play in the playpen for half an hour, and then we head upstairs to start our bedtime routine, which includes reading a book, putting on pajamas, and having a bottle before bed.
After bedtime, I grab my Betty Buzz and sit on the porch for half an hour before heading upstairs to bed! I love going to bed early. That way, I have a few hours to myself in the morning.

I hope you all have the BEST weekend! I have some fun news coming soon (not pregnant!) and can’t wait to share it! Stay tuned! 

Questions for you!

  1. Do you get super hot summers?
  2. Do you LOVE where you live? If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
  3. Have you tried to make sourdough yet?

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Easter Weekend, Gardening, and Life https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/04/10/easter-weekend-gardening-and-life/ https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/04/10/easter-weekend-gardening-and-life/#comments Mon, 10 Apr 2023 17:52:12 +0000 https://simplytaralynn.com/?p=79222

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Hey everyone, Happy Monday!

We had a weekend filled with cold weather and rain! Thankfully, the skies cleared up just in time for Easter on Sunday. It was nice to see the sunshine in the morning. I threw the bread in the oven for our dinner later, cleaned up the house a little bit, and then set up all the goodies from the Easter Bunny. I had such a special time celebrating Easter as a mom this year. Last year, I was heavily pregnant and super uncomfortable, so it was a blessing to enjoy it fully this time!

Now that my bug is down for his nap, I’m going to share some photos from the past few days! 
I had a blast putting together my son’s Easter basket; he even got some extra gifts from our family. Let’s be honest; the gummies and trail mix were for Kyle and me. Easter Sunday, Baby's first easter, easter basket, baby's first easter basket, baby spring, motherhood, springtime, big fat easter bunny, South Carolina, North Carolina, blogger, motherhood We found him the chubbiest bunny! He loves it and keeps giving it hugs. He enjoyed crawling all around the grass, picking up the Easter eggs. Sunday Easter, Easter Sunday, Sunday Brunch, Easter Lunch, EASTER brunch, healthy easter food, healthy easter meal, healthy easter holiday brunch, chicken salads, hard boiled, deviled eggs, roasted carrots with balsamic, sourdough breadI whipped up a delicious and healthy dinner last night – a garden salad with balsamic and oil dressing, along with some toasted sourdough slices, grilled chicken, and roasted carrots drizzled with a balsamic glaze. Yum!
Sunday Easter, Easter Sunday, Sunday Brunch, Easter Lunch, EASTER brunch, healthy easter food, healthy easter meal, healthy easter holiday brunch, chicken salads, hard boiled, deviled eggs, roasted carrots with balsamic, sourdough bread Sunday Easter, Easter Sunday, Sunday Brunch, Easter Lunch, EASTER brunch, healthy easter food, healthy easter meal, healthy easter holiday brunch, chicken salads, hard boiled, deviled eggs, roasted carrots with balsamic, sourdough bread Sunday Easter, Easter Sunday, Sunday Brunch, Easter Lunch, EASTER brunch, healthy easter food, healthy easter meal, healthy easter holiday brunch, chicken salads, hard boiled, deviled eggs, roasted carrots with balsamic, sourdough breadSunday Easter, Easter Sunday, Sunday Brunch, Easter Lunch, EASTER brunch, healthy easter food, healthy easter meal, healthy easter holiday brunch, chicken salads, hard boiled, deviled eggs, roasted carrots with balsamic, sourdough bread Sunday Easter, Easter Sunday, Sunday Brunch, Easter Lunch, EASTER brunch, healthy easter food, healthy easter meal, healthy easter holiday brunch, chicken salads, hard boiled, deviled eggs, roasted carrots with balsamic, sourdough bread
I made Hop Water mocktails with lemon, cucumber, and strawberries.
Sunday Easter, Easter Sunday, Sunday Brunch, Easter Lunch, EASTER brunch, healthy easter food, healthy easter meal, healthy easter holiday brunch, chicken salads, hard boiled, deviled eggs, roasted carrots with balsamic, sourdough breadI changed things up this Easter and decided to skip making a cake, which I usually do. Instead, we went for some delicious strawberries, vanilla pudding, and whipped cream. It was a tasty and refreshing dessert option! It is strawberry season here, and they are so juicy and flavorful.


After dinner, we headed out on a family walk, and then once Bugs went down for bed, we caught up on Love is Blind. I’m not sure how I feel about this season! 
Doing this recap backward, but oh well! 

Last weekend, some of my friends and I decided to put together a basket for a friend who has been going through it. I cooked up a batch of gluten-free creamy garlic pasta with sweet tomatoes and arugula, served with some garlic green beans on the side. And for a sweet finish, I baked my classic chocolate chip cookies, but with gluten-free flour. Hopefully, the care package brought some joy and comfort to our friend! I have to share with you all how gorgeous my tulips look this week! The tulips are still in full bloom, and I can’t believe how late some of them are still flowering this spring. 
I love these little mornings with him! I usually have about one second to take his photo before he tries to eat a rock. I put him in the outdoor playpen when I need to work outside. Today, I have a few trees I will plant, so I plan to put him out there with me! He loves being outside, making it a little easier to get things done.
 We have some strawberries! 

Now that it’s warmer in the mornings, we’ve been going for a walk once he wakes up. We do a quick mile and then come back for breakfast! 
We both love having banana egg pancakes with blueberries and peanut butter!  

 
I told you this recap was so out of order and backward. On the rainy Saturday, we had lunch at Chopt, then stopped by Sumac Coffee to grab oat milk cappuccinos and a carrot cake! 🙂 

Questions for you! 

  1. Did you have a good Easter Sunday?
  2. What is your favorite thing to make on Easter?
  3. Did you do anything fun for Spring Break this year?

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Helping Grandma and Grandpa Feed the Farm Animals https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/04/06/visiting-farm-york-southcarolina-blog/ https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/04/06/visiting-farm-york-southcarolina-blog/#comments Thu, 06 Apr 2023 15:29:26 +0000 https://simplytaralynn.com/?p=79177

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Hi, I’m going to try and start blogging more day-in-the-life style. Instead of waiting two weeks to share photos, I want to hop on at the end of the day a few times a week and share in the moment, just like the good ole days of blogging. This will help keep the blogs frequent, and they’ll take less time to edit and write. Sometimes, sharing photos is my favorite thing to do, and you don’t need a ton of paragraphs to make it worthwhile. chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhoodYesterday, Bugs and I headed out to visit my parents on the farm. They have a neighbor with the cutest goats and chickens they care for when she’s away. I decided to drive there and bring Bugs to see the farm animals since he loves animals! He reaches out for them and is so fearless. chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhood First off, look how stunning this tree branch arbor is! I will make sure to go back and get photos of the roses when they are in bloom.chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhood Of course, we had to bring the little blue car he is OBSESSED with! It was so cute because the chickens greeted him at the gate, and he started babbling to them. I know parents think their kids do the funniest things, but he is hilarious and loves getting reactions from us. chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhood The sweetest goat mamas! They will have their babies next month, and I can’t wait to hold them! They are so adorable and gentle. They followed us around the entire time and just wanted rubs. chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhood
The prettiest chickens! 
chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhood chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhood chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhoodchickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhoodHe’s going to be one next month! HOW!! I started planning his SUPER SMALL birthday celebration. I’m just making him a cute cake, going to attempt a balloon arch, and making a fresh lunch for the family. I will share all of the DIY after his party. I know first birthdays are a big deal, but I’m keeping it low-key, and I’ll try not to cry! chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhood chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhood This goat was wild! He’s the dominant male with a ton of energy. He jumped up behind me and ate a big chunk of my hair, but at least it gave my dad a good laugh. chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhood chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhood chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhoodchickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhood
My ten-year goal is to have a house in the country with a chicken coop! I’d probably have a few chickens if our HOA allowed it now.
chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhood He’ll be running after all of them when he’s on the move. chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhood chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhood chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhood chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhoodchickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhoodBefore heading home, I got the coffee and a grand tour of my parent’s new backyard garden. They expand it every year; this year, it’s bigger than ever! I’ll share photos when everything starts to bloom in a few weeks. chickens, farm, goats, York south Carolina, fort mill south Carolina, baby on the farm, feeding the chickens, goats, chicken coop, fort mill blogger, Charlotte blogger, York county blogger, day int he life, photo update, motherhoodAnd the best part is coming home with three dozen fresh eggs! Time to make some vegetable quiche tonight! 

 

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Farm Visits, Sunset Yoga, Lunch Dates, and Spring Gardening https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/03/31/farmvisits-lifestyleblog-yoga-fortmill/ https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/03/31/farmvisits-lifestyleblog-yoga-fortmill/#comments Fri, 31 Mar 2023 14:50:31 +0000 https://simplytaralynn.com/?p=78974

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Good morning! Can you believe March is almost over? The time is going by way too fast, and I’m about to have a one-year-old soon! I cannot believe it. What they say about time is true, especially after becoming a parent. The days are not long enough! I have my sweet boy down for a nap, my coffee is nice and hot, and it’s the perfect time to fit in a recap blog to catch you all up on the past few weeks.

The sweet comments on my last recap blog meant so much to me! It’s so lovely to hop on here when I can, and I love that you guys have supported that. So many of my favorite bloggers have quit blogging recently, and started posting only to social media, and it makes me sad. I didn’t want to do the same, so I’m trying to keep up as much as possible.
 It was cold and rainy on St. Patrick’s Day. I picked up my mom early in the morning to grab a coffee and walk around the Bush N’ Vine farm before the weather got bad. Bugs is obsessed with chickens and any animal. He was making the funniest sounds trying to talk to the chickens.  If our HOA allowed it, I would totally get a chicken coop.

 
We also treated ourselves to a delicious green donut to celebrate the day. 
 We decided to stop and have lunch at the Garden Cafe before making it back before nap time. 

Bugs loves food, so it’s fun going places with him. He wants to eat anything and everything. I ordered chicken breast and cut it up for him, and he ate every bite. He also loved the mandarins. The other night, I made him a baby-friendly chicken salad with shredded chicken, chopped spinach, dillweed, lemon, black pepper, garlic, greek yogurt, tomatoes, and chopped onion. He was OBSESSED! I must try the same recipe using hardboiled eggs since he also loves those.
The Garden Cafe has the best coffee and dessert. I said no to the pie since Kyle wasn’t there to help me eat it, but I did not say no to their coffee! It was only my second cup for the day, and I needed it badly. 
 
Bugs decided he wasn’t going to nap that afternoon, so I put him in the skip hop during my 20-minute Peloton ride. He is obsessed with watching the petals and listening to music. He starts clapping and doing the squat baby dance. I usually have about 20 minutes until he’s over it, but it’s still enough time to fit in a great workout.

Later in the afternoon, I did some more seedlings with my leftover egg cartons. 
I made some delicious salads and mocktails on Friday night. I need to get that recipe up asap! There is nothing better than homemade restaurant-style ranch. 

We headed to the St. Patrick’s Day festival in Baxter Village on Saturday afternoon. It is a stunning time of year with all the blooming trees and warm weather! 
 I am just one big jungle gym to him. Does anyone else have a child who is always on the move and never stops wiggling?
I love him so much!
For dinner on Saturday night, I made a giant taco salad platter. It had all the best taco toppings (but I forgot the jalapenos) and a taco ranch. Let me know if you want me to post this recipe, too! I wish I had 1000+ hours in the day or the ability to stay up past 8 pm. 
Sometimes, I feel like making a cake. We enjoyed diving into this peachy pineberry almond buttercream cake. I’ll be sharing this recipe soon! It was so good. Cake is one of my favorite desserts. I’d choose it over anything! It was so pretty with the pineberries and peaches. I want to make it all summer long! 

The pups had their grooming appointment on Sunday, so we decided to walk the trail while they had their haircuts. We treated ourselves to warm soup and fresh pasta from Blend at the Riverwalk afterward. 

Sunday sourdough! Today, I have a whole wheat with nuts and seeds in the works for my dad. If it turns out delicious, I’ll post that recipe soon! But if you missed it, I finally have my sourdough bread recipe up! Seeing photos of your loaves and hearing your feedback made me so happy! 

I headed to a local coffee shop to finish the sourdough bread blog and complete a work project for a few hours. My mom has been so kind to come over a few hours a week to help watch Bugs while I do some work. 

My sweet neighbor gave Bugs this push car since her boys have grown out of it, and he is absolutely obsessed. It’s all he wants to do in the morning, day, and night. I push him around the backyard and down the sidewalk, and he loves it! 
 To make meals more manageable, I’ve been making food for him that we all eat. It’s too much to make separate meals, and it has me eating so much healthier. His favorite is no sodium organic tomato sauce, spaghetti squash, garlic powder, ground beef, zucchini, and a sprinkle of organic parmesan cheese. I made a giant batch for the family to eat for a few days. He gets SO MESSY since I let him eat with his fingers, but at least it’s before bathtime. 
 
One of his favorite breakfast foods is banana egg pancakes with oats, cinnamon, and peanut butter added. 
After a doctor’s appointment, my parents stopped by, and I made yummy steak salads. They had cast iron grilled steak, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, avocado, corn, everything but the bagel crackers, and creamy homemade ranch.
Tux is now a couch potato! I can’t believe he will jump up and cuddle so close. I never thought he’d get to this level! He keeps improving and improving!

I’m still on my Peloton kick! I’m entering week fifteen here soon and just as obsessed! I love hitting PRs and taking all the pop-punk classes available. A few mornings ago, I was so hungry after a ride that I had a plate of potatoes, apples, avocado, and a cheesy vegetable omelet. 

In the afternoon, when I get my crazy sweet tooth, I love having homemade healthy hot chocolate and rice cakes with peanut butter and honey. The hot chocolate has almond milk, cocoa powder, and honey.

Oats are another one of my favorite pre-workout or post-workout breakfasts. 

After doing dinner and bathtime with bugs, Kyle took over for bedtime so I could go to sunset yoga at the Greenway, and it was so beautiful and relaxing! 
I took my latest obsession, Hop Water, with me! This stuff is so good!!! The class was so relaxing, especially after being tackled all day by an eleven-month-old. 

After yoga, we did taco Tuesday at Taco Milino! 

Another rainy day called for yummy treats at The Goodlife Organic with my sweet boy! I had a kid’s smoothie and a breakfast bowl to share with him. He was also obsessed with the peanut butter energy ball. 
 
Book time before bed! He is in the opening and closing of the book phase right now. 

Homemade mini pancakes to put in the freezer for easy meals! These have whole wheat flour, eggs, cinnamon, almond milk, peanut butter, and banana. I microwave them for 20 seconds out of the freezer, and they are delicious! I usually serve them with fresh fruit and scrambled eggs. 

After an afternoon park date, we returned for some mommy and me lunch! We had eggs, black bean rice, and peaches! 

My tomatoes are ready for the transfer! 

Garden bug 🙂
We converted my office into a closet and changing room for bugs since it was easier to keep it all downstairs. This past weekend, I cleaned out the space and put everything back into his nursery. It feels so good to have my little office back! tulips, tulip garden, cottage garden, front yard flowers, plank cottage Enjoying the final day of my tulips! tulips, tulip garden, cottage garden, front yard flowers, plank cottage
Since the mornings have been nice lately, we’ve been taking early walks! I love catching the sunrise. 
 Of course, we must finish every walk with a cruise around the yard. When I stop, he starts turning the wheel and banging on the horn to get me to push him. It’s so funny.  So many tomato varieties! I cannot wait for the harvest this summer. 
Little beggar! 

I found some eggs in the tree next to my garden! They are so beautiful. We picked up Blend for dinner on Friday night to enjoy out on the patio. I bought a little folding chair for bugs, and it has a food tray. It’s super cute! I did the build-your-own salad with lettuce, chicken, cheese, onion, peppers, banana peppers, pesto, hummus, couscous, cucumber, mozzarella, and jalapeno ranch on the side. I am a dressing gal, but this salad had so much flavor I didn’t even need it. 

On Saturday, we headed to Flower Child for lunch. It was so good! I had the grilled chicken avocado caesar salad, and bugs had the kid’s plate with steak, mac and cheese, quinoa, and corn. He ate every single bite! We split the lemon pound cake muffin, and it was amazing! 

Sunday breakfast was blueberry oatmeal with peanut butter and cinnamon! I did my Peloton before catching up on some housework. 
Sunsets with my favorite 🙂 A few days ago, we headed to the gardens with my mom to walk around and have lunch by the pond. I am in love with Glencairn this time of year! We picked up the common market chicken salad and turkey sandwich with soup. We also had the oat milk lattes from Two Scoops for a much-needed pick-me-up. By the way, the Pineapple Spindrift was INCREDIBLE! 


My sweet boy! He loved watching the bees in the azalea bushes. He thought their buzzing sound was so funny.
    It’s crazy how fast life goes. I’ve been visiting this park for the past nine years, and now I’m visiting this park with my son. He makes it so much more special. 
 
Yesterday, I spent the afternoon putting my seedlings into the garden, and I cannot wait to see them grow!

I hope you all have the best weekend! I will try my best to sneak away and get some recipe blogs up soon!

Questions for you!

  1. Is there a place you have visited a lot in the past ten years?
  2. What are you most excited about for April?
  3. What is your favorite cake flavor?

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Catching up on Life, Garden Progress, & Fitness & Meals. https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/03/14/catching-up-on-life-garden-progress-fitness-meals/ https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/03/14/catching-up-on-life-garden-progress-fitness-meals/#comments Tue, 14 Mar 2023 11:00:53 +0000 https://simplytaralynn.com/?p=78630

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Hi, there!

We just returned from a chilly walk. Bugs is napping, I have my coffee, and the fireplace is turned on. It’s the perfect opportunity to put my workout and chores on the back burner and sit down to catch you all up on life. These recaps are more of a monthly thing these days, but at least we’re doing them! I’ve been having so much fun cooking new things, baking sourdough bread, hitting fitness goals, organizing, and spending all the time I can with my son. In a month and a half, he’ll be one. This year has flown by quickly; every minute with him is important to me. Time truly is a thief.

The first year as a mom is so tough, but it’s extremely rewarding. Not only are you taking care of a little human, but you must also take care of yourself. Even though I love my blog, it hasn’t been my top priority, and I’ve learned to hop on here intuitively. Mental health is important to me, especially now that I have someone else to look out for. So if I have time to hang out with my family or do something for myself while he naps, I usually do that instead. The blogs will be more frequent here soon since I have many recipes, adventures, garden blogs, and fitness progress to write about. I appreciate everyone who has stuck around to read, even if it’s not as frequent.

The good thing is that these recaps will be a lot longer since I’m catching you up on multiple weeks! I can’t promise they’ll be in order, but I’ll try my best! Let’s get into it. protein oatmeal  During the colder February mornings, I had a lot of blueberry pie protein oatmeal.

It had oats, vanilla plant-based protein powder, cinnamon, water, almond milk, blueberries, banana, and peanut butter. It was the best mid-morning breakfast after spending time on the Peloton. (add me on Peleton! @hellotaralynn)
sourdough bread turkey meatloaf, dinner ideas
While my dad was over helping Kyle with the garden beds, I made a giant turkey meatloaf, roasted potatoes, and a tossed salad for the family.
pizza, oats, healthy low carb pizza
Pizza is one of my favorite foods. We’ve been making a healthier supreme pizza with oat and flax lavash bread. The pizza has sauce, mozzarella, sausage, ham, pepperoni, red onion, and bell peppers, and baked in the oven at 400 degrees for about ten minutes. I could eat this every single night! I always have mine with a side salad. I always look forward to having this for dinner, and it’s all I can think about when I’m on the Peloton in the evening. If I miss my morning workout or can’t fit a ride in during naps, I hop on around 5 pm when Kyle gets home.
fresh inflammation juice fresh inflammation juice
I’ve been trying to make more inflammatory relief juices. I make a big batch on Monday and drink it all week long. Since strengthening my leg muscles, I’ve had less inflammation and pain around my knees.

This juice has ginger, apple cider vinegar, celery, cucumber, pineapple, lemon, apple, turmeric, carrots, cayenne, and oranges. It’s really good!
coffee, coffee in the garden, spring gardening Every day we get closer and closer to garden season. I am eager to start planting, but I’m waiting until the end of March. I do have all of my seedlings ready to be transplanted.

I plan to put some spring bulbs into the ground this weekend. I want to add more dahlias around the backyard. I had to transplant my peonies this year, and I hope they do better in their new full sun spots. If you read my garden blog, you know what I’m talking about!
high protein high fat breakfast
One of my favorite breakfast combos has been this lazy plate of over-medium eggs, avocado, everything but the bagel seasoning, and maple syrup! I sometimes add a slice of toasted sourdough bread. Maple syrup makes everything taste better.
 I love throwing together random salads when trying to avoid a grocery trip. It will be so nice to go outside and pick lettuce from the garden when the produce in the refrigerator is low. This salad had turkey, tomatoes, avocado, provolone, pepperoni, romaine, and balsamic glaze on top.

My seedlings needed to be thinned, and I’m already so proud of these little babies from seeds. It’s so easy to purchase plants at the nursery, but it’s even more rewarding to do them yourself by seed.

I made some bread for my parents, cinnamon raisin, jalapeno cheddar, and plain! I do plan to share my recipe this week.
 My little easter bunny. I had to keep him in the basket because he kept crawling away. He is always on the move!  Starbucks and Target? Yes, please!
 
He also loves a Trader Joe’s trip, but who doesn’t? He is obsessed with the puffed peanut snacks. I always let him have a few for his afternoon snack. Trader Joe’s has amazing produce options for his meals. He loves anything right now! I’m sure that will change soon.

We had our dirt delivered! I have the sweetest husband and must give him all the credit on this one. I showed him what I wanted, and he built everything in two weeks. It was my birthday gift, and he totally knocked it out of the park on this one. We need to get the trellis arbors up!

I met up with a friend in Waxhaw for coffee and lunch. We started at Virtuoso for a sweet treat and a chai oat latte. I had the oatmeal cookie with my latte, which was so delicious.

We walked over to Emmet’s Social Table for lunch. The weather was stunning, and we asked if we could sit outside.

I had fish tacos, kale salad, and we split shoestring fries and brussels sprouts. The food was amazing! We also have a location here in Fort Mill.

We walked around the town, and then I returned home after a grocery trip.

I love my Saturday mornings because I try to do a long one-hour ride on the Peloton and make a delicious breakfast after my shower. Kyle watches Bugs, so it gives me time to do things for myself for a few hours.
 This pot was screaming my name when I saw it at Homegoods. I wish they had another one, but I’m looking for a matching one!  My sweet boy loves watching the sunrise!
I’ve been eating much healthier because I try to make everything my son can eat. He LOVES broccoli, salmon, and potatoes! I mash his foods up and make them without the seasoning.

This is what most of my Saturday mornings look like! I’ve been sticking to my workouts for the past twelve weeks and have lost ten pounds so far. I gained a lot during my pregnancy, and I felt terrible about myself postpartum because my body wasn’t “bouncing back,” so I’ve been working my butt off this past year, and I am feeling SO SO SO much better! I’m feeling stronger than before having a baby, and I’m so grateful to Peloton for giving me a new healthy lifestyle. Being healthy mentally and physically makes me a better mom.
 I saw these frozen yogurt bites on Tiktok and had to try them! frozen baby treats Bugs is obsessed! I only give him a few at a time, so they don’t melt. It gets messy, but it’s so worth it!
 
Pizza night and cuddles with Tux. It’s crazy that he’s now lying on our couch. His progress is rewarding, and I can’t wait to see what he does next! While Kyle was out of town a few weekends ago, I took him on his morning walks, and he did well with me!
flower garden, vegetable garden, veggies
Sunrises! Gosh, I can’t wait until these boxes are filled with produce! I’m constantly daydreaming!
Hiking with Leo and Bugs! We have managed to fit in our 3-mile walk each day. Kyle and I have also been walking after bathtime and before bedtime, which I think helps him wind down before bed.

Yummy turkey sandwiches for lunch with my sourdough bread! Kyle and I love splitting a sandwich and salad for weekend lunch. The sandwich has avocado, mayo, American cheese, bacon, turkey, bell pepper, tomatoes, lettuce, onion, cucumber, and black pepper.
I sent him down to his trip with a tray of copycat Crumbl cookies! The Fresh Cooky recipe is to die for!
 
Walk with Tux! He’s afraid of the stroller, so I have to wear Bugs when we go.
 All of the tulips are up in my yard! Bugs love them. He tries to rip the tops off of them! Just checking out the dirt! I bought him a garden toy set from Amazon for him to play with this summer.  We had to go check out the peach trees together while on a date with Grandma! It’s crazy that everything is green and in bloom. Some of our trees have all of their leaves on them already.

Lucky to be his mama!
 He LOVES watching the ducks!  We stopped for dinner at Ilios in Baxter village. Bugs had his yogurt, rice, and some chicken. He does well sitting in the highchair with his food.

My mom stayed with us while Kyle was out of town, and we headed out on morning walks and evening walks!
 The weather was perfect, so we decided to head to Waxhaw for the morning.  Before exploring the shops, we had matcha lattes and a fruit tart at Virtuoso Coffee shop.   
Little fingers always reaching!

And he’s always happy while swinging! We have one for him in the backyard now.
 When we got home, I made a delicious vegetable and sausage quiche with a sourdough crust. Let me know if you want this recipe! It was so easy to make and even better as leftovers.

After bathtime, we headed out on a night walk. He’s cruising along the furniture, so it’s time to babyproof everything! Morning walk with Tux! One of his favorite breakfasts is banana and egg pancakes. I cut them into tiny pieces for him to feed himself, and he loves them!

I spent all day Sunday cleaning the house! It felt good to get everything back in its place.
 My little Mozart!  He’s OBSESSED with the piano and has been since he was little. I hope he has an interest in playing one day. 
Sourdough Saturday!
 When it’s 85 degrees, we have a pool day!

Kombucha for me! I need to jump on the homemade kombucha train since I have it every day. I love it.
 I had a salad for dinner, and he had cottage cheese, avocado, and rotisserie chicken.  Breakfast before a trail walk! I love my sourdough bread toasted with butter, avocado, cottage cheese, egg, and everything but the bagel seasoning on top. 
We did coffee at Grapevine and a five-mile walk on the Riverwalk trail.
 More seedlings! I love reusing egg cartons for my seeds.
 My blueberry and raspberry bushes are starting to bud. I’m so happy about fresh blueberries this year. I’m nervous about planting these in the ground, but let me know if you have any experience with planting berries.

On Saturday, Kyle and I treated ourselves to Inizio pizza and salad. It’s one of my favorites.

While we were walking the neighborhood, one of our neighbors had the CUTEST set up to wish their pup a happy birthday. It had balloons and doggy party favors for all the dogs in the neighborhood. I need to do this too! It’s so cute, and I love when people love their dogs this much. Only a few more weeks of these tulips! After they all die, I’ll replace them with zinnias around the tree. 🙂 

Thanks for stopping by to read!


Questions for you!

  1. Do you have any Spring flowers coming up?
  2. Have you ever tried Crumbl cookies?
  3. What is your favorite way to move your body?

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