Favorite Summer Recipes

Happy Friday! Linking up with Erika and Andrea for Friday Favorites! This week I'm sharing my favorite summer recipes :) 

Summer, I love you and your simple recipes.  We use the grill often in the summer, but there's always a need to try something new. Before babes, I usually made 3 new meals a week and 1 meal that I had made before.  Nate + I really enjoy trying new foods, whether it be at home cooking or out at a restaurant.  I've gotten a lot of my recipes from this wonderful blog world and thought I'd share a few of my favorites. 

First up, if you haven't visited Mix and Match Mama... you're totally missing out. When I first started learning how to cook, she was my go-to. She has an amazing way of making really good meals that are really simple :)  I still consistently check her out for new ideas, and to check on her adorable family too! 

One of my FAVORITE recipes I have made this summer is her Blackberry Brie Burgers. Nate and I really enjoy trying new food and a change up in burgers is the easy, summery way to do it! These were super easy and seriously amazing! 

Another FAVORITE recently has been this Summer Tortellini Salad.  It's super quick to make and I tend to eat it for dinner and then for lunches for a couple days.  It stays fresh for a few days in the fridge.  I love having it around so that I have a quick lunch while trying to juggle both boys :) Some days I can manage to make myself lunch, other days a quick lunch that I can just pull out and eat right away is just what I need! 

When Nate and I moved to Nashville, I really started to try new things in the kitchen.  I'm pretty sure that's when I got in my stride as far as cooking goes.  Don't get me wrong-- I made many things that were terrible, such as a black bean low-calorie soup that I took one bite of and refused to eat another {Nate ate it...he never complains + always eats whatever I make! He's a gem.}

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I worked hard on making healthy things and one of my go-to's was THIS healthy version of chicken salad sandwiches-- Pinterest for the win!  I love a good chicken salad but am generally picky about it.  This recipe is a healthy version with using greek yogurt (y'all...Greek Yogurt is heaven!).  If  you like chicken salad but try to stay away because of the unhealthy  nature of it...try this recipe.  Promise you'll love it and it'll be a FAVORITE of yours too!

So tell me, what are some of your favorite summer recipes?

xox,

Naomi

My {Short} Reading List

I'm not much of a reader.  I never have been, but I am slowly doing it more, even though I feel like I have less and less free time.  Funny how that works!  For the life of me, I can't get into fiction books...but I LOVE a good book that I feel helps me, molds me and makes me think deeper.  

I've had a little reading list on my phone and am slowly and I repeat slowly... getting through it. 

I read The Antelope in the Living Room and it's my favorite book I've ever read! Seriously! Since this book, I've realized there are good books out there, but they aren't always easy to find.  I just finished For The Love by Jen Hatmaker.  She's amazing and so is the book.  If you haven't read it, go get it now! 

"Bringing Up Boys" by James Dobson is what I'm reading now. I'm actually borrowing the book from my mother-in-law, who thought I might like it. What's weird? It was seriously on my list of things to get next time I was at the mall, so she gave it to me at the perfect time! I'm only about 2 chapters in because I'm a super slow reader because of one main thing:

I read at night...and considering Maddox still gets up every 3 hours, I'm a tired mama who falls asleep after about 10 minutes of reading :) 

Next up after this one is "Pray Big For Your Child" by Will Davis Jr. I've heard good things but honestly don't know much about it. I love the idea that the title gives though! Nate and I pray for both the boys every day, but the idea of praying for BIG things in their life is such a new way to do it! Looking forward to reading it...but don't count on it being too soon, I'm slow haha! 

So tell me...what are some of your favorite books to read that are non-fiction? They don't necessarily have to be about kids, parenting or marriage! 

xox,

Naomi

Favorite Things: Scarves

Linking up with Andrea and Erika to share a few of my favorite scarves! I'm beyond ready for fall weather.  It's fall in the calendar, fall in my house, and fall in my head...but these 80 degree temps can go! I'm ready for 60 degrees, sweaters, boots + of course, scarves :)

Am I the only one that feels like I own a ton of scarves, but I could always use more? Always.

 A few of my favorite scarves that I own..

 I got this mustard scarf last fall and I think it's from Forever21.  I love that it's thick but simple, so it goes with a lot of things.

I got this from Jane.com (if you don't know what it is, check it out!).  I don't remember the name of the shop (sorry!), but I was really looking for a good plaid scarf and scored this one.  You can't tell from the picture, but it's really soft & big.  Perfect!

I apologize about the lighting of this picture ;) This scarf I got from my mother-in-law, so I have no idea where she got it.  It's a light gray/slightly light purple color.  It's really light weight but is full and I think the little ball tassels make it fun!

A few scarves that are on my never-ending wish list ;)

This Fringe Scarf is a favorite of mine.  I have had a couple of blogger friends of mine post pictures of them in it, and I love how it just lays perfectly at all times.  It's also an infinity scarf, and those are my favorite :) The questions is, which color do I get???

I love the red & blue combination in this plaid scarf.  I also love the price.  Forever21 pretty much has the lowest prices on scarves.  I find that as I get older, I shop less at Forever21 because 1. I am NOT "forever21" and 2. It's cheap yes, but it also wears quickly.  So I prefer to pay a little more and have my clothes last.  However, their scarves are good quality and I haven't had any problem with them fraying or wearing out quickly.

I also really love this one.  I like that from far away it looks simple, but up close-- it's two-toned and has a little texture.  It also looks like a good weight to have for both fall and winter, and maybe even spring ;)

And who doesn't love a little bright pop of yellow in the fall/winter months? I love deep, dark colors for the fall/winter, but I also think a little pop of bright color can make your winter blues a little happier :) The asparagus color is right on point if you prefer to go with the fall color theme!

Tell me, what are your favorite scarves that you own or that you want?

xox,

Naomi

Favorite Things- Nail Polish

I decided to join in on the fun with this link-up party, by Erika and Andrea, that happens once a month. This month it is your favorite nail polish.  When I read this, I knew EXACTLY which one I wanted to share. It's been a favorite of mine for years.

Essie's "Fiji".

*Note: The color on my nails in the pic is not the same as in the bottle. I got Shellac done before vacation and it's still perfect, so it's not coming off yet :)

Essie is definitely my favorite brand.  OPI is probably a close second, but I feel like Essie has more "fun" colors-- but perhaps I'm just looking in the wrong spot? Not sure ;)

I first found Essie's "Fiji" color when watching Emily Maynard's season of "The Bachelorette". Reality tv is my weakness...and The Bachelorette is one of my favorites.  I loved the color on her nails SO much that I researched it to see what it was.  That, my friends, is true dedication.

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It was worth it though. It's my favorite and I get lots of compliments on it when I wear it.  When I lived in Nashville, one of my co-workers obsessed over it for so long but couldn't find it anywhere in the stores.  I came home to visit family and found it, so I bought her a bottle and myself a bottle.  Gotta help a girl out sometimes, right? :)

This is kind of random but I found this online and thought it might be interesting for anyone else who, like me, is obsessed with nail polish. It's the perfect way to see the differences in the brushes. I've never used Ingiot or Dance Legend...to be honest, never even heard of them.  Does anybody have an opinion on them? :)

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I love the light pink for spring/summer, but when fall/winter show up... OPI's "Lincoln Park After Dark" is my absolute favorite.  I'm positive that I'm not the only one that feels this way.  But JUST in case you have't heard of it...try it! You'll love it.   Also-- am I the only one to NOT use a base coat or top coat? I know it's horrible, but I just get impatient waiting for 4 layers to dry (base coat, 2 coats of color, and a top coat)!

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Join the link-up and tell us your favorites. I'd love to try a new color for spring/summer-- I'm thinking something mint-y??

xox,

Naomi