I can’t believe I’m getting this recap posted on a Monday! Things are getting much easier now that we’re exiting the 4th trimester and finally have this parenting thing down (KINDA.) I’m waiting for that regression everyone talks about but secretly hoping my child is one of the rare ones that doesn’t go through it. Hopeful thinking, right? Life has been super laid back lately, and I wish I had some exciting things to share with you, but just the go-to meals, gardening, and walks around the neighborhood. Because Bugs is so little, it’s hard to take him out for long periods, it’s 99+ degrees here, and when we have spare time, we like to catch up on laundry, house projects, and cleaning. When the weather cools down, we’ll be doing a lot more! 
I was excited to finish a gardening project I’ve longed to do for the past year. I will do a separate blog post and share all the photos, but I beautified the trees in our backyard last week. I was tired of the mulch getting everywhere since the dogs run around the trees, so I decided to build garden beds at the base, and I’m obsessed with how they turned out! It feels good to be doing yard work again. I love going out to deadhead the flowers with my coffee in the morning.
We still have plans to do a vegetable garden on the side of our house, but with the baby and my pregnancy, it’s on a bit of a hold. I’m hoping to start the building project next month.
The past few weeks have been filled with quick meals like wraps, salads, pancakes, eggs, salmon, roasted vegetables with chicken sausage, parfaits, smoothies, and protein oatmeal. We’ve also ordered from Ilios several times because they have the best chicken and rice plates.
One of our favorite meals from the week was roasted salmon with homemade pesto, jalapeno cream cheese, and dill on top! I think it would have been better in the air fryer, but it was still delicious! I will try to perfect this recipe and then share it. We did a spicy Thai salad kit on the side.
We wanted to get out of the house a few Saturdays ago, so we packed everything up and headed to the mall. When it’s 99 degrees outside, you get creative with activities. This was the first time putting on a dress and doing my hair since Easter!
I ordered an oat milk cappuccino from the Nordstrom cafe when we got there. I didn’t end up buying anything at the mall because I still need to lose my baby weight before spending money on clothes! I’m down 30lbs of the 50 and plan to work on the last 20 slowly and graciously. I’m not beating myself up, and I’m giving my body a year to get back to where it was (if it even will.) I don’t want to stress about dieting and working out during this time as a new parent. I want my focus to be on Bugs. Some things I’ve been doing that help are eating healthy but also treating myself, not counting any calories, walking in the mornings, and doing a postpartum workout video in the garage if I’m up for it at the end of the night. I think what helps is just being active during the day with housework, gardening, playing with Bugs, and stretching as much as I can. Gosh, I wish I had stretched more during my pregnancy! I feel so stiff after giving birth, and everything tightens up if I sit too long. Has anyone else had that happen to them?
And the best part of the day is just hanging out on the couch while Bugs sleeps. I know I should be practicing crib sleep when he naps, but I’m soaking in these cuddles while he’s young. Sometimes, I’ll slip on my AirPods and listen to a podcast while he sleeps.
We celebrated Tux’s one year with us! We cut him up his favorite meats and told him how much we loved him and how far he’s come! It’s crazy how much he’s changed since bringing him home; we love him so much! 
We try to go 1-2 miles every morning. We have to walk between the hours of 6 am, and 8 am because anytime after that, it gets so hot and humid. Leo does so well with the stroller, and I think the training we put him through a few years ago helped keep him in a heel and on my left side. Once it cools down, we’ll be doing our 3-mile walks every morning and maybe in the evenings. 
I had this salad on REPEAT last week! It’s amazing, and I blogged the recipe so you could try it. I love doing kale salads for meal prep.
And I still managed to fit four new crepe myrtle trees in the front seat.
I planted all perennials that way they’ll come back bigger and better next year. 
I used a multigrain wrap and stuffed it with the kale salad mixture, and it was amazing!
It’s never too early to start reading to your baby. I am obsessed with finishing our feeding sessions with a book. Bugs love to laugh at the pictures, especially the black and white ones. It’s also comforting for him to hear my voice, even if he has no idea what I’m saying. I try to do this at night and in the morning. 
On Saturday, we did some more home projects and cleaning around the house. We painted the island back to white (it was black!), hung up frames in the upstairs hallway, and reorganized my office and pantry. Now, I need to get prints in the frames before they turn into permanent stock photo frames.
For dinner, I grilled jalapeno turkey burgers! I am going to post this recipe this week. They were amazing!
I’m finally back into my reading routine. Now that Bugs is sleeping 9-10 hours a night, I sneak in an hour to read after putting him to sleep. I also decided to get off my phone by 7 pm and switch to reading a few chapters instead of flipping through TikTok. I just started Meant to Be, and it’s super good so far.
It’s looking fuller each day! I know I’m obsessed, but I can’t help it. I think one day when I’m done with the blogging world, I will plant flowers for a living.
Bugs decided he hates sleeping in his crib, and I have to keep going upstairs every twenty minutes to soothe him during his naps, so I decided to start keeping him downstairs by me in the same sleep sack so he can get used to it. He’s used to sleeping in his Snoo, but this helps with the crib transition! Fortunately, he’s sleeping 2+ hours for his naps now. He’s slowly learning to self-soothe.
I know the blogs are not that entertaining as of late, but thanks for stopping by to read anyway! ♥️ xo Hope you have a great week!
Questions for you!
- How was your weekend?
- Have you read anything good lately?
- Are you guilty of leaving stock photos in frames?
Your flowers are breathtaking!
Thank you!
Hi Taralynn,
1. How was your weekend?
Really good! It’s my husband’s 35th birthday tomorrow, so we took an overnight trip about an hour and a half away without the kids! We stayed at a really nice bed and breakfast and woke up super early for a sunrise hot air balloon flight. It was incredible!
2. Have you read anything good lately?
I just started listening to Where the Crawdads Sing and I’m also ready a Nora Roberts trilogy at the moment (guilty summer pleasure reading right there haha). I also just read two Colleen Hoover books ( November 9 and It Ends With Us) Finally, I’m listening to The Cuckoo’s Calling while I take hour long walks with the kids in the evenings since I already read it before and I can kind of zone out a little. My friends and I also read the three books in the Discovery of Witches series this summer….I wasn’t impressed to be honest. I haven’t had the chance to read in AGES since the kids take up so much of my time, but listening to audiobooks has helped me ger back on track again
3. Are you guilty of leaving stock photos in frames?
Hahahaha YES! I’m so bad at this. I joke that I have new family members all the time
Hi, Kat!
WOW what an incredible weekend. I am in love with bed and breakfasts ♥️
I read Where the Crawdads Sing twice because it was so good! I’m looking forward to seeing the film!
HAHAHA YES! Sometimes those stock photos just look so friendly lol
A crazy busy weekend for us filled with lots of swimming and yard work! I just finished the Hotel Nantucket which I whole heartedly recommend! As for stock photos it took me forever to finally hang ANY photos in the new house and we have yet to get new photos of all three of us now that Lou is 3 1/2. Love the post! XO-Cait
It was just last week when we had our first photo taken as a family of 3! Now we need one with the dogs in it. Nothing better than swimming in the summer, especially in that Iowa heat!! xo xo xo
Just some words of encouragement – yout posts might seem boring to you but as a reader, I looo forward to them and enjoy reading them, even the “boring” ones! You’re doing a great job as a mom ♡
Thank you, Shelby!!!!
I have a friend who has a flower planting and pruning business that she and her mom run and it does GREAT and she loves every single minute of it! I think you’d be amazing at this when the time comes.
SIGN ME UP! I tell Kyle I want to do that like every day! Might be something I do once Bugs goes to school.
Our weekend was productive! Cleaned the house Saturday, had a bbq Saturday night, and did grocery shopping Sunday!
I’ve been loving Megan Miranda! She wrote The Last Guest House which got me hooked on mystery novels! I highly recommend if you like that genre!
I have definitely left stock photos in frames lol. You’re not alone!
Btw I love your recaps! It’s nice to read about normal life. Not every week is super exciting and that’s ok! 🙂
Oh also, not sure if you have Amazon Prime but they just released a show called “The Summer I turned Pretty”. It’s based on a book by Jenny Han, and it’s sooo good! That’s another one you might want to check out if you haven’t already! 🙂 The show is pretty good also! A little cheesy, but I liked it!
It was a cute show!!
Hi, Emily!
That sounded like a perfect summer weekend!
I read that one and it was amazing!
Sometimes those stock photos are just too friendly to change out 😆
& Thank you!!! xo xo xo xo xo
Sorry but you can’t ever leave the blogging world behind LOL. I’ve been a reader for like … atleast 10 years now, I love your blog so much!
You look very happy and healthy in this new stage of your life, love to see it 🙂
AWWW thank you, Sam!!!!
J’adore 💖💖💖💖💖
Emilie (deluneetdetoiles Instagram)
♥️
Hi Taralynn!
Your posts are not boring at all, I enjoy reading them the same way I enjoyed the others during all these years 🙂 Whenever I see there is a new post on your blog, I sit down with my tea to read 🙂 It´s a part of my routine and I can´t imagine the Internet without yout blog!
I am reading now Harlan Coben – Hold Tight. I really like his books!
My weekend was pretty great, we went to play billard with some friends on Saturday and on Sunday our small family got bigger! 🙂 Our cat finally came to Barcelona! We brought him from Poland, he is only 4 months old and he is sooo cute 🙂
Thank you, Milena!
That is so sweet and makes me so happy to imagine you drinking tea and reading my blog! ♥️ I will have to look into that book!
Awwww yay! I bet he’s so cute! I need to know his name and see a picture!
Honestly, I’m loving your blog right now! I decided to stay home once my 9 month old was born and let me tell you, it may seem boring, but it’s a busy life! Lol. It’s always so satisfying when you’re able to be productive during naptime, or even when they’re awake, but sometimes you just need a break when you crave those cuddles, too. Your yard looks amazing, and I made your kale salad for me and the babe yesterday! I’m definitely putting it in a wrap today! Oh and lastly, that little side profile of what looks like some chubby cheeks! Ah! Babies are just the cutest.
Hi, Michelle!
TOTALLY a busy time, but so so so worth it! Just no blog-worthy content with it all 😆 I don’t think people want to hear about my laundry folding or bottle washing.
I’m so happy you made that kale salad and it’s so good in a wrap!! Let me know what you think of it.
OMG the chubbiest cheeks!! He laughs everytime I pinch them 😆
Gorgeous flowers! I have zero green thumb, so I’ll live vicariously through your photos 😍. Thank you for sharing these updates, I don’t find them boring one bit!
I just finished the book Educated by Tara Westover yesterday, and it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read!
Aw thank you, Mackenzie!
I’ve heard that book is so good! I’ll add it to my list.
Hi Taralynn!! Could you do a full review of the SNOO – how you liked it, if it was worth the money, how baby transitioned out to a crib (once he’s at that stage), etc? We will be first time parents in December and I’m so so so worried about sleep in the newborn stage. I’ve heard great things about the SNOO but just trying to decide if it’s worth the price (to rent and/or to buy). Thank you! Love your blog – I look forward to reading it every week!!
Hi, Elizabeth!
We LOVE the Snoo right now because I feel like he’s safe, and it helps me sleep better. We are working on slowly transitioning him out of it soon, so I’ll let you know how that goes! I don’t really have anything to compare it to, but we have LOVED it and it’s helped me sleep better at night knowing he’s strapped in and not going to roll over. It also has helped him sleep super long periods of time. We decided to buy it because if we have another kid, it’s cheaper than renting for both kids, and if we wanted to sell it we could get most of the money back, but if we were to rent, we’d spend more in the long run. xo xo xo AND CONGRATS TO YOU!! ♥️ A December baby!
That was very sweet to celebrate Tux’s 1year with you, he seems so happy now and glad to see him and Leo play together as well. 🙂
Have you read or seen Virgin River on Netflix? i somehow missed this series, but want to watch it this fall, I’ve added the book to my wish list too!
Ahh yes, Tux and Leo love each other! Yes, I watched it and it’s good, cheesy, but good lol
Hey Taralynn,
I wanted to update and say I did read the first book: Virgin River and won’t be continuing the series, it wasn’t for me, so I don’t recommend it. 🙂
Love the honesty!! Thank you!
You’re doing so well.
A little known fact, is that vigorous exercise can make breast milk taste bad to babies. So, if you’re breastfeeding at all, keep the exercise gentle.
You look great.
Thanks, Lorri! Not doing any vigorous workouts at all (haven’t in years!) and weaning off BF right now 😊 xo xo
Hi! I have a 4 month old and we love the snoo! Just curious why you’re weaning off of it to a crib now? My big fear is our little one will be addicted to the snoo so I’m considering weaning now too…but the website says 5-6 months? Thank you!
Hi, Ellen!
My bug is growing SO BIG! He’s in the 90th percentile in length, and we probably have about a month left before he grows out of it. We just want the transition to go smoothly so we’re working for the next month on getting him used to sleeping without it. You can totally go 5-6 months, and I wish we could!!! I just know he’s getting too big and hardly fits the large snoo sack lol
Your comment about postpartum stiffness is totally true to my experience as well! I’m almost 7 months postpartum and sometimes in the mornings I walk downstairs and I’m like whew I’m stiff 😂
I loved Part of Your World and The Suite Spot. Super sweet romances!
And please know that as a new mom too, I love reading your blog posts. I’m sure a lot of readers agree who are moms but also just love hearing about your life! So thanks for continuing to share because we love it for being you!
Ahhh if I sit on the couch longer than twenty minutes, I feel like all my joints are glued 😂
Thank you for that, Erica! xo
I read The Lions Den…Great summer read…mystery on a luxury yacht..! A page turner until the end!
ohh love a good page turner! I’ll check that one out!
LOVING the flowers!! I went hog-wild on a garden this year and did NOT do things right. Haha. I went from 0-100 (not with flowers, but with food) and over crowded, etc. Then I got pregnant so the first trimester exhaustion and the Alabama HEAT was a bad combination. Haha. It was sort of a nightmare, but a learning experience. I’m totally planting one of the boxes full of flowers from now on! Loving your life as a mom, I’ve followed you from the beginning so it’s great to see how things have changed! My son didn’t love the crib at his age either, but we got a DockATot and it was a miracle fix. He’d sleep in it anywhere around the house, and in the crib. So it was like he didn’t notice his bed was different.
Hi Tararlynn-was wondering if you would be willing to share some of the plant names you bought recently. I’m in the market for some perennial flowers as well! Thank you!
Hi, Lindsay!
I share in my garden post everything I buy for my beds! Garden Tour and Tips for Beginners | Design Your Garden!
Hi Tara Lynn! I’m sure you linked them before but where are your downstairs photo gallery frames from?
Thank you in advance!
Hi, Victoria! I did a blog on them last year 😊
https://simplytaralynn.com/2021/04/27/black-and-white-photo-gallery-wall-with-entryway-bench/
Thank you!!! I remember it was a while back you had done them. I’m just finally ready for my pretty gallery wall now too!!! Love following your blog!!!
We have so many of the same flowers; here in Maine the season is much shorter but I love all the blooms!
Hey! I also experienced a ton of stiffness postpartum, specifically when I weaned my baby! The hormone relaxin courses through our bodies while we’re pregnant and some research shows that it can remain elevated for as long as we breastfeed. This is the hormone that helps relax your ligaments as baby grows! Your stiffness may have just been related to relaxin levels decreasing as you weaned. I think stretching/yoga helped me to cope with it a bit, but I really feel like it was once my hormones rebalanced that my body felt less stiff. Perhaps what you experienced was different, but wanted to share my experience in case it helps you feel a little less alone in what you were feeling!