It's time to Organize...

Thank you Target for these awesome folders to motivate me to get our house organized. I haven't done a great job keeping all of our family finances organized since I became a Kane. Now that my full-time job is to be home, I can finally take charge of everything! I hope I can squeeze this project in during nap time, what the heck did I do with all my free time before Cal. 

The plan is to go through all of our messy files I have kept for the past three years, prioritize and organize! I'm actually really excited to get this going! I'm going to use the washi tape and a sharpie to label my files, that way they are easy to re-use or change the labels! Boring files can be cute too!

Big Sur Coast

California continues to surprise me with its beauty! I would have never known how diverse and beautiful this state is if we wouldn't have moved here! We have done a really good job being adventurous and exploring our new homestate. The past three years we have been all over this huge state and it will always hold a special place in our hearts! This is our first visit to Big Sur, and it did not disappoint! 

Cream of Chemical No More!

So many fall and winter recipes call for condensed Cream of Chicken soup. If you have ever used canned cream of chicken you know that it is pretty gross! I had been wanting to try and make my own but just had never gotten around to it! Finally, I had the prefect opportunity! All the ingredients are super basic, so if you're like me you probably already have them laying around your kitchen! 

This Cream of Chicken soup recipe only takes 5 minutes to make and about 10 minutes to cook and it makes 3 cups of soup! 

Here is what you need:

• 2½ cups chicken broth (I used 2 cans)
• 1½ cups milk
• ¾ cup flour
• 1 tablespoon seasoning mix (or on your own, ½ tsp. onion powder, ½ tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. salt, ½ tsp. parsley, etc)

Now you will need to:

1. Combine the chicken broth and ½ cup of the milk in a large saucepan. Bring to a low boil.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the flour and seasonings into the remaining 1 cup milk until a smooth, thick mixture forms.
3. Pour the flour and milk mixture into the saucepan with the broth mixture over low heat and stir continuously, whisking as the mixture simmers. Continue to simmer and stir/whisk until the mixture is smooth and thick, 5-10 minutes. The mixture will thicken a bit as it cools.

You can use whatever seasoning you want to, there are endless possibilities! Also, when you stir/whisk the mixture make sure you keep the heat low and take your time because it's easy for the mixture to get lumpy.

The Kane house has officially made the switch to this soup instead of the over processed canned Cream of Chicken! 

{Aquarium and the Pacific}

Here we are at the Aquarium! The ever so famous jelly fish exhibit! Cal loved looking at everything!

I've been feeling confident in my manual photography skills until I walked into the dark Aquarium where I failed miserable! So iPhone pictures to the rescue! Manual shooting tips are welcomed here! 

Cal was trying to grab the fish through the glass, he is starting to get his own little personality!

Here are my guys at the Beach in Carmel! 

  This was our first family trip! After a very busy summer it was much needed, we really got some time to bond as a family. Our little guy makes us feel like more of a family than ever before! 

{Road Trippin}

Last weekend we drove 5 hours down the California Coast to see one of my best friends! Sarah and I have been friends since we were 16! We've walked through a lot of life together; high school, college, marriage and now babies! I love that are paths keep crossing, we have one of those friendship that is just meant to be! 

So here are few phone pictures from our visit! 

This is Cal and Callie

Cal decided that he was going to sleep through the night the whole time we were in Monterey! He must have known we all needed a vacation! He slept in a pack n play next to our bed, in the morning I would put him in bed with us, to get as much extra sleep as possible!

While we were in Monterey we visited the Big Sur Coast, Monterey Aquarium, and the beach in Carmel! I'm going to post on them later this week! 

Banana Bread {Wrapping}

I finally have a little craft/office space in our house! Ever since I stopped working I've been wanting a space of my own for crafting, blogging, paying bills, and everything else "officey". I needed a space that makes me feel like there is more in my life than hanging out with a baby all day! I'm trying to get it organized, once it's finished I will share this precious space with you! For now I want to share with you an awesome banana bread recipe and my wrap job! 

If you follow us on instagram you know that we took a trip down the coast to see our friends who live in Monterey! I didn't want to go empty handed so I made some Banana Bread! 

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the actually loaf, but I promise it was really good and moist! Our friends loved it!

Here is my Recipe! (of course I made some substitutions!)

1/2 cup butter
1c. White Sugar
2c. Flour
2 eggs
1tsp Vanilla
1tsp Cinnamon
1tsp Baking Soda
1tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Salt
1/2 Greek Yogurt (plain or vanilla)
3 ripe bananas

Mix wet ingredients in one bowl, mix dry ingredients in another. Mix everything together and pour into a greased bread pan, Cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until knife comes out clean!

So it is worth it......

I cannot tell you how many times people have said "having a baby is hard, but it's worth it''. What the heck does that mean? If I'm being honest it doesn't always feel worth it. Sometimes, well actually a lot of times, it's hard to find the 'worth' everyone seems to be talking about. Maybe I'm more selfish than other people, or just unprepared for motherhood, but it's really hard! I think such a drastic life change warrants different emotions! Fear, joy, anxiety, confusion, and an over-whelming amount of love. I think what people really mean when they say, "it's hard but it's worth it" is your bad days will be really, really bad, but your good days will be the best days of your life. 

OK, so that's the worth! 

The best days of your life! I've seen the worth, I've felt it, I'm happy to say that it exists! In understanding the 'worth it', I find myself lingering longer in it; basking in those moments, breathing them in slowly and thoroughly! Saying to myself 'this is it'. The joy in my heart overflows and I want to camp in it! Finally, I get it! It's so important for me to hold on tight to the 'worth it' moments, they get me through the days when I feel less than adequate as a mom, a wife, or even as a person. What a great life lesson; I hope I carry this one with me. Linger longer in the 'worth it' moments. Oh little Callahan, the things you are teaching me....

{Chocolate Zucchini Bread}

Baking is something I'm really not good at. My major issue is I can't seem to EVER follow the directions. I like to add an extra dash of this, or sprinkle of that. It works with cooking but in baking everything is precisely measured for a reason. I just can't stick to the plan, a theme that rings true in other areas of my life! Sometimes my bake goods are a stroke of genius, but a lot of times my results are disastrous! You would think I've learned my lesson by now! I actually managed to follow the directions of this recipe!


I know my last food post was about Zucchini, but it's such an awesome summer vegetable and its extremely versatile! So here it goes! The only things I substituted in this recipe was coconut oil (it's just so much better for you). Also, i forgot to put coco powder in the image below and I wasn't about to set everything up and retake the picture!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Makes one 9×5 loaf

1 1/2 cups zucchini, shredded
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup canola oil (I used coconut oil)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with cooking spray (or grease with butter/shortening).

In a mixer, combine your oil, sugars and vanilla. Mix in your eggs and shredded zucchini. In a separate bowl, sift together your flours, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder. Slowly add this dry mixture into your wet mixture. Beat until combined. Mix in your chocolate chips.

Scrape your batter prepared loaf pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes before cooling on a wire rack.

My {5} Favorite Daily Deal Sites!

There are a few websites I check every day for home decor and boutique type deals. I sort of feel like I'm cheating because I have gotten such good deals on these websites! I wanted to share these daily deal type websites with you! This my cyber version of bargain hunting!

So here they are, and here are some of the things I've bought!

{1} Pick Your Plum 
This website only has a few items a day, and it's hit or miss. When its good it's really good, and things sell out quick! I have bought a lot of awesome home decor and craft supplies from here.  I bought this three tier party tray for $19.99! I actually have 2 of them, they look exactly like the one from pottery barn that cost $69!

I bought this set of three galvanized buckets for $9.47+shipping! I'm hoping they will get my desk a little more organized!

This is a water proof picnic blanket I bought a few months ago! It was only $12.99, I have kept it in the car, we used it all summer long! 

I also bought the Chicken wire basket (below) for $7

{2} Groop Dealz is another site I check daily! There are a lot more daily deals on this site! Here are some of the things I have bought!

Washi Tape- 7 rolls for $11.99 (plus I used a 15% off promo code that I received in my e-mail)

Monogrammed Infinity Scarf for $12.99. I just got the notification that it has shipped. There were a ton of colors to choose from! 

Personalized Address Stamp for $18.99. These stamps are usually pretty pricey! 

{3} Jane.com - I check this every day. I haven't bought from it yet but I'm sure I will soon :)

{4} Sassy Steals - more of the same kind of deals.

{5} The Plaid Barn - this site is great for crafters!

I hope you enjoy checking these as much as I do; but be careful it's dangerously addicting! 

9-10-11-14

So today is a special day in the Kane house! Todays is the anniversary of the day that made me a Kane, and brought little Cal into existence! Today we celebrated by simply being together. No cards, no gifts; just hanging out, taking naps and playing with our little guy. Honestly, this year, I don't think I would want it any other way! Three years, three years! Not a long time, but at the same time, I can't remember life any other way! 

As time goes on, we grow, and change we lose more and more of the "me" and concentrate on the "us". Something that was so hard for me as a new bride! I remember feeling like, I not only lost my name, but my independence. I had such a tight grip on "me". The most important lesson I've learned thus far, is that our Marriage needs to always win. In all of our circumstances; there is a third party, it's our MARRIAGE and Marriage always wins! Pride takes a back seat, and humility jumps up front! If that doesn't make you a better person, then I don't know what will! Isn't that what this whole marriage thing is about anyway? Isn't it about another person loving you into being 'the best you, you can be'?

I heard something significant at a wedding a few weeks ago. It has stuck with me ever since, so I hope you don't mind if I share! I hope I get this right:

At the end of the wedding the pastor asked the new bride and groom to hold hands. He went on to say, "right now you are holding the most important thing you will ever hold; and any time you let go it will be for something less important" 

How significant! I'm still a baby to most married couples, Mikie and I have so much more life to live together. As things get crazy, our family grows, and life changes I need to hold on tightly to the thing that is most important.

I want to share with you some pictures! Every year we take an anniversary picture, here they all are!

9-10-11

 9-10-12-I was surprised with a weekend trip to Reno! We stopped on the way in a spot over looking Tahoe National Forest!

 9-10-13- Here we are right after we found out we were pregnant with Cal, at our first doctors appointment!

 9-10-14- This is in our backyard!

So here is where I say a quick 'thanks' to the man who made me a wife and momma! Mikie thank you for being so patient and helpful, thank you for being my teammate and loving me into being a better me!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In other news, Cal rolled over (from tummy to back) in his crib all by himself today! Oh yea, and he's obsessed with his feet!

Boy Version

Cal's celeb look alike is the Gerger baby! 

Cal's First Taste of Food {if you want to call it that}

Baby Cereal is so strange.

We finally made our first attempt at feeding Cal cereal. We had heard it would take several times for him to figure out how to eat it. Our guy proved everyone wrong and ate the whole serving his first try.

We wanted to see if cereal at night would help him sleep better. I had read that giving a baby cereal at night to improve sleeping was an old wives tale, but I'm desperate for night time sleep and willing to try anything! Well, it didn't work.  His sleep patterns did not change at all.

After reading some current articles about introducing babies to solid foods, I think we will stop the cereal and re-visit feeding him at six months old. This is a really great article about introducing baby to solid foods with up to date resources!

Here are some pictures :-)

Ikea Rast Hack: Night Stand

I always have these 'great' ideas that I should buy unfinished furniture and then I can make a custom piece that is exactly what I want. I'm sad to say that we've had these unfinished dressers for over a year! We needed night stands for our master bedroom, and we also needed extra storage, so these $35 ikea dressers were a perfect fit. I've had so many idea's of how to finish these, but I just couldn't seem to talk MK into a labor intensive project. So we opted for an easier aproach. We grabbed two different color stains and a crab screen print. I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked our final product! The entire project only took a few hours! If you are thinking about buying these dressers there are hundreds of ideas of how to finish them on Pinterest. (just type 'Ikea Rast" in the search box) People are so creative! 

My favorite screen print! I use these all the time, on all different kinds of surfaces! Here I used them on paper, and here I used them on ceramics!