Misc. Archives -

As I scroll through old blog posts…

Post author:Melanie
Post published:February 27, 2020
Post category:Blog / Health / Misc.
Post comments:0 Comments

Holy moly…

was my thought as I scrolled through very old blog posts. All the changes that have happened over the span of the past nine years since I started this blog. Not knowing who I truly was, but wanting to find out. Just at the beginning of my nutrition career. Trying to find balance in life and health. Posting about daily eats and taking awful photos. After making an update to the blog recently, I lost a lot of the photos from old posts. I’m kind of sad about it, but also kind of okay with it (if I really want to dig up the photos, I could–it would just take a while).

For fun. My very first blog post: The Beginning of Beautifully Nutty

(MOOOOOSEeerrrr Bear! We miss you!!)

Fast-forward to now.

I have found myself. I am more confident. I surround myself with positivity.

I am still working on my career. I have three beautiful boys and one more baby on the way! My husband and family continue to support me through my career endeavors, health endeavors, LIFE, and crazy ideas. I write blog posts with more purpose but less often. I continue to worry less about what others think and focus on my own wellness and the wellness of my family.

Although still unsure of where the next part of my journey may lead me, I feel excitement in knowing that grand motions and changes are in my future.

I am always tempted to erase my old blog posts because they are so far from who I am today, but then I stop. That old version of me is still a part of who I am and has helped to shape the path to who I am today. So although embarrassing, they are a good reminder to me of how far I’ve come.

Cheers to the past, to the present, and to the future!

xoxo

Time to Ring in the New Year and Time for a Quick Update!

Post author:Melanie
Post published:December 30, 2015
Post category:Baby / holidays / Home Life / Misc. / Parenting / Travel / Vacations
Post comments:2 Comments

Oh, heyyyyy! Yes we are still alive and kickin’ over here! Last time I checked in was just after my 30th birthday so over a month ago. Monthly posts are what is happening these days I guess. You know what else? I don’t hardly take any photos (besides of Bode of course!). But ya know, It is what it is!

So, since my last post here this is what has happened…

1.I thoroughly enjoyed my favorite meal day of the year, Thanksgiving, and so did Mr. Bode! I was much too excited to eat therefore no food photo was taken. Before we ate, we ran in our favorite 5k.

2. A couple of days after Thanksgiving, Bode got to hang out with grandma and grandpa for a week while Dana and I went on a Caribbean cruise. The cruise sailed from Miami to Panama and stopped at Cayman Islands, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and Puerto Limon, Costa Rica. In Cayman Islands we swam with the stingrays and got to hold a big female stingray! In Jamaica we climbed up a bunch of waterfalls and laid by the beach, and in Costa Rica we took a pontoon tour and got to see sloths, monkeys, crocodiles, and other beautiful wild life.

The cruise itself was exquisite. Everything was included so we ate and drank like kings and queens. It was my mission to eat bacon everyday, and mission was completed.

Formal night/Captain’s dinner…

The “elves” decorated the boat while we were there! So pretty!

As fun as the cruise was, I was sooooo excited to get home and snuggle my baby. That is the longest I had ever been away from him!

3. After the cruise we were busy into the holiday season and lots of fun holiday parties! We all got hit with the stomach bug pretty bad, and after that we all got colds. In fact, my whole entire year was this way. Bode gets sick, mom gets sick. Welcome to parenthood, right? Thanks daycare! 😉

4. Christmas was celebrated in Colorado with Dana’s family and then back here in Minnesota with mine. I still can’t believe Christmas is over! We had so much fun with our family and friends.

5. Now here we are about to kick off the New Year! Where on earth did 2015 go? It surely was a great year but as always, I’m excited to see what 2016 has in store for us. I wish you all the best of health and much happiness as we ring in the New Year!

Check in with you all who knows when! 😉

xoxo

Oh Heyyy!

Post author:Melanie
Post published:June 17, 2015
Post category:Home Life / Misc.
Post comments:7 Comments

Well, hi! Oh how does time fly, huh?

I don’t have many fun food photos to share with you all, but I wanted to check in and catch you up to speed on what’s been going on around here lately.

1. We moved out of our house and moved in with Dana’s parents for the summer while we build our new home! Moving in general is so much work, but moving with a baby is even more challenging. Poor guy got so sick of us packing and moving. We had a lot of help though throughout the process which helped immensely.

2. Bode is almost 8 months old! He is a hoot! He is eating a lot of food now; anything from oatmeal, avocado, whole milk yogurt, banana and egg pancakes, homemade refried beans, etc. I am having so much fun trying new foods with him! I am hoping to start posting some of the foods I make for him.

He is almost done with his 8 weeks of swimming lessons. This kid is a natural in the water. He gets fairly serious when he is in there but I think he is having a good time?! He kicks his legs in the water, goes under water, and looks absolutely adorable doing it.

3. I got struck with the stomach flu this weekend and it was NO fun. I am working on increasing my breastmilk supply because it plummeted. Good times.

4. I REALLY want to get my cooking mojo back. With all of the packing and moving, we did a lot of take-out food and restaurant dining. Now that we are moved in and settled, and now that I am feeling almost back to my normal self after the flu bug, I need to sit down and start planning some meals. I’m calling on Pinterest for inspiration as usual.

Doesn’t this look good? I believe I pinned this from Katie!

6. I can’t believe it’s the middle of June already. Slow down time, just a little?

7. I cut my hair. I cut EIGHT inches off of my hair (last month actually). I cut it because I was just putting it up all of the time because it was so long but guess what, now I put it up because it is too short to control. Go figure. My hair grows quickly so soon enough it will be to a more controllable length for me. I just know how to work with long hair because I’ve had it my whole life, ya know?

There are my random updates/thoughts for ya. Take care my friends!

How are you all?

Share some delicious dinner ideas with me, please!

My To-Do List

Post author:Melanie
Post published:May 6, 2015
Post category:Crafty / Home Life / Misc.
Post comments:5 Comments

Oh well hello!

I can’t believe how fast time goes by without me saying ‘hey’ to you all on here! When people say life gets busy once kids are involved, they aren’t kidding. I LOVE it, I just haven’t been very motivated to write on the ol’ blog.

As far as recipe sharing goes, I don’t have much to offer. I’ve been pretty lame with our meals. Besides that, if I do make something completely delicious, I never write down the ingredients! I’m hoping as time marches on, I will be able to get back into that again.

My little sweet man is now six months old. WHAT?! How did that happen! He is very interested in food and I am offering a mix of the “baby led weaning” route and offering solid foods as well as offering soft foods like ground oatmeal with breastmilk and applesauce. His #1 is still breastmilk and this mama is very proud of it. I worked darn hard to make that happen.

He is now sitting up on his own. He loves going for runs and walks in his stroller, blowing bubbles, swimming, standing (with our help of course), giggling, sticking his tongue out, jumping, putting his toes in his mouth. He is a joy!

******************

The purpose of this post is for me to put together a list of to-do items I want to tackle at one point or another! These are not my typical daily items to-do items like fold the laundry, get the diaper bag ready for daycare, etc. These are fun ones; some that need to happen very soon, others that can wait.

I want to make:

1. Homemade sunscreen with carrot seed oil! I’m planning on using this recipe I think…http://www.mommypotamus.com/how-to-make-non-toxic-homemade-sunscreen/

2. More bibs! I have really been into making baby bibs. They are super easy and I have been up-cycling old t-shirts!

3. Lavender lemon sugar hand scrub! Yum!

4. These chicken bombs! http://www.food.com/recipe/chicken-bombs-499604

5. A hair appointment. K this list is kind of random but my hair is getting very long! Most days I end up putting it back in a bun or a braid because someone’s little paws like to pull all my hairs out! I want to keep it long but I do need a little trim.

6. Sign up for a race! I’m thinking a 10k.

Lastly, I Need To…

7. Start packing! We are MOVING! We bought a new house and will be building just about 15 minutes from where we are now! Our new home will be built by the fall so we will be living with family for the summer! We are VERY excited!

That’s it for now. That’s a hefty list given that I’m lucky to get a shower in on most days. 😉

I’ll leave you with this…

#truth

I hope you are all well!

What are some of your FUN To-Do DIY projects??!

My KIND of Giveaway!

Post author:Melanie
Post published:February 2, 2015
Post category:Giveaway / Misc. / Sweet Treats / Workouts
Post comments:41 Comments

So here’s what happened…I wrote up this post on Friday to link up with Katie’s Friday Favorites but neglected to post it. I realize it’s now Monday but you know what? I’m still going to post because there is a serious treat at the end of the post!

My “Monday” Favs:

1. My family. My family is ALWAYS on my favorite list because they are incredible day in and day out.

2. My first postpartum outdoor run. On Thursday, I bundled up and hit the pavement for a 2.25 mile run! I was kind of nervous about it because I hadn’t run for over a year and I was afraid I would be disappointed with how out of shape I am, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it went! Moose was my motivator through it all. Plus, the frigid wind got me running faster too—it got me home faster! To think that this run was about 30 degrees warmer than this one…

Polar Dash 2013

I have some toughening up to do!

3. Supportive moms.

4. Caribou Coffee. K, so really this may be a least favorite to my wallet, but a favorite to my tummy and to-do list. So delicious. I’ve actually informally vowed to myself not to buy any signature ($5) drinks from any coffee shops for the whole month of February.

5. The KIND Snacks company for sending me these delicious bars! They are the perfect on-the-go snack.

They sent me:

Kind Fruit and Nut bars: whole nut and fruit bars
Kind Plus bars: whole nut and fruit bars plus a nutritional boost
Kind Nuts and Spices: made with whole nuts flavored with delicious spices
Kind Healthy Grain bars: granola bars made with five super grains: Gluten Free Oats, Millet, Quinoa, Amaranth and Buckwheat

Talk about spoiling me, right?!

What I love about these products is that I can pronounce all of the ingredients and they are absolutely delicious and healthy.

And you know what else I love about them?! They are offering all of you 15% off and free shipping on a case of KIND using the code KINDNUTRITION! You have the entire month of February to use it (limit one per customer)!! Don’t miss out on this!

And if that weren’t enough, they are also going to give away a prize pack of 10 BARS to one of my Beautifully Nutty readers!

Enter to win by :

1. Like Beautifully Nutty on Facebook

and/or

2. Tweet “I want to win @KINDSnacks from @NuttyMelanie! http://www.beautifullynutty.com/kind-giveaway/”

Do both for two chances to win! Just make sure you comment on this post telling me what you did!

You have until Thursday, February 5th to enter. On Friday I will randomly select one winner!

Have fun, be KIND!

Disclaimer: I received free products from KIND but all opinions expressed on the products are 100% my own!

Currently…

Post author:Melanie
Post published:January 14, 2015
Post category:Baby / Misc.
Post comments:2 Comments

Currently I’m…

…typing with one hand while holding baby in the other.

…drinking Wild Harvest jasmine green tea. So good!

…cranking the humidifier. My skin is so darn dry! Yuck.

…working on getting little man to sleep in the crib. Why oh why does he hate it so much? Mom’s arms are way better I suppose. 🙂

…still eating clean and have added peanuts and soy back in the mix. Three days without my beloved peanut butter? Such a travesty.

…getting sad about going back to work although reminding myself I am incredibly lucky I am only going back part-time. I’m in total disbelief that this little guy is 11 weeks old already.

…thinking I should fold the laundry, but a shower is going to take priority.

…getting the itch to redecorate the living room!

…trying to decide what to make for dinner on Friday night. Something easy and clean. Any ideas?

Gotta love the randomness right?

Happy hump day!

Baby Showers

Post author:Melanie
Post published:October 1, 2014
Post category:Events / Misc. / Pregnancy
Post comments:5 Comments

First of all, I want to wish my incredible husband a HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Three years of pure bliss, right babe? 🙂

•••••••••••••••••••••

I am crazy nesting lady over here but I quickly wanted to share with you some of my shower photos from this weekend. I had two showers and both were fabulous!

Cutting to the chase…

So much love from family and friends, so much delicious food, and so many generous gifts! I am overwhelmed with gratitude. This little one has no idea how good he is going to have it!

We are getting closer!!

Mini Fall Bucket List

Post author:Melanie
Post published:September 23, 2014
Post category:Misc.
Post comments:7 Comments

My favorite season growing up was always summer, but as I’ve gotten older I have grown to have a new favorite season; FALL. Now that it is officially fall, it’s time for us to all get excited about it.

There is just so much to love about the season: the red and orange leaves changing on the trees, the crisp air, juicy apples, pumpkin everything, sweatshirts, football (although it’s rare that I watch it I still like to know it’s on), my birthday, lots of family and friends birthdays, Thanksgiving (probably my favorite meal ever), and this year we will be celebrating out little baby boy’s birthday in the fall too! Obviously the arrival of baby boy tops the charts for what I’m most excited about! I could probably go on for this entire page about all of the reasons I love fall.

There is so much goodness squeezed into three quick months.

Because it does fly by so fast, I have decided to make myself a mini fall bucket list. With the baby coming in just six weeks or so, the next six weeks are going to be pretty darn busy, so I’m not going to be too hard on myself if I don’t complete everything on the list, but you bet I am going to try!

Mini Fall Bucket List

1. Go to an apple orchard and pick apples. This is something I literally say every.single.year and then it never happens. I have a good feeling it is going to happen this year!

2. Make apple crisp with the above mentioned apples!

3. Decorate or carve a pumpkin. (photo circa 2010?)

4. Go on a nature hike and admire the changing colors and inhale the crisp air–albeit short hike because my bladder can’t make it too long these days!

5. Go on at least one more date with Dana before baby arrives, preferably out to dinner.

6. These ones are secondary but eat an apple cider doughnut and eat a caramel apple. If I don’t get to these ones I will be okay with it but if I do…YUM!

Okay, that’s it. I told ya it was just a mini list. I am pretty excited about it though!

Happy Fall to you all!

What would be on your fall bucket list? I just may add more items to my list after I see all of your ideas!

Some Favs from the Week!

Post author:Melanie
Post published:August 22, 2014
Post category:Breakfast / Family / Friends / Misc. / Restaurants / Sweet Treats / Young Living
Post comments:6 Comments

I don’t usually say this, but this week seemed to last forrrrever. Forevvvver (name that movie). I am thrilled that today is Friday and I have a super fun weekend planned!

Although this work week seemed slow, there was a lot of fun that was had. I am linking up with Katie’s Friday Favorites. Let’s get this rolling.

Speaking of rolls, I enjoyed a cinnamon roll and coffee while catching up with my dear friend Haley. She is now a mama and her and I had lots to discuss as I prepare for this baby’s arrival!

An omelette made by Dana definitely makes my Friday Fav’s. It was loaded with veggies and topped with homemade salsa.

Finding new ways to use essential oils. This makes me oh so happy. Here’s the link to my post on my oil blog for carpet freshener: Freshen and Purify Your Carpets

Meatloaf and mashed potatoes made by mi mama in honor of my brother Kevin’s birthday. That was one heckuva birthday meal request that I am thankful for! SOOOO good! It’s everything baby wanted. Homemade mashed potatoes made me super excited for Thanksgiving too!

Happy Birthday, Kevi!!

Building excitement for my state fair visit. This is one I really want to try!

Dinner with old friends at Peoples Organic. I got the Peoples Best Veggie Burger and neglected to take a photo of the actual burger due to being overly hungry and absorbed in conversation, but it was pretty, and it was tasty!

Another favorite this week is imagining baby smiling inside. Now (at 29 weeks) is the time that they start to smile!

I’ll have to update you with a bump photo soon. Baby and mama are growing like crazy!

Happy Friday my friends!

Mission: Freezer Clean-Out

Post author:Melanie
Post published:July 21, 2014
Post category:Home Life / Misc.
Post comments:4 Comments

For a while now, I have been on a mission to clean out the freezer. I seriously dislike throwing good food away so I am trying to find creative ways to use up items in the freezer instead of having to do that. Some of the foods in the freezer are ready-to-eat meals like soup, other items are random like enchilada sauce and half of a corned beef package.

I want to make more room for two reasons:

1. My goal is to make a bunch of fresh and delicious freezer meals in the next 2-3 months to have around once our little bundle joins us and for times when I don’t feel like/am too tired to cook.

2. I 100% plan to breastfeed and plan to store extra milk in the freezer.

This weekend I used up the rest of our shrimp that I had used for Valentine’s Day, in kabob form on the grill. I also used up some tomatoes as a sauce for black beans and quinoa that I had frozen from 2/2014.

Last night I used up the rest of the corned beef in the form of corned beef hash. I had used the other half in corned beef and cabbage soup for St. Patty’s Day. I decided I definitely am not a fan of corned beef. But hey, I tried.

What is still left in the freezer?

A lot of this is for my own good so that I can take inventory and so that I am fully aware of what is left in my freezer, but if you have any fun ideas on how to use any of my random items, feel free to comment! I do have some intentions on how I’d like to use some of these foods, it’s just a matter of actually doing it.

Enchilada Sauce
Cauliflower Sauce
Butternut squash cubes
A whole bunch of Olive Garden breadsticks
Quinoa chili
Veggie soup
Butternut squash soup
Corned beef and cabbage soup
Taco meat
Hot dogs (which I won’t eat but hubby and guests might)
Hot dog buns (how long do these last in the freezer? It might be time to throw those out)
Shredded zucchini—zucchini bread needs to happen before I get my next bunch from the garden!
Garden tomatoes—again, I should really do something about these considering my next batch is starting to come in!

I clearly have a problem with making WAY too large of batches of soup. I enjoy leftovers but seriously it’s gotten out of hand. I can continue to chalk away at the soups, but they are enjoyed so much more in cooler weather am I right?

Now, I know that some of these items will still be in the freezer when babes arrives and that is totally okay as long as I eat them this fall or winter, but I would like to make room for NEW stuff too. Ya know?

I have some work to do. And yes, this could definitely be part of my “nesting” tendencies I have going on lately. I’m okay with this.

In the meantime, I will continue to pin meal ideas to my Pinterest “Freezer Meals” board. Today I only have five things pinned so I have some work to do there too!

Btw are you following me on Pinterest yet?! Find me here: http://www.pinterest.com/NuttyMelanie/

Alright, off to take on the week. I can’t believe we are more than halfway through July. Where is the time going?! Ahhh!

Is your freezer as packed as mine is? Have you ever needed to take on a mission freezer clean-out?