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By: Amanda Magnus Well as I'm sure most of you have noticed our daily routines look a bit different these days. Depending on what state you live in things may be a bit more normal than others. Here in Wisconsin we are pretty much supposed to stay home unless we have an essential job to… Continue reading What I’ve Been Priming 2nd Edition
By: Amanda Magnus It should be no surprise to everyone that the world right now is not quite the same as it was a month ago. There's a lot going on and a lot changing right now. But with all of the change it's a chance to slow down and really take things in. Life… Continue reading What I’ve Been Loving Lately
By: Kristen Darkow How crazy is the world right now? I hope everyone is able to stay home and that we can clear all of this up as soon as possible! So, obviously, we won't be taking a vacation anytime soon. However, Andrew and I love to travel together and want to do as much… Continue reading Vote: Where’s Our Next Vacation?
By: Amanda Magnus Last week I did a recap of our cruise so I figured why not continue to relive our vacation and fill you all in on our Disney World trip! And of course Disney did not disappoint. I love being able to spend time with family and between the cruise and Disney getting… Continue reading Disney World Vacation Recap
By: Kristen Darkow What was the world like before Amazon Prime? We used to have to leave our houses to buy things, or order them online and then wait weeks and weeks for them to show up. Overall, I'm not a huge Amazon shopper. I tend to forget to check Amazon first for things I… Continue reading What I’ve Been Priming
By: Amanda Magnus As most of our readers already know our long awaited family cruise is officially over and Kristen and I both enjoyed every bit of it! The rest of our family also had fun and I think most of them would be willing to go on a cruise again! Kristen did a post… Continue reading Caribbean Cruise Recap
By: Kristen Darkow My phone is full of apps. To the point of having to delete some periodically because my phone is out of room. Also, my apps aren't very organized, so seeing these screenshots might give some of you hives. But the point of today's post is to share some of my very favorite… Continue reading Must-Have Phone Apps
By: Amanda Magnus Well I am officially back to reality after our cruise and jumping back into our daily routine. While it's nice to go on vacation I have to say it is so nice being home. Back to our own space and own beds feel so good! Before we left on the cruise I… Continue reading Porter’s 2nd Birthday Party
By: Kristen Darkow I must say, February has flown by...I can't believe next week is March already! We've been busy doing adult things this week (like taxes, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.), so while I don't have any fun new photos or recipes to share on the blog, I thought I'd answer a few writing prompt… Continue reading Currently…
By: Kristen Darkow Hello there! It's hard to believe, but our cruise is over. We had the best time making our way around the Caribbean with 14 other family members, and I'm here today to recap the trip with all the photos I took! Amanda is still on the second leg of her trip,… Continue reading #DarkowPolo Takes Over the Caribbean
By: Kristen Darkow It's been awhile since I've shared any photos of life lately, so today I'm sharing a whole bunch of photos from the last few months! Warning: it involves a LOT of dog photos. 🙂 Enjoy! These two are the best of friends and make for a pretty handsome duo. 🙂 I… Continue reading The Past Few Months in Photos
By: Amanda Magnus Like a lot of people I know, meal planning in general can be such a chore. I've tried meal plans before and I never seem to stick with them. I've also tried meal prepping but again nothing has really stuck. Well there's a few things that have finally made all of this… Continue reading More on Easy Meal Planning and Prep
By: Kristen Darkow I don't know about all of you, but meal prepping is something I dread most each week. I really try to come up with new healthy recipes each week for lunch and dinner, but it ends up taking all day Sunday to shop for groceries and prep a week's worth of… Continue reading Simple Meal Prep Idea
By: Amanda Magnus There is something about diving into a good book that just makes a person happy. And that is definitely true for me. I know some people really don't enjoy reading but it's something I've loved to do since I could read. I don't have a specific genre I stick to because I… Continue reading What I’m Reading
By: Kristen Darkow This fall, I tried my very first FabFitFun box and I loved it! It was full of products that I'd admire in the store but never actually buy for myself, so for just $50 a quarter, it was a great treat for myself! I decided to continue the subscription and looked forward… Continue reading FabFitFun – Winter Box
By: Amanda Magnus I hope everyone is enjoying this time leading up to the holidays and looking forward to spending it with family and friends! This time of year always makes me happy. I love being able to decorate for different holidays but Christmas is the most fun for me. There is just so much… Continue reading More Christmas Decor
By: Kristen Darkow Christmas lights, Christmas trees and stockings are enough to put anyone in the Christmas spirit...the decor is one of my favorite things about this time of year! While I love putting up and enjoying my own Christmas decor, I always love blog posts that give a peek into someone else's home… Continue reading Christmas Decor Home Tour
By: Amanda Magnus Well, I'm not sure how it happened but Ella turned 4 years old this past weekend! I can't believe we have been blessed to be her parents for the past 4 years. It seems like just yesterday we were bringing her home and starting our parenting journey. Ella has really developed her… Continue reading Ella’s 4th Birthday Party!
By: Kristen Darkow I don't know about you, but online shopping has been a lifesaver for me when it comes to Christmas gifts. I don't always know what exactly I'm looking for when shopping for a specific person, so aimlessly wandering a store doesn't always do the trick for me. Online shops, like Etsy,… Continue reading Gift Guide For the Whole Family
By: Amanda Magnus In case you didn't know, the theme on the blog this week is cookies! Now usually this time of year Christmas cookies are what I think of. But really I think any cookie made this time of year is a Christmas cookie...right?! I don't think there's any limit to what kind of… Continue reading More Cookie Recipes
By: Kristen Darkow Happy December! Can you believe Christmastime is officially here? Wasn't it just a couple months ago that Amanda and I were blogging about our Christmas cookies? You can read about those here. I also blogged about my grandma's cookie recipes last year, which you can read about here. With Thanksgiving being… Continue reading It’s That Time of Year Again…Christmas Cookies!
By: Amanda Magnus and Kristen Darkow First of all Happy Thanksgiving! With Thanksgiving upon us that means the busy season of the rest of the holidays coming up is upon us. And with that comes stress and often times we forget to reflect on the joy of the season and what we are thankful for.… Continue reading What We Are Thankful For
By: Kristen Darkow Can you believe it's already the week of Thanksgiving? From the family gatherings to the annual traditions, this time of year can be so fun. Today I'm sharing one of my favorite holiday traditions that my family has done since as long as I can remember (and, in fact, much before I… Continue reading Lefse: A Finstad Holiday Tradition
By: Amanda Magnus This week we are giving you a peak into our daily lives. My days aren't super exciting but it was fun documenting it along the way and remembering little things about my day that I normally probably wouldn't have thought twice about. I chose to use Tuesday as my day to document.… Continue reading A Day in the Life of Amanda
By: Kristen Darkow When I'm reading other people's blogs, I always think one of the most interesting types of posts is a peek into their daily life...periodic photos throughout their day. So this week, Amanda and I are bringing you a day in each of our lives! Dive in! This particular day, last Tuesday,… Continue reading A Day in the Life of Kristen
By: Amanda Magnus If you read Kristen's post from earlier this week then you know we are talking about cruises. And I'm okay with that because it is cold in Wisconsin right now and thinking about warmer weather is a nice mental escape! Kristen gave some awesome tips on what to do if you are… Continue reading Tips for Your First Cruise
By: Kristen Darkow There are two kinds of people in this world...those who've been on a cruise and those who haven't. As of now, I am the second type. BUT, I am looking forward to my first cruise in just 3 months! Both Amanda and I are going on a cruise with her side… Continue reading How to Plan a Cruise
By: Amanda Magnus Well in Wisconsin it appears that we have skipped fall and gone straight to winter. We are getting snow again today as I type this. But the cool weather is also perfect weather for a nice warm soup. I don't make soups as often as I'd like, but when I do they… Continue reading Delicious Fall Chili Recipe
By: Kristen Darkow Happy November! Can you believe how time is flying? Just 23 more days until Thanksgiving! And whether you're hosting Thanksgiving this year, bringing a dish to pass at someone else's home, or just want a creative way to use up your leftovers, we've got you covered today! Here in the Midwest,… Continue reading 7 Layer Thanksgiving Hot Dish
By: Amanda Magnus Happy Halloween! Do you get excited for Halloween or tend to just want it to be over? I'll be honest I was never a big fan of it but my husband loves Halloween so over the years it has become more fun for me. Also, since having kids and getting them dressed… Continue reading Halloween Fun
By: Kristen Darkow Writing my post about the Apple Watch last week inspired me to also share my workout routine. Since the Apple Watch does such a great job of tracking workouts, it seemed fitting to share what I've been doing to stay active! This varies from month-to-month, because I sometimes get bored of… Continue reading My Workout Routine
By: Amanda Magnus When it comes to make-up and skincare there are so many different brands and products out there. My preference in the products I use has definitely changed over the years. I've started paying a lot more attention to what I'm putting on my skin since our skin absorbs everything! So I have… Continue reading My Favorite Beauty and Skincare Products
By: Kristen Darkow Ahhh, the Apple Watch. When it came out several years ago, I didn't see any reason for it. We all have a cell phone - why would we need a tinier version of our cell phone on our wrists? But, over the last year or so, I've become more curious and interested… Continue reading My Apple Watch Review
By: Amanda Magnus If you haven't figured it out by now, party planning is something I love to do! I just love the whole process from picking a theme, organizing everything and figuring out all of the little details. Some may find that tedious and not fun at all but it is anything but that… Continue reading How to Plan a Bachelorette Party
By: Kristen Darkow If you're anything like me, you've seen all the celebs advertising the FabFitFun Box for years, but haven't been able to validate spending that kind of money on yourself - especially when you don't know exactly what you're going to get for that money. But this fall, I finally caved and… Continue reading My FabFitFun Box Experience
By: Amanda Magnus I posted not long ago about struggling with meal planning and coming up with new ideas. I recently started seeing charcuterie boards popping up on my social media feeds, and let me tell you, they look delicious! If you're not familiar with what a charcuterie board is, it's just a mixture of… Continue reading My New Favorite Meal Idea
By: Kristen Darkow You wanna feel old? Go to a college homecoming when you're past college-age. And turn 27. All in the same weekend. And that's just what we did this weekend. It was great fun! Andrew and I left work around noon on Friday to get a head start on the 6 hour drive… Continue reading College Homecoming – SDSU Edition
By: Amanda Magnus Well, we finally made it happen! You're probably wondering what I'm talking about! You know when you've been wanting something for awhile but it's not really in the plans. Then it's in the plans and you talk about it happening for even longer. But then the day comes and you finally get… Continue reading Our Newest Addition
By: Kristen Darkow October is officially here! I don't know about you, but once the weather becomes cool and crisp, all I want when I get home from work is a warm bowl of soup ready and waiting for me in the crock pot. I live on soups this time of year! I recently… Continue reading A Hearty Potato Soup Perfect for Fall
By: Amanda Magnus "What's for dinner?" Ugh, that one question stresses me out most days/weeks. I try to meal plan as much as I can but between kids and finding time to grocery shop motivation for meal planning just doesn't always happen. Okay, if you ask my husband it rarely happens lately! But I have… Continue reading My Latest Favorite Food Finds
By: Kristen Darkow This has been an eventful summer - that's why I did a recap last week sharing all of the photos of fun things we did this summer! Had I known how fun this past week would be, though, I would have waited to talk about the summer until this week! Oh… Continue reading Brewers, Badgers, and the Jonas Brothers?
By: Amanda Magnus Back in May when I was in the Twin Cities for Andrew and Kristen's Bachelor/Bachelorette parties, a friend texted me asking if my mom and I could do a sewing project for her daughter. My mom is experienced in this area and I can sew if I have her help and direction.… Continue reading The Cutest Diaper Bag Sewing Project
By: Kristen Darkow I'm finding it so hard to believe that we're in our last "official" week of summer. Come September 23, it's fall! I say every year that the summer flew by, but this really had to have been the fastest summer of my life. Today, I'm sharing a whole bunch of random… Continue reading Our Summer in Photos
By: Amanda Magnus From time to time Brian and I enjoy going out for a date night or I need a moms night out! While we love to try new craft beers, we have also found some great wine bars in the area that we enjoy. If you're looking for some good date night ideas… Continue reading Favorite Wine Bars
By: Kristen Darkow I think I speak for both Andrew and myself when I say that being an aunt and uncle is our favorite title. If you remember our wedding photos, we had the two cutest little Flower Girls and the most adorable tiny Ring Bearer. My sister-in-law (Maid of Honor) was 6 months… Continue reading Our New Nephew, Dane Christopher!
By: Amanda Magnus & Kristen Darkow This week, we celebrate ONE WHOLE YEAR of Eat, Drink and B Crafty! Can you believe it? We want to take today to thank all of you who have loyally read this blog, whether it's been for a week, a month, six months, or a year. We have… Continue reading One Year of Eat, Drink and B Crafty!
By: Kristen Darkow Ahhh, it's officially September and Labor Day has come and gone. While I'm sure the majority of people had a very relaxing Labor Day weekend, or at least spent it outside in the beautiful weather, Andrew and I decided to use the long weekend to re-do our bedroom. After taking on… Continue reading Our Bedroom Makeover: Dark & Enclosed to Light & Airy
By: Amanda Magnus When you hear the term "family pictures" do you get excited or cringe at the thought? I don't think I've ever minded family photos. And now since having kids I do enjoy getting them done so we have posed pictures of the kids as they grow. Unfortunately though my kids do not… Continue reading Family Picture Time
By: Kristen Darkow If you haven't noticed by now, I'm all about finding delicious recipes and subbing out ingredients to make them healthier. I love me some Chinese takeout, but I'm not always willing to undo that day's workout for all that deep fried goodness. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I am very willing… Continue reading Lightened Up Egg Rolls
By: Amanda Magnus I have recently become obsessed with strawberry margaritas. And not just drinking them (in moderation of course) but figuring out the perfect recipe. It all started when Brian and I were out to eat with his family at Chili's. His dad ordered a margarita on the rocks. I've always been a blended… Continue reading The BEST Strawberry Margarita Recipe
By: Kristen Darkow This past weekend, my parents attended a family reunion in Iowa where more than 250 relatives gathered to share family history and, for most of them, meet for the very first time! They are all descendants of a couple who each immigrated from Norway and eventually met in Iowa and had… Continue reading Ancestry DNA Test
By: Amanda Magnus Can you believe it's that time of year again? Yes, I'm talking about back to school! This summer flew by and here we are with the start of school right around the corner. Some of you are pros at this but for me this is Ella's first year starting school. So it… Continue reading First Day of School Signs!
By: Kristen Darkow The last time I was in Florida was for my 6th birthday. See below. But last week, my cousin got married in Destin, Florida, which meant we got a nice little family vacation out of the deal! The wedding was on a Monday, which allowed us to enjoy the entire weekend… Continue reading Our long weekend in Destin, Florida
By: Amanda Magnus We have made it a tradition to go to the Wisconsin State Fair the first Saturday that it opens. We have done this for the past 3 years. Each year has been different since our kids have grown more and been able to participate more in the fair activities. From fair food,… Continue reading Our Day at the Wisconsin State Fair
By: Kristen Darkow Okay, surely by now you're sick of reading about our wedding, but I'm pretty sure this is the last blog I have slated to talk about our wedding! And, if you or anyone you know is getting married in the Twin Cities area, I'm hoping this will be a helpful post!… Continue reading The Very Best Twin Cities Wedding Vendors
By: Amanda Magnus Well it's officially August and that means July is over and dare I say it, summer is coming to an end. 🙁 Summer gets busy and I'm not always great at taking pictures but this month I have quite a few pictures so I thought it would be fun to have a… Continue reading The Month in Pictures
By: Kristen Darkow So you're planning a wedding...first - congratulations! Being engaged is such a short time in someone's life, and yet one of the most exciting times. Soak it up! Second, it's time to get planning. Seriously. I used to laugh a little at couples who started wedding planning the day after they… Continue reading Planning a wedding? Here’s where to start.
By: Amanda Magnus This past week/weekend was a busy one! As some of you know, I'm originally from South Dakota. We rarely make it back there since our family is all in MN, but this year we made plans to go to South Dakota to visit some friends. They had come out to visit us… Continue reading Week/Weekend Re-cap
By: Kristen Darkow Happy Tuesday! Do you have a friend or family member's birthday coming up? Or just need a dessert idea for a summer cookout? Every year for Andrew's birthday, I've made him some variation of a cheesecake. We love us some cheesecake. But we also love us some banana bread. So when… Continue reading Banana Bread Cheesecake: Two Wonderful Worlds Collide
By: Amanda Magnus Being a mom means the only way I get through the morning is usually with caffeine. And some days I require some more in the afternoon too! A few weeks ago, I found this awesome espresso machine on Amazon. I've been experimenting with drinks and wanted to share my two favorites with… Continue reading The Perfect Homemade Espresso Drinks
By: Kristen Darkow Summer is flying by! Growing up, we always measured the halfway point of summer by River Falls Days, the annual summer celebration in my hometown of River Falls. And, friends, River Falls Days 2019 is in the books. Andrew and I headed home to spend the weekend with my family and… Continue reading Weekend Recap: River Falls Days
By: Amanda Magnus Traditional or non-traditional card games - our family is up for either! We grew up playing some traditional card games with my grandparents and then every Easter we would play some non-traditional games with my Aunt Deb and Uncle John. Games are always fun and a great family activity! When it comes… Continue reading Our Favorite Games to Play
By: Kristen Darkow If you're not already sick of hearing about our wedding, then today I have for you a recap of the weekend with a bajillion photos! Some of them are taken by family and friends on their cell phones, but most of them were taken by our wonderful photographer, Wendy Jo Stocker… Continue reading Our Wedding Day – A Recap in Photos
By: Amanda Magnus This past week the kids and I had our first strawberry picking experience! We go through a lot of strawberries in our house, so of course going and picking our own was a great idea! I had never been strawberry picking before but had wanted to go for the past few years.… Continue reading Our First Time Strawberry Picking
By: Kristen Darkow Everybody loves Etsy, am I right? Cute, homemade and personalized items, all while supporting small, home-based businesses. I've always been a fan, but over the past year while Andrew and I were engaged, Etsy was my lifesaver. A good chunk of our wedding decorations, bridal party gifts, etc. were all from… Continue reading The Best Items on Etsy for a Bride-to-Be!
By: Amanda Magnus With the Fourth of July coming up much quicker than anticipated, now is a great time to start thinking of some crafts to decorate for the holiday. I love the Fourth of July because it's always so fun getting together with family and friends and getting to watch the fireworks. It's also… Continue reading Patriotic Fourth of July Crafts
By: Kristen Darkow Can you believe the 4th is just around the corner? If I had to guess, I'd say it's May 15. And yet here we are with less than a week until July. Honestly though, July 4th is one of my very favorite holidays! I love summer, I love cookouts, I love… Continue reading Unique Fourth of July Recipes
By: Kristen Darkow See that last name? ^^ Crazy, huh? It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks, but we are back from our honeymoon and adjusting back to real life as a married couple! It's hard to believe it's already the middle (almost end?!) of June, but we will be reliving our wedding and… Continue reading Honeymoon Recap: Tenerife and Dublin!
By: Amanda Magnus As you know, if you are a regular reader, I am a stay at home mom. And if you are also a stay at home mom you know that making the decision to go from a two income household down to one is not an easy one. It takes planning, budgeting and… Continue reading How to Make Money from Home
By: Amanda Magnus Summer time is probably one of the busiest seasons for us and many people. If you live in the Midwest you want to take full advantage of the warm sunny weather for the short time we have it. Summer also means kids are out of school so that means extra time with… Continue reading How I Keep My Kids Busy for the Summer
By: Amanda Magnus One of my favorite things to do is to enjoy a nice evening out on a patio with a fire. And if there's a fire I'm probably making myself some S'mores as well. 🙂 Creating a relaxing patio is not always easy, especially if you are on a budget. If you've ever… Continue reading DIY Patio Furniture on a Budget
By: Amanda Magnus Now that the warmer weather is here there is more opportunity to grill out, have fires and just enjoy being outside. I don't know about you, but it's nice to enjoy an ice cold beverage on those warm days. I have a wide range of drinks that I enjoy, depending on what… Continue reading Must Try Summer Drinks
By: Kristen Finstad Well, it's my first blog post as a married woman! After 11 months of all things wedding planning, Andrew and I got married on Saturday and it was perfect. The weather was perfect, the ceremony was beautiful and the reception was a blast. It's hard to believe it's all over, but… Continue reading 20 Questions: Wedding Edition
By: Amanda Magnus and Kristen Finstad Well we are finally having some warmer weather and that means summer is in full swing. Plans are underway for all of the fun things we will be doing this summer! Summer always seems to fill up so fast with things to do but it's always fun and great… Continue reading Our Summer Plans
By: Kristen Finstad Happy TUESDAY! Isn't it a great feeling starting the week and it's already Tuesday? I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! Andrew and I sure did - it was busy and full of lots of fun stuff, but it was the perfect way to spend our last weekend together… Continue reading Our Memorial Day Weekend
By: Amanda Magnus When it comes to television, it's something I definitely try to limit when it comes to my kids. A great alternative I've found to having a show on is to just have music playing. But there are times when music isn't going to cut it and there are things I need to… Continue reading What T.V. Shows My Kids Watch and Why
By: Kristen Finstad Grandmas are the best - am I right? They're just so sweet and warm and kind, and almost always amazing cooks or bakers. My grandma Bev was no exception. She passed in 2017, so I was lucky to have her around for 24 years of my life. I still miss her… Continue reading Grandma’s Cookie Recipes
By: Amanda Magnus Well this has been a long awaited post. At least it has been for me! You may remember I posted a sneak peak of our living room makeover awhile ago and promised to post again once it was complete. If you missed the first post you can check it out here. Well… Continue reading Final Reveal of the Living Room Makeover
By: Kristen Finstad As some of you may know, Amanda and I consistently watch The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Bachelor in Paradise. We know it's ridiculous, we know it's cheesy, we know it's laughable, but we can't look away. To become just a little more invested in the series, we, along with Brian and… Continue reading Spice up The Bachelorette with a fantasy league!
By: Amanda Magnus As you probably saw from Kristen's post earlier this week, we had her bachelorette party this past weekend! It was a busy weekend but so much fun. I mean who doesn't like a reason to go hang out with some of your favorite people?! For the bachelorette party we started off by… Continue reading Kristen’s Bachelorette Party!
I am so lucky. After a weekend full of pre-wedding celebrations, I've come to the conclusion that I have the very best friends and family. On Saturday, all of the girls got together for a bachelorette party, which we'll talk about on the blog later this week. But on Sunday, my sweet aunts, Elsa and… Continue reading Kristen’s River Falls Bridal Shower
By: Amanda Magnus Well it's springtime in Wisconsin even though it definitely hasn't seemed like it with the snow we recently had. With spring comes planting season if you are a gardener. I wouldn't consider myself a gardener but I do enjoy growing a few things each year. Although, my husband will be the first… Continue reading Gardening and What I’m Planting
By: Kristen Finstad I know the latest trend is to "Marie Kondo" your house. If you haven't heard of it, it's a Netflix show (that I haven't seen), about decluttering your home by getting rid of things you don't need and organizing the things you do need. I'm sure it's a great show and… Continue reading Spring Cleaning and Decluttering
By: Amanda Magnus This past weekend was a busy one! We celebrated Easter with family and also had a bridal shower for Kristen. I can't believe their wedding is only 6 weeks away! I love planning parties, it's just what makes me happy. I love the planning process, figuring out the fine details and seeing… Continue reading An Ice Cream Social Bridal Shower
By: Kristen Finstad Happy Tuesday! Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend. This post is a day late because Amanda and I were out of town for a long weekend with family, so hopefully you didn't miss us too much. 🙂 Today, I'm chatting about my makeup and skincare routine and the products I… Continue reading My Makeup and Skincare Routine
In keeping with this weeks theme of all things Easter we thought we should pick some of our favorite dishes to pass at Easter gatherings. Whether you have a big or small gathering these dishes are sure to please! My favorite salad that we have at Easter and actually most of our family gatherings is… Continue reading Easter Dishes to Share!
Can you believe it's the week of Easter already? Even with a late Easter this year, it feels like spring has flown by. This week, we're dedicating the blog to Easter traditions and Easter recipes. Kristen's Easter Traditions Many things change over the years, but one thing that seems to stay pretty consistent for… Continue reading Our Easter Traditions
By: Amanda Magnus Well this week has been a weird one weather wise if you are in the Midwest. We had 60 degree weather and now we are getting snow! We did get to enjoy some time outside playing while the weather was nice but now we are stuck inside. So, what do we do?… Continue reading Easter Crafts for Kids
By: Kristen Finstad I have always loved to read, but as I get older and life gets busier, it's tough to make the time to sit down with a book. I'm notorious for reading 5 pages at a time and taking a year to get through a book. Lately, though, I've been taking my… Continue reading Sophie Kinsella Book Review
By: Amanda Magnus Who doesn't love a good movie?! I've always enjoyed going to movies. Once I met my husband I started going to a lot more movies than I had in the past. His family are big movie goers and I have to say I enjoy it! When we go to the movies we… Continue reading Our Top Movie Picks for 2019
By: Kristen Finstad 2019 has been the year of country concerts for me! In January, a friend and I went to a concert featuring five up-and-coming country artists here in Madison, and it was so fun to get to know some newer artists and now to start hearing their songs on the radio! … Continue reading Country Concert Recaps
By: Amanda Magnus With wedding season just around the corner that means Andrew and Kristen's wedding is going to be here before we know it! I'm so excited for both of them. There's nothing better than knowing your brother has found someone amazing to spend the rest of his life with! And, I gain another… Continue reading My Azazie Experience and Why I Loved It!
By: Kristen Finstad Everybody loves a good hot dish, right? I think Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice hot dish is a favorite in many households, but we all know how unhealthy a midwestern hot dish can be. One of my favorite ways to cook is figuring out how to eat my favorite comfort foods but… Continue reading What’s for Dinner: Lightened Up Hot Dish
By: Amanda Magnus Do you ever experiment with food? Well I don't very often but from time to time I'll have a good idea. This time though it was my husband, Brian, that had the idea for the recipe I'm about to tell you about. We enjoy doing brunch with my parents on the weekend.… Continue reading Pigs in a Blanket with a Twist
By: Kristen Finstad Friends - spring is finally in sight. Here in Wisconsin, we're looking at 40s, 50s and 60s over the next couple of weeks, and I couldn't be more thrilled. We all survived a couple of rough months full of snow storms, ice storms, and polar vortex temperatures, and, I've gotta say,… Continue reading Netflix Recommendations
Meet Kara Peterson, another guest, we are so excited to have on the blog! Kara is a certified personal trainer and a fitness enthusiast! She is a mom to two boys and a wife. She enjoys being in the gym and helping others reach their fitness goals! If you’re in the Delafield, WI area and… Continue reading There’s ALWAYS Time for YOU
By: Kristen Finstad So last week I posted several St. Patrick's Day-themed meals and desserts and asked for help deciding which ones to make (even though I would have loved to make them all). I also asked for Andrew's input, since, well, he'd be the one stuck eating it! We decided on one meal… Continue reading Your St. Patty’s Day Menu
By: Amanda Magnus I don't know that I've ever done a post about what's going on in my world so I thought why not give it a try. The winter weather is hopefully starting to come to an end and warm weather is around the corner. With warmer weather comes more opportunities to get out… Continue reading Current Successes, Struggles and Future Plans
St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner, and ever since finding out I'm a little bit Irish via the Ancestry DNA kit, I take the opportunity to celebrate! Even if you're not Irish though, I think there's always a reason to dress up in green and celebrate St. Patty's Day! Today I'm going to… Continue reading St. Patrick’s Day Recipes – What’s Your Vote?
By: Amanda Magnus Since Kristen shared some of her favorite things in her blog post this week I thought I would share a few of my favorites as well! Does anyone else have a favorite meal they just love? Or a favorite beverage or dessert you never get tired of? Well I definitely have a… Continue reading A Few of My Favorites
By: Kristen Finstad Happy Monday...Hope everyone had a nice and relaxing weekend! I always think it's fun to read people's little quizzes about themselves and their favorite things, so on this Monday morning, I'm going to create my own! Here we go: Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links from Amazon that we may… Continue reading Top Three & This or That
By: Amanda Magnus When it comes to decorating, I have a really hard time focusing on one theme. If you remember my post about my son's first birthday, that was evident since I combined two themes! I just like so many different things I can't decide! Not to mention I happen to be an indecisive… Continue reading A Living Room Makeover
By: Kristen Finstad I think I've done my fair share of complaining about winter on this blog, but until I see some green grass and hear some birds chirping, I'll probably keep on complaining. 🙂 One way we've been coping with the cold temps and seemingly daily blizzards is with some quality TV content.… Continue reading Must-Watch Winter TV Shows
By: Amanda Magnus Another birthday?! Yes! We have a birthday every month from December to February. This time it was my husband's birthday. So unlike the other two birthdays we recently celebrated, there was no birthday board or decorations for this one. 🙂 But he did get a pretty great birthday dinner! I recently went… Continue reading A Must-Try Birthday Dinner
By: Kristen Finstad As I write this, Andrew and I are stuck in traffic on terrible wintry roads in YET another snowstorm (that marks, what, five storms in three weeks?). To say I’m over winter would be an understatement. So, I’m taking a moment to close my eyes and relive some past vacations, and… Continue reading Looking Back on Vacations Past
By: Amanda Magnus Well my last post was all about Porter's first year. I promised I would do a follow up on what we did for his first birthday party as well so here it is! Theme I am terrible when it comes to picking just one thing. There are just too many options and… Continue reading Porter’s 1st Birthday Party
By: Kristen Finstad Ahh, the Monday after the Super Bowl. This should be a national holiday - am I right? Most everyone wants to enjoy the Super Bowl in some capacity -- whether it's for the game itself, the commercials, the social element of Super Bowl parties, or the food -- and it just… Continue reading Party Food: Super Bowl Edition
By: Amanda Magnus I can't believe I'm writing this post already. How is my baby a year old already?! As everyone says, time goes by so fast and little ones grow in the blink of an eye. It's so true! And I feel like with the second kid it goes even faster! Since time won't… Continue reading Porter’s 1st Year!
By: Kristen Finstad Happy Monday, friends! If you're in the upper Midwest, chances are you're buried in snow and toughing out the frigid temps today. Winter has officially arrived, and I, for one, am not a fan. I'm cheering myself up a bit today by reminiscing on the past couple of months and all… Continue reading Life Lately
By: Amanda Magnus Does anyone else feel like January is the longest month out of the year? It seems the end of the year always flies by with the holidays and then we celebrate a new year starting and time just seems to crawl after that. Maybe it's the cold Wisconsin winters and being cooped… Continue reading Indoor Activities for Kids So You Can Keep Your Sanity
By: Kristen Finstad Flash back to a few years ago, I had recently graduated college, was frantically job searching and figuring out the real world, and decided to take a moment to reflect on what I'd learned in my young adult years. And though I wrote this post a few years ago, I think… Continue reading Things I Wish I Could Tell My Teenage Self
By: Amanda Magnus If you read Kristen's post earlier this week then you know we are talking about our favorite soup recipes! Soup really is a great comforting meal this time of year if you live in a place with colder weather. The best part about soup is there are so many different kinds and… Continue reading A Must Try Winter Soup
By: Kristen Finstad Ahhh, January in the Midwest. The season of cozying up by the fire with a good book, camping out in the living room for movie marathons, and just overall avoiding the outdoors. Is there anything that goes better with all of these things than a warm bowl of soup? I think… Continue reading Cozy Winter Soups: Chicken & Wild Rice Recipe
By: Amanda Magnus One thing we haven't covered much yet on our blog is fashion. I personally don't consider myself a fashion guru but, I'm sure like many of you, I do enjoy getting new clothes and at least trying to look fashionable! And if you are anything like me, I tend to stick to… Continue reading My Stitch Fix Experience
By: Kristen Finstad Hello, friends! Happy Monday! Can you believe New Year's Eve was already a week ago? It's so tough to transition back into a full five-day week, so for today, we're going to relive New Year's Eve for just a little bit longer. Andrew and I attended a 1960s Mad Men… Continue reading New Year’s Eve Recap
By: Amanda Magnus Needless to say, these past few weeks have been a whirlwind of family get togethers and celebrations. There was plenty of delicious food and drinks enjoyed by everyone! New Year's was the most recent celebration and it did not disappoint. My husband, Brian, and I were lucky enough to have my mom… Continue reading Cocktails For Any Occasion
Happy Monday and Happy New Year's Eve! Can you believe it's the last day of 2018? Despite the fact that this New Year's Eve happens to be unusually warm compared to most years, we're always in the mood for warm drinks during wintertime. These two recipes in particular are perfect for New Year's Eve… Continue reading Crockpot Recipes: Warm Drink Edition
By: Amanda Magnus and Kristen Finstad Merry Christmas Eve, everyone! We both just love this holiday, and thought it would be fitting to dedicate today's blog post to our Christmas traditions to help get in the spirit. So, grab a cozy blanket, a mug of hot chocolate, and enjoy. Kristen's Childhood Traditions Like many,… Continue reading Christmas Traditions
By: Amanda Magnus First of all, green bean casserole is one of my favorites but I rarely make it. Maybe it's because it's a side dish and when I'm planning meals for the week I like to keep things simple and just do roasted veggies as a side as opposed to making a casserole. If… Continue reading Green Bean Casserole with a Twist
By: Kristen Finstad *Disclaimer: I am obligated to make it known that this recipe (and its clever name) are both the invention of Andrew. What can I say? He knows his way around the kitchen. 😉 Can we just take a moment to appreciate potatoes? They can be mashed or baked, turned into… Continue reading Taco Tot Dish
By: Amanda Magnus Once upon a time...that's how all good stories begin right?! Well, this is the story of Princess Ella's third birthday party. Princess Ella came into this world on December 8, 2015 at 12:54pm. Her parents were overjoyed at her arrival and have been so blessed over the past 3 years watching her… Continue reading Once Upon A Time…
By: Kristen Finstad From stocking-shaped, frosting-covered sugar cookies to your classic chocolate chip, Christmas cookie season is here! Whether you're looking for some simple and delicious recipes for your office cookie exchange, or just looking to wow your family at this year's celebration, we've got three recipes you're going to want to try. Commence… Continue reading Craveworthy Christmas Cookies
By: Amanda Magnus When the holidays roll around it is full of endless parties and gatherings to attend it seems. It's fun to be able to get together with family and friends. But it can be hard to come up with what food to bring to these gatherings. Whether it's an appetizer, a side dish… Continue reading Our Favorite Holiday Recipes
By: Kristen Finstad With the holiday season comes an abundance of expenses - from the dozens of gifts, to the Christmas tree, to the potlucks, to the decorations...you know how it goes. Handmade gifts are a wonderful way to cut costs in the gift giving department. Plus, everyone knows handmade gifts are so much more… Continue reading Handmade Gifts for Friends and Family
By: Amanda Magnus Gift giving can be so stressful this time of year. It's hard enough trying to find gifts from you for everyone on your list. Then if you also have children you may be having to find gifts for them to give to friends and family as well. If you are still searching… Continue reading Gift Giving Ideas from Kids
By: Kristen Finstad Happy Tuesday! We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving spent enjoying some delicious food and great company. 🙂 The madness of Black Friday is over, but Cyber Monday kicked off the week with amazing online deals. With websites and apps for absolutely anything you can think of these days, technology can… Continue reading Your Guide to Online Shopping During the Holiday Season
When it comes to this time of year Black Friday and Cyber Monday are what most people are waiting for to score some great deals! Not going to lie I'm the same way. But did you know that Saturday, November 24th is "Shop Small Saturday"? It's a great way to support your local small businesses… Continue reading Gift Giving Guide – Shop Small Edition
Happy Thanksgiving week! Thanksgiving is arguably my favorite meal all year. From the buttery mashed potatoes and hearty stuffing, to the tart cranberries and delicious pies, it's a meal that just can't be beat. While it is something I look forward to each year, I also love to try new recipes from year-to-year. My… Continue reading Your New Must-Try Thanksgiving Recipe
By: Amanda Magnus From the start of fall, we seem to have quite a few birthday celebrations! And that means birthday parties to plan and decorate for. So, of course we want to fill you all in on our tips and tricks for pulling off amazing parties with great decor while still keeping it cost… Continue reading Birthday Boards
By: Kristen Finstad Happy Tuesday! Today, we're talking crafts. My sweet grandpa is turning 90 this month, and we're throwing him a party to celebrate (ya only turn 90 once, right?). I've, of course, asked Amanda to make one of her awesome birthday boards, which you may be hearing more about later this week.… Continue reading Gettin’ Crafty: Birthday Banners Edition
By: Amanda Magnus As you may have seen on our Facebook page, it was my birthday at the end of October. Some people don't like to make a big deal about birthdays but I think they should definitely be celebrated! I try to make sure my kids feel extra special for their birthdays and I… Continue reading A Weekend Getaway
We're a couple months into the Eat, Drink and B Crafty brand, and though we've given out a few details here and there, this is our first "get to know us" post. Most of you know at least one of us, but for those who don't, we thought we'd post a few essential facts about… Continue reading 5 Facts About Kristen and Amanda
By: Amanda Magnus I don't know about you guys, but I love a warm cup of coffee in the morning. Sometimes I drink it black and sometimes I'll add a little creamer. But I almost always top it with some homemade whipped cream! Side note about the whipped cream...Two Christmases ago, my husband asked his… Continue reading Mid-Afternoon Pick Me Up
We've talked about a few different breakfast recipes on the blog, and they're all great for different reasons and occasions. The recipe featured today is perfect for hosting a group for brunch, as it makes a lot of food! It would also be perfect for prepping a week's worth of breakfast. We're talking about Tater… Continue reading Your New Favorite Breakfast: Tater Tot Sausage Breakfast Bake
Jessie Hetzel is another guest poster and we are so excited to have her! Jessie is a Midwest momma to three and works hard to find nutritious options for her family to eat. Be sure to follow her Instagram account here for more great lunch ideas and to see specifics of what foods she loves… Continue reading Healthy School Lunch Ideas
By: Amanda Magnus Have you ever heard of an escape room? They are popping up all over the place and are a must if you haven't experienced one yet. Kristen and I have done three escape rooms now at Escape In Time. I am going to tell you about our experience at this specific location… Continue reading Escape Rooms – The New Must-Try Experience
Meet Mel B! She is our first guest blogger! She is a self diagnosed perfectionist, head over heels for the little boy who stole her heart and calls her mom, and obsessed with all things personal growth. On her blog she talks about things like productivity, mindsets, and lifestyle. She shares her tips and tricks for… Continue reading 7 Need to Know Tips for Home Decorating on a Budget
By Kristen Finstad So, one of mine and Amanda's favorite things to do together is Board & Brush! If you haven't been, you ought to go! If you're unfamiliar, Board & Brush is this cute little place (with locations nationwide) where you basically turn a piece of raw wood into a super impressive decoration… Continue reading Board & Brush: Our Experiences and Thoughts
By: Amanda Magnus If you have been following our blog you've probably figured out by now that we love fall and doing crafts! So, we had our followers vote on social media for which fall wreath they wanted to see me make. And the winner was fall wreath #3. This fall wreath is so cute… Continue reading Fall Wreath Reveal
By Kristen Finstad Let me start off by saying that Andrew wanted me to name this blog post "Eat, Drink and BOO Crafty". Not a bad idea. Anyway - I asked, and you answered! Two weeks ago I listed several Halloween craft options, and the Halloween Luminaries received the most votes. Remember these? … Continue reading Gettin’ Crafty: Halloween Luminaries Edition
By: Amanda Magnus As promised, here is my second refinishing project of a small china hutch. I seriously love refinishing furniture! I don't know that I could ever love doing it as a job though because I would want to keep everything I refinished. It's always so fun to see the finished project come together,… Continue reading Furniture Refinishing Project: Failure to Success
Refinishing furniture has always looked like a lot of fun, and a great way to save old pieces and make them feel new again! While Amanda is the true pro at refinishing furniture, I decided to take a stab at it myself this summer! I've lived in an apartment with a roommate for the past… Continue reading Drab Desk to Fab TV Stand
By: Amanda Magnus Door hangings and wreaths really make a home look inviting! I love how they spruce up a plain front door and can be interchanged for the different seasons and holidays. I started out making tulle wreaths a few years ago and currently have the one pictured below on our front door. But… Continue reading Pinterest Inspired Fall Wreaths
By: Kristen Finstad Halloween is quickly approaching, and I firmly believe that there are few things cozier than a house decorated for fall and all of its festivities. I've done my due diligence in researching Halloween crafts on Pinterest, and I've found a few of my favorites. Some are spooky and some are cute. I'm… Continue reading Pinterest Halloween Crafts – What’s Your Vote?
By: Amanda Magnus and Kristen Finstad When it comes to the fall season there are so many things to look forward too. Beautiful fall colors, cool crisp air, pumpkin spice everything, apple crisp and the start of new seasons of our favorite shows! It's probably no secret by now that fall is our favorite season!… Continue reading Must Watch Fall T.V. Shows
By Kristen Finstad Happy Tuesday, everyone! While our blog will cover plenty of crafting, cooking, and home improvement projects, we also want to make sure we cover some everyday life. I always think reading these writing prompts are a lot of fun, so I thought I'd take a stab at it myself. Here… Continue reading Tuesday Talk: 12 Rambling Thoughts
By: Amanda Magnus Continuing with our theme for the week let's talk about breakfast. When it comes to breakfast my preferences have really changed over the years. From my high school days or even before I was never a big breakfast person. I actually preferred my sleep over breakfast so I would usually skip breakfast… Continue reading Blender Banana Oatmeal Muffins
By Kristen Finstad First, a few relevant facts about me: I'm not a big breakfast person. Don't get me wrong - I'm starting to get hangry by about 10 a.m., but in the half hour between waking up and leaving for work, I'm just not hungry. Solution: breakfast on the go! I don't really… Continue reading Two-Ingredient Bagels: It’s What’s For Breakfast
By: Amanda Magnus I would be willing to bet that unless you avoid the kitchen or have been living under a rock you've heard of the Instant Pot. It seems to be the coolest new kitchen gadget and thanks to my wonderful husband I am lucky enough to own one. I've only had my Instant… Continue reading Instant Pot Deliciousness
By: Kristen Finstad While many home improvement projects seem daunting and expensive, Andrew and I are always looking for DIY projects that are easy and affordable. We had been talking about painting his front door to add a splash of color to his house. We Pinterest-ed some ideas (my go-to before jumping in to… Continue reading Curb Appeal: A Quick Fix
By: Amanda Magnus DIY projects can be fun but also intimidating, kind of like starting a blog. But, like our first blog post and figuring out a new project we think it's best to just jump in, so here we go! When it came to refinishing furniture I had no idea what I was doing.… Continue reading Furniture Face-Lift