December 28, 2016

Freshly Picked Year End Sale

Just when you thought the best sale ever was done and gone just like the holiday season...Freshly Picked is at it again! For the final time this year, Freshly Picked is having a BIGG sale that you won't want to miss.



Starting TODAY at 10 am MST (12 PM EST), all seasonal items will be 25% off. Umm, yes please! Not to mention that some moccs will be going on sale for the first time ever, AND there will be 5 wholesale exclusives that have never been available on the website before. This is perfect for those of you who missed out on Black Tuesday, or those who need another excuse to buy another pair of moccs.



We LOVEE our Freshly Picked moccs, no other leather baby shoe compares really. Easy to slip on, easy to clean (no really, my toddler spilled CRANBERRY JUICE on my younger sons moccs, and it wiped clean!), durable enough to cruise around in and keep that natural foot shape, and so so stylish.

What are you waiting for?! Click here and shop shop shop!

Freshly Picked GIVEAWAY


Have you ever noticed that Cade is barefoot in all of his photos? Sometimes he'll be sporting socks, but never a pair of shoes. I'm a firm believer that babies feet need the freedom to move about naturally as they continue to grow and develop, and putting hard soles on them too early is not the best option. I purchased Dax's first pair of shoes at about 10-11 months when he really started standing and cruising around because I wanted his feet protected. I had looked into a ton of different baby shoes and ultimately went with soft soles. Now that Cade isn't too far behind at just 8.5 months, he too got his first pair of soft sole shoes. He got a pair of Weathered Brown Freshly Picked moccasins, as mentioned in my last post.



I know many, if not most, of my mama friends have heard of the moccasin shop Freshly Picked. If you aren't familiar with the company started by Susan Peterson, Freshly Picked makes genuine leather soft and hard sole moccasins in a variety of sizes and colors. They are durable, completely functional, and the great part about Freshly Picked is that your babe can start wearing them right away, and continuing to grow your collection through the walking years.

This is the first pair of moccs we've ever had the pleasure to try and while I had to exchange sizes, we haven't been able to try them out completely, but I love the look and feel of them! They are incredibly simple to slip onto wiggly baby feet, but in the right size they will not slip off. The leather is incredibly soft and pliable, so they are perfect for little developing feet as they are able to wiggle their toes and the leather will form to their feet--not the other way around.



I'm really looking forward to all of the adventures and places these new moccs will go, and most of all, I can't wait to see the tiny little footprints left behind on the soles after he grows into a bigger size!

Want to win a pair of your own Freshly Picked moccs? Head on over to my instgram (@thelittlestadventures) and follow the instructions there. I'm so excited to be able to share the love of Freshly Picked with you!




December 6, 2016

Baby Puree: Butternut Squash


As adults, we usually watch what we eat and try to stray away from foods with unnecessary additives, so why would we treat our babies any differently?

I started making my own baby food when Dax first began eating solids. He actually helped in the decision making when I once tried to feed him jarred bananas and he gagged, but he absolutely loved fresh bananas. My main reason for homemade baby food was health driven, but the savings from not purchasing jarred baby food was great too.

Naturally, I continued to make my own baby food with Cade. He was opposite of his brother who hated any kind of lumpy texture and always wanted a soupy consistency to his food. Cade never really cared for spoons or completely pureed food, so his was always thicker and able to be eaten with his own hands. Messy, yes...but he enjoyed it.

Making homemade baby food is so simple, here are the directions to one of Cade's favorites:


Homemade Butternut Squash Puree

Step 1: preheat oven to 400° and wash your squash.

Step 2: cut the squash in half lengthwise.

Step 3: scoop out all of the seeds and clean out the squash. This step is similar to cleaning out a pumpkin.
**sometimes I'll wash the seeds and bake those as a snack for me, they are pretty delicious!





Step 4: place the squash open side (flesh side) down in a pan of water, about 1 to 2 inches of water.




Step 5: place into preheated oven and cook for about 40 minutes...until the skin appears bubbly and a little brown.


Notice the toasted and bubbly appearance?


Step 6: Remove from water and scoop out the flesh.



Step 7: Depending on what stage food your baby is in will, this step can differ.
  • Smooth consistency: blend in food processor or blender with water (or breastmilk if you prefer) until the puree reaches the smoothness you want.
  • Thick consistency: don't add water, simply stir the squash as is with a spoon or fork. [This is the method we chose since our babe is a do-it-yourselfer when it comes to eating. 

Step 8: Spoon out desired amount into small bowl and serve as is, or sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon.




Storing Homemade Baby Food

Step 1: Using parchment paper to prevent sticking, spoon [insert your own amount] puree onto freezer safe pan/plate as show. Freeze.



Step 2: Once frozen, remove from pan and place into freezer bags and place into freezer.





Ready to Eat?

To defrost, take out 1 or 2 frozen pieces and place into fridge to defrost overnight or even place in an individual bag to thaw in warm water. Heat as desired and feed to baby.

Yum!