Adding a Third Baby to the Mix

by SimplyHollyJo on December 17, 2021 , No Comments

I’m currently three months deep in the baby phase with our third baby. It’s a stressful and exciting phase that has me thinking back to my previous baby phases. I almost feel like a first time mom with the amount of information I feel like I’ve forgotten. Not to mention how much temperaments change from baby to baby. First Time Mom Life With my first baby, I lounged around at home, watching Call the Midwife (SO much crying), and attempting various tasks around the house when I could get a moment of baby free time, unless I could somehow do […]

Self-Love in Letting Go of Perfection

by SimplyHollyJo on February 19, 2021 , 2 Comments

Lately, I haven’t written much. Honestly, I’ve wanted to, but I haven’t been feeling inspired. I tend to go through phases of having so much inspiration and things to say, and then I go through times where I simply feel silent. I’ve learned that being okay with these ups and downs is a personal form of self-love. Am I’m growing to be okay with that.  It is so easy to get tied up in the “Do’s and Don’ts” of life, to feel the pressure of doing things the “right” way. But honestly, we are all human, and we all fall […]

Family Recipe for Irish Coddle | Finding the Flavor

by SimplyHollyJo on July 17, 2020 , No Comments

Years ago my husband and I started going to the Weston Irish Festival in Weston, MO. For several years we went if we were in town, sometimes even planning trips to visit family during the festival weekend. It’s something that we’ve only done a couple of times since having kids, but one of our favorite parts of the festival is the Irish Coddle. Yum. Eventually we were no longer satisfied with only eating Irish coddle once a year, and attempted to recreate it at home. This is the story of the journey I took to the beloved recipe we now […]

Capturing Life During a Pandemic | Go Where the Light Is

by SimplyHollyJo on April 24, 2020 , 7 Comments

As a photographer, I have actually been leaning a bit on my photography to help with the stress and “new normal” caused by everything currently going on. I have been trying to pick up my “big girl” camera more often and capture life in and around our house. Simple moments that create snapshots of our lives. As I was compiling them, I realized they kind of fall into different categories or strategies, so I’m going to share some short tips on capturing life during a pandemic. Quiet/Independent Play When your kids are quietly playing or interacting, try to get it […]