Hello loves! Is anyone else’s tree’s changing?? I am so in love!
I hope you are all doing well! I have a fun post today and I am excited to share it with you.
Fall cooking and baking has been on my mind with the weather cooling down and ever since I decorated it makes It even more fun.
So I thought today I would share with you a new favorite crockpot recipe that is SO easy and yummy!
Plus take you along with me while baking and hanging with my little man. I love day in the life type of posts so I hope you enjoy 😊
Crockpot Baked Penne Pasta.
What you will need-
1 tsp of garlic salt, pepper and parsley
1 lb ground beef
28oz diced tomatoes
1 jar of marinara sauce
2 cups chicken stock or water
Penne noodles
Parmesan cheese
Cook your ground beef and then add it to your crock pot. Sprinkle your seasonings over the ground beef and stir it up.
Then add your tomatoes, marinara sauce and chicken stock and stir together.
Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
Once your time is up, add your noodles and give it a good stir. Put the lid back on and cook for another 25-30 min.
Serve and sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese.
It was so yummy! And SO EASY. Defiantly a family favorite and the best part is that it was toddler approved. Bub ate two small servings of it! I love when I can find meals that all of us will eat. Then I can actually sit down and enjoy it instead of having to find something my son will want to eat as well.
I think my favorite thing about crockpot meals is it gives you the whole day to do whatver you want. Spend it outside, spend it away from home. Plus it frees up your oven and stove space to do lots of baking.
Which is exactly what I did on this day. If you have not tried this cinnamon swirl crumb cake yet you need to! It’s perfect for a Fall treat 🙂
Meanwhile, I had an overtired toddler eating lunch who would not take a nap. I guess lunch must have tired him out though? I turn around and see this little ham passed out.
Fall days like these are why I love this season so much! Just full of beautiful weather, beautiful colors and it’s crockpot season. Like what could be better!?
What are some of your favorite crockpot meals? Or baking recipes you can’t wait to make this season?
Plus, what’s your favorite thing you have done so far now that it’s officially Fall?
We have yet to go to an orchard but I think just spending time outside with our leaves changing and snuggling up on the couch during chilly nights.
I really hope you enjoyed this post! As always, thanks for reading 🙂
I have to say, Fall decorating is my favorite. I love the coziness it brings with it and all the colors are just absolutely gorgeous Our tree’s are starting to change here in Michigan and I have been enjoying my walks around the neighborhood even more these days.
I don’t go “too” crazy with Fall decorating 😉 but I love to add the colors into my home and touches of it here and there, so today I thought I would show you ways to add Fall into your own home as well, with it not being too overwhelming.
Fill Your Vases.
Vases are such an easy way to add touches of each season. I love adding a mixture of pumpkins, pine cones and other fun things to my vases that I leave out all year round and just switch up for the different seasons.
Tiered Trays.
Another easy way to decorate and probably my favorite thing to decorate! You can stick a tiered tray anywhere and I think that’s why I love them so much. I used mine as my center piece for my kitchen table.
Pillows.
I love pillows, I might have a slight obsession with seasonal pillows but it’s ok. They are just so cute! I love to use pillows and blankets to brighten up a space and bring a cozy vibe to a room.
Pumpkins.
We all know pumpkins are Fall all the way. I have a questions though, pumpkin or apple? which one do you choose?? You can stick pumpkins wherever you want though and you already have a Fall vibe going in your home.
Candles/ Smells.
So many candles have such cute packaging and really bring a cozy vibe to your house. Plus the scent pots on the stove or crockpot are the best! Also, diffusing essential oils helps as well with bringing you Fall scents to bring you coziness.
I am so excited for this Fall season with my bub, he is at the age where we can enjoy more of the outdoor things our community has to offer. Here is a sweet picture of him helping me decorate outside over the weekend.
I hope taking a trip into my home has helped with coming up with ideas to add some seasonal Fall décor into your home without it being too much!
Now that I am a mom, I am excited to do more fun Halloween things though as well so I will keep you all updated on the new items I add over on our Instagram! Follow us if you haven’t already, quirkyworkmoms.
Let me know which pieces are your favorite and what your favorite things are to decorate in your home.
Creating a better quality of life for our families doesn’t have to be complicated. If you are ready to start on a path to cleaner living and whole-home wellness, you are in the right place.
You would be surprised at the number of harmful chemicals in the products that we breathe in and apply to our bodies daily. Literally hundreds before breakfast ALONE (especially women). We are exposed to chemical combinations all day every day and no safety data exist on these. It’s impossible to know how much damage we are doing to our bodies. Have you ever started coughing immediately after using a cleaning product? Yea, me too!
Even if we do not feel an immediate reaction, we are not in the clear y’all. Over time, these chemicals build up and create a toxic overload. Many of these chemicals are synthetic—that means they are FAKE. Our bodies do not know what to do with them. Our liver, our bodies filter is overworked, our hormones are out of whack and our body can be out of balance and cause a whole host of problems like eye and throat irritation, headaches, respiratory issues, allergic reactions, worsened asthma, and possibly even cancer. Yep, you read that right.
I was shocked when I learned what was being used in so many of my favorite products.. Don’t think that some brands that say “natural” or “toxin-free “are safe. Always check your labels. Here are just a few to look out for.
SLS—Sodium Lauryl Sulfate—cancer neurotoxicity, organ toxicity, skin irritation, endocrine disruptors (hormone/thyroid). Benzisothiazolinone—eye and skin irritation.
PEG-2 Cocomonium Chloride—evidence of cancer, developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects; damage to DNA.
Methylisothiazolinone—possible neurotoxicity, nerve damage, lung toxicity, and allergic reactions.
Fragrance—this is a BIG one y’all!! An undisclosed chemical cocktail—trade secrets.A WHOPPING 12,500 ingredients fall under the umbrella word, FRAGRANCE on a label.
Manufacturers are not required to list their fragrance ingredients on product labels.
Often only one-word ‘fragrance” or “parfum” is used on the label and can hide a cocktail of more than 100 ingredients.
75% of fragrances contain phthalates which have been linked to cancer, infertility, pregnancy loss, and birth defects.
Fragrances are common triggers of asthma, migraines, allergies, and sinus problems.
Fragrances are linked to so many profound health risks that avoiding them is probably the #1 change you can make to reduce your family’s exposure to toxic chemicals. It only takes 26 seconds for chemicals in your cleaners to enter your bloodstream through the skin, this includes EVERYONE in your home especially our kids since their little bodies are still developing. It is just not worth the risk!!
Why would companies do this? It’s called Greenwashing, they mislead consumers about the health, safety, and environmental impact of their products. They use those cheap synthetic fillers that we talked about earlier. Some popular brands in candy-colored bottles seem eco-friendly, quirky, hip, and homemade—but hold up check the label.
We’ve all used products that aren’t the best for us, but we can’t let old habits dictate our future. Companies are smart but WE are smarter and as the gatekeepers of our homes, WE get to decide what comes in. So, what can we do?
Thieves the Day my friend!
Thieves is an ultra-concentrated, versatile formula made with plant-based ingredients that can be used on virtually every surface in your home. Formulated with the power of Young Living’s Thieves oil blend, you can get a deep clean without dangerous or synthetic ingredients. Thieves cleaner also includes the scent of Lemon essential oil for an even more uplifting aroma. Infuse your entire house with the power of Thieves with a whole line of Thieves products.
Thieves contain no harsh or dangerous synthetic chemicals that need to be rinsed after use. Thieves is safe for septic systems, pets, and children. BONUS, you can have your kids clean safely and easily. Just one capful of Thieves Household Cleaner to 2 cups of water will cost you less than $1 a bottle making it a healthy, thrifty choice.
Using Thieves Household Cleaner is the single best thing you can do to reduce those harmful cheap synthetic chemicals that are so prevalent in most cleaners. This one step will lessen your toxic load allowing your body to function optimally, the way it is supposed to.
Thieves products extend into the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room where even more harmful synthetic chemicals are found. Dishwashing liquid, automatic dishwasher soap, toothpaste, mouthwash, cough drops, hand sanitizer, and more make Thieves versatile for any lifestyle.
Thieves dishwashing soap uses natural grease-cutting agents and essential oils. THRIFTY TIP>> I split my dish soap into threes, add a little Thieves Household Cleaner and baking soda, and stretch it even further.
NO SULFATES
NO DYES
NO FORMALDEHYDE
NO PHOSPHATES
NO SYNTHETIC PERFUMES
Bringing the power of Thieves to your laundry room with enzymes that combat dirt and stains. A highly concentrated formula so one bottle will last a good while. THRIFTY TIP>> I split mine into threes, add water and stretch it even further.
NO SLS
NO DYES
NO PETROCHEMICALS
NO FORMALDEHYDE
NO SYNTHETIC PERFUMES
NO OPTICAL BRIGHTENERS
Thieves toothpaste and mouthwash support healthy-looking gums and teeth with ingredients from nature and pure essential oils.
NO SULFATES
NO SYNTHETIC DYES
NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS OR COLORS
NO PRESERVATIVES
NO FLUORIDE
NO SLS
NO PARABENS
NO PHTHALATES
NO MINERAL OIL
SYNTHETIC PERFUMES
Thieves essential oil can be used to make your own DIY cleaning and wellness recipes. Thieves essential oil blend is a powerful combination of Clove, Lemon, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus Radiata, and Rosemary essential oils that fills any space with a rich, spicy aroma. It is one of Young Living’s most popular essential oils so it’s no wonder that Thieves is included in so many of the home cleaning and personal care products. It is a key ingredient in Thieves Cleaner, Thieves Waterless Hand Purifier, Thieves Wipes, and Thieves Foaming Hand Soap. Thieves blend is your go-to for an invigoratingly clean and spicy scent that smells more like fall baking than harsh cleaning formulas.
You can become a Young Living wholesale member. What does being a member mean? Think Costco’s or Sam’s. That’s it, You never have to share with anyone if you don’t want to. ( There are two sides to Young Living. Over 80%of the wholesale members are product users only and approximately 8-10 % are members who have chosen to build a business with Young Living ). There are no monthly requirements or quotas. Your membership will get you wholesale prices on over 600 oil or oil-infused products like Thieves.
You can join Young Living’s Essential Rewards program and earn free products and reward points on every purchase every month. It’s like FREE money back every month to be used on future purchases. DOLLA DOLLA BILLS Y’ALL.
This is how I get most of my essential oils. I buy my household products, makeup, supplements that I am going to buy anyway. Then I use my points I earn to get the oils I want plus the ones I get for FREE every month. It’s a good deal but it’s also totally optional.
There are a few different options to start your wholesale membership. The biggest bang for your buck is the Thieves Starter Bundle. When you use my referral number at https://bit.ly/startYLNOW to start and choose a Premium Starter Bundle with Essential Rewards, you will get $25 cashback from me plus FREE SHIPPING and you will earn $10 in Rewards Points to use on future orders.WHOOP!!
We can also put together a customizable membership and I am happy to help you with that. Email me at hello@marieinmontana.com or comment here.
***Young Living just added on another Premium starter kit and it is not on my website yet. It’s called the ” Little Oilers Premium Starter Bundle” and it formulated for kids so it is already diluted so just add a roller to the top and start rolling. This starter bundle does qualify for the $25 cashback from me when you start with Essential Rewards plus the free shipping from Young Living.
I am happy to answer any questions you may have about Thieves, Young Living, or Essential Rewards You can email me at hello@marieinmontana.com or comment below.
Avoiding synthetic chemicals in your home may seem daunting and overwhelming but the payoff will be worth it. Your body will function better without the toxic load that comes from using cheap filler synthetic chemicals. Switching to Thieves makes it an easy process to turn your home into a safer place for you and your family.
Pumpkins, apples, Halloween, THANKSGIVING! It’s my favorite time of year.
I love waking up on a chilly morning with coffee in my hand, taking the pups out for a morning run (the dogs, not me!). I go check on the chickens, and Pauly our rooster let’s put his cock-a-doodle-doo!
Fall mornings seems like everything moves a little slower for me.
My youngest had me print out our fall bucket list! I’ll insert it below!
I created my own bucket list for fall. Mine is going to look a bit different.
Slow down
Enjoy the little things. Enjoy the way the leaves turn, and enjoy how the air gets more crisp. Enjoy family time with the hubby and my daughters. They grow so quick, so enjoy the little moments.
Make time for my husband.
We get so lost in taking care of the kids. We do everything we can to make sure they are happy and healthy. We often lose sight of what started it all, our love. Making time to enjoy each other is essential. Wether it’s date night, or just a quiet night on the couch.
Prepare for Winter
Winter is dark and depressing, honestly. It is not my most favorite time of year. I’m going to enjoy and mentally prepare for the dark ahead. Start taking care of my body, and my mental health. Do things for me, to make winter a little more bearable.
Get more organized
I can’t stand clutter! My goal this fall is to get more organized. That should always me my goal, but like I said, I hate winter. Hopefully being more organized will make me enjoy the winter months a little bit more!
Little changes can make a big difference. Hopefully my bucket list for fall will help me enjoy it just a little bit more!
Don’t get me wrong, my youngest girls bucket list sounds fun too!
It’s been tough not surrounding ourselves with the many people we love, but also trying to find things to keep our girls occupied!
I’m gonna share some of the things we’ve enjoyed doing.
Crafts
Painting, modeling clay, slime making, bracelet making! You name it, we’ve done it! We love doing crafts, it’s been something the whole family can enjoy. Our favorite has been the clay, though. The girls love making little sculptures, and painting them. I’ve already gotten a few new jewelry dishes. 😉
Lots of Reading
Who doesn’t love curling up with a good book? I know we have really enjoyed it. A lot of our summer reading is done outside in our hammocks. It’s our favorite spot to chill. My youngest (A) loves the Mercy Watson series, written by Kate DiCamillo. My oldest (C) loves The Never Girls series! I will read anything, but I’m a true die hard Twilight series fan. I know 🙈
Video Games
I know what you’re thinking, video games?! Really?! But we honestly enjoy playing so many video games as a family. Minecraft is one of our all time favorites. We also enjoy all of the Super Mario games: Mario Kart, Super Mario World, Mario Party, etc. I also started getting the girls into Animal Crossing, although that’s not a multi player so we don’t play it often.
Outside Play
Sprinklers and pools were a huge part of our summer fun! Riding bikes, scooters, roller blading, swinging on the tree swing, playing fetch with the pups! So much fun stuff to do outside, and the fun is honestly endless when you’re outside. We also have a wooded area on our property which is fun for nature hikes and scavenger hunts! In September all the mushrooms around the yard pop up, and it’s fun to go around and identify some of them.
It’s definitely been an interesting year for us all. Trying to find things for the whole family to enjoy can be challenging.
Hopefully this gave you some ideas if you needed them! ❤️
There is just so much to love about Fall. There’s cozy sweaters, the start of sweatpants weather.
Movies watched under your favorite blanket and candles smelling up your house.
The leaves are changing and the air is getting colder and you know what makes it so much better?
Snuggling up with a book that keeps you hooked from page one!
I absolutely love reading, especially during Fall and Winter. So I thought I would share with you the books that have kept me hooked from the start in hopes that you will love them too!
Plus my little one-year-old already loves flipping through books, so read until the end to see the Fall books I picked up for bub this season! I can’t wait to snuggle up with him and read them 🙂
Let’s get started with my Fall reading list for both you and the kiddo’s!
A 5-Star read for me! By far my favorite thriller of 2020.
Marin had the perfect life. Married to her college sweetheart, she owns a chain of upscale hair salons, and Derek runs his own company. They’re admired in their community and are a loving family. Up until the day Sebastian is taken.
A year later, Marin is a shadow of herself. The FBI search has gone cold. The publicity has faded. She and her husband rarely speak. The only thing keeping her going is the unlikely chance that one day Sebastian reappears. She hires a P.I. to pick up where the police left off, but instead of finding him, she discovers that Derek is having an affair with a younger woman.
Kenzie Li is an artist and grad student—Instagram famous—and up to her eyeballs in debt. She knows Derek is married. She also knows he’s rich, and dating him comes with perks: help with bills, trips away, expensive gifts. He isn’t her first rich boyfriend, but she finds herself hoping he’ll be the last. She’s falling for him—and that was never part of the plan.
Discovery of the affair sparks Marin back to life. She’s lost her son; she’s not about to lose her husband, too. Kenzie is an enemy with a face, which means this is a problem Marin can fix. But as she sets a plan in motion, another revelation surfaces. Derek’s lover might know what happened to their son. And so might Derek.
If you haven’t read a Ruth Ware book yet then you need to, especially during the chilly months!
When she stumbles across the ad, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss—a live-in nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten—by the luxurious “smart” home fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family.
What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder.
Writing to her lawyer from prison, she struggles to explain the unravelling events that led to her incarceration. It wasn’t just the constant surveillance from the cameras installed around the house, or the malfunctioning technology that woke the household with booming music, or turned the lights off at the worst possible time. It wasn’t just the girls, who turned out to be a far cry from the immaculately behaved model children she met at her interview. It wasn’t even the way she was left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the enigmatic handyman, Jack Grant.
It was everything.
She knows she’s made mistakes. She admits that she lied to obtain the post, and that her behavior toward the children wasn’t always ideal. She’s not innocent, by any means. But, she maintains, she’s not guilty—at least not of murder. Which means someone else is.
Bravo Megan Goldin! Another 5-Star read for me this year!
After the first season of her true crime podcast became an overnight sensation and set an innocent man free, Rachel Krall is now a household name―and the last hope for thousands of people seeking justice. But she’s used to being recognized for her voice, not her face. Which makes it all the more unsettling when she finds a note on her car windshield, addressed to her, begging for help.
The small town of Neapolis is being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. The town’s golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping a high school student, the beloved granddaughter of the police chief. Under pressure to make Season Three a success, Rachel throws herself into interviewing and investigating―but the mysterious letters keep showing up in unexpected places. Someone is following her, and she won’t stop until Rachel finds out what happened to her sister twenty-five years ago. Officially, Jenny Stills tragically drowned, but the letters insists she was murdered―and when Rachel starts asking questions, nobody seems to want to answer. The past and present start to collide as Rachel uncovers startling connections between the two cases that will change the course of the trial and the lives of everyone involved.
I love reading Lisa Jewell books in the Fall, she always comes out with a great Thriller!
Soon after her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones returns home from work to find the letter she’s been waiting for her entire life. She rips it open with one driving thought: I am finally going to know who I am.
She soon learns not only the identity of her birth parents, but also that she is the sole inheritor of their abandoned mansion on the banks of the Thames in London’s fashionable Chelsea neighborhood, worth millions. Everything in Libby’s life is about to change. But what she can’t possibly know is that others have been waiting for this day as well—and she is on a collision course to meet them.
Twenty-five years ago, police were called to 16 Cheyne Walk with reports of a baby crying. When they arrived, they found a healthy ten-month-old happily cooing in her crib in the bedroom. Downstairs in the kitchen lay three dead bodies, all dressed in black, next to a hastily scrawled note. And the four other children reported to live at Cheyne Walk were gone.
It’s autumn in the Big City! Little Elliot and Mouse love the hustle and bustle of the city streets. But sometimes it feels like there are too many people, too many noises–just too much! The best friends decide to get out of town for a vacation in the countryside. There, they’ll discover the sights and smells of autumn in the country. Everything is more fun when shared with a friend!
Beep! Beep! It’s Halloween! Little Blue Truck is picking up his animal friends for a costume party. Lift the flaps in this large, sturdy board book to find out who’s dressed up in each costume! Will Blue wear a costume too? With the delightful rhymes and signature illustration style that made Little Blue Truck a household name, Blue’s new adventure is full of festive costumes, fall colors, and plenty of Halloween fun!
This die-cut board book features adorable art and combines the popular bedtime theme with holiday placement.
Sleepy little Milo, in his oversized pumpkin costume, is making the rounds at the harvest party with his friends. It’s time to go home, but he wants to enjoy every game at the fall fair before the night is over! Crunching leaves, crisp breezes, mountains of sweets―celebrate the abundance of the harvest season through this bedtime book for children. Charming illustrations and a sweet story are perfect for young hearts.
Just writing this post has me so excited to cuddle up with a new book! Do any of the books above interest you? Have you read any of them yet!?
Plus, which book would you choose for your little?
Oh my goodness, look at what Target has out this year! If you get excited about making gingerbread houses like I do every Christmas then wait until you see these haunted house cookie decorating Target has this year for $10.00 and under!
You can find them here. Seriously though, I am obsessed! Which one will you be making this Fall? I am defiantly getting the haunted mansion!
Quirky Workin' Mom's 