I'm tearing up typing this blog post because it still feels so surreal that I'm pregnant! 14 years of praying, holding on to hope, and here we are. I had mentally prepped myself, knowing we'd have to do several rounds of IVF before one would stick - as the statistics say. That may come in the future, but for now, I'm really just focusing on being in the moment and enjoying all the things. I still have moments where I catch myself thinking.. wait..this is happening, I'm pregnant, and it's all going well! Praise God! I always start crying and then start praying, thanking God. I also want to thank all of you that have been praying for us! It means more than you know. One of the things yall asked for the most was for me to share what's on my registry. I'm obviously not a pro, but I asked so many of my mom friends for advice! I'll be honest, it felt so daunting when I first started making my registry. It feels overwhelming! There are 100 options for each item! How do I know I'm picking the right one for me & my baby?! I was also worried about asking for too many items or asking for too few items! What if I ask for the wrong thing and end up hating it? What if the things on there are too expensive and people think I'm crazy? haha I was doing ALL THE OVERTHINKING. LOL I read blog posts, talked to several of my mom friends, asked you guys, worked on it for months, and I finally feel good about everything on my registry! There were times when recommendations differed. One friend would say, YES, you definitely need a baby bathtub, a diaper genie or a changing table, and another would say that I didn't. I don't know how many times I added and deleted the baby bathtub, diaper genie, changing table/pad from my registry! haha. I came to a point where I decided to just trust myself & go with what seemed to make the most sense for my hubby and me. In the end, I think that's one of the best pieces of advice I was given. Not to mention, if I decide I do need something, I can always order it later. Here's some pieces of advice that helped me the most when trying to decide between items. One friend said, "Whatever you get for your baby will work just fine; if it doesn't, you'll just get something else. A lot of being a mom is just finding what works for you! It's just part of the journey!" Another mom friend said, "You probably WILL add too many things to your first registry. We all did! lol! It's a right of passage!" Another friend, "If something doesn't end up working out, you can return it, or there's always another mom out there that can use it." :) Hearing these really helped take the stress off of overthinking trying to find the "perfect" items. One more thing I wanna share before I dive into all the baby registry items, I wanted to note that we aren't doing a big nursery for him. All of our extra bedrooms are upstairs, and it just doesn't make sense to go all out on a nursery when he won't even be in there. We are planning to keep him in our room and have a small setup in there for probably the first year at least. We did get rid of the extra bed in my cloffice and put a crib and a dresser in there. I think it will work perfectly because I can set him in the crib while I work. :) * I made my registry using BabyList. I like that it shows the items from different stores so people can shop around for the best price or if an item is out of stock. Click each collage below to shop all of the items, or click the pink underlined item names to shop them individually. ** Links are commissionable** Dumbell toy: if you know my husband, you know exactly why I had to put this on my registry! haha Binkies: I just added these because they have good reviews & I like the colors. :) Binkie holders: I went with these because I like how they look! :) Baby carrier: A lot of people recommended this one specifically- including people I know personally. One of my friends said that this is the best one they've owned and that it's lasted through all of her children! Baby lounger: This is the more affordable version of the trendy & expensive "dock-a-tot". I have a few friends that have one these & they said they are really handy when you just need a place to set your baby. To me, it does seem like something extra and not really a necessity, but I thought it might be something useful, so I'm going to give it a try. Play mat: I decided on this one because it was affordable & aesthetically pleasing! haha Plus, since it's gender neutral, I plan to use it with all our babies. :) Car seat: There are so many to choose from, but we ultimately went with this one because several of yall recommended it, and so did a friend. We also went to the store and looked at it. My hubby agreed that it seems sturdier and better quality than the other ones on display. Plus it will go directly into the stroller I'm wanting (with an extra attachment). Swing: This one is a splurge item for me! I asked friends about swings, and several people said that some of their kids liked swings, some didn't, and some only liked being swung a certain way and hated being swung the other way! haha. This swing DOES IT ALL!! It will go up, down, side to side, sway back and forth, and even do a combo of them! I figure it will work for all my kids, whatever their swinging/non-swinging preferences will be! Stroller: Another one with a million options to choose from. 🙈 A few of my friends have this one, and several of yall recommended it when I asked! This one is basically a dupe for the $1,000 stroller everyone raves about. I love that it has a lot of features that seem like it will just make life easier for me. You can buy add ons so that it can hold up to 3 kids at a time. I figure it's a smarter buy in the long run since it will grow with our family. A piece of advice I was given about strollers is to get one with rubber tires that will go easily over rocks and rough ground without getting torn up. Apparently, this one has the best of both worlds, tires that perform like rubber but that you don't have to worry about airing up! Pack n play: I did not have one of these on my registry at first, but several friends said it's a must!! It's apparently really useful when traveling for them to play and sleep in. I went with one that goes better with my decor! :) I also had a good friend tell me that you want a mini crib fitted sheet to go with it. ( I linked the one I got, click the collage above to see it) **My hubby really wants a jogging stroller. We just haven't decicded on one yet and I feel bad adding anoter thing to my registry! When I asked on instagram, a lot of people and even a close friend recommended the BOB jogging stroller (crazy expensive though). We plan on looking for a nice one at a garage sale or FB marketplace. Pajamas: Several of yall said these specific ones are really good!! They are apparently really soft and a dupe for the expensive bamboo pajamas people pay $40 for. Several of yall also pointed out that getting the pajamas with zippers at the top and bottom makes life so much easier when changing diapers! Sleep sack swaddle: Apparently some babies love these, and some hate them. I figured I would just add it to my registry and see if our little guy likes it. :) Bassinet sheets: I went with these because I love the neutral color, they had good reviews & I really wanted muslin sheets. I was also given the advice to get 2 sheets! One that's being washed and one on the mattress. Waterproof bassinet pad: Just makes sense to have one of these! haha Bassinet: I went with this one because we will be keeping him in our room for a while. I like that it's is adjustable, swivels, can fit right next to our bed, and has good reviews. Blanket: I went with this one because I really want a lightweight muslin blanket for him, and this is pretty much the exact color I'm loving. Baby monitor: I did some research on these & this one has a ton of good reviews. I decided not to go with a camera one because he will be so close to us and because they are so expensive. Not to mention the fact that these work just fine. Moms have been using the audio only ones for years & I just really feel like the camera ones are unnecessary, but that's just me! :) PLUS, I've seen WAY to many creepy videos & movies with things seen on baby cameras. NOPE. ( I know it's fake but still) haha! Crib mattress: We decided on this one because it has good reviews, is affordable, safety certified & breathable! Crib: I wanted something that would grow with our baby, is aesthetically pleasing, has good reviews, and is affordable! This one is the perfect fit for me! It's a 6 in 1 crib that can turn into a full-size bed. I love the look of it, and it comes in several colors. Rocking chair: I asked yall & several friends for rocking chair recommendations. A lot of people just recommended a more classic-style wooden rocker, but we decided to go with this one since my hubby needs more back support. I also want something a little smaller, that will fit better in our room, and that will recline and rock. Several people recommended this brand! I hope we love it! ** Crib mattress protector and crib sheets are linked on my LTK (click the collage above). I was given the advice to have 2 sets of crib sheets so that I have an extra one while the other is being washed. :) Hooded bath towels: Once again, I went with these simply because I liked the colors, and muslin fabric, plus they have good reviews! There's a few other towels on my registry as well. Bath water temp ducky: I decided to go with this rather than a "fancy one" because it has good reviews and was $3! I figure I don't need to spend $20 on an item that does the exact same thing for a lot cheaper. Elephant sprayer: I think this is so cute! Plus, it looks like it will be really handy. A lot better than just using a cup to pour water on him! haha Brush set: Again, I just liked the look of these, plus they have good reviews and aren't too expensive. Nail clippers: A friend of mine said the fancy nail trimmer set is nice, but sometimes you just need a pair of normal baby nail clippers. Nail trimmer set: I have heard a lot of really good reviews about this set. A friend of mine has one and loves it. Nasal aspirator: I'm going to be honest, this thing freaks me out, but a good friend said it really is a must. I had originally planned on getting the more expensive electric version, but the price was really annoying me! haha Then I decided on the old fashion bulb version, but a really good friend told me just to get this one. She said it works great, and it's not as gross as it seems. I hope she's right because my hubby and I are both grossed out just thinking about using this. haha Washcloths: I went with these because they have good reviews and I wanted neutral colors! Breathe easy kit: I thought it would be nice to have some "sick day" stuff on hand. 3 in 1 picker: This seems so handy to me!! Rather than trying to use my picky finger to dig stuff out, I think this thing will be a lot easier and more efficient. Bathtub: This is probably the most controversial item on my registry, next to the wipe warmer! haha, by that, I mean advice was basically split 50/50 on if this was needed or not. I took it off my registry so many times! haha. I finally added it back on when one of my close friends (who also has 4 kids) said that she loved the kind that "grows" with the baby because she would use it in the shower with her when they were old enough to sit in it and play. Wipe holder: I went back and forth so many times on if I should get one that warms up the wipes. Half the people were telling me a warmer is a must-have & the other half was saying it wasn't worth it. I made the decision not to get one that warms because one friend pointed out that the light stays on the whole time which is actually annoying. Another friend pointed out that I won't have warm wipes when I'm out and about. She also said that anytime she felt like she needed to warm up the wipe she would just do it in her hands. Diaper balm: Apparently, this is a good one! Travel changing pad: I plan to keep this in my diaper bag for when I need to change him out in public. I just like the way it looks. Diaper caddies: Several friends said that they kept one in each of the main rooms they spent their time in just to make it easier to change diapers. I plan to keep one upstairs in my office & one probably in the living room. I went with these specific ones because they match my decor. :) Diapers & wipes: Several friends recommended these brands, so I put them on my registry. I figure it will be nice to try a couple of brands out and figure out which ones work best for my little guy! As for amounts, my mom friends said they are typically in size 2 the most. I have 2 boxes of size 1, 3 boxes of size 2, and 2 boxes of size 3 on my registry. I have a couple big boxes of wipes on there as well. I was also told that you can return unopened boxes of diapers and exhange them for the a different size! ** I don't have a changing pad or changing table on my registry. It was another item that a lot of my friends said wasn't really necessary. A lot of them said that you end up changing your baby wherever. On the floor, on the bed, on the couch, and that a changing table and pad really aren't necessary- unless you just prefer to have one. I guess we will find out! haha ** I also don't have a "diaper genie" type thing on my registry because they just seem like a waste to me. Not to mention, the annoying bags you have to buy and another trash can to empty. Most of my friends said they had one and either didn't use it or hated it. To me, it won't be hard to just take a stinky diaper out to the big trash can or walk a few steps to my kitchen or bathroom to throw one away. I fully intend to breastfeed & I plan to work with someone if I end up having issues because being able to breastfeed is really important to me. I recognize that I can't control everything, but I plan to make a great effort to make it work! :) I say all of that because it's what guided this part of my registry. Manual breast pump: I originally just had the Haaka on my registry, but a friend pointed out that it only catches the letdown- it's not an actual pump. She recommended adding this manual one as well, so I did. Glass baby bottles: As I said, I'm planning to breastfeed, but I figure it's probably a good idea to have some bottles on hand just in case. Night light: I've heard great things about this night light. I plan to keep it on my nightstand for feeding & changing in the middle of the night. Apparently, it's the perfect lighting. It's supposed to be dim enough so that it won't wake your partner but enough light so that you can still see. I originally didn't have this on my list, but when it was pointed out that using your phone flashlight is really annoying when you are also trying to pick up and feed your baby... I realized this was a need! It's better to just have a little light that's hands free. haha Breast milk storage bags: I originally had another brand on here, the Lansinoh ones, but 2 different friends said that these were the ones they used because the other Lansinoh ones kept having holes in the bags. Bottle cleaner: figured I'll probably need one! I just liked that this one stands on its own if I need it to and that it's a neutral color. Nursing pads: everyone said these are a must. I went with this brand because one of my closest friends who recently had a baby said they work great. Burp cloths: Apparently you can never have enough of these because you will use them for everything! haha I went with these muslin ones because I'm really obsessed with muslin cotton and I liked the colors of these best. I also added another pack of plain white ones. Haaka breast pump: I know hardly anything about breastfeeding, but apparently, this catches the letdown that happens when you are breastfeeding on the other side rather than it going to waste! My understanding is that it isn't an actual breast pump like the one I talked about before. This one just lets you keep what would otherwise be wasted. ** I'm not able to link my high chair on LTK, which is why it's not in the collage. So you won't see it linked there. When I asked for recommendations, an overwhelming amount of people recommended the Ikea $30 one and said that you can buy items to customize it, so that's what I did! I just wanted something functional, affordable, and aesthetic! haha So this was right up my alley. I added the Ikea ANTILOP highchair and the cushion to my registry and then ordered a cushion cover, placemat, leg wraps, and a footrest from Yeah Baby Goods I picked most of these items because I just thought they were cute. :) Some advice I was given is to buy socks in one color to make laundry easier. *genius* haha I was also told that babies aren't typically in newborn-sized clothing for long, so I have mostly 0-3 months & some 3-6 months on my registry. I'm sure some of my thoughts on these items will change after I have actual experience with them. haha! But I really tried to do my research and I feel good about all of these items! Can't wait to start using them all and get everything organized! :) I hope this was helpful for you if you are feeling lost with all the baby things!! If you have any questions about anything, you can totally reach out to me! xo, Malyri

There were so many good finds this month!!! Walmart came through with some really cute stuff, and so did Target, finally, haha! Everything on the best sellers list for March was actually from Walmart! I'll be sharing my thoughts on each product below & you can click the title of each item to shop the link or click the collage. 1.) $15 40oz Stanley cup dupe Why spend $45 when you can get the look for less?! I got the purple one & I love it so much! It keeps your drink cold for up to 25 hours, is BPA free, dishwasher safe & comes in several colors. 2. $20 ribbed set These are buttery soft & super stretchy. I would say they fit tts. I have the pink one & it's definitely a bit see through. I've only been wearing mine around the house. I'm wearing a M in the pic below, but the top is way too big; I ended up going with a small. 3. $17 seamless romper I've been living in these!! SO COMFY!! super soft & stetchy. I also got it in black. I sized up one; I'm wearing a M in the pic below. 4.) quilted bedding set These are soft & so pretty!! Really impressed with these when I saw them in the store. Several ppl commented and said they are really nice quality too! This same pattern comes in white, but there are several trendy styles to choose from! 5.) floral graphic tee The florals on this tee are so pretty! It's technically a "sleep tee," but there's no way to tell the difference. haha! It fits oversized, but I still sized up to a medium, so I can wear it longer with the baby bump. 6.) embroidered Mickey tee So stinking cute!! Definitely had to come home with this one. It's an oversized fit; I ended up getting a small. 7.) $7 maternity shorts A MUST if you are pregnant!! These are so comfy! They fit tts for me; I'm wearing a small in the pic below. I can't believe they are on rollback for $7 online. They are still full price at my local stores. I ended up buying a 2nd pair since I've been wearing them so much. 8.) white athletic sneakers These are a must have for everyone, in my opinion! I wear these all the time. Really comfy, cute and such a great price point! Everyone that's messaged me about them so far has said they love them! I even have a few friends that bought them & love them as well! They fit tts for me; I got an 8.5. 9.) ice cream maker This thing is fun & easy to use. I've been playing around with recipes & trying to perfect one. One tip I have is to keep the insert in your fridge so it's ready to go anytime you wana make some ice cream. It has to freeze for like 24 hours before you can use it. 10.) rattan floor lamp Such a pretty lamp!! Really wish I had a place for it. That's it for the monthly best sellers!! So many good ones this month. Thank you so much for shopping my links & supporting my page. It all means so much to me! I hope you have a great week!! 💗 xo, Malyri

delcious. fudgy. healthy. decpetively good. This is my most made dessert recipe!! I've shared them several times in my story over in Instagram. They are seriously sooo good and I never feel bad eating them! haha My favorite is when someone tries them for the first time and is BLOWN AWAY by how yummy they are!! That's when you know it's a winner!! Especially when it's someone who "doesn't like healthy food" haha I got this recipe from pinterest, so I can't claim it as my own, but I have made a few tweaks to it over the years that make it even healthier. There's a little video of me making these over on Instagram if you wana see it. watch it here I shared the exact ingredients used here Sweet potato brownie recipe: adapted slightly from Chocoalte Covered Katie's recipe https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/sweet-potato-brownies-recipe • 3/4 cup mashed sweet potato • 1 cup peanut butter or almond butter • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1/4 cup + 2 TBS oat flour (you can use regular white/wheat, or almond flour) • 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (cacoa nibs work great too!) • 1/3 cup coconut sugar ( if you use regular sugar they will be quite a bit sweeter) • 1/4 cup +2 TBS cocoa powder • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda • 1/8 tsp salt • 1/4 cup of milk (regular, almond or coconut have all worked for me) Directions: Preheat oven to 325 & spray an 8x8 baking dish with non stick spray. Prick holes in 2 large sweet potatoes with a fork, wrap in wax paper & cook in mircowave. I always use the baked potato setting (usually about 6-7 min). While potatoes are cooking, make oat flour by placing a cup of old fashioned oats in a blender or food processor until fine (if using store bought skip this step). When potatoes are done take them out with pot holders and let them cool for several minutes. It helps to break them apart a bit with a spoon or fork so they cool faster. Meanwhile, mix all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Once sweet potatoes have cooled enough to handle, peel off the skin and mash with a fork in a separate bowl. Add in the peanut butter and vanilla extract. Mix until well incorporated (you can heat up the peanut butter/almond butter a bit in the microwave so it's easier to mix). Add the dry ingredients to the sweet potato mixture. Add in the milk (or more if needed). Mix until fully incorporated. You want it to be a thick but wet consistancy (kinda like playdough). I find using a rubber spatula works best to mix and fold everything together. Press dough in a greased 8x8 baking dish and bake at 325 for 20 minutes. They will look undone but will set up more as they! Best served warm in my opinion. :) I store the leftovers in the fridge. Enjoy! If you make these I'd LOVE to hear what you think!! xo, Mal

I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING!! 😭 It still feels surreal even to be typing about it. I never thought I would get this opportunity. I'm so grateful and so excited!! I know all of this is because of how much yall have supported my page over the years and I want to say THANK YOU. It means so much to me. 😭 I'm planning to do a giveaway over on Instagram and give a couple of you the $ to be able to purchase the collection! Stay tuned for more details. I shared a tiny peek over in my story on Instagram at the collection when I got all the samples in! So many of you asked for a more in-depth look at it all but, I'm planning to wait until it's closer to launching to share an actual try-on. However, I promised to share a sneak peek of one of the dresses to help tide y'all over. 😚 The collection is going to have dresses, rompers, a denim jacket and a waffle knit set. Some of the dresses, rompers and waffle knit set will come in 2 differnt colors. The sizes will be xs-2xl. I get asked this a lot, the collection won't be in Walmart stores, it will be online only. Walmart is also talking about putting it up for presale to give yall a chance to shop everything first!! I'll definately keep you posted when I know more! 😃 okayyy here she is! 😍 What do you think?!! I love it so much!!! I think the sleeves are my favorite part! 😊 I CANNOT wait for everything to launch within the next month or so. Right now I'm working on the photoshoot details and working to get that done! I'm providing the pictures for walmart to put online. ALSO, SO WILD to think that MY face will be on walmart's website when you go to shop the items from my collection!! Super exciting and a dream come true. I'll keep y'all posted on the exact dates of everything over on IG! xo, Mal

hiii friend!! So excited to share this computer wallpaper with yall. I used a template on Canva and tweaked it a bit to make it my own! I plan to update it each month and reshare it here for you to download. I also have the folder icons I made on Canva for you to change out your folder icons! (if you aren't sure how to do that, just google a tutorial! it's pretty easy!) download it here here's how it looks on my MacBook Air with the folders I customized. :) and how it looks on my desktop! (I just have it set to "fit to screen") I hope you love it & that it brightens your day as it does mine. ☺ xo, Mal

I've wanted to share this blog post for a couple of years now. I've said it before, but it's funny all the things you start saying to yourself as to why you shouldn't do something good... Some of the things that kept coming to mind were: Who am I to share advice? What if I give bad advice? What if people think I'm trying to be a know-it-all? What if people take it the wrong way? The list goes on! 🙈 Well, I'm here to say, I'm just a normal girl (define normal, I guess, haha), but I'm not someone "special" or an "expert," and I don't wanna pretend to be. I intend to share lessons I've learned mostly the hard way and things that have significantly helped my marriage in hopes that they can help you or even someone you know. I DON'T know it all, but I've learned a lot because I've messed up a lot, and I'm STILL learning and messing up. The majority of these are things I still struggle with from time to time. I have not mastered any of them, but I'm better than I was, and our marriage is better than it's ever been! :) And that's the ultimate goal, right?!! :) •You have to let things go I constantly have to remind myself of this, and even my hubby will say things that remind me that I need to chill. lol! This is harder to control when I'm PMSing, for sure! haha. There are several verses in the bible that talk about this very topic! ( Proverbs 14:1; Prov 19:13; Prov 21:9; Prov 21:19 ) I've thought about Proverbs 14:1 a lot recently, "The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears hers down." YIKES! I don't want to be foolish, and I definitely don't want to tear my house down. I don't think it's meant literally in this verse, though, like she's ripping the doors down and bashing in the windows (I mean, I did break one of my husband's favorite vases once out of anger our first year of marriage). Oops. haha (I literally said that as I slid it off the counter) 🙈. I think that verse is about the power we have as women when it comes to setting the tone and pace of our homes. We can build our home up with our actions and our attitude, or we can be a part of tearing it down. Wow!! That's scary but encouraging to me at the same time. My hubby has learned when I'm being short, griping, or nit-picking to ask if I'm "about to start." It's his way of helping me recognize where it's coming from and for him to understand and have more patience with me. Otherwise, if he thinks it's coming out of nowhere, it sounds like I'm just being a jerk and trying to start a fight. This extra communication has kept us from many arguments that we used to have. It also helps me take a step back and have more control of my attitude and words. Something else that has stuck with me is assuming that my hubby passes away before me (sorry to get grim). I think about how there might be a day when I will miss some of the things he does that get on my nerves. There won't be a sock on the floor 1 foot away from the dirty clothes bin to pick up. There won't be a frying pan stored with the lids. I try to keep this in mind and focus on being grateful that I have a hubby to clean up after! haha. I'm not saying to always think about your husband dying, but more shifting your focus to being grateful rather than having a mindset that sees faults. Girl, it's not always easy, and I often forget and start complaining, but my mind will come back to this thought and help me count my blessings. and to tag off this first one, here is why! ⤵ •Men often take the path of least resistance ...when it comes to your relationship. Another big reason to let things go is if you continually complain about him not doing the dishes right, he will stop helping with the dishes. Men are just that simple. Unfortunately, I had to learn this lesson the hard way and in many different areas. If every time your husband tells you about work and you appear not to be listening, criticize him, question him (in a negative way), etc., he will just stop telling you about how his day went. Later down the line, when our husbands don't help anymore or don't tell us about their day, then we start complaining EVEN MORE!!! haha!! All we can see is that we are upset that he never helps or he doesn't talk anymore, all while being blind to the fault we play in the matter. It truly puts a wedge in between the two of you and can cause more problems. Your actions and reactions train your husband on how to deal with you, and trust me- the last thing you want to "train" your husband in is not helping you and not feeling like he can talk to you because it causes even bigger problems. My husband eventually explained how my constant nit-picking was affecting him, which was eye-opening for me. He said this to me right after I complained about something petty while he was helping with the dishes, " Babe, when you talk to me like that, it makes me not want to help you. It really makes you sound ungrateful." I couldn't even be mad at that. I was like, "SHOOT... he's right." I never want to come off as ungrateful, and it was a good reminder for me to hear that because it's like my mind is just trained to find what's wrong sometimes!! I think we don't even realize when we are being that way most of the time. When I stop and think about it rationally, I'm like, I would never be that way if a friend were helping me! Why do I do it to my hubby?! What has helped me is to work on being more aware and catching myself before I say something. On the flip side, I definitely think this can be a two-way street. Obviously, it's okay to express when you want things done a certain way, but I think it's wise to pick your battles. :) •As a Christian, your husband is also your brother in Christ I realized this during one of the most challenging times in our marriage. In truth, I kept looking at him as this person who wasn't allowed to mess up and this big jerk who kept doing things that hurt me. I stopped laughing at his jokes, I was mad a lot, I cried often, and we fought ALL THE TIME. It was a terrible time, and yes, my hubby played his role, but that's a topic for another time. I realized that we were in this "evil cycle," as I call it, and one of us had to break it. I took a step back and thought about the bigger picture. He would do something that hurt me (driving the wedge), I felt like I needed to close off and "punish" him (driving the wedge deeper), we would fight and drift farther apart. This cycle went on and on. At our darkest time, we started an online bible study/counseling program with a Christian couple. I emailed back and forth with the wife daily, and he emailed the husband. She was the one who helped me see that I needed to think of our problems as things we needed to work on together. I needed to be on his team, not against him. That was hard to swallow at first. Honestly, my thought was, "Why would I want to help him! He's hurt me so bad that I don't want good things for him." I hate to admit that, but it's true. It took a lot of prayers and a lot of talking it through with that lady for me to get to a good place mentally and change my attitude. I was holding him to this unrealistic standard of perfection. On top of that, I hardly ever encouraged him. I was pretty much always saying something catty and discouraging. I realized that by basically expecting perfection from him, I'm wasn't in the battle with him. I was there on the sidelines throwing shade, and that was not helpful!! I started realizing that I was always the positive and encouraging one to my friends but not my husband. Granted, he was doing some pretty crappy stuff that played a HUGE part. BUT as Christians, we are still supposed to treat others how we want to be treated (Matt 7:12). And at that point in our marriage, I had realized that trying to get even or be mean and hateful had NEVER worked out for the better. You are supposed to treat people differently when you view them as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It took a long time (YEARS), but we worked on it day by day. I prayed about my attitude and worked to act with love and kindness. My hubby followed suit, and we turned things around!! I think these verses sum all of this up (1 Pet. 3:8-9). The first part of 1 Peter 3 talks about how husbands and wives should treat one another, and then he ties it all together in vs. 8 &9! :) "8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be2courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing." •Try not to let your insecurities hurt your intimacy I won't get too personal on this one, but I think it's worth talking about. I don't think we talk about it enough or realize that it can be an issue. This has been a relatively new lesson for me. At times, I have certain insecurities that make me shy away from my husband. Whether I think I'm gross because I have coffee breath, I'm too hairy and haven't shaved, I haven't showered within the past few hours, etc., etc. I kept thinking, "If I think I'm gross or feel like I am, then so will my hubby." I started realizing that these things were causing me to push him away when he would try to be intimate. He and I finally had a really good and honest conversation about it a year ago. I told him everything I think that he is thinking and my insecurities. He would respond with how he either doesn't care about those things or doesn't even notice. One of the hardest parts was ACTUALLY BELIEVING what he told me!! I felt like I needed to be physically PERFECT to be intimate with him, and all he wanted was my attention. I think most men are more simple than we think they are, especially in the moment. It's like they get blinders on and don't hone in on all the imperfections we tend to obsess about. I think some of these backward thoughts we have come from the hurt the porn industry has done in our culture. If you were like me, you most likely feel like you have to look like those girls. That's what guys want if they are watching it, right? But that's not truly what your husband wants. He wants your attention and wants to know that you want to be intimate with him. (& yes, porn addiction is a whole other topic that I'm not diving into). When you constantly push him away based on what you think he might think if you aren't "presentable" (haha), he takes it as you don't want to be intimate with him. And that's a bigger blow, especially over time, to a man than we realize. I'm not saying not to groom yourself and do things that make you feel more attractive. Just recognize that those things can hurt your intimacy and might not even be true! A word of encouragement♡ If, like me, you have been doing all or most of these, or you feel like things in your marriage are not good, you can turn it around!! I genuinely believe that all is not lost. ♡ It's not easy, and you aren't going to get it right all the time. My hubby and I definitely don't. You might sit down with your spouse and tell them you recognize how you have been acting and want to work on it. If he is open to listening, you can bring up things he is doing as well (try to be kind and not accusatory!) Try to catch yourself before you start griping/complaining and stop. Remind yourself that you are grateful for the help, or whatever positive thing you can find to be thankful for. Apologize in the moment. Open up to your spouse about your insecurities. Listen and believe his responses. Be the one to break the cycle and be kind first, even when you feel like they don't deserve it. And continue to work on these things! Unfortunately, marriages don't change overnight, but I promise the work is worth it. I realize that this blog post could be like a 5-hour podcast going into detail about all the different angles, but I mainly wanted to focus on what we as women can control. Obviously, there's way more to my story and way more to yours that are part of the whole picture. This is just a snapshot. If I had to sum up in a nutshell, what truly helped turn our marriage around- it was that both of us wanted to do what's right and be pleasing to the Lord. We opened up and communicated our needs and feelings, swallowed our pride, and apologized when needed, I focused on what I could change, and my hubby focused on what he could change, all while striving to have grace and compassion for one another. One day at a time, we got to where we are today, and it wasn't easy. In truth, a handful of times, I wanted to call it quits and leave because of how hurt I was, and as bad as our relationship was. I'm glad I didn't though. Neither of us would be the people we are today, and we would've never known the love, trust, and friendship we now share. I promise it's beautiful on the other side. ♡ xo, Malyri

I'm super excited about this month's Disney-themed dinner & a movie night!! I'm loving this series we've been doing. It was pretty obvious what we had to make for this one! :D Gumbo and beignets!! I wanted to take it up a notch so we decided to make mickey shaped beignets!! My bestie did the majority of the research for the gumbo recipe. She has some friends that are Louisiana natives. They gave her their fave recipes and sent her some pre-made roux for us to use when making the gumbo. It saved us about 1 - 2 hours making the gumbo recipe!! I had no clue it was so involved. We ended up splicing together a couple of recipes to make ours and it turned out A M A Z I N G !!! I've had gumbo once before and it was just okay, but this recipe is sooooooo stinking good. Like 2nds & 3rds even when you are full good! haha! I also made a fun little video showing some of the steps of making the gumbo and beignets for yall. It's over on my Instagram page and my TikTok if you wanna check it out! :) Recipes: Gumbo: serves 6-8 • 1 green bell pepper, diced • 1 large yellow onion, diced • 3 -4 celery stalks, leaves & all, diced • 7 -8 cups chicken broth (2 32 oz cartons) • 4 heaping tablespoons of roux Pre-made roux that we used • 2 -3 cloves of garlic • 2 Tablespoons of Old Bay Seasoning • 1 rotisserie chicken, meat picked off into bite-size pieces • 12 oz package andouille chicken sausage, sliced • 12 oz package raw or pre-cooked peeled & deveined shrimp, thawed • 1 cup ice-cold water • 2 cups of uncooked white rice or brown rice, cooked according to the package. Directions: 1. Clean and dice up all the veggies. Pick off the meat on the rotisserie chicken making sure it's in bite-size pieces and place it into a bowl for later use. Slice the sausage into fairly thin rounds. 2. Brown sausage on each side in a saute pan and then set sausage aside in another bowl (or plate). Add about 1/2 a cup of chicken stock to the pan to deglaze it. Use a wooden spoon to scrape off all the flavor from the sausage at the bottom of the pan and add to pot with the roux. 3. If you bought raw shrimp go ahead and cook it in the same pan used for sausage and set it aside. 4. Start cooking the rice according to the package - we used a rice cooker. 5. Add 6 cups of chicken broth to a large pot. We used a 7-quart dutch oven, like this one. and add in 4 heaping tablespoons of the pre-made roux, mix until fully incorporated, along with all of the diced veggies. 6. Bring to a boil over medium heat and let simmer for about 6-8 min, or until veggies are tender (poke with a fork to check). Stir in cajun seasoning and garlic. 7. Add in your meats: chicken, shrimp, and sausage. 8. Pour in a cup of ice-cold water and stir (apparently, it helps bring out the flavors). 9. Add more seasonings if needed to taste. (We didn't need to add anything to ours! :) and more chicken stock if gumbo is too thick. Let heat through for a few minutes. 10. We forgot to buy some but, add in some Tobasco if you really wanna be like the movie! 11. Serve the gumbo over rice and enjoy!! * Here are the recipes we used for reference! video: Chicken & Sausage Gumbo by The Cajun Ninja Authentic New Orleans Style Gumbo - Tastes Better From Scratch Easy beignets: We followed this recipe: https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/biscuit-beignets/b4e20c05-b9ff-4e1c-aa61-05f01288d790 with these Mickey Mouse shaped cookie cutters We used the 2nd largest and a couple of the smaller cookie cutters to make different sizes. :) And that's it!!! :D If you recreate this please tag me or message me I'd love to see and hear about it! We have already started planning out next month's movie night and I'm super excited!! xo, Mal

Spring is right around the corner!! I'm getting so excited about all the new spring fashion and the warmer weather. Here in FL we've been having a little bit of "winter" weather on and off the last month or so. I've been enjoying it but I've been finding myself really missing the sunshine on those gloomy days lately. I scoured Walmart and rounded up all the cute new swimwear for yall!! I tried my best to make it organized and easy to shop! :) * I make a small commission when items are purchased through my links at no additional cost to you! Thank you got your support! ♡ one-piece swim bikinis tankinis coverups I hope this post gets you excited for spring!!! :) Thanks for following along and for shopping my links!! Your support means so much! xo, Malyri

Hi friends!!! Today is THE day! I've been saying I'm going to start posting about more meaningful things for a couple of years now and I'm finally getting around to doing it. It's funny how the devil can get in your head and make you think of all the ways doing something good and hopefully helpful could be bad! haha!! I have had all the reasons why I thought I shouldn't share more with y'all. Who am I to share advice? I don't want to come off prideful like I know all the answers! What if I share something wrong and lead people the wrong way? What if I say too much, share too much? ETC ETC!! BUT I've been feeling a tug for several years now to share more and despite all of the negative thoughts I've had, I still feel the tug to share. I truly feel like it's God nudging me, so I'm going to take the leap and do it. My hope is not to build myself up, as this all-knowing person who has it all put together (because I definitely don't), but just to share and say, I've been there too and this is what I/we did to come out better and happier on the other side. I also want to share thoughts, lessons, and realizations I've had along the way in hopes to help at least one person out there! :) So starting out, I plan to share one blog post a month on a more serious/encouraging topic. I have some ideas in mind of what I'd like to share, but I'm also open to suggestions and questions! If there's something you'd like some big sisterly/peer advice on, please suggest it to me!! This is about helping each other, not just me sharing stories! It's also been on my mind for a few years now to start this as a podcast. I think things come off better when you hear someone say it rather than reading it- but we will see. I'm a little nervous to start out that way since it's even more out of my comfort zone. Okayyy let's get into it :) I'm nervous!!! haha My hubby suggested that I start with one of the main things that have affected my entire life and branch out from there. My real dad was never really in my life. As a little girl, I don't think I ever knew what was missing because my stepdad was around. Although there was a time when he started to treat me differently because I "wasn't his child." My mom and my stepdad ended up getting divorced and that's when the truth of, "he's not your dad" came out. I was in 1st or 2nd grade and I remember it being really hard on me. I had to go to counseling at school. We would still see my stepdad every other weekend. He ended up getting remarried pretty quickly, and he would take us on vacations in the summer. Some of my fondest memories are with him and my "stepmom." As the years went on, I started to recognize the effects of " she's not my kid," and it still hurts today. I don't want it to because I recognize that my worth doesn't come from a person; it comes from God. It can be easier said than believed at times, and it's almost like it has to be a constant reminder or I tend to forget. I try not to think about it but sometimes I see little things on Facebook that I'm excluded from and I always feel the sting in my heart. To me, he WAS my dad during those formative years. I wrote him a letter about 7 years ago just sharing my heart with him. I told him that I had forgiven him for all the things, that I just wanted him to love me and be my dad! He was sweet and called me after he got the letter and offered to adopt me. haha, but I didn't feel like that was necessary. He still reaches out from time to time. I know that he loves me and cares about me but there's just something about not being claimed as his daughter anymore that hurts to no end. It's "easy" to push away the feeling (I'm an enneagram 7- it's what I do best), but even now, as I'm writing this, I feel the sting in my heart. I don't like to recognize negative feelings, but I ultimately want to be able to learn and grow from the things like this in my life. I'm constantly reflecting on my thoughts and actions to better understand and try to be a better version of myself. I've come to recognize that I think all of this plays a part in why I struggle with never feeling good enough. On one hand, it's great because I strive to be a high achiever, but on the other hand, it's not often that I feel proud of myself. And more often than not, if my "achievements" aren't recognized by the people I love the most, it cuts deep. I've had to work through this, and I'm not there yet, but it feels more like a rejection. It's not necessarily that I need their praise, or a pat on the back; it's more that I need to know that they recognize me, I'm "special" to them, and see my worth. I try to push those negative feelings away because I recognize that I can't place expectations like that on people. BUT at the same time, I've come to recognize that it IS okay to communicate feelings and needs with those close to you. Not to put a burden on them, but to let them know how you need to be loved so they can love you in the ways you need it most. That's hard to do, especially if you are like me and feel like you have to keep all the negativity in. But it can be super healing. My sister-in-law and I have had many deep conversations and I opened up to her about this not too long ago. She told me that she needs to know things like that so she can know what I need so she can make more of an effort in that area. She's a gem! She wrote me a little note after I stayed with them this past summer that made me cry. It was simple, but just the little confirmation that I needed to know that I AM special to her. That one simple thing cleared so many worries from my mind. It was just what I needed. As I was reflecting on all of this the past year I realized that I'm secure in myself as a person and my abilities but when it comes to certain relationships, that's where it's rocky. And it's not every relationship that I have. I haven't been able to pinpoint what it is exactly. But what I've concluded is that I have a fear that I'm not special to people. I hate to admit this but even happens on Instagram sometimes. I worry that I'm not "special" to people that follow my page don't and that if I don't keep performing, they will think someone else is better and leave. DUMB I. know, but it crosses my mind from time to time and I have to pull myself out and go back to thinking rationally. haha. Not everyone who follows my page wants to be my best friend and that's fine!! haha!! :P but anyway!!! Wow, that really all poured out! LOL!! I'd love to hear from YOU!! This new series of posts is meant to cultivate community and connection. We can learn, grow and heal through community and I've been wanting to build that here. If you relate to this, I'm all ears. If you feel comfortable sharing your story, I'd love to hear it! If there's a way I can pray for you, let me know! :) You can DM me on Instagram- start it with the pink heart emoji (💗) so I can find it easier or email me at malyri@cheapchicfinds.com xo, Mal

I've been meaning to bring back the Disney Movie Night series I started a couple of years ago!! It was so much fun and I'm so glad y'all enjoyed it as well. One of my best friends and I share a love for Disney. She's my go-to partner for all my Disney adventures. We always try to watch the new movies together and when Encanto was available on Disney+ we knew we wanted to do a movie night! So, we started researching a Colombian meal we could make & then eat while we watched it! Added BONUS- it was cool to see the recipes we chose in the movie!! We had no idea they would be! :D It made it even more fun to eat some of the same foods they eat in the movie. I made a cute little video to go along with this movie night that will be up on my IG page this weekend! Colombian drinks: Colombiana soda: SO YUMMY!!! It's kinda like cream soda with a hint of bubblegum! It's amazing! I'm definitely going to continue to buy this! It's THAT good! We found 2-liter bottles at Walmart linked here and Publix had the cans, pictured above, linked here. Postobon soda: (the pink drink in our glasses) It's an apple-flavored soda and it's really yummy!!! We found it at Walmart. Here's the link Recipes: Ajiaco Colombiano- Colombian Chicken & Potato Soup: For the soup, we cheated to save time and just ordered the Tortilla Soup from Chuy's Tex-Mex! It's not identical, but it seems pretty close, minus the potatoes! I linked Chuy's menu and a couple of Ajiaco recipes below if you want to make the soup or order the soup as we did. :) https://www.chuys.com/menu Ajiaco Colombiana Soup Recipe from My Colombian Recipes Blog Ajiaco Colombian chicken & Potato Soup Recipe from The Spruce Eats Blog Colombian Arepas: I got a lot of messages on IG from people saying that arepas aren't a Colombian thing, but that they are Venezuelan! I don't know where arepas originated, but they are, in fact, a Colombian thing! We got the recipe we used from a Colombian food blog. Also, a lot of my followers that are from Colombia confirmed that they are a "Colombian thing", AND they are in the movie Encanto!! :D I linked the recipe we used below! They are easy, fun to make, really yummy, and perfect with our soup! Arepas recipe Arroz Con Leche Colombiano- Rice Pudding: (not pictured) We also made rice pudding because my friend LOVES it and I had never tried it before. To be honest, it wasn't my fave but my friend liked it! I really wanted to come up with a dessert to call "the not so special special" LOL to go along with the movie but, I ran out of time! Rice pudding recipe And that's it!! It was a pretty simple movie night but SOO FUN!! I just love doing these! They add more of a cultural layer to the movies and it's so fun to experience something different while you watch it on screen! If you recreate this movie night, please tag me!! It brings me so much joy to see that y'all love these movie nights as much as I do. :) xo, Mal

I’m so excited to be typing up this post!! It’s my favorite blog post to write each year. Spring is one of my fave times to shop because I love all the pastel colors. I know it’s not Spring yet, but the changing of the seasons is always exciting and refreshing to me. :) This post is almost 100% Time & Tru items, but there are a few other brands that I just HAD to include. There are soooo many amazing new Walmart pieces out/coming out for spring! I changed up the format this year and I hope it's a lot easier to navigate and shop!! I placed a huge order a couple days ago and I can't wait to start getting things in and sharing them with yall!! :) Click the pics below to shop each item and click the arrows to see more of the items in each category! * I make a small commission when items are purchased through my links at no additional cost to you! Thank you got your support! ♡ New shoes New tops New dresses & skirts New Swim New jeans & shorts New sweaters & cardigans New pjs & loungewear New tanks & bodysuits pants & jumpsuits eeekkkkk!!! I'm totally in spring mode now!! thanks for reading this and for following along!! xo, Mal

How is it 2022? I literally wrote 2020 the other day!! 🙈 haha!! Whatever year it is, I'm excited for the new year and looking forward to seeing all the new fashion!! I wanted to round up all the best sellers from this past year! Everything is mostly from Walmart which makes my heart so happy!! Can you guess the #1 best seller of the year?! ☺ I added the product links to the pink titles or you can scroll to the bottom to the "shop the post" section! *Thank you for your support! I make a small commission when items are purchased through my links at no additional cost to you! ♡ #10 Cozy Throw Blanket This blanket is my favorite "barefoot dreams dupe"! I have a couple other ones that I got from HomeGoods and they are nice but I think this one is softer and not too hot! It comes in several colors too! I kept the pink one and gave the grey one as a gift. #9 Heart Sweater This heart sweater is super soft, cozy and cute! I pretty much love anything with heart print on it! It's plus size, I'm wearing a 0x. There's a new version for this year that I ordered a while back! I haven't worn it yet but I will soon!! It's just as adorable!! I ordered a 0x as well. It's linked below in the "shop the post" section. #8 Booties These Time & Tru booties are sooo good! You can dress them up or down. They are really comfy and come in several colors! There's a few colors & sizes still available online, but you might be able to find them in stores on clearnace! #7 Sweatshirt These Time and Tru sweatshirts get better every year and the ones this past year were the best yet! I love the longer length in the back, making them perfect to wear with leggings. I love that these aren't too hot, the inside is French Terry instead of fleece. I did size up for a more oversized look, but these are already a tad oversized. I'm wearing a medium. #6 Reversible Shacket This is possibly one of the most genius creations ever!!! You get 2 shackets for the price of one!! Such a steal!! One side is corduroy and the other is fleece. I sized up to a medium in this one for more length in the arms. The one from Walmart is sold out but I linked a couple identical ones from amazon in the "shop the post" section below! #5 Shacket This Time and Tru shacket is so nice!! It's warm, comfy and lined on the inside. It's really high quality! Unfortunately, it's sold out online. :( You might be able to find it in stores still and probably on clearance! I linked a few similar looking shackets the "shop the post" section below! #4 $18 Mom Jeans I wear these ALL THE TIME. I'm not kidding, like several times a week! I'm wearing them in most of the pics on this post!! haha!! They are hands down my fave jeans. I love them sooo much!!! They are similar to the ones from last year but this years upgrade was so much better! They fit better, the color is better, and the booty looks cuter! haha! These are juniors sizing so I sized up one size. I'm normally a 2 in women's and I'm wearing a 3 in these. #3 Men's Flannel Shirt This men's flannel shirt went viral this year and I was so excited about it!! It's got a softer feel to it and it's sooo comfy! I got it in several colors because I love it so much! I've always been one to look at the men's section for clothes. They just have better comfy clothes in my opinion. Plus I LOVE wearing my hubby's old military t-shirts. :) I sized up in this flannel shirt. I'm wearing a medium in the pics above. Be warned, it does shrink up a bit in the wash! I would let it air dry. #2 Curtain Lights I didn't realize these lights were going to be such a hit but I'm glad yall love them as much as I do! They add such a magical & cozy ambiance to my room. :) The ones I have come with a remote that you can use to brighten, dim the lights, and turn them on and off! It's really handy at night! #1 Chelsea Boots Did you guess right!? haha!! These totally broke the internet! Walmart came through for us with these! I wear these ALL the time. They are super comfy and go with pretty much everything. They come in black and grey as well. They are sold out online but I've seen them in stores still! You might even find them in clearance! :) shop the post I'd love to know what were your fave finds this year?! Did they all make the list? :) Thanks so much for supporting my page and following along with me! your friendship means so much!! xo, Mal