I’m a day late, but that’s because I was enjoying the weekend with friends instead of being glued to the blog/phone/TV/etc. Forgive me. 😉

I have good news: Mark and I managed to keep Baby L alive!! We never had to deal with a dirty diaper, but we did give him a bath, feed him, learn to put on a diaper, and get him to sleep.

Evidently, I do have maternal instincts because I was the one who kept checking on him (to make sure he was breathing!) while he was asleep. (And I’m also the dumb one who forgot my belly sticks out a lot more than it used to and managed to run into the door knob—causing the door to squeak—and wake him up.)

All in all, though, our first official attempt at baby-sitting was a success. And being around good friends relaxing and grilling good food was fabulous, too.

Now the work week is upon us, but I thought I’d still share some good reads from last week. Enjoy!

.Recipes.

Snickers Layer Bars via Peachy Palate

Snickers is one of my favorite candy bars, and these babies look incredible.

White Pizza Pull Apart Bread via How Sweet Eats

Go figure something with “pizza” in the title would catch my eye. It’s my ultimate pregnancy craving. Plus, I could easily cheat and use a store-bought sourdough loaf! Win.

Strawberry and Brie Crostini via Fab Fatale

Forget appetizer—I could make a meal of this. So simple, yet so delicious.

Baked Pumpkin-Black Bean Sliders with Avocado Sauce via Spicy Southern Kitchen

These look so good. Black beans, pumpkin, and avocado are 3 of my favorite things, so what’s not to love?

Rainbow Veggie Skewers via Gimme Some Oven

These are so pretty—and they include some of my favorite veggies.

And this last one isn’t really a recipe…

How to Use Your Strawberry Tops via Food52

What a great idea! Next batch of strawberries we buy, I’m doing this.

.Reads. 

Panera to give all food additives the heave-ho via USA Today

Yay. I love Panera—and now I love them even more.

Growing Up on Raw Foods via The New York Times

While raw foods are incredibly healthy and should be a decent portion of everybody’s diet, I don’t think a child should be restricted in such a way. If your ethics lead you to raise your child vegan, I think that’s fine, so long as cooked legumes and grains are included in the mix. This sounds like parents passing on their disordered eating habits to their children.

Why A Pack of Peanut M&Ms Weighs A Tiny Bit Less Than A Regular Pack via NPR

I heard this one the way to work Friday morning and just thought it was interesting. And it totally made me want M&Ms for breakfast!

How Exercise Can Help Treat Depression and Anxiety via Greatist

I’ve always believed that physical activity can help with emotional/mental issues. Can it (or should it) replace medications and therapy? Of course not, but adding it to your regimen can’t hurt.

23 Things That Inevitably Happen When You Start Getting In Shape via Buzzfeed

Yes to almost all of these—except the vein thing. Gross.

This One’s for My Skinny Sisters via Elephant Journal

Love this.

Why You Should Throw Away Your Scale via fannetastic food

I don’t own a scale and haven’t since living with my parents, (although I do check my weight once a week at the gym now that I’m pregnant). For me, weight doesn’t matter, so long as I feel strong and full of energy and am taking care of myself. In these next few months, though, I do want to make sure I’m gaining enough weight to support Baby M’s growth and nourishment, so I’ll probably continue to do a weekly weigh-in.

How I Maintain Running Through Pregnancy via Say What You Need to Say

These are good tips. The most difficult for me was comparing my pregnancy pace with my “normal” pace.

How Blogging Made Me a Better Mommy via Beyond Mommying/Blogher

I know it won’t be easy—especially in those first few months—but I really hope to continue blogging once Baby M is born. In fact, I’m thinking of switching over to self-hosting this month so that I can have more creative freedom, be open to advertising, and eventually earn a little income (though I still plan to blog for myself first and foremost). I think there’s a lot to be said about sharing one’s life, ideas, and experiences with family and friends (and strangers) through blogging, and it’s helped me grow as a person.

Why Your Kids Should Play In Dirt (Seriously!) via Mind Body Green

Even before I found out I was pregnant, I swore my kids would roll around on the floor and play in the dirt (like I did!). Sure, children—especially infants—need to be protected from germs and such (their immune systems are not fully developed), but a little dust, grass clippings, etc. will not hurt them! Plus, this gives me solid justification for vacuuming like once a month! 😉