Fast Dinners + Easy Mom Outfits

One-Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Soup - Packed with veggies and comfort, this cozy dinner is everything you need on a busy night. It comes together in just 30 minutes with no stuffing or rolling. Just hearty, wholesome goodness in one pot!

One Pan Baked Pesto Orzo with Chicken Meatballs - Everything about this recipe sounds so good. One pan? Check. Cheesy meatballs? Yes. Kid-friendly? Yup.

Chicken Bacon Ranch (Sheet Pan Recipe) - I made this recipe years and years ago and had forgotten about it but I’m bringing it back this week! Super simple for a weeknight win.

Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl - This is similar to what I made for lunches for this week! Added garbanzo beans and red pepper to ramp up my vegetable intake this week.

Pad See Ew (Thai Stir Fried Noodles) - I just had the most incredible Thai dish in Camden, Maine and I can’t stop thinking about it! Simple ingredients, bold flavor, and totally doable at home. You know I’m all about easy, delicious wins in the kitchen, so I’m on a mission to recreate it. Let’s do it together.

Wore this look for a casual date night at what might just be my favorite Thai spot ever in Camden, Maine. This 100% cotton jacket with patch pockets is such an easy layer and it pairs perfectly with a short sleeve sweater tee and my new obsession: barrel jeans. Finished it off with suede booties that are just the right height for walking around after dinner with a few drinks in.

This sherpa fleece pullover is basically a warm hug in clothing form. It’s unbelievably soft, has that just-right slouchy fit, and buttons up for easy layering. Perfect for comfy travel day, windy hikes, chilly school drop-offs, weekend getaways, or fireside s’mores with your crew. Trust me, you’ll live in it.

I made last week’s dinner rec (lightened up hamburger helper) all in this high-performance, non-toxic Titanium pan that is designed to handle it all such as sear, sauté, steam, braise and more. I love that I don’t have to worry about PFAS in this pan and it cooks so well. The brushed chrome that I have is only available for a limited time!

If you’ve never tried on air essentials, you’ll feel different when you do. The material is unlike any other and perfect for travel! I love my navy set with the half zip pullover and wide leg pants. I wear size 4/27 and got a small! No outfit is complete without your water bottle and this bottle is a personal fave. No leaks, fits in a car cup holder, soft straw, easy to wash, handle to carry- it’s the best.

I put this sickening dress on and I immediately felt another level of confidence. I love this brand’s patterns and the fabrics are incredible. This dress comes in different colors but I love my classic black and white that you could dress up or down. I dressed mine up with knee high black boots and pearl earrings. Use code ANNWOO at checkout for 20% off!

Age: 35

Kids: Two! 4 & 7 month old

Job: Marketing Manager + Husband is a butcher

Household Income: $130K

Own or rent: Own- $1,180

Childcare or daycare expense: $175/week

Recent purchase you regret: Large Loft clothing haul (because postpartum body problems), but most of it was on final sale, so can't be returned, and the fit was just not what I wanted! Around $300 worth of clothing & only about $70 of it was worth it.

Splurge and don’t regret: Newton Bassinet for my son. Since we breastfeed, he is still in our room and has been a stomach sleeper since he could roll over, the newton (breathable) mattress is the only one I trusted in the crib for my older son and even though there are cheaper bassinets, the $350 was worth the cost for peace of mind!

Best “mom sanity” splurge: Twice a week I get takeout for lunch of my choosing, and it's something my kids or husband would never eat (and since I cook 5-6 nights a week for them it's my don't have to prep anything the night before break: Thai (chicken massaman curry + coconut tofu soup f me up), Sushi (spicy tuna roll come thru), Chicken Salad Chick, etc.

Weekly “kid stuff” spend: $50

Weekly spend on groceries: $150-200

Most spent on a kid party: We typically do experiences for birthdays instead of parties: trip to the zoo, a Lake weekend, and most expensively a beach trip (~$2,000). We did do a smaller party this year for my 4-year-old (cause newborn life) instead of a trip/experience, and it was around $300, I cannot wait to move back to experiences next year, though!

Purchase that you don’t tell your partner about: At Sam's club, when I am doing my monthly large haul of necessities for the house, I always slip in a few items - clothes, fun snacks, bottles of prosecco (lol), seasonal decorations for the house - whatever seems worth it to me that month! Always around $75-100 extra a month. I mean if he WANTED to look at the receipt, he could

Saving for your kids college tuitions: Yes! Each kid has an investment account through ****** and each birthday, the grandparents and us put $500 in, and then for smaller holidays or random times, we put what we can.

Something financial you wish your parents had taught you: CREDIT CARDS AREN'T FREE MONEY. Finances weren't talked about because after my mom became a single mom when we were teenagers, she wanted us to still have a normal life, so we weren't often told 'no'. This led to my brother becoming a financial advisor and me spending way too much money without realizing the consequences (first and second born amirite?!)

Managing family budget: I have always handled all the bills, they are all in my name, we have a joint checking account but thats about it and after lots of conversations and convictions, I started a spreadsheet last month that we are now using to make sure we are both on the same page!

Great ways to save money on kid-related expenses: We saved everythinggggg from my first son and got lucky with another boy so were able to recycle pretty much everything for him!

Money advice for other moms: Transparency with your partner and accountability. As the primary caregiver I can justify "but they needed this" and just throw it on the CC because I don't want to ask permission or have to explain later, but it just ends up creating issues later. Always, always share finances and PW's so that there is no arena in which secrecy for finances can thrive!

Finish the sentence: “In this economy, I still somehow _______.” Get queso AND guacamole fresca when we go out for Mexican food.