Sponsor Note: Although this post was sponsored by Samsung, all content, words, and ideas are my own. Thanks for supporting the partnerships that help keep this blog running. 

Life seems to be slowly getting back to normal since welcoming baby Joseph into our lives just over one month ago. Our first outing was to a local diner and I felt like I’d conquered the world. Since then, I’ve had my first solo trip with baby, had my first photo shoot, and styled a dinner (with LOTS of help). We took the baby into D.C. for the first time last week and afterwards trekked up to New Jersey to spend time with family. It’s amazing how crucial these little baby steps – like our first diner trip and my first solo trip with baby – are in the process of resuming “normal” life. I still have yet to venture out with all three kids on my own. That will come later this week! Each successful “step” feels like a huge accomplishment and reminds me that life will eventually go back to “normal” (even if that is a new “normal”) and life will soon not revolve around feedings every 3 hours (haha).

For our first trip to D.C., Joe and I visited the Samsung Studio Pop-Up at Union Station with baby boy. Baby was tucked away in his sling, and I felt so empowered leaving the house and bringing him into the city! There were a handful of fun, interactive stations set up at the Studio Pop-Up, all to illustrate different features of the Galaxy S8+. We had a blast experiencing the Samsung Galaxy S8+ through these product experiences and interactive activities at the Studio.

I LOVE the immersive, end-to-end infinity screen on the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ that spills over the sides of the phone, and had a great time at their interactive touch table (the last photo shows me playing at this station)! We also got to put the water-resistance of the Galaxy S8+ to the test by submerging it in water and leaving it there. What a great feature for this mama who’s constantly juggling kids, dishes, and other things, all while trying to use my phone. Knowing that it can withstand being in up to 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes definitely takes away the stress of worrying about dropping it in any kind of water! It was super fun to watch Joe experience the virtual reality capabilities of the Galaxy S8+, and he’s about to go out and buy a headset and controller so we can create the VR experience at home.

After we got home, Abigail and I shot a recipe in my kitchen to showcase the amazing photo capabilities of the Galaxy S8+. The first and last recipe photos above were shot with the Galaxy S8+. I love how crisp the photos are, despite the limited light when I shot these images. The Galaxy S8+ camera is awesome in low light situations due to the powerful 12mp rear-facing camera and 8mp front-facing, selfie camera.

Be sure to check out the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ and fun Samsung gadgets in person by visiting a Samsung Studio Pop-Up in your city – click here to see a full list of locations.

Since all things baby are on my mind, I decided to make Pumpkin [Lactation] Bites, but these can easily be made non-lactation bars by omitting the brewer’s yeast. These are basically a super healthy – and scrumptious – protein bar, perfect for Autumn with the addition of pumpkin puree. Here’s the recipe:

Pumpkin [Lactation] Protein Bites
makes about 25 bites

Ingredients
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup cashew butter
1/2 cup dates
3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp brewer’s yeast
1/4 cup roughly chopped pecans
2 tbsp raw sunflower seeds
2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds, plus some for topping
2 tbsp hemp hearts, plus some for topping
2 tbsp flax seeds, plus some for topping
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
dash ground cloves

Directions
Place all ingredients in blender and puree until mixed thoroughly and desired consistency is achieved. I wanted the mixture to be a bit chunky, so I didn’t puree until smooth. Scrape blender sides several times while blending.

Press mixture into parchment-lined 9×9 baking dish. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, and flax seeds. Cover, and place in freezer for about 30 minutes to chill. Remove from freezer and cut into bite-size squares. Serve chilled, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe photos (except first and last) by Abigail Gallop Photography

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