Posts by: Angie Rose Randall

Minestrone Your Kiddos (and You!) Will Love

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I’m always looking for ways to get my kids to eat a lot of veggies and soup is the perfect solution. This minestrone is packed with veggies – carrots, peas, onions, leaks and celery – and I add beans and/or chicken for extra protein too. You can also add noodles if your kiddos prefer.

Best of all I can make it in advance and serve it all week long for lunch or dinner.

Another reason I love to make this is so Chloe can cook with me. She loves using her Curious Chef knives to help chop veggies and get involved in the process.

Minestrone

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1 Yellow Onion, diced
  • 1 Leak, diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 4 Carrots, chopped
  • 1 cup of peas
  • 1 can of Cannellini beans
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 L / 4 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock (use less if you prefer a thicker soup)
  • 1 tsp Italian Seasoning / Herbs, to taste
  • Salt + Pepper, to taste
  • Optional: 1 cup pasta or shredded chicken

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or large saucepan on medium heat.
  • Add onion, leak, carrots, celery and sauté until cooked, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Mix in tomato paste, herbs, salt and pepper
  • Add in vegetable or chicken broth and bring to a boil; then add in peas and beans
  • Leave to simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Plan out your weeknight nights in advance with my Weekly Meal Planner templates. You can find them all here.

Help Me Create a World Free of MS

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Last week, I chatted with Katie, a stay-at-home-mom of two from Indiana, who recently gave birth to a son. Two months later, Katie suddenly lost her vision.

Katie was having a MS relapse and she didn’t even know it.

Thanks to a random push from a stranger ;), Katie went to the hospital to advocate for steroids and to learn more about what was happening. MRI results showed 18 lesions on her brain and spine – she had Relapsing Remitting MS. Luckily, within a week of her steroid infusion, her vision started to return and she could return home to her newborn son and 5-year-old daughter. Now, Katie is in the pivotal process of wrapping her head around her diagnosis, and figuring out how to best manage her new life with MS.

When Katie and I last spoke, she told me about her fears and anxiety – all emotions we MSers can relate to. But one of the things I tried to stress to her – and to anyone who is newly diagnosed with MS – is that this is a disease with hope. A disease that’s come a long way, and has promise of a cure. Every single year new research studies, medical trials and new medicinal options are on the horizon thanks to funding from events, like Walk MS.

HOPE. That’s why I have chosen to participate in Walk MS for the past 4 years. I want to be apart of the change. A part of the cure. I want to most importantly bring HOPE to people like Katie who don’t know what to make of their new life with MS.

Please join me in making a donation to our team, Well and Strong with MS.

This year, I’ve rallied the inspirational and strong women with MS below from all across the country to tackle our goal. On the outside, they are strangers but to me, they’ve become my MS family. This crazy digital world has connected me to them and we are making a difference – together.

Thank you from all of us with MS 🧡

Donate here

Not Every Path is Meant to be Followed

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I grew up with the mentality that after you completed college, that you naturally start to climb the corporate ladder – first an internship, then your first real job, from there you work hard and push for promotion after promotion ‘til you reach the top. As a linear thinker and goal setter, the thought of veering off that path was unfathomable to me. But that’s until I had to.

After 10 years of corporate life, I quit my job after an unexpected diagnosis with multiple sclerosis and a new baby because I knew I needed to focus on my health and my family.

Let me tell you, the fear and anxiety of that decision was all-consuming and made me question everything I thought I knew. But that time away also gave me the time and space I needed to re-think my priorities, focus on my health and figure out how I could achieve professional success while balancing my newfound disease, family and my goal of being an involved mom.

That scary, unfathomable decision lead me to @SocialChow, my social media marketing business I started 3 years ago this month.

Starting my own business allowed me freedom and flexibility – the ability to choose where and when I work, how much, and who I work for. I could use my time strategically and efficiently to focus on my strengths and interests, leading me to not only work-life balance and happiness, but more success than I would’ve ever imagined.

So as scary as it is to venture off the path you know and trust, also know that it could be worth it. Taking the time and space to emotionally and physically let go of your norm can lead you to a career that’s more fulfilling, exciting and even allows you to balance all of the other parts of your life that make you, you.

So, now I am celebrating 3 years of the professional career I never knew I always wanted.

3 years of choosing who I want to partner with to help build their brands.

3 years of creating my own schedule, based around my needs and family.

3 years of learning, development and self-reflection that have made me a better marketer, manager and entrepreneur.

3 years of putting my top priorities – my family and my health first, because without them in tact, nothing else matters.

Jack William’s Baptism: All The Details

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Jack William Randall was welcomed into the Catholic Church this past Sunday and it was a special day for our family.

See below for all of the baptism photos and party planning details.

We were honored to have our family friend, Fr. Richard Fragomeni facilitate the beautiful service and offer the role of Godfather to one of our best friends, Omar Ishaq, and role of Godmother to my cousin, Mary Lato.

These two godparents were thoughtfully selected because of the wonderful people they are. They demonstrate core values such as care and love, kindness, integrity, dependability, honesty and loyalty, that are incredibly important to us. In their faiths, and daily lives, we know that they will be great role models and mentors to Jack throughout this life. We are grateful that they accepted the responsibilities of being Jack’s godparents and for the support and care they will offer him indefinitely.

All the Details

 

Church: Our Lady of Pompeii

The Christening took place at Our Lady of Pompeii. Fr. Fragomeni, who conducted the service, is a great family friend of ours who was instrumental during my pregnancy with Jack. As you may remember, I had a complicated pregnancy problem and Fr. Fragomeni would pray for his safe arrival into this world often so it was very special to have him conduct the service.

Venue: Piccolo Sogno Restaurant 

Piccolo Sogno is one of our favorite restaurants – their food is always delicious – and they had the perfect private party soon to accommodate our guests.

Cake: Alliance Bakery 

We love Alliance Bakery in Wicker Park (we even got our wedding cake there!). Not only are their cakes delicious but they were able to incorporate fresh flowers to match our invitations and floral arrangements.

Flowers: Mariano’s

Floral arrangements can be super pricey (especially when you’re getting 14 arrangements for a big event!) but I have a trick that saves me a ton! I bring my vases to Mariano’s and hand-select the floral arrangements I like. Their floral specialist then assemble them – using my vases – for only a 30% up-charge on whatever the flowers normally would cost. Saves a ton and they look beautiful! I even go to the Dollar Tree to buy multiples of the same vase for consistency.

Signage:

I purchased all of the customizable templates from this store on Etsy and printed everything at home using this thick printer paper for higher-quality printing.

Invitations / Prayers for Jack / Prayer Sign / Menus 

Favors

I included these mini rosaries (only $24 for 26 of them!) which were adorable and good quality. I downloaded this Favor template and bought this 2″ holy puncher to cut them out. I packaged them in these favor bags.

Jack’s Outfit

Jack wore this adorable (and very comfy!) outfit with matching hat, and these white shoes with a cross.

Thank you to everyone who came and made Jack’s baptism so special! We are so grateful to be surrounded by such wonderful family and friends.

Quick Links:

Vacation Must-Haves – All Under $25 on Amazon

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We are headed to the One and Only Palmilla in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico this week and I couldn’t be more excited for lots of sunshine, relaxation and alone time with Bill! (It’s such a treat going out of town without kids, right?)

Packing for a winter getaway sans kids is always a breeze – lots of pool gear, flowwy dresses and beach-friendly shoes – and these items don’t have to break the bank either. Check out my Vacation “Must haves” – all $25 or less on Amazon! These items are such a steal and surprisingly great quality for the price.

(Want to see what we are up to all week? Follow me on Instagram here and check out my Insta Stories!)

Vacation Must-Haves – All on Amazon for $25 or less!

  1. Lace Cover Up – How adorable is this? I love this delicate knit cover up that’s semi-see through. Hard to believe it’s under $20!

2. Straw Panama Hat – Perfect hat for beach or pool. I got it in two colors!

3. Jelly Bow Tie Sandals – These Valentino dupes are so comfortable and cute! Perfect for the pool or beach and go with everything.

4. Cover up – I don’t know about you but when I am laying out at the pool and have to go use the restroom or want to grab a drink, I need a quick something to put on over my bathing suit. This is perfect! It’s light and airy, and I just stick it in my pool bag!

5. Supergoop Sunscreen – I am so particular about my sunscreen because of my sensitive skin and this one is amazing. It covers all the basics – SPF 50, mist spray (the easiest to put on right?), and best of all, it’s infused with Vitamin C and Antioxidants.

6. Floopi Sandals – These are SO comfortable and the perfect walking sandals. I saw these on my girlfriend last summer and knew I needed to have them. They slip right on and you can wear them for hours on end without trouble thanks to the cushion underneath. Highly recommend them as an every day comfy shoe that blends with any outfit.

7. Mid-rise frayed jean shorts – Perfect pair of jean shorts for summer days. Classic and perfect for day time casual.

8. Sun dress – This dress is better than I ever would’ve thought! It is so slimming and hits you in all the right spots. It’s a great color for summer and the perfect length (not too long, not too short) and will easily translate from day to night.