These are the questions you all asked this month!

Q: I want to know about your hair! Products, method, etc.

I wouldn’t say I really have a method. As far as products, I am a big fan of Deva Curl. It works for me. I also like Hemps shampoo and ECO Styler gel. I have a list with all my amazon hair faves here!

I only wash with shampoo maybe once or twice a week, limit the heavy oils (like coconut) and RARELY apply heat. That’s been the best thing for my curls so far. I sleep with my hair in a pineapple; basically just loosely pulled into a bun at the tip top of my head.

Q. Did your Husband Retire? Will he be joining another team?

Houston Texans Training Camp at Methodist Training Center

Not officially. His health and our family are the #1 priority right now, and football doesn’t support that mission. He’s currently on Team Cookie Society.

Q. How did you fall in love with cooking? I enjoy cooking but I need to find ways to jazz it up with minimal time. Tips?

I have always enjoyed baking with my mama and my nana but it wasn’t till college and that period right before kids that I really found my passion for cooking and developing recipes. I definitely understand the need to save time but keep things interesting. When I’m in a rut, I like to look through different cookbooks and instagram accounts for inspiration. I start to look for recipes with a goal in mind; they might be recipes I can make double batches of for the freezer or even different takes on things we already eat often. Prime example is taking regular spaghetti and meat sauce, something we eat all the the time and maybe making it in the instant pot with a different type of pasta and ground sausage.

Q. Will you ever post cookie recipes?

I already have several cookie recipes up on my blog! Find them by clicking “The Cookie Jar” link on the side bar or typing cookie into the search bar!

Q. How did you come up with the name for your blog and cookie business?

 

My blog hasn’t always been First and Full. At first it was The New Mrs.Allen and I had no idea what I wanted the blog to actually be about. As I found my voice and developed a niche, I wanted something that reflected my life. First and __ is a common football phrase; I wanted to give a little nod to that huge piece of our lives. The full part came from several different ideas: 1. I always make sure my dinner guests leave full; usually with a to-go plate. 2. I want to live a big, FULL life. and 3. I wan you to get your fill of all types of things when you log onto FirstandFull.com. Full of food, motherhood stories, and more.

The cookie business name was actually the third idea on the list but it conveyed the exact vibe I was going for. Clean, modern, and we were adamant about having ‘Cookie’ in the title. All the social media handles were also available.

Q. Whats the biggest lesson learned in your marriage?

Something I like to share with other couples is to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, and other milestones and occasions. We have been together since college and were never huge on celebrations. Now i’m not saying it needs to lavish but it definitely needs to be acknowledged and reflected upon. Jeff was in the NFL, we got married, had a couple kids, moved a few times, started a business and rarely stopped to really celebrate. Looking back, I wish we had stopped to celebrate instead of always looking forward to the next accomplishment or occasion. These occasions are also a great reason to keep things exciting and continue “dating”!

Q. How did you get your food page off the ground?

I wouldn’t say I took a linear route to get to where I am right now. When I first started I made all the mistakes. I will have to share those at another time because its quite the list, but the best way to get started is to have good recipes but have even better pictures. That doesn’t necessarily mean upgrading your equipment; it means doing research, reading books, watching videos and just figuring it out. Next, be consistent. I have learned recently, that it doesn’t mean you post weekly or biweekly recipes- it means you consistently share and re-work the content you already have and engage! I have also found my sweet spot using Instagram Stories to connect and become more than just my food. It was when I started to share bits of my life, daily happenings, and even silly things that my page started to grow!

Q. When are you coming out with a cookbook?

Oh yall- I would LOVE to publish a cookbook. Let’s speak this into the universe and if you have publishing friends, maybe call them on my behalf. Many thanks!

Q. Can we get a house tour?

Maybe one day. It’s always tricky deciding just how much of our lives to share on social media. We might share a few rooms but an entire house tour seems invasive.

Q. How can we order from The Cookie Society?

We are easing into the full launch and doing a series of flash sales right now! On Wednesday’s, we open up orders for a curated sample box. Reserve yours at https://thecookiesociety.com/cookie-order/

Q. Do you want more kids?

I’m not sure! We just got both of our kids sleeping in their own rooms, they can both feed themselves, and I don’t really have room in my car for another car seat. We also just started a business and now’s just not the right time. Not saying never- just not right now.