Lifestyle – Page 11

18 of the Best Fall Date Ideas Everyone Should Try

September 10, 2015

Ryan and I do not get to go on dates as often as we would like to. With him traveling a lot with work and 2 young children, it is a lot tougher to squeeze in that alone time these days. It is important for us to have that time and we are trying to make it more of a priority. My mom offered to keep the kids for us to go out to dinner Friday night and it was so nice and we really enjoyed the quality time together. With my favorite season looming and most of us already in the fall state of mind, I wanted to share some of my favorite fall date ideas! I am adding these to my personal list of to-dos this season.

Pumpkin Patch
Carve Pumpkins
Bake Pumpkin Bread
Go Apple Picking
Go on a Hayride
Walk through a Corn Maze
Watch a Scary Movie
Have a picnic (pack some soup in a thermal)
Go to a Football Game
Tailgate
Make S’mores
Go to the Fair
Attend a Thanksgiving parade
Go into a Haunted House
Decorate your car for Trunk or Treat
Go to a Bookstore
Go Hiking
Attend a Costume Party

What is your idea of the perfect fall date?

Free Summer Date Ideas

July 21, 2015

I am always looking for date ideas that don’t cost a lot of money. We love to go on dates, but they can be so expensive. Especially if we go often (who am I kidding). I’ve been trying to get a little creative this summer with our dates in order to save money. With the holidays approaching and all of our summer birthdays, we are starting to budget a little tighter and don’t have as much to spend on “fun” things. Here is a list of a few Summer date ideas that won’t cost you a dime!

Picnic
Free City Concert
Movie Night
Cook a Romantic Meal Together
Feed the Ducks at a Local Pond
Go to a Free Museum
Scavenger Hunt
Build a Sand Castle (make it a contest!)
Fly a Kite
Learn to Surf
Go Swimming
Play your Favorite Card or Board Game
Make Homemade Ice Cream
Tour Your Hometown
Lay on the Beach
Make S’mores around the Firepit
Bike Ride
Get Lost in a Flea Market

What do you like to do on date nights?

How to Indulge Your Sweet Tooth Without Ruining Your Diet

July 16, 2015

This post is sponsored by Fiber One but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

It is no secret that I have a huge sweet tooth. It is my greatest weakness when trying to live a healthy lifestyle. I’ve tried to trick my body into eating healthier foods that are low in calories as “dessert” or when I’m having a weak moment so that I don’t ruin my diet.

Here are 3 ways I indulge my sweet tooth without compromising my diet:

1. I make a smoothie. Depending on my craving, I choose to make my chocolate banana smoothie, or a fruit smoothie to satisfy my sweet cravings. It’s healthy and low in calories.

2. I go to Publix and grab a Fiber One Cheesecake Bar. These little goodies are delicious and only 150 calories. They also have 5 grams of fiber in every bar! They satisfy my craving without giving away all of my calories. It’s a win/win.

3. If it is still early in the day, I like to grab a cup of coffee. I love coffee and I have been drinking half caf for a while now so that I’m not overdoing it with the caffeine. Because I am breastfeeding, I like to make sure I’m not drinking too much.

Fiber One is giving away $15 paypal cash to one of you to try the new Fiber One Cheesecake Bars for yourself! Enter in the rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How do you indulge your sweet tooth in a smart way? Don’t forget to check out these great recipes on Fiber One’s Facebook Page!

I Will Praise You In This Storm

August 11, 2014

I had planned to write a weekend update today to tell you all about my birthday weekend, what all we did, etc. The truth is, my birthday was very insignificant compared to what was going on. I promised myself when I started this blog that I would be honest with my readers. I’m not going to put on a face for you. When I’m happy and celebrating, I want you to all take part in that celebration with me. And when things aren’t so great, I want to tell my friends – all of you – about that, too.

One of my best friends from college has been battling stage 4 cancer for the last 2 and a half years. The year before he was diagnosed, he had a car wreck that nearly killed him. He spent that whole year having surgeries, physical therapy, all kinds of stuff. He was married to his wife in December 2013, one year after his wreck and was diagnosed with cancer the following month. It has been a really rough few years. That’s putting it nicely. You know what though? He has been the most positive person through it all. His entire family has fought with him and had the most positive attitude. He has impacted so many lives through this and I don’t think he realizes the amount of people he has reached through the way he has handled these last couple of years. He and his wife started a Facebook group to keep family and friends updated through his journey and every post he has written has been so powerful. He has completely changed the way I look at life. I’ve watched my friends and seen them change through this as well. He has brought some to Christ. One friend in particular started coming to church after not going for a long time and was baptized and is now on fire for God. It’s been amazing to see his journey and faith grow through all of this as well.

He was rushed to the ICU last week. I don’t want to get into all of the details because they aren’t mine to share, and because I would be typing forever. So much has happened in the last week. There have been many ups and downs, progress and set backs. Lots and lots of tears as we found out that the cancer has spread to his brain. Lots and lots of prayers, hugs, friends, family, encouragement, support. It has been a rough weekend. I was so thankful for my 6 closest friends surrounding his bed in the ICU on Friday night. His wife let us have that moment. It was so kind because if it were Ryan, I don’t know that I could be so selfless to give up even a minute with him, but she did.

His wife is such a wonderful, beautiful woman. She has been so strong throughout all of this. She is a nurse and she has taken so much care of him. She is incredible. Her spirit and her faith is amazing.

He is awake and doing okay, now. We were blessed to see him again yesterday and talked with him. He was cracking jokes and making us all laugh. He even gave me one of his famous bear hugs before we left. I am so thankful for that time that God blessed us with. It is not easy watching a loved one suffer so tremendously and for so long. We are being very prayerful in the days to come.

This has been a very tough week for his family and his friends. I wish I had happy news to share with you about my weekend, but this is reality. This is life. This is God’s plan, and I’m learning to have faith through good times and bad. I’m learning to praise God in this storm and every storm of my life. It’s not easy and downright painful at times, but God, I will praise you in this storm.

Back to School Organization Tips: College Edition

August 4, 2014

It wasn’t THAT long ago that I was in college. I remember it pretty well and I even miss it on occasion. I also remember how stressful it was when it was time to start a new semester. It can be a little overwhelming. You have so many things to buy, classes to prepare for, get your living situation figured out and many of you are moving right before classes start. It’s a lot. Lucky for you, I am a master organizer. Staying organized was the only way I made it through school, and many days it is the only way I make it through work/parenting.

Here are some back to school organization tips:

Buy your school supplies ahead of time. Don’t wait until classes start to go buy pencils/paper/backpack/books. You need to get these things NOW if you haven’t already. School supplies sell out quickly. You don’t want to be put in that situation. It is always better to be prepared.

Print out your syllabi. It’s nice to go ahead and have each syllabus for each class because a lot of times they will state the books you will need and any specific supplies you will need for the class. It may go ahead and tell you your upcoming assignments and reading so that you can get a jump start on that if you wish. Who am I kidding, right?

Label your notebooks ahead of time. If you have one large binder for all of your classes and separate them with dividers, great! Go ahead and do that. If you have a separate notebook for each class, have them labeled.

Clean out your laptop. Delete or remove anything on your desktop that you don’t need. Create new files for each class to help keep your assignments together.

Schedule your study time. If you want to allow 2 hours of study time every afternoon and then one night a week, go ahead and plan that out. It’s never too early to figure out your schedule.

Go shopping. You don’t want to get to school and not have anything to wear. Or at least feel like you don’t. Now is the time to go shopping for a couple of new things, because all of the stores are having sales!

Pack all of your summer/fall clothes and leave your winter coats behind. You will be going home for Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks, so leave your winter stuff behind. You can change out your wardrobe later on and taking your season appropriate attire will save you lots of space in that dorm room.

How do you stay organized? Do you have any tips to add?

How To Have The Perfect Picnic

June 10, 2014

One.
Organization is the key to having a successful picnic. Be sure to lay everything out, check and double check that you have something to sit on, the perfect location, family and friends to enjoy it with you and please, don’t forget the delicious food and drinks. That is, after all what makes up a picnic.

Two.
Pick the perfect location. Consider the people you have invited along with you. For me, I would be considering my husband and 7 month old, so somewhere with a lot of shade would be ideal for us. If you have small children, perhaps a park with a playground nearby would be the perfect location. If you live near a lake or beach, that would also be a great choice. If you are wanting to host a romantic picnic with a loved one, pick an appropriate atmosphere.

Three.
Consider the time of day and pack your food accordingly. Are you going in the morning? Pack breakfast foods and don’t forget that thermos full of coffee, sugar and cream. Are you going for lunch? Sandwiches and carrot sticks are perfect for this time of day. If you’re going around dinner time or my favorite time of day – sunset – pack hotdogs or hamburgers fresh off the grill with chips, pasta salad, etc. It is summertime after all. It’s important to plan the perfect picnic menu for the people you are inviting. Consider their preferences, food allergies, etc.

Four.
I know I stated this in my first point, but don’t forget something to sit on. Consider the people who will be joining you. You may need to include a lawn chair for older people, or maybe bring along a bumbo or bouncer for baby to play in. My favorite thing to bring is an old quilt. I have a bit of a quilt obsession. I carry the quilt my grandma made me in my car most of the time because we always find ourselves needing it.

Five.
Pack your food well. Try to keep them at proper temperature and to bring foods that do well at room temperature for a little while. Pack everything in zip-lock bags, jars, tupperware, saran wrap, whatever will keep it fresh. I recommend bringing drinks in bottles. Bottled water, root beer, coke, etc. are all great options. Anything with a screw on lid will help with spills. No one wants to clean up a mess. If you have a small cooler or thermal bag, feel free to throw some bottles in there with an ice pack to keep the drinks cold.

Six.
Pack napkins, paper plates and plastic utensils. Depending on the number of guests you have attending your picnic, you may consider packing a roll of paper towels. They will be easy to dispose of when you start to clean up. Also, be sure to bring any condiments, salad dressing, salt, pepper, syrup, etc. depending on what you’re eating. These things can literally make or break a meal so be sure to remember to pack these in your basket.

Seven.
You may want to bring bug spray, especially if you live in Alabama where the mosquito is our state bird. Sun screen is also a necessity, especially if you’re like me and bringing along a baby. Protect your skin, folks!

Eight.
Think about entertainment. If you want to bring an Ipod for background music, a good book or magazine, or toys for the kids, be sure to pack those things.

Nine.
Prepare for clean-up. Bring a trash bag, or two depending on the number of guests. Pack wipes for everyone to clean their hands with and maybe even some hand-sanitizer.

Ten.
Have fun. Make good conversation, laugh, relax and enjoy the company and delicious food that you worked so hard to prepare and pack. Everyone loves a picnic. They are the perfect summer day activity for adults and children alike. Enjoy your time with the people you love.

Where do you like to go for your perfect picnic? Have you been on a picnic this year?

Summer Bucket List 2014

June 9, 2014

I love summertime. There is nothing sweeter. Lazy days, bright colors, warm days, beach trips, family time, holidays, it just doesn’t get any better than this, folks! There are so many things Ryan and I want to do this year. We have a couple of trips planned and I’m so excited to run another 5k later this summer. I can’t wait to introduce Hampton to the beach and the zoo, and take Pippa to the dog park. We already attended a music festival, but hope to go to another one at some point. Here is our summer bucket list:

Linking up with Erin!

What are your summer plans? Are you going on any vacations?

10 Reasons I Love America (and you should too)

May 23, 2014

Here are 10 Reasons I Love America and you should, too:

One.
Freedom of Speech. Pretty obvious, no? Not only do I love the fact that as Americans, we can speak freely, but we can do so on national television while making absolute fools of ourselves a.k.a., reality T.V. That brings me to my next point.
Two.
You didn’t hear? Anyone can be on a reality show! Just marry rich, have a bunch of kids, get divorced and, bam! Reality show. Our freedom of speech rights create a lot of entertainment, that’s for sure. Thanks, reality T.V.!

Three
Football. This may be more of a southern thing, but when football season rolls around, it’s okay and even acceptable to avoid certain friends and family members because they pull for the opposing team. In fact, if you’re nice to them and invite them over for your Iron Bowl party, everyone will hate you for it. There will be trash talking involved. Maybe a few thrown chips…either way, things are sure to get interesting. Football is life during the fall season, and year round for some. Wear your team colors proud.

Four.
Holidays. Did you know we have a day dedicated to most all food, drinks, and inanimate objects as well as people? Every day on Instagram I’m finding out from someone that it is national hotdog day, or national white chocolate mocha day. Who knew we had so many holidays?

Five.
Speaking of hotdogs, that’s reason enough to love America, is it not? Add a little ketchup and mustard and your good to go!

Six.
Everyone works out. Everywhere I look someone is jogging, on their way to the gym, swimming, climbing things, jumping off of things and calling it “exercise.” Women (and some males) are pinning workout tips and gear on Pinterest which makes working out so tempting and seem so glamorous. I can wear pretty tanks and leggings and take selfies at the gym? Sign me up! After all, everyone is doing it!

Seven.
Our portion sizes are nearly (or maybe are) double the size of every other country’s. I had to go to a McDonald’s in Paris because the little French cafe gave us hardly any food on our plate. I have been really spoiled being brought up by women who cook – a lot. They prepare food for what looks like 10 when only expecting 5 and worry about not having enough. We rarely have leftovers. Maybe this is why everyone is obsessed with exercising? I can’t imagine why we have an obesity problem.

Eight.
Everyone is so friendly. I can walk to any of my neighbors houses and ask for a cup of sugar, and they’d invite me in, fix me a cup of coffee and send me home with a whole bag of sugar and freshly baked cookies. No really, that has happened to me. People are so willing to help others. A woman passed out in church a few weeks ago and at least 10 people helped her up and took her into the lobby to check on her during the sermon. We go on evening walks and always get stopped at least 4 or 5 times to talk to neighbors who check on the baby, give him gifts, etc. It’s like Mayberry.

Nine.
Instagram. We live to take pictures of our food, coffee, kid’s, outfits, the sky, whatever! Our entire week is worked around what we are going to post for Throwback Thursday or Woman Crush Wednesday. #mcm #tbt #wcw #fbf I can’t say it any better than this song. Have a listen, and #LOL

Ten.
Finally, on a more serious note, we are patriotic. We have so many young (and old, I assume) men and women that sign up to protect us. They devote their lives to our protection and freedom so that we can do things like raise our children in peace, participate in #tbt, and watch our favorite reality shows without limits (unless you don’t have tivo). Our children are taught the pledge of allegiance as soon as they can speak and many children know it in multiple languages now days. The American flag is flown every where and Americans are proud of their country. We can disagree on politics, but we come together in tragedies and war. We come together to celebrate holidays like Memorial Day because we are proud of our troops. We love them and the hard work they put in to protecting us and the time they give up with their own families to do so.

Happy Memorial Day weekend! Lay out by a pool, eat a few hotdogs, sing songs about America and relax! I know I will be. 🙂

Why do you love America? What are your plans this holiday weekend? Will you be laying by a pool or going to the beach?

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