The weather has been beautiful the last couple of weeks and we have been spending many days at the park. If you are a mom of a little boy, you know why! 😉 Days that we stay at the house can be a little… crazy. I like to get out with my kids as much as I can, even if it is running to the grocery store for something. Sometimes that one little errand makes all the difference in keeping them from going stir crazy.

We have been to the park twice in the last week and we love to pack our lunch and enjoy a picnic while we are there! As you know, park days are better with friends, so we met our friends their one day and played with the cousins another day. There are just a few tips I also remember when packing a picnic for a playdate:

• Make sure none of the other kids have food allergies. If they do, don’t pack those things in your child’s lunch – just in case.
• Pack plenty for everyone. I always overpack, but I’d rather do that than not have enough for everyone to enjoy. If another child wants some of our yogurt or fruit, I want to have plenty.
• Take extra liquids – especially on a hot day.
• Pack healthy foods and snacks.

So, what foods are my go-tos for picnic lunches? Well, your basic peanut butter sandwich (or turkey and cheese if a kid has a peanut allergy) crackers, fruit and Annie’s Organic Yogurt. I also like to bring juice and water so that we have both options for Hamp. When he is running around a lot, he likes to drink water.

My family has been enjoying the adorable cheese bunny crackers by Annie’s for a long time now, so when I was at Publix the other day, I was excited to see that they make organic yogurt! Hampton loves yogurt and eats it almost every day, but I have noticed lately that a lot of other brands put artificial flavors or sweeteners in theirs. No, thank you! Annie’s yogurt tastes amazing and I feel so good about giving it to my kids (and myself). This is now a staple in our home. This organic yogurt comes in two new flavors – Summer Strawberry and Berry Patch. It has no artificial flavors, or sweeteners and has no hormones.

Publix is currently offering 2 Annie’s Organic Whole Milk Yogurt for only $5, so stock up! I am giving away $15 paypal cash to one lucky person who comment on this post to try this organic yogurt for yourself!

What do you pack in your picnic?

A couple of weeks ago, I shared with you guys that I am trying to make more healthy choices in my daily routine and diet. So far, this has been going really well, but I have definitely stumbled a few times. Hey, I’m only human with a huge sweet tooth. So, today when I realized I ate a terrible lunch but was already hungry again, I opted for my go-to. Hello, Smoothie King’s Apple kiwi Kale Smoothie! I am so obsessed with their vegetable blend smoothies. They are delicious and who wouldn’t want to drink a heavenly smoothie on a warm spring (that feels like summer) day all while tricking your mind to think you are drinking a desert and you’re really drinking fruits and vegetables! It’s a win-win! Especially when you can drink it with a $2.99 coupon!

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One healthy goal I made for myself over a year ago was to eat something green every day. There are a lot of days that this is really easy for me, and lately, I have gotten off of my health kick and have not been eating as well. I am trying to reevaluate why I want to be healthy in the first place and that #1 reason is for my ids. I’ve said it many times before, but I want to be healthy so I can live a long and active life! I want to be able to run around with my kids AND grandkids one day!

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Some things in life are just plain obvious. For example, it is obvious that Carrie Underwood is gorgeous and an amazing vocalist. It is obvious that Ben was an awesome Bachelor and it is totally obvious who should win the 2016 presidential election…Captain Obvious!

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My son was born in October 2013. Around Christmastime, he developed colic symptoms. A.K.A crying for no obvious reason at the same time of day, every day. Every evening at 5p.m. he would start screaming. He wouldn’t stop until 2a.m. This lasted for 2 months. We were lucky in my opinion because I know others who have had to deal with it for several months longer than that. During that phase, we were grumpy due to lack of sleep and extremely frustrated. Our doctor told us he would grow out of it, and that is literally the last thing I wanted to hear. I wanted a quick fix. I wanted to know what was causing his discomfort so I could stop it. We tried a lot of things but nothing seemed to work. He even fussed as I nursed him during that period of time. It was miserable.

The good news is that we made it out alive and he was a wonderful baby after that. This experience also made our second baby seem like a breeze. So, see? There are positives! I really wish I had Gerber soothing products during that phase of our lives. They would have been very helpful in aiding my son and giving him relief.

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One thing I look forward to during the winter months are all of the soups and stew recipes especially if they are made in the crock-pot! I am a huge fan of dump soups because they are so easy, quick and really delicious. Our weather here in Alabama has been totally insane these last couple of weeks. We have had temperatures in the 70’s and lows 30’s depending on the day. Because of this, my family has been sick off and on and it seems like we can’t all stay well at the same time. Because I was craving Italian food and not feeling my best last night, I decided to make an easy minestrone soup in the crock-pot.

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Happy Friday, friends! I don’t know about you, but I am so ready for the weekend, but first, let’s talk breakfast. I love trying to put a fun spin on breakfast because for me, it is the least exciting meal of the day. The one I look forward to the least. In fact, I have to force myself to eat a little something because I am just not a big breakfast person. I love breakfast foods, but I am not all that hungry when I wake up in the mornings. Putting a little twist on breakfast makes it more enjoyable for me. That’s where this yogurt parfait recipe comes in…

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We love to travel as a family, but I’d be lying if I told you there wasn’t a little part of me that worries every time we get in the car to drive for an extended period of time. If you’re a mom, you probably have at least one horror story of something crazy happening on a vacation. We have had several crazy things happen to us over the last few years, but the good far outweighs the bad. Taking our babies on a road trip is something I will always look forward to because we always make many memories.

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Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We’ve all heard it a million times. It’s also the most skipped meal around this house. I’ve gotten in a really bad habit of making a cup of coffee and calling it a day – or breakfast, anyway. I noticed last week that I started feeling really weak during the late morning and decided I needed to start eating breakfast again. Even if it is just a little something. My go-to is fruit, but I also love yogurt! The only problem with fruit is, it’s basically like drinking water. It doesn’t stick with you very long.

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My formula for happiness:

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