Summer Days

5 Ways to Treat Yourself This Summer

June 22, 2018

This post is sponsored by Mikawaya Mochi Ice Cream but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

I am all about working hard during the week and treating myself and my family on the weekends. We love to go get ice cream or go to the pool or splashed or something really fun at the end of every week. It’s like a treat for working so hard or for the kids being extra sweet during the week. We all look forward to it. This summer, it has been challenging for me to keep the kids busy enough so that they aren’t bored while also working. It is something I have been struggling with the last few weeks, so it has meant working a lot of late nights and on the weekends again. I think it is so important to treat yourself often. Keeping life fun and exciting is preferred to just working your life away, right? So, I am working to treat myself and my kids to lots of breaks and fun activities.

How to Teach Your Child To Swim

May 25, 2018

This post was sponsored by SwimWays as part of an Amabssador Program for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Because we are a family who loves the water, it is important to us that our kids learn how to swim at a young age. We have a neighborhood pool that we use often and we have family who lives at the beach that we love to visit throughout the summer months. In fact, we have a trip coming up very soon! Because we want to make sure to keep our kids stay safe near the water, it is important to us that we have done our job educating our kids about water safety and have the proper floats. When you teach your child to swim, it is important to know the proper techniques, and information on the latest safety tips and floats.

National Learn to Swim Day

May 7, 2018

This post was sponsored by SwimWays as part of an Amabssador Program for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Fourth of July Weekend 2017

July 5, 2017

Hey, y’all! I feel like it’s been forever since I blogged. The break was much needed, but I am happy to be back and at it! I have so much to show you guys today, so be sure to check out my insta stories throughout the day! It is the Mondayest Wednesday, ever. Anyone else on the struggle bus a little bit? I am drinking all the coffee this morning. We had such a wonderful fourth of July weekend spent with family and lots of swimming and food! It doesn’t get much better than that, does it?

Yesterday, we woke up early, went to our small-town parade which is always a fun experience, went swimming and then to a cookout at my grandparent’s house! We saw lots of cousins and celebrated many birthdays in my family (we have 5 in my family this week). It is always a good time when we get together with all of the cousins. Here are a few photos from our weekend:

When It’s Too Hot To Play Outside…

August 1, 2016

Happy August, everyone! This year seems to be flying by. In just 3 short months, we will be moving into our new house and welcoming our baby boy into the world! It is hard to believe that we are so close. We have lots of exciting things happening this month. Hampton starts his preschool program, my birthday is next week, and we are going on our last summer vacation! Lots of fun to be had! This summer has been a really HOT one in Alabama. If you live in or have traveled to the deep south before, you know it is also very humid. Sweat + frizzy hair? Not a great mix. After taking the kids to the park last week, we have hardly been able to play outside. The playground equipment was too hot to play on so we weren’t able to do much and had to leave right after arriving there. This past weekend, we did a lot of cleaning and caught up on some laundry to prepare to Ryan’s travels this month. We spent most of our time inside.

When it's too hot to play outside

Outshine your Playdate Snacks

July 15, 2015

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #OutshineSnacks #CollectiveBias

When thinking of snack ideas for our play dates, I like to think of a satisfying treat that both the kids and mothers will enjoy. This week was my turn to bring snacks and so it dawned on me to stop by Walmart and grab some Outshine Bars! My family has been snacking on Nestle Outshine Fruit Bars for over 18 years, and now we are enjoying the new Outshine Simply Yogurt Bars.

I love these bars because they are made with simple, honest ingredients that make you feel as good as they taste! I don’t know about you, but I need a snack that is going to satisfy my cravings. I know after a full day of swimming, my son does, too.

After taking the Outsmart your Snack quiz and receiving my $1 off coupon, I realized all the wonderful things Outshine is doing for our communities. I got really excited because I love supporting brands that give back. Outshine provides fresh fruit and vegetables to communities in need through Feeding America. Through July 31st, for every specially marked box of Outshine Simply Yogurt bars purchased, one pound of fresh fruits and veggies will be donated to a local food bank. How awesome is that?

My son and his little friends absolutely loved the NEW Outshine Simply Yogurt Bars, and the moms were a big fan as well. They come in strawberry and blueberry flavors. I love them both. It is impossible to choose a favorite. We were pretty popular at our swimming pool play date. My husband still prefers the fruit and fruit and veggie bars and I love to eat the coconut water bars after an afternoon workout! They are so satisfying and the protein in them is the perfect post-workout fuel that my body needs.

I am all about better for you snacking, and these bars were such a huge hit at our playdate, that I will definitely be bringing them again.

What snacks do you bring to your playdates? What flavor of the NEW Outshine Simply Yogurt Bars would you like to try?

Patriotic S’mores Bar and Caramel Macchiato Spread

June 19, 2015

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LetsMakeSmores #CollectiveBias #sponsored

Beach Bag Essentials

June 16, 2014

Ryan and I are planning a family beach trip in the next couple of weeks. We are so excited to take Hampton to the beach for the first time! He already loves to be outside and play in all things dirty, so I have a feeling he will love the sand. When planning a beach trip, I always like to pack my beach bag full of everything I will need on the beach so that I don’t have to worry about doing that once I get there. Here is a look at what’s in my beach bag:

Kindle or Book…usually both
Baby Lips lip balm
White lace shorts: Choies here
Sunglasses: Target here
Blue Ruffle Bikini: Choies here
Tank: H&M here
Hat: Choies here
Sunscreen
Small Bag or Make-up Bag for my cell and other small items
Flip Flops: Old Navy here
Hair Ties
Water and a healthy snack
Beach Towel
Mascara
Make-up remover wipes

There you have it! What’s in your beach bag?

Summer Weekends

June 12, 2014

We had a really busy, but fun weekend. Saturday morning, Ryan and I ran our second 5k and ran it 3 minutes faster than our last one. I came in 4th in my age division (out of 8). I was so happy that I had a better time. It was so much fun and the people were great. Hampton did awesome and came in second in the stroller division.

Saturday afternoon I had the pleasure of attending the 3rd annual SliceFest hosted by Slice Pizza and Brew in Birmingham, Alabama. You can read all about my experience on Alabama Women Bloggers.

Of course, being a fashion lover, I was so excited to see the Birmingham Fashion Truck parked beside the gate! I did a little shopping which was unexpected and thrilling.

Stuart McNair doing his thing! I love listening to him sing. He plays in my hometown pretty often.

The pizza was amazing! Seriously, I’ve eaten pizza at tons of different restaurants all over the country and even in London. This pizza was one of the best I’ve ever had, and my husband agreed.

I was so excited to meet the beautiful Laura who blogs at Alabama Graffiti. It was my first blogger meet-up. She is so sweet and her husband was great! He is actually from my hometown, so we had a lot in common.

Saturday night we visited one of our best friends in the hospital who had their baby boy! Hampton has a new little friend! Later that night we attended a wedding of a close family friend. It was a beautiful wedding right on the river.

Sunday after church we decided to make homemade ice cream. When I say we, I mean Ryan. He loves his ice cream. I ate a couple of bites but after eating pizza on Saturday, I tried to be really good and stick to my TIU approved meals. After all, we do still have 1 more week of the #bikiniseries. Do you follow my fitness Instagram account? I was able to check a few things off of my Summer Bucket List and I’m hoping I’ll be able to check a couple more off this weekend!

Have you made homemade ice cream this year? What are your plans this weekend?

Linking up with Katie!

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?