Month: July 2015

Sink or Swim?

We are adjusting to our apartment pretty well.  I’ve got Connor enrolled in swim lessons this summer with Ms. Julia.  He is doing okay…but oh my does that kid know how to scream bloody murder!  It’s super embarrassing!  He totally goes CRAZY when he has to float on his back.  Then people start to stare and wonder who he belongs to….I just walk away.  Who’s kid is that anyway???

Ha ha…not really….sorta…kinda….

I got to do a fun photo shoot this past weekend for my friend Sarah and her apparel line WakeMeUp Designs.

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We’ve been shopping for school supplies & that list is very specific let me tell ya.  What kind of pencil has an 18 letter name for the brand?  I’m confused and I’m 34.  Still loving my new job and the flexibility it gives me.  I’m also learning a lot and it’s challenging in others.  Overall I’m just feeling very blessed as of late and thanking the Lord for many blessings.  I woke up this morning to check my Facebook feed and one of my good friends I met through blogging years ago, Leslie, had passed away yesterday.  I’m just devastated.  She was so beautiful inside and out and Heaven indeed gained an angel.  She used to laugh so hard when I would say she and Stephen looked like “Barbie & Ken”.  Such a wonderful friend and my heart and thoughts are with her husband and her two small girls.  God I pray your hand over this family…

A GO FUND ME account has been created for Leslie’s two beautiful girls.

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It’s times like this that make you realize how fleeting life really is.  In the end we are all only human.  The only thing that makes us whole is God’s love and grace.

Life is short.  The days are long.  Live more, want less, do what you want, and don’t stress.

xo-

French Toast Casserole featuring Nature’s Harvest® Whole Grain Bread + Win $25 Visa Gift Card!

This post is sponsored by Nature’s Harvest® all opinion are my own.
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Ingredients

    • 1 loaf Nature’s Harvest® bread- 8 grams of whole grain!
    • 8 eggs
    • 2 cups milk
    • 1/2 cup heavy cream
    • 3/4 cup sugar
    • 2 TB vanilla

Topping:

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces

Instructions

Cut loaf into cubes and place evenly in a greased 9×13 pan.

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In a bowl, mix together eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread.

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Mix together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.

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Mix in butter with this mixture until crumbly and sprinkle on top.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

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This is a great breakfast and so easy to make.  Make it on Saturday night and pop it in the oven Sunday morning for a yummy meal!  Each variety of Nature’s Harvest® bread is baked with at least 8 grams of whole grains per serving, no artificial flavors or colors, no high fructose corn syrup.  I’m all about feeding my family healthy and hearty meals, so  Nature’s Harvest® bread fits right into our routine.

Nature’s Harvest® bread is now available to consumers nationwide and come in delicious varieties including:

  • 100% Stone Ground Whole Wheat Bread
  • Honey Wheat Made with Whole Grain Bread
  • Butter Top Made With Whole Grain White Bread
  • Butter Top Made with Whole Grain Wheat Bread

Nature’s Harvest® Bread is excited to launch the “Whole Grain Challenge” to encourage families to incorporate 48 grams of whole grains into their diets every day. From July 13 to August 10, participants can take the whole grain pledge on the Nature’s Harvest® Facebook page and they will automatically be entered into a weekly sweepstakes.

Are you up for the whole grain challenge?

ENTER TO WIN A $25 VISA GIFT CARD & COUPON FOR $5.00 OFF NATURES HARVEST®

TELL ME HOW YOU INCORPORATE MORE WHOLE GRAINS IN YOUR DAILY DIET?

Self-Esteem Starter with @GoodNites #ConfidentKids #CollectiveBias #ad

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. All opinions are mine.  #ConfidentKids #CollectiveBias

Connor is about to start Kindergarten in about a month.  The one thing I want Connor to always have is a good self-esteem.  Something that affects his self-esteem a lot is when he has accidents at school.  I feel so bad because he is so disappointed in himself.  I can tell by the way he hangs his head low and looks so sad 🙁

We are a work in progress and he still has accidents at night.  Thankfully I know this is just a phase and it won’t last forever.  We love GoodNites TruFit underwear because they are a soft fabric underwear that works with disposable protection.

I found these at CVS in the diaper/baby isle.

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GoodNites TruFit underwear are machine washable with removable absorbent inserts.  They look like real big boy underwear, but still provide protection against bed wetting.

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One night Connor’s school had a sleepover and all the kids wore their jammies & I packed Connor’s regular overnight wear along with his pajamas.  He came home and told me the other kids were making fun of him because he still wore a “diaper“.  That broke my heart! 

GoodNites TruFit underwear are so easy to use. They have a removable insert that fits right inside the underwear.

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Just follow these easy step-by-step instructions:

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GoodNites TruFit underwear are great because they help build your child’s self esteem while learning to potty train.  Each GoodNites TruFit kit contains 2 cotton underwear with disposable inserts.  D7K_2576

 

 

Get a $4 off coupon for a GoodNites TruFit Starter pack right HERE!

How do you encourage self-esteem and confidence in your kids? I’d love to hear how the GoodNites TruFit Starter Pack would be put to use in your home!

Follow along with GoodNites on Twitter & Facebook

When Connor has a night with no accidents I give him a “Bed Buck” and he can cash it in to go someplace fun or for a toy.  He loves getting Bed Bucks and it’s a great way to reward him and show him I’m proud 🙂

Feel free to print below:

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@FabFitFun Box Reveal + Discount Code #FabFitFunMamas #FabFitFun

This post was sponsored by FabFitFun via Bloggin’ Mamas.

 

I love a fun mail day and getting this FabFitFun box certainly made my day last week!  If you haven’t heard of FabFitFun I’m here to tell you about it gals.  Join me while I reveal what’s inside my FabFitFun box….dun…da..da..da!!!

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Here is how it works.  Every 3 months you get a box filled with fun seasonal items perfect for some fabulous, fit, and fun times.

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The packaging is very pretty.  I love the light, airy pink and white.

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Here is what I got:

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My FabFitFun box was loaded with goodies!  When I get a box in the mail I can’t wait to play with everything and explore what’s inside.

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WHAT’S INSIDE:

Wren 14Kt Gold & Black Sapphire Necklace  Retail: $100

The Everyday Wireless Speaker by FabFitFun  Retail: $29.99

Inkling Scents Sultry Roll-On Oil Perfume  Retail: $25

Gorge “I’ll Make You Look Amazing” Daily Spray  Retail: $24.95

Tarte LipSurgence Lip Gloss  Retail:  $19

FabFitFun CosmoBody Jump Rope  Retail: $14

Scratch Nail Wraps  Retail: $12

Headspace 3-Month Subscription  Retail: $38.85

Hello Konjac Cleansing Sponge  Retail: $12

Vaseline Intensive Care: Aloe Soothe Spray Moisturizer  Retail: $7.99

This wireless speaker will be perfect this summer while lounging by the pool. The FabFitFun team created their dream speaker with wireless pairing up to 30 feet, a latch for on-the-go sound, an FM radio, and even a hands free speaker phone.

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I am in LOVE with this Wren Studio 14Kt rose gold heart necklace with black sapphire.  I’ve been wearing it every day this week and have gotten so many compliments on this dainty little necklace.  It goes with everything!

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This “Sultry” scent by Inkling smells A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!  The box included two bottles, carry one in your purse and keep one at home.  It’s summer time and you never know when you’ll need to freshen up a bit.  I hate getting sweaty and stinky and this is fab for a quick refresher.

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I hope you all enjoyed my FabFitFun box reveal and go get one for yourself.  It’s a great deal at $49.99 with a total value of $275.79 + $7.99 bonus item.

Use discount code JAVA to save $10 off your FabFitFun box this summer!

Follow FabFitFun on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube for the latest and greatest!

Chipotle Sandwich @SmithfieldFoods #SummerSizzling #weavemade and #ad

“This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Weave Made Media®, Smithfield®, but all my opinions are my own. #weavemade #SummerSizzling http://my-disclosur.es/RgFrEH”

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We like to spice things up in the summer time.  We live in Texas after all?  I have a great recipe to share with y’all today using Smithfield® Marinated Fresh Pork.  Smithfield’s 100% fresh pork cuts are slow-marinated and perfectly seasoned. Simply grill them up and you’ve got a delicious dinner ready in minutes.  I’m no Martha Stewart and I’m always looking for easy dinners for our family.  Anything that helps me save a step or prep work while cooking is right up my alley.

We are in an apartment this summer (since our house sold in 2 days and we sure do miss grilling outside) but I use this pan ALL.THE.TIME. to grill meat in.  It’s perfect for getting a sear on the outside of the meat and cooks thoroughly. Meat just tastes better grilled in my opinion.  Just because we are inside doesn’t mean we still can’t have fun grilling 🙂

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We love to make all different sandwiches, my husband is the sandwich connoisseur, so today I’m sharing a recipe for chipotle sandwiches.

The Sauce:

Chipotle Mayonnaise

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. chipotle sauce (found in the Mexican aisle)
1/2 lime juice

Mix together until thoroughly combined.

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Toasty buns:

These are just regular hoagie buns found in the bakery section.

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Cook Smithfield® Marinated Fresh Pork.  Directions are on the back of every package.  Easy and FAST!  I cut mine really thin into shaved pieces to place on sandwiches.

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Spread Chipotle Mayonnaise on bread, add Smithfield® Marinated Fresh Pork, and serve.

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This was so easy to make and took less than 30 minutes.  We are so busy right now and have a ton going on.   Easy meals speak to me on so many levels.  I don’t have time to slice and dice everything, let alone wait hours for my meat to marinate.  With Smithfield® Marinated Fresh Pork everything is seasoned and ready to go right out of the package.  There are so many different flavors to choose from too, including Memphis BBQ, Garlic & Herb, Teriyaki, Mesquite, Rosemary & Olive Oil, Portabello Mushroom, and many more.  Check out all the different selections HERE.

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Save $2.00 on any ONE (1) Smithfield® Marinated Fresh Pork Product” through Smithfield® Marinated Fresh Pork offer.(While Supplies Last) 

I used my coupon while shopping at Walmart.  Follow @SmithfieldFoods for great recipes and share yours on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

 

Friday Favorites

Oh my gosh how time is flying this summer!  We are still house hunting and I’m secretly hoping we can find something by at least Christmas.  I want a place to put my Christmas tree!  Connor and I were at Walmart last night and all the school supplies were out in full force.  I can’t believe my baby is going to be in KINDERGARTEN!  I know….stop whining about it Becky!

A couple weeks ago one of my favorite boutiques, Evy’s Tree, was having a MAJOR sale and I got up early to see what all the fuss was about.  I’m glad I did because they sold out quick.  They have the softest, most comfy, adorable hoodies and sweaters ever!

I scored this Diana Wrap for 1/3 of the price and I love it!  I can’t wait until fall….pit stains and the heat are for the birds.

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I also recieved this beautiful rose gold heart necklace from my FabFitFun box.  I’ll be sharing more about all those goodies later 😉

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When Connor and I were out at Walmart last night he found a phone for $2.50. He’s been on it ever since calling his friends and taking “selfies” with me….I have no idea where he gets that from??? Ha ha!

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I also got an email today about Amazon’s BIG HUGE SALE coming up on July 15th.  It’s supposed to be better than Black Friday.  We shall see about that Amazon….we shall see.  If you don’t have a Prime Membership you can get a free trial right now for 30 days and get FREE shipping on ANYTHING!

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I ordered this bag from Barrington Gifts a few weeks ago and I find myself throwing everything in there, including my big honking camera and it all fits! It’s very light and I like how you can customize your own bag to fit your style.  I picked navy with orange polka dots, because like I said I am a fall gal.

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My parents came to visit from Arkansas over the 4th of July and we had a short, but sweet visit. My poor Mom had her arm still in a cast. She broke her right wrist and it hasn’t been fun 🙁 We have a new Dave & Buster’s that opened right next door to our apartments so we visited there and the Cheesecake Factory. I am already looking forward to our next trip home.

Here are some 4th of July pics:

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