The Sweet Mama Life

The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa

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Do you ever drive up to a resort and instantly feel transported to a magical oasis? Well that was certainly the case for us with our recent visit to The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa! This California resort in the greater Palm Springs area just finished a two-year, $15 Million dollar renovation. With a complete renovation to their guest rooms, meetings spaces, event venues and family programing, spa, pool and more, the resort offers a brand new experience for guests and their families.

“Turning the page to the resort’s next chapter, and coming out of a global pandemic, the design and renovations have been centered around bringing people together, fun new experiences, and the guest’s overall wellness, sending them home feeling better than when they arrived,” said Tom Scaramellino, General Manager of the Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa.

I honestly couldn’t believe the amount of entertainment the resort had to offer for alllll ages! The resort’s Las Brisas pool is now the ultimate family pool with the addition of a second slide, a 30-foot double-barrel waterslide, an upgraded pool bar, expanded pool deck and the addition of luxurious cabanas. The new Pinz & Pints offers duck-pin bowling, arcade games, air hockey and family-friendly food and drinks. The newly updated Kids Club/Discovery Center, for ages 3-12, provides movies, arts and crafts, games, and an ice cream stand for kids! They even have a small Putt Putt course with complimentary golf clubs! The girls just looooved allll of the activities sooooo much!

The Westin also added 12 new pickleball courts, next to three renovated tennis courts. The resort also put in Versa Basketball court, and a new sand volleyball court. Annnnd The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa is home to the award-winning Pete Dye Golf Course. It’s challenging yet forgiving design makes it ideal for golfers of all abilities.

Despite all the different activities and sports throughout the resort, the property is also the place to relax and recover. The Westin Mission Hills is bringing forth a whole new tranquil atmosphere on property weaving wellness throughout the resort experience. The resort’s new Director of Spa & Wellness is incorporating wellness through unique in-room spa offerings, healthy restaurant menu options, new treatments, and incorporating wellness activities and classes into the resort’s programming. The Westin has always aligned itself as a leading-edge wellness brand, focused on the pillars of Sleep Well, Move Well, Eat Well, Play Well and Work Well, and with this renovation they’re expanding it further than just the spa. 

The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa is honestly the perfect combination of entertainment and relaxation! You can follow the link Here to learn more and book your stay!

“Totes Adorbs” DIY Summer Totes and Cups!

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Since I’m a beginner Cricut user,  I started with these two easy projects in order to get my feet wet! I just loved how these “Totes Adorbs” Tote Bags, and Personalized Cups turned out! Now I can’t wait to dive deeper into the addictive world of being a Cricut Crafter!

The Cricut Joy is such a perfect machine for projects like this! I love that you can create from your phone or computer and it takes up hardly any space! It’s small but mighty and incredibly user friendly!

Here’s what you need for these simple projects:

Totes Adorbs Tote Bags

Summer Cups

I started with finding a simple font I loved in the Cricut Design Space. I went with: ITC Underscipt. I then searched: “Flowers” in their image section and picked out one I liked! Then I printed out the Totes Adorbs onto the Iron-On Vinyl (be sure to always select “mirror image” when printing an iron-on design). Next I prepped my tote and preheated my heat press. I peeled back vinyl to reveal my design, placed it on the tote bag, and applied heat according to the Cricut Heat Guide that can be found at https://cricut.com/heatguide . I let it cool, and then peeled off the plastic coating to reveal the cuteness!

Next, I went back to the Cricut Design Space to create the personalized cups! I used the same font and flower so they matched the bags! This time I printed it out on the Smart Vinyl Permanent. I peeled back the excess vinyl with help from the weeding tool. I applied transfer tape with help from the scraper tool, so that the Names would be lifted up perfectly and easily placed on the cups! Once again I used the scraper to secure the letters before peeling off the transfer tape!

And That’s it! So simple, so fun, and I can’t wait for my next project!

*This post is sponsored by Cricut, but the opinions are my own!

 

Swoon Worthy Baking Mixes!

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*This blog was sponsored by Blue Diamond, but as always, the opinions are all my own!*

I’ve been on the hunt to find a box cake mix that delivers bakery quality taste, and that day has finally come!! Blue Diamond just launched their line of Baking Mixes and they are swoon worthy. There’s something about the flavor of the Blue Diamond Almond Flour that gives a nutty richness to these mixes  taking the taste over the top! Plus, these Baking Mixes are gluten-free, dairy-free, and non-GMO, so better-for-you baking is now a breeze!

Blue Diamond’s plant-based Baking Mixes are made with finely sifted Blue Diamond Almond Flour to deliver maximum flavor and ideal texture! They come in 4 varieties – Yellow Cake, Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Chip Cookie and Brownie! Plus, they contain 10 or fewer ingredients with Almond Flour as the 1st ingredient (not sugar) so you can feel good while enjoying these treats!

It’s hard to choose just one, but I think the Blue Diamond Almond Flour Yellow Cake mix is my favorite! It also paired perfectly with my favorite Almondmilk Buttercream Frosting! You can turn this Buttercream recipe dairy-free by simply swapping traditional butter for a plant-based spread!

Here’s the recipe!

Almondmilk Buttercream Frosting

  • 2 tablespoons Almond Breeze Vanilla Almondmilk
  • 1 cup butter, softened (or ½ cup plant-based, dairy-free spread)
  • 4 cups powder sugar
  • Pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients together and that’s it! Seriously the easiest and tastiest Buttercream frosting. We make a lot of cupcakes in this house and this is my go-to frosting!

If you aren’t a cupcake lover (I don’t see how that is possible), the Blue Diamond Almond Flour Chocolate Chip and Blue Diamond Almond Flour Brownie Mixes are also superb! You really can’t go wrong with any of them! Blue Diamond Baking Mixes really are ideal for health-conscious bakers on the hunt for superb quality and taste!

You can find these mixes soon at select retailers starting with Albertson’s, Food Lion, Amazon.com and more, and they will be rolling out to additional retailers! Definitely give them a try, I can pretty much guarantee you will fall in love!

Relaxation and Exhilaration All in One Resort!

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Take a moment to soak in that photo above! One look and I knew we needed to schedule a family vacation at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa!  It’s an oasis amid 600 acres of oak covered hills and we already can’t wait to go back!

  

River Bluff Experience! 

  

We spent most of our time at the resort’s River Bluff Experience, which is a 9 acre water park that is equal parts relaxation and adventure! It has an 1,100-foot lazy River, two 35- foot high inner tube slides, an entire children’s pool area complete with splash pads and mini water slides, a sandy beach area, two 60- foot high body slides, and multiple pools! Yep, it was fantastic! The water park appeals to children and adults alike! And don’t forget to try the Strawberry Daiquiri topped with Dippin’ Dots that you can find Rivertop Grill right next to the pools!

  

The Food! 

  
The resort has 7 restaurants and 5 bars that offer delectable items for every palate! Since Robert and I were celebrating our anniversary we made sure to make reservations at the 18 Oaks Steakhouse! The steakhouse overlooks the 18th hole of the TPC San Antonio’s famous PGA Tour Golf Course. The menu items consist of fresh, organic ingredients sourced directly from their very own gardens and local vendors. Robert and I swooned over every bite we had there!

Family Friendly Activities! 

  
Every day the resort offers various kid and family activities from s’mores to craft projects to scavenger hunts! Our girls had a ball finding all of the Longhorns hidden around the property. Once we solved the riddles for each one and took a photo with them, we showed the front desk and received our sweet treat candy bar reward! It’s all those little things that make this resort feel so welcoming and fun!

The Area!

We couldn’t see any reason to leave the resort 😉 However if you do want to venture out, the resort is located just minutes away from the San Antonio River Walk, Texas Hill Country Wineries, The Alamo, SeaWorld San Antonio, Six Flags Fiesta, and so much more!

Here’s a link to learn more about the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa! If you decide to make a visit I’m certain you won’t be disappointed. Everywhere you look your eyes are greeted with picturesque views of rolling hills and giant Texas skies!  The resort offers something for every age and interest! We can’t wait to visit again! Thank you for the lovely memories JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa!

6 Tips For A Smooth Move!

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Moving isn’t my first choice of activities 😉 Don’t get me wrong, it’s full of excitement over the next chapter of your life, but the nuts and bolts of moving are rarely fun. Here are 6 tips that make moving as smooth as possible!

1) Time Flexibility. Somehow no matter how well you plan, you always feel rushed and behind as your “moving day” approaches. So why not scratch “moving day” from the equation. One of the things I loved about our choice to go with PODS Moving and Storage  for our big move was the time flexibility. We had our PODS containers delivered a week before we needed to leave our sold home. This gave us time to move out at our own speed and really think things through. This flexibility also helped us on the other end. Our new home wouldn’t close escrow for a couple more weeks and then we needed to remodel. Our possessions were able to be kept safe in the PODS containers at their storage center during our house-less period and during allllllll the delays that often come with the remodeling process. If we didn’t have the storage option and timing flexibility that PODS offers, I honestly don’t know what we would have done! Timing flexibility is key!

2) Don’t move what you don’t need. I made the mistake on our last move to move a bunch of stuff that I wanted to give away or sell at a garage sale. I didn’t make this mistake twice. I used this move as a reason to sort and cleanse. While packing we filled one room with allllll giveaway items and made multiple trips to the Salvation Army. You are going through all your items anyway, so it’s the perfect time to donate things you no longer need, versus bothering to move them!

3) Pack in Place. You can start packing a month ahead of time, but you will still need access to your items. So pack all of your boxes and bags, but leave them open and in their designated rooms. This way you will still know where everything is. I needed plenty of time to pack my closet, but I of course needed to still have access. So I left the packed items in the closet ready to go, but ready to be accessed when needed!

4) Pack a Suitcase. Once you are coming down the 1 week stretch, pack a suitcase like you are going on a trip, toiletries and all. That way, when you get to your new place, you won’t be searching through boxes to find essentials. You’ll be living out of a packed suitcase while getting settled in your new place!

5) Paper plate it and leave out all of your non-breakable cups. If there’s ever a time to indulge in one-time use disposable goods, it’s during a move. You need time to carefully pack your kitchen. So do it early and take your time with it. Buy paper plates and leave your plastic non-breakable cups out. Last minute you can toss all of your plastic cups and such into a bag. Kitchens always take the most time, so don’t leave it to the end!

6) Don’t do it all yourself.  Let friends help with your move if they offer, and hire assistance. We wanted to stay cost conscious so we did most of the packing ourselves. But we did hire assistance for a half a day to load all of the heavy items into our PODS containers. PODS has a list of packers and loaders that can assist you with any part of your move. We used a company called Hire A Helper  . They were very familiar with loading PODS containers and made quick work of getting our heavy refrigerator and washer and dryer safely loaded up!

Soooo hopefully these tips will help you with you next move! This time I finally felt like I found the perfect ingredients for a smooth move and it had a lot to do with our choice to go with PODS Moving and Storage. So while I certainly don’t want to move again anytime soon, I would certainly replicate all the choices I made this time around!

Happy Moving!

*This post is sponsored by PODS Moving and Storage, but all of the opinions are my own!

 

 

A Magical Podcast for the Whole Family!

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Over the last 6 months our morning routine has been thrown for a loop! We’ve all had to find new ways to entertain ourselves and the little ones in the house. Well I couldn’t have been more excited when the new podcast “Lucky Charms Magical Mission” launched. It has brought such sweet and magical moments to our mornings!

The story is all aboutLucky the Leprechaun on a mission to restore magic! He visits 8 interactive magical charm lands filled with new friends that can’t wait to meet you! As you might have guessed whenever the girls are asked which land they want to visit next, they shout “Rainbows”!!!! And just like that we are transported through Lucky’s magical portal to the Rainbow charm land! The interactive element to this podcast is such a special way to keep the girls truly engaged on this magical mission! It also teaches sweet lessons along the way, like perseverance. At times Lucky runs into unexpected obstacles. Instead of quitting or getting overly frustrated he perseveres with his goal in order to complete the mission he set out to do! The girls have learned if you set your mind to something, don’t let little things get in your way or weigh you down, keep moving forward with your goal and you will truly accomplish something magical!

After listening to the Podcast in the morning, it’s been fun to have a little DIY project or activity that incorporates Lucky Charms cereal, in order to keep the magic going! One afternoon we made Lucky Charms Marshmallow Bars by mixing in the cereal to some marshmallows we simply melted in the microwave! Another morning we made these sweet Lucky Charms Charm Bracelets by threading the cereal onto a gold thread and then tying on the marshmallows!

So whether you have a listening party first thing in the morning while in bed in your PJs or you tune in during the afternoon while creating a fun Lucky Charms craft, just make sure you don’t miss this magical adventure!  The podcast is available on your smart speakers on Amazon Alexa and Google Home. You can also find the episodes on Spotify & Apple Podcasts. You can access the episodes simply by saying “Alexa, open Lucky Charms Magical Mission” or you can click Here  to start the fun! Enjoy!

2 Recipes that put Cascade Platinum + Oxi to the test!

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Do you have a favorite recipe that you love to cook, but hate to clean? We are a casserole loving family, but I can’t stand the baked on food that seems impossible to get off any casserole dish. Luckily Cascade Platinum + Oxi has been specially formulated to attack that baked on grit and leave your dishes sparkling clean right out of the dishwasher.

After I bake my favorite Chicken Enchilada Casserole I’m left with a dish that has a ton of baked on cheese and tortilla. In the past, I would spend way too much time pre-rinsing, then I would place it in the dishwasher, and it would still come out with a ton of invisible grit and greasy slip left on it! But now with Cascade Platinum + Oxi, I skip the re-rinsing, place it right into the dishwasher, and the ActionPacs do all the work by breaking down the starch and proteins from stuck-on food and leftover grease! It leaves a level of sanitized clean that once you experience it, there is no going back!

Before:                                                        After:

  

Now, I no longer avoid cooking my favorite recipes, since Cascade Platinum + Oxi ActionPacs are doing all the work for me! It leaves my dishes a with deep, hygienic clean that I can see and feel!

Sooooo, two things, first, click the link Here to learn more about Cascade Platinum + Oxi!  Next, try these incredibly simple favorite recipes of ours! They have always been such easy and delicious dinners to make, and now they are even easy to clean up afterwards! Win/Win!!!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole 

  • 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 can drained corn
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • 1 24oz can enchilada sauce
  • 3 cups shredded cheese
  • 5 tortillas, 10 inch
  • Toppings: black olives, sour cream, shredded lettuce

Sauté  onions and bell pepper till soft. Add chicken, corn, and taco seasoning. Cook until well combined and warm. Pour a tiny bit of enchilada sauce into base of 13×9 inch casserole dish. Place each tortilla in pan and fill with chicken mixture and cheese. Then roll up the tortilla. Repeat with rest of tortillas. Top with rest of enchilada sauce, cheese, and sliced olives. Bake at 350° For about 30-40 min!

Crispy Onion BBQ Chicken 

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 1/2 sliced onion
  • 1 1/2 cups BBQ Sauce (homemade or store bought)
  • 1 cup crispy fried onions

Spread 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce onto bottom of casserole dish. Sprinkle sliced onions. Place chicken breasts on top of onions. Top with rest of BBQ sauce. Bake at 375° for 40 minutes. Top with crispy fried onions and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes!

*This blog post was sponsored by Cascade, but as always, the opinions are all mine!

 

 

Four Toy Lines That Kept The Girls Engaged This Summer!

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There’s no hiding the fact that I have 2 active little girls! Sooooo I’m always on the hunt for truly interactive toy lines that will keep their attention and the fun flowing! This summer especially, as we all know, was a unique one! So the need to keep the littles entertained while at home was at an all time high! For that reason, I couldn’t have been more excited to partner with Spinmaster to test out some of their toy lines! Here is a list of our Favorites!!

The Cool Maker.

Yes, yes, we certainly love our craft projects in this house! But what I love even more is an entire line that is focused on crafts, projects, and DIYs of all kinds! Yep the Cool Maker line has everything from a bow maker to a friendship bracelet maker to a nail stamper kit to so so much more!!! I seriously want to collect the entire line! The various projects kept us all entertained for hours. Plus they make the best Birthday gifts for the crafty kids in your life!

Spinmaster Games.

It’s sooooooo fun that the girls are finally at an age where we can play games together! Plus it’s nice that Spinmaster offers such a variety of games that are perfect for a wide age range of kiddos! Headbanz has been a favorite of ours for some time. You simply draw a card, place it on your headband, and you have to guess what you “are” through a series of questions! The game, Octopus Shootout, is great because it’s like a miniature game of air hockey! Grouch Couch we actually turned into a counting practice game! You have to roll the dice, count out the number of treats to place on the couch, and then press the button that makes the Grouch Couch come to life! This one brought out the giggles non-stop! Anyway they have sooooo many fun games to check out!

Awesome Bloss’ems.

We didn’t have toys this magical when I was little, so let’s just say my eyes got just as big as the girls’ when watching these Awesome Bloss’ems bloom! These aren’t your typical dolls. They come in a little seed pod that you “plant” with magical purple soil. You then water them with leaf fulls of water. In minutes one of the collectible dolls blooms right before your eyes!  Needless to say the girls ask constantly if we can grow another doll!

SwimWays.

I can honestly say we’ve never spent more time in our pool than this summer! While I spent the majority of summer “attempting” to relax on my SwimWays Spring Float, the girls spent the summer bouncing on their Spring Floats and diving left and right for their SwimWays diving sticks! In fact, this summer Josephine officially became water safe!! And I have to give some credit to the Swimways kick boards and Frozen Character diving sticks for helping her do it! Every day she wanted to jump in the pool in order to find Olaf, so her comfortability and skills grew rapidly with a little Disney motivation 😉 So thanks to SwimWays, there was never a dull moment in our pool!

We were so impressed by all of the Spinmaster Line toys. Not a single one is just a toy in my opinion. They all offer an experience, interactive fun, and spur creativity! So if you need to bring a little extra fun into the house as we face this daunting new school year, definitely check out all of these great lines!

*This blog is sponsored by Spinmaster, but all of the opinions, of course belong to me!

Pet Health

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Did you know that more than half of all dogs and cats have weight issues? But only about 10% of pet owners think their pets are overweight? That’s more than 80 million pets at higher risk for cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, and other health issues. This sad fact is not necessarily to be blamed on the pet owners either. A few years back I was shocked when I actually started to look at the ingredients in my pet food; I actually thought, well, it is food made for pets, so obviously it’s good for them. Ummmmmm, nope!

You would be surprised to learn that finding a perfectly balanced pet food can be harder than it seems. Pets are like humans; they have specific nutrients that need to be in their diet in order to thrive and, like humans, with different stages of life comes different needs. This is the reason that Hill’s Pet Nutrition employs over 200 veterinarians, Ph.D. nutritionists, and food scientists who work every day to createnew products and improve existing ones that will help your pet live a long, healthy and full life!

For starters, did you know that both an excess and deficiency in nutrients can be dangerous to your pet’s health? That’s why a balanced level of nutrients in your pet’s food is so very important! As you can see from the chart below, something as simple as protein, needs to be well balanced to allow for proper growth without kidney stress! Hill’s has certainly learned through ample research what that proper balance is to keep our pets healthy!

So, obviously, balanced nutrients are key – but Hill’s takes things a step further to look at even more specific needs of various life stages. As we enter later age brackets, our nutritional needs change. However, when it comes to pets, more than half of pet parents are not feeding their age 7+ pets the right kind of food. By switching your pet to a food that focuses on maturing needs, you can help maintain their youthful vitality for years. Through 10 years of research, Hill’s has created a line called Youthful Vitality that helps support pets and their cells as they age. It contains a proprietary blend of ingredients that support brain function, interaction, energy and vitality. It has Omega-3 & -6 fatty acids for luxurious coat or fur, clinically proven antioxidants, vitamins C+E, for a healthy immune system, and easy-to-digest ingredients! They have learned that older dogs and cats have different gene expressions than younger pets, which affects how their bodies function in ways such as inflammatory processes, oxidative stress, immunity, DNA repair, energy production and protein metabolism. So they have created the line to address all of these issues!

So allllllll of that has been taken into consideration for simply one line of their pet food products! I haven’t even started on their lines to help with kittens and puppy growth, joint wellness, urinary tract problems, weight issues, hairball issues, and the list goes on and on! Don’t worry, I’m not going to launch into all of that here. I think you’ve got the idea from simply breaking down the science that has gone into the development of their Youthful Vitality line. And if you are curious about the science behind other needs that are specific to your pet, you can certainly find that information on their website.

Our furry boys, Willie and Wrigley are both about to turn 10 years old in a few months. Willie struggles with weight issues and Wrigley with Hairball issues. So, Willie enjoys the Hill’s Science Diet Perfect Weight 7+ years variety and Wrigley loves the Hill’s Science Diet Hairball Control for 7+ years. So yes, they have varieties that are specifically tailored to your pet’s needs.

Yep, it’s pretty easy to see why, Hill’s products have been trusted by millions of pet owners since 1939, and why today, countless veterinarians recommend and feed their own pets Hill’s products more than any other brand of pet food! So, thank you again Hill’s for all the time and energy and dedication you put towards researching and creating the best-balanced diets for our furry family members.

Information on proper nutrition for our pets needs to be spread, so thank you Hill’s for sponsoring this Blog post, that does just that!

5 Ingredient Pumpkin Pie Twists

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5 Ingredient Pumpkin Pie Twists! So this easy as “Pie” recipe is a fun “twist” on Pumpkin Pie …..ya see what I did there? 😉 By using @BoarsHead_Official new Pumpkin Pie hummus and some puff pastry you can make a sweet treat that will impress in minutes! Scroll down to see the process pics, and here’s what you need:

-One sheet/package frozen puff pastry, thawed

-4 oz Boar’s Head Pumpkin Pie Dessert Hummus

-2 tablespoons sugar

-1 teaspoon cinnamon

-1 egg, lightly beaten

*All-purpose flour, for dusting work surface
Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to flatten the puff pastry into a large rectangle, 1/4-inch thick.

Spread the Pumpkin Pie Hummus evenly over the pastry using the back of a spoon

Then cut the pastry into 6 to 8 stripes!

Twist each strip 4 or 5 times, so it looks like a curly straw. Place on the prepared baking sheet and brush with beaten egg. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Remove the twists from the fridge and brush a second time with beaten egg. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle on top! Bake until the pastry is well risen and golden-brown, about 18-20 minutes. Enjoy!
Now you will notice I only used 1/2 of the hummus that comes in the container. Sooo you can either make another batch of twists using your second puff pastry sheet that comes in a box, orrrrrr I would highly recommend grabbing some pretzels and apple slices and enjoying this sweet and creamy Pumpkin Pie Hummus on its own! @BoarsHead_Official​ #FallinLoveWithHummus #Falltreat #holidaybaking #pumkinpietwist

Getting Organized!

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Ok, so I know term “Spring Cleaning” is all the rage, but I actually think organizing and purging in Fall right before the holidays makes so much sense! One, you have an organized canvas before bringing out all of the holiday Decor. Two, you have more space to store all the newly gifted items that come at holidays. And Three, it’s a lovely time of year to send donations to the Salvation Army or other donation houses!

A couple weeks ago, I finally pulled the trigger on getting organized! It’s been something I’ve procrastinated on ever since we moved into our house. I was pregnant when we moved in so I also had a hard time getting rid of anything since I didn’t know what I would want to wear post baby. I essentially turned into a clothing hoarder and collector! So thank goodness for the ladies at Sort and Sweet. They are based in New York, but just opened their offices in LA along with many many other areas! They came to my rescue and fixed a long standing problem. They also took the time to teach me new habits and tips to stay organized, so here we go!

  

– Designate a section in your closet for empty hangers. As you wear items in your closet keep the empty hanger in one specific spot. It will be a lifesaver when putting away laundry, and you won’t spend your time searching for empty hangers!

– When you are ready to reorganize your closet try this trick that we swear by. Turn around all of your hangers and as you wear them turn the hanger around the right way. After 6 months to a year you will see which clothes you are consistently wearing. This is an easy way to see what you are really wearing.

– Ready to let go of some of your clothes? They have clients answer the following questions:
1. If you were shopping right now would you purchase this item again?
2. When was the last time you wore this? (** the hanger trick helps answer this!)
3. If you ran into your ex while wearing this would you be embarrassed? (This last question especially made me giggle)

-Treat your drawers like filing cabinets. Fold and stand pieces up. That way you can see everything and avoid an avalanche every time you need something from the bottom!

– Create zones in your closet that fit you lifestyle. If you are a busy professional you should have all of your suits in the main zone of your closet. On the other hand if you dress casually on the day to day you want your leggings and sweaters in your main zone. Also combine like items in your zones, have all short skirts in one section, all long skirts in another.

  

-Ziplock Bags are your friends. This was so true for me. There was chaos in my swimsuit area. Roll and pair by color and place in ziplock bags. I also have a lot of mommy and me sets of swimsuits, so combining them together in one bag, will suddenly cut out so much time searching for all of our coordinating pieces!

  

-Chaos Bins. Sometimes we simply don’t have time to put something away and yet we need to set it down somewhere. Having a few chaos bins in different rooms can help control the chaos. I now love having a “Stairway Basket”. If something needs to be routed upstairs, but I’m not in the mood to head up yet, throw it in the stairway basket!

So these are just a few of the many lessons I learned from the Sort and Sweet ladies! Their knowledge of methods and products to make organization easy, are endless! So not only are they getting you organized they are teaching you the tools to stay organized. They will also assist you in purchasing various products like simple drawer dividers to keep things in place, I never knew those even existed! They also informed me about this genius over the door jewelry hanger that has been a life changer for keeping my jewelry organized!

  

So thank you again Sort and Sweet, I’m finally at a place in my closet where I can do basic upkeep to stay organized. I just needed some helping hands to get me there and teach me how to stay there!!

5 Benefits That Come From Music Education

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We just finished watching the new Ken Burns documentary on the history of American music and it was fascinating. Did you know the fiddle (aka violin) was the first prevalent instrument in America? It helped create the foundation of Americana music, second only to the banjo. Music has had an “instrumental” role in the development of our society and history. It brings people together. It gives people purpose and focus. It challenges and strengthens our minds.  Sooo if music has done all of this for our history, shouldn’t we be introducing our children to music as soon as possible? I love that Yamaha Music has made it their focus to encourage music in young minds with a whole line of instruments especially made for students! They understand how music education affects so many areas of life beyond simply playing an instrument. Here are 5 additional benefits that come from music education that you might not be aware of:

1)Improved Memory.

Music education involves a high level of memorization. Students must be able to read music by sight, play the proper notes on their instrument or recall lyrics. This process benefits the overall memory center of the brain. Playing music makes the brain work harder, you have to be using more of your brain and therefore expanding it.

2)Language Skills.

According to PBS, “Recent studies have clearly indicated that musical training physically develops the part of the left side of the brain known to be involved with processing language, and can actually wire the brain’s circuits in specific ways.” Learning a musical instrument improves how the brain understands human language, since music is like a second language it can help with learning an additional language.

3)Strong Study Habits.

When children are exposed to music education, they learn powerful study habits. Mastering their specific musical craft takes a concerted effort, consistent practice, and patience. These habits translate into other areas of study too. So as children grow up and are exposed to more rigorous courses of study in school and ample amounts of information they are required to retain, these habits are already in place due to music education.

4) Listening skills.

I mean, what parent doesn’t want better listening skills?! Music involves listening to yourself and to the rest of the ensemble. Musicians need to hear tempos, dynamics, tuning, and harmonies. This helps auditory development in the brain.

5) Self-esteem.

Music allows students to try something new and develop confidence as they  master singing or playing an instrument. It gives them purpose and focus and a skill to be very proud of. As music students work in a class setting, they are working toward a common goal, with each of their “voices” or instruments being heard. This joint effort creates a wonderful sense of acceptance in a group setting that is just so huge for self-confidence!

Honestly the list of benefits from music education just keeps going.  So while Annabelle and Josephine are still very young, the opportunity for growth from music is still very much there! In fact the growth of motor skills from music education is most significant  in younger children. Even a basic introduction to an instrument, such as a hitting a triangle or learning a song on a recorder, can be beneficial and can prepare them for instruments like Annabelle’s lovely Yamaha Violin. Yamaha has a whole line of instruments focused on and created for children and students. I was especially impressed by their violins. They even have a quiz you can take that will lead you in the direction of the perfect violin to get for your budding musician.  You can take a quiz HERE . When Annabelle’s perfectly sized Yamaha Violin arrived, I quickly showed her what I could remember from my couple years of playing as a child.  Her eyes immediately lit up with excitement over the sound she could create. She now roams the house playing “air violin”!  I simply can’t wait to get her into formal classes soon!

Thank you Yamaha for sponsoring this post and your continued support in music education!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apple Of Our Eye Birthday Party!

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Annnnnd just like that we officially have a 2 year old! Since Josephine has a Fall Birthday, we went with an “Apple Of Our Eye” theme!  I figure I only have a couple years of getting to pick her Birthday themes before she just wants Halloween costume parties each year, so for now I’m running with the Autumnal themes! So here are some of the fun party details that could work for any Fall party or Back to School themed party ya might want to have!

Dessert Table

Let’s start with the most important part, The Sweets! Needless to say we had to have some Apple Pie and Apple Cinnamon Donuts. But I didn’t stop there! Using our favorite applesauce, Musselman’s Apple Sauce I made the batter for the Cake and Cupcakes out of just 3 ingredients!

Here’s the recipe:

Applesauce Cupcakes!

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1 box of powder sugar (3 to 4 cups)

Apple Details

  • Traditional Tootsie rolls
  • Green Apple Tootsie Rolls
  • Red Sugar crystal sprinkles

Combine the first 3 ingredients and simply bake according to box instructions. Combine cream cheese frosting ingredients (add milk to thin if needed) Use red food coloring to dye your frosting red! Top with red frosting and dip your cupcake into a bowl of red sprinkles. Tear a Tootsie roll in half and form a stem. Use a whole green Tootsie roll to form a leaf. Use a knife to press in leaf detail!

The Food!

Soooo back in the day I used to cook a whole spread of food from scratch for parties, buuuuut then kids happened 😉 Now we have a go to bakery that we pick up a few catering platters from, and I throw together a couple easy dishes and that’s it! After all the kids at the parties are always most focused on the snacks! Annnnd we all know the kid obsession for pouches, so of course the most sought after party snack was the Musselman’s Apple Sauce pouches! Cheese sticks were a close second in the race of snacks to be polished off first! I have to say we really do love our Musselman’s in this house, the girls  love how it tastes, and I love that it’s such a healthy on the go snack with no artificial flavors, no high fructose corn syrup, and the unsweetened variety has zero added sugars!

Decor!

Yep Red gingham and Burlap was the name of the Game! I made the Table Center Pieces with little baskets filled with Apples, doesn’t get any easier than that! The photo booth was assembled with a good ol’ Haybale, baskets of apples, and fabric fringe garland, made simply by tying strips of color appropriate fabric together on to a string!

The Drinks!

Apple Juice and Apple Sangria of course! And the Sangria was a hit!

Here’s the recipe!

Apple Cider Sangria

  • 2 ½ cups Apple Cider (I used Musselman’s)
  • ½ cup brandy
  • 1 bottle Pinot Grigio
  • 1 cup club soda (optional, if you want to add a little bubble, but the cider flavors are stronger without)
  • Sliced Apples

Combine all ingredients and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight! So Easy, So Yummy!

Party Favors!

An apple with a 4 oz jar of caramel dipping sauce! So you could absolutely buy caramel sauce and jar it individually. Since I needed about 60 goodie bags, I decided to make the caramel sauce myself since it was more cost effective that way! I love how the Goodie Bags turned out! And so much better than sending families home with a bag of candy right before Halloween!

An Apple Game and An Apple Craft!

I wanted some kind of activity for the kids, so I came up with making simple Apple Bell necklaces/ornaments! Take some Red Bells, Green Ribbon to make leaves, and White Yarn. Simple and Easy!

I didn’t think we could have an Apple Party without some form of Apple Bobbing, but with so many littles ones around, I certainly didn’t want buckets of water hanging out. So a dry form of apple bobbing it was! I picked out apples from the store with strong stems, tied twine around each stem and tied them all to a long rope! Then we suspended the rope from some hooks, and the kids had to line up and try to take a bite out of an apple with no hands! It was pretty hilarious to watch!

Annnnd that’s an Apple Party wrap! I’m sure I’m forgetting some things, but ya know, mom brain is a thing, so that will have to do for now!

And thank you Musselman’s for sponsoring this blog post! I actually took the time to sit down, capture, and record all of the party details  because of you, which I sometimes don’t get around to doing! So now sweet Josephine’s 2nd Birthday is fully documented!

 

Candy Corn Cake Trifle

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Candy Corn Cake Trifle! Such a perfect Halloween treat to make for parties or give as a gift! Annabelle and I made these for her teachers and they were very well received! Not only are they simple to create, but I love that you can find everything you need from the candy corn to the mason jars at @RalphsGrocery !

Ingredients:

· Candy Corn

· 2 vanilla or yellow box cake mixes (and the eggs and oil that the box needs)

· 2 frosting tubs or homemade frosting

· Yellow and red food coloring

· 8 mason jars (1 pint)

· Piping bag with a large tip or a ziplock bag with corner cut off

STEP 1: Make your favorite cake mixes, as directed, in two separate bowls. Add Yellow to one bowl and yellow and red to create orange to the other bowl, mix well.

STEP 2: Bake each part separately according to box directions. While slightly warm, break up the cake with your hands. This is a fun step to the the kids help with! I didn’t crumble the outer rim of the cake since that tends to be a bit brown and I only wanted the vibrant colors.

STEP 3: Layer the two colors of cake into your Mason jars. Add yellow first and then orange.

STEP 4: Use a piping bag or ziplock bag (with the corner cut off to top with white frosting!

STEP 5: Top with Candy Corns.

STEP 6: Place the lid on the mason jar and fancy it up with some ribbon! Enjoy Gifting!

#masonjargifts #halloweentreats

 

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Family Vacation: Texas Style!

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Sooooooo I’ve been to Texas a total of 5 times, and the last 3 times we have made it a priority to stay at least a few nights at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa, soooooo yeah I think that says a lot right there! The resort sits on 405 acres along the banks of the Colorado River and it’s just 23 miles outside of Austin! From spacious rooms and suites, to fantastic pool and play areas, to a list of activities that just goes on and on, this resort is pretty hard to beat! Let me breakdown some of our favorite parts about the resorts:

Family Friendly:

So for an ideal family vacation you want a place that is overflowing with kid friendly activities! For starters, the animals! Hyatt Regency Lost Pines has a number of cute and cuddly mascots that you can have up close and personal meetings with! Annnnnnnd I mean really up close, I’m pretty sure I made out with a very friendly goat, yes he may have only loved me for my necklace, but I don’t care, we are total BFFs now. And the girls couldn’t stop hugging “Pork and Beans” …. That’s the name of their pig if ya didn’t already guess. Oh and would it even be a Texas resort without a few majestic Longhorns grazing their pasture!

And then there’s Camp Hyatt! Ok so listen up! This is for ages 3-12 and potty trained. This is where lovely staff members take the group of kids off to learn about nature and take part in fun activities like arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, games, and sports!!! This leaves  mommy and daddy a few hours to head to the spa,  play a round of golf,  have a quiet meal, or heck just nap by the pool! Amazing I know!

If that wasn’t family friendly enough, they also have a number of play areas around the grounds! A whole jungle gym, corn hole and horse shoes, basketball and soccer! Soooo many fun play areas that you just stumble upon while taking a walk around the property. The pools were also set up with kids in mind. There’s a splash pad, a 2’ deep kiddie pool, and a sandy beach style pool, will all the buckets and shovels right there!

Activities:

I can honestly say I’ve never been to a resort with so many options of things to do! You can float down their lazy river pool, go horseback riding, go kayaking down the Colorado River, hike through nearby McKinney Roughs Nature Park, roast S’mores at Riversong fire pit, go ziplining, or biking, or fishing, and honestly the list goes on. This time we signed up for the private family fishing experience. We met an instructor near the pond, and he had our fishing poles and bait ready to go! Annnnnnd guess what? Annabelle caught and released her first fish! She then quickly became more interested in  playing with the worms, but we all had such a fun experience with this! After Fishing we headed over to the bike holding area and just grabbed a couple (complimentary for resort guests) and went biking around the property which was just so lovely!

The Food:

Let’s just say there are a few options on this front:  4 Restaurants, a BBQ Food Truck, a Hot Dog Shack, a Burger Bar, and Ice Cream shop! Often times at resorts I start to get annoyed with the limited food options and everything starting to taste the same. Not the case here! Soooooo many options! All different styles from a fancy steakhouse to casual poolside eats. One morning for breakfast I had the BBQ Brisket Hash and Eggs, the next I had the Texas Shaped Waffle! Annnnd the Waffle comes with an optional S’mores topping FYI! They also have great kids menus items at each spot, like the scrambled egg quesadilla! Ok now I’m hungry so I’m gonna wrap this up! But lastly…….

The Spa:

Spa Django is the name, relaxation is the game 😉 So I’ve been to the resort 3 times and yet this was the first time I made it to the Spa! One Word: Glorious!  I was treated to a Peppermint Salt Scrub and massage and I’m still dreaming about it. Not only are the services delightful, but the spa also has a private pool that overlooks the water, it is magical! And any spa that offers me a glass of Champaign as I enter gets all the extra points! So if you plan ahead you can sign the kids up for Camp Hyatt and run off to that that Spa! Win/Win for all!

Thank You again Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa! Our stay with you was perfection!

*Yes, this trip was hosted by  Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa. However our other trips here were not 😉 So this time I’m just finally getting a chance to fully share about it all!

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