Cafe Rio Copycat Crockpot Chicken

Cafe Rio Copycat Chicken:: Cafe Rio Copycat Crockpot Chicken ::

Have you all had the opportunity to dine at a Cafe Rio? I know they’re not everywhere… which is unfortunate, because their food is so fresh and delicious! It’s the perfect place to take the kids! I love, love, love their chicken tacos topped with shredded lettuce and fresh pico de gallo! What about their homemade tortillas?! Oh my… talk about pure deliciousness!

We live about 45 minutes from the nearest Cafe Rio, so we are only able to go once or twice a month. On Pinterest I saw loads of copycat recipes for their famous chicken. I thought it was worth a shot to try to replicate the recipe for myself! {Of course none of us have that secret recipe… so we can only guess as to how they exactly make it.} This recipe is for crockpot chicken. It takes no more than 5 minutes to throw it all together, which makes it the perfect recipe for a busy weeknight. The main ingredients, besides the boneless skinless chicken breasts, are italian dressing, a ranch dressing packet, cumin, chili powder, minced garlic, and a little water! Super easy, right? 

Easy Crockpot Chicken {Cafe Rio Copycat} #caferio #copycat #chicken 2Your house will smell so delightful while the chicken is cooking all day! {That’s one of my favorite parts about a crockpot meal!} Once the meat is fully cooked, you can shred it by simply using two forks, or by pulsing {briefly} in a food processor. The meat comes out completely moist, and full of robust flavor!  [Read more…]

doTERRA Essential Oils // Giveaway

doTERRA Essential Oils

:: dōTERRA Essential Oils // Giveaway ::

Hello, friends! Nicole and I have such a fabulous treat for you! We are sharing a guest post, written by our dear friend, Kari! She is going to fill you in on how, and why, she began using essential oils in her everyday life. In addition to her story, she is also putting on a LIVE webinar for our readers that will hopefully answer questions you have regarding use of the oils. To top it off, Kari is also hosting a GIVEAWAY on our site! One lucky person will win a dōTERRA essential oils introductory kit {lavender, peppermint, and lemon oil}! The rules to enter are simple… and are listed at the bottom of this post! The winner will be announced in our Weekend Lovelies this Saturday!

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First and foremost I want to say THANK YOU to Sara and Nicole for featuring me on their blog. I’m so very thankful for this amazing opportunity to share with you all something that is so near and dear to me, and has changed my perspective on health and wellness. My mission began on March 3rd, 2006 the day that my first daughter was born. I, like most first time moms, had so many overwhelming emotions, so much joy and happiness, and also a little bit (or a lot-o- bit) of fear and anxiety. Is she hungry, gassy, or tired? Is she too hot, too cold? Does she have a fever? Is she getting enough milk? Does she even LIKE me? Why is she crying? How do I DO this?!?!?

[Read more…]

Weekend Lovelies

Mother's Day Poem

:: Weekend Lovelies ::

Happy Mother’s Day Weekend, friends! Welcome to this edition of Weekend Lovelies dedicated to whom else?!?….Mom! We are sharing with you the “My Handprint Poem.” I received my first one of these poems 4 years ago when Mason was in preschool.  It really touched me; in fact I kept the poem and handprint hanging for some time on a bulletin board in my closet so that I could see it every morning.  It was a lovely reminder that our little ones are only little for so long.  The days may be long, more often than not, but the years are short.  Yes the house is a mess, the kids are fighting, but they are oh so cute! I know that Sara and I will look back years from now and reminisce about these days.  We would like to wish you all a lovely Mother’s Day! {A Happy Mother’s Day, as well, to our Moms, Step-Moms, Grandmothers, and Mother-in-Laws!} We hope you all get a little time to relax and enjoy this special day! 

  1. Shopping, yes please!! We love a good outfit from Reverie The Shop.  Better yet we love a good discount too, Reverie is offering free shipping and a free tote for orders $100 or more. Promo Code-Simply Happenstance.
  2. Pink, pink, and more pink….I don’t think our husbands will go for these pretty Pink Kitchens, but we love them.
  3. Mommy loves flowers, but plants are always a good gift.  This DIY Hanging Planter is a must make.
  4. Are your kids scared of the dark? These Casita Night Lights are perfect for taming their night fears, and they are lovely too!
  5. A good margarita is a must, but as a Skinny Margarita Popsicle? Can’t wait to make these for those long hot summer days.
  6. We are thinking of putting in a fire pit, this fire bowl looks perfect for backyard entertaining.
  7. Still need cute Teacher Appreciation ideas? Loving these Teacher Appreciation Tags from River and Bridge.
  8. A Mother’s Day Brunch is all we need on this special day….hint hint.
  9. We will take it all, 11 Links We Love For A Happy Mother’s Day Weekend.
  10. And let’s end the weekend with a slice of Coconut Cloud Cake. Yum!

 

Lemon Vanilla Macaroons on Live Laugh Rowe

gluten-free lemon vanilla bean macaroons

:: Lemon Vanilla Macaroons on Live Laugh Rowe ::

Hey guys! We are beyond excited to be guest posting on the fabulous blog, Live Laugh Rowe today! We’d love for you to go check out our {gluten-free, paleo} recipe for Lemon Vanilla Macaroons! These cookies are so delicious… made from the freshest ingredients and free of refined sugars! While you are there, you must peruse all the fun DIY projects Kelly has on her blog! She is so creative and crafty! Enjoy! {xo} [Read more…]

Skinny Pomegranate Margarita

Skinny Pomegrante Margarita Recipe for Cinco De Mayo. Made with fresh lime juice and pomegranate limeade.

:: Skinny Pomegranate Margarita ::

It’s Margarita Monday, better yet it’s Cinco de Mayo! Let’s shake it up a little with a Skinny Pomegranate Margarita that is sure to make you do a little cha cha after your first sip! Hey, did I mention I LOVE margaritas? If you don’t know that already, it is my favorite adult beverage.  I love that they are the perfect combos of salt and sweet, and I love them fresh….no sweet and sour mix for this girl.

Skinnny Pomegranate Margarita Recipe. [Read more…]

Weekend Lovelies

Weekend Lovelies

:: Weekend Lovelies ::

Hello, friends! Nicole and I are so glad that you’ve stopped by our blog to check out our latest finds and favorite things! Thanks for being here!

So, before we move on to our lovelies… how was your week? I celebrated my 36th birthday {gulp!} this past Tuesday! {I’m honestly starting to lose track!} Nicole was so thoughtful in dedicating her delicious Tres Leche Cupcake post to me! {Thanks, my friend… that was super sweet!} My family and I spent the day at the beach {my favorite place}, soaking up the crazy warm weather we’ve been having in Southern California! It was a wonderful day! Good food, sandy toes, warm sunshine, lots of smiles, and playing in the ocean always makes for a fabulous day! I am so thankful for another year! [Read more…]

Maui Trip // Life in Photos

Maui Trip

:: Maui Trip // Life in Photos ::

I can’t believe it’s already been a month since we left for our getaway to Maui, Hawaii! We had about three months leading up to the trip to prepare and anticipate all the fun we would have. Of course, five nights away flew by so quickly! Now it seems as if it were only a mere dream! I’ve had so much fun looking through our photos and thought that I’d share some favorites with you, but first…  

Vacation Husband {simply happenstance} Our Trip to Maui in Photos

This was a trip for just the two of us! That’s right! {My saint of a mom willingly volunteered to watch our four little ones for the time we were gone! She didn’t just meet their everyday needs, you guys… she continued to homeschool them! We are so blessed by her! Thanks, Mom! You’re seriously –THE BEST!}

So, back to this “Vacation Husby” of mine… he was completely carefree and present! You see, he didn’t have to  wake up at 4 a.m. to go to work, make his two-hour commute, run to Trader Joe’s for me on his way home after a 72-hr. shift, fold laundry, cook dinner, or help with the bedtime routine! This guy was STRESS-FREE… and was clearly loving it! It was ah-mazing, if I do say so myself! 

Trip to Maui

In all honesty, it really was a break that we both needed! Since our move last July to the mountains, and the start of our homeschooling journey this school year, I hadn’t been away from the kids {not even for a yoga class}. As much as I love and adore them… I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with life and the day-to-day routine. {I’m sure many of you can relate!}   [Read more…]

Tres Leches Cupcakes

Tres Leches Cupcakes. Perfect for Cinco De Mayo. Topped with Walkers Vanilla Shortbread and Whip Cream.

:: Tres Leches Cupcakes ::

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Sara, happy birthday to you!!! Oh my friends, you don’t know how much I appreciate my co-author and dear friend Sara! Today is her birthday, and we are going to celebrate with one of her favorite recipes, Tres Leches Cupcakes.  Honestly, I don’t know what I would do without my partner in crime.  She balances our Simply Happenstance in ways you don’t see.  We created Simply as a place to share our favorite things {food+family+lovelies}. It has grown because of our lovely readers and it keeps chugging away because of our partnership.  I am so very grateful for Sara.  I hope today turns out to be a relaxing and special with family. Soon Sara, we will have some Tres Leches together, maybe at Cafe Rio {wink}.  Happy birthday my friend!!! [Read more…]

Eden Pier Giveaway Winner

Eden Pier Giveaway Winner

:: Eden Pier Giveaway Winner ::

Summer is coming and our lucky winner will be able to enjoy her $100.00 towards Eden Pier.  We are excited to announce the winner of our Eden Pier Giveaway is……Dana!!! Congratulations Dana you are one lucky gal! It’s the perfect start to the week. We hope you enjoy your giveaway win and let us know if you decide to go with the Indigo Convertible Tankini or if you choose another one of Eden Pier’s fab suits.  Congratulations!!!

 

Weekend Lovelies

Weekend lovelies. A list of our favorite things from the web. Including this ferris wheel.

:: Weekend Lovelies ::

Oh weekend how we have missed you!  Raise your hand if you thought this last week was busy? I don’t know about you, but between the daily run around along with Teacher Appreciation, I felt a little unorganized.  This edition of Weekend Lovelies has us wishing it was spring break again, oh wait, we are now closer to summer break! Speaking of summer break, have you had a chance to enter our lovely giveaway from Eden Pier?  There is still time to enter!  We will be picking a winner on Monday! It’s the perfect way to get ready for summer with a cute retro suit.  So grab yourself a cup of coffee, sit back, and enjoy a few lovelies on your Saturday morning! [Read more…]