We love a good after school snack! I don’t know about you, but it’s the first thing my kids ask for when they get home from school. This Key Lime Fruit Dip is a fun treat when the kids are craving sweets. Madeline loves fruit and loves helping to make this easy dip. Add a few pieces of fruit on kabob sticks and there you have an afternoon appetizer. [Read more…]
I don’t know about you… but I’m about ready to skip Spring and move straight onto Summer! I’ve honestly had to pray each day this week that God would bless me with the simple ability to FOCUS! {I’ve sort of diagnosed myself with Adult ADD at this point because my brain seems scattered in all directions, running a million miles a minute!} Homeschooling my little ones hasn’t helped my self-diagnosed condition any. {Ha!} Having the responsibility of teaching three different grade levels with a toddler running around, hasn’t been the easiest for me to juggle this year. Although the kids all are progressing and appear to be doing great with our homeschool journey… I’m feeling a bit checked out and ready for Summer to begin! Are any of you with me?! [Read more…]
With or without chicken, now that is the question? I would like to take a moment to be honest about meal planning. Sara and I do love a good week of planned out meals and maybe that is something that you would love to see, but our lifestyle is not conducive to full planned out meals. With both of us being married to firefighters, we are often on our own with the kids for dinner a few times a week. This Couscous Salad is the exact type of last minute meal planning that I like to have on hand. Simple and savory, chicken can be added last minute should Shane be home. This Couscous Salad also makes for the perfect Meatless Monday.
The month of March has been so full, happy, and memorable for my family! My two littlest ones celebrated their birthday’s! Miss Blue requested a mermaid theme, with street tacos {made by her daddy} for dinner, and a colorful circus cake! {Ha!} The only gift she really wanted for her 6th birthday was to go to Disneyland. {We had passes four years ago… but since then, we haven’t been back.} A week following her actual birthday, we made the trek down the mountain to the happiest place on earth!
Before we get to those fun photos… here is a peek at Sophia’s special day! {I wish I could take credit for the birthday decorations… but it was all my creative husby’s vision! He decorated and I made her sparkly crown… because every mermaid needs a fancy crown, right?!}
Sara and I are excited to announce the lucky winner of our Walkers Shortbread Giveaway! I posted about this lovely GIVEAWAY on Thursday, along with a tasty Strawberry Shortbread Pie recipe. Speaking of which, we have been experiencing some of the most delicious California Strawberries! Okay, so some of you are still knee deep in snow {we are hoping for better weather for you all soon}, but in the meantime, we have listed a few of our favorite Strawberry Recipes! We hope you like them! [Read more…]
Hello, friends! Nicole and I are so honored that you have stopped by our blog during your busy weekend! We hope that you’ll have a chance to sit down, sip some tasty tea, and look over our favorite picks from across the web! {If you are a fellow blogger or have an Etsy Shop, we’d love for you to link-up to this post! Directions on how to do so are listed below! Thanks a million!}
After an exhausting, fun-filled week celebrating Miss Blue and Mr. Amazing {which included a trip to the happiest place on earth}, I’m finally making time for some much needed r & r, at home with the kids. We are planning to fill our days with lots of downtime… soaking up the sunshine while playing outside, and preparing for the week ahead. What are your plans for the weekend? Do share!
Whatever you do, we’re hoping you all get drenched with a healthy dose of vitamin D! {It really does make the world seem brighter… and happier, when the sun is shining!} We encourage you to lift the spirits of someone around you this weekend! Spread your inner happiness… much love! {xo}
Yesterday we said goodbye to the age of 2. Our youngest little man, Mr. Amazing… is 3 today!!!
There’s a children’s book called Let Me Hold You Longer by Karen Kingsbury, that has truly impacted my life and the way I parent. {My older sister bought it for me almost ten years ago.. it’s such a wonderful gift for new parents.} It’s a beautiful book that has you thinking about the last days of developmental milestones and phases with your kids… the last time they cuddle up and sleep beside you in bed, the last time you held them in your arms singing them lullabies, the last time riding a bike with training wheels, the last time they said a funny phrase, etc. It’s one of those books that although is a kids’ book, with darling pictures… it’s really more for the parent reading it. I am so thankful for that sweet book, as it’s kept me focused on being more present with my kids {since we never know the last time they are going to do or say something}.
Okay, so I am going to date Sara and I with this Strawberry Shortbread Pie Recipe. We don’t talk about our age, but let’s say besides Sara being my favorite red head; Strawberry Shortcake was mine as a kid. Luckily our girls have been able to experience one of our favorite childhood characters. Strawberry Shortcake and Cabbage Patch Kids were a big deal at the age of 5. In fact because of Strawberry Shortcake, I had asked for a Strawberry Cake for my 6th birthday party. From then on I loved everything that was strawberry. This Strawberry Shortbread Pie is an ode to all things strawberry. These little red berries make me happy and their sweetness makes for a winning combination with Walkers Shortbread Round Cookies. The mixture of the two makes for an awesome yet simple spring time pie!
We are a little blessed to experience these magical berries for most of the year. Sometimes we forget that strawberries aren’t as readily available to most of the country until the summer. Strawberries honestly, {besides all the talk of Strawberry Shortcake talk} have been a big part of my life. My Grandma Joan was a Californian Native. She was a fourth generation Californian. Making her family here in the state long before it was even a state. She had a fondness for strawberries. She liked to bake with them and she grew them in her backyard. My sister and I loved to see the little white flowers turn into red berries. Picking them and eating them straight from her garden was our favorite part.
In fact in a way this recipe is dedicated to her. It is my Grandma’s Strawberry Pie Recipe. I hope you enjoy it….
{gluten-free}
Have you ever made homemade granola bars? They have been on my “must bake” list for quite some time. I did my research, and have read numerous reviews before finally adapting this recipe from Smitten Kitchen {which was originally adapted from the King Arthur Flour site}. What I love about these chewy, flavorful bars… is that they are so easy to adjust to your personal taste! You can customize them by adding in walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, dark chocolate chunks, dried cranberries, cherries or apples, and sesame or pumpkin seeds… the list goes on and on. Although I think these decadent bars are already pretty healthy… you absolutely can make them healthier by changing out the granulated sugar for coconut sugar, and replacing the melted butter with coconut oil. Also… make sure if you use honey, it’s in its raw form so you can get rid of some of the processed sweeteners.
Welcome dear readers to this edition of Weekend Lovelies {favorite things}! Spring is in the air here in Southern California. I recently had a lot on my mind {okay, I lied I always do!} and needed a little nature break. Though, I am a huge fan of yoga, it was one of those days where I needed to be alone with my thoughts and my music. I decided to take one of my favorite trail walks. Because I was seeking quiet, I continued down a different path that kept me away from the streets and walkways that I often end my walk on. To my lovely surprise, I landed right where I needed to be, in the middle of an orange grove full of orange blossoms. I believe the smell of orange blossoms is one of the most beautiful smells in the world. Have you had to the chance to experience that? As a child, we had orange groves across the main street of our home. When the spring sunshine came out around late February and early March, those groves would permeate the area with the most heavenly scent. I felt that I landed there for the simple reason… to take a deep breath and take in that beautiful moment. When was the last time you did that for yourself?
I know the hustle of life distracts us all, but I do believe we all need those moments to re-energize and refresh. All those little worries I had jumbled in my ever thinking brain did stop {for about 10 minutes..wink}, but enough for me to let some of those worries go. Sara and I hope that our Weekend Lovelies {favorite things} gives you a moment to enjoy some peace while feasting your eyes on some of favorite things out on the web. We wish you a wonderful weekend, and remember if you are an Etsy Shop or Blogger, we’d love for you to link up your favorite posts of the week or your unique shop! [Read more…]
