Tomato Zucchini Soup {Lunch Recipe}

July 23, 2012 by

 

I love simple lunches. Something I can whip up or reheat easily is key. So when I was figuring out what to do with all of the tomatoes we have coming in right now from our garden, I knew that a soup would be perfect. Now I normally roast my tomatoes with some other veggies to make the base for my marinara sauce so I thought why not roast up some tomatoes for a soup as well.

This recipe, from start to finish, takes 30 minutes and can easily be made in larger quantities to store for future lunches (or dinners!). It’d go great with a grilled cheese and a salad. The kids loved it as well!

Tomato Zucchini Soup

  • 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 2 medium zucchini, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 handful fresh basil, stems removed
  • Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line rimmed baking sheet with foil and lay tomatoes and zucchini on sheet.

Mix olive oil and garlic together in a small bowl. Drizzle over vegetables. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until slightly golden.

Remove veggies from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Add to Magic Bullet, food processor, or blender (your choice!) and blend for a few seconds until just combined. Add basil and salt and pepper. Blend until it’s at the consistency you like.

Pour and serve. This soup can be served cold, lukewarm, or hot. It tastes good either way!

Serves 2-4 depending on portion size

What type of soup do you love? 

Filed Under: Lunch, Recipes, Soups & Salads, Uncategorized, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Patriotic Raspberry Coconut Cake {Dessert Recipe}

July 23, 2012 by
Raspberry Coconut Cake

Sometimes the holidays are just more fun when the foods we eat are festive. So in celebration of the 4th of July I made this delicious, and very easy, Raspberry Coconut Cake. This cake is the perfect addition to any summer party and will please all of your guests!

Desserts don’t have to be fancy or made from scratch every time. When you’re in a pinch, using boxed mixes and sprucing them up a bit to make them your own is the perfect solution. If you have a summer party to go to (or if you’re hosting one) this is sure to be a crowd pleaser! And per my father-in-law’s suggestion… next time I may add a bit of rum to the mix to change the flavors a bit.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

Boon Animal Bag – Making Toy Organization Fun!

July 18, 2012 by

When I first started thinking of what I wanted in the kids bedroom, the one thing that kept coming to mind was toy storage. I mean, we have a playroom that can contain many of the toys we have, but we had nothing to contain all of the stuffed animals my son and daughter have collected.

The only thing I could think of getting was the stuffed animal hammock I had when I was growing up. And when looking at the layout of my kids room I just couldn’t do it. Not only would the hammoc either block a window, closet door, or doorway, it just wouldn’t be easy for the kids to access their animals without getting myself or their father to get what they wanted.

We prefer a more self sufficient child.

So when I was perusing Amazon for a solution I was pleasantly surprised to find an amazing product that not only stored my kids stuffed animals, it also served as a chair or cushion for the kids after it was stuffed.

Multipurpose storage? Yes please!

Animal Bag3

The Boon Animal Bag not only stores stuffed animals, it stores a LOT of stuffed animals.

Here’s a look at about 1/2 of the stuffed animals in our home:

Boon Animal Bag Shell

And here’s a look at 1/2 of those in the boon. See how there’s still room in there? Yeah, all of those stuffed animals fit in that little Animal Bag. SO awesome!

Boon Animal Bag

The Boon Animal Bag easily zips open and shut to allow your child easy access to any of their favorite stuffed creatures. And the cover is a breathable mesh! So the stuffed animals wont suffocate! No having to explain anything to little Billy or Suzy.

Boon Animal Bag Details

And as I said before, after the Animal Bag is stuffed, your child can use it to sit on and enjoy a book or two. Or you can use it to prop other larger stuffed animals.

We love to use our Animal Bag for story time before naps and bedtime. Our kids curl up on it and get all comfy before we dive into the book we’re reading. And they love leaping from their beds onto the bag. All that cushion makes mama a little less anxious (but still keeping a watchful eye!).

The Boon Animal Bag is a soft, easy-to-use storage solution for those toys that get scattered all across your house. And with the simple zippered pouch, the kids can get involved in clean up to help pick their own toys up and store them away.

Interested in purchasing a Boon Animal Bag for your home?

You can head on over to the Boon website or check out Amazon.com.

And don’t forget to head on over to visit Boon on Facebook or follow them on Twitter! There’s always something new in the works and you wouldn’t want to miss out on hearing about an awesome product. I know we have quite a few Boon items in our home and we absolutely love them!

Want to WIN a Boon Animal Bag? 

The Noise Girls have yet again put together an amazing giveaway event just for your family! And Boon has joined in on the fun to offer one lucky reader a Boon Animal Bag of your very own in this giveaway.

The For the Family giveaway event starts on September 1st so please remember to hurry back and enter for your chance to win. You won’t want to miss what we have to offer!

Disclaimer: I received a Boon Animal Bag for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.

Filed Under: Reviews, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , ,

5 Things That Keep Your Child From Sleeping

July 18, 2012 by
In our home one of the biggest struggles we have is sleep. From naptime to bedtime, sleep equals stress in this home. But with a few changes to our schedule, and advice from a sleep coach, we could easily change this around to a more peaceful outcome.

My buddy Kari over at Mommy to Elodie recently posted about her experience with sleep coach Lauren Boston and I must say that she gives me hope!

Lauren has kindly listed out a few things below that can help you troubleshoot just where you need to change things up. And with a sleep coach like her, I’m sure you’ll see a great improvement in your child’s sleep.

If you’ve experienced any of these items listed you may be interested in talking with Lauren more in depth to help change you child’s sleep for the better!

The 5 Things That Kept 
Your Child From Sleeping Last Night

1. Too late of a bedtime
 
Children need on average 10-11 hours of sleep at night for the first 9 years of their lives!Watch for your child’s sleepy cues in the evening (between 6-8pm, depending on their age). When they are rubbing their eyes, yawning or increasingly cranky these are good indications that it’s time for bed.

2. Nap deprivation
 
Too late of a bedtime and skipped short naps will create more night wakings and poor quality sleep – not to mention an overtired child! It might not be logical but its true! Sleep begets sleep. Make sure your child is having age appropriate naps so that they don’t get over-tired.

3. Your child was put down in his crib or bed already asleep
 
If you put your child to sleep by rocking, nursing, walking, bottle feeding or lying down with them, they become dependent on you to put them to sleep. When your child wakes during the night (we all do) they will expect the same thing from you in order to go back to sleep. Putting your child into their crib awake will help them learn how to fall asleep on their own.

4. Inconsistency is how you respond to your child during the night
 
If you are inconsistent in how you put your child to sleep and how you respond to them when they wake up, you may inadvertently create more crying! Consistency in sleep coaching is your key to success!

5. Underlying medical conditions 
Such as: asthma, allergies, reflux and sleep apnea. If you suspect your child is suffering from any of these conditions, talk to your pediatrician.
 

Lauren Boston is a Certified Gentle Sleep Coach and Postpartum Doula. She offers her sleep coaching services to tired parents all over the world.

Lauren was born in Los Angeles, raised in Canada, and now lives in San Diego with daughter Charlie, 2, and husband Jordan. When she’s not helping tired families you can find her enjoying time with her family, at the park, beach or enjoying other ‘San Diegan’ activities.

Filed Under: San Diego, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

Displaying Your Child’s Artwork

July 17, 2012 by

Lets face it, our kids love to create. Crafts, art, glitter, paint. It’s all exciting when you’re small.

And sometimes those pieces of artwork, no matter how small, need a place in the home to be displayed. But because of how MUCH artwork can be created, taken home, and demanded to be up, we’ve come up with a few solutions for displaying artwork in a way that isn’t permanent.

So here are a few tips and tricks to displaying your child’s masterpiece.

Framed and Clipped

This is one of my favorite ways to display my kids stuff. All it takes is an empty frame, a butterfly clip and a nail or two. 

Simply hang the empty frame (garage sales are an excellent place to find these on the cheap), add the butterfly clip, and hang whatever artwork your child wants to display. You can easily swap out pictures as frequently as you’d like! And you can even personalize each frame by adding your child’s name inside (or outside) in vinyl letters to create their own space. 


Framed and Matted

We love to make crafts that are specifically for gift giving. One of the first craft projects my son and I made was this adorable footprint heart for Valentine’s Day. To make it extra special and display it in Daddy’s office we framed it in a matted frame to give it more depth. 

We also frame our children’s drawing as well on an “art wall” in our hallway. It helps to use simple frames that we can easily change out the pictures in. Each child gets to choose one piece of art to display all month. It can be a seasonal piece or something they’re proud of.


Framed and Pinned

This frame used to be a mirror. A mirror with a LARGE crack in it. We snagged it at our local furniture store for $7. Such a steal!

Simply put up a few letters to spell out ART and I have a customized large frame to thumb tack any artwork the kids might want to have showcased. Easy peasy!

And if you aren’t lucky enough to score such an awesome deal you can easily put up a large cork board and achieve the same effect.

How do you display your child’s artwork?

 

Filed Under: Crafts/DIY, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Crockpot Salsa Chicken {Dinner Recipe}

July 16, 2012 by
Crockpot Salsa Chicken 1

I absolutely LOVE easy crock pot recipes that can be turn into multiple meals throughout the week. And this crock pot salsa chicken is just that.

Simple ingredients, simple instructions, simple meals… but you don’t have to keep the meals simple. Shred this chicken and use it in multiple dishes: enchilada casserole, chicken (tortilla) soup, quesadillas, rolled tacos, chicken ropa vieja (my favorite) and more!

And with a fridge full of yumy salsa from Wholly salsa how could I not make this? I used their mild salsa for this dish but am excited to try changing up the flavors with the pineapple or red pepper mango flavors too.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Dinner, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Anniversary Staycation {@HiltonSanDiego Resort and Spa}

July 10, 2012 by

We just celebrated our 5 year anniversary at the end of June.

5 years. 

How does that happen? Time just wooshing by like it was nothing. All of a sudden we’re 5 years into our marriage and two kids deep. I just am in awe of how lucky we were to find each other and create this amazing family.

In celebration of this awesome milestone we knew we wanted to do something special.

So I thought long and hard and decided that an anniversary staycation would be the best solution to celebrating in style! And what better place to do that than the place we spent our wedding night at?

The Hilton San Diego Resort and Spa is the perfect place to experience all of San Diego’s beauty in one place. From beautiful bayfront views to relaxing paths that wind through the resort, this resort has all of the amenities you are looking for when searching for the perfect place to stay.

When we first arrived at the resort we were pleasantly surprised to find a relaxing lounge area right outside the registration desk.

So while I was taking care of securing the room keys and confirming our dinner reservation, my husband was sipping some cool, cucumber water and relaxing on one of these awesomely padded wicker chairs. He was ::this close:: to asking where he could buy some for our patio!

We walked around a bit after getting our room keys and checked out the pool area. We weren’t going to be doing any swimming that night but planned on coming by in the morning with our kids.

We were also able to check out the Olive Bar and the hotel’s restaurant, Acqua, as well as scout out other dining options.

Once we opened our hotel room door we knew we were going to enjoy our evening. The view alone was breathtaking! And the cool breeze that enveloped the room as soon as we opened our sliding glass doors to the balcony were heavenly.

We loved the size of the room. It could easily accommodate a roll away bed or crib if we were traveling with more family.

I have a thing for hotel toiletries. Although as of late I’ve been quite picky about what hotel’s toiletries I use. The Hilton San Diego did not disappoint. As soon as I opened up the lotion and smoothed it on my arms I knew I’d love the other products offered!

The size of the bathroom was perfect! More than enough room for 2 people to move around comfortably to get ready for a night out.

And I found out later that night that the water pressure in the shower was perfect. I was able to take a hot shower with great pressure after we returned from our dinner out. I also didn’t feel claustrophobic either, which can happen at some hotels. 

Once we were dressed up and ready to go out we headed to the resort’s restaurant, Acqua, for a special Anniversary meal.

Stay tuned for my post on our dinner experience on Date Night 411 coming soon!

After we wrapped up dinner we heading back to our hotel room to meet our daughter. Along the way we enjoyed the sunset and the gorgeous waterfront surrounding us.

A few moments after our daughter arrived, the fireworks show at Sea World San Diego started. We were amazed at how bright and clear the fireworks were from our balcony and enjoyed the whole show without interruption. We might have to book a room next year just for the 4th of July celebration!

After a very restful sleep on our large king bed we woke up and put on our bathing suits to take advantage of the quiet, sunny morning.

We arrived at the pool and were greeted by a family of ducks coming out of the water. My daughter immediately wanted to get in the pool and be just like the baby ducks. We splashed and played in the gradual entry side of the pool before heading over to the kiddie pool.

My daughter happily ran to the balls and pool noodles that filled the kiddie pool. What kid wouldn’t want to play in such a fun area? I absolutely loved the surrounding views of the pool. We were able to see the beach, the bay, and the boardwalk easily from the pool while laying out and drying off. And the sound of the waterfall in the background made everything perfectly serene.

We worked up quite an appetite swimming so as soon as we were (mostly) dried off we headed to the restaurant again for breakfast.

The Hilton San Diego also has a great cafe, Aroma, that’s perfect for the coffee and pastry on the go while you head out to check the San Diego sites around you. I highly recommend trying one of their delicious lattes. Perfect for that morning pick-me-up!

All in all we had a wonderful stay at the San Diego Hilton Resort and Spa. The laid back, relaxed atmosphere added to our celebration and the fabulous kid-friendly service made us want to come back with the whole family soon!

Next time we’ll definitely be planning a whole weekend away so that we can truly enjoy all of the resort’s amenities.

Interested in booking a few nights away?

And don’t forget to like the San Diego Hilton on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to get the latest in deals, discounts, and events!

Have you stayed at a Hilton? What was your experience like?

Disclaimer: I received a discounted rate on our room and complimentary dinner for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.
 

Filed Under: San Diego, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , ,

Quick Toddler Lunches: 5 Easy Solutions

July 8, 2012 by
5 Easy Solutions for Quick Toddler Lunches

One meal that I find the hardest to make for my children is lunch. I don’t know what it is but every time I go to fix lunch my mind draws a blank. So I’ve come up with 5 easy solutions for quick toddler lunches. That means that in less than 10-15 minutes your kids will have a healthy, delicious meal to eat for their mid-day meal.

Frozen Foods and Pasta

Grab a bag of whole grain pasta out of the cupboard. Or let the kids decide what pasta they want. Then go into the freezer and grab a few nitrate free hot dogs and some frozen (or fresh) veggies. Now you’re ready to make lunch in under 10 minutes!

  1. Boil water
  2. Add Pasta and set timer (cook for however long the bag says)
  3. 1/2 way through, add frozen hot dog. 
  4. When 2-3 minutes remain, add a handful of frozen veggies
  5. Drain, cut up hot dog, and serve!  – cutting up is optional for children over 3*

Usually takes less than 10 minutes and the kids love it!

Change it up! Don’t want to use hot dogs? Toss the noodles and veggies in some olive oil or butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Toss some pepperonis or deli meat in for a change in flavor or cube up some cheese.

Mmmm!

*If cutting up the hot dog, remember to cut up length wise first, then width wise to reduce the chance of choking.

Roll Ups and Fresh Fruit

Another lunch idea that takes less than 10 minutes. Simply pull out some lunch meats and cheeses and put them on a plate along with a few veggies. When your kids are deciding what to put in their roll ups, wash and cut up some fruit to go on the side!

Once they’ve decided it’s time to start building! Here’s what you do:

  1. Place a slice of meat down
  2. Add some mayo or mustard (or other spread)
  3. Add cheese on top
  4. Sprinkle with veggies (easier to slice up or shred)
  5. Roll up and eat!

Serve with some fruit on the side and enjoy.

Quesadillas 10 Ways

Quesadillas are super easy. The most work spent on them is the time prepping what goes into them. And that can be done in as little as 5 minutes. You just have to know what you want in them! Here are a few suggestions for what to put in your quesadilla:

Now it’s time to make your quesadilla!

  1. Heat up pan and butter one side of tortilla. 
  2. Put tortilla in heated pan, butter side down
  3. Sprinkle with cheese and other ingredients
  4. Fold over into a half moon and cook until golden brown
  5. Flip, cook other side, and serve!

I love serving my quesadillas with some left over rice and some ripe avocado and salsa. The kids love theirs with apple slices and tortilla chips.

Pizza Perfection

What kid doesn’t love pizza? In our home pizza comes in all shapes and sizes. Don’t have pizza dough? That’s ok! Grab one of the following to get started:

1. Base
Tortilla
Whole Wheat Pita
English Muffin

Then move on to the sauces. I love just grabbing whatever jarred pasta sauce we have in the pantry:

2. Sauce
Pesto
Marinara
Meat sauce
Alfredo sauce

And for the fun part!

3. Toppings! Toppings can range anywhere from veggies to meats to cheeses. And variety is key. When you give your kids a few options you’ll be surprised to find what they choose for their pizzas.

Simply go in this order: Base, Sauce, Toppings when creating your pizza pie masterpieces.

Then just use the oven (or a toaster oven) and cook at 400 degrees for a few minutes or until cheese is bubbly and slightly golden brown! Looking for a great pizza dough recipe? Check out this one here.

Salad Bar

Just because your two year old hates lettuce, don’t rule out the power of an awesome salad bar! And as always, get the kids involved. Ask your kids to pick 5 fun toppings to add to their salad. I suggest having fruit, veggies, nuts, and some sort of crunch for them to choose from.

Then give them a few lettuce options. Spinach is a favorite in our house with romaine coming in close second. But they also love the crunch of cabbage and the pretty shapes and colors in micro greens.

Here are a few great ideas for Salad Bar fixings:

Once the kids have chosen their 5 topping choices I give them dressing choices as well. From oil and vinegar to ranch dressing and everything in between, giving them 2-3 options makes our salad bar a success.

What’s your favorite lunch time fast fix?

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

4th of July Italian Pasta Salad {Side Dishes}

July 3, 2012 by

When we celebrate the 4th of July we do it with the 3 F’s:

Food, Family, and Fireworks!

And the food part is usually left up to me. Burgers are the main go to but the side dishes are the ones we try to change up and make better each year.

This year I’ll be bringing some delicious pasta salad that includes a few of my favorite flavors: pepperonis and mozzarella!

Not only is this dish easy to make, you can prepare everything the night before and let it sit in the fridge to marinate and just grab it right before you leave for the party.

And while it doesn’t have any blue in the mix, the red and white is covered! Paired with a juicy burger and delicious green salad and you have the perfect July 4th celebratory meal.

Italian Pasta Salad
Filed Under: Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

5 Easy Ways to Get Kids Cleaning

July 3, 2012 by
Kids-Cleaning

I’ve always looked forward to the day that I could put my kids to work. I remember my mom doing it and at times felt as if I were a slave. Laundry, dishes, bathrooms, and more. I hope I pulled my fair share of the weight in the chores department but there was always something to do!

So now that my son is nearing an age where he is more than capable of helping out I’ve started to find that making a game out of cleaning is the best way to go about getting him involved! Here’s what we’ve been doing:

1. Stuffed Animal Hoops –

This is basically a game of basketball but you use shopping carts and strollers instead of hoops. You try and throw as many toys into the shopping cart as possible and than race them down to the playroom to dump out.

2. Food Hockey –

My kids are messy eaters. Crumbs fly everywhere! And when our dog isn’t inside to clean up what’s left on the floor, my kids are expected to sweep up the rest. But we make a fun game out of it!

One kid holds the dust pan while the other sweeps the crumbs in the direction of the pan and tries to make as many crumbs go in as possible. Usually I have to start out by making a small pile

3. Messy Suds –

Bathrooms aren’t the most fun room to clean (what room is??). So we make a fun game for the kids and let them sit in the tub with some soapy water and wash everything around them with washcloths. Not only is the tub clean, the kids come out sparkly as well!

Afterwards I simply spray a bit of water/vinegar/tea tree oil solution on top of the clean walls and tub and wipe once more. But all of the heavy scrubbing is left to the kids.

4. Floor Skating –

When we mop we have fun! While I go around mopping the floor with either our steam mop or our regular mop, I have the kids behind me with towels under their feet to skate across the floor. And while we do get a bit wet and slip a LOT we have a great amount of fun while cleaning.

5. Color coordinating –

When sorting clothes to take to the washer and dryer, my kids help by picking out the colors, whites, and reds.  Sometimes when I’m feeling especially evil I will have them sort the colors even more.

Then they help out by bringing the clothes out to the garage and putting them in the correct bin to be washed. They also love transferring clothes from the washer to the dryer and my daughter gets a kick out of slamming the dryer door shut when it’s ready to be started.

What do you do to get your kids involved?

Filed Under: Life, Parenting, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,


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