Uncategorized – Page 14

Fall Festivities + Firsts in October

October 31, 2015 by Danielle

October in one word was exhausting. But a good kind of exhausting. Not only was it filled with the fun planning and executing of the Fall Festival but it was also filled with our traditions as well. My favorite? Bates Nut Farm. And the only reason why I love it? The photos.

I know if I go 1/2 an hour earlier than they open, we can get our photos taken, pumpkins picked out, and we can check out as soon as they open. Then we let the kids have fun on 1-2 rides (hay ride, corn maze, or the inflatables), grab some treats from the store, and head back home. This time we let the kids check out the animals too.

I have to admit that I almost didn’t want to go this year. But my husband said we had to. Because it’s Norah’s first Halloween and she needed her pumpkin pictures. Yeah, I was definitely glad he made a point to schedule it into our busy October weekends as I edited the photos. I already want enlargements of a few, including the one of all three of them in the field. What do you think?

What I love most about our trips to the pumpkin patch is the sheer excitement our kids exude as they run from one end of the patch to the other. They love exploring the grounds, finding all of the smashed big pumpkins, and seeing the guts everywhere. Then Ethan rushes to find his perfect pumpkin while Molly takes her time picking the perfect one. And Norah. Norah just loved being able to get on the ground and climb on and around them, patting them as she went. She loved the hollow thud they gave as she pounded on them and stood up on them.

Every year Ethan asks us if we can get a huge pumpkin. And we’ve been able to appease him with a few smaller ones instead. But I’m thinking one year we may need to give in and get a huge pumpkin for him. Just one year, right? As long as he guts and carves it. This year he opened up, gutted, and carved his own pumpkin from start to finish so I think he may be ready next year. We’ll see!

I’m sure I’d get a lot of use out of it. The chickens sure do love the guts and seeds we pulled out of the two we carved. Now we went home with plans to carve three. For each kid. But because it was so late when we ended up carving, we only got through two before we were done. We had plans to carve Norah’s on Halloween but it just didn’t happen. She’s none the wiser and I’m sure had more fun trying to “help” her siblings by pulling the guts down every time she could get her hands on them.

Costumes this year were easy. I found a Batman shirt at Target after we went to Bates and was able to order a mask right there in the store off Amazon. I also figured out the easy way to add things to the kids Christmas lists while we were in the toy aisles. Talk about convinient!

When I first asked Ethan what he wanted to be he told me a Minecraft spider. So I saved two square boxes with plans to paint and glue up a storm until I had a Minecraft spider costume. And Molly decided she wanted to be a fairy and use what she had in her dress up box already. Then both changed their minds. During the same Target run, I picked up a creeper sweatshirt for Ethan and some green pants (he always needs pants) and a Minecraft shirt as a back up costume because, well, I know him. And I’m glad I did because after I put some hours into crafting his costume he ultimately decided it was too hot and wanted to wear his sweatshirt and pants.

Molly went through three different costume changes the Friday before Halloween getting ready for her school party. She wanted to be a fairy, then she wanted to be a butterfly (I already had the costume) then she wanted to be a ballerina (again). Then 5 minutes before we needed to leave for school she decided she wanted to be Sheriff Callie. Um… I’m good but I’m not that good! She ended up wearing the fairy wings she already had with a dress we grabbed at… you guess it, Target. Later that day she weaseled a full fairy outfit out of her Aunt Louise. I’m assuming they got the pieces from Dollar Tree and she couldn’t be happier with them come Halloween night.

“Say Cheese”

Someone wasn’t interested in photos. She wanted to go trick or treating already!

We walked down the street by our house and hit about 6 houses before both kids wanted to turn back and go home. But Aunt Helen wanted to check out the decorated house she saw while driving over to our house so we went to one more. Molly was NOT pleased with the decor. I think Ethan liked it.

I was able to get them to go to 1-2 more homes on the other side of the street as we headed home but once we reached our house, Ethan was done. Molly helped pass out treats to the kids coming up to out house and then decided she wanted to go out one more time. Sans wings. So my husband grabbed the wagon, I grabbed Norah, and we left Grandma Ann to pass out candy again while Ethan was inside playing Minecraft.

We got another street covered and came back home. Passed out candy some more. Molly ate more candy. Then she decided to go out one last time with me. I left Norah and the wagon with Daddy and we headed out in another direction. This time it was a bit later and there weren’t as many people around so she scored big at just about every house we went to.

The next morning Ethan had no candy left and Molly had plenty. I’m sure he’ll be able to convince her to share more with him come tomorrow. Oh, and just to prove I did make him his Minecraft spider, here’s a photo of him after school on Friday with everything assembled.

I’m sure November will be just as crazy but for now I’m enjoying a little peace and quiet. Happy Halloween!

How was your October?

Filed Under: Halloween, Holidays, Uncategorized Tagged With: baby #3, First Halloween, first holiday, Firsts, halloween

Easy Dinner Slow Cooker Freezer Meals

October 28, 2015 by Danielle

Since having my third child, dinner is usually the farthest thing from my mind at the end of the day. Between working from home, dropping off and picking up the older kids, and entertaining my baby throughout the day, It’s just not as important as my kids or my work (unless making dinner is work!).

Over the past few months I’ve become a little pro-active in making sure that I don’t have to worry about anything once dinner time arrives by doing a lot of meal prep on the weekends! I’ve been stocking up on various oven and crock pot sauces to help me out and make dinnertime a breeze. All I have to do is remember to grab the right protein, veggie and sauce and I’m on my way to making a delicious meal for the family.

Our current favorite? Cheesy chicken and broccoli. So easy to make in a snap! Almost as easy as our favorite slow cooker freezer meals.

There are quite a few sauces that you can easily incorporate into your freezer meal plan. With these pantry staples you really can make dinner a quick and painless part of the day. And don’t get me started on the delicious oven sauces like the cheesy broccoli chicken featured above.

Today I’m sharing one of my favorites: Tavern Style Pot Roast! Not only is this slowcooker sauce amazingly delicious, it’s something I can keep in my pantry until I need it.

How To Prep Slow Cooker Freezer Meals

To create this simple slow cooker freezer meal all you have to do is gather up a few ingredients. I included a beef roast, chopped carrots, chopped potatoes, and one onion, cut into large chunks.

Then I simply labeled a gallon size freezer bag with the name of the meal and the date I’ve prepared it to freeze. That way I know exactly what meal to grab when I’m looking to start dinner. Once everything is ready to go I add all of the ingredients to the bag and pop it in the freezer for later. For other dishes that are just as simple I do a similar meal prep. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Hawaiian Pork – Add pork roast, green beans (fresh or frozen), and pineapple chunks to the bag. Stock up on frozen rice and serve pork and green beans over rice.

Beef Stew – Add beef, diced potatoes, carrots and, onions (fresh or frozen) to the bag. Serve with a nice salad.

Shredded Beef Tacos – Add beef roast, onions, peppers, kidney and/or black beans and corn to the bag. Use with taco shells or as a filling for burritos or enchiladas.

What’s your favorite freezer meal to prepare?

Filed Under: Dinner, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: campbell's slow cooker sauce, campbell’s oven sauce, easy dinner, Easy Meal Ideas, easy recipes, Frozen Meals, Slow Cooker

Building Your Child’s Holiday Wishlist With Ease: A Tutorial On Using The Amazon App In Store

October 27, 2015 by Danielle

When I was little I would get excited around this time of year. Because this time of year was when we would start to receive the big catalogues in the mail from various stores and toy companies. My dad would save them up and hand over the big books and the catalogues that came in the mail during the week so that we could go through and circle what we wanted for the holidays and upcoming birthdays.

It was an easy way for him to figure out exactly what we were asking from Santa as well as get some tips on what he should surprise us with as well. He was always good at figuring out exactly what we wanted under the tree each year. That may or may not be a result of him waiting till the night before Christmas to do all of his holiday shopping with those catalogues. So he was limited in what to get us and had to go off of our scribbled down lists and circled items.

Nowadays with my own kids we build a wishlist throughout the year. Constantly changing and removing things. Not just for gifts, but as ways to remind ourselves of what we want to do or get as rewards for other things too. My kids love to save their pennies and cash in to purchase the latest toy they have their eye on. And now making those lists has gotten even easier.

When I was at Target yesterday perusing the Halloween aisles, my son asked to head up to the toy aisle to take a look. I obliged and the whole family headed over. As I was walking over I realized that I needed a batman mask for my costume (I had just put a batman shirt complete with cape in our basket). Since Target didn’t seem to have any, I hopped onto Amazon and quickly purchased one using my Prime account. Shortly after my son was running up to me asking me to put a Minecraft lego on his list.

Since I already had the Amazon app out, I figured I’d take a look and see if I could just search and add his item quickly while we were in-store. And that’s when I saw it… the option to scan a barcode right from the app to find an item. That way I could not only scan the items the kids wanted to add to their list in-store, I could also note which items were cheaper to purchase on Amazon or in the store! Talk about a win-win. And it’s so simple!

Here’s how:

Using The Amazon App In Store

Building Your Child’s Holiday Wishlist With Ease

As you peruse every single toy aisle with your kids as you do every time you visit the department store – wait, is that just my husband? – let your kids start to choose what they’d like to ask for on their holiday wish lists. As they choose items, grab the item, and using the barcode in the Amazon app, scan the item.

Once the correct item is found via the barcode, simply click on the item title and then scroll down to Add to Wish List. Click on the Add to Wish List button.

A list of your current wish lists will appear and then you can select which child’s wishlist you want to add the item to.

As soon as I selected Molly’s Wish List, the baby doll she chose was added. Easy peasy and onto the next item! I don’t know what I’ll do if she asks for a pony but at least I’m covered for most in-store items.

How do you make wish lists easier during the holidays?

Filed Under: Parenting, Uncategorized Tagged With: Amazon, Amazon App, app, holiday tips, shopping app, wishlists

Thanksgiving Turkey Hand Craft

October 25, 2015 by Danielle

I absolutely love the simple crafts that I can do with the kids to prepare them for the holidays, like this turkey hand craft.

This past week we’ve been working on what we’re thankful for. We’re so thankful for how much we’ve all grown over the past year. My son is thankful that he’s taller and can ride more rides at Disneyland and my daughter must be thankful for the fact that she’s found her voice because she does not want to stop talking!

And I’m thankful for the milestones and memories we’ve made over this past year. In an effort to spruce up our mantel for this month of thanks giving, I’ve returned the turkey hand craft we made last year to remind me of how much my kids have grown this past year.

Here’s how you make it: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Crafts/DIY, Uncategorized Tagged With: children's crafts, Crafts for Kids, Fall Crafts, Thanksgiving, thanksgiving crafts, Uncategorized

Fueling Up To Play: Microwavable Egg Scramble

October 22, 2015 by Danielle

We’re keeping our kids active and continuing to learn how we can Fuel Up To Play with help from our sponsor, California Milk Advisory Board. With this easy microwavable egg scramble we can start our day right with some calcium and protein so that we have the energy to play and learn.

Whether it’s a week day or the weekend, my kids cannot wait to get out of the house and play. In an effort to keep them fueled through the morning, I’ve tried to come up with a few easy breakfasts I can make ahead. But when I run out, I always opt for an easy microwavable egg scramble. Not only is it filled with protein to keep them fueled up, it is a great source of dairy with Real California milk and cheese scrambled inside. Another option to add inside? Some leftover veggies from last night’s dinner!

I’m not the only one trying to keep the kids fueled up for a day of play and learning. With the help of the Fuel Up to Play 60 program, more kids will be encouraged to fuel up and get outside to play. Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by National Dairy Council (NDC) and National Football League, in collaboration with United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). As a result of the program, 38 million students are eating healthier by adding nutritious foods like low-fat and fat-free milk and milk products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains to their meals. How awesome is that?

I love that this program is helping so many kids. As a parent I know that I’m not the only influence in my kids lives. When they see others eating healthy and getting out to exercise and play, they’re more apt to get out and make the right decisions too. My son is very much a homebody but when his friends are out playing soccer or throwing a football, he has no problem heading out to join them.

Since having a third child, our family has come even more active than a year ago. We’ve continued to encourage play as a family for at least 60 seconds a day in addition to the play the kids get at school during the day. Even if that means pulling my son from his game of Minecraft to jump on the trampoline with us or go on a family walk after dinner. Family walks are a great way for us to reconnect at the end of the day after we enjoy a meal together. And it gets the wiggles out before we start our bedtime routine.

We are also starting to cook together as well so that we can not only lead by example but teach by example as well. By showing our children how to prepare delicious, healthy meals for themselves, we can instill great life skills they can use as they grow. My daughter helped make the egg scramble recipe (shared below) with me this morning and last night my son helped clean and cut the cauliflower for our dinner. I love that they’re so interested in helping prepare our meals and learn more about becoming more self sufficient.

Microwavable Egg Scramble

2 eggs
1/8 cup Real California milk
1/4 cup Real California cheese, split
1 pre-cooked sausage patty OR 2 pre-cooked sausage links, crumbled
salt and pepper

Grab an 8oz ramekin and spray with nonstick cooking spray or coat in butter. Add eggs, milk and salt and pepper to greased ramekin. Whisk with fork until combined. Crumble sausage patty or sausage links into egg mixture and sprinkle with 1/2 the cheese. Using the fork, combine sausage and cheese in egg mixture. Top with other 1/2 of cheese.

Microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave for an additional 45 seconds to 1 minute or until egg is cooked. Carefully remove ramekin from microwave – it will be hot – and turn upside down onto a plate. Serve hot with a side of fruit, some toast, and a large glass of Real California milk.

What’s awesome about this program, in addition to educating kids and encouraging healthy living, you can encourage your school to apply for this program! Qualifying California schools participating in Fuel Up to Play 60 are eligible for up to $4,000 during the school year and funding eligibility for the 2015-2016 school year is held through a competitive program designed to support schools that implement plays from the 2015-2016 edition of the Fuel Up to Play 60 Playbook.

For schools that would like to apply to receive funding, Fall 2015 Fuel Up To Play 60 grant applications are open to California K-12 schools interested in supporting health and wellness initiatives through November 4, 2015. For more information on Fuel Up to Play 60 and to sign up an eligible school, visit here: http://bit.ly/1Mij4OW

How do you encourage healthy eating and play in your home?

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of California Milk Advisory Board.

Filed Under: Breakfast, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: Breakfast, breakfast ideas, breakfast recipe, easy recipes, egg, egg dishes, Eggs, Fuel Up and Play 60

Finding Time For Lunch: Useful Tips for Keurig Users

October 20, 2015 by Danielle

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Campbell Soup Company for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Whether I am working outside the home in an office or inside the home as I am now, one time of day that I almost always forget about is lunchtime. Because of work that has to get done, another customer reaching out for help, or a child sleeping on me, lunchtime hasn’t been a priority for me even though it should be. Luckily with the new Campbell’s® Fresh-Brewed Soup® Broth and Noodle Mix, I can brew up a delicious snack within a minute or so and eat on the go or at my laptop. And with the small noodles and diced veggies, I can also feed my daughter at the same time. Win-win!

Campbell’s new products are almost effortless to use. Simply pour the package of noodle and vegetable mix into a mug, add in a seasoned chicken broth mix k-cup to the Keurig, and brew! Let the soup sit for 1-2 minutes until the noodles are soft and enjoy a nice hot cup of soup. and just in case you were worried, the soup does NOT taste like coffee and their coffee will NOT taste like soup.

Looking to turn this snack into a little more at lunchtime? Consider doctoring up your Noodle and Vegetable soup with a few additions.

Turning Your Campbell’s® Fresh-Brewed Soup® Broth and Noodle Mix Into A Meal

Shred some roast chicken (or other protein) and stir in
Add in some fresh spinach
Add hot sauce or sriracha
Top with sliced green onions
Enjoy!

There are many different combos to add to your @campbells soup to create the perfect lunchtime solution for your busy life.

I love the convinience of having A delicious line of soups made at the touch of a button with your Keurig® brewer. Perfect to enjoy anytime as a satisfying snack! Not only does it save me time, but it’s also easy to prepare even if I only have one hand free.

Need more lunchtime inspiration? Check out these delicious Campbell’s recipes.

What are your quick fix meals for lunchtime?

Filed Under: In the Kitchen, Lunch, Uncategorized

13 Thanksgiving Crafts and Decoration Ideas

October 19, 2015 by Danielle

Yes, I know Halloween is right around the corner and I haven’t even finished my son’s Minecraft Spider costume, but my mind is skipping over to Thanksgiving already and I’m planning out our Thanksgiving meal. In addition to planning out the meal, I also want to include a few handmade crafts and decor ideas to the table and home to create a festive time for everyone! I’m already eyeing those rice krispy treat corns and our pinecone turkeys for the kiddy table dessert.

A few years ago we also had great response to our turkey napkin rings as well. They aren’t just for the kiddy table either! The adults enjoyed them as well.

We’re also going to help set up a fun Thanksgiving meal for my son’s school so we’ll be using a few of these crafts as things the kids can do after their party. Keeping things simple and creative will make them even more excited about what we have in store. Plus their parents will have a cute momento from that year’s holiday.

13 Thanksgiving Crafts and Decoration Ideas

Yellow Inspired Thanksgiving Table from Made with Happy

Disguise a Turkey from Create-Celebrate-Explore

Easy Thanksgiving-Themed Rice Krispies Treats from Chocolate Hair Vanilla Care

Thanksgiving Treat Boxes from Chocolate Hair Vanilla Care

Pine Cone Turkey Craft Place Cards from The Simple Parent

Grateful Turkey Box with Printable Note Cards from About A Mom

DIY Hanging Turkey Hands from JadeLouise Designs

Fun Ways to Eat Healthy For Kids During the Holidays from Simmworks Family

Turkey Craft for Little Kids from Family Food and Travel

Handprint Thankful Trees from Adventures in Wunderland

DIY Thanksgiving Hot Wheels from Desert Chica

Thanksgiving Place Cards – Free Printable from Home Cooking Memories

Thanksgiving Humor: Turkey as it was never meant to be from Still Blonde After All These Years

Do you decorate the home for Thanksgiving?

Filed Under: Crafts/DIY, Holidays, Thanksgiving, Uncategorized Tagged With: decor, holiday decor, Thanksgiving, thanksgiving crafts, Thanksgiving decor

Tips On Securing Volunteers At Your Next Fundraiser

October 18, 2015 by Danielle

Today we’re sharing tips on securing volunteers at your next fundraiser with help from our sponsor, VolunteerSpot. You can read on to find out our success at our most recent Fall Festival fundraiser.

As I’ve mentioned, over the past few months I’ve worked on the committee to plan and run the Fall Festival at my children’s school. Over the span of 6 months we worked hard at finalizing all of the details about the festival, including how to secure volunteers for the various game booths, food booths, and more. From the beginning we knew that our volunteers would make the event a success.

And they did! From the parent volunteers who manned the booths, to the church volunteers helping to sell raffle tickets, to the teacher volunteers who helped sell tickets and everyone else in between. Our event was a success because of those supporting and helping run it. Along the way we learned a lot about what we did right, what we did wrong, and how to make next year amazing.

Tips On Securing Volunteers At Your Next Fundraiser

1. Make It Easy –

It all starts with signing up volunteers. And that needs to be easy. Early on into our planning our Volunteer Coordinator set up a VolunteerSpot account and was able to set up shifts for all volunteers for each day of our festival. We were able to share the link via email, posters, social media and our website to allow volunteers to choose a shift and sign up. It also allowed us to keep track of each volunteer and send them reminders before the event. Plus? It’s easily accessible on mobile and desktop!

2. Have A Point Of Contact –

At the event we printed off our volunteer list from VolunteerSpot and as volunteers came to the event they checked in with our Volunteer Coordinator 10 minutes prior to their shift start. By having the Volunteer Coordinator share her contact information (email) with the volunteers, she was able to field questions, pass along information, and create a smooth and easy experience for all. She was also a friendly face to check in with at the event. For those who were new to volunteering at the event, they didn’t have to search for yet another person they might not know when they arrived.

3. Give Clear Instructions –

Communication really is key so we would also give the volunteers a run down on how each booth was running and if we ran into anything in the previous shift. Along with checking in, each volunteer was given written instructions on what was expected and how the area they were in was being run. We not only had clear signage at each booth sharing how to play each game but also instructions for the volunteers on how to take care of game tickets coming in as well as what prize tickets to give out.

4. Provide Childcare –

One bit of feedback we had received in years past was that our parents could not volunteer their time because they lacked the proper childcare for their shift. So this year we reached out to the preschool staff to ask if they were willing to provide childcare at the event. Not only would we be able to help our parent volunteers, but we were also able to market our preschool to potential families looking to send their little ones to our school.

5. Thank Your Volunteers –

After any fundraiser, there’s nothing more powerful than a heartfelt, handwritten note. Now while it may sound like a lot of work, thanking your volunteers personally will let them know just how important they are to your cause and how much you appreciate them.

Have you had success when recruiting volunteers? What are your tips?

Filed Under: Parenting, Uncategorized Tagged With: education, funding, fundraising, School, school funding, sponsorships, volunteering

Ways To Find Me-Time As A Busy Mom

October 15, 2015 by Danielle

Life is busy. But that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a little me-time. These ways to find me-time as a busy mom are sponsored by Texture. Use Texture to enjoy your me-time when you find it and catch up on all of your favorite magazines.

I don’t know about you but my life is busy. This week marks the end of a very long few months for me as I help my son’s school plan their Fall Festival.And it’s about to get even busier as we head into the holidays. Not only are the holidays busy because of friends, family, and events, but it’s also my busiest time of the year as a digital influencer.

For me, I know what my limits are and how much I can handle. But without a little me-time, I woiuldn’t be able to handle much. As a mom of three, all in different stages, I’ve come to realize that I need to take advantage of any me-time I can get. Even when that means asking someone for help watching the kids while I take care of myself. If I don’t take care of myself, how will I take care of the kids, right?

Finding breaks when I can may get a little tricky, but by taking advantage of even the little bouts of quiet I have in my life, I’ve been able to reduce my stress and relax a bit. And I just found an app to make breaks a lot more enjoyable. Now with Texture, I have all of my favorite magazines right at my fingertips. So when a break presents itself, I take full advantage! Including those few minutes I have in the bathroom alone to myself with the door closed (and locked). I may or may not go in there just to get a break sometimes. Hey! It works…

Ways To Find Me-Time As A Busy Mom

1. Find Time For A Hobby You Love

I have many hobbies that I love. Sewing, crocheting, DIY projects, cooking, etc. But one thing I don’t have much of is time. So I incorporate my hobbies into my lifestyle. As part of the planning committee for our Fall Festival, I took over a few crafty things on the list so I could get my creative juices flowing and create things.

Whether it was building an easel sign, creating a cardboard cut out for the photo booth, or painting a banner, by volunteering and committing to a group of people, I “made” myself find time for my favorite hobbies. By either scheduling time for your hobby, or volunteering your skills for a local school, church, or organization, it’s easier to make the time available for yourself.

Need ideas? You’ll find plenty when you subscribe to Texture through the Next Door app. Not only do you get all of your favorite magazines right at your fingertips, there’s also ones in there that may inspire a new hobby!

2. Challenge Yourself

Similar to finding a hobby, consider creating a challenge for yourself. When I first got married I knew nothing about cooking and baking. I mean I could scramble an egg and make some toast but I was nowhere near comfortable in the kitchen. So I brought it upon myself to learn how to cook. I would take recipes from my favorite magazines like Cooking Light or Bon Appétit and choose 3 new recipes a week to try out. I’d make a list of groceries I needed to buy and slowly began not only learning how to cook, but also stocking my shelves, spice rack, and fridge with the staples our house needed for meal time.

Recently I also started to challenge myself to eat clean. Not only for me but my kids as well. By trying to prepare whole foods and reduce the amount of pre-packaged items I bring in the house, I’m starting to change my kids way of thinking. This is a HUGE challenge for me. With the help of Clean Eating magazine, I’ve been able to get a few tips on incorporating this new lifestyle easily. Now this may not sound like me-time to you, but if I can get 10 minutes to read a magazine I’m interested in, and get tips on recipes to try or snacks to eat, it eases my mind and reduces the stress that may surround change.

3. Take Advantage Of Naptime

It’s hard for me right now because my 8 month old usually naps on me, but I take full advantage of naptime when it comes. As I type she’s happily nodded off in dream land and I can watch her eyes flutter and hear her little sounds. Naptime equals me-time. And each time one my kids stopped taking naps, I shed a little tear. During naptime I not only work, but I also take advantage of the down-time and grab my Surface Pro 3 to catch up on the fun magazines I have in my library on Texture. I have an article on Wired open up right now that I’m dying to finish about Marvel.

The one thing I don’t do during naptime unless absolutely necessary? Clean. It’s just not worth my me-time. It’s all about balance, right? And cleaning can happen either when the kids are playing outside or another time I find during the day. My sanity is a little more important than a clean house so I choose taking a moment to relax a bit or work.

4. Hire A Sitter

I’m pretty lucky. I have family around that I can call and ask to help watch my kids if I just need to get out of the house. Whether it’s getting a pedicure or massage, taking a walk to the park, or sitting outside catching up on the latest issue of National Geographic, having that time available and knowing that my kids are somewhere safe in loving arms is important.

I’ve even done a little exchange with friends where I’ll go to their house or they’ll come to mine. My girlfriend would bring all of her mail over and sort it as I watched the little ones playing in the playroom. Or I’d get an article written while she played with them outside. There are a lot of ways that one can find a few minutes to decompress before jumping back into life.

How do you find me-time?

Running October 1-29, anyone who uses the Texture app will be entered to win their choice of either a GoPro HERO4 Session, a Tory Burch Quilted Clutch, or an Xbox One. Every other day, we’ll be randomly selecting a Texture user to win.

To enter, users just need to visit http://bit.ly/1RiAnnj, start a free 30-day trial, and use the app.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Texture.

Filed Under: Parenting, Uncategorized Tagged With: magazines, me-time, Next Door, Texture

Fall Favorites: Pot Pie + Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

October 14, 2015 by Danielle

This shop featuring our fall favorites including Pot Pies and this delicious brussel sprouts with bacon recipe has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PotPiePlease #CollectiveBias

I have a confession to make. I never had brussel sprouts until two years ago when I had them at a restaurant event. One of their specialty sides was their fried brussel sprouts with pancetta. And oh my word were they good! That’s when I started making brussel sprouts at home. And I’ve finally perfected the recipe. I don’t know why but eating them just feels comforting. Savory, tasty, good.

The best part? They pair perfectly with all of our favorite fall meals. Including our favorite pot pies from Marie Callendar’s. They go with just about every variety too. So when my husband wants to enjoy a delicious turkey pot pie but I want chicken, we can still enjoy the same side dish with our meal. I always keep a bag of brussel sprouts in the fridge and pot pies in the freezer for that last minute comfort food meal.

The best part about keeping a well stocked freezer – with plenty of Marie Callendar’s pot pies – around this time of year are the guests we have stopped by unexpectedly around the holidays. I already know that both my mom and my brother are making their way out here in a two months so instead of planning then when everything will be crazy, I plan now and grab a few extra when we’re at Walmart.

You can find Marie Callendar’s pot pies in the Dinner aisle of the freezer section. They’re super easy to spot next to the other Marie Callendar’s meals in the freezer.

Oh, and a little bonus tip: you can use pre-cooked bacon in this recipe OR regular bacon. Whatever floats your boat. Also? Pancetta is a welcomed substitution as well. Yum! This meal takes a total of 20 minutes to take and that’s more than welcomed around the holidays so we can spend more time with our family instead of in the kitchen.

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

1/2 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
4-6 pieces bacon, diced
1 pound brussel sprouts, sliced
drizzle of olive oil

Grab a large skillet and heat on medium high. Add butter and cook until it is browned and smells nutty.

Add onions and garlic. Cook until translucent. Add bacon. Reduce heat to medium and toss in brussel sprouts. Drizzle with olive oil. Let saute for about 15 minutes or until brussel sprouts become golden brown.

Serve and enjoy!

What’s your go-to comfort meal to have on hand in case guests come over during the holidays?

Filed Under: Appetizers & Sides, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: bacon, brussel sprouts, easy recipes, Keto Friendly, LCHF, Low Carb, Recipe, Recipes

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