Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie

When your doctor suggests losing some weight and lowering your cholesterol, you take it to heart. I'm already down about 7 pounds and my journey continues. This is a recipe that is so simple and quick to make, whether you're in a hurry in the morning or need an easy afternoon snack.  

One of the things I've been trying to do the past few months is make better choices when it comes to my diet. I've been incorporating a lot more fiber and protein, and a lot less dairy and processed foods. This has become one of my go-to smoothies that I make several days a week. It includes the protein with the peanut butter and the oats are an added bonus to help your heart.

Would love to know if you make this recipe and what you might add to mix it up even more! Maybe a splash of vanilla or a TBSP of honey, yum!

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What's In My Cart | Easter Attire Edition

It's Thursday, so again I have another round-up of What's in My Cart. This week is all about Easter attire and finding the perfect outfits for kids for that special day. I put together a couple different ideas from different stores and different price points. Let me know what you like & happy shopping!

This outfit collection is all from Wal-Mart, and spoiler, I've already bought the girls these matching dresses. I went pretty simple with this grouping because I  wanted everything to be reusable for other events or occasions. And yes, I'm now shopping in the men's section for my oldest.

Toddler Polo | Toddler Khakis | Boy Shoes | Dress | Cardigan | Sandals | Polo | Khakis | Shoes


I absolutely love this combo from Old Navy . It can definitely be a little more, or less, matchy-matchy, depending on how you like to style. And the best part is they offer the same dress and shirts in adult sizes, so if you love a good family outfit, you're set. 

Dress | Cardigan | Sandals | Boy Shirt | Navy Pants | Boy Shoe | Toddler Shirt | Toddler Joggers | Toddler Shoe 

Umm, but okay, this bunny dress is so precious. I'm slightly obsessed with it. Love the pink mixed in with this combo; makes it feel just like spring.  Gymboree is killing it with their Easter attire this year so get it while you still can. 

Suit Set | Shorts Set | Button Down Set | Boys Shoes | Bunny Dress | Sandals

Let me know if you shop any of these outfits. I'd love to know which is your favorite!


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Weekend with my Girl

If you live in or around Boston and you have not had the chance to visit the Citizens Bank Opera House in Boston, you have to put it on your list. It's literally one of the prettiest buildings I've ever set foot into. And luckily, between ballet and broadway, they have shows running year round. 

This weekend I finally got to use one of my Christmas gifts and see Hamilton with my oldest daughter! It was not my first time seeing Hamilton, but it is by far one of my favorite broadway shows, and I could not wait for Stella to see it.  

Hamilton did not disappoint and was just as good the second time around - still bringing tears to my eyes. And Stella enjoyed the atmosphere, music, and her snack. Even having been there before, we still couldn't get over all the beauty.

We had the chance to see Wicked over the summer and I think she's officially been bitten by the theater bug. We're already planning for shows next season, and Frozen is definitely on our list! 

I would love to know if you've had the chance to visit the Citizens Bank Opera House and what show has been your favorite. 

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Winter Recipe | White Chicken Chili

We have one more week of winter and, where we live, we're still very much experiencing winter weather. Actually, we're anticipating another snow storm beginning tonight. So my winter recipes are still very much out and on rotation, and this chicken chili recipe is probably my favorite. Not only is it warm & delicious, it's one of the easiest recipes that I  can make by memory.


It doesn't take too many ingredients to prepare the chili and it can be easily adjusted to meet your families needs. One modification I  have recently started to make is adding greek yogurt instead of sour cream; a healthier option without losing or changing the flavor. 

Let me know if you try out the recipe or make any modifications. I always love to try and mix up my tried and true recipes. Leave a comment below!



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What's In My Cart | Easter Basket Edition

Easter is quite literally right around the corner I thought it'd be fun to share some Easter basket ideas. I've compiled a variety of fun Easter basket ideas for your kiddos of all ages. Plus, they're all from Wal-Mart so they're easily accessible and a great price. I've added links under the pictures to make it even easier to add straight to your cart. Happy shopping!

This first basket is for the dino-lover in your life. Whether boy or girl, these items will definitely be a big hit. Our Claire loves dinosaurs and is always wanting anything & everything dino related.

Dinosaur Coloring Book | Play-Doh | Pajamas | Dinosaur Toy | Water Bottle | Bubbles

This basket will fit the needs for any tween girl in your life. From hair accessories to a doodle pad and adorable pajamas, she'll be so excited.  And can you tell we need a restock of Play-Doh. 

Water Bottle | Hair Accessories | Pajamas | Play-Doh | Notepad | Pens | Sandals

Tween boys I find to be the most difficult to buy for. Totally depends on their interests but this will offer a good variety of gift ideas. What boy doesn't love candy and a video game gift card.

Notepad | Pens | Water Bottle | Book | Candy | Gift Card

Lastly, here are some ideas for the toddler of the house. Of course bubbles are always a big hit no matter the age and I always love the Color Wonder books and markers for little ones - the fun without the worry of coloring on anything.

Bubbles | Color Wonder Set | Fruit Snacks | Water Bottle | Puzzle | Pajamas

Let me know if there are other basket ideas you would like to see put together and I'd be happy to do it! And make sure to check back next Monday for some Easter attire ideas.

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Camping is for Making Memories

A couple weeks ago I wrote about our trip to Acadia and our experience camping with the kids for the first time. We had such a great time that we knew we needed to squeeze in one more camping trip before the weather turned cold. 

After searching a bit we settled on Pawtuckaway State Park in New Hampshire, and it did not disappoint. It's a beautiful park on Pawtuckaway Lake, and there are so many areas to explore. (Spoiler: we have two weekends already booked for this spring.) Because we were a little late booking for the season there weren't a ton of spots/weekends available, but we ended up being really pleased with our campsite and the area it was in. Within a short walk to the beach area, playground, some really neat cove areas, and, of course, bathrooms.

Maybe the best part was that we were there during peak foliage. If you haven't experienced fall in New England, you definitely need to put it on your travel list. I feel like you just can't get enough of the colors - everywhere you turn you're surrounded by beauty.

The colors of the leaves, the weather, the location, it was just an absolute great weekend. Probably our most favorite thing about camping is the lack of routine and just relaxing. The kids relaxing by the fire or in their hammocks, fishing (or trying to), little walks to explore the area, cooking campfire meals together. 

Do you and your family enjoy the camping life? I'd love to hear about your experiences.  

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Guest Contributor | Central Mass Mom

Today I'm excited to be a guest contributor over at Central Mass Moms sharing some of our favorite activities to do in Central Mass during the spring months. Make sure to check it out and see what places you can mark off your list this spring. 

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Ice Castles of New Hampshire

This past weekend we went on a fun winter adventure with friends to the Ice Castles of New Hampshire. Minus the wind chill & freezing temps, it was a really fun experience. 

There were a lot of fun things to do & see, some of which we didn't get to because it was so cold. But the kids did some snow tubing, slid down an ice slide, and crawled through a fun maze of ice tunnels. Which I  found out later, Claire struggled getting through because they were so slippery and she kept falling. 

Seeing it lit up at night was, by far, the coolest thing. All the different areas were lit-up with different colors. Even the ice slide tunnels had lights. There was also a trail of lights to walk through and see different structures and displays all lit up.

The kids had an absolute blast and Hayden would have stayed for hours running around through everything. There was just so much to do and see. Definitely put it on your list of things to-do in New Hampshire, or check out their website for other states and locations. 

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Our Baby is Three

Somehow, some way, our baby is three today.

I have no idea where the time has gone. His entire first year of life is such a blur, (between COVID, PPA (postpartum anxiety), Sean's travel schedule, and planning a cross-country move) I soak in as much of him as I possibly can each day.

As most three-year-olds are, he is quite the sour patch kid right now. Super sweet, loving, and affectionate one minute, and the next, reminding me he's three by yelling and throwing a tantrum because his cereal is in the wrong bowl. 

One thing I know I'm thankful for, is the time I've had with him. If we were in Arkansas he would have already been in preschool multiple days a week for at least a year now. And as exhausting as it is sometimes, I  know how quickly they grow and time passes, and I'm so glad I've had the extra time with him at home with me. 

So happy birthday, baby boy. We love you beyond measure, booty-bear. 

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Snow Much Fun!

One of our favorite parts of living in New England is definitely winter & all the snow. Living in Arkansas for so many years and always hoping for snow days, we now definitely get our fair share of them. 

From tubing & sledding, building snowmen, and throwing snowballs, we love it all! Fortunately our backyard has a pretty great tubing hill so we don't even have to travel to have some fun. 

I'm so thankful our kids get to enjoy this side of winter. Watching them reminds me of growing up on our farm and having some pretty epic snow days. And in Arkansas, when there's a snow day, nobody is going anywhere for days. There's no snowplows or snowblowers to help out, either. 

Of course, as I'm writing this, I'm sitting outside in February soaking up a 60º sunny day while the kids play with their friends across the street. Love the snow days, but probably not as much as I love a warm spring day!


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Labor Day Getaway to Acadia

Since moving to New England we've been trying to explore and see as much as possible when we get the chance. Being in the South for so many years, we're excited to experience each season here in a new way. This past labor day weekend we took a leap and decided to try out a new experience as a family...camping. Camping is something Sean and I have always enjoyed doing together, and each grew up camping with our own families. But camping with our kids really never sounded enticing to us, until recently.

Since we had a little bit of an extended weekend we decided to blend two of our loves, camping and national parks, and hit up the closest national park to us...Acadia National Park. And boy did that weekend light a match for us! Of course, it was not all rainbows and butterflies with four kids, but it was a way better experience than we could have imagined.

I think the tide pools were the biggest hit. We ventured down to the Southwest Harbor to Wonderland Trail and spent several hours exploring the pools, playing, and eating lunch. We did a lot of small hikes, walked along the Ocean Path to see Thunder Hole and Otter Cliff, and drove up to Cadillac Mountain to check out the views.

But, of all the beautiful scenery and places to explore, the kids favorite place was the campsite. They were perfectly happy playing on the rocks, walking around, exploring, and hanging out by the fire. Actually, they were kind of upset each morning when we got up and headed into the park, they just wanted to stay "home" and hang out. 

We also really loved the campsite we chose. Honestly, we planned this trip pretty last-minute so I  was a bit concerned about not being inside the park. But it really worked out for the best. The campsites were large, private, and they even had a cook-out our first night there. Somes Sound View is where we stayed and the views of the sound were so beautiful, especially at sunset.

Needless to say, we've been bit by the camping bug and went again just a couple weeks after this trip. And we have several trips already booked for 2023. 

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