What Makes My Christmas Card So Great & A Challenge For You This Year!

Back in 2015, the winter before I launched this blog to go beyond friends and family and a creative space to organize my photos and recipes.  I stood on the cold lament flooring in our 1940s ranch home in Bloomington, Indiana.  I was feeling particularly grinchy this year.  My son, then three, had recently had four minor surgeries and the recovery was going very, very, very badly.  It felt as though I hadn't slept in nearly eight months, and I…

A Day At Roloff Farms!

Oregon continues to surprise me with incredible opportunities for families.  It truly is a place you have to visit, and you can really come to Oregon any time of the year and have an amazing experience.  Last week, the boys were out of school on a random Friday so we went on a little adventure to Roloff Farms.  You may recognize the name from the show TLC!  I had no idea they lived right down the street from us basically,…

Why You Have To Visit Sweet Tomatoes This Fall & Recipes To Create At Home

Disclosure:  Thank you Sweet Tomatoes for sponsoring today's post.   As always, we only work with brands we love and trust.  All opinions expressed are my own. We a family of people who love to eat, so naturally we were thrilled at the opportunity to partner with a favorite family friend buffet here in the Portland area:  Sweet Tomatoes!  October is such a perfect time to dive into their all you can eat soup, salad, and pasta bars and make special…

10 Completely Giftable Cookbooks!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.  I can earn a small percentage if you shop through any of these links.  All opinions expressed are my own!.  Thanks for supporting my blog!  So, I like to suggest checking cookbooks out from the library.  They really empower and inspire in my kitchen, so I love having them around.  I rarely buy cookbooks, so you can trust the ones I've picked are really good ones.  You can click the photos to go straight…

Cut The Cable With Google Chromecast!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Best Buy.  All opinions expressed are my own. Can I make a confession? Even though, I consider us to be a pretty frugal family one thing I haven't been able to sacrifice yet is our cable package. Recently rising costs  have had me reconsidering if it's something we should continue paying for,  and after some research I discovered I love that with Google Chromecast, you are able to stream directly from your phone.  We…

Tips For Potty Training While Traveling!

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored post written by my on behalf of Sposie Booster Pads, the number one brand in diaper doublers.  All opinions are entirely my own. We travel a lot, sometimes only a short distance by car and other times we will do lengthier trips.  More often than not, we bring our kids along for the adventure. When it comes to traveling with kids,  keep your expectations low and you will definitely reap the benefits. This certainly requires…

Treating Yourself As A Mom With Custom Hair Products With Prose!

Disclosure: I received complimentary products from Prose to review.  All opinions expressed are my own! Before I had kids, I remember thinking (often aloud) that I would never let myself go once I had children.  Truth to be told, it just sort of happened.  I had one kid and was  able to make "self-care" more of a priority.  After my second son was born, time just became such a rare commodity. It wasn't that I didn't do things that I loved,…

Tried & True Ways To Manage The Mess with Bona

This post is sponsored by Bona® but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. I have always wanted hardwood floors!  I absolutely love the way they look and how streamlined they feel throughout a home.  However, we have a seventy pound Siberian husky that sheds soooo much.  Keeping those floors fresh and clean is a tricky balance.  Today, I'm sharing some easy things you can do to stay ahead of the mess.   I tried a Bona last year…

Dinner in 30: Teriyaki Shredded Pork Sliders.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Safeway. The opinions and text are all mine.. #OpenNature #ad Let me be frank with you guys, if you came here for my best food photography. I'm sorry! Today's recipe is all about ease and deliciousness. My family has been very committed to embracing healthier meal choices this year. We have certainly had to get more creative since the school year started and our time has become more limited.…

Thirty Days Of October Fun For 20.00 or less!

October is my favorite month!  Everything is burnt orange, pink and pumpkin scented.  I love seeing breast cancer survivors and their friends participating in 5k races, defying odds, and inspiring us.  I love watching the kids transform into their favorite characters and letting their imaginations run free.  Fall harvests bring about fall festivals and pumpkin pies. The apple trees are droopy from the bounty. You see a subtle shift in messages from spooky puns to thankful tidings.   October is a…