My goal every year is to stay on top of the holiday budget while making the best of our holiday gatherings and gift exchanges. This can be a challenge, but with a little research I have been able to find gifts that make everyone happy and fit within my budget. The past few weeks I have… [Read More]
How to budget for the holiday season
We all enjoy being able to give (and receive) during the holiday season. But this time of year can be a great stress to some people. What should I buy? Did I buy enough? Did I buy the right thing? Can I afford everything? HOW MUCH DID I JUST SPEND?! Yep. It adds up fast…. [Read More]
Our 3 favorite after school snacks
I am staring at disbelief at my summer calendar. It’s officially over. We’ve passed the time for back to school shopping for clothes, shoes, and school supplies. I’ve planned out lunch menus since I have to pack lunches for three kids nightly. It dawns on me that I also need to plan out our afternoon snacks for… [Read More]
The key to a quick and easy dinner? Planning ahead
It is 5:30 pm and my kids just finished up swim practice. They have been playing hard all afternoon and are now extremely hungry and ready for dinner. But have I planned anything? The second we return home, they ravage the pantry, angry that I stop them from eating a snack so close to dinner time. I quickly say, “Hey guys,… [Read More]
The day my kids gave each other haircuts
My youngest two kids were in the front yard playing by their favorite tree. It’s a nice crab apple tree that’s easy for them to climb. I asked if they would stay out front for a few minutes so I could take care of a large ant mound I found in the backyard. They agreed. We… [Read More]
Chocolate Zucchini Bread – Delicious AND Healthy!
I always know when summer is coming because I start finding organic and fresh produce at the markets. Zucchini has been a recent “go-to” for me lately because I have a spiralizer and I can make SO much with it. But when my produce box came and threw in extra zucchini, I knew we wouldn’t… [Read More]
The day I ate a bug
Yep. You read that correctly. My kids dared me to do it and I ate a BUG! It really wasn’t even that gross. Okay, it was a little gross. Let me give you some background. We took a family outing to the Discovery Place in Uptown Charlotte. My husband and I firmly believe that children learn best… [Read More]
The Ultimate Banana Bread Recipe
I have the ultimate banana bread recipe. This recipe was passed down to me from my mom but I have tweaked it to make it my own. It’s the best use of brown bananas (besides freezing them for a smoothie) and the chocolate chips make it a perfect treat. This recipe makes 2 loaves. I… [Read More]
Delicious Valentine’s Day Cheesecake
A few years ago my Aunt gave me these really cool spring form heart shaped pans for my birthday. Ever since, I have created a family tradition of baking heart-shaped cheesecakes on Valentine’s Day. Cheesecake certainly isn’t the easiest dessert to make, but it is not that difficult either. This year, I had my littlest girl excited… [Read More]
5 easy appetizers for your “Big Game” get together
The BIGGEST football game of the year is drawing near! It’s time to get together to cheer on your team or, let’s be honest, watch the commercials and hang out with friends. Football viewing parties mean good snack food and not counting calories. (I need cheat days to satisfy those random cravings. It helps me stay on track most… [Read More]
