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Finding Fuel For My Inner Fire After My Breast Cancer Scare

This post is sponsored by Moms Meet and Fuel For Fire®. Compensation for this post was provided and I may receive a commission for purchases made through some of the links in this post.

“It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.” -Frederick Douglass

Sometimes we’re forced into darkness not to find light but find fuel for our inner fire. My light went out about two months ago when I woke and found on my inner right breast. At first, I wasn’t overly concerned about it. I thought it might have been more a bump caused by the bra had worn and accidentally fell asleep in. I did start to worry when said lump doubled in size and started to be very painful and tender to the touch.

The first thing that came to my mind was, “Could I have breast cancer?” No, I wasn’t going from 0 to 100 real quick. Breast cancer is very prevalent/common in my family on both sides. In fact, my paternal grandmother wasn’t much older than me when she found out that she had breast cancer. My dad and some of his siblings were Moo and JJ’s age when she lost her battle with breast cancer.

So, I had to be realistic with myself and prepare myself to hear some not so good news. Now, I wasn’t naming and claiming breast cancer, but I didn’t want to be foolish either. I definitely felt like I was in a storm, a whirlwind, and an earthquake. However, my fire had been snuffed out. This is why it’s been so quiet on the blog and my social media pages.

I couldn’t talk about it until I knew for sure I wasn’t next. And let me tell you guys, the wait seemed like forever. Thanks to the flu epidemic, it took a while before I was able to get in to see my new doctor. By that time, fluid had started to build up in and around the lump and it was more painful. However, after some tests, cancer and anything immediately life-threatening got ruled out!

via GIPHY

So where are we now? Well, I still have the lump and we still don’t know what caused it. We do know that an infection got to it somewhere along the way and that’s where all the painfulness and fluid came from. The soft tissue underneath the skin was severely inflamed. This week I met with my surgeon and they actually made a small incision to take a closer look the inside of the lump and to drain the fluid from it.

I’m currently on some meds to see if we can get the lump to completely go away without having to remove the soft tissue because it is a sizeable area and because of the location of the actual lump, it’s not an ideal place for stitches. Meanwhile, I’m also focusing on fueling my inner fire again.

How To Fuel Your Inner Fire

I still don’t know how this journey will end but I do know that I’m not going to just sit around like a bump on a log. I can’t let this situation steal my happiness, my health, my passion for life, my fire. So here some changes I’m making to fuel my inner fire.

Focusing on the positive | As my mom would say, “There’s no use in worrying about things you can’t change.” Although my lump is still here and I’m still in pain, I still have a lot of positive things going for me. I’m alive, my family has been super supportive, and I have decent health insurance that we can afford!

I can’t get my fire back if I’m constantly drowning myself with negative thoughts. I refuse to wallow in a “Why Me?” attitude because the truth is why not me? We all have our burdens and storms to bear. This one is mine and I’m determined to bear it with grace and positivity!

Staying Hydrated | Have I ever mentioned that I was almost hospitalized twice for dehydration?! I don’t mean to get dehydrated but I’m one of those people who needs to set a reminder to take a water break. I’m a homeschooling mom, a wife, and I work from home. So it’s easy to forget to take a break to get in another cup of liquids.

However, I’ve been getting better making sure that I stay properly hydrated. Since I’ve started focusing on making sure that I drink enough during the day, I’ve noticed that one days when I drink more liquids I tend to be more even-tempered. Hydration affects so much when it comes to our bodies.

So lately one of my favorite ways to stay hydrated has been by enjoying Fuel For Fire Fruit + Protein Smoothies throughout the day. Not only are they free of artificial ingredients, gluten, soy, nuts, fat, added sugars, GMOs, but they’re made with 100% all-natural fruit puree! I’ve also learned that what I hydrate my body with is also important. It feels good to be putting something into my body that is good for it.

I really love that these smoothies come in ready-to-serve packaging. Because let’s be honest, I’m going to be more motivated to drink something if I don’t have to mess up any dishes to enjoy it! I can just twist the cap and drink because there’s also a built-in straw!

And while these don’t have to be refrigerated, I highly recommend that you do drink them cool at least. In my personal opinion, you can really get a taste the flavor better when these are chilled versus room temperature. Fuel For Fire Fruit + Protein Smoothies come in 5 delicious flavors- Strawberry Banana, Banana Cocoa, Tropical, Sweet Potato Apple, and Coffee.

Relaxing | Stress is a killer! It’s a proven fact that too much stress cause serious physical and mental health issues which could eventually be harmful enough to kill you. According to some of my dad’s older siblings, one of the reasons my grandmother’s breast cancer went unnoticed by her and later advanced so fast was because she didn’t relax enough.

I know a lot of people struggle with knowing when to go sit down somewhere aka relaxing. Relaxation is often times associated with being lazy, but I want to point out these two are NOT the same thing. We are not machines. Our bodies (and minds) need have break or else we risk the chance of doing some serious damage.

I’m not afraid to admit that since the New Year started, I’ve been running myself in the ground a bit. It was like as soon as I crossed one thing off my to-do list, I found something else to add to it. And nothing could just wait until tomorrow. Well, these last few weeks, I’ve been catching up on one of my favorite pastimes- reading. It feels good y’all to take an hour for myself where I’m relaxing and doing nothing except reading a good book.

Going Out The House | The first thing I started doing when things went left with this lump on my breast was staying in the house 24/7. Part of the reason was that I was in pain. Another reason was that I didn’t want to chance anyone seeing it and asking me about it because it’s in a visible location and I wear a lot of scoop neck and v-neck shirts. Lastly, I was letting myself get so drowned in my negative thoughts that I was slowly sinking into a depression.

Then, one day Moo said, “Mommy, maybe you’ll feel better if you get out of the house.” So, I did. And you know what, she was right. We only went to the library and I made sure to put on a shirt with the highest neckline that I owned to cover my lump, but it felt so good to have a change of scenery. It was like my embers were slowly starting catch sparks again.

So now I’m making it a habit to go out the house every day, even if it’s just to walk to mailbox and back.

Working On My Fitness | Somewhere along the way of moving into our new home, I started emotional eating more than usual. Listen, moving into a live-in fixer upper will do this to you, especially when you start seeing those estimates and price tags. Don’t let Chip and Jojo fool y’all, this renovating business is HARD.

But back to my point. I put on 15 extra pounds. Before my breast cancer scare, I was able to drop 5 of those pounds thanks to getting my dance workout playlist on YouTube. Then, I fell off the wagon. Now, I’m in a better place, I’m back to working out to drop these 10 pounds.

And yes, I’m making sure to stay hydrated. Today, I was finally able to get off house arrest aka bed rest after my procedure on Friday. So, I grabbed a Tropical (my favorite flavor) Fuel For Fire Smoothie and did a few laps around the house while the kids cheered me on. It felt good.

Getting More Sleep | Listen, I’m leaving that whole “I come alive in the nighttime” business for Drake and his homies. As a busy mom, wife, and businesswoman, I have to start cutting back on my night owl hours. So, I’m turning down way earlier than I used to.

It’s when we sleep that our body is able to restore itself and when the healing process can be at its most potent. Just like lack of hydration and change of scenery can have a huge impact on our bodies mentally and physically, so can a lack of sleep. You can’t light a fire on burned out coals.

If you’re like me and had setback the put out your inner fire, I hope that some of these tips will be the fuel you need to get back blazing. Remember, it’s a journey and not something that will happen overnight.

Also, if you want to find out more about Fuel For Fire, check them out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And from now until July 31st, you can get 40% off and FREE shipping on any purchase on FuelForFire.com using the discount code SAVE40.

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May 21, 2018
How To Make A Milkshake Using Hazelnut Spread
This post is sponsored by Moms Meet and Once Again Nut Butter. Compensation for this post was provided and I may receive a commission for purchases made through some of the links in this post.

The first day of summer might still be a month away, but down here in the Carolinas, things have already started to heat up. We have officially crossed over into the 90 degrees and above territory. If you’re already looking for something to help you beat the heat, you’re in luck today. I’m sharing a recipe for one of the most delicious and easiest ice-cold milkshakes to make using Once Again Nut Butter’s hazelnut spread.

Why Hazelnut?

I’ve been drinking coffee since I was about 13. And my all-time favorite coffee flavor is hazelnut. However, due to a recent health issue and the dreadfulness that is adult acne, I’ve had to cut way back on my hazelnut coffee intake. So I decided to get my hazelnut fix via milkshake. Genius, right?!

Also, let’s talk about this Once Again Nut Butter Amoré Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa and Milk. This stuff is ridiculously good! And when I say good, I mean good to the point that you could probably just eat this straight from the jar as is. I’ve had other hazelnut spreads and they simply don’t compare this one. Not even a little bit.

This gourmet spread is organic, gluten-free, and fair trade certified. Did I mention that it has zero cholesterol and no trans fat?! I can tell you that this spread is great on toast, ice cream, and you can even make hot chocolate with it! So, it’s very versatile.

How To Make A Hazelnut Milkshake

What makes this recipe so easy is that there’s no prep work! Also, there are literally three steps. So, let’s get into this.

Ingredients
- 2 cups of ice cream
- 1/3 cup of Once Again Nut Butter Hazelnut Spread
- 2/3 cups of soy milk (you can substitute for whatever milk you drink)
- ice (start off with 1/2 cup and add more if needed)
Directions

Starting with the ice first, pour all your ingredients into your blender.

Once you have all of your ingredients in the blender, put the top on and blend until your milkshake it at the consistency that you prefer. If you need to add more ice or milk, do it. Just remember to add a little bit at a time.

So funny story, I accidentally hit the blend button while the top on blender was off after I had added my ice and my ice cream. Talk about facepalm moment. Thankfully, my reflexes were quick and I got it turned off before there was too much of a mess.

Once you have your ingredients well blended and you are happy with the consistency, pour it and enjoy. I decided to garnish my milkshake with some chocolate chip cookie thins, but this is totally optional.

Tip: Chill your glass in the freezer prior to making your milkshake. Nothing makes a milkshake melt faster than a warm glass.

via GIPHY

I really hope y’all enjoy this recipe! I can’t promise you that this milkshake will bring all the boys to the yard, but it is definitely delicious, yummy, and divine! Stay cool in this heat folks! And don’t forget to check out Once Again Nut Butter on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram to stay up to date on new product releases, discount opportunities, and more. Also, if you’re looking for more ways you can remix your hazelnut spread, check out these recipes.

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May 17, 2018
Cheddar Crusted Chicken Nuggets

This post is sponsored by Moms Meet and Brandless. I may get a commission for purchases made through some of the links in this post.

There are few things that I love more than experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen. Sometimes the recipes work out, sometimes they don’t. Thankfully, it worked it out this time around. I kept this recipe super simple using only three ingredients – chicken breasts, cheddar flavored Cheese Duck Crackers from Brandless and an egg.

When the weather gets hot, I tend to lean more towards preparing recipes that don’t take long to prep or cook. Also, I was making this meal as a late night snack. So I definitely didn’t want something that would take forever to prepare because late night snacks are supposed to be effortless for the most part.

Because I am a late night snacker, I’ve been trying to make better choices about what I snack on. This is exactly why I used the Cheese Duck Crackers to bread to my chicken nuggets. They’re organic, non-GMO and don’t have any of those not so good for you artificial flavors and preservatives. Also, they provided just the right amount of crunch I needed.

I simply cut my chicken breast into pieces, seasoned it, and then crunched up some of the crackers using my hand. I used my hand because I didn’t want to crunch up the crackers too fine. I wanted nice chunky bits of cracker. Then, I dipped my chicken in the egg before coating them the crunched up crackers and put them on a baking sheet.

Once all of my chicken pieces were breaded, I popped them in the oven until they were done. You can flip these halfway through if you want to prevent sogginess on the bottom, but I didn’t have any issues with the bottoms of mine being soggy.

These Lemon Verbena Surface Cleaning Wipes made clean up a breeze. They’re really durable and won’t fall apart if you have to put some extra force to scrub up a stubborn spot. Also, they smell amazing and are non-toxic. When it comes to cleaning my kitchen, it’s definitely important to me to use non-toxic cleaners.

Well, that’s it folks! I told y’all this recipe was simple (and quick). If you try it, let me know how you like. In addition, to some delicious snack options and cleaning products, they also make beauty products, tableware, office supplies, and more.

Their mission to provide products that bad-stuff-less and goodness-ful at a price that all customers can afford. This is why everything on Brandless is only $3! And because they’re brandless, their products are free the BrandTax that we pay on national brands. Also, for every purchased placed, Brandless donates a meal to Feeding America!

To date, they’ve been able to donate over 250,000 meals to families and individuals who struggle with hunger and being able to afford food. Don’t you just love a company that gives back? I do. And speaking of giving, Brandless is offering 33% of their B More membership. Just click here.

I definitely hope that you guys will check Brandless out and try some of their products. Also, don’t forget to get out Brandless on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

May 13, 2018
How To Create Beautiful Custom Graduation Cards

This post is sponsored by Basic Invite. I did receive samples and compensation to facilitate this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Spring is here! This means that graduation season is officially upon us. Parents, I’m sure talks of graduation announcements, party invitations, and thank you cards have already started at the dinner table.

Graduation stationery was a huge deal when I was high school and is an even bigger deal today. I remember wanting to have customized photo graduation cards for my graduation announcements and customized graduation thank you cards for my high school graduation. The only problem was that it was too expensive to hire a graphic designer to design the announcements and matching thank you cards I really wanted.

And the company my school partnered with only had offered two options when it came to graduation announcements with photos. My choices were silver foil lettering or standard black lettering. There were slits where they would attach your cap and gown photo. That’s right, we couldn’t even choose the photo that went inside our announcements. By default, we had to use our cap and gown picture unless you just wanted to have to manually remove the cap and gown photos, print out new photos and then insert them into the announcements yourself.

Likewise, the wording for my graduation announcement couldn’t be customized and instead of being able to have my name printed on the actual announcement, we were given nameplates that, you guessed it, we had to manually insert using the pre-cut slits. And the only customization option for the thank you cards was how your name was spelled along the front of the card. You could either go with your full name (middle name included), just your first and last names, or your first name followed by your nickname and your last name.

It was awful you guys. Thankfully, times have come a long way and we now have companies like Basic Invite that make getting and creating beautiful custom photo graduation cards and graduation party thank you cards a breeze and affordable.

What Makes Basic Invite So Great

So I recently had the opportunity to try out Basic Invite for myself when I got to create a custom graduation invitation and graduation thank you card. I know, Moo and JJ are nowhere near preparing to graduate from high school, but like I said before, times have come a long way. Graduations and graduation stationery aren’t just for high schoolers (and college students) anymore. When Moo was in public school, she had a graduation ceremony at the end of every school year and I let her send out her own version of a graduation announcement to family and friends so that they’d know she had been promoted to the next grade.

Now that she’s joined me and her brother in homeschool, I want to continue the tradition of sending out a graduation announcement/party invitation. They might not be heading to college, but they still deserve to be celebrated for all of the hard work they’re put in this year. So here are just a few things that I fell in love with about Basic Invite. Their name may be Basic Invite, but trust me there’s nothing basic about this company!

Free Custom Colors

With over 180 available color options, the sky really is the limit when it comes to creating beautiful custom stationery with Basic Invite. And the best part is that it’s FREE!! Yep, they don’t charge you extra if you want to go behind the standard black lettering. Also, the custom coloring doesn’t stop at lettering either.

If your photo graduation cards have a border, you can customize the color of the border. If it has a clipart, you can change the color of the clipart. Having the ability to mix and match so many colors allows you to truly make your announcements, invitations, and thank you cards one-of-a-kind.

Basic Invite also offers over 40 different color options for their envelopes as well. So you can ditch the traditional white envelope if you want to go for something a bit more daring. Their envelopes are peel and seal. No wet sponges or dipping your fingertip in water required to activate the glue. Just peel, seal, and done!

Foil Options

There’s no denying that adding foil to anything adds a touch of glamour and elegance. Basic Invite gives you the option to choose between flat foil or raised foil. You can also choose between three foil colors – gold, silver, and rose gold.

Address Capturing

Don’t feel like hand addressing your graduation party thank you cards or your graduation announcements/invitations? No problem! Basic Invite will address them for you. Don’t have Aunt Cici’s address. No problem! Basic Invite’s address capturing services will give you a link that you can share with your family and friends on any social media site that will allow them to enter in their address. It saves to your Basic Invite address book and when you’re ready to finalize your order you can select what should be addressed to who.

Lots of Different Design Style Options

I’ve already told you guys about the amazing color options they offer. In addition, Basic Invite offers a variety of different design styles and themes when it comes to their stationery. Photo graduation cards aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. This is exactly why they offer different designs that don’t incorporate photos as well like the invitation above. But if photos are your thing, you still have a great variety of different designs to choose from as well.

Easy To Use Interface

Basic Invite’s interface is very user-friendly. You simply select your design and from there it’s all a matter of clicking on the placeholders and customizing the text and colors to your preferences. It’s really super easy. You don’t have to know any code or be a graphic designer. Remember, they took care of all the hard work for you already! But should you get lost, there’s a handy chat bubble down in the right-hand corner that you can click on and talk to a live customer service representative for help.

How To Create Beautiful Custom Graduation Cards

So now that I’ve told you what makes Basic Invite so amazing, I want to walk you through the steps I took to create photo graduation card I made for the kids. Let’s get started, folks! I promise it’s going to be easy-peasy.

Step 1: Choose Your Design

As I’ve mentioned before, you have a lot of design styles to choose from. So the first thing you want to do is choose the style and theme that best fits your child or yourself (if you’re making this for you). If you get too overwhelmed by the variety, narrow down your options by collection, theme, and size. I chose to go with the Moving Memories Graduation Invitation because it gave off a fun vibe.

Step 2: Customize Your Text

I personally like to customize all of my text before I start experimenting with the color palette. Simply click on one of the text box options under where it says Edit Your Text. A text box widget will pop up. From there you can insert the actual text you want, change the font size, style, and line size. You can change the alignment as well as what case you would like your font written in. Again it’s all a matter of clicking, typing, and hitting the check mark in the corner of the widget.

Step 3: Choose Your Photo (optional)

Depending on what design you choose, you may or may not be able to skip this step. If you choose one of the photo graduation cards like I did, you will need to click on the Show Editable Photos option under Edit Your Photos. Find the photo you want to include on your invitation or announcement and upload it. You can also import photos from your Flickr or SmugMug accounts.

Once your photo is uploaded, you want to click on the photo and then you will see the options to change your photo to Black & White or Light Sepia. You’ll also have the option to Drag Position, Reset Color or Hide Photo. Once you’ve edited your photo to your liking, click Done and your photo will automatically be inserted into your invitation.

Step 4: Select Your Colors

Once I have my photo and text edited to my liking, I like to go back and select my colors. For me customizing my colors after I’ve selected my photo is easier. If I customize my colors first, I find that it’s harder to choose a photo. It’s much easier to choose a photo and then pick colors that complement that photo.

Step 5: Choose Your Options

Once you have your invitation looking how you want and like it, you can finalize your extra options under Options. You’ll be able to choose your foil type if you added foil to your invitation, select your paper grade, select the shape of your cardstock as well as the quantity you want. Click Next to move to customize the back of your invitation.

Step 6: Customize The Back Of Your Invitation

Now that we’ve taken care of the front of our invitation, it’s time to move on to the back. There are a variety of different layouts you can choose for the back of your invitation. You simply go about customizing the same way you did the front and then click Next.

Step 7: Choose Your Addressing Options

This is the point where you get to choose where or not you want your invitations addressed by Basic Invite or not. I would definitely recommend taking advantage of the Free guest and return addresses option unless you just like handwriting your addresses yourself. You can also pick your envelope color. Click Next once you’re ready to finish customizing your envelope.

Step 8: Customize Your Envelope

Now it’s time to customize the inside of your envelope. You can leave it plain or liven things up by adding a pattern or contrasting solid color.

Step 9: Review & Submit Your Order

Before submitting your order, do make sure that you review your invitation for any misspelled words and other errors. If everything is correct, submit your order and keep your eye out for the mailman!

There you have it! In less than 10 steps, you can create gorgeous graduation announcements, invitations, and/or thank you cards. No coding and no graphic designer needed. Also, you have any business or wedding stationery needs, Basic Invite also offers business cards, letterhead, wedding invitations and more. So there’s something for pretty any occasion.

And right now Basic Invite is currently offering 15% off all orders for customers who use coupon code: 15FF51.

Be sure to follow Basic Invite on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter to stay up to date on new design additions, sales, and more.

March 26, 2018
Easter Basket Essentials Every Disney Princess Should Have

This post does contain affiliate links. I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase using one of my links. This post is NOT sponsored by Disney or Walmart.

Easter is right around the corner. And if you’re like me, you’re probably DIYing your kids’ Easter basket. Growing up my mom loved putting together baskets that were specific to me and my siblings instead of purchasing the pre-made baskets. She always made sure to incorporate things that we each loved. For example, she’d always get me a new piece of heart-shaped jewelry and book because I loved hearts and reading.

Now that I’m a mom, I’m continuing the Easter tradition that she started. JJ is still debating on whether he wants a Thomas & Friends themed basket or Lightning McQueen. Meanwhile, Moo knew right away that she wanted a Disney Princess themed basket. So, we headed out to our local Walmart to see what goodies they had. No worries, I’m making a second trip without her to pick up some surprise goodies

Accessories

Anna & Elsa “Sisters Forever” Pendant Necklace: Khol’s Similar: Walmart

One of the things I love most about all of the Disney Princesses is that they all have brains and style. Tiana, Belle, and Cinderella were all regular girls from poor families before they became princesses and even on their worst days, they still looked fly. As Moo told me the other day, “It’s all about the accessories, Mom!”

I have to agree that accessories can take a plain outfit up to next level. And my little Disney Princess loves accessories. She’s absolutely obsessed with her Anna & Elsa Frozen “Sisters Forever” necklace. The one above is currently sold out online but here’s the link to a similar Frozen necklace that is available at Walmart.

She loves these ROXO silicon charm bracelets with the interchangeable Disney charms as well. I’m on the hunt to find Tiana, Jasmine, and Pocahontas charms. Our Walmart only had Belle & Aurora and Rapunzel & Ariel. Nevertheless, these charm bracelets make great gifts. And since they’re super flexible, you can easily hide them inside of Easter eggs!

Baskets

When I saw this Jumbo Plush Disney Princess Carriage Basket, I just knew I had to have it for Moo. It’s so her and it screams peak Disney Princess-ness. We searched our store top to bottom and couldn’t find it. I was so bummed.

Of course, I tried to search for it online at other retailers as well and have had no luck with finding it. There is a similar plastic version on Amazon, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I’ll get my hands on the plush one for next year though. The good news is that we did stumble across some cute Disney Princess Easter Pails instead! (Can you guys tell who her favorite Disney Princesses are yet?)

Books

There’s no denying that Anna and Elsa are her favorite Disney Princesses. However, in real life, she’s more like Belle. (Like mother, like daughter!) In these last few years, reading has been one of her favorite guilty pleasures. Reading a habit that I can definitely get behind as a parent and I don’t mind adding to her book collection for almost every holiday.

Disney has so many great books in their Disney Princess series. I’ve been gifting her one in her Easter baskets for the last three years. And if I’m honest, the books are what get the most use because we read them again and again. Also, I like to get her a fun activity/coloring book as well.

Clothes

What better way for a Disney Princess to show off her love for her fellow Disney Princesses and her sense of style than with some with her clothing. Duh! Graph tees, tutu dresses, and cotton shorts sets are all great essentials to include in your princess’s Easter basket.

T-shirts: Heart Strong | Coolest Friend Ever | Elena Of Avalor

Moo’s hit a growth spurt and so none of her Disney Princess tees, tights or shorts sets fit anymore. I’m not complaining though because I love shopping for clothes. I’m even more excited because she actually wants to me get us some matching Disney Princess shirts!! Y’all this is HUGE because Moo has never wanted to do the whole mommy & me matching outfits situation. I’m going take advantage of this change of heart while it lasts!

Easter Eggs & Candy

What’s an Easter basket without Easter eggs and a few sweet treats?! So, I was really hoping to snag the Disney Princess Chocolate Egg for myself and the surprise toys eggs and the Princess Candy Flowers Carrot Bags for Moo. But my small town Walmart wouldn’t let me be great. I need manage to find some similar ones on Amazon though.

Toys

And of course, every Disney Princess needs her gal pals. We got Moo this cute Disney Princess Little Kingdom Play ‘n Carry Castle last year for Easter and she’s been in love with ever since. This year I picked up some more dolls to do with it. She specifically asked for Princess Tiana, Belle, and Pocahontas. Priced at under $5 each, I picked up some extra for her Christmas stocking! (Shhh…that’ll be our little secret and thank goodness for Walmart’s site-to-store shipping!)

Disney Princess Little Kingdom Toys: Princess Tiana Similar | Princess Jasmine Magic Carpet Ride Playset | Pocahontas Similar

Another toy item that she asked for in her Easter basket was an Anna doll. Her old Anna doll had a mishap during our move. She’s been very patient and content to play with her mini Anna doll that my mom got her a few birthdays ago but I’m going to go ahead and upgrade her back to her full-size doll.

Did y’all know that the Disney Princess Royal Shimmer Dolls are under $7!! So of course, a new Princess Tiana doll was in order. Oh and the movie tie-in Village Dress Belle doll that looks like Emma Watson is is only $5 y’all at select Walmart stores!!! You do have shop instore to snag this price though. Don’t judge me but I grabbed one for myself too.

Then, we also saw these fun and cute Disney Princess Play-Doh kits. The bigger kits were under $20 and some of the smaller kits were as low as $4. I did check online and you get a discount for some of the bigger kits for using site-to-store shipping.

Movies

The perfect Disney Princess Easter basket wouldn’t be complete without a Disney Princess movie or two. The first Disney Princess movie that I got Moo for her very second Easter was The Princess and the Frog. It had just come out after her first birthday the year before and I wanted to way a little longer until I was sure some of the more dramatic parts weren’t going to be too scary for her. She ended up loving it! I kind of wish Black Panther was out on DVD because we love Princess Shuri!

Overall, I’m really excited about all the Disney Princess stuff that we were able to find at our new local Walmart. They had a great variety and something for every price point. I’d definitely recommend shopping there if you’re DIYing an Easter basket for your Disney Princess and don’t want to break the bank putting together a really nice basket. I can’t wait for Moo to open her basket on Easter Sunday!

Leave me a comment letting me know what your Easter basket essentials are for your kids?

More Disney Princess Finds

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March 21, 2018
Easy Cajun Shrimp Vegetable Fried Yellow Rice
This post is sponsored by Moms Meet and the Flavor Your Life campaign. Also, I may get a commission for purchases or clicks made through some of the links in this post.

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Because flavor is the spice of life and I despise doing the dishes, I make a big skillet of my Cajun Shrimp Vegetable Fried Yellow Rice at least once a week. I’m so excited to finally be sharing it with y’all so that you can flavor your life.

How To Make Cajun Shrimp Vegetable Fried Yellow Rice

This recipe is super easy to make. It’s perfect if you’re like me and enjoy having your kids help out in the kitchen. Moo has a blast peeling the tails off the shrimp, mixing them in the Cajun seasoning, and helping me pour in the ingredients whenever we make this. This recipe fuses together Asian, Creole/Cajun, and European inspired flavors and spices to create a dishes that will leave everyone asking for seconds and thirds!

Skillet: Pioneer Woman Similar: Pioneer Woman | Southern Living
Also, this recipe can be made as a gluten-free meal. Just be sure to check the labels on your ingredients and make sure they say gluten-free. We have gluten allergies in our family. So all of our packaged ingredients – frozen veggies, yellow rice, soy sauce, and spices- were gluten-free.

Ingredients

1 large onion, diced

1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables

1 bag of shrimp, thawed and seasoned with your preferred Cajun seasoning blend

3 cups of cooked day old yellow rice

1/4 cup of soy sauce

Extra-virgin olive oil

Black pepper, optional

Garlic powder, optional

Seasoning salt, optional

Directions

Heat up a large skillet over medium heat and drizzle in some extra-virgin olive oil aka EVOO. Just enough coat the bottom of the pan. You can always add more later if you need to.

Once your pan is heated, toss in your onions and sweat them down until they start to lightly brown. Then mix in your bag of frozen vegetables. Stir ingredients together and add in black pepper, garlic powder, and seasoning salt to taste if you want to.

Continuing stirring ingredients for about five minutes. Next, add in your shrimp that should have already been seasoned with your preferred Cajun spice blend. Stir again and then add in your day old yellow rice (rice that has been cooked and refrigerated for 24 hours) followed by your soy sauce.

Now sometimes, I just the entire 1/4 cup of soy sauce, sometimes I don’t. As a rule of thumb, I would suggest that you taste your fried rice before adding the soy sauce so that you can estimate how much you want to add. Even after you’ve added your soy sauce and stirred it in, taste your fried rice again to make sure that everything tastes good.

Once you’re satisfied with the taste, turn down the heat to medium-low and let the fried rice finish heating through for a minute or two. You can dress this meal up by garnishing it with fresh chopped parsley if want for fancier occassions or leave it plain.

Cajun Shrimp Vegetable Fried Yellow Rice can be served as a meal on its own. However, I’ve found that it pairs really well with Honey Garlic Ginger Chicken Thighs, too. I’m saving that recipe for another post but trust me it’s just as delicious. 😋
Flavor Your Life
I love mixing ingredients and flavors palettes from different cultures to create unique recipes for my family. In the process, I love that I get the opportunity to educate myself (and my family) about the ingredients that we’re using in our dishes. My mom grew up on a farm and she’s always instilled me the importance of knowing where our food is coming from and how’s it’s being sourced.

This is why initiatives like the Flavor Your Life campaign are important and much needed. 99.9% of the time I use extra-virgin olive oil in my recipes. For this Cajun Shrimp Vegetable Fried Yellow Rice recipe, I used Zucchi 1810 Sinfonia Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It’s “expertly blended from the finest European Extra Virgin Olive Oils of the first press from Greece, Italy and Spain” using the cold extraction method.

Through trial and error, I’ve learned that not all EVOOs are created equal. I’ve also learned that there are many different varieties of EVOO. For example, you can buy EVOOs that have a peppery taste, a more nutty, or even one that has a peachy taste.

I mean who knew that extra-virgin olive oil could have so many different tastes naturally without being infused with other things like spices or fruit?! Being the kitchen every day brings me joy not only because I’m doing something I love but also because it gives me the chance to learn something new all the time. And as a mom with kids who have food allergies, the more I learn about foods, the more I can continue to expand our menu options and show them that food allergies don’t mean sticking to bland foods.

There’s a whole world of flavor out there for us to explore. Backed and funded by the European Union, Unaprol, and the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, the Flavor Your Life campaign wants to continue helping families explore their flavor options specifically when it comes to European extra-virgin olive oils. Their mission is help provide with the latest news and changes in the extra-virgin olive oil so that we as US consumers/buyers can be well informed before we make our purchasing decisions.

You can learn more about the Flavor Your Life campaign as well as find lots of delicious recipes and valuable information on their official website here. You also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

How do you educate yourself about the foods you buy?

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March 19, 2018
Spring-A-Palooza Is Back At Great Wolf Lodge!
Have you heard the news? Spring-A-Palooza is coming back to Great Wolf Lodge Concord! Starting Friday, March 9th – April 15th, families are invited to celebrate Spring with bubble dance parties, character-inspired flower gardens and more. Keep reading for a full list of activities that will be available.

The best part about this year’s Spring-A-Palooza is that ALL 14 Great Wolf Lodge locations in the U.S. will be partnering with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. They will be helping to raise funds and bring about more awareness to help end childhood cancer.

How You Can Help

If your family will be visiting or staying at Great Wolf Lodge March 9th – April 15th, you can enjoy complimentary lemonade from the lemonade stand located in the Grand Lobby. After all who doesn’t like a nice cold, refreshing cup of lemonade? While you and the family are getting hydrated, you can purchase an exclusive color changing cup. Each cup will be sold for just $2.50 and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

Alex’s Lemonade Foundation is a charity who mission is to transform the lives of kids with cancer. They work diligently to fund impactful research, continue raising awareness, support families of childhood cancer patients and empower others like my family and yours to help do our part to help cure cancer. For more information on Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, click here.

Other Spring-A-Palooza Activities To Enjoy
- Spring Cinema: Families can unwind after a fun-filled day and enjoy a family movie in the Grand Lobby.
- Spring Picnic: A time-honored spring tradition gets a Great Wolf twist, as guests can grab a blanket, spread it out on the floor and enjoy an afternoon picnic in the Grand Lobby. Guests can sip complimentary Minute Maid beverage available from the Great Wolf Lodge character-themed Lemonade Stand and play a few rounds of “Take A Wiley Guess” card game.
- Bubble Dance Party: This special Spring-A-Palooza event fills the Grand Lobby with cascading bubbles while Great Wold Lodge’s Ambassadors of Fun keep energy-levels high with a family-friendly dance party.
- Spring-A-Palooza Story Time: Great Wold Lodge’s nightly Story Time takes on a spring themed tale featuring the Great Wolf Lodge characters called “Natural Wonders.” Kids are encouraged to wear their favorite jammies to the Grand Lobby for this event and will have the opportunity to meet one of the Great Wolf Lodge characters in person.
- Spring Scavenger Hunts: Great Wolf Lodge features two self-guided scavenger hunts as part of Spring-A-Palooza. The “I Spy Spring” scavenger hunt will have guests looking high and low in the Grand Lobby to find a dozen hidden objects. The “Spring Sprint” scavenger hunt has guests solving clues that will take them on a journey throughout the lodge. When all 10 clues are solved, guests are rewarded with a prize.
- Character Themed Flower Gardens: A highlight of the Spring-A-Palooza celebration is the colorful springtime gardens found in the Grand Lobby. The gardens are designed and handcrafted by Pack Members from the resort. The collection of flower pots are inspired by the Great Wolf Lodge characters. Guests are encouraged to stroll around the garden and vote for their favorite display.
- Jelly Bean Guessing Game: A gigantic jar filled to the brim with jelly bean candies sits in the Grand Lobby and guests are invited to enter a contest guessing how many delicious treats are within the jar. The guests closest to the correct number without going over will be entered for a chance to win a Great Wolf Lodge gift card.
- Spring Themed Crafts: During Spring-A-Palooza, the resort’s Ambassadors of Fun will host several spring-inspired craft making events for kids of all ages. Character-themed crafting projects include Oliver’s Crazy About Bugs Jar, Violet’s Springtime Noodle Doodle, Brinley’s Don’t Blow Away Kite and Wiley’s Can You Spit It Binoculars.
For more information on Spring-A-Palooza and the daily activities provided at your Great Wolf Lodge location, please visit GreatWolf.com.
March 8, 2018
A Wrinkle In Time Activity Pack

Disney’s A Wrinkle In Time hits theaters this Friday, March 9th. It’s no secret that we’re big fans of Disney films. You can just take a look at my reviews for Moana and Beauty and the Beast if you think I’m kidding. Also, in the spirit of full disclosure, the rest of this post does contain affiliate links. I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase using one of my links.

Anyways, back to A Wrinkle In Time. This film is based the beloved A Wrinkle In Time Quintet written by Madeleine L’Engle. I’m beyond stoked that the film is directed by the fabulous and greatly talented Ava Duvernay!

A Wrinkle In Time is a magical tale about a middle schooler named Meg Murry whose father disappeared mysteriously four years ago. While everyone around Meg seems to have given up hope on him coming back or even being alive, Meg can’t help but feel it in her bones that her dad is still out there somewhere. Then out of the blue 3 otherworldly visitors come to warn Meg that her father is in serious danger. Meg, her brother Charles and her classmate Calvin set out on the adventure of a lifetime to finally find and save her dad.

This story has already captured the hearts of many with its book form and will no doubt capture the hearts of many more fans with the film version. The visuals from this movie have been nothing less than stunning. Also, can we take a moment to talk about the star-studded cast?!

There’s THE Oprah Winfrey playing Mrs. Which, Reese Witherspoon as Mrs. Whatsit and Mindy Kaling as Mrs. Who. Of course, we can’t forget about Storm Reid who’s playing our main character Meg and the handsome Chris Pine who plays her dad. The cast alone is reason enough for me to go this movie. Hopefully, you’re marking your calendars as well and planning to take the family to see A Wrinkle In Time this weekend.

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While you wait for March 9th to get here, you can enjoy these free A Wrinkle In Time coloring and activity pages. Just click here or below on the picture to download your activity pack that includes five coloring pages and three activity sheets – Spot the Difference, Fortune Teller, and a Maze.

And because I love you guys and appreciate all of the support you give YUMMommy, I’m personally giving away a copy of the new movie tie-in A Wrinkle In Time book. L’Engle’s classic tale is one that everyone should read and will make a great addition to your personal library. It’s a perfect read-along/buddy read for parents and middle schoolers. Just use the widget below to enter.

A Wrinkle In Time Movie Tie-In Book

What other Disney movies are you excited to see this year?

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March 5, 2018
Peter Rabbit Printables & Giveaway

This post is sponsored by Sony Pictures. All opinions expressed are my own.

Guess who’s hopping into theaters on February 9th? If you answered Peter Rabbit, you are correct. Everyone’s favorite furry rebel and michievous hero is back to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Beatrix Potter’s Tale of Peter Rabbit.

Voiced by James Corden, Peter Rabbit is keeping his feud with the McGregors alive and well. Things are kicked up a notch this time around as the younger Mr. McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson) and Peter aren’t just battling over stolen veggies this time around, but the affections of Bea (Rose Byrne). Bea is not only Mr. McGregor’s very beautiful neighbor but a passionate animal lover.

Joining Corden, Byrne, and Gleeson in this live-action adaptation are Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Debicki, and Daisy Ridley voicing Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail. Sam Neill (love him!) will be playing Farmer McGregor and Sia (yes the singer) will be voicing Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle.

As a child, I was always enamored with Peter Rabbit’s adventures. I think that having a mom who was a Beatrix Potter fan might have had something do with that. Seriously, she once bought us a pet bunny that looked just like Peter but grew to be a 20 rabbit that almost ate us out of a house. Literally, Rabbito ate through everything including his carrier. LOL.

With both of my kids are fans of the Peter Rabbit cartoon series on Nick, I’m looking forward to sharing the experience of watching the live-action version of Peter’s adventures with them. I really love that Moo is probably more excited than I am. She’s watched the trailers a million times already. Like Bea, she’s a passionate animal lover.

I’m excited to announce that Sony Pictures was nice enough to offer me the chance to giveaway two family 4-packs of tickets for the advance Peter Rabbit screening on February 3rd in Charlotte, NC!! So, two lucky families of 4 will get to join us as we get to the movie a few days earlier. This giveaway is open to entrants 18 years and older and tickets are valid for the Charlotte, NC screening only. Simply use the widget below to enter.

Peter Rabbit Screening 4-Pack

While you’re waiting for Peter Rabbit to hit theaters, have fun commemorating the 150th anniversary of Beatrix Potter’s delightful series by printing out some of the printables below for yourself and the kids. It’s a great way to introduce the kids to a new and very loveable book series and character while squeezing in some family bonding time. Simply right click, save and print.

Did you read Peter Rabbit as a kid? Who was your favorite character?

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January 25, 2018
Between the Blade and the Heart | Book Review + Giveaway

I received an ARC of Between the Blade and the Heart. I would like to thank St Martin’s Griffin (St. Martin’s Press) and Amanda Hocking sponsoring this review and giveaway.

Author: Amanda Hocking

Genre: YA, Urban Fantasy

Pub Date: January 3, 2017

Publisher: St Martin’s Griffin

Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Books-A-Million|IndieBound|Powell’s

When the fate of the world is at stake, loyalties will be tested.

Game of Thrones meets Blade Runner in this commanding new YA fantasy inspired by Norse Mythology from NewYork Times bestselling author Amanda Hocking.

As one of Odin’s Valkyries, Malin’s greatest responsibility is to slay immortals and return them to the underworld. But when she unearths a secret that could unravel the balance of all she knows, Malin along with her best friend and her ex-girlfriend must decide where her loyalties lie. And if helping the blue-eyes boy Asher enact his revenge is worth the risk– to the world and her heart.

Book Review

Hello 2018 and Happy New Year! It’s only right that I’m starting off the New Year talking about books as I spent the last part of 2017 with my head in them. You guys already know that my love of books is real. And when I heard that Amanda Hocking’s latest novel, Between the Blade and the Heart, was a cross between Throne of Glass and Blade Runner, I just knew that I had to read it for myself. Also, if you’ll remember, I did thoroughly enjoy Freeks by Amanda Hocking.

I will admit that even after getting excited to read Between the Blade and the Heart, I almost chickened out when I heard it was an urban contemporary mixed with Norse mythology. Outside of the stories of Thor, Hercules, and Troy, I’ve never been a big fan of mythology period. However, I decided to suck up those feelings and go into this book with and an open mind. And I’m glad that I did because I ended up really enjoying it and not being able to put it down.

So right off the bat, the book opens with some brief backstory/a mini history lesson which I thought was a great touch, especially if you’re not familiar with Norse mythology and don’t know who Odin is. He’s Thor’s daddy btw if you haven’t seen the movies or read the stories. Then readers are thrust into an action scene as the book opens with Malin (the main character) and her mother Marlow waiting in an alley to kick some butt.

Malin and Marlow are both Valkyries, mortal women whom Odin gave supernatural powers and weapons to slay immortals who were wrecking havoc on the Earth. Being a Valkyrie isn’t something one can decide to become, but rather it’s something that is passed down through the generations from mothers to their daughters. Things really take off when Malin returns home one evening to find a handsome stranger has broken into the apartment she shares with her roommate Oona.

The sexy stranger turns out to be Asher, the son of a former Valkyrie, and he drops a bomb on Malin that rocks her world. It’s a secret that leads to Malin having to confront her mother and leaves her questioning her mother’s ethic’s as a Valkyrie. From here everything starts to unravel and Malin quickly finds herself shifting from trying to save her mom to having to save the world by hunting down a draugr named Tamerlane Fayette.

No worries she gets lots of help along the way from Asher, Oona and we’re introduced to her ex-girlfriend, Quinn Devane. She also gets some help from her boss/handler, Samael, and his personal bodyguard Atlas. Even her archnemesis, Sloane Kothari, offers a helping hand.

Let’s get back to the action scenes for a minute. There’s an action scene in the book between Marlow and Tamerlane and at first I was disappointed in short it was because it felt like the story had been building up to the moment when they caught Tamerlane and then everything went down so quickly. However, I took a few days to process the scene and realized that it wasn’t as climactic as I was expecting for a reason. I can’t go into detail because SPOILERS, but once I played the scene out in my head, it made sense.

That said, I was and still am disappointed about the later action scene between Tamerlane, Asher, and Malin that does down at the end of the book. I really wanted to feel and see Asher’s and Malin’s rage come out and Tamerlane to get the butt kicking he more than deserved by this point. I definitely think that this particular battle scene could and should have been a little longer and intense. Instead, it fell very flat for me and when all was said and done, I found myself asking: “Is this it?”

While there a lot of characters in this book, I didn’t find that it took away from the overall story. Each and every character had a role that I felt was beneficial to the story. Also, there is a bit of a love triangle/rectangle in this story. One could say that Malin is popular demand. LOL. There’s Quinn, her ex-girlfriend who is hoping that Malin will give her second chance.

But then cute Asher comes into the picture and hits it off with Malin. There’s also Malin’s mechanic/friends-with-benefits, Jude who we meet at the opening of the book and then again at the end. I see I told this triangle is more of a rectangle.

There’s also a good mix of diversity in this book with having a bi-sexual main character and plenty of “racial” diversity. I was pleased to that some of the characters had brown skin because YA fantasy is notoriously known for being “so white” as well as mostly heterosexual. Representation matters and I think Hocking took that into consideration when this book.

Also, I loved that this book was told in the first person. Although we are limited to Malin’s viewpoint, I think that there’s just something about getting to experience the story as the characters do or in the moment as opposed to experiencing the story from a narrator’s point of view that draws me in more and allows me to get more emotionally involved.

I think that world building for Between the Blade and the Heart was okay. I could picture in my the futuristic society composed of mortals and immortals living practically on top of each other that Hocking was trying to create. Would have loved to see more? Yes, but it is there is enough to paint a good picture.

Overall, I absolutely enjoyed reading Between the Blade and the Heart. The action at the end of this story left me hanging on the edge of my seat. So I can’t wait for the second book. Yes, this story ends on a cliffhanger. It’s sequel From the Earth to the Shadows is slated to come out this April and I can’t wait!

Personally, I’m hoping that Hocking will go deeper with the world building and bring the intensity with the fight scenes. I’m also looking forward to meeting some characters as well as seeing familiar faces. If you enjoy fantasy and mythology, Between the Blade and the Heart is definitely worth a read.

About The Author

Amanda Hocking is the author of over twenty young adult novels, including the New York Times bestselling Trylle Trilogy and Kanin Chronicles. Her love of pop culture and all things paranormal influence her writing. She spends her time in Minnesota, taking care of her menagerie of pets and working on her next book. You can follow Amanda on Twitter, Facebook, GoodReads and her official website.

Giveaway

Amanda Hocking and St. Martin’s Griffin has graciously offered to give one of you a copy of Between the Blade and the Heart. Use the giveaway widget below to enter for your win if you’re a US resident 18 or older.

Between the Blade and the Heart giveaway

If you had to choose between loyalty and saving the world which would you pick?

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January 4, 2018