“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” — Maya Angelou
This summer my husband and I were able to, against all odds, sneak away for a kid-free night in Saugatuck, Michigan. While we were there, we happened to dine at a restaurant that featured a Smoked Old Fashioned on its menu. This cocktail voodoo was unknown to us, a smoked…
I'm usually too busy through-out the day to make a healthy lunch for myself. I'm more of a grab-n-go type of gal when it comes to lunches. Unfortunately, most lunches that I go to grab aren't as healthy as I'd like them to be, and does “coffee” count as lunch?…
I love Succulents. The temperate climate here in California is the perfect weather for them. I have lots of them planted around the house. They look great in their pots and planted in the ground, but when I saw a beautiful succulent wall at a local restaurant, I knew I…
I start counting down the days to summer break as soon as school starts in the fall. Being a parent of school-age children can be exhausting. Being a parent of a child with special needs on a school IEP is a whole different ballgame. Both of my children are on IEPs. …
Plumeria is one of my favorite tropical flowers. You can find plumeria trees blooming all over the Hawaiian islands. It's a simple, yet elegant flower that emits the sweetest of aromas. I was ecstatic when I first learned that I can grow my very own plumeria tree from just a…
*This posts contains products that were kindly gifted to me. I'm always on the lookout for good, all-natural, anti-aging skincare. A gal like me, who's over 40, wants to soak in all of the anti-aging creams and jellies that I can get. That's why I was so excited when I…
My kid's birthdays are exactly one week apart. I love celebrating their big days, but I am also completely wiped out once they are over. When they were younger I'd combine their birthdays and have a single, giant party each year. Unsurprisingly, as they got a little older they wanted…
“Maybe you should buy yourself a slimming one-piece swimsuit." That’s what the nurse told me after I saw the number on the scale. I was feeling discouraged after finding out, after a month of working out and eating right, that I had gained weight instead of losing it. I was…
I'm always looking for good gifts for my kids. I hate getting the kind of gift that ends up getting played with once and is never seen from again. The good gifts are the ones that keep popping up and getting played with all throughout the year. When my daughter…
Greek lemon rice soup, also known as Avgolemono, is one of those dishes that reminds me of home. The funny part about this is that my family never actually made the soup, nor are we Greek. Lemon Rice soup is a staple dish at almost all of the Greek restaurants…
What do you think I should cut out? My bag is seeming way too heavy! Is there anything I’m missing? I have all my packing cubes and gear linked in my bio. #packing #packingtips #europepackinglist #packwithme #packingcubes #compressioncubes #europetrip #summertravels #travelingfamily #familytravels
This is a delicious and easy recipe to make whenever you have fresh fruits or berries. It even tastes great with frozen fruit as well. I have the full recipe on Staying Blonde linked in my bio. #easybaking #easyrecipes #summerbaking #cherrycobbler #cobbler #easycobbler #cherries🍒 #cherries #cherryrecipes #stayingblonde
Hoping that everyone is having a wonderful and safe Memorial Day weekend. Today we remember and honor the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country and freedom. #memorialday #homeofthefreebecauseofthebrave
We picked nearly 10 pounds of cherries! What should I make first? @upickcherries opening day was yesterday and they’re open all weekend. I am so excited that cherry season is finally here. If you are looking to pick cherries, this orchard is located on Morgan Hill, Ca. You can find all the info at www.upickorchards.com. I also have it linked in my bio. #cherrypicking #cherries #momlife #momlifebestlife #bayareamom #bayareakids #bayareafamily #fruitpicking #funwithkids #familyfun #memorialweekend #stayingblonde #momofboth #momoftwokids #bayareafun #californialiving
It’s funny that it’s always my own stuff that I forget to pack. At least I do remember to pack everything for the kids! What’s the most annoying thing you ever forgot to pack? I guarantee I won’t ever forget my skin cream again. I love Yummylicious for my sensitive skin. I also love that it’s 100% organic, pure, vegan. Use my code “michelle20” to receive 20%off Yummylicious skin care products. Link in the bio. #skincare #skincareroutine #yummylicious #matureskin #skincareover40 #sensitiveskin #sensitiveskincare #packing #travelingfamily #whatipack #whatiweartoday #stayingblonde #yummylicious_skincare
You can’t go wrong with any of these hotels. We end up staying at one of these three when ever we visit Disneyland. They are all close to the parks, offer comfortable, spacious rooms, and all have fantastic pool areas. You can read more our three favorite Disney hotels in the link in my bio. #disneyhotels #disneyland #disneylandcalifornia #disneylandhotels #disneylandhotel #hojoanaheim #grandcalifornian #disneymom #disneyadvice #disneyfamily #disneylandtips #disneylandtipsandtricks #besthotels
How different is “vacation” you vs “everyday” you? I’ve come to the realization that “vacation” me is a lot more fun! When I’m traveling, I wake up early, have endless energy, am much more laid back, and I’m much more adventurous.
I wish that some of “vacation” me would rub off on “everyday” me. I could use some of that endless energy, and the ability to wake up early right about now. I don’t know, I guess waking up and getting the kids ready for school just isn’t as exciting as traveling. 😂 #momlifebelike #momlife #vacationmode #momtruths #xenses
Do you have a favorite hotel that you find yourself visiting over and over? What brings you back to that hotel? I`ve been thinking about this as I`m looking into a Disney trip for the fall, and I`ve realized that we stay at one of the same three hotels every time we visit the parks. I guess we are just creatures of habit.
A few things we look for in our Disney hotels are: close proximity to the parks, comfortable spacious rooms, and a fantastic pool area. Each of our favorite hotels have all three of these. These hotels also have something about them that seems to make our visits feel more like a vacation than just a trip.
I just shared a new blog post over on SB talking about our three go-to hotels when ever we visit the parks. If you`re wondering about this first photo, it`s from the Grand Californian. I had to take a pic and mention their robes! They are seriously the comfiest robes EVER. So much so, I bought one in their gift shop that I still wear daily. Have you tried their robes? Link in bio #disneylandhotels #bestdisneylandhotels #besthotels #disneyhotels #disneylandhotel #hojoanaheim #howardjohnsonanaheim #grandcalifornian #grandcalifornianhotel
My beautiful Grandma Betty left us for heaven yesterday. My heart is heavy, but I take solace in the thought she is finally reunited with my grandpa — the great love of her life.
I am already missing her and the stories she would weave. She was a divine story teller with the natural gift of gab. I will never forget her laugh. When she laughed the whole room laughed with her. She was a master gardener with the greenest thumb I’ve seen. Growing tomatoes was her specialty and my mouth waters just thinking about their goodness. She was an amazing cook, and would whip up some of the best southern recipes you’d ever eat. I will miss you, Grandma, but you will live in my happy memories until we meet again. In the meantime, give Grandpa a hug for me! ❤️
Have you been craving anything in particular lately? I don’t know if it’s the warmer weather or what, but I have been craving Dole Whip! I’ve heard that they’re supposed to be selling it at a grocery stores soon, but I haven’t seen it in any of mine yet. I guess I will just have book a trip down to Disneyland and grab some in person. What do you think?
On another Disney note, did you see that they are discontinuing park reservations at Walt Disney World starting next January? I am really hoping they do this for Disneyland as well. I’ve actually been holding off buying season passes until they do. What do you think? Would you like to see the reservation system go away? #dolewhip #disneyparks #tikiroom #enchantedtikiroom
Has mom guilt ever kept you from taking time for yourself? This year it almost kept me from going on my annual girl’s trip. I am glad I ended up pushing that guilt aside and went anyway. Sometimes you don’t realize how badly you need a break until you take a break. You can read more about how important it is to do this every so often in the link in my bio. #momguilt #momsweekend #girlsweekend #mombreak #momoftwokids #momofboth #momlifebelike #playadelcarmen #mexicotrip #visitmexico #allinclusiveresort #momlife❤️ #stayingblonde #royalhideawayplayacar
I thought about this as I listened to my kids fight on the way to school this morning. Out of all the things they had to inherit from me, they had to inherit my short fuse. 😝
Do your kids fight constantly? I am really hoping this is just a phase. #momlife #momlifebelike #momoftwokids #momofboth #momofteensandtweens #momofteenagers #momoftweens #tempertantrum #realmomlife #momlifeunfiltered #momlifeunplugged #motherhoodunplugged
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here:
Privacy and Cookie Policy
Mom of two, seeking a little sanity in the everyday.